I am utterly perplexed by this light novel. It's extraordinary, leaving me at a loss for words to express my astonishment. To put it in perspective, while I did enjoy SAO, this current novel is a complete disaster compared to it; SAO shines like a masterpiece in comparison.
The gaming system in this novel is undeniably the worst I've come across. They attempt to provide explanations, but they fall short and leave readers unsatisfied. I understand that light novels focus on character development rather than world-building, but the premise here is repulsive – a grown man essentially creating an harem of young girls, which is incredibly disturbing.
Before reading this, I had strong negative feelings towards Kirito from SAO. However, the character Satou is so despicable that my animosity towards Kirito has vanished. If Kirito were real, I'd have had issues with him, but now, after reading about Satou, I'm considering naming my child Kirito – a testament to how detached from reality this MC is. Satou feels like a conglomerate of unrealistic characters, making it impossible to empathize with him. The lack of plot, one-dimensional characters, and the protagonist's hypocrisy make for a tedious read, but the author seems unbothered by these shortcomings, treating it more as an exercise in self-indulgence.
This novel is a test of endurance, a constant barrage of nonsense. I thought I could withstand absurdity, but I reached my breaking point around volume 14, and by volume 12, I was already struggling mentally. I would rate it 2/5, giving it credit for decent writing (which might be due to the translators) and recognizing it as a parody of flawed escapism. However, considering the time and mental energy wasted, I feel like I should give it a zero, but practicality forces me to settle for 1/5. Yes, I admit my pettiness, but the true jerk in this story is the author, who has produced a literary monstrosity that even surpasses some of the darkest works, like Mein Kampf, in terms of distaste.