A Different World

Alberto's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the forest before him. The trees towered above him, their leaves a vibrant green that seemed to glow in the sunlight.

"What the...?" he muttered to himself, his mind struggling to wrap around the reality of his situation.

[Scanning completed]

[Host detected. System activated]

Alberto's eyes snapped to the holographic interface that had appeared before him.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

[Host, I am the System. You have arrived in a world called Proxima Center. It is ten times larger than your previous planet. Your current level is 1. As you level up, you will gain more privileges. Upon reaching level 100, you will unlock the Planet Development System.]

"A system? Like some sci-fi nonsense? This has to be a dream."

[Incorrect. This is reality. I will guide you in this world.]

Alberto took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He had always been a history buff, and the idea of exploring a new world was exhilarating. But he was also scared. What if he failed? What if he couldn't adapt?

He looked around at the forest, trying to take in every detail. He saw the trees, the flowers, the birds flying overhead. It was all so beautiful, but also so overwhelming.

Then a question burned in his mind.

"System… did we win the war? World War II?"

[Yes. The Allied forces emerged victorious.]

He was relieved to hear this. His and his companions' sacrifices did not go in vain.

Alberto exhaled sharply. Relief, exhaustion, and pride hit him all at once.

"Thank God… we did it."

But the moment was brief. He was in an unknown world.

[To establish your rule, you must first name your country.]

"My country? You mean I have to build a nation?"

[Correct.]

Alberto ran a hand through his hair. Jesus… first, I survive Normandy, and now I have to start a whole damn empire?

"Alright… uh, how about 'The Empire'?"

[That is too vague.]

"Figures. Fine, just use my last name."

[Your country's name has been set as The Bernard Empire.]

Alberto gave a short laugh. Hell, at least it sounds official.

[Now, name your capital city.]

"You pick."

[Capital name set as Rafa.]

He nodded.

[As the founder of this nation, you may also choose a new identity. Do you wish to change your name or title?]

"No. I'm keeping my name. My title will be… Emperor."

[Understood. Name: Alberto Bernard. Title: Emperor.]

[Next, choose your government structure.]

A list of options appeared:

Socialist Republic

Constitutional Imperialism

Stratocracy

Theocracy

People's Republic

Republic

Demarchy

Dictatorship

Oligarchy

Absolute Monarchy

Aristocracy

Communist Dictatorship

Communist Theocracy

Alberto studied the options. He had fought dictators, and democracy wasn't exactly easy to build from scratch. If he wanted stability…

"Absolute Monarchy."

[Very well. Your empire will be an Absolute Monarchy.]

[Now, establish your calendar system.]

"I have no idea how to do that."

[Defaulting to the existing world calendar. The current date is 2-4-1560 WC.]

"Fine."

[The initial phase of nation-building is complete. Now, you must accumulate wealth. Missions will grant rewards, including money and resources.]

[Additionally, you have three unopened gift boxes. Would you like to open them now?]

"Not yet. I need to get my bearings first."

[Understood. Your first mission is to eliminate 100 monsters.]

His muscles tensed.

"Monsters? What kind?"

[Hostile creatures. You may purchase weapons from the System Shop.]

"Huh! How do I do that?"

[You have been given one million SC as a bonus. System currency. You can choose the weapon from the system store.]

He slowly approached the floating holographic interface with a displayed «System Shop» on it and then tapped it.

Suddenly—the System Shop exploded, and multiple floating interfaces appeared.

Alberto's eyes widened as he looked at the system store. He had never seen anything like it before.

He then tapped on the [Weapons] tab. It opened to a detailed catalog of firearms, melee weapons, and heavy artillery. Each weapon was listed with its origin, model, and specifications. There were handguns, rifles from various countries, and even some exotic weapons that seemed out of place in his world. Again, many were locked and required him to level up to access them.

[Purchase: Thompson Submachine Gun "Tommy Gun" – 440 SC]

The iconic firearm materialized in his hands. It was real. The weight, the grip—it felt just like the one he had used during the war.

"Alright… now, where are these monsters?"

[100 meters south.]

Alberto's grip tightened. He had only heard about monsters in stories, and now he was going to encounter them for the first time.

He was a bit nervous and excited.

[Host, do you wish to summon troops for support?]

He froze.

"Troops? You mean I can call in soldiers?"

[Yes. Loyal forces can be summoned using System Currency.]

Alberto was encouraged to use this new power.

He agreed like a child eager to use his newfound toy.

Alberto reached out and tapped on the [Personnel] tab. The interface shifted, showing a list of personnel, ranging from combat soldiers to logistics and medical staff. Each entry included a brief description and skill level, but most were locked, requiring him to level up before he could access them.

He was ready to summon some U.S. troops—but then he saw something that stopped him cold.

"Imperial German Infantry—1914"

His breath caught. His hand hovered over the interface.

"Germans?"

His stomach twisted. His mind flashed back to the war—the battles, the fallen comrades. The very idea of fighting alongside German soldiers made his blood run cold.

"System… will they obey me?"

[All summoned personnel are absolutely loyal to you.]

Alberto clenched his jaw. Could he trust this? Could he trust them?

But then logic kicked in. The Kaiser's Germany wasn't the same as Hitler's. These weren't Nazis. These were WWI-era soldiers. And if they could fight—

He exhaled sharply and tapped Summon.

900,000 SC vanished.

A series of glowing magic circles formed in the clearing. Then, figures emerged—dozens of them, standing in formation.

They wore Field Gray uniforms and Pickelhaube helmets, gripping Gewehr 98 rifles. Some had Mauser C96 pistols, MG08 machine guns, and Stielhandgranates strapped to their belts.

Alberto's fists clenched as they snapped to attention.

For a long moment, he just stared at them.

"Jesus Christ… I never thought I'd see the day."

Then, a system prompt appeared:

[You may rename them if desired.]

He took a deep breath.

"Alright, listen up!"

The soldiers straightened, their sharp blue eyes locked on him.

"There's a group of monsters 100 meters south of us. Our mission is to eliminate them!"

He expected hesitation—maybe even resistance.

Instead—

"Yes, Kommandant! Orders received! Destroy the enemy!"

Alberto's breath hitched.

They were his now.

A slow smirk formed on his face.

"Then let's move. Follow me!"