The moon hung low, a pale silver disc half-hidden behind drifting clouds. The forest grew thicker as the carriage pressed forward, the road narrowing into a twisted path carved between ancient trees whose roots rose like gnarled claws.
Luice's expression remained unreadable.
The driver, on the other hand, had begun muttering prayers.
A distant howl cut through the night—long, hollow, almost mournful.
Not the cry of a common beast.
It carried a resonance that made the wood tremble.
The horse staggered.
The driver nearly dropped the reins.
"Damn it… we're too close…"
Luice didn't look away from the forest.
"What exactly lives in these woods?"
The old man hesitated before answering.
"The Beastveil Woods aren't normal. Monsters here don't evolve… they awaken."
"Awaken?"
"Gain intelligence. Strategy. Magic. Some even form packs with strict hierarchy. The Hollow is crawling with creatures that should've died out a thousand years ago."
Luice closed his eyes briefly, absorbing that information.
Monsters that awaken.
Ancient bloodlines.
Magic-rich forests.
Abandoned territories.
This wasn't just exile.
Someone in the duchy wanted this area isolated for a reason.
And they were stupid enough to send him here alone.
Perfect.
---
THE BORDER MARKER
After another hour of tense silence, the forest abruptly thinned.
The carriage rolled out into a desolate clearing, lit only by moonlight. What lay ahead was a cracked stone pillar—broken, half-buried, and covered in moss.
A relic from an era long forgotten.
The old man exhaled shakily.
"We've crossed into Farling Hollow's border."
Even the wind felt wrong here.
The trees leaned awkwardly, as if avoiding the land ahead.
The air carried a faint metallic scent, like old blood.
The ground looked disturbed—scars of old battles, dried claw marks, shattered rocks.
Luice stepped down from the carriage.
The moment his boot touched the soil, a sharp chime echoed in his mind.
DING!
[Royal Pass] — Territory Detected
Tier 1 Mission Progress: 50%
"Claim land with your own hands."
So simply crossing the border wasn't enough.
The Pass wanted dominion, not relocation.
Luice scanned the land.
If the Pass behaved like a divine system rather than a game, then "claiming land" would require establishing presence — marking the area physically or metaphysically.
Before he could think further, the driver cleared his throat nervously.
"This is as far as I go. Nobody sane stays in the Hollow after dark."
Luice gave a short nod.
"No need to wait."
The old man didn't even attempt a polite farewell.
He whipped the reins and the carriage jolted back toward the forest.
Luice watched until the sound of wheels faded.
Then he turned and walked deeper into his new domain.
---
FIRST ENCOUNTER
The air inside Farling Hollow felt heavy—almost oppressive.
Every step stirred faint glimmers of mana in the soil.
It didn't take long for the forest to react.
Leaves rustled.
Branches creaked.
He stopped.
Soft footsteps circled him… silent but deliberate.
Predatory.
Another chime erupted in his mind.
DING!
[Apex Threat Detected]
"Warning: You are being hunted."
A normal fifteen-year-old would've panicked.
Luice simply waited.
The creature made the first move.
A streak of movement shot from the trees, almost invisible.
Eyes glowed faint amber—a predator adapted perfectly to this land.
It lunged, claws extended, jaws wide enough to tear through bone.
Luice's body didn't move fast.
He wasn't a trained knight.
He wasn't born with aura.
But he didn't need any of that.
His ability didn't require strength.
It required clarity.
He planted one foot back, shifted his center of gravity, and angled his body just enough.
The beast missed him by inches.
It crashed into a tree, splintering wood with sheer force.
Only then did Luice finally see it clearly:
A Fangshade Lynx—a mid-tier magical predator.
Black fur with streaks of shadow.
Eyes that glowed like molten amber.
Claws sharper than steel.
Strong enough to kill armored soldiers.
Fast enough to tear a horse apart.
It growled, circling him again.
Luice exhaled slowly.
Not fear.
Calculation.
The Royal Pass pulsed again.
[Side Mission Update]
"Endure your first night."
Progress: 12%
Endure.
Not kill.
Good.
Fighting the beast head-on was suicide.
So he did what a knight never would.
He stepped backward.
Measured. Calm. Intentional.
The lynx narrowed its eyes, confused by his lack of aggression.
Luice reached into his cloak and pulled out a simple wooden flare stick — a tool used for night travel. Most knights ignored them; they relied on aura to intimidate lesser beasts.
But awakened creatures hated bright light.
He snapped the stick.
A burst of silver flame erupted upward.
The lynx shrieked, recoiling violently as the flare seared its vision.
It backed into the shadows, tail flicking with irritation, and after a tense moment…
It vanished.
Not defeated — but deterred.
Luice watched the last embers fade.
DING!
[Survival Bonus: +5% EXP]
[Side Mission Progress: 17%]
He moved again, deeper into the Hollow, stepping over cracked stone, dead foliage, and faded runic markings carved into the ground.
This place wasn't empty.
Something ancient had lived here.
Something powerful.
Maybe sealed.
Maybe sleeping.
Maybe waiting.
Luice's calm expression didn't waver, but internally, gears began to turn.
If Farling Hollow held ruins from forgotten eras…
Then it wasn't cursed.
It was valuable.
And the Pass had thrown him straight into its heart.
---
THE RUIN
The land dipped into a shallow basin.
At its center lay a ruined structure—half-collapsed, stone pillars shattered, roof caved in.
But the architecture was unmistakable:
A shrine.
Not to gods.
But to a Heart Monarch.
Luice stepped forward, hand brushing the cracked stone. The moment his palm touched it—
The Royal Pass exploded with light.
DING!
[Royal Pass Reaction Detected]
[Ancient Authority Resonance: Active]
Tier 1 Mission Progress: 100%
Mission Complete.
The ground beneath him vibrated.
Light erupted from the stone ruins, travelling across cracks like liquid gold.
A faint crown symbol glowed under the dust.
A rush of ancient power surged upward, enveloping Luice.
Then the reward window opened:
[Reward: Territorial Claim Stone — Grade ???]
"Use this item to establish absolute dominion over ungoverned land."
He stared at the floating stone in front of him — small, obsidian-black, engraved with a gold heart sigil.
A tool used by kings.
Lost to history.
And now in his hand.
Luice closed his fingers around it.
This wasn't exile.
This was the beginning of a kingdom.