***
February 13, 2029
"Ouch, my back," Lucas mumbled upon waking, his makeshift towel bed not offering much comfort. Sleeping on such a hard surface wasn't ideal, especially when the floor felt so unforgiving.
"What's that sound?" Still groggy, he continued to murmur softly as he shifted into a seated position on the towel. Forcing his eyes open, Lucas peered over and noticed Lucy and Meri still sound asleep in the other corner of the room, showing no signs of waking anytime soon.
Removing the towel, he had draped over his leg like a blanket, Lucas stood up cautiously to avoid disturbing the boy sleeping nearby. Making his way to the room's window, he cast his gaze towards the dawning sky. Even before reaching the window, he had heard the noise—likely the cause of his early awakening, as he usually slept like a log.
Lucas observed the raindrops descending from the sky, each one falling in a gentle rhythm. It had been a while since he had last seen rain, and even rarer in this kind of weather.
"It's raining," he noted aloud. This might explain why he had instinctively used the towel as a makeshift blanket during his slumber. It had become a habit born from his experience of rain, only adding to the chill in the air around his previous home.
In truth, Lucas was mystified by how the plants and flowers in the university garden had managed to survive a whole month without any rain. It was quite a miracle, or perhaps the rain only chose to fall here and never where he and Lucy had been.
"It's quite pleasant."
***
"So, what shall we name our base?" Lucas queried.
"What about 'Tharla,' sir?" Meri suggested.
"But that's my family name. Lucy, do you have any ideas?" Lucas asked.
"Whatever name you choose, I'm fine with it."
"You're not being very helpful."
"Cale, do you have a suggestion?"
"…"
"Well, anyway, I was thinking of using the name 'Dawn.'"
"Dawn?"
"Yes, it signifies the first appearance of light, the beginning of a new day. I find it rather appealing, and the atmosphere it evokes seems fitting. What are your thoughts?"
"Dawn? That sounds somewhat odd for a city name. Where did you come up with that, Lucas?"
"You know how I woke up before you? It was still predawn at that moment, and with the rain, it gave me a sense of old troubles being washed away to make room for a new day."
"It's still raining if you look out the window, Lucas."
"Exactly, Lucy. Meri, do you think it's a good idea?"
"It's nice, sir."
"See? Meri agrees. Do you have something better?"
"I think I do!"
"Well, what's the name, then?"
"Dusk."
"Seriously? Isn't that just a similar concept to what I suggested?"
"Yeah, I know, but Lucas, don't you think the idea of the day coming to an end sounds more compelling? It captures the apocalypse atmosphere better, dark and eerie."
"Nah, my bad for asking. I'll go with Dawn. I want a fresh start, a new chapter in our survival journey, not a future shrouded in the darkness of the night."
"Tsk! Why did you even bother asking then, Lucas?"
"..."
"Let's just finish our breakfast first."
***
"Okay, is everyone ready?"
Lucas addressed Lucy, Meri, and the young boy Cale, who stood about 5 meters away. Their faces lit up with excitement.
"Alright then."
Shaking his head at the enthusiasm of the two who wanted to witness his class power in action and have this place declared as their base, Lucas decided to play along and fulfill their imaginative moment.
"I, Lucas Tharla, hereby declare this location as the foundation of my base."
---
[Please Name Your City!]
[Error, Updating…]
[Detecting the Class 'King Authority'!]
[Please Name Your Kingdom!]
----
"Oh, it's not just a city. Must be the influence of my 'King Authority' class."
"Dawn."
---
[Confirming… Is the Kingdom Name 'Dawn'?]
---
"Yes."
"Now that I think about it, the name does seem a bit odd for a kingdom. 'Dawn City' would have been a more fitting choice."
---
[You have established the Dawn Kingdom. Open the kingdom management panel!]
[You are now able to bestow knighthood upon a chosen individual once a month, granting them the class of Dawn Knight of the Dawn Kingdom!]
---
'Kingdom management? Is this another thing I need to figure out on my own?'
---
[Please Name Your City!]
---
'Ah, an option to name the city, too. Dawn is already set, which means only Lucy's non-original naming concept remains!'
"Dusk."
---
[Error, 'Dusk City' has already been taken!]
---
'Wow, even the system rejects that odd name. Thank goodness someone else had already used it. Now I have something fun to tease Lucy about. Seems like there's another person out there who appreciates the name 'Dusk' at the end of the day.'
"Hmm... Twilight."
---
[Confirming… Is the City Name 'Twilight'?]
---
"Yes."
'Twilight City'—either I've got a fantastic sense of naming or a terrible one. It sounds good to me, though it might be a tad cringeworthy.'
---
[You have established the Twilight City!]
---
---
Achievement Unlocked:
[Gold] Sixty-Seventh to Own a City
Rewards:
Golden Bow [Epic]
---
'Ooh, an achievement! It's been quite a while since the last one.'
'Golden Bow? How do I even utilize it? By the time I've shot one arrow, I'd likely be a zombie's meal.'
---
Achievement Cleared:
[Platinum] First to Own a Kingdom.
Rewards:
Dark Magic Spear [Heroic]
---
'Damn, another achievement! Two in a row—that's a first. Feels pretty satisfying.'
'Dark Magic Spear, huh? Excellent! My decision not to spend money on other weapons was right. And it's at the 'Heroic' rank too. Compared to my jian, this is a major upgrade.'
As Lucas picked up both of the newly acquired weapons from the floor, ready to use his appraisal magnifier, he was interrupted by yet another notification sound.
"Seriously?"
---
[You have established the Dawn Kingdom; you have earned 1 gold achievement and 1 platinum achievement!]
[Your total achievements have reached 10. Open the legend and title panel!]
---
'Alright, I'll deal with that later.'
Setting aside the appraisal magnifier, he placed it above the two new items he had just obtained.
---
Name: Golden Bow
Rank: Epic
Ability:
[Arrow Recall]: Summon a Sharp and Violent Energy Arrow. (100 uses/day)
---
'Arrow Recall? Not too shabby for a reusable bow. I'll need to test its effect first.'
To Lucas, the Golden Bow was on par with his inventory pouch in terms of usefulness, despite its capacity being limited to around 100 items.
'Should I give this to Meri? It might come in handy for protecting Cale during our travels. She could provide support from a distance while also watching over her brother.'
'Being an older sibling must be exhausting. Thank goodness I don't have any siblings.'
---
Name: Dark Magic Spear
Rank: Heroic
Ability:
[Shockwave]: Generate a Shockwave Throughout the Victim's Body Upon Contact. (4 uses/day)
[Combustion]: Generate a Dense Flame Inside the Victim's Body Upon Contact. (2 uses/day)
---
'This spear seems to suit me better.'
The spear's long black body had an impressive appearance. Its sharp tip glinted in the light, and its glossy, smooth handle suggested quality. With two powerful skills, the spear tempted Lucas to return to using this weapon.
'I'll make a decision later.'
---
Title: Dawn Kingdom King
Legend +0.5
---
"Again?"
'Title? Legend? This is a lot to take in!'
"Ugh..."
With a mixture of frustration and excitement, Lucas could hear and see the relentless stream of new notifications that showed no sign of stopping.
---
Title: Twilight City Lord
Legend +0.1
---
'Great! More things I don't understand when I'll need them.'
"Huh!?"
Out of nowhere, Lucas exclaimed in shock. Suddenly, he felt as if he had received something previously unknown to humanity. His body experienced a relief akin to standing in the presence of a deity.
A radiant energy enveloped him, a light so intense that it would have blinded him were it not for the protective measure he had in place for his eyes.
His blood felt like it was heating up, veins pulsating, and scars healing at an astonishing speed, invisible to those watching.
All they could witness was Lucas's body glowing and shining intensely after he uttered those words, the light hurting their eyes before abruptly vanishing. The Lucas they knew was left in a trance, as if his soul had momentarily departed from his body if souls indeed existed.
Worried, Lucy was about to step forward and inquire, but Meri held her back, whispering that Lucas had instructed her not to approach if anything strange happened to him.
As for Lucas, his mind was filled with wonder, and the very air he exhaled felt purer, more organic, despite being in an area of the city shrouded in pollution.
When he reopened his eyes, Lucas was greeted by a new interface of the system, one he had never encountered before.
'Is this the management panel?'
---
Name: Lucas Tharla
Title: [Dawn Kingdom King] [Twilight City Lord]
Legend: 0.6
Race: Human Tier 1
Dawn Kingdom:
Ruler of Twilight City: [Lucas Tharla]
Population: 0
Knight: 0
Core Building: [Dawn Castle]
Landmark: [Zenith University] [Weeping Cherry Tree]
Transferable Class: [Dawn Knight]
---