10,000x Reward Multiplier: Hell-level Kingdom Building-Chapter 40: [0] Set Your Heart Ablaze

Old Charleston was not as weak as Floki expected him to be.

The old man was able to perform twenty minutes of serious weeding without pausing, his movements steady despite his age.

[ Your follower ’Charleston’ has completed quest ’Weed Your Farm’ You can now distribute his reward ]

The notification for those whose awards were exp was different from those whose rewards were items purchased from the system.

The process was also different, as he had to purchase the item, store it in his inventory, and could only distribute it once the quest was completed.

"Haha, my back is killing me, but it was worth it for a new hoe." Old Charleston laughed as he strolled toward Floki, his steps slow but filled with satisfaction.

"Old Charleston is the best farmer in Ironside. If only he was still in his prime, he would’ve been able to take care of dozens of farmlands in a single season."

"That is my husband!"

The villagers cheered for him, including his wife, their voices filled with pride and admiration.

This made a proud smile adorn his wrinkled face as he now stood before Floki.

"You’re indeed a great farmer," Floki stated calmly.

As he began to speak, everyone maintained decorum and focused only on the two of them, their chatter dying down almost instantly.

"That is why you deserve this...."

He telepathically commanded the system to equip the hoe he had purchased beforehand.

A hoe, brand new and shiny, appeared in his outstretched hand.

The sudden appearance drew immediate attention.

"W-what.."

"Wow!"

"What just happened? Did young chief just create a hoe out of thin air? I must be seeing things. This is impossible."

"MAGIC!"

"What is happening.."

The villagers reacted in different ways, but most of them shared the same feelings of confusion and curiosity as they stared at the scene before them.

Old Charleston was also struck with disbelief and froze in front of him, his mind struggling to process what he had just witnessed.

Even though the villagers were all aware of the existence of magic users in the world, no one in Ironside had ever been able to awaken the ability to use magic.

Not only that, they had also heard legends that only a handful of mages across the entire world could use spatial magic, which was exactly what their young chief had just displayed.

As a result, every single one of them did not look at him the same anymore; the look on their faces now held traces of unease, astonishment, and growing reverence.

Floki expected such a reaction from them, but not to this extent.

Still, he had a speech prepared to guide their thoughts and make them accept this ability of his and the others he would reveal in the near future.

But he did not go straight into it yet.

"Take it, old Charleston, you worked for it."

He stretched the hoe toward the elderly man who had frozen in place, even subconsciously letting go of his walking stick.

His voice pulled him back to reality, and Old Charleston stared at the hoe for a long moment before reaching out cautiously, as though grabbing it too quickly would cause it to vanish.

As his hands felt the warmth of the new hoe, his eyes examined its clean, well-forged iron head, the edge catching the sunlight with a faint gleam.

His eyes reddened with emotion, and before he knew it, tears began to fall.

With a shaky voice, he fell on his knees, placed the hoe aside carefully, and wrapped his hands around Floki’s legs in gratitude.

"Young chief, I had set my mind to die without the chance of seeing new farm tools. But you’ve changed my story. Thank you so much," he cried, sniffing between his words.

"You’re hard-working. Keep the energy, and more rewards will come your way," Floki responded firmly.

While his hands patted the back of Old Charleston, he turned to his curious villagers.

"I am not the Floki you once knew.." he began in a smooth and steady voice, his first statement causing visible confusion among the villagers.

"That day you all saw me get beaten to death, I had actually died," he continued.

Their eyes widened further, and a ripple of unease spread through the crowd, but he did not stop.

"But something within me did not want to die. Something stronger than anything I have ever known."

"It gave me a second chance to return and change everything, to conquer our enemies, to free us from suffering, to build us into something greater than what we are now."

"When I returned, I came back with more knowledge than I have ever had, more power than I could have imagined, and most of all, I came back with a dream I intend to fulfill."

As Floki continued, whether it was the effect of [Elite Authority] or his speech, everyone began to stare at him differently, as though they were looking at someone far beyond the boy they once knew.

The more he spoke, the more their attention deepened, their earlier confusion slowly turning into belief. He could see their respect and loyalty growing bit by bit.

Especially in the eyes of the women.

Now they understood why he possessed so much more knowledge than someone his age should have, and at this moment, many of them believed he could truly take down their nemesis.

Speaking for a long time had its own effect on Floki.

He entered the ’flow state’ and began to speak with increasing confidence, his hands moving naturally to emphasize his words.

If one should compare him at this moment, it would be akin to a commander addressing his soldiers or a king speaking to his people.

"But I cannot do it all alone."

"I need all of you. I need people like Old Charleston. I need young ones like Ryik and little Noah. I need every one of you to be ready to adapt."

"With me as your lord, I will not allow anyone, be it monster or human, to hurt you."

"Fear not even the night laugher. It shall come, and it shall never get the mercy of returning unscathed."

He continued through a series of words before he finally halted, allowing everything he had said to settle into their hearts.

Jabba and Anton clenched their fists with determination, their eyes reddening as they held back tears.

The women were not as composed; many of them had visible tears in their eyes.

Little Noah and Ryik became so engrossed in his speech that the two frenemies were now hugging each other and crying, their small fists clenched tightly.

Floki observed them once more, satisfied with what he had achieved, and then he lifted his right fist into the air.

"Long live Ironside!"

And with his declaration, the entire village raised their voices and thundered the chant.

"Long live Ironside!"

"Long Live Ironside!"

As their voices rose, their unity and resolve grew stronger.

Numerous notifications appeared in Floki’s vision as a result of the internal changes taking place within them.

A proud smile fitting for a leader adorned Floki’s face.

His white hair moved gently with the breeze.

His blue eyes shone with vitality.

His resolve deepened. His mind captured numerous strategic paths in mere seconds, and his body trembled slightly with readiness to carry them out immediately.

Today, he had managed to set his people’s hearts ablaze.

....

AUTHOR NOTE:

This is the end of the introductory volume. Thanks for staying till this point.