The village was silent. Only the soft crackling of a dying fire and the occasional hoot of an owl in the distance disturbed the night. The bandits were dead, their crude camp abandoned, and Yuuto stood among the ruins with Selene by his side.
This was his first foothold in this world.
But it wasn't enough.
His grip tightened around the newly enhanced black-steel longsword. His first Creation. A taste of the power he could wield in this world.
Selene shifted beside him. "What's our next move?"
She was calm, despite everything that had happened. She hadn't broken down in fear, nor did she waste time mourning whatever life she had before. Instead, she was focused—analyzing the situation just as he was.
Yuuto liked that.
He turned his gaze toward the rest of the village. The bandits had left behind more than just corpses. There were supplies, weapons, armor—tools that could be useful.
But there was one thing they lacked.
People.
A single ruined village wasn't enough to begin his conquest.
"We need numbers," Yuuto finally said. "We need people who can fight and people who can support us. A single sword won't build an army."
Selene nodded, thoughtful. "There was a town a few days' travel from here. If it still stands, we may be able to recruit people there."
That was a solid lead. He wasn't sure how strong the people of this world were yet, but based on how easily he took out the bandits, he was at least above average.
But he couldn't be careless.
He had no armor, no significant CP stored up, and only one bound partner. If he wanted to grow, he needed to use his resources wisely.
He opened his Creation Menu.
---
[CP Available: 5]
---
Not much to work with. He had just spent some on his sword. He could wait until more CP generated over the week, but time was something he couldn't afford to waste.
He scrolled through the menu, looking for something useful.
[Survival Kit (5 CP) – Includes purified water and rations.]
It wasn't much, but it solved an immediate problem.
Confirming the purchase, a small wooden box materialized before him in a glow of golden light. Inside were two water skins, dried rations, and some herbs.
Selene watched, fascinated. "Your ability… it really is like something out of legend."
Yuuto smirked. "It's just the beginning."
She gave a small smile in return, but then her expression turned serious. "If we're heading for the town, we should rest first. Even with your power, we can't fight off an army while exhausted."
That was true.
Yuuto glanced toward the abandoned houses. Some were too damaged to be useful, but a few were still intact. They could take shelter for the night before heading out at dawn.
"Fine. We'll rest here," he said, moving toward the nearest stable-looking house. "We leave at first light."
Selene followed without hesitation.
---
The house was small—a single room with broken furniture and a crumbling fireplace. But it was shelter, and that was enough.
Selene sat near the fireplace, using some dry wood she had found outside to start a small fire. Yuuto leaned against the wall, lost in thought.
He needed a plan.
The CP System would grow stronger as he bound more women to him. That much was clear. But this world was dangerous—if he wasn't strong enough to protect what he had, then everything would be meaningless.
He opened his Status Window.
---
[Name: Yuuto]
[Level: 1]
[Race: Human]
[Unique Skill: Creation]
[Skills: None]
[CP: 0]
[Bound Partners: 1]
---
A bare minimum start. But not for long.
Selene spoke, pulling him from his thoughts. "Yuuto, what do you plan to do in this world?"
A simple question. But the answer was anything but simple.
He looked at her, expression unreadable. "What about you? What will you do now that you have nothing to return to?"
Selene was silent for a moment. Then she sighed, staring into the fire.
"My family was wealthy, but not powerful. We controlled trade routes, but in the end, that meant nothing when people with true strength wanted to take it from us." She turned to face him. "I don't want to just survive, Yuuto. I want to be strong enough that no one can take anything from me again."
Her eyes burned with resolve.
Yuuto smirked. "Then our goals align."
Selene raised an eyebrow. "And your goal?"
Yuuto leaned forward, his voice steady.
"I will take everything."
Her breath hitched slightly at the sheer certainty in his words.
"This world runs on power," Yuuto continued. "The strong take from the weak. I won't be weak. I'll conquer this world and everything beyond it."
There was no hesitation. No doubt.
Just a declaration of absolute ambition.
Selene studied him for a long moment before her lips curled into a smirk.
"Then I'll follow you," she said simply. "Until you have everything… and beyond."
Yuuto chuckled. He liked her attitude.
---
Dawn of the Journey
By the time dawn arrived, Yuuto and Selene were ready. They had salvaged basic supplies from the bandit camp—a few cloaks, some armor pieces, and even a handful of coins.
It wasn't much, but it was a start.
They set out on the dirt road leading toward the town Selene had mentioned.
---
[System Notification!]
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: The First Foundation]
[Objective: Establish a Base of Power]
[Reward: ???]
---
Yuuto's eyes gleamed.
A quest.
That meant the System was actively pushing him toward his goal. And if there were rewards to be gained, then he would take every single one of them.
The road ahead stretched far, but Yuuto wasn't worried.
He had power, ambition, and an ally who shared his vision.
The conquest had begun.
And soon, the world would remember his name.
---