A Village Appeared on My Desktop

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Chapter 70 – Status (10)

“It’s really coming down this time.”

“It seems we made the right choice paving the road. It’s nice not to have it turn into a muddy mess.”

In the village where rain poured down under dark clouds, a miner named Koon approached Chieftain Balun, who was sheltering under a roof.

Koon had been flipping the roads within the village and paving them with stone blocks along with the transporters. Now that their work was almost done, the stone-paved roads would no longer turn into a muddy bog when it rained.

“But it still doesn’t look perfect. We should dig drainage ditches separately.”

“W-well, that’s…”

Balun nodded, ordering additional facilities that seemed necessary. He was bubbling with ideas as he thought of all the things he could order while swinging a pickaxe that dug deeply into the ground and rocks, though wielding that pickaxe took a lot of effort, causing Koon’s eyes to tremble. He had a nagging feeling that tough times were ahead.

“It’s good to use this power to fend off monsters and enemies, but can’t we also use it for ourselves? Perhaps we could achieve great feats just like those who look down on us as barbarians beyond the wall.”

“I think I understand what you mean.”

At Balun’s words revealing his inner thoughts, Koon couldn’t help but admire quietly. The visible status was quite important. Tribes of the grassland, as well as those living beyond the wall, dared not offend tribes of great stature.

With that practical reason in mind, Balun desired for himself and his chosen people to become a great clan that wouldn’t be looked down upon.

‘I feel relieved too.’

Right after he said that, Balun chuckled to himself, slightly scolding his own thoughts.

Just a little while ago, he had been struggling to survive the very next day. But now, he was even worrying about his outward status.

“Our tribe has grown tremendously, hasn’t it? The residents are close to a thousand and the number of warriors keeps increasing. It wasn’t this large before we migrated here. We surely have enough status.”

“Perhaps in the past, that was true.”

At Koon’s response, Balun shook his head with a bitter smile.

It was clear that they had surpassed the level of a small tribe. Not long ago, they could still be considered a relatively large tribe.

However, the situation had changed. Thanks to a few conquering individuals who began to move actively, the scattered tribes of the grassland were gradually clustering together, whether willingly or not.

Chieftain Garhan, who had sharpened their conflict, was one such cluster.

“We’ve steadily grown our power to this extent, but we can’t relax. They might think we have become fat and ripe for the picking.”

Balun already anticipated the clash. Although they were in the farthest outskirts, the resources and supplies they possessed were desirable to anyone.

“What do you think? Do you sense anything?”

“Ahh, there’s definitely some unknown power embedded in it. My hands tingle just holding it.”

The next day. Just as dawn broke, Balun and many warriors gathered in the central square of the village, looking at the equipment laid out in carts.

“When our mana reacts, it responds alongside. I don’t know the principle, but it’s tougher and stronger than ordinary iron swords.”

Naruu and Dun, whose shoulders were surprisingly up, cleared their throats and introduced it to the other warriors. Those were armor and weapons made from the by-products of mutants received in exchange for bug by-products from creature hunting.

Excluding Riena, who had acquired special equipment imbued with unique powers in the Dark Blood world, everyone else fought wearing normal iron weapons and armor.

Their strong bows and steel arrowheads couldn’t even penetrate the hard carapace of the bug, so equipment infused with the powers of the mutants, transformed by magic, surely represented a higher tier of gear that would allow hunters to deal effective hits against large and powerful monsters.

“This arrow is definitely strong. Check this out.”

One of the newly awakened warriors from just the day before shot an arrow fitted with a bone tip from a large bow made of bones, marveling at its power.

The arrow flew, shattering the steel armor it struck and even penetrating further behind it. It was the result of a special power contained within, not just simple physical force. It was might strong enough to break the incredibly tough carapace of the bug.

‘Right now it’s just a few, but if the hunters keep supplying things from that world, and if all warriors can arm themselves with those, then they will become the strongest warrior group in this area. Actually, the intent of the existence watching this scene from outside the screen is just that.’

Moreover, the investments the warriors received weren’t just gear.

“Perhaps today, that person will take you all to the ‘castle.’”

Balun told the newly awakened warriors what was going to happen.

They listened to Balun’s explanation with tense faces. The limited places in the game world were like legends or myths for those not chosen.

That’s why they clung to the warriors, listening to the stories and imagining that place.

“You have been chosen by the Guardian Deity. So you can be happy.”

Knowing their feelings already, Balun encouraged them. If they could overcome harsh and difficult battles and missions with faith and a sense of purpose towards the god, then it was right to do so willingly.

“Chieftain, what does the trial laid down by the Guardian Deity mean?”

“Well, that is…”

However, to do this, Balun needed a plausible ‘story’ to easily explain to the eagerly gleaming residents.

In fact, even Balun himself didn’t fully understand the intentions or capabilities of the being watching over them.

He knew they were being supported to catch bugs, but that simple fact alone wouldn’t be enough to captivate the residents.

“I think I understand what you’re troubled about, Father.”

Hearing Balun’s worries, Riena recalled her experiences in the Order of her past world and found a reason to explain the intentions and actions of the god overseeing them more concretely.

*

“Ugh…”

Like every other day, while yawning and stretching, I sat in front of the computer.

I smoothly moved the mouse, running programs and surveying the village, which had no unusual events during the night.

A group of people was examining the equipment laid out in the central square, possibly inspecting and distributing the gear brought in yesterday.

‘Today, or for a while, there shouldn’t be anything special.’

After pouring a cup of coffee and sipping it, I watched the residents commuting back and forth, selecting some of them with my mouse to categorize.

First, those who had no mana and awakened as new warriors by consuming the essence of monsters to realize traits such as [Archery] or [Martial Arts]. These individuals would now enter hunting mode in Dark Blood and switch to job classes suited for their traits, learning skills.

Having cleared up to Chapter 2, two hunting modes were now unlocked. The hunting mode where they would continuously fight against the enemies they faced in the main story and farm items was an efficient mode for pumping experience for novice warriors.

“—!?”

Three individuals per map, totaling six. I was now able to train and awaken six warriors at once.

‘Should I make the graduates into hunters?’

The warriors who had been repeating training and farming in hunting mode were being looked for other jobs.

I completed a four-person party by adding two more to the creature hunting mode, which would be activated to Level 2 today, and created an additional party for Rakhum, Rasen, and Shura working in the underground dungeon.

With this, I could secure more necessary resources like the essence of monsters.

And the secured resources would be redistributed to necessary residents who would then become new forces to help the tribe.

Afterward, if I tackled Chapter 3 with Riena, things would go perfectly as I planned—if there weren’t any variables like bugs attacking.

“I wish there were a few more…”

However, since everyone’s lives were at stake, I didn’t let my guard down.

Looking at a neatly organized status sheet of the residents, I muttered softly that there wasn’t anyone in particular to prioritize awakening.

To secure more talented individuals, I needed to increase the population even more.

After all, that population would become the strength of the entire group. If the number of soldiers supporting the warriors increased from hundreds to thousands, it would naturally become more advantageous.

‘Is there really no more small tribes left in this area?’

I flipped through the screens and searched the area together with the scouts dispatched from the village.

The people Lee So-Yeon met were settlers, and when she asked them, they actively received migrants from other places to increase their population. They especially welcomed vagrants by providing land, houses, and food.

It was the same method we used when our tribe assimilated the nearby small tribes.

But, for the tribes of the grassland, there was another method — attacking hostile tribes, destroying them, and absorbing them.

Since they lived on defined lands and didn’t engage in farming, such actions were feasible.

“Hmm…”

I absentmindedly scratched my head at the thought that suddenly came to me.

This isn’t a game. If we go to war, people die and get hurt. I can’t just easily decide to go to war because we need a population. Since I’ve grown a strong affection for those I’ve formed bonds with since coming to this desktop, I have to think more carefully.

“—!”

“—, —!!”

But if the enemy attacks first, it’s a different story. The residents will fight with all their might, and I too will do everything in my power to support them.

‘Well, look who’s come.’

I smiled faintly upon seeing a multitude of military forces suddenly appear at the edge of the screen. Though countless cavalry should induce a sense of intimidation, I strangely saw them as prey.

At that moment, it actually seemed fortunate that I had been too complacent and let one of the scouts slip away without killing it.

If danger is imminent, it’s wise and efficient to calmly seize it and turn it into a new opportunity.

Probably, I think the residents are thinking the same.