The cold wind bit against Ethan's skin as he stood alone on the barren stretch of land that was now his domain. His breath misted in the strange violet-tinged air, and the ground beneath him was cracked, dry, and lifeless—hostile, like the world itself.
A faint chime echoed in his mind, followed by a sudden burst of light as a translucent screen materialized before him. Lines of text scrolled across the display, written in an angular, magical script that somehow he could understand.
[Welcome, Lord Ethan Vale]
You have been granted dominion over [Unnamed Territory].
Current Status: Barren
Primary Objective: Survive. Expand. Conquer.
Unique Ability: Life Simulation - Active
Simulation Points (SP): 0
Resources:
• Starting Currency: 100 Silver
• Basic Summoner's Building - Level 1
Protection Shield: Active (6 Days, 23 Hours Remaining)
SYSTEM FUNCTIONS ACTIVATED:
World System Interface Online.
Global Communication Channels Unlocked.
Before Ethan could process the information, a new notification flashed.
[Global Announcement]
Welcome to Eterna.
All Lords of Earth have been scattered across the world. You are now bound to this land. Survive and rise—or perish and be forgotten.
The message vanished, leaving only the system interface floating before him. His mind reeled, the magnitude of the situation finally sinking in. He wasn't just transported to another world—he was part of something far bigger, something dangerous.
A new icon blinked at the corner of the display: Global Chat [Active]. Curious, he willed it to open.
[Global Lord Chat - Channel 1]
[LordIronFist]: Where the hell am I? Is this some game? Someone explain NOW!
[SkyHunter]: This can't be real… I was driving home, and now… this.
[BlazeKing]: Shut up and focus! We need to figure this out! Anyone near a forest? I'm surrounded by monsters!
[LunaMage]: Can anyone confirm if dying here means real death?
[ShadowBlade]: It's real enough. Just killed something that looked like a demon wolf. Got some coins from it. Stay sharp.
Ethan closed the chat with a sharp exhale. Panic and confusion filled the channel—exactly what he expected. He couldn't afford to waste time speculating like the others. This was real, and if he hesitated, he would die.
His eyes locked onto the next entry in his interface: Summoner's Building - Level 1 [Available].
"Summoner's Building… sounds promising," he muttered. With a mental command, the interface expanded, revealing the structure's functions:
Summoner's Building - Level 1
Summon Servants to aid in managing your domain and defending against threats.
Summon Options:
• Basic Soldier (10 Silver)
• Scout (8 Silver)
• Builder (15 Silver)
Available Currency: 100 Silver
Starting Loyalty of Summoned Servants: 80%
Ethan clenched his fists. He needed to summon wisely—he didn't know what dangers lurked nearby, but sitting idle would be suicide. After a moment of consideration, he made his first command.
"Summon two Soldiers and one Builder."
The ground near the barren field glowed with mystical runes, swirling with crackling magical energy. In a flash, three figures emerged: two armored warriors wielding rusted swords and a sturdy-looking man carrying a set of simple construction tools.
The soldiers knelt immediately, fists pressed to their chests in salute.
"Lord Ethan," the first soldier spoke, his voice rough but steady. "We stand ready to serve."
Ethan nodded, forcing confidence into his tone. "Good. Builder, your task is to set up a basic shelter—something defensible."
The builder bowed. "At once, my Lord."
He turned back to the interface, inspecting the map of his domain. His current land was small, bordered by rocky hills to the north and a thick, ominous forest to the east. No resources were marked—yet. He assumed exploration would unlock more.
Suddenly, a familiar chime rang in his mind, and a new prompt appeared:
[Mission: Establish a Base]
Objective: Construct a Shelter (0/1)
Reward: 25 Silver, Basic Resource Storage Blueprint
While the builder got to work, Ethan's attention shifted back to his ability: Life Simulation.
He mentally selected it, and a new description appeared.
Life Simulation - Unique Power
Experience alternate lives within a simulated version of Eterna. Learn skills, master combat, or gain powerful items. Upon completion, choose one reward to bring into reality.
Simulation Cost:
• Minimum: 1 Copper (Doubling Cost with Each Use)
Currency Exchange:
• 100 Copper = 1 Silver
• 100 Silver = 1 Gold
Current Funds: 55 Silver
The cost structure hit him hard. It started at 1 Copper, but if the price doubled after every use, it would become increasingly expensive. After ten uses, it would cost over 500 Silver—and beyond that, even entire kingdoms might not afford the price.
Still, he had no choice. He was starting with nothing. If he wanted an edge, he needed to act now while the cost was still manageable.
"Activate Simulation."