Lenny Twinklespark stared directly at the reader.
Okay, well, not literally. But if this were an anime, he'd definitely be breaking the fourth wall right now.
"Alright, listen up," he said, adjusting his imaginary glasses. "Before you think, 'Wow, this guy's life is a dumpster fire,' let me clear something up."
He waved a hand like a magician revealing a trick. "This whole story? It's a parody. A big, silly joke. We're taking the piss out of all those web novels like Shadow Slave—you know the type."
The ones where every chapter is a rehash of the same tired tropes. The MC's 'shadow powers' always level up after a conveniently timed exposition dump. The villain monologues longer than the actual fight scene. The love interest is either a walking cliché or missing in action.
Lenny sighed dramatically. "Honestly, I think the author fed an AI about a hundred cultivation novels and a thesaurus, then asked it to churn out the next big hit. And that's why 'Shadow Slave' reads like a robot desperately trying to sound deep."
He smirked. "So, when you read about my finger stuck in my nose, or the epic poop battle with Cassie, or the Tentacle Incident—just remember: it's all poking fun at the messy, over-the-top stuff in those novels."
"Because sometimes," he said, "you've got to laugh at the chaos."
He gave a mock bow. "Thanks for sticking around, and don't worry—there's plenty more ridiculousness to come."