Jin Park didn't die in a grand battle.
No war drums, no last stand, no noble sacrifice.
The man feared by generals and hunted by states was killed in the most mundane way imaginable. A maintenance tower collapsed due to a saboteur's oversight. A rusted steel beam fell from the sky like a divine joke. And the world's deadliest tactician didn't even look up. One second, he was rereading encryption logs. The next, darkness.
That's how Jin Park—code name Wraith—the man who'd brought nations to their knees through war games, subterfuge, and masterful manipulation, died. No fanfare. No vengeance. Just silence.
But the story didn't end there.
It began.
Warmth returned first. Then scent. Then pain.
A sudden gasp tore from his lips as he sat upright, clutching at his chest. His limbs were small. His voice was younger. He was in a bed, silken and regal, inside a chamber far too ornate to be anything but royalty. Tapestries bearing the sigil of a three-headed wolf hung from golden hooks. Enchanted crystals hummed faintly in the ceiling above. The air carried the scent of incense and magic.
And beside him knelt a woman.
Elegant. Terrifying. Her golden eyes brimmed with tears.
"My sun," she whispered. "Alaric… you're awake."
Jin's eyes widened.
That name. That face. That voice.
It all crashed into him at once. Memories that weren't his—but were. Birthdays, duels, ceremonies. A life of silks, politics, and swords. He was Alaric Thorneveil now. Sole heir to the main bloodline of the Thorneveil Dominion, one of the Five Great Dukedoms of Elyndra.
But he was also Jin Park.
Two minds. Two pasts. Now one soul.
And he remembered the rest.
This world… is from "Empire of Ash and Flame."
A brutal webnovel he'd read in the hospital after losing a leg during a mission. A world where technology had long been devoured by myth. Where power was everything—born, bred, or stolen. Noble families ran empires, and magical beasts roamed the skies. Demons whispered in forgotten temples. Dragons brokered peace treaties.
And Alaric Thorneveil?
Just a side character. Doomed to die at sixteen during a rebellion, protecting the protagonist. A noble footnote. A tragic brother figure.
But that Alaric was soft.
Loved.
Unprepared.
Jin Park was none of those things.
[Binding System Activated]
A translucent screen blinked to life in the corner of his vision.
> Welcome, Jin Park (Reborn as Alaric Thorneveil).
You have been selected by the Binding System.
Core Mechanic: Bind to people only.
Absorb traits, skills, memories, bloodline perks.
Unique Skill: 100x Return (People Only)
Bind to a person → Gain 100x returns of their most exceptional attribute.
First Binding Bonus: 500x return on first target.
Warning: High-Talent Era Detected. This generation is called the Great Era for a reason. Proceed with caution.
Jin—no, Alaric now—narrowed his eyes.
So that's the twist. A second chance, but not a free pass.
He couldn't bind to objects. No swords, scrolls, or relics.
Only people.
And in this world, people were dangerous.
The strongest wielded power levels ranked from E to SSS, and even children trained from the womb. With the Great Era rising, monstrous talents had already begun to bloom. Bloodlines were awakening. Secret cults were moving. Each noble house treated their young like war assets.
A wrong move, and he'd be torn apart before he reached adulthood.
Good.
Let them try.
Alaric smirked slightly, the kind of expression that sent weaker men retreating.
He already knew his path. He wouldn't grovel. He wouldn't beg for protection or hide behind titles. He would play the game like he had in his past life—but better.
He would observe.
Adapt.
Bind.
And when the time was right, he would strike.
"Let the world think Alaric is still soft," he thought, glancing at the Empress as she wiped her tears. "They won't see me coming."
System Prompt: Would you like to bind your first target?
Warning: 500x Bonus Active
He stared at the message, then slowly turned his gaze toward the Empress.
Lysandra Thorneveil. The Empress of the Western Realm. His mother by blood. She was feared across courts—master of elemental magic, a veteran of the Flame Crusades, and rumored to have dragonblood ancestry.
Alaric hesitated.
Can I bind my own mother? he wondered.
Then he remembered: love didn't protect you in this world. It was a liability if not used wisely.
He accepted.
Target Bound: Empress Lysandra Thorneveil
Binding in Progress…
> Extracted Trait: Elemental Affinity (Fire)
Gained: Pyro Sovereign Core (500x Amplification)
Result: Fire-based magic up to S-Rank level unlocked. Control refined. Immune to natural flame. Mana channels reinforced.
The fire within him flared. Literally.
Alaric felt heat settle into his bones, his blood, his breath. Not the kind that burned—but the kind that ruled. It felt right. Like this had always been his birthright, hidden under layers of weakness.
He clenched his fist. Flames curled softly around his fingers, then vanished on command.
This world has no idea what's coming.
Not the jealous nobles who wanted him removed.
Not the siblings of other branches aiming for his position.
Not the monsters waiting beyond the walls.
And certainly not the so-called protagonist.
Alaric would rise.
Not as a pawn.
Not as a footnote.
But as a predator wearing a prince's smile.
Let the Great Era begin.