Ludonarrative Dissonance

At the heart of a wish lies an attempt at completion, a human desire to become our true and final selves. Wishes are fuelled by regrets and are bound eternally to the past, serving as approximations of what once was. We all experience regret and nostalgia, leading us to make wishes and find despair, but can we become our true selves despite this all? That's where the story of a girl who struggles to control her desires begins... Two souls sharing the same body and memory are living in Kyoto 2031. Tang-Ji Shizukesa, a girl who's grown up in her previous life with a hardcore passion for gaming, is now a bookworm in her new life who has no interest in video games. Along with her, Kazami and Hoyeon, the three childhood friends who separated 7 years ago due to an accident, have now been reunited again in a VRMMORPG game known as Dusk Protocol. The game has a unique combat system known as "Leere," a physical manifestation of an individual soul that can be conjured into deadly weapons. As Tang-Ji navigates this virtual world, she confronts the echoes of her past and the dissonance between her former self and her present identity. How will she cope with the rediscovery of a life she thought she left behind? How will Kazami and Hoyeon react to the new Tang-Ji? In a world where reality is malleable and death is just a click of a button away, the boundaries between past and present blur, forcing everyone to grapple with the truth of who they truly are. Disclaimer: This novel contains explicit language, violence, racism, and sexual scenes. There are also scenes that deal with various traumas, from physical to emotional to mental. (THE CHARACTERS’ CIRCUMSTANCES , TRAITS, AND BELIEFS IN THIS NOVEL ARE ALL BASED ON A TRUE STORY.)

In a world where ruthless gods and forgotten titans shape the fabric of reality, Ishaël Vorn Matha awakens. Without memories. Without bearings. But with a void in his soul—an absence so deep it seems etched into the very laws of the Omniverse. Once a human on Earth, now caught in the tensions of a fractured RDCian empire and a fading cosmology, he still doesn't know what he has lost. A memory? A destiny? Or perhaps something far greater… For within that void lies an ancient secret, bound to a forgotten debt and a pact sealed before time itself. His journey will not be that of a hero. It will be that of a dissonant—one whose very existence threatens divine harmony. And what Ishaël Vorn Matha is about to uncover… might just shatter the memory of the Omniverse.

He had already chosen where and when. The Overlook Bridge, on the anniversary of his brother's death—the perfect place to follow him, to sever a life that had become gray and soundless. Ethan, whose soul had long turned to ash along with his silenced music, was ready to take the final step. But she knocked him off his path—with a single defiant phrase, thrown at the edge of the abyss. Skye, a punk rock vocalist with a tattoo of a shattered piano on her wrist, was his mirror image. Where he hid his pain in apathy and silence, she forged hers into an armor of cynicism and screams. Seeing a familiar void in his eyes, she didn't save him—she simply stood beside him, offering not hope, but a strange, twisted kind of complicity. And so, their dance began. Two souls—broken, yet stubbornly alive. They don't know how to be happy, but they are desperately learning how to be real. Their encounters are awkward conversations in a smoke-filled café, accidental collisions in an old record store, silent walks through the sleeping city. He is afraid of her noise, her fury, her life. She is afraid of his silence, his vulnerability, his ability to see straight through her armor. This is not a story about a perfect love that heals all wounds. It is a story about two people who slowly, painfully, step by step, pull each other out of the deafening silence where one is usually left alone. It is a tale of how, from the ashes of old traumas and the dissonance of two shattered souls, a single, imperfect, yet achingly honest melody can be born. A song that becomes their only way of saying, "I see you. And I'm staying."

Centuries ago, the galaxy thrived under the protective harmony of the Harmonics—guardians who wielded a mystical energy known as the Élan. Through their mastery of this force, they maintained a delicate balance among star systems, quelling conflicts and steering civilization toward an era of prosperity. Yet this peace was shattered by the Dissonants, a corrupted faction that twisted the Élan’s power to enforce their authority by force. Their rebellion unleashed a catastrophic war, ultimately resulting in the annihilation of the Harmonics and the Dissonants’ rise to power. Today, the Dissonants rule the entire galaxy, reshaping history and erasing all memory of those who once stood in their way. Under their oppressive reign, peace is a distant memory, replaced by fear and subjugation. On the planet Scrapra, a wasteland left in ruin after long-forgotten wars, Arthur Rozier leads a humble life scavenging and selling spare parts. But as he nears his seventeenth birthday, a long-dormant force stirs within him: the Élan, a legacy of the Harmonics the Dissonants believed extinguished. Arthur’s awakening, marked by the loss of his father and an unrelenting pursuit, draws the attention of the Dissonant Empire. Hunted across a hostile galaxy, Arthur must learn to harness his power, resist the lure of its darker temptations, and uncover the truth behind the Élan. In a universe where every star appears firmly under the Dissonants’ control, one boy may hold the key to restoring balance... or sowing an even greater discord.

In the fractured aftermath of the First Convergence—when portals tore through reality and ancient magic returned to Earth—six global magical Orders re-emerged to seize control of the future. Amid geopolitics, legacy powers, and the rise of echo-based warfare, a controversial seventh faction stirs: the Hybrids, engineered from stolen bloodlines and unstable hope. At the center of it all is Kai “Soulfire” Mercer, a hybrid soldier who was never awakened by the Echo—he was activated. Sent to Anatolia's most unstable academy, he’s joined by five other cadets, each from a legacy Order, in an experimental squad known as The First Chorus. They are flawed. Incomplete. And unlike anything the world has seen. - Nandi “Echo Song” Maseko, whose stutter shatters spells and expectations. - Amara Khalil al-Rashid, a Dune-Inker rewriting patriarchal traditions with every blazing sigil. - Izel “Shardsight” Itzcuintli, a Glyphseer haunted by visions not yet lived. - Jian “Irontongue” Li, a Thoughtshaper torn between perfection and suppressed emotion. - Sarika “Rainborn” Moyo, a Rainmother whose storms rise and fall with her grief. When a trial awakens an ancient portal beneath their academy, spectral echoes and fractured artifacts begin to stir. As the First Chorus fractures and reforms, they must navigate secret histories, ideological warfare, and relics too powerful to remain untouched. But something else is listening. Something born between frequencies. And it remembers their names. The Echo Accord is a speculative coming-of-age epic blending metaphysical magic, geopolitical intrigue, and deeply human struggle. At its core, it's about imperfect young warriors trying to harmonize in a world built on dissonance—and whether it’s possible to write your own resonance when fate insists on repeating the past.

When the proud prodigy Hyojin meets rebellious Jang Ah in a rehearsal room neither of them meant to share, their notes clash—and something deeper stirs. He plays to forget. She plays to fight. But a melody from the past threatens to expose a secret both have buried. Two souls. One song. And a harmony waiting beyond the dissonance. Enemies don’t always stay enemies… sometimes, they become duets.

*In a world ruled by vibration, one boy moves at a different frequency. Far in the future, humanity has discovered the truth behind all life: SoulWaves, unique energy frequencies—shape power, status, and survival. The strong bend reality with a thought. The weak vanish in silence. Xander, a quiet outcast from the slums of Khaf’Tet, was born with a SoulWave so slow it was believed nonexistent. Ignored, dismissed, and forgotten, until the day the world began to fall apart. As the fearsome Chorus conquers nations through chaos and dissonance, Xander awakens to a rare ability: he can alter the speed of the world around him. Not energy. Not force. Tempo itself. Now, as cities collapse and harmony crumbles, the slowest Wave on Earth might be the last hope to stop total resonance collapse. When the world spins out of tune, will one quiet frequency be enough to restore balance?

Arashi Kageyama is just an archivist. Or so he thought. Quiet, thoughtful, and burdened with a strange sensitivity to the world’s emotional undercurrents, Arashi lives in Meirōmura, a village forgotten by time. But beneath his calm exterior lies a dormant power tied to something far greater than himself. When monsters known as Hollow Ones raze his village on the night of a cosmic event called the Harmonic Convergence, Arashi awakens to the terrifying truth: he is the reincarnation of Raziel, the Seraphic Keeper of Secrets, a being of forbidden knowledge and divine resonance. This revelation does not go unnoticed. Mizuki Shirasu, a disciplined Chorister Knight from the nation of Lumina, is dispatched to investigate the Resonance spike caused by Arashi’s awakening. Though their alliance is uneasy, Mizuki begins to question everything she’s been taught about the Seraphim, and the boy she was ordered to control. Together, they flee from corrupted creatures and the enigmatic Silenced, hunted by both holy and unholy powers. The deeper they journey, the more Arashi is forced to confront visions of his past life, the pull of ancient knowledge, and a growing dissonance in his soul that could either save or unmake the world. The Void Choir, a cosmic threat long erased from the records, is returning. And Arashi may be the only one who can stop it… if it doesn't consume him first. Now, Arashi must master his Resonance, uncover the truth behind the Divine Fragments, and choose between the secrets that could restore balance or unravel the last song of creation. What do you do when the universe sings your name... but every note is a warning?

What kind of shithole is this. Xu Nian grimaced. A crippled body of all things. Where does he even start to rectify things. "A crippled body would lead to a crippled mind," his sister Xu Li exclaimed. Eyes full of pity looking at him. Xu Nian was tired. This isn't what he hoped for. He grieved, looking at the dilapidated hut, his torn clothes, and a leafy soup bowl placed before him. It all was overwhelming. He looked at the malnourished figure of Xu Li and his. This lifestyle of celibate I need to come out of this. Most importantly, this body.

"With Great Power Comes Great Embarrassment". Chadam Chadlock, the 195th of his name, is a man who embodies the very essence of squandered potential. Once destined for greatness, Chadam now spends his days in a state of perpetual drowsiness, lounging in his cabin by the window as the dissonant chirping of the forest birds lulls him into a deep slumber. Chadam Chadlock is a man caught between the weight of his past and the absurdity of his present. Whether he will rise to the occasion or continue to sleepwalk through life remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: in the dark and foreboding forest, Chadam’s story is far from over.

To the quiet despairs, the forgotten corners, the shadows that whisper secrets in the dead of night. To the nameless anxieties that burrow deep within the human heart, gnawing at the edges of sanity. This book is dedicated to the muted background hum of existence, the slow, insidious erosion of hope, and the persistent vibration of unease that resonates in the spaces between the stars. To the forgotten gods, the careless creators, and the indifferent universe that watches our struggles with cold, cosmic detachment. This is for the crumbling alleyways, the faded murals, and the abandoned buildings that echo with the silent stories of forgotten lives, lives as fleeting and fragile as the whispers carried on the wind. To those who wander the desolate landscapes of their own minds, grappling with existential questions that yield no easy answers. To those who find solace in the bleak pronouncements of nihilism and absurdism, who embrace the brutal honesty of the darkness, and who find a strange kind of peace in the face of utter meaninglessness. This book is for you. For those who carry the weight of unspoken burdens, the invisible wounds of loneliness, the ghosts of past disappointments that linger like shadows in the periphery of vision. For those who seek a connection, a purpose, a reason to rise each morning despite the gnawing emptiness that threatens to consume them. This is also a dedication to the unsettling silence of empty streets, the flickering streetlights that cast long, distorted shadows, the dissonant sounds that emanate from the unseen corners of reality. It's for the creeping sensation of being watched, of an unseen presence lurking just beyond the reach of perception. For those who feel the subtle distortions in the fabric of reality, the subtle anomalies that hint at something far stranger, far more terrifying, than the mundane reality they inhabit. To the city itself, a cold, uncaring beast, yet also a testament to human ambition and resilience, a canvas on which our hopes and dreams are painted, only to be washed away by the relentless tide of time. To the ordinary lives lived amidst the extraordinary, to the single grains of sand lost in the vast, unforgiving machine of existence. This is for the cosmic horror that seeps into the cracks of our everyday world, and the subtle echoes of the Genesis Event that resonate in the quietest moments. And finally, to the uncaring vastness of the cosmos, to the indifferent gods who created a universe both beautiful and terrifying, this is for the ultimate struggle between order and chaos, between light and darkness, and the journey of a single, insignificant man caught in the middle of it all..

What happens after you die? Nobody truly knows. Nobody except for him. He has lived and died and lived again, being given a second chance at life by a dying god. Now, he searches for a purpose after death. Who is he? Well, that's for you to find out.

"For every choice, there's regret". the collapsing cinders of my last breath, Eclipse, one of the 8 hunters, said to me. Reality in dissonance... I can't change the past, and the future even harder. With this undying Darkness within me, who can set me free?

Madness engulfs one, disconnecting from all. Granting the one’s wish, it is uncontrolled, lurking in the beyond, bringing its dissonance, for the one’s wish wanted. Bringing it, all will shatter like glass, as if everything was nothing but just a bad dream…

### DROPPED ###

In a world where shadows blend with the whispers of the night, Kabel, a ruthless 23-year-old assassin from the modern era, meets his untimely end — but death is not the conclusion for a man steeped in blood. It's merely an intermission. Awakened in the clutches of the enigmatic deity Frejai, he finds himself plunged into a medieval realm woven with magic and deceit, a pawn in a game of divine might and mortal survival. Bound by a resurrection pact sealed with a deity's command, Kabel is thrust into a sinister vendetta against the "false gods," beings of immense power masquerading in human flesh. With each deity's fall, the threads of this new world reveal a tapestry of treachery and hidden truths. Frejai's promise dangles before him—an alluring chance to return to his previous life, yet the whisper of her intentions crackles with a sinister dissonance. As Kabel stalks his prey, the hunter becomes the haunted. Unlikely allies and dire nemeses cross his path, entities with their own tangled webs and obscured ambitions. The deeper Kabel delves into the heart of this fantasy realm, the more he questions the motives of the divine puppeteer orchestrating his bloody waltz. With a blade forged in mystery and a heart armored in skepticism, Kabel's trust frays at the edges with every revelation. A war rages within his soul—faith against doubt, loyalty against autonomy. Yet, amidst the clash of gods and the rally of steel, one resolve remains steadfast: Kabel will not surrender his fate to the whims of a deity, be it in this world or the next. His journey becomes a crucible, a path wrought with adversaries to be vanquished and secrets to unshroud, all with the promise of a second chance dangled on the edge of tomorrow's blade—a promise that could be salvation or his ultimate undoing.

"I have one fear. Public Bathrooms." Iori Teriere is a young man in high school who is completely ordinary. Except for the fact that he was nearly killed by a half-demon ogre on his last trip to the toilet. For as long as he can recall, his bathroom experience has been otherworldly with all kinds of results. And it just so happens that one day, he ends up in a sequence of bizarre events, even by his standards that may lead to the destruction of the multiverse...or at the very least, the multiverse's bathrooms.

It's been a long time, but it's something that must be done

Witness the transformation of a jaded individual, a cynical man who has been beaten and abused by the world, as he finds himself suddenly inhabiting the body of a young, notoriously vile scion within a rapidly declining noble household. Awakening in this tumultuous world full of strife, marred by ceaseless conflict—where war surges like the tides, and alliances shift and waver as the wind, unpredictable and without a moment’s notice—the emergent man, once known as Virgil and now as Vhal, the young master of House Ashfell, finds himself thrust into a life befitting his past skepticism and pessimism, in some strange and twisted sense of irony. With his motives shrouded in shades of gray, he must navigate this treacherous new life. Unlike his past life, the ultimate form of currency here isn't any form of weaponry or economic strength, which in this case comes in the form of swords and coin—although they hold equal significance—but rather, it comes in the manipulation of forces he would have once deemed imaginary: Magic. A tangible power that is crafted and molded to suit the user, replenished boundlessly by the world, binding everything in existence. But with this power comes greater conflicts and greater threats, though conversely, this power comes with unprecedented opportunities as well. Balancing on the fine line between death, survival, and his descent into darkness, how will Vhal carve out his path? In blood, with magic, and as reluctant as his nature deems it, with support. Watch as Vhal progresses through a world beyond the scope of his beliefs, driven by ambition and passion. Watch as Vhal carves out his own piece of power, or rather, watch as Vhal disrupts the hierarchy of power to such an extent that historians will one day mark this age, like all others, with a name befitting it… THE DISSONANCE OF POWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - 100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter (3k words +) 1 Golden Ticket = 1 Bonus Chapter (3k words +) - - - - - - - Author's Note: I felt compelled to embark on a fresh project. My aim is to captivate and satisfy my audience with this new endeavor. I hope you enjoy. Happy Reading! - Spatial Devil, The Author. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - Cover art is not owned by me. If the owner wishes for its removal, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Friday 13th September 2019 was the Day of Doom&Destiny It was the Day of doom for many but also the day of Destiny for some. It was the Day when some lost all their fortune but it was also the day when some got powers transcending the Influence of wealth. It was the Day of Elemental Dissonance. ------------------------------------ Disclaimer: (1) : This is my first story and I'm not a native English speaker so yea please BNBR with your comments and some honest reviews would be very much appreciated. (2) : 3 Chapters/Week, I would try to do more if I get enough time. (3) : Beliefs and opinions shared in the novel by the characters do not represent the personal beliefs of the author. (4) The average chapter length is about 0.9k to 1k words. It would increase don't worry. Update: 1.5k words per chapter, chapter 31 onwards, please motivate me with your powerstones if you want more lengthy chapters. (5) : Story progression is slow, if you don't like slow-progressive novels then this story isn't for you.

What if your nightmares became your reality and there was no way to tell the two apart? David, an ordinary man, finds himself ensnared in a world of unspeakable horrors and bewildering illusions, a world where nothing is as it seems. At the heart of it all is Samantha—a woman as captivating as she is mysterious—who leads him ever deeper into this labyrinth of dread. His life takes a turn for the worse when he begins to experience surreal events and malevolent forces close in. A haunting past resurfaces, and the line between what is real and what isn't becomes increasingly blurred. Is he merely a puppet in a cruel, elaborate game, or can he reclaim control? As David battles his inner and outer demons, he must decide whether to succumb to the chaos or confront it head-on. Will he decipher the enigma that ensnares him, or become another lost soul in this symphony of terror? "Dissonance" is a heart-stopping, spine-chilling tale that will leave you questioning the very fabric of your existence. Prepare yourself for a journey that is as mind-bending as it is terrifying—your next obsession awaits.

Can Hana Takahashi, a disillusioned office worker, and Ren Nakamura, a passionate street musician, find love in modern Tokyo? As their worlds collide, will their differences tear them apart, or will they create a melody that transcends societal expectations?

Stuck with an arranged marriage and a bodyguard she can't escape from, princess Harmony does what she can to breath. Unable to handle the impending marriage she hires a thief to kidnap her. Aware of just how far that here bodyguard will go, it takes everything she has to stay one step ahead. Why did the chase become so thrilling, and why can't she wait to get caught? Updates MWF alternating with The Rainbow Sage and the Quiet Duchess.

Madness engulfs one, disconnecting him from all. Granting the one’s wish, an inevitable creature, from beyond this story, uncontrolled by any narrative perspective, lurking beyond even I, brings its dissonance, for the one’s wish wanted so. Bringing dissonance to all, all will shatter like glass... As if all was nothing but just a bad dream…

A dungeon, a demon, and way more than seven deadly sins... What if you learned you were living in a simulation? What if the gods decided you knew too much? What if they pulled the plug? That's how our hero woke up in a new world and a new body. Reincarnated as a dungeon core, he must build out his fortress and fight adventurers to survive in this new world. But it seems they didn't wipe the slate completely...When memories from his old life begin creeping in, will he be able to hold it together or will the dissonance tear him and the dungeon apart? Join the dungeon and his friends (I mean, slaves) as they level up, loot, and find love. Life as a dungeon core ain't all that bad when you get to play god... Read at your own peril...You might even like it ;) {Now Cross Posting On RoyalRoad}

Why the betrayal? Betrayal within the context of marriage constitutes a profound breach of trust, shaking the foundation of intimacy and commitment. This abstract delves into the intricacies of a wife's betrayal and its multifaceted impact on marital relationships. Through a synthesis of psychological theories and empirical studies, it examines the emotional, cognitive, and relational repercussions experienced by the betrayed spouse. The abstract highlights the complexity of emotions evoked by betrayal, ranging from shock and disbelief to profound hurt and anger. Moreover, it elucidates the cognitive dissonance arising from reconciling the image of the partner with the act of betrayal, leading to identity crises and existential questioning. Furthermore, the abstract elucidates the ripple effects of betrayal on the dynamics of marital relationships, including erosion of trust, communication breakdown, and existential threats to the relationship's viability. It also explores coping mechanisms adopted by betrayed spouses, ranging from denial and avoidance to seeking support and engaging in introspection. In conclusion, this abstract underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of betrayal within marital relationships and emphasizes the significance of therapeutic interventions aimed at facilitating healing, rebuilding trust, and fostering relational resilience in the aftermath of betrayal.

I'm really just putting this up here for some feedback. I board this metal contraption dubbed an aeroplane, hurtling through the sky, for education’s farce—how foolish. Schools, like puppets, exploit minds, shaping them into acquiescent tools. Power lies not in knowledge, but in breaking free from the chains of rulers. But that is not my concern. Dissonance Affinity, an unjust curse by the Outer Gods, stains every existence, transcending understanding; earth appears to be its last trace. I will terminate it. I seem to be the only one that is willing to, after all.

Beau, a talented artist, continues to drown in the dissonance between societal expectations and his internal struggles. Masking his turmoil with acclaimed artworks, Beau grapples with the paradox of his talents, seeking acceptance while feeling profoundly disconnected. The novel unravels the tension between artistic brilliance and the haunting shadows of Beau's splendid despair, offering a poignant exploration of identity and the toll of perfection.