After nearly half a day, Adrian's "Titanus" and Burggy's "Pearl" went separate ways. Burggy was heading to the only port close to Windrise, called Black Skull. The small island Burggy had taken as a temporary haven was no heaven. At merely 4 square kilometers, it had no fresh water supply or agricultural land for food.

Constant trips to the port for provisions became necessary now that Burggy and his crew were wanted by the Chlorand navy. They could not go back to their set bases or plunder freely.

Instead, they survived on scraps and lived very difficult lives. Adrian felt bad about his friend's condition but saw an opportunity. Before they parted ways, Adrian had a potential solution he brought into the conversation.

"You can't sail near the Chlorand Coast, but what about heading east?" Adrian said. "The orc tribes along the coastline may be formidable on land, but their ships are weak and poorly defended. You could raid them easily. Better yet, you might even target some of the slave ships."

Burggy raised an eyebrow. "Slave ships? What's that to me? The hassle of keeping those captives alive isn't worth the trouble. Slaves eat and drink, and they don't sell easily in bulk. That's why pirates don't traffic slaves."

Adrian smirked. "I'll take them off your hands. If you catch a slave ship, bring it to Windrise Island. I'll buy every captive. You won't have to feed them or worry about finding someone to buy them."

Burggy looked incredulous. "Why in the seven seas would you possibly need hundreds of slaves? Do you even have a sizable purse to afford this?"

Adrian relaxed. "Trust me. No gold coin will go unpaid."

Burggy shrugged. "Fine. If I find a slave ship, I'll send it your way. But don't forget this favor, Adrian."

The two ships set off in different directions, and by the following afternoon, Adrian arrived at Windrise Island.

Unlike Burggy's small hideout, Windrise was vast but wild and untamed. There were no ports or docks, and Adrian had to anchor his ship offshore while his men rowed to shore in small boats.

As Adrian set foot on the island for the first time, he couldn't help but be reminded of what Burggy had warned him about: Faceless creatures. Adrian led the landing party himself, with Karl, Zig, and Kuro at his side—three of his most trusted fighters.

Karl, an old ranger with perfect composure, wielded his longbow and sword. Kuro was the gentle giant axe fighter, and Zig was like a knight who stood against adversities with unwavering commitment.

With two dozen mercenaries from the Shadowborn Mercenary Corps, Adrian quickly established a defensive perimeter on the beach. They kept watch over the rough interior land, waiting for an ambush as the rest of the crew prepared to disembark.

Adrian was right to worry. Before the second wave of mercenaries could set foot on land, the Faceless appeared.

Six of them came out of the forest—horrid creatures with human body-sized torsos but no faces. For arms, they sported long, sinewy tentacles lashing with bone-crushing force. Targeting Adrian's men, the creatures charged with terrifying speed as if driven by a deep, primal hatred.

"Six," Adrian muttered, gripping his sword tightly. "Take them down. No delays."

Without waiting for a reply, Adrian charged into action.

Faceless were powerful. Individually, they overwhelmed the most veteran soldiers. Though they had no armor or weapons, their tentacles were murderously strong with the power to crush bones and rip flesh. Adrian himself, at 19 points of strength, could barely overpower them.

But this was not Adrian's first battle. He flung himself around three of the things with deadly instinct, the blade slashing with killing precision. Beside him, Karl, Zig, and Kuro dispatched the other three with practiced ease. Karl's arrows shot through to vulnerable places; Kuro's axe came in like a scythe through firewood, and Zig's knightly aim and resolve ensured he didn't waste a single blow.

In mere minutes, the six Faceless lay dead on the rocky beach.

Adrian viewed the battlefield somberly. The skirmish had been won, but the implications were disturbing. These creatures were more than powerful; they were relentless. If six could attack so quickly, how many more waited in the depths of Windrise Island?

"Six is manageable," Adrian thought to himself. "But sixty? A hundred? If there are too many of these monsters, we'll face losses we can't afford. And that's just the beginning."

If the Faceless were such a dangerous threat, then Adrian's plans for Windrise Island were doomed from the start, just like Burggy had warned him.

Without clearing those things out, any attempt to create a citadel would be useless. No wonder no one had developed the island before—it wasn't just the environment but the monsters too that made it uninhabitable.

Adrian's thoughts were interrupted as the rest of his mercenaries landed safely. Though there were no signs of a second attack, Adrian remained on high alert.

"Build a temporary camp here," Adrian ordered. "This will be our base for now. We'll need to scout the area and gather intelligence before making any moves inland."

Turning to Karl, Zig, and Kuro, Adrian continued, "Each of you will take two squads and scout the surrounding terrain. Do not fight unless you have to. Document everything—numbers, movements, terrain. In the event that you are outnumbered, retreat and signal for assistance. Got it?"

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

The three men nodded. Grouping into teams, they went off in different directions, leaving Adrian to manage the establishment of the camp.

There was a rough map of Windrise Island, the only one Adrian had. It was a half-drawn sketch by adventurers who had visited the island in the past. Adrian bought it from Leonardo, the merchant who sold him the island.

The map showed only a fraction of Windrise Island—about 50 square kilometers of unexplored wilderness. It was a vast area, large enough to sustain hundreds of thousands of people if the land were fertile. But the terrain was harsh, the resources scarce, and the dangers abundant.

Adrian had spent the past seven days aboard his ship, pondering over his map. He had chosen this one because it represented an accessible place that offered a defensible position and potential as a future port. If Windrise Island were ever to be developed, this could be the gateway to Adrian's independent kingdom. For now, though, survival was the issue at hand.

Adrian's voice thundered across the camp, cutting through the noise. "Leo!"

Leo dashed over. His quick mind was always at the ready. "Yes, boss?"

Adrian gave him a set of instructions. "Set up the camp. Pay special attention to the defense perimeter. I want the defenses up before nightfall. This isn't just any beach—the basis of our future will be laid down. Make it count."

Leo nodded, already mentally planning the layout in his head. "You got it, boss. No Faceless will catch us off guard."

As the camp began to take shape, questions began to surface. How many Faceless were there? Did they have any intelligence? Were they organized? And most dreadfully, how would they react to the mercenaries' presence?

The only thing Adrian knew was that conquering Windrise Island would be the fight of his life.

On the shoreline, hundreds of mercenaries worked under Leo's command. The sun blazed relentlessly, hot and heavy.

Nobody complained, however; Leo's spirit seemed to have pushed everyone to their limits.

He wasn't a combatant. Fighting and killing weren't exactly his forte, and Adrian wouldn't have wanted him for one of those roles anyway.

The ambiguous places were where Leo shined: thieving, spying, secret networking, planning, and coordination ran in his blood. He thrived in the shadows, excelling in situations where clarity faded and outcomes were determined by wits and subtlety. But in open battle, he was utterly lost.

Still, Adrian always believed in leveraging people's strengths. With Kuro and Karl excelling in combat, Adrian needed someone who could handle logistics and administration—the backbone of any operation. He had finally made up his mind: Leo was the most appropriate choice.

While Kuro and Karl focused on fighting, Leo paid attention to structure. He understood that to thrive, a settlement required organisation and efficiency—qualities as valuable as gold dust in building a stronghold.

Only time would tell if Leo had what it took to become an administrative officer, but his efforts were already yielding results. Even those who had initially dismissed him began to see the fruits of his planning.

Leo was arranging the camp at Windrise Island. The soldiers worked tirelessly, scavenging defensive structures from the coastline, constructing planks, and building wooden and stone shelters to withstand storms. Others set up temporary tents for the group. Every completed structure felt like a small victory.

The coastline was alive with activity, but Adrian stepped aside for a moment of introspection. He needed a brief interlude from the bustle and demands of leadership—a chance to recharge.

He walked into the nearby forest, seeking inspiration. The dense trees muffled the noise from the camp, creating a quiet sanctuary. He stopped by a flat stone, knelt, and picked up a sharp rock lying nearby. Focusing intently, he began carving.

When he stood up, he admired his work:

"Monarch of Windrise Island, Realm of Sir Adrian Eternus."

A pleased smile crept across his face. A title, awarded to himself—he owned the island, so he deserved at least that much. But "Eternus" was his own invention. Born without a surname, he had taken the name when he rose through the ranks of the Shadowborn Mercenary Corps. It meant nothing, but that didn't matter. To Adrian, names were tools, just like swords or maps.

He chuckled at the thought of loftier titles someday—Earl, Duke, Emperor. Perhaps he might have carved "King of Windrise Island" if he had thought about it longer. But "Sir" struck the right balance between humility and ambition.

Satisfied, Adrian carried the engraved stone back to camp. Spotting him, Leo called out.

"Boss, where've you been?" Leo's tone was laced with curiosity.

Adrian tossed him the stone. "Find a spot and set this up. From now on, this place is Eternus Harbour."

Leo nodded as he read the inscription. "Alright, my Monarch. I'll make sure it's displayed properly."

Adrian laughed lightly, a little embarrassed by the tease, but moved on.

With that settled, Adrian spent the rest of the day monitoring the camp's progress. Now that Leo was handling the details, Adrian focused on their surroundings. The island, however, was no paradise, and its dangers loomed large in his mind.

Earlier, he had sent Kuro, Karl, and Zig to scout the surrounding terrain, assigning each team a different direction. At nightfall, they returned, and Adrian called them together to hear their reports.

Karl, who had headed south, spoke first. "No monsters, but there's a cliff about twenty kilometres from here—too steep to climb and too long to go around easily."

Adrian nodded. The cliff was a natural defensive barrier but limited their southern expansion. He made a mental note to study the area later; it might make a useful lookout or fortification site.

Next was Zig, who had scouted west. His report brought troubling news.

"About thirty kilometres from here, we found a freshwater lake. The water's clean and drinkable, but the forest around it is swarming with Faceless. At least two hundred of them. We kept our distance and avoided combat."

Adrian frowned. A large cluster of Faceless so close to camp was a serious threat. He had seen firsthand how deadly even a small number of them could be. Two hundred was a menace they could not afford to ignore.

"If the Faceless find our settlement, they'll attack," Adrian said, half to himself.

He quickly calculated. Engaging the Faceless with his entire army would be costly—he might lose a quarter of his men. A new settlement could not afford such losses.

"Reinforce the harbour," Adrian ordered. "Strengthen the fences and barriers. I don't want to be ambushed."

He handed Zig a map. "Mark the location of the lake. I'll need it for what's next."

Zig hesitated, his face pale. "Boss, you're not seriously thinking of going alone tonight, are you?"

Adrian nodded. "I need to make a firsthand survey of the lake."

"It's too dangerous," Zig protested. "The Faceless—and who knows what else—are out there. At least wait until morning and take some of us with you."

"I'll be fine," Adrian said firmly. "Stay here and maintain the base. If I don't return by dawn, then you can start worrying."

Reluctantly, Zig nodded, his concern evident.

Adrian walked into the darkness, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. Windrise Island had promised much, but it also threatened to test him at every turn. The land was harsh, but conquering it would set him on the path to creating his own kingdom. For now, survival would suffice.

-~Please check out my patreon to read chapters in advance and support me:~

https://www.patreon.com/Venerable_Shameles