Chapter 29: Rise of the Roles: Foundations of Power in Nexus City
Ash feels his altar city grow stronger; the city walls now sturdier than before. He receives a message from the altar: the city's structure is now infused with enforced mana, increasing its durability and resistance to wear and tear.
A few minutes later, he enters the altar room and hands a leaf plate filled with food to Robin. Robin thanks him, and Ash nods with a gentle smile. After exchanging a few words about the upcoming meeting in the garden, Ash exits the altar room. Robin bows respectfully behind him. Ash makes his way toward Nexus City's garden.
A few minutes later, he arrives. Ram and Evan are fully immersed in their weapon training. Their intense focus keeps Ash from interrupting. Instead, he quietly sits under the mana tree and closes his eyes to meditate.
Hours pass. When Ash opens his eyes again, he sees Robin approaching from the distance. Ram and Evan are now meditating under the mana tree as well, spaced apart from him and each other. Ash raises his voice with clarity, "Let's start our meeting for Nexus City."
Robin reaches the garden, and Ram and Evan move toward Ash's spot.
Two minutes later, they are all seated comfortably. Their eyes gleam with curiosity, anticipation stirring in their expressions. They wait for Ash to speak, eager to hear about the city's future.
Ash falls into momentary silence, thoughts swirling in his mind. I'm really excited about this meeting... and the role distribution. I hope I don't regret anything later. He breathes deeply, calming himself. His face remains serene, but inside, tension coils tightly.
"Let's discuss our city's business and growth direction," he says with quiet determination.
"Okay, my lord," Ram replies with a calm voice and a slight smile.
Robin and Evan echo in unison, "Okay, my lord."
Ash offers a faint smile. "Do you all have any suggestions or opinions for the city?"
"We need more houses," Ram states with a neutral expression, his voice steady.
"Okay. Does anyone else have suggestions?" Ash asks again, scanning their faces.
A few minutes pass in silence. Neither Evan nor Robin speaks up.
Ash shifts slightly. It's time to share what he's been pondering for days.
"We don't have enough resources to build houses right now, so we'll take care of that after this meeting. I've called you all here today to assign roles that will guide the development of Nexus City. These roles aren't just for show. In the future, they'll come with real power and responsibilities. For now, the positions are empty... but as our city grows, they will become essential."
He watches their reactions. Evan looks intrigued. Ram smiles softly. Robin's expression turns thoughtful.
"I've given this a lot of thought," Ash continues. "Ram, you'll become our Defense Minister. You'll be in charge of protecting the city from monsters. That includes recruiting knights and soldiers, managing traps, and overseeing every defense-related matter."
"Thank you, my lord, for your generosity," Ram says gratefully. "But where can I recruit military personnel?"
"We'll start recruiting when our population grows. For now, anyone who joins the city will automatically become a soldier," Ash replies.
"Any more questions, Ram?" Ash adds, tilting his head slightly.
"No, my lord. I'll ask if anything comes up," Ram responds with a respectful smile.
Ash catches the genuine trust in Ram's smile and feels warmth stir in his chest. He truly wants to share these responsibilities with those he believes in—to see Nexus City thrive through their combined efforts.
He turns toward Robin. "Robin, you'll be the City Manager. You'll handle everything inside the city—construction, infrastructure, and managing the people."
"Thank you, my lord, for trusting me," Robin says, bowing his head. A small smile lingers on his face.
Ash then looks to Evan. "Evan, you'll take care of the city's garden. You'll be responsible for its upkeep and any planting if we find useful flora."
"Thank you, my lord, for supporting me," Evan replies sincerely.
Ash nods. "I'll handle the rest of the responsibilities myself. But remember, these positions aren't fixed. You must prove you're worthy of them. I will not risk my life or the altar for someone who can't fulfil their duty. These roles might change as the city evolves."
He notices the three of them growing quiet, thoughtful, perhaps nervous. Still, he finishes with resolve, "This meeting is over."
Ash rises and leaves the garden, heading back toward the altar room to refine mana.
A few minutes later, he enters and begins meditating.
An hour passes. Ash opens his eyes and checks his status window. A screen appears:
Name: Ash
Age: 24
Status: Healthy
Abilities: None
Level: 1 (0/100 Mana Mist Level 1)
Weapon: Low-grade knife
Ash sighs inwardly. As I thought, refining mana in a lower-grade altar at my level is terribly slow and inefficient. No wonder Robin and Ram avoid it. I need to upgrade the altar if I want to grow stronger.
He opens the Nexus City status window:
City: Nexus City
Ability: Territory defense doubled
Description: During defense, all attack and defense power of citizens and buildings is doubled.
Altar Level: 0
Upgrade Requirement: Wood x1000, Stone x250, Mana Core (Level 0) x50
Production: Mist Mana Level 0 x10 per day
Area: 625 square meters
Status: Very Small Village
Mana (Money): 2
Tax: 0 Mana Mist Level
Building: Guide Mark x1 (active), Market (0/5 trades used today)
Blueprint: Low-grade House (Stone x100, Wood x25)
Warehouse: Wood x0, Stone x10, Recovery Pill (Level 1) x1, Healing Pill (Level 1) x1
Population: 4
Specialty: Mana Tree (produces Level 0 Mana x5 per day)
Resource Point: Stone Mountain Level 1 (310 mined / 1000 total)
Attack Power Level: 0 (1000/1000)
Defense Power Level: 0 (10000/10000)
Ash sees the defense power is already maxed. Upgrading the altar demands 1000 wood, 250 stone, and 50 Level 0 mana cores. Building a house requires 100 stone and 25 wood. He decides that the altar upgrade must come first.
A few minutes later, Ash exits the altar room. He goes to find the others so they can prepare for the resource gathering mission.
Ten minutes later, he finds them—Ram and Evan practicing, Robin running laps. Robin must be trying to improve his stamina, Ash thinks, impressed.
After a quick discussion, it's decided: Ash, Ram, and Evan will leave to collect resources. Robin will stay behind to oversee the city.
Ten minutes later, the three of them depart, weapons ready. Ash sees a fire of determination in their eyes.
After crossing a wide plain, they reach the forest. Ash gazes at the towering trees, their green leaves dense and glistening. Strange plants catch his eye, but none seem useful. Eventually, they find a section of forest ideal for gathering wood.
Ash notes the absence of beasts. Maybe Ram's level is deterring them. That's a relief—it means we can work without risk.
In two hours, they gather 200 woods. Ram cuts down 120, Ash and Evan gather 40 each. They carry only what they can manage without overexerting themselves.
Thirty minutes later, they return to Nexus City's gate, drenched in sweat. Ash and Evan feel the burn in their arms, but they haul the wood into the warehouse. Evan slumps to the ground, breathless.
Ash takes a 15-minute break, then begins planning their next outing.
He sees Ram seated calmly, seemingly unaffected. Evan is still catching his breath.
After a short talk, the three of them head out again to gather more wood.
Fifteen minutes later, they enter a different part of the forest. Ash notices the trees ahead are darker, thicker, with shadowy leaves. Something about the place feels strange... yet fascinating.