Derrick's first target was the village that Lacha had pointed on the map.
Its name was Okko, and its location was a few kilometers away from Akata.
Due to the forest's density and the absence of roads, interactions between villages were rare, which favored him since he wouldn't have to worry about Akata's news reaching them.
However, this also gave him a headache because once he was done conquering them, he would have to relocate their populations to Akata.
It'd be a very hard feat without any sort of infrastructure to help him.
This issue annoyed him more than he wanted to admit, so he decided to think of something else.
"System, show me my stats"
He hadn't looked at the system's improvements yet, and he was very excited to see if the interface had changed.
The first thing to appear were two sleek tabs that were pleasing to look at.
He was initially worried that his mind would become cluttered with information, but it seemed he had underestimated the system once again.
[Derrick Tarlin Stats]
[Empire (Capitals, Cities, Towns, Villages)]
He had already seen the empire tab, so he selected his personal stats.
[Derrick Tarlin, 16 years old (Body) & 37 years old (Mind) — Human]
[Class : Necromancer]
[Strength : 10.2]
[Agility : 8.5]
[Endurance : 10.8]
[Vitality : 7.2]
[Magic Power : 15.5]
[Traits : Enhanced Body, Enhanced Vision, Death's Valet, Gluttony, Aphrodite's Blessing, Language Guru (Language Database)]
[Skills : Superior Appraisal, Contract (2/3), Summoning (2/2), Master Craftsman, Submission, Death Warrior, Empire Professionals (0/10) *Includes the Scholars (0/2), Blacksmiths (0/2), Researchers (0/2), Generals (0/2) and Ministers (0/2)*]
He was ecstatic with his progress, sure that he was one of the strongest fighters in the region.
Of course, he also realized he was trash when compared to his more powerful neighbors, but he had to start somewhere. He also knew that if he managed to stay low profile for long enough, it'd allow him to maneuver himself out of many precarious situations.
This was why he needed to conquer explosively and decisively.
After a flight lasting a few minutes, he arrived at Okko. He didn't need to be discreet anymore, so he ordered Io to dive directly towards the center of the village.
It took no time for the villagers below to see that a beast was plunging towards them.
Chaos rapidly ensued, with people screaming and running in all directions. The soldiers were aghast and struggled to organize themselves in front of this unknown threat.
*BANG*
Io landed violently on the ground, causing dirt to fly everywhere while hiding the newcomers.
When the thick cloud finally thinned, they could only see a man, waiting.
Io had already retreated back in the necromancer's shadow, as Derrick wanted to keep his familiars' characteristics concealed from as many people as possible.
After all, information was the source of all power.
He then began nonchalantly looking around, as if already owning everything.
The chieftain of the village, who had hurried to the site of the commotion, was now in front of him in an outraged state.
"My name is Atta! Who dares invading our village?! Identify yourself!"
Derrick was pleased. The reaction of this village had been way better than Akata's, as they had remained vigilant and not rushed to their deaths.
"Greetings, chief Atta! My name's Derrick Tarlin. I come today asking for your surrender. Please lay down your weapons"
The chieftain was stunned.
This person was a lunatic! A simpleton!
He was surrounded, with no way out, and here he was, asking for their surrender?!
It was nonsense!
But... Atta felt that something was amiss. His demonstration was just too bold.
He deduced that their opponent was hiding something, so he needed to know more. He had to reduce the potential casualties should they have to clash.
When he saw him thinking hard, Derrick decided that he should 'incentivize' their choice.
"
The ground lightly shook before dark plasma started seeping out of it, and it took no more than a few seconds before the 33 portals appeared.
Everyone present was terrified. What the hell was going on?!
Their questions didn't remain unanswered for long, as armed skeletons began crawling out of them, with their eyes piercing the souls of every soldier present.
"You... You're... a... Necromancer..."
Atta couldn't believe it...
He had heard tales of their bloodlust and dark arts, but he never thought he'd meet one in such a remote place.
As for Derrick, he didn't mind revealing his army. It would be used frequently in the future, and its intimidation factor was perfect for situations like this.
"I didn't come today to slaughter you, but I will if you do not submit. Akata's already fallen, so please don't make this harder than it has to be"
Hearing this, Atta became even more stunned. Akata?! Fallen?!
He was well aware of Gregor's strength, and if he had already fallen, it meant they didn't stand a chance against him.
"I see... What do you want from us?"
Atta had already seen the soldier's expressions around him. They were completely terrorized, with most of them on the verge of desertion. It was time to negotiate the best terms possible.
"It's simple : pack up your valuables and everything you need while waiting for me. In a day, I want everyone gathered here and ready to leave. We will be moving to Akata"
The chieftain gasped and realized what was going on.
This person had begun unifying the surrounding villages under a single banner. His end goal was still unknown, but learning this was already a good start.
Derrick liked this chieftain a lot.
First, he hadn't needed to kill the soldiers, which was quite the gain, but he had to say that they were extremely poor. They would have to be crushed and retrained until they forgot the cowardice they displayed today.
Second, he could tell he was cerebral by him weighing both pros and cons in such a high pressure situation.
He would be very lucky to have someone like that under him.
"I'll only say this once : if anyone tries to flee, you'll all die. No exceptions. I don't have time to babysit. You'll be in charge of convincing the villagers. I'll explain everything in detail when I'm back"
Of course, this was also just a bluff. Chasing after runners would be a colossal waste of time that he just couldn't afford. He simply hoped that the fear factor would be enough to keep the group together.
He then jumped on Io and took off again, leaving as fast as he had arrived.
***
The populace, who had hid from the commotion, then surrounded the soldiers and bombarded them with questions. Atta calmed them down before answering all of their questions, one by one.
"Everyone, gather everything you need. We'll be leaving tomorrow... I know this is sudden, and you might not understand, but it's for our survival. So please, do as I say. Everything will be explained tomorrow"
The tensions were high and the villagers, wary, but they trusted their leader.
With the situation under control, Atta turned to his soldiers and gave them the following orders.
"Make sure nobody leaves... We cannot afford to offend this man"
***
The next 3 villages were located 1 kilometer south of Okko, and since they were in a cluster, it greatly affected Derrick's strategy.
He initially expected to go on a rampage and acquire new undead soldiers in Okko, but Atta had greatly changed that outcome.
His 33 undead soldiers were now cutting it too close.
As such, he needed to be swift and decisive. He couldn't appear weak, or they'd take him for a fool and make this much harder than it had to be.
Derrick's face contorted in a vicious smile. It was time to stretch a bit.
As soon as he arrived, he dove with Io and landed in the same fashion as before, with the cloud of dust hiding him.
Just like in Okko, he was met with a similar contingent, although with a much quicker and more organized response.
When the dust settled, they saw that the invader was casually standing there, waiting for them to make their move.
What they didn't expect was that he'd speak first.
"I challenge your chieftain to a death match. If I win, this village will submit to me"
Derrick's voice was thunderous, and it left no place for rejection.
"HAHAHAHA WHAT A COCKY BRAT"
He turned around and saw that someone was advancing from the formation in his direction. He looked much stronger than Gregor and Atta, which surprised Derrick.
His first thought was that it was due to the three villages' proximity. Skirmishes were probably far more common, meaning that their training was probably more rigorous.
"Do you accept?"
"Tell me your name first"
"Derrick. Derrick Tarlin"
"Hehehe... Well, Derrick, it'd be rude of me to refuse. I hope you won't disappoint me"
The chieftain released his aura and killing intent, clearly trying to pressure his opponent.
The necromancer could tell he would have been a formidable opponent... a few months ago.
In a flash, Derrick exploded forward and ended the fight.
The soldiers, who had just begun cheering on their chieftain, went mute.
Their leader's head... was in the hands of the invader.
Shock and terror were plastered on their faces, with their bodies starting to violently tremble. Some even fell to their knees, unable to muster any strength.
"As you can see, I shouldn't have bothered with the introduction..."
Derrick's expression was heavy.
"Will you now submit?"
The soldiers desperately nodded. They all looked at their chieftain's head, and they knew they'd be next if they didn't comply.
"Perfect. Round up the entire village. If anyone disobeys, you'll all die. Understood?"
He didn't bother waiting for their answer and immediately left for the next village...