*RUMBLE*
High above his darkened castle, an infant with an eerie, otherworldly glow hovered silently. Demon God Mao surveyed the scene below, his gaze sharp and unyielding as he evaluated the newly recruited demons that now swore loyalty to him. His diminutive fra belied the imnse power emanating from him, a power that bent reality itself to his will.
Floating just behind him was Zhu Xin Ci, her lifeless eyes staring blankly into the void. Once a proud and powerful being, her strength had been drained to the last drop when she gave birth to the demon god. Now, her body was a husk of its forr self, and her consciousness was shattered beyond repair. Reduced to little more than a vessel, she existed only to nourish her monstrous progeny.
With a flick of his essence, Demon God Mao kept Zhu Xin Ci aloft. Her body was suspended in the sky like a puppet. Her broken form was just strong enough to produce the milk and blood he required to sustain his growing strength. He injected a sliver of his essence into her periodically, keeping her alive.
As he floated above the castle grounds, Demon God Mao's eyes scanned the expanse of his flying island. His gaze fixed on a group of basilisks near the edge of the demon encampnt. These creatures, grotesque and malford, still bore remnants of their Lamia heritage. Despite their ugly appearances, they were forr mothers, and to him, that made them suitable candidates for his needs.
Without a word, ten basilisks were plucked from the ground by his invisible grip, dragging them through the air toward the castle. Mao's focus, however, briefly shifted beyond the protective do surrounding his island.
Outside the barrier, 50 figures hovered above the island, fixing their gazes on the infant demon god. They were fate crystal bearers and system users, a coalition of the world's strongest champions, united by a singular purpose: to end Mao's reign before it fully began. Each had prepared for this confrontation with ticulous care, awaiting the system's signal to launch the scenario quest.
Mao's lips curled into a sinister smirk. His physical form was incapable of speech, but his telepathic voice echoed in the minds of his adversaries like a venomous whisper.
"You still have ti. Go and say goodbye to your loved ones because none of you will ever see them again once it starts!"
Among the gathered warriors were a grizzled champion from the Crimson Desert, a 300-year-old veteran and a 9-star aura knight. His rugged face twisted into a mocking sneer as he responded to Mao's provocation.
"Arrogant brat," he spat, "Don't worry. I know exactly how to deal with pompous fools like you. I'll drink your blood, consu your flesh, and take your place as the demon god!"
Mao's laughter rang out in their minds. The barbarian's bravado amused him, but it was a futile gesture. He turned away from the challengers, descending into his castle as he silently counted down the days this world had left.
Mao had no intention of playing by the rules set by Phoenix Ancestor Leo or the system itself. The world, its champions, and even Felix—he intended to obliterate them all. Only the won would be spared, though their fate was far from rcy. In Mao's twisted vision, they would serve as vessels to breed an endless legion of demons, solidifying his dominion for eternity.
For now, he turned his focus to the basilisks he had dragged inside. Their blood and milk would fuel his growing strength, fortifying him for the battles to co. Yet, it was not enough. Mao's gaze shifted to the philosopher's stones in the system store.
10,000 years of lifespan was nothing. However, as Leo had plundered all his lifespan and power, he had to start over again. It would take a while to amass that amount once more.
Mao's eyes glead with cruel anticipation. He simply needed three years to gather that amount, which the scenario quests would buy him enough ti. Then, he could get his hands on one, and use it to restore his adult form.
After that, no mortal would be his opponent!
"Soon, they'll all see. This world was mine the mont I was born."
.
.
Seven days had passed.
Felix stood atop a small hill, observing the farmland and the northern town from a distance. The construction of 1,000 additional houses was nearly complete, with 600 fully operational and already housing new residents.
Despite the lack of electricity, the townspeople, paladins, and priestesses seed content with their new living arrangents, appreciating the stability and shelter provided.
However, the task of bringing electricity to the 1,100 hos was impossible. The issue wasn't just the infrastructure, but it was the education.
He could already envision the chaos. For example, an innocent curious child inserted foreign objects into electrical sockets, resulting in zapped fingers, house fires, and death.
For now, he opted for simplicity, forcing the people to rely on lamps, candles, and torches during the night. This also encouraged a rhythm Felix found endearing, where everyone returned ho by nightfall and rose before dawn to prepare for the day. This early-to-bed, early-to-rise culture suited the island, and Felix intended to preserve it as long as he could.
The eastern farm district had seen remarkable progress. Felix had invested in three new system farm plots to diversify the crops, each equipped with advanced system features:
Farmland #4 - Add-On Options:
- Auto Watering
- Auto Fertilizing
- Crops Protection Barrier
- Crops Improvent
- Faster Growth
While the options were limited, they were enough to ensure a stable and abundant harvest. Felix selected a mix of crops he'd unlocked from his farming simulation ga, introducing new varieties to the already flourishing farms.
The small village founded by the dorky farr Terris and his hobgoblin wife Gelda had blossod into a lively community. Their children, thanks to their mother's rapid growth trait, had already reached adulthood.
As the second generation was siblings, they couldn't propagate. To address this, Felix purchased new villagers from the system, carefully selecting potential partners to ensure the village continued to thrive.
The townspeople's gratitude toward Felix was boundless. His recent visit had left them with invaluable gifts: dragon at, modern tools, and furniture, all of which boosted their quality of life even though the town had beco largely self-sufficient.
Terris insisted on presenting him tributes—spirit cabbages, wheat, grapes, carrots, and other high-grade products of nature.
Using a philosopher's stone, Felix multiplied the gifted crops and handed them over to Clover. She was tasked with extracting seeds and expanding their plantation efforts. Within days, the four system farms were brimming with new life:
Farm 1: Potatoes, corn, and wheat—ideal for bread, beer, and other staples.
Farm 2: Apple trees and grapevines for fruits and potential winemaking.
Farm 3: A diverse array of vegetables.
Farm 4: Rotational planting of whatever the town needed most.
Felix avoided setting up livestock farms, deeming them inefficient given his resources. Instead, he leveraged the philosopher's stone to multiply livestock brought by the migrating villagers. A single pig, sheep, and cow beca enough to feed the island's population. The multiplied at was distributed generously—farrs received shares for their labor and taxes, while the church received donations to support the paladins and priestesses who couldn't farm themselves.
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Even the Lamias took notice of the flourishing farms. A group of them, led by a few dragonewt elders, joined Clover's farming lessons, eager to contribute. Soon, over a hundred dragonewts and Lamias queued alongside human farrs to work the fields.
While minor squabbles between the paladins and Lamias persisted, they were little more than petty argunts, and peace prevailed on the island.
Yet, as life continued harmoniously, Felix found himself sighing. Seven days had passed since he last saw Zen. His thoughts drifted to her and the ambitious paladin training project.
Had it succeeded?
Were the paladins ready to face the challenges ahead?
As Felix stood overlooking the farmland, Zen suddenly appeared, accompanied by ten of her paladins.
Felix turned to greet them, but his gaze imdiately was drawn to their noticeably smaller fras. Their once well-fitted armor now seed oversized.
He raised an eyebrow, puzzled by their transformation. Zen, ever the professional, stepped forward to present the results of her experint.
"My lord. These ten are the results of consuming the black tortoise at you provided. They were forrly 4-star aura knights, but after ten days of sacred beast consumption, they have advanced to 5-star knights."
Felix's face lit up with excitent. "It worked? That's incredible! But...what about the side effects?"
The ten paladins responded with radiant smiles. Zen coughed delicately, her expression shifting to one of mild awkwardness. "Well… they did lose weight…about one-third of their body mass."
"One-third?! Isn't that dangerous?"
"Not at all. The weight they lost was primarily useless muscle mass. The black tortoise at compacted their muscles, making them denser while retaining the sa, if not greater, explosive strength. Their aura reserves have also doubled. In short, their physiques are now optimized for combat. They're quite happy with the results—they no longer resemble female ogres, as so of them used to say."
So of the paladins removed their helts. Dark eyes, jet-black hair, and unnervingly pale skin greeted him, a stark contrast to their previous vibrant appearances.
Zen cleared her throat, gesturing to their altered features. "Another side effect is a change in pigntation. Their hair and eyes turned black, and their skin beca paler. However, they seem to like their new look."
Felix hesitated, glancing at the transford knights. "And they're genuinely happy with this?"
Zen turned to the paladins, who responded with enthusiastic nods and even a few words of gratitude. "Very much so."
Felix's grin returned. "In that case, start distributing the black tortoise at to the rest of the paladins. Let's see how far this can take us."
Zen chuckled dryly, already imagining the impact this would have on their troops' appearance and morale. She couldn't help but wonder what Cornelia, Felix's other confidante, might think when she saw the army of pale, raven-haired warriors.
As the paladins saluted and began to march off, their spirits visibly high, Zen lingered by Felix's side. "My lord, are you ready for an entire army of paladins with this… distinct aesthetic?"
Felix smirked, "As long as they're stronger and happy with themselves, I'm ready for anything. Besides, it's not the look that matters—it's the results on the battlefield."
Zen shook her head, suppressing a laugh. "Cornelia's going to have so opinions, I'm sure."
"Let her," Felix replied with a shrug. "If she has a better idea, I'll hear it. For now, let's focus on fortifying our forces."
As Zen departed, Felix glanced once more at the transford paladins. An army of these enhanced warriors would certainly draw attention and potentially change the course of battles yet to co.
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