'Fuck, did I just get pulled into the game?'
'So this is what they meant by *True Game*?'
'Scenario Mode? Role-playing? Role-playing as a Demon Beast?'
'...'
When Lince opened his eyes again and confirmed his current situation, his mood was simply indescribable.
How to describe this feeling?
It was like winning the lottery.
And yet, it was utterly absurd.
'Can this sort of thing actually happen in reality?'
'Have I become the protagonist of a novel?'
Lince's thoughts were a tangled mess.
But this was his reality now, and the game had already resumed.
The moment he began to "role-play" as the Swamp Giant Lizard, a virtual screen appeared in his field of vision.
It was accompanied by a mechanical notification sound.
[Awed by your power, Knight York now regards you as a Deity!]
[He has sworn his allegiance to you, to the great Deity's terrestrial vessel, the "Swamp Giant Lizard."]
[Congratulations, Player! You have unlocked the "Faction Development" Clan Mode!]
[Unlocking the Clan Faction panel.]
[Clan] (Expand)
Clan: Not yet created (Unnamed)
Patriarch: York Smith.
(Origin: The Smith Baron Family of the Gale Territory)
Age: 24.
Strength: Official Knight (Tier One)
Potential: ☆ (Half-Star).
(Approx. 30% chance of reaching Tier Two, approx. 0.01% chance of reaching Tier Three)
Bloodline: Diluted Gale Cheetah Bloodline (Low Tier)
(Note: An Official Knight must temper their body with the blood of a Demon Beast to break through. This process is extremely perilous.)
(Note: Knight Bloodlines can be inherited, which is the origin of diluted Bloodlines. Descendants can reawaken the Bloodline's power by stimulating their potential through training.)
Growth Level: 16%
Elemental Affinity: Wind.
Skills: 1. Basic Breathing Technique; 2. Basic Physique (Entry Tier); 3. Gale Swordsmanship (Entry Tier).
Offspring: None.
Territory: None.
(Note: The Swamp Giant Lizard's territory can be granted to him.)
...
[Congratulations, Player, for unlocking Faction Mode. You have received three rewards.]
(1. Bloodline Enhancement +1: Can enhance a Bloodline, thereby increasing strength.)
(2. Bloodline Growth Level +10%: Can increase the current Bloodline's Growth Level, thereby increasing strength.)
(3. Bloodline Extraction: Low Tier Gale Cheetah Bloodline.)
[Time remaining to claim rewards: 23:59:59.]
Lince looked down at the knight below him as he read the virtual text.
The entire swamp fell into a brief silence.
"I accept your fealty, fortunate mortal."
Finally, under York's anxious gaze, Lince suddenly spoke through the mouth of the Giant Lizard.
'The Swamp Giant Lizard... spoke?!'
York looked at the Giant Lizard, his anxious heart now pounding with an even greater shock.
While some Demon Beasts could speak, it was definitely not something a Tier Two Demon Beast like the Swamp Giant Lizard was capable of.
This only served as further proof that the Demon Beast before him truly was the mortal vessel of an unknown Deity.
A great disaster had turned into the advent of a Miracle?
This was snatching life from the jaws of death—no, this was a stroke of unbelievable luck. One could only imagine the "holy shit" running through York's mind right now.
This pioneering expedition...
Although York had lost his two newly recruited Knight's Squires and over ten Mercenaries...
...gaining the favor of a Deity was more than worth it.
'So, everything I just went through... was it all a trial from a great Deity?'
'And I earned Its approval?'
'That's it. That must be it.'
York suddenly felt like everything made sense, and immense joy flooded his heart.
Not wanting to appear disrespectful before a Deity, he immediately scrambled to his feet.
He picked up his fallen sword and, as quickly as he could, assumed the half-kneeling posture of a knight's salute before the Giant Lizard.
"Official Knight York Smith thanks Your Majesty for this boon!"
"In the name of all knights, I, York Smith, will defend Your Majesty's honor to the death."
Lince looked at the knight before him, unconcerned.
To get a better grasp of the situation, Lince nodded and said:
"Mm, very good."
"Ahem... Well then, York, tell me about yourself and everything about this world and this era."
York was slightly taken aback by the question.
However, still reeling from his narrow escape from death and overwhelmed with excitement, he didn't give it much thought and immediately began to explain everything about himself and his world.
York came from the Smith Baron Family of the Gale Territory, within the Silver Lion Duchy.
The Gale Clan had been founded ninety-two years ago by York's grandfather in the prime of his life.
It was then passed down to his father, Eric Smith.
Eric Smith had three sons.
York was Baron Eric's youngest son.
His mother was a handmaiden of low birth, which naturally sealed York's low status within the Smith family.
However, York was fortunate enough to have some talent, so his treatment wasn't too poor. He had also successfully been promoted to an Official Knight last year.
This was what granted him the right to pioneer a new territory.
After asking about York's ambitions, his father, Baron Eric, had applied to the Duke's Mansion for a pioneering charter.
If York succeeded in his pioneering efforts, he could become a Lord and a Baron, with his own territory.
Pioneering wasn't easy. After all, it meant seizing the living space and territory of other races.
Either from Demon Beasts or from Alien Races.
That was why pioneering was always difficult.
Even if one temporarily succeeded, the probability of being wiped out later was as high as eighty or ninety percent.
In short, pioneering wasn't a death sentence, but it wasn't far from it.
But for the sons of low birth within noble families who wished to escape the control of their family's Patriarch, or even for noble families wanting to expand, pioneering was unavoidable.
Therefore, under normal circumstances, successfully pioneering and ensuring the territory's survival was impossible without the continuous support of one's original noble family.
Thus, a hothead like York, who had no family support yet was determined to pioneer a territory, was a rare sight.
Of course, this wasn't to say that the Smith Baron Family didn't want to strengthen their clan or see York succeed.
But for a mere Baron Clan, the cost of pioneering was simply too great.
The Smith family couldn't afford it.
So, from the very beginning, no one had been optimistic about York's endeavor, nor did they look upon it favorably.
But York, for his mother's sake and for the chance to marry the second daughter of another Viscount, was stubbornly determined to see it through.
And so...
More than two hours had passed by the time York finished explaining everything he knew about himself and the world.
Lince fell into contemplative silence.
He considered his current situation and everything he had learned about this world.
He was thinking about how to proceed.
Then, under York's expectant and emotional gaze, Lince spoke again.
"York, my servant."
"You did not try to deceive me, which is good. You have won my favor. I now bestow upon you this swampland to be your territory."
Hearing this, York was overjoyed.
He immediately began kowtowing again in excitement.
"Thank you for your favor, Your Majesty! I praise Your Majesty's generosity!"
"In the name of all knights, York Smith and all his descendants will serve you for eternity!"
"Your Majesty, is there anything you need York to do for you now?"
York knew there was no such thing as a free lunch, so he asked obediently.
Looking at the knight before him, Lince smiled to himself and then said:
"My servant, there is only one thing you need to do now: recruit your subjects and build up this territory as quickly as possible."
"Bear offspring and strengthen your clan. This is the Oracle I bestow upon you!"
"As for what you'll tell the outside world, you can..."