About Shadow Operative
He was hired to kill one man.
He woke on a world that pays for murder in experience points.
Roman Thomaas is a professional assassin with a dead country behind him, a ten-million-dollar contract ahead of him, and one target waiting at the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Then lightning strikes an artifact that should not exist.
A clean assassination becomes an interdimensional disaster. Roman wakes beneath three alien moons with his weapons, his armor, a damaged AI in his ear, and a glowing blue System screen assigning him a new class:
SHADOW OPERATIVE.
He is not alone.
Three dangerous women from the failed deal were dragged through with him: a calculating intelligence broker, a lethal sharpshooter, and a silent close-quarters killer whose abilities make even the System hesitate.
Ardor is not interested in mercy. Its forests hunt. Its monsters coordinate. Its cities hide ancient powers behind new laws. And every kill makes Roman stronger.
To survive, four trained killers with no reason to trust one another must become a team before the world around them decides they are prey.
Something has been waiting for Roman.
And he was late.
Destiny has a price, and it is paid in blood, for Roman Thomaas that’s fine – he always collects on his contracts.
SHADOW OPERATIVE is Book One of THE LATE ARRIVALS, an Ardor series.
A Men’s Adventure LitRPG packed with no-holds-barred action, brutal monsters, explosive progression, dangerous magic, and women as beautiful as they are deadly.
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Author Bio:
Armstrong “Arni” Johnson writes the kind of stories you’d probably get grounded for reading under the covers. Fast, loud, terribly inappropriate, and hard to put down. His books live somewhere between the chaos of a dungeon crawl and the punchline of a perfectly timed joke.
A lifelong fan of tabletop RPGs, pulp fantasy, and the sacred ritual of “one more level,” Armstrong builds worlds driven by momentum. Expect capable heroes, dangerous quests, and more than enough mischief to keep things interesting. His stories lean into power fantasy, blending LitRPG mechanics with cinematic pacing and humor that never asks permission.
Armstrong’s writing is politically incorrect, unapologetically bold, and will push your buttons. Action stays at the forefront, comedy lands hard and rough just like the women. The stakes always feel larger than life. If it feels like your favorite game turned into a wild, clothing optional, over-the-top adventure, that is exactly the goal.
Off the page, Armstrong lives somewhere between old enough to know better and young enough to ignore that fact. He is married to a fellow author who may or may not be the better writer, a debate that remains unresolved. Together they are raising two kids, a boy and a girl, while quietly hoping they grow up to be smarter, kinder, and at least slightly more responsible than their parents.
When he is not writing, he can be found in the gym, working on old motorcycles, or arguing about character builds as if it actually matters.
If you are here for epic loot, reckless adventure, and a good laugh along the way, you are in the right place.