Location: < Ground floor entrance to the 'Temple of Birth' > - One of a few such places scattered through the isolated corners of the lower heavens.

POV.: Nameless silver-haired fledgling angel.

I was still trying to comprehend what exactly had just happened when I heard the System chimed in, announcing the bestowment of the Phoebusin Legacy, leaving me in a state of bewildered contemplation.

Lady Berenice, the architect of this celestial revelation, withdrew her fingers from my forehead with a grace that seemed to transcend the very essence of elegance. Every movement she made was a dance, leaving an ethereal aura that lingered in the air.

As her radiant smile unfolded, a beauty so profound that it could coax the world into a harmonious melody, I realized how Lrya had known Lady Berenice was going to be here waiting for us.

Like Lrya had said it was her aura. Lady Berenice's aura. Picture it like a celestial quilt, a radiant tapestry that enveloped everything in its reach. It wasn't just a mere presence; it was a force, a light blanket poised to smother the malevolent and breathe life into the virtuous.

Caught in the realization of this phenomenon, I found myself standing between Lrya and Lady Berenice. A few precious seconds stretched out in bliss as I absorbed the sheer magnitude of it all. Berenice's aura, a gentle zephyr of benevolence, delicately caressed my skin and played with the strands of my hair, leaving an indelible mark on my senses.

As the outside world bathed in the comforting embrace of Berenice's essence, within me, the energies of the Legacy continued their work. All but the very essence of it seemed to adapt, as the Legacy tailored itself to the contours of my existence.

As the distant melody of a bird's chirp painted the air, I yearned for the continuation of this perfect moment. Little did I know, that innocent bird might have carried an unforeseen curse.

In cruel irony, the universe promptly shattered my wish into a thousand fragments.

One moment the space outside the temple's entrance, just past Lady Berenice, was empty. The next, a two-winged angel suddenly materialized, gracefully descending to one knee right before my eyes. The once empty expanse now held the tangible presence of celestial existence.

Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the angel, I struggled to swiftly reclaim mastery over my senses. Just in the nick of time, I tuned in to the urgent words that spilled from the celestial being's lips, "Lady Berenice, there is trouble on the horizon." Almost under its breath, the angel continued, "Or, more accurately I guess it would be under the horizon from here above the clouds."

My curiosity piqued, I observed the rapid transformation in Lady Berenice's expression and aura. What had moments ago exuded a serene tranquillity now morphed into a controlled yet stonelike calm.

Lady Berenice's voice, patient yet unwavering, cut through the air as she uttered a single word, "Explain." The gravity in that one utterance surpassed any seriousness I had ever encountered in my existence.

In response, the angel hastened to articulate, "I was out scouting, as you had requested, when I spotted a legion of holy aberrations hurtling fast approaching us."

Lady Berenice's inquiry sliced through the tension, "Details?"

The angel, displaying practiced composure, began to unravel its reconnaissance findings, "There were easily over a hundred rody refine—uh, holy aberrations under level ten, and a few dozen boasting levels in the high thirties to low forties."

For the first time, a flicker of unease crossed the angel's countenance as it added, "And then there were three nascent soul holy aberrations…" The angel's voice trailed off, leaving a pregnant pause before it continued, "But unlike the others, they seemed to be scouring the forest, not poised for an attack."

At the mere mention of nascent soul holy aberrations, Lady Berenice drew in a sharp breath. Almost in a hushed tone, so quiet I strained to hear, she uttered, "Level fifty-plus monsters already. This might actually shape up to be bothersome."

Turning her gaze toward Lyra, who stood beside me, Lady Berenice offered a suggestion, "Judging by the situation, I'd advise both of you to temporarily set aside your meeting with the coven."

With that counsel hanging in the air, Lady Berenice gracefully flapped her four wings, propelling herself skyward with a flawless but powerful display of elegance.

As Lady Berenice's presence gradually dissipated, the System dropped an unexpected revelation my way,

< Congratulations, you've immersed in the unbridled passive aura of a 'Martial Knight' rank entity for a substantial duration. >

< Consequently, the energy you have accumulated has been condensed. Your race level is now eleven. >

Wait what no 'instating race level up'! No nauseating goop? Just like that, I found myself at level eleven—simply from engaging in conversation with Lady Berenice for a while?

----------------------------------------

Location: < 'Uggrock's Den' > - One of many caverns found throughout the upper stratums of the netherworld.

POV.: Nameless silver-haired demon larva.

As Uggrock insulted my intelligence one last time while leaving the cavern hurriedly, I heard something unexpected from the familiar voice,

< Congratulations! You have endured the unbridled passive aura of a 'Martial Knight' rank entity for a significant duration. >

< Consequently, the energy you have accumulated has been condensed. Your race level is now eleven. >

Wait, what? I leveled up! I hadn't seen that coming. Although, considering the ordeal, one level feels like a meager reward. It seems the torment I endured should have earned me more than just that.

Despite my internal grumbling, I sensed the condensed energy droplet coursing through my bloodstream. Gradually, the trickle of blood from my mouth diminished. A welcome relief.

Attempting to suppress the grin that threatened to spread across my face, I failed to register the approach of one of the succubi, her gaze fixed intently on me.

Only when her face was mere centimetres from mine did I finally take notice.

A sudden worry gripped me—what if she discerned that I was managing to resist Uggrocks' skill?

No, that couldn't be possible. Even Uggrock hadn't caught on, but... Uggrock had gotten preoccupied with fending off the onslaught of the attacking monsters before he could properly inspect me.

Seductively running her tongue across her lips, the succubus giggled and whispered, "Come with me."

Fully aware that maintaining the charade of being under the sway of Uggrock's skill required compliance, I followed the captivating succubus. Her hips swayed with a tantalizing rhythm, exuding an undeniable allure.

In no time, she guided me out of the expansive cavern. While we strolled, she shared with me the basic rules I was to follow while in Uggrock's den.

And then, as we ventured well beyond the cavern's echoing expanse, the succubus turned, showcasing her impeccably proportioned body right before me. Abruptly, she dropped a metaphorical bombshell, her words dripping with suggestive undertones, "Don't fret. As long as you comply with my desires, Uggrock need never find out."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Stumbling over my words in an attempt to respond, the succubus leaned in seductively, placing a finger over my mouth, whispering, "Shhh, no need for explanations. Just submit to anything my sister or I instruct, and Uggrock can remain blissfully unaware that you're resisting his dominance."

At that moment, panic seized me. How could she possibly know?

Observing my distress, the succubus chuckled, remarking, "It might as well be impossible for you to conceal your emotions in the presence of a succubus like me."

As I struggled to regain composure, the succubus handed me a scroll. As I instinctively took it, she leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Remember, if anyone inquires, this is merely the 'Practitioners' Servitude Art.'"

Leaving me with those cryptic words, she seized me by the neck, her grip tight as if she intended to strangle me. With surprising strength, she hoisted me into the air as if I were a mere ragdoll, flinging me into a cave chamber that I hadn't noticed earlier when I walked by.

Yet, instead of promptly meeting the cold, hard stone floor, I plummeted for a few heart-stopping moments before finally thudding onto the unforgiving ground.

"Aurg," I groaned in pain, rising to my feet with a protest, "Ouch! You could have been a little gentler."

In reply, all that reached my ears was the shrill scrape of metal against stone, reminiscent of a metal grate being shut.

Before I could voice further grievances about my abrupt descent into the pit, a whirlwind of claws and fury hurtled towards me from the shadows of one of the pit's corners.

Yet, to my almost incredulous amazement, the assaulting demon larva seemed to move in slow motion.

Stepping back, I effortlessly sidestepped the ebony-haired demon larva's outstretched arm as it lunged at me with its claws.

The humanoid with ebony coloured hair twisted, attempting to claw me with its other hand. Despite the evident fury on its face, I couldn't shake the feeling that its attacks were oddly sluggish.

Seizing an opening in the demon larva's assault, I poised myself, ready to evade and thrust one of my jet-black claws into its heart.

However, as I sidestepped the creature's erratic swipe, a sudden recollection surfaced—words from the succubus echoing in my mind: "Don't inflict more than a few scratches on other demon larvae unless instructed, and certainly avoid fatal wounds."

In the nick of time, I lowered my stance, balling my claws into a fist. With the attacking demon larva off balance from its own assault, I delivered a forceful punch.

My punch connected just below and to the right of the demon's heart, and I was taken aback as it flew back about 30cm before crumpling to the ground.

Still undecided on how to conclude the skirmish, I, clutching the scroll the succubus had handed me, vaulted onto the onyx-haired demon larva. With a claw poised over its neck, I issued a warning, "I win. Now, are you ready to talk?"

Surprised to hear my own voice forming coherent words, I nearly missed the razor-sharp claws slicing through the air, poised to deliver a potentially fatal blow to my neck. Fortunately, I reacted just in time, raising the claw at the demon larva's throat to shield myself.

Upon the clash between my claw and that of the ebony-haired demon larva who was attacking me, I was astounded to witness my claws effortlessly slicing through the attacker's claws, akin to a knife through melting butter.

The ebony-haired demon larva, now howling in pain, left me pondering how it could muster an attack. Considering unlike myself I doubted it could resist Uggrock even a little, I found it very perplexing. Then, a realization struck me—this particular demon larva seemed so intellectually challenged that it likely couldn't comprehend the instructions given.

In that crucial moment, a vital recollection flashed through my mind. The succubus had explicitly mentioned that the consequence for violating any of these rules was death. This demon larva, having just attempted to deal me a fatal blow, had effectively invited its own demise. According to the rules, I was well within my rights to "punish" it by delivering a lethal strike without conflicting with the established guidelines.

As I arrived at this resolution, the lingering remnants of Uggrock's [Total Dominance]—which I had chosen not to entirely dispel—sent signals affirming the correctness of my decision.

Observing the demon larva beneath me gearing up for another attack with its other claw, I vaulted off, simultaneously impaling its chest with my tail.

Once I confirmed its demise, I crouched down, extracting the demon's core. For a second, I questioned if I had been aware it was termed a "core" before this encounter.

Deciding the semantics were inconsequential, whether or not I had known the term for these magical crystals previously, I prepared to consume the core.

However, just as I was about to pop it into my mouth, a sudden hesitation overcame me. Whether it was a gut feeling or instinct, the notion struck me that I should look at the scroll the succubus had provided first.

Carefully surveying the pit I found myself in, I couldn't help but notice its nondescript, roughly circular dimensions.

Curiosity piqued, I entertained the idea of attempting to climb out, only to encounter the first drawback of my unusually sharp claws. No matter my attempts, I struggled to gain a grip on the wall; each effort resulted in my claws effortlessly slicing through the stone.

After some trial and error, I discovered that by stabbing my claws into the wall with the palm facing horizontally, they wouldn't immediately slice through the stone when I attempted to climb. However, despite this workaround, and even the awkwardness of the position aside, doubts lingered about the feasibility of scaling the pit this way. Demon larva claws were designed for slicing rather than withstanding vertical forces. Hence even my claws seemed to strain under the threat of snapping beneath my weight.

Carefully surveying the pit I found myself in, I couldn't help but notice its nondescript, roughly circular dimensions spanning about three meters.

Ultimately, the only notable features in the pit were a small pool of water and an unopened scroll, similar in appearance but slightly thinner than the one given to me by the succubus.

Seated by the water's edge, directly beneath the brightest energy vein I had seen that had woven its way into this pit, I decided to delve into the scrolls. With a sense of anticipation, I unfurled both and began to read.

----------------------------------------

In the early days after system integration, when the settlements were but fragile dreams and despret attempts at safty, the pioneers faced a relentless tide of monsters. Almost as if any monsters near to the settlement are influenced by the System to challenge the settlement.

In the wake of countless battles, a standard procedure emerged among the settlers of later generations: eliminate any nearby monster nests or hoards before attempting to settle. This precaution became an unwritten law, a survival tactic etched into the collective consciousness of those who sought refuge in the uncharted territories. The monsters, influenced by the System, were a constant threat, and their eradication before settlement became a crucial ritual in the pioneer's playbook.

However, the early settlers, devoid of this luxury, faced a stark reality. They grappled with the absence of a clear-cut solution, thrust into a world where survival often hung in the balance. It is from these pioneers of the past that today's settlers glean invaluable lessons, navigating the hinterlands armed with the hindsight of those who once confronted similar challenges.

The hinterlands remain a formidable frontier, so for us settlers of the Hinterlands who much like our predecessors, find ourselves without the luxury of being able to eliminate monster nests or hoards before settling. However the echoes of the past offer guidance on how to overcome challenges when such a straightforward solution is unattainable.

Learn, they say, from those who succeeded. So here are three of the most important lessons those who succeeded can teach us.

Be cautious and then over prepare. Always have someone at least a few dozen levels higher than what you think might be necessary. The pioneers quickly learned that underestimating the monsters was a perilous oversight. Those who succeeded had champions in their midst, individuals whose strength surpassed the expected threshold, offering a buffer against the unexpected horrors that lurked.

Settle, but settle wisely. The pioneers discovered the strategic imperative of fortification—choosing locations that were easily defended against the relentless tide of monsters. The modern settler, unable to eliminate threats beforehand, can heed this lesson: seek refuge in places that offer a natural advantage, turning the terrain itself into a shield against the encroaching darkness. The promise of System Lordship enticed many, but it was and still is a prize that required a secure foundation to attain.

Community is without doubt the cornerstone of survival. Like the Hinterlands, attempting to settle such lands with only a band of fighters was a fool's errand even if they are much stronger than the surrounding monsters. The communities that thrived were those where every individual played a role. It was an all-or-nothing scenario, where the collective strength of the community stood as the bulwark against the encroaching hords.

— Excerpt from A Settlers Guide to Settling: The Hinterlands.