Road to Mastery
Alone. Surrounded by monsters. Armed only with his fists... Time to fight.
Jack Rust was a disillusioned biologist with a PhD—almost. When an extraterrestrial AI calling itself the System invaded Earth and thrusts it into a world of aliens and violence, the least Jack hoped for was gaining access to magic.
Nope.
Even worse, the System also spawned a forest dungeon around him and a goblin in his face...
Armed with nothing but his fists, Jack must grow strong enough to survive hordes of monsters. He needs to return to civilization and find out what the heck is going on. He might also get magic—or not. Surprising himself, Jack discovers that violence is fun.
In this battle-ridden new world, Jack finds the life he always dreamed about. He won’t just survive. He will thrive.
Don't miss the start of this action-packed new LitRPG Apocalypse Series from Valerios. Join Jack the Brawler as he pummels everything that gets in his way with his fists on his road to mastery and power. It's perfect for fans of Primal Hunter, Defiance of the Fall, and lovers of all things Progression Fantasy and LitRPG.
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Valerios
Valerios didn’t set out to be an author. Not exactly. His fascination began not with stories, but with patterns—of numbers, of words, of how one idea could quietly ripple into something larger. A quiet observer by nature, he found early joy in puzzles and precision, the kind of joy that eventually spilled into writing, where the rules were subtler and the outcomes more surprising.
His books, especially those in the Road to Mastery series, don’t just build worlds—they explore the tension between structure and chaos, growth and consequence. At their core lies a single question: how far can someone go if they’re willing to begin with nothing? That question, and the countless variations it spawns, drives Valerios’s work across the fantasy and progression genres. His stories tend to unfold with methodical patience, each step earned, each transformation justified. Readers drawn to careful worldbuilding, grounded character arcs, and quiet moments of triumph often find themselves unexpectedly hooked.
Road to Mastery
Road to Mastery consists of six books and considered as a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
