As the word "Dismantle" left Leo's lips, a blinding light filled the Lord's Hall. The piles of monster corpses he had gathered over the last few hours began to dissolve into pure energy and raw materials. Because the Double Harvest was still active for a few more minutes, the notifications scrolled past his eyes like a waterfall.
[Dismantle Complete — Double Harvest Applied] [Resources Acquired: Bone Fragments x1500, Beast Leather x900, Sharp Fangs x400, Raw Meat x1200, Aether Core (F) x20, Aether Core (E) x8, Sanguine Essence x1400...]
'Damn, I'm Fucking Rich, ' Leo thought, his pulse racing with the thrill of his hoard. He turned his eyes toward the four emerald-colored chests waiting at the foot of his throne. "Open all Uncommon chests."
The locks clicked in unison.
[Acquired: 4000 Gold Coins, E-Grade Aether Core x12, Skill Books: Fire Palm (Uncommon) x2, Minor Heal (Uncommon) x2, Artifacts: Boots of Haste (Uncommon) x2, Basic Enhancement Stones x18]
Leo hummed in approval. While the gold and cores were the backbone of his economy, the skills and gear would serve to strengthen his subjects. He finally turned to the shimmering blue r.
[Acquired: Blueprint: Blood Altar (Rare) x2, Solaris Flare Spear (Rare) x2, Minor Health Potion x2, 5000 Gold Coins]
Leo pulled one of the spears from the chest, spinning it with practiced ease. The blade was etched with intricate crimson runes that seemed to pulse with a life of their own. 'A masterpiece.'
'It is time for the true expansion.' Leo opened the territory management interface. The path to a Level 4 Territory was far more demanding than the previous tiers. He now required iron ingots, nails, brackets, glass for the windows, and lime mortar.
Crucially, the Level 3 upgrade introduced the "Labor Requirement." Progress now demanded physical workers; the more laborers assigned, the faster the structures rose.
Leo glanced out at the humans huddled around the central bonfire. They were roasting meat with a newfound sense of security, though their lack of a professional chef meant the food was basic.
Leo began his work, laying down blueprints for new Level 1 cottages and immediately upgrading the existing ones to Level 2.
'To upgrade to level 3 housing, I need to first upgrade lord's hall' Leo sighed.
He reached the limit allowed for a Level 2 Lord's Hall and opened the recruitment tab. For his next phase of growth, he needed specialists.
Luna dashed toward him, a playful smirk on her face. "Upgrading to Level 4 already? If the other Lords saw this, they would lose their minds at the sheer unfairness of it all," she teased.
Leo remained silent, focused on his menus, but Luna was unbothered. "You really should do something about those skeletons, though. The newer humans are terrified of those rattling bone-piles."
"They work harder than humans, and they do not complain," Leo replied without looking up. "Unlike some people I know."
"Hey! Do you know how many men would have killed for a single word from me back in our world?" she huffed, puffing out her chest. "Anyway, I am part of the team now. Give me something to do."
Leo ignored her and triggered the recruitment portal. A swirling vortex of blue light appeared. Lacking the housing for a larger crowd, he limited the summon to ten.
[100xGold Deduced]
A group of weary people in tattered tunics stepped out, their faces etched with the trauma of the Origin. Among them stood a stout, round-faced man in relatively clean clothing, looking around with wide, anxious eyes.
Leo checked the man's profile.
[Name: Dork — Class: Support — Profession: Chef (Uncommon)]
"Greetings, Lord!" the ten newcomers shouted, bowing low.
'Not bad,' Leo thought, looking at the man who was opposite to his name. He signaled for him to come forward. "You can cook, right?"
The man, Dork, flinched nervously."Ye... yes, my Lord. I can cook almost anything with the right ingredients."
"Good. Have a meal and take a rest for today. I will assign your roles tomorrow. Luna, help them settle in," Leo said with a knowing chuckle.
Luna groaned but led the group away. Leo watched as the veteran survivors welcomed the new blood, the atmosphere of the camp shifting toward something resembling a real community. He then placed Tanner's station near the edge of the woods.
[Resource Requirement: Wood x250, Stone x150, Lime x40] [Construction Time: 45 minutes]
Leo moved to the Workshop next. He assigned a temporary laborer to begin processing the scrap metal from the Ossuary. Soon, the rhythmic clanging of industry began to hum through the air, producing the iron ingots needed for his Level 3 Hall.
'This is starting to feel like a real kingdom,' Leo chuckled. He sat on a stump by the fire and opened his personal status one last time.
[Current Sanguine Essence: 2725]
"God, I love this feeling," Leo whispered, his eyes gleaming with the predatory light of a gacha addict. "How many pulls can I squeeze out of this?"
He could not hold back. He opened the Hero Summoning Banner. The massive gate loomed over the lake of phantoms once more.
[Cost: 500 SE] [Pity: 1/30]
'Perhaps a little luck?' he thought, his hand hovering over the summon button. He pressed it.
The gates groaned open, and a brilliant, regal golden light spilled out, illuminating the entire hall. Leo's heart skipped a beat—gold! But as the light reached its peak, it suddenly flickered and died, reverting to a standard gray glow.
[Summoning Failed: Consumable Reward Granted] [Pity: 2/30] [Sanguine Essence Remaining: 2225]
Luna, watching from a distance as the terrifying Lord of the territory had a mental breakdown over a menu screen, could only shake her head. 'Who scammed this monster?'
"Wait, if the system wants to scam me with its gacha, I will simply scam the rest of the world to balance the scales," Leo chuckled, his eyes glowing with a predatory light.
He navigated to the trading channel to assess the current economic situation. As he suspected, the market was saturated with meat; with everyone hunting during the blessing, food was no longer a luxury.
'The real currency now is progression,' Leo thought. 'Resources, blueprints, and especially Aether Cores. That is where the value is.'
'Well, it is time to use my talent to scam others,' Leo snickered, opening the chat interface.
The lords were all laid back after a bountiful day, expressing their opinions and bragging to others.
Channel 86Active Lords: 71,000
[User: Dawnseeker]: If we get a few more blessings like today, our generation might actually suppress the old monsters.
[User: AshVein]: Don't get delusional. Origin never gives freebies without consequences.
[User: Richie Rich]: Forget that. How did Silentmarch clear a dungeon before most of us even found one?
[User: BigDog69]: Whoever that is, man's a true gamer. Hoarding achievements like a pro.
Leo smirked. He tapped the icon for his The First Ascendant title, activating the priority broadcast feature. A message encased in a regal, shimmering gold border slashed through the mundane scrolling text.
[User: CrimsonLord (The First Ascendant): "Greetings, fellow Lords. To celebrate the day's harvest, I will be hosting a private auction in one hour. On the block: multiple Uncommon artifacts, skill books, and a single Rare-grade weapon. Come prepared to bid with Cores and high-tier resources. See you at the top."
The golden text lingered, an arrogant mark of his status. For a few heartbeats, the chat stopped entirely as the name CrimsonLord - the one from the regional announcement- sank in. Then, the floodgates opened.
"You absolute madman," Luna shouted, her eyes wide as she watched the chat count tick upward at a staggering speed. "You are painting a target on your back. Showing off a Rare-grade weapon this early? People will kill for that."
"Let them try," Leo replied, his voice cold and steady. "Selling now, while the demand is at its peak, will fund the construction of my entire territory."
'By the time they realize I am selling them my leftovers, I will be so far ahead that their envy won't matter,' Leo thought.
The stage was set. In sixty minutes, the Crimson Lord would not just be a name on a screen; he would be the man holding the leash on the region's economy.