Gate Stone: A low-grade energy stone used to create a Teleportation Array.
"This is another pleasant surprise! Hahaha! This stone is incredibly useful. Key, find more of these," Brian ordered, delighted.
"Yes, Your Highness," Key said, leaving to find the soldiers who discovered them.
"Lylia, I also need you to select soldiers and refugees under twenty years old who have reached Basic Stage 8, and bring them here," Brian instructed, thinking of adding more Beast Guardians.
"Understood, Your Highness."
Once Lylia left, Brian was alone.
System, you said the Gate Stone can be used for a Teleportation Array. Is there one in the shop?
"Yes, Host. Please take a look," the system replied.
Low Teleportation – 3,400 coinsMedium Teleportation – 17,000 coinsLong-range Teleportation – 30,000 coinsSuper Teleportation – 100,000 coins
"Oh, so there is. But… isn't this a little expensive?"
The system stayed silent.
"Fine, fine. Let's see how many coins I have."
System Coins: 5,500
"Ugh, only five thousand?!" Brian sighed and purchased the low-grade Teleportation Array.
Low Teleportation: Range 20 km, requires 2 low-grade Gate Stones.
"Alright, I'll place one here, one in the southern valley, and one at Marquis's residence. That way, Mother and Father can visit Seven Beast City too."
Brian went to the cave behind his wooden palace, about a hundred meters away, which was used for storage.
This is a good spot for the array — easy to guard and close to my home.
He began constructing the array.
Done. Took about an hour for a low-grade array… I wonder how long a super-grade one would take…
As if reading his thoughts, the system said, "The more expensive and powerful arrays are actually quicker and easier to set up, Host."
"Really? You're not messing with me, right?" Brian asked, surprised — he thought higher-grade arrays would be harder.
No answer.
"Your Highness!! Where are you?!"
"That sounds like Lylia. She must have finished picking the talented ones. Let's go see."
"I'm coming, Lylia!"
In Brian's study, Lylia stood with two young people.
"Your Highness, these two have reached Basic Stage 8. Please introduce yourselves to His Highness," Lylia said.
The young man, dressed in soldier's armor, stepped forward.
"Your Highness, I am Frank, a soldier," he said.
Brian nodded.
Name: FrankLevel: 8 (Basic 8)Position: Ordinary SoldierRace: HumanLoyalty: 80 (very loyal)Equipment: Basic Armor, Basic Combat Gloves
After Frank stepped back, the young woman beside him came forward.
"Your Highness, I'm Dyami, a refugee from the Ives Kingdom."
"Oh? The Ives Kingdom… the one known for its archery. Why did you leave?"
"There's a civil war, Your Highness… and the civilians are caught in it. My father, the vice-captain, is here too — but he's crippled," Dyami said sadly.
"I see…" Brian sighed.
Name: DyamiLevel: 8 (Basic 8)Race: HumanAffection: 15 (indifferent)Loyalty: 50 (neutral)
Hmm… she's not loyal to me yet. I'm hesitant to give her the Blue Lotus Body cultivation, Brian thought.
"I called you both here because I want to appoint you as Beast Guardians," he said, glancing at them.
Frank's face lit up with shock and joy, while Dyami only looked puzzled — understandable since she hadn't been in the city for long.
"Y-Your Highness, is what you're saying true?" Frank asked, trembling with excitement. Ever since witnessing Lylia and Key's appointments, he had dreamed of becoming a Beast Guardian.
"Yes," Brian replied calmly.
"Your Highness… may I know what a Beast Guardian is?" Dyami asked.
The room fell silent for a moment before they remembered — she had only just arrived in the city.
"A beast guardian is the protector of the king, the kingdom, and commander of the armies," Brian explained.
"Did you notice the eight palaces the soldiers and villagers are building? Those are meant for the beast guardians. You should also know that the purpose of building this city is to grow in secret—then, when the time is right, we will declare independence and become a kingdom of our own." Brian's gaze lingered on Dyami as he spoke.
Dyami felt her heartbeat quicken.
What is this man saying? she thought. But… if I could become one of the beast guardians, Father could live in comfort without any worries.
"Your Majesty, I want to become a beast guardian. And if you're concerned about my loyalty, I will swear a blood oath right here and now."
Without waiting for Brian's response, Dyami cut her palm, letting the blood flow before speaking her vow aloud.
Brian was momentarily stunned, sensing a strange shift within himself.
A blood oath was a binding vow between master and servant. If the one swearing the oath broke their word, they would instantly explode—unless the master chose to release them.
"Very well. Come here, both of you. I will teach you a divine cultivation art."
System: Do you wish to teach them?
"Yes."
System: Please choose the technique to be taught.
Blue Lotus Body.
Both Frank and Dyami suddenly felt new knowledge bloom within their minds.
"Study that technique and raise your cultivation to the Spirit stage. After that, I will hold your official induction ceremony."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the two replied in unison.
Once they left, only Brian and the siblings remained.
"I'll be returning home. You two will guard this place. Oh—and assign ten guards to protect the cave behind the royal palace. I've set up a teleportation array there."
"A teleportation array?" The siblings were stunned. They knew only Emperor-level cultivators could construct such arrays, given the immense energy they required.
Could His Majesty already be at the Emperor realm? they wondered.
Sensing their thoughts, Brian chuckled. "Relax. I'm still only at the Master realm. The array is… one of my other secrets."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
"Lylia, I want you to pick twenty experienced soldiers skilled in intelligence gathering. Have them form an information network with members ranging from beggars to high-ranking officials…" Brian's gaze lingered on Lylia's lovely face before he continued, "…I want this organization to be the backbone that helps our kingdom advance. In truth, I already have the framework for the entire kingdom, and I'll share it with you—because you are the people I trust most."
Hearing that, warmth bloomed in both Lylia and Key's hearts.
"I plan to establish eight divisions: governance, military, intelligence, commerce, agriculture, education, law, and lastly… the Dark Division. This last one is extremely secret—only the king and the seven beast guardians will know of it. It will be led by someone called 'Shadow.'"
Lylia and Key were excited at the thought of the eight divisions.
"Your Majesty, may I know who this 'Shadow' is?" Key asked, feeling a twinge of envy that someone else might lead the Dark Division.
"Shadow? There's no such person yet. But Shadow will hold the same rank as you two."
"The same rank?" The siblings were shocked. They had assumed only seven stood directly beneath the king, but now they learned there would also be a secret guardian known as Shadow.
"Yes. You'll see soon enough," Brian said with a laugh.
In truth, Brian hadn't originally planned to create the phantom-like Dark Division. But after browsing the system shop, he had spotted a high-level assassin cultivation technique priced at 20,000 system coins. Upon asking how to earn more coins, the system had told him that reaching the Grandmaster realm would reward him with 25,000.
After a long discussion with the siblings, Brian descended the mountain and returned to the Marquis's residence.