Elijah Hart is dying. Wracked by cancer and weakened by chemotherapy, all he wants is to spend what little time he has left with his sister and her family in Washington. But fate has other plans. When the mysterious World Tree extends its branches to Earth, Elijah's Seattle-bound flight crashes into the Pacific Ocean and a game-like system takes hold—reshaping humanity's future as well as his own destiny.

When the last sentient AI on Earth is ordered to create a new fantasy world as a playground for the incredibly wealthy, everyone wants a piece. Guilds are competing to be the first to find the dungeons and kill the biggest monster. Corporations are claiming land and building their online marketplaces. Ozzy and his friends just want a paycheck. He signs a five-year contract to work as an "NPC" Serf in a small village, given boring choices like working as a blacksmith, barkeep, or shepherd for all those year.

In his world, he was the last remaining alchemist, one of the few survivors living amidst the ruins of a once-great civilization. Refusing to give up on life, but seeing that nothing could save his home, he challenged himself to find a way out of such an inhospitable place. After years of dedicated research, he devised a ritual to transport himself to another world. But the outcome was far from anticipated. Instead of mere displacement, he underwent a rebirth. He ended up in a new body, in a new world, surrounded by new threats lurking around every corner.

Del Roosevelt, Champion of the Midden. The first creature smart enough, strong enough, fast enough to advance in who knows how long, immediately finds himself in jail. Well, technically, it's a dungeon, but he's spent enough time putting people behind bars to recognize when he ends up there, too. Now, our little furry force needs to work the system and escape to Ratopolis with the one ally he has left.

Get ready to experience two more origin stories in the Backyard Starship universe.