Chapter 35: Foundations of Strength

Leon stood in the center of the settlement, arms crossed, as he surveyed the clearing where the barracks would soon stand. It would be the foundation of his army, a necessary step toward securing their survival.

He had already gathered a large portion of the required resources—wood, stone, and iron—but some materials were still in short supply. That was where his new ability, Transmutation, came in.

Grabbing a pile of excess iron and lumber, he focused his energy and converted it into sturdy timber. The conversion took a bit of effort, but it was far easier than gathering wood manually. He repeated the process several times, ensuring that they had enough to complete the structure without delaying other projects.

To reinforce the walls, he transformed basic stone into fortified bricks, making the foundation more resilient against potential attacks.

After a few hours of preparation, the materials were ready, and construction began.

---

With the help of the settlement's workers, the barracks started taking shape. Logs were cut and assembled, stone foundations were laid, and iron brackets secured the structure. It was a process that would take several days, but it was progressing smoothly.

While the workers handled construction, Leon turned his attention to organizing his new troops.

With 86 trained soldiers, he needed to establish a proper military structure. He divided them into four squads of 20, each specializing in a different combat role:

1. Infantry (Shield & Spear Fighters) – The backbone of his forces, responsible for holding the line in battle.

2. Archers – Skilled in ranged combat, they would provide support from a distance.

3. Cavalry – Though they lacked enough horses, this unit would train for mounted combat and reconnaissance.

4. Skirmishers & Scouts – Fast, lightly armored fighters who would serve as the vanguard for scouting and ambushes.

Each squad was placed under the command of experienced warriors among the summons, with Garrick overseeing their overall training once the barracks was completed.

Leon was satisfied. With time and proper training, this would evolve into a formidable force.

---

As construction progressed, Leon turned his attention to another critical issue: farming.

Despite their best efforts, their agricultural output wasn't growing fast enough. They needed a breakthrough, or they risked facing food shortages as the settlement expanded.

That was where his new rare summon came in—a druid.

Leon walked through the settlement until he found the man near the outskirts, examining the soil near the fields.

The druid was tall and lean, with long dark green hair tied loosely behind his back. His deep brown skin blended naturally with the earth, and his golden eyes radiated wisdom. He wore robes of woven leaves and vines, exuding a strong connection to nature.

Leon approached with purpose. "You must be the druid summoned from the rare scroll."

The man turned, offering a calm smile. "Indeed. My name is Vaelin Leafbinder. And you must be Lord Leon." His voice was deep and soothing, carrying an air of patience.

Leon nodded. "I won't waste time. Our farming is too slow. We need a way to boost crop growth. Do you have a solution?"

Vaelin ran his fingers through the soil and frowned. "The land here is still recovering from past hardships. The flow of natural mana is weak, so growth is stunted. We need a strong organic fertilizer, preferably something rich in magical essence."

That made Leon pause. A thought struck him. The undead bones.

"We still have piles of bones left from the Hollowborn we killed," Leon said. "Back in my world, bonemeal is used as fertilizer. Couldn't we do the same here?"

Vaelin's eyes widened slightly. He knelt and placed his palm against the ground, closing his eyes. After a few moments, he let out a slow breath.

"You're right. The bones are brimming with magic. If properly processed, they would make an excellent fertilizer, far stronger than normal bonemeal."

Leon smirked. "Good. That means we—"

Vaelin held up a hand, stopping him. "But there's a problem. These bones are infused with death energy. If we grind them into the soil as they are, the crops will wither and die. In fact, the very land itself could be corrupted."

Leon's excitement faded. "Is there a way to cleanse them?"

Vaelin sighed. "Normally, a cleric or holy priest could purify them. But we don't have one."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "Then we find another way."

His mind raced, searching for an alternative. That's when he remembered something—his Extraction ability.

Could it work?

His ability had already proven to be more than just item collection. He could extract magic essence from objects. If he could do the same with the Hollowborn bones...

Leon's hand hovered over a skull they had gathered near the fields.

"Let's try something."

He activated Extraction.

[Extracting…]

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, dark gray mist began to seep from the skull, twisting in the air like writhing tendrils. A cold sensation spread through Leon's fingers, but he held firm.

The mist pulsed before abruptly collapsing into a small, swirling black orb in his palm. The skull beneath his hand, once emanating eerie energy, now appeared... normal. Just bone.

Leon's lips curled into a grin. "I think we just found our solution."

Vaelin's eyes widened, his golden irises glowing faintly in the fading sunlight. He reached out, touching the purified skull and closing his eyes.

"…It worked. The death energy is gone. This is pure bone. We can grind it into bonemeal without risk."

Leon chuckled. "Good. Then let's get started. I'll extract the death energy from the bones, and you'll handle turning them into fertilizer."

Vaelin bowed slightly. "You have my respect, my lord. This ability of yours is... truly remarkable."

Leon smirked. "You've seen nothing yet."

---

As the days passed, the barracks continued to take shape, the soldiers trained in their new formations, and Leon spent time extracting the death energy from the Hollowborn remains.

By the time the barracks was nearly complete, the first batch of purified bonemeal was ready.

It was time to see if it would change their fate.