Weapons of Mass Destruction - Chapter 498: Metal Cathedral

When the enigmatic and overpowered Kieran Drayke awakens in a foreign magical world after a sudden transmigration, he brings along a system unlike any this realm has ever known. The “Sovereign Architect System” doesn’t just make him invincible—it gives him the tools to build something far greater.But Kieran isn’t interested in world domination. At least, not in the usual way.Disillusioned by the world's surface-level glimmer and the rot beneath it, Kieran sets his sights on the forsaken—those discarded by society, lost in the shadows of nobility and corruption. From slums, war zones, and forgotten ruins, he gathers orphan girls of various races—elves, beastkin, humans, and more—each with untapped potential and pain behind their eyes.He trains them in secret. Guides them. Empowers them. Not as soldiers, but as a family. A hidden organization that operates behind the curtains, shaping the world while appearing as ordinary students at the prestigious Aetherion Magic Academy.Kieran himself? Just a carefree, slightly lazy transfer student with a penchant for sweets, sarcasm, and sneaking naps between classes—on the surface, at least.With a slow-burning plot that weaves magical worldbuilding, deep friendships, training arcs, casual comedy, and a cast of unforgettable girls who grow into queens of the unseen, Chronicles of the Hidden Crown explores what happens when an OP MC doesn’t conquer the world with brute force…But builds a legacy from its forgotten pieces.No betrayal. No forced drama. Just the steady rise of a secret kingdom in the shadows of a crumbling empire.

Kai was a 17-year-old dropout. A NEET. A background character in real life with nothing to his name but bitterness, novels, and guilt. After his parents died, he gave up on the world. People were fake. Dreams were pointless. And that one novel he kept reading? He hated it especially the main character, June. Perfect, noble, always standing tall. Everything Kai wasn’t.Then, one night, a voice asked: “What if you did meet June?”He said yes, half-asleep and half-mocking.Now he’s trapped in the novel. Isikeid. But he’s not June. He’s not a hero. He’s not even in the main cast.He’s an extra in the background of a world he knows too well and he’s had enough of watching things play out the same way. This time, he’s going to change everything. Whether the world likes it or not.

Her original self was a powerful jiangshi who had cultivated for innumerable years. However, when she attempted to unlawfully enter the world of the immortals, she was discovered by the Jade Emperor and thrown into the mortal world as punishment. Her soul then left her corpse, fusing with the body of the Motian Dynasty’s sixth princess. She didn’t even have a chance to fully comprehend her current circumstances before her maid unexpectedly ignored her mistress, even publicly provoking her!

“What? That weak and cowardly idiot who has neither her father’s love or mother’s favor actually mistook her older sister as her maid?! All the royal princes in the world loathe her?”

“Damn you! This old lady will let all of you understand why the flowers are so red!”

“Hey! Did you hear? That cowardly sixth princess unexpectedly snatched away the man that the eldest princess favored today!”

“How is that interesting news? That fourth princess who ran always ran amuck in the capital city is now confined to her bed now!”

The good-for-nothing counterattacks! The previously cowardly and incompetent sixth princess suddenly reveals her exceptional talents! She is full of radiant elegance, and unparalleled disdain!

She is driven by the desire to shed no more tears! However, if she had known what would happen later, she would have been better off acting stupid! She had calculated thousands, tens of thousands of scenarios, but had never calculated one where one day, her own prey would unexpectedly turn around, and ruthlessly bully her instead! Damn it, she still hasn’t sucked any blood yet!

- Description from Novelupdates

From quiet grind to legacy brew.Jun had nothing—no café, no followers, not even a bed. Just a secondhand kettle and a broken dream.Then came the Barista System.No shortcuts. No instant success. Just slow, intentional tasks... and a promise:Brew. Grow. Endure.Every pour sharpens his skill. Every cup deepens his path.From street corners to pop-ups, from whispered praise to a space of his own—Jun’s grind is just beginning.This is a story of stillness, patience, and the quiet pursuit of mastery.Because greatness isn’t given.It’s brewed—one cup at a time.