I Rule Rome with a God-Tier AI - Chapter 55: The Breach

At the tender age of five, I tragically lost my parents and suffered a life-altering injury.

Five years later, my stepmother evicted me from my home.

This misfortune, however, gave rise to a new beginning for me.

At age fifteen, I encountered a dramatic turn of events when I received two mysterious blessings.

[You have received the Blessing of Greed]

[You have received the Blessing of Sloth]

I was gifted with the Blessing of Greed from a dragon and the Blessing of Sloth from a human.

[Welcome to the Skill Creation System]

[What skill would you like to create?]

I soon discovered that I might be a Half-Dragon, and unlocked the Skill Creation System, which also allowed me to access my mother's memories and the truth behind their death!

Now, I'm embarking on a quest to become the strongest in multiple worlds.

I must find the answers I seek, protect those I care about, and gain the strength to exact revenge on those who have wronged me.

I intend to use the powers of the Blessings I have been granted to avenge my parents and forge my own destiny.

Possible additional tags:

Adventure, Magic, Fantasy, Action, Dark Magic, Superpowers, Immortality

Monsters, Demons, Gods, Shapeshifters, Dragons, Spirits, Faery, Elves, Dwarves, Giants, Magical Creatures

Kingdom Building, School Arc, Skill Creation, Dungeon Exploration

Romance, Epic Journey, Hero's Journey, Epic Battles, Epic Quest

Curses, Ancient Relics, Ancient Civilizations, Hidden Worlds

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)

Somebody once told a joke.A man ran in place all his life. He worked a job he didn't love for people he couldn't stand. But at the end of the day, the number in his bank account went up.That man got a second chance at life. He woke up in another world, full of adventures and romances and monsters and gods. And floating above his head he saw the number “1”. So what did he say?“Gosh I better make the number go up.”Not today. Not for this old soul. Reborn as a beast of battle meant to live a short life and die screaming, Garek refuses. He puts the madness of skills and levels behind him and sets out to found a little farmstead. He grows crops. Maybe someday he'll get a pig, and have bacon.It's a shame the world won't let him be. It's a shame that the warmongers and level-grinders hate nothing more than a soul at peace.He put down his sword for a plowshare, but when trouble comes calling, he'll pick it up again.

Aarav spent his whole life in suffering and injustice. Disowned by his family, cheated by his girlfriend, and drowning in alcohol and gambling, he ultimately meets his end while saving a young child and is reincarnated in the world of Eldoria as Astrael, the only heir of the Ravensatra family, where swords and magic reign supreme and only the strong survive while the weak are devoured. Follow Astrael along his journey as he defies fate beyond heaven. From a broken man to the one and only Sovereign. Wait, there is also a system--[Ding][Aetheric Codex is online][Host has awakened the divine skill Synthesis.][Ding][Host has awakened the divine skill Plunder.]..............Tags: Reincarnation, Antihero, Romance, Male MC, Western Fantasy.............Disclaimer: The story begins at a slower pace as the main character is in the early stages of their journey. These initial chapters are meant to establish the world, characters, and the foundation of the plot. As the story progresses, the pace will pick up and unfold with greater intensity and depth. Your patience will be rewarded.