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
A coin and a life
Aric looked around. The low mountains that surrounded them on almost all sides cast an enormous shadow over the area. It was a secluded part of Miredis, one that most would not normally pass through on their journey, and made the bandits even more obscured with the added cover of the abandoned mines.
"Seems you lot found a good spot," Aric commented, his eyes trailing from one bandit to another. Some faces were familiar, the terror in their eyes was obvious, while most were unknown to him and only showed skepticism in their gaze.
"I don't know if you've been briefed or not, but I'll tell you myself: you are all now under my leadership. That means every single action you take from this point on will be by my orders alone. You will do what you're asked, when you're asked. I don't care how dangerous or ridiculous the order seems."
One of the bandits raised his hand as Aric spoke.
"To do that much, how much are we to be paid?"