Synopsis

Akio was an average guy, having moved to the big city from his humble town in the mountains. Sure, his IT freelancing job wasn't making him big money, and he wasn't exactly a hit with the ladies, so his sister always reminded him, but life wasn't all that bad... until one day a mysterious angel-like being visited him to tell him the Earth was in danger. Many would be chosen to fight this fate, but would any succeed?
Of course, if one could have the usual cheat skills everything would work out, wouldn't it? So why were his skills nearly non-existent, and the rules of this new world like a garbage pay-to-win mobile game? Akio would have to not only hone his skills and build his Astral Empire, but he would need to raise money, secure land and become a major player on Earth too! Facing this challenging task alone would surely be impossible, so Akio needs to make strong and beautiful allies to take on all those who would oppose him, confronting his limits and old scars to transcend what he believes he could be capable of.
Who would those opponents be, you ask? The old myths of Earth are returning, alien invaders are waiting outside on the Astral Tides, Cultivators are looking for their next faces to slap, Demons are whispering poison into the ears of anyone who would listen, and whoever was trying to save Earth by granting various people powers were making somereallyawful choices...
Join Akio as he starts at the bottom of the ladder, an ordinary man needing to overcome his doubts and insecurities, clawing his way to the top and discovering one can change their destiny, so long as they work hard (and have a boat-load of money!).
[What to expect from the story]
This is a first-person slow-burn LitRPG-lite Harem, set in an alternative mirror to our modern world where the last hidden traces of magic and mystery resurface, as the long-lost higher realms have set their sights on Earth once more, as a prize to be fought over.
The story is balanced between a mixture of real-world socialising, slice of life and daily events, battles in both the other realm of the Boundary and occasionally in the 'real world', trying to become stronger, constructing a Territory in the Boundary, and later on expanding real world interests, and romance, relationships and politics become larger focuses as time progresses.
Character growth and slow progression is a focus. The main character and some of those he meets have significant flaws and make mistakes, especially Akio, who starts off rather weak and has a tendency to not think things through until he's been bitten once or twice, but he and the other characters slowly learn from these errors and the hardships of battle and life to be better, stronger people, more able to fight for what they want and those they love. Over time, they will overcome many of these flaws, becoming the heroes they always could have been with luck and companionship.
The story is a methodical slow-burn as stated above, I give plenty of time for the characters to breathe, digging into their thoughts, insecurities and triumphs, so that they feel alive, the world around them as well. The majority (around 70-75%) is from the POV of the main character, Akio, but there are a number of side stories of friends, family, allies, enemies and lovers to allow insight to their character, the world and upcoming plot threads.
The harem forms slowly over time, and there are some R18 scenes, though this is by no means the focus of the story, with more risque content only when appropriate. This focus does grow over time, with the characters and their emotions.
This is a story of humans, faeries, demons, cultivators, myths, legends and Gods, where what we know of as real intersects with what we consider myth. Initially the story is rather grounded, but as time passes more and more fantastical elements appear, though the story never loses its share of focus on the real-world consequences and problems this emergence causes. With each Act the scale expands, starting from the mundane, to the fantastical, and eventually it will expand outwards beyond the Earth we know... Though that journey is not a short or a quick one.
Act One is now complete!