《This Lord Had An Omnishop》 Chapter 1 GoatEater69 In the dimly lit basement, a young man in his 19s sat slouched on a worn-out couch, his thumbs furiously tapping at the screen of his mobile phone. His eyes were narrowed with intense focus, his lips pressed into a thin line of determination. Then, the dreaded words appeared on the screen: [You Have Been Slain] A loud, mocking electronic voice echoed from his phone, tells defeat. His grip on the phone tightened, and his face flushed with anger. The in-game chat exploded immediately: NandudurogNgBisaya: Lol, weak. Eat more grass, goat. His hands trembled as he opened the chat box to retaliate. Words? He had words! He just wasn¡¯t great at them. But this time, he¡¯d let this trash-talker know who he was messing with. He furiously typed: GoatEater69: At least I don¡¯t smell like grass! He hit send. Silence came. Then, another reply popped up immediately: NandudurogNgBisaya: Bro, are you okay? That¡¯s the best you¡¯ve got? NandudurogNgBisaya: Smell like grass? Lmao, go play Candy Crush, noob. The young man gritted his teeth, heat rising to his face. "Hmph, let''s see who are you calling noob" he muttered, hyping himself up as if he were preparing for an esports finals match. His fingers moved across the keyboard again with anger, it was like his pride as a player was in line. GoatEater69: At least my mom doesn¡¯t... doesn¡¯t feed me like a goat! He hit send, only to be met with an instant reply. NandudurogNgBisaya: Buddy, you¡¯re trying so hard it¡¯s painful. Log off and touch some grass. Oh wait, you can¡¯t. The young man froze. His mouth opened, then closed. He had no counter. This dude was too strong. His roast game was as weak as his gameplay. He stared at the screen as another message appeared. NandudurogNgBisaya: GG EZ. Don¡¯t uninstall the game; uninstall yourself. Defeated both in the game and in chat, the young man slumped back into the couch. He sighed and whispered to himself, ¡°How can I lose twice in five minutes? Even my comebacks have cooldowns.¡± "This game is really toxic¡­ or maybe it¡¯s because of my IGN," he muttered, glancing at the name GoatEater69 hovering over his avatar. "But that guy¡¯s IGN is cursing my race ''NandudurogNgBisaya'' but he got skills, while I don¡¯t." He sighed deeply, sadness washing over him as he exited the game lobby. Just as he was about to close the app and move on with his night of self-loathing, a notification popped up on his screen. [New Message From: NandudurogNgBisaya] His heart sank, already knowing this couldn¡¯t be good. He tapped on it hesitantly, and there it was. NandudurogNgBisaya: Bro, do goats even know how to use a phone? Asking for a friend. The young man¡¯s eyes twitched. Anger surged through him, and he quickly fired back. GoatEater69: At least I... uh... don¡¯t talk like a goat! He hit send, smirking slightly at his effort. But almost instantly, the reply came. NandudurogNgBisaya: Are you sure? Your gameplay was basically ''baaaah.'' I was farming you like grass. His smirk vanished. His hands trembled as he typed again, trying harder this time. GoatEater69: Well, at least I¡¯m not someone who has to... has to farm noobs to feel good about myself! He sent the message, crossing his arms triumphantly. He nodded, satisfied with his comeback. Surely this time, he had the upper hand. But the next reply arrived before he could blink. NandudurogNgBisaya: Noob? Bro, you¡¯re not even a noob. You¡¯re a tutorial bot that failed its programming. The young man¡¯s jaw dropped. He felt his soul leave his body for a moment, but he shook his head and leaned forward. "No. Not again. I will win this time." He cracked his knuckles like he was gearing up for a final boss fight and started typing furiously. GoatEater69: You know what? At least I¡¯m not some loser who¡¯s so bored that he has to insult people on the internet because no one in real life wants to talk to him! - Is this even a roast, pure bullshit! Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. He hit send, breathing heavily as if he¡¯d just cast an ultimate spell. The screen stayed silent for a few seconds. Was this it? Did he actually win? Then the reply came. NandudurogNgBisaya: You sure? You sound pretty mad for a guy who just got ''rekt'' by someone with zero effort. Touch some grass, GoatEater. The young man groaned, his face red. But he wasn¡¯t done yet. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, his mind racing. He had to say something, anything, to regain some dignity. Finally, he typed: GoatEater69: Yeah? Well, at least I... I don¡¯t use hacks! I know you¡¯re cheating! He hit send and waited. The reply came almost immediately. NandudurogNgBisaya: Cheating? Bro, I was playing with one hand while eating pizza. You were my dessert. He froze. His hands dropped the phone onto his lap as he stared blankly at the screen. No words came to his mind. Nothing. He was officially out of ammo. The chat box pinged again, as if to deliver the final blow: NandudurogNgBisaya: GG, uninstall. Don¡¯t come back until you¡¯ve taken a goat management course. He sighed deeply and slumped back into the couch again, whispering to himself, ¡°Why do I do this to myself? Maybe this is what I get for naming myself GoatEater69.¡± As he stared at his screen, the young man¡¯s hands trembled slightly. His IGN, GoatEater69, mocked him as if it were alive. ¡°How can I not argue back? Even reading my own roasts feels like a toddler wrote them,¡± he muttered, shaking his head in despair. He sighed deeply, staring at his rank: Bronze¡ªthe bottom of the ladder. But then a spark of inspiration hit him. ¡°Wait a second¡­ what¡¯s his rank?¡± he said to himself, his finger hovering over the player profile. If he could dig up something embarrassing, maybe, just maybe, he could turn this roasting match around. He clicked on the player¡¯s name, NandudurogNgBisaya, hoping to find something to use. His breath caught in his throat as the stats loaded. [Challenger] The rank glowed on the screen like it had been dipped in divine light. He stared at it, unblinking, his soul momentarily leaving his body. ¡°C-Challenger?! That¡¯s... that¡¯s the top rank!¡± he stammered. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. ¡°0.020% of the player base¡­¡± he whispered to himself, his voice hollow. ¡°That¡¯s like winning the gaming lottery. Does this guy even touch grass?!¡± He leaned forward, scrolling down nervously to check the player¡¯s mastery points. [Level 7: Zed ¨C 3,232,763 Points] [Level 7: Ahri ¨C 2,672,091 Points] [Level 7: Sylas ¨C 2,113,092,383 Points] ... The young man sat frozen, his eyes twitching as he tried to process the absurd numbers. ¡°Is this even legal?!¡± he gasped. ¡°Who has billions of mastery points on a single champion?! Is this guy from the Chinese server or something? But his IGN¡­ it¡¯s literally Filipino!¡± He slumped back into the couch, gripping his phone like it was a bad omen. ¡°This¡­ this is the pinnacle of gaming. I fought against a god.¡± He wanted to cry, scream, and quit the game simultaneously. ¡°How am I supposed to fight back with this? I wanted ammo, but I just found out I brought a wooden stick to a gunfight!¡± His internal monologue was interrupted by a soft ding. A message. From NandudurogNgBisaya. His stomach churned. Nothing good ever came from that name. He opened the chat box. NandudurogNgBisaya: Yo, you really out here stalking my profile, huh? Looking for dirt? The young man swallowed hard, gripping his phone. He didn¡¯t dare type back. But the messages kept coming. NandudurogNgBisaya: Bronze? Really? Did you think you¡¯d find something to roast me with? My IGN alone should¡¯ve warned you to back off. His heart sank. He couldn¡¯t deny it. That was exactly his plan. NandudurogNgBisaya: Oh wait, I get it. You were hoping I¡¯d be another bronze player like you. That¡¯s cute. But you¡¯re looking at the top of the ladder, my guy. The young man tried to muster a comeback. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t stalking! I just¡­ I just wanted to see¡­¡± He paused, shaking his head. That sounded even more pathetic in his head. Another message popped up: NandudurogNgBisaya: You probably wanted to roast me for my rank, huh? Too bad the only thing getting roasted here is you. AGAIN! His fingers hovered over the keyboard. He needed something, anything to redeem himself. His mind raced. ¡°What do I even say to someone like this?" After a moment of silence, he typed: GoatEater69: A-at least I¡¯m not a sweaty tryhard who plays games all day. He hit send and waited. The reply came almost instantly: NandudurogNgBisaya: Sweaty tryhard? You¡¯re the one who died 12 times in 10 minutes. Who was sweating? You or your teammates watching you feed? The young man winced. He typed again, desperately: GoatEater69: At least I don¡¯t¡ªuh¡ªI don¡¯t¡­ need to spend my life farming points to feel important! Another reply immediately appeared: NandudurogNgBisaya: Important? Bro, my worst champion has more points than your entire existence. Go play chess or something. Maybe you won¡¯t feed there. He froze. Another message followed, twisting the knife further: NandudurogNgBisaya: Oh, and thanks for visiting my profile. Makes me feel famous. Too bad you¡¯ll stay anonymous forever, GoatEater69. His hand trembled. He placed the phone down on the couch and sighed deeply. ¡°Why did I even try? This man isn¡¯t just Challenger in rank¡ªhe¡¯s Challenger in roasting, too.¡± Another ding. NandudurogNgBisaya: GG EZ. Next time, bring a dictionary before you try roasting me. The young man groaned and stared at the ceiling. He whispered to himself, ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe I¡¯ll just play solitaire.¡± Just like that, he decided it was safer to play Solitaire than to embarrass himself any further. He exited the game with a heavy sigh, muttering, ¡°At least the cards won¡¯t roast me.¡± He opened the Solitaire app, the soothing visuals and absence of toxic chat easing his bruised ego. ¡°Ah, this is more like it,¡± he said, clicking through the cards, finally starting to relax. But fate had other plans. Suddenly, a loud rumbling echoed from outside. The night was still, the sky clear, and not a single thundercloud in sight. Yet, a blood-red light tore through the heavens, descending like a vengeful deity¡¯s spear. It shot downward, unstoppable, cutting through the atmosphere with an eerie hum. Strangely, it didn¡¯t pierce the roof or walls¡ªit moved like a ghost, phasing through structures as though they didn¡¯t exist. Its destination? The basement. The young man, blissfully clicking away at his Solitaire cards, didn¡¯t notice the ominous glow until it was too late. The crimson lightning struck him square in the chest, sending shockwaves through his entire body. His bones briefly glowed like an X-ray, illuminating his skeleton as if he were part of a sci-fi experiment. A searing pain exploded through his nerves. He convulsed on the couch, unable to scream as millions of volts surged through his system. His vision blurred, his muscles locked, and his mind screamed in agony. Then, as suddenly as it had arrived, the lightning vanished. As the room fell silent. He toppled off the couch with a sickening thud, his body limp. Smoke wafted lazily from his mouth, and his skin had turned a sickly black, cracked like burnt charcoal. His once-bright eyes now rolled back, showing nothing but white. He was still breathing, but barely. Each gasp sounded weaker than the last, like a flame flickering in a storm. His mind, in its final moments, scrambled for answers, searching for a way to escape the grim reaper that loomed over him. Images flashed in his head¡ªmemories, regrets, moments of sheer stupidity. He remembered his defeats in League of Legends, his miserable roasts, his uninstalled games. He even thought about the Solitaire cards he hadn¡¯t finished sorting. But none of it mattered. There was no escape. And just like that, the legendary ¡®GoatEater69¡¯ met his end, not in glory, not in triumph, but as a victim of blood-red lightning from an unknown force Chapter 2 Transmigration Suddenly, his soul began to float and disintegrate simultaneously. It teleported to an unknown location, bypassing the barrier protecting a world very different from Earth. It continued to float until it arrived in a kingdom. The walls were old and crumbling, with moss covering the stones and gaps showing years of neglect. Inside, the streets were dirty and uneven, filled with trash and overgrown weeds. Broken-down houses lined the roads, their roofs sagging and walls cracked. The market square was sparse, with a few crooked stalls selling wilted produce and rusty tools. The people moved slowly, their clothes tattered and faces weary. Guards wandered aimlessly, their armor rusted and mismatched. At the center stood a small stone keep, its walls streaked with grime and ivy creeping up its sides. The gate hung ajar, its hinges rusted. Surrounding the kingdom were dry, cracked fields with dying crops and a sluggish, polluted river. The entire place felt abandoned, barely holding on to life. His soul drifted closer to the keep, the last remnant of the kingdom''s former glory, now just a symbol of its decline. It floated to a manor on the very center of this broken kingdom. The soul flew into the old, crumbling manor, gliding through dusty hallways and entering a dimly lit room. The first thing it noticed was the disarray, a floor strewn with bottles of liquor and wine, the scent of alcohol heavy in the air. On the king-sized bed lay a young man, no older than 19. His short black hair, once likely styled with care, now stuck out in every direction, messy and unkempt. Despite the disarray, his sharp jawline and high cheekbones hinted at a naturally handsome face. His dark eyes looked tired and hazy in the dim light. They once seemed full of ambition, but now they appear dull from too much indulgence. His noble attire, made of expensive fabrics embroidered with golden patterns, hung loosely on his frame, wrinkled and stained¡ªa reflection of his neglectful nature. Yet, beneath the disheveled appearance, there was an undeniable charm in his youthful features: smooth, unblemished skin and the faintest trace of a smirk on his lips that suggests carelessness or longing. Even in his current condition, he appeared as someone who could command attention if only he cared enough to try. But what you can notice is that the young man in the bed was not breathing; there was no breathing. You can clearly see that he was literally dead with no more life living in the body. The soul then floated and danced as it circled the bed. Finally, it floated towards the young man in the bed, and as the soul went inside, it integrated into itself from the corpse. After a few minutes, the young man on the bed began to make some slight movements. There was a loud groan as his eyes slowly fluttered. His hands were trembling from time to time, and his leg began to kick. Then suddenly, his eyes opened wide, and his movements stopped. He looked at the ceiling, feeling dumbfounded about where he was. The ceiling looked so old and worn down that at any moment, it would break and crush him to pieces. After some time, he glanced at his sides and found that he was in an unfamiliar environment. "Where the heck I am¡­¡­!" he did not finish his words, as a flood of memories engulfed his mind like a raging storm. He could not but hold his head, as he shriek in the bed absorbing something that isnt his, he felt like he was going to die if this continues. After a minute, the pain subsided, allowing his breathing to return to normal. Sweat drenched the sheets and soaked his clothes. He then sat up in bed, looking at the picture frame in front of him. It was attached to the wall and showed a woman, a man standing, and, in the center, a little boy with black hair¡ªa cute and handsome one at that. In his memory, the woman in the picture is his mother, ''Lady Seraphina Veylance.'' She had black hair and a charmingly beautiful face. In the memory he had just absorbed, she appeared as a caring and gentle mother who loved to dote on him. Because of her pampering, he was spoiled. Looking at the mature man with blonde hair, his gaze was sharp, but his smile was gentle. It was clear he was happy when this painting was done. The man is ''Lord Alden Veylance. '' His father is a strict person who wanted to train him when he was a child. Whenever he was lazy, his father would spank him, making him cry in grievance.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Fortunately, his mother was always there to protect him from his father''s anger, which made him smile triumphantly, even though his father was like this. He was very kind and gentle inside, his father and mother was love by the people because of their generosity. They are always helpful, and whenever there is trouble, like bandits, his father leads some teams to defend against these forces of evil. Not only was he strong, but he was also feared by a lot of people, but this time was not forever. His father suffered from an incurable disease during his expedition outside the kingdom. There was no cure, and many physicians and healers in the area had no solutions either. Within just one month, as his father lost his vitality and appeared almost skeletal, he glanced at him one last time. His hazy eyes were filled with sadness since he was leaving his son and wife; he could only offer a warm smile before he closed his eyes and disappeared into this world. His mother was deeply devastated during this time, feeling as though she had lost something significant. She became emotionally unstable, refusing to eat for weeks. Whenever he tried to care for her, she would scream that she had no son. This clearly hurt him since he was 9 years old at this time, and after a month when he was about to deliver some food for her mother early this morning. He was stunned and frozen, standing close to the window where her mother leaned and lay against the wall. She was holding a broken pot In her hands, and her throat was slit open, as blood slid out from that place. Alexander Veylance he''s name was very traumatized by this; his world felt like It had collapsed. Both of his parents died when he was just 9 years old making him parentless. As a child with no one to guide him, he felt like his life had become useless. At just 10 years old, he learned what drinking is, and as he grew older, he learned gambling. After that, when he was 15, he tasted what it felt like to indulge in a woman. He then used the money that was for the kingdom. Because of this action, the image of the people in his father''s kingdom became unsightly. He felt their gazes and heard their scornful words, but he did not take them too seriously. The people then began to move out, since living in this kingdom ruled by a broken king would have no future. They felt sad about his experience, but he needed to at least man up and face the challenges to make both of his parents proud. Their young king appeared to be just a child, showing no signs of growth or ambition. He received low ratings not only from his own people but also from neighboring kingdoms. This continued until he was 19, indulging in women, gambling, and booze. He then died from too much booze, but he did not have any regrets; he was tired, dead tired. He had no goals to live, but there was one thing he regretted... "What kind of trouble did I get into?" He cursed inwardly as he absorbed the memories of the owner of this body. He was just playing some games, getting roasted like usual, when out of nowhere, he got struck by lightning. It was as if life decided to roast him not once, but twice¡ªthis time, for real. Actually, make that thrice since the world he is living in right now is filled with dangers. There are beasts, dragons, bandits, and many more. He can describe it as a fantasy world if he wants to describe it. He was very much scared since he had no superpowers to survive in this world, when suddenly. [Ding¡­] [The Host has been detected¡­] [Integrating System¡­] [Checking Host Identity¡­ Status¡­ Building System¡­] [1%...32%...78%] - System loading. [96%...99%...100%] [The Omnishop System has been successfully integrated into the host.] [Hello, Host. Please give me a nickname that I can use to refer to myself.] [Nickname:________] Seeing this, Alexander was very much stunned by this sudden occurrence. It felt like a scene from a movie; a robot or an AI seemed to be stuck in his mind, or perhaps a chip had been implanted in his brain. However, he quickly realized that he had transmigrated to a world without any technology, so he chose not to explore the thought further. "Is this my golden finger?" Alexander said, scratching his head. He was not very fond of reading novels or watching anime, so he had no idea what a system was. He was very confused, but he decided to continue with the naming. "Alright, Omnishop System, I will call you ''Razon'' from now on," Alexander said. [Naming has been completed¡­ Fetching Data¡­ Done] [Hello Host, Razon is at your service. Do you want to inquire about something?]¡ªthe system asked. "Yes, Razon. Can you tell me how the system functions and how it can help me?" Alexander asked since this system must be a cheat. [For the system function, the system will begin to explain everything to the Host] [The Omnishop system is a system that provides the Host access to a shop or marketplace.] [This Shop interface contains a bunch of categories: Weapons and Artifacts, Resources, Skills, Blueprints, Technology, Bloodlines, and Physiques] [In this system, it uses two currencies, which are Omni Points and Coins, to purchase] [Coins are the Host money in the real world that can be used to purchase something in the shop, while Omni Points are the in-game currency. It can only be earned through completing quests, defeating enemies, expanding the kingdom, or fulfilling system missions] Alexander listened attentively to the system so as not to miss any important details, so he asked again. "Umm, Razon, what is the difference between Omni Points and Coins? The uses I meant, since the coins are used to purchase something, then what about the Omni points?" Alexander asked, not knowing the difference. [The difference between the two is that coins are used to purchase items in the shop, while Omni Points are used to upgrade skills, spells, bloodlines, physique, and more.] Hearing this, his eyes widened. Upgrade? He could actually upgrade his skills and everything as long as he had Omni Points. This was literally a very broken system. [Is there anything you want to ask more, Host?" - The system asked, tilting its panel. "No more, let me digest first," he responded. [Then, before you digest the Information. You have received a gift pack and a lucky spin to win a random reward] [Do you want to use it now?] Chapter 3 Lucky Spin [Do you want to use it now?] - The system asked. Alexander was stunned to receive a lucky spin and a starter pack. If he can just at least get something good, it will really help him in his current situation. "Yes, let''s begin with a starter pack first," Alexander instructed. [Congratulations! You have received the following items from the Starter Pack: 5,000 gold coins, Basic Resources Pack, and a Low-grade Kingdom Revival Token] [Do you wish to use the Kingdom Revival Token now?] - The system asked. Seeing that he received something valuable like gold, he wanted to check the amount in the basic resources pack. ¡­ [Basic Resources Pack - Added in System Storage] Wood: 10,000 units. Stone: 5,000 units. Food Supplies: Enough to feed 300 people for one week. Iron: 1,000 units (for tools and basic weapons). Arcane Stones(Low Grade): 300] "Food supplies worth enough to feed 300 people for a week? This is great! With this, the food problem is now solved," Alexander exclaimed, a smile adorning his face. He glanced down at the panel and noticed that he had also won an Arcane Stone. While he felt pleased, he was slightly disappointed to see it was only a low grade. After all, what could he expect from a Basic Resources pack? According to his memories, even though the original Alexander never studied, he had learned the basic knowledge about the uses of arcane stones during his childhood. Arcane stones are crystalized cores or magical essences that beasts leave behind when they are defeated. This serves as a valuable resource for everyone since it can be used for absorption as long as it is cleansed from its impurities. However, cleansing needs to have a purifying magic, and only the Radiant Church is filled with this practitioner. Even if an individual possesses this ability, they must have a deep understanding of light magic or at least be equipped with a second-tier spell. For a commoner, obtaining a second-tier spell or even purchasing one is nearly impossible due to the high cost, and some spells may not even be available for sale. Even purchasing a first-tier spell is nearly impossible, and for a noble to acquire a second-tier spell, the chances are quite slim. However, obtaining one may be possible if a noble possesses significant influence and power, as these spells are only available through the Radiant Church. In a banquet hall, young Alexander listened intently as someone shared a story with a group of children. The tale was about the "Radiant Church," a religious organization that encourages the worship of Solara, the goddess of light and order. They are highly influential in kingdoms that embrace their faith; sometimes, they can advise the rulers or have the power to be in command. They don''t misuse their power and authority, as any actions must be reported to the highest authority before taking action. The person then shared the story of the church''s powerful military group, the Dawnblades. They are exceptionally strong and are tasked with hunting heretics and combating dark forces, especially ''Demons''. While their teachings promote peace, their intolerance towards other religions or practices like necromancy and paganism is their pet peeve. Back to the present, if Alexander remembers according to his memories, the Arcane Cores are differentiated in level. [Quality Based] Low-Grade Arcane Stone - These are dropped by weak beasts and are used in minor crafting and low-tier enhancements. They also serve as batteries for power formations and arrays. Mid-Grade Arcane Stone - Dropped by stronger beasts, these stones are used for both crafting and enchantment. They also offer various functions in addition to serving as a battery for formations and arrays. High-Grade Arcane Stone - These stones are dropped by powerful beasts. It is rumored that a living adult dragon possesses this type of stone. ??? - He forgot, but there is a much higher level than this. ... Just by looking at it, getting a high-grade quality Arcane stone is nearly impossible¡ªnot entirely impossible, but hard¡ªsince a living adult dragon can just stomp his kingdom with one foot, destroying at least 40% of his kingdom. Its fire breathing can only do the deed; with just one breath, his kingdom would be gone! If he even think about slaying or even offending one? Then he would be doomed. Seeing the panel about the Kingdom Revival Token could be used; he decided to check what it was. ¡­ [Item: Kingdom Revival Token - In the inventory] Grade: Low Grade Description: A magical item that increases the morale and loyalty of the people, giving them hope and motivation to follow their lord. Effect: Restores 100% infrastructure of at least 1 village in the kingdom (Examples are roads, homes, roads, crops, and more as long it is in the vicinity of the village - As long as it is a village then this item will work as long it is connected to a kingdom) ¡­ Alexander looked at the list of items with wide eyes, his heart racing. "This... this is way more than I expected!" he muttered, gripping his head in happiness.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. His gaze lingered on the Kingdom Revival Token and the resources listed. "If I use these now, I can repair some of the mess this place has become. And with the coins... I might even be able to hire help or buy supplies." Looking at the 5,000 gold coins. Gold Coins are not a small amount in his current situation, "This is literally enough to rebuild the remaining village; I could hire workers, buy supplies, and even start fixing the walls of the kingdom with this!" "Back in my world, this would be like carrying hundreds of thousands of pesos. How did I get so lucky after being roasted by a challenger?" he sigh from his good luck. Just to be on point here, his weekly wage was not very high, only about 2,000 to 3,000 pesos when he was working in his world. So you can see how happy he was because of this. (Author: But for real, can that be considered good luck?) [To provide you a good understanding of what it can buy, here is the list] [Currency in this world] 1 Royal Coins = 100 Gold Coins - King class Currency 1 Gold Coin = 100 Silver Coins - Noble Class Currency 1 Silver Coin = 100 Bronze Coins - Middle-Class Currency 1 Bronze Coins - Commoner''s Currency ... Bronze coins are the smallest currency unit, primarily commoners use for everyday transactions. With 1 bronze coin, you can buy a small half of a loaf of bread, a small piece of cheese, or simple tools like a broken candle or a wooden spoon. For 50 bronze coins, you can afford a basic meal at a tavern, repair damaged clothes or shoes, or rent a simple straw bed at an inn for one night. Bronze coins are essential for day-to-day life and are the foundation of the economy for common folk. Silver coins, worth 100 bronze coins, are used for larger transactions or more expensive items. With 1 silver coin, you can buy a week''s worth of food for a small family, such as bread, grains, and vegetables. It can also pay for a very cheap sword, a night in a decent inn, or a laborer''s wage for a full day''s work. If you have 50 silver coins, you can hire a skilled craftsman, like a blacksmith, to repair or craft something useful. You could also afford a basic horse or wagon to transport goods. Silver coins are often used by merchants or middle-class individuals for more substantial purchases. Gold coins, worth 100 silver coins, are a significant form of wealth and are mostly used by nobles, merchants, or for large-scale transactions. With 1 gold coin, you can pay a month''s salary for a trained guard or soldier, buy a finely crafted weapon, or purchase a small plot of farmland along with basic livestock, such as 5 goats or 5 cows. With 50 gold coins, you could hire a group of mercenaries or adventurers for a short-term mission, or repair small sections of the kingdom''s walls or damaged buildings. Now, imagine what 5,000 gold coins could accomplish¡ªit''s enough to rebuild at least half of the entire kingdom, or maybe not half, but about 30% of it. He can hire an army, or sustain a population for 1 month. If he had no problems, but with this amount it will be in no time before it was spend. Royal Coins were used for even bigger transactions. Only some high-ranking kingdoms and empires used this currency to trade, but Alexander had seen one before. If he remembers, his father used to have some royal coins, but they were already spent. Alexander opened his system storage, glancing at the inventory where his newly acquired items were stored. After some thinking, he focused on the Lucky Spin before using the Kingdom Revival Token to repair the broken infrastructure. With excitement bubbling in his chest, he navigated his fingers to the spin feature. [Do you want to spin now, host?] - The system prompted, waiting for his command. "Yes! Spin me a good one, Razon," Alexander said, calling the system by its nickname. Suddenly, a spinning wheel appeared before him, glowing with vibrant colors. The prizes remained a mystery, each represented only by a question mark, but the colors indicate their rarity. White - Basic Gray - Uncommon Yellow - Rare Green - High Blue - Legendary Red - Mythic His eyes quickly glanced at the mythic reward, which was represented by a sliver on the wheel so small that it felt like a joke. The system provided the odds: a 0.01% chance to win a mythic reward. The legendary rewards had slightly better odds, with a 1% chance, while the basic and uncommon categories were more prevalent on the wheel, offering the highest likelihood of winning. Alexander couldn''t help but mutter, "I don''t have high hopes for the legendary or mythic, but¡­ just something decent, please." he begged the system. [Spinning the wheel¡­] The wheel spun with vigor, the red indicator circling rapidly across the rewards. Alexander leaned closer, his eyes fixed on it, the tension was coiling in his chest. As the wheel slowed, the colors began to pass by in a more deliberate rhythm. "Come on¡­ something good," Alexander prayed under his breath, clasping his hands together like a desperate gambler. It felt as if the original Alexander had returned, as this was something he sometimes did during gambling. The spinning wheel gradually came to a crawl, passing over white, gray, and other rare sections. His sights were set on the high rewards, and he refused to let himself hope for anything more. Yet, what happened next left him completely stunned. The wheel stopped. The blue section lit up. The screen flashed a notification [Congratulations! You have won a Legendary Reward.] "What?!" Alexander''s jaw dropped. His heart skipped a beat. A legendary reward? He blinked, staring at the wheel. "Did¡­ did I really just¡ª?" He didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "My luck is actually turning around for once!" The system didn''t let him celebrate for long. Since another notification appeared, its golden text glowed against the interface. [You have obtained a Legendary Bloodline: Behemoth Bloodline.] For a moment, Alexander froze, unable to process the words. "Behemoth Bloodline¡­ a legendary one at that?" His voice wavered with disbelief. The shock gave way to an overwhelming mix of excitement and awe. "This¡­ this will change everything." [Bloodline: Behemoth Grade: Legendary Description: The Behemoth Bloodline is one of the oldest and most revered bloodlines in history, said to have originated from the primordial age of titanic beasts. Millions of years ago, during the Era of the Colossal Titans, the world was ruled by creatures of unimaginable size and power. Among them, the Behemoth reigned supreme a creature so massive its footsteps caused earthquakes, and its roar could even shatter mountains and rivers.] [You have gained +100 Strength!] [You have gained +100 Defense!] [You have gained +40 Vitality!] [You have gained +250 Health!] [You have gained +50 Stamina!] [You have gained +20 Speed!] "Damn, this is craz¡ª" Alexander''s words were cut short as his body suddenly convulsed. He dropped to the cushion of the bed, clutching his chest as an overwhelming surge of power coursed through him. His muscles began to ache, not in pain, but as if they were being reforged from within. A deep heat radiated through his limbs, spreading from his core to every corner of his body. He could feel his frame shifting, growing, as though his very bones were being restructured. A faint glow enveloped him, and within moments, his scrawny physique transformed into something far beyond his irginal self. His once-average frame now showed a perfect athletic build, with defined muscles that appeared to have been sculpted by a master artist. Every inch of his body exuded strength and balance¡ªneither overly bulky nor thin, but rather a flawless combination of power and agility. His chest broadened, his arms and legs thickened with lean muscle, and his posture straightened naturally, giving him an aura of dominance. Alexander''s height, once an average 5''10", surged to an imposing 6 feet tall. He looked down at his hands, previously slim and unremarkable, now larger and stronger, with veins faintly visible beneath his skin. He stumbled to a nearby old mirror, catching his reflection. Alexander could hardly recognize himself. His face, once boyish and soft, had taken on a more mature, chiseled appearance. His jawline was sharper, his cheekbones more prominent, and his eyes now carried a piercing intensity. "This... is me?" he muttered, his voice slightly deeper and steadier than before. He flexed his hands experimentally, feeling raw power at his fingertips. As he stood there, Alexander''s entire demeanor changed. His every move and action gave him the feeling of dominance and a higher being. [Would you like to check the Skills?] - The system asked. Alexander, hearing the prompts, was, of course, glad to see the bloodline''s own skills. Not wasting anymore time, he opened the panel to see the skills. Chapter 4 Skills and Origin [Innate Skills: Titan¡¯s Might, Behemoth¡¯s Wrath, Legacy of the Behemoth] [Passive Skills: Unyielding Will, Behemoth''s Presence, Unyielding Stamina] [Active Skills: Earthen Fortress, Primal Roar] [Innate Skills: Titan''s Might Description: A temporary burst of overwhelming strength that amplifies the user''s physical power to devastating levels. - Effect: Temporarily increases strength by +200% for 10 seconds. Usage Limit: 1/1 Mana Cost: 150 Cooldown: 1 Day Behemoth''s Wrath Description: Unleashes the full power of the Behemoth¡¯s fury in a massive attack that devastates the battlefield. - Effect: Slams the ground with immense force, creating a massive shockwave that knocks back all enemies within a 50-meter radius and deals heavy damage. Usage Limit: 3/3 Mana Cost: 120 Cooldown: 12 Hours Legacy of the Behemoth (Ultimate Ability) Description: Tapping into the Behemoth''s ancient essence, the user temporarily unlocks its primal power. Effects: -For 60 seconds, all abilities (Like Earthshaker and Behemoth¡¯s Wrath) have no cooldowns and strength-based actions deal double damage. -User gains immunity to fear, stun, and knockback effects. -At the end of the duration, the user is left heavily fatigued, reducing stamina regeneration by 50% for the next hour. Usage Limit: 1/1 Mana Cost: 200 Cooldown: 1 week ] [Passive Skills: Unyielding Will Descriptions: Grants a powerful regenerative effect that activates when the user is close to death, ensuring survival in critical situations. Effects: -Restores 20% of max health instantly when health drops below 10%. -Grants immunity to crowd control effects for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 1 day Behemoth''s Presence Description: The aura of domination inherited from the Behemoth instills fear in foes and inspires allies. Effects: - Enemy Effect: Weak-willed enemies are 20% more likely to flee or surrender simply from being in the wielder''s presence. The effect diminishes against foes of higher level or greater willpower. - Ally Effect: Allies within a 10-meter radius gain a +10% boost to Strength and Defense during battle, along with a morale boost to bolster their resolve. Cooldown: Wala Cooldown (TL: No Cooldown) Unyielding Stamina: Description: The Behemoth fought battles that lasted days without rest, and its descendants inherited its unmatched endurance. Effects: -Health Bonus: Health is increased by +50%, with health regeneration boosted by 3% per minute, ensuring incredible durability in prolonged combat. -Stamina Regeneration: Stamina regeneration is increased by +25%, allowing the wielder to sustain extended physical activity and fight for longer periods. ] [Active Skills: Earthen Fortress Descriptions: Summons the strength of the earth to form a protective barrier around the user or allies. It can also be used to trap opponents. Effects: -Creates a 10-meter-radius dome of earth and stone that absorbs incoming attacks for 15 seconds. -The barrier has high durability and can block both physical and magical attacks, but the user cannot attack from within while it¡¯s active. Uses: 5/5 Mana Cost: 50 Cooldown: 8 hours Primal Roar Description: Releases a deafening roar that disorients enemies and rallies allies. Effects: -Enemies within a 30-meter radius are debuffed, reducing their physical and magical attack by -15% and defense by -10% for 20 seconds. -Allies within the same radius are inspired, gaining +15% attack and magic power and +10% defense for the same duration. Uses: 4/4 Mana Cost: 50 Cooldown: 2 hours ] He could not help but be in awe of these impressive skills. But for a legendary skill, is this really it? I mean, it¡¯s a legendary skill, right? [Well, actually, you can adjust it, host, if the Mana Cost only needs 50 to create a 10-meter radius dome of Earth in one of your active skills.] [Injecting more Mana can increase the density, radius of the scope, and its power.] Alexander, hearing the system''s explanation, nods his head in affirmation, as if this were the case. [Also, if you say that the skills are pretty weak for a legendary bloodline. That is because the bloodline is still at its initial level. As the bloodline levels up or evolves, the abilities will grow stronger and may transform into entirely new and more powerful skills. Evolution unlocks the bloodline''s full potential while leveling enhances its existing traits and abilities incrementally] [You can use Omnipoints to upgrade your skills, level up, and potentially evolve your bloodline. If you want to, you must accumulate points for that.] [Special Note: Only the Host possesses this ability; Upgrading allies'' skills or even bloodlines is not possible, as this is unique to the Host.] Whenever the system explained, Alexander just kept nodding his head to show that he understood. "Razon, if it''s okay, can you tell me the history of this Bloodline?" Alexander asked the system. [Of course, I can help you with that. Since you are only asking about the history of your bloodline, I can provide the information you need.] [During the Era of the Colossal Titans about 10 million years ago. During this ancient time, the world was ruled by titanic creatures, each representing primal forces of nature. Among these creatures, the Behemoth was the most feared and revered. It is said to have been so large that its shadow could cover entire valleys, and its strength was unmatched by other titans.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. According to the legends, the Behemoth was challenged by a coalition of gods and mortals who sought to end its reign over the earth. After a battle that lasted about seven days and seven nights, the Behemoth fell, its final roar shattering mountains, creating a vast chasm in the land. But even in death, the Behemoth''s essence refused to dissipate. Its power seeped into the earth, its strength carried on by those who can inherit its bloodline. Over millions of years, the Behemoth''s bloodline grew weaker as it mixed with mortals. However, those who awaken its legendary essence are said to be destined for greatness, heralding an age of change and upheaval] Listening to the system''s story and explaining the history of the bloodline, he felt a spark of desire to evolve it. "I could not help but imagine its final roar could even shatter mountains. Even its footstep can cause earthquakes; this is literally the work of the gods." He exclaimed, with a hissed in the end. Feeling the sweat in his clothes, he took off the upper part and threw it in the bed. This time, he only wore a pajama as he focused on the system panel. Glancing at the active skill ''Primal Roar,'' he wondered if he could do that as well if he maxed this skill out. That would be like a dream; then the system panel appeared yet again. [Status Updating¡­] [Computing Attributes¡­] [¡­¡­Done!] [Status: Level: 1 (0/100) Name: Alexaner Aurelious Class: None Race: Human Bloodline: Behemoth Bloodline Innate Skills: Titan¡¯s Might, Behemoth¡¯s Wrath, Legacy of the Behemoth Passive Skills: Unyielding Will, Behemoth''s Presence, Unyielding Stamina Active Skills: Earthen Fortress, Primal Roar, Crescent Blade Arc Free Attributes: 0 Health: 450 Vitality: 50 Strength: 115 Defense: 110 Speed: 32 Stamina: 65 Mana: 200 Magic Power: 10 ] ... "I just arrived, and I''m already this strong? Are you serious right now? I got the feeling that it''s not bad luck anymore but good luck," he mused inwardly. In his real world, he was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage. When he turned 15, he decided to move out, as the orphanage was struggling to care for all the children. Just the cost of food alone is too great for a small orphanage, so he decided to leave even though the caretaker did not agree. He then worked as a janitor, construction worker, pizza delivery driver, and waiter. When he was evicted from his monthly apartment, a friend offered him a place to stay in his house for free, but he insisted on paying, and in the end, his friend could not help but agree. He does not go to school since it is expensive; he only works at a restaurant to support himself, so you can say his life is not that great. Transmigrating into a world with magic, expecting to become a chopping board since it¡¯s a useless prince, now with the help of the system and his bloodline. Making a comeback and reviving this kingdom is not going to be a hard challenge for him, that is, if he really can do it since he has no experience managing a kingdom. "Serving customers is easier than serving the whole population. Wait, I''m a king, right? That means they should serve me!¡± Alexander muttered, scratching the back of his head, trying to figure out the problem. [The first mission has finally been chosen.] [To motivate the Host, the system has provided you with your first-ever mission.] [Mission: Revive the Kingdom Description: The kingdom, once a proud and prosperous realm under the rule of Alexander¡¯s father, has fallen into ruin. The original owner''s indulgence in booze, women, and gambling left the land in shambles, tarnishing the kingdom''s reputation and draining its resources. Alliances have crumbled, and no neighboring kingdoms are willing to establish ties due to its mismanagement and the king''s disgraceful behavior. Now, with the former ruler gone, it falls upon the Host to restore the kingdom to its former glory. Rebuild its grandeur, regain the trust of its people, and forge alliances worthy of its name. Rewards: 50,000 Gold Coins | 1,000 Omni Points | 5 Levels | Magic Barrier Blueprint[LG] | Fertile Soil Enhance Blueprint [LG] | 500 Arcane Stone (MG) | Rare Seeds Pack [LG or MG] Time "What''s LG? Razon, can you explain this to me? Since it must be different from Arcane Stones," Alexander asked, putting one of his hands on his chin. [Sure thing, Host. LG stands for Low Grade. It¡¯s part of a ranking system to determine the quality of items, from the lowest to the most powerful. Let me break it down for you] [Here''s the hierarchy for clarity: LG: Low Grade ¨C Basic items or tools. MG: Middle Grade ¨C Better quality, with minor enhancements. HG: High Grade ¨C Advanced items, useful in higher-level tasks or battles. SG: Superior Grade ¨C Elite items, rare and powerful. LG: Legendary Grade ¨C Items owned by high-ranking empires. Very rare! :D MG: Mythic Grade ¨C Ultra-rare, nearly impossible to find. AG: Ancient Grade ¨C Artifacts lost to time and history.] "Oh," he mused as he glanced at the ancient grade that had been lost through time. Then his eyes darted around in the Legendary Grade. "So, that means my future opponents will have these kinds of items? That is... if I can even revive this kingdom," Alexander sighed heavily. The weight of the task ahead bore down on him like a mountain. He slumped into the bed again, staring at the dilapidated walls around him. Managing? What did he even know about managing? He wasn¡¯t a tactician or a leader. He lacked experience in diplomacy, strategy, and economics¡ªall of which were crucial to running a kingdom. The original owner of this body had left behind nothing but debts, enemies, and a tarnished reputation. "Well, the only constant in life is change," Alexander muttered, recalling the words of an ancient philosopher. In his previous life, he cherished reading books, particularly those about philosophy. It provided him with something to hold onto in a life that otherwise felt devoid of meaning. A life of monotony about serving people, sleeping, and waiting for death. Back then, he had no purpose. No goals. But now, those words weren¡¯t just a fleeting idea; they reflected his current reality. "Life is dynamic, and nothing remains static," he whispered, his voice barely audible. His gaze drifted to the cracked ceiling above him. If the natural world was always in a state of transformation, with seasons changing and rivers flowing, why should he expect his life to be any different? "This change is inevitable," he mused aloud, the weight of the thought settling in his chest. "Rather than resist it, I must learn to adapt... and embrace my new reality." His words lingered in the air as if he were convincing himself of the truth. Resisting would only lead to frustration; he understood that much. But acceptance? Acceptance could bring growth, progress, and even a chance to thrive. "Nothing is permanent," he murmured as if the words were etched into his soul. "You cannot step into the same river twice." He paused, letting the meaning sink in. The water in a river is always moving, always changing. And just like that river, his life, this life, would never be the same as before. It couldn''t be. It would be foolish to try and cling to what was lost. Change, as terrifying as it was, also brought the opportunity for growth, for learning, for something greater. "Without change, life would stagnate..." His voice trailed off into silence. His contemplation was broken by the creak of the door swinging open. ¡­ If you want to know his stats if he did not get the bloodline. Then here it is, that is if you want to know: Name: Alexaner Aurelious Class: None Race: Human Bloodline: Innate Skill: None Active Skill: Crescent Blade Arc Passive Skill: None Free Attributes: 0 Health: 200 Vitality: 10 Strength: 15 Defense: 10 Speed: 12 Stamina: 15 Mana: 50 Magic Power: 10 Chapter 5 Source of Regrets When the door opened, Alexander was struck by the sight of the girl who entered. She appeared to be about his age, with soft, round eyes that radiated warmth and kindness. Like a quiet sunrise, her gentle smile carried a sense of calm and generosity. Her long black hair flowed freely, tied delicately with a purple ribbon that matched her modest but elegant dress. The way she carried herself was graceful yet humble, filling the room with a serene presence, as if she embodied the compassion and purity the world had forgotten. "This must be the original owner of this body wife, my wife," he muttered as he sat up in bed, looking at her. Seeing the girl in real life was totally different from just remembering her, especially after the real Alexander died. His biggest regret was her. The reason why he indulged in drinking was to break the relationship between her and him. So, when drinking did not work, he tried gambling, but it did not work. She was always there to support him whenever he came home drunk. This girl was always there to prepare him food, making his heart feel a sudden ache. Seeing how kind and good a person she really is, his feelings were greatly kept at the bottom of his heart since being with him would only ruin a lovely woman like her. That is when he resorted to a choice which is indulging in women, at that time he brough a random prostitute in his room, he even felt her gaze that was the look of disbelief. Seeing her look at that time, he felt like his heart was torn to pieces. But he knew that this was the only choice, beating her up to leave? He will never do that; he will never hurt her physically, so the only way for her to forget him is to make her leave. After some time, when he was finished, he went into the living room. He found her crying and could only hide as he listened to her screams of pain. He clutched his shirt over the area of his heart, that is beating wildly. He really wanted to apologize and seek forgiveness, but he restrained himself; this was a wise choice, he kept telling himself. When he fell asleep and woke up in the morning, he discovered her serving breakfast. He was stunned as he looked at her; the way she gazed at him was still as kind as if nothing had happened the night before. He looked down at the food on the table, his eyes trembling as he squeezed a fist. "Why? Why!" he could not help but exclaim inwardly. When he stopped thinking about it and was about to finish his food, she poured water into his cup since he had finished all the wine in their storage. The original Alexander could not handle this moment. Why is she still kind to him? He is a bastard, and she still treats him so kindly; he cannot accept it. So to take it up a notch, every day he goes home, he brings a random prostitute to play in his bedroom; later, every morning, he can see her eyes are black and dry from crying too much. But she still served him well, like a wife serving her husband; she takes care of him by cooking and cleaning since they have run out of maids due to lack of money. Whenever she had time, she handled the chores and the mess he caused, making his heart even more uncomfortable. The original Alexander hadn''t touched her since if he did that, then she would be stuck with a bastard like him in the future. Then, the memory of him meeting her in the streets resurfaces. She was so thin at that time due to the lack of nourishment. Her clothes were tattered and dirty, and she was covered in grime from head to toe. Feeling sorry for her, he took her with him when at that time he was only five years old. After returning to the palace, her mother and father accepted her not as a maid, but as their daughter¡ªa princess. They only had one son and no daughters, so they greatly loved adopting her. When both of them turned seven, his mother suggested they get engaged. The original Alexander agreed, as he found no issue about it. While the little girl who was named by her mother, Serena Aurelious. She was very happy, jumping excitedly as both of his parents smiled at her reaction. Both of her parents were greatly relieved because their adopted daughter did not object to this. If she had objected, they would not have pressured her since their happiness was what mattered most. Back to the time when the original Alexander believed that the only way for her to be free was for him to be dead. Since if he continued to do this, he would only cause her to be broken every day. So he put a toxic poison in his drink and with the last gulped, he slumped in the bed as he waited for the effect to take over. His eyes were closed as he muttered in a low, hazy breath, "Sorry¡­". After the flashback ended, he still felt the emotional ache in his heart. "Don''t worry, I will take care of her for you. Your kingdom and your people, you have my word for it. Since I''m you right now," He promised in his mind. Then, the last wisp of the original Alexander''s soul that remained inside him finally dissipated. "Thank you..." a soft whisper sounded in his ears, and the uncomfortable feeling disappeared when he spoke his promise. Serena who came barging in saw that he was awake and was not actually drunk, which surprised her.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. She walked towards him as Alexander sat on the bed. Taking a towel in her hands, she leaned in and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "What did you do to be sweating this hard?" Serena asked, her voice gentle, as she wiped the sweat from his forehead. Serena was then stunned, as Alexander in front of her seemed to have changed. His face had become mature, and he gave off the feeling of someone strong, making her confused. Looking down at his upper body, which was naked, made her gulp. His muscle and perfectly toned build made her blush as her breathing became even more heavy. "When did Alexander start exercising? " she asked, not knowing that the towel was in Alexander''s chest as her hands wiped it gently. She just stared at those muscles, since Alexander''s body was not this perfect; it was slightly bulgy, you could say fatter due to alcohol. But now it even had its own abs, making her wonder in curiosity. Alexander, who was being properly taken care of, was greatly embarrassed. He could not help but turn red from this. What do you expect from him? He had never touched or even talked to an opposite sex face to face, making him a little bit awkward. "Uhh, that''s good now, Serena. You can stop now." He managed to voice out, looking down with a red face. Hearing his words, she was brought back to reality, and she shrieked as she leaned back with a red face. She glanced down, clearly shy as well. The room was quiet when suddenly his stomach began to grumble, ruining the awkward atmosphere. [Warning: Enhanced hunger detected. Increased energy intake is required to sustain your growing strength] Seeing the warning in the system panel, he was stunned, "Is this one of the effects of the bloodline?" he said inwardly. Hearing the loud grumble of his stomach, Serena was brought back to the world. She looked at him with a smile. "Have you eaten yet? Come, I''ll make you a dinner," she said in a low voice as she escaped the room. Seeing her panicked expression warmed his heart, and a smile spread across his face. He didn''t want to waste any more time since he was really hungry. He went to the closest wardrobe to put on some new clothes, only to find that only one pair of clothes was left. He then remembered that the original Alexander had sold all his clothes and everything else in the mansion to buy more alcohol and wine, leaving him to sigh in frustration. Not bothering about it, when he put his upper clothes back on. As for the crown, he hid it and didn''t sell it. Squatting down, he removed the wooden platform just below the wardrobe and found the rings and the crown, which belonged to his father. He decided to wear it for once to experience the feeling. As he put on the crown, his entire appearance changed. His aura had become more sunny filling it with nobility; the aura of the king was in full display. But he put it back in since he would look stupid wearing that in front of Serena. So he got out of the room, and as he went out the hallway, he saw that the windows were broken. The carpet was tattered, and the walls had some cracks, which would break into pieces if an earthquake occurred. "As a king, I should at least renovate this mansion and buy some suitable clothes. If I look more like a beggar, what will my people think?" he muttered, thinking that this problem must be solved first after proceeding with the rest. As a king, he believed he deserved respect, not realizing that both the respect and his identity as king had already faded from the people''s hearts. When he arrived at the hall, he sat down in the old, rusty chair at the long table. Serena then brought back some food. It was only two pieces of small bread and one bowl of soup. She placed it on the table in front of him and told him to eat. "Are you not hungry?" Alexander asked, seeing her sit just opposite from his table. "Don''t worry; I have already eaten," she waved his hands, and her heart felt warm since this was the first time Alexander had asked her if she had eaten. Alexander, hearing the affirmation, decided to start eating since he felt like his body was really hungry. He gulped the soup while ravaging the bread. His attitude toward eating was more like that of a barbarian rather than a king. When he was done, he burped and felt that it was not enough. "Are there any more bread and soup?" Alexander asked, feeling that his stomach still needed more food. Seeing that he was still hungry, Serena felt embarrassed as she looked down, while rubbing her hands together. "I''m sorry, husband. That''s the only food left in the storage. I only managed to make that amount of money after selling some fruit in the town," she explained. Hearing what she said Alexander could not help but feel guilty, while the original Alexander enjoyed life, knowing his wife struggled to earn money just to provide food for them every day. What a disappointment he is. He even felt bad for asking for more of this. She''s a queen, but she resorted to selling fruits from his people? This made him aggrieved. He sighed heavily as he looked at her, he extended his hands and cupped her hands. "Serena, I''m truly sorry for everything, for all the pain and neglect you''ve endured over the years because of me." Alexander''s voice softened, his gaze steady yet filled with sincerity. "From this day forward, I swear to change. I will become a better man, a better king... and most importantly, a better husband to you." He paused, taking a deep breath as if grounding himself. "Please, look at me not as the man I once was, but as the new Alexander someone worthy of standing by your side. I promise from this moment, you''ll live a life befitting of your status as a queen." he finished. Serena was first surprised by the sudden touch since Alexander had never held her hands for years. This was the first time he had promised her with a serious look, making her heart flutter. "I don''t care about the old you or the new Alexander; the point is that you are Alexander, my husband. The one that I am engaged to," She responded as her hand squeezed his hands, feeling the warmth. At last, the moment she had been waiting for arrived; Alexander finally opened up to her. All those years of waiting had not been in vain. Flashback before the day Alexander mother died, she visited her mother in law in her room as she delivered some food for her. Alexander''s mother, Seraphina Veylance, was on the bed. Her eyes felt devoid of any life anymore. She sat beside her mother since, when she was a child, she had already treated her like a real mother. "Mom, why don''t you eat? You have not eaten for days now. What happens if you get sick?" Serena muttered anxiously as she picked up a spoon with broth. Seraphina looked at her and shook her head. "I''m not hungry. " She was really not crazy at this moment. Serena lowered the spoon and said to her, "Mom, if you don''t eat, you will get sick and, worse, die. What will happen to Alexander when you die then," As her eyes were slowly accumulating some tears. Seraphina just smiled as she lowered her head, "You know I''m really happy that you came into our life, Serena; please promise me this one last time. When I''m gone in the future, don''t leave Alexander." Although Serena was only 9 years old at the time, she kept her promise in her heart. "Don''t worry, Mother, me and Alexander will never ever be separated since you have already engaged us both. If I even break this promise, then I''m an unfilial daughter to you and father." her eyes were firm, making Seraphina ruffle her hair as she smiled. "I feel relieved. All right, leave now. I''ll eat the food so you don''t need to be troubled," Seraphina muttered in a soft tone towards her. Later that morning, she also found out about her mother''s death, making her collapse as her life felt like it lost its colors. But there is still one more: Alexander, her future husband. So she began to mature at such a young age, learning everything to take care of Alexander. But she found that he always ignored her, and this took years. When she found out that she brought a prostitute, she felt her world was breaking down. After crying for the whole night, she shook her head and just told herself that. This is not the real Alexander she knew as a child, so whenever she saw him bringing a woman, it still broke her heart. She cried every night as Alexander did this every time, wondering why he was doing that when she was here, her future legal wife. Back to the present, she could not help but release her last tears as it slid down her cheeks. She was strong after all those years, and finally, Alexander had grown up, making her cry in absolute happiness. Chapter 6: Issues When he touched her hands, Alexander was stunned. His body just moved out of consciousness. This must be the original Alexander''s wish, which was to hold her hands and say these words. (AUT: Shameless!) When he saw her cries, he panicked since he did not know what to do, so he just let her cry to calm her emotions. Serena then used her sleeve to wipe away those tears as she looked at her with a smile. She was about to say something when a person walked inside the door. This caused Serena to panic since this was the first time they had physical touch after all those years. Even though it was just holding hands, she was embarrassed, especially if someone saw it. She returned her hands and looked at the figure while Alexander glanced at the figure, too. The person who appeared was a slight old man with a few strands of white hair. As he looked at the two of them, he seemed to be in his 50s. When he looked at Serena, who was very shy, it seemed like she had been caught doing something bad. Moving his gaze towards Alexander, he was petrified. He could not distinguish if this person was still his young lord at all. He changed his aura, appearance, everything. "Did I overslept?" the man muttered in confusion as he looked deeply at Alexander. Seeing the man''s gaze upon him, Alexander shrank a little. The man before him was his personal butler, Alfred Vonsweet, who had cared for him since childhood. He was very indebted to him since every personnel member in this palace had left except for him. Alfred was also the one currently managing the kingdom while he was spending his time drinking alcohol. This strengthened his resolve to repay those who were close to him, even though this was not the life he had chosen. The fact that they had sacrificed so many years to serve this unworthy prince motivated him to do his best to revive the kingdom. Alexander then stood up, and Alfred looked at him with his mouth slightly agape. He walked towards Alfred and offered a bow as he arrived in front. "Thank you very much for all this time, Uncle Alfred. This time, I''ll do my responsibility as king of this kingdom. So I can become a man who will live up to my father''s reputation." He then stood up straight and looked Alfred straight in the eye. Alfred was speechless at the moment when he saw his sudden change, but hearing his words that had the hint of maturity, Alfred could not help but release a single tear. Then, after some time, it burst into waves like a river as he hugged his young lord with happiness, "Young Lord, finally, you have changed, Bohoo." he sobbed at the end. Feeling the affection, he could not help but pat Alfred''s back. The feeling of being taken care of is actually good, he thought, looking at the ceiling. Serena looks at this heartwarming scene and releases another delightful smile. After a few seconds, Alfred returns after wiping his tears. "Young Lord, it''s good that you have now faced reality. Now I''m excited for you to rule this kingdom back to its former glory," Alfred said excitedly. Alexander just smiled as he shook his head. "I''ll try my best, but it won''t be easy. Can we go to the archive room so you can provide me with a report on the kingdom''s problems from the past years?" Seeing him act like an adult made Alfred very happy. "Sure, Young Lord, I''ll lead the way," he said in haste. When Alfred left the room, Alexander glanced back at Serena. "You can go ahead and sleep for now, Serena. I''ll be doing something for a moment. Thanks for the meal," he said with a smile filled with gratitude. "You¡­ Don''t.. Ne-need.. To.. Thank¡­ Me-mee.." She voiced out, covering half of her face with only her eyes revealed as she looked down. Her voice was like a mosquito''s, soft and quiet, but it was not annoying like a mosquito but music to his ears. She looked like a virgin maiden as she looked down, not looking at him. Alexander then left the room, following Alfred when they arrived. He then sat in the chair behind the big table. The room was clean; clearly, Alfred managed this place very well. The table had no dust on it, and the books and scrolls on the shelves were also devoid of any cobwebs and dirt. "There are lots of problems, Young Lord. First, let''s start with our farm," Alfred said, handling a thick bundle of old records about the farm. "To refresh your memory, young lord, the territory of this kingdom spans approximately 10,000 acres of land. It is large enough to encompass several villages, a central town, and rich natural resources. During your father''s reign, people numbered over 10,000, spread across the villages, central town, and isolated settlements. But now¡­" Alfred sighed deeply, his gaze dropping to the floor. "Now only about 1,000 remain. The rest have fled to neighboring territories, unable to endure the conditions here." Alexander could not help but feel a headache from seeing Alfred''s looks. Alfred bowed his head deeply and bellowed. "Sorry, young lord. I tried. But I am just a butler. Without the ruler''s authority, I could not rally the remaining officials or allocate the funds needed to repair the damage. The treasury was nearly empty due to." Alfred hesitated, unwilling to hurt his young lord''s face.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Due to your previous lifestyle, I focused on keeping what little we had crumbling entirely, but the larger problems were beyond my reach." Alexander''s brows twitched as his jaw tightened; he could not help but curse the real Alexander. But it seemed like he was just cursing himself, making him sigh deeply. "I see, so what''s the first issue I need to handle?" he asked since he really did not know how to solve this problem. Alfred nodded as he continued, "Our agriculture. The rice and wheat fields were one of our biggest exports, but now they are failing. Years of neglect have led to dried irrigation canals, soil depletion, and pest infestations. Without proper irrigation or fertilizers, harvests have dwindled, causing food shortages among the remaining villagers and unrest in the kingdom." Alfred paused for a bit, his expression grim. "This also affects the economy of our kingdom. Rice and wheat were our main exports, bringing in a substantial part of the kingdom''s revenue. Without them, we''ve been unable to trade effectively, and even basic supplies have become scarce." "This causes food shortage among the villagers and our people in this kingdom," Alfred reported. Alexander glanced at the current situation from the records. This kingdom had three villages with different purposes. Greenfield Village is primarily an agricultural place; they produce wheat and livestock. The total population in this village is about 400 people or more. The farmland covers at least 1,500 acres, and it is used for wheat and rice. The land size for this village is about 2,500 acres, which supports both farming and residential areas. "Most of the experienced farmers left long ago, seeking better lives elsewhere, leaving behind only a handful of unskilled laborers," Alfred spoke. As he continued to read the records, Alfred explained again: "With few laborers, maintaining irrigation systems and soil fertility becomes difficult, thus reducing crop yields. The unused fields have also been overgrown with weeds, attracting pests and further agricultural activity," he uttered, shaking his head with a deep sigh. "To make matters even worse," Alfred stopped momentarily and continued. "Pests and diseases have taken over. Locusts devour the rice, and wheat rust turns our harvests into shriveled, useless stalks. Bandits raid the storage silos, and what little we manage to save is of such poor quality that even the villagers hesitate to eat it." Hearing the words bandits, his eyes glint for a moment but return to normal for a second. "What we do manage to harvest is barely enough to feed the people left in the kingdom, let alone export to other regions. Without immediate action, Young Lord, the fields will fail completely within the year." When Alfred was done, Alexander placed his hand on his chin for a moment to think about it. "This is really bad than I thought," he said, biting his fingernails in a deep thought. Seeing his young lord so serious, Alfred could not help but want to tear up again; this was the first time his young lord looked so serious other than gambling. After some thinking, he decided to ask for suggestions from Alfred since he was clearly new. "Do I receive any tax for this?" Alexander asked. "Young Lord," Alfred began, unfolding a worn ledger. The villages pay a 10% tax on their harvest, but only half of that goes to the treasury." Alexander, hearing this, was confused since he did not know the proper contribution. "Why only Half?" he looked at Alfred, trying to inquire about it. Seeing that he wanted to learn about this stuff, Alfred was very much pleased. "Several reasons, my Lord," Alfred began to explain. "A portion is kept by the village heads for local needs like repairs, guard wages, and such. There''s also... inefficiency in transportation, and in some cases, dishonesty among the collectors." He hesitated before adding, "If we could centralize the collection process or increase oversight, we might recover a larger share." Alexander frowned. "So, of the 10% they pay, I see only 5%? Also, what do you mean by dishonesty among the collectors?" Seeing his look, Alfred responded. "Actually, young lord, during harvest, like about 7 years ago. The problems run deeper than poor harvests and broken irrigation. There are... individuals in positions of power who have been exploiting the kingdom for their gain." Alexander frowned, his face full of black lines. "Please, continued Uncle Alfred," he motioned, seeing that Alfred was a bit hesitant. Alfred hesitated before continuing, "The tax collectors, for one. Many of them report smaller harvests than what is actually collected. And some village heads¡ªparticularly in Greenfield and Stonequarry¡ªhave been keeping a portion of the taxes for themselves under the guise of ''local expenses.''" "Who else is involved?" Alexander asked in a calm voice. "The chamberlain of the treasury," Alfred admitted. "He''s been falsifying records, collaborating with certain nobles to pocket funds before they''re recorded. And then there''s Baron Ryndel, who oversees the northern villages. He claims bandit raids have depleted his stores, yet his manor grows more lavish by the day." Alexander could not help but clench his fists; the weight of this problem was settling on his shoulders. "They''ve been taking advantage of me because they thought I was just a foolish boy," he muttered with a bit of anger, not knowing why. When he heard that they were living lavishly while her wife Serena was suffering to make money just to feed him, his anger boiled just thinking about it. Seeing his young Lord look, Alfred knows that this is going to be a problem since there are lots of soldiers and personnel from those nobles. If his young lord deals with them through force, bad results will come after that. What would happen if they used this to frame the young lord and remove him from the throne as the king of Ryndoria? So he hastily explained to Alexander not to be swallowed by anger, "Young Lord, I urge you to treat this matter carefully. These nobles are not without influence. Many of the kingdom''s soldiers and officials remain loyal to them." Alexander, who was very angry, was stunned by his sudden shout, "If you confront them by force right now, they''ll twist the situation to their advantage. They''ll claim you''re abusing your authority and paint themselves as the victims. Worse, they could unite against you and accuse you of tyranny. If that happens, they might have enough leverage to demand your removal from the throne. Young Lord, please don''t be hasty." Alfred pleaded. Alexander, who was listening to him, was speechless. Is he that mindless? He knows that with his tarnished reputation right now. He''s not a match for the nobles right now, so if it comes to people''s opinions, he will lose if they ever dared to decide to frame him. "Don''t worry, Uncle Alfred, I''m not that mindless," he responded to quill his worries, making Alfred calm. "From what Uncle Alfred said, if I ever decided to force my way in to make them pay his rightful share, those nobles would just accuse me of tyranny. They might even fabricate some evidence, like spreading propaganda to tarnish my already tarnished reputation, " he thought. "Also, I have already lost some of the soldiers, and if they ever stage a rebellion, this is going to be a hard one for me," he said, biting his nails again as he bit the piece of fingernails to pieces and swallowed it. He does this action sometimes whenever he is in a deep state of thinking, so it literally attaches deep into his soul after transmigration since he is doing it right now. The weight of Alfred''s words hung in the air. Alexander knew his butler was right, but the thought of allowing these nobles to go unpunished made his stomach churn. "So, what is the best way to solve this problem, Uncle Alfred?" Alexander asked after a moment of silence. "I think the best course of action is to gather evidence. With solid proof of their corruption, it will be impossible for them to deny their crimes," he suggested since this is the only option they have. Alexander nodded his head. "What happens if we also reduce the power of these nobles and officials over the tax system? Let''s try centralizing tax collection under the crown''s supervision, So we can limit their ability to steal from the treasury," he proposed. Chapter 7 Issues Alfred, hearing what he said, also thought that this seemed to be a good idea. He was greatly surprised that his Young Lord could think about this possibility. "That''s a great idea, young lord," Alfred exclaimed with a thumbs up. Alexander just smiled from his praised knowing that what he think is nothing special since everyone can think this way. He could not help but feel a little warm since his suggestion was complemented by Alfred. Looking at Alfred he continued. "So that''s why for now Uncle Alfred starting tomorrow I can appoint you as the overseer about this tax collection," he said clasping both of his hands. Alfred, hearing his suggestion, was a bit hesitant. Seeing his look, Alexander wanted to ask the reason. "Don''t you want to uncle?" Alexander asked, seeing his look. "Its not that I don''t want to Young Lord, its just I''m not that good when it comes to this. When it comes to managing and overseeing staff like this, I have no confidence" Alfred said expressing his concerns. Hearing the real reason Alexander just smiled warmly, he greatly though that assigning this work will make Alfred happy since he can earn more. Thinking about this made him more stupid, if Alfred was thinking about money then he should have already left him since he was a spendthrift with no more money in his treasury. "Don''t worry Uncle, this will not be forever I''m just assigning this to you since I can''t find a reliable person for a moment." Alexander remarked making Alfred agree in the end. "But on a second thought!" he exclaimed inwardly, looking at his inventory, which revealed 5,000 gold coins. "Can that work?" He exclaimed in his mind, and his smile began to widen. "Uncle Alfred, can you tell me how my people view me?" he asked, looking up, his gaze meeting Alfred''s eyes. Hearing his inquiries, Alfred furrowed his brows and was also a little hesitant since he did not want to say it as well. "Are you sure, young Lord?" Alfred asked again, just to make sure. "Yes," Alexander responded. "Well, when both the lord and the queen passed, the people felt great sorrow for you, Young Lord," Alfred began to share what he had experienced this past year. "They pitied the child who lost his parents so young, and many believed you would grow into a worthy leader despite the tragedy. But when you isolated yourself, shutting out the world and neglecting your duties, they did not blame you at first. They said grief consumed you, that you needed time." Alfred paused, looking into Alexander''s eyes with hesitation before continuing. "However, when your actions became... harder to justify like, embezzling funds from the treasury, drinking openly in public, gambling recklessly, and consorting with prostitutes in full view of the people, their pity towards you turned to disappointment. From that disappointment, it turned into disdain." He coughed awkwardly before listing the titles. "You''ve been called many things, Young Lord: ''The Lord of Trash,'' ''The Lustful Lord,'' ''The King of Debauchery,'' and ''The Ruin of Ryndoria.'' Some even mockingly refer to you as ''Alexander the Shamed.'' These names were born not just from the nobles but from the common folk who once believed in your family''s legacy." Alexander could not help but feel a little bit embarrassed by hearing these many titles. It seemed like he needed to do his best to regain the reputation that he once lost among the people in his kingdom. "Then, Uncle Alfred, as a king, I still have the ultimate authority when it comes to the kingdom, right? " he asked, tapping the table and waiting for Alfred to answer. "Yes, Young Lord, as the king of this kingdom, you still have the highest authority. Even if the people and nobles see you as a parasite, the title is still there: ''King,'' I mean," Alfred specified as he coughed to make him understand what he meant. Alexander''s eyes twitch. "Parasite? For the title, I know what you already mean; why do we need to be specific? " He can only mutter this inwardly as he continues. "Then what happens If I order the stop of collecting taxes?" he suggested glancing at Alfred. "Stop the tax?" Alfred was stunned for a moment, wondering why his young Lord had thought about this. Seeing his confused look, Alexander then explained his reasons, "Stopping taxes is a good action since if we can''t receive any shares, then. Let''s issue this order," Alfred, finally understanding his words, did not agree, "Young Lord, this is not good! If you do this, those nobles and other officials will be angry from the loss of revenue, and your move might possibly be a backlash; they will think that your decision is reckless and na?ve, and some might conspire to undermine your authority even more," he stated anxiously.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "They''ll take what I give them," Alexander said firmly. Alexander then leans his chair forward. "Also, aren''t the farmers starving? The fields are failing, and the treasury is empty. If we keep taxing them, we''ll only push them closer to rebellion and, even worse, death. We must give them relief," he said. Seeing his look and the content behind his words made Alfred shocked, his young master is actually this scheming? "You are amazing, Young Lord. The nobles will resist this decision, but if we frame it as a temporary relief to help restore the kingdom''s economy, it will be harder for them to oppose without appearing greedy or cruel. The farmers and other commoners of this kingdom will feel compassionate because you care about their well-being, bringing back their loyalty and willingness to support you if those nobles cause some ruckus or problems." Alfred complimented. "So it''s possible to do this, right, uncle?" he asked, not knowing if he really had this kind of power to give an order. Alfred nodded hastily giving his stand, "The nobles may resist openly, but as king, your word is law. You just have to make it clear that this decision is for the kingdom''s survival." "Also, Young Lord, if we decide to stop the tax, then what are we going to earn in the future?" Alfred asked since this is not if it stays permanent. "We are not really going to stop the tax for the end of our life, Let''s just make this tax suspension for one or two harvest seasons since we are just going to allow the farmers and other commoners of this kingdom to recover, but-" Alexander stopped as he tapped the table with his fingers. "But what, Young Lord?" Alfred asked. "If I am right, not only the nobles are embezzling the tax, but also those merchants who were not paying their shares, right? " Alexander looked at Alfred with a narrow gaze. Alfred sighed, his expression troubled. "Young Lord, you are correct. While the nobles are guilty of hoarding their share, the merchants have been equally defiant. Many of them stopped paying taxes altogether during your quote-unquote ''absence''." "They claimed the roads were unsafe, and trade was declining, but in truth, most simply took advantage of the lack of oversight. They have grown bold, knowing no one would hold them accountable." while shaking his head in the end. Alexander nodded his head. Since this must be the case, the king had disappeared for a very long time, and they took this opportunity. This needs to be dealt with, or this kingdom will have no chance of revival. "Before I use the ''Kingdom Revival Token,'' I must clear the pests and insects that are already growing fat in this kingdom," he thought as he took a bronze coin from the table and flipped it in his hands. "While some of my people were starving, those merchants and nobles were enjoying life," he muttered in a low voice. Alfred just stood there, not speaking since the young Lord was in deep thought. Then an idea sparked in his mind since this must be the best option for him right now. He then stared at Alfred as he asked, "Uncle Alfred, is 5,000 gold enough to repair this palace first and buy some supplies like food and other utensils?" "5,000 gold? Yes, it''s not just enough; it was a lot. I think the rest could be used to repair the kingdom. Why did you ask, young lord? Wait, don''t tell me¡­" Alfred stopped as he saw Alexander extend his hand into the air. The air began to tremble in front of his hands, and then a small black whirlpool opened up, shocking him. Alexander then pulls out the pouch from the inside, making Alfred surprised and in awe. "Here uncle this is 5,000 gold I leave it up to you to manage," placing it in the wooden table. Seeing his surprised look, Alexander was confused as he remembered what he had just done. "Oh no, is my system going to be exposed?" Alexander panicked a bit but did not show it on his face. "Youn-young Lord," Alfred stuttered as he pointed at the pouch. "You actually awakened a space element?" he finished. "Ahh, Yesss," he responded, not knowing what he was talking about. "That''s amazing, My Lord," Alfred exclaimed happily, making him dumbfounded. "Is it that good?" Alexander asked, not knowing what he was talking about. He had heard many elements, but space? He hadn''t heard of it, but he greatly remembered that his father had awakened Earth''s Elemental magic. "My Lord, space magic is incredibly rare," Alfred said, his voice filled with excitement. "Because you have not properly study for years, In all my years, I''ve only ever heard of a handful of people have awakened such an element. It''s said to be one of the most coveted gifts, not just for its rarity but for its unparalleled versatility." Alfred then gestured at the storage pouch he had just taken out from his system storage. "What you just did in storing and retrieving items effortlessly from a personal spatial dimension surpasses the need for enchanted storage pouches or rings. Unlike those items, your ability cannot be stolen or even lost since it''s in you. Also, the items you store in your space are clearly untouchable by anyone; even if you die at the hands of your enemy, they can''t steal your treasures at all." He then paused for a bit, his gaze narrowing. "But it doesn''t end there, Young Lord. The space element is not only a convenient tool. Those who master it are said to be able to bend space to their will, like with proper training, you could-" he stopped as he leaned closer. "You can even teleport across vast distances, create impenetrable spatial barriers, or even trap your enemies in avoidance where time and space cease to exist. But this is just from the legends; Teleporting or travelling from a distance is possible from what the rumors I heard." he finally finished as he leaned back. Alexander, who was across the table, was a bit speechless. Why does he need to lean forward and whisper since no one was here? "I got it, so if it''s rare, then doesn''t that mean it''s highly coveted? Should I hide my ability then?" Alexander asked since he did not really know if something bad would happen if he suddenly showed the public he had this ability. "Yes, Young Lord, it''s better to hide this, or it can be dangerous since you are so weak right now. It will be bad if the neighboring kingdom and the nobles know of this," Alfred warned, as he nodded in agreement. Alexander knows that he really does not have any space element since it''s just one of Razon''s capabilities. Searching his memories, he tried to find a place that he needed to go now to increase his chance of surviving this world. He had no soldier on his side, while those nobles and officials had something at their disposal. As the Lord, he needed to become stronger in order to increase the revival of this kingdom. After some time, he found a good place for him to grind: the ''Grimhowl Forest. '' It is outside the vicinity of his kingdom and only 4-5 miles away from his current position. Not only can he grind, but he can also solve some problems for his kingdom since this forest is close enough that beasts and monsters stray into the kingdom, harassing villagers near the border. As he read, one of the issues about his people, who have been suffering for over three years, due to the kingdom is in shambles and not properly managed. There were no more soldiers to take care of this, and his kingdom did not have an adventurer guild, so he needed to deal with this problem. He was a little angry since this problem had already been around for 3 years, but the nobles and other high-ranking officials ignored this problem and let his people die a meaningless death. Chapter 8 Hard Enemy! After he was done making some plans, it was time for him to go while it was still night, just around 8:00 PM. Looking at Alfred, he instructed, "That is all, Uncle Alfred. I know there are still lots of problems, but let''s delve into these problems tomorrow. We will begin to issue this royal order. You can go and sleep now, Uncle." Alfred, hearing this, nodded, but he stayed there for a moment, looking at his young lord who had become mature overnight. "You are not planning to back to the bar and the gambling site, are you Young Lord?" Alfred inquired with a scrutinizing gaze. Alexander could not help but feel sad. "Uncle, I will not be going back into those places anymore, I promise. I''m a changed man right now. If I continue to idle then the kingdom that my Father built will go into ruins," he stated with a crooked smile. "I see. Then I''m off now, Young Lord." Alfred then bowed his head as he left the room, leaving Alexander alone. Alexander, now alone in the room, opened the window just behind him. The full moon was high in the sky. He could see the town, the market, with only a few people. Looking afar, he could see the village and beyond that, the mountain range which was his destination. With that, he exited the room as he walked in the hallway. When he arrived at his room, he went directly to the closet and found a green quilt. There were no more jackets or robes, so he decided to use this for his cover right now. Picking it up and closing the door of the wardrobe, he was about to leave by walking to the door when a soft voice called him. "Where are you going, Alex?" Serena asked, who was sitting on the bed when he went into his room. She was already standing up with her hands on her chest, looking at him. Alexander stopped and saw Serena, making him dumbfounded for a moment. "How come I didn''t notice her presence?" Alexander said inwardly, but after thinking about how focused he was, this must be the case. Alexander then stood there clumsily, not knowing what to say, since if he told her this, she would be worried about him all day. "Uhh, I''m just going out, you see..." Alexander, searching for an explanation, froze when he heard a small muffled voice. As he looked at Serena, her tear-streaked face met his gaze, her sobs making her words uneven. "Didn''t you just... sniff... promise me?" she said, her voice trembling as she wiped her tears with her sleeve. "Are you just... sob... lying to me?" she managed to say between shaky breaths, her eyes filled with hurt and betrayal. Alexander, seeing this, was frozen on the spot. When he saw her crying, his heart felt like it was being squashed. "Damn, what did I do?" He panicked, as he went towards her and placed both of his hands on her shoulders. Looking down since he was head-taller, she just continued to cry while he was very anxious. "Serena, can you please stop crying? I think you got it wrong." But when he said those words, her crying just got even stronger, as her head leaned into his chest, hitting him in the chest with her two delicate fists. "Dang, dealing with a trash-talker is literally easier to ignore than this," He cursed inwardly, as he tried to use 100% of his EQ to stop her from crying, but nothing came. So he''s just going to let it go with the flow. "Wife, please stop crying. You''re just making me anxious. Can you pleaseeee stop?" Alexander pleaded in a soft voice filled with care. He hesitated to touch her hair, but in the end, he touched it, caressing it, feeling warm inside. He couldn''t describe the feeling, as a gentle smile began to form on his face when suddenly the girl between his arms finally stopped crying. She looked up, and their eyes were interlocked with each other. Serena''s eyes were a bit weary, and there were still some tears remaining in her eyes. She tried to wipe her nose, which was runny from crying. When she exhaled some air, her nose made a sound. Looking at her silly look, he couldn''t help but laugh, thinking he struck gold to be able to marry this kind of girl in his life. "Look, when you continue to cry, you will look even more silly," Alexander said in a soft tone as he held her waist. The feeling was so different, and he couldn''t fully fathom or describe it since this is the first time he ever held a woman in his arms, a beautiful one at that.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Serena was very angry when he was still calling her by her name, making her slightly annoyed, but when he called her "wife," she couldn''t help but feel very happy. Especially seeing his scared and anxious look and hearing what he said in the end, made her a little shy, especially from his touch that was a bit intimate, considering he was currently holding her waist. While both of their bodies were colliding with each other. Shaking her head, she returned to her normal self and looked at him deeply. "Whe-where are you going then? It''s night. Please don''t go. I''m still here, that is if you wan-want to have sssee-" Seraphina muttered in a very low tone in the end, making the final words inaudible. Her eyes were full of embarrassment as it darted around the room, not looking straight at him. Alexander, hearing what she said, sighed. She clearly misunderstood him, and hearing his proposal, he was even more speechless. But he didn''t want to take advantage of her because of this reason. Looking at her with a smile filled with warmth and love, he responded while pinching her cheeks. "Silly girl, if we are ever going to do it, I will first revive the kingdom, get married, and let all of the people and the neighboring kingdoms know that you are this lord''s queen. So wait for me until I accomplish this, so I can give you a better life," Alexander remarked. Hearing his plans for their soon-to-be special day, she was very happy that he would do this much for her. So as his greatest supporter, she would naturally support him. "Okay then, Husband. I''ll wait," She smiled, showing her peerless teeth. "But where are you going in the night if not looking for your mistress! Where then?" Serena inquired with a scrutinizing gaze. Alexander then explained that he was just going to investigate the kingdom''s current situation outside since he and Alfred were planning to do something tomorrow. He didn''t really tell her the truth about him going to grind in the ''Grimhowl Forest'' or else she would be greatly worried. Seraphina, who was feeling reluctant since it''s dangerous to go out at night, but since her husband had already made this decision, she decided to just agree with him. Alexander then let go of her and bid farewell since he needed to walk his way over there. With his improved physique, he knew that he wouldn''t get tired even if it was miles away. His vitality and stamina were already tripled, so he was confident that even without a mount, he wouldn''t collapse when he reached the outskirts of the place. Before going, he took a sword, just an iron sword without any enchantment. "I should have bought a sword in the Omnishop, but I already gave the money to Alfred. Also, my strength seems to be focused on bare fists," he muttered, standing outside the palace in the roof of a small house. With his green quilt that''s like a robe fluttering in the wind, he looked so cool from below. When a kid saw him, his eyes were in a trance since he looked like a superhero in his eyes. "Just because my strength is abnormal doesn''t mean I don''t need a weapon. I think a heavy sword, battle axe, or a trident. Actually, why am I even thinking about this?" he exclaimed, looking at the full moon. "I''m already broke, so let''s focus on the more important part first." With that, by exerting power in his legs, he jumped from roof to roof with great speed. He was so fast that only a dark image could be seen. The kid, seeing him burst out in speed and disappear from sight, was filled with admiration. "Amazing," the kid murmured when suddenly his ear was pulled by a big, fat woman. "You little kid, go back inside now. Don''t you know how dangerous nighttime is?" The mother of the kid angrily pulled him inside their house. The kid could only cry in pain as he was pulled inside. Alexander, not knowing that he already had a fan, continued on his way. He was in the core section of the kingdom. After a few minutes, he went down from the roof, arriving at the kingdom walls. They were so old and worn out that even a small cannonball would be enough to destroy them. "It''s actually worse seeing it rather than reading the reports," he said, glancing at the entrance of the kingdom. There was only a small number of soldiers stationed there, making him sigh. The kingdom''s soldiers looked so ordinary. Their armor, which was supposed to be silver, was so worn out that some of their chest plates had cracks in them. Shaking his head, he decided to fix this problem tomorrow. The two soldiers guarding the door yawned since they were really tired. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind as a black shadowy figure burst. Passing between the two guards, making them unsheathe their swords, but it was too late. "What the heck was that?" the soldier who had just yawned exclaimed, looking at the road leading outside the kingdom. "Did you feel it too?" a soldier beside him inquired with a confused look. "Yes, I saw a black shadowy figure just pass us. But I didn''t see anything when I looked around," the first soldier responded, scratching his head. "Hmm, I think we''re just tired. Let''s just forget about it," the second soldier replied, sheathing his sword as the first soldier nodded. They then stood guard and treated what had just happened as their imagination. By the time Alexander left, he had already reached the forest and continued on his way. If he''s right, and if he continues going this way, he will eventually arrive at his destination. Finally, he gets out of the forest. In front of him is an endless expanse of grass, and with that, he continues on his way. "I can''t believe that after crossing hundreds of kilometers, I can still run without getting tired," Alexander exclaimed in surprise. He kept running as he looked at his stamina, which was depleting since he had been running non-stop for half an hour. [Stamina: 65 ¡ú 64. 63. 62. 61 ¡ú 65] This made him stunned, as every 5 minutes, his stamina was replenished, making him feel more energetic. "Now I understand why it''s a legendary bloodline," Alexander muttered, closing the system panel. With this, he felt that fighting for days non-stop would not tire him out at all. This passive skill was clearly too OP. After crossing the expanse of grass, he was back in the forest, and he continued running. He just wondered why he hadn''t encountered any beasts along the way. He had already crossed about 3 miles and had been running on foot for hours now. He was even much faster than a vehicle. Glancing back at his stats, the stamina was still full, making him smile wryly. "I''m literally a broken character," he mused inwardly. While he was contemplating why he hadn''t spotted any beasts, his wish came true when he heard a loud growl from some kind of animal. As he dashed deeper into the area, the growl grew stronger, and it seemed like it was following him the moment he heard those sounds again and again. So, he stopped in his tracks and glanced at the surrounding area. The forest was not really that thick or filled with underbrush, but it was somewhat dark as he tried to glance around. Chapter 9 Power! As Alexander looked at his surroundings, a sound of broken twigs and heavy breathing could be heard from his right. His eyes fixed on it deeply, and as the beast slowly stepped out of the shadows, he saw that the four-legged creature had pitch-black fur. It blended with the surrounding darkness of the forest, standing at a height of nearly five feet. It was larger than any wolf he had seen on TV. Its piercing eyes glowed like twin embers, locking onto his figure. Its jagged teeth were as sharp as daggers as it snarled. Growl!! The beast in front of him made a sound as Alexander prepared himself. He did not step back but stood still in his position. Even though he was a bit afraid, he tried to steady himself. The only things he had ever fought back in the city were small dogs and kids, and he had been an adult at the time. So, even though it wasn''t fair to fight with a kid, it gave him great satisfaction because the kid had been so naughty. But a wolf that is three times larger than the small dogs he had fought, how could he not be scared? The dire wolf, sensing that its prey was not afraid, did not falter. The air surrounding the two grew heavier. Alexander, seeing that it was just eyeing him but doing nothing, was a bit confused, but this did not lower his guard. The dire wolf''s muscles rippled under its dark coat, and its claws began to sink into the dirt as it prepared to lunge. Alexander felt tense at the sight of its movements. He could feel the beast''s raw ferocity radiating from it. His instincts screamed at him to move, but his legs felt like lead. Suddenly, the ground beneath the wolf trembled as it launched itself toward him with terrifying speed. Its maw opened wide, saliva dripping from jagged fangs, ready to tear into him. "That fast?!" Alexander exclaimed, his voice shaking. Panic began to course through him, but before he could react, something inside him stirred. His heart felt like it was being hammered in his chest, and then a faint warmth coursed through his veins. Suddenly, the wolf in mid-air began to slow down in time. Alexander''s eyes widened in shock, "What''s happening?" he thought. Without understanding why, his body moved. His muscles felt lighter, his steps quicker. He darted out of the wolf''s path with ease. His movement was fast since he dodged so early that the wolf was stunned mid-air. The dire wolf landed where he had been standing, its claws digging into the dirt. Its glowing eyes snapped toward Alexander, filled with confusion. A low growl rumbled in its throat as it turned to face him again. But something changed at this moment. It did not know why its legs began to tremble and its eyes started to waver, nor did it understand why it sensed a feeling of dread in front of this weak human. It''s the aura of domination. The wolf only felt this overwhelming presence towards their Alpha. But for a human to have this kind of aura? The wolf does not believe it. Alexander noticed the wolf''s trembling legs and the subtle step it took backward. A faint confusion formed on his eyes. "Is the beast retreating?" he thought. "Seriously? I haven''t even done anything yet." "Well, here goes." Alexander then spread his feet apart. Beginning to pounce, his presence began to radiate with power, and the wolf, who was in a dilemma whether to escape or not, had now decided to escape. The human in front of him was not normal, the wolf exclaimed inwardly as it turned its back. The wolf finally turned to flee, its survival instincts taking over. But Alexander was not about to let it go. "Not so fast," he muttered, his voice low. Without thinking, he pushed off the ground, his body moving faster than he had ever thought possible. In an instant, the three meters between them vanished, and Alexander was upon the beast. "Take this!" he roared, clenching his fist. A sudden surge of power radiated through his arm, making his punch feel like a battering ram. The dire wolf tried to turn its head, but it was already too late. When the fist was closing in, the wolf''s vision flickered. In that brief moment, it saw something terrifying, a towering primal beast with eyes that burned like the sun and a roar that can shook the heavens. Bang! The impact echoed throughout the forest, the wolf let out a strangled yelp as Alexander''s punch connected with its jaw, thus sending it crashing into ground with a heavy thud.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Dust and debris began to fly into the air as the beast skidded to a stop, its massive figure lying still as if it were dead. Looking at this scene while breathing heavily, he glanced down at his trembling hands. The immense power coursing through him felt like endless waves. "This power is so strong!!" he whispered to himself as he looked at the limping wolf. It was bleeding nonstop and seemed to have received numerous bruises from the impact. Even its snout was disfigured with just one punch. He could not help but feel a little sorry for the wolf. However, remembering that the beast had tried to kill him, his pity turned to coldness. "I''m actually this strong," Alexander said to himself. Walking in low strides he arrived at the beast who looks like it was about to die, it was suffering and Alexander felt that his heart was heavy. Since he was really not a cruel person, he despised killing so after contemplating for a while he decided in the end to not kill it. Glancing sideways and gritting his teeth, he finally decided that what he was doing was for the greater good. But suddenly, the beast in front of him stopped moving and moaning. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 2 Direwolf! Rewards: 5 EXP | 10 Omnipoints] Hearing the notifications from the system, Alexander was ecstatic. He then checked his stats to see his current status. Not caring about the Direwolf he had killed. [Status: Level: 1 (5/100) Name: Alexaner Aurelious Coins: 0 Omnipoints: 10 Class: None Race: Human Bloodline: Behemoth Bloodline Innate Skills: Titan''s Might, Behemoth''s Wrath, Legacy of the Behemoth Passive Skills: Unyielding Will, Behemoth''s Presence, Unyielding Stamina Active Skills: Earthen Fortress, Primal Roar, Crescent Blade Arc Free Attributes: 0 Health: 450 Vitality: 50 Strength: 115 Defense: 110 Speed: 32 Stamina: 65 Mana: 200 Magic Power: 10 ] Seeing that he had five points, he navigated his hand toward his skill, ''Crescent Blade Arc''. If he remembered correctly, this skill was one of the sword techniques his father had taught him. A third-tier technique known for its swift, precise attacks, it focuses on using momentum and accuracy to create a wide, arcing slash that maximizes the reach and power of the blade. Don''t think that just because it''s only a third-tier technique, it''s just a low-grade skill. This technique can be considered rare; even the nobles in his kingdom only had access to second-tier techniques. [Active Skills: Cresent Blade Arc Description: A powerful, sweeping sword strike designed to attack multiple enemies or deliver a single devastating blow. This technique focuses on using momentum and precision to create a wide, arcing slash that maximizes the reach and power of the blade. Effect: Generates a crescent-shaped arc of energy. Mana Cost: 30 Cooldown: None (Mastery: 23/100)] ... [Do you wish to upgrade ''Crescent Blade Arc''? It costs 10 Omni Points for 1% Mastery] Seeing the panel, Alexander was speechless. It was actually much more expensive than he thought. After contemplating momentarily, he couldn''t help but sigh in dismay. "Why didn''t you at least train?" he muttered in a low voice. "With my current mastery, I still cannot create an arc of energy." "I should try honing this sword skill before upgrading it, since I need to spend my omnipoints wisely," he decided. Suddenly, a loud sound of heavy breathing could be heard to his right. He turned in that direction, and sure enough, he saw it. The animal is about 2 meters tall, its rugged body is covered in dirt. Its black eyes were staring at him menacingly, with its mouth opened slightly which its saliva draping the ground wet. Its stench was a little hard to sniff, as its massive claws dug into the ground. Alexander and the eyes of the two interlocked for a moment. When suddenly more and more of this creature started appearing surrounding him from all corners. His eyes narrowed for a moment. "Are they attracted to the blood of the dire wolf? This is bad¡ªI at least need to get out of their encirclement." Preparing himself for any attack, he remained on high alert. Suddenly, one of the dog-like creatures pounced on him. It rushed toward Alexander, filled with malice. Alexander, who was prepared, dodged sideways. The speed of these dogs was not as fast as that of the dire wolf. After he dodged and the creature''s side was exposed, Alexander raised his leg and delivered a powerful kick, which collided with the creature''s side. The bones in its ribs seemed to crack from the force, and a loud pah sound echoed from its flesh. The creature wailed loudly as it was sent flying. The other ground hounds, seeing this, rushed toward Alexander, filled with anger. As the ground hounds surged forward, Alexander''s mind raced. "There are too many," he thought, his eyes darting around the area to find an opening. The creatures'' stench and their snarls echoed in his ears. As one of the beasts lunged again, its claws glinted in the moonlight. Alexander twisted to the side, avoiding the attack. His movement was fast and precise, the hound flank was exposed and without hesitation he delivered a punch Crack! Another cracking sound was heard, the beast flew through the air as well crashing to the ground in a loud thud. He was besides the ground hound, who was kicked by Alexander. It was breathing heavily like its life was depending on it, then one charged from the side, but Alexander met its advance head-on. He ducked beneath its swipe and delivered an uppercut to its jaw. The force of the blow sent it sprawling backward, its claws flailing uselessly in the air. "Is that all you''ve got?!" Alexander growled, his voice carrying an air of arrogance. The ground hounds were angry but dared not attack recklessly. Since he had dealt with two of their kind so easily, they did not want to risk it. They circled him like vultures. There were a lot of them, but Alexander had no interest in counting them. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 1 Ground Hound! Rewards: 3 EXP | 6 Omnipoints] [System Notification: You have slain a Level 1 Ground Hound! Rewards: 3 EXP | 6 Omnipoints] [System Notification: You have slain a Level 1 Ground Hound! Rewards: 3 EXP | 6 Omnipoints] ... Three notifications sounded, indicating that he had killed the two from earlier and the last one he had hit. But he had no time to check the panel, as there were still many more pests surrounding him. Tightening his fists, his veins pulsed with power. The Behemoth Bloodline within him began to display its prowess. The air around Alexander shifted, growing heavier just like an unseen force was radiating outward. It was dominating looking down everyone with its presence. The hounds surrounding Alexander were now in a dilemma, starting to show signs of fear. They did not understand how a human in front of them could possibly display power akin to that of a beast. Their eyes began to flicker with uncertainty. In their minds they greatly wander if they have to run or fight, but Alexander didn''t give them a chance. Taking a deep breathed he roared. [Primal Roar Activated] Then, a deafening roar erupted, covering at least a 30-meter radius around the area. The power of the roar was like that of a lion asserting its dominance. The hounds surrounding him were slightly pushed back by the sound wave of the roar, while the leaves in the trees fluttered wildly. When they skidded back a little leaving a straight line, their legs were shaking with pure fear this time. Their eyes were trembling as they looked at the human in front of them. [-50 Mana] [Mana: 150/200] Seeing that they were disoriented, Alexander slammed his fist into the ground. The very earth beneath him cracked and split, sending a shockwave rippling outward. The ground hounds yelped as they were thrown back, their bodies tumbling like leaves in a storm. Seeing that they were in the air, he decided not to show any mercy, inserting strength in his foot. The ground cracked and caved in slightly, and then, with a dash, he pounced like a cannonball being fired. He appeared before each ground hound, sometimes delivering a punch to their faces or flanks, and other times landing a kick to their spines. One by one, they yelped. Every second, a different hound''s voice of agony echoed through the forest. Alexander felt a twinge of guilt, but he knew he had to be cruel. Still, the smile on his face made it clear he was enjoying this. It wasn''t the killing or torturing of the ground hounds that he enjoyed, but rather the system notifications buzzing incessantly. Chapter 10 Level Up! [System Notification: You have slain a Level 1 Ground Hound! Rewards: 3 EXP | 6 Omnipoints] [System Notification: You have slain a Level 1 Ground Hound! Rewards: 3 EXP | 6 Omnipoints] [System Notification: You have slain a Level 1 Ground Hound! Rewards: 3 EXP | 6 Omnipoints] x 23 ... With the number of notifications buzzing crazily, it''slike a group of mosquitoes in his ear, Alexander stood amidst the chaos. It''s supposed to cause frustration if it''s a mosquito, but it''s not. Alexander can be seen standing without any injuries from head to toe; he was very much fine after this carnage He was so dumbfounded since he did not know the limit of his strength. He had not even used his powerful skills, yet with just a normal punch, he was able to kill the beast so easily. Now, he was more curious to find out what level he was truly at, but in order to gain a better understanding of the scope of his strength, he needed to assess himself further. He needed to find at least a decent opponent. "This place has become so smelly," Alexander said aloud, as the stench was particularly bad after the Ground Hound''s death. "Razon, please show me my status," he instructed. A holographic panel began to manifest in the air itself, displaying his current stats. [Status: Level: 1 (81/100) Name: Alexaner Aurelious Coins: 0 Omnipoints: 154 Class: None Race: Human Bloodline: Behemoth Bloodline Innate Skills: Titan''s Might, Behemoth''s Wrath, Legacy of the Behemoth Passive Skills: Unyielding Will, Behemoth''s Presence, Unyielding Stamina Active Skills: Earthen Fortress, Primal Roar, Crescent Blade Arc Free Attributes: 0 Health: 450 Vitality: 50 Strength: 115 Defense: 110 Speed: 32 Stamina: 65 Mana: 200 Magic Power: 10 ] "81 experience points and 154 Omnipoints. I''ve earned a lot this time," he mused, looking at his loot. However, when he remembered that mastering one of his current skills, ''Crescent Blade Arc'', required more Omnipoints, the victorious smile on his face disappeared, replaced by a broken smile. He was really poor, so poor that if he spent all of his Omnipoints right now, he would only add 15 points of mastery to the skill. It wouldn¡¯t even reach 50%, which made him feel disheartened. "I should just save it for future use. Actually, since I¡¯m already here, I should grind for more. But I haven¡¯t even arrived at my destination yet," Alexander said, glancing ahead. He was still in the middle of the forest, where only these lowly beasts were present. To encounter stronger beasts, he needed to step foot in the Grimhowl Forest. He then decided to move forward, but after walking about ten steps toward his destination, he stopped abruptly. Slapping his forehead in frustration, he muttered, "I almost forgot! Dang, I nearly left some loot behind," Alexander cursed himself inwardly. But the curse words were directed at the other Alexander. Still, he felt stupid for blaming his former self for his lack of awareness rather than taking responsibility himself. In truth, the curse was only backfiring, as he was now the same Alexander he was scolding. Walking toward the Direwolf, Alexander squatted down. He gently caressed the beast¡¯s chest and, with a straight hand mimicking a knife, he pierced it into the beast. Blood sprayed onto the ground, with some splashing onto his face. As he stared at the blood covering his hands, he couldn¡¯t help but vomit. This was his first time killing an animal, let alone opening its insides. However, he gritted his teeth and continued as his hands searched through the wolf¡¯s innards. Suddenly, he felt something sturdy, like a rock, lodged between the beast¡¯s heart. It wasn¡¯t the heart itself, as he couldn¡¯t fully grasp it if it were. Pulling it out, a bluish, rock-like core rested in his hands, radiating vitality so intense that even Alexander could feel it. The bluish energy within the Beast Core was saturated with Arcane Energy, but he knew that attempting to absorb it would result in being consumed by the beast¡¯s madness. It wasn¡¯t a matter of strength¡ªit was a battle of the soul. Only those with powerful souls possessed the ability to absorb such energy. But if someone truly possessed a powerful soul, why would they waste their time absorbing a low-grade Beast Core? If a person cultivated their soul and defeated a beast at the same level, attempting to absorb its Beast Core would still be suicidal. This is because the core¡¯s power would triple if the beast¡¯s soul became aware that the person who killed it intended to absorb its essence. However, if the beast¡¯s soul saw, that it was an unknown person it would only retain the beast¡¯s prime strength from when it was alive. Even so, if both the person and the beast were at the same level, the chances of success would be nearly zero. Even if the person were one level higher, the chances of success would still be only 10%. He had learned this information from Alexander''s memories, where his father had been speaking to a man whose identity he couldn¡¯t recall, as he had been very young at that time.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Their discussion had been about this very topic, so he understood it to some extent. "I can just sell this Beast Core for money. Since I have the system to level up, finding someone to purify this core to increase my strength isn¡¯t worth it," Alexander though. After all, he would still need to spend money to have the Beast Core purified. If it were a high-grade core, he might have been tempted, but since it wasn¡¯t, he decided to focus on more important matters instead. (Just to be clear here, Arcane Cores and Beast Cores are the same. So don''t even try to think on what this is and that OK!!!) "Now that the kingdom is already in ruins, and I¡¯m running very short on funds, I should be more mindful," he muttered to himself. With that, he walked toward the nearest Ground Hound and repeated the same process. However, he was stunned. After wandering his hands around its chest, he found nothing. When he pulled his hand out, it was coated in black, oil-like blood. He frowned and glanced down at the already dead Ground Hound. "Has this beast not developed a Beast Core yet?" he muttered, furrowing his brows. But then an idea emerged in his mind. Lowering his hand from the beast¡¯s chest all the way to its abdomen, he pierced it again, causing the already dead Ground Hound to yelp instinctively. As he moved his hand around that area, Alexander finally found it. This time, the Ground Hound¡¯s Beast Core was smaller than that of the Direwolf. While the Direwolf''s core was the size of a walnut, the Ground Hound¡¯s core was only the size of a small pebble. He didn¡¯t mind it too much so long as it could be sold, he would be satisfied. Placing the core into his inventory, he continued the process until he had gathered a total of 27 low-grade Ground Hound cores and 1 low-grade Direwolf core. With that, he resumed his journey through the forest. Every time he ran, he would encounter the same creatures over and over again. Mostly, he came across Direwolves and Ground Hounds. Other than these beasts, he hadn¡¯t encountered anything new. However, the most frequent encounters were are Ground Hounds. Now, in front of him, a Ground Hound stood with its hair bristling like a cat, blocking his path. Alexander pounced at it, propelling himself forward like a cheetah in a short burst of speed. In mere seconds, he closed the distance, his fist brimming with power. His punch came crashing down, striking the beast¡¯s snout. The bones in its snout snapped instantly, the Ground Hound¡¯s nose broke like a kite crushed beneath the weight of a car. The Ground Hound let out a yelp of pain as its body was sent flying, slamming into a tree with its back. Moments later, it fell to the ground lifelessly. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 1 Ground Hound! Rewards: 3 EXP | 6 Omnipoints] [Congratulations You have leveled up] [Status Gained: +5 Health | +2 Vitality | +2 Strength | +2 Defense | +2 Speed | +2 Stamina | +5 Mana | +2 Magic Power | +2 Free Attributes] [Bonus Reward: 500 Omnipoints] [Status Updated] [Level: 2 (01/200) Name: Alexander Aurelious Coins: 0 Omnipoints: 660 Class: None Race: Human Bloodline: Behemoth Bloodline Innate Skills: Titan''s Might, Behemoth''s Wrath, Legacy of the Behemoth Passive Skills: Unyielding Will, Behemoth''s Presence, Unyielding Stamina Active Skills: Earthen Fortress, Primal Roar, Crescent Blade Arc Free Attributes: 2 Health: 455 Vitality: 52 Strength: 117 Defense: 112 Speed: 34 Stamina: 67 Mana: 205 ] ... "500 Omnipoints?" he said in shock, pausing his progress on extracting the Ground Hound¡¯s Beast Core. "Razen, is there a bonus reward every time I level up?" Alexander asked, feeling elated. [Yes, Host. However, the bonus reward is limited to Omnipoints and nothing else. The higher your level, the greater the reward will be.] [Additionally, the first-time reward is higher. The bonus will be slightly lower the next time you level up.] Hearing this confirmation from the system only fueled Alexander¡¯s motivation further. Navigating through the system panel, he opened the skills section. As his eyes focused on the progress bar, he decided to upgrade the skill. [Active Skills: Cresent Blade Arc Description: A powerful, sweeping sword strike designed to attack multiple enemies or deliver a single devastating blow. This technique focuses on using momentum and precision to create a wide, arcing slash that maximizes the reach and power of the blade. Effect: Generates a crescent-shaped arc of energy. Mana Cost: 30 Cooldown: No Cooldown (Mastery: 23/100)] Looking at the mastery, he then directed the panel to the upgrade button. [Do you want to continue?] the system asked for confirmation. Without a second thought, Alexander upgraded the skill by pressing the "Yes" button. (If you don¡¯t know what the "Yes" button is, just Google it.) As Alexander confirmed the upgrade, the system¡¯s mechanical voice echoed in his mind: [-270 Omnipoints] [Skills Updated!] [Mastery: 50/100] The moment when the notifications faded, a surge of energy shot through his body, his vision darkened for a moment as flood of information about the movements and the proper execution. In the place, he saw himself wielding a normal sword with perfect balance. The weapon was carving glowing arcs of energy into the air, his movement precise and elegant. As if the sword had become the extension of his very own, his muscle twitched involuntarily, mimicking the technique as though it had been etched into his very being. His face was in awe on how powerful this skill in his mind from the demonstration, Alexander decided to give it a try. His muscles twitched involuntarily, mimicking the technique as though it had been etched into his very being. Taking out a normal metal sword, he felt a deep sense of familiarity as it rested in his hands. It was as if he had held a sword from the very moment he was born. Alexander could feel the weight of the blade and the energy coursing through it. The moment he closed his eyes, he took a stance. With a diagonal slash, he unleashed a bluish arc-shaped slash through the air. The wind whistled as it flew with incredible speed. When it struck a small tree, it sliced through it cleanly from top to bottom. The power was immense, and as the tree fell to the ground, the glowing arc finally dissipated into the air. [Crescent Blade Arc Activated] [-30 Mana] [Mana: 175/205] "This... this is the Crescent Blade Arc?" Alexander muttered, deeply shocked by how powerful it was to cut down a tree. Even though the tree was small¡ªbut not really small. It was average in size, that even an experience lumberjack would have to exert considerable effort to chop it down. Yet, with just a single use of this skill, it had been sliced cleanly. "Now I¡¯m very curious about upgrading this skill to perfection," he said, his gaze fixed on the upgrade mechanism. However, he was stunned by what he saw. The cost of the upgrade was supposed to be 10, but now it had risen to 15. To upgrade the skill to perfection, he would need to spend at least 750 Omnipoints. He couldn¡¯t help but hold his chin in thought, contemplating this sudden problem. The price seemed to increase each time he reached an achievement. "Razen, can you explain the levels of comprehension in a skill?" Alexander asked. [Sure, Host. There are three levels of comprehension: 10% - Basic Understanding 50% - Advanced Proficiency 100% - Perfection.] ... Alexander nodded his head thoughtfully before deciding to continue his journey, holding the sword firmly in his hands. With the weapon in hand, he could simply swing it and kill any beast that dared to block his path. As he moved forward, a Ground Hound appeared in his sight. Without hesitation, he swung the sword, delivering a sweeping slash toward the Ground Hound¡¯s side. The strike was swift and precise, leaving a long and deep wound visible on the Ground Hound¡¯s side. Without stopping, Alexander continued on his journey as the wounded beast collapsed to the ground. The Ground Hound convulsed and groaned for a moment before finally succumbing to its injuries. Alexander, too preoccupied, forgot to extract its Beast Core. Chapter 11 Ghost Village? [System Notification: You have slain a Level 1 Ground Hound! Rewards: 3 EXP | 6 Omnipoints] The notification sounded, and after traveling for a while, he finally arrived at the outskirts of the forest. Far away, he saw the village. Placing his hands over his eyes like a telescope, he could see that the place was very dark. There were no lamps or fires to light it up. With that, he walked to the road and began his journey toward the place. When he arrived just outside the village, he saw that the fences were in ruins. "Isn''t this place populated according to the reports? Why is there no one at all?" Alexander thought as he went inside. The village houses were tightly shut, just like a ghost town. This made him a bit uneasy, wondering if he had gotten lost and ended up in a haunted village. "I''m not really lost, am I?" Alexander grumbled to himself. As he went deeper into the village, he decided to enter one of the houses. He then approached the closest house to his right. Stepping onto the elevated wooden platform, it made a creaking sound, and as he opened the door, it produced an even louder creaking noise that echoed throughout the house. In the house across from him, the quilt in the window moved slightly, and an eye peeked through the gap. However, Alexander, who had already stepped inside, did not notice this. As he wandered his gaze inside, there was nothing particularly special. However, what made him suspicious was that the place was spotless¡ªso clean that it felt as though it was meticulously maintained. Even the chairs, the table, and the kitchen were immaculate. When he checked the bathroom, he found it filled with clean water. There were no cobwebs or even dust inside. "Is this place really a ghost village? Or is this actually the real village?" Alexander wondered if he was truly in the right place. Looking at the stairs leading up, he began climbing them as they creaked softly with each step. He was focused on looking ahead, unaware that behind him, someone was tiptoeing toward him. When he was about to climb further up the stairs to check, a piece of hardwood suddenly came crashing against the back of his head, creating a loud crunching sound, as if something had broken. However, it was not Alexander''s back that had broken; rather, it was the hardwood itself that shattered as it struck its target. Bonk! A sound echoed as Alexander''s head bent slightly lower. He was stunned, having been caught off guard by the surprise attack. The person who had attacked him stood frozen in shock, with his mouth agape. Due to the darkness inside, his face was not visible. Alexander, was greatly angered by the sudden blow, as he turned around and saw a human figure stepping back. He could see it trembling and could even hear its haggard breathing. "Damn, that hurts, you know!" Alexander grumbled in annoyance. If it had been a real sword, especially an axe, he would have been seriously injured since the blow landed directly on his head. His ability to detect danger was clearly lacking, it had been a close call. Thankfully, it was only a piece of wood, or he might have died. He glared at the figure in front of him, whose back was pressed against the wooden door leading outside. Alexander walked calmly, though his eyes showed he meant business. "You have to do better than that if you want to kill me," he said to the trembling figure. When he had taken about four steps, the figure, shaking with fear, suddenly shouted, "Don''t come closer, or I¡ªI, I will bite you!" It was a soft voice, but it carried a tone of threat. Alexander paused, his actions coming to a halt as he stood dumbfounded. The window was brushed open by the wind, allowing a sliver of moonlight to stream inside, illuminating her face. He saw that it was actually a girl, seemingly around 14 or 15 years old. Hearing her peculiar threat, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle in a low voice. This was something new¡ªhe had never encountered such a line, not even in the movies he had seen. Alexander simply stood there, unmoving. The girl, seeing the mysterious figure halt his advance, kept her wary eyes fixed on him. Behind her back, hidden in her hands, was a knife. She had initially chosen to strike the man with the hardwood to knock him out, as she was afraid of killing someone.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. However, if the situation took a turn for the worse, she was prepared to use the knife to end the thief life. "Alright then. Let''s talk like civilized people. Why did you hit me just now? I''m a good person who follows the law. Getting hit with my back turned isn''t right, correct?" Alexander asked. Only his mouth was visible, as he was covering himself with the quilt he had brought along. The girl, hearing this, snorted in disdain as she replied, "If you''re a good person, why would you just barge into our home? Also, if you''re really not a criminal, why are you hiding your face? Hmph! I''m not dumb, you beast!" she exclaimed, pointing at him with her finger. Alexander, hearing her reasoning, was suddenly enlightened¡ªit was true that he had clearly barged into someone else¡¯s house without permission. However, the girl wasn¡¯t done yet. "You still have the gall to call yourself a good person? That¡¯s exactly what a bad person would say! Hmph, just because my breasts are small doesn¡¯t mean my brain is small as well," the girl huffed indignantly. Alexander was left utterly speechless. She¡¯s got a point, he thought to himself. ''Barging into someone¡¯s home and then claiming to be a good person does seem incredibly suspicious... even to me.'' Hearing her simultaneously criticize and compliment herself, Alexander was at a loss for what kind of expression to make. He glanced at her chest, which was as flat as an airport runway, and nodded in agreement with her words. "She''s right; it''s not small¡ªit''s flat. Dang, it''s even flatter than a blackboard," he muttered to himself. This time, his voice was neither low nor loud, but just audible enough for the girl to hear it. Hearing the criticism, especially as a girl, it struck her most sensitive nerve. Gritting her teeth, she pulled out the knife from behind her back. Alexander suddenly sensed the surge of hostility radiating from her, especially when his eyes landed on the weapon in her hand. Her eyes burned with fury, leaving Alexander momentarily dazed, still trying to understand how he had angered her so much. "I kwell you!" the girl shouted in a fit of rage. Hearing her loud outburst, Alexander instinctively muttered, "Uhh, it''s not ''kwell,'' it''s ''kill,''" correcting her without thinking. The girl paused mid-action, considering his words for a moment, before asking, "Is that so?" "Uh... yes," Alexander replied, feeling utterly speechless. ''How does she not know this? Humans only have one language in this world¡ªhow could she get this wrong?'' he thought, baffled. Without missing a beat, the girl suddenly shouted, "Then I kill you!!!" She lunged forward, running and leaping into the air with the knife raised high. Its tip glinted in the faint light, shining with a shimmering, almost menacing brilliance as she aimed straight for him. Seeing this, he had to become serious. With his leg darting sideways, he dodged to the side as the girl dropped down from his previous position. The tip of the knife pierced the wooden floor about five inches deep. Seeing this, sweat began to pour down his face like a waterfall. Alexander took a pose, ready for the next attack, but was frozen, not knowing whether to take action or not. "Why is this so hard to pull!!!" The girl bellowed loudly, as she tried pull the knife out with her two delicate hands. Seeing her struggling expression, he could not help but sigh. "The knife is stuck because you''re forcing it the wrong way," Alexander called out, making the girl stop. Noticing that he had caught her attention, Alexander continued, "You''re pulling it straight up like it''s a sword. A knife doesn''t work like that." "Really?" The girl stood up straight, her wild behavior disappearing as she waited for his answer. "Then what should I do?" she asked with an innocent look, as if she hadn''t just tried to commit a crime a few seconds ago. "Angle it," Alexander instructed, gesturing toward the handle. "Wiggle it side to side while pulling gently. It will loosen the wood''s grip on the blade. Trying to yank it out in one go will only make it worse," he explained. She paused for a moment, staring at the knife. Then, with a sigh, she adjusted her grip and angled the blade slightly. She wiggled it from side to side, as Alexander suggested. A soft creak followed as the knife shifted in the floor. "Hey, look, it''s moving!" she exclaimed, her tone full of excitement. Alexander did not say anything, and with one final tug, the knife popped free. She stumbled back a step, holding it with a big smile. "See? It''s about using proper technique, not force," Alexander said. "Is that so?" the girl muttered, glancing at the knife. After a few seconds, she remembered something important. She pointed the tip of the knife straight at Alexander with her face filled with violence, "Don''t think I don''t know what you are thinking. Hmph, trying to trick me so you can catch me off guard. I''ll tell you this that it will not work" The girl said loudly with a smile hanging on her face. Alexander could not help but sigh from this, he felt like he was going to lose some brain cells if he continued to argue with a little girl. "Think whatever you want, I''m leaving," he said, turning sideways to face the door. The girl, hearing this, was shocked. A thief who barged in and wanted to leave just like that made her very angry. He was literally treating her home like a public playground. "Where do you think you¡¯re going? Do you think you can just leave like that?" the girl shouted aloud, ready to rush at him again. But Alexander did not even glance at her as he walked toward the door. The girl, who was ready to rush, stopped as the sound of coughing echoed through the place. She turned toward the stairs, and there, at the top, she saw a woman who appeared to be around 21 or 22 years old, leaning against the wall at the end of the stair railing. The woman looked utterly exhausted, her breathing was heavy, with hot air escaping visibly every time she exhaled. Her tired, misty eyes and trembling hands clutched the railing tightly, revealing her struggle to support herself. "Sister, why did you come out!" The girl shouted anxiously as she hurriedly climbed up the stairs. The woman at the top of the stairs was breathing heavily but offered a tired smile. "What do you think? Of course I''m worried about you," the woman said as the girl finally climbed up. She extended her arms and placed them on the girl''s cheeks. Alexander glanced upstairs and decided not to ruin the moment. He walked toward the door, and seeing this, the girl was about to stop him but was held back in place. "Just let him leave. He didn¡¯t even do anything bad to you or us. To avoid trouble, let¡¯s just leave him be," the woman said to the girl. The girl, hearing this, didn¡¯t know what to do. Since they weren¡¯t really hurt or robbed, and everything seemed fine. So, they simply observed the thief below, who had already pulled the door open. When Alexander opened the door, he froze in place. Outside, there were at least eight men carrying hoes, shovels, and some heavy single-handed knives. The people outside, seeing that the door had finally opened and the suspect was about to leave, surrounded his escape route. "You thief! You think we¡¯ll just let you go after barging into one of our houses? If you¡¯re still alive after today, I¡¯ll change my name to Tangalog!" one man exclaimed as he rushed toward Alexander, wielding a heavy single-handed knife, likely a bolo as he raised it in the air, prepared to slash him. (Just to be clear here, don''t be offended about the word above ok!) Chapter 12 Rumor Alexander, noticing the attack coming from above, raised his hand, opened the middle part of his fingers, and caught the blade. The man, stunned by this, tried to pull the blade out, but it was stuck. It was as if it had been nailed to a wall, immovable no matter how much force he applied. His face turned red, and the lines on it began to bulge. The others, seeing the thief''s unexpected strength, their faces grew solemn. If the person in front of them is a warrior, then they will die, as the gap in strength between a warrior and a normal person is like the difference between the foot of a mountain and its peak. "Hurry! Attack him now¡ªthis is our chance! Now that he''s occupied, if he ever lets go, he''ll only end up hurting himself," the man shouted as he looked at them to his left and right. Hearing his shout, all of them gained some courage to attack. The first two men from the left and right rushed towards him. The man on the right carried a hoe, while the other held a shovel. Alexander, seeing their attack, decided to make his move, gripping the blade between his fingers. With just a slight press, the blade snapped loudly, and its shards fell to the ground. Seeing this, the man holding the bolo was horrified. "This thief is actually godly!" he thought. Alexander then slightly raised his leg and delivered a kick to the man in front. He deliberately held back his strength to avoid seriously injuring him. Since he was simply doing a good deed, and because these were his own people, why would he hurt them when their intentions were good? With the kick, the man flew back about three steps, landing off on the elevated platform. The two men who had rushed forward did not falter, even after seeing this, as they were already very close¡ªtoo close to stop. "Yahhh!" both of them yelled. From left to right, the blade of the hoe and the edge of the shovel slashed downward toward Alexander. With his leg still raised, he bent his knee slightly, shifted his weight sideways, and delivered a powerful sidekick, breaking both the shovel and the hoe with a snapping sound. The two attackers, seeing this, were no longer as courageous. Even though the hoe and the shovel were old, they were made of hardwood, and neither of them was confident they could break such tools with their hands or feet. "Lie down for now," Alexander muttered, his mouth visible beneath the green quilt covering his face. Standing straight, he lowered his knees, spread his arms apart, and opened his palms flat. Taking one step forward, he struck both men in the chest. Their faces turned pale with shock as they were sent flying off on the elevated platform. Their backs hit the ground as one of them exclaimed, "That hurts." "Couldn''t agree more," the other man added. The remaining five men took a step back. They were not foolish; they had finally realized the other party''s strength. Even with weapons in hand, they were like kittens before the thief. Seeing that they were now showing signs of fear, Alexander stood there and coughed, attempting to make his voice sound deeper. "Listen here, I''m a warrior hired by the king to investigate the problem that plagued this place. I just arrived and think that this village was abondoned, so I decided to check leading to this misunderstanding. This is my fault," Alexander admitted his wrong. He decided not to reveal his identity, as his reputation was not particularly good. Hearing what he said, three of the men glanced at each other, while the other five whispered among themselves. The three men who had been below climbed back up to the elevated platform, as they were not seriously injured, just hurt. The eight of them huddled together, speaking in low voices, though not low enough to escape Alexander''s sharp hearing. "Did you hear that?" one of them whispered, eyeing at Alexander''s figure who was standing observing them. "The king actually sent a warrior. A warrior! That lazy bastard actually remembered his people and this village existed" Another chimed in, rolling his eyes. "I thought he was very busy drowning in booze and counting his coins to do gambling. What''s next? The king will hire a warrior and start planting crops?" "Or maybe he stopped chasing women''s skirts long enough to read one of our letters for help," another man snorted, earning a few muffled nods. Then the burliest of the group leaned closer and said, "Bet he just sent this guy so he wouldn''t have to deal with the mess himself. Typical king¡ªdoes nothing but send someone else, while we''re stuck here eating dirt." "But isn''t a king supposed to send his own people to solve the problem?" The man responded to his words. The burly man shook his head and replied, "Just go with the flow here. We''re here to talk bad about the king, not to compliment him."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "You''re right!" the other man responded, forming a fist with one hand and a flat palm with the other before slamming them together, creating a loud snap. "I agree. That king is always busy tying his hands¡ªif it''s not with women, then it''s booze. If it''s not booze, then it''s gambling," another man added. Then a thin man leaned closer to the group, glanced at Alexander, and warily looked back at his companions. "Don''t forget about dogs, too," the thin man said. The faces of the seven men turned to shock as they stared at him. "Is that rumor true?" they all asked. "What rumor?" Alexander muttered inwardly his face was baffled. It seemed there was yet another rumor about him that even he did not know. "Well, actually, it''s said that the king was so drunk and lustful that even a stray dog wasn''t spared," the thin man spoke seriously, causing all of their faces to turn grim. "What a filthy king! Even a dog wasn''t spared. How could he do such a beastly thing?" The man beside the thin one slapped his thigh in a fit of rage. "That''s right! He''s really such a bastard. I wouldn''t even be surprised if it''s a pig, a goat, or even a cow next time. But cows aren''t ba¡ª" The burly man abruptly stopped speaking as he felt all their gazes turn toward him. He coughed awkwardly and said, "Hey, don''t look at me like that! I''m talking about that bastard king doing it. I haven''t done anything like that, so don''t misunderstand." The burly man explained himself quickly. Despite his explanation, all of them moved a few inches away from him, shivering at the mere thought. What kind of lustful person could even commit such a crime? Alexander, who was listening to their conversation beneath the cover, had a grim expression. "A dog? I don''t even remember such a thing. If I really did that, I''d rather cut off my wiener," Alexander thought coldly. Whoever had spread that rumor was definitely going to face his wrath, he would really beat them to death without hesitation. It even fueled his anger more when he was cursed, stating that he''s next target would be a goat, pig and even a cow. So, he decided to stop this group of ignorant men to quell his rising anger. "Anything else you''d like to say about your beloved king?" he asked, his voice laced with pressure. The men, who were huddled together, exchanged nervous glances. Panic began spreading among them like wildfire. The thin man stammered, "N-no, sir! We were just, uh¡­ expressing gratitude! Yes, gratitude for the king''s, uh¡­ generosity in sending you!" he said with a nervous, broken smile. "That''s right, sir. We are greatly, uh¡­ thankful for you coming here," the burly man added, sweat dripping down his face. Alexander smirked faintly. "Gratitude, huh? I''ll be sure to pass your ''appreciation'' along to him¡­ in vivid detail." The men paled instantly upon hearing this. If this warrior ever delivered their words to the king, they were doomed. The punishment for defamation of the king was death. As commoners, they were well aware of the severity of such a crime. Seeing their terrified expressions, Alexander decided to let it go. "Alright then, consider this your last warning. If it happens again, it will result in punishment. Understood?" Alexander said firmly. All of them nodded their heads one by one, agreeing with him. Inside the house, where the door was open, a girl was assisting a woman by the waist. The woman leaned on the girl''s shoulder to keep herself from falling. "Sis, this man was actually sent by the king. I think we''ve really misunderstood him," the girl said to the woman. The woman just shook his head and sigh, "Only one person? Is it even enough? The problem in just this village alone is very hard to be taken care of, he at least needed to send a group of soldiers to fend off the beast. Sigh, If only I was not too stubborn when mom and dad died, we would have already moved to another kingdom to lived peacefully." The girl shook the her elder sister''s hands compassionately, "Don''t blame yourself sister, that''s just only because you believe in the king''s father and also the king to make the kingdom properous again. But isn''t this a great improvement, since the king finally send a warrior even though its just only 1 person." She reasoned towards her. The woman did not say anything as she shook her head in reply with a sigh at the end. "We''ll see" The woman muttered, looking at the mysterious man''s back. Alexander, with his back turned to the two females, could clearly hear their conversation. He was surprised that someone still believed in the king, despite all he had done. However, that belief was clearly waning with time. Yet, the little girl still seemed to trust him. Now that Alexander was pretending to be a confidant of the king, he needed to show them that the king had someone powerful at his disposal. So the villagers would trust him again, and this renewed reputation would also spread throughout the kingdom. Suddenly, from somewhere in the central part of the village, a loud shout echoed throughout the area. The eight men were stupefied and filled with fear, knowing that it had started again. "What''s that shout?" Alexander asked the group of eight. The burly man hurriedly explained, trembling as he spoke, "That''s the wandering beast! It comes every night when it''s hungry. It always kills some of us and then comes back the next day to feed again. That''s why we always turn off the lights and keep our doors shut to protect ourselves." Hearing this explanation, Alexander burst into action, moving with incredible speed, knowing that the lives of his people were in danger. The sheer air pressure created by Alexander''s movement was like a whirlwind, causing the eight men in front of him to be pushed to the ground. He ran down the road and spotted a house with a broken window, from which cries for help could be heard. The ground beneath him caved slightly as he launched himself forward, leaping through the window. Inside, he saw a Direwolf about to attack someone. "Roll!" Alexander growled, raising his leg and delivering a powerful sideways kick. The Direwolf, sensing the danger too late, couldn''t react in time. It was sent flying into the wall, its side colliding with it so forcefully that the entire house trembled. The Direwolf growled in pain. Alexander, seeing that the Direwolf did not get up, turned his attention to the person who had shouted¡ªit was a child. The kid looked exhausted, his left arm heavily injured from a deep scratch. Even if it healed, a scar was likely to remain. Worse, his head appeared to have hit something hard, as blood was dripping down his face, staining his eyes red. Realizing he had been saved, the kid couldn''t help but cry as he looked up at his savior. However, dizziness quickly overtook him, and he suddenly fell unconscious. Alexander hurriedly crouched down, catching the kid before his head could hit the ground. Checking his breathing, Alexander sighed in relief. "He''s just tired and needs some rest," Alexander said calmly. Carrying the kid in his arms, his gaze shifted toward the Dire Wolf. A cold, intimidating aura filled the house as Alexander walked toward the Dire Wolf. Lying on the floor with its eyes wide open, the creature observed him cautiously. The pressure radiating from Alexander was overwhelming, more akin to that of a beast in human form. The Direwolf wanted to flee, but as it tried to move, its bones emitted a series of cracking sounds, stopping it in its tracks. Alexander, now standing in front of the Dire Wolf, looked down at it coldly before stepping on its head. The sheer power of his leg was so destructive that the wooden floor cracked beneath the force, and the wolf''s head was driven all the way into the ground. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 2 Direwolf! Rewards: 5 EXP | 10 Omnipoints] Chapter 13 Raw!!! The inside of the house was gloomy as Alexander prepared to go out in search of someone to care for the child. Suddenly, he heard a dry cough coming from one of the rooms. Then, a hazy voice called out, "Kael, where are you? What happened? Tell me." Alexander stopped in his tracks and looked back. There was a small hallway with at least two rooms, and the voice came from behind the left door. Alexander walked toward it, and as he slowly pushed the door open, he saw a worn-out bed with a tattered quilt. On the bed lay an old man who immediately caught his attention. The old man''s face was gaunt and malnourished, his expression pale as though he was on the brink of death, reacting to the sound of the creaking door. He struggled to open his eyelids, and when he did, he saw a man wrapped in a green quilt, holding his unconscious grandson, Kael, in his arms. His eyes turned red as he gritted his teeth, enduring the pain with sheer will. "What... did you do to... my grandson?" the old man bellowed loudly. However, as he struggled to lift his upper body and sit up in bed, he stopped midway, feeling all his strength begin to wane. Alexander hurriedly stopped the old man, realizing that he was harming himself by doing this. If he truly died, it would be a meaningless death caused by a simple misunderstanding. "Old man, calm down. I''m a friend. The injuries you''re seeing right now were not caused by me but by the beast that was about to devour him. It has already been taken care of, so there''s nothing for you to worry about," Alexander explained. Hearing this, the old man''s mind, clouded with rage, began to settle. His upper body slumped back onto the bed, sweat pouring down his face. His breathing was labored and heavy, carrying hot air, as his eyes grew hazy and misty. Shifting his head slightly, he looked at the mysterious man and noticed that he showed no signs of ill intent. "Thank you very much for saving my grandson, and I deeply apologize for misunderstanding your goodwill. If only I could stand, I would kneel before you to express my gratitude," the old man said, his lips trembling with emotion. Alexander could see the gratitude in the old man''s eyes. So, he shook his hand and responded, "There''s no need for that, Uncle. You¡¯re an elder, kneeling to a young man wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for your dignity." The old man offered a faint, broken smile. Shifting his gaze toward his grandson in the mysterious man¡¯s arms, he then glanced back at Alexander. "Young man... can I ask you a favor?" the old man said, closing his eyes briefly as his breathing grew more rapid. Alexander did not refuse the old man''s request, as he felt indebted to the people of his kingdom. Besides, he could see that the old man was gravely ill and appeared to be in his final moments. "Sure, Uncle. As long as it''s something I can do, I¡¯ll do my best to help," Alexander said sincerely. The old man smiled weakly, opened his eyes once more, and looked at him. "It''s not really a difficult request, young man. From your voice alone, you must be quite young, right?" the old man replied. Alexander nodded his head. Despite being heavily covered, his voice still revealed his youth. Moreover, since he had already addressed the old man as ''Uncle,'' it was clear that his cover had been compromised. Seeing him nod, the old man continued, "Can you take care of my grandson?" Hearing this left Alexander momentarily stunned. The old man''s request was not particularly difficult for Alexander, as back in his world, during his time in the orphanage, he had cared for many younger brothers. However, this time, his situation was different. Since he was determined to revive the kingdom, the challenges ahead would be immense. He would inevitably face numerous threats, including the constant danger of assassination. Seeing the mysterious young man fall silent, the old man continued, "If I¡¯m right, you¡¯re afraid that my grandson will be in danger if he follows you, correct? But let me tell you this¡ªeven if you don¡¯t take him with you, he will still face trouble. Taking my grandson with you is both a blessing and a risk. I have no one else I can trust to care for him, and you are my best option. Since you don¡¯t seem like an ordinary person." Hearing this, Alexander shook his head. "Can you really trust a stranger you just met to take care of your grandson? What if I¡¯m a bad person?" he asked, looking at the old man lying in bed. The old man responded as he finished speaking, "My eyes never lie to me young man, I can greatly see that you are not a bad person so I can feel at ease." he ended with a smile. Alexander could only rub his temples at this predicament as he continued to ask, "Then what exactly is the problem with your grandson? Why do you say that if I don¡¯t take him, he¡¯ll be in trouble, but if I do, it will also bring trouble¡ªyet there¡¯s a benefit in the end? I don¡¯t understand," he admitted, feeling perplexed. He then looked down at the kid lying in his arms, now breathing normally. The old man did not waste any time and began his explanation.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "Have you heard of the Spirit Race?" the old man asked. "Spirit... Race?" Alexander muttered under his breath, deep in thought. "What kind of spirit is he talking about?" Alexander wondered inwardly. "Is he referring to a ghost? But since when did ghosts become spirits? Those are two different beings. Or is he talking about spirits, those beings with magical powers and supernatural abilities?" "I''m not familiar about it," Alexander responded, the old man was stunned looking at him dumbfoundedly. Seeing the old man''s dumbfounded expression, Alexander wondered if he had said something wrong. "Are you serious?!" the old man exclaimed, his voice rising in disbelief. "What kind of cave have you been living in to not know about the Spirit Race? They¡¯re part of every bedtime story and every old tale passed down through generations!" Beneath his cover, Alexander raised an eyebrow, feeling slightly embarrassed but maintained his composure. "I''ve... been busy," he muttered, scratching his chin with an awkward laugh. The old man shook his head, as if Alexander''s ignorance on the subject was a personal affront. "Even children know about them! The Spirit Race are beings of pure elemental magic, older than any kingdom. They''re said to have shaped the world itself. Every family has stories about them, even if no one has seen one in generations. They¡¯re in the legends, yes¡ªbut still!" The old man¡¯s eyes darted toward Alexander, scrutinizing him. "To think you don¡¯t even know the basics¡­ Their power is said to rival the gods themselves¡ªif they exist, that is," he added, both in awe of the legends and bewildered by Alexander''s ignorance. Alexander was speechless. The old man was clearly too amazed or perhaps frustrated by his lack of knowledge on the topic. Deciding to steer the conversation back to the point, Alexander asked, "So you¡¯re saying that this grandson of yours is a spirit from the legends? But aren¡¯t you human? How did he become a spirit? Are your ancestors from the Spirit Race?" Bombarded by so many questions, the old man felt his patience wearing thin, his ears nearly ringing. "Your damn ancestors are the spirits," he cursed inwardly, though he refrained from saying it out loud. With a sigh, he patiently explained, "No, we are not from the Spirit Race, and our ancestors were all commoners. But my grandson is different he¡¯s a half spirit. That¡¯s what my daughter told me." Alexander finally pieced it together, narrowing his eyes as realization dawned. "So, your daughter is human, but she gave birth to a spirit. That can only mean..." He trailed off. The old man then gave a small nod. "Yes, her husband¡­ the father of my grandson¡­ is from the Spirit Race. That¡¯s what she told me," he said with a weary sigh, leaning back slightly as if the weight of the truth was too much to bear. "She used to wander off to a lake near Grimhowl Forest, a place she loved," the old man began, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "She was always going on about the beauty of the view, the peace of the water, and so on." He paused, his tone shifting to one of reluctant pride. "Then one day, she came back home and told me she met a man there. A handsome one, she said, who confessed his love to her." Alexander raised a brow, since this seems to be like a fairytale to him. "And you just believed her?" The old man shrugged his shoulders. "What was I supposed to do? She said he was so charming and otherworldly. And honestly, my daughter isn¡¯t exactly lacking in the looks department either," he said, his chest puffing out with pride. "She got her beauty from me, after all. My genes carried hard, overpowering my wife¡¯s genes like a champion," he added proudly, a smug grin creeping across his face. Alexander blinked beneath the cover, unsure how to respond. "Really? It seems your wife carried the whole thing rather than you," but he only spoke this inwardly, afraid to hurt the old man''s ego. Alexander''s lips twitched, torn between disbelief and laughter. "So, let me get this straight¡ªyour daughter meets a random, handsome man in the woods, falls in love, and now you''ve got a half-spirit grandson. And your biggest takeaway from this is¡­ your genes?" "Yes, that''s just about it," the old man responded, nodding his head. "Then why aren¡¯t Kael¡¯s mother and father here?" Alexander asked. At the question, the old man¡¯s eyes suddenly filled with sadness, and he let out a heavy sigh. Seeing this, Alexander immediately realized he must have asked something bad. "Kael''s mother died when she gave birth to my grandson," the old man explained, his voice heavy with sorrow. "She said this was the path she had chosen, and that her death was unavoidable. As for his father, my daughter told me he left because he was being hunted. If he had stayed, not only would we have been in danger, but the entire kingdom could have been implicated." Alexander, listening to this, shook his head as he looked down at the child in his arms. He couldn¡¯t help but reflect on how cruel and tragic fate could be. This kid''s mother had died when he was born, and his father was on the run, hunted by enemies. "So, young man, can you accept this favor of mine? I don¡¯t have much time left," the old man muttered in a low voice, his strength fading as he closed his eyes. Alexander, who had been in a dilemma moments ago, finally made his decision. If he invested some resources into this child, maybe one day he might gain a strong and loyal general. "I accept," Alexander replied. Hearing this, the old man managed a faint smile, his eyes half-closed. "Before you go, reach into my right pocket and take the item inside," the old man instructed, as his body could no longer move. Alexander adjusted the kid in his right arm as he stepped closer to the old man. Carefully, he extended his hand into the old man¡¯s pocket to retrieve the item. The moment his fingers wrapped around a hard, long object, the old man suddenly trembled, his body jolting as if struck by a surge of electricity. Alexander feeling something is wrong when he caressed the item, he look at the old man, face that was red in shame. "Don''t tell me¡­" Alexander voiced trailed off, as he backed off in the speed of light. "F*ck my hand, this-this. This is not real!!" Alexander muttered in despair, he actually touched it, he freaking touched the thing. The old man in the bed who''s face so red like a tomato coughed to ease the awkwardness. Cough "Young man, I¡¯m very sorry about that," the old man said, his face now serious. "I''ve been bedridden for a year and have lost the strength to move or walk and it also affected my memory. The item is actually in my left pocket." Alexander¡¯s smile twitched, looking utterly broken. Seeing this, the old man attempted to console him. "Don¡¯t worry, young man. Ever since my wife passed away 30 years ago, my thing has never been used, so it¡¯s perfectly clean," he added with a reassuring smile. "What do you mean it¡¯s perfectly clean? Just because it¡¯s never been used doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s clean!" Alexander thought, cursing the old man countless times in his mind, though a few of those curses were directed at himself. He had been too careless. But the most unforgettable part was that the fabric at the bottom of the old man¡¯s pocket was completely worn out¡­ meaning he had touched it raw. Raw!!! Alexander¡¯s expression was filled with sorrow, and he couldn¡¯t help but wish for an Amnesia-Rator¡ªsomething that could erase this traumatic memory. But, unfortunately, there were no mad evil scientists in this world to grant him such mercy. "Are you sure you put it there?" Alexander asked, remaining frozen in place. The old man''s eyes glinted with dissatisfaction, sensing that the young man had grown wary after the unfortunate accident. "I''m sure," the old man gritted his teeth. Seeing the look of the old man, Alexander then walked over to the sides and then reached out into his left pocket. His hand this time did not went too deep but as he touched the item. THE REAL ITEM! He took it out and look at it in his arms, and when he looked at it the system identifies the items in his hand. Chapter 14 The Item The system then identified the item in his hand, and after some time, Razon finally analyzed it. In his palm lay a silver pendant with a glowing crystal at its center, pulsing faintly with energy. [Item Detected] [¡­] [Item: Heartshard Amulet Grade: Legendary Description: A gift from the elemental spirit father, left by the daugther of the old man to protect Kael and help stabilize his mixed bloodline. The amulet can suppresses the chaotic energy of the Elemental Core, to prevent Kael to be overwhelmed during his awakening. Effects: - Heritage of the Stormshaper. - Life Saving Grace (1 time use) Description: When the user died, even if the soul dissipates and the body was destroyed. Revival is still possible - Increase Mana and Vitality by 50%] As he read the description, Alexander slowly began to understand the function of the item. When he saw that the amulet carried the heritage of the being or a title of someone known as the "Stormshaper," he was really curios of what kind of heritage it has. Since the item was of Legendary grade, the skills it possessed must also be of Legendary level. There was even a slight chance that a Mythical skill was hidden within it. However, what truly caught Alexander''s eye was the Life-Saving Grace ability. "This item is... is so top-notch! Dang, this kid is rich!" Alexander exclaimed. With this treasure in his possession, the fear of dying once will never troubled him. If the lords, kings, and especially the hidden masters discovered this treasure, Alexander knew that his entire kingdom would be in danger if its existence were leaked. Gripping the amulet tightly in his hands, he began to tremble. But after some time, he lowered his strength. He was greatly tempted, but this was not his. Back in the orphanage, there were lots of ways to earn money. The first was to finish school, which was the most normal one. If that did not work, then one could become a robber to rob banks and shops. Third, if there was no other choice, then one could become a drug dealer. The easiest choice was the fourth one: to marry a dying old woman and inherit her fortune. As for the option of finding a wealthy gay individual, that was a definite no for him. He would rather rob the Gate City Bank than consider the last option. But even the three earlier choices were difficult to achieve for a person like him, who''s someone so righteous and poor. Despite the harshness of life and his extreme poverty, he refused to abandon his education¡ªalthough he had already abandoned it since the tuition was too expensive. But the point was what he had learned about being a good person remained with him, so he did not choose the two bad options and skipped the other two as well. "Stealing a kid''s gift from his father, which was passed on to him by his dying mother, is not worth it," Alexander muttered in a low voice as he shook his head. He was not tempted by the skill at all, even though it was a legendary skill. Didn''t he already have a lot of legendary skills? "Wait, are those even Legendary Skills? Since there is no indication of whether the skill is Legendary or Mythical," Alexander whispered in confusion. [The skills you have obtained from your bloodline are all Legendary Skills, but their capabilities are still at the lowest level. If you upgrade the skills, they will reveal their true power.] [Also haven''t we already talk about this, Host?] - The system snorted. Which put some question mark on Alexander''s forehead, surprised that the system can actually use emotes. Receiving the reply from Razon, Alexander nodded, wanting to hit himself for being stupid since this was the case for this skill. Opening the system panel, he directed it toward the skill. As the status of the skill appeared, Alexander slowly lowered his gaze, his soul trembling at what he saw. [Titan''s Might Description: A temporary burst of overwhelming strength that amplifies the user''s physical power to devastating levels. - Effect: Temporarily increases strength by +200% for 10 seconds. Usage Limit: 1/1 Mana Cost: 150 Cooldown: 1 Day (Mastery: 0/100) ¨C 1% Mastery cost around 70 Omnipoints. "Seventy? Isn''t this a huge scam!" Alexander almost shouted but stopped himself, repeatedly telling himself that the price was fair. "But Seventy Omnipoints? That''s really too much for my current self," Alexander sighed in frustration. With such a huge amount, how many Direwolves and Groundhounds would he have to hunt just to gain 1% mastery? So not worth it, so very not worth it. Alexander then clicked the back button and chose another skill to check if the price was the same for all. The reason he had hesitated to check back when he was at the forest was precisely because of this. Just seeing the first price already made him feel poor. As he opened the next skill, the holographic panel began to expand.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. [Legacy of the Behemoth (Ultimate Ability) Description: Tapping into the Behemoth''s ancient essence, the user temporarily unlocks its primal power. Effects: -For 60 seconds, all abilities (Like Earthshaker and Behemoth''s Wrath) have no cooldowns and strength-based actions deal double damage. -User gains immunity to fear, stun, and knockback effects. -At the end of the duration, the user is left heavily fatigued, reducing stamina regeneration by 50% for the next hour. Usage Limit: 1/1 Mana Cost: 200 Cooldown: 1 week (Mastery: 0/100) ¨C 1% Mastery cost around 100 Omnipoints. Seeing a price even higher than the first one made him want to kick the bed in front of him, but he stopped himself. "I should focus more on low-level skills rather than my strongest ones. Not only can I upgrade them, but I can also evolve them by spending just a few points," Alexander decided as he closed the panel. Looking down, he was stunned as his feet froze in place¡ªthe old man on the bed had lost his life. His smile was still there, but his face had aged so suddenly that it left Alexander confused. "Wasn''t this old man still alive and kicking? Why is he dead now?" Alexander muttered, trying to shake the old man''s arm, but it did not work. "I guess he''s really dead¡­ is it because of this?" Alexander lifted his hands and looked at the amulet. [Item: Heart Shard Amulet] Effects: - Increase Mana and Vitality by 50% ¡­ Looking at the effects again, he nodded his head, finding the reason plausible. Since the item had been in his pocket, the amulet''s effect must have been activated, increasing his vitality. But now that it was taken so suddenly, his illness and poor health took over. Alexander felt a little bad, knowing he was the cause of the old man''s death. "Well, he was going to die anyway, so it''s not really my fault, right?" Alexander contemplated but chose to forget the problem since it had already happened. As long as he could fulfill the old man''s dying wish, then all was good. Now that it had already happened, he just had to keep his promise. Looking at the child in his arms, Alexander walked toward the door. Navigating his way, the familiar house appeared once again. "I should leave you here for a moment," Alexander thought. When he arrived at the door, it was opened by the same girl, who eyed him up and down. "Why did you come bac¡ª" She was about to continue, but when she saw the kid in his arms, she stopped. "Is that Kael, oh my god Kael what happened!" The girl exclaimed, as she walked closer and looked at the blood on his face. Seeing her anxious expression and hearing her call his name, Alexander suddenly had the sudden hunch that this girl and the kid in his arms must have known each other. "Calm down, he''s just unconscious. I''ll leave him here for now and come back later since I have something to take care of," Alexander said to her. The girl nodded hastily and let him in, assisting Alexander as he carried Kael upstairs to help him place him on the bed. There were at least two rooms. She opened the door to the left room, and Alexander stepped inside, gently laying the kid on the bed. From the look on his face, he seemed to be in good condition despite his injury. Glancing beside him, he noticed the girl''s eyes filled with worry. "I''ll be leaving him here for now," Alexander said. The girl nodded his infuriated tone, and pesky attitude was no more as he listened to his words. "Then I''m off," Alexander said to her, as he got out of the room all the way out to the house. Taking out the amulet from his pocket, he decided to store it in his inventory first. He didn''t give it to the kid yet, fearing that he might lose it. Alexander chose to hand it over once the boy woke up and understood his situation. As he walked through the streets, darkness had already settled in¡ªthat was when three more predators appeared once again. Growl They gnashed their teeth at him, their bloodshot eyes gleaming as saliva dripped from their sharp fangs. "Another group of wandering beasts¡­ To ensure none of you can cause trouble anymore, you must be eradicated once and for all," Alexander said coldly. Wasting no time, he was the first to strike. Seeing his sudden movement, the three beasts pounced at him from three directions. The first was in the center, one on the left, and one on the right, all rushing toward him at once. The Direwolf in midair opened its mouth, filled with razor-sharp teeth, aiming to swallow his head whole. Alexander parried by raising his hand and slapping its face, making it loose a few teeth. On the left, another Direwolf swung its claw, but Alexander''s reaction speed was faster. He delivered a right hook while lowering his body, striking its snout with a loud impact. Bang! His fist caved in the Direwolf''s snout, distorting it in the process. The beast was sent flying through the air before crashing to the ground and rolling twice. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 2 Direwolf! Rewards: 5 EXP | 10 Omnipoints] The notification sounded, but it did not break his focus. Raising his right hand again, he suddenly felt something bite down on it. When he looked, it was the Direwolf. Its eyes seemed to mock him as it increased the pressure, trying to bite his arm off. But Alexander remained calm, unfazed by the beast''s struggle. The Direwolf sensed something was wrong from his expression. When it leaned its head back slightly, terror filled its eyes¡ªits bite had only left red marks on his skin and nothing more. There was no blood, no torn flesh. "Are you done? Then it''s my turn," Alexander bellowed. His face twisted in anger. Even though the bite hadn''t truly harmed him, it still hurt. Gathering strength in his hand, he felt the Direwolf trying to let go, but before it could escape, he caught it by the neck with his right hand, lifting it off the ground. The Direwolf groaned and thrashed in the air. To silence it, Alexander threw a powerful punch into its stomach, making the beast growl and retch from the impact. Since there was nothing in its stomach so their is no throwing up scene. Alexander then delivered another strike to the same spot, causing its frail body to jolt upward. It was almost sent flying, but Alexander held it tightly by the neck. The Direwolf was slowly losing its strength to struggle as Alexander continued his relentless blows. It was like a punching bag, letting out muffled sounds with every strike he delivered. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 2 Direwolf! Rewards: 5 EXP | 10 Omnipoints] The Direwolf died in his grasp, so he released its neck, letting the lifeless body fall to the ground with a dull thud. Alexander''s eyes were devoid of guilt or pity¡ªhe had long since lost count of how many he had killed. Then, another notification sounded. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 2 Direwolf! Rewards: 5 EXP | 10 Omnipoints] The notification was from the first Direwolf, whose life had finally faded. He was confused since he had only slap the beast. He deeply wondered why it had died so easily. But Alexander didn''t stop there. After all, there was no time to contemplate. He continued circling the village, ensuring that no more Direwolves could set foot inside. When he spotted another beast, he drew his sword from his inventory. The blade began to vibrate as a bluish energy wrapped around it. "Cresent Blade Arc" Alexander whispered. With a diagonal swing, he unleashed a bluish, arc-shaped slash through the air. It was about three meters wide, and as it struck the Direwolf, it sliced cleanly through, splitting the beast in two. The remaining Direwolves watched their companion die before them. Furious, the four growled and charged at him, but Alexander had already anticipated their moves. As they spread out, attempting to encircle him, he prepared for the next attack. Alexander stood his ground, gripping the handle of his sword tightly. Then, one of the Direwolves lunged first, its claws aimed straight at his chest. With a swift sidestep, he swung his sword, now radiating a streak of bluish energy, in an upward arc. The sharp blade connected with the Direwolf''s torso, and the burst of power sent the beast crashing lifelessly to the ground. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 2 Direwolf! Rewards: 5 EXP | 10 Omnipoints] Seeing the overwhelming power of the human before them, the remaining Direwolves hesitated, ultimately deciding that escaping was their best option. Alexander narrowed his eyes as he watched them. Without giving the three a chance to regroup, he shifted his stance, lowered his center of gravity, as he dashed forward with explosive speed. The blade in his hand arced horizontally in a weeping slash, the nearest Direwolf leapt to dodge but the energy from the sword extended outward, slicing clean through its midsection. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 2 Direwolf! Rewards: 5 EXP | 10 Omnipoints] Chapter 15 Good news? [Um, if you''re wondering why the story progresses slowly and isn''t fast-paced, it''s because I want to make it more compelling and detailed. I don''t want the plot to feel too sudden¡ªI want to enjoy the process of writing since I''m a new author :D] [So please understand. Also, there''s actually a huge problem with my ranking system, and I really appreciate the heads-up.] [Here''s the updated hierarchy for clarity: CG: Common Grade ¨C Basic items or tools. UG: Uncommom Grade ¨C Better quality, with minor enhancements. HG: High Grade ¨C Advanced items, useful in higher-level tasks or battles. SG: Superior Grade ¨C Elite items, rare and powerful. LG: Legendary Grade ¨C Items owned by high-ranking empires. Very rare! :D MG: Mythic Grade ¨C Ultra-rare, nearly impossible to find. AG: Ancient Grade ¨C Artifacts lost to time and history.] [Please, if there''s anything on your mind, I''m very open to criticism since I really need it :D] "Only you two are left," Alexander muttered, his voice as calm as the ocean, but his eyes were razor-sharp. The last two Direwolves decided to charge. Even though they were afraid, their pride as strong beasts was on the line. Seeing this, Alexander sneered. "A futile move." The first Direwolf aimed high, while the other circled to his flank. Alexander spun on his heel and unleashed another "Crescent Blade Arc." The glowing energy of his skill tore through the air like a rippling wave. [-30 Mana] [Mana: 175/205] The arc cleaved through the first Direwolf and crashed into the second, sending both beasts collapsing to the ground. Dust and faint wisps of mana settled around him. Alexander inhaled as he threw the sword back into his inventory. [System Notification: You have slain a Level 2 Direwolf! Rewards: 5 EXP | 10 Omnipoints] [System Notification: You have slain a Level 2 Direwolf! Rewards: 5 EXP | 10 Omnipoints] ¡­ Alexander then called the system to show him his current status, Razon then showed his current status as a huge panel appeared in front of him. Name: Alexander Aurelious Level: 2 (34/200) Coins: 0 Omnipoints: 466 Class: None Race: Human Bloodline: Behemoth Bloodline Innate Skills: Titan''s Might, Behemoth''s Wrath, Legacy of the Behemoth Passive Skills: Unyielding Will, Behemoth''s Presence, Unyielding Stamina Active Skills: Earthen Fortress, Primal Roar, Crescent Blade Arc Free Attributes: 2 Health: 455 Vitality: 52 Strength: 117 Defense: 112 Speed: 34 Stamina: 67 Mana: 205 ] "Even after killing a total of ten beasts, only about 33 EXP was added, along with 76 Omnipoints. I should really find stronger beasts instead of wasting time on these low-level ones," Alexander thought. If he only focused on clearing the beasts wandering near the village, it would be nothing but a waste of time. But if he left, what would happen to the village? Other than Direwolves, there were no new beasts he had encountered attacking the area. Solving the source of this problem would quite literally resolve everything. His gaze wandered around the place, and he noticed that there were no more Direwolves. As he continued his observation, the sound of footsteps echoed behind him. "Uhh¡­ great warrior¡­ may we have the pleasure of knowing your name?" an old man''s voice rang out. Turning around, Alexander saw an elderly man with a cane, his face filled with smiles and hope as he looked at him. There were two men beside the old man. The man on the right was filled with awe, clearly recognizing the person before him as a warrior. Meanwhile, the man on the left had an ugly expression but quickly hid it as soon as it appeared. Hearing the old man''s inquiry about his name, Alexander responded. "My name is Alucard, and I was hired by the king to resolve the crisis affecting the kingdom''s villages. I decided to come here first and address the problem. The king also wishes to express his apologies for not sending any soldiers and warriors sooner, which has led to great suffering for the people." Hearing that he was actually a warrior sent by the king, the old man was shocked. Their so-called worthless king might not be so worthless after all. What surprised him even more was that the king had even taken the time to read their letter. "Has the king truly changed? A changed man? I''d sooner believe a gay man turned straight than this!" the old man grumbled inwardly.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Even the two people beside him felt as if their entire worldview had been overturned¡ªthe king, after so long, had finally done something good for the kingdom. Seeing their shocked expressions, that is so exaggerated that a whole apple could fit in their open mouths, he was utterly speechless. "Is my change really that world-defying?" Alexander wondered, shaking the thought from his mind as he eyed the old man. Feeling his gaze, the old man coughed lightly before bowing. "So, it''s actually a warrior hired by the king," he murmured, shifting his gaze to the two beside him. Sensing his look, they also bowed slightly in respect. "I''m truly glad the king has finally taken action. Now, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gareth Thatcher, the village chief of Greenfield Village," the old man said formally. He then extended his hand to the right. "This man beside me is my eldest son, Clem Thatcher." The young man, around 22 years old, straightened his chest and offered a somewhat awkward smile. Seeing this, Gareth smiled as well, nodding in appreciation. "My eldest son is a shy one, but don''t let that fool you. He''s a talented blacksmith, and in this village, he''s the only one who knows how to craft tools and weapons," the old man said proudly. Having such a skilled son was, of course, a source of great pride for him. "To my left is my youngest son, Wren Thatcher. He''s just a year younger than my eldest. As for his achievements, there are none yet, but in the future, there will be," the old man said with a wide smile, full of expectation. Wren, standing to his left, felt his eyes tremble for a brief moment before quickly regaining composure. He smiled¡ªnot with the shyness of his elder brother, Clem, but with confidence. His presence carried an approachable aura. "Nice to meet you, great warrior," he said, cupping his hands together in a respectful gesture. Alexander simply nodded and replied, "Nice to meet you as well." Then, he shifted his gaze toward the old man. "I''ve already cleared all the beasts wandering around the outskirts of the village, Village Chief. Now, I''ll be heading into the ''Grimhowl Forest'' to reduce their numbers further so they won''t pose a threat to this village anymore¡ªespecially since the King will be arriving here tomorrow." With that, he subtly informed them that the so-called "King" was none other than himself will be arriving here tomorrow. Hearing the news, the old man forced a broken smile. His view of the current king had always been unsightly, but now, it was no longer filled with disdain since the king seemed to have matured. "Thank you for telling me this news, great warrior. I will prepare a grand banquet to welcome the king tomorrow," the old man said with a bow. Yet, deep inside, his heart felt as though it had been pierced by countless nails. Life in the village was already difficult, and food was scarce. If they truly went through with the banquet, the rations that could sustain them for weeks would be consumed in just a single day. Alexander shook his head beneath his hood. "No need for that. The king knows the situation of every village. If you do that, you''ll have no food left for the rest of the week," he said. Gareth was stunned by his words. A king who was this magnanimous? Even his two sons were equally shocked¡ªbut perhaps this made sense. They hadn''t seen the king in over a year. The only time they had caught a glimpse of him was when he was a child, back when the real king and queen were still alive. So maybe he had matured a bit. "Am I really that bad in their eyes?" Alexander muttered inwardly, feeling a wave of silent frustration. Beneath his hood, his expression turned noticeably dejected. Gareth then expressed his gratitude. "I truly wish to thank the king for his actions, but great warrior, may I at least ask the purpose of his visit to this village?" he inquired. Alexander smiled, a gesture that all three of them clearly saw. "That''s a secret for now, but I promise you, it''s good news," He spoke with a trace of a mysterious smile. Gareth was left in a state of confusion. Good news? The only "good news" he could think of was the king not coming at all. Other than that, he couldn''t imagine anything better. However, he couldn''t voice such thoughts to a warrior personally hired by the king, so instead, he forced a polite smile and responded, "Then this village will eagerly await the king''s arrival to hear the good news." Alexander nodded with a smile as he glanced at Clem and Wren. The two were vastly different¡ªalmost like the sea and the land, complete opposites. The older brother was supposed to be the confident one, yet it was the youngest who carried that trait. However, Clem''s talent surpassed Wren''s, which somewhat balanced the difference between them. Clem had bulging muscles and a giga-chad face, his features rugged but of average looks, with brown skin. Wren, on the other hand, had a more average build but was slightly taller than Clem. Clem stood at around 180 cm, while Wren was slightly taller at 182 cm, roughly six feet. Alexander glanced up at the sky, knowing that time was running out. "I''ll be going now, Village Chief. Since I''m leaving, I suggest the three of you find a place to hide. Without me here, no one will be able to protect you from danger," he said. The village chief bowed, followed by his two sons. "We will heed your words, great warrior Alucard." With that, they departed, and Alexander dashed toward the forest. He needed to level up faster his survival greatly depended on it. He had no allies. His uncle was not a warrior like him, and there was no one he could rely on. In the end, he could only trust himself. Since there was one person he had to protect: his wife, Serena. As the three walked back, Clem glanced at his father and spoke. "Pops, is the warrior sent by the king really going to be okay? The beasts inside Grimhowl Forest are much stronger than the wandering ones. Their fighting power is also different at night. He''s completely alone. I don''t know if he can really handle the danger in there." Gareth remained silent for a moment. However, based on the warrior''s prowess earlier, it was clear that he had the capability to survive as long as he didn''t venture too deep. "He can handle it. If he was hired by the king, then he must have done his own research before entering the forest. Also, he''s strong. At worst, he might suffer some minor injuries. That is if he doesn''t wander deeper," Wren replied, his eyes calm and steady. Clem just nodded his head as the old man Gareth smiled in satisfaction. Even though his youngest son was not particularly talented in physical skills, he was very smart. Alexander had already stepped foot inside Grimhowl Forest. The atmosphere was eerie, with the wind howling through the trees and the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze. Extending his right arm, a sword appeared in his hand as he gripped the handle tightly. His gaze pierced through the darkness, where he spotted three red eyes. At first, they were small, but they gradually grew larger as they approached. Finally, they emerged, revealing their appearance. Alexander saw that they were Direwolves, but something about them made him narrow his eyes. These three beasts were noticeably bigger and stronger than the Direwolves in the village. Their menacing growls echoed through the forest as their sharp claws dug into the ground. They snarled at him, their gazes filled with hostility. The one in the center stood out the most. Alexander could sense that it was stronger than the others, its presence exuding a greater sense of oppression. "Come," he shouted, and in an instant, the two Direwolves pounced at him. Alexander did not waste a second. With explosive speed, he dashed toward them like a cannonball.