The man's resolve shattered like glass.
"I...I don't know his name," he sobbed, his hands hovering over the mangled remains of his leg. "Everyone calls him Ironjaw. He's a mountain of a man... human, but he treats us like dogs."
Leo stayed quiet, letting the man's fear do the work.
"He awakened some kind of strength talent," the man rushed on. "When I left the territory, there were three of us. But the Lord throws the others out as bait and hunts monsters from the back. When I got the chance, I escaped until- " He swallowed, looking up at the towering Malphas. "Until he cut my leg."
'So that's the type, Leo thought. 'Uses people as shields and calls it leadership.'
"North," the man said immediately. "Less than half an hour away. There's a hill with black stones. You can find his territory there."
Leo looked down at the man, who was now shivering in the dirt. He considered his options for a moment. 'Should I leave him? If I do, he'll just die slowly or attract monsters. I can't save him either; I have no way to treat a wound like that, and I can't have him slowing me down or leading Ironjaw back here.'
Leo realized there was only one practical choice. He turned to Malphas and gave a small, chilling nod. ''End his suffering.''
Malphas moved without hesitation. One clean swing. There was no sound after that. The goblin flinched, its eyes wide. Leo closed his eyes for a moment as a faint pulse echoed through his chest.
[Ding]
[Sanguine Essence acquired]
Source: Human (Low Rank)
Amount: 3 SE
"So that's how it works," Leo murmured.
[Do you wish to dismantle the corpse? - Yes/No]
He opened his eyes and selected No. 'Dismantle him for what? Human meat? No thanks', Leo thought. He turned to the trembling goblin. "Take your zombie friend, bury the corpse, and start chopping wood," Leo ordered.
The goblin nodded frantically, dragging the listless zombie away. Leo turned back toward the temple. "I will start the construction. We can't afford to fall behind. Malphas, clear a path through the forest. Kill any monsters you find and bring their corpses here.''
''Yes, my Lord,'' Malphas replied, his silhouette dissolving into the trees.
Leo moved to the center of his domain and opened the interface for the Lord's Hall.
[Construction Available] Wooden Lord's Hall (Lv 1) Requirement: Blueprint Lv 1 (1/1), Wood (50/50), Stone (50/50)
He confirmed the order. The ground trembled. Blood-veined stone rose from the earth, forming a solid structure beside the temple. Wooden beams locked into place, reinforced by an unnatural power.
[Construction Timer: 09:59...]
Leo leaned against the temple wall and flicked open the Trade Market. It was a digital graveyard of desperation. People were listing their clothes, their shoes- anything- for a single ration of meat. There were few listings yet; most Lords were either paralyzed by fear or already dead.
Item: Raw Meat | Quantity: 10 | Price: 30 Wood | Seller: Thornstep
Item: Raw Meat | Quantity: 20 | Price: 4 Stone per unit | Seller: Fangbound
'Fair prices for the first day,' Leo thought. Then, one listing caught his eye and made his blood run cold with recognition.
Item: Common grade Summoning Scroll | Quantity: 1 | Price: 200 Wood or 100 Stone | Seller: Steven_L
Note: ''Know your place. This is for serious buyers only.''
''Judging by that absurd price and the arrogance, that's definitely Steven,'' Leo chuckled, a dark amusement dancing in his eyes. He briefly considered messing with the listing but decided it wasn't worth it. However, the market proved that the starting stage was the golden hour for hoarding resources from the weak.
Suddenly, a system message flashed across the vision of every Lord in the Expanse.
[Regional Announcement] Attention all Lords. Beast Lord Korrath Veld has upgraded his territory to Settlement(Lv 1). As the first Lord across all races to do so, he has been awarded a Unique Chest (Rare Rank).
The announcement sent a shockwave through the human chat.
[Channel 86]
[User: Richie Rich]: "How the hell did a beast complete it before me?! God dammit!"
[User: Princess Luna]: "Guys, why did the system call him 'Beast Lord'?"
[User662]: "Maybe because the bro looks like a gorilla?LOL"
[User: Elias Crowe]: "Titles reflect race and authority. Humans aren't the only Lords here."
[User: Steven L]: "May b that beast have corresponding talent to speed up his constructions".
[User: Mercenary Kim]: Rare chest already? Damn.
[User: Humanity First: "Wait, 'Ursine-Beastman'? You mean we're fighting literal 8-foot bears for territory?"
Leo stood before his building site, watching the final blood-veined stones lock into place. A notification chimed in his mind.
[Ding!] [Construction Complete: Wooden Lord's Hall (Lv 1)] Territory Rank: Settlement (Tier 1) New Features Unlocked: [Lord's Throne]
Leo stepped inside. The hall was austere- sturdy dark wood and cold stone- but in the center sat a simple wooden chair. Leo chuckled, running his hand along the grain as he sat down.
''Well, you might be a bit plain to be called a 'throne,' but one day, I'll rebuild you out of the rarest materials in Origin,'' he promised.
He didn't dwell on the Beast Lord; it was inevitable that others would move quickly. Laura might be unawakened, but her gift had made his journey much easier so far. It wasn't hard to guess how much other awakened families were helping their own heirs.
Of course, there was a limit to what you could bring into the trial, but Leo had enough resources to construct everything needed to upgrade, and so would they.
He checked his inventory [*200 Wood and *200 Stone] and queued the remaining structures.
As the 10-minute timers ticked down, Leo leaned back and closed his eyes, his mind drifting into the telepathic resonance of his Guardian.
***
In the suffocating shadows of the forest, Malphas was a silhouette of crimson death. He moved with a heavy, rhythmic drag, pulling a massive bundle of monster carcasses bound by thorny vines.
A sudden vibration in the air made his ears twitch. To his west, a predatory intent flared in the darkness. Malphas dropped his haul, his hand hovering over the hilt of his blade.
Both his armor and sword were "Blood-Relics"- dormant artifacts that hungered for his rank to rise. Even in their sleeping state, they hummed with a lethality that common steel could never match. His crimson eyes pierced the gloom, locking onto a multi-legged horror skittering through the canopy.
[Target: Gloom-Stinger Spider (Uncommon) (E-Rank)]
'A trap,' Malphas thought, observing the clever web the spider had spun in the shadows. He didn't charge. Instead, he coiled his body like a spring and launched his sword with a violent snap of his arm. The blade became a streak of ruby light- a Crimson Javelin that pierced the air.
SWISHHHH
The Gloom-Stinger didn't even have time to hiss. The sword buried itself through the creature's thorax, pinning its twitching body to a black-barked tree. Malphas extended a hand, and with a silent command, the blood-link pulled the weapon back into his palm.
He added the spider to his haul, but his gaze lingered on the deepening darkness of the forest. 'E-ranks are becoming common. The D-ranks won't be far behind.'
''Malphas.'' Leo's voice echoed in his mind, sharp and commanding.
''I hear you, My Lord.''
''Night is falling. You know the dangers. Return to the territory.''
Taking one final look at the deep forest, Malphas turned back, feeling a bit disappointed he couldn't hunt more.
By the time he reached the clearing, the purple moons of Origin were rising. Leo stood before the Seraphine statue, the silhouette of a growing base rising behind him. Small houses and a storage shed now stood within a jagged wooden fence.
[Encampment Upgrade Requirements: MET] [Proceed with Upgrade to Encampment (Lv 1)?] Warning: Upgrading during the Frenzy may draw the attention of nearby Monsters.
Leo didn't hesitate. He needed the Features and the strength that came with it. He tapped the icon.
''Let them come,'' Leo whispered. ''The Shield is still holding.''