The clang of steel echoed through the burning capital.
Kael stood upon crimson walls slick with blood, his armor shattered, his banner torn.
A spear struck his chest, driving him to his knees.
"We were the last flame," he rasped, tasting iron.
"Let it burn the gods who abandoned us."
The world dimmed.
The heavens glowed with countless divine lights—cold, distant, uncaring.
Then darkness swallowed him whole.
[System Notification Detected.]
[Reincarnation sequence complete.]
[Soul of General Kael has merged with Host Body: Veyrion XVI.]
[Initializing … Divine Empire System.]
Kael's eyes snapped open.
He was no longer dying on the wall.
He was seated on a cracked golden throne beneath a shattered dome of stained glass.
Servants froze mid-step. Nobles stared, pale and trembling.
"Y-Your Majesty …?" one whispered. "You were dead."
Kael's reflection shimmered in the polished floor—
not a battle-scarred general but a frail young man crowned in gold, haunted by weakness.
Memories surged—betrayal, corruption, cowardice.
Veyrion XVI, the most despised emperor in history.
And the empire itself… rotting, collapsing, faithless.
[Divine Empire System Activated.]
Lines of radiant text appeared like divine scripture.
[Welcome, Emperor Veyrion XVI (Soul Fused: Kael).]
[Empire Strength: 2,143,871 → Power Conversion Rate 1:1.]
[Your personal power equals the combined might of your empire.]
[Warning: Empire at critical collapse.]
[Faith in Emperor: 4%. Loyalty of Nobles: 6%. Military Morale: 9%.]
Kael's breath caught.
"My strength … equals theirs?"
[Affirmative.]
[As your empire rises, so shall you. As it falls, you fall.]
A slow, fierce grin spread across his face.
"Then I'll raise an empire the heavens themselves will kneel to."
He turned to the nobles below the throne.
"Summon every surviving general and soldier.
From this day, we rebuild."
The court fell silent. For the first time in years, the throne room felt alive.
[Command Detected.]
[Activating Imperial Summoning Protocol.]
[Searching archived souls of fallen heroes …]
Golden light erupted from the cracked dais.
Thunder roared as ancient power stirred within the palace walls.
[Hero Summon: Valen the Stormblade — Awakening.]
A figure of lightning and steel appeared, eyes blazing.
"Who dares call me from the Abyss?"
Kael rose from the throne, divine light tracing his veins.
"Your Emperor."
[Empire Strength +10,000]
[Faith +2%]
[Power rising …]
The palace trembled as the bond between ruler and realm ignited.
"The old emperor is dead," Kael declared.
"From this day forth—remember the name that will rebuild the heavens."
Lightning surged around him.
"I am Kael Veyrion, the Reborn Emperor."
[New Quest: Reforge the Empire of Gods.]