# **Chapter 5 – The First War**
The night air was cold, heavy with tension.
Torches flickered along the perimeter as my soldiers scrambled to their positions. The scent of smoke and iron hung in the air, mixing with fear and adrenaline.
I stood on the wooden palisade, watching faint lights moving across the hills — twenty, maybe thirty figures approaching, their shadows long under the moon.
> [Warning: Unknown Hostile Force Detected Approaching Territory]
> [Recommended Action: Defend or Negotiate]
Lü Bu was already in his armor, the crimson plates reflecting the glow of nearby fires. His halberd rested against his shoulder like a thunderbolt waiting to fall.
"Permission to intercept, Lord Kino," he said, voice like steel grinding on stone.
"Not yet," I replied, narrowing my eyes. "Let them come closer. We need to know if they're raiders or another lord's force."
Evan ran up beside me, holding a crude spyglass. "They're carrying weapons but no banners. Could be bandits."
Bandits. That was both good and bad.
Good — because they weren't organized.
Bad — because desperate men fought like cornered wolves.
---
I opened the **Tactical Map** through the system. The interface flickered before me, showing glowing red dots closing in on our camp's outer radius.
> [Enemy Force: 27 Hostiles (Mixed Light Infantry)]
> [Estimated Strength: 8,400 Power]
> [Your Current Military Power: 11,500 (Commander Bonus Applied)]
We had the advantage — mostly because of Lü Bu's overwhelming stats.
But this was still our first real test.
"Wake all soldiers," I ordered. "Archers on the wall, infantry at the gate. No one runs."
Evan nodded and sprinted off to relay the commands.
Lü Bu looked at me from the side, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You're calm for someone facing his first battle."
"I've played enough strategy games to know panic kills faster than swords," I muttered.
He laughed. "Good. Then watch closely, Lord Kino. Tonight, you'll see why Lü Bu is unmatched beneath the heavens."
---
The enemy reached shouting distance. Dirty, ragged men carrying spears and makeshift shields. Their leader, a scarred brute with wild eyes, stepped forward and raised his weapon.
"Open the gates and give us your supplies, and we might let you live!" he bellowed.
The men behind him jeered.
I stayed silent, letting them approach just close enough to lose caution. Then, when they reached fifty meters, I raised my hand.
"Now."
> [Command Issued: Fire Volley!]
The air filled with the sharp *thwip* of arrows.
The front line of bandits screamed as shafts pierced through leather and flesh.
Several dropped instantly.
"Kill them all!" their leader roared, charging forward.
The rest followed, a desperate tide crashing against our wooden walls.
Lü Bu vaulted down from the rampart in a single bound, landing in front of the gate like a god descending from the heavens.
"Pathetic," he muttered.
His halberd flashed, slicing through three men in one motion.
The weapon's arc glimmered under the moonlight, leaving red trails in the dirt.
> [Lü Bu (Commander) Activated Skill: Sky Cleaving Halberd]
> [Damage Boost: +180% | Morale Effect: -25% (Enemy)]
The bandits faltered. Even from atop the wall, I could feel their fear like a wave.
Lü Bu didn't stop. He spun his halberd, swept aside shields, and crushed skulls.
Every strike was precise — calculated violence.
The soldiers behind him followed with newfound courage, roaring as they counterattacked.
I opened the battle interface, deploying reserve units to the flanks.
Our archers shifted, raining death upon the sides of the charging horde.
It wasn't a battle anymore. It was a slaughter.
---
Within minutes, the enemy formation broke.
The surviving bandits turned to flee — only to meet Lü Bu's cavalry squad charging from the right.
> [Unit Skill Activated: Cavalry Sweep]
> [Effect: +70% Charge Speed | +20% Impact Damage]
Horses crashed through the remaining bandits like thunder through reeds.
The screams faded into silence, leaving only the sound of crackling torches and ragged breathing.
> [Enemy Force Eliminated]
> [Victory Achieved]
> [Casualties: 0 Dead, 2 Injured]
> [Loot Gained: 210 Food, 120 Wood, 80 Iron, 3 Random Equipment]
The system window faded, replaced by another.
> [Commander Lü Bu: Loyalty +3]
> [Village Morale +10%]
Lü Bu wiped his halberd clean and turned toward me, eyes burning with victory.
"The first blood has been drawn, my lord," he said. "Your empire has survived its first trial."
I nodded slowly. "No… we've *earned* our first victory."
---
After the cleanup, we gathered the bodies and burned them beyond the walls. The flames painted the night red.
The villagers watched silently, understanding what it meant — survival had a price.
Evan came up beside me, his voice low. "Lord Kino, we found something on their leader."
He handed me a metal pendant engraved with strange symbols.
> [Item Acquired: Bandit Leader's Token]
> Description: A mark of allegiance to the "Iron Fangs," a large-scale raider group rumored to control the southern plains.
> Warning: Possession of this token may attract their attention.
So this wasn't a random raid. It was a scouting attack.
I clenched the pendant in my hand. "They were testing us."
Lü Bu's gaze hardened. "Then we respond with strength. Crush them before they gather again."
I looked toward the map. The southern region shimmered faintly — unclaimed land and danger intertwined.
Not yet, I thought. Not until we're ready.
---
Later that night, I sat in the command tent reviewing reports.
Our resource stocks had grown from the loot, but the real reward was experience.
> [Lord Kino: Level Up → Lv. 3]
> [Skill Point +1 Earned]
I opened my personal skill tree.
**Leadership:** +5% troop efficiency
**Strategy:** Unlocks map prediction and terrain bonuses
**Logistics:** Reduces construction and upkeep cost
I invested the point in **Strategy**. Immediately, the map updated — enemy paths and terrain contours became clearer, more detailed.
A system notification blinked again.
> [Leaderboard Updated – Regional War Ranking]
> #1 – ??? (Name Hidden)
> #2 – Lord Ling_CN (China)
> #3 – Lord Ethan_US (USA)
> #4 – Lord Marcus_BR (Brazil)
I smiled faintly. The top spot was me, of course — hidden under the "???" name setting I'd chosen earlier.
Let them guess. Let them panic.
In the **World Chat**, chaos reigned once more.
**[World Chat]**
> *Ling_CN:* The Iron Fang raid failed. Someone killed thirty of them last night.
> *Ethan_US:* There's a hidden lord topping the charts again. Whoever "???" is, they're not normal.
> *Marcus_BR:* Betting it's a dev from the system. No way someone's this far ahead already.
> *Ling_CN:* Or maybe a legend in the making.
I closed the chat and leaned back, staring at the tent ceiling.
"Legend, huh…" I murmured.
Lü Bu entered quietly. "You can rest easy, my lord. The men are celebrating. Your name spreads through whispers."
I smirked. "Let them whisper. I'll make sure they have something worth whispering about."
He chuckled. "Then what's your next move?"
"Expansion," I said firmly. "We'll fortify the iron mine, establish outer sentries, and start building a secondary village near the river. No empire grows by standing still."
Lü Bu nodded approvingly. "Ambitious. I like it."
I opened the construction interface.
> [New Structure Available: Outpost (Tier I)]
> [Effect: +2 Territory Radius | Enables Early Warning Network]
The price was steep — 400 wood, 200 stone, and 100 iron — but it would secure our growth.
I confirmed the order.
> [Construction: Outpost (1 day remaining)]
The hammering began even before dawn.
---
As the sun rose, the crimson banner fluttered proudly over the camp.
The scent of iron, earth, and victory filled the air.
I gazed at the horizon — a world filled with countless other lords, each struggling, building, scheming.
But here, in this small fortress of wood and sweat, I had something they didn't: **Lü Bu**, loyalty, and a burning vision.
> [Personal Goal Updated: Expand Territory to "Town" Rank]
> [Progress: 52%]
> [Hidden Achievement Unlocked: "First Victory" – Reward: Commander Skill Upgrade Token ×1]
I smiled.
The first war was over.
But the true empire… had only just begun.
---
**End of Chapter 5**
---