The Arcane God - Chapter 28: The Rat King

Warning This fiction contains:

Graphic Violence Profanity Sensitive Content

Summary – Level 1:

Delve is an isekai litrpg that follows an average guy who just happened to wake up in a forest one day. He wasn’t summoned to defeat the demon lord or to save the world or anything like that, at least as far as he can tell. The only creature there to greet him was a regular old squirrel.

Soon enough, he meets other people, only to discover that he can’t speak the language, and that not everybody immediately trusts random pajama-wearing strangers they met in the middle of the wilderness. Things generally go downhill from there, at least until the blue boxes start appearing.

Delve is a story about finding your way in a new, strange, and dangerous world. It’s about avoiding death, figuring out what the heck is going on, and trying to make some friends along the way. It’s not about getting home, so much as finding a new one.

Did I mention that there will be math?

Summary – Level 2:

Okay, but what are you in for, really?

Well, this story is supposed to be realistic, or at least, as realistic as a fantasy litrpg can be. The main character doesn’t instantly become an all-powerful god and murder-hobo his way across the universe. Delve is, at its heart, a progression fantasy, but that progression is meant to feel earned. The numbers in this story actually mean something. Everything is calculated, and if you find a rounding error, I expect you to tell me about it. That said, if math isn’t your cup of tea, there is plenty more that the story has to offer. Characters are meant to feel real, and progression isn’t only about personal power; it’s also about allies, connections, and above all, knowledge. Figuring out how the system works is a significant theme.

...

What, you want more details? Okay, fine, but this is going to get a bit spoiler-y. Are you sure?

Yes!

Really sure? I mean, this summary is practically half as long as the first chap–

Now!

Okay, okay!

The main character becomes a magic user, but he takes a route that is not very popular in adventurer culture, namely that of a support. There is a full magic system with various spells, skills, and abilities, but our MC decides that aura magic is the way to go, and that the only stat worth investing in is mana regeneration. Most people at the Adventurer’s Guild think that this makes him a bit of a dumbass, but he’s playing the long game. We’ll see how that works out for him, won’t we?

Because of his build, the MC levels up fast, at least compared to normal people. There are no cheats, though, and he is limited in other ways. There are some clear and pretty obvious downsides to his build. That’s what makes it fun, no?

Morals? Our MC has them. Again, we’ll see how that works out for him. Realism, remember? Would you be okay with killing someone and looting their body? I sure hope not.

POV? The focus is on the main character, but there will be occasional varying perspectives from people around him, or involved in the events related to the main plot. It isn’t going to jump all over the place.

Tech is standard medieval stasis. No smartphones, but the MC does have a technical background. Computers and their programming might be involved. There might even be a bit of uplifting down the road, who knows? Anyway, it isn’t the focus. He isn’t going to invent the gun in chapter 1 and change the face of warfare.

Romance is not a major focus. Friendships are more the name of the game, though there will be some characters in romantic relationships.

There is exploration, though not as much of the geographical nature as you might expect. It is more about exploration of the system and the culture.

The pace is slow and detailed, sometimes verging on slice-of-life. The action is meant to be realistic and grounded in the numbers, and it is intended to have meaning beyond simply punching things until they stop moving.

The general tone of the story is grey, and some parts can get quite dark. People die. Sometimes, people with names, but not anywhere near GoT level. There is plenty of light, too, though, to balance the darkness. The world is dangerous, but overcoming that danger is why we’re all here, isn’t it?

Anyway, if you’ve made it this far through the summary, you clearly like words. I hope you enjoy the story!

Riven's life turns upside down when Elysium's Multiverse absorbs planet Earth. On the fringes of a newly growing galaxy where magic and fantasy are both very real, the inhabitants of three merged worlds must find a way to survive the trials Elysium sets out for them. Riven finds himself thrust into a whirlwind of chaotic events just trying to make it out in one piece, learning how to craft the dark arts to do his bidding as he strives to keep his loved ones safe.But the powers of this new multiverse have other plans for Riven's tiny planet, and Elysium's worldwide trials are just the beginning.*A mixture of brutal violence, the darker aspects of humanity, and comedy. Centered around a blood mage / warlock and his demonic summons. This story is full of gory fight scenes, you have been warned.**Inspired by 'Defiance of the Fall', 'Primal Hunter', 'The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound', and 'Infinite Realm' series. I hope I do them justice.*

My daughters started regressing out of nowhere, stirring up a storm because they missed their mother.…But I haven’t even married yet, let alone have any daughters!?

Throughout the Ming Kingdom, Jun Hua was famous for being a useless girl without any talent worthy of praise. Everyone mocked her, belittling her for latching onto her brilliant brother Jun Min, the young and peerless general admired as the most talented prodigy for his talent and his ability to change the fate of the declining Jun Family.

Never in their wildest dreams would they have suspected that Jun Hua is the young general who is leading the army on the frontline, Jun Min!

“She has no talent as a girl, but has the brilliance of a great general!”

Her journey towards revenge is something she has to do on her own. And yet, on that path she will gain allies, friends, and possibly even...... a romance?

This is Jun Hua's story, a story that shall be carved into history as the legend of “the flower who blooms from the battlefields”.