Morning light spilled over the fields as Sylas stood.His hands was covered with dirt, his shirt clung to his back with sweat. The crops he planted was already grown
He crouched down and pulled a carrot from the soil. Thick, bright orange, and heavy in his hand.
"Not bad," he murmured while wiping it on his sleeve.
The automated sprinkler system he and Garen had built weeks ago had done its job well. What used to take hours of labor now happened like clockwork. The crops shimmered with fresh water every morning, and with the new 'Water's Blessing' and 'Greenthumb' skills, their yield had grown faster and stronger than ever.
He didn't waste time. He began collecting the vegetables by the armful, moving in quick, practiced motions. Within an hour, he had four full crates stacked and ready.
"Time to sell," he said to himself.
As he secured the crates onto a small handcart, Mira approached, wiping flour from her hands.
"Heading into town?" she asked, eyeing the haul.
"Yeah. It's about time I earned some coin from all this work," Sylas replied. "Might even try setting up a regular trade line."
Mira smiled. "You're sounding more and more like a merchant."
"I'm thinking bigger," Sylas said with a grin. "Not just trade. A company."
Mira blinked. "A company?"
He nodded. "One that buys, sells, produces, and builds. Not just crops, but tools, furniture, clothes—whatever the village can make. It's the next step."
Mira didn't say anything for a moment. Then she reached out and clapped his shoulder. "You really are changing this place."
He smiled and pulled the cart toward the road.
The town of Haresh buzzed with its usual market day noise. Merchants barked prices, children darted between stalls, and the scent of roasted meat filled the air. Sylas navigated the crowd, eyes scanning for the right place.
He found a shaded corner stall owned by a tired-looking man with gray in his beard and a keen eye.
"You selling or buying?" the man asked.
"Selling. Fresh vegetables. Just harvested," Sylas said, lifting a lid.
The man's eyes widened. "That's some quality produce. You grow this yourself?"
"Me and my village. Looking to make a deal."
Within minutes, they haggled. The man was good, but Sylas stood firm. When they finally shook hands, Sylas walked away with a full pouch of silver.
> Quest Complete: Market Introduction Reward: 150 XP New Skill: Trader's Edge – Gain a 10% bonus when selling goods.
He felt a wave of energy ripple through him.
> New Quest: Found a Company Goal: Create a village-based enterprise. Requirements: Company Name, Trading Post, Five Villagers Hired Reward: 250 XP + Village Upgrade Token
Sylas stopped in his tracks. A company wasn't just a dream now—it was a directive.
He returned to the stall. "I'll be back in a week," he said to the merchant. "Same time, same place. Interested in a supply deal?"
The man raised an eyebrow. "If the quality's like this, yes."
"Good."
Back at the village, Sylas sat with Mira, Garen, and two others from the village—Calen, a hunter, and Linna, a weaver.
"I want to start a company," Sylas said plainly. "We've got talent here. Skills. We're producing more than we use, and that means opportunity."
Calen frowned. "You want us to turn into merchants?"
"No," Sylas replied. "I want us to survive better. Stronger. This will let us trade for materials we can't make, tools we don't have, and medicines we'll need."
Linna leaned forward. "What would you need from us?"
"Work. Ideas. Hands willing to build something lasting."
They exchanged glances.
"I'm in," said Garen first. "I've got a few designs I've been waiting to try."
"Me too," Mira added. "I can help organize. Keep things moving."
Calen nodded after a moment. "If it helps the village, I'll support it."
Linna gave a small smile. "Then I'm in."
> Milestone Reached: Team Formed Progress toward Company: 1/3
Sylas leaned back. "Now we need a name."
They tossed ideas around until Mira said, "What about Hollow Trading? Named after the village and the land."
Sylas nodded slowly. "Hollow. I like it."
> Company Name Set: Hollow Trading Progress toward Company: 2/3
Over the next few days, Sylas repurposed an old storage building near the village square. With Garen's help, it became a functional trading post—basic, but clean and sturdy. Wooden shelves lined the walls, a counter stood at the front, and crates of vegetables and supplies were stacked neatly.
A wooden sign was hammered above the entrance.
Hollow Trading Co.
> Trading Post Built Progress toward Company: 3/3
> Quest Complete: Found a Company Reward: 250 XP + Village Upgrade Token
> New Feature Unlocked: Village Management – Access a basic interface to track growth, production, and trade.
Sylas opened the new interface in his mind and saw simple tabs: Population, Resources, Trade Routes, Production Queue.
It felt like a game—but this was real. Every choice mattered. Every step shaped their future.
> New Passive Skill: Entrepreneur Effect: Increases income from all trade by 15%.
Mira came up beside him, watching the villagers peek into the new building.
"You did it," she said.
"We did it," Sylas replied. "And this is just the start."
He looked out over the village—the fields, the homes, the people working side by side. There were still dangers, still things lurking in the dark corners of the forest, but for now… they had hope.
And Sylas? He had a vision.