The morning fog had barely lifted, yet Ashenhold was already teeming with activity. Hikaru stood at the newly erected eastern wall, his arms folded as he watched his villagers scurry about like ants—hauling wood, hammering planks, reinforcing palisades. The scent of freshly split timber filled the air, mingling with the faint iron tang of dried blood still lingering from the battle.
They had won against Raven's strike force, but that had only confirmed one truth: war was coming in waves.
"Blake," Hikaru called over his shoulder, "get the builders. We're not waiting for another surprise."
Blake approached with a nod, his armor polished but dented from the fight. "You thinking of expanding the defenses?"
"No," Hikaru replied, turning to face him. "I'm thinking of expanding everything."
System Alert: Territory Expansion Unlocked
New Options Available:
➤ Establish Outposts (Max: 1)
➤ Resource Watchtowers
➤ Scout Training Grounds
Resource Cost to Initiate Expansion:
Wood: 1,500
Stone: 1,200
Gold: 800
Population: +10 required
Confirm Expansion Plan? [YES] / [NO]
Hikaru didn't hesitate. "Yes."
A low chime echoed in his ears as the confirmation was processed.
Territory Expansion Initiated.
Time Until Completion: 6 hours
Defense Level Drop: -20% (Temporary)
Tip: Assign guards and scouts to compensate for expansion vulnerabilities.
The Village Command Center lit up with new menu options as Hikaru pulled up the full interface.
"Blake, we need more units—now. I want scouts on every road leading in and out of this valley. And we need faster movement options."
"Faster?" Blake blinked. "Like cavalry?"
Hikaru's eyes lit up. "Yes. Stable construction. Do we have the blueprint?"
Blake scratched his chin. "Not yet. We could try the Construction Pool. Maybe we get lucky."
System Alert: Building Blueprint Roll - Stable
Spend 500 Gold to roll for a random Tier 2 Building Blueprint?
[YES] / [NO]
Gold Remaining: 930
Hikaru hit YES.
The interface spun like a slot machine. His heart pounded.
Rolling…
Result: Stable (Tier 2)
✔️ Blueprint Unlocked!
"Hell yes," Hikaru grinned.
Building: Stable (Tier 2)
Cost:
Wood: 1000
Stone: 700
Gold: 300
Units Unlocked:
➤ Light Cavalry
➤ Scout Riders
➤ Upgrade Path: Warhorses (Locked)
Time to Build: 4 hours
Builder Slots Required: 3
Blake's eyes lit up. "That's huge. With Scout Riders, we can monitor enemy movement tenfold."
"Exactly. Get it constructed now. I want our scouting network operational by nightfall."
The sun dipped low, casting golden rays across a now-bustling construction zone. The Stable rose from the ground like a proud monument—sloped roofing, wide paddocks, and wooden posts glistening with fresh tar.
From its gates, two Scout Riders emerged. Their horses were lean but fast, built for endurance. Their riders wore light armor, black leather with blue Ashenhold markings on their capes.
Unit Created: Scout Rider
➤ Speed: High
➤ Vision Radius: Wide
➤ Stealth: Medium
➤ Mounted Unit - Vulnerable to Pike Units
"Split them up," Hikaru ordered. "One to the southern valley. One to the cliffside pass."
The riders saluted and rode off in opposite directions, vanishing into the treeline like ghosts.
Deep in a dense forest two regions east, another figure studied a glowing map projected from their own System Menu.
A woman with emerald eyes, clad in crimson leather and bearing the insignia of the player guild Venatrix, smirked.
"So... someone took down Raven already," she murmured.
Player Tag Detected: [Hikaru]
Estimated Power Ranking: #89 (rising)
"Looks like someone's climbing the ladder fast. Too fast."
Behind her, rows of Beast Tamers and Falcon Archers stood at attention. Her territory—Talwyn—was known for its advanced beast units and ambush tactics.
New Quest Available:
➤ Intercept and Evaluate Ashenhold
Rewards: Scouting Data, Faction Intel, Reputation among Player Guild: Venatrix
She smiled darkly. "Let's pay our new friend a visit."
The campfires crackled as soldiers and villagers alike took a moment of rest. Hikaru sat by the command table, staring at the hand-drawn map that was slowly becoming more populated with real-time data from Scout Riders.
So far, they'd confirmed three mountain passes, one river crossing, and the outline of what looked to be a ruined stronghold nearby.
But then—
System Alert: Scout Rider (Southern Route) Report Incoming
Enemy Structures Detected: Unknown Player Territory (Level 3)
➤ Distance: 3 hours away
➤ Defense Level: Medium
➤ Unknown Units Observed
➤ Banners: Black and Gold with Beast Emblem
Hikaru leaned in. "Beasts?"
Blake frowned. "Could be Venatrix. They're infamous for monster control units. If they're close, they'll want to check us out—or worse."
Hikaru didn't blink. "Then we prepare for them to come knocking."
New Quest Unlocked: Defend Ashenhold - Beast Raid (Forecasted)
Time Remaining: Unknown (Scout Evasion Successful)
➤ Prepare defenses
➤ Build anti-beast structures
➤ Train Pikemen or ranged counter-units
Failure Consequence: Up to 30% Resource Loss, Troop Loss, Morale Drop
"Pull all available resources into the defenses," Hikaru commanded. "Train five more Elite Swordsmen and upgrade the Crossbowmen. I want every wall watched and every patrol doubled."
Blake nodded. "We'll hold them off. Just like with Raven."
But Hikaru wasn't so sure this time. Raven was a blade. Venatrix was a serpent—and serpents waited for the perfect strike.
Still, he looked at the gathered villagers, at the soldiers who now followed him without question, at the shimmering banners of Ashenhold flying proudly against the night sky.
"We'll be ready," he said. "No matter who comes."