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  • Battleforged
  • First Clear

First Clear

Battleforged #4 / 7
by M.H. Johnson
First Clear (Battleforged #4) by M.H. Johnson
Unrated

How to negotiate in the post-apocalypse:

1. Always try make a strong first impression. — And few things say strength like an army of undead revenants EAGER to begin slaughtering at your command!

2. Be clear and concise when making your diplomatic offers. Let everyone know all the wonderful benefits they'll enjoy by doing things your way! — If they play their cards right, they might even get to keep their heads!

3. Speak softly, and carry a BIG CANNON! — Because the best negotiations are when your competitors are looking down the barrel of your gun!

4. If all else fails, you can always pull out your DINOSAUR COLLECTION to impress all your new friends!

Eric has a little problem.

Someone he cares about has been kidnapped by sadistic goblins working with corrupt bureaucrats who are eager to make him pay for interfering with their plans of military conquest and economic dominion.

Good thing Eric has a BIG ARMY!

An army that's absolutely PERFECT for crushing ANNOYING little problems that threaten any girl silly enough to fall for a guy like him.

Sadly, his mother has made it clear that negotiation is the best path forward when dealing with corrupt administrators. Especially when SMART negotiations just might give his sister the breathing room she needs to fortify her own growing kingdom.

Eric is forced to agree. If nothing else, this is a great opportunity for him to level-up his Negotiation skills. And he can think of no better negotiating tactic than

GROWING HIS UNDEAD LEGION TO MASSIVE PROPORTIONS!

Preferably by including everyone's childhood favorite:

DINOSAURS! - Lots and lots of hungry dinosaurs!

Eager for a fast-paced adventure with a survivor determined to get the best of everyone trying to kill him? Then read on!

Amazon: Check Best Offer

Fantasy
Release date: July 26, 2024

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Your Rating
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
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M.H. Johnson

In the ever-expanding universe of LitRPG and GameLit fiction, few voices feel as rooted in the genre’s heart as M.H. Johnson’s. A writer who straddles the line between digital fantasy and philosophical depth, Johnson doesn’t just tell stories—he builds systems, rules, and realities that challenge his readers to think, adapt, and evolve. His works—particularly the Silver Fox & The Western Hero series and Endless Online—aren’t merely about leveling up characters, but about exploring what happens when the rules of life are rewritten, one quest at a time.

Read more ...

Before he became a staple in the indie fantasy scene, Johnson found his creative footing in the classic RPGs and sprawling narratives of the games he grew up on. Those influences pulse through his novels: virtual landscapes that feel lived in, protagonists who face more than just monsters, and choices that carry real, sometimes devastating, consequences. Whether it’s Alex’s fight for purpose in a cultivation realm after awakening from cryogenic sleep, or the twisted corporate intrigue of a VR world in Endless Online, Johnson’s stories strike a balance between action and introspection.

A consistent presence on Royal Road and Patreon, Johnson invites readers into both his finished worlds and the creative process behind them. That openness—paired with a relentless curiosity for “what comes next?”—has helped him carve out a space where genre fans don’t just consume stories, they inhabit them. With each new project, he continues to push the genre beyond the expected, delivering worlds that reward attention and imagination in equal measure.

Are you looking to immerse yourself in LitRPG stories that go beyond grind and glory? Start with Johnson’s work—you’ll come for the systems, but stay for the soul.

Battleforged

In the Battleforged series, survival isn’t a goal—it’s a grinding, brutal necessity. Thrust into a world where strategy matters as much as strength, Eric doesn’t get the luxury of a learning curve. From the moment he awakens in a hostile realm stitched together by game logic and deadly intent, he’s forced to evolve—or be erased.

Read more ...

What sets this series apart isn’t just the high-stakes action or the intricate cultivation mechanics, but the unsettling, atmospheric depth that shapes every decision Eric makes. There’s a weight to this world—where power is both a weapon and a burden, and where necromancy isn’t just edgy window dressing but a vital, eerie survival tool. The progression system is relentless, punishing, and oddly elegant, demanding readers pay attention as Eric builds his skills, unearths buried truths, and aligns with factions who may be as dangerous as the enemies he’s trying to escape.

The world-building here leans into the strange and otherworldly—forests haunted by arcane threats, alliances between unlikely species, and an overarching war that feels both ancient and immediate. And yet, beneath the stat sheets and spellbooks, the core remains human: a lone figure navigating trust, power, and purpose in a realm designed to break him.

Battleforged isn’t just about leveling up. It’s about transformation—gritty, painful, and endlessly compelling. For fans of dark LitRPGs and progression fantasy that don’t pull punches, this series offers a journey as immersive as it is unforgiving.


Battleforged consists of six books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

Conqueror (Battleforged #3)
Unrated
First Clear (Battleforged #4)
Unrated
Phoenix Fire (Battleforged #5)
★ 10.00 / 1
Battleforged: Ascension (Battleforged #6)
⧗ 9.34 / 3
Battleforged Book 7 (Battleforged #7)
Unrated


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