In the System

Ivan Susanin is transported by the System to the ruins of a massive city with a thousand other players, a spear, and 24 hours to earn enough kills to return home. The undead lurk in the central districts, goblins raid the outskirts, and the most valuable prey may be fellow players. In the center of the city, a temple holds an Altar — and until one player captures it, the mission will repeat again and again. Ivan must choose whose pawn to become, or risk staying independent.

Ivan has managed to survive and unite the various players into the Alliance. But a huge goblin army is approaching from the outskirts while the undead roam inside. The only way to escape another massacre is to capture the goblin fortress and hold out until the mission ends — or to abandon the wounded and scatter. Even if this risky plan succeeds, the next mission will follow, and the new gods will not back down from the Altar.

Ivan has installed a beacon in the undead territory and returned home — but the next mission is delayed while his home planet becomes the battleground. Monsters invade Earth, and Ivan must become one of the leaders, unite players within his country's borders, and cooperate with authorities to survive what's coming.

Humanity has won the global mission, but the price was catastrophic. Japan is in ruins, partly submerged, and tens of millions have perished. Ivan heads to the submerged Toyo as part of a Russian expedition. A discovered card gives him the right to become Overlord of a dungeon on another world — but he's far from the only contender, and the goblins who inhabit the tunnels have their own plans.

The return to the city of goblins draws ever closer, but Ivan's survival hangs in the balance. Capturing the Dungeon and creating the Minor Altar has attracted the attention of the Earth gods. Hostile gods are joining the race, and an independent candidate is unacceptable. Ivan has forty days to prepare arguments and defend his right to remain independent — or choose a side, or die.

The preparations are complete. Ivan and the other players return to the Celestial City of Sar for the final battle for the Altar and the legacy of the Great Y. These events will decide whether Earth survives the war or becomes another world ground down by the System. Ivan's beacon still works, and he has his own thoughts on who should claim the Altar.

The battle for Sar rages on. The Alliance offensive has failed, ammunition is running out, and only nuclear weapons have saved the players from obliteration. Ivan found himself in a Lich trap and escaped by a miracle — but the mission continues. The fate of two worlds rests in his hands. Victory or death.