Darkness.
For a long time, there was nothing but darkness.
Then came awareness.
Aljeon slowly opened his eyes.
He did not gasp, nor did he panic.
Instead, he simply observed.
A quiet void stretched endlessly around him, like an infinite night sky without stars. No wind. No sound. No movement.
Only silence.
"…So I'm dead."
His voice was calm, almost indifferent.
In his previous life, Aljeon had been an ordinary man on Earth. Quiet, intelligent, and extremely observant. He disliked unnecessary effort and preferred letting others move while he watched the board like a chess master.
He never liked doing things personally.
Why work hard when intelligence could do the job better?
His life had ended quietly—an accident he could not avoid.
Yet here he was.
Alive.
Or perhaps… reborn.
As he thought about this, a faint mechanical voice suddenly echoed inside his mind.
[Dominion Core System initializing…]
Aljeon's eyes narrowed slightly.
Interesting.
[Host detected.]
[Reincarnation confirmed.]
[Binding Dominion Core… Complete.]
A transparent interface appeared before him.
But unlike most people who might panic, Aljeon simply stared at it with curiosity.
"A system…"
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"So this is one of those things from novels."
The voice spoke again.
[Welcome, Host.]
[You have obtained the Dominion Core.]
"Dominion Core…" Aljeon repeated.
"What does it do?"
He asked calmly.
The system responded immediately.
[Dominion Core is a strategic cultivation system designed to assist the Host in building a cosmic dominion.]
Aljeon tilted his head slightly.
"A domination system?"
"Yes."
"That sounds like a lot of work."
He frowned faintly.
"I prefer not doing things myself."
The system paused for a moment.
Then it replied.
[Dominion Core specializes in indirect power.]
[Host may summon units, collect taxes from civilizations, and convert points into cultivation and understanding.]
Aljeon's eyes brightened slightly.
Now that… sounded convenient.
"So I can make others do the work for me?"
[Affirmative.]
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Good."
---
The Ash Throne
Suddenly the void around him changed.
A massive throne made of black ash and ancient stone appeared behind him.
It radiated an ancient, terrifying aura.
Yet strangely, Aljeon felt completely safe sitting on it.
[This location is the Ash Throne.]
[An independent dimension belonging exclusively to the Host.]
Aljeon sat down slowly.
The moment he did, he felt something strange.
Time seemed meaningless here.
His body felt perfectly stable.
"So I cannot be harmed here?"
[Correct.]
[The Ash Throne is invulnerable even to entities beyond the Rank 10.]
Aljeon blinked.
"…Rank 10?"
"That means the cultivation system goes far beyond Rank 10."
The system did not answer that question.
Instead, another notification appeared.
---
[Newbie Pack Available.]
Aljeon leaned forward slightly.
"A starter reward?"
"Yes."
"Open it."
---
[Newbie Pack opened.]
Rewards obtained:
100 Points
Cultivation Upgrade: Rank 1 Elite (Late Stage)
---
Suddenly, a powerful surge of energy appeared inside his consciousness.
A glowing sphere formed.
It floated quietly in the center of his mind.
The Energy Ball.
Aljeon closed his eyes briefly.
He could feel cosmic energy flowing into it.
His senses became sharper.
His mind clearer.
"So this is cultivation…"
He opened his eyes again.
"Explain."
The system immediately responded.
---
The Energy Ball
[The Energy Ball is the core of cultivation.]
Functions:
Absorbs cosmic energy
Refines physical and spiritual strength
Stores techniques and comprehension
Evolves into a Legacy Core at Rank 10
Aljeon listened carefully.
He did not interrupt.
He liked information.
Information meant control.
"Interesting."
"But what about the summoning you mentioned earlier?"
Another panel appeared.
---
Summoning System
Base Summon Limit: 10
Cost per summon: 10 points
Maximum summon rank: Host Rank +2
Aljeon leaned back slightly.
"So I can summon fighters stronger than me."
[Correct.]
"And they obey me?"
[Absolute loyalty.]
He tapped the throne's armrest slowly.
"Summons… are they intelligent?"
[Yes.]
"Can they cultivate?"
[Yes.]
"Can they betray me?"
[Impossible.]
Aljeon nodded slowly.
"Good."
Then he asked another question.
"What level are my summons?"
[Late stage of rank 1 elite.]
"And techniques?"
[Tier 5 – Divine.]
This time, Aljeon was genuinely surprised.
"Divine techniques?"
Even he understood how ridiculous that sounded.
"If that's true… this system is absurd."
He looked at the interface again.
Points: 100
A small smile appeared.
"Well then."
"Let's test it."
---
The First Summon
"System."
"Summon a unit."
The interface flashed.
[10 points consumed.]
The void trembled slightly.
Dark mist gathered in front of the throne.
Then a figure slowly emerged.
A man wearing black armor knelt immediately.
His aura was sharp and deadly.
Like a perfect assassin.
"Greetings, Master."
Aljeon observed him quietly.
Sharp eyes.
Perfect posture.
Disciplined breathing.
"Rank?" Aljeon asked.
[Rank 1 Elite – Late Stage]
The summoned warrior spoke calmly.
"I await your command."
Aljeon simply stared at him.
He felt no excitement.
No pride.
Only curiosity.
"So this is my army."
He rested his chin on his hand.
"Interesting."
But something was still missing.
He needed a battlefield.
A world.
A civilization.
A place where this system could actually function.
"System."
"Are there inhabited worlds nearby?"
The system responded instantly.
---
Planetary Detection
[Scanning nearby star systems…]
A massive holographic star map appeared.
Countless planets appeared like floating lights.
Then one of them suddenly glowed brighter.
[Target located.]
The map zoomed in.
A blue planet appeared.
Clouds.
Oceans.
Massive continents.
Cities.
Billions of people.
Aljeon leaned forward slightly.
"How many inhabitants?"
[8.4 billion humans detected.]
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Civilization level?"
[Low cultivation world – Tier 1.]
"Strongest cultivator?"
There was a brief pause.
Then the system spoke.
[Grandmaster – Late Stage.]
The planet map zoomed further.
Five massive territories appeared.
Empires.
Five powerful human empires ruled the planet.
But the system continued.
[All five empires are controlled by an external force.]
Aljeon's interest grew.
"What force?"
The system answered.
[Blue Phoenix Sect.]
Another image appeared.
Cultivators in blue robes.
Powerful auras.
Flying swords.
A sect symbol shaped like a flaming phoenix.
[Blue Phoenix Sect is an inter-world power expanding across multiple worlds.]
Aljeon's eyes sharpened.
"So this planet is under their control."
[Correct.]
"Who governs it?"
The system highlighted one individual.
A powerful cultivator floating above a mountain palace.
His aura was vast.
Dominating.
[Planetary Overseer: Grandmaster Late Stage.]
[Strongest cultivator on the planet.]
The system continued.
[Primary duty: Guard the planet and collect taxes for the Blue Phoenix Sect.]
Silence filled the Ash Throne.
Aljeon stared at the planet quietly.
Billions of humans.
Five empires.
A powerful sect controlling everything from the shadows.
He slowly leaned back on the throne.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
The kind of smile a chess player makes when seeing a perfect board.
Then he said softly,
"…Interesting."