Chapter 34: Arrows, Allies, and Awkward Ambitions

Valeria was thriving — walls rose like fangs around the city's edge.

Soldiers pounded the dirt with discipline, workshops chimed with steel and sweat.

But Jin's peace was short-lived.

Today, he had guests.

Unwanted ones.

He sat lazily on the central throne in the new Council Pavilion.

A modest open-air structure with a tiled dragon crest behind him.

The chairs creaked loudly.

He made a mental note to ask the system for quieter furniture.

"Lord Jin," intoned a tall, mustached noble from the first foreign group.

His outfit dripped with golden embroidery and unearned confidence.

"The Steelroot House offers you one thousand warriors in exchange for governorship of your eastern lands."

Jin tilted his head.

"Let me check something."

He tapped his temple.

[System Query: Is this a good deal?]

[Response: It is trash.]

He looked back at the noble.

"Yeah, I asked the heavens. They said no."

The mustache twitched.

"This is a mistake. We are noble blood."

"I've got beast blood, dragon blood, and demon blood," Jin replied, resting his chin on a fist.

"I collect bloodlines like your daughter collects suitors she won't marry. Next?"

The second envoy, a sharp-eyed woman in crimson armor, stepped forward.

"The Crimson Talon offers knowledge — forbidden techniques. In exchange, unrestricted access to your mines and training grounds."

Jin raised a brow.

"So you want to teach my people forbidden arts and take all my resources while you 'observe'?"

"Yes."

"Ma'am," Jin said with a smile, "with all due respect, are you high?"

Laughter erupted behind him.

Arielle covered her mouth politely. Sarah nearly snorted water.

Lila whispered to Lana, "He's gonna make this one cry too."

The third group offered a "generous" trade: a noble daughter's hand in marriage.

In exchange for political control and access to Valeria's spiritual spring.

They even brought the daughter — a wide-eyed girl who hadn't blinked once since arriving.

Jin leaned to Arielle.

"Do you think she's possessed, or just horrified?"

Arielle shrugged.

"Possibly both."

"I accept your marriage proposal," Jin declared loudly.

Everyone froze.

"...of your daughter to my general's pet goat. He's been lonely."

PFFFFFFT.

Sarah collapsed into her seat, wheezing.

The noble turned purple.

"You dare—"

"I dare so hard it echoes through generations," Jin said, standing.

"Now, unless any of you brought something other than hot air and parasitic contracts, kindly get out before I build a latrine where you're standing."

They left.

Some spat blood. Others almost did.

Later that afternoon, just as city guards finished a new battlement, a small, precise caravan approached.

No banners. No arrogance.

Jin met them at the gate himself, flanked by his generals.

They were all women.

Lean, graceful, armed with bows humming quiet menace.

Their leader stepped forward — calm, regal, silver hair tied back.

A crescent-shaped tattoo under one eye.

She bowed.

"I am Riven, commander of the Silverwind Valkyries. We seek alliance."

Jin raised an eyebrow.

"Another one?"

Riven remained unfazed.

"We offer archery — long-range mastery, scouts, traps. Our arrows never miss."

Jin gestured toward the training yard where two recruits sparred with wooden spoons.

"You had me at 'long-range.'"

He scanned Riven.

She didn't look familiar, but something tugged — like dragon instinct stirred faintly.

He ignored it for now.

"Welcome to Valeria. You'll train the 3rd Company."

"We'll build you a camp near the north ridge."

"And if you shoot any of my cooks stealing meat again, I'll promote you personally."

Riven cracked a smile.

"Understood."

The next few days filled with laughter, drills, and occasional explosions.

In the military camp:

"Stop posing like you're in a painting!" Jin barked.

"This is training, not a romance novel cover!"

"Sir! I'm trying to impress the Valkyries, sir!"

"Try not dying first!"

At the archery range, Riven demonstrated a triple arrow split-shot.

The recruits lost their minds.

"Did you see that?" one whispered.

"I think I'm in love," another muttered.

Jin walked by, muttering,

"If they start writing poems, I'm banning ink."

Back in the forge, Jin worked on upgrading weapons.

The Ape King Fangblade whispered insults into his mind.

"You swing me like a peasant axe."

"Focus, monkey king junior."

"Even my sword's a diva now," he grumbled.

Sarah passed by, smirked.

"You made it from a giant spirit ape. What did you expect, humble silence?"

At night, Arielle helped polish new armor plates.

"Your dragon scales are spreading. They'll reach your shoulders soon."

"Soon I'll look like a walking armory," Jin said.

"You already sleep like a rock."

"Because I carry a city on my back."

She kissed his cheek.

"And we carry you."

On the fifth day, the mood shifted.

Scouts returned from the far forest — pale and shaking.

"The ground is moving," they said.

"Trees fell like grass. The beast horde comes."

Jin stood atop the watchtower that night.

Staring at the horizon.

Valeria's walls were ready.

Its soldiers trained.

Its archers perched.

Its people believed.

And Jin… was smiling.

[System Notification: Beast Horde Arrival – 14 hours]

[Morale: High]

[City Status: Fortified]

"Let them come," he said, drawing the Fangblade.

"Let them break against what we've built."