We don’t invoke the Protector Protocol often—too many variables, too many things that can go wrong. But this... this might be what you were asking for.
"What is the Protocol?" Ben asked.
Let me show you, Mesa said. But think very carefully before you accept.
As she spoke, the previous perk selection dissolved. In its place appeared the new screen—larger, brighter, more intense than any system interface Ben had seen before, deep blue frame, glowing golden core.
This was no ordinary choice.
With the initiation of the Protector Protocol, a Protectorate is created, and a Protector is named as ruler of the area. A Protectorate is an Energy condensation zone, and the Energy is funneled into a set of curated dungeons. No new Energy-born creatures or dungeons will spawn within the Protectorate. However, the Energy density will attract creatures from the environment, requiring constant vigilance.
One key benefit of the higher Energy density is a positive impact on the growth of the Protectorate’s citizens.
The Protectorate also serves as an Energy-enabled settlement, whose size and strength is determined by the Energy consumed by dungeons and the settlement level, which reflects population and development. Settlement levels are defined as follows:
- Level 1 – Homestead (Population: 0+)
- Level 2 – Outpost (Population: 100+)
- Level 3 – Stockade (Population: 1,000+)
- Level 4 – Fort (Population: 10,000+)
- Level 5 – Bastion (Population: 100,000+)
- Level 6 – Citadel (Population: 500,000+)
- Level 7 – Stronghold (Population: 1,000,000+)
If the Protectorate boundaries expand to include wild dungeons, they must be cleared within 24 hours and integrated into the Energy condensation infrastructure. This infrastructure also functions as an emergency Energy overflow sink at the system’s discretion.
The Protector receives a unique perk: [Knight Protector] at Tier 1. This perk grants the following benefits:
- +1 point for each attribute per settlement level.
- The Protector designates one core attribute, which receives a 10% increase for every five dungeon tiers incorporated into the Energy infrastructure.
In addition, the Protector is granted 1,000 settlement credits upon creation of the Protectorate. These credits can be used to bolster infrastructure, development, and defensive capabilities.
Should the Protector perish or lose the relevant perk, the Protectorate ends.
Protectorate Obligations:
- All dungeons within the zone must be cleared before they break. A third dungeon break results in immediate Protectorate termination.
- The settlement must reach specific development milestones:
- Level 4 (Fort) within 1 year
- Level 5 (Bastion) within 3 years
- Level 7 (Stronghold) within 5 years
- The Protector must remain in the top 1% of Earthlings in strength, as measured by perk tier and advancement. Failure to do so, or to meet settlement growth targets, will result in the Protectorate’s termination.
- The systems might issue missions that the Protector must engage in to the best of their abilities.
Ben was stunned. This went far beyond anything he could have imagined. The [Knight Protector] perk was powerful—perhaps the strongest yet—but it came with immense responsibility and commitment.
What was now just a handful of forest lodges… he would have to turn into a city.
That thought hit him hard. Building something so large seemed almost to defeat the very reason he had wanted to stay here in the first place: a quiet life, close to nature, with a small community of friends and family, far away from the noise and stress of the cities.
But then again—maybe not. They would be able to shape this city. Build it from the ground up into something meaningful. Not a cold megastructure, but a living, breathing community. A place where his family could thrive. And a safe haven for many more.
The obligations, though... they were intense.
He would need to grow the settlement to Level 4—Fort—within one year. Then continue to expand. But maybe, he realized, that was the easy part. After all, how many people would not want to move to a zone where Energy-born creatures couldn't spawn? The promise of security alone would attract settlers by the thousands.
To his own surprise, he felt a flicker of excitement at the idea of running a city. It was going to be hard. He’d need the help of his family and friends. But with the right people, maybe it could work.
No, the harder part would be the other half of the deal: no dungeon breaks, ever. Staying in the top 1% of humans in strength and advancement. That meant no rest, no pause. He'd have to keep growing, keep fighting. And yet, paradoxically, his death would collapse the very zone of safety he was meant to protect. The system was balanced on a knife's edge.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
He exhaled slowly. Yes, it was daunting. Yes, he was anxious.
But it felt right.
“Meta, Mesa, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to build something great for the people in this region,” he said aloud. “I accept.”
Very well, Mesa said warmly in his head. We wish you the best of luck.
With the [Knight Protector] perk comes access to the Settlement tab in your interface. You can use it to create a settlement when you stand at the central location of your homestead. From now on, you may harvest the dungeon core of any completed dungeon. When added to your settlement’s infrastructure, all further Energy integration will occur automatically.
“Thank you,” he said again, quieter this time.
To shake off the weight of the moment—and the stiffness in his bruised muscles—Ben started to stretch. His responsibilities had just multiplied, and there would be no pause going forward. But if it meant protecting his family, it was worth it.
As he worked out the tension in his limbs, a marble plinth rose from the dungeon floor about two meters before the exit portal. Veined with gold, the pedestal was perfectly square—about thirty centimeters on each side—and came up to his hips. Embedded in its top was a small, round indentation holding what he could only assume was the dungeon core.
The core itself was a fist-sized sphere of stone-like golden material, crisscrossed with a precise grid of softly glowing blue lines.
Carefully, Ben picked it up. It was cool, solid, and smooth to the touch.
A blue translucent screen appeared in front of him.
Dungeon core removed. Portal closure imminent.
It was time to go home.
When Ben stepped out of the portal, he instinctively readied his axe. He had nearly forgotten about the massive boar that had charged him and inadvertently pushed him into the dungeon. But now, after everything he had faced inside, he felt confident—more skilled, more prepared.
The clearing was empty.
The boar was gone, and the marble archway that had served as the dungeon’s entrance was slowly sinking back into the ground. Ben exhaled.
He reoriented himself—things looked very different under the dim light of the full moon—but he soon picked out familiar landmarks and began the final stretch toward camp. Exhaustion tugged at him, and his stomach reminded him how long it had been since his last meal, but he pressed on with steady strides.
Despite the darkness, he reached the outskirts of camp in just over half an hour. He slowed, cautious now. The wide clearing that held their dozen buildings was still and quiet. Most of the structures were lodges, each typically shared by two members of the team, with the notable exception of the one Allison—his mother—called home. The rest included a modest admin building with two offices, a large mess hall and kitchen, and several sizable storage sheds.
Before stepping into the glade, he paused to scan for movement. At first, nothing.
Then—two shadows moving at the far end of the clearing.
The moonlight was enough. It was Jamal and Michael, patrolling in wide circles around the camp. Keeping watch.
Ben stepped into the clearing and gave them a wave. He didn’t want to wake the others with a shout. Michael noticed him first, tapped Jamal’s shoulder, and pointed. The two men jogged over.
“Boss, you made it!” Jamal’s relief was immediate. “We were all worried. The whole team’s in the mess hall—nobody wanted to leave your mother alone.”
In a rare show of emotion, Michael nodded vigorously.
“Thanks, guys.” Ben smiled. “I’m glad to be back. Let’s head over.”
He gestured toward the large mess hall and started walking.
“Everyone safe? Any encounters?” he asked.
“Yeah, all good,” Jamal said. “After those system messages, your mom packed us up and led us back. She said you’d find your way home—though we didn’t think it would take twelve hours. What happened out there?”
Before Ben could reply, they stepped under the warm glow spilling from one of the hall’s windows, and Jamal got a good look at him—tattered, bloodstained, and tired.
“Boss... what the hell happened?” Jamal asked, voice low with concern. “Are you hurt? Do we need to call a medivac?”
“No medivac. I’m fine. Tired, yes. Battered, definitely. But nothing serious,” Ben said. “Let’s head inside. Easier to tell it once.”
Michael held the door open, and Ben stepped into a room filled with anxious faces. More than a dozen people were gathered—most at the long dining table, some lounging in well-worn armchairs. All conversation stopped the moment they saw him.
Allison was on her feet in an instant. “Ben!”
She ran to him and wrapped him in a fierce hug. “I was so worried. Are you okay? What happened? You were gone so long!”
“I’m alright, Mom,” Ben said, hugging her tightly. “It’s been... more exciting than I would’ve liked. And exhausting. But I made it.”
He turned to Jamal and Michael, who were settling into seats at the long table.
“By the way, you two insisting I take an axe on what was supposed to be a simple walk? That saved my life. Thank you.”
Then he grinned and looked toward the kitchen. “Now—I’ll tell you what happened. But only under two conditions.”
He caught Luz’s eye, their gray-haired, no-nonsense cook. “First, Luz, any chance of tea and a snack? I’m starving.”
She laughed and stood up. “Challenge accepted. Give me two minutes.”
“Second,” Ben said, turning back to the group, “you’ve got to tell me what happened here. Any trouble while I was gone?”
Allison smiled and flicked his ear playfully. “Negotiating already? You must be fine. We’re all safe. We saw two aggressive creatures on the way back—one was a massive moose, the other might’ve been a wild dog or even a wolf. But they didn’t come close. Probably scared off by how many of us there were. We got back without a problem.”
She gestured toward Adam, who was sitting with a notebook in front of him.
“We spent some of the time waiting for you going over the system interface. Adam even made a list of all the perks we got.”
She raised an eyebrow. “That’s it. Now... your turn.”
Ben nodded and took the seat Luz had set for him, complete with hot tea and a small cheese platter. He whispered a quick “Thank you” to her, then turned to face the entire group.
“As you know,” he began, “I left in the afternoon to inspect our new site. Like all of you, I received that first message from Meta. But she’d barely finished when a wolf materialized a few meters away. It was… messy—but I managed to kill it.”
A ripple of surprise moved around the table.
Ben continued. “Even before Mesa sent her global announcement, she spoke to me directly—congratulated me on being the first human to defeat an Energy-born creature without any interface. As a reward I received a rare perk: [Resilient Body]. It lets me heal serious flesh wounds in a few hours instead of days.”
“Mesa also explained that you can harvest ‘Energy cores’ from large enough creatures.” Ben opened his backpack, withdrew a tiny golden orb, and set it on the table. “That’s what they look like. No idea yet what to do with them, but they’re clearly valuable.”