Coin and Steel

When the world ends in a symphony of light and chaos, Elliot must make a choice: power and a shred of safety for him, or for his little sister. He upended his life once already to protect her after the death of their parents, and an apocalypse is no more of a reason to let her down. Gifting her his potential, he's thrown into the wilds of a new world with a weak Merchant class and no time to say goodbye. Classes and abilities promise near-endless opportunity for growth, but the chances of dying between the jaws of something monstrous have also never been higher. Uncharted wilds cover the continent, and Rowan is thousands of miles away. From combat bartering to weaponized treasure, Elliot must twist his peaceful class into something it was never meant to be if he wants any chance of finding her again. Before any of the greater powers decide his sister's gifts should belong to them instead. What to expect: Slow burn pacing with earned progression. No long plateaus after things get moving, but the journey will be long. Weak to eventually OP protagonist. Slice of life mixed in, with character relationships being a priority. Skills and classes, but no stat screens. This is not a dark story, but there will be violence, profanity, and occasional dark elements. No AI used. All em dashes my own. (Cover art by KikiCute)