Morning came with the sharp clang of hammers and the chatter of builders. Borin's teams had already cleared the land east of the village, where stakes and ropes marked what would become the village's official training grounds.
Caelen arrived with Garin and Zira, their boots crunching over the leveled soil. Several goblins, elves, and even a few humans were stretching or testing old wooden swords nearby. They looked nervous but excited.
"Alright," Caelen said, raising his voice. "We're building a proper place to train—so we can defend ourselves, hunt better, and survive."
He looked around.
"No more just winging it. We'll train by rank. Bronze, Copper, Iron, Silver... You know the cards. You level up, you move up. You train, you get stronger."
Zira stepped forward. "I'll be teaching sword basics. Garin's offering spear training. And Dorgrim's already making training dummies. Anyone who wants to join can."
Garin smiled, holding up a spear. "I'll be starting drills today. It's okay if you're a beginner. You'll get better. That's the point."
The villagers nodded, murmuring among themselves.
Caelen added, "I've seen it happen—training increases your skill levels now. That's how this world works. Use a bow? Get a bow skill. Fight with a sword? You'll become a swordsman."
A goblin woman raised her hand. "Even if we're weak?"
"Especially then," Zira said. "No one's born strong. We all started with nothing."
Another voice—Lirae, the one now managing the job board—spoke up from the side. "We can set a schedule. Morning sword lessons, afternoon archery, and evening patrol simulations."
Caelen smiled. "Good idea."
By noon, wooden dummies lined the center of the field. A few had straw heads, some already dented from eager strikes. Young adults practiced slashing at them, clumsy but determined.
One elf boy cursed when his sword hit the ground. "I suck at this!"
"Hey," Zira called, walking over. "Keep your grip tighter. You're not trying to cut the planet, just hit the dummy."
The elf laughed sheepishly and tried again. Better.
Garin guided a group of goblins with spears. "Thrust! Step! Thrust! Don't lean too far or you'll lose your balance!"
On the other side, Dorgrim and Borin had set up wooden frames to eventually hold targets for archers. Dorgrim barked at two goblins dragging logs, "Faster! These dummies won't build themselves!"
Caelen watched it all, arms crossed.
The system wasn't just reacting to him anymore. It was growing with the village. With effort came rewards. With learning came strength.
In the evening, a few villagers gathered around a campfire, rubbing their arms and comparing bruises.
"I didn't think I'd like spear practice," said a human boy, "but it felt... good. Like I'm actually doing something."
His friend, a young goblin, nodded. "Yeah. And I got a skill notification. Just a tiny one, but still."
Another piped up. "I got Swordsman Lv.1! My first skill!"
They cheered, and Caelen, who had wandered nearby with Zira, smiled to himself.
"That's what it's about," he said quietly.
Zira nudged him. "You look proud."
"I am."
Later that night, in Caelen's room, he sat by candlelight sketching out rough maps. His new world map, given by Jeff, rested beside him. He didn't need to leave the forest yet—but eventually, he would.
They'd need warriors. Hunters. Scouts. Guards.
And now, finally, the village was growing them.
"Conquer the forest..." he whispered.
He looked out the window where villagers still trained under moonlight.
"We're coming for you."