The three monstrous raptors hurtled toward the squad with terrifying speed, but Leonard stood firm, his gaze never wavering from the incoming beasts.
Seventy meters… fifty… forty… thirty… twenty…
At just twenty meters, Leonard loosed his arrow. It flew like lightning, burying itself directly into the eye of the raptor he had targeted.
"SKREEE!"
At such close range, the beast couldn't evade. The arrow pierced through its eye and vanished deep into its skull, eliciting a shriek of agony. In the final instant, Leonard threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the massive corpse crashing down.
The giant raptor slammed into the snow like a falling artillery shell. Snow burst into the air in a white cloud, feathers scattering as its colossal body carved a crater into the frozen ground.
---
Meanwhile, Jad and Suleiman were locked in their own desperate battle. Another raptor had marked Jad, its talons tearing through the sky toward him. Suleiman rushed to support, but Jad's eyes blazed with resolve.
His breath came ragged, his grip tightened around his sword. Planting his feet firmly, he whispered to steady his spirit.
"Stand… stand firm!"
He didn't move until the razor-sharp talons filled his vision. At the last possible instant, Jad dropped low, his body folding like a cat's. The raptor's strike sliced only a few strands of his long hair, leaving the rest of him untouched.
In a flash, Jad surged upright. His blade thrust upward, piercing into the raptor's unprotected underbelly. The creature's own momentum carried it forward, and in a single devastating motion, Jad's sword ripped through its stomach, spilling entrails like a crimson waterfall.
Blood and viscera rained down upon him, yet Jad didn't so much as blink.
"AHHHH!"
With a guttural cry, he tore his blade free as the raptor collapsed behind him, its death throes shaking the ground. Raising his weapon high, Jad let out a triumphant roar that echoed across the battlefield.
Not far away, Suleiman lowered his spear, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He hadn't intervened—not because he couldn't, but because he had seen the fierce determination in Jad's eyes earlier. Allowing Jad to face this trial alone had been a gamble… and Jad had surpassed every expectation.
---
The third beast fell swiftly to Vladimir. When its claws struck, they shredded nothing but the afterimage of his shadow. In that same heartbeat, his daggers carved across the raptor's neck, severing its head in a spray of arterial blood.
---
On the second team's side, Anara raised her palm. The black flame roared forth, striking the raptor square in the face. The sinister blaze spread instantly, engulfing its head entirely.
The beast shrieked in despair, crashing into the snow as it desperately tried to smother the fire. But the black flame was merciless, consuming flesh and bone alike until only charred remains remained.
With a graceful motion, Anara waved her hand, and the flame dissipated. She deliberately spared the body from further ruin—she knew her Lord would need the corpse intact.
---
The last raptor was dispatched by Art and the longbowman from the Underworld. A well-placed arrow pierced beneath its wing, followed by a hammer blow that crushed its skull, ending its struggle in two decisive strikes.
---
The battle was over in the blink of an eye. Not a single squad member had fallen. Their flawless coordination—and the raptors' lack of racial talents or magical skills—had ensured victory. The beasts were massive and ferocious, but ultimately little more than crude aberrations birthed by the northern corruption.
---
[Your forces, Leonard, have slain an Ice Mountain Raptor (Blue—Novice).]
[Your forces, Jad, have slain an Ice Mountain Raptor (Blue—Novice).]
[Your forces, Vladimir, have slain an Ice Mountain Raptor (Blue—Novice).]
[Your forces, Anara, have slain an Ice Mountain Raptor (Blue—Intermediate).]
[Your subordinate, Jad, has advanced two ranks! He has surpassed his previous limits and is now Green—Novice.]
[Your subordinate, Vladimir, has advanced to Green—Peak.]
---
Jolan scanned the sudden flood of notifications, astonished. Six flying beasts slain in a single clash. But what shocked him most was Jad's achievement—he had slain an enemy across ranks.
Jolan vividly recalled how, in the previous expedition against the Giant Ape, Jad hadn't even participated. To see him evolve so rapidly now left Jolan both proud and pleasantly surprised.
"This deserves a reward," he murmured to himself.
Since he had both time and resources on hand, Jolan initiated another round of construction. Ten rural cottages rose swiftly—five on each side of the settlement.
The cost was minor: 500 Wood, 500 Stone, 20 Metal, 10 Chaos Gems. He still had a decent stockpile left, but chose not to build further for now, saving instead to upgrade the Lord's Hall.
Looking across his territory, Jolan couldn't help but smile. What had once been barren ice was beginning to resemble a lively village.
---
Two hours after the fierce battle, the expedition squad returned, dragging behind them the carcasses of six giant raptors.
Twenty minutes later, four new Underworld soldiers emerged from the Summoning Grave. Jolan placed one of the remaining corpses into the old Purification Grave—it hadn't been used in some time—and saved another for later use.
He then allowed the expedition team a short rest to replenish supplies: boiled water, dried monster meat.
Summoning seven of his fighters, Jolan ordered them to form a new scouting party, directing them southward into unexplored lands.
---
From the spoils of four of the raptors, Jolan reaped:
320 × Units of Ice Mountain Raptor Meat
180 × Bundles of Raptor Feathers
62 × Chaos Gems
1 × Bag of Sweet Potato Seeds (White—Intermediate)
1 × Blueprint: Rural Restaurant (Green—Novice)
1 × Soil Enrichment Voucher (White—Peak)
---
The silver voucher immediately drew Jolan's attention. It resembled a business card from his previous life—sleek, minimal, etched with strange runes. He activated the interface.
[Item: Soil Enrichment Voucher]
[Grade: White—Peak]
[Effect: Within an area of 100m × 100m, soil fertility will be improved from the lowest level to White—Peak, with crop growth speed increased by 20%.]
[Note: Does not affect soil already at White—Peak or above.]
"Excellent!" Jolan's face lit up.
He had been worrying about food. With his population steadily rising, it wasn't realistic to rely solely on meat. Even if monster flesh provided energy for promotion, sooner or later everyone would tire of it—and worse, supplies would run out.
To him, food security was as critical as the looming threat of northern beasts. With this voucher and sweet potato seeds, a true agricultural base was finally within reach.
---
Next, he examined the blueprint.
[Building: Rural Restaurant]
[Grade: Green—Novice]
[Function: Accommodates up to 40 people dining simultaneously. Equipped with tables, chairs, kitchen facilities, utensils, and decorated with rustic ornaments.]
[Requirements: 400 Wood, 400 Stone, 30 Metal, 20 Chaos Gems.]
"Perfect. No more cooking and eating in the open."
Satisfied with the harvest, Jolan glanced at the raptor corpse he had placed in the Purification Grave. The timer showed forty minutes left before completion.
Carrying the sweet potato seeds and the voucher, he made his way south to find Sarah and the farmers.
---
There, the laborers were clearing snow, working tirelessly to prepare the frozen soil. For the first time since his arrival, Jolan saw patches of bare earth breaking through the white blanket.
"It's the Lord!"
Eight voices rang out in unison as Sarah and the farmers straightened, eyes brightening at his approach.
"Thank you for your hard work. Sarah, have you planted the seeds yet?"
"Not yet, my Lord," she replied, brushing snow from her gloves. "We've almost finished clearing. Next, we'll plow and sow."
"Well done. Make sure to rest adequately. I have something that will enhance the soil's fertility, but I'll need you to stand back at least 120 paces before I begin."
"Understood, my Lord!"
None doubted his words—instead, they looked excited, whispering about yet another miracle their Lord was about to perform.
---
[System Prompt: Requirements fulfilled. Activate Soil Enrichment Voucher now? Yes/No]
Jolan crouched, pressing the silver voucher into the earth. As he confirmed, it dissolved into radiant light.
A semi-transparent glow expanded outward in a perfect circle, enveloping a full hundred meters with Jolan at its center.
The light sank into the frozen soil, infusing it with a palpable vitality. Even without bending down, Jolan's heightened racial sense of smell caught the fragrance of renewed life emanating from the ground.
For the first time, true hope of crops sprouting from this frozen wasteland filled his heart.
---
End of Chapter 17