The morning wind rolled gently through the territory, carrying the scent of fresh soil and pine. The wooden walls stood tall, reinforced with ropes and stakes, and above them loomed the crude, half-finished skeleton of a future stone barrier. Shiri—the naga blacksmith—hammered at a loose slab, his long tail coiled for balance as he wiped sweat from his scaled brow.
Onyx stood atop the wall's highest point, a silent sentinel. His black skeletal frame cast a sharp silhouette against the sky, shadows swirling like a cape behind him. He never moved unless necessary—so when he suddenly stiffened, Shiri paused mid-hammer.
"Onyx?" Shiri asked. "What happened?"
The shadowy guardian didn't speak—but his posture tensed as he leapt down from the wall, landing without a sound. He stared toward the distant forest path.
Shiri's heart skipped. "Monster attack? Again?" He tightened his grip around his hammer. "Well? Go on—attack it already!"
But the moment his eyes followed Onyx's line of sight, Shiri froze. The tension melted off his face, replaced first by disbelief… then relief… then pure excitement.
"KAIRO!!"
From the horizon, four figures emerged—dusty, bruised, but walking.
Kairo raised a tired hand. "We're back!"
Theo didn't wait another second. "BIG BRO SHIRI!" he yelled, sprinting full speed.
Shiri's eyes widened before he burst into a grin and slithered forward, spreading his arms. They collided in a tight hug, Theo practically jumping into him.
"So?" Shiri asked, tightening the embrace. "How was it? Your very first hunt?"
Theo's tired face said enough… but he still managed a small, proud smile. "Hard. Really hard. But… good."
Shiri laughed, patting his back. "That's all that matters. Good job, little man."
Their laughter echoed as Kairo and the rest closed the distance. Onyx moved immediately to Kairo's side—the place he always stood.
Kairo smirked. "Looks like you missed me, huh?"
Onyx stared blankly, unresponsive as ever.
Kairo chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."
He then turned to Shiri. The two shared a relieved, knowing glance—one only people who trusted each other deeply could exchange. They fist-bumped.
"It's good to have you back, boss," Shiri said.
Kairo groaned jokingly. "We're equals, remember? No need for the 'boss' stuff."
"Yeah, yeah," Shiri muttered with a grin.
He turned to Flint. "And how about you, big guy?"
Flint shrugged, rubbing his bruised arm. "Pretty good. Got knocked around a bit. Nothing I can't walk off."
Shiri nodded and then shifted his gaze to Lilian. "And the young missy? How'd the hunt treat you?"
Lilian sighed, adjusting her hair. "We… got off track. A lot. But it was good."
Shiri smiled warmly. "Glad you liked it."
For a moment, everything felt peaceful. The group reunited, laughter shared, warmth returning to the territory.
But then Shiri's expression shifted. His tail tightened unconsciously.
"Well, that's all good and all but…" He hesitated.
Kairo narrowed his eyes. "What? Something wrong?"
Shiri exhaled slowly. "Kairo… we need to talk."
They all made their way deeper into the territory, entering the tier-one house. The moment Theo stepped inside, he dropped onto the wooden flooring with an exhausted groan.
"Ohh, how I missed this place…" he exhaled dramatically.
Lilian sat beside him, raising an eyebrow. "Come on, Theo. This is just a wooden floor."
"Compared to the wild," he said, eyes half-closed in bliss, "this is a palace."
Lilian looked around, then chuckled. "I guess you're right."
Kairo and Shiri settled into the chairs near the table while Onyx stood silently at Kairo's side. The room felt warm and familiar, but Shiri's expression didn't match the atmosphere. Kairo noticed immediately.
"So," Kairo said, leaning forward, "what is it?"
Shiri sighed, reached into his pocket, and placed a small red crystal on the table. It gleamed faintly under the dim light.
Kairo picked it up, turning it between his fingers. "What's this supposed to be?"
Theo sat upright instantly, curiosity bursting through his tiredness. Lilian leaned in as well.
"A mana stone," Shiri answered. "And a good quality one."
"So what does it do?" Kairo asked.
Lilian explained, "Mana stones enhance magic. Some even contain spells, but those ones are extremely rare."
Shiri let out a humorless laugh. "Apparently… not rare enough."
Kairo frowned. "What do you mean?"
"This stone," Shiri said slowly, "was recovered from the monster Onyx killed a few days ago."
(Oh—right. That hound thing he fought.) Kairo nodded. "So what's the problem?"
Shiri pointed at the crystal. "There's a slave crest carved into it."
Kairo's eyes widened. A slave crest? Why would a monster have—?
Kairo paused, noticing Shiri's expression—remorseful, guilty, and deeply distressed, as if something unseen gnawed at him. The usually steady naga looked shaken, weighed down by a truth he dreaded to share.
Before he could finish that thought, he opened the Command Nexus to analyze the mana stone.
But then—
"WHAT'S THAT!!" Theo screamed.
Everyone jerked in shock.
"What? Did you get hurt?" Shiri asked urgently.
Theo didn't answer. He just pointed — not at Kairo, but behind him.
Straight at the floating Command Nexus.
Kairo froze.
"You… you can SEE this!?" he shouted.
Theo nodded rapidly, eyes wide. "It's floating—like some glowing window thing. What is that?"
Shiri blinked, confused, looking around the room for something he couldn't see. "What are you talking about? There's nothing there. Did you hit your head on the way back?"
Kairo's heartbeat quickened. There was only one explanation. His mind flashed back to the cave—when Theo had stopped moving the moment Kairo spoke his name… and that strange notification afterward.
Theo had been integrated into his territory.
Kairo let out a long breath. "Wait a moment… let me check something."
He opened the Command Nexus, flipping through the shimmering menus only he should've been able to see—until now. Then he found it. A new icon pulsed softly: Recruitment Function — Unlocked.
He tapped it.
[Description: Allows recruitment of allies and refugees. Integrated individuals gain partial access to the Command Nexus.]
Kairo leaned back, stunned for a moment, then laughed. "So that's the reason! Theo can see it because he's part of the territory now."
Theo blinked. "I'm… part of what now?"
Shiri scratched his head with a tired groan. "I swear, every time you come back, something new and weird shows up. I still don't understand a single thing you two are blabbering about."
"Then," Kairo said, turning toward Shiri, "let's test something."
The moment he focused on Shiri, a message popped up in front of him:
New Ally Detected: Shiri.
Integrate into Territory? Y/N
Kairo smirked. "Alright, Shiri… experiment time." He pressed YES without hesitation.
A heartbeat later—
"WAH—WHAT IS THAT?!" Shiri yelled, recoiling so hard his tail slapped the floor. His eyes darted around wildly at the glowing screen only he and Theo could now see.
Onyx tilted his skull slightly, unamused. Kairo grinned. "Welcome to the club."
To be continued....