Rebirth System: Blood and Ash
Aric Valerian, the fourth prince of the Valerian Empire, bears many titles: The Forgotten Prince, The Whore's Child, The King's Bastard—names that have been spoken more than his own. Born with a crippling illness and devoid of mana or ki, Aric was a disgrace, scorned by his family and the court. But when the gods cured him and gifted him the strength to fight, Aric dared to hope. He sought glory in battle, only to be betrayed by his brother and sent to die in a hopeless war. In his final moments, as death closed in, a mysterious text appeared before him… [Would you like to change your fate?] After being given another chance, Aric embarks on a ruthless journey to claim absolute sovereignty. [Ki Circulation Mastered: Strength +10] [System Upgrade: Advanced tactical planning unlocked] [Hidden Fortress Established: Stronghold security +15%] The forgotten prince claws his way through the treacherous landscape of imperial politics, he is forced to make impossible choices, each decision pushing him further down a path soaked in blood. He learns that true power demands sacrifice, and the price of vengeance may be his soul. ------------------ This book contains dark themes and depictions. The mc is a ruthless cynic, and is closer to being a villain than he is a hero. Main themes: Politics, Kingdom building, strategy, war
Bare and Beautiful Art
The message was clear: if they attempted to escape with the devices, it would lead to inevitable death. The power they were being given came at a cost.
Aric went through the list of bandits with the highest potential and loyalty above fifty percent and gave them the first batch of mana-powered gear, or MPG, as Lerai had named it. Currently, around thirty of the bandits were equipped with MPG, making them far more formidable than the average human.
"Borag and Twitcher... come with me," Aric instructed. The three men shifted from the group to the other side of the mine.
"We are going to start making a move," Aric informed.
"Just give us a target," Twitcher said.
"For now, I need all the information surrounding Miredis: who controls what, transport details, and any information on anyone with any relevant influence whatsoever."
"Understood," Borag nodded.