Stray Cat Strut - Interlude - A Roaming Raccoon’s Reasonable Relationships [Part Four]

Government intelligence agencies realized that Konrad, the world’s number one wife robber, was endowed with a supreme weapon allowing him to turn the purest of maidens into hungry beasts: The Golden Rod!

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!

In a world of magic and mystery, Mingyu, a deadly shadow assassin, seeks vengeance against the righteous Mages, who he believes are responsible for the brutal murder of his family. Consumed by his thirst for revenge, Mingyu walks a fine line between darkness and redemption.However, his path takes an unexpected turn when he encounters Jiang Yichen, a young master from one of the families he had sworn to destroy. Despite their differences, Mingyu finds himself drawn to Jiang Yichen's kindness and determination, and the two form an unlikely bond.As Mingyu becomes embroiled in the quest to unlock Jiang Yichen’s hidden potential, he begins to question his own motivations, as he realizes that there might be more to the story of his family’s demise than he initially thought.

A festive day, a week have the kingdom of Polestin celebrated for their victory with the crimson general leading their army.The soldiers who served have been guaranteed a spot inside a local bar of the capital city.Clank!“The Crimson General despite being a woman is a talented warrior! Three cheers for the general!”“That woman saved me when I needed it! All hail the general!”“She's like a sister to all the soldier! All hail our general!”Every warrior kept on drinking as the news reached them that the war with their neighboring kingdom was over, the ruler raised their white flag as they asked for mercy- being beneath the crimson general.“General! Come drink with us!”“...”The Crimson General, for how she got her name is because of her crimson hair that became the trademark of her legendary name already spreading across the many kingdoms.“I don't drink.” she denies the invitation her comrades and just sat down on the table watching the others enjoy themselves.“Enjoy, general! You might even find a man here that suits to your liking! You know... your type I think...! The general would love a soft-spoken man!”“...No.”“Hah! That's a shame! In any case I heard that you'll be receiving a reward for helping win the war!”“A reward... I wonder what could it be.”...The reward:“You can choose any of my children to marry you. I have the finest royal princes for you to choose. That is my reward.” The King motions to his left side showing his sons who smiles, sitting in their throne meeting her gaze..“Eh?”“My liege, forgive me but this is...”“Are my children not good enough for you? General, I applaud your accomplishment. Isn't marrying into the royal family a good enough reward for the general?” The King asked the general who swallowed the lump in her throat looking at the princes in display.“I choose-!”Everyone stopped and waiting for the girl to continue.“I choose the princess instead!”