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The waves whispered like ancient songs beneath a vast, endless sky.
Ardyn Caelum opened his eyes.
For a brief moment, all he saw was blue — sky above, sea around, wind on his face. But the strange sensation of weightlessness and clarity in his mind told him instantly — this was not Earth.
Where… am I?
Fragments of memory returned like drifting feathers — he remembered his past life. An ordinary man, working a monotonous job, dreaming of travel, of owning land by the sea — things forever beyond his reach.
But now...
A soft chime echoed in his head.
> [Welcome to Terra Magna]
[Archipelago System Initializing…]
Lines of golden text materialized in the air before him, suspended in transparent screens only he could see.
> [Owner: Ardyn Caelum]
[Island Asset: Caelora Island — 10,000,000 km²]
[Status: Uninhabited / Untouched Paradise]
His breath caught. Ten million square kilometers? That wasn't an island — it was larger than any nation from his old world.
> [System Explanation:]
"Due to your reincarnation privileges, you are granted ownership of Caelora Island — a vast, resource-rich land amidst the endless seas of Terra Magna."
> "Your goal: Develop this island, create a civilization, and claim your rightful place among the sovereign powers of this peaceful but competitive world."
> "System functions will assist your rule."
Ardyn's heart pounded.
This... this is real.
He stood atop a cliff overlooking a pristine bay — white sands curved like a crescent moon; crystal-clear waters stretched into infinity; dense emerald forests blanketed the inland.
And far beyond — distant archipelagos dotted the horizon, like scattered jewels on a sapphire canvas.
> [Tutorial Quest: Claim Your Land]
Objective: Place your King's Mark to declare ownership of Caelora Island.
A small, ornate tablet materialized in his hand — golden, inscribed with runes of power pulsing with warmth.
He walked forward — step by step — until he stood atop a stone pedestal near the cliff's edge. Perhaps left by the ancient powers of this world.
He pressed the tablet down.
Golden light burst forth — spreading across the island like a tide. Invisible lines traced forests, rivers, mountains — marking the boundary of his future kingdom.
> [Caelora Island Ownership Registered]
[All rights transferred to Ardyn Caelum]
> [New Title Unlocked: Island Lord of Caelora]
Ardyn exhaled — a deep, almost trembling laugh escaped him.
This was real.
This was his.
Not just a dream — not just survival — but the right to build, to create, to rule.
Behind him, the System chimed again.
> [System Functions Unlocked:]
Island Overview
Development Console
Quest Log
Resource Management
> [New Quest Available: Establish Your First Settlement]
Objective: Design and Build Your First City — "Caelum's Landing"
> Reward: Instant Build I Module
Bonus Reward: 1000 Initial Citizens (Pioneers of Terra Magna)
Ardyn clenched his fist.
The seas of Terra Magna awaited.
And Caelora Island... would rise.