Shaun slapped his face. Hard.
The pain was sharp… so real it left a stinging red mark on his cheek.
"What in the ..?! Isn't this supposed to be a game?!"
The morning air of the new world was heavy, saturated with the smell of damp earth. The surrounding trees seemed to breathe, their leaves swaying in a steady rhythm, like a slow, ancient pulse.
When Shaun tried to take another step, he heard the crackle of dry grass under his feet—an authentic sound, not a digital effect.
And then—
[Esteemed Lord!]
The voice manifested directly in his head—not through an earpiece or a speaker. It felt as if it had been etched into his very mind.
[From this moment on, you are granted seven days of protection.]
[During this period, you and your territory will be immune to all harm.]
[After seven days have passed, the protection will be lifted… and only the strong will survive.]
Shaun froze in place. The words were cold, impartial. The voice continued, its tone even sharper this time:
[Protect the Territory Core. It is the essence of your existence in this world. Its destruction means the end of your connection—and the end of your identity as a player in 'Sovereignty Online.']
The moment the message ended, the air around him split with a flash of deep blue light. The ground began to tremble beneath him, a minor earthquake heralding the birth of a new world. Layers of light rose from the ground, coalescing into spectral lines that formed the borders of a vast, square territory.
[Please select a location for the Village Center.]
[Reminder: When the Village Center reaches Level 10, it will be upgraded to a City Hall.]
The voice vanished.
He looked around and saw a green expanse stretching to unseen boundaries. In its very center, a small patch of earth glowed with a soft, golden light. As he approached it cautiously, a translucent window materialized before him:
─────────────────────
[Suggested Location for Village Center]
[Available Resources: 120 Wood, 80 Stone, 50 Food]
[Land Grade: 1 (Normal Land)]
[Risk Factor: Very Low]
[ Click to Confirm ]
─────────────────────
Shaun stared at the window for a long moment before extending a trembling finger and touching it.
The next moment, a tremendous crack echoed through the air!
The earth around the glowing patch split open, and massive wooden logs began to rise from its depths as if sprouting from unseen soil.
Primordial structures took shape with astonishing speed: a small watchtower, a dilapidated warehouse, and a leaning wooden building with a sign hammered into its front that read [ Village Center - Level 1 ].
Shaun gasped in awe. "It's... real?!"
He raised his hand to touch the wall of the wooden building. He could feel the coarse grain of the fibers; even the rich, dense scent of freshly cut timber was unmistakably present. Everything felt terrifyingly alive.
Before he could recover from his shock, a new window popped up:
─────────────────────
[Welcome, new Lord!]
[Your Village Center has been successfully established.]
[Next Steps:
1. Construct a Peasant's Hut.
2. Assign your first resource worker.]
─────────────────────
"Peasants? Resource workers? Is this… a real-life version of Clash of Clans?" Shaun muttered with a nervous smile.
He lifted his gaze to the horizon and saw that the thick, grey fog enveloping the territory seemed to breathe slowly, as if something ancient and alive watched the fledgling village from within its depths, waiting.
"Alright…" He took a deep breath. "Let's begin."
Shaun opened the virtual construction interface, which floated before him like a pane of ethereal glass. Luminous icons representing simple huts, grey mines, watchtowers, warehouses, and even primitive wooden walls pulsed with a faint light, as if the game itself was enticing him to choose.
He paused on the "Peasant's Hut" icon.
The moment he touched it, light erupted from a designated spot on the ground. A beam of white light gradually solidified into a tangible form, its wooden walls and dark planks hammering themselves into place as if built by unseen hands. The scent of new wood mingled with the petrichor of damp earth, a combination so realistic that Shaun's senses screamed this was no game.
In mere moments, the building was complete: a small hut with a wisp of smoke curling from its crooked chimney. It was simple, yet vibrant with life.
"A hut… from nothing?" Shaun whispered, astounded.
But he had no time to ponder, for the door creaked open.
A short figure emerged, possessing a miniaturized human body, a slightly oversized head, and delicate features like those of a wooden carving. Its eyes were wide, like a doll's, yet they held an unsettling depth, as if something far more intelligent than its size suggested was observing Shaun from within.
"Greetings, my Lord!"
Its voice was clear and childlike, yet it carried an undertone of absolute loyalty.
Shaun took a step back, his eyes widening. "Wh-who are you?"
The small being bowed reverently, placing a hand over its chest. "I am Leet, the first peasant summoned to your service! I was brought forth from the essence of your territory, and I will be responsible for farming and gathering food."
The essence of the territory?
"What do you mean, 'brought forth from the essence of my territory'?" he asked warily.
Leet looked up, his smile a strange mixture of innocence… and unnerving emptiness.
"It means my existence is tied to yours, my Lord. If you die, I shall die as well."
Before Shaun could respond, a series of electronic chimes resonated in his mind, as if the system had read the scene and decided to intervene.
[Alert: First follower registered in the village.]
[Population: 1]
[Territory's Magical Energy: +5]
[Territory Experience Gained: +1]
[Designated Region Name: Not yet assigned]
[Village Center: Level 1 (1/10 EXP)]
[Territory Durability: 100/100]
[Recruitment: Human]
[Grade: E]
[Recruits: 1/10]
[Upgrade Requirements: Wood (80/100), Stone (0/100), Magical Energy (5/100)]
[Note: You have chosen a grassland territory on the border of a great forest. One Earth-elemental essence core will be produced once per month.]
The windows cascaded rapidly, a digital downpour in his mind, displaying data on resources, wood production, food consumption, and even population satisfaction! It was all organized with breathtaking precision.
Shaun closed his eyes for a moment to process it all.
Opening them again, he saw Leet already inspecting the small patch of soil in front of the hut.
"Can you start farming now?"
"Not yet, my Lord. We require a nearby water source. I would suggest digging a well in the middle of the square. "
"We could, of course, fetch water from the river, but it is a few kilometers from the village, and I cannot cross that distance alone. Please forgive this humble farmer for his weakness."
The peasant delivered the line with a professional tone that made Shaun crack a faint smile.
"Then let's get started."
He opened the construction menu again and selected "Well." A blue circle appeared on the ground before the hut, and light began to rise from it, forming a wooden pillar with a rusty bucket dangling from a rope. It all happened just slowly enough to convince his mind it was absolutely real.
But as the construction finished, a small notification popped into the corner of his vision:
[Warning: 5 units of the Territory's Magical Energy have been consumed.]
[Regeneration Rate: +1 per hour.]
Shaun froze.