On this brown land, Levi planted an oak tree and matured it with bone meal.
The reason the Brown Lands were called the Brown Lands was because they had no vitality. This land's life force was fundamentally severed—even Middle-earth's most tenacious weeds couldn't survive here.
So much so that thousands of years had passed without a single tree or other plant taking root.
At least East Bight, after being clear-cut, still had some tree stumps and struggling weeds. Here there was truly nothing.
But now it was different.
Levi broke the Brown Lands' iron law against life's existence. Thus this land, desolate for thousands of years, showed a touch of green for the first time.
A slightly yellowed, somewhat sickly-looking green.
Brown earth and grey-yellow sky, plus an oak tree with slightly yellow leaves that didn't look very healthy.
But... sickly?
No—in Minecraft terms it should be: the tree leaves of this biome are just like this naturally.
If Levi planted a tree at the boundary between Brown Lands and green lands, its leaves could even be half yellow and half green.
Very normal for the game's mechanics.
After planting this landmark tree, Levi continued building a small house beside it for temporary residence and rest stops.
Clang!
Just as Levi finished building one wall, an arrow shot toward Ecthelion's chest. Sharp-eyed and quick-handed, Denethor struck it down with one sword.
Kings and stewards might become lax from long periods in halls, but Denethor was different. He was at his youngest and strongest—the period when his body was most active and all senses most acute.
"Damn it."
Behind a small mound in the desolate Brown Lands, an orc quickly shrank back.
But too late.
The Brown Lands had very open visibility—this point had been rigorously verified by Sauron himself. He burned this land bare precisely so enemies had nowhere to hide.
The direction from which the arrow came had exposed the orc's position.
"Enemies!"
Ecthelion and Thengel immediately became alert, drawing weapons.
They all locked their gazes on that nearby mound.
"Charge directly! Kill them for great merit!"
A shout rang out. A large group of wargs and orcs suddenly poured from behind the mound.
"Seventeen wargs and fifteen orcs."
Denethor merely glanced to count the enemy's total.
This was a standard raiding squad.
He gripped his iron sword tightly, a sense of crisis surging in his heart.
If he had even five assault team members beside him, he'd dare battle them without hesitation.
But now behind him were his elderly father and Uncle Thengel of Rohan.
They—
Swish!
Both simultaneously stepped forward, their previous peaceful demeanor vanishing to reveal an unstoppable sharpness, as if the entire world belonged to them.
Denethor's heart shook.
"Don't look at us like that. We've only aged a bit—we haven't reached our decline yet."
"Watch and learn, son."
Whoosh!
An orc shot an arrow. Thengel dodged with a sidestep.
Just as that orc nocked another arrow, his eyes suddenly widened in terror.
Because behind the opposing three, someone suddenly appeared from behind a wall.
That was... damn it! How is he here!?
"I wasn't looking for you, yet you actively came looking. Such audacity."
A voice sounded from behind.
"Follow me!"
Levi drew his sword, charging ahead of the three.
"Charge!"
Thengel shouted, following close behind.
The father-son pair also joined the attack.
One legend, one king, one ruling steward, plus one steward heir reputed as having the most kingly bearing in his family's history.
Four charged the orc group—their momentum surpassed that of thousands of soldiers.
Boom!
Levi's sword collided with a warg's skull. Though just a sword, it demonstrated hammer-like force, directly crushing the warg's skull while knocking it skyward.
Burning fur didn't smell good at all.
This made all the wargs' momentum stall, their footsteps hesitating.
Simultaneously, the orcs finally saw the attacker's face clearly.
Perhaps that person only existed in rumors—these newly arrived orcs had never seen him—but a certain quality emanating from him made them feel weak from their very cores the instant they laid eyes on him.
[Orc Bane]
Whoosh!
As Levi charged into the raiding squad, wargs and orcs flew up burning with fire, then fell lifeless.
The other three followed close behind, swiftly cutting down the remaining orcs.
Thengel's and Ecthelion's combat prowess wasn't for show. They'd both served as commanders, leading great armies and fighting on front lines.
As for Denethor, he was currently the White City Commander—no stranger to battle.
This encounter ended quickly.
When the last orc fell, Ecthelion suddenly half-knelt on the ground, covering his waist and gasping heavily.
Thin blood seeped between his fingers.
"Father!"
Denethor quickly ran over.
"Haha, still getting old after all."
Ecthelion laughed ruefully.
He was already in his seventies this year. Though he'd fought so fiercely just now, more than half was because his son was watching beside him—even if exhausted, he couldn't show weakness.
The result was one careless moment meant injury.
The father-son pair had come out too hastily with no planning, wearing only light armor.
Levi walked over, feeding Ecthelion a healing potion.
"Huff—"
Ecthelion touched his completely recovered wound. "I feel much healthier."
"Truly a long-overdue and excellent exercise."
The sun set westward.
Four gathered around a campfire, eating roast meat and drinking cool ale Levi somehow produced from who-knows-where.
Quite refreshing.
Over the next month, the four toured along the old Rhovanion Road, visiting the outpost and Roadway Town, then went to Lake-town and Dale, staying two days there while incidentally witnessing Erebor's prosperity.
Never mind those three's reactions—Bard and Thorin were utterly startled by the unexpected royal visitors.
But surprise aside, they still expressed their enthusiasm, fulfilling proper courtesy and hospitality.
From there naturally came the Sky Road. The four traveled west along it to Carl Town, seeing those enormous square bees, then at night squatted with bear-form Beorn atop Carrock, quietly gazing at the moon and contemplating life.
Next came Roadside Keep.
That tall golden tree, the giant tower piercing clouds with no visible end, and its dazzling great library inside—all the territory's wonders left deep impressions.
At that time, Legion Champion Yawen happened to be in the territory. Denethor boldly challenged him. Unexpectedly, this young steward's son persisted quite a while, fighting some time before finally falling.
"Not bad, young man. You're comparable to the most excellent Dúnadan in my old team. Too bad you're not a Roadside Keep Ranger, or I'd definitely nominate you for an excellent Ranger medal."
Hearing Yawen's praise, Denethor couldn't feel happy.
Only he himself knew how much he differed from this veteran Ranger. If it were this Legion Champion facing that threat, being more careful with countermeasures, perhaps one person alone could handle that thirty-plus orc raiding squad they'd encountered.
I'm still lacking.
Denethor's attitude became more humble. During his days at Roadside Keep, he learned much from the Rangers.
The journey's end was Riverside Keep.
The four boarded the Practice-class flagship Levi had personally built, touring this ship—probably the current era's largest by sheer size.
Born on grasslands, later in Gondor barely touching ships, Thengel just felt awed. The other two had mixed feelings about it.
Back when Gondor also had such massive fleets... tracing further back, they'd had even stronger ones, but unfortunately...
Heroes don't dwell on past glories—the present is most important.
Riverside Keep's prosperity strengthened Ecthelion's determination to implement certain policies.
Both Pelargir and Cair Andros needed strengthened construction and fortification.
Month's end arrived—time to return home.
They ostentatiously passed Isengard's gates on their return journey.
When servants reported back, Saruman in Orthanc nearly popped his eyeballs. He stared toward Isengard's southern pass, almost thinking some deed he'd done was exposed and these heavyweight figures had formed a coalition to punish him.
Fortunately, it was just a false alarm—no movement there.
The journey—neither long nor short—ended without incident.
Finally, Thengel returned to Rohan's Golden Hall, continuing as king and handling various matters, while Ecthelion and his son returned to Cair Andros, mounting horses toward the White City, looking exactly like they'd just returned from a deep terrain investigation.
Calm and peaceful. Nothing had happened.
Year 2958: Levi successively visited Rohan and Gondor, discussing border and road-related matters with both nations' rulers.
When Levi reached Gondor, Ruling Steward Ecthelion and his son Denethor traveled together with Levi to Cair Andros, conducting terrain investigation in nearby wilderness.
However, this official account was questionable, because Rohan seemed to have records of Gondor's Ruling Steward visiting, while Gondor's leadership knew nothing of this.
Same year: Rohan's current King Thengel and Levi jointly investigated the Great Road's conditions, traveling all the way to Rohan's northernmost region, the Wold, staying there at length.
However, this official account was also questionable, because Dale and the Lonely Mountain dwarves seemed to have records of Rohan's king and Gondor's Ruling Steward visiting, while both Rohan and Gondor's leadership knew nothing of this.
Only the parties involved and a few trusted confidants knew that year's true itinerary.
A new chapter was beginning.