Valerios is a sharp new voice in fantasy fiction, known for blending clever systems, gritty humor, and a deep love of progression arcs into stories that challenge, entertain, and occasionally punch you in the face. When he’s not turning spreadsheets into emotional damage, he’s playing chess, hanging out with good people, or teaching machines the subtle art of not walking into lava.
In this interview, Valerios shares what inspired Road to Mastery—a fast-paced LitRPG apocalypse series about Jack Rust, a down-on-his-luck biologist who wakes up in a dungeon with no magic, no weapons, and only his fists. He talks about designing a brawler-based combat system, the accidental evolution of cultivation mechanics, and the joy of writing progression that hits just as hard emotionally as it does physically. From flying whales to talking monkeys, Valerios explores the brutal, chaotic, and surprisingly heartfelt path Jack takes on his road to power.
Jack is often described as a “brawler” who relies heavily on his fists. What influenced your decision to focus on this particular combat style for the protagonist, and how do you feel it sets him apart from other characters in the LitRPG genre?
When planning out the Road to Mastery series, I did some research into the LitRPG apocalypse sub-genre. Primal Hunter used a bow, Defiance of the Fall used an axe, the Legend of Randidly Ghosthound used a spear, He Who Fights with Monsters—though not quite in the sub-genre—used magic and daggers. So I went with the fist—not only was it missing from the line-up, but I felt it would be well-received by readers, given that the fist is the most intimate weapon we possess.
Road to Mastery incorporates elements of cultivation and system mechanics. How did you approach blending these aspects to create a cohesive progression system within the narrative?
Oof. I designed it as pure LitRPG at first. The cultivation elements just kind of appeared and eventually took over. Therefore, most of the “blending together” was me hastily readjusting the existing System to incorporate the various cultivation elements that popped up. It worked out!
Crafting a post-apocalyptic setting with intricate system mechanics can be complex. What were some of the challenges you faced in world-building, and how did you ensure consistency throughout the series?
What happened to all the actually competent people of Earth? Military experts, pro fighters, high-end mercenaries… It’s hard to justify why a random person ended up with more power than all of them. What about figures of authority? Why did they not use their prior experience to quickly rally the population around them, and instead it fell to a random woman from Burkina Faso to unite the world?? Finally, what about the leaders of spiritualism? The Dao is based on understanding yourself and the world, so they should have a much better starting point than Jack.
All those were hard to balance, and they included a heavy amount of hand-waving. However, once they were resolved, the rest of the series’ world-building was much easier.
Throughout the series, we’ve seen how key figures shape the protagonist’s journey—some guiding, others obstructing. Which relationship has had the biggest impact on their growth, and was there ever a moment when a supposed ally nearly became an adversary?
It was a tie between Brock and the Emberhearts—especially that one person who did you-know-what in Book 5. That was the greatest impact any other character had on Jack. Brock’s influence was slower but consistent over the course of the series, reining in Jack and playing a big part in the man he eventually became.
As for an ally almost becoming an enemy…not really. But I did have the opposite. Gan Salin was supposed to be a throwaway villain, but he was so fun I brought him back as a friend in Book 2.
With six books in the series, how has your vision for Jack’s journey evolved from the first installment to the finale? Were there any unexpected turns in the plot or character arcs that surprised you during the writing process?
Surprisingly, my vision of Jack was pretty consistent throughout. The only sharp change was in Book 5, when you-know-what happened. That was unexpected, but as it turned out, deeply necessary.
Have readers ever influenced how you wrote a character or storyline?
Absolutely! In Road to Mastery, Brock the monkey was originally a wolf cub. Readers pointed out that sucked, so I changed it, and Brock ended up being my favorite character from that series.
Do you have a favorite villain from your books, and what makes them stand out to you?
Reginald, from the Twelfth Cataclysm series. What really makes him stand out is that he’s not a villain in the classical sense. He’s manipulative and quick to sacrifice others, but he’s working for the greater good. He just approaches it differently from the main character, bringing them into conflict. He’s presented as a villain because the series was written from the perspective of the main character, but I could have easily written it from the other side, making Reginald the antihero main character. Throughout the series, and especially at the end, Reginald makes tons of sacrifices—including his soul and emotional well-being—to push the world in the direction he’s convinced is the right one.
If your book were adapted into a video game, what would the gameplay look like?
Road to Mastery would be a roguelike game with wonky “Dao” power-ups. As for more details… You’ll experience them within 2025!
Check out Valerios’ Road to Mastery series now on Amazon
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 thrust it into a world of aliens, magic, and violence, Jack hoped to at least get some magic himself.
Nope.
Even worse, the System 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 even 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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