After the goblin attack, the atmosphere in the clearing had changed. People worked faster, but their eyes held a shadow of fear. John understood that they needed to focus not only on building but also on defense. Gathering everyone near the town hall, he prepared to discuss their next steps. But before moving on to plans, he decided to get to know the people who were now his subjects.

"Let’s start by introducing ourselves," John said, looking over the gathered villagers. "I am John, your Lord. But I don’t intend to lead you without knowing who you are and what you can do. Let’s go around and introduce ourselves."

The first to step forward was Thomas, a man in his thirties with rough hands and a calm gaze.

"My name is Thomas," he said. "I’m a carpenter. I remember how to work with wood, but I don’t remember where I learned it. If you need something built or repaired, I’m your man."

"Thank you, Thomas," John nodded. "You’ve already done a lot for us."

Next, a young woman with short brown hair stepped forward.

"I’m Lena," she introduced herself. "An herbalist. I can find edible plants and prepare food from them. I also know a little about medicinal herbs."

"That’s very useful," John said. "We need as much food and medicine as possible."

Then, a broad-shouldered man with a stern face stepped forward.

"Robert," he said simply. "A guard. I can organize defenses and keep order. But like I said before, we need more weapons."

"I’ll work on that," John promised. "Who’s next?"

The rest of the villagers introduced themselves: two men who could chop trees and use tools, a woman who could sew and repair clothing, and two others who hadn’t yet found their calling but were willing to help wherever needed.

"Alright," John said after everyone had spoken. "Now that we know each other, let’s talk about what we need to do next. We can’t afford to be complacent. This world is dangerous, and we need to be ready for anything. Today, we’ll reinforce the camp and set up patrols. Thomas," he turned to the carpenter, "can you work on fortifications? What can we do in the shortest time?"

Thomas thought for a moment, scratching his chin.

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"A palisade," he finally said. "We can drive sharpened logs into the ground around the perimeter. It won’t be perfect, but it’ll at least create a barrier. The problem is, we don’t have enough time or resources. We have enough wood for only a small section, and the palisade won’t be dense enough. If monsters come, they’ll be able to break through, but it will slow them down."

"That’s better than nothing," John replied. "Start with that. The rest of you, help him. Lena," he turned to the herbalist, "how’s the search for food going?"

"I found some berries and roots," she said. "But it’s not enough for everyone. We need more time."

"Keep searching," John said. "Robert," he addressed the guard, "you said you were a guard. Can you organize patrols?"

Robert nodded.

"Yes, Lord. I’ll position people around the perimeter and set up shifts. But we need weapons. Clubs and axes are fine, but against serious threats, they won’t be enough."

"I have an idea," John said, glancing at the pile of wooden scraps left over from building the town hall. "We can make primitive shields and spears. Thomas, can you help with that?"

The carpenter nodded.

"Shields can be made from a few wooden planks tied together. Not perfect, but better than nothing. As for spears…" he thought for a moment. "We can sharpen the ends of wooden poles. Simple, but effective."

"Great," John said. "Let’s start with that. Robert, get people organized for making weapons. We need to be ready for more attacks."

The villagers dispersed to their tasks, while John remained near the town hall to think about their next steps. He opened the system interface and looked at the available options. Right now, they only had a level-one town hall and the summoning altar. But the system offered other buildings: a blacksmith, a warehouse, a well. All of these required resources and time.

"We need more wood," he muttered, scanning the list. "And possibly stone. But where can we find it?"

At that moment, a new notification appeared before his eyes:

"Achievement Unlocked: First Victory."

* You have successfully defended your territory from a threat.

* Reward: 50 experience points.

John felt a warmth spread through his body. His experience bar increased, and he saw that he was close to leveling up.

"Hmm," he murmured. "So I gain experience from defeating monsters. Good to know."

He closed the interface and looked around. The sun was beginning to set, and the shadows from the trees were growing longer. A chill ran down his spine. They had to be ready before nightfall.

"Lord!" Robert called out. "We found something strange."

John approached a group of villagers standing at the edge of the clearing. On the ground lay an unusual object—something like a fragment of stone, etched with mysterious symbols.

"What is this?" John asked, kneeling to examine it.

"Runestone Fragment."

* Used for studying magic or creating enchanted items.

* Can be researched in the town hall.

"This could be useful," John said, picking up the fragment. "Take it to the town hall. We’ll examine it later."

He slipped the fragment into his pocket and looked up. The forest around them seemed quiet, but John knew better. That silence was deceptive. Somewhere in its depths, dangers lurked, waiting for the right moment to strike.