《Mercenary System: I can increase innate potential !》 Chapter 4 End of training One monthter. Maxime was not far from the vige, in the middle of the forest. With the help of his apprentice mercenaries, he had cleared a 50-meter radius to build a training area. Thanks to the tools they had brought with them on the first day, the area was quickly cleared, and the first muscle-building aids soon appeared as well. 2 huts had also been built with the help of some vigers to increase the intensity of training, as well as to create a real bond of camaraderie. "Congrattions on surviving my hellish training," Maxime announced to the group of young men in front of him with a smile. The sun setting behind him, and the orangey glow it gave off, created an atmosphere particrly suited to the situation. "You''ve grown a lot mentally and physically during this training. I''m proud that none of you gave up halfway through." The young men, including Andrew, rolled their eyes slightly at this. The training was undoubtedly hellish, but the results were apparent the very next day, thanks to their leader''s monstrous talent. A man''s greatest fear was to suffer horribly and see no improvement. In Eternity, this was verymon. What''s more, there was another factor that motivated them to give their all. "But the vige chief will only let me get four of you, so that means half of you will have to go back to your previous lives." Maxime gave them time to absorb the information, then continued: "I''ve already chosen who will continue the adventure with me, and who will return to the vige." "I hope you could understand that I can''t just make you fight each other and see who''s the strongest." "Do you all know why?" One of the young men stepped forward, the smallest and least muscr of the apprentices. "Yes, because we''re not soldiers, we''re mercenaries. Being a mercenary requires physical strength, of course, but it also requires an irond mental toughness, as well as mental flexibility, quick reaction time and a heightened ability to keep emotions in check." "That''s right Terry," says Maxime in a serious tone. "So, ording to his standards but also based on our own personal affinities and your potential, I''ve decided to keep by my side..." "Andrew." The mboyant-haired young man nodded calmly in response, but inside he was still excited. He knew he was going to be chosen because his potential was far superior to the others, but to him Maxime was a total enigma. He could never guess what he was thinking, and he never showed his pain during training. Yes, their leader had trained with them. What''s more, Maxime never talked about his personal life or where he came from. No one even knew how a young man like him had managed to reach their vige alone and still alive. So he didn''t dare to be 100% confident. "James." James was a close second to Andrew in terms of physique, but he was one of those with a rather high emotional side which was clearly a great disadvantage as a mercenary who has to rub shoulders with death every day. However, he had a talent for building friendships and boosting morale that Maxime couldn''t miss. If it had been before, James would have jumped with excitement, but Maxime''s training instilled in them values to respect, including respect not only for the boss, but also for his friends. Instead, he just contained his excitement by lowering his head to hide his smile, and clenching his fists tightly. "Piedro." Thetter seemed surprised at the mention of his name, but discreetly restrained his glee, in the same way as James. Indeed, Piedro was in the lower league in terms of strength, but Maxime had detected an irond mentality in him, and above all he put in a lot of effort during training. It was just a pity that both his basic physical constitution and his talent for growth were naturally extremely low. Without a doubt, Maxime''s talent allowed hidden talents to reveal themselves, and to develop in a direction that should never have appeared in Eternity. "And finally Terry. That will be all for the constitution of our mercenary group," concludes Maxime in a pronounced tone. "I''d like to ask each of you to take all your belongings from this camp and bring them back to the vige. We''ll spend onest night there, then head for the nearest town." "Yes, sir!" An hourter, the small team made their way back to the vige. But the silence seemed extremely heavy. The faces of the 4 mercenaries who hadn''t passed the selections seemed to be totally dposed. Maxime noticed this, but said nothing. Missing out on this kind of opportunity felt much worse than having a green hat on your head. They were all aware that they had either saved their lives by not going into battle and tragically dying on the way to glory, or lost the opportunity to stand among the heavyweights of this world. But from now on, each of them will have to return to a normal life, and perhaps in the future join an ordinary mercenary group and then die like trash on some battlefield in some remote corner of this world. After all, sessful mercenaries were extremely rare. "So painful, I''d so like to take them all with me..." mentally thought Maxime as he walked calmly towards the vige. "Hmm?" A small noise escaped Maxime''s mouth as he saw that over the vige a ck smoke covered part of the sky. It wasn''t just him; all the mercenaries saw the smoke more or less at the same time. A bad premonition struck their hearts, as they all began to run, keeping only their weapons with them, without waiting for Maxime''s orders. "What a pain... But I hope it''s not what I think it is, otherwise..." thinking this, a dangerous gleam passed through his eyes as he also began sprinting towards the vige. 10 minutester, Maxime reached the vige first, but what he saw made his eyes widen and he didn''t dare take another step forward. A few secondster, Andrew arrived as well. Seeing Maxime''s back totally motionless, an invisible arrow shot through his heart, but he pressed on. Whaty before him was worse than anything he could have imagined. The wooden houses had all copsed one on top of the other, with only thergest still burning slightly. Corpses filled the vige entrance and main street. Mostly men and children. Looking down, he noticed a familiar face. Stepping heavily towards it, he knelt down beside it, took the time to observe it, then closed his eyelids with 2 fingers. "God bless you in the afterlife", Andrew murmured in a low voice. Maxime watched the scene from a distance, and thanks to his keen hearing, he could hear Andrew''s words, and it made his heart waver slightly. He also recognized the face. It was that of the first face he''d seen on entering this world. The old man''s. From the emotions on his face, it was easy to see that the old man had died without fulfilling his most cherished wish. To protect the vige. This affected Maxime deeply. He knew he was in a game, and he''d been warned in advance, but it felt real, too real. "Don''t worry old man, I''ll definitely find out who did this, and I''ll personally see to it that you get your revenge," Maxime secretly promised, which slightly lightened the waves in his heart. After a few seconds of silence, Maxime saw Andrew rise to his feet. The red-haired young man''s back seemed so lonely. Maxime almost felt as if he were in a painting in this kind of setting. Little by little, Maxime saw Andrew turn around. Finally, he met Andrew''s blood-red eyes as tears slowly rolled down Andrew''s face.@@novelbin@@ "I''ve lost everything", he whispered, staring at Maxime. Maxime stepped towards him, passed his arm over the back of his neck, and with a gentle movement, he glued Andrew''s head to his chest, then whispered in his ear: "May my soul be damned to hell if I don''t find the beasts who did this, and make them die in excruciating pain." "Chief...From today on, I''ll be following you everywhere. Then make my life meaningful," he said in a husky but deep voice. "I will Andrew," Maxime promised firmly. Following this brief exchange, Andrew knelt on the floor as he burst into tears. He was, after all, only 18 years old. By this time, all the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries had arrived and could clearly see the bloody scene before them. Still with his back to them, Maxime gave them no time to overflow with emotion and ordered: "I''ll give you 2 hours to prepare your belongings and give your loved ones a proper burial. If possible, bring me a map of the area. We''ll then return to the training camp, spend the night, then head for the nearest town as nned." "Chief, it''s too dangerous to go straight back to the training camp. It''s possible that the vigers will betray our position, so when we wake up, we''ll find ourselves surrounded by bandits." interjected Terry, who had managed to more or less maintain hisposure. "You dare to say that our families could have betrayed us?" eximed James angrily as he lifted Terry by the cor. "James," said Maxime in an extremely cold tone. Somehow, several swords had appeared right in front of James''s throat, suddenly bringing him back to reality. They were the swords of his trainingrades. But this time, they weren''t looking at him with eyes full of goodwill. No, they were eyes that showed they were ready to kill him if Maxime ordered it. James regretted it intensely. He hadmitted a totally taboo act in a mercenary group. "In this vige, there were also strangers just like I was, and they were the ones who could have revealed us. And even if there weren''t, Terry would still be right. In this world, you can only trust your brothers in arms. In the face of death, any rtionship not forged by the blood of your adversaries is as fragile as a house of cards." "Remember that, James. This will be my first andst warning," Maxime said dryly, sternly, still from behind. "Yes, Chief." "Now disperse, we don''t have much time. Including you, Andrew." "Roger that, Chief!" replied all the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries in unison, with the exception of Andrew, whose voicecked vigor. Chapter 5 First outing Time passed quickly, the dark blue sky sheltering the stars having already made its appearance. In the vige there were no more corpses in the streets, only dark red blood or ck scorched earth were the remaining clues to the tragedy that had urred during the day. In the middle of the vige, most of the corpses found in the vige were being cremated, while the mercenary apprentices'' family had been given a proper burial. Normally, the dead were never buried because, ording to popr belief, corpses could be resurrected via certain methods, and when they returned to drynd, they would attack all living things. What''s more, corpses were also known to poison the soil. But there weren''t any living souls left for several kilometers so whether a piece ofnd was more or less contaminated was the mercenaries''st concern. "Are you all ready?" asked Maxime, addressing the 8 young men in front of him. "Yes, Chef." "In any case chief, we didn''t have much to prepare since almost all our personal belongings burned down with our houses" replied Izo, one of the 4 who had been passed over by Maxime, shrugging his shoulders. Looking at his men, they were all equipped with a simple sword and simple clothes. At least, they all had animal fur jackets to keep out the cold. This added a modicum of prestige to their group, which made Maxime smile slightly. "Despite the disaster, I was able to get 4 more men in my group. I have the impression that no matter what disasters happen in this world, or even in the real world, there will always be someone who knows how to turn them to their advantage," Maxime thought secretly, before quickly brushing aside these thoughts. "Chief, there was a secret trapdoor in my house. Thanks to it, we''ll have some food, although it''s only dried meat, and there was also a map of the area." interjected Andrew in a calm tone, having visibly recovered from his emotions on the surface. Receiving the map Andrew held out, Maxime observed it attentively. The 8 mercenaries surrounded him, and by the light of the torches, Maxime could clearly see every detail of the map. The other members of the small team didn''t know how to interpret a map, so Maxime took care of it for them while instructing them. "You see at the bottom left there''s a little line marking the distance this represents on the map. So at a nce, I''d say this map marks every important location within a radius of about 50km, and we''re pretty lucky!" "Why chief?" asked Peter innocently. "Because there are two registered towns, one about 50km north of here and another about 60km west," Maxime replied patiently. "We''ll go to the closer one, and with a bit of luck we''ll get there by sunrise," continued Maxime. "It''s a deal, boss, so let''s get a move on!" added Peter cheerfully. Peter was an orphan and lived alone most of the time, so for him the drama in the vige was a happy stroke of fate. Having gone through a real emotional elevator between his exclusion from the mercenary group, then the vige massacre and finally his return to the group, he was now eager to pursue his dreams. The other mercenaries nodded and looked at Maxime as if waiting for a signal. Maxime smiled lightly at them, and with a hopeful first step set off towards his first destination. "Mercenaries of the Saber-toothed Tigers, let''s go!" "Yes chief!" ... 13 hourster, the clouds gave way to a small clearing as the band of mercenaries finally arrived at their destination. "Rather a nice sight," James marveled as he saw the imposing walls before them. "I thought the same thing when I first saw Kaller," intervened Terry with an innocent smile and a wistful look. Little giggles appeared on the mouths of the saber-toothed tiger members, except on one person with a few veins appearing on his forehead. "Oye, you talking about my mom there?" replied James. "Yeah, nature''s amazing in its ability to be able to make a fairy beget a gori like you," Terry continued,ughing, followed by theughter of the others. The ordeal they''d been through recently, and this little journey on foot, had brought these youngsters much closer together, even though they''d already known each other for a long time. "Terry, when I go to Valha I''ll do my best to earn enough merit to take your mother as my wife and make you lots of little brothers and sisters," James replied with a mischievous grin. "Hahaha you hear that Terry, how lucky you are! If James dies during our adventure, he''ll be able to take good care of your mother in the afterlife!" intervened Andrew with a loudugh that echoed that of the other members of the group. This also drew the attention of the other people going in and out of town, who wondered about these strange individuals. But when they saw their equipment, a small sh of contempt but also fear erupted in their eyes. "Another bunch of beggars who only know how to wage war to support themselves. "Tch, more unconscious thugs who''ll run away at the first hint of danger. It''s ironic that the people who make honor their life''s quest are the individuals who possess the least." Unaware of their surroundings, the little band continued walking,ughing loudly. Seeing theming, a few of the dozens of soldiers on guard stood up and went to meet them. The man leading them observed the attire of the few youngsters in front of him, then scorned them loudly. "More dreamers who''ll croak on the first battle, and if they''re lucky enough not to croak, they''ll give up as a result of the trauma of reality".@@novelbin@@ Yet he addressed them in the same way he addressed everyone: "Hello, may I ask the purpose of your visit?" dered the deputy head of the guard in a slightly authoritarian tone. The mercenaries immediately stoppedughing and concentrated on the guards in front of them. The 8 of them were equipped with light armor covering vital parts, ensuring minimum protection and mobility. Most impressive of all were the long spears they held in their hands, pointing skyward. "Standard pikemen produce particrly remarkable effects against cavalry and for holding off enemies at a distance. Perfect for reacting to most situations, but also for giving the city time to react quickly in the event of a problem," Maxime quickly analyzed, remembering his war history lessons. On the other hand, the saber-toothed tiger''s mercenaries didn''t seem very confident in the face of these guards, hence the silence that prevailed when Maxime advanced to meet them. After all, they hadn''t had any real life-and-death experience yet, and their power wasn''t particrly higher than those guards. Not to mention the equipment of the two parties being in different worlds. "Hello, I''m Maxime, leader of the saber-toothed tiger mercenary group, and I''vee to dere the annihtion of a vige 50km to the south, as well as to officially register our mercenary group." The deputy chief guard squinted, for the annihtion of a vige was rare even in those days, but more importantly it always provoked the wrath of the nobles who received the vige''s talents and taxes. So there''s no doubt that bloodshed will soon be the order of the day in thesends. It also meant that he would soon lose many of his friends, and even he could lose his life if recruited into the army of investigation and extermination, which made him sigh. The soldiers behind him unconsciously tightened their weapons. "So, Maxime,y down your weapons at the checkpoint, then follow me to Baron Barthon''s residence to tell him your story," asked the deputy chief calmly. "What about myrades? "They too can enter the town as long as theyy down their weapons at the checkpoint and visit as they please." Chapter 7 First mission accepted! Deciding to break the atmosphere, the baron questioned them seriously: "Well, I''ve heard that a vige to the south has disappeared, can you tell me more?" ncing at Romuald, Maxime briefly recounted his encounter with the bandits and then the vige''s situation a monthter. "A stable source of ie lost forever, so annoying..." thought the baron bitterly. "So what''s done is done, there''s no going back," said the Baron, sighing slightly. Seeing this reaction, Maxime was able to confirm his preconceived ideas. "As the school and the books said, nobles in most worlds don''t give a damn about themon people. But of course they won''t treat them too badly on the surface either, so as not to risk civil war or assassination." "These people are generally far from stupid; on the contrary, they are often extremely intelligent and have very broad knowledge and experience. After all, unlike in our world, nobles here start studying and working at a very early age. The simultaneous learning and application of thetter means that their expertise reaches a very high level in just a few years." "Human resources management, agriculture, military strategy,w andmerce, they know it all. The only thing missing is that because knowledge is limited to a small number of people, and these people have to devote themselves to several fields simultaneously, there are rarely any innovations. This means that they will always be at a lower technological level than the main world."@@novelbin@@ "Maxime is it?" The baron cut short Maxime''s thoughts by calling out to him. "Yes Baron Barthon?" replied Maxime calmly. "You''re a mercenary leader, aren''t you?" "Yes, that''s right." "Then I charge you with exterminating this group of bandits. Don''t worry, the rewards will be very lucrative." Maxime made a surprised expression. "Baron that''s impossible, my mercenary group is far too small and weak to undertake such a task." "You can''t even handle a group of bandits? What kind of pathetic mercenary group are you?" the Baron questioned rhetorically with a mocking smile. Maxime lowered his head, it was the harsh reality of this world. Weakness was a sin, and he had no right to contradict it, or his head might roll the next moment. He had to be careful and above all follow the rules and customs of this world to grow up quickly, because the real world wasn''t going to wait for him. Especially as exams were just around the corner, he couldn''t afford to screw things up here and ruin his future. "Monsieur le baron, may I speak?" intervenes Romuald despite a few beads of sweat on his forehead. "Um...Yes, go ahead." "Maxime is at the moment very young and has only just created his mercenary group hence his inability to respond to this task, however if an investment were to be made then the mercenary group would probably be...without a doubt capable. What''s more, the return on investment would be enormous and..." "Stop thering on about bullshit after bullshit," the baron stopped with an air of annoyance. Romuald didn''t dare continue for fear of offending the baron as he lowered his head. After a few seconds of reflection, the Baron suddenly asked with a strange smile: "You''re thinking of resigning your position Romuald, aren''t you?" Romuald''s immediate reaction was to drop to one knee. And while looking at the ground he shouted: "I''m deeply grateful for the treatment I''ve received from the Baron so far, and I''ll certainly repay you. But my desire to explore and earn my own honor was aroused anew by this young man!" Maxime was extremely surprised by this scene. He knew from textbooks that the culture and status differences were enormouspared to his world. But unless he had seen it with his own eyes, it was difficult to recognize that he now belonged to such a world. Having no answer for a few seconds and not daring to look up, Romuald continued: "I''m sure he''ll be a great man and so I''d like to apany him on his path by lending him my sword!" Maxime was moved as he listened to his words. He had just realized that his actions would have a huge impact on the lives of his men. His members were in effect putting their lives in his hands. What kind of confidence or feeling had Romuald had in meeting him so that he could ept his proposal? "Interesting, very interesting..." murmured the Baron with a smile. "Romuald raised his head," ordered the Baron. Romualdplied immediately and met the Baron''s gaze. "You know, you''re not the first to do this. A lot of soldiers your age end up resigning from their post to join a mercenary group, as if they''re going through some kind of existential crisis." "But what''s surprising is that the vast majority of them end up joining arge mercenary group, or at least small mercenary groups but which already have a small reputation." "But you join a small group of mercenaries who are poor, have no reputation and are weak." "So interesting!" eximed the baron as heughed heartily. Maxime and Romuald''s eyes met as they both glowered as if they were thinking the same thing simultaneously. "Marguerita! Come here and give these poor mercenaries 200 gold coins!" shouted the baron enthusiastically. "200 gold coins!" Maxime''s eyes sparkled. "With that I''ll be able to pay the first sries and thus enable my young members to buy good equipment!" "But above all I''ll be able to recruit many men and strengthen my own force!" At the same time, however, the Baron was carefully observing Maxime''s reaction. After all, he wasn''t so generous as to give 200 gold coins to just anyone. Even for him, this represented a not inconsiderable portion of his wealth. He noticed that Maxime kept his expression under control, although his eyes showed a certain greed. However, this still represented a calmness far surpassing his peers, which greatly satisfied the Baron. "Maxime, this will only be a down payment after I''ve eradicated the bandit gang I''ll give you 300 gold pieces." The baron''s words brought Maxime back to reality. He was thinking about his courses and ended up smiling bitterly inwardly. "500 gold coins to eradicate a group of bandits capable of wiping out a small vige is pretty light. And even if the situation is reversed and it''s the bandits who triumph over us, they won''t escape unscathed. So he''ll just have to send in his soldiers and exterminate the remaining crumbs." "In this situation he''ll probably also save the captives thus gaining a good reputation, but also recover the bandits'' booty and thus enormous wealth." "So following this reasoning, 200 gold pieces are surely the result of the baron''s internal calction. He thinks that 200 gold pieces are enough to dazzle a small group of mercenaries and a few idiots into sending themselves to their deaths, so that he can pick up the crumbs." "And if they were really sessful then he will have created a rtionship with a man of high potential with only a small portion of his savings." "Indeed, the nobles of this world are not to be underestimated." Yet Maxime grinned confidently outwardly and eximed: "Baron trust us, this mission, the saber-toothed tiger group will certainly aplish!" Chapter 9 Nice to meet you, Im Romuald "System, raise the level of the peasant and swordsman sses to level 2." Ding! [10 gold subtracted] ["Peasant" ss increased by one level] [Peasant ss raised to level 2] [+0.1 points added to physique] Ding! [20 gold coins subtracted] [Swordsman ss increased by one level] [Swordsman ss reached level 2] [+0.2 points added to physique] ... [Current physique: 1.65 (+0.13)] Maxime felt a mysterious power appear from nowhere in his body, it warmed his body as it ran through every organ, vein and bone in his body drastically strengthening them. He smiled slightly and forced his way between the two men, jostling them fiercely. This made the eyes of many in the bar widen, for these two men seemed to possess a great deal of muscr power - at least, they were much stronger than ordinary soldiers. But today, a handsome young man with blond hair had easily pushed them aside. Of course, there was the fact that they were unprepared, but it already showed that the young man was not weak. As Maxime came dangerously close to the man who had spilled the beer, Andrew, who had kept his head down until now and was unaware of his surroundings, began tough. Hisughter growing louder by the second. But after 5 seconds, he stopped, stood up from his chair and turned around. The man with the beer met Andrew''s gaze. "So you''re the little shit who spilled his beer on me?" His angry voice carried across the bar, spreading a certain excitement among the individuals in the bar. Before the man could say anything, he saw Andrew''s foreheading dangerously close to him very quickly. But thanks to his good reflexes, he quickly dodged, but to his horror, Andrew only thought of creating distance between them to gain momentum and sent a blow into his stomach. He didn''t have time to get his guard up before receiving Andrew''s destructive blow! *Crack*@@novelbin@@ No doubt the beer-spiller''s ribcage had been partially shattered. His face suddenly went pale as he knelt before Andrew, clutching his stomach and grimacing. He felt a current rush down his throat, but before he could evacuate anything, Andrew''s kneended in his head, knocking him out cold. His heavy body made a deafening noise in the bar. Customers expecting a good show took a deep breath upon seeing such a spectacle. "Shit, this guy''spletely finished." "Hey, is that guy still alive after that?" "What a scary sequence..." "Haha he really got the wrong person this time" ... Murmur after murmur in the bar, but no one dared raise their voice...well, except one person. "Haha Andrew well done on that!"mented Maxime aloud,ughing. "You took your time, boss," replied Andrew, smiling. The other members of the group woke up as they too reacted: "Haha well done Andrew, I didn''t think you were that strong already!"mented Ronny enthusiastically. "Hey chief, did you see that too? Andrew''s gotten super strong!" continued Joe,ughing. "To take that guy down in 2 moves, you''d have to be," Piedro asserted respectfully. ... "So these kids are mercenaries?" muttered a man with a scar over his right eye, which incidentally was white. He stood at the end of a rectangr table, where more than twenty men were seated. "Avenge Opo", he ordered the men beside him. In a single movement, they all stood up and moved towards Andrew, Maxime and the rest of the saber-toothed tigers. "Haha no worries chief, we''ll teach those little brats a lesson!" "It''s been a while since we''ve all stood up together for a battle like this!" "Hey there''s only 9 of them, try to leave one for me guys!" ... Noticing the noisy movement, the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries focused their attention on them. "Hey chief, it''s getting hot there isn''t it?" asked James with a few drops of sweat. He wasn''t the only one; everyone could see that these men were mercenaries, and no doubt each of them had already taken lives on the battlefield. This also meant that each of them was slightly better than ordinary, well-trained soldiers! But Maxime on the other hand was rather cheerful. "No James, it''s getting fun," Maxime dered with a slight smile. He wasn''t saying that because he was a battle nut, no even he could see they were going to get ughtered. In this world, as in the real world, it was difficult with two hands to beat 4. However, if they couldy most of these guys out in front of them, then their group would get a very good reputation! Even if that wasn''t the case, as long as they showed enough ferocity and cohesion then it would make people want to join them! So it''s all to the good, since it''ll make it easier for him to recruit members in the future, and even the sries he''ll be asking for will go down - what a joy! Andrew stood next to Maxime, then without warning dashed off alone towards the mercenaries opposite. He had also understood the current situation very well, so he wasted no time in reacting. Thanks to his momentum, he collided violently with one of the mercenaries in front of him, throwing him to the ground, who instantly spat blood from the violent shock. "Shit, get that brat!" Andrew was unable to finish off his opponent as several mercenaries attacked him. But it wasn''t long before hisrades arrived as well, blocking the attacks for him and counter-attacking. Tables and stools were soon in use as violence reigned supreme in the bar. Blood soon covered the floor, from both Maxime''s group and the man with the white eye. Seeing the chaos, Romuald muttered to himself with a sigh: "I guess I don''t have a choice in receiving this beautiful chaos...Me who used to stop these fights is now part of it." "How ironic." Both his hands rested on the 2 men who had previously blocked Maxim''s path and now had their backs to him. Sensing the presence behind them, they turned curiously. "Nice to meet you, I''m Romuald." All they saw was a middle-aged man with a smiling face. "Currently awaiting approval to join the saber-toothed tigers." he continued in the same tone. The two goris were equally quick to smile and introduce themselves: "Urs of the Bloody Bears, nice to meet you." "Iry des ours sannts too, nice to meet you." Romuald nodded gently in acknowledgement, thennded an uppercut on the first of the two by way of greeting. However, Iry was quick to react, sending a swift jab into Romuald''s face, knocking him backwards. "Haha not bad at all!" eximed Romuald,ughing heartily. "That was the thrill of the fight I''d long since lost, and now I''ve finally got it back! What fun!" Then the 3batants began to sh violently. The man with the white eye soon noticed them, then whispered: "Oh Romuald, the deputy head of the guard is fighting with Urs and Iry, and he''s not losing any ground either. It''s both interesting and surprising. Would he have joined that bunch of brats?" Chapter 13 The serious business begins Next day. "50 gold coins I thought was way too expensive, but in the end it''s worth it," said Alessandro. "Haha yes, it''s pretty good,"mented Maxime,ughing. In front of them was a huge portal, and behind it was a glimpse of a majestic mansion. "Come on, guys, let''s discover our new home," Maxime announced cheerfully, pushing the door open with his hand. "Yeahhhhh." "Haha how do we decide on the rooms?" "Let''s settle it with a Juji tournament!" "No, that''s clearly too boring. Let''s arm wrestle instead!" "Haha I agree, mercenaries are all about strength, not intelligence!" "Tch bande macaque." ... Maxime shook his head wryly as he watched them enjoying themselves. "Juji, a card game consisting of 120 cards with 60 different copies." "You draw 7 cards at the beginning, then each turn 3 cards will be drawn randomly." "Each yer had 20 energy points to use for each round, but if they didn''t use them, 50% of them would be saved for the next round." "Each card cost a certain number of energy points to use." "Several battlefields appear randomly over time." "At the end of the 10th round, whoever has the most battlefields wins." As he recalled the lessons taught on Eternity, he crossed the luxurious gardens and went directly behind the mansion. "So big, it took me 10 minutes just to get there," Maxime marveled. "So this is the training ground." he said aloud as he looked at the simple vacant lot and the few mannequinsid out on the ground. "I guess I''ll just be shadowboxing today," he sighed. "But really this terrain is gigantic, enough to train a small private army." "Let''s see where my swordsmanship is right now." Identity : Maxime Valdreuve ss: Peasant level 3. MAX level! (+3% physical) Swordsman level 2 (+5% physics) (0/20) Unlocked a new ss: 0/50 Physique: 1.95 (+0.16) Qi: 0 Skills :@@novelbin@@ Swordsmanship level 1 (62/100) Fraguage proficiency level 2 (25/100) Passive trait : +5% physicality when wielding a sword +10% sword training efficiency. Talent: NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/1000) Money avable: 115 gold coins. Mercenaries : ... "Still at the same level as expected. "Still, I really don''t have much money left after paying the rent." "Rent of 35 gold coins after the 30% reduction, which is really not expensive for a ce like this." "But at this rate we''ll only be able tost three months, and with recruitment if west two months that''s already not bad." "After all, there''s food and wages to pay too." Maxime felt a headacheing on as he thought about all these details. "Fortunately there''s no bail in this world and mercenaries in this world buy and maintain their equipment themselves." "But with Brotherhood house it''s more like my life they''ll take if something''s broken." sighed Maxime sarcastically. "At least I''m d the guards gave us back our weapons." "Thanks to Romuald, otherwise they would certainly have been more reluctant to do so," Maxime thought happily. "This is the first step towards a group that will possess both status, power and rtionships." "Seeding in Baron Barthon''s mission will be the first step towards bing world-famous, whether in Eternity or reality," Maxime said aloud as he swung his sword in front of him. "No, there''s no point in swinging like that." "Calm down." "Take a deep breath." "Contemte what you want to do with that sword. "Visualize your opponent." "Anticipate his reactions." "Diagram the solutions." "Breathe out and make it happen! "Then repeat!" ... 3 hourster. Maxime wiped the sweat from his forehead with his left arm. "System, disy my status page." Identity: Maxime Valdreuve ss: Peasant level 3. MAX level! (+3% physics) Swordsman level 2 (+5% physics) (0/20) Unlocked a new ss: 0/50 Physique: 1.95 (+0.16) Qi: 0 Skills : Swordsmanship level 1 (63/100) Fraguage proficiency level 2 (25/100) Passive trait : +5% physicality when wielding a sword +10% sword training efficiency. Talent: NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/1000) Money avable: 115 gold coins. Mercenaries : ... "It''s gone up 2 points in just 3 hours," Maxime analyzed happily. "The month of training I didst month, I was only able to increase by 20 points, or less than a point a day." "I knew that physical strength influenced the speed of learning martial arts, but I didn''t think it was that much!" "This way in 2 months I should be able to reach level 2 beginner sword!" Generally from 0 to 33 points was the beginner level, from 34 to 66 the intermediate level, from 67 to 90 the advanced level and from 91 to 99 the expert level. "As Professor Yvan used to say, it''spletely unnecessary to put gold into martial arts mastery. You just need to train while investing in the sses." "Well at the same time such a pace of training is normal since I''m already physicallyparable to a 2-star mercenary who has exploited most of his potential." "Normally these people have an intermediate or advanced level 2 sword mastery." While Maxime was deep in thought, a couple of well-built men came up behind him. "Chief, we''ve gone to submit a recruitment request to the mercenary guild. They''ll be advertising for us," said Andrew, followed by Peter and Izo. "Already? Didn''t you want to y juji with the others?"mented Maxime curiously. "They''ll leave the best room to you and the second best to me. And if they dare not, I''ll take them by force" Andrew justified in a slightly arrogant tone, although his face remained normal. "What about you two?" asked Maxime. "I don''t care." "I''m some." Izo and Peter replied respectively. The former with a cold tone and thetter slightly embarrassed as he put his hand on the back of his head and looked away. "Haha either, did it cost you money?" "Yes 2 gold coins for the basic recruitment ad and 3 gold coins for themunication." replied Andrew. Maxime reached into his cotton and wool pocket and pulled out 5 gold coins, then handed them to Andrew. "When and where will the recruitment take ce?" "As you told us, we''ve set the date for 3 days from now," replied Andrew. "We''ve arranged to meet in front of our gate," he continued. "Okay, thanks. Go and have fun in town or buy some new equipment with that." said Maxime, handing over an extra gold coin. [Remaining bnce: 109 gold coins]. "What do you rmend for armor?" asked Andrew, while Izo and Peter were equally intrigued. They had no knowledge of the subject since they were still normal peasants a month ago. "There are two types of armor," Maxime began to exin calmly, sheathing his sword. "Heavy, made of iron, steel, brass or bronze." "Light, they''re chainmail or gambisons. Gambisons are essentially padded garments made of linen or cotton." "Generally speaking, mercenaries use leather armor, which is stronger than chainmail and easier to carry than heavy armor." "Even in terms of maintenance it''s cheaper." "You can also buy a gambison to put under your leather armor, but only when the battle is close, otherwise you''ll get too hot." finished Maxime his exnation. The 3 mercenaries were surprised that their leader knew such a thing and at such a precise point. "It would seem that his past is not a simple one. Son of a nobleman? Or a well-known mercenary? Come to think of it, his origins must beplex to have obtained such talent," Andrew mused with renewed respect for Maxime. "Can''t we just buy the two suits of armor, the light one for travel and have the heavy one transported by horses, mules or donkeys?" asked Peter curiously. "Too expensive andplicated," replied Maxime simply. "If you really want to increase your chances of survival, get stronger." "Because no matter how good your armor is, you''ll eventually die facing someone stronger." "On the contrary, having light armor allows you to be faster and be able to flee in case you''re ambushed." "Remember Peter, we''re mercenaries. We offer our services in exchange for payment. But if you want to keep making money you have to stay alive." "That''s the most important thing." Peter nodded solemnly as Andrew pondered Maxime''s words. "It''s just kill or be killed. Why talk so much?" thought Izo boredly. Chapter 14 Test announcement 3 dayster, in front of the saber-tooth tiger mansion. A crowd numbering several hundred had gathered for the selections. However, most of them were dressed inmon clothing, which was rarely in good condition. Mercenaries in those days rarely came from wealthy families, but rather were farmers, fishermen, merchants or cattle breeders. They all seemed to have one thing inmon. They had hit rock bottom economically speaking, so to feed and house their families, they put their lives on the line. Honor, they didn''t give a damn. Nothing was more important than money and family. To them, they could throw away all values, and that''s why so many rich people loved them. cvw For nothing in the world was easier than to control such people with money. However, the atmosphere was lively as several peoplemented on the mansion in front of them and the saber-toothed tigers. "For a group whose only reputation is having won a small battle with the bloody bears, they sure own a nice headquarters." "I wonder how they got it?" "Me too, normally this kind of abode starts at a minimum of 40 gold coins a month." "40 gold coins a month!? Even if I risked my life for years I couldn''t afford a single month!" "Haha that''s the difference between geniuses and ordinary people!" "Genius? Meaning genius?" "Don''t you know?" "Of what? I''m only interested in the money I could make by joining them." "Tch, it would be a matter of thinking before entrusting your life into just anyone''s hands! But at least you''re in luck because this mercenary group, they''re few in number, only 10 in total but the lowest potential among them is 2 stars!" "How''s that possible!?" said the man interested only in money with surprise. "Haha in your opinion, why else would so many people gather?" replied the first smugly. At the same moment, as the sun beat down, the portal opened wide as Andrew, Romuald, Terry and Piedro stepped out of it, drawing stares from all the potential recruits. The atmosphere fell silent in the space of a few moments. "Good morning, everyone," Andrew announced sharply, stepping forward more than his colleagues. Seeing his red hair, most of them watched him intently. "Andrew''s appearance always has an effect haha" observed Maxime,ughing from a corner in the distance. "Wee to the saber-toothed tiger recruitment test, I''m Andrew the vice-captain." "Vice-captain? Is it normal that I don''t remember appointing him to this position?" murmured Maxime in his corner with a slight hint of annoyance but at the same timeughing at the situation. "To be clean with you I''m going to tell you straight out about working conditions with the saber-toothed tigers," Andrew announced solemnly, while Romuald, Terry and Piedro wore very serious expressions. "Looks like they''ve rehearsed before haha" thought Maxime,ughing.@@novelbin@@ "We''re a new mercenary group with totally ordinary members with little or no mercenary experience." "We don''t have much gold to spare either. Only enough tost this headquarters a month or two before abandoning it." "That''s why your basic sry will be the bare minimum, i.e. 1 gold coin per month on missions. The rest of the time, you''ll just be housed and fed at headquarters." "You''ll have to buy your own equipment." "If you die in battle, your family will receive nopensation whatsoever; we''ll just send them your personal belongings and any gold you''ve saved." Murmurs erupted from the crowd as faces filled with disappointment crossed the crowd. "However, we are young, strong and with unlimited potential!" "All our current members have 2-star mercenary talent, and I myself have 3-star talent!" "Not to mention our leader with unknown potential!" Without losing his momentum, Andrew continued in his strong voice: "The Baron has already ced his trust in us by granting us a mission of the utmost importance!" "Taking all this into ount, our selection criteria will be extremely selective, so be prepared," Andrew affirmed, turning and re-entering the garden once more. "All those who are still interested should follow me, the rest can leave," he finished in a dry,manding tone. The crowd didn''t follow directly as potential recruits chatted amongst themselves and raised their voices. Finally, a muscr but rather skinny individual emerged from the crowd. He looked rather elderly and seemed to havee out of desperation. "Wait two seconds!" he shouted loudly. This brought Andrew''s steps to a halt as he turned and replied in a cold voice: "Haven''t I made myself clear?" This caused the intervening individual to gulp down a mouthful of saliva. Indeed, Andrew''s current appearance resembled that of a demon straight from hell, although there was still a hint of immaturity on his face. Yet he took courage and said: "I''m just an ordinary farmer. My wife had the misfortune to be pregnant for the4th time, so my small ie can no longer adequately feed my entire family." "How can I trust you? How can I trust myself to put my life in the hands of a young man like you?" "Don''t you feel like you''re taking the mercenary life as a joke?" he finished angrily, exhaling sharply. Andrew looked at him attentively. Then he covered the wide distance between them with a slow but resonant step. And atst he reached the desperate farmer. After a long, expectant silence, Andrew announced fiercely: "Aren''t you the one who takes your family''s life as a joke?" "How could I take it for a joke! I put my life on the line for them!" "That''s just it, taking their lives as a joke." "If you died, no matter how muchpensation your family would only slowly perish. And even if thepensation is really good, your family will be robbed at best, raped and turned into ves at worst." Andrew''s sharp words echoed through the crowd and into the farmer''s heart as he bowed his head in shame and frustration. "But I''ll give one piece of advice to all the irresponsible among you." This intrigued the entire crowd as they listened intently to the red-haired young man. "The test will consider neither your talent nor your strength. Only your background, your values and your goals in joining us." "This is the only chance of your life to change your destiny." "Seize it and you''ll get a chance at status, gold and glory. Miss it and stay in your mediocrity for the rest of your life." "I''ll say no more, let those who wish to begin the test follow me, the rest can get the hell out of here." Surprisingly, the first to rise was the desperate farmer, who carried with him a brand-new resolution: "I will assume all my responsibilities as a pir of my family." "This is my opportunity not only to feed my family, but also to provide a future for my children. For this opportunity, I can''t miss it even if I have to give up my life." "And anyway I have no other alternative." Various other poor, desperate men followed suit. In a few other corners of the crowd: "Interesting..." murmured a mysterious individual hiding most of his face with a mask and his body with a ck outfit. ... "You see that my brothers, it seems that this group is rather peculiar"ughed a pretty woman with red hair. She and the three men beside her were well equipped and among the few with any strength. The three men behind them were also smiling. "Yes sis, maybe our dream cane true with this group." ... "Hey Ernest, if it only counted strength and potential I''m sure you''d have been epted." "It''s too bad it also counts personality." "Don''t go on Rodrigo." "No doubt with a shitty personality like yours, there''s no way they''d ept you." "I''m going to kill you." replied Ernest as he drew his sword, making Rodrigo''s previously cheerful smile pale. "That was a joke." "Not me." Chapter 17 Complete crushing As Maxime frowned, Andrew, who was standing next to him, said: "Chief, what do we do?" "Stay put, I imagine the big guy in front has a few things to say." At the same time, his mercenaries reacted in different ways. Andrew, Romuald, Ernest and Rodrigo were the only ones able to fully retain their rationality, allowing them to carefully observe their opponent''s numbers, equipment and mental state. They even tried to guess their identity. Behind them were Tena, his brothers and a few other mercenaries who were already ustomed tobat and ready to react to Maxime''s slightest signal. Others, including Piedro and Izo, seemed to be almost there thanks to their exceptional mental state. And finally, there were all the other members, including Terry, James, Peter, Joe and other new mercenaries. For their part, they were doing the best they could to ovee the stress of this first life-or-death situation. "Maxime is it?" said the axe-wielding man with a rxed posture. Behind him were more than fifty men, not counting those surrounding the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries. "How do you know my name?" asked Maxime in surprise. "Isn''t it normal to know the one who wants to kill you?" he replied sarcastically. Maxime frowned, normally nobody knew about their mission except him, the baron and his mercenaries. It didn''t take a genius to figure out how the information had leaked out. But what distracted Maxime was why. The man with the axe was amused by the situation, as were the other bandits behind him. To their surprise, however, Maxime soon regained his calm countenance as he simply announced: "Kill them all." Andrew, Romuald and Ernest reacted instinctively and headed west, east and south respectively. Several mercenaries followed as they collided with the enemy.@@novelbin@@ At the same time, Maxime stepped calmly towards his designated adversary, gradually drawing his sword. "Oh interesting, do you really want to duel me?"ughed the man, pointing his axe at Maxime. "Why not?" replied Maxime with a smile. "Haha it seems you don''t know my reputation!" continued the man with an air of arrogance. Cries of pain and agony could be heard around as the discussion continued. "Ohhhh, so tell me about it?" asked Maxime, not caring about the nightmarish atmosphere surrounding him. "My name is Jorgi, but I''m nicknamed the Crusher on the battlefields! Why do you think that is?" "Because you''re strong?" questioned Maxime with genuine curiosity. "Haha not only that! It''s happened to me several times to enter the battlefield as an ordinary soldier and kill more than a dozen men on the battlefield ande out alive, that''s why!" eximed Jorgi,ughing arrogantly. "Really strong indeed."mented Maxime, as his eyes focused on him. "ording to his exploits, if this is true, this man should have at least a 2-point physique." analyzed Maxime calmly. "What''s more, the 3 men beside him not taking part in the battle should be at elite soldier level, given their build." Suddenly Maxime stered an unconscious smile on his face. "This will be my first real exploit in this world!" "To fight a man who could be a general among lesser nobles as well as 3 elite soldiers simultaneously!" "What madness, but above all, what an honor!" While rambling mentally, Maxime fully drew his sword and plunged at breathtaking speed towards his opponents. This took Jorgi by surprise, but he too ended up smiling. "He thought smugly as he swung his heavy axe at Maxime. Yet to his surprise, Maxime blocked his axepletely with his sword and then kicked him in the chest. The powerful impact sent him reeling back several meters. "What power!" eximed Jorgi in surprise as he felt the pain run through his chest. In all his life, this was only the3rd time he had fought an opponent of such strength. The first time was against a baron''smander and the second against a renowned mercenary chief. Both times he''d had to put his life on the line to end in a simple draw. Yet even now, the scars of those battles still haunted him at night. "The baron didn''t tell me the captain of this group was so strong," thought Jorgi with some anger. "Guys, help me, we''ll kill him together!" shouted Jorgi. The 3 men at his side nodded solemnly and attacked Maxime from different directions. This instantly put him in difficulty. He could barely survive thanks to his physique and his mastery of the sword, which were far superior to those of his opponents. However, the stalemate was soon broken by the arrival of Jorgi''s axe, which fell on Maxime. "Shit, I couldn''t dodge it!" mentally shouted Maxime in panic, who had already foiled two swords and blocked the third elite soldier''sst one. ting "Haha, chief it seems you''re a little too confident!"ughed the man who had blocked the axe with difficulty. "Thank you Romuald!" dered Maxime with a few drops of cold sweat. A secondter, and the two months of preparation in this world would have been wasted. "No worries, boss!" replied Romuald with a happy smile. "Shit, another one with extraordinary strength!" muttered Jorgi in mild panic. Seeming to think of something, he looked around at his surroundings. All he could see were the corpses of his subordinates lying inert on the ground. He could even see some of them dying on the ground, then coldly executed by their enemies. The only ones still alive were those who had surrendered, their knees and heads buried in the ground, leaving their fate to the enemy. Sadness and anger overwhelmed him, as did the three bandits beside him still alive. He quickly recovered from his emotions and vigorously announced to the others: "Flee! Run for your lives! See you back at base!" But hisrades remained motionless, their faces panicked. They were already surrounded by the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries. "No, how can that be!?" he asked, looking around at his surroundings in panic. "Why would it be impossible?" Asked an unfamiliar voice behind him. Turning around, Jorgi saw a red-haired man. Blood ran down his sword and armor. Like a demon rising from the abyss, it frightened him. But somehow there was an air of familiarity about him. He moved on, and somehow he replied: "There were 50 of us and only 30 of you! With the effect of surprise, you should have been easily crushed!" "Don''tpare your vulgar bandits to our mercenary troop. Each of us can easily handle 2 or 3 of you," scoffed another unfamiliar voice. He saw a man with long, azure-blue hair, a bow and a quiver on his back. His aura also showed that he was not a weak man. Jorgi had never been so panicked in his life. He felt like amb ready to ughter. Yet somehow he gripped his axe tightly in his hand, ready to die like a warrior. Likewise, his 3 strongest subordinates had gathered around him, ready to fight thest battle of their lives. "How fun to see them like this. I imagine that when you massacred this vige, the citizens must have suffered the same despair as you." said another dull but enraged voice. It was James apanied by Terry, Piedro, Izo and Peter. "The vige?" questioned Jorgi before remembering something. "Ah yes, that''s right. We did do that sort of thing. It was rather fun, actually." he smiled with an air of drunkenness and euphoria. "What a piece of shit!" muttered Maxime in a dry, emotionless tone. At the same moment, the first mercenaries of the gang angrily charged Jorgi and the three remaining bandits. Yet to their surprise, thetter could vaguely resist them. "Ohhhhh, I finally remember! The guy with the red hair I know where I''ve seen you before!" Andrew listened attentively, all the while a feeling of unease washed over him. "It was when I was in the vige with your..." He fell suddenly to the ground, an arrow stuck in his head. Andrew turned in iprehension to Ernest, who still had his bow pointed in Jorgi''s direction. "Believe me, you''d better never hear the end of this," Ernest told Andrew in an emotionless tone. The other mercenaries had a rather sombre expression as they stared at thest three bandits. Chapter 18 The backbone of a strong man The other mercenaries wore a rather somber expression as they stared at thest three bandits. "What do we do with them, chief?" "The baron is now our enemy. Logic would dictate that the less information he has about us, the more advantageous it will be for us." Seeing the others listening intently, Maxime continued: "However, we''re mercenaries. What we want is to make money. Do you see what I''m getting at? "Of course," Ernest replied calmly with a smile. Others such as Tena, Terry, Romuald and a few smart or experienced mercenaries also nodded. Most, however, remained confused, but Maxime didn''t exin any further. He simply ordered the 3 elite bandits and a few ordinary bandits to be captured and brought back to town. Before they could turn back, however, the sound of approaching cavalry was heard. Momentster, they came into view. They gradually slowed down until they reached the group of saber-toothed tigers. There were about fifty of them. Although their equipment was inadequate and looked worn, Maxime knew by his own senses that in front of him was elite cavalry! All the riders must have had at least 1.3 points of physique! Undoubtedly, if they came with the wrong intention, then the saber-toothed tiger group could disappear! However, that didn''t seem to be the case. At their head was a middle-aged man. His long brown hair, a few scars and piercing eyes showed that he was not someone to be underestimated. "Hello, young saber-toothed tigers," he dered bleakly. However, there was no reply other than a heavy silence. "I don''t like being looked down upon", Maxima finally replied in a cold tone, looking up at the middle-aged man. Thetter looked around. It didn''t take long to count the many corpses. "At least fifty dead, all bandits by the look of them. So they didn''t suffer any casualties from being ambushed by experienced bandits, and especially that corpse is..." the middle-aged man analyzed carefully, looking in Jorgi''s direction. "You''re pretty good saber-toothed tigers," he said, dismounting his horse. "And you are?" replied Maxime after seeing the change in attitude of the individual in front of him. "Chevalier Ron, affiliated with Baron Irut." "Oh, and to what do we owe the visit of a knight? And more importantly, how do you know us?" replied Maxime in a calm tone, but behind his thoughts were chaotic. "A fucking knight? Is my luck really that bad?" he thought with annoyance. Maxime remembered the scene of his teacher exining some important details about the world of Eternity. "In your opinion James, how do the nobles manage to keep control over their territory?" asked a professor in the middle of his lecture. "Via their wealth and their army?" replied a young man in the ssroom without confidence. "Haha you''re partly right, but you''re missing an important element: the knights!" announced the teacher with a mischievous grin. Seeing his pupils'' doubt, he continued: "In the world of Eternity, there is a mercenary potential as you know." "Some individuals are endowed with monstrous potential that can even allow them to easily kill over 100 elite soldiers and easily walk away. Some even consider them demigods." "So to contain these individuals, we need people of simr power!" "Based on this idea, the nobles in Eternity''s antiquity called on countless pharmacists of the time to create potions that could exceed the limits of the human body!" "But they didn''t just do that, they explored the limits of the body countless times! Through their research, they discovered that a mysterious energy was present in the air!" "This is what allows the appearance of nts with miraculous effects but also to monsters that are only legends in our world!" "They discovered that by using various breathing methods, this energy could be absorbed by the body and strengthened!" "They even discovered that this energy could be used as a kind of magical power to perform area attacks and ranged attacks!" "And practitioners of these breathing methods were knighted by the nobles!" Seeing the students extremely excited, the teacher threw them a cold shower all the same. "Don''t delude yourself. The number of knights is extremely rare, especially among the lesser nobles. Some barons don''t even have a breathing method. And even if they do, they''ll only share it with their child or their most loyal soldier," announced the professor, shaking his head. Back at Maxime, he broke out into a cold sweat as he met one of these famous knights. "We''ve been looking for this band of bandits for some time, since they wiped out one of our viges not long ago," dered the middle-aged knight in a dull tone. This aroused the interest not only of Maxime, but also of Andrew, Terry, James, Piedro, Izo and Peter. "And I know you because I always make sure I know my potential enemies," he continued with a menacing smile. Instantly, all the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries touched their swords, ready to draw and re-immerse themselves in battle. "Calm down, guys," said Maxime, reassuring hisrades. "Meaning potential enemy?" questioned Maxime. "You''re currently staying with Baron Barthon, the same baron who likes to rob viges in territories adjacent to his own and who destroyed one of our viges not long ago." replied Chevalier Ron. This made Andrew and the initial members of the group widen their eyes, while Maxime frowned. "What was the name of this vige?" asked Maxime. "Quessoi."@@novelbin@@ "What the hell." thought Maxime, recalling some discussion. He turned around and could see the fury in the eyes of some of hisrades. Sighing slightly, he turned around, then with a firm tone he dered: "Let myrades bring back their leader''s head and also interrogate the few bandits we''ve captured." "If all this proves true, we''ll think about joining your cause." Knight Ron frowned. "Of course it''s true, we''ve known for a long time that Baron Berthon does this sort of thing, passing off his soldiers as bandits." "Since your appearance is a threat to his power, he will do his best to make you disappear from this world." "If we weren''t busy before with a conflict with another baron we''d have taken care of him long ago." Then Knight Ron looked at Jorgi''s body and said in an authoritative tone: "Besides, you''re pretty good at killing Jorgi, an apprentice knight, however those bandits still alive will be left to us." Maxime frowned, thinking quickly about the consequences of his answers, as the saber-toothed tigers prepared to fight, showing their intent. Momentster Maxime replied curtly: "No." He hadn''te to this world to demean himself in front of the world''s strong. With a talent like Nox Limit, he''ll stand at the top one day, so stooping before a force simr to theirs is out of the question. In the worst-case scenario, he''ll simply start the adventure all over again and lose 3 years of his life. For although Eternity was a world where it was possible to extend one''s life, it was also possible to shorten it. At the same time as he answered, the members of his mercenary group looked at Maxime with a certain horror at his audacity, but also admiration in their hearts. For them, the word "chevalier" was synonymous with superman, a killing machine, but also with authority and status far beyond them. To say no to this kind of man when they had been conditioned all their lives by the legends of knights showed Maxime''s monstrous courage. Chapter 21 First lesson "Today I''ve been invited to present to you in detail the two paths that will be avable to you at the start of your adventure within Eternity." At the end of her words, a translucent image appeared on the wall behind her. On this image, two phrases were highlighted: "The way of the loner and the way of the leader of men." "I imagine most of you are aware of this, especially the few little shits who get the watch on their 18th birthday from their super parents," Riva exined with an air of disdain towards a few students in particr. "It would seem that this teacher has a particr hatred for second- and third-generation rich kids," Maxime thought doubtfully. Yet no one in the ss dared to stand up and intervene during the lesson. Just the name Juggernaut was far too imposing and intimidating. "The loner''s path is the path that 99% of individuals take, or end up taking in one way or another." "Can someone exin to me why?" asked Riva while scanning the ssroom with her eyes.@@novelbin@@ Seeing no one speak up, Riva simply gave up and continued to exin: "I imagine every one of you has heard of the expression: Only your own fist is immortal." All the students nodded slightly at this. Taking a student at random, Riva pointed to Samuel and asked: "You exin to me your understanding of this expression." Samuel stood up with little confidence and said in a slightly shaky voice: "This expression takes on its meaning and is understood by all individuals who have already entered the Eternity world. It was first expressed by Longwy, the thief from the east during the only interview that was done with him before he disappeared again somewhere in the world." "Oh not bad, go on." interjected Riva with some interest. Gaining confidence, Samuel continued: "He''d used that expression when the interviewing journalist asked him how he got stronger. After which, he first reacted with a scornful smile, then came up with the expression as if it were the logical way to go." "That expression means that no matter how many times you die in Eternity, you''ll always retain your own personal strength," Samuel concluded with a rather confident smile. "Hmm. It''s not bad, you can sit down again."mented Riva with a slight smile. "Not bad at all Samuel, where did you learn that?" whispered Maxime suspiciously. In his mind, Samuel had always been a very rxed person who liked to y video games all the time, a far cry from the studious student he''d just portrayed. "I didn''t get a great talent in Eternity, so now my dream is to be a journalist, so I''ve been doing a lot of research on the subject. Knowing this expression is the ABC of journalism, hehe," Samuel boasted lightly, rendering Maxime speechless. "Yourrade is right, so could someone tell me why the path of the leader of men still exists and is even extremely valued in the world''s best universities, in the army and in the best mercenary groups?" asked Riva, easily covering the discreet voices of Samuel and Maxime. A student dressed like a nobleman in the Middle Ages stood up and asked: "Madame Riva, I''d like to respond to that answer." Slightly intrigued and even prepared for some kind of joke Riva replied: "Yes you can." "Thank you madam." replied the young man while leaning in slightly. In this world, it was rather fashionable among rich young people to imitate the style of dress and behavior of the nobles of the Middle Ages, and especially that of Eternity. It was said that they underwent special training so that, even without strong talent, they could gradually integrate into Eternity''s aristocratic circle. As a result, they would earn more money and support, grow stronger and continue to increase their influence. Many strong men had be so thanks to their intelligence and eloquence. "The way of the solitary is limited by the very fact that their strength is limited to that of an individual. After all, no matter how strong a man is, can he stand up to 3, 5, 10, 20 or even 50 well-trained soldiers?" the young man exined with ease and confidence. "Whereas a person borrowing the voice of the leader of men can easily take under hismand more than a dozen ordinary men as soon as he enters Eternity with the 10 gold coins given by the game." "That''s why..." "It''s okay, sit down and stop talking so much bullshit in my ss, it''s annoying me." intervened Riva in a cold voice, making the young man break out into a cold sweat and sit down immediately. Riva swept her gaze around the ssroom once more, but no one dared stand up. She looked again at Samuel, but she didn''t want to question the same person twice, so her gaze naturally focused on Maxime. "You next to the little genius, answer my question." Maxime stood up, simultaneously attracting all the curious nces of the ss, but also the mocking ones of the few elitist students in the ss. This naturally put a certain amount of pressure on him. But having already spent two months as a leader of men, and having even put his life on the line several times already, this small dose of pressure was nothing at all. "To answer the professor''s question, the path of leading men is favored by universities, the army and mercenary groups because those who dare to take this path often have a magical talent. This magical talent in most cases gives both a strong personal strength to its possessor but also to his mercenaries, so it also has a certain attractiveness for mercenaries in the world of Eternity." "So to sum up, those who dare to take this route generally have simr personal strength at first to those taking the solo route, but as their ie increases over time, their strength will be much stronger than that being solo." "It also means that even if they die and lose their foundation, they''re still geniuses." "Not to mention their strength if they summon their man in the real world." Maxime exined everything in a concise yet clear manner and in a strong voice so that everyone could understand. It impressed Riva to have such an eloquent student in her ss. She even apuded him with a broad smile. She looked at the previous young man and said in a mocking voice: "You see, no matter how well educated you are, you''ll never be able to be an elite, because anyone who talks bullshit without realizing it, while appearing interesting, will always be an idiot in my eyes." Samuel and Maxime looked at each other and could see both an unspoken agreement and a certain amazement at seeing a teacher so transparent with her thoughts. It made them and a small part of the ssugh, but most didn''t dare for fear of retaliation. After all, although in Riva''s eyes they couldn''t be elites, they would always remain far stronger than ordinary students. Simultaneously, the young man frowned and looked at Maxime and Samuel, remembering their appearance well. The same was true of the few students who dressed like noblemen. "Back to the point, our ssmate exined it perfectly. The path of leading men is one regrly taken by those with magical talents." "But if you don''t have magical talent, I''d advise you to take the solitaire path." "Who knows, maybe one day you''ll be favored by nobles or even royalty, or maybe you''ll manage to find some treasure. In short, the opportunities in Eternity are innumerable, so don''t give up even if your talents are weak. One day you might even reach the same heights as Longwy, who knows?" exined Riva with a sincere smile, reassuring most of the students. As Riva continued his lecture and exined the various basics to know about the twones, the young man who had humiliated himself turned around: "Rolls, I want to know all about the two guys who humiliated me in front of a member of the Juggernaut mercenary group," he whispered in a voiceced with mischief. "Okay, Winny, I''ll find out," he replied in a slightly fearful voice. Chapter 23 First murder "Today, I''ve decided to kill my first invader." These words sent a bombshell through the crowd. It was at this point that Winny, who happened to be passing in the street with some other young noblemen, stopped and heard the words. "What a coincidence," eximed Winny with a smile. "He''s an invaderparable to a knight, he''s going to die if we don''t help him," said a young nobleman as he stepped forward to help him. However, Winny stopped him in his tracks, moving in front of him. "You want us to let him die?" asked the young noble with a slight irritation that was blocked. "No no, to say that sort of thing he''s probably strong isn''t he?" questioned Winny with a smile showing his happiness. A shiver ran through the young nobleman''s body. "This guy wants to divert any possible help in the neighborhood, and take advantage of his words and witnesses to leave him here to die without taking any responsibility for it," mentally analyzed the young nobleman quickly. "He''s clearly digging the coffin for the little guy with the golden hair," he concluded. He looked hesitantly at Winny for a few seconds, weighing up whether it was worth offending Winny to save amoner. Finally he retraced his steps, abandoning Maxime altogether. "Don''t me me, just me your family for not being powerful enough," thought the young nobleman remorsefully, shaking his head. Returning to the scene, everyone seemed equally surprised by Maxime''s words, not to mention the person to whom they were addressed. "Haha that''s a good one!" eximed the intruder,ughing. "By the look of your uniform, you must be in high school, right? Barely a few months in the world of Eternity and you think you have the ability to kill a warrior of my noble race?" questioned the intruder, continuing tough. "Is there a rule that says high school students can''t kill you? If so, sorry, I''m going to be a criminal." replied Maxime with a smile, his eyes filled with determination and murderous intent. At the same time, various circles of light appeared in different ces, all with Maxime as their centralndmark. The lighting effects were so intense that nearby residents had to squint. In the distance, noble spectators opened their eyes wide at the scene. The alien frowned at the scene as he tightened his grip on his axe. In less than a second, thirty silhouettes appeared around Maxime, each equipped with light armor and a weapon. "Guys, I''m counting on you," Maxime said loudly. "You can count on us, boss!" replied the newly summoned mercenaries, their eyes filled with a surprising vivacity. Indeed, when they are summoned, it is the original soul and the real body that are summoned. A wealth of information is forcibly infused into them by a mysterious entity, enabling the mercenaries to understand their situation almost instantly. And they know one thing very well: they can''t really die in this world. Perhaps some of the top brass of the human race know the secrets behind this phenomenon. But this phenomenon makes them the best soldiers you can have under yourmand. "Human, I admit you''ve surprised me, but given your young age these can only be warriors with a physique not even reaching 1." "What a futile effort, but what a pleasure to have the opportunity to kill a genius," dered the intruder,ughing uncontrobly. The next instant, he charged directly towards Maxime so as not to have to face the summoned mercenaries. The nearest mercenaries gathered round and organized a quick defense in front of Maxime. "Haha, what courage! Try stopping my axe and see!" shouted the alien with a cheerful grin as he swung his axe wide. Unfortunately for him, in front of him were a group of mercenaries, each with a physique of at least 1 point, including Andrew and Romuald. With the two of them in the lead, they all rushed towards the alien in closebat. Thetter was slightly rmed to see them approaching so quickly. "They''ll kill me before my axe can touch them!" he shouted inwardly. But unfortunately for him, he wasn''t abat genius, and forck of time, experience and agility, he let 3 mercenaries, including Andrew and Romuald, severely wound him. He was left with a missing left arm, cut clean off by Romuald, while Andrew and another mercenary had pierced the organs in his torso. The intruder was unable to keep control of his axe and let go. Due to inertia, it became a projectile, unfortunately cutting a mercenary in the path in two. Thetter became a shield for the others in spite of himself. The attacker fell to his knees on the ground in pain, while the remaining mercenaries surrounded him. Maxime slowly approached him. When their eyes met, Maxime had mixed emotions. But he quickly drew his sword and cleanly decapitated the intruder. [Ding!] [Piran soldier killed!] [Military rank unlocked!] [Current military rank: Soldier] As the head rolled to the ground, the nearby inhabitants and Maxime''s family didn''t know how to react to the shock. Winny, who was standing in the distance, also wore a somber expression, but eventually whispered: "Make sure you be friends with this man". "What did you say, Winny?" replied a nobleman near Winny. "I said make sure you be friends with that ssmate!" he shouted with mild rage. The others nearby didn''t understand Winny''s surge of rage, but nodded slightly in agreement. A student capable of leading so many mercenaries to high school, who moreover are already well equipped and possess a certain strength, deserves their respect. Back to Maxime. "System, how long to reanimate Oriac?" Oriac being the deceased mercenary. Maxime had had time to memorize the first names of each of his mercenaries and knew each of them pretty well. " 24h. " Maxime nodded slightly, then leaving his mercenaries around him he headed for his family. "Big brother..." murmured Jona with a fanatical expression, as if seeing the idol of his life. Maxime smiled and replied: "You''ll see Jona, when you''re my age you''ll be doing much bigger things than this!" "Hum!" pronounced Jona lightly with excitement. "Maxime..." pronounced Andr¨¦a hesitantly. "Don''t worry, Mom, with these mercenaries to protect me, my life''s safe." As he reassured his mother, Maxime examined the previous notifications. "Military rank, that is?" asked Maxime silently to the system.@@novelbin@@ [Military ranks are unlocked under certain conditions, mainly by eliminating races detected as enemies by the system]. [Currently, your military rank, soldier, entitles you to a monthly gold coin. These will be paid automatically whether you spend a month in Eternity or in the real world]. "Really nice, but at this rate it''ll take me over 4 years to unlock a new ss," Maxime thought, shaking his head slightly from side to side. "I''ll have to get back to Eternity as soon as possible..." [The ability to enter Eternity resets on the first day of every month.] "So there''s still more than 3 weeks to go before the next opportunity," Maxime murmured silently, feeling a certain impatience. "Maxime!" Turning Maxime saw a fat man dressed like a nobleman but moving with surprising agility. "Oh, that''s the guy talking bullshit in Riva''s ss," Maxime thought. "Do we know each other?" asked Maxime in a neutral tone. "No, but we''re about to be best friends!" eximed Winny happily and innocently. "The moment before that guy wanted to let our ssmate die just for his ego, and he still manages to say things like that!?" The young nobles next door were all surprised. Chapter 25 Theres only one person who can scare me "Charge!" Maxime''s voice reverberated in everyone''s heart, and like an electric shock, everyone ran towards the nearest Piran soldier with a ferocious expression. The Piran soldiers, seeing these weak humans charging towards them,ughed heartily, all the while uttering various strange cries. 0 meters to go. Weapons shed, blood began to spurt from both sides and the first wounded appeared. At the same time, Maxime faced a lone Piran soldier. "This time I won''t be able to hide behind my soldiers. And if I want to protect my family and the rest of the neighborhood, I absolutely must defeat him!" thought Maxime as his gaze changed all at once. It was reced by a surprising calm and determination. The red face of the Piran soldier in front of him was clearly visible, as was the axe heading dangerously towards him. "Somehow I''m no longer afraid", Maxime thought, even he was surprised by his calm. Even he was surprised by her calmness, and a me ignited in him as adrenalin coursed through his body. "This axe, it''s so slow," he murmured, his eyes shining. With extraordinary footwork, he narrowly avoided the axe, which fell just inches from his left arm. "This guy is much weaker than the previous Piran soldier. He must have at most 1.5 physical points." Just as in his first fight in the world of Eternity, his sword felt extremely light, as if it were part of his body and the world was slowing down. He concentrated his strength on his right leg and literally flew away.@@novelbin@@ Before the Piran soldier''s stunned eyes, Maxime spun in the air before bringing his sword down at lightning speed. The next instant, the Piran soldier''s head flew off and blood spurted from his neck. Maximended behind him, and a few secondster the imposing body of his victim fell heavily to the ground. The nearby Piran soldiers were momentarily stunned by his agility and fighting prowess. The young nobles and mercenaries nearby were able to briefly observe the performance. "That guy''s crazy...and really strong!" eximed Winny mentally as a certain shiver ran through her body. "It reminds me of the time when he protected the vige. He also showed amazing agility, but it didn''t show up after that," Andrewmented silently as he more or less easily avoided his opponent''s attacks. But the most astonished and proudest were the new recruits to the mercenary group. "Shit our leader is that strong?" said one of them aloud. "Great, maybe we''ve got a chance of winning this battle!"mented another excitedly. Initially, these new mercenaries weren''t very motivated, since they didn''t belong to this world and, above all, they didn''t see any hope of winning this battle. They simply had no choice but to fight, because if their leader died, they would all have to stay in this world forever. This would mean abandoning their families and friends in the world of Eternity. Besides, how could they abandon the immeasurable benefits of Maxime''s magical talent. This talent represented their future! A future filled with glory and wealth! Of course, they knew their leader was strong, but to them at most he was only slightly stronger than the group''s trump cards, namely Andrew, Ernest and Romuald, all of whom had exceeded 2 physical points. But such agility inbat, even when fighting someone with a physique inferior to his own, is very rare! Soon, several Piran soldiers in Maxime''s vicinity reacted and swung their axes at him. "I can see the trajectory of their attacks!" mentally analyzed Maxime at a nce. One way or another, Maxime managed to dodge the various attacks and began to retaliate violently against the Piran soldiers. But this time, Maxime had a fewplications, for although he was able to inflict wounds on his opponents most of the time, these proved to be light ones due to the Piran soldiers taking great care to protect each other. A few minutester, as the sounds of battle began to fade, Maxime had managed to take down two more Piran soldiers and seriously wounded 3 enemy soldiers. Unfortunately, he himself was wounded in several ces and covered in blood. Yet his eyes were as clear andbative as ever. As he blocked yet another axe, a shattering cry was heard from behind his opponents. They momentarily stopped their attacks. Seeing the opportunity, Maxime took a deep breath and shouted back: "Stop the fighting, we''re gathering at the initial position!" Within seconds, all the survivors managed to disengage from their targets and gather around Maxime, who himself had retreated some thirty meters. At a nce, Maxime could estimate the number of survivors. "There are only a dozen of us left, all at least slightly wounded and, above all, tired." This number didn''t make a single one of his eyelids flutter. "That means at least 20 of ourrades fell in those few minutes," Maximemented silently, still impassive. But inside, his rage was making his body boil, and the more his eyes roamed over the dismembered bodies, the more he boiled inside. But somehow he managed to calm down. Particrly when he noticed that the 5 young noblemen were still alive, in a pitiful state to be sure, but still alive. He also saw Tena with red eyes and trembling legs. And indeed, of his 30 mercenaries, only Andrew, Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest were still alive. She''d probably seen her brothers die before her eyes, and even if they could return in the next 24 hours, it was still traumatic. Maxime also saw Ernest slightly angry. This man with light blue eyes, always calm and looking more noble than even true noblemen, had literally changed his face. Probably because of Rodrigo''s death. But to Maxime''s surprise, the young nobles seemed rather calm despite the long minutes of fighting. "Hahaha so exciting!" shouted Winny, making a striking contrast with the general mood. Seeing this, Rina approached Winny with an aggressive stance, ready to do battle with him. Even Ernest had a very dangerous look towards Winny. "You''ve got to be kidding me! Over 80% of our mercenary group has been decimated and you still find the opportunity tough!?" she shouted, inches from Winny''s face. "What are you talking about? You''re going to be resurrected in the next 24 hours! But we''ve just risked our lives without being resurrected! So if I feel likeughing, I''llugh!" replied Winny with a provocative smile. Rina was about to start fighting, but a voice came from behind him. "The hardest part is yet toe," said Maxime calmly, his back still turned. With the initial prestige cumted with the prestige he had just acquired during this battle, Riva didn''t dare continue and returned to his position with his anger. "Bahaha good doggie!"ughed Winny. Maxime moved his head slightly and looked at Winny out of the corner of his eye. Thetter met Maxime''s gaze and felt fear seize his body, as if a high-ss beast were about to pounce on him. Maxime quickly withdrew his gaze, but for Winny this brief moment was one he would remember for the rest of his life. When muchter, having surpassed all expectations and attained the majestic position of lieutenant-colonel with a battalion of 800 men under hismand, he would be ambushed by a military unit 10 times more powerful than his own. His deputy, panic-stricken, will notice the absence of any emotion on his face, and will then ask: "Lieutenant-colonel aren''t you afraid?" Winny will reply word for word: "In this world, there''s only one person who can scare me." Chapter 28 Protect, even if it means dying "But garbage in human form will die by my hand today." These words, Maxime said in a very serious tone while closing his right fist with exceptional vigor. But noticing the situation of Maxime''s family and acquaintances, the mercenaries reacted in kind. "There''s no need, Chief, to get your hands dirty - I''ll do the job myself," Tena asserted in a firm voice. And all at once she elerated. Despite the disappearance of her [NOX LIMIT] state, she still had a 2-point physique, giving her incredible speedpared to ordinary soldiers. "I''lle with you," Andrew dered, following her. Romuald, Izo and Ernest followed in silence. This made Maxime smile slightly, even if it didn''t diminish the murderous impulses in his heart. Indeed, in the distance, his family and acquaintances had guns pointed at them. They were threatened just outside the door of an unknown metal shelter over three meters high. More than fifteen armed civilians were pointing at his family and acquaintances with a little sneer of contempt. "We''ve already told you, this shelter is reserved for important people in town!" threatened the man leading them. He was seated in front of them, on a rather imposing rock. "No, the shelters were built for anyone living in the city!" replied a rather elderly woman. But despite her wrinkles, her looks showed that she had been a very beautiful woman in her youth. However, her explosive temperament,bined with her short haircut, broke any image of a gentle woman one might have had of her. The civilian leader chuckled in response, then looked with a certain undertone at another armed civilian. Thetter nodded, then stepped in front of the woman. "What do you want? Come any closer and you''ll..." *boom* She didn''t have time to finish her sentence before she was struck by a cross-shot from the civilian''s weapon, and fell to the ground. "Mommy!" "Andrea!" The surrounding people moved closer to Andr¨¦a, and some of them knelt down to see her wound. "This is what it costs to overstep one''s status," dered the chief with a mocking smile. "Now beat it!" he continued, waving his hand. Rising slowly to her feet, Andr¨¦a didn''t seem to want to turn back as she stared fiercely at the men in front of her. "What? Do you really want to die today?" threatened the civilian who had just struck Andr¨¦a with dangerous eyes. But as he stepped forward once more to strike, he felt a slight wave of cold on his neck. Then, somehow, his vision changed without him being able to do anything about it. Finally, when she seemed motionless, he could see the eyes of his friends and his leader filled with surprise and fear. With thest of his strength and as his vision blurred, he noticed a silhouette of a woman with a sword and blood running down the end of it. He saw a slight movement of her lips: "Striking the chief''s mother, how thoughtless." As intense regret ran through his mind he asked himself: "Whose mother did I hit to have to die for it?" Unfortunately, he never got an answer and closed his eyes forever. Everyone looked at the young woman who had just arrived. "You are?" asked Andr¨¦a curiously.@@novelbin@@ "In charge of finances for the saber-toothed tigers, Tena," she replied with a gentle smile. "Saber-toothed tigers?" replied Andr¨¦a unconsciously before having a sh back. She suddenly remembered this pretty young woman standing next to her son. "She''s one of my men, Mom," replied Maxime, who had just appeared beside her. "You''re still alive, Maxime!" eximed Andr¨¦a as tears began to flow. She herself knew howplicated her emotions had been since she''d left her son to face invaders, if it had been in the past even if an army of several thousand Pirans had appeared before her, she wouldn''t even have blinked. "I haven''t aplished anything yet, how could I die now?" replied Maxime with a confident smile. "Haha yes he is my son! As powerful as me at his age!" she shouted without thinking with eyes filled with pride. "As powerful?" wondered Maxime, as well as the neighbors nearby. "I was talking about character, of course," she replied, looking up briefly with a slight smile. The neighbors nodded and congratted her on raising such a fine son. "What is she hiding from me?" wondered Maxime, frowning. Her quick nce skyward is a lifelong Andr¨¦a tic, and Maxime has clearly noticed. "You really dared to kill one of my men?" interjected the opposing leader with a dangerous re as he rose to his feet. The civilians defending the nearby shelter looked ready to fire at any moment. Maxime looked seriously at the man in front of him. Although an intense murderous urge invaded him, he held it back because if they opened fire they could kill his mother, his brother and the neighbors in his neighborhood! "So what?" replied Maxime coolly. "The man eximed as he drew his handgun and took aim at Maxime''s group. Maxime didn''t think he was that crazy as he widened his eyes in surprise. But somehow he managed to calm down and ordered: "Protection!" Immediately, Tena, Andrew, Romuald, Izo and Ernest positioned themselves without hesitation as human shields in front of the small group of neighbors. "Everyone run!" shouted Maxime as he positioned himself in front of his mother and brother. The man opposite grinned wildly as he pointed his gun at Maxime. Behind them, Andr¨¦a and Jona cried out in fear, while an intense feeling of danger ran through Maxime''s body. *boom* He could undoubtedly dodge this bullet, but if he dodged his mother and brother might be hit. So he gritted his teeth and didn''t move. *pschitt* The bullet quickly prated his body but didn''t go all the way through. "Maxime!" "Chief!" Worried voices came from beside him, but he had no time to worry about them. An intense pain appeared in his abdomen. He reflexively put his left hand over the wound as he stared angrily at the man who had just shot him. The man still had that deranged grin on his face. He turned and saw Andrea and Jona still standing behind him with teary eyes. "What are you still doing here!" "Run away from here!" shouted Maxime fiercely. *boom* *pschitt* Another shot rang out as a new source of pain appeared. He turned once more to look at his assant. Thetter had apletely demented smile and eyes that showed he had lost all rationality. *boom* *pschitt* His vision blurred and his breath ragged. But somehow he noticed that the other civilians didn''t dare shoot. It would seem that not everyone was so crazy, after all there were stillws in this town. *boom* *pschitt* Another source of pain appeared, but Maxime remained on his feet as a smile as strange as his assant appeared on his face. Then he began to run rapidly towards the man who was shooting at him. Seeing the blond-haired young man still standing after so many bullets, and even running towards him, the civilian leader began to worry. *boom* *boom* *boom* *pschitt* *pschitt**pschitt* "Shit, why won''t you die yet?" shouted the man in despair. Atst Maxime arrived in front of the man and, without saying a word, threw a punch with all his might into his attacker''s face. Thetter flew to the door of the unknown metal shelter, making a frightful noise as his body collided with the door. "Put down your weapons if you don''t want to meet the same fate," dered Maxime in a loud, threatening voice. Seeing their leader without any sign of life, and the monstrous young man who doesn''t die even after being shot several times, the civilians who were simply petit bourgeois dropped all their weapons without hesitation. These people possessed no great conviction, they simply had a slight background that enabled them to intimidate the weak. Now that one of their friends and their leader was dead, it seemed that events had gone beyond their control. "Retrieve their weapons and tie them up," Maxime ordered, looking at his mercenaries left behind. "Yes, sir!" At the same moment, a military team of a dozen soldiers arrived in front of the shelter. "What''s going on here?" shouted the man at the front. Maxime turned towards the source of the noise and began to open his mouth, but no sound came out. Soon his vision began to blur further. "Shit, I guess that''s my limit," Maxime thought with a slight hint of bitterness before suddenly falling to the ground. He could only hear footsteps and the voices of his rtives and mercenaries, followed by thisst sentence: "Quickly, take this man to the military rescue service!" Then Maxime lost all consciousness. Chapter 31 Piran language course Maxime smiled slightly and asked him in a whisper: "No, could you please pass me a sheet of paper and a pencil?" Samuel shook his head in exasperation, but took out a sheet of paper from his binder and a pencil from his pencil case anyway. "Here, don''t thank me." Maxime nodded, smiling at Samuel, then began to take notes of the lecture. Just then, thenguage teacher began to tell the story of the Pirannguage. "At the very beginning of the Piran story there were of course gestures tomunicate, but these gestures gradually disappeared to make way for verbalnguage." "Like any species, variousnguage systems emerged throughout history until they seeded in merging their entire poption under a single banner." "This enabled their people to have amonnguage, although many othernguages remain spoken in order to maintain their cultural heritage." "However, the Piran civilization became extremely militarized when it began to make contact with other civilizations." "Hundreds of years passed, and as time went by, the military atmosphere became more and more oppressive." "From an early age, every Piran trains so that he can be mobilized in case of absolute necessity." "So every Piran knows the military rules and gestures." "In order to be able tomunicate as quickly as possible on the battlefield, words began to be shortened, certain sybles disappeared forever giving way to gestures with the meaning of those sybles." "In our army we also have a simr system ofnguage but generally these are uniquenguages and developed by certain elite units." "But on their side they have promoted thisnguage system throughout their army and therefore to their entire civilization." "Theirnguage had some ws at first, and above all it was veryplicated to harmonize thisnguage to a civilization as big as theirs." "After all, at that time they already had 5 habitables and just over a hundred billion inhabitants." "That''s when Emperor Hydra V stepped in and instituted a special education policy toplement an extremely innovative method." ... "So much for the Pirannguage history lesson. Make sure you remember the history of thisnguage, as a question on this subject has already appeared in the universitypetition." "Also, to learn anguage well, it''s important to know its history." "That concludes this lesson, you may dismiss." As the students began to leave the room, Maxime was still immersed in the teacher''s lecture, recalling both the key notions of the course and the murder scenes from 3 days ago. "Hey." While he was in a mini-trance, a soft voice entered his ears, but Maxime remained in his thoughts, as if he couldn''t tear himself away. He could see the countless corpses of Piran and hisrades on the ground. Blood spread over hundreds of meters. A scene worthy of a horror movie, and yet what Maxime had experienced was far worse than anything horror movies could produce. Momentster, he felt a hand on his shoulder, which woke him up and made him jump slightly. "Are you all right, brother?" Maxime looked up to see Samuel with a worried face. "Yeah...Yeah, I''m fine, don''t worry," Maxime reassured him with a slight smile. "It''s such a strange situation to study a civilization and see their magnificent prowess and innovation just after killing dozens of them a few days before." thought Maxime with a strange face. "So our celebrity can have this face, no one would think so after seeing the videos on TokTik!" scoffed Samuel lightly. Looking at his friend''s nderous face, Maxime couldn''t help but smile and shake his head. "Samuel, there are just a few thousand likes on those videos, that''s not much." "Every day heroes emerge from the human race, I''m just one of many." "But how many people really dare to do exactly what you did at your age? Even if there are many, the proportion remains a very small minority among the billions of human beings there are on the blue." "Even counting the other humans there wouldn''t be many." These few sentences, said in a melodious voice, entered Maxime and Samuel''s ears. Turning around, Maxime''s eyes widened, as did Samuel''s behind him. "Wow, did you see that, bro, a beauty just spoke to you," Samuel whispered discreetly to Maxime. But Maxime was unperturbed as he asked: "You''re Lisa, aren''t you?" Lisa also happened to be a high school senior. She was a young woman with long, ck hair. Her hair seemed to be extremely silky as it swayed gracefully in the air thanks to the wind entering through the ssroom windows. The scene seemed almost fairytale-like as the students still in the ssroom and the teacher still not having left turned their attention to the two protagonists. But Winny and the few other young noblemen who had fought alongside Maxime and his mercenaries had a shocked expression when they saw her. "That''s right, Lisa from the Reiner family to be precise. Pleased to meet you, Maxime." "Quite my type."mented Maxime silently, keeping his own opinion to himself. He knew Lisa slightly because Samuel had already shown him a few photos of her, saying how this young woman was the goddess of their school. He stood up and faced Lisa, with less than a meter separating them.@@novelbin@@ "Maxime from the Valdreuve family, to be precise. Pleased to meet you Lisa," he said, extending his hand. Lisa seemed slightly surprised, but simply smiled, then extended her hand as well. "The Valdreuve family? Is there a known family with that name?" asked Lisa curiously. "No, not yet." "Oh, what ambition!" "Just goals." "But, tell me Lisa, why were youing to see me?" Faced with this question, Lisa smiled mysteriously before replying: "I just came out of curiosity, to see what the mysterious TokTik hero looks like." "But now I''ve satisfied my curiosity, so I''m going to leave, see you soon Maxime!" she continued as she turned to get ready to leave under the curious eyes of Maxime and hisrades. "Just wait two seconds, could you answer another question for me?" asked Maxime after a few seconds'' thought. Lisa stopped, curious as to what Maxime wanted to know. "Please, my hero," she said teasingly, winking at Maxime. Unfortunately at the time, no one had any idea that this sentence was far more significant than it first appeared. "Could you also be a heroine if the need arose?" asked Maxime very seriously. The atmosphere in the ssroom suddenly became tense. After all, this was a question most people would want to avoid. Who would want to risk their life if someone else could take the risk for them? But Lisa was still smiling. "Isn''t it obvious? Of course I couldn''t be one, after all I''m not as strong as you." "I hope I''ve answered your question correctly Maxime, see you next time!" As Lisa quietly left under the more or less bemused eyes of the teacher and ssmates, Maxime was happy. "What makes Max so happy?" asked Samuel, observing him. "That girl, I like her!" said Maxime full of confidence as he looked at Samuel. Samuel''s eyes were far more surprised than before, and he looked left and right to see if anyone else had heard what Maxime had just said. Observing that no one had heard Maxime, Samuel breathed a sigh of relief then eximed in a low voice: "You''re fucking crazy, Max! That girl is not just anyone!" "Is it Lisa?" "No, that''s not what I mean. I''m telling you that her family, the Reiner family, is much more important and powerful than you think! "Who cares, right?" asked Maxime with a slight sigh of exasperation. "Of course not, if you want to date her you have to at least have a status equal to or higher than hers otherwise it''s impossible!" "Then I''ll just have to get that status, story settled." "It''s not as simple as that, the Reiner family is one of the 12 ruling families of the human race." replied Samuel, shaking his head. "Ohhhh, so much the better that means if she bes my wife then I''ll be super rich and influential!"mented Maxime,ughing. "That''s it, I give up, you''re a hopeless case bro." Chapter 32 The main objective sses followed, including Riva''s, who nced at Maxime without saying anything about what had happened 3 days before. Finally, the day came to an end and all the students went home. Maxime found himself alone on the way home, as Samuel had already left a while ago to begin a special training session prepared by his parents. "Today is Friday May 30, so since Eternity resets every first of the month, I''ll have to go back on Sunday," Maxime thought quietly with some excitement. Having shown some interest in Lisa, Maxime was eager to improve his skills in Eternity. Of course, he already had a significant desire to improve, but this was taken to a new level with this new objective. Of course, he was only mildly interested in Lisa - after all, he didn''t know her. But the knowledge that this woman seemedpletely unattainable if he didn''t work hard enough gave him an irresistible urge to take up the challenge. The real challenge being not to capture Lisa''s heart but to raise her status to his using only the sweat of his brow. "I can''t wait to get back to Eternity already!" Maxime returned home without a hitch, had a quick chat with his brother and mother, then revised for the academic part of thepetition. The evening passed quickly, and the following day he trained all day to perfect his sword skills. He also summoned Andrew and the other main mercenaries in his group, including Ernest, to improve their sword skills too.@@novelbin@@ Indeed, it''s an advantage every yer enjoys. While time was on pause in the world of Eternity, yers could take advantage of every break to train ande back stronger. This was also the case 3 days before, since the life and death experience of each mercenary had significantly increased. The return to Eternity and future battles will be more likely to be won with fewer losses thanks to this recent experience. By evening, everyone had improved their swordsmanship by a few points, but it was Maxime who had made the greatest progress. Indeed, after the recent battles he''d experienced, Maxime had finally broken through the bottleneck between intermediate and advanced rank 2 Sword Mastery. He had thus officially entered advanced rank 2 mastery. It was already a level that few 2-star mercenaries could achieve even with a lifetime of fighting. "System disys my current status" Ding! Maxime nced at his statistics. Identity: Maxime Valdreuve. ss: Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique) Swordsman level 3 (+5% physics) (0/100) Unlocked a new ss: 0/50 Physique: 1.95 (+0.16) Qi: 0 Skills : Swordsmanship level 2 (67/100) Fraguage proficiency level 2 (30/100) Passive trait : +5% physicality when wielding a sword +10% sword training efficiency. Talent: NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/1000) Minor stamina talent Minor strength talent Money avable: 40 gold coins. Mercenary: Andrew: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.1. Terry: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.4 James: Two star potential. Physical: 1.5 Piedro: Two star potential. Physical: 1.7 Izo: Two star potential. Physics: 1.8 Peter: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.5 Alessandro: Two star potential. Physics: 1.3 Ronny: Two star potential. Physical: 1.2 Romuald: Two star potential and a minor talent in physics. Physical: 2.3 Joe: Two star potential. Physical: 1.2 Tena: Two-star potential and a minor intelligence talent. Physical: 1.9 Rodrigo: Two-star potential and an elemental affinity with the earth. Physical: 1.7 Ernest: Three-star potential. Physics: 2.1 "Romuald''s minor talent in physics is as impressive as ever," Maximemented quietly with some curiosity. Normally, mercenaries with two-star potential could reach a maximum of 2 points in physics, but Romuald far exceeded this limit and showed little sign of slowing down. "At this rate, could he reach 3 points? That would be incredible." High school courses didn''t teach any more than that about the talents mercenaries could possess; it was more like a university course. So Maxime didn''t know the details of the effects of the different talents or their usefulness. "By the way, I''m lucky the bar isn''t calling me, but should I quit? After all, I''ve already bought the watch and now I need time to prepare for thepetitions" Maxime asked himself hesitantly. He was very hesitant because the bar''s owner had hired him where all the otherpanies had turned him down because of his youth andck of experience. Taking a step back, Maxime found that the environment at the bar was really nice and the work wasn''t really hard. "In any case, I should resign with thepetitioning up." "I think I should just let the boss know, and stay there for a few more weeks, while the boss finds a recement," Maxime concluded after careful consideration. He didn''t want to leave like a thief after getting the boss''s generosity. "I''ll call him on Monday and check in with him. Maxime continued to train with his mercenaries in spite of everything, and the day passed quickly. Sunday morning came quickly. Ding! [Military pay received!] [6 gold coins have been sent to your system pay!] Simultaneously another notification arrived, and this one more than made Maxime smile as hey in bed. [An opportunity to go to Eternity has been unlocked!] [It has been detected that you possess the authorization to go into Eternity once!] [Do you want to use it now?] "Yes!" In response to his answer, his body entered a vegetative state as his mind was projected into Eternity at high speed. Soon he opened his eyes and found himself with various familiar faces around him. Maxime smiled slightly, then eximed: "How do we find each other, guys!" The saber-toothed tiger mercenaries seemed surprised by his return. They remembered everything that had happened in the real world. "Wee back to our world, Chief!" eximed some of the mercenaries,ughing. After theughter, some of the mercenaries began to worry about the future. Ernest, who was standing next to Maxime, reflected slightly, then asked: "Chief, you said we hadn''t realized our true purpose just before we left for your world, but what exactly is our true purpose?" This drew stares and stopped the mercenary group talking. As about thirty pairs of eyesnded on him, Maxime smiled, then looked at everyone around him. "The main objective of our mission on the way out was indeed to eliminate the bandit group that attacked Quessoi. But bandit groups usually have a base where they can gather and store their stolen goods. "These bases also serve as their resting ces, since they can''t sleep peacefully in most cities." "And they usually have a few hiding ces where many gold coins can be found." "The bandits who ambushed us did belong to the group that destroyed Quessoi and killed the family and friends of some members of the saber-toothed tigers." On hearing this, the members in question wore various reactions. Andrew crossed his arms, but a real demonic fire could be imagined in the gleam of his eyes. Terry, James and Peter had simr but less controlled reactions as they clenched their fists in anger but also sadness in retrospect. James, in particr, seemed close to tears. Piedro and Izo didn''t react in any particr way; no one could guess their thoughts. Ernest, Rodrigo, Romuald, Riva, Ronny, Joe, Alessandro and other mercenaries seemed particrly serious as they listened to their leader. Maxime ignored their reaction and continued his speech: "Although we''ve eliminated them, these bandits are bound to have otherpanions still alive and atrge!" This came as a shock to many mercenaries, especially those from outside Quessoi. A group of 50 organized bandits with a particrly strong leader and even 3 elite soldiers was already very strong. "There are several reasons for this, but the most important is that I haven''t seen the bandits who demanded ransomst time in Quessoi." "So toe to your question Ernest, our main objective is to find their base, eradicate the remaining bandits and take for our mercenary group all their gold and possessions!" "And then we''ll return triumphant before Baron Barthon, go to our base and party for 3 days!" Ernest was the first to react and shouted: "In any case Baron Barthon will be able to do absolutely nothing to us, otherwise the mercenaries of this world will turn against him haha!" Most of the mercenaries becamepletely revitalized after hearing Maxime and Ernest''s words. "Hahaha our leader knows how to talk to us!" "Yoo-hoo, can''t wait to take these bastards out and get back to the party!" "After fighting those damned Pirans it''ll be a piece of cake to take care of some bandits!" ... The small crowd was very excited after Maxime''s announcement. Mercenaries were people who walked on a thin rope every day that they could fall on at any moment, so they were enjoying life to the full! In the crowd, an ordinary mercenary from the saber-toothed group shouted in excitement to arade who was already close to him before the saber-toothed tigers. "I wonder how much gold we''ll be able to make!?" "I hope a lot! At least enough to rece my old sword and light armor, which dates back to my grandfather!" replied his friend with equal enthusiasm. Hearing their discussion, Andrew, who was nearby, was amused. "Haha guys be ambitious, these thieves love to have lots of gold coins, and on top of that these thieves are backed by the baron and therefore gopletely mad and unscrupulous!" heughed, temporarily forgetting his rage. "Haha that''s true, they owe a lot more money than you''d think!" said the first mercenary. The second alsoughed and asked Andrew: "What would you like to have then if not a good sword or armor?" Chapter 34 Prey or predator? "Get ready guys, we''ll be there in less than an hour." "Yes chief!" It wasn''t long before Maxime and his group arrived at the mountain designated by Romain. "It was indeed the mountain of rumors, but no one could have thought that their base would be at the very bottom of it, and hidden in such a way," said Andrew, addressing Maxime. "That''s for sure. You''d almost think, given the means employed, that it would be a magician''s secret base," replied Maxime, thinking it over. He already had some knowledge of knights, but magicians were merely a notion briefly mentioned in ss and in popr culture, but 99% of watch owners would never see one in their lives. Shaking his head slightly, Maxime gave an order to his group. "Divide into groups of 5 and look for the secret entrance as described by Romain. Everyone meet back here in an hour." The division of power within the saber-toothed tigers having been effected some time ago, Maxime''s order was swiftly carried out. Most of the 5-person groups were led by a mercenary from Quessoi. A few of the mercenaries drew their swords and made a few holes in nearby trees, gently collecting the flowing sap. The process took half an hour, so that all the mercenaries could drink it and avoid being attacked by carnivorous nts. Then everyone split up, including Maxime, who led his own team of Romuald, Rodrigo, Ernest and Tena. After half an hour of pacing the mountain, or rather the forest that grew on it, they came to a strange ce.@@novelbin@@ "Chief, this ce gives me a special feeling," Rodrigo murmured. This alerted Maxime and his team. "Let''s stay here for a while and observe," Maxime ordered discreetly, as they all hid high up in the trees. For each of them, climbing trees was easy with their physique. In front of them was a wastnd, where only a little grass grew and the sun could shine. Not far away were flowers of astonishing height. "We''ve probably hit the jackpot," said Maxime, talking to himself as a vague excitement coursed through him. For him, this world was just a game where his life wasn''t really in danger. However, only in this world could he escape all fear and fight to his full potential. If it were up to him, he would have already charged into the strange nts and started fighting with the bandits. But he knew that the mercenaries apanying him were real living beings, although no science could yet describe how this was possible. Yet it wasn''t long before the abnormally tall flowers shifted of their own ord, leaving a vast passageway leading to a cave behind. Maxime''s eyes sparkled at the sight. Soon a dozen men emerged from the cave, each dressed in civilian clothes but carrying a sword at their waist. "Commander Organ and Commander Laura have already returned but Jorgi is still hanging around, it''s weird." "I know for a fact that he simply had to destroy a new mercenary group, so normally there shouldn''t be any problem." "I agree, Jorgi and his 50 men are more than enough to even destroy a small known mercenary group, let alone a new one." "Commander Jorgi could at least have got away with it, with his physique even a horseman would have trouble catching up with him." Discussions between the bandits continued as they exited the cave without any discretion. "Anyway, I hope Jorgi returns soon, because if Baron Irut sends a knight, even the chief will be in danger, not to mention us." As Maxime listened to their discussion, his eyes shone with a rare madness. Without hesitation, he leapt from the tree he''d been hiding in,nding with a deafening thud. The bandits stopped their discussion and looked in the direction of the blond-haired young man now standing before them. The menacing tip of his sword seemed to glow as the sun''s re fell precisely on that spot. "Who are you?" asked a bandit as he stood on guard. "Just a madman," replied Maxime, sounding very excited. The next moment, he rushed towards the man who had just spoken to him. The man barely had time to block Maxime''s sword, which wasing from his left, as he felt a powerful force push him. "What power!" murmured the bandit, his eyes widening. The next second, his sword snapped in two, but he barely escaped Maxime''s grasp. "Beware, this man is extremely strong!" he shouted as he hid behind the other bandits. Unfortunately for them, the blond-haired young man in front of them had only just begun to exert his strength. Thanks to his swordsmanship, now at a very high level for ordinary people, and his physique, none of the bandits could withstand more than two blows. They all fell one after the other as blood began to stain the grass red. "No, no, it can''t be! Monster!" Thest bandit, who was also the first to be attacked by Maxime, panicked. "How manyrades do you currently have in your base?" asked Maxime as he slowly approached. But when he saw thepletely frightened man, he shook his head and put an end to his victim''s agitated emotions. Romuald, Rodrigo, Ernest and Tena climbed down from the trees one after the other. They all had strange thoughts about their leader''s life as they watched him. He was so strong, so intelligent, but also so crazy. Even a man with a 3-point physique wouldn''t easily dare attack a group of armed men like that, let alone head-on. After all, no matter how good they looked, if a sword pierced their heart, they''d all die. But Maxime, with a physique of just over 2 points, charged at this group alone. And what''s worse, he destroyed the group with frightening agility and fighting spirit. Maxime took a deep breath and turned to look at his team members. He''d already used up some of his stamina on his moment of madness, so now he had to call on the members of his mercenary group. Looking at his team, he smiled, then inserted two fingers lightly into his mouth and whistled loudly. "That should be enough to attract ourrades," Maxime exined to his team. "But chief, it will also attract the bandits inside the cave," Romuald asked hesitantly. Rodrigo, Ernest and Tena also sided with Romuald, shaking their heads. Seeing this scene, Maxime simply replied: "Then you''ll stop them while we wait for reinforcements." Ernest frowned and walked over to Maxime. "Hey Maxime, I joined the saber-toothed tigers to get stronger and make a name for myself, not to croak under some idiot leader." "What''s the name of our mercenary group? Can you say it again Ernest?" replied Maxime apparently not caring about Ernest''sck of respect. "The saber-toothed tigers..." "That''s right, and why do you think I chose that name for our mercenary group?" Ernest didn''t understand directly, so Maxime took a step forward towards Ernest, reducing the distance between them to almost nothing. Seeing Maxime so close, Ernest panicked and took a step back. "That''s the difference between us, Ernest," Maxime added. "The saber-toothed tiger was an animal at the top of its food chain in an ancient era of my world. Even the mighty mammoth was just another prey item for a saber-toothed tiger." "And now that scenario has yed out again." "You were my prey and I was the predator." "Do you understand now, Ernest?" Watching the blond-haired, blue-eyed youngster, Ernest waspletely intimidated and even overwhelmed by Maxime''s aura. Rodrigo, Romuald and Tena, who were watching from further away, all closed their mouths. Swearing to themselves that they would never question their leader''s orders. Simply because he was such a madman, but at the same time gave off such a powerful vibe when he did. They now had far too much respect for him. Romuald was one of them, at the age of 30. He hoped this young man would change his lifepletely. He wasn''t afraid, just hopeful and bold. Soon, footsteps could be heard in the distance of the cave. "I heard noises over there, Baron Irut''s men may have found our base!" "Hurry up and save our men!" Hearing these voices in the distance Maxime smiled and looked at Ernest. "So now what are you going to do Ernest?" "Will you be the prey or the predator today?" The pressure Maxime was exerting seemed palpable. As if he''d already be a powerful man in this world. But in the end, that aura only barely suited that of a man who possessed a talent of unknown rank. "I..." Ernest bit his lips as the bandits'' footsteps could be heard more and more easily. "There''s five men over there!" "Shit there''s dead bodies all around them!" "Those are ourrades on the ground, kill them to avenge them!" At that moment Ernest made a decision. He unstrapped the bow and quiver from his back. He picked up one of the swords lying on the ground. Then he turned towards the bandits, leaving Maxime to see only his back. Rodrigo arrived first at his side, followed by Romuald and Tena. "Ernest, your bow was so important to you..." Rodrigo whispered quietly to Ernest. But Ernest ignored himpletely. "Chief, I still don''t agree with your methods." "But never mind, since I''m going to use you chief to be stronger, then I''ll let you use me." As he said this, Ernest made a few warm-up moves and cracked a few strained neck muscles. "Today, I will be your most loyal saber-toothed tiger." Chapter 36 A new challenge Maxime didn''t react at all, though he kept a straight face as he met Rodrigo''s gaze. Tena and Romuald didn''t understand what was going on either, but they couldn''t stay alert for long as they continued to be attacked by nearby bandits. Counting the seriously wounded and the dead, there were still over 30 bandits in fighting condition, surrounding the saber-toothed tigers. "Who gets in my way, dies!" Rodrigo charged ferociously towards the bandits separating him from Maxime. Killing a few of them quickly, at the cost of a few wounds, he easily got within a few meters of Maxime. But now there was an obstacle in front of him. A young man with long red hair stood like a wall between him and Maxime. "Vice-captain, I''ll kill you too if you block me!" Andrew frowned, but a voice came from behind him. "He''s currently at your level Andrew, let him through." "Okay, I''ll help the others then. Training should stop now." replied the red-haired youth. "Yeah, go help them."mented Maxime simply. Rodrigo became even more annoyed as he overheard their conversation. "What do you mean, training? Ernest''s death was part of your training?" Maxime looked up slightly at Rodrigo. "You think you''re powerful now?" Maxime clearly didn''t care what Rodrigo said, instead he asked him this simple question. But before Rodrigo could reply, he suddenly lost much of his strength and dropped to one knee. At the same time, Maxime stepped forward as a notice appeared in front of him: [All advantages conferred by the NOX LIMIT talent on the mercenary Romuald have been temporarily suspended]. Rodrigo looked at Maxime withplicated eyes. "What I give you, I can take back as easily as that." "And you failed, Rodrigo." "Failed? What the hell did I fail? My best friend has just been killed in front of my eyes!" shouted Rodrigo in frustration but also sadness. "He''s not dead," Maxime replied simply. Rodrigo turned around, but still saw Ernest lying on the ground. Indeed, Ernest wasn''t dead yet; his chest was inting and deting, showing that he was still breathing. The only difference was that Andrew had reached Ernest''s location and was fighting with all his might to ensure that no bandit would finish Ernest off. Andrew was also apanied by his 4 men on the battlefield, 2 of whom went to help Tena, one to help Romuald and thest to stand by Andrew''s side. This tipped the bnce of victory vaguely in favor of Maxime''s mercenaries. "And as long as I''m here, no one can die." "What do you mean by that, Maxime?" asked Rodrigo, his emotions still in chaos. "When the Pirans attacked Nansoy, 26 of the saber-toothed tigers died, but there were still 4 alive. Ernest was one of them." "But I don''t think he told you what happened in the end," Maxime rted lightly. "Didn''t you defeat the Piran soldiers and get your family into a shelter?" asked Rodrigo. "We did defeat the Piran soldiers, but someone of a certain status blocked my mother, my brother and my neighbors from entering the shelter." "A few things happened, and I took seven 9-minute bullets to the body." Speaking of which, Maxime''s tone was rtively detached. "Believe me, just two sword strokes won''t be enough to kill him, since he has a physique simr to mine." "But no matter, you could save him, couldn''t you? Why didn''t you?" asked Rodrigo, who had regained some strength and was now standing, still pissed off. "Because they''re just bandits, they have no armor, mediocre weapon handling skills, mediocre physique and their mainbat experience is intimidating civilians." exined Maxime. "On our side we have mercenaries with solid weapon-handling skills, mercenaries with a minimum physique of 1.5 points with at least light armor and who have all had real battlefield experience against powerful alien soldiers," he continued, while on the battlefield Andrew demonstrated extraordinary power. The other mercenaries were not to be outdone, easily fending off the bandits thanks to their teamwork and superior individualbat power. But Maxime still hadn''t said the most important thing. "Practically speaking, I don''t take these bandits seriously. They''re barely enough to be used as training and as a test." "Training, test?" asked a surprised Rodrigo. "Yes, we agreed with Andrew while we were walking through the forest, that I would take the group''s potential future leaders with me and test their mental and decision-making abilities at the critical moment." "But it''s too dangerous! Why put our lives in danger!?" "I told you, as long as I''m here none of my mercenaries can die here." asserted Maxime in a confident but also cold tone. "But..." Maxime cut Rodrigo off directly. "The active ability of my talent allows me to increase the physique of saber-toothed tigers close to me by 50%, for 30 minutes. Since Ernest''s physique is currently 2.1 points, if increased by 50% it will exceed 3 points." "Perhaps in this world the information isn''t broadcast, but from my side I know that when our physique exceeds 3 points, life expectancy is increased by 50 years." "The vital flow that apanies a physique of more than 3 points is extremely important. I might as well say that if I use it now, Ernest will be back to full strength in less than 3 minutes." Rodrigo was temporarily stunned by this exnation. "But you used your talent against the Pirans less than 7 days ago! You need 7 days between each use, don''t you?" "My body in Eternity and my body in reality are not the same, they are simply synchronized." "So the recharging time is drastically reduced, from 7 days to 3, because my soul still has to recover." Maxime refuted. Rodrigo seemed lost as he discovered the whole truth. "Getting back to the facts Rodrigo, you deserted the battlefield, abandoning yourrades who were already in danger, and attacked your leader, threatening to kill him," Maxime exined as he grabbed Rodrigo by the throat and lifted him up. The point difference between their physiques became so significant after the benefits of Maxime''s talent disappeared from Rodrigo, that Rodrigo had no resistance. This lowered his talent to one star and thus limited his power to 1.5 physique points. "How powerful is this man to do this to a manparable to amander!?" "I really hope their leader stays there or we''re all dead!" Some of the bandits who had known Rodrigo''s power were extremely shocked when they saw this scene. "Should I kill you here and now to set an example?" threatened Maxime. "I...I..." Rodrigo couldn''t speak because of theck of oxygen. His face quickly began to turn very pale. His thoughts began to be veryplicated as he thought about his siblings, his parents. About his future, his goals, his revenge. But Maxime thought for a moment and then let go of Rodrigo. Thetter ended up kneelingpletely, his gaze on the ground as he recovered oxygen with difficulty. "I want you to face one of the two banditmanders when they arrive and submit one of them in 1vs1," ordered Maxime in a dry, emotionless tone. Rodrigo saw some hope, raised his head to look at Maxime and eximed: "Yes, boss!" "I''d like to warn you that if they''re at Jorgi''s level, then they have at least a 2-point physique, so at least 0.3 points more than you, as well as terrifying experience on the battlefield." Normally, the pinnacle of a 2-star potential was a 2-point physique, but a 2-star potential was already worthy of a good investment. So it regrly happened that a 2-star potential exceeded his limit thanks to various potions, extraordinary nts or even thanks to a method to be a knight for the luckiest and most deserving among them. "No worries boss, I''ll fulfill the mission you''ve given me!" Rodrigo was filled with new vigor after experiencing an explosive cocktail of emotions. It was also at this moment that the other two small squads of saber-toothed tigers led by Terry and Izo arrived. Seeing the situation, they didn''t greet Maxime and went straight to theirrade on the small battlefield that had formed. Rodrigo also returned,pletely reversing the course of the battlefield. The bandits werepletely overpowered and massacred. Watching the scene, Maxime was pensive. "I wonder if I could integrate the two banditmanders into the saber-toothed tigers?" "Maybe I could integrate the bandit leader too?" "If I can recruit them and take their potential to the next level, I''ll have both mercenaries with significant battlefield experience but also mercenaries who will be very powerful in the future." "However if they''ve done anything to do with Quessoi..."@@novelbin@@ As Maxime''s thoughts rambled on, the battlefield took another turn. The twomanders, Organ and Laura, arrived with arge number of men. Chapter 38 Bandits captured In the midst of the chaos, an unassuming-looking man in a ck mask quietly arrived from the depths of the cave. The two protagonists'' eyes met at that moment, as if they had recognized each other''s identity. Maxime, who hadn''t moved a step since the beginning, finally took his first step. He began to cross the battlefield with a steady, patient step, as if he were walking in a park. Several bandits saw an opportunity and tried to attack Maxime. But seeing their leader make a move, all the elders of the saber-toothed tiger group gathered around him and used their bodies to protect him. The other mercenaries also moved towards Maxime under the orders of their superior. Thanks to the mercenaries'' fighting strength, none of the bandits could get within 10 meters of Maxime. This created a more than surprising situation. If Baron Barthon were present, his eyes would pop out of their sockets at such a sight. Even viscounts would be surprised, let alone a baron. Maxime continued to walk as the blood continued to flow around him. The man in the ck mask also walked calmly towards Maxime. Finally, the two men stopped less than 5 meters apart. Maxime thought slightly about something, then smiled while keeping his eyes cool. "You''re a gambler, aren''t you?" This possibility had been mentioned in ss by Riva. ... 2 months earlier. "It is possible using a certain method to go into the world of other yers and synchronize with their space-time." Hearing this, the whole ss was shocked. "Shit, Maxime do you hear that?" asked Samuel looking shocked. But Maxime didn''t answer and even looked sleepy, but he listened attentively to every word the teacher said. "This method is used by extremely wealthy families for their children who are endowed with a low affinity for space-time, and who therefore had a low connection time," Riva exined. "But the original method of reaching a world and ce controlled by a powerful person in the real world was far too expensive so most of the time, wealthy families used a weakened version of it." This weakened version allowed two things: joining a world with a time-space that allowed you to stay connected for at least two weeks, and secondly a world that was still at the beginning of its history." "I just want to tell you one thing, no one who is not at the top, to other powerful yers in their world." concluded Riva in a solemn tone. ... Returning to the present. A silence fell between the two as the fighting continued around them. "What do you think of an alliance to conquer this world together?" finally replied the man in the ck mask. His voice sounded rather young, which surprised Maxime. "You destroyed the families of some of my mercenaries, it''s impossible," Maxime exined coldly. "What are the lives of a few mercenariespared to the immortality we can achieve by allying ourselves!" "If your men count for so little in your eyes, that''s your problem. On my side, every one of my mercenaries is important to me." The man in the ck mask appeared angry at Maxime''s response. "It''s extremely rare to be able to meet other yers in the world of Eternity, it''s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" But Maxime knew from Riva''s advice that the man in front of him was only greedy for the power of his mercenaries. So, without saying a word, he suddenly charged the masked man in front with his sword. But thetter easily repelled him with his own sword. "What do you think you''re doing? I''m already 20 years old and in thest two years, despite my ordinary talent, I''ve already lived more than 6 months in Eternity!" But Maxime just smiled, after all this man didn''t know that he himself had already lived more than 2 months in Eternity, and that he was about to live at least 4 months in total less than a month after his birthday in the real world. "You should never havee to my territory," Maxime asserted coercively. "NOX Limit." he whispered, after which all the saber-toothed tigers, including Ernest still on the ground and protected by a few mercenaries, underwent drastic changes. But it was the bandits, including Organ and Laura, who were most affected. Their whole outlook on life had been drastically altered. Andrew and Rodrigo, who had previously fought them on more or less equal terms, began to dominate them. The two banditmanders could no longer fight back under the storm of attacks they were under. The ordinary bandits, who were already at a disadvantage, lost all hope in the face of these monstrously powerful enemies. Soon, some of the bandits began to surrender their weapons. At the same time, Maxime''s eyes became translucent white, while his aura was visible to the naked eye. It was the qi that his body was closing up that was escaping in gaseous form. The masked man lost all hope immediately upon seeing the changed situation and wanted to flee. But no sooner did the idea of escape emerge in his mind, than a sword pierced his heart. Seeing the white-eyed young man in front of him, a deep sense of fear took hold of his mind at the same time as immense regret. "I should have been more discreet..." he thought. Maxime withdrew his sword and dropped the body of the yer in front of him. Ding! [150 gold coins obtained]. Maxime smiled at the notification, and immediately wanted to use the gold to strengthen his swordsman ss and open a new ss. But he put all thoughts of this out of his mind, since he still had a group of mercenaries to feed, and there was no hurry. He looked at the man on the ground, then removed his mask. He tried to remember every feature of the bandit leader''s youthful face in case he saw him again in the real world. He''d have to be careful in the real world too, since once his identity was revealed, he could be pursued by the gambler''s wealthy family. Maxime turned and saw that the fighting behind him had ended, with all the bandits still alive having dropped their weapons and gone to their knees. This included Organ and Laura. Organ wore aplicated expression as he looked at Rodrigo, whose face was now disfigured but recovering visibly. Laura kept an impassive face, Andrew himself unable to understand what was going on in the woman''s brain. Because, to his surprise, despite the power of Maxime''s talent, Laura still managed to defend with difficulty. It was only when she saw her boss die that she immediately gave up. ... Real world. A young man suddenly awoke in a strange, dark ce, various mysterious patterns glittering on a stone floor. Not far away, a well-dressed man was sitting on a sofa.@@novelbin@@ The man stood up startled. "Why are you awake already, Jerry?" "Uncle, the man who owned this world was far too powerful! We shouldn''t have tried to modify the ancestral method!" the youngster who had just woken up replied in a panic. "No, the modification was good. Other children in the family had already tried it, and they all seeded!" Uncle thought of something and hardened his tone. "On the other hand, modifying the method means you''re up against some very powerful geniuses. So the elders of the family advised to be absolutely discreet when first connecting and not to be noticed." "Jerry, what have you done!?" he continued annoyed. "I didn''t think a genie could still be so powerful after so little time in Eternity!" replied Jerry in a panic. "Shit, all you had to do was stay still just during your first connection and once you survived you''d have been linked forever to the genie world!" Uncle stepped forward and pped Jerry across the face, using much of his strength. Some of Jerry''s teeth flew out, while he himself lost his bnce and fell to the ground. Hatred seized Jerry as he thought back to the face of the blond-haired, white-eyed young man who had killed him. "What did the genius who killed you look like, nephew?" the uncle asked softly, now having discharged his anger. His bright future squandered, Jerry''s eyes shone with hatred as he told his uncle about Maxime''s appearance as well as the power of his mercenaries. "Indeed it''s strange, but with so many details we''ll easily find him during the university contest, I just hope he''s in our kingdom otherwise it''ll be a bit moreplicated to avenge you." exined the uncle after some thought. ... Back to Maxime''s world of Eternity. Maxime had manually deactivated his talent, so that he could always activate itter. Unfortunately, his control over his talent was rtively weak, so even if he''d used it for less than a minute, if he had to reactivate it he wouldn''t have 29 minutes of activation left, but rather around 3 minutes. But at least he still had his trump card. In front of him knelt Laura and Organ, followed by all the bandits. Maxime''s mercenaries formed a circle around them, making sure none of them could think of escaping. "Now it''s our turn. Chapter 40 Rescue "Damn, why did I forget that detail..." He had arrived in arge space fitted out with 3 small wooden houses. On the left side were several dark entrances leading to the depths of the cave. Seeing the dpidated state of these houses, there was no doubt that the bandits weren''t staying here. Seeing the people living here, Maxime''s gaze was sombre. In front of him were many women with lean bodies and sunken faces, their clothes virtually non-existent. If their eyes didn''t blink, Maxime would think they were just corpses. Not far from them, too, were malnourished children who looked on with fear but also curiosity at Maxime and his group of mercenaries. Everyone hade out of the houses after hearing the noise caused by the fighting. In all, Maxime could quickly count that there were 5 women and a dozen children. "Really, a beast in human form, how can anyone be so cruel?" expressed Maxime angrily. His words were heard by the rest of the mercenaries, who said nothing, but their expressions were not pretty. However, their impression of their leader increased slightly. "Anyway, who''s the son of a bandit here?" asked Maxime aloud with boredom. He remembered well the promise he''d made to Romain the bandit, and he intended to fulfill it. The children looked at each other, then one of them struggled to his feet. But before Maxime could say anything, all the children stood up, staring at the blond man in front of them in bewilderment. Maxime tapped his forehead lightly with his palm in annoyance. Some of the mercenaries smiled. Shaking his head slightly, Maxime rified his request. "Whoever has a father named Romain, stand, the rest sit." A 7/8-year-old girl with short hair stood, calmly looking at Maxime. "I killed your father," Maxime said simply, looking at the little girl. In this world, he had no time for moods. His main objective was always to be strong enough to at least protect his family in the real world. And Maxime guessed she''d soon discover the truth, so he might as well tell her straight out. The little girl blinked several times, but answered nothing. "He made me promise to take care of you," Maxime continued. "But you still have the freedom to choose. "Either you join the mercenary troop that killed your father and be logistics personnel or even a warrior."@@novelbin@@ "Or I''ll give you 10 gold coins and a sword and you can leave here on your own." "So what do you want to do?" questioned Maxime without a hint of warmth. The little girl remained silent for a few seconds. The children beside her and all the mercenaries looked at her. The atmosphere was heavy. Many of the mercenaries had blood on their clothes and weapons. An ordinary little girl would have run away long ago at this sight. Yet she showed no sign of shyness. "I...I..." "I...I''d like to...argh." The little girl wanted to speak, but she couldn''t get the words right. Maxime frowned. "Peter, go give her some of your water." "Yes chief!" After Peter had given her some water, the little girl''s face turned a little redder. The other children looked at her enviously. "I...I''d like to join you..." she finally replied, looking directly at Maxime. "Okay, you''ll be responsible for washing our mercenaries'' clothes from today onwards." dered Maxime. He turned and pointed to one of the 6 new mercenaries in charge of logistics. "You''ll take care of this little one and teach her everything she needs to know." "Yes chief!" Maxime nodded in satisfaction, then turned to leave. "Laura, Organ, now show me the way to riches!" he ordered with a happy face. Seeing his back, the remaining women had no particr expression, but the children were surprised. They knew that no matter how good or bad this man was, if they stayed in this cave they wouldn''t survive more than a few days. Organ and Laura inadvertently looked at each other, each with a puzzled look, but they quickly understood each other. "Yes, boss! Follow us," replied Organ energetically as they headed deeper into the cave. Some of the mercenaries looked pityingly at the women and children, but only shook their heads and avoided the unfortunates'' gaze. This was also the case for the mercenaries from Quessoi, but whether Andrew, Peter, Terry, James or Izo, each wisely chose to remain silent. For the newly recruited mercenaries, however, this was not the case. They knew these women and children. One of them gritted his teeth and ran to Maxime. Seeing one of their former bandit colleagues do this, several of them felt an impulse deep in their hearts and followed him. They soon arrived in front of Maxime. Of course, everyone had noticed these little movements, but no one had tried to stop them. Firstly, if these bandits wanted to do something dangerous then, let alone hit Maxime, it would be nice if they could still stay alive after a sword thrust. Secondly, and also the main reason, most of the mercenaries were rtively young and wanted to save these women and children. Maxime stopped, but said curtly: "I already know what you want. But we''re a group of mercenaries, not a group of bandits. So please don''t talk to me about taking these women and children with us." This directly stopped the breath of both the former bandits and the mercenaries behind Maxime. However, the first to run did not admit defeat as he gritted his teeth and replied: "To be honest, these women have beenpletely destroyed by our...formerrades. But these children still have a future ahead of them!" Maxime smiled slightly inwardly, but outwardly he wore a very cold expression. "So do yourself a favor and put these women out of their misery. But we''re not an orphanage or a charity, these children will have their own destiny in their own hands." Maxime didn''t stop there as he turned and shouted: "That goes for everyone here too, need I repeat that you are mercenaries from now on! In the future you''ll see scenes far more awful and pitiful than today!" "Every time we have to save everyone? With what money can I ask you? "Let''s imagine we save hundreds of women and children, can you imagine how much food hundreds of people eat every day?" "And we''ll have to lug them from battlefield to battlefield every time?" "And what if our future enemies kidnap these children? Have you thought about that?" Maxime swept his gaze over the crowd behind him, but no one dared reply. He turned back to the bandits, most of whom wore bitter expressions in the face of this reality. "If you understand, move!" ordered Maxime furiously. The former bandits moved aside, except for one who remained standing, meeting Maxime''s eyes. Maxime found it surprising that, after such a situation, a former bandit was still standing up to him. "They used to tell me at school that ordinary bandits were all cowards, but it seems there are still exceptions," Maxime thought happily, despite his expression. In reality, Maxime came very close to the former bandit, and just as their faces were about to meet, Maxime whispered in a very slow but dry tone: "Move...from...there!" But the former bandit didn''t move an inch. "If food is a problem for these children, I''ll use all my ie to pay for food for these children," he replied firmly. Maxime opened his mouth to speak, but the former bandit cut him off directly. "If you''re afraid they''ll slow us down, I''ll train them to develop their physique every day, even if it means shortening their life expectancy!" he shouted in a deafening voice. His courage and determination impressed the mercenaries. "If you''re worried about them being a weak point, I''ll train them as soon as possible to be warriors with no fear of death! That way, if they''re ever captured, they''ll kill themselves immediately!" The bandit''s voice was muffled after he had given his all to utter these few sentences, but his expression retained a steely determination. Maxime remained silent, prolonging the strange atmosphere. "What''s your first name?" Maxime asked calmly. "Irus, Chief" replied the former bandit briskly. Maxime suddenly lifted his leg, then, with intense momentum, threw it towards Irus. *crack* Several of the bones in Irus'' abdomen were shattered as he flew some ten meters. Hisnding a few momentster was just as painful, as his skin rubbed against the ground. As many people looked on in shock, the person who had been speaking so forcefully the moment before found himself spitting blood on the ground the next. Maxime slowly retracted his leg. "Irus, can you still hear me?" Maxime questioned loudly. The former bandit, barely regaining his senses, heard Maxime''s voice. "I hear you, Chief. "From now on, you''ll be in charge of the nine children left here as you see fit." Irus, who was spitting blood, was extremely happy to hear these words. "Thank you, Chief!" replied Irus contentedly, but still spitting blood at the end of his sentence. "However, you''ll have to stay with the saber-toothed group until each of these children grows to adulthood. During this time, you will receive no wages from the saber-toothed tigers unless you perform a meritorious act." Irus thanked Maxime once again for his kindness, despite his seemingly heavy punishment. Maxime passed his gaze to the former bandits who had apanied Irus. "As for you..." Chapter 42 Rapid evolution Simultaneously in the cave, there was a joyful atmosphere. "What did you say, Tena? Can you tell me again how much money that damned bandit leader had hidden here?" "There''s over 30,000 silver coins as well as a hundred gold coins, chief!" Tena the saber-toothed tiger treasurer had a broad smile present on her pretty face. Indeed, while she and a few other mercenaries were sorting through the items on Treasure Mountain, they found a wooden chest filled with silver and gold coins. When she found it, she couldn''t help but cry out in amazement. With the help of a dozen mercenaries requisitioned in a hurry, they counted the coins to arrive at this bluffing result. "The thieving business does indeed pay well," Maxime thought greedily. For a few seconds, he even wondered whether it wouldn''t be better to be a thief instead of a mercenary. But thinking of the disasters these thieves were wreaking on the world of Eternity, a trace of hatred couldn''t help but appear in Maxime''s eyes. This trace disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, as Maxime reflected. "Setting up checkpoints might be a good idea..." "When merchants pass through the trade routes between towns, we can take a few gold coins and in exchange we make sure there are no more thieves in the area." "At the same time, if any do appear, we can recruit them if they don''t cross a certain moral line." "Merchants will also benefit since they won''t have to pay mercenaries or escortpanies to make the trips, or at least they''ll pay a lot less than before." Ideas shed through Maxime''s mind, but he quickly shook his head. "Bad idea, we''re still too weak. We should at least have the power of a viscount to avoid the risk of being surrounded and then attacked by the army of several barons." A solution to this problem did emerge in Maxime''s mind, but in the short term he didn''t dare think about it. Perhaps in the future he''ll actually use this method. "Tena, I''m going to put most of this fortune in a safe ce, and the rest will keep the mercenary group going," Maxime exined, ordering everyone out of the cave. Tena nodded in agreement, then passed on Maxime''s words to the rest of the mercenaries. Once everyone had left, Maxime found himself alone in front of the chest filled with coins. "Shit, in total this chest contains a value of over 400 gold coins, it''s crazy!" murmured Maxime. Specifically, it was 40 times more than the sum he used to create "Les Tigres ¨¤ Dents de sabres". Byparison, Knight Ron was offering just 200 gold coins to fight Baron Barthon. 200 gold pieces was also the sum Baron Barthon had offered to eradicate the bandits, and now that it was done, there was normally another 300 gold pieces to collect from the baron. But Maxime didn''t think he could easily get those 300 gold coins. For him, what was real had to be able to hold firmly in his hands. Now with such wealth in front of him, Maxime had to think carefully about how to use this money. "With the university exam approaching, my priority is to build up my personal strength. Having mercenaries under one''smand gives bonus points, but these points aren''t as important as those assessing physical strength." "System disys my bnce please." [Avable bnce: 175 gold coins]. "Basically I had 20 gold coins, plus 5 gold coins sry obtained thanks to my adjutant title by the system and finally the 150 gold coins given for killing a yer in his world." "Now I have two choices, either I strengthen my swordsman ss, or I open a new ss." "But I''ve learned that it''s usually best to maximize your sses before opening a new one, in order to maximize the chances of an umon or even rare ss appearing." Indeed, even sses had various different degrees of rating depending on the bonuses they brought as well as skills. For example, swordsman was amon ss, horseman was an umon ss, berserker was a rare ss. There were even sses like dragon tamer, but these were above rare and required extremely strict conditions to appear. To maximize both his strength and his potential, Maxime decided to reinforce only his swordsman ss and not open any new sses for the time being. In front of him, the sign for the Swordsman ss appeared. [Swordsman: 0/100 +] Then Maxime firmly pressed the "+". [Swordsman: 1/100 +] [Swordsman: 9/100 +] [Ep¨¦iste: 24/100 +] [Swordsman: 37/100 +] [Swordsman: 55/100 +] [Swordsman: 63/100 +] As he did so, Maxime felt a trace of warmth run through his body, strengthening it. He felt so at ease that he would have let out a groaning cry if he hadn''t known that it was echoing throughout the cave, so the mercenaries could have heard him. [Swordsman: 87/100 +] [Swordsman: 95/100 +] [Swordsman: 100/100]. Ding! Swordsman" ss increased by one level] [Swordsman: 87/100 +] [Swordsman: 95/100 +] [Swordsman: 100/100] Ding! [Swordsman ss has reached level 4]. Ding! [Your passive traits have been improved]. [You go from a 5% physics bonus when holding a sword to 7%] [You go from a 10% efficiency bonus when training with a sword to 15%] Ding! [Your physique has improved by 0.2 points]. Feeling his strength improve, Maxime grinned happily. "With this I should be able topete head on with Romuald." But as he thought of something, Maxime''s smile disappeared. "In my sses, I''ve heard that you need at least 3 points in physics to be a knight. And even that''s only the minimum to be one, once they awaken their vital seed, their physique can easily reach 3.5 points and using certain special techniques, a recently promoted knight can even reach 3.8 points!" "Not to mention senior knights who can reach 4 points without special techniques after arduous training and many years on the battlefield..." "And after that, there are still the great knights who are the next stage up from the knight and finally the epic knight." "Typically a storytelling family has one grand knight and several senior knights." "A marquis family has at least 3 grand knights and a dozen senior knights." However, the power of a duke''s family and the royal family seemed to be a total mystery. But generally, it was said that in the royal family there was an epic knight! The epic knight is still above the stage of grand knight. Of course, there were also mercenaries who could match the stage of grand knight and even epic knight, but they were much rarer. At the very least, to reach the strength level of a grand chevalier, you''d need to have 6-star potential. But finding people with such high potential was almost a miracle in a kingdom. At least, it was known that in the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, the most famous mercenary group captains had a potential of around 5 stars, such as the captain of the Silver Knights. Their deputies generally had 3-star potential, which was already very good. But all that was a long way off for Maxime. He began to collect a lot of silver and gold coins from the chest to fill his bnce. [Current bnce: 75 gold coins]. [Current bnce: 90 gold coins and 2100 silver coins]. [Current bnce: 110 gold coins and 4900 silver coins]. ... [Current bnce: 150 gold coins and 15,000 silver coins]. Ding! [Automatic conversion of silver coins into gold coins]. Ding! [Current bnce: 300 gold coins]. A trace of firmness appeared on Maxime''s face then, without a second thought, he upgraded his swordsman ss once more. He left 25 gold coins and 15,000 silver coins to the mercenary group and used all the rest to strengthen himself! ording to his calctions, he should be able to upgrade 2 more swordsman sses. [Swordsman: 0/125 +] [Swordsman: 23/125 +] [Swordsman: 48/125 +] [Swordsman: 99/125 +] [Swordsman: 125/125]@@novelbin@@ Ding! [The "swordsman" ss has gone up one level]. [Swordsman ss has reached level 5]. Ding! [Your passive traits have been improved]. [You go from a 7% physics bonus when holding a sword to 9%] [You go from a 15% efficiency bonus when training with a sword to 20%] Ding! [Your physique has improved by 0.3 points]. Seeing that the physics bonus had increased to 0.3 points, Maxime was very happy. But thinking about the amount of gold coins he was spending, Maxime sighed. "At first it only cost me 10 or 20 gold coins to increase my physics by 0.2 points." "Now I''m spending 10 times as much for exactly the same thing..." But Maxime didn''t think about it for too long. He''d known it was like that for a long time, and it was normal, since the amount of energy needed to go from 1 physics point to 1.2 was not at all the same as that needed to go from 2 to 2.2. And the more physics improved, the higher the price! Hence the interest in the future of unlocking very good sses to improve the ratio between the gold coins spent and the gain in strength brought about by the expenditure. Tofort himself, Maxime looked at the evolution of his physique on his stats page. [Physique : 1,95 --> 2,45] [Current bnce: 175 gold coins] [Swordsman: 0/150 +] "Let''s go for the 3rd wave of leveling up today!" Now that he''d already spent several hundred gold coins on saber-toothed tigers, and was even being vaguely surpassed in strength by several members, he wasn''t regretting the investment at all! He also knew that if he''d invested everything in his sses and not in the group, he''d never have been able to protect his family and neighbors. One person''s energy was limited. [Current bnce: 175 gold pieces] [Swordsman: 0/150 +] [Swordsman: 37/150 +] [Swordsman: 86/150 +] [Swordsman: 128/150 +] [Swordsman: 150/150] Ding! [Swordsman" ss increased by one level]. [Swordsman ss has reached level 6]. Ding! [Your passive traits have been improved]. [You go from a 9% physics bonus when holding a sword to 11%] [You go from a 20% efficiency bonus when training with a sword to 25%] Ding! [Your physique has improved by 0.3 points]. Ding! [You''ve unlocked a new talent!] Chapter 43 Repelling a knight! [You''ve unlocked a new talent!] "A new talent?" [Knight talent: weak] "I''ve unlocked the knight talent?" Maxime was pleasantly surprised, indeed he didn''t know that reaching level 6 of the swordsman ss could confer this talent. This could be exined by the fact that rich and powerful families blocked a lot of information, but also because nobody had exactly the same sses. "So now one of my goals is to find a knight breathing method!" "As long as I have one, I''ll have a method other than money to increase my stats!" "And above all my fighting power will increase significantly!" Maxime clenched his fist, happy with the changes. "As long as I don''t meet any knights, I''m invincible!" "System disys my stats while indicating the differences from the start of the day." Identity: Maxime Valdreuve. ss: Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique) Swordsman level 3 --> 6 (+5% physics) (0/175) Unlocked a new ss: 0/50 Physique: 2.75 (+0.22 ss bonus) (+0.30 passive trait bonus) Qi: 0 Skills : Swordsmanship level 2 (70/100) Fraguage proficiency level 2 (35/100) Passive trait : +5% --> +11% physicality when wielding a sword +10% --> 25% training efficiency with a sword. Talent : NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/1000) Minor stamina talent Minor strength talent Knight talent: weak Money avable: 25 gold coins. Mercenary: Andrew: Three-star potential. Physical: 2,3 Terry: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.7 James: Two star potential. Physical: 1.8 Piedro: Two-star potential. Physics: 1.8 Izo: Two star potential. Physics: 1.9 Peter: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.6 Alessandro: Two star potential. Physics: 1.5 Ronny: Two star potential. Physical: 1.6 Romuald: Two star potential and a minor talent in physics. Physical: 2.3 Joe: Two star potential. Physical: 1.5 Tena: Two-star potential and a minor intelligence talent. Physical: 2 Rodrigo: Two-star potential and an elemental affinity with the earth. Physical: 1.9 Ernest: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.2 ... After a month''s training, the statistics of all the mercenaries had indeed changed. The only mercenary with no change was Romuald. Probably because of his talent, since usually a mercenary with two-star potential reached a maximum of 2 physics points. Romuald was able to reach 2.3 points thanks to his minor talent in physics, but this was indeed the limit of his talent. Maxime sighed slightly at this realization; even his Nox Limit talent couldn''t do more at the moment. Perhaps when he took his talent to the next level, things would change. At the same time, Maxime noted the statistics of a few new members. Romain''s daughter: Potential unknown, talent unknown. Physical: 0.4 Child: Potential unknown, talent unknown. Physical: 0.3 Child: Potential unknown, talent unknown. Physical: 0.5 Child: Potential unknown, talent unknown. Physical: 0.4 ... "It seems normal that the system isn''t omniscient and doesn''t know the first name of each individual in the group, but the practical side being that it records an image of each individual so that at least there''s something to know who''s who."mented Maxime in a whisper. Maxime knew that it was normal for the system not to be able to disy the potential and talent of these children. A person''s potential and talent couldn''t be known before the age of 16 ording to normal methods. ... Irus: Potential 2 stars. Physical: 1.3 Organ: Potential 3 stars. Physical: 2.1 Laura: 3-star potential. Physical: 2.3 ... "As expected, Irus isn''t very strong, but with his courage he may be able to aplish great things." "On the side of the former bandit leaders, they have somehow managed to ovee the limits of their potentials before, and managed to achieve these impressive scores." "2.1 physique points for Organ is impressive given her age, but the most shocking thing is still Laura." "2.3 physique points, how on earth did she achieve that physique without any particr talent?" As Maxime pondered intensely the various changes that had urred recently, a loud voice came from the distance, disrupting his moment of introspection. "Chief!" Maxime turned and saw Peter running towards him. "No good! Knight Ron and his men have entered the cave!" "Our men are also facing them with Andrew as leader, but at any moment a confrontation could take ce!" Looking at Peter''s sweaty face and his ominous words, Maxime took on a solemn look. ... At the entrance to the cave. "I see some familiar faces around here," Ron dered humorously. In front of him were still many corpses that had not yet been buried. Andrew stood at the front of the dozens of saber-toothed tiger mercenaries. His face seemed somewhat cold as he gripped the handle of his sword tightly. His sword still hanging from the sheath on his belt. "Chevalier Ron, as you can see we''ve been dealing with the bandits who were ransacking the viges in the area." "So you can leave with a clear conscience," Andrew dered in a tone devoid of emotion. Ron put on a disgruntled face, then ordered directly: "Search this cave from top to bottom, find the bandit leader''s head and his treasures." The men apanying him immediately set to work, advancing fearlessly towards the mercenaries blocking their path. "You dare!" shouted Andrew, drawing his sword and pointing it at the advancing soldiers. All the mercenaries also drew their weapons, ready to fight at any moment. In addition, the rest of the mercenaries and the recently recruited bandits continued to arrive. The original dozens of mercenaries soon grew to around fifty, and the numbers kept rising. The situation worsened as more people kept arriving. As their side grew stronger, the mercenaries'' momentum gradually increased, although it was still intimidating to face a hundred trained soldiers with a knight at their head. Ron stepped forward, his face grim. "Amon third-rate mercenary dares to threaten a knight?" "If you don''t move out of the way, I''ll see to it that you do, whether you like it or not." But Andrew didn''t move an inch, and stood his ground with a firm face. However, many of the mercenaries panicked. Most came from Nansoy and had long heard of the martial prowess a knight could wield. It was even said that it was better to face a 3-meter-high orc than a knight! Of course, Andrew and the Quessoi mercenaries had also heard about it from the old vige chief. But fear is one thing, defying it another. "Dare to attack and we''ll show you that we third-rate mercenaries, like you said, aren''t vegetarians," Andrew dered, challenging Ron. The straight backs of Piedro, Izo and Romuald, who were standing at Andrew''s side, reassured the rest of the mercenaries behind. Some even found the courage to step forward and stand beside them. "How childish and naive," Ronmented with a cold face. Since he had awakened his vital seed and be a knight, he had rarely been challenged in such a way, let alone by vulgar mercenaries of no renown. Even if he was challenged, it was at least by another baron''s knights. "Since that''s what you wish." The next moment Ron''s silhouette disappeared from its previous location, then reappeared right in front of Andrew. Andrew''s eyes widened in amazement as he was able to follow Ron''s silhouette with his own eyes, but he had absolutely no time to react to protect himself. Ron still had some restraint and simply used his fist. This was simply to avoid losses on his side, but also to give himself one more chance to subdue the mercenary group. "Once this is over, I''ll make sure I bring this mercenary group back and use it well against Baron Barthon..." "If Baron Irut has a few more chess pieces, it will increase his chances of sess." As various thoughts ran through Knight Ron''s mind, a blurred silhouette passed over the mercenaries. Then, before the shocked eyes of Andrew, the mercenaries and the soldiers, an individual crossed his fist with that of Chevalier Ron. The individual took 5 steps back from the impact, while Knight Ron took 3. But it was enough to shock everyone. "Chevalier Ron, dare to attack my men, you don''tck courage." Ron still looked lost as he saw the young, blond-haired figure standing before him.@@novelbin@@ "You...how is this possible?" asked Ron shocked. But he quickly calmed down; years of training and time spent on the battlefield had given him extraordinaryposure. "Even if I didn''t use all my strength, an elite soldier would have been seriously injured if he''d taken my blow..." thought Ron quickly. "But this guy was even able to fend me off. If he doesn''t have the strength of a knight, he shouldn''t be far from the minimum threshold." Ron''s analytical skills deserved praise; with his experience he could estimate an opponent''s strength after a simple exchange. But it made him even more confused. After all, this kind of character shouldn''t exist in their region. "Can you remind me of your identity, young man?" asked Ron with a face quite different from when he was addressing Andrew. "Maxime, captain of the saber-toothed tigers," Maxime replied simply. Obviously he wasn''t going to reveal his family name in this world where having a family name was synonymous with nobility. Andrew and the mercenaries who knew Maxime''s strength well were now totally confused. A few weeks earlier, they''d had simr strength, so how could their captain''s strength have changed so suddenly? Ron took a quick breath to put his thoughts in order. "It is now impossible to subdue this group by force without suffering casualties." Chapter 45 The Trigger "Now let''s talk well, let''s talk little. Tell me all about your n," Maxime asked with serious eyes. This was no joke; he was betting his future and the lives of all his mercenaries on this mission. Ron sighed slightly, then began to exin everything to Maxime. After a good hour''s listening, Maxime had a better understanding of what had gone into triggering this n, but he also got a good impression of Baron Irut. It turned out that bandits had been operating throughout the region for several years. They regrly targeted viges with rtively few defenses, charging "protection fees". If these protection fees weren''t paid, a variety of vige-rted idents quickly followed. These ranged from a few hunters never returning from the mountains to convoys of goods sent by the vige disappearing as if they''d never existed. The various barons in charge of these viges repeatedly tried to set traps for the bandits, but to no avail. On the contrary, various mysterious incidents urred in the barons'' towns. These incidents could simply be sudden bursts of fire in the middle of the night, or gossip about the barons circting in town. On two asions, however, the barons'' hidden mistresses were murdered. Since then, most barons have be frightened, and these protection costs have be normal over time. But in thest few days, the bandits had gonepletely mad, going so far as to plunder vigespletely, leaving nothing but ashes and despair behind them. Maxime knew that this had been intensified by the arrival of the bandit leader. But Baron Irut had been investigating for several years, and various clues pointed to Baron Barthon as the mastermind. The trouble was, the affair had been going on for so long that Baron Barthon was no longer the only one involved. There were also other barons who seemed to have joined Baron Barthon in tacitly epting the protection fee. This allowed them to add a new source of ie without risking any discontent from the vigers. In any case, they couldn''t catch the bandits, so they didn''t care. But Baron Irut exploded with anger at the news. For him, it was totally uneptable to exploit the vigers, whose lives were already soplicated, with these new "taxes". Talking about this part, Maxime noticed that Ron''s eyes shone with respect and admiration. Later, after he had calmed down, Baron Irut called together several of his rtives and knights and exined the problem. After some discussion, they discovered that the problem was also an opportunity! A legitimate opportunity to dere war on Baron Barthon, punish him in the name of the Kingdom and gain the title of Viscount by reiming hisnds!@@novelbin@@ From then on, they prepared their n to eradicate Baron Barthon''s family and seize hisnds! ording to information, only 1 knight served him, but Baron Barthon was also a knight, and among knights he was very strong. There were also more than twenty apprentice knights. On Baron Irut''s side, in addition to Ron, there was another knight named Tersan. Baron Irut was also a knight, but he didn''t practice regrly because of his deep involvement in his territory. So, on the face of it, the bnce of power was slightly in Baron Irut''s favor. But Baron Barthon could enlist the support of other barons at any time. Baron Irut, on the other hand, rarely took part in noble gatherings, and due to his unique outlook onmoners, was one of the marginalized nobles. And marginalized was a strong word. Indeed, he often came into conflict with other nobles because of his ideals. As a result, he was still in open conflict with Baron Kenepis, whose territory adjoined that of Baron Irut. There was also Baron Terquan, who threatened to intervene on Baron Kenepis''s behalf if Baron Irut didn''t apologize officially for certain things that had happened. When Chevalier Ron told him all this, Maxime almost began to regret his choice. This wasn''t the real world; if one of his mercenaries died here, he''d really die. And no doubt, there would be many deaths in the near future. But the path of a mercenary was like that, there were no great rewards without risk. And this path was always paved with the blood of enemies and friends alike. As Maxime had no other opportunities at the moment, he could only seize them and see what happened. As for a n of attack...well, they didn''t have one...yet... When Ron told him the news, Maxime sighed in exasperation. "Let me finish managing things here, then I''ll go straight to your lord," said Maxime, ncing around at the corpses still lying around them. The big man Ron looked slightly embarrassed as he put his hand on the back of his neck. "Very well, Maxime, we''ll see you soon," he said simply, then stood up and left the cave. Maxime heard the sound of Ron''s men stirring outside, then gradually the noise evaporated into the distance. As the room fell silent, a few mercenaries approached Maxime. "What are we going to do, Chief?" asked Andrew in a low voice behind Maxime. "You''ve heard it all, haven''t you?" asked Maxime in reply, without turning around. "Only in part, but we''ve understood the situation overall," replied Andrew with a slight hint of anxiety. "Well, we''ll stick to the original n, building a secondary base here in case things go wrong while most of our troops reside in Baron Irut''s town." dered Maxime simply, without too much concern. "You know, I like the idea of serving this Baron Irut, don''t you?" asked Maxime, but this time turning around with a cheerful smile. Andrew, Romuald, Tena, Rodrigo, Ernest and a few other mercenaries looked at each other, clearly worried at finding themselves in such a chaotic situation. Maxime simply smiled in response, then added: "You want to be renowned mercenaries don''t you?" "Do you know any glorious mercenaries who haven''t experienced shitty situations?" Seeing theck of confidence in his ever-present mercenaries, Maxime continued to smile then said: "Say it straight if you don''t want to go to war, but if you do you''re not fit to be mercenaries." Andrew quickly changed his expression at these words, then replied: "You''re right, Chief." He pped his hands, then ordered the mercenaries to get rid of the corpses first. Various mercenaries arrived at the entrance to the cave and set off. Several mercenaries took charge of lifting the corpses, while others found digging tools and went outside the cave to create the graves. Meanwhile, Maxime remained seated, seemingly watching his men at work, but his thoughts wandered as to the best decisions to take in the future. Night fell quickly. A feast was organized in front of the cave with all the mercenaries and the women and children freed from the bandits. Several mercenaries found musical instruments in the cave and began to y together during the feast. The children and bandits remained reserved at first, but under the mercenaries'' jovial mood, everyone temporarily forgot theplicated events of the day, then danced andughed together. Even some of the women regained a little sparkle in their eyes. Maxime watched all this with rapt attention, enjoying himself and chatting with the mercenaries. Noticing these few details, he smiled happily. In spite of his appearance and his firm, clear-cut words, he hid apassionate, human heart. The music, rather haphazard but always pleasant, continued for part of the night around the few campfires. ... Simultaneously, in Baron Barthon''s study, candlelight faintly illuminated the room. A strong figure stood on an armchair covered in animal skins. This person was conscientiously writing with pen and ink, on a sheet of brown paper. Only the sound of the quill and melting candles could be heard. Some time passed, and then the sound of footsteps could be heard outside the office door. The impressive figure carefully finished his sentence before gently resting his quill in the inkpot. "You may enter." His powerful voice broke the calm atmosphere that had prevailed until now. A man in armor slowly entered, then without looking at the person in front of him, he knelt down directly. "I''vee to make an important report." The eyes of the man in the chair crinkled, showing his concentration. "Tell me?" The kneeling man still didn''t dare look up. "None of the pawns we had with the bandits returned tonight." After this sentence, the room fell silent. After what seemed an interminable time, the powerful voice rang out onest time. "Very well, you may take your leave." After the man in armor had left, the figure in the armchair thought for a few seconds, then picked up his quill again and continued writing. Nothing seemed to have changed, but no one could have guessed that it was from this moment on that powerful currents were about to sweep through the Kingdom. Chapter 47 Hypocamp Hearing this couldn''t help but cast curious nces at Maxime. Noticing these nces, Maxime quickly moved on, coughing slightly. "In less than an hour I''ll be leaving with Andrew, Rodrigo, Ernest, Piedro and Terry for the town of Hypocamp to meet Baron Irut." "We''ll probably stay there for a few days." "During that time, everyone will be under Romuald''s direction." "When we return, I hope there will be some progress." "By the same token, I''d like to wee our newrades to our mercenary group." On hearing these words, the former mercenaries apuded the arrival of the former bandits. Some even whistled to add a little atmosphere. The new mercenaries seemed happy to be joining Maxime''s group, especially after noticing that certain constraints on their bodies seemed to have disappeared and that their training would be several times more effective in the future. Maxime continued to talk for a few minutes, getting things organized before he left. Once the meal was over, and everyone was back to their duties, Maxime equipped himself for the departure to Hypocamp. Andrew, Rodrigo, Ernest, Piedro and Terry also geared up, ready to leave at a moment''s notice. "All right guys, are you ready?" Everyone nodded. The moment havinge, Maxime went to kiss Laura discreetly and quickly under the amused gazes of his fellow passengers. Then they set off together for the town of Hypocamp. It was 80 kilometers to the city, but with their exceptional physique and the fact that they were traveling light, Maxime had nned to arrive in the evening. In the forest, they ran slowly due to the vegetation andck of visibility, but once out, they could simply take the beaten dirt roads created for transporting goods between the various viges and towns. This way, when they saw a small band of 6 armed men traveling light, no one dared stop them. As the moon shone down on the world, Maxime and hisrades reached the top of the hill just opposite the town''s entrance. From where they stood, the mercenaries could see the thick stone ramparts surrounding the town, a vestige of the days when cities defended themselves against invaders. Whether human or not. Ahead of them, the dirt road led up to the main gate, massive and made of dark wood, barded with fittings rusted by the years. On either side of the entrance, round towers stood with a few torch-bearing soldiers, watching for the slightest suspicious movement outside. The cool evening wind brought with it the scent of damp earth and wood fires, a familiar aroma to Maxime''spanions. From their vantage point, the faint sounds of nightlife could be heard. The muffled sound of conversation in the taverns, the distant neighing of horses in the stables, and asionally, the metallic clink of an anvil, perhaps from a cksmith workingte. They made their way down towards the town, and soon arrived not far from the town''s entrance gate. At this hour there wasn''t much traffic, so the 6 men were quickly spotted by the soldiers. As they approached within a few meters of the gate, a dozen soldiers intercepted them. Among them, a soldier stepped forward and greeted them. "Wee to the town of Hypocamp, may we know the reason for your visit?" Maxime advanced towards the soldier while his men remained at their position. "We''vee here to meet Baron Irut." The soldiers were surprised, and their leader whispered something in the ear of one of them, who immediately ran off. He returned thirty secondster and whispered something to the soldiers'' leader. Thetter seemed surprised. "We''ve confirmed your identities. You can go back to town, but please remember not to disturb the peace, otherwise we''ll be forced to intervene and apply the corresponding sanctions."@@novelbin@@ As he said this, the leader looked slightly menacing. Maxime''s face looked a little grim at being threatened in such a way when he''d been invited here in the first ce. But he held his breath. "We understand. Let''s go, guys." Maxime walked through the crowd of soldiers without giving them another nce, but Andrew and Rodrigo cast cold nces at them. Of course, they said nothing that might aggravate the situation. After all, they were on someone else''s territory, and they''de here to do important business. So no one wanted to spoil things. They headed straight for the baron''s residence, but as they didn''t know where it was, they asked the locals they met along the way for directions as they went along. It deserved to be the capital of a baron''s territory, and even though it was night, the town was far from quiet. The taverns, scattered throughout the town, formed the epicenter of a certain nocturnal effervescence. Maxime passed a tavern called Les chasseurs de cerfs, located near the main square in the center of town. Itsrge, solid wooden tables covered with delicious dishes, mugs of mead and spiced wine seemed particrly appealing to those mercenaries who had been traveling for a long time. Loudughter and bawdy singing could always be heard, while the waitresses moved skilfully between the customers. Maxime nced at hisrades and said: "Well-deserved rest, let''s take a walk and fill our stomachs." Everyone was happy to hear these words. Indeed, after running for over 6 hours, they were all starving. Their peculiar clothes and bad smell drew disgruntled nces from some customers. But when they saw their weapons strapped to their waists, no one said anything and the party went on. A waitress greeted them. "Wee deer hunters, there are six of you correct?" Maxime nodded, and the waitress led them to a table that had just been vacated by a few customers. "So what would you like?" asked the waitress. "Bring a dozen of your dishes please," replied Maxime, without bothering to look at the menu. A dozen dishes for 6 people might seem like a lot, but even Terry, who had the weakest physique, was considered strong among elite soldiers. Their bodies demanded a lot of energy, not to mention the fact that they had already exerted themselves on the way. They were soon served several delicious dishes by a couple of waitresses. "Bon app¨¦tit, dear customers!" one of them said softly with a big smile before heading back to the kitchen. As he ate, Maxime discreetly asked: "So, guys, what do you think about getting involved in this business?" Obviously, Maxime wasn''t going to mention Baron Irut''s name on his turf. Andrew stopped eating. "I''ve been thinking a lot about the meaning of bing a mercenary since I joined you, and I think the very meaning of a mercenary group is to wage war, no matter what side you''re on." Rodrigo and Ernest nodded as well. "I''ll speak for Rodrigo too, as we''ve already discussed it a little, but for us it''s a wise decision. It''s only in this kind of conflict that the group can grow further and we can gain in renown," dered Ernest as he continued to eat delicately. Maxime nodded and looked at Piedro and Terry. Terry spoke first. "For us Maxime, it''s like you''re giving us a second life, because if you hadn''t passed through our vige, we''d have died that day like everyone else." Piedro nodded and added: "We''ll follow you in everything you do." Maxime was somewhat relieved to hear these words. After all, he alone had decided the fate of some sixty people by taking them to war. After talking about the subject for a while, they began to tell a few anecdotes about what had happenedst night. Maxime was also treated to a few mischievous jokes from his men. As they continued tough, eat and drink in good spirits, a group of people burst into the tavern. But Maxime and his men didn''t notice the movement and carried on talking andughing. "What the hell do you mean there''s no more room?" shouted a bald man with a long scar on his face. The waitress was intimidated. "I''m sorry, but at the moment we''re fully booked. Feel free toe backter." The bald man and his friends didn''t seem satisfied and scanned the tavern with their eyes. He quickly noticed some unfamiliar faces at the back of the tavern. 6 young men, one with blond hair, another with blue hair and yet another with red hair. There was also one young man who looked particrly short and skinny. Only the remaining two looked particrly strong, but for the bald man they were the perfect targets. Without hesitation, he advanced towards Maxime''s table, jostling the waitress and knocking her to the floor. "Move over, this is our table now." Chapter 48 Impatience Behind the bald man, a few of the women apanying the group of men seemed very excited by the situation as sheughed and mocked the group of young men. "Hey look Samantha, do you think they escaped from their parent''s house?" "Haha I don''t know, but from the looks of their young faces Outa is going to have a field day with them!" "Ohhh stopughing at them girls, otherwise when they get home they''ll be traumatized!" eximed a third woman,ughing shamelessly too. The women''sughter echoed around the tavern, which had fallen silent since the waitress had fallen to the floor. It made Outa''s face proud and happy. He loved being the center of attention. Maxime finally looked up at the troublemakers. Seeing Outa and his friends'' faces and the waitress on the floor, Maxime sighed slightly. "I''ll be right back." With that sentence out of the way, Maxime rose from his wooden chair. "Oh, the young man is angry," Outamented,ughing loudly. However, the next moment his face suddenly turned red as he lost all sensation of weightlessness. The young man in front of him had lifted him with one hand and was crushing his throat. Without waiting, he was pped repeatedly by the left hand of the blond young man in front of him. "That''s for disturbing the atmosphere in the tavern." "This one''s for pushing our waitress." "This is for disturbing my meal." "This one''s for me giving you lessons." "And this one''s just for fun, because it''s kind of nice." Seeing the bald man begin to lose consciousness, Maxime finally let go after a few seconds. Thetter was unable to stand, and sprawled on the floor before the astonished eyes of the tavern''s guests. At the same time, Outa''s friends noticed the sword hanging from Maxime''s waist. "Shit, we just ran into a badass." "Let''s go, boys." Without dy, they left the tavern carrying Outa with them. Maxime shook his head and sat back down at the table. He continued to eat and drink, but his good mood had been spoiled and the food didn''t taste the same. Andrew, Terry, Ernest, Rodrigo and Piedro seemed equally affected.@@novelbin@@ They left the tavern a few minutester, under the curious gaze of the remaining guests and the sound of low masses. Outside, a fresh breeze greeted Maxime and hisrades, positively cheering their mood. "There should still be time to go and see the Baron, let''s go, boys." But as soon as Maxime finished his sentence, a team of soldiers came towards them. Being in the town''s main square, many people were attracted by the movement. "Halt!" Hearing these firm words, Maxime really began to lose his patience. "Guys, I think I''m going to lose it." Hearing these words, Andrew and the others looked at each other, then nodded in agreement. They stepped forward in front of Maxime, offering only their backs for their leader''s view. "We told you not to cause trouble, and less than two hourster I hear you''ve suffocated a man in a tavern!" The chief guard at the city gate was surprisingly here. "Enough chatter, our chief was provoked and he simply retaliated. We''re off to see the baron now, don''t bother us," Andrew replied in a tone that left no room for negotiation. The chief of the guard was stunned. He knew these people had to go to the Baron, but no matter how important the matter, they were just mercenaries, weren''t they? To him, mercenaries were just cannon fodder in the face of the might of knights and nobility. "Stay here! We''ll take you to the public security station. He was rather pleased when he said this, despite his firm face." He thought that by acting this way, he would improve the Baron''s image and authority in an indirect way. "I''d advise against it," Andrew replied simply. He nced at Maxime behind him, who was looking increasingly impatient. "Keep stopping us, and you won''t be able to see daybreak tomorrow," Andrew continued. Unfortunately, the head of the guard didn''t seem to want to hear anything. Instead, he seemed very annoyed that his own authority was being challenged. "Stop them immediately! Use force if necessary!" shouted the chief guard to the 20 men apanying him. Thetter immediately ran towards the saber-toothed tigers. "Try not to kill them," Andrew simply advised the others, before rushing towards the guards. "Ok vice-captain." replied Ernest with slight annoyance. "This kind of thing is really boring," added Rodrigo, shaking his head. "They don''t realize they''ve just escaped death, yet they stille here." sighed Terry. "It makes you wonder how they''ve managed to keep their heads on their shoulders until now,"mented Piedro, quickly rolling his eyes while doing some stretching. Secondster, everyone began to fight. Andrew simply ran up to 2 random guards, grabbed one on each side and tackled them to the ground. These two guards experienced for the first time a tackle made with the strength of an apprentice knight, and spat blood as they hit the ground. Andrew quickly got to his feet and kicked some nearby guards. Ernest was more restrained, relying instead on his agility and using a few small techniques to knock his opponents to the ground. Terry was more mischievous, getting the soldiers in each other''s way before sending in a few quick jabs. Despite his diminutive stature, Terry had the explosive power of an elite soldier. Each flippant blow was like a fist sent full power by an ordinary adult. Piedro didn''t bother to dodge the blows; he picked up a guard and threw him at several of hisrades. They all fell to the ground confused. Rodrigo yed much more violently, throwing straight punches with all his might. With the third guard still on the ground after a single movement, the other guards took fright. "What, that''s it? Even an old man over 70 is more courageous and robust than you," Rodrigoughed. Of course, he was thinking of Organ, who had stayed at the camp. Within thirty seconds, some fifteen soldiers were on the ground, and the remaining five stayed by the head guard''s side, fearing they''d end up like their colleagues. "Chief, these mercenaries are far too strong for us!" whispered one of the soldiers discreetly. Fear could still be seen in his eyes. The man in charge of the guards was equally intimidated and didn''t know how to react. Feeling the stares of all the citizens, shopkeepers and storytellers present in the public square, the head of the guards felt his face burn. "Dad!" Hearing the familiar cry, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Henry, you''re just in time!" "Your father has met with some evildoers, can you help me subdue them?" A cocky-looking young man, wearing a light knight''s outfit with a sword hanging from his waist approached. When he''d turned 15, he''d been given the chance to test his knightly talent, and it turned out he did indeed have it! Although it was only a low-level talent, it came dangerously close to the middle level. This made him a minor genius within the barony. "Wow that''s Henry!" "Henry?" "Don''t you know him?" "They say he''s one of the few talents who could be a knight within the next 10 years!" The crowd gathered more and more, watching the excitement. Henry had indeed lived up to the expectations of the Baron and the knights, and had just recently broken through to the rank of apprentice knight. He nned to celebrate with his friends. Just then, he saw his father and his men in trouble against a small group of mercenaries. With his strength and that of his 4 friends, he was confident he could help his father. After all, among them was even an apprentice knight in the early stages of sess! The rest were also strong men, all training to be apprentice knights! They far exceeded the strength of a standard elite soldier. "Of course dad, as an apprentice knight, my duty is also to ensure the public safety of the territory!" The head guard breathed a sigh of relief, then threatened Andrew and the others. "I advise you to kneel down immediately and apologize!" he threatened immediately. But Andrew and the others didn''t budge an inch. Maxime remained behind without saying a word, his face impassive. But he himself knew how much he was holding back his anger at that moment. Henry, seeing that the criminals weren''t cooperating, lunged straight at Ernest and sent a kick towards his face. But to his surprise, the "ordinary" mercenary easily blocked the kick. Chapter 49 Jack Knight "Good power", Ernestmented with surprise. Henry seemed equally surprised. Clearly, this blue-haired man was listening to the red-haired man''s orders. So the red-haired man could only be stronger! Unconsciously, everyone ignored Maxime behind them. Soon, all the young men found their opponents and began to fight. Surprisingly, the fight was fairly evenly bnced on both sides. There were 2 apprentice knights on each side and 3 powerful elite soldiers. The mercenaries'' skills had been honed thanks to a very powerful talent, a little training and, above all, some real fighting! But the aspiring knights were not to be outdone: long years of trainingbined with a certain talent and excellent fighting techniques could only make them strong! They obviouslyckedbat experience, but that made the strength of both sides simr! And so, as time went by, blood began to flow on the ground as the fight became more and more violent. The head of the guard was full of confidence at first, but as time went on he began to grow anxious. "Shit, who did I provoke?" "That Outa brat kicked an iron te there!" "Mercenaries that strong having to meet the baron at this hour probably have some reputation and good strength!" "If it turns out it''s only a tiny part of the mercenary group, but I''ve offended them so even if all goes well with the baron, I''m going to have problems of my own!" Finally the noise of the crowd and the fighting was so loud that it attracted one of the most powerful people in the territory: Knight Jack! "Stop at once!" When Henry and his friends heard this loud, powerful voice covering the entire square, they stopped immediately out of habit. But the saber-toothed tigers didn''t, and all seized the opportunity to strike a powerful blow at each of their opponents. Henry was stunned and fell to his knees in front of Ernest after an uppercut to the chin. For a few moments, his thoughts literally stopped. When he opened his eyes again, the tip of a sword was right in front of his throat. All his friends were found in a simr situation. "I think you should mind your own business next time," Ernest said, addressing Henry. "Take advantage of our moment of inattention, you have no honor!" eximed Henry angrily. "Because when your father mobilizes a score of soldiers to look after 6 young men, that''s honorable?" "And when the 6 young men manage to defend themselves, 2 apprentice knights and 4 elite soldiers attacked them too, that''s honorable too?" When Ernest noted the facts, he had a very mocking, ironic face as he looked out over the crowd. At this point, it was almost bing a spectacle. "Everybody get out of here!" That loud, powerful voice returned with renewed intensity. Knight Jack finally made his appearance. He was dressed very lightly, but it showed his strong build at a nce. A huge sword could be seen hanging from his back. Next to him, even the impressively muscr Rodrigo and Piedro looked like children. He first passed the head of the guard and arrived not far from Ernest and Andrew, who still had their swords pointed at the apprentice knights. Their expressions were extremely serious as they watched this strong man appear. Although he didn''t know who it was, the pressure he exuded simply by being there was enormous. It was as if this man had reached a higher stage of life! "Sheath your swords, young men, this is no ce to fight," he ordered firmly. Finally, Maxime could take no more. "I beg your pardon? This is no ce to fight?" he said, stepping ahead of his mercenaries for the first time and positioning himself less than a meter from Chevalier Jack. "Yes, it''s not a ce for..." But Jack was immediately interrupted. "No, at some point you''ve got to shut your big mouth and take note!" shouted Maxime angrily. "First of all, we were threatened by that chief guard when we entered the town as guests of Baron Irut. "It''s you who need the strength of our mercenary group, not the other way around." At this point, Maxime was full of anger, he already had little patience for this kind of thing, but events happened one after the other, causing him to lose patience. But seeing amoner speak to him in that tone, Chevalier Jack also got angry and wanted to express himself. "No, but..." And he was interrupted again by Maxime. "No! You shut your fucking big mouth, knight. Because it''s because of yourxity that after that, we were disturbed during our meal in the tavern which spoiled the end of our meal." "Then your damned guards pissed us off again by threatening us without asking our side of the story." "Once my men were back on the ground, your aspiring knights came to attack us." "And now you think you''re the boss and can settle the situation calmly?" "I''m going to show the world here that our saber-toothed tigers are not easily intimidated even by noblemen!" Seeing thisbination of circumstances, Maxime even thought that Baron Irut had nned everything and was testing his mercenary group. The crowd waspletely shocked by this development, but at the same time extremely admiring. In this world, respect for knights and noblemen was deeply rooted. No one would even think of going against them unless they had noble status. If they didn''t, they''d have a cold body the next day. But Maxime couldn''t care less at this stage, he had his own character and he didn''t care about the consequences as long as he kept his spine straight. He knew he could count on histest enhancements and talent to make a killing if Baron Irut''s men really went too far. Knight Jack drew his sword, his face seething with anger. The sword was over a meter wide and at least two meters long. But this move was a mistake in Maxime''s eyes. "After all I''ve said, he still dares to draw his sword? The status of knights is really too high in this world", Maxime thought. The next moment he murmured: "Nox Limit!" A surge of energy ran through his body and he wanted to escape in all directions. But somehow Maxime managed to channel this energy solely into his body, then as his eyes turned white he lunged at extreme speed towards Chevalier Jack. The short meter of distance between the two figures was as if non-existent as Maxime struck a physical blow of an astonishing 4.5 points! Chevalier Jack only had time to activate his vital seed, which instantly strengthened his physique. But unfortunately it wasn''t enough. He had underestimated Maxime far too much; if he''d known that this discreet young man with blond hair was so strong, he''d never have left such an obvious opening. "Fuck you Ron, you didn''t tell me this guy could be so strong and fast!" These were Jack''sst thoughts before his imposing body was sent flying by Maxime''s punch, which hadnded right in his face. Henry and his fellow apprentice knight were able to catch a glimpse of Maxime punching Jack. It sent violent shivers through their bodies. Their life''s goal, their idol, their motivation to get up every day and train, had just been sent flying by a single punch from a man younger than them. Worst of all, they had provoked this young man. Their spirits were shattered as they shivered with fear. This young man was so crazy that they could kill them right here. The crowd was in disarray. "Shit did you see that?" "What the hell!?" "Knight Jack has just been sent robbed by a stranger?" ... Maxime remained standing in the middle of the square, his men still pointing their swords at the aspiring knights crouching on the ground. The scene seemed chaotic, with soldiers still on the ground around them.@@novelbin@@ Yet, looking at this young man with blond hair and white eyes exuding an invisible aura of power, some of them had stars in their eyes. It was as if they were witnessing the birth of a future legend. Chapter 51 Meeting with Baron Irut As they walked, they discovered the atmosphere of a thriving medieval town, which seemed to make Hypocamp a totally different ce fromst night. The sun rose above the ramparts, illuminating the thatched and te roofs of the houses huddled together. The cobbled streets, winding and often narrow, quickly filled with merchants, craftsmen and busy townsfolk. The steady tter of hooves on stone, mingled with the creaking of horse- or ox-drawn carts, echoed through the streets. But this effervescence mixed with the fresh morning air made walking through the city a pleasant experience. Passing back into the center of town, in therge market square, the scene was particrly lively. Wooden stalls, covered in colorful linens, lined up in tight rows. Vendors shouted to sell their wares, addressing passers-by in loud voices, extolling the virtues of their wares: fresh fruit, vegetables, fabrics, pottery, medicinal herbs and other indispensablemodities. The air was filled with the scent of freshly baked bread, spices from farawaynds and smoke from butchers'' and fishmongers'' stalls. The bright colors of the vegetables and fruit contrasted with the dull, worn clothes of the peasants who came to sell their produce, their faces burnished by working under the sun. The little mercenary troop passed by, observing the excitement of a medieval town. "Hey boy, would you like some fruit in the morning?" shouted a merchant selling fruit. The voice caught Maxime''s eye. ncing around, he saw a middle-aged man with deep wrinkles, but smiling brightly. He was obviously selling various types of fruit from his stand. "Normally you can have any fruit you like for one bronze coin, but because you look rather nice, you can have 5 for only 4 bronze coins!" Maxime shook his head and continued forward with his men. The salesman, seeing Maxime''s peculiar attire, and in particr his sword, didn''t insist any further. Instead, several citizens who had heard the vendor''s special offer came to his stand and began bargaining for the 5 fruits for 4 bronze coins. Ten minutester, Maxime and his men arrived at the baron''s gate. Without much ado, two men dressed as servants opened the gate for them. At the same time, the two men motioned for them to follow. Entering the Baron''s residence, they first discovered the gardens. Surprisingly, the flowers had lost their color and the different species were blending into one another. The various trees growing in the garden had clearly not been pruned for a long time, and simply grew naturally. Dead leaves covered the gravelly ground. A fountain stood in the middle of the gardens, but as Maxime and his men approached it, they discovered that it had long since dried up. Weeds had broken through the fountain''s stone floor and were beginning to proliferate at the bottom of the fountain. In the distance, at the top of the steps leading up to the Baron''s mansion, a man dressed as an ordinary civilian keeping his arms behind his back, as well as a man in full armor could be seen by Maxime and his men. They climbed the steps and arrived in front of these two people. "I take it this is our young hero, Maxime, whom we have the honor of meeting?" asked the in-clothed man with some eloquence. Maxime didn''t think he''d be directly ced at such a height and was surprised, but outwardly he simply shed a smile. "My men are my real strength," Maxime replied simply. "Chevalier Ron, we meet again," Maxime continued, this time looking at the man in armor. Thetter removed his helmet. "As expected, I couldn''t hide for long,"ughed Ron after removing his helmet. "In that case...I take it you''re Baron Irut?" questioned Maxime, looking at the middle-aged man with the unshaven beard. "Wee to my town of Hypocamp," retorted the baron, extending his hand towards Maxime. Maxime didn''t hesitate and shook the baron''s hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lord Irut.@@novelbin@@ The baronughed lightly. "Lord is a big word for a simple baron. Stopping their handshake, the baron invited Maxime and his men into the manor. The interior of the manor was simr to the garden. It was in a dpidated state, but the various works of art hanging on the walls, as well as the armor and swords decorating the manor, kept ast trace of the glorious times the manor had known. Baron Irut noticed the strange looks on the mercenaries'' faces. This was also rather obvious, since it wasn''t the first time it had happened. Who could believe that a baron would have such a miserable garden and mansion? "Various incidents havee and gone in recent years, dealing a devastating blow to the barony''s economy." "Now most of the tax money is invested in training aspiring knights." After the baron''s exnation, Maxime and his men understood the situation slightly better. The baron led them into a small room where arge round wooden table sat, surrounded by exactly 9 wooden chairs. Arge map of the region had been ced in the center of the table. "Please be seated, everyone." The Baron sat at one end of the table while Maxime sat at the other. Chevalier Ron took his ce to the right of the baron, while the mercenaries sat closest to Maxime. This left onest chair to the Baron''s left. Simultaneously, a noise was heard at the door. "Knight Jack requests permission for the lord to enter." "Don''t be so courteous, enter Jack." An imposing man in armor entered the room and sat down next to the baron. Maxime inhaled slightly. Before him stood 3 knights. They were 3 knights! Together, these 3 individuals could undoubtedly face an army of 100 soldiers head-on and exterminate them without a care! They represented the immense gulf the nobility had built up between themselves and ordinary civilians. With their bodies and vital seed, they were immune to most poisons. Not to mention their reaction speed and physical strength, which rendered any assassination attempt by ordinary peoplepletely useless. Without Nox Limit, Maxime and his men could be killed in less than a dozen breaths if these 3 men were to act. "So Maxime, when you spoke with Ron, you said you''d be willing to intervene in the war with Baron Barthon for 800 gold pieces and enough lodging to house and feed 200 people." "You also wanted a field big enough to train that many people. Not to mention that you wanted thend to be in your name." When Baron Irut spoke directly about this affair, Maxime didn''t have the same confidence as when he''d discussed it with Chevalier Ron. Not to mention the passive intimidation conferred by the presence of 3 knights on him, the simple aura of this casually dressed middle-aged man was not something Maxime could bear. It was the aura of someone long ustomed to power. For his part, Maxime was still an ordinary high-school student working hard to earn a watch just over two months ago. But recent experiencesbined with a natural leadership temperament meant that Maxime only needed a moment to calm down. "Yes, and it''s a price epted in the context of Baron Barthon offending my mercenary group. Otherwise we wouldn''t be here talking to you." On hearing Maxime''s words, Chevalier Ron smiled slightly, while Chevalier Jack frowned. "Indeed, calves aren''t afraid of tigers," murmured Jack. "But it''s been proven that even tigers can lose their ws if they''re not careful," replied Ron, looking at Jack. Irut obviously didn''t care about the little altercation between his knights. Instead, he looked Maxime directly in the eye. "To be honest, your mercenary group is still too weak to deserve such a prize." "Especially since in our situation, it''splicated to be able to get out so much money and manpower." Irut''s words made Maxime doubt. "What''s he getting at?" he thought. "But for a magical talent like yours, Maxime, I''m willing to make an effort. "However, I need to know its effects first before I can do anything." Ron and Jack also stopped their visual confrontation, and looked strangely at Maxime. Baron Irut bent his waist and leaned back against the table, moving slightly closer to Maxime. "So tell me Maxime, what''s your talent?" Chapter 53 Growing reputation "I''d be careful, Hubert," Maxime replied with a smile. Hubert was Baron Irut''s first name. Maxime left as nned with his men. Watching Maxime leave, Hubert turned to Jack who was still standing by his side. "Jack you''re watching Baron Kenepis from our northern viges, and you''re putting the squeeze on him so he doesn''t dare go too far." "That old man''s too shy to take me on, aren''t you worrying a bit too much?" replied Jack curiously. "I don''t know. I prefer to be cautious especially with so many people out to get me."@@novelbin@@ The saber-toothed tigers returned to the inn where they had stayed the previous night, and rested there. Maxime didn''t want his men to travel at night, believing it could be dangerous. Naturally, their presence was quickly made known, and all the inn''s guests were quick to mention it. "They say upstairs are the famous mercenaries..." whispered a merchant to a friend of his. "What''s so special about these mercenaries? Most of them are simply cannon fodder for the nobles." The friend in question wore an air of disdain as he replied to the merchant. The trouble was, he spoke in a loud voice, attracting many hostile nces. This friend quickly noticed these stares and began to wonder where the problemy in what he had said. "Are you sick of talking so loudly about mercenaries? If you want to get yourself killed, it''ll be without me!" The merchant looked particrly displeased but continued to whisper to his friend. "Right now these mercenaries are ultra popr in town, don''t you know why?" The friend finally became curious. "Why?" The merchant smiled slightly and leaned toward his friend. "Because these mercenaries defeated two apprentice knights, including the young genius Henry!" The man looked extremely astonished for a moment, but suddenly calmed down. "A dozen seasoned mercenaries attacking young geniuses in a group, what have they got to be proud of?" The merchant smiled with slight contempt at his friend''s words. "A dozen mercenaries? No, these apprentice knights were defeated in individualbat by these mercenaries. I think they were even younger than they were." The friend opened his eyes wide in surprise. "That''s impossible!" "And it''s not over yet." The merchant looked mischievous, watching his friend as he sipped his pint of mead. "Drop the info, it''s okay..." The merchantughed lightly and decided to satisfy his friend''s curiosity. "Before the dumbfounded eyes of the crowd watching the excitement, Knight Jack appeared and decided to teach the young mercenaries a lesson for daring to resist the baron''s authority." "But just then, a young man with blond hair and blue eyes emerged from behind the mercenaries." "It is said that this young man is the leader of the mercenaries and that he and his men were guests of the baron." "So after some unpleasant things appeared one after another in the evening, this young leader exploded in anger and sent Knight Jack flying!" The man in front of the merchant spat what he was drinking on the table in surprise. "I beg your pardon? A mercenary dared to hit a knight and on top of that sent him flying!?" The merchantughed aloud. "Of course! That''s why these young mercenaries have such a good reputation in town right now!" The friend looked astonished. "At the same time the gulf between the nobility and people like us is so huge...it''s crazy that mercenaries from nowhere can take them on!" The merchant nodded. "That''s for sure, but there''s a second reason why we definitely shouldn''t be talking badly about these mercenaries right now." "Really? Why?" The merchant remained silent for a moment, looking at his friend. "All right, you''ve won, you greedy merchant. Spit out the truth now." The man in front of the merchant put 3 bronze coins on the table while swearing. "Many people now wish to join this mercenary group, thinking they can change their future and climb the social ssdder in the future." "They literally represent their hope to change their lives and gain wealth and fame." When the merchant dered this news, the man was also slightly tempted, but ended up shaking his head. "How could it be so simple? We don''t know the background of these young men, but to gain power you always have to pay the price." Maxime, who was upstairs, heard these words. With his physique, all his senses far exceeded those of ordinary people. "Indeed, no power is easily granted. Here the price is to remain loyal to me forever and risk your life on the battlefield." "I wonder how many of my mercenaries will still be alive, just by the end of the year." Maxime had been thinking about this for a while. So far none of his mercenaries had died, and all was well. But he knew that there was a very good chance that some of his men would die on the battlefield in the near future. Other people in the inn also discussed the saber-toothed tigers, but Maxime decided not to pay any more attention to them and simply fell asleep. The next day, Maxime and his men set off early to prepare for war as quickly as possible. Around lunchtime, they arrived at the bandits'' former camp. Their arrival came as a pleasant surprise to the more than 50 mercenaries who had stayed behind, along with the women and children. Yes, despite his words, Maxime decided to shelter these women who had lost hope in life. He simply couldn''t bear the thought of excluding them from the cave and leaving them to fend for themselves in the forest. Maxime mainly went to talk to Romuald about what had happened in the camp during his absence. Romuald told him that most of the women had regained some energy and were helping out with the camp''s household chores. One in particr even chopped wood with the mercenaries, despite her extremely weak physique. She exuded a powerful resolve that made many mercenaries admire her. Some wanted to court her, but she firmly rejected any man who wished to approach her. But Laura developed a certain rapport with the woman, and they became friends. Maxime was intrigued. "What''s her name? "Yda," Romuald answered simply. Maxime tried to remember the name, then continued talking with Romuald. Everyone here stayed another 3 days to prepare for their departure to Plouta. Counting Maxime''s departure to Hydrocamp, his return and now these 3 extra days, it had been 5 days since the former bandits had joined the saber-toothed tigers. During these 5 days, the new recruits were able to discover just how beneficial Maxime''s talent was. Romuald assigned tasks to everyone, but left more free time for training to the mercenaries who had expressed their wish to join the battlefield. Although they didn''t have time to reach the level of elite soldier, most were able to attain 1.3 physical points. This attracted the envious nces of the former bandits who had decided to be the saber-toothed tigers'' logistics staff. They themselves had not progressed due tock of free time. But no one changed their minds, believing that staying alive was the most important thing right now. Maxime respected these logistical personnel, because if he''d been in their shoes, he thought he''d have chosen security at first too, and then, once he''d be strong enough, he''d have asked to be a real mercenary. At dawn on the 6th day, when the first glimmers of sunlight pierced through the morning mist, the mercenaries stood ready, lined up and silent. Each wore his or her own equipment, giving the ensemble a motley look. The colors of their cloaks and capes ranged from dark brown to olive green, earthy tones that allowed them to blend into the countryside. Despite this diversity, a clear cohesion reigned in the group. The moment Maxime waved his hand, they set off, leaving the camp and heading into the forest, straight for the battle ahead. Chapter 56 End of the duel Hearing Maxime''s words, Killian didn''t hesitate and attacked directly. The silence broke as he charged, his swording down with a metallic hiss. The young mercenary deftly dodged, taking a quick step back, letting his opponent''s de strike the ground with force. The impact echoed across the field, raising a spray of earth. The mercenary took advantage of the opening and countered with a swift attack aimed at the apprentice knight''s nks. His de met the steel of the armor with a thud, but without piercing the thick protection. "What strength!" murmured Killian with surprise and dread as he felt the pain in his body from the shock absorbed. Maxime was not only agile, the power that apanied his sword was impressive. Whether mercenary or soldier, everyone began to stop looking at the duel as a game they thought they''d easily win. The apprentice knight pivoted, his heaviness offset by the brute strength he disyed with every blow. He raised his two-handed sword again and struck another powerful blow, seeking to crush his opponent by force. Maxime barely parried, but the shock made his arm tremble. He stepped back again, seeking to tire the knight and exploit the rtive slowness of his armor. The duel became a bncing act between agility and power. The apprentice knight, though heavily equipped, had the experience of a noble fighter and was well trained. Every attack was precise, every move calcted. Maxime, who had not yet gained muchbat experience, was defeated in this respect.@@novelbin@@ Fortunately, his physique far surpassed Kin''s, otherwise in a match of equal strength he might lose. After several exchanges, the mercenary''s sword whistled through the air and struck the apprentice knight''s arm with precision, just below the shoulder where the protection was thinner. Killian grunted in pain, but didn''t waver. Sensing the tipping moment, the mercenary redoubled his speed, his de searching for loopholes. But with every blow, the knight struck back with titanic force. In a fluid movement, the apprentice knight made a feint, suggesting he was about to bring down his sword, but deflected at thest moment to strike the mercenary on the nk. Maxime was unable to avoid the blow entirely; the de bit into his reinforced leather, throwing him to the ground. Lying breathless for a moment, he sensed imminent danger and immediately rolled onto his side. The next second, Killian''s coup de grace arrived, finally shattering the ground he''d just been on. Killian was panting now, his heavy, cumbersome armor beginning to weigh on him despite his impressive physique. In contrast, Maxime, though wounded, could still move easily. He circled the knight, striking and dodging, taking advantage of every opening with surgical precision. Then came the decisive moment. In a calcted dash, the mercenary ducked under the knight''s broad attack and, with lightning speed, nted his de directly into the apprentice knight''s armor, level with the heart, before withdrawing it. The armor was easily pierced before the shocked eyes of Henry, Ultia and the soldiers. The mercenaries were much calmer. Killian stood still for a moment, as if surprised by the speed of the assault. The apprentice knight, sword still raised, staggered slightly before falling to his knees. Maxime, still holding his breath, stood a few steps away, bloody sword in hand, ready to parry anyst gasp. But there was no more fighting. Killianid his sword on the ground with a heavy thud, acknowledging his defeat in a final gesture of honor. Maxime, covered in dust, slowly nodded his head in respect. The fight was over, and everyone had yed their part to the end. "Don''t worry, you won''t die." Killian looked up at the blond-haired young man. He never thought he''d one day be defeated in a duel by a lowly mercenary. They had always despised them. He was firmly convinced that no matter how talented a person might be, it was impossible topete with people who possessed the talent of a knight and practiced hard for decades. Yet on this day, he was defeated by a young man who had never practiced breathing methods and had relied solely on his talent and chaotic training methods. Of course, he couldn''t have known that Maxime''s strength depended not so much on his talent as on his financial wealth, but it was a unique talent in itself to be able to grow stronger this way. That was also the miracle of watches. On the surface, anyone could reach the top of their world with this unique talent. Of course, in reality, over 90% of watch owners will never achieve strength simr to or greater than that of knights. Had Maxime not possessed the Nox Limit talent, he would simply have be a soldier for a nearby baron and saved up to smoothly progress through the ss levels. This method, though stable, could take years before he had saved enough money to have the strengthparable to an apprentice knight. After that, it would take a decade to reach the strength of a knight without any special opportunities. And all that time had to be spent surviving various wars and skirmishes. Other avenues could be explored. For example, bing a merchant and navigating between cities could be a way to earn money quickly, but the risks involved were far greater. So bing strong wasn''t really an easy thing, so awakened talent became extremely important and could more or less determine a person''s upper limit and growth. Maxime had aplex look on his face as he watched this apprentice knight at the stage of great sess. For him, being able to defeat him was the key to entering a great university. But above all, through his actions, he was beginning to challenge the authority of the nobles. To avoid any idents, he had to start hiding part of his forces, just as he had begun to do by creating a base in the forest. But above all, he must avoid offending them as much as possible and instead make them his allies. "I was careful not to stick my sword too deep so it wouldn''t reach your heart." Killian''s eyes were grateful. "Thank you so much." Having such delicate control over his sword in a fight of such intensity, Killian couldn''t help but begin to admire this young mercenary leader. His body was still tingling aftering so close to death. Henry watched the scene in total shock. Like Killian, he was firmly convinced that only the way of knights was supreme, and that those who relied solely on natural talent to grow stronger would eventually reach their limits. He couldn''t be med for this since, to a certain extent, this was indeed the case. 99% of the people in the world of Eternity possessed 1 or 2 star talents. 1-star talents had a limit of 1.5 points in physics and could, in their lifetime, hope to reach the level of an elite soldier after years of intense training. 2-star talents had a limit of 2 points in physics, and could hope topete for some time with an apprentice knight at the entry stage, although they were almost certain to be defeated in the end. 3-star talents, on the other hand, were extremely rare, and could at mostpete with an apprentice knight at the peak stage. But generally speaking, if a mercenary with a 3-star talent managed to reach the level of an apprentice at the peak stage, it was already an achievement. After all, to reach the limits of one''s body required not only potential, but also a firm will to grow stronger. But to rival a knight was still impossible. Now, however, Henry had proof before his eyes that Maxime''s sessful attack on Chevalier Jack was not just luck. Maxime''s strength and talent, which seemed appalling, were worthy of his respect. Not to mention that he had a group of mercenaries, several of whose members were already very powerful. Thinking of this, Henry suppressed his arrogance and looked more seriously at Andrew, Ernest but also at other members of the group who seemed to him to be particrly strong. "Now I understand why the Baron only sent 3 apprentice knights to Plouta and 12 apprentice knights to Henor." "I''ve also heard that some mercenaries possess a talent for strengthening the people who follow them." "Would that be the case with this guy?" "That might exin why there are so many strong men in a group of unknown mercenaries." As Henry''s thoughts matured, Ultia watched in amazement. She came from a farming family in a small vige in Baron Irut. One day, the newly-bred Ron knight was given the task of going into the various viges of the territory and detecting whether there were any people with knightly talent. She was only 15 that day, and eligible to take the test. Her parents looked at her expectantly as she went to take the test, while she herself was very anxious. All her life, she''d heard about the exploits of knights and noblemen capable of defying physics and facing monsters with their bare hands. She idolized, respected and feared this kind of existence. So when Knight Ron detected this talent in her, she hoped to be such a person. She wanted to have the power to protect her family if anything ever happened. So of course she was extremely pleased when Knight Ron announced that she not only had a knightly talent, but that it was not far from average. She lived up to the expectations of Knights Jack and Ron, as well as Baron Irut, and trained for years before finally seeding in bing an apprentice knight. But now her whole psyche was in question. "How could this man have be so powerful?" Chapter 57 Alert "He''s not a knight, so normally it should be impossible topete with Killian, let alone defeat him!" "I want to know how he got so strong." Thinking this, Ultia was filled with conviction as he looked at Maxime. Maxime, however, didn''t notice. Instead, he had other things on his mind. He looked at the crowd of soldiers who were now slightly worried about where they were going to sleep in the evening. "Soldier friends." "To be honest, this duel was totally derisory, but for as many of us as possible toe back alive from the battles ahead, I had no choice." The soldiers listened to Maxime without a sound, while the mercenaries wisely stood behind their leader. "Our mercenary group represents 3/4 of the power in this vige, and you represent the remaining quarter." Hearing this, the soldiers found it hard to believe Maxime. The fact that their captain, who was an apprentice knight at the stage of great sess, had been defeated was already a shock to them. But this duel gave a great deal of credibility to Maxime''s words, although a trace of doubt remained for the moment. "So don''t worry if you see many apprentice knights and elite soldiers on the battlefield. Our mercenary group has been paid to take them on, and we have the skills to repel them." The purpose of this speech was to set things straight, to establish Maximus'' authority and the respect of his mercenaries, as well as to keep the morale of these soldiers up in case there really are a lot of enemies. "As for amodation, in any case, the inn was too small to house you all." "So my men have already started living with vigers, and this method allows everyone to sleep much better instead of everyone being crowded together." "In exchange, they help them with their daily chores, so I hope you can do the same." "Obviously, this is only a temporary situation. My men have already started building a new inn to house us all." Maxime continued to talk lightly to the soldiers about certain things for theing days. The mercenaries standing behind him watched in admiration. One had to admit that seeing a young man speak calmly and give orders to a hundred soldiers who were all listening attentively and respectfully, showed excellent charisma. A few minutester, Maxime finished speaking, not wanting to prolong things unnecessarily. Just then, Killian tried to stand up. Noticing this, Maxime held out his hand with a smile. Killian hesitated for a second, then firmly grasped the outstretched hand. Maxime then lifted him easily, and the two were very close. As they looked into each other''s eyes and felt each other''s closeness, they developed a good feeling for each other. They established a first bond of trust at that moment. Killian was still not cured, but his powerful physique helped him to recover quickly. "Maxime is right, from now on everyone will listen to his orders. Anyone caught disobeying will get the same punishment as if they were disobeying their superior." Killian was a man of his word, and since he''d lost the bet, he wasmitted to respecting it. What''s more, he lost nothing. Everything had been arranged so that as many people as possible could livefortably in the vige, while at the same time improving everyone''s chances of survival on the battlefield. And so ended the first meeting between the mercenaries and the soldiers. The days passed quickly. By the 5th day after the arrival of the saber-toothed tigers, soldiers and mercenaries were already mixing well in the vige. The vigers were also happy to have their burdens eased during this time. A scene involving a father, a mother, their two young children and also a mercenary and a soldier around the dining table was amon scene these days. It was pleasant for these vigers, whose lives were monotonous, to have new guests in their homes, each telling of their own experiences. The mercenaries often enjoyed recounting the stories they had heard or experienced with their leader. This brought animation, tension, sadness andughter to the table. Of course, there were also a few conflicts, not least because some of the soldiers found it hard to ept the mercenaries'' authority over them. But when Maxime arrived, these soldiers generally lost all their courage and the situation was easily resolved. When the situation became particrlyplex, Killian intervened and applied militaryw. As the first troublemakers were punished, everyone became much wiser, and the atmosphere more convivial. The wooden inn that required everyone''s efforts was finally built on the 8th day after the arrival of the saber-toothed tigers. Thanks to the new inn, not only the mercenaries who had stayed in the original inn, but also the mercenaries and soldiers who wanted morefort and privacy found their happiness. On the 10th day after the arrival of the saber-toothed tigers, in the middle of the afternoon, soldiers and mercenaries talked to each other, worked with cheerful vigers, others trained. Andrew, Ernest, Laura and Organ were training as usual. They were the only 3-star talents in the mercenary group, so they knew how lucky they were, but also how much responsibility this talent entailed. Thanks to the Nox Limit talent, which made their training 500% more effective, they improved very quickly. On the contrary, most of Maxime''s first mercenaries had more or less reached the limits of their talent, so many of them spent more time improving their swordsmanship, often losing some of their initial conviction. Maxime also spent the day training his swordsmanship, since it was the only thing he could improve without spending gold coins. To this end, he spent time with Killian, who taught him many of the basics and key points of swordy. His talent, Nox Limit, enabled Maxime to grasp everything quickly, and his innate fighting skills made it easy for him to apply this advice in realbat. So in just a few days, Maxime gained 30 experience points in Sword Mastery, which finally enabled him to improve his Sword Mastery to level 3. [Sword mastery level 3 (1/100)] This was the level usually achieved by apprentice knights in the entry stage who had been training for years. Forparison, Killian''s level 3 sword mastery was intermediate. This made Killian sigh because the world wasn''t fair, but at the same time he reassured himself that he hadn''t been defeated by just anyone. Remembering that 0 to 33 points was the beginner level, 34 to 66 the intermediate level, 67 to 90 the advanced level and 91 to 99 the expert level. Mastery of the sword at level 4 was generally essible only to knights or apprentice knights at the peak who were extremely talented. Watching Maxime progress rapidly, and hearing regrpliments from Killian, Henry and Ultia invested much more energy than usual in their training to be stronger. But the more they trained, the more desperate they became. Not only was Maxime progressing extremely rapidly, but they soon discovered that 4 mercenaries who were at their level had their strength taking off like a rocket. Inparison, they were as slow as turtles. Sometimes they wondered whether they really deserved the title of genius, or whether it was these mercenaries who were monsters. Fortunately, their spirits had not broken, for they had observed that there was indeed a mercenary of their level called Romuald who was stagnating, but also that many mercenaries at the level of elite soldier, were stagnating.@@novelbin@@ However, they had also seen that many of the mercenaries who had started out rather ordinary, had in the space of a few dayse close to the level of elite soldiers. This shocked them both, and confirmed their hypothesis that Maxime would have a talent that would enable the mercenary to train extremely quickly. Simultaneously, a few ideas simmered in their minds as they noticed this, but they tried to suppress these thoughts. During the evening of the 11th day, Maxime and Laura found themselves discreetly in the woods. They''d been doing this for a few days already. They liked to talk about anything and everything at night, watching the sky or strolling around the nearbykes. They didn''t do anything special. But that evening, everything changed. "Alert, alert, we''re under attack!" Chapter 61 Farewell (2/2) The mercenaries in charge of the bodies came a few momentster to tend to Organ''s body. "So he''s dead too. "Yeah, I saw him in hisst moments. He knew he couldn''t do anything against two apprentice knights, one of whom was just a small sess. So he pounced on one of them to kill him. The other took advantage and killed him." "So there was one left?" "Yeah, luckily Rodrigo, the guy standing next to the boss, took care of him with some method." "A certain method? To kill an apprentice knight? What kind of method kills an apprentice knight? I''d like to know it too haha." "He even killed two of them, but don''t ask me what he used, it was too dark to see exactly what happened." It wasn''t just those two mercenaries. Everyone was talking in hushed tones about the events that had taken ce. Whether it was Ernest who had just started sword training but had managed to block 3 apprentice knights. Or Andrew who had killed 2 apprentice knights at the cost of serious injury and then held the3rd apprentice knight until the leader arrived. But also Killian, who not only survived the ambush with vigor, but also held the apprentice knight at the stage of great sess who was leading the opposing attack. The fierce arrival of Maxime and Laura had also shocked many of them. As soon as they arrived, the whole battlefield had turned upside down and a few minutester it was all over. The night ended in a strange atmosphere. The sky on the horizon gradually zed with a golden glow, heralding the arrival of daylight. The first glimmers of sunlight pierced through the trees, casting long, diffuse shadows over the clearing where the mercenaries and soldiers were gathering. The air was cold,den with the moisture of the morning dew, and silence reigned on this wastnd nestled in the heart of the forest, cutting off any link with the tumult of the previous day''s battle. In the center of the clearing, bodies had been lined up, prepared for a final tribute before joining the mes. Some were wrapped in nkets or cloaks found on the battlefield; others, fallen with nothing to protect them, simplyy in the dust. The faces of the dead were calm, frozen in an expression of eternal immobility. Their weapons had been carefullyid out beside them, a final mark of respect for these fallen men. Mercenaries and soldiers, still marked by exhaustion, dragged thest of the corpses to the great wooden pyre that had been erected in the center of the clearing. The movements were slow, imbued with an invisible weight of grief and duty. The creak of boots in the damp earth and muffled murmurs apanied this sad funeral ballet. Maxime stood a few steps from the pyre, erect and silent. His gaze wandered over the bodies of his fallenpanions, those with whom he had shared wine and fire, those who would neverugh again in their lifetime. The weight of this reality weighed heavily on his shoulders, but he knew he had to be strong for his men. They had survived, and it was up to him to honor the dead. Ernest took his ce beside Maxime after carefullyying a man''s corpse. Whether a soldier or a mercenary, no one cared. They had fought side by side and everyone deserved the same respect. "Ernest, you''ve improved very quickly with the sword." "Thank you chief, I''ve taken your rmendations to heart." The fire began to crackle gently, emerging from the dry branches that formed the base of the pyre. The gentle but inexorable sunlight now bathed the entire clearing in a golden hue, slightly warming the cold morning air. The men had gathered in a circle around the bodies and the pyre, their faces closed and solemn, awaiting their leader''s words. The soldiers, including Killian, Henry and Ultia, also looked at Maxime. He had now be the central spiritual figure for all present. After a while, he slowly raised a hand, drawing everyone''s attention. The murmurs died away, and silence fell like a veil over the clearing. He took a step forward, his long shadow cast by the rising sun behind him. He took onest look at the bodies, then at the men still standing around him, before speaking. "They''re gone," he began, his deep voice echoing in the cool morning air. "Our brothers, ourpanions, those who fought alongside us. They left us yesterday, in chaos and blood, but today they rest in peace. This pyre, these mes... it''s all we can offer them now." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the tired faces of his men. "In particr, I''d like to highlight the courage of many of our men, starting with Organ." "A former bandit who hade from nothing, who had navigated the dark waters of this world, to show abilities worthy of this world''s greatest warriors." ... Maxime continued, pointing out various glorious deeds of the deceased, which he had either seen from afar or heard. "They gave their lives so that we could see this sunrise." "And there is no greater honor than to fall alongside those we call brothers. We survived, yes, but that doesn''t mean we''re the lucky ones." "They left as warriors. They lived and died with sword in hand, never bowing to fear or death." Some mercenaries bowed their heads, others clutched their weapons, an instinctive gesture that reminded them of the fragility of their existence in this brutal world. "Their names may never be engraved in stone," Maxima continued, her voice softer but no less powerful. "But they will live on in us, in our memories, in every battle we fight in the future. We will carry their courage, their strength and their dreams. That''s the only immortality that counts." He took another step forward, his boots sinking into the soft earth. The fire was crackling louder now, the mes rising little by little, ready to devour the dry wood. "Today, we let them go. We entrust them to the mes, but not to oblivion. Every sword stroke we give, every battle we win, will be with them in our hearts. And when it''s our turn to fall... we hope to leave with the same peace as they did." Maxime''s speech left its mark on many people. Killian, Henry and Ultia looked at him withplicated eyes, but they were also filled with respect. The charisma exuded by this young man with blond hair was particrly striking. He himself didn''t know where his words came from, except from the depths of his heart and what he really thought. Eternity wasn''t just a game, these people were real to him, and he carried the responsibility for their future on his shoulders. Silence settled again, dense and full of the weight of his words. Maxime looked at the faces of the men around him, and found the same determination, the same eptance of what awaited them all one day.@@novelbin@@ Slowly, he nodded, a gesture heavy with meaning. A soldier stepped forward, carrying a lighted torch. He handed it to Maxime, who took it without a word. He raised it high, facing the mes of the pyre, before lowering it gently to add it to the fires already lit. As if gasoline had been on fire, the mes quickly engulfed the corpses, devouring the bodies of the deceased with a muffled roar, but it was not a sound of destruction. It was a silent tribute, a way of giving back to the earth what it had given them. The mercenaries and soldiers watched in silence, their faces lit by the growing mes, witnessing this final farewell. The crackling of the fire, the song of the birds that were beginning to awaken with the day, and the murmur of the wind in the trees formed a strange concert. And right now, in the heart of the forest, there was a strange peace, a harmony between life and death. Maxime stepped back, joining his men. He had offered them words, but he knew it was silence that would allow them to say their own farewells. They stood there, motionless, watching the mes consume the bodies of their brothers, until the sun had fully risen and the light of day chased away the shadows of the past night. Chapter 63 The Barons fury "Tell everyone to stand by in case we''re attacked again." "Is that all?" "What else do you want to do?" "We''re just chess pieces in other people''s hands at the moment." However, as he finished speaking, Maxime suddenly had an idea. "No, we can also make preparations on our own." "There are some young, weak men in the vige. Go and ask them if they''d be interested in bing strong men, gaining glory and honor for their families." Maxime did indeed have the idea of recruiting new men. He still had plenty of money, enough to feed many people for a long time. "Why young, weak men?" The mercenaries were confused. "Because if we take the strong ones, our rtionship with the vigers would diminish. What''s more, those who are weak haveplexes and therefore dreams that stem from theseplexes that are far more powerful than those who were born strong." "Besides, don''t limit yourself to this vige."@@novelbin@@ "Ask our men to go to Honor''s vige." "Not only the young but also the middle-aged people there must now be filled with a sense of helplessness and vengeance." "Tell them that if they join us, we''ll be able to help them get through the winter easily and at the same time avenge them on the nobles who regard them as mere expendables." Maxime''s words flowed naturally as his ideas emerged and organized themselves in his mind. The more he thought, the more convinced he became that making this move would increase the chances of surviving this whirlwind. "Why not target only weak young men this time?" "With most of the fields burning over there, many people have lost their jobs. Bying to their aid, we''re like a lifeline thrown out to sea to people who are drowning." Simultaneously, Maxime thought of something far more important. "Do any of you know the statistics ofst night''s battle?" The few mercenaries looked at each other. Finally it was Piedro who spoke for the others. "Of the 62 mercenaries who took part in the battle, there are only 25 of us left." Maxime remained silent for a moment as he heard this number being so low. "And the soldiers?" "Of the 10 elite soldiers and 80 ordinary soldiers who apanied us, only 4 elite soldiers and 21 ordinary soldiers survived." "For the price of his losses, we killed the 13 enemy apprentice knights, about 45 elite soldiers out of the fifty or so they were, at least 180 ordinary soldiers out of the 200 there were." "This battle is a great sess." Maxime turned his gaze on Andrew, who was still breathing heavily, and murmured: "A great sess, eh?" In the town of Nansoy, another scene was unfolding. Baron Barthon, seated behind an imposing solid oak desk, was deep in thought. Parchments scattered before him, military reports and battle ns. His face, usually calm and controlled, was marked by a gleam of impatience as he waited for the messenger. "My troops who looked after the vige of Henor have long since returned, so why haven''t those in the vige of Plouta returned yet?" "Could something have gone wrong?" "No it couldn''t, ording to the spies sent, the forces defending Plouta must have been even weaker than the vige of H¨¦nor!" His fingers drummed nervously on the polished wood of the desk, producing a dry rhythm in the heavy silence. Suddenly, the office door burst open, shattering the stillness of the room. A young soldier, his face pale and covered in mud, rushed in. His armor was in disarray, and an expression of panic mingled with shame could be seen in his eyes. He quickly knelt before the Baron, panting. "My... my lord..." the soldier stammered, his throat constricted. He couldn''t find the words, as if breaking this news cost him more than his own life. The Baron frowned, sitting up slowly in his chair. A shadow passed over his face, his eyes hardened. He could sense that bad news was about to burst into the heavy air of the room. "Speak," he ordered in a cold, impatient voice. "What happened to my men?" The soldier hesitated, sweat beading on his brow. Then, after a few seconds, he uttered the words the baron dreaded most. "We... we''ve been defeated, my lord. Almost all your men have been ughtered. The mercenaries, the vige soldiers... they were... too powerful." A stony silence fell over the room. The Baron froze for a moment, as if the words had not yet taken on their full meaning in his mind. Then, suddenly, his breathing quickened, and raw anger surged through him, distorting his features. He stood up abruptly, knocking the chair over behind him with a crash. His hands trembled, his eyes widened in rage. "What!?" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the room. "All my men!? You mean some miserable vigers and a few honorless mercenaries ughtered my troops!?" He banged his fist violently on the surface of the desk, sending parchments and wine goblets flying. The thud echoed through the room like a thunderp. The soldier, still kneeling, lowered his head even further, trembling under his lord''s fury. "How is this possible?!" continued the baron, unchained. "They were just a bunch ofwless mercenaries, stray dogs paid to kill! And you dare to tell me they managed to wipe out my forces! Trained men, apprentice knights under my banner, reduced to... to this!" He paced back and forth behind his desk, his boots pounding the stone floor with violence. His thoughts muddled, revolving around a single idea: he had underestimated these mercenaries. And that was a mistake he couldn''t live with. His face was contorted with anger, but also with surprise. How could a group of mercenaries, fighters he''d always considered interchangeable tools, mindless weapons, have inflicted such a disaster on his troops? "Mercenaries...!" he spat almost contemptuously, his fist mming down on the desk again. "They have no discipline, no loyalty... How could they...?!" He stopped suddenly, breathless, eyes burning with rage and iprehension. His hand gripped the edge of the desk, his fingers clenched around the wood. He slowly turned his head towards the kneeling soldier, his gaze piercing like a de. "How many of my men survived?" he asked, in a lower but no less menacing voice. The soldier swallowed, his throat dry, and replied in a trembling voice: "I... I don''t know, my lord. A few elite soldiers, about twenty ordinary soldiers... probably..." "These mercenaries... they''re formidable. They fought like wild beasts, and Baron Irut''s soldiers supported them well." "Redoubtable?" interrupted the baron, his anger rising again. "They''re mercenaries, they know nothing about war! They''re simply individuals greedy for money but afraid of death!" "They''re just looters, hired killers! How could they...?" He paused, his breathing in gasps, finally understanding that his own arrogance had led him to this defeat. He had underestimated these men, had regarded them as minor enemies, incapable of threatening his power. And now, he was paying the price. "Mercenaries..." he murmured to himself, his gaze lost in emptiness. "They were more dangerous than I thought..." "Already they managed to defeat some of the bandits I''d been developing for so long..." "They''re bing more and more surprising, and above all, stronger." "How is that possible?" The Baron thought back to the young man with blond hair and blue eyes, who looked so gentle and harmless. He turned to the soldier, his face dark, his gaze icy. "Go away, now. Leave me alone." The soldier hurried out of the room, head down, disappearing through the door with relief. The Baron, now alone, stood in the middle of the room, fists clenched, trembling with rage. Thoughts swirled in his mind. This was not just a defeat, it was a humiliation. Slowly, he moved to the window, looking out where his men would never return. His face flushed with fury, he vowed never again to underestimate these mercenaries. This vige, these men who had resisted him, would pay. He would find a way to break them, to erase them. But to do that, he first had to understand how they had managed to defeat him. And there was only one certainty lingering in his mind: these mercenaries were a force he could no longer ignore. Chapter 65 This mysterious talent It was like telling the King that he would stage a coup and take all his power by rebelling. But Maxime remained calm, and contrary to what Charles thought, he was smiling. "Oh? And what position in the nobility are you aiming for?" "Aren''t all nobles the same?" Maximeughed lightly. "No, even nobles have sses. It goes from the baron who precedes the viscount, himself inferior to the count, then the marquis, after the duke and finally the king." Charles opened his eyes wide at this. "So if I can be a duke in my lifetime, I''ll be happy." "A duke then, eh? Quite an ambition for someone who could never have the strength of an unassisted knight." Maxime looked at Charles with a certain mockery. But Charles took no notice and looked at Maxime with great surprise. Then his face turned pale. "I could never have the strength of a knight, why?" "Because you don''t have the talent to be a knight. That means that even if I were to ce a breathing method in front of you, you wouldn''t be able to do anything with it." Charles lowered his eyes in rage. All his life he''d thought it a certainty that he''d be a knight. "What''s even funnier is that you have a talent as powerful as it is useless." Charles looked up, suspicious. "A powerful and useless talent?" Maxime casually took another bite of charcuterie. "Yes, you have the talent to be a dragon tamer." But before Charles could be happy, Maxime poured him the cold shower. "But what kind of dragon would enter into a contract with a human incapable of bing extraordinary?" "Isn''t that ironic?" Charles waspletely flustered after all this information.@@novelbin@@ His thoughts werepletely chaotic. "Well, that was before you met me. Haven''t you already felt some changes in yourself?" Saying this, Maxime grinned broadly as he continued to eat. "Changes?" Charles was curious and intrigued. "I have a talent that allows the men under mymand to improve their potential." "For example, for you, your potential has gone from 3 stars to 4 stars. You now have one of the highest potentials in the Kingdom, if it isn''t already the highest." Charles waspletely shocked; he didn''t know that each individual had his own potential. He was even more shocked to learn that he had one of the highest potentials in the kingdom! Even he knew from the depths of his vige that in the Kingdom there were at least millions if not tens of millions of people! "With that kind of potential, you could have the strength of a knight without practicing any knightly methods, isn''t that incredible?" "Max...Chief! Thank you for this opportunity!" Whatever his arrogance, Charles knew that at this stage the best future he could hope for was alongside the man in front of him. "My talent will only evolve in the future. So the people who follow me will also be stronger and stronger. By being at my side you can hope to one day be a noble and above all take advantage of your talent and be a true dragon knight." "But once you''re no longer under mymand, you''ll lose absolutely everything I gave you, and you''ll more or less revert to the person you are today." Charles didn''t hesitate for a second. "I promise I''ll stay by your side forever, and be one of your sharpest swords." Maxime smiled slightly. "Eat and drink, I''ll have you meet the other mercenaries after this." If people in the future, whether in the world of Eternity or in the real world, knew that the famous dragon knight, Charles, had sworn his loyalty in this way, countless people would simply take it as a mere joke. What kind of existence is a dragon knight? Zhao Ru, one of the strongest existences on the Asian continent, is a dragon knight! To be a dragon knight is to be one of the individuals who stand at the top of the world! What prestige and honor that implies! Charles didn''t know it, but he knew he could have a bright future following the man in front of him! Henry and Ultia, who were eating and drinking not far from Maxime''s table, overheard the discussion. "So that''s how it is..." murmured Henry, looking at Ultia. "Are you thinking what I''m thinking?" asked Ultia of Henry. "Let me think some more." Henry''s mind was still muddled by the dilemma he found himself in. The days passed quickly. Maxime counted up and among the 75 mercenaries recruited, there were 3 who originally possessed 2-star talents. 2 came from the vige of H¨¦nor, while thest came from Plouta. Including Andrew, Ernest and Laura, this directly doubled the number of 3-star mercenaries in the saber-toothed tiger group. Such numbers already represented the pinnacle of mercenary groups in the Kingdom. However, only a fewmon talents such as enhanced strength and agility were discovered. There were no special talents such as Rodrigo''s or Charles''. Romuald''s talent was also excellent, enabling him to surpass the limits of his potential to some extent. During these days, the old mercenaries did their best to train the neers. Everyone understood that the stronger therades, the better everyone''s chances of survival. So everyone put a lot of effort into getting to know each other, as well as intensifying training as much as possible. The old mercenaries took great pleasure in observing the surprised expressions of the new mercenaries, who discovered that their talent had changed. Maxime also introduced Charles to all the old mercenaries. It didn''t take long, since there were only 25 of them left. Charles was frightened when he learned that the former mercenary group had grown to over 60 members, and that after just one battle, half the mercenaries had died. Of course, this didn''t include the logistical staff who had stayed behind in the bandits'' cave, looking after the children and building houses in the surrounding area. When Charles met Andrew, who had already fully recovered after 3 days'' rest, and saw therge scar on his abdomen, Charles was deeply impressed. At the same time, he firmly whispered to himself that he would always be very careful on the battlefield. Only those who survive will know glory, while those who die will gradually be forgotten. Of course, he kept these words to himself. In the tavern, Charles found himself with 3 former mercenaries from the saber-toothed tiger group. "Charles, I''m going to teach you something about the chief." A former mercenary whispered lightly with a certain malice. His red face showed he was already rather drunk. "What''s that, Pascal?" Charles didn''t expect much from these ordinary mercenaries, but to get a good image in the group he tried to socialize as much as possible. "The leader, his talent...it doesn''t just consist in improving the potential of the mercenaries, hic..." The red-faced Pascal began to hup, while his breath smelled strong. At the same time, a certain rage could be seen on his face. The other two mercenaries, who were more sober, became worried. They had all been recruited at the same time in Nansoy, and had formed a beautiful friendship together. "Cut the crap Pascal." Tristan, one of the two mercenaries, frowned and intervened with a certain firmness. But Pascal became even more annoyed. "Humph! If he''d used his talent, Orta wouldn''t be dead!" *boom* Tristan tapped the table heavily, shaking the drinks on the table and startling everyone in the inn. A certain silence settled over the 4 mercenaries'' table. But after a few seconds, the atmosphere in the inn returned to normal. "You yourself know that if he had used it, he might have been able to save many people, but he would have put us all in danger at the same time!" Tristan''s words grew weaker, as sadness and a sense of helplessness could be felt in his words. Charles watched in iprehension. Pascal was still unhappy, but said nothing. "It''s better this way, otherwise, if a knight had attacked us, we''d all be dead." Pascal didn''t seem to agree, but continued to say nothing. "Tristan, what exactly is the chef''s talent you''re talking about?" Charles was very curious when he asked, it was the first time he''d heard of it. "It''s the asset of our mercenary group." Tristan''s answer was very careless, not wanting to give any more details. "Pascal, what''s this talent you''re talking about?" Charles wouldn''t budge. Pascal began to open his mouth, but just then, Piedro, Andrew and Terry entered the inn. No matter how drunk he was, he wasn''t stupid enough to talk about it right next to important mercenaries. "I hope you never know, hic." "Why?" "Because it means the shit''s really hit the fan, and the group''s facing extinction, hic." Chapter 68 Rumors As the day wore on, news of the recent battlefields had begun to circte, and chatter was lively. In a weaving mill, two women were chatting by a window as they worked. "Did you hear what happened in Plouta?" one of them eximed excitedly. "How did Maxime and his mercenaries win that battle? Everyone said that the enemies in ck were too numerous and above all too strong!" "That''s what I''m wondering too!" replied the other with emotion. "Even with the help of Baron Irut''s soldiers and a few apprentice knights, it doesn''t seem usible. I hear the losses were not inconsiderable, but they still managed to repel them!" In a tavern in the center of town, a group of peasants were drinking together. "What happened in Enor makes me shudder," said one of them, his voice trembling. "Baron Irut''s soldiers and apprentices fought valiantly, but in the end they were all but annihted. Most of the houses went up in smoke..." "Yes, it''s a good thing the men dressed in ck weren''t cruel and bloody to ordinary people, the vast majority of Henor''s vigers weren''t hurt." interjected a second with relief. "But what about Plouta?" interrupted another. "How did the mercenaries manage to inflict such a crushing defeat on these opponents? Rumors even have it that one of their patrols was ambushed but still managed to hold off their opponents until reinforcements arrived!" "We''re talking about at least a dozen apprentice knights! "I think that if mercenaries from nowhere managed to hold off their opponents, it means that either there were only a few weak apprentice knights on the other side, or it was deliberate on the part of the opponents..." In a leather shop, a merchant and his apprentice were exchanging ideas. "You know, I doubt that victory in Plouta, it seems suspicious to me," murmured the merchant, pretending to fold a piece of leather. "After all, how could a newly created mercenary group, and especially with such a young leader, be so strong?" "Perhaps he received reinforcements?" suggested the apprentice, eyebrows furrowed. "But even that can''t exin how they managed to win." "It''s not as if Baron Irut could send more soldiers by surprise to Plouta..." "Or else..." the merchant tilted his head back, looking thoughtful. "He''s made a pact with wizards..." he finished very seriously. "HAHAHA" "Sorcerers he said!" The apprentice began tough until he bent double. "Don''tugh like that, I''m sure they exist!" asserted the merchant with certainty and confidence. "Stop it! Rumors have been circting for hundreds of years, but no one has ever seen the slightest trace of witchcraft!" On the way, a group of soldiers returning from a patrol were chatting amongst themselves. "You''re not going to tell me you believe all that noise about Plouta?" scoffed one of them, crossing his arms. "Mercenaries can be cunning, but they''re not invincible. It''s either an incredible stroke of luck, or something more... dark." "What''s certain is that these men in ck are not a threat to be taken lightly." retorted another, nervously. "If Maxime was able to fend them off, he must have had an ace up his sleeve." "What kind of trump card can repel so many apprentice knights? I wish I had that kind of trump card too!" eximed the first soldier, continuing to mock. In one room of a house, a group of elderly people were chatting over their home-made beer. "In the meantime, you have to admit that Maxime did a good job," said an old man, his voice hoarse. "Mercenaries are often seen as cannon fodder, but amazingly here, they''ve managed to protect the vige of Plouta from attack by a powerful army." "But at what cost?" questioned an elderly woman, her gaze worried. "Many soldiers have fallen, and Baron Irut could be in danger. If there are further attacks, we could all be in danger." "Baron Irut is a knight himself and even has 2 knights under hismand. Before Hypocamp falls, we''ll all have time to die naturally." "That''s right, you worry a bit too much old skin haha." "What do you mean old skin? Have you looked at yourself, you hick?" "This old man is still young in the head, so I may be poor but I''m immortal!" Discussions in Hypocamp reflected the prevailing confusion and anxiety. Although the victory at Plouta was celebrated, it was overshadowed by doubts and suspicions. Everyone was wondering about the future, about the dangers ahead, trying to understand how the unexpected could have happened on these battlefields. ... In a clearing bathed in subdued sunlight, unaware that he had be the target of mockery, suspicion and above all entertainment in Hypocamp, a young man stood alone, sword in hand, in the middle of a circle of towering trees. His blond hair reflected the golden rays that pierced through the foliage, and his blue eyes, piercing as the summer sky, were focused on an invisible point in front of him. At first nce, he appeared thin, but beneath this appearancey a raw, controlled strength, ready to burst forth at any moment. The young man inhaled deeply, feeling the fresh, humid forest air invade his lungs. He gripped the hilt of his sword with firm determination, the muscles of his arms and shoulders tensing slightly beneath his linen shirt. The leaves rustled faintly around him, but he paid them no heed. His concentration was absolute. With a swift, precise movement, he sent a horizontal thrust into the air, cutting through the void with impressive speed. The sword whistled, as if cleaving not the wind, but an invisible enemy. Her gestures were fluid, almost graceful, but exuded a savage power, like a predator concealing its true strength until thest moment. **ng! He took a step forward and struck again, this time with a diagonal thrust. Every movement seemed calcted, controlled, but the moment the sword left his hand, explosive violence burst forth. His slender yet lithe body twisted with feline precision, each rotation using the full force of his muscles like a taut spring. He executed a series of feints and estocs with such speed that if ordinary spectators were standing here, they would see only a blurred silhouette. Drops of sweat beaded on his forehead, but that didn''t slow him down.@@novelbin@@ He closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating on every sensation: the weight of the sword, the momentum of his arms, the imagined resistance of his enemy. It was like a dance, wild and rhythmic, where each blow represented a battle against his own body, against his own limits. Suddenly, he pivoted on himself, throwing all his weight into a circr blow that, had it struck a real target, would have cut clean through armor and bone. Breathing rapidly, he froze for a moment, his feet firmly nted on the hard ground of the clearing, watching the movement of the leaves in the wind, as if trying to capture their subtle dance, the better to integrate it into his own. His breathing gradually calmed. The silence of the forest stretched around him, almost oppressive, disturbed only by the gentle creaking of branches and the breath of the wind. He nted his sword in the ground, taking a moment to contemte the clearing around him. The trees, mute spectators of his training, seemed to have been there for centuries, immutable and powerful. Maxime returned his hand to the sword''s hilt and pulled it from the ground in one swift movement. The muscles of his arm, thin but hard as wood, tensed onest time as he executed onest stroke. This one, slower than the previous ones, marked the end of his session. Out of breath but satisfied, he ran the back of his hand over his forehead, wiping away the sweat that had begun to bead on his temples. A smile appeared on his lips. He knew he was still young, still inexperienced, but with every stroke of his sword, he felt this explosive power boiling up inside him, this strength he was constantly discovering and mastering, a little more every day. The young man sat up, his heart still racing, when suddenly an unexpected sound shattered the calm of the clearing: apuse. Slow at first, then more regr. He turned his head curiously and saw a figure standing out from the shadows of the trees, striding forward, boots treading the fallen leaves. Chapter 69 Were off to fight orcs! A man in armor, imposing and dignified, was gradually revealing himself in the morning light. His short-cropped brown hair faintly reflected the sunlight filtering through the trees. His face, battle-scarred but still imbued with wisdom, wore a smile that seemed both benevolent and impressed. "Not bad at all."mented Ron in a deep, warm voice, his hands stopping to p as he approached. "I''ve been watching you for a while, and I must say that your mastery of the sword is surprising for your age. You have talent, far more than I''ve seen in some apprentice knights." The young man was taken aback by the knight''s appearance. He wiped the sweat from his brow onest time, holding back his surprise. "Thank you, Ron," he replied, bowing his head slightly. Ron stared at him, his eyes piercing as if probing the depths of the young man''s soul. The knight stopped a few paces away, crossing his arms over his breastte, pondering for a moment. "You have potential, much more than you think. But brute strength and speed aren''t enough to make you strong." "Oh, so how do I be a strong person?" asked Maxime curiously with a slight smile. "Here." he replied, lightly tapping his skull with his index finger. A smile stretched across Ron''s lips, this time more enigmatic. "And you will be, if you keep training like this. But never forget, Maxime, that a sword is only a tool." "What counts is what you choose to do with it. And sometimes, the most difficult fights don''t take ce with a weapon in your hand, but in the decisions you have to make." Speaking of which, he thought about thetest events that had just transpired. He turned slightly, ncing towards the darkness of the woods he''d juste from. Then he turned his attention back to the young man. "Continue on this path, and you will forge a destiny that not even the shadows can eclipse." Ron''s words echoed in Maxime''s mind, awakening a new feeling in him. This wasn''t just the appreciation of a strong man. It was as if a path had just beenid out before him, a path he could already feel burning beneath his feet. "I''ll do my best," Maxime replied simply, always humble. Ron looked at the young man in front of him with palpable intensity. Maxime, strong and charismatic, was now a feared mercenary at the head of a hundred men. Ron already knew from the various reports sent by Killian, Henry and Ultia just how strong Maxime was and, above all, how strong his men were too. There were already many conversations in the town of Hypocamp recounting the disastrous defeat of the vige of Enor, but also the victory of the saber-toothed tigers. His reputation preceded him, but the moment called for a more serious conversation. "Maxime..." began Ron, his voice deep and thoughtful. "I''d like to ask you a personal favor." The young man straightened his head, intrigued, while Killian paused. Silence stretched, charged with the gravity of the request that was to follow. "As you know, tensions with Baron Barthon are bing increasingly palpable." "The loss of a dozen apprentice knights was critical to our high-end power. There was even an apprentice knight at the peak stage who could break through at any moment who died in that battle." "I now fear that he is trying to take advantage of the situation to harm Baron Irut. Thetter is not a man of war, nor a strategist like the other nobles. But..." He inhaled deeply, his eyes lost in a memory. "He possesses something rare. A humanity that, in this cruel world, is far more precious than brute strength." Maxime nodded, aware of Baron Irut''s virtues. He had already made inquiries of the vigers and his men. From what he''d heard, he was a man who, despite his status, had always cared for his people, ready to listen to their sorrows and fight for their rights. "I know that, Ron. Baron Irut is a good man." "Exactly." resumed Ron, his gaze determined. "He doesn''t just rule withmandments, he engages with his subjects. It''s this aspect that could make him vulnerable to Baron Barthon''s shenanigans. If things go wrong, he won''t be able to defend himself. And that''s where youe in." Maxime furrowed his brows, his heart clenching at the thought that Baron Irut might be in danger. "What do you want me to do?" "I want you to stay by his side," Killian said, his tone tinged with seriousness. "Your strength and your group, the saber-toothed tigers, already represent a significant force for a baron. With your group of men, you can offer Baron Irut the protection he needs. It''s not just a question of physical strength, but also of loyalty." But Maxime shook his head. "If knightse I won''t be able to guarantee his safety." "It''s not just a question of safety, Maxime," said Ron, his gaze piercing. "If you link up with Baron Irut, it could open doors you didn''t even imagine. As a lord, he has resources, alliances and knowledge of the territory that could serve you in unexpected ways." "A man like him, though perhaps weak on the battlefield, can be a valuable ally. Your destiny will forever be linked to his territory." Maxime swallowed, his mind spinning at full speed. The implications of these words resonated within him. Loyalty to Baron Irut could offer him solid support in a world where nobles would stop at nothing to achieve their ends. But deep down, he knew he was destined to reach heights unimaginable for an ordinary baron. In his mind, his group of mercenaries would forever be free of moral shackles, able to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. "Saber-toothed tigers are an undisciplined mercenary group, I apologize Ron." Ron looked surprised at this answer, but Maxime hadn''t finished his sentence. "However, if we can do anything to help Baron Irut either now or in the future, we will." Ron gave him an encouraging smile, a mixture of pride and hope.@@novelbin@@ "I know you will. Remember, this isn''t just a fight for survival, but to defend the values we hold dear. Baron Irut needs your strength, and above all, yourpassion." The young man nodded, his eyes suddenly clearer, ready to face the role that awaited him. He felt ready to stand up for what he was, both as a mercenary and as a man with values. Then Ron set off from where he''d been in the same way he''d arrived. "I hope you won''t let me down, Maxime, because I really sense in you a monstrous potential that could make this world just a little bit better," Ron thought silently as he left. A pair of delicate arms appeared behind Maxime, encircling his firm, chiseled abs. "I heard a noise, who was that?" Maxime turned and saw Laura''s cute smile and warm eyes. It was a side she only showed when she and Maxime were together. "It was Ron," Maxime answered simply, still thinking about things. "I thought he was dead?" asked Laura with surprise. "Not only is he not dead, he seems to have made some important discoveries." Maxime was still thinking about some of the clues Ron had left while talking to him, which led him to deduce that something very dangerous was brewing behind the scenes. "What kind of discovery could worry a powerful knight like him?" Laura was now confused. "I don''t know, but encourage our men to train more seriously. Great events could happen soon." Then Maxime thought for a moment, and suddenly a wonderful idea popped into his head. "No, forget what I just said, training isn''t enough for us to be strong enough for the events that wille." "I''ve got a much better idea than that!" Laura looked curiously at Maxime, sensing yet another strange idea emerging from her mind. "What''s your wonderful idea again my super cute chef?" Maxime ignored Laura''s teasing words and announced his idea, looking at her with strong intensity. "This idea will allow us to both reinforce the strength of our mercenary group, increase our numbers, discover new talents and, above all, make our mercenary group known to the world!" "You''re always so long in the tooth..." replied Laura simply, looking up. Maximeughed lightly, then finally announced his idea. "We''re going south to fight the orcs!" Chapter 70 Discussions in Plouta Laura''s eyes widened, an expression somewhere between surprise and confusion forming on her face. She remained silent for a moment, trying to digest Maxime''s words. "Fighting orcs?" she repeated slowly, as if making sure she''d heard correctly. "You want to take the whole group south, into the middle of orc-infested mountains? Have you gone mad, Maxime?!" Maxime, still serene, stared at Laura with unwavering determination. "No, it''s not crazy. Think about it for a moment, Laura. We need something bigger than simple skirmishes or local contracts to make our name." "The orcs represent a threat that the entire south dreads, and if we be the ones to repel that threat, we''ll have proven that we''re much more than ordinary mercenaries." Laura crossed her arms, her gaze skeptical. "And you really think charging headlong into a war against orcs is the best way to prove our worth? I remind you that they''re numerous and organized!" "Even the alliance, including an earl, several viscounts and barons plus reinforcements from the north of the Kingdom, isn''t enough to deal with their threat!" Maxime smiled, a twinkle shining in his eyes. "That''s just it. We''re not just going to ''charge in headlong''. We''re going to prepare a strategy that nobody expects, and we''re going to strike where they''re most vulnerable. And believe me, it won''t be their numbers that stop us." Laura raised an eyebrow, a mixture of curiosity and nervousness running through her. "You''re always so sure of yourself, aren''t you?" She heaved a sigh. "Okay, let''s admit it. But why you? Why us? Other mercenary groups, even whole armies, could handle it." Maxime leaned toward her slightly, his face now serious. "Because we''re different. We have something the others don''t: agility, adaptability, and above all we''re an elite force! We''re not just a bunch of mercenaries blindly obeying orders. We know how to improvise and take advantage of others'' weaknesses." Laura remained silent for a moment, pondering Maxime''s words. She knew he was right about at least one thing: their group wasn''t ordinary. "Well..." she finally said with a sigh. "If you''re really sure about that, then I''m with you. But, Maxime, you know this isn''t going to be a simple walk in the woods. The orcs are brutal, destroying everything in their path. We risk losing many more men..." Maxime nodded, his expression serious. "I''m aware of that. But I''m willing to take that risk. If we seed, we''ll start building our legend in this world." Laura let a small smile form on her lips. "A legend, eh? And you, you want everyone talking about your name and your beautiful face in every tavern in the kingdom, right?" Maxime burst outughing. "Maybe I do. But above all, I want us to be something bigger, Laura. Not just mercenaries who take contracts without thinking. We can build somethingsting, something that will leave a mark." Laura rolled her eyes, amused. "Still dreaming, huh? Very good, chief. We''ll go south. But if all this ends in disaster, I''ll make you pay!" Maxime nodded with a satisfied smile. In this world, he felt so free and, above all, so different from the person he was in the real world. In the real world, he had absolutely no power and simply spent his days studying with the pressure of having to join a top university. Whereas in Eternity, he could really do what he wanted and how he wanted. He directly controlled the destiny of a hundred people. This power, it was so nice... However, if he had to choose between staying in Eternity or in the real world, Maxime would always choose the real world. That was where his family was, and his reason for bing stronger. ... During the day, everyone went about their business, so it wasn''t a good time to get everyone together. So, Maxime ordered a few mercenaries he came across on his way through the vige to spread the word that all mercenaries were to gather together tonight, in the usual forest clearing. Everyone will eat together, and at the same time, he''ll announce some very important news. So in Plouta, various rumors began to circte. "Did you hear what Maxime has nned tonight?" asked Romuald, wiping the sweat from his brow. Andrew nodded. "Yeah, apparently he''s going to announce something big. We all have to be there, which is pretty rare." He nced toward the trees lining the vige. "Smells like trouble. Every time he has a meeting like this, it means we''re going to move." Romuald didn''t seem particrly touched, but he was still curious. "You think we''re going to move from here? Knowing that Baron Barthon certainly hasn''t said hisst word. If we leave, we could endanger not only Plouta but the whole of Baron Irut''s territory. Andrew shrugged. "I don''t know. But in any case, we''re not strong enough to take on Baron Barthon as it is. The knights are just too strong for us and the apprentice knights too numerous. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire "If I were him, I''d be desperate to earn money and increase our troops. Thanks to this, we''ll be able to gain strength through numbers, but above all we could have new talents like Charles, who could have the strength of a knight in the future."@@novelbin@@ The two nced at each other. "Orcs, huh?" "Yeah. That''s where there''s the most money to be made right now." Romuald grimaced slightly. "I hope if that''s what it is, he knows what he''s doing, because it could be very dangerous." Andrew stared at him for a moment, before letting out a nervousugh. "Yeah, but hey. Maxime''s never been afraid of dangerous stuff. If that''s what it is, we''ll have to stick together." ... Rodrigo and Ernest strolled through the forest. "Did you notice Maxime''s expression this morning?" asked Rodrigo, his eyes squinting in the direction of the vige. "He''s got that serious look, like before a big battle." Ernest nodded. "Yes, I noticed that too. Maybe he wants us to take the initiative against Baron Barthon." Rodrigo frowned. "I thought we''d have more time before another confrontation. We lost a lot of guysst time. Do you really think we''re ready to take on Barthon again?" Ernest sighed. "Honestly? No. But Maxime seems sure of himself. If he has a n, I''ll follow it." Rodrigo nodded, but he was no more reassured than that. He''d already lost someone important to him. Then he looked at Ernest with gentle eyes. "Do you want to fuck me or what? Look at whoever you want like that, but not me, damn it!" A vein appeared on Rodrigo''s angry face. "Who''d want to fuck you? You''re as interesting as a pebble on the side of the road!" Ernest burst outughing. "Says he as he himself begins to grow dirt on his body." Rodrigo also had some repartee, as he thought about the scene where Ernest had been speared by the bandits. "It''s always better than being prated by a new orifice." The two looked at each other and burst outughing. "Fuck off or I''ll make you feel how it feels." The two walked on in good humor as they continued chatting andughing. ... The evening came quickly. The clearing was lit by the flickering glow of several campfires, casting dancing shadows on the surrounding tree trunks. The mercenaries were all gathered around these fireces, their faces illuminated by the light of the mes. The night air was cool, but warmed by the heat of the embers and the intoxicating smell of cooking meat. Pieces of venison sizzled above the fire, while some of the mercenaries turned spits, exchangingughter and jokes with theirrades. Discussions were going well, but under the cover of this camaraderie, a certain tension floated in the air. "If this is another one of his crazy ideas, we''re in trouble again," Romuald said. He chewed with an almost calcted slowness, his gaze settling on hispanions seated around the fire. Terry, sitting cross-legged beside him, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before replying with an amused smile. "Oh, you mean Maxime? Of course it''s going to be a crazy idea. It''s always like that with him. But that''s why we''re here, isn''t it? For the adventure, the danger, the gold coins and above all... the excitement of writing history." "To write a story, you have to be able to stay alive," Piedro added, sounding like he was thinking about a lot of things. The previous battle had given many mercenaries pause for thought, including Piedro. The pay was high, the powerful physical strength dreamy, but the reality of blood and iron had brought everyone back to reality. They''d be powerful mercenaries thanks to their efforts and Maxime''s talent, but against the might of apprentice knights it was alreadyplicated, so against knights it could only get worse. As the night wore on and conversations gradually died down, an unexpected silence settled over the clearing. All the mercenaries sensed that an important moment was approaching. Maxime, who had hitherto been sitting on the sidelines, eating and chatting with Laura, rose slowly to his feet, his silhouette silhouetted against the glow of the mes. Chapter 72 Recruit Henry and Ultia! "And that''s precisely why we can''t fail that every step must be carefully calcted." As they chatted, Ernest entered the tent, his bow strapped securely to his back. Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire At his belt, a sheath housed his sword. Although he had made significant progress in the art of sword fighting, he wasn''t ready to give up his bow. With it, he could aplish things that the sword couldn''t, and the bow held inestimable sentimental value for him. With a quick nce, he assessed Maxime and Laura. "You look preupied. Is something going on?" he asked matter-of-factly. Maxime looked up at him, a discreet smile on his lips. "Nothing to worry about. We''re just getting ready to head south." Ernest frowned, a gleam of skepticism in his eyes. "Have you thought about the distance? How long a walk is that? Not to mention the strength of the orcs and what our allies can really bring?" Maxime replied with a soothing smile, which ayed Ernest''s concern a little. "Absolutely not," he said with a touch of irony. Ernest sighed deeply. "It''s far too chaotic..." he murmured, more to himself than to anyone else. "We do have a n, though," Maxime replied, visibly more sure of himself. Laura and Ernest exchanged a nce, before staring again at Maxime, eager to listen attentively. Maxime, having obviously already thought everything through to thest detail, continued: "To begin with, we''ll be taking only the elite with us. Twenty men at most." Ernest nodded as Maxime continued. "The rest of the troops aren''t ready yet. There''s no point in sending them to the ughterhouse when they can still make rapid progress with a little more training. Besides, in a vast battlefield like the one ahead of us, having too many people would only make us more visible to the enemy. We''d risk attracting them unnecessarily while slowing our progress." Maxime paused, ncing confidently at Laura and Ernest. "And there''s another advantage to leaving our troops here." Laura frowned slightly, intrigued. Maxime continued in a calm but determined tone: "By leaving a garrison in Plouta, the vige will remain protected. This way, Baron Barthon won''t take the risk ofunching a hasty attack if the vige is still well guarded." He let a brief silence settle before concluding: "We can entrust the management of the situation to Killian in our absence. In the event of an attack, agile and hardy mercenaries will be able to quickly warn Knight Ron." Ernest remained silent for a moment before replying. "So be it, as long as you know what you''re doing." As the conversation between Maxime, Ernest and Laura drew to a close, a slight noise was heard in the doorway. Ernest immediately turned his head, still on guard, while Maxime squinted, intrigued. The wooden door opened softly, revealing two familiar figures: Henry and Ultia, two of Baron Irut''s young apprentice knights. Maxime watched them curiously. "Henry, Ultia... what are you doing here?" Henry, the first to step forward, held Maxime''s gaze without flinching. "We''ve thought long and hard," he began, his voice full of determination. "And we''vee to a decision. We want to join the Sabertooth Tigers." Maxime crossed his arms, wary. "You want to leave Baron Irut to join us? You know that the life of a mercenary is far riskier than that of an apprentice knight. What drives you to make such a choice?" Ultia, more reserved but just as determined, spoke up in turn. "We''ve seen what you can do. It''s not just about fighting or battles." She stared at Maxime, her gaze piercing.@@novelbin@@ "It''s because of you, Maxime. We know you have a special talent. A talent that could make us stronger." Maxime raised an eyebrow slightly. "My talent?" he said, feigning surprise. Henry took another step forward, his eyes shining with ambition. "We''ve seen with our own eyes ordinary people quickly be stronger just after joining your mercenary group. And we want to get stronger too." Ernest, who until then had been watching in silence, leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "So you think Maxime can offer you more than Baron Irut?" Ultia spoke up. "We''ve learned all we can in the Baron''s service, and despite our titles as geniuses, we know that our talents will allow us at most to be knights, and even then, the odds are still against us." "But Maxime, you and your group have something different. If we want to go beyond our limits, we feel this is the ce to do it, with you." Maxime remained silent for a moment, measuring their words. Laura, who had been watching the scene with growing interest, finally spoke up. "You know it''s not that simple. Just because you join our group doesn''t mean you''ll be stronger overnight. There''s a price to pay, sacrifices to be made." Henry nodded without hesitation. "We know that. But we''re willing to do anything to go beyond our limits." Ultia added, her tone serious: "Baron Irut trained us, but he can''t give us what you can. We''ve seen what you''re capable of, and we want to fight alongside you." Maxime stared at them for a long moment, assessing their sincerity. The gleam of determination in their eyes was undeniable, but he knew this path wasn''t for everyone. Being a mercenary, especially with the Saber-Toothed Tigers, was more than just a career choice. It was a totalmitment, a way of life where every decision could be a matter of life and death. Finally, Maxime took a deep breath and replied in a calm but firm tone: "Very well. You want to join the Saber-toothed Tigers, but know one thing: My talent simply amplifies what you already have, so it doesn''t create things out of nothing." Henry and Ultia exchanged a knowing nce before replying in one voice: "We''re ready." Maxime thought again despite their words, stealing two promising young geniuses from Baron Irut was not something glorious. "We might as well see their potential first, then make a decision," Maxime thought silently. [Recruitment condition met, apprentice knights Henry and Ultia have expressed a wish to join the mercenary group, the Sabertooth Tigers, do you wish to ept them?] "Yes." [The apprentice knights Henry and Ultia have been sessfully recruited]. [You can view their profiles at any time]. "Show me their physique, their talent and above all their potential." Henry: Four-star potential. Weak knightly talent. Physical: 2.1 Ultia: Four-star potential. Weak knightly talent. Physical: 2.1 "Pardon!?" Maxime suddenly stood up in surprise, drawing all eyes to him. "Impossible, it''s impossible that they have four-star potential!" Simultaneously Henry and Ultia looked at each other doubtfully, sensing that something had changed deep inside them. "Maxime, what''s wrong?" asked Laura with doubt clearly visible on her face. Maxime ignored herpletely, calmed down and plunged into his thoughts. "In terms of probability, it''s almost impossible to find a three-star talent other than Charles in the area." "Nor do I seem to have heard that Henry and Ultia had better strength than other children of the same age when they were small." "Then why?" He''d never heard of such a thing in ss. Then Maxime suddenly thought of something. "Could the knighting talent modify the mercenary talent to some extent?" "Or rather, does the mercenary talent automatically adapt to the person''s physique?" "No, otherwise Romuald would also have 3-star potential since he''s exceeded the limits." "But the breathing method is ultimately something that can be considered extraordinary." "Perhaps the very principle of the breathing method is to improve potential..." Maxime seemed to have touched on something he should never have known. But he was excited by this discovery. "So all apprentice knights must have 3-star potential!" "And more importantly, that would mean that a knight would then have 4-star potential, and if I managed to recruit him, then he would have 5-star potential?" "5 stars!" Maxime''s eyes were full of stars. It seemed that his talent was surprisinglypatible with this world! Chapter 74 Ideals Maxime watched the silence settle in, his newpanions visibly torn between their knightly training and the harsh reality of the mercenary world. He knew this transition would be difficult for them, but he had no time to lose in convincing them further. Their looks, though troubled, showed a newfound determination. "You''ll get used to it," Maxime added, his voice reassuring. "This world demands more than ideals." Ernest then approached the two young apprentices, cing a firm hand on Henry''s shoulder. "Don''t worry, mercenaries have a code too, even if it''s different from that of knights. Just because we fight for gold doesn''t mean we don''t have values." Ultia nodded, though her gaze remained pensive. She had always dreamed of bing a knight, protecting the weak and honoring her family. But today, she found herself having to re-evaluate what that really meant. Strength, survival, loyalty to the group... These notions were suddenly taking on greater importance. "Let''s end the meeting here, we absolutely must be prepared to leave first thing in the morning," Laura added, breaking the silence. "And if the orcs manage to break through, it won''t just be a problem for the nobles, but for everyone." Maxime turned to Laura, nodding. "The battle against the orcs is important, but first we have to make sure our group is well prepared. If we''re weak, we won''t be of any use over there."@@novelbin@@ Ernest nodded, turning away to camp business. "Then we might as well get some rest. Tomorrow it all begins." As they dispersed to prepare their gear and think about the day ahead, Henry approached Maxime discreetly. His face was grave, but he seemed to have made up his mind. "Maxime... I owe you an apology for what happened before. I was arrogant, and I underestimated the importance of what you offer us. Thank you for letting me stay. I won''t let you down." Maximeid a hand on Henry''s shoulder, a slight smile on his lips. "We all make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them. Don''t worry, you still have time to prove your worth." The two exchanged a look of understanding before Henry returned to his business. Maxime followed him with pensive eyes. He knew Henry and Ultia were promising recruits, but he still wondered how much their loyalty would be tested in the days ahead. The war against the orcs was only the beginning. In the shadows, other forces were preparing to enter the fray, forces more subtle and dangerous than the brutal hordes of the south. Under the starry sky, the tents of the camp were immersed in a peaceful silence, but Maxime couldn''t sleep. Sitting by the dying fire, he watched the flickering mes, lost in thought. The shadow of decisions to be made weighed heavily on him. Despite the day''s sess, he knew that every step they took in the days ahead would be crucial to their survival. "You should get some sleep, you know." The soft voice, tinged with irony, broke the silence around him. Maxime turned his head slightly to see Laura, the former bandit, approaching with her feline gait. Her slim, lithe body stood out in the firelight, and her hair cascading around her face added to the mysterious aura she always carried with her. "You''re not asleep either," Maxime replied with a slight smile, well aware of the effect Laura could have on him, as on the others. She shrugged, then sat down opposite him, her gaze scanning the fire. "I''m used to sleepless nights. The bandit life... remember?" Maxime looked at her, wondering whether she was joking or serious. Their rtionship had always been ambiguous. Laura was strong, formidable even, but she had this way of hiding her true intentions behind smiles and words he could never fully decipher. Ever since she''d joined the group, there''d been a palpable tension between them that was both electrifying and frustrating. "I remember that," he replied atst. "But it''s been a while since you were what you used to be. You''re different now." Laura smiled, a smile that revealed nothing, but suggested everything. "What about you, Maxime? You''re different too. Just a few months ago, you were just a boy lost in this strange world. Now you''re the leader of a group of mercenaries who are numerous and powerful. How do you like having this power?" He stared at her for a moment, wondering what she was getting at. Laura always knew where to press to make him think, sometimes even to destabilize him. Through their old discussions, she already knew many things about him. Not least that this wasn''t the world he''d been born into. "It''s not a question of pleasure. I do what I have to do." He looked away, watching the embers. "If I don''t do it, who will do it for me?" She nodded slowly, seeming to appreciate the answer. "Always so serious..." she murmured. "But I wonder, Maxime... How far are you willing to go to keep this power? Do you care about the lives of your mercenaries?" The question was direct, almost a challenge. Maxime looked up at her again. He knew Laura wasn''t afraid to ask the tough questions, the ones others avoided. Their rtionship was built on these intellectual and emotional confrontations. He appreciated her for it, even if it often troubled him. "As far as it takes," he said after a moment''s silence. "As long as I have the power, I won''t let anything or anyone threaten this group." Laura leaned forward slightly, her eyes glinting in the light of the dying mes. "Even if it means doing things you hate? That you never thought you''d be able to do?" He felt the tension in her words, the weight of what she was saying. Maxime knew Laura was speaking from experience. As a former bandit, she''d no doubt already been through these moral dilemmas, these moments when you had to choose between your integrity and survival. "Yes." he replied firmly. "Even that." Laura stared at him for a moment, her eyes searching for something in his, as if she wanted to make sure of his sincerity. Then she smiled, but this time it was a sad, almost resigned smile. "That''s what I wanted to hear," she murmured. She stepped back slightly, breaking the closeness that enveloped them, but the tension between them was still there. However, Maxime sensed a mysterious sadness emanating from Laura. It was as if she were hiding a part of her life from him, a part that would have left a deep impression on him. "But don''t forget, Maxime. The further you get from who you were, the more you risk losing yourself. And once you''re too far away... you never go back." Maxime looked at her intently. "You think I''m going to lose myself, Laura?" She shrugged, her gaze bing more distant. "I don''t know. Maybe you''re stronger than me. Maybe you''re stronger than me. Or maybe you''re already losing yourself, and you don''t even realize it." Silence settled between them again, heavy with unspoken words. Laura finally stood up, as if the conversation were over, but before walking away, she turned to him onest time. "You know where to find me if you want to talk, or... if you need anything else." Her tone was ambiguous, implying much more than mere words. Maxime watched her leave, a strange feeling weighing on his chest. He knew Laura was right, in a way. The power, the responsibility, it all came at a cost. But he hadn''t yet discovered how much he was willing to pay. In the early hours of the morning, Maxime was up before the others, watching the sunrise with a strange serenity. He sensed that something great was afoot, something that would turn their world upside down and throw him and hispanions into a storm greater than they had ever imagined. Readtest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire He clenched his fists. Whatever happened, he was ready to face this uncertain future. Chapter 77 Brutal battles against orcs (2/2) They were attracted by the impressive sight of these mening to their rescue. Comments and exmations erupted, betraying their disbelief. "Great, Baron Edrin''s men have arrived?" "Impossible, I''ve seen Baron Edrin''s soldiers fight before and none of them could survive for a single second against the might of these people." "I agree, these guys arepletely inhuman." A young boy pointed at Andrew, who was splitting the air with his sword. "Look, Mom, the gentleman jumped at least ten feet!" Other vigers also saw the scene. "Damn that guy literally flies!" "Clearly! It''s not human to jump three meters high like that!" Not far away, the orc leader spotted the agitation and surprise of his own troops. He roared in a ferocious voice, raising his axe high as a rallying cry. His red eyes, gleaming with rage,nded on Maxime, whom he pointed to. In an instant, fifteen orcs, galvanized by their leader, converged on the mercenaries in a furious charge. Maxime signaled to Andrew, Laura, Ernest, Rodrigo, James, Piedro, Izo, Charles, Henry, Ultia and the remaining mercenaries. "You take care of the weaker ones, I''ll take care of this monster here." The few remaining orcs were fighting in the north of the vige with Romuald, Terry, Tena and his two brothers. Thetter''s every step shook the ground, and his axe arced menacingly through the air, ready to descend on the head mercenary. The giant orc swept the air with a powerful blow. Maxime barely dodged, feeling the breath of the axe cleaving the air near his face. He knew he couldn''t match the brute strength of this creature. He decided to exploit his agility, circling the orc leader, analyzing his movements. As he dodged, the house behind him waspletely destroyed by the orc''s powerful blow. A few cries of distress echoed through the house, but Maxime couldn''t deal with them at the moment. The orc continued to swing his axe in Maxime''s direction, but only seeded in destroying the surroundings, without touching the human he was aiming at. With a grunt, the orc changed strategy and feinted to the right before delivering a violent diagonal blow. This time, Maxime couldn''t dodgepletely, and the axe de grazed his arm, tearing his armor and leaving a bloody gash. "Tch, this orc has at least the power of a knight," Maxime murmured, looking at the imposing orc in front of him. But he had agility on his side and continued to fight the orc with his flexibility, wounding him slightly. He was very careful, because if he was hit again, he could be seriously wounded and thus be at the mercy of the orc. While Maxime engaged the orc leader, the other mercenaries had already thrown themselves into the fray to protect the vigers and repel the orcs who were wreaking havoc all around them. The vige square was transformed into a veritable battlefield, with each mercenary engaged in a relentless struggle. Andrew, the young man with the ming red hair, rushed into the fray, his sword drawn and ready to slice. His movements were swift and precise, and his sword sliced through the air with frightening efficiency. An orc attacked him from the left, swinging a club with a furious snarl. Andrew ducked and ducked under the blow, then, in one fluid motion, straightened up and thrust his de into the creature''s side, which copsed with a howl. No sooner had he withdrawn his de than another orc lunged at him, but Andrew met it with a blow to the chest, pushing it back with a powerful swing of his sword. A few yards away, Ernest, the young blue-haired archer, positioned himself high on the roof of a ruined barn. His arrows whistled through the air, striking their target with deadly uracy. His next arrow pierced the eye of an orc trying to surprise Rodrigo from behind. His next arrow pierced the throat of another, preventing the creature from reaching a fleeing vige girl. Rodrigo, the brown-haired young man with the imposing build, was fighting an orc head-on. The orc struck Rodrigo on the shoulder with a heavy sword, but to the orc''s surprise, the de of his usually sharp sword made a strange noise and bounced off Rodrigo''s skin. A thinyer of broken rock could be seen. Taking advantage of his opponent''s surprise, Rodrigo counter-attacked, his axe mming down hard on the orc''s skull, causing him to copse heavily. Rodrigo then turned to another enemy and raised his left arm, which had just been covered in rock, to protect himself from a blow. As the battle intensified, an elegant, graceful figure appeared in the midst of the fighting. Laura stood there, her piercing gaze scanning the battlefield with calm determination. Her entrance did not go unnoticed, and the orcs who crossed her path were immediately drawn to her. Her beauty transcended the scene, but what was even more striking was the intimidating aura she naturally exuded when holding a sword... She wielded a long, slender sword with exceptional mastery.@@novelbin@@ With a fluid, calcted gesture, she dashed into the fray, striking with frightening precision. Her de seemed to dance around her, tracing sparkling arcs in the air. Every movement was precise, every blow delivered with an elegance that contrasted with the brutality of the orcs'' assaults. She pivoted gracefully, avoiding a brutal attack from an orc who was trying to take her by surprise. Her de split the air in a precise movement, piercing the orc who copsed to the ground without a shout. Maxime, watching the battle unfold, nodded to Laura as he continued to restrain the orc leader. She understood immediately and moved to his side. Their synchronization was perfect: Maxime feinted and circled, and Laura nimbly sliced through the gaps Maxime created in the orc''s defense. "Together, we''ll get there faster", she breathed as she passed by him, her eyes glowing with battle fire. The orc leader, cornered and enraged, tried to repel them with violent blows, but Laura and Maxime dodged with perfect harmony, instinctively adapting to each other''s movements. Maxime could soon see the moment of weakness he had been waiting for. The chef was bing increasingly angry, his blows more chaotic and powerful, but less precise. Maxime, seeing an opening,unched himself to deliver the final blow. But suddenly, the orc leader shouted a hoarsemand, and suddenly 3 orcs who were upied by a few mercenaries suddenly charged in his direction at the cost of many wounds. In a direct charge like this, it was difficult for Terry, Izo and Piedro, who were fighting them, to catch up easily. Andrew, seeing the orcs converging on Maxime and Laura, rushed forward without hesitation. He thrust his sword into the back of one of the green-skinned monsters, bringing it to its knees. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire Ernest, still aloft, unleashed a swift arrow that whistled through the air and hit another orc, stopping him dead in his tracks. Terry, Izo and Piedro caught up with this one and took advantage of the opportunity to finish him off. Charles, fighting nearby, spotted thest orc rushing towards Maxime. He hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped in and used his body to face the sheer power of the orc. Unfortunately, he was too weak and was sent flying into a house while spitting out a mouthful of blood. The house copsed on Charles, his life and death unknown. But he gained a few precious seconds for Andrew and Ernest, who joined forces to hold back thest orc and then kill him. Maxime remained focused on the orc leader, who now seemed finally weakened by his wounds and his own exhaustion. With a swift, decisive blow, Maxime drove his sword deep into the orc''s chest. The giant creature flinched, reaching for Maxime with a trembling hand, but Laura came up from behind and drove her sword into the orc''s chest too, before quickly withdrawing it. The orc leader howled in pain, staggered and finally copsed. The two stood back, watching as their opponent copsed heavily to the ground. 30 secondster, all the orcs had been wiped out and the battle was over. Indeed, his men could now easily be considered the elite of the elite among ordinary humans. Some thirty adult orcs were easily exterminated without casualties, only a few mercenaries slightly wounded and Charles whose situation was still unknown. As thest orc fell, silence fell. The vigers, at first terrified, dared to emerge from their hiding ces, looking at their rescuers with a mixture of amazement and gratitude. Maxime blew slightly to calm his breathing, then exchanged nces with Andrew, Ernest, Rodrigo, Laura and the rest of the mercenaries, each of them still alert despite the absence of new enemies. Chapter 79 Baron Edrin Charles looked at Andrew''s face in profile with astonishment and emotion. Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire Andrew felt Charles''s gaze, but he had no desire to confront it with his own. "Getting too attached to others could be too painful." A middle-aged man approached them apanied by two small children. The two little ones hid behind their father''s legs while casting curious nces at Charles and Andrew. "Respectable mercenaries, I have a room with an insted bed for the injured young man and I can also set up an extra bed for you sir." Not knowing the mercenaries'' first names, the man used his gaze to let Charles and Andrew know who he was talking to. "It would indeed be great if we could stay with you," Charles replied with a smile. "We''d be very grateful," Andrew added without too much emotion. If a bed was suddenly avable, it must have been upied before. Otherwise, the room would have been rearranged. Simr scenes urred again and again. Every family in the vige had lost one or more members, whether children, parents, cousins or grandparents. But thanks to this, Maxime''s little mercenary troop was easily amodated despite the many destroyed houses. Terry, Izo, Piedro and James settled in together in a house to which they had been invited. The premises were modest, but a fire crackled in the firece, casting a warm glow over the fighters'' slightly tired faces. Even for them, walking for 3 days outside and then directly confronting orcs was rather exhausting. An elderly woman, who appeared to be the matriarch of the house, approached the group. She had arranged a few chairs in front of the firece and ced steaming dishes of soup and still-warm bread on the table. "Thank you very much for the meal." James thanked the woman with a smile, while the others nodded gratefully. "Thank you for stepping in." The woman''s expression was at once very grateful but also very sad. "Thanks to you my little baby and I are still living, even if it will beplicated without my husband and my two teenagers." James, visibly moved, clenched his fists as he looked at her. "Don''t thank us, ma''am... No one should have to go through this, not you, not anyone." Terry, her gaze tranquil,id a friendly hand on James''s shoulder to calm him. "It''s precisely because things like this happen that we have to help people in need as much as we can," he said, turning his gaze to the old woman with a reassuring smile. "If we do our job well, maybe one day we can achieve eternal peace in certain regions." Piedro, his face impassive, also gave his opinion. "This is our mission. And when you''ve got a mission, you don''t give up. It doesn''t matter how many there are, or how strong they are. We''re here to protect." Beside her, Izo remained silent, watching the woman''s face. He said nothing, but his unyielding gaze seemed to reassure her far more than long speeches. He seemed particrly reliable. They''d all given a lot of thought to bing mercenaries, their goals, what they wanted to be and, above all, they''d also thought about Maxime''s behavior. If his behavior was really bad, then no matter how talented he was, they would leave and live their lives in a different way. But so far, Maxime was doing a surprisingly good job in his choice of missions, in his strategic thinking, in the values he transmitted and in the way he preserved his men. As a result, they were all very loyal to Maxime, and even if his talent disappeared, he would stay by his side and continue to follow them. The day passed quickly in the vige, with discussions, tears and emotional moments. For the evening, arge table had been set up in the vige square, where the little food avable was gathered for a generous meal. After songs, toasts and stories, a moving ceremony took ce to honor the dead. The old woman in the brown dress, respected by all, stepped into the center of the vige, carrying in her hands an earthenware bowl filled with ashes and twigs. The vigers had gathered in a silent circle, while the mercenaries stood back in line, observing the scene with respect. Their faces, still scarred by previous battles, were imbued with an unusual solemnity. The old woman slowly raised her arms and murmured an ancient prayer, her husky voice echoing in the silence, punctuated by the rustling of leaves and the crackling of the first stars. A few vigers in turn intoned words in a low, almost hypnotic chant, echoing the healer''s voice. The air took on a palpable gravity, and even the mercenaries, unustomed to such rituals, froze in deep reverence. She ced the bowl on the ground and began throwing dried herbs into it, invoking the memory of the dead who had fallen to defend the vige. Wisps of bluish smoke rose up, carrying with them prayers of protection.@@novelbin@@ At that moment, each viger, from the youngest to the oldest, stepped forward in turn, throwing a handful of earth or a flower into the bowl, a symbol of their gratitude to the mercenaries and their fallen loved ones. Andrew, arms folded, watched the scene, deeply moved by the simplicity and power of this rite. Maxime, at his side, remained impassive, but a glint of gentleness passed through his eyes as he observed the respectful gestures of the vigers towards their dead. Henry and Ultia also seemed absorbed in the gravity of the moment, despite their youth andck of experience. Terry, James, Piedro and Izo stood side by side, each staring into the steaming bowl as if the ashes contained all the suffering and courage of those they had lost. In particr, Peter, Alessandro and Ronny, who had sadly passed away during the battle of Plouta, and their family, who had tragically died in Quessoi. Rodrigo also observed the scene, his thoughts mixed. Romuald''s gaze was deep; he''d known many ways to honor the dead. And during his career as a soldier, he had honored many in different ways. But all were highly respectable, as long as those present had sincere andpassionate thoughts for the dead. After a final chant murmuring the names of the departed, the old woman raised her hands to the sky, her gaunt fingers drawing shapes in the air. Then, in a slow movement, she poured the contents of the bowl into the mes of the brazier at the center of the circle, creating a great me that lit up the faces of all present. This fire symbolized the passage of souls to a ce of eternal rest. The vigers watched the me in silence, while the mercenaries felt for the first time the depth of thismunion. Finally, the healer addressed the mercenaries with a gleam of gratitude in her tired eyes. "You have taken up the burden of battle for us, and our dead rest in peace thanks to your bravery. May this me grant you the protection of the elders." A respectful silence settled, broken by a few words from Maxime: "We are honored to stand among you tonight." His tone, humble and sincere, echoed in the hearts of the vigers, marking this ceremony with a sense of closeness between vigers and mercenaries. As the me began to fade, a sense of peace permeated the air, as if the souls had found their rest. In the days that followed, the presence of the mercenaries reassured the vige, and little by little, trust grew between the two groups as the traumas of the previous day were slowly hidden deep in the hearts of the vigers. The vigers enjoyed hearing tales of past battles, fascinated by the endurance and bravery of these men who hade from afar to defend strangers. On the morning of the fourth day, horses were spotted on the horizon. An imposing, noble-looking man, surrounded by apprentice knights, entered the vige. It was Baron Edrin, who hade to check on his people and the mercenaries who had saved them. He dismounted and went first to speak with a few vigers. After listening to the vigers'' stories, he rode over to Maxime and hispanions, a grateful smile lighting up his tired face. Edrin bowed slightly in respect. "Maxime, you and your men have aplished what I thought impossible. My duty should have been to protect them, and yet it was you who saved my vige. For that, I am deeply grateful." Maxime, humbled, bowed his head slightly in respect. "Monseigneur, we simply did what we felt was right." The baron nodded and, touched by this rare humility,id a hand on his shoulder. "Few mercenaries can boast such loyalty to those they protect. You have my eternal gratitude. If you ever need an ally, Baron Edrin will be at your side." Laura, not far away, watched Maxime, wanting tough. "Maxime likes to y modest, but all he has in mind is improving his impression of Baron Edrin to increase the reward he can receive from him." Standing next to Maxime, the baron addressed the assembled vigers and mercenaries. "My friends, this vige will rise and prosper again, thanks to the bravery of these men and women. Together, we will rebuild what has been lost." Chapter 80 Festivity and reflection The vigers gave Baron Edrin a standing ovation. Baron Edrin''s short speech provoked a wave of enthusiasm among the vigers, their faces lighting up with hope and determination. It seemed that the baron was particrly popr in his home territory. Once the ovations had died down, Edrin turned his gaze back to Maxime and beckoned him to follow him out of the crowd. Maxime, curious, followed him. Together, they walked to an old restored barn, away from curious ears. Edrin turned back to him, smiling slightly. "Thanks again for saving those vigers." Maxime shook his head and decided to be direct. "We''re mercenaries, we save when we can save, but to live we need money." The baron was surprised by Maxime''s transparency, but he didn''t let it faze him. "Of course, I''ll issue you a reward once we return to Algrande." Saying this, Baron Edrin slightly dodged the question of the reward and its amount with a kind smile. "No, on reflection I think we''ll be going to the county capital of Ravemont, Lapi, soon enough." "So send our reward there." Suddenly Maxime looked Baron Edrin directly in the eye. "I sincerely hope to get a rewardmensurate with the difficulty of the task, if not..." Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire Maxime didn''t finish his sentence, and simply decided to continue staring at the baron. At that very moment, the Baron sensed that a dangerous beast was staring at him like prey. This young man, who at first seemed so kind and naive, could have such a face. Suddenly, he realized the problem. How could a small squad of 20 men sweep away thirty orcs? To be honest, he''d known about these orcs for a long time, but he hadn''te because he didn''t have the strength to get rid of them. He''d onlye here because he''d received the news that the vige hadn''t been destroyed. When he heard this news, he couldn''t believe his ears. So he decided to take a look around. When he saw that there were only about twenty mercenaries, most of them very young, he couldn''t believe they''d managed to get rid of the orcs. For this reason, he intended to send only 50 gold coins, while promising them various benefits. Even sending them 50 gold pieces made his heart ache, given the age of the mercenaries. But at least with this sum, his reputation would be preserved and these young mercenaries would bepletely won over by him. However, Maxime''s threat changed his nspletely. If he sent such a small sum, he had no doubt that the young man would take his men to ransack his territory. "Of course, I''ll send you a reward that''s appropriatelymensurate with the task you''ve performed, plus a gift of gratitude for saving my vigers." On hearing these words, Maxime smiled at Baron Edrin and stopped staring. "I dare not doubt the Baron''s nobility." As he said this, Maxime kept a hint of menace in his words. But Baron Edrin ignored this, put on a serious face and addressed the main fact for which he had invited Maxime into discreet surroundings. "I''ve received rumors of orc movements intensifying in the region... Count Ardan, though powerful and possessing a mighty army, he seems slightly overwhelmed by the orc attacks which are multiplying in all directions." Edrin sighed, then nced outside, easily able to see the destroyed buildings. "That''s why I''d like to hire you more... officially. Not only to defend this vige, but my entire territory." In making this wish, Edrin was thinking selfishly. With the strength of these mercenaries, he could retain his military power while earning certain military merits. But Maxime shook his head. "I told you, we''re not going to stay here long, our aim is to fight our way through the entire southern territory, earn as many gold coins as possible and then return to the north." The baron frowned. "I can pay you very well for very little risk." "If you venture into the warring territories unprepared, you''ll die without even knowing how." Maxime kept a slight smile, without answering. He didn''t need to say that his 20 men could literally sweep through Baron Edrin''s territory, and that on top of that he had a super-powerful talent as an asset. Seeing Maxime''sck of reaction, the baron regained hisposure so as not to spoil his rtionship with these powerful mercenaries. After all, if they survived, he''d forge a rtionship with powerful mercenaries without spending too much. "I respect your decision, and I hope you leave the south with wealth and honor." Then he gestured to Maxime to join the vigers again. "Tonight, we will celebrate your bravery. You all deserve an evening of peace before you set out again." As evening fell, the entire vige was illuminated by torches and bonfires. The vigers had gathered colorful chairs, tables and tablecloths, adorned with simple wildflower decorations. The small central square vibrated with a festive atmosphere, filled withughter, song and music, and the mercenaries mingled with the vigers like long-lostpanions. Several hours after Baron Edrin''s arrival, several carriages filled with food arrived in the vige, making the evening a gustatory delight for all. Charles, still pale but determined to participate, leaned on Andrew to join the party. Thetter supported him, not without an amused smile. "Are you really in a state right now?" Charles forced a smile. "I can''t shirk my first victorious evening, can I? It would be too pitiful." Andrew thought about it seriously and surprisingly agreed. "Indeed, it would be rather sad. After all, this is the start of your mercenary career, so it has to be glorious when you tell itter." Charlesughs lightly. "We agree. Later I could tell the new recruits that after being badly wounded, Ipletely ignored the pain and drowned myself in alcohol and women who admired me for my courage!" Thinking about it, Charles had dreamy eyes. But looking at Charles, Andrew had a mockingugh. "Look at you clinging to my shoulder like a ko, your charisma with the vige women must be at an all-time high." Charles rolled his eyes. "Anyway, when I ride my dragon and be known all over the world, no one will dare to doubt my words." Hearing this, Andrew felt slightly sad, but his sadness went unnoticed by Charles. "Still, you must survive until then..." His words like a whisper were heard by Charles, who became displeased. "Of course I''ll survive!" "Need I remind you that you almost died in your first battle, a battle that was won easily but in which you were still the only one seriously wounded?" Charles was speechless at Andrew''s repartee and looked at him with disgruntled eyes, but he couldn''t helpughing as he realized the reality. At the center of the festivities, Piedro and Terry began an impromptu drinking contest, apanied by a few hrious vigers. Terry, grinning mischievously, turned to other mercenaries and vigers: "If anyone manages to keep up with me, I promise I''ll respond to any request they make!" Laughter resounded. "Either I''ll follow you, Terry! If I win I want you to teach me some self-defense moves!" A burly viger lifted his tankard and challenged Terry with a very serious look despite his flushed face. Other vigers were suddenly excited. "I''m going with you too! If you lose the mercenaries you''ll have to teach us how to fight!" "The mercenaries may know how to fight, but I''m sure they can''t beat our vigers trained from generation to generation to get drunk every day!" Piedro found this interesting andughed aloud. "Well, let''s see which of us is stronger!" A little way back, Maxime watched the scene with satisfaction and, above all, with a mysterious look in his eyes. A few thoughts crossed his mind. But he was cut off by Rodrigo who approached, carrying a mug of beer, and held it out. "To you, Chief. This evening is dedicated to you too." Maxime epted the drink, a smile of gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, Rodrigo." They toasted in silence, the air imbued with mutual gratitude, before Maxime added, his gaze plunged toward the night horizon. "I really like this kind of evening after a battle." Rodrigo nodded, looking thoughtful. "Yeah, they have a special vor." "But don''t you think it''s strange, Maxime, that orcs have already gone so deep into human territory?" Maxime looked at Rodrigo without changing his expression as he sipped lightly from his mug of beer. "What makes you think so?" Rodrigo watched Maxime carefully before answering, as if measuring every word. "Let''s just say it doesn''t fit with what we know about orcs. They''re brutal, yes, but their territory is far from here, and they don''t usually venture this deep into human territory without a reason..." He paused, staring at an invisible point in the darkness. "Something must have prompted them to move, to risk open warfare." Maxime remained silent for a moment, eyes squinting, and finally nodded in agreement. He''d had this thought before, but hearing it from Rodrigo confirmed his suspicions. In all the courses in the real world, it was said that when there were orcs, they were usually easily repelled and in any case the orcs didn''t venture deep into human territory. If they did, then it was sensible to assume that something was afoot.@@novelbin@@ This could range from simple famine among the orcs or particrly high reproduction, to internal tribal conflicts. And in the worst case...the birth of an orc king. Thinking about this, Maxime was worried. If there was an orc king, then it wasn''t just the south that was in danger, it was the whole kingdom. For to be the orc king and unite all the tribes, one had to be far more powerful than a great knight, at leastparable to an epic knight! Indeed, among the orcs there were already manyparable to great knights, so this was the minimum. "That''s what I think too," murmured Maxime. Rodrigo grinned, shaking his head in puzzlement. "I just hope we don''t get embroiled in a war that totally overpowers us." Chapter 81 The beer contest Their gazes exchanged a gleam of silent understanding. The mission, filled with glory for some, had just taken on a darker dimension for those who knew how to observe beyond the obvious. While the party was in full swing, theughter and singing of the vigers filled the square, creating a warm atmosphere that contrasted with the two men''s anxiety. A few children approached themughing, their little hands outstretched towards Maxime and Rodrigo, asking for a dance. Rodrigo, reluctant at first, finally gave in to the children''s pleas with a smile, while Maxime stood by and watched them dance awkwardly together. This soon began to drift into Rodrigo having fun making the children fly. With hisrge size and powerful physique, he had no trouble carrying several children at once. Returning to Terry and Piedro''s side, the beer contest was in full swing. A stocky viger named Garen, a red-cheeked former soldier with eyes shining with amusement, raised his tankard with a provocative smile in Terry''s direction. "Well, mercenary? Still up and about? You look like you''re having trouble keeping up!" Terry burst outughing, but his voice trailed a little, and his gaze was already getting a little fuzzy. "Peuh! What do you take me for, Garen? You can drink barrels and still walk straight afterwards! Right, Piedro?" Piedro, whose eyelids seemed to be fighting gravity, nodded vigorously in support, but his hand was visibly betraying him. He trembled as he lifted his tankard, which made many of the vigersugh. "Exactly! No...no viger...can bend...can bend mercenaries of our caliber!"@@novelbin@@ His drunken, hesitant voice provoked another round ofughter from the vigers. Although they were beginning to feel equally hot-headed, none seemed intimidated; they knew that time was on their side. Piedro and Terry, however, impressed them. Between them, they werepeting against a dozen people. A young woman named Lira raised her ss with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "It''s all very well to brag, but it looks like you''re starting to lose color, especially Terry!" Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire "Pfft, it''s not me who''s fading, it''s just the firelight that''s... that''s... uh... making everything blurry..." The vigers burst outughing as Terry struggled to keep his bnce on his stool. Piedro, for his part, clutched at Terry''s shoulder, his head beginning to spin dangerously. "Terry, I think I have an idea. Why don''t we take a break, just to... recalcte, you know?" "Recalcte what?" Piedro whispered softly in Terry''s ear. "I''ve got a n...let''s pretend we''re going to take a leak...but actually we''re going to do what I call...tactical puking!" Terry opened his eyes wide in surprise. Then he shook his head and looked at Piedro as if he were staring at an idiot. "There''s a w in your n there, do you really think we can walk right now?" At the same moment, and seeing the situation, Garen stood up and brandished his tankard tounch the final blow. "Well, my friends, I think we can dere victory for the vigers! Those mercenaries certainly don''t have any legs left to stand on!" The vigers exulted, pping their hands andughing out loud. Piedro, in a final burst of pride, tried to stand up, but missed and copsed in the straw nearby. Seeing his college in this state, Terry admitted defeat. "Okay, okay... you win. But training will be rescheduled for another day." Lira, still mischievous, came dangerously close to Terry''s face. "That''s a pity, I really wanted to train tonight. Terry became suddenly shy; he''d never had any experience with women until now. He tried to look at Lira''s face, but every time he tried to concentrate, his vision was blurred, and the darkness of the night wasn''t making things any easier. Then suddenly a sweet sensationnded on his lips. Startled, Terry lost his bnce and fell backwards into the hay with Lira. All the vigers began to whistle and shout with enthusiasm as the two began to kissnguorously despite the situation. Laura and James arrived just then, surprised by what was happening. James, raising an eyebrow, lightly tapped Laura''s shoulder to get her attention, an amused smile on his lips. "Well, little Terry''s going to be big Terry tonight." Laura shook her head with augh, one hand on her hip. "Maybe I should have brought the buckets of water earlier to calm things down... but at least they''ve integrated well with the vigers." James began tough merrily. "That''s not integration anymore, that''s fusion." "On the other hand, believe me, if you had spilled a bucket of water on them, whether you were the chief''s wife or not, all the mercenaries would have cursed you to your death." "Sex is sacred." James was extremely convinced by what he was saying, which exasperated Laura and so she huffed slightly. "All the same." Seeing Laura and James arrive, a few enthusiastic vigers raised their tankards in the direction of the mercenaries. Garen was excited when he saw them. "Hey, heree some mercenaries! If you''ve got any energy left, why don''t you show us some techniques?" "Huh? Why should we have to do that!" replied Laura with slight annoyance. "Your colleagues promised us!" Laura and James looked at Piedro slumped in straw and obviously sleeping, then at Terry immersed in some of the world''s greatest happiness. Then they both looked at each other andughed. "Okok, we''re going to teach you a few little techniques." Laura took a more serious tone, although the smile in her eyes betrayed her amusement. "First let''s start with a warm-up... and maybe the losers of this beer contest can show us what they can do once they wake up." Piedro, still sprawled in the hay, raised a hand weakly, mumbling in a pasty voice. "I''ming...wait for me...just a moment..." The vigersughed harder, but several of them gathered around, forming a circle around Laura and James with curious faces ready to learn more. Laura assumed a steady posture, observing the vigers benevolently. "Self-defense isn''t just about strength, but speed and reflexes." "Who''s up for starting?" A young man, still a little tipsy but full of determination, stood up awkwardly and stepped forward. "Me! I want to be able to defend my family!" Laura nodded and approached him. "Perfect. Start by showing me how you''d throw a punch." The young man assumed a slightly hesitant posture and threw a clumsy punch forward, almost tripping. Laura held back a smile, then patiently adjusted his posture, showing him how to bnce his weight on his feet and where to position his arms to stay steady. "There you go. Keep your elbows close to your body, and try to pivot with your body to give strength. If you''re off bnce, you''ll be an easy target, and you won''tst against an experienced enemy." Gradually, other vigers joined in the impromptu training, encouraged by James, who showed the stronger ones how to keep a low guard and make quick dodges. The atmosphere remained upbeat, whileughter could be heard in the distance. A camaraderie had begun to form between the vigers and the mercenaries. A few hours passed, and the calm of the night gradually descended on the vige as the campfires were extinguished one by one. The next morning, while the vige was still asleep, Maxime gathered his men in the dawning light, his features serious. He exined the situation, making no secret of his doubts or the urgency of the situation. Each mercenary listened in silence, aware of the moreplex mission ahead. Andrew stepped forward, breaking the silence with a firm voice. "Who cares, let''s just get to the ces where we can help, and if it''s too dangerous we can always run." Ernest intervened as well. "Hothead is right, this situation is even advantageous for us because previously the nobles'' military forces were sufficient." "Who are you calling hothead Ernest?" intervened Andrew with a sullen face. Ernest, however, ignored himpletely. "But now they tend to get overwhelmed." Maxime ignored the brief confrontation and nodded. He stared at them all, his gaze imbued with unshakeable resolution. "We leave for Lapi tomorrow. However, a question nagged at the back of Maxime''s mind. Chapter 83 Ambush! "If you don''t have any weapons, we can lend you a few that we originally used as reserves." After Maxime''s words, the new mercenaries dispersed to get ready. Maxime remained in the same spot for a while, admiring and contemting the beauty of nature. Evening soon arrived. The mercenaries shared a final meal with the vigers, in a much more subdued atmosphere than the day before. Everyone seemed to sense that the tranquility of this vige might be thest they would experience for a long time toe. In the early hours of the morning, as the first rays of sunlight barely pierced the horizon, Maxime roused his men in a firm voice. They silently donned their gear, feeling the growing tension as they prepared to set off into the unknown. The twelve new recruits, just turned mercenaries, exchanged nces full of determination and excitement. For the first time in a long time, they felt a new strength rising within them, a possibility of a different future. Maxime, with his impassive air, continued to observe them, gauging each of their faces as if to read their thoughts. After a moment, he motioned to Ernest and Andrew to take charge of the neers'' equipment. "Can you take care of equipping them? Find them suitable weapons, even makeshift ones. We''re not going on parade." The two mercenaries nodded and guided the recruits to a shelter that had been hastily built during their short stay in the vige. They had stored a dozen swords, 3 axes and 2 pairs of daggers. At first nce, this looked rather poor, but that was to be expected since the mercenaries traveled without transport mounts. They carried everything themselves. Garen saw a heavy, thick sword, and as if it exerted an irresistible attraction for him, he seized it and raised it with a clumsiness that drew a grimace from him, but he tightened his guard, ready to tame it. He felt it was a weapon made for him. Lira, for her part, opted for two daggers, which she quickly twirled between her fingers with natural assurance. But Jean couldn''t find the right weapon for him. Instead, he stared longingly at the bow on Ernest''s back. "Do you want to learn to shoot a bow?" asked Ernest, noticing his gaze. "Yes." But Ernest was rather embarrassed, although it wasn''t noticeable among saber-toothed tigers and in remote viges, there was a strong misconception in this world for those who wielded the bow. They were seen as cowards who shot from a distance in surprise and fled at the first opportunity. "If you learn to shoot with a bow, you won''t be as good as the others in hand-to-handbat." "That also means you''ll be despised all your life, unless you one day be strong enough that no one can despise you anymore." But Jean had no doubts about his choice. He felt the bow was particrly suited to him. "Fine, I''ll lend you my spare shortbow, but take a short sword anyway to defend yourself." Jean nodded, pleased that his wish could actually be granted.@@novelbin@@ The other new recruits were much more indecisive about their choice of weapons, and dabbled a bit with everything before finally opting for ssic long swords. Observing the scene from afar, Maxime squinted and pondered. "Could it be that people with talent instinctively know what suits them best? "How strange..." While the new recruits were being fitted out and the mercenaries were offering their first advice, Maxime joined Rodrigo and Romuald, who were also observing the scene from afar. Romuald looked at Maxime, slightly worried. "We''re taking a risk, Maxime, taking them on board with us." Maxime nodded. "Yes, but it''s also a gamble. Some of them have exceptional talents that will prove useful. I didn''t include them out of pity." Rodrigo and Romuald were surprised. "How exceptional?" asked Romuald out of curiosity. "Not as strong as Charles, Henry and Ultia, but stronger than most mercenaries, including you two." Both were happy to learn that there were talented recruits, as it meant that the power of their mercenary group would increase in the future and so their chances of survival would improve too." Shortly afterwards, the Sabertooth Tigers, now slightly reinforced by 12 new recruits, prepared to leave the vige. A solemn silence hung in the air as everyone tightened the straps on their equipment. Without another word, he raised his arm to give the signal for departure, and the mercenaries, old and new, set off down the road to the cheers and apuse of the Ventbois vigers. "Come back and visit us whenever you like!" "If you''re ever in the area again, feel free to drop in and sleep in the vige!" Most of the mercenaries also raised their hands in farewell. "Garen, don''t get smart on the battlefield and above all keep a low profile, you''ve got to survive!" "I''ll survive count me in!" replied Garen, raising his left fist to the sky. "Lira, Terry, avoid making too much noise at night!" "Also avoid having children too soon!" "Is it clear, Lira can hear you? You need to umte a lot of money first before you get pregnant to take good care of your future children!" Terry and Lira, who were coincidentally standing side by side while saying goodbye, were suddenly embarrassed. But Terry quickly caught himself and replied. "Don''t worry, I''ll see to Lira''s safety!" Hearing this, the vigers were happy and started whistling with joy. "Jean, you have to survive too! When you alle back to the vige we''ll have a big party!" "Count me in, I''ll even pay for all the booze!" shouted Jean generously in response. Suddenly a high-pitched, childlike voice was heard loud and clear. "So the world can die but not Jean, alcohol is sacred!" The little joker who had emerged from the crowd was pulled by the ear by his mother and scolded on the spot, making the vigersugh on the spot as well as the mercenaries in the distance. And so the march began, the difference between the silhouettes of the experienced mercenaries and those of the new mercenaries clearly visible. Time passed quickly as the more experienced exined to the neers some of the basics of mercenary life and the things to watch out for. Along the way, they took a few breaks to allow the old vigers'' physique to improve rapidly. So when evening came, Lira, Garen and Jean were all very tired. Fearing to attract orcs, they didn''t light a fire that night, and simply ate dried meat and went to sleep in their tents. It was a special night for the new mercenaries, who were filled with various thoughts all night long, except for Garen, who fell asleep all at once. The next morning, the saber-toothed tigers advanced across an extremely vast in. The atmosphere became progressively tense, for although they could not be ambushed, they were also extremely visible from afar. Maxime led the way, nked by Andrew and Romuald, keeping his senses on the alert. Henry, Ultia, Terry and James brought up the rear. The new mercenaries were all in the middle, surrounded by the experienced mercenaries. Soon they reached a valley with lots of vegetation, raising the tension in the group. A slight movement suddenly caught Jean''s attention. "Hey Garen, I''m sure I felt something in that tall grass." Thetter was surprised, but clearly didn''t believe his friend. "Don''t worry, if there really is something there, it wouldn''t be your turn to notice." But Jean wasn''t reassured, he really felt there was something, but yet he saw no change on the faces of the stronger mercenaries. Taking courage in both hands, he suddenly ran towards Maxime, surprising everyone. He whispered to Maxime, his voice tense: "Something''s moving in the tall grass to our right." Maxime raised his hand, ordering the squad to stop. A thick silence fell as all the mercenaries, old and new, froze, their eyes fixed on the surroundings. He knew Jean''s talent, and perhaps this particr perception was one of the effects of his talent so there was great credibility in the words he was saying. Seeing the chief take his friend''s advice seriously, Garen tightened the hilt of his sword, feeling his heart racing. The situation being abnormal, both old and new mercenaries, everyone became tense. Then, without warning, a hoarse cry rang out, followed by a second, and a third. The tall grass suddenly parted, revealing a troop of orcs springing up from all sides, encircling the mercenaries. In an instant, the saber-toothed tigers found themselves surrounded by fifty of these creatures, their muscles taut, their eyes shining with a bestial glint. Chapter 84 Ambush turns tragic "Hold the line!" shouted Maxime, sword in hand, keeping an impassive face with piercing eyes. The orcs charged, brandishing crude but formidable weapons. Garen, despite the fear knotting his stomach, brandished his sword with determination. "What are you doing, rookie? Stay at the training center!" A deafening voice came from behind Garen, the next moment he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw a red-haired young man watching the orcs as if they were watching his prey. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire "You''re not backing out again?" "Ah, yes of course!" Garen and the other recruits were surrounded and protected by the experienced mercenaries. With their ordinary physiques, they could get killed by the orcs in one fell swoop. Shortly afterwards, the first lines of orcs pounced on them with relentless brutality, and soon the sound of weapons mingled with the war cries and growls of the creatures. Jean, positioned in the center with the short bow Ernest had entrusted to him, tried to keep calm. He inhaled deeply, bracing his bow. The first arrow went off, striking an orc in the chest and lightly piercing the creature''s thick skin. Unfortunately, due to theck of power, it failed to reach the creature''s vital organs. But a victorious smile yed on his lips as he managed to hit the target where he wanted. He really felt a disconcerting ease to aim and shoot where he aimed when he was holding that bow. Even he was surprised, feeling that the world was wrong to despise the bow. In his opinion, if every human could have a bow, the threat from orcs could be drastically reduced! He just didn''t know that he was the one who was special.@@novelbin@@ For ordinary people, picking up an arrow and cocking the bow wasplicated enough. Shooting correctly was good enough in the beginning. However, asking a beginner for precision was like asking an ordinary viger to kill an orc with a simple sword. The difficulty was very high indeed. Back on the battlefield, mercenaries with less than 2 physics points had some difficulty fending off the orcs. Due to theck of space, none of them could use their agility as they had done in the vige. As a result, they found themselves wounded and outnumbered. Only Maxime could easily block the orcs'' attacks, but he couldn''t kill them, because every time a gap opened up, an orc would attack Maxime, forcing him into a defensive position. He did, however, notice Jean at the rear, aiming his arrows with an impressive calm for a novice, and a glint of approval shone in his eyes. On the other hand, Ernest had dropped his bow and had long since drawn his sword to reinforce the mercenaries'' defensive position. Unfortunately, he underestimated the strength of the orc in front of him, who was attacking him, and ended up clumsily parrying a sword blow. The orc''s brute force almost caused him to drop his sword and suffer a direct and serious injury. Rodrigo sprang up beside him and with one swift blow, pushed the orc back using his body. "Ernest, keep your concentration!" But the orcs continued to pour in, and the mercenaries struggled to maintain their formation. Laura and Andrew fought hard, trying to maintain a solid front to protect the new recruits. However, despite their valiant efforts, the line was eventually breached, and a massive orc managed to infiltrate, rushing towards Jean in particr with a terrifying roar. Caught off guard, Jean stepped back, his bow useless against the imposing creature. But just as the orc raised his axe to cut it down, a figure appeared from nowhere. Garen, armed with his heavy sword, lunged forward and interposed himself, repelling the orc with a powerful thrust of his de. Out of breath but determined, he smiled briefly at Jean. "This is no time for daydreaming, Jean! Jean nodded, grateful, and immediately resumed his shooting, covered by his friend. Obviously, Garen''s strength was still very muchcking so the orc was only slightly pushed back a few steps and could quicklye back. Fortunately, Terry, who had unwittingly let the orc prate their circle, quickly came up behind him and pierced his head with a swift sword thrust. The orc naturally fell to the ground before the stunned eyes of the new mercenaries. Lira, who had been observing the scene closely, felt her heart quicken all at once. "He''s so beautiful..." she murmured without realizing it. Terry quickly returned to Piedro, Tena and Charles, the closest mercenaries fighting with him. His absence had quickly caused an outburst. "That was hot there Terry, don''t do that again!" eximed Tena in a cold sweat. "If you could stop flirting on the battlefield that would be great!"mented Piedro with a lightugh. Terry shook his head amused, with his physique, although he couldn''t notice Lira''s words, he could see her shining eyes looking at him. But he quickly refocused, his life and that of hisrades was at stake. As the battle raged on, the mercenaries grew more and more tired, but held their ground. Only Terry had managed to kill an orc, and 49 orcs remained, most of them only slightly wounded. In a 20 vs 49 situation, the situation was really starting to be critical. "Henry, be careful!" A powerful high-pitched voice cut through the small group of mercenaries. It was Ultia, who had just screamed at the top of his lungs when he saw that an orc had started swinging his axe into Henry''s blind spot and that no one could block it for him. Thetter, being an apprentice knight with solid skills and having already had systematic training, had very good reflexes. So, as soon as he heard Ultia''s cry, he immediately detected the danger and managed to block the axe. "No, there''s another one Henry." Henry had also noticed that a smaller orc had snuck up on him and taken advantage of his weakness to attack. With all his strength already invested in defending himself against the orc with the axe, he had absolutely no way of striking back in this situation. "What the hell..." *Pshit* A dagger had just pierced Henry''s light armor and blood began to spurt everywhere. "NOOONNNN!" Ultia screamed loudly and began to unleash her extraordinary strength. She managed to push back all the orcs in front of her and rushed towards Henry, who was still in a contest of strength with the axe-wielding orc despite his wound. The hole she had left was quickly filled by Andrew, Rodrigo and two other experienced mercenaries nearby. "Miserable human, what are you going to do?" Surprisingly, a hoarse voice came from the little orc who had just nted Henry. Of course, the term "little orc" was rtive, as he was still the size of a normal human. And in theory, all orcs could speak the humannguage, but very few invested any effort in learning it. The vast majority spent their time training, mating and hunting. He looked at Ultia with a smirk and blocked her path. "Get out of the little green shit!" The fierce Ultia went straight for the little orc and attacked with a broad sword thrust. But thetter gave a slight mocking smile in response. "These humans are always so stupid. He easily avoided the broad sword thrust before Ultia''s stunned eyes, and began an attack aimed at Ultia''s neck. If he seeded, Ultia would undoubtedly be decapitated! "Damn it Maxime, I told you it was a bad idea to bring recruits with us!" "Now look at the situation our elites find themselves in!" Simultaneously, Rodrigo arrived at the little orc''s side and swung a violent kick at him, sending him flying for a few meters. However, he was not particrly hurt. On Henry''s side, Izo arrived and attacked the orc blocking Henry, forcing him backwards. "Are you all right, Henry?" asked Rodrigo worriedly. He wanted to say he was fine, but he suddenly dropped to one knee and put his left hand on his wound. He felt extremely weak. An incessant stream of blood flowed onto the floor. Everyone could see that in the blood was a strange green matter. New mercenaries such as Garen, Lira and Jean looked on in fear. The other mercenaries kept theirposure, but looked grim. "The dagger was poisoned," Henry murmured with a bitter smile. Chapter 86 Orc army approaching The valley, littered with orc corpses, seemed quiet now. Everyone was quietly catching their breath, saying little. Maxime stepped into the middle of the mercenary group, his aura beginning to fade as he deactivated his talent, but the strong impression he gave off remained and drew everyone''s gaze. He was also the only person who had no bloodstains on him and who hadn''t had his armor damaged. "Don''t forget to take the ears of these orcs as evidence in case the Count doesn''t believe us, as we did at the vige of VentBois." "Those ears are very valuable." Jean, who was particrly tired, suddenly had a bad feeling. "Chief, we''d better get out of here fast." Everyone looked at Jean suspiciously, including Maxime. Suddenly, a distant thud was heard. An eerie echo, like the steady beat of a giant drum. The silence that had pervaded the valley broke, reced by a palpable tension. The mercenaries looked at each other, concern painting itself on their tired faces. Rodrigo frowned and turned to Maxime. "Chief, it looks like... that was just the vanguard of an orc army." Maxime took a deep breath, watching the horizon where shadows were beginning to appear. A wave ofrger, better-armed orcs was approaching. Andrew, frowning, stepped up beside Maxime. "What do we do, boss?" Maxime didn''t hesitate and shook his head. "Obviously we''re taking a detour, but confronting an army of orcs isn''t part of our job. We''d be risking the loss of many mercenaries, and that''s not the point." "Everyone hurry up and grab the ears of these monsters and let''s get the hell out of here!" Maxime''s loud voice roused the mercenaries from their worries, and everyone set about cutting off the ears and storing them in their bags. In less than a minute, Maxime''s order was carried out and everyone started running towards the valley entrance. Scouts including Tena and Ultia were sent to the front to secure their route, while other mercenaries took up positions around the recruits to protect them in case of need. The footsteps of the orc army seemed farther and farther away, but no one felt safe. Jean approached Maxime, fear etched on his features. "Chief, I feel we''re being followed." Jean''s feelings were proving right every time for the moment, so Maxime decided to trust them and find a solution. Maxime looked around, searching the ruggedndscape for an idea. Then he spotted a steep path winding up to a small rocky teau, out of sight. "We should be able to hide up there," he said, pointing to the path. The mercenaries quickly deployed, each knowing that the slightest misstep could cost them their lives. The sun was already declining, turning the valley a dark, oppressive red. The rumble of orc footsteps echoed once again, louder than before. A pungent smell of blood and death spread through the valley. A few minutes passed, and the orc scouts finally arrived. There were only about thirty of them, but they seemed stronger than the vanguard they had faced. These orcs also seemed to possess certain skills. Maxime and the mercenaries could see from their position as they stopped near the corpses, wary expressions on their faces. A few of them sniffed the air, analyzing the mutted bodies. Among them was a strange orc. This orc was small, wore a strange ck robe and had a bent back. From his position, Maxime couldn''t see his face, but somehow he sensed an intense feeling of dangering from this orc. This orc approached one of the orcs killed by Maxime, and used his wed fingers to graze the corpse''s still-fresh wound. Then he put the green blood he''d collected via his fingers into his mouth, as if that might give him some clue. He muttered something in an unfamiliarnguage, his eyes crinkling in cold anger. When he noticed that the orcs'' ears were missing, he became even angrier, muttering something to the orcs apanying him. Charles, who, like everyone else, was watching every move from his hiding ce, felt the tension rising inside him. The new recruits weren''t in the best of moods either. The slightest clue found by these orcs could give them away. The mercenaries remained perfectly still, their chests barely heaving with controlled breathing. The orcs began to inspect the area, stirring up the corpses and looking for traces. Maxime frowned, his mind racing to anticipate their actions. He knew that if the trackers picked up their trail, their position might be discovered. If they really were discovered, then most of the mercenaries here would undoubtedly die. Just as an unbearable tension was building up, an unexpected movement turned the tide. Further down, crows, attracted by the fresh flesh of the orcs, began cawing and fighting over a corpse, creating amotion that diverted the orcs'' attention. The trackers looked up and exchanged nces before grunting in annoyance. The shaman, clearly disconcerted, made a curt gesture, ordering the troop to continue their march towards the valley''s exit. The main army soon reached the saber-toothed tigers'' position. Almost all the mercenaries began to sweat profusely as they saw the endless column of orcs. Maxime could tell that there were at least 500 orcs in this army. Such an army would be enough to take down any baron''s territory, especially as there were several particrlyrge orcs in this army. Generally speaking, the bigger the orcs, the stronger they were. If they were smaller than average, then they were generally more intelligent than others and could possess special abilities. This was what was taught in real-world courses. All beginners had to face orcs at one time or another. Some even chose to fight them from the start, because they couldn''t bear the thought of killing human beings. But these beginners usually met with a bad end, as their physical strength was far too inadequate to survive against the monstrous force of the orcs. Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire In any case, given their size, theserge orcs should be able to rival knights, at least in terms of sheer strength.@@novelbin@@ Including the mysterious orc, it was a force not to be underestimated. The hidden mercenaries watched in silence as the army passed beneath them. The steady beat of the orc march eventually faded into the distance, leaving the valley to fall back into an almost unreal silence. Rodrigo exhaled slowly, his muscles finally rxing. Henry nced at Maxime, who was still surveying the terrain, ready to react to the slightest contingency. "That was hot, boss," Henry murmured. Maxime nodded, his gaze as piercing as ever. "Yes, but we''ll have to keep moving. Those corpses won''t lie forever." He turned his head towards the mercenaries. "Get ready, we''re leaving in five minutes. Let''s leave no trace." The men and women of the group rose cautiously, erasing their footprints and ensuring that their passage would remain invisible. Daylight was fading, and darkness would soon be their ally as they moved away from the valley that had be the graveyard of a battle that could have be their graveyard. Chapter 88 Arrival at Lapi His left hand rested firmly on his sheath, as if to say to himself that his sword was still there and would defend him if anything happened. In the lead, Maxime scanned the road, his keen eyes searching for the slightest sign of movement. His silhouette stood out from the shadows, imposing and determined. He knew that the survival of his mercenaries depended on his ability to stay one step ahead of the menace that was chasing them. The narrow path they took wound through a dense pine forest. Low branches clung to their clothes, as if trying to hold them back. Ultia abruptly returned to them, her face taut with worry. "Chief, we''ve got to stop. I heard suspicious noises up ahead. It could be an orc patrol." Maxime thought for a moment, weighing the risk of stopping against the risk of being ambushed. "All right, halt here. Everyone,plete silence and camouge yourselves behind the trees and bushes." The mercenaries obeyed, slipping silently into the darkness, muscles tense. Every breath was light, and every heart beat at a fric pace. Silence fell again, heavy and oppressive, interrupted only by the distant song of an owl. A rustle, this time much closer, made Lira jump. She wasn''t one to be easily frightened, but the darkness of the nightbined with the constant pressure of the orcs made her weak. She tightened her grip on her dagger, ready for anything. A sharp crack sounded nearby, followed by a hoarse growl. Ultia had been right: orcs were approaching, and there was no time to run, as the orcs would immediately notice their presence and could call for reinforcements. Heavy, irregr footsteps drew closer, apanied by grunts and choppy words in anguage only orcs could master. A group of half a dozen emerged from the thicket. Their torches cast a moving glow over their bestial faces and rough skin. Each carried improvised weapons, marked by the dried blood of their previous victims. Maxime raised his hand, a signal for all to stand still. He held his breath, his gaze fixed on the patrol''s movements. A drop of cold sweat trickled down his temple. If one of them made the slightest noise, it could be the start of a long, hard battle. Now that he could no longer use his talent, if they were to encounter an orc that was a little too strong, or too many orcs, he could really have many casualties among his mercenaries. He was particrly worried about Charles. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire This guy was his mercenary with the most potential; he could be as strong as a knight in the next few months given enough time. Not to mention his talent, which would stille in handy in a few years'' time. Unfortunately, he was only an apprentice knight at the entry stage atst count. In 1vs1 against an orc he could manage, but if he faced an orc''s power head-on without defending himself, he could die instantly. Charles himself was aware of this situation, but he knew that a strong man couldn''t grow like a flower in a greenhouse. Only by forging oneself through hardship could one truly be a strong man, both physically and mentally. Otherwise, even if he could have the physique of a knight, he''d be the weakest of them all. "By the way, let''s see his physique right now." "System, show me Charles'' stats." Ding! [Mercenary statistics being calcted...] Ding! [Statistics calcted, would you like to see the statistics for the mercenary Charles?"] "Yes, that''s what I asked you to do..." The system was a little too mechanical for his taste, but there wasn''t much Maxime could do about it. [Request received: disy of Charles''s statistics in progress...] [Charles: Four-star potential, affinity with dragons. Physique: 2.4] "Incredible." "He went from 2.1 points to 2.4 points in such a short time." "I understand better why he recovers so quickly each time." "The 4-star potential is really scary, he really does get stronger with each battle." Suddenly, he blinked away all the notifications that had been disyed in front of him as he saw something strange and prepared to react to any situation. The ckness of night returnedpletely. One of the orcs, more massive than the others and obviously their leader, stopped and sniffed the air with suspicion. His yellow eyes roamed the forest, as if he could sense their invisible presence. Hispanions whispered among themselves, tense. The mercenaries'' hearts were beating so fast that they felt as if the sound of their beats echoed through the night. But the orc leader, after a moment that seemed like an eternity, let out a growl and turned away, signaling the others to continue their march towards the ruined vige. Maxime waited for the torchlight to fade into the distance before straightening slightly, his muscles finally rxed. He exchanged a nce with Rodrigo, who nodded, relieved but still on the alert. "We''ll keep going, but stay close together. We need to reach Lapi before dawn." The mercenaries set off again, the anxiety of the encounter strengthening their resolve. The mercenaries finally emerged from the dense forest, and the sight before them gave rise to a rare sense of relief. Lapi stood proudly before them, protected by solid white stone ramparts and imposing towers that seemed to watch over the county of Ravemont. There was no sign of fire or chaos to mar this vision. On the contrary, lit torches andnterns hanging from the walls radiated a warm, weing glow. The town seemed invible, a bastion of peace in the midst of tormentednds. An emotional silence fell over the group, as everyone felt the weight of tension gradually dissipate. Maxime cast a calcting nce at the sturdy walls, looking for signs of weakness that might indicate a recent assault, but found none. Lapi, the pearl of Ravemont County, had remained untouched by the wave of violence that had swept through the surrounding viges. "Here we are." murmured Henry, looking almost incredulous. "Lapi is intact." The mercenaries exchanged knowing nces, fatigue and fear giving way to a semnce offort. Jean looked up at the ramparts and saw guards in full armor watching over the in around the city. Their discipline and vignce reinforced the impression of absolute security that Lapi exuded. The main entrance, protected by an iron portcullis, was illuminated and guarded by alert-looking soldiers, their spears gleaming in the torchlight. The group slowly approached the gate. The mercenaries, exhausted and bearing the scars of their recent battle, caught the eyes of the sentries. One of the guards, an imposing-looking captain, stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword.@@novelbin@@ "Who goes there?" he asked, his voice low but devoid of hostility. Maxime took a step forward, raising his voice to reply. "We''re the Sabertooth Tigers, a group of mercenaries from the north to help the south resist the orc invasion. We''vee to bring back battle merits for the count." The captain squinted, examining the tired faces of the group, wondering if young men like them could really bring back battle merits. Because that meant they''d managed to kill orcs. Especially as many of them looked like ordinary armed vigers. But this also reassured him, because he didn''t think that thirty or so people like them could cause the slightest wave of chaos in Lapi. "Wee to Lapi. Come in, and rest assured you''re safe here." The portcullis lifted with a deep creak, and the mercenaries entered the city, weed by the light and bustle of the night. Cobbled streets stretched out before them, lined with stone houses and still-open stores, where the smell of warm bread and fragrant stew wafted through the air. Laughter and conversation rose up from the taverns, a sign that life continued fearlessly within the ramparts. For the first time in days, the mercenaries allowed themselves a sigh of relief. Lapi, Count Ardan''s walled city, was an unexpected sanctuary, a haven of tranquility in stark contrast to the horrors they had left behind. Maxime paused for a moment, observing the vibrant city, and murmured to himself: "For how much longer?" Chapter 90 The Academy of Purple Knights "Okay we''ll follow you." Quickly they headed out of the city center, as the academy was not located in town. So the group of mercenaries followed the apprentice knights through the cobbled streets of Lapi, making their way between market stalls and stone houses. The sound of their footsteps echoed, marking the approach of this unexpected duel. Curious locals watched them, murmuring among themselves. The mixture of students from the purple knight academy dressed in luxurious clothes, and mercenaries dressed in pragmatic attire, was a stark contrast. It was a highly unusual scene in Lapi, and one that gave rise to many rumors. The crimson knights'' academy was situated on a hill overlooking the city, silhouetted against the horizon with its imposing towers andrge red and gold banners fluttering in the morning breeze. It was so well protected that it could literally serve as a fortress and outpost for Lapi. They passed through the heavy gates of the academy, where carefully tended gardens framed a vast cobbled courtyard. Lightly d apprentice knights trained here, executing precise movements under the watchful gaze of their instructors. The sudden arrival of mercenaries apanied by uniformed apprentices immediately drew attention. "What''s going on here?" growled a massive, white-haired man wearing shining armor adorned with silver roaring lion motifs. He was one of the academy''s masters of arms, a respected veteran named Sir ric. Leo stepped forward, puffing out his chest. "Master ric, we''ve decided to show these mercenaries the true power of an apprentice knight trained here at the Purple Knight Academy." Sir ric squinted, his attention focused on the mercenaries, whose posture was surprisingly rxed, as if they''de to sightsee. "And who will challenge my apprentice knights?" Andrew turned to Henry and beckoned him forward. Henry was perturbed; he''d heard all about this academy because it was so famous. He had once dreamed of joining this academy, but having been born in Baron Irut''s territory, he was destined never to be able to join. "I''m Henry, a former apprentice knight at Baron Irut''s entrance stage." A murmur ran through the crowd that had formed around the courtyard. Sir ric nodded, intrigued. "So be it. I want to see what you can do. Let the duel take ce before everyone''s eyes." A circle quickly formed, clearing a space in the center of the courtyard. "Tomas, go ahead, you''re at the entrance stage too," dered Leo, calmly. Tomas nodded and positioned himself opposite Henry. But Henry had a hunch that he was much stronger than Thomas. So he made an unusual request. "Leo, you cane too." The crowd let out a cry of surprise. "Does he really want to do a 1vs2?" "The guy''s totally oblivious..." "Leo is one of the top 10 best apprentice knights in3rd year while Thomas is one of the top 30 best apprentice knights in3rd year too." "Especially as Leo is at the stage of small sess!" "Between them they could even beat the top 104th year apprentice knights." Henry calmly drew his sword, an ordinary sword that had already seen many battles, to show he was serious. "Leo, ept." the firm voice of the ric instruction echoed on the spot. "So annoying." murmured Leo, stepping forward in spite of himself; in no life would he dare answer the knight ric, who was among the most powerful knights in the south. Some said he was at least in the top 10 of the most powerful knights in the kingdom. After all, he''d have nothing to gain from such a duel, and if he lost, he''d lose face in front of a lot of people. But the battle was going to take ce, whether he liked it or not. Tomas used a one-handed sword and shield, while Leo used a pair of daggers. Everyone was using real weapons, and with their physique, even if they were badly wounded, everyone could recover quickly. There was a tense silence, the air charged with adrenalin. Then Sir ric gave the signal. The two apprentices charged without dy, Tomas using his shield to try to destabilize Henry. But Henry deftly dodged, pivoting with feline precision. His de whistled and struck the edge of the shield, sending the wearer reeling backwards. Leo tried to take advantage of the opening to thrust his dagger in, but Henry anticipated the move. He parried the attack andnded a swift kick, sending his opponent crashing to the ground. The mercenaries weren''t particrly surprised, as these gestures were regrly practiced by Henry during training sessions. The crowd, however, was not at all ustomed to such gestures and was therefore stunned to see such a scene. Tomas, still standing, took a hesitant step backwards. Henry stepped forward with a piercing stare. "Come on, show me what the Purple Academy has to offer." Sir ric''s gaze, impassive but alert, followed Henry''s every move, as he now stood alone against his two adversaries. "This apprentice knight is doing really well, I wonder if he''d like to join our academy..." "Our academy really needs an apprentice knight with a powerful fighting instinct and excellent technical skills." ric''s face remained impassive, but no one could have imagined that a powerful knight like him would covet a mercenary in the famous purple knight academy. On the field, the silence was such that you could hear the wind slide over the banners. Leo, furious and humiliated by his fall, straightened up with feline grace, his daggers reflecting the morning light. "Impressive, I admit." growled Leo, clenching his teeth in shame and anger. In his mind, mercenaries were nothing but vulgar cannon fodder. He''d never imagined he''d be taken down by one of them one day. "But it''s only just begun." Henry, his face rxed but his muscles tense, repositioned himself, staring at his opponents. His gaze betrayed absolute concentration. The sword, though worn, was held with a mastery that escaped even the most incredulous onlookers. Tomas, slightly sweating, took a deep breath before ncing at Leo. They exchanged a brief nod. Sir ric squinted curiously. He was familiar with the silentnguage of apprentices preparing to attack together. In their academy, teamwork was very important and surpassed, in terms of importance, individualbat notes. "Let''s see how he handles this," he murmured to himself. Leo threw himself in first, his daggers glinting with a sharp gleam. He pounced like a feline, his movements swift and unpredictable, aiming at Henry''s left nk. Simultaneously, Tomas took advantage of the opening to strike with his sword towards Henry''s right shoulder. The duo hoped to throw Henry off bnce with this coordinated attack. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire But Henry, far from being caught off guard, pivoted on his heels with startling fluidity, forcing Leo to strike into the void. He raised his sword to parry Tomas''s blow, the metallic shock resonating throughout the courtyard. In the same second, he stepped aside, pushing Tomas against Leo in a clumsy tangle. The stunned onlookers widened their eyes. Murmurs grew louder. "How does he anticipate their movements?" wondered a young man in his first year. Another, more experienced, replied in a dull voice: "It''s not just his strength, it''s his instinct." Not everyone was an apprentice knight at this academy. Generally speaking, they arrived at the academy with an ordinary physique. Those with excellent talent could reach the apprentice knight stage in the2nd year, while most reached it in the third. Leo, beside himself, charged again, his movements more aggressive, less considered. He feinted to the left, then charged at Henry from the right, his daggers searching for the slightest opening. Henry swung slightly with his right leg, narrowly dodging a de, then used the pommel of his sword to strike Leo on the wrist. The dagger in his right hand fell, bouncing off the cobblestones with a clear clink. Taking advantage of the confusion, Tomas attempted a backhand attack, but Henry, as if with eyes in the back of his head, sensed the movement and turned. His de met Tomas''s in a controlled sh. He disarmed Tomas with a swift movement, thetter''s sword whirling through the air before falling back to his feet.@@novelbin@@ Tomas''s defeated gaze met Henry''s. Leo, now with only his dagger, took a few steps back, panting. A bitter smile contorted his features. "It looks like we underestimated these mercenaries. Henry, without arrogance, lowered his sword, the point almost touching the ground. "Strengthes not only from where you train, but from what you live." Chapter 92 Training with apprentice knights from the Purple Knights Academy "Chevalier ric is it? You can secretly despise us, but you can''t publicly humiliate our mercenary group." The experienced mercenaries dispersed in an arc behind Maxime, tending to surround ric. The rookies stayed behind, watching in amazement, including Garen, Lira and Jean. They''d seen them take on orcs and win easily. But to face a knight, and worse still, a powerful and well-known knight like ric, was something they would never have imagined even in their wildest dreams. But Maxime was mad, and his men were starting to go mad too at the slightest unpleasant thought. Chevalier ric was surprised to see such momentum generated by a simple group of mercenaries. He''d seen individuals form such a surge before, even the Count had his own elite troop that could do it. But this was a count''s elite troop! A troop that brought together the most talented individuals in a count''s territory, who had been trained by methods proven and perfected from generation to generation over hundreds of years, and whose investment in gold coins was colossal! And now, in front of him, a group of mercenaries with no reputation could do the same! What a surprise! Not wishing to provoke unnecessary conflict, and with the fault all his own, ric apologized. "I underestimated you and I apologize." He bowed slightly, then looked at Maxime with strange eyes. Clearly, this young man was gifted with a monstrous talent. Suddenly, the crowd began to shout, taking Sir ric''s attention away from Maxime. While the crowd was still stirring, a lone figure appeared in the distance and walked calmly towards where everyone had gathered. A crimson cape, richly embroidered with gold thread, billowed lightly behind him. Count Ardan, director of the Academy of Purple Knights, was arriving. He wore a deep purple coat with intricate embroidery of silver lions. Beneath the coat, a ck leather tunic reinforced with polished metal tespleted his martial stature. His dark leather boots pounded the ground, and every step he took seemed to increase his momentum. His piercing, almost icy gaze swept the scene with an acuity thatid bare the very essence of each person. The murmurings ceased instantly when his eyes met Maxime''s. Thetter, still under the spell of his own presence, was in awe. Thetter, still in the grip of his talent, felt the tension rise a notch. Count Ardan, though alone, exuded an overwhelming aura, like a king without a crown. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire With a slow gesture, Ardan raised his hand. "Good morning dear students, good morning ric and good morning...Saber-toothed Tigers." When he spoke the name of their mercenary group, Maxime was perturbed. It would seem that the Count had an extensive intelligencework. The students were equally surprised, beginning to wonder if these mercenaries were known. At the very least, they must have done something that deserved to be brought to the Count''s attention. ric bowed slightly in the Count''s direction. "Director, these men have shown a strength that even our best students at the same stage cannot match." The Count was not surprised, obviously already having information. "Yes it''s not surprising, of the 30 mercenaries you have before you, 20 of them have already defeated orcs in 1vs1 while the remaining 10 are new recruits." Count Ardan''s words shocked the crowd. Then, turning to the crowd and the still-stunned students, he added: "Let this be a lesson to you all. There''s a world behind the walls of this academy, and it''s far more vast and mysterious than you can imagine. All the students nodded firmly. With that answer, the principal turned back to the mercenaries. "Just know that if you have knightly talent, the academy will always have its doors open, should you ever feel the urge to follow another path." Seeing no danger, Maxime deactivated his talent. "Thank you, Monsieur le Comte, it''s an honor to be recognized by you." "No worries." replied the Count, simply nodding. "I don''t suppose you''vee to Lapi to take on my students?" he added in a calm tone. "Indeed, we''vee both to offer our services to Count Ardan and at the same time to im military merit." "So, Maxime, you can follow me to my office at the academy to discuss the matter. "As for your men, you can let them train here with our students. In exchange, they can eat in the academy dining room." "The best chefs in the territory work here with the most nutritious products we can find." The mercenaries exchanged satisfied and curious nces at the idea of training with the academy''s students while enjoying sumptuous meals afterwards. Rodrigo, a mischievous smile at the corner of his lips, whispered to Ernest: "Hey, I have a feeling we''re going to have a lot of fun." "Be gentle with them, they''ve never seen blood." "Of course who do you think I am?" Andrew and Laura didn''t seem particrly interested. Andrew only liked fights where he put his life or future on the line, while Laura didn''t see the point in fighting students who''d never had a setback in life. Charles seemed slightly excited, wanting to measure himself against the academy''s greatest geniuses if possible and see what level of strength he could muster. Garen''s gaze was fixed on the academy''s students, as if he could see his future. Lira, at his side, added in a low voice: "Do you think we''ll be able to fight too?"@@novelbin@@ "We''re still too weak now, but I''m sure that in the near future, not only will we be able to fight them, we''ll win." Jean arrived at their side, having heard their words. "Good mentality, we''ll grow stronger together." Garen and Lira smiled in response, full of confidence. After all, with the support of their leader''s monstrous talent, they could only grow stronger. As Maxime followed the Count, the mercenaries dispersed to the training area under the watchful, intrigued eyes of the academy''s students. Sir ric took his ce as observer, ready to oversee this unexpected encounter between the mercenaries and his students. He was curious to see how these fighters from such different backgrounds would interact and confront each other. A young 4th grader stepped forward, his brown hair tied back in a tight ponytail, his expression stern. "My name is Alden. Who would like a friendly duel?" Rodrigo stepped forward and replied with a weing, confident smile. "I ept. It''s going to be fun." Other students ranging from 1st graders to 5th graders began to initiate various duels with the mercenaries. Eventually, even the new mercenaries were warmly weed by the apprentice knights. Of course, the apprentice knights knew that they were just vigers a few days ago and simply began to teach them a few basics. Meanwhile, Maxime followed Count Ardan through the academy''s imposing corridors. Behind them, the sound of the first shes of swords was already resounding, marking the beginning of this encounter that would definitively redefine the image of the Saber-toothed Tigers. Chapter 93 Agreement with Count Ardan The corridor that Maxime walked alongside Count Ardan was lined with tapestries depicting the exploits of the academy''s most renowned knights. "Curious about these knights?" asked the Count, his voice echoing down the corridor. "Rather yes, at what points are they strong to have their portrait hung here?" Maxime was genuinely curious, this world has its own history, and each story has its own singrity that makes it interesting. "Most of them are as strong as me, if not stronger than me." "So powerful? These are people who have reached at least the stage of grand knight?" The Count nodded as he walked on. "Correct, with the exception of a few people who were on the borderline of the knight stage and who performed particrly important meritorious deeds." "Otherwise I''ve heard rumors about you, Maxime." "The count is joking, what kind of rumors can circte about a mercenary without renown." "Yet I have heard rumors about a very powerful young man who grows stronger and stronger, possessing a strength that could explode at any moment." "He also has under hismand ordinary former vigers who in a very short time have be as strong as apprentice knights." After the Count mentioned the name of the mercenary group, Maxime already expected the Count to have a lot of information on them. But he was still surprised to learn that the Count knew so much about him. "These rumors are exaggerated, one doesn''t be stronger overnight, but it must be said that I have a certain eye for spotting people with potential." Maxime preferred to y the modesty card mixed with a little truth rather than say directly: "I have a monstrous talent that means anyone can be as much as an elite soldier in a very short time or even an apprentice knight for those if the original talent is better than average." The Count stopped abruptly and turned his head towards him, his gaze piercing. "Your men have potential, that''s undeniable. But what interests me is you, and what you''re really after bying here. Gold? Glory? Or something deeper?" Maxime hesitated for a moment before answering, his voice lowered, almost meditative: "What I''m looking for goes beyond gold or glory. I want to offer my men and those who follow us the chance to choose their own path, far from the inflexiblews of lords and knights. I want to show that we can be a force in our own right, without having to bend the knee a nobleman." Obviously this was all bullshit, what in this world was more important than gold to Maxime? A slight smile appeared on the Count''s lips, revealing a mixture of approval and intrigue. "You remind me of someone, Maxime. Someone who once wanted to change the world without submitting to the rules that already existed." He resumed his walk, and Maxime followed him in silence, pondering the meaning of these words. "What was this man''s name?" Count Ardan didn''t answer immediately, as if pondering whether he should answer this question. "His name was Igor," he finally replied in a t tone. Maxime made a note in his head to research the subjectter, as Count Ardan obviously didn''t want to talk about it in depth. A few momentster, they finally reached the Count''s office. It was a room of impressive dimensions, with bookcases covered with rare manuscripts and detailed maps of the kingdom.@@novelbin@@ Arge window overlooked the training yard, where duels between mercenaries and apprentices were beginning to intensify. Ardan walked over to a table in the center of the room and ced a sealed parchment on it. "Before we talk about military merits or anything else, there''s something I wish to show you, Maxime." He tore off the seal and unrolled the parchment on arge table in the middle of the room. Maxime''s eyes crinkled as he read the words written on it. It was a report detailing the appearance of new troop movements on the kingdom''s frontier, particrly the troops of Count Ardan, Baron Roulf, Viscountess Elda and other nobles. There was also mention of the movements of various orc armies, including the one Maximus had encountered before arriving in Lapi. "You understand why I''m showing you this, don''t you?" asked Ardan with an intriguing smile. But Maxime shook his head. "How could I guess the Count''s thoughts? Could you enlighten me?" The Count ced his hands on the table and leaned towards Maxime. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire "It''s no ident that I agreed to receive you so promptly. Your group and your talent could y a key role in the war against the orcs." Maxime looked up as he met the Count''s intense gaze. "Yes, and that''s what I intended to do with my mercenary group." The Count nodded slowly. "Except you''re not just going to participate, Maxime. I want you to be a pivot, a point of bnce in this storm." The silence that followed was heavy, while outside, the sound of shing des continued and could be faintly heard in the room. "I hope you''re joking," Maxime finally added with displeasure. "Among the orc armies there are many orcsparable to knights, to send us against them is to send us to die." The Count continued to smile, clearly not worried that Maxime would refuse. "I''m not asking you and your mercenaries to go against these armies." "On the contrary, I''d like you to do the things you already know how to do." Maxime frowned, confused. "Meaning?" "Save the viges." the Count replied directly. Then he went on to exin: "Orc armies, for greater efficiency, dispatch their armies quickly to eradicate as many viges as possible in a short time, while plundering as much food as possible." "For us, this increases the difficulty of the task enormously, as our manpower is limited and not flexible enough." "So we''re in urgent need of help right now." "And for that I''m prepared to pay a high price." Maxime finally understood the Count''s intentions, and it was indeed up to them. "How much would the sry be?" "300 gold pieces, adding a bonus of one gold piece per orc killed, while an orc with the strength of a knight will count for 100 gold pieces." Maxime was about to negotiate the price, seeming slightly too low in his opinion, but before he could, the Count added a short sentence. "Oh, and it''s 300 gold pieces a week, not a month." Maxime was shocked but contained his surprise inside himself. "A count''s wealth is indeed beyond my imagination," Maxime thought silently. Thanks to the Count, Maxime will be able to earn at least 1,200 gold coins - a huge fortune at his stage! With such a suming his way, Maxime couldn''t help but have an exciting thought. "Maybe I''ll have enough to improve my talent?" [NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/1000)] "Let''s try to save as much as we can this month." "I wonder what might happen once the talent is improved?" Maxime had a vague intuition that upgrading didn''t improve existing effects, but rather that it would unlock a new effect. But for the moment that didn''t matter. "That''s a generous offer, Monsieur le Comte, but I have one condition." "Tell me, Maxime?" "I wish to retain full power over our movements, meaning that you can issue missions and we are free to ept them or not." "At the same time, in the field, I remain the person who gets the final say on the fate of my men." The Count hesitated only a moment before nodding. From the outset, he had no intention of controlling the movements of Maxime and his mercenaries. On the contrary, he was spending a little money to get a surprise. Yes, a surprise. He was making a bet here. If it seeded, so much the better; if not, he''d only be a little disappointed. "I hear your request, Maxime, and I ept it. You''ll have carte nche to conduct your operations as you see fit, provided you deliver regr reports on your missions. And believe me, these reports will be closely scrutinized." Maxime nodded, satisfied with this use. "We have a deal then," he replied, extending his hand towards Ardan. Chapter 94 First mission in the south "We have an agreement then," he replied, extending his hand towards Ardan. The Count shook hands with Maxime, formalizing the alliance. "Excellent. I''ll have provisions and detailed maps of the most endangered areas prepared." "Oh by the way, I didn''t mention it, but you can let your men live and eat here." "I think that would be both beneficial to the apprentice knights at the academy and to your mercenaries, especially your new recruits." Maxime was happy to hear this news. He was going to save gold on food and lodging, so how could he not be? But this happiness was quickly disrupted. A crash resounded from the courtyard, drawing their attention. The duels between mercenaries and students had taken on a new intensity. Through the window, they could see Andrew, sword in hand, in battle with Alden, one of the best fifth-year students at the Purple Knight Academy. The two adversaries were exchanging rapid blows, their movements exuding a fluidity and precision that drew the attention of all onlookers. Ardan, an enigmatic smile on his lips, observed the scene. "This student is named Alden, he is the son and principal heir of Baron Roulf." Maxime looked at Ardan, waiting for him to borate. "He''s an apprentice knight at the stage of great sess and he''s really not far from the peak stage." "Your mercenary will probably be defeated." But Maxime shook his head. "Andrew is one of the strongest mercenaries under mymand, and more importantly he''s one of the few mercenaries who have been with me from the beginning." "I think he has a chance." The Count was surprised; even he found it hard to believe that, apart from Maxime, his men could achieve such a high level of strength. Reading reports was one thing, seeing it with his own eyes was quite another. "I find it hard to believe, Alden has his own method of breathing and he''s been training longer than the other students here." "What''s more, he''s naturally gifted with a talent for swordsmanship, making him a true genius." Maxime smiles in response, the facts will speak for him. "See for yourself." On the ground, blows followed one another with almost supernatural speed, the sound of metal echoing through the air like a violent melody. Andrew''s every move seemed wild and incoherent, but he himself knew that he absolutely calcted every gesture he made. In the absence of training methods, all mercenaries became like this, developing their own style of mastery ording to the weapons they wielded. Maxime''s talent enabled them to do such a thing, which normally could only be done by geniuses. However, Alden, with his experience and rigorous training, seemed to anticipate every attack, countering with disconcerting ease. Murmurs intensified among the spectators who had gathered around the courtyard. Some were betting on the noble prodigy, Alden, while others, fascinated by the strength of the mercenaries, were hoping Andrew would stand up to one of the academy''s top students.@@novelbin@@ Andrew, muscles taut and eyes focused, managed to get dangerously close to Alden with an unexpected sequence of moves. A series of subtle feints led Alden to step back for the first time since the beginning of the duel. A murmur of astonishment ran through the crowd. Maxime felt a surge of pride mixed with a hint of apprehension. Andrew was good, but the longer the duel went on, the more he saw what a formidable opponent Alden was. In a duel, anything can happen very quickly. As if to respond to his opponent''s audacity, Alden abruptly changed his rhythm. He pivoted to the side, exploiting an unexpected angle to deliver a swift blow that grazed Andrew''s shoulder. Thetter barely dodged, the sweat beading on his forehead and the tension in the air bing palpable. Maxime squinted, analyzing every movement, every detail of Andrew''s posture from the window of the Count''s office. He knew that even the slightest mistake would be enough to tip the bnce. It was then that Andrew, taking a deep breath, adopted a different approach as they exchanged blows. Rather than attacking head-on, he opted for a defensive posture, a thin smile appearing on his lips. Alden, surprised by this change, hesitated for a fraction of a second to change his style and be aggressive, and that was all Andrew needed. He immediately went back on the offensive, surprising his opponent with this chaotic sword style. First, he swung his sword as a feint, putting only one point of strength into the strike. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire By the time Alden received the blow and saw theck of power, it was already toote. Andrew immediately bent down and delivered a powerful sweep to Alden. Alden fell immediately. When he opened his eyes, he saw a red-haired young man pointing a sword at his throat. A muffled silence fell over the courtyard, followed by loud apuse. Sir ric approached Andrew, took his left arm and raised it. "I dere Andrew, mercenary with the Saber-toothed Tigers, winner of this duel!" "Impressive." murmured Ardan, his eyes showing surprise but also satisfaction. Maxime smiled discreetly. This duel was important because it had cemented the fact that his mercenaries could stand on an equal footing with the apprentice knights of the academy. Then the sound of apuse began to fade, giving way to animated conversation between the spectators. Alden, for his part, rose to his feet with dignity, despite his defeat, and extended his hand to Andrew. A gesture which, for all present, symbolized more than a simple duel: it was a sign of recognition, a tacit eptance of his opponent''s strength. Andrew, slightly out of breath, took Alden''s hand and helped him to his feet, provoking new murmurs from the crowd. The exchange of nces between the two young men was marked by mutual respect, a respect that was not given, but deserved. Ardan turned back to Maxime. "You must know that this victory will change many things here. Many students at the academy will not tolerate being weaker than mercenaries." Maxime nodded. "That''s good news then, they''ll put more effort and sweat into their training, and less blood will flow on the battlefield." The Count smiled, amused by the young mercenary leader''s audacity. A messenger rushed into the office just then, breaking off their conversation. The young man, out of breath, carried a parchment with burnt edges, obviously brought in urgently. "Your Lordship, a report from the scouts. Orc troops have been spotted a day''s march from the vige of Irina." Ardan grasped the parchment with a firm hand, his features hardening as he heard the words. He quickly read the report in less than two minutes, then looked up at Maxime, a determined glint in his eye. "Prepare your men. If you ept, your first mission will begin tomorrow." Chapter 96 Personal training A mercenary from nowhere could take down all the students of the strongest academy in the south of the Kingdom. It was unheard of. Even the sixth-graders weren''t that strong; if anything, the strongest of them had reached the peak stage, but he was still at the very beginning of that stage. "Why do this for me?" Maxime was wary, for him nothing in the world was free, the people who helped you always gained something in one way or another. It could be for their own morals, their image, or some other strange motive. For example, to satisfy a feeling of superiority, or to be able to tell people around them and take pride in it. "Hmm...At my age, I''ll never be able to reach the level of a great knight." "But if I can be the teacher, even if only one day, of a future great knight, then that would be the pride of my life." ric was the honest, straightforward type, so he exined his intentions and motivations directly. "And who knows, maybe one day it''ll be me who needs your help." Maxime understood better, and epted the situation. His mastery of the sword stillgged behind his physique. Getting advice from an expert swordsman and teacher at a famous academy was an opportunity not to be missed. "In that case, it would be my honor, Professor ric." The knight was pleased to be called so by Maxime. "Let''s go train further away so as not to disturb the students and mercenaries here." "Of course, I''ll follow you professor." After saying this, Maxime left to train in a corner of the academy, while the rest of the mercenaries and apprentice knights stood dumbfounded for a moment. Shortly afterwards, they resumed their training. Maxime and Chevalier ric approached a small training yard, an area reserved for advanced exercises, at the rear of the academy. "Stay here a moment, I''ll take off my armor or I''ll end up sweating," ric said with augh.@@novelbin@@ "No worries." Meanwhile, Maxime looked around. This area, surrounded by stone walls adorned with ivy and punctuated by statues of legendary warriors, was usually reserved for teachers'' personal training sessions. Maxime noticed that these statues were very simr to the paintings he had seen in the corridors leading to the principal''s office. He noticed that there were precious wooden dummies marked with hundreds of sword strokes, various training weapons neatly arranged on racks, and a dirt floor impregnated with the imprints of past battles. Maxime waited patiently, warming up and practicing as usual. ric soon returned, dressed in very simple clothes. Seeing him like this, if you omitted the sword in his hand, you could almost mistake him for a simple farmer. "Take this sword." said ric, pointing to a blunt steel training de in the weapons rack. His own sword glinted softly in the torchlight. The man, despite his dappled gray hair, stood straight, sharp-eyed and alert. "With my physique, I could seriously injure you without meaning to." Maxime reached for the sword, feeling its weight in his hand. The bnce was perfect, a sign of the superior quality of the academy''s weapons. "We''ll start with some basic movements," ric exined. "I want to see how you defend yourself and how you react to unexpected attacks." Silence fell again, broken only by the rustle of leaves and wind. With a fluid movement, ric attacked, his de emitting a whistling sound as it split the air. Maxime blocked the attack with a quick reflex, the impact vibrating in his arm. The knight followed up with a series of swift, precise blows, each calcted to test his opponent''s reflexes and defense. Maxime defended himself with total concentration, using movements he had learned as best he could throughbat and self-reflection. He also applied Kilian''s advice on how to defend himself. Yet ric gave him no respite, constantly changing rhythm and angle of attack. After several intense minutes, the knight stopped, his face animated by a sincere smile. "Impressive. You have sharp reflexes and unconventional technique. You seem to have been trained in ways I''m not familiar with." Maxime nodded, out of breath. Those short minutes had left him deeply exhausted. He had the feeling that if he lost concentration for even a moment, he''d end up in two pieces. Yet he knew that their swords were blunt. But this thought was more than real. He really felt that ric had the power to cut him cleanly in two. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire But he was happy. The recognition of a master like ric was priceless. "Your skills are incredible, Professor. I can already see where I need to improve." ric gave a short, frankugh. "You don''t think it''s over, do you?" "Now we''ll work on the counterattack. Get ready." Training resumed, even more intensely. Maxime had to learn not just to endure, but to seize every opening ric deliberately left. As the minutes passed, the bond between the two men grew stronger, a mutual respect forged in the exchange of des and the sweat beading on their foreheads. As the training drew to a close, Maxime knelt briefly, exhausted. ricid a hand on his shoulder. "You''ve got potential, Maxime. Keep up this thirst for learning and you''ll go far." "Thank you, Professor. The day passed quickly. Twilight gradually enveloped the Purple Knight Academy, bathing the ancient stones and slender towers of theplex in amber hues. Built on a hill, the academy dominated the surrounding area, offering a breathtaking view of the forests and rolling ins. Its buildings, though simple in architecture, bore the hallmarks of subtle wealth: arches adorned with engravings recounting legendary battles, stained-ss windows reflecting the soft glow of candlelight, and thick carpets in crimson and gold covering the floors of the great halls. Most of the Saber-toothed Tiger mercenaries, who had be ustomed to self-built wooden huts or simple tents, were impressed by the atmosphere of this fortress. Only a few seemed indifferent to such wealth. Chapter 100 I love you "There are far too many of them!" Maxime stood up immediately, and the mercenaries, who had been keeping their wits about them because they knew an orc army was approaching, reacted immediately when they saw Maxime stand up abruptly. Everyone, whatever they were doing, stopped immediately and approached Maxime, Laura and Moron. Izo, who had been talking to Mira, suddenly interrupted the discussion, and with a small sign of apology went over to Maxime. Andrew and Caleb also noticed the movement and nced at each other solemnly. For his part, Alden also left Elinor in spite of himself, sensing that the mood had suddenly changed. The vigers also noticed the movement and began to worry. Seeing the mercenaries and apprentice knights gathering in front of him, Maxime exined nothing. "Everyone head for the top of the wooden ramparts built the day before." Everyone nodded, and went to the top of the ramparts, and all looked in the same direction, side by side. The vigers didn''t climb to the top of the ramparts, as the mercenaries blocked their esspletely, and simply asked them to take refuge in their homes. But most didn''t listen, and the children and women ran home in fear, while the men armed themselves with spears made the day before. There were over 300 armed men, representing a considerable force. But facing an orc army, they would be very vulnerable, hence Maxime''s order. The mercenaries'' mission was to protect them, not send them into battle. "What''s going on, Maxime?" "You could tell us now, couldn''t you?" Andrew looked a little disgruntled, as did other mercenaries who didn''t understand the situation. "The orcs areing." replied Maxime simply, his gaze fixed on the nearby forest. "Yes, we already know they''reing, but why react this way?" "Because they''re arriving early and inrge numbers - too many, ording to those doing the reconnaissance." The mercenaries frowned and looked at those on duty that night. But they shrugged their shoulders, not knowing any better. Only Moron knew the news, and really knew what awaited them. "Hey Moron, tell us what you saw." Thetter was still shivering with fear, so when he noticed he was being questioned, he began to stammer, not knowing what or how to answer. "Don''t ask him, it''s better if you see it with your own eyes, like me," Maxime added in a firm tone, and that firm tone meant it was an order. So no one dared ask any more questions. A few hours passed and some mercenaries tried to rest on the ramparts, but not a single one managed to sleep. As dawn broke, a strange silence fell over the surrounding area. Those who had been trying to sleep jumped to their feet. Everyone anxiously scanned the nearby forest. The wind seemed to freeze, as if holding its breath. Then, the creaking of branches broke the stillness. Massive shadows appeared at the edge of the forest, barely visible in the first light of day. "They''reing." Maxime signaled the mercenaries to stand by, and a tense calm settled over the vige. The vigers below also felt the tension. A ferocious roar erupted from the forest ranks of the orcs, shattering the oppressive calm that had settled in. Then came roar after roar. Silhouette after silhouette of orcs emerged from the forest. At first, there were only a dozen orcs, some 2 meters tall. Then another twenty or so appeared. Secondster, Maxime counted over fifty. By the time they reached the ramparts, there were over 200 of them. Maxime felt shivers run through his body. This was an even stronger army than the one they''d dodged in the valley on their way to Lapi. Maxime could count more than a dozen orcs over 3 meters tall. At this stage, Maxime could not order his men to charge from the ramparts as he had nned. What''s more, all the traps he''d prepared the day before were now useless against such an army. He looked at his men and the apprentice knights. They were all trembling with fear. But no one backed down. Maxime knew he had to make a choice, a very difficult choice. "Mercenary friends, apprentice knights, it''s been an honor knowing you." Everyone looked at him bravely, ready to fight to the death. It was the only way out for them at this stage to save the vigers. "Run away." Everyone looked at him with wide eyes. The first orcs would be arriving at the ramparts in less than ten seconds. "Flee, all of you now!" Maxime''s roaring voice echoed throughout the vige. "I''ll dy them, take the vigers with you and run as fast as you can!" Laura, usually so serene, wore a fierce expression as tears welled up in her eyes. "I''ll stay with you." "No, you''re leaving like all the others," Maxime replied immediately with a firm face. In the distance, Maxime could see more orcs arriving continuously. At this point there were over 500 of them. 500 orcsparable to apprentice knights, including a dozen orcs who could take on knights. He even noticed an orc over 4 meters tall. At that size, it would take several senior knights to take him on, or even a grand knight. Tears began to stream down Laura''s face. "I''ve finally seen hope in this life, I can''t lose it after finding it in such a short time!"@@novelbin@@ The mercenaries watched this silent scene, their faces filled with all kinds of emotions. Everyone knew what kind of rtionship their leader and Laura had. The two were practically glued together all the time, and it was hard not to notice. Maxime approached Laura very closely. Their faces were literally glued together. "I''ll survive, I promise." Then Maxime kissed Laura for a long time, before the stunned eyes of the mercenaries and apprentice knights nearby. Readtest chapters on My Virtual Library Empire With the orcs running in their direction, it looked like a scene one would only see in a painting, or in a movie in the real world. Maxime moved slightly away from Laura''s face. "I love you." The tears on Laura''s vige continued to flow, she was extremely moved. It was the first time she''d felt so much happiness in her life. Maxime had never said those words before in all their years together, although it was obvious to both of them. But this was also the moment when she felt the most sadness of her life. For she was about to lose the love of her life. She knew her man was strong, but even such a genius couldn''te out alive against such an army. How unfair was life? A rtively simple mission for them had turned into a coffin for the love of her life. At that moment, she couldn''t help but feel an immense hatred for the Count who had sent them here. As far as she was concerned, if the Count''s men had done their job properly, they wouldn''t be here today. For his part, Maxime didn''t think he could make it out alive. He could have run away, but running away to let so many people die, he couldn''t do it. "I love you too..." Laura murmured in a low voice, her head bowed. These words were heard only by Maxime, who smiled slightly. The next moment, however, he put on a very serious face. "Go now!" "See to it that these thousands of vigers survive!" Simultaneously, the first orc collided with the ramparts, shaking the ground beneath the feet of the mercenaries and apprentice knights. Chapter 103 Goddess Viviana Gradually, he felt his eyes close, perhaps never to open again in this life. His thoughts wandered in a confused stream, mingling between childhood memories and dreams he would never have the chance to realize. He thought of his mother, Andr¨¦a, his brother Jona, and his childhood friend Samuel. He thought of the battles he had fought in the past. First against simple bandits, fighting with simple vigers and the vige chief, who was a former elite soldier. Then against other mercenaries led by a mercenary named Pyrion, who had provoked his men in a bar the same day he recruited Romuald.@@novelbin@@ Peter was still alive at the time. He remembered when he first met Ernest and Rodrigo, who were real clowns at the time, and who had now matured a lot. There was also Jorgi, his first truly strong opponent, who was one of the 3 banditmanders alongside Laura and Organ. Then he thought of Winny and the other young nobles from the real world with whom he had fought to defend himself against the Pirans. This battle had been particrly hard, resulting in the death of almost all his mercenaries at the time. Fortunately, their deaths in the real world didn''t really count. After that, he thought of Henry, then Ultia and finally Killian. 3 important apprentice knights who had defended the vige of Plouta by putting their lives on the line. Thinking of Henry, Maxime felt likeughing, the arrogant apprentice knight had changed so much in such a short time. He even began to wonder whether his talent not only increased his men''s potential, but also their intelligence. Finally, the image of Laura appeared before him, bathed in a tender light, as if she were a goddess. Or rather, she was his goddess. She was approaching to embrace him with her warm shower, but unfortunately a hoarse cry brought him rudely back to reality. He struggled to open his eyes, and saw the giant orc, very much alive, still standing in front of him, his rage as present as ever in his cruel eyes. As Maxime epted his fate with a bitter smile, an unknown energy, subtle but very real, seemed to envelop him. A green, almost spectral glow shimmered around his body. A gentle energy began to heal both body and soul. "How dare you, Viviana!" An extremely violent scream echoed through space, so much so that every race in the universe, whether in the world of Eternity or in the real world, heard it. This cry was so violent that it caused volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and even tsunamis absolutely everywhere, whether in Eternity or in the real world. The highest human level called an exceptional crisis meeting to prepare for this. All races with sufficient knowledge of the world''s mysteries followed suit. What all these meetings had inmon was: "No god of the present age was powerful enough to bring about such an event, so who was he?" But they were all wrong: there were many powerful gods in the universe. Simply because of a certain event, most had been seriously injured, so only new or rtively weak gods appeared on the surface. "Calm down Nox, you''re no longer the most powerful god in the universe." A gentle voice appeared in the dark, mysterious space where Nox resided. "But I''ll be one again without a doubt, and on that day you''ll pay for it Viviana!" This time his voice was contained only in the space where he was chained, so that only Viviana could hear him even though she wasn''t there. "Maxime..." he murmured to himself, his eyes shining with a calcting gleam. Nox clenched his fists, annoyed by the turn of events. "This world doesn''t need two gods supporting one mortal, especially not mine, Viviana. You''re nothing more than an obstacle interfering with my... investment." "Your investment?" replied Viviana, a lightugh in her voice. "You speak of him as a mere resource. Yet you can''t deny that he''s much more than that?" Nox squinted his eyes, an icy sparkle in his gaze. "Whatever you think of me, know that I don''t need your interference for my ns toe to fruition. Maxime belongs to me in a deeper sense than you could ever understand." Viviana sighed softly, her expressionpassionate. "Oh, Nox... Your refusal to see mortal freedom is the root of your blindness. Do you really believe that Maxime belongs to you? That his destiny, his choices, are merely pawns in your game?" "Maxime must realize his destiny by my hand alone. If he triumphs, it will be through my trials, not a miracle from you." And Viviana had just spoiled that test. Viviana regarded him in silence, before replying in a soft but firm voice. "No matter what trials you impose on him, you can never fully control his heart. And therein lies the true strength of mortals." Nox growled, but Viviana didn''t linger to hear his reply. Before she disappeared, he had just enough time to see an enigmatic smile on her face, a smile that suggested that, despite all his attempts to ensure he had total control over Maxime, there was something uncontroble about his prot¨¦g¨¦, a potential that even he could neither shape nor possess. When he found himself alone again in the darkness, his tormented thoughts refocused on Maxime. This mortal was his, and no one, not even Viviana, wouldpromise what he had been nning for centuries. Simultaneously, one notification after another appeared before him. Ding! [System unlocked on level two]. [The host can now ess highly confidential information about the real world and the world of Eternity]. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire Ding! [The system will now have level 2 artificial intelligence]. [Level AI has a muchrger database than Level 1, and can also be considered more alive]. Ding! [The host is now one of the chosen few to have the blessing of two gods!] [It''s the god Nox and the goddess Viviana!] [The god Nox is the god of talent, limits and authority. Until the famous incident, he was considered the one bncing the strengths and weaknesses of all races]. [He is a god who used to be ranked as the most powerful god in the world among the very few EX-rank gods!] [Now he''s still a very powerful god, ranked among the best at SSS rank]. [Further information about her and her history is currently blocked]. [The goddess Viviana is the goddess of life. It was said that some of her followers were able to revive the dead, including Gods]. [This power alone made her extremely unique among S-rank gods, and thanks to it, no one dared touch her.] [It was even said that if she hadn''t existed, the real-world universe would have disappeared by now]. [Further information is blocked for the time being]. Ding! [The host has been given a new talent!] Chapter 107 Divine messenger "Who are you exactly Nox?" "How did you be a God?" "Why give me this kind of talent?" "What exactly happened in the universe that could have threatened gods?" "What''s my role in all this?" "Besides, from what I understand, the orc army that attacked us was a test of a god." "But if that was the case, why do this?" "And above all, what god would spend energy looking after me?" Many questions appeared in Maxime''s mind, but many of them were destined not to be answered for a long time. "I must be stronger if I wish to control my destiny." This phrase appeared in Maxime''s heart, and was firmly anchored. The ordeal had left a deep impression on her. If it hadn''t been for Viviana''s appearance, he and his men would all have died protecting this vige. Simultaneously, he conjured up the notices that spoke of her. [The goddess Viviana is the goddess of life. It was said that some of her followers were able to revive the dead, including Gods]. [This power alone made her extremely unique among S-rank gods, and thanks to it, no one dared touch her.] [It was even said that if she hadn''t existed, the real-world universe would have disappeared by now]. [Further information is blocked for the time being.] "The universe would have disappeared?" "That kind ofment didn''t ur to Nox, who was, ording to the system, the most powerful of the gods." "It''s all soplicated." Maxime''s mind began to feel slightly confused, faced with events that were so far beyond him. He was a simple student, he didn''t want to know this information or be part of the gods'' ns. He simply wanted to be strong, pass his exam, join a renowned academy, continue to grow stronger, make his mother proud and then protect her and his brother for the rest of his life. "Maxime?" A voice suddenly interrupted him. Maxime saw Laura''s worried eyes. His mercenaries also looked at him strangely. "Is everything all right?" "Yes, I was just thinking about useless things." At the same time, Maxime nced again at the wounded men lying a few yards away. Pale faces, crude bandages and torn clothing silently recounted the horror of their recent battle. "Thanks, guys." But he bit his lip, trying to find a solution because nothing had been resolved. He knew that taking them back to the academy in their current state was impossible. Yet leaving them here was also out of the question. "Chief, I''ve got an idea." Ernest''s voice suddenly rang out, drawing stares from everyone. "Tell us?" Maxime''s eyes showed his expectations. "We can borrow a cart from the vigers, and in exchange leave a few gold coins to its owner." "We saved them so that shouldn''t be a problem, especially since a cart isn''t worth much." Maxime nodded, happy with this solution. The wounded were carefully ced on a cart found nearby while each mercenary lent a hand to secure them. "Yes, leave the gold coins here." "Will do, boss." "Let''s go, boys." And so they set off for home, leaving behind them the vige still battered, but at peace. The cart, heavilyden with wounded and equipment, moved slowly along the dirt road as the troop formed up around it. Silence reigned, disturbed only by the creaking of the wheels and the tired sighs of the men. But despite their exhaustion, a strange serenity had settled over them. Their mission had been a sess, they were all back alive, and an astronomical quantity of gold awaited them. What more could they ask for? With this amount of gold, they had already aplished arge part of their objective in heading south. Maxime, still deep in thought, stayed behind, observing the forest that lined their route. He wondered how strong he''d be once he''d absorbed all that gold. Absorbing new recruits might also be a good idea now that they had plenty of money. Knowing that the recruits left behind in Plouta were already starting to be strong as they approached elite soldier level. Suddenly, Terry, who was serving as a scout, came back to them with aplicated face. "Chief, something strange is waiting for us further down the road," he murmured. "What is it?" replied Maxime simply. At the moment, there wasn''t much he could be afraid of. "There''s a group of armed men waiting for us further down the road. I don''t know if they''re here for us or for some other reason." "How many of them are there?" asked Maxime. If there were too many, Maxime wouldn''t hesitate and make a detour. In their condition, any possible battle had to be avoided as much as possible, as they had many wounded. And the wounded were their weak point. "There are only a dozen men, but they look particrly strong." Maxime thought for a moment, then knowing that this was the Count''s territory and that they were already close to the academy, they shouldn''t have any serious threat here. What''s more, he didn''t think that strong men of the level of a knight were men who could be found anywhere by chance.@@novelbin@@ With his strength and that of his men still standing, they should be able to fight back almost anything. "Don''t show any signs of hostility. We''ll advance cautiously and see what''s going on." As he approached the group, Maxime felt his heart beat faster. These men were really too strange. They were all dressed in white armor made of an unknown material and engraved with mysterious coats of arms. They watched Maxime and his men arrive without the slightest expression on their faces, as if they''d expected them toe here. One of the men, an imposing knight with ck hair and a piercing gaze, stepped forward. "Are you Maxime, chief of the Saber-toothed Tigers?" he asked in a deep voice. Maxime held his gaze, trying to hide any trace of hesitation. "Yes, that''s me. And you are...?" The knight smiled pleasantly. "I am Edrick, messenger of the temple of Nox." This announcement was more than a little surprising, and especially disturbing for Maxime''s men, who were hearing the name Nox for the first time. Only Terry looked shocked. In the vige, there really were some very old books about the time of the Gods. And in those books, there was a mention of Nox, briefly describing him as the most discreet yet powerful God in the universe. For his part, Maxime''s mind was spinning rapidly, not understanding where these messengers wereing from. He didn''t even know this kind of profession existed. But Edrick''s words weren''t finished. "Since you have sessfullypleted the ordeal of our god, you will receive a gift corresponding to the difficulty of the ordeal crossed." With that, Edrick beckoned one of his men forward with a small ck box. When he opened it, Maxime could see a strange ck stone, surrounded by a mysterious and almost intimidating aura. "This is a stone of divine power, extracted from the sacrednds of the temple of Nox," exined Edrick. "This stone is extremely precious, as it allows you to strengthen one of your talents." "And we''re talking about talents here, not divine blessings bestowed by the gods," he added with a mysterious smile. Maxime watched the stone with a hint of suspicion, but also intrigue. It was like a gift from heaven. Maxime understood Edrick''s words: this stone couldn''t be used to enhance the talent everyone received when they joined Eternity. Instead, it was the talents acquired through the evolution of sses and the acquisition of new ones. At present, Maxime possessed several talents with no connection to a deity. Minor stamina talent] [Minor strength talent]. [Minor strength talent]. [Knight''s talent: weak]. To be honest, these talents were rtively weak and of little use, so this stone was of little interest to him at the moment. But he easily guessed that in the future he would have to unlock talents far more powerful than these. With these talents, perhaps the divine power stone could show miraculous effects if used on them. And even if he didn''t, his men had some very interesting talents, especially Charles. Maxime wondered what effect it would have on Charles if the stone were given to him. Especially since, as far as he knew, there was no other way to improve talents. The world of Eternity was indeed full of opportunities. "I ept this reward," Maxime finally dered, grasping the stone. Its strange warmth spread across his palm, infusing him with an almost electric energy. Edrick nodded before muttering a few incantatory words in the ancient tongue, imbuing the stone with a reddish glow. "Beware, Maxime", Edrick added with an enigmatic smile as he finished murmuring these mysterious words. Without another word, Edrick and his men took their leave, leaving Maxime and hispanions to face a stony silence. His men, stunned by the strangeness of the encounter, watched their leader with eyes filled with awe and fear. They had heard the word God too many times in a single day, and their understanding of the world had beenpletely overturned. Maxime clutched the stone in his hand, knowing now that it was his own God who had put him through this ordeal. Knowing this, Maxime didn''t have a very good impression of the God who had almost killed him and his men. If Viviana hadn''t intervened, all his elite men would have died and he himself would have lost 3 years of his life. Chapter 109 Panic attack "Maxime,e back! Breathe!" She tried to catch his gaze, but his eyes were lost, fixed on something invisible, deep in the darkness of her mind. In a panic, she began to p his face in an attempt to shock him awake, but nothing helped. His eyes seemed to have lost all life. So she tried another, more effective method. She took him in her arms and tried to reassure him. Simultaneously, Maxime began to tremble violently, spasms running through his body like waves of pain, and his jerky breathing worsened. Laura, determined, tried to hold him steady, but she felt all Maxime''s umted fear and fatigue spreading through him like an insidious, uncontroble poison. His clenched fists dug into the ground, and she perceived his barely audible, almost incoherent murmurs. "I should have protected them... all this... it''s my fault... I... I''m not up to it... they''re all going to die..." Laura felt a shiver go through her; she''d never seen Maxime like this, he who had always worn the mask of the unwavering leader. She shook her head slightly and, gathering her courage, spoke to him in a strong voice, trying to break through the wall of panic that enclosed her. "Maxime, listen to me! You brought us all back here, you saved us. Look at me!" She clenched her face firmly in her hands, forcing him to look at her, his own eyes filled with determination. "No...No, I didn''t!" "Those men...In Plouta, how many died?" "37 men. 37 men died because of me!" Maxime''s short sentences shocked Laura, because he was partly right, and he would have to bear the weight of these individuals'' deaths for the rest of his life. Tears streamed down Maxime''s face as madness took hold of his mind. "But how many others survived? If the vige of Plouta is still protected, it''s because you intervened!" "And you''re not alone. Today, if your men have all returned alive, it''s thanks to you!" "They trust you. I trust you. But right now, you need to regain control. You need to breathe." His words finally pierced the veil of terror, and Maxime felt his tremors diminish slightly. He drew in a shallow breath, followed by another, and a semnce of lucidity returned, enough for him to slowly regain his bearings. The sound of his breathing calmed, bing a little more stable, although his gaze remained haunted. Laura remained crouched beside him, without letting go. She felt Maxime''s shoulders slump as a crushing silence fell over the room. He let his head fall back on his chest, exhausted. Laura felt Maxime gradually rx, but she couldn''t ignore the depth of the crisis that had overtaken him. She stayed by his side, letting the silence envelop them, waiting for him toe to his senses. Maxime''s gaze was still fixed on the ground, his face downcast. She perceived the shadow of shame mixed with sorrow in his eyes. After a few moments, Maxime pulled himself together and spoke again with a relieved face. "Thank you, my darling," he said, looking Laura straight in the eye with a look full of love. Laura was surprised; it was the first time Maxime had called her that. At that moment, a smile that could appear on the face of an angel appeared on Laura''s face. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire "I''ll always be there for you," she replied in a very gentle voice. Silence permeated the room, as each enjoyed the warmth of the other. Both wished this moment couldst forever. But after a moment, Laura decided to break the silence slightly, continuing to reassure Maxime. "What happened back there... it was an ordeal beyond what most of us could have imagined. But you held on, Maxime. You stood your ground when all seemed lost, and put your life on the line to save us all." "That was truly admirable, even though I thought my heart would explode with grief." Maxime nodded, but the shadow of uncertainty still hung over him. "What if it''s not enough next time?" he murmured, almost to himself. Laura remained silent, searching for the right words. She knew that nothing she could say would dispel his doubts. But she remembered every moment when Maxime had shown his determination and resilience, far beyond what anyone would have expected of him. "I can''t promise you that everything will always be okay, Maxime," she said atst, squeezing his hand. "But I do know that I don''t want to be at anyone''s side but yours to face the worst. We all know what you''ve done for us... and what you''d do again, even if it''s eating you up inside."@@novelbin@@ She gently helped him to his feet, her hand firmly anchored in his, offering tangible support. Maxime felt a burst of gratitude pierce through the thick cloud of guilt and exhaustion. Slowly, he sat up, regaining his bnce. The stone of divine power had remained on the ground; he picked it up, holding it with a new perspective, almost as if he understood that this ordeal was just one of many. Later in the evening, the atmosphere was calm andforting. The academy''srge dining room, usually noisy and animated by the heated discussions of the apprentice knights, resonated this evening with a softer energy. Long, solid wooden tables were set with simplicity, but the abundance of dishes on offer made for a veritable feast:rge tters of roasted meats, grilled vegetables, still-warm breads and steaming soups followed one another in abundance. The delicious aroma wafted through the room, enveloping the guests in a benevolent warmth. Maxime and his mercenaries took their ces alongside the apprentice knights, the ranks finallyplete with the return of the wounded who had regained their strength thanks to the care of the healers. The faces of Alden, Tomas, Theo, L and Caleb were still marked by fatigue, but brightened by calming smiles. Their presence added an unexpected touch of camaraderie, a bridge between the young apprentice knights and the seasoned mercenaries, who were sharing a meal together for the first time in this hall steeped in history. The evening came to life slowly, each discussion intertwined with discreetughter and murmurs. All the apprentice knights had somehow learned that the mercenaries and the few geniuses who had apanied them had survived an ordeal that could have killed them all. But this event created a surprising bond between the mercenaries and the apprentice knights. And it wasn''t just Alden, Tomas, Theo, L and Caleb, but all the apprentice knights, who had strengthened their respect for these mercenaries. Leo, standing off in the distance with other apprentice knights, wore aplicated expression. He was d to have escaped the crisis, but he also wished he''d been at the center of all the attention. Naturally, everyone remained rather evasive about what exactly had happened, reinforcing everyone''s curiosity. All they knew was that they had been attacked by an extremely powerful orc army. In the catastrophe, Maxime had stood alone in front of them to dy them, and let his men save the vigers. On hearing this, many apprentice knights began to admire a mercenary for the first time in their lives. For this mercenary was, coincidentally, the embodiment of a knight in deed. Even more than that, he was a hero. Naturally, the mercenaries and apprentice knights who had the courage to return to Maxime''s aid after securing the vigers, received their share ofpliments. For his part, Maxime, seated at the end of the table, watched hispanions, remaining silent. Tiredness still weighed heavily on him, but there was something reassuring, almost restorative about this shared meal. It felt so good to know that he and his men were safe. The next morning, the audience with the Count took ce in a private room at the Academy. Maxime, apanied by Andrew, stood before the Count, who already seemed to have meditated on their exploits and the next step in their coboration. "I hope you''ve taken the time to consider my proposals," began the Count with a smile. Maxime exchanged a nce with Andrew, then took a breath. "We''ve thought it over, yes. But our men are first and foremost here to carry out specific missions. As for this... power, we prefer to learn more for ourselves." The Count remained silent for a moment, then nodded. "That''s your choice. But you should know that on our continent, few people can im your level of blessing. To leave it at that would perhaps be a waste." Maxime remained impassive, refusing to show the slightest hesitation. "We have our own ideas for improvement." The Count gave him an enigmatic smile. "Very well, then. But know that if you change your mind, the Academy''s doors will always be open to you." "Now let''s talk about the main subject, your remuneration for the mission." Maxime''s eyes seemed to be filled with stars. In his world, apart from Laura and her family, nothing was more precious than gold coins. Chapter 111 Class quest [Current bnce: 2025 gold coins]. [Status disy ording to pre-selected filters]. Current ss: Swordsman - Level 6 Talent: Nox Limit - Level 1, Life Awakening - Level 1 Options avable: Upgrade ss (175 gold) Unlock a new ss (50 gold coins) Upgrade "Nox Limit" or "Life Awakening" talent to level 2 (1000 gold coins) Maxime smiled slightly. He had a clear idea of where to start. [Swordsman: 0/175+] "Upgrade the Swordsman ss to level 7." [Swordsman: 0/175+] [Swordsman: 19/175+] [Swordsman: 34/175+] ... [Swordsman: 175/175] Immediately, a vortex of violet energy emanating from the system enveloped his body. A sensation of intense, almost overwhelming heat spread through his muscles, nerves and even bones. A gentle warmth gently reinforced his body, as if he were in a hot bath. The violet light added a sacred, mysterious air to the scene. If the mercenaries saw this scene, they might see Maxime as the reincarnation of a god. Ding! [Swordsman ss increased by one level]. [Swordsman ss has reached level 7]. Ding! [Your passive traits have been improved.] [You go from an 11% physics bonus when holding a sword to 13%] [You go from a 25% efficiency bonus when training with a sword to 30%] Ding! [Your physique has improved by 0.3 points]. [Physique: 3.05 (+0.24 ss bonus) (+0.40 passive traits bonus)] [Physique including bonuses: 3.69] Maxime felt exceptionally at ease. "From now on, if a novice knight challenges me, I''ll have the confidence to stand up to him without having to rely on the talents of the gods." But Maxime knew he still had to improve his swordy, whichgged far behind his level of physical strength. Fortunately, his swordsmanship was continually improved by the system as he passed levels. [Current bnce: 1850 gold coins]. [Swordsman ss level 7 (0/200)] Looking at the level of his ss, Maxime felt at ease. Usually it took at least a year for young talents, including Winny and the young nobles of the real world, to reach level 5. For ordinary people, it was already exceptional to reach level 3 in just one year. So the level he had reached in just 2 trips to Eternity was more than exceptional, knowing that he still had time to improve. Of course, when he returned to the real world, he''d keep a low profile. Not to mention the fact that he had undoubtedly offended a powerful family by killing the bandit leader, his evolution was more than abnormal and far too rapid. Revealing his strength before the university contest could provoke variables difficult to control. He could even be assassinated by aliens. However, ss evolution had its limits. Generally speaking,mon sses such as swordsman, spearman or archer could only go up to level 9. And at this stage, he could do it. But he hesitated. He wanted to open up a new ss to get stronger for less money. After all, the first levels of each ss were generally very inexpensive, while the physical improvement was quite noticeable. For example, to go from level 1 to level 2 of the swordsman ss cost just 10 gold coins, and that added 0.2 points of physique. But he knew that if he opened a new ss, he wouldn''t be able to maximize his chances of getting a good one. When the time came, he still hesitated. Then finally he bit his lip, and decided to take a gamble. "System, raise my swordsman ss to level 9." He knew in his heart of hearts that if he opened a new ss, he could indeed get stronger, faster. But if he did, in the long run he''d also be weaker. If he became weaker, he would be less able to seize opportunities and, above all, he would be less able to protect his men. But that wasn''t what had really swayed his decision. He had suddenly remembered that when he had reached the maximum level of the peasant ss, he had gained two talents. A minor talent in strength and a minor talent in endurance. So if he maximized the swordsman ss, perhaps he could acquire some powerful talents? He also thought that, in future, he would try to keep gold with him at all times, so that if something happened that overwhelmed him, he could use those gold coins to quickly be stronger. Finally, this indecision and reflectioncked the guidance of a strong expert. If he''de from arge family or attended a well-known university, he wouldn''t have been gued by indecision. Right away, he would have been given the best advice and the rmended path to follow. But they didn''t have those resources, so he relied on his own intelligence. [Order received.] [Processing in progress...] 300 gold coins subtracted for passage to level 8] [Passage to level 8 sessful. [Passage to level 8 sessful.] "300 gold coins? Maxime opened his eyes wide, seeing so much money go. But there was more toe. [500 gold coins subtracted for passage to level 9]. "What do you mean 500 gold coins? What kind of scam is this? Why didn''t anyone warn me?" Maxime began to feel sad at seeing so much money go, but he couldn''t me anyone. The teachers would never have imagined that a student from their high school could reach level 9. Nor had he done any research of his own, since he hadn''t thought he''d reach such a level in such a short time. Ding! [Swordsman ss has gone up a level]. [Swordsman ss has reached level 8]. Ding! [Your passive traits have been improved.] [You go from a 13% physics bonus when holding a sword to 15%] [You go from a 30% efficiency bonus when training with a sword to 35%] Ding! [Your physique has improved by 0.4 points]. Ding! Thisst notification was strange, normally there were no more notifications after the physical improvement. [Your knighting skill has been upgraded to medium level]. Seeing this notification, Maxime was disappointed. After all, in his opinion, breathing methods mainly improved each person''s innate potential, while the effect on actual strength improvement remained mediocre. Even if mid-level knightly talent could make him a genius, to the point where he had superior talent to Henry and Ultia, it was too slow. It was far too slowpared to improving with gold coins. It was still more profitable to spend time on sword practice to improve his fighting power, whether on the physical or technical side, to the level of a knight. But the notifications weren''t over yet. Ding! [Swordsman ss increased by one level]. [Swordsman ss has reached level 9]. Ding! [Your passive traits have been improved]. [You go from a 15% physics bonus when holding a sword to 17%] [You go from a 35% training efficiency bonus when holding a sword to 40%] Ding! [Your physique has improved by 0.5 points]. Ding! "Another new notification?" wondered a perturbed Maxime. [Your knighting talent has evolved to the high level!] This time Maxime was shocked, a talent of this level could be the best in this Kingdom. After all, even in the famous purple knight academy, the highest level of talent was the middle level. Perhaps in all the southern territory, only the Count and his predecessors could have talent of this level. Simultaneously, a new wave of energy invaded the room. This time, the energy was not limited to a violet glow: it blended with golden and scarlet hues, creating an almost hypnotic effect. As the golden and scarlet hues merged in an energetic dance around him, Maxime felt his body transform profoundly. Every beat of his heart sounded like a drum in his ears, and the heat radiating through his muscles was almost overwhelming, yet strangely pleasurable. His muscles contracted violently before rxing, stronger, denser. His nerves, stimted by the system''s energy, adapted at lightning speed, improving not only his reactivity, but also his precision. He clenched a fist, and the air around him seemed to vibrate slightly under the pressure, as if he could feel the raw power emanating from every movement. A notification appeared before his eyes, but Maxime didn''t pay immediate attention to it. His mind was busy processing this new sensation of bnce and power. His vision had be clearer than ever before. Every detail of the room, every shade of shadow, was now perfectly clear. Even the distant sounds of the wind outside reached him with impressive rity. Energy continued to flow through him, strengthening not only his body, but also his ability to control it. His movements seemed more fluid, more natural, as if he''d reached an instinctive understanding of his own body mechanics. "Is this still a human body I have right now?" All at once, he felt that somehow, not only had his body improved, but so had his intelligence and understanding. He drew his sword, and executed a series of sword strikes into the void. Each movement, each blow, was terrifyingly precise and powerful. At the same time, he felt that with each strike, his swordsmanship improved slightly, as if he had be a swordsmanship genius. He could easily see the ws in his own technique and so improve ordingly. "Is this a high-level knight''s talent?" he thought, incredulous. "I thought it was limited to the practice of breathing methods, but it would seem that it also has a significant impact on fighting methods." Ding! [Congrattions on reaching level 9 of the swordsman ss!] [You will be rewarded with a talent specific to this ss and rted to your life experience!] Ding! [Congrattions on acquiring the passive ability "Sword Regeneration"]. [Sword Regeneration: Constant use of the sword naturally elerates muscle recovery and body adaptation, allowing for prolonged training.@@novelbin@@ Maximus took a deep breath. With this ability, he could train far longer than a talent of the same level. And above all, with such a talent, it was worth training in breathing methods despite the presence of the system. For one of the most important effects of breathing methods was the ability to awaken the vital seed. This seed was the difference between an apprentice knight and a knight. Not only did this seed considerably improve physical performance when awakened, it also provided a very powerful skill. When knights fought, they could harness the power of the vital seed to temporarily enhance their physical abilities at the cost of their lifespan. Indeed, they could lose life expectancy, as activating the vital seed for too long could create hidden wounds in the knights'' bodies. But this skill was so powerful that even if Maxime had a slightly stronger physique than many knights, he didn''t have the confidence beforehand to defeat any of them without relying on his talents. Of course, with Maxime''s power having taken a leap, everything was different now. And best of all, it wasn''t over. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire Ding! [The conditions have been met!] [ss quest unlocked!] Chapter 112 Liam, the fallen genius Ding! [Conditions have been met!] [ss quest unlocked!] "What?" "A ss quest?" Maxime had never heard of one. But the notifications would answer his questions. Ding! [To answer the host''s questions, you had ess to ss evolution thanks to your level 2 authority] "I didn''t think I''d get this kind of advantage thanks to that." Maxime was genuinely surprised; he''d thought the authority level would give him exclusive information when the opportunity came. But he would never have doubted that level 2 authority would have opportunities linked to it! [Quest: "Evolve the Swordsman ss" ] Description: Congrattions on unlocking your first ss quest. If sessful, this quest will allow you to upgrade your ss! Reward: change the "Swordsman" ss to a higher-quality ss. Objective: - Swordsmanship at level 3 (0/1) - Breathing method (0/1) - Awaken vital seed (0/1) "Everything suggests that the future ss will have a link with knights." "Which makes a certain amount of sense, since I awakened the low-level knight talent first, and then it was gradually upgraded." Not everyone got the knight talent when they raised their swordsman ss level, it all depended on chance. Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire In the world of Eternity, to obtain umon, rare or superior sses, conditions had to be met. Some great families knew about these conditions and kept them to themselves in order to maintain their power in the real world. Because, of course, there were many ways to improve a ss, and increasing the level of authority was one of the hardest of them all. For his part, Maxime had just acquired the requirements to awaken the knight ss or a simr ss. He didn''t yet know the quality of this ss, but it was undoubtedly far superior to the swordsman ss. Above all, it would have great potential. As far as Maxime knew, knights possessed many formidablebat techniques and, above all, there were many applications of the powers linked to the vital seed. If Maxime were to unlock a ss that could evolve to the very end of a knight''s potential, then this ss would undoubtedly be exceptional. In order, there were apprentice knights, knights, great knights and epic knights. Each kingdom was much stronger than thest. So if Maxime could be an epic knight thanks to this future new ss, he could already be known as a great power both in the world of Eternity and in the real world. But he didn''t get too excited; nothing was safe and easy in the world of Eternity. What''s more, the requirements were not simple. Handling the sword would take a few weeks or even less, but that wasn''t the case for the other two conditions. The easiest way to obtain a breathing method was to join the ranks of a nobleman. But nobles were always very careful about the origins of the people they recruited. For them, it was better for people to have less talent but be truly loyal than the other way around. So, for yers who appeared out of nowhere, it was reallyplicated to gain a nobleman''s trust. Obtaining a breathing method was therefore extremelyplicated even when swearing loyalty to a nobleman. And unfortunately, Henry and Ultia couldn''t teach him because they didn''t know enough about the book and the human body. Generally speaking, unless you had a teacher at the level of grand knight or above, it was impossible to learn a breathing method without the book detailing the technique. Quite simply, to develop extraordinary powers required extraordinary knowledge. As for the3rd condition, even if Maxime obtained a breathing method, it was still veryplicated to awaken the vital seed. The simplest and least dangerous way to awaken it was to use a secret potion. But this secret potion cost at least 10,000 gold coins, and there was no market for it. For nobles, this wasn''t a big deal - even barons usually managed to obtain a potion one way or another after a few years of research and saving. But for non-noble individuals like Maximus, it was much more difficult. So only the most primitive and brutal method was possible: to awaken her through a life-and-death struggle once he had mastered a breathing method. So Maxime didn''t concentrate on this quest for the moment. He would wait for the right opportunity. Instead, he looked at his bnce with a happy yet bitter smile. [Current bnce: 1050 gold coins]. Happy because he''d be able to upgrade his Nox Limit talent, and bitter because he''d only have 50 gold coins left in the system. Of course, he didn''t stay bitter for long, as he still had 325 gold coins in front of him, but this money was intended for the mercenaries to reward them and buy or repair their equipment. "System, improve the Nox Limit talent." Ding! [Can you confirm your wish to improve the "Nox Limit" talent? (Yes/No)] "Yes. [Request received.] Ding! [Talent Nox Limit: 0/1000] [Talent Nox Limit: 1000/1000] Ding! [The conditions have been met, the "Nox Limit" talent will be upgraded]. Immediately, a violet-ck light escaped from the system, enveloping his body. A wave of dark power invaded his muscles, his mind, even his perceptions. It was as if a raging force now slept inside him, ready to explode at any moment. And it wasn''t just him; all mercenaries, whatever they did, encountered a very strange phenomenon. Whether it was Andrew practicing his swordy, Romuald sharpening his sword, Henry and Ultia chatting, they all felt a strange wave of energy. This was also the case in the vige of Plouta, where all the new recruits with 2 and 3-star potential were training. That day, a strange transformation disrupted their daily lives. All the mercenaries felt a change in the depths of their souls, as if the chains that had imprisoned them until now were disappearing. In a corner of the vige, Liam, a frail but ambitious young man, was clumsily practicing with a wooden sword. He was sweating profusely, his hesitant strokes hitting a worn dummy limply. "I''m going to prove to them all, that not only will I be a mighty mercenary, but I''ll be one of the best!" "Even Charles won''t be much stronger than me!" Charles, among the new recruits, was a legend. After all, he was one of the 20 elites brought by the chief to go south, and he was also the only new recruit to ever go there. Former mercenaries with little potential were jealous of him, but there was nothing anyone could do about it. For his part, Liam was one of 3 mercenaries with 3-star potential recently recruited by Maxime, the other twoing from the vige of H¨¦nor while he came from Plouta. So, of the 75 mercenaries recruited by Maxime before leaving, he was one of the top 3 best recruits. Or at least it was supposed to be. Somehow, although he had 3-star potential, his rate of progression was no faster than that of most 2-star potentials.@@novelbin@@ Even now, his strength was still below that of an elite soldier, while the other two mercenaries with 3-star potential were not far from reaching the stage of apprentice knight. Both were now being trained by Killian himself, the highly sessful apprentice knight with the highest authority in the vige of Plouta. As a result, he was often mocked and insulted as a waste of his own talent and that of the mercenary leader, Maxime. Yet at first, everyone respected him, and he was supposed to be the figure representing the vige of Plouta against the 2 geniuses from the vige of H¨¦nor. But with his strength, not only did he not be this figure, but he was also ostracized by the other mercenaries and even the vigers of Plouta. Suddenly, he felt an icy chill run up his spine. "What the..." he murmured, dropping his weapon. A pale light surrounded him, like a flickering spectral me. He watched, wide-eyed, as this magnificent light surrounded him. After a moment, he felt he could instinctively control this new power. So he channeled this energy, and in one fell swoop they disappeared. But Liam knew they were still there, only this time they were under his control. He picked up his sword, and this time, when he struck the dummy, the weapon passed through the dummy. But it went through the dummy without cutting it. "What the hell!?" It was as if his weapon had be something immaterial. Simultaneously, the god Nox opened his eyes once more. As if they could see through the space around him as well as millions of light years, he looked directly at Maxime. "Hmmf, at least he did well to choose my talent, if he''d chosen Viviana''s talent, I wouldn''t have had any hope for him at all." Then he closed his eyes again. As these events happened one after the other without Maxime being aware of it, new notifications appeared. [Congrattions!] [The Nox Limit talent has been sessfully upgraded to level 2!] [Existing effects have been strengthened!] [A new effect has been added!] [Please consult the talent details for more information] Chapter 113 New effect and mercenary progression [Please see talent details for more information]. Maxime immediately opened the Talent page to find out more. [Talent Nox Limit - Level 2 (0/10,000) Enhanced existing effects: - Increases the effectiveness of any training by 600% of all those belonging to the mercenary group member. - Increases the talent of all mercenary group members by two ranks. - Shout NOX LIMIT can increase the performance of all individuals in the group by 50% for 45 minutes. Recharge time 3 days. New effect unlocked: Exclusive contract: Enables you to enter into a contract with any individual, forcing them to obey the contracting party forever. "10,000 gold coins the next upgrade...I guess that''s to be expected seeing how powerful the talent is." "Regarding the upgrades, the effectiveness of the training has been increased from 500% to 600%, while the active effect nowsts 45 minutes instead of 30 minutes before, and the recharge time has been reduced from 7 days to 3 days." "That''s pretty good." Maxime was rather pleased with these two improvements; these two effects were very important to him, since they were very strong. So every little improvement in these effects was worth celebrating. But among the effects of his talent, these two were not the most powerful. [Increases the talent of all members of the mercenary group by two ranks]. This short description made her breathless. His heart rate was increasing rapidly. "Two ranks!" "Two whole ranks of enhancement!" He knew what it meant. From now on, even the weakest of his mercenaries would be able to reach 3 physics points. The few mercenaries with four-star talent would be able to reach 4 physique points and thus have a strength level equivalent to that of a knight after a certain amount of training. Five-star mercenaries, on the other hand, can reach 5 physics points, making them virtually invincible below the level of a grand knight. But at that stage, it was no longer a matter of months of training, but of years. It wasn''t that easy, even with Maxime''s talent, to reach this level of strength. In any case, in a very short time, the 75 mercenaries remaining in Plouta would all reach the level of apprentice knight. "But what exactly does this new effect consist of, can you tell me more system?" Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire [As mentioned, it allows a contract to be signed between the host and an individual, and forces the individual to obey the host]. Maxime looked up at this answer, as if this system was taking him for a fool. "No, but rather what the contract grants and its limits." [Regarding the benefits of the contract, the contracted party automatically gained the ability to speak the Frankishnguage. He also got the blessing of the host''s talent, even if he didn''t be a mercenary]. [Concerning the limits, the sess rate of signing the contract depends on the strength of the host and the contracted party, as well as the contracted party''s willingness to sign the contract or not]. "I see, I guess I''ll see on the spot once I try it out." "But this new effect is really strong." Maxime was already thinking of many applications. For example, he could already try signing a contract with Piran soldiers in the real world and let them sneak into positions of high responsibility. And in critical battles, they could suddenly help the human race. With the blessing of his talent, no matter how weak the Piran soldier was at first, he would be at least as strong as an apprentice knight. So he wouldn''t remain just a soldier, and could achieve a position of responsibility. In the world of Eternity he could try to subdue orcs, and try to learn their moves in advance. "I''ll definitely do that!" Maxime was already excited at the prospect of ambushing these orc armies. The same armies that hade close on several asions to wiping out a vige in front of him and ughtering thousands of vigers. The same orcs who had almost killed him and all his elite men. A third application of this talent could be to tame powerful animals and use them as mounts. Finally, Maxime had in mind a fourth application of this talent that he would make in the long term, and this method could be the one that would keep him at the top of both the world of Eternity and the real world. [There''s also a limit to the number of contracted, which is one contracted per point of the host''s physics].@@novelbin@@ [This means that a host with a current physics of 3.95 has 3 slots.] " 3,95 ! " Maxime hadn''t imagined that he now possessed such a strong physique. [Counting bonuses, the host can reach 4.94 physique points]. This time, Maxime was more than shocked. Even most teachers in the real world weren''t as strong as he was now. Perhaps only Riva, a mercenary from the juggernault group, could have a level of strength superior to his own. He clenched his fist gently, and felt it overflowing with strength and power. With a single punch, he could destroy the walls of his school. "Baron Barthon, wait for me impatiently." "I''ll punish you myself for all the evil you''ve caused in this world." But Maxime calmed down, it wasn''t time yet. He was more impatient to see his men''s talents evolve. After all, his strength alone was still limited. Only by relying on a powerful army could he umte enough power to protect his family. "System disys the list of mercenaries, and disys in brackets their physique from two weeks ago to see how they''ve evolved." [Disys current Saber-toothed Tiger group mercenaries at host''s whim]. Mercenary: Charles: Five-star potential, affinity for dragons. Physical: 2.6 (2.1) (Plouta) Ultia: Five-star potential. Weak knightly talent. Physical: 2.5 (2.1) (Hypocamp) Henry: Five-star potential. Weak knightly talent. Physical: 2.4 (2.1) (Hypocamp) Andrew: Four-star potential. Physical: 2.6 (2.4) (Quesso?) Laura: Four-star potential. Physical: 2.5 (2.4) (bandits) Ernest: Four-star potential. Physical: 2.4 (2.3) (Brotherhood house) Ivan: Four-star potential. Physical: 1.8 (1.2) (Enor) Wigor: Four-star potential. Physical: 1.7 (1.2) (Enor) Garen: Four-star potential. Berserker talent. Physical: 1.4 (1.2) (Ventbois) Lira: Four-star potential. Affinity with shadows. Physical: 1.2 (0.9) (Ventbois) Liam: Four-star potential, phantom swordsmanship. Physique 1,1 (0,9) (Plouta) Romuald: Three-star potential and a minor physics talent. Physique: 2.3 (2.3) (Barthon town) Rodrigo: Three-star potential and an elemental affinity with the earth. Physique: 2.2 (2.1) (Brotherhood house) Tena: Three-star potential and a minor talent for intelligence. Physical: 2 (2) (Barthon town) Izo: Three-star potential. Physical: 1.9 (1.9) (Quesso?) Terry: Three-star potential. Physical: 1.9 (1.8) (Quesso?) James: Three-star potential. Physical: 1.9 (1.8) (Quesso?) Piedro: Three-star potential. Physics: 1.9 (1.8) (Quesso?) Moron: Three-star potential. Physics: 1.7 (1.5) (Barthon town) Jeb: Three-star potential. Physical: 1.7 (1.5) (Ventbois) Irus: Three-star potential. Physical: 1.7 (1.5) (Bandits) Jean: Three-star potential. Blessing of the wind. Physique 1,2(1) (Ventbois) Reta: Three-star potential. Physique: 1,2 (1,1) ((Ventbois) Yvan: Three-star potential. Physical: 1.1(0.9) (Ventbois) Katarina: Three-star potential. Physical: 1 (0.8) (Ventbois) (Non-exhaustive list, only first names that have already appeared in the story) ... "Charles, Ultia and Henry have really made incredible progress." Compared to the older members of the group, their speed of progress was truly phenomenal. Most of them were starting to reach their limits, so progress was starting to get really slow. "Ivan and Wigor also made very good progress." Obviously, Maxime knew Ivan and Wigor well and had spoken with them on several asions. He''d even asked Killian to take care of them. Talent deserved more attention. "But what happened with Liam?" Maxime had a certain impression of Liam; he was naturally weak, weaker than most of the other vigers. But Maxime thought that with his talent, it wouldn''t be long before he outshone all the potential 2-stars in the group. But as it turned out, he wasn''t even as fast as them; on the contrary, he was slightly slower. "I don''t remember Liam having a talent before." That was the only changepared to before, Liam now possessed a talent named "Phantom Swordsman". "I guess I''ll ask him when we get back to Plouta." "By the way, it should be just under a week and a half since we left Plouta, so in total, it must have been a month since I returned to Eternity." "So it''s still about a month and five days since my first experiencested two months and five days." "And they''ve improved that much in just two weeks?" "Innate potential can really be unfair..." "But I guess the world is fair, progression can be rapid but you can hit the ceiling very quickly." Of course, even the famous mercenary captain of the Silver Knights, who had 5-star potential, hadn''t progressed as quickly as Charles, Henry and Ultia. Considering they''d only had 4-star potential in thest two weeks. Maxime''s talent was just too powerful. As for Garen, Lira, Jean and the rest of the mercenaries from Ventbois, progress was still minimalpared with the other mercenaries, as they had only been with the Saber-toothed Tigers for a few days. But with the help of the apprentice knights, they had made significant progress in a short space of time. After seeing how much his men had improved, Maxime was eager to test their strength. He went to a training ground and grabbed a de designed for practice. He ced himself in front of a steel-reinforced training dummy, normally designed to withstand knightly strikes. He adopted a basic posture, his feet anchored to the ground, his arms perfectly aligned. His face seemed particrly serious, while his breathing was perfectly regr. Silence settled over the training ground. Only the sound of the wind could still be heard. Then, with one precise, fluid stroke, he sliced the dummy in two. The metal gave way as if the de were a legendary weapon with an exceptional cutting edge. But it was just an ordinary training de. "Let''s stay a little longer in the south and earn a bit more money, thene back north." Chapter 114 VentBois recruits on the rise "Let''s stay a little longer in the south to earn a little more money and thene back north." Saying this, Maxime was firmly convinced that when he returned, he would create a small earthquake in the Kingdom. After all, his strength and his mercenary group couldn''t be hidden forever. Previously, his strength and that of the mercenaries were still within an eptable range. But when they returned to fight Baron Barthon, Maxime would probably have at least the strength of a knight at the grand sess stage, while he would have at least 3 men at the knight entry or even petit sess stage. In this way, the strength of his mercenary group could even bepared to that of a powerful baron or even a viscount, so strong will they be. But all this would happen in the future. After the momentous events of the past few weeks, a rare period of calm set in for Maxime and his elite men. Settled in the Acad¨¦mie des Chevaliers Pourpres, a ce dedicated to training Count Ardan''s elite, they took advantage of this respite to train, hone their skills and enjoy a few moments of daily life away from battle. The academy itself was an impressive ce: a vast fortifiedplex surrounded by high stone walls and featuring several training grounds, forges and libraries. Statues of knights with fascinating and heroic histories stood in the main courtyards, reminding students and guests of the importance of discipline and honor. Saber-toothed tigers enjoyed a special status, since they had proved their worth against the orcs and obtained the Count''s authorization. As a result, they were all housed in spacious, luxurious quarters. They were even better housed than the students and some of the professors. They were also allowed to use the academy''s facilities, which led to regr scenes of mercenaries taking part in supervised training as well as cultural courses, usually reserved for nobles. Most mercenaries had never had ess to intellectual courses. Everything they learned came from their parents or neighbors when they were still vigers. Obviously, the knowledge passed on in this way was limited. And most of these courses were very advanced, so very few mercenaries managed to learn anything from them.@@novelbin@@ Only Tena, Ernest, Rodrigo and Laura continued to attend. Tena, on the other hand, was a particrly keen learner and spent a lot of time in the library. For his part, Maxime had spent most of the week practicing like crazy with his sword. With abination of hard work, talent and rick''s help, he finally achieved his goal. [Sword mastery level 3 (1/100)] "Congrattions Maxime, I think you now have fencingparable to that of a knight!" ric smiled at Maxime, his eyes showing admiration for the young prodigy''s progress. He''d never seen anyone improve so much in such a short time. "Thank you rick, I couldn''t have done it without you. Maxime thanked rick sincerely. If it hadn''t been for his help, he''d never have made such rapid progress. Of course, he had been content to keep up the physical level of an apprentice knight at the peak stage. There was no need to show all his strength right away. It would have been difficult to exin, not to mention unhelpful during training. After all, he could crush rick with just his physical strength now. "I''ll leave you here Maxime, I''ve got to go and prepare a lesson for the 4th graders." "No worries." For his part, Maxime went quietly to eat in the great hall. There were only a few groups of apprentice knights filling it, leaving thisrge room a little empty, but allowing him to eat in a less noisy atmosphere than usual. After eating, Maxime decided to check on his new VentBois recruits to see how they were doing. He''d only run into them briefly during meals, and with the strict schedule he''d imposed on himself, he hadn''t been able to chat much with them. So he strolled out into the main courtyard of the Purple Knight Academy. The air was fresh andden with the scent of damp leaves. The afternoon sun was gently illuminating the cobblestones, casting a golden glow over the academy''s majestic buildings. The weather was fine, despite the low temperature. Maxime strode forward, his long ck coat fluttering slightly behind him. He had borrowed the coat from among the things the academy provided, thinking it would fit him rather well. As he reached his destination, he was increasingly eager to see the thirteen mercenaries he had recruited in Ventbois. These men and women, though still young and inexperienced, all had promising potential thanks to his talent. Particrly Garen and Lira, who were now 4-star talents, and therefore likely to have knightly strength in the future. What''s more, Garen possessed the Berserker talent and Lira had an affinity with shadows. For the moment, the two had shown no signs of awakening these talents, but when they did, there was no doubt that their fighting power would explode. There was also Jean, who, although a notch below them in terms of potential, possessed the blessing of the wind, and already knew to some extent how to use it to scout. As he passed through the arches leading to a secondary training area, he heard familiar noises: the tter of des, cheers, and the muffled impacts of blows to training dummies. When he arrived on the field, he was immediately greeted by Garen, who was acting as leader among these new recruits. "Chief, there you are! It''s a pleasure to see you here!" Maxime nodded, watching as the twelve remaining mercenaries interrupted their exercises to gather around him. The group had changed in just a few days. Their posture was more assured, their looks more determined. "Good to see you again, guys," Maxime said with a smile. "So, how''s your stay here going?" Jean, stepped forward with a confident smile. "Chief, it''s incredible! The training here is demanding, but we''ve learned so much. The teachers say we all have good potential, even if we''re not from noble bloodlines." Beside her, Lira nodded. "We also took part in battle simtions with first-year students. At first we were getting beaten up badly, and many of the students were secretlyughing at us." "Some of them had funparing us to the old mercenaries, saying we were really garbagepared to Andrew or even Laura." "But now we''re starting toe into our own." "Everyone''s surprised by how fast we''re progressing and is starting to look at us differently." Maxime observed each of the mercenaries in turn. Garen, Lira, Jean and the others did indeed seem tougher, their physiques having been strengthened by intensive training. But it wasn''t just their physical strength that had evolved. He could see a new confidence in their eyes, the kind of confidence you gain by oveing hardships and bing stronger, both physically and mentally. "Good. Now I''d like to see what you''ve learned. Show me what training here has done for you." At these words, the mercenaries quickly scattered to prepare for a demonstration. Garen picked up a sword while Lira grabbed a pair of daggers. The two quickly began to spar under Maxime''s watchful eye. Their duel was fast-paced and technical, with every move revealing a heightened mastery of the basics of closebat. "They''re already not far from reaching level 2 in their weapon mastery, that''s really good," Maxime thought as he watched them. After that, other recruits such as Reta and Yvan practiced breaking reinforced dummies, showing impressive raw power for people who had only been vigers a few days before. Because even brute strength required technique. Otherwise, it was impossible to reveal even 70% of his raw power. Once the demonstrations were over, Maxime called the group together. "You''ve worked hard over thest few days. Keep up the hard training. I have a feeling we''ll have an important mission soon, and when that timees I''ll be counting on you to show what you''re capable of." "You may be young, but I see in you the future of our group. Stay focused and disciplined." The mercenaries nodded in agreement, Maxime''s words touching them so deeply that the fire of determination shone in their eyes. Maxime, satisfied, gave them a few more instructions before leaving them to resume their activities. He continued his day by talking to his mercenaries scattered throughout the academy. All had adapted well to life at the academy. The next morning, as Maxime watched abat demonstration in the academy''srge arena between James and a 4th-year apprentice knight, a soldier approached him softly. "Chief of the Saber-toothed Tigers, Count Ardan wishes to see you in his office." Maxime exchanged a puzzled nce with the mercenaries standing beside him, before following the messenger. He crossed the long corridors of the academy and arrived at the door of Count Ardan''s office. The soldier knocked gently three times on the door before taking a step back. "Who is it?" The Count''s deep voice rang out. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire "This is Private Kotar, reporting that the chief of the Saber-toothed Tigers is waiting outside the door." After a brief moment of silence, the Count''s voice rang out again. "You may go, Kotar, and pleasee in, Maxime." The soldier gave Maxime a slight military salute, to which he also replied, and then left. Simultaneously, Maxime opened the door and entered the academy director''s room. Count Ardan was waiting for him, standing in front of a map spread out on a table. He was dressed in a richly embroidered but sober tunic, and looked grave. His weathered face betrayed a certain tension. Chapter 115 Drevon House He was dressed in a richly embroidered but sober tunic, and had a serious air about him. His weathered face betrayed a certain tension. Maxime stepped forward, bowing slightly in respect before sitting down on a chair the Count indicated. "Hi Maxime, how are you?" Maxime was rather surprised by this innocuous question, but he answered simply. "Quite well, and you, Count Ardan?" "Could be better." The Count''s face showed his dismay. "What happened?" The Count began to quickly exin the situation. "The orcs are absolutely everywhere, invading all the nobles in the vicinity and my soldiers have been fighting all over the southern territory for weeks." "It''s starting to wear on the morale of the whole army." "But I''m not here to talk to you about that." Simultaneously the Count took on a very serious air. "You''ve proved that you and your men are very capable men, and even today, thanks to your actions, we still have strength today." "If you and your men hadn''t killed so many orcsst time, our losses today would have been much higher and our morale much lower." The Count bowed slightly in thanks. "There''s no need to do such things, this was our mission." Maxime couldn''t me the Count for what had happened, after all, it had all been orchestrated by Nox. Who in this world could stop the machinations of a God? Perhaps there were individuals who could, but certainly not individuals in this realm. "In any case, you''ve proved that you and your men are trustworthy. That''s why I''m going to entrust you with a mission of the utmost importance, a mission whose failure would lead to very serious consequences for me and my family." Maxime straightened his back, all his attention focused on the Count. The Count ced his hands on the table, staring intently at Maxime. "My eldest daughter, Aveline, is to travel to the royal capital of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle." "She will represent our house at a great council where crucial alliances for the kingdom''s future will be decided." "And I fear for her safety on the way." Maxime immediately understood the gravity of the situation. Escorting such a high-ranking noblewoman on a perilous journey required more than brute force. It required careful nning and constant vignce. "I''m honored that you thought of me for this mission. May I know the details of the route and the potential threats you anticipate?" The Count shook his head. "I''ll tell you everything the day before departure, thetter being three days from now." He paused, looking Maxime straight in the eye. "For the moment, I can only tell you that this mission is crucial to my family''s future." Maxime nodded, his expression serious. "I understand, my lord. Lady Aveline will arrive safely at the capital, I give you my word." The count seemed satisfied with this assurance. "She will leave in three days. Prepare your men, and choose the best for this mission. I''ll put some horses and provisions at your disposal." Maxime and the Count continued to discuss a few unimportant things, before Maxime left the office, somewhat confused about this mission. Everything was a blur, and the Count was obviously hiding a lot from him. But it was impossible for the Count to wish him harm; after all, he had saved his life during thest battle. Still, he was determined to get some information before leaving. So the next day, Maxime decided to go for a walk and had the opportunity to meet Lady Aveline in the gardens of the academy. The calm, secluded setting was dotted with elegant fountains and carefully trimmed trees. Lady Aveline, dressed in a crimson gown edged with silver, stood erect, observing the flowers with a contemtive air. Her bright blond hair reflected the sunlight, and her sparkling violet eyes seemed to scrutinize Maxime as if assessing his character. "Are you Maxime, leader of the Saber-toothed Tigers?" she asked, her voice poised but tinged with natural authority. Maxime bowed respectfully. "At your service, Lady Aveline." These two individuals, who were so handsome, gave the impression of being in a romance novel. She analyzed him for a few moments before speaking again. "My father told me about you. He says you''repetent. I expect you to live up to that reputation." Maxime perceived a rare determination in her tone. This was no capricious noblewoman, but a woman aware of her position and the responsibilities that weighed upon her. "You can count on me and my men, Lady Aveline. We''re ready to face any danger." She nodded, her gaze softening slightly. "Good. We leave in three days. I''ll leave the preparations to you. I have no intention of interfering with your methods, but you should know that I won''t tolerate ipetence." Maxime already had the information about the day of departure and had already given it to his mercenaries during the previous evening''s meal. 3 days was perfect for him. His new recruits would have just enough time to reach a fairly decent level as mercenaries. Of course, they wouldn''t have time to reach the elite soldier level, but they could reach it on the way. It was destined to be a rather long mission. Perhaps hisst mission before returning to the real world. Maxime smiled slightly. "I don''t doubt it, Lady Aveline." Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire The next three days were devoted to meticulous preparations. Maxime devised a strategy for traversing the most dangerous areas, making sure that every member of the team knew the protocols to follow in the event of ambush or confrontation. Provisions were carefully packed, and sturdy horses were prepared to carry the youngdy and her supplies. Maxime spent his evenings studying maps and assessing where they might be ambushed. He knew the journey would be a test, but he was determined to prove his group''s worth once again. The evening before leaving, Maxime was summoned, as nned, to Count Ardan''s private apartments. Unlike their previous meeting in the Count''s office, the atmosphere this time was more intimate. Arge firece lit up the room, casting flickering shadows on the tapestry-covered walls depicting ancient battle scenes. A small coffee table was set with a carafe of red wine and two silver goblets. The Count, seated in a leather armchair by the firece, seemed pensive. "Maxime,e in. Make yourselffortable." Maxime approached, sitting down in the armchair opposite him, curious as to why this discussion was taking such an informal tone. The Count, a man with an imposing aura but tired features, filled both goblets before handing one to Maxime. "Drink up. You''ll need it to bear the weight of the intrigues that rule our world." Directly, the Count announced the color of their discussion, unintentionally putting a certain pressure on the room. But the room and the atmosphere it created were so pleasant that Maxime couldn''t help but feel rxed. Maxime took the cup, but remained silent, waiting for the Count to express himself further. The Count sighed deeply, staring into the fire. "Maxime, let me be direct. You''re a pragmatic man, and I think you deserve to know the truth. This trip to the capital isn''t just about getting my daughter to safety. It''s a matter of political survival for my house." Maxime frowned, puzzled. The Count continued. "For generations, our house, House Ardan, has always been a pir of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle. But in recent years, things have changed. Old alliances are breaking down, and new, power-hungry yers are emerging." He ced his cup on the table, hands folded in front of him. "Those damn greedy nobles, we fight every day for the survival of the Kingdom, while others take advantage to gain power in the court." But the Count quickly calmed down, showing great self-control. "The royal court has be a nest of vipers. The great houses are vying for the king''s good graces, some with more devious methods than others. Severaltent conflicts threaten the unity of the kingdom." "Some nobles conspire to weaken the crown and establish independent fiefdoms, while others, like House Drevon, seek to seize all power." Maxime, attentive, finally intervened. "What about your house? Where do you stand in this game?" The Count raised an eyebrow. "A game, yes. But it''s a game where the slightest mistake costs lives, sometimes entire noble families." He straightened slightly. "Our house has always served the crown loyally. However, this loyalty has be a weakness in the eyes of some. They see us as an obstacle to their ambitions."@@novelbin@@ "Recently, we discovered that House Drevon is funding groups of bandits to attack caravans from mynds. They hope to ruin us economically." He paused, searching for words. "But that''s not all. Several minor nobles, once our allies, have turned their backs on our banner. They seek to align themselves with more promising powers, believing that House Ardan is on the wane. A mistake I intend to make them regret." Chapter 117 Political test "Let''s get straight to the point, what exactly do you want Maxime?" Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire The Count was now staring sharply at Maxime. Coupled with his status and powerful personality, many people might be intimidated. But Maxime wasn''t, instead confronting his gaze. "A mission of this magnitude demands a remuneration to match. I and my men are prepared to take risks, but it will take far more than a vague honor or a modest reward tomit ourselves to such an undertaking." The Count leaned back in his chair, his expression neutral, but his eyes reflecting a certain tension. "You are already handsomely paid for your services. You enjoy the protection and resources of the Purple Knight Academy, as well as the authority I confer upon you. Why should I yield any more?" Maxime smiled slightly, seeing that the Count was trying to minimize the situation. "With all due respect, Count, I''m not fooled. You need this mission to preserve your family''s future. If Lady Aveline doesn''t reach the capital, your enemies will gain a decisive advantage and your position in the kingdom will bepromised." Of course, there was also the fact that the Count would feel indescribable pain in his heart if he lost his daughter, but there was no need to emphasize this point. Emotions were never to be brought to the table during negotiations, otherwise rtions with the other person could significantly diminish. The Count stared intently at Maxime, but said nothing, letting thetter continue. "I want to know right now what price you''re willing to pay. What''s more, my men and I will receive additionalpensation for every threat eliminated or critical situation resolved along the way." The Count leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His voice became colder, but controlled. "You''re bold, Maxime. But don''t forget who you''re talking to. You''re just a mercenary, and I''m a high-ranking noble. You''re negotiating with one of the most influential houses in the kingdom. Don''t push your luck." Maxime wasn''t impressed. And knowing the Count''s temperament, and how easily he''d negotiated the pricest time, the Count was no doubt toying with him to test his political skills. After all, this mission required more intelligence than strength once he''d arrived in the capital. If he passed this test sessfully, the Count would be more reassured when he saw his daughter leave with him the next day. "And you''re negotiating with a man who can guarantee your family''s survival at this critical time. You have enemies in the capital, but also on the road. One false step, one well-ced ambush, and everything you''ve built coulde tumbling down." Silence settled in. The mes in the firece crackled, filling the space with a heavy echo. Finally, the Count smiled. "You''re right about one thing: this mission is crucial. Very well, I''m willing to adjust the terms, but not at any price. Offer me a figure, and we''ll see if your ambition is reasonable." Maxime thought for a moment before replying: "50 gold pieces per man for the basic mission, and a bonus of 500 gold pieces if we meet and eliminate a major threat." The Count burst into a short but heavyugh. "You''re notcking in audacity, Maxime. 50 gold pieces per man is exorbitant for an escort." Maxime shrugged. "Maybe it is. But this is no simple escort and we''re no ordinary mercenary group." "Our mercenary group currentlyprises one man with a powerparable to a knight at the stage of great sess, 6 apprentice knights at the stage of small sess, 3 apprentice knights at the stage of entry, and 24 elite soldiers." Maxime had decided to reveal his power directly, since he had nned to reveal this level of strength anyway. However, he didn''t know the power of a knight activating his vital seed, so he could be in a passive situation if he actually fought a knight of this level. Unless he activated his Nox Limit talent or relied on the extraordinary passive regeneration given by Viviana. Either way, he wasn''t lying. Many mercenaries were approaching the power of an apprentice knight thanks to theirbat experience, while the new recruits were still far from being elite soldiers. But averaged out, their strength wasparable to that of 24 elite soldiers, if not far superior. "Without us, your daughter might never reach the capital." The Count frowned slightly, realizing he couldn''t deny the argument. With all his military might concentrated on defending the territory against the orcs, he couldn''t spare a single man to escort his daughter to the capital. And above all, Maximus himself had confessed that he had a man with a strengthparable to that of a knight at the stage of great sess. This concurred with his intuition, and above all it reassured him that the young man in front of him wasn''t hiding this information. Had he done so, he would have been slightly disappointed, although this was also understandable. "Very well, Maxime. I''ll grant you 40 gold pieces per man, with a bonus of 300 pieces for each threat eliminated." Maxime watched the Count carefully, then nodded with a smile. Seeing that this test was a trial, he had asked for a price far higher than he really wanted. 40 gold pieces multiplied by 34 mercenaries was already 1360 gold pieces. Bearing in mind that there should be no further trials of Gods, the danger was within an eptable range. What''s more, there was a bonus of 300 gold coins in case of danger. With such a bonus, Maxime sincerely hoped that there would be people bold enough to attack them. And on top of that, there was the 200 gold per week contract established at the very beginning. A new wave of wealth was about to arrive, and Maxime was more than happy. "Agreed, Count Ardan. You won''t regret it." The Count inclined his head slightly. "I hope so for your sake. Because if this mission fails, your group''s reputation will be ruined." This, the Count said sincerely. The mercenary group would be reduced to undertaking orc elimination missions or they would be recruited for war with other kingdoms. Thus, they would be summoned only for dangerous missions, while missions requiring trust, such as escorts, would be almost impossible in the short term. Maxime stood up, ready to leave the room. "You have nothing to worry about, my lord. My men and I always aplish our missions." And with thosest words, Maxime finished his drink in one swift gulp and left the room, satisfied with the negotiation, and ready for the challenge ahead.@@novelbin@@ "I don''t doubt it," murmured the Count, not angry at Maxime''s ungainly gesture. Mercenaries were just like that, and Maxime matched them in temperament. And fortunately, no one would want to follow and live with a man who didn''t share their culture. As he made his way back to his quarters, Maxime passed the library, which still seemed slightly lit from outside by candlelight. Looking more closely through the stained-ss windows, he saw a young woman with short, curly brown hair attentively reading a book, with a candle resting beside her. The library of the Purple Knight Academy was an imposing, cathedral-like ce. The immense dark wooden shelves stretched to the ceiling, overflowing with books of all kinds and ancient maps. The soft candlelight created an eerie atmosphere in this building, usually so beautiful and full of life. Although there wasn''t usually much noise, the fact that there was hardly anyone around was really strange. After entering, Maxime made his way through the empty tables, looking for Tena. Finally, he spotted her in a quieter corner, surrounded by stacks of books. She was bent over a voluminous manuscript, her delicate fingers running quickly over the pages. She seemed absorbed, so much so that she didn''t notice Maxime immediately. "Still devouring books, Tena?" quipped Maxime with an amused smile, sitting down opposite her. Tena looked up in surprise, but her expression quickly softened when she saw her boss. "Ah, Captain! I didn''t expect to see you here. You''re more often on the training grounds than between these shelves." She gently closed her book, marking the page with a corner of parchment. Maxime shrugged. "That''s true. But I thought I might learn something from watching you work. Apparently, you do well in strategy and history sses. Better than a lot of the students here." Tena blushed slightly, embarrassed, but her eyes shone with pride. "Thank you, Captain. I try to do my best. The cultural courses fascinate me, especially the history of kingdoms and past wars. I''m sure my talent helps, but I think it''s also a question of curiosity." Maxime nodded, amused. "I heard you corrected a teacher on a mistake he made in a lecture. Is that true?" Tena smiled guiltily. "Yes... it was about the wars the kingdom of the Frost Eagle had waged. He thought that the battle of 342 of the royal calendar, the Battle of the Frozen Fields, had led to the siege of Ardenhold in 348, except that it hadn''t, so I couldn''t help correcting him." "Oh...what do these two battles consist of?" asked Maxime curiously. Tena''s eyes suddenly lit up in response. "Do you really want to know?" "Yes, of course tell me." replied Maxime, settlingfortably in his chair. "So...where to start..." "You should know that the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle shared a disputed border with the Kingdom of Halenveil, a neighboring nation known for its vast fertile ins and harsh winters." "For decades, tensions had been rising around a mineral-rich region called the Silver Rift, located at the crossroads of the two kingdoms." Chapter 118 Surprise in the bedroom "For decades, tensions had been rising around a mineral-rich region called the Silver Rift, located at the crossroads of the two kingdoms." "In the year 342, the king of Halenveil, Alvar II, dered that the Silver Rift rightfully belonged to his kingdom, and sent an army to seize it. The King of the Frost Eagle, Arlen IV, could not tolerate such aggression and mobilized his forces." "The two armies then met on the Frozen Fields, a vast snow-covered expanse at the foot of the Grey Mountains, lying to the east of the Frost Eagle kingdom." "Halenveil''s forces, consisting of 25,000 soldiers, were led by General Haldir, a great knight and renowned strategist." "The Frost Eagle army, though less numerous at 18,000 men, was led by Duke Edwin Valderic, also a great knight and a daringmander known for his unexpected tactics." Hearing the name Valderic in this story surprised Maxime, but it also reinforced his curiosity. Tena continued to tell the story, with sparkling eyes, and without noticing Maxime''s reaction. "At sunrise, Haldir deployed his troops in a ssic formation, his apprentice knights and knights positioned on nearby hills and his heavy infantry advancing slowly over the slippery terrain." "Edwin, meanwhile, ordered his men to dig trenches hidden under the snow the night before, creating traps for the enemy infantry." "When Haldirunched a frontal attack, the heavy infantry fell into the hidden trenches, breaking their formation and causing chaos in their ranks." "Edwin took the opportunity to deploy his heavy cavalry, led by his son Arthel Valderic. He had even thought of putting some product on the horses'' hooves to prevent them from slipping during the charge!" "Thus, the devastating chargepletely disorganized the enemy rearguard. Shocked, Halenveil''s army tried to retreat, but the Duke''s elite knights were already positioned on their only route of retreat." "Duke Edwin Valderic himself led them, and through a bloody duel between the Duke and Haldir, the Duke eventually prevailed as his men swept through the entire army." "Commander Haldir still managed to escape, but with serious wounds." "And so the battle ended in a resounding victory for the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle." "Halenveil lost 10,000 men, while the victorious kingdom lost only 4,000. The Silver Rift remained under the control of the Frost Eagle, marking a turning point in rtions with Halenveil." "This victory was particrly important because it strengthened the authority of Duke Edwin Valderic, who was nicknamed ''The Snow Wolf''." "Halenveil signed a peace treaty the following year, agreeing toy no further im to the Silver Rift in addition to sending arge sum of money in damages." "The humiliation of this defeat still feeds grudges on future generations." "So even now, if the young people of the Valderic family and the Tacoru family, the family created by Commander Haldir, meet on the battlefield, they will do anything to kill their opponents." Maxime was impressed by the deep context of Eternity. This world really did have its own history. "You know, Tena, I don''t even know what year it is," Maximemented, slightly embarrassed. "You couldn''t know either, unless you attended a ss." replied Tena with a smile. "Even I just found out recently." "So what year are we?" asked Maxime softly. "We''re in the year 379, or 37 years after this battle." Maxime was slightly shocked. He hadn''t thought the battle was so recent. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire "So Duke Edwin Valderin is still alive?" Tena nodded. "Yes, but he''s no longer the head of the family; he''s considered more of an ancestor." "As long as he''s alive, no one will dare touch his family." "After all, over 30 years ago he was already considered very strong among the great knights." "And now, below the epic knight, this old man should more or less be invincible." Maxime opened his eyes wide, impressed by all the knowledge Tena possessed. "You''re impressive, Tena. I think your knowledge could be very useful for our next mission." Tena frowned, intrigued. "A mission? You mean escorting the Count''s daughter? What could I bring to it?" Obviously, all the mercenaries already knew about the mission, Maxime having spread the word long ago. Maxime leaned on the edge of the table, his gaze serious. "Political conflicts areplex, and there are always rivalries between the big houses. You, however, have a better understanding of dynasties and alliances than many of us." "If we evere across a situation where negotiations or recognition of symbols and traditions are necessary, you could save the day." Tena seemed to think for a moment, then nodded with determination. "I''ll do my best, Captain. If I can help, I''ll be there." Maxime smiled, satisfied. "That''s all I ask. But tell me, what are you working on now?" Tena reopened her book, excitement in her voice. "I''m reading up on the heraldic codes of the noble houses in the kingdom of the Frost Eagle. Each coat of arms has a profound meaning. For example, House Devron, an ally of the Earl, sports a falcon perched on a broken sword, a symbol of their loyalty to the crown despite an ancient rebellion." Maxime frowned, hearing this name. The Count said this family had hired bandits to sabotage the convoys of Count Ardan''s family. But either way, Maxime was impressed. "And you can remember all that? It gives me a headache just thinking about it." Tenaughed softly. "I guess ites naturally to me." "A bit like you, Captain. I have my talent and you have your unique talent. You bring others together and inspire them. It''s not something you can learn from books." Maxime raised his eyebrows, surprised by this remark. He hadn''t expected such recognition from Tena. "Thank you, Tena." Tena smiled, then picked up her book again, plunging back into her reading. Yet she had a vague feeling that she''d forgotten something... Maxime, for his part, let Tena get on with his work, while he himself returned to his quarters. After receiving so much information that evening, his brain was ready to explode. So he ducked out of listening to a secondplex military story, which also had political implications. Tena would continue to apany him, so he could always ask her about the siege. Soon he pushed open the door to his room. The glow of an oilmp flickered on the desk, casting a soft light over the austere but tidy room. But he didn''t immediately react to the reason why there was amp lit in his room. It was only when he closed the door behind him that he froze. He turned around slowly, and his eyes fell on a graceful figure lying on his bed. "Laura?" he murmured, slightly surprised. The young woman looked up at him, a mischievous smile ying on her lips. She was wearing a loose linen shirt, but the fine fabric betrayed the curves of her body. She straightened slightly, leaning on one elbow. "I''ve missed you, Maxime," she said softly. "It''s been a long few days... And you always seem so busy with your training or with the Count."@@novelbin@@ Laura''s voice was tinged with frustration. But Maxime dodged the subjectpletely, anyway Laura knew why he was so busy. Instead, he decided to use humor to bring the tension down. "You don''t seem to need an invitation to my room anymore. You''re starting to get the hang of things, aren''t you?" Sheughed softly and stood up, advancing toward him. "Maybe I like to surprise. And maybe I wanted to remind you that you have other... priorities too. After all, who would take care of you, if not me?" Maxime shook his head with an amused sigh before cing a hand on his hip. The rest of the words were suspended in silence, reced by a mutual warmth and passion that made us forget, for a time, the pressures of the mission ahead. 30 minutester, silence returned to the room. The oilmp still projected a soft light into the room, while Laura, snuggled up against Maxime, absent-mindedly traced circles on his chest with her fingertips. "This mission won''t be easy, you know that, don''t you? This escort smells like an ambush a mile away." Maxime nodded, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. "Of course it will be difficult. Duke Valderic has no illusions. His enemies have everything to gain by preventing this marriage, and he couldn''t care less." "So we can easily guess that this is also a test for Count Ardan." "If he can''t protect his daughter, then he''s not worthy to marry into the Valderic family. That''s what it would mean in practical terms." "And you, do you feel ready? Our guys are strong, but a well-prepared ambush could really put us all in danger..." Maxime ran his hand through Laura''s hair to rx and reassure her. "That''s why we have to be unpredictable. We''re not going to take the route that was nned, we''ll take detours to avoid this kind of thing happening." Chapter 120 The academy incident "She looks invincible..." he breathed to himself. Lira chuckled and nudged his ribs with her elbow. "Are you dreaming or what? She''s a noblewoman. She relies on people like us to protect her." Jean watched the other mercenaries, who also seemed captivated by Aveline''s appearance. Some looked at her with respect, others with curiosity, but all seemed to recognize that she was no ordinary presence. "It doesn''t matter whether she can fight or not." he murmured, crossing his arms. "What we have to remember is that she''s our responsibility." Lira rolled her eyes, but she knew Jean was right. Aveline guided her horse through the ranks of mercenaries, her violet eyes sweeping the crowd with a certain intensity. She seemed neither frightened nor impressed, but rather focused. As she passed by the trio, she briefly turned her head in their direction, and Garen felt his breath catch as she looked at him, even if only for a moment. If she knew what these new recruits thought of her, she''d probably haveughed. She knew that if she''d been a student at the Purple Knight Academy, she''d have been invincible. After all, when you had the director as your personal teacher as well as a good talent, it was hard not to be strong. When she had passed their position, Lira whispered, an amused smile on her lips: "Well, Garen, you look like you''ve seen a ghost. Garen blushed to his ears and stammered: "It''s just that... she looks so..." "Untouchable?" finished Jean, her tone neutral but slightly ironic. "I guess..." replied Garen weakly. "Maybe one day you''ll be able to have her heart." a soft voice came from behind Lira and embraced her, drawing Jean and Garen''s gazes. "After all, I myself captured the heart of someone even more magnificent than her." Recognizing the voice directly, Lira looked up. "I know Terry that I''m not as beautiful as she is." "In my eyes you are." replied Terry immediately with confidence. Garen and Jean watched the little scene, smiling. They were used to it by now, Terry regrlying to see Lira during training sessions. Everyone knew not to touch Lira or even have any thoughts about her, otherwise Terry would arrive straight away to deal with the situation. And among the first-year, second-year and3rd-year students, no one was his opponent, even if there were apprentice knights among them. Terry''s fighting power was extremely formidable, despite his small stature, which might lead one to believe otherwise. Moreover, an incident had be rather well known about Lira and Terry. Shortly before leaving to defend Irina, a4th-year genius named Tecos tried to get close to Lira. He was notorious for getting any girl he wanted in the school. The girls he had conquered numbered in the dozens, and all of them were very pretty. Such was his reputation that even in Lapi, he was well known. After all, he was handsome, well-spoken and also an apprentice knight in the early stages of sess. When he set his sights on Lira, who was a rather pretty girl with a very good figure thanks to her training, he naturally met Terry. The two started fighting very quickly, but Terry was no match for him. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire An apprentice knight at the stage of small sess and gifted inbat was too much for him despite hisbat experience.@@novelbin@@ The physical difference was far too great. Garen, Jean and the new recruits tried to help Terry, but they all ended up on the ground very quickly. But when Tecos approached Lira with a vicious grin, he met the bodies of Andrew and Romuald blocking his way. The two mercenaries looked at him with very peculiar eyes, as if they were looking at someone already dead. And that was more or less what he had be. Even today, he was still unconscious in hospital. He hadn''t been able to block a single blow from Andrew and Romuald. This incident quickly became notorious in the academy, and from that day on, no one dared to have the slightest thought about Lira. After all, to dare have the slightest thought, you had to have at least the power of a knight. Then again, ording to rumors, even if the student in question were a knight, he''d undoubtedly have to face the mysterious mercenary leader of unknown power. From all ounts, no matter what happened, mercenaries tended to protect each other. It would be strange if something were to happen outside the mercenaries'' power, for the leader not to intervene. Simultaneously, while Maxime went to talk to Aveline about the details of the trip, things were happening in the Drevon family. The cunning and calcting Duke Drevon gathered his advisors in an austere room lit by meager torches. The Drevon coat of arms, a silver bear''s w on a ck background, adorned the stone walls. "Count Ardan is ying with fire." Devron dered in a deep voice. "If he allies himself with the Valderics, the power the Valderic family will gather will be far too great, to the point where they could suppress us on the political scene." An advisor, a frail but quick-witted man, nodded while pointing to the map they had in front of them. "It''s to prevent this sort of thing from happening that we''ve sent agents near the Purple Knight Academy. Their convoy will cross these hills to reach the capital. And that''s where we should strike." Count Drevon pondered for a moment, then sketched a cruel smile. "Mobilize our forces, but discreetly. An ambush will be perfect. And make sure it''s seen as a bandit attack. We can''t afford to be directly involved." "How many soldiers are we sending?" asked an advisor. "A few apprentice knights leading a score of elite soldiers should suffice." The duke said this casually; from his point of view, it would be more than enough against an ordinary mercenary group. "Monsieur le Duc, ording to our reports, it would bepletely insufficient." The duke frowned at this remark. "What do you mean insufficient?" "From what you''ve told me, the Count has only hired unknown mercenaries. How strong could poor mercenaries be?" But the advisor shook his head. "ording to our agents, most of the mercenaries have the level of apprentice knights, with a few reaching thebat power of apprentice knights at the stage of great sess, or even peak." "And it''s said that their leader has thebat power of a knight." Duke Devron was very surprised. "Mercenaries can really be that strong? Interesting..." "Then send 3 knights including Perceval as well as about 30 apprentice knights." "That will be good experience for Perceval." Perceval was a knight in the petit-sess stage at the age of 23, and was one of the Drevon family''s geniuses. The consultant was reassured. Without a breathing method, no group of mercenaries could withstand such strength. Another advisor added: "What about the girl? Should we capture or kill her?" Drevon swept the question aside with an impatient gesture. "Don''t be stupid. If she disappears, Count Ardan will go mad." Thinking of this man sent shivers of fear down Drevon''s spine. Even if there were several great knights in their duchy, he didn''t know if they would be a match for this man. Even the Snow Wolf of the Valderic family might not be up to the task. It was a pity that the old man himself didn''t know how powerful Count Ardan was, otherwise the Valderic family would have sent forces of their own to retrieve Aveline. "Just make sure you capture her and send her back to Count Ardan''s territory unharmed. That will be enough for the Valderics to reconsider the marriage." Back at Maxime, the silhouette of the Purple Knights academy still loomed behind the mercenary group as they had just set off. The horses moved forward at a measured pace, their hooves tapping gently on the hard-packed earth. 6 horses had the task of moving the 3 wagons forward, while the other 4 were reserved for Maxime, Andrew, Laura and Ernest. Maxime had hesitated for a long time over which fourth person to choose, since Andrew was the obvious choice, given that he was like his right-hand man, while Laura obviously enjoyed preferential treatment. After careful consideration, Ernest''s mastery of the bow meant that mounting him on a horse could have unexpected effects. At Maxime''s side, Aveline rode in silence, her cape fluttering slightly behind her. Laura, for her part, was chatting quietly with Andrew, behind Maxime and Aveline. She was aware that this was a very important mission, so Aveline had to be supervised by Maxime himself. Knowing that she had Maxime all to herself at night, she kept smiling. For her part, Aveline seemed deep in thought, her violet eyes fixed on the horizon. "We''ll reach the hills in three days, if the pace holds up," Maxime dered loudly. His words were addressed as much to Aveline as to the nearby mercenaries walking around them. Aveline nodded. "I''m afraid the road will be moreplicated in this region. The hills have always been a good ce for ambushes." "That''s why, at thest minute, we''ll be taking a detour. We won''t go through the hills even if it dys us a day''s travel." he replied lightly. Chapter 122 An extraordinary genius "With you by my side, how can they threaten me?" She saw Maxime''s strength very clearly, and above all she noticed the ease with which he pierced Perceval. She knew Perceval herself, after all, even if Count Ardan was a rather unsociable person, he sometimes went up to the capital to make connections during gatherings of the nobility. And of course, he brought his precious daughter with him. When she had first seen Perceval, it had been as an elegant man surrounded by numerous noble girls, most of them viscount''s daughters. After all, as well as being handsome and strong, he came from the family of Duke Devron. His status was among the best in the kingdom. But this famous knight nowy lifeless on the ground before her. "This rising star could look so wretched," she thought silently. Simultaneously, she nced again at Maxime. In the capital, she had also met many geniuses and had even spoken with several princes and princesses. But she could say without a doubt that in terms of aura, Maxime crushed any of those famous nobles. She''d never seen anyone so strong and so young at the same time. Especially since, in addition to fighting, she could see him waving orders to his men. "What a prodigious talent." "Even Dorian looks rather mediocre against him." Aveline surprised herself by thinking that, after all even if she hated her fianc¨¦e, she couldn''t but admit his genius. Byparison, Perceval, who had be a knight at the age of 23, seemed mediocre. And 3 years of training separated Dorian and Percival. 3 years of training was more than enough at such a young age. If Perceval was a middle-schooler taking the exams of a high-schooler, then Dorian Valderic was an elementary-school student taking the same exams as Perceval. The feat was on an entirely different level. "Now I understand why my father had so much confidence in these mercenaries to escort me." After all, she wasn''t blind. It wasn''t just Maxime who was strong, even his men were strong enough to fend off these bandits, most of whom had the strength of apprentice knights. For his part, Maxime watched Aveline attentively as he fought the bald knight. The bald knight, drunk with rage, concentrated all his fury on Maxime. His blows were now brutal, almost desperate, and Maxime defended with difficulty. Even with the female knight removed from the equation, the fight was still fierce. "So this is the power of a knight who has broken his vital seed," Maxime thought mid-fight. From what Maxime understood from the rumors he''d heard both in the real world and in the world of Eternity, knights didn''t really break their vital seed. To understand this, we had to go back to basics. The vital seed was created so that the energy escaping from it could not harm the body in which it resided. But at the same time, it limited the power that could be used by the knight. So some knights began to create openings in the seed to multiply the power that escaped. Naturally, this hurt the knight''s body to an unimaginable degree, as the energy became uncontroble and, above all, the muscles and bones of the human body could not withstand this powerful influx of energy. This created hidden, almost irrecoverable wounds in the body, although the seed itself could self-regenerate quite easily. But in life-or-death situations, this power was more than important. Especially as many knights discovered that after using it, particrly when adrenalin was at its peak during a fight, the knight''s body could be rapidly strengthened.@@novelbin@@ In fact, some of the energy remained in the muscles, bones and even organs, making it possible to strengthen the user''s body once and for all. But for this to be truly effective, the seed had to be broken during very intense effort, at a time when blood and oxygen were circting extremely rapidly. So many knights began to roam the battlefields in search of these life-or-death moments, in order to break their vital seed and be stronger. This method had enabled many knights with limited talent to be great knights. However, it also had a major drawback. It was that even if the knight managed to be a great knight, his life expectancy would be drastically reduced. So those with good talents avoided relying on this power in order to reach higher heights and not waste their potential. But Maxime always became very eager for this power, extremely eager to awaken his vital seed and be a knight. "It would seem that Viviana''s talent couldpletely make up for this w." "What a blessing." Maxime''s various thoughts impacted him negatively as he took yet another blow to the stomach, seemed almost to shatter his abdomen. Other wounds appeared one after the other on his body. However, the superficial cuts closed within minutes, while his muscles, though strained, seemed inexhaustible. Each breath was deep, powerful, full of determination. This deeply shocked his opponent. "What kind of monster is that? What kind of defense and regeneration does he possess to take so many blows?" Simultaneously, he became impatient. He couldn''t maintain this state forever. But with each of his attacks, Maxime dodged, deflected or cashed in, and always with terrifying efficiency. After several days'' hard training with one of the Kingdom''s finest knights, rick, andbined with his talent, Maxime had made enormous progress in his technique. As a result, the duel had be almost savage, with des shing against each other at breakneck speed. The shes of these des briefly lit up their faces, tense with effort, and the boots pounded the dusty ground in a violent dance. Theirbat zone had be a no-man''snd. If an apprentice knight had the misfortune to enter it, he would surely not meet a happy end. At the same time, the new recruits could see their leader in action. "So our leader was so strong?" "He''s clearly in another world at this stage." "I hope I can be that strong one day." Even the veterans were impressed, especially Andrew who had always set Maxime as his goal. But at this stage, Maxime had beaten everyone by a phenomenal margin. Some of them thought that even all the mercenaries put together couldn''t defeat Maxime. "I swear I''ll catch up with you one day..." Andrew murmured as he increased his efforts tenfold in his duel with an apprentice knight at the peak stage. Thetter was suddenly surprised, as he had the advantage throughout the duel. But all of a sudden, the red-haired youngster lost all his technique and began to throw extremely wide, yet phenomenally powerful blows. What surprised him even more was that, even with his strength, his hands were trembling from Andrew''s blows. Whereas at the start of the fight, his strength seemed far superior to Andrew''s... And Andrew was not a special case, as many other mercenaries such as Charles, Henry, Ultia, Rodrigo et cetera were beginning to push back their opponents who, until then, seemed to be in a tight duel. And it was all thanks to the [Awakening of Life] talent. A tinum-ranked talent was not to be underestimated. Even less so when that talent could rely on a talent of unknown rank... Over time, the mercenaries'' opponents began to run out of steam, while they themselves retained a strength almost simr to that at the start of the fight. The longer the fighting dragged on, the more the situation turned to the mercenaries'' advantage. On the side of Maxime and his opponent, the fight was still at its height. "You''re nothing but a mercenary!" shouted the bald knight, his voice mixed with fury and the beginnings of panic. His breath was now ragged, his strength rapidly diminishing. "How dare you stand against the nobility!!!" Maxime didn''t answer. His eyes had be progressively cold, devoid of all emotion. In this duel, he was still improving, little by little. His concentration had reached a point where he was not far from a human being''s concentration limits. Even without god-given talent, Maxime was not someone who would have had a mediocre future. He had always put in the effort and concentration to achieve what he wanted. His sword split the air, deflecting a ferocious attack before striking the bald knight''s nk. The blow was precise, surgical, and although not fatal, it weakened the man considerably, making him panic even more. For her part, Aveline fought with admirable determination against the knight with the eye patch. The exchanges were fast and furious, but Aveline was beginning to lose ground. The knight was more experienced, more skilful, and each of Aveline''s blows was countered with apparent ease. "You''re brave, but you''re still too inexperienced, little one." said the knight with a cruel smile. "It''s a pity, with a few more years, you could have been an interesting opponent." Aveline didn''t reply, concentrating on every movement. Her breath was short, and fatigue weighed down her arm. Unfortunately, she didn''t benefit from the blessings of Maxime''s talents, otherwise her fight could have taken apletely different direction. Yet she refused to give up. Her violet eyes sparkled with defiance, and she still managed to narrowly dodge blows that could have been fatal. Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire At the same moment, the bald knight let out a hoarse cry and charged Maxime with desperate energy. He brandished his sword, his momentum carrying him forward in a suicidal attack. Maxime waited for the perfect moment, his sword gleaming with a cold glow. When the bald knight was within range, Maxime stepped aside and struck. The sound of metal striking flesh was muffled by the surrounding battle cries. At that moment, time seemed to slow down. The knight''s expression gradually changed from rage to surprise to despair. The bald knight copsed to one knee, his sword falling to his side. Blood flowed profusely from his chest, staining the ground with a dark stain. "This... this can''t be..." he murmured, looking up at Maxime with eyes filled with despair. "Me... a knight... beaten by a... mercenary..." Maxime leaned toward him, his cold eyes gazing into the knight''s. "Don''t worry, you won''t die here. I have other uses for you." Chapter 123 Aveline in danger "Don''t worry, you won''t die here. I have other uses for you." The bald knight looked fearfully at Maxime, wondering exactly what would be of him. But control of his own body escaped him and he fainted, his head making a thud as it collided with the ground. Maxime wasn''t worried that he might die, a knight''s vitality was extremely strong. He couldst at least another 30 minutes before dying of his wounds. Maxime, though covered in blood, immediately turned to Aveline. "Too bad if we can''t capture you, we must prevent your marriage at all costs." "I''m sure the duke will understand me," murmured Aveline''s adversary, while she herself firmly bit her lips trying to find a solution. She really was about to die. The knight with the eye patch had already ced her de in a position ready to deliver the coup de grace. "Aveline, duck!" cried Maxime.@@novelbin@@ Without hesitation, Aveline threw herself to the ground, and Maxime intervened in a sh. His sword met Aveline''s in an explosion of sparks. The force of the impact sent her opponent reeling back, who looked at him with surprise and frustration. She nced to her right, and saw her colleague and friend on the ground, in a pool of blood. "How could you beat Langus?" she said with surprise and fear. Langus was a knight in the petit s¨¨s stage, the same stage as Perceval, but his sense ofbat and techniques were far more developed than Perceval''s. Even if 3 Percevals fought him, they wouldn''t be able to defeat Langus. That was how strong the bald knight was at the same stage. After all, Perceval wasn''t considered weak at the same stage, he was still a genius. Rather, it was Maxime who was too strong. "Don''t worry, it''ll soon be your turn." Maximemented, his icy eyes nted in those of the knight. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire If he hadn''t intervened in time, Count Ardan''s daughter would have died before his very eyes. If that had really happened, then his reputation in the kingdom would have been greatly enhanced, but on the negative side. His future would then have been considerably impacted. So, Maxime looked at the woman in front of him with eyes that were more than cold. The fight resumed with renewed intensity. Maxime was now alone against the knight, but his energy seemed boundless. Aveline was too wounded to intervene, and for her own safety it was best to keep her distance. Fortunately, she didn''t act rashly, and wisely stayed away from the main battlefield. She nced at the mercenaries nearby, and saw that the fight wasing to an end in the mercenaries'' favor. "They really are a mercenary group full of monsters." she thought in amazement. For his part, Maxime struck with imcable precision, each blow pushing his opponent further back. The knight with the eye patch had reached the stage where her body could no longer withstand the influx of power from the vital seed. Instead of growing stronger, she was growing weaker. So much so, in fact, that she had be weaker than her initial state. These were the short-term consequences of activating this technique. What followed could easily be guessed. The female knight was much weaker than Langus and,bined with the weakness attacking her, Maxime managed to overpower her in a very short space of time, tackling her to the ground without her being able to make the slightest movement. Aveline watched in amazement as a mercenary, his knee pressed against a knight''s back. In this kingdom, no one could have imagined that a non-noble individual could be so strong. This scene, if told, even civilians wouldn''t believe it. Yet it was happening before our very eyes. The woman on the ground raised her head in defiance. She grimaced, a trickle of blood running from the corner of her lips. "Why don''t you kill me?" she demanded furiously. "Because I''ve got questions to ask you." Maxime replied naturally, without too much emotion. "If you think I''m going to talk, you''re sadly mistaken, mercenary." Naturally, being trained by the Duke, the knight wasn''t going to spill the beans so easily. And Maxime expected as much. "Don''t worry, I have my own methods." "Maybe you think dying in silence is a heroic act, but think again." "Who gave you those orders, and how did they n our route? You can talk now and retain some dignity, or wait until I lose my patience." Simultaneously, the mercenaries in the vicinity also began to ask questions of the survivors in order to gain information. A heavy silence settled in. The woman clenched her teeth and looked away. Maxime sighed and stood up. "It''s not a question of loyalty, knight. If you cooperate, you can probably live a better life." Knight''s eyes shed with confusion. "In what world do you let a hostage live?" "Don''t take me for a fool." But Maxime only smiled in response. "In a world where we can control those weaker than ourselves." Maxime switched once again to a serious voice while pressing his knee firmly against the si ring''s back. "How did you manage to guess our route?" She spat blood in front as she replied: "As if I''d tell you, you mercenary wretch." Maxime watched the si ring intently. Despite the wounds streaking her body and the blood slowly trickling from her wounds, she remained stubbornly silent. Neither threat nor promise seemed to reach her. Her jaw remained firmly clenched, and her eyes, though filled with pain, reflected an unshakeable resolve. "Then there''s only this method left." At this point Maxime was a little excited. He was finally going to be able to test the effect of his new talent. As if this power came naturally to him, he knew how to use it. He closed his eyes and let the warmth seep into them. When he opened them again, his pupils glowed golden. A strange energy filled the air, vibrating like an invisible rope stretched between him and the si ring. The si ring frowned, a gleam of concern passing through her eyes for the first time. Maxime held out his right hand. Suddenly, glittering words appeared in the air, traced by an ethereal light. They floated between them, an ancientnguage that only Maxime seemed to understand. Some of the mercenaries who had approached the scene after clearing the battlefield stepped back slightly, confused by the supernatural scene. "What are you... what are you doing?" stammered the knight, her voice hoarse for the first time. Maxime didn''t answer immediately. He silently read the words in the light, his lips barely moving. Finally, he spoke, his voice deeper, with a strange echo. "I, Maxime, wish to enter into a contract with the designated person." Chapter 127 Speech to new recruits "Because I can''t sign contracts ad infinitum, and especially because that guy was just too weak." Langus froze, Maxime''s words echoing in his mind like thunderps. "Well, never mind," Maxime concluded impatiently. "Like you, Langus became part of this secret force. I''ll leave you to exin to him what I told you earlier", he ordered, looking at Kaite. Kaite nodded in response. "Top," Maxime replied simply. Then, suddenly, he thought of something. His two new recruits, although powerful, were not at all loyal to him. Since this was the case, it was necessary to put the carrot in front of the donkey. So Maxime looked at Kaite and Langus, then exined a few important points. "Both of you, don''t worry, you won''t be ves. In this new life I''m granting you, you''ll be able to get what you want." "Whether it''s glory, strength, wealth or simply a family." "I may even grant you hereditary titles of nobility in the future." "As long as youplete your missions and remain loyal to me, you''ll be treated very well." Maxime finished with that, then departed, leaving the two knights full of confused thoughts. Seeing that he had finished his business, Andrew intercepted Maxime. "Chief, I''ve got bad news." Maxime frowned, having a bad feeling. "Tell me everything." "Four new recruits died during the ambush." Maxime sighed, but there was nothing he could do about it. This ambush was well prepared and the opponents were really strong. Faced with apprentice knights, his new recruits were still no match for him. And because of their weak physique, Viviana''s talent couldn''t fully y its part. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire "Roger Andrew, ask the others to bury their corpses or burn them as they wish." Andrew hesitated for a moment, then said: "That''s not all, their deaths have caused trauma among the other VentBois recruits." Maxime pinched the bridge of his nose, a mixture of fatigue and annoyance crossing his face. It was really burdensome at his young age to have to deal with other people''s emotions when he already had so much to manage and think about. He could almost feel the weight of responsibility getting heavier on his shoulders. "I''ll take care of it," he said, giving Andrew a smile. He couldn''t let his negative emotions show in front of his men. "Gather them a little way from the battlefield, I''ll join them." Andrew nodded and moved off to pass on the order. Maxime stood still for a moment, his mind already busy nning his words. One thing was clear: he couldn''t afford to appear hesitant or weak in front of them. On the contrary, he had to create an ideal for them. Or rather, give them a reason to live, something that would transcend them and make them dream. He smiled at the thought; he was a dreamer himself, so it wouldn''t be too difficult. Especially since, unlike other mere dreamers, he knew that with his talent, he could actually make his dreamse true. Or else he''d die along the way. But at least he''d try. He went to one of the wagons to drink some water while his men continued to collect the weapons and equipment of the defeated while also tending to the captives. "I wonder if I can also recruit these apprentice knights into my mercenary group?" wondered Maxime seriously, doubtfully. "It might be a bit risky..." "But if I have the help of Kaite and Langus, perhaps it would be possible." "I''ll talk to them about itter." On the other hand, he gave them a quick nce and was amused to see these two powerful knights lookingpletely lost in the middle of the battlefield. The two had sat down and were chatting amongst themselves. They were two knights with a great deal of experience and an extraordinary mentalitypared to that of ordinary people. Maxime thought they would adapt quickly to their new surroundings. After finishing his drink, Maxime walked over to where the VentBois recruits were. The recruits had gathered as requested, chatting amongst themselves. Some were red-eyed, but Maxime noticed that some were calmer than others. These included Garen, Jean and Lira. "As expected, these three with talent have more potential than ordinary vigers." But when he arrived, Maxime didn''t say a word. The recruits watched in confusion as he built a fire in front of them. The silence was heavy, with all eyes on him. A few minutester, he finished building his fire and stood up. He allowed a moment for the weight of his authority to sink in naturally. Then he spoke, his voice calm but resonant. "I''m not going to lie. He swept his gaze over the assembly, making sure to catch every pair of eyes. "What we''re doing is dangerous. And you knew that when you became a mercenary, even if you didn''t yet realize the full extent of it." He paused, letting the words sink in. "Today we lost 4rades. It''s a tragedy I don''t underestimate. But these losses are not in vain. Every battle, every failure, every sacrifice makes us stronger." But it seemed the recruits were still confused by their expressions. "You''re here because you have courage," Maxime continued, his tone bing more incisive. "But courage isn''t enough. You need to set yourself goals." "Do you know why you''re here!?" "Do you have goals!?" Maxime''s voice became more incisive and impactful.@@novelbin@@ "I can tell you that our group of mercenaries does have goals, and that''s what keeps us going every day." He paused for a moment, to give the recruits time to fully understand the words he was about to say. "This group of mercenaries will be a force capable of turning the tide of any war." "The Saber-toothed Tigers will be a force that will change history." "And I don''t mean the history of the Frost Eagle Kingdom, but the history of this continent." Some mercenaries began to feel shivers run through their bodies, while others seemed to see the light atst. Garen''s eyes were imbued with an unprecedented solemnity, while Jean already seemed to be projecting into the future. Lira, on the other hand, was more serious and down-to-earth. She already had her own goals ining to this mercenary group, and it wasn''t by losing friends ahead of time on the battlefield that her belief would waver. "But you must know that it won''te without pain." Maxime took a few steps as he spoke, looking these men and women straight in the eye. "I''m not asking you to walk this path alone. Look around you. These faces you see are your allies, yourrades... your family. Together, we will climb to heights you can''t even imagine today." He pointed to the mes. "This fire is who we are. Intense and destructive to those who look at us from the outside. But it''s a source of light and warmth for those who choose to be part of it." "You can choose to extinguish yourself under the pressure, or grow up to be part of this inferno that nothing and no one can extinguish." Chapter 129 Recruit integration "She''s a strong, courageous woman who isn''t afraid to put her life on the line to protect others." Aveline looked at him, surprised by his words. "Are you sure?" she asked softly. "Certain." he replied with conviction. "Otherwise you wouldn''t havee to help me against two exceptional knights. You could have just let me face these two knights alone without endangering your life." They stayed like that for a while, sharing a moment ofplicity while the mercenaries nearby ate quietly. Aveline finally stood up, pulling the nket tighter around her. "Thank you, Maxime. "No worries, I wish you a good night, Aveline." She walked away to her tent, and Maxime sat for a moment, thoughtful. "She''s got a pretty dark past," Lauramented, setting down her empty bowl and putting her head on Maxime''s shoulder. "Yeah, it''s pretty peculiar." replied Maxime simply, putting his arm around Laura''s waist. He understood better now why she seemed so distant at times, and why she wore armor not only on her body, but also around her heart. At daybreak, Maxime summoned Kaite and Langus to a secluded spot near a stream that meandered at the foot of the camp. The murmur of the water drowned out their voices, shielding them from prying ears. "It''s time to talk about your captured men," Maxime announced quietly. He didn''t need to appear to be anyone in front of them now, he could just be himself. Kaite nodded thoughtfully. Langus, for his part, seemed more hesitant. "They have sworn fealty to the Duke," he said. "Even if they join us, they could betray you at any time." Maxime smiled. "And that''s where youe in. You''ve been like them. You know how they feel. You know that they only see us as a group of mercenaries, but you have to exin to them that we''re more than just a group of mercenaries." Kaite nodded. "If we exin to them that their deaths won''t change anything except bring sadness and destion to their families, it might change their minds." Maxime nodded. "I''m going to offer them an opportunity. A new life, far from the chains of their oaths." "A life that will have far more value and potential than they could ever have dreamed of." "But it''s up to you to nt that seed of doubt towards the duke in their minds." Langus took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself. Kaite, on the other hand, already had a n in mind. Clearly, both Langus and Kaite had resigned themselves to reality. They would forever be subordinates of the young man in front of them, and no longer of Duke Devron. Twenty minutester, the ten apprentice knights, captive and unarmed, were gathered in a clearing away from prying eyes. All were on their knees, hands tied behind their backs. On most faces, it was impossible to see any expression. Before they were apprentice knights, they were soldiers. When they had taken this path, they knew that death was an option not to be ignored. But when they saw Langus and Kaite before them, equipped with weapons and in good shape, some of them couldn''t help but feel a hint of anger mixed with a sense of betrayal. Langus and Kaite stood facing them, the former grave, thetter impassive. Langus spoke first, his voice calm but tinged with emotion. "I know how you feel. Anger, humiliation... the desire to see us dead to clear your honor." He paused, gauging their reactions. Some looked away, others stared at him with a mixture of contempt and curiosity. "I, too, have been in your shoes," he continued. "Loyal to the Duke, ready to die for my ideals... until I understood one thing. Until now, I didn''t live for myself, I lived for others." Kaite, taking over, stepped forward, his eyes piercing every nce. "Langus is right." "If you die here, your families will never know what happened to you. Your names will be forgotten and the duke will simply train other men to seed you." "Meanwhile, your family will mourn your death withoutfort from anyone." "Your parents will die in sorrow, your children will grow up without a father or mother, and your brothers and sisters won''t be able to share their lives with you." She paused, letting the words sink in. "But there is another way. Maxime, our leader, is ready to offer you a ce among his mercenaries." "You''ll have a new family here, and in the future you''ll be able to visit your family as you wish." "In the short term, to guarantee your safety and that of your loved ones, we will pass you off as dead. That way your families will be protected, safe from reprisals." The apprentice knights, some of them middle-aged, exchanged troubled nces. The idea of betraying their ideals was unbearable for some, but the prospect of death, useless and cold, weighed heavily. Many of them were touched by Kaite''s words. Especially those with children. As they thought of their cute little faces bing so sad upon hearing of their death, they couldn''t help but feel as if an arrow had been thrust into their hearts. And who would protect them in the future? In this world, there was now to protectmoners like them. If someone wanted to harm them, without their presence, it would be very simple. After Kaite''s exnation, Langus resumed and concluded, his voice firmer: "I ask you to consider what you can aplish by staying alive with this group of mercenaries." "For the mercenary leader possesses a magical talent that will enable you to reach previously unimaginable heights." "For example, bing a knight." Langus''s voice resounded among the captives with great impact. Surprise and shock could be seen on the faces of the apprentice knights. What was the dream of most apprentice knights? It was a simple question. 90% of them had the dream of bing a knight. To be a knight was synonymous with glory, strength and wealth. Who wouldn''t? Now they understood better why these mercenaries were so strong and had been able to defeat them so easily. Their leader''s magical talent must have been particrly powerful! After a long moment of silence and reflection, Maxime appeared at the edge of the clearing, advancing slowly towards them. He stopped near Langus and Kaite, passing them by a few paces to face the captives. "I know Langus and Kate''s words aren''t enough," he began, his voice calm but authoritative. "So let me be clear: I''m not making this offer out of kindness. I see potential in you, and I hate to waste talent." He ced both his knees on the ground, as if to level the difference in status between them. He then found himself at the same height as them. "It''s not a life of submission I''m offering you. It''s a chance to be something greater, under a banner that respects your strength and ambitions." "ept, and I promise you two things: your past will remain buried, and your future will be yours to build." The apprentice knights, though reluctant, began to think. Kaite and Langus continued to convince them, and gradually some showed signs of eptance. Maxime straightened up, observing their inner transformation. The seeds had been sown, and soon a new ze would be born. After that, everyone had a meal for lunch, including Duke Devron''s former men. However, all had covered themselves with ck masks covering most of their faces except for their mouths. With their elite equipment, they were definitely intimidating. Fortunately, these were the masks Percival had bought on the way to ambush the sSaber-toothed Tigers. So even if Duke Devron himself saw these masks, he wouldn''t recognize the people wearing them. The atmosphere at breakfast was quite special, with the mercenaries observing their new allies with some reservations. Thetter remained equally silent, still pondering the many implications of the change in their allegiance.@@novelbin@@ Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire After breakfast, Maxime ordered the men to break camp and resume their march. There were still 2 days to go before they reached the capital. The group of mercenaries moved silently along the rugged path, the hooves of the 10 horses striking the dry earth, punctuating their progress. The neers, these masked knights and apprentice knights, walked among them like shadows. They had somehow blended into the group, but their bearing betrayed a different discipline. Their movements were precise and controlled, their posture upright, as if they still carried the weight of their former honor, despite the anonymous masks that hid their faces. Noticing this too, the mercenaries unwillingly began to adopt this discipline. After all, they looked much stronger and more cohesive walking this way. Come to think of it, when they used to walk, you might have thought they were just a group of bandits, given their chaotic gait. Maxime had never taken part in team training and discipline courses, as personal strength was favored. However, the mercenaries had not yet fully epted their new masked allies. They watched them with suspicion. Chapter 130 Knight Garlan They watched them warily. Some murmured among themselves, exchangingments on the future of the mercenary group and Maxime''s decisions. Aveline, on the other hand, remained impassive. She sat quietly on her white horse next to the brown horse ridden by Maxime. Her gaze was focused on the horizon, no doubt imagining what might happen once she reached the capital. One evening, as the camp was set up on the side of a hill, James turned to Maxime, who was leaning against a tree trunk, looking up at the starry sky. "Chief, can I talk to you for a moment?" "Please," Maxime replied simply, smiling. "These guys, they''re not like us, Maxime. They may have sworn to follow you, but their loyalty will probably onlyst a short time. Do you really think we can trust them?" Maxe nced at the masked knights, who had gathered in a secluded spot, their swords carefully poised at the ready. "Don''t worry, I''ll keep an eye on them. Like you, I''m aware that a de can turn quickly." But when they looked at the statistics of these new members, he sincerely thought it was worth it. [Special Operations Group stats] [Langus (knight at small sess stage): Six-star potential. Physique: 3.5] [Kaite (knight in early sess stage): Six-star potential. Physique: 3,4] [Apprentice knight (grand sess stage): Five-star potential. Physique: 2.8] [Apprentice knight (stage of great sess): Five-star potential. Physical: 2.7] [Apprentice knight (small sess stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2.5] [Apprentice knight (small sess stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2.4] [Apprentice knight (small sess stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2,3] [Apprentice knight (small sess stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2,3] [Apprentice knight (small sess stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2,3] ... Seeing the two [6-star potentials] above a mass of [5-star potentials], Maxime was more than a little excited. Not only were these men already very strong, but their potential was also monstrous. It was as if he had drawn extremely rare cards from a deck, and not only had he been very lucky to have drawn them, but they had also already reached a high level! With this, he had obtained many such strong men as Andrew, Charles, Ultia and Henry. However, Andrew''s potential may be slightly lower than theirs. For the moment, his status as vice-chief was not in danger, but who''s to say that in the future, mercenaries won''t challenge him for this position. In the Saber-toothed Tiger group, personal strength prevailed over everything else. For its part, the system had for the time being distinguished these individuals as a detachment of the mercenary group, temporarily naming this detachment [Special Operations Group]. As for a knight''s physique, it generally ranged from 3 to 4 points. It should be noted that, depending on the talent, vital seed awakening generally enabled a gain of 0.1 to 0.3 points in physique within a few months of the breakthrough.@@novelbin@@ So a newly-promoted knight who was talented generally reached 3.3 points less than 6 months after promotion. For those less talented, it could take up to 2 years. From 3.3 points onwards, a knight was in the minor sess stage, 3.6 points designated a knight in the major sess stage and 3.9 points a knight in the peak stage. Almost all knights stopped at the grand sess stage, as it was too difficult to progress beyond 3.6 physics points. 0.1 points could mean years of battlefield riding. Instead of risking their lives for so little, knights preferred to live out the rest of their lives in the glory, wealth andfort that their strength brought. For his part, Maxime''s physique was at a knight''s peak, but his fighting skills and experience were nowhere near that level. As a result, his fighting strength was more at the level of a knight in the grand sess stage. The more knights progressed, the slower, if not impossible, their progress became. Indeed, breathing methods lost a great deal of their effectiveness once the knight stage was reached. Very few could be great knights without fighting on the battlefield. So, generally speaking, all knights progressed by putting their lives at risk, as exined above. So a knight''s fighting power was generally very strong in all aspects. Whether in terms of physique, technique,bat experience or war strategy, they were all true warriors. Compared to Perceval, who had trained in seclusion all his life, the difference between him and a real knight was greater than between an adult and a child. So Maxime was extremely happy to have two super warriors at his side from now on. His security and power in this world had just skyrocketed. "I can''t wait to see Baron Barthon again. I won''t even need to intervene, the strength of my men is now sufficient to rival his power." Maxime hadn''t forgotten that it was this baron who had wiped the vige of Quessoi off the map and tried to kill them on several asions. He had also lost many talented mercenaries to this baron. The hatred between them had long been irreconcble. "And counting Baron Irut''s help, there''s nothing more to fear from him." As they marched, the powerful masked recruits spoke little. The weight of their situation seemed to weigh heavily on them. Kaite was careful to maintain cohesion among them. "Remember why we wear these masks," she murmured on the evening of the4th day''s march, her eyes piercing the dim light of their fire. "Our families are counting on us. One false step could cost them dearly. So don''t do anything, stay focused and follow that mercenary''s orders." Kaite''s words were a cruel but necessary reminder. Everyone here knew that their identity had to be kept secret at all costs. Betrayal could be directly punished by the erasure of the person and their family for 3 generations. Thendscape gradually changed as they approached the capital. The austere ins of the south gave way to better-maintained roads, lined with groves and small viges. On the sixth day, the forty-strong convoy reached its destination as nned. Maxime, in the lead, kept a watchful eye on the horizon, while Aveline, although appearing calm, her fingers clenched on her horse''s reins betrayed a certain nervousness. He knew she must be dreading this marriage, but there was little he could do about it with the power he now possessed. After all, he was still too weak to influence the ruling families of this kingdom. But the atmosphere changed abruptly when, at a bend in the road, a squad of royal soldiers burst into view. They formed an imposing line, their spears pointing skyward and their banners bearing the emblem of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle pping in the wind. At their head stood a man in shining armor, mounted on a ck steed. His face was half-covered by a finely crafted helmet, but the intensity of his de-sharp gaze could be easily detected. Maxime sensed from his position that this man was a knight, and that among knights he was certainly not weak. Maxime began to wonder howmon knights were in the royal capital for one of them to serve as a mere patrol captain. "Halt!" he thundered, raising his hand. At the same time, thetter removed his helmet and revealed his battle-hardened face. Maxime pulled gently on his horse''s reins, ordering his group to halt. The mercenaries closed ranks around Aveline, while the new masked mercenaries remained motionless and silent. The armored knight moved forward at pace, his soldiers holding their positions. When he stopped a few meters from Maxime, he swept his gaze over the group, stopping on Aveline and then on the masked individuals. "I am Knight Gan of the Royal Guard. Please state your identity." "The Royal Guard?" thought Maxime, having never heard the name before. Aveline saw his confusion and discreetly whispered: "It''s the guard that deals with anticipating and annihting any threat that mighte towards the capital. Their main job remains intelligence as well as the protection of members of the royal family, as the protection of the capital is the duty of the kingdom''s regr armies supplemented by the city garrison." "It is said that in the royal guard their number is fixed at 500 men, but that they are all part of the elite among the elite." "Among them, there would not be far from twenty knights." "Themander-in-chief of the royal guard is a great knight." Aveline''s exnation cleared Maxime''s mind, and he nodded in recognition. "We are the Saber-toothed Tigers, a group of mercenaries from the south." "Our mission is to escort Lady Aveline Ardan, daughter of Count Ardan here, to the royal capital." Gan squinted, his gaze shifting from Maxime to Aveline, then to the mysterious masked men behind them. "And these masked men, who are they? Their presence is suspicious, especially on a road leading to the capital." Maxime remained calm, although he could feel the tension rising among his men. Nobody liked to be suspected and questioned, least of all hot-blooded mercenaries. Knowing thatbat was bing a habit for them. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire With one victory after another, they weren''t afraid of anyone as long as Maximemanded them. "These are members of my group, Chevalier Gan. Their faces are covered for reasons that concern them alone. They pose no threat to the kingdom." Gan sneered, a harsh, contemptuous sound. "In this kingdom, only traitors and cowards hide. The orders are clear: no masked individual may approach the capital." "Remove those masks, or I''ll arrest you all for concealing identity and threatening the kingdom." Chapter 132 Unexpected dinner "Lady Aveline, gentlemen. I am butler Guiscard. His Grace, Duke Luc Valderic, awaits you for a private audience." "Luc Valderic is the descendant of Edwin Valderic and now the head of the family." Aveline whispered to Maxime before dismounting her horse. She replied politely: "Good. Please take us to him." Butler Guiscard bowed slightly, then opened the manor gate with a precise, controlled gesture. The group moved forward in silence, Maxime in the lead, his senses alert despite the apparent tranquility of the premises. As for the Saber-toothed Tigers, they walked quietly through the grounds. The new masked mercenaries were castingplicated nces at each other. This was not how they had expected tond in the mansion of their sworn enemy. Aveline and the mercenaries quickly reached the mansion''s great hall, a room of austere grandeur, dominated by a huge portrait of a man with hard features and piercing eyes. "So that''s Edwin Valderic, this family''s revered ancestor, I imagine." Maxime thought as he gazed at the portrait. The walls were decorated with ancient weapons, each marked with the ck snake emblem. A deep voice echoed from an entrance to this great hall. "Lady Aveline." Duke Luc Valderic appeared. Tall, slender and dressed in a silver tunic edged in ck, his presence was imposing. His sharp gaze passed slowly over the mercenary group before settling on Aveline. "Wee to our home. Was the journey uneventful?" Aveline inclined her head slightly. "We encountered a slight inconvenience on the way, but it has been resolved. My future father-inw need not worry." The duke sketched a cold smile, which didn''t touch her eyes. "I''m delighted." Then his eyes fell on Romuald. "And you must be the leader of the mercenaries Count Ardam has hired." Romuald was one of the older mercenaries of the Saber-toothed Tigers, he was tall and on top of that he had a level of strengthparable to an apprentice knight at the entry stage which was excellent for a mercenary leader. Romuald shook his head at the Duke''s surprise and nced at Maxime. The duke followed Romd''s gaze and saw a young man with blond hair and blue eyes. Apart from resembling a young nobleman, at first nce he seemed really weak, which disappointed the duke somewhat. But he asked in spite of himself: "So I was mistaken, it would be you instead?" Maxime replied evenly, his eyes gazing into the Duke''s without the slightest hesitation. "Indeed, Your Grace. My name is Maxime, and my men watch over Lady Aveline on the explicit orders of Count Ardan." The Duke''s gaze intensified, as if trying to read Maxime''s soul. But Maxime remained impassive. After a long moment of silence, the duke nodded slowly. He still had a low opinion of Maxime, after all, what kind of strength would a mercenary from nowhere have? But at least this young man knew how to keep his back straight. "Very well, then. However, here at the Valderic court, discipline is essential. Your men will do well to remember that." Maxime smiled slightly, but behind that smile, he already felt like beating this duke up. "It''s bad enough there was that damned knight of the royal guard busting my balls, and now here''s a duke putting on airs in front of me." "At some point, you really have to go fuck yourself." Obviously, Maxime kept his thoughts to himself, for he didn''t have the strength to fight a ducal family, let alone on his ownnd. Who even knew if there were mysterious defense mechanisms hidden here? So he replied formally: "My men always follow my orders. And my orders are clear: protect Lady Aveline at all costs." An electric exchange seemed to pass between the two men, but was interrupted by a figure approaching the group. "Father, please stop being so overbearing with my guests." A young man in his twenties, dressed in a richly embroidered pourpoint, stepped forward. His features were softer than his father''s, but his eyes sparkled with keen intelligence. Surprisingly, despite such a bad reputation, the young genius of the kingdom had a very handsome appearance. Like a young schr. He stopped in front of Aveline and bowed slightly. "Lady Aveline, I am Dorian Valderic. It''s an honor to finally meet you." Aveline replied with a polite, if forced, smile. "The honor is shared, Lord Dorian." Dorian straightened, his eyes sliding briefly to Maxime before returning to Aveline. "My father told me of your... protectors. An interesting choice. Perhaps you could tell us more about them at a banquet." A discreet vein appeared on Maxime''s forehead. "Another one who underestimates my mercenaries. I wonder what would happen if he tasted the sword of Kaite or Langus? "Between the kingdom''s young genius and a seasoned knight, who would be the strongest?" For her part, the word banquet made Aveline flinch slightly. After all, it was an important step before marriage, which meant she was getting dangerously close to marrying this man. This man who had such a bad reputation. The duke spoke up. "A banquet would be the ideal asion to introduce you to the court, Lady Aveline, and to officially seal the announcement of your union with Dorian. Until then, you and your men will be housed in the west wing. Guiscard will take you there." Aveline inclined her head slightly, masking her reluctance. "Thank you, Your Grace." She had no say in the organization of this banquet. They were escorted to the west wing of the manor, the forty or so mercenaries all amodated in rooms of around 4, except for Maxime who had his own room next to Aveline''s. With night already falling, it was time for dinner, and a meal was brought to them as they settled in. A short timeter, butler Guiscard knocked gently on Aveline''s door, waiting for an answer before opening it. Aveline, already seated at her desk, absent-mindedly leafing through an old grimoire she''d found in the room, looked up. "Come in." she said in a steady voice. Guiscard entered, his face as neutral as ever, a mixture of authority and courtesy. He bowed slightly before speaking. "Lady Aveline, Lord Dorian awaits you to share dinner." "May I bring Maxime with me?" "Lord Dorian wishes to get to know you better before tomorrow''s banquet. Being alone with him is essential, in his words, to strengthen the harmony between the two of you." Aveline frowned slightly. She wasn''tcking in courage, but the idea of being alone with Dorian didn''t appeal to her. She put the book down with studied calm and asked in a voice that betrayed nothing of her unease: Aveline nodded slowly, masking her annoyance. She rose gracefully, adjusting her dress slightly. "Very well, then. Take me to him." Maxime, who had heard the situation from her room, quickly exited. His instincts were telling him that this was no small matter. He immediately drew the attention of the butler and Aveline. "Please wait a minute. Lady Aveline is under my protection until the wedding; I must apany her." Guiscard didn''t flinch, but his tone became sharper. "His grace''s orders are clear. This dinner is private. No escorts are allowed, not even you, Monsieur Maxime." A heavy silence fell over the room. Maxime''s jaws tightened, but he knew that provoking a scene here and now would put Aveline in an even more awkward position. He forced himself to calm down. Aveline ced a light hand on his arm. "Maxime, it''s okay. I can handle this." The mercenary met her gaze and saw in it an assurance he couldn''t ignore. Yet he couldn''t help feeling that something darker was at y. "Very well." he yielded reluctantly. Aveline nodded with a slight smile. Then, apanied by Guiscard, she left the right wing of the manor. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire She quickly reached the entrance to the private dining room. Inside, a long table adorned with silver candlesticks and crockery awaited her two guests. Dorian was already seated at one end, a weing, if slightly sinister, smile stretching his lips. "Lady Aveline, wee. I hope you don''t find my request unseemly, but I wished to have a special moment with you, away from distractions." Aveline bowed slightly in greeting, masking her displeasure.@@novelbin@@ "That''s an interesting idea, Lord Dorian. Though surprising." She took a seat opposite him. Dinner began, refined dishes parading with almost mechanical precision. Dorian, clearly at ease, struck up a conversation on a variety of subjects: art, politics, the exploits of their respective ancestors. But behind his charming words, there was a palpable tension, as if he were gauging Aveline''s every response. Then, after a moment''s silence, he asked a more direct question. "Tell me, Lady Aveline, how do you find the protection your father has chosen for you? These... Saber-toothed Tigers?" Aveline raised an eyebrow, immediately understanding that Dorian wanted to inquire about Maxime''s mercenary group.... "They were exemry. My father chose them carefully, and I trust thempletely." Dorian sketched an amused smile. "Interesting. The young blond man, Maxime, seems particrly... zealous. Doesn''t he?" Aveline sensed a pique in his words. "So he noticed Maxime''s slight movements of expression earlier when we were talking about him." she thought silently. But she didn''t let it throw her. "Maxime ispetent and loyal. Qualities I appreciate." Dorian leaned forward slightly, his eyes shining with an almost unhealthy curiosity. Chapter 135 Princess Selene Ravenwood! "It doesn''t matter what he looks like. A dog of war is still a dog of war. He only belongs here because of the generosity of the Valderics." Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire Aveline, who was never far away, intercepted some of thesements. Her eyes darkened, but she remained impassive, her impable manners masking her irritation. She knew that intervening directly would only fuel the gossip. Maxime, for his part, heard the criticism, for his physique gave him exceptional hearing. It didn''t extend to being able to hear through walls, but as long as someone was talking about him in the same room, he could hear them. However, he ignored them and continued to chat calmly with those who hade to speak to him, mixing modesty and confidence in his answers while smiling. This attitude only entuated his appeal, much to the chagrin of some of the nobles who saw their importance overshadowed by this mercenary. At one point, Aveline approached Maxime and ced a light hand on his arm, capturing his attention. "You''re a sensation," she murmured with an amused smile. "Not really on purpose." he replied in a low voice. She chuckled. "Still, try not to make any enemies among the young men here." "These young women are all coveted by young noblemen." Maxime inclined his head slightly. "Don''t worry, I''ll manage." "And even if a nobleman dares toe and make trouble for me, there''s no telling who will end up regretting it." Maxime''s audacity no longer surprised Aveline, who gave him a few more little tips, then left him in the midst of these beautiful women. The evening was in full swing in the sumptuous banqueting hall, whereughter and lively discussion mingled with the light music of musicians seated in a discreet corner. Guests moved in small groups, exchanging courtesies and ttery, nces furtively meeting, calcted, on the lookout for the slightest opportunity. Aveline, always in the spotlight, seemed unshakeable, radiating confidence and elegance, while Maxime, always well surrounded, drew both admiring nces and disapproving murmurs. But for the moment Aveline and Dorian still hadn''t spoken, and some people were beginning to notice. As the evening''s atmosphere took on an increasingly lively tone, a new arrival made her appearance and immediately drew all eyes. "The 5th princess, Selene Ravenwood, has arrived!" The door opened with an almost theatrical lightness, and the regal figure of Princess Selene entered. The 5th princess, the king''s favorite and only daughter, was no longer a child. She had just turned 18 and was also attending a banquet alone for the first time in her life. Her beauty radiated almost supernaturally across the room. Her brilliant white dress seemed to catch the light of the room. Her hair, a perfect golden blond, was styled in an borate cascade of curls. Her gentle, charming gaze swept the room with natural ease, immediately capturing everyone''s attention. Every movement, every smile was imbued with the nobility of her rank. Whispers died away as she passed, as if everything hade to a standstill for a few seconds. She had arrived not only to celebrate Aveline''s engagement, but also to mark her own passage into adulthood, a moment of historic importance. Conversations continued in the background, but the princess seemed to have be the center of attention. A few high-ranking nobles hurried around her, seeking to chat with her. The princes were already starting to fight for the crown, so you had to be careful when chatting to them in public, as it could be seen as joining the said prince''s camp. But this was not the case with the princess. No matter who won and who lost, the princess would always have power because she was loved by all her brothers. So attracting her graces could only be beneficial, and everyone knew it. As the princess moved around the room, Maxime felt the attention on him diminish. So he slipped out onto an empty balcony to get some fresh air and rx. "Damn, it''s so hot in this room. It''s way too crowded," Maxime murmured to himself as he took in the view of the capital. At the same time, he was recharging his batteries a little. Talking to so many people required a lot of energy and concentration. However, just as he was enjoying this moment of respite, the balcony door opened softly behind him, and when he turned around, he saw a figure approaching. "Do you mind if I enjoy this view too?" Maxime opened his eyes wide and felt his breath catch. This was on a whole different level from being surrounded by so many noble young beauties. This beauty eclipsed even Aveline and Laura. It was Princess Selene. "Yes, of course." he replied quietly, not letting his surprise show. She stepped forward unceremoniously, her curious gaze resting on Maxime. "I''ve never seen you before, who are you?" she asked in a gentle voice. "My name is Maxime and I''m the captain of a small group of mercenaries." "Ohhh, and what''s a mercenary doing at a noble banquet?" "I''ve been wondering that myself." The princess stifled a chuckle at this surprising answer. "I wonder what the life of a mercenary is like?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued to speak. "Traveling, meeting people, saving and protecting people...you have a profession I envy very much, Captain." But Maxime shook his head. "You''re just expressing your dreams, princess." "Ohhh, so what''s life like as a mercenary captain?" Maxime looked at her very seriously. "Travel, meeting people, saving and protecting people..."@@novelbin@@ Hearing the same beginning of an answer as what she''d said, the princess grinned broadly and tried to keep fromughing to maintain her princess image. But when she heard the rest, her expression immediately changed. "Then sometimes to see, because of her own weakness, herrades die before her eyes, to see innocent vigers literally exterminated by orcs and just after that for thetter to destroy years of work with a kick in their houses, copsing the house on the children hiding inside." Maxime gave the princess, who was now looking at him with shocked eyes, a little time to digest. "Would you like me to continue, princess?" She lowered her eyes, looking sadly at the city before her. "I didn''t know people could experience such atrocious things." Princess Selene remained silent for a moment, her eyes fixed on the city stretched out before her. The lights of the capital shone like stars, but her thoughts seemed elsewhere, far removed from the festivities and superficial concerns of the nobility. She wasn''t used to hearing such realities, and Maxime''s simple words had struck her deeply. Maxime, for his part, was still standing by the edge of the balcony, his gaze calm, but his soul heavy with a past he''d never really shared with anyone. The princess seemed to want to ask more questions, but a heavy silence had settled between them, like an invisible web woven by the gravity of the moment. After a long moment, the princess broke the silence in a soft, almost pensive voice. "I always thought my life was full of challenges, but I think they were just a shadow of yours, Captain." She turned her head toward him, her gaze more serious, but still imbued with that natural benevolence. "How do you keep going after all this?" Maxime stared at the princess for a moment before answering. "You said it yourself princess. I do it because only we can save these people from despair." The princess immediately understood the implication. The nobles were too weak to protect their own territory. "But our mercenary group is rather special, the other mercenaries do it for the money and we do it out of conviction." "I do it mostly for the money too, but that I wouldn''t say." he thought with a hidden mischievous smile, proud of his own deception. Selene looked at him for a moment, as if seeing him in a new light. She turned away slightly, her gaze both lost and fascinated. "You seem to be a man of great strength and conviction. Perhaps even more than most of those I meet in my world." Maxime scrutinized her for a moment, the shadow of a smile at the corner of his lips. "You don''t look too bad yourself, Princess." "Not too bad?" The princess was shocked by Maxime''s words, never before had she been described in such a way. "I''ve never heard that one before." Then she burst outughing despite her restraint. Fortunately, the door was closed, otherwise there would have been a lot of gossip. Of course, a lot of gossip had already been generated by the sight of the princess alone on the balcony with a mercenary. But no one dared disturb her, for fear of receiving a negative impression of the princess. "May I confide in you, Maxime?" "Of course." "These banquets, these dresses, the smiles and the looks, it''s all wearing me out." "If you only knew howzy I was toe, especially all alone." The princess''s way of speaking, changingpletely surprised Maxime but made himugh at the same time. "Sometimes I wonder if it all makes sense." "Well, it doesn''t matter, I''m going back or I can''t even imagine the rumors that will be circting in the capital tomorrow." "And I also don''t feel like being scolded by my father." Chapter 136 The dance of the princess and the mercenary "And I also don''t feel like being scolded by my father." While Maxime and Princess Selene chatted outside, Dorian watched Aveline from time to time so he could go and talk to her. After all, she was his future wife, and he needed to show his guests that they were close. As a youngdy walked away from Aveline with a smile, Dorian seized her opportunity. Approaching her gently, he gave her a charming smile. "Good evening, Aveline." he said in a calm,posed voice. "I think you look absolutely ravishing tonight, that midnight blue dress suits you perfectly." Aveline turned her head towards him, a little surprised by his approach. "Good evening Dorian, thank you." she replied, her tone slightly cool. Dorian ced himself closer to her, observing the sparkle of her dress in the light. "It''s not given to everyone to wear a dress with such grace. And I''m just pointing out the obvious." She sketched a slight smile as she took a step back. "Yourpany is appreciated, but I''m rather preupied with the smooth running of the banquet and the entertainment of the guests, so if you''ll excuse me." Aveline replied, bowing slightly. Maxime, who was leaning against a wall not far away, saw and heard the short conversation between the two. And somehow, he sensed something was wrong with Dorian. But he couldn''t put his finger on exactly what it was. Aveline barely had time to finish before Luc Valderic, Dorian''s father, stepped into the center of the room and spoke, his voice clearly resonating in the room, captivating everyone''s attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for gathering here tonight to celebrate the union of my daughter, Aveline Ardan, with my son Dorian Valderic!" Everyone looked at the Duke''s heroic figure, who was full of spirit, with a smile. At the same time, the band began to y louder. "I invite our two protagonists of this evening to dance in front of everyone to celebrate their union!" Aveline felt the pressure mounting as all eyes turned to her. Refusing to dance was unthinkable, even if her heart wasn''t in it. She sketched a measured smile and held out her hand to Dorian, who caught it with an assurance tinged with satisfaction. "Let me show you what a good partner I can be, Aveline," he murmured, guiding her to the center of the room. All eyes were on them, and Dorian began to lead the dance. His movements were precise and elegant. In spite of herself, Aveline quickly adapted to his rhythm. She knew that this moment was not about her desires, but about her role. Soon, she was subtly leading the dance, while giving the illusion that Dorian remained the guide. Her natural elegance,bined with her impable mastery of movement, transformed the dance into a veritable work of art. With each turn, her midnight-blue gown sparkled under the chandeliers, capturing the fascinated gazes of the guests.@@novelbin@@ Dorian, though a little overwhelmed by his partner''s level, tried to keep up, clearly aware that the real sparkle came from her. A murmur ran through the room. The nobles exchanged nces of admiration. "What grace..." "She seems to have been dancing all her life..." "A true duchess in the making." Towards the end of the waltz, the music quickened, offering an additional challenge. Aveline epted without hesitation. She subtly guided Dorian through moreplex movements. The final turn ced them in the exact center of the hall, Dorian tilting his head slightly, out of breath but smiling, while Aveline stood erect, unperturbed. The room erupted in apuse. Duke Valderic, visibly delighted, spoke up to cover the apuse: "A magnificent dance! Just what I''d hoped for from such a promising future union." Aveline sketched a perfect curtsy, but her gaze turned discreetly to Dorian, who seemed slightly ufortable at being just a shadow in this dazzling performance. After the first song and a round of apuse for both protagonists, other nobles invited themselves onto the dance floor, while Aveline and Dorian continued to dance in the center of the room, surrounded by other nobles. It was then that Princess Selene, who was watching the nobles dance, had what she thought was an excellent idea. She stepped forward without hesitation, crossing the room with regal grace, catching everyone''s eyes. When she arrived in front of someone, she held out her hand. "Maxime, would you honor me with a dance?" All the non-dancing nobles were stunned. It was rare for a princess to make such a gesture in public, and even rarer for her to address a man outside noble circles. So, dancing with a mercenary went beyond anyone''s expectations. The moment seemed suspended in time, one that many would choose never to forget. Others would say in the future that it was at this moment that we should have begun to distrust this young mercenary. A princess asking a mercenary to dance was unheard of. But unfortunately, too few realized this, depriving them of a unique opportunity. Maxime, unsettled at first, turned his gaze to the princess. A wry smile appeared on his face. He leaned slightly towards the princess, keeping one arm behind her back, and kissed her hand, before the shocked eyes of the crowd. "Your Majesty, it would be an honor." Then in a few steps, hand in hand, they found themselves in the center of the hall, where music bloomed around them. The two silhouettes mingled with the bustle of the other dancers, but within them alone resided a strange tension. As Princess Selene and Maxime entered the dance floor, a shiver ran through the crowd. It was as if the atmosphere had changed. Or rather, that the main characters of the evening were no longer the same. S¨¦l¨¨ne put her hand on Maxime''s shoulder, her other hand in his. Before long, they were dancing together. Maxime felt progressively at ease, no doubt abination of his extraordinary physique, exceptional talent and mastery of the martial arts. And it quickly became apparent. "Does a mercenary also know how to dance these days?" "That''s strange, would he be an illegitimate noble son?" "They''re so beautiful..." ... Murmurs spread across the room as Maxime and S¨¦l¨¨ne danced together, hand in hand and casting knowing nces at each other. Dorian, still in the middle with Aveline, couldn''t help noticing the nces turned towards the unexpected duo. Aveline felt particrly happy not to be receiving so much attention, while Dorian was frustrated at having his scenepletely ruined by other people. But one of them belonged to the royal family, so he could only hide his anger. The music changed subtly, adopting a slightly slower but no less elegant rhythm. S¨¦l¨¨ne and Maxime followed the tempo with remarkable fluidity. If some of the nobles had hoped to see the mercenary stumble or hesitate, they were soon disappointed. The murmurs in the room took another turn: "Look at them... They look as if they''ve known each other all their lives." "What could the princess possibly see in him?" "Perhaps more than we will ever understand." Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire ... S¨¦l¨¨ne, a mysterious smile on her lips, was exchanging low words with Maxime, close enough for their conversation to remain a mystery. Luc Valderic, observing the scene from above, frowned slightly. "A princess dancing with a mercenary... that''s likely to keep people talking for a long time." Marissa Valderic, who was standing next to her husband, was clearly not pleased. "This was supposed to be a glorious moment for the Valderic family, how dare the royal family spoil this moment?" The duke shook his head in disappointment. "It''s not a choice of the royal family, it''s a whim of the princess, and for that we can do nothing." As the music intensified, the two seemed more and more osmosis. "It''s a pity the music''s almost over," the princess whispered discreetly in Maxime''s ear. Maxime grinned mischievously: since he''de to dance with a princess, the scene had to be memorable. So he spun Selene around with surprising dexterity before her surprised eyes, then with a slight control of force, he dropped her to the ground. And as she got closer and closer to the ground, Maxime caught her with one hand behind her back. At that moment, the music stopped and the two had their faces almost glued together. If they moved even a few centimeters closer, they could kiss. "It''s indeed a pity, but I''m at the princess''s disposal for another dance at any time," Maxime murmured with a charming smile. Selene blushed slightly; she''d never been this close to a man before. But she also smiled. "That''s a promise then." Their final pose, simple but full of maic charm, stunned the guests. "The princess is really supple." murmured a gorgeous youngdy, wearing a dark red evening gown. "More than the princess, this mercenary looks more like a noble than real nobles," murmured another youngdy, squinting her eyes. Thetter''s body exuded an intense aura of grace, attracting many a male gaze. "It''s a pity..." "He''ll never be destined for us since, apart from possessing a few skills, he won''t be able to contribute anything to our families." "Indeed, sometimes I envymon people, at least they can choose with whom they wish to spend the rest of their day." Chapter 137 Do you, Aveline Ardan, take Dorian Valderic to be your lawful wedded husband? A few dayster, the wedding preparations werepletely finished. Everyone was happy, because they''d been working on the wedding for months. Everyone except perhaps one person. Morning light was streaming in through the thick curtains of a bedroom. In the room, a wedding gown, a sumptuous piece of ivory silk adorned with gold embroidery,y on a mannequin. Not far away, servants bustled around a young blonde damsel, adjusting her corset andbing her hair with care. Aveline, standing in front of a mirror, watched her reflection with a neutral, almost distant expression. Her thoughts were very chaotic. This marriage, a union arranged for political reasons, seemed inevitable. Yet a small part of her hoped for a miracle, something that would break the cycle of imposed duties. The sound of footsteps behind her jolted her out of her reverie. She turned her head and saw Maxime, dressed simply but elegantly, who had just entered the room. Naturally, a sword was strapped to his waist. After all, his job was to protect Aveline. "You look lovely, Aveline. A real beauty," he said softly and sincerely. Aveline sighed. "d to be, since this is going to be the worst day of my life."@@novelbin@@ The servants nearby didn''t dare say anything, all concentrating on their own tasks. Maxime smiled slightly. "Who knows what''s going to happen today?" Over the past few days, Maxime had been watching Dorian, and little by little he discovered that this man was hiding something, but he didn''t know what yet. Aveline raised an eyebrow but didn''t react too much. "We all know what''s going to happen today." Maxime didn''t reply, preferring to look away at the dress. "This dress will fit you perfectly. You really do have a talent for turning ordinary things into something extraordinary." Aveline sighed slightly. "Compliments won''t change anything, but... thank you. You should leave before someone finds you here." He nodded, an enigmatic smile on his lips. "See youter, then." Maxime left the room while Aveline continued to look at herself in the mirror, with aplicated, sad look on her face. At the moment, her emotions were in total disarray. Outside, there was a hugemotion. The whole capital was abuzz as the genius and eldest son of the Valderics was about to marry the only descendant of the Ardans. "Duke Valderic." In the cathedral, a deep voice interrupted Luc as he chatted with some guests. Turning, he smiled slightly. "Duke Devron, it''s been a long time." Thetter was surprisingly Duke Devron, the Valderic''s main political enemy in the Kingdom. "Not that long, but in any case congrattions on the marriage of your eldest son to Count Ardan''s daughter." Duke Devron was smiling too. What else could he do? A seemingly simple ambush had miraculously failed, and none of his men returned. To this day, he still couldn''t understand what had happened, and in such a short space of time he couldn''te up with any valid n to sabotage the wedding. So he could onlye up with a smile. "Thank you Duke Devron, and I offer my condolences for Perceval, he was a brave young man." "Don''t speak of such sad things today, this is supposed to be a glorious day for your family." "Indeed." Maxime, who was standing at the back of the cathedral, heard all this, and an amused smile appeared on his face. "If Duke Devron knew I''d killed his son and hired two of his knights as well as several of his apprentice knights, I wonder what his reaction would be?" At the same time, he was looking for a certain figure in the audience, but to his disappointment she wasn''t there. "That''s regrettable." Maxime shook his head, slightly bitter. "Once you''ve seen it, you can''t forget it," he thought rather confusedly. It was Princess Selene who had really made him feel powerful emotions. He projected back into his mind the image of what had happened a few days ago. Unfortunately, after their dance, he was only able to chat for a few hours before she went home. Everyone in the room had noticed theirplicity and so very few disturbed them. The two enjoyed an exceptional moment, as if they were alone in the world. What Maxime didn''t know was that many of the nobles in the room even thought that these two people seemed more about to get married than the Valderic son and the Ardan daughter. But soon, Maxime woke up to the sound of music in the cathedral, announcing the arrival of the bridegroom. So everyone sat and waited in silence, only a few murmurs circting here and there. "I hear Count Ardan is not present?" "How would you like him to be present with the war against the orcs in the south?" "Only the idle nobles are here, the real nobles who care about the Kingdom''s security are busy managing their logistics toe to Count Ardan''s aid." "Some may even have already arrived in the south." ... Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire The cathedral had been sumptuously decorated for the asion. Red and gold hangings adorned the walls, and the rows of pews were filled with the kingdom''s most influential figures. The organ yed a solemn melody as Dorian made his entrance, and walked down the central aisle before the glittering eyes of all the nobility of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle. Dorian Valderic arrived and walked among the pews. His gaze was very solemn, and his gait perfectly executed. "So handsome." "He really is a young hero." "If only there weren''t..." "Shh...shut up, are you really nning to talk about his reputation today?" He quickly arrived in front of the priest, who greeted him with a slight bow, and Dorian did the same. Then he turned and waited for his fianc¨¦e. And he didn''t have long to wait. Just 30 secondster, Aveline made her entrance, walking slowly down the aisle, her light veil fluttering behind her. Guests turned to admire the future duchess, and murmurs of admiration ran through the audience. Aveline advanced at a measured pace, her head held high despite the apprehension knotting her stomach. Dorian was already standing at the altar, a quiet smile on his face. He watched Aveline approach, and inclined his head slightly as she joined him. The two exchanged a brief nce before turning to the priest. The priest, dressed in his regalia, opened arge book and began the customary rites, his deep voice echoing through the cathedral. The congregation listened in silence, the solemn atmosphere almost heavy in the air. Then came the crucial moment. "Aveline Ardan, do you agree to take Dorian Valderic as your husband, to love, cherish and be faithful to him until death do you part?" Aveline felt a wave of tension wash over her. All eyes were on her, waiting for her answer. She looked away briefly at Maxime, seated at the back of the room, motionless as a statue. Chapter 139 Wedding plans revealed Maxime arched an eyebrow in surprise. "Save Aveline?" "Aveline needed saving?" "She''s Count Ardan''s principal heir, and even without that, she''s still a chevalier." Maxime couldn''t understand how Aveline could have been in danger. Dorian nodded, his gaze darkening. He gulped down the rest of the wine in his ss, set it down and leaned back in his chair, looking up at the wooden ceiling. "The wedding wasn''t meant to seal asting alliance between our families. My father had an entirely different n." Maxime went and sat down opposite Dorian. He had a feeling this was destined to be a long night. "Another n?" Noticing that Maxime had sat down in front of him, Dorian stood up and took a ss of wine from a cupboard. Then he set the ss down in front of Maxime. "A ss of wine?" asked Dorian as he took the bottle and temporarily ignored Maxime''s question. "Apparently I don''t have much choice." Maxime replied with a smile. "A guest has no reason to refuse the kindness of his host." added Dorian as he poured Maxime''s ss and filled it to the brim. A ss was never filled to the brim; there was usually a line marked on the ss not to be exceeded. But Dorian didn''t care at the time. With this gesture, Maxime had confirmed that it was really going to be a long night.@@novelbin@@ Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire He could only cross his fingers that he would remember all the information he would get in this room. After serving Maxime and himself, Dorian sat back down in his wooden chair. Everything in the room, except the candles, sses, books and bottles, was made of wood, even the table where the sses were set. The few candles scattered around the room, together with the moonlight streaming through the window, provided some light in the room. But the atmosphere was particrly pleasant, in Maxime''s opinion. "My father wanted to exterminate the Arden family and then rightfully reim theirnd. Aveline was the key piece that could make that possible," said Dorian in a light, bored tone. But Dorian''s words were shocking to Maxime, who almost spat out his wine. Dorian hadn''t finished, however, and after a short pause he continued. "One child from Aveline and me would have been enough. Following which, he would have killed the child too, in case the child ever knew the truth and wanted revenge." Maxime remained silent for a moment, digesting this information. "And you waited until the wedding day to act? Why didn''t you denounce this n earlier?" Dorian looked down at his wine ss, a look of regret on his face. "Because I had no tangible proof, and my father is an intelligent person. It was all organized in the shadows, with the elders of the family." "If I had confronted him publicly, he would have denied it, and I would have lost all credibility. I might also have been disowned by my family." "And despite the dark sides lurking there, my family is still my family." "I have nothing else in this world." Dorian''s words hid real distress. "I could also have told Aveline, but I think she would probably have refused to believe a man she despises." "I also know that this marriage was important to Count Ardan, so she would have found herself in an awkward position if I had told her." "Instead of tormenting her with it, I figured it was better for everyone if I took this on alone." He sighed deeply. "And when I thought about it, I made the only decision that was possible. By refusing to marry him, I cancelled my father''s ns. Without marriage, he has no legitimacy to attack the Ardans." "And with this n, even though my father will hate me for a while and my position as heir to the family will be seriously questioned, I won''t be disowned." But Maxime didn''t think that sounded very good. "You''re still going to end up distancing yourself from your family, aren''t you?" asked Maxime. "Not the one I care about." Maxime frowned. "Meaning?" Dorian looked at Maxime and smiled. "I''m an illegitimate son, my mother''s a courtesy girl if you know what I mean." "Besides, it''s contributed rather well to my excellent reputation that I regrly visit my mother at work," Dorian said,ughing. A long silence settled over the room, Maxime digesting what he''d just heard. He was just an ordinary young man in the real world, so he''d nevere into contact with the darker side of humanity. "If this kind of thing could happen in Eternity, then there must be simr things in the real world," Maxime thought with disappointment. "No more talking about me, it''s your turn Maxime." Maxime looked up in surprise. "What do you want to know?" "Well, how did such an exceptional mercenarye to be in this world?" he said lightly. He didn''t realize he''d directly hit Maxime''s nerve. "Exceptional? I''m not," he replied, hiding his difort. But Dorian smiled as he yed with his ss of wine. "I don''t want to boast, but in this Kingdom I have the reputation of being one of the greatest geniuses." "And yet before me stands someone younger than me and not afraid to challenge me." Maxime smiled, thinking of something. "You also have a reputation for beating up women." Dorianughed. "Yeah, that''s true." he replied, stillughing. "And is that really the case?" asked Maxime, curious. "Why should I hit women? Only the weak who fear the strong do that."mented Dorian scornfully. "Unless this woman is a knight challenging me to a duel, in which case I won''t hold back my blows." Maxime looked at him unsurprised. The more he spoke to him, the more his impression of Dorian strengthened in a positive way. But there was one question that nagged at the back of his mind. "Why do you have that reputation then?" "Why should I tell you?" replied Dorian almost immediately with a smile. Maxime thought for a moment, then shook his head. "It''s true, we''re not that close. "However we could be family if you join my mercenary group." Chapter 143 Dimensional battlefield Eternity is a real world. "How did these watches appear in the first ce? This phenomenon alone is very strange." But the system gave no answer; it would seem that for this information too, its authorization level was insufficient. As he wiped down a ss and pondered the implications of this truth, a group of uniformed men entered the already packed bar. They wore military insignia, modest ranks for the most part, but their imposing aura immediately drew attention. What was strange was that, in addition to their military rank, they also wore a small bronze star-shaped insignia on their uniforms. Only one of them, seemingly their leader despite his small build, wore a silver star. Maxime nodded quickly to Hugo, motioning for him to take charge. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. What can I get you?" asked Maxime with a professional smile. One of the soldiers, tall and square, stared at him for a moment before replying: "Five espressos, please." "All right, I''ll get that ready and be there in a moment." Maxime busied himself behind the counter. But his instincts were on alert. He sensed that these men were no ordinary customers. There seemed to be a kind of tension in them, as if they were carrying an invisible weight. And above all, he could smell a peculiar odor on their bodies, or rather an aura they unwittingly radiated. "These men must have already killed, and not just one person to umte so much murderous momentum." As he ced the coffees on the table, the youngest soldier murmured something to his superior. Maxime reflexively put his ear to the ground. With his physical appearance, it wasn''t difficult to hear the conversations in this bar. "Chief, I''ve received a report that an anomaly is about to ur." The superior nodded and replied in a low voice: "I already know about it, keep it to yourself. Civilians aren''t ready for this level of information." Maxime felt a shiver run down his spine. What did they mean by "anomalies"? As he returned behind the counter, the system manifested itself again. Ding! [A major Eternity-rted event is being activated in the real world. The host, fulfilling one of the conditions to participate thanks to his level 2 authorization, is invited to prepare himself]. Maxime felt his heart quicken. "Preparing for what, exactly?" he murmured, but there was no answer. He couldn''t help ncing at the soldiers. One of them, the oldest, was now meeting his gaze intently, as if he''d guessed something. "Something tells me my day''s going to be more eventful than expected..." Maxime thought calmly as he returned to cleaning the counter. [The dimensional battlefield N¡ã32, danger level yellow, is ready. Duration of battlefield: 7 days]. [Would you like to join?] [Yes/no.] "No, but you can''t throw this kind of news in my face when I don''t know anything about it," Maxime murmured while continuing to clean sses. "Everything okay, Maxime?" asked Hugo with a curious look. "Yeah, I''m fine, but I could be better." Maxime replied quietly. "I thought I heard the boss yelling a bit?" Hugo asked without much conviction; it was more a case of starting the day in a good mood. If he could help his colleague feel better, it would be better for him too. Because mistakes happen when you''re not concentrating at work, and since Maxime was his colleague, if he made a mistake, he had to suffer the consequences too. "Inevitably, the boss is always on the lookout. He sees everything even if his vision is negative with both eyes," replied Maxime sarcastically. The two bartendersughed together. "Afterwards, the boss is nice, and it''s very rare for you to arrivete, so he won''t hold it against you." reassured Hugo with a smile. It was what Hugo had wanted to say all along to improve Maxime''s morale. And now that he''d said it, he wasn''t going to continue the conversation. Maxime also wanted more information from the system, so he simply nodded in response. "Okay, system, exin to me what''s going on." Maxime murmured. [Dimensional battlefields are high-reward interster war zones]. [That is, by killing enemies you can umte Eternity Coins, which can allow you to obtain new talents, improve them, obtain techniques or even technology.] "It sounds like a scam, how could such beautiful things suddenly fall from the sky. This dimensional battlefield must be terribly dangerous." Maxime thought. "But who are the enemies?" asked Maxime discreetly of the system. In his opinion, extraterrestrial races didn''t have a watch, and therefore logically no ess to these worlds. And even if they did, they''d have no interest in going there, since they couldn''t get Eternity coins. [These are the alien races from other universes]. "Excuse me?" As soon as he discovered something, even more shocking mysteries were added to the news. This news meant that the Battle of the Gods, particrly the one in which Nox and Viviana had taken part, wasn''t over. It was just continuing in another form. "So if I join this battlefield, I''ll be fighting alongside the humans but also alongside the races of my universe?" [Not exactly, each race in your universe has its own strongholds in dimensional battlefields so instances of you fighting alongside races from your universe are very rare]. [What''s more, dimensional battlefields are divided into several levels of danger, and at the yellow level there''s only the human race and one race from another universe]. "And how are the danger levels of each battlefield divided?" [Answer to the host, it starts with the yellow level, then ck, earth and finally sky for a total of 4 levels of danger]. Maxime was starting to get a headache with all this information. Should he go, or was it too dangerous? "What happens if I or my mercenaries die on this battlefield?" [If you die on the dimensional battlefield, you die permanently. As for your men, they can''t be resurrected until the dimensional battlefield closes. Also note that you can''t leave a dimensional battlefield until it closes or a side ispletely eradicated]. Hearing that his life was really being gambled away, and especially hearing the words "a camppletely eradicated", Maxime was slightly frightened. It wasn''t just a few years'' life expectancy that was at stake, but his whole life. In this world he still had a mother and a brother, he couldn''t die while he had people who loved him in this world. But the rewards were very tempting, even too tempting, and that excited Maxime. It was as if he''d been born for war; he couldn''t refuse to go into battle out of fear. If he really did one day, it was because he had other battles to fight.@@novelbin@@ "Perhaps it was via this method that the gods became gods?" "If I rely on the talents of the gods to be stronger, I''ll meet their expectations but not my own." "I want to be stronger than the gods." "And when I do, I''ll be able to know the whole truth and history of this universe and the mysteries that surround it." As Maxime''s conviction grew stronger, so did his desire to be stronger. "Have me join this dimensional battlefield, I''m going to go knock out some aliens." [Host, prepare for dimensional transfer]. Shortly afterwards, the ground began to tremble. A dull vibration gradually built up, until the walls of the bar were shaking. But strangely enough, not a single customer in the bar reacted, even Hugo continued to take tickets and prepare drinks for customers. "What the hell''s going on here?" muttered Maxime. The more he learned about Eternity, the moreplex the world seemed to be. He didn''t even have time to make coffee before Eternity caught up with him. Even the military didn''t particrly react. They quietly finished their coffee. "It''s time to get ready, guys," ordered the military leader, rising to his feet. Maxime heard him clearly and looked at the soldiers with strange eyes. The few soldiers apanying him also stood up. Suddenly, a blinding light invaded the room. Maxime felt his body literally dematerialize. First his legs disappeared, then his torso, his hands and finally his head. A feeling of vertigo enveloped him as his surroundings disappeared, reced by an unfathomable ckness. Then, suddenly, he felt his feet hit hard, cold ground. As the light faded, Maxime opened his eyes. He was standing on the ramparts of a gigantic fortress, a blend of ancient stone and futuristic technology. As far as the eye could see, the ramparts were equipped with energy cannons and automated firing points. In the central courtyard, an army of people were busy: soldiers in tactical armor, mechanics repairing vehicles and people resembling knights from the world of Eternity. The air vibrated with palpable energy. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire Maxime could even see men dressed as doctors rushing to set up medical posts within the fortress. Clearly this fortress was not equipped with all the essential facilities, only the defense had been reinforced to an unimaginable degree. And that alone was truly frightening, not to mention the men who now upied it. "Without a doubt, the power inside this fortress could strike down the entire Kingdom of the Frost Eagle." Maxime felt particrly small within this immense fortress equipped with state-of-the-art technology, filled with well-equipped soldiers and powerful Eternity yers. Or at least, with his current physique and the strength of his men, he looked very ordinary here. "Besides, my physique always seems to bepressed by the limitation here too," Maxime observed spitefully, but that was also to his advantage. At least there shouldn''t be anyone much more physically powerful than him here. [Wee to dimensional battlefield N¡ã32, danger level yellow]. A voice different from the system''s echoed in the air, clear and impassive. Maxime observed the faces around him, but most seemed very calm, already knowing what to do. It seems that new recruits here are rather rare. [Eliminate alien races and you''ll get Eternity coins. With these coins, you can buy talents, techniques, potions or even technology]. [If you seed in conquering an enemy fort, a mysterious reward will be distributed ording to your contribution]. [You also make contributions to the Western Federation, enabling it to better equip its forts on dimensional battlefields]. "So this means that all these cannons and vehicles have been purchased by the Western Federation?" Chapter 144 Discovering the fortress "So that means all these guns and vehicles were bought by the Western Federation?" Maxime was shocked. It meant that there were people who had the power to manage a flow of money from the dimensional battlefields and who were responsible for equipping each and every one of them. Just thinking about the fact that there were people who had to calcte all day long where to invest so as not to lose the fortresses on all the dimensional battlefields gave him a headache. Next to that, the Piran invasion of Nansoy was child''s y. "Why are there even wars between us and the Pirans when our universe is at war with another universe?" "Shouldn''t we stick together to repel the invaders?" But Maxime didn''t really want to think about it, as he was still missing many pieces of the puzzle to know the truth, or rather the truths. Simultaneously, the voice of his own system rang out. [At first, these fortresses were little more than viges. It''s only thanks to the sweat and blood of your predecessors that yellow-level battlefield fortresses have reached this stage]. [To wit, higher-level battlefields are far better equipped than this for a variety of reasons]. "Can you exin these reasons to me?" [Your authority and strength level are insufficient at the moment, host]@@novelbin@@ "I suppose that''s to be expected; it''s already pretty good to know so much when you get here." Clearly, he was enjoying privileged treatment thanks to his level of authorization. Maxime was still contemting the immensity of the fortress when a group of soldiers approached. One of them, a man with a scarred face and wearing ck tactical armor with a silver badge on his shoulder, addressed him. "So, new guy, are we lost?" he eximed with a smile. Maxime turned back to them. He immediately noticed the man''s silver badge and those of the soldiers following him; they were exactly the same as the badges worn by the soldiers in the bar where he worked. But he''d ask the system his questionster, it wasn''t the right time. And above all, he already guessed that these star-shaped badges must represent some kind of status in the fortress. Maxime raised an eyebrow but kept hisposure. "Possible, yeah. I suppose you''re here to exin how it all works?" The soldier burst outughing, a low, husky sound that echoed off the ramparts. "Pretty arrogant for a rookie." "Oh for fuck''s sake, how old are you? You look so young!" he continued, his tone slightly exaggerated by Maxime''s appearance. The two recruits behind looked at Maxime curiously, thetter were over 20 at the time, and he could clearly feel that the young man in front of them was much younger than they were. "Does being older mean you can survive longer on the battlefield?" asked Maxime with a smile. At the same time, he let slip a hint of murderous intent. The chief soldier was immediately taken aback, while the recruits immediately changed the way they looked at Maxime. "Good answer!" he eximed,ughing. "You''ve already learned one rule here: the strongmand and the weak obey!" "I''m Captain Varek, and Peter asked me to give you a tour of the fortress and at the same time give you some advice." "Peter?" asked Maxime curiously. "Oh yes, I''ve already overlooked this detail, it may not be obvious, but the system guiding us through the dimensional battlefields and the one managing Eternity are not the same." "It''s very obvious to me how to tell the difference," Maxime thought silently. When his authorization level had been raised to level 2, his system seemed much less robotic and spoke almost as a human would. So for him, the difference between the two was obvious, but he wasn''t going to say so. He supposed that level 2 clearance was very rare and best left unexposed. "And Peter is the cute name the humans gave to the system that spoke to you when you arrived on the dimensional battlefield," Captain Varak exined with a smile. "Now follow me, we don''t have much time so I''ll show you the most important facilities very quickly." Despite his appearance, which might frighten children, Captain Varak appeared to be a very sociable and cheerful person. At least that was Maxime''s opinion. "Okay, thanks for the visit Captain," Maxime replied with a smile. He didn''t yet know his own strength here and his chances of survival, so it was best to be polite and kind to everyone. Who knows, maybe it would save his life. "You two are dismissed; I''ll take care of this mission alone." "Aye, Captain." Maxime watched as the two soldiers left, then followed Varek. On the way, the captain pointed to various instations. "There''s the heart of our fortress," he said, pointing to a massive structure in the center of the fortress courtyard. "As long as it''s unharmed, we''re in the clear. But if the enemies manage to destroy it, it''s checkmate." "You''ll be left with nothing but your legs to run on, as all the facilities in the fortress will self-destruct." "So it''s also an extremely well-protected structure. Don''t get too close if you don''t want to end up vaporized by an automatic defense cannon." Maxime nodded, noting that numerous cannons were pointed in their direction. It would seem that at the slightest dangerous movement, he could indeed be killed on the spot. They then passed through a doorway, corridors and stairs until they reached a very spacious room. It was amand post where holograms floated in the air, showing animated maps and troop movements. Officers barked orders while drones moved silently, carrying crates of ammunition. "Here, we n offensives and defenses," Varek continued. "But don''t dream too much, you''re not about to set foot in here. Strategies are for those who''ve lived a long time on dimensional battlefields. Do you know why?" asked Varek. Maxime shook his head. He knew absolutely nothing, since he was just a high-school student in real life. All these things he couldn''t even imagine in his wildest dreams. "Because enemy races are very numerous and diverse. It''s only by facing them personally on the battlefield that you can know their horror but also their weak points." "Of course, there are a few noble children who can skip these steps by learning everything from a manual written by their ancestors and then going to a good school." exined the captain while shaking his head. At the same time, Maxime noticed that there were indeed some very young people in the room. In particr, he stared at a figure standing in the center of the room, sending out orders with the skill of an orchestra conductor. This person was very young, yet seemed to be inmand of everything here. Noticing his gaze, the captain introduced him with a smile. "This is Kavasta, a genius from our Western Federation. They say he went to the Ouyang military academy and graduated as valedictorian." "Many people here admire him, as he possesses real leadership ability not to mention his personal strength, which is truly frightening." "How scary?" asked Maxime curiously. "Scary, that''s all you need to know. Amander''s strength is a military secret," replied Varek simply. They didn''t stay long and left themand room. Maxime continued to follow Varek, intrigued by all he was discovering. The fortress was overflowing with activity, and every corner seemed designed with meticulous precision to maximize efficiency in this fortress where any mistake could be fatal and lead to its destruction. Varek stopped the group in a particr room of the fortress, adorned with luminous runes. "This is the energy generator for our entire fortress," he exined, pointing to the runes. "These inscriptions power arge part of the automatic defenses. Without them, nothing would work." Maxime squinted, trying to understand. He could almost feel a vibration emanating from the runes, an energy both mystical and technological. "These inscriptions were created by Peter after paying a hefty sum. Don''t try too hard to understand them, even the best scientists in the world have trouble deciphering them," Varek exined, almost reading his mind. "And believe me, it cost a lot of guys their lives so we could appropriate this stuff." "Impressive." murmured Maxime, genuinely fascinated. "It''s more than impressive, these inscriptions directly determine the limit of functionality we can install in this fortress." "The better and more numerous the inscriptions, the more useful things we can make work, especially the defense turrets and themand room." "By the way, while I''m on the subject, a little rule of survival: save your Eternity coins when you have them. Some neers spend it all on useless gadgets and end up with nothing when they really need it." Maxime nodded, and at the same time a question popped into his head. "By the way, what does the enemy fortress look like?" he asked. "Every enemy fort has a different architecture, adapted to their species," replied the captain. "Some arebyrinths, others gigantic moving machines or even biological bodies. But they all have a weakness." Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire Varek patted him on the shoulder. "Don''t worry too much about that for now, it''s very rare for a fortress to be destroyed. Your priority is to stay alive. Ah, we''re on our way to the armory." Chapter 145 Chief Engineer Karad "Don''t worry too much about it for now, it''s very rare for a fortress to be destroyed. Your priority is to stay alive. Ah, we''re on our way to the armory." They entered a room filled with sophisticated weapons, from futuristic bows to sma rifles and energy-pulsing des. A man in a white coat greeted them with a stern look. "Wee, recruit." he said in a neutral tone. "I''m Chief Engineer Karad. Here, every weapon tells a story. A story of survival. And you''re going to write a new one." Maxime quickly observed the man in the white coat with a strange look. "He talks as if he were a pnj in a video game." he thought silently. As if sharing the same thoughts, Varekughed aloud. "Stop acting like the mysterious guys who guard the armor in movies and video games, otherwise the youngsters will mistake this battlefield for a game like Eternity." he eximed,ughing as he addressed Karad. But thetter ignored himpletely. "This is for you, the new guy. It''s the standard equipment for soldiers in this fortress." He handed him a case containing foldable light armor, a rifle, a small dagger made of precious materials and a small tablet. "Take good care of it, because to obtain this basic equipment, many men have sacrificed their lives." Maxime nodded solemnly. "For the exnation..." "These energy rifles are reliable, lightweight and require minimal maintenance. They are equipped with an aiming aid system topensate for the recruits''ck of precision." He then pointed to the silver dagger with bluish highlights. "And this is your best friend. A de made of Eternium alloy, capable of saving your life when you run out of bullets so you can take a few enemies to your grave with you." Karad''s words were simple but demonstrated the brutality of the battlefield. "Don''t scare the rookie."mented the captain, raising an eyebrow. "That damned engineer always has a bad habit of being too serious, is he a robot or what?" thought Varek with mild frustration. "A little emotional intelligence wouldn''t do him any harm..." Maxime took the dagger, examined it for a few seconds, then looked up at Karad. "It''s impressive, but... Could I have a sword instead?" he asked. Karad frowned, obviously surprised by the request. "A sword? You know that''s not amon choice for new recruits, right? A bigger de requires more technique and will slow you down if you don''t know how to use it." Maxime nodded, remaining serious. "I know how to handle a sword pretty well, and nothing in the world is more reassuring to me than holding a sword in my hands." But in his thoughts, Maxime had apletely different exnation: "I have a level 9 swordsman ss, what kind of swordsman fights without a sword?" Varek, who was watching the scene with amusement, intervened. "It''s an unusual request, but not necessarily an idiotic one. If he''s morefortable with a sword, he might as well have a weapon he can master. What do you say, Karad?" The chief engineer seemed to hesitate, scrutinizing Maxime with a piercing gaze. Finally, he turned to a shelf where energy swords were lined up. He picked up one, slightly smaller than the others, with a shiny de traversed by luminous ribs. "This one. A kic energy short sword. Light, maneuverable, and perfect for someone just starting out." He handed it to Maxime. "But be careful. A sword is not a toy. If you want to survive with it, you''ll have to be quick and precise. There''s no question of wielding it like a brute." Maxime gripped the weapon, feeling a strange connection as soon as he held it in his hand. The de vibrated slightly as he made a quick movement, projecting a bluish light. "Thank you for this. I''ll train to be up to it." he said sincerely. Karad nodded, a smile on his face. "I hope so, kid. Battlefields have no ce for amateurs." Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire Unlike Varek, to whom Maxime had shown a hint of his deadly aura, Karad thought he was a mere new recruit and didn''t think highly of him. In his opinion, if Maxime could survive this 7-day dimensional battlefield, it would already be exceptional. Varek patted him on the shoulder. "Did you tell me your first name?" Varek asked with slight embarrassment. Maxime looked at his hand and then at Varek with a piercing gaze. Thetter understood immediately and removed his hand, to the surprise of chief engineer Karad. "I haven''t seen you so shy in a long time, Varek, is this young man a nobleman?" "Not that I know of, I just received a mission from Peter, as usual." exined Varek while shaking his head. "You haven''t answered me, what''s your name?" continued the captain with a smile. "Maxime Valdreuve, an ordinary young man." Maxime replied simply. "Don''t you have a military family? How did you get onto this battlefield?" asked a surprised Karad. Maxime looked up; it seemed that, as he thought, certain conditions had to be met to join these dimensional battlefields. But Maxime didn''t decide to exin, and went straight for the armor, sword and rifle, leaving the tablet in the case for the moment. "Secret." he replied simply. Varek was disappointed, but not displeased; murderous intent couldn''t be issued by just anyone. One needed solidbat experience and to have killed many times, in addition to courage and many other conditions. It was only when all these factors came together that murderous intent could be expressed. This was also why he had supported Maxime''s request for his sword. For his part, Maxime checked the fit of the armor. Although light, it offered impressive resistance. "Maxime, if I have a word of advice, it''s that no matter how good your sword or armor, it''s by using your head that you stay alive," exined Varek in a pedagogical tone. "Thanks for the advice." said Maxime, bowing slightly. Advice from a veteran was always good to take, and Maxime didn''t despise any soldier who fought for humanity. "As long as you understand that, you''ll be able to live longer than the others. Now let''s go to the firing range." Varek was rather pleased with Maxime''s answer; many recruits didn''t like being advised. Indeed, Eternity being a game yed solo and with the help of a system plus a talent, many people developed a superiorityplex of living longer than others. But they forget that everyone here also has a system and a talent in Eternity, and that dimensional battlefields are totally different from those in Eternity. "Shooting range?" Maxime repeated, adjusting the sword on his belt. Varek nodded, looking serious. "Yes. Even if you know how to handle a sword, you''ll need to familiarize yourself with the rifle. After all, this fortress has walls, so you have to take advantage of them." "You''re not nning to jump off the fortress wall every time and fight outside on foot with your sword, are you?" he continued with a teasing grin. Maxime was speechless, he really hadn''t thought of that. "Don''t worry, many recruits are so used to fighting in Eternity that they forget that real-world battlefields don''t work out the same way at all." "And you''ll also find that our battlefields are more violent and bloody than those in the world of Eternity," Varek continued to exin. Maxime listened attentively, especially as the more he heard, the more he seemed to realize the danger he was in. "Follow me." Karad asked, interrupting them and opening a high-tech post at the back of the armory. Maxime''s eyes zed over as he watched the door open. He felt as if he were living in a spaceship from a science-fiction movie. Maxime followed the two men down a long corridor. The metal walls looked old but meticulously maintained, marked with strange graffiti and small numbered notches, like mementos left by former soldiers. They entered a vast circr room where several soldiers were already training. Moving targets floated in the air, projecting shes of light with each sessful shot. Some were using rifles, others sophisticated bows that seemed to shoot arrows formed from pure energy. "Wee to the shooting range." announced Karad. "Maxime, show us what you can do." Karad handed him a rifle. Maxime took it and was surprised by the texture and weight of the weapon. It was the first time he''d held such a weapon in his hands. Maxime took a deep breath and positioned himself in front of the moving targets. He briefly scanned the weapon, awkwardly adjusted his grip, then aimed at the first target floating in front of him. His rifle formed a smallser beam, but missed the target slightly and was knocked off bnce by the gun''s recoil. A muffledugh emanated from the nearby soldiers. "It''s not that simple." he muttered to himself,pletely ignoring theughter of the soldiers nearby. He knew that this was the army too, and that if he started intimidating everyone he came across, he might have less to worry about as an outsider, but he''d also alienate everyone in the fortress. And there was nothing mean about theughter, just a bit of teasing. Karad crossed his arms and shook his head, but his expression remained neutral. "Not bad for a first shot. Try again." he said, although his words were obviously just to encourage her.@@novelbin@@ "If that shot wasn''t bad, I wonder what could be considered bad." Maxime thought wryly. But he quickly concentrated again. He frowned, concentrating, trying to calcte the best position for the shot. He fired again, and this time, the target''s luminous glow indicated that he had hit it. Not in the center, but on the edge. He felt a small surge of satisfaction rise up inside him. "Keep going." ordered Karad. Chapter 146 Sword handling test "Continue." ordered Karad. Minutes passed, and Maxime slowly improved. He hit every third target at 50 meters, sometimes every other, but it was clear that hecked precision and control. Even so, his stamina and perseverance did not go unnoticed. Karad leaned towards Varek. "Physically, he''s solid. Always is. But when ites to precision, he looks like aplete beginner." Varek shrugged. "It''s already pretty amazing to be able to shoot over 100 times in less than 10 minutes, most new recruits aren''t capable of that. Usually they''re more like 20 or 30 shots in 5 minutes and then they''re too tired from the recoil to keep shooting." "He''ll improve quickly." continued Varek with a smile on his lips. Maxime, for his part, was trying to stay focused despite thements he was hearing around him. He noticed that the mood was changing as he shot, but he wasn''t paying much attention to it. He finished his series of shots with onest clumsy one that missed its target. He didn''t want to keep shooting, because he felt that his performance was already a little abnormal, so he wanted to avoid being noticed too much and being asked questions, otherwise he wouldn''t be able to answer them honestly. And he knew that in the army, honesty was a fundamental value. Seeing him stop shooting, the nearby soldiers apuded. "Hey, nice recruit!" "If you haven''t found a battalion yet, think about the one at the 5th Infantry Battalion! We''ll wee you with a smile and be happy to train you!" a craggy-faced sergeant shouted, crossing his arms over his chest. His badges indicated that he belonged to the 5? infantry battalion. "Come to the4th battalion instead, my boy! The guys from the 5th just know how to shoot in the thick of it, but we''ve got real sharpshooters!" intervened another soldier, a stocky corporal from the 4? infantry battalion. The sergeant frowned, turning to the corporal with a spark of defiance in his eyes. "Gerard do you want us to fight now?" The corporal was unfazed. "Yeah, what advantage do you want me to give you, Beret? Because if I don''t have at least one arm or leg less, I''m liable to beat you too easily." Maxime watched the scene with a touch of amusement, while feeling the weight of the stares turn towards him. The soldiers seemed to be waiting for a response to their enthusiastic and somewhat provocative invitations. He inhaled deeply, adjusted his rifle slightly, and straightened up, wearing a polite but indecipherable expression. "Thank you for your offers, it''s nice to feel weed." he said with a discreet smile. "Each battalion seems to have its own assets and charms, so allow me to take some time to think about it." Theughter redoubled, and G¨¦rard, the sergeant, burst into a frankugh while crossing his arms. "Not bad, kid. You''re tactful enough not to offend anyone. But don''t think too long, the 5? could use a youngster like you." "Except that he''d be much better off with us, at the 4?, where he''ll learn to aim properly before ending up with a de in his belly." replied Corporal B¨¦ret, his tone as teasing as ever, but with a slight smile of approval. Maxime inclined his head, keeping his smile neutral. The soldiers exchanged amused nces, before Karad, who was observing the scene from the rear, spoke up sharply. "All right, enough of this ther. Maxime isn''t here to listen to your battalion squabbles. You''ll scare him off before he''s had a chance to learn how to shoot properly." Varek burst outughing, giving Karad a pat on the shoulder. "Rx, Karad. A little camaraderie builds team spirit." Maxime, for his part, pretended to concentrate on his equipment, but he was mentally noting names and personalities. Despite their rivalry, he sensed a sincere warmth between these soldiers, an esprit de corps he could only respect. Karad moved closer, nodding slowly. "Otherwise it wasn''t brilliant, but it wasn''t catastrophic either." Varek agreed and added: "Your advantage is your powerful physique, which allows you to withstand recoil with greater ease than most soldiers in this fortress. But without training, that''s not enough; you''ll have to improve your uracy, otherwise you''ll be wasting your talent." Maxime put the rifle away with a sigh. "Thanks for the advice, I''ll improve." He was also d he hadn''t asked him about his precise physique, it seemed to be a taboo in the army. Varek gave him an encouraging smile. "You''re doing well for someone who''s never touched a weapon of this kind. Most recruits stop after 20 or 30 shots in 5 minutes, but you did over 100 in ten minutes, which is pretty impressive. What''s more, you seem to have a bit of reserve left, smart guy." Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire@@novelbin@@ Maxime let out a small, embarrassed smile. "Don''t worry, it''s okay to keep a secret card in your hand as long as you don''t endanger the lives of yourrades." Karad nodded, softening his tone a little. "In any case, if you want toe back and train, the door''s always open. It''s better to prepare here than to learn in the heat of battle. And believe me, you''ll soon be shooting at real targets." These words warmed Maxime''s heart; it really seemed that this army was rather warm-hearted. "Thank you very much." he thanked with great sincerity. "Well, how about we go and test your mastery of the sword?" asked Karad rhetorically with a smile. Ordinary recruits don''t deserve his attention, but it would seem that this youngster was really different, so he didn''t neglect him as he had at first. Maxime nodded, his eyes very confident but also very curious. Those eyes didn''t escape the people around him. "Hey, can we follow you?" asked Sergeant G¨¦rard, apanied by a few soldiers from various battalions. "It''s true, this recruit is really interesting," added Corporal B¨¦ret. Varek and Karad looked at each other for an opinion. "You can." announced Karad in a curt tone, having obviously discussed the matter with Varek via their body expressions. Maxime shrugged, as he didn''t seem to have any say in the matter. Perhaps if he''d been in the ranks, it would have been different. "Follow me," Karad ordered, opening another door leading to a training area equipped with dummies andbat robots. Maxime entered the new training area, his eyes quickly scanning the surroundings. The dummies, made of a mixture of metal and shock-absorbing materials, were marked with dents and scratches, testifying to their intensive use. As for thebat robots, they stood motionless, their red eyes extinguished for the moment, but their imposing appearance hinted at their dangerousness. Karad stepped into the center of the room, taking a short sword from a rack. He twirled it between his fingers with casual ease before handing it to Maxime. "Let''s see how good you are at hand-to-handbat. It''s an essential skill for survival." said Karad with a scrutinizing look, while Varek and other soldiers also watched with curious eyes. "In any case, you shouldn''t do too badly, since you must have already unlocked a few levels of swordsman sses and trained a bit with them." When Karad handed him a short sword, he grasped it with unusual assurance, his fingers closing naturally on the handle as if he were reuniting with an old friend. As he did so, he nodded, then asked a question that appeared in his mind: "Can''t I take the sword supplied in the basic kit?" Karad shook his head. "Those swords are too powerful, and you''d risk damaging or even destroying our dummies and training robots permanently, even if they have a self-regenerating function." Maxime simply nodded, then observed the room carefully, noting every detail of the mannequins and robots. When Karad handed him a short sword, he grasped it with unusual confidence, his fingers closing naturally on the handle as if he were reuniting with an old friend. Maxime responded with a simple nod, his features neutral, but an intense sparkle crossed his eyes. He adjusted his posture without even thinking, assuming a guarded stance that Karad immediately recognized as that of a seasoned fighter. "Hey, he looks like he knows what he''s doing," Varek whispered to Karad. Karad didn''t reply, preferring to wait for actions to speak for themselves. He pointed to a mannequin with a gesture of his chin. "Strike." Maxime wasted no time. In a fraction of a second, he executed a fluid movement,bining speed and precision. The de split the air with a distinct hiss, striking the dummy in the shoulder before sliding down to his waist in a surgical gesture. The force and precision of the blow caused the dummy, which was solidly anchored to the ground and, above all, extremely hard, to sway slightly. Most people in this room would be incapable of doing something simr. The room fell silent. The soldiers, expecting a rookie''s clumsiness, exchanged stunned nces. "That kid knows how to use a sword," muttered G¨¦rard, crossing his arms with an amused smile. Karad, his eyes squinting, slowly approached. "You don''t look like you''ve had an easy life in Eternity," he asked curiously. Chapter 148 The armys relaxation area "Perhaps. But for that, he''ll have to stay alive." "He''ll stay alive I''m sure, the guy''s really strong despite his age." smiled Varek. Then he left Karad and caught up with Maxime, saying: "Now that we''ve finished our tour of the armory, collected your package and tested you, I''m going to take you to where you''ll be resting for the next 7 days." Maxime nodded, and they then headed for a building more modest inparison to the armory. A rusty sign read "Recruits'' Quarters". Inside, the smell of sweat and unkempt weaponry wafted through the air. Bunk beds lined argemon room, while soldiers cleaned their weapons or talked in hushed tones. "This is your home for now." dered Varek with a wry smile. "Not very morous, is it? But you''ll soon learn thatfort is for the dead." Maxime nodded, noting the palpable tension in the air. The eyes of some of the soldiers turned to him, silently sizing up this neer. "Will my mercenaries be able to stay here too?" asked Maxime of the captain. "Do you have mercenaries?" asked Varek, his eyes wide with surprise. "Yeah, I''ve got quite a few." Maxime replied simply. In the army, it wasn''t actually that rare for soldiers to have men from Eternity under theirmand, but at such a young age it was very rare indeed. "Well, you haven''t finished surprising me..." The captain was about to run out of words when he saw Maxime. The many recruits in the vicinity also looked at Maxime with stunned eyes. "Is it that surprising?" asked Maxime. "Yes, I''ve presented fortresses to so many recruits that I couldn''t even give you a number, but none of them surprised me as much as you did," exined Varek. "But yes your mercenaries will be able to stay here since once summoned they can''t leave until they''re dead or the battlefield is over." he continued. "But will there be enough beds?" Varek shook his head. "Not for the first day, but don''t worry, ces will open up as we go along." Maxime immediately understood the implication. His mercenaries would take the ce of those who died. "Well, generally speaking, in the first few days, it''s mostly mercenaries and summoned soldiers from Eternity who die. It''s only in thest few days that it''s generally dangerous." Maxime nodded in understanding, and that was rather logical. Soldiers and mercenaries from Eternity obeyed at the drop of a hat, had no fear of death and could be resurrected. Thanks to these particrities, they could easily save the fortress soldiers by blocking the enemy with their bodies, or go themselves to reconnoiter dangerous territory. It was only when they had died in sufficientlyrge numbers that dangerous tasks were carried out by soldiers from the fortress. In the recruits'' quarters, despite its rudimentary appearance, there were high-tech security lockers where you could store your weapons, armor and tablet. So Maxime quickly found a bed and an unupied locker and deposited his equipment in the high-tech security locker. [Please identify yourself]. A voice came from the locker, startling Maxime. "Don''t worry, you just need to set up facial and fingerprint recognition, otherwise anyone could ess your stuff," Varak reassured him. Maxime nodded and followed the machine''s instructions. [Retinal scan of right eye in progress...] [Completed] [DNA scan of Maxime Valdreuve...] [Completed.] [Locking of locker in progress...] [Completed.] "Now that we''ve got that out of the way, let''s move on to the rxation part." Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire Maxime raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Varek gave him an enigmatic smile before leading him out of the recruits'' quarters, then guided him through a long, dimly lit corridor, its steel walls echoing beneath their footsteps. They passed through several security doors guarded by soldiers armed to the teeth. "Where are we going?" Maxime finally asked. Varek continued to give him a mysterious smile. "You''ll see. Here, we don''t just fight. We know how to have fun too." he said, dropping a little hint.@@novelbin@@ Eventually, they emerged into a vast hall, in stark contrast to the austere corridors of the fortress. Upon entering, Maxime was struck by an explosion of sound, light and energy. The room was bathed in moving, colored light, projected byser beams that seemed to dance to the rhythm of pulsating electronic music. Giant screens showed futuristic animations, while a crowd of soldiers, in uniform or casual dress, mingled with the atmosphere. Tables and benches surrounded a dance floor where soldiersughed, drank and gesticted to the beat of the music. Not far away, dancers performed graceful, hypnotic movements on neon-lit vertical bars. "Wee to the Army''s rxation area!" announced Varek with a big smile. "Here, we let go, rx... before going back out to risk our lives." Maxime stood still for a moment, taking in the atmosphere. The contrast with the rigid military environment was striking. Varek led him towards the bar, a long metal counter lit by LED strips. Behind the bar, a humanoid automaton served colorful cocktails and sses of raw alcohol at a frantic pace. "Come on, drink something." Varek patted Maxime on the shoulder before ordering two sses of a translucent liquid that gave off a slight smoke. Maxime epted the ss, lifting it cautiously to his lips. The drink was potent, burning the throat pleasantly. "Well?" asked Varek with a mischievous smile. "It wakes you up, but how is something like this allowed? Aren''t you afraid of being attacked?" admitted Maxime. "The first day is usually a day of peace, whether it''s us or our opponents, everyone must first organize the defenses of their fortress, organize their men, explore the terrain outside, prepare ns of attack and defense...as well as write our wills to deposit in our lockers." "These lockers will survive even if the base is destroyed, they''re really quite sturdy." "After everyone has deposited their wills we celebrate, of course in moderation, just in case." "It helps you de-stress and experience war better, you''ll understand in time and you''ll be less afraid ofing to dimensional battlefields thanks to these rituals." "Some of them are even happy to go, because the party''s always great!" All around them, the soldiers seemed in their element. Some were ying holographic card games projected on tables, others wereughing loudly as they recounted battle anecdotes, and a few were dancing without restraint in the center of the room. Maxime noticed a tform where soldiers, obviously in friendlypetition, were engaged in simted duels with holographic weapons. Spectators were cheering loudly from all around. Varek elbowed him. "You should try it, Maxime. Nobody knows you yet, so you might give them a nice surprise." Maxime smiled. "It''s tempting, but I''d rather observe for now." A woman in a tight-fitting uniform, with short silver hair, approached the duo, holding a ss in her hand. "Varek, who''s the new guy?" she asked, eyeing Maxime with a mixture of interest and suspicion. "Maxime Valdreuve. A new recruit who blew up a training robot in less than three minutes." She raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Interesting. You shoulde and introduce yourself to my squad. We could use someone like you." Maxime nodded slightly, preferring to remain reserved. For his part, Varekughed aloud. "Lena, if you want to let this kid join your squad in the3rd Battalion, you should show him some sincerity and give up your ce as squad captain." "Is he really that strong?" asked Lena curiously, but not refuting. "I don''t know how strong, but he''s definitely strong. He just likes to y the mystery guy." replied Varek, gently teasing. "I''m not ying the mystery guy, it''s just that the war hasn''t started yet, how do you expect me to show you anything?" exined Maxime with some dismay. ... The 3 of them chatted for a while, then, as one ss followed another, Maxime began to feel like enjoying himself too. He ced his empty ss on the counter and looked around. A loud cheer drew his attention. On the central stage, two soldiers were engaged in a holographic duel of spectacr intensity. Swords of light crackled as they shed, projecting shimmering shes all around. "So you''re going back on your original decision?" asked Varek impatiently, really wanting to see Maxime in action. Lena, though curious, didn''t expect much from Maxime. As far as they were concerned, men all had big mouths, and boasted easily. But she introduced the game anyway, assuming Maxime didn''t know it: "It''s a game called Spectral Duel. It''s perfect for sharpening your reflexes and impressing the gallery. Would you like to give it a try?" Maxime hesitated for a moment. It wasn''t necessarily his intention to draw more attention to himself, but he couldn''t deny that he was intrigued. And, above all, in this atmosphere, he was bound to be a little excited and wanted to have some fun. Without thinking too much, he got up from his stool and headed for the stairs to the stage, climbing them one by one. At present, the stage was empty, and many people in the vicinity were waiting to see the next duelists. When a young man took to the stage, conversation gradually died down as the audience turned to him. A soldier with a face marked by several scars also took to the stage, his smile exuding confidence tinged with arrogance. "So, kiddo, do you want to take a crack at the army veterans?" Laughter could be heard all around, as all the soldiers nearby seemed to be watching a show with a smile on their faces. Maxime smiled calmly. "Yeah, I thought army veterans looked pretty weak, so I came to see if my guesses were true." Chapter 151 Deputy Head of Shibuya? "Hello." "Who are you?" "Maxime Valdreuve, pleased to meet you." "Get out of here," ordered Kavasta sharply. At the same time, the battalionmanders were shocked that a stranger had the audacity to enter the fortress'' strategic meeting room. "He''s the new deputy chief of the Shibuya, he can stay." Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire Le''s words drew surprised shouts from those around the table. "What are you talking about, Le?" asked a battalion captain, thinking he''d misheard. "I said he was the Shibuya''s new deputy chief," replied Le with a charming smile. Everyone in the room was speechless. If he was indeed Shibuya''s new deputy chief, he could stay. "What the hell, Le? I don''t even know who the Shibuyas are!" eximed Maxime, bewildered. He felt as if he''d been caught in a trap. "You don''t know who the Shibuya are?" asked Kavasta, surprised. "Why should I know them? I was just an ordinary high school student a few days ago." The more the conversation developed, the more those present felt their skulls implode. What do you mean there were high school students on a dimensional battlefield? But the person most surprised was Le herself. "You''re just a high school student!?" she eximed, rising from her chair. "Yeah, you were this close to hijacking." Maxime replied, miming a small space with his thumb and forefinger. At the same time, heughed out loud. Hisughter seemed extremely inappropriate in this room where the army''s top brass had gathered to begin battalion deployments and organize the army ordingly. Yet he himself didn''t feel embarrassed; on the contrary, he felt extremely at ease. In Eternity, he had to watch his every step and be responsible for his men. Here, he was nobody, and responsible for nobody. So he waspletely unbridled, if he wanted to do something, he''d do it, no matter what anyone else thought. On hearing the joke, Le felt so ashamed that she wanted to hide. She''d guessed Maxime was young, but whatever his age, since he was on a dimensional battlefield, he had to be at least in his twenties. "I slept with a high school boy...But wait...how did he do so well as a high school boy?" Le''s thoughts were unknown to everyone, but at least no one was in favor of Maxime staying. "In any case, I''m not a soldier and I''m not under anyone''s orders here. But don''t worry, I''ll help in any way I can." The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by a few hesitant murmurs and the distant sound of military preparations outside. Kavasta squinted as he stared at Maxime, his posture bing even more rigid. "A high schooler, eh?" He turned slowly to Le. "Captain, would you be so kind as to exin what a child is doing in this room?" Le, still a little unsettled by the revtion of Maxime''s age, quickly pulled herself together. She put her hands on the table and spoke with her usual assurance: "Maxime may be young, but he defeated an army veteranst night. No matter his age or experience, he has skills not to be underestimated." An older captain sitting at the end of the table raised his voice. "With all due respect, Captain Le, the strategy meeting room is not a training ground for amateurs." Maxime burst outughing, cutting through the tension like a knife. "Hey, rx, guys. I''m not here to give orders or steal your medals. But if you want me toe out, make it clear." He pretended to head for the door before stopping, ncing teasingly at Kavasta. "Unless you need an extra brain around here." Thisst remark made Kavasta twitch, and she tapped the edge of the table with her fingers. Behind his impassive air, you could almost feel his mental wheels turning. This boy was unlike anything he''d seen before, but he exuded an intriguing confidence and insouciance. "Very well, stay." finally dered Kavasta, to the surprise of the room. He raised a hand to interrupt the officers'' immediate protests. "I want to see what he''s got. If this kid is as exceptional as you say he is, Le, he shouldn''t have any trouble proving he deserves to be here." But directly Maxime interrupted Kavasta. "Hey, it was just a joke. I don''t belong here, so I''m leaving. Kisses everyone and good luck." Maxime then left, gently closing the door behind him as he smiled at everyone and waved goodbye with his hand. To be honest, he didn''t really belong here, he wasn''t a genius at strategy. He didn''t even know anything about strategy. He had always used brute force to remedy every problem he encountered in Eternity. He was clearly not the man to entrust with the military affairs of a fortress. The situation was so lunar that no one reacted on the part of the captains or themander. "Captain Le?na, in future, avoid bringing just anyone into the strategic meeting room, and especially avoid appointing just anyone as Shibuya''s deputy,"mented Kavasta with a cold look mixed with perplexity at the situation. "I wouldn''t do it again, Commander." Le?na replied firmly. "Good. Now let''s deploy our first units outside to face the enemy." announced Kavasta. "Has the alien race been determined?" one of the officers asked curiously and solemnly. Kavasta nodded. "Yes, our scouts have confirmed that our adversaries are the Dravaks," Kavasta announced gravely. A heavy silence fell over the room. The Dravaks were known for their brutality and advanced technology, formidable adversaries that few armies managed to repel without significant losses. They rarely had good strategists, but their individual fighting power was so great that they regrly managed to beat the human race. Their rock-hard skin gave them natural armor, while the wings on their backs enabled them to fly for short periods. They couldn''t usually fly for long, however, as this consumed a lot of their physical strength. By way ofparison, it was simr to an ordinary human running very fast and sprinting, but depleting their endurance very quickly in the process.@@novelbin@@ With these characteristics, some people called them half-dragons. Le frowned, her expression betraying her concern. "The Dravaks... this dimensional battlefield won''t be easy. They''ve already seeded in destroying numerous fortresses with their unreasonable strength." "Exactly." confirmed Kavasta, his gaze passing over every officer present. "To survive, we must slow them down and disorganize them before they manage to approach the fortress. Here''s our n..." Kavasta didn''t even have the idea of winning against the Dravaks; only the greatest geniuses endowed with both strategic skills and strong individual power could hope to defeat them. Kavasta was strong, even very strong, but he preferred to adopt a conservative attitude towards the Dravaks. He pointed to the central map, indicating several strategic zones. "Their main forces seem to be heading for the southern nk, as we suspected. But this is only a decoy. Their real attack force is here, to the west, where natural defenses are weak." A scar-faced captain spoke up. "And your orders, Commander? How do we cover these two fronts with the forces we have?" Kavasta smiled enigmatically. "That''s where we have an advantage. Their arrogance is their weakness. We''ll exploit their belief that they''re superior. Captain Le and his Shibuya will lead a mobile squad to disorganize their main force to the south. Meanwhile, the first battalion will discreetly reinforce our positions to the west with heavily armed troops." But everyone was still a little worried. "Varek will apany this battalion." As if a magic word had appeared, everyone was reassured. He turned to Le. "Don''t try with your men to confront the Dravaks head-on, instead use your elite men to slow down their movement by adopting guerri tactics. You''re the best at it." Le nodded, her expression determined. "Roger that, Commander." "The other battalions remain on stand-by for the moment, so that we can react to any Dravack troops not yet detected by our scouts." continued Kavasta. Obviously, the meeting couldn''t end so quickly. There were many details to be discussed and missions to be assigned. Kavasta was a very goodmander and continued to rify orders while each officer took notes. But despite the apparent organization, a palpable tension persisted in the room. Meanwhile, Maxime wandered casually through the corridors of the fortress. He wanted to take advantage of the quiet moments to give his brain aplete rest. But he couldn''t help thinking back to Le and her strange choice to introduce him as her deputy. "Seriously, what was going through her head?" he muttered with a sigh. "I don''t even know who her people are..." In his mind, he could never give the role of deputy chief of the Saber-toothed Tigers to a stranger, no matter how strong he was. Because the people below would inevitably be resistant to the idea of a stranger suddenly appearing over their heads. And that was a perfectly normal reaction. One reason among many was that, regardless of strength or skill, mercenaries and soldiers had to trust their superiors because they were putting their lives in their hands. As Maxime strolled along, he came across a group of busy soldiers carrying boxes of ammunition and equipment. One of them, a young man with a sweaty face, stopped when he saw him. Chapter 152 Going out One of them, a young man with a sweaty face, stopped when he saw him. "Hey, you there!" he shouted, wiping his brow. "You''re the guy everyone''s talking about, the one who beat Warrickst night, right?" Maxime shrugged, a slight smile on his lips. "Yeah, that''s me." The soldier looked at him admiringly. "Man, you have no idea how many guys tried to beat him. Especially since that guy was so insufferable at chill parties...And that in every dimensional battlefield, tch." "How did you defeat him?" Maxime pretended to think, then answered with a falsely serious air: "It''s because I''m a genius." The group burst outughing, lightening the mood a little. "Well, genius, if you''ve got some free time, we could use some arms to move all this stuff," the soldier offered with a smile. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire It wasmon practice in the fortress for everyone to help each other, otherwise if a detail wasn''t carried out in time it could dy the deployment of a battalion outside and therefore cause the death of many soldiers. Particrly during a rescue operation or to secure an area. However, the soldier had suggested this offhandedly, as it was alsomon for strongmen in the army to refuse this kind of arduous task in order to conserve their physical strength. But Maxime nodded. "Why not? I''ve got nothing better to do, anyway." And best of all, he didn''t have to obey army orders so he could manage his own physical strength and get out of the fortress when he felt fit. His equipment, amodation and food were, of course, paid for by the army, but that was the minimum to give when someone from outside the army came to reinforce while knowing the risks. He spent the next hour helping the soldiers prepare their equipment, mingling with them in good spirits. These soldiers had already heard about a very energetic and sociable young man from theirrades who had gone out to the rxation area the previous evening, but hearing about him and feeling him were two totally different things. This task, which was usually boring and tiring, suddenly became rather fun with Maxime with them. After an hour, the equipment crates were finally lined up and ready for deployment. The soldiers present, out of breath but in good spirits, gathered around Maxime, some pping his hands or shoulder in thanks. "Hey, seriously, man, you really don''t look like an outsider." dered one of them, a broad smile on his lips. "Are you sure you don''t want to sign a contract with the army? With your energy and strength, you''d have a squad under you in no time." Maxime shrugged with augh. "Sorry, guys, but being stuck in a hierarchy isn''t my style. I prefer to keep my freedom." The soldiers weren''t surprised; it was normal for geniuses not to have the same desires as ordinary people. Maxime continued chatting with the soldiers while ncing towards the main gate of the fortress. The preparations around him seemed to be intensifying. NCOs were passing by giving quick orders, troops were regrouping, and armored vehicles were being loaded with ammunition and weapons. The hustle and bustle brought him back to reality. These people were getting ready to leave on a mission where death lurked around the corner. His role here remained unclear, but one thing was certain: he couldn''t remain inactive while so much effort was being expended around him. At the earliest opportunity, he would join an army detachment and go outside. At the same time, a familiar voice sounded behind him. "Well, you seem to be integrating easily, Deputy Chief of the Shibuya." Maxime turned to see Le, a mischievous smile on her lips but a gleam of determination in her eyes.@@novelbin@@ She was wearing her full outfit, her perfectly fitted uniform and a saber hanging from her belt. "You''re joking, I hope?" replied Maxime, his tone light but his features a little more serious when he saw her expression. Le approached, crossing her arms. "No, I still want you on my team." "And I refuse, I don''t want to join the army." Maxime continued, shaking his head. "You know we''re not from the army, don''t you?" asked Le in surprise. Maxime frowned, even though he''d more or less guessed it. "Then what are the Shibuya?" "The Shibuya are a mercenary group, just like the Juggernauts are in your hometown." Maxime was surprised, but that was all. Mercenary groups also imposed restrictions on their members, just as he did with the Saber-toothed Tigers. "Still not interested." Le was disappointed, but added all the same: "That''s a pity, but know that my offer still stands if you want to join us in the future." Just then, an idea urred to Le: She tilted her head slightly, smiling. "Otherwise the Dravaks are already on the move, and our battalion of 300 elite men has been ordered to leave immediately to stop one of their detachment, you coulde with us." "Dravak? I imagine they''re our adversaries on this battlefield..." Maxime thought for a moment. He already had the idea of going outside to umte Eternity coins, so this was an interesting offer. Finally, he nodded slowly. An hourter. Maxime found himself in an armored vehicle with twenty or so Shibuya soldiers, all concentrated but rather rxed. Everyone was equipped with sophisticated ranged weapons and armor, as well as melee weapons. After all, they were all seasoned Eternity yers, with physiques above 2.5 and hand-to-hand skills and experience. "These guys are undoubtedly much stronger than standard soldiers." Maxime quickly analyzed as he observed them. One look at them was enough to know that these guys were not to be messed with on the street. And when 300 of them were together, no one would dare look down on them. There were more than thirty vehicles of all kinds, all of them highly mobile and fast at the expense of firepower. That was the point of the Shibuya, to be faster and more flexible than an army battalion. A battalion could number anywhere from 300 to 1,500 men. But they were all elite mercenaries, so even if they faced a regr army battalion of 1500 men, they had the confidence to defeat them. Especially as they only appeared to be 300 men, but most of them had men in Eternity, so the 300 men could quickly turn into 3000. So, for the moment, the danger was rtively low. The atmosphere in the transport was therefore calm, despite the imminent approach of the enemy. The soldier driving, a veteran named Aric, nced curiously at Maxime through his rearview mirror. "So, you''re the new kid who impressed Le? I hope you''re as good as she says you are, because where we''re going, there''s no room for error." Maxime crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall of the vehicle. "I''ve done a lot of shadowing in the past, so I''m pretty good now at not disturbing others while they''re working." A burst ofughter rose among the soldiers, breaking the tension a little. Everyone could tell that Maxime was speaking in the second degree, otherwise their captain wouldn''t have dared ask him to be their deputy chief. Indeed, the news that their captain had found a young deputy chief had spread very quickly through their ranks, the information having leaked out one way or another. So everyone had their guards up against Maxime, and at the same time, they were watching him. But despite the banter, the atmosphere became more urgent as they neared their objective. The vehicle finally came to a halt, the brakes squealing slightly. Through a small opening, Maxime saw a dark clearing surrounded by steep hills. The ce was eerily silent, but an oppressive energy hung in the air. Le jumped out of the vehicle first, her saber drawn and her gaze sweeping the surrounding area. She motioned for the rest of the squad to follow. "Hide the vehicles as usual, then move into formation." Maxime went out in turn, gritting his teeth as he felt the dampness of the forest stick to his skin. His senses were already on full alert. He didn''t dare take his life lightly, especially as with today''s technology, a shot coulde from very far away. The soldiers dispersed efficiently, each one knowing his task. The vehicles were quickly covered with camougeting and moved under dense tree cover to make them invisible from the air. Meanwhile, Le continued to observe the surroundings while holding her energy assault rifle. These assault rifles not only released destructive, corrosive energy on enemies with every shot, but there was also no risk of jamming like some firearms of the past. Maxime stayed close to her, also holding his rifle given to him by Chief Engineer Karad, while silently watching the mercenaries in action. He was impressed by their discipline and coordination. "Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to show us what you''re made of?" quipped Le, smirking as she teased him. Maxime shrugged. "I don''t know your methods, so I''d better not get too clever." Le nodded, which was exactly what she expected from Maxime. Her mercenaries worked in formation, so if Maxime walked anywhere, he could destabilize the formation from the inside. Once the vehicles were camouged, the squad formed up. Le led the way with palpable assurance, her movements silent and precise, while her men stretched out particrly in length and width. This method covered a fairly limited field of action, but enabled them to react more quickly in the event of danger. Maxime stood vigntly beside Le. The clearing stretched out before them, nked by steep hills covered in dense vegetation. The atmosphere was oppressive, as if the forest itself were holding its breath. "Something''s not right here." muttered one of the mercenaries beside Maxime. Ahead, Le stopped dead in her tracks, raising a hand to signal everyone to stand still. "It''s strange, our scoutse back exactly every 15 minutes." "But this is 16 minutes." Chapter 154 Dravus, the Dravak warrior "Great..." murmured Maxime. All around him, chaos persisted, but the Shibuya were really fighting back. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire The Shibuya deserved their reputation as an elite unit on this battlefield to face the notorious Dravak head-on. For his part, Maxime knew he was up against a really strong warrior, otherwise he wouldn''t have managed to kill the previous two opponents so easily if they had the same strength as this Dravak. And the Dravak was clearly not happy. His eyes turned red, as if boundless rage had taken hold of his body. He brandished his spear, twirling it like a master, so that Maxime couldn''t help but be impressed. This gesture calmed the Dravak''s emotions slightly. In their race, they were often hot-blooded, but they also knew that the calmer they remained, the more they could master the rhythm in a duel. "You''re strong, human, but not strong enough to survive this fight." he said arrogantly, pointing his spear at Maxime. Maxime cocked his sword, muscles taut, ready to dodge or strike at the slightest opening. The fight resumed, but this time the Dravak attacked with tenfold aggression. Each blow from his spear struck the ground or the trees with extraordinary force. Maxime knew that if he was hit, he could die instantly. So he dodged, rolled and jumped, but it wasn''t long before he sensed that his breath wouldn''tst long. In the heat of the moment, when you knew your life was in danger, every effort seemed extremely exhausting. Only about ten attacks were executed, and Maxime made a mistake. A blow from the spear grazed his nk, slicing through his armor and flesh with ease. A sharp pain shot through him, but he didn''t cry out. He gritted his teeth, using the pain as fuel to fuel his determination. "You''re tough... I''ll give you that." Maxime murmured, while putting his hand over his wound topress it and prevent too much blood escaping.@@novelbin@@ The Dravak didn''t reply, justughed mockingly beforeing at him again. But this time, Maxime had a n. As the Dravak raised his spear for a fatal blow, Maxime leapt forward towards the ground, almost slipping underneath him. He nted his sword at the Dravak''s shoulder, usually one of the armor''s weakest points. The Dravak didn''t have time to avoid it, and took Maxime''sser sword head-on. His armor and the sword''sser shed for less than a second, until the armor gave way. "ARRRGGHHH" The pain of aser sword burning the inside of the body was one of the worst pains in the world, drawing a howl of pain from the Dravak. But instead of backing away, he used the fact that Maxime was in front of him to grab him by the throat, his eyes filled with a zing red. Maxime saw the hand approaching, but in his posture he couldn''t move easily. So easily and quickly, the Dravak had his huge hand on his neck. "You dare... hurt me, you inferior species?" he growled, lifting him off the ground. Maxime suffocated, the Dravak''s fingers crushing his windpipe. He frantically struck the creature''s arm with his sword, but the armor held firm this time. In his position, he couldn''t apply the force he had earlier, and the sword''s energy alone wasn''t enough to pierce the sturdy armor. "You asked for it, cursed Dravak." Maxime thought with determination, as he put his left hand in his pocket and pulled out an oval object. It was a fragmentation grenade. He hadn''t thought he''de to this in his first confrontation with a strong warrior. But at 18, he was already showing extraordinary strength without realizing it. There weren''t many humans capable ofpeting against such a Dravak warrior at such a young age. Those capable of defeating him were even fewer. This fragmentation grenade had been given to him by one of the Shibuya mercenaries, who told him that in their unit, they would never die alone. It should be noted that this grenade contained phenomenal power. So much so, that even a knight at peak stage wouldn''t dare guarantee that he could survive that grenade at such close range. And Maxime now had a physique of just 3.2 points, all bonuses included. So, omitting his fighting skills, he could barely be considered a knight at the entrance stage. But it was his only hope. He pulled the pin with a smile, then let it fall to the ground between them. "Let''s say we go together, buddy..." Dravak''s eyes widened, but before he could react, the explosion sounded. A shockwave separated them violently, throwing Maxime against a rock, his life and death unknown. The Dravak was also violently thrown dozens of meters, his armor all but destroyed, his wings with countless holes in them and his body bleeding profusely with purple blood. A few seconds passed, as Dravak struggled to his feet, but above all with rage. "Damned human, always ying dirty tricks until the end!" "None of them can fight with honor." For his part, Maxime could barely squint. His vision was blurred, his body aching and he could feel that many grenade fragments were now lodged in his body. He was lying on the ground, his head against a rock and blood pouring from his mouth. Clearly all he could do now was watch the Dravak rise to his feet and approach him angrily. "Tough guy," Maxime murmured wryly. The effort alone caused him excruciating pain, and blood rushed back with a taste of scrap metal in his mouth. The staggering Dravak slowly approached, now holding a simple dagger. "You deserve my respect, human. What''s your name?" asked the Dravak as he walked towards Maxime. "Maxime and you?" At the same time as he managed to speak aloud, he was forced to spit out a mouthful of blood beside him. But the Dravak didn''t care about this little detail. "Maxime? What a strange name. I''m Dravus." replied the Dravak, fiddling with his dagger as he now stood only a few steps away from Maxime. Maxime nodded in recognition. But Dravus found it strange not to sense any sign of panic on Maxime''s face. "You''re a strange human. You''re about to die but you show no fear, even among Dravak that''s a very rare quality." Maxime smiled slightly in response, still lying on the ground, with only his head resting against a rock. "That''s naturally because I''m not about to die, Dravus." At the same time, two luminous circles appeared at Maxime''s side. Dravus stopped walking and stared at the circles of light. His intuition told him that within these luminous circles were two very powerful auras. Almost as strong as himself and Maxime. The first to appear was a beautiful woman in iron armor, holding a simple medieval sword. She wore an eye patch, and despite her simple outfit, she gave off a ferocious aura. The second was a balding middle-aged man, also wearing iron armor, with a piercing gaze. "Kaite (Langus), ready to serve the chief!" eximed thetter once fully invoked. They were the two knights of the saber-toothed tigers! When they appeared, they saw Maxime on the ground, a huge pool of blood forming beneath him. Both of them immediately looked shocked. Never before had they seen their leader in such a posture; he normally wore a cold, arrogant face and exuded an aura of "I am invincible". They could never have imagined seeing such a scene in their lifetime! At the same time, they observed the Dravak in front of them, who also appeared to be in a sorry state. "What the fuck is this monster?" said Langus aloud in surprise. They''d only just received some information from Eternity that they''d appeared in a world different from their own, and now here they were in front of some kind of dragon-man. "Subdue him..." ordered Maxime, with a slight smile. But it was a frightening smile, given the state he was in. He had ns for this powerful Dravak. Langus and Kaite were surprised by this order. Then the two looked at each other with bitter smiles, seeming to understand something. It seemed that their leader wanted to repeat what he had already done with them. At the same time, the Dravak warrior was surprised to see two people appear before him. In his tribe, he was a young genius. Only after passing the warrior''s test was he allowed to join his first dimensional battlefield. Despite the Dravak''sbative nature, they understood the need to protect their young geniuses, but at the same time they couldn''t restrict them to their world, otherwise they''d be like flowers growing in a greenhouse. They''ll be beautiful and grow up healthy, but as soon as you take them out of theirfort zone, they''ll die at the slightest difficulty outside. Thus, the warrior''s test was born. Only by passing this test could genies join the dimensional battlefield. Of course, ordinary Dravaks were not subject to this test, and could join the army as soon as they reached adulthood. Since this was his first battlefield, and due to special personal circumstances, Dravus, although endowed with exceptional strength,cked knowledge of other species. That''s why he had been surprised by Maxime''s grenade, and why he was equally surprised to see two other humans appear out of nowhere. But he didn''t let himself be intimidated, and like an experienced assassin, he took up position with his dagger, ready to confront these two humans. Chapter 156 The Dravus story So he began to tell Maxime his story. In his youth, Dravus was not only a promising warrior, he was also a fulfilled man. He lived in a lush valley, where every sunrise set the mountains aze with a golden glow. His tribe prospered, and his exceptional talent meant he didn''t have to join the army and risk his life. But what he cherished most was neither his strength nor his status, it was his fianc¨¦e, Lyssra. Lyssra was a Dravak of rare beauty, with deep-blue scales that twinkled like stars in the moonlight. She possessed a gentleness and wisdom that soothed even the most tormented of hearts. With her, Dravus had dreamed of a simple but happy future. He believed that once he had passed the warrior''s test, he would be a glorious Dravak general in the future, his wife would be invited to every kind of noble gathering, while his children would enjoy the best education, the best resources and the best teachers. Peace, however, had no ce among the Dravaks. Their society, though proud and disciplined, was dominated by thew of the strongest. The son of the tribal chief, Korran, was arrogant and cruel, used to getting whatever he wanted. And unfortunately for Dravus, among his desires was Lyssra. ... Dravus gritted his teeth as he recounted this, his sharp nails scraping the earth. "Korran... That infamous son of the chief. He wanted Lyssra no matter whether she consented or not. And clearly she... she loved me. She had chosen me." Maxime simply listened and remained impassive. His role was to listen, not to interfere. ... One evening, Korran used his power and influence to use Dravus of treason against the tribe. The usations were absurd, but Korran''s word carried more weight than that of anyone but the chief. Dravus was challenged to singlebat, but not by Korran. No, thetter had sent his best guard, a 3-meter-tall colossus named Rathar. Although size was not synonymous with strength among the Dravaks, it was still an indicator not to be overlooked. Find exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire The fight was brutal. To everyone''s surprise, Dravus was extremely tenacious and showed formidable strength. Unfortunately, facing a powerful and experienced warrior like Rathar, he lost in the end. Taking advantage of his weakness, Korran dered that Dravus was no longer worthy of protecting Lyssra. In front of the entire tribe, he demanded that she be his.@@novelbin@@ Lyssra refused with a firmness that inspired admiration and terror in the other women of the tribe. But thews were clear: she had no choice. The strong had the right to choose their wives, and women could only submit to this. At the same time, Korran wanted to execute Dravus, but Lyssra threatened to kill herself if Dravus died. But this was not enough to change Korran''s mind. He had many ways of preventing a woman frommitting suicide. Until the tribal chief intervened, and refused his son''s order. He exined to him in front of everyone that Dravus was a genius of their tribe and could bring many military merits in the future. Evidently, the tribal chief believed that no matter what Dravus''s potential, he could always control him. So there was value in keeping him alive. So it was that Dravus saw his fianc¨¦e leave with another man before his very eyes, and so it was that a monster was born. Less than 3 months after this event, he took the warrior''s test and passed with flying colors. Unfortunately, he was not yet strong enough to surpass Rathar, let alone the tribal chief. So he applied to join the dimensional battlefield. He knew that on this battlefield, by putting his life on the line, he could obtain many good things that would enable him to be stronger. ... Maxime listened attentively to the end of his new warrior''s story. "They tore her away from me..." growled Dravus, his voice broken. "Every time I think of that damned Korran, I can''t help but think of what he can do to my lovely fianc¨¦e." But at the same time Dravus smiled at that moment. "But I also know that Lyssra is a very strong woman. She has a weak physique and on top of that she knows nothing about martial arts. However, her temperament...she''s indomitable!" "I, Dravus, do not betroth just anyone!" "Only a woman like Lyssra, will be able to give children who can inherit my genius without being weakened by their mother''s gentle temperament!" As he finished, Dravus was short of breath. Then he raised his eyes and looked at Maximus, still indifferent. "And here I am, telling my story to a human...I really am the shame of the Dravaks." Maxime left a few seconds of silence, then said: "And if I helped you get your revenge, get your wife back, let you start a family and even let youmand my men and be a glorious general, would you be willing to follow me?" Dravus met Maximus''s shining eyes at that moment. "But...you''re a human and I''m a Dravak! It''s impossible for us to fight together!" Maxime looked at him with slight disdain, though it was imperceptible to Dravus. "I''m humanity''s greatest genius, and even very powerful Gods have granted me their blessing, nothing is impossible with me." Dravus was stunned by such words, Maxime''s words echoing in his mind. And yet, having signed this contract, he also felt a mysterious power flowing through his body. It lent a certain credibility to Maxime''s words. And this guy had no reason to lie to him, so it must really be true, or at least he must be one of mankind''s greatest talents. Faced with him, he was just a simple genius from a medium-sized tribe. There was nothing particrlyudatory about that. But at the same time, the idea of coborating with a human, a race he''d been conditioned to despise, seemed absurd. Yet there was a power in Maxime''s eyes, an unshakeable determination that could not be ignored. Dravus''s thoughts were confused, which made him hesitate. Finally, he asked: "You want to use me for your own ends, human. Why should I trust you?" Maximus didn''t blink. He knew that, depending on what he said, he might or might not seed in conquering this Dravak. "You have nothing to lose, Dravus. Your hatred consumes you and your vengeance is beyond your reach alone. But with me, every battle we fight will bring you closer to your goal. I''m not asking you to trust me blindly. Show me your loyalty, and I''ll show you that my promises are not empty." Dravus watched Maxime in silence, gauging his words. Mistrust, rage and a glimmer of hopepeted in his eyes. Finally, he clenched his fists and replied: "Very well. But know this, human: if you disappoint me, no matter how powerful and restrictive this contract, you will bitterly regret it." Maxime smiled in satisfaction. He didn''t care if his new warrior threatened him; on the contrary, it was good news for him. Behind these threatsy ferocity and a warrior spirit still very much alive. So this was the best result he could get! "That''s all I wanted to hear. Let''s work well together, Dravus." Maxime affirmed with a sincere smile, extending his hand to Dravus. Dravus shook Maxime''s hand fiercely, using much of his strength. "Let''s work well together, boss," Dravus replied with a strange smile. If he were an apprentice knight, his hand would have exploded into a thousand pieces. But Maxime simply had to exert a simr force, and nothing would happen. "Let''s go now." Maxime ordered, easily withdrawing his hand. All around them, the sh of weapons and war cries filled the air as Shibuya''s mercenaries struggled desperately to contain the Dravaks'' onught. Dravus nodded in agreement. They joined the nearest shots, arriving between more than twenty Dravaks and a dozen Shibuya mercenaries apanied by some twenty men from Eternity. It was easy to distinguish between the mercenaries and their men, as thetter wore equipment designed for hand-to-handbat. They could resurrect as well as having superb hand-to-hand skills, and since they didn''t know how to handle a gun, it was best to let them handle the hand-to-hand. Especially as memories of the dimensional battlefield remained, this could also count as life-and-death training for these men. For his part, Dravus nced at his fellow Dravaks, enraged, charging into the human ranks. A moment''s hesitation passed in his eyes, but Maxime''s voice brought him back to reality. "You wanted a chance to prove yourself. Here it is." He hesitated no longer, and without a word, Dravus tightened his grip on the spear he''d picked up earlier, his eyes shining with a new determination. Especially since, thanks to Viviana''s talent, he had already recovered most of his strength and his wounds had closed in less than a minute. Even his wings seemed undamaged. Of course, the Dravaks'' innate regeneration also helped. Maxime smiled before turning to the chaos. Langus and Kaite were also there, helping the Shibuya hold their position, and there was even a tendency to push the Dravaks back thanks to their help. It was in this kind of situation that Dravus threw himself into the fray. His former Dravakrades were the first to notice the strangeness of the situation. A creature of their own blood, fighting alongside humans? "Dravus?" grunted one of the warriors, stunned, before receiving a blistering spear blow that forced him backwards. Chapter 157 Face to face "Dravus?" grunted one of the warriors, stunned, before receiving a searing spear blow that forced him back. Dravus didn''t reply. He simply struck with murderous efficiency, deflecting spears and piercing armor with icy ease. Every movement was precise, every blow delivered with the calcted force of an aplished warrior. The human mercenaries, too, froze for a moment at the sight of a Dravak fighting alongside them. At the same time, sensing the strange situation, all the Dravaks retreated. "What the hell is this?" "A Dravak helping us?" "I thought they all despised us?" ... The murmuring continued until a Shibuya squad captain shouted: "Stay focused!" After all, since they didn''t understand the Dravaks''nguage, they couldn''t sense when the situation was about to explode again. If they reacted toote, it could mean dozens of lives lost. But on the Dravak side, it was another matter entirely. "Traitor!" screamed a massive Dravak in the native Dravaknguage. His wings were disproportionatelyrge and his scarlet armor was still sttered with the blood of Shibuya''s mercenaries. Clearly, he was one of the Dravak leaders on this battlefield. Thetter split the earth with a heavy step, followed by several other Dravak warriors, their zing gazes focused on their former brother-in-arms. Dravius took a step back, his spear pointing downwards, but without showing any fear. His mask of indifference contrasted cruelly with the unleashed rage of his own. "Dravius, how dare you!" roared the massive warrior. "Fighting alongside humans? Never has anyone in our tribe embarrassed us as much as you have!" then he spat contemptuously on the ground. Another Dravak, younger but just as furious, pointed his spear at him. "We thought you were one of us, Dravius! What''s your purpose in doing this? To be a dog of humans?" The other Dravaks growled, their fury palpable. But Dravius remained impassive. He wiped the blood from the de of his spear with a calm gesture before answering them, his voice icy and sharp as a steel splinter. "How can I still be loyal when a weakling steals my wife?" he said, his sharp gaze crossing every face in front of him. The nearby Shibuya began to gather behind Dravius, enjoying the temporary peace. But he couldn''t understand what the Dravaks were discussing among themselves, they could just see that both sides were particrly enraged. "You''re just following the orders of a punk who profits from the shadow of his ancestors," he continued in a scornful tone. "Silence!" cut in the massive Dravak as he mmed his spear into the ground, causing a dull roar. "You proud son of the sky of our tribe, you were born in our tribe, you grew up in our tribe, you ate our tribe''s resources! "You even passed the warrior''s test! "And above all, you swore loyalty to our tribe!" "The only one you''ve betrayed is your heart, Dravius." The deafening voice of the regiment''s Dravak leader echoed across the surrounding ins. Dravius gave a cold smile. "Betray my heart, eh? I''d love to see your reaction when the chieftain''s son steals your women." An angry murmur ran through the ranks of the Dravaks. "Or perhaps your wife is too ugly in Korran''s eyes for him to bother stealing her from you?" continued Dravius mockingly. Maxime, who was standing a little way back and understood the Dravaknguage thanks to his contract, was amazed by his new mercenary''s elocution and, above all, his ability to provoke. Hearing this, even people who silently supported Dravius couldn''t help but burst out in anger too. "So, you choose death." growled the giant Dravak, his tone almost solemn. "For there is only one fate for a traitor. Prepare yourself, Dravius. We''ll show you no mercy." Dravius nodded slightly, his gaze bing almost mncholy. "I expected no mercy from you. Nor should you expect me to hold back my blows." The massive Dravak, whom Dravius had identified as Kaelor, one of the tribe''s most ruthlessmanders, nodded to his men. Three of them advanced, their shining spears reflecting the cold light of the battlefield. The others began to surround Dravius. "It''s time for your insolence to end." Kaelor growled as he approached, his wings spreading as if to impose his authority. But Dravius, instead of being intimidated, raised his spear slightly, holding it with a calcted, almost mocking nonchnce. "You think I''m the one who broke our loyalty. But look at you. Rabid beasts, blindly obeying a tyrant who hides behind his privileges. You''re the real traitors." One of the young warriors, excited, leapt forward. "Dare to insult us again while you''re surrounded, you only ask for your own death!" Dravius pivoted with disconcerting fluidity. His spear whistled through the air and disarmed his assant in a sh, the sharp de stopping just short of touching young Dravak''s throat. "Don''t rush into a pointless death" he murmured, almost sadly, before stepping back without killing the young Dravak warrior. The human mercenaries watched the scene with fascination. Maxime shook his head; his new mercenary was still a little tender. But that was normal, after all, he had rebelled against his own species and was now facing members of his family. They''d all grown up together. So it was only natural that he should still have feelings for his tribe, despite appearances to the contrary. Kaelor, for his part, burst into a raucousugh. "Enough talk, Dravius. Show us if your words are worth as much as your strength." He made a sudden gesture, and two other warriors attacked simultaneously, their spears aimed at Dravius. But Dravius was no mere warrior, and having been blessed with Maxime''s talents, his sense ofbat had improved still further. He dodged the first attack with supple movement and parried the second with frightening precision. In a lightning counter-attack, he disarmed the first opponent and knocked down the second with a well-ced kick.@@novelbin@@ Kaelor watched, motionless, his eyes zing with contempt mixed with a hint of admiration. "You''ve always been quick. But speed won''t save a lonely man." "He''s not alone." Maxime''s voice, in Dravaknguage, surprised everyone, Dravius first. He''d naturally learned it from the contract, without necessarily meaning to. But if the master didn''t know his ve''snguage, could he guess when he heard him inadvertently, whether he wasplimenting or insulting him? Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire One of the effects of a talenting from an SSS-level God could naturally not involve such a w. Simultaneously, Maxime entered the encirclement without fear, and stood in front of Dravius, although his body was only part of Dravius''. From the Dravaks'' point of view, it was as if Dravius was the bodyguard of the young man who had just appeared. But at least everyone could see that he was the person to whom the traitorous Dravak had now sworn fealty. Langus and Kaite also prated the encirclement, and also stood by Dravius, each on his own side. The Dravaks didn''t know Maxime, but they had already observed the fighting power of the other two humans, and it rivaled that of the Dravaks who had passed the warrior''s test. However, the Dravaks burst outughing, a hoarse, contemptuous roar that echoed across the battlefield. Kaelor, his eyes sparkling with arrogance, took a step forward. "Is this Dravius?" he thundered, gesturing at Maximus. "This is the man for whom you betrayed your own blood? A fragile child, protected by his human minions?" "He''s no better than Korran." The Dravaks knew very well that age in humans was generally an important indicator for estimating one''s power. And they''d never seen anyone so young on a battlefield, so they assumed he was simply the son of a wealthy familye to experience the smell of a battlefield. This assumption was even more likely to be true when they saw two powerful humans standing behind him. Another Dravak chimed in, sarcasm oozing from his voice: "Maybe this boy is a prince in their world. He must have rich parents to afford two powerful bodyguards." Theughter intensified, and some Dravaks pointed their spears at Maxime with obvious mockery. A young warrior sneered: "Does he even know how to fight, or does he just give orders?" Dravius felt a dull anger rise up inside him at these words. For he had been defeated by this human in a duel! So they wereughing at him too! He took a step forward, his voice booming like thunder. "Enough!" he roared, his icy gaze sweeping the ranks of his former brothers. "You have no idea how powerful this man is." He gritted his teeth, his wings quivering with emotion. But Maximus raised a hand to calm his ally, an enigmatic smile floating on his lips. "Let them say it, Dravius." he said softly in Dravak, his words provoking another stunned silence among the warriors. "They won''t understand until I show them." The Dravaks'' first reaction was tough at Maxime''s words. "This little human is so arrogant and funny!" Chapter 159 Oscar A universe had blocked the ascension of a race that could have be the strongest of all because it was afraid of it. And it was in a situation where this race could have added many powerful men to the dimensional battlefields. Knowing that each dimensional battlefield represented a chess piece in the war between the two universes. But how important was each battlefield? Mankind didn''t know either. It was good enough for them to be able to live forever and grow stronger. Everyone hoped that monster-level geniuses would be born out of nowhere to break out of this blockade imposed by the other races. Since they were indeed in a very humiliating position. The human race was standing in the palm of other races, and there was nothing it could do about it. Unable to control their own fate. In addition to this embarrassing situation, some races even took the liberty of sending young soldiers to Earth to "train" them. But usually this was just intimidation or the whim of some youngsters with power who wanted to have some fun. And the humans could hardly defend themselves. For if the strong men of the human race moved, so would those of other races. Hence the scene of the Piran soldiers attacking Nansoy after Maxime''s first simtion. The Piran soldiers were weak, but they wreaked havoc on the town despite the presence of many strong men nearby. This left the humans in a position where they were despised by all the races of the Omega Universe, but feared by the races of the Delta Universe! Indeed, humans were hardly a race to be underestimated, given that it took a top-10 race with the support of a hundred other races to maintain the blockade! So much so, that the Delta universe sent the most powerful races in its universe to confront the humans, such as the Dravaks! In fact, the Dravaks were one of the top 10 races in the Delta universe! As the powers of the two universes were more or less simr, the Dravaks were to some extentparable to the Aelodins! Of course, the Aelodins despised these yellow-level battlefields, so they didn''t take part in them. The truly strong Dravaks also despised yellow-level battlefields, but unfortunately their race was not as extraordinarily talented as the Aelodins. But they weren''t bad, they had extraordinary potential to exploit and, above all, they were far more fertile than the Aelodins. The Dravaks'' main asset was that they could awaken the dormant blood of their ancestors throughbat. In other words, to awaken their bloodline. Once their bloodline was awakened, their strength didn''t improve much in the long term, but this made them eligible to train in the Dravak ancestral manual corresponding to their bloodline. This manual appeared naturally in their minds with the awakening of the bloodline, and once practiced, reinforced the purity of the carrier''s bloodline. Strengthening the purity of their blood not only improved their physique, but also awakened exceptional talents and skills. The effects of the talents and skills awakened depended on the bloodline awakened, as there were indeed different bloodlines. Some were much stronger than others. So the Dravaks had created their own system for ssifying bloodlines. But this ssification could be exinedter. What was important to know was that, regardless of lineage rank, every Dravak warrior who had awakened his ancestral blood could be a man feared by every race in the universe. However, like the Aelodins, it was also unfortunate for the Dravaks that God was just. Firstly, it really wasn''t easy for the Dravaks to awaken their bloodline. The odds were about one in 1,000. Secondly, virtually all the Dravaks'' ancestral manuals focused on improving blood purity throughbat. The method of awakening and the method of progression were therefore simr. Of course, Dravak geniuses could also simply practice at home without endangering their lives, but their progress would be extremely slow, and they would die of old age before they could be considered strong in the war of universes. So the Dravak royal family, who ruled all the Dravaks thanks to a lineage exclusive to them and the strongest of all, used the dimensional battlefield both to conquer the Omega universe and to improve the strength of their race! They were theplete opposite of the Aelodins, who considered each and every one of them a genius. They wouldn''t let them take any risks whatsoever until they had grown up enough and developed a certainbat strength. In any case, the young Dravaks had the capital to despise the human race, or at least their youngsters who hadn''t been able to use Eternity to boost theirbat power significantly! ... But as the two young Dravaks chatted andughed at the young human, they suddenly saw him looking in their direction.@@novelbin@@ The next moment, they could no longer see the young man''s silhouette. "Huh? Where did he go?" asked one of the Dravaks. Then he looked in the direction of battalionmander Kaelor, but in thetter''s eyes, he could only detect surprise. "Why is he looking like that?" No sooner had he asked this question in his mind, than he felt his eyesight tilt ande dangerously close to the ground. Then, as his head hit the ground, he lost consciousness forever. From Kaelor''s point of view, Maxime had lunged at his warriors at lightning speed, surprising even the most hardened Dravak warriors in the battalion. In particr, he swooped down on a group of two ordinary Dravaks. His de glinted in the air, and in a few swift movements, he cut down the 2 with surgical precision. A third, standing nearby and barely able to make out Maxime''s silhouette, was terrified. He stumbled back, but Maxime cut him in half with a precise movement before he could move away. The scene had unfolded in a matter of seconds, but it left a stunned silence on the battlefield. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire The Dravaks who hadughed at him moments earlier exchanged stunned nces. There were all sorts of thoughts emanating from the now silent crowd. "How strong can this little guy be?" "If I had to face him, I don''t know if I could keep my head on my shoulders..." "I knew Dravius would never submit to an ordinary human, hmm." Several Dravaks had different opinions, but all of them no longer dared to underestimate this human despite his young age! Kaelor frowned, his contempt reced by calcted caution. Maxime turned off theser of his sword with disconcerting serenity, then turned to Dravius, Langus and Kaite. "Dravius, you don''t need to defend my honor." he said with a light smile. "I''m perfectly capable of defending it myself." Langus and Kaite exchanged amused nces, while Dravius, though still angry, couldn''t help but nod. The two knights in particr had a good grasp of their leader''s temperament. They thought that even if it was Duke Devron mocking Maximus in front of him, their leader would dare to draw his sword and cut him in two! Even if the duke was a great knight! Nothing could reason with this man''s madness, least of all two ordinary Dravaks. The third Dravak hadn''t said anything, but he''d smiled at the other two''s mockery, so he could only go along with them from Maxime''s point of view. As for the rest who hadughed, they could only count themselves lucky to have survived a catastrophe. Kaelor, however, was not the type to be impressed so easily. He stepped forward again, his spear lowering slowly, ready to engage this young adversary who had just proved his worth. He himself was a famous warrior in his tribe, and no weaker than some Dravaks who had seeded in awakening their bloodline! "Very well, human." his face showed intense rage. "You asked for it, prepare to die." Kaelor''s wings opened wide, casting an imposing shadow. Tension mounted as the Shibuya once again pointed their weapons in front of them, feeling the pressure mounting. But just then, a female figure fell from the sky and crashed violently not far from the small group. A great cloud of smoke was created at that moment, with no one able to see exactly who the fallen figure was. Then everyone looked up to see a Dravak pping its wings at high altitude. The Dravak dived swiftly towards the fallen human, obviously intent on finishing off its prey! Seeing this scene, the Shibuya didn''t hesitate and immediately opened fire in the direction of the Dravak! Thetter was temporarily pushed back, and seeing hisrades on the ground, he joined them andnded directly beside Kaelor. "Oscar, you''re here" said Kaelor, in a simple tone mixed with a hint of respect and awe. Maxime watched this new Dravak arrive, and could see two faint bumps on his forehead. At the same time, he noticed that Dravus was reacting particrly strongly to this Dravak named Oscar. "Yeah," Oscar replied in a bored tone. His armor was still clean, as if he hadn''t been inbat. "So, is she?" asked Kaelor out of curiosity, looking at the human who had fallen violently to the ground. "Le, from Shibuya." replied Oscar simply, in a casual tone. "She really doesn''t deserve her reputation with such weak strength," he continued. It''s a good thing they were both speaking in Dravaknguage, otherwise the Shibuya nearby would have been shocked by these words, and more importantly, they would have exploded in anger. For his part, Maxime heard and understood these words. He was immediately shocked that a mercenary captain respected by the fortressmander and all the battalionmanders shouldnd violently on the ground, his life and death unknown. But although he had a small affair with her, her life and death weren''t that important to him. Only that of his men and his family was really important. But at that moment, a question still hovered in the back of his mind. "Dravus, who''s this guy?" asked Maxime, eyebrows furrowed. "Oscar, and he''s a Dravak who managed to awaken his blood." Chapter 161 Fire! "Kill." ordered Maxime, with a slight smile. Oscar and Kaelor, although astonished by the sudden appearance of powerful fighters around Maxime, suddenly began to fear. But having reached this point, there was no turning back. And above all, they knew that if they seeded in killing this young blond man, then these many powerful men would disappear immediately. Kaelor roared and flew into the air. His body seemed to be a living weapon, and he rushed towards Maxime at lightning speed. At the same time, Oscar also rushed towards Maxime. Clearly, the two had the same n. A number of Dravaks in the vicinity immediately understood, and also began to rush towards Maxime. But now that there were 3 Shibuya leaders, as well as 2 knights plus Dravus, it was all for naught. Kaite and Langus immediately activated their vital seed and blocked Oscar and Kaelor. The few other Dravak strongmen were also blocked by the 3 Shibuya leaders. Seeing the situation, the Shibuya opened fire and drove the Dravaks back to the area. But it wasn''t over yet! The Dravaks who had gathered so far all took to the air, then some armed with their assault rifles, began to attack the center of the battlefield where Maxime was located, as well as the Shibuya who were behind. The remaining 3/4 armed with hand-to-hand weapons rushed towards the Saber-toothed Tigers and the Shibuya! A total of 3,000 Dravaks rushed the 300 Shibuya and 100 Saber-toothed Tigers! A veritable war scene was now unfolding! Maxime stood motionless at the center of the chaos, his hands still in his pockets, observing the scene with an almost insolent calm. From time to time, he dodged a few assault rifle shots. As Kaelor charged towards Maxime, Kaite leapt into the air with phenomenal power! It should be noted that once the Seed of Life had been activated,bined with the Nox Limit talent, Kaite now had an extremely powerful physique despite the constraints of the universe. Kaelor saw a woman with an eye patch rush towards him! The problem was that the woman wasing from his side, sword pointed directly at him! And with his inertia, he couldn''t p his wings to slow down and dodge her. So the scene was predictable. Like a cannonball, Kaite collided violently with Kaelor! Kaelor was thrown violently towards the ground, but managed to slow his fall thanks to his wings. However, his face had hit the ground, which was a great humiliation for him! Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire "Damned human." He couldn''t help swearing. Especially when he saw that his armor had been severely damaged by Kaite''s shoddy sword. For her part, Kaite wore a grim expression as she watched her sword shatter into a thousand pieces on collision. She knew her sword would reappear intact in Eternity when they returned, but in the meantime she was out of weapons! Fortunately, there were plenty of Dravaks armed to the teeth nearby! With an unruffled expression, she threw herself towards one of them at random, and retrieved a very good quality sword. "It''ll be of more use to me than to you, don''t worry," she said to the ordinary Dravak with the kill of a sword." Then she turned to Kaelor, who was still on the ground. "You''re lucky, half-dragon man. Next time, you''ll die." Kaelor immediately became annoyed at seeing a human scorn her. "Don''t underestimate the Dravaks, human! Our bloodlines are iparably superior to a vulgar inferior species than humans!" ...@@novelbin@@ While Kaite and Kaelor began to sh violently, Langus found it much harder to hold Oscar. "Is that all you''re worth?" dered Oscar arrogantly, forcing Langus to back away every time their weapons crossed, Langus had stolen a top-quality spear from one of the Dravaks before. As a knight, he had mastered many types of weapons, so he had no trouble fighting with a spear, and even showed great skill with it. However, he was still being dominated by Oscar. "If that''s all you''ve got, you''re going to die." Langus''s expression darkened, but he continued to fight fiercely. As long as he could hold off this Dravak, that was good enough! Unfortunately, ideas are ideas, and reality wasn''t always what you wanted it to be. "You think you''re saving time, don''t you?" Oscar asked with a mischievous grin, even though he was only less than two meters away. Langus gave no indication of this and continued to fight fiercely. "Tch...never mind, we''ve had enough fun." At the same time Oscar suddenly opened his mouth wide. "What?" Before Langus could understand, a gigantic burst of fire came at him. He had no time to dodge, and was directly hit by all the mesing out of Langus''s mouth. Having finished spitting fire, Oscar mocked the knight in front of him. "Hahaha, you didn''t think a Dravak with awakened bloodline could only fight hand-to-hand?" "That''s a gross underestimation of our species!" Langus couldn''t answer as he was ovee by mes and shouted at the top of his voice. "AHHHHHH." Langus copsed to the ground, his body covered in an incandescent veil. Oscar''s mes were no ordinary tongues of fire; they seemed alive, clinging to him like hungry ws, biting every fiber of his being. His screams echoed across the battlefield in a mixture of raw agony and restrained rage. The pain was indescribable. It was as if every part of his body was being pierced by white-hot needles, while his skin burned away under the relentless assault of the mes. His armor, though forged from resistant material, began to twist and melt, sending burning shards sinking into his flesh. Langus felt his breath grow short, each inhtion drawing in burning vapors that devoured his lungs. His mind wavered, but he held on, refusing to sumb. The vital seed pulsing within him, hisst bulwark against annihtion, activated desperately. A cold, regenerative energy began to counter the mes, but it wasn''t enough. Every second spent in this furnace was costing him more than he could regenerate. Yet Langus knew he couldn''t give in. "Don''t weaken..." he muttered to himself inwardly, clutching the spear that was still in his hand. He nted the weapon in the ground and straightened up, his muscles trembling, his breath ragged. The mes began to fade slightly, but Oscar wasn''t done yet. "Impressive. You''re still standing? So let''s see how long you canst!" sneered Oscar as he slowly approached, his gaze filled with contempt. Langus looked up, his vision blurred by pain and smoke. But in this haze, he found brutal rity. His pain, crushing as it was, turned into a source of pure determination. "You think... I''m going to fall that easily?" he gasped, his voice hoarse but imbued with new strength. Oscar replied with a wry smile, but before he could retort, Langus channeled what little energy he had left into a final assault. His spear, imbued with a bluish glow, split the air with a power that surprised even Oscar. The tip of the spear struck Oscar head-on, forcing him back several meters. Although he blocked the attack with his scale-armored arm, the impact left a deep mark, and for the first time, a grimace crossed his face. "You... you dare?!" roared Oscar, furious. Langus staggered, his body barely able to stand. The pain still pulsed, but he found a strangefort in his opponent''s reaction. He had seeded in wounding that self-centered Dravak. Langus wanted to respond, but he could no longer. He fell to the ground, the mes still consuming him. Indeed, when surrounded by me, not only did the body burn, but so did the oxygen. This made it extremely difficult for Langus to breathe when surrounded by such powerful mes, causing him to asphyxiate. Oscar approached, filled with rage, ready to finish Langus off. But just as he was about to kill Langus for good, an intense sense of danger attacked him. "What the!?" He stepped back several meters with a single blow, and at the same time aser sword passed where he stood. "Too bad, it would have been so much easier if you''d stayed quietly in ce." Oscar eyed the young blond man warily without replying. Even against Le, he hadn''t received such a feeling of danger, even though he knew very well that she was one of the strong people on this yellow-level dimensional battlefield. Everyone knew each other, since they regrly fought together on the same dimensional battlefields. But since he''d recently awakened his bloodline, he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to deal the humans a severe blow before they got wind of his transformation. ... Not far away, the three Shibuya leaders, Edgar, Sophia and Lucien, revealed their full strength. Sophia, moving among the Dravaks like an elusive shadow, mowed down her enemies with deadly grace. Edgarmanded apact defensive line of fifty Shibuya, preventing the Dravaks on the ground from reaching Maxime. The other 250 were busy fighting ordinary Dravaks. Lucien, meanwhile, was using his agility and fast attacks to confuse the enemy ranks, breaking their cohesion. He particrly tried to target the Dravaks leading the troops. A lot had happened in such a short time. And now, Maxime''s mercenaries had arrived at the center of the battlefield. Chapter 162 Boom And now Maxime''s mercenaries had arrived at the center of the battlefield. They had torn apart every Dravak who tried to block their path. No matter who crossed the path of these mercenaries from Eternity, they would all die at once. Of course, their weapons were no match for the Dravaks'' sophisticated armor and weapons. Some of the mercenaries still in Plouta, who had lessbat experience, were temporarily disconcerted by this fact. But the elites who had apanied Maxime all took less than a second to react. Each of them reacted in their own way. For example, by engaging in direct hand-to-handbat with their hands and feet, or by taking their opponents'' weapons and killing them with them. Ivan and Winor, the two geniuses recruited from H¨¦nor, were stunned to see these men endowed with a ferocious aura and phenomenal power. And above all, to see them make such technical gestures in realbat. Ivan stood transfixed, his eyes riveted on the carnage unfolding before him. Winor, at his side, struggled to find his words. "You... you see that?" murmured Ivan, his breath caught by the unreal scene. "How could I not see it?" replied Winor, his eyes wide. "These guys... they really are elite." The two geniuses, though proud of their talents, suddenly felt overwhelmed by the aura of the mercenaries who had apanied Maxime from Plouta. The ground almost trembled beneath their footsteps, and every blow delivered by these warriors seemed to resonate like a death sentence. "Look at that guy!" said Ivan, pointing to James who had just sent a Dravak waltzing with a kick. "He seems to be more dangerous with his bare hands than with a gun!" "What about her?" retorted Winor, pointing to Laura, who had caught an enemy sword on the fly before stabbing it into her opponent''s heart. The Dravak who''d just been pierced couldn''t believe it himself. This graceful-looking young human woman had no hesitation when it came to killing. And above all, she was disproportionately fast! He couldn''t react! But he couldn''t ask himself any more questions, as he copsed to the ground, dead. The two geniuses from Plouta then looked at Adam, Charles, Rodrigo, Romuald, Tena, Izo, Terry, Henry, Ultia... Most of them looked to be the same age as they were, but their fighting experience and ferocity were so different from their own... "It''s like they''re ying with these Dravak soldiers. It''s like they don''t even have to force it." If they all knew what the mercenaries who had followed Maxime since Plouta''s departure had been through, they''d understand better. A silence fell between them. "They''re not like us," Ivan murmured, clenching his fists. "We''re geniuses, yes, but they... it''s another level. Another dimension." Winor nodded, his thoughts racing. "If we''re going to walk alongside them... we''re going to have to get stronger. Much stronger." Then they charged straight at the Dravaks nearby, showing they weren''t weak either. Their reaction was logical. In Plouta, they were under constant praise from Killian and Baron Irut''s soldiers, while no other mercenary in Plouta could match them for more than a few moves. They felt that if they''d been recruited from the Saber-toothed Tigers instead, they''d have gone straight to being the chief''s deputies. And even for the chief, they didn''t have much respect. What little there was was due to his talent. This made sense, since they hadn''t seen Maxime for long in Plouta, and hadn''t really been able to talk to him. Nor had they ever seen him fight. Thanks to their training, and based on their physique and training with Baron Irut''s soldiers and the other mercenaries left behind in Plouta, including a few Saber-toothed Tiger veterans, they had previously been convinced that they could even beat their famous leader. But on this battlefield, they understood what it was like to be a frog at the bottom of a well. They hadn''t even seen Maxime, Langus, Kaite or even Dravus in battle yet, but they already knew from seeing the elite mercenaries that their leader must not be underestimated. How else could he control so many strong men? The dozen or so apprentice knights under themand of Langus and Kaite also showed astonishing fighting prowess. Although they had not long followed Maxime, they had been trained for years by Duke Devron. So their fighting power was not to be underestimated. Imagine the reaction of the more ordinary mercenaries who had remained in Plouta... If even geniuses like Ivan and Winor were surprised, then they were bound to be shocked. For they knew from the system that they were all under the orders of the same person. "I knew there would be a difference, but at this point..." Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire "If we have to take a minute to solve one of these ordinary monsters, then they only need less than 3 seconds." "And again, that''s because they have to move from target to target, otherwise they''d kill even faster." "I wonder what they went through to be so strong..." One of the mercenaries speaking looked at his colleague. "If they can get that strong, so can we." he said with a firm look. They knew from the system that they couldn''t die here, and since that was the case, they weren''t afraid of anything. In this way, the Saber-toothed Tigers literally overpowered the Dravaks, most of whom were ordinary soldiers. But although they were ordinary soldiers, they were Dravaks! Any one of them could easily take down the Pirans'' elite units! But it was these same Dravaks who even began escaping into the air in fear of these mercenaries, and trying to attack them from a distance. The performance of the Saber-toothed Tigers was also noticed by the Shibuya, who were all Eternity yers. And it was because they were yers too, that they were deeply marked by what they saw. Even when they''re old, they''ll still talk about that majestic scene where one person with his mercenaries literally repelled 2 regiments of Dravaks. The same Dravaks who were a first-ss fighting race in the Delta universe! Back at Maxime, as chaos erupted around him, he faced Oscar, who looked at him solemnly. And his gaze, at that moment, was extremely frightening. Langus''s charred corpsey there. Langus was dead. No matter how talented Viviana was, in the face of Oscar''s fire, Langus hadn''t been able to resist for long. Not even Maxime, who was standing nearby, could react in time to save him. It was the first time he''d seen magic, and he didn''t know how to react, nor did he think he had the means to do anything about it. However, he could always avenge his man. Hisser sword was held firmly in his hands. His translucent white eyes were fixed on Oscar. Maxime''s fingers tightened around the hilt of hisser sword. His eyes, usually calm and measured, were filled with cold, imcable rage. Oscar, draped in an aura of dancing mes, stared at him, his cruel smile revealing pure arrogance. "Are we angry? Don''t worry, you''ll soon be able to join him." His voice, hoarse and sharp, pierced the tumult of the battlefield. Maxime didn''t respond immediately. He breathed in deeply, his gaze never leaving the adversary before him for a second. All around him, Eternity''s mercenaries were repelling the Dravaks with formidable efficiency, but none dared approach their leader at this moment. This confrontation was out of their league. Oscar raised a hand, and a crackling sphere of fire formed in the palm of his hand. "You don''t have magic, do you? At the same time, it''s not surprising on a dimensional battlefield." "A sword is enough to slit your throat," Maxime replied coldly, staring at Oscar. "Pretty arrogant huh..."mented Oscar dismissively, not taking the young man in front of him seriously. Then he made a strange gesture. He pointed at Maxime with his hand like a pistol. Just as a child would imitate a pistol, it was exactly the same. Except here, there was a fireball right in front of his index finger. Seeing this fireball, Maxime felt an intense sense of danger. "This thing is really dangerous," he murmured, ready to dodge, then counterattack at any moment. "Do you think you can dodge it? Try and see," Oscar dered with a yful smile. He really enjoyed pointing his finger at people like that. Then, with an amused smile, he murmured: "boom." The sound from his mouth was light, but the crowd of fire was like a cannonball fired at that moment. Maxime didn''t even have time to react; the fireball arrived directly in front of him, then exploded on his armor. He was thrown backwards dozens of metres. The mist formed by the explosion quickly dispersed. Maxime''s armour waspletely shattered, and he was now shirtless. A few charred pieces of his armor were even embedded in his skin. If he were to repeat the same attack, he would undoubtedly die! For anyone could guess that his body couldn''t be any stronger than that armor!@@novelbin@@ Blood trickled from the corner of his lips, but his imperturbable expression remained unchanged. In his eyes, however, it was possible to catch a glimpse of surprise. He himself had not expected the attack to be so swift and powerful. All the mercenaries keeping an eye on their leader were stunned. Their leader, who had been so arrogant a moment before, had been so easily wounded? Chapter 164 Retreat! On the battlefield, they were afraid of no one! The other mercenaries followed their example, and showed exemry courage!@@novelbin@@ This made Kaelor swear: "Damn, are these humans immortal or what? And above all, why are they so strong?" He himself was blocked by Kaite, Andrew and Laura. Thetter was looking at him with eyes as if he''d killed his whole family, which made him feel strange. The Shibuyas began to take events very seriously! They also summoned their men, whom they kept as a hidden map, and helped block the Dravaks! At the same time, some of them went to Le, who was still unconscious on the ground. When these Shibuya saw her face, they exploded with anger. Indeed, her face had been partially disfigured by the mes! Obviously, during her fight, she had seen Oscar''s shoting, but hadn''t had time to dodge itpletely. It was also for this reason that she was still alive, for if the ultra-fast fireball had hit her facepletely, she''d already be dead! Unfortunately, she was stillpletely unconscious. "Medical unit manager, why isn''t she waking up?" One of the Shibuya with sses, quickly examined Le''s condition. But his face clearly showed that the news was very bad. "That ball of me must have caused a violent brain trauma, so, let alone waking up now, she could remain in a vegetative state for the rest of her life." "What!?" "Our boss is now totally disabled!?" The doctor nodded heavily. "The impact alone wouldn''t have such an effect, but the extreme heat of the fireball has prated our leader''s brain, worsening her condition." At this point, these elite mercenaries, having traversed many battlefields, showed why they could sit at the same table as entire regiments! As the elite Shibuya mercenaries redoubled their efforts to protect their unconscious captain, a strange tension pervaded the battlefield. The Shibuya''s rage, fanned by the sight of their unconscious captain, raised the intensity of the fighting to a new level. Kaelor, locked in an epic duel with Kaite, Andrew and Laura, sensed that things were getting out of hand. Luminous portals continued to open, and elite fighters emerged from them, each equipped with modern weapons and armor unlike the Saber-toothed Tigers ! Suddenly, there were over 1000 humans fighting against the remaining 2000 Dravaks! Of course, there were also many casualties among both the Saber-toothed Tigers and the Shibuya! But this was a battlefield! "Don''t let any Dravak escape! Show them why we''re considered an elite unit!" roared Edgar, one of the 3 leaders of the Shibuya. His appearance, like that of many other Shibuya, was truly frightening. He was literally covered in blood, his armor shattered in many ces. But he was still fighting valiantly against the Dravaks, who always came in numbers. At the same time, Kaelor was unable to turn the tide and could only temporarily turn a blind eye to the traitor and the young human who had long since escaped! He could only hope that the men he had sent would be enough to kill the traitor and finish off the young human! If such a genius went on living, it would be a disaster for all the races in their Delta universe! And he didn''t think he was exaggerating! On yellow-level battlefields, he had seen many human geniuses! And all his suppositions usually proved to be true, which was why, as soon as he detected a human genius, he would do anything to kill them! His superiors might not see the military merit he had achieved, but in his conscience, he knew that thanks to his actions, he was making an impact on higher-level dimensional battlefields! And that satisfied him greatly! Meanwhile, Kaite, Andrew and Laura werebining forces to stop him! Even an elite Dravak like him, who''d roamed the battlefields for many years and reached the position of regimentalmander, was in trouble! Not to mention his soldiers, who had to join forces to hold back even one of the young blond human''s elite mercenaries. However, when he noticed that only about twenty of the mercenaries were truly experienced, he breathed a sigh of relief. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire If all 100 mercenaries were endowed with significantbat experience, it would really be too frightening. "Hold the lines and keep wearing these humans down!" he shouted in Dravak-speak mid-fight. "More regiments areing towards our position soon and then we can kill all these human elites!" "Once we''ve killed these humans, you''ll all be greatly rewarded!" The Dravaks howled with joy in response, and increased the intensity of their attacks! With these orders alone, their fighting power had suddenly increased, putting many a Shibuya to the sword! This was the influence a goodmander could have on the battlefield! However, of the 3 Shibuya leaders, Sophia understood the Dravaknguage. And she just happened to be nearby. "Edgar, Lucien, the Saber-toothed Tigers!" Her voice suddenly attracted the other 2 leaders who were in the middle of a fight, as well as the Saber-toothed Tigers. "We''re no good!" Andrew, though a stranger to this world, understood that their situation could quickly turn dramatic upon hearing this woman''s dramatic tone. "What''s going on?" shouted Andrew as he continued to fight with Kaelor. The other two leaders in the fight were equally curious. Sophia violently slit the throat of her Dravak opponent, then announced the news: "The Dravaks are about to receive help from other regiments!" Everyone''s expressions paled, whether Saber-toothed Tigers or Shibuya. They really could all die here if that was the case! Right now, they were barely managing to bnce the battlefield when they were outnumbered by one of the Delta Universe''s top 10 races! And that was only possible because there were plenty of monsters among the Saber-toothed Tigers and the Shibuya, who disyed fighting power well beyond a yellow-level battlefield. Indeed, the Shibuya also had many geniuses! These geniuses were loath to join the army, preferring instead to join mercenary groups that allowed them greater freedom. But whether it was the Saber-toothed Tiger monsters or the Shibuya geniuses, it was impossible to ask more of them! Andrew''s brain began to race. Since joining the Saber-toothed Tigers, he''d never really been able to exercise his role as deputy chief. Fortunately, although Maxime had never said anything about it, everyone considered him as such. And today was his first day, apart from the attack on Plouta, when the situation was critical and Maxime wasn''t there! So he had to make a decision! A huge weight called "responsibility" fell on his shoulders. He quickly observed his colleagues, especially those from Plouta. Of the 100 mercenaries, only ten or so died during the few minutes of fierce fighting. All were low-potential mercenaries from Plouta. The high-end power was stillpletely intact. Looking around quickly, he spotted a few talents from Plouta. Three in particr. Two of them were called Ivan and Wigor, but the third was unknown. Just, he had a very strange way of fighting, but it worked surprisingly well. "I remember that the chief had already told me about a certain Liam who had the same potential as me, but that he turned out to be a disappointment because he progressed so slowly." "So slowly, in fact, that he was even inferior to some mercenaries who started out with 1-star potential." "Maybe that''s him?" But Andrew didn''t dwell on it, especially as he also had to be careful that Kaite and Laura didn''t get hurt against Kaelor. But no matter how he spun it, he couldn''t see a n that would get them all out of this situation. These Dravaks all had wings! How could they escape from such a race in the midst of hand-to-handbat and outnumbered? But Andrew eventually came up with a n. "Shibuya listen to me!" Many Shibuya took a quick nce at the young man with the red hair. But no one dared to underestimate him despite his young age, for he had been disying formidable power ever since he appeared! They also guessed that this young man must be an important mercenary for the blond-haired young man who had just killed a Dravak with an awakened bloodline! "Our Saber-toothed Tigers will hold the mighty Dravaks here!" "Retreat in the meantime!" Edgar, Lucien and Sophia opened their eyes wide upon hearing this. When in their lives had someone told them to run away while he went to hold back the enemies? It was the Shibuyas! They were usually the ones in charge of this task! "Impossible! We''re an elite unit, no matter how many Dravakse, we''ll kill them all one after the other!" replied Edgar immediately. Shouts of Shibuya mercenaries came from all directions in response to Edgar''s words. "That''s right!" "Nobody here is afraid of death!" "Those birds should be afraid of us!" ... Indeed, an elite unit could maintain excellent morale in any situation. These men were definitely fierce. Many Dravaks were even intimidated, although they didn''t understand what was being said. Just these humans were too scary. Much scarier than the humans they were used to facing! "You idiot!" shouted Andrew when he heard all this. Chapter 165 Strength and honor! "If it weren''t for our Saber-toothed Tigers, you''d all be dead by now!" Andrew''s words didn''t please the Shibuyas, but no one dared reply, each continuing to fight in his corner with ferocity. "What''s your point young red-haired man?" finally replied Edgar after a while, all the while frowning. "We''re currently boosted by our leader''s talent, so we won''t be able to hold out for long against these Dravaks." Andrew announced as he continued to fight against Kaelor with the help of Kaite and Laura. The words were like a grenade in the minds of the Shibuyas. They finally understood why these mercenaries were so strong. It was because they were under the influence of a talent! They themselves had simr talents, but they''d just never seen one so strong! And yet, there were many geniuses in the Shibuya family too! So no one had suspected until now. "At most we''ll be able to hold out for another 15 minutes, after which we''ll barely have the level of apprentice knights, except for one of our members." "So we''re already doomed!" "So all we can do is block the powerful Dravaks while you escape!" "Ordinary Dravak soldiers are no threat to you!" "I''m sure if my boss were here, he''d agree with me too!" But the Shibuya were still hesitant and continued to fight. Because they had too much pride to run away! Noticing this hesitation, Terry reacted immediately. As one of the first mercenaries, his words were always well respected! And having fought many times, his aura was enough tomand the respect of Plouta''s mercenaries! "Saber-toothed tigers, are you afraid of death!?" eximed Terry in a powerful voice, covering much of the battlefield. "We''re not afraid of death!" immediately replied Lira, who was fighting alongside him. The other mercenaries who had been apanying Maxime for some time also began to shout: "We''re not afraid of death!" "We are not afraid of death!" "We are not afraid of death!" ... The voices of Charles, Ultia, Henry, Laura, Ernest, Garen, Romuald, Jean, Rodrigo, Tena and all the others echoed. Even Plouta''s mercenaries felt their blood boil, so they shouted too. "We are not afraid of death! "We are not afraid of death!" "We are not afraid of death!" ... Whether it was the Dravaks or the Shibuyas, everyone was impressed by the momentum of these mercenaries. The Dravaks were even beginning to be intimidated to some extent by these poor humans with no equipment but an even stronger physique than their own! Whereas the Shibuya were really starting to respect these mercenaries from Eternity. What was an elite unit? This was an elite unit! Indomitable, fearless, fierce! And Andrew wanted to continue building that momentum. "I ask you, what is our slogan Saber-toothed Tigers!?" "Strength and honor!" "Strength and honor!" "Strength and honor!" ... The elite mercenaries responded immediately, while the Plouta mercenaries naturally followed suit. As expected, everyone''s morale improved instantly. "Saber-toothed tigers, I''m going to give you an order!" Whether Maxime''s men or the Shibuyas, everyone listened attentively to the strong voice of the red-haired young man. His momentum was bing increasingly impressive. "Die and don''t take a single step back! Die to defend the humans of this battlefield! Die for the honor of our mercenary group!" Immediately, all the Saber-toothed Tigers began to look red-eyed, almost ferocious. Since they were going to die, then they would die proving their strength and bringing honor to their mercenary group! "Strength and honor!" "Strength and honor!" "Strength and honor!" ... "Now, Shibuya, I''m going to give you an order!" continued Andrew immediately. Whether it was Edgar, Lucien or Sophia, no one dared say anything. The man''s aura was now far too strong. "Retreat immediately!" "Even the men summoned by the Shibuya!" "Here, only the corpses of our Saber-toothed Tigers and those cursed Dravaks will remain!" Andrew''s voice reached the ears of all the Shibuya, but of course they didn''t obey directly. They still had leaders above them. But Edgar no longer hesitated. This young man had tried so hard, there was no turning back.@@novelbin@@ His eyes also turned red. Obey this brave young man''s orders!" he shouted in a voice no less loud than Andrew''s. "We''re retreating! "We''re retreating!" "Retreat Shibuya!" repeated Lucien and Sophia after Edgar. Without further ado, everyone began to flee, while those who still had their assault rifles continued to fire from a distance. The pressure immediately increased on the Saber-toothed Tigers. "Saber-toothed tigers, gather round!" shouted Andrew, with a clear n in mind. Immediately, everyone gathered to the side of the battlefield where all the Shibuya were beginning to retreat. For if they escaped in all directions, the Saber-toothed Tigers wouldn''t know which way to turn, and that would make their sacrifice pointless. They came together very easily. Their speeds were so fast, it was really easy for any of them to disengage. Even Kaite, Laura and Andrew easily withdrew from the fight against Kaelor. The 90 mercenaries now faced the remaining 2,000-plus Dravaks. Their silhouettes seemed at once tiny in the face of this gigantic army, but the determination of each and every one of them was so great that, in terms of momentum, they were not inferior! Each Saber-toothed Tiger was truly frightening to behold! An ordinary human would immediately pee his pants if he came across one in the street! But here 90 of them were gathered, ready to face death! Who was afraid of whom? Looking into the distance, it was even possible to see a flying ck mass arriving. It was the Dravaks reinforcements! As a sign of respect, but also because of a certain fear, the Dravaks didn''t dare pursue the Shibuya for a while! For the first to make a move would undoubtedly be torn apart by these ferocious mercenaries in an instant! If any powerful people in the universe heard the news, they surely wouldn''t believe it. They''d evenugh. 90 humans, most of them very young,pletely blockaded an army of 2,000 Dravaks? What a joke! These same Dravaks could take on 10 soldiers of a top 100 species with ease! Even against 100 soldiers, they still wouldn''t be afraid! Their wings and powerful physique,parable to that of an apprentice knight, weren''t there to make them look pretty! And now they were afraid of 90 humans when there were 2,000 of them? It really was a farce from the point of view of these powerful men. Of course, if they knew that the God Nox and the Goddess Viviana were linked to these mercenaries, the nature of the affair would changepletely. But unless Maxime dropped the word, no one could know that. Andrew stepped in front of the 90 mercenaries, and raised his right fist in the air, temporarily leaving his sword in his left hand. "Trust us and run without looking back!" he shouted with unwavering conviction. He was a young man, and hot-blooded! It was for scenes like this that he thought life was really worth living! He, like most Saber-toothed Tigers, was originally a simple viger! And here they were going to prove that even vigers with weak physique and potential could be warriors feared by every race in the universe! Their leader''s talent allowed them to do just that! Little did Maximus, still unconscious and in Dravus'' arms, know at the time that his mercenary group, which would in future be feared in all universes, would experience its first feat of arms in this way! The other Saber-toothed Tigers did likewise, and raised their right fists in the air. "Trust us and run without looking back!" "Trust us and run without looking back!" "Trust us and run without looking back!" ... The Saber-toothed Tiger''s voice naturally reached the ears of the Shibuya. Some couldn''t help but look back. And what they saw was more than staggering. They saw less than a hundred men raising their right fists in the air. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire They all had their backs straight, and looked extremely fearless. Opposite them, more than 2,000 Dravaks who dared not advance. ----------------------------------------------------------------- This paragraph is not part of the story: I''ve been fooled by the webnovel system, I have over 1600 words in French, but only 1300 in English that are counted by the tform. And I don''t have time to add anything interesting to the chapter. So I can onlypensate in this way. I think it''s because of the repetition, and in truth it''s normal so I''ll be careful about it in the future. In any case, I''d like to take this opportunity to thank those who have been supporting me every day for quite some time, whether through golden tickets or power stones! Many thanks to Chill27 and Prezii (23 golden tickets today, wtf? haha)! If you like the story, don''t hesitate to leave a review, it''s a real pleasure for me and reassures people who might hesitate to buy chapters or use their fast pass :) For those of you who find that you''d like me to write faster, you can take a look at my second story, which I update every day : Adam''s simtor (Currently free with 37 chapters) As in all my stories, there are of course epic fight scenes, scenes with strong emotions and moments when we just quietly enjoy the protagonist''s calm life and chill with him. Have a good day/night all :) Kasuma. Chapter 167 Zarthan "Is he still alive?" asked Andrew without looking at Ivan and Rodrigo. In thest few minutes, he had already seen too many mercenaries die. So he couldn''t invest too much attention in those who had been seriously wounded, because in the meantime, he might be able to save other mercenaries. What worried him more was that the perimeter of their formation was getting smaller and smaller as time went on! "It looks..." Rodrigo replied doubtfully. Ivan''s heart still seemed to be beating! But his condition was really not good, blood was pouring from his wound and even some organs could be seen through the gaping wound on his torso. His eyes looked up to the sky, as if he were contemting it. "It''s okay, leave it at the training center. Maybe [The Awakening of Life] can still cure him." Rodrigo nodded slightly, then set his eyes on the Dravak who was visibly standing in front of the mercenaries outside the perimeter. "Can you take care of it?" asked Andrew. "I can." replied Rodrigo with a confident look. Andrew smiled. Maybe Rodrigo wasn''t a mercenary with a powerful physique, but his talent was truly monstrous inbat! And with time, he''d learned to use it better and better! Especially when sparring with Kaite and Langus from time to time. Of course, he was no match at all, but thanks to the sparrings, his fighting power was at the level of an apprentice in the peak stage, whereas he himself was only in the entry stage! So, with Maxime''s [NOX LIMIT] talent on a dimensional battlefield, he was definitely one of the mercenaries with the highestbat power! Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire One moment Rodrigo''s silhouette was at the center of the formation, and the next he was already in front of the Dravak who had seriously wounded Ivan and Wigor! His axe mmed into the Dravak with phenomenal speed. "Die." The Dravak opened his eyes wide. "This human is definitely much stronger than the weak ones outside the circle!" He quickly blocked Rodrigo''s axe, but the impact forced him back many meters. Meanwhile, Rodrigo ignored him and caused carnage among the Dravaks nearby, relieving some of the pressure in that part of the formation. "Thank you, Senior" one of Plouta''s recruits thanked Rodrigo in a loud voice. Thetter nodded slightly in response, and stood firmly in formation with many mercenaries nearby. All around them, things suddenly became quiet. And Rodrigo''s momentum reached its peak, so that the Dravaks nearby no longer dared to approach. The Dravak who had been pushed back, shouted in rage and humiliation: "You scum! Don''t back down and keep attacking!" He led the charge himself, and after a moment''s hesitation was followed by over a hundred Dravaks! The fight went on! And from Ivan''s mortal wound to Rodrigo''s riposte, everything took less than 5 seconds to unfold! As for Liam and Kaelor, they looked at each other face to face without moving. A gaping wound could now be seen on Kaelor''s left cheek. Violet blood was trickling from the wound. Liam''s left arm was missing, but his expression remained calm. He had simply cut off a piece of his silk pants, thenpressed what was left of his left arm with his right arm and teeth. Kaelor didn''t move during this time. Or rather, he didn''t dare move. Because he would have died had he reacted more slowly a few seconds earlier! His opponent''s sword had pierced his own, and then, taking advantage of his moment of stupefaction, the white-haired young man had rushed at him and inflicted that wound! He tried to fend him off by aiming for his left arm, but who would have thought that this young man wouldn''t give a damn about the loss of his left arm, and just keep going! Luckily, he had reacted quickly enough and managed to move his head back slightly, otherwise he''d really be dead! "I was so close..." murmured Liam, slightly disappointed. "My physique was still too weakpared to the others..." But at the same time, he was pleased with the results of the first application of his talent tobat. This talent gave him the edge to take on people stronger than him!@@novelbin@@ And since he knew he was weak and would probably die in this battle, he was going to give it his all, and at the same time try to get noticed by the elite of the mercenary group! Because he was tired of being humiliated, rejected and ostracized by the other mercenaries! He too aspired to strength and honor! And he trained hard every day to achieve his goals! Suddenly, he felt a presence beside him. "vice-chief." he said with slight surprise, looking at the red-haired young man to his right. "Yeah, good job."mented Andrew with satisfaction. A wide grin appeared on Andrew''s face as he saw that arrogant Dravak finally hurt. Liam simply nodded, but inside he was happy. One of his goals had been achieved! "Can you still fight?" asked Andrew in a deep tone while looking at Kaelor. "Of course." With one ord, Liam and Andrew rushed towards Kaelor! Andrew was at the front while Liam followed with difficulty due to his weak physique. "Kaelor!" Andrew suddenly shouted in fury. In response, Kaelor roared in Dravak! The sh between the two was titanic. Their weapons crossed, emitting a metallic sound that echoed across the battlefield. Of course, Andrew was pushed back, but behind him was Liam! Liam sprinted towards Kaelor, who was still unsteady from the shock of Andrew! Kaelor didn''t dare confront Liam head-on, and was content to use the reach of his sword and his speed to distance himself from him! At the same time, he issued orders: "First and third squads,e here quickly and kill the white-haired young man!" These two squads of 100 Dravaks each, who had been on stand-by until now, reacted immediately and rushed towards Liam. Seeing the movement, Andrew also began to issue orders. "Charles, Laura, Henry, Ultia, Kaite, I''ll leave it to you to deal with the 200 Dravaks charging at us!" "Protect the white-haired boy at all costs! Between us, we can hold off Kaelor!" Hearing these orders, none of them was surprised, for they had all seen the scene. Charles, in particr, watched Liam intently. But he said nothing, and simply thought: "When I''ve drawn up a contract with a dragon, I''ll be much stronger than he is." Ever since he''d be aware of his own talent and potential, Charles had set himself some veryplicated goals. But he was the same type as Liam, and would do anything to achieve his goals. ... Far, far away from here now, Dravus was still carrying Maxime, thetter still unconscious but grimacing in pain. But after running on the ground for a while, he had to take off in search of a water source! Because if he didn''t, he knew his new boss wouldn''t survive. And if he didn''t survive, he too would die ording to the contract. After only thirty seconds of flight, he spotted a blue color below. "A water source atst," Dravus murmured happily. It was like seeing an oasis in a desert for him! The mes enveloping Maxime had already been torturing him for ten minutes, and he couldn''t take it anymore! Especially since flying consumed so much energy! So, without hesitation, he dived towards the pond! The mes enveloping Maxime seemed alive, licking at his body with an almost malevolent intensity. But Dravus had no intention of slowing down. With a powerful final wing strike, he crashed into the water, causing a wave to rise high into the sky before falling back as rain. The cool water crashed down on them, submerging Maxime and extinguishing the mes with a shrill hiss. Dravus raised his head, panting as he held Maxime''s body to the surface. But it wasn''t enough topletely soothe the burns. But it didn''t matter: Maxime was still breathing. Then he took him to the bank of the pond andid him down on the grass in the shade of a tree. "Hang in there, kid." Dravus murmured, inspecting his condition. Although the mes had disappeared, the wounds left behind were terrifying. Much of his body waspletely charred, in a mixture of ck and purple. It was truly frightening to see. Part of her face had also been affected, while miraculously none of her blond hair was burnt. Suddenly, noise emanated from the surrounding woods. Dravus felt his muscles tense. He turned his head just in time to see a massive figure emerge from the shadows. An even taller Dravak with ck scales was slowly approaching. Only a few meters separated them. "Looks like you''re in a tough spot, Dravus." the Dravak mocked with a smile. It was Zarthan, a former rival of Dravus with whom he shared amon history. Zarthan was a member of a different tribe from Dravus, and in the Dravak world, tribal wars are a regr urrence! Otherwise, without lethal training, how could the Dravaks send powerful soldiers to the battlefield on a continuous basis? Of course, these wars were reserved for Dravaks under the age of 20. Knowing that they were like humans and became adults at the age of 18 to 20, depending on the tribe. Otherwise, these wars would also kill off the tribes'' strong, experienced warriors, which would be a loss. In any case, these wars were not without their advantages. They were a way of gaining resources, territory, status and even ves! And Zarthan was Dravus'' greatest rival on these battlefields. Except that Dravus lost 9 times out of 10! And the only time he won, it was because another young genius from his tribe had helped him! "What are you doing here, Zarthan!" retorted Dravus as he stood in front of Maxime''s body. Zarthan burst outughing.