CHAPTER 199: A NEW CHALLENGE

The happiness I create... it’s so fragile.

A blue panel shimmered into existence in his mind. The System’s response was not a cold line of text this time. It felt different. More... thoughtful.

[Your goal is a peaceful life for yourself and your chosen community, Host. You have successfully protected them from external threats. But is a protected peace the same as a true peace?]

Riku frowned. What do you mean?

[The people of Elowen are safe because you are here,] the System continued. [They are confident because you are their shield. But a shield can be broken. A single protector can fall. Their confidence is borrowed from you. It is not their own.]

The words hit Riku with a surprising force. He had been so focused on being their shield that he hadn’t realized he had also become their crutch.

[A true, lasting peace is not born from a single guardian’s strength,] the System concluded. [It is born from the strength of the community itself. To restore their confidence, to make them feel truly safe, you must do more than protect them. You must empower them.]

The System’s panel faded, leaving Riku alone with the heavy thought.

Empower them.

It was a simple idea. It was a revolutionary one. But how? How could he, a single man, empower an entire village of farmers, craftsmen, and refugees? How could he give them the strength to face the coming storms on their own?

Riku sat on his futon. He stared out the window at the bustling, fearful village. The problem felt bigger than any enemy he had faced before. How could he empower them?

He could give them weapons. But weapons were useless without training. He could teach them magic. But most people had little to no magical aptitude. He could build walls. But walls could be broken.

He was a man with the power of a god. But he was not a teacher. He was not a general. He was not a leader. He was just a gamer who knew which buttons to press.

System, he thought, his mental voice a mix of frustration and genuine appeal. You told me to empower them. But how?

He sighed. All my skills, my knowledge... it all came from a game. I was given it. I never had to learn it from scratch. I don’t know how to teach someone to hold a sword. I don’t know how to explain the fundamentals of mana circulation. I just... do it.

A blue panel shimmered into existence in his mind.

[You are correct, Host. Your personal skills are intuitive, not learned. Direct knowledge transfer is not your specialty.]

So you’re saying it’s impossible? Riku thought, a wave of melancholy washing over him.

[No,] the System replied. Its response felt different this time. It was not just a statement of fact. It was a suggestion. [You are focusing on your limitations. You should be focusing on your assets.]

My assets?

[You possess a unique and powerful asset,] the System continued. [A secure, customizable, and private location, completely disconnected from the physical world. The Seed of the World Tree.]

Riku’s eyes widened. The pocket dimension.

[This dimension can be utilized as a controlled environment. A place for teaching. A place for training. Without risk to the village. Without the constraints of the outside world.]

The idea hit Riku with the force of a physical blow. It was brilliant. A secret training ground. A safe space to learn and grow stronger.

You mean... build a school? An academy? Inside my own world?

[That is a logical application of the asset, Host.]

Riku’s mind began to race, the possibilities unfolding before him. "But how would it work? We can’t just pull everyone out of their daily work for hours of training. The Lifewell Project would grind to a halt."

[You are forgetting another feature available for your asset,] the System reminded him. [The Time-Dilated Training Ground.]

Riku remembered the option in the Special Features menu. He also remembered the price tag. His excitement faltered.

That thing costs 300,000 Goodwill Points, he thought, a sense of frustration returning. I’m nowhere near that. It’s a great idea, but it’s a long-term goal at best.

[Correct,] the System acknowledged. [However, the basic infrastructure can be established now. The time-dilation feature can be a future upgrade. The primary bottleneck is not time, but the lack of qualified instructors.]

The plan was still viable. It was a start.

Alright, Riku thought. So we have a location. We can manage the time later. But what do we teach?

He paced his small room. I can’t teach everyone to be god-tier mages. So what’s the curriculum?

[Empowerment is not a singular path,] the System explained. [It should be tailored to the aptitude and professions. You should focus on a multi-faceted approach.]

Go on, Riku prompted.

[For the general populace—the farmers, the craftsmen—the focus should be on practical self-defense. Basic spear formations. First aid. How to work together as a militia. How to use simple enchanted tools to defend their homes.]

The System continued. [For those with potential as adventurers, like Eren and his friends, you can offer more advanced training. Combat techniques. Monster identification. Small-unit strategy and tactics.]

[And for the mages, like Lysaria and Sherry,] the System concluded, [this world offers a perfect, safe environment to practice and refine their skills without fear of collateral damage.]

The plan was perfect. It was comprehensive. It was brilliant. It covered everyone.

And then Riku saw the flaw. The single, massive, insurmountable flaw.

He stopped pacing. He sat back down on his futon, the earlier excitement draining away, replaced by a weary sense of reality.

This is a great plan, System, he thought, his voice heavy with resignation. But it’s missing one thing. The most important thing.

Teachers.

I can’t teach all of this. I’m a gamer, not a drill sergeant. I don’t have the patience of a professor. My "skills" are just muscle memory from a different life. To do this right, we’d need... specialized instructors.

[You will have to figure that out, Host.] The system replied coolly.

He looked out the window. Who in this small, peaceful village could teach military strategy? Who could train a militia? Who could teach the complex theories of magic?

He had a perfect plan, but he had to find external help.