At sunrise on Suleiman's second day in the world of NIVHARA, he awoke from his sleep and went to rouse Athina—only to find her absent from her room.
"I'm up way too early," he muttered to himself as he descended to the first floor. There, he discovered Athina seated at the table with a simple breakfast laid out before her: a bowl of wild fruits, a glass of milk, and a serving of roasted meat from the previous day.
"When did you manage to get all this?" Suleiman asked as he took a seat.
"I sent the farmers to gather the fruits, and we got the milk from the cow that the hunters captured yesterday," Athina replied calmly.
As they ate, Athina inquired, "So, what's on the agenda for today?"
"After breakfast, we're heading to the Summoning Platform to boost our population, then we'll move on to Mount Olympus and the Royal Pyramid. If fortune is on our side, we'll press on to the Yellow Goblin Cave for battle," Suleiman declared, raising his cup of milk and taking a hearty sip.
"Come on, it's time to get to work," he said, standing up and making his way out of the house. Athina joined him, and as they strolled toward the Summoning Platform, Suleiman glanced at her and asked, "Why didn't you have breakfast? Don't you like it?" all the while admiring her graceful figure.
"No," she replied with a hint of amusement, "but once you reach a certain level of power in the future, food will no longer matter to you—even though my power is low right now."
Suleiman chuckled, "I think that even when I reach that level, I'll still crave food and all the pleasures of life. What's the point of reaching such power if I lose my drive?"
By the time their conversation drew to a close, they had arrived at the Summoning Platform.
A soft chime sounded: "Ding—do you wish to summon 25 individuals today?"
Suleiman made his selection. In response, the platform erupted in a radiant light—stronger than before—and before him materialized 25 figures:
7 farmers (ranks E to D)
3 woodcutters (D)
3 quarry workers (E–D)
2 builders (E–D)
5 soldiers—among them 2 archers (C), 2 scouts (D), 1 medic (D), and 1 fisherman (E)
The lowest rank among them was E. And then, as a surprise, there appeared one individual of level A. His role might have seemed trivial—a mere herald to the others—but to Suleiman, he was of paramount importance.
Suleiman's eyes fixed on the level A figure: an elderly man with flowing white hair and a long beard, draped in a white cloak. As soon as Suleiman regarded him, the old man knelt on one knee and spoke quickly, "Your humble servant Sam awaits your command, my master." In that moment, Suleiman sensed a profound strength of faith and submission emanating from him.
"You may stand," Suleiman commanded. Sam rose slowly, head bowed in respect.
"And what is it that you can do?" Suleiman pressed.
In a low, measured tone, Sam replied, "I can inspire others to fear you, my lord, and fortify you with the strength of faith—provided they are of a lower rank than mine."
"Excellent," Suleiman said, looking down at him. "I want the faith of every villager, especially the new arrivals, to be strengthened."
"Very well, my lord," Sam replied, bowing deeply before departing.
Meanwhile, Athina had finished assigning tasks to the rest of the new villagers and was waiting patiently for Suleiman to conclude his proceedings.
"Thank you for your hard work, Athina," he said.
"It is always my pleasure to toil for you," she replied with a warm smile.
Together, Suleiman and Athina set off for Mount Olympus. As they walked, Suleiman asked, "What's your current power level?"
"At the peak of the first level, just like you," Athina answered confidently, "but I can easily defeat anyone of the first rank—and I'm even capable of holding my own against those at the peak of the second level."
"And how do you increase your power?" Suleiman pressed.
"By raising the level of the village," she replied succinctly.
They soon arrived at Mount Olympus. A chime echoed once more: "Ding—sufficient energy has been gathered. Would you like to proceed with the summoning now?"
Suleiman activated the summoning. However, instead of the grand spectacle typically associated with the Summoning Platform, a cave materialized in the mountain's side. From within, fifty disciplined soldiers emerged. As they stepped out, every one of them knelt on one knee with a hand placed over their heart and spoke in unison, "Spartan soldiers—at your command!"
Though Suleiman felt a twinge of disappointment at not witnessing an Olympian deity's appearance, he quickly recognized that these soldiers were more than sufficient for his immediate needs—the assault on the Yellow Goblin Cave beckoned.
"Tell me, what is your power level?" he demanded.
The commander replied, "My personal level is seven, and my troops stand at level four, my lord."
"Stand at attention!" Suleiman ordered. "Proceed to the eastern entrance where you'll meet with additional soldiers. We march to war."
"At your command, my lord," they answered, moving off without delay. Suleiman and Athina then made their way to the Royal Pyramid, their steps light with the exhilaration of impending battle—as if they were flying.
They arrived at the Royal Pyramid in record time. Once more, the familiar chime rang out: "Ding—sufficient energy has been gathered. Would you like to proceed with the summoning now?"
Brimming with excitement, Suleiman quickly initiated the summoning. The pyramid's door swung open to reveal 30 archers known as the "Good Archers." Led by a commanding figure, these archers possessed power equivalent to that of the Spartan soldiers. Suleiman took charge, leading them to the eastern entrance with the Good Archers close behind.
Before him now stood a formidable force: 50 Spartan warriors, 30 Good Archers, and 7 regular soldiers (including 2 additional archers and 3 scouts).
Standing tall with Athina by his side, Suleiman commanded, "Our scouts will move ahead to conduct reconnaissance. Search around the cave for any Yellow Goblins lurking outside."
The scouts replied in unison, "At your command, my lord," and swiftly advanced toward the territory of the Yellow Goblins.
"Archers in the back, fighters in the front—let's move out!" he bellowed.
And so, the army surged forward toward the goblins, with Suleiman and Athina leading the charge into the unknown battlefield.
.....