Before you stands: the reincarnation of the Laughing Storm, the legendary Dragoon, the supreme Pyromancer, the super-powerful Hydra Mage, the charismatic Wild Deer, the Shatterer of Chains, the Destroyer of the Long Night, the collector of Dragonwolf Flowers, the only sun on both sides of the Narrow Sea, the Emperor of the Valyrian Empire. What? Too many titles to remember! This is Gendry, the blacksmith's rise to power!

An art student travels back in time to the reigning prince of the House of Orleans, coinciding with the American Civil War of 1861. How will he capitalize on the Civil War to secure his first fortune and launch his grand enterprise? How will he navigate the oceans to signal his return during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870? How will Britain, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Russia fight their way out of Western Europe's monstrous chamber? Can the Mediterranean become his inland sea? See how the protagonist becomes a global hegemon and spreads his influence across the globe!

[Tags: Time travel + kingdom building + development + war + multi-character POV + ideals]

In the words of Sankara, what was the situation in the Republic of Buginia before he took over?

The national GDP was only 7.26 billion USD.

The land area was a pathetic 274,000 square kilometers.

The total military force? Less than 100,000 soldiers!

Navy? What navy? It's a landlocked country — how could it have a navy?

And after he took over?

Buginia’s GDP surpassed the American Union, taking 40% of global GDP and becoming No. 1 in the world!

Its territory expanded to 10 million square kilometers!

The army grew to nearly 10 million troops. As for the navy aircraft carrier fleets now freely sail across all four oceans!

Decades later—

“Today, I can finally announce to the whole world with pride The future of humanity will forever belong to all of mankind. Death does not belong to us!” Akhro Sankara (Supreme Ruler of the United Human Destiny Alliance)