[Your forces have slain a Mid-Blue–Rank Beast: the Northern White Ape.]
[Your subordinate Leonard has advanced to Green Peak rank.]
[Your subordinate Vladimir has advanced to Green Intermediate rank.]
[Your subordinate Art has broken past his previous limit, advancing to Green Beginner rank.]
At that moment, Golan had just handed over all the furs in his possession—including the hide of the Three-Tailed Lion—to Mira, tasking her with crafting clothes for himself and his subordinates.
But then, wave after wave of notifications flooded his vision. Power surged violently through his body, leaving him stunned.
"They actually killed… a Mid-Blue beast?"
Had he not read the notifications multiple times, he would have thought it an illusion.
Though only a day old in this world, Golan knew the meaning of crossing ranks. He still remembered facing the lion from before—same rank as him. His Savage Roar had shaken lesser beasts easily, but against the lion? It barely fazed it, and the beast had almost struck him down in that split second of regained focus.
The difference between ranks was absolute. For his men to leap across that gulf… Golan nodded in satisfaction. His forces had grown much stronger. That also meant one thing—he would soon have a Mid-Blue undead soldier under his command.
---
An hour later, Golan culled two more beasts—one at White Intermediate and one at White Peak. He gained another undead soldier at White Peak and purified the other corpse in the Cleansing Grave.
No skill. No racial talent. But he did acquire a blueprint and a bag of lettuce seeds. His mood lifted.
[Building Name: Warehouse]
[Rank: White Beginner]
[Function: Storage of items.]
[Construction Requirements: 80 Wood, 80 Stone, 4 Metal, 2 Chaos Gems]
With plenty of resources on hand, Golan didn't delay. The warehouse rose beside the Primitive Chaos Graves in a flash of light.
Its importance was obvious. He had already discovered the system inventory wouldn't accept everything. Weapons like Suleiman's old spear couldn't be stored. Only gathered resources or traded goods could.
Now, with the warehouse, he could fulfill his duties as Lord more efficiently—stocking meat for Risha, hides for Mira, and any future spoils of war. When his domain expanded and clashes with other Lords or natives became inevitable, the loot of armor and weapons would need a proper place.
The future belongs to the future, Golan thought. For now, the warehouse would double as housing. The five women in his territory could still manage in a shared cottage, but with fourteen men—including his undead—it was impossible to cram them into a single hut. At least the warehouse solved that problem temporarily, until new housing blueprints appeared.
As for the lettuce seeds—thirty in total, at White Intermediate rank—they were winter crops, but Golan lacked the skill to plant them. They would wait in the system's inventory until he recruited a farmer.
---
After finishing construction and planning, Golan caught the scent of the returning expedition team. Heart pounding with anticipation—and worry—he rushed to see the corpse of the Mid-Blue beast… and check if his men were injured.
What he saw left him speechless.
The team dragged the body of the largest ape he had ever seen in his two lives. For a moment, it reminded him of King Kong from his past world.
Crossing the protective barrier, they dropped the corpse and collapsed from exhaustion. Even Vladimir and Art were spent.
Golan hurried to Leonard, intending to ask why they pushed themselves this hard. After all, he had explicitly ordered them to rest when needed. But when he saw Leonard's grim expression, he knew something was wrong.
He ordered the logistics team to drag the corpse to the Summoning Grave and dismissed the rest to rest, leaving only him and Leonard.
"Leonard," Golan said, handing him a pouch, "drink, then tell me why you marched back without rest."
Leonard drank deeply of the pure water, took a steadying breath, and spoke.
"My Lord, while patrolling four kilometers north of the territory, I found many tracks. Different beasts. Dangerous, yes—but still within natural limits."
Golan stayed silent, waiting.
"But…" Leonard's voice grew heavy. "Every single set of tracks belonged to giant beasts."
Golan froze. Relief over his men's survival gave way to dread.
Leonard pressed on, ignoring his Lord's expression. "And the deeper north I went, the larger the tracks became. Compared to those, the ape we just killed was small. That is why I dragged the corpse back without rest. At our current strength, we are no match for such monsters."
Only because he understood the importance of corpses to Golan's ability had Leonard taken the risk.
Golan drew in a breath of icy air, his eyes drifting toward the ape's massive corpse. He couldn't even imagine the size—or strength—of the beasts Leonard described.
Danger. A danger far greater than I realized.
Though the protective barrier still shielded his land, it was only temporary. Seven days… no, six now. The snowstorm skies allowed no sun, only the dimming light of a closing day.
Leonard's voice cut through his thoughts. "My Lord, one more thing. When I looked far to the north, I saw shadows—a forest of towering winter trees, about fifteen kilometers away. Because of the high plateau and heavy snow, it can't be seen from here. But it's there."
Golan exhaled slowly, regaining composure. The remaining six days now loomed above him like a blade of Damocles. He could only work tirelessly and pray it would be enough when the barrier fell.
"Thank you for bringing this to me, Leonard," he said at last. "I'll make the necessary preparations. Do not tell anyone else. We don't need unnecessary panic. You've done well—rest."
"Understood, my Lord."
Leonard departed, leaving Golan alone, staring northward.
And for the first time, he felt the same fear Leonard had felt when he gazed into the distance.
---
End of Chapter 12