On a floating island high above the clouds, a young man with short black hair lay sprawled on the ground, his body heavy with fatigue. His 170 cm frame rested on the wild grass, and his tan skin glowed faintly in the ethereal light. His eyes fluttered open, revealing a landscape that seemed to blur and shimmer.
Surrounding him was a vast expanse of empty land, covered only by wild grass. The island, no more than 100 square meters, floated in an ocean of clouds that obscured anything beyond a short distance.
The ethereal glow of an otherworldly sun bathed the scene in warm light. But the surreal beauty was lost on him as he pressed a hand to his temple, trying to quell the dizziness that washed over him.
He groaned softly, his movements slow and deliberate as he attempted to rise. His vision swam, and he blinked rapidly, trying to clear his mind and make sense of where he was.
Peering through the haze, he could see only the edges of the floating island and the impenetrable wall of clouds beyond. The emptiness of the island and the disorienting shift to the Divine Sky Realm left him grasping for any sign or clue.
He scanned the ground and the horizon, hoping to find something—anything—that might offer an explanation or direction.
As Lein's vision began to stabilize, he noticed a faint glimmer in the center of the island. Focusing more intently, he realized it was a transparent orb, shimmering slightly under the golden light.
Curiosity piqued, he cautiously approached the mysterious object. The orb hovered just above the ground, almost pulsating with an inner light.
Leaning in closer, he examined it from all angles, trying to discern its purpose or origin. The orb's smooth, glassy surface reflected his puzzled expression.
Tentatively, he reached out, fingers brushing against the cool, ethereal surface, wondering what secrets it might hold.
As Lein examined the orb more closely, he noticed a faint panel hovering above it, displaying information in a holographic format.
[Region Orb]
Owner: Insert the name of the Sovereign
Region Speed: 1 square meter per second
Region Size: 100 square meters
Seeing the panel's description, Lein was reminded of the video games he had played during his teenage years. "Have I been transported to an Isekai?" he wondered aloud.
A mix of excitement and fear welled up inside him. The thrill of his childhood dream coming true—entering a game-like world—was tempered by the memories of frustration, sadness, and disappointment that came with gaming. Just imagining the potential pain sent a shiver down his spine.
Pushing the thought aside, Lein's eyes suddenly narrowed with panic, his heart nearly stopping. "What about Nita?" he thought frantically, worry for his sister overpowering his thoughts.
Before he could dwell further, a figure materialized from thin air. A girl, bearing a striking resemblance to Lein, appeared before him. She stood at about 155 cm, with silky black hair and an oval face that highlighted her beauty. Her expression was pale and disoriented, mirroring Lein's initial state of confusion.
"Nita..." Lein murmured, rushing to check on her. His hands trembled slightly as he touched her shoulder.
Nita's eyes fluttered open. Fear and panic flashed across her face, but these emotions quickly faded when she recognized her brother.
Yes, this was Nita, Lein's younger sister, who had just graduated high school and worked at a retail store. Their lives had been closely intertwined, supporting each other since they lost their parents in a workplace accident when Nita was just ten.
They had lived in a small rented house in the city, trying to save on living expenses. Now, standing on this mysterious floating island, their familiar world seemed so far away.
"Brother, where are we?" Nita's voice quivered as she stood up, looking to Lein for answers.
"Stay calm, Nita," Lein replied, trying to sound reassuring despite his own uncertainty. "I don't know where we are either, but there's no danger right now."
Their uncertainty was short-lived. The same system voice they had heard on Earth echoed around them again.
[Welcome to the Divine Sky Island Realm]
Successfully entered Region #2344...
Loading status panel...
Obtaining beginner's chest...
Evaluating talent... Acquired talent (Infinity Duplicate - SSS)...
Lein shivered as he saw the letters "SSS" in the talent description. He knew he had received something extraordinary and quickly checked it.
(Infinity Duplicate - SSS)
- Duplicate 1 item into 1000.
- Cooldown: 1 hour.
Duplicate any item in the universe, the survival talent of the creators of the universe.
The description seemed simple, but the implications left Lein breathless and amazed.
Wasn't this a talent that defied the heavens? If a god could create one, Lein could create a thousand. What concept surpassed that of a god?
A small smile crept onto Lein's face. If he could harness this duplicate talent, it wasn't impossible for him to become a king. A king who commands.
"Oh, Nit. Did you get the same notification?" Lein asked, ensuring his sister received the same system information.
"Yes, brother, but the system said no talent was found," Nita replied, sadness creeping into her voice despite not fully grasping the concept of talents.
"Don't worry about it," Lein reassured her.
"Look, what talent did I get?" Lein explained his overpowered talent to Nita.
Even Nita, who wasn't much into games, found the concept of multiplying by 1000 astonishing.
Besides acquiring talents, the system also loaded a status panel.
[Status Panel]
- Sovereign's Name: Insert name
- Level : 1 (0%)
- Attributes: Strength 3, Agility 2, Intelligence 1, Resilience 3
- Equipment: -
- Features: Market, Chat, Friends.
Seeing the line "Insert name" for the Sovereign, Lein recalled the same prompt on the Region Orb panel. He entered "Lein."
He briefly considered using a gaming alias but dismissed the idea, recognizing the reality of their situation. Wouldn't it be grand if his real name became known across the universe for being the strongest?
"Okay, it's good enough," Lein muttered, ignoring the status and checking the chat.
[Regional Chat #2344]
(Hani) Help, save me...
(Penabur) Be careful, this is not a game; death is the end of your life...
(Randi) Someone, I'm at location x:7a81k600 y:16u84r00...
(Bunta) Thank goodness my family is with me; I will protect them...
(Doni) I found another island; is it safe to enter?...
(Zaki) I'm from Jakarta, where are you all from?...
(Gegeh) Don't fall off the island, you will die...
[System: Asep has died]...
From the chat, Lein saw the number nine hundred thousand and something. He guessed it was the population of Region #2344.
The chat provided a wealth of information: how to operate islands, existing dangers, the situations of other Sovereigns, and more.
Lein noticed that death notifications appeared frequently, suggesting that thousands had already perished.
The regional chat was bustling and active, messages from Sovereigns constantly filling Lein's panel.
Feeling informed, Lein closed the chat.
Next, he examined the market feature, which intrigued him given his talent's reliance on it.
"An interdimensional trading feature, limitless and boundless. Haha," Lein chuckled, inspecting the market panel.
[Market]
- Sandi: (100 grams of deer meat)
- Bintang Malam: (100 ml of water)
- Hugo: (rabbit hide)
- Rade: (iron sword) (light leather cloak)
There were already over 100 shops listed. People were clearly exploring. Lein quickly closed the market panel and checked the Friends feature.
[Friends]
- Friend List: -
- Search Friend: Enter name
It was straightforward. Lein didn't fully understand its use but added Nita to his friend list.
[Successfully added (Cute Cat) as a friend]
Yes, Nita's name was "Cute Cat." She believed it would bring good luck, and Lein could only shake his head.
In truth, she likely wanted to keep her identity private.
Having explored all system features, the last task was to open the beginner chests.
The chests had been in front of them all along, one for Lein and one for Nita.
Lein opened his first.
[Successfully opened (beginner chest)]
- Long wooden sword x1
- Water 100ml
Both chests contained the same items: a sword and 100ml of water.
"The system is quite stingy," Lein muttered in frustration.
But his spirits quickly lifted. Why worry about scarcity when he could duplicate items a thousandfold?
"Ahhhhhh..." Lein shouted in realization.
He had forgotten his talent could duplicate the beginner chest.
"Idiot..."
He cursed himself.
"Hahaha... It seems you're more worried than I am, brother," Nita laughed, gently patting his head, mimicking how he had comforted her earlier.
Lein's nerves settled.
No problem, he could still duplicate the essential water.
However, he decided to delay this task.
He wanted to explore and try his luck for more valuable items to duplicate with his talent.
Lein and Nita discussed their plan briefly.
Once ready, they stood, gazing at the white clouds surrounding them.
"Ready?" Lein asked, looking at Nita from the side.
Nita was enthusiastic, raising her sword high and pointing it forward.
"Let's go!"
And so, the siblings set off on their adventure, destined to command the universe.