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

With the Keiretsu blinded by the encrypted vault, Ash moved swiftly to solidify his grip on the underworld. He knew power wasn't something given—it was taken, piece by piece, until no one dared to challenge it. The Keiretsu had underestimated him. They thought him a pawn in a much larger game, but Ash had never been a player; he was the game itself.

For the first time, the world began to realize that Ash Shirogiri was not just a shadow lurking in the underworld—he was the storm.

EXPANDING THE NETWORK

The Shirogiri name was rising once more, but Ash knew that dominance required more than just a reputation. It demanded a network—loyalty, infrastructure, and force. So, he set to work methodically, pulling together the scattered pieces of the underworld's fractured empire.

Ash began absorbing the disillusioned mercenaries, black-market brokers, information peddlers, and rogue operatives who had been left behind in the wake of the Keiretsu's iron grip. These were the people who had power but lacked structure, the forgotten hands that had shaped the criminal world but had never been given their due. Ash gave them the platform they had been denied: structure, stability, and opportunity.

Kaito, ever the loyal lieutenant, took charge of recruiting enforcers from the fractured syndicates. He moved quickly, offering the remnants of the old organizations something more than scraps—he gave them a place under the Shirogiri banner, a chance to rise from the ashes of their defeat. Some hesitated, wary of a man who was building his power from the ground up. Others tested Ash's resolve, trying to gauge his true strength. But after witnessing Ash's strategic brilliance and his decisiveness in action—whether eliminating rivals or leveraging alliances—they made their choice: join, or be left behind.

Meanwhile, Kenshiko, Ash's digital maestro, spread the Shirogiri's influence with an unmatched precision. Her AI-driven infiltration of rival organizations' communications, offshore accounts, and supply chains was swift and silent. What others couldn't see, she controlled.

"Information isn't just power," she mused, her voice a mixture of excitement and cold calculation. "It's the future. And soon, we'll own it."

ASH CONSOLIDATES POWER