Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

The knight who rushed over was Tuck, charging fearlessly with his longsword in hand. He recalled what his father had mentioned in the battlefield survival manual—that the waist of a Blood Moon Werewolf would be especially vulnerable during and after its bloodlust phase.

With that in mind, he gripped his longsword tightly and repeatedly stabbed at this weak spot. Blood spurted out, splattering onto his armor as he relentlessly pierced the werewolf's waist.

Ossagu let out low, pained groans, but the sound grew weaker with each passing moment…

Eventually, the Blood Moon Werewolf collapsed to the ground, yet Tuck continued his fierce stabbing without pause.

"That's enough, Tuck. The Blood Moon Werewolf is dead. You can stop now," came a calm voice.

Hearing this, Tuck finally halted his actions, pulling out his blood-soaked longsword. He stood victoriously, placing one foot on the werewolf's back, and exhaled a long breath. "Finally finished it!"

Rhett, holding his staff, approached with a smile on his face. He glanced at the glowing notification before him.

[Family member killed an enemy three ranks higher, +3 Destiny Points]

He sighed inwardly—this was no easy task.

Although the simulation had predicted that this battle would end in a resounding victory, and the result did indeed match the simulation's prediction, the process was far from easy. He himself had come close to falling in battle.

The slightest mistake from his subordinates could have resulted in severe losses.

Having experienced this battle firsthand, Rhett fully understood just how dangerous it had been.

Reflecting on the entire battle, Rhett realized that many details were crucial, and any slight misstep could have led to the collapse of the entire situation.

He took a deep breath and silently warned himself, "Be cautious! Even if the simulation provides a result, never let your guard down. The trajectory of reality can shift in unpredictable ways. If I become complacent, thinking I know the outcome, I might end up with a completely different ending!"

"Hey, Rhett, what are you thinking about?"

Snoway came over and patted Rhett on the shoulder.

Rhett snapped out of his thoughts and smiled, saying, "Yes, Snoway, we won. Thanks to your help, I wouldn't have been able to handle this situation alone."

"Haha, you're too polite!" Snoway waved it off. "Let's go. Last time we didn't get a chance to share a drink after our joint operation. This time, let's celebrate properly!"

"Sounds good!"

After the battle, Rhett ordered a moment of silence for the fallen soldiers, as was customary.

Then, they cut off the ears of the beastmen and counted their spoils.

Finally, it was time to celebrate with beast wine. However, due to the battle, most of the beastmen had been poisoned by the Black Crow's Scourge, causing their blood to turn a murky black, making it undrinkable.

Only a few beastmen had pure blood, so everyone took only a symbolic sip before Rhett led the team back.

They returned just as the sun rose, its light gradually brightening the sky. The dark night gave way to dawn as they passed through the checkpoints. They watched the unimpeded sunrise on the horizon, with the dark military fortress ahead of them standing tall, like silent giants, resisting the beastmen's invasion and welcoming the returning soldiers.

After passing through several checkpoints, Rhett went straight to the Central War Fortress.

This time, he didn't see Commander Ambiru but reported the situation to Assistant Fudi.

He also requested fifteen new archers—his archers had already been few, and last night's battle had reduced their numbers by half. Without timely reinforcement, it would undoubtedly affect the tactical versatility and combat power of his entire team.

Back at Sub-Fortress 1, Rhett, along with Tuck, Relay, and Mikhail, returned to their quarters.

"Last night's battle was too dangerous. I felt that even a slight mistake could have led to a completely different outcome!" Mikhail said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Only now, surrounded by familiar faces, did he fully relax, reflecting on the intensity of the battle. "I had imagined the battlefield would be dangerous, but experiencing it firsthand is something else entirely..."

"Yes, last night's battle was probably the most dangerous one since we arrived at the Canyon Frontline," Relay added, his expression grave.

"Indeed, and Commander, you took a huge risk yesterday—facing that Blood Moon Werewolf alone! If we'd been any slower in dealing with that four-rank wild boar, you might have fallen to that four-rank Blood Moon Werewolf!" Tuck's voice was filled with concern, his eyes showing deep worry.

"Haha, but isn't that the charm of war?" Rhett chuckled softly, then reassured them, "Victory and defeat, life and death, often hang by a thread. Sometimes what seems extremely dangerous is actually all part of the plan. Last night's outcome might have seemed like luck, but it was inevitable."

"I don't believe it," Mikhail scoffed, crossing his arms. "You think you're the Master of Fate or something? Knowing everything? Just be more careful, okay? Your life is the most important thing. I don't want anything to happen to you!"

"Alright, alright, I'll be careful," Rhett replied with a smile, then sat back on his bed, closing his eyes and opening the system interface.

Over the past few days, he had accumulated over a hundred Destiny Points. Now that things had calmed down, he decided to keep fifty points in reserve and use the rest.

[Do you want to initiate a Real Simulation? Each day simulated costs 1 Destiny Point.]

"Yes!"

As space rippled, Rhett entered the simulation once more, engaging in training through countless simulations.

After over a hundred simulations:

[Real Simulation complete. Choose one attribute to retain:]

[1. Constitution]

[2. Combat Energy]

[3. Mental Power]

"Choose Mental Power!"

Once the simulation ended, Rhett quietly felt for any changes in his mental power, but there was nothing too noticeable.

He then recalled his previous warning to Ambiru—that the Nightcatman squad included several six-rank Blood Moon Werewolves.

He wasn't sure if Ambiru would assign more troops to deal with the Blood Moon Werewolves.

To be on the safe side, Rhett decided to run another simulation to verify the plan. If it seemed inadequate, he would need to discuss it further...

[Do you want to initiate a Text Simulation? Each year simulated costs 5 Destiny Points.]

"Yes, simulate one year!"

[Golden Wheel Calendar Year 475, August 15th, late at night: You received information that the frontlines were being attacked by a large orc army. You led a hundred men, following Vice-Commander Ambiru, to ambush the Nightcatmen. With multiple six-rank powerhouses pre-arranged, the Blood Moon Werewolves were successfully eliminated, and the battle ended in victory. You were credited with a significant achievement!]

[August 19th: Lorin is pregnant.]

[August 24th: Mina gave birth to a baby boy, adding another member to your family—cause for celebration!]

[August 27th, late at night: You joined the main force in attacking the orc positions.]

[August 30th: After three days and nights of fierce fighting, you and your subordinates survived, though bearing many wounds, thanks to the antidotes prepared in advance.]

[September 5th: Upon hearing that Vice-Commander Ambiru planned to attack an orc patrol unit, you volunteered to join. The attack succeeded, and you killed two three-rank Phantom Venom Snake-men and one three-rank Blood Moon Werewolf.]

[October 3rd: After nearly two months of warfare, over twenty royal-blooded orcs had fallen by your hand, earning you some notoriety among the orc forces at the Canyon Frontline.]

[October 17th: During a patrol, you were ambushed by an orc unit, including ten Blood Moon Werewolves who relentlessly pursued you! Fortunately, you had pre-arranged an ambush with nearby captains and managed to annihilate the orc unit.]

[October 23rd: While patrolling, you encountered a severely wounded scout fleeing, claiming that three Phantom Venom Snake-men were chasing him. You led your team to assist and eliminated the orcs.]

[October 26th: Unica advanced to Apprentice Magician.]

[November 11th: The pressure of the war on the Canyon Frontline eased as the royal-blooded orcs retreated like a receding tide. You sensed that the battle might be drawing to a close.]

[November 13th: The Canyon Frontline's Commander, Avaran, announced that the royal-blooded orcs had been repelled, marking a phase of victory in the war. That evening, a celebration banquet was held, where you were richly rewarded. You also learned from Avaran that your merits were more than sufficient to promote you to Earl!]

[Golden Wheel Calendar Year 476, July 25th, late at night: An unexpected visitor arrived at your territory—Vorderg, accompanied by an alchemy master. You warmly invited them to your castle, but they expressed a desire to visit the old nest of the Dark-patterned Eagles in the mountains. You gladly accompanied them.]

[July 26th, early morning: You reached the old nest of the Dark-patterned Eagles at Lone Peak, where you discovered six or seven Dark-patterned Eagles still circling the mountain. This discovery greatly excited the alchemy master, who, while gripping your shoulder, shared his plan.]

[He intended to establish a breeding ground for the Dark-patterned Eagles here, relying on the Dark-patterned Eagle Tuck had tamed to become the lead eagle and take control of the nest. From there, he hoped to continuously breed Dark-patterned Eagles to develop a toxin for dealing with the Dragonmen. After some thought, you agreed to his request. You also suggested that he mentor your alchemists and pass on some of his knowledge. The alchemy master accepted your proposal.]

[July 27th: During a conversation with Vorderg, you invited him to join your territory. He hesitated for a moment but declined, stating that he would remain in the mountains to guard the Dark-patterned Eagle's nest. He promised to assist you whenever needed.]

[August 1st: Under the alchemy master's expert guidance, Unica became an apprentice alchemist.]

[August 3rd: The alchemy master stayed at your castle, teaching Henke, Relay, and Teles for a week. All three made significant progress. The alchemy master left that night.]

[August 4th: Teles advanced to First-rank Magician.]

[August 5th: Teles successfully brewed a low-grade poison, officially becoming an alchemist!]

[August 6th: While forging a longsword at the smithy, Willow experienced a flash of inspiration and forged an apprentice longsword, becoming an apprentice blacksmith.]

[August 7th: Relay brewed a low-grade poison, officially becoming an alchemist!]

[Text Simulation complete. Do you wish to continue?]

"No!"

After reading the results, Rhett felt much more at ease.

Thankfully, he had exaggerated the Nightcatmen's strength, prompting the higher-ups to send additional forces. Although Vice-Commander Ambiru was a sixth-rank knight, the Canyon Frontline had more than one sixth-rank knight.

However, most of these powerhouses only followed orders from the Commander.

"Additionally, with the successful elimination of the Nightcatmen, Ambiru avoided injury, and the timeline has returned to normal, nearly identical to the previous simulation—even down to the dates."

Rhett was pleased with this outcome.

Moreover, the magicians in his territory had made significant progress in alchemy under the guidance of the alchemy master from Cold City, which was excellent news!

"Even Vanessa is pregnant with a second child. Tuck is really doing well!" Rhett smiled slightly as he glanced at Tuck.

[Family member killed an enemy one rank higher, +1 Destiny Point]

[Family member killed an enemy three ranks higher, +3 Destiny Points]

As Rhett pondered, notifications of earned Destiny Points continued to appear before him.

"Hmm? More progress from Teles? Very good!" Rhett felt a wave of satisfaction as he watched the points accumulate.

A few minutes later, this influx added 20 Destiny Points!

"It seems the gifts I sent are paying off, with those knights constantly looking out for Teles!" Rhett mused, then thought, "Since that's the case, I might as well use these twenty points."

Quickly, Rhett began meditating with the Furnace Meditation Technique, entering a focused state.

A week later, on August 15th.

That day, Rhett continued his usual meditation, feeling that the barrier blocking his progress had worn down considerably.

"I estimate that I'll break through in the next month or two..." Rhett sensed the room growing dim and ended his meditation, contemplating his progress.

As the room darkened further, night fell, and the sky grew overcast, shrouded in mist.

Finally, when night fully descended, Rhett rose from his bed.

"Commander, where are we patrolling tonight?" Tuck asked, packing his gear and preparing to depart.

"For now, we stay here on standby," Rhett replied as he walked to the window, gazing at the black clouds blending with the darkness.

At that moment, Mikhail awoke from meditation, standing beside Rhett with a concerned expression.

"Is there really going to be a battle tonight?"

"A battle?" Tuck scratched his head in confusion, then suddenly slapped his thigh in realization. "I almost forgot! The Nightcatman we captured last time said the beastmen would launch a full-scale attack in ten days!"

He then cautiously approached Rhett. "Commander, do you think it'll happen?"

"I don't know. Just wait for orders," Rhett replied softly.

Relay, having just finished refining a Moonlight Elixir, held another vial in his hand. After some thought, he set it aside on his bed.

Moments later.

Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt!

Suddenly, a loud alarm echoed throughout the Canyon Frontline, amplified by an alchemical formation. The sound reached every soldier in the camp.

Although Rhett had anticipated this moment, he feigned shock and exclaimed, "That's the level-one alarm! If the beastmen weren't launching a full-scale attack, they wouldn't have sounded it. Hurry, let's assemble!"

As Rhett's words fell, Tuck, Relay, and Mikhail quickly gathered their belongings and rushed out the door.

Apart from the alarm, the sound of footsteps echoed through the castle corridors like a drumbeat.

Rhett took a deep breath, gazing at the ominous clouds for two or three minutes.

In that brief time, the entire Sub-Fortress 1 had emptied, leaving only the alarm's persistent wail.

When Rhett finally left Sub-Fortress 1 and arrived at the assembly point, the once-spacious area was now packed with neatly organized squads.

A rough estimate showed at least several thousand soldiers.

At the front stood Ambiru, flanked by a dozen knights exuding powerful auras and three robed, hooded magicians.

Ambiru, listening to the continuous alarm, wore a stern expression. Inwardly, he thought, "Rhett's intel was accurate. The beastmen's attack is even more ferocious than expected..."

After surveying the gathered troops, Ambiru's gaze lingered on Rhett for a few seconds before clearing his throat and addressing the soldiers in a commanding voice:

"Attention, everyone! Scouts have confirmed that the beastmen are advancing toward our front lines. A great battle is about to begin. The kingdom is counting on you! Follow my orders:

The first and second squads will move to ambush at Location 41. The third and fourth squads will ambush at Location 2. The fifth and sixth squads will ambush at Location 29. Your primary task is to intercept the beastmen's injured forces.

The rest of you, follow me to harass the beastmen's flanks. Remember, our goal is to divert their attention and firepower. Do not engage in prolonged battles. Always be ready for my orders!

Speed is of the essence—move out!"

Toot!

Ambiru blew his whistle, and as the sharp sound ended, the soldiers' heavy yet coordinated footsteps echoed as they marched in two directions.

Ambiru led over twenty squads, including both regular and temporary units, forming six long columns. Like a billowing black flag, they followed Ambiru's lead, heading southwest.

Thud, thud, thud...

Through the dark rain, the army passed through several checkpoints and entered a gentle slope. Soon, they reached a flat plain, crossing the White Flower Meadow where Rhett had been before, continuing southwest.

The march was swift.

After more than an hour, the dark night shrouded a looming mountain ahead.

Ambiru raised his right hand, pointing toward the jagged peak, where a strange mountain rose, its sharp summit merging with the dark sky. A massive boulder protruded from the cliff face at the center of the peak.

"All units, prepare to assault Raven Peak. Clear the beastmen from the mountain," Ambiru ordered, his eyes narrowing as he drew a crimson longbow and nocked an arrow.

In an instant, the arrow ignited with a blazing fire, fueled by powerful combat energy.

Whoosh! The arrow shot forth, like a flaming bird soaring through the night, crashing into the massive boulder on the cliff face.

Boom!

An explosion echoed from afar, flames erupting like fireworks.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

Faint but continuous cries of pain reached their ears.

"Amadeo, Flash Spell!" Ambiru commanded swiftly.

"Understood!"

A white-robed elder with a short beard raised his twisted staff and chanted, "Flash Spell!"

As Rhett watched the white-robed elder cast the spell, he felt a surge of brilliant light elemental energy condensing, soon exploding toward Raven Peak.

Whoosh! The area within a kilometer radius of the cliff face illuminated as if it were daylight, centered on the giant boulder.

Rhett squinted slightly, impressed by the power of a fifth-rank Archmage's Flash Spell. The effect far surpassed simple light manipulation.

"Ah! Ah!"

Another round of cries echoed, piercing through the brightened night.

Thanks to the Flash Spell's illumination, they could now see behind the boulder, where a dozen beastmen clutched their eyes, howling in pain. Realizing they had been discovered, they stumbled and fled.

Ambiru sneered and nocked another arrow.

This time, Rhett noticed that Ambiru fired three arrows at once, each infused with fire-attribute combat energy, forming thick beams of light like fiery rockets.

But it didn't end there—Ambiru fired two more arrows, which collided mid-air with the previous three, redirecting them to strike the fleeing beastmen, followed by explosive bursts!

"Commander, should we advance and encircle them?" asked a black-armored fifth-rank knight.

"No need!" Ambiru shook his head. "We'll use reversed base orders and deploy magical plants."

"29 Crimson Flame Tongue Grass!"

Rhett quickly interpreted the order. Reversing the base code turned "31" into "29," indicating the same mountain ridge where the Nightcatmen were expected to pass.

"It seems Ambiru's talk of flanking was just a diversion..." Rhett thought.

Instantly, the army changed direction, abandoning the frontal assault and heading due west.

They continued along a bloodstained river, pressing on through the Black Forest until the trees thinned and eventually disappeared altogether.

The route from Raven Peak to the 29 Crimson Flame Tongue Grass area was complex and ever-changing.

The army followed the river's northern bank, traversing a barren land strewn with red rocks. Along the way, they encountered many corpses of both beastmen and humans. Eventually, they climbed a winding mountain path, traveling several miles along a treacherous trail.

As the night deepened, the sky's dark clouds thickened until they unleashed a torrential downpour.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh

The rain fell like pearls, and when the wind gusted, it turned into a thick curtain of rain, quickly soaking the ground and turning it into a muddy mess.

In just a few minutes, every soldier's boots were caked with mud. They followed the path's sharp turn, veering left and ascending until they reached a plateau.

Looking back, the wide valley they had just crossed appeared vast, while the ground they now stood on seemed to be a flat plain.

Before them lay a desolate brown landscape, but Rhett immediately recognized the nearby slope as the one where they had battled the four-rank Nightcatman before. Despite the heavy rain, he could still make out the mountain's hazy outline through the silver curtain of rain.

Whoosh, whoosh

The strong wind whipped Ambiru's red hair, and he turned to glance at Rhett. The latter stiffened slightly and nodded.

With that confirmation, Ambiru raised his right hand, made a series of gestures, and shouted, "All units, earth mages, begin constructing underground caves and clear all traces of our presence.

Eighth and ninth squads, move to the southwest to lie in wait. Eleventh to fifteenth squads, hide within the mountains ahead.

Archers, follow the wind magicians.

Amadeo, join the temporary squad."

As one order after another was issued, thousands of soldiers dispersed to their assigned positions. Rhett, being an earth mage, joined the team building ambush sites.

Channeling his mental energy, he manipulated the earth elements in an open area.

The ground began to shift, and soon, pits and trenches took shape.

In battle, efficiency was paramount.

In just ten minutes, the area looked completely deserted, as if no one had ever been there.

Rhett didn't hide in the underground pits or the mountains ahead. Instead, he followed Ambiru's team to a location several kilometers away.

Everyone stood upright, their expressions solemn, and Rhett was no exception.

About an hour later, a scout wearing camouflage sped through the night, arriving before Ambiru. Covering his mouth, he whispered a few words.

Even though Rhett was nearby, he couldn't hear what the scout said, but he could guess—it must have been information about the Nightcatmen.

This timing suggested that the Nightcatmen were about to arrive!

Sure enough!

As soon as the scout finished his report and vanished into the night, Ambiru signaled—advance!

The entire three-thousand-strong force moved forward in unison.

The mountain's base was lined with a blood-soaked stream.

They reached a sloping hillside, where the terrain gradually rose, forming a long, continuous ridge.

Upon reaching the ridge's summit, they saw an eerie blackness ahead, like a dark ocean surging with waves.

Amidst the darkness, flashes of red appeared—those were the Nightcatmen, accompanied by Blood Moon Werewolves!

The orc forces spotted the human army at the same time.

Meow! Meow! Meow!

A chorus of sharp, piercing cries echoed, merging into a cacophony that sounded like a turbulent river.

Seeing the relatively small number of human troops, the Nightcatmen received an order, and one by one, they charged forward!

Ambiru held his ground, waiting until the enemy drew closer before drawing his longsword, raising it high, and shouting, "All units, attack!"

In an instant, the hidden troops burst from the ground.

Knights emerged from the east and west, launching fearless assaults. In the rear, hundreds of archers fired a rain of arrows!

Arrows mixed with raindrops, raining down upon the Nightcatmen.

Woo, woo, woo, woo

A chorus of cries filled the air as the Nightcatmen, caught off guard by the ambush, suffered heavy casualties before they could react.

A six-rank Blood Moon Werewolf roared in fury, no longer able to hide. It leaped high, like a rocket, aiming for the archers in the rear.

At the same time, two other Blood Moon Werewolves charged at Ambiru, intending to execute a decapitation strike!

Suddenly, the night sky flashed with several beams of light!

Six powerful waves of combat energy surged from the four corners of the battlefield, glowing red, white, blue, and green.

Ambiru and another six-rank knight unleashed fiery combat energy, their longswords igniting into three-meter-long flaming blades!

They confronted the two charging Blood Moon Werewolves head-on!

Meanwhile, a knight wielding a white light blade and another enveloped in wind-attribute combat energy also rushed forward, their expressions cold.

The two Blood Moon Werewolves were instantly surrounded by equally powerful human warriors.

"If you dare to attack, stay here forever," Ambiru said coldly. In the next second, his flaming sword clashed with the Blood Moon Werewolf's claw, producing a metallic clang.

Immediately after, three waves of sword energy struck from the right, rear, and above.

The radiant combat energy illuminated the barren hillside, casting everything in a brilliant light.