The goblin was staring at me.
Not in a friendly way — more like it was calculating whether I'd taste better roasted or raw.
"Don't even think about it," I warned, holding up a bat. Its beady eyes followed it like it was a holy relic. "You get to stay in my building. That's payment enough."
It grunted, then plopped itself on the dusty floor and began sharpening its dagger with a piece of broken tile.
I leaned back against the wall, exhaustion seeping into my bones. I'd planned to just sleep, but then…
> [System Update: Secondary Menus Unlocked]
My vision flashed white. Then another window popped up.
---
[Landlord System Menu]
1. Building Overview – See the status of your claimed structure.
2. Upgrades – Spend Crystals to enhance defenses, expand floors, or add facilities.
3. Monster Roster – Manage current summons.
4. Construction – Build traps, walls, and special rooms.
5. Map – View nearby territories.
---
I just sat there, mouth open. "This was here the whole time?"
Curiosity beat out caution. I clicked on Building Overview.
---
[Ironwood Apartments]
Floors: 4
Condition: Poor (Structural Damage)
Passive Bonus: Defensive Walls Lv.1
Territory Radius: 15 meters from entrance
Monster Capacity: 2/5
---
Monster capacity? I had space for more?
Next, I checked Upgrades.
---
[Upgrades Menu]
Repair Structure (Cost: 5 Crystals)
Reinforce Walls Lv.2 (Cost: 8 Crystals)
Expand Territory Radius (Cost: 10 Crystals)
Monster Capacity +2 (Cost: 6 Crystals)
Unlock Workshop (Cost: 12 Crystals) – Allows creation of monster equipment.
---
My war freak side immediately latched onto "Monster Capacity" and "Workshop." But my timid side thought about the centipede from the other day and muttered, "Reinforced walls sound nice too…"
Then I checked Construction.
---
[Construction Menu]
Spike Trap (Cost: 3 Crystals) – Damages enemies crossing the entrance.
Alarm Bell (Cost: 2 Crystals) – Alerts when enemies enter territory.
Barricade (Cost: 4 Crystals) – Blocks paths with heavy debris.
---
That was it. That was the moment I realized — this wasn't just about surviving. This was about owning.
I closed the menu and looked at my goblin and bat.
Two weaklings. Barely an "army."
But my lips curled into a smile.
"Alright," I said softly. "We're going hunting again tomorrow. I want enough crystals to max out this place before anyone else finds it."
My goblin grinned back. My bat just hung upside down and hissed.
For the first time since I woke up here, I felt like I was exactly where I belonged.