After a warm celebratory dinner, Roland and his party bid farewell to Thorin early the next morning and left the city of Irube located in Lonely Mountain. The farewells were heartfelt, but the future awaited.

Riding his horse, Roland glanced back at the empty space where his loyal and brave Swiftstream infantry once marched. The loss of 300 men was a devastating blow, both emotionally and militarily. Sighing, he looked at the scroll in his hand and managed a faint smile. The offensive and defensive alliance treaty signed by the four northern kingdoms—Lagrand Kingdom, Yamashita Kingdom, Woodland Kingdom, and River Valley Kingdom—was a beacon of hope in these dark times. With Azog and Bolg's escape, unity was paramount.

Roland's next goal was to build his first city.

"Let's part here," Roland said, turning to Gandalf and Bilbo.

"Goodbye, Roland. Good luck!" Gandalf nodded slightly.

"Mr. Roland, if you ever pass through Bag End, please drop by. Afternoon tea starts at 4 o'clock!" Bilbo said, his eyes misty.

"Of course, Mr. Baggins. Just make sure there's dinner next time!" Roland laughed heartily, his laughter dispelling the gloom.

"Uh, I'll make sure of it!" Bilbo blushed, remembering how unprepared he had been during Roland's last visit.

As they waved goodbye, Roland turned his attention to the east side of the lake where the former Swift Stream City once stood.

"System! Let's go here! Realize the town of Swift Stream!" Roland commanded, standing at the mouth of the lake.

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"Received! Retrieving terrain..."

"The terrain meets the requirements..."

"The city wall is being generated..."

"The Lord's Castle is being generated..."

"Building houses..."

"The construction is completed, please check the host."

Roland watched as a stream of data enveloped the land before him. When the system finally indicated completion, he looked up, expecting a thriving town. Instead, he was met with a dilapidated village.

"What is this?" Roland angrily pointed to the pathetic sight before him. "Can you show me that this is the rapid town you're talking about?"

"The system is detecting...the detection is correct!" the cold voice of the system replied.

"I'll go to your uncle! Explain this two-meter-high stone wall! And these leaky houses! There's grass growing inside! The only building taller than two stories is this shabby lord's castle!" Roland was furious.

"…" system.

"Playing dead?" Roland muttered, realizing the system wasn't going to respond.

Roland tried to compose himself as he turned to his men. "Ahem, this will be our home from now on, the relic of the former Swift Stream City..."

To his surprise, everyone cheered.

"Look, this is our Lagrand's architectural style!"

"A typical Lagrand village!"

"Yes, I feel like I'm back home again!"

Everyone was thrilled to see a piece of Lagrand in this foreign land, their excitement palpable.

"System, are you really not going to say anything?" Roland muttered, frustrated by the system's silence.

"Sir, it's very nice here! We finally returned to our hometown!" Caslow said, running up to Roland.

Roland held his tongue, not wanting to dampen their spirits. He opened the system's mall, trying to distract himself.

"Griffin Egg: Quantity 5. Unit price: 10,000 wealth value."

"Darian Archer: Quantity 100. Unit Price: 10 Wealth Points."

"Earth-type War Mage: Quantity 1. Unit price: 50,000 wealth value."

Roland's eyes widened. "War mages?"

He exchanged 5 griffin eggs and a war mage. Griffins were formidable air combat creatures, and war mages were invaluable for both combat and construction. His wealth value shrunk by one tenth, but it was worth it.

"The system has set that the war mage will bring 5 griffin eggs to the host, please pay attention to the host," the system informed.

"My lord, give this city a name!" Reno interrupted Roland's thoughts.

"Let's call it Rapid City. We will rebuild and honor our ancestors' legacy," Roland declared solemnly.

"Rapid City... It's good to hear that name again..." The priest of the temple guard wiped away tears.

"Ding! The main quest is on..." the system chimed, signaling the start of a new chapter in their journey.

As they began to rebuild, Roland couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. Despite the setbacks, they had a chance to create something lasting, a beacon of hope in a world still shrouded in darkness.