Reborn: The Empire’s Strongest Became My Own Substitute

[Female protagonist, reborn with mecha action, military academy livestreams, a sharp mind, and a plot-driven face-slapping power fantasy. No male lead, though several male supporting characters have unrequited feelings for her; they will not take up much of the story.]

Before she was reborn, Chang Feng was the commander of the First Legion and the Empire's strongest mecha pilot. Her political rival, the Regent, respected her; the Second Prince, who was about to ascend the throne, admired her; and even the head of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, despite their personal enmity, had to admit she was the strongest in the Empire. Countless people harbored all kinds of admiration for her, but few dared to say it aloud.

During the battle against an ancient god who was consuming the universe, Chang Feng perished alongside it. After her death, the Empire launched the [Replica] Project, creating five replicas to take over some of Chang Feng's roles.

While everyone believed Chang Feng had fallen in battle, she discovered that she had been reborn: with her supernatural abilities drained, a new body inexplicably sent back to the age of sixteen, and a dark, twisted ancient god stuck in her mind, cursing and grumbling.

Before she could figure out what was happening, she opened her eyes and saw the Second Prince, who had once been as sweet and docile as a puppy around her, gripping her chin with a cold expression. His voice was icy: “Don't think being her replica means I'll treat you any differently. Get this straight: you're all just her substitutes.”

Chang Feng herself: “...?”

Well, would you look at that. Every one of her old friends had two faces!

Before she was reborn, Chang Feng stood at the mountaintop, shrouded in mist, making it hard to see the whole picture. After being reborn, she looked up from the foot of the mountain and finally saw what was perched above the summit, gazing down upon the entire universe.