...
.....
.....
After clicking "Yes," a new system prompt materialized before Arthur's eyes, its golden glow lighting up his surroundings like a spark of destiny.
---
**Talent [Luck] in use.**
**Congratulations! You have opened the Newbie Gift Pack!**
1. You got 10 Tier-1 Soldier Cards.
2. You got 20 Common Human Cards.
3. You got 100 units of food (sufficient for 30 humans to eat for 15 days).
4. You got 100 units of water.
5. You got a Tier-2 Wolf Sword.
---
Arthur's jaw dropped in astonishment. "This is unbelievable! I've been surprised so many times today," he murmured, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief. He took a moment to process the abundance he had just received. It felt like the heavens themselves had blessed his arrival in this new world.
He turned his attention first to the Tier-1 Soldier Cards, his curiosity piqued.
**Tier-1 Soldier Card** – *Can be summoned through the territory's summoning portal. They possess decent strength, just above average, but lack significant potential. These initial soldiers can only achieve cultivation rank 3.*
Then he looked at the Common Human Cards.
**Common Human Card** – *Normal humans who can work to develop the territory for the lord. They do not possess any cultivation talent and are average in every way.*
Arthur's heart swelled with cautious optimism. "This Tier-1 Soldier Card is definitely more than enough for the early stages, and the Common Human Cards will be invaluable for territory development."
A wide grin formed on his face. "But I am different," he muttered with growing confidence. "I have the Luck talent. I know this gift pack has been influenced by my talent. There's no way others got such a good haul."
Then his eyes fell on the gleaming Tier-2 Wolf Sword. It had a rugged elegance, its blade forged with fine detail and a faint, blue glow humming across the edge.
**Tier-2 Wolf Sword** – *Increases damage by 10%. Chance to hit critical damage +20%. Increases movement speed by 5%. Can convert its blade into mana, dealing 50% more damage upon hit.*
Arthur's eyes widened further as he read the stats. "Twenty percent critical chance? But with my Luck talent… doesn't that mean it'll always trigger?"
A moment of silence followed as he considered the implication. Then he nodded, half-smiling. "That's insane. The damage boost from this sword alone could be a game-changer."
The sword's ability to convert mana into additional damage intrigued him, but he quickly remembered—he currently had no mana.
"No worries," he said confidently, tucking the sword at his side. "With this talent, I'll surpass everyone one day."
Still, a thought lingered at the back of his mind. *I don't think I'm the only one with a Legendary talent. There must be others…*
Shaking off the unease, Arthur began to survey his surroundings once more. His territory, nestled deep within a dense and shadowy forest, offered little sunlight, with thick foliage above and uneven terrain all around. The area was quiet, almost unnervingly so, and it reminded him that while the protection period was a temporary safety net, it wouldn't last forever.
Driven by curiosity, Arthur opened the **World Chat Channel**.
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**[World Chat]**
*Where am I? How did I get here? I was just in a bath! Am I going to die?!*
*Have I truly been transmigrated? Now this world will be mine! Hahahaha!*
*Guys, have you opened your newbie gift pack yet? I got a gold-level talent—Blessing. Not sure how strong it is, but I got 5 Common People Cards and food!*
*Yes! I got a silver-rank talent—Aura. It lets me apply aura to weapons to deal more damage. Now my sword will rule the world! Hahaha! I also got 10 Common People Cards and 50 units of food and water!*
*What?! You got a silver talent?! I only got a bronze-rank one!*
---
The chat exploded with messages, most of them loud declarations of talents, items, and disbelief. Arthur could barely keep up with the flood of text, so he switched to the **Regional Channel**, where only 10,000 lords were present.
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**[Regional Chat]**
*Hahaha! I got a gold-rank talent—Holy Knight! I can summon 20 Holy Knights every week!*
*What? Gold-level? No way! I got a platinum-rank talent—King! My people will always be loyal and can even die for me! Now I'll rule this world!*
---
Arthur's eyes narrowed as he scanned the regional chat. The competition here was fierce. Silver, gold, platinum—each lord boasting power that could shape the world. But then realization struck him.
*None of them have mentioned a Legendary talent...*
He grinned slowly, a new sense of superiority building inside him. "So I'm the only one with a Legendary-rank talent in this channel. That's a huge advantage."
Even if these lords tried to attack him after the protection period, Arthur was confident. With his Luck talent, he would grow faster, stronger, and smarter than anyone else.
With renewed determination, Arthur walked over to the **Summoning Portal** and tossed in the 20 Common Human Cards first. The portal began to glow, runes lighting up around its circumference. Energy surged in the air, and within seconds, silhouettes began forming within the light.
Moments later, the portal's glow dimmed. Standing before Arthur were 20 humans—10 men and 10 women. They dropped to one knee in perfect unison.
"**Greetings, my lord,**" they intoned in harmony.
Arthur stood still for a moment, letting the weight of the moment settle in. His chest rose with pride.
"It feels so good... for people to look up to you," he whispered to himself, smiling.
He stepped forward and addressed them confidently. "Get up. I am Arthur, your lord from now on. I look forward to working with you."
The group stood up and saluted again.
"**Greetings, Lord Arthur. We are in your care.**"
Arthur nodded approvingly, then issued his first command as a lord. "All men, go and collect wood and stone within the territory. Build a fireplace and huts for yourselves. All women, prepare food for everyone. Understand?"
"**We will follow your command, my lord,**" they replied, dispersing immediately to carry out the tasks.
As the humans got to work, Arthur turned his attention back to the portal. It was time to summon his soldiers.
He held the 10 Tier-1 Soldier Cards tightly in his hand, then tossed them into the portal. The summoning array lit up again, energy swirling upward as anticipation built in his chest.
"This is it," he said, eyes gleaming. "The true beginning of my rise."
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