Rise of empire: From gamer to emperor

The next day as the sun rose, Ethan and his crew set off. Heading back to the mining outpost already taking shape.

Jared wiped sweat from his brow, panting. "Okay, why… why did I agree to this?"

James laughed, swinging his axe. "Because you love suffering!"

Ethan leaned against a tree, smirking. "Get used to it. We're building an empire here."

As the works progressed, a soft rustle echoed through the woods. Ethan tensed up staring at the direction the sound came from. "Back to the carriage people."

James stepped forward gripping his axe, eyes fixed at the source of the noise. "We—we're not going anywhere Chief."

Tormund stepped forward swinging his cutlass, a low chuckle escaping his lips. "What he said Chief, we face whatever it is together."

The others nodded calmly staring at the foilage ahead rustling.

The rustling grew louder as Ethan's grip tightened on The Twins. The air felt heavier, thick with an unseen presence.

Then—the birds stopped chirping.

Tormund exhaled through his nose, rolling his shoulders. "Something's watching us. Good, it's been long I swung this blade to a dance."

From the dense foliage, a massive leopard standing almost five feet at its shoulders stepped out. Its eyes narrowing as it stared at the prey before him. It licked its paws, growling loudly.

[Suprise.]

What's that supposed to mean. Ethan screamed internally glarkng at the screen.

[Really I have to spell everything out for you]

[You see an iron deposit with a broken axe head and you think, yeah I should definitely mine here]

Ethan screamed again. What's that gotta do with this massive leopard.

[You're trespassing in it's territory duh.]

Ethan's eye twitched. And you're just telling me this now?

[Oh, sorry. Next time I'll send an engraved invitation from the wildlife council.]

Ethan exhaled sharply, muttering. "Screw you!" Before kicking off the ground dashing forward in a blur unsheathing The Twins.

Closing in on the beast he swung the blade. Caught off guard as it didn't expect its prey to fight back a scar appeared on the leopard's skin. Staring at the blood staining it's fur, it lifted it's gaze growling, swiftly swiping it's claw. The air whistled as it slammed into Ethan with force.

Crossing his hands Ethan took the blow, skidding backwards before digging one of the Twins into the ground to slow him down.

Glancing up at the leopard. A fucking mana beast. Come out here system I promise I won't hurt you.

[Tee hee.]

James gulped, knuckles white around his axe. "Okay… that's a big cat."

Jared exhaled sharply. "A big magic cat."

Tormund cracked his neck, grinning. "Finally, something interesting."

Ethan flicking one of the blade towards the leopard. It dogged with ease, the wind whispering lightly with it's movement.

Tormund dashed at the leopard swinging his cutlass at the beast. The leopard caught the cutlass with its paws, staring at him condescendingly. Tormund's eyes widened. "Fuck me.." The leopards other paw rammed into him sending him flying through the air slamming into a birch tree.

Planting it's paws firmly on the ground, it let out a low guttural roar.

Ethan stretched out his hands, the blade on the ground trembled then flew back up cutting through the air.

He kicked off with a jump, catching the blade mid-air before landing with a spin, turning to face the leopard he growled. "You're celebrating too early."

[Show off..]

James took a step forward, axe in hand, but Jared grabbed his collar, yanking him back.

"Are you insane?!" Jared hissed. "That thing is faster than you can blink."

Ethan turned snapping at them. "None of you move." His eyes narrowing into slits. "He's mine."

The leopard's muscles rippled unnaturally, its fur shimmering for a split second before it vanished—reappearing just inches from Ethan.

His eyes widened. Holy shit, it can still move faster?

Before the leopards claws hit him, he slid across the shadows beneath his feets. Narrowly avoiding the attack.

A tree in the distance caved in as the force of the wind from the attack slammed into it.

"Take Tormund and get as far from here as you can. Things are about to get wild."

Watching some of his prey trying to escape, the leopard approached them in an instant, his claws closed in on them accompanied by the howling of the wind.

Ethan's eyes widened the shadows beneath him swallowing him, spitting him back out before the leopard.

Crossing his hands again, he intercepted the blow. Skidding backwards his face pale with blood trickling down his lips. The leopard noticing the paleness seemed to smile, letting out a satisfied growl.

Then it noticed Ethan smirking, its eyes narrowed into slits but before it could react. Ethan dropped one of The Twins from his right hand, catching it with his left, he plunged it into the leopards neck.

It let out a surprised guttural growl, staggering backwards blood oozing from its mouth. It glared at Ethan, roaring before turning to flee.

Ethan glanced at the leopard fleeing his breath heaving, stretching his hands the blade dug into the leopards neck, flying out through the other end into his hands.

Catching the blade, he bent down spitting out a mouthful of blood before lying on the floor.

His gaze caught the leopard swaying, staggering towards him it's eyes filled with defiance before it collapsed.

Ethan lay on the ground, chest heaving, the world spinning around him.

That… was close.

His fingers trembled around the hilts of The Twins. If he'd been just a second slower…

He forced a smirk, staring up at the sky. "I need a damn nap."

[Congratulations on killing a Wildling leopard (Wind affinity)]

[+50 exp]

[Exp level up condition met, I'm so proud of you I'm literally shedding tears now.]

Ethan closed his eyes stabilizing his breathing ignoring the system.

After an hour of rest they gathered themselves. Preparing to leave Ethan interrupted them, "We have to finish what we started." James glanced nervously at the leopard's corpse before nodding.

Soon the sounds of construction resumed. Seeing everything proceeding well Ethan walked towards the corpse placing his hands on it.

[Wildling core sent to inventory.]

Staring at the glowing ash colored orb in his inventory. What was a mana beast doing this far inland by the way.

[There's a mana vein beneath the mine, how else do you think you managed to do what you did during the battle.]

Mana veins that means a possibility of there being mana stones down there. Looks like it was all worth it after all.

By evening they had almost finished the construction, all that was left was just a few finishing touches. Climbing the horse Romelu took the reigns. Guiding them back towards the village

As they neared the village, Ethan frowned. The air felt… different.

The usual evening chatter was softer. A few villagers stood near the well, whispering.

Morris approached, his face grim. "Chief… you need to see this." Taking a closer look at Ethan's weary face he asked. "Are you okay?"

Waving his hands Ethan walked towards the well. "Doesn't matter this looks and sounds important."

Approaching the well, the villagers split apart allowing him passage and then he saw the reason why they gathered.

Sitting beside the well, swinging his legs a mischievous smile on his face, twirling a silver coin in his hands was a four feet tall Kobold merchant.

Glancing at the merchant he remembered the Beta testers online discussion on the game. About the Kobolds and how they tricked the beta testers into buying things they didn't need at exorbitant prices.

Looking at the smug smile on the Kobold's face he muttered, "Cheeky little gremlin."