He wonders if the function of the crystal floating in his palm works the same as the [Town Hall]. New soldiers perhaps?

Since the resemblance of the crystal is a replica of the crystal found in the fireplace of the [Town Hall]. It’s not completely wrong to say if the appearance of the energy contained inside the crystal would be a building of some sort.

Though the Yeti was already enough for a helping hand, it doesn't hurt to have another structure to emerge, and considering the threat outside of the [Rift], a contingency is a must. Numbers always prove to be the safest means to increase the foothold of a fort.

Glory comes with splendor, any man would dream of a general riding under a horse and a halberd carrying around in his arms. While the sight of his armies slashed through the defenses of his enemies, leaving blood on their wake.

Just imagining It filled his mind with various kingdoms and knights swearing fealty to him. Commanding the soldiers under his banner, expanding the land, catering his people to their desires. It might be too much of a responsibility to ask, but he had always dreamt of being a king, ever since the day he started to read some fantasy book back when he was on Earth.

His childlike bearing has never changed. It’s not that he was old, but rather, he never saw the world outside since the moment he had contracted the disease when he was a child. And every time he keeps reaching out his hand for the sky, the sky seems to go farther and farther away from him.

Olen's daydreaming came to a stop, as soon as he remembered his past. He looked at the crystal floating in his palm and said, “It’s never too late to dream” with a smile hanging on his face.

Alfrick suddenly came out from his side, acting as his adviser, bowing. “It would be wise to use the crystal, my liege. If i may suggest, having a one crystal for each would be our best bet. Our resources are dwindling, it would only last us for 4 days,” placing his arms on his chest.

“Where did you find such a portion of supplies?" Olen mused.

"And as far as I know, there isn’t anything edible in this god-forsaken world,” he thought while brushing his beard.

“Apparently the captive brought a month of supplies with her. Enough to cover her for a month,” Alfrick bowed in reply.

“Nothing in particular that you would find strange?”

“They seem to have some sort of technology unique of their own. Which seems to be fueled with an essence similar to the energy lingering in the stones.” Alfrick replied, reaching out a stick from his hand resembling that of a shadow stick similar to the object history back on earth.

The stick resembled of an ancient tool carved with strange symbols across from it, and a wolf's teeth stood atop on top of it.

The shadow stick was an old method that works like a compass to guide the explorers in their directions. The carvings on the stick would glow every time it's pointed in a certain direction. And each symbol carved in a session was drawn to resemble that of. East as the wolf, north as a moon, west as a mountain, south as a sun.

‘Well that just explains I'm in a magic civilization, but it seems yet to be still in its primitive stages’

“Hmm, magic is indeed convenient. I’m gonna need that.” Olen reaches out his hand, grabbing the stick from Alfrick’s palm.

Olen then suddenly remembered the direction of the monsters where the [Rift] had emerged back then when the [Escalade] had happened. The stick could help to discern its location. Helping him to strategically manipulate the area, using barricades made of rubbles scattered around the area, replacing it as a defense in case of ambush.

The heat was just enough to cover the first layer of the zone, and farther than that blocked his vision due to the heavy snow. His eyes only letting it see twenty meters ahead of his vision, before losing his sight at the hailing snow.

Having decided, Olen directed the stick towards the sky towards where the [Rift] was located. The stick shone with brilliance as the carvings of the moon glowed, symbolizing the direction toward the north. “It seems I have found the right place to construct the building,” Olen said as the crystal floating in his hands shone with brilliance, as he walked towards the outskirts end of the zone.

After a while, he arrived at the end layer of the zone. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the crystal in his hands, and recalled the memories repeated in his mind about the runic language found in his memory. Constructing the right spell for the crystal to materialize into existence.

Forged by the void, ashes to dust!

The crystal suddenly flew from his hand with the chaotic energy flooding into the sky and formed into a sphere of energy.

As the energy was about to transform, a voice suddenly spoke to his mind in a deep voice.

[Not enough energy]

What? Olen shouted with surprise written on his face.

‘why does this sound so familiar? When did I hear this before?’

Confused, Olen walked back and forth in deep thought, looking for something that seemed to be stuck in the tip of his memory. After a while, an answer suddenly clicked in his mind. He then walked toward the [Rift Shard] verifying his judgment.

[Rift Shard]

(Bound: Olen Fairer)

Energy: (90/1000)

[Town Hall (Hall of Heroes)]

Energy: (200/200)

Confirming his guess, Olen looked towards the crystal in his hands, checking its status. He thought for a while, and decide to shake his head and change his mind. ‘It definitely has to do with the stone shards scattered outside the zone layer’

[Dwelling of the Longcloaks]

Energy: (0/100)

There has been some dilemma lately on how the stone could be used for. First, its function was already clear, and it could enhance the essence inside the body. Second, though his guess is still unfounded, he was sure that the stone has to do something with the crystal. His ability already clarified the energy was exactly similar to the crystal. Except it was more diluted whereas the crystal was filled with pure energy.

Clarifying his theory, Olen reached out his hand in his pocket grabbing the stone he had picked along the way before the Yeti was subdued by Feimshall.

As he aimed the crystal from his palm to the [Rift Shard] the stone shard shone with brilliance and dissipated into oblivion. And within a second, a screen suddenly appeared in front of him.

[Diluted essence is found]

[The essence contained inside can be purified to a fraction of energy]

Olen saw the stone crumble to pieces as the energy inside it flowed through the [Rift Shard] while the stone lost its luster leaving only diluted energy on the pieces scattered on it.

‘this core crystal is stingy as a miser!’

[Energy gained: 0.20]

[Rift Shard]

(Bound: Olen Fairer)

Energy: (90/1000)

“This must be a joke! Are you gonna tell me I'm gonna need five rocks so I could increase the energy to one” Olen shouted as he raised his hand in protest.

Olen sighs, as he looks at his hand counting the numbers with his fingers, “F*ck I need fifty stones!” he thought, but after remembering the stones scattered outside of the zone, it was indeed more than enough.

Luckily the party has enough to spare its manpower, and according to his guess, the goblin and especially the Yeti would prove useful to lessen the time in gathering the stones located outside the zone.

‘An hour should be enough’

Having decided, Olen called out to Feimshall in hopes that he could convince the Yeti and gather the stone. He didn’t know if the monsters would relent to his decisions, but considering how wide the grasp of the Yeti and how resistant its fur is. There’s not really a much better candidate than the Yeti to explore the vast area of the snow. And though he hates to admit it, the goblin was indeed dispensable. He didn’t know if the outside would pose a threat, but safety has always been his concern. The weight of the lives of a single goblin can’t compare to his companion.

He might be naïve, but he’s not stupid. He’s not the protagonist who’s always to get the “two options”, and whether or not someone likes it. Reality will always force you to make those hard decisions, and once desperation kicks in, there’s only one option left, and that is to go forward no matter of the outcome.

***

Feimshall stood daze as he saw the goblin's diminutive body pranced around the Yeti broad shoulder, while pointing its fingers at the air acting like it was in a command. The Yeti didn’t respond and let the goblin pounce on its shoulder, as it busily devoured the stones laid in front of it. Although the changes in his body didn’t make too much of a difference, the energy in the stone wasn’t enough to meet its appetite. The larger your mass, the more energy it needs to consume.

Meanwhile, Alfrick on the other side set his eyes away from their presence, watching the three of them, and while thinking how their brain works. Sometimes he wonders if the three of them simply came to this world to leave a pile of trouble to him as they keep continuing to breathe.

“Anytime now” Alfrick mumbled in frustration, rubbing his head while keeping his eyes on them.

“Feimshall come and meet me at once. I have an important task to give you,” Olen shouted, depleting the air in his lungs out of anger.

‘finally’ alfrick thought.

“Roar?” the Yeti perked its head up while slowly bringing up its feet with a questioning look at Feimshall. “Uga uga?” as the goblin jumped at the Yeti shoulder, pointing its finger at the sound.

Feimshall's face twitched as he saw the Yeti look at his own eyes with a questioning look, but as soon as he heard the goblin voicing its curiosity… He felt relieved as he felt the worry coming out of his chest of having not to be hugged again.

For once in his life, he never felt gratified for a goblin simple gesture, indirectly saving his life, almost keeping him in tears. He felt like the hostility of the world followed him everywhere he went.

Aflrick shook his head, emerging from the corner, walking toward the man in front of him with a look of pity in his eyes, and said: “Let’s go”

Feimshall look at him with teary eyes while a hand pat over his shoulder.

“I’m too pitiful” T_T

The group then marched at the sound and followed them behind while Alfrick pat Feimshall's shoulders out of comfort along the way.

After some time, Olen heard footsteps coming to his ears, turning his head to the sound, a towering figure stood 4 meters tall emerged from his view, as the goblin stood on his shoulder pointing its fingers to him and declaring itself to the world as its king.

“UGA UGA!”

The goblin stood in defiance to its owner, as it snarled in contempt at the man standing in front of it. Holding the grudge the night it looked down upon it.

The goblin knew the contract it had been contracted to, but in its mind, it only knew one thing. It was free to make its own choice. Making the conditions of the contract seems to be partial to non-slavery. Although the contract seems useless, there was a bond linked to the contract between the owner and the goblin. The contract connects them together, including of their expression and feelings. Guiding them both together to coexist rather than force.

Olen knew this from the start. He had been wary since the moment he could feel the goblin's feelings towards him. But whether he acknowledges it, he has no plan nor time to bond with it. The only reason the contract was successful was that the goblin cowered in fear and he had no time.

[Goblin]

Species: Goblin Variant

Mana: (1/1)

Talent: Coercion

Abilities:

Tier: 1

[Contract: Olen Fairer]

Coercion: able to gradually persuade the target as long the species is in its presence.

Who would have thought, in a group of idiots, a shrewd and a cunning goblin would actually be the one who is the most cunning among them. Olen shook his head and thought, ‘it seems I’ve been complacent lately’

Olen cracked his shoulder as he looked at the monster with their eyes, letting out a smirk in reply to the goblin act of declaration and contempt.

The yeti seeing the smirk, snapped, as its face contorted to anger. The monster's eyes turned red, as the Yeti placed its hand on the ground like a gorilla, as the Yeti hooved its own four limbs through the patches of snow charging at the man in front of it.

Seeing the Yeti angered, Feimshall raised out his hand, hoping he could still convince the Yeti to stop, but as soon as it reached its hand to it, it was too late…

The Yeti charged through Olen while the anger in its eyes already consumed its senses. However, Olen stood unfazed, having no intention to dodge the incoming enormous monster charging at him.

Suddenly huge energy burst forth from the [Rift Shard] answering to the call from the voice echoed in the sky. Olen's third eye brimmed with brilliance, as the energy of the [Rift Shard] responded to his call and formed into chains enveloping around his body.

“What the rift see, sees in you”

“SHARD EYE!”

[Due to your performance your [Speech] has reached the maximum proficiency]

[Recalibrating…]

[You have gained the ability [Silver Tongue] due to the unique circumstances that had been gained from your recent actions]

[Speech] has gained maximum proficiency]

[The synchronization of its proficiency has been increased]

[Any proficiency that uses its logic will now be easy to track]

[You have gained the skill [Bargain]

[You have gained the skill [Eloquence]

[Silver Tongue]

[An ability that depends on active persuasion and deceit]

[Effects may vary in increase to confusion, charm, manipulation]

‘can’t you see what I'm doing here!’

His presence shrouded the sky in immaterial chains as it danced around his body, as his eye turned into a blazing white gazing into their eyes with the indifference of a god to a mortal.

“How dare you look into the eyes of a god puny ant,” Olen said in a deep voice with an air of authority.

The immaterial chains suddenly move from his body as it slithers to the sky toward both the Yeti and goblin, emitting a pressure of a god coming from the [Rift Shard]—evoking its presence to those who disobey its words. Binding the monsters with the chains flying toward their body as the pressure brought their knees to the ground.

Olen made way to their front, as he looked down at them in their eyes with contempt in his gaze.

“You shouldn’t have provoked me when I am inside my territory, especially those who are bound with a contract—” Olen said, with a tone of ridicule.

“This time, both of you are going to learn what obedience is—”

“After all, I’m in need of your assistance”