Chapter 1 – Congratulations, You're Dead!
Rin Kisaragi had always imagined that if he died young, it would be in some tragic, movie-worthy fashion. Maybe a heroic sacrifice, or at least something that would make the news.
Instead, he died at his desk.
Slumped over his keyboard, drowned in a sea of spreadsheets and unpaid overtime, he didn't even realize he had worked himself to death.
No dramatic farewell, no weeping coworkers—just a brief moment of dizziness, then darkness.
And now?
Now, he was standing in an endless golden hall with a bored-looking god sipping tea.
"Well, that was pathetic."
Rin blinked. "Huh?"
The god gave him a tired look.
"Seriously, kid. Your life was nothing but work, stress, and instant ramen. You barely even lived , you were just like an NPC."
Rin frowned. That was a bit harsh.
"...Who are you?"
The god gestured lazily.
"I go by many names. God, Creator, Supreme Being, Jeff—"
"Jeff?"
"Okay, not Jeff, but you get the idea."
Rin sighed, rubbing his temples. Was this what the afterlife was? Being insulted by a divine being?
"Alright, so I'm dead. What now?"
The god smirked.
"I'm giving you a second chance."
A golden screen appeared before Rin.
[Empire-Building System Acquired]
Mission: Build a Kingdom, Expand, and Survive.
Rin stared at the glowing text.
"...What?"
The god waved his hand casually.
"You lived a miserable life, so I'm dropping you into another world. You start with nothing—no land, no wealth, no allies—but hey, you have a system! Figure it out."
Rin felt a headache forming. "Why a kingdom? I don't even know how to manage my own apartment, let alone a nation!"
"Not my problem. Have fun!"
Before Rin could argue, the god snapped his fingers—
And the world turned white.
CRASH!
Rin—no, Reinhardt—slammed into the ground like a meteor.
The impact knocked the air from his lungs, and he groaned, rolling onto his back. Above him stretched a vast blue sky, dotted with wisps of clouds. The scent of grass and earth filled his nose.
It took him a second to process it.
"...I survived?"
[Welcome to the World of Arvendale!]
[Current Status: Broke, Landless, and Alone.]
Reinhardt sat up, rubbing his aching ribs.
"I knew this was going to suck."
As he took in his surroundings, he realized that he was in the middle of a dense forest. Tall trees stretched toward the sky, their leaves rustling in the breeze. The air was crisp, the ground uneven, and the only sounds were distant birds and—
A low growl.
Reinhardt froze.
Slowly, he turned his head toward the source. Two glowing yellow eyes peered at him through the underbrush.
A wolf.
[Warning: You Are Currently Defenseless!]
"Oh, great," Reinhardt muttered. "The god drops me here with nothing, and I'm already about to be dog food."
The wolf crept closer, muscles tensed. Reinhardt had no weapons, no armor—nothing.
And then—
[Divine Gift Unlocked: The Emperor's Edge]
[Weapon: A Legendary Sword That Grows Stronger as Your Kingdom Expands.]
A flash of light erupted in front of him. Suddenly, a sword appeared in his hands.
It wasn't overly ornate—just a simple, well-balanced blade with a black-and-gold hilt. But the moment he gripped it, he felt power surge through his body.
[Skill Unlocked: Ruler's Command]
[Effect: Intimidates weaker enemies and boosts the morale of your allies.]
As soon as the skill activated, the wolf stiffened. Its ears flattened, and for a moment, it hesitated.
Reinhardt didn't waste time.
"Alright, let's see if this thing works!"
He swung the sword in a wide arc. The blade cut clean through the air—and through the wolf.
A second later, the beast collapsed, dead.
[Enemy Defeated! +10 EXP Earned!]
Reinhardt exhaled.
"...Holy crap, I just killed a wolf."
He looked down at the sword in his hands. This wasn't a dream. This wasn't some weird afterlife hallucination.
He was here, in another world. And he had a system that would help him build an empire.
For a moment, the reality of it hit him.
He was truly starting from zero. No home, no army, no wealth—just a sword, a system, and a dangerously empty stomach.
And then, from deep in the forest, another wolf howled.
Reinhardt sighed.
"Yeah. This is gonna be a long day."