Leo watched as 30 Sanguine Essence vanished from his counter, the red numbers flickering and then settling into a disappointing single digit.
"Easy come, easy go," he muttered.
The 1-Star banner on the interface flashed three times in rapid succession. It wasn't a grand or earth-shaking event like Malphas's summoning had been. Instead, these were quick, muted bursts of grey light that pulsed like a dying ember. Each flash deposited a distinct figure onto the dirt floor of the Lord's Hall.
The first was small and erratic. A leathery creature about the size of a crow flapped its wings frantically, its movements jerky and uncoordinated. It circled the hall once before landing upside down on a rafter, its claws clicking against the timber. It folded its wings and stared down at Leo with eyes like tiny black beads.
[Unit: Nocturnal Bat-Familiar]
Rating: 1 star (Common)
Rank: F
Role: Scout / Sonar
Description: A fragile nocturnal scout linked to the Lord's senses. Can detect heartbeats within a 100m radius.
The second vortex formed on the ground, emitting a pungent scent of damp earth and decay. A hunched figure emerged, its skin the color of grave soil, dragging a shovel heavy with rust. It breathed in shallow, raspy gasps.
[Unit: Grave-Digger Ghoul]
Rating: 1 star (Common)
Rank: F
Role: Labourer / Terraformer
Description: Tireless worker specializing in digging, burying, and basic construction. Can consume corpses to heal.
It didn't speak or acknowledge Leo. Instead, it immediately knelt and started digging a small, pointless hole in the dirt floor of the hall with its bare, clawed hands.
"Stop that," Leo ordered. The Grave-Digger froze instantly, awaiting the next command.
The third was the most useful for their immediate survival. It was a Cursed Hound. It looked like a large wolf at first glance, but its fur was patchy and mangled, revealing raw, red muscle underneath that seemed to pulse as it breathed. Its eyes glowed with a faint, aggressive crimson light that left trails in the dim air.
[Unit: Cursed Hound]
Rating: 1 star (Common)
Rank: F
Role: Light Combat / Tracker
Description: A beast driven by bloodlust. Fast attack speed, low defense. Deals bonus damage to bleeding targets.
Leo leaned forward on his wooden throne, analyzing the mixed bag. They were fodder, yes, but specialized fodder.
Unlike standard human labourers who needed rest and food, the Ghoul could work 24/7 as long as it had the occasional bone to gnaw on. The Hound provided a much-needed fast-attack option to supplement the slow militia. And the Bat...
"Malphas," Leo called out. The huge knight stepped forward from the shadows where he had been silently observing.
"My Lord."
"The Bat is yours to command. Use its sonar to extend our perimeter awareness during the day. I don't want other scouts getting within a hundred meters without us knowing."
"As you command." Malphas extended a gauntleted finger, and the bat landed on it, looking tiny and fragile against the crimson armor.
Leo glanced at his Goblin, who was looking at the rotting Ghoul with pure, unadulterated disgust.
He gestured toward the ghoul. ''You're with the goblin. He'll tell you where to dig.''
The goblin flinched, staring at the undead creature with barely hidden resentment. It looked at Leo as if pleading for a different assignment.
'Why do I always get the weird ones?' the goblin thought bitterly, though it didn't dare speak. It took a hesitant step toward the ghoul, which stood up and followed with a limping, rhythmic gait.
Leo turned his attention back to the interface, specifically the 2-Star banner. It promised agile blood-servants and armored warriors, but the cost was fifty SE.
"I'm short," Leo muttered, glancing at his counter: [SE: 6].
He looked at the E-Rank Aether Core in his hand, a crystal meant to boost his own level. He wondered if the Archive had other uses for it and pressed the crystal against the book's cover.
[System Prompt] Do you wish to sacrifice the E-Rank Aether Core for Sanguine Essence? [Yes / No] (Value: 50 SE)
"Wait, so I can choose between personal level or gacha currency?" Leo smirked.''Right now, one strong subordinate is worth more than a single level.''
He pressed [Yes].
The core shattered into glittering red dust and was sucked into the book.
[Current SE: 56]
Leo looked at the chances before he pulled.
'Thirty percent chance for a 2-star,' he thought. 'It's a gamble. If I hit the 65% fail rate, I just spent 50 SE on a skeleton I could have gotten for 10 SE. But if I hit that 30%..... I get someone with a mind of their own. I hope I'm not becoming a gambling addict.'
He initiated the pull.
The Hall filled with a sharp, whistling wind. A vortex of emerald and carmine energy tore open the space in front of the throne. This wasn't a mindless summon; this felt like a professional.
[UNCOMMON SUMMON SUCCESSFUL]
Unit: Vesper, the Shadow-Stinger
Rating: 2 Star(Uncommon)
Rank: E
Loyalty: 90
Trait: [Silent Breath] — Completely silent movement on natural terrain.
Skill: [Venomous Strike] — Daggers deal lingering necrotic damage.
A lithe woman emerged, clad in shadow-treated leather. She landed in a low crouch, twin daggers reversed in a combat grip.
"You called for a shadow, My Lord?" Her voice was a cool whisper.
'How could I call for you when I didn't even know you existed?' Leo thought, suppressing a laugh at the theatricality of it all.
He stood and walked outside, opening the standard Basic Recruitment tab.
[Basic Recruitment - Level 1] Requirement: 10 Gold per pull
''A flat gold fee,'' Leo muttered, checking the 60 gold coins resting in his inventory. ''At least it makes the math simple.''
He spent fifty gold on five pulls. Instead of pillars of light, five grey mist circles formed on the ground. Three men and one woman in ragged tunics stepped out, clutching simple wooden axes. They looked exhausted, their eyes dull and hollow. Following them was a man in scraps of boiled leather, clutching a sharpened wooden spear.
''Greetings, Lord,'' they intoned in a synchronized, flat voice.
'Right. Humans,' Leo realized with a weary groan. 'Logistics. They need food, sleep, and sanitation. They are a massive liability, but I need the sheer manpower.'
"Workers, collect resources. Spearman, keep them alive," Leo commanded, his eyes already fixed on the dark woods.
He turned to the hooded assassin. "And Vesper- scout the Lord to the north. Keep your distance. I want tactical information, not a body count. Don't engage unless you have no other choice.''
Vesper bowed her head, her form already beginning to blur into the grey mist. "Consider it done, My Lord." Without another word, she vanished, moving toward the Black Stone Hill like a ripple in dark water.
Leo didn't need Vesper at his side with Malphas standing ready. The knight was his Blade, and the Cursed Hound was his tracker. He looked toward the whispering trees of the Umbra Expanse.
''Let's go. We need to grind like there's no tomorrow,'' Leo said, stepping beyond the shimmering safety of his border.