The news reached Rover Province at dawn.
In the city of barn hollow ,In the marble hall of Governor Aldren Voss, the air trembled with disbelief. The governor's estate, perched on the cliffs overlooking the Ravelin River, was a fortress of bureaucracy and greed. Tall windows framed the sprawling farmlands below—lands that once fed the capital but now starved under corrupt ledgers.
Aldren Voss, a thin man with powdered hair and permanent sweat under his collar, was slumped in his velvet chair as a courier stammered the report.
"G-Governor, the city of Mirch has… fallen. The city lord and council are dead. The populace hails a new ruler. He—uh—calls himself Noah."
The goblet slipped from Aldren's hand. "Noah?" he hissed. "who is he?" His jowls quivered. "Who is he backed by? Bulwark troops? Mercenaries? The northern guilds?"
"N-none, sir. Reports say… he commands armored knights, black as iron and glowing with red sigils. And assassins—shadows that kill without sound."
Aldren froze. "Soul-Forged Knights? That's impossible. In this region those type of soldiers, don't exist outside Stygian's royal armory."
For a long moment, the only sound was the governor's breathing, shallow and uneven. Then he shouted, "Get me the Duke!"
---
Far north in Bulwark Duchy, Duke Renard Damaris stood on the battlements of his keep. A storm gathered above the iron-gray sea. His duchy—Rover, was supposed to be loyal, quiet, forgettable. For eighty years, Stygian had decayed, and Renard had learned to rule by inertia.
But the messenger's words had burned through that quiet like a brand.
"A nameless youth has taken Mirch," the knight said, kneeling. "He killed the council, seized the garrison."
Damaris turned, his armor blackened from years of disuse. His eyes were cold, amber like old honey, and sharper than his sword. "And what did you say his name was?"
"Noah, Your Grace."
Renard smiled, slow and humorless. "Then Mirch—has chosen an ambitious ghost." He stepped to the parapet. "Prepare my retinue. We'll watch before we strike. If this boy brings order where Voss brought rot, perhaps he's worth more alive than dead."
---
Back in the city — formerly Mirch
Noah stood on the ramparts of the manor, watching the sun stain the rooftops gold. Smoke still rose from the old council hall where corruption had burned away like paper. Below, his newly summoned soldiers lined the square—armor mismatched but gleaming, spears and swords at the ready.
The people gathered in nervous clusters. Whispers chased each other like mice.
Their eyes followed Noah as he raised his hand.
---
"People of Mirch," he began, voice carried by a faint resonance—half system augmentation, half authority. "Your city was ruled by greed. You were starved, silenced, and made pawns. That ends today."
He paused. The silence that followed was brittle, expectant.
"From this day forward, this city will bear a new name—Veridian. A name of renewal, not rot. A city that will no longer bow to thieves who call themselves lords."
The murmurs swelled, a ripple of awe and fear.
Behind him, the Soul-Forged Knights stamped their boots once, the sound like a heartbeat of iron. The Umbra assassins lingered at the edge of rooftops, black silhouettes against morning light.
"Those who work will eat," Noah continued. "Those who serve the people will prosper. Those who exploit them…" His voice hardened. "Will vanish."
[PUBLIC SPEECH COMPLETE: +City Stability, +Public Fear, +Citizen Faith]
When he turned, the people were bowing—some in reverence, others in caution. It didn't matter which.
---
Later, in the mayoral chamber—his chamber now—Noah called out:
"System, open Basic Soldier Pool."
The air shimmered. A glowing blue panel unfolded.
[ BASIC SOLDIER POOL — Tier: Initial ]
Available Units: 10
5 × Militia (Spearmen) — LV 1 initial level
5 × Militia (Swordsmen) — LV 1 initial level
Daily Summon Limit: 10
Next Upgrade: 600 SP
Upgraded Tier: Low-Tier Militia (LV 10 cap)
Upgrade Effects: Increases base soldier stats, morale cohesion, and unlocks formation training.
Additional Upgrade Branches: Archer Unit / Cavalry Unit / Mage Unit (Locked – Requires Additional Soldier Pools)
"Hmm," Noah muttered, scratching his chin. "So... from commoners with sticks to soldiers who actually know which end of a spear to hold."
[Upgrade confirmation? Cost: 600 SP.]
"That's more than half my points," he said aloud. Then smirked. "But hey—investment is the soul of empire."
[Upgrade in progress…]
The light flared. The clumsy militiamen straightened, armor reforging itself into proper plating—still crude, but disciplined. Spears lengthened, shields gleamed, eyes sharpened. The system's hum filled the chamber.
[UPGRADE COMPLETE — LOW-TIER MILITIA UNLOCKED]
[Summon available: 100 × Low-Tier Militia (Spearmen/Swordsmen mix)]
[Formation Bonus Unlocked: Basic Square and Shield Wall.]
Noah grinned. "Now that's more like it. Hundred of soldiers today, and hundred more tomorrow... an army in weeks."
He turned toward the window overlooking Veridian's market. "Let's give the people a reason to sleep peacefully—and the nobles a reason not to."
---
By noon, the low-tier militia patrolled the streets, their boots ringing on cobblestone. Their discipline was uncanny—each step in unison, their eyes glowing faintly with system synchronization. Citizens whispered blessings, some crossing themselves, others muttering prayers.
An old merchant leaned to his wife. "They move like one man."
"They don't even flinch," she replied, awe trembling in her voice.
Children followed at a distance, mimicking sword swings. A rumor spread that these soldiers were spirits given flesh, drawn from the dead loyal to the new ruler. Fear mingled with pride.
---
Inside the manor of the previous city lord , Noah gathered his new council.
"Let's start with names," he said. "I can't keep calling everyone 'Hey, you.'"
At the far end of the table stood Elric Thorne, a stern man in his forties with a scar over his left brow. Once the city's records clerk, now his appointed Steward of Finance.
Beside him sat Levy Vance, a sharp-eyed former tavernkeeper who had a knack for negotiation—his new Minister of Commerce.
And finally Tessa Maren, a young scribe from the orphanage archives, her intellect wrapped in quiet resolve—his Advisor and Record Keeper.
Elric bowed stiffly. "Your Excellency, if I may—how do we address you in official documentation?"
Noah blinked, feigning deep thought. "Hmm… Lord? Ruler? Supreme Overlord of Coffee and Bureaucracy?"
Then Levy said with caution. "Maybe just Lord Noah for now. Rolls off the tongue better."
"Fine," Noah said, grinning. "Lord Noah it is. Now, Elric—what's the city's condition?"
The steward adjusted his spectacles. "Food stores low, trade nearly nonexistent. Many farmers fled taxes or debt. The granaries are half-empty."
"Then cut the tax by half for the next month," Noah ordered. "Reopen trade roads, but under our guard. Levy, find honest merchants and promise them protection. I will double patrols in the outer districts—using the my troops."
Noah said, tapping the table. "Like a gamer with save files."
The council exchanged confused glances. Tessa, however, smiled faintly. "Whatever that means, it seems to be working."
---
As reforms spread, Veridian began to breathe. Market stalls reopened, laughter returned in timid bursts. The Umbra watched from rooftops, their unseen eyes filtering every rumor and unrest straight to Noah's system feed.
[City Stability: +10]
[Public Sentiment: Neutral → Cautiously Hopeful]
That night, in his chamber, Noah summoned the system again.
"System, show me my current stats."
[STATUS PANEL — NOAH]
• Title: Lord of Veridian
• Race: Human
• Bloodline: None
• Affinity: ???
• Soldier Pool: Low-Tier Militia
• SP: 460
• Umbra Assassin Units: 40 (Deployed)
• Soul-Forged Knight Units: 20 (Stationed)
• Notoriety: +12 (Regional)
• Public Fear: 65%
• City Loyalty: 42%
• Quest: "Consolidate Power" – Progress 35%
"Let's fix that 'None' bloodline part," he murmured. "System, open Bloodline Store."
[BLOODLINE STORE — LOW-TIER SELECTION]
• Ember Vein (Fire Affinity) – 400 SP
• Stoneborn (Earth Affinity) – 380 SP
• Silver Pulse (Speed + Reflex) – 420 SP
• Shadow Trace (Stealth + Mana Flow) – 400 SP
He smirked. "Let's go with fire—something flashy."
[CONFIRM PURCHASE: Ember Vein Bloodline – 400 SP?]
"Confirm."
The pain hit like molten metal under his skin. Flames coiled beneath his veins, licking at his chest and heart. Then—silence. He exhaled, smoke curling faintly from his mouth.
[Bloodline Awakened: Ember Vein]
[Passive: Minor Fire Resistance, +5% Command Presence]
[Affinity Slot Unlocked: Fire LV 1]
Noah flexed his fingers, light pulsing faintly. "Now that's cool. Literally… no, wait, the opposite."
He laughed softly to himself, then glanced out at the city again. Soldiers patrolled, citizens whispered, and above them all, the flag of Veridian—a phoenix wreathed in silver and red—" I am proud I made the flag of Veridian an phoenix, way better than the previous flag of this city was just a round shield" noah said.
---
"Umbra," Noah said quietly. A ripple of shadow formed before him.
"Yes, my lord?" came the whispering response.
"Spread through the districts. I want to know everything—grain counts, black market trades, anyone speaking the old lord's name. Feed it to the system. Make a information network"
The Umbra bowed. "As you command, Lord of Veridian."
As they melted back into darkness, Noah felt the faint hum of his empire beginning—small, imperfect, but his.
[NEW FUNCTION: INFORMATION NETWORK ACTIVATED — Gain passive updates on city stability and threats.]
[Quest Progress: 55%]
He leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Not bad for a guy who used to rage-quit strategy games."
---
Two Weeks Later — Rover Province
Governor Aldren Voss slammed his hand on the table. "He's fortifying! Reinforcing! He's building a damn army! And the people love him!"
Across the communication crystal, Duke Damaris's voice was calm. "Let him."
"What?! He's a threat to the duchy!"
"A threat that might fix the duchy's weakest province," Renard replied coolly. "If he fails, we erase him. If he succeeds…" He smiled. "We claim him."
Voss swallowed hard. "And if he marches?"
Renard's eyes gleamed. "Then the game begins."
---
Veridian, Nightfall
Noah stood on the balcony of his manor. Below him, torches traced patrol paths, the streets orderly and alive. His soldiers—the ones born of light and system code—kept the city safer than any noble's guard ever had. The banner of Veridian glowed faintly in the moonlight, the phoenix's wings shimmering like fire.
He smirked. "Not bad , huh?"
The system chimed softly.
[Quest Update: Consolidate Power – Progress 70%]
[ * NEW * Sub-Objective: Expand Influence Beyond Veridian – Optional]
Noah tilted his head toward the stars. "One city down… a world to go."
The wind carried the faintest echo of cheers from the streets below.
"Veridian stands," he murmured. "And so will I."