Chapter Two: First Kill!
To complete the first quest and explore the rules of this strange world, Kaiden began examining the core system interfaces. He had already gone through the World Chat, so he headed straight to the Region Chat.
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[Region Chat]
Current Count: 9,991 Lords
Lord Gamble: Damn it! Where do we find water in this barren land?!
Lord Gina: Is everyone in our region stuck in semi-desert terrain too?
Lord Lisa: An anaconda is going insane trying to break through the Protective Barrier! Mom! I want to go home!
Lord Adam: My land is all wilderness too — no water, and I am having trouble gathering wood.
Lord Ron: Nobody step outside the Protective Barrier! There are dangerous monsters out there!
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Just as he expected — everyone was on semi-desert terrain, same as him. It seemed they were all in the same region. But right now was not the time for questions. Completing the quests came first.
Kaiden moved on to the [World Market], finding it still nearly empty. A few Lords were listing basics like wood, stone, and water at steep exchange rates. He had already checked [Region Status], which left him with the [Lord's Crown].
A window materialized, displaying a simple straw crown at its center — fragile in structure, yet radiating a faint sacred aura.
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[Lord's Crown]
Current: Straw Crown
Properties:
- Region Land: 200m x 200m
- Summon 5 Settlers daily (Daily summon available)
- Activate Region Talent (Granted)
Note: Upgrade the Crown to enhance existing benefits and unlock properties with new effects.
Upgrade Requirements:
1. Upgrade the Lord's Hall to Level 3
2. Construct any additional building
3. Have at least one combat unit (any level)
4. Origin Points x4
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While Kaiden was studying the Lord's Crown details, a sudden notification appeared:
[Quest 'Knowledge is Power' completed! Reward sent to Lord's Inventory: 2L Fresh Water Bottle x6]
Kaiden glanced at the notification, followed the prompt, and opened his inventory. He pulled out one of the bottles — he was already thirsty — and drank a quarter of it in one go, exhaling with relief.
"Refreshing~ I feel like I just came back to life!" He wiped his lips with his sleeve, smiling.
The water cleared his head and eased his body.
But the faint scraping sound of the giant lizard against the barrier pulled the anxiety back into his mind. He wasted no time and moved on to the second quest: First Summon.
He activated the option through the Crown interface — but:
[System Alert: Summon failed! Choose a wider location!]
"Damn it! I forgot how cramped this hut is!" There was no choice but to head outside and retry.
A soft white light flared for a second, then faded — revealing five human figures. Four were ordinary villagers in worn, tattered clothes, and one stood slightly apart: a warrior in simple leather armor, gripping a rusted sword.
[Successfully summoned: Villager x4 and Combat Unit x1 (Militia). Please summon again tomorrow.]
"Long live the Lord!" they shouted in unison, dropping to one knee before him.
[Quest 'First Summon' completed! Reward: Random Elite Soldier x1]
The same soft white light appeared again, smaller this time. It faded to reveal a man with cold features, clad in metal armor that covered his entire body, holding a long spear with a razor-sharp tip.
"Golan, long live the Lord!" Upon seeing the Lord before him, the spearman dropped to one knee.
"Rise," said Kaiden, waving his hand, trying not to let his awkwardness show. Honestly, the whole thing was still new to him.
He took the stone pickaxe and stone axe from his inventory and handed them to the four villagers, then cleared his throat and said:
"Two of you gather stone, two gather wood. Rotate the tools between you, collect the resources, and stack them here in front of the Lord's Hut. But be careful — do not step outside the Protective Barrier surrounding this area!"
"Understood, my Lord!" The villagers took the tools and went on their way.
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As a Lord, Kaiden could pull up the status panel of his subjects. The villagers' panels were straightforward and unremarkable. What caught his attention were his two combat units. He started with the militia soldier standing before him, the one gripping the rusted sword.
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Name: Rob
Rank: Militia (Swordsman)
Loyalty: 75%
Description: Has received some training. Suitable for patrols within the Region, but do not expect much beyond its borders.
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Kaiden had not expected much from the militia soldier's ragged appearance to begin with, so he quickly shifted his gaze to the seasoned spearman before him.
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Name: Golan
Rank: Elite Soldier (Spearman)
Loyalty: 75%
Description: Has undergone intensive military training. Proficient in using a spear for both offense and defense. Capable of fighting the weakest common-tier monsters.
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"Good." Looking over the status panel, Kaiden was satisfied. At least it was a decent start.
He thought for a moment, then said:
"Golan, Rob — follow me."
Kaiden walked, this time heading toward the edge of his Region where the giant lizard lurked.
His Region was not large. It took roughly two minutes to get close to its boundary.
He did not dare approach too closely though — he kept roughly 50 meters between himself and the beast. Reaching even that distance required considerable nerve. As he stood there, eyes fixed on the creature, a new interface appeared.
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Monster Name: Wilderness Lizard (Common)
Attack Methods: Bite, Scratch, Tail Swipe
Description: Do not underestimate it simply because it is the lowest-ranked monster. At your current level, you are nothing more than a walking meal to it.
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"Let's see who the meal is," Kaiden muttered with a challenging edge, then turned to the two soldiers behind him. He pointed toward the beast and spoke, working to keep his composure steady:
"You see that monster over there? It threatens the safety of our nascent Region. Your mission is to eliminate it — use the Protective Barrier to your advantage!"
Kaiden glanced at Rob's rusted sword, then at Golan's long sharp spear, and adjusted his orders:
"Here is the battle plan. Rob, your job is to draw the monster's attention. Watch your footing — do not accidentally step outside the Protective Barrier. Golan, you are an Elite Soldier, I do not need to spell it out for you — wait for the right moment and drive your spear into the monster's weakest point."
Upon hearing the Lord's instructions, both soldiers responded immediately:
"We will see the mission done!"
Kaiden patted them on the shoulders and sent them off:
"I will be waiting for your triumphant return. Move out."
The two soldiers advanced — one carrying the sword, the other the spear — while Kaiden watched the coming battle from behind.
At the sight of humans approaching, the monster's ferocity tripled. Drool dripped from its jaws with hunger. It lashed its thick claws left and right, trying to tear through the Protective Barrier and swallow the prey before it.
As they closed in, Golan's expression did not change under the monster's oppressive aura. His steps remained steady. Rob, however, was visibly afraid — sweat streaming down his forehead, his steps unsteady — yet he kept pushing forward until only a single meter separated him from the beast.
Both soldiers took their positions on either side of the monster. Golan worked to conceal his presence while Rob did the opposite — provoking it shamelessly:
"Over here, you stupid beast! Tonight I am having you for dinner!" As he said it, he slashed his sword across the monster's face. It barely scratched it, but the act sent the creature into a full rage. The monster swung its claw at Rob with full force — only for the strike to collide with the Protective Barrier.
Seeing that, Rob grew bolder. The taunts and insults began pouring out of him like a Gatling gun, driving the monster into an even deeper frenzy.
At that moment, with the monster completely fixated on Rob, Golan gripped his long spear firmly and waited for the right opening.
He did not wait long. The monster's fury made it careless — it reared up in rage, inadvertently exposing its soft underbelly.
Golan did not hesitate. He drove the spear with full force into the monster's exposed belly. The beast had no time to defend — the distance was practically zero.
"ROAAR!" The monster let out a wretched cry as it felt the spear pierce through its innards.
"Hff—!" Golan drew a deep breath, his arms straining visibly under the creature's weight — but he never let go of the spear. Once he felt he had driven it as deep as it would go, he wrenched it back while twisting the tip to maximize the wound and the bleeding.
It was a fatal blow. The monster let out a mournful cry, then collapsed to the ground, scattering dust around it.
A large dark-red bloodstain quickly spread across the earth. The creature's limbs twitched once, then went still — signaling the end of a battle that had lasted only a matter of seconds.
Notifications began appearing before Kaiden one after another:
[System Notification: Your forces have slain a Wilderness Lizard — Common Tier. You have gained: Origin Points x3, Apprentice Carpenter Workshop Bundle Blueprint x1 (Common). Gains deposited into Lord's Inventory.]
[Quest 'First Kill!' completed! Reward sent to Lord's Inventory: Bronze Treasure Chest x1]
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End of Chapter Two
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Author's Note:
Treasure Chest Tiers: Wooden, Bronze, Iron, Silver, Golden, and beyond.
Buildings are divided into two categories: Common and Special.
Monster Ranks: Common, Rare, Demonic, Calamity.