The golden light radiating from Orion Vance's Origin-Grade Talent illuminated the dark forest around him, piercing through the shadows of the giant trees. Kael, standing not far away, reflexively raised his arm to shield his eyes from the blinding intensity of the cosmic glow.
The two Normal-tier Summoning Gateways, made of crude gray stone, began to melt like candles held close to a hearth. They were sucked into the vortex of the golden energy cube, colliding, shattering, and then fusing back together into an entirely new form.
The sound of heavy metallic clanging echoed, as if a divine hammer were forging steel upon a cosmic anvil.
Slowly, the light subsided. Magical dust fell to the ground, revealing the silhouette of the new structure.
Orion lowered his hands, his breathing slightly heavy but his eyes sparkling with absolute satisfaction. In front of him, the two worn-out stone gateways were gone. In their place stood a single four-meter-tall archway forged from smooth, pitch-black metal. Carved around its pillars were magical runes emitting a cold, ocean-blue radiance. The energy vortex in the center of the gateway was no longer a dull gray, but a deep, dark blue swirling with dense magical power.
[Synthesis Successful!] [2x Summoning Gateway (Normal) -> 1x Summoning Gateway (Black Iron)] [Description: An advanced military building. Capable of pulling the souls of veteran warriors from the river of space and time.] [Summoning Quota: 2 random Black Iron-tier units daily.] [Today's Quota Status: 2/2 Available (New building resets daily quota).]
"Incredible," Orion whispered.
The Game of Sovereigns System was notoriously stingy. Thousands of Lords out there were currently lamenting their fate for only getting weak peasants or militia armed with pitchforks. Meanwhile, on his very first day, Orion had secured a daily supply of Black Iron-tier warriors—elite units that a normal Lord would only be able to achieve weeks, or even months, later.
Without wasting any time, Orion placed his hand on the cold metal pillar.
"Use today's quota. Summon."
The dark blue energy vortex in the center of the gateway churned violently. A magical wind blew fiercely, scattering the dried leaves around the protective dome. Two figures stepped out from within the portal.
Unlike the peasants who had stumbled out trembling with fear, these two figures stepped out with the calm composure of professional killers. They wore dark green leather cloaks and light black iron breastplates. Slung across their backs were polished wooden longbows, complete with fully loaded quivers.
Both knelt simultaneously before Orion, bowing their heads deeply.
"Forest Rangers, ready to receive orders, My Lord."
[Forest Ranger (Black Iron)] [Level: 1] [Strength: 10] [Agility: 16] [Physique: 11] [Skills: Precision Shot (Passive), Eagle Eye (Passive)]
Kael stepped closer, observing the two archers with an appraising gaze. As a close-combat fighter, he knew that having long-range support would cover his weaknesses.
However, Orion had no intention of stopping here. If a single Black Iron warrior could kill a Level 3 monster in one slash, what could a Bronze-tier unit do?
"Both of you, stand up straight," Orion commanded.
The two Forest Rangers stood. They had no idea that their existence as two separate individuals was about to end.
"Kael, witness this. This is how our territory will conquer the world," Orion said. He summoned his golden cube once more. "Forge of Genesis: Synthesis!"
The two Forest Rangers did not resist. Their bodies were enveloped by the golden light. Unlike previous syntheses, the aura radiating this time was vastly more powerful. The wind inside the protective dome spun into a small vortex. The color of the light evolved, shifting from the gleam of black iron to a warm, ancient bronze radiance.
When the light faded, a slender yet athletic woman stood where the two archers had been.
She wore tight, dark bronze leather armor specifically designed for extreme mobility. The hood of her cloak partially covered her face, but from beneath it, a pair of emerald eyes shone sharply. Her ears, slightly pointed beneath the hood, indicated that she was not purely human. In her hand, she held a massive bow made of bronze metal, engraved with the motifs of mystical tree roots.
The woman slowly lowered her hood, revealing a beautiful yet coldly emotionless face. She knelt before Orion with the grace of a predator.
"My arrow is the destiny of your enemies, My Lord. Bestow upon me a name, so I may know for whom I kill." Her voice was melodic, yet it carried a lethal aura that put even Kael on high alert.
[Synthesis Successful!] [2x Forest Ranger (Black Iron) -> 1x Elven Shadow Sniper (Bronze)] [Level: 1] [Strength: 18] [Agility: 25] [Physique: 15] [Mana: 20] [Skills: Shadow Step (Active), Armor-Piercing Arrow (Active), Forest Mastery (Passive)]
Orion stared at the extraordinary stats. Her Agility had reached 25 points! This was a veritable monster in the guise of a beautiful Elf. Her ability to use "Mana" also indicated that the Bronze tier was the threshold where magical power began to manifest in troop units.
"From now on, your name is Lyra," Orion declared. "You will be the eyes and the lethal arrows of this territory."
"Lyra accepts this blessing, Lord Orion," she replied as she stood up. She glanced at Kael and gave a brief nod as a sign of respect between fellow generals, to which Kael responded by tapping his sword against his chest.
Night finally fell completely. The temperature outside the dome plummeted sharply. Orion had Kael gather some leftover chopped wood and light a small campfire in front of his dilapidated shack. The fire's glow provided much-needed warmth.
Sitting on a log, Orion began to feel his stomach rumble. He took out the Hardtack and Bottled Water from the Novice Pack. The bread tasted like chewing on thick cardboard, completely unappetizing. He glanced at his inventory, where 6 pieces of fresh Boar Meat and 3 pieces of Wolf Meat were stored.
"Lyra, do you know how to prepare this meat?" Orion asked.
"Of course, My Lord. Processing hunted game is a basic skill of our people," Lyra answered. She took two pieces of Boar Meat, cleaned them deftly using a small dagger, and began roasting them over the campfire.
While waiting for the meat to cook, Orion opened his holographic interface and entered the [Chat Channel - Regional] menu. He wanted to see how the 10,000 Lords around him were faring as their first night arrived.
The scene in the chat was horrific.
"Help me... it's so cold... I don't have any wood to make a fire!" "Does anyone have food? My peasant was mauled to death by a small monster while gathering wood, and I don't dare step outside. I'm starving!" "Whoever has food or water, I'll trade 100 Units of Wood for it! I have a Bronze-tier Woodcutter talent, I have plenty of wood, please help me!" "I found a Magic Crystal in my gift box! I don't know what it does, but I'll trade it for a piece of fresh meat! I beg you!"
Panic, starvation, and the freezing night air were naturally selecting humanity. Lords who lacked the courage to venture out or had weak units were trapped in their shacks without resources.
Orion's eyes gleamed with cunning. Where there was despair, there was an opportunity for monopoly.
He had 4 Boar Meats and 3 Wolf Meats remaining, each chunk weighing roughly two kilograms—enough to feed a person for two days if rationed. This was a luxury item at a time when everyone else was eating cardboard bread, or worse, had nothing at all.
Orion switched to the [Auction/Trade] menu. This was a system feature where Lords could exchange goods anonymously or publicly.
He selected the "Sell" option and listed his materials.
[New Auction Listing from: Lord Orion Vance] [Item for Sale: 1x Iron-Fang Boar Meat (Fresh, 2kg)] [Quantity Available: 4 Units] [Asking Price per Unit: 150 Units of Wood & 150 Units of Stone, OR 1x Basic Magic Crystal]
[New Auction Listing from: Lord Orion Vance] [Item for Sale: 1x Shadow Wolf Meat (Fresh, 2kg)] [Quantity Available: 3 Units] [Asking Price per Unit: 100 Units of Wood & 100 Units of Stone, OR 1x Basic Magic Crystal]
Orion set utterly extortionate prices. 150 units of wood and stone was no small amount for the first day. However, for Lords with resource-gathering talents (like Woodcutters or Miners), that number was achievable, even if it drained their entire savings. As for the Magic Crystals, to the terrified novices, those glowing stones held no immediate utility value compared to a piece of meat that could save their lives from starvation and the freezing cold.
After pressing the 'Publish' button, Orion opened the [Regional Channel] and sent his very first message.
[Orion Vance: Fresh monster meat is available in the Auction House. First come, first served. Provides high calories to fend off the cold tonight.]
That message was like dropping a nuclear bomb into a tranquil lake. The chat channel, previously filled with sobs and pleas, instantly exploded.
"What?! Fresh monster meat?! How is that possible?!" "Wait, Orion Vance? Who is he?! How did he kill monsters on the first day?!" "Damn it! The price is insane! 150 wood and stone? He's a robber!" "Robber or not, my stomach isn't compromising! I'm buying it!" "Please save one for me, I'm trading my Magic Crystal! Orion, take me in as your subordinate!"
In less than thirty seconds, a series of mechanical notifications flooded Orion's ears.
[Ding! Auction Transaction Successful!] [Ding! Auction Transaction Successful!] [Ding! Auction Transaction Successful!] ...
Every single piece of meat he listed sold out without a trace!
Orion opened his [Inventory] and chuckled softly. With just a few pieces of low-level monster meat, his wealth skyrocketed instantly. He received a total of 500 Units of Wood, 500 Units of Stone, and 2x Basic Magic Crystals.
For the other Lords, this was a life-and-death struggle. But for Orion Vance, this Game of Sovereigns was merely a giant marketplace, and he had just opened his first monopoly store.