To Be a Power in the Shadows! (WN)

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Just like how everyone adores heroes in their childhood, a certain boy adored those who hid in the shadows. One day, after living the mediocre life of a side character while undergoing frenzied training by night, he reincarnates in a different world and gains ultimate power. The young man who is only playing at being a secretive powerhouse, his misunderstanding subordinates, and a struggling, giant, shadowy organization…

This is the story of a boy who adored shadowy manipulations who might possibly reign over the dark side of another world.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute!
TEIS
The Eminence in Shadow (LN)
想要成为影之实力者
陰の実力者になりたくて!
Related Series
To Be a Power in the Shadows! (LN) (Light Novel)
Recommendations
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Tilea’s Worries (14)
My Death Flags Show No Sign of Ending (14)
There Was No Secret Organization to Fight with the World’s Darkness so I Made One (In Exasperation) (11)
Overlord (LN) (8)
I Got Reincarnated And Mistaken As A Genius? (8)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Action - Cultivation - Adventure (On going)
  2. Misunderstandings, but with major event going on b...
  3. Novels That I Have Read Over The Years
  4. Mentally ill protagnoists
  5. Isekai Fantasy | #1

Latest Release

Date Group Release
11/28/22 Placeholder c205.5
10/09/22 Placeholder characters
10/05/22 Placeholder c205
10/05/22 Soafp c205
03/09/21 Placeholder c204
10/08/19 WangMama c203
09/17/19 WangMama c202
08/27/19 WangMama c201
08/23/19 WangMama c200
08/21/19 WangMama c199
08/16/19 WangMama c198
08/13/19 WangMama c197
08/05/19 WangMama c196
08/02/19 WangMama c195
07/17/19 WangMama c194
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209 Reviews sorted by


GronkJuice
GronkJuice rated it
February 4, 2019
Status: c117
I would of giving this story a 5 star if they stayed on track after the tournament arc. Would of still giving it a 4 star if the zombie arc was the only one that was the WTF arc. But I really wanted to give it 1 star when the damn merchant arc happened. Almost everything else in the story makes sense logically. You can fathom people loving the new merchandise from the new merchants, you can understand the 8th grade syndrome that the MC embodies to 5000%, you... more>> can even appreciate the funny notion of everything that he lied about was true, or even the shear luck this bastard has. But I drew the line when These idiots added bank notes.

Bank notes where one of the hardest things that the elite was able to implement into society to date. The rice wanted a system in place that they could siphon off from the working class, and the governments wanted that juicy extra tax from them as well. In the past it was impossible to tax the poor and the worker cause cash money exchanged and it was back by itself, no trail, no way to prove that anyone traded, no way to tax. Even bartering was a hard system for governments and the rich, as it made it harder and harder to siphon off funds from others.

The banking system failed, if memory serves me right, about 4 times before England forced the note, making a law that prohibited the use (or maybe ownership) of the gold coin. This now centralized the money of the nation and make it possible to siphon from the poor and workers, without them knowing. Charging exchange fees, storage fees, handling fees, etc.

I know that I shouldn't pay so much attention to the story, but if what I am being told in the story is to believe. I need to know that the author at least does SOME research on what WOULD and WOULD NOT work. But it is just another one of those, 'This happens now so it HAS to be better' novels. Where nobody even challenges things, everything modern is like golden youth ponds to the masses, and the rich and powerful are s*upid as shit. Sigh.

If you read this, stop at the part where you hear john smith, you will do yourself a favor. <<less
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Fluffums
Fluffums
February 2, 2019
Status: c167
My rating would be closer to 3.5/5.

The 5* and 1* reviews are both basically correct.

It's a fun story and an interesting setting with interesting characters and a decent amount of funny moments (misunderstanding comedy, mostly, with some slapstick). The way the author expands the world with each arc, uncovering a bit more about the enemy facing Shadow Garden, is acceptable.

But the protagonist is unforgivable in a lot of ways. The merchant war arc especially lowered my opinion of him, but even before that he only thought about the "scenario" in... more>> front of him and how he could "act" in an interesting way.

This person has seen first-hand how dangerous everything is in this world (not for him, but the people around him), but he hasn't changed (except in the latest arcs, being even more callous and self-absorbed).

-

So if you don't mind reading about a protagonist who treats everything as a game, it's a pretty good story. If you don't like that kind of protagonist, give it a hard pass despite the high rating. <<less
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optjam
optjam rated it
January 29, 2019
Status: c112
Wow, binged this one so hard. I could not stop reading.

One of my new favorite novels. So much fun, action, and slice of life feels going on. Love how the MC just rolls through life with his antics and everyone else loves him for it.
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junjunjey
junjunjey rated it
September 7, 2018
Status: c37
EXTREMELY SHALLOW!

Imagine you're watching a movie, but there is no screen at all and all you get is the sound of MC monologuing his thoughts and impressions. That's the kind of novel this one.

Author is immersing himself as the MC in his mind except he doesn't even try describing in detail what he perceives in his imagination and only writes his dreary monologue and thinking while he's living in his own story.

... more>> The text mostly filled with the thought and impression of MC regarding stuff, and not the story itself.

This novel is not even a novel, at least I can't bring myself to call it one. This not-novel contains of 98% telling (not showing), info-dumping, and blatant lazy-writing journal-like summary right into the story body; and 2% actual shown-depicted story.

And the MC is as*hole to the core. He's playing with real people's life as if they're just NPC in a game for the sake of his wish-fulfillment.

A writing of a thoughtless and immature Author driven by hormone. <<less
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Lemeres
Lemeres
April 30, 2018
Status: c8
Summary of the image- imagine Batman fighting the Illuminati. And there are 7 bat girls.

This is not a summary of the setting... But the protagonist doesn't actually pay attention to the setting. The protagonist has a literally fatal case of chunni, he reincarnated, and the he continued playing Batman while making up a fake setting.

The joke of the series is that his setting was accidentally true, and he creates a powerful secret organization to save the world... All while assuming that he is just playing Batman and catching random bank... more>> robber #261. <<less
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SeventhTale
SeventhTale rated it
April 29, 2018
Status: c42
This novel is a combination of "pretending", "misunderstanding", and "coincidence". It's like a combined story of "The Deadbeat Master and Genius Disciple's Misunderstood Workshop" and "Master's Smile".

My first impression here is a bit chuuni-type of story. The early chapters is a bit annoying, but then I realized that this one is not a serious type of novel where our MC pursue his dream of becoming a power in shadows. This story is a serious/comedic type, where our MC really want to act/play as a character in the shadow. But with... more>> his OP abilities that he polished even in his past life, he successfully manage to fulfill his role, though with the power of coincidence and development, the supposedly idiotic way of life became a huge development that is real.

The author's style of introducing the characters is really likeable, even with time-skip, he one-by-one introduced the subordinates (heroines?) with their own POV and how they see our MC.

The misunderstandings here is the middle-level, it's tolerable since it's cause desirable developments. I really like this story. All of it started from our MC's very chuuni dream but turned into a bigger scale that involves schemes, and clash of organizations. It's serious but at the same time funny. This is why there are some things that the readers may not be able to accept, in MC's actions, personality, or development of the story. Still I really recommend this one for those whose looking for unique stories.

4.8/5.0 <<less
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ichibaka
ichibaka rated it
April 1, 2018
Status: c14
At first the MC was funny, but eventually his I-must-act-like-a-mob mentality goes so far that his act just become s*upid, and he just debase himself into an unlikable hetare that takes suffering and humiliation like the most rewarding job in the world. Simply insufferable idiot.
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leprosus
leprosus rated it
May 8, 2019
Status: c150
What can I say about this novel?

It's absolutelly marvellous at the start, fresh, fun, one of the best comedies in WN but you know,.... nothing stays forever. About chapter 100 it starts to decline more and more, it became repetitive, doing the same jokes again and again and finally the novel became extremelly boring. (mostly because there are zero evollution on the characters and their relationships).

When you don't knpe where stop and put an end in your novel this kind of things happends. That's pretty common on web novels.
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AutumnSnowz
AutumnSnowz rated it
May 5, 2019
Status: c157
This novel is great at the beginning but once you read so many chapter it starts to get annoying. The annoying part is the MC is so dense and in his own delusional world so much that it not funny anymore after so many chapters. I know it's part of the story but the author making him so dense make you lose interest in the story because after so many chapter its just not funny anymore. He so dense that he hurt his ally trying to fulfill his own delusional... more>> desires. He unknownly make a bunch of girls fall for him and has no remorse on doing w.e he wants and doesn't even think about how they would feel because he's just that dense. I can tolerate dense MC but being dense to the point of hurting ur ally and making them cry is just to much. And one of the worst thing is that he's so far into his delusion that he'll wait for people and/or allies to get hurt or even kill so that his entrance to the scene could look cooler. How badly must someone delusion be to do something like that. The story line and plot is actually pretty well written and interesting. The flow of the story isn't bad either and the story progress is neither slow nor fast and just at the right amount for me.

My overall rating would have to be a 3.5. Would at least be a 4.5 outa 5 if the MC wasn't so dense. <<less
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grimzz
grimzz rated it
March 31, 2019
Status: c132
The MC is a ret*rd, delusional with thick plot-armor and OP power

that is fine if the story stick with the Gag and funny thing the novel start with

but as the story progress the gag and joke is getting less and stale, and the story get more serious but the author don't know how to make an interesting story from that

so yeah the novel start GREAT but going downhill or more like fall off the cliff as the story continue
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L-a-w
L-a-w rated it
March 26, 2019
Status: c131
In all honesty it was great at the beginning had soo much to offer but then it turned into pure BS, every strong person in the novel is female other than MC and the organisation, he had build a harem/army of females while he believing all this to be an act, and every arc is basically the same, starts with slow life while he is trying to be a mob, well tbh the easiest way to be 1 is just not doing anything at all, but whatever he tries to... more>> be a mob and think that the whole order thing is just a joke between him and his harem ?and they are playing with his imaginary order / plots and whatsoever, and ends with him as " shadow appearing and destroying everything , but it's not a bad novel per say if you are looking for humor/fun/comical novel you will have a great laugh, but from the first chapter I excepected different more hardcore novel not a comical 1, the MC is an OP idiot that takes everything as a joke and tryhard mob wannabe that's spouting nonsense all the time and turns out to be believed by his harem thinking that he is omnipotent or some BS which is nerving. <<less
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MangoGuy
MangoGuy rated it
February 8, 2019
Status: c113
Absolutely Mango approved

It has been a while since I have read a satire of such massive proportions. Taking a dig at literally every troupe out there in the fantasy genre and adding a spin to it thanks to our chunibyou protagonist, you get an absolutely fun ride which will make you stick to it like crazy.

Our MC, who always had an adoration for the shadow powers like literally every guy ever, finds out that hard work does pay off! He is transported.. Sorry, reincarnated in a world of magic where... more>> he will train hard to become a secret power!

Ara? What is the satire? The absolute mockery of plot armor is, as the protagonist himself breaks the fourth wall to discuss about the s*upidity of his plot armor. I mean.. Literally everything is just brilliant writing.

Yes, there is a lack of strong characters on the opposite spectrum but the plot is still building up as the author is coming out of the freshness of the idea and lets us closer to the inner plot: The culmination of the plot armor.

I am willing to even compare this to the Comedy of Errors, to be honest.

An absolute banger in which I actually wasn't able to find almost any faults!!

Hugely Mango approved. <<less
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sodapoplagski
sodapoplagski rated it
January 26, 2019
Status: c112
Absolutely hilarious novel and it's incredibly saddening how slow it's being translated nowadays, as the chapters are really short.

A lot of the comedy in the novel stems from misunderstandings, which I usually hate. That's because it usually involves some character being incredibly s*upid and incapable of communicating, making it incredibly frustrating. Here however the misunderstandings only happens because the main character doesn't give a single shit, making me not give a sh*t either. Not sure if that works for everyone, but it should work for some.

Originally I was really bothered... more>> by how the MC's predictions were constantly magically correct, and the harem being huge and boring at the start of the series.

The former however is toned down greatly further in the series. It's still there, but it's not nearly as common, at a point where it doesn't get annoying.

With the latter, technically the harem is bigger, but functionally it isn't, as we barely see any of the 'mob' haremettes. Most importantly though, the harem is done for comedy now. Almost all harem aspects of the later series are really damn funny, and I thus have come to find the harem aspect of this novel a rare huge plus.

I've seen the common critique that it starts getting boring, but I haven't gotten remotely burned out so far.

The main character is the selling point of the series. He's completely insane and oblivious as hell, but lovably so. He also has some really cool moments at times despite his usual attitude. Side characters and story are pretty good for a series focused so much on its comedy, though they're still largely there to set up jokes. The different viewpoints is something I find to be one of the series' strongest points. It has good jokes, good pacing, and is seemingly structured well and clearly.

That's not to say it's flawless, but I experienced no particular recurring flaws worth mentioning besides the two I mentioned were only problematic at the start. Take my review with a pinch of salt however, as I have done no detailed analysis of the series. <<less
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keishanmirra
keishanmirra rated it
January 15, 2019
Status: c115
I notice many of the reviews, good and bad, seem to be missing something great about the MC.
He is a genius... and an idiot. Just from his descriptions of himself in the initial chapter, you can infer that he is both driven and solitary, possibly a bit lonely, extremely smart and capable, but also very, very (ad infinitum) "socially inept" (read Dense). Throw in a lot of jabs at common tropes for comedic relief, and make it a harem-style with an oblivious... nay, disinterested, MC and this LN is... more>> GOLD.
1. He has had the same passion and goal since childhood.
2. He works extremely hard at not APPEARING to work hard ("day-job")
3. Purely dedicated to his Night Training. (Who says you can't take it with you? Wink wink)
4. Using random information from two separate worlds, contrived an excellent story (excuse) for the purpose of his dream... That just happens to be NEARLY entirely correct.
5. He really has cut out pretty much everything else in pursuit of his dreams. Notices the hotness of the females around him... gives zero *you know what*. Gets insulted constantly... No skin off his back, he knows his own worth. Even his fighting styles point to him shucking the chaff and refining down to the essentials.
6. Has a great sense of humor, sometimes even self-deprecating humor. Nothing funnier than this guy's inner monologue, but his Mob life experiences are a close second. (*for the readers* 33/47 left, and does he look like a pet to you?)
7. He knows everything and yet he knows nothing. Is vigilant yet unobservant. Now, that is skill. The MC is an oxymoron in and of himself.
8. He is apparently a Master at explaining things... just think about it.
9. In pursuit of his dreams, he hasn't grasped that he has already fully realized his main one, with a little help from his friends.
10. Finally, Lady Luck smiles upon this bass-turd in such a way that he gets to experience many great moments, walk around oblivious to the Big Picture, and still come out looking like a Saint and Smelling of Roses.

I hope I covered it without spoiling it. So, this isn't just an idiot MC with luck who comes upon things through pure happenstance (though, that happens, too)... The guy is a skilled genius... with quirks.
PS- Everyone who has a problem with his armor (most especially his sword)... you don't need to be a Blacksmith to forge a malleable magic weapon/armor. In case you didn't notice, he has had since infancy to learn control of magic, has been able to take in and retain vast amounts of information since birth, and over the course of 15+ years, through hard work and experimentation and some basic understandings and theories from his previous "years", has managed to figure out a few things to his advantage.

The MC is OP, people. The reason this LN is so enjoyable is that he is also a dingus. Even better, for me, is that this anti-hero accidentally on purpose is really a super hero, but doesn't see himself that way. Meaning; everything he does makes him a super hero, and he does everything with a purpose, but the results are often accidental (read: Hero Worship, Dedicated Followers). <<less
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SpinelesS
SpinelesS rated it
January 2, 2019
Status: c114
Fun story - I even enjoyed how dense the MC is. Tenshi Translations also did a great job translating. Unsure as of yet with the new guy (only 2 chapters so far 1 great, 1 not so great EDIT: apparently 2nd chapter is currently unedited...)

Also, when I say the MC is dense, I mean Super Dense, and not just about the ladies.
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sleed
sleed rated it
December 28, 2018
Status: c114
Hmm, one is the few novels that are solid in their own way.

I wanted to read something creative and with an original sense of drama, I was satisfied; this is a light hearted comedy.

The cherry on the icing is a natural plot; it's reason: the characters premises.

An honest story but with casual premises.

And where characterization calls for it; author wont compulsively laught it off.

Author doesn't make comedy the end ; it just happens in a good natural way.
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2Girls1Cupcake
2Girls1Cupcake rated it
November 10, 2018
Status: c112
There isn't much to say, this is a brilliant novel. There's a reason it's first place on syosetu.

The premise of this novel is in part misunderstandings, this has been seen many times before, but in this there's a very nice balance between misunderstandings of the power of his organisation and their activities and his actual own strength which he is fully aware of, this means that it isn't just a gag story, there's something more here and it's all well balanced. This, together with his intentional mob character persona which... more>> embodies every cliché encounter, action or outcome normally seen happening to characters in similar situations in other novels and the witty dialogue between the MC and the people around him are some of the highlights of this novel.

The plot is actually pretty good, the fights are finished in mostly no time at all, since it isn't the focus of this story, yet there are quite a number of them at times and they are handled in a way that still makes them enjoyable and besides that we're yet to see how OP the MC really is, there seem to be strong individuals out there.

The MC isn't just your standard JP MC that's just being pulled along, he has his own goals and opinions, he has actual depth, the same with the side characters, at first glance they seem like mindless robots just following the MC, but further along we come to know some of their background and personality, they take on a life on their own.

Lastly the writing is very professional and the translation likewise, definitely top class on novel updates. <<less
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pre-given
pre-given rated it
August 22, 2018
Status: c91
Some people may not get this but the fact that "everything works out without him even trying" is the joke. The MC is just playing make-believe and doesn't realize everything he does is backed by real power and consequences, this makes for pretty good comedy when great schemes set into motion by huge organizations and kingdoms are brought down with a flick of his sword. Everyone thinks he is playing chess when he is really playing checkers, it reminds me of one-punch man.
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Renaxan
Renaxan rated it
July 2, 2018
Status: c88
A great type isekai with a lot comedy, misunderstanding and batman wanna be. We got MC who are try to looking edgy, but looking cool by others perspective which actually MC does it in purposes and we, the reader know MC just a chuuni kek. Somehow MC action always right in this world, which his real intention not that far so yah misunderstand comedy plot happen a lot. So far this is keep entertaining despite im sure the plot keep repeating but who's care if its enjoyable?

Also the translation and... more>> community so good and active which is surpluss things about this novel. <<less
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waterproofs
waterproofs
June 21, 2018
Status: c67
The best part of this novel is actually the ability to make this novel really interesting, I mean the misunderstanding between the MC and the girls is so hillarious thay I can’t speak anything about that.. but overall it’s good, so its worth it to read this if you’re into harem + misunderstanding...
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