REDN

Ashen Blade: Legacy of the Forgotten is a dystopian cyberpunk thriller set in a future where the world has been reshaped by the unchecked power of corporate dynasties known as the Keiretsu (系列). These massive conglomerates have replaced nations and governments, molding the world through commerce, warfare, and control. In this new age, power is everything, and survival is earned—not guaranteed.

The social structure is brutal, built on a rigid hierarchy where strength and honor are the currency of survival. At the top are the Kurokenshi (黒剣士)—elite warriors who maintain their humanity despite advanced augmentations. Beneath them, the Integrated rely on cybernetic enhancements to survive, while the Unshackled, those without enhancements, struggle to cling to a dying existence. The lowest rung, however, is occupied by the Glitched—individuals who should not exist. Born outside corporate control or as failed prototypes, they are anomalies—threats in a world that cannot afford mistakes.

The story follows Ash Atsuyuki, the last of the Shirogiri clan, a once-proud bloodline of elite warriors now reduced to fighting for survival in a world that has moved beyond honor and tradition. His family’s name is little more than a relic, a fading echo of an era when power was earned through steel, discipline, and the ancient martial codes of Kurogami (黒神)—the planet that birthed his ancestors. With his father gone, his mother dead, and his grandfather clinging to life, Ash walks the crumbling streets of a city ruled by corporate power and surveillance, where history and bloodlines no longer matter.

Ash’s journey is one of reclaiming not just his heritage, but the very essence of power. In a world where only the strong survive, Ash must rise above the ruins of his family’s name, rediscover the forgotten martial techniques of the Black Gods, and reclaim his place among the elite. But in a world dominated by corporate overlords and enhanced warriors, can a fallen bloodline ever truly rise again?

This story is officially being posted on RoyalRoad.com under the account REDN_CHRONICLES.

Ashen Blade: Legacy of the Forgotten

The moment Ash stepped onto campus, the air changed.

It wasn't like before—when whispers carried his name with mockery, when eyes glanced at him with disdain or pity. No, this time, it was different.

He could hear them, the hushed voices trailing behind him as he walked through the school gates.

"That's him—the Shirogiri heir."

"I heard he killed people."

"No way! That's just a rumor. Right…?"

"Why is he even back? Someone like him doesn't belong in school anymore."

He smirked, ignoring them as he strode forward, hands in his pockets. Let them talk. Let them wonder. It didn't matter. What mattered was that they knew.

The weak had always followed the strong, and now the tides had shifted.

As he moved through the courtyard, he saw familiar faces—ones that had once sneered, laughed, thrown fists when they knew he couldn't fight back.

But those same people now looked away the moment his eyes met theirs.

Ash spotted him near the main building, surrounded by his usual group of friends—but something was different.

Before, Mori had walked these halls like he owned them. The son of a powerful clan, untouchable. Arrogant. Cruel.

His body stiffened when he saw Ash. His jaw clenched. The confidence in his eyes—the superiority—was gone.

Ash tilted his head slightly, watching him, waiting. Would he try to act like nothing had changed? Or would he acknowledge the truth?

Mori took a slow breath. Then, to the shock of his friends, he lowered his gaze.

Ash felt a dark satisfaction settle in his chest. So, even here, the weight of that loss still crushed him.

He smirked, taking a step forward, closing the distance.

Mori's friends stiffened, ready to react, but Mori himself? He didn't move. He just clenched his fists at his sides, forcing himself to stay still.

Ash stopped beside him, just close enough to speak so only he could hear.

"You remember, don't you?" Ash murmured.

"Stay out of my way, Mori. You lost. Don't make me remind you again."

With that, Ash walked past him, leaving Mori frozen in place.

At the far end of the courtyard, standing amidst a group of admirers, Tsukihime Rei watched everything unfold.

Her perfect, well-crafted image remained untarnished—sweet, noble, always in the right place at the right time. A school idol. A savior to the weak.

Used him to torment Ash, to push him down—only to swoop in at just the right moment, to play the part of the benevolent heroine, the one who "stood up" for him, the one who defended the weak.

It was all calculated. A performance.

She was watching him with wary eyes.

Because the weak boy she once manipulated?

WHISPERS IN THE HALLS