A New World, an immersive game experience

The number of wandering hordes was still considerable, and Eldrian realized the undead were increasing around the border of the kingdom. They roamed without purpose, but they were slowly approaching Kynigo.

'I hope I'm wrong. We need some peace...' Expanding his exploration function past the borders of the kingdom, Eldrian noted that it didn't look like an army. But there were hundreds of thousands of undead making their way to the kingdom.

He had also found some places that seems like towns, but he ignored that for now. The important parts were that it wasn't an army, and they weren't charging towards the city. Rather, it appeared to be the slow trod of the undead. Unorganized, clumsy, and sometimes even in circles.

'Are they being pushed forward or attracted by something? This is a problem either way. Seems I can't take time off just yet.' Returning to the room -after having cleaned the kounle (a rabbit type creature) he had killed-, Eldrian started cooking. Having altered the room to have a hole in the roof and guiding the smoke through it.

'Right, that control just now isn't the same as Brazan's ability. Just as I suspected, GAIA didn't want to answer or even discuss the topic. But mana isn't the same as normal matter, that much is clear or they would have answered my questions.'

'I still don't get it all, but I can guide it just fine with artificial pressure alteration and wind control. I think the topic is actually too complicated for me now that I try and decipher it. GAIA's right, I need to improve my level of education.'

'I can understand fire better than wind. You can control it with heat management, artificial heat it may be, but it still worked as heat as long as the mana remains... Brazan's ability would be to truly control the atoms and reactions that make up the fire...'

'So, does that mean he doesn't need to use mana? What is used as a source then? It should be safe. Perhaps it drains stamina or something unseens?... I should check up on him again. Last time I guided him, I only suspected that mana was something different due to how it interacts. But he showed progress from my vague ideas, which in itself was confirmation.'

"That smells amazing!" The dwarf groaned, shocked to find himself on such a comfortable floor -no, this was a bed. As he woke from his groggy state, he looked at the room and Eldrian in bewilderment, rubbing his hand on the bed in wonder. "How long was I out?"

"Just a day. It's still early morning." Eldrian replied to Theas' grumbling stomach by offering him a bit of the rabbit-like creature. The description said that kounle meat was good for recovery, which was why Eldrian had gone after the cute creatures.

A kounle looked just like a rabbit, only its fur was a soft green and it had a small horn.

It could use magic and could even kill people, but of course, it might as well have been a normal harmless rabbit to Eldrian. It excelled at camouflage, but that meant nothing to Eldrian thanks to his map and his ability to scout his surrounding by spreading mageia.

'It did look quite cute. I wonder if any players have tried having some evolved creatures as their pets?' To Eldrian, the concept of the kounle being deadly did not even cross his mind.

Of course, it was a magical creature that preferred to hide or run rather than fight, but when cornered, it could put up a decent fight thanks to its specialization in speed and innate talent with wind magic.

Like most evolved creature and monsters, their Tiers were normally on the lower side. Almost never reaching Tier 5 or above.

"Ah... I see. So then... everything went well?" Theas asked, hinting at what had happened after he had left Eldrian to die. Sure, it was part of the plan, but Theas felt slightly bad.

"Yeah, everything ended up as planned." Eldrian wasn't going to discuss what had happened after he had died in the keep. He wasn't that close to the dwarf. And they were likely going to split now that the job was done.

However, Eldrian hoped he could persuade Theas to remain and help them face the coming undead. They didn't seem strong, but there seemed to be an endless amount. He needed help to calm things until preparations could be finished.

Hopefully, Boran could send some soldiers and craftsmen to help them build a frontline against the undead. Thanks to the Diades event, Kynigo should have enough people to handle this alone. If they had time, the undead not rushing forward should give them a few days to a week or two to prepare.

'Since the fort is currently cleared, we should retake it. Though, the others are still occupied by undead...' Of course, the fort was damaged, which lowered its defensive value. But its position was still important. Especially if the route to Ganalin was to be kept safe.

There was a recently reclaimed town not far from the forts, centered almost at the midpoint between all three forts. While its loss would not be disastrous thanks to the vertical farms, it would certainly be less than ideal as the town could function well as a command point for the front lines.

And with Kynigo now housing around a million lives, it was certainly best to keep the front lines as far from the city as possible. And to maintain as much land for farming and grazing as could be managed.

Sadly, the military force of Kynigo did not reflect its current population. Most of the newly recruited soldiers to make up numbers were also inexperienced and weak. Of almost no help.

'We should prioritize fort Pyknos, Kyno Northeast which is cleared, and Ganalin Eastern... Reclaiming those other two might prove difficult, but it is a must if we want to keep a certain distance between the front lines and city.' Looking at his map, Eldrian started planning the best way to form defensive lines.

'I'm going to need the guild's help. Sadly, saving people takes a lower precedent than stopping another city from falling.'

Eldrian sighed, that he could come to this conclusion so calmy showed just how much he had changed. Lives on the line? Simply place things on a balance scale.

It was the needed perspective of those with great power, and he hated it.

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