Kingdom manga volume 1 features story and art by Yasuhisa Hara.

Xin is a war orphan in a poor village in the kingdom of Qin. He has big dreams of becoming a great general, and when his best friend's life is cut short by political machinations, Xin sets off to find a deposed ruler and help restore his place on the throne, while working his way up through the ranks of the Qin kingdom's army to do what no one has ever done before - unify China.

Xin's quest begins when his friend Piao, another war orphan who shares his dream of becoming a great general, is taken away by a mysterious minister to the capital, and Xin is left to work and train on his own. But one fateful night, Piao returns bloodied and on the brink of death, with his dying words being for Xin to carry on their dreams and meet a certain person in a nearby village. Xin rushes to fulfill Piao's final request, only to meet a boy who looks exactly like Piao. But this is no ordinary boy - it's the king of Qin, Ying Zheng! And assassins are hot on his tail!