Core Story Elements High Fantasy Magic, Parties, Exploration Slow Progression Slice of Life Focus on Worldbuilding Numbers-Lite LitRPG Diamond in the Rough MC Isekaied MC First Person Past POV (No Perspective Shifts Planned) Romantic Elements (Slow-Burn Relationships, Flings, Adult Dynamics) If these elements interest you, please read and enjoy! Alex is a guy whose luck ran out just when he thought he had life all figured out. Kicked out of college after an incident defending a classmate, he went from a hopeful student to a kitchen hand, drifting from one low-wage job to the next. Now he’s working at Dave’s Best, a glorified burger cart that drags him through the county fair circuit, town to town, for a freeloading boss who doesn’t hesitate to exploit Alex’s hard work and scrappy attitude. Nights are late, pay is low, and Alex feels like he’s stuck on an endless loop—until a freak storm hits on his way home from work, leaving him stranded and alone in a world nothing like his own. Welcome to Reial, where Alex doesn’t speak the language, knows nobody, and has no resources to fall back on. Here, magic, monsters, and adventure are real—and he’s starting at level zero. With no clear path forward, he’ll have to scrounge for his next meal and try his luck at scraping together enough crystals to survive. But while he may not know much about magic or monsters, he does know how to survive in a fast-paced kitchen, how to hold his own in a fight, and how to keep a sense of humor even when things get rough. Alex’s goals are simple: survive, make a few friends, and maybe figure out how to do the incredible things he once dreamed of as a kid. But in this sprawling, unpredictable world, even simple goals are hard-won—and who knows? He might just find himself leveling up in ways he never imagined. Zero to Hero is a fantasy LitRPG with adventure, slice-of-life elements, slow-burn romance, and a touch of humor. Alex’s story is a slower burn, focusing on progression, relationships, and small victories in a world far beyond anything he’s known. It takes place in Reial, the same world as my other series, so if you enjoy Abad's journey in Shards of the Dark Lord, you’ll find another engaging but more down-to-earth tale here. Alex isn’t here to change the world, at least at first—he’s here to survive it, thrive in it, and see if he can make something of himself one day at a time. This series is for readers who enjoy exploring the extraordinary through the eyes of an everyday guy, blending adventure with real-world grit, camaraderie, and a hero who doesn’t always win but refuses to give up. Thank you for reading, and welcome to Alex’s journey! Since this is my side series, I'm going to be publishing every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I'm using it as a fun opportunity to write in First Person for the fun of it, and there are some stories I want to tell in the world that can't be told through Abad's gloomy eyes, so Alex is here to lighten up the mood.