Im looking for a story with a smart mc and one that doesn't stay too naive, like ruthless to the villains but also have a good side to their comrades. some setting that may be similar like dark magician transmigates after 6666 years academy's undercover professor Everyone Else is a Returnee if you have any recommendations with that setting it would be good. any novels with magic or swords is also good please tell me if you have any thanks.
Smart, not naive MCs, and are ruthless to the Villains: Genres: Fantasy, Action, Drama, System, Regression, Reincarnation, Transmigration Trash of the Count's Family (KR) - Military Strategist & stoic MC, Commander, weak body, strong ability, strong allies, steals from the villains, no romance, adapted to Manhwa Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint (KR) - Smart MC, a leader, weak body, strong ability, strong but extreme allies, ruthless to the villains, no romance, adapted to Manhwa The S-Classes That I Raised (KR) - Chaotic, hilarious, & smart MC, a tamer, a buffer, weak body, strong skills, super duper extreme allies, no romance, adapted to Manhwa Lord of the Mysteries (CN) - Smart MC, calm and humble, not too strong but not too weak, no harem, no romance, adapted to Manhua The Legendary Mechanic (CN) - Smart MC, a mechanic, with a strong body, strong abilities, ruthless to the villains, adapted to Manhwa Solo Leveling (KR) - Intelligent, calm, & indifferent MC, strong body, strong ability, ruthless to the villains, romance on side stories, adapted to Manhwa Return of the Mount Hua Sect (KR) - Hilarious and money-smart MC, strong body, strong abilities, very ruthless to the villains, no romance, adapted to Manhwa How to Live as the Enemy Prince (KR) - Smart MC, strong body, strong abilities, smart & strong allies, no romance, novel discontinued, adapted to Manhwa
Sending the divine , married thrice to the salted fish. these are bls , if u dont mind romance with two mcs please read them they are good novels with intresting plots the mcs are neither ruthless nor naive which is little close to your requirements
Not sure about the setting, but try Deep Sea Embers, the mc isn't that ruthless nor naive, but not super smart too, snarter than average maybe but he's being carry by his mysterious power most of the time.
The Legendary Mechanic is Chinese novel, to add to this list Deep sea embers Reverend Insanity I am not really Demon God’s lackey My House of Horrors