Kaito was observing the inside of the house in front of him. For something called a "Basic House," it wasn't bad at all.
It had two floors. On the ground floor, there was a kitchen, a dining room, and a living room. On the second floor, four bedrooms and a bathroom.
Of course, considering the number of summoned units he had, this could definitely be considered "basic."
Setting that aside, he calculated he would need at least fifty houses to accommodate all his current units. Technically, they weren't essential, but it would be more comfortable.
While the units continued working, Kaito decided it was time to deal with the Strix.
From what he knew, they were weaker than the Silver Wolves. Fifty units should be enough to wipe them out, leaving the rest to help with construction. Plus, they were weaker during the day, so there was no reason to worry too much.
However, before he could leave, Ben stopped him.
"You don't need to go. The Lord must stay in the territory. We can take care of it."
He was right. For such a simple operation, there was no need for him to go in person. Especially considering that, at the moment, his physical strength was comparable to one of his units. But Kaito was tired of just watching everyone else work for him. So he ignored the suggestion and went with them.
An hour later, as they approached the south, they reached an area of the forest where the atmosphere changed.
The trees were dark and twisted, like something out of a horror movie. Even though they had almost no leaves, sunlight barely filtered through. The ground was dry dirt, with no grass and the occasional withered plant.
"No wonder no one wants this territory," Kaito muttered.
As they went deeper, the trees grew even taller. It wasn't an illusion. Soon, they found the Strix. At first glance, they looked like normal owls perched on the branches... if not for the fact that each one was a meter tall.
They hadn't noticed their arrival. They were fast asleep.
A bird's bone structure was much more fragile than a mammal's, so his units spread out, one in front of each Strix.
A single strike was enough to take down almost fifty. A few managed to escape, alerting the rest.
The Strix woke up and began flying as high as they could, while Kaito's units regrouped below.
Seeing so many giant owls flying through the sky was... a peculiar experience. From below, they looked like a living cloud, like a swarm of giant flies.
But his warriors didn't flinch.
One of the Strix dove down to attack a soldier on the edge. The warrior barely had to defend himself when another Strix took the opportunity to strike. It hit… but only left a scratch.
Kaito watched the scene in surprise. He knew they were weak, but this… this was a one-sided massacre.
Unlike the wolves, the Strix didn't seem to have any strategy or intelligence. They just kept attacking, even when clearly outmatched.
Half an hour later, only a few were left. In the end, realizing they couldn't win, the survivors fled.
Unlike Silver, they didn't surrender. They simply lacked the intelligence.
Shortly after, notifications appeared before Kaito.
[You have conquered the Strix territory]
[Your territory increases by 500 meters]
[You have obtained an iron chest]
Unlike last time, the chest was still made of iron; it hadn't upgraded. They hadn't conquered the Strix either, so overall, it was a bit of a letdown.
On the other hand, the notification meant that the Strix had truly fled and wouldn't be a problem anymore.
Satisfied, Kaito ordered the return. Despite how easy the battle had been, his warriors were excited by the victory.
As they walked back, Kaito opened his status to review it.
He had gained only 134 experience points and 1340 gold—ten for each defeated Strix.
Without thinking too much about it, he opened the iron chest.
[You have opened an iron chest]
[You have obtained:
•7500 XP
•Building blueprint: Communal Bath
•Protection Amulet]
"Nothing too spectacular" Kaito thought.
Still, gaining XP this way was far more efficient than hunting enemies that only gave one point. He might find better creatures in the future, but for now, it was extremely inefficient.
The communal bath blueprint was self-explanatory—and quite useful: the houses built so far didn't have showers.
The amulet, on the other hand, lived up to its name. It protected against one fatal attack… but only if the enemy was level 10 or lower.
Considering Kaito was already level 7 after just a few days here, it was a low-level item.
Also, it wasn't a shield but an automatic dodge. The wearer's body would simply move to avoid the blow. Therefore, it only worked against single melee attacks. Totally useless against area-of-effect attacks.
In summary, the best thing he got was the experience points and the gold.
He now had 8342/10000 XP to level up to level 8.
They finally returned to the territory.
Thanks to everyone's efforts, there were already about fifteen houses. Even though it was just past noon, they probably wouldn't have enough time to build enough for everyone. But if two people shared each room, they could sleep without issues.
The houses were aligned in blocks, starting with the first one, which had been built as a demonstration for Kaito to observe the process. That's why it was slightly off-center, which made the rest more spread out.
Thinking about it, Kaito ordered the artisans to make some benches. That way, the central area turned into an improvised communal dining spot.
They lit campfires, pulled meat from his inventory, and ate together.
Kaito even tried cooking Strix meat, but the moment he tasted it, he spat it out. It was as tough as leather… and had a horribly bitter taste.
After that, he stuck to his usual food, enjoying a moment of peace.
When they finished, everyone went back to work without being told. Not out of enthusiasm, but because they were building their own homes.
With nothing to do, Kaito simply lay down on the ground to take a nap.
Then, as he looked up at the clear sky, he noticed a cloud of gray smoke.
A fire. Apparently coming from the Kobold territory.
That could only mean one thing: they were weakened.
In terms of strength, the Kobolds were a bit weaker than his units, but they made up for it with intelligence comparable to humans. Given how long they had been established, they likely had far better defenses than any previous enemy.
And precisely because of that, a fire of that magnitude was an opportunity.
His warriors thought the same and quickly gathered around him.
Unlike the battle against the Strix, this time Kaito decided to take almost all his available warriors.
He left a few behind to help transport logs and stones and also ordered the artisans to build beds. He had forgotten that detail.
They would be basic beds made from wolf hide and Strix feathers. But still, it was better than sleeping on the ground.
And with that, Kaito set off toward the Kobold territory.
As they approached, they slowed down and advanced quietly, just in case.
But they didn't have to get very close to realize the danger had already passed.
What they found wasn't just a settlement… it was a real village. With houses, buildings, and a wooden wall that—at least supposedly—once protected the interior.
Now it was ashes. The wall destroyed, the houses reduced to ruins.
In the center of the place, the Kobolds were gathered.
Kaito cautiously approached with his men.
The Kobolds noticed him. Some raised their guard, but most wore resigned expressions. They seemed to have accepted their fate.
Even so, one stepped forward with a spear in hand.
"Who are you? How dare you enter our territory without permission?"
At first glance, he might have seemed like a rash fool, but he wasn't. There was seriousness and determination in his eyes. He knew he would likely die… but still chose to fight.
Before he could say more, an elder stopped him.
"Wait, Korran. Let me speak to him."
Korran hesitated but stepped back.
The elder approached Kaito and spoke in a firm voice.
"I am Lorim, the village mayor. May I ask who you are and what you want?"
"My name is Kaito. I am the Lord of a nearby territory. And I've come to conquer you."
Contrary to his expectations, the Kobolds were overjoyed. Even those who seemed desperate regained the light in their eyes.
"A Lord?"
"God hasn't abandoned us!"
"We're saved!"
"Silence!" Lorim interrupted.
Then, he gave a slight bow to Kaito.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Kaito. We've long awaited a Lord who would help us. If you wish, we would gladly join your territory."
[The leader of the Kobold village has surrendered to you]
Do you accept?
– Yes – No]