chapter 1: the bandit fortress

for my first skeleton minion to return it was about 3 hours maybe a bit more but has I saw him returning he was carrying a great sword on his back and a bunch of swords he's carrying with a letter tunic using the tunic to help carrying the weapons that he had found as soon as he reached in front of me you drop the weapons in front of him with the tunic and he would take off the great sword that was on his back and hand it to me which I gleefully grabbed holding it and seeing it had a little bit of rust but not too much then a message would appear in my face "would you like to equip the rusty greatsword?" I simply press the button saying yes and then the great sword disappeared and reappeared onto my back then I noticed the skeleton was grabbing a pair of short swords I knew this because I received a notification that my skeleton minion equipped a pair of short swords I touched the leather tunic and a description appeared in front of my face it was a worn-out leather tunic plus 4 defense then I looked up to my minion and checked out his defense and as I expected it said 0 and when I looked at mine it said 3 which I got curious what was giving me 3 defense so I tapped it on the defense that and then I saw he was my clothes I decided to give the letter to Nick to my undead minion since he has a defense of 0 "minion equip the leather tunic" it did as I said and I got the notification I simply then pointed towards the door to the ruined fortress "lead the way through that fort will be exploring and killing anything in it if it attacks us" the skeleton was ready for a fight and opens the door as I fall behind it holding the great sword ready for a fight as soon as I entered the ruined fortress I could hear talking and sounds being made I whisper to my skeleton minion "try sneaking around and kill anything in your sights besides me if they attack me I'm going to try to talk to them" the skeleton crouch down as it began to walk in the shadows that weren't lit up by the torches or the fire I saw down this ramp with two people standing around it I took a deep breath as I let the air out I began to walk down the ramp I kept an eye on the two as one of them looked up towards me And Drew his blade I quickly spoke "do you really want to get into a fight? if so I won't hesitate the kill you" the other one who had to draw his weapon was just laughing at my statement they probably didn't perceive me as a threat the person who did Drew their weapon would speak up "give us your coin or you're dead" with that kind of talking I presume that they were bandits so I didn't have really much decision that this was going to end in a fight "sorry I don't have any coin but I am going to be taking your lives now" I said as my skeleton would quickly throw one of the short swords into the back of the person who didn't Drew their weapon the person stumbled but it didn't kill them but the skeleton did jump down to plan on him and tried to stab him I quickly moved my way towards the person who had their weapon already drawn "your corpses are going to make fine additions to the beginning of my army" I was surprised that the person who drew their weapons quickly starting to run I was assuming that he was going to get more back up I quickly spoke to my minion "after the one that's running I'll handle this one" the skeleton immediately started running after the person who Ran off as the person who was wounded just started to try his best to hold his axe in his hand I spoke to him "now you're perceiving me as a threat aren't you but I can make you a deal an offer you really can't refuse because if you do I will end in your death and either way I gets a new soldier added to the beginning of my army" the bandit could tell that I could use magic and he didn't know what kind of magic I could use so he spoke "and how will I know you won't back stab me turn me into a undead?" I began to laugh a bit as I would slowly begin to circle him "well you don't but you still have a chance of living if you do take my deal and honestly in a situation like yours where you're wounded and standing in a small puddle of your own blood can you really afford not to take the chance of living?" the bandit that could barely stand let alone fight me in this condition which Deuce did catch me by surprise I was surprised that and undead basic minion could do this kind of damage the bandit spoke again "and what's stopping my friend from getting back up and saving me from you" I smiled like I have no worries in the world "well what's stopping your friend is survival instincts he won't come back for you he literally a banded you after talking all big and bad he saw you wounded and ran away how could you trust someone like that who just abandoned you as soon as the situation looked bad? well I on the other hand because if you died I would just raise you as a corpse to join the undead legions that will be my army" the band did looked angry at my reply but I can tell he was definitely listening to my words I continue to speak"and besides what I'm offering is vengeance against the that guy who betrayed you and who else amongst your group wouldn't betray you to survive another day after all you all are bandits you only look out for one person yourself and if you're the type of person to look out for your friends and they just betrayed you like that I wouldn't refuse this deal if I was you in this situation" the bandit look like he was being persuaded to take the offer and I haven't proposed it yet he spoke "find tell me this offer" I smiled as I put my sword in the ground and I sat down on a chair "what I'm offering is for you to become a general in the army I'm going to be creating regardless if it's made with monsters. bandits. sell swords. the undead. you will have command over almost all under you you will also learn magic because I will teach you we will ransack sidious conquer them take women with us after pretty much anything you would want it would be yours and all you have to do is at the beginning of this army stay loyal and help me and you may become the ruler of the entire city if you play your cards right if you do accept this offer of mine" I was playing on three things greed vengeance and Glory the bandits face looked like he was seriously considering this offer I can tell he was looking at me through the corner of his eyes I got notification Leo has joined your party I would smile as he would put his axe in its holster he looked around trying to find something that would heal him I would quietly ask system "system I have a question will I be able to heal him?" I can tell system woke up "Yes master you can buy grafting some dead flesh with necromancy you must put the dead flesh onto his back and then say 'graft wound' that will heal him" I smiled as I stood up and pointed to the chair I noticed there was a dead human I quickly cut off a sliver as I looked at his wound and I spoke to Leo "no I'm going to pull out the sword sword out of your back and heal it okay?" Leo nodded and I would slowly begin to pull out the sword sword and place the sliver of flesh over the moon and spoke "graft wound" as I looked at the health bar of Leo in the corner of my eye I saw a green energy was filling it I assumed that was the effect that would happen when I was healing someone or they were being healed in general I can tell Leo was starting to feel better Happy I got another notification and it said "your relationship with Leo has increased by 10 points out of 1000 you are now at 110 relationship points" I would assume that this was basically how you if a relationship with your companions I heard stepping coming from where my mini and Chase that other guy as I looked up I saw the other guy badly wounded but with the company of two men I would lean my head towards Leo's ear and speak to him "you are about to see what I'm capable of I want you to kill the wounded one I'll have with the other two" I would say is I would draw my great sword holding it with one hand moving my arm around like it was nothing holding a greatsword in one hand and point to the two healthy men and speak "you two are my prey and you will become corpses for my army" I said as system with speak "champion you can simply think electric element to make your hand glow with electricity they will not count as damage to anyone or attack anyone it can be use as a special effect to cause fear or hesitation in your enemies" I simply think electricity element like system suggested and like she said it happened my hand was completely coated and electricity and I smile staring at them I noticed the one who was lest armored than his friend can I take a step back as he seemed afraid but the one man who had more armor on seemed a bit more bravery as he took a step forward to me I spoke to him "I commend you for your bravery but it will only hasten your death spark" I said the trigger and ancient of lightning would come out of my hand and hit the man with more heavier armor he was wearing metal which I got notification "you have stunned the bandit Chief and he has taken two times more electricity damage" I smiled as the bandit Chief screamed and pain the wounded man was scared shiftless as he realized Leo was about to attack him with his axe a few seconds later I got a notification"Leo has gained 55 exp" I smiled as I looked at the last remaining men he would shout he was definitely afraid "I'll do anything please spare me" I looked at Leo as I just heard my sword to the frightened man "kill him would you kindly?" Leo quickly and start moving towards the frightened man to kill him as the bandit chief cried out "please spera's and will do whatever you want I swear on My Honor" we on quickly knock the frightened man on the ground as he shouted towards me "you can trust the chief when it comes to his word he has always held it up for the last five years I have known him" I would get a notification and it would say "spare bandit Chief and the frightened Man gaining two followers and 50 relations with Leo I thought about it as I stopped using shock "all right if I spare you you'll be obeying Leo not just me and right now you will tell me how many more of you bandits are in this fort" the bandit Chief looked happy and I got the notification saying "you have gained 50 relation with Leo you are now 160 out of 1000 relationship points and you have gained 2 new followers Bill and Drake" I looked at the bandit Chief and it said Drake above his head Drake quickly spoke up"there's just me Bill Leo and two other people who are out looking for easy targets" I simply looked around as I counted there were four people still in the fort plus the two who are out looking for easy targets that is 6 people I spoke up "bring me skeletons and corpses from outside and bring them to the biggest room you have in this fort currently and make sure when your two friends come along that they know I'm in charge and if they want to see me they have to go through Leo now Leo you're coming with me to tell me about the surrounding areas of the fort and the battlefield" as I said this I walkedI'm beginning to walk down the hallway where Bill and Drake came from and found a small room and set down it as I saw leo standing in the doorway he spoke up "okay first off the battlefields is only about a hundred and 20 miles in any direction they're small villages surrounding the battlefield we typically don't pick a fight with them so we don't attract attention from the City guards or kingdoms that those villages belong to but any caravans we find we do attack and make sure there's no trace of them left behind" I spoke to Leo as I want to know something in Pacific "leo answer me this what are the surrounding kingdoms I'm assuming we're on a border since this was a battlefield" Leo would smile as he looked at me and say" there are two kingdoms on both sides of this battlefield you have the kingdom of solace and the kingdom of Keithmirror they were at war with each other about 6 months ago they recently signed a peace treaty after fighting that war for 6 years both kingdoms are still trying their best to recuperate their strength the kingdom of solace especially they were renowned for their archers not their warriors so they lost many more people during the battle that this battlefield was created" I simply tapped my foot and as I looked around noticing this is where they kept their weapons I got up and started looking through to find a greatsword that wasn't Rusty I kept continuing to talk to Leo "so are there many bandit clans around the border?" Leo laughed a bit "yeah there about 4 others besides this one but they're bigger than us we're just six and we can barely hold them off they are at 10 to 12 members" that peaked my interest "so do their chiefs have honor like yours?" Leo shook his head which was enough in the answer for me I should have also expect that answer considering bandits are bandits because I don't have honor typically they become people become bandits so they can make a profit without having to get off their ass and farm or do anything besides kill who do put in the effort and take what they want I'm for a little bit I sounds a great sword and a notification popped up "you have found the iron greatsword of channeling would you like to equip it?" I quietly asked system "system what does it mean by iron greatsword of channeling what's so different to a normal greatsword?" system make the noise again which I did assume it means happy "well champion channeling means it can act as a magical conduit better than weapons without the phrase channeling attached to its name. for example a normal greatsword could do 16 damage of lightning damage when electricity is put through it but a greatsword of channeling can double that to 32 lightning damage also they are capable of being forced to awaken and become a great new weapon but these have heavy requirements to happen" I thought for a bit as then I would ask another question "tell me how Awakening works" system made that noise again which again I'm only assuming means happy "Will champion Awakening works similar to hell you are spells upgrade but instead of using a Pacific move Awakening has conditions you have to meet for example this iron greatsword of channeling requires you to use it to channel one element 100 times and do 1000 damage with that element as well it requires you to increase your understanding of lightning magic to apprentice is also known as tear 3" I understood that now as I would look back to Leo and I would hit yes I do desire to equipment and then I noticed my old rusty greatsword with now in my hand well the iron greatsword of channeling was now on my back I threw the rusty greatsword onto the ground as I walk towards Leo "well Leo I think we need to see if those two have brought me my skeletons yet" as I walked past I noticed Drake and Bill we're standing in a room full of piles of Bones I walked in with a smile as I look at them "well done you two now go outside and keep watch for your two friends to come back one at time of course one of you can sleep for 4 hours and then switch with your friend then your friend gets to asleep for 4 hours and continue that rotation until your two friends get back and make sure to inform them me and Leo are in charge now" the two of them quickly move to do as I said I looked at Leo as I gesture to the Bone pile moving closer to it Leo following me "leo draw your axe you will be sparring with the skeletons I create this way you can get some practice in and I can see how many fights in quick succession you can handle" Leo didn't really question this because he can understand why I want to test him I sat down on a chair against one of the walls of the room as I raise my hand towards the bone piles "raise dead" as I said this a skeleton would begin to form from the piles of Bones and I would look over to Leo and then back to the skeleton "now begin to spar with each other" as I said this I got notification "your understanding of the raise dead spell is now 2 out of 10 I can send you this for about an hour until I ran out of Mana and I could tell Leo was exhausted as I looked at my understanding with the raise dead spell it said "understanding level 4 understanding progress 6 out of 50" I smiled as I saw the number of minions I could have at once now "I can now conjure up for minions perfect. system I have a question" system woke up as I saw the message "what is your question?" I responded calmly "does sparring count towards the evolution of a creature?" system made a new noise which sounded confused but she did answer "well yes it does count but it does not count to the same evolution surviving a battle means they had killed something that wanted to cause them lethal harm but sparring does not count towards that where you have to have 10 battle survive for 1 evolution you need 20 sparring sessions to get that same evolution" so I could not use this to evolve some of my undead but this done is prove that I can it just will take twice as long as I look towards the doorway I saw Drake and Bill in the doorway with two new people both were girls one was an elf and the other was a dwarf I called out to the four "come sit around I'm sure you two would like to know who I am" the dwarf the granting my request and sat down across the room from me holding her hammer as the elf just laid against the wall that the dwarf boy is sitting against Bill and Drake set in their own little group The dwarf would speak up first "I you right I want to know who the hell are you" the elf didn't talk I smile cheerfully as I stare at the dwarf in the eyes never breaking eye contact "my name is Jack and I defeated your group was just one skeleton and myself with a rusty greatsword and you're friend Drake gave me his word that's you all do as I say and the only thing I say is to fight by my side and whatever you want you can have oh and besides fight by my side don't betray me I would appreciate that" the dwarf was surprised how forthcoming I was with my intentions and even more surprised that I never broke eye contact with her the elf I could tell from the corner of my eye she was holding an arrow and ready to pull her bow to shoot me I notice my Mana bar had had enough for me to cast two spells before I ran out of Mana again "now ma'am may I ask who you are in your friend who's currently getting ready to shoot me in the head?" the elf was caught off guard I suppose she was considering herself actually being sneaky and this also shocked the dwarf as well the dwarf spoke up after regain herself from that surprise "you may call me Helga and my elven friend here is Luna" my smile never change as I would look at them both "pleasure to meet you now with formalities out of the way any questions?" everyone in the whole room was surprised at my careless attitude considering all of them could turn on me at once and possibly win the elf with speak up "so what is your plan? it can't be legal if you're recruiting bandits" this question peach everyone's curiosity as they looked at me I smiled as I looked at her "why to eliminate all priests of every other religion besides to the god of death aldwin of course after all that was the purpose I was reincarnated into this world for" I said this with a smile one that would make everyone think I'm a sociopath with how unstressed I looked "now next question how about you Helga?" Helga looks surprised that I called her out next she spoke up "two questions I have why would you openly admit what your plans are and second why would aldwin reincarnate you specifically?" I placed my finger to my lip as I would start to think and it was obvious I was thinking "that's a good question I should have asked him that when he was speaking to me about his whole plan for me but it probably had something to do with me being a serial killer in my previous life" I spoke calmly not really caring what I said to them Henry Lee I was trying to make it sound like I wasn't just a normal working man back in my world because that would be less believable than me being a serial killer the looks on their faces where astonish how open I was "who's next?" Drake spoke up "why are you recording us you're a necromancer you can build your own army?" I looked at Drake with a smile "well I might be a necromancer but I'm still a person and people can get lonely without anyone to talk and have a pleasant conversation with" I seem so careless perhaps this is just the reality of the situation not setting in already maybe I am still thinking this is a dream and I am able to do whatever I want leo spoked up "I think Bill is too scared still to ask you any questions and I don't have any to ask you because just like Drake I honor agreement I make we all do so I'm with you and Drake is to Bill's too scared to leave Drake side so I guess bills along for the ride Helga and Luna are the only ones who haven't decided yet so I suggest we give them time to think it's only polite" I smiled at Leo words "will of course I would have given you time leo consider but you was on the verge of death because of a short sword in your back" leo laughed he honestly enjoy that little comment I made and Helga and Luna looked in awe Luna quickly piped up "where we going to sleep then I doubt you're going to let us sleep here in the fort" I looked at her with a smile "no you're going to stay in the fort if you want after all this place was your home before mine" I said with a smile as everyone was surprised I was kind I noticed my man I was halfway full meaning I could cast 6 spells I raise my hand towards the bone piles "raise dead" four skeletons begin to form from the bone piles I smiled at the skeletons well everyone was looking and seeing this "my minions go equipped with bows and arrows and begin to watch over before the make sure that no one comes and surprises us" the four skeletons began to move and unicent as everyone except for me we're watching them leave and heading towards the armory "now that night watch has been sorted out you may all leave and go to sleep I'm going to practice against the training dummy for a little bit" Drake and Bill left the room Leo did after Luna left but Helga stayed I simply made my way towards the training dummy drawing my blade as I would begin to take swings at it well humming a little tune after a little bit Helga left the room and she most likely like the rest went to sleep I then would speak "system I have a question" system started to wake up again "where's your question champion?" I smiled while humming a little bit and then I would speak "tell me a little bit of about dwarves and elves" system would start making a familiar noise "Will champion dwarves are renowned as great blacksmiths and stonemasons they are also known to be resistant to poison because of their life underground and being so used to poison gases that would normally hurt a human or an elf pretty badly now elves are renowned for being great Marksman hunters and scouts they also have a naturally larger manipal than most of the other races" I continue the home as I heard this and then I ask another question "what other races besides human dwarf and elf are there?" system made that familiar noise again"Will champion there are the dragon kin. the tiefling. the Giants. and well the sulens. the the dragon kin are a dragon humanoid creature just like the different types of dragons there different type of dragon kin each one with their own unique breath which pertains a Pacific element Green dragons have poison black and bronze dragons have acid White and silver dragons have freezing breath red and gold dragons have fire breath and blue dragon have lightning breath next is the chi flings they are well mainly a race of humanoids who have horns in a pointed tip tail they have a high resistance to fire and they also could be quite mysterious when giving a reason to be next is the Giants they are about a 16-foot average humanoid creature with incredible strength and renowned for their great warriors and last but not least sulens is there a bird humanoid people who can fly across the sky like dragons can they are typically a nomadic people never staying in one place for too long and that's all" I continue to take swings with my greatsword as I got a notification "two handed skill progress 50 out of 200 current tear 2" I smiled as I would start to get tired I would play against the wall of this great hall and begin to fall asleep and I would think to myself "this is the end of the first day of my life in this world let's hope it's a great life that I'm going to be living"