When a Gigachad Gets Isekaied
Ever wondered what would happen if someone was forcefully summoned to another world, survived, and then came back, then trained their grandchild to be an absolute super soldier level, because there was a possibility that they would be summoned someday as well?
Then one day, the grandchild was actually summoned as well. But what the summoners didn't know, that they were actually bringing a crocodile into the pond.
This is the premise of the Light Novel Wortenia Senki or Record of Wortenia War.
The Light Novel itself is heavily focused on action, kingdom building, politics, and drama. There are schemes, wars and betrayal. There is also a sense of mystery surrounding the whole concept of summoning otherworlders itself which is very interesting. You won't find any of the common troupes you would see in a generic Isekai Light Novel. The atmosphere is really serious, there's thrill and a hot blooded passion in the midst of war. And, most importantly there's little to no cheesy comedy.
Another thing that is unique about this Light Novel is the way the protagonist increases his strength. There is no game-like system which is always there to help the protagonist, he has to kill another living being, which allows him to absorb a fraction of their strength and make it his own. What's more, that trait is not exactly exclusive to the protagonist, in fact, it is true for any summoned otherworlders. He doesn't have a cheat, he is the cheat.
Ryoma Mikoshiba, who is the protagonist of this light novel, is apparently just a somewhat ordinary high-schooler who was trained to be adept at martial arts since childhood, by his grandfather. But, as the story progresses, we come to know that he is far from just an ordinary high-schooler who knows martial arts. In fact, he has been trained to kill!
At first, you might wonder, why would someone train their grandson to be a trained killer or more like a general in a peaceful country like modern Japan?
But, we come to understand the reason as soon as the protagonist is summoned to another world.
We find out that the various Kingdoms are summoning beings from another world just for their ability to grow stronger through the act of killing. They don't have some noble purpose of "defeating the Demon Lord and saving the world". They only want to use the otherworlders as their slave soldiers and achieve their own selfish motives. What's even worse is that they think that it's a totally justified act!
You can very well imagine what a rotten world this is.
Anyways, our protagonist was not going to take any of this lying down like a generic assertive beta protagonist. He is not a sheep, but a dragon!
Upon being summoned, he first ascertains the situation he is in, then immediately goes on the offensive. He ruthlessly kills the people on site and then manages to escape. And so, begins an Isekai so unique that it always leaves me wanting for more!
The protagonist embarks on a journey to fight against this unfair and cruel world. He survives through his sharp wit, blazing bravery and raging strength. He is a terrifying fighter. A competent general, and he has the inborn charisma of a leader. He is cautious, cunning, cruel and ruthless, yet quite generous when the situation demands it. He is not overpowered to the point of being invincible, but he is strong enough to strike fear into the hearts of men.
He is intelligent enough to know that he can't do everything on his own. So, he gathers followers and slowly grows his strength. He has an iron will and knows when to be patient. But, at the same time he is extremely decisive. He successfully becomes what his grandfather trained him to be, and more. He thrives and slowly but surely becomes a presence that people both respect and fear.
The other side characters are also clearly fleshed out. They have emotions, goals and the will to strive towards that goal. They have flaws, biases, and they make mistakes. They seem very human.
There are female characters who have feelings for him. But, the protagonist is simply too busy for romance. Don't misunderstand, he is quite aware of their feelings. But, he also knows that the situation requires him to have no weaknesses. So, he doesn't let himself become emotionally involved with the opposite gender. He has sexual desires, but he is not a pervert. He goes to a brothel when the need arises.
The antagonists are also not one dimensional. They have a goal, and they have elaborate schemes and plans to achieve that goal. They are cunning, cruel and ruthless. They are interesting. The final boss, however, is a mystery. You will have to find that out yourself.
The world building is quite elaborate. As this is essentially a kingdom building novel, it has to describe the different kingdoms, their cultures and the socio-economic situations in detail. And, I think that this novel does that quite well, although not perfectly.
The world is very different from a generic isekai. Yes it is a world with swords and magic, but it's a world with mostly human inhabitants with some magical races here and there. There are nobles and there are empires and kingdoms. The nobles are selfish and cruel. There are frequent wars between the kingdoms.
To sum up, Wortenia Senki is a record of the conquest of a young supreme ruler who aims to crush this other world under his feet and bend it to his own will. It's him against the world, only time will tell who will come out on top!
Honestly, I have been reading this novel since it was just a web novel. Yes, it had its flaws, but the light novel version is quite polished. I have read 16 volumes of this Light Novel, but I am always curious about what will happen next.
