As quickly continued developing his ind. He queued up new constructions, adding everything he could possibly need—upgrading the residential huts, building a new quarry, a Lumber Mill, and Training Grounds. He maximized the use of avable space while ensuring some open areas remained untouched.


    His ind now looked noticeably better. Thetest upgrades even added a higher elevation on one side, which might serve as a perfect spot for rxing while keeping an eye on the rest of the ind.


    With the merging of territories from his conquests, the ind no longer resembled the barren desert it once was. It had transformed into a lively haven, with patches of grass, trees, and flowers scattered throughout, adding color and vibrancy to every corner.


    As approached the Gateway Altar with Edrik by his side, ready to shift his focus to this critical structure.


    The Gateway Altar worked simrly to a job board, allowing bids to be posted and summoning those who were interested to the ind.


    However, there were key details to keep in mind.


    The first was the type of summons, which could be either permanent or temporary.


    The second was the type of entities that could be summoned, divided into three main categories: normal intelligent creatures such as humans, elves, and dwarves; golems, which were artificial constructs; and spirit creatures.@@novelbin@@


    Each type had specific requirements. Normal intelligent creatures were motivated mainly by wealth or power, meaning they required gold or particr items as offerings. Golems, on the other hand, mostly needed gold to be hired, as they were often crafted by others and essentially rented out—functioning more like a lease agreement.


    Spirit creatures, however, were different. They were drawn to the Lord themselves rather than material offerings. It was they who chose their Lord, not the other way around.


    As As already knew, spirits came in many forms. Some, like Lyrassa, resemble humans, while others took on beast-like shapes—or even more abstract and untamed forms. Spirits were the embodiment of countless things: emotions, environments, creatures, and a variety of phenomena, granting them extraordinary diversity in both appearance and essence.


    So far, As had a total of 46batants and 8 workers. Among the workers, 2 assisted in the cksmith, 2 handled ind maintenance and gardening, 2 served as the cook, and the remaining 2 took on general tasks, covering various responsibilities as needed.


    His main focus was building a troop of highly skilled and dependable fighters for the long term. To achieve this, he wanted to maintain their numbers efficiently while prioritizing their quality and development.


    For now, 46 was a solid number, especially since they were supported by his Elite Subordinates, who were strong enough to cover multiple roles when necessary.


    What he needed next was more workers. With the ind expanding in size and its poption steadily increasing, the demand for workers to keep everything running smoothly was only going to grow.


    "Once you activate the Gateway Altar, it will automatically share your profile locally or even to another world if the portal is open and summon creatures from there." Edrik exined.


    "Sounds risky," As muttered.


    "Not your actual identity," Edrik rified. "It''s more like a simplified profile without revealing your location. And this only affects Spirits."


    As frowned, still unsure.


    "Think of it like casting bait," Edrik exined. "When a Spirit passes by and takes the bait, they''lle here."


    "Does that mean an unpredictable number could show up?" As asked.


    "No. That''s why you can set limits—like their role, level, grade, and other criteria. You can also reject them if they don''t meet your standards."


    "Do I have to pay anything to invite Spirits here?"


    "They consume the area''s mana, so don''t summon too many at once."


    "Got it," As said with a nod.


    As immediately discussed with Edrik the type of Spirits they might need, focusing on fighter types or even Spirit Beasts with elements that couldplement the individuals already on the ind.


    Unfortunately, As had not yet unlocked his elemental affinity, so he couldn''t take advantage of this option just yet.


    Next, he ced a bid to summon around 10 golem workers to help manage various tasks across the ind.


    For summoning Normal Intelligent Creatures, Edrik suggested waiting until As achieved a higher rank. This would allow him to attract more skilled and valuable recruits by capitalizing on the stronger reputation he would build through his victories.


    With everything set, As now just had to wait for the construction queue toplete and the Summon Bid to be processed and answered.


    The next day, as usual, they refocused on training, with their favorite destination being re Peak.


    So far, there had been asional encounters with troops from other Lords visiting the ind, but both sides stayed within their own territories, avoiding further interaction.


    It was an unspoken rule among Lords: to prevent conflict on unupied inds, one must refrain from interfering in another Lord''s business. After all, no one truly knew the strength of their opponent or how much backup they could summon.


    Moreover, battles fought outside the floating inds would only harm both sides. Their forces would be weakened, yet they wouldn''t gain any rewards. Such a loss could prove dangerous in their next real battle.


    After more than a week of training, As had grown used to relying on senses other than sight. He could now confidently traverse the volcanic terrain without using his vision. It was only through such intense practice that he discovered this capability, something he never would have thought possible otherwise.


    Even so, one thing was clear—he was still far from the goals he had set for himself. There was so much more to achieve, and he wasn''t nning to slow down anytime soon.


    The next morning, Mira''s voice called from outside his room. As quickly stepped out and followed the bunny girl, who was pointing toward the Gateway Altar. A glowing magic circle had appeared, with a circr portal beginning to form above it.


    So, the Gateway Altar was finally reacting, and he was about to receive his first worker summons.


    They waited for a moment until a figure began to materialize on the stone altar. It was a being with a body crafted from smooth stone, its eyes sparkling like glimmering crystals.


    [Glowstone Golem]


    Though its height only reached about half of As''s, it was clear the golem was capable of movement, with well-formed hands and fingers that appeared fully functional.


    "The golem is quite cute," he thought.


    As smiled as he watched the figure step down from the altar and approach him. Curious about the golem''s capabilities, he stood back as more began to emerge. Each one shared a simr design, their forms crafted in a consistent style. Soon, there were ten of them.


    Just as Edrik had exined, when summoning worker-ss golems like these, they were typically provided by a single individual or organization, which was why they all shared the same appearance.


    Edrik quickly assisted As in analyzing the golems, exining that they could be controlled either through a panel or by voicemands. Without hesitation, As shared ess control with Edrik alone.


    Soon after, the ten golems were assigned different tasks and dispersed across the ind.


    "Yeah! I have more friends to help with my carrot garden now!" Mira shouted excitedly.


    "Mira…" As said, drawing the bunny girl''s bright, cheerful gaze toward him. "Please make sure you nt other types of vegetables too, and anything else people can eat, okay?"


    "All right, my lord!" Mira replied with a wide smile.


    Late at night, right at midnight, As was preparing to rest, his body exhausted from the grueling training. Just as he was about to settle in, a knock came at his door.


    Who could it be? he wondered, forcing himself up and heading to answer. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find… Morganna standing there.


    Morganna?


    She looked at him briefly, then nced away.


    What does she need?


    "I need…" she whispered softly.


    "I need your blood," she finally admitted.


    When had shest fed on his blood? More than a week ago, if he was remembering right.


    But this time… she didn''t look weak or on the brink of copse like before. She seemed fine—too fine. Was it just hunger driving her now?


    As held her gaze, then nodded slowly. Without a word, he reached for her hand, guiding her inside and closing the door behind them.


    Because… yes… he was hungry too.


    ***


    (Author''s Note:)


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