It was now the third day in this world, and Lucas had surprisingly adjusted to his new reality. He spent the day observing his automatons practicing one-on-one combat, their wooden sticks clashing in precise strikes, carefully avoiding damage.

  The results were unexpected. After days of training, their movements had improved considerably. They now fought with more coordination, slashing and blocking with greater precision. The difference between the automaton from yesterday and the one today was night and day—the current one stood a far better chance in a fight. But despite the progress, they still needed more practice to even approach the skill of a human knight.

  Lucas decided to extend the training for an entire week. However, before diving back into the drills, he ordered his automatons to barricade the entrance to the cave. It wasn’t an impenetrable defense, but it would at least reduce the chances of attracting unwanted attention.

  After a while, though, the monotony began to gnaw at Lucas. Watching the training session grew tiresome, and eventually, boredom took hold. To break the monotony, he occasionally took control of one of the automatons to join in the training, but the mental strain quickly wore him down. It wasn’t long before he grew weary, longing for something more engaging.

  He decided to take control of an automaton that had been exploring the dense forest. Miraculously, it had survived, and Lucas spent hours walking through the trees, letting the tranquility of the forest soothe him. The chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves in the wind—nature had its own kind of beauty, one Lucas had taken for granted in his previous life.

  But as the day wore on, something began to unsettle him. Strange sounds echoed through the forest—low growls, the distant clash of metal, and the unmistakable roar of something massive. Lucas, now intrigued, followed the sounds until he caught sight of the source: a group of goblins engaged in a desperate battle with a giant ogre.

  He observed from the shadows, hidden among the trees and underbrush. The goblins, while numerous, were no match for the ogre’s brute strength. One by one, they fell, their bodies littering the ground. The ogre’s sheer force was overwhelming, each swing of its club smashing goblins into a bloody pulp.

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  Lucas’s mind raced. His first instinct was to retreat, but something else lingered—an odd sense of opportunity. The ogre was too distracted by the goblins, and Lucas couldn’t help but think that this might be his chance. He didn’t have the strength to defeat such a beast head-on, but perhaps he could outsmart it.

  His plan was reckless, but it was all he had. He grabbed a weapon from one of the fallen goblins—nothing too special, just a crude blade—but it would have to do. Slowly, Lucas crept behind the ogre, watching it massacre the last of the goblins. It was distracted, and the remaining goblin, crippled from the fight, could barely move.

  Lucas didn’t hesitate. With a swift motion, he slashed at the ogre’s knee, the blade biting into its flesh. The ogre roared in pain, stumbling as it tried to regain balance. For a moment, Lucas thought he’d failed, but the beast struggled to stay upright, its massive body teetering. This was his chance.

  He dashed up its back, ignoring the spray of blood as the ogre howled in agony. With both hands gripping the blade, Lucas drove it deep into the creature’s skull. Blood splattered across the ground, and the ogre’s massive form crumpled, lifeless.

  The last goblin, seeing Lucas approach, tried to crawl away, but its chances of escape were slim. Lucas grabbed a rope from the fallen goblins and tied the creature’s hands. It was broken, crippled, and afraid. Lucas was unbothered by its fear. He dragged the goblin back toward the dungeon, but the real question was: how would he transport it? The goblin couldn’t walk, so Lucas ordered one of the automatons to carry it back.

  As he made his way back, Lucas felt a strange satisfaction, but also a tinge of unease. The experience of killing the ogre had been... unsettling. But it also proved something to him—he wasn’t helpless. He could still survive. He had the power to make choices, even if those choices came with consequences.

  [Experience gained: 5,100]

  [Leveled up to 14]

  [You can now summon up to 38 automatons.]

  Lucas was stunned. The ogre had given him more experience than forty goblins combined. He could feel the surge of power coursing through him. His level had increased, and with it, his potential.

  But as he stared at the ogre’s massive body, the thought nagged at him: he couldn’t carry it back. Not even the automatons could transport such a massive corpse through the forest’s rough terrain. It was a bitter disappointment. Yet, he was still filled with the rush of victory—he had killed the ogre, and he was one step closer to mastering this world.

  And then, as if answering a silent wish, another notification flashed across his mind:

  [You have reached level 10. A new power awaits.]