Chapter 5

Not long after, five men who looked like misshapen gourds and cracked jujubes approached.

They generally wore tattered off-white clothes, with beards that clearly hadn't been well-maintained, making it impossible to tell their actual ages.

“What are your names...”

Aaron Sotos sighed inwardly and asked.

“I am Sanchez.”

“Green.”

“Baker.”

“Adam.”

“Eight Fingers, my lord.”

The five militiamen each reported their names. Aaron glanced at the man named 'Eight Fingers,' who was about thirty years old, with a sharp face and a sly look. When he met Aaron's gaze, he gave a fawning smile, but his rotten teeth detracted from the effect.

Aaron quickly scanned the man's hands and, as expected, saw that both little fingers were missing. His heart stirred.

According to the laws established by Theodore, anyone caught stealing in the territory would immediately be punished with the 'chopping of fingers'!

'This man has had two fingers chopped off, which means he was caught twice. The number of times he wasn't caught is unknown...'

'What a despicable thief, a simple and honest farmer... Father really gave me a great choice.'

Aaron's voice became stern: “From today, you will each be the leader of your own squad. You must complete the tasks I assign, especially on the battlefield. Do you understand?”

A listless chorus of responses followed, clearly showing that they were a group of seasoned soldiers.

On the battlefield, their primary concern would be to save their own lives. They might fight for loot, but to expect them to tangle with strong enemies was a dream!

Fortunately, Aaron had no illusions about them.

To the lord, they were just cannon fodder.

To Aaron, having this group as a meat shield was enough. At the very least, they could divert the attention of enemies when he needed to escape!

“Now, training begins!”

He cleared his throat and pointed at Eight Fingers with his sword: “You, come and practice with me!”

Aaron had some knowledge of how to manage people and was now preparing to establish his authority.

The other man was just a frequently hungry thief who might have some street-fighting experience, but he was no match for Aaron, who had received proper knight training!

...

In the forest.

After briefly disciplining the squad leaders and establishing his authority, Aaron promised them a share of future spoils, then set off into the forest with his bow and arrows for hunting.

Whoosh!

His archery skills had been well-practiced, not as good as a professional archer, but still passable.

Spotting a trace of prey, he immediately drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and released it, causing the bowstring to vibrate.

Thud!

Not far away, a young deer was pierced by the arrow and fell to the ground, a pool of blood spreading beneath it.

“Good luck today, we can have a feast.”

Aaron nodded and carried the prey out of the forest.

Along the way, the commoners of Green Forest bowed to him in respect.

Aaron kept a cold face, mostly ignoring them, as he was used to it and couldn't possibly acknowledge each one. Only a few prominent figures in the territory received a nod from him.

Before long, he arrived outside the castle.

Ginny, holding the hem of her dress, was about to go out when she saw Aaron and greeted him: “Aaron... is this your prey?”

She had beautiful blonde hair and the Sotos family's purple eyes, which shone like gems. She blinked continuously, staring at Aaron's prey with a look of longing.

Aaron smiled and patted Ginny's head: “Don't worry, you won't be left out.”

He found it amusing and recalled the past.

He remembered the first time Ginny saw him catch a wild rabbit, her eyes filled with tears: “Bunnies are so cute, why do you have to kill them?”

Then... Aaron made a pot of braised rabbit meat and stuffed a piece into Ginny's mouth...

The result was that Ginny discovered a new world—bunnies were not only cute but also delicious!

Not only that, but the parents of the bunnies were also delicious!

Deer were also delicious!

“This is a promise, for life.”

Ginny winked playfully.

Aaron's hand slid down and pinched Ginny's smooth cheek.

Indeed, little girls were the cutest, which made him somewhat wistful. In his previous life, he should have had a daughter. As for the son that even dogs disliked, he could be temporarily ignored.

Although... in his previous life, he didn't even have a wife...

“I'm already ten years old, don't pinch my face anymore.”

Ginny puffed up her cheeks in anger, her face looking like a bun, as if performing a facial expression.

“Ha ha!”

Aaron couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

Although Sonia and Sean were very annoying, this little sister was quite cute.

It was just unknown whether this pure sibling affection would last after they grew up.

Thinking of Colin and Sean, Aaron sighed again.

...

Night.

Once again, he entered the dream world.

The originally blue sea, reflecting a crimson glow, had now changed to a deep crimson, like a 'Red Sea'!

Aaron looked up at the crimson sun, and he felt, perhaps it was an illusion, that the sun was becoming even more crimson, giving a very uncomfortable and nauseating feeling.

Red to the point of black, as if about to drip with blood...

'I can actually do this in my dreams...'

Aaron looked in the direction he had set, but did not start moving.

From his observations, movement also required energy.

The sixteen years of accumulation had been exhausted in changing the sun.

Now, he was back to his childhood's tough times, but at least he could start moving.

'The energy is precious now, and in reality, there is the danger of war. Using it to move is wasteful. I should try to see how I can help myself... For example, bringing the mysterious power from my dreams into the real world, even if it's just a fraction, a ten-thousandth, it would be unmatched in reality, and even... make me immortal?'

Aaron's eyes filled with longing as he began to recall the feeling of changing the sun.

That feeling of being a 'Creator in Dreams'!

“I want to become strong!”

“I want to obtain the mysterious!”

“I want to become extraordinary!”

...

In a manner similar to a prayer, Aaron recited his needs in his heart.

In his ears, a complex and terrifying sound echoed.

As if it were a replay of that day, endless chaos and madness surged forth.

In a state of near madness, Aaron received his 'feedback'!

[Mysterious energy insufficient!]

“Mysterious energy? Is this the energy I defined, which is generated with each dream I enter?”

Aaron found that in this semi-mad state, his authority was heightened, giving him a sense of 'omniscience.'

‘Now, I cannot transform my body because I don’t have...’

‘Mental extraordinariness can be obtained, but the energy is insufficient!’

‘Moreover, obtaining extraordinariness in this world is easy, but manifesting it in the real world is difficult!’