Chapter 30: The Spoils of Battle

Leon stretched, feeling the soreness in his muscles from both the battle and their long conversation. He was about to leave when something came to mind.

"Oh, before I forget," he said, glancing at Edric. "I saw you using fire magic earlier. Is that your Lord ability? How do those even work?"

Edric grinned, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, that's my ability. I have a high affinity for fire and can easily learn fire magic. My system also grants me fire spells as I level up."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "So, Lord abilities are unique?"

"Completely," Edric confirmed. "No two lords get the same one, and their strength varies. Some abilities are weak, while others can shape entire battlefields. It all depends on luck." He smirked. "Speaking of which, what's yours?"

Leon hesitated for a brief moment before answering, "It's called Extraction. I can use it to pull resources and loot from enemies and the environment."

Edric blinked, then tilted his head. "Huh… that doesn't sound very strong in battle, but for developing your settlement? That's a damn good ability."

Leon nodded. "Yeah, I'm still figuring out ways to use it in combat. It's been useful, but I know there's more I can do with it."

Edric clapped him on the shoulder. "Well, I hope you figure it out. For all our sakes."

Leon smirked. "Speaking of my ability, can I get your permission to use Extraction on the battlefield corpses? There are a lot of them, and I'll give you a fair share, so don't worry."

Edric shrugged. "Go ahead, suit yourself. They're not doing me any good lying there."

Leon extended his hand, and Edric grasped it firmly. This wasn't just permission—it was an unspoken acknowledgment of their alliance. With a nod, Leon turned and left, stepping out into the battlefield.

Outside, the stench of death still lingered in the air. Nearly seven hundred corpses lay scattered across the ruined ground, a mixture of Hollowborn and human soldiers. To most, this was the gruesome aftermath of war.

To Leon, it was a treasure trove.

He cracked his knuckles. "Time to get to work."

The process was long and grueling. Extraction required mana, and with so many bodies, Leon had to take multiple breaks to rest and regenerate. His men stood by, watching with quiet pride as their lord demonstrated the power of his ability. Meanwhile, Edric's people looked on with awe, whispering among themselves.

By the time he was done, Leon was drenched in sweat but satisfied. The rewards were beyond worth it.

Loot Gained:

Hundreds of weapons – Most were mundane, but some were well-crafted.

All kinds of materials – Metal, leather, bones, and even enchanted components.

100 Summoning Scrolls – 20 were uncommon, and 1 was rare!

But the best reward wasn't any of these.

As the system interface flickered before him, a new notification appeared.

[New Skill Acquired: Alchemic Transmutation]

Description: Allows the user to convert extracted materials into different forms, given enough energy. Higher-tier transformations require more mana and suitable base materials.

Leon's eyes widened. This wasn't just an upgrade—it was a game-changer. With this, he could take low-quality materials and refine them into something better, or even alter their properties entirely.

He clenched his fist, feeling a surge of excitement.