Leveling Up The World

After his first college party, Dallion wakes up alone in a small medieval village in the middle of nowhere. He needs to figure out where he is and how to survive a world filled with magic and monsters. Objects in this new world are sentient, and the awakened can mend or upgrade them by traveling into each object's unique realm and defeating the guardians within. Countless miniature worlds to explore — so much time, and an adventure at every turn.

After defeating the village chief, Dallion ventures to the city of Nerosal, filled with thousands of awakened — not all of them human. His goals are simple: fit in, join a guild, make a name for himself. But city life demands quick adaptation. Many strive for what he wants, and there are forces all too willing to take advantage of naive newcomers.

Dallion thought his successful encounter with the Star would grant him calm and the luxury of leveling at his leisure. He couldn't have been more wrong. Juggling guild responsibilities, surprise visitors, and tournament trials, he gets caught up in Nerosal's awakened criminal underground. Worse, an ancient copyette has escaped its banishment — a shapeshifter that once tried to conquer the world, now capable of being anyone, even one of Dallion's closest friends.

The Nerosal Festival is in full swing. Star cultists and chainlings have infiltrated the city, mixing with the hundreds of awakened competing in the grand tournament to be noticed by the region's Countess. Dallion's life is split between fighting in the tournament and exploring his Guild's world item — and he finds that the two are connected, potentially holding answers to the world's past. He must use everything he's learned to unlock those secrets before the Star gets there first.

Saving the city earned Dallion the title Hero of Nerosal — and cost him his guild. Having gained the ability to speak with any item or area guardian, he's traded city bustle for the calm of the wilderness. Guided by Jiroh and her squad of elite hunters, Dallion explores ruins and fights monsters too powerful for others. But Jiroh has a mission of her own — one he didn't see coming — and others are also after what she seeks. In this race, there is no second place.

A poison plague continues to spread, and nobles everywhere have isolated themselves. Dallion has been called to the provincial capital on an errand of vast significance — while the Green Moon emerges in his dreams to demand repayment for its help, sending him south in search of a dragon to free. Both tasks seem unrelated, but Dallion can't shake the feeling they're both linked to the Fallen Star.

The Phoenix has returned to the world, drawing hunters and mercenaries into a race for the prize. Countess Priscord has tasked Dallion to capture the elusive creature — and rumors of Mage Academy involvement suggest there's far more going on than political disputes. Whispers hint the phoenix might grant Dallion the power to finally face the Star on equal footing, but the last hunters to find it were all killed or banished shortly after.

Having released the Phoenix to save his life, Dallion has gained the trait of magic. Hunted by Countess Priscord, he sets off for the Academy in search of sanctuary and knowledge — but the web of politics runs deep. Every favor has strings attached, and he must learn spell craft from the beginning while taking off-the-books jobs for his teachers. Nothing is what it appears to be, and the only people he might rely on are the same ones who wanted him dead not long ago.

The old mage Adzorg, who taught Dallion everything he knew, has betrayed him — and put the entire world at risk. With the Academy rebuilt and war in full force, Dallion is tasked with capturing his former mentor while tower vortexes emerge at a frightening rate. The emperor orders Dallion to lead his forces to a field of vortex towers before the enemy can claim them. Juggling orders from both the emperor and the Academy, Dallion discovers the two missions may be more connected than anyone suspects — and that failure could mean the destruction of the world itself.

As the awakened world burns, four indomitable leaders strive to reach the gate of divinity. The Empress of Nymphs assumes direct control of the Azure Federation, her empire conquering the coasts and pushing inland. Entangled in a lethal web of deceit between the Tamin Empire and the Order of the Seven Moons, Dallion gathers allies, artifacts, and armies while boosting his level to become a contender. The first to pass through the next awakened gate will earn the right to reform the world in their image. Everyone else will no longer matter.