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

Ash barely had time to regain his footing before Raijin struck again.

A crack of thunder split the heavens, a sound so deafening it drowned out the world. The Stormbearer moved like a phantom—faster than sight, faster than reason. One moment, he was a distant silhouette against the flickering storm; the next, he was upon Ash, a force of nature wrapped in obsidian steel.

Instinct alone saved him. Ash raised his blade in a desperate block, but the impact was like a mountain collapsing upon him. His arms screamed in protest, his muscles burning as he was driven backward, feet carving deep furrows in the scorched battlefield. The earth itself trembled beneath the weight of the clash.

Lightning coiled around his form, a living current bound to his will. Each step was a drumbeat of the storm, his presence an unyielding force pressing down upon the world. His obsidian helm betrayed nothing—no rage, no mercy, only the cold certainty of the executioner's blade.

Rin's voice crackled through the static in Ash's ear. "You can't win this. Not like this."

The Raijū Hunters had been assassins—skilled, relentless, but human. Raijin was something else. A force unshackled by mortal limitations. A god of storms in human form.

Ash exhaled. No hesitation. No fear.

His grip tightened around his sword.

They became twin phantoms within the maelstrom—lightning and steel, storm and shadow. Every collision of their blades sent shockwaves through the battlefield, turning shattered stone to molten glass. Ash moved on instinct, weaving between arcs of violet energy, his reflexes honed by years of survival. His blade danced through the chaos, striking with lethal precision.

Raijin fought without waste. No movement unnecessary, no strike lacking purpose. His blade cut through the air like a scythe of judgment, each swing carrying the weight of inevitability, the certainty of destruction. Ash barely managed to twist away from a sweeping arc, only for a blast of raw lightning to explode from the Stormbearer's outstretched palm.

Ash's body was flung like a ragdoll, crashing through the remains of a shattered structure. The world spun as he tumbled through rubble, finally coming to rest on his hands and knees, his breath ragged, his chest seared with pain. The acrid scent of scorched cloth and blood thickened the air. His vision blurred, the storm above a swirling tempest of chaos and wrath.

Raijin approached with the patience of an executioner. His blade crackled, arcs of lightning writhing along its edge, forming jagged, shifting patterns—alive, hungry.

Ash coughed, spitting blood onto the charred ground. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, eyes narrowing as he pushed himself upright.

"I see now," he murmured, his voice hoarse but steady. "You're not just a Stormbearer."

The air tightened, thick with static, charged with an energy beyond comprehension. Raijin raised his weapon, and the storm howled in response. Arcs of lightning coiled around him, twisting, raging—vengeful spirits bound to his will.

Ash's breath steadied, fingers wrapping tightly around his hilt.

Wrath of the Storm