Leader.
The role of a leader was not unfamiliar to Li Mo.
He had been a leader as a director in Academy City, as a shrine official at Narukami Taisha. Without realizing it, Li Mo had climbed to great heights. But the higher the position, the lonelier it became—authority and responsibility were always intertwined.
If possible, Li Mo would rather not lead others. It required too much consideration, and he couldn't bring himself to act like a cold-blooded capitalist, ruthlessly exploiting those beneath him.
*First, find a settlement.*
Standing by and watching others die was something Li Mo simply couldn't do. If he hadn't encountered them, that would be one thing. But now that he had, and he had the power to save them—effortlessly, at that—why wouldn't he?
Saving them wasn't just about pulling them from under the feet of the giant beasts. He also had to ensure they could survive in the outside world—basic necessities like food, shelter, and clothing. For now, clothing and transportation could be set aside. The priority was food and shelter.
A shelter meant a safe zone. Human stamina wasn't infinite—eventually, they'd need to rest. And rest often meant lowered vigilance, making them easy prey.
A home ensured safety during those vulnerable moments.
Li Mo didn't bother looking far. The grassland between the Ice Mountain and Fire Mountain was a suitable location. But after some consideration, he took a step back and chose a spot on the snowy mountain instead.
—Ice was Skadi's domain. Fire, Surtr's. Building between them might invite trouble later.
As for the environment, that wasn't an issue. With enough magical energy, mages could reshape the land. And Li Mo happened to possess a near-limitless supply.
The quality of his spiritual foundation weighed several tons—a testament to his extraordinary magical capacity. Then there was his *False Immortality*, granting him immense vitality, which he could convert into magical energy. In essence, his reserves were inexhaustible.
Though he had never seen a real village before, creating a habitable environment for humans was within his abilities.
The first step was marking the territory. Time passed, and dusk arrived. Li Mo first constructed a simple house, then expanded a bounded field around it.
The house was built from compacted earth. The bounded field regulated the temperature inside to a perpetual spring, rejecting both extreme cold and heat. The snow melted, revealing the soil beneath.
Night fell. The two survivors from the Lostbelt had already retreated into the crude shelter to rest. With only one room, Li Mo stood outside, arms crossed, gazing at the full moon.
*Dragon's Shadow* operated at full capacity—a power only a true dragon should wield, yet in his hands, it manifested as an army of dark warriors. The shadowy soldiers clashed endlessly with the giant beasts, a battle that lasted an entire hour.
Dozens of beasts had already fallen. Now, their numbers had thinned, as if every creature in the vicinity had been drawn here only to die.
Their corpses piled outside, forming a small hill.
Even such a sight failed to deter the remaining beasts. It was as if this humble house was some priceless treasure.
*So it's the temperature.*
After repeatedly adjusting the bounded field, he finally understood why the beasts were so frenzied. The answer was heat.
They sensed warmth and rushed to destroy it. These creatures lacked intelligence, acting purely on instinct like wild animals.
Once the bounded field's internal temperature matched the outside, the beasts went blind to it.
The field already had functions like visual concealment, offering a degree of invisibility. That was why their earlier frenzy had puzzled him.
He rubbed his head. *What a pain.*
With the beast problem resolved, shelter was secured. Next was food.
Li Mo had already checked—Gudmund and Dotty were ordinary humans, unlike him. They couldn't survive without eating. His inventory had enough food to last a long time, but that was stockpiled for personal indulgence.
His system storage had plenty of space, and it didn't cost anything to use. Why not?
Still, he needed to think about farming.
He disliked the idea of exhausting resources without replenishment. Sometimes, he felt like a mythical hoarder—taking in but never giving out.
It wasn't for any particular reason, just foresight. If he didn't establish agriculture now, what would happen when supplies ran out? Humans had to plan for the future.
So, after sifting through the spells he knew, he managed to piece together a few related to cultivation. Agriculture was an unavoidable part of human civilization, so of course there were magecraft rituals praying for bountiful harvests—some even vast in scope.
Unfortunately, like *Gold Transmutation*, these spells were costly, demanding far more resources than they could ever repay in yield. For modern mages, magical energy was an exceedingly precious resource.
But Li Mo had no such concerns. Magical energy was expendable to him. Accelerating crop growth was just a matter of time.
By dawn, he squinted at the farmland before him, where green sprouts had emerged. He had chosen potatoes—plenty of which were stored in his inventory.
Sometimes, in another world, he could cook whenever he pleased. Who knew those reserves would come in handy like this?
*"You're awake, Gudmund?"*
*"Greetings, Great Envoy."*
Li Mo didn't correct the title. Instead, he asked, "Gudmund. I've given you what you need. From now on, surviving here is up to you."
"Are you leaving, Great Envoy?" Gudmund asked.
In his eyes, Li Mo saw a faint glimmer.
The man was simple—like a college student, his gaze holding a mix of clarity and naivety.
It made sense. They had no proper education system. Everything was passed down orally, guided by the envoys. But would the Valkyries, as envoys, teach them anything beyond the basics?
No.
From their conversations, Li Mo knew their village had few books. In a world of scarce resources, even producing them was difficult.
Li Mo shook his head. "I plan to look around."
In truth, after learning about the Day of Selection, he had already dispatched shrine maiden familiars and shadow warriors to other areas, hoping to save more people.
The annual Day of Selection was a method of culling a hundred villages. Li Mo still hoped this journey would lead him to Fujimaru Ritsuka—or, failing that, Napoleon.
He needed to know the current timeline.
Traveling around would make it easier to wait for the shrine maidens' reports.