As the sun began to dip behind the hills, casting long shadows across the dusty road, Kyle decided it was ti to return to the nearest village for the evening.
The earlier talks with the farrs had gone well, better than he could have hoped.
But for now, there was more to be done, and it required the help of his two most trusted companions.
Bruce and lissa were waiting for him when he arrived at the small village.
Both looked dusty from travel, and their expressions were grim.
"Young master, we didn't find any signs of civilization. Not even abandoned hos or trails. It's like people are deliberately avoiding this land. Most don't even know where it begins or ends.""
Bruce said, stepping forward.
Kyle nodded calmly.
"That's fine. In fact, it might work to our advantage later. But tomorrow, you'll follow —I've found sothing special."
Both lissa and Bruce exchanged puzzled looks, but neither questioned him further.
The next morning, Kyle led them through the narrow trails and into the hidden valley he'd discovered the day before.
As the tree cover gave way to open skies, and the neatly tilled fields ca into view, Bruce's brows shot up in surprise, while lissa's eyes narrowed with focused interest.
"Wait… there are people here?"
Bruce asked, glancing around at the farrs tending to their crops.
Kyle didn't respond directly. Instead, he pointed toward the fields.
"Observe them."
Though initially confused, Bruce and lissa did as told.
After a few minutes of silence, they began to notice the subtle things—the precise movents of the farrs, the soft glow of mana infused into their hands and tools, the harmony between their breathing and the rhythm of their work.
lissa was the first to speak.
"Their mana circulation is… strong. It's like they've been doing this all their lives."
"And they have. They use an ancient technique passed down through generations. I plan to have them train future soldiers."
Kyle said, arms crossed.
"But before that, I want this place to be livable. Hos, storage, training areas. Bruce—get started on drafting a letter. Reach out to the villagers I promised to protect. Offer them a place here."
"Right away."
Bruce replied with a grin and began scribbling notes on the spot.
Kyle turned to lissa next.
"I want you in the fields. Their thod of mana circulation might help you stabilize yours. Focus and discipline are key here."
lissa, never one to disobey when her growth was on the line, gave a sharp nod and marched toward the farrs without hesitation.
As Kyle watched them scatter to their tasks, his system chid in his mind:
[User has leveled up.
Mana Control: Level Up — Level 5
Body Fitness: 6%
Body Awakening: 6%]
A small, satisfied smile crept onto Kyle's face. Progress. He had only scratched the surface of the potential this land held.
Still, one important task remained.
He approached the village elder again—an old man with sun-wrinkled skin and eyes that had seen generations pass.
The elder looked up from the herbs he was sorting and smiled as Kyle approached.
"Elder, I'd like to buy all the food your people are producing. Grain, vegetables, preserved goods—everything."
Kyle began.
The elder blinked.
"Buy?"
He echoed, as if unsure he'd heard correctly.
"I can pay in coin or trade. Your food is rich in mana. If properly distributed, it could benefit many of the people I plan to settle here."
Kyle continued.
The elder laughed softly, shaking his head.
"Forgive my surprise, young lord. No one has ever offered to buy our food before. Most outsiders don't even believe we exist, much less see value in what we grow."
Kyle raised a brow.
"Then what do you do with the harvest?"
"We share it among ourselves. What we don't use, we store for the next season. That's all."
The elder said simply.
Kyle gave a slight nod, respecting the simplicity and discipline behind the village's way of life.
"Then let's change that. I'll give your crops the recognition and reach they deserve—and in return, I'll make sure your people have what they need to thrive."
The elder's smile grew.
"I believe we'll get along just fine, young lord."
And just like that, Kyle's foothold in the barren lands took its first true root—not through conquest, but through cultivation.
Kyle stared out at the valley from the wooden porch of the old village chief's house, still finding it hard to believe what he had stumbled upon.
The crops here—mana-infused and bursting with latent energy—were unlike anything he had seen.
And sohow, no one outside had ever heard of them.
'A miracle… or a secret carefully protected by fate itself. Looks like fortune is smiling upon .'
Kyle thought, watching the wind ripple through the glowing green stalks.
He didn't know which, and truthfully, he didn't care.
It was an opportunity, and he wasn't going to waste it. Instead of getting bogged down with the mystery, Kyle decided to focus on the task ahead—bringing this place to its full potential.
"The first step is building infrastructure."
He muttered to himself.
He turned back to the elder, who stood beside him, watching him with quiet gratitude.
The man bowed slightly.
"Young lord… thank you. You've done more for us in a single day than others have in decades."
Kyle waved the gratitude aside.
"Don't ntion it. These are my lands now, and you are my people. It's only natural that I protect and improve the lives under my command. You're not charity—you're responsibility."
The old man nodded, clearly touched by the sincerity in Kyle's voice.
But before he could respond further, a strange sound interrupted the peaceful air.
A slow, rhythmic thudding—like footsteps, but far too heavy to be human. The ground itself seed to tremble with each step, growing louder by the second.
Kyle's head snapped toward the treeline.
Queen had already slithered out from the shadows beside him, its glowing eyes fixed on the direction of the noise.
"Are there any monsters around here?"
Kyle asked quickly, his voice calm but firm.
The chief's expression tightened. He hesitated.
"Chief."
"…Yes. We have… issues. Beasts from the surrounding hills co down every few days. They feed on anything they find. Livestock, crops, sotis even the bodies we bury… We've tried to ward them off, but—"
The elder finally admitted.
Kyle raised a hand, cutting him off.
"That's all I needed to know. I'll handle them."
The old man's eyes widened.
"Please, young lord, they're not simple creatures. Many of our strongest have been lost trying to face them."
"I've faced worse than simple beasts. Get everyone inside. Tell them to stay hidden until I return."
Kyle said, already stepping off the porch. Queen slithered at his side, its presence radiating anticipation.
The elder bowed again, then hurried off into the village, shouting warnings and guiding people into their hos.
One by one, the farrs panic and a few brave ones co forward with their weapons at ready to face this threat.
However, Kyle did not need their help and signalled for them all to stand back.
Kyle, anwhile, stood at the edge of the path leading out of the valley, eyes narrowing as the sound of the beasts grew closer.
'Let's see what kind of creatures dare threaten what's mine'
He thought coldly.
______
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