Lost in the Future

Tags: GameLit / LitRPG, Adventure, Drama, Action, Character-Driven, Slow-Paced, Power Progression, Overpowered Main Character (eventually), Magic, Slice of Life-ish (at times), some Romance Release schedule: 1 chapter every Saturday, at least 5k words long Arthur didn't like being crown prince very much. It meant he couldn't become what he had always wanted to be, a knight. It also required him to sit in long lessons where people talked about useless magic and boring math. His life changed the day he awakened. His father needed him; his country needed him. They were at war, and he would be the key to bring them victory. He only needed to learn how to do that. Being trained as a squire, he learned, was not what he thought it would be. It took focus, drive, and facing his shortcomings. It also required dealing with embarrassing conversations. By the end, he learned well. He grew. He became a better person. Yet, his training wasn't over yet. That had been only the start. One didn't win a war at level 1, much less with mere peak natural stats. Having no skills also didn't inspire much confidence. So, Arthur was thrown into a dungeon with three other people. His goal: not leave until he reached level 100. Fortunately, time ran over a hundred times faster inside. To those outside, he would come out in no time and bring a glorious end to the war. Nine years later, he accomplished the goal set for him—even became a mage, of all things!—and learned he had been lied to. There was no war waiting for him outside. No kingdom either. No parents, familiar faces, or even the society he knew. Time actually ran over a hundred times slower in the dungeon. Arthur found himself lost in a very strange future. The world's mana levels were low, and mana-effective magitech replaced awakeners and magic. Dungeons were few and far between. The Fated Races were splintered just like before the Great War from fifteen hundred years ago. And prophecy foretold of a shadow to come. Now, he had to navigate an unknown world in search of his place and purpose in life—all the while surviving conspiracies from old enemies and allies alike. Warnings:  - A lot more show than tell (usually), which affects the pacing - So, slow-paced - Character-driven - 3D characters who make mistakes, too - The main character takes 9 chapters to enter the dungeon, then another 17 to leave it (chapter 26) - The main character will be overpowered when he leaves. Not invulnerable or unkillable but close enough, at least for a while - I'll try to balance character growth, mystery unveiling, learning about a new world (sense of adventure), overall plot, and action—but I might fail Special thanks to my Discord mod, The Ritualist, for the cover art!