Ryo watched as the Demon Lord and his daughter disappeared into the distance. Just as he was about to relax, the familiar voice of the system echoed in his mind.
[New Opportunity Detected: Make direct contact with the Demon Princess to unlock Demon Race abilities.]
Ryo's eyes widened, and he immediately stepped back, nearly stumbling. "What the heck?!" he muttered. "I can still unlock Demon Race abilities? But I already have Vampire and Dragon abilities! How is this even possible?"
His mind raced with possibilities. Was his body truly limitless? If he could acquire the traits of another race, what did that mean for his identity?
Then, a sudden realization hit him. "Wait… the memory fragment!" he thought. He had been so caught up in everything happening around him that he had forgotten about the fragment he had unlocked when he leveled up. Maybe it held answers.
"System, show me the memory fragment!" he commanded.
[Access Denied: Memory fragment is incomplete. Please obtain other fragments to view.]
Ryo froze. "What?" He had assumed that leveling up would grant him access to it, but now the system was saying it was still incomplete. "But… why?" he mumbled to himself, frustrated.
His brows furrowed as he tried to piece together what this could mean. Was this memory fragment locked by design, or was he missing crucial pieces of his past? And how was he supposed to find more fragments?
With a deep sigh, Ryo decided to push the thought aside for now. He had other responsibilities. Leaving his inner turmoil behind, he returned to oversee the construction work in his newly established nation.
Upon arrival, he was greeted by the sight of dwarves hard at work, their craftsmanship evident in the rising structures. The clang of hammers against metal and the rhythmic sound of chiseling stone filled the air. Some dwarves were reinforcing the castle walls, while others worked on roads and trade routes.
One of the dwarf leaders, a burly man with a thick gray beard named Grumir, noticed Ryo approaching and waved him over. "Ah, Lord Ryo! Just in time! We've made great progress, but I need yer approval on a few things."
Ryo nodded. "Go on."
Grumir led him toward a half-built fortress. "This here is gonna be the main military stronghold. Strong stone walls, enchanted steel gates, and hidden underground passages for emergencies. It'll be near impenetrable. What do ya think?"
Ryo observed the structure carefully. "Looks solid so far. Make sure to reinforce the foundations even more. If we get attacked by higher-tier enemies, we need defenses that can hold."
Grumir nodded. "Aye, I'll see to it. Now, about the trade district—"
As Grumir spoke, Ryo took note of the marketplace being built nearby. Merchants and workers bustled around, organizing stalls and planning trading routes. His nation was developing at an impressive rate.
"Make sure to leave space for additional expansions. Trade will increase over time, and we need to prepare for that," Ryo added.
Grumir grinned. "Yer learnin' fast, lad."
Ryo chuckled. "I have to. This nation isn't going to run itself."
After overseeing more construction and giving final approvals, Ryo let out a deep breath. Despite all the progress, his mind was still occupied with what the system had said about the Demon Race abilities and the incomplete memory fragment. It seemed like there were more secrets yet to be uncovered.
As the sun began to set, Ryo turned his gaze toward the horizon. He had a feeling that things were only going to get more complicated from here on out.