The progressive fantasy genre saw a significant expansion through web serialization during the 2010s, particularly through long-form time-loop narratives and meticulous magic system design. Croatian author Domagoj Kurmaic gained widespread recognition in online fantasy communities through his original serial Mother of Learning, which began digital serialization before being formatted into a multi-volume print and digital release starting in December 2021. Writing under the online pseudonym nobody103, he structured the story around a disciplined student navigating a repeated month-long temporal loop, balancing academic spellcraft, political intrigue, and worldbuilding.
Career & Background
Before establishing himself with original web fiction, Kurmaic worked as an accountant in Croatia while developing creative projects in his spare time. Between 2009 and 2011, he authored the fan fiction story Scorpion's Disciple under the online handle nobody102. Shifting to original fiction, he adopted the pen name nobody103 and began serializing Mother of Learning across digital self-publishing platforms including FictionPress and Royal Road. The serial built a dedicated audience through crowdfunding on Patreon, which supported the author's ongoing writing and expansive worldbuilding posts. Following its web completion, the narrative was organized into three overarching story arcs and published as a four-volume novel series in commercial e-book, audiobook, and physical formats, alongside independent print editions funded via Kickstarter.
Following the completion of his flagship series, Kurmaic launched a new web serial titled Zenith of Sorcery, continuing his practice of publishing chapters directly to platforms like Royal Road and FictionPress. He also maintains an online presence where he shares supplementary worldbuilding notes, tracks foreign language translations, and engages with fan artwork created by his reader base. In addition, foreign publication rights and media interest led to an anime adaptation announcement in partnership with Tiger Animation.
Writing Style & Themes
Kurmaic's writing is characterized by methodical plotting, expansive worldbuilding, and detailed technical descriptions of magical rules. Rather than relying on sudden power escalations, his progressive fantasy narrative emphasizes incremental skill acquisition, rigorous practice, and strategic problem-solving within set constraints. The time-loop premise in Mother of Learning serves as a structural device to explore cause and effect, psychological fatigue, and gradual character development across repeated iterations of time. By grounding extraordinary spellcraft in clear internal logic, his fiction appeals to readers who appreciate structured magic systems and deliberate narrative pacing.
Major Works
- Mother of Learning — Originally serialized online during the 2010s before its multi-volume publication beginning in December 2021, this progressive fantasy web serial follows a magic student trapped in a repeating one-month time loop. Structured into three distinct story arcs across four books, the narrative focuses on incremental spell mastery, worldbuilding, and unraveling a complex geopolitical conspiracy.
- Zenith of Sorcery — An ongoing original fantasy web serial published on Royal Road and FictionPress, continuing the author's focus on structured magic systems and immersive fantasy worldbuilding.
- Scorpion's Disciple — A Naruto fan fiction serial written under the handle nobody102 between 2009 and 2011, marking Kurmaic's early online writing prior to his original fantasy releases.
