Introduction: Book 3 is Live! Updates on SundaysOnce upon a time, I was a nice guy. A father, a musician, a goddamned janitor. I didn鈥檛 have much, but what I did have, they took it away. I was taken away鈥攆rom the one person that mattered most.Now I鈥檓 trapped, a universe away, on an impossible world built for the amusement of wicked gods and bloodthirsty spectators. Strength is measured in stats. Survival depends on loot.Monsters prowl the land. Dungeons seethe. Myth is made manifest. The audience cries for blood and spectacle as players hunt each other for sport. Some chase glory or riches, while others crave power.But, at the end of the day, that's all bullshit.I fight to survive.I鈥檓 coming home, Abi. Even if it means leaving a trail of dead in my wake. Even if it means pulling down gods.New cover art by Bob Little! Find him here: https://www.instagram.com/bob.little.art/?hl=enHey!So, this isn't popcorn LitRPG. This isn't a clean "kill bads - get loot - reset" story. This asks something of the reader. If you're looking for clean heroes, easy power, simple stakes, pristine morals, or harems, then you might not be happy here. That's okay, you can find plenty of that elsewhere. If you're someone who likes stories that linger and compound rather than reset, you're in the right place. What to expect:- A competent, tactical protagonist with a distinct voice, driven by fatherhood, not ambition or power- Grit alongside spectacle- Character-driven - emotions linger, trauma is carried, people evolve- Moments of anime-tier spectacle, levity, humor, absurdity, and warmth (because how else do people survive shit like this?)- Levels, skills, abilities, quests, chests, achievements, HUD, dungeons, PvP, audiences, gods, empires- Death is permanent, and loss matters- Actions have meaning and consequences for the world at large- Power always has a cost- No easy victories, no clean hands- Slow burn relationships and found family- Political intrigue and social chaos- Moral ambiguity without nihilism- A vicious, globe-spanning death game run by a multi-universal human empire- Scope expands with each volume- hope is never dead - it's just really fucking tired- an author who gives a shit and won't walk away from the hard parts- also swearing. Lots of swearing. Sorry.Influences (anime and games):HunterXHunterAttack on TitanVinland SagaOne Piece (yes, really!)Final Fantasy 6, 7 and 14World of WarcraftDragon AgeAssassin's Creed...and more.Literary:Matt Dinniman (Dungeon Crawler Carl)Joe Abercrombie (First Law)George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire)Steven Erikson (Malazan Book of the Fallen)Patrick Rothfuss (Kingkiller Chronicles)...and many more.I hope this offers some clarity for incoming readers - I don't want to disappoint you with a story you weren't expecting, and I want you to know what you're getting into. If you choose to stay, then welcome to the party - I'll see you on the inside. It's gonna get crazy, but if you stick with me, I promise to bring it home.Much love, friends....