[Congratulations!]
[You have been chosen as a new Lord to participate in the Lord Realm's civilization war!]
Without anyone realizing it, a new era had begun, an era that would lead humanity into an entirely different history and way of life. In this new world, every beginning had to start somewhere.
Every human on Earth received the same message, and emotions of every kind surged through them: confusion, shock, fear, joy.
[Please prepare. You will be transported into the Lord Realm in ten seconds.]
The countdown began. Ten… nine… eight… until finally… one.
Then, without warning, beams of light descended from the heavens. People suddenly found themselves floating upward in those radiant columns, as if they were being carried from Earth to the sky itself.
Julian was among them. As he drifted higher, the ground shrank below him. He turned his head and saw that he was not alone; his friends, family, and classmates were also there. He caught glimpses of their faces, a mixture of fear and shock, before they slowly vanished into the clouds.
Just as he was about to disappear as well, a crack opened in the sky. From within, an enormous eye stared down at him. The sight was terrifying, and an unknown pressure pressed heavily onto him, making sweat bead down his back.
"What the hell is that?!" Julian gritted his teeth and tried to look away, but found that he could not move his head as if invisible hands were holding it in place. His gaze was locked on that massive eye. Then, a giant hand emerged from the crack, slowly reaching for him.
Before it could touch him, another crack appeared behind his back. Inside was nothing but pure darkness, radiating a powerful pull. The moment Julian's back touched it, he was dragged inside.
[Unknown variable detected!]
[Lord #212 is facing a critical problem. Searching for a solution!]
[Finding solution in three… two…]
In the void, only the flicker of a holographic message illuminated the darkness around him. Julian realized he could not move or speak. A slow, creeping cold began to seep into his body.
[No solution… f…]
[#$@!#1$!%!%]
The message glitched, flickering as if it might vanish at any moment. Then, it disappeared completely.
The world went pitch-black.
Julian drifted aimlessly in the void until a faint light appeared ahead. His body began accelerating toward it, faster and faster, until suddenly, he was standing in the middle of a forest.
---
After that bizarre encounter, Julian finally exhaled, tension leaving his body. The suffocating pressure and rising anxiety from the darkness had been unbearable, but at least it had not lasted long.
He took a moment to calm himself, then looked around.
"Am I in the Lord Realm now?"
All he saw were trees and birds flying across a deep blue sky that was slowly turning dark as the sun began to set.
"That message said I would be transported to the Lord Realm and become a Lord… so, what now?" Julian muttered thoughtfully. Then his eyes brightened. "System status! Open sesame!"
Nothing happened.
"Lord status?"
This time, a holographic screen appeared right in front of him.
"Wow…" His eyes widened in surprise.
[Lord: Julian]
Rank: Iron II
Title: Lord of the Deep Sea
Traits:
- Deep Sea Child (SSS): All stats increase by +50 when in an aquatic environment, and by an additional +50 when fighting in the deep sea. Enhances charm over lesser aquatic creatures, and powerful aquatic beings will hesitate before harming you.
- Passive Ability: You can breathe underwater. Swimming speed increases by +5. When fighting near water, all stats increase by +10.
Attributes:
- STR: 13
- AGI: 11
- DEF: 1
- INT: 40
- CHR: 20
Skills: None
Lord Status
Buildings:
- Lord Castle (In Storage) (Lv. 1): The heart of your domain and the core of your kingdom. You can establish your base anywhere, but once placed, it becomes permanent and cannot be moved. Special traits will unlock if your castle is built at sea.
Population: Locked until Lord Castle is placed
Resources: Locked until Lord Castle is placed
Other Functions: Locked until Lord Castle is placed
"An SSS-rank trait? Is the Goddess of Luck hugging me right now?" Julian stared at the screen with amazement, hardly able to believe it. The chance of getting such a high-ranking trait was one in a million. Out of everyone meant to be transported to the Lord Realm, he never imagined he would be the one to get it.
And Lord of the Deep Sea, it sounded powerful.
After reviewing his stats, Julian decided to explore the system before thinking about building his base. The interface only had Lord Status, Regional Chat, and Global Chat.
When he opened the regional chat, he froze. His name was the only one there.
"Am I the only one in this region?" he wondered. He clicked over to the global chat, and his shock deepened. He was still the only person listed. The number of Lords, displayed at the top, read 1.
Which meant… he was the only Lord in existence.
"Hello? Anyone there?"
Considering the strange error messages earlier, he figured this was probably just a bug. He sent a message anyway. But after waiting a full minute, no one responded.
"What the hell… don't tell me…" Julian looked up at the clear sky. The sun shone brightly, birds glided past, and the wind played around him. "Am I the only Lord in this world?"
His mind went back to that moment on Earth, the massive eye behind the crack, the suffocating pressure, the way the system had flickered before plunging him into darkness.
"Was it a bug? Or… something else?"
The pieces of the puzzle were starting to form, but the picture still didn't make sense. Was this really the Lord Realm, or some other world where he was completely alone?
The thought made him feel oddly lonely.
"Let's think about it later. First, I need to build my Lord Castle." He exhaled slowly.
If he built it near the sea, he could unlock the full potential of his Deep Sea trait and gain a special bonus. But he was unfamiliar with this world. He didn't even know where the sea was.
"Let's find a town or village first. I need information before I can build my castle."
Julian decided to head east, though it was just a random choice.
After some time, he came across a village. The moment he entered, several pairs of eyes turned toward him, but the villagers soon went back to their business.
As he walked through the streets, he noticed their clothing; some wore kimonos and straw sandals, while others had obi sashes. From their appearance and the style of the village, Julian guessed he was somewhere in Japan.
"Things keep getting stranger. First, I'm probably in Japan. Second, I'm the only Lord here, so…" He rested his chin in his hand, sinking into thought. "Am I in another world? Not the Lord Realm?"
The more he thought about it, the more his head ached. No matter how hard he tried to ignore the question, it gnawed at him. His friends and family were supposed to be in the Lord Realm. He couldn't help but worry about them, especially his elderly parents and his five-year-old sister.
"Damn… damn!" He scratched his head, his stomach tightening with anxiety.
"No. Don't lose hope. Maybe the system will be fixed tomorrow. This is all just an assumption for now." He gave his cheeks a quick slap to steady himself.
"Excuse me?"
He looked up to see a woman staring at him.
"Hello?"
"I couldn't help but notice, you look lost," the woman said, her voice tinged with concern.
"Yes. I actually don't know where I am."
She glanced at the sky. It was already past noon, and evening was not far off. "Follow me. It's dangerous at night."
Julian didn't hesitate and followed her. In this world, it was rare for someone to make him such an offer, and it also helped him learn more about the place. Soon enough, he entered a modest house lit by lamps fixed to the walls. Inside, an elderly man sat on the floor with a young girl resting on his lap.
"This is my father and my daughter," the woman introduced.
"Hello. Thank you for letting me in," Julian said, bowing slightly. The old man gave a silent nod in return.
"Wait here for a minute, I'm going to prepare dinner."
The woman disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Julian in the living room with her family. The silence quickly grew awkward until Julian decided to speak.
"Sir, do you know what country we're in?"
The old man studied him for a moment before replying in a deep voice. "Japan."
"Japan…" Julian was taken aback. 'So I'm still on Earth. But judging from their clothes and this village, maybe I've gone back in time.'
The realization brought back his anxiety. He tried to keep a calm expression, but the old man seemed to notice the way Julian kept scratching his head.
"Is something bothering you?" the old man asked.
"Yes… I'm just worried about my family. I don't know where they are or how to reach them."
"Are you lost?"
Julian nodded.
The old man didn't press further. He gently patted the girl's head before standing and placing her carefully on the floor. Then, he stepped into the kitchen.
When he returned, he was holding a sword. Julian's eyes widened.
"Come with me. We need to find your family before night falls."
"This…" Julian felt a rush of gratitude, but he didn't want to trouble the man unnecessarily. "I appreciate your help, but… my situation is actually very different from what you think. I don't want to waste your time."
The old man's expression turned grave. "Do you know about the demons that eat humans?"
"Demons?"
"Yes. At night, they appear and devour anyone they see." He placed a hand on the wall. "Even walls like these cannot stop them."
He looked Julian straight in the eye. "I don't know what your situation is, but if your family is out there, they may already be in danger. Unless they're in the city or under someone's protection, they are not safe. If not…"