Beside a riverbank, a man who appeared to be at least twenty years old sat atop a large stone.
Calyx looked at the book in his hand and the pen that emitted a soft glow.
"I can't believe that just after achieving my dream of becoming a successful author, the world came to an end."
He remembered everything vividly. He had been about to write another chapter when a sudden dizziness overwhelmed him. Minutes later, it felt like his insides were burning.
Then everything went dark. He had passed out—and passed away.
The cause was the death of a nearby galactic star, which resulted in a supernova. His planet, located ten light-years away, couldn't escape the gamma radiation.
The next thing he knew, he opened his eyes and found himself here—sitting alone on a stone by the riverbank.
He had already been here for about an hour.
After processing many thoughts and staring at the floating window in front of him, he finally understood—despite how unbelievable it seemed.
He was inside his book.
And this body belonged to his younger self, from when he was just twenty years old.
The floating, transparent window wasn't like the typical systems in the novels he wrote and read. It was more like a timer.
A countdown of his lifespan.
[Name: Calyx Invictus
Age: 20
Lifespan: 1,000,000 Years
Realm: X
(The Author)]
"I'll live for one million years… Because that's the length of the timeline I created for the book."
Calyx looked at the book again and opened it. Its pages were blank—because everything in it was just about to happen.
The story's timeline, which also marked his lifespan, was at Year 0.
The protagonist and original characters wouldn't appear until 500,000 years later.
But perhaps, in this timeline, they might never appear at all.
As the anomaly, Calyx could or accidentally change many things. Everything in the book would be rewritten.
"So now I'm like a godlike being far beyond the 20th Tier—the power limit I created in this world. I even have the book and pen with me after transmigrating. Anything I write in it will become reality. Everything will unfold like a simulation under my will."
Calyx couldn't help but feel a thrill in his heart.
"What should I do? Should I create an empire? Or maybe give someone a system and watch how they grow?"
He smiled.
Then, standing up, he gazed into the vast sky. His first plan was to visit the largest planet—the central setting of his story. The planet where his original main characters were meant to be born.
The Mystic World.
With a single thought, Calyx vanished from the riverbank. The next moment, he was floating in space, looking back at the minor planet he had come from.
That planet was already enormous—perhaps a hundred thousand times larger than his original world.
To his surprise, there was a human civilization on its outskirts. Also one of its 5,000 moons was home to the Evil Beast Race and floated near the human territories.
Far away, on distant planets, Calyx frowned when he saw a dark mist.
The Black Mist.
A cosmic-ending disaster he had written into his book.
He felt bitter now, knowing he had just died also from a cosmic event.
The Black Mist would likely reach this world in about 1,000 years.
Calyx opened his book and wrote in it.
Moments later, at the heart of that minor world, a brilliant light erupted, spanning millions of kilometers.
"I'll call this place Aegis. It will protect anyone inside from the Black Mist."
"I don't know if that human civilization can enter it… Well, that's their story now."
In the next instant, Calyx vanished again and traveled millions of light-years away.
He observed countless planets—some teeming with life, others just empty rocks or gas giants.
In the blink of an eye, three years passed.
He had finally reached the Mystic World.
He could have teleported directly there just by writing it in the book. But Calyx had chosen to travel on purpose. He wanted to see the universe he had created. After all, three years was nothing compared to his one million-year lifespan.
What mattered most to him now was enjoying life.
Looking down at the Mystic World, Calyx immediately flew toward the birthplace of legends.
Naturally, that place was the most desolate region of the world. A backwater, the weakest of the weak.
In a flash, he disappeared again and appeared atop a mountain peak in that desolate region.
The current year was Year 3.
The Mystic World had a human population of about 30 trillion.
In the Desolate Region alone, there were about 2 billion people.
"Okay. Time for the first plan."
Calyx pulled out his book and began to write.
His strength was sealed, returning him to that of an ordinary mortal—but he could regain his full power instantly, anytime he wished.
Why did he do it? Why not?
Then he wrote a new system—for himself.
That's right. Calyx gave himself a system and defined how it would work.
The system was simple.
Every 20 minutes, he would gain 1 point. He could spend that point in the system shop to purchase anything—from the weakest pills to heavenly treasures, magical beasts, divine weapons, and even other systems.
He made this system to avoid the hassle of writing in the book every time he wanted something.
He also wanted to build something: an auction house.
While traveling, Calyx had thought of various options—an empire, an academy—but in the end, he chose to become an Auction House Master.
His auction house was also bound to the system. Its growth depended on reputation. The more well-known it became, the more experience it would gain and level up. The max level was 20.
Currently, the auction house was at Level 0.
Atop Bamboo Mountain, where Calyx now stood, the Monarch Auction House was born.
The ground shook, and the lower-ranked Evil Beasts in the area fled in fear.
Even at Level 0, the Auction House was already impressive—comparable to the Eldoria Empire's own.
The Eldoria Empire was one of the hundred empires in the Desolate Region, ranked 91st.
And Bamboo Mountain, where Calyx stood, was within its territory.
Calyx looked at his grand creation and felt satisfied.
He named it the Monarch Auction House.
Currently, its Level 0 benefits included:
A Level 3 Spiritual Energy Vine and then
20 Peak Tier-2 Guards.
There were also the four highest-ranking servants.
First was a middle-aged man clad in armor, holding a sword and bowing to Calyx. He was Dante, the Vanguard Leader and a Peak Tier-3 human. He was responsible for security.
Next was a red-haired beauty in a seductive red gown, holding a fan. Her name was Lilith, the Auctioneer. Her Realm was Early Stage Tier-3.
Then there was Nyx, a mysterious and elegant woman in a dark robe. With long black hair and stunning beauty, she handled diplomacy with other factions. Her realm was Peak Tier-3.
Lastly, there was Selene—a white-haired young woman wielding a crimson sword. She was in the early stage Tier-4 realm and was the strongest among them. She served as Calyx's personal maid and attendant.
Additionally, the Auction House was supplied with 10 Peak Tier-2 Demonic Beasts to serve as flying mounts.