"I am not going alone," I said, turning towards her with a stern expression. "I am taking my army with me, comprised of minions who follow my orders without questioning every decision I make. I need soldiers, not people who will question every move I make. As a king, I have the power to do whatever I want, however I want."

I could see that she was feeling very upset, maybe even on the verge of tears, but I didn't care. I was determined to assert my authority and make it clear that I was the one in charge. She had been judging me and my decision, and I couldn't afford any more drama from her.

"I am a crucial part of your army; you cannot leave me behind. I am going with you whether you like it or not," she said, her voice shaking with anger.

I glared at her, my eyes narrowing. "You are not the queen here; I am the king, and you will do as I command you to do. If you dare to disobey my order, you will face my wrath."

With that, I turned to the door and entered my house, leaving her standing outside. I could hear her crying, but I wasn't going to apologize to her. My ego had been wounded, and I needed to satisfy it.At noon, I had my lunch and went out again to practice. I had watched the beasts from the twin cities fight, and I was trying to copy their style for my battle. They had showcased some of the most amazing skills in that battle, and I wanted to follow their example and put their skills to good use.

I spent hours practicing, trying to perfect my techniques. Sweat poured down my face as I swung my sword, my muscles straining with effort. But despite my exhaustion, I was determined to become the best warrior I could be.

As the sun began to set, I finally stopped practicing and made my way back to my house. As I walked, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. I knew that I was ready for battle, and that nothing would stand in my way.

I was practicing my swordsmanship when I spotted the intelligence variant making its way towards me. It was the same variant that had brought me the news early in the morning. Despite the interruption, I continued with my training, knowing the importance of honing my skills in preparation for the battles that lay ahead.

As the session wore on, I could feel my muscles straining and my breath coming in short gasps. I knew I needed to take a break. I made my way over to the minion who was waiting nearby with a jug of water. He handed me the cool liquid, and I gulped it down gratefully. As I caught my breath, he unfurled a map he had been preparing and began to explain our strategy for the upcoming battles.

The map was incredibly detailed, with every inch of the territory we were to conquer marked out. The minion's strategy was sound, and I could see that we had a good chance of success if we followed it correctly. We would attack the cities one by one, taking advantage of the jungle that separated them to keep our movements hidden from the enemy.

But it was the city with the gold mine that caught my attention. It was located deep within a mountain range and was surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs. This made it an almost impenetrable fortress, and I knew that we would need to be careful when attacking it.

The intelligence variant suggested using ropes to scale the cliffs, but I quickly dismissed the idea. It would be too risky, and we couldn't afford to lose any men in battle. Instead, I suggested a different approach, and the minion eagerly agreed.

As we continued to study the map, I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. The gold mine was the key to our victory, and I knew that if we could capture it, we would be one step closer to ruling this land. But there was also a sense of trepidation. The city may be safe, but it was also the poorest of the five. I knew that taking the gold would mean taking it from those who had nothing.

Despite my misgivings, I steeled myself for the battles ahead. I had the resources, the strategy, and the support of my minions. If we played our cards right, we could emerge victorious and claim our place as the rulers of this land.

I had just completed building my new city, a magnificent accomplishment that had taken months of hard work and dedication. As I gazed upon the sprawling metropolis, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. However, my attention soon turned to the north, where rumors of untold riches had reached my ears.

As I contemplated the possibility of mining the gold in the north, I realized that staying there to extract it would leave my city vulnerable to attack. The thought of losing everything I had worked so hard for filled me with dread, and I knew I had to find a solution.

Despite the potential risks, the lure of wealth was too great, and I knew I had to conquer the other cities before I could claim the riches of the north. My army was strong, and I was confident in my ability to succeed.

However, as I pondered my next move, a sense of unease crept over me. Though only a few people knew about the gold, there was always a chance that my plans could be discovered, and my city could be attacked. I knew I had to be cautious and take every precaution to protect what was rightfully mine.

As the minion rolled up the map, I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. The future was uncertain, and I knew that the road ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty.

As I sat there lost in thought, the quiet of the city was almost eerie. It was a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the metropolis, and I couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.

As the sun set on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the city, I knew that tomorrow would bring new challenges and that I would need to be ready for whatever lay ahead.

Little did I know that a threat was already heading towards me, one that would soon become a great problem for me and my beloved city. But in that moment, as I watched the sun dip below the horizon, I was blissfully unaware of the danger that lay ahead, lost in the beauty and tranquility of the moment.