Rome in another world

Maximinus Messala woke up under a tree. As he looked around, he saw flatlands and trees stretching endlessly. He sat down, trying to process the situation. A few minutes passed, and he realized something this wasn't his world.

It was a typical Wednesday evening when he had been mugged at gunpoint and forced into a dark alley. Years of military experience kicked in, and he tackled the mugger. In the scuffle, he realized he had been stabbed. Even with all his training, he didn't make it. His life had ended in that alley.

Yet here he was, alive, in what seemed to be a brand-new world.

As he pondered his circumstances, a robotic voice echoed in his head.

Ding!

[Welcome, host. I am the Roman Empire Building System.]

Hearing this, Maximinus should have been shocked, but his love for isekai anime and empire-building games prepared him for this. Maintaining his usual calm demeanor, he asked, "So, System, I assume I was reincarnated or something like that?"

[Yes, host. You have been transported to an undiscovered island, roughly the size of New Zealand. This land is rich in resources such as copper, gold, silver, adamantine, mithril, etc. It is the ideal place to build your Roman Empire from scratch.]

Maximinus took a moment to consider his situation. He had always loved strategy games, war simulations, and building powerful civilizations. Now, he had the opportunity to do it for real.

"System, explain your functions and what I need to get started."

[System Functions:]

Shop: Purchase items such as Philosopher's Stones, magic tomes, and other resources.

Inventory: Store items with unlimited storage capacity. Note: Living beings cannot be stored.

Skills: View and acquire skills, either learned naturally or purchased from the shop.

Maximinus processed the information before asking, "Do I have any sort of starter pack?"

[Yes, host. Would you like to open it?]

"Yes."

[Starter Pack Opened

4x Gacha Tickets

1x Prebuilt City (Includes Royal Palace, Infrastructure, and Housing for a large population)

100x Royal Guards

500,000x Citizens

2x Roman Legions

1-Year Supply of Food and Building Materials]

[Would you like to place the city here? This location is optimal, featuring fertile land, rivers, a nearby mountain range, and proximity to the sea.]

"Are the summoned people loyal to me? Also, can I choose their armor?"

[Yes, host. They are completely loyal but retain emotions and free will. They will not obey self-destructive orders. You may also customize their armor.]

"Good. Equip all soldiers with full-plated armor. System, summon the 100 Royal Guards."

A brilliant light flashed before him, and as it faded, 100 fully armored Royal Guards stood before him. They saluted in unison.

"We greet His Imperial Majesty."

"Guard me while I think for a moment," Maximinus ordered.

The guards immediately formed a protective perimeter around him.

"System, spawn the city, summon the citizens, and deploy the two legions."

The ground trembled as a grand city materialized, encompassing rivers and fertile plains. To his left, half a million citizens appeared, and to his right, two full-strength Roman legions stood in formation, their armor gleaming in the sunlight.

Wasting no time, he organized the citizens into their respective workforces:

Skilled Labor and Artisans: 50,000

Agricultural Workers: 100,000

Miners and Resource Extractors: 30,000

Construction Workers: 20,000

Healthcare and Education: 10,000

Other Professions: Various

With these roles assigned, he ordered them into the city to begin working. Recognizing the need for an economic system, he instructed a group of financial experts to establish a temporary fiat currency.

"The capital shall be named Rome," he declared. It was only fitting.

He then directed the legions to their barracks and assigned patrols to guard the city's perimeter. Finally, escorted by his Royal Guards, he explored his palace. It was vast, adorned with intricate architecture, and divided into multiple districts. As he ascended to the second floor, he arrived at a pair of golden doors decorated with exquisite artwork. The guards opened them, revealing a grand throne room.

Taking his seat on the throne, Maximinus exhaled deeply. "System, how powerful am I?"

[Host is five times stronger than an average human. Strength will increase with training, conquest, and empire expansion.]

"System, scan the island and tell me about the nearest landmass."

[The island contains various monsters, including goblins, orcs, and other creatures. The nearest continent is a 14-day sea voyage away and hosts multiple kingdoms and empires.]

Maximinus paused, formulating his strategy. First, he needed to stabilize the city and secure food production. With only a year's worth of supplies, he ordered the farmers to begin planting immediately.

"System, use the four remaining Gacha Tickets."

[Gacha Results:

Flag of the Roman Empire

Chancellors

Magic Affinity

Magical Library]

"Explain these rewards."

[Flag of the Roman Empire: This banner instills unwavering loyalty in all citizens. It doubles their learning speed, grants immunity to most diseases, and increases the likelihood of magical affinity and martial arts proficiency. Conquered lands will integrate seamlessly, and their people will receive these same benefits.]

[Chancellors: Expert advisors specializing in governance, finance, and economics. They will help manage and expand the empire efficiently.]

[Magic Affinity: Host can learn and master all forms of magic, including Arcane, Divine, and Spiritual, as long as training is undertaken.]

[Magical Library: A grand repository containing vast knowledge on magic, strategy, and history.]

Maximinus reviewed his rewards with a growing sense of determination. "System, place the Magical Library within the Royal Library."

Instantly, the grand structure materialized in the designated location.

Next, he ordered the Flag of the Roman Empire to be raised on the main flagpole. As it unfurled, the morale of his people surged, and a newfound sense of unity spread throughout the settlement.

Lastly, he summoned his Chancellors, who immediately began analyzing resources, drafting development plans, and structuring the city's economy.

"Rome wasn't built in a day, but it starts today." he muttered.

To be continued. . . . . . . .

(A/N irregular updates)

(any thoughts of the story)