Cruel Violet - [Post-Apocalyptic Serial-Killer LitRPG]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Everyone has a calling. Everyone but Violet. It's been centuries since the world fell to the mist and crystal. It will be far longer before anyone learns why. Wherever they came from, they changed everything. The flora, the fauna, the very air, and of course, the people. The world itself grows sharper teeth and claws with every passing day. Humanity is slowly returning from the safety of the mountains, the only refuge they once had from the mist. They are mastering the crystals and the strange clarity they offer, and a new society is emerging over the ruins of the old. Now, at the age of five, every child receives a crystal inlay ring that reveals their calling. And everyone has a calling, a specific area they excel in and a unique method of growth. From combat, to administration, to healing. Everyone has a calling. Everyone has some kind of control. Everyone but Violet. Eleven years ago, Violet got her ring the same as every other child. And for eleven years, she's been the only one with no calling. She's learned to adapt to the ridicule and the pity this inspires. She always knows just the right thing to say at just the right time to stay alive—and to stay fed. She wears a beloved and kind persona, which she hopes will replace the abilities she can’t offer. But she knows it will never be enough. Not for her, and not for the people around her. At least... until she finds herself with blood on her hands. As the red drips from her fingertips she finally understands how to feed her calling… and her appetite. Releases Mo - Wed - Fri at 11:17 AM CST TW:Contains detailed instances of graphic violence and emotional abuse. Cover art byPurrincessAtobe. Title text byWidya

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2026
Author: Dreamer's Riot

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 2,519
Views: 341,893

Chapters(51 total)

What readers say about Cruel Violet - [Post-Apocalyptic Serial-Killer LitRPG]

“This is masterclass in character and revenge. I'm a bit wary of villain-like characters, but I'm rooting for Violet all the way and want her to see revenge for the way she's been treated. I have no question about her morals. Violet is completely right in al…”
perlazadeRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“Violet Asher? No officer, I didn't see any evidence of wrong doing. Cruel Violet throws you into the shoes of the titular Violet. An unremarkable girl in a setting where humanity is clinging to survival thanks to the system that it received. In a world of m…”
BlueTomoshibiRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

perlazadeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is masterclass in character and revenge. I'm a bit wary of villain-like characters, but I'm rooting for Violet all the way and want her to see revenge for the way she's been treated. I have no question about her morals. Violet is completely right in all her actions, and you can't tell me otherwise!
She is someone who carried a smile for a long time in the face of all these jerks around her. Now, she is gaining power over them, yet she still wears a smile and has control over all of them.
I was hooked early and the tension kept escalating. It's a completely engrossing story, and I binged all the chapters in 1 sitting. It was way past my bedtime.
The writing is really solid and polished. Some of the metaphors really stuck with me. For example: "discordant like an orchestra in a bus crash."
I can't find a single thing wrong with this story. I love stories about underdogs fighting the system and getting justice, and this is one do the better examples I've seen. I usually drop a lot of stories here because they are cookie cutter, but this one is original. I can't wait to read more and see what Violet does next.
BlueTomoshibiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Violet Asher? No officer, I didn't see any evidence of wrong doing.
Cruel Violet throws you into the shoes of the titular Violet. An unremarkable girl in a setting where humanity is clinging to survival thanks to the system that it received.
In a world of might makes right, Violet starts with nothing, which makes her expendable. Even without powers in the magical sense, she's a master manipulator, and that's why you read this book. Don't worry though, without spoiling anything more, she doesn't stay without powers for long.
Everything Violet does is in service of herself. She has no grand goal or heroic aspiration. She is cold and calculating--on the inside. She puts up a sweet, almost naive persona on the outside. You read this book specifically because you wanna see what she's gonna do next.
Style wise, it's a treat, the juxtaposition of prose between the sweet and caring Violet and her dark inner thoughts makes you feel like someone in on the bit.
Grammar is no problem at all, it reads smoothly, action is well paced, it's a fun easy read.
Violet is a heck of a character, but the other characters and how Violet immediately knows what their games are about are a master class in character writing.
All-in-all, Violet did nothing wrong, and you should give this story a read to see how perfectly innocent this flower is :)
Ding DongRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Short Review: The MC is a complete freak and is extremely entertaining.
So we all seen evil MC's in works before. Yeah some do some crazy evil things but it tends to be a very passive fair. They commit their evil act and just move on with it. Not mattering to much to them. Dear Violet does not do that. Her every past action comes back to her in waves. She dwells on it, delights on it, ponders upon it. It makes the next err 'Event' that more impactful. When the damn breaks and she just lets it out.
It makes her significantly more entertaining as a Evil MC.
paracompleteRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Cruel Violet good book.[1] This review is for Book 1.
Story: The story starts off enjoyable, but not exceptional--pretty standard Royal Road fare--but around halfway through book one, things start to pick up. We begin to see a master class in manipulation, spiraling cover-ups and rationalization, and tragedy. The first third, you're reading Royal Road. The second third, you're watching Dexter (or maybe playing a really good game of Among Us)[2]. But by the last chapter, you're reading Shakespeare.
Additionally, Book 1 is a fully completed, self-contained arc. This isn't a story where you have to read hundreds of chapters for payoff or have to worry about the author going AWOL before reaching a conclusion. Book one is there right now. I'm seriously looking forward to book two, but I don't feel like I'm trapped in yet another "word count above all else" epic.
Character: Every character has meaningful motivations, and there's always more than meets the eye. Ironically, I think the main character is one of the least interesting characters per se; her real contribution is her (mis)interpretation of the world and her capacity to get into trouble.
Style: The author could not have pulled this story off without his use of multiple perspectives and an unreliable narrator. Notably, the epilogue chapter, starting with a letter, is the reason I'm writing this review.
Grammar: The writing reads very smoothly and had no apparent issues. It also taught me a few new words, which is always a plus in my book. I've read more poetic works, but the writing serves the story well.
On other reviews: I concur with AdvisorVisor's review that this is "a genuine charisma story" and Lucky Mr. Popular's review that this is "[the] best character writing I've ever read, hands down". If my review doesn't convince you to read the story, theirs surely will.
The epilogue chapter has a spark that convinced me that this author has real potential. Perhaps in 20 years, he'll be writing the next classics of
AdvisorVisorRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
She is first actual social manipulator on Royal Road. Yes, really. And after a drought of being completely uninterested in what I was getting here, a real pick-me-up.
The typical fare on Royal Road has a tendency to talk about numbers, to systematize, to describe just how hard the sword impacts the goblin's inguinal ligament. In other words it's male brained and kind of autistic. While drooling at the thought of having another strength point is a common pleasure here, I think this story offers something very unique to it.
Namely, a character who only has her deceitful tongue and mask in lieu of genuine agency via simple force. Catty girl clique politics. And the kind of person that constantly having to bottle up that kind of negativity produces. Not someone who is completely deranged, but with a powerful thirst for control that can only be directed towards the less morally questionable targets. She makes sense as a warped sort of person.
I would like to emphasize the uniquely well done social interactions we see here, the way subtle forces are used to avoid the limitations of overtness. I think it is the first time I've seen something like this here, and it's a very welcome shift.
I was wondering if it would push towards a more amoral and grimdark angle, but we've leaned more towards being sure the targets deserve it. More or less. That's fine. "Tools of the trade" presents a lot of opportunities for interesting problem solving, and you're doing a pretty good job making use of it.
I like what I see here so far, and I'm hopeful for how it develops.
ItsapartyRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Absolutely no murder here. Nope, none of that, Violet is perfectly innocent.
Seriously though, amazingly written angst. The main character has a calling that drives her towards manipulation and killing( or reveals that they’re what she truly wants, lore of how a calling reflects its bearer is still a little bit vague), while she is at least slightly trying to remain a good person. It’s fun to see the beginning of the slippery slope, with some people who do genuinely deserve to be her victims, but it’s blatantly clear from internal dialogue and by the MC’s own admission that the bloodlust will last longer than the deserving targets. Can’t wait to see Violet finally consign herself to the slippery slope and grab a sled.
Very well written angst, characters that feel three-dimensional, and a very fleshed out world. The emotions feel real, and the motivations driving each character aren’t just to move the story along. Set in post-apocalypse earth, so we can even get references! I hadn’t realized it was apocalyptic earth instead of just generic post-apocalypse dystopia and got jump-scared by a Spider-Man reference.
Also there is Guy. Just a chill dude. A funny little guy. Please don’t kill him author, he’s just a little guy.
KaelikRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
As always from Dreamweaver the magic system is unique and very fun to think about.
Main character is an absolute joy. So far she's totally justified and deserves everything in the world, but you can see where things are going and as of chapter 9 she's planning probably her first unjustified action (not her second murder, that one is also fine and cool.)
Lucky Mr. PopularRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I don't normally leave reviews, but this fiction is more than good enough to warrant it. And don't get me wrong; the world-building is ingenious, the RPG-style magic system helps drive the narrative perfectly, and the prose flows so smoothly you can't help but get engrossed in the story. But the characters? The sheer realism is utter madness.
The characters are complex, but not more than a real person would be. The characters have flaws, but in a different way for each one. They lie. They pretend. They change how they talk and what persona they wear depending on who they're talking to. And this is all communicated to the audience perfectly. There's no ambiguity, no 'wait, what is this character thinking again?' moments, just clarity and a well-paced story to go along with it. It genuinely feels like they're real people, and we're only getting a small glimpse into their lives. In other words: perfection. I couldn't ask for more.
Then there's the litRPG magic system. If you're not a fan of the genre usually, don't worry, it's not in your face. There's no mindless grinding or OP MC wiping out millions of monsters per second. No. It's simple really. Violet increases her Degree by murdering people. Not 'kill all the bandits to protect the caravan' murder, but 'cold-blooded scheme to murder someone for fun and profit' murder. And in order to keep murdering people, she has to not get caught.
So she lies. A lot. And everyone else adores her because she's so good at it. And she makes friends with some of them, too - genuine friends, even if they don't know about the... you know, murder for fun and profit. It's wholesome and spine-chilling and thrilling to read at the same time.
Oh, and not to mention: the crystal apocalypse setting? Woven into the narrative seamlessly, just like everything else.
So yeah. If that sounds at all interesting to you, go and read Cruel Violet. Could not recommend it more.
MeepoRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Violet is a rare example of xianxia where the main character truly breaks away from the typical righteous cultivator archetype. The story of the ruthless demonic cultivator Violet captivates from the very first chapters and does not let go until the end.
The author boldly overturns genre clichés: Violet does not seek the world’s approval and does not justify her actions. She is calculating, cold-blooded, and merciless, yet undeniably charismatic. Her path of cultivation is not a road of light, but a spiral of darkness, power, and absolute will. Particularly impressive is how well-developed the demonic cultivation system feels—its techniques, artifacts, and spiritual contracts are cohesive and logically integrated into the world.
The worldbuilding is vast and atmospheric: sects, ancient ruins, heavenly tribunals, and hidden demonic domains create the sense of a true epic saga. The battles are described dynamically and inventively—each confrontation shows how Violet surpasses her opponents not only through strength, but through strategy.
Special mention should be made of the psychological depth of the heroine. Despite her cruelty, she does not come across as a flat villain. Her motivations, past traumas, and philosophy of power make her a complex and compelling character.
This is a xianxia for readers who are tired of standard “righteous heroes” and want a dark, uncompromising story about power, cultivation, and the price of absolute strength.
Night-OwlRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is a rewrite of my first review, because I seriously could have said more than “Villainous lead? Yes”, and should have had more detailed talking points
So, yes, I will again say that the story delivers on its promise on a villainous lead, and what stands out is that she was not born evil. She is as one would say sadistic, and no one really needs justification to be like that, but it’s that, and her desire to take control that drives her decisions and story, and that’s what I’m reading for. I’m interested in seeing what she’ll do, how it’ll affect her, and what conclusion that she’ll find.