Broke But Broken: Overpowered in a Fantasy School

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

When you’re the brightest star in the darkest sky, how far can you go?

Forced to enroll at Waning Crescent Institute, one of two struggling schools in District 4, Cadel Ren finds himself at the bottom tier of Nebula Island: a sprawling, futuristic haven tailored for education, home to thousands of students across its many schools.

Armed with an absolutely busted Ability and sharp intellect, he seeks to navigate the competitive environment of the Island, while also trying to experience the normal school life he's always wanted. But as he faces new challenges and rivals, his ambitions start to clash with the very system he's trying to survive. What secrets lie beneath the Island's polished exterior?

|Author's note: While the premise is inspired by an amalgamation of several anime like A Certain Scientific Railgun, My Hero Academia and Classroom of the Elite, this is an original story with original characters!

What to Expect:

-Character growth- Progressive in a sense that the rest of the main cast grow from weak to strong- Slow-burn with training scenes for proper ability growth- MC hides his true power at the start- Ranking system- Tone shifts (with somedarkmoments)- Romantic undertones towards the MC- Slice-of-life moments to flesh out the characters- Occasional perspective swaps between the main cast- Honestly I'm not too sure what genre this is (All of the above + satire/mystery/thriller?)

*This story is not for you if you are pedantic over scientific terms or dislike anime tropes!

February 2026 update: Book is currently in rewrite (Over 50 chapters written)!

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: Mesa Mesa

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.0/ 5.0
Followers: 607
Views: 177,486

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

W.J.R.PollardRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This Genre is not, generally speaking, my cup of tea, but the characters and story are compelling enough to get me past that issue. The writing style is fun and easy to follow. It is in a first-person, character perspective narrative.
There are some grammatical errors, for which MesaMesa17 is gracious in accepting and correcting, as they are pointed out. These, however, do little to detract from what is shaping up to be a pretty awesome school setting, anime-based story.
The story and plot lines are not jarring, and the subplots and teasers are sufficient to hook me into wanting to explore further (which, of course, I will be doing 🙃)
The characters, I am liking. Personally, I find in so many stories the supporting characters are the ones I tend to like more than the main ones. It is a personal thing, but it doesn't stop me from loving the work. The way the author has included those imperfections, insecurities and flaws, (including in the OP protag) is very well done.
If this is what this author's first work is like, I have the utmost confidence that we are looking at a soon-to-be accomplished and acclaimed writer in the making.
Kane DrakeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story clearly has some anime inspiration, and it does a good job of following through on the premise advertised by the author. The characters are distinctive, and each has their own unique personality. The author does a good job of offering quick characterization, which is important because there is a large cast of students. The grammar was good, and nothing ever really pulled me out of the story. The story is interesting, and I found myself moving quickly from chapter to chapter to see how different things would play out.
The main character is indeed Broke, and Broken, as the title indicates. So far, he hasn't encountered any characters who can actually come close to his level of strength. But it was still enjoyable to watch his fights, and even the fights of other characters. The author also incorporates notes about the students at the end of most chapters, and I thought this was a cool feature of the story and a great way to squeeze in some more world building.
It was very fun to learn about the different powers of each of the characters, and I'm looking forward to seeing how some of the weaker characters end up using their powers in upcoming chapters. I have a feeling the author has some interesting twist in mind for the upcoming arc.
Overall, I enjoyed this story, and I'm curious to see where it goes from here! I recommend giving it a shot!
Mr MimeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The author seamlessly combines elements of school-based fantasy with action and character-driven drama, creating a compelling and immersive world. The setting, where rankings and abilities define social status, adds complexity to the characters' relationships, while the intricate power system is well thought out.
Cadel, the protagonist, is both ambitious and cautious, offering a refreshing take on a character who tries to form bonds while navigating the academy's challenges. The author strikes a great balance between action and introspection, giving readers insight into Cadel's inner thoughts without disrupting the story's pace.
The writing style is clear and engaging, making the story easy to follow, though there are minor grammatical errors that are promptly addressed by the author. By several chapters, the focus is more on the academy's internal dynamics than on a major antagonist, which helps to build tension and intrigue as the story unfolds.
The world-building is another standout aspect, with a well-established hierarchy of abilities and rankings that shape the characters' interactions and motivations. The logic behind how the powers work is both creative and believable, giving the story an extra layer of intrigue. It's clear that the author has put a lot of thought into the system, making it not just a backdrop but a driving force in the plot. As more characters and abilities are introduced, the possibilities for future conflicts and alliances seem endless, making it exciting to see where the story will go next.
Despite not being on royalroad for long, the well-developed characters and their personal struggles kept me hooked. The supporting cast is especially relatable, with their flaws and insecurities adding depth. Overall, this is a solid start, and I believe the author is on the path to becoming a standout in the genre.
SpookyspacklesRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Off the get-go - this is exactly as advertised. A magical academy (anime inspired?), OP protagonist story - here's a no-spoiler review so far:
Style: The story is told in a first-person POV, with more of an episodic nature to running into problems and quickly solving them. The author does do a great job of setting up the magical school and ranking system, as well as explaining the powers of the MC and their regular cast without huge infodumps on the readers.
Story: The premise runs on an overpowered MC structure, so expect something similar to Mashle. It is also sitting on a magic school power struggle plot, and gets going with the action fairly quickly. It appears to be YA focused, haven't run into any extreme gore or swearing that would knock that rating up, but it does have the tag (so beware beyond this point - or get excited if you have a penchant for violence).
Grammar: There are minimal errors throughout the story (that are mostly flagged by readers and corrected), and the sentence structure flows well. No complaints on this end!
Character: The strongest character so far is the MC, mostly by virtue of the fact that we are in his head. While outwardly humble, he is far from it in his internal thoughts, which has its funny moments. Without spoiling anything so far, it will be interesting to see if events occur that cause a shift. The MC is also surrounded by a cast of unique characters - the story is still in its opening phase, so I will not make comments on character depth, but the closer cast have been introduced in a memorable way.
Overall, if you're looking for an OP MC in a magical academy, this will itch that scratch. I would recommend giving this one a go!
Elijah KingRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The story follows Cadel Ren, a student with a super powerful ability, but there’s a catch—he’s stuck in the worst district at his new school because he’s broke. This setup is interesting and makes you root for him from the start. He’s got the power to stand out, but he prefers to stay unnoticed, which adds a layer of tension as you wonder when he’ll finally show what he’s really capable of.
The world-building is solid, and the idea of different school districts based on wealth and ability is well done. You can easily imagine the world, and the contrast between the districts adds to the story's appeal.
The characters are a overall pretty well done! Cadel is likable and has a good balance of strength and humility. Some of his classmates are interesting, too, but others feel a bit one-dimensional at times. The dialogue is great, with some of it really drawing me in! I do think there could be small improvements to how the abilities or school rules are introduced.
Grammar is clean, with only a few minor errors, so it’s an easy read. The biggest issue is that while the plot is engaging, it sometimes feels predictable. There are a lot of hints about what might happen, which can take away some of the excitement.
Overall, it’s a good start to what could be a great series, but it has room to grow. I'm personally excited to keep reading it and I hope you give it a chance as well. Especially if you like a good underdog story!
Haven9925Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
An excellent storyline, as well as a few interesting characters. Cadel's friendships are gradually developing, and I can see him developing into an intriguing character after we fully learn his backstory. So far, it hasn't been way too clique, contrary to what I expected. I also like the idea of a broke main character, even though he is absurdly powerful.
HitmarkRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
So to start things up, the story is great. I honestly did not notice anything wrong in the story itself. The pacing, the grammar and the characters are well written which is highly surprising. This gives me an idea that the author has some knowledge (Trust me I wasn't like this when I first started out.) I tried to look for mistakes but found none. The character interactions were great and seemed realistic. Their convo were enjoyable. I also found the abilities quite interesting and I believe some more explanation regarding how they get it or how it originated would be great. The final note regarding their abilities are also a nice touch that allows me to understand their powers even more. The story shows the scene so there aren't problems in depicting the scenes before them. The world itself is not too small imo and is interesting. The side characters are good, I like that they do have their own personalities and the take where rhe mc already knows the power they hold and their capabilities is a unique take considering most stories with powers either start with an op mc that just learns it or an mc that slowly gains powers. Overall, the story gains a 5/5 for me.
CodebangaaRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Tentative four stars rating because it looks very promising.
Structurally and grammatically is good. No obvious misspelling, wrong-word, or badly formed sentences, and I usually spot those quickly.
MC is a bit of a jerk, but not atypical of the "OP but Nice Guy" -- at least he isn't smirking at everything in the world.
Character background is slow reveal, and slightly justifies his behavior, but there is more needed.
I'll come back eventually to update this.
It's "eventually" now, some months later.
Honestly, I like the story, but there's still a good amount of unrevealed background, which is fine. At the end of the first book, we are slapped with a cliffhanger because the Author's real-life situation is changing; their focus is now on a different book which you should check out for yourself.
I would read this on Kindle Unlimited if it were there.
The OxRoyal Road
★★★★ 3.5
"Broke but Broken" appears to be a very standard Japanese-anime style Academy/Magic School story. The MC is going to be living his life at a boarding school for teens with "abilities" of various strengths and a huge range of effects very similar to anime like "My Hero Academia", "Asterisk War" etc. That's all perfectly fine, a very well established and fun genre niche. Got no problem with that.
The problem I have with the story (and I've only read a few chapters in) is the author either doesn't have a basic understanding of physics or doesn't care if he uses terms from science and physics to describe things that are magical pseudo-science. If you are a reader who prefers words like "gravity", "energy", "plasma", "force" to basically mean what science has defined them to mean, then this story is going to drive you nuts.
The MC's OP "ability" is to control any and all forms of "energy" which I would admit would be a super OP power. But one of the first times he demonstrates this "ability" in class he "erased the gravitational energy" on his desk, causing it to float to demonstrate his ability to manipulate "energy".
UMMMM, NO.
I don't want to get into a discussion of energy vs force, you either understand middle school physics or you don't. I made a comment about it and the author said something about it "sounding cool" and being less wordy and expository. So that's about what you can expect from this story. A bunch of flashy magic stuff happens and some of it will be described using pseudo-scientific descriptions. That kind of thing prevents me from enjoying a work because it breaks my immersion.
Also, the MC is constantly described as an "introvert", yet he is constantly chatting everyone up, especially the cute girls. I feel like if I continue to read this book all the words I think I know the definitions of will start to mean the exact opposite.
Your mileage may vary.
Have a nice day.
BabyteapotRoyal Road
★★★ 3.0
It’s an ok story. It feels like this would probably be better as a manga.
the MC is kinda a nothing character set as a generic placeholder for power that the author and reader can just put themselves into for a power fantasy. He is for some reason wise but also childish. He is cocky while actively trying to hide so the hiding is pointless. Basic harem feel.
The world building is non-existent for the most part to the point that I dont think they mentioned the following:
Age of MC and friends. Or any real characteristics.
Country name
City name
Reason for this school or why Combat is a major.
How the power/star system works. Other than basic of more power=more stars.
Why scholarships aren’t a thing.
school structure
Both MC and other peoples goals past School.
why there seems to be both constant surveillance and no over sight at the same time (spoiler kinda: a girl breaking a camera is a huge issue but a team trying to maim or murder another student is ok/ignored)
level of technology.
how anyone manages to survive with people constantly throwing out lethal attacks at minor issues.
all the criticisms above are probably going to be mentioned or have already and I just haven’t gotten to them but I’m 20 chapters in and still have many questions.
its an ok story but needs fleshing out.