I’m looking for a novel with a smart and strong MC that either leads an army or control a country's politics. The Human Emperor seemed promising but I’ve dropped it at chapter 35, it’s so tiring with all these second chance novels where it honestly feels like the MC can’t do anything without knowing exactly what happens. No yaoi, shounen ai or gender bender please. Ty in advance
City of Sin - book 1 was boring but after you skim through it and reach book 2 you will see the good shit.
Erm...I'd suggest Hakai no Miko but the MC is not strong. Only smart. He's a strategist in the army but everyone looks up to him and obeys his orders. Monarch of Evernight- has a strong and smart MC but he barely leads an army. Trash of the Count's family- MC is weak at the start but is gradually getting stronger. First 100 chapters has him travelling and gather powers and companions and scheming against nobles. By the latest chapter, he's a commander.
Law of the Devil The most realistic politics The beginning is slow, and at the beginning you think MC is gonna just become a strong magician but later, the politics take a major part
Good old Heavenly Jewel Change. You might hate the beginning part depending on how you take it, but after that... it's all there. Great MC, great tournament arc(s), great military management arc.
Womanizing Mage - it has an arc around ~200 chapters where he slowly takes over. Rly long arc btw. All arc before this were like 10 -15 chapters long but after the MC returns to his clan the arc is fking huge. War is on the brink. MC's father wants to hand over the clan to him. There are some political marriages and schemes, because the MC's clan plan to overtake the Emperor. The Emperor knows this but cant act. So there is a lot of back and forth between the clan and the empire. MC's is very smart when it comes to war. He has special traning for his unit of 15,000 soldiers at the start. Heavenly Jewel Change - the military arc is half way through the novel. The first half of the novel is MC traning and such, tournaments and such. He epnds a lot of time with a special force archer unit in the first half of the novel. But later when the MC gets news that his home is being under attack he rushes back and then the military arc begins. God and Devil World - zombie type of novel with some fantasy elements to it. At first they just try to survive but MC is slowly building an army lol. The Lord's Empire - not read it myself but plan to read it. It has army building in it. So you might give it a try
Release that Witch is a good choice, so +1 otherwise, try I am the Monarch. The main character is both strong and smart! 241 chapters and counting!