Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Rhett took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I understand!"

After parting ways with Ambiru, Rhett led his team away to begin their patrol mission.

Tonight, the moon was bright, and the stars were sparse, with clouds covering the sky. The team moved in orderly fashion, passing through multiple checkpoints, descending a slope, and running steadily. They gradually crossed a bloodstained land where flocks of black crows pecked at scraps of meat on the ground.

As they continued forward, the surroundings gradually brightened, accompanied by the sound of rushing water. The group traversed a small forest about a kilometer wide and found themselves at the bottom of a valley. Ahead, a small stream cascaded from a height of 20 meters, splashing onto uneven rocks and scattering countless crystal-clear droplets.

The stream, flowing down from the mountain, disappeared into dense clusters of watercress and aquatic plants. As Rhett moved closer, he could hear the tinkling sound of water, flowing through the green tunnel of vegetation, meandering down the gentle slope and flowing into the distance.

Rhett led the team along the stream. Suddenly, his vision brightened, and a notification box popped up.

He immediately paused.

"She's given birth, Clina has given birth!" Rhett felt a surge of joy in his heart. Reflecting on the date, it was indeed August 5th, but he hadn't expected the delivery to begin just after midnight.

Half an hour later, another identical notification box appeared before his eyes.

"As expected, the twins were born one after the other!" Rhett exhaled deeply in relief. He thought for a moment, then turned to Reile and gestured for him to come over. The latter quickened his pace and approached.

"Commander, is there something you need?"

"Reile, if your twins were born, what names would you give them?"

Reile was taken aback, then replied, "I was planning to decide that after the war ended, once I returned home."

"But have you considered that Clina has been pregnant for nearly a year now, and she'll give birth very soon?" Rhett countered, "Would you want your children to go nameless for the next few months?"

"Uh..." Reile paused, a hint of longing appearing in his eyes as he sighed. "You're right. Even though they have nicknames, the ceremonial act of naming them after birth shouldn't be overlooked. Actually, I've already thought of names for them—Kares and Kazena."

"My grandson Kares, and my granddaughter Kazena..." Rhett muttered the names to himself, as he opened up the system panel, staring at the empty void with a thoughtful expression.

"Ah, the family panel is finally filling up. No more staring at a long list of question marks under the third generation," Rhett felt a wave of contentment wash over him, feeling that the family's expansion had taken a significant step forward.

"I wonder when the war will end. I want to go back and see my children," Reile's eyes flickered with emotion as he subconsciously glanced at the moon.

Hearing this, Rhett remained silent for a moment before offering words of comfort, "Soon, soon..."

They continued on their journey, sometimes marching swiftly, sometimes running. Their cloaks and armor seemed to blend with the shadows of the land. They reached a long sloping terrain dotted with sparse vegetation, where the ground began to rise, merging into a continuous low mountain ridge. At the base of the ridge, a stream, heavy with the scent of blood, flowed steadily.

Rhett had heard that two days ago, a skirmish had broken out here, where the Fifth Squad clashed with a group of over a hundred orcs. The outcome was not in their favor, as many comrades had fallen before they could retreat from the battlefield.

Although the simulation hadn't indicated anything particularly significant in this area, Rhett still carefully commanded the team to patrol the surroundings, searching for any signs of hidden orcs.

"Team 8, Team 9, head to the eastern side of the ridge. Team 6, Team 7, go to the western side. Team 4, Team 5, cover the central ridge. Team 2, Team 3, search the suspicious areas at the base of the ridge."

Rhett issued clear orders, then led Team 1 up the ridge, patrolling in a zigzag pattern from the base to the top.

Soon after, they discovered a tunnel in the middle of the ridge on the western side, marked by a trail of blood. The passageway led into a cave. Rhett conjured a sphere of light element at the entrance, illuminating the inside of the cave.

The cave was eerily silent, devoid of any movement. Inside, they found it to be spacious and empty.

However, McCoff sniffed the air and stepped forward, saying, "Do you smell that? There's a faint scent of blood in the air."

"Yes, I smell it too. But this passage is straight, and it's clear that no orcs could be hiding here," Rhett said softly, rubbing his chin.

"Then let's go through it. Maybe we'll discover something new if we keep going," McCoff suggested.

"Wait, before we proceed, we need to seal this passage," Rhett said, glancing around. "This cave was definitely dug by orcs. We can't leave it open for them."

Rhett then focused his mental energy, drawing on the surrounding earth element. Yellow light spread out as rocks began to accumulate from the bottom up. Due to his mastery as a Magister, he manipulated the elements with great precision. Instead of forming individual rocks, he seamlessly paved the floor, ensuring that even if the cave wasn't filled in all at once, the subsequent rocks would fit perfectly.

The others waited patiently.

Two minutes later, as the cave space gradually compressed, a sharp "meow" echoed from the ceiling.

At the same time, a ghostly figure streaked through the air, aiming at one of the humans on the ground.

"Hilene, watch out!" Rhett shouted as he noticed the figure, quickly enveloping himself in rock armor. Wind elements swirled around his feet as he took three steps to reach the orange-haired Hilene.

Despite maintaining her vigilance, Hilene was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the figure overhead. Her fearful gaze locked onto Rhett as he arrived by her side, raising his staff. A sudden earth spike shot out from the slanted cave wall.

"Meow!"

The shadow deftly dodged the sudden spike and threw a handful of gravel at Rhett and his group.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

A sharp whistling sound filled the air as Rhett quickly intensified the light element, brightening the cave. The gravel struck his rock armor, leaving only shallow dents with no injury. His subordinates, using their shields and the large rocks as cover, remained unharmed.

In those brief seconds, the group clearly saw that the figure lurking at the top of the cave was a night cat. Given its speed, its strength was at least at the fourth level!

Among the group, only Rhett could track its movements, as the night cat flitted like a shadow through the cave.

Rhett ensured his subordinates were safe before coldly raising his gaze, following the night cat's movements closely.

"You all get out of here. I'll handle this!" Rhett had several strategies in mind to deal with the night cat, but he needed his subordinates to leave first.

"Commander..." Tack's deep voice carried a hint of reluctance and concern.

"Follow orders, leave, now!" Rhett commanded sharply.

"Meow!"

A sound came from Rhett's left, but the night cat attacked from the right in the next instant.

"Hmph, trying to play tricks on me?" Rhett smirked coldly.

Once he sensed that his subordinates had left the cave, Rhett licked his lips and whispered silently, "The show begins..."

Rockfall Spell

Rockfall Spell

A deep rumbling echoed through the cave as both entrances were blocked by massive boulders. While the night cat could break through, the size and hardness of the rocks would delay it by at least a few seconds.

As the night cat approached, Rhett conjured a Stone Spike Spell!

A two-meter-long spike shot out from a gap between four rocks, directly in the night cat's path.

Its sharp claws, glowing with cold light, were just inches from Rhett. For the swift night cat, that distance would be crossed in a blink of an eye. But that short distance felt like a chasm. If it continued forward, the earth-infused spike would soon pierce its skull. The night cat had no choice but to dodge.

In that brief moment, Rhett retreated rapidly.

He noticed the cave's open space gave the night cat a significant advantage. Narrowing his eyes, he cast another Rockfall Spell!

Boom!

A massive rock crashed to the ground, but the night cat easily dodged it with a sideways leap.

"As expected, speed is the night cat's greatest strength," Rhett thought to himself, but he didn't slow down his actions.

Rockfall Spell

Rockfall Spell

Rockfall Spell

...

In the ensuing battle, Rhett relentlessly cast Rockfall Spells. The continuous booming echoed through the cave, even causing the outer surface of the mountain to tremble. Loose rocks tumbled down the slopes.

"What's the commander doing in there, making such a commotion?" Tack paced anxiously outside the cave, wishing he could break through the boulders blocking his path to rush in and help his father.

"It sounds like the Rockfall Spell... Could the commander be trying to shrink the night cat's maneuvering space?" Cas's eyes gleamed with insight, as his experience fighting night cats led him to guess Rhett's strategy.

"But this also limits the commander's own movement," Reile took a deep breath. "I think the commander wants to prevent the night cat from escaping and finish it quickly!"

"But how can a mage fight a night cat, a natural assassin, in such a confined space? It's too risky!" Taro's expression showed his concern.

"Ahem." Cas nudged his companion with his elbow, lowering his voice as he said, "Taro, did you notice earlier... the commander used... Rock Armor?"

"Uh?" Taro froze, blinking in realization before slapping his forehead. "Oh, you're right! I didn't notice that detail earlier with everyone blocking my view, and I was too focused on the situation!"

"Now that I think about it, that earth-colored armor tightly wrapped around him—what else could it be but the earth-element six-level spell, Rock Armor?" Taro exclaimed excitedly. "With Rock Armor, it'll be much easier to deal with the night cat!"

The group's spirits lifted noticeably.

Taro and Cas exchanged glances, both hiding their shock.

"The commander must have taken a bloodline potion," they thought simultaneously.

Revealing Rock Armor had been Rhett's deliberate choice. Given the progression of the war, such a critical defensive spell couldn't be kept secret for long. Furthermore, his rapid power growth over the past two years was already unusual. Even with ample resources, it was hard to explain.

Therefore, Rhett decided that once on the battlefield, revealing the fact that he had taken a bloodline potion could gradually be made public.

This would not only explain his rapid growth but also prepare the way for future breakthroughs. Even if his pace slowed later due to limited destiny points, there would be no need to explain. No one would question a mage's slower progress if they didn't meditate or focus on training.

But if his speed remained impressive, attributing it to the bloodline potion would make it more acceptable. Others might be jealous, but they would have to accept it.

As the others outside the cave expressed their concerns or surprise, Rhett remained entirely focused on the battle within. As the falling rocks piled up, shrinking the cave's space, Rhett seemed to enjoy the challenge even more.

"Human, your efforts are meaningless. They say humans are cunning, but your mind is as heavy and clumsy as these rocks. You'll never hit me!" A strange voice echoed through the air as the four-level night cat spoke in the common tongue.