Kingdom's Bloodline - Chapter 552 - Sacrificing a Pawn (One)

Born as a lowly goblin, Leav refused to accept fate’s cruelty. Through sheer will and tactical brilliance, he clawed his way up—evolving, battling, and commanding monsters who once saw him as nothing. But power comes at a cost. As war rages and enemies lurk in shadows, Leav faces betrayal, brutal losses, and the cold truth—strength alone won’t forge a kingdom. With ancient magic resurfacing and rival factions closing in, can he rise above mere survival and claim true dominion? In a world where the strong rule and the weak perish, Leav must choose: remain a pawn or become a king.

In Academy City, magic and science coexist in an unwavering power struggle. Toma Kamijo, an academically-challenged student in Academy City, wields the power of the Imagine Breaker in his right hand, which allows him to completely negate all supernatural powers – as well as his own luck. When he happens upon a mysterious nun named Index, whose mind has been implanted with the Index Librorum Prohibitorum – 103,000 ancient texts banned by the Church – Toma’s luck is about to be pushed to its limits when he finds himself in the middle of a war he never expected!

Welcome! If you want to jump in without any spoilers, feel free. Otherwise, here's a story primer, with a list of more specifics on what to expect from my work further below.Our story follows a fallen knight haunted by his past, in a world afflicted by war and supernatural wounds. Alken is the Headsman of Seydis, an executioner tasked by the divine powers of his homeland to hunt dark sorcerers, warlords, and traitors of all varieties, lest they drag the world into calamity.Once a paladin, this role ill suits him. Forced to cross lines that shake his beliefs, tempted by dark forces, and seen as an ill omen wherever he wanders, his path is often a bloody one. The longer he spends in the shadows of his world, the more he comes to realize just how many have been disenfranchised by the existent order. During his lonely battles through a land haunted by the restless dead and ancient magics, his journey becomes increasingly strange and personal.Enter a realm where the dead stir in every shadow and brooding demigods wage a millennia long war for a ruined heaven, where blessed knights wield gilded flames and sorcerers battle with weapons forged of their own souls. Enter a world of faustian alchemists, of saintly demons, and of time-weary elves.From Oathbreaker you can expect— A setting heavily inspired by Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Fromsoft games, and authors such as Michael Moorcock and Kentauro Miura. — A first person POV from an older protagonist who already knows a lot about his world’s history and cultures, who shares this information with the reader as it becomes relevant.— A mix of action adventure and quieter moments where the focus is on character development. Lore is shared piecemeal, usually only as it relates to a particular arc or character beat.— A heavy focus on mystery, both with the setting and the protagonist. The main character’s backstory isn’t shared up front, and a lot of the narrative involves learning about him a bit at a time, either from his own narration or other characters interacting with him.— A semi-soft magic system where many mages manifest unique powers tied to their own soul, or gain unique powers through eldritch pacts.— Romantic elements. These don’t crop up much until later in the story.— A variety of supernatural beings, such as elves, vampires, gargoyles, chimera, and trolls. Many are familiar, some are not, and most of the familiar ones have my own twists put on them.—Nobledark fantasy. This means that the world is often themed around tragedy and horror, but it’s not dedicated to being gritty. There are elements of high fantasy intermixed with the scarier stuff.—Episodic arcs. Each story arc usually has a specific locale and antagonist or set of antagonists, but certain overarching plots tie them together.— A long running narrative. I don’t have a specific projection of how long or how many arcs or books, but you should expect this to be equivalent to a long running serialized work.This is my first web serial! I hope everyone enjoys it. For trigger warnings, readers should beware that there are some heavy topics in here. When I think something might upset certain readers, I’ll put a warning in the author notes above a chapter. If I miss or overlook anything, feel free to let me know in the comments! I am currently publishing the same story on my wordpress, which is linked below and in my profile. I release three chapters a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Thanks for reading!(I originally had a link to a wordpress, but I'm in the process of overhauling that space. It's not a priority since my readership is all here, but just in case anyone noticed and was wondering)

Bai Xianyu was a famous beauty known for her delicate and beautiful appearance, captivating everyone with her heavenly charm.

Xie Xingyun, on the other hand, was the legitimate son of the Marquis who gained fame at a young age, earning a reputation throughout the capital.

In her past life, Bai Xianyu’s biggest regret was persistently pursuing marriage with Xie Xingyun. But even after they got married, he remained cold and indifferent, never truly loving her.

Until one day, both were reborn back to the time when their marriage was being discussed.

The elder brother of a young general held a long spear and declared, “If he wants to marry you, he must get through me!”

The second son of a wealthy family said arrogantly, “Apart from being poor, what does this guy have that can compare to me, your second brother?”

The powerful third brother sneered, “My delicate sister must have been deceived by you, you scoundrel!”

The fourth brother, a newly appointed top scholar, looked dashing as he said, “What’s the point of marrying? Brother will study hard to support you…”

Bai Xianyu was taken aback and regained her senses, saying, “Alright… I won’t marry.”

Everyone rejoiced at her decision.

Xie Xingyun stood silently outside the door, gazing down at her smiling face from a high vantage point.

News spread quickly in the capital that Bai Xianyu had given up on marrying the legitimate son of the Marquis, causing numerous suitors from prestigious families to rush to the general’s residence. They saw her ignore their advances and talk happily about marriage with others.

Xie Xingyun, who was always cold and noble, climbed over the wall of the general’s residence in the middle of the night after getting drunk.

“… You said you wouldn’t marry anyone but me,” he said.

Bai Xianyu bit her lip and replied, “Lord Marquis, please restrain yourself. These are my chambers.”

“I am your husband.”

……………………………………………………………

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