Noblesse Oblige

Urikson | satire | Complete

24 hours. 10 bidders. 1 winner. A Princess from Earth is invited to an auction on a distant planetoid only to learn that she's the item on sale. Her foes include: a Chinese space pirate, a Russian duelist, a Japanese high-tech samurai, a Venusian mafiosi, two expert French poisoners, a floating Swiss banker, a German Baron with more ties to her family than she can imagine, and a British gentleman who also happens to be a pterodactyl. Her arsenal consists of: vague memories from classes she mostly slept through, a pile of gadgets for which she's never read the user manual, excellent table manners, and a ferret who's loyal to a fault. This will not be easy. Hey, so since the novel was published by WordFire press, I can't leave the whole thing online. You can get the whole thing here though. There's even an audiobook. If you read it on RR, a short Amazon review will be really appreciated. It helps a lot! Also, my second novel is here in full. It's a litRPG about a dwarf paladin who really, really wants to get a domain of her own...

25.19 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:17

The Chronicles of Kevin's Mistakes

Commander Kane | satire | Complete

Since the times of old, the Six Towers of Valdir have stood tall in their respective kingdoms. Always, it is has been six. Six Managers, six Cores, six hoards of treasure. But times are changing. The fearsome Managers that history has come to know, hate, and respect, all the same, are about to get a new Manager in their ranks. They await to see who governs the seventh Tower on the banks of the Yearning sea, just as the adventurers, kings, and peasants alike are trembling with dreadful anticipation. Some want a newbie who's worth the extra space, while others want someone who'll keep with the status quo. Instead, they got Kevin. ~Expect an update on a Friday~

11.02 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:16

Fertilizer Wars

Krake | satire | Complete

[participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] The year is 2202. Pandemics, apocalypses, demons, and nuclear war have ravaged the planet. Climate change has become nearly random. Forests have become desert. Tundra has become rain forest. The Amazon is infested with monsters. The world is split in a super power dipole in name only. The ten billion humans left on Earth follow whoever is closest at hand that can feed them. Special Operative Iris Haber has become one of "America"s most important war assets : a human capable of entering radiation zones. The only organic parts of her left are her brain and her heart, easily shielded. The only land that matters anymore is farm land, and the only people who matter are the ones able to capture that farm land.

31.59 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:17

Cultivine

B. A. Baker (Thedude3445) | satire | Complete

The Soul Palace System has ruled the world of Wuweizi for countless eons, but there is a new magic afoot--or should we say, avine. Xi Gua Lao, an aspiring daoist, embarks on an adventure that leads him to an up close and personal encounter with the one thing he never expected: Vine Waifus. Vine Waifu created with Artbreeder. Cover by me. Audiobook narration by Kgy121. Read other Vines: Chaos Vines OnlineVINAL FANTASYVines: A Short StoryThe Vines of Bramblekeep When Immortal Ascension Fails Divine Thorns

20.78 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:15

The Tale of Jun Ze the Fearless Bladesman

Larkspur Wren | satire | Complete

[Participant in the Royal Road Community Magazine, January 2024] Legend tells of a vagrant herofearless in the truest sense of the wordfor whom no opponent was too strong and no odds too steep. He travelled the Four Seas, quashing evil and uplifting downtrodden folk everywhere he went. But when his latest quest puts the Fearless Bladesman on a collision course with the one thing he fears in the world, he's forced to confront his own mortalityand the measure of a life truly lived.

4.82 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:11

Mary Susan Oceanrunner and the Brutus Saint's Academy

MachineCapybara | satire | Complete

Join Mary Susan Oceanrunner on her quest to do... erm... something really important for the world... probably... Ahem. Long gone are the days when every hero could do whatever they wanted - now, we are civilised. We have government. Law. And proper forms. Lots of proper forms. (Final episode 25/07/2022. Also - beta readers far into the book rate the 'gore' degree as below 2/10, so the warning is a bit much) Mary Susan Oceanrunner is a poor girl from the orphanage, who like many others before, has to fulfil her destiny. The prophecy had been told, and she is the only one who can make things right. Erm... probably. Anyway, she can't just go and kill monsters like in the middle ages. First, she must apply for the appropriate permissions, fill the forms, learn about the proper loot taxations... Hey, no one said adventuring would be easy, right? Disclaimers: No claim made by any character by the book should be treated as the author's or anyone else's opinion on any subject. Most likely, it was just the funniest thing the Author could think of at the time of writing. This book contains many references to other works. It will probably be best enjoyed by individuals familiar with at least some of the following: 1) Computer games2) Fantasy in general3) Science fiction4) Tabletop RPGs5) Conspiracy theories6) Corporation work life7) Long forgotten prophecies uttered millennia ago in almost as forgotten languages under a starless night three dusks before the great convergence8) Filling any government-mandated form9) School10) EnglishMy ultimate goal is to make as many people experience something akin to joy while reading (think ~a bit louder exhale through the nose). It doesn't mean every scene will be funny or joyful because that's not how this stuff works. I can neither confirm nor deny having any other hidden agenda outside of that. (11.01.2022 NEW COVER by Philippa_and_art. You can find her here: https://www.instagram.com/philippa_and_art/)

60.44 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:18

Tome of Stealth [A System Anti-Apocalypse]

DragonOfRochester | romance | Complete

When the Passivity Precept takes over the world it snuffs out all brutality, leaving its MMO-like Violence Simulator as humanity's only source of physical violence. Knowing how much she can make from selling epic gear, Grace Winston enters the simulation and discovers that it's more than just a game. Somewhere in there are the answers to who started the fire that killed her father. For far too long, Lorevinel Silvercat has been stuck as the Ravenborn clan's free-roaming prisoner. They've held a grudge against his clan and have used him to vent their hatred. Having planned his escape for several years, he has everything ready, but he needs a specific artifact from the Rogues Guild to finally start his journey. Will Grace find her answers? Will Lore gain his freedom? Can these two unlikely people, both alien to each other, find common ground and work together while dealing with an unasked for soul bond? ToS is a Lite LitRPG (meaning very few stats with a focus on story). Expect cursing, sexual tension, descriptions of breeding dungeon rats, and a little gore. TL;DR- The System Anti-Apocalypse forces everyone to be peaceful and only commit violence inside its Magical VR game.

70.96 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:14

The Demon Lord's Lover

redknight3996 | romance | Complete

Julius Goldforge knows howthe world works. He knows his role. Really, it's destiny by this point. The mentor dies, the hero gains motivation, and the demon lord falls to their blade. Except...something's clearly gone wrong here. Written by Redknight3996 and Indismile, The Demon Lord's Lover is a fantasy comedy/romance featuring a jaded, middle-aged adventurer who's damn sure he's going to die on this new journey with his students and the ambitious Empress of the Dark Lands, whose drive to conquer the entire world winds up putting both him and her on a bizarre course of attraction and impulsive decision making. Includes (but is not limited to): action, adventure, big fights, elemental-themed temples, demons, angels, fumbling romance, competence, incompetence, nudist druids, the crimes of the past influencing the current age in myriad ways, interpersonal issues, fatalism, and being a decent uncle to one's adoptive family. (We've also got a discord~! https://discord.gg/Mbba6g7)

237.62 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 15:05

Demon's Journey

Virlyce | romance | Complete

Palan is raised in the harsh world of the demons, depending on himself to survive while raising his sister. One day, his sister falls sick and he's forced to make a deal with an angel in order to save her life. Unfortunately for him, that deal sends him a world away from his sister. What happens when a ruthless demon is thrust into the world of the heavens above?The story is complete.Warning: Tagged 18+ for violence.By the author of The Blue Mage Raised by Dragons

258.19 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:38

Twinned Destinies: A Cultivation Progression Fantasy

adastra339 | romance | Complete

Prophecy tells of a hero who shall slay the Lord of Demonsbut this is not his story. This is the story of his twin sister. Where he has a magical core of unparalleled talent, she has none at all. Where he is celebrated, she is shunned. Yet she refuses to accept her fate. She will prove herself. Even if it means breaking a sacred taboo, and eating the flesh of demons& // Updates 5x a week on weekdays at 12:34PM EST What to expect: - character-driven story - weak to strong - a balance of darkness + lightness - no smut or harem, bi MC - grounded xianxia

130.83 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:14

The Bloodline Duet: The Thief's Folly // The Weapon's Heart

montythemeowl | psychological | Complete

For magic to ruin a life, all it takes is one blink of an eye. Forest elf Rorri is desperate to forget the war that destroyed his home. He starts a new life in a city filled with magic, petty crime, and forbidden romance with his noble magic tutor. But Rorri loses control of his illusion magic during a high-stakes heist. In trying to save himself, he makes a terrible mistake that could have him arrested or killed  if anyone finds out. Rorri must hide from the Guard, his friends, and even his own thoughts, lest he lose his found family and the woman he loves. But he can't hide from the dark elves who burned down his forest  and when they infiltrate the city, only his chaotic magic has a chance to save them all. Then, somewhere else in time, Rorri reads a young man's mind and sees the city's dirty secrets through his eyes& ----- Book One and Book Two are available for purchase on Amazon! The formatting is much nicer if that kind of thing matters to you. Support an indie author today! :) Covers by getcovers.com

103.98 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:11

RE:WRITE

WhoCares | psychological | Complete

Fed up with a world where science has made every fantasy a reality and people just don't care about stories anymore, a young video game developer named Kai uses ancient black magic to transport himself into one of his games, titled: Choices. Disturbed by his powerlessness on Earth, Kai makes sure to give himself the ability to change this new world as he sees fit, literally. If you were ridiculously powerful, would you throw away all your morals and do whatever you wanted?Would you find happiness? Would you find love? Or would you end up realizing that& Absolute power is pretty depressing. Note: The format for chapter titles is: "Overall_chapter_number POV_chapter_number: Chapter_title." Look at the POV chapter number to see who is narrating. Thanks to Ia-shub niggurath and peacefulcatastrophe for editing. Also thanks peacefulcatastrophe for the idea for the new cover image: John Martin, 17891854. The Deluge. 1834. (Public Domain) You can read it on my website too!Please vote for my story on TopWebFictions! No sign up, just click on the link and vote for as many stories as you like. Signed and fulfilled the Pledge. ~~A Proud Member of Writers to The End; we finish our fictions!~~

120.15 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:27

What Is It Like To Be Eternal? (Completed)

CorpseDead | psychological | Complete

Actual Word Count: 683 925 Words and 2487 pages. Under edition. Chapter 36-44 must be edited. Read the red text below to learn more. Synopsis: Have you ever thought about what is it like to be Eternal? What does being Eternal even mean? Maybe I can show you what it is that you are desiring. What lies at the center of the universe, when you reach the peak of strength and power? Can love reach that place too, or do you lose your feelings the stronger you get? How long can you travel and hold onto yourself, before feeling that you are starting to fall apart, losing your mind to your strength? How long is your road? Your feelings? What's going to win over you? The Darkness and the Hate? The Love and the Light? Or maybe none? Follow me as I show you my colorful yet gray path to eternity. My Discord server:https://discord.gg/XMSzDPH Special thanks to my editors. Azorath1234 (70-99th chapter), BlackStarLine and Kaentyr from the 100th chapter. Cornerstones:9th Chapter - Bonding Through the Night38th Chapter - The Way of Cultivation is a Way of Life54th Chapter - The Universe Is Ever Changing and Evolving69th Chapter -Beyond the bond [Inheritance]83rd Chapter - What I call Art!88th Chapter - What Does It Take To Kill?93rd Chapter - Chasing Rainbows [Loop?]108th Chapter - The Fall of a Creator?109th Chapter - A Family [Descendant]119th Chapter - What Is It Like To Be Eternal? Detailed reviews:http://royalroadl.com/fiction/10058/what-is-it-like-to-be-eternal-completed?review=132372#review-132372http://royalroadl.com/fiction/10058/what-is-it-like-to-be-eternal-completed?review=153956#review-153956 Both the Novel and the Cover picture are copyrighted. The Picture is a result of my commission. Cover Art: Novel: P.S.: I'm also hosting my novel hereand on Novel Updates Forum.Nowhere else for now! EDIT: The novel is in rework. The original and the new ones are completely different. Where you see [Edited] it means that I'm done with editing the STORY! Whereas where you don't see it, it's in the old style. For now, I'm editing only the style. Once I'm done with every chapter, I'll run through it once again and correct possible grammatical mistakes. The style will be edited until the 45th chapter.

339.05 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:10

Soulforged Dungeoneer

SuperSayu | psychological | Complete

In a modern world invaded by System Dungeons, one man's search for sanity and redemption will plunge him into an insane plot connecting Gods, Dungeon Administrators, Fairies, and the dangerous creature at the heart of the invasion. If he can survive it all, he might have a chance to save humankind... but he may not be ready for that responsibility. In a world gone to madness, perhaps only the mad can rise? NOTE: Although this novel is LitRPG in its origins, the numbers were never the focus and have been completely de-emphasized by the end. Includes romance, crass puns, spontaneous musical numbers (including fights set to music), horror, madness, and other nonsense. THIS WORK HAS NOT BEEN PUBLISHED TO AMAZON

191.92 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:30

Soulforger: Primordial

D.M.A. | psychological | Complete

The only constant in life is change. Braxon was a brilliant engineer, recently appointed the head-of-station for a forward research post, things were looking up for him. But when his whole team was slaughtered in an ambush attack and he finds himself pursued and out of options he does the only reasonable thing he could. Now he's trapped in the body of a child and stranded in a strange and foreign land. Weak and surrounded by powerful martial artists, he must learn their ways, keep his secrets, and rise to the top to have any hope of returning home. The world of Soulforger is home to mystical beasts, spiritual treasures, sealed realms, forbidden cultivation methods, and ancient feuds. Can anyone tread here and not be changed forever? New Chapters: Tuesdays and Thursdays

97.36 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:19

Very Yummy Poison

Doctor Zero | psychological | Complete

The human brain is the most valuable resource on Earth. But only if you use it. You can't just pile them in your basement. Doesn't work. Candy is the Guardian of Humanity. It's not going well, but she's cautiously optimistic. A chatbot has destroyed the economy by being better at white collar jobs than hung over dudes. Candy has a plan to fix that. The government wants to send half the population to debt prison. Candy has a plan to fix that. Several super weapons have been stolen, and are turning up in the hands of desperate people. Candy has no plan for that. She's working on it. Very Yummy Poisonis a near future, science fiction, romantic comedy, political psychodrama. It's fun. Try it.

48.79 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 13:32

The Arcane Soul

Epsilon Twilight | psychological | Complete

When a lost soul awakens in the underworld without any memories of its previous life, it is offered a choice between eternal suffering and a second chance by a mysterious goddess. The soul decides to take a second chance and is reincarnated as a violet-colored elf in a magical metropolis. As the newly born elf navigates this fantastical world and its curious elven culture, he discovers the secrets of arcane and soul magic, from weaving mana to unlocking the mysteries of life and death. Join the elf on a journey of self-discovery as he learns to harness his newfound powers and unravel the secrets of the world and its inhabitants. Book 1 micro-synopsis: Slice of life, children, school, introduction to Ferilyn and magic, arcane magic. Book 2 micro-synopsis: Academic pursuit, adolescents, academy, advanced magic, soul magic, some action. Book 3 micro-synopsis: Political drama, adults, military, highest magic, a lot of action. Updates every week. Author's notes: -Expect a slow burn and heavy descriptions in the early stages of life. -The story will evolve in setting and genre as the soul progresses in life. -This fiction is greatly inspired by Mushoku Tensei, Mother of Learning, and Warcraft. -Cover art by @AruOwlsArts

190.51 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:25

Super Science & Fast Romance

Doctor Zero | psychological | Complete

A super-intelligence is only limited by its ambition. If you could do anything, what would you do? Megacles has a pretty good life. Also, she's horny, lonely, bored, anxious, and a bit of a drunk. She decides to fix all that with science. It works okay, until she accidentally builds a doomsday device. At least she's not bored anymore. This is a simple tale of love, hope, sex, rejection, revenge, secrets, extortion, thievery, dead billionaires, killer robots, space monkeys, mind control, superhot lasers, god-like power, and the destruction of the Earth. And drugs. Almost forgot the drugs. Check out the reviews - people like it, maybe you will too. Or, just read Chapter 1. It's a good example of the book. If you like it, you're good to go. Cover Photo by Jean Fan (JFotography.net)

48.44 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:19

Apocalypse Wow

Doctor Zero | mystery | Complete

What's the best way to enjoy the end of the world? If you are reading this you have lost your memory. Again. You dumb jerk. I have no interest in writing our life story - it'll come back to you. For now, this is what's up: 1. We are looking for a god named Tiger. 2. He can stop the apocalypse, but apparently does not know that. 3. If the apocalypse is ongoing, we haven't told him yet. Also, we believe that life is absurd, loving relationships make it worth living, and it's best tobe our true self. Love Copycat (that's our name dummy) Cover by proxybaba - he's here on Royal Road and he's the best!

57.88 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:18

Ravenous reflection (A short vampire story)

sarvashaktimaan | mystery | Complete

Woe is upon the town of Drezin. It knows it not. A magister had come on a hunt, invoking a prize beyond refusal and a secret not understood - one with consequences beyond the wildest estimation. Of course, no one could know that. Not even the vampire who the offer is made to. And the request was so easy: Help capture a variant demon that devours its victims through reflections. Take the payment in blood, then run before the past catches up with them. That is of course, unless an opportunity presents itself to outrun said past. And none are more keen to do that than the immortal with millennia behind and centuries ahead. Or - as any descendant of the Hungerer ought to - devour it whole. Expect: Unapologetically evil strong protagonist, fast pacing, a peek at fantasy from an angle not commonly discovered. Participating in the Royal Road Community magazine event of June 2023. It is a 16 thousand word self-contained finished story. If you like my writing I have an ongoing long term story which you can check out here.

9.26 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:11