Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 1295: Development In The Origin Battlefield [2]

Michael glanced at Lily.

"I know."

"Then how are they Awakeners?"

While Michael had been addressing the crowd, Lily had already asked Arianne about the matter. As far as she understood, there were no Awakeners native to the Land of Origin. That was supposed to be one of the fundamental differences between the Land of Origin and places like Aurora.

Unfortunately, Arianne had been equally helpless when Lily questioned her, admitting Michael had only told her that people there had suddenly started awakening.

Hearing Lily question him, Michael ignored her.

What was he supposed to say? That there was a very real possibility this entire situation had something to do with him?

Lily stared at the side of his face.

"You’re ignoring me again."

Michael continued ignoring her. Arianne’s lips curved slightly at the exchange, but she said nothing.

Eventually, Lily could only give up.

Michael gave her no time to continue questioning him either. He turned slightly toward her.

"Now for the real reason I called you over."

Michael gestured toward the enormous gathering before them.

"These people will have to make do in your territory for now."

Lily froze. Her eyes moved toward the crowd, then back to Michael, then toward the crowd again. More than two thousand people filled the open area before her.

"No."

Her refusal came at once.

Michael raised an eyebrow.

"I can’t!"

There was fear in Lily’s expression.

If Michael had handed her ten people, she could have gritted her teeth and tried. Even twenty was manageable, and even fifty, if Michael gave her enough help. But this? There were over two thousand of them!

"Cousin, that’s more than two thousand people!"

Lily stared at him incredulously.

"What am I supposed to do with two thousand people?"

Arianne watched the exchange from beside them. Even she could understand Lily’s reaction.

Owning a territory was one thing. Managing thousands of inexperienced Awakeners was something completely different.

Michael understood Lily’s worries as well. He had never expected her to suddenly become capable of managing thousands of people by herself.

"I didn’t say you have to handle everything alone."

Lily paused.

Michael gestured toward Bok, Rina, Ace, Lia, and Lyra in the distance.

"They’ll help you. I’ll also arrange more people to handle things you can’t."

That reduced Lily’s panic slightly, but only slightly. She still looked toward the enormous crowd with obvious apprehension.

Michael couldn’t blame her. She was sixteen. Giving her responsibility over more than two thousand people with barely any preparation would be unreasonable even by his standards.

Unfortunately, she was still the best option available to him at the moment. Her territory was in the Zeroth Layer. Almost every native Awakener gathered here was unranked. It was practically the perfect arrangement.

Michael looked at her.

"For now, you don’t need to think of yourself as managing all of them. Just own the place."

Michael continued before she could question him further.

"Other people can handle organization. You only need to make sure the territory itself is secure and help with decisions when necessary."

Lily thought for a moment before reluctantly nodding.

Michael’s actual priority was not turning Lily into some sort of governor. It was the native Awakeners.

Right now, they were weak. Most knew almost nothing about their Classes. Their Skills were undeveloped, and their Levels were too low to even farm resources for Michael.

Many had never fought anything more dangerous than ordinary animals before Awakening. What they needed most was time to grow.

The Origin Battlefield could provide that better than almost anywhere else. Its environment was rich in mana. There were monsters to hunt, resources to gather, dungeons to discover, and natural treasures scattered throughout its regions.

At the same time, their presence would benefit Lily’s territory. Currently, it was little more than a claimed territory. It possessed value because of the Universal Cornerstone and its position within the Zeroth Layer, but it lacked the population and infrastructure necessary to make proper use of its surroundings.

Two thousand Awakeners could begin changing that. They could explore nearby regions, gather herbs and other resources, hunt appropriate monsters, locate useful areas, discover dungeons, and establish safer routes. And as their numbers grew stronger, the territory itself could gradually expand in function.

Michael’s eventual vision for Lily’s territory was relatively simple. He wanted to make it something resembling a starting village from a game. Or perhaps a starting town, once it developed further.

New Awakeners could arrive there rather than being thrown randomly into the Zeroth Layer. They could receive basic information, find somewhere to stay, train, purchase or receive equipment, form groups, accept suitable tasks, and learn about nearby regions. Then, once sufficiently prepared, they could begin venturing farther away from the territory.

Those who became strong enough to advance could eventually move on to higher Layers, with Arianne’s First Layer territory serving as the next stage. It would create a gradual progression rather than leaving every new Awakener to discover everything alone.

For now, however, Michael had to make do with what he possessed. The native Awakeners would become the first population of Lily’s territory.

Once Michael properly found his footing and established a reliable administrative structure, he planned to begin bringing ordinary natives from the Land of Origin into the territory as well.

Farmers, builders, blacksmiths, craftsmen, healers, cooks, administrators, all of them would be helpful to bring in. These people did not need to be Awakeners to contribute. The Awakeners could concentrate primarily on growing stronger and exploring the Battlefield while ordinary people gradually developed the settlement itself.

Michael looked at Lily again.

"So don’t worry. I’m not asking you to personally take care of two thousand people."

Lily visibly relaxed.

Michael smiled at her reaction before turning toward Arianne.

"For now, your territory will probably have to remain mostly undeveloped."

Unlike Lily’s Zeroth Layer territory, there were few resources to immediately pour into her First Layer territory. Almost all the native Awakeners gathered here were still unranked. Even Bok, who had awakened earlier than most and possessed considerably more practical experience, was nowhere close to reaching Rank One.