The Ultimate Dominion: Founding an Indomitable Empire

After walking for an hour, Rayden finally arrived at an expansive and breathtaking meadow, adorned with a vast turquoise-green lake of crystal-clear water, situated at the southernmost edge of the meadow. Although, in essence, its size was still significantly smaller compared to the overall expanse of the forest.

Rayden's eyes sparkled with delight, overcome with joy at the sight of the magnificent landscape that lay before him, claiming it as his own.

"From now on, I shall build a splendid and comfortable house here. Forget about a mere shack; a stunning landscape like this deserves to be my primary residence!" Rayden shouted with fervent enthusiasm. He was ignited with a high spirit, eager to establish a home in this picturesque meadow.

Suddenly, the rustling of leaves echoed from all directions. Instinctively, Rayden drew his saber from its sheath, positioning himself in a combat-ready stance.

Hundreds of short-statured, green-skinned goblins emerged from behind the forest trees, wielding various sharp and blunt weapons that were worn and rusted. Their eyes radiated a fierce, malevolent aura, ready to pounce on Rayden at any moment.

"Damn, I'm surrounded on all sides. There's no escape," Rayden exclaimed in a worried tone, glancing around cautiously. He meticulously observed every suspicious movement of the goblins.

Feeling cornered with no other options, Rayden gripped his saber with his left hand, activating his telekinetic magical power. He channeled an unusual yet familiar force throughout the blade.

Through his saber, an invisible expansive energy field was generated, pressing the goblins' bodies to the ground with immense force, flattening and crushing them as they could not withstand the increased mass imposed upon them.

In mere fractions of a second, all the goblins were annihilated, leaving none behind.

"Isn't telekinesis a magical power to control the movement of objects through mental focus? How am I able to increase the mass of objects akin to an intensified gravitational field?" Rayden murmured in bewilderment, surveying the gruesome and horror-laden bloodbath around him.

Small craters of moderate depth formed at each spot where a goblin had been forcefully pressed into the ground. Overwhelmed with guilt for disrupting the pristine environment surrounding him, Rayden pondered intensely on how to restore the beauty he had inadvertently marred. Suddenly, a realization struck him.

"Of course, I have plant growth magic!" he exclaimed with renewed enthusiasm, eager to put his secondary magical talent to the test.

With that, Rayden entered a state of deep focus, channeling a moderate amount of arcane energy. From beneath the earth, dozens of tree roots emerged, guided by his gentle intent. Each root delicately drew the remnants of goblin corpses and their spilled blood into the soil.

Subsequently, Rayden commanded the roots to level the earth in each small crater, tilling the soil with precision. Once the ground's surface was smooth and even, he accelerated the growth of grass and flowers in the newly aerated areas.

The result was a restored landscape, its natural beauty fully reclaimed. Not a single blemish remained to mar the aesthetic splendor of the surroundings, leaving the environment as pristine as it had been before the disruption.

Rayden mused quietly, his mind abuzz with questions, as he pondered the seemingly misguided rankings of magical abilities in this world. "Why is plant growth magic, with its astounding potential, classified merely as rank E?" he wondered aloud, still captivated by its possibilities.

Suddenly, a metaphorical light bulb illuminated above Rayden's head as a brilliant idea struck him. With plant growth magic at his disposal, he envisioned creating an entire house constructed from wood. The wood he would use would boast remarkable durability and resilience, capable of withstanding a wide array of extreme conditions.

Kneeling on the earth, Rayden placed his palms flat against the ground. He channeled an immense quantity of arcane energy, meticulously imagining every detail of the house he intended to manifest—the shape, the size, and all the intricate features he desired.

Minutes later, the ground before him began to tremble vigorously. In the subsequent moments, a vast wooden structure emerged gradually from the soil, forming the house he envisioned. Utilizing natural dyes derived from various plants, Rayden painted both the exterior and interior of his home a pristine, creamy white.

At a glance, Rayden's new abode appeared modest from the front. However, its architecture was far more complex than it seemed, with a sprawling interior comprising numerous separate rooms.

He also crafted a thick wooden fence towering 25 meters high around the property, leaving ample distance from the house itself to ensure a spacious courtyard. While Rayden preferred not to erect such a tall barrier, the looming threat of monsters urged him to prioritize safety, opting for a high, formidable perimeter.

"Finally, I have a home of my own. On my own piece of land!" Rayden exclaimed joyously, raising his fist high into the air.

Suddenly, the rumble of a hungry stomach echoed, startling Rayden from his euphoric state.

"Hah, I'm getting hungry," he murmured softly, rubbing his stomach with a gentle, languid motion.

Craving the taste of fish, Rayden headed to the lake's edge. Lacking a fishing rod, he conjured a slender tree root with a sharp tip from his right index finger, using it as a spear to catch fish.

The lake's crystal-clear water made it easy for Rayden to spot his prey. With lightning speed, the root from his finger extended rapidly, twisting and turning through the water, spearing each fish that failed to evade it. The impaled fish were strung together on the root like a skewer of satay.

"But I need salt and various spices to relish a roasted fish that's truly delectable," Rayden suddenly remembered, slapping his forehead for nearly forgetting something crucial. "At least I can go to the seashore to hunt for salt rocks. But what about the spices?" he mused quietly to himself, pondering various ways to gather a complete array of seasonings as he walked home.

"Here it is, my home, hehe," Rayden arrived at the wooden gate of his house, chuckling to himself, still in disbelief about the fact that he now owned his private abode.

Once inside, Rayden washed his catch and cleaned out the inedible parts. Finished with that task, he swiftly grew a lime tree, picking a half-ripe fruit.

After squeezing the lime, he evenly drizzled its juice over the cleaned fish, intending to eliminate any fishy odor and enhance the savory flavor once cooked.

"If I can grow a lime tree, then surely I can cultivate a variety of other spice plants," Rayden softly concluded, considering the types of plants he would cultivate.

Ultimately, Rayden decided to head to the backyard, removing the lime tree from sight. There, he began to grow an assortment of spices, including: red and white onions, candlenuts, ginger, turmeric, coriander, red chilies, sugarcane as a natural sweetener, lemongrass, and pepper.

He also planted lime trees and other citrus varieties that produced aromatic leaves, perfect for culinary use. Now, a portion of his backyard was lush with natural spice plants.

Rayden embarked on his culinary journey, meticulously slicing onions and chilies with a unique knife crafted from wood as hard as iron. Next, he fashioned a mortar and pestle from the same robust wood to grind a medley of spices—candlenuts, coriander, pepper, ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass.

Upon completing this intricate process, Rayden combined the aromatic spice mixture into a single vessel, drizzling it with a modest amount of natural sweet cane juice. Once satisfied, he sealed the vessel with a wooden lid and stored it carefully in a special cabinet, alongside the already-cleaned fish.

"Alright, it's time to head to the seaside to search for natural salt stones," Rayden mused aloud. With a flicker of concentration, he activated his telekinetic powers, enveloping himself in a shimmering aura. In the blink of an eye, he soared into the sky, cutting through the air with grace and speed.

Minutes later, Rayden arrived at the ocean's edge, where the scent of salt hung heavily in the air. He stood mesmerized, taking in the breathtaking beauty before him.

"This seaside is truly stunning and enchanting. Look at that crystal-clear water; I've only ever seen such sights on television. But now, I have it all to myself!" Rayden exclaimed, his eyes alight with enthusiasm and tiny, star-like glimmers.

After surveying the landscape from a low altitude, Rayden finally spotted his quarry—a sprawling area laden with natural salt stones. He descended gracefully onto a gentle rock surface.

Eager to savor his grilled fish, Rayden collected just enough salt before rushing back home. Once there, he carefully cleaned the salt and sprinkled it over the fish in moderation. He then added the pre-prepared spice blend to the mix.

Venturing into the front yard with the fish in tow, Rayden selected the ideal spot for grilling. He crafted several wooden fish grill baskets, each with a remarkable resistance to heat, and methodically arranged the marinated fish within them.

Harnessing his magical plant growth abilities, Rayden produced a copious amount of dry wooden twigs. After arranging the twigs with precision, he ignited a fire by vigorously rubbing two dry wood surfaces together.

It wasn't long before a small red flame, accompanied by white smoke, appeared at the point of friction. Rayden fed the flame into the carefully arranged twigs, setting the whole structure alight.

After a patient wait of 35 minutes, the pile of twigs transformed into a bed of hot embers. Using two flat stones as supports on either side of the embers, Rayden placed one of the fish grill baskets atop them.

With a bamboo creation in hand, Rayden crafted a hand fan, employing his telekinesis to spin its blades at a steady pace, directing airflow toward the grill.

Delighting in the grilling process, Rayden inhaled the tantalizing aroma of the spices and the perfectly cooked fish. He then transferred the succulent grilled fish to a large wooden platter.

Repeating the grilling process diligently, he ensured each fish was grilled to perfection.

"Ahhh—I almost forgot. Grilled fish is best enjoyed with fresh greens!" Rayden exclaimed with sudden realization, his enthusiasm renewed. He dashed to the backyard to cultivate some cabbage and basil leaves.

After washing and chopping the cabbage, Rayden picked the basil leaves into smaller pieces, arranging them neatly in a bowl.

"Perfect, now it's time to savor the first grilled fish of this world," Rayden declared with excitement, carrying the bowl of greens to the front yard.

To his astonishment, he found an extraordinarily beautiful woman, akin to a goddess, feasting voraciously on his grilled fish.