Linfer observed them with satisfaction, his smirk unchanged. "Loyalty issue: resolved. Communication problem: resolved. Power dilemma: resolved."
These villagers might not have had any particular magical affinity, but their rapid regeneration and increased strength, fueled by the corrupted mana, made them perfect soldiers. Moreover, while they retained their consciousness and personalities, Linfer was their absolute master. He could read their thoughts and, if needed, kill them with a simple mental command.
He snapped his fingers, observing them with cold authority. "Separate into two groups. The first will begin construction immediately. The second will come with me." His smile turned even more cruel. "After all, there are other territories to pacify."
One of the transformed men, visibly troubled but obedient, raised a trembling hand to catch Linfer's attention. "Master," he said in a hoarse voice, hesitating, "What are we?"
Linfer thought for a moment and replied honestly: "What do I know? Slaves created from my blood? If you want a name... What was the name of this village?"
"The village was called Wendigo, master."
"Well, that will be your species from now on: the Wendigos."
The man shuddered, his red eyes lowered in submission, and he nodded. "Yes, Master."
"Any other questions?"
"Can you tell us what you expect from us for... the construction? I doubt our skills are up to the task..."
Linfer slowly turned his head towards the young woman who seemed to have no fear, her red eyes piercing his. He had already noticed her when he killed her; she was one of the few who hadn't begged for her life.
"As if even inferior beings could be interesting," he said with a twisted smile, his voice icy. "What is your name?"
"Nestia... My master."
"From the resistance!?" Linfer raised his eyebrows, surprised. He hadn't really used that ability apart from a few times when he wanted to discreetly kill a boring noble in the empire. He used a blood slave. But he knew one thing: his slaves never showed resistance. This was a first, and the case intrigued him.
"Don't worry. What I ask of you is simple: build the foundations of an empire. The materials? Your own blood, if necessary. And the plans... You will receive them directly from me, in your mind. You don't need to understand. You just need to obey. And Nestia, you will come with me."
Satisfied, Linfer turned to the rest of his servants.
"To work, Slave!"
...
Linfer strode forward, hands behind his back, heading towards the next village, followed by Nesta and a dozen Wendigos.
"What's so interesting about these lands?" he asked, his tone nonchalant.
Nesta paused, hesitant. "I don't understand, master..."
Under the sweetness of his eyes, she hurried to respond. She had, in a way, understood that when Linfer seemed the happiest, he was the most unstable and could unleash his murderous madness at any moment.
"Before your arrival, there were about ten independent villages in the area. They were often in conflict with the Astavi tribe to the south."
"Astavi?" repeated Linfer, raising an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Yes. They are much more developed than us. Their territory is vast, and they gather millions of inhabitants under the banner of their leader, that old cunning fox."
Linfer sketched a smile. "From the sound of it, you don't hold them in high regard."
"The Astavi dominate all around us, and they don't hesitate to crush the weaker ones, the independent villages. In fact, they are quite recognizable with their fox ears."
"And apart from them, are there any other organizations that could pose a problem?"
Nestia thought for a moment before answering. "There are the bandits of the northern mountains. It is said that they possess forces above the average, but... I don't know if it's just rumors. The only thing I know for certain is that within the Astavi tribe, they say that their leader can manipulate fire."
Linfer stopped suddenly, his gaze becoming more piercing. "Manipulate fire? Interesting."
He turned to the dark sky, pensive. "Could it be these famous mortals..."
He made a sign to his Wendigos and resumed his walk. "First, we'll unite the surroundings without alerting this tribe. I'm sure my brother has already infiltrated them. It remains to be seen what method he will use.
...
Linfer walked silently through the alleys of a sleeping village. The flames of the torches swept the shadows, but they could not detect the presence of his Wendigos who glided behind him like specters. He stopped in front of each house, observing the souls within. His hand then rose, silent as a shadow, and a dozen Wendigos descended upon the village.
Without a sound, they eliminated the elders, the sick, and those who would no longer serve his vision of the future. The rest, the youngest and strongest, were left untouched. Dawn rose over half-empty villages, but the terror of the night was never spoken of. Those who remained knew all too well that they lived thanks to Linfer.
Linfer was no longer interested in pointless violence. He had a vision. An empire where loyalty would be ensured by fear, where power would be consolidated in his army, and where communication between his subjects would be smooth, without chaos or rebellion.
*Five years later*
The landscape had changed. What was once a collection of scattered villages in the forest was now connected by solid roads and defensive strongholds. The heart of Linfer's empire beat within a citadel he had erected at the center of his conquests: a bastion of black stone surrounded by flows of Wendigos patrolling day and night. Around the bastion, thousands of villagers worked tirelessly, transforming their new reality into a prosperous but austere economy.
In his power system, there were the villagers who had a relatively respectable life apart from the intensive work. Then there were the Wendigos and normal people with abilities other than manual skills. Finally, there were special people. The few who had developed an affinity over the years.
The Wendigos, by using the corrupted mana, had produced pure mana in large quantities. And the youngest, growing up in this environment, had developed an innate predisposition for mana. But among the Wendigos, there was none with an affinity except for Nestia, who had the affinity of blood for a reason that Linfer himself ignored.