Chapter 16: Conquest

​[Elite Skeleton Assassin has consumed Elite ★★★ Death Essence.]

​Death Affinity Increased.

​Necrotic Energy Control Increased.

​Potential Growth Enhanced.

​[Elite Skeleton Knight has consumed Elite ★★★ Death Essence.]

​Death Affinity Increased.

​Necrotic Energy Control Increased.

​Potential Growth Enhanced.

​[Elite Skeleton Tank has consumed Elite ★★★ Death Essence.]

​Death Affinity Increased.

​Necrotic Energy Control Increased.

​Potential Growth Enhanced.

​[Elite Skeleton Archer has consumed Elite ★★★ Death Essence.]

​Death Affinity Increased.

​Necrotic Energy Control Increased.

​Potential Growth Enhanced.

​[Elite Skeleton Assassin has consumed Refined ★★★ Withered Grass.]

​Strength Increased.

​Endurance Increased.

​[Elite Skeleton Knight has consumed Refined ★★★ Withered Grass.]

​Strength Increased.

​Endurance Increased.

​[Elite Skeleton Tank has consumed Refined ★★★ Withered Grass.]

​Strength Increased.

​Endurance Increased.

​[Elite Skeleton Archer has consumed Refined ★★★ Withered Grass.]

​Strength Increased.

​Endurance Increased.

​[Elite Skeleton Assassin has consumed Refined ★★★ Spirit Fragment.]

​Mana Control Increased.

​Skill Precision Improved.

​[Elite Skeleton Knight has consumed Refined ★★★ Spirit Fragment.]

​Mana Control Increased.

​Skill Precision Improved.

​[Elite Skeleton Tank has consumed Refined ★★★ Spirit Fragment.]

​Mana Control Increased.

​Skill Precision Improved.

​[Elite Skeleton Archer has consumed Refined ★★★ Spirit Fragment.]

​Mana Control Increased.

​Skill Precision Improved.

​[Champion Nyxara has consumed Elite ★★★ Soul Crystal.]

​Soul Strength Increased.

​Mana Quality Increased.

​Authority Strength Increased.

​[Champion Nyxara has consumed Refined ★★★ Withered Grass ×4.]

​Physical Constitution Increased.

​Strength Increased.

​Endurance Increased.

​[Champion Nyxara has consumed Refined ★★★ Spirit Fragment ×2.]

​Spirit Strength Increased.

​Mana Control Increased.

​Authority Precision Increased.

​[All Consumables Successfully Digested.]

​[Combat Power Increased.]

[Army Strength Increased.]

[Lord-Troop Synchronization Improved.]

​As the final prompt faded, visible shockwaves of energy erupted from his summons.

Their soul fires blazed with newfound intensity, their physical frames density increased, and Nyxara’s sentient shadow expanded, turning significantly darker than before.

Cassian stood in silence, feeling the steady surge of power flowing through the soul link connecting him to his forces.

​Four Elite Skeletons.

A First-Order Champion.

Refined equipment.

Elite-grade resources.

A functioning territorial foundation.

​Even now, it felt surreal.

​He couldn’t help but compare his current standing to the man he had been in his previous life.

Back then, he had clawed his way forward one agonizing step at a time. Every single soldier had been earned through blood and sweat, every piece of gear bought after surviving countless desperate skirmishes, and every minor breakthrough achieved only after months of relentless effort.

​Yet now...

​As he felt the raw strength coursing through his veins and the imposing presence of the units standing at his back, an astonishing realization took root.

​In less than thirty minutes, he had already surpassed half the strength it had taken him five full years to build in his past life.

​Five years. Thousands of life-or-death battles. Endless struggles and narrow escapes. All compressed into a fraction of an hour.

​The sheer absurdity of the contrast brought a bitter smile to his lips.

​"Effort matters," Cassian murmured, gazing out at his silent legion. "But when one starts at the summit and another at the base, equal effort rarely yields equal results."

​In his previous life, he had started with absolute zero. No foundational knowledge, no hidden opportunities, and no special advantages.

He had been just another nameless, struggling Lord trying to scrape together a survival.

​This time, however, he possessed a weapon far more dangerous than sheer talent: foresight.

​And in the Lord’s Domain, foresight was the ultimate privilege.

​Cassian lowered his gaze, assessing the storm of emotions swirling inside him. Excitement? Deep satisfaction? Relief? Perhaps a volatile mix of all three.

​For a brief, fleeting moment, he allowed himself to savor the taste of early success.

​Then, he shook his head, brushing the sentiment aside.

​He had caught himself getting overly excited far too often today, and that was a dangerous habit to form.

Overconfidence had sent countless arrogant Lords to early graves. The exact moment someone began believing their victory was guaranteed was usually when the Domain reminded them how fragile they truly were.

​He had survived long enough in his previous timeline to know that lesson by heart.

​Taking a deep, stabilizing breath, Cassian forcibly suppressed the rising excitement within his chest until his expression flattened into cool composure.

​A promising future meant nothing if he died in the present. He still had work to do.

​With a simple thought, the Lord’s Ledger materialized before him. He selected the [Map] tab, and the interface immediately expanded into an intricate three-dimensional projection.

​Countless lines of pale violet light radiated outward from the center, mapping out the immediate topography. His territory occupied merely a tiny, illuminated circle at the very heart of the display.

​Beyond those boundaries stretched a vast, suffocating expanse of dark fog waiting to be explored.

....

Cassian’s gaze settled on the tiny circle representing his territory, and he tapped it.

​The projection expanded immediately. Lines of pale light spread across the surface as the map zoomed inward, revealing the internal structure of the Graveshade Expanse.

​Four Zones. Four major regions comprised the entirety of the territory, yet among them, only a single area glowed with his active authority:

​Lord’s Hollow.

​The remaining three regions were marked in stark, contrasting hues, signifying that they remained beyond his control.

​Seeing this, Cassian wasn’t surprised. Technically speaking, he was the Lord of the Graveshade Expanse, but only technically. The title existed, but the true authority did not.

​To claim the territory in full and elevate it into a true Region, he would first have to conquer the remaining three areas:

​Bonefang Wastes

​Umbralwood

​Kragmar Dominion

​Only after bringing all four regions under his banner would the system recognize him as its undisputed ruler.

​That was the fundamental nature of the Lord’s Domain.

​Many newcomers mistakenly believed the Domain revolved around trade, infrastructure development, economics, and diplomacy. Those elements mattered, but they were merely tools.

​The foundation upon which every Lord stood was raw conquest.

​Only by conquering could a Lord grow stronger. Only by conquering could territories expand, and only by conquering could true civilizations rise.

​The principle was so deeply embedded into the Lord System that it governed reality even outside the Domain.

Interplanetary civilizations constantly expanded their borders, annexing worlds, establishing colonies, and incorporating new stellar systems, not merely for raw resources or prestige, but because larger civilizations could support more Lords.

​More Lords meant greater military strength, and greater military strength enabled further expansion. It was an endless cycle that had shaped the Astral Dominion for centuries.

​Cassian smiled faintly. "So right now... I’m back to fighting to make my title more than just a name."

​The words carried a trace of nostalgia, and a sharp edge of bitterness.

​His thoughts drifted toward his previous life. Back then, his territory had been called Lunar Woods, and conquering it had taken him four and a half agonizing years.

Four and a half years of endless battles, crushing setbacks, and slowly clawing his way forward inch by inch.

​Only after conquering every single section had he finally advanced the territory to Tier III and transformed it into a recognized Region.

​Yet, that was where his progression had permanently stalled.

​A D-Grade Lord Seed simply wasn’t enough. No matter how hard he worked, no matter how many resources he hoarded, and no matter how much effort he poured into his domain, the hard limit of his foundation eventually caught up to him.

​In the end, he had accepted it. He had convinced himself that reaching Tier III was sufficient, that he had done his part, and that it was finally time to step back and focus on his family.

​His grip slowly tightened into a fist.

​The nightmare memory resurfaced once more: the sudden destruction of the Astral Dominion, the apocalyptic collapse of everything he knew, and the overwhelming helplessness of dying with regret.

​Cassian exhaled slowly, gradually easing the tension in his hand.

​This time would be different. It had to be. He wouldn’t allow history to repeat itself.

​Pushing the shadows of the past aside, he refocused on the map. His eyes swept across the details displayed by the Ledger:

​[Territory: Graveshade Expanse]

[Type: Death Zone / Small Territory Region]

[Status: 1 / 4 Zones Conquered]

​His gaze first settled on the Bonefang Wastes. The danger level was low, populated by relatively weak mana beasts like Bone Hyenas, Grave Rats, and Carrion Hounds. Most importantly, it contained basic resources his undead forces could readily harvest.

​It was the obvious first target.

​Next came the Umbralwood—a region dominated by darkness and oppressive shadows. It was significantly more dangerous and difficult to navigate, but rich in rare, high-tier materials.

​Finally, his eyes landed on the largest section: the Kragmar Dominion.

​Unlike the previous two areas, this wasn’t merely a monster-infested wilderness. It was a civilization, primitively microscopic by interplanetary standards, but a civilization nonetheless.

The Graveborn Orcs possessed fortified settlements, standing armies, brutal leaders, functional infrastructure, and tactical intelligence.

​They would not fall as easily as wild beasts.

​Yet, they also represented the greatest prize: population, labor, structures, and raw military power. Everything a rapidly growing Lord required.

​Cassian studied the map for a few moments longer before a confident smile touched his lips.

​The conquest path was clear.

​First, the Bonefang Wastes.

Then, the Umbralwood.

Finally... the Kragmar Dominion.