scottm10

Reiji Tsukihara was an overworked game developer, but a sudden accident sent him to a world that eerily resembled his own MMORPG. Now reborn as Kael Ardent, the exiled third prince of a fallen empire, he quickly realizes he isn’t just a player—he’s part of the game itself.

Granted the [Fractured Sovereign System], Kael can wield overwhelming power, but at a steep cost. Every ability he gains causes fractures—glitches in reality, cracks in his mind, or irreversible consequences in the world around him. With war looming, treacherous factions vying for control, and whispers of an eldritch force watching him, he must:
	•	Master his system’s broken mechanics while avoiding its dangers.
	•	Assemble a harem of powerful allies, each tied to his past and future.
	•	Unravel the mystery of his reincarnation—and why he wasn’t the only one.
	•	Fight against fate itself, before the world collapses under the weight of his fractures.

But with every step forward, the line between hero and tyrant begins to blur. If he wants to survive, he must embrace the very thing that threatens to consume him—
Absolute Power.

The Fractured Sovereign: Awakening in the Shattered Empire

The scent of blood clung to the air, thick and metallic, twisting in Kael's nostrils as consciousness dragged him back from the abyss. His body ached, every nerve afire with a pain that felt more real than anything he'd ever known.

He opened his eyes to chaos. The grand throne room, once a symbol of the Ardent Empire's glory, lay in ruins. Cracked marble pillars leaned precariously, banners of crimson and gold hung in tatters, and the vast windows that overlooked the capital city were shattered, letting in the cold night air that whispered of betrayal.

At his feet, a figure sprawled in a dark pool of blood—his father, the Emperor. The man's lifeless eyes stared into nothingness, his mouth frozen in a final, silent scream. Kael's breath caught in his throat. Memories that weren't his own flickered behind his eyes—struggles, betrayals, the fall of an empire.

He wasn't Kael Ardent. Not truly. Reiji Tsukihara, a man from another world, from another life, now trapped in the body of a prince of a broken kingdom. His hands trembled as he looked at the blood smeared across his fingers.

A chime rang in his ears, soft but insistent.

[System Notification: Rebirth Initiated.]

[New Title Acquired: Fractured Sovereign.]

Before he could process the strange words, the doors to the throne room burst open, and armored knights poured in. Their armor was tarnished, their faces twisted in grim determination.

"There he is! The traitor prince!" one shouted, his sword pointed straight at Kael.

Panic surged through him, but beneath it, something darker. Anger. A burning need to survive, to understand why he was here. Another notification flared across his vision.

[Objective: Escape the Throne Room]

[Bonus Objective: Eliminate Your Pursuers]

He backed away, stumbling over the hem of his torn cloak. The knights closed in, swords glinting in the moonlight streaming through the shattered windows.

[Skill Unlocked: Absolute Dominion]

Power surged through him, a torrent of raw energy that set his nerves alight. The floor beneath him cracked, shadows coiling around his feet like hungry serpents. The knights faltered, clutching their heads as if stricken by an unseen force.

But it wasn't just them—Kael felt it too. A fracture in his mind, a sharp, splitting pain that blurred his vision. The power came at a price. He could feel the cracks spreading within him, threatening to shatter his very being.

A whisper drifted through the chaos, soft and chilling.

"One step closer to ruin, Sovereign…"

He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus. He couldn't let this power consume him—not now. Not ever. The knights had collapsed, their bodies twitching on the ground, and the room had gone eerily silent. He took a shaky breath and forced his legs to move, each step feeling like he was walking through a storm.

As he reached the shattered windows, he cast one last glance at the body of the Emperor. There was no time for mourning. Only survival. Only vengeance.

Kael leapt into the night, the cold wind tearing at his face as he fell into the shadows of his crumbling empire.

Chapter 1: The Throne of the Fallen