At dawn, June stood outside his modest shelter, the dual suns rising in staggered arcs above the horizon. The mist still clung to the obsidian shore, veiling the world in a sacred hush. In his hand glowed a shimmering prism—the Resort Core.
This is it.
My true beginning.
"New pulse detected from yesterday... not ours," Sapphire reminded him quietly.
June nodded grimly. The discovery of another possible Core in the region had accelerated his plans. If there was indeed a rival Host, he needed to establish his territory immediately.
I'm not alone in this world. But I will be first.
He raised the Core. Its crystalline body pulsed, syncing with his heartbeat.
[Initializing Domain Anchor...]
[Resort Core Recognition: Confirmed]
[Designation: Sovereign June]
[Status: Primary Administrator]
The moment he activated it, a wave of invisible force erupted outward in all directions—rushing over land, sea, and sky. The air bent. The ground hummed. A sensation like stretching space wrapped around his senses.
[DOMAIN ESTABLISHED: BASIC RESORT CONFIGURATION]
[TERRITORY RADIUS: 100 MILES] [SUPPRESSION FIELD: ACTIVE]
Sapphire's voice echoed.
"The Resort Core has initialized your personal Domain. Within this territory, all visiting cultivators—regardless of strength—will be suppressed to the lowest tier of their cultivation."
June's eyes narrowed. He could feel the difference instantly. The air felt lighter, more controlled.
"That applies to magic users too?"
"Yes. Mana flow is restricted. No external flight can exceed 100 meters above ground level. Spiritual sense is dulled. Combat potential—drastically reduced."
So even someone at the peak... will feel like a novice here. A place where gods are humbled.
He smiled, thinking of the Lesser Sky Serpent. Even that impressive creature would be brought down to manageable levels within his domain.
The Core projected a control panel in the air, listing his Base Configuration Settings.
[BASIC RESORT MODULES UNLOCKED]:
Sleeping Pods
Carnivore Food Canteen
Personal Combat Tower (Simulated Battles)
Movie & Music Theatre
Interactive Gaming Center
Healing & Medical Bay
Accessory & Fashion Booths
Theme Modules (Chinese, European, Arabic, and more)
Each entry shimmered with options. June hovered his hand over the Combat Simulation Tower display.
Fight yourself, your past forms, future projections... or imagined enemies. Training redefined.
The Accessory Booths glowed next. Styles, tools, jewelry, and practical items drawn from multiple Earth cultures—each configured to sync with local physics and fashion sensibilities of this new world.
Integration with local civilization will be key to profitability. These stalls could anchor social interaction across races.
"Warning," Sapphire interjected. "Maximum travel range outside Domain is capped at 1000 miles. Expansion requires advanced configurations or Domain Relocation Cards."
June nodded.
"That's fine. This territory is more than enough for Phase One."
"Confirmed. Construction Cards can now be used to upgrade existing features. Would you like to begin?"
He opened the Construction Interface—a sprawling blueprint of his territory overplayed with colored grids and pending modules.
With a swipe, he selected the Resort Heart, then dragged in modules like Basic Housing Pods, Dining Hall, and Entertainment Center.
Each selection began auto-deploying as motes of matter gathered from nearby resources, reshaping themselves midair and forming fully furnished spaces within moments.
The beach transformed.
Dozens of minimalist living pods dotted the coast, each equipped with self-regulating temperature, spiritual shielding, and reactive furniture.
The canteen popped into existence next—a sleek, open-air dome filled with automated grills, fish-smokers, and meat-prep bots. Spirit flames danced beneath cast-iron cauldrons.
"Warning: The canteen's current menu is 85% carnivorous. Recommendation: Add at least one herbivorous option unless you intend to start diplomatic incidents," Sapphire said dryly.
June chuckled. "Make it spicy tofu."
And finally—the Tower.
It emerged like a spear of obsidian from the ground, rising silently as glowing blue circuits spider-webbed its surface.
[Tower of Echoes Activated] [Fighting Simulation Mode: UNLOCKED]
June took a deep breath as everything fell into place. The Spirit Grain he had planted at dawn was already sprouting, accelerated by the domain's energy circulation.
From ruins, to a foundation.
From a businessman, to a domain lord.
The Mer-Folk symbols on the shore now glowed with new energy, responding to his domain establishment. Their invitation matched his intention—a place of neutral ground and safe harbor. But now, it was his harbor. His rules.
He turned to Sapphire.
"How do we attract guests?"
"By offering safety, training, novelty... and influence. Establish your reputation through trade, exploration, or diplomacy. Once word spreads, this resort becomes a neutral sanctuary."
As if on cue, a small alert pinged.
[Notification: Unidentified Entity Entered Domain Perimeter] [Cultivation Suppressed – Effect Confirmed] [Target: Humanoid – Energy Signature Compatible with Coastal Mer-Folk]
The Mer-Folk figure stumbled as their aura flickered, clearly disoriented by the sudden drop in spiritual energy. June watched as they cautiously approached the pod entrance, eyes wide, posture tense.
They're not here for a fight, he thought. They're testing the waters.
June's eyes gleamed.
"Prepare a hospitality package. Let's test the system's welcome protocol."
Just before the guest arrived, Sapphire had noted a brief energy fluctuation—faint, distant, but unmistakable.
"Another Core signature?" June asked.
"Possibly. Dormant. But growing."
He frowned. Let them come. I'll be ready.
"Additionally," Sapphire noted, "your first official task has been generated."
[FIRST TASK ASSIGNED: ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS] [Objective: Successfully host representatives from three different sentient species] [Reward: Advanced Cultural Integration Module + 10,000 Origin Crystals] [Time Limit: 30 Days]
June smiled. "Perfect timing."
As the visitor moved cautiously toward the outer pods, June watched from a distance. He wasn't just building a resort.
He was building a civilization model—a place where power bowed to design, and freedom was earned through creativity and intention.
This world would know his name not because he was the strongest...
But because he built the one place everyone wanted to be.
His gaze briefly returned to the resort interface. One grayed-out module flickered faintly: [Temporal Retreat Spa – LOCKED] "Requires Time-Stabilized Zone and two rare materials: Chrono Moss and Ether Sand," Sapphire explained.
Now that sounds like a VIP experience, June thought.
And perhaps, in time, I'll discover who else carries a Core like mine. Friend or rival—I'll be ready.
[Welcome to the Sovereign Domain of June] [Resort Status: Operational] [First Guest Detected]