Maximilian struggled to catch his breath as he sat at the base of a massive stone. He had lost count of the number of scorpions he had killed somewhere around one and a half hundred. The scorpions were a frightening combination of the boars, salamanders and the dogs. They weren't as gifted in any one area, but the combination was frightening. Their stingers were fast enough that they meant death if he stopped moving. Despite it all they weren't very smart. Further his gains from the battle were pretty good. He had leveled which bought him another three points. Points that went into his Intelligence attribute. Part of him wanted to continued spreading his points out evenly but he hadn't gained any new skills. Intelligence was both his sword and shield. He couldn't justify ignoring it right now. That wasn't the only reward for his hard work either. Prismatic Barrier had reached Late proficiency. The upgrade brought another color, a beautiful blue that made him think of both the ocean and the sky. The improvements were simple but needed. Its defensive abilities were what made the difference against the scorpions. which should make it strong enough to block against whatever else was out there.

  The upgrade came when he needed it. Before it was only an assumption but now, he knew it was true. The monsters were getting stronger. If he had to estimate he would place these between five and eight. It was possible that being in or around the mountain let them get this strong but he doubted it. Animals in the wild would grow if there weren't predators to hunt. If humanity didn't hunt. He couldn't be sure, but he figured the beasts would make their own hierarchy at some point. Until then they would have to fend them off. Of course, they couldn't kill them all either. They would need the beasts to train and to level. Even with his cultivation speed it wouldn't be easy. He rolled his shoulders and got to his feet. He had also learned something important. You couldn't confirm the completion of all quests. He was pretty sure that he had to return to his settlement and then he could confirm it which wasn't the best. Not because he didn't feel like climbing the mountain again but because it would give him more power. Him and everyone else who controlled settlements. After all what good would it do you to complete a quest if you couldn't get your rewards? It was another thing for him to worry about. He took another look at the devastation around him and pushed spiritual energy into his feet.

  He kept his aura and killing intent unrestrained as he passed through the mountain. He wasn't in the mood to start a new fight. Now that the quest was done he wanted to redeem it and then go find his family. Once that was done, he would be free to focus on other things. He would be free to focus on what came next in this insanity. He arrived at the site of his settlement almost an hour and a half later. Where he found Nezha standing in front of the house he purchased earlier. "Greetings." He began as the construct person stared at him.

  "Hello, I have been notified you have completed the quest put before you." Maximilian nodded but before he could begin Nezha continued. "Tell me did you want to name your settlement or was your intent to leave that to the Network?"

  Maximilian raised an eyebrow and shook his head. In truth he hadn't thought about that too much. Especially not while fighting for his life. Now that he could think about it, he had an idea. "Nubia." He grinned to himself as he looked at what would eventually become an amazing city. When he was younger, he had a miniature obsession with the original Kingdom of Nubia. Not that it mattered anymore. The world had ended but there was no reason that somethings couldn't return. At the least it could be a homage to his childhood self. He was about to ask Nezha for more details when his Status Screen opened.

  It took him a moment to realize what had changed, but when he did, he nodded. He was officially a lord. He wasn't sure why the Network used European nobility, but he wasn't going to complain. He needed to get a crown and he would be on his way. "Alright, so with that dealt with, what's next?"

  "I have taken the funds you have arranged and processed a series of purchases I believe will be instrumental. Do you wish to confirm them, or shall I commence the process?" Maximilian shook his head. He had little interest in micromanaging the person hired for this exact job. Especially when he knew little about city planning.

  "Will the buildings arrive in a set arrangement or would you be responsible for city design."

  "I will determine proper placement. Unless you have a method you would prefer." He shook his head and Nezha continued. "There is also the matter of your rewards. Would you like to receive them now?" A quick head nod and a box was teleported in at his feet. He picked it up, opened to verify and then placed the stones into his bag. He wasn't going to spend those stones on anything, instead he would use them to fund his cultivation. Now he had resources, money and Network credits. He wiped the screen away just as the area shifted. Once again he was awed by the power of the Network. Buildings literally morphed out of the ground. From what he could tell Nezha had formed the settlement as a bunch concentric rings. With the spot where they were standing as the center. Right now there weren't many buildings, less than ten but that was enough. He was about to ask him to create more housing when another building began to form. The dark stone of the mountain bulged downward into a set of spiral stairs.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  He stared at the new pathway in a mixture of awe and confusion. The stone was wrong. Or to be more accurate it didn't fit the environment it was as if he was stood at the entrance of ancient tomb or long lost ruin. If he hadn't watched it appear he would've assumed that it was an archeological dig. "What?" It took a moment for his brain to catch up but when it did he couldn't help but grin. "This is the limited building. Is it safe?" He looked over at Nezha though he was pretty sure he knew the answer. The Network had been pretty reasonable with rewards. If it gave him a benefit than the benefit was good. Of course, he had just started there was no guarantee that it wouldn't change that.

  "Yes, the Network has deemed it a reward. Therefore it should be useful to you." The construct emotionless tone did nothing to make him feel better but he decided to ignore it. If it turned out Nezha couldn't control that he would be in the wrong. If it wasn't than Nezha was doing it on purpose. Either way there was nothing he could or would do about it. He resealed his aura and killing intent before heading down. The staircase coiled around a central hole that made him feel like he was in a fantasy story. Every ten or fifteen feet there was a glowing brown crystal that illuminated the path. He ran a hand across the stone as he walked. At first he was barely touching it but he soon realized that the stone was the strongest material he had ever seen. Part of him wanted to imbue his fingers just to see if he could press them through the stone. The rational part of his mind decided against it. He had no interest in bringing the whole place down if he turned out to be stronger than he thought. He also didn't want to find out what happened if the Network thought you were destroying its things.

  He imagined Zeus raining down lightning bolts. When he reached the bottom he closed his eyes and let the energy wash over him. The spiritual energy down here was denser than at the top. Not at the level of the crystal room but it was still beyond nice. He relished it for a moment before he turned his attention to the door across from him. It was about twenty feet tall and resembled an ancient vault. He didn't need to try it to know he couldn't get through that. Not even if he had a hundred years. On either side of the vault were humanoid statues. They were men from what he could tell, both were bald and held scrolls in their hands. The image reminded him of Greek philosophers. Like this was a scene you would've seen at the Library of Alexandria before it burned down. He was about to walk up and knock on it when the door began to open.

  When the door opened he was hit with a blast of stale air. It wasn't enough to bother him but it further supported the idea that this was some ancient building. He waited for the door to fully open before he stepped inside. What he saw took his breath away. The room was as big as an airplane hanger. The walls were filled with information slips and scrolls. There were even several slips that floated about in spherical balls of energy. The whole thing made it the room feel like some fantasy wonderland but for librarians. There was even a large area with stone chairs, benches and tables. From what he could see the structure continued deeper into the earth though he didn't see any paths that led down. Before he could enjoy his new prize there was a gust of wind and then movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned seconds before an owl the size of a giant landed soundlessly next to him. The owl was near jet black except for its face which was covered in snow white feathers.

  He fought his initial urge to blast the creature. He knew his instincts weren't perfect but between them and where he got the building he was willing to give anything inside it the benefit of the doubt. "So you are the young lord that the Network awarded this place to?" The owls voice was nothing like he expected. It was high and screeching almost like a child who hadn't quite gotten past the awkward stage of puberty.

  "I believe so. My Name is Maximilian, Maximilian Croft. This place was awarded to me." He was about to offer his hand to shake and then thought better of it. He wasn't sure if a bird person could do that and he didn't want to find out what talons would feel like across his hand.

  "Yes, yes humans and their names. My name is Auwren. I am the knowledge keeper for the Athenaeum of Ascension. If you want access to my knowledge you must answer my riddle." Maximilian cocked his head at that before nodding. He hadn't gotten a quest prompt so he doubted it was a real requirement but he figured why not. He waved his hand and the Auwren continued. "There is a home that one enters blind but exits with sight. What is it?"

  Maximilian paused and replayed the words in his head. He discarded the word "Home" immediately. It was possible that it meant a literal house but he figured it meant building. Which lead him to hospital or doctor's hut but his gut told him that was wrong. Next his gaze scanned the room around them. Was it a library? If you stretched the concept of blind to ignorance it could work but they were in a library. At least that's what he assumed this building was so he doubted else. No. He grinned and looked up at the bird as the answer dawned on him. Not a library but a "School. A place of learning. We all enter them blinded by ignorance but upon exiting we can see. If only a little."

  "Good, good! I grant you permission. You may access all the knowledge I have gained." The excited owl stomped around like an old character. Only at its size it wasn't anywhere near as cute.

  "Can you tell me about the library? Or rather Athenaeum? Is their a system?"

  "Yes, yes there is. The scrolls represent the oldest of information as it existed before the Network and was not categorized in the same way. There is also a skill crystal in the center." Auwren gestured to a light almost a hundred feet away. "If you don't have a skill that lets you understand other languages. It has no use limit. This first floor contains mortal or mundane knowledge. Therefore you and anyone you designate has access to all of it. The floor beneath this has accounts and other information from Foundation Establishment realm cultivators."

  Maximilian's eyes widened at that. He couldn't stop himself from searching for the stairs. If they could get access to cultivation resources than he could lead a whole generation. Or at least give the people who didn't go to the tutorial a chance to learn. Auwren must have noticed because he rolled his massive eyes and then gestured to a balcony to our right. A moment later a stone staircase appeared. The stairs appearing out of nowhere. He assumed it had converted spiritual energy into stone somehow. "Before you get too excited the information comprises firsthand accounts from various cultivators and practitioners. Not techniques, skills or other abilities."

  Maximilian did his best to hide the disappointment as he nodded. Nothing was easy but he figured the place was still worth it. Even if it wouldn't help him or everyone else with abilities it should help them avoid common pitfalls. The kinds of things most people would've been taught as children. It might also have the information they would need to build a settlement. Even if he wasn't able to get Earth's books. He asked Auwren a few more questions before the massive owl disappeared amongst the Labyrinthine shelves. Maximilian resisted the urge to explore and instead left the building. He wanted to spend hours inside, but he couldn't afford that. Not while his family was out there. He figured his mother would thrive in here.

  When he exited the building he found that Nezha had been hard at work. There were several more houses and something that looked vaguely look a store. The building looked like an unadorned military bunker. It lacked a door and was a stone sales counter with two people standing next to it. Nezha was on the same side of the counter as Maximilian. At first he thought the other person was a human but that wasn't true. They had skin the color of freshly turned soil with thin needle like quills coming out of their backs. He figured they were some sort beastfolk, one that was more porcupine and human. He stepped into the store front and flashed both of them a pleasant smile.

  "Hello, this one greats your majesty." The porcupine person said with a smile that was obviously forced. "My name is Tataba. I am pleased to have you in my store."

  "Tataba owns a general goods store that had requirements you met. I was just explaining that you are the only person in this settlement and thus their only customer." Nezha added.

  Maximilian nodded. "I hope to change that soon. Do you have anything for sale? I could use some alchemical supplies. Healing pills would be a plus."

  "Oh, yes I can do that. I am not a dedicated Alchemist but." Tataba's voice trailed as a menu formed in front of Maximilian. Sure enough the items available were "basic" but there were plenty of useful things. Weapons, food, various pills and other things. He could even new robes. None of them were talismans so that was a loss but he could use them all.

  "Are you able to buy things from me? I have a lot of beast corpses in my bag that I could get rid off. Corpses and other body parts."

  "Uh I could but if I can assume. I don't believe your storage item would be suited to carrying such items. It is more than likely the flesh would've started to decay. You can leave it in my back room, and I will try but there are no guarantees."

  Maximilian nodded and made a note to deal with it before he left. For now though he focused on the items he could buy. He ordered several sets of healing pills and poison related stuff. His run in with the scorpions made it clear that he would need to be worried about that. From there he purchased several sets of weapons, armor and food. He didn't know what state the world was in, but he figured most people would be using guns if they could. Those people would need the new gear. After that he purchased a few bags. They weren't storage items but they should work as miniature care packages. He could also keep things inside that he didn't want in his magic bag. When it was all said and done he had spent a bit more than half his wealth on a mountain of items. The majority of which were stored in his magic bag. He then got rid of the corpses. The majority of which weren't good for much. He let Tataba keep the stuff worth having and then he tossed the junk down the mountain. He was about to set off when he went to find Nezha.

  "Question for you. Is there a way for me to use the settlement system to find my family?"

  "I do not know where your family is, but you could purchase a teleportation array. You only have early Foundation realm arrays available but if there are any other arrays within range. You could teleport there." Maximilian asked his assistant several more questions about the arrays before he decided to purchase one. The arrays were useful but his settlement was built on a mountain. Which would be both a boon and a bane. Its central location would make it a powerful hub if he could strengthen his arrays. The basic ones he could buy would have limited range so they might struggle to connect but if he could spread them out? If he had one in every direction, he would be golden. He also would control access to the city at that point. If anyone wanted to attack him, they would have to trek up the whole thing. He verified a few more things before he accessed the teleporter. He wasn't surprised to find that there were no locations near here. He said his good byes and then sat out.