Chapter 5: The Rise of a Name, the Birth of a Nation
The sky above the tiny island burned with shades of crimson and violet as the sun slowly dipped beyond the horizon, casting long, flickering shadows across the jagged rocks and sparse patches of grass. John stood barefoot in the soft sand, the ocean's breath brushing against his skin. The wind carried the scent of salt and freedom, a sharp contrast to the stale rot of his former world. He had left behind misery, shame, and poverty. Now, he stood on the threshold of something vast, something unimaginable.
The moment of awe passed quickly. As the waves lapped gently at the shores of his thousand-square-foot island, John took a deep breath. A soft chime rang in his mind.
> [QUEST: NAME YOUR COUNTRY] Reward: 100,000 System Coins
> [QUEST: DESIGN YOUR FLAG] Reward: 100,000 System Coins
LIRA's voice echoed in his consciousness, crisp and professional, yet oddly comforting.
"John, as per the system's initialization, please complete the two pending quests to proceed. Would you like assistance in designing your flag or naming your nation?"
He narrowed his eyes. "No. I'll do it myself."
John walked a few steps to the edge of the island. From here, he could see nothing but the endless ocean stretching out in all directions. The isolation should have been terrifying, but instead, it thrilled him. This was his beginning.
"This... is the start of my kingdom," he muttered, eyes glittering with ambition. "A realm built from nothing, ruled by me."
He clenched his fist, raising it high as though addressing invisible legions. "From the ashes of my disgrace, I shall rise like a god!"
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THE NAMING OF A NATION
He sat cross-legged on the warm ground, deep in thought. Names danced through his head, but nothing seemed worthy. Not yet.
Then it came to him—a flash of inspiration, born from dreams of fire and eternal dominion.
> Enter Nation Name:
He spoke aloud, savoring every syllable:
"Aetherian Empire."
A flash of gold flared before his eyes.
> [AETHERIAN EMPIRE HAS BEEN REGISTERED] +100,000 System Coins Awarded.
"Aether... the upper air, the heavens," he whispered. "That which reigns above all."
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THE BIRTH OF A BANNER
Next, the flag. He closed his eyes and visualized it. The symbol of his supremacy. It had to be elegant, majestic, unforgettable.
He envisioned a phoenix, wings of silver, body blazing gold, rising from blue flames against a deep royal blue background. On either side of the phoenix, ethereal silver wings arched outward in a halo of divine glory.
> [FLAG CREATED: PHOENIX OF AETHERIA] +100,000 System Coins Awarded.
The system flashed a projection of the flag into the sky above the island. John stood silently, watching it billow in an unseen wind.
"Perfect," he whispered. "Let it be known across the worlds: this is the banner of my conquest."
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THE BIRTH OF A NEW SELF
A notification flickered in his mind.
> [Would you like to update your identity to match your imperial title?]
"Of course I would. John is dead. That name belongs to a nobody. I am reborn."
He thought deeply. A name that inspired fear, respect, reverence.
"Karnelius," he declared. "From now on, I am Karnelius."
> [NAME UPDATED: KARNELIUS, SOVEREIGN OF THE AETHERIAN EMPIRE]
The wind surged. Karnelius felt a strange shift inside, like the remnants of his old self had been burned away, leaving only power, greed, and destiny.
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THE SYSTEM SHOP UNVEILED
"LIRA," he said, standing proudly. "Open the system shop."
A glowing interface unfolded in midair, clean and highly detailed. LIRA's voice guided him as he explored.
> [SYSTEM SHOP CATEGORIES]
1. Units
2. Buildings
3. Skills
4. Ministers
5. Heroes
6. Flora & Fauna
7. Technology
8. Magic
9. Miscellaneous
The shop was a treasure trove of options, each with detailed descriptions, stats, and costs. Karnelius expected things to be outrageously expensive—but to his surprise, they were laughably cheap.
> [Summon: Minister of Finance – 50 coins] [Summon: Minister of War – 75 coins] [Summon: Elite Modern Troops – 100 coins per 100 units] [Summon: Magical Troops – 150 coins per 100 units] [Construct: Basic Fortress – 200 coins] [Summon: Forest – 30 coins]
He laughed. "These prices... are a joke. With my current funds, I could summon armies, build cities, even grow jungles on this rock."
LIRA responded, "Due to your classification as an Origin Sovereign, you are granted access to Overlord Pricing. This pricing structure is unique to you and cannot be replicated."
Karnelius grinned like a madman. "Good. I want it all. But I'll start wisely."
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THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
"LIRA, show me the Minister category. I want to establish my inner circle."
> [Minister Roles Available:]
1. Prime Minister
2. Minister of War
3. Minister of Internal Affairs
4. Minister of Intelligence
5. Minister of Foreign Relations
6. Minister of Finance
7. Minister of Education
8. Minister of Agriculture
9. Minister of Health
10. Minister of Infrastructure
11. Minister of Defense
12. Minister of Science & Technology
13. Minister of Magic
14. Minister of Commerce
15. Minister of Justice
16. Minister of Labor
17. Minister of Environment
Each minister had stats, personality tags, skills, and backstories. Some were human, others from various species: high elves, demons, machine-born, even dragons in humanoid form.
Karnelius skimmed the list with amusement.
"No religion minister, right?"
"Correct," said LIRA. "As per your settings, your empire will have no divine worship except toward yourself."
"Good. I don't want false gods competing for the spotlight."
He began reading through profiles. One candidate for Prime Minister caught his eye—a cunning high elf with unmatched political intelligence and loyalty conditioned to the system's sovereign.
But Karnelius didn't summon yet. No, not just yet. He wanted to absorb every piece of this world's mechanics before making his first real move.
"So much power... for so little cost," he whispered, smiling. "This world is mine to shape."
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THE NIGHT BEFORE DOMINION
As darkness settled in, Karnelius sat on a stone outcrop overlooking the sea. The Aetherian flag now shimmered above him, projecting from a small system beacon. It waved proudly, as if anticipating the rise of an empire unlike any before.
"From nothing, I rise," he said to no one. "And soon, everything will kneel."
LIRA chimed in gently, "Would you like to begin expansion protocols tomorrow, Sovereign?"
He smirked. "Yes. But tomorrow. Tonight, I sleep as a king without a kingdom. Tomorrow, I begin building a god's throne."
And with that, he lay down under the stars, the sea whispering songs of conquest, his mind already drifting toward what he would create—and what he would destroy.
The world of Mytherra didn't yet know his name.
But soon, it would.
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