Missed the top 20: A new beginning

A floating island measuring 100 x 100 meters leisurely drifted through the clouds.

On this island, a young man sat on a chair, with a table beside him holding a glass of wine.

The man was Lein, enjoying the beautiful morning. The warm morning sun bathed his muscular body.

Yes, this was the seventh day in the Divine Sky Realm.

[Event: Rise of the Sovereign]

[Event duration: 0 days, 1 hour, 12 minutes...]

The event time was down to just over an hour. Lein opened the event leaderboard and his expression turned indifferent.

[Event Ranking]

1. William Anderson - 136,490,000

2. Bai Qi - 91,721,000

3. Vladimir Nova - 85,034,000

4. Kim Un - 55,648,000

...

26. Lein - 23,800,000

31. Laras - 21,738,000

He could hardly believe it. He had been very proud of his SSS-level talent, something that defied the heavens.

But it seemed his talent did not lie in combat. His instinct to create a trading organization had been spot on.

Lein was curious about the powers those other people possessed. Did they also have SSS-level talents? Lately, he had been losing sleep over these thoughts.

Realizing there was no chance of making it into the top 20, Lein decided to return to his main island.

He stood up and entered the only portal on the floating island.

___

At that moment, atop a circular altar, a young man with black hair and a golden sword at his hip emerged from a 10-meter portal.

Lein observed his surroundings and saw many people. He had missed this place.

He had not returned to the main island once in his quest to climb the rankings, but all his efforts had been in vain.

Stepping off the portal altar, Lein saw the bustling city streets, lined with street vendors and buildings like hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, and more.

"Hahaha... I seem to have pushed myself too hard. Isn't this vibrant place my dream?" he thought to himself.

Yes, Lein had been trying his luck at becoming a sovereign, a king, an emperor, like in the novels. With his SSS-level talent, he thought he could do it. But reality was different.

"Alright, I wonder how Nita is doing?" Lein was curious about his younger sister, Nita.

...

"Hey, stop... I said stop!" A uniformed man grabbed a young boy by the shoulder.

"Give it back," the man demanded, extending his hand.

"What? I didn't take your stuff!" The boy didn't give up, his hand trembling in his pocket.

He stared defiantly at the uniformed man without fear.

"Are you trying to cause trouble? I'll show you the power of a level 13 mage," the uniformed man threatened, his body glowing white. A black staff appeared in his right hand.

The boy activated his own equipment, a wooden sword materializing in his hand. He was only level 3.

Before the uniformed man could use his skill, an elderly man in red robes appeared.

"Master Ruyi, let it go. He's still young. He's also my student from the Red Flower Magic Academy."

"I'll replace whatever he took," the old man continued.

"Alright, I won't pursue this further. Ask him what he stole," the uniformed man replied, visibly annoyed.

"Aldi... What did you take?" the old man asked the boy.

The boy seemed to relent, showing respect for the elderly man before him.

He pulled out a black pouch containing 10 Energy Crystals.

"Sorry, Teacher Damas, but my mother needs these crystals," the boy explained, tears streaming down his face.

"Don't cry. I'll visit your home later," Teacher Damas reassured the boy, then tossed the black pouch to the uniformed man, adding 5 extra Energy Crystals as compensation.

"The matter is settled here," the old man declared.

"Thank you, Master Damas," the uniformed man grumbled before walking away.

Lein had watched the entire scene. He had wanted to intervene, but the old man had acted faster.

"Red Flower Academy?" Lein mused aloud.

He decided to continue exploring the island.

Lein felt the creation of the academy was justified. His floating island now spanned over 120 x 120 km. Combined with the total area of the floating islands of the 10 members of the World Market Alliance, the alliance's total area was 150,000 square kilometers.

A huge island, with only 50-100 thousand residents, leaving many areas still uninhabited.

Lein continued his journey through the vibrant Life City. After wandering through several streets, he arrived at a three-story restaurant.

He entered and was warmly greeted by a male waiter.

The waiter was very efficient and polite.

"Welcome to Rudi Resto. Please, sir..."

The waiter guided Lein to a table and offered the menu.

Grilled Fish with Sambal, Tofu Fried Rice, Grilled Nila Soup...

Seeing the menu, Lein couldn't help but be astonished.

"What is this? Is this Earth?" For a moment, the menu shocked him, which was very similar to those in Earth's restaurants.

"Excuse me, sir, is there nothing to your liking?" the waiter asked, noticing Lein's distraction.

"Sorry, sorry. I'll have the Spicy Crab and hot tea," Lein replied, still deep in thought. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

During his six-day absence, Nita hadn't mentioned anything like this. She had only said everything was going well. There were no void monster attacks, no dangers, and the city was thriving.

"Did she do this on purpose?" Lein wondered.

A broad smile appeared on his face.

The restaurant's atmosphere was very tranquil, with the sound of a mini fountain adding a peaceful, harmonious touch.

Lein looked around, seeing other patrons, young couples, families, and some individuals.

Their attire varied, almost resembling Earth's fashion.

"Yeah... The system is indeed convenient. Equipment only appears when activated," he thought.

Like in the earlier conflict between the uniformed man and the boy, combat equipment is only activated when used. In normal conditions, only regular clothes were visible.

Within five minutes, Lein's order arrived.

A crab the size of a human head was served with steaming hot broth that looked fresh and delicious.

"Your order, sir. Please enjoy," the waiter said, carefully placing the dish before leaving.

"Thank you."

Lein tasted the crab soup.

"Wow... This is incredible... I've been missing out for six days," Lein cursed his choice.

"Damn you, Nita. I'll get back to you someday," Lein muttered, blaming Nita for his misfortunes.