Reinventing Magic: An Inventor's Tale - Chapter 4: Flight of the Prodigy

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!

After five years of being together, Gu Qingming thought it was love. Who would have thought it was simply an elaborate scheme? After learning the truth, she decided to exact her revenge on that pair of scumbags! Just as she was about to return and receive millions in inheritance, she died unexpectedly! When she opened her eyes again, she had returned to the moment when her parents kicked her out of the house. She was also pregnant with a fatherless child. She decided to return to her grandmother’s house in the countryside. There, she grew watermelons, peaches, and oranges…

Gu Qingming followed her grandmother to the field and saw a large plot with lush green plants. She asked excitedly, “Grandma, why is there so much leek planted here?” Her grandmother’s expression changed when she heard the question. With a smile, she explained, “Darling, that’s not leek. They’re rice seedlings! When harvest time comes around, they’ll turn into the rice that we eat every day!” Gu Qingming: “…”

An adorable toddler stood between the endless rows of crops, staring at his mother who was busy plucking watermelons. He balled up his tiny fists as he yelled, “Mommy, you can do it! You’re almost there! You can do it!” Everyone: “…”

A certain businessman was on the prowl for investment opportunities in the boonies when he bumped into a little munchkin. Their gazes met. The kid stared up at the bigger version of himself. The little kid clung to the man’s thigh and announced proudly, “This is the hill where my Mommy works. You can’t buy it!” The man picked up the kid and a slight grin broke across his face. “Well, that’s fine. We’ll get your mom to marry me, and you can call me Daddy. This hill, alongside all the assets under my name, shall also belong to your mommy. How’s that for a deal?” The boy: “…” That’s very tempting indeed! The little kid gulped, but he was determined not to sell out his mom! This is the story of a princess who hails from a small family of farmers, who goes on to become an expert farmer, and then an agricultural tycoon!

When the heavy curtains of night descended, darkness fell upon the earth. What will later be known as the dawn of the “Dark” era, humanity once again unfolded a new path of evolution. While retaining the memories of surviving ten years in the apocalyptic world, Ye Chen awakens back on the very day the disaster struck; all he can do is protect the people dear to him, and then….

With the might of an ant, set foot upon the pinnacle of this world!

The people lost in the thralls of everyday life, aimlessly struggling for survival in this world, move forward; there will surely be a path only you can open….

- Description from Novelupdates

Emperor Gabela: Imperial legions are unstoppable on land.

Great Orc Chief: All the warriors of the tribe can count as ten.

Jade Realm Elf King: The forest ranger has never missed a shot.

Chairman of the Horn Bay Alliance: The alliance fleet is the undisputed ruler of the sea.

A mysterious organization: The prophesied era will finally come.

Paul Grayman: I am not targeting anyone. Everyone here is rubbish.

Start the journey of guns and cannons crushing the low-magic plane…

(This is an old-fashioned story about climbing a technological tree in another world to farm for hegemony. The author has limited knowledge and may make some mistakes in technical details. Criticism and corrections are welcome)

- Description from novelbuddy