The Deep Green Forest is a large forest said to be the ruins of a city. There are many dangerous beasts and abundant resources within it.
On the shallow parts of this forest, there is a community here known as the Brigg's Outpost. It is a town composed of 20,000 people.
They are just a small community, and aren't a part of the Central Human Society, which is one of the current superpowers of this world.
Being a small community, they only have a few things that can protect themselves. Food is also another matter, as many people are fighting over it.
The leader of this community is someone named Brigg. He have a small army here, and have been tyrannically ruling over the residents. Everyday, they will order the people to look for more resources, process it, and then give all of it to them.
They are being paid some coins, which they can use to buy the things that Brigg is stocking up.
It is exploitative. He is letting people gather things for him, then he will pay them with something only for them to buy something that they themselves have harvested.
But they can't do anything about it. Brigg is the sole ruler of this community, and he have connection to the next community out of this forest.
Trying to defy him will be inviting their deaths. So they lower their head and do what he says.
Every people on this apocalypse acquired superpowers. That doesn't mean they are equal at all.
Most people awakened with weak powers. It varies from being able to be dexterous up to just being a bit stronger than an athlete. Only a few have powers who can be called strong.
Along with their powers, every people can see a panel that most categorize as Status. In their status, they can see how much they are progressing, and a lot more. Every Status are different on each people, though most of them are almost identical.
Brigg have a power that is categorized by the CHS as a System type. It is a type of power that can be called a cheat.
Unlike other powers, System-type powers is also called on another term.
They are the Sentient Powers.
It is called like that because these type of powers can talk and have an autonomy. It isn't like the other types of powers which is just limited to something like manipulating fire or being smart.
Systems always have a variety of things they can do. They are only limited by a theme.
Brigg have a System that gives him unlimited amount of weapons. He uses that to arm up his men and become the strongest in this region.
Due to this power, he is arrogant and prideful. He also have a strong body, all thanks to his powers.
Systems doesn't really make sense. They might have a theme they are limited to, but along with their theme is the universal capability to increase the strength of their user.
In Webnovel terms, it is called as Cultivation.
So no one would really dare to offend him.
Anyway, this community has been terrorizing other small groups. They are becoming more daring as time passes.
The small groups living on some of the ruins in this forest were hiding from them, making sure that his gang doesn't see them.
In this community, people were working day and night. Toiling away their days just for a chump change and a promise of the small amount of their hard work.
While people are getting busy here, a man in green tanktop passes by and go straight to the large mansion. This large mansion is originally one of the ruined buildings on this forest. It's only refurbished by the people working for the leader of this place.
Getting inside the mansion, the guy ignores the many beautiful women going around the mansion. His eyes might be glancing at their voluptuous figures, but it is unsure behind his black shades.
He goes straight to the second floor, and goes to the main bedroom. Knocking on it, he waits for the person inside to respond.
"... Dammit, who is it?"
The sound of rustling clothes and some womanly moan can be heard.
"It's Michael, Sir."
"... Enter!"
After getting the permission, he opens the door and enters it. Inside, there is a large rich looking bed in it. On top of that bed lies the master of this gang, a bald man with a muscular body and a rugged face, Brigg Vyers.
Along with him are three beautiful ladies who are naked behind the blankets. Most of them seems to be sleeping besides him.
"What is it?"
Without missing a beat, Michael answered him.
"We have investigated deeper and haven't found the Primal Bear anywhere."
Brigg's eyes shines at that news. He grins at hearing it.
"Oh! So that fucker is gone?"
"It seems so, Sir."
Brigg nodded in satisfaction.
"Good! Now we can tell our workers to move deeper and take more resources!"
"We're getting short on food here. So without that fucker, we can recoup our losses from the last three months."
Brigg felt elated as he thinks about it for a bit more.
The Primal Bear is one of the most terrifying beast living in this forest. It is essentially the king of this forest.
The Savage Birds can't deal with it, due to it's strong vitality and the capability to become more stronger the more it gets hurt. So the Savage Birds tends to leave it alone rather than cost their flock a great damage.
This is also the case for them. The Primal Bear is easily one of the worst creature they can encounter. Brigg is not confident he can deal with it even with his forces.
"Did you get any of it's materials?"
Seeing his men shake his head, their leader frowned.
"What? Where did it go?"
Michael only stood silently, which gives him an idea. Brigg clicks his tongue in irritation.
"Dammit! The materials from that bear will give us a lot of things!"
"Mr. Fu will be elated if we got at least it's Magical Core. What a waste, that fucker decided to hide itself!" He gritted his teeth.
In this world, resources are few in-between. So people make ways to process the monsters and turn them into one of their resources.
One of the things important from a monster is a Magical Core. It is a mysterious crystal ball within the monsters that acts as their core to become more stronger.
A Magical Core can be used for many things. Most of it are used as an energy source while some are used for weapons or enchanting armors.
It is a great resource that helps with a lot of things for a community.
Now, as for a Primal Bear, almost everything in it's body are useful. The claws can be processed into knives, it's teeth into something like a charm. It's blood can be concocted to create something that will permanently strengthen a person, and many more.
They don't know what became of it. He is irritated at that, but he knows he can't do anything about it.
If a monster that can offend the Savage Birds decided to go elsewhere, they won't be able to stop it. That's just how powerful it is.
"Forget it!" He clicks his tongue. "Just tell the people to go deeper and harvest for more resources. We're due on our debts!"
"Yes Sir!"
After a salute, the guy leaves him be.
Brigg lies on the bed with his arms on his back, letting himself be comforted by his women.
He didn't want to think about it that much, but he is getting a bit irritated at it.
People thinks that he have a connection to someone from the city out there..The truth is that he just have a debt of favor to him. If he didn't pay it, he would be dealt with and the leader of this community will be changed.
One of the terrifying person on the city is breathing down his neck. He can't even fight back because he is not strong enough. If he dare to do it, he will be killed without being able to fight back.
So he will wait, and live his life luxuriously on his little kingdom as he obeys the order of that guy.
'Just you wait! After I buy that thing on my System, I will kill you!'
His eyes glinted in malice as he waits for that day to come.
~~o~~
Two weeks have passed since he dealt with his rat problem.
These past days, he have been turning the first floor into something decent. Along with it, he also goes outside and change the exterior of the building.
Unlike the interior, it seems like the exterior of the building can be upgraded at once. So he did that and turn the dilapidated building into a decent looking one.
Of course, the interior is not affected. Only the exterior looks decent enough.
He have upgraded his body at least five times after taking care of everything on the first floor.
Then, because he just recall about it, he wasted some of his upgrades to get some clothes and change of underwear. He have been feeling grossed out by himself whenever he recalls that he only wears one set of clothes for a month and a half.
After all of that, today he only have this much on his status.
[Status]
Neil Howard (Human/Male)
Upgrades : 30
Today, his plan is to go to the third floor and finally explore it. He have all of his guns in his dimensional storage, and there are also food on it.
He didn't carry the lantern. His eyesight become more sharper than two weeks ago, so the darkness within looks like a daylight for him.
"Okay. Let's start the expedition then!" He said in excitement.