Greybridge woke before dawn.
Not in the frantic, scrambling way of fugitives, nor with the lazy sprawl of men with no purpose—but with the deliberate cadence of a camp learning how to breathe as a unit. The settlement itself had grown in strange, organic layers: felled timber woven into barricades, lookout posts carved from pine trunks, a crude armory where Reyes and two of the younger men sharpened scavenged blades. Smoke curled from a communal firepit, carrying the scent of cured venison and wet earth.
Above it all, Ethan stood at the high ridge, the wind brushing his hair while the Panel pulsed quietly in the background of his mind—less a screen, more an instinct now that it had fused with his subconscious. Greybridge moved below him like a living organism, and today it would take its first steps beyond its den.
PATROL MISSION ISSUED
Tier: D (Upgradable)
Objective: Secure two trade roads, confirm safety of three villages, neutralize threats, establish presence.
Bonus Objective: Earn first "Territory Stability" rating.
Ethan exhaled.
Greybridge was taking shape.
Now it had to prove itself.
---
Forming the Patrol Unit
Harlan approached first, the man's broad frame casting a long shadow. His beard was freshly trimmed—Ethan's subtle promotion ritual had changed more than his obedience; it had sharpened his instincts, strengthened his posture. He no longer moved like a defeated mercenary but like a seasoned second-in-command.
Behind him came the others: Reyes with his easy grin, Kade with his quiet deadliness, Rowan the former highway scout, and Torren, still nervous but eager to prove himself. Twelve total, all bearing faint traces of the Beta imprint—physical enhancements subtle, pharmacological-looking, entirely explainable to outsiders.
"Patrol One reporting," Harlan said, voice steady.
No hesitation. No resentment. But also no loss of identity—Ethan had made sure of that. Loyalty didn't require erasure.
Aoi emerged next from Taming Space, her presence soft but unignorable. She glanced at the men with clinical precision, nodding slightly.
"They're stable. And eager," she whispered to Ethan. "More eager than they know."
He gave a faint nod.
"Today we leave Greybridge's shadow," Ethan announced. "Today the villages find out we're not just rumors. They'll see us as a shield—one that can actually hold."
The men straightened.
"And we see what's out there," Ethan continued. "What threats we haven't accounted for."
In truth, he felt that familiar hum of the Panel—anticipation, calculation, the quiet pleasure of a structured challenge. Patrol missions weren't combat; they were information-gathering, diplomacy, subtle strength. And they were the next test of his growing organization.
---
The Road to Harrow's Bend
The patrol moved out through the southern pass. The forest shifted as they walked, sunlight cutting through emerald terraces, crows hopping branch to branch overhead.
Ethan's senses—enhanced through cross-node integrations—made the world feel layered:
Hunter x Hunter (Nen-like awareness): subtle presence detection
Teen Wolf (wolf-instinct + sensory attunement): faint heartbeats, shifting scents
Naruto (low-tier chakra flow): refined reflexes
Zombie Node (danger mapping): predictive threat paths
All of it wove into a seamless tapestry of vigilance.
Harlan caught Ethan glancing up at the canopy.
"You're tracking?" he asked quietly.
"I'm listening," Ethan corrected. "The forest remembers what walks through it."
"And?" Reyes asked, gripping his spear.
"Something big crossed through here recently," Ethan murmured. "Not a bear."
The men exchanged looks.
But they continued.
---
Village One — Harrow's Bend
It took three hours to reach the first village: Harrow's Bend, a small settlement of clay-brick homes hugging a riverbank. A few farmers paused mid-harvest as the patrol approached, eyes wide.
Ethan stepped forward, hands visible.
"Mira sent word," the first farmer called. "You're the group from the Greybridge forests?"
Ethan nodded.
Harlan and the others held position—imposing but non-threatening.
"We're here to confirm your safety," Ethan said. "And your trading routes."
"Routes?" the farmer scoffed. "Bandits have been quiet for a week, stranger. Too quiet."
Reyes leaned close to Ethan. "He's right. That usually means regrouping."
Ethan agreed.
The calm before something sharp.
After checking their roads, confirming no fresh traps or spoor, the patrol moved on.
The Panel pulsed faintly:
SUB-TASK COMPLETE: VILLAGE 1 — 40 PP
TERRITORY STABILITY: +1%
---
Ambush in the Black River Marsh
The marshlands between Harrow's Bend and the next settlement were thick with cattails and fog. The patrol took the elevated boardwalk—old, rotting planks, creaking under their boots.
Rowan froze suddenly.
"Movement," he whispered.
Ethan felt it too.
Something was wrong—dense, watching, predatory intent.
The attack hit fast.
Three figures burst from the fog, mud-slicked and swinging rusted cleavers. Not ordinary bandits—these moved with unnatural speed.
Ethan surged forward, instincts snapping into place. His wolfstone pulsed, chakra aligning down his limbs, Nen-like intent flaring.
He caught one attacker's wrist, twisted, and slammed him into a railing.
Harlan and Reyes moved like a coordinated unit—Beta conditioning amplifying their reactions—disarming and subduing the others with brutal efficiency.
In forty seconds, it was over.
"Kade," Ethan said. "Check if they're alive."
"All breathing." Kade wiped his blade. "Drugged. And angry."
The Panel flickered:
HOSTILE GROUP DEFEATED — Eligible for Taming
Consent Bypass: Active (Hostile Condition Trigger)
Proceed?
Ethan paused.
The moral weight settled again.
But these weren't misguided mercenaries.
Their veins were blackened with reagents from another faction.
Someone was experimenting.
He pressed YES.
A warm pulse radiated outward as the tether formed.
TAMING COMPLETE — 3 NEW HOSTILES NEUTRALIZED
AUTO-LINK: Added to Greybridge Rehabilitation Queue
PP GAIN: +450
Harlan let out a low whistle.
"Kid… we're building something real here."
---
Village Two — Haldenridge
By the time they reached the second village, the sun was dipping. Haldenridge's elder welcomed them cautiously but with clear relief.
"You're the first organized patrol we've seen in months," she said.
Ethan nodded respectfully.
"We're not a militia," he clarified. "We're stabilizers."
"Doesn't matter what you call yourselves," she replied. "If you keep our people alive, we'll support you."
Another small victory.
Another human tether to balance the system's power.
---
Return to Greybridge
Night fell by the time they crested the ridge overlooking Greybridge. Torches flickered across the settlement, guardians patroling the walkways.
Greybridge felt alive.
The moment the patrol entered camp, Ethan felt the Panel vibrate:
PATROL MISSION COMPLETE
Base Reward: +600 PP
Performance Multiplier (A Rank): ×2.5
Total Earned: +1,500 PP
Territory Stability: +6%
A second notification appeared:
ORGANIZATION NODE LEVEL-UP AVAILABLE
Unlocks:
Logistics Terminal (Tier 1)
Beta Conditioning v2
Regional Influence Mapping
Ethan exhaled slowly.
The organization was evolving—faster than expected.
And tomorrow, the world would feel the difference.