Barnett stretched his back and briefly felt a bit grateful that he was in Scandinavia—parasites hardly stood a chance in such bitterly cold weather. If he had landed a little farther south, in a temperate zone, he'd be up against legendary nuisances like fleas, bedbugs, and lice... Just the thought of it made his scalp crawl.
Not that any of that really mattered to Barnett at the moment. At least not right now. What mattered most was figuring out how to increase his own strength. Even though the system sprite hadn't said things like "here's how to return to the modern world," or "this is how you win," or "if you slack off, the Great System will erase you," Barnett understood clearly—this was no time to relax.
Medieval Europe was engulfed in flames of war. And while this other world looked exactly like Earth, there was one key difference: the historical timeline was utterly scrambled. Just a moment ago, Barnett had sacrificed sixty seconds of his own lifespan to ask the system sprite about the current political situation in Europe—and what he heard left him completely numb. He felt his scalp tighten.
Based on the Gregorian calendar—which wouldn't exist for several more centuries—it was now the year 1000 AD, marking the turn of the first millennium. The Vikings' era of expansion was nearly over, and England, Scandinavia, and the Baltic coasts were supposed to be firmly in Viking hands. That's why Barnett had chosen to start as a Viking—it made strategic sense.
But this game world had taken a different turn.
Barnett was currently located in what would later become Norway. Bjard, the settlement he ruled, sat on the west coast. To the south lay Denmark, the powerhouse of the Norse world; to the north and east stretched endless dark forests; and to the west, across the sea, loomed the future island of England. At his current level of strength, Barnett couldn't expand in any direction.
But what really rattled him wasn't the geography—it was what the system sprite told him next. Barnett heard a name that nearly broke his spirit, a name that absolutely didn't belong to this era.
"A few weeks ago, the Grand Duke of Norway died during an invasion of the British Isles, which left the Norwegians leaderless," the system sprite, Kirby, said casually. "And by the way, the current king of Sweden is Gustavus Adolphus."
Barnett's jaw dropped. "Dear Kirby, are you absolutely sure? You mean that Gustavus Adolphus? The one they called the Lion of the North?"
"Yes, that's right," Kirby replied nonchalantly.
"The one who pioneered linear tactics, cartridge ammunition, and volley fire?"
"Exactly."
"The same Gustavus Adolphus who was ranked alongside Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte as one of Europe's three military geniuses?!"
"Bingo! That's the one."
Barnett's voice trembled. "If memory serves, Gustavus Adolphus was from the 16th century. But right now it's only the year 1000—he's off by several hundred years! Why is he even here? Don't tell me Alexander and Napoleon are around too?"
Kirby was about to answer when Barnett cut him off. "Forget them for now. Tell me about England's current situation. Maybe I can still rally the Viking hordes and take over the British Isles myself. Perhaps I'm destined to establish a British Empire where the sun never sets!" Barnett tried to cheer himself up.
Kirby replied, "Well, the Celtic regions—including modern-day Ireland and Wales—are ruled by King Arthur. Most of England is under the control of Alfred the Great. As for Scotland, it's in a bit of a power vacuum, though there is talk of a local hero named William Wallace…"
"Are you trying to mess with me?" Barnett groaned. "Forget Wallace. He was just a peasant—I'm not afraid of him. And Arthur? He's just a myth! But Alfred the Great?! That guy was a Viking killer even at our peak. No wonder the Grand Duke of Norway died—he went toe to toe with Alfred the Great! And now I'm supposed to pick a fight with that monster? Is this a death sentence?"
Barnett exploded in rage. He knew his own limits. Sure, he had a "system" as a cheat code, but right now his territory was tiny, his population low, and he lacked both strategic depth and the capacity for sustained warfare. His enemies could afford to lose once, twice—even multiple times. He, on the other hand, could not afford to lose once. The power gap was enormous.
Kirby sniffed. "Yelling at me won't help, you know. But hey, there's always the south. The system settings list Denmark as the suzerain of multiple Viking tribes. If you play your cards right, conquer some of them, and maybe slip the Pope a few silver coins, your territory and population could grow pretty quickly."
Barnett frowned. "Seriously though—are we sure it's okay for so many powerful figures from the future to exist in this timeline? If war breaks out, it's going to be like World War I centuries ahead of schedule."
Kirby shrugged shamelessly. "Who knows? That's not my problem. Speaking of which—Denmark doesn't currently have a particularly strong ruler. Maybe you should look into that."
"Oh?" Barnett asked weakly. "So, who's the ruler of Denmark right now?"
"Queen Margaret I," Kirby replied. "She didn't do much on your Earth, except, you know, unite all of Scandinavia and rule Denmark, Norway, and Sweden simultaneously—oh, and create the Kalmar Union."
Thud.
Barnett fell straight off his chair, head slamming into the floor, and passed out cold.
"Commander down!" shouted one of his guards. The elite soldiers who had been standing nearby had noticed Barnett sitting in a daze for nearly an hour. Then suddenly, for no apparent reason, he'd toppled off his chair headfirst.
Guards rushed in. Some lifted Barnett onto his bed, others ran to fetch the shaman and the priest. One guard, taking a more "practical" approach, began slapping Barnett's face repeatedly with his steel-gauntleted hand.
A few minutes later, Barnett bolted upright in bed. His hawk-like eyes gleamed with menace, and his sharp features gave off a dangerous, predatory aura. The guards around him jumped back in shock.
"Out. All of you. Out!" Barnett roared. The guards scattered like frightened children. The one who'd been slapping him practically crawled out of the room.
Once alone, Barnett grabbed the Viking axe by his bed and swung it at the wooden wall. The blade split through with a crash, opening a hole the size of a serving tray. The icy Scandinavian wind howled through the gap, and as it stung his face, Barnett finally began to calm down.
"So," Barnett muttered coldly, "you going to tell me who's ruling the rest of continental Europe, or what?"
"Would you like to know?" chirped Kirby helpfully.
"No need," Barnett said, voice flat. "None of the terrifying monsters I've heard so far are within my reach. I don't want to hear about the others. Not yet."
"Aww, why not?"
"I'll wait until I face them in person. If I hear too much now, my heart might not survive it," Barnett said coolly.
"Oho, looks like you've regained your composure. That's good. After all, you're just one tiny Viking chieftain among countless others. Those legends are on a whole different level. It's best to take things slow and steady. One step at a time."
"Hmph." Barnett didn't reply directly—just let out a cold snort. "Fine then. Let's talk about something recent. I mean really recent."
"Recent, huh?"
Suddenly, a holographic map appeared in front of Barnett.
"This shows a 200-square-kilometer area centered around your town."
"…That's tiny," Barnett muttered.
"Very tiny," the sprite agreed.
"Your tribe has a population of just over five thousand. Still, that makes it one of the larger ones in the area. If you push hard and expand south, you might even earn a viscount title from Queen Margaret. Plus, with the help of this system, your military strength isn't bad. You've got over a thousand trained, well-equipped soldiers, and your command rating is at three stars. Conquering the nearby small tribes shouldn't be a problem. Go for it, Professor—I believe in you."
As Kirby finished speaking, a notification popped up on Barnett's holographic screen.
"You've received your first mission. Please review the details."
Barnett tapped it open and read the message:
"You've entered the chaotic medieval era. Are you prepared to overcome every obstacle, crush every rival, and rise to the pinnacle of power? But first, you must strengthen your domain. Reach at least the level of a Count."
Mission Title: The Chieftain's Ambition
Objective 1: Conquer 12 nearby small tribes
Objective 2: Increase your population to 20,000
Objective 3: Establish a true city
Objective 4: Expand your army to 2,000 soldiers
"Uh…" Barnett hesitated.
"Is there a problem?" Kirby asked.
"Well… the mission lists the objectives, but it doesn't mention any rewards."
"Objectives can be completed in any order," Kirby explained. "Each time you complete one, you can pick any of your units to receive an experience boost. Complete all four, and you'll unlock two building upgrades of your choice—and receive a 10,000 gold bonus."
Barnett finally breathed a little easier. For all its chaotic tendencies, the system sprite was at least generous when it came to rewards. If he could complete this mission, he'd finally be on the path to building real power…