Mangleons.

Magnus left the infirmary with Robert and Augustus, the crowd's chants of praise echoing behind them. Margaret had provided him with an herbal mixture to help with his supposed recovery.

Notifications from the system flashed across his system interface, indicating an increase in his people's trust. He dismissed them with a single thought, a surge of satisfaction coursing through him.

'Step one complete,' he muttered to himself, an internal smile widening across his face.

His performance in the infirmary had been an elaborate act, a carefully crafted manipulation. He'd used Celestial Essence purchased from the system store to create the illusion of a divine aura and employed the [Synthesis] skill to perform the imprintments, all while feigning exhaustion. His acting skills weren't Oscar-worthy, but the circumstances and the people's desperation made his performance convincing.

To further enhance the deception, he had bitten his tongue, enduring the pain to draw blood, as further proof that his body was suffering from channeling the so-called divine power.

All of this was designed to create the facade of a selfless leader, willing to endure pain and sacrifice his well-being for his people. From the looks of it, he had succeeded, even if it meant the sharp sting of a bitten tongue. But Magnus had known powerlessness—the emptiness, the pain, the constant struggle—and this small sacrifice was a price he was willing to pay to achieve his goals.

He didn't care about the manipulative nature of his actions. Call him manipulative, call him evil; it didn't matter. It was all for the greater good, and he would do whatever it took to accomplish his objectives. History was replete with examples of great achievements born from shadows, from acts of manipulation, death, and other unpleasant necessities. The world saw the results, not the often-unpleasant means by which they were achieved.

As they left the infirmary, Magnus dismissed Augustus. There was nothing more for him to do at the moment.

With Augustus gone, Magnus followed Robert towards the territory's outer wall. As they walked, Robert filled him in on the situation outside.

The beast wave, he explained, had begun a day after Magnus lost consciousness. Initially, only weak beasts had wandered near the territory, but their numbers had steadily increased, and the challenges had grown tougher. They had managed to hold them off, albeit with some difficulty. The real problem, however, had arisen two days ago when a large group of Mangleon had attacked the eastern wall, causing significant damage.

Magnus frowned, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. Mangleon were massive, rhino-like creatures that were typically non-aggressive unless provoked. They were herbivores and rarely attacked humans unless they sensed danger. Their sudden aggression was puzzling.

Furthermore, Mangleon were highly territorial and seldom strayed far from their established homes as long as food was plentiful. Magnus couldn't fathom a reason for their attack unless their territory had been destroyed and they were searching for a new one.

As they talked, they continued walking, soon reaching their destination. They climbed the stairs leading to the top of the eastern wall.

Two soldiers stationed there greeted them respectfully. They returned the greetings and then turned their attention to a battle unfolding below, a cloud of dust rising from the melee. A group of about ten men were locked in combat with three massive Mangleon.

"Everyone get into position! Maintain formation!" a voice commanded. A young man in his twenties, armed with a sword and shield, seemed to be leading the group.

The men fought with intensity, but the situation appeared dire. Their attacks barely scratched the Mangleon's thick hides, while they themselves had to be incredibly cautious, as a single blow from the massive creatures could be fatal.

"The situation looks bad. Why aren't they receiving reinforcements?" Magnus asked.

"Reinforcements are on their way, Lord Magnus," one of the soldiers stationed on the wall replied. "Most of our men have already been assigned to other duties. We weren't expecting another attack so soon."

"Hmm. These men won't last until reinforcements arrive," Magnus frowned, observing the increasingly desperate struggle below.

As if the universe were conspiring against them, disaster struck. One of the men made a critical mistake, a misstep that placed him directly in the path of a charging Mangleon.

Seeing no way to dodge, the man reacted instinctively, raising his shield just in time to absorb the impact. The force of the blow sent him flying backward, crashing into the wall before collapsing to the ground, motionless.

"That's it. We're moving in," Magnus declared, already descending the wall.

"Lord Magnus, wait! What are you doing?" Robert questioned.

"Offering reinforcements. It's clear those men won't survive without immediate help. We can't afford to lose any more men," Magnus explained as he hurried down the wall and headed towards the ongoing battle.

Robert followed without further question. He knew Magnus was right.

They arrived just as the battle reached a critical point. With one of their number down, the fight was turning in the Mangleon's favor.

"Robert, create a distraction," Magnus ordered.

Robert immediately activated his skill. A powerful gust of wind swirled around them, kicking up dust and debris, obscuring the Mangleon's vision and sowing panic among them.

"Lord Magnus!"

"Commander!"

The men exclaimed in surprise as they spotted the two newcomers, shocked to see them on the battlefield.

"You're in charge?" Magnus asked the young man he had seen leading the group.

"Yes, my lord. I am Captain Godric, at your command," the young man replied with enthusiasm.

"Good," Magnus said. "Gather your men and retreat to the territory. There will be food and medical care waiting for you inside. Commander Robert and I will handle this."

Confusion flickered across the young man's face and those of his men. Then, comprehension dawned, their eyes brightening with relief. They had been engaged in near-constant battle for days, and the promise of rest and food was a welcome reprieve.

"Thank you, Lord Magnus!"

"Long live Lord Magnus!" the men cheered, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten as they retreated towards the territory, carrying their injured comrade. The man still clung to life but had undoubtedly sustained serious injuries.

As Magnus watched them retreat, he opened his system screen and accessed the skill he had copied from Robert earlier, instantly learning it. A surge of information flooded his mind, enhancing his swordsmanship knowledge and abilities.

He drew his sword and picked up a discarded shield from the ground, preparing for battle.

The dust cloud Robert had created began to dissipate, and the Mangleon, their vision cleared, spotted the duo. They roared and charged.

"Robert, cover me. I'll lead the attack," Magnus commanded, brandishing his sword.

Robert hesitated, believing himself better suited to lead the attack due to his greater combat experience, but Magnus didn't give him a chance to argue. He was already charging towards the Mangleon.

The three Mangleon, now with a clear line of sight, saw Magnus approaching and charged in response.

Magnus sidestepped the first Mangleon as it reached him, his sword flashing out with deadly precision, carving a deep gash into its neck. Blood spurted from the wound. The Mangleon, though not dead, was effectively out of the fight, allowing Robert, who was close behind, to finish it off with a swift blow.

Magnus felt a pang of annoyance. That had been his kill, his reward, stolen by Robert's finishing blow.

He didn't have time to dwell on it, however, as he sensed the remaining two Mangleon closing in.

Turning, he swung his shield, striking one of the creatures squarely in the face, stunning it momentarily. This bought him the time he needed to whirl around, his sword a blur of motion, piercing the skull of the second Mangleon, killing it instantly.

-Ding!

[You have slain x1 Mangleon, reward +5 Exp points, +3 Evolution points]

-[10x Reward activated]

-[50 Exp points have been rewarded]

-[30 Evolution points have been rewarded]…