Goguryeo, at the time of the protagonist's birth, is no longer as powerful as it used to be.

After his father's death, he rises to the throne and vows to restore Goguryeo to its former glory.

His struggle would later form the basis of a popular Korean legend.

He would regain land lost to Baekjae, and he will defeat many other smaller kingdoms in the process.

Near the end of the story, he manages to obliterate Later Yan and later subjugated her as a sister state.