The world was ablaze with chaos. One moment, Liam had been going about his mundane routine, lost in the monotony of everyday life. The next, he found himself engulfed in a blinding light, his surroundings melting into nothingness. Panic surged through him as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings—or lack thereof.

Then, as abruptly as it had begun, the light receded, leaving Liam standing on unfamiliar ground. His eyes dilated in shock as he took in his surroundings—a vast, sprawling landscape stretching as far as the eye could see. Towering mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks lost in the clouds, while dense forests and winding rivers crisscrossed the terrain.

Liam stood amidst the chaos, surveying the surreal landscape around him. His blonde hair, unruly and unkempt, fell into his eyes, partially obscuring the guarded intelligence that flickered within their depths. Tall and lean, Liam's form seemed to blend into the background, his clothes worn and nondescript, a testament to a life spent on the fringes of society.

As an orphan, Liam had grown accustomed to solitude, finding solace in the quiet corners of the world where he could retreat from the prying eyes of others. He was a loner by nature, preferring the company of his thoughts to the tumult of human interaction. Though a loner, he had always adhered to the concept of adapting. Or else he won't be standing here today. He was an orphan, but he didn't come from an orphanage. He came from the slum. Years of hardship and experience trying to survive had taught him the most significant lesson: effort, adaptability, and trying to find a solution. Keep calm when necessary. Losing control of your emotions means losing the game.

Now, thrust into this strange new world without warning or explanation, Liam felt a creeping sense of unease gnawing at the edges of his consciousness. Though he hurriedly tried to adjust himself and muttered.

"Just what is happening?"

He muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible above the panicked voices filling the air.

But amidst the confusion, a voice cut through the clamor, commanding attention with its eerie resonance.

"Greetings, lords, and ladies of the new plane!"

Liam's breath caught in his throat as he listened to the voice of the Overseer, his mind struggling to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

"Know this, lords and ladies: you are not alone. Each of you has been granted the title of lord, with the power to command your armies and territories. But beware, for this world is not without its dangers. You will face trials and tribulations beyond imagining, and only the strongest among you will survive."

With those ominous words, the voice fell silent, leaving Liam and the others to be stupefied on the spot.

Summoned to embark on a journey of conquest and exploration? Granted the title of lord with the power to command armies and territories? Depending on one's perspective, it all sounded like something out of a fantastical tale, the stuff of dreams or nightmares. And yet, here he stood, a pawn in a game he had never consented to.

How can they accept it? Being brought to a strange place that contradicts their norm and even their recognition of what is expected and what is the opposite of it.

How can they accept it blindly?

Everyone was at a loss, not knowing what to do or how to react to this current predicament.

But before they could ponder even further, the familiar light engulfed them instantly.

_

"Where is this?... "

Liam staggered in his steps as his gaze fell onto his surroundings. Huge gasps kept coming in and out of his mouth, with his eyes frantically looking at the surroundings.

"How can this be... all of us got separated?"

He frowned.

As Liam's eyes darted around the unfamiliar landscape, his mind raced with questions and uncertainties. Realizing that he had been separated from the others only added to his disorientation and unease.

"Stay calm,"

Liam muttered to himself, steady his trembling nerves.

"Focus on what you know. Assess the situation."

Taking a deep breath, Liam forced himself to survey his surroundings more closely. The landscape stretched before him, a vast expanse of untamed wilderness teeming with the unknown. Towering trees loomed overhead, their branches swaying in the gentle breeze, while unfamiliar sounds echoed through the air—a chorus of chirping insects and rustling leaves.

And with all these brand new experiences, Liam couldn't help but give in deep within. He can't control this, nor does everyone else. The scope of the current situation that had occurred has exceeded their imagination. Does denying the facts help?

Does crying help?

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Will questioning everything and not succumbing to the current predicament help to save your life?

Wrong, and Liam believed so. He treasured his life more than anything else.

"And whether I like it or not, I will just have to adapt."

And amidst the whirlwind of thoughts, Liam's keen eye caught sight of something that caught his attention—a glimmer of light flickering in the distance, obscured by the dense foliage of the forest.

With a sense of determination burning in his heart, Liam set off toward the light, his footsteps quickening with each passing moment. As he ventured deeper into the forest, the air grew thick with the scent of earth and moss, enveloping him in its embrace.

At last, after what felt like an eternity, Liam emerged into a small clearing bathed in dappled sunlight. Before him stood a curious sight—a building nestled amidst the trees, its walls adorned with intricate carvings and dimly lit runes.

Liam's heart skipped a beat as he approached the building, his curiosity piqued. There was a strange yet familiar feeling coming from this thing, and he felt it deep inside his soul as if this place resonated with his very existence.

Liam was engulfed in darkness as he stepped through the entrance, the air thick with the scent of ancient stone and incense. But it was not the darkness that gave him pause—it was the figure that materialized before him, bathed in an ethereal glow that seemed to emanate from within.

"Greetings, traveler," the figure intoned, echoing through the chamber. "I am the Guardian of this summoning gate, keeper of its secrets, and custodian of its power."

Liam's breath caught in his throat as he took in the figure before him—a being of indescribable beauty and power, its eyes ablaze with wisdom and knowledge.

"What is this place?" Liam ventured, his voice barely above a whisper.

The Guardian inclined its head in acknowledgment.

"This is the temple of the summoning for the Lords, a place of great significance and power for you, the beginning of your path. The key to unlocking your true potential and mastering the forces that shape this world."

Liam's mind raced with possibilities as he absorbed the Guardian's words.

And without waiting for Liam to respond, the Guardian continued with his words.

"My role is to activate the summoning portal, allowing the lords to summon their initial troops. And after the process is considered done, I will disappear, for my existence was only meant to serve for this very moment."

Liam listened intently to the Guardian's words, a mixture of awe and determination swirling within him.

"Activate the portal, Guardian,"

Liam said, his voice steady.

"I am ready to summon my troops. "

The Guardian nodded solemnly, raising its hand toward the shimmering vortex at the hall's center. With a flourish of movement, the air crackled with energy as the portal hummed to life, its radiant light bathing the chamber in a soft, ethereal glow.

Liam watched in awe as shapes merged within the swirling vortex, taking form and substance with each passing moment. And then, with a burst of light, his initial troops emerged from the portal, standing before him in all their glory.

When these shapes finally took their final form, Liam's smile froze immediately as his face stiffened upon these new terrifying facts.

"S-slime?"

He asked while turning his head towards the Guardian, seemingly to inquire about the legitimacy of his summons. Squatting down next to the wobbling slime on the ground, he poked the soft gelatin cheeks, and in response, the slime wiggled back happily.

"..."

Liam was in disbelief.

Discerning Liam's gaze, the Guardian simply replied while coughing.

"I do not have the power to influence the summoning chances, Lord. It is simply upon luck's playfulness that you were assigned to such a troop."

"Wha?"

"Then... farewell!"

"h-HEYY!??"

The guardian hurriedly bid farewell and vanished alongside the structure, leaving Liam dumbfounded with his outstretched hand freezing in midair.

"Am I cooked?"

Liam blinked his eyes and looked down,

"Oh, but you're so adorable..."

The gelatin creature was crawling towards Liam, and the blond man picked it up, lifting it as they shared eye contact.

"But aren't slimes a lower-class troop? Won't this be a disadvantage to my growth...?"

Liam pondered, unaware of the expression visibly depicted on his face.

And the slime wobbles in dissatisfaction upon Liam's remarks regarding it. He wobbled towards Liam's arm that was holding it and headbutted in anger as if to vent his emotions.

Seeing this, Liam couldn't help but sigh and laugh a little with his current situation. At the very least, this little guy can give him some warmth in this new cold reality he was forced into.

"You're lucky."

And he continued to add.

"Because it's my fortune that it was you."

Smiling, he stroked the slime's wobbly jelly head.

"Shall we take a look around the building, little guy?"

Saying this, he rose to his feet and headed back towards the entrance. And, of course, he wouldn't abandon this building; this place would be a very good starting point for his Lord's path in this world, and logically speaking, every other lord would also be doing the same thing.

The building appeared small from the outside, no more than 3 meters tall and 10 meters wide in diameter, but the space inside it was three times the original measurement. These discoveries baffled Liam as he kept on exploring the building.

Other than a bedroom and the large hall with four glistening old rustic pillars, nothing else was worth mentioning.

And while he was exploring the building, suddenly, a thought came to his mind.

"There should be a panel or something, right? for the lord to use..."

thinking of this, Liam urged his thoughts to summon the panel.

[Lord of the human race] [Earth, Human]

[name]: Liam Adermin's

[age]: 18/80

[Lord level]: 0

[Exp to the next level]: 0/100

[Lord Class]: None

[Base troop]: Slime (common) (rarity: E) (level : 0)

[Description]: a normal slime, the lowest form of monster you can encounter in the wilderness. Possesses an extremely weak defense, attack, and also agility.

[Skill]:

[Summon space]: 1/10

Overlooking at the information that the panel was providing, he nodded.

And he added.

" let's summon a little bit more slimes, even though they are not strong, but at the very least, the number advantage should be there... hopefully... "

Clutching his clothes into his heart, Liam prayed hard and summoned even more slimes to increase his troop count. It was his first time doing so, and it was quite strange with his hand movement stiff during the summoning process.

And after several seconds of convincing himself, he waved his hand resolutely to the front and said in a deep voice.

"Summon!"

Upon hearing the Lord's command, a bright light illuminated the entire vicinity. And when the light finally receded, nine slimes were summoned, completing the entire number.

The summoned creatures stood silently as they waited for their Lord's command, but Liam suddenly felt something tugging his foot.

Surprised, he looked down only to find a slime tugging at his boots as if the slime wanted to cuddle against his feet.

Seeing that the slime was about to headbutt him, Liam squatted down and cradled the jelly in his hands.

"You want to headbutt me again?"

With a laugh, Liam reached out to touch the slimy head.