Night clung to the valley like a shroud, pierced only by the flickering of torches and the low, haunting chants of the villagers as they buried their dead. Victory had not come without cost—twelve brave defenders lost, including the blacksmith's son and a scout who'd warned of the eastern flank.
Arjun stood in silence by the fresh graves, his cloak brushing the dew-covered grass. The moonlight caught the edge of his spear, now cracked but still sharp.
A voice broke the quiet.
"They died knowing what they protected."
He turned. Meera stepped forward, her long hair braided, face illuminated by soft torchlight. She carried a small satchel over her shoulder, but her other hand rested gently over her abdomen.
"They did," Arjun said, his voice rougher than usual. "And I'll make sure their children grow up safe in a land they helped shape."
Meera's hand didn't move from her stomach. "Speaking of children... I need to tell you something."
He looked at her. "What is it?"
She took his hand and slowly placed it against her belly.
[System Alert: Pregnancy Confirmed – Offspring of Lord Arjun Detected][Bloodline Trait: Resource Resonance – Passive Resource Growth Multiplier: x5 in 100-meter Radius Upon Maturation]
Arjun froze.
The system interface shimmered in his vision. He blinked, barely able to process the words.
"I'm… going to be a father?" he whispered.
Meera nodded. "And our child already carries your gift. Maybe even more."
He leaned in, kissing her forehead softly. The burdens on his shoulders didn't vanish, but for a brief moment, warmth replaced weight.
Then Bhanu ran toward them from the watchtower, panting. "Arjun! Movement on the west ridge! But it's not an attack… you need to see this."
Arjun, Priya, and Bhanu reached the ledge just as the sun crept over the cracked hills. What they saw wasn't an army.
It was a caravan.
Dozens of wagons, half-starved families, exiled soldiers, wandering craftsmen, all flying white cloths in surrender.
Bhanu frowned. "Refugees?"
"No," Priya murmured. "Survivors."
They'd come seeking shelter… and a Lord who had repelled a siege with nothing but a village, a beast, and a dream.
Arjun activated his interface.
[Do you wish to Integrate Refugees into Your Territory? Yes / No][Projected Increase: +712 Population, +4 Skilled Crafters, +2 Rare-Class Soldiers, +1 Mystery Occupation (Unknown)]
Arjun clicked Yes.
Instantly, banners of light bloomed around the refugees. Some of them collapsed in relief. Others knelt and murmured thanks.
But then came another prompt.
[Refugee Leader Detected: Shayra – Former Noble of Duskfort, Class: Battle Strategist (Advanced)][Do you wish to Recruit Shayra into your Inner Circle?]
Arjun narrowed his eyes. "Show her to me."
A tall woman dismounted a tired horse—clad in tattered armor, sharp-eyed, and regal in bearing despite the grime. A long scar ran from her chin to her neck, and her aura screamed danger and brilliance alike.
Shayra bowed. "I heard a storm was forming in the wastelands. I came to stand in its shadow."
He nodded once. "Then rise. The storm just got stronger."
[Shayra Recruited. New Skill Unlocked: Formation Synergy – Troop Buffs Enhanced When Led by High-Intelligence Commander]
Later That Day – Beast Den (Priya's Domain)
Priya stood before a glowing clutch of new beast eggs, a result of her [Beast Egg Randomizer] skill that had activated after the Dreadclaw Roc proved itself in battle.
[Beast Egg Results – Tier Analysis:]
Ironfang Wolf Pup (Rare) – 2x
Glimmerback Spider (Uncommon)
??? – Mutation Detected – Tier: Unknown]
Her heart skipped.
The last egg pulsed with red and gold, runes forming along the shell. It was unlike anything she'd seen before. She called to the beast-tender.
"Don't touch that one. It's special."
Village Center – New Construction Begins
With the influx of people and system upgrades, the village expanded. Using his 1000x multiplier on materials and labor:
[New Structures Built:]
Training Grounds (Advanced)
Scholar's Hall
Defensive Turret Towers (Auto-load with crafted bolts)
Beast Hatchery (Upgraded)
The small village was transforming into a proper frontier stronghold.
But peace was not theirs yet.
Inside the Tower of Supreme Lords, cloaked figures gathered around a floating crystal orb.
"Arjun of Bharat," one hissed. "The multiplier one. He's grown too quickly."
Another nodded. "And the girl… her beasts are responding to bloodline memories. A mutation trait."
"The System has favored them."
"Then it is time we send a harvester. Let's see if they can survive what comes next."