The sound of tires on wet asphalt echoed faintly as Evan Crown stepped off the curb, his schoolbag slung low, heavy with books and half-finished dreams. The city air still held the chill of early spring, and the gray sky above Blue Earth offered no hints of sunlight—only a blanket of smoggy indifference.
He was fifteen years old. And like most fifteen-year-olds, Evan didn't expect anything extraordinary to happen to him today.He was wrong.
Midway through the crosswalk, the world fractured.
It began with a sound—no louder than a sigh, but it didn't come from anywhere. It came from everywhere. Then light bloomed across the pavement in a thousand thin lines, crisscrossing like golden threads pulled through the fabric of reality. The asphalt cracked beneath him, not from force, but from absence—as if the laws that held it together had simply... stopped.
Evan looked up, only to find the sky peeling apart like torn paper.And then, he fell.
There was no sensation of motion. Just a feeling of being unwritten.
He awoke on stone.
Not cold stone—warm, sunbaked, and dry. His hands sank into fine golden dust as he scrambled upright, breath caught in his throat. Around him, the landscape stretched in all directions: rolling hills of ochre grass, a distant glint of mountains, and directly overhead, a sky far too wide, too clear to belong to Earth.
He wasn't alone.
Hundreds—no, thousands—of other figures blinked into existence around him, spaced across the plain like scattered seeds. Some were humanoid. Others… weren't. One, at least, had wings. Another had skin made of glowing quartz. A boy to his left had fur down his arms and eyes that glinted with vertical pupils.
Evan staggered back as a voice thundered across the open air.
It wasn't sound. It was meaning, carved into the bones of reality, etched directly into his understanding.
"You are chosen. Welcome to the Infinite Continent."
The air trembled. The skies shimmered.
"A million realms, born from the infinite probabilities of the First World, must now be culled.""You are Lords. You are champions. You will conquer, or you will perish.""The Great Balance demands blood."
Evan's knees buckled.Lords?Conquer?Perish? He was just a boy from the edge of the city. He'd never held a weapon. He wasn't a warrior. He wasn't even athletic. His greatest skill was writing fantasy stories in notebooks he never showed anyone.
He never got the chance to object.
A glowing sigil burst into existence beneath him—intricate, golden, and shifting like fluid geometry. Others had their own. Some screamed. Some disappeared in streaks of light. A few roared in defiance as their bodies ignited into power.
Evan didn't roar.
He whispered, "What the hell is going on—"
—and vanished.
The world snapped back into being with the smell of cedar wood and old stone.
Evan dropped to a wooden floor inside a tall, circular chamber. Sunlight streamed through an open roof far above, casting down a single beam onto a pedestal at the center of the room. Resting atop it: a crystal, beating faintly with a heart-like pulse.
And then came the message.
A pale blue box appeared before his eyes. No screen. No projection. Just floating, translucent data etched in glowing letters:
[TERRITORY ASSIGNED]Name: [Unclaimed]Territory Level:VILLAGELord: Evan Crown (Race: Human)Heart Crystal Status: StableLord Talent: [SHARE] — Grade: LEGENDARY
Another window slid in.
[SYSTEM ALERT]You have been assigned as a Lord of the Infinite Continent.You control a single VILLAGE-grade territory.Maintain your Heart Crystal at all costs.Destruction of the Crystal will result in territory collapse.Merge 5 Village-grade Heart Crystals to upgrade to CITY level.Upgrade chain: Village → City → Country → Kingdom → ContinentGood luck, Lord.
Evan stared blankly at the floating text.
"Legendary…? Share?"
The air shimmered again as the chamber doors creaked open.
Beyond them stretched a small compound: weathered stone walls forming a crude perimeter, a few rundown buildings visible through the dust and weeds. It was quiet—eerily so. No people. No guards. No villagers. Just emptiness.
Somehow, it was his now.
The Lord House, this building, housed the Heart Crystal—the core of his new life. Nearby stood the Town Hall, Warehouse, Barrack, and the half-collapsed shell of a Village Wall. Each was labeled in his vision, glowing faintly with system text.
"This can't be real," he muttered.
But the dust on his hands said otherwise.
The yard outside the Lord House stretched wide and empty, baked in warm afternoon light. The structures lining the inner edge of the Village Wall loomed with a kind of tired purpose, each one worn but standing. Evan stepped into the open space slowly, his boots crunching over dry weeds.
Blue system text hovered above each building—labels, stats, and functions displayed in rotating panels that followed his gaze.
[TOWN HALL – Level 1]▸ Function: Generates 1 supporting citizen every 10 minutes.▸ Population Cap: 50▸ Building EXP: 0 / 100▸ Upgrade Requirements:→ 200 Wood→ 80 Stone→ 50 Metal→ 1 Town Permit▸ Upgrade Bonus: Unlock role assignment + build queue (Lv.2)
[BARRACK – Level 1]▸ Function: Recruits 1 Infantry per hour (Max 10/day)▸ Unit Type: Human Infantry (Basic)▸ Building EXP: 0 / 120▸ Upgrade Requirements:→ 250 Wood→ 150 Stone→ 100 Metal→ 1 Training Manual▸ Upgrade Bonus: Unlock equipment training (Lv.2)
[WAREHOUSE – Level 1]▸ Capacity: 500 Units▸ Inventory: (Empty)▸ Building EXP: 0 / 80▸ Upgrade Requires:→ 120 Wood→ 90 Stone→ 2 Storage Crates▸ Upgrade Bonus: Increased capacity, item sorting
[VILLAGE WALL – Level 1]▸ Coverage: 40% of territory perimeter▸ Durability: 150 / 150▸ Building EXP: 0 / 100▸ Upgrade Requires:→ 400 Wood→ 200 Stone→ 50 Metal→ 1 Defensive Blueprint▸ Upgrade Bonus: Unlock basic arrow traps (Lv.2)
[LORD HOUSE – Level 1]▸ Heart Crystal Contained▸ Building EXP: 0 / 150▸ Upgrade Requires:→ 300 Wood→ 300 Stone→ 1 Heart Crystal Fragment▸ Upgrade Bonus: Aura of Fortification (+5% DEF for citizens)
Evan narrowed his eyes as the upgrade costs sank in. Wood, stone, metal… permits and manuals? Where the hell was he supposed to get those?
"I don't even have a single axe," he muttered.
Every building had a glowing orange bar beneath its name: Building EXP. Just like people, the village itself could level up—but manually upgrading required massive amounts of material and rare blueprints. For anyone else, that would be a slow, grinding nightmare.
But for Evan... maybe not.
He summoned his Lord Talent window again.
[LORD TALENT: SHARE – Grade: Legendary (Lv.1)]▸ Primary Effect: All experience from combat or support activity is equally shared with all citizens.▸ Applies to ALL roles: Warriors, Farmers, Tailors, Builders, etc.▸ No EXP penalty or dilution.▸ Secondary Effect (Hidden):→ Buildings connected to experience-producing roles gain EXP from activity.→ When a building's EXP bar is filled, it can be auto-upgraded for free (no materials required).→ Lord receives bonus EXP from every EXP event shared.
Evan stared. Then blinked.Then stared again.
"Buildings… gain EXP just from being used."
That line pulsed in gold—his hidden passive.
So if a tailor worked, the Town Hall gained experience.If a soldier trained, the Barrack leveled up.If he simply got people to do their jobs, he could skip all those impossible material costs.He didn't need strength. He didn't need soldiers.He needed a village that functioned.
"That's the cheat," he whispered.
Not overwhelming power. Not fireballs or dragons.
Just a world where efficiency was evolution.
A gentle ping broke his thoughts.
[SYSTEM LOG]+1 Villager Generated: Mila – Tailor (Lv.1)+1 Recruit Generated: Jared – Infantry (Lv.1)
Moments later, the Town Hall door creaked open, and Mila stepped out. Her fingers were already brushing the fabric of a tailoring kit she must've received upon generation. The Barrack door followed, letting out a spindly boy wielding a wooden sword like it might explode if dropped.
He looked… confused.She looked focused.
Blue windows appeared beside them.
[Mila – Tailor Lv.1]▸ HP: 70 / 70 | Mana: 30 / 30▸ Strength: 4 | Agility: 5▸ Dexterity: 11 | Intelligence: 9▸ Loyalty: 40 | Morale: Neutral▸ EXP: 0 / 50▸ Skills: [Threadwork Lv.1]
[Jared – Infantry Lv.1]▸ HP: 180 / 180 | Mana: 0 / 0▸ Strength: 10 | Agility: 7▸ Endurance: 9 | Reaction: 8▸ Loyalty: 35 | Morale: Low▸ EXP: 0 / 80▸ Skills: [Basic Slash Lv.1]
Evan waved awkwardly. "Uh—welcome. I'm Evan. Your Lord. Just… do what you do best, I guess."
Mila nodded and sat down beside a worktable, already stitching linen tunics. Jared began hacking at a training dummy.
It didn't take long for the pings to start.
[EXPERIENCE GAINED]→ Tailoring Output: +10 EXP→ [SHARE Lv.1] triggered→ Shared to: Mila, Jared, Evan→ Town Hall EXP +10
[EXPERIENCE GAINED]→ Combat Output: +20 EXP→ [SHARE Lv.1] triggered→ Shared to: Jared, Mila, Evan→ Barrack EXP +20
"Even buildings…" Evan whispered. "It's real."
He opened the building window again.
[TOWN HALL EXP: 10 / 100][BARRACK EXP: 20 / 120]
His hands curled into fists.
He wasn't strong. He wasn't a chosen hero.
But he had time, a needle, a sword, and a village.
And if he could keep this up—keep everyone active—he could upgrade every structure without touching a single tree or stone.
Evan's gaze swept across his small, dusty domain.
One tailor. One soldier. One warehouse full of air.
"It starts here," he said quietly."Not with blood… but with thread."
The courtyard echoed with soft thuds and fabric snaps.
Jared's wooden sword clacked against the worn dummy, sweat beading on his forehead with each swing. Just five meters away, Mila worked with focus at her tailoring bench, pulling coarse thread through stiff linen, her brows knitted in quiet rhythm.
Evan stood in the center of it all, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the blue notifications dancing across his vision.
[EXPERIENCE GAINED]→ [Mila – Tailoring Output: +12 EXP]→ [SHARE Lv.1 Activated]→ EXP Distributed: Mila +12 | Jared +12 | Evan +12→ Town Hall EXP: +12
[EXPERIENCE GAINED]→ [Jared – Combat Output: +18 EXP]→ [SHARE Lv.1 Activated]→ EXP Distributed: Jared +18 | Mila +18 | Evan +18→ Barrack EXP: +18
[Evan – Level Up: Lv.1 → Lv.2]HP: +10 | Mana: +5 | Intelligence +1 | Charisma +2Talent Affinity increased.
Evan exhaled slowly.
"Again," he said.
Jared groaned but didn't stop. The sword wobbled in his grip, but he kept swinging, panting through his teeth. "Can't we… take a break?"
Evan shook his head. "We're not wasting the system window. Every second you're moving, we're farming EXP. Keep going."
"I didn't sign up for this…" Jared muttered.
"You were born five minutes ago. Don't start with me."
Jared grunted and swung again.
Meanwhile, Mila had finished another tunic. She stood, raised the cloth toward the light, and gave a small satisfied nod before placing it in the crate beside her. The linen flared faintly as the system recognized it.
[ITEM CREATED: Linen Tunic – Quality: C-]→ Added to [WAREHOUSE – Lv.1]→ Warehouse EXP +5→ Mila EXP +12 | Jared +12 | Evan +12
Evan grinned.
That was the third piece she'd made in under fifteen minutes. The Warehouse had begun glowing slightly at its base—faint runes along the stone foundation blinking with energy.
He checked its stats.
[WAREHOUSE – Lv.1]EXP: 35 / 80Storage: 3 / 500Upgrade Status: Locked (Resource-Free Upgrade available at EXP 80)
"Forty-five to go," he muttered. "Three more tunics at that quality should do it."
This was working.His domain was growing, one cloth scrap and wooden swing at a time.
He opened his own Status Window again.
[Evan Crown – Lord Lv.2]HP: 130 / 130Mana: 50 / 50Strength: 6Agility: 7Intelligence: 11Charisma: 16Lord Talent: SHARE (Lv.1)EXP to Next Level: 3 / 100
His stats were still weak. He was still a fifteen-year-old kid in a weird fantasy world. But unlike other Lords, he didn't need to get stronger alone.
That was the key.
Every piece of growth—every level gained—fed into the network. The soldiers fought. The tailors stitched. The farmers would harvest. The warehouse would fill. Everything counted.
Evan opened the Building Overview Panel again:
[TOWN HALL – Lv.1] → EXP: 24 / 100[BARRACK – Lv.1] → EXP: 38 / 120[WAREHOUSE – Lv.1] → EXP: 35 / 80[VILLAGE WALL – Lv.1] → EXP: 0 / 100 (No linked actions yet)[LORD HOUSE – Lv.1] → EXP: 0 / 150 (Requires advanced Lord activity)
He rubbed his chin.
"The wall needs work… but I've only got two people."
A thought crossed his mind.
"Alright," he called out. "New plan."
Jared stopped mid-swing. "Please say it's napping."
"Nope. You're sewing."
Jared blinked.
"I'm what?"
Evan was already dragging a spare tailoring kit over to him. "The system doesn't care who does the action, only that someone does. I want to see if doubling tailoring output also doubles Town Hall and Warehouse EXP."
"I don't know how to sew!"
"Neither did I ten minutes ago. And I already made a sock."
Mila snorted from across the courtyard. "It looked like a bag with anxiety."
"Still got EXP," Evan replied smugly.
He tossed the needle roll at Jared, who fumbled to catch it. "Just thread it, push it through, and tie a knot. If it holds together, we're in business."
Jared stared at the cloth like it might bite him.
Evan sat down beside him, grabbed another bolt of fabric, and started stitching.
One Lord. One tailor. One recruit.All sewing. All leveling. All sharing.
It was ridiculous.
It was perfect.
And it was working.
[EXPERIENCE GAINED]→ Tailoring Output: +8 EXP→ [SHARE Lv.1 Activated]→ Mila +8 | Jared +8 | Evan +8→ Town Hall EXP +8→ Warehouse EXP +4
Evan grinned. "We're gonna game this world to hell."
The soft glow of runes pulsed under Mila's tailoring bench, and the thud of Jared's sword against a dummy echoed nearby. Evan knelt on the warehouse steps, reviewing building status screens as light-blue notifications flitted past his eyes like fireflies.
Then—everything froze.
The entire sky dimmed to a soft golden hue. Time seemed to stretch, not stop, but slow—just long enough for a glowing system message to materialize in front of every Lord across the continent.
And in his ears, a voice—not a sound, but a presence—spoke with the weight of judgment.
[WORLD SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
▸ You have been assigned as a LORD of a Level 1 Territory on the Infinite Continent.▸ All Lords begin with a 30-day SAFETY PERIOD.
➤ During this time, other Lords CANNOT invade or declare war on your territory.➤ However, beginning on Day 7, MONSTER RAID EVENTS will occur every 7 days.➤ Each event increases in difficulty. Failure to defend results in Heart Crystal exposure.
▸ Initial Resources and Support Units may be minimal. Adapt. Unite. Survive.▸ You are not alone.
The message vanished.The sky brightened again.The silence returned.
Evan exhaled slowly. "Monster raids… every week. Great."
He flicked open his system menu again, digging deeper. Tabs unfolded—some still locked, others glowing softly.
Two new ones caught his eye:
[CHAT NETWORK]▸ [Race Chat: Human]▸ [Universal Chat: All Races]
Curious, he opened the Race Chat. Messages streamed past instantly, chaotic, frantic, and unfiltered.
[IronFist_91]: Anyone else only get ONE recruit?? What kinda scam is this?[SoulSkinner]: We're human. We start weak. It's balanced.[Windflower]: Already saw elves flying overhead. They got wings and bows on DAY ONE. WTF.[BreadLord]: My baker is LITERALLY the strongest guy in my village.[NoobSlayer]: Everyone meet up and combine villages? We can do that, right?[System]: Village fusion unavailable at Rank 1.
Evan smiled faintly. They were all just as confused as him.
He switched to Universal Chat—and instantly regretted it.
[Bloodforger-Xanthuul]: THE HUMANS SHALL BE FIRST TO DIE[QueenLeaf_Verna]: We do not initiate aggression… but we will not spare it.[Skrrr't'ch]: Weaklings soft-skinned meatlings tender and warm[Dragonflame]: All non-draconic species, pledge fealty. Or burn.
The chat was less "conversation" and more "threat board."
He closed the tab quickly.
Next, he tapped the Market Interface. A window slid open like a stock exchange UI.
[Human Race Market – Lv.1]▸ Sell / Buy Items among human territories▸ Currency: Bronze Tokens (Bz)▸ Personal Funds: 0 Bz
[Universal Market – Restricted Access]▸ Warning: 15% cross-racial tax▸ Items priced based on scarcity by race▸ Trade risks: Scams, ambush deliveries (Rank 2+ only)
He browsed a few listings:
Basic Sword (Rusty) – 300 Bz
Boiled Root Rations (x5) – 100 Bz
Blueprint: Improved Tailoring Bench – 700 Bz
Egg (Possibly edible) – 80 Bz
Bundle of Rotten Wood – 5 Bz
Emotional Support Chicken (???) – 999 Bz
Evan blinked. "Okay. I'm broke and apparently people are buying chickens for emotional stability."
He sighed, then closed the market.
His stomach growled.
No food. No money. No cook. And the first monster attack was six days away.
"Alright," he muttered. "Time to hunt."
He opened the Unit Panel and tapped the "Team Formation" tab.
[Create Hunting Team]Members Available: Jared (Infantry Lv.1), Evan (Lord Lv.2)Role Slots: 3Note: No scout or ranged support units availableRisk: Moderate (adjacent wilderness unscouted)
He hesitated. "I'm the Lord. I shouldn't—"
But he had to. If Jared went out alone, he'd die. Mila couldn't fight. And no one else had been generated yet.
He grabbed a rusty kitchen knife from the warehouse shelf and stuffed it into a belt loop. "Jared!"
The boy looked up from training.
"We're going hunting. You lead."
Jared blinked. "With what? Hope?"
"Knives and optimism," Evan said.
They approached the inner edge of the Village Wall, passing a stretch where crumbled stones left a thigh-high gap. The wall here only covered 40% of the perimeter. Beyond lay a field of tall grass and uneven earth, dotted with wind-twisted trees and low stone ridges.
Wild country.
Untamed territory.
Evan crouched, checking the grass for movement. "If it looks like it might eat you—stab it."
Jared nodded solemnly. "And if it does eat me?"
"Then I'll inherit your sword. Fair trade."
They moved slowly, hugging terrain and keeping low. Just beyond the first hill, they spotted movement.
Three rabbit-like creatures—fatter, larger, and with two horn-like antennae. They were grazing near a patch of root bulbs. Their system tags marked them as:
[Wild Snouthopper – Lv.2]HP: 220Passive unless provoked
Jared raised his wooden sword.
Evan whispered, "We ambush. You strike the one on the left. I'll... try not to die."
Jared gave a nervous grin. "For food?"
"For survival."
The battle was clumsy.
Jared rushed forward and swung wide—landing a blow to the side of the creature's head. It shrieked, antennae glowing briefly as it turned and lunged. Evan jumped in from behind, jabbing the kitchen knife into its flank, only for the blade to glance off the creature's hide.
Pain. Real pain. One snouthopper rammed Jared in the ribs. He flew backward with a grunt.
Evan screamed, not from fear—but from instinct. He swung again, this time landing a shallow stab.
[COMBAT EXPERIENCE GAINED]→ Jared: +25→ Evan: +25→ Mila: +25→ Barrack EXP: +25→ Town Hall EXP: +15
The creature collapsed.
The other two fled.
Evan bent over, wheezing. Jared groaned on the ground nearby, clutching his ribs.
"We did it," Evan gasped.Then, quietly: "We're still alive."
Back at the village, Mila ran to greet them, eyes wide.
Jared limped. Evan bled from one arm. But their hands clutched meat.
Not much. Not clean. But it was food.
And more importantly—
[TOWN HALL – Lv.1] → EXP: 55 / 100[BARRACK – Lv.1] → EXP: 83 / 120[WAREHOUSE – Lv.1] → EXP: 70 / 80 (Upgrade imminent)
They were growing.
Stitch by stitch. Swing by swing.
By the time the second sun crested over the ridge—wait, second sun?—Evan had long stopped questioning things.
His village was alive.
Fifty supporting citizens now moved with coordinated rhythm. Farmers tilled neat rows of dark soil near the edge of the village wall. Carpenters mended fences and reinforced rooftops. Weavers and tailors passed finished goods between hands, while cooks worked over open fires with surprising skill for people less than a day old.
In the barracks yard, ten new infantry recruits drilled in pairs—each swing and stomp adding to the invisible momentum of the village.
And it was working.
[TOWN HALL – Lv.1]EXP: 100 / 100STATUS: Max EXP Reached – Eligible for Upgrade (No Materials Required)
[WAREHOUSE – Lv.1]EXP: 80 / 80STATUS: Max EXP Reached – Eligible for Upgrade
[BARRACK – Lv.1]EXP: 120 / 120STATUS: Max EXP Reached – Eligible for Upgrade
[VILLAGE LEVEL]Upgrade Threshold Met: 3 Core Buildings MaxedCriteria Complete → Eligible for Village Level 2
Evan leaned against the warehouse doorframe, watching his people work. Each notification popping up in his vision felt like a spark.
He was about to confirm the upgrades when a rare prompt flashed across his vision:
[WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT IMMINENT]
Your village will become the first Human settlement to reach Level 2.You may choose to attach your name or remain anonymous.
▸ Visibility: HIGH. Naming yourself will place you on the Race Leaderboard and grant a permanent Diplomatic Tag.
▸ Warning: Enemies and rival Lords may track or target visible leaders.
Choose:[ Reveal Name: Evan Crown ][ Remain Anonymous ]
Evan didn't hesitate.
He tapped [Remain Anonymous] and nodded to himself.
Not yet. Let them watch without knowing who to fear.
Moments later, a golden beam pulsed from the heart of the Lord House—shooting straight into the sky.
A system voice rang out, not in the air, but in the bones of every Human Lord across the continent.
[WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT – HUMAN RACE]
⚔️ A Human Village has reached Level 2! ⚔️▸ First Upgrade Milestone Achieved▸ Building EXP strategy confirmed viable▸ Reward Issued: [TALENT UPGRADE STONE] x1▸ Bonus: +50 Human Race Morale
⚠️ Lord identity: Anonymous
Race Chat exploded instantly.
[IronFist_91]: WHO IS IT?!![SoulSkinner]: Coward's hiding behind the system.[BreadLord]: Doesn't matter. Whoever did it, show us the tech![Windflower]: If you're reading this… you're a genius.
Evan smirked and pocketed the glowing violet crystal that had appeared in front of him.
[TALENT UPGRADE STONE]
Use this item to enhance your Lord Talent.Requirements: Talent Tier < 2, Lord Level ≥ 2Item: ConsumableEffect: Unlocks next stage ability, increases Talent efficiency.
He held the stone in his palm. It pulsed once—then vanished in a rush of violet light that flowed straight into his chest.
The interface blinked.
[LORD TALENT UPGRADED]
▸ [SHARE Lv.1] ➤ [SHARE Lv.2]
📌 New Effect Unlocked: Skill Link▸ Learned skills from any citizen are now shared across the territory.▸ Shared Skills apply at 25% effectiveness for support citizens.▸ Skills persist while the original source remains active in the territory.
📌 Passive Effect Updated:▸ Experience share remains unchanged.▸ Buildings now receive +10% bonus EXP per shared skill in use.
Evan tapped through citizen profiles quickly.
[Nara – Cook Lv.1]→ New Skill: [Knife Proficiency I]→ Shared Skill: [Basic Sword Mastery]
[Mila – Tailor Lv.2]→ New Skill: [Threaded Focus]→ Shared Skill: [Basic Sword Mastery]
[Boro – Farmer Lv.1]→ New Skill: [Stamina Recovery I]→ Shared Skill: [Basic Sword Mastery]
Even his cooks now had weapon training.
"They can fight," Evan murmured."Not well. But well enough."
Even better, the system had logged skill usage as valid EXP generators. When Mila used her sewing technique, it now counted toward Town Hall EXP again, but with a boost. The system was rewarding synergy.
He turned his attention to the buildings.
One by one, they shuddered—stone walls shifting, wooden beams reinforcing, inner systems flickering with new energy.
[TOWN HALL – Level Up Complete]▸ New Population Cap: 100▸ Unlocks: Role Assignment, Building Queue▸ Production Speed: +15%
[BARRACK – Level Up Complete]▸ Max Recruit Slots: 20▸ New Unit Type: Militia Scout▸ Unlocks: Basic Weapon Training Station
[WAREHOUSE – Level Up Complete]▸ Capacity: 1000 units▸ Unlocks: Auto-Sorting, Basic Market Link
The village itself had changed.The courtyard widened. Paths formed between buildings. Stone-lined roads appeared automatically as the structures reshaped.
And over it all, the blue system text shifted:
[DAWNLIGHT VILLAGE – LEVEL 2]Territory Rank: Village (Upgraded)Population: 63 / 100Military Units: 14 / 20Lord: Evan Crown (Hidden)
A new message appeared at the edge of his vision:
[Territory Status Updated]You are now eligible for Basic Diplomacy and TradeMonster Raid Countdown: 5 DaysSuggestion: Recruit Scout Unit or establish Watchtower
You are no longer unseen.
Evan stood in the middle of a living, growing domain—fifty citizens, ten soldiers, more coming every hour. They were no longer just surviving.
They were scaling.
And SHARE—now in its second form—was no longer just a shortcut.
It was revolutionary.
The morning sun cast long shadows over Dawnlight's stone paths.
Where once was dust and weeds, now there were order and motion. Citizens moved in groups, not alone. Instructions flowed not from Evan directly—but down through the growing web of leadership he had begun to build.
Because survival wasn't enough anymore.
It was time to create a system.
Inside the newly expanded Lord House, Evan stood at a round wooden table, his fingers tracing the edges of a roughly drawn map of his territory. Around the table stood four people—each of them handpicked, each with traits Evan had observed over the past day.
He looked up.
"Starting today, you're my hands."
He gestured to the first—Leena, a woman in her mid-thirties, sharp-eyed and quick-tongued, previously a scribe in her last life, or so she claimed. She had already memorized the name and occupation of every citizen in Dawnlight.
"Leena – Head of Internal Affairs"Oversees daily civilian tasks, construction queues, housing, education, complaints, and law.
Leena bowed slightly, quill already in hand.
The second was Rourke, Evan's tallest recruit—muscular, clean-shaven, a former blacksmith who had taken quickly to organizing combat drills. The others already called him "Captain" even before Evan made it official.
"Rourke – Head of Military Operations"Oversees soldier training, patrol routes, battle drills, and hunting formations.
Rourke thumped his chest with a grin. "We'll keep 'em sharp, Lord."
Third came Tassa, a thin woman with sharp glasses and the quiet demeanor of someone who noticed everything. She had instinctively begun tracking inventory when the warehouse was still half-empty.
"Tassa – Head of Logistics & Storage"Oversees inventory, trade planning, incoming goods, crafting supply chains.
She bowed with a quiet nod. "I'll need more ledgers."
"You'll get them," Evan said.
And finally, Garin, the broad-shouldered farmer with rough hands and a patient tone that made every sentence sound like wisdom.
"Garin – Head of Agriculture & Food Production"Oversees planting, harvesting, livestock, field expansion, water systems.
"We'll keep the bellies full," Garin said simply.
Evan stepped back and looked them over.
"Each of you can choose up to ten assistants. Train them. Delegate. Let them each pick ten of their own when the time comes. That's our ladder.""No one will rise because they're loud. They'll rise because they earn it."
All four nodded.
"From now on," Evan continued, "we meet here every night after sunset. You report on your entire domain—progress, problems, projections. No secrets. No delay."
Rourke smirked. "And if we have no problems?"
"Then I'll assume you're hiding them," Evan said, voice firm. "And I'll dig them out myself."
That evening, the first Council of Dawnlight was born.
And from that day, every decision that shaped the village came from these four corners—the spine of a future kingdom.
📜 Midday – Reorganizing the People
With the SHARE Talent now at Level 2, Evan's citizenry had access to a small, but critical, pool of basic combat skills. Even cooks could defend themselves. Even farmers could swing a sword.
He opened the interface:
[Skill Link – Active Skills Shared Across Territory]
Shared Combat Skills:▸ [Basic Sword Mastery]▸ [Knife Proficiency I]▸ [Stamina Recovery I]
Shared Support Skills:▸ [Threaded Focus]▸ [Harvest Insight]▸ [Logistics Tracking I]
He selected a batch of 60 able-bodied citizens—not full soldiers, but tailors, builders, and farmers with decent stats—and assigned them into three Hunting Teams, 20 members each.
Hunt Teams Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.
Their orders were simple:
Daytime: hunt small prey, scout edges of safe zones, gather meat and herbs.
Nighttime: return to personal trade — tailoring, carpentry, baking, crafting.
All EXP gained would flow through SHARE to everyone, including buildings.
Evan pulled Rourke aside and gave separate orders to the soldiers.
"No more patrol drills," he said."From now on, every night — full combat training.""Rotating weapons. Rotating formations. I want fighters, not formations."
Rourke grinned. "We'll bleed 'em good. In the dirt, not the battlefield."
Evan nodded.
"Let them fail here — so they don't die out there."
That night, just before the council meeting, Evan took a walk through his village.
From the barracks, he heard grunts and clashing wood — soldiers sparring, pushing harder than the night before.
From the central square, he passed tailors stitching quietly by firelight, hunters preparing salted meats, carpenters reinforcing walls.
He opened his interface one more time.
[Dawnlight Village – Lv.2]Population: 86 / 100Military Units: 20 / 20Hunt Teams: 3 (Active)Warehouse: 660 / 1000Morale: Stable
Territory Efficiency Rating: ★★★☆☆Lord Influence: ExpandingSHARE Efficiency: 98%
He smiled to himself.
This was no longer survival.
This was structure.
And structure was what made empires rise.