The Hero Returns (Hero? I Haven't Been One for Ages)

My first impression of it was that it was just average, and there were many typos, making the first reading quite painful. While the story itself wasn't particularly outstanding on the first read, it was quite engaging. After finishing it once, I didn't find it particularly unpleasant, and a second read wasn't too bad either. I was willing to read it again. On the second read, I noticed many foreshadowing elements. Some were just things I'd laugh off, but I was surprised that the author remembered them and connected them all. Honestly, at that point, I didn't think this book could be called a masterpiece; I felt it was at best...

It's 2025, is anyone still here?

While the ending can be considered a happy one, the process felt like a tragedy to me. Every step of Lin Jie's growth was accompanied by the death of friends: the passing of his parents, Roger, Qin Musi, and Xiao Qian, as well as the departure of good people like the Star Child, Yan Di. Every appearance of Zero meant death, whether for allies or enemies. Behind every world-saving act by Zero lay countless sacrifices, and the same applies in the sequel. This wasn't the rise of a hero, but rather a colossal tragedy. My two favorite characters in the prequel were Roger and Qin Musi; despite being ordinary people, they were willing to give their lives for others...

More than a year later, out of boredom, I downloaded Pineapple Bun and watched Heroes again. Even though the characters and plot had already left a deep impression on me, I still couldn't help but laugh when I saw Xiao Zhan kneel down directly in front of his junior sister, and I still felt sad when Sonic died in the final battle against the gods. Seeing Xiao Qian's final conversation with Lin Jie left me with a strange sense of loss… Perhaps that's why I spent a little money to buy the prequel. The prequel's plot is more exciting, but also has more heartbreaking moments. The protagonists in the prequel and the main story feel like two different characters: one is hot-blooded but lacks common sense, while the other…

I read this light novel when I was in my third year of junior high and first year of senior high in 2017 and 2018. At that time, I was only reading cultivation novels on pirated websites. I remember accidentally coming across this Chinese light novel when I first entered the private server. I was shocked by the urban superpower world view and the invincible male protagonist's refreshing story. I thought that novels could be written like this. It is truly my white moonlight for life.

"False transcendence," also known as the Ascension Realm, refers to those powerful beings in the Ascension Realm who, as Fenrir described, treat their original universe as sand and use higher-dimensional universes as canvases for painting. Except for Dao Qizhan, all others are "false transcendent" ascendants. The universes they ascend to are not the same; they continue ascending based on strength. In a group chat, a reader asked about ascendants. The author, in a rather pointless discussion, wasn't referring to the typical fantasy ascending to the Immortal Realm and then some supreme realm, culminating in a shattered great world. Instead, it refers to ascending from one's original universe to a four-dimensional universe, becoming stronger, then ascending to a five-dimensional universe, and then to a six-dimensional universe...

It's finished! Yay! I remember back in the day, when VIP chapters on Pineapple Bun Novels would automatically become free after a certain period. I started reading this book when it was first written. Maybe by today's standards, it has many flaws, but undeniably, it was a part of my youth.

Judging solely from the main story, I think it's a masterpiece. I roughly divide it into three parts: from the first volume to the defeat of the black dragon in the other world—this part is genuinely fun, interesting no matter how you look at it. Then, after the battle against the god, this part feels inferior to the previous ones. The feeling is simply different; it lacks the lightheartedness of resolving events with laughter. It's still silly, but definitely not as good as before. After the battle against the god, it feels like an epilogue. The ending, I think, is just okay—a happy ending, everything is explained, but honestly, it's just average. As for the prequel, there's not much to say; it's just a typical shonen coming-of-age novel, not bad either...

I'm really curious how this book managed to surpass "Blood Princess and Knight" and "Rhapsody" in popularity, especially since it's not an S+VIP work.

In a sense, it is indeed an invincible character. Before reaching the Transcendent Realm, he can't beat the protagonist, but once he reaches the Transcendent Realm, he won't fight the protagonist.