The square of Tino City had become both a trial platform and an execution ground.
One by one, the surviving nobles of the Nord Kingdom were dragged forward. One by one, they were shot before the eyes of the people they had oppressed. Every gunshot was answered with a cheer that shook the heavens.
"Father, do you see? That fat pig of a noble has finally been punished!" a woman sobbed as she clutched her child.
Another cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks: "My husband, you can rest easy. His Majesty the King has avenged you today!"
"Long live His Majesty Gavin Ward!"
The crowd swayed like an ocean, some laughing with relief, some weeping with joy. For years, the people of Nord had endured cruel taxes, beatings, and humiliations at the hands of these men. Now, before their very eyes, justice was finally delivered.
---
The Last Noble
At last, only one remained.
He was a young noble, barely into his twenties, his wrists bound but his chin held high.
Commander Rotis flipped a page of parchment and frowned. He looked again at the young man, then read aloud:
"Viscount Green Alcott, lord of Cote Village. Three years without any criminal record. A week ago, you killed Viscount Sleiman. Is this true?"
The square went silent.
Green lifted his head. His voice was steady. "It is true. I killed Sleiman because he tried to stop the people from defending themselves when the Ross army entered the city."
A murmur swept through the crowd. Then voices rose—first a few, then dozens, then hundreds.
"You cannot kill Viscount Green! He's not like the others!"
"He never wronged us!"
"I heard he treated the villagers well—he's a good man!"
For the first time that day, the people begged for mercy on behalf of a noble.
Rotis turned to Gavin Ward, who sat high upon the platform, flanked by Angelina, Yael, and Lina.
Angelina stepped forward, her golden hair glinting in the sunlight. "Our soldiers investigated. They went door to door in Cote Village and beyond. All reports confirm it: Green never exploited or oppressed his people. His only crime is the killing of another noble—a week ago."
Gavin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Then he nodded.
"He is pardoned."
Rotis raised his voice. "By decree of His Majesty Gavin Ward, Viscount Green Alcott is acquitted of all charges."
The people erupted. Cheers rang out louder than ever.
"Long live His Majesty!"
"Even merciful as well as just—truly a great king!"
The villagers from Cote Village wept openly with relief, shouting Gavin's name in gratitude.
---
A New Order
Rotis struck while the iron was hot, his voice booming across the square:
"By royal decree, His Majesty Gavin Ward abolishes all noble privileges in the Nord Kingdom! Only empty titles remain. From this day forward, you pay half the tax you once did—directly to the crown, not to greedy lords."
For a moment, there was stunned silence. Then the crowd erupted in a frenzy.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Long live the King!"
Men tossed their caps into the air, women raised their children high, and voices merged into a tidal wave of loyalty.
The system's voice whispered in Gavin's mind:
[Public Sentiment +100,000. The common people of the Nord Kingdom have pledged their loyalty.]
A faint smile curved Gavin's lips. With this single stroke—abolishing noble oppression, lowering taxes, and sparing a just man—he had turned a conquered people into willing subjects.
---
Building a New Realm
With Nord annexed, the population of Ross now reached 3.78 million.
Gavin wasted no time. Orders flew from Tino City like arrows.
Railroads would be laid, linking Ross City to Tino, stretching outward to other towns.
Highways would connect villages to trade hubs, ensuring the free flow of goods and soldiers alike.
Factories would rise, providing work and wages for peasants who once knew only hunger.
Schools would open, staffed by teachers sent from Ross, bringing literacy and knowledge to the common people.
Where Nord's nobles had brought only misery, Gavin would bring industry, prosperity, and hope.
---
The System Awakens
Later, alone, Gavin called upon the system.
[Kill Value: 301,648][Public Sentiment: 213,560]
He smirked. "Over three hundred thousand… Let's see what treasures you have for me now."
The System Mall flickered open.
T-34/85 Tank Design & Manufacturing Blueprints — 120,000
M59 155mm Artillery Blueprints — 80,000
German WWII Tank Engineer Team (500 Experts) — 50,000
ZPU-2 Dual 14.5mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Blueprints — 15,000
Apocalypse Tank Design & Manufacturing Blueprints — 670,000
Gavin's breath caught. "All this… finally within reach."
His eyes locked on the first listing.
The T-34.
A legend of war. The backbone of the great red nation during the Second World War.
Combat weight: 32 tons
Engine: 500 horsepower
Speed: 75 km/h
Range: 400 km
Main Gun: 85mm cannon (upgraded from the original 76mm)
It was simple, rugged, devastating—and cheap enough to be mass-produced in modified tractor factories. In the world he came from, over 84,000 had been built.
Gavin's mind raced. "If I buy this… Nord's hills will bristle with steel. No orc horde, no empire, no kingdom could stand against a tide of T-34s."
His eyes flicked to the next items.
The M59 artillery—American power from World War II. Reliable, accurate, devastating.
The ZPU-2 heavy machine gun—capable of shredding aircraft or splitting a man in half with its 14.5mm rounds.
The German engineer team—minds that had once shaped Tigers and Panthers, now available for his command. With them, even greater weapons could be forged.
And then the final listing: the Apocalypse Tank. A monstrosity, beyond imagination. But at 670,000, it was far beyond his reach—for now.
Still, the possibilities lit his mind like fire.
"At last… the true industrial army of Ross begins here."
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