Jack chose to spend another 3 days helping everywhere he could in his territory.
In the morning of the 4th day, he finally gained the reports he had been waiting for.
All the initial preparations had been completed.
Ha had given the Hero token to Cochi. He had gained the Hero status and gained a latent and rare ability.
Firstly Jack had considered to use it on Harken, but when he saw the ability hidden within Cochi, he had changed his mind right away.
'Telekinetic Awareness' was an ability that enabled Cochi to create a matter-less force around him.
He could manipulate it to create blast waves, make objects float in the air and even partly control the bodies of others.
He could basically do whatever he wanted with his surroundings, however his meagre [Spirit Power: 7] made him exhausted fast, and his control was very limited.
Cochi had 10.000 trash troops in the barrack in the small rivers area and 1500 common troops on normal wild horses.
His job was to completely patrol and safeguard the southern Dilato fields, between the large river and the Bloodfall Mountains.
Every area had been properly adjusted with much needed buildings.
Many common rank houses had been build, enough bakeries, tanneries, forges and everything needed had been finalized.
Jack had helped build additional larger kitchens and resource stockpiles in key locations.
The resources flowed almost daily with grain, corn, milk, eggs, dimwag meat, cotton, fruits and more.
Lake-town had become a proper town with 20.000 civilians and Black Mountain had about 70.000 civilians, a proper small city that made Jack proud.
Had Sha'ri not already attacked him and already engaged in skirmishes around the small rivers almost daily since then, he might truly just pursue peace and trade with everything he had build.
But he knew that was not possible and thus every single wall and wall-tower had now been equipped with the scorpions and stockpiles of iron bolts.
He had the 1500 riders and 10.000 trash troops defending the small rivers.
About 5000 trash troops defended Lake-town and another 5000 under Harken defended the forest and gates into Black Mountain.
Jack had prioritised the common troops, and his army had just been completed.
5000 common rank archers, 10.000 common rank swordsmen, 15.000 common rank spearmen and 5000 common rank spearmen on 'wild' horse backs.
Jack had truly been happy the day they found the herd of wild horses.
Around 10.000 horses had been in the herd of wild horses. 6500 were currently used in his military, the rest would only breed and work his territory.
The high horses had been returned for breeding alone.
Jack dream of having many more of these magnificent mounts in the future and wouldn't risk any more of them in battle.
Besides all this progress, the dwarfs had additionally begun the 'central earth stairway'.
In a large dug-out cavern near the center of the mountain, they had begun a square formed and 100 square-meter excavation downward.
They continued in a stairway-manner spiralling downward.
Every 100 meters, they would dig tunnels and search for mithril, yet there was still no telling if or when they would find it.
The mission for the horses had been completed and Jack gained the 'Chicken Farm' treasure.
He had placed the farm a few days ago and even finished mining the sulfur resource spawn.
[Lords Common Resources: Wood x46.200.000. Stone x99.300.000. Iron x30.000. Gold Coins x177.500.000]
[Lords Rare resources: Sulfur x25.000. Gemstones x250. Mithril x0. Adamantium x0]
The new mission was an epic ranked one, and one that Jack looked forward to complete.
[New Mission(Epic): Kill the leader of the mountain trolls that have spawned on the Silver Mountains. Reward: Random Epic Ranked Artifact]
Jack truly felt that everything in his territory were in order.
Actually better yet, as his stockpiles of territory goods had a huge surplus of what his civilians needed. Enough to prosper greatly through trade if ever he got the chance.
His common troops had all been equipped with iron helmets and shoulder pads. Their natural common leather armor had even been slightly upgraded with inlaid iron rings in the joints.
Long and wide shields of strong wood and iron frames had been handed out to all the spearmen and swordsmen.
The spearmen-riders had been equipped with a smaller version for maneuverability upon the horses.
The archers had not been equipped with a shield, so they could move swiftly out of danger or reposition. Instead they had been equipped with a short-sword for melee protection.
Jack was reassured about his territories protection, as he knew that every day, around 9000 fresh trash troops would be summoned and allocated to different walls, patrols or garrisons.
At noon he had said his goodbyes to his family, mounted Blackmane, and rode out trough the forest with 30.000 common troops with good armor, and enough wagons with supplies to last 20 days.
'Finally the time has come... The south is protected and properly scouted for the boss of the Dilato Fields. It is not there... It has to be in the north or even in the large river...'
Jack intended to claim the new territory first.
Moving slowly past lake-town, he saw Xena waving with thousands of troops and civilians on the walls to bid their army good luck.
'Some day I will claim every territory in this peninsula, and make my family completely safe!'
Jack didn't wave back, but looked at the iron-clad troops around him.
Many smiled and waved back, but were reprimanded quickly by the group leaders.
Jack had found it necessary to promote many among them to group leaders.
He originally had no military knowledge at all, and only acted on his gut feeling and recent experiences.
He concluded that such a vast army like this, needed a command chain.
So besides the many group leaders, he had Gunnar as captain of the riders, William as captain of the swordsmen, Lee as captain of the archers and finally Ruben as captain of the spearmen.
All the common troops had been sparring and training in the past few days, even the late batch had done their best, and they had decided who were most skilled amongst them.
So Jack ended with these captains for his army.
When they had travelled a few kilometres past the northern garrison castle, Jack finally began the search properly.
"Gunnar take the riders and search the fields between the river and the mountains. I will continue along the river. If you find the boss, don't engage but keep an eye on it and send for me."
Gunnar was a hefty man, broad shouldered and with a long beard, "Yes my lord! We will ride at once!"
Gunnar and the 5000 riders rode scattered over the tall grass to cover more ground quickly.
Jack dismounted Blackmane and strode beside him for many hours along the river bank.
As night came, they made a large camp near the river.
It was now dark and many campfires and torches made a pleasing atmosphere as Jack walked to the river.
'The rivers flow seem so relaxed tonight... I can even see the starry sky in its surface.'
Jack listened to the rivers flow and enjoyed the peace, feeling the natural beauty of this place had restored a piece of his broken self.
SPLASH!
"Fuck you!"
A large dilator suddenly broke the waters surface and lunged at him.
But Jack quickly evaded it, having grown accustomed to his strong fortitude.
"Do you think you can get me this easily?" Jack smiled and teased the dilator that had missed its mark.
With an eight meter long and almost two meter wide body, this predator was lethal.
However Jack drew his longsword and threw himself at the beast with all his rage for vengeance.
The dilator, oppressed by the sheer volume of deadly aura emanating from Jack, tried to withdraw back into the river.
But it was too late for it.
'No running! You started this...' Jack grabbed its tail and violently yanked it further up on the ground.
This commotion naturally alerted Jacks troops, and they rushed to the scene quickly and professionally with draw weapons.
"Stay back! The first one is mine!" Jack had a crazy look in his eyes, and even his own troops shuddered by the clear aura of killing intent.
The dilato hissed and slammed its long tooth-filled jaw a few times.
'You dare to taunt me?' Jack answered coldly by creating a few hard stones around him.
He let them fly and hit the dilato hard, yet they didn't do much damage to scales as thick as these.
They were merely meant to taunt it back, and it worked.
The dilato rose on its four legs and rushed fast towards Jack, intending to snap him in half.
However Jack took a stance with both hands on his longsword and swung just once.
The rushing dilato had its head removed in a flash and the common troops truly witnessed the power of their lord!
But unknowingly to them, Jacks bursting aura of killing intent had awoken something truly big in the river.
'Something dares to challenge me?'
A true monster had begun to swim down the river, and gathered every dilato in its path.