"We won."
The group stared at Eren for a moment, seemingly struggling to believe that they had actually survived the battle.
Then Kael raised his longsword above his head and let out a triumphant shout.
"Yeah!"
His voice broke the silence, and the others quickly joined him.
"YEAH! WE ARE VICTORIOUS!"
The celebration spread across the small territory. Even Darius and Roland, who had spent most of the battle holding the entrance, couldn’t hide their excitement. Elias and Lyra exchanged relieved smiles, while Rowan finally allowed himself to relax.
Only the three Calamities refrained from joining the celebration, although the expressions on their faces revealed a mixture of enthusiasm and relief.
After all, their Master had just killed a Tier 3 monster with a utility knife.
It was hardly an ordinary achievement.
Eren, meanwhile, glanced around the territory and released a deep sigh.
The battle had been exhausting. His body still ached, and he wasn’t entirely certain whether his legs would cooperate if he tried to run right now.
Nevertheless, he was alive.
More importantly, so was everyone else.
He opened his interface.
[Level: 2. {140/200 EXP}.]
Eren stared at the notification for a moment.
He had finally leveled up for the first time since entering the Dominion Expanse.
Although he tried not to show it, the excitement bubbling inside him was difficult to suppress.
’Not bad.’
He had gained forty EXP beyond the amount required to reach Level 2, and he was already making progress toward his next level.
However, what truly impressed him was the fact that he had killed a Tier 3 Ashfang Wolf using nothing but a Common Grade utility knife.
It wasn’t simply amazing. It was almost absurd.
The knife wasn’t even a proper combat weapon. Compared with swords, spears, and other weapons designed for battle, its effectiveness was severely limited.
If he had possessed a decent sword, perhaps he could have ended the fight much sooner.
At least, that was what he wanted to believe.
Eren lowered his gaze toward the utility knife still in his hand.
’I can’t imagine how I’m supposed to get a better weapon out here. The territory hasn’t generated any money yet.’
Weapons in the Dominion Expanse were classified into six grades: Common, Uncommon, Epic, Great, Grand, and Legendary.
Common and Uncommon weapons were the most widely available. Most ordinary fighters used weapons of these grades, especially when they were just starting their journeys.
Epic weapons, on the other hand, were a different matter. Owning one was enough to attract admiration, particularly among independent Explorers and Settlers who lacked the backing of wealthy organizations.
The higher grades were even more difficult to obtain.
Unless someone possessed the necessary resources and connections, acquiring such weapons could be an expensive undertaking.
For those who weren’t blacksmiths, there were generally two options: purchase a weapon or hire a blacksmith to forge one.
Of course, suitable materials could also be obtained from monster drops, including those from powerful Boss monsters. Such materials could then be used to craft or improve weapons, provided the blacksmith possessed the necessary skills.
Unfortunately, none of those options was particularly helpful to Eren at the moment.
He didn’t have the money to purchase a weapon, the resources to hire a blacksmith, or even the materials required to commission one.
He hadn’t earned a single penny.
How was he supposed to make money when he was still struggling to survive his first night?
His territory was still unnamed, and until now, he hadn’t even known whether it qualified as an established settlement in the eyes of the Human Faction.
They had managed to build a shelter and construct a crude defensive perimeter, but Eren knew how insignificant those achievements were compared with what a proper settlement required.
They weren’t even close to building a place where people could live comfortably.
At this rate, he would be lucky if they survived long enough to make meaningful progress.
Just as he was about to close the interface, a new notification appeared.
[Congratulations, Settler Eren Blake!]
[Your territory has successfully met the requirements for F-Rank classification.]
Eren blinked.
Huh?
Another notification appeared before he could process the first.
[Territory rank updated.]
[Owner: Eren Blake.]
[Rank: F-Rank.]
[Development: 0%.]
[Survivability: Critical.]
He stared at the information, his expression gradually changing.
His territory had finally been recognized as an F-Rank settlement.
Although the interface still displayed a survivability rating of Critical, the development requirements had apparently been sufficient to establish its initial rank.
Eren couldn’t help smiling.
At least they had accomplished something.
Then the next notification appeared.
[Human Faction leaderboard updated.]
[Your territory has been registered on the leaderboard for independent settlements.]
[Current rank: 10,135.]
Eren’s smile froze.
"Ten thousand one hundred and thirty-five?"
He read the notification again.
Then a third time.
’Seriously?’
He had expected to be somewhere near the bottom, considering the state of his territory, but seeing the actual ranking made the situation feel considerably more real.
There were thousands of independent settlements ahead of him.
And this was only the leaderboard for the Human Faction.
He couldn’t even imagine how many settlements existed across the entire Dominion Expanse.
Still, he wasn’t particularly discouraged.
He had started with almost nothing. A shelter, a handful of supplies, and eleven spirits were all he had to his name.
Considering the circumstances, ranking 10,135th wasn’t exactly a disaster.
At least he had made it onto the leaderboard.
He scrolled through the information, searching for additional details.
A new notification immediately appeared.
[Settlement exposure unlocked.]
[Your territory is now eligible to appear on the Human Faction’s settlement directory.]
[Eligible migrants may review your territory’s information and apply for settlement.]
Eren’s eyes widened slightly.
’Migrants?’
He opened the accompanying information panel.
The Dominion Expanse wasn’t populated exclusively by people who had arrived through the City Portal Units and established settlements of their own.
Many people were already living within the Human Faction’s territory. Some had been born there, while others had relocated from one settlement to another in search of better opportunities.
Not everyone wanted to become an Explorer.
Not everyone had the resources, ambition, or desire to establish an independent settlement either.
Some people simply wanted a place where they could live, work, raise their families, and build a future.
That was where settlement migration came in.
Once a territory met the requirements for recognition, its owner could make it visible through the Human Faction’s settlement directory. The directory allowed eligible individuals and groups to review available settlements and assess whether relocating would be worthwhile.
The information available to prospective migrants could include a settlement’s rank, development progress, survivability rating, available facilities, resources, and other relevant details.
Naturally, people preferred places where they could expect better living conditions and greater security.
A well-developed settlement with reliable food supplies, proper housing, and a strong defensive force would attract considerably more interest than a barren territory with almost nothing to offer.
However, established settlements weren’t the only places people considered.
Some migrants preferred smaller territories where they could obtain land, establish businesses, contribute to development, or secure opportunities that might be difficult to find elsewhere.
An independent settlement could therefore attract residents by offering the promise of a better future, even if it lacked the comforts of a major city.
Of course, appearing in the directory didn’t mean people would automatically arrive.
Prospective migrants still had to decide whether the territory suited their needs, and its owner had to be prepared to receive them.
In Eren’s case, the situation was rather embarrassing.
He had an F-Rank territory, a makeshift shelter, an almost damaged defensive wall, and barely enough resources to guarantee their immediate survival.
He doubted that sensible people would willingly move into a place where they might become monster food before their first night was over. New chapters come out on g.com first.
’Well, at least the opportunity is there.’
He closed the information panel.
If he wanted people to settle in his territory, he would have to give them a reason to choose it.
That meant improving their living conditions, securing reliable food and water, strengthening their defenses, and eventually creating opportunities for people to earn a living.
In other words, he needed to build an actual settlement.
The thought had barely settled in his mind when another notification appeared.
[Portal opening schedule updated.]
[The next portal opening will occur in 17 days.]
Eren paused for a moment.
Seventeen days.
He remembered that the last one had lasted for twenty days as he had always been keeping track even though he wasn’t a Settler yet.
Seventeen days was amazingly not a bad wait, as he could wait patiently while he seriously figured out how to survive and grow his territory.
Until then, he and the other Settlers would have to make do with the resources and circumstances they already had.
He doesn’t know whether the other Settlers were welcomed with a few loaves of bread and an utility knife just like him, but at this point it was the least of his concerns.
Eren considered the information for a moment before nodding to himself.
"Not bad..."
Seventeen days wasn’t an eternity.
If they worked efficiently, they could accomplish quite a bit before the next opening.
He could strengthen the defenses, establish a proper source of food and water, gather resources, and begin developing the territory.
If everything went well, they might even attract their first migrants!
That would certainly be a welcome development.
After closing the interface, Eren turned his attention toward the three women standing a short distance away.
Vaelzara, Elena, and Hela had remained relatively quiet throughout the celebrations. Although they had shown visible relief after the battle, none of them seemed particularly interested in joining the others’ shouting.
Eren approached them.
"We should figure out a name for our settlement."
The three women turned toward him.
For a moment, they appeared to consider his suggestion.
Then Vaelzara was the first person to speak.
"Veyrath would be a suitable name."
Eren blinked.
"Veyrath?"
"My former kingdom bore that name," the Demon Queen explained calmly. "It was a prosperous land with a proud history. If we intend to build something worthy of remembrance, there would be nothing wrong with drawing inspiration from it."
Before Eren could respond, Elena spoke up.
"Frostholm would be more appropriate."
Vaelzara slowly turned her head toward her.
"Frostholm?"
"A settlement should be named after the qualities it seeks to embody," Elena replied, her expression unchanged. "Stability, endurance, and the ability to survive even the harshest conditions. My homeland understood the importance of those things."
Hela folded her arms.
"Both names are too concerned with the past."
The other two women looked at her, but Hela continued without hesitation.
"Mountainhold. A name that represents strength, resilience, and a place that cannot easily be conquered."
Vaelzara raised an eyebrow.
Elena’s expression became even colder.
"Mountainhold?"
"Yes."
"How original..."
Hela’s golden eyes narrowed. "Do you have a problem with it?"
"I have several," Vaelzara responded.
"Then keep them to yourself," Hela glared.
Eren stared at the three women, imagining how crazy it was for them to have come up with such ideas.
’I should name my settlement something related to the Three Calamities???’
’What the hell?’