The morning haze rolled across the broken ruins of the capital like a ghost refusing to rest.
Alec stood at the edge of the crumbling citadel balcony, overlooking what once might have been a thriving monster metropolis. The air carried the scent of ash, moss, and something faintly metallic. Stone pillars lay in heaps. Roads cracked beneath creeping vines. Nature had reclaimed what civilization lost.
And yet… his people would return. He would summon them, one by one, brick by brick, memory by memory. His empire would rise again.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Empire Initialization Phase 1: Core Personnel
Task: Summon First Loyal Noble
Title: Baron of the Ashen Banner
Loyalty Status: Inherited - Absolute
Race: Goblin (Ironblood Lineage)
Status: Deceased – Revival Authorized
Proceed with Summoning? [Y/N]
"Y," Alec muttered aloud. His voice echoed across the empty throne room behind him.
Initiating Summoning Sequence…
A tremor shook the ruined palace as runes etched into the marble floor flickered to life. Golden light spiraled from the system's core interface—the embedded gem floating just above Alec's left palm. In response, ten concentric circles formed on the cracked floor before him, one pulsing like a heartbeat.
He stepped back. Wind kicked up dust as the circle glowed brighter and brighter. The magic here wasn't just visual. It buzzed through his veins like electricity—raw and ancient.
A moment later, the circle burst into violet flame, and from within the blaze stepped a figure.
Small. Green-skinned. Muscular, with armor of dull bronze and jagged bone. His eyes—one mechanical, the other glowing red—locked onto Alec instantly.
"Your Majesty," he said, dropping to one knee. His voice was gravel soaked in reverence. "I have returned to serve."
Alec stared at the goblin, momentarily stunned. This… this was his first subject?
"You're… Baron Ironmaw?"
"Baron Goruk Ironmaw," the goblin corrected proudly, thumping a closed fist against his jagged chestplate. "Grand Defender of the Southern Trenches. Wielder of the Shard Axe. Loyal servant of the Monster Emperor… and his bloodline."
Alec rubbed his jaw. The man—no, goblin—was no taller than his waist but had the kind of aura that made grown men hesitate. "And… you're loyal to me?"
"I am loyal to the throne," Goruk said simply. "You wear the crown. The Empire rises through your veins. That is enough."
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
Bloodline Recognition Successful.
Baron Goruk Ironmaw has sworn allegiance to the Monster Monarch.
Core Nobility Chain: 1/1000
Access to Noble Management Interface unlocked.
"Well damn," Alec murmured. "It actually worked."
Baron Goruk rose, sharp teeth flashing in a grin. "What are your orders, my liege?"
Alec turned, pacing slowly back toward the throne. The ruined room still smelled of time and decay. But now it also held something new: purpose.
"We rebuild," Alec said. "Starting now."
The interface in Alec's vision shifted.
[Infrastructure Phase: Basic Resources]
Choose One:
▸ Restore Waterworks
▸ Rebuild Military Barracks
▸ Construct Temporary Housing
Citizens: 0 (awaiting habitat)
Food Supply: 0
Resource Nodes: Discovered (8)
Mana Veins: Dormant
He hesitated for a moment. "Water comes first," he muttered. "Can't grow a damn empire if everyone's dead from dehydration."
Command Accepted: Waterworks Restoration Initiated
Estimated Completion Time: 7 Days (Accelerated by Noble Workforce)
Baron Goruk stepped forward. "The old aqueducts lie beneath the southern ridge. I'll lead the repair team myself."
"You sure you're up for it?"
The goblin chuckled darkly. "My lord, I once wrestled a lava wyvern with my bare hands during the Siege of Grath. Pipes and rats won't kill me."
Alec smirked. "Then you're promoted to Imperial Plumber, first class."
The goblin bowed again. "With pride."
Later that evening, Alec sat on the cracked throne. It wasn't comfortable—more like a glorified rock with armrests—but it felt earned.
He stared up at the towering ceiling, lost in thought. Back on Earth, he'd been Alec Gray—an American nobody, buried in debts and night shifts. His only real victories were in strategy games and forgotten MMOs.
This world? It gave him a second chance—not just to live, but to build.
He wasn't here to escape. He was here to create.
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
Title Gained: Founder of Flame-Reborn Sovereignty
Reputation: +100 (Local)
Military Morale: +10%
System Tip: Consider restoring a residential zone to prepare for incoming citizens.
Alec rose. He walked toward the edge of the throne room once more. Distant fires flickered from Goruk's torch crew below the capital ridge. The world was quiet… but not for long.
"Let's see how far we can take this," Alec whispered