Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse - Chapter 12: The Jack-Goblin War

Eight years of climbing the Tower taught Dante one thing: trust gets you killed.He learned that lesson when his best friend sold his entire party to the enemy. Now he's back at the beginning with eight years of future knowledge, a dead sister who's suddenly alive, and a front-row seat to watch his future betrayer charm everyone around him.The smart move would be to kill Adrian now, but Dante has a better idea.He's going to smile, play along, and take everything Adrian wants for himself, the power, the connections, the allies and before putting a knife through his empty heart.Revenge is a long game. Good thing Dante already knows how it ends.

Seven years ago, after their breakup, he disappeared without a trace.

Manchester United, once a dominant force in world football, finds itself struggling under Erik ten Hag despite having the financial power to rebuild.Big-money transfers fail to restore the club’s glory, forcing Ten Hag to shift his focus to homegrown talent.Among the overlooked prospects in the U18 squad is Leo Calderon, a 17-year-old central midfielder buried deep in the pecking order.Lacking physicality and dismissed by teammates as weak, Leo endures constant ridicule from those who dominate with strength and athleticism.But during one ordinary training session, everything changes—Leo suddenly sees passing lanes no one else can, angles of play invisible to even the most talented prospects.Yet, there’s a problem. His vision surpasses his ability. The passes he attempts don’t connect, his technique unable to match his newfound awareness.Coaches dismiss his efforts as sloppy, and his struggles continue. But one unexpected observer—a visiting League One assistant coach—notices something different.He watches Leo’s movements, seeing potential where others see failure.As Leo fights to prove himself in an unforgiving system, the question lingers—can he refine his raw talent before the club moves on without him?

This is the story of a young slave gladiator in an underground arena. He doesn’t know about his past or how he got to where he is, only that his name is Aegir, and that he is strong.