The deafening roar of the airplane engines droned in Ethan's ears as he tugged at his seatbelt, making sure it was snug. The cabin lights flickered briefly, but he didn't bat an eye. Turbulence? No big deal—it was just another bumpy ride through the sky. He leaned against the window, gazing out at an endless sea of fluffy white clouds.
The captain's voice crackled over the intercom, distorted but still cheerful. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're experiencing some mild turbulence. Please remain seated and keep your seatbelts fastened."
Mild turbulence? Ethan chuckled under his breath, his smirk betraying just a hint of skepticism. The plane was already shaking like it had a grudge against gravity. Still, he flipped open the in-flight magazine, pretending to read the articles while his eyes glazed over. The words blurred together, his fatigue tugging at his focus like an annoying little sibling.
Then, it hit. The plane jolted violently, sending Ethan's magazine flying to the floor. A drink cart, wheels squeaking in panic, went careening down the aisle, narrowly missing a passenger's knees. Gasps rippled through the cabin, growing louder as the overhead compartments rattled ominously. Ethan gripped the armrests as if they were the only things keeping him tethered to reality.
A sharp metallic screech cut through the chaos, followed by a gut-wrenching drop. His stomach somersaulted into his throat. Panic exploded around him like fireworks on New Year's Eve. Oxygen masks popped down from the ceiling, dangling like unsettling party decorations.
"Great," Ethan muttered, fumbling for his mask. His hands shook as he tugged it over his face, adrenaline making his movements clumsy. The plane dipped again, harder this time, and out of the window, he caught glimpses of fire and spiraling smoke. His heart sank. They weren't just in trouble; they were done for.
A stewardess clung to a seatback for dear life as she shouted over the screaming passengers. "Brace for impact! Heads down! Stay calm!"
'Stay calm?' Ethan thought bitterly. 'Lady, we're basically falling out of the sky.'
Around him, people clutched at armrests, whispered desperate prayers, or stared blankly ahead as if sheer denial could stop the plane from crashing. Ethan's mind, meanwhile, reeled with a whirlwind of regrets, half-baked dreams, and all the things he hadn't done yet. And then—BOOM. A deafening explosion of light, noise, and chaos. His world went dark.
When Ethan's eyes fluttered open, he wasn't met with sterile hospital walls or the grim beeping of a heart monitor. Instead, he blinked up at a vibrant sky painted in impossible hues, the kind of colors you'd only find in a dream—or maybe on a bad trip. Two suns hung lazily on the horizon, as if mocking the idea of a "normal" sunrise.
"What the…" he groaned, sitting up and immediately regretting it. His head pounded like he'd had one too many drinks at a wedding reception.
It had taken him weeks to accept that he wasn't dead—weeks of poking the ground, squinting at the twin suns, and occasionally yelling at the sky for answers that never came. This wasn't Earth. That much was obvious. It was some kind of alien world with its own strange rules, and now he was gathered with many other teenagers, Ethan stood at the edge of the crowd, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and anticipation. His eyes were locked onto the mysterious Awakening Altar at the center of the square, glowing faintly with an ethereal light.
This world, while resembling modern Earth, had one extraordinary difference: the existence of "Personal Domain." These magical dimensions were the foundation of society. By building and developing their Personal Domain, individuals could acquire rare treasures, cultivate supernatural abilities, and even chase immortality.
It sounded like a dream come true… until you considered the risks. A Domain wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Monsters frequently invaded, scaling in strength according to the quality of the Domain. Failure to defend your territory meant seeing your painstakingly built domain wiped out in an instant. For some, the heartbreak was too much to bear.
A sudden flash of white light snapped Ethan back to reality. Gasps rippled through the crowd as a student successfully awakened their Domain. While it was just a low-level, white-quality space, it still sparked envy among those who hadn't gone yet.
Personal Domain were divided by quality—gray (common), blue (rare), purple (epic), orange (legendary), and golden (Mythical). Most people only awakened gray spaces, and the odds of getting anything higher were slim. The higher the quality, the stronger the monsters you'd face, and the harder it would be to survive.
"Ethan, Class 9, third year! Student number 11222024," the teacher called out.
"Present!" Ethan replied, his voice steady despite the nerves fluttering in his chest.
This was it—the moment he'd been waiting for his entire life. Taking a deep breath, he strode toward the altar with unwavering determination.
"Stand on the altar, close your eyes, and focus," the Awakening Master instructed, raising a milky white scepter that gleamed with holy light. The aura of awakening magic, a spell only 5th Circle wizard could cast, filled the air.
As the radiant light enveloped Ethan, he felt his consciousness pulled into a vast, starry void. Countless orbs of light floated around him, shimmering like a galaxy. Most were white, but here and there, he caught glimpses of brighter, rarer colors.
"So, these are Personal Domain," he thought, marveling at the breathtaking view. "It's like being surrounded by stars. If only this process didn't feel like someone's rewiring my brain… Still, kind of worth it."
Ethan quickly focused his mind, reaching out to claim one of the lights. A white orb floated above him, glowing faintly.
"Just a white one, huh?" He sighed, disappointed. Still, awakening at all was better than failing, and he wasn't about to complain. As long as he worked hard, even a common Domain could lead to greatness.
But just as he was about to finish, something unexpected happened. A brilliant rainbow light erupted beneath his feet, dazzling him.
"What the—?!" Ethan's eyes widened in shock.
The vibrant colors swirled and coalesced into a radiant orb unlike anything he'd ever seen. A colored Domain?! He'd never even heard of such a thing! And two Personal Domain at once? This had to be his cheat as a transmigrator.
Ethan grinned, excitement bubbling up inside him. Still, he wasn't stupid. If anyone found out about this, he'd become a walking target. Quickly, he controlled his mind to suppress the colorful space, letting the white one take center stage.
The Awakening Master nodded approvingly. "A common Domain. Work hard, and you'll have a bright future."
"Thank you, teacher," Ethan replied with a polite bow, masking his true feelings.
Envious whispers followed him as he walked off the altar. If only they knew… Back at home, Ethan wasted no time locking the door and drawing the curtains. He couldn't wait to inspect his Personal Domain.