I was sent to die on that ship—condemned without trial, discarded like some cursed relic. Once, I was merely the son of a modest businessman, a man of quiet kindness and unyielding integrity. Audace Espoir, they named me. But one night, my father was pierced through the heart as he slept. The men who killed him did not take his life for vengeance, nor because he owed them anything. No, it was the reverse.
My father's wealth, though honestly earned, was his downfall. A rival, desperate to erase the debts he owed, hired assassins to obliterate not only my father's ledger but his very existence. And so, I—the heir to my father's legacy—became the final piece of their plot.
They dragged me aboard an unauthorized vessel under the cover of night. The air stank of damp wood and salt, and the ship groaned like some dying beast as the waves lapped hungrily at its hull. Below deck, I overheard their sinister plan: I was to be thrown into the ocean's heart, left to perish in the depths of some uncharted whirlpool, a forgotten casualty in their scheme.
But nature, it seemed, had its own sense of justice. The sea rebelled. Waves rose like walls of liquid rage, battering the ship. The deck lurched violently, and I slid helplessly, clutching at anything to keep from being thrown into the churning abyss. When the storm passed, the captain lay dead, and chaos erupted among the crew.
Some argued they could steer the ship, while others, defeated by the hopelessness of their situation, spoke of ending their own lives. Their bickering filled the air until I could no longer bear it.
"Just kill me already!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the cacophony.
Their eyes snapped to me, gleaming with cruel delight. Before I could resist, they seized my shoulders and shoved me overboard. The icy water engulfed me, its weight pulling me into the depths.
As I sank, a faint light flickered before my eyes. It was no hallucination but something tangible—a display hovering within my vision. Its words were as clear as they were confounding:
[Host is at sea.]
[Host has been granted one skill: Ocean Lord.]
A new window unfolded before me, displaying details about this strange gift:
[Ocean Lord: Allows the user to select and command an ocean, manipulate water remotely, and amplify abilities while within the Second Realm. This power will fully awaken upon arrival.]
Suddenly, my lungs, which had been burning for air, cleared. I could breathe underwater, yet my body felt heavy, drained of all strength. My consciousness began to fade as the abyss dragged me deeper…
I awoke on the shores of an unfamiliar island, its sands warm beneath me and its air alive with sounds unlike anything I'd ever heard. Towering trees with leaves of shimmering green stretched into the sky, and flowers in impossible hues dotted the landscape. This was no Earth I knew.
Gripping a sharp rock in trembling hands, I prepared to write S.O.S. But then, the display returned, chastising me with a message:
[Host, you are not on Earth. You are in a new dimension where your technological intelligence is crucial. Primitive inventions such as helicopters are not yet conceived in this world.]
The realization hit me like a thunderclap. My surroundings were alien, untamed, and vast. The system provided more information:
[This island spans 700,000 kilometers, a mere fraction of this world's expanse. Here, unregistered islands like this one are countless, and what would be continents in your previous life are merely larger islands here. This is a realm of enormous scale and limitless potential. Craft a nation of power. Become a superpower.]
The words left me breathless. A strange, almost mocking tone followed as a new tab materialized, marked [Rewards]. Desperate for answers—or tools to survive—I pressed it. A cascade of items appeared, rolling like dice:
Government Building Roll800,000 System Credits570,000 Federal Employee RollsTier 2 Information BotBot Vessel Roll
From the Government Building Roll, I earned a Branch Union Building. The system allowed me to preview it in stunning detail:
Its exterior was sleek, unmarred by imperfections, its architecture a masterpiece of symmetry and sophistication. Inside, opulence reigned. Paintings adorned the walls, each brushstroke a testament to artistry beyond comprehension. The rooms were divided into three grand sections:
A colossal assembly hall, its polished floors lined with rows of elegant seats.
A lavish mansion-like residence, draped in luxury from floor to ceiling, complete with a courtroom, admirably created, with a mallet on the long bureau.
A meticulously designed office, complete with an ornate desk, an array of tools, and a hand-drawn portrait of... me.
It was a vision of power, a foundation for the impossible task that now lay before me. This system had thrust me into a world of vast opportunity—and greater danger than the chaotic, and apathetic nature of Earth, how is that even possible!?