The first light of dawn was pale and cold, seeping through the heavy, oppressive clouds hanging low over the desolate village. A thick mist curled around the shattered remnants of homes and farms, clinging to broken beams and scorched earth like a ghost refusing to leave. The air was heavy with the scent of smoke and damp soil, a bitter reminder of destruction and loss.
The man stood alone amidst the ruins, his boots sinking slightly into the wet dirt. His eyes, sharp yet shadowed by exhaustion, scanned the horizon. The village that once bustled with life—the laughter of children, the calls of merchants, the clatter of blacksmiths—was now nothing but a skeleton of splintered wood, toppled fences, and scorched fields.
Before him floated a faintly glowing interface — the System. Its presence was both alien and comforting, a light in the gloom. Symbols and bars shimmered in midair, intangible yet powerful, promising something no one else in this broken land possessed.
Base Level: 1Next Level Requires: 10,000 Base EXPTasks Available: Gather Resources, Build Shelter, Train Troops
Ten thousand experience points. The weight of that number pressed on him like an immovable boulder.
A slow, grinding challenge loomed ahead, one that would test every fiber of his resolve.
His fingers closed around a cracked plank lying half-buried in the dirt. The wood was brittle and blackened, but it was something. Anything was better than nothing. He lifted it carefully and placed it against the frame of a partially collapsed wall.
The System buzzed softly, registering his action:
Base EXP +10
Ten points.
Ten measly points for a backbreaking task.
He swallowed hard and scanned the surrounding wasteland. The nearby forest, though scarred by fire and neglect, still stood as a fragile bastion of resources. Twisted trees and fallen branches lay strewn about. It would be dangerous, but gathering wood and stone here was the first step.
He bent down again, fingers brushing aside ash and dirt to grasp a handful of small twigs. The chill in the morning air seeped through his thin clothes, biting at his skin. His hands, cracked and bleeding from the rough labor, ached with every movement.
Another task complete.
Base EXP +5
The progress bar in the System interface moved by the slimmest fraction.
He forced himself to keep going. Each handful of wood, each stone stacked, was a small victory — but the mountain before him remained colossal. To reach level two, to unlock new buildings, stronger walls, and heroes who could turn the tide, he needed to amass ten thousand experience points. That meant thousands of these tiny steps, thousands of hours of sweat and pain.
Days passed like this.
He worked from dawn to dusk, the relentless rhythm punctuated by the occasional threat of wild beasts and rival scouts. One morning, as he dragged a heavy log toward the site of his first shelter, a pack of mangy wolves emerged from the forest's edge. Their snarls echoed through the air, hungry eyes fixed on him.
He barely had time to react before the System kicked in.
Combat Mode Activated.
His heart pounded, but his hands were steady. The System showed him the wolves' weak points, suggested tactical moves, and even slowed time in brief bursts. Using a fallen branch as a makeshift weapon, he fought them off. The adrenaline surge multiplied the experience gained.
Base EXP +300 (50x multiplier applied)
That rare burst of progress was a brief reprieve from the slow, grinding toil. But such moments were fleeting.
When the wolves fled, panting and beaten, he fell to his knees, gasping for breath. The pain in his limbs was deep and fierce.
He looked at the System again.
"Base Level Up requires significant EXP. Tasks completed contribute to experience, but strategic growth and defense are essential."
It wasn't just about working harder — he had to be smarter.
The village was vulnerable. Neighboring lords had already begun raising armies, fortifying their own territories. Without strength, without allies, this place would remain an easy target.
At night, beneath a sky obscured by thick clouds, he lay on a bed of moss and dirt. The faint glow of the System was his only light. The experience bar blinked slowly upward, marking progress measured in inches rather than miles.
He thought about the road ahead. The buildings to be rebuilt. The walls to be strengthened. The troops to be trained and commanded.
He imagined the day when heroes would come to his banner — warriors with unique powers who would fight beside him, loyal and fierce.
But that day was not yet here.
He was still alone.
Still struggling with each splintered board, each heavy stone.
Still fighting for every inch of survival.
Yet, beneath the exhaustion and the weight of the impossible task, a fierce spark burned in his chest.
This was his land.
His people.
And he would see this village rise again — stronger, fiercer, and unyielding.
He clenched his fists, the rough bark biting into his palms.
No matter the cost.
No matter how long it took.
He would build his foundation.
And from it, forge a kingdom.