"My Lord! You're bleeding!" Mara cried, pointing to a long, shallow gash on Ryan's arm where a flailing claw had caught him.
"It's nothing," Ryan said, though his whole body felt like one giant bruise.
He looked at his people—Elias steady as a rock, Leo and Sam buzzing with adrenaline, Mara and Elara looking at him with undisguised hero-worship.
"We're safe. That's what matters."
He turned to Kael, who was already walking towards the glowing blue crystal on the ground. "What is that thing?"
Kael picked it up, a look of genuine envy on his face.
"This, my friend, is a jackpot," he said, tossing the crystal to Ryan. It was cool to the touch and hummed with a subtle energy.
"It's a Territory Core Fragment. You can absorb it directly into your territory to expand your land. A rare drop, especially from a low-level boss like that."
Ryan's eyes widened. More land. That was always a good thing.
But Kael shook his head, a wry smile on his lips.
"Don't absorb it," Kael advised, his tone serious.
"Think about it. What good is more land right now? It's just more ground to defend. What you really need are points. Points for defenses, for better tools, for food blueprints, for a real house. That fragment is worth a fortune to the Lords who started with bigger populations or resource-rich territories. To them, land is everything."
Ryan's mind raced. Kael was right. He had 50 points and a Calamity that wasn't over yet.
"So… I should sell it? Is there a way to trade?"
"Better than trade," Kael grinned. He gestured to Ryan's system panel.
"The system is basic, but it has hidden depths. A few people have discovered a peer-to-peer trading hub. Most call it the Player Market. It's a bit of a Wild West right now, but for an item this valuable, it's perfect."
Following Kael's instructions, Ryan navigated to a new tab on his interface he hadn't noticed before. It was a simple, stark screen with only a handful of listings.
A B-Rank talent scroll was listed for an astronomical 500 points.
A blueprint for a simple watchtower was going for 80.
It was clear that the market was in its infancy, with only the rarest of items being listed.
"How much should I ask for?" Ryan asked, feeling completely out of his depth.
Kael stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"It's a rare drop on the first day of the first Calamity. Everyone is desperate to expand and fortify. Don't be shy. List it for 150 points. A rich Lord will snatch it up in an hour, I guarantee it."
One hundred and fifty. The number made Ryan's head spin. That was three times what he'd gotten from his SSS-Rank gift pack.
He carefully created the listing, uploading the item's description and setting the price.
The moment he hit 'confirm,' he felt like he'd just put a down payment on his future.
With their business concluded, the atmosphere finally relaxed.
The adrenaline faded, leaving behind a deep, bone-weary exhaustion.
"Well, Ryan," Kael said, clapping him on the shoulder, nearly making him stumble.
"It's been an eventful morning. But I should get back to my own territory. The Calamity isn't over, and my people are probably wondering if I got eaten."
"Will you be okay?" Ryan asked, genuinely concerned for his new ally.
"I'll be fine. My territory is to the east, past that big, three-pronged rock formation on the horizon. If you're ever in trouble, or just want to trade, come find me. We're neighbors, after all. It pays to be on good terms."
"Definitely," Ryan agreed. He paused for a moment, then a small smile touched his lips.
"So, the 'Nameless Lord' finally gets a name, huh?"
Kael chuckled. "Yeah, the whole server was going crazy over you. 'Ryan' is a bit less intimidating, don't you think?"
Ryan thought about it, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Actually… I was thinking of keeping it. The title, I mean. 'The Nameless Lord'. It sounds kind of cool, doesn't it? Mysterious."
Kael looked at Ryan's dirt-smudged face, his simple torn clothes, and the shallow, bleeding cut on his arm, and then burst out laughing.
It was a loud, genuine laugh that echoed in the quiet clearing.
"Mysterious is one word for it, kid," he finally said, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Alright, 'Nameless Lord'. Stay alive."
With a final wave, Kael sprinted towards the forest, leaping into the trees and vanishing with the same supernatural agility with which he had arrived.
Ryan stood for a moment, a real smile on his face. He had survived. He had made a powerful friend. And he was, potentially, about to become rich. He turned back to his own people, his expression shifting from relieved to resolute.
"Alright, listen up!" he called out, his voice now carrying a natural authority that wasn't there that morning.
"The immediate danger is past, but we can't relax. Elias, I need you to oversee the others. Leo, Sam, we need ten times this much wood. We're not sleeping under a tarp again. We're building real walls and a proper house. Mara, Elara, you two are on watch. I'm going to scout the immediate perimeter and make sure no more goblins are lurking. We protect our home. Understood?"
"Yes, my Lord!" they replied in a unified chorus, their spirits high and their purpose clear.
They immediately set to work, the sound of chopping axes once again filling the air, a testament to their resilience.
Ryan, spear in hand, began a slow, careful patrol around his small territory.
As he walked, his mind drifted back to his greatest asset: his talent.
Infinite Territory Evolution.
The description had been so clear.
He could evolve any aspect of his territory:
land, resources, buildings… and population!
He paused in his patrol, his eyes widening as a thought, so wild and audacious it almost scared him, took root in his mind.
He had evolved the Territory Core into land.
He had evolved a simple wooden stick into a legendary spear.
He looked over his shoulder at his people, working tirelessly under Elias's direction.
They were loyal, brave, and hardworking. But they were also just… normal people.
They had no special skills, no combat training, no talents of their own. They were vulnerable.
But they were part of his territory. They were his population.
The daily reset was still hours away.
Tomorrow morning, he would receive another precious point of Evolutionary Energy.
A thrilling, terrifying question bloomed in his mind, full of limitless, world-altering potential.
What would happen, he thought, his heart starting to pound with a whole new kind of excitement, if I tried to use my talent on one of them?