After confirming the summoning of commoners, Arthur took a deep breath and stepped back toward the portal. It still shimmered with a faint light, as if hungering for more. Without wasting another moment, he grabbed the remaining soldier summoning cards—hundreds of thousands of them—and tossed them all into the swirling portal.
The air around him immediately began to tremble.
*BZZZT—WHOOOM—CRACKLE!*
The portal erupted in radiant light, far more intense than before. Wind howled across the barren land as the energy surged uncontrollably, and then—
[Large number of soldier cards detected]
[Lord of Starblade, do you wish to spend 30,000 gold to instantly summon them all at once?]
This time, Arthur didn't hesitate.
"YES," he said with confidence, pressing the glowing confirmation prompt that hovered before him.
A blinding flash engulfed the portal.
Then, silence.
One by one, silhouettes emerged from the light—dozens at first, then hundreds, then thousands. The ground rumbled under the sheer weight of numbers. Within moments, the open field before Arthur had transformed into a sea of kneeling figures—an army of warriors, archers, assassins, mages, cavalry, guardians, and healers—all radiating discipline and awe.
Each soldier wore crisp armor suited to their rank and class. Bronze soldiers lined the front in polished steel and simple yet sturdy gear. Behind them stood ranks of silver-class warriors—stronger, more refined, their armor etched with unique engravings representing their unit types. Further back, the gold-rank troops exuded raw power, wearing enchanted equipment that pulsed faintly with mana. Their presence alone seemed to warp the air with tension and strength.
Thousands of banners fluttered in the wind, each marked with the sigil of the Starblade Territory—a blazing sword cutting across a sky full of stars.
Arthur stood proudly at the center, wind tugging at his robes. His lips curled into a satisfied smile as he looked out across his newly summoned army. They had come in silence, but the loyalty in their gaze was louder than any war cry.
Then, in perfect unison, the soldiers lowered their heads and raised their voices.
"We greet the mighty Lord!" they thundered.
The earth itself seemed to tremble with their words. Echoes of their vow rang across the hills and trees, as if nature, too, acknowledged their allegiance.
Arthur nodded, his heart pounding—not from fear, but from pride.
"Welcome to my Starblade Territory," he said, smiling warmly. His voice carried with confidence, determination, and the promise of a future none of them could yet imagine.
"From this day forward, we march as one. Victory, glory, and conquest await us."
After addressing the vast army now kneeling before him. Then Arthur called a name.
"Diana."
She was supposed to be outside the territory, overseeing stone collection with her unit. Yet, the moment her name left his lips, a subtle shift in the air signaled her arrival.
Without warning, Diana appeared before him—kneeling gracefully, head bowed in respect. Her assassin's cloak fluttered slightly behind her, still catching traces of the wind from her high-speed movement. She had crossed the entire field in seconds, as silent as a ghost and twice as swift.
Even now, after witnessing her abilities countless times, Arthur couldn't help but be impressed. But he didn't let it show.
She remained kneeling, one hand resting over her heart.
"You called, my lord," she said in a composed voice, her tone calm but edged with that deadly clarity only an assassin could carry.
Arthur looked at her with a small smile. "Take these soldiers outside the territory—where the others are gathering stones. Pass word to the commanders and have them take their respective troops into their units."
Diana lifted her head slightly, her violet eyes locking onto his with sharp precision.
"Understood."
Diana vanished into thin air the moment Arthur gave the command, her presence melting back into the wind like a passing shadow. Moments later, the soldiers began to march in her guidance.
Soldiers moved in disciplined lines, their polished armor glinting beneath the soft, golden sunlight. The rhythmic *thud* of their boots hitting the earth echoed like a rising drumbeat across the land.
Archers marched with their bows slung across their backs, quivers full and eyes sharp. Cavalry riders led their proud steeds with disciplined ease, the horses snorting and stamping as they prepared for formation. Assassins flickered in and out of shadows even in daylight, while mages walked with robes fluttering and staffs gently pulsing with magical energy. Guardians brought up the rear, a wall of imposing figures whose every step made the ground seem to tremble beneath their plated feet.
In the territory, the territory's loyal citizens were spread across the nearby plains, joyfully collecting the glowing Emberveil Flowers. These radiant blossoms, part of a limited-time event, shimmered in hues of orange and gold as they were gently plucked and stored by villagers, craftsmen, and young apprentices.
At first, they had been laughing and chatting amongst themselves, marveling at the flowers. But now, their attention shifted.
The ground rumbled softly. Eyes turned.
The citizens looked up, one by one, and beheld the spectacle of Arthur's growing army. Thousands upon thousands of soldiers, marching in perfect synchronization, passed by like a living tide of steel, discipline, and unshakable purpose.
Gasps filled the air. Tools were dropped, Emberveil Flowers momentarily forgotten.
Children pointed with wide eyes. Elders clasped their hands together. Even the most hardened workers straightened their backs as a newfound sense of pride welled within them.
Their once quiet frontier lord had summoned an army fit for a king.
Respect shimmered in every gaze.
Awe rooted them in place.
And among them, soft murmurs spread like wildfire.
"So many…"
"Gold-ranked soldiers… look at their armor!"
"This is our lord's army?"
"our lord is soo powerful."
As the last of the soldiers passed by, Dinana cloak trailing behind her as she walked at the army's head, guiding them to their staging area with silent precision. She gave a single nod to the citizens nearby, and without a word, they respectfully stepped aside, their eyes following her with admiration and a hint of fear.
From atop the distant wall, Arthur watched it all unfold—his people moved, his army assembled, and his territory pulsing with purpose.
Starblade was no longer just a name. It was becoming a force to be reckoned with.
"I'll have to create more units for the Gold Rank soldiers now," Arthur muttered with a light sigh. His voice carried no frustration—only quiet satisfaction. Despite the challenge ahead, the sight of his growing army and flourishing territory filled him with pride.
With a simple thought, his system interface appeared before him, shimmering faintly in the air.
---
[Territory Status —]
- Name: Starblade
- Lord: Arthur
- Lord's Title: Lord of the Starblade
- Territory Level: 05
- Area Covered: 5 x 5 kilometers
- Special Trait: Fate's Favour (Mythical)
- Total Population: 1,285,800 / 10,000,000
- Total Soldiers: 748,710 / 5,000,000
---
Arthur studied the information with a small nod of approval.
"It's not enough... not yet," he whispered, his tone shifting from satisfied to serious. His gaze sharpened as he looked toward the treeline at the edge of Starblade Territory. "From the knowledge I've gathered about this forest, it's clear—this region isn't unclaimed by chance."
The Dark Forest was vast, ancient, and ungoverned. That alone was suspicious. In a world teeming with mighty Empire, kingdoms, sects, and wandering powerhouses, an ownerless and vast forest should have long been claimed. The only explanation was that it was too dangerous... even for them.
"I need to grow stronger—much stronger—if I'm going to hold my ground in this world," Arthur thought, his expression grave. "Especially here... in a forest where even the bold hesitate to tread."
Yet even in the face of looming threats, he remained undeterred.
Shaking off the thought, he shifted his attention to the ongoing event and pulled up the progress tracker.
"It's been five hours already," he muttered. "Let's see how many Emberveil Stones we've gathered."
Kindle Petal Cores: 3,000,000
Blazing Hearthstones: 50,000
Emberveil soulgem: 1,000
Arthur was surprised to see the collection.
"This means I have now 3,600,000 points. So i can exchange for one of the special soldiers recruitment building by tonight.
Feeling a bit restless, Arthur leaned back against the smooth bark of a silverwood tree within his territory, letting the cool breeze brush past him. He raised his hand lazily and opened the shimmering interface of the Global Channel, curious to see how the rest of the world was doing.
The screen flickered to life, filled with a flood of messages from lords all across the realm. Most were excited, frantic, or outright panicking. Notifications flew by every second.
[Global channel]
Ethan: Who the hell just bought out 100 bronze weapon crates?!
Mei: It's unlimited, genius.
Ethan: THEN WHY IS IT STILL SOLD OUT FOR ME?!
Jin: My villagers are dropping from exhaustion… and we're still behind.
Tariq: I just hit 20,000 stones… how the hell are people at 500k- 1 million already?!
Alex: Stop crying and collect more stones.
Isha: Easy to say when you have cavalry, Alex.
Ben: I traded all my food for some iron. Big mistake. Half my people are starving now.
Rei: My territory's being circled by monsters.
Liam: My soldiers are injured and I can't even afford basic healing kits from the event store.
Noor: I summoned a Guardians just now… Gold Rank.
Darius: That's impossible! They cost thousands of points!
Aiko: Meanwhile, my best fighter died collecting a stone. A stone.
Zane: Just bought some arrows. Had to sell a crate of lumber for it.
Natalie: We're in hell and the store is the devil.
Chris: We need to unite. Trade, talk, share strategies—.
Ravi: Bro this isn't kindergarten. Everyone's out for themselves.
Farah: Just unlocked silver rank Mage recruitment. Took everything I had.
Leo: You guys have troops?!
..
....
...
...