The third morning on the Infinite Continent began not with chaos, but with purpose.
The streets of Dawnlight—once barren and silent—now rang with the sound of order. Hammer to wood. Spindle to thread. Arrows loosed into straw. Each sound blended into a village-wide hum of practiced routine.
Today was no ordinary day.
Today, they would face their first true monster raid.
And for the first time, they were ready.
Evan stood on the balcony of the Lord House, looking out across his people. His gaze swept over the courtyard where support citizens formed lines for gear distribution—builders, brewers, even broom-makers. All armed with simple bows or reinforced knives.
Beneath him, his four council heads stood ready to report.
"Begin."
Tassa stepped forward first, holding a slate-board clipboard and two quills, one tucked behind her ear.
"Total income from the Human Market has passed 7,300 Bz. Last shipment of rope bundles and herbal kits sold above expected margin. The leather supply is stable. Iron ore is down to 140 units, but the blacksmiths are prioritizing arrowheads and small blades."
She flipped a page with a practiced hand.
"Warehouse stock: 83% full. Enough for four days of full-scale production. After raid day, we'll cycle harvest workers into smelting teams to prep for expansion."
Evan nodded. "Expendables?"
"Three hundred standard arrows in reserve. Ten backup bows. Emergency rations prepared and preserved."
"Good," Evan said. "Prepare shipment options based on tonight's yield."
Tassa gave a curt nod and stepped back.
Leena was next.
She looked more like a teacher than an administrator, but her gaze was razor-sharp.
"The Contribution Point system has created a tiered productivity curve. High earners are averaging 90–120 CP/day. Low earners—newcomers or children—sit closer to 15–30 CP. No hoarding detected. No disputes."
She raised her eyes. "But we've seen internal trades begin. Some citizens are bartering CP for personal favors. Tasks. Craftwork. It's not disruptive—yet—but it's worth watching."
Evan tilted his head. "Will it destabilize trust?"
Leena considered. "Not if we lean into it. Formalize it. Introduce CP contracts. Limit black-market behavior."
"Then do it," Evan said. "Let the people build economy beneath us. We just guide the rails."
Rourke stepped forward, eyes already scanning the horizon. His voice was low and steady.
"We've trained 20 professional infantry, 8 militia scouts, and armed 72 support units with basic bows and sidearms. Most are at least Level 2. Some have reached Level 4 through shared EXP."
He rolled out a parchment map of the surrounding forest.
"We'll use a 3-squad formation during the raid."
He pointed to three colored markings.
"Vanguard: 10 infantry. I'll lead.Midguard: 20 mixed-rank support units with bows—builders, tailors.Rearguard: 5 militia + 5 crafters—mainly for watch and extraction."
His gaze flicked up. "Evan, you'll be in Midguard."
"Accepted."
Last came Garin, his hands stained with soil even now.
"Field output is stable. Root vegetables and beans are cycling fine. Livestock's being integrated slowly—we found two wild hornbeasts, one's already been domesticated."
He smiled faintly.
"We can feed a hundred and fifty, no problem. But if we add more mouths, we'll need to expand irrigation. I'll need engineers."
Evan nodded. "You'll have them after tonight."
As the council stood at ease, Evan stepped forward and pulled open the full Territory Overview. It hovered in the air like a translucent ledger of his domain.
📊 [TERRITORY OVERVIEW – DAWNLIGHT VILLAGE]
Territory Level: Village Lv.2Population: 118 / 120Combat Units:▸ Infantry: 20▸ Militia Scouts: 8▸ Armed Support (via SHARE): 72
Key Structures:▸ Town Hall Lv.2 (Capacity: 100 → 150 at Lv.3)▸ Barrack Lv.2▸ Warehouse Lv.2▸ Weapon Factory Lv.1▸ Archery Hall Lv.1▸ Lord House Lv.1▸ Contribution Depot [Custom]
Resources in Storage:▸ Food: 3,240 Units▸ Wood: 420▸ Stone: 390▸ Metal: 140▸ Market Credit: 170 Bz
Lord Talent – SHARE (Lv.2):▸ Experience Sharing: 100%▸ Skill Link Active: [Sword Mastery I], [Archery Mastery I], [Knife Proficiency], [Weapon Forging], [Stamina Recovery], [Threaded Focus], [Logistics Tracking]
As he read each line, Evan's mind didn't swell with pride—it sharpened with urgency.
They had grown fast. Too fast.
And now, the continent would see them.
"We're not a village anymore…" Evan murmured."We're a machine."
And tonight… they would test every gear in its body.
"Again."
Evan's breath fogged in the morning chill. His fingers stung against the leather grip of the wooden practice sword. Across from him, a village militia member named Rek lowered his guard slightly.
"Sir, maybe a break—"
"I said again."
Rek exhaled, raised his weapon, and charged.
Their blades clashed with a crack, wooden edges meeting in the dirt-packed training circle. Evan pivoted, feet moving instinctively. He ducked the follow-up swing and brought his sword down on Rek's shoulder—not hard, but sharp enough to win the exchange.
[Basic Sword Mastery I – Triggered]Timing Bonus: +5%Strike registered: Light hitExperience shared across domain
The system glowed faintly in Evan's vision. He could feel it—the feedback—like his mind and muscles weren't just learning. They were reinforcing everything across his entire population.
Even Rek grinned through the sweat. "Didn't think you'd be one to train with us."
"I'm not training to fight," Evan said."I'm training to understand."
They moved next to the archery range, where wooden targets lined the eastern fence. Support citizens were already practicing—Mila among them, drawing her bow with the precision of a seamstress measuring thread.
Evan took position, nocked an arrow, and drew.
[Archery Mastery I – Triggered]Draw Speed: 83%Accuracy Bonus: +10%First Shot Bonus: Applied
He loosed.
The arrow struck the target's outer ring. Not bad. But not good.
"Don't pull with your arms," Mila called from two lanes over. "Pull from your shoulder blades. Treat the bow like a loom."
Evan tried again.
Thunk.
Closer. Inner ring.
The system flashed again. EXP spread. Skills echoed.
Every pull. Every block. Every breath.It all feeds the machine.
By midday, Rourke gathered the troops.
Three squads. Armor tight. Bows checked. Spears sharpened.
A map was etched in the dirt before them.
"We march half a mile east," Rourke said. "Scouts have marked signs of wild beasts. Mid-tier. Not corrupted yet. This is a pre-event spawn zone—testing grounds."
Evan nodded. "Formation?"
"Vanguard: 10 infantry, spears forward. I lead.Midguard: You lead, Lord. 20 support-class with bows.Rearguard: Scouts and militia—sweep for flanks and fallbacks."
He looked Evan in the eye.
"This isn't a patrol. It's a raid."
Evan strapped his sword to his back and slung the quiver over his shoulder.
"Then let's move like one."
🌲 Approach to the Raid Zone
The forest shifted as they moved through it.
At first, the air was calm—birds chirping, wind through leaves. But soon, the light dimmed. The undergrowth thickened. The system pulsed once with a deep thrummm.
[WARNING: You have entered a Contested Zone]
▸ Raid Difficulty: Moderate▸ Creatures Detected: 12▸ Monster Type: Savage-class▸ Rewards Scale: Based on efficiency, formation usage, and casualties▸ First Completion Bonus: Available▸ Note: World Visibility – Your raid efficiency will be logged anonymously for leaderboard tracking.
The squads formed immediately. Spears up. Bows drawn.
Ahead, shadows moved.
"Contact."
Three Horned Hares emerged from the underbrush—bulky rabbit-like monsters with twisted bone ridges along their forelegs. Fast. Dangerous in packs.
"Vanguard, engage," Rourke commanded.
The infantry charged with practiced coordination—no yelling, no panic. Just muscle and timing.
The first hare lunged—and was immediately skewered by a spear to the side. The second darted right, only to catch an arrow mid-leap from Mila's line.
Evan saw his chance.
He raised his bow. Focused. Pulled.
Breathe. Thread the loom.
He fired.
Thunk. Direct hit to the hind leg.
The hare stumbled—and a third soldier finished it off with a downward strike.
[EXP GAINED: +45] – Shared via SHARE Lv.2
▸ Evan +45▸ Rourke +45▸ Mila +45▸ All 118 citizens +45▸ Archery Hall EXP: +12▸ Barrack EXP: +18▸ Weapon Factory EXP: +5
They moved forward—formation tight, spacing optimal.
"More ahead," called a scout from the Rearguard."Four targets. Wolf-class. Agile."
Evan raised a hand. "Midguard—break formation. Circle formation. Surround Rourke's flank."
Support citizens fanned out, bows drawn. Not one of them flinched.
The tailor aimed from behind a tree.The baker kneeled beside a root.The cobbler placed an arrow between two slabs of leather armor.
They weren't soldiers.
But they were trained.
The wolves charged.
The Vanguard met them first—clashing steel and snarling teeth. But the Midguard unleashed hell.
Arrows flew in volleys.
One wolf staggered, its side peppered with shafts. Another lunged at a soldier's back—only to be intercepted by a builder with a short-sword, shouting as he drove the blade into its rib.
Evan moved through the fray, sword drawn now. A wolf snarled toward him. He sidestepped, parried, and slashed across its shoulder—clean. Controlled.
[Sword Mastery I – Chain Combo Triggered]Damage: 115%Bonus EXP: +25
Shared to All Units
He turned to see Bo, the rope maker, pin another with a sharpened stake.
"We're doing it!" the man cried. "We're actually—!"
"Hold formation!" Rourke barked. "We're not done yet!"
Then came the final beast.
The alpha.
A creature twice the size of the others—like a boar, but armored in gnarled bark and fungal plates. Its tusks dripped with sap and saliva. Its eyes burned orange.
[Fungal Gorebeast – Lv.7]HP: 840Type: Mini-BossWeak Point: Rear Hind Legs
Status: Enraged
It charged.
The line nearly broke.
Two soldiers were thrown aside—alive, but stunned.
"Rearguard!" Evan shouted. "Flank it!"
Militia with pikes looped around to draw its attention. Arrows rained from above—many bouncing harmlessly off its armored hide.
"Hind legs!" Evan screamed. "Mila—thread the back line!"
He rushed forward with two others. As the Gorebeast reared, Evan dove low, sliced across its ankle tendon—then rolled clear as it buckled.
A second later, five arrows struck its neck.
Staggered.
Rourke finished it with a leaping strike to the skull.
Silence.
Then came the ping.
[RAID COMPLETE – Dawnlight (Anonymous)]
▸ Monsters Eliminated: 12▸ Casualties: 0▸ Injuries: 7 (Light)▸ Combat Efficiency: 92%▸ Formation Discipline: A-
Reward: 1x Combat Blueprint Chest (Rare), 500 Bz, Bonus EXP Distributed
⚠️ Performance Logged on Human Raid Leaderboard
The squads stood still.
No cheers. Just breathing. Nodding. Quiet acknowledgment.
They had done it.
And not a single one of them had died.
As night fell, Evan stood before the firepit in the center of town.
The council joined him. Citizens began gathering.
He held up the blueprint chest.
"This is just the first."
He looked out over them—bakers, fletchers, miners, smiths.
"You didn't run. You didn't hide. You held your line."
He opened the chest. A burst of silver light flared.
[New Blueprint Acquired: Combat Academy Lv.1]Trains: Formation UnitsUnlocks: [Tactical Planning I], [Group Combat Mastery I]
He smiled faintly.
The next level had arrived.
"Let the others raise banners," he said, eyes gleaming."We're raising standards."