Cthulhu Gonfalon - Chapter 975: Sharp Turn (Part 1)

When Ryujin wakes up in the video game he use to play, Espers of the World, he quickly realizes something terrifying: this isn’t a game anymore—it’s reality.Stripped of his identity and renamed Kaidren, he must now survive as a low-profile orphan with a mysterious past and a future controlled only by power. The world around him mirrors the game’s setting, yet the rules are no longer bound by code. The television works. The phone updates in real time. Events that never occurred in the original storyline unfold before his eyes.The NPCs? They’re real people now—with real emotions, real consequences, and real power.As Kaidren struggles to adapt, he’s haunted by memories of a trauma-stricken life and an overwhelming detachment from emotion.But the deeper he explores this so-called game world, the clearer it becomes—this reality is unpredictable, unscripted, and far more dangerous than he ever imagined. And to stay alive, he’ll have to confront what it means to be human... and what it means to be powerful.Because in this world, the line between player and pawn no longer exists.

I died a virgin right after winning the lottery. Bad luck? That's my brand. So when a Grim Reaper offered me reincarnation with a gacha system for a “second chance,” I should've known better than to trust my luck.I rolled... an orc. The only fat orc in my entire tribe.The dungeon's demon lord gave me three years to lose weight or die. I trained harder than anyone, became stronger than most warriors in my tribe, but my belly stayed huge.With hours left to live, I made the dumbest decision of both my lives: if I'm dying anyway, might as well lose my virginity first.[Virginity Lost! System activated!][Obtain dungeon control upon complete subjugation]Turns out I was supposed to be a DUNGEON MASTER, not a slave warrior. And turns out I've committed the ultimate taboo: interspecies breeding, forbidden across all civilizations. Now I'm a fugitive.Humans, demons, and monsters alike want me dead. My own kind thinks I'm disgusting. I have absolutely nothing left to lose.Time to turn the worst gacha pull in history into the greatest dungeon the world has ever seen.

Welcome! If you want to jump in without any spoilers, feel free. Otherwise, here's a story primer, with a list of more specifics on what to expect from my work further below.Our story follows a fallen knight haunted by his past, in a world afflicted by war and supernatural wounds. Alken is the Headsman of Seydis, an executioner tasked by the divine powers of his homeland to hunt dark sorcerers, warlords, and traitors of all varieties, lest they drag the world into calamity.Once a paladin, this role ill suits him. Forced to cross lines that shake his beliefs, tempted by dark forces, and seen as an ill omen wherever he wanders, his path is often a bloody one. The longer he spends in the shadows of his world, the more he comes to realize just how many have been disenfranchised by the existent order. During his lonely battles through a land haunted by the restless dead and ancient magics, his journey becomes increasingly strange and personal.Enter a realm where the dead stir in every shadow and brooding demigods wage a millennia long war for a ruined heaven, where blessed knights wield gilded flames and sorcerers battle with weapons forged of their own souls. Enter a world of faustian alchemists, of saintly demons, and of time-weary elves.From Oathbreaker you can expect— A setting heavily inspired by Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Fromsoft games, and authors such as Michael Moorcock and Kentauro Miura. — A first person POV from an older protagonist who already knows a lot about his world’s history and cultures, who shares this information with the reader as it becomes relevant.— A mix of action adventure and quieter moments where the focus is on character development. Lore is shared piecemeal, usually only as it relates to a particular arc or character beat.— A heavy focus on mystery, both with the setting and the protagonist. The main character’s backstory isn’t shared up front, and a lot of the narrative involves learning about him a bit at a time, either from his own narration or other characters interacting with him.— A semi-soft magic system where many mages manifest unique powers tied to their own soul, or gain unique powers through eldritch pacts.— Romantic elements. These don’t crop up much until later in the story.— A variety of supernatural beings, such as elves, vampires, gargoyles, chimera, and trolls. Many are familiar, some are not, and most of the familiar ones have my own twists put on them.—Nobledark fantasy. This means that the world is often themed around tragedy and horror, but it’s not dedicated to being gritty. There are elements of high fantasy intermixed with the scarier stuff.—Episodic arcs. Each story arc usually has a specific locale and antagonist or set of antagonists, but certain overarching plots tie them together.— A long running narrative. I don’t have a specific projection of how long or how many arcs or books, but you should expect this to be equivalent to a long running serialized work.This is my first web serial! I hope everyone enjoys it. For trigger warnings, readers should beware that there are some heavy topics in here. When I think something might upset certain readers, I’ll put a warning in the author notes above a chapter. If I miss or overlook anything, feel free to let me know in the comments! I am currently publishing the same story on my wordpress, which is linked below and in my profile. I release three chapters a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Thanks for reading!(I originally had a link to a wordpress, but I'm in the process of overhauling that space. It's not a priority since my readership is all here, but just in case anyone noticed and was wondering)

The current Empress Dowager once gave birth to a daughter, Zhao Shu, before she was remarried to the Late Emperor.

A’Shu was renowned for her beauty in Hebei since childhood.

Before getting married, her elder brother and sister-in-law advised her that Liu Xun was a man of profound thoughts and schemes. Relying on her beauty, they fear that she wouldn’t last long.

A’Shu said, “Everyone says that this man is kind and cultured, winning the support and love of the people, but he is indifferent to women. He is still single at such an age. So even if I am to use my looks to gain his favor, I’m afraid I wouldn’t know where to start either.”

Only after the wedding did she discover that the rumor couldn’t be more wrong!

Kind and cultured he may be but indifferent to women??

Haha, she couldn’t see it at all!

Liu Xun’s elder brother recently died. Barely starting his mourning period, he married the daughter of his enemy.

In the beginning, they were as incompatible as fire and water. Who would have thought that before long, he would be brought down to his knees, worshipping the very hem of his wife’s skirt. From then on, the couple slowly overcame enmity and suspicion, gradually knew and cherished each other through the struggles of enduring humiliation and trying to turn the tides.

- Description from Novelupdates