The Rise of Jin Kurogane
(Chapter 1: The Son of Fire)
The sun had just begun to rise over the Kingdom of Havrian. Its golden rays filtered through the massive windows of the royal palace, bathing the grand hall in a soft, ethereal glow.
But inside the chambers of the third prince, Jin Kurogane, the room was still cloaked in shadows. The weight of a new world pressed heavily against his chest, and he could feel his pulse thrumming with a raw, unfamiliar energy.
Jin had been reborn, and it was no accident. His final moments in his past life had been self-sacrifice, trying to stop a gas station robbery — a reckless act that had cost him his life. He had thought that was the end.
But no. Fate had other plans.
The voice of the Dominion Forge System whispered to him now, filling his mind with its cold, calculating presence.
_"Your destiny begins now, Jin Kurogane. Your first quest: Claim your own territory."
Jin's new body was that of a third prince, a child born into the royal bloodline of the Kingdom of Havrian. His father, King Regnar, ruled the lands with a strong but aging hand. His two older brothers, Prince Odric and Prince Galen, were each more skilled, more charismatic, and more well-loved by the kingdom's people. But neither of them shared Jin's soul — the soul of a conqueror.
He rose from the bed, his mind already processing the quest that would define the rest of his life. "Claim your own territory". It was so simple, so small — and yet, for a third prince with no land or support, it was everything. He needed an army, allies, and a way to make the world bend to his will.
The system gave him no easy answers. But it did give him something far more powerful.
Jin stood before the mirror, his eyes narrowing as he thought of the warriors he could call upon — the legendary figures who would answer only to him.
"Summon Alexander the Great."
His words were simple, but the power behind them was immense.
The air in his room shifted, growing heavier as the past came to life.
A figure appeared in front of him — Alexander, the conqueror who had once led an empire from Greece to Egypt and beyond. His body rippled with raw power, his eyes filled with the burning ambition that mirrored Jin's own.
Behind him stood twenty Spartans, battle-hardened and loyal, each armed with a spear and shield, their faces etched with the grit of endless wars.
Alexander, standing tall and proud, knelt before Jin with one knee, his eyes alight with recognition.
"Your will is my own, Your Majesty. What is it that you command?"
Jin's heart quickened, feeling the fire of his destiny ignite within him.
"Gather my forces," Jin ordered. "I will need territory. We will forge our own path, starting with the weakest of the kingdom's lands."
Jin's summons were not just warriors — they were his allies, his loyal subjects. They had no choice but to follow his command.
And yet, even without that power of loyalty, Jin knew something deep in his gut: they followed him because they saw greatness in him.
The system's voice echoed in his mind again:
"New Quest: Build an army and conquer your first land. The world will bow to you, Jin Kurogane."
Jin turned to leave the room, but paused as he stepped toward the door.
He could hear the distant murmurs of his father's court, and the voice of his older brother, Odric, commanding the kingdom's forces, boasting of his military prowess.
"I must not be the shadow of others," Jin thought to himself. "I will carve my own destiny."
Jin left the chambers, striding down the hall to the royal dining room. His father, King Regnar, sat at the head of the table, flanked by his two older brothers. Their eyes followed him, but there was no respect in their gazes — only the assumption that Jin would never rise to the level of his brothers.
"Father," Jin began, standing tall and proud before the table, his mind already focused on the first steps toward his destiny.
King Regnar eyed him curiously, raising an eyebrow. "What is it, Jin?"
"I seek permission to venture beyond the palace and claim a territory of my own."
The silence in the room was palpable. His two brothers exchanged glances, dismissing him with quiet sneers.
"You?" Odric's voice dripped with condescension. "Do you really think you're fit to lead men into battle? Perhaps you should stick to studying your books, little brother."
Jin's eyes glinted with a fierce resolve. He was no longer the boy who sought approval. He was Jin Kurogane, destined for something far greater.
"I am fit to rule," Jin said calmly, his voice carrying the weight of a future yet to come. "Give me a land to rule, and you will see the strength of my armies."
King Regnar considered him for a moment, the weight of his decision pressing down on him. Finally, he nodded. "Very well, Jin. You will be sent to the Riverstone Plains. It is a poor, neglected territory on the edge of the kingdom. Prove yourself there, and then we will talk of greater things."
"Thank you, Father." Jin bowed respectfully. Inside, however, he was already thinking of his next moves, the battles that awaited him. The conquest had begun.
Chapter 2: The Road of Ambition
The road to Riverside stretched long and empty before them, a thin brown scar through wild green fields.
The horses' hooves beat a steady rhythm against the dirt, and the banners of House Kurogane — a red dragon wreathed in black flames on a white shield — snapped crisply in the wind.
At the head of the column rode Jin, his dark hair tousled by the breeze, and at his side, mounted on a great white stallion, was Alexander the Great.
"Tell me," Alexander said, his voice low, almost thoughtful. "What kind of kingdom do you seek to build, my king?"
Jin stared ahead, eyes burning with the weight of a vision no one else could see.
"I don't want a kingdom that survives," Jin said. "I want a kingdom that dominates.
Where ambition is not a sin — but a virtue.
Where the strong lift the weak, and the weak become strong.
A place that doesn't just endure the world… but reshapes it."
Alexander smiled, a rare expression of genuine approval.
"Then you are not just a king," he said. "You are a worldforger."
The wind shifted.
Alexander's hand moved subtly to his sword.
They were being watched.
Ambush.
From the trees lining the road, a ragged horde of men erupted — bandits, filthy and desperate, charging with rusted weapons and wild shouts.
Jin narrowed his eyes, already understanding:
Odric.
Only his older brother would stoop to sending cowards to do his dirty work.
"Protect the prince!" Alexander barked.
The Spartans moved with terrifying precision.
Twenty warriors — a mere twenty — formed a living wall of bronze and steel.
Spears leveled. Shields locked.
The bandits slammed into them like a wave crashing against a cliff… and broke.
Blood stained the grass. Screams tore the morning silence.
The Spartans pushed forward, each thrust of their spears ending another life, moving as a single unstoppable machine of death.
Within minutes, it was over.
The bandits lay scattered and broken, their bodies steaming in the cool morning air.
A soft chime echoed in Jin's mind.
The Dominion Forge System spoke:
"Quest Complete: Survive the Ambush."
"Reward: Legendary Cavalry Unit Summoned — The "Silverlance Knights" have joined you."
"New Captain Unlocked: Sir Alric Vayne."
Before Jin, a new group materialized from shimmering light:
• The Silverlance Knights:
Armored head-to-toe in polished silver plate, lances tipped with glowing white steel, riding monstrous black warhorses bred for speed and power.
These were no ordinary knights — they were the elite cavalry of an ancient, fallen empire, known for shattering enemy lines in a single devastating charge.
At their head rode Sir Alric Vayne, a grizzled knight with silver hair and a cold, sharp gaze.
He dismounted smoothly, knelt before Jin, and spoke:
"By the sword and by the storm, we ride for you, my king. Command, and we shall bring ruin to your foes."
Jin couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips.
With the Spartans guarding his flanks and the Silverlance Knights at his call, he was no longer a vulnerable third son.
He was a general.
A king in the making.
By late afternoon, they crested the last hill overlooking Riverside.
Jin's face hardened.
Smoke curled from the once-proud town.
The outer walls were smashed. Raiders — brutal, wild men with red-painted faces — looted freely, dragging villagers from their homes, laughing as fires spread.
The banner flying above the town was not that of Havrian.
It was a black sun on a blood-red field — the symbol of a lawless horde that had taken advantage of Riverside's weakness.
Jin's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword.
The system chimed again:
"New Quest: Retake Riverside."
• Objective: Defeat the Red Sun Raiders.
• Reward:
• 1 Random Hero Summon
• 100 Units of a Common Unit (New Type Unlocked!)
Random Common Unit Generated: "Ashen Swordsmen"
• Light infantry specializing in fast raids, ambushes, and overwhelming enemy archers and mages.
• Medium armor, curved sabers, high morale when led by stronger commanders.
New General Summoned (Random Hero):
• General Darius Vorn
• Veteran field commander. Tactical genius. Favors calculated flanking attacks and surprise strikes.
• Former lord of a fallen nation. Cold, brutal, brilliant.
Jin drew a deep breath, feeling the power building within him.
The world thought he was just another forgotten prince.
They were wrong.
Very wrong.
He turned to his men — Spartans, Silverlance Knights, and soon many more.
"Tonight," Jin said, his voice cutting through the air like steel, "we tear the Red Sun from the sky."
The banners of the Crimson Dragon were raised high.
War was coming to Riverside.
And Jin Kurogane would be its storm.
[End of Chapter 2]