《Mercenary System: I can increase innate potential !》


 Chapter 1 Entry into Eternity

    "The day has finally come."Maxime looked thoughtfully at his brand-new watch in his hands. This watch was going to give him the chance to change his destiny. For this opportunity, he had invested all his savings while working as a part-time bartender during his studies.


    He attached it delicately to his right wrist.


    [Ding!]


    A small alarm sounded as he finished fastening it.


    [Downloading user profile... ]


    Maxime felt a small needle pierce his skin, but it caused him little pain.


    [User profile download complete...]


    [Congratulations to user Maxime Valdreuve on the acquisition of the iron watch X-30 303 030 303]


    [Would user Maxime Valdreuve like to go to the "Eternity" world?]


    "Yes!" replied Maxime excitedly.


    In response to his answer, his body went into a vegetative state, while his mind was projected into a mysterious place at high speed.


    When Maxime opened his eyes again, he found himself in the middle of a completely empty square. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was dressed in simple cloth garments, with a small sword strapped to his waist.


    Surrounding him were various ancient-looking dwellings, all seemingly made of wood.


    "Let''s see, statistics page, display yourself," Maxime thought impatiently.


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class: Peasant level 1 (+3% to physique)


    Unlock new class: 0/10


    Physique: 1.15 (+0.0345)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (32/100)


    Franc language level 2 (21/100)


    Talent :


    NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/100 000)


    Money available: 10 gold coins.


    "Rank unknown? How can this be?" wondered Maxime.


    "Show details of the NOX LIMIT talent" ordered Maxime.


    [NOX LIMIT: Increases the effectiveness of any training by 500% of all those belonging to the mercenary group member. Increases the talent of all members by one rank. Shouting NOX LIMIT can increase the performance of all mercenaries belonging to the host''s group by 50% within a radius of 20 meters for 30 seconds.


    Recharge time: one week].


    "Incredible," Maxime reacted, his eyes wide.


    Normally, talents are listed in ascending order: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and finally Diamond.


    "Each of these characteristics is equivalent to a Diamond-ranked talent!"


    While Maxime was still immersed in his stupor, a shout filled with rage was heard.


    "Bunch of unscrupulous thieves, get the hell out of this village before this old man rides your asses!


    Immediately Maxime raced towards the source of the shout.


    "Hahaha old man if you don''t want your little village to become a river of blood, just give us 100 gold coins and we''ll simply go back where we came from!"


    Maxime arrived just in time to see an old man accompanied by a hundred furious-looking villagers carrying a variety of weapons, from pitchforks to cooking pots and knives.


    Opposite them were some thirty bandits equipped with long swords. They didn''t seem to mind the number of villagers; instead, they looked ready to do battle.


    Their leader was seated on a horse, overlooking the crowd of villagers.


    "Grandpa, give them the money, we have no choice or they''ll slaughter us all. As long as we wait for the Kui City army or a powerful mercenary group to arrive, then we can return to our normal lives and everyone will still be alive," said a rather thin and short young man.


    The old man sighed slightly before suddenly straightening up.


    "The problem is, we don''t have that kind of money! So we''ll either starve to death, or die killing those damn thieves. This old man was an elite soldier in the past, so the choice is quickly decided!"


    "Go to Hell, maybe Lucifer has 100 gold coins to give to little shits like you!" shouted the old man as he ran towards the bandit leader, laughing all the while.


    These words seemed to ignite the fighting spirit of all the villagers as they charged towards the robbers.


    The thieves suddenly panicked at seeing so many villagers charging towards them. After all, they were thieves, not soldiers. They liked to fight when they had an absolute advantage, but in this kind of life-threatening situation, they just wanted to run away.


    "I''ll kill anyone who deserts me myself!" roared the bandit leader from his horse when he had already retreated from the battlefield.


    The thieves could only strengthen their resolve and collide with the enraged villagers.


    Maxime was briefly surprised by such a violent start to the game, but he knew it was an opportunity to grow stronger, so he also charged with the villagers, drawing his small sword.


    Running with them, his breathing quickened and adrenalin coursed through his entire body.


    Seconds later, the first exchanges were heard, starting with the old man who was surprisingly quick.


    His pitchfork directly skewered a thief, taking his life in just one blow.


    "Hahaha, you damned thief, admire this grandfather''s skills!"


    His fork seemed free of all restraint as he performed moves worthy of a martial arts film.


    Unfortunately for the other villagers, the result was quite different.


    In just a few seconds, a dozen intrepid villagers traded their lives for the chance to seriously wound 3 thieves.


    Indeed, there was a skills gap between those who put their lives on the line every day to survive, and those who occupied a craft, urban or agricultural profession.


    Just then, a young man with blond hair passed through the crowd.


    With a step to the side, he avoided his adversary''s sword by a few centimetres, then pierced his chest.


    Maxime''s action lifted the spirits of all the villagers, including 2 other young men who rushed to the other two seriously wounded thieves.


    Unfortunately for them, they were blocked by other thieves.


    But as the thieves accumulated wounds, the villagers became more cautious in their fighting, and began to grasp the rhythm of the battlefield.


    This further increased the pressure on the thieves.


    The old man and Maxime were all over the battlefield as they reaped the lives of thief after thief.


    "Retreat!" ordered the thieves'' leader as the situation turned dramatic.


    This was followed by cheers from the villagers, who did not pursue the remaining thieves.


    Unfortunately, the cheers were short-lived, as the old man and the young man with the blond hair showed no enthusiasm.


    "Gather up the bodies of our friends and these scoundrels, and we''ll burn them tonight at dusk to prevent disease spreading through the village," ordered the old man sharply.


    In response, the villagers finally looked down at the lifeless bodies of their former acquaintances and even their families.


    The joy of having survived and the confusion of the battlefield made them forget the sacrifice they had to make to repel the thieves.


    As some collapsed to the ground in tears and others began to gather up the bodies, the old man turned to Maxime.


    "It seemed so real, it seems as the rumors say, it''s not just a game, it''s a real living world at this stage. At least I''m glad my physical and sword training have finally yielded results," Maxime thought with a slight smile.


    "Are you all right, young man?" the old man asked worriedly.


    This woke Maxime from his stupor.


    "Haha yes everything''s fine!" he replied, despite his heavy breathing and trembling legs and arms.


    "First battlefield, it seems," smiled the old man.


    "Yes, it was my first time," replied Maxime, a little embarrassed.


    "It was an impressive performance for a beginner, it looks like you could make an excellent soldier or mercenary in the future."


    "Coming to that fact, I''d like to be able to organize my own mercenary group, and therefore recruit a few youngsters from this village." asked Maxime in a tone neither arrogant nor submissive.


    The old man looked seriously at Maxime for a few seconds, thinking.


    After a few seconds, he replied:


    "So be it, but this will be your reward for helping us. Here, human resources are the most precious thing."


    Maxime smiled solemnly and nodded.


    The old man thought a little longer before handing Maxime a small linen bag.


    Guessing the contents, Maxime suddenly became slightly excited.


    Seeing the young man''s expression, the old man smiled slightly and said:


    "This is 10 gold coins, which should help you out quite a bit. I hope that in return, in the future, you''ll rid us of these bandits who threaten the tranquillity of our little village."


    Maxime contained his excitement, as he solemnly took the small linen bag then declared:


    "I promise on my soul that I will eradicate all thieves in the vicinity of this village."


    The old man smiled gently in reply.


    In this world, 100 bronze coins are worth 1 silver coin, and 100 silver coins are worth 1 gold coin.


    As the income of an ordinary adult was 12 to 15 silver coins, 10 gold coins seemed an enormous fortune.


    However, for a group of mercenaries it was the bare minimum in terms of capital, as the salary of a single mercenary started at a minimum of one gold coin.


    It was partly for this reason that the game offered 10 gold coins as basic capital.


    But Maxime was excited for another reason.


    "I can afford to open a new class!"

 Chapter 2 Sad reality

    "I can afford to open a new class!""Open the statistics page!"


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class: Peasant level 1 (+3% physical


    physique) (0/10)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/10


    Physique: 1.15 (+0.0345)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (32/100)


    Franc language level 2


    (21/100)


    Talent : NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank


    rank) (0/1000)


    Money available: 20 gold coins.


    "Unlocked a new class!"


    Maxime exclaimed mentally.


    [Are you sure you want to spend 10 gold coins to unlock a new class?]


    "Yes!"


    Ding!


    [Depending on your skills, talents, physique and qi, you can choose from these classes: Swordsman, Commander].


    "How fortunate to have the Commander class appear right from the start, it''s probably due to my talent."


    "It''s a class that doesn''t bring anything to the physical, but it does bring passive traits that increase the morale and combat power of the mercenary group."


    "But this is a world where only the strong are respected, plus I have to increase my survivability or I''ll lose 3 years of life expectancy if I die in this world, plus I''ll have to rebuild everything."


    "System, I


    choose the swordsman class!"


    Ding!


    [Swordsman class added to stats page!]


    [+0.2 points added to physique!]


    [10 skill points added in sword mastery!]


    [Passive trait added: +5% physique when wielding a sword!]


    [Passive trait added: +10% efficiency in sword training].


    Simultaneously, a current of warmth ran through his body, while a wave of fresh air passed through his mind.


    These lasted only a few seconds, and then disappeared.


    But Maxime knew he had become much stronger than before.


    "Andrew, Alessandro, Joe, Ronny...Come over here!"


    Several seconds later, 8 young men of all shapes and sizes arrived beside Maxime and the old man.


    "This young man wishes to form his own mercenary group, 4 of you will have the opportunity to join him."


    The eyes of all the young men suddenly brightened as shivers ran through their bodies.


    Throughout their youth, they had been lulled by the stories of famous mercenary groups. Their greatest dream was to become renowned mercenaries and enjoy a thrilling life.


    Indeed, in this world as in reality, mercenaries had an extremely lucrative career, but the risks were also much higher than those of ordinary soldiers.


    Unlike soldiers, who would only go to the battlefield a few times in their lives, mercenaries went out into the field at least once a month.


    This also meant that mercenaries were far more powerful and elitist than regular army soldiers.


    And this was reflected in the legends handed down in these small villages.


    However, they were generally far less equipped in Eternity, as maintenance was far too expensive, logistics were costly and the group''s speed of movement was affected by the heavy armor.


    So one-on-one, the mercenaries didn''t have much of an advantage. Where the mercenaries had the upper hand was in their flexibility and ability to react in any situation.


    "Hello everyone, my name is Maxime. If you''d like to join my mercenary group, you can, only the first month will be a trial period. At the end of it, if you can''t meet my requirements then I''ll kick you out myself."


    Seeing the anticipation in the young villagers'' eyes, Maxime nodded with satisfaction.


    "Meet me tomorrow at sunrise outside the village gate. Oh, and bring some wood chopping supplies and sturdy ropes too."


    Most nodded in response, but one stepped forward and looked intensely at Maxime with a trace of hostility.


    The latter had hair as red as fire, and a physique already worthy of a mercenary.


    "Do you have a question?" asked Maxime with a smile, pretending to ignore the other party''s provocation.


    "I''ve also always wanted to start my own mercenary group, unfortunately I''ve never had the money for it."


    "So what?"


    "At the end of this training, and if I''m able to defeat you in a duel, would you let me take the place of leader as is customary?"


    "Of course," replied Maxime with an even more intense smile. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My name is Andrew.


    "Pleased to meet you Andrew, my name''s Maxime, but you''ll call me chief until the training''s over."


    "I wouldn''t call you by that name for long, Chief," Andrew said defiantly, extending his handshake to Maxime.


    "I look forward to the day then Andrew." replied Maxime still smiling as he took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze.


    The two looked at each other intensely for a few seconds as if they were going to fight in the next second, making the other 7 apprentices break out into a cold sweat.


    But finally they parted as if nothing had happened.


    Andrew quickly left, followed by the other 7 apprentices as they helped the other villagers carry away the corpses and clean up the village entrance.


    "I really did the right thing by taking the swordsmanship class, otherwise I really could have lost this duel of physical strength, not to mention the one to come," Maxime thought silently.


    Indeed, their first confrontation had begun as soon as they shook hands, and Maxime had a slight advantage for the moment.


    "Ohohoh, how exciting youth is!" exclaimed the old man still standing there.


    Maxime shook his head wryly and set off to help the other villagers too. He had no choice, after all, there was no hotel here, so he could only curry favor with the villagers, and hope to sleep in one of their homes tonight.


    Time passed quickly, and the sun gave way to the moon.


    In the center of the village, all the corpses were gathered into a single pile.


    All around were the villagers, men, women and children. Most had a torch in hand, lighting up scowling faces.


    The mood was at its lowest, as Maxime stood among them.


    "The situation is catastrophic. Of the 103 men who took part in the battle, 32 were killed instantly, 21 were seriously wounded. Life and death are still unknown," Maxime thought, frowning.


    "Obviously what led to this result was the difference in mentality between the thieves and the villagers, but mostly thanks to the thieves'' teamwork as well as the overwhelming difference in equipment. What were these people even thinking with just a saucepan in their hand?" sighed Maxime discreetly.


    But no one imagined that it would really end in a bloodbath - after all, the thieves had been coming for years to claim their "protection tax".


    Soon the old man arrived at the corpses with a torch in his hand.


    He wasn''t a priest or a good mayor, he was simply a retired soldier.


    So he said nothing, just let his torch ignite the first corpse.


    Soon an hour passed, and the whole small mountain was ablaze.


    In his boredom, Maxime watched everyone''s expressions.


    To his surprise, he could see Andrew with his fists clenched but his head still upright. Other of his future mercenary apprentices also had their fists clenched, others had their heads bowed, while little drops of water could be seen from time to time falling to the ground, others had their heads straight with eyes filled with hatred.


    The latter raised Maxime''s eyebrows. As much as these hate-filled people didn''t lack courage and motivation, they were uncontrollable factors.


    According to his own research, these were things to be extremely careful about.


    He could have known exactly how to deal with them if he''d had extra lessons on Eternity from experts, but unfortunately he didn''t have the money to take these courses, which were outside the school curriculum.


    Another hour passed quickly, and with the corpses almost completely cremated, the square was gradually deserted, causing Maxime to panic slightly.


    He wanted to approach some villagers to ask them to put him up temporarily, but the gloomy atmosphere blocked him mentally.


    But his savior soon arrived.


    "Maxime, is it? Don''t you have anywhere to sleep?" the old man asked kindly.


    "Well, that''s the current situation," Maxime replied, slightly embarrassed.


    "Don''t worry about it, this old man''s house has been stained by loneliness for far too long, a little human warmth won''t do him any harm" declared the old man with a little chagrin.


    "I''ll depend on you then," Maxime thanked with a smile.

 Chapter 3 Respect

    "I''ll depend on you then," Maxime thanked with a smile.After a good night''s sleep, Maxime went to the river not far from the village to wash up, then went straight to the village entrance.


    In this world, food was far too precious for anyone to enjoy the luxury of 3 meals a day.


    A small wooden gate less than 2 meters high and 4 meters wide formed the entrance to the village.


    Surrounding it were a series of interconnected wooden posts. The bare minimum to ensure the safety of this poor village.


    Had the defense been slightly improved, and had the villagers had a few bows or crossbows at their disposal, the thieves of the previous day would never have dared to be so arrogant.


    The wooden door was wide open, as 8 young men carrying various tools chatted amongst themselves.


    The sound of Maxime''s footsteps caught their attention, so they focused their gaze on him.


    Through their postures and eyes, Maxime could see a certain degree of impatience, excitement, stress or even...provocation.


    A few seconds later, Maxime reached them.


    "I see you''re in good form. I''d like to welcome you to my mercenary group, ''Les Tigres �� dents de sabres''", Maxime announced calmly.


    His only response was a simple nod. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, he didn''t particularly mind, as discipline would be taught in due course.


    Ding!


    This little sound made Maxime smile. This was what he''d been waiting for.


    [Detected that 8 members have joined the host''s mercenary group].


    [Among them are 7 mercenaries with one-star innate potential and one 2-star mercenary].


    Host''s Talent activated] [All new mercenaries are given a new look.


    [All new mercenaries have their potential increased by one star].


    "Haha, it really worked!" exclaimed Maxime mentally, ecstatic.


    Even he knew from his limited information just how important potential was.


    In Eternity, every individual had mercenary potential, without exception. They ranged from one star to 5 stars. 2-star mercenaries were the elite of the elite, while 3-star mercenaries were as rare as phoenix feathers.


    So rare, in fact, that there were less than a hundred of them in the entire Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, Maxime''s current home, whose population numbered in the tens of millions.


    This potential limited the physical to a certain threshold, a threshold almost impossible to cross without various unique methods.


    For example, 1-star mercenaries could only achieve level 2 swordplay and a physique of 1.5 in their lifetime. A physique of 0.8 corresponds to the average physique of an ordinary adult man who has never trained.


    Obviously, there were exceptions to everything, but this represented the vast majority of the population of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    However, 2-star mercenaries could reach level 3 in sword skills, and had a maximum physical limit set at around 2.


    The difference wasn''t all that great, but it was enough to ensure that individuals with 1-star potential could only admire the prowess of those with 2-star potential from afar.


    Of course, there were legends of mercenaries with 1-star potential who had defied the sky''s the limit, mastering countless skills at levels 1 and 2, and crossing their physical limits countless times by risking their lives. Allowing them to achieve a fighting ability close to that of a mercenary with 3-star potential at their peak.


    In any case, they remained legends, and therefore virtually impossible, hence the importance of having good potential.


    And Maxime''s talent made it possible not only to increase potential, but also to increase training speed by 6 times.


    It deserved to be a talent that couldn''t be ranked.


    "It''s even more surprising that this talent can be improved, but that requires 100,000 gold coins..."


    "I also need to improve and maintain my mercenary group. The day I raise that kind of money will be the year of the monkey..."


    Indeed, players were not subject to Eternity''s innate potential, yet to improve, they had to spend huge sums of money.


    Just as Maxime had had to do, spending 10 gold coins - the income of around 3-4 years of hard work by an ordinary family - just to unlock a new class.


    "In the meantime, I''ll be able to rely on them to build up the reputation of my mercenary group," Maxime thought, carefully observing the different expressions of his new colleagues.


    After all, they''re just colleagues. Although there is a leader, mercenaries are free to leave the group whenever they wish. Individuals come together and form what are known as mercenary groups, simply because their interests and objectives point in the same direction.


    On the other hand, Andrew was deep in thought:


    "What is this, why do I feel as if everything around me suddenly becomes more alive, more beautiful? It''s as if my being has transcended into a higher form of life", he asked himself with excitement and curiosity, looking around him.


    "Could it be because of this man?" he thought, fixing his gaze on the blond-haired young man in front of him.


    "I''d ask you to pay a little attention, my new young mercenaries," Maxime declared softly.


    But seeing 5 of the 8 mercenaries still concentrating on acquiring their new power, he finally decided to use the big guns.


    With a quick step, he rushed towards the nearest of the 5 mercenaries, still unfocused, then grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up with one hand.


    A heavy silence followed.


    "I''m a rather tolerant person, naturally, but it''s a different matter when it comes to the mercenaries of the Saber-toothed Tigers," Maxime declared in a cold tone as he tightened his grip, causing the new mercenary to choke.


    They all suddenly remembered that this blond-haired young man had decapitated several thieves in a row without hesitation the day before, while for their part, the mere scene had been enough to make them want to pull out all their guts.


    "From now on you''re already new members of the group, albeit temporary, and so you''ll have to abide by a few rules common to all mercenary groups. The first being respect for the leader of the group, i.e. me."


    Seeing that the man he was holding by the throat was beginning to turn his eyes skyward, Maxime decided to release him.


    The young man collapsed as he gasped for fresh air, his eyes looking down to hide his immeasurable fear.


    Seeing the result, even Andrew took a small breath to ease his tension at the scene.


    "What you experienced just before is called the baptism of the saber-toothed tiger. It enabled you to increase your innate potential by one star, as well as increasing your speed of progression by six times."


    "But keep in mind that, what I''ve given you, I can take back at any time," Maxime threatened sharply.


    "I knew that there were mercenary group leaders with extraordinary talent, allowing, for example, to increase the combat power of all their members, but that only goes from 3 to 5% normally. Maybe 20% maximum for the most monstrous of them. But this guy''s talent is just in another dimension..." mentally analyzed Andrew as a wave of excitement washed over him.


    "This is the best time to prove himself and make sure he gets a good place in the future in the mercenary group. For surely, this guy will become a heavyweight in the kingdom...No even in the world!"


    This was the collective thought of all the new mercenaries.


    "Now let''s waste no time and start training," said Maxime with a smile, and another change of face and intonation.


    But the reaction of the new members was quite different:


    "Oui chef!" replied the new members of the mercenary group in unison, with the exception of one, as he was still suffocating on the ground. However, he gave a thumbs-up to show his agreement, which made Maxime laugh slightly.

 Chapter 4 End of training

    One month later.Maxime was not far from the village, 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 villagers to increase the intensity of training, as well as to create a real bond of camaraderie.


    "Congratulations 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 particularly 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 very common.


    What''s more, there was another factor that motivated them to give their all. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But the village 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 village."


    "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 muscular 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 ironclad 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, according to his standards but also based on our own personal affinities and your potential, I''ve decided to keep by my side..."


    "Andrew."


    The flamboyant-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 village 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."


    The latter 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 ironclad 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 village. We''ll spend one last night there, then head for the nearest town."


    "Yes, sir!"


    An hour later, the small team made their way back to the village. But the silence seemed extremely heavy.


    The faces of the 4 mercenaries who hadn''t passed the selections seemed to be totally decomposed.


    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, successful 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 village.


    "Hmm?" A small noise escaped Maxime''s mouth as he saw that over the village a black 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 village.


    10 minutes later, Maxime reached the village first, but what he saw made his eyes widen and he didn''t dare take another step forward.


    A few seconds later, Andrew arrived as well.


    Seeing Maxime''s back totally motionless, an invisible arrow shot through his heart, but he pressed on.


    What lay before him was worse than anything he could have imagined.


    The wooden houses had all collapsed one on top of the other, with only the largest still burning slightly.


    Corpses filled the village 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 village.


    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.


    "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 planned."


    "Chief, it''s too dangerous to go straight back to the training camp. It''s possible that the villagers 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 his composure.


    "You dare to say that our families could have betrayed us?" exclaimed James angrily as he lifted Terry by the collar.


    "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 training comrades. 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 had committed a totally taboo act in a mercenary group.


    "In this village, 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 relationship not forged by the blood of your adversaries is as fragile as a house of cards."


    "Remember that, James. This will be my first and last 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 voice lacked vigor.

 Chapter 5 First outing

    Time passed quickly, the dark blue sky sheltering the stars having already made its appearance.In the village there were no more corpses in the streets, only dark red blood or black scorched earth were the remaining clues to the tragedy that had occurred during the day.


    In the middle of the village, most of the corpses found in the village were being cremated, while the mercenary apprentices'' family had been given a proper burial.


    Normally, the dead were never buried because, according to popular belief, corpses could be resurrected via certain methods, and when they returned to dry land, 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 of land was more or less contaminated was the mercenaries'' last 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 glance, 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 village was a happy stroke of fate. Having gone through a real emotional elevator between his exclusion from the mercenary group, then the village 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 hours later, 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 gorilla like you," Terry continued, laughing, followed by the laughter 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 Valhalla 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 loud laugh 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 flash 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, laughing loudly.


    Seeing them coming, 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".


    Yet he addressed them in the same way he addressed everyone:


    "Hello, may I ask the purpose of your visit?" declared the deputy head of the guard in a slightly authoritarian tone.


    The mercenaries immediately stopped laughing 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 particularly 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. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 particularly 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''ve come to declare the annihilation of a village 50km to the south, as well as to officially register our mercenary group."


    The deputy chief guard squinted, for the annihilation of a village was rare even in those days, but more importantly it always provoked the wrath of the nobles who received the village''s talents and taxes.


    So there''s no doubt that bloodshed will soon be the order of the day in these lands.


    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, lay 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 my comrades?


    "They too can enter the town as long as they lay down their weapons at the checkpoint and visit as they please."

 Chapter 6 Meeting with Baron Barthon

    "They can also enter the town as long as they deposit their weapons at the checkpoint and go and visit it as they please.""So be it, go have fun in town as you see fit," Maxime announced, turning back towards his mercenaries.


    "Agreed, chief." they replied loudly, attracting a few glances in their direction.


    "How do we find each other, boss?" asked Peter, slightly worried.


    "Don''t worry about that, I''ll find you easily."


    To which Peter nodded, though still a little worried.


    Seeing the exchange come to an end, the deputy chief:


    "Well, can you follow me now?"


    "I''m at your disposal," replied Maxime with a slight smile.


    Starting to enter the city, Maxime thought with slight excitement:


    "At last I''m really starting my adventure, and who knows, maybe I can find a mercenary with two-star potential in this town. Although even if I do, it''s probably someone with better looks and skills than me. He should also already have a very high status."


    "After all, even this deputy chief is probably stronger than me."


    Suddenly, a startling thought appeared in his mind and he couldn''t help releasing it.


    "Deputy chief of the guard?" S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes?" he replied naturally without turning around.


    "How would you like to join my band of mercenaries?"


    This time he turned and with a stunned look inscribed on his face, then burst out laughing.


    "Haha you''re not lacking in audacity young man!"


    "We must always seize the opportunities that come our way, otherwise we risk regretting certain things." replied Maxima with a light smile.


    "Haha maybe when you''re famous." refused the deputy chief ironically.


    "But then it''ll be too late, and even if you do manage to join us you won''t get any preferential treatment or status, you''ll just be an ordinary mercenary."


    "Although obviously being an ordinary mercenary could already be the achievement of a lifetime for many people in the future," Maxime concluded, laughing lightly as if his words weren''t worth taking seriously, yet his bright eyes spoke volumes.


    Indeed, Maxime was already a very resolute and determined person naturally, but his very ordinary status in real life acted as a restriction for him.


    But his completely surreal talent had completely destroyed this restriction, giving way to overflowing confidence and endless optimism.


    The deputy chief guard had detected these points, and was suddenly stunned by the charm Maxime exuded.


    In his eyes, not only Maxime''s confidence but also his own charisma could be clearly seen, as if it were a tangible substance surrounding his whole being.


    It made his previously calm heart beat faster.


    "I''m 30 today and yet I still haven''t achieved anything particularly noteworthy and my life is as ordinary as ever. I''ve had relationships with many women, but none have been able to reach my heart."


    "I''ve heard that many mercenaries find life much more exciting and enjoyable while roaming the battlefields."


    "I''ve always laughed at them, but then why today does my heart beat so hard at the mention of becoming one?"


    "Honor? Wealth? Status?"


    "What do I really want in this life?"


    "Do I really want to continue my life as one, but remaining ordinary and only able to admire these mercenaries or risk becoming one and perhaps achieve a previously imaginable honor?"


    "Who knows? Maybe one day I could be at the front of a huge army and conquer lands and have my name cross the borders of this world. Marry a princess of some kingdom and give birth to a royal line."


    Suddenly, the previously resplendent eyes dimmed all at once as they snapped back to reality.


    "No, with my talent I''d just die like ordinary cannon fodder. I might as well enjoy this quiet life, but still..."


    "I can help you get stronger."


    The deputy chief guard''s thoughts were interrupted by the long blond-haired young man in front of him. After a few seconds of hesitation that could easily be detected on his face, the deputy chief guard seemed to come to a decision as he firmly replied:


    "Agreed."


    The scene had only lasted a few seconds, yet someone''s destiny had changed drastically in that short space of time.


    Even Maxime was surprised by the deputy chief guard''s acceptance; he''d only been testing the waters, and even all his prepared arguments had hardly been used.


    But he recovered quickly and announced with a smile:


    "Welcome to the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries."


    "Thank you."


    Then the scene fell silent as they passed through the noisy streets.


    The echoes of people chatting in the street could be heard everywhere.


    A bard was singing not far from a pub, drunken men applauding him and even singing along with him in their husky voices, provoking laughter from nearby guards and passers-by.


    Individuals entering and leaving various stores selling basic necessities, particularly clothing, could be seen everywhere.


    Shops with a hammer as a symbol inscribed on the roof could also be seen.


    "It would seem that blacksmithing is a popular and lucrative profession, given the number of stores bearing this crest," Maxime analyzed.


    Soon they reached a beautiful residence, apparently a very large mansion.


    In front of the door, two guards watched the newcomers attentively, but soon lost their vigilance as they recognized one of them.


    Soon the distance separating them had shortened significantly.


    "Welcome deputy chief Romuald, may we ask the purpose of your visit and the identity of the person accompanying you?"


    "Oh his name is Romuald..." mentally noted Maxime with an ironic smile.


    "I''ve come to report on the disappearance of a village. The person accompanying me is..."


    "Maxime, leader of the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries. Pleased to meet you", Maxime introduced himself, smiling to establish a good image.


    To which the guards generally bowed their heads in greeting before looking at Romuald.


    Romuald also made a mental note of his new boss''s first name before continuing where he had left off:


    "He witnessed the disappearance of said village."


    Sensing the importance of this matter, the guard who had asked the question hurried to inform the Baron, while the other guard led Romuald and Maxime to the guest lounge before returning to his post.


    Maxime observed the lounge with curiosity, where two comfortable-looking sofas sat opposite each other. A fine carpet covered the floor, on which a precious wooden table was set.


    By way of decoration, there were several paintings and stuffed animals.


    Simultaneously, a beautiful young woman arrived in maid''s attire, placed cups of tea on the table before bowing slightly to Romuald and Maxime and leaving.


    "Well, what comfortable surroundings..." commented Maxime silently, who had never enjoyed such a welcome nor lived in such luxurious surroundings.


    Soon a middle-aged man of imposing stature and aura arrived and took a seat on the remaining sofa.


    A few seconds passed, from which Maxime seemed rather uncomfortable, as he had never come into contact with people of such status.


    At present, he had no great personal strength; at most, he was considered slightly better than an ordinary, well-trained soldier.


    His mercenary group was also currently small and weak.


    And last but not least, his financial situation was not particularly high, and even seemed rather poor for a mercenary group leader.


    Romuald was in a worse state than Maxime because he knew Baron Barthon''s personality.

 Chapter 7 First mission accepted!

    Deciding to break the atmosphere, the baron questioned them seriously:"Well, I''ve heard that a village to the south has disappeared, can you tell me more?"


    Glancing at Romuald, Maxime briefly recounted his encounter with the bandits and then the village''s situation a month later.


    "A stable source of income 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 the common 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 the latter means that their expertise reaches a very high level in just a few years."


    "Human resources management, agriculture, military strategy, law and commerce, 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."


    "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 blathering 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: sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 enormous compared 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 become a great man and so I''d like to accompany 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 accept his proposal?


    "Interesting, very interesting..." murmured the Baron with a smile.


    "Romuald raised his head," ordered the Baron.


    Romuald complied 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 a large 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!" exclaimed the baron as he laughed 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 salaries 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 village 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 calculation. 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 successful then he will have created a relationship 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 exclaimed:


    "Baron trust us, this mission, the saber-toothed tiger group will certainly accomplish!"

 Chapter 8 Level up

    "Baron trust us, this mission, the saber-toothed tiger group will certainly accomplish!""I don''t doubt it. You''re dismissed," declared the Baron, and without waiting for an answer, he set off back the way he''d come.


    At the same moment, Barbara arrived with a bag full of gold coins and placed it in Maxime''s hands.


    Maxime thanked Barbara and she simply bowed before setting off again to carry out her duties.


    Before Romuald''s astonished gaze, the bag suddenly became thinner, as if there were nothing left inside, and Maxime quickly tucked it away inside his pockets.


    What kind of magic is this?" asked Romuald curiously.


    "Haha, there''s no such thing as magic, it''s just a handy little trick," replied Maxime with amusement.


    Obviously, he wasn''t going to reveal the system''s capacity to anyone in this world.


    At the same time, he brought up his status screen again.


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class:


    Peasant level 1 (+3% to physique) (0/10) sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Swordsman level 1 (+5% physics) (0/20)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.35 (+0.1)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (42/100)


    Franc language proficiency level 2 (21/100)


    Passive trait :


    +5% physicality when wielding a sword


    +10% sword training efficiency.


    Talent: NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/1000)


    Money available: 210 gold coins.


    Mercenary:


    Andrew: Three-star potential. Physique: 1.3.


    Terry: Two-star potential. Physical: 1


    James: Two star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Piedro: Two star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Izo: Two star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Peter: Two star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Alessandro: Two star potential. Physics: 0.9


    Ronny: Two star potential. Physical: 0.9


    Pending approval:


    Romuald: One-star potential and a minor talent in physics. Physique: 1.6


    Maxime''s eyes sparkled at the sight of so much gold, but he would think later about how to use it.


    What surprised him most was Romuald''s physique, which seemed to have exceeded the limit of his potential!


    If he had level 1 sword skills of at least 60/100, he''d fit right in with the elite soldiers!


    Unfortunately, Maxime couldn''t see that kind of information about individuals in this world. But what he did have was more than enough.


    While Maxime was deep in thought, and was leaving the manor accompanied by Romuald, the latter sighed and exclaimed:


    "The Baron is as impressive as ever."


    Maxime snapped out of his thoughts and only nodded in response, he himself had felt the deep gulf between commoners and nobles.


    Instead, he asked with a slight smile:


    "Romuald, it might be time for you to discover the advantages of joining my mercenary group."


    "Advantages? Don''t tell me you possess a magical talent?" asked Romuald curiously.


    "A magical talent?" asked Maxime, not understanding what he was talking about directly.


    Romuald looked disappointed for a moment, but then explained seriously:


    "Magical talents are diversified and super-powerful talents about which no one has found a term to group them."


    "Normally, individuals'' talents are rather simple, such as strengthening the physique, improved training efficiency, better reaction time - in short, it improves certain aspects of the body or brain."


    "That''s what some geniuses rely on to surpass their limits, and I''m one myself!" he announced proudly.


    Maxime listened seriously to his explanations, and so waited quietly for the rest.


    On the other hand, Romuald changed his expression to one of admiration:


    "But there are certain monsters in this world who have a talent that can be applied to all their subordinates, but only if those subordinates are mercenaries."


    "That makes all mercenaries geniuses, even if to a small extent."


    "Indeed, the world is fair and just. Generally magical talents have lesser effects than individual talents, but it''s still heaven-defying since the latter can add up on the same person."


    "If one person in a hundred has a physical talent, then only one person in a hundred thousand has a magical talent!"


    "That''s how rare they are!"


    But seeing Maxime''s lack of reaction, Romuald didn''t elaborate any further and calmed down.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t possess one, there are many mercenary group leaders who don''t and yet are extremely respected and in demand everywhere."


    "Anyway, what are the advantages you mentioned?" asked Romuald without too much expectation.


    "Good comrades, a good salary and an excellent future," Maxime replied with a smile.


    But while Maxime knew what he meant when he said "excellent future", Romuald only understood it as comfort.


    Out of curiosity, Romuald questioned Maxime on a certain point:


    "You mentioned that you could make me stronger, I''d like to know what you meant by that?"


    After all, that was the reason he''d had him convinced to join Maxime''s group.


    "The same thing I meant when I said excellent future."


    Romuald''s constant evasion of the point irritated him, even giving way to a certain rage in his words.


    "Look kid, I just gambled my life joining you and now I can''t go back. So keep fooling around with me and I''ll smash your pretty face to the ground."


    At the same time, Romuald''s face had come dangerously close to Maxime''s.


    Yet, despite his words, Maxime''s face and eyes didn''t change in the least.


    "The magical talent you speak of, I have. And quite a powerful one," Maxime declared, meeting Romuald''s gaze.


    Astonishment appeared on Romuald''s face as he backed away slightly, but still retaining a certain irritation.


    "There you go, whenever you like. Be more direct next time", he declared, waiting to see the effects.


    However, Maxime''s reaction was not long in coming as he threatened:


    "However, talk to me like that again, and your excellent future will be spent at Lucifer''s side."


    Once again, Romuald felt Maxime''s famous charisma, the same one that had convinced him to join him.


    His aura was completely different from that of the Baron. This was the real Maxime, the one who could express himself completely when he had no constraints.


    This somehow eased Romuald''s heart, proving that he hadn''t made the wrong choice.


    On the contrary, he laughed heartily, not taking Maxime''s words at all seriously.


    "Haha I like that temperament chief, keep it and I''ll stay with you until the dawn of time."


    Maxime also laughed lightly as he replied:


    "Stay alive until then."


    "Don''t worry chief, I intend to stay alive and enjoy the view when we get to the top!"


    The discussion over, they continued strolling down the street.


    A few minutes later, they found a bar which they entered.


    As luck would have it, they soon found the members of the saber-toothed tiger mercenary group.


    However, the situation didn''t look particularly good, as Maxime heard:


    "Haha then little redhead what a feeling it is to have good beer on your hair!"


    Maxime had seen his 8 mercenaries laughing merrily together and the next moment a mercenary passing behind spilled an entire pint of beer on Andrew''s hair.


    Andrew kept his head down for seemingly endless seconds as beer continued to fall on him.


    A score of burly men seated around a large table nearby laughed loudly at this action. They seemed to be his comrades, as the rest of the bar remained silent.


    Most were eagerly awaiting the reaction of the redhead and his comrades.


    Romuald was also looking forward to what was to come. It was the first time in a long time that he could enjoy a bit of action without having to intervene as a guard.


    Yet he saw Maxime from behind slowly advancing towards them.


    "No, that would be too fortuitous, wouldn''t it?" Romuald mentally asked himself with a slight touch of irony.


    It wasn''t just Romuald; everyone saw Maxime moving slowly towards the author of the current scene, since he was the only person moving.


    2 mercenaries blocked his path.


    However, Maxime didn''t slow down in the slightest, continuing as if there were no obstacle as he whispered:


    "System, raise the level of the peasant and swordsman classes to level 2."

 Chapter 9 Nice to meet you, Im Romuald

    "System, raise the level of the peasant and swordsman classes to level 2."Ding!


    [10 gold subtracted]


    ["Peasant" class increased by one level]


    [Peasant class raised to level 2]


    [+0.1 points added to physique]


    Ding!


    [20 gold coins subtracted]


    [Swordsman class increased by one level]


    [Swordsman class 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 muscular 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 to laugh.


    His laughter 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 forehead coming 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*


    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 knee landed 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''s completely 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!" commented Maxime aloud, laughing.


    "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!" commented Ronny enthusiastically.


    "Hey chief, did you see that too? Andrew''s gotten super strong!" continued Joe, laughing.


    "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 rectangular 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 declared 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 slaughtered.


    In this world, as in the real world, it was difficult with two hands to beat 4.


    However, if they could lay 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 salaries 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. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Shit, get that brat!"


    Andrew was unable to finish off his opponent as several mercenaries attacked him.


    But it wasn''t long before his comrades 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 gorillas were equally quick to smile and introduce themselves:


    "Urs of the Bloody Bears, nice to meet you."


    "Iry des ours sanglants too, nice to meet you."


    Romuald nodded gently in acknowledgement, then landed 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!" exclaimed Romuald, laughing 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 3 combatants began to clash 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 10 A sky-defying talent

    On the other side of the bar, Maxime stooped to avoid a right and then, with the help of his right foot, spun around quickly.He grabbed his assailant''s arm and pulled hard, making sure with his back that he lost his balance.


    *boom*


    His assailant flipped over in the air, his back landing hard on the ground.


    This technical maneuver drew some applause from the nearby audience, much to their delight.


    Unfortunately, before Maxime could reposition himself, two large men armed with stools came up behind him and smashed them violently over his head.


    Maxime stood up groggily, blood pouring from his forehead.


    "Fuck-off!"


    Saving nothing for defense, he swung an arm across the face of each assailant simultaneously. But his physique was such that this amateurish gesture with little power made both men recoil.


    Quickly observing the situation, Maxime realized that he''d more or less lost.


    He''d already been fighting for a few minutes, and although he''d been able to lay some of his opponents out on the ground thanks to his super-powered physique, his comrades couldn''t exert such fighting ability in the same situation.


    Joe and Ronny were barely standing, passively taking blows. Only their minds were keeping them on their feet.


    Terry had somehow managed to slip between the mercenaries and land precise but deadly blows, but he''d been caught by 2 mercenaries and in just a few blows was covered in blood.


    James had also been caught by two of the mercenaries, but somehow kept on struggling while insulting them as "big bitch", which provoked some laughter from the audience.


    As for Piedro, he seemed to be rather calm as he withstood the blows without flinching in the slightest, maintaining a far from ordinary composure.


    Izo was more or less the same as Piedro, except that at least Piedro grimaced and seemed to feel pain. Izo, on the other hand, was like a tireless machine, seeming to feel nothing. This even made his assailants tremble with fear.


    Peter seemed to have put his life on the line ever since a few mercenaries had amused themselves by telling him that once he''d caught him, he''d torture him in every possible and unimaginable way and then send him to hell.


    On the other hand, Andrew threw all his strength into each of his blows, unafraid of the slightest counterattack. Wound for wound, he seemed like a wild beast.


    Romuald had the two gorillas who had blocked him on the ground not far from him. The latter were completely ko, lying half-broken in the middle of the table.


    Romuald seemed to be in a bad way from the state of his face, but his posture showed that he still wanted more.


    If that was all, the situation was still pretty good, but the problem was that the mercenaries in front were tough as nails too.


    Only 7 had been knocked out, 4 in total by Romuald and Andrew and the remaining 3 by Maxime.


    And there were still more than a dozen who were only slightly injured, not to mention their boss completely unscathed.


    "Shit, this is an opportunity I can''t afford to miss. I hope these mercenaries are pretty rich..."


    "System, level up the peasant and swordsman classes to level 2."


    Ding!


    [50 gold subtracted]


    [Peasant class increased by one level].


    [Peasant class raised to level 3]


    [+0.1 points added to physique]


    Ding!


    [The "Peasant" class has reached its maximum level].


    [Minor stamina talent added]


    [Minor strength talent added]


    Ding!


    [30 gold subtracted]


    [Swordsmanship class increased by one level]


    [Swordsman class now level 3]


    [+0.2 points added to physique]


    ...


    [Current physique: 1.95 (+0.16)]


    [Remaining balance: 100 gold coins]


    Maxime clenched his hand, feeling immense power in his body as if he''d become indefatigable and could shatter a wall with a single punch.


    Obviously it was only his imagination, but he had indeed already achieved a superhuman physique and his energy increased drastically.


    The weakest generals in this world are only at this level.


    But that''s just in terms of physique, whether it''s the skills they have in hand-to-hand combat or with various weapons, they''re way above Maxime.


    Even an elite soldier could defeat Maxime in a duel with a weapon because his skills are far too weak.


    However, this kind of physics in a battle in a narrow area and without a weapon is perfect.


    With a flash of thought, Maxime fixed his gaze on the instigator of this battle.


    The latter put down his glass as he felt as if he had become someone''s prey. His body tensed instinctively as he placed both arms at a 90-degree angle in front of him.


    The next instant he felt an immense force press down on both his arms, throwing him from his chair and sending him tumbling to the floor.


    The deafening noise instantly calmed everyone as countless eyes fell on the young man with the blond hair, or rather the blond hair tinged with blood.


    But he stood as straight as a spear, his expression looking as if he''d just done something extremely ordinary.


    "Wow." declared a spectator.


    "Fucking amazing!"


    "Yeah, Pyrion the leader of the bloody bears just took off!"


    "Haha we''re witnessing the birth of a new legend who knows!"


    "Yeah that guy''s really strong, especially for his age!"


    "His comrades are pretty strong too to last this long against the bloody bears who are experienced mercenaries!"


    No matter what the surrounding noise, Maxime could always tell the difference.


    And right now his aim was to create an extremely strong image of himself to attract more mercenaries to join him.


    "Do you intend to stand up again, or shall I finish you off as you are?" declared Maxime in an indifferent tone.


    The noise that had existed before fell silent, and the spectacle was fully appreciated.


    "Haha, it''s been a long time since I found myself in such a state!" laughed Pyrion as he quickly got to his feet.


    "What''s your name, young man?" he asked curiously.


    "Maxime, leader of the saber-toothed tiger mercenary group. And you?" replied Maxime with the same curiosity.


    In fact, the hostility between the two wasn''t that great, and fights between mercenary groups were commonplace in this world.


    In fact, it was a way of training members with minimal risk, while increasing one''s reputation, notoriety and prestige.


    Maxime had already worked on himself to change his perception of the world, as entering the mercenary world required adapting to its customs.


    "Pyrion, leader of the Bloody Bears mercenary group," he replied with a smile.


    The next second, he moved quickly and ferociously attacked Maxime.


    "Shit, in terms of physique I''m probably above him but his fighting skills completely dominate me."


    Maxime could only defend himself passively against the deluge of attacks.


    "In that case, I can only do this..." S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime quickly detected a jab coming towards his face.


    "An opportunity!"


    As the jab hit his face, surprise could be seen on Pyrion''s face.


    "Shit, get off me!"


    "Haha now that I''ve got you, believe me, I''m not about to let go!" declared Maxime with a grin.


    Indeed, Maxime had sacrificed his defense to immobilize one of Pyrion''s arms.


    Then it was blow for blow, but on the one hand Maxime was physically superior and attacked with his dominant arm, while Pyrion could only throw jabs with his left arm and grit his teeth.


    But after just 30 seconds, he was puking his guts out from taking blows to the stomach.


    This drained him of energy, but allowed him to regain his distance from Maxime, who had quickly stepped aside.


    "Shit, what kind of mercenary potential you got? It must be a 3-star to be so monstrous at such a young age, right? Even 4 stars..." Pyrion said in frustration.


    Maxime didn''t answer and instead asked:


    "You have gold don''t you?"


    "If you don''t want to go out worse off than you are now, pay 100 gold."


    Pyrion frowned and said:


    "Don''t screw up too much, Maxime, my bloody bears have been rather reasonable, otherwise your men would already be all down in a miserable state."


    Maxime didn''t show anything on his face, but he knew Pyrion was telling the truth. Otherwise it would have been enough for two bloody bears to block the arms of one of his comrades, and then a third could have just beaten him up.


    But in actual fact, they did play fair, although they did take advantage of their numbers, except in their duel court.


    "But I won, and it was your mercenary who provoked us," announced Maxime.


    "50 gold coins," Pyrion replied after some thought.


    "100 gold coins." continued Maxime in a firm tone.


    "Don''t overdo it, saber-toothed tiger chief, 100 gold coins already represents our gross income for a month''s mission."


    "After subtracting logistics, salaries, maintenance of various collective equipment, a few bonuses, curative medicines and compensation for members killed in action, there''s not much left."


    But Maxime remained stoic.


    Waiting a few seconds, Pyrion sighed, then declared firmly:


    "Brother draw your swords, today blood will flow freely."


    The sounds of drawing were heard one after the other, as countless swords were pointed at Maxime and his comrades in various parts of the bar.


    This time, Maxime could no longer maintain his composure.


    "Indeed, mercenaries are no fools and are extremely greedy for money. Taking money from people who have earned it by putting their lives on the line is an extremely dangerous gesture," Maxime thought with slight disappointment.


    "That''s 50 gold coins and you pay for the repairs to the bar," announced Maxime.


    "It''s a deal." replied Pyrion with a smile, tossing a bag of gold coins to Maxime, who caught it in flight with one hand.


    After all, even he would risk death given his current state.


    "Let''s go, guys," said Maxime, leaving without a glance behind him.


    All the mercenaries followed him, although most of them were in a sorry state.


    However, their backs were straight and they exuded a certain menacing aura, impressing the various onlookers.


    On the way, Maxime glanced at Romuald, then nodded in approval.


    Ding!


    [Detected that Romuald has joined the host''s mercenary group].


    [Innate potential of a star with a minor talent in physics detected].


    [Host''s talent activated.]


    [The mercenary Romuald''s potential is increased to two stars].


    Simultaneously, Romuald notices something change from deep within his being.


    "How is it possible...I no longer feel this barrier that used to hold me back so strongly from progress..." murmured Romuald with enormous shock.


    Then he looked at Maxime''s back as he calmly walked away, and his eyes widened.


    "What kind of heaven-defying magical talent is that?"

 Chapter 11 The test

    "What kind of heaven-defying magical talent is that?""But that would explain how youngsters from nowhere can compete so easily with experienced mercenaries." thought Romuald as he watched the rest of his new comrades, who were also watching him.


    Indeed, without knowing why the deputy head of the guard had joined their battle. Normally, he was supposed to stop the fight and not join it.


    So whether it was Andrew, Piedro or James, they all looked at him with recognition but also with a certain other strange look.


    After a few moments Romuald came to his senses.


    "They''re treating me like an idiot. No doubt about it," Romuald thought, slightly irritated.


    "He continued, but kept his insults to himself as he continued to smile to fit in with the group.


    This only increased the mercenary gaze of the saber-toothed tigers, which annoyed Romuald even more.


    "Why are you here old man?" asked Peter with an innocent face.


    "Old man?" On Romuald''s face, a resplendent vein sprang up.


    "Has an old man ever made you eat the floor?" he continued angrily.


    "No, why would he?" replied Peter normally with a hint of curiosity.


    "Don''t worry, the old man in me has a good reason." continued Edward, clenching his fists in front of him.


    "It''s okay Romuald, some of them really did have grandfathers your age. Not to mention that you look really old," Maxime interjected.


    "Had?" thought Romuald silently as a little condolence appeared in his mind.


    Oblivious to custom, Maxime announced directly:


    "Oh, in fact Romuald is officially joining our ranks today."


    Reactions soon followed:


    "Hahaha a new recruit, that''s fast!" exclaimed James.


    "How did you do it, boss?" asked Terry with a puzzled look.


    "Haha call me big brother from now on old man!" laughed Peter to his heart''s content.


    "No." Romuald curtly replied to Peter with a new vein appearing on his forehead.


    While his mercenaries teased each other, attracting many curious glances along the way, Maxime headed for a strange store. It was as big as a mansion, surpassing most of the city''s infrastructure.


    Seeing their leader heading towards this strange store, the mercenaries asked themselves various questions, but asked nothing.


    Romuald seemed surprised for a moment at such discipline.


    "I didn''t think they were capable of such maturity.


    "However this store is..." murmured Romuald with a shiver of fear running through his body.


    "Whatever the times, these profiteers will always exist," observed Maxime with cold eyes.


    The storefront displayed in large letters:


    "Brotherhood House."


    There was also a small welcome message below it:


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the largest real estate network in the Iron Dragon Empire."


    Without another word, Maxime entered the store, followed by his mercenaries.


    Inside, the d��cor was sumptuous, while various well-dressed people chatted with some of the store''s advisors.


    Soon they arrived at the offices, behind which were some beautiful receptionists working on various documents.


    Maxime made his way to one of them at random.


    Noticing the presence of a new customer, the receptionist looked up from her papers and put on her best smile as she calmly announced:


    "Dear sir good morning, what can I do to help you?"


    "I''m looking for a house in this town to make my headquarters for my mercenary group.


    Reflecting for a moment, the receptionist replied:


    "We do indeed have several houses in our possession that meet these criteria, but can you be specific about your request, so that I can advise you on what suits you best."


    "The house must be able to house at least 50 mercenaries and have a spacious training ground."


    "Sir, if I may say so, prices for this kind of house are extremely high. If you have less than thirty mercenaries in your group, then you won''t be able to rent for a long time. On the contrary, your group will go bankrupt."


    Hearing this, most of the group behind Maxime paled slightly.


    "That''s just his business, if he goes bankrupt so be it, but I don''t think he''s stupid enough for that. What''s he thinking?" analyzed Andrew calmly, watching Maxime''s back.


    "Thank you for your concern. Can you still find me a few houses that fit these criteria?" replied Maxime


    "Of course."


    "Let me take a look at what I have available," affirmed the receptionist with a charming smile before plunging back into her files.


    After a few seconds, the receptionist announced:


    "I have one house left that meets your criteria. It can comfortably accommodate a total of 80 mercenaries. It''s in the center of town, so shops are close by. Security is also excellent. The house has 3 kitchens, 20 bedrooms, several..."


    "That''s fine with me, how much is the rent?" interrupted Maxime.


    "50 gold coins a month, sir."


    Maxime frowned, and the mercenaries behind him sighed heavily.


    Such a sum of money represented 3 or even 4 years of personal savings, and that was for mercenaries. Most individuals in this world only received between 12 and 15 pieces of silver a month, so such a sum was something he could only imagine.


    "Are there discounts for mercenaries with more than one star in terms of potential?" asked Maxime curiously.


    "If she says no, I''ll have to consider lowering my requirements. But in that case my progress in terms of strength will be slowed down, and even my exam grade will be seriously affected." thought Maxime.


    "Yes, there are some. Wait, let me have a look, I can''t remember the exact details" replied the receptionist as she turned and rummaged through the books behind her.


    A few seconds later, she exclaimed:


    "Ah yes that''s the one!"


    "Um...Let''s see...Yes it is!"


    When she exclaimed in such a way, it drew the gaze of many customers in the room and other receptionists.


    Looking up, she said to Maxime:


    "Your mercenary group must include at least 3 mercenaries with 2-star potential and 1 3-star mercenary to qualify for a discount."


    "In this case precisely, it will be a 10% discount on all our services," she concluded with a pretty smile.


    Most of the customers shook their heads in annoyance. Indeed, such a group of mercenaries could only be found in the capital of a Kingdom.


    It was said that there were less than 10 mercenary groups that could fulfill these requirements in the entire Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    "Great, how''s the discount application going?" questioned Maxime curiously.


    The receptionist glanced at Maxime again as she looked very surprised and reassessed him very positively.


    "Wait for me here, I''ll have to contact the manager to take care of you."


    However, the other customers disagreed.


    "What joke, a bunch of brats like them can compete with the Silver Knights?"


    "Not just the Silver Knights, the Snakes of the North, the Ice Eagle Clan, the Barbarian Syndicate!"


    "Hahaha young people are really funny these days!"


    "Reminds me of the day I made a girl in the neighboring village believe I was one of the Silver Knights!" a rough-skinned man with an imposing build laughed aloud.


    "What a worthless playboy." sighed an exaggeratedly well-dressed man next to him.


    "Says the guy looking for his famous pure girl in this world. Stay a virgin wisely in your corner." replied the imposing man sarcastically.


    "Say that again?"


    "Says the guy who''s looking for..."


    "I''m going to kill you." said the well-dressed man as he blushed with rage while starting to draw his sword.


    ...


    "Mr. Karyo!" exclaimed the young receptionist as she came running into a well-decorated office with neatly arranged books. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The man seated at his desk put down his quill in the ink pot and replied with a smile:


    "What is it, Jessica?"


    "A group of mercenaries want to take the test!"


    Karyo looked confused.


    "What test? And please calm down."


    Jessica took a deep breath before saying:


    "The test for the discount!"


    Karyo thought for a few seconds before his eyes opened wide.

 Chapter 12 Two fools

    Karyo thought for a few seconds before his eyes opened wide."Karyo ordered after a few seconds'' thought.


    "Ok!" replied Jessica quickly, then left as if she were running away.


    Karyo looked at the small crystal ball on his desk and placed his hand on it. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A dull star appeared on the crystal ball.


    A faint sigh escaped from the desk.


    ...


    Jessica stood at the top of the stairs, her mouth gaping at the chaos that had occurred in her absence...


    "Rodrigo, come here! My sword thirsts for your blood!"


    "Ernest it was just a joke!"


    "A little joke!"


    "There''s no need to want my life, is there?"


    The well-dressed man had already drawn his sword, while the well-built man fled in all directions.


    The various customers avoided their path as best they could.


    Maxime and his band of mercenaries looked on in amusement, laughing lightly at the exchanges between the two.


    "It''s too bad for Ernest that he left his gun at home haha!" exclaimed Peter, laughing loudly.


    "I wonder why he left his gun at home?" said Andrew in a curious tone.


    "A real man always keeps his gun close to him, it''s his fault if he dies," muttered Izo, but everyone could hear him one way or another.


    Maxime glanced at him and saw a glint of light on his sleeves.


    "Pretty smart," he thought.


    "It''s a shame the guards got ours outside," James commented sadly.


    "Yeah I really feel like I''m helpless, what a horrible feeling." said Ronny.


    At the same time, the two men creating chaos headed towards Maxime''s mercenary troop.


    "Hey genius mercenaries, come and help me or I''m really going to die because of this damned nobleman!" shouted Ernest in a panic.


    "Fuck you," Andrew replied dryly.


    "What an idea to make noble friends too." thought Terry.


    "Haha I''m coming anyway!" exclaimed Ernest, laughing as he came dangerously close.


    Maxime sighed slightly, knowing that he''d have to act, or else their group''s reputation would suffer.


    But just before he took a step, noise came from outside.


    "The town guard''s here!" exclaimed one of the customers nearest the entrance.


    "Tch." said Ernest, sheathing his sword.


    "Haha I''ll live another day Ernest!" laughed Rodrigo gleefully.


    "Those who break Baron Barthon''s rules, name yourselves and follow us!" shouted one of the men at the front of the newly arrived guard team.


    A heavy silence fell over the room, but Ernest and Rodrigo quickly broke it by coming forward and walking towards the guards.


    In any case, Ernest wouldn''t have too much trouble, given his connections, so he moved with a light, carefree step.


    Rodrigo didn''t care either, since he was the victim, and with a friend like Ernest he was used to it.


    "Ernest, Rodrigo!" intervened Maxime in a loud voice attracting all eyes.


    "What do you want, peasant?" replied Ernest arrogantly.


    On the other hand, Rodrigo looked rather curious, though he didn''t answer.


    "The saber-toothed tigers are recruiting soon. Come and I''ll teach you how to become a strong man," replied Maxime with a smile.


    But there was a slight arrogance in his words that irritated Ernest, while a glint of appreciation appeared in Rodrigo''s eyes.


    Ernest wanted to make a gesture, but finally held back as he was being watched by many people at the moment.


    "If you really do have the kind of talent that would make even the best mercenary groups jealous, I''d certainly come," Ernest finally concluded with a curt tone before leaving.


    Rodrigo nodded in agreement before leaving.


    As they left, Andrew asked:


    "Why recruit these two sick people?"


    "Because they''re interesting, so I want to see them on a battlefield."


    "And because they''re fun." continued Maxime with a cheerful smile.


    "Fun? Is that really a selection criterion in our group?" thought Andrew, looking closely at Maxime.


    Terry watched the scene, thinking of something to say, but finally restrained himself.


    At the same moment Jessica arrived.


    "Gentlemen, the manager would like to welcome you to his office. Please follow me upstairs," she invited, having regained her previous composure.


    "Of course, we''ll follow you," replied Maxime on behalf of everyone.


    Walking for a few seconds, Maxime asked:


    "Jessica, can I ask you a question?"


    "Yes, of course, I''ll answer it to the best of my ability."


    "You seemed really surprised that we have 3 2-star mercenaries and 1 3-star mercenary, is it really that rare?"


    "Well yes, in this city with over 100 years of history, there may only have been 3 groups registering with such a large workforce. But more importantly, each of them already represented a significant force in the milieu, as several thousand mercenaries were affiliated with them."


    Thinking for a moment longer, Jessica continued:


    "Generally speaking, mercenaries with a potential of 2 stars or more seek to obtain a position with a certain status to go on the battlefield with people ready to protect them in case things go wrong."


    "So small groups of mercenaries usually have no expert apart from the leader."


    Maxime smiled slightly and said:


    "Thank you for this valuable information."


    After this brief discussion they arrived in front of the office door, but before stepping through it, Jessica paused for a moment.


    "May I ask a question too?


    "Yes, of course."


    Jessica approached Maxime very closely and whispered innocently in his ear:


    "How did you manage to attract so many experts close to you?"


    She pulled back slightly and their eyes met as they were almost glued together.


    A few seconds passed in this situation while the mercenaries next to them watched the exchange intently.


    Noises from their throats could be heard.


    "It''s a secret," Maxime asserted, laughing lightly and breaking the atmosphere at the same time.


    "Yeah," confirmed Jessica, pouting.


    "Maxime and the others heard them through the door.


    "Maxime replied loudly as he entered with his group and Jessica.


    An hour later, they emerged from the door with broad smiles on their faces.


    "Haha super chef! A 30% discount on the rent, that''s more than we could have hoped for!" exclaimed James.


    "Yeah, but we''ll have to help this branch in case they have a problem. For the moment, we don''t know if this business will be profitable for us," commented Terry.


    "We''ll see what the future brings," intervened Maxime with a brilliant look that made the whole group feel confident, while Jessica looked on in curiosity and shock at this mysterious leader.


    At the same moment, a murmur was heard in the office:


    "Eight 2-star mercenaries, one 3-star mercenary and a leader of unknown potential."


    "Monsters. A group of monsters."


    ...


    "Ernest."


    "Yeah?"


    "I thought you hated mercenaries?"


    "Yeah."


    "Well?"


    "Maybe I''d understand them better if I stood in front of one."


    "Okay."


    "And this guy is interesting." finished Ernest with a deep look.


    A few seconds passed in solemn silence.


    "Are the bars of this prison that interesting?"


    "Fuck you Rodrigo."

 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," commented Maxime, laughing.


    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 player 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 mannequins laid 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


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. MAX level! (+3% physical)


    Swordsman level 2 (+5% physics) (0/20)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.95 (+0.16)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (62/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 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 place like this."


    "But at this rate we''ll only be able to last three months, and with recruitment if we last two months that''s already not bad." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "After all, there''s food and wages to pay too."


    Maxime felt a headache coming 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 glad 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 relationships."


    "Succeeding in Baron Barthon''s mission will be the first step towards becoming 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."


    "Contemplate 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 hours later.


    Maxime wiped the sweat from his forehead with his left arm.


    "System, display my status page."


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. MAX level! (+3% physics)


    Swordsman level 2 (+5% physics) (0/20)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.95 (+0.16)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (63/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 115 gold coins.


    Mercenaries :


    ...


    "It''s gone up 2 points in just 3 hours," Maxime analyzed happily.


    "The month of training I did last 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''s completely unnecessary to put gold into martial arts mastery. You just need to train while investing in the classes."


    "Well at the same time such a pace of training is normal since I''m already physically comparable 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 play juji with the others?" commented 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 so lame."


    Izo and Peter replied respectively. The former with a cold tone and the latter 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 the communication." 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 place?"


    "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 balance: 109 gold coins].


    "What do you recommend 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 explain 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 explanation.


    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 be complex 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 and complicated," 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 days later, in front of the saber-tooth tiger mansion.A crowd numbering several hundred had gathered for the selections.


    However, most of them were dressed in common 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 in common.


    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 people commented 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." S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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, laughing from a corner in the distance.


    "Welcome 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 time laughing 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, laughing.


    "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 to last this headquarters a month or two before abandoning it."


    "That''s why your basic salary 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 no compensation 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 placed his trust in us by granting us a mission of the utmost importance!"


    "Taking all this into account, 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, commanding tone.


    The crowd didn''t follow directly as potential recruits chatted amongst themselves and raised their voices.


    Finally, a muscular but rather skinny individual emerged from the crowd. He looked rather elderly and seemed to have come 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 become pregnant for the4th time, so my small income 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 at last 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 much compensation your family would only slowly perish. And even if the compensation is really good, your family will be robbed at best, raped and turned into slaves 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 pillar 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 black outfit.


    ...


    "You see that my brothers, it seems that this group is rather peculiar" laughed 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 can come true with this group."


    ...


    "Hey Ernest, if it only counted strength and potential I''m sure you''d have been accepted."


    "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 accept 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 15 Recruitment completed

    Andrew, Romuald, Terry and Piedro arrived at the entrance to the mansion.Also waiting for them were Izo, James, Alessandro, Ronny and Peter.


    Each of them had invested in their own equipment over the last few days.


    Combined with a month''s training that had toughened them up phenomenally thanks to Maxime''s NOX Limit talent, which increased potential by one star and increased training speed by 6 times.


    This made the farmers feel intimidated by the youngsters in front of them.


    While Andrew went off to talk with the others and sort out the final details, the crowd erupted once again.


    "Shit, they really are all kids like the rumors said!"


    "Yeah, but they''re the same kids who can knock us all to the ground with one hand."


    "Pouahahah even with one finger they put you to the ground with your starving body there Fred."


    " Huh? Are you looking for me Pierre? They blow on you, you fall!"


    "Oh you want to test that?"


    "What, you want to do it now?"


    "Come on, I''ll take you apart in two so I can pass the test quickly while you stay asleep on your hay stinking of manure."


    ...


    At the same moment, when it was starting to get out of hand Andrew turned and announced.


    "Shut up, the test is about to start."


    "Fred hear that, you''re lucky the ginger spoke up now or I''d have made you meet your father in hell."


    Fred turned red with anger at Pierre''s words.


    "Before he could finish, Izo and Peter had already approached the two troublemakers.


    They took hold of their hair with a firm grip and with a violent gesture pulled it down.


    Once they''d reached a certain point, they swung their palms behind their skulls, accelerating their fall.


    *boom*


    *boom*


    Both of them hit the ground hard, face first.


    "What don''t you understand when the vice-captain tells you to shut up?" asked Izo in a cold tone.


    But long seconds of silence passed without getting an answer.


    "Never mind Izo, I think they''re unconscious."


    "So weak. Even before I met the captain, I wasn''t so fragile."


    "You weren''t so arrogant either Izo."


    "And you not so bold to talk to me like that."


    "Haha, I guess we''ve changed quite a bit."


    Izo simply smiled in reply, before returning to Andrew, who kept the same face while Peter laughed lightly.


    The atmosphere became more serious as people similar to themselves were subjected to such treatment by their future college.


    Some were even considering running away from the test.


    Andrew simply smiled in response before announcing:


    "The test will proceed in this way: first you''ll have an interview with us and then we''ll assess your physical strength."


    "Tomorrow, a poster will be hung on the gate concerning the individuals accepted among us."


    "The evaluation of your physical strength will serve us better when integrating you into the group and preparing for your training. concludes Andrew in a calm tone.


    "Training? What training?" asked a man wearing light leather armor and carrying a sword.


    Andrew looked at him and replied:


    "In our group you are obliged to train under our guidance until you reach the level of an experienced mercenary."


    "What''s the point of becoming a mercenary? You might as well be a soldier!" he shouted angrily.


    "It''s true! To reach that level, most of the members here will take several years!" continued another person in the crowd.


    "Nothing forces you to join us. All I can say is that our captain''s magical talent is interesting enough for us to stay." interrupted Andrew with a smile.


    "Magical talent?" shouted some in the crowd in surprise, while other potential recruits such as Ernest, Rodrigo and the young redheaded woman were intrigued.


    "What kind of talent can keep 8 2-star mercenaries and 1 3-star mercenary together?" asked Ernest, deep in thought.


    "Don''t worry about it Ernest, we''ll see when we get there!" laughed Rodrigo, seeing his friend pensive. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime, for his part, discreetly made his way to the room where the interviews with the candidates would take place.


    ...


    1 month later.


    On the private training grounds of the saber-toothed tiger''s top brass.


    As the sun shed its last light of the day, Maxime was training diligently with Andrew.


    Both carried wooden swords and sparred.


    Their mastery of the sword could only be described as exquisite, but also violent and brutal.


    They moved from one place to another on the ground, both looking very serious.


    Meanwhile, a mercenary entered the field with a light, respectful step.


    He made no noise, however, and simply waited off to the side.


    "Andrew, you''re getting pretty strong," Maxime said with a smile as he crossed swords with Andrew.


    "Of course, chief, after a month I''ve already reached the standards of a 2-star mercenary!" replied Andrew as he managed to push Maxime back a few steps.


    "Haha pretty good!"


    "Chief, today will be the day I defeat you and take your place!" announced Andrew with a defiant tone.


    "Ohhhhh... So come on, I''ll be waiting for you," Maxime replied simply, his expression serious.


    "You don''t have to tell me twice, boss."


    Andrew braced himself on the ground with his left foot and flew towards Maxime at a speed beyond the human limits of an ordinary person.


    Maxime also accelerated to keep up the momentum.


    The exchanges continued before the astonished eyes of the ordinary mercenary.


    The two silhouettes moved swiftly across the field, but Maxime slightly gained the upper hand.


    A few minutes passed.


    "An opportunity!" exclaimed Maxime mentally as his eyes shone simultaneously.


    With a flick of the wrist, Maxime''s sword deflected Andrew''s wooden sword, then stopped in front of his heart.


    "I give up," Andrew declared disappointedly.


    "You''re progressing so fast, you''ll soon be stronger than me," Maxime replied with a smile.


    What a pity, if I take your place I''ll also lose the bonus of your magical talent," Andrew whispered.


    "What did you say?


    "Andrew replied, shaking his head from side to side.


    "If you say so."


    Maxime looked at the newly arrived mercenary.


    "What''s wrong with Joe?"


    Joe was one of the recently recruited mercenaries.


    "Tena wishes to tell you that it might be time to go on a mission. The finances can only hold out for a few more days at this rate."


    Tena was a young woman with red hair who had joined the saber-toothed tigers with her 3 brothers.


    She had a special talent in finance that Maxime had detected after recruiting her through the system.


    So he gave her the role of group treasurer.


    "I see, tell the squad leaders to come and join me on the public training square with their men."


    "Alright chief!"


    "Andrew, follow me."


    "Okay, boss."


    "It''s time to get down to business," Maxime murmured as he stomped toward the mansion''s public training grounds.

 Chapter 16 Ambush

    On the public training grounds, exactly 30 mercenaries were haphazardly assembled.Among them were Terry, James, Piedro, Izo, Peter, Alessandro, Ronny, Romuald, Joe, Tena and even Rodrigo and Ernest.


    There were also 18 other mercenaries who had been recruited during the test earlier in the month.


    It was dark, and the training area was lit by torches scattered around the sides.


    Maxime arrived, followed by Andrew.


    "Good evening everyone, especially the new recruits since we haven''t really seen each other since the test interview," Maxime announced with the moonlight showing his smile.


    "Most of you being focused on your own training."


    Various awkward smiles appeared on everyone''s faces.


    Indeed, when they passed the test and were finally accepted among the saber-toothed tigers they all received the blessing of Maxime''s magical talent.


    By this time, amazement had invaded their faces as they felt the changes in their bodies.


    Some had wept, others plunged into an imaginary world where they would be torn apart on battlefields, and several even began to treat Maxime as the reincarnation of a God.


    This was the case for Tena and his brothers, who admired the strong in the depths of their being.


    Rodrigo and Ernest, on the other hand, laughed out loud at the reality of their situation, while ambitions sprang to life in their hearts.


    It was the effect of a magical talent that couldn''t even appear in legends because it was far too exaggerated.


    Maxime normally had a whole semester of hearts devoted to human psychology and how to gather people''s hearts in order to win their loyalty.


    But with his talent, it wasn''t necessary.


    Since there was no better opportunity in this world than to submit to him.


    The fact that he was currently weak only made this opportunity even better.


    However, everyone knew that this talent had to be kept secret, even if not for long, otherwise who knows what might happen.


    It was important to avoid any unknown variables that might jeopardize their future.


    This was one of the objectives of the interview. That is, to avoid recruiting people who would talk too much.


    There were also other conditions, such as people who had neither started a family nor had a spouse.


    People detected as easily arrogant or irritable were also automatically excluded.


    Then the physical test was rather to see how willing they were to become stronger, but also, combined with the interview, to find out if these people were mentally ready to kill human beings.


    Maxime was surprised by the results, even if he had anticipated them.


    Indeed, each of the candidates was ready to kill other human beings.


    They had an above-average will to become stronger than in their home world.


    This is probably the difference between a world plagued by war, famine or disease and one at peace.


    In the end, out of over 200 candidates, the main filter was the impression they made at interview, and the second was their physical appearance at recruitment.


    Only 22 of them were recruited, establishing a failure rate of almost 90% on their test!


    This was unheard of among mercenary groups!


    But Maxime had no choice: he had to both recruit for greater fighting power, but also save enough time to turn these people into a true elite!


    But in the end, the main limiter was the gold in his possession.


    "I''m calling you together tonight to tell you that we''re leaving at dawn tomorrow morning for our mission."


    "Indeed, our finances no longer allow us to delay the time any longer, not to mention the Baron who is getting seriously impatient."


    Various confident smiles appeared in the crowd


    "Don''t worry chief, we don''t need any more time!"


    "Yes, most of us have reached the level of an elite soldier!"


    "It''s not a bunch of bandits that will get us into trouble!"


    Seeing the high morale, Maxime also smiled more in response.


    ...


    In another part of town, Baron Barthon looked out over his beautiful city while stirring his wine.


    "So they''re finally going?" he said with a happy smile.


    "Yes, Baron," replied a man in armor kneeling behind him.


    "I''m going to teach him that in this world, those who survive are those who only mind their own business." he murmured with a trace of cruelty but also pleasure.


    "Nobles never make losing deals."


    ...


    The next day, as the sun was rising.


    "Come on guys let''s get a move on!"


    "Did you all take money and food with you?"


    "Yeah!"


    "Of course we did!"


    "Damn it James, we''ve told you a thousand times that we have to leave with the bare minimum! What the hell are you doing with a 20kg bag!"


    "Fuck you, it''s got my statue of my grandmother in it and I wouldn''t leave it here for the world!"


    "Chief?" questioned Izo amidst the chaos.


    "Yeah?" replied Maxime, looking at him as he finished packing his own belongings into his backpack.


    "Do you think 30 people are really enough to eliminate a group of bandits capable of wiping out a village?" said Izo with a slightly worried look appearing on his usually emotionless face.


    "It depends on who these people are."


    "I see." continued Izo without asking further.


    "Guys, we''re leaving!" announced Maxime in a loud voice as he rose to his feet.


    In response, everyone quickly finished getting ready, and they quickly made their way to the entrance to the town.


    Spectators watched in awe as a few dozen individuals, impressive in their equipment and stature, made their final preparations before setting off on their mission.


    "Are those the saber-toothed tigers?" a shopkeeper asked one of his employees.


    "Yeah." replied the employee with respect but also a tinge of nostalgia.


    "Didn''t you apply to join them, by the way?" continued the shopkeeper with a puzzled air.


    "Yes, I did, but they told me that my character and desires didn''t match the life of a mercenary." said the employee with a sigh.


    At the same time, a blond-haired man with a scabbard* and a shield slung over his left arm made a short speech, then left together in high spirits.


    From afar, Baron Barthon watched them set off with a slight smile.


    After a few kilometers, as the members chatted lightly amongst themselves while paying attention to their surroundings, Maxime at the front decided to check his current status.


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve.


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique)


    Swordsman level 3 (+5% physics) (0/100)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.95 (+0.16)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 2 (66/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 20 gold pieces.


    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. Physical: 2.1


    "As expected, my assiduous sword training has taken effect and I''ve already reached the bottleneck between intermediate and advanced level," Maxime analyzed mentally with satisfaction.


    "Right now I''m the best in terms of mastery of the sword, even though Andrew is only at the beginning of level 2 according to our confrontations."


    "Without a doubt, because I focus solely on mastering my sword while the others also have to train hard to increase their physique."


    "Romuald has even become stronger than me in terms of physique."


    "However Rodrigo and Ernest are a total mystery, I have no idea what level they''re at."


    "But from their equipment, Rodrigo seems to be very adept at containing several opponents at once with his shield and armor, which looks rather heavy."


    "Whereas Ernest seems to be an archer, which is rather surprising."


    In this world, archers were rather rare because of their existence warriors could die without showing their strength.


    There was also the fact that they could kill at a distance and underhandedly.


    In this world, this was considered cowardice.


    Not to mention the fact that it was difficult for an archer to kill a soldier with more than 1.5 head-on physicality, due to their reflexes and agility.


    What''s more, mastering a bow required a great deal of time and rigor.


    So, in the culture of this world, those who mastered the bow were called cowards as well as weak.


    However, there were still many people who practiced the bow, just most of them in mercenary bands.


    As the army was controlled by nobles, having archers in their troops would harm their image.


    They also enjoyed seeing the butchery that was a battlefield, and at least without the presence of archers, they could watch the slaughter up close.


    Of course, there were still plenty of reasons that could also be developed, which is why Eternity''s culture was one of the most important subjects to study in high school.


    ...


    "As Tena said, we can''t last another month on just 20 gold coins, since the rent itself costs 35 gold coins."


    "But various purchases such as training equipment were more than necessary."


    "A lot of money was also invested in food and in recruiting a chef and maid." sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "In the end, thanks to Romuald''s training advice and experience, it enabled everyone to make gigantic leaps in terms of physique."


    "However, a certain difference between each individual can be noticed according to their innate physical condition but also to their assiduity in training."


    "Because potential remains potential."


    "A high potential doesn''t say that training will be faster than other individuals, although there is a correlation it mostly means that the limit is superior to others."


    As Maxime continued to walk along the path with his mercenaries, he spotted a figure emerging from the bushes with an axe in hand.


    Like a trigger other silhouettes came out of the bushes one after the other, completely surrounding Maxime and his band of mercenaries.


    "Shit."

 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 accustomed to combat 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 overcome the stress of this first life-or-death situation.


    "Maxime is it?" said the axe-wielding man with a relaxed 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.


    At the same time, Maxime stepped calmly towards his designated adversary, gradually drawing his sword.


    "Oh interesting, do you really want to duel me?" laughed 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 and come out alive, that''s why!" exclaimed Jorgi, laughing arrogantly.


    "Really strong indeed." commented Maxime, as his eyes focused on him.


    "According 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 plastered 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 axe completely with his sword and then kicked him in the chest.


    The powerful impact sent him reeling back several meters.


    "What power!" exclaimed 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''s commander 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''s last one.


    ting


    "Haha, chief it seems you''re a little too confident!" laughed the man who had blocked the axe with difficulty.


    "Thank you Romuald!" declared Maxime with a few drops of cold sweat.


    A second later, 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. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 his comrades 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''t compare 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 a lamb ready to slaughter.


    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 the last battle of their lives.


    "How fun to see them like this. I imagine that when you massacred this village, the citizens must have suffered the same despair as you." said another dull but enraged voice.


    It was James accompanied by Terry, Piedro, Izo and Peter.


    "The village?" 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, the latter 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 village with your..."


    He fell suddenly to the ground, an arrow stuck in his head.


    Andrew turned in incomprehension 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 the last three bandits.

 Chapter 18 The backbone of a strong man

    The other mercenaries wore a rather somber expression as they stared at the last 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 explain 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.


    Moments later, 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 declared 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.


    The latter looked around.


    It didn''t take long to count the many corpses. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 explaining 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 classroom 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 similar 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 plants 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 villages not long ago," declared 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 his comrades.


    "Meaning potential enemy?" questioned Maxime.


    "You''re currently staying with Baron Barthon, the same baron who likes to rob villages in territories adjacent to his own and who destroyed one of our villages 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 village?" asked Maxime.


    "Quessoi."


    "What the hell." thought Maxime, recalling some discussion.


    He turned around and could see the fury in the eyes of some of his comrades.


    Sighing slightly, he turned around, then with a firm tone he declared:


    "Let my comrades 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.


    Moments later Maxime replied curtly:


    "No."


    He hadn''t come 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 similar 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 19 Back to reality

    To say no to this kind of man when they''ve been conditioned all their lives by the legends of the knights seemed inconceivable.Chevalier Ron also seemed stunned, as did the soldiers behind him.


    However, a smile appeared on his face.


    "I''ll take them for 40 gold pieces, and after you''ve finished your mission, it shouldn''t be a problem to settle in Baron Irut''s town either?


    It took a moment''s thought for Maxime to mentally agree.


    "They''re all yours. However, what do you intend to do after Baron Barthon has destroyed one of your villages?"


    "Of course we''re going to integrate his territory with ours, and publicly execute the Baron for not respecting the internal rules of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle." replied Knight Ron in an emotionless tone.


    At the same time, he pulled a small purse from his pocket and swung it towards.


    "So be it, do as you please. In any case, our saber-toothed tiger mercenaries will not apply in your conflict for the time being," announced Maxime as he received the purse in one hand and mentally weighed its weight.


    Chevalier Ron knew from the strength Maxime and his group had shown that it would be difficult to intimidate them by force.


    After a moment''s reflection, he said:


    "Baron Barthon is a knight himself, and he also has a son with excellent knightly skills. In fact, this son is quite well known to be a genius and should soon be sent to the royal knight academy."


    "Because of this fact, the nearby Baron Hyro has deliberately befriended him."


    "So if we attack Baron Barthon, Baron Hyro is bound to get involved," explained Knight Ron.


    "And so you expect us to stop him?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    "That''s right," replied Chevalier Ron curtly.


    "We can''t accept such a dangerous task," refuted Maxime firmly.


    "We''ll offer you remuneration commensurate with such a task."


    "Always say."


    "200 gold coins."


    "Go and ask beggars to do this job, our group of saber-toothed tigers refuse. Guys, let''s go!" replied Maxime as he turned and shouted.


    "Ok chief!" several mercenaries shouted back, as they began to pick up their war trophies, then walk deeper into the forest.


    Of course, Maxime suspected that it wasn''t just these bandits. Normally they even had cavalry, since the man who attacked the village was on horseback.


    "Maxime, I hope we don''t find you on the wrong side, it would be a shame if I had to cut your throat because of a simple bad decision on your part," threatened Chevalier Ron with cold eyes. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No one had dared to say no to him before, his smile before being nothing more than a mocking grin.


    Maxime turned and simply looked at him with emotionless eyes, then went back the way he came without saying a word.


    However, this was not the case for some of the other mercenaries who became furious, but they continued as Maxime had done the same.


    Chevalier Ron and his cavalry of 50 men also set off in the same direction as they had arrived, this time with the bandits in tow.


    Moments later, Andrew came up to Maxime and asked:


    "What do you intend to do chief, why did you refuse?"


    "The balance of power is completely skewed in Baron Barthon''s favor, you''d have to be completely blind not to see that."


    "What''s more, stopping a Baron''s reinforcement army will provoke the wrath not only of the Baron himself, but also of the Baron under attack."


    "Not to mention the fact that we''re not yet strong enough to interfere in a conflict of this scale. And above all, I don''t think Baron Irut is that strong and capable of wiping out Baron Barthon."


    "Otherwise all the barons around would have already taken their revenge on Baron Barthon. But in this case, instead of taking revenge, they''re actually going to befriend him."


    "So it''s obvious which side to side with," concluded Maxime with a dull tone, while Andrew''s eyes twinkled at such an analysis of the situation.


    Even Ernest, who was only a few steps away and could hear the conversation, felt a renewed respect for this mysterious leader.


    On the other hand, Maxime hadn''t swallowed Chevalier Ron''s threat and was still seething with anger.


    "Fucking Chevalier Ron, believe me, as soon as I get a chance I''m going to come looking for your head," Maxime thought angrily.


    To be honest, as long as the price was high enough, Maxime would do anything. However, when it came to his values and, above all, his dignity, he felt like going completely mad and going straight to kill the person who had humiliated him.


    Watching the group go deeper and deeper into the forest, Ernest came up to Maxime and asked:


    "Aren''t we going back to town anymore?"


    Maxime looked at him slightly, then replied with a slight smile:


    "No, since we''ve got rid of our hostages we can afford to go deeper into the forest."


    "Because there are other bandits?"


    "No, because our real objective hasn''t yet emerged.


    This piqued the interest of several nearby mercenaries.


    But Maxime said no more as he continued deeper into the forest.


    Ernest didn''t dare ask what his real objective was, sensing that Maxime was unwilling to explain any further than that.


    Along the way, Ernest continued to ask questions on various subjects such as politics, agriculture and economics.


    To his surprise, Maxime was able to come up with a variety of creative and extremely pertinent opinions every time. Even he felt slightly overwhelmed by so many new ideas and theories that could be implemented.


    But Maxime didn''t feel anything particular about himself - after all, he was still a senior in high school, so it was only natural that he should know so much.


    Especially at a time when having knowledge on the subject was useful to everyone.


    After all, while strength was a means to the top in Eternity, knowledge was also a powerful tool for smoothing the ride.


    Ding!


    [Eternity will close!]


    [User Maxime Valdreuve will be logged out shortly].


    "So this moment is finally here," Maxime declared loudly.


    But no one could hear him; Eternity had literally turned into a temporally paused world, darkened of its colors.


    Maxime closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was in his own little room.


    "Here I am again..." sighed Maxime, slightly disconnected from reality.


    "Maxime, have you disconnected yourself? If so, come and eat!"


    Hearing a familiar voice, Maxime smiled and replied:


    "Yeah I''m coming mom!"

 Chapter 20 Strategic orientation module: the two paths

    "Yeah I''m coming mom!"Descending the stairs rather slowly, Maxime felt as if he were in another dimension, as if everything he''d experienced before was just a dream.


    At the bottom, a young woman with long blond hair but a tired face greeted him with a broad smile.


    Small wrinkles made their appearance, but anyone with a certain eye could guess that they''d been a deadly weapon in his youth.


    "Good morning, Maxime," she said in a soothing voice.


    "Hi Mum, did you sleep well?"


    "Great as usual, especially you my darling." she replied with a hint of concern.


    The world of Eternity was no joke, dying in it meant literally losing 3 years of life.


    Some people died the very first time they arrived in this world, dying several times in succession.


    Obviously this was extremely rare and mainly concerned individuals with particular health situations, but death on first arrival in the world of Eternity remained a common event.


    This would also have been the case for Maxime if he hadn''t succeeded in fending off the bandits or if he hadn''t settled outside the village.


    He could also have died in the battle with Jorgi and the other bandits.


    The world of Eternity had all too many opportunities to offer you a variety of ways to die.


    "It''s okay, I didn''t die and I was also able to get my first class without difficulty," Maxime reassured him with a sincere smile.


    "Great stuff!" rejoiced Andr��a, Maxime''s mother, with a cheerful smile.


    "Come and eat quickly, I''ve just finished preparing breakfast!"


    "Super thanks Mom."


    Maxime felt extremely happy to be back in reality, far from the hard life of a mercenary.


    At the same time, he could share a simple meal with his mother, whom he had already missed for quite some time.


    ...


    Leaving the house an hour later, Maxime raised his eyes to the sky as he watched the skyscrapers and flying cars passing between them.


    "2 months and 5 days. I stayed 2 months and 5 days in Eternity," Maxime thought in deep reflection.


    Usually students stayed about a week in Eternity before eventually being expelled.


    Geniuses could last a little longer, say 2 or 3 weeks.


    Only certain individuals with monstrous talents could last a month on their first connection.


    This was the case of warlord Karyl from the western continent and Zhao Ru the eastern dragon rider. Some famous generals could barely last a month, and yet that was enough to prove that their talent lay at the top of the world.


    But until his return, Maxime would never have believed it possible that someone could last 2 months on his first connection.


    "After that, all I have to do is develop as an ordinary genius, so that I can benefit from the country''s resources and opportunities, but without feeling threatened by certain organizations," sighed Maxime, who was at once shrouded in anxiety and happiness.


    Soon Maxime arrived in front of his high school.


    "Let''s see...Monday May 26, 2132, 9am in class 202, Eternity, strategic orientation module." observed Maxime as he quickly checked his phone and then walked quietly to his classroom.


    "Hey Maxime!"


    Turning around with a curious look, Maxime saw an imposing young man arrive at his side.


    1m90 for 90kg, he was a veritable war machine in terms of appearance.


    Maxime gave him a slight smile.


    "How are you Samuel?


    "Super! So tell me, did you unlock your first class?" asked Samuel with an intrigued face.


    "Swordsman and you?"


    "Haha great! I''ve unlocked the berserker class!" replied Samuel with a proud look on his face.


    Maxime was slightly shocked, even though this was to be expected given his initial appearance.


    Berserker was an extremely powerful class, conferring statics bonuses far superior to those of a swordsman at every level!


    In the end, this class even conferred a powerful talent!


    The ability to temporarily increase one''s strength and agility drastically at the peril of one''s rationality!


    Moreover, the maximum level of this class ranged between 10 and 15, far higher than that of other common classes such as archer, swordsman and spearman, which varied between 4 and 6 depending on various factors.


    With the price of unlocking a class rising considerably each time, the maximum level of unlocked classes represented a person''s potential.


    In this world there were several types of talent, but generally the most important were the talent given on entry to Eternity, followed by the physical talent.


    Physical talent is unique to each individual and has existed since the dawn of time.


    But since the advent of watches and the world of Eternity, the gap has widened considerably. Indeed, the classes unlocked depended mainly on physique and slightly on personality.


    As for initial talent, no one had yet discovered how to influence it. The most popular theories were that it was completely random and that it was God who gave each person a chance to become a genius.


    Others said that being kind and respectful all one''s life could accumulate good karma and that the talent given by Eternity was a kind of retribution.


    But Maxime was more in favor of a minor theory: during reincarnation, the body and memory are completely erased, but the soul itself would not change, so it could retain certain aspects of previous lives.


    The world of Eternity would merely awaken one of these aspects.


    "Berserker! Incredible, bravo mon gars!" exclaimed Maxime with a sincere smile.


    Samuel was his childhood friend and they''d always grown up together.


    With his talent, Maxime thought that the more talented and strong Samuel became, the more time they could spend growing together.


    "Thank you, Max! From your side, I know that a swordsman class could never limit your growth!"


    "Yeah, I think so too," Maxime murmured, smiling but saying no more.


    At the same time, they arrived at their classroom and discreetly placed themselves at the back.


    The class was already almost full when they arrived, so there was a fair amount of noise, to which Maxime and Samuel also contributed by talking about their adventures in Eternity.


    The older students had already been on their Eternity adventure for a few months, while the younger ones had not yet been able to enter because of their young age.


    Indeed, you had to be 18 to enter Eternity, without which, even with the watch, it was totally impossible to do anything except use it as a fashion accessory.


    Samuel was from the month of April, while Maxime had just had his birthday the day before, on May 26.


    Samuel was also working as a bartender in a bar not far from Maxime''s, as he was keen to buy his watch with his own hard work and start at the same time as Maxime.


    Maxime knew very well that Samuel came from a wealthy family with many strong people, but he still wanted to start at the same time as him, even if it meant risking his future.


    Maxime would never have believed such people existed if he hadn''t met Samuel.


    This guy was the most stubborn and unreasonable person he''d ever met.


    Soon the class fell silent as a young woman entered.


    She was dressed in a dark green military outfit, and at her waist was a sword as black as the abyss.


    Her impulse repressed all the students in the room, even though many of them had already had to kill people in Eternity and had even died.


    To have this kind of momentum, no one could identify the number of fights she must have experienced so far.


    This was also the case for Maxime.


    He felt that if he had to face this woman, he''d die without even knowing how.


    "Hello everyone, I''m Riva from the Juggernaut mercenary group. Don''t worry, despite my appearance I have a degree in teaching high school students." she introduced herself in a cold voice.


    Most of the students were shocked to hear the name of this mercenary group in their classroom. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Samuel, do you know this mercenary group?" Intrigued, Maxime discreetly asked his neighbor.


    "Yeah, pretty much. In Nansoy, they''re one of the top 3 mercenary groups," replied Samuel with a rarely seen air of seriousness.


    "I wonder how strong they are..." thought Maxime.


    Ignoring the occasional chatter, Riva continued her lecture.


    "Today I''ve been invited to present to you in detail the two paths that will be available to you at the start of your adventure within Eternity."

 Chapter 21 First lesson

    "Today I''ve been invited to present to you in detail the two paths that will be available 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 explained with an air of disdain towards a few students in particular.


    "It would seem that this teacher has a particular hatred for second- and third-generation rich kids," Maxime thought doubtfully.


    Yet no one in the class 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 explain to me why?" asked Riva while scanning the classroom with her eyes.


    Seeing no one speak up, Riva simply gave up and continued to explain:


    "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 explain 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." commented 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 relaxed person who liked to play 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 become 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.


    "Your comrade 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 become 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 explained with ease and confidence.


    "Whereas a person borrowing the voice of the leader of men can easily take under his command 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 class, 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 classroom 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 glances of the class, but also the mocking ones of the few elitist students in the class. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 similar personal strength at first to those taking the solo route, but as their income increases over time, their strength will become 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 explained 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 class.


    She even applauded 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 become 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 class laugh, but most didn''t dare for fear of retaliation.


    After all, although in Riva''s eyes they couldn''t become 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 classmate explained it perfectly. The path of leading men is one regularly 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?" explained Riva with a sincere smile, reassuring most of the students.


    As Riva continued his lecture and explained the various basics to know about the two lanes, 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 voice laced with mischief.


    "Okay, Winny, I''ll find out," he replied in a slightly fearful voice.

 Chapter 22 The first invader

    "Okay, Winny, I''ll ask around," he replied in a slightly fearful voice.At the same time Maxime looked at them slightly, frowning, but didn''t linger long as he didn''t care much for either of them.


    "I hope from now on you''ll have a deeper understanding of the power of money, and above all you''ll be careful in the future about how you use your savings," Riva concluded glumly.


    The slideshow behind her now displayed a GIF of Karyl the western warlord with his palm turned skywards.


    On that palm, a gold coin was spinning in circles.


    "In this world, someone who knows how to handle money is bound to become a strong person," she continued with a hint of firmness.


    "Oh, by the way, the director asked me to tell you that a mock exam for superhuman combat universities will take place in 1 month. Only watch owners will be eligible."


    This provoked much discussion in the class as Riva began to put her things away, signalling the end of the course.


    However, a shrill noise erupted, followed by a huge shock wave shattering the windows and slightly injuring a few students.


    "Shit, the invaders are here!" Riva shouted angrily, waking up most of the students who were still stunned.


    At the same time, she took off running down the corridor, leaving the students in confusion and her belongings on the desk.


    "Invaders huh..." murmured Maxime with a burst of fear surging in his heart.


    He hadn''t been the least bit impacted thanks to his current physique, but emotionally he was deeply troubled.


    Then various alarms rang out one after the other in the city, simultaneously a powerful voice resounded through the city''s loudspeakers.


    "Dear citizens, the Omega sector is currently under attack by invaders but don''t worry several mercenary groups are already present and the Juggernaut mercenary group is on its way!"


    "Please join the security shelters!"


    The students finally regained their composure and began to chat.


    "This is already the third attack in just 2 years..."


    "Yeah, it looks like the Western Federation is having trouble containing the invader attacks."


    "I lost my brother to those damn invaders in the Delta sector during the last attack, I just hope there won''t be too many deaths this year."


    "Hey Maxime, isn''t the Omega sector where you live?" asked Samuel with a worried expression.


    Maxime suddenly opened his eyes wide.


    "No! Mom, Dad, little brother!" he shouted in a panicked voice as he rose from his seat and hurried out of the classroom.


    Samuel''s silhouette could be seen following Maxime''s.


    "Haha that''s called karma, good for you," Winny murmured cheerfully.


    Yet he also stood up and shouted to his comrades:


    "Everyone with a watch, come with me, we''re going to help defend the Omega sector!"


    "That was the plan, Winny, stop yelling like that!" replied one of his friends dressed as a nobleman as he gently rose from his chair.


    Other similarly dressed students also stood up in response to Winny''s call.


    Seeing this scene Winny nodded with an air of satisfaction then ordered:


    "Let''s not waste time, follow me."


    Soon all the smartly dressed students were out of the classroom.


    What was rather surprising was that most of them were much faster than Maxime!


    Of course, the majority had stayed in the classroom, even though many of them had a watch.


    Their strength simply wasn''t enough to take on the invaders.


    Maxime arrived not far from his house after a few minutes of running at full speed.


    Several flying cars, some partially damaged, some destroyed, some on fire, could be seen in the street where he lived.


    Emergency vehicles and several doctors and firemen could be seen at work.


    Some houses had part of their wall collapsed, revealing part of the house to anyone on the street.


    The scene seemed surreal, but it was a fairly common occurrence in this world.


    Walking along, Maxime arrived in front of his house, where he could let out a sigh of relief.


    Andr��a was having her ankle bandaged by a doctor, but apart from a little blood, it was nothing serious.


    Maxime''s little brother could be seen clinging to Andr��a as he held back the tears contained in his eyes red with anger and bitterness.


    He looked very much like Maxime, both in terms of his face and his long, blond hair.


    And just like his brother, he had tied his hair back in a ponytail.


    He was simply a miniature 9-10 year-old version of Maxime.


    Andr��a saw Maxime arrive and said:


    "Maxime, you came."


    "Maxime nodded with a small smile.


    Noticing a familiar voice, the little brother left his mother and ran towards Maxime, shouting:


    "Big brother, the invaders have come and completely destroyed the street and our house!"


    "As long as you''re okay Jona, everything''s fine it doesn''t matter," Maxime replied in a soft voice and gave his tearful little brother a gentle hug.


    "Hum! It''s a good thing a pretty lady mercenary came by and repelled all the invaders, otherwise we might not be alive anymore, big brother!"


    Hearing this, Maxime looked surprised and broke out in a cold sweat.


    "It''s not as bad as all that; the special forces also came through shortly afterwards," Andr��a reassured him in a gentle voice.


    "As soon as I manage to put some money aside, we''ll move to a sector closer to the center of Nancoy, even if that means living in an apartment. The Omega sector is far too dangerous," Maxime asserted firmly.


    At the same time, the doctor finished his treatment:


    "That''s it, madame, avoid straining your ankle for 15 days and it should heal naturally."


    "Thank you very much, young man", Andr��a thanked him with a pretty smile on her wrinkled face.


    "At your service." he replied before leaving to help his colleagues.


    At the same moment, however, an explosion erupted from the house across the street from his family''s, attracting curious but also fearful glances from everyone on the street.


    A figure emerged from the burning house as it collapsed in on itself.


    Soon everyone had a full view of the individual.


    It was a humanoid being, the only differences it had with humans being its skin tending strongly towards red and its pointed ears.


    This frightened most of those present, especially as everyone could see what he was holding in his right hand.


    It was the head of Madame Jolie, the neighbor living opposite the Valdreuve family, Maxime''s family.


    Her expression was still that of the moment of her death, full of fear and disbelief.


    "The intruder smiled playfully as a soft crack erupted from his right hand.


    Madame Jolie''s skull was completely exploded, scattering fat and blood everywhere, much to the intruder''s delight.


    Maxime trembled with fear in the face of such an individual.


    He had thought he could easily fight them off after his experience in Eternity.


    But he had realized that facing death in Eternity and death in reality were two completely different concepts.


    Not to mention that here, he was dealing with a veritable monster, his natural predator.


    Invaders were killing millions of people around the world every year, simply a plague.


    However, a man in the street slowly stepped forward towards the intruder.


    An armor covering his body and a sword in his right hand appeared.


    This was one of the watch''s functionalities.


    With a simple thought, you could instantly equip yourself with the armor and weapon you''d decided on while in Eternity. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Run away, all of you! I''ll take care of delaying this abomination until help arrives!" he shouted in a powerful voice.


    His voice had an electroshock effect, awakening everyone on the street from their stupor however few were able to run with their legs shaking.


    "Just you?" asked the intruder with a mocking smile as he watched the man in front of him move slowly forward.


    In response, the brave man ran quickly and swung his sword.


    "Take my sword and we''ll talk later!"


    However, the intruder conjured up an axe in his right hand and easily blocked the attack with the axe handle.


    "It''s ridiculous," laughed the intruder as he punched the courageous man with his left hand.


    Cracking sounds were heard from the brave man''s abdomen as he was sent flying 3 metres, spitting blood.


    Everyone was startled by the difference in strength.


    "It was Monsieur Lorgne, at every neighbor''s party he boasted of having been a baron''s general, capable of killing dozens of enemies on a battlefield," whispered a woman in disbelief.


    Everyone knew this man, and especially his ability to boast.


    Yet he still had a slight ability to back up his words, and that''s what frightened everyone.


    Everyone''s legs were shaking, whether they owned a watch or not.


    But someone else had to get up to stall for reinforcements.


    As long as someone stood up and delayed time by a few seconds, it increased the chances of everyone surviving.


    No one dared stand up, however, and everyone simply watched as the demon swept his gaze over them, as if choosing who would be the next victim.


    It amused him to see these people plunged into fear, not even daring to look up.


    Believing that if they avoided his gaze, they''d be spared.


    "How laughable, but coming from an inferior species like yours, I suppose it''s normal," the demon scoffed, but no one dared contradict him.


    It was in this situation that another man stood up and stepped forward.


    The intruder looked at him curiously with a playful smile.


    Hearing footsteps, everyone looked up.


    His golden hair was easily recognizable.


    Especially by Andr��a and Jona.


    "Maxime?"


    "Big brother?"


    The man paused slightly, then continued on his way until there were less than 5 meters separating him from his adversary.


    "That''s what''s so surprising about your race: there are always a few who differ from the rest," said the demon.


    "Yet the outcome will always be the same," he continued with obvious contempt.


    This seemed obvious to everyone, especially as he was also equipped with armor and a sword.


    But the latter seemed unperturbed, as he announced:


    "Today, I have decided that I will kill my first invader."

 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," exclaimed Winny with a smile.


    "He''s an invader comparable 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 a commoner.


    Finally he retraced his steps, abandoning Maxime altogether.


    "Don''t blame me, just blame 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!" exclaimed the intruder, laughing.


    "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 to laugh.


    "Is there a rule that says high school students can''t kill you? If so, sorry, I''m going to become 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 places, all with Maxime as their central landmark.


    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 your command.


    "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," declared the intruder, laughing uncontrollably.


    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 close combat.


    The latter was slightly alarmed 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 a combat genius, and for lack 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. The latter 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 become friends with this man".


    "What did you say, Winny?" replied a nobleman near Winny.


    "I said make sure you become friends with that classmate!" 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: S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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.


    [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 class," 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 class," Maxime thought.


    "Do we know each other?" asked Maxime in a neutral tone.


    "No, but we''re about to become best friends!" exclaimed Winny happily and innocently.


    "The moment before that guy wanted to let our classmate die just for his ego, and he still manages to say things like that!?" The young nobles next door were all surprised.

 Chapter 24 Complicated feelings

    "The moment before this guy wanted to let our classmate die just for his ego, and he still manages to say this kind of thing!?" The young nobles to the side who followed were all surprised."Why not, I''d just like to ask you a question," Maxime replied with a cold face.


    "Yeah don''t worry buddy, ask me anything you want!" exclaimed Winny, laughing happily.


    "If we become best friends, won''t you just watch when I put my life on the line?" asked Maxime, squinting.


    The saber-toothed tigers had at some point begun to surround the young nobles.


    "We stayed on stand-by so as not to steal your prey, after all a lone alien is a very valuable opportunity to get merit points!" reacted Winny without showing the slightest hint of panic.


    And these were his true thoughts. He had a hunch that Maxime might pull through, and if things got really bad he would have stepped in.


    He knew he was arrogant, but he also knew the limits he had to set for himself.


    What''s more, in this world it was frowned upon to intervene in someone else''s fight, because then merit points would be distributed according to the contribution to the kill.


    Maxime frowned, but didn''t comment further.


    However, he did not tell his mercenaries to stop surrounding the young nobles, including Winny. This put a certain amount of pressure on them, and some even began to touch their weapons.


    After all, they were all students with a history of bloodshed and military training.


    The atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense.


    But suddenly, shouts came from behind them.


    "Glixorb, trazmoflurp! Blip-blork Znorglezop, fribble-blaz!"


    Maxime turned and saw some fifty Piran soldiers arriving at the end of the street. At the very front was a Piran at least 2m50 tall, commanding them.


    They must have been at least 2 kilometers away.


    From a distance, Maxime could detect an evil smile on his face as he shouted something while raising his axe:


    "Zlorp-zap Quibbertron!"


    All at once, the marching Piran soldiers began to roar as they ran in their direction.


    "Shit!" murmured Maxime in mild panic.


    If there had been 10 soldiers, they could have escaped with light losses; if there had been 20, that was fine too, but the losses would have been heavy.


    But without counting the mysterious 2m50 Piran, taking on 50 of them with its current power is clearly impossible. It''s not just Maxime; there aren''t many high-school students in the country capable of taking on so many Piran soldiers.


    He just couldn''t run away, since, quite apart from the many human lives at stake, there was his precious family behind him.


    Maxime took a deep breath to calm himself.


    "Mom, Joana, neighbors, paramedic friends, run! I''m staying here to hold back the invaders!" he shouted in a powerful voice.


    The saber-toothed tigers understood the situation intensely and positioned themselves at Maxime''s side.


    "Out of the question!" cried Andr��a.


    "Maxime you''re not a soldier, so you''re running with us!"


    Maxime was moved by his mother''s red, slightly moist eyes.


    He''d only seen her eyes once before. It was when his mother received the official letter from the government reporting his father''s death at the front, when he was 12.


    He smiled slightly with renewed energy.


    "Like Dad, I''ll become a protector of humanity, Mom. If I run away today I won''t have the courage to go and talk to Dad at his tombstone."


    Willy, who was watching from the side, observed this scene silently, as did the young nobles accompanying him.


    "Your father is nothing but a coward who abandoned his family and marital responsibilities to defend his idiotic ideology!" cried Andr��a, red with rage and emotion.


    Maxime lowered his head slightly; he too was angry at his father for sacrificing himself for people he didn''t even know.


    He didn''t even know how his father had died, and the subsidies were laughable. If his mother hadn''t been working two jobs at once, they should have abandoned the family home a long time ago.


    But no matter, these words irritated her to no end.


    "Since when is dying on the battlefield to defend humanity synonymous with idiocy?" thought Maxime as rage took hold of his mind.


    Maxime raised his head, his eyes red as he shouted:


    "I won''t allow you to say he was a coward, he was a hero!"


    "Without heroes like Daddy, who would go and fight those damned invaders!"


    "Without them, how would humanity even still exist!"


    A wide silence fell as neighbors, paramedics, young nobles and mercenaries observed the situation.


    "Shit what." murmured Maxime, rubbing his eyes lightly while Andrea bit her lips, seeming to contain her emotions as best she could.


    "Never mind, Piedro, Izo take my mother and brother and leave immediately. We don''t have time to talk," Maxime ordered sharply, turning his back on his mother and facing the oncoming Piran soldiers.


    As the two were the least likely to be influenced by emotions during their missions, they were perfectly suited to this task.


    The two concerned nodded solemnly and moved towards Andr��a and Joana.


    Biting her lips for a few seconds, Andr��a declared in a husky voice:


    "It''s okay, it won''t be necessary."


    "Just stay alive, son," she continued.


    "I''ll kill you if you die, bro," Joana added, his eyes also red.


    Maxime simply held his fist up to the sky, his back still to them.


    A minute later, just as silence had settled in and the pressure was building, Winny broke it:


    "It''s nothing against you, Maxime, but we''re all going to die here. You''ve only got 30 mercenaries, and I''ve only got 5 young noblemen with me, and nobody has mercenaries like you," he declared in a light voice.


    Maxime looked slightly at Winny and replied:


    "Eternity is not a game. Since watches are in limited supply, all its users are soldiers."


    "And soldiers are tasked with protecting civilians."


    "Why else do you think society grants you so many privileges?"


    Winny sighed slightly but smiled afterwards.


    "That''s true, but I didn''t think a situation like this would happen so quickly. And here I thought I''d be a commander of at least 100 men in the future surrounded by a halo of glory!" he laughed lightly. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re pretty brave for an arrogant guy," Maxime replied with a smile.


    "In my family, they say the more arrogant you are, the braver you are!" declared Winny, puffing out his chest.


    The young nobles next to him shook their heads ironically.


    "That''s another reason why this idiot is our leader: in spite of himself, he''s quite famous in the community of young nobles," one of them laughed.


    The saber-toothed tigers also smiled at the conversation. Andrew, who was standing not far from them, looked with amusement at the young nobles and said:


    "Well it will have been an honor to die with guys like you!"


    "Haha it''s not safe yet, I''ve developed a great technique for cleaving the dead!" replied one of the young nobles with blue eyes and green hair. He was small, but everyone could see from his eyes that he was a rather fierce person.


    "Remember who was the first of us to lose at hide-and-seek when we were little Rolls?" interjected Winny.


    "Shit, fuck you guys, maybe I''ll win that one! Who knows, there''s a first time for everything!" replied Rolls, aggressively but with a smile.


    This was the last sentence spoken before the silence returned.


    Indeed, the Pirans were already less than 500 meters away. So the confrontation was just around the corner.


    Everyone took up their positions with Maxime and the young nobles at the front of the formation.


    Just behind them followed Andrew, Romuald, Terry , James, Rodrigo, Ernest etc...


    With 400 meters to go, everyone''s bodies were extremely tense.


    300 meters to go, Ernest took an arrow from his quiver as the tension mounted.


    Their red heads and fierce expressions were clearly visible. It was as if they were going up against orcs, only their skin was red and they belonged to the real world and not to a world constructed from scratch via the imagination of some human being.


    250 meters to go, the imposing size of the Pyran soldiers intimidated most of Maxime''s allies, but everyone held their ground.


    200 meters to go, Ernest stretched his bowstring.


    150 meters to go, Ernest released his arrow. In the space of a second, the arrow appeared in the body of one of the Piran soldiers at the front, causing him to fall, dragging a few soldiers with him.


    "Well shot, Ernest," said Maxime in a light tone.


    "Thank you, Chief.


    The arrow and these two sentences gave the human squad a slight morale boost.


    100 meters to go.


    "Saber-toothed tigers, noble friends" announced Maxime as he drew his sword.


    50 meters to go.


    "Charge!"

 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, laughed heartily, all the while uttering various strange cries.


    0 meters to go.


    Weapons clashed, 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 replaced 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 flame 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.


    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.


    Maxime landed behind him, and a few seconds later 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!" exclaimed Winny mentally as a certain shiver ran through her body.


    "It reminds me of the time when he protected the village. He also showed amazing agility, but it didn''t show up after that," Andrew commented 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!" commented 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 in combat, 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 glance.


    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 few complications, 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 minutes later, 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 places and covered in blood. Yet his eyes were as clear and combative 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: S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 glance, 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 our comrades fell in those few minutes," Maxime commented 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. Particularly 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 to laugh!?" 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 like laughing, I''ll laugh!" replied Winny with a provocative smile.


    Rina was about to start fighting, but a voice came from behind him.


    "The hardest part is yet to come," said Maxime calmly, his back still turned.


    With the initial prestige cumulated 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!" laughed Winny.


    Maxime moved his head slightly and looked at Winny out of the corner of his eye.


    The latter met Maxime''s gaze and felt fear seize his body, as if a high-class 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 much later, having surpassed all expectations and attained the majestic position of lieutenant-colonel with a battalion of 800 men under his command, 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 26 The first extraordinary performance

    Unaware that he had traumatized someone for life, Maxime looked closely at the figure that had just appeared.His red skin was much darker than that of ordinary Piran soldiers, and he was also 50 centimetres taller than his fellows.


    So, at 3 meters tall, Maxime sensed that he was about to face the strongest opponent he had ever encountered.


    "Somehow, I have the impression that this Piran is as strong as Instructor Riva," Maxime murmured as he braced himself for any irregular movement.


    However, Maxime''s allies didn''t find anything special about this Piran, so they were slightly more relaxed than Maxime.


    At that moment, the imposing Piran smiled mischievously, making Maxime feel a huge sense of danger.


    "Not good!" mentally shouted Maxime in panic.


    And indeed, dropping the Piran soldiers at his side, he rushed like a flash towards Maxime''s team and the young nobles.


    Maxime only had time to see a flash pass him by and determine the direction of the new threat.


    "It''s heading for Andrew!"


    *boom*


    Turning around, Maxime saw a figure fall violently backwards several dozen meters.


    A morbid silence was produced, as everyone noticed the power of this Piran.


    The young nobles, with the exception of Winny, who had hitherto been rather calm, began to shake their hands.


    Maxime''s mercenaries looked pale as the red-haired man lay motionless on the ground. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While the invader who''d committed the crime stood in the same spot where the impact had taken place, very calm.


    Then he opened his mouth:


    "Young humans, I''ve underestimated you a little."


    "I didn''t think you''d kill so many of my soldiers, and I just wanted to drag them through iron and blood without causing too many casualties..."


    Her chilling voice and strange accent roamed Maxime''s flesh.


    He sighed lightly.


    "I guess I''ll just tell the higher-ups that this was the price of killing a few human geniuses."


    Then he began to smile in a very creepy way as he turned and stared at Maxime who was standing not far away.


    Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest reacted immediately, trying to move in front of Maxime.


    Unfortunately, the Piran squad commander was moving too fast for them to protect Maxime.


    Their eyes fell on Maxime in despair. While their perception of time was very slow, they noticed Maxime''s lips moving.


    "NOX LIMIT!"


    [Members of the mercenary group "Les tigres �� dents de sabre" have their physical abilities increased by 50%].


    Followed by a mysterious voice, an unknown energy appeared in their bodies, making them boil from the inside.


    It coursed through their bodies, strengthening them drastically.


    At the same time, Commander Piran smiled cruelly as he swung his axe at Maxime.


    In an instant, he stood in front of Maxime, their size differences in stark contrast.


    But when he saw Maxime''s eyes turn from light blue to translucent white, his strong body, of which he had always been proud, trembled with fear.


    "Me, Joya, a Piran commander trembles with fear in front of a small human high school student?"


    "How can that be? My physique has already reached 3.9!"


    Joya''s eyes shone with perplexity, but this only strengthened the force in which he put his attack.


    *boom*


    The ground where Maxime had once stood was shattered into a thousand pieces, creating a small crater.


    But Maxime''s body was nowhere to be found.


    "Shit, where''s the kid?" Joya thought fearfully.


    The next moment, he heard a soft, murderous voice to his right.


    "Die damned invader."


    Maxime seemed to fly through the air as he stood at the same height as Commander Piran.


    Then, with a fluid gesture, he swung his sword at Joya''s neck!


    But his sword stopped in the middle of Joya''s strong neck.


    "Hahaha, what bad luck not to have a sword worthy of your strength!" mocked Joya loudly.


    "Now die!" he continued with a gleeful grin as he swung his hand towards Maxime, as if he wanted to grab his head and then annihilate him.


    But Maxime''s white eyes showed not the slightest sign of fear.


    And indeed, there was no reason to be afraid, since he wasn''t alone.


    The silhouettes of Romuald and Izo appeared in the path of Joya''s fist.


    The two mercenaries looked at each other and then, as if they''d communicated beforehand, drew their swords simultaneously in the direction of the invader''s fist.


    The next instant, a loud collision took place, followed by Romuald and Izo''s silhouettes flying off the ground.


    They collided with Maxime and landed violently together 30 meters away.


    "Cursed humans, how can you be so powerful at such a young age!" mentally insulted Joya in a fierce voice but also with a slight fear.


    "I must kill them absolutely or they''ll become a threatening variable for our plan of conquest!"


    But no sooner had he finished thinking about it than he felt an intense pain in his chest.


    "This is for my brothers!" shouted Tena, who had stabbed his sword deep into Joya''s back.


    "AHHHHH! Damned humans!" Joya turned violently from the pain, swinging Tena who couldn''t hold on to his sword.


    But only 1 metre away from him was Ernest, gliding through the air at a staggering height.


    Mockingly, Ernest let go of the arrow he''d fired earlier, destroying his bow in the process.


    But without a doubt, it made for the most powerful arrow he''d ever shot in his life.


    "Fuck! This time, you won''t get me!" shouted Joya as he arched his back in an astonishing fashion, allowing the arrow to avoid his eyes and pass over him.


    But strangely enough, he wasn''t happy.


    And indeed, a bloody, red-haired figure arrived below him.


    Then, with a powerful leap, he decapitated the remaining half of Joya''s blow.


    His heavy head rolled over the body and his imposing body fell to the ground under the watchful eyes of Maxime and his mercenaries, but also of the young nobles.


    It was Andrew who had been severely wounded earlier, but Maxime''s active talent enabled him to heal his wounds to a large extent and thus deliver this final blow.


    [Ding!]


    [Commander Piran killed!]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Corporal]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Master Corporal]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Sergeant]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Master Sergeant]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Warrant Officer]


    The remaining Piran soldiers saw their leader fall and didn''t dare stay any longer.


    But as they ran, all their heads flew off, one after the other.


    It had all happened very quickly, and the perpetrators of this deed were also quick to return to the young nobles, whose eyes were filled with wonder.


    The young nobles had starry eyes as they looked at Maxime and his mercenaries in the wake of what they had seen, with the exception of Winny who lowered his head.


    "Well done everyone, now I''m going back with my mercenaries to see what happened to my family and neighbors," Maxime declared in a calm tone with his white eyes staring at the young nobles in front of him.


    The latter barely reacted to Maxime''s words, nodding unconsciously.


    So Maxime set off again with his mercenaries, full of wounds and blood, to catch up with his family and neighbors and see if they were safe.


    A few minutes later, one of the young noblemen finally opened his mouth:


    "My God, what have we witnessed?"


    "Is this guy really our age? How did he get so strong?" asked another.


    In response Winny finally raised her head, then replied to the two young nobles who had just intervened:


    "I don''t know, but that guy''s a monster. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been so scared when I met his eyes."

 Chapter 27 Rapid massacre

    Crossing several completely destroyed streets, Maxime and his few mercenaries arrived not far from a defensive line.Several military vehicles were on fire, and some fifty soldiers were engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat with Piran soldiers.


    "Sergeant Frost, we''re not going to be able to hold out much longer at this rate!" shouted a young man in military garb as he finished off a Piran soldier by plunging his sword into his heart.


    "And what do you want to do, soldier? If we retreat, countless civilians will be slaughtered!" replied an imposing man in military garb with a scarred face.


    He was facing 3 Piran soldiers at a time, showing extraordinary strength compared to the rest of the soldiers.


    As he pushed his opponents back, he issued an order:


    "Soldiers, reinforcements will be arriving soon so resist these damned invaders with your bodies and protect our families!"


    "Yes, Sergeant!" replied the human soldiers in combat.


    Seeing the situation and listening to the short dialogue, Maxime intervened:


    "Take care of those vermin," he ordered sharply as they ran together.


    "Yes, sir!"


    Andrew, Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest split up and began slaughtering the enemy troops, while Maxime ran straight towards Sergeant Frost. On the way, he came across the 3 Piran soldiers from behind and punched one of them in the back.


    The latter arched his back in pain and fell heavily to the ground.


    The Piran soldier''s eyes were still open as he breathed heavily.


    Maxime appeared standing beside him.


    "If my sword hadn''t been stuck in that cursed Commander Piran''s body, I wouldn''t have had to make that second blow," Maxime muttered, slightly irritated.


    The Piran soldier opened his eyes wide at this, then a fist came swiftly in front of him.


    boom


    His brains and blood scattered over several meters, staining Maxime''s ordinary student clothes.


    "Shit, I hadn''t planned that," Maxime continued, even more irritated.


    Sergeant Frost''s eyes widened at the sight of a young man his son''s age being so fierce.


    But he still asked in a serious tone:


    "Where are you from, soldier? State your registration number, the status of your unit and who''s in charge."


    "No registration, no unit and in charge...My mother?" replied Maxime with an ironic smile.


    "I''m still in high school," he continued.


    "Monster," Sergeant Frost blurted out unconsciously.


    "No, forgive me, young genius, it just came out haha" he continued, slightly embarrassed as he ran his hand over the back of his head.


    Maxime shook his head with a smile, showing that he didn''t care.


    Then he stared at the two Piran soldiers who had remained nearby.


    They hadn''t dared move since Maxime had appeared. During this short discussion, the content of which they had only slightly understood thanks to their limited knowledge of human language, they could hear their fallen comrades.


    Indeed, during this short time, the 5 saber-toothed tigers were coming to the aid of the most embattled human soldiers and exterminating absolutely everything in their path.


    Soon silence reigned as the human soldiers and Maxime''s mercenaries surrounded the two remaining Piran soldiers.


    A simple eye contact between Maxime and his mercenaries was enough for the latter to understand that he could finish off the last two.


    Two corpses fell to the ground.


    Simultaneously, the surrounding soldiers looked at the 5 young men who had just saved their lives.


    But the latter remained impassive as they silently joined Maxime, and stood behind him.


    "Sergeant Frost, have you seen any locals passing through here?" asked Maxime, ignoring the strange looks on his face.


    "Well, a lot of civilians have passed through here..." replied the sergeant hesitantly due to the lack of details.


    "Ah, well, some villagers did ask us to go and rescue some youngsters, but they told us there were about thirty of you..." exclaimed the Sergeant excitedly, before looking sad to see only five youngsters return.


    Seeing the Sergeant''s slight sadness, Maxime smiled and said:


    "There were 35 of us."


    But before the sergeant could say anything, Maxime continued:


    "25 of my mercenaries died on the battlefield resisting the Piran soldiers, but there were 5 youngsters who were with me, and they''re still alive. They should be arriving soon."


    "Mercenaries?" replied the sergeant without really meaning to, then after some time of reflection he finally made the connection.


    "Shit, since when are leaders of men, especially high-schoolers, so powerful?" continued the sergeant, laughing loudly.


    The soldiers nearby were equally surprised, they all thought they were geniuses who had banded together to gain military merit.


    "What big family does this guy come from to hire such powerful men?" exclaimed one soldier.


    "I can''t even imagine the salary it takes to hire 2-star mercenaries who''ve reached their maximum potential." replied another.


    "2 stars, you''re sweet. To do what they''ve done, they''re at least 3-star mercenaries." commented a third with an ironic smile as he carefully cleaned his bloody sword.


    Various gossips erupted in the wake of Maxime''s strength.


    But as the soldiers talked among themselves, Maxime decided to leave.


    "Sergeant Frost, do you remember where the people who asked you to save us went?" he asked, wanting to get back to his family as quickly as possible.


    "Yes, they went to shelter no. 34 in bourgeois district no. 3."


    Maxime frowned when he heard "quartier bourgeois", as it was well known that there was a lot of discrimination in this kind of neighborhood, not to mention the fact that shelter space was limited.


    "Thank you, Sergeant," Maxime replied with a military salute.


    "Let''s go, guys," Maxime ordered, turning and looking at Andrew, Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest.


    Then they took off running in the direction of the bourgeois district n��3.


    With their physique, they were much faster than the best athletes in the days before watches.


    The human soldiers and Sergeant Frost looked on in admiration and gratitude as the young men saved not only their own lives, but also those of the people they were protecting.


    Maxime and his mercenaries made their way through several ruined districts, helping soldiers where they could, but also citizens who were protecting their families.


    Unbeknownst to Maxime, the reputation of a genius with long, blood-covered blond hair and white eyes, accompanied by 3 young men and a young woman, was spreading across the city''s battlefields.


    At the same time, Maxime and his mercenaries passed through the bourgeois quarters n��4 and n��5, which were further out, but the invaders had obviously not yet reached them.


    Indeed, these neighborhoods showed no signs of destruction.


    There were even well-to-do families unaware of the danger they were in as they dined quietly on their terraces, frowning with contempt as Maxime and his men, covered in blood, passed by their homes.


    Maxime paid them no heed and continued on his way to shelter no. 34.


    A few minutes later, Maxime spotted his family in the distance.


    [NOX LIMIT deactivated]


    The sudden reduction in their physical strength was so drastic that Maxime and his men lost their balance slightly.


    No sooner had they regained their balance than Maxime''s eyes turned blue again and his breath quickened due to physical exhaustion, but he soon managed to regulate it even though he still felt tired.


    "So there are always side effects, I suppose it''s normal, even extraordinary, to have only this, given the power we''ve been able to obtain," Maxime thought calmly.


    Andrew, Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest seemed to be in a much worse state as they were sweating profusely and their breathing was much more jerky.


    [Minor stamina skill: slightly improves stamina]. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It must be thanks to that I guess," Maxime analyzed, looking at his status page.


    "It''s a good thing I maximized my peasant class, otherwise I wouldn''t have been able to get this talent." he commented, happy not to be in the same state as his mercenaries.


    As he continued to run, he could see Andrea, Joana and the local acquaintances more clearly.


    But when he saw the situation his family was in, murderous intent burst from his eyes.


    "Andrew, Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest."


    "Yes chief?" replied those concerned attentively despite their complicated breathing.


    "Today I thought I''d only be killing invaders..." said Maxime without finishing his sentence.


    The pause seemed interminable as the tigers listened attentively.


    A few seconds passed before Maxime continued:


    "But scum in human form will die by my hand today."

 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 accelerated.


    Despite the disappearance of her [NOX LIMIT] state, she still had a 2-point physique, giving her incredible speed compared to ordinary soldiers.


    "I''ll come with you," Andrew declared, 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, combined 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.


    The latter 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," declared 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 the last 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.


    "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 flash 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!" exclaimed Andr��a as tears began to flow.


    She herself knew how complicated 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 accomplished 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 congratulated her on raising such a fine son.


    "What is she hiding from me?" wondered Maxime, frowning.


    Her quick glance 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 glare 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 exclaimed as he drew his handgun and took aim at Maxime''s group. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 penetrated 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 assailant.


    The latter had a completely 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 still laws in this town.


    *boom*


    *pschitt*


    Another source of pain appeared, but Maxime remained on his feet as a smile as strange as his assailant 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.


    At last Maxime arrived in front of the man and, without saying a word, threw a punch with all his might into his attacker''s face.


    The latter 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," declared 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 relatives and mercenaries, followed by this last sentence:


    "Quickly, take this man to the military rescue service!"


    Then Maxime lost all consciousness.

 Chapter 29 Olyfer family

    "Quickly, take this man to the military rescue service!"Then Maxime lost all consciousness.


    Riva also arrived at this moment with some members of the Juggernaut. She had seen the scene in the distance, and as she looked at Maxime, a hint of admiration could be seen in the gleam of her eyes.


    "Such courage at such a young age, even among the Juggernauts few were capable of it at his age, and even now this kind of courage is still very rare in the group," she thought.


    While a few members of the Juggernauts performed some first aid on Maxime, Riva quickly asked those nearby what had happened.


    Having obtained some information, she was soon able to reconstruct the scene as a feeling of annoyance took hold of her.


    "Why is it that in this world there are always people who think they''re above everyone else?" but she kept her thoughts to herself.


    Nearby soldiers were also inquiring about the situation. The man in charge of this team of soldiers frowned as he observed the tied-up civilians, but an intense sense of panic overcame him when he saw the motionless body in front of the shelter''s iron door.


    "Why the hell is the second son of the Olifer family here, even more so in this state?" he asked himself with a slight sense of panic.


    The Olifer family was well known for being very influential in Nansoy''s business and even in the city''s politics, they represented a not inconsiderable weight.


    Riva also noticed the body, but quickly moved on. She didn''t have a good impression of most of the noble families, so she kept contact to a minimum.


    She could only recall a few powerful people among them, and she had to admit that the military might of these families is definitely not something to be underestimated.


    The man in charge of the team of soldiers looked at the woman crying next to Maxime as well as the civilians nearby, then after a moment''s hesitation, curtly ordered:


    "Take all these civilians to the police station for questioning, also take the man on the ground directly to prison, he''ll be treated directly there."


    The highest-ranking soldier''s thoughts were clear: he wanted to put Maxime directly in prison for wilful murder and let him die of his wounds with the minimum of care.


    Even if he didn''t die, at least he''d make sure Maxime didn''t fail the university entrance exams.


    Seeing the soldiers begin to carry away Maxime''s unconscious body, Riva suspected something and said directly:


    "Leave him here, I''ll make sure he gets to the nearest aid station."


    The military official looked at the beautiful woman who had just spoken and wanted directly to ignore her, but seeing her uniform and the well-equipped men at her side, he thought quickly and replied firmly:


    "I can''t leave him in your hands, a man died because of him. I absolutely must investigate the circumstances of the incident, make a report and then let the court judge his fate."


    Riva''s eyes widened in surprise, then anger overcame her:


    "Excuse me!? The circumstances are quite clear! The dead man targeted civilians, then this courageous young student ordered his men to position themselves in front of the civilians with the sole intention of protecting them! It was only when fire was opened that he fired back!"


    "That''s just the opinion of a few witnesses, procedure means we still have to take him with us," the officer in military uniform calmly replied.


    "Then you''ll have to go over my body if you want to take it away!" retorted Riva as she positioned herself in front of the official.


    Behind her, the two soldiers applying care were at a loss as to how to react.


    "Oh, what an unconscious and energetic young woman, let''s see you stop me!" smiled the man in charge with a hint of lechery as he advanced towards Riva.


    "Wait chief, it''s Madame Riva from the Juggernaut group!" intervened one of the nearby soldiers seeing the situation escalate.


    "Riva?" the uniformed officer unconsciously asked aloud.


    Soon he remembered some military exploits that had recently caused a stir, and wanted to say something, but unfortunately a heavy punch had landed on his chest in the blink of an eye.


    Such was the inertia of the punch that he flew a few meters before landing with difficulty.


    "How dare you!?" questioned the man in charge angrily as he painfully placed his left hand on his abdomen.


    "I dare!" replied Riva angrily.


    Remembering his identity, the man in charge hesitated for a few moments, then gritted his teeth and ordered his men:


    "It''s all right, let the Juggernaut mercenaries deal with this man first."


    His men nodded, but took with them the shackled civilians and the body of the Olifers'' second son, completely inert.


    "Vice-commandante Riva, are you sure this kid is worth offending the police?" asked a tall man with an imposing build carrying an axe on his back.


    "Without a doubt. Now we''re taking him to the nearest aid station." sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Excuse me, may I accompany you? I''m this boy''s mother," Andr��a asked, her eyes full of determination.


    "Of course," agreed Riva.


    ...


    Omega Sector Central Hospital.


    The eyelashes of a young man with blond hair moved slightly. Then his pale blue eyes opened directly.


    Confusion invaded him as he observed the various cables connected to his body and the machines surrounding him.


    Then came the smell specific to hospital wards, which made him aware of the environment he was in.


    "Max, you''ve finally woken up!" shouted a small, half-asleep-looking young man loudly.


    "Jona... What day is it? Where''s Mom?"


    "Don''t worry, you only slept for 3 days, you didn''t miss much! And Mom''s at home resting!"


    "I see, I see, so now it''s Thursday, is it?" replied Maxime as he began to unplug everything.


    "Yes, but big brother..."


    "Don''t worry, no bullet was left in my body.


    "But you lost a few organs anyway!"


    "Yes, but with my physique, they''ve long since regenerated," Maxime reassured him with a slight smile.


    Physique represented not only strength, speed and endurance in battle, but also speed of recovery.


    In this world, regenerating an arm naturally was possible as long as the physique was sufficient.


    Comparatively speaking, regenerating a few organs in 3 days seemed relatively ordinary.


    After exchanging a few sentences with his brother, Maxime had already pulled the plug.


    "Jona, what happened to the guy who put me in this state?" asked Maxime casually.


    "He''s dead, big brother, but..." Jona hesitated to finish her sentence.


    "What''s the matter, little brother?" added Maxime, frowning with a bad feeling.


    "Well, we''ve been having a few problems with Mom ever since..." Jona looked both sad and angry as he looked at Maxime with slightly red eyes.


    "Problems, in other words?" replied Maxime as a dangerous aura began to emanate from him.


    Since his trip to Eternity and his recent experience on the battlefield, Maxime''s hands were already stained with blood and his mentality had changed significantly.


    Although it was still far from the aura of a seasoned mercenary, it was enough to intimidate people who had never experienced a real battlefield.


    But for Jona, this aura reassured him and gave him the confidence to explain everything to Maxime.


    After hearing everything, Maxime clenched his fists fiercely, then took a deep breath and calmed down, then summed up what had happened in his head with a clear head.


    "So that explains why Mother is at home today..." Maxime thought after a moment''s reflection.


    At the same time, in a luxurious office, a man in a suit was sitting on a chair covered in leopard skin.


    Sitting there, he was like a mountain with a wild and dangerous aura.


    Opposite him, a confident young man told him the latest news.


    "Father, we''re well into our revenge."


    Seeing his father still guarding him calmly without saying a word, the young man continued:


    "The murderer''s little brother is now harassed every day by his classmates, and he''s also beaten up every day by teenagers older than him on the way home from school."


    "What about his mother?" asked the man with the power-filled aura.


    "The company she works for belongs to a friend of mine, I asked him to give her a workload far beyond her capabilities. Yesterday she argued with her superior, then left work cursing and saying she was working remotely today. Of course, this morning she must have received her letter of dismissal for abandoning her post."


    The young man looked relatively proud as he finished his report to his father. He had called on his network and asked for many favors.


    The imposing man rose to his feet and, with a heavy step, came face to face with his son.


    The previously confident young man''s confidence was plummeting as fear began to invade his body.


    And not for nothing, after all, his father was a legend in Nansoy. Not only did he belong to the famous Olifer family, he was also its patriarch.


    And it was well known that to attain the position of patriarch of this family, one had to have at least a 3.5-point physique!


    Suffice to say, he was a monster in human form.


    Even the best student in the country, who took the competitive exams every year, rarely had a physique exceeding 3 points!


    Knowing that the further you advance, the harder it is to improve!


    To reach 3.5 points, it can cost tens of thousands of gold coins to invest in classes!


    Who can accumulate that much gold in less than a year after connecting to Eternity?


    For ordinary people, it''s a wealth they''ll never see in their entire lives!


    Even among the powerful people of this country, it was considerable wealth!


    After all, it was the equivalent of an earl''s capital income in a year in Eternity!


    And this imposing man visibly wore a disappointed expression as he looked at his eldest son.


    "Loris, I expected more from you. Your brother''s just died and you''re avenging him with childish tricks," he said scornfully.


    Loris bit his lip, having invested so much effort he was still despised by his father.


    "Blood is only repaid with blood," announced the imposing man, looking into his son''s eyes.


    Loris looked surprised.


    "But father, it''s impossible to kill your mother or your brother. Even with the power of our family, it would be difficult to cover this up," Loris retorted with concern.


    The father sighed to see his son so thoughtless.


    But he reassured himself that the second one to die was stupider than an animal.


    After all, you really have to be devoid of intelligence to shoot civilians just to prevent them from getting into a shelter. Such an affair was also complicated to camouflage for their family.


    "In the end, it''s not so bad that the idiot''s dead," thought the Olifer family patriarch.


    "Who told you to keep touching his brother and mother?" he questioned slyly.


    "Maxime? But he''s powerful enough already, it''s become complicated to go after him by ordinary means..." replied Loris worriedly.


    "What a stupid son. You''re still more powerful than him, aren''t you? And there''s something coming up soon..."


    Loris thought for two seconds, then a sudden illumination attacked him.


    Back at the hospital, Maxime rose from his bed and left the room with Jona, whom he followed in a hurry.


    Coincidentally, Maxime and Loris thought simultaneously in two totally different places:


    "Olifer family, eh? See you at the university contest", Maxime thought, while anger could be seen in his eyes.


    "Maxime, just wait for the contest and enjoy the last moments with your family," Loris thought, looking at his father with an arrogant, menacing smile.

 Chapter 30 Celebrity

    Maxime left the hospital in his patient''s clothes under the questioning eyes of the nursing staff and patients.This scene was quite common, but it was usually people of at least 25 years of age who went out in this way.


    For those daring to risk their lives in Eternity, it was usually at this age that they reached a superhuman stage in terms of recovery speed.


    But obviously Maxime was only an 18 or 19 year-old high-school student, hence the surprise of the onlookers.


    Ding!


    As Maxime crossed the threshold of the hospital door, his watch chimed.


    Soon a text appeared in front of him.


    [Report to the host that all mercenaries have recovered and are ready to fight].


    Maxime smiled slightly at this news and it reassured him.


    After all, he''d clearly seen his men die in front of him, so even though he knew they''d be resurrected in less than 24 hours, he''d never seen a resurrection with his own eyes.


    Who knows, maybe there were special conditions for success?


    But obviously, even if there were, his men weren''t affected.


    Looking at the sun above him, Maxime guessed it was around 9am, so he was simply planning to go to class.


    "Jona''s going to meet Mum at home, ask her to help teach you your lessons and you tell her to look up the school curriculum on the internet so you''re not behind your classmates."


    "But big brother, do you think I should stay at home forever from now on?" asked Jona worriedly.


    "No, I''ll be taking care of everything soon. Not only will you be going to school, but you''ll be going to the best schools in the world," Maxime reassured her with a confident smile.


    Jona''s eyes filled with stars as he exclaimed:


    "All right, big brother! I know you''re going to kick ass at the competition!"


    . "Tear it up? Yeah, I''m gonna kick ass." Maxime found the expression funny before nodding with a menacing smile, although it disappeared the next moment as if it were an illusion.


    As Jona returned to the family home, Maxime headed first for a clothes store, then quietly exited under the strange eyes of the store assistant.


    Ten minutes later, he arrived at the school gate without a hitch.


    "It would seem that the Olifer family knows that it would take either a very powerful man to threaten me or a squadron of elite men, but in either case it would require too much effort," Maxime analyzed calmly, hands in his pockets as he crossed the main entrance to his school.


    "When numbers and quality come together, it really makes for explosive development at the very beginning of Eternity."


    "Nox Limit is truly a demonic talent. Even if the patriarch Olifer were standing in front of me, he could hardly kill me with so many elite mercenaries under my command."


    "That''s just the beginning, a really strong man could still easily kill me, there are also these mysterious knights who could pose a threat as well as several other strange phenomena."


    "Eternity is a world full of possibilities and mysteries."


    "Incidentally, I wonder if I get the knight method can I become one? What about my mercenaries, would that be possible? It''s a shame that in high school it''s an area we don''t talk about."


    As various thoughts raced through Maxime''s mind, he arrived at his classroom door.


    Behind the door, he could hear his foreign language teacher speaking in piran.


    Without knocking, he gently opened the door and calmly walked through.


    All eyes in the class were on him.


    Admiration, jealousy, doubt, various emotions ran through the class.


    But Maxime only glanced at his classmates before looking at his teacher, then said simply:


    "I''m sorry I''m late, Professor, but I couldn''t come earlier.


    "That''s all right, Maxime, go and take your seat," replied the teacher with a slight smile.


    "Thank you professor."


    Maxime was slightly taken aback, for normally this teacher would dismiss any student arriving late, which was why he didn''t want to knock before entering.


    But moving on, he glanced quickly at Samuel, who was making a dynamic hand gesture.


    Maxime walked over to his best friend and quietly settled into his chair as the teacher resumed his lecture.


    "So I was saying that it was very important when communicating with piran soldiers that you combine your words with gestures, otherwise your words could mean totally different things."


    "Indeed, piran language is a mixture of gestural and written speech, so really pay attention to this..."


    Seeing that the course was interesting, Maxime looked at Samuel and said:


    "How are you Sam? Could you pass me a sheet of paper and a pencil?"


    Samuel opened his eyes wide and exclaimed in a whisper:


    "Dude you come to class like a flower and the first thing you ask me for is a sheet of paper and a pencil?"


    "Yeah, what''s the big deal?" retorted Maxime with curious eyes.


    "I guess that''s to be expected since you were unconscious." Samuel tapped his forehead lightly.


    But after that a broad smile was seen on his face as he exclaimed still in a whisper:


    "Dude, you''re famous!"


    Maxime looked surprised, then asked, also in a whisper:


    "What do you mean I''ve become famous?


    Samuel quickly took out his phone, went to TokTik and typed on the search bar: "Today, I''ve decided to kill my first invader!


    Maxime glanced curiously at Samuel''s phone until the page loaded, then directly displayed the first video.


    The title read "Part 1/4: Today I decided I would kill my first invader."


    Just below it, the video launched as a Piran invader appeared in a wide shot.


    The viewpoint of the video was from the balcony of one of the neighboring houses, with an excellent view of the street.


    The Piran soldier was emerging from a burning house as it collapsed in on itself.


    In his right hand, he was visibly dragging a human woman with disconcerting ease.


    The Piran soldier exclaimed with a playful smile:


    "Oh my, it''s busy in here!


    Samuel didn''t dare turn on the sound of the video, so Maxime simply read the subtitles that appeared.


    At the same time, Maxime applied slight pressure to his hand, causing the young woman''s head to explode.


    As the video zoomed out, the number of civilians in the vicinity of Private Piran became apparent.


    Maxime recognized the scene - after all, he was there.


    A man stepped forward from the crowd as armor covered him and a sword appeared in his hand.


    "Run away, all of you! I''ll see to delaying this abomination until help arrives!"


    The subtitles were written in an impressive font that sent shivers down Maxime''s spine, so appropriate was it to the situation.


    They were shivers of admiration for the man''s courage.


    But after only a short exchange and confrontation, the man was punched in the abdomen and flew 3 meters while vomiting blood.


    But soon a young man with blond hair and blue eyes emerged from the crowd.


    The video camera began to focus on him, on the alien and on what appeared to be a middle-aged woman and a little boy who were shouting at the young man. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the young man remained indifferent as epic music appeared in the video.


    Samuel had turned up the sound just a little, just enough to hear the music.


    Then the young man of impressive courage moved his lips slightly, at the same time subtitles appeared on the screen:


    "Today, I decided that I would kill my first invader."


    The video ended with this as the app advised to go to the video "Part 2/4: Today I decided I would kill my first invader."


    Samuel turned off the phone at this point, then looked at Maxime and said:


    "Everything you did 3 days ago has been recorded by various people, from almost annihilating your mercenaries, to rescuing the human soldiers and protecting your family. Unfortunately, the man who shot you had his face blurred on all the videos."


    Samuel looked at his best friend in admiration, then delivered some shocking news:


    "You''ve become a role model for the future younger generation, and even famous veteran mercenaries have shared your exploits."


    Maxime simply nodded in response.


    "What''s that all about?"


    Samuel looked slightly disappointed at his best friend''s reaction.


    Maxime smiled slightly and asked him slowly in a whisper:


    "No, could you please pass me a sheet of paper and a pencil?"

 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, the language teacher began to tell the story of the Piran language.


    "At the very beginning of the Piran story there were of course gestures to communicate, but these gestures gradually disappeared to make way for verbal language."


    "Like any species, various language systems emerged throughout history until they succeeded in merging their entire population under a single banner."


    "This enabled their people to have a common language, although many other languages 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 to communicate as quickly as possible on the battlefield, words began to be shortened, certain syllables disappeared forever giving way to gestures with the meaning of those syllables."


    "In our army we also have a similar system of language but generally these are unique languages and developed by certain elite units."


    "But on their side they have promoted this language system throughout their army and therefore to their entire civilization."


    "Their language had some flaws at first, and above all it was very complicated to harmonize this language to a civilization as big as theirs."


    "After all, at that time they already had 5 habitable planets and just over a hundred billion inhabitants."


    "That''s when Emperor Hydra V stepped in and instituted a special education policy to complement an extremely innovative method."


    ...


    "So much for the Piran language history lesson. Make sure you remember the history of this language, as a question on this subject has already appeared in the university competition."


    "Also, to learn a language 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 his comrades 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.


    Moments later, 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 slanderous 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 planet."


    "Even counting the other human planets 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, black hair.


    Her hair seemed to be extremely silky as it swayed gracefully in the air thanks to the wind entering through the classroom windows.


    The scene seemed almost fairytale-like as the students still in the classroom 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." commented 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.


    "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 you coming 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 his comrades.


    "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 classroom 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 become 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 classmates, 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 exclaimed 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 becomes my wife then I''ll become super rich and influential!" commented Maxime, laughing.


    "That''s it, I give up, you''re a hopeless case bro." S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 32 The main objective

    Classes followed, including Riva''s, who glanced 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 seemed completely 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 the competition.


    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.


    Indeed, it''s an advantage every player enjoys. While time was on pause in the world of Eternity, players could take advantage of every break to train and come 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 displays my current status"


    Ding!


    Maxime glanced at his statistics.


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve.


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique)


    Swordsman level 3 (+5% physics) (0/100)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.95 (+0.16)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 2 (67/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 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," Maxime commented 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 the competitions" Maxime asked himself hesitantly.


    He was very hesitant because the bar''s owner had hired him where all the other companies had turned him down because of his youth and lack 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 the competition coming up."


    "I think I should just let the boss know, and stay there for a few more weeks, while the boss finds a replacement," 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 he lay 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 exclaimed:


    "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.


    "Welcome back to our world, Chief!" exclaimed some of the mercenaries, laughing.


    After the laughter, 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 eyes landed 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 places, since they can''t sleep peacefully in most cities."


    "And they usually have a few hiding places 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 similar but less controlled reactions as they clenched their fists in anger but also sadness in retrospect.


    James, in particular, seemed close to tears.


    Piedro and Izo didn''t react in any particular way; no one could guess their thoughts.


    Ernest, Rodrigo, Romuald, Riva, Ronny, Joe, Alessandro and other mercenaries seemed particularly 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 other companions still alive and at large!"


    This came as a shock to many mercenaries, especially those from outside Quessoi.


    A group of 50 organized bandits with a particularly 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 ransom last time in Quessoi."


    "So to come 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 became completely 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 a comrade who was already close to him before the saber-toothed tigers. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I wonder how much gold we''ll be able to make!?"


    "I hope a lot! At least enough to replace 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 go completely mad and unscrupulous!" he laughed, temporarily forgetting his rage.


    "Haha that''s true, they owe a lot more money than you''d think!" said the first mercenary.


    The second also laughed and asked Andrew:


    "What would you like to have then if not a good sword or armor?"

 Chapter 33 New goal

    "What do you want then?"Andrew looked at them and directly:


    "A horse!"


    A few nearby mercenaries whistled.


    Then they became even more excited as the news spread rapidly through the small group.


    Maxime watched the scene away from this distraction, although he was dying to join them.


    However, the lessons taught in high school formally forbade such behavior in this kind of situation.


    He waited about thirty seconds, then clapped his hands to attract their attention.


    The noise and atmosphere quickly subsided.


    "We''re not there yet, so keep your eyes peeled because there could be a lot more of them than you think."


    "We''ll continue on this path and then we''ll have to reach a mountain. According to rumors heard by some of Quessoi''s comrades, the bandits'' hideout is on this mountain."


    "So let''s march right now to find their base before nightfall!"


    "Ok chief!"


    But hidden behind a tree, a man covered in black with a black mask over his mouth broke out in a cold sweat when he heard all this.


    He left without a sound, in a hurry.


    Rodrigo, who had just been laughing, heard the light sound of footsteps on the ground and shouted:


    "Ernest behind the tree at 105 degrees from the leader in front of you!"


    As if on instinct, Ernest took an arrow from his quiver and shot a slug in 2 seconds.


    A thud was heard the next instant, shocking everyone.


    The first to react was Rodrigo, of course, who ran at full speed towards the intruder.


    Maxime and the rest of the mercenaries barely had time to react before Rodrigo was back with the intruder.


    The latter was groaning in pain from the arrow in his knee.


    "Ernest, Rodrigo, bravo for this work, you''ll be rewarded with 3 gold coins each as a bonus when we return." S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thanks chief!"


    A few jealous eyes landed on Ernest and Rodrigo, but most were grateful ones.


    Information is something that can change the course of a life no matter what world it''s in.


    If this man had entered successfully with his comrades, whatever his identity it would have been detrimental to the group.


    "Rodrigo, how did you hear?" Maxime asked curiously.


    "I''ve always had a knack for picking up sounds in the distance," Rodrigo replied with a certain pride.


    An innate gift? No, it''s probably linked to his elemental talent with the earth," Maxime reflected, frowning slightly, looking thoughtful.


    Shortly afterwards, his gaze fell on the man groaning on the ground in front of him.


    "Who are you?"


    "Fuck you!"


    The man on the ground maintained an arrogant smile despite the pain.


    Maxime looked at him, then smiled.


    "Ernest, give me one of your arrows," Maxime demanded, keeping his gaze on the man on the ground.


    Ernest thought for a moment before handing one of the arrows to the chief.


    But at the same time, a certain fear ran through his body as he handed over the arrow.


    Maxime retrieved it, then played lightly with the arrow, particularly by lightly scratching the unharmed knee of the man on the ground with the arrowhead.


    "You know, you''d better answer my questions."


    But the man on the ground, despite some fear, didn''t care.


    "A lousy group of 30 men think they can threaten us? You''ll all die in the end haha!"


    "Wrong answer."


    The man on the ground cried out in pain as tears welled up in his eyes.


    Indeed, Maxime had planted the arrow in his front knee with his bare hands, unharmed.


    Piedro, who had the best mind of the group, unconsciously swallowed his saliva, while Izo, who never showed emotion, opened his eyes wide.


    All the men in the group had different reactions, but most were intimidated by this action, not to mention the man on the ground.


    Killing men on the battlefield was totally different from torture.


    On the battlefield, the opponent was armed, there was adrenalin and everyone was putting their lives on the line. Everyone also wanted to finish the fight quickly so they could come and help their comrades.


    But here there were none of these elements, the aim being only to break his victim''s mentality.


    "I''ll repeat my question once more, who are you?" asked Maxime coldly.


    But the man on the ground didn''t answer, in fact he felt himself leaving slightly.


    Noticing this, Maxime grabbed the man by the throat and slapped him.


    This immediately woke him up as fear invaded his mind.


    "I''m...I''m Romain...The chief asked me to call Jorgi back quickly after his mission."


    Jorgi being the commander of the bandit group that had ambushed Maxime''s mercenary group.


    "Why did he have to return quickly?"


    "Because...Because I had to tell Jorgi to get back quickly because Baron Irut...Baron Irut..."


    Romain couldn''t continue his sentences because the pain was too much.


    He groaned as his eyes grew weirder and weirder.


    Maxime took his water bottle out of his bag and splashed cold water on the man''s face.


    This temporarily awakened Romain as he stared at Maxime, who was only a few centimetres from his face.


    "Go on," Maxime ordered coldly.


    "No, I''m going to die anyway!"


    "Yes, but either you die in excruciating pain or I''ll give you a quick, painless death."


    Romain thought, gritting his teeth.


    "I''ll tell you everything. But if you find our camp and actually defeat our bandit group, you''ll find a little 7/8-year-old girl with black hair."


    "You really think you''re in a position to negotiate?" retorted Maxime coolly.


    But Romain didn''t care.


    "I just hope you can raise her for me."


    The atmosphere became strange and heavy as all the mercenaries looked at Maxime.


    But Maxime didn''t answer and asked the same thing over and over again:


    "Baron Irut did what?"


    Romain stared at Maxime, but finally spoke the truth.


    "Baron Irut was enraged after the destruction of Quessoi, and has already sent many troops to find our base. It''s only a matter of time before he finds it so we needed all our fighting strength."


    "I see, I knew Baron Irut wanted revenge but he couldn''t because of a war with another baron. I didn''t think he''d have started on this business yet."


    After this brief exchange, Maxime stood up and asked Romain in a detached tone:


    "Two questions and I''ll answer your request."


    Romain''s eyes twinkled and he nodded.


    Most of the saber-toothed tigers were also relieved in a way. Seeing their leader torture someone was one thing, and necessary for their survival and success. But it was also necessary for the leader to retain a trace of humanity, otherwise how could they trust him with their lives?


    "Where is your base and how many men are defending it?" asked Maxime.


    "Our base is at the very bottom of the mountain, 5km south of here. The entrance is hidden by plants growing a few meters high," replied Romain.


    "These plants have the particularity of attacking any living thing in the vicinity, but if you drink the sap from the nearby trees, then instead of attacking you, they''ll open the way to the cave that serves as our base", he continued.


    "And as for the number of comrades I have there..."


    Romain struggled to continue his sentence as the pain returned harder. Beneath him, a large flask of blood could already be seen.


    His extremely pale face showed his disastrous physical and mental state.


    But for his daughter''s sake, he bit his lips and said:


    "I''ve got at least a hundred comrades stationed over there, they''re the soldiers of the other two commanders of the same status as Jorgi."


    Romain took a deep breath and continued:


    "There are also a dozen elite men who report directly to our leader. Even the commanders don''t dare tell them anything, so you may notice their status in our camp."


    Maxime nodded.


    "Your camp was indeed well hidden. We''d have a hard time finding it without a few days of searching."


    "Since you''ve been so honest, I promise to look after your daughter if I find her," concluded Maxime.


    Then he drew his sword and decapitated Romain.


    A look of relief and thanks could be seen in his eyes.


    But Maxime never saw them, for his back was already turned to Romain.


    "Get ready, guys, we''ll be there in less than an hour.

 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 class and in popular 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 plants.


    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 place.


    "Chief, this place 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 wasteland, 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 plants and started fighting with the bandits.


    But he knew that the mercenaries accompanying 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 accord, 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, landing 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 glare 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 was coming 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!"


    The last bandit, who was also the first to be attacked by Maxime, panicked.


    "How many comrades do you currently have in your base?" asked Maxime as he slowly approached.


    But when he saw the completely 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. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 our comrades," Maxime explained 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''s lack 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 played out again."


    "You were my prey and I was the predator."


    "Do you understand now, Ernest?"


    Watching the blond-haired, blue-eyed youngster, Ernest was completely 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 life completely.


    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 become 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 our comrades 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 him completely.


    "Chief, I still don''t agree with your methods."


    "But never mind, since I''m going to use you chief to become 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 become your most loyal saber-toothed tiger."

 Chapter 35 Misunderstanding

    "Today, I will become your most loyal saber-toothed tiger.""Haha you''re kidding Ernest, I think you''ve forgotten us." interjected Rodrigo, laughing, as if he hadn''t said anything just before.


    Tena stepped forward without expressing anything, just held her sword firmly, with a resolute spirit.


    "What the chief means is that all saber-toothed tigers are very strong on their own, but they''re even stronger as a team," Romuald continued, shaking his head ironically.


    The bandits paused for a moment at the momentum of just 4 people, then roared.


    "Kill them!"


    "Avenge our comrades!"


    Maxime stood quietly behind.


    "About twenty men and there''s more coming, I wonder how long they can hold out?"


    "And above all, given the situation, how will Rodrigo and Ernest react?"


    Maxime didn''t seem worried though, as each of his mercenaries was stronger than an elite soldier and easily approached the level of a bandit commander.


    He could also intervene at any moment.


    But he wouldn''t because of a certain plan he''d worked out with Andrew beforehand.


    Without further ado, the fight quickly began, resulting in deafening noises in the cellar.


    Romuald advanced into the crowd and, taking advantage of his powerful physique, swept aside 3 bandits with a single blow of his stick.


    The sound of breaking bones was easily audible.


    Romuald had opted to use a wooden stick to make the most of his powerful physical strength.


    This frightened the bandits nearby.


    "Shit, what''s that monster!"


    "Let''s surround him and attack him at the same time, he won''t be able to do anything!"


    But the bandit who had come up with this idea barely had time to finish his sentence when Romain used his powerful physical strength to sweep away a few bandits who had dared to come within 3 meters of him.


    "Bunch of losers, keep on coming if you want to keep on tasting my stick!" threatened Romuald in a powerful voice.


    Standing in the cellar, he exuded an astonishing aura, intimidating nearby bandits. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Keep attacking him, he''ll wear himself out sooner or later!


    On Rodrigo''s side, things were going even better.


    "Bahaha keep coming, I''ll kill as many as come!"


    Taking advantage of Rodrigo''s moment of inattention, a bandit crept up behind him, his sword aimed at Rodrigo''s back.


    As the bandit''s sword came dangerously close to Rodrigo, the latter stepped aside, easily dodging his attacker''s sword.


    Before the still stunned eyes of the shifty bandit and the others nearby, Rodrigo swiftly cut down his attacker with a blow from his axe.


    Maxime, who was also watching nearby, was equally surprised.


    "What a terrifying intuition, could it be due to his elemental or innate talent?"


    "No, if it was just his elemental talent with the earth, then that talent would be a little too scary."


    After his brief conclusion, Maxime looked at him as if he were looking at a treasure.


    "Even Romuald isn''t that impressive next to him, I absolutely must make sure Rodrigo survives, because he''ll be one of my future commanders without a doubt!"


    Indeed, Romuald had a powerful talent that enabled him to surpass his limits, but his talent only had an effect on himself.


    Rodrigo''s talent, on the other hand, had ancillary uses that suited him better as a mercenary.


    "Bahaha go get your little butts back, you little shits. My axe is thirsty for your blood!" roared Rodrigo, laughing as he took up the fight with the few bandits attacking him.


    "Training will no doubt be necessary though..." murmured Maxime as he saw his potential future commander acting this way.


    He completely forgot that he himself seemed much crazier on the battlefield.


    On the other hand, while Romuald and Rodrigo were doing relatively well, Tena and Ernest seemed to be in danger.


    Indeed, only a short time into the confrontation, Tena and Ernest had already sustained numerous injuries.


    What''s more, the bandits kept coming, leaving no opportunity for Romuald and Rodrigo to come to their aid.


    It was particularly difficult for Ernest, despite his 2.1-point physique, because he was a complete novice at swordplay.


    Indeed, although he regularly carried a sword around town, he had always concentrated his training on archery.


    It was to the point where he hadn''t brought a sword with him because he knew that with his sword skills, if he really had to take it out in combat then it would mean his death.


    So, in his mind, it was much better to get rid of the weight of a sword and be able to run faster.


    And her intuition was right.


    The bandits would easily dodge his attacks and they could even kill him as they wished.


    "Hey Patrick, how much longer are we going to play with him?" one bandit asked his comrade.


    "I''d like to play with him some more, but the two tough guys and the girl seem to be giving our colleagues a hard time, and some of them are even dead."


    "So let''s kill him now."


    "You do the honors."


    "So generous."


    The man who''d started talking to a certain Patrick approached Ernest, who was already quite exhausted.


    Ernest wanted to step back, but a few bandits surrounded Ernest, preventing him from doing anything.


    A few other bandits surrounded Ernest, preventing him from doing anything.


    At the same moment...


    "Shit, how long before reinforcements arrive?" whispered Rena as she fought off one bandit as best she could.


    But a second one arrived the very next instant and swung a sword at her.


    She dodged as best she could while deflecting the second bandit''s sword and managed to find a loophole in his guard.


    "Die!"


    Her sword easily pierced the second bandit''s heart.


    But she failed to see that a third bandit had sneaked up behind her.


    Tena had managed to hold out thanks to her sword skills, which were far superior to those of the bandits, but she had neither Romuald''s powerful physique nor Rodrigo''s terrifying intuition.


    So at that moment she doubted nothing.


    But just as this third bandit was about to pierce Tena''s body, he fell limply to the ground.


    "At last, one killed," murmured a gentle voice from behind Tena.


    She turned, and saw a scene that would mark her forever.


    Before her stood a young man with blue hair, dressed like a nobleman.


    In this cavern full of hot-blooded men, this made him stand out.


    Blood was dripping from his mouth and he could barely stand, but he was smiling brightly.


    "I only thought that one day in my life I''d manage to kill a man with a sword."


    Just after this sentence, he spat out a large quantity of blood.


    Tena looked down slightly, and saw two shiny spikes protruding from Ernest''s body.


    "Why?" murmured Tena.


    No one had ever done that for her.


    "I knew I was bad with a sword, but I didn''t think so," Ernest replied sadly.


    "And how can I tell you...I..."


    But Ernest couldn''t finish his sentence.


    The owners of both swords withdrew their weapons, uninterested in the last words of a dying man.


    As if he''d lost his footing, Ernest collapsed to the ground before Tena''s shocked eyes.


    "Damn, that man really is crazy."


    "Yeah, I didn''t think he was so strong that he''d manage to fend us both off at the same time."


    The two bandits who had thrust their swords into Ernest''s body looked frustrated at their mistake.


    But others roared with excitement at seeing Ernest fall.


    "One fell, only 3 more to go!


    "Aim for the woman, she''s the weakest of the 3 left!"


    The powerful physique of each of the 4 mercenaries under Maxime frightened these bandits who had only 1 point of physique on average, up to 1.3 points for the best of them.


    But Rodrigo, who was in the distance, noticed the excitement and took the time to watch what was going on.


    Thanks to his height and luck, he saw the silhouette of someone who looked very familiar.


    An immense rage seized his body.


    But he turned not to the bandits, but to Maxime, who was still calmly at the back of the cave.


    A few brave bandit corpses lay at his feet, deterring any potential attack.


    "Why Maxime!"


    "Why did you let Ernest die!"


    "He was the only friend I had in this world!"


    "Shit, I thought you cared about your men despite your madness!"


    "Ahhhhh I''m going to kill you Maxime!"

 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." commented 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 with complicated 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 inflating and deflating, 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 accompanied by his 4 men on the battlefield, 2 of whom went to help Tena, one to help Romuald and the last to stand by Andrew''s side.


    This tipped the balance 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 related 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 relatively detached.


    "Believe me, just two sword strokes won''t be enough to kill him, since he has a physique similar 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 main combat experience is intimidating civilians." explained 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 individual combat 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 accompanies 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 explanation.


    "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 your comrades who were already in danger, and attacked your leader, threatening to kill him," Maxime explained 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 man comparable to a commander!?"


    "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 the lack of oxygen.


    His face quickly began to turn very pale.


    His thoughts began to become very complicated 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.


    The latter ended up kneeling completely, his gaze on the ground as he recovered oxygen with difficulty.


    "I want you to face one of the two bandit commanders 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 exclaimed:


    "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 regularly happened that a 2-star potential exceeded his limit thanks to various potions, extraordinary plants or even thanks to a method to become 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 their comrade on the small battlefield that had formed.


    Rodrigo also returned, completely reversing the course of the battlefield.


    The bandits were completely overpowered and massacred.


    Watching the scene, Maxime was pensive.


    "I wonder if I could integrate the two bandit commanders 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 become very powerful in the future."


    "However if they''ve done anything to do with Quessoi..."


    As Maxime''s thoughts rambled on, the battlefield took another turn. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two commanders, Organ and Laura, arrived with a large number of men.

 Chapter 37 A mysterious man

    The two commanders, Organ and Laura, arrived with their men.Without a word, Laura leapt several meters into the air, passing over dozens of bandits.


    As all eyes briefly focused on her, she used the momentum of her fall to attack Andrew, who was caught off guard.


    The red-haired young man took a few steps back, having managed to block Laura''s kick with his left arm.


    A little taken aback, Andrew looked at the young woman in front of him.


    She had a face with a few scars and freckles. Combined with short, black hair, she had both a wild air but filled with a maturity that didn''t match her age.


    "Fiou, what a beauty!"


    Andrew blushed slightly at Laura, perfectly displaying the shyness of an inexperienced young man.


    The few saber-toothed tigers near Andrew were also unsettled, but most of them were older and more experienced, so they had a better resistance to beauty than Andrew.


    However, when they saw Andrew''s flushed face, they were taken aback.


    "Can the vice-captain really have a face like that?" exclaimed one of the mercenaries in astonishment.


    "It would appear that the vice-captain has fallen in love!" scoffed another while blocking the bandits in front of him.


    "At the same time who would resist such beauty!"


    "Don''t you guys think they match perfectly? Young, strong and handsome, what a divine couple!"


    Hearing the words of the mercenaries who had come with Terry and Izo to the battlefield, Andrew looked at them with cold eyes.


    But the few spots of redness on his cheeks made him lose all credibility, which made these men laugh.


    "You..."


    Andrew wanted to say something, but a sword came at full speed towards his neck.


    With extraordinary instinct and superhuman reaction speed, Andrew arched his back slightly, narrowly avoiding the sword.


    Seeing their vice-captain had just narrowly escaped death, the 4 saber-toothed tigers immediately repelled the bandits in front of them.


    The next second, they all attacked the young woman with the wild aura.


    But the latter easily dodged and repelled them all with explosive power combined with excellent close-combat technique.


    Like dominoes, they crashed into the crowd of bandits, knocking several of them down in the process.


    When they opened their eyes again, each was on the ground with bandits surrounding them, ready to finish them off.


    But reinforcements were not long in coming, and a dozen saber-toothed tigers rushed straight at the bandits threatening their comrades.


    "Whew, I really thought I was going to croak on this floor today!"


    "Yeah, thanks guys!"


    "You got here just in time!"


    The mercenaries who had just arrived smiled at them and replied curiously:


    "No worries guys, but why did the fight start without the whole group being present?"


    "That..." the 4 mercenaries didn''t know what to answer, since the fight had already started when they themselves had already arrived.


    Meanwhile, after fending off the 4 saber-toothed tigers, Laura, who had arrived like a graceful goddess on the battlefield, clashed violently with Andrew in hand-to-hand combat. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite his admiration for the woman in front of him, Andrew managed not to let himself be distracted and managed to block and dodge most of Laura''s attacks.


    Their duel seemed extremely ferocious but at the same time filled with a certain grace, as if it were a spectacle.


    On the other hand, Rodrigo faced Organ as expected.


    Romuald was nearby, worrying about Rodrigo.


    "It''s nothing against you Rodrigo, but it''s a bandit commander all the same opposite, with your physique reaching only 1.7 points you''ll be at a great disadvantage."


    Rodrigo turned to look at Maxime, who was still standing at the back with his arms crossed.


    Meeting Maxime''s cold gaze, he immediately turned his attention away from his boss and back to Organ.


    In front of him stood a skinny old man with tousled hair.


    In his right hand, he held an extremely broad and long sword.


    In his left hand, he still held a gourd that smelled of strong alcohol from several yards away.


    "So you want to face me alone?" asked Organ carelessly.


    Rodrigo swallowed his remaining saliva with difficulty and replied by charging straight at the old man.


    Organ smiled and swung the heavy sword in his hand in Rodrigo''s direction.


    "That''s fast!"


    Rodrigo was surprised and forced to block with his axe.


    However, Organ''s attack was so powerful that he was thrown against one of the walls of the distant cave.


    Rodrigo barely had time to reopen his eyes when Organ''s sword was again in front of him, ready to strike.


    This time, he managed to narrowly dodge the attack.


    Beside him, the wall he''d been standing in now had a huge hole in it.


    "What monstrous power," Rodrigo thought, shocked.


    "Even my older brother known a genius must hardly be on this level."


    Recalling some memories, Rodrigo was upset.


    He who had been born into a family known for its martial prowess, found himself a piece of trash with a potential of only one star.


    His family had long since disowned him and focused their attention on his older brother, who had 3-star potential.


    With this potential, even in the realm of the Frost Eagle he was known as a very rare genius.


    On top of that, his great-brother had a monstrous talent for martial skills and knightly breathing techniques.


    Many believed his great-brother would become one of the kingdom''s finest generals.


    Next to such a genius, Rodrigo went completely unnoticed and had even become the laughing stock of the nobility by the age of 16.


    It was also at this time that he made the acquaintance of Ernest, who like him had become the laughing stock of the nobility for her extremely mediocre skills in all hand-to-hand weapons.


    Rumor had it that even if he miraculously reached the heights of a 2-star mercenary, he would still be unable to hold his own against a well-trained soldier in a duel.


    "In the end, only this man can help us shake off our status as the scum of the nobility," Rodrigo thought as his eyes were filled with determination.


    Organ noticed this and a hint of admiration appeared in his eyes.


    "Few dare look at me like that after suffering two attacks from me!" said Organ, laughing and drinking lightly from his gourd.


    Simultaneously, he sensed a grave danger coming, and backed off slightly as best he could.


    But his opponent seemed to have predicted it: he received a powerful blow in the jaw and was temporarily stunned.


    Organ then unconsciously dropped his sword and gourd.


    But that wasn''t the end of it, as Organ suffered an uninterrupted onslaught of punches as he held on to a meagre guard.


    Then, as if making a decision, he opened his eyes, stepped forward and head-butted his assailant.


    This was indeed successful, and he was able to catch his breath.


    "Damn, to catch the moment when for 0.5 seconds I''m drinking from my gourd and manage to hit me, you''re really good, kiddo!" exclaimed the old man, his face full of blood.


    Indeed, Rodrigo felt particularly at home in the cave, as if he could easily become what his opponents were going to do in the next second.


    "You''re pretty good old man too, it''s impressive to retain such physique and especially such courage at your age."


    "Hahaha, it''s clear that compared to those crusty old noblemen, I''m doing pretty well!"


    At the same time, he tore off his top, showing off his impressive musculature.


    "Second round kid!" shouted the old man as he lunged at Rodrigo at full speed without his sword and gourd.


    Rodrigo blocked the first blow and counter-attacked, but Organ dodged and then went on the offensive again.


    But each time Rodrigo managed to block and counterattack, putting Organ under great pressure.


    It went on like that for a few minutes, then Organ stepped back and struggled to catch his breath.


    "At my age, it''s hard to keep up such a long fight," he thought.


    "If it wasn''t for my ability to predict his movements a second in advance, I''d have been dead a long time ago." Rodrigo thought for his part, particularly as he looked at his arms, which had turned blue from the power of the blows he''d blocked.


    On Andrew and Laura''s side the situation seemed similar, their fight soon reaching the end since both fighters were already badly wounded in appearance and their breath was running out.


    "My mercenaries have already all arrived and it''s only a matter of time before all the bandits are exterminated," Maxime analyzed from a distance.


    Indeed, in the last few minutes, all the saber-toothed tigers had arrived and were now rampaging across the battlefield.


    Before, only 4 of them could stand up to twenty bandits, but now that all 30 were there, it was easy to overpower the hundreds of bandits at the entrance to the cave.


    Indeed, almost all the remaining bandits were now fighting against Maxime''s men.


    "Now where is he?" thought Maxime, looking off into the distance.


    In the midst of the chaos, a man with a discreet silhouette and a black 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.

 Chapter 38 Bandits captured

    In the midst of the chaos, an unassuming-looking man in a black 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 black 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 class by Riva.


    ...


    2 months earlier.


    "It is possible using a certain method to go into the world of other players and synchronize with their space-time."


    Hearing this, the whole class 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 explained.


    "But the original method of reaching a world and place 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 players 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 black mask. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His voice sounded rather young, which surprised Maxime.


    "You destroyed the families of some of my mercenaries, it''s impossible," Maxime explained coldly.


    "What are the lives of a few mercenaries compared 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 black mask appeared angry at Maxime''s response.


    "It''s extremely rare to be able to meet other players 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 the latter easily repelled him with his own sword.


    "What do you think you''re doing? I''m already 20 years old and in the last 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 have come 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 bandit commanders 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 player 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 class and open a new class.


    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 a complicated 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 place, various mysterious patterns glittering on a stone floor.


    Not far away, a well-dressed man was sitting on a sofa.


    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 succeeded!"


    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 slapped Jerry across the face, using much of his strength.


    Some of Jerry''s teeth flew out, while he himself lost his balance 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 more complicated to avenge you." explained the uncle after some thought.


    ...


    Back to Maxime''s world of Eternity.


    Maxime had manually deactivated his talent, so that he could always activate it later.


    Unfortunately, his control over his talent was relatively 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 39 New wave of recruits

    "Now to us."Maxime, who had now deactivated the talent, no longer had the aura that escaped, but to these very ordinary bandits, he still looked terrifying.


    Only Organ and Laura seemed calmer, although they had a complicated look.


    In the kneeling crowd, some kept their heads down in prayer.


    Maxime stepped into the kneeling crowd and touched a few shoulders.


    When these people felt a touch on their shoulders, a violent shiver ran through their bodies.


    Then Maxime calmly returned to his position under the dubious eyes of the bandits and mercenaries.


    "All those whose shoulders I touched, stand up," he ordered.


    Seeing a few familiar faces, some of the mercenaries seemed surprised at first, before a violent anger seized them.


    "Come up behind me now", Maxime demanded in a cold tone.


    But some of the mercenaries couldn''t contain their patience.


    "Boss, how are we going to kill them?" asked Izo, his right hand holding his sword with blood still dripping from it.


    "Let me at least kill one of them, Captain," interjected Andrew.


    Other Quessoi mercenaries didn''t speak up, but their expressions revealed that they wanted an abnormally high level of hatred.


    After all, these were the bandits who had extorted Quessoi for years, until the village had recently rebelled and been exterminated.


    But Maxime didn''t answer them; instead, he began to question most of the bandits to find out about each other''s past.


    In particular, he questioned Organ and Laura.


    Both were particularly receptive, so Maxime was able to sort through the bandits in just a few hours.


    Surprisingly, most of them had only recently been recruited and were simple villagers before that.


    Each had his own catastrophe and was converted by the man in the black mask into a bandit.


    It was said that once they had become bandits, their physique would naturally increase in a few days, from 0.2 points to 0.4 points, depending on their potential.


    "Probably the talent of the player in question, it''s a pretty good talent," Maxime thought.


    Getting started is always the most complicated part of Eternity. Once a certain level of strength had been reached, players gained a great deal of freedom and security.


    Of the 45 bandits still alive and well, only a few had committed atrocities in neighboring villages, while the rest were simply trying to survive but still maintaining their morale.


    Perhaps over time their values would have changed, but that''s all hypothetical, and since that didn''t happen, Maxime could always use them.


    Once his interrogation was over, Maxime returned to where the bandits had gathered.


    "Andrew and the Quessoi mercenaries, you can take the standing bandits and do with them what you like," Maxime announced, without expressing any emotion.


    The standing bandits began to take fright.


    "No, please, I''ll do anything for you! I''ll even become your dog if you want me to!"


    "Me too, I can easily take care of cooking, cleaning or anything else you want!"


    "I can become your cannon fodder if you want! As soon as a dangerous mission emerges, I''ll be on the front line!"


    ...


    Andrew didn''t bat an eyelash, he simply looked at the other Quessoi mercenaries and then they all nodded as if they''d agreed beforehand.


    Andrew, Terry, James, Piedro, Izo and Peter, the six mercenaries from Quessoi, stepped forward at the same time, then decapitated on the spot each of the bandits designated by Maxime.


    Heads flew and blood spurted before the horrified eyes of the remaining bandits. Although they hadn''t known each other long, this scene would mark them forever.


    "Just that?" asked Maxime, curious.


    "Torturing them won''t bring our loved ones back," replied Andrew.


    Maxime nodded, understanding.


    With that, Andrew and the 5 Quessoi mercenaries emerged from the cave.


    "I guess they need to take a breather now that their vengeance is complete," Maxime thought.


    "I wonder how I''d react if...No let''s not think about it, it''ll never happen."


    Andrew, now outside the cave, was contemplative as he gazed up at the sky.


    "Mom, dad, my sister. The people who hurt you are finally being punished," he thought as a drop of water fell down his face.


    The 5 other mercenaries behind Andrew sat on the ground, all staring up at the sky.


    No one knew what they were thinking.


    Back in the cave, Maxime took a serious look at the remaining bandits.


    "Today I have two options to offer you", he announced to the bandits kneeling before him, still surrounded by a score of saber-toothed tigers including Romuald, Tena and his brothers, Rodrigo, Ernest...


    The former bandits listened attentively.


    "Firstly, you can become the logistical staff of our mercenary group, you''ll enjoy all the benefits brought by my talent and you''ll never have to go to a battlefield."


    "You won''t, however, get a salary without at least 3 years'' service, but you''ll be provided with proper room and board."


    "After 3 years of service, you will get a minimum monthly salary of 10 silver coins. The exact salary will depend on your performance and position."


    "If you choose this option, you''ll have to stay with our de mercenary for at least 5 years."


    The bandits were deeply impressed by such benefits. They had already learned the power of the talent of the man in front of them, not to mention that they would also be housed and fed.


    For them, this was already the pinnacle they could hope for in this life.


    After all, who would risk becoming a bandit if they had enough food and a roof over their heads?


    A wage of ten silver coins was also more than adequate, bearing in mind that the average income per adult civilian was 15 silver coins. But these civilians had to pay for their own food, as well as various housing expenses.


    If these civilians could keep 4 or 5 silver coins a month, that was already great. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, if they had children, the monthly savings could only be counted in bronze coins.


    "Second option: join our mercenary group," Maxime declared.


    "You''ll directly get a salary of 50 silver coins each month, then your salary will increase to one gold coin per month after one year of service in our mercenary group."


    "You''ll be exempt from all household chores and can spend your free time doing whatever you want unlike the first option."


    "You will also have access to various benefits that are specific to our mercenary group if you are injured during a mission or the like."


    "By choosing this option, you can also hope one day to become one of the greatest men in this world by accumulating merits in our mercenary group." concludes Maxime.


    Of course, there''s the third option, which is to regain your freedom and leave the cave on your own.


    But no one knew if Maxime would let them leave alive if they really chose this option, not to mention the fact that they were already well aware of the saber-toothed tiger leader''s talent as Maxime had already mentioned the effects to them during the interrogation.


    "Now determine your fate."


    "Stand up and stand to my right if you wish to choose the first option. If you wish to choose the second option, stand to my left."


    The bandits looked at each other, hesitating slightly.


    In the first option, they would indeed get Maxime''s talent, but in the end they would never really benefit from it, as they would always have to work for the comfort of the active mercenaries.


    They''ll also never enjoy the glory and adrenalin of mercenary life.


    And above all, if they have children, they will indeed be able to feed and house them with difficulty, but that''s all it came down to, their future could be imagined.


    With the second option, they could become a powerful man as well as ensure a bright future for their children as they''d always dreamed of, but they''d be putting their lives on the line.


    Laura was the first to stand up and move to Maxime''s left.


    "Maybe, thanks to this man, I''ll be able to find my sister," Laura thought, looking at Maxime''s back.


    When Organ saw Laura stand up, he sighed as he made a big decision.


    "Ahhhh, as an old man at this rate I won''t last much longer, so I might as well try everything to increase my lifespan by a few more decades." he thought with a smile, happy at the opportunity.


    Then he stood up and moved to Maxime''s left.


    But his smile was frightening, as his face still hadn''t healed from the damage left by Rodrigo.


    Watching his opponent pull up behind Maxime, Rodrigo wasn''t sure what to think.


    "That old man is far too tenacious, I''d so much like to lie down on the floor and sleep there."


    "I just hope he doesn''t hold a grudge for the blows I inflicted on him," Rodrigo murmured, slightly worried about this new teammate.


    Rodrigo himself, though fully healed, felt terribly tired.


    The energy used to improve the physique and heal wounds didn''t come from nowhere.


    So for Rodrigo, who had had a very fierce fight, he was feeling at the end of his rope.


    Finally, of the 45 bandits remaining after the death of the man in the black mask, 7 had been killed by Andrew and the 5 other Quessoi mercenaries. 32 went to Maxime''s left, while only 6 decided to go to Maxime''s right.


    Maxime smiled with satisfaction at the result: these bandits were all people with little or no family, and they had enough courage to go into battle. This met Maxime''s standards.


    "We''ll go from 30 to 62 mercenaries plus 6 people in logistics, after some training we should be able to get back at Baron Barthon and intervene in the war. We should also be able to negotiate a good contract directly with Baron Irut."


    Gold coins seemed to rain down around Maxime, so happy was he.


    "And in that cave, I''m sure there must be lots of gold coins and equipment," he thought with a smile.


    "Come on Organ, Laura, show me the way to your chests!" he ordered happily.


    Maxime quickly turned and walked towards the back of the cave.


    This slightly shocked the bandits who were used to his cold face and emotionless tone.


    But the new mercenaries didn''t seem surprised, as they were already used to their leader''s rapidly changing emotions.


    Maxime soon arrived at the bandits'' camp and all he saw was a lot of trouble.


    "Damn, why did I forget that detail..."

 Chapter 40 Rescue

    "Damn, why did I forget that detail..."He had arrived in a large 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 dilapidated 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 had come 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 clarified 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 become 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 become logistics personnel or even a warrior."


    "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. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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." declared 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 particular 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 relatively 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 been completely destroyed by our...former comrades. 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 income 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 become 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.


    His landing a few moments later 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 accompanied Irus.


    "As for you..."

 Chapter 41 The bandits treasure

    "As for you...""Your wages for the next 12 months will be paid directly to the children."


    The bandits sighed slightly after Maxime had said these words, after all this punishment could hardly be considered punishment.


    At least they weren''t receiving any physical punishment, and above all they would still be housed, fed and able to train without worry.


    For them, this was already very satisfying.


    Maxime didn''t glance at them again, then passed in front of them, while Laura and Organ led the way.


    All the mercenaries, except the bandits who had rebelled, followed them, keeping a respectful eye on Irus.


    After all, beyond the willpower he had demonstrated, Irus was sure to become an important person in the mercenary group with his personality and courage alone.


    A few minutes later, they arrived at the back in the area where the bandit leader stored his treasures.


    "Well, it almost looks like we''re in a dragon''s treasure..." commented Maxime as he saw the pile of ''treasure'' in front of him.


    Indeed, before him lay a mountain of various and sundry objects.


    "Even goblins would have tidied up their work better..." added Andrew with an ashen face.


    Maxime nodded, then regretted not having planned to take all these "treasures" with him.


    No matter how much he thought about it, he didn''t know what to do with all this material.


    Even if he took all these various and sundry objects to town, he''d have nowhere to store them.


    It was at this point that Romuald stepped forward with a precise idea in mind.


    "Chief, may I ask what exactly is your objective in creating a mercenary group?" he asked curiously.


    Maxime looked at him in surprise, then replied:


    "Didn''t I already tell you? It''s simply to become stronger and be able to protect my family."


    "Chief, your thinking is still too naive," Romuald commented, shaking his head.


    Most of the mercenaries frowned as they listened to Romuald, but no one took any action.


    Firstly, Romuald had a high status in the group and secondly, he was one of the strongest mercenaries in the group.


    Even Maxime and Andrew wouldn''t be sure of winning 1:1 against him.


    He had an astonishing 2.3 physical points. Maxime, Andrew and Ernest followed closely behind at around 2.1 physique points.


    "The stronger the group becomes, the more likely it is to embark on big-person intrigues."


    "If we''re not careful, our boat might get caught in currents far too powerful for us."


    Maxime remained silent for about ten seconds, long enough to reflect on Romuald''s words.


    "I imagine you''ve got something in mind when you say things like that," Maxime replied, looking at Romuald.


    "Indeed, Chief. As a former chief of guard, I know quite a bit about how noble families operate."


    "The main piece of advice I could give is to always have part of your force in the dark. This not only blurs the estimation of our strength for those who threaten us, but also means we always have a card to play when things go wrong."


    Maxime was suddenly enlightened by these words.


    He''d never learned this knowledge at school, it was probably an open secret among the big forces, although he''d probably have learned it when he joined the university.


    But he was no less intelligent than those forces.


    "So, since the treasure is here, we''ll leave it here first," declared Maxime with fiery eyes.


    "We''ll establish our first stronghold here, starting by building simple huts in the forest and then setting up several lines of surveillance and means of detection to avoid being attacked by surprise."


    "The children taken in will also be raised in the forest with the help of recently recruited bandits and a dozen mercenaries."


    "Then we''ll set up a system of rounds between the mercenaries residing in town and in the forest."


    "When the rounds are made, we''ll also take advantage of them to receive necessities from the town and at the same time slowly squander the items from the cave treasure that are useless to us."


    Maxime continued to speak, assigning each mercenary a mission to carry out, while appointing people in charge of each important task.


    Once Maxime had finished speaking, everyone looked at him in amazement.


    It only took a few suggestive sentences from Romuald for Maxime to come up with a flawless plan to take the mercenary group to a new level of strength.


    Watching everyone get down to business, Maxime breathed a sigh of relief.


    For the past few dozen minutes, Maxime had felt as if he''d overloaded his brain with information, but now that everything was going well, he was happy.


    At the same time, not far from the cave, a group of men were investigating the bandits'' tracks.


    Of course, he had no way of knowing that these bandits were mostly dead and the rest now belonged to Maxime''s mercenary group.


    A strong man came up behind these men inspecting the surroundings.


    "So, what''s the result of your research?" asked the strong man.


    "Lord Ron!" replied the men with a military salute.


    Surprisingly, it was Chevalier Ron whom Maxime and his mercenaries had met just after the bandits'' ambush. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Knights were all considered noble to ordinary people, after all in some declining baron families there were no knights at all.


    "There''s plenty of evidence that humans regularly pass through here," commented one of the men in response to Knight Ron.


    "Um...ok good news, hurry up and find the trail of these cursed bandits. You''ll each receive 1 gold coin as a bonus if you find their hideout before nightfall" announced Ron calmly.


    The men''s eyes twinkled as they set off on their search with more gusto than before.


    Ron smiled mentally before leaving, but suddenly a vague odor crossed his nostrils.


    "Wait, do you smell that?" asked Ron.


    But the men still nearby frowned, smelling nothing.


    "Blood, that''s the smell of human blood!" exclaimed Ron with a smile.


    The men nearby didn''t react immediately.


    The knights were well out of the ordinary category, their senses far more developed than a normal adult''s.


    "Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and warn the rest of our men behind that we''ve found the bandits'' trail!" ordered Ron with some displeasure.


    As his men left, Ron smiled brightly as he looked towards the cave, where Maxime and his mercenaries were still standing!


    Although there were plenty of bushes and trees, and at least 300 meters between Ron and the cave''s hidden entrance, Ron knew by the smell that he''d found the bandits he''d been looking for so long.


    A few minutes later, a hundred armed men were behind Ron, marching towards the cave.


    Simultaneously in the cave, there was a cheerful atmosphere.


    "What did you say, Tena? Can you tell me again how many silver coins that damned bandit leader had hidden here?"

 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 become 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 escort companies to make the trips, or at least they''ll pay a lot less than before."


    Ideas flashed 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 place, and the rest will keep the mercenary group going," Maxime explained, 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".


    By comparison, 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''s command gives bonus points, but these points aren''t as important as those assessing physical strength."


    "System displays my balance please."


    [Available balance: 175 gold coins].


    "Basically I had 20 gold coins, plus 5 gold coins salary obtained thanks to my adjutant title by the system and finally the 150 gold coins given for killing a player in his world."


    "Now I have two choices, either I strengthen my swordsman class, or I open a new class."


    "But I''ve learned that it''s usually best to maximize your classes before opening a new one, in order to maximize the chances of an uncommon or even rare class appearing."


    Indeed, even classes had various different degrees of rating depending on the bonuses they brought as well as skills.


    For example, swordsman was a common class, horseman was an uncommon class, berserker was a rare class.


    There were even classes 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 class and not open any new classes for the time being.


    In front of him, the sign for the Swordsman class 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" class increased by one level] [Swordsman: 87/100 +] [Swordsman: 95/100 +] [Swordsman: 100/100] Ding!


    [Swordsman class has reached level 4].


    Ding!


    [Your passive traits have been improved]. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [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 to compete head on with Romuald."


    But as he thought of something, Maxime''s smile disappeared.


    "In my classes, I''ve heard that you need at least 3 points in physics to become a knight. And even that''s only the minimum to become 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 balance.


    [Current balance: 75 gold coins].


    [Current balance: 90 gold coins and 2100 silver coins].


    [Current balance: 110 gold coins and 4900 silver coins].


    ...


    [Current balance: 150 gold coins and 15,000 silver coins].


    Ding!


    [Automatic conversion of silver coins into gold coins].


    Ding!


    [Current balance: 300 gold coins].


    A trace of firmness appeared on Maxime''s face then, without a second thought, he upgraded his swordsman class once more.


    He left 25 gold coins and 15,000 silver coins to the mercenary group and used all the rest to strengthen himself!


    According to his calculations, he should be able to upgrade 2 more swordsman classes.


    [Swordsman: 0/125 +]


    [Swordsman: 23/125 +]


    [Swordsman: 48/125 +]


    [Swordsman: 99/125 +]


    [Swordsman: 125/125]


    Ding!


    [The "swordsman" class has gone up one level].


    [Swordsman class 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 classes to improve the ratio between the gold coins spent and the gain in strength brought about by the expenditure.


    To comfort himself, Maxime looked at the evolution of his physique on his stats page.


    [Physique : 1,95 --> 2,45]


    [Current balance: 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 classes and not in the group, he''d never have been able to protect his family and neighbors.


    One person''s energy was limited.


    [Current balance: 175 gold pieces]


    [Swordsman: 0/150 +]


    [Swordsman: 37/150 +]


    [Swordsman: 86/150 +]


    [Swordsman: 128/150 +]


    [Swordsman: 150/150]


    Ding!


    [Swordsman" class increased by one level].


    [Swordsman class 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 class could confer this talent.


    This could be explained by the fact that rich and powerful families blocked a lot of information, but also because nobody had exactly the same classes.


    "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!" S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 displays my stats while indicating the differences from the start of the day."


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve.


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique)


    Swordsman level 3 --> 6 (+5% physics) (0/175)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 2.75 (+0.22 class bonus) (+0.30 passive trait bonus)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 2 (70/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 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." commented Maxime in a whisper.


    Maxime knew that it was normal for the system not to be able to display the potential and talent of these children. A person''s potential and talent couldn''t be known before the age of 16 according 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 accomplish great things."


    "On the side of the former bandit leaders, they have somehow managed to overcome 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 particular talent?"


    As Maxime pondered intensely the various changes that had occurred 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 place!"


    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 declared 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 villages in the area."


    "So you can leave with a clear conscience," Andrew declared 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 accompanying 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.


    "A common 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 village 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 declared, 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," Ron commented with a cold face.


    Since he had awakened his vital seed and become 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 success."


    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''t lack courage."


    Ron still looked lost as he saw the young, blond-haired figure standing before him.


    "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 extraordinary composure.


    "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 similar 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 44 Intense negotiation

    "The losses would outweigh the gains.""In any case they are mercenaries, so as long as the price is sufficient we can recruit them easily without suffering losses."


    "We''ll quickly regain our investment once Baron Barthon is defeated and his domain reclaimed."


    As his own soldiers, but also the blond-haired young man and his mercenaries watched him, Ron made his decision.


    "Everyone out of here, please," Ron announced.


    His men acted directly, while the saber-toothed tigers looked at Maxime, who nodded in their direction, asking them to obey.


    Sensing Ron''s intentions, Maxime asked for two chairs and a table.


    A few minutes later, Ron and Maxime stood face to face around a small, dilapidated wooden table.


    Ron''s chair was particularly creaky under the weight of his body and armor.


    "I apologize for the 200 gold coins I offered you a few days ago, but I underestimated the strength of your group," Ron began.


    After a few seconds'' hesitation, he added:


    "Especially yours."


    Maxime wasn''t particularly offended, and simply smiled in response.


    "I''d like to recruit your mercenary group to attack Baron Barthon," Ron declared, getting straight to the point.


    Maxime straightened up and looked Ron directly in the eye.


    "So now, how much is our mercenary group worth to you?" he asked with force in his eyes.


    Despite the youth of the man in front of him, Ron didn''t dare spoil things.


    First he asked:


    "How strong is the saber-toothed tiger group right now?"


    Maxime thought for a few seconds, adapting his vocabulary to this world.


    "In total my count is 63 mercenaries including myself, I''m not counting here the personnel dealing with logistics."


    "Concerning the exact strength, we have 20 mercenaries reaching the level of elite soldier."


    An elite soldier could be designated as such once he reached a physique of 1.5.


    Of course, Maxime remained conservative and didn''t expose his full strength directly.


    Ron knew this too, but as long as the estimate was correct, it didn''t matter.


    In any case, reality wouldn''t change too much since this would be detrimental to Maxime in negotiations.


    He also knew he had a closed card with his talent in case things went wrong.


    Otherwise, the news that a group of non-renowned mercenaries was almost half-full of men at the level of elite soldiers might shock Ron.


    And that counted the bandits'' recent integration, otherwise everyone would have been at elite soldier level at the very least.


    "I have 6 mercenaries reaching the level of an apprentice knight."


    Here, Maxime decided to tell the truth, since it was this number that was most important for the negotiations.


    To be considered an apprentice knight, you had to have at least 2 physical points.


    For example, Jorgi, who commanded some of the bandits, was at this level.


    Among the apprentice knights were Andrew, Romuald, Tena, Ernest, Laura and Organ.


    On hearing this, Ron''s eyes widened in surprise, and he rose almost immediately from his chair.


    He had to know that even among all his soldiers there were only 2 who had the level of an apprentice knight.


    And Ron knew that among all the Baron''s troops, there were less than 15 apprentice knights!


    Indeed, the talent to become a knight was rare!


    But the most shocking part hadn''t been said yet.


    "Concerning my strength...I''m at the peak stage of the apprentice knight," Maxime declared.


    The difference between an apprentice knight with 2 physique points and 3 physique points is considerable.


    So, depending on physique, the apprentice knight can be divided into several stages:


    Entry (2 ~ 2,3),


    Small success (2,3~2,6), S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grand success (2,6~2,9),


    Peak (2,9~).


    It was possible to become a knight with 3 or more physics points, but it was complicated to become a knight with only 3 physics points.


    Generally speaking, apprentice knights awakened their vital seed at around 3.2 or even 3.3 physical points.


    It seemed preferable to do it this way, as after reaching the knight stage, the breathing method generally lost much of its effect on strengthening the body.


    So to have a chance of one day reaching the grand knight stage, many knights strengthened their bodies by riding the battlefields to stimulate their vital seed.


    His actual stats are at the level of an apprentice knight at the stage of great success with a physique of 2.75 points, but thanks to class bonuses he reaches an impressive score of 2.97 points.


    It was thanks to this physique that he was able to fend off Ron, even though the latter hadn''t used all his strength.


    And if he''s holding a sword, he can have a physique reaching a surprising 3.27 physique points.


    "But if we''re talking in mercenary language, I''m a four-star mercenary at the peak."


    Although Ron had already guessed it, he was still surprised by Maxime''s words.


    And it was in the case of Maxime remaining modest, if he took into account the active effect of his talent, he could crush the majority of knights.


    But this remained Maxime''s closed card, he would never promote it and would make sure it remained a secret.


    "Damn, this guy''s not far off the level of the capital''s monstrous geniuses..." thought Ron, reacting to Maxime''s words.


    "Could he be the illegitimate son of a marquis or a duke?"


    Coming to his senses, Ron made a few mental calculations, then said:


    "800 gold coins and free housing for your troops for 2 years in Hypocamp?"


    Hypocamp being Baron Irut''s main town and also his home town.


    In Ron''s mind, the free accommodation would mainly enable the mercenary group to stay on his territory and thus become a force affiliated to Baron Irut after a certain period of time.


    Maxime smiled, then said:


    "Ok for the 800 gold coins and the free housing, but I''d also like Baron Berthon''s breathing method."


    "Impossible!" exclaimed Chevalier Ron directly.


    "Why not?" asked Maxime calmly.


    "The breathing method is a method reserved for the nobility only, if anyone discovers that a commoner is secretly practicing it, everyone involved in the affair will be prosecuted by the royal knights!"


    Obviously Maxime knew this. Even any educated person in this world knew it, since the breathing method represented the royal family''s control of the kingdom.


    No one was allowed to practice the breathing method unless they had sworn allegiance to a noble family.


    "Well, then I wouldn''t be too greedy and I''d only ask for 1,500 gold coins and free housing for all the saber-toothed tigers for 2 years," Maxime declared gently but at the same time with a certain firmness.


    This strategy made it harder for Ron to negotiate, but at the same time, he wasn''t surprised by Maxime''s staggering demands.


    What could be more disconcerting and surprising than the demand for a breathing method?


    Baron Irut''s net profit was around 500 gold coins a year.


    After all, the territory''s revenues were substantial, but so were its expenses.


    It was good enough to be able to put aside 500 gold coins in a year.


    So Maxime''s request represented 3 years'' savings from Baron Irut''s territory.


    "The help of their mercenary group could really prevent us from any unforeseen accidents and deal with various situations we wouldn''t have anticipated in our plans."


    "However, with so much money we could also invest it in weapons, armor or even to borrow a knight from a viscount."


    "But revealing our plan to noble forces could bring about some very important variables in our plan."


    "A nobleman''s greed is endless."


    "Investing in a mercenary group provides both short-term strength without increasing the risks of the plan."


    While Ron pondered, Maxime waited patiently.


    After a few minutes'' consideration, Ron made his decision.


    "800 gold coins and we''ll have a dwelling built for you large enough to accommodate and feed 200 people with a plot of land large enough to train as many people."


    It was Maxime''s turn to be surprised.


    It was extremely rare for a nobleman to offer land to a commoner; it might even be considered a sin to do so in this world.


    Maxime pretended to think for a long moment, to give the impression that Chevalier Ron''s offer wasn''t too high.


    But on the inside, he was extremely excited: these 800 gold coins were his ticket to the greatest universities in the country!


    "I agree to the offer, but ask for a down payment of 200 gold coins," Maxime finally replied, after completely suppressing his excitement.


    Ron didn''t think long and accepted.


    "Now let''s talk well, let''s talk little.Tell me all about your plan."

 Chapter 45 The Trigger

    "Now let''s talk well, let''s talk little. Tell me all about your plan," 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 explain everything to Maxime. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a good hour''s listening, Maxime had a better understanding of what had gone into triggering this plan, 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 regularly targeted villages with relatively few defenses, charging "protection fees".


    If these protection fees weren''t paid, a variety of village-related accidents quickly followed.


    These ranged from a few hunters never returning from the mountains to convoys of goods sent by the village disappearing as if they''d never existed.


    The various barons in charge of these villages repeatedly tried to set traps for the bandits, but to no avail.


    On the contrary, various mysterious incidents occurred in the barons'' towns.


    These incidents could simply be sudden bursts of fire in the middle of the night, or gossip about the barons circulating in town. On two occasions, however, the barons'' hidden mistresses were murdered.


    Since then, most barons have become frightened, and these protection costs have become normal over time.


    But in the last few days, the bandits had gone completely mad, going so far as to plunder villages completely, 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 accepting the protection fee.


    This allowed them to add a new source of income without risking any discontent from the villagers.


    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 unacceptable to exploit the villagers, whose lives were already so complicated, 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 relatives and knights and explained the problem.


    After some discussion, they discovered that the problem was also an opportunity!


    A legitimate opportunity to declare war on Baron Barthon, punish him in the name of the Kingdom and gain the title of Viscount by reclaiming his lands!


    From then on, they prepared their plan to eradicate Baron Barthon''s family and seize his lands!


    According 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 regularly because of his deep involvement in his territory.


    So, on the face of it, the balance 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 on commoners, 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 plan 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, glancing 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 plan, building a secondary base here in case things go wrong while most of our troops reside in Baron Irut''s town." declared 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 become renowned mercenaries don''t you?"


    "Do you know any glorious mercenaries who haven''t experienced shitty situations?"


    Seeing the lack 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 clapped 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 play together during the feast.


    The children and bandits remained reserved at first, but under the mercenaries'' jovial mood, everyone temporarily forgot the complicated events of the day, then danced and laughed 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 a compassionate, 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''ve come 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 one last 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 46 A pleasant night

    The gentle rocking of the hammock and the sound of birdsong greeted him in the subdued light of the forest. His head was still reeling from the previous day''s excesses.Without looking down, Maxime quickly guessed that he was several meters up, the hammock tied between two trees.


    "How could this happen?" sighed Maxime, feeling groggy.


    He opened his eyes, blinking several times to adjust his vision. The majestic trees towered around him, their leaves dancing gently in the wind.


    A cool breeze caressed his face, bringing with it the earthy scent of the forest.


    Then he felt a light weight on his chest.


    Intrigued, he looked down to discover silky black hair splayed across his chest.


    A woman, sleeping peacefully, her breathing even and calm. Her long hair cascaded down her torso, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding greenery.


    He stood still, observing the delicate features of her face. A feeling of confusion mixed with curiosity invaded him.


    Who was she, anyway?


    How had she ended up there, with him, in that hammock suspended between two trees?


    Every detail of the scene seemed unreal, like something out of a dream. But the warmth of her body against his and the soft perfume of her hair confirmed that it was all real.


    Maxime remained motionless, enjoying the wonderful sensation of waking up with a woman in his arms.


    Only a few items of clothing concealed their private parts.


    Time passed quickly, during which Maxime enjoyed the gentle swaying of the hammock in the wind.


    Life in the forest came to life as the birds sang, signifying the start of a new day.


    But for the moment, Maxime wanted nothing more to do with it.


    Drop in on Baron Irut?


    Go to war to get stronger?


    It was all bullshit. He simply wanted to stay here.


    At the same time, he tried to remember the evening before.


    A few flashbacks came to mind as he asked Organ and Laura a few questions during the evening.


    At that moment, he was doing his job as chief and wanted to know more about his new men and what responsibilities he was going to be able to entrust to them.


    He also wanted to know their aspirations.


    He soon learned that Organ was very excited at the prospect of joining the mercenary group, since this opportunity would mean that, if he didn''t die on the battlefield, he''d be able to enjoy life a little longer.


    On the other hand, Laura was quick to admit that her life''s goal was to find her lost sister.


    But she didn''t want to say any more, and clearly wanted to carry the weight of this mission alone.


    Maxime, not wishing to rush things, moved on to another subject, and as time went by, the discussion passed very naturally between them.


    Their laughter echoed through the festive evening, and noticing their complicity, no one disturbed the two lovebirds during the evening.


    Time passed quickly, and then somehow what had to happen did, but Maxime couldn''t remember how they''d ended up in that hammock.


    With the flashback ending here, Maxime remained confused, but now he wondered how to interact with this woman in the future.


    Suddenly, a slight movement was felt on his chest.


    Looking down, he met her light green, almost emerald eyes. Her eyes seemed to reflect the sweetness and depth of his soul.


    Maxime felt his heart beat faster, as if he''d found something important to him. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ll protect you," Maxime declared softly.


    Laura blinked slightly, as if trying to understand both Maxime''s words and what she was doing here.


    After a few seconds, she remembered many things.


    "Fuck you, Maxime, I don''t need your protection," Laura replied firmly, her eyes menacing.


    The mood changed so suddenly that Maxime found himself speechless.


    Then he laughed so loudly that it woke up many of the mercenaries who had taken the earth as their mattress and the sky as their blanket.


    Hearing this laughter, the mercenaries cast knowing glances at each other.


    "The chief and Laura must have had a lot of fun last night," said one of them with a mischievous grin.


    "The chef and the cheffette you mean now haha!"


    "Cheffette or not, it makes no difference to us, either way she was far too strong for us to dare answer her!" said a former bandit with a laugh.


    "Peter grinned, having spent the night out too.


    Next to him was James. The relationship between them had grown closer during the evening, and they had even sworn an oath to become brothers.


    "Surely only the chief is worthy of Laura here," James added, looking up at the sky.


    ...


    While gossip was going on outside the grotto, Maxime finally finished his giggle.


    "What''s got into you?" asked Laura softly with surprised eyes.


    "Nothing, it''s just...you''re perfect, don''t change a thing," Maxime replied with a smile.


    Laura also smiled in response.


    "Just, do you know how we ended up in that hammock? I have hazy memories of that part of the evening."


    Laura blinked innocently several times.


    "No, absolutely no idea."


    She said nothing more, for her the experience of the evening before was also a first for her.


    But unlike Maxime, she remembered everything, and for the part about the hammock...she was mischievous and didn''t wish to reveal the truth of what had happened.


    "Hm...strange," Maxime thought, but didn''t dwell on it.


    A few hours passed, during which Maxime and Laura talked about everything and nothing.


    Their laughter could sometimes be heard by the mercenaries, children and women outside the cave.


    But unlike them, everyone began to work.


    Some went off to cut down some trees to start building the huts, others made food, and a few washed their clothes and armor in a nearby river.


    Izo, who was normally an extremely discreet person, never revealing his emotions, showed a certain talent for storytelling by teaching the children some important information about the outside world.


    And he did so with energy and vigor, eliciting a few amused and surprised glances from the Quessoi mercenaries who had known him for some time.


    For the children, this information was something extremely new, and they listened attentively with starry eyes.


    These children, who had almost always grown up in the cave, knew for the first time what life was really like, and some even began to daydream.


    "Uncle Izo, do you think I could ever become a royal knight?" asked a shy 8-year-old.


    The other children also listened attentively, even some of the mercenaries had fun listening to Izo''s stories while working.


    "Good question. I couldn''t tell you myself, since I''ve never been to the capital", Izo replied with a smile.


    All the stories he told were simply what he''d already heard from the villagers of Quessoi, as well as what he''d heard recently when traveling with the saber-toothed tigers.


    "However, what I know for sure is that as long as you follow the chief for part of your life and remain loyal to him, you can become absolutely anything you want!"


    Speaking of Maxime, Izo''s eyes filled with admiration.


    He firmly believed that in this world, nothing could stop Maxime from reaching the top.


    Of course, all this was on condition that he survived by his side for a few years, but he wouldn''t tell children such details.


    What these children needed right now was hope for the future that awaited them.


    Izo also wanted them to stop worrying about going hungry and being captured at any moment by evil-doers.


    The sun soon showed that it was time for lunch, and everyone happily made their way to the few pots filled with food.


    The atmosphere was excellent, with everyone eating together, talking and laughing.


    Maxime and Laura also joined them towards the end of the meal, prompting curious and mischievous eyes from the mercenaries.


    Naturally, they arrived dressed in light armor.


    Somehow, Laura remembered where their clothes were, which prompted a few questions from Maxime, but she managed to avoid them with some ingenuity.


    At the end of the meal, Maxime stood up with a serious face.


    "Good morning, everyone. I hope you had a pleasant night."

 Chapter 47 Hypocamp

    Hearing this couldn''t help but cast curious glances at Maxime.Noticing these glances, 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 welcome our new comrades to our mercenary group."


    On hearing these words, the former mercenaries applauded 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 having come, 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 planned to arrive in the evening.


    In the forest, they ran slowly due to the vegetation and lack of visibility, but once out, they could simply take the beaten dirt roads created for transporting goods between the various villages 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 his comrades 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''s companions.


    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 occasionally, the metallic clink of an anvil, perhaps from a blacksmith working late.


    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. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Welcome 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''ve come 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 seconds later and whispered something to the soldiers'' leader.


    The latter 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."


    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 place.


    But he held his breath.


    "We understand. Let''s go, guys."


    Maxime walked through the crowd of soldiers without giving them another glance, but Andrew and Rodrigo cast cold glances at them.


    Of course, they said nothing that might aggravate the situation.


    After all, they were on someone else''s territory, and they''d come 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.


    Its large, solid wooden tables covered with delicious dishes, mugs of mead and spiced wine seemed particularly appealing to those mercenaries who had been traveling for a long time. Loud laughter and bawdy singing could always be heard, while the waitresses moved skilfully between the customers.


    Maxime glanced at his comrades 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 glances 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.


    "Welcome 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 becoming 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," declared 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 village, 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 happened last night.


    Maxime was also treated to a few mischievous jokes from his men.


    As they continued to laugh, 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 and laughing.


    "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 to come back later."


    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 particularly short and skinny.


    Only the remaining two looked particularly 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 accompanying the group of men seemed very excited by the situation as she laughed 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 stop laughing at them girls, otherwise when they get home they''ll be traumatized!" exclaimed a third woman, laughing shamelessly too.


    The women''s laughter 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," Outa commented, laughing 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 slapped 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.


    The latter 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 delay, 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.


    They left the tavern a few minutes later, under the curious gaze of the remaining guests and the sound of low masses.


    Outside, a fresh breeze greeted Maxime and his comrades, 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 hours later 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 glanced 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 accompanying him.


    The latter 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 still come here." sighed Terry.


    "It makes you wonder how they''ve managed to keep their heads on their shoulders until now," commented Piedro, quickly rolling his eyes while doing some stretching.


    Seconds later, 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 his comrades.


    They all fell to the ground confused.


    Rodrigo played 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," Rodrigo laughed.


    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. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 become 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 planned 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 success!


    The rest were also strong men, all training to become 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", Ernest commented 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 balanced 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 training combined with a certain talent and excellent fighting techniques could only make them strong!


    They obviously lacked combat experience, but that made the strength of both sides similar!


    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 plate 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 similar 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!" exclaimed 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 becoming 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 glance.


    A huge sword could be seen hanging from his back.


    Next to him, even the impressively muscular 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 place to fight," he ordered firmly.


    Finally, Maxime could take no more.


    "I beg your pardon? This is no place 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 place 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 a commoner 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 your laxity 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 this combination of circumstances, Maxime even thought that Baron Irut had planned everything and was testing his mercenary group.


    The crowd was completely 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 his latest 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''s last thoughts before his imposing body was sent flying by Maxime''s punch, which had landed 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.


    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. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if they were witnessing the birth of a future legend.

 Chapter 50 Wake up in the morning

    The scene seemed chaotic, with soldiers still on the ground around them.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.


    Jack was on the ground, about ten meters from Maxime.


    Lifting his head with difficulty, everything blurred as he tried to look at Maxime.


    The energy of his vital seed moved quickly through his body and into his head.


    After a few seconds, he felt a gentle warmth in his face.


    His eyesight quickly recovered, and he was able to stand up again a few moments later.


    Seeing this scene, Maxime silently deactivated his talent.


    He didn''t think it was necessary to activate his talent any longer.


    "Indeed, knights have become a species apart. This regeneration ability is truly enviable," Maxime thought silently.


    Simultaneously, an incredible wave of weakness swept through his body, and he almost fell to his knees.


    "Activating Nox Limit twice is indeed a little too hard for my body."


    He knew he''d receive a backlash for activating his talent twice, but he didn''t think it would be this bad.


    Yet he''d somehow managed to reduce the talent''s consumption by preventing it from escaping to his mercenaries.


    But with his current control over his talent, it was still too hard and the loss of energy was still immense.


    Now he felt that with his body, even an ordinary adult could defeat it.


    Meanwhile, Jack stood up as if nothing had happened.


    Despite his weakness, Maxime used his acting skills and remained calm.


    But the anger in Jack''s eyes could be seen by the entire crowd in the square.


    He approached step by step, exuding an extremely powerful coercion.


    Maxime looked at him quietly.


    "If need be, I''ll activate my talent a third time."


    A dangerous glint appeared in Maxime''s eyes.


    He knew full well that if he activated his talent a third time, even if only for a short time, his lifespan would be permanently shortened.


    But Maxime was determined. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Knight Jack returned to his previous position, but this time extremely vigilant in the face of Maxime.


    He also saw the dangerous gleam in Maxime''s eyes.


    "Tell your men to sheathe their swords. The fight''s over for tonight."


    As he said this, the coercion he exuded disappeared.


    Jack''s words surprised Maxime, making him doubt his intentions.


    But after a moment''s reflection, Maxime looked at his mercenaries and beckoned them to obey.


    As soon as he was free, Henry quickly escaped behind Jack.


    "Professor, avenge us now! Their leader is obviously not a knight, you''ll only make mincemeat of him!"


    Jack tapped Henry lightly on the head, signaling him to be quiet.


    "I''ll take that punch as compensation for the disruption you''ve had today in our town."


    "I sincerely hope you''ll be able to help our territory out of this complicated situation."


    Of course, these words were spoken in a low voice, so that only those nearby could hear.


    Knight Jack then departed, watched by a stunned Chief of Guard in the distance and the aspiring knights.


    Quickly, the aspiring knights and soldiers still standing carried off their comrades, who were groaning painfully on the ground.


    "Captain..."


    Andrew was worried for his leader.


    So were the others, equally at a loss for what to do.


    "It''s all right. It''s only a small event."


    "But we''ll postpone our visit to Baron Irut."


    "Let''s find a good inn and get some sleep."


    After Maxime''s explanation, his mercenaries nodded.


    It didn''t take them long to find an inn, pay 6 pieces of silver for the night and the morning meal.


    It was already getting late, and with all that had happened in just 2 days, they were all tired and went straight to bed.


    The crowd didn''t dare approach Maxime and his mercenaries either. So they went back to partying in the nearby taverns.


    They chatted about recent events.


    In this isolated little town, interesting things rarely happened, so even ordinary events over 10 years old could still be a topic of conversation here.


    So what happened between these young mercenaries and the town soldiers spread very quickly.


    The very next morning, Baron Irut was interrupted during his breakfast, which was surprisingly conventional and not very luxurious.


    "Baron, sorry to disturb you but I''ve got some important news!"


    Baron Irut, who was in his forties and had an unshaven beard, looked up at a young soldier.


    Feeling that gaze full of vicissitudes and deep but also imbued with a certain kindness, the young soldier took a deep breath and then began to recount the events.


    Hearing that a young mercenary and his men had beaten to the ground his soldiers and even aspiring knights, including two apprentices, Baron Irut''s expression didn''t change much.


    He didn''t even bother to stop eating.


    He''d guessed the identity of these young mercenaries from the report provided by Chevalier Ron.


    But when it came to the part of the story where Maxime lost control and started to get white eyes, the Baron''s expression changed for the first time.


    And when he heard that this young man had sent a right so powerful that Knight Jack lost consciousness for a moment, Baron Irut immediately stood up.


    "What did you say?


    "Knight Jack lost consciousness?"


    Baron Irut seemed particularly excited.


    "Yes lord, but he got up quickly..." added the young soldier hastily.


    "Interesting, very interesting indeed," commented the Baron, sitting back down quietly.


    "Yves."


    Yves being the young soldier''s first name.


    "Tell the men to start the work we discussed immediately.


    "Yes, seigneur," replied Yves, bowing gently.


    "Oh, and tell them that if they finish ahead of schedule everyone will receive a bonus of 50% of their pay."


    Yves''s expression appeared astonished, but he obeyed at once.


    "I''m off to instruct them in the lord''s orders," he replied immediately before leaving.


    ...


    In a much more modest part of town, Maxime and his men ate breakfast in the tavern.


    Observing the curious yet intimidated expressions of the inn''s other occupants, Andrew shook his head.


    "You sure made a lot of noise in town last night, boss," he said, obviously mocking.


    "Nonsense..." replied Maxime, raising his eyes slightly.


    The other mercenaries were amused.


    "Just look at the way the waiter''s hands are shaking when he serves us, it''s so funny!" exclaimed Peter, laughing loudly.


    "I don''t know if you''ve noticed, but the owner of the inn can''t stop looking at us all the time," added Piedro mysteriously.


    "hahaha Did you see it too? And clearly, as soon as we look at him too, he immediately turns his head away, obviously embarrassed at being caught in the act!" continued Rodrigo, also laughing.


    But Maxime wasn''t in the mood.


    Ernest noticed and asked him:


    "You''re not well, chief? What''s on your mind?"


    The mercenaries'' laughter quietly stopped, then looked at their visibly worried leader.


    "No, I''m trying to guess to what extent our actions last night will affect our negotiations with the Baron."


    Ernest smiled accordingly, which questioned Maxime.


    "You worry too much chief, we''ll go and see how it goes."


    The other mercenaries nodded as well.


    "If not, in the worst-case scenario, we''ll ravage the Baron''s mansion," Andrew commented with a smile.


    All the mercenaries looked at him for a moment before laughing loudly.


    Maxime laughed too.


    What was so funny?


    It was the fact that this situation, which at first seemed like a joke, could after a certain period of reflection become reality.


    Indeed, if Maxime''s talent could be fully exercised, anyone could increase their stats by 50% for 30 minutes.


    Maxime could have the strength of a senior knight wielding a sword, while Andrew and Ernest could barely reach the level of a newly minted knight.


    Rodrigo, Piedro and Peter would all have the strength of an apprentice knight at the peak stage.


    Of course, no one knew the knights'' hidden assets and therefore their actual strength.


    But taking into account only the physical strength of the mercenaries and knights, they could really ransack the mansion.


    But not to mention the events that might follow, they all knew that Maxime could no longer activate his talent without irreversible consequences.


    So it really was a joke...for now.


    They continued talking and laughing undisturbed.


    Once their bellies were full, Maxime stood up and said with a smile:


    "Come on, guys, let''s go see the baron and see what happens."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Their cries startled the other guests, but no one dared say anything.


    Once their backs were turned, the atmosphere in the inn changed completely.


    It was as if everyone felt less pressure on their shoulders.

 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 place from last night.The sun rose above the ramparts, illuminating the thatched and slate roofs of the houses huddled together.


    The cobbled streets, winding and often narrow, quickly filled with merchants, craftsmen and busy townsfolk. The steady clatter 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 the large market square, the scene was particularly 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 indispensable commodities.


    The air was filled with the scent of freshly baked bread, spices from faraway lands 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.


    Glancing 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 particular 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 minutes later, 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 plain-clothed man with some eloquence.


    Maxime didn''t think he''d be directly placed at such a height and was surprised, but outwardly he simply flashed 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.


    The latter removed his helmet.


    "As expected, I couldn''t hide for long," laughed 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.


    "Welcome 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.


    The baron laughed 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 similar to the garden.


    It was in a dilapidated state, but the various works of art hanging on the walls, as well as the armor and swords decorating the manor, kept a last 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 have come 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 explanation, Maxime and his men understood the situation slightly better.


    The baron led them into a small room where a large round wooden table sat, surrounded by exactly 9 wooden chairs.


    A large map of the region had been placed 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 place to the right of the baron, while the mercenaries sat closest to Maxime.


    This left one last 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 people completely 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 the land 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 accustomed 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 experiences combined with a natural leadership temperament meant that Maxime only needed a moment to calm down.


    "Yes, and it''s a price accepted 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. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Indeed, calves aren''t afraid of tigers," murmured Jack.


    "But it''s been proven that even tigers can lose their claws 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''s complicated 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 52 Unveiling the plan

    The situation became particularly tense when this question was asked.Whether in this world or in the real world, talents are considered secrets. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So any question on the subject is generally perceived as highly disrespectful unless the person belongs to very close family.


    Maxime and Irut had just met.


    But Irut hadn''t finished his questions, even though he was very curious.


    "What is this talent that can allow a brat like you to possess such fighting power at such a young age?"


    "What talent makes it possible to have so many talented people in a small mercenary group?"


    The mercenaries'' faces turned very dark.


    Asking so many questions could be enough to make mortal enemies.


    Andrew pounded his fist on the table, which resonated particularly loudly in the room.


    "We''re not here to be interrogated," Andrew declared coolly.


    "That''s right, excuse me, my curiosity got the better of me." replied Irut lightly, smiling.


    Irut straightened up, then revealed his initial objective.


    "I''m keen to invest in a band as talented as yours, so we''ll respond to your requests."


    Maxime nodded.


    "As for the accommodation..."


    Maxime didn''t have time to finish as Irut cut him off.


    "Don''t worry, the construction of your homes has already begun," announced Irut, as if everything were under his control.


    Maxime was pleasantly surprised.


    "Well...thanks?"


    "You''re welcome. Now let''s talk about the plan of attack."


    Everyone focused on the map spread out on the table.


    "Our Hypocamp city is here, 80km west of the ancient Quessoi village."


    "Itac, the Baron''s town is here, 60km north of Quesso?."


    "Between our two towns, there must be approximately 70km to cover as well as a dozen villages."


    Everyone listened attentively, even Ron and Jack had a solemn expression.


    In this plan, they were also putting their lives on the line.


    No one took their own lives lightly.


    Irut continued to speak.


    "Four of these villages are under my jurisdiction. The problem remains the other six villages, which are Baron Barthon''s responsibility."


    "These villages serve as his control tower."


    "So, if we send troops, there''s more than a 90% chance they''ll be discovered before they reach Itac."


    "Once discovered, the surprise attack effect will be lost and we won''t be able to defeat Baron Barthon quickly."


    "And if we don''t defeat him quickly, Baron Kenepis will take the opportunity to steal some of our villages."


    Despite his scruffy appearance, Baron Irut''s expression was very serious, as he clearly explained the military situation on both sides.


    Maxime listened attentively, but he had absolutely no knowledge of military strategy so he didn''t really understand what needed to be done.


    "Let''s get down to business, where and when should my mercenaries intervene?"


    Irut smiled slightly.


    "I was getting to that."


    "An iron mine has been discovered precisely 20km from Hypocamp and about 50km from Itac."


    The news Irut dropped was surprising.


    An iron mine could easily generate sales of over 500 gold coins a year.


    Counting expenses and taxes, net profit could still reach 450 gold coins.


    This revenue would undoubtedly allow Irut to get its head above water and breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Baron Barthon presents well, but as you now know, he does many things in the dark."


    "All for a specific purpose: to earn more money, improve the strength of his territory and then accomplish merits to obtain the title of viscount."


    "This is also the goal of all nobles, move up to the next class."


    "Although on the surface Baron status is already a status that 99% of people will aim for throughout their lives, this status is the lowest on the nobility ladder."


    "Many have difficulty accepting this gap in reality, including Baron Barthon."


    "It''s also for this reason that many of them will use any means to achieve their goals."


    As he finished this sentence, Irut''s face was calm.


    But Knight Jack and Knight Ron''s faces were both sad and angry.


    Maxime observed all this calmly.


    "So to get to the point, Baron Barthon will undoubtedly come and steal this mine from us," Irut finished.


    "But how could he? Legally speaking, the mine belongs to you," asked Andrew suspiciously.


    Irut shook his head ironically.


    "The law only serves to oppress civilians. Against the nobility it''s just a piece of paper."


    Andrew, Peter and Piedro were shocked by this reality.


    Rodrigo and Ernest seemed to know it already, judging by their unruffled expressions.


    Maxime naturally knew it too, it was part of the basics to know before going into Eternity.


    "On the bright side, he can only use brutal means to force us to concede the mine to him," said Irut, resuming his speech.


    "All we have to do is wait until he starts attacking our villages and the mine."


    "Baron Barthon is extremely likely to attack our villages which border this territory."


    "Since if he takes the mine, he''ll also take the territory that goes with it."


    "According to our forecasts, 2 villages are in danger."


    "They are the villages of H��nor and Plouta."


    "I''ll send 12 apprentice knights to protect H��nor and 3 apprentice knights to protect Plouta."


    Seeing where Irut''s speech was going, Maxime asked him:


    "So I guess we''ll have to protect Plouta?"


    Irut nodded.


    "Indeed, Maxime, I''d like to entrust your mercenary group with the protection of Plouta."


    But Maxime still had a few questions.


    "Why not send at least one of your two knights? If Baron Barthon sends a knight, my mercenary group could be eradicated and Plouta captured."


    Irut shook his head.


    "In this kind of conflict, knights don''t intervene easily otherwise, if just one of them dies then barons like us will only have our eyes to cry over."


    "The loss would be truly enormous; a knight is worth far more than a single iron mine."


    "But the advantage being that in this kind of battle apprentice knights stuck at a certain stage can break through through combat."


    "So the important force in this kind of small skirmish is the apprentice knights followed by the elite soldiers."


    "The ordinary soldiers are also important thanks to their numbers, but generally they''re just cannon fodder."


    Maxime agreed with this, indeed he''d heard about it quickly while watching news reports.


    "So, when do we have to leave?"


    "As soon as possible, Baron Barthon will undoubtedly send troops in less than a week."


    "What if they don''t attack for a long time?" asked Maxime.


    "They''ll certainly attack." replied Irut with a firm face.


    "Okay, give me time to gather my mercenaries and we''ll go to Plouta."


    Irut was glad it had all gone so smoothly.


    "Ron, you''ll protect the mine in case Baron Berthon goes mad and sends a knight," said Irut, addressing Ron.


    "All right."


    "That way, Ron can protect the mine directly but also come to your aid if things really get out of hand." continued Irut, but this time addressing the saber-toothed tigers.


    "Let''s do it that way then," Maxime replied simply.


    The discussion continued, but this time in a more informal manner, with the mercenaries discussing anything and everything with the knights.


    The map was collected later, and various meals were served.


    This did indeed help to deepen relations.


    Maxime and his men didn''t leave until late afternoon.


    As they crossed the sad garden again, Maxime heard a loud voice behind him.


    "Aren''t you forgetting something, Max?" exclaimed Irut, shaking something in his hand.


    Baron Irut was a very sociable man, and called Maxime by his nickname very easily.


    It was just that he didn''t get on with most of the nobles, and Baron Irut didn''t like to pretend, so he appeared to be a loner to the other nobles.


    Maxime smiled, then returned to the top of the steps in front of the manor house.


    "Ron discussed this with you, didn''t he? Here''s your down payment of 200 gold coins."


    Maxime received the small but heavy linen package filled with gold coins.


    "Be careful and try not to croak easily. It would be a shame if the world didn''t get to know 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 planned 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 villages, 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."


    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 glances.


    This friend quickly noticed these stares and began to wonder where the problem lay 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 particularly displeased but continued to whisper to his friend.


    "Right now these mercenaries are ultra popular 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 individual combat 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 merchant laughed 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 merchant laughed 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 class ladder in the future."


    "They literally represent their hope to change their lives and gain wealth and fame."


    When the merchant declared 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. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Romuald told him that most of the women had regained some energy and were helping out with the camp''s household chores.


    One in particular 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 glances of the former bandits who had decided to become the saber-toothed tigers'' logistics staff.


    They themselves had not progressed due to lack 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 become strong enough, he''d have asked to become 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 54 The apprentice knight Killian

    Women and children greeted them from afar, but without shouting. They didn''t want to disturb the special atmosphere. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Maxime did not ask his men to run.


    This time, his men didn''t all have the strength of the first mercenaries, so he would tire most of them significantly if they had to run.


    Walking fast enough, Maxime had calculated that it would take around 8 hours to reach Plouta.


    It might take a little longer, since they were taking water and food with them, enough to last at least 3 days.


    They would see later if they could buy food and water from the villagers of Plouta.


    Time passed quickly and Maxime''s little troupe soon arrived at the village of Plouta.


    The village was disrupted by the sudden arrival of a large number of armed people.


    A small militia of around a hundred people was quickly formed, blocking the path of the saber-toothed tigers.


    Seeing this crowd equipped with a few swords and pitchforks, Maxime laughed slightly but was at the same time impressed by their courage.


    "Stop here immediately, you''re not welcome in our village!"


    An old woman with a bent back came forward with the help of her wooden cane and shouted in the direction of Maxime and his men.


    Maxime stepped forward and explained the situation.


    "We come under the orders of Baron Irut to protect your village.


    But the old woman wasn''t convinced.


    "Protect our village from what? Get out of here!"


    Seeing the situation could take some time to resolve, Maxime chose to use the hard way to both gain time and establish his prestige.


    In this way, all things will become simpler in the future.


    "Andrew, Rodrigo, Romuald, Ernest, Izo, Tena, Piedro, James."


    The mercenaries whose names had been called came out of the mercenary group and went to Maxime''s side.


    "Capture some of them, but definitely don''t attack the grandmother."


    "Aye, aye, sir."


    The silhouettes of the mercenaries quickly charged into the militia and easily subdued some fifteen villagers.


    The newly-formed militia opened their eyes wide in fear of the mercenaries.


    A few of them still seemed courageous and wanted to help their comrades.


    "Don''t come any closer or I''ll crush this guy''s throat."


    "If you don''t want to find your neighbor choked to death, I''d advise against moving forward."


    "A missing arm or leg can happen very quickly."


    The mercenaries proliferated various threats, which intimidated the villagers. They no longer dared to advance.


    The old woman became calmer.


    "We don''t have the strength to resist, let the bandits have what they want.


    But before the villagers could obey, Maxime approached the old woman.


    "We''re not bandits, we''re mercenaries here to protect the village for a while."


    "Protect us? Protect from what? Even a rat wouldn''t be interested in our village, we''re so poor."


    Seeing that the villagers were unaware of the danger to which they were exposed, Maxime decided to tell them part of the truth.


    This would considerably increase their vigilance and thus their safety.


    "Don''t ask too many questions, but this village is very likely to be attacked in the next few days by a force that can be considered invincible to you."


    "Hmph? For a few thieves our militia is more than enough!"


    "And if these bandits include apprentice knights?"


    When Maxime mentioned bandits, all the villagers panicked.


    "Village chief! If that''s true, we''re all going to die!" shouted a panic-stricken militiaman.


    The old woman frowned, doubting the words of the blond-haired young man in front of her.


    But seeing the small army accompanying him, the old woman began to believe in Maxime.


    "If you still don''t believe me, there will be 3 apprentice knights from Hydrocamp arriving here soon."


    Hearing these last words from Maxime, the village head finally became convinced.


    "So, you can enter the village. There''s an inn which is intended for people who get lost in the surrounding area, or simply for people who are traveling."


    The old woman turned and started walking slowly to show where the inn was.


    The militia listened to their leader and let the mercenaries pass.


    Seeing the imposing aura of most of them, many militiamen swallowed their saliva.


    Even from the outside, everyone could tell that the difference between the mercenaries and the militia could be compared to the difference between a lion and a rabbit.


    The villagers, mostly women and children who had stayed at home, watched with curiosity as the armed men passed through their village.


    Seeing their village chief leading them, everyone was reassured and went back to their occupations.


    The old woman and the saber-toothed tigers soon arrived in front of the inn.


    Despite its rudimentary appearance and all-wood construction, it still seemed warm and welcoming.


    "Most of the time, the inn is completely empty, like today, but it''s quite small so you''ll have to squeeze in."


    "As long as we have a roof over our heads it''s already very good," Maxime replied with a slight smile.


    The old woman observed the young man with blond hair and blue eyes with a new look.


    "Come on, guys, put your stuff in the rooms and let''s get something to eat.


    Everyone listened to Maxime''s orders with a certain rigor. Everyone settled quietly into rooms designed for two people in groups of around 8 mercenaries.


    "Your mercenaries are rather disciplined," commented the old woman.


    "Maybe that''s because they haven''t had enough experience of death.


    The old woman laughed in a deep voice at Maxime''s reply.


    But Maxime was serious about his answer, because it was the truth.


    Most of his men were stressed by the knowledge that they would be facing apprentice knights and elite soldiers.


    Even those who weren''t particularly worried weren''t in a good mood at the time.


    No one could know whether their lives would still be in their hands the next day.


    "Despite your profession, I still hope for these young men''s sake that they don''t rub shoulders with death on a regular basis."


    Maxime didn''t answer, instead asking something that concerned him.


    "Will you be able to sell us some of your dried meat supplies, your vegetables and tell us where to collect water?"


    "Of course."


    Maxime and the old woman began to talk about various aspects of mercenary life in the village.


    Despite her relatively advanced age, the old woman still had all her wits about her and spoke relatively well and quickly.


    However, she tired very quickly when it came to walking.


    So Maxime avoided putting too much strain on her and tried instead to communicate with the villagers.


    3 days later.


    Maxime had earned the villagers'' gratitude not only by going out to talk to them every day, but also by going out himself to help the villagers with certain tasks requiring physical strength.


    Most of the mercenaries also had skills they had previously developed, and helped the villagers whenever they could with tasks requiring greater expertise.


    Everyone got used to living with mercenaries


    It was also on this day, in the middle of the afternoon, that noise was heard outside the village.


    Maxime went to take a look, accompanied by about thirty of his men. The rest were scattered right and left in various tasks or training sessions.


    The old woman and most of the militia were also present.


    In front of them was a scene very similar to that of 3 days ago.


    "Hello dear villager, I''m the apprentice knight at the stage of great success, Killian."

 Chapter 55 Maxime and Killian face off

    "By my side are Henry and Ultia, two apprentice knights in the entry stage.""We also have 10 elite soldiers and 80 ordinary soldiers accompanying us."


    Maxime watched from afar as this strong apprentice knight was fully equipped in iron armor and riding a strong, sturdy horse.


    He had removed his helmet to show his sincerity.


    Killian was already a middle-aged man in his late thirties.


    His mature face could charm more than one woman, even among the nobility.


    Unfortunately, he had little hope of ever becoming a knight because his body lacked vital energy as he aged. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Henry and Ultia, who stood beside him, also rode trained horses and removed their helmets when they saw Killian do so.


    Henry was indeed the arrogant young apprentice knight Ernest had faced a few days earlier.


    His arrogance hadn''t disappeared, but he still seemed full of self-confidence.


    Ultia, on the other hand, was more reserved.


    Her flawless face and firm eyes, combined with her knight''s apprentice outfit, made her look like a Valkyrie.


    Many villagers and mercenaries could not help but admire her for a long time.


    She was known to be a genius on the same level as Henry, so she was likely to become a knight one day.


    Behind them were a number of horses tied to carriages, obviously loaded with provisions.


    All the soldiers appeared battle-hardened and highly disciplined. Their equipment was excellent, though far behind the quality worn by apprentice knights.


    Some of them carried a flag with a white background depicting a red buffalo, its horns looking particularly menacing.


    The old woman quickly observed these soldiers and had no doubt that they were Baron Irut''s soldiers.


    She''d already heard the news from Maxime, but she was particularly convinced by the fact that these soldiers looked far too professional to be bandits.


    "Welcome to our village of Plouta, apprentice knights and soldiers of the lord."


    The old woman had once again stepped forward to welcome these new temporary residents.


    "Thank you. Can you let us in? My soldiers would like to rest and eat after walking for so long."


    Killian was clearly not tired, but it did seem that walking had tired many of the soldiers.


    "Of course you can go back."


    "But for accommodation we had an inn but it''s currently occupied by saber-toothed tigers, and for food you''ll have to prepare it yourself."


    The village chief''s reply made Killian disgruntled.


    "Well, our mercenary friends will do us the pleasure of freeing the inn so that my soldiers can rest properly."


    "Besides, we''re Baron Irut''s soldiers and we''ve come to protect you! The least you could do would be to requisition a few villagers to serve our valiant fighters who will fight for you!"


    Henry, standing behind Killian, was equally displeased, while Ultia''s expression remained unchanged.


    The old woman frowned, but was prepared to accept. This apprentice knight represented the authority of Baron Irut and therefore the nobility.


    A simple village chief like her had no power to refuse.


    However, just then Maxime emerged from the crowd and stood between Killian and the old woman.


    "I beg your pardon? You want to commandeer the inn and some of the citizens to serve you? Are the baron''s soldiers so useless that they can''t fend for themselves?"


    "It''s the law of the strongest. The weak submit to the strong, just as your mercenary group submitted to Baron Irut."


    As he said this, the apprentice knight Killian sounded very confident.


    "You know, I had started to build a dwelling for your soldiers with the help of my men, and I thought I''d let my men help you finish it. But now I''ve changed my mind."


    Killian remained contemplating Maxime from his horse, waiting for him to continue his sentence.


    "Let''s have a duel, whoever wins gets the inn but also the absolute right to give orders to the loser on the battlefield."


    The apprentice knight laughed wildly.


    "A mercenary wishes to challenge an apprentice knight to a duel!? How embarrassing that a common insect suddenly thinks he''s a match for a lion."


    But Maxime didn''t change his expression; he was slowly getting used to the fact that his status was low in this world, and that to gain respect he had to impose himself via force every time.


    "Do you accept or not?"


    Killian remained silent for a moment, which was also when Henry recognized Maxime.


    The apprentice knights had long known that a group of mercenaries called the saber-toothed tigers would help them protect the city.


    To them, they were just an ordinary mercenary group to be used as cannon fodder.


    However, when Henry looked closer, he recognized many familiar faces.


    However, it was already too late.


    "Of course, if I have to crush you to get you to accept our authority, there''s no need to worry!"


    Maxime nodded slightly and gave them a few pointers.


    "So, drop your things at the village''s central square and then join my mercenaries south of the village."


    "There''s a large open space there that will allow us to fight without disturbing anyone or scaring the locals."


    Killian agreed and led his men not only to drop off their belongings but also to tie and feed the horses before returning to the forest.


    While they were on their way and the mercenaries waiting for them could be seen, Henry finally found the courage to warn Killian.


    "Captain, these mercenaries are not at all simple, especially their leader is of exceptional strength."


    "Exceptional? What kind of strength can reach an individual without a breathing method? That''s ridiculous."


    Killian was particularly contemptuous, and he was even more so when he saw Maxime''s back in the middle of the empty forest space, chatting with his mercenaries.


    Ultia simply listened from the side without changing her expression, for her these things were not at all important and she simply wished to return as soon as possible to resume her training.


    "Exceptional enough to send Knight Jack flying and wound him slightly."


    "What? What did you just say?"


    At this point Killian was particularly panicked.


    And he became even more so when he saw Maxime turn around and look at him with a slight smile.


    He also realized at that precise moment that all the mercenaries surrounding Maxime were particularly confident and seemed to be expecting to watch a fine show.


    "So he''s the famous individual who dared to fend off Knight Jack and who also had men with the strength of an apprentice knight?"


    Even Killian, who spent his time attending to various tasks assigned by the Baron and training, had heard of this recent rumor.


    But he hadn''t listened to it without close attention. In this city, many legends and rumors circulated with ease, but the veracity of any of them could always be easily questioned.


    He didn''t think this rumor turned out to be true.


    Ultia, who was standing nearby and heard this, finally became curious and looked attentively at Maxime, who was standing less than fifty meters from her.


    Killian took a deep breath and reassured himself that even he could manage a surprise attack on a knight if given the chance.


    "How could a common mercenary have the strength of a knight, it''s impossible of course," thought Killian as he arrived in front of Maxime.


    Killian was right, Maxime was far from having the strength of a knight at this stage.


    And to be honest with himself, Maxime didn''t think he could easily defeat an apprentice knight at the grand-success stage who had spent many years developing his sword skills and traversing various battlefields.


    But this battle had to be fought.


    Maxime beckoned to Killian as he drew his sword.


    "Are you ready?"


    Seeing Maxime draw his sword, Killian drew his too.


    The wind blew gently across the grassy plain. A few leaves from nearby trees fluttered in the air between the two combatants.


    The sky was an ominous gray, as if the world itself were holding its breath before the confrontation.


    In the center of this deserted field, two silhouettes faced each other.


    An apprentice knight in full iron armor holding his sword in both hands, and a sharp-eyed mercenary much more lightly equipped.


    Their drawn swords glinted in the dull light.


    The mercenary stood lightly, a simple-looking one-handed sword.


    He wore studded leather armor, reinforced with a few metal plates to protect his vital areas, but much lighter than that of his opponent.


    A mesh vest covered his shoulders and torso, leaving his movements fluid and swift.


    Maxime had found this equipment in the bandits'' camp, and it wasn''t just him; it had become the norm for early mercenaries.


    His eyes, sharp as a hawk''s, watched the knight''s every move with cold concentration.


    All the mercenaries stood in a bow 20 meters behind Maxime, while the soldiers did the same behind Killian.


    Many of the villagers, including the old woman, stood further back, watching this rare event with a certain excitement.


    "I''ll leave the first move to you."

 Chapter 56 End of the duel

    Hearing Maxime''s words, Killian didn''t hesitate and attacked directly.The silence broke as he charged, his sword coming down with a metallic hiss. The young mercenary deftly dodged, taking a quick step back, letting his opponent''s blade 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 flanks. His blade 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 accompanied 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 displayed 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 relative slowness of his armor.


    The duel became a balancing 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 calculated.


    Maxime, who had not yet gained much combat experience, was defeated in this respect.


    Fortunately, his physique far surpassed Killan''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 blade 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 the last moment to strike the mercenary on the flank.


    Maxime was unable to avoid the blow entirely; the blade 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 calculated dash, the mercenary ducked under the knight''s broad attack and, with lightning speed, planted his blade 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 any last gasp. But there was no more fighting.


    Killian laid 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 played their part to the end.


    "Don''t worry, you won''t die." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 to compete 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 similar to or greater than that of knights.


    Had Maxime not possessed the Nox Limit talent, he would simply have become a soldier for a nearby baron and saved up to smoothly progress through the class levels.


    This method, though stable, could take years before he had saved enough money to have the strength comparable 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, becoming a merchant and navigating between cities could be a way to earn money quickly, but the risks involved were far greater.


    So becoming 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 a complex look on his face as he watched this apprentice knight at the stage of great success.


    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 accidents, 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 after coming 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 blamed 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 to compete 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 most compete 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 successful 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 particularly 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 explain 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 village in Baron Irut.


    One day, the newly-bred Ron knight was given the task of going into the various villages 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 become 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 succeeding in becoming an apprentice knight.


    But now her whole psyche was in question.


    "How could this man have become so powerful?"

 Chapter 57 Alert

    "He''s not a knight, so normally it should be impossible to compete 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 to come 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 village, 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 success, 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 accommodation, in any case, the inn was too small to house you all."


    "So my men have already started living with villagers, 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 the coming 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 minutes later, 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 was committed to respecting it.


    What''s more, he lost nothing. Everything had been arranged so that as many people as possible could live comfortably in the village, 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 village.


    The villagers 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 a common scene these days.


    It was pleasant for these villagers, 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 and laughter to the table.


    Of course, there were also a few conflicts, not least because some of the soldiers found it hard to accept 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 particularly complex, Killian intervened and applied military law.


    As the first troublemakers were punished, everyone became much wiser, and the atmosphere more convivial. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 more comfort 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 villagers, 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 swordplay.


    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 real combat.


    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.


    For comparison, 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 accessible only to knights or apprentice knights at the peak who were extremely talented.


    Watching Maxime progress rapidly, and hearing regular compliments from Killian, Henry and Ultia invested much more energy than usual in their training to become 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.


    In comparison, 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.


    However, they had also seen that many of the mercenaries who had started out rather ordinary, had in the space of a few days come 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 nearby lakes.


    They didn''t do anything special.


    But that evening, everything changed.


    "Alert, alert, we''re under attack!"

 Chapter 58 Cemetery

    ? Alerte, alerte, nous sommes attaqu��s ! ? Un jeune soldat se pr��cipita vers Maxime et Laura en hurlant. Les deux hommes se regard��rent avant de se pr��cipiter vers le village. Ils la travers��rent rapidement, croisant des soldats et des mercenaires qui venaient d''��tre pr��venus. On sentait d��j�� l''odeur du sang �� un kilom��tre �� la ronde, tandis que des cris se faisaient entendre au loin.Au loin, Killian se battait f��rocement avec un puissant apprenti chevalier couvert de noir et masqu��, tenant deux ��p��es. Tout autour d''eux, la sc��ne ��tait macabre. Plusieurs corps inertes pouvaient ��tre vus dans les environs. Il y avait des cadavres de soldats et de mercenaires. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Les yeux encore ouverts et blancs, ils lev��rent les yeux vers le ciel, comme pour dire : ? C''est donc l�� que ma vie s''arr��te ? ? Killian n''��tait pas seul : autour de lui, Henry, Ultia et de nombreux soldats et mercenaires se battaient f��rocement contre les hommes en noir. Andrew, Ernest, Organ et Romuald ont tous ��t�� bloqu��s par des adversaires puissants.


    Personne n''a domin�� le champ de bataille ici, c''��tait donc principalement une confrontation morale ! Le premier groupe �� ne pas subir le poids des pertes serait le groupe vaincu, c''��tait aussi simple que cela !


    De puissants mercenaires tels qu''Izo, Peter, Terry et Tena, qui n''��taient pas aussi forts que les apprentis chevaliers mais ��taient parmi les meilleurs soldats d''��lite, ��taient entour��s de plusieurs hommes en noir. Plus t?t, Killian patrouillait dans le village comme d''habitude. Le clair de lune ��clairait faiblement la for��t qui entourait le village.


    Il ��tait accompagn�� de Romuald, d''une dizaine de soldats d''��lite et de mercenaires et d''une vingtaine de simples soldats. Une autre patrouille ��tait ��galement en mouvement, de force similaire �� la premi��re. La nuit se passa tranquillement comme d''habitude, et juste au moment o�� tout le monde commen?ait �� baisser la garde et �� discuter l��g��rement, Killian fit signe �� tout le monde de s''arr��ter.


    Malheureusement, il ��tait d��j�� trop tard : leur petite escouade ��tait compl��tement encercl��e. De nombreux soldats et mercenaires sont morts dans l''attaque surprise. Mais le soldat qui portait le tambour, qui servait de signal d''alarme, ��tait bien prot��g�� et a eu le temps de taper plusieurs fois pour sonner l''alarme.


    Grace au son du tambour, la deuxi��me patrouille men��e par Andrew et accompagn��e d''Henry a pu rapidement intervenir, mais la situation restait extr��mement d��favorable ! Ce n''est qu''avec l''arriv��e progressive des soldats et des mercenaires au repos que la situation s''est progressivement stabilis��e.


    D''un coup d''?il, on pouvait voir qu''il y avait au moins une douzaine d''apprentis chevaliers, une cinquantaine de soldats d''��lite et 200 soldats ordinaires parmi les individus qui avaient mont�� l''embuscade. Sous l''effet d''une telle force, la petite escouade de patrouille fut pratiquement an��antie ! ? Comme c''est honteux pour un apprenti chevalier de planifier de telles embuscades.


    ? Killian avait rapidement ��t�� regroup�� par plusieurs apprentis chevaliers avant de se retrouver seul avec l''homme aux deux ��p��es. Il ��tait d��j�� couvert de sang avec de multiples blessures sur tout le corps. ? Qui a dit que j''��tais un apprenti chevalier ? ? ? Arr��te de faire semblant Orac, nous savons depuis longtemps que tu allais attaquer nos villages.


    ? Orac ��tait un apprenti chevalier bien connu du baron Barthon pour sa ma?trise exceptionnelle et unique de deux ��p��es. He was at the same stage as Killian and of similar strength. "Haha good guess, it''s a shame that even predicting our actions, you''re all still going to die here!" Orac removed his mask, revealing the ordinary face of a middle-aged man. Then Orac intensified his attack on Killian.


    "Once I''ve killed you, the morale of your men will collapse rapidly and then it will be our victory!" In saying this Orac sounded confident and cheerful, but he himself sensed that tonight''s action was not going well.


    "I''ve never seen these men until now, yet these people should have a small reputation." "Where did Baron Irut find them?" "Where do so many strong men come from?" By chance he glanced at a red-haired young man who was surrounded by 3 apprentice knights at the entrance stage. Just then, he saw Andrew abandon defense altogether and swing his sword fiercely at an apprentice knight.


    An incredulous look on his face flew up, as if he still didn''t realize what had just happened. Simultaneously, a sword was thrust deep into Andrew''s abdomen... But before the masked knight apprentice could smile, he saw his opponent''s eyes turn mockingly red.


    "Are you trying to tickle me?" Without changing his expression, Andrew shattered the apprentice knight''s iron armor with a powerful swing of his sword. The latter looked down, and saw a sword planted deep in his heart. "Is it even human to do that?" He took one last look at the red-haired youth, fear filling his body for the last time in his life.


    Then Andrew withdrew his sword, and the apprentice knight''s body fell heavily to the ground. "You''re the only one left." The last apprentice knight dressed in black tried to attack Andrew, but he couldn''t find the courage. Orac then saw the whole scene unfold in just a few seconds.


    "2 apprentice knights died so easily, when the baron finds out I''m going to be heavily punished." As he thought this, his expression turned grim, and his desire to kill reached a new peak. He began to abandon defense and stepped up his attack to finish the battle as quickly as possible and avoid further losses. Not far away, the former bandit Irus who had dared to answer Maxime was fighting hard.


    He was part of the squad accompanying Killian and Romuald. All the previous days, he''d been filled with admiration at seeing so many strong everyday people training hard. He followed suit and also trained ferociously, always pushing himself to the point of exhaustion. The results came quickly, and to his surprise, he achieved a strength similar to that of an elite soldier.


    He also enjoyed spending time with his old bandit friends, as well as his new comrades. But those beautiful days came to an end on that cold night. "Hatol, Terran, Pedric..." Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought of the people with whom he''d once chatted, laughed and had fun, and who were now on the ground, either dying or already dead. But this was quickly covered by rage.


    Seeing numerous soldiers and mercenaries arriving as he went, he pushed his opponent back and shouted. "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!" Several soldiers and mercenaries who had been in combat followed suit and shouted as well. "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!" "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!" "Kill Baron Barthon''s men!


    Avenge our fallen comrades!" ... This had a negative impact on the morale of the men in black, who were beginning to worry about the opposition they were witnessing. The shouts were so loud that Maxime and Laura heard them. "No good! We''ve got to hurry!" Laura nodded solemnly and picked up the pace to the point of exhaustion. Every second that passed represented lives lost!


    Just then, on the battlefield, Organ heard those loud cries. "I never thought that at such a young age I''d be living and fighting alongside such brave men!" He was fighting two apprentice knights, one in the entry stage and one in the small success stage.


    Before joining the saber-toothed tigers, Organ already had the strength of an apprentice knight in the entry stage, and after training for the last 10 days, he reached the level of an apprentice knight in the small success stage.


    "Damn it, you little brats, you dare to attack a grandfather like me in a group!" "Do us a favor, and die here grandpa." "It''s not like you''ve got long to live anyway." The two apprentice knights had contemptuous expressions hidden behind their masks. But Organ wasn''t angry. "That''s right, so today I''m going to protect my young comrades by taking you with me to the grave."

 Chapter 59 Verdict

    Organ glanced quickly at Rodrigo, who was holding an axe, and who was entangled by an apprentice knight at the entrance stage."Vie bien..." murmured Organ with emotion-filled eyes.


    Then he went mad and rushed towards his two opponents.


    A man of such strength who no longer cared about his defense was far more threatening than an apprentice knight at the peak stage.


    So it wasn''t long before the two men in black changed expression and began to defend themselves as best they could.


    Taking advantage of an opportunity when his comrade was attacked, the man at the stage of small success took the opportunity to cut Organ''s left arm.


    The man smiled, pleased that the old man had finally been seriously wounded, with which he and his comrade should easily be able to finish him off.


    Afterwards, they could help their leader and then, like a domino effect, win the battle.


    With that, they''d win great military merit and then be heavily rewarded by the Baron!


    The two men were already excited just thinking about it.


    It''s a pity that reality is often quite different from what one might imagine.


    Organ bore the pain like a superhuman being and immediately took advantage of the fact that his opponent had poured out his old strength and the new one hadn''t yet been generated.


    "No! Alexander, help me!"


    The apprentice knight was horrified as he saw the sword coming towards him.


    Noticing the noise, Rodrigo glanced at Organ.


    He saw Organ rush towards his opponent and decapitate him.


    But he also saw that the apprentice knight at the entrance stage took the opportunity to plunge his sword into Organ''s heart.


    "No, no, no...Organ shit! Don''t die here!"


    Rodrigo had begun to develop a deep relationship with Organ since he''d met her, and they spent an enormous amount of time together.


    Rodrigo was even beginning to think of Organ as his paternal grandfather.


    He had finally begun to feel what it was like to have a loving family.


    Organ also liked Rodrigo a lot, and wondered if he''d built a family, what his life would have been like.


    But before Rodrigo''s sad eyes, everything came to an end that evening.


    The apprentice knight withdrew his sword, and this time Organ couldn''t bear it.


    He fell weakly to his knees, spitting blood into his throat.


    As if sensing something, he used the last of his strength and turned his head towards Rodrigo, less than ten meters away.


    He smiled weakly for the last time.


    At that moment, the scene was frozen for a moment.


    The moonlight faintly illuminated Organ''s smiling face.


    Then a sword fell swiftly on his neck, and his head flew off.


    The apprentice knight had just decapitated Organ.


    "NOOOOOONNNNN!"


    Rodrigo''s distressed cry echoed across the battlefield.


    The cry was so loud that Maxime and Laura, who were still some distance from the battlefield, could hear it.


    A certain power began to emerge from Rodrigo''s body at that moment.


    He couldn''t guess where it came from, but instinctively he knew how to use it.


    His opponent was an apprentice knight at the entry stage.


    Indeed, although Rodrigo''s physique was below 2 points, he had already proved by facing Organ that he could stand up to an apprentice knight.


    Rodrigo dived towards his opponent, wanting to settle the situation quickly and then avenge Organ.


    "What an idiot. On other people it might work, but my sword is known to be the fastest under the stage of small success."


    His opponent was calm and full of confidence.


    He saw Rodrigo''s heavy axe coming at him, dodged it easily and counter-attacked.


    His sword arrived at the right side of Rodrigo''s abdomen.


    With Rodrigo''s current momentum, it was impossible for him to defend or dodge.


    His opponent smiled confidently.


    However, a hard sound resounded.


    A thick mass of earth had appeared where the sword was to land.


    "What kind of magical power is this?"


    The apprentice knight was shocked; he''d never seen anything like it in his life.


    "Die."


    Before he could realize it, Rodrigo''s axe was already back and sliced his body in two.


    The scene fell before the eyes of many black-clad assailants, mercenaries and soldiers alike.


    "Now it''s your turn."


    Rodrigo rushed towards Organ''s murderer with a savage dash, like a bull charging towards its prey.


    The apprentice barely had time to counterattack, but just like the previous assailant, his sword was blocked by a mass of earth that appeared at the last moment and out of nowhere.


    "Shit, that''s cheating."


    "Real cheating is putting two on an old person."


    Surprisingly, Rodrigo had heard the last murmurs of Organ''s murderer and answered him while slicing his body in two.


    Blood splashed onto Rodrigo''s face, but his expression didn''t change at all.


    However, a wave of weakness passed through him.


    He felt he''d used up all the power that had appeared.


    But the fighting didn''t stop, as all around him various soldiers and mercenaries continued their relentless battle.


    It wasn''t long before a new assailant broke free and attacked Rodrigo.


    Fortunately, Rodrigo was able to quickly estimate the strength of his new adversary, and it was only at the level of the elite soldier.


    By this stage, of the dozen or so opposing apprentice knights initially detected, there were 13, and of the 13, only 8 remained.


    Andrew had killed 2 of them and was now facing the last one, but with great difficulty. His face was sweaty and his sword was shaking from the wound in his abdomen.


    Organ had killed one and was dead.


    Rodrigo managed to kill 2 with his elite soldier''s physique.


    Ernest and Romuald were each entangled with two apprentice knights.


    Henry and Ultia fought a complicated duel with one apprentice knight each. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The last enemy apprentice knight was attacked by Terry, who was lean but had formidable reaction speed, and one of Baron Irut''s elite soldiers, who possessed similar physical qualities.


    Between them, they managed to rival an apprentice knight.


    Time passed quickly, with everyone''s wounds getting worse as mercenaries, soldiers and attackers continued to fall to the ground, never to rise again.


    Killian was becoming particularly weak in the face of Orac''s onslaught.


    He had already been wounded at the start by the sudden ambush, and as the fight went on, his wounds were getting worse.


    His sword seemed heavier and heavier, and his reactions slower and slower.


    If it hadn''t been for his iron armor, he''d have been a cold corpse long ago.


    Noticing an opportunity, Orac managed to fend off Killian''s sword with his right hand, then continued his attack with his left.


    Killian noticed Orac''s victorious smile and panicked slightly, but there was nothing he could do to stop the sword!


    Just then, a thud was heard.


    Looking ahead, Orac could see a beautiful young woman with black hair who had just blocked his sword.


    Orac stepped back quickly.


    He had already lost much of his physical strength over time, so the arrival of a powerful person at this moment made him think about retreating!


    Simultaneously, cries were heard on the battlefield.


    He looked quickly in the direction of Andrew, Ernest and the other powerful individuals previously blocking his men.


    He quickly noticed that the red-haired young man was lying on the ground, but his body was whole, unlike his opponent who had his head separated from his body.


    It wasn''t just Andrew''s opponent, 3 other of his men had fallen in a very short space of time, and now only he and 4 others remained among the apprentice knights.


    Terry''s and the elite soldier''s opponents, Henry and Ultia, now lay in their own blood.


    He could see a young man with blond hair coming to the rescue of a blue-haired mercenary who was initially surrounded by 2 apprentice knights at the entry stage and a man at the small success stage.


    Surprisingly, these two young men easily repelled his soldiers, so much so that he estimated that in less than a minute, they would all be defeated.


    "Chief!"


    "Chief, we''re all going to die at this rate!"


    "Chief, save us!"


    "Chief, give the order to retreat!"


    The three apprentice knights called out in distress.


    They themselves knew that the turn the battlefield was taking was very bad for them.


    "The chief and the cheffette have arrived!"


    "Great, let''s hold the bastards back!"


    "Not one of them should leave here alive!"


    "Let''s teach those bastards who killed our comrades a lesson!"


    "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our dead comrades!"


    "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!"


    "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!"


    ...


    Various cries rang out from Maxime and Baron Irut''s men.


    Orac looked hatefully at Killian.


    "You''re lucky, you can still keep your head on your shoulders tonight."


    "Everyone, retreat!"


    The men in black fled immediately after Orac''s order.


    "You think you''re in your own backyard and can come and go as you please?"


    "Everyone, don''t let them escape!"


    Maxime issued his orders with a furious face.


    "Yes, sir!"


    Since he''d arrived in this world, he''d never lost a single man.


    And that night, he lost more than a dozen of them in one fell swoop, including a mercenary with 3-star potential.


    When Maxime saw Organ''s body, he was particularly furious.


    When he had improved his talent, Organ could have had the strength of a knight in the near future!


    But now, the man was dead!


    And it wasn''t just him, Andrew was also badly wounded!


    Had he arrived later, the losses might have outweighed the gains of the mission.


    But now that he had arrived, these men in black could always dream if they wanted to escape!

 Chapter 60 Farewell (1/2)

    All the mercenaries and soldiers fiercely blocked the men''s passage, even if it meant putting their lives in danger.If these people were allowed to leave, then they''d only come back stronger next time!


    Maxime positioned himself directly in the path of retreat of Ernest''s 3 opponents.


    Several incoming mercenaries and soldiers stood not far from Maxime and the 3 apprentice knights.


    Everyone knew that the most important thing was to kill Baron Barthon''s high-end power!


    The 3 apprentice knights began to panic.


    What''s more, they didn''t dare underestimate the young man in front of them after seeing so many young people with such monstrous power.


    Armed with his sword, Maxime charged bravely towards the 3 apprentice knights, then confronted his sword with that of one of his opponents.


    "What power!"


    The apprentice knight at the stage of small success seemed surprised.


    He had trained for years and years before reaching this level of strength and technique!


    But he had just been pushed aside by a young man who looked to be only around 18 years old!


    "Die."


    The sword made a semicircle towards the apprentice knight''s neck.


    "No!"


    But no matter how much he didn''t want to see that sword come near him, it still continued in his direction.


    Then, finally, the sword moved away from him.


    Or rather, it was his head that moved away from the sword, while his body remained in the same place.


    "The baron had told us that this would be an extremely simple mission, how could our squad have encountered so much resistance in an ordinary village?"


    Had he known, he''d never have proposed his participation in this mission.


    Looking back, he was full of enthusiasm, with a fierce desire to perform meritorious deeds to win the Baron''s recognition and receive more resources.


    But that night his eyes were filled with regret.


    It was a pity there was no medicine for regret.


    "So weak."


    Maxime had a physique exceeding 3 points counting bonuses, which represented a chasm compared to the mere apprentice knights in front of him who didn''t exceed 2.5 points.


    What''s more, his mastery of the sword had already reached a milestone with Killian''s help, so the gap between the parties was enormous.


    By rough calculation, Maxime was at least 30 to 40% stronger than apprentice knights at the entry stage or at the stage of minor success.


    The two remaining apprentice knights immediately tried to escape, but at the cost of serious injuries, the mercenaries and soldiers who had positioned themselves managed to block them and even wound them!


    With their help, Maxime put an end to the lives of the remaining apprentice knights.


    Orac watched his men die one after the other, a look of anger and sadness on his face.


    He also wanted to run, but every time he started to leave, Killian blocked his path.


    At the same time, Killian surrounded Orac with Laura''s help.


    Orac''s strength was similar to Kilian''s, so Laura''s help was the last straw.


    Or rather, given her strength, it was another bucket of water added to the first!


    Orac was completely submerged, her body full of wounds. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''ll pay dearly for this!"


    "No one who dares offend the baron ends well!"


    Orac was really furious at this point.


    "Who offended whom? It''s your baron who should have thought twice before offending our chief."


    Laura already knew the ins and outs of the case from talking to the former mercenaries.


    Orac kept his mouth shut at this point; he also knew his baron''s plans for this group of mercenaries.


    But who would have thought that this group would be so strong?


    At the same moment, Laura took advantage of a loophole in Orac''s guard and cut his neck.


    Orac''s head flew up, his eyes filled with incomprehension and anger.


    Soon, only the mercenaries and soldiers remained.


    The cold night wind rippled the tall grass, whistling softly between inert bodies and abandoned weapons.


    The ground was littered with corpses, a landscape of death frozen under the stars.


    Dented armor, broken swords and shattered shields lay on the ground, testifying to the fury of the battle that had raged hours earlier.


    Very few of the enemy had had the chance to flee; those who had tried to escape had mostly been blocked or caught.


    From now on, the only thing that remained was victory, but there was nothing glorious about it. It was heavy, silent, almost oppressive.


    Maxime began to issue orders.


    "Those who are slightly wounded, be sure to pierce all opposing bodies to make sure they''re dead, then take back everything of value.


    "The apprentice knights dressed in black all hid iron armor, make sure you take them back, they''re precious."


    "Those who still have energy, gather the bodies of our comrades at the forest clearing, in the same place where we had a duel with Killian."


    Romuald, full of wounds but still very much alive, approached Maxime.


    "What do we do with the corpses of Baron Barthon''s men?"


    Romuald''s eyes were complex as he said this.


    He knew most of these men, but the sword has neither wit nor wisdom.


    "Let''s leave them here."


    Answering this, Maxime''s eyes were deep.


    Having ordered this, Maxime approached Andrew, who was still on the ground.


    "Still alive?"


    No answer.


    Maxime gave a little kick.


    "Who''s that? Leave me alone."


    A faint voice finally emerged.


    Maxime breathed a small sigh of relief.


    "It''s your boss, get off your ass if you''re still alive."


    "Maxime? No, the floor''s so comfortable... And so warm...I wouldn''t move."


    "Idiot, you''re bathing in your own blood, of course it''s warmer on the ground."


    "I don''t care."


    Maxime laughed lightly, but he was still worried. Andrew had lost a lot of blood. Even though he had an extraordinary physique, it could be fatal.


    "Somebody bring that idiot back."


    Several mercenaries came immediately and lifted Andrew.


    Andrew said nothing, seemed to have lost consciousness and was moved like a puppet by a few mercenaries, then taken back to town for treatment.


    Maxime then went to Organ''s body.


    Rodrigo was on his knees beside him, tears falling to the floor from time to time.


    Maxime observed the scene for a moment, sensing the gravity of the moment, then gently knelt down beside his subordinate.


    His knees sank into the still-warm earth, soaked with the blood of the dead.


    Apart from the blood that continued to flow, Organ simply looked like an old man smiling in his sleep.


    As if he''d found peace in this hell of iron and blood.


    "He''s gone in peace," Maxime murmured.


    He reached out a hand to the young mercenary''s shoulder, feeling the tension and sadness in his tense body.


    Rodrigo clenched his fists, his dirty fingers digging into the damp earth.


    "He had told me he intended to stay alive for a very long time yet, he wanted to see what it was like to have power."


    "He believed in you, Maxime."


    Maxime didn''t answer.


    Silence fell again, a moment of contemplation that even the night winds seemed to respect.


    All around them, mercenaries and victorious soldiers gathered their dead and dressed their wounds, but this corner of the field seemed strangely isolated from the rest.


    "We''ll honor him, like all our fallen comrades tonight," Maxime said solemnly, rising to his feet.


    "He deserves a farewell worthy of what he accomplished. But for now... we must move on. He would have wanted that too."


    Rodrigo nodded, still perturbed, but determined.


    "Thank you, Chief."


    Before leaving, he leaned over and closed the old man''s eyelids, covering his face with a simple cloak.


    Then, with one last look, he straightened up, his heart heavy but his shoulders straight.


    Together they left that dark corner of the battlefield, leaving behind them the old man who now rested in peace, the smile still fixed on his lips as if he were finally living in a better place, far from the noise of battle and the fury of the world.

 Chapter 61 Farewell (2/2)

    The mercenaries in charge of the bodies came a few moments later to tend to Organ''s body."So he''s dead too.


    "Yeah, I saw him in his last moments. He knew he couldn''t do anything against two apprentice knights, one of whom was just a small success. So he pounced on one of them to kill him. The other took advantage and killed him." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 place.


    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 success 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 minutes later it was all over.


    The night ended in a strange atmosphere.


    The sky on the horizon gradually blazed 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, laden with the moisture of the morning dew, and silence reigned on this wasteland 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 flames.


    Some were wrapped in blankets or cloaks found on the battlefield; others, fallen with nothing to protect them, simply lay in the dust.


    The faces of the dead were calm, frozen in an expression of eternal immobility. Their weapons had been carefully laid out beside them, a final mark of respect for these fallen men.


    Mercenaries and soldiers, still marked by exhaustion, dragged the last 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 accompanied this sad funeral ballet.


    Maxime stood a few steps from the pyre, erect and silent.


    His gaze wandered over the bodies of his fallen companions, those with whom he had shared wine and fire, those who would never laugh 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 place beside Maxime after carefully laying 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 recommendations 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 become 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 one last 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, our companions, those who fought alongside us. They left us yesterday, in chaos and blood, but today they rest in peace. This pyre, these flames... it''s all we can offer them now."


    He paused, his gaze sweeping over the tired faces of his men.


    "In particular, I''d like to highlight the courage of many of our men, starting with Organ."


    "A former bandit who had come 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 flames rising little by little, ready to devour the dry wood.


    "Today, we let them go. We entrust them to the flames, 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 with complicated eyes, but they were also filled with respect.


    The charisma exuded by this young man with blond hair was particularly 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 acceptance of what awaited them all one day.


    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 flames of the pyre, before lowering it gently to add it to the fires already lit.


    As if gasoline had been on fire, the flames 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 flames, 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 flames 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 62 The day after a fight

    It was some time before the fire died down, at which point Maxime sighed silently, looking up at the clear sky.The sun was beginning to release its soft glow and comfortable embrace.


    "I wonder how often I''ll be attending this kind of funeral from now on."


    Clearing these dark thoughts, Maxime left silently.


    As the chief left, many mercenaries and soldiers followed him, while others chose to stay a while longer.


    At the edge of the forest, mercenaries and soldiers, still smeared with dried blood and dust, returned to the village, their heavy footsteps echoing on the beaten earth.


    The villagers, already up and about, were waiting for them, but a certain distance, mingled with curiosity and apprehension, had settled between them.


    Although the village was some distance from the battlefield, all the families had heard the soldiers'' cries of rage, despair and sadness.


    As a result, he didn''t know how to approach these people who had undoubtedly experienced something atrocious the night before.


    And indeed, these men and women, who only the day before had put up a fierce fight, were now almost unrecognizable. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They had left behind the face of war and death to adopt a totally different attitude. Some were already beginning to remove their breastplates and place their weapons in various places.


    This simple gesture in itself was strange to the villagers, used to seeing these warriors always ready for battle, always on the alert.


    Since their arrival, they had never seen them without their equipment.


    Even when they ate in the evening, they kept it on.


    But that day, many mercenaries and soldiers took it away.


    Near the farms, mercenaries had picked up picks and shovels, joining the villagers to help them with their tasks.


    An old farmer, his eyebrows furrowed, watched as these men, accustomed to wielding swords, drove pickaxes into the ground with a precision that was no match for that of an experienced person.


    Beside him, a young woman, holding a child in her arms, stared at the mercenaries with a mixture of astonishment and fear.


    She murmured: "They''re not like yesterday..."


    Her child, his eyes innocent, watched the mercenaries work with curiosity as he kept his index finger warm in his mouth.


    A soldier, still covered in mud, stopped beside the old man and, without a word, bent down to pick up a fallen plank of wood.


    The farmer hesitated for a moment, observing the man in scratched armor, before nodding his thanks.


    A silent, almost solemn exchange took place between them, as if last night''s deeds were already distant, belonging to another life.


    Near the village well, a small group of women had formed, stealthily watching a mercenary who, after removing his battered helmet, began chopping wood with an axe.


    The thud of each blow echoed in the still morning air.


    The man who had fought so fiercely the day before now seemed entirely absorbed in this simple, repetitive task.


    His movements were fluid, efficient, as if he''d been doing this all his life. Yet the mark of war was still visible in his tired eyes, a shadow that would not easily disappear.


    "They''re softer than you''d think," murmured one of the women, a widow from the village.


    She remembered her husband as the kindest, most caring man she''d ever known. Yet he was also a soldier.


    "They''re not always bloodthirsty beasts. When the fighting stops, they become men like us again."


    In a corner of the village, Rodrigo was helping to milk the cows, which was a more technical task, under the watchful eye of an elderly farm woman. She looked at him with suspicion, guessing that something had happened last night.


    But the young man was calm, his gestures clumsy but full of goodwill.


    "It''s not as easy as wielding an axe, is it?" he joked softly, a sad smile on his lips.


    The old woman didn''t reply, worrying about him.


    Henry and Ultia also helped out in the village, but they no longer maintained their original arrogance and pride.


    After that bloody baptism, both had matured.


    The day continued in a strange atmosphere.


    When evening came, the meals were no longer as lively as before.


    The mercenaries and soldiers eating in the villagers'' homes no longer seemed able to formulate long sentences.


    "Bon app��tit."


    "Thank you for the meal."


    "Good night."


    These were the most common phrases heard that evening.


    Maxime stood alone, on a wooden chair, arms crossed beside Andrew''s bed, which was still unconscious.


    The flickering light of a candle on the bedside table cast dancing shadows on the walls, creating an atmosphere both peaceful and heavy with gravity. Outside, the night stretched on, silent, disturbed only by the distant chirping of crickets and the light breeze blowing through the trees.


    A wide bandage covered his right flank, where the enemy''s blade had bitten deep. Every breath he took was a struggle, a hoarse whisper that betrayed the severity of his wounds. Sweat beaded on his forehead, testifying to the invisible battle he was waging against death.


    The village healer, a stooped old woman with deft hands, had already passed by, applying ointments and bandages, murmuring prayers to the ancient spirits. She had done all she could. Now the rest was up to him and his will.


    "You little fucker, I hope resting in this bed is more comfortable than bathing in your blood in the middle of the forest."


    Maxime laughed lightly as he thought back to last night.


    Terry, James, Piedro and Izo arrived just then.


    "Still here, Chief?"


    James asked in a husky voice.


    Clearly, this tall, strong young man had been scarred by last night.


    "Yeah, obviously, where''s Peter?"


    "Dead."


    Izo, who normally kept an impassive expression, had a tear running down his left eye.


    Maxime remained silent for a moment.


    "Alessandro?"


    "Dead."


    "Ronny?"


    "Dead."


    Every time Maxime asked, Izo''s neutral, emotionless voice popped up.


    "So of the 8 mercenaries originally recruited from Quessoi, only 5 are left," Maxime thought sadly.


    It was a fitting reflection of the tragedy that had unfolded the night before.


    "If only I''d arrived earlier, maybe many mercenaries could have survived."


    At that moment, he wondered if he would really be able to carry all the weight of the dead that would be on his shoulders in the future.


    War really did bring nothing but destruction, sadness and anger in its wake.


    "For my family, I have no choice."


    Maxime reinforced his conviction once again.


    Alien attacks were becoming more and more frequent, and everyone could see that humans were finding it harder and harder to defend themselves.


    Just as had happened with the Piran attack.


    Not to mention the oppression of civilians by certain powerful families.


    "Chief, urgent news!"


    A mercenary came panicking into the room, breaking the heavy atmosphere there.


    "What''s going on?"


    The mercenary glanced at Terry and the others.


    "It''s okay, they can listen."


    The mercenary nodded, then took on a serious expression.


    "When I arrived at the village of Enor, what I saw was nothing but destruction."


    "The village wall had completely collapsed while most of the houses and fields were burned."


    "Fortunately, almost all the villagers were neither injured nor killed, but they lost a lot during that night."


    "It''s not certain that they''ll all be able to survive the coming winter."


    The mood in the room was heavy after hearing this news.


    "What about the baron''s apprentice knights and soldiers?"


    The mercenary answered Maxime''s question at once.


    "Of the 12 apprentice knights sent by Baron Irut, I''ve learned that only 3 survived."


    "Concerning the soldiers, I heard that only about ten of them were able to escape."


    "The 3 surviving apprentice knights left to warn Knight Ron of their failure, but when they all returned it was already too late."


    "I heard that Knight Ron was furious and had followed the trail of the men in black, but I don''t know any more."


    After this news, Maxime''s face didn''t change.


    It was as if he was already used to being told about death as a common thing.


    "Okay, thanks for your work. You can go and get some rest."


    The mercenary left immediately.


    The atmosphere returned to silence.


    "What do we do now, boss?"

 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 village. Go and ask them if they''d be interested in becoming 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 relationship with the villagers would diminish. What''s more, those who are weak have complexes and therefore dreams that stem from these complexes that are far more powerful than those who were born strong."


    "Besides, don''t limit yourself to this village."


    "Ask our men to go to Honor''s village."


    "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. By coming 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 of last 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 accompanied 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." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This battle is a great success."


    Maxime turned his gaze on Andrew, who was still breathing heavily, and murmured:


    "A great success, 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 plans.


    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 village of Henor have long since returned, so why haven''t those in the village of Plouta returned yet?"


    "Could something have gone wrong?"


    "No it couldn''t, according to the spies sent, the forces defending Plouta must have been even weaker than the village 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 slaughtered. The mercenaries, the village 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 villagers and a few honorless mercenaries slaughtered 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 thunderclap. 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 of lawless 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 slamming down on the desk again.


    "They have no discipline, no loyalty... How could they...?!"


    He stopped suddenly, breathless, eyes burning with rage and incomprehension. 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 blade.


    "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 breath coming 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 becoming 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 village, 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 64 Charles

    Hypocamp.In the subdued shadow of his study, Baron Irut stood by the window, hands folded behind his back.


    He watched the twilight begin to descend on his lands, the fields in the distance gilded by the fading sunlight.


    The soft glow that bathed the room contrasted violently with the inner turmoil bubbling up inside him. Beside him, Chevalier Jack stood motionless, waiting for his lord to react to the news he had just reported.


    The Baron remained silent for a few moments longer, his eyes lost in the horizon, a kind of forced calm weighing on his shoulders.


    He should have been satisfied, shouldn''t he? Plouta was well protected. Thanks to the mercenaries, the enemy had been annihilated.


    But a bitter smile played on his lips.


    "Saber-toothed tigers, eh." he thought.


    They''d done the job they''d been paid to do, and more. They''d delivered a decisive victory on top of the fact that 3 precious apprentice knights, 2 of them geniuses, were still alive.


    But, as he''d learned the hard way, in war, even victory can have a bitter taste. And this victory was overshadowed by what had happened elsewhere.


    He turned slowly to Jack, his gaze hardening.


    "So the mercenaries... did exactly what was expected of them," he said calmly, almost too calmly.


    "The enemy is no longer a threat to the mine. With last night''s fighting, Baron Barton should calm down for a while to digest the losses. The victory, in part, is ours."


    Jack nodded with some admiration.


    "Yes, my lord. The first village is saved, and your apprentice knights are safe, including Killian who is a very good apprentice knight but also Henry and Ultia, our young geniuses."


    "How did you know that the mercenaries would have a great chance of defeating Baron Barthon?"


    Baron Irut shook his head, surprising Jack.


    "I didn''t."


    "Baron Barthon must not have known of their strength, so I gambled."


    "Who could have predicted that a new mercenary group could be so strong?"


    "But..."


    The "but" hanging in the air crashed like a stone into the Baron''s mind, weighing down his pent-up anger.


    The Baron closed his eyes, his jaw twitching with burning anger.


    He inhaled deeply, trying to contain the rage rising within him. His soldiers had died almost needlessly in Enor. These lands, so precious to his domain, had been reduced to ashes. All for the price of a mine.


    "Was it really worth it?"


    He turned abruptly, striding up and down the room, his boots pounding the floor with restrained fury.


    "How could this happen?! With so many apprentice knights and soldiers, the village should have been safe!"


    The baron stopped suddenly, staring intently at Jack. "What about Ron? Where''s Ron?" he asked in a lowered voice, but one heavy with icy concern.


    Jack took a deep breath before answering.


    "My lord... Ron, carried away by rage, followed in the footsteps of Baron Barthon''s soldiers. He left the battlefield on horseback, alone."


    "Since then... there''s been no news of him."


    "No one knows where he is."


    The baron''s face hardened even more. Ron''s temerity had put him in danger. A danger he should never have faced alone.


    "So he''s lost?" he asked without waiting for an answer.


    The Baron turned away again, approaching the large fireplace at the far end of the room. He stared at the flames, his mind whirling.


    On the one hand, he was pleased with the mercenaries'' work. They''d done their part, and their brutality had wiped out the enemy.


    But for Enor... it was a disaster. Her lands burned, her soldiers dead, and one of her knights missing. It all irritated her deeply. Victory had a bittersweet taste, and the losses were hard to digest.


    But there was nothing he could do for Ron; a knight was already in the realm of the extraordinary.


    Sending people would be completely useless, while sending Jack would increase the risk of something happening.


    "So let''s get on with exploiting this damned mine.


    Baron Irut''s words echoed around the room.


    3 days passed quickly.


    After the attack, Maxime''s men began recruiting men from both Plouta and H��nor villages.


    Recruitment was a great success, particularly in the village of H��nor.


    Candidate after candidate poured in.


    Maxime had limited recruitment to 60 mercenaries in the village of H��nor and 15 mercenaries in Plouta.


    With the remaining 25 mercenaries, this brought the total to 100 mercenaries, not including logistics personnel.


    Maxime knew this was a lot, but after a few battles and missions, this number would drastically decrease to keep only the elite.


    "Holy shit, how is that possible?"


    [Charles: Four-star potential, affinity with dragons. Physique: 1.5.]


    "So you''re Charles, are you?"


    Maxime stood in the village inn of Plouta and before him was the source of his surprise.


    A young man of 15/16, with dark, curly hair. He looked thin, but everyone in the village of H��nor knew how impressive his strength was.


    Many people said he was born with divine strength.


    "Yeah, and you''re Maxime, aren''t you?" replied Charles with a dark face but also a slight air of arrogance.


    His parents were among the few victims in the village of H��nor after the attack.


    He had seen his parents killed before his very eyes by a few men in black as they robbed his home of its few precious possessions.


    He was therefore filled with hatred and thoughts of revenge.


    However, he had always been praised for his powerful physical strength, and everyone was already saying that he undoubtedly had knightly talent and would become an exceptional knight.


    So he retained a lot of arrogance.


    He was so arrogant that he wouldn''t have joined Baron Irut''s forces for the world.


    He wanted to create his own group of mercenaries and then rely on this group to perform meritorious deeds in order to gain his own territory.


    Recent events had disrupted his plans, but the arrival of the saber-toothed tigers was just the thing.


    He planned to climb the ranks quickly, defeat the mercenary leader and then become the group''s leader.


    When he felt the change in his body, he was already taken aback, making him question himself.


    But for the time being, he kept to his plans, making no direct link with his integration into the mercenary group. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, this was without knowing Maxime''s temperament.


    Maxime brought his face slightly closer to Charles''.


    "Call me by my first name again when we don''t know each other and I''ll cut your head off, is that okay?"


    Maxime''s cold words refreshed Charles'' thoughts directly as he nodded with a few drops of perspiration.


    "I didn''t hear anything!"


    "It''s okay."


    "Louder!"


    "It''s okay!"


    "It''s okay, who!?"


    "It''s okay, chief!"


    "Good."


    The little exchange of greetings ended quickly, as Maxime resumed a normal position in his chair.


    "Would you like something to drink?"


    Maxime''s sudden question disturbed Charles.


    "A glass of water, please...chief."


    Maxime waved his hand at the inn''s waitress.


    Normally there wasn''t one, but with soldiers and mercenaries pouring in, not only a waitress but a cook as well as cleaning staff were needed.


    "Hi Maxime, hello young man, so what would you like?"


    The waitress greeted the two guests enthusiastically and with a beautiful smile.


    "Hi Sandrine, that''ll be two glasses of water as well as a charcuterie platter please."


    "Will that be all?"


    "That will be all."


    "Okay, I''ll be right back."


    Maxime and Charles looked at each other for a long moment, without saying a word.


    The noise and enthusiastic chatter around them only increased with time, but the atmosphere remained heavy between the two men, or rather for Charles.


    It wasn''t until Sandrine returned that the tension dropped a notch.


    "There you go!"


    "Great, thanks Sandrine."


    "My pleasure."


    Maxime casually took a small piece of charcuterie.


    "So tell me Charles, what are your ambitions, your dreams?"


    Charles seemed surprised, wondering whether he should really reveal them or tell lies that might please a mercenary leader.


    But either way, he knew it was worth it for him to tell the truth.


    "Grow up, train, get stronger, defeat you, take control of the mercenary group and then perform meritorious deeds to become noble."


    The next moment, he was beginning to regret having said that.


    It was like telling the King that he would stage a coup and take all his power by rebelling.

 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?"


    Maxime laughed lightly.


    "No, even nobles have classes. 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 become 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 become a knight. That means that even if I were to place 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 become 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 become a dragon tamer."


    But before Charles could become happy, Maxime poured him the cold shower.


    "But what kind of dragon would enter into a contract with a human incapable of becoming extraordinary?" Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Isn''t that ironic?"


    Charles was completely flustered after all this information.


    His thoughts were completely 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 my command 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 was completely 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 village 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 become stronger and stronger. By being at my side you can hope to one day become a noble and above all take advantage of your talent and become a true dragon knight."


    "But once you''re no longer under my command, 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 become 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 become a dragon knight is to become 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 village of H��nor, while the last 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 few common 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 newcomers.


    Everyone understood that the stronger the comrades, 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 the large 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 hiccup, 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 incomprehension.


    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 66 News

    "Because that means it''s really fucked up, and the band''s facing extinction, hic."This shocked Charles.


    What kind of talent could be so important and especially so powerful?


    This exchange intrigued Charles deeply, making him increasingly curious.


    Just then, the3rd mercenary at the table intervened.


    "Or that the boss is very angry."


    "Bahaha it''s true I''ve heard about that too, hic."


    Charles looked at Tristan, who was smiling ruefully, seeming to know what they were talking about.


    Tristan quickly recalled the anecdote about his boss being foolish enough to punch one of Baron Irut''s knights in the face.


    Come to think of it, he was rather proud to have such a powerful and courageous leader, but at the same time he wasn''t sure if it was a good thing that his boss could be so impulsive.


    Suddenly, a powerful voice drew everyone''s attention.


    Everyone looked at a man standing in the inn.


    This was a strange man, not one of Baron Irut''s mercenaries or soldiers.


    He was also dressed very strangely, looking like a bard.


    "Brave gentlemen, have you heard what''s going on in the south?"


    "But from the looks of your stupid faces, I guess not haha!"


    As he insulted everyone, most people looked at him with displeasure while others looked at him with interest and curiosity.


    "Stop being such a smartass, stranger, or you''ll find out just how sharp my blade is!"


    A soldier threatened the tourist in all seriousness.


    "Go on Ivan, tear him to pieces!"


    "Yeah, cut him into a thousand pieces and feed them to the animals!"


    "Next time you open your mouth, it''ll be to spit out your teeth stranger!"


    ... S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The atmosphere quickly turned chaotic as the man provoked some hot-blooded men.


    "Stop acting like savages, and let''s hear what this man wishes to say."


    A light voice ran through the tavern, but everyone fell silent instantly as they recognized the speaker.


    It was the vice-chief of the saber-toothed tigers, Andrew.


    Many of those present had seen Andrew''s fearlessness on the battlefield, and the rest had heard about it.


    No one had the courage to challenge his words.


    "Will I ever be like him?"


    Charles''s thoughts flared as he watched Andrew''s poise.


    By sitting back in his chair and speaking softly, he had calmed countless fierce men in one fell swoop.


    But the stranger was not at all perturbed.


    "haha, thank you dear friend, what''s your first name?"


    "Andrew. Tell us this famous news or I''ll let these men do what they wish with you."


    "Ohoh, in that case indeed I have no choice but to tell you this news."


    The stranger wasn''t at all frightened when he answered this, in fact he took it with humor.


    "I bring news from the south, where the winter winds blow earlier than at home. Dark news, spreading like a shadow over our lands..."


    Murmurs rose again, some exchanging worried glances. The man raised his voice to cover the low hubbub.


    "The orcs, my friends. They''re back. Again. This winter."


    A shiver ran through the room. Faces froze, mugs froze halfway between table and lips.


    "I was at the gates of Ravemont County, where the story goes that scouts were massacred near the border of the Black Mountains. Their bodies... unrecognizable. Tracks in the snow leave no doubt. The orcs are getting organized, and this time, they''re not just targeting isolated farms. No...


    They''ve raised an army. A real one."


    The murmurs intensified again.


    "Count Ardan is preparing his defenses, but he''s alone, far too isolated to face this threat."


    "It is said that the orcs plan to march towards the southern lands, devastating everything in their path. The viscounts who border his domain are already on the alert, and missives have been sent to the surrounding barons, but..."


    The bard paused, weighing his words as if to increase their gravity.


    "Some say these creatures won''t stop there. They don''t just want to plunder the food as usual."


    The seriousness of the matter suddenly increased.


    If the matter was mishandled, the Kingdom could lose land!


    "They would seek to take these lands before spring."


    A heavy silence fell over the inn.


    Some of the old soldiers, those who had already known the fear of an orc invasion in their youth, suddenly looked more pallid, as if buried memories had come to haunt them once again.


    "And... that''s not all," continued the bard in a lower voice, prompting everyone to listen.


    "What do you mean by that?" tossed Andrew, frowning.


    The bard sighed and looked down.


    "There''s talk of alliances between certain orc tribes and humans, traitors who sell them information. Others say that dark sorcerers lurk in the mountains, offering orcs powers they never had."


    The mercenaries and soldiers looked at each other, aghast, sensing a far greater threat looming on the horizon.


    "So... what do we do?" asked a voice in the crowd.


    A young man with blond hair, followed by a young woman with long brown hair, entered the inn at that very moment and replied.


    "Absolutely nothing."


    Simultaneously, the young man glanced casually at the stranger.


    The latter simply smiled in response.


    "We''ll simply go where there''s money, if there''s no money then you won''t find our mercenaries there."


    "As for the soldiers, try to keep your heads on your shoulders until the fighting is over."


    "When that happens, the Kingdom will already have intervened and put down the orc attack."


    "In any case, you''re overestimating your strength and underestimating the monsters in the Kingdom."


    Panic inside the inn was immediately quelled.


    "The boss is right, there''s always someone all the way up there to block out the sky when it falls."


    "Even if we went, we''d only be cannon fodder!"


    "Anyway, these nobles have their own troops as well as the kingdom that will support them, how can this go wrong!!!


    ...


    Maxime took one last look at the mysterious man, then went straight off with Laura.


    He''d just dropped by because he''d overheard what was being said in the inn while he was wandering around town with Laura.


    "That man was strange, and above all he gave me a feeling of danger."


    Laura was worried as she said this.


    From the moment she''d entered the inn, she''d felt like a knife was at her throat.


    "Yes, I felt the same way. Hoping he won''t get involved in our business..." replied Maxime, while adding something else.


    "Time is extremely important to us. As long as we give it time, the strength of our mercenary group will become powerful."


    "Are you thinking of Charles when you say that?"


    "Not just Charles, despite his potential, it''ll be a long time before he has the strength of a knight, even with the help of my talent."


    The two continued chatting while the atmosphere in the inn returned to normal.


    The bard sat down quietly on one of the stools at the inn''s counter, which also doubled as a bar.


    "What an interesting young man, to be able to be so strong but also gather so many talents around him and simultaneously have so much respect from his subordinates, he really is exceptional."


    "Each of these points could make him a genius even in the empire, but he had to possess only a low-level knightly talent as well as a vulgar talent for endurance and strength."


    Surprisingly, this strange man could instantly analyze the talents Maxime possessed apart from his main one.


    "He''s not even a noble. At most, he could become a baron, and that would already be the achievement of a lifetime."


    "Where can I find a true genius who could save us all?"


    The stranger''s eyes became extremely deep and mysterious.


    "Besides, I hope the old fuddy-duddies of this Kingdom''s royal court don''t underestimate the orc invasion, or they''ll deeply regret it."


    Thinking of a certain existence among orcs, even he was intimidated.


    The mercenary who had threatened the bard rose to his feet.


    "Stranger, why are you so quiet all of a sudden!?"


    The latter turned, and his eyes, still not having returned to the original, fixed on the mercenary.


    "Brave gentlemen, would you like me to sing you a song from my homeland?"


    The bard''s gentle voice echoed through the inn.


    But the mercenary who asked the question was entranced by the bard''s mysterious eyes and temporarily unable to answer.


    But other soldiers and mercenaries saw nothing and began to shout.


    "Go on champion, we''re all listening!


    "You''d better sing well, considering the shitty atmosphere you created earlier!"


    The atmosphere in the inn picked up again.


    No one had noticed the anomaly in the bard''s eyes, except the mercenary, who was now watching with suspicion as this unknown man sang softly around the inn and set the mood.

 Chapter 67 Ron Returns

    Things were going smoothly for the saber-toothed tigers.New and old mercenaries were training regularly.


    An apprentice knight representing the Baron had passed through the village.


    Maxime greeted him, and the latter explained that he had only come to hand over 100 gold coins to the leader of the saber-toothed tigers.


    Indeed, Baron Irut had been very pleased with the mercenaries'' performance and had given them an exceptional bonus.


    The apprentice knight also raised the question of the villagers recruited into the mercenary group, saying that if Maxime needed men, he could apply directly to Baron Irut, who could use his power to promote them.


    Maxime had been surprised by these gestures, but on reflection, it was a logical decision on the part of the baron.


    At present, the mercenary group was totally tied in with the baron''s territory, and once the mercenary housing was finished, there would forever be a branch of the saber-toothed tigers here.


    Incidentally, Maxime had sent a mercenary to Brotherhood House.


    Indeed, they had rented accommodation via their network in Nansoy.


    So it was now important to terminate this contract, since having a base in Hypocamp and another hidden in the forest was sufficient.


    "System displays my statistics and those of the mercenary group."


    Classes:


    Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique)


    Swordsman level 6 (+5% physics) (0/175)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 2.75 (+0.22 class bonus) (+0.30 passive trait bonus)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 3 (10/100)


    Franc language proficiency level 2 (36/100)


    Passive trait :


    +11% physicality when wielding a sword


    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 available: 25 gold coins (in the system) + 250 gold coins (saber-toothed tiger treasury)


    Mercenary:


    Charles: Four-star potential, affinity with dragons. Physical: 2.1


    Andrew: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.4


    Laura: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.4


    Ernest: Three-star potential. Physics: 2.3


    Romuald: Two-star potential and a minor talent in physics. Physics: 2.3


    Rodrigo: Two-star potential and an elemental affinity with the earth. Physics: 2.1


    Tena: Two-star potential and a minor intelligence talent. Physical: 2


    Izo: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.9


    Terry: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.8


    James: Two star potential. Physical: 1.8


    Piedro: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.8


    Joe: Two star potential. Physics: 1.8


    Irus: 2-star potential. Physics: 1.5


    ...


    "Wow, Charles increased his physique by 0.6 points in just two weeks. This 4-star talent is really scary."


    Maxime felt really lucky to have found a mercenary with the original 3-star potential so quickly and, above all, so easily.


    "As expected, three-star potentials always improve, but very slowly."


    It was normal for the progress of 3-star talents to slow down significantly despite the bonus of Maxime''s talent.


    Indeed, the closer mercenaries get to the limits of their potential, the more complicated it becomes to strengthen their physique.


    This made Romuald''s and Rodrigo''s talents all the more astonishing, enabling them to quickly reach the limits of their potential and even surpass it.


    In Eternity, nothing was set in stone.


    The rules were movable, and the unpredictable could happen at any moment.


    "Two-star talents also stagnate for those above 1.7 points."


    "The most impressive remains Rodrigo, who has broken the two-point barrier; his talent is not only useful in combat, but also allows you to cross the limits of potential."


    Maxime had overheard mercenaries discussing Rodrigo''s amazing exploits on the battlefield.


    When he spoke to him again, Rodrigo explained that he had developed the ability to create a thin layer of rock at will on any part of his body.


    On top of this, he felt a mysterious energy slowly strengthening both his body and mind. He knew he hadn''t yet reached his limits.


    On Baron Irut''s side, a very important person had just reappeared.


    His thick beard and strong odor were of little concern to the Baron.


    On the contrary, a broad smile of relief spread across his face.


    He was reassured to see his knight back safe and sound.


    Ron had finally reappeared!


    "You really had me worried, Ron.


    "Excuse me, my lord, but the thought of those bastards getting away so easily disgusted me to no end."


    Come to think of it, Ron had an ugly expression.


    "So what have you been doing all this time?"


    Ron began to explain what he''d been going through for the past two weeks.


    And he told him some frightening news.


    Following the troops that had attacked the village of Henor, he inadvertently stumbled into a secret camp of Baron Barthon.


    Inside, countless troops were training regularly.


    "How many?" asked Baron Irut, both curious and, above all, anxious.


    "I don''t know exactly, but I''d say there are at least 2,000 ordinary soldiers, 300 elite soldiers and about 30 apprentice knights."


    "In addition, it''s not impossible that one or two knights are stationed there to guarantee order in the camp.


    Baron Irut jumped from his chair.


    "Where did he find so many troops?"


    Ron, who wore a solemn expression, shook his head.


    "I don''t know, my lord, but even without counting the troops resident in the town of Nancoy, Baron Barthon''s military strength reaches a truly frightening level."


    Baron Irut sat back gently, then put his hand to his forehead.


    "We have only 1500 ordinary soldiers, 200 elite soldiers and a dozen apprentice knights after the battles of Plouta and Nansoy."


    "My god, how can we have the strength to compete with so many soldiers?"


    "Especially knowing that Baron Barthon has other troops in his town and villages.


    Baron Irut looked desperate.


    "Baron, I''ve also made another discovery."


    "What''s that?"


    Baron Irut looked at Knight Ron with some despair.


    "Listening to discussions in the hidden camp, I heard that Baron Barthon wishes to conquer the territory of all nearby barons and become a viscount directly using certain methods!"


    "Excuse me!? Could you repeat that Ron?"


    Baron Irut thought the previous news was shocking enough, but it had to be on top of that Baron Barthon wished to use a method of promotion despised by all.


    That is, to attack and capture the territory of other barons!


    The most legitimate way to climb the nobility ladder was usually to fight at the front against the orcs in the south and earn military merit.


    Or at least, you had to make a contribution to the kingdom.


    By earning military merit or making contributions, the Kingdom could offer gold, precious objects and, above all, territory!


    Once strength reached a certain level and territory was sufficient, promotion to the corresponding title was easy.


    It was in this context that certain vicious-minded nobles found it easier to orchestrate plots, seize neighboring territories and subjugate apprentice knights or even knights in the service of other lords.


    As long as it was done quickly and ordinary citizens weren''t affected, the Kingdom remained indifferent.


    "My lord, Baron Barthon wishes to eradicate some of the nobles in the vicinity and take the land in his name."


    Baron Irut took a deep breath to calm himself, then remained silent for a moment.


    He tapped rhythmically on the desk in front of him.


    Then he stopped. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ron.


    "Yes, my lord."


    "You are to go to Baron Kenepis to the north, Baron Terquan to the south and Baron Ivan who is east of Nansoy, and tell them what you have just told me."


    Baron Irut''s orders surprised Ron, but he nodded.


    "I swear on my honor to complete this task as quickly as possible."


    "Good."


    Once Ron was gone, Baron Irut sighed heavily.


    "As if the orcs, more menacing than ever, weren''t enough... it took a powerful and treacherous baron to pop up at the same time."


    He sighed, his gaze lost in the distance.


    "I hope I can at least protect these lands."


    His thoughts drifted to the town''s inhabitants.


    "All those citizens who work so hard... they deserve to live in peace."


    He then sat back down, resuming the town''s administrative affairs with an invisible weight weighing on his shoulders.

 Chapter 68 Rumors

    As the day wore on, news of the recent battlefields had begun to circulate, 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 exclaimed excitedly.


    "How did Maxime and his mercenaries win that battle? Everyone said that the enemies in black 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 plausible. 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 annihilated. Most of the houses went up in smoke..."


    "Yes, it''s a good thing the men dressed in black weren''t cruel and bloody to ordinary people, the vast majority of Henor''s villagers 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 explain 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 to laugh until he bent double.


    "Don''t laugh like that, I''m sure they exist!" asserted the merchant with certainty and confidence.


    "Stop it! Rumors have been circulating 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 black 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!" exclaimed 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 village 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 his command. 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 become 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 glance, he appeared thin, but beneath this appearance lay 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 the last moment. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    **Clang!


    He took a step forward and struck again, this time with a diagonal thrust.


    Every movement seemed calculated, 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.


    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 circular 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 planted 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 planted his sword in the ground, taking a moment to contemplate 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 one last time as he executed one last 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: applause.


    Slow at first, then more regular.


    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." commented Ron in a deep, warm voice, his hands stopping to clap 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 one last 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 breastplate, 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 become 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 place with a weapon in your hand, but in the decisions you have to make."


    Speaking of which, he thought about the latest events that had just transpired.


    He turned slightly, glancing towards the darkness of the woods he''d just come 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 been laid 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 village 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 becoming 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. The latter 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 villagers 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 with commandments, 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 you come 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 knights come 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 become 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. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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, your compassion."


    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 become strong enough for the events that will come."


    "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.


    Maxime laughed 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 become 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 succeed, 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 out laughing.


    "Maybe I do. But above all, I want us to become something bigger, Laura. Not just mercenaries who take contracts without thinking. We can build something lasting, 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 becoming stronger.


    ... sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 village 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 circulate.


    "Did you hear what Maxime has planned 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 glanced toward the trees lining the village.


    "Smells like trouble. Every time he has a meeting like this, it means we''re going to move."


    Romuald didn''t seem particularly touched, but he was still curious.


    "You think we''re going to move from here? Knowing that Baron Barthon certainly hasn''t said his last 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."


    The two glanced 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 nervous laugh.


    "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 village.


    "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 guys last 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 plan, 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 out laughing.


    "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 penetrated by a new orifice."


    The two looked at each other and burst out laughing.


    "Fuck off or I''ll make you feel how it feels."


    The two walked on in good humor as they continued chatting and laughing.


    ...


    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 fireplaces, their faces illuminated by the light of the flames.


    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, exchanging laughter and jokes with their comrades.


    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 calculated slowness, his gaze settling on his companions 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 become powerful mercenaries thanks to their efforts and Maxime''s talent, but against the might of apprentice knights it was already complicated, 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 flames.

 Chapter 71 Baron Iruts envoy

    His intense gaze swept the assembly. A hundred faces turned towards him, some curious, others slightly tense. They awaited his words.Maxime advanced to the center of the clearing, taking a deep breath before addressing his men. His voice was calm, but each word carried weight, as if marking a turning point in their shared destiny.


    "Mercenaries..." he began, drawing everyone''s attention.


    The murmurs died away completely.


    "You''ve proved to Plouta that we''re not just a group of mercenaries. We''ve repelled forces superior in numbers, and we''ve shown the world what we''re capable of. But that was only the beginning."


    All eyes were on him, some mercenaries shaking their heads with pride at the memory of past victory. Yet Maxime never smiled. His features were serious, almost hard.


    "What I''m about to tell you tonight is going to sound... crazy to some of you." Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    The tension was palpable as everyone lowered the sound of their breathing to the maximum.


    "We''re going south."


    A slight murmur ran through the assembly. Questioning glances were exchanged, but Maxime continued, unperturbed.


    "We''re going to face the orcs.


    The shock was instantaneous. Exclamations erupted, and expressions of astonishment appeared on some faces.


    Andrew, who until then had been relaxed, suddenly straightened up, eyes wide.


    Romuald cleared his throat, trying to work out if this was a joke, but seeing Maxime''s seriousness, he knew it was not.


    "The orcs!" Charles blurted out, unable to hide his surprise.


    Maxime raised his hand, again imposing silence.


    "Yes, the orcs. They''ve been ravaging the southern lands for years, and every winter their threat grows. This is our chance to prove, not just to ourselves, but to the whole kingdom, that we are a force to be feared."


    "It''s also an opportunity for us to make our fortune, recruit new comrades and improve our power to deal with the unexpected."


    Tena, expecting a bold idea, couldn''t help but let out a small sigh.


    "The man''s too crazy..."


    But Maxime smiled this time, a confident smile full of determination.


    "If we succeed, if we manage to intervene in the war and be one of the key elements in pushing back the orcs, the name of our group will echo in every tavern, every castle, every corner of the kingdom."


    "I know it''s dangerous," he resumed in a deeper voice.


    "But there''s no glory without risk."


    Some of the mercenaries nodded silently, others still looked worried, but no one dared to argue. They knew that Maxime didn''t take this kind of decision lightly.


    "And that''s not all," he added, once again capturing the full attention of his men.


    "Once this mission is accomplished, we''ll be back here for another battle. A much closer one. But this time we''ll be totally ready. This will be the decisive battle against Baron Barthon."


    Faces froze. Baron Barthon''s name was synonymous with power and oppression in this region. Confronting his forces seemed an even greater challenge.


    Maxime continued, his voice now more determined than ever:


    "This will be the decisive battle. Once we''ve finished in the south, we''ll come back here, stronger, more numerous. And we''ll destroy Barthon''s forces. We''ll put an end to his tyranny, and we''ll take our place in history."


    The murmurs had turned into a palpable energy. Some mercenaries exchanged glances full of adrenalin and pride. Others remained silent, weighing up the magnitude of the battles ahead.


    But all understood that they were about to embark on something far greater than ordinary missions.


    "So get some rest," concluded Maxime.


    "The day after tomorrow, we''re leaving."


    The heavy air of the clearing took on a new tension, an excitement mixed with worry. The fate of the battles to come was still uncertain, but one thing was certain: the mercenaries'' destiny was about to change forever.


    Maxime stepped down from his wooden crate, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his mercenaries, who were slowly recovering from the shock announcement. Some were chatting amongst themselves, hesitating between enthusiasm and fear, while others were already sharpening their weapons.


    Laura walked alongside, arms crossed, watching her comrades with a pensive air.


    "You''ve managed to motivate them, but you know that''s only part of the problem. It takes more than determination to take on orcs, especially if they''re outnumbered."


    Maxime nodded, his face now more serious.


    "Yes, I know. But we still have a few days to prepare a real strategy. We''re not going to rush in headlong. I''m going to meet a few scouts, see if there''s any way of getting more information about their camp. We''re not walking into a trap."


    Laura nodded, impressed by her leader''s lucidity despite his usually carefree air.


    "Okay, that''s reassuring."


    The evening continued in a somewhat tense atmosphere, but fortunately for everyone, it ended quickly and everyone went to sleep.


    The next day, Laura and Maxime gathered in a small room of the new inn that temporarily served as a strategic meeting room for important discussions.


    "We now need to know how many there are, how they move, and above all, where to strike to weaken them before they can strike back."


    As they continued to ponder their strategy, one of the young mercenaries entered the room, out of breath.


    "Chief, a foreigner has just arrived. She claims to be an envoy from Baron Irut. She says it''s urgent."


    Maxime and Laura exchanged glances.


    "Should we expect a new problem?" asked Laura, suspiciously.


    Maxime squinted. "With Baron Irut, who knows. Send her in."


    The envoy entered the room, a young woman dressed in light armor, obviously traveling for several days judging by the dust that covered her clothes. She bowed quickly to Maxime and Laura.


    "Maxime? Leader of the saber-toothed tigers?"


    Maxime stepped forward resolutely.


    "That''s me."


    The woman nodded.


    "I''ve come from Baron Irut. He sends me with some disturbing news."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, approaching her curiously.


    "Speak, what''s on his mind?"


    "Baron Barthon... he''s getting ready. We''ve received reports that he''s been building up his forces faster than expected. The attack on his territory could be imminent."


    She paused, glancing nervously at Maxime.


    "Baron Irut asks you to be ready. He sees you as indispensable support against this threat."


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, thinking. Then he straightened up, his eyes sparkling with new resolve.


    "Good. Tell the baron he can count on us. But also inform him that we''re not yet ready to act recklessly. If he wants us to be one of his bulwarks, he must give us time."


    The envoy nodded, relieved by this answer.


    "I''ll pass on your words to him."


    When the envoy left the room, Laura sighed heavily.


    "Between the orcs and Baron Barthon, we''re in a hell of a fix."


    Maxime nodded contemplatively.


    "Yes. But it''s situations like this that forge legends. If we can get out of this, no one will be able to ignore us anymore."


    Laura smiled.


    "Well, Maxime, I sincerely hope everything goes as you plan, because if it doesn''t, we''re all going to die very soon."


    Maxime remained silent, aware of the dangers he was taking on.


    On the other hand, most of his comrades were simply trying to survive in the world of Eternity.


    Usually, they joined a famous mercenary group and went on simple escort missions.


    Although there was a slight risk involved, the rewards were well worth the effort to get off to a good start in Eternity.


    Some tried to join the forces of certain nobles, preferably viscounts or counts, so as to be able to guarantee a degree of security while having plenty of resources to improve their skills.


    Moreover, the advantage was that if they unlocked the knighting talent, they might be able to practice a breathing method and thus have another method than the system to become stronger.


    The two methods were compatible and one didn''t hinder the other.


    But all these methods could take years to achieve even the level of a knight.


    Even Maxime, who had a connection time of 2 months to Eternity - 4 or even 8 times longer than most people - would need at least 2 or 3 years to obtain this level of strength.


    But here, by his second connection, Maxime was already approaching the strength level of a knight and had a hundred powerful men under his command.


    But he knew he had achieved all this by relying on his talent and, above all, by being bold from the start.


    At the moment, his eyes were fixed on the map of the south spread out before him. Baron Irut''s envoy had just left, and with her, Barthon''s ominous shadow now hung over their camp.


    The wind outside was blowing harder, as if to indicate that the storm was approaching. Laura, at his side, watched him attentively, sensing the tension rising in her leader''s mind.


    "So, what do we do, boss?" she asked, her voice softer than usual.


    Maxime took a few seconds before answering.


    "We''re not changing our plans. The orcs are a real threat. If we manage to beat them, it will give us not only fame, but also extra men."


    "The nobles of the south will also come to us regularly to ask for protection. What''s more, thanks to our future reputation we''ll have a strong flow of new recruits and resources."


    He stared at Laura, looking determined.


    "But to take on Barthon, we''ll have to be very quick."


    Laura frowned, pondering her leader''s words.


    "So, you want us to play on both fronts virtually at the same time?"


    Maxime nodded. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes. The key is timing. We need to hit the orcs, win a quick and decisive victory. Then we''ll turn to Barthon."


    Laura crossed her arms, observing the map.


    "You realize we''re flirting with disaster, right? If we fail against the orcs, Barthon Barthon could take the opportunity to crush us."


    Maxime smiled.


    "And that''s precisely why we can''t fail that every step has to be calculated."

 Chapter 72 Recruit Henry and Ultia!

    "And that''s precisely why we can''t fail that every step must be carefully calculated."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 accomplish things that the sword couldn''t, and the bow held inestimable sentimental value for him.


    With a quick glance, he assessed Maxime and Laura.


    "You look preoccupied. 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 allayed 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 plan, though," Maxime replied, visibly more sure of himself.


    Laura and Ernest exchanged a glance, before staring again at Maxime, eager to listen attentively.


    Maxime, having obviously already thought everything through to the last 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 slaughterhouse 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, glancing 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 village will remain protected. This way, Baron Barthon won''t take the risk of launching a hasty attack if the village 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''ve come 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?" S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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.


    "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 become 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 become 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 place 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 become 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 total commitment, 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 glance 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 accept them?]


    "Yes."


    [The apprentice knights Henry and Ultia have been successfully 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 her completely, 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 class.


    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 surprisingly compatible with this world!

 Chapter 73 The mystery of the breathing method revealed

    "Why are you reacting like this, Maxime?" asked Ernest, his tone tinged with concern.Maxime gasped slightly, brought back to reality by his friend''s question. He turned his head and saw Ernest and Laura staring at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. But even as he met their gazes, his mind remained cluttered with questions.


    "Henry, Ultia, can you practice the breathing method and tell me if there are any changes?"


    The two young apprentice knights awoke too, being busy feeling the changes deep in their genes.


    "Yes, of course!" S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two then began to make a few slow movements, then speeding up suddenly before gradually slowing down again.


    Their breathing was also strange, obviously quite different from that of an ordinary person.


    It was as if there was an incomprehensible rhythm to it.


    As they did so, Henry and Ultia''s faces became increasingly shocked.


    "It''s okay, you can stop now. Can you tell us exactly what the changes are?"


    The two looked at each other, then seeming to feel the same, Henry spoke up.


    "It seems...that the breathing method has become totally ineffective."


    Maxime''s eyes sparkled.


    "That''s exactly what I thought! And I was wrong all along!"


    Ernest and Laura were confused, but everyone was curious.


    "What exactly is going on, Maxime?" asked Laura, her eyebrows furrowed.


    "Well, I think what I''m about to say will still have some omissions, but as I understand it, the breathing method is about gradually changing your potential while improving your physique passively through effort."


    "Normally what you feel Henry and Ultia, and why the breathing method tires a lot, is because it literally transforms your potential to make it stronger."


    "Similarly, every time, the satisfaction and pain you have during and after your workouts is almost exclusively related to improving your potential."


    "The importance of physical strengthening is in the minority when practicing the breathing method."


    This discovery also disappointed Maxime a little, as he thought he''d obtained a method for improving his physical strength without going through the system.


    But having the knightly talent also meant being able to awaken the vital seed at the knightly stage, and thus be able to exercise the powers associated with it.


    Indeed, a knight could almost be said to be disabled if he could no longer use his vital seed.


    "Now, my talent consists in improving the potential of any individual joining my mercenary group, by one level."


    "Which means your potential has already met the standards for becoming a knight."


    The excitement in Ultia and Henry''s eyes could be seen.


    "We can become knights at any time then?"


    Maxime shook his head.


    "Not exactly. You''ve only fulfilled the fundamental condition for becoming a knight."


    "To awaken the vital seed and become a knight, you still lack at least 0.9 points of physicality as well as the opportunity to awaken it."


    Indeed, once potential and physique had been achieved, it took powerful excitement, usually triggered in life-or-death battles, or through expensive potions for the vital seed to awaken and fully form.


    Henry and Ultia calmed down a little; they themselves knew far more than Maxime about the conditions for becoming a knight, but the excitement had clouded their judgment.


    However, they were now extremely optimistic!


    If before they''d only had a slim chance of becoming knights, and even then it was at least 10 years of training or more, now they were confident of becoming knights in less than a year!


    "Indeed, joining this mercenary group is the opportunity of a lifetime!


    Henry''s thoughts were similar to Ultia''s.


    "Why did you hesitate so long? Because of my hesitation we''ve lost so much time!"


    Henry had a slightly bitter taste in his mouth knowing this.


    And thinking about how he''d offended Maxime in the past with his arrogance, he felt like smashing his skull into a wall.


    He could have ruined the chance of a lifetime just because of his ego!


    Maxime also warned them as usual.


    "The chance you had today must remain discreet so that my talent is not known to all."


    "What''s more, I have great control over this part of my talent. At any time, if you wish to leave the mercenary group, if you make an irreparable mistake or if you betray the group, I will directly take away what I have given you today. You''ll also lose all the progress that''s been made thanks to the blessing of my talent."


    "In practical terms, this would return you to a physical strength similar to today''s."


    "If the circumstances are particularly grave, your head will also be drawn on several supports and then your face will be shown to all our mercenaries. You will then be hunted down by all the Sabertooth Tigers until your death is confirmed."


    Henry and Ultia shuddered.


    In their early days, saber-toothed tigers were already so strong, so in the future they could already imagine that if they did anything wrong, they might be hunted down by countless mercenaries as powerful as knights...or even stronger.


    Hearing all this, Henry made himself a promise.


    "From now on I''ll keep my head down forever in front of him and I''ll never cause trouble in the group!"


    For her part, Ultia wasn''t too worried by Maxime''s words and simply nodded in response.


    She knew she wouldn''t do anything to lose this opportunity.


    The speech over, Maxime smiled again.


    "Welcome to the saber-toothed tigers."


    Ernest and Laura smiled back.


    "I hope to be able to entrust you with my back on the battlefields, I''ll also assist you as best I can." added Ernest, while touching his girdle.


    "You will undoubtedly become the pillars of the mercenary group in no time, when that happens I hope to be able to count on you." continued Laura, as she lightly combed back her hair.


    Henry blushed slightly; it had to be said that Laura''s charm might even make her one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom.


    But Henry quickly suppressed his thoughts, realizing how dangerous the situation could be for him if he fell under Laura''s spell.


    Without a doubt, coveting the chief''s wife was synonymous with courting death!


    "Question like that, but do you think Baron Irut might let me learn his breathing method?" asked Maxime without too much expectation.


    "The breathing method is the foundation of a noble family, it''s not so easily transmitted." replied Ultia, shaking her head.


    Henry disagreed.


    "I think Baron Irut might make an exception if we manage to defeat Baron Barthon, and in exchange for some benefits or promises."


    "Well, we''ll see," concluded Maxime without much conviction.


    Henry looked quickly at Ultia before taking a step forward as he assumed a more serious expression.


    "Besides, we came here for another reason."


    Everyone looked at Henry, who had taken on a very serious expression.


    "Baron Irut''s scouts have reported that the first lines of battle against the orcs are only three days'' march to the south. The orcs are already gaining ground, and there are sporadic clashes. If you leave now, you''ll reach the front lines just in time to reinforce the allied troops."


    Maxime crossed his arms, pondering this new information. The orcs were a growing danger, and the situation seemed more urgent than expected. He turned to Laura and Ernest, seeking their advice with his eyes. They nodded in silent approval.


    "We''re not changing our plans, we''re still leaving tomorrow," replied Maxime rather dryly.


    These cold words cooled Ultia and Henry''s spirits slightly.


    They wanted to reply, but suddenly remembered that the man in front of them, who was also their age, was now their leader.


    But Maxime quickly explained a few things so they could understand their new identity.


    "Mercenaries are not knights, we only act for money and to get stronger so we can survive longer and make even more money."


    "Intervening when people really need help adds enormous value to our intervention while putting our men at less risk."


    Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Henry and Ultia looked at each other, confused.


    All their lives, they''d been raised on chivalric virtues. But today, they were embarking on a very different path.


    Yet one thing was certain: they would not go back.

 Chapter 74 Ideals

    Maxime watched the silence settle in, his new companions 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, placing 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." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ultia nodded, though her gaze remained pensive. She had always dreamed of becoming 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."


    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."


    Maxime laid 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 flames, lost in thought. The shadow of decisions to be made weighed heavily on him. Despite the day''s success, 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 relationship 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 at last.


    "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 relationship 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 flames.


    "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 becoming 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 one last 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 his companions into a storm greater than they had ever imagined.


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    He clenched his fists. Whatever happened, he was ready to face this uncertain future.

 Chapter 75 Departure

    He clenched his fists. Whatever happened, he was ready to face this uncertain future.The timid light of dawn tinted the hills a golden hue. The time had come.


    Today, he and a score of his men would head south, leaving behind the soldiers, the village and its inhabitants, as well as a large number of saber-toothed tigers.


    Outside, activity was just beginning to pick up. The first mercenaries, their hair still in disarray, were starting to get ready, and villagers were coming and going between the rudimentary wooden houses.


    Baron Irut''s well-organized soldiers were already up and training, led by Killian, who looked very serious.


    He was standing shirtless.


    Several menacing scars, some from Orac, could be seen on his torso.


    But in this world, instead of being repulsive, they glorified Killian''s body. As if he looked more intimidating than he originally did.


    Maxime nodded and waved to a few new mercenaries nearby.


    The latter immediately understood the order, and quickly moved towards Andrew, Romuald, Laura, Ernest, Rodrigo, Terry, James, Piedro, Izo, Tena and his brothers, Charles, Henry, Ultia and 5 other powerful mercenaries, telling them to get ready to leave.


    Meanwhile, Maxime headed for Killian.


    "Killian," Maxime called as he approached.


    The apprentice knight at the stage of great success turned his head and greeted him with a respectful nod.


    "Maxime, up and about already?


    "The world belongs to the men who get up early," Maxime replied with a half-smile.


    Killian raised an eyebrow in surprise, then laughed lightly.


    "I guess that''s true."


    Maxime quickly switched to a more serious tone.


    "I''m counting on you to look after the village in our absence. You''re now the most important bulwark against Baron Barthon if he decides to attack."


    Killian nodded gravely.


    "Don''t worry. As long as I''m here, Plouta won''t fall."


    Maxime thanked him with a look, satisfied with this assurance.


    He would have liked to take more men with him, but Killian alone wasn''t enough; he needed many men to help him in battle.


    Given enough time, new recruits to the saber-toothed tigers will quickly acquire a physique comparable to that of an elite soldier.


    Combined with the teachings of an apprentice knight like Killian, they would form a small but powerful elite army.


    It was also the least Maxime could do - after all, he was paid to defend the village, not to leave just a few men here to go off and fight orcs.


    Simultaneously, Andrew, looking serious despite the early hour, arrived at Maxime and Kilian''s side and handed them a cup of steaming tea.


    "Ready to go?" asked Andrew, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.


    His eyes showed that he was thirsty for new adventures and challenges.


    Maxime took the cup gratefully and nodded, while Killian refused with a shake of his head.


    Andrew shrugged, showing that he didn''t care.


    Seeing Laura arrive, he handed her the remaining cup of tea, still steaming.


    Simultaneously, Maxime smiled at her in greeting, and she replied in kind.


    "Thank you, Andrew."


    Laura looked kindly at Andrew, but the latter seemed immune to her charm.


    On the contrary, probably having fought against her in the former bandits'' base, he considered her a pair.


    He also knew that, currently, no one but Maxime could beat her without risking his life.


    Maxime glanced at Andrew.


    "Yeah, everything''s ready, and you, is everything in order?"


    Andrew nodded.


    "The men who stay here have been briefed. Tena and Laura have checked the supplies, everything''s in place. As for those leaving with us, they''re ready."


    Laura spoke up in turn, her expression serious.


    "We''ve got twenty-four hours'' provisions for the trip, but the men know we can find something to hunt on the way if need be. No logistical problems to report."


    Maxime smiled inwardly. They made a good team. Every detail was already thought out, anticipated.


    "Good. We leave in an hour. Get the men ready," Maxime ordered as he finished his tea.


    An hour later, the camp was abuzz with activity. Weapons carefully inspected and adjusted.


    The group of mercenaries leaving with Maxime gathered in the center of the village, ready to go.


    There was a palpable mix of excitement and nervousness among them.


    Some were adjusting their protective gear, others checking their blades one last time.


    Maxime took one last look at the 80 mercenaries remaining in Plouta.


    He raised his hand and addressed them in a strong voice.


    "I''m counting on you to protect this village! You know the orders. Hold out until we return, and make sure Barthon regrets it if he decides to come closer!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    The mercenaries were loyal, at least as long as they were paid, and Maxime had made sure that their wages would be paid, even in his absence.


    In any case, he wasn''t worried: his talent was the best means of controlling his mercenaries.


    No one could bear to lose the opportunity to become a powerful man.


    This dream was all the more magnified when the individual had been weak all his life.


    Maxime exchanged one last glance with the mercenaries accompanying him.


    They all looked fierce and powerful, and so they were.


    Even the weakest of them could compete, for a short time, with an apprentice knight at the entrance stage.


    Then he turned south, to where the roads would take them.


    "Forward!" he shouted loudly.


    The twenty mercenaries set off, followed by the gaze of the villagers and mercenaries left behind.


    Three days of walking followed, punctuated by discussions and the monotony of the journey. The group advanced at a good pace, crossing dense forests, peaceful valleys and winding rivers.


    On this third day, as the sun declined over the horizon, Andrew and Charles walked side by side.


    Everyone was talking except them.


    After a while, it was Andrew who broke the silence. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So, Charles, ready for your first real mission?" he asked in a husky voice, without taking his eyes off the road.


    In the space of a few months, Andrew had grown in maturity and aura.


    Just by walking the way he did, some might think he''d been fighting all his life.


    No one would guess that only a few months before, he''d been a simple villager who''d lost his family to bandits.


    Charles straightened a little in his saddle, trying to hide the tension that knotted his shoulders. He knew he had talent, but being under Andrew''s gaze made him nervous.


    "As much as possible." he replied in what he hoped was a confident tone.


    "I''m not here to make up the numbers."


    Andrew chuckled softly, a note of amused contempt in his voice.


    "That''s what all the newbies say. Talent''s all well and good, but it won''t save your hide when a blade''s ready to slit your throat."


    Charles glanced at Andrew, noticing the coldness in his eyes. He knew the man had far more courage than he could, it turns out, ever have.


    "You don''t think I''ll last?" asked Charles, a hint of defiance in his voice.


    Andrew shrugged, indifferent.


    "It''s not for me to judge. You could be the son of an earl or just a poor fellow with a bit of luck, it doesn''t matter to me. What I want to see is how you react when you''ve got an enemy''s blood on your hands."


    There was a tense silence. Charles understood the message behind these words. It wasn''t a question of talent or potential. Here, in this group of mercenaries, only the blood spilled in battle spoke for them.


    Charles didn''t answer, but he knew that this mission was his trial by fire. And whatever happened, he would prove to Andrew, Maxime and himself that he deserved his place among them.


    Further ahead, Romuald, who was walking close to Maxime, wanted to know more.


    After all, only a few knew what was going to happen.


    "Maxime, it''s already the3rd day, could you explain the situation in the south. Who are the nobles involved?


    As their troop was small, everyone interrupted the ongoing discussions and concentrated on what was about to be said.


    This information was vitally important, and everyone knew it.


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    Maxime took a deep breath before answering, his eyes scanning the horizon as if gathering his thoughts.

 Chapter 76 Brutal battles against orcs (1/2)

    "The south is a fragmented region."There are several noble houses, but the most powerful is unquestionably that of Count Ardan, master of the county of Ravemont. His territory is vast and well-defended, stretching from the hills of Endrial to the forest of Myra."


    Everyone knew the Endrial hills, for they were reputed to be the first line of defense against the orcs.


    For if the orcs wanted to attack the kingdom''s territory, they were obliged to pass through these hills.


    For its part, the Myra forest was known for the legends linked to it.


    It was said that in the past, there was nothing there but dead, uncultivable land. But after the death of a woman, considered by legend to be a goddess, trees grew rapidly, insects appeared and animals began to live there.


    This woman''s name, according to legend, was Myra.


    Maxime resumed his speech.


    "The county of Ravemont is a natural fortress. Ardan is an ambitious man, an outstanding strategist, and his army is the most disciplined in the region. He has over 20,000 regular soldiers under his command, dozens of powerful knights as well as a small but formidable heavy cavalry."


    "And the other nobles?" asked Romuald.


    "Are they all allied to him, or are there divisions?"


    Maxime nodded.


    "Ardan has allies, of course, but they''re not very reliable. Some petty lords are loyal to him more out of fear than conviction. But there are tensions too. Count Ardan dominates, but other, smaller nobles, like Baron Roulf de Ventel or Viscountess Elda de Mirande, are unhappy with his influence."


    "Roulf in particular has lost several lands because of Ardan''s decisions, and Elda, for her part, is always looking to expand her own domain, in order to become countess. These rivalries complicate the situation."


    Romuald frowned, weighing these words.


    "So, who are we going to help first against the orcs?" he asked.


    "Ardan? Or another nobleman?"


    "I think it''s best to lend a hand to the noble family of Algrande," said Maxime.


    "Why this territory in priority?" asked Romuald, curiously.


    "Their lord, Baron Edrin, is only an apprentice knight at the peak stage, and he''s poorly equipped to deal with a threat like the orcs. His forces are very weak with less than 500 regular soldiers and only a few apprentice knights."


    Romuald quickly understood.


    "Since they''re weak, they''re both the most likely to fall quickly but also the easiest to help, our elite force could really change the situation on a small battlefield like this."


    Maxime nodded at Romuald''s thought, and at the same time added an important element.


    "His territory should have excellent revenues, but strangely his army is so small. In any case, he shouldn''t be spending a lot of gold on this aspect."


    "Generally, that means the lord likes to have gold to spare and so they can pay us well."


    "If it turns out that he was just a greedy lord, we''ll see if he''s still greedy after having a sword under his neck."


    As he said all this, Maxime wore an imperturbable expression, as if he were talking about the errands he was going to run the next day. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Romuald looked very worried, as did several other mercenaries listening in on the conversation.


    "If the news that our group has threatened a nobleman reaches the ears of the Kingdom''s court, we could be beheaded Maxime."


    Maxime suddenly stopped and looked at Romuald.


    A heavy atmosphere settled over the forest where they were walking.


    Only the sound of a few birds and the wind whistling through the leaves could be heard.


    "If for you the mercenary life means being paid a pittance and bowing to every nobleman you come across, then you haven''t yet understood the mentality of our mercenary group."


    Maxime took one last look at the other mercenaries, then turned and walked on as if nothing had happened.


    No one dared reply to Maxime on the subject; they all knew it was for their own good that they had to act in this way.


    "What''s our plan?" questioned Terry, who had been listening intently all along.


    "From what I understand, it''s difficult to repel orcs in open terrain." Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Maxime''s voice became more solemn.


    "Algrande is a small fortress town perched on a hill to the east of Ravemont, not far from the Endrial hills. It''s an advantageous defensive position, but according to the latest reports, orcs have already crossed the mountains and are harassing the villages affiliated with the town."


    "Our first mission is to strengthen its defenses. We also need to understand the scale of the opposing army. If it''s just an isolated raid, we can repel them. But if it''s a more organized orc army, that''s another matter."


    Terry nodded, understanding the wisdom of his words. The road still stretched before them, and in the distance it was possible to make out the first hills marking the entrance to the southern lands.


    As the group made their way along the steep paths, an acrid smell of smoke carried on the wind reached them. Maxime, alerted, raised a hand to immobilize the troop. They scanned the surrounding hills, and a dark cloud hovered at the edge of the forest to the north, where the village of Ventbois lay, a village supposedly under Algrande''s protection.


    "A village in the distance is in flames," Andrew announced, squinting, his voice tinged with seriousness. He turned a questioning gaze to Maxime, wondering what action they should take next.


    "Forward. If they''re under attack, we need to act fast."


    The troop quickened its pace, rolling down the hill and following the smoke to the outskirts of the village. Wrenching cries echoed through the air, and they soon saw a horrific scene.


    Houses had been set on fire, villagers were trying to flee, while some thirty orcs were spreading terror, happily pursuing the defenseless villagers.


    Their only defense was their green skin, but they all held a variety of rather large weapons.


    Their racial peculiarity gave them a physique particularly focused on robustness, then strength and finally speed.


    It should be noted that even a teenage orc could have the strength of an elite soldier, while most adult orcs could reach the strength of an apprentice knight at the entry stage.


    However, their agility and army coordination was poor, allowing humans to hold the line against them and even win most battles.


    Here, only a few brave men tried to confront the orcs, but they were quickly slaughtered one after the other due to the orcs'' powerful natural strength.


    If ordinary humans attacked orcs without proper equipment and strategy, they were courting death.


    Without a doubt, this village of 200-300 inhabitants would soon be massacred without the intervention of Maxime and his men.


    "Romuald, take five men and block the north exit! The rest, with me! We attack from the east," ordered Maxime, drawing his sword. The troop deployed without hesitation, every man and woman knowing what they had to do.


    "Yes chief!"


    Tena and his brothers and Terry accompanied Romuald to the north, while the rest continued to follow Maxime.


    Maxime soon reached the wooden wall to the east of the village, which had been completely destroyed by the orcs.


    From his vantage point, he could see that in the center of the village, an orc, taller and more massive than the others, dominated the scene.


    A huge axe, with twisted blades covered in dried blood, hung from his belt.


    He made strange noises to control his men.


    But this orc was a little too far away, and right now it was more important to save the villagers nearby.


    Maxime nodded to his men, and the 14 accompanying mercenaries jumped onto the roofs of the houses like martial arts experts with superhuman physiques to gain better visibility.


    Then, in teams of 2-3, they quickly surrounded several intrepid orcs and killed them.


    Others were powerful enough to easily defeat an orc in 1vs1.


    With a war cry, Maxime leapt up and struck an orc in the flank with a precise blow that pierced its green skin. The orc let out a hoarse howl before collapsing heavily.


    Ernest, standing on the roof of a house, unhooked his bow from his back, aimed at an orc about to lay waste to a house, then shot an arrow straight into its eye.


    As the orc cried out in pain, covering his eye with his left hand, Ernest rushed towards him and decapitated him directly.


    For his part, Henry managed to knock down an orc by knocking him off balance with his shield and then piercing his mouth with his sword.


    The surprise worked in their favor, and in less than a minute they had already eliminated a dozen orcs.


    The villagers, who until then had been running around in panic and shouting, began to calm down and watched in amazement as the mercenaries tore through the small orc squad.

 Chapter 77 Brutal battles against orcs (2/2)

    They were attracted by the impressive sight of these men coming to their rescue.Comments and exclamations 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 are completely inhuman."


    A young boy pointed at Andrew, who was splitting the air with his sword. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Look, Mom, the gentleman jumped at least ten feet!"


    Other villagers 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, landed 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 village with Romuald, Terry, Tena and his two brothers.


    The latter''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 was completely 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 succeeded 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 dodge completely, and the axe blade 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 villagers and repel the orcs who were wreaking havoc all around them. The village square was transformed into a veritable battlefield, with each mercenary engaged in a relentless struggle.


    Andrew, the young man with the flaming 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 blade into the creature''s side, which collapsed with a howl.


    No sooner had he withdrawn his blade 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 accuracy. 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 village 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 blade of his usually sharp sword made a strange noise and bounced off Rodrigo''s skin.


    A thin layer of broken rock could be seen.


    Taking advantage of his opponent''s surprise, Rodrigo counter-attacked, his axe slamming down hard on the orc''s skull, causing him to collapse 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.


    With a fluid, calculated gesture, she dashed into the fray, striking with frightening precision. Her blade 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 blade split the air in a precise movement, piercing the orc who collapsed 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 becoming increasingly angry, his blows more chaotic and powerful, but less precise.


    Maxime, seeing an opening, launched himself to deliver the final blow.


    But suddenly, the orc leader shouted a hoarse command, and suddenly 3 orcs who were occupied 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 the last 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 collapsed on Charles, his life and death unknown.


    But he gained a few precious seconds for Andrew and Ernest, who joined forces to hold back the last 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 collapsed.


    The two stood back, watching as their opponent collapsed heavily to the ground.


    30 seconds later, 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 the last orc fell, silence fell. The villagers, at first terrified, dared to emerge from their hiding places, looking at their rescuers with a mixture of amazement and gratitude.


    Maxime blew slightly to calm his breathing, then exchanged glances with Andrew, Ernest, Rodrigo, Laura and the rest of the mercenaries, each of them still alert despite the absence of new enemies.

 Chapter 78 Charles wounds

    Not arguing with the villagers, Maxime and Laura went straight to Charles'' condition.The warrior lay under a pile of wood and stones, the remains of the house that had collapsed on him.


    Maxime and Laura quickly headed for the rubble, Maxime being particularly worried.


    A mercenary with 4-star potential, it would hurt his heart to lose just one at this stage.


    Even more so when he possessed such an astonishing and rare talent.


    One had to imagine that, generally speaking, those who had 4-star mercenaries under their command had at least 5 years'' experience in Eternity in addition to being very powerful both in terms of personal strength but also in terms of political power.


    Of course, most leaders of men in the real world didn''t rely on mercenary potential to make their men stronger.


    Instead, they directly recruited apprentice knights, knights and even more powerful individuals.


    The vast majority didn''t train troops for the simple reason that it took too long to turn an ordinary person into a powerful individual.


    But more on that later.


    Laura, noticing Maxime''s concern, felt her heart warm slightly.


    "The usually arrogant Maxime with the powerful aura could have such an expression?" she thought silently.


    Then she reassured him with a gentle.


    "We''ll get him out of there, Maxime. I''m sure he''s only injured, but he already has a powerful physique compared to an ordinary person so he''ll recover quickly."


    Maxime, his face tense, nodded silently and set about moving the stones and pieces of wood with Laura.


    Eventually, they saw Charles''s torso, unusually deep as if a crevasse had formed while blood poured out of many places.


    But he was still breathing, albeit with difficulty.


    A faint smile stretched across his lips as he caught sight of their faces.


    "I didn''t expect... my first battle... to end this way."


    His voice was almost a fragmented whisper.


    Maxime was reassured and laughed lightly as he heard what Charles was saying.


    "Did you see that? Mercenary life''s great, isn''t it?"


    Charles smiled with difficulty in response.


    Laura laid a hand lightly on his shoulder, her gaze more tender than usual.


    "You''ll get off easy, don''t worry."


    "I don''t doubt it, my career... is just beginning..."


    Several villagers came over.


    Totally ignoring Maxime and Laura, an elderly woman in a brown dress watched Charles with a frown.


    Two adult men accompanied her, holding baskets filled with herbs.


    Maxime and Laura exchanged puzzled glances as they watched the old woman approach with two men.


    The old woman, with her weathered face and piercing eyes, inspected Charles'' wounds without a word, then turned a sharp gaze on Maxime.


    "This young man is lucky to be alive. Move over and leave it to me."


    Maxime hesitated, instinctively defensive, but Laura whispered softly:


    "Let her do it, she seems to have some medical knowledge."


    "Look at the villagers standing behind, they obviously have a lot of respect for this old woman."


    "After our actions, there''s no way they mean us any harm."


    Nodding his head, Maxime stepped back slightly, keeping a watchful eye on the old healer''s every move.


    From one of the baskets held by the other men, she took out several dark green and pale blue herbs.


    Then she expertly crushed them between two stones she had brought with her, until she obtained a thick paste which she applied to Charles''s wounds.


    She motioned to one of her assistants to apply a clean cloth to Charles'' wounds to help stop the blood leaking out. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Charles, though still weak, seemed to regain some color. He murmured a barely audible thank you.


    The healer didn''t reply, absorbed in her work.


    Meanwhile, a few mercenaries had approached Maxime and Laura, while others were chatting with the villagers.


    The old woman ignored all this, looking after Charles.


    After a while, she turned to Maxime, who was listening with rapt attention.


    "He needs rest, and an infusion of herbs every morning and evening for a few days. And above all, don''t let him train just yet."


    A certain weight seemed to lighten within him as he nodded in response.


    "Thank you."


    The old woman rose to her feet and, with the help of her assistants, began to walk away.


    When the healer disappeared from their sight, Maxime moved closer to Charles, who was breathing a little easier thanks to the treatment. Charles'' tired smile warmed his heart.


    Maxime crouched down beside Charles, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.


    "So, old chap, you''re going to be bedridden for a while, apparently," Maxime said with a smirk.


    Charles, still pale but obviously in a teasing mood, tried to straighten up slightly.


    "As long as a roof doesn''t fall in on me again, I should be fine." he murmured, still in a joking mood.


    Maxime shook his head, amused.


    In the distance, all the villagers and mercenaries began to gather, including Romuald and the men who had accompanied him to the north, who had returned victorious and without visible wounds.


    There were murmurs and bursts of admiration.


    The men had fought with such ferocity that they had managed to repel the orcs with only a score of them.


    This victory marked a turning point for the village, which had never dared to believe that outsiders could save them from such a threat so suddenly and miraculously.


    A woman with rosy cheeks flushed with enthusiasm walked up to Maxime, surrounded by several other villagers.


    "Hello, may we know who you are?"


    Everyone, the villagers in particular, stopped their chatter and listened attentively.


    "Hello, we''re a group of mercenaries called the saber-toothed tigers," Maxime replied with a reassuring smile.


    "Mercenaries... you saved us from those creatures. We really thought the orcs were going to slaughter us all. Their strength was...far too terrifying..."


    As she said this, the woman still looked terrified.


    "But you...you fought with a strength we''ve never seen!" She looked at Maxime with eyes shining with admiration.


    An older man, with calloused hands and hair bleached by years, stepped forward in turn.


    "It''s not common to see a small band of 20 men stand up to a squad of orcs and emerge victorious."


    Maxime looked at his men with unseen pride.


    "We trained for this, any mercenary or soldier would have done the same."


    His humble attitude surprised the mercenaries, who were clearly not used to it.


    The old man shook his head in respect.


    "Not to mention the courage it takes to take on orcs, very few people would have been able to repel so many orcs with so few men. You''ve given us hope we''d totally lost."


    Laura addressed the villagers sympathetically.


    "Now everyone needs a rest. If you have any makeshift shelters for us to rest in, we''d be grateful."


    The woman shook her head.


    "We don''t have any makeshift shelters and especially many of the houses were destroyed during the fighting."


    "But our doors are open to all of you!" she continued, flashing a bright smile.


    Maxime nodded, touched by the sincerity of their welcome, then turned to his fellow mercenaries.


    "Alright, everyone, let''s follow these good people and get some rest today."


    The group dispersed into the village, some of the mercenaries exchanging laughter and anecdotes with the villagers who were still cheering them on.


    Maxime, arms folded, watched the scene with a mixture of pride and nostalgia.


    He had just saved many lives with his own power, and it was a powerful feeling of satisfaction. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    He realized that this was the life of a mercenary too.


    It wasn''t all about waging war everywhere, killing people and losing comrades.


    They could also save lives and get thanks in their own way.


    Slightly behind, Andrew approached Charles and held out his hand to help him up.


    "Come on don''t be fragile, with your physique you should be more than able to stand."


    Charles smiled slightly and took Andrew''s hand.


    Andrew pulled his hand away and helped Charles to his feet.


    Once up, he leaned on Andrew''s shoulder with difficulty.


    Despite his light words, Andrew was fully aware that Charles'' injuries were truly serious.


    An ordinary person, let alone stand up, would have died long ago.


    "Indeed, you didn''t make the cut for your first battle."

 Chapter 79 Baron Edrin

    Charles looked at Andrew''s face in profile with astonishment and emotion. Discover more stories at My Virtual Library EmpireAndrew 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 accompanied by two small children.


    The two little ones hid behind their father''s legs while casting curious glances at Charles and Andrew.


    "Respectable mercenaries, I have a room with an insulated 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 available, it must have been occupied before.


    Otherwise, the room would have been rearranged.


    Similar scenes occurred again and again.


    Every family in the village had lost one or more members, whether children, parents, cousins or grandparents.


    But thanks to this, Maxime''s little mercenary troop was easily accommodated despite the many destroyed houses. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 fireplace, 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 fireplace and placed 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 be complicated 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, laid 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 particularly reliable.


    They''d all given a lot of thought to becoming mercenaries, their goals, what they wanted to become 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 village, with discussions, tears and emotional moments.


    For the evening, a large table had been set up in the village square, where the little food available was gathered for a generous meal.


    After songs, toasts and stories, a moving ceremony took place to honor the dead.


    The old woman in the brown dress, respected by all, stepped into the center of the village, carrying in her hands an earthenware bowl filled with ashes and twigs.


    The villagers 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 villagers 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, unaccustomed to such rituals, froze in deep reverence.


    She placed the bowl on the ground and began throwing dried herbs into it, invoking the memory of the dead who had fallen to defend the village.


    Wisps of bluish smoke rose up, carrying with them prayers of protection.


    At that moment, each villager, 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 villagers towards their dead.


    Henry and Ultia also seemed absorbed in the gravity of the moment, despite their youth and lack 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 particular, 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 and compassionate 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 flames of the brazier at the center of the circle, creating a great flame that lit up the faces of all present.


    This fire symbolized the passage of souls to a place of eternal rest. The villagers watched the flame in silence, while the mercenaries felt for the first time the depth of this communion.


    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 flame 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 villagers, marking this ceremony with a sense of closeness between villagers and mercenaries.


    As the flame 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 village, 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 villagers.


    The villagers enjoyed hearing tales of past battles, fascinated by the endurance and bravery of these men who had come 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 village.


    It was Baron Edrin, who had come to check on his people and the mercenaries who had saved them.


    He dismounted and went first to speak with a few villagers.


    After listening to the villagers'' stories, he rode over to Maxime and his companions, a grateful smile lighting up his tired face.


    Edrin bowed slightly in respect.


    "Maxime, you and your men have accomplished what I thought impossible. My duty should have been to protect them, and yet it was you who saved my village. 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, laid 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 to laugh.


    "Maxime likes to play 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 villagers and mercenaries.


    "My friends, this village 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 villagers gave Baron Edrin a standing ovation.Baron Edrin''s short speech provoked a wave of enthusiasm among the villagers, their faces lighting up with hope and determination.


    It seemed that the baron was particularly popular 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 villagers."


    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 reward commensurate with the difficulty of the task, if not..."


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    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''t come because he didn''t have the strength to get rid of them.


    He''d only come here because he''d received the news that the village hadn''t been destroyed.


    When he heard this news, he couldn''t believe his ears. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 be completely won over by him.


    However, Maxime''s threat changed his plans completely.


    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 appropriately commensurate with the task you''ve performed, plus a gift of gratitude for saving my villagers."


    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 glanced outside, easily able to see the destroyed buildings.


    "That''s why I''d like to hire you more... officially. Not only to defend this village, 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''s lack of reaction, the baron regained his composure so as not to spoil his relationship with these powerful mercenaries.


    After all, if they survived, he''d forge a relationship 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 villagers again.


    "Tonight, we will celebrate your bravery. You all deserve an evening of peace before you set out again."


    As evening fell, the entire village was illuminated by torches and bonfires. The villagers had gathered colorful chairs, tables and tablecloths, adorned with simple wildflower decorations.


    The small central square vibrated with a festive atmosphere, filled with laughter, song and music, and the mercenaries mingled with the villagers like long-lost companions.


    Several hours after Baron Edrin''s arrival, several carriages filled with food arrived in the village, making the evening a gustatory delight for all.


    Charles, still pale but determined to participate, leaned on Andrew to join the party.


    The latter 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 it later."


    Charles laughs lightly.


    "We agree. Later I could tell the new recruits that after being badly wounded, I completely 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 mocking laugh.


    "Look at you clinging to my shoulder like a koala, your charisma with the village women must be at an all-time high."


    Charles rolled his eyes.


    "Anyway, when I ride my dragon and become 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 help laughing as he realized the reality.


    At the center of the festivities, Piedro and Terry began an impromptu drinking contest, accompanied by a few hilarious villagers.


    Terry, grinning mischievously, turned to other mercenaries and villagers:


    "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 villager lifted his tankard and challenged Terry with a very serious look despite his flushed face.


    Other villagers 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 villagers trained from generation to generation to get drunk every day!"


    Piedro found this interesting and laughed 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 accepted 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 flavor."


    "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.


    This could range from simple famine among the orcs or particularly 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 become the orc king and unite all the tribes, one had to be far more powerful than a great knight, at least comparable to an epic knight!


    Indeed, among the orcs there were already many comparable 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, the laughter and singing of the villagers filled the square, creating a warm atmosphere that contrasted with the two men''s anxiety.


    A few children approached them laughing, 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 his large 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 villager 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 out laughing, 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 villagers laugh.


    "Exactly! No...no villager...can bend...can bend mercenaries of our caliber!"


    His drunken, hesitant voice provoked another round of laughter from the villagers.


    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 were competing against a dozen people.


    A young woman named Lira raised her glass 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!"


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    "Pfft, it''s not me who''s fading, it''s just the firelight that''s... that''s... uh... making everything blurry..."


    The villagers burst out laughing as Terry struggled to keep his balance 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... recalculate, you know?"


    "Recalculate what?"


    Piedro whispered softly in Terry''s ear.


    "I''ve got a plan...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 flaw in your plan 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 to launch the final blow.


    "Well, my friends, I think we can declare victory for the villagers! Those mercenaries certainly don''t have any legs left to stand on!"


    The villagers exulted, clapping their hands and laughing out loud.


    Piedro, in a final burst of pride, tried to stand up, but missed and collapsed 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 sensation landed on his lips.


    Startled, Terry lost his balance and fell backwards into the hay with Lira.


    All the villagers began to whistle and shout with enthusiasm as the two began to kiss languorously 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 a laugh, 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 villagers."


    James began to laugh 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. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "All the same."


    Seeing Laura and James arrive, a few enthusiastic villagers raised their tankards in the direction of the mercenaries.


    Garen was excited when he saw them.


    "Hey, here come 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 and laughed.


    "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''m coming...wait for me...just a moment..."


    The villagers laughed 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 villagers 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 balance 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 balance, you''ll be an easy target, and you won''t last against an experienced enemy."


    Gradually, other villagers 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, while laughter could be heard in the distance.


    A camaraderie had begun to form between the villagers and the mercenaries.


    A few hours passed, and the calm of the night gradually descended on the village as the campfires were extinguished one by one.


    The next morning, while the village was still asleep, Maxime gathered his men in the dawning light, his features serious.


    He explained the situation, making no secret of his doubts or the urgency of the situation. Each mercenary listened in silence, aware of the more complex mission ahead.


    Andrew stepped forward, breaking the silence with a firm voice.


    "Who cares, let''s just get to the places 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 him completely.


    "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 82 More new recruits and new talent!

    "Just, where are Terry and Piedro? Why aren''t they here?"A brief silence settled among the mercenaries, broken by whispers and wry smiles.


    Ernest raised an amused eyebrow.


    "Let''s just say they celebrated their victory until the wee hours. Maybe they''re still sleeping in a pile of straw somewhere."


    Maxime closed his eyes for a second, torn between amusement and annoyance.


    "Good. Can someone go and wake them up so they can come here?"


    Maxime''s words made everyone feel a cold draught pass over them.


    No one had yet dared miss a briefing from Maxime, and they all wondered what would happen if two of their own ventured to do so.


    Despite the tension, a mischievous smile appeared on several faces; Terry and Piedro would surely regret their absence.


    Laura, smirking, stepped forward.


    "Leave it to me, boss."


    "I''m counting on you."


    She turned and headed for the barn, humming lightly, aware that waking Terry and Piedro would not be an easy task, but it should be rather fun.


    When she reached the spot where the two men were slumped, she indeed found Terry, sunken in a pile of hay, a blissful smile on his lips, and Piedro, snoring loudly, his arm passed around an empty barrel.


    She gave them a friendly kick to shake them off.


    "Come on, get up, champions! The briefing''s already started and Maxime''s in no mood to wait."


    Terry opened one eye, struggling against the morning light that seemed to be attacking his retinas. He grunted, trying to sit up, then brought a hand to his head, obviously in the grip of a powerful headache.


    Piedro opened one eye in turn, a vague smile on his lips.


    "Just five minutes... just..." then let out a snore.


    Laura, unwilling to let the two mercenaries laze around any longer, grabbed a bucket of water lying nearby and poured it over the two men without hesitation.


    Terry let out a cry of surprise, leaping to his feet, while Piedro, shaken, tried to right himself to no avail.


    "It''s okay, it''s okay! We''re awake, no need to drown us!" protested Terry, shaking himself like a wet dog.


    "You really fucking dared Laura!" shouted Piedro angrily.


    "As far as I know, the barrel you''re hugging isn''t a woman, and believe me, a bucket of water on your head is better than keeping Maxime waiting."


    Gradually, Terry and Piedro understood the gravity of their situation.


    "Damn it..." murmured Terry, as they hurriedly gathered up their belongings to join the rest of the group.


    Under the mocking glances of their comrades, they found Maxime, who was waiting for them, arms crossed with a stern look, although his eyes betrayed a hint of amusement.


    "Ah, here come the latecomers at last."


    Maxime stared at them for a moment before declaring in a solemn tone:


    "As punishment, you will wash the entire group''s clothes by this afternoon. Make sure they''re dry by evening."


    Terry and Piedro sighed, relieved at the lightness of the punishment.


    "Yes, Chief!" they replied, visibly embarrassed, while their comrades tried not to smile.


    Maxime then turned to his entire group.


    "Make sure you''re ready this afternoon for tomorrow''s departure. Check your weapons, restock your bags and be ready at dawn. This won''t be an easy mission, so the slightest distraction could be fatal."


    The mercenaries nodded, regaining their seriousness.


    Each of them knew that the next few days would bear no resemblance to the festive atmosphere that surrounded them the day before.


    Once the instructions had been given, the mercenaries dispersed into the village to prepare their belongings and enjoy the last few hours of peace and quiet.


    A few villagers helped the mercenaries gather provisions for the road, exchanging a few more laughs and self-defense tips with those they had trained the night before.


    In the late afternoon, Maxime found himself alone for a moment, watching the sunset tint the sky with reddish hues, like a silent omen.


    Suddenly, a noise was heard behind him. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned and saw a dozen villagers staring at him with awe and respect.


    Among them were Garen and Lira, looking rather uncomfortable.


    Maxime stared at them in silence, intrigued by their unusual presence.


    Garen took a deep breath before stepping forward, his gaze determined despite a certain hesitation.


    "Maxime, we''ve come to see you and join your mercenary group."


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, pondering the outcomes of integrating them into the group.


    "If I make you come with us, you''re going to die fighting orcs, that''s almost a certainty."


    A villager named Jean stepped forward, his face firm and full of resolution.


    "Those of us who are here have already lost everything."


    "We''ve lost our parents, our siblings and our children for those who had them."


    Maxime knew that by the time they had arrived, the orcs had already killed many people, especially whole families since they either lived together or in close proximity to each other.


    But he had no idea that so many people would end up alone.


    Garen nodded, his eyes shining with an indomitable flame.


    "We must fight, not for revenge, but to prevent this from happening to others."


    But Maxime still disagreed.


    "Then why not join Baron Edrin''s soldiers? You''ll be safer there than following us."


    Lira intervened, scornfully:


    "Because they''re useless. They arrived days after the attack began. You can''t trust someone who''s not even aware of what''s happening on their land."


    "And I don''t think a baron is unaware of the situation in his territory to such an extent."


    Maxime sighed, finally convinced.


    These men and women seemed determined, courageous and morally sound.


    It remained to be seen whether they possessed any real combat potential, but he had few expectations.


    "I''d like to make it clear that you won''t be paid until we get back to the north, where most of our mercenaries are."


    "We''ve always worked to survive, not to make money," Garen replied with conviction.


    This answer lifted the last weight holding Maxime back.


    "Either way, you''re officially joining the saber-toothed tigers, which is the name of our mercenary group."


    Ding!


    [12 villagers have expressed a wish to join your mercenary group. Would you like to accept them?]


    "Yes." he replied mentally.


    Ding!


    [Recruitment condition met!]


    [All 12 villagers are now mercenaries].


    Maxime ignored the notifications floating before him, and began to inspect the talents of these new mercenaries.


    Garen: Three-star potential. Berserker talent. Physique: 1.2


    Lira: Three-star potential. Affinity with shadows. Physical: 0.9


    Jean: Two-star potential. Blessing of the wind. Physique 1.


    Katarina: Two-star potential. Physics: 0.8


    Reta: Two-star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Yvan: Two star potential. Physical: 0.9


    ...


    "Incredible..."


    "So many powerful and different talents, if I wasn''t here most of these talents would remain hidden within them until they died."


    "Then if I wasn''t here, would this world exist?"


    But he shook his head before developing his ideas further, everything was mysterious about Eternity and the monsters.


    He concentrated on the pleasant surprise of having recruited such good recruits by complete chance.


    Garen and Lira might become stronger than Andrew in the future, while Jean might have a strength similar to that of Rodrigo and Romuald.


    But he kept this information to himself, so as not to hinder the training motivation of the weaker members.


    For he knew that even the weakest members of the group could become very powerful in the future as his talent gradually improved.


    Simultaneously, the 12 new mercenaries felt profound changes in their bodies, but they didn''t know exactly what they were.


    "Don''t worry, it''s my talent acting on your body."


    Garen, Lira, Jean and the rest of the newbies were surprised.


    "Meaning your talent?" asked Lira curiously.


    "I have a talent that allows my men to improve their potential by one level as well as improve their training speed," Maxime replied simply as usual.


    But this simple answer excited the villagers, who began to dream of a better life where they could truly protect those they wished to.


    "Don''t daydream too much and start packing your things, we plan to leave tomorrow at dawn for Lapi."


    "If you don''t have any weapons, we can lend you a few that we originally used as reserves."

 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 contemplating the beauty of nature.


    Evening soon arrived.


    The mercenaries shared a final meal with the villagers, in a much more subdued atmosphere than the day before. Everyone seemed to sense that the tranquility of this village might be the last they would experience for a long time to come.


    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 glances 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 newcomers'' 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 village.


    They had stored a dozen swords, 3 axes and 2 pairs of daggers.


    At first glance, 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. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 villages, 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-hand combat."


    "That also means you''ll be despised all your life, unless you one day become strong enough that no one can despise you anymore."


    But Jean had no doubts about his choice.


    He felt the bow was particularly 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.


    The other new recruits were much more indecisive about their choice of weapons, and dabbled a bit with everything before finally opting for classic 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 village.


    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 applause of the Ventbois villagers.


    "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 village!"


    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 accumulate 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 villagers were happy and started whistling with joy.


    "Jean, you have to survive too! When you all come back to the village 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 villagers laugh 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 explained to the newcomers 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 villagers'' 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 plain.


    The atmosphere became progressively tense, for although they could not be ambushed, they were also extremely visible from afar.


    Maxime led the way, flanked 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."


    The latter 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 particular 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 the lack of power, it failed to reach the creature''s vital organs.


    But a victorious smile played 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.


    For ordinary people, picking up an arrow and cocking the bow was complicated enough.


    Shooting correctly was good enough in the beginning.


    However, asking a beginner for precision was like asking an ordinary villager 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 the lack of space, none of them could use their agility as they had done in the village.


    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 particular 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 blade. 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 much lacking so the orc was only slightly pushed back a few steps and could quickly come back.


    Fortunately, Terry, who had unwittingly let the orc penetrate 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!" exclaimed Tena in a cold sweat.


    "If you could stop flirting on the battlefield that would be great!" commented Piedro with a light laugh.


    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 his comrades 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 become 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.


    The latter, 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 planted Henry.


    Of course, the term "little orc" was relative, as he was still the size of a normal human.


    And in theory, all orcs could speak the human language, but very few invested any effort in learning it.


    The vast majority spent their time training, mating and hunting. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 the latter 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 succeeded, 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 particularly 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 their composure, but looked grim.


    "The dagger was poisoned," Henry murmured with a bitter smile.

 Chapter 85 NOX LIMIT !

    As if in revenge, the fighting against the orcs intensified.But Maxime knew that this renewed intensity would not last long.


    Seeing that the outcome of the battle was becoming increasingly negative, he made a decision.


    "Nox Limit, activate!"


    A powerful energy coursed through the bodies of all the mercenaries, making them stronger, more agile, more enduring and improving their thinking abilities.


    Suddenly, the entire battlefield was turned upside down.


    Experienced mercenaries who had previously been in trouble could now easily fend off the orcs and even kill them!


    Maxime, before the shocked eyes of the former villagers, began to exude an almost tangible aura.


    Maxime took advantage of this to decapitate 3 orcs who had been bothering him for a while, at lightning speed.


    With his talent bonus, he had over 4 physical points, making him as strong as any knight in the Kingdom!


    A few new mercenaries were able to catch a glimpse of the scene.


    "Is it still human to do this?" muttered one of them in disbelief.


    On the other hand, Andrew went slightly mad with joy, as if changing personality, and began a massacre in the ranks of the orcs.


    "Hahahaha I''ve missed this feeling of being filled with power!"


    Raucous cries began to echo throughout the valley.


    "Hum! That''s better, chief!"


    Rodrigo complained slightly, but he was happy.


    At the same time, he and Ultia looked at the little orc with mischievous eyes.


    "Since when can humans be so powerful?"


    The little orc was incredulous.


    In his tribe, he was always told that humans were extremely weak, and that he should only be wary of humans dressed in metal.


    His shock was compounded when he saw his first victim stand up as if nothing had happened.


    Henry felt particularly good at that moment, as if he''d just come back to life.


    His sense of weakness had completely disappeared; instead, he had never felt so powerful.


    He first decapitated the orc who had attacked him in a blind spot, then kept an eye on the little orc.


    "Leave him to me, I''ll take care of him personally," he said, looking at Rodrigo and Ultia.


    Both nodded and stepped back.


    Maxime, who had had time to kill a dozen orcs, and seeing that the overall situation was under control, turned to Garen, Lira, and Jean, who were now shining particularly brightly.


    "You too can fight. It''ll give you your first combat experience."


    Seeing their leader still exuding a powerful aura, and with his now white, intimidating eyes fixed on them, they all had a renewed respect for their new leader.


    They understood why no one dared respond to Maxime''s orders.


    Faced with a monster of such power, the thought of a negative response did not exist.


    After being stunned for a moment, Garen happily nodded with some excitement and rushed towards an orc attacking Piedro.


    Full of spirit, he let out a roar and swung his sword with increased power at the orc.


    But the latter blocked easily, to Garen''s surprise.


    The orc, even with his low intelligence, felt it odd that this human should be so weak compared to the human he''d fought before.


    He began to emit continuous hoarse sounds.


    "Hey Garen, I think he''s laughing at you," Lira murmured with a smile.


    She had been discreetly following Garen as he charged without a clear plan.


    Simultaneously, an arrow flew into the orc''s mouth and pierced his brain directly.


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    This sent him plummeting to the ground, never to rise again.


    The two turned and saw Jean still holding the bow and pointing at it.


    But even he was surprised.


    "Don''t look at me like that, even I didn''t know that was possible."


    The other new recruits escaped from the center of the protective circle and began to help the experienced mercenaries.


    The new recruits, who temporarily had the physique of elite soldiers, were no longer as vulnerable to orcs as before.


    As the need to protect them disappeared, all the experienced mercenaries were able to let loose and show off their expertise.


    Some even took the time to give the new recruits a few pointers during the fight.


    On the other hand, the fight between the little orc and Henry was brutal and intense.


    Henry, wounded and poisoned, had almost lost his life, but thanks to the activation of Maxime''s special power, his body was recovering very quickly.


    The little orc, quick and cunning, was still a threat.


    If his physique was calculated, he wouldn''t be far off the 3-point mark.


    What''s more, unlike the other orcs, his physique was very well balanced, with no obvious strengths or weaknesses.


    As he stood at a distance, watching the scene with calculating eyes, he analyzed Henry, now back on his feet and invigorated.


    Henry''s muscles tensed as he slowly advanced towards his opponent.


    The little orc, armed with his poison-coated dagger, squinted his piercing black eyes, a look of contempt on his face.


    Not waiting for Henry to take the initiative, he ran towards him.


    His movements were agile, almost dance-like, contrasting with the brutality of the other orcs.


    "Don''t think you can win just because you''ve resisted my poison, human," the orc growled, his hoarse voice echoing in the stale air of the plain.


    He circled around Henry, looking for an opening, while Henry kept his sword raised, ready to strike.


    Suddenly, the orc leapt at Henry''s back, his dagger gleaming in the morning light.


    Henry reacted immediately and deflected the attack with his blade, creating a sparkle between the two weapons. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the little orc, far from being thrown off balance, used the momentum to slide to Henry''s side and attempt a swift blow to his leg.


    Henry felt a sharp pain as the poisoned point grazed his thigh, but he didn''t flinch.


    Instead, he seized the opportunity to swing a circular blow, forcing the orc to step back hastily, narrowly missing tripping over the corpse of another orc.


    "Is that all you got?" spat Henry, his jaw clenched, his eyes shining with determination.


    His muscles vibrated, fueled by the power of Maxime''s talent.


    The little orc responded with a twisted smile, then charged again, this time with a series of swift, precise attacks.


    The sound of clashing blades intensified, each movement becoming a deadly dance.


    Henry managed to dodge and deflect the blows, but the orc continued relentlessly, his movements becoming more and more frenzied.


    Finally, Henry saw a gap.


    In the rush of the orc''s over-ambitious attack, he dived, bringing his sword down with all his might.


    The little orc''s face became a marvel to behold.


    The blade split the air and hit the orc in the shoulder. A wrenching cry of pain erupted from the creature''s throat, and an expression of pure hatred contorted his face.


    Yet he didn''t fall. With one last thrust, it tried to plunge its dagger into Henry''s neck, clearly ready to die taking its opponent with it.


    But Henry, anticipating this move, pivoted and grabbed the orc''s wrist with a powerful hand. The poisoned dagger hung trembling between them.


    Then Henry slowly brought his sword down one last time, driving the blade into the little orc''s chest.


    Henry felt the strange sensation of the sword slowly piercing the orc''s entire body.


    But he didn''t feel any sense of disgust; instead, he was still a little afraid.


    If it weren''t for Maxime''s talent, he''d be dead here today.


    Silence fell abruptly on the battlefield as the orc''s body slowly collapsed, his now empty gaze still fixed on Henry.


    Panting, covered in sweat and blood, Henry sat up, his breath heavy but triumphant.


    Adrenalin was still pumping through his veins, and he turned his gloomy gaze on the rest of the mercenaries who continued to fight against the remaining orcs.


    Gradually, the orcs began to retreat, their ranks broken and their ferocity cooled by the mercenaries'' might.


    Their green blood ran over the ground in much of the valley.


    Undoubtedly these monsters were extremely robust, usually requiring several blows from an experienced mercenary to finish one off, and that was counting the bonus of Maxime''s talent.


    Rodrigo and Romuald coordinated a final assault, finishing off any orcs who tried to flee.


    When calm returned, a heavy silence fell over the battlefield. The saber-toothed tigers, covered in sweat and blood, regrouped, counting their wounded.


    Maxime, standing in the center, glanced at his men, satisfied. Despite the difficulty of the ambush, his new mercenaries had stood their ground, had not run away and had even fought the orcs, proving their worth from the very first fight.


    He approached Garen, Lira and Jean, who were still panting, their eyes shining with fatigue but also with a newfound pride.


    "You fought well," Maxime declared, his tone solemn.


    "But this is only the beginning."


    The three newcomers nodded, realizing that their lives had changed forever and that they were no longer ordinary villagers.

 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 village of VentBois."


    "Those ears are very valuable."


    Jean, who was particularly 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, replaced by a palpable tension. The mercenaries looked at each other, concern painting itself on their tired faces.


    Rodrigo frowned and turned to Maxime. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 of larger, 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 rugged landscape for an idea.


    Then he spotted a steep path winding up to a small rocky plateau, 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 mutilated bodies.


    Among them was a strange orc.


    This orc was small, wore a strange black robe and had a bent back.


    From his position, Maxime couldn''t see his face, but somehow he sensed an intense feeling of danger coming from this orc.


    This orc approached one of the orcs killed by Maxime, and used his clawed 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 unfamiliar language, his eyes crinkling in cold anger.


    When he noticed that the orcs'' ears were missing, he became even angrier, muttering something to the orcs accompanying him.


    Charles, who, like everyone else, was watching every move from his hiding place, 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 a commotion that diverted the orcs'' attention.


    The trackers looked up and exchanged glances 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 particularly large 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, these large orcs should be able to rival knights, at least in terms of sheer strength.


    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 relaxing. Henry glanced 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 become their ally as they moved away from the valley that had become the graveyard of a battle that could have become their graveyard.

 Chapter 87 Crossing the forest

    Daylight was fading, and darkness would soon become their ally as they moved away from the valley that had become the graveyard of a battle that could have become their graveyard.The group set off again, twilight enveloping them in its protective shadow.


    The mercenaries advanced cautiously along the steep path leading down from their hiding place, each step calculated not to betray their presence.


    The smell of blood and death, which had permeated the valley, seemed to follow them like a sinister shadow.


    Tena and Ultia took their temporary role as scouts to heart, carefully observing the road that wound through the dense forest leading to Lapi.


    If an orc army had passed through the valley, it meant that the situation in the south was far more serious than anyone thought.


    Even Lapi could be in danger at this rate.


    The silence was heavy, and the rustling of leaves seemed louder than ever. Every crack of a branch beneath their feet made their hearts beat a little faster.


    Suddenly, a whisper pierced the darkness.


    It was Jean, walking alongside Andrew.


    "Those orcs, Andrew... What was that being in black robes? I''ve heard of orc shamans before, but I''ve never seen anyone so... sinister."


    Andrew shook his head, his eyes fixed on the horizon where the last rays of daylight were fading.


    "I don''t know, I was just a simple villager a few months ago."


    "But if this being is a shaman, then he must have powers that even we can''t understand."


    His gaze wandered for a moment, searching the growing darkness for an explanation.


    "After all, our captain possesses powers that are more than mysterious and, above all, very powerful. He must have other individuals in the world with powers just as powerful."


    This did little to reassure Jean, who felt he was venturing into a world far too dangerous for a former simple villager like himself.


    Henry, standing nearby, also frowned. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To be honest, as an apprentice knight he''d never experienced any great battles or mysterious events.


    He''d simply been on patrol, and sometimes enjoyed abusing his good looks to break up brawls in town and impress the ladies.


    This gesture often worked, and thanks to it he had known many women in bed.


    But the battle of Plouta profoundly changed his mentality, and made him feel weak in the face of world events that might come his way.


    He felt in danger.


    That was why he had decided to betray Baron Irut and join Maxime''s mercenary group.


    Deep down, despite his gentle mask, he had an enormous desire for power and strength.


    But with one danger after another, he felt even more uneasy than before.


    "Perhaps I should have stayed quietly by Baron Irut''s side and trained quietly while enjoying the pleasure of life."


    But he immediately shook his head with firm eyes to clear these thoughts.


    "A strong man grows in adversity. I normally had little hope of becoming a knight, but now it''s a sure thing as long as I survive."


    "Maybe one day I can even become a great knight."


    "A great knight!"


    "What an honor that would be!"


    Henry''s eyes firmed, filled with new resolve and without the slightest trace of fear.


    He wasn''t the only one with doubts; most of the mercenaries had many questions about the choice they''d made in joining Maxime.


    Some reassured themselves in the same way as Henry, telling themselves that they would become powerful in the future, while others thought that saving lives was worth risking one''s own and living for.


    On the other hand, Maxime paused for a moment to check that the group was keeping up. His face, usually impassive, was taut with worry.


    He hadn''t thought that by going south, he''d be exposing his elite mercenaries to so much danger.


    Especially now that his talent couldn''t be reactivated in the next 7 days, or he''d suffer a soul injury.


    This kind of injury was extremely complicated to heal.


    Fortunately, he had already obtained a map of the Kingdom from Baron Irut, which also showed the southern region.


    He had long since memorized the geographical location of the southern territory.


    "We''ll reach the first village before nightfall," he announced.


    "Let''s hope the roads to Lapi are safe."


    But hope, at this moment, seemed a luxury.


    As they descended the hillside and entered deeper into the forest, the mercenaries felt the atmosphere change.


    The birds, still singing faintly, fell silent, and the gentle night wind became a colder, more oppressive breeze.


    At last, they reached the first village.


    It was a modest hamlet, where the bleating of sheep and the laughter of children should have been heard.


    Instead, a suffocating smell greeted them.


    Charred houses rose up, and scattered corpses lay in postures frozen by the horrors they had seen before they died.


    The dying flames of the fires cast flickering shadows, bringing nightmarish scenes to life.


    Garen, his face pale, rushed into some nearby bushes and vomited his guts out.


    And he wasn''t the only one: of the 12 new recruits, 7 couldn''t stop themselves from vomiting.


    Maxime frowned as Laura stood next to him with a very pale face.


    "So this is what would have happened if we hadn''t gone to rescue the village of Ventbois."


    Laura''s words surprised the new recruits, not realizing that their village could have ended up in the same state as this hamlet.


    It was fortunate that, despite the loss of their families, they still had a place to return to.


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, absorbing the scene before him. He clenched his fists, his eyes hardening.


    The troop moved cautiously through the ruins, avoiding debris and signs of struggle.


    The atmosphere weighed on them, like an invisible hand clutching their chests.


    The new recruits tried to avert their eyes from the mutilated bodies, while the mercenaries who had been through several battles already guided them with a grave air.


    Tena came running back, sweating.


    Since the battle with the orcs, they''d had no rest, running in every direction and paying attention to everything.


    This constant vigilance was tiring everyone.


    "I spotted some orc scouts nearby, probably looking for survivors or securing the area."


    Maxime nodded.


    "Pick up the pace, and don''t make any noise."


    They would have liked to bury these people, but the energy required and the danger hanging over them made the action too risky.


    They silently left the ruined village, passing through a forest to reach Lapi more quickly.


    Once through this forest, they would finally reach Lapi in less than 10 minutes.


    Bypassing it would waste too much time and could present a greater danger.


    What''s more, the forest offered several advantages.


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    They would be hard to spot, and its large surface area made it difficult to set up ambushes.


    If a battle were to take place, this battlefield would also be conducive to them, as they could fully utilize their agility and use the environment as a force.


    On the contrary, orcs accustomed to wide, strong movement won''t be able to use all their strength here because of the environment.


    Darkness thickened around them, but the glow of Lapi, the central city, already appeared to them as the promise of a last refuge, and a hope as fragile as the flame of a candle ready to flicker.


    The mercenaries advanced at a steady pace, their senses always on the alert.


    Only the occasional creak of branches beneath their feet and the rustle of wind in the trees disturbed the oppressive calm of the forest. The stars, tiny points of light, timidly pierced the dark sky, but were not enough to dispel the growing darkness.


    Jean, at the rear of the group, was casting worried glances behind him. The vision of the ruined village and its corpses remained etched in his mind, an image he knew he''d find hard to shake off. Rodrigo, walking beside him, murmured in a husky voice:


    "Do you think they''re already on our trail? Those scouts... they were so close."


    Jean replied, his gaze fixed and his jaw clenched:


    "I don''t know, but I have a feeling we''re not out of danger yet."


    A palpable tension spread through the group. Even those who hadn''t heard the exchange felt the growing nervousness.


    In the lead, Maxime scanned the road, his beady eyes searching for the slightest sign of movement.


    His left hand rested firmly on his sheath, as if to tell himself that his sword was still there and would defend him if anything happened.

 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, complete silence and camouflage 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 frenetic 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 night combined 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, irregular footsteps drew closer, accompanied by grunts and choppy words in a language 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 particularly worried about Charles. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    This guy was his mercenary with the most potential; he could become as strong as a knight in the next few months given enough time.


    Not to mention his talent, which would still come in handy in a few years'' time.


    Unfortunately, he was only an apprentice knight at the entry stage at last 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 become a strong man, both physically and mentally. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 calculated...]


    Ding!


    [Statistics calculated, 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: display 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 displayed in front of him as he saw something strange and prepared to react to any situation.


    The blackness of night returned completely.


    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. His companions 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 village.


    Maxime waited for the torchlight to fade into the distance before straightening slightly, his muscles finally relaxed. He exchanged a glance 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 and lanterns hanging from the walls radiated a warm, welcoming glow.


    The town seemed inviolable, a bastion of peace in the midst of tormented lands.


    An emotional silence fell over the group, as everyone felt the weight of tension gradually dissipate.


    Maxime cast a calculating glance 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 villages.


    "Here we are." murmured Henry, looking almost incredulous.


    "Lapi is intact."


    The mercenaries exchanged knowing glances, fatigue and fear giving way to a semblance of comfort.


    Jean looked up at the ramparts and saw guards in full armor watching over the plain around the city.


    Their discipline and vigilance 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.


    "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''ve come 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 villagers.


    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.


    "Welcome to Lapi. Come in, and rest assured you''re safe here."


    The portcullis lifted with a deep creak, and the mercenaries entered the city, welcomed 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 89 Whos Baron Irut?

    Maxime paused for a moment, watching the vibrant city, and murmured to himself: S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."For how much longer?"


    After being allowed into the city, Maxime and his mercenaries separated from the crowd on the central alley and moved into a cobbled alley, looking for a place to rest.


    The group, exhausted by the battles and the night''s flight, was in desperate need of sleep. Rodrigo suddenly raised his hand and pointed to a carved wooden sign depicting a sleeping dragon, called L''Auberge de l''antre du Dragon.


    They entered, and were greeted by a puff of warmth and a delicious smell of stew.


    All the mercenaries began to swallow thanks to the smell mixed with the cries of distress from their stomachs.


    The innkeeper, a stocky man with grey hair and bright eyes, quickly sized them up. But despite their dirty, battle-scarred outfits, he didn''t neglect them.


    The weapons they carried made it clear that they were not to be trifled with.


    On the contrary, he knew better than to offend powerful fighters whatever their appearance.


    "Good evening and welcome to the Auberge de l''Antre du dragon, what can I do for you?" he asked in a slightly husky voice.


    Maxime placed a few gold coins on the counter, a payment that more than covered their needs.


    "A good meal and beds for 30, please."


    The innkeeper nodded and handed them iron keys, indicating the staircase to the upper floors.


    "Your meal will be ready in 15 minutes, you can rest in your rooms.


    "Your room numbers are indicated on the keys.


    "A member of our staff will come and let you know when your meal is ready."


    Maxime was satisfied and let the mercenaries disperse with their keys.


    Some collapsed on the beds as soon as they were in their rooms, others took the time to remove their dusty boots and tend to their wounds.


    As for Maxime, he sat on the edge of his bed for a while, his mind still tense, mentally replaying the latest events.


    The image of the orc army advancing under the trembling light of their torches still haunted his thoughts.


    Especially that mysterious orc shaman, he really thought for a moment that they would have been forced to engage in combat with those orcs.


    If that had happened, even he didn''t know if he would have made it out alive.


    Shortly afterwards, a woman passed through the rooms to warn that the meal was ready.


    Some of the mercenaries had already fallen asleep, but they were shaken by their teammate to force them to go and eat.


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    At dawn, after a few hours'' restful sleep and a hearty breakfast, Maxime gathered his men in the inn''s great hall.


    They had all had a chance to take a bath in the water, while their equipment had been washed by the inn''s staff.


    They were much more presentable than when they had returned to town.


    Now they had to appear before Count Ardan with proof of their battle and claim their reward.


    Each mercenary''s features were marked by fatigue, but a gleam of determination shone in their eyes.


    Proudly carrying the saddlebag containing the orc ears, the group once again made their way through the streets of Lapi, which was slowly waking up under the first rays of the sun.


    Their passage through the streets frightened some of the town''s citizens, as the aura they exuded in the street was still marked by the previous battles they had experienced.


    Unlike the civilians who circulated here and lived a happy, peaceful life, the mercenaries had seen blood, killed with their own hands, and put their lives on the line in recent days.


    So obviously, there was something of a collision between the two worlds when they came face to face.


    As they walked towards Count Ardan''s mansion, a group of young men in burgundy uniforms crossed by gold embroidery blocked their path.


    Leading the way was a young man named Leo, a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed man who stopped them with suspicious eyes.


    "Well, what do you hope to achieve by parading around like that?" challenged L��o.


    Maxime, aware of the futility of a conflict here, replied calmly.


    "We''re mercenaries. We''re on our way to the manor to show the count our military merits and claim our reward."


    The young teenagers were surprised, but when they saw that the mercenaries were mostly around their own age, they burst out laughing.


    Another apprentice, Tomas, a dark-haired, square-jawed boy, raised an eyebrow.


    "Are you making fun of us? How could poor mercenaries like you kill orcs? Even apprentice knights like us have to risk our lives to kill just one!"


    Maxime took another look at them.


    Lapi deserved to be a count''s capital; they could meet a dozen apprentice knights at random in the morning.


    However, he was far too busy to waste time with apprentice knights who were obviously still in training and had therefore never seen blood.


    "Andrew, could you please clear the way?"


    The latter agreed with a big smile at Maxime''s request.


    "It''s my pleasure to do it."


    Seeing a red-haired young man emerge from the mercenary group, the apprentice knights felt contemptuous.


    "What do you plan to do?" asked Leo, curious.


    "Clear the way of course, what else could I do?"


    The apprentice knights were particularly angry on hearing this, especially Tomas.


    "We''re apprentice knights from the purple knight academy!"


    "Our academy trains over fifty powerful apprentice knights every year!"


    "Do you really think a mere mercenary like you can defeat us?"


    In this world, apprentice knights almost never joined mercenary groups, as the risk/reward ratio was far more attractive when they served nobles than when they risked their lives as mercenaries.


    What''s more, the profession of apprentice knight in the service of a nobleman was far more glorious than that of apprentice knight in a mercenary group.


    In fact, apprentice knights joining mercenaries were seen as waste products with no potential and a rebellious streak.


    As a result, Ultia and Henry found it even more difficult to make a choice beforehand.


    "Ohhhh are apprentice knights from an academy so powerful?" exclaimed Andrew with a contemptuous smile.


    "Of course they are! Our breathing method and our training are far more qualitative than all the apprentice knights you could find at barons and viscounts!" replied Leo, confidently.


    "Exactly, we''re one level above!" continued Tomas.


    "During the tournaments held in the capital, we regularly manage to have an apprentice knight in the top 10!"


    "Our apprentice knights from the south are well known for their fighting power!"


    Andrew felt like laughing to hear these guys boasting so much about their performance.


    Then suddenly he had a good idea.


    "In our mercenary group, we have two apprentice knights who come from Baron Irut''s territory, would you like to have a match?"


    "Apprentice knights in your mercenary group?"


    "And they want to compare themselves to us?"


    "Is this a joke?"


    "Who''s even Baron Irut?"


    "Do you know the guys?"


    "No, never heard of them..."


    The apprentice knights of the purple knight academy burst out laughing.


    "Do you accept or not?"


    Andrew''s firm, powerful voice calmed the apprentice knights'' ardor.


    At this point, somehow, they sensed that Andrew was a particularly strong individual.


    "Yeah, we accept." finally replied Leo with a confident face.


    The ruckus began to draw many villagers into the street.


    Seeing that the situation could get out of hand, the apprentice knights proposed to have the duel at their academy.


    Andrew then looked to Maxime for authorization.


    Maxime gestured with his hand that he didn''t care and could accept.


    "All right, we''ll follow you."

 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 and large 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 clad apprentice knights trained here, executing precise movements under the watchful gaze of their instructors.


    The sudden arrival of mercenaries accompanied 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 Alaric.


    Leo stepped forward, puffing out his chest.


    "Master Alaric, we''ve decided to show these mercenaries the true power of an apprentice knight trained here at the Purple Knight Academy."


    Sir Alaric squinted, his attention focused on the mercenaries, whose posture was surprisingly relaxed, as if they''d come 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 Alaric nodded, intrigued.


    "So be it. I want to see what you can do. Let the duel take place 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," declared 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 can come 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 success!"


    "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, accept." the firm voice of the Alaric instruction echoed on the spot.


    "So annoying." murmured Leo, stepping forward in spite of himself; in no life would he dare answer the knight Alaric, 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. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 place, 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 Alaric gave the signal.


    The two apprentices charged without delay, Tomas using his shield to try to destabilize Henry.


    But Henry deftly dodged, pivoting with feline precision. His blade 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 and landed a swift kick, sending his opponent crashing to the ground.


    The mercenaries weren''t particularly surprised, as these gestures were regularly practiced by Henry during training sessions.


    The crowd, however, was not at all accustomed 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 Alaric''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."


    Alaric''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 relaxed 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 glancing at Leo. They exchanged a brief nod.


    Sir Alaric squinted curiously.


    He was familiar with the silent language of apprentices preparing to attack together.


    In their academy, teamwork was very important and surpassed, in terms of importance, individual combat 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 flank.


    Simultaneously, Tomas took advantage of the opening to strike with his sword towards Henry''s right shoulder. The duo hoped to throw Henry off balance with this coordinated attack.


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    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 blade, 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 blade met Tomas''s in a controlled clash.


    He disarmed Tomas with a swift movement, the latter''s sword whirling through the air before falling back to his feet.


    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.


    "Strength comes not only from where you train, but from what you live."

 Chapter 91 Duel won

    "Strength comes not only from where you train, but from what you live."A heavy silence followed his words, then he raised a hand to signify the end of the duel.


    "This is the end of the duel. I declare Henry the winner."


    Murmurs began to run through the crowd, having difficulty accepting the fact that a mercenary could defeat apprentice knights in their3rd year at the academy.


    Everyone began to look at the mercenaries who had accompanied Henry. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Henry must be a special existence among them, no?"


    "I hope so, because otherwise it would be really scary."


    "Can you imagine a group of mercenaries all with that level of power?"


    "No, that''s impossible, and then what kind of personal strength would it take to keep order in a group of men where everyone has the strength of an apprentice knight?"


    "You''d have to be at least as strong as a formal knight, wouldn''t you?"


    A few glances landed on Maxime, who had a simple smile on his face at this point.


    "No impossible that he''s a knight, he looks maximum 20 years old."


    "In the whole kingdom, only a few exceptional geniuses manage to become knights at that age."


    "Especially since he looks more like 18 than 20."


    "To become a knight at 18, in the entire history of the kingdom, there have been less than five people who have managed that feat including the founding king."


    Sir Alaric''s gaze met Henry''s and he nodded slightly, a rare gesture from a man renowned for his rigor.


    The mercenaries, smiling at Henry, watched their comrade return to their ranks. Rodrigo patted Henry on the shoulder with a laugh.


    "Well done, you''ve made your mark today."


    Henry sketched a calm smile.


    "I just hope people stop underestimating our mercenaries."


    "And especially by improving our group''s reputation, we''ll also be able to earn more money."


    The mercenaries nearby all heard Henry''s words and most began to laugh loudly, drawing curious glances from the students of the Purple Knight Academy.


    "You''ve got it, Henry!" commented Rodrigo, laughing.


    But their laughter gradually stopped as Sir Alaric stepped forward, his imposing stature dominating the courtyard.


    All the mercenaries were aware that this man could crush them all single-handed, if it weren''t for Maxime.


    And even with Maxime, it would be a tragic fight without his talent.


    A silence fell, and every apprentice knight, every mercenary, held his breath.


    "Henry," he began, his voice deep.


    "Rare are those who have been able to face two of our students alone and win hands down with a kingdom similar to theirs or even inferior."


    His stern gaze was tinged with admiration.


    "You''ve proved that your training, though different, has nothing to envy that of our students."


    A murmur of approval went through the crowd. Leo, still panting with frustration on his face, stared at Henry with a mixture of respect and bitterness.


    Tomas, for his part, acknowledged his defeat without rancor.


    From his point of view, they had been completely dominated from start to finish.


    Naturally, such an adversary deserved his respect.


    Sir Alaric continued, turning to the school''s students, who were turning out in ever-increasing numbers in the wake of the event.


    Among them were even4th and 5th graders.


    There were no 6th graders, which was also the last year, as 6th graders gained experience fighting orcs.


    "Let this be a lesson to all. True strength is not limited to the fighting techniques acquired within these walls, but to the experience and instinct gained in battle."


    The master-at-arms spoke again, this time addressing Henry directly:


    "I see in you a potential that exceeds what I''ve seen in many of my students. In this exceptional case, I invite you to join the Academy of the Purple Knights." Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Your talents, if cultivated here, could make you a powerful knight."


    A shocked silence fell over the crowd.


    Some of the apprentice knights looked at each other in disbelief.


    Henry, caught off guard by this unexpected offer, remained calm.


    The idea of joining an academy with such prestige, which is the dream of so many, had often haunted him when he was still in training at Hypocamp.


    But he turned to his fellow mercenaries, meeting Maxime''s still calm gaze.


    Then he turned back to Chevalier Alaric, with a confident smile.


    "Master Alaric, this is an honor I would never have dared hope for," Henry replied, his clear voice finally breaking the silence.


    Sir Alaric was beginning to put on a slight smile, but the words that followed made his face change completely.


    "Master Alaric, this is an honor I would never have dared hope for. But I cannot accept. My path has been paved by my fellow mercenaries. They trained me, supported me and became my family. My destiny is with them."


    A stunned silence fell over the courtyard. The apprentices exchanged shocked glances, and even Sir Alaric, master of his emotions, let slip a flash of surprise mixed with a little anger at being rejected in front of so many people.


    Leo, watching Henry, had a look filled with respect and frustration, understanding at that moment that the man they had faced was not only physically strong, but mentally too.


    "Are you sure of your decision? A group of mercenaries will only waste your talents in addition to drastically increasing your chances of dying without a burial ground."


    Sir Alaric''s words didn''t make the mercenaries laugh at all.


    And having been through several battles in a short space of time, everyone was hot-blooded now.


    Everyone laid hands on their weapons, ready to draw at the slightest command from Maxime.


    This immediately changed the mood of the place.


    The apprentice knights, especially the4th and 5th graders, had previously been completely uninterested and even scornful of Henry.


    From their point of view, he had only benefited from a little surprise.


    A mere apprentice knight at the entry stage didn''t deserve praise in front of them, most of whom had reached the stage of minor or even major success.


    They were all highly skilled fighters.


    But at this moment, they were all intimidated by the momentum of the Saber-toothed Tigers.


    Twenty of them in particular, while another ten didn''t seem to know how to react.


    Maxime stepped forward to face Sir Alaric, before the shocked eyes of the crowd.


    He silently activated his talent, suddenly giving off a powerful burst of energy.


    He controlled his talent as best he could so that it was active only on himself.


    After all, he had already activated his talent less than 24 hours earlier.


    But he hadn''t used up all his energy when he activated it, so he still had enough energy left to activate it again, limiting the effect on himself for a few minutes.


    His eyes and hair changing color shocked everyone.


    No one had ever seen anything so magical.


    "Chevalier Alaric is it? You can secretly despise us, but you can''t publicly humiliate our mercenary group."

 Chapter 92 Training with apprentice knights from the Purple Knights Academy

    "Chevalier Alaric 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 Alaric.


    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 Alaric, 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 Alaric 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, Alaric 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 Alaric''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 black leather tunic reinforced with polished metal plates completed 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 that laid bare the very essence of each person.


    The murmurings ceased instantly when his eyes met Maxime''s. The latter, still under the spell of his own presence, was in awe.


    The latter, 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.


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    With a slow gesture, Ardan raised his hand.


    "Good morning dear students, good morning Alaric 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 intelligence network.


    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.


    Alaric 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''ve come to Lapi to take on my students?" he added in a calm tone.


    "Indeed, we''ve come both to offer our services to Count Ardan and at the same time to claim 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 glances 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 particularly 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?"


    "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 Alaric took his place as observer, ready to oversee this unexpected encounter between the mercenaries and his students. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 welcoming, confident smile.


    "I accept. 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 welcomed by the apprentice knights.


    Of course, the apprentice knights knew that they were just villagers 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 clashes 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 singularity 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 particularly important meritorious deeds."


    "Otherwise I''ve heard rumors about you, Maxime."


    "The count is joking, what kind of rumors can circulate 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 his command ordinary former villagers who in a very short time have become 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 become stronger overnight, but it must be said that I have a certain eye for spotting people with potential."


    Maxime preferred to play the modesty card mixed with a little truth rather than say directly:


    "I have a monstrous talent that means anyone can become 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 by coming 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 inflexible laws of lords and knights. I want to show that we can become 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 flat tone.


    Maxime made a note in his head to research the subject later, as Count Ardan obviously didn''t want to talk about it in depth.


    A few moments later, 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. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A large 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 placed 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 a large 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, particularly 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 placed his hands on the table and leaned towards Maxime. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    "It''s no accident that I agreed to receive you so promptly. Your group and your talent could play 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 become a pivot, a point of balance in this storm."


    The silence that followed was heavy, while outside, the sound of clashing blades 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 orcs comparable 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 villages." the Count replied directly.


    Then he went on to explain:


    "Orc armies, for greater efficiency, dispatch their armies quickly to eradicate as many villages 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 salary 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 sum coming 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 accept 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 succeeded, so much the better; if not, he''d only be a little disappointed.


    "I hear your request, Maxime, and I accept it. You''ll have carte blanche to conduct your operations as you see fit, provided you deliver regular reports on your missions. And believe me, these reports will be closely scrutinized."


    Maxime nodded, satisfied with this clause.


    "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 elaborate.


    "He''s an apprentice knight at the stage of great success 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 my command, 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 calculated every gesture he made.


    In the absence of training methods, all mercenaries became like this, developing their own style of mastery according 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.


    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. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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.


    The latter barely dodged, the sweat beading on his forehead and the tension in the air becoming 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 balance.


    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 become 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.


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    By the time Alden received the blow and saw the lack of power, it was already too late.


    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 applause.


    Sir Alaric approached Andrew, took his left arm and raised it.


    "I declare 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 applause 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 acceptance 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 glances 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 village 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 accept, your first mission will begin tomorrow."

 Chapter 95 Maximes strength revealed

    "Get your men ready. If you accept, your first mission will begin tomorrow.""Do we have any details on the number of orcs we''ll be facing?"


    Count Ardan looked at Maxime approvingly.


    A leader shouldn''t rush headlong into a mission without knowing the details of his opponent.


    "There are only about thirty orcs, but all of them are rather large and therefore strong."


    Maxime didn''t know this information, as studying orcs is part of the courses received at university.


    No one expects students in high school to fight orcs, and teaching them to fight them will only encourage students to fight them, and in most cases, to die quickly.


    "What does that mean? What exactly should I expect?"


    Count Ardan was slightly surprised that Maxime didn''t know this kind of common sense.


    Then he remembered that he was young and not noble, so it was rather understandable.


    "We consider that as soon as an orc exceeds 2 meters, which is the case for most orcs, they have the strength to take on an apprentice knight." sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If an orc exceeds 3 meters, he can barely take on a knight, but he''ll probably end up losing, and in short order."


    "This knight will undoubtedly win thanks to his agility and technique. Because a contest of strength with an orc is generally a bad idea."


    Maxime reflected slightly, and guessed that, based on the system, one meter of height was equal to one point of physique.


    However, unlike the physique of humans, which was generally very balanced, that of orcs leaned heavily towards strength, endurance and defense, to the detriment of agility.


    Hence the count''s remarks.


    "And according to the information, there are orcs to pay attention to?"


    "Yes, they''re led by an orc measuring 3 meters tall, and there are also 5 orcs measuring between 2.5 meters and 2.7 meters tall."


    "The rest are pretty ordinary ranging from 2 meters to 2.3 meters."


    Maxime nodded, quickly analyzing the situation.


    The orc measuring over 3 meters had to represent the greatest challenge, especially if he had the ability to command and coordinate the other orcs.


    The mention of the five intermediate-sized orcs between 2.5 and 2.7 meters indicated powerful orcs that could seriously injure or even kill some of the mercenaries if they weren''t careful.


    "It''s feasible, but we need to prepare our strategy well," Maxime thought silently.


    Count Ardan watched him with rapt attention. Maxime''s thoughtful reaction, his ability to envisage solutions and not just reactions, confirmed that he was not dealing with a simple mercenary leader.


    "I wonder if he''s born with it, or has someone taught him?" thought Count Ardan silently.


    The Count could never have imagined that Maxime came from another world, and that in this world there were many subjects to study in connection with the world of Eternity.


    "We accept this mission."


    Ardan inclined his head, satisfied with the swift, assured response.


    "Irina is a strategic position, and its loss would weaken our control over the entire southern region. The defense of the village is crucial, but it might just be a prelude to something bigger."


    Maxime frowned slightly, catching the nuance in the Count''s words.


    "You think the orcs are planning a major incursion?"


    Ardan nodded slowly, his gaze lost for a moment in memories of ancient battles.


    "It''s highly probable. There are rumors of a coalition between orc tribes, a rare and worrying event. If they''re true, we can expect a more devastating wave than usual."


    Maximus frowned.


    "The Count''s words are the same as Baron Edrin''s, so there really could be something dark afoot?"


    Maxime and the Count then discussed a few innocuous things, before Maxime respectfully left the Count''s office.


    After leaving the office, Maxime joined the courtyard, where Andrew was still chatting with Alden and other apprentice knights, while the other mercenaries were busy learning duels with the other apprentice knights.


    There were victories and defeats on both sides, but the main thing was that each side learned from the other.


    The mercenaries learned the orderly, methodical style of the apprentice knights, while the apprentice knights learned to counter the unpredictable and particularly deadly styles of the mercenaries.


    But the arrival of Maxime caught everyone''s attention, bringing the duels to a temporary halt.


    "Get ready, Saber-toothed Tigers. We leave at dawn to defend Irina''s village."


    The mercenaries exchanged glances, smiles taut with concentrated faces. Andrew, who was closest, nodded.


    "Agreed, Chief. We''ll be ready."


    Alden, sensing an excellent opportunity to make progress, interrupted Maxime.


    "I wish to accompany you."


    A murmur of astonishment ran through the ranks, as Maxime watched the young knight with a piercing gaze.


    But for him, having an apprentice knight at the stage of great additional success was an important added strength.


    "So get ready, Alden. At sunrise, we''ll leave to face this storm together."


    "There''s still time before you leave, why don''t you train with me in the meantime?"


    Maxime turned to the person who had said this with surprise.


    "Chevalier Alaric..."


    "Why are you afraid?" added Alaric with a teasing smile.


    "No, but the difference in strength is far too great between us."


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    Alaric shook his head with amusement.


    "Don''t worry, I''m simply offering you a personal course to improve your skills."


    All the apprentice knights in the academy couldn''t believe it, and displayed gaping mouths.


    One apprentice knight murmured:


    "Am I dreaming or did I really hear what I heard?"


    "I think I heard the same thing," added another nearby.


    "Professor Alaric really did offer personal training to the mercenary leader."


    "Luck."


    "Normally you have to be top in the top three of your year to benefit from it, and even then it''s only a few hours'' guidance."


    The crowd was a little disgruntled and jealous of such preferential treatment for an outsider to the academy.


    Sir Alaric noticed this, and laughed at the apprentice knights.


    "If you can reach the level of a knight at his age, even if he''s the weakest knight who ever existed, then I''ll gladly teach you all day."


    The apprentice knights were shocked, while the mercenaries were suspicious that this knight could directly guess their leader''s level of strength.


    "Don''t deny it Maxime, when you gave off that aura earlier, I felt threatened."


    "Now you''re back to normal, but you must still have the level of a knight."


    Maxime shook his head.


    "I''m at most slightly stronger than the apprentice knights at the peak stage, but the power of a knight is still a long way off."


    Maxime''s words created a silence in the crowd.


    A mercenary from nowhere could take down all the students of the strongest academy in the south of the Kingdom.


    It was unheard of.

 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."


    Alaric was the honest, straightforward type, so he explained his intentions and motivations directly.


    "And who knows, maybe one day it''ll be me who needs your help."


    Maxime understood better, and accepted the situation.


    His mastery of the sword still lagged 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 Alaric."


    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 Alaric 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," Alaric said with a laugh.


    "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 similar 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.


    Alaric 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 Alaric, pointing to a blunt steel training blade 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 balance was perfect, a sign of the superior quality of the academy''s weapons.


    "We''ll start with some basic movements," Alaric explained.


    "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, Alaric attacked, his blade emitting a whistling sound as it split the air. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 calculated to test his opponent''s reflexes and defense.


    Maxime defended himself with total concentration, using movements he had learned as best he could through combat and self-reflection.


    He also applied Kilian''s advice on how to defend himself.


    Yet Alaric 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 Alaric 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 Alaric was priceless.


    "Your skills are incredible, Professor. I can already see where I need to improve."


    Alaric gave a short, frank laugh.


    "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 Alaric deliberately left. As the minutes passed, the bond between the two men grew stronger, a mutual respect forged in the exchange of blades and the sweat beading on their foreheads.


    As the training drew to a close, Maxime knelt briefly, exhausted.


    Alaric laid 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 the complex in amber hues.


    Built on a hill, the academy dominated the surrounding area, offering a breathtaking view of the forests and rolling plains.


    Its buildings, though simple in architecture, bore the hallmarks of subtle wealth: arches adorned with engravings recounting legendary battles, stained-glass 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 become accustomed 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 97 A bad feeling

    Only a few seemed indifferent to such wealth.These were Rodrigo, Ernest, Laura and Izo.


    The first two came from noble families, so this was understandable, although nobody knew exactly where they came from.


    All the other mercenaries knew was that they were considered trash in their families.


    Izo, who was one of the mercenaries who had joined Maxime at the very beginning, had always been an emotionless individual.


    As if the outside world couldn''t affect him. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even when Quessoi had been destroyed by bandits, he had shown no emotion.


    So the mercenaries were used to it, although everyone watched Izo from time to time to see if he could display anything other than an imperturbable face. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    But that never happened.


    On the other hand, the mystery surrounding Laura was total: her past was something dark, as everyone had guessed.


    But no one dared ask her what she''d been through.


    It was in this atmosphere that they continued walking, eventually arriving in a gigantic room, where 3 extremely long tables were placed, each able to seat over 100 people.


    The room was extremely well decorated, with paintings hanging on the walls, showing various war scenes that had been important in the history of Ravemont County.


    Many showed war scenes with orcs, while others showed scenes against other humans.


    Some even featured men riding griffins.


    At the back of the room was a table reserved for teachers if they wished to eat here and/or announce something to the students.


    The mercenaries spread out with the apprentice knights with whom they had got to know.


    This created a very friendly and pleasant atmosphere.


    Servants in embroidered tunics moved silently about, bringing dishes garnished with roasted meats, seasoned vegetables and still-warm bread.


    The tables in the large common room, made of dark, polished wood, were illuminated by hanging candlesticks that cast dancing shadows on the walls.


    Stories, battle anecdotes and funny training moments were shared.


    Voices and laughter echoed around the room.


    Andrew, raising a glass of fruity-tasting wine, toasted a young knight who recounted how he had almost lost his life in the city.


    On patrol in the town center, he had noticed a fight between some elderly people.


    Not wanting to see anyone hurt in front of him, he tried to stop the fight.


    But when he approached them and decided to stop them with his powerful physique, he was sent straight to the ground.


    As it turned out, these old men were all retired apprentice knights who had seen many battlefields.


    Even if old age had caused them to lose a lot of strength, it was more than enough to deal with an inexperienced apprentice knight at the entry stage.


    When the anecdote was told, giggles were heard at their table.


    Others then began to recount similar experiences, which further amplified the laughter of those at the table.


    It seemed that these old men were notorious for fighting amongst themselves, and that many an apprentice knight had been beaten by them.


    And unfortunately for them, being valuable soldiers who had performed meritorious deeds, the Count turned a blind eye to all their actions as long as they weren''t excessive.


    On the other side of the room, Alden was chatting with James and Piedro, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as he listened to their tales of battle against bandits and orcs.


    At another table, Terry and Lira sat side by side, chatting with apprentice knights.


    No one noticed that their hands were intertwined under the table.


    Little by little, the warriors grew tired. The voices died away, giving way to the crackling fire of the torches illuminating the academy, and the light wind whistling through the ramparts.


    The mercenaries slept in the very comfortable beds of the 6th-year apprentice knights who were in training, and who wouldn''t be back so soon.


    For their part, the apprentice knights returned to their own dormitories, the last words exchanged fading into the quiet night.


    At the first light of dawn, Maxime stood ready, his figure erect before the massive doors of the academy.


    His stern gaze swept over the gathering warriors. The Saber-toothed Tigers, armed and braced, took up their positions, closely followed by a few apprentice knights led by Alden.


    Each of them wanted to gain real combat experience before the 6th year.


    Clearly, the Count had great confidence in Maxime and let these apprentice knights accompany him.


    The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, bathing the courtyard in a golden glow and casting elongated shadows on the academy walls.


    A solemn silence fell as Maxime raised a hand, drawing everyone''s attention.


    His eyes met those of his mercenaries, battle-hardened faces, some bearing visible scars while others concealed deeper, invisible wounds.


    The new recruits remained in the academy for training.


    On this mission, they would only be a hindrance, given their physical appearance.


    So the mercenaries returned, 20 in number.


    The 5 young apprentice knights, including Alden, less experienced but just as determined, stood up straight, listening respectfully.


    There were 3 apprentice knights in the small-success stage and two others, including Alden, in the large-success stage.


    "Saber-toothed Tigers, apprentice knights" began Maxime, his strong, confident voice echoing through the academy''s imposing doors.


    "Today we leave for Irina''s village."


    "We will go together, with a clear strategy, and above all, with confidence in each other."


    "Everyone here has a role to play. Our lives depend on everyone''s cooperation and discipline. So, whatever happens, remember: protect your allies, stand by each other and remain clear-headed in the decisions you make."


    "Don''t let the excitement of battle overwhelm you."


    Andrew raised his sword in a rallying gesture, shouting in a loud voice:


    "For Irina and for honor!"


    The other Tigers followed his example, their voices rising to seal their commitment.


    "For Irina and for honor!"


    "For Irina and for honor!"


    "For Irina and for honor!"


    The apprentice knights shouted back, feeling their spirits rise and their fears and anxieties fade slightly, replaced by fighting spirit, courage and positivism.


    Maxime and his men set off with this energy under the mysterious eyes of the Count and Chevalier Alaric, who had been observing the scene from the top of the ramparts.


    "I see you''re pensive Director, don''t you trust them?" asked Alaric calmly.


    "No, it''s not that, but I don''t know why I have a bad feeling about it" replied the Count, frowning.

 Chapter 98 Distrust

    "No, it''s not that, but I don''t know why I have a bad feeling about it," replied the Count, frowning.On the way, Rodrigo walked alongside Ernest, chatting quietly in a low voice like most mercenaries.


    They were supposed to arrive in the evening, so it was bound to be hard not to get bored for so long.


    These were men, not machines.


    To make up for this, Maxime designated a few men each, 2 at the front, 2 at the back and 1 on each side, for a total of 6 men.


    They thus formed 4 teams, and the teams rotated every hour.


    These teams, when on duty, were not to talk and were to reserve all their attention for their surroundings.


    Occasionally, they moved away from the main team to carry out reconnaissance. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    The march proceeded calmly in this way, without anything happening.


    As they approached Irina''s village, the mercenaries and apprentice knights were relieved to arrive at last.


    The first signs of life appeared in the form of small isolated farms and barns, the wheat fields buffeted by a gentle breeze.


    When they were within a hundred meters of the village, Maxime ordered them to stop so as not to frighten the villagers.


    They were soon spotted, and a crowd of villagers gathered outside the village gates.


    Maxime addressed his men.


    "Don''t forget," he whispered to his men,


    "We''ll be living with these people for 2 days, so be as nice as you were in Plouta. For the apprentice knights, pass yourselves off as mercenaries under my orders."


    "What for, Maxime?" asked Alden curiously.


    "It''s chief." added Andrew, glaring at Alden.


    Alden looked slightly at Andrew.


    "You''re under the chief''s orders right now, so you have to call him chief."


    Seeing that the mercenaries looked at him with almost menacing glances, Alden finally nodded.


    "What for, chief?"


    "And we don''t ask questions about the chief''s orders," Andrew continued dryly.


    Alden knew that Andrew was doing this mainly to establish Maxime''s authority, but also to annoy him so he could make fun of him later.


    They''d already become friends since their duel, and had sensed a good feeling between them.


    "It''s okay Andrew, it doesn''t matter."


    Maxime looked at Alden and explained the choice.


    "If you declare your identity as an apprentice knight, the villagers will feel a social barrier with you, which will complicate our cooperation with them."


    "It''s not particularly annoying, but if we can avoid that kind of little hassle it''s better."


    After Alden nodded in understanding and asked no further questions, Maxime advanced with his men towards the village.


    The villagers, who had emerged from their homes, were casting cold, worried glances at the armed group.


    Although there were over 500 villagers gathered here, Maxime''s 20 mercenaries accompanied by 5 powerful apprentice knights had much more momentum.


    Some of the peasants murmured among themselves, exchanging wary glances in the direction of the mercenaries.


    A middle-aged man with piercing eyes stepped forward, addressing Maximus directly, who was one step ahead of everyone else.


    "What are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously.


    Maxime bowed his head respectfully, trying to appear as calm as possible.


    "We''ve received information from reliable sources that orcs will be attacking this village in less than two days."


    His words sounded like thunder to the villagers, who began to panic.


    Living in the south, they knew full well how much stronger orcs were than humans.


    "But don''t worry, we''ve been commissioned by Count Ardan to protect you."


    At these words, a dry laugh broke out among the crowd.


    A burly man leaning on a pitchfork stared at him suspiciously.


    "And with only a score of men you think you can repel them? It looks like the Count has abandoned us."


    Maxime did not lose his composure in the face of the villagers'' suspicion. He took another step forward, his confident gaze lingering on each of them.


    "I understand your doubts", he replied in a firm but calm tone.


    "But it''s not just a question of quantity when it comes to facing orcs, but of quality."


    "My mercenary squad has already faced and defeated many orcs, otherwise the count wouldn''t have sent us here."


    The man with the pitchfork, his features still contracting with distrust, raised an eyebrow before retorting:


    "Easy for you to say. What are we villagers supposed to do? Hide and pray you''re as strong as you say you are?"


    "Stop it Francis, we have no choice but to trust them anyway."


    The village chief looked at the man with the pitchfork with disgruntled eyes.


    "Whether it''s true or not, we only have these men to protect us."


    Just then, Andrew intervened, his voice ringing with vibrant assurance.


    "No, sir. You''re going to help, too. We need barricades, observation posts, and the eyes of each and every one of you. If we work together, we can block these orcs more easily."


    Murmurs began to break out among the villagers, some nodding their heads while others exchanged worried but determined glances. Maxime, seeing that Andrew''s words had had an effect, addressed the crowd again.


    "Within two days, we will turn this village into a stronghold and protect your families and your land."


    He added in a softer voice, intended to calm the spirits: sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We understand your apprehensions, but we really need each and every one of you to make this plan work."


    After a few moments of silence, the villagers finally accepted the help of the mercenaries and apprentice knights.


    They were first welcomed with a modest evening meal in various village families.


    There were so many villagers in this village that, even with only one mercenary per family, there were still many families who did not welcome any mercenaries.


    The next day, under the leadership of Maxime and his men, the village went into battle.


    They began by erecting barricades and preparing available weapons, while the apprentice knights helped the villagers to quickly practice the basic gestures needed to defend themselves in the event of a breakthrough.


    The most important thing was to make long spears, so that if the unexpected happened, the villagers would be able to defend themselves at least a little.


    Of course, the orcs were so powerful that it would take at least a dozen villagers armed with long spears to face just one.


    After spending a whole day working together, the villagers of Irina''s village were less wary of the mercenaries.


    So much so, that they organized a big meal in the evening, much to the delight of the mercenaries, who began to enjoy these evenings with the villagers.


    The village filled with laughter and song around a large fire in the village center.


    Tired, dust-covered faces gave way to smiles, and the tension of the day gradually evaporated.


    It was a chance to get to know the villagers.

 Chapter 99 Getting to know each other

    This little event was an opportunity to get to know the villagers.For example, there was the village chief''s wife, in her fifties, with sparkling eyes and a kind smile.


    Her name was Mira and she was an incredibly gentle healer, known for her remedies made from simple plants and medicinal herbs she gathered herself in the surrounding forests.


    That evening, she circulated among the mercenaries and apprentices, checking their wounds and chatting with them as if they were old friends.


    She told Izo how she had once healed a soldier who had been bitten by a wolf, while joking that animals are easier to heal than men, as the latter were generally too proud to admit they were in pain.


    To everyone''s surprise, Izo grinned slightly at this story and started talking to her.


    This mercenary, usually so discreet, revealed himself for the first time to be a little sociable.


    On the other hand, there was the man who had provoked Maxime and Andrew leaning on his pitchfork at the entrance to the village.


    Francis was a massive man with greying hair who was busy forging all the tools the villagers needed.


    He was still covered in soot and had scorch marks on his arms, signs of long years spent wielding hammer and anvil.


    But beneath his gruff exterior, Francis was a loving father and loyal friend, appreciated for his sound advice and sense of humor.


    Tonight, he exchanged stories of battles and weapon-making with Andrew, extolling the virtues of his latest blacksmith''s hammer, which for him "had surpassed the work of his ancestors by 3 generations!"


    After a few drinks, he recounted how he had once forged a sword so sharp that "even a child could cut an orc in half".


    Unfortunately, he had lost that sword, which he had made on a whim, mixed with a flash of inspiration.


    Elinor, barely twenty, was a farmer''s daughter who raised sheep with impressive agility and vivacity.


    That evening, dressed in a simple linen tunic, she listened with fascination to the stories of the mercenaries. Her red hair and intense gaze captivated the attention of the apprentices, especially Alden, who almost seemed to look at her with admiration.


    The two stood off to one side and chatted together.


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    It seemed that the feeling between the two was very good.


    Among the apprentice knights, apart from Alden, were Tomas, Theo, Lila and Caleb.


    Tomas was the young man who had fought Andrew with Leo.


    Leo, for his part, hadn''t wanted to risk his life, so he hadn''t come.


    Theo was a slim-faced young man with piercing eyes. His discreet nature contrasted with his skills: he was a highly intelligent strategist as well as being an apprentice knight in the early stages of success.


    That evening, he often stood back, observing the interactions, his lips sometimes quirking a discreet smile.


    Until he started chatting with Tena, who had a minor talent for intelligence.


    The two began to talk about many different things, including politics, finance, territory management and war strategy.


    Their discussion went wonderfully well.


    Occasionally, villagers or mercenaries would join in, until they realized that they were not at all up to the level of such discussions.


    Among the apprentice knights, the only woman who had wanted to come was Lila, with her childlike face and boundless energy, she was an apprentice knight full of life, ready to protect others at all costs.


    She laughed out loud as she listened to Francis the blacksmith''s stories, and even asked Mira to teach her simple herbal remedies if he had time. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She even showed the village children how to hold a sword.


    When James saw this scene, he was interested and started chatting lightly with her.


    First about swordplay, then about other things.


    In particular, the two found they had something in common.


    They both loved the beauty of nature, and loved to take quiet walks to observe it.


    Their dreams were also very similar. They both wanted peace in the world, even with foreign races.


    For them, the world would be happy the day all races lived together in harmony.


    The fifth and final apprentice knight was named Caleb.


    He was tall and sturdy, with a serious look in his eyes, but he had a tender heart and cared about everyone''s safety.


    He was the second apprentice knight at the stage of great success and his strength was very close to Alden''s.


    That night, he took the time to talk to each villager.


    Noticing a little sadness in his eyes, Andrew couldn''t resist talking to him.


    He learned that he had originally wanted to become a simple farmer and take over his ancestors'' land to cultivate.


    When he learned that he had an extremely rare knightly talent - a medium-level knightly talent - he didn''t feel much.


    His dream was to live quietly with his farm animals and continue to cultivate the land of his ancestors.


    But when he saw the pride in his father''s eyes, and how he told the villagers that his son possessed a very high talent for becoming a knight, he could never look him in the eye and tell him that what he wanted was to be like his father.


    And so, in spite of himself, he had forged a new life goal.


    "I want to protect the people who are living my dream.


    Francis, who had heard everything in spite of himself, was touched.


    "Come back to the village one day, and I''ll forge you a unique blade and top-quality armor from what''s left of my precious materials."


    As the night wore on, the villagers began to sing songs from their childhood, and apprentice knights and mercenaries were invited to dance.


    Rudimentary musical instruments had been made by the villagers, adding to the good mood.


    The evening passed quietly in good spirits, until Maxime, who had been lying quietly at the foot of a tree with Laura in his arms, saw one of Tena''s brothers coming towards him in a slight panic.


    "What''s wrong with Moron?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    "The orcs...the orcs are coming!"


    Simultaneously, Laura gripped Maxime''s hand tightly, feeling worried that if it were only the orcs arriving, Morvon wouldn''t have been so panicked.


    He himself was a mercenary who had already experienced many battles.


    "They are extremely numerous, far too numerous!"

 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 glanced at each other solemnly.


    For his part, Alden also left Elinor in spite of himself, sensing that the mood had suddenly changed.


    The villagers also noticed the movement and began to worry.


    Seeing the mercenaries and apprentice knights gathering in front of him, Maxime explained 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 villagers didn''t climb to the top of the ramparts, as the mercenaries blocked their access completely, 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 are coming." replied Maxime simply, his gaze fixed on the nearby forest.


    "Yes, we already know they''re coming, but why react this way?"


    "Because they''re arriving early and in large numbers - too many, according 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."


    The latter was still shivering with fear, so when he noticed he was being questioned, he began to stammer, not knowing what or how to answer. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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''re coming."


    Maxime signaled the mercenaries to stand by, and a tense calm settled over the village.


    The villagers 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.


    Seconds later, 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 planned.


    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 villagers.


    "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 village.


    "I''ll delay them, take the villagers 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 orcs comparable 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!"


    The mercenaries watched this silent scene, their faces filled with all kinds of emotions.


    Everyone knew what kind of relationship 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.


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    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 village 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''t come out alive against such an army.


    How unfair was life?


    A relatively 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 villagers survive!"


    Simultaneously, the first orc collided with the ramparts, shaking the ground beneath the feet of the mercenaries and apprentice knights.

 Chapter 101 Evacuation

    Simultaneously, the first orc collided with the ramparts, causing the ground to tremble beneath the feet of the mercenaries and apprentice knights."Chief, the mission will be accomplished!"


    Andrew shouted, striking a military pose.


    He''d learned it when he was in the real world, quickly observing the military men he''d come across.


    For him, it was the greatest mark of respect he could show to Maxime.


    All the mercenaries did the same, while the apprentice knights brought their fists level with theirs.


    "Chief, the mission will be accomplished!"


    The voices of these 25 individuals rang out together, imbued with an unprecedented solemnity.


    The villagers who heard this were slightly reassured, although the noise outside was frightening.


    "For Irina, for honor and for our survival! Flee!"


    All the mercenaries and apprentice knights leapt lightly from the ramparts like martial arts experts.


    "All villagers, a huge orc horde is attacking us!"


    "Our leader immediately orders you to abandon everything in place and run for the back gate of the village!"


    "Our group of mercenaries will protect you from the orcs chasing you!"


    Andrew, as a worthy self-proclaimed vice-captain, began issuing various orders to make the evacuation orderly.


    Women and children immediately ran out of their homes, and began to run towards the village gate.


    With so many people, panic was inevitable, but fortunately everyone knew each other, so there was no jostling.


    On the contrary, an immense solidarity was born.


    Men carried the village''s elderly and sick on their backs, and ran with one person on their back.


    Although these men quickly exhausted their energy, they couldn''t help smiling gratefully at the other people carrying their family members.


    This mutual aid between villagers was truly admirable.


    Maxime, now alone at the top of the ramparts, stared at the orcs gathering beneath him. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The promise he''d made to Laura and the love shared at such a tragic moment strengthened his resolve, giving him immense momentum.


    Standing here alone, he had the aura of a hero with the villagers who could see him in the distance.


    "Why are we running, Mom?" one child asked fearfully and with tears in his eyes to his mother, who had taken him in her arms.


    "Because our village is in danger, my darling," replied the young mother, trying to reassure her child as much as possible.


    No one but herself knew how much effort it took to keep smiling in this kind of situation.


    On the contrary, she felt like crying her eyes out.


    "So why is there a gentleman still on the wooden wall, why isn''t he running?" asked the child with very curious eyes.


    The mother was stunned for a moment.


    She looked behind her, and saw this solitary back facing monsters of unheard-of size.


    A feeling of admiration and respect was born in her heart at that moment.


    "Because he decided he would save us all, using his body as a bulwark."


    The child calmed slightly after his mother''s reply.


    "I would like to become like this gentleman in the future! ! "


    Red-eyed Laura overheard this conversation and bit her lips.


    Simultaneously, the ramparts literally exploded, creating a thick cloud of mist.


    Maxime''s solitary silhouette could no longer be seen.


    But everyone knew he was there, as silhouettes of orcs were suddenly propelled backwards or even literally split in two.


    Despite this, many orcs began to invade the village.


    House after house was destroyed, savagely trampled underfoot by the orcs.


    Fortunately, no one was left inside. Discover exclusive tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Saber-toothed tigers, that''s where our mission begins!" shouted Andrew in a powerful voice.


    "For the honor!" suddenly shouted Izo.


    This surprised everyone, especially the mercenaries who had known Izo for some time.


    But it motivated them all, giving off a wave of positivity.


    "For the honor!"


    "For the honor!"


    "For the honor!"


    ...


    All the mercenaries and apprentice knights began to shout.


    In the next instant, most of them flew off in the direction of the nearest orcs to fight them, while some stayed behind to protect the villagers in the event of any unforeseen events.


    The villagers kept running in spite of everything, fear and panic mingling with a strange confidence.


    Mira, the healer, guided the older people behind, her reassuring words calming the trembling spirits around her.


    She had volunteered to be in this position, refusing to abandon them even to save her own life.


    The men of the village, led by Francis and the village chief, formed an improvised rearguard of 300 men, each armed with spears and pitchforks, ready to fight to give the others time to escape.


    Lila, the young apprentice knight, walked alongside the children, reassuring them, speaking to them of courage and hope.


    Her soft, soothing voice carried beyond the cries of anguish, and despite the gravity of the situation, the little ones found a little comfort in her smile.


    Andrew and Caleb, for their part, guided the villagers along the safest paths, keeping watch at every turn.


    Caleb, with his serious, determined gaze, felt a particular weight, his own purpose echoing in every step.


    For Maxime, the mood was completely different.


    He felt far too weak against so many orcs, even if he had plenty of space to use his agility.


    Gradually, he became overwhelmed, and more and more orcs invaded the village and began to pursue the villagers and his men.


    If it went on like this, his sacrifice would be for nothing.


    So, alone against the orc army, Maxime made a radical decision to accomplish his mission.


    "NOX LIMIT, activation!


    "NOX LIMIT, activation!


    "NOX LIMIT, activation!


    In a very short time, Maxime forced the activation of his talent several times, while limiting its effect to himself.


    An immense energy surged through his body, strengthening it to an unimaginable degree.


    At the same time, it began to destroy all his muscles, making his body feel immense pain.


    And it wasn''t just his body; he could feel that his soul, deep inside him, had suffered extremely serious wounds, giving him a second immense pain.

 Chapter 102 The end

    And it wasn''t just his body; he could feel that his soul, deep down inside, had suffered extremely serious wounds, giving him a second, immense pain.But Maxime gritted his teeth and tried as best he could to control the energy that appeared throughout his body simultaneously.


    And all that energy transformed him completely.


    Not only had his hair turned white, but so had his eyes.


    All the mercenaries and apprentice knights felt a shiver run through their hearts in Maxime''s direction.


    Especially Laura, who felt her heart clench with every passing moment.


    It was as if a monster of unprecedented power had been born.


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    Everyone knew the details of Maxime''s talent.


    And they more or less equally knew the consequences.


    Having become so powerful, they all knew that Maxime''s chances of survival diminished with every passing second.


    Alone against the orc army, Maxime felt his heart beating intensely, the pressure of events weighing heavily.


    A 3-meter-high orc approached, its deep howl tearing the morning silence.


    Maxime''s sword, brandished high, reflected the rays of the rising sun, and burst into powerful light, like a final call to courage.


    He knew that every second gained counted in saving those fleeing behind him.


    The impact was brutal and intense, and a relentless battle ensued as Maxime struck, dodged and countered the orc''s blows with unprecedented precision and strength.


    The 3-meter-high orc was immediately pushed back without him being able to do anything.


    The orc looked at Maxime with frightened eyes.


    It was the first time in his life he''d been pushed back by a human being.


    Maxime''s current strength was such that he could send all nearby orcs flying with his sheer force alone.


    His speed was also unheard of as he moved through the orcs, decapitating them one by one.


    Despite his courage, the horde continued to pour in, each fallen orc seemingly immediately replaced by two others, and Maxime''s fatigue began to set in.


    In a place far, far away, a mysterious individual opened his eyes.


    His surroundings were equally mysterious and dark.


    Various chains bound his immeasurably large body.


    "Ohhh, I knew I was pretty good at detecting talent."


    His voice was so powerful that it created fractures in the surrounding space and shook the chains that bound him.


    Then he closed his eyes again, perhaps for thousands of years, to conserve as much energy as possible and stay alive.


    Maxime, who was on the battlefield among the orcs, felt that his affinity with the energy that was constantly emerging from his body had evolved, enabling him to control it more effectively.


    He even felt he could put all that energy to new uses.


    Suddenly, he concentrated as much energy as possible in his right arm. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The more energy he accumulated, the more he felt his arm threatened to implode at any moment.


    But he knew this movement had to be absolutely powerful, as it would be his last.


    So he continued to build up energy in his right arm, before the terrified eyes of the orcs, who began to sense the monstrous power this human was exuding.


    Then, two seconds later, in a violent gesture with his sword, he propelled all this energy around him.


    *boom*


    A gigantic explosion took place on the spot.


    All the villagers now walking through the forest towards Lapi heard the explosion, and for a moment stopped to look back.


    Laura, on hearing this, immediately started to retrace her steps, wanting to join Maxime.


    But Andrew stopped her with his body, preventing her from returning.


    "Andrew whispered to Laura, who was biting her lips until they bled.


    The pain she felt in her heart was horrible, but eventually she came to her senses.


    Seeing the villagers looking in the direction of their village, Andrew had to pull them together too.


    "Don''t stop!"


    His deafening voice awakened all the villagers, who resumed walking.


    But Andrew cast worried glances at the other mercenaries, particularly Laura, whose eyes were red.


    Everyone suspected that the explosion had come from Maxime, or at least had something to do with him.


    Back on the battlefield, Maxime had dropped to one knee.


    His sword was stuck in the ground, and he was still clinging to it.


    All around him were countless unrecognizable orc corpses.


    It was even possible to make out 4 enormous orc corpses.


    They were 4 orcs, over 3 meters tall, and could once rival knights, who would never open their eyes again.


    There were still fifty or so normal orcs more or less seriously wounded.


    In other words, with a single move, Maxime had taken down over 500 orcs.


    6 orcs measuring over 3 meters in height had also been seriously wounded.


    The last orc, over 4 meters tall, had several light sword scars on his body.


    His expression was filled with hatred and rage at what had happened.


    He approached Maxime slowly, taking resounding steps in spite of himself.


    Maxime watched helplessly as he approached.


    He had no energy left to fight.


    All that remained was the pain that ran through both his body and his soul.


    But not for a moment did he regret his choice.


    His arms were heavy, but his resolve remained unshaken. His thoughts, beyond the noise of battle, flew to Laura and all those he protected.


    "Damned human."


    "My whole army was almost destroyed by a mere human like you."


    "What a humiliation."


    The hoarse words of the orc, holding a giant mace in front of him, sounded like a loudspeaker in his ears.


    "You''re going to have to pay for this, human."


    But Maxime no longer had the strength to do anything, except show him his middle finger with a light smile.


    After that, Maxime saw the orc''s huge foot approaching him at phenomenal speed.


    His sword, which was in the way, was immediately snapped in two, while his body flew at phenomenal speed into the ramparts.


    The wooden ramparts were immediately destroyed, creating a fog of dust.


    When the dust cloud cleared, Maxime opened his eyes with difficulty.


    What he saw brought a bitter smile to his face.


    He could see a wooden spike literally protruding from his body.


    A piece of rampart had pierced his body completely, creating a huge pool of blood beneath him.


    Maxime had never felt so weak in his life.


    He felt that every bone in his body was completely destroyed, while his soul threatened to fracture at any moment.


    His brain was also severely damaged, to the point where he could no longer feel any sensation or pain.


    Gradually, he felt his eyes close, perhaps never to open again in this life.

 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 villagers and the village 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.


    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 bandit commanders 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 particularly 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 village of Plouta by putting their lives on the line.


    Thinking of Henry, Maxime felt like laughing, 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 accepted 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 in common 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 relatively 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 become 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 calculating 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 light laugh 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 plans to come to fruition. Maxime belongs to me in a deeper sense than you could ever understand."


    Viviana sighed softly, her expression compassionate.


    "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 uncontrollable 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, would compromise what he had been planning for centuries.


    Simultaneously, one notification after another appeared before him. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ding!


    [System unlocked on level two].


    [The host can now access 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 much larger 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 balancing 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 104 A tough battle

    [The host has received a new talent!]At that moment, Maxime couldn''t read all the notifications that had appeared one after the other.


    He only felt one last burst of energy, almost alien to himself.


    The spectral glow intensified around his wounds, miraculously driving the wooden stake from his body and healing the wound in no time.


    His body and soul were once again in very good condition, yet Maxime still wanted to close his eyes.


    He felt that the new energy that had appeared and healed his wounds had done so at the cost of enormous mental exhaustion.


    But he managed to get up again, demonstrating a powerful will to live.


    The giant orc was shocked; he had never seen such a tenacious human in his life.


    At the same time, silhouette after silhouette appeared beside and in front of Maxime.


    "Mission accomplished, chief. The villagers are safe."


    A familiar voice crossed Maxime''s ears, and he recognized the person who had said that.


    It was Andrew!


    "Guys, you shouldn''t have come," Maxime replied with difficulty, but he was happy in his heart. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His whole body was still soaked with his own blood, proof of the deadly situation he''d just been through.


    But he couldn''t help smiling as immense joy coursed through him.


    How many people in the real world had such loyal men under their command?


    His men were back!


    Even the Count''s apprentice knights had returned too.


    "We will live and die with this group of mercenaries. Don''t ever say that again, boss," Andrew replied firmly.


    "You rarely get to see the chief in such a sorry state!" laughed Rodrigo.


    "I''d like to see you there, Rodrigo, go ahead and load up the 4-meter orc and we''ll see how you turn out," added Ernest provocatively."


    "Always taking things at face value," replied Rodrigo, shrugging his shoulders.


    Simultaneously, Laura jumped into Maxime''s arms, embracing him with her warm shower.


    And this time it was for real.


    Unfortunately, the scene wasn''t so romantic, as both he and she were covered in blood.


    The other mercenaries were also all more or less wounded, having fought hard against the orcs who had broken through Maxime''s blockade.


    But fortunately none of them had died, even the apprentice knights who hadn''t had much combat experience were all still alive.


    "I was so scared..." whispered Laura with great emotion.


    "It''s okay, everything''s fine now," Maxime replied softly.


    The mercenaries heard Maxime''s words and all looked at each other to see if they had really heard correctly.


    In the back of their minds, they wondered that if this situation for Maxime was under control, what kind of situation would it take for it to be out of control?


    Perhaps with a god intervening?


    But no one dared say anything, so as not to spoil the moment.


    The orc at the stage of the great knight became increasingly furious at seeing these humans return.


    He had enough intelligence to know what this meant.


    He had lost the orcs he had sent to kill the villagers.


    So he roared with rage, and shouted in orcish:


    "Kill those damned humans!"


    The 6 orcs at knight stage and the hundred orcs at apprentice knight stage screamed in rage in response and charged towards Maxime''s small troop.


    Maxime slowly extricated himself from Laura''s embrace, and placed himself in front of the small troop of men, with a determination that seemed almost supernatural.


    As he did so, he took a spare sword from Andrew so as not to fight empty-handed.


    However, a gentle voice reached his ears just then.


    "Don''t use Nox''s talent, you risk permanently breaking your newly healed soul."


    "Good luck my new prot��g��."


    The voice came from nowhere and left as it had come, disturbing Maxime.


    How could a voice come from nowhere?


    On the other hand, he also seemed to have heard a voice filled with rage when he was about to become unconscious.


    Could he really be going mad?


    Especially as he really intended to use his talent once again to get out of this situation.


    This left him confused for a brief moment.


    "I''ll kill those orcs with or without talent," he thought firmly, clutching his sword with conviction.


    But the reality was quite different.


    Apart from him, when the orcs actually approached, his tired men found it hard to use their agility as before.


    What''s more, the advantage of agility had also diminished because of the number of orcs in front of them.


    They couldn''t move forward, and if they did, their companions at their side would find themselves in danger.


    As a result, one mercenary or apprentice knight after another was wounded.


    Maxime, with superhuman effort, kept intervening to save his men, each movement of his sword guided by incredible strength.


    But the orcs were numerous, always too numerous.


    The ground was soon covered in human and orc blood, but the mercenaries still managed to fight back fiercely.


    They knew that if they suffered the orc attacks without retaliating, there would be only one end.


    So they fought with all the courage they could muster.


    Somehow, even when they suffered powerful blows from the 6 orcs at knight stage, they managed to get up and heal quickly.


    Everyone guessed it had something to do with Maxime, but no one had time to ask for details.


    Gradually, the battle began to drag on, lasting several hours.


    The number of orcs facing us had diminished significantly.


    All that remained were thirty or so ordinary orcs, 4 orcs over 3 meters tall and their leader.


    Of course, the 4-meter-plus orc had intervened several times, but was blocked each time by Maxime at the cost of serious injuries.


    But the end was fast approaching, whether on the orc side or the human side.


    Of the 25 men who had accompanied Maxime, only a dozen remained.


    The rest were still alive, but they couldn''t move a muscle, so they''d been rushed out by those still standing.


    "Chief, if we don''t find a solution soon, we''ll soon be seeing some of our own dead," exclaimed Andrew, who was dueling an orc over 3 meters tall.


    Charles, Laura and Rodrigo took care of the remaining 3 with great difficulty, while Henry and Ultia miraculously managed to kill one orc each at the knight stage.


    But the latter two never got up again after winning their duel, and were among the evacuees.


    All the mercenaries would have died long ago had it not been for the blessing of Maxime''s new talent.


    On the other hand, Alden, Thomas, Theo, Lila and Caleb had long since been evacuated from the battlefield.


    None of them had been able to stay on the battlefield for so long.


    The longest to stay was Alden, with a record of one hour, which was more than admirable.


    He had stayed until he lost consciousness.


    Fortunately, Ernest was nearby and was able to evacuate him quickly.


    It was at this point, when all seemed lost, that a tremor came from the ground.


    It was so peculiar that everyone quickly recognized it.


    A cavalry was approaching.


    The individuals riding the horses in the distance could soon be recognized.


    It was the Count, surrounded by over a hundred horsemen.


    Almost like a divine sword, the whole troop charged fearlessly towards the orcs.


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    The result was not long in coming: the orcs were utterly massacred by the terrifying force of the riders.


    The frightened orcs, over 3 meters tall, tried to flee away from Maximus and his men.


    But suddenly 2 men close to the Count jumped from their horses and blocked their path.


    In no time at all, each of the orcs was easily decapitated by these two men.


    The 4-meter-high orc also took fright, and tried to flee, but was stopped by the Count himself, still on his horse.


    "You dare to wreak havoc on my territory and now you want to flee like a coward?"


    "Die."


    The Count, still on his horse, swung his sword, and like a magic blow, a wave of energy was created and sliced the orc''s body in two.


    The orc could do nothing but die with rage and regret.


    The battle finally over, the battlefield was plunged into a heavy silence.


    The ground, reddened by the blood of both sides, was covered with the bodies of orcs.


    The dozen or so remaining mercenaries stood panting.


    But a furious rage began to boil within each of them.


    If they had found themselves in such a situation, it was because of this man.


    Who else but the man who had sent them here, giving them information far removed from reality, could be responsible?


    If they hadn''t had the ability to regenerate very quickly, they''d all have died here.


    They all looked at the Count, standing calmly in front of the 4-meter orc, who seemed to be thinking about something profound.


    After a moment, he approached the mercenaries, followed by his men.


    "Hello, Saber-toothed Tigers.


    "I hope your whole family will soon be exterminated by the orcs."

 Chapter 105 No casualties

    "Shut your mouth you bastard, I hope your whole family gets exterminated by the orcs soon."Laura''s face was particularly hideous at this point, her rage almost seeming able to manifest itself.


    Maxime stood beside her, slightly surprised by Laura''s ferocity, but he did nothing to stop her.


    On the contrary, he was eager to hear what the Count thought of the situation. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    But before the Count could react, two men at the Count''s side stepped forward.


    "How dare you talk to the Count in that tone, do you want to die?"


    Maxime recognized them at once; they were the two men who had taken care of the four remaining 3-meter orcs in a flash.


    "No, Sauna and Lock come back, this situation happened because of me. These mercenaries have every right to be angry."


    "By the way, take off all your helmets, who do you think you''re intimidating?"


    The Count immediately stepped in before things got out of hand.


    Everyone obeyed immediately.


    When Sauna took off his helmet, everyone was able to take a good look at the flamboyant-looking redhead.


    He exuded a vivid, intimidating energy, a raw power that seemed ready to explode at any moment.


    Beside him, Lock, the gray-haired knight, kept an impassive, almost cold face, as if measuring every detail of the scene with calculating precision.


    His appearance and temperament contrasted sharply with that of Sauna.


    The Count watched them for a long moment before approaching Laura, his gaze softer and more sincere than before. He smiled resignedly, clearly aware of the impact of his decisions on these mercenaries.


    "First of all, I sincerely apologize for what happened."


    The Count leaned forward, lowering his posture, which calmed the mercenaries slightly.


    The knights and cavaliers beside him were visibly surprised to see the Count in this position.


    "To be honest, we have no idea how this army arrived..."


    These words rekindled the mercenaries'' rage slightly.


    "What do you mean, you don''t know how this army arrived?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    "This is your territory, you should have total control over it, shouldn''t you?" he continued suspiciously. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, under normal circumstances, yes, that''s the case," replied the Count with a sincere face, but without saying anything.


    For a moment, the Count hesitated to tell the truth.


    Then he finally let go.


    "But when the gods intervene that''s another story."


    The knights and horsemen at his side didn''t seem surprised, and the Count didn''t hide this level of knowledge from them.


    His men occasionally had to face events of this kind, so hiding the truth from them made no sense.


    However, Maxime''s mercenaries didn''t believe a word of it.


    "Come on, Maxime, let''s not work for that crazy nobleman anymore!" exclaimed Andrew, clearly angry.


    "I agree, what a god story, it''s clearly making excuses for one''s own incompetence." continued Rodrigo, also angry.


    "Even if there were gods in this world, why would they be interested in ordinary mercenaries like us?" said Henry, shaking his head.


    But Maxime took the Count''s words very seriously.


    "No, I think the Count is telling the truth," he added in a calm, serene voice.


    The mercenaries looked at their leader like a madman.


    "How can you believe such nonsense chief?" James.


    Maxime once again displayed the notifications that had appeared when he was about to die.


    [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 host has received a new talent!]


    "It''s not nonsense, otherwise how do you think you could have become so strong and even survived such a violent fight?"


    The mercenaries suddenly tensed.


    No one could understand Maxime''s powers, so they simply took them for granted without questioning them.


    Maxime''s mysterious healing and the exceptional passive regeneration they had achieved on the battlefield were more than exceptional.


    But of course, everyone was smart enough not to mention it in front of the Count.


    "The chief is right, if you''ve been paying attention, there was also a terrifying voice ringing in our ears."


    "It was something like, ''how-oses Viviana?''"


    "In the books I was reading in the village library, there was a goddess by that name, and she was known for her healing powers."


    Terry''s voice rang out, receiving a great deal of attention.


    There were over a hundred eyes on him, but he didn''t flinch in the slightest in the face of this pressure.


    On the contrary, he was really confident in what he was saying.


    What''s more, he was careful not to mention Maxime''s powers or what had happened before.


    So the mercenaries were convinced, while the Count nodded, obviously aware of this information too.


    But then he thought of something that puzzled him.


    "But what the mercenaries were saying wasn''t irrelevant, why would gods want to eradicate a small group of mercenaries?"


    The Count scrutinized Maxime intently, as if he''d just discovered a key piece in a complex game.


    Simultaneously, his gaze wandered among the mercenaries, who remained silent, absorbing this startling truth.


    "You''re beginning to understand," resumed the Count in a heavy voice.


    "What''s at stake goes far beyond what anyone could imagine."


    Sauna, the man with flaming red hair, then intervened, his keen eyes staring at Maxime.


    "You seem to be one of the blessed few, Maxime. If you agree to stay, the Count and I might be able to help you master this blessing. Who knows what you might be capable of?"


    Maxime, though troubled by this proposal, remained impassive. A shadow of hesitation passed over his eyes, but he quickly recovered.


    "To master this blessing..." he murmured to himself.


    "Can I refuse this offer? What will happen if I decide to stick to the mission you gave us and nothing more?"


    The Count smiled, a smile tinged with slight malice but also respect.


    "Then I''ll respect your choice. But know that in this world, few people survive without understanding the powers that inhabit them. You and your mercenaries are now targets."


    Laura, whose anger seemed to be subsiding, glanced at Maxime, seeking a glimmer of decision in his expression.


    She placed a hand on his shoulder, as if she wanted to share the burden of this new destiny.


    But for Maxime, what better way than through the system to better grasp his own power?


    Besides, he didn''t want to trust anyone with this kind of question.


    Maxime then took a deep breath and, turning to his men, pronounced in a firm voice:


    "We will continue to simply receive your missions, Monsieur le Comte."


    "Furthermore, I demand compensation for what has happened."


    Sauna and Lock were clearly not happy with Maxime''s bold demand, but the Count stopped them with a wave of his arm.


    The Count replied immediately.


    "No worries about compensation, god or no god, I should indeed have noticed that orc army much earlier."


    "After all, this army didn''t appear out of nowhere."


    "How much are you offering?" questioned Maxime, with a serene look on his face.


    "Um...there are currently around 900 orcs dead at your hands, plus 6 orcs comparable to knights..."


    At that moment, the Count suddenly realized the problem.


    In the rush he hadn''t been paying attention.


    "How did you do that!?"


    The Count''s knights and riders were equally surprised, they hadn''t thought of it at the time.


    "Done what, sir count?" replied Maxime doubtfully.


    "Killing so many orcs obviously."


    The Count seemed stunned; to him it was a more than spectacular scene, but to these mercenaries it looked very ordinary.


    "With our bodies and our swords, how could we have done otherwise?"


    Maxime wasn''t about to confess all his secret cards so easily.


    The Count looked carefully at Maxime, knowing full well that this young mercenary leader must have more than one secret.


    After all, with the strength they''d shown before in the academy, it was impossible to survive this kind of event, let alone kill so many orcs.


    But he decided not to explore further, for he himself had his own secrets.


    "And what''s become of the villagers?" asked the Count, but without too much hope.


    It was good enough that these mercenaries could survive and kill many orcs.


    But he was obviously going to be surprised once again.


    Maxime glanced at Andrew, since he himself knew nothing of the villagers'' situation.


    Andrew, understanding Maxime''s gaze, stepped forward and explained the situation to the Count.


    "They''re all in the forest resting, waiting for us to return."


    "None of them are hurt."


    The Count looked on admiringly.


    "Incredible."


    "At a quick glance, I owe you a minimum of 1400 gold pieces for the orcs killed. And since you performed your task of protecting the villagers brilliantly, as well as to forgive me I''ll round that number up to 2000 gold coins."


    "I''m also prepared to pay an indemnity of 100 gold pieces for each man you''ve lost."


    Maxime looked at his men with a smile, before turning once more to the Count.


    "So you''re going to save money on this one, Monsieur le Comte."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well...we didn''t lose any men."

 Chapter 106 Who are you, Nox?

    "Well...we didn''t lose any men."The Count remained silent for a moment, his riders looking at these mercenaries differently.


    What was the most important parameter before swearing loyalty to a nobleman?


    It wasn''t the salary, training conditions or even the nobleman''s personality.


    It was the mortality rate.


    There were exceptions, but generally it was the most important indicator to consider before swearing loyalty to someone.


    For most people, whether in the real world or in the world of Eternity, it was important to earn a good living, to have the respect of others, to be strong and to build one''s own family.


    Many wanted to see their children and grandchildren grow up in the future.


    They wanted to tell them their stories, tips on how to make money in Eternity or how to train faster.


    For the smartest among them, they wanted to teach them how it was possible to curry favor with a nobleman.


    So, when these people saw that absolutely all Maxime''s men had survived such a terrible battle, they all began to wonder if they''d made the right choice in their lives. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was also true in the real world.


    Seeing the evolution of one of one''s children or grandchildren in the world of Eternity was something very satisfying for most of them.


    According to some studies, the world of Eternity was as much a topic of discussion among parents as grades at school.


    Before the advent of watches and the world of Eternity, the most common question parents asked their children was:


    "How are things at school?"


    And now it''s:


    "Tell us, what''s it like in Eternity?"


    And unlike school, students were much more comfortable talking about Eternity and asking for advice.


    Plus, with parents often in the world of Eternity too, it made for livelier discussions.


    To return to the Count''s horsemen who admired Maxime, if they knew how many men had lost Maxime at the battle of Plouta, they would certainly no longer think the same things.


    "Impressive. I''d offer you a congratulatory bonus too," exclaimed the happy Count.


    He realized that he seemed to have bet on a mercenary with enormous potential.


    He was also happy to know that the 5 apprentice knights he had left in Maxime''s care were all alive.


    They were all geniuses with excellent moral character.


    It would have hurt his heart to lose such geniuses.


    "You can go back to the academy now, my men will take care of the rest here. They''ll also protect these villagers from the small orc army arriving tomorrow."


    Maxime didn''t hesitate in the slightest to accept.


    All his men were mentally and physically exhausted.


    If there was to be a battle tomorrow, who could guarantee that his mercenaries wouldn''t make any mistakes?


    With the strength of orcs, the slightest mistake could cost the life of one of his men.


    Maxime didn''t want to be played by gods again either, so the best thing was to return to the academy, receive the Count''s reward, improve his talent and strength and continue the missions after that.


    "Thank you, Count Ardan."


    Immediately Sauna remounted his horse, followed by some thirty men, and rode into the forest to fetch the villagers.


    It seemed that the Count''s team was very well organized; it didn''t even take a word between the Count''s men to know who was staying and who was leaving.


    What''s more, with a knight at the helm, followed by some thirty riders, all of whom were undoubtedly apprentice knights, Maxime was reassured.


    At the same time, the Count suddenly thought of something.


    "Oh by the way Maxime, we received a messenger who gave us a purse full of gold coins, and he told us it was to give to the Saber-toothed Tigers."


    Maxime smiled slightly at this news.


    "Yes, before we came here, we helped Baron Edrin save one of his villages, who decided to reward us."


    Maxime was smart enough to dodge the part where he''d threatened the baron with an appropriate reward.


    But on hearing this, the Count simply nodded.


    Clearly, he already knew.


    Maxime wondered how the Count could obtain so much information so quickly.


    But it also proved that to hide so huge on his territory, the gods'' means were truly exceptional.


    "I''ll leave you Saber-toothed Tigers here, see you back at the academy."


    Simultaneously, the Count rode off to join his own mount.


    All his riders, including Lock, followed immediately.


    "See you soon," Maxime replied simply, as he and his men watched the Count and his riders ride off.


    Shortly afterwards, Tena jumped up.


    "We''re going to be rich chief!"


    As she said this, her eyes filled with stars.


    As treasurer and responsible for the group''s expenses, this influx of money couldn''t make anyone happier than her.


    With one exception.


    "Ouiiii, we''re going to be rich Tena!"


    The two looked at each other with gold coins seemingly floating in their pupils.


    Only gold could drive Maxime so crazy, so much so that he almost looked like a child at the time.


    The other mercenaries were equally happy as they watched this scene, after all they would benefit from it too.


    "Just boss, how are we going to transport our wounded to the academy?"


    Terry''s voice suddenly set the mood.


    Maxime was stunned for a moment, not knowing what to say.


    There were 10 mercenaries and 5 apprentice knights in a coma, whom they had hidden in the village during the battle.


    For a moment, he had no good idea.


    "Let''s go and see them, maybe some of them have woken up now."


    The mercenaries looked at each other with a shrug, then finally followed Maxime.


    Even walking slowly, they soon arrived in front of an intact house.


    "So they''re inside Ernest?"


    "Yes, we''ve hidden them all here."


    Hearing Ernest''s confident reply, Maxime lightly pushed open the wooden door.


    It gave an unpleasant creak, but the sight of his men lying on the floor next to each other reassured Maxime.


    At least, no orc had found them here and finished them off, for they were very much alive.


    However, all of them, without exception, were seriously wounded, as well as being in a coma.


    Blood was flowing everywhere, due to lack of timely treatment.


    To be honest, Maxime was even wondering how his men were still alive.


    "Have everyone search the nearby houses to see if we can give them a modicum of help to heal."


    Everyone obeyed immediately and began searching for clothing and medicinal herbs to stop the loss of blood.


    While everyone was busy doing this, Maxime took the opportunity to take a look at his new talent.


    [Second talent: Life awakening level 1 (0/1000) (platinum rank)].


    [Its main effect is to significantly improve the regeneration of its owner and his men].


    [A second effect is to slightly improve the lifespan of this talent''s owner and that of his men].


    [Finally, its third effect is to confer on the holder of this talent a very high affinity to the element of life].


    Maximus saw the notifications appear before him, and was shocked.


    He had expected this new talent to be powerful, but he hadn''t thought it would be this powerful.


    The talents were classified as follows:


    Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Legendary.


    However, the legendary rank was called that because only a select few on the entire planet in the real world had talents of that level.


    Holders of gold-level talents could already be considered geniuses in a school.


    Platinum-level talents were generally considered the best talents to be found in most cities.


    Diamond-level talents could be the greatest geniuses in the vast majority of countries.


    So this talent alone already made him the genius of the city of Nansoy, and its effects truly defied the heavens.


    At level 1 alone, it gave him and his men extraordinary passive regeneration and, above all, he had also gained those that many people sought when they went to the world of Eternity!


    He had improved his lifespan!


    In practical terms, this also meant that he had increased the number of times he could die in this world.


    So his potential had been enhanced in some way.


    "System, how much life expectancy have I gained."


    [This talent to increase your lifespan by 10 years.]


    But it also made him ask a lot of questions about his first talent.


    "Incredible."


    The last effect was also great, giving him in itself, another high-level talent.


    However, to appreciate its effects, he would have to continue to grow stronger and study under very powerful people.


    For the moment, this was still a long way off.


    Magic was a subject that was generally only explored in the later stages of university.


    Magic was a subject that was generally only explored in the final stages of university.


    He brought up a few previous notifications.


    [The god Nox is the god of talent, limits and authority. Until the famous incident, he was considered the one balancing 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 him and his history is currently blocked].


    "Who exactly are you Nox?"

 Chapter 107 Divine messenger

    "Who are you exactly Nox?""How did you become 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 become 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 village.


    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 of comment didn''t occur to Nox, who was, according to the system, the most powerful of the gods."


    "It''s all so complicated."


    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'' plans.


    He simply wanted to become 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 glanced 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 villagers, 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 placed 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 village still battered, but at peace.


    The cart, heavily laden 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 success, 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 accomplished a large 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 become 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 become strong as they approached elite soldier level.


    Suddenly, Terry, who was serving as a scout, came back to them with a complicated 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 particularly 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.


    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 to come here.


    One of the men, an imposing knight with black 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 village, 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 were coming from.


    He didn''t even know this kind of profession existed.


    But Edrick''s words weren''t finished.


    "Since you have successfully completed 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 black box.


    When he opened it, Maxime could see a strange black stone, surrounded by a mysterious and almost intimidating aura.


    "This is a stone of divine power, extracted from the sacred lands of the temple of Nox," explained 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. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 classes 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 relatively 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 accept this reward," Maxime finally declared, 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 his companions 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 been completely 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 108 Back to the academy

    If Viviana hadn''t intervened, all his elite men would have died and he himself would have lost 3 years of his life.The thought disturbed Maxime to the core, already thinking of the many men he had lost at Plouta.


    Would his future consist of earning a lot of gold at the cost of his men''s lives, or even his own?


    But he was determined to shoulder the weight of this responsibility.


    It was in this kind of internal conflict that Maxime kept his thoughts to himself as the rest of the journey passed calmly.


    Maxime and his men finally arrived at the academy, the weight of the ordeal behind them mingling with overwhelming fatigue.


    After several hours of walking, punctuated by the creaking of the cart and the heavy footsteps of his mercenaries, the familiar walls of the academy appeared in the distance, imposing and reassuring.


    Reaching the academy''s great stone gate, Maxime signaled to his men to slow down.


    Two guards met them for a routine inspection, though they immediately recognized Maxime and his men.


    And seeing their deplorable state, they wondered what they had been through.


    2 days earlier, they seemed to be full of powerful men with a leader of unfathomable power.


    And now, here they were again, their faces dirty and exhausted.


    Their clothes and armor were completely torn.


    As they approached, they were even more astonished to see that in the cart were many mercenaries but also many familiar faces.


    "Shit, Alden, Tomas, Theo, Lila and Caleb are all unconscious!"


    "What kind of adventure could they have been on to end up in such a state?"


    Maxime began to frown at the guards'' lack of reaction.


    "We''ve got wounded people here, please open the door as quickly as possible so we can give them treatment!"


    Maxime''s cold, dry voice surprised the two young guards.


    Had this been the leader of a simple mercenary group, the two young guards would have scoffed at such threats.


    They were themselves apprentice knights at the stage of minor success.


    But faced with Maxime, they obeyed immediately, without the slightest thought of refusing.


    The two guards quickly returned to the door and immediately ordered it opened.


    The door opened slowly, with a thud.


    As Maximus, his men and the cart passed through the door, they looked very small by comparison.


    Slowly, they entered the academy grounds.


    As they moved through the courtyard, students stopped training, some rushing to offer assistance to the wounded.


    Once inside, he gave clear instructions for the wounded to be taken to the infirmary.


    "Charles, watch over them until the academy healers take over. We can''t lose sight of any of these men."


    Charles nodded, grateful for Maxime''s trust, and guided the cart to the treatment rooms.


    The other mercenaries went to help Charles, or began chatting with the apprentice knights they''d gotten to know the day before.


    Maxime, for his part, headed for the dormitories, accompanied by Laura who walked silently beside him.


    "You''ve been a good leader, Maxime," she said suddenly.


    "Without you, we wouldn''t have come back."


    Maxime turned his head towards her, a little surprised by her words.


    Simultaneously, a familiar face arrived to meet them.


    Alaric, the Academy''s chief instructor, gave them an empathetic look.


    "You seem to have returned in one piece. The Count has informed me of your success."


    "So the Count has already returned?"


    "Yes, much sooner than you, so it''s about time you thought about investing in horses."


    "You''re wasting a lot of time on the road, and time is money."


    Maxime nodded, agreeing with Alaric despite the fact that his head wasn''t really in it at the moment.


    Alaric lowered his voice slightly, his tone becoming more serious.


    "The Count also told me about the peculiarity of your mission."


    Maxime nodded. He wasn''t surprised that the Count had slipped Alaric some information.


    "The mission was more complex than expected, but we fulfilled our part of the contract," Maxime replied, folding his arms.


    "The orcs are eliminated, and the villagers are safe."


    Alaric squinted, a gleam of respect mixed with curiosity in his eyes.


    From what the Count had said, the young man before him had killed more orcs in a few hours than he himself had in 3 years.


    Even though he hadn''t been out on the battlefield much since he''d been in charge of apprentice knight training, the few times he''d been out so as not to rust, his performance had been exceptional.


    He really wondered what kind of card this young man was hiding to obtain such performances, but the Count had reserved a mission for him that had nothing to do with that.


    "Follow me, the Count has reserved accommodation for you in the quarters reserved for special guests. You will also be granted a private audience with him tomorrow morning."


    Maxime was rather curious, given that their treatment had gone from sleeping in the sixth-grade dormitory to sleeping in guest quarters.


    Strength determined status, and nothing was truer than that phrase.


    They followed him through the Academy''s corridors, once again admiring the simple yet robust luxury that characterized the premises.


    The stone walls were strewn with gleaming armor, shields engraved with ancient insignia, and paintings depicting epic battles.


    Several cadets in formation turned to observe the mercenaries, muttering to each other about what they might have faced.


    Once they reached the apartments, Alaric stopped in front of Maxime, staring at him with calculated intensity.


    "The Count seems to think you have... special potential, Maxime. What exactly has happened?"


    "It would seem that this knight is the curious, calculating type," Maxime thought silently.


    But since the Count hadn''t told him everything, Maxime had no reason to reveal his cards.


    No one could know whether today''s friend could become tomorrow''s enemy.


    "We encountered more orc than expected, but we held our swords firmly and held our positions until the Count and his riders arrived."


    Obviously, Maxime couldn''t simply refuse to give the minimum of information.


    Not to mention the fact that this information was of little value, it was preferable to maintain good relations with Alaric for the duration of their stay.


    Alaric smirked.


    "I''m glad the Count was able to get here in time before anything bad happened."


    "I''ll leave you here, feel free to rest well."


    With that, Alaric took his leave, leaving Maxime and Laura to discover their new quarters.


    Seeing that he and Laura were the only ones left, Maxime let himself fall against the stone wall behind him, sliding slowly until his buttocks touched the ground.


    He was tired, too tired.


    Too much had happened in too short a time, and his heart could hardly take it, despite all he could say and think.


    The brain has its limits, where the heart begins to reveal itself.


    Instinctively, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the divine power stone Edrick had entrusted to him.


    The jewel radiated a gentle warmth, calm and reassuring, but its bright, rippling glow seemed to remind him of the extent of all he''d just been through.


    Gradually, however, his hands tightened around the stone of divine power, and he stared at it with an empty, frozen, almost desperate gaze.


    The glow of the stone seemed to beat in unison with the frenetic pulsations of his heart, each shard a reminder of an injury, a near-death experience, the absolute chaos that had marked the last few days.


    Suddenly, an icy wave washed over him, a black tide of pure terror.


    His chest tightened, painfully, as if caught in an iron vise.


    He tried to breathe, but his throat was closing up, each inhalation turning into a muffled rattle.


    The air seemed to have suddenly disappeared as he began to suffocate.


    He brought his hand to his chest, fingers trembling, nails digging into the fabric of his torn armor, desperately searching for something to hold onto.


    But at the same time, the ground beneath him seemed to disappear, as if he were falling, interminably.


    His vision blurred and black dots danced before his eyes.


    The cries of his men, Nox''s frightening voice, the endless army of orcs before him.


    He was alone.


    Everything blended together in an unbearable maelstrom.


    His mind was racing with panic.


    "They''re going to die, they''re going to die... and it''ll be my fault."


    He was literally going mad.


    He dropped the stone, which fell to the ground with a dull clink, and his hands closed around his head, pressing against his temples in a frenzied gesture, as if to chase away the storm of thoughts pounding at his skull.


    Laura, still close by, rushed towards him, her eyes filled with fear and concern at seeing Maxime in such a state.


    She put her hands on his shoulders, but he didn''t react.


    She shook him slightly, calling his name repeatedly, her voice laced with panic, but Maxime was too far away, as if engulfed in an abyss from which he could no longer extricate himself.


    "Maxime!"


    "Maxime!"


    "Maxime, come back! Breathe!"


    She tried to catch his gaze, but her eyes were lost, fixed on something invisible, deep in the darkness of her mind.


    sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 109 Panic attack

    "Maxime, come 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 slap 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 accumulated fear and fatigue spreading through him like an insidious, uncontrollable 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 village 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 semblance of lucidity returned, enough for him to slowly regain his bearings.


    The sound of his breathing calmed, becoming 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 relax, 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 to come 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 could last 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 at last, 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."


    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 balance. 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 and comforting. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The academy''s large 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: large platters 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 places alongside the apprentice knights, the ranks finally complete with the return of the wounded who had regained their strength thanks to the care of the healers.


    The faces of Alden, Tomas, Theo, Lila 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 discreet laughter and murmurs.


    All the apprentice knights had somehow learned that the mercenaries and the few geniuses who had accompanied 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, Lila 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 a complicated expression.


    He was glad 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 delay them, and let his men save the villagers.


    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 villagers, received their share of compliments.


    For his part, Maxime, seated at the end of the table, watched his companions, 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 place in a private room at the Academy.


    Maxime, accompanied by Andrew, stood before the Count, who already seemed to have meditated on their exploits and the next step in their collaboration.


    "I hope you''ve taken the time to consider my proposals," began the Count with a smile.


    Maxime exchanged a glance 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 claim 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 110 Receive the money!

    "Now let''s talk about the main topic, 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.


    "My men have calculated that you killed precisely 873 orcs, including 6 orcs over 3 meters tall."


    "Regarding the orc ears you brought back, we have indeed confirmed the elimination of 52 orcs."


    "Paying you at the same time your first salary of the week in advance, that gives a total of 1825 gold coins."


    Maxime simply nodded in response, but inside he was wildly excited.


    With that much money, he''d not only be able to upgrade his Nox Limit talent to level 2, but he''d also be able to strengthen himself drastically.


    Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    He could, for example, increase his swordsman class by several levels, or even open a new class!


    After his ordeal, Maxime had a strong desire for strength, and clearly wanted to open a new class to become as strong as possible in a short space of time.


    For him now, this was the only way he could keep as many of his men alive as possible, and thus to some extent preserve his potential.


    After all, if he held back from opening a new class to obtain a strong class in the future, but in the meantime he and his men were getting killed, his invested efforts would have been in vain.


    What''s more, if he got stronger, he''d have more confidence in himself to face a challenge if it were to happen again.


    "Adding the Baron''s gift of 300 gold coins for protecting the village of VentBois and 200 gold coins, which, according to his envoy, are an investment in your group, we have a total of 2,325 gold coins."


    "How would you like to receive this money?"


    While asking this question, the Count sipped gracefully from a glass of delicate wine.


    "That is, how do you receive this money?" asked Maxime, slightly confused.


    As far as he was concerned, all he had to do was give him the money in a bag.


    The Count smiled as he took his time answering.


    "Well, instead of giving it all to you directly, you can place an order with me to buy horses, equipment, food or anything else you might need."


    Maxime immediately understood what the Count meant.


    For his part, the equipment worn by his mercenaries was bought by themselves with their wages, so he didn''t need to spend any money on it.


    However, horses could indeed be very useful.


    "How much does a horse cost?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well, that depends on the breed and quality of horse you want."


    Maxime was speechless for a moment, knowing absolutely nothing about the subject.


    He glanced quickly at Andrew, hoping to find some support. The latter, true to form, resumed the discussion in a measured tone.


    "Count Ardan, could you provide us with a rough estimate of prices for different types of horses?" he asked professionally.


    The Count smiled, amused by their lack of knowledge on the subject. He gently put down his wine glass and replied:


    "Without going into detail, an ordinary horse, sturdy and suitable for travel, costs around 150 gold pieces. A war horse, better trained and more resistant, is around 300 to 400 gold pieces. Finally, if you''re looking for fast, hardy, elite mounts, you''ll need at least 600 gold coins per animal."


    "So expensive!" thought Maxime and Andrew simultaneously.


    "We''ll think about it carefully with the other mercenaries, but for now we want to receive the gold coins and then take our time to think about it." he replied calmly.


    But inwardly he knew he clearly wasn''t going to buy horses just yet.


    If it had been a native, he would probably have chosen to buy a few horses.


    But Maxime had a system that allowed him to become stronger in gold coins.


    Currently, by spending 175 gold coins he could raise his swordsman class from level 6 to level 7, and for 50 gold coins he could even open a new class and become much stronger in no time.


    So, the value for money in horses seemed extremely poor compared to getting stronger.


    Knowing also that evolving his Nox Limit talent, was a priority for him, and he''d been looking forward to it for a long time to see what would happen.


    In any case, he was so eager to get stronger, that even if the horses were 10 times cheaper, he might have hesitated to spend the money.


    Count Ardan rose from his chair, with the calculated slowness of a man accustomed to imposing his authority.


    His piercing gaze lingered on Maxime, who stood erect but whose eyes betrayed a certain impatience.


    "Very well, young man," said Ardan in a serious, almost theatrical tone.


    He gestured to his steward, a lean but very elegant man, who stepped forward carrying a heavy carved wooden chest.


    "It would seem that even a skinny butler cannot be underestimated," Maxime thought silently, as he watched the butler carry the chest with ease.


    This chest must have weighed around a hundred kilos, so only a physique of more than 1.3 points or even 1.5 could carry it.


    And given the ease with which the butler had carried the chest, he must have had at least 2 physical points.


    The chest was placed on the solid oak table in front of the Count, producing a thud that made the room vibrate.


    "Here''s the sum due, 2325 gold coins, as agreed," declared the Count, placing his gloved hands on the chest, his tone imbued with a certain solemnity.


    He slowly opened the lid, revealing a vision that made Maxime''s eyes sparkle.


    Stacks of carefully stacked gold coins glittered in the candlelight.


    The metallic clatter of the coins as they settled seemed to echo in Maxime''s mind like a gentle melody.


    Maxime felt his breath catch. It wasn''t the first time he''d seen gold, but he''d never seen such a quantity.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" the Count smirked, noticing his guest''s amazement.


    Maxime nodded, forcing himself to keep a neutral expression.


    "Yes, it''s... more than I imagined."


    The Count chuckled, a mixture of amusement and superiority.


    "Make no mistake, Maxime. This sum is substantial, of course, but it''s only the beginning. If you keep up the momentum, your personal coffers could soon rival those of a baron."


    Maxime was surprised, and this emotion was easily captured by the Count.


    "You think nobles are all rich, don''t you?"


    Without waiting for an answer from Maxime, the Count continued to speak.


    "Nobles are indeed rich, but only from the status of count."


    "Barons are generally poor, barely managing to balance their expenses and income."


    "Viscounts often do much better, and they generally have a good financial capacity, but it remains within a certain range."


    "Whether for barons or viscounts, 2325 gold pieces should represent approximately the savings they could have made in 1 year."


    Our young mercenary leader wasn''t surprised; he already knew this sort of thing from courses in the real world.


    Simultaneously, the steward brought in paper and ink - writing materials.


    "If you don''t mind, Monsieur Maxime, I''m going to record the transaction. We have a register here to manage our treasury."


    Maxime nodded without concern.


    "Of course."


    The intendant quickly noted the details, his pen scratching the paper with mechanical precision. When he had finished, he handed the document to Maxime, who quickly signed it.


    The Count then signaled to two servants, who approached with heavy canvas bags.


    They began transferring the coins into the bags.


    "I advise you to be careful with such a large sum," warned the Count, folding his hands behind his back.


    "This world is full of covetousness, and some people won''t hesitate to attack those carrying treasures."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, a smirk appearing on his lips.


    "The last bandits who dared to target us didn''t come to a good end."


    The Count smiled in response, he knew the strength of Maxime and his men, but he also knew how dark the world could be.


    As the filled bags were placed in front of him, the Count spoke again.


    "One last thing, Maxime."


    The latter looked up, puzzled.


    "Consider this not only a reward, but also an investment. You''re still young and promising. However, remember that these coins are only a tool. Their true value lies in what you do with them."


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, the Count''s words resonating strangely within him. He nodded slowly.


    "I''ll remember that, Count Ardan."


    The Count smiled, satisfied, and raised his wine glass.


    "So, go on, spend it wisely, or foolishly, depending on your instincts."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll make very good use of it."


    With one last glance at the Count, Maxime grabbed the bags, one on each shoulder, feeling their crushing but satisfying weight.


    Maxime and Andrew soon left the director''s office.


    Maxime returned to his quarters while Andrew left to train with some apprentice knights.


    "Here we are."


    The gold-filled bags fell heavily to the floor, as Maxime had 2000 gold coins absorbed into the system.


    [Current balance: 2025 gold coins].


    [Status displayed according to pre-selected filters].


    Current class: Swordsman - Level 6


    Talent: Nox Limit - Level 1, Life Awakening - Level 1


    Options available:


    Upgrade class (175 gold)


    Unlock a new class (50 gold)


    Upgrade "Nox Limit" or "Life Awakening" to Level 2 (1000 gold)

 Chapter 111 Class quest

    [Current balance: 2025 gold coins].[Status display according to pre-selected filters].


    Current class: Swordsman - Level 6


    Talent: Nox Limit - Level 1, Life Awakening - Level 1


    Options available:


    Upgrade class (175 gold)


    Unlock a new class (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 class 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 class increased by one level].


    [Swordsman class 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 class 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 swordplay, which lagged far behind his level of physical strength.


    Fortunately, his swordsmanship was continually improved by the system as he passed levels.


    [Current balance: 1850 gold coins].


    [Swordsman class level 7 (0/200)]


    Looking at the level of his class, 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, class evolution had its limits.


    Generally speaking, common classes 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 class to get stronger for less money.


    After all, the first levels of each class were generally very inexpensive, while the physical improvement was quite noticeable.


    For example, to go from level 1 to level 2 of the swordsman class cost just 10 gold coins, and that added 0.2 points of physique.


    But he knew that if he opened a new class, 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 class to level 9."


    He knew in his heart of hearts that if he opened a new class, 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 class, he had gained two talents.


    A minor talent in strength and a minor talent in endurance.


    So if he maximized the swordsman class, 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 become stronger.


    Finally, this indecision and reflection lacked the guidance of a strong expert.


    If he''d come from a large family or attended a well-known university, he wouldn''t have been plagued by indecision.


    Right away, he would have been given the best advice and the recommended path to follow. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 successful.


    [Passage to level 8 successful.]


    "300 gold coins? Maxime opened his eyes wide, seeing so much money go.


    But there was more to come.


    [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 blame 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 class has gone up a level].


    [Swordsman class 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!


    This last 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 slow compared 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 class increased by one level].


    [Swordsman class 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 relaxing, stronger, denser. His nerves, stimulated 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 balance and power. His vision had become 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 clarity.


    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 become a swordsmanship genius.


    He could easily see the flaws in his own technique and so improve accordingly.


    "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!


    [Congratulations on reaching level 9 of the swordsman class!]


    [You will be rewarded with a talent specific to this class and related to your life experience!]


    Ding!


    [Congratulations on acquiring the passive ability "Sword Regeneration"].


    [Sword Regeneration: Constant use of the sword naturally accelerates muscle recovery and body adaptation, allowing for prolonged training.


    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!]


    [Class quest unlocked!]

 Chapter 112 Liam, the fallen genius

    Ding![Conditions have been met!]


    [Class quest unlocked!]


    "What?"


    "A class quest?"


    Maxime had never heard of one.


    But the notifications would answer his questions.


    Ding!


    [To answer the host''s questions, you had access to class 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 Class" ]


    Description: Congratulations on unlocking your first class quest. If successful, this quest will allow you to upgrade your class!


    Reward: change the "Swordsman" class to a higher-quality class.


    Objective:


    - Swordsmanship at level 3 (0/1)


    - Breathing method (0/1)


    - Awaken vital seed (0/1)


    "Everything suggests that the future class 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 class level, it all depended on chance. Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    In the world of Eternity, to obtain uncommon, rare or superior classes, 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 class, 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 class or a similar class.


    He didn''t yet know the quality of this class, but it was undoubtedly far superior to the swordsman class.


    Above all, it would have great potential.


    As far as Maxime knew, knights possessed many formidable combat techniques and, above all, there were many applications of the powers linked to the vital seed.


    If Maxime were to unlock a class that could evolve to the very end of a knight''s potential, then this class would undoubtedly be exceptional.


    In order, there were apprentice knights, knights, great knights and epic knights.


    Each kingdom was much stronger than the last.


    So if Maxime could become an epic knight thanks to this future new class, 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 players who appeared out of nowhere, it was really complicated to gain a nobleman''s trust.


    Obtaining a breathing method was therefore extremely complicated 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 very complicated 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 balance with a happy yet bitter smile.


    [Current balance: 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-black 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 swordplay, Romuald sharpening his sword, Henry and Ultia chatting, they all felt a strange wave of energy.


    This was also the case in the village 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 village, 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 two coming from the village 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.


    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 successful apprentice knight with the highest authority in the village 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 village of Plouta against the 2 geniuses from the village of H��nor.


    But with his strength, not only did he not become this figure, but he was also ostracized by the other mercenaries and even the villagers of Plouta.


    Suddenly, he felt an icy chill run up his spine.


    "What the..." he murmured, dropping his weapon. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A pale light surrounded him, like a flickering spectral flame.


    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 become 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.


    [Congratulations!]


    [The Nox Limit talent has been successfully 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 now lasts 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?"


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    [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 Frankish language. He also got the blessing of the host''s talent, even if he didn''t become a mercenary].


    [Concerning the limits, the success 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 become 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 had come close on several occasions to wiping out a village in front of him and slaughtering thousands of villagers.


    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].


    [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 accumulate enough power to protect his family.


    "System displays the list of mercenaries, and displays in brackets their physique from two weeks ago to see how they''ve evolved."


    [Displays 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) S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    "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 occasions.


    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 villagers.


    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 change compared 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 experience lasted 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 the last 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 minimal compared 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 blade designed for practice.


    He placed 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 particularly serious, while his breathing was perfectly regular.


    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 blade were a legendary weapon with an exceptional cutting edge.


    But it was just an ordinary training blade.


    "Let''s stay a little longer in the south and earn a bit more money, then come 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 then come 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 acceptable range.


    But when they returned to fight Baron Barthon, Maxime would probably have at least the strength of a knight at the grand success stage, while he would have at least 3 men at the knight entry or even petit success stage.


    In this way, the strength of his mercenary group could even be compared 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 place 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 place: a vast fortified complex 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 regular scenes of mercenaries taking part in supervised training as well as cultural courses, usually reserved for nobles.


    Most mercenaries had never had access to intellectual courses.


    Everything they learned came from their parents or neighbors when they were still villagers.


    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. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only Tena, Ernest, Rodrigo and Laura continued to attend.


    Tena, on the other hand, was a particularly 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 a combination of hard work, talent and Alarick''s help, he finally achieved his goal.


    [Sword mastery level 3 (1/100)]


    "Congratulations Maxime, I think you now have fencing comparable to that of a knight!"


    Alaric 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 Alarick, I couldn''t have done it without you.


    Maxime thanked Alarick 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 explain, not to mention unhelpful during training.


    After all, he could crush Alarick 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 this large 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 and laden 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 black 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.


    Particularly 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 clatter of blades, 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 simulations with first-year students. At first we were getting beaten up badly, and many of the students were secretly laughing at us."


    "Some of them had fun comparing us to the old mercenaries, saying we were really garbage compared to Andrew or even Laura."


    "But now we''re starting to come 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 overcoming hardships and becoming 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 close combat.


    "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 villagers 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 the last few days. Keep up the hard training. I have a feeling we''ll have an important mission soon, and when that time comes 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 a combat demonstration in the academy''s large 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 glance 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 please come 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 explain 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 orcs last 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 blame 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 placed 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 planning and constant vigilance.


    "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, the latter 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. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 the last 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 contemplative 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''re competent. 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 incompetence."


    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 his last 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 young lady 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 planned, to Count Ardan''s private apartments.


    Unlike their previous meeting in the Count''s office, the atmosphere this time was more intimate.


    A large fireplace 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 fireplace, seemed pensive.


    "Maxime, come in. Make yourself comfortable."


    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 relaxed.


    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 pillar of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle. But in recent years, things have changed. Old alliances are breaking down, and new, power-hungry players are emerging."


    He placed 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 become a nest of vipers. The great houses are vying for the king''s good graces, some with more devious methods than others. Several latent 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 become a weakness in the eyes of some. They see us as an obstacle to their ambitions."


    "Recently, we discovered that House Drevon is funding groups of bandits to attack caravans from my lands. 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 116 The Counts machinations

    "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."


    Maxime nodded slowly. He knew this kind of dynamic well: when a power wavers, even for a moment, its enemies spring up like predators around wounded prey.


    "And the capital?" he asked.


    "That''s where things really play out, isn''t it?"


    The Count nodded, a bitter smile on his lips.


    "Exactly. The capital is the heart of all these machinations. At this council, the king is seeking to reassert his authority by setting up new military alliances. But these alliances depend on the support of the great houses. And there, rumor and slander carry more weight than fact. A good reputation can be destroyed in an evening."


    Maxime now understood why the Count was so keen for Lady Aveline to arrive safely. He took another sip of wine before asking a more direct question.


    "Your daughter, Lady Aveline... what role does she play in all this?"


    The Count leaned forward slightly, staring at Maxime with increased intensity.


    "Aveline is my greatest pride. She''s not only a woman of noble birth, she''s also incredibly intelligent and strategic. Her mission in the capital is twofold: to represent our house at the council and, potentially, to conclude a matrimonial alliance."


    "So Lady Aveline''s heart is taken? I wish her all the happiness in the world." Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He himself, being currently very attached to a certain person, sincerely wished her happiness, with no ulterior motive.


    "That''s not the case."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, but remained silent.


    "Don''t judge me too harshly, Maxime. I don''t want to marry my daughter off against her will. But she understands, as I do, that the future of our house depends on the alliances we can forge. Some high-ranking nobles have expressed interest in her. If she can seal an alliance through marriage, it could secure our position for decades to come."


    "And then, who should she marry?" asked Maxime, sighing lightly.


    "The eldest son of Duke Valderic de Rivenclaire," replied the Count, lowering his tone.


    Clearly he wasn''t proud of his future son-in-law.


    The name echoed in Maxime''s mind. The duchy of Rivenclaire was one of the most influential in the kingdom of the Frost Eagle, known for its wealth and powerful army. Aveline''s union with this family would undoubtedly strengthen the Count''s political position. But there was one detail that made Maxime pause.


    "The eldest son... This is Dorian Valderic, isn''t it?"


    The Count nodded, clearly uncomfortable.


    "Yes, Dorian. At only twenty, he''s already a knight. He''s already fought several times, and his reputation on the battlefield is already impressive. He''s seen as a future pillar of the kingdom."


    "He''s undoubtedly a martial genius, destined to reach the stage of great knight, and he certainly won''t be one of the weakest."


    "Some say he might even reach that stage before the age of 30."


    Maxime squinted. He also knew another, less glorious side of Dorian.


    Through his discussions with Alaric and other apprentice knights, he had learned a great deal of information, which was only accessible when one possessed a high enough status.


    "But that''s not all they say about him."


    The Count looked away, staring at the flames in the hearth.


    "You''re right. Dorian is... problematic. His martial talent is undeniable, but his character leaves much to be desired. He''s said to be arrogant, self-confident and... cruel, especially to women."


    Maxime crossed his arms, his gaze growing colder.


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    That was indeed what he''d heard.


    "Cruel? Are you referring to his concubines?"


    The Count nodded, a mixture of shame and sadness on his face.


    "Yes. There are several rumors about him. They say he treats his concubines like possessions. Some are said to have run away, others... to have been severely abused. But his status as future duke and his political influence protect him from any consequences."


    A heavy silence settled over the room. Maxime, though outwardly calm, felt anger rising inside him.


    He didn''t particularly care for Aveline, he simply detested this kind of unscrupulous behavior.


    "And you accept this, my lord?" he finally asked, his voice harsher than he would have liked.


    Adalric straightened up, stung to the quick.


    "Do you think I have a choice, Maxime? I must protect my family and my lands. The king himself supports this union. To refuse would put my duchy in danger."


    Maxime stared at him for a moment, weighing his words.


    "What about your daughter? What does she think of all this?"


    The Count ran a hand over his face, visibly overwhelmed.


    "Aveline is a devoted daughter. She understands what''s at stake and is willing to sacrifice her happiness for the good of our house."


    Maxime clenched his fists on the armrests of his chair, but held back any acerbic comment. He knew the situation was far more complex than it appeared. After a moment''s silence, he spoke in a calmer but firm voice.


    "I see. But if Dorian represents a danger to Aveline, I won''t stand idly by. My group and I will watch over her all the way to the capital."


    The Count raised an eyebrow, surprised by Maxime''s tone.


    "I understand your concern, Maxime. But be careful. Dorian is powerful, and his family even more so. I don''t want this affair to endanger your life or the lives of your men."


    Maxime gave a cold smile.


    "I''m not afraid of Dorian. It''s not a young knight from a noble family who will frighten me today, no matter how strong his family."


    Adalric watched Maxime for a long moment, then nodded slowly.


    In his heart, he knew one thing.


    If Dorian was a genius, the young man before him was a monster.


    Indeed, he had sensed the aura Maxime unconsciously gave off.


    "He hasn''t yet reached the stage of the great knight, but he''s certainly at the stage of the knight''s peak."


    "At the age of 18, what could it be other than a monster?"


    "If the Valderic family offends him, there''s no telling who will end up unhappy in this story in the end."


    The Count''s thoughts were foggy.


    For a moment he even thought of marrying off his daughter to this young man.


    But he immediately dismissed the idea.


    Potential was still potential, the Valderic family possessed extremely terrifying men of power as well as the political power he needed.


    He needed that power now, he didn''t have time to wait.


    "Very well, then. But please, don''t complicate an already delicate situation any further. Protect my daughter, that''s all I ask."


    Maxime rose from his chair, his gaze determined.


    "You have my word, monseigneur. Aveline will remain under my protection."


    Obviously, Maxime had no intention of interfering in the Count''s affairs after this mission.


    There was nothing he himself could do in this situation, so Aveline''s future was of no concern to him.


    In any case, it was the Count''s decision that was leading his own daughter to disaster.


    If even the father wanted this situation, was he, as a foreigner, entitled to intervene in it?


    Maxime pondered for a moment, thinking of the dangers of this mission now that he knew all this.


    "And your enemies know it. They''ll do anything to prevent her from reaching the capital, or to besmirch your name before she gets there."


    The Count nodded darkly.


    "Exactly. That''s why I need you. You''re a man I can trust, but more importantly, you''re unpredictable to my enemies. They have no idea of your strength or that of your men."


    As he said this, the Count smiled mysteriously.


    Maxime was clearly his joker card.


    A powerful card that nobody knew existed.


    He paused before adding:


    "Be careful, Maxime. You''re about to enter a game where cunning counts as much as strength. And never forget that, even if you survive the dangers of the road, greater dangers await you in the capital."


    Maxime stood up, bowing his head slightly in respect.


    "I will do everything in my power to protect Lady Aveline and preserve the honor of your house."


    The Count held out a hand, which Maxime shook firmly.


    "I''d expect nothing less from you. Good luck, Maxime. You''ll need it."


    But Maxime still had one last subject to discuss, a very important one.


    "Before I go, Count Ardan, there is one more thing to settle."


    The Count, who had begun to raise his cup to his lips, immediately put it down again, intrigued by Maxime''s tone.


    "Yes?"


    Maxime crossed his arms, taking on a neutral but firm tone.


    "You expect me and my men to cross dangerous territory, protect your daughter from obvious threats, and potentially confront hostile forces sent by your enemies."


    "All this, when you have just exposed to me the extent of the political conflicts in which you are immersed. This goes far beyond a simple escort mission."


    The Count raised an eyebrow, but remained calm. At the same time, somehow he liked this kind of situation.


    And because he was particularly good at it, he had strengthened his family''s military and economic power for decades, while maintaining his strong influence in the southern part of the Kingdom.


    "Let''s get straight to the point, what exactly do you want Maxime?"

 Chapter 117 Political test

    "Let''s get straight to the point, what exactly do you want Maxime?"


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    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 to commit 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 be compromised."


    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 relations with the other person could significantly diminish.


    The Count stared intently at Maxime, but said nothing, letting the latter continue.


    "I want to know right now what price you''re willing to pay. What''s more, my men and I will receive additional compensation 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 price last 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 successfully, 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-placed ambush, and everything you''ve built could come tumbling down."


    Silence settled in. The flames in the fireplace 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 heavy laugh.


    "You''re not lacking 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 currently comprises one man with a power comparable to a knight at the stage of great success, 6 apprentice knights at the stage of small success, 3 apprentice knights at the stage of entry, and 24 elite soldiers."


    Maxime had decided to reveal his power directly, since he had planned 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 their combat experience, while the new recruits were still far from being elite soldiers.


    But averaged out, their strength was comparable 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 strength comparable to that of a knight at the stage of great success.


    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 acceptable 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 become 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 accomplish our missions."


    And with those last words, Maxime finished his drink in one swift gulp and left the room, satisfied with the negotiation, and ready for the challenge ahead.


    "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-glass windows, he saw a young woman with short, curly brown hair attentively reading a book, with a candle resting beside her. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The library of the Purple Knight Academy was an imposing, cathedral-like place. 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 classes. 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, settling comfortably 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 plains 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, declared 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 daring commander 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 classic 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 Haldir launched 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 charge completely 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 relations with Halenveil."


    "This victory was particularly 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 to lay no further claim to the Silver Rift in addition to sending a large 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," Maxime commented, slightly embarrassed.


    "You couldn''t know either, unless you attended a class." 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.


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    "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. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 are complex, 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 ever come 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."


    Tena laughed softly.


    "I guess it comes 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 second complex military story, which also had political implications.


    Tena would continue to accompany him, so he could always ask her about the siege.


    Soon he pushed open the door to his room.


    The glow of an oil lamp 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 a lamp 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 playing 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."


    Laura''s voice was tinged with frustration.


    But Maxime dodged the subject completely, 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?"


    She laughed 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 placing a hand on his hip.


    The rest of the words were suspended in silence, replaced by a mutual warmth and passion that made us forget, for a time, the pressures of the mission ahead.


    30 minutes later, silence returned to the room.


    The oil lamp 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 relax and reassure her.


    "That''s why we have to be unpredictable. We''re not going to take the route that was planned, we''ll take detours to avoid this kind of thing happening."

 Chapter 119 Just before leaving for the capital

    "That''s why we have to be unpredictable. We''re not going to take the route that was planned, we''ll take detours to avoid this kind of thing happening."


    "After all, with these families'' pasts, there''s bound to be spies everywhere."


    "The only place where there are no spies is in our mercenary group."


    She smiled softly, reassured, but one point still worried her.


    "But they won''t be the only obstacles..."


    "Meaning?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    Laura sighed.


    "I was able to have a little chat with Aveline, since you were so busy..." as she said this Laura looked at Maxime with mischievous eyes.


    But she quickly regained a serious air.


    "She has no desire to marry, least of all to such a macho man."


    Maxime didn''t answer immediately.


    After a few moments, Maxime explained his point of view.


    "It''s not our role to discuss and intervene in politics. All we have to do is escort her back to the capital alive. If she wants to run away from this wedding, it''ll be up to her to find a solution afterwards."


    Laura watched Maxime''s face carefully as she approached.


    Their faces were almost glued together.


    "I know you now, and I think everything you''re saying right now is wrong."


    Her sweet voice, beautiful eyes and perfect face melted Maxime''s heart.


    And she was right, so Maxime didn''t answer.


    "Promise me one thing: if things go wrong, if things get too dangerous, you won''t play the hero. It''s your duty to your men and to yourself, Maxime."


    Maxime continued to remain silent.


    "Promise me, Maxime, please."


    "If you won''t do it for yourself and the others, do it for me."


    He bit his lips; he himself knew how uncontrollable his emotions could make him.


    It had happened in the past, and it would undoubtedly happen again in the future.


    "Maxime, you can''t make me go through moments again where you might die."


    "You can''t."


    "You don''t have the right."


    Tears began to appear in Laura''s beautiful eyes.


    But Maxime answered nothing, his heart still conflicted.


    He didn''t want to make a promise he couldn''t keep.


    He knew that if the genius of the Valderic family dared to touch Avenline in front of him, and especially to hit her, he probably wouldn''t be able to control himself.


    It wasn''t a matter of logic, but of value.


    After a while, Laura sighed as she pulled her face away from Maxime''s.


    "Who made me fall in love with such a crazy man?"


    Maxime smiled a slight spite, but it seemed Laura understood he couldn''t give in on that ground.


    Laura regained control of her emotions, but a gleam of concern remained in her eyes. She rested her head on his chest, and murmured:


    "Then I''ll stay with you, whatever happens. All the way."


    Hearing these words, Maxime was touched, and decided to make her a promise.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll always be my number 1 priority. If anything really happens, I''ll guarantee your safety."


    "Idiot."


    In the soothed silence of the room, the two remained in this position, and fell quietly asleep.


    On the morning of departure, the Sabertooth Tigers stood ready at the entrance to the academy.


    The massive doors of the Purple Knight Academy were fully open, and the Saber-toothed Tigers, lined up in small groups, waited for Maxime to give the signal for departure.


    10 horses loaned by the Count were snorting softly, and the murmur of conversation rose faintly in the cool morning air.


    3 carts filled with food and water were lined up to the side.


    "Everyone in shape?" asked Maxime with a smile, without raising his voice.


    "Obviously, Chief, this isn''t our first mission." replied Andrew.


    "That''s clear, especially since compared to what we''ve been through before, this mission is relatively simple." added James.


    But Maxime shook his head, wanting to warn his men how dangerous this mission was.


    "This mission might not be so simple, so don''t let your guard down the whole way."


    Some of the mercenaries frowned, including Tena, Ernest, Rodrigo, Henry and Ultia, who were beginning to think that Maxime had information they didn''t have.


    Others kept the same face, simply thinking that the future had already been mapped out, and that what had to happen would happen.


    Among those who felt this way were Charles, Laura, Romuald, Izo, Terry, James and Piedro.


    And then there were those who were already stressed and were now stressing even more since it was their first mission, such as Garen, Jean and Lira.


    The latter stood slightly back from the main group. Their nervousness showed in their posture, and their low voices mingled with the discussions of the other mercenaries.


    "So... this is going to be our first real mission," Garen breathed, tightening the strap on his armor for the tenth time.


    "Do you think we''re really ready?"


    Jean, still calm and collected, shrugged as he adjusted the bow on his back.


    "We''re trained, equipped, and following the leader. Frankly, we should be fine."


    "Yeah, but escorting a noblewoman, isn''t that a bit... how can I put this... risky?" retorted Garen, grimacing.


    "You know, with all this politics between powerful families," he continued.


    Lira rolled her eyes at Garen''s remark. She crossed her arms and murmured with a touch of impatience:


    "Garen, you''re kidding yourself. She''s just an escort. We drop her off at the capital, collect our pay, and that''s it. End of story."


    "Yeah, but imagine if someone tried to attack her. "Garen insisted.


    "We''re talking about Aveline Ardent! She''s important, isn''t she? Like, she''s a count''s daughter."


    "Besides, I heard that Count Ardent only had this one girl left in his family. He had two sons, but both died on the battlefield. And as if that wasn''t enough, his wife died when she gave birth to Aveline."


    "If anything should happen..."


    Jean frowned slightly, glancing toward the rest of the group.


    "Look, even if it did, we don''t have to worry about it. The chief and the veterans will handle the situation if anything happens."


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    Lira nodded, but her tone was softer this time.


    "Look around you, Garen. We''re surrounded by super-strong guys. Laura, Andrew, even James... they''re all as strong as4th or 5th graders at the academy!"


    "Whereas we''re always struggling against first-year students..."


    "Then stop stressing, you''ll give us cold sweats."


    Garen took a deep breath and looked at his two classmates, seeking some comfort in their words.


    "You''re right." he muttered.


    "But you know, I keep thinking about what Maxime said earlier, isn''t that a bit of a strange warning for an escort that should be straightforward?"


    "What did he say?" asked Lira.


    "He said: this mission might not be so simple, so don''t let your guard down the whole way."


    Jean shrugged to ease the rising tension.


    "It''s just him being careful. That''s his job as chief."


    "Yes." said Lira with a smirk, agreeing with Jean.


    "Besides, if you ask me, he has to say that on every mission."


    Garen tried to smile, even though his face still betrayed a hint of nervousness.


    "Maybe you''re right, but still... I''ve got a bad feeling about this."


    Lira gave him a light tap on the shoulder, a mocking smile on her lips.


    "Well, keep your bad feeling to yourself."


    Jean gave a discreet laugh, and even Garen ended up smiling in spite of himself. The tone of the conversation softened, and the tension seemed to dissipate a little.


    Simultaneously, the rhythmic clatter of a horse''s hooves could be heard.


    Garen turned his head first, intrigued by the sudden silence that had fallen over their comrades. What he saw left him speechless.


    A young woman was approaching, mounted on a magnificent white horse.


    Her blond hair, almost golden in the sunlight, floated lightly behind her, framing a face both gentle and determined. Her violet eyes, deep and luminous, seemed almost supernatural, as if she carried within her a glow from another era.


    She was in light armor, finely engraved with delicate motifs, protective enough for battle, but elegant enough not to hide her slender figure.


    A short cloak of royal purple, emblazoned with the Ardan family crest, rested on her shoulders, adding to her noble allure.


    "By all the gods..." murmured Garen, unable to tear his gaze away. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lira followed his gaze, raising an eyebrow as she caught sight of Aveline. But instead of Garen''s naive wonder, she crossed her arms and blurted out, a little mockingly:


    "What''s this? A princess in armor?"


    Jean, more pragmatic, watched Aveline carefully without commenting right away.


    "Not just a princess." he finally replied.


    "Look at her posture. She''s holding the reins like she''s used to riding."


    Lira squinted, detailing Aveline more closely. She had to admit he was right. There was something about the way Aveline held herself, straight and confident, that betrayed a certain competence, or at least rigorous discipline.


    "Maybe." Lira conceded.


    "But that doesn''t mean she knows how to fight. She''s still a noblewoman."


    Garen, for his part, wasn''t even listening to their exchanges anymore. All he could see was a woman who perfectly embodied the chivalric ideal he''d heard so much about in the stories of his childhood.


    "She looks invincible..."

 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 have laughed.


    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 become 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 regularly coming 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 become 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 success.


    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 success and gifted in combat was too much for him despite his combat experience.


    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 become.


    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, according 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 accounts, 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 calculating Duke Drevon gathered his advisors in an austere room lit by meager torches. The Drevon coat of arms, a silver bear''s claw on a black background, adorned the stone walls.


    "Count Ardan is playing with fire." Devron declared 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. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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, according to our reports, it would be completely 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.


    "According to our agents, most of the mercenaries have the level of apprentice knights, with a few reaching the combat power of apprentice knights at the stage of great success, or even peak."


    "And it''s said that their leader has the combat 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-success 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 declared 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 become more complicated in this region. The hills have always been a good place for ambushes."


    "That''s why, at the last minute, we''ll be taking a detour. We won''t go through the hills even if it delays us a day''s travel." he replied lightly.

 Chapter 121 Perceval

    "That''s why, at the last minute, we''ll make a detour. We won''t go through the hills, even if it means delaying our journey by a day." he replied lightly.


    Aveline was slightly surprised, but simply nodded in response.


    It wasn''t her job to define the route.


    The walk went smoothly and the days passed without incident.


    Each evening, the group set up camp out of sight, using groves or natural folds in the terrain to mask their presence.


    By the campfires, conversations were fairly quiet.


    When they were out in nature, everyone was careful not to make too much noise and to remain vigilant.


    Maxime and Aveline were in the background at the time.


    "They don''t seem to be afraid..." murmured Aveline.


    Maxime shrugged.


    "Afraid of what?"


    "Fear of being ambushed and having to fight," Aveline replied immediately.


    "Those who let themselves be overcome by fear can''t have a long career as a mercenary." commented Maxime lightly.


    "What about you?" she asked suddenly, her violet eyes scanning him.


    "Do you ever get scared?"


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, staring at the flames dancing in front of him.


    "Every day." he finally replied.


    "Mercenaries need to be afraid, because fear reinforces vigilance and helps avoid recklessness."


    "It''s all about mastering it."


    "Because if we don''t master it, we become impatient, we sleep badly, our reaction speed decreases, our ability to judge in combat is severely impacted and our ability to make courageous decisions disappears."


    "You might as well say that fear can decrease a person''s combat power by more than 80% rather easily."


    "That''s why I''m telling you that those who let themselves be overcome by fear can''t survive for long."


    Aveline didn''t reply, but her gaze seemed to soften.


    The night passed quietly and everyone went to bed, except for a few who had been assigned to watch the area for part of the night.


    On the third day, the landscape changed.


    The open plains gave way to rugged terrain.


    The mercenary group walked at the foot of the hills. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    The trees, sparse and twisted by the winds, cast long, ominous shadows.


    As planned, Maxime had ordered the mercenaries to go around the hills.


    But as they walked quietly along, Maxime sensed something.


    He signaled the scouts to double their vigilance.


    The other mercenaries also saw Maxime''s signs, and conversations ceased almost immediately.


    The atmosphere was heavy. The mercenaries had an instinct for danger, and it seemed to hang in the air like a blade ready to fall.


    The new recruits, sensing the change in atmosphere, began to get sweaty hands.


    Aveline, too, seemed on her guard.


    But her face showed not the slightest sign of shyness.


    Suddenly, a metallic flash in the bushes caught Maxime''s attention.


    Unfortunately, before he could react, a volley of arrows whistled through the air, aimed at the convoy.


    "EVERYONE TAKE COVER!"


    Simultaneously, Maxime pulled his horse''s reins to make it retreat immediately, while he protected it by deflecting the arrows with his sword.


    The mercenaries quickly took up defensive positions.


    Those with shields raised them to protect themselves, while the rest simply avoided or deflected the arrows.


    Some thirty masked men emerged from the woods, armed with swords, shields and axes.


    Their unkempt appearance gave the impression of simple bandits, but Maxime immediately noticed the discipline in their movements. These men were well trained.


    "Shit, how can there be an ambush here!" thought Maxime, frowning.


    "These aren''t ordinary bandits." Andrew commented, drawing his sword while deflecting a few arrows.


    "No matter. They made a mistake attacking us." replied Maxime, jumping off his horse.


    The mercenaries quickly formed a defensive line, while the enemy archers continued to fire from the heights.


    Ivan and Katarina, two of Ventbois'' recruits, blocked the arrows with their shields, while Jean and Ernest returned fire with their bows and arrows.


    A young man holding a sword watched the arrows rain down on the mercenaries as his men began to surround the convoy.


    A bald man with a scar across his mouth and a short, dark-haired woman with an eye patch covering her left eye stood beside him.


    "They sure have good reactions for mere mercenaries," the woman with the eye patch exclaimed.


    "It''s a good thing they can survive a few arrows - frankly, only civilians or those stupid orcs can die from arrows," Percival commented dismissively.


    "Their trajectories are so predictable." S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "They''re still mercenaries, I don''t even know why the duke sent us here." growled the bald man at his side.


    Suddenly Maxime looked in their direction with piercing eyes.


    Meanwhile, the mercenaries at his side were easily fending off the assailants who had begun hand-to-hand combat.


    The bald man squinted when he saw Maxime looking in their direction.


    "I think he''s watching us.


    "Indeed."


    Seeing the situation going in the wrong direction for them, Perceval commented with a little surprise.


    "I never thought I''d see the day when mercenaries would repel our apprentice knights, and especially so easily."


    "I imagine the duke knew that, and that''s why he sent us," the woman replied immediately with a slight smile.


    "Come on, it''s time to intervene or deaths in our ranks will start to appear." ordered Percival in a tec tone.


    "And don''t forget, we''ve got to keep an eye on Aveline - if she escapes, all this will have been for nothing," he continued sternly.


    The 3 men jumped from the top of their position, landing directly in front of Maxime.


    Without a word, Maxime charged straight at Perceval.


    Perceval was surprised, but a look of mockery formed in his eyes.


    He was one of the geniuses of House Devron, trained with the best techniques, the best teachers and the best resources in the Kingdom.


    There was no way he could lose to someone much younger than him.


    But the bald man immediately recognized Maxime.


    "Be careful Perceval, he''s the famous chief we were supposed to watch out for".


    Simultaneously, Maxime''s sword arrived directly in front of Perceval.


    Perceval tried to block it, but had fallen for the first feint.


    Maxime''s sword deflected completely and passed under his guard.


    "Pshit."


    Perceval looked down, his armor had been pierced by a sword, and the latter was now lodged in his body.


    Looking up, he was confronted by Maxime''s surprised gaze.


    "So simple?"


    "Think more of traversing more battlefields in your next life."


    Perceval''s eyes opened wide.


    Hearing these words, Perceval suddenly thought of someone.


    "So I finally have the answer I''ve been looking for all these years, why you''re so strong."


    "The answer was so simple all along."


    Then Percival''s lifeless body fell to the ground as his eyes closed at the same time.


    The two knights accompanying him were shocked.


    "ARRRHHH"


    "How could he kill Perceval so easily!?"


    The bald man had gone mad while the woman''s eyes were more than icy as she looked at Maxime.


    As if the two were connected, both immediately attacked Maxime.


    But Maxime had a physique approaching 4 points, a little life-and-death combat experience and a knight''s level of sword technique.


    So he could remain calm in the face of both opponents'' assaults.


    "How can he even be that strong?"


    "At his age even the crown prince wasn''t that strong!"


    The two assailants quickly began to worry.


    On the other side, led by Andrew, Ultia, Henry and Charles, the mercenaries finally began to kill their attackers.


    The two knights, seeing the situation worsen, began to panic.


    Both looked at each other with resolution, then nodded.


    Simultaneously, something seemed to break inside their bodies as their aura rapidly strengthened.


    "Miserable mercenary, you will pay with your life for killing our young master!"


    Maxime frowned and remained calm.


    Then his two adversaries charged at him, catching him in a vice-like grip.


    Their speed was much faster than before.


    And their strength too.


    Maxime was being pushed back more and more.


    "They''re using their vital seed to its full potential."


    "It''s so strong."


    Minor wounds were beginning to appear on his body as his light armor cracked.


    The situation was going from bad to worse.


    And especially since, after suffering the immense pain caused to his soul by having activated Nox Limit several times in a short space of time, he preferred never to use it again unless absolutely necessary.


    So in this kind of situation, even if he was dominated in combat, he wouldn''t use Nox Limit unless he was close to death.


    Especially as he now had the talent of the goddess Viviana, so even if he made a mistake he could survive it.


    However, if his opponents made a mistake, then he''d take advantage of it to deliver the final blow, even at the cost of serious injury.


    That was how this talent was to be used.


    "Sounds like you need some help Maxime?"


    A graceful voice suddenly appeared at his side.


    Turning his head to the right, Maxime caught sight of a heroic young woman in armor.


    Her blond hair fluttered in the wind, while her sword blocked the short-haired woman''s attack with an eye patch.


    The latter stepped back slightly, staring at the newcomer.


    "What are you doing here Aveline!?"


    "You''re their target, you''re putting yourself in danger!"


    Aveline looked at Maxime with a charming smile.


    "With you by my side, how can they threaten me?"

 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 now lay lifeless on the ground before her.


    "This rising star could look so wretched," she thought silently.


    Simultaneously, she glanced again at Maxime. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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.


    By comparison, Perceval, who had become 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 uncontrollable 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, particularly when adrenalin was at its peak during a fight, the knight''s body could be rapidly strengthened.


    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 circulating 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 become stronger.


    This method had enabled many knights with limited talent to become great knights.


    However, it also had a major drawback.


    It was that even if the knight managed to become 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 become a knight.


    "It would seem that Viviana''s talent could completely make up for this flaw."


    "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, Alarick, and combined with his talent, Maxime had made enormous progress in his technique.


    As a result, the duel had become almost savage, with blades clashing against each other at breakneck speed.


    The flashes of these blades briefly lit up their faces, tense with effort, and the boots pounded the dusty ground in a violent dance.


    Their combat zone had become a no-man''s-land.


    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 become 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.


    The latter 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 platinum-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 similar 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 become 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 flank.


    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 a completely 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 collapsed 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 become 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 could last 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 placed her blade in a position ready to deliver the coup de grace.


    "Aveline, duck!" cried Maxime.


    Without hesitation, Aveline threw herself to the ground, and Maxime intervened in a flash. 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 glanced 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 succ��s stage, the same stage as Perceval, but his sense of combat 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." Maxime commented, his icy eyes planted 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. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, she didn''t act rashly, and wisely stayed away from the main battlefield.


    She glanced at the mercenaries nearby, and saw that the fight was coming 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 implacable 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 become 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, combined 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 plan 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 flashed 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 signet 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 signet 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 signet ring.


    The signet 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 ancient language 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 124 Kaite, recruiting the first knight!

    "I, Maxime, wish to conclude a contract with the designated person."


    Then he resumed his normal voice.


    "If you''re not speaking of your own free will, that''s your choice. But just so you know, I don''t need your cooperation."


    The light between them suddenly turned into a golden spiral, like a luminous vortex.


    "No! What are you doing!? What sorcery is this!? What are you doing to me!?"


    The knight struggled, her body tensing under a force she didn''t understand.


    But Maxime''s knee held her firmly to the ground.


    Then, the spiral seemed to rush towards her, penetrating her back.


    She let out a muffled scream, her eyes widening as a similar light emanated from her own heart.


    An ethereal contract appeared before them, linking them by an extremely thin golden thread.


    The knight felt a phenomenal power seeping into both her body and her soul.


    "No! No! No! I don''t want to!"


    She resisted with all her might, but in her current state, it was far too difficult to mobilize the slightest strength to fight back against this foreign power infiltrating her body.


    After only a few dozen seconds, the floating, dazzling contract vanished in a shower of luminous flashes. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The knight collapsed completely, gasping for breath, her hands clutching her chest as she gasped for air.


    Maxime turned to Aveline, who was observing the scene with genuine fear.


    "What did you just do?" she asked in a trembling voice.


    Maxime clenched his fists, feeling the invisible link that now connected him to the signet ring.


    "I''ve just signed a contract," Maxime replied simply.


    At the same time, he looked at Aveline with piercing eyes.


    "Know that if you spread a word about what you''ve just seen, I''ll eradicate the Ardan family from this continent."


    This time, Aveline was truly frightened.


    Her father was one of the strongest knights in the kingdom.


    But she felt that if she dared offend this mercenary, not only she but also her father might die.


    Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day without a doubt.


    And that terrified her, completely changing the way she imagined this mercenary who looked so kind and approachable.


    "Maybe marrying this guy could be worse than marrying Dorian Valderic."


    This thought came and went immediately from Aveline''s mind.


    But from Maxime''s point of view, it was a logical reaction.


    Aveline was not one of his mercenaries, and therefore not loyal to him.


    Naturally, she mustn''t spread a word about his talents, otherwise it could backfire violently on him in the future.


    "Can you stay away, Aveline? I think it''s best for your own good."


    The latter didn''t hesitate in the least and moved away to the edge of the battlefield, while she watched from afar as Maxime and the other mercenaries conducted interrogations.


    Other mercenaries also took the weapons and armor of the deceased and placed them in one of the three carts - after all, they were valuable.


    For her part, the knight raised her head, her gaze a mixture of rage and despair.


    However, she too was truly afraid at this moment.


    "You think... that makes me a puppet?" Her voice vibrated with restrained anger.


    "I can talk, think, and act however I want. This contract gives you only limited power over me, and you can never force me to betray my faith."


    Maxime frowned, not believing her.


    He closed his eyes for a moment, probing their bond.


    After a few moments of analysis, he sensed she was right.


    Although she was obliged to carry out his immediate orders, her mind remained free, and her thoughts inaccessible.


    In short, the contract mainly restricted her actions physically.


    Maxime sincerely hoped that when he evolved his talent in the future, this effect would be reinforced, otherwise he wouldn''t be able to execute the ideas he''d originally had, particularly in the field of espionage and infiltration.


    Of course, if Maxime gave her an order, she would be obliged to carry it out.


    So, to a certain extent, this contract exerted a great influence on the psyche of the person who signed it.


    However, the benefits of the contract were soon felt as well.


    The knight felt a very comfortable power flowing through her body.


    She could even feel the hidden wounds left by the repeated overexploitation of her vital seed healing.


    They were healing slowly, but they were healing.


    At the same time, she felt that invisible but very present chains in her body were beginning to disappear.


    It was as if...her potential had been enhanced.


    She had just begun to receive all the blessings of Maxime''s talents, and the reason why his men were both so strong and so loyal.


    Although Maxime''s temperament and charisma also played an important role.


    Maxime had noticed this, but he didn''t want to discuss it here with the knight, since Aveline was there.


    She''d already seen enough of him.


    But that wasn''t Maxime''s priority at the moment; he''d talk to his new recruit alone later.


    There were more important matters to discuss before that.


    "So now let''s talk." he said in a neutral tone.


    "Who gave you the order to attack us?"


    She hesitated, then, against her will, her lips moved.


    "Duke Devron. He wanted to... capture the young lady of the Arden family."


    Maxime nodded, then asked the question that concerned him most.


    "How did you know our route?"


    The knight tried to resist, her face twisting under the effort. But the contract imposed itself, and she finally blurted out:


    "We had simply sent one of our apprentice knights to monitor your journey."


    He stared at the knight, who seemed exhausted by the effort of having spoken against her will.


    And above all, she could only speak the truth.


    That a mere apprentice knight could follow them without himself and his mercenaries, including Jean, being able to notice, was truly distressing.


    "This apprentice knight must possess a special talent, mustn''t he?"


    The knight no longer resisted and now simply answered honestly.


    "Indeed."


    But she glanced around and quickly noticed one corpse in particular, albeit a disfigured one.


    "But he''s already dead."


    Maxime glanced at the corpse, and sighed slightly.


    Perhaps this apprentice knight''s talent might have been worth signing a contract for.


    He finally removed his knee from the knight''s back, since having signed a contract with her it was no longer useful.


    The latter stood up after feeling the pressure on her back disappear.


    Maxime glanced at her again after she had risen.


    "In this world, are there any ugly signet rings?" he thought silently, observing the delicate curves of his new recruit.


    Then suddenly he felt a cold stare pierce him, which made him sweat.


    Without even turning around, he knew it was Laura.


    Pretending he''d done nothing wrong, Maxime inquired about this knight in shining armor.


    "What''s your name?"


    This time she sensed the contract wasn''t working, making her hesitate slightly before finally sighing at her fate.


    "I can only obey this young man''s orders from now on, it''s so frustrating."


    "Me, a knight forced to obey a mere mercenary."


    "What kind of world is this?"


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she felt.


    But she tried to calm herself as best she could.


    "My name is Kaite." she said in a more or less soft voice.

 Chapter 125 Death after life

    "My name is Kaite." she said in a more or less soft voice.


    "Don''t you have a surname?"


    Maxime was surprised; the knights were almost all nobles, so it seemed natural to him that they should all have family names.


    "No, I was raised in a small family in the Duke''s territory. After having my talent tested, I was recruited into the duke''s army for training."


    "Unlike Percival, once I reached the stage of apprentice knight, I traversed various battlefields without forgetting to practice an ordinary breathing method they had given me."


    "After years of training, I finally got my strength."


    She summed up her whole life in just a few sentences, but only she knew how much sweat and blood she had shed to reach the stage of a knight''s small success.


    And as she spoke, she couldn''t help glancing at Perceval''s corpse with a certain regret.


    Perhaps if he''d had a childhood like hers, he''d have had far greater strength.


    Perhaps that strength would have made it possible to kill that damned mercenary quickly, and above all she wouldn''t have had to become some kind of slave today.


    "All that to say, I''m not nobility at all, so I wasn''t lucky enough to get a family name."


    "But perhaps I could have obtained the name Devron and thus become part of the nobility, had I succeeded in this mission."


    When she thought about it, she felt like going berserk.


    She was so close...so close to becoming part of the nobility.


    Perhaps she could have been married to an earl or viscount, and with the support of the Devron family, she would have become an important person in the nobility of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    But looking at the young man before her, all those aspirations were now a thing of the past.


    No one could predict what would happen to her in the future.


    "So be it, from now on you''ll wear a mask and be part of my bodyguard."


    Kaite was more than a little surprised.


    "A guard for a mercenary?"


    "What kind of joke is this?"


    Of course, she kept her words to herself, and only nodded in reply.


    Maxime began to explain his missions.


    "Your role in the future will be to follow me absolutely everywhere, preferably always lurking in the shadows."


    "On the battlefield, your role will be to protect new recruits without them being aware of it."


    "And you''ll show up on a battlefield and fight with all your might only if we''re in a bad way."


    This was Maxime''s new idea.


    To create a secret force whose members'' identities were known only to him.


    A force that was totally devoted to him and would do all the dirty work for him.


    A force that would exterminate absolutely all enemies who dared to offend him in the future.


    Maxime knew the importance of image, whether for a company or a group of mercenaries.


    He was keen to keep the image of the Saber-toothed Tigers clean and respectable, while the aim of this force would be to cleanly eradicate any force that threatened him.


    Of course, at first, the missions would be fairly straightforward, as he had explained to Kaite.


    But as more people join the force, and as his talent evolves, the missions will diversify and become more important, but also more dangerous.


    "As the first member of this elite group, what would you like the group to be called?" asked Maxime with a smile.


    Kaite swallowed hard.


    "This guy is crazy, completely crazy," she thought fearfully.


    Without waiting too long for Kaita''s answer, Maxime continued to speak.


    "I''ll let you think about it, but in the meantime, let''s go recruit his second member."


    Simultaneously, Maxime eyed the bald man on the ground with a degree of impatience.


    Following his gaze, Kaite was more than shocked.


    "But...is he going to die here?" she said sadly.


    Maxime looked her straight in the eye teasingly.


    "You still haven''t noticed?"


    "Noticed what?" replied Kaite not understanding what her new boss was talking about.


    "The blessings of my talent."


    Kaite opened her eyes wide, finally understanding why she was feeling strange changes in her body.


    She thought it was all due to the mysterious contract she''d signed.


    "Do you possess a magical talent?"


    "Of course, how else could my mercenary group be so strong?"


    "So that means Langus won''t die?" she said excitedly.


    To her, although magical talent was something extremely rare and powerful, in the moment Langus''s survival seemed far more important.


    "Of course not." replied Maxime as he walked towards Langus.


    "If I''d decapitated him or cut off one of his limbs it might have been different."


    "But my sword only pierced a few minor organs."


    "Although that should be fatal for many people, but my talent is sufficient to heal such wounds and even regenerate lost organs."


    "Or at least, it''s possible for a knight to survive it. An ordinary person would never survive this kind of injury even with my talent."


    As he spoke, Maxime knelt before the bald knight.


    Soon, a scene very similar to the one that had just taken place with Kaite occurred. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once again, he closed his eyes to concentrate on using his talent.


    Feeling that he was communicating with his talent, he opened his eyes again.


    They sparkled with a golden, almost divine glow.


    A bond began to form between him and Langus.


    Maxime held out his right hand. Suddenly, glittering words appeared in the air, traced by an ethereal light.


    They literally floated in the air, in an unknown language.


    Maxime recited the floating words silently, his lips barely moving.


    Finally, he spoke, his voice deeper, with a strange echo.


    "I, Maxime, wish to conclude a contract with the designated person."


    The light between them suddenly transformed into a golden spiral, like a luminous vortex.


    An ethereal contract appeared before them, linking them by an extremely thin golden thread.


    Langus''s body began to show signs of movement.


    In another dimension of the universe, Langus''s body floated in the air.


    All around him was dark and cold.


    Suddenly, he opened his eyes.


    "Where am I?"


    "It''s so cold..."


    He knew his eyes were open, yet all he saw was pitch black.


    "So this is what death looks like?"


    "Hey god, are you there?"


    His voice echoed in this dimension.


    Simultaneously, a small, dazzling light appeared before him.


    "So he really does exist?"


    He just wanted to soothe his heart with a little joke.


    He didn''t think "God" would actually appear.


    Instinctively, he reached out for the light. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    As if answering his call, the light gradually grew and then surrounded him completely.


    But he wasn''t expecting it; the light pierced his body.


    "No, no, what''s that!?"

 Chapter 126 Life after death

    "No, no, what is this!?"


    A burning glare erupted inside him, as if something foreign and powerful was taking hold of his essence.


    But no matter how hard he tried to resist, nothing helped.


    All he could feel was pain, as if someone were marking his possession on his soul with a burning iron.


    Abruptly, he opened his eyes in the real world.


    The air rushed into his lungs and he let out a hoarse, desperate cry, a mixture of agony and rebirth.


    He straightened up, his still numb muscles trembling under the effort, as he inhaled again greedily.


    Each breath seemed to rip through an invisible barrier as an energy surged through his body.


    "Where am I?" he thought, as a shower of sensations washed over him.


    A gentle warmth emanated from his chest, where the sword had pierced him. But this warmth was unnatural.


    It was too vivid, too present, almost oppressive. His heart, which he had thought destroyed, was beating at a terrifying pace, like a war drum.


    Langus brought a trembling hand to his chest. His fingers grazed his wound, where a gaping hole must have been.


    Only a scar could be seen. Yet he could still feel the impact of the blade, like a memory etched into his flesh.


    Noticing his movements, Maxime reassured him.


    "Your skin healed quickly, but your organs are another matter altogether. We''ll have to take it easy on your body over the next few days, to give it time to heal."


    Her eyes fell on Maxime, who stood there, watching her with a satisfied smile.


    "What have you done to me?" growled Langus, his voice hoarse and broken.


    But even as he spoke, he felt a new strength invade his being. His aching muscles seemed to awaken with an energy he didn''t recognize.


    This power was disturbing, foreign, yet deeply rooted in him. A warmth rose from his insides, a warmth he knew was not his own.


    Maxime crouched before him, plunging his eyes into Langus''s.


    "I''ve given you a new life." he said, his voice calm but heavy with meaning.


    "And in return, you belong to me now."


    Langus felt a shiver run down his spine. The words resonated within him, as if engraved in his soul. He tried to stand up, but his legs gave way.


    A sharp pain shot through his skull, and blurred images assailed his mind. The blade. The blood. The icy sensation of death coming for him. Then, that golden thread, that invisible link, had torn him from the darkness.


    "It''s not natural." he murmured, his eyes burning with anger and confusion.


    "It''s not... me."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow.


    He himself couldn''t guess what state Langus must be in after coming back from the dead.


    "No, it''s not you anymore. You''ve become a better version of yourself.


    "You possess the same strength as before, but your potential has been sublimated."


    Langus clenched his fists. He could feel this energy, this power pulsing inside him.


    He felt that one energy was healing his body and his hidden wounds, while another was breaking the limits the heavens had imposed on him.


    But ironically, he also felt a grip, a new invisible chain binding him to this man.


    He looked up at Maxime.


    "And if I refuse?" he asked, his voice more assured, almost defiant.


    Maxime laughed softly.


    "Refuse?" he repeated, amused.


    "This bond we share cannot be broken."


    Langus looked at Maxime with complicated eyes, before sighing.


    Then he glanced at the person standing next to him.


    It was her.


    Kaite stood a few steps behind him, silent but visibly tense.


    Langus squinted in disbelief as his memories flooded back.


    He remembered her face. That iron gaze she wore in the heat of battle, that almost arrogant assurance she displayed as she cut down her enemies.


    But this was different. She seemed... docile. Almost self-effacing. And above all, she was standing next to this man, Maxime, the assassin of her former young master, Perceval.


    "Kaite?" he breathed, his husky voice echoing in the silence.


    He squinted, as if to make sure it wasn''t a hallucination. But no, there she was, motionless, arms folded, staring right at him.


    A flash of anger crossed his face.


    "You?" He almost growled, trying to straighten up despite his wobbly legs.


    "What are you doing beside her? Why are you still alive?"


    Kaite swallowed, but she held his gaze. She hesitated for a moment, searching for her words.


    "Langus... things have changed. What you think you know is no longer true. If I''m alive, it''s because of him. Just like you."


    Langus felt an icy chill run through him.


    "Thanks to him?" he repeated incredulously.


    He looked at Maxime, then at Kaite, searching for an explanation that would make sense. But all he found were pieces of a puzzle he didn''t know how to fit together.


    "You''re standing there, alive, by her side? How could you betray..." His tone was a mixture of anger and incomprehension, but he didn''t dare utter the duke''s name for fear that Maxime would learn who it was who had ordered the ambush of the mercenary group.


    But little did he know, Kaite had already said it all.


    Kaite inhaled deeply, his jaw set.


    "Do you think I had a choice? Neither do you, Langus. I mean, look at you. You shouldn''t even be alive right now."


    She pointed at Maxime, a spark of resentment in her eyes.


    "What he''s capable of doing... it''s beyond anything you can imagine. We''re tied to him now. Whether we like it or not."


    "Bound?" he murmured. He brought a trembling hand to his chest, where he''d felt that strange warmth. He remembered the feeling of death that had invaded him.


    He''d never been so close to it.


    Cold, empty... And yet, here he was. Alive. And if what she was saying was true, then...


    He shook his head, struggling against this truth he refused to see. Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire


    "No... this isn''t possible. It''s not you, Kaite. Not you."


    Kaite looked away again, clenching his fists.


    "It''s not a question of what I want to be, Langus. It''s about survival. You''ll soon understand."


    Maxime, who was observing the strange scene, spoke up.


    "It''s fascinating to see how similar you two are. Always struggling against the inevitable. But in the end, you''ll accept it." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Langus glared at Maxime, but deep down he felt this truth. The bond, that golden thread, he felt with every beat of his heart.


    His anger, though intense, was stifled by a deeper, more insidious feeling: an involuntary loyalty, imposed by this contract he hadn''t chosen to sign.


    But he calmed himself as best he could.


    At the same time, he had an idea.


    "And what about Perceval, since you managed to save me, you should also be able to save Perceval?" asked Langus expectantly.


    Maxime looked at Perceval''s inert body in the distance without too much emotion.


    "He''s probably already dead, and I can''t revive the dead."


    Langus was speechless.


    "Why didn''t you save him when you could?"


    "Because I can''t sign contracts ad infinitum, and mostly because the guy was just too weak."

 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 thunderclaps.


    "Well, never mind," Maxime concluded impatiently.


    "Like you, Langus became part of this secret force. I''ll leave you to explain 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 explained a few important points.


    "Both of you, don''t worry, you won''t be slaves. 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 you complete 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 play its part.


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    "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 planning 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 dreams come 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 it later."


    On the other hand, he gave them a quick glance and was amused to see these two powerful knights looking completely 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 mentality compared 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 villagers."


    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 minutes later, 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." S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He paused, letting the words sink in.


    "Today we lost 4 comrades. 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 becoming 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.


    "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 become 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 at last.


    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 in coming 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''t come 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, your comrades... your family. Together, we will climb to heights you can''t even imagine today."


    He pointed to the flames.


    "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 128 Resignation

    "You can choose to extinguish yourself under the pressure, or grow up to be part of this inferno that nothing and no one will be able to extinguish."


    A murmur ran through the assembly. Some straightened their shoulders, others exchanged emotional glances.


    Maxime sensed the moment. He added a final note, the one that would turn fears into ambition.


    "I won''t promise you an easy life, but I can promise you today that I''ll give you a meaningful life. Keep following me, and you''ll be able to accomplish absolutely anything you wish."


    He let the silence fall, watching their reactions. Slowly, but surely, he saw their faces change. The fear hadn''t disappeared, but it was now tinged with a glow of determination.


    "Rest tonight," he concluded.


    "But from tomorrow, I want to see warriors in the making, not broken souls."


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    Night fell quickly and Maxime and his men began to set up their tents not far from the previous battlefield.


    The captives were tied together, heads bowed.


    Kaite and Langus chatted amongst themselves, observing the main camp in the distance.


    According to the role Maxime had given them, they were not to mix with the other mercenaries, so that as few people as possible would be aware of their existence.


    This position enabled them to intervene at any time should danger arise.


    To sleep through the night, they had set up two tents not far from the main camp.


    "So, Kaite, you''re resigning yourself? Are you willing to be his puppet? Don''t you want to fight to the bitter end?"


    Kaite, leaning against a tree, slowly looked up at him.


    "Fight? Against what, Langus? Against a contract that binds us to him until our last breath? It would be like trying to break invisible chains with bare hands."


    Langus clenched his fists, his face contracted in anger.


    "A knight should never be forced to follow someone like that. There''s nothing honorable about this bond... this cursed bond."


    Kaite sighed, but a glint of frustration briefly passed into his eyes.


    "Honor, Langus? How many times has that honor protected you on the battlefield? How many times has it saved you from death?"


    Langus planted his gaze in hers, jaws clenched.


    "It''s nothing to do with that. We swore fealty to ideals, not to a kid who manipulates our souls like toys."


    Kaite straightened, his tone more incisive.


    "And yet, he won, Langus. If we were stronger it wouldn''t have happened, but we lost. He could have killed us, so it''s always better to stay alive."


    Langus looked away, his anger giving way to a more muted bitterness.


    "Winning, eh? Playing with forces we don''t even understand... That''s not what I call courage."


    Kaite approached him, his gaze hard but not devoid of understanding.


    "Maybe it isn''t. But this contract, unfair as it is, forces us to face a truth we can''t ignore: we''re not strong enough."


    "At least compared to him, we''re too weak."


    Langus remained silent, Kaite''s words resonating within him.


    She continued, her voice softer.


    "And if you really want to talk about courage, then let''s face it. Maxime didn''t just bind our souls together; he gave us a new chance. A chance to become more powerful, more useful. And I refuse to throw that away."


    Langus shook his head slowly, his features marked by doubt.


    "A chance... or a golden prison. He controls our lives, Kaite. We''re no longer free."


    Kaite laid a firm hand on his shoulder, forcing him to meet her gaze.


    "Maybe he controls our lives. But what we do with this life, Langus, that''s for us to decide. This bond is no excuse to remain bitter. If we''re going to follow Maxime, then let''s do it our way. With everything we are."


    Langus inhaled deeply, trying to contain the storm inside him.


    "I hate it... being forced. But you''re right. I''d rather move on than sit here and complain."


    Kaite smirked.


    "Then stop sulking, Langus. And show this kid what you can do."


    They exchanged a look, a fragile but real resolution settling between them. It wasn''t a cheerful acceptance, but a pragmatic acknowledgement of their reality.


    And under the starry sky, the weight of the contract binding them to Maxime seemed a little lighter.


    The camp was silent, lulled by the crackling of the flames and the murmurs of tired mercenaries.


    Most of the VentBois recruits were more discreet than usual.


    Only Garen and Jean continued to chat with other mercenaries as before, such as Andrew and Charles.


    For her part, Lira lay comfortably in Terry''s arms. The two seemed surprisingly well-matched and deeply in love.


    Yet that didn''t stop them from chatting in this position with other mercenaries, the latter obviously not caring.


    Only James liked to tease them.


    There were a few bursts of laughter here and there, but most of the men and women preferred to enjoy the peace and quiet after the battle.


    It had been a hard day, and the wounds, though tended, left the bodies sore and tired.


    Maxime was sitting by the main fire, a bowl of stew in his hand.


    He was eating quietly with Laura and other mercenaries at his side.


    Aveline approached gently, a blanket over her shoulders and a thoughtful look in her violet eyes.


    "May I sit down?" she asked softly.


    Maxime nodded and patted the floor beside him.


    "Of course, Lady Aveline."


    Aveline smirked.


    "Just Aveline, I''ve already told you."


    Laura gave her a strange look, but quickly withdrew it, clearly not caring about Aveline.


    She trusted herself and Maxime enough to know that no other woman threatened her position.


    Or so she convinced herself.


    For her part, after the day''s events, Aveline had done a lot of thinking and told herself that this young man wasn''t scary as long as he was on her side.


    If he were really crazy, his men wouldn''t respect him so much.


    And... there wouldn''t also be such a beautiful, strong woman by his side.


    Only the enemies had to be afraid of him.


    She just had to be careful not to offend him.


    "Old habit," Maxime replied with a smile.


    They remained silent for a moment, watching the flames dance. The shadows of the fire cast strange shapes on the surrounding trees.


    "Your men respect you," Aveline remarked.


    Maxime shrugged.


    "They respect me because they know I care about them."


    She nodded slowly, admiring the simplicity of his answer.


    "You''re a good leader," she said finally.


    "And you, an impressive warrior. To hold out this long against a knight seasoned in the stage of small success like Kaite, you really have to be strong.


    If he still had the same strength he had in the village of VentBois, where he fought orcs for the first time, then Aveline could have been stronger than him.


    Aveline lowered her eyes slightly, a flicker of sadness darkening her gaze.


    "My father didn''t leave me much choice," she murmured.


    Maxime frowned.


    "What do you mean?"


    Aveline pulled the blanket tighter around her, her hands clutching the fabric.


    "I had two brothers," she began in a deeper voice.


    "Strong, brilliant men, destined to take over the reins of our family. They died on the battlefield, one after the other. I was only a child at the time..."


    Maxime remained silent, understanding that she needed to empty her heart.


    "My mother died when I was born, from internal bleeding. So when I was born, as far as my father was concerned, I was the only one left."


    She inhaled deeply before continuing.


    "My father, Count Ardan, devoted all his time to making me what he thought was the only solution: a weapon. Not a daughter, not a noblewoman, not even an heiress... A knight, ready to fight and survive where my brothers had failed."


    Maxime looked at her, feeling the weight of her words.


    "He trained you hard," he guessed.


    "Hard is an understatement."


    As she said this, Aveline lowered her gaze slightly with a bitter smile. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then she raised her eyes, as if scenes from her past were flashing before her.


    "Days began at dawn and ended well after sunset. Swords, strategy, survival... all subjects having to do with war were discussed and developed."


    "Even when he congratulated me, it was to push me to go further. I think he loves me, in a way, but..."


    She paused, searching for words.


    "But he never saw me as just a child. Only as an heiress who shouldn''t fail."


    Maxime nodded, respecting the silence that followed.


    "It''s a big responsibility," he finally said.


    Aveline looked at him, then sighed.


    "You know, Maxime, I''m not angry with my father, really I''m not. But sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like if my mother had still been here... or if my brothers had come back."


    "My childhood would have been so different and probably...with more love."


    Maxime gently laid a hand on her shoulder, a simple but sincere gesture.


    "You''re so much more than what he wanted to make you. What I saw today is not a weapon."


    "It''s a strong, courageous woman who isn''t afraid to put her life on the line to protect others."

 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 have come 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 of complicity while the mercenaries nearby ate quietly.


    Aveline finally stood up, pulling the blanket 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," Laura commented, 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 you come 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 explain to them that we''re more than just a group of mercenaries."


    Kaite nodded.


    "If we explain to them that their deaths won''t change anything except bring sadness and desolation 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 plant 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 plan 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 minutes later, 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, the latter 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 glance.


    "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 succeed you."


    "Meanwhile, your family will mourn your death without comfort 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 place 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 glances. 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 becoming 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 no law to protect commoners like them.


    If someone wanted to harm them, without their presence, it would be very simple.


    After Kaite''s explanation, Langus resumed and concluded, his voice firmer:


    "I ask you to consider what you can accomplish 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, becoming 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 becoming a knight.


    To become 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 particularly 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." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He placed 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 become something greater, under a banner that respects your strength and ambitions."


    "Accept, 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 acceptance.


    Maxime straightened up, observing their inner transformation. The seeds had been sown, and soon a new blaze would be born.


    After that, everyone had a meal for lunch, including Duke Devron''s former men.


    However, all had covered themselves with black 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.


    The latter remained equally silent, still pondering the many implications of the change in their allegiance.


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    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 newcomers, 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 accepted their new masked allies.


    They watched them with suspicion.

 Chapter 130 Knight Garlan

    They watched them warily.


    Some murmured among themselves, exchanging comments 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 only last a short time. Do you really think we can trust them?"


    Maxe glanced 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 blade 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 success stage): Six-star potential. Physique: 3.5]


    [Kaite (knight in early success stage): Six-star potential. Physique: 3,4]


    [Apprentice knight (grand success stage): Five-star potential. Physique: 2.8]


    [Apprentice knight (stage of great success): Five-star potential. Physical: 2.7]


    [Apprentice knight (small success stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2.5]


    [Apprentice knight (small success stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2.4]


    [Apprentice knight (small success stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2,3]


    [Apprentice knight (small success stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2,3]


    [Apprentice knight (small success 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.


    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 success stage, 3.6 points designated a knight in the major success stage and 3.9 points a knight in the peak stage.


    Almost all knights stopped at the grand success 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 and comfort 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 success 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 become great knights without fighting on the battlefield.


    So, generally speaking, all knights progressed by putting their lives at risk, as explained above.


    So a knight''s fighting power was generally very strong in all aspects.


    Whether in terms of physique, technique, combat 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 village of Quessoi off the map and tried to kill them on several occasions.


    He had also lost many talented mercenaries to this baron. The hatred between them had long been irreconcilable.


    "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.


    The landscape gradually changed as they approached the capital. The austere plains of the south gave way to better-maintained roads, lined with groves and small villages.


    On the sixth day, the forty-strong convoy reached its destination as planned.


    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 flapping in the wind.


    At their head stood a man in shining armor, mounted on a black steed.


    His face was half-covered by a finely crafted helmet, but the intensity of his blade-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 how common 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, the latter 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 Garlan 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 annihilating any threat that might come 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 regular 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."


    "The commander-in-chief of the royal guard is a great knight." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aveline''s explanation 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."


    Garlan 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 that combat was becoming 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 Maxime commanded them.


    "These are members of my group, Chevalier Garlan. Their faces are covered for reasons that concern them alone. They pose no threat to the kingdom."


    Garlan 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 131 Arrived in Hivernia!

    "Take off those masks, or I''ll arrest you all for concealing identity and threatening the kingdom."


    "What a great hat!" thought Maxime immediately as anger really started to go to his head.


    While he wasn''t an idiot, he didn''t live to be insulted like that.


    If he had to, he''d fight against the Kingdom.


    He would dare and start a rebellion.


    With his talent, anything was possible.


    Aveline, hitherto silent, brought her horse forward a step. Her voice, soft but firm, rose above the tension.


    "Chevalier Garlan, your devotion is commendable, but I am under the protection of the Saber-toothed Tigers by order of my father, Count Ardan. These masked men are necessary for my safety."


    "If you have any doubts, I invite you to accompany us to the capital." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The soldiers exchanged uncertain glances, surprised by the authority emanating from the young woman.


    Garlan, however, did not let his guard down.


    "Lady Aveline, your position does not exempt you from respecting the laws of the kingdom. These men must reveal their identity. Now."


    Maxime''s eyes were starting to turn red in earnest, but he felt a hand touch his shoulder.


    Maxime glanced to his left in surprise; it was Andrew, also mounted on his horse.


    But the latter wasn''t looking at him, also containing his anger by looking at Chevalier Garlan.


    For her part, Aveline began to show her fangs.


    "If you have any doubts about men Count Ardan himself has hired, I suggest you take your concerns to Duke Valderic himself."


    Aveline''s voice, clear and assured, made Garlan hesitate. Count Ardan was a rather discreet count whose reputation remained within closed circles.


    So he wasn''t afraid of him since he didn''t know his true level of strength, but the Valderic family was a subject for another level.


    Their reputation and strength were well known.


    But he remained visibly wary, and his gaze returned to Maxime.


    "That''s all well and good, but if these men are truly innocent, they''d have no problem removing their masks. I''ll have to insist."


    "This farce has gone on long enough," Maxime intervened immediately.


    What had to happen finally did.


    Maxime quietly dismounted and drew his sword.


    Chevalier Garlan frowned.


    "What are you doing, mercenary?


    "What I should have been doing a long time ago," Maxime replied simply, then dashed towards Chevalier Garlan.


    Andrew, Laura, Charles, Terry, Tena and all the other mercenaries except the new recruits looked on as if they''d been expecting it.


    Kaite and Langus looked at each other in shock.


    "He dares to attack a knight of the royal guard?"


    "Is he insane?"


    "This is literally an attack on the Kingdom!"


    Both thought the same things. This was totally different from their little ambush in the dark.


    Here, Maxime was attacking a knight of the royal guard in broad daylight.


    This could clearly be interpreted as a sign of rebellion!


    For his part, the knight Garlan, although surprised, was expecting an attack after seeing this young man draw his sword, but he wasn''t particularly worried.


    Given his young age, he was at most an apprentice knight at the stage of great success, because otherwise, if he were any stronger, he''d be known throughout the kingdom.


    And Maxime knew this and took advantage of the fact that, while he maintained a speed corresponding to an apprentice knight, he accelerated all of a sudden when he was close enough to the knight Garlan.


    "What''s that?"


    The Garlan knight had no time to react and Maxime managed to open his guard with a sword thrust, then did a backhanded kick right into the middle of the Garlan knight''s armor.


    The latter flew towards his men at phenomenal speed, knocking some of them over like dominoes.


    "Captain!"


    Chevalier Garlan felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and struggled to get to his feet.


    After all, it was a blow comparable to a knight at peak stage.


    His men were all shocked to see their captain looking so miserable after just one exchange.


    "Keep pissing us off and I''ll kill you all," declared Maxime coolly.


    Simultaneously, a slight bloodthirsty aura that he had accumulated over the course of battles naturally flowed out of him.


    When the Garlan knight saw this young man exude such a demonic, demon-like aura, he took fright.


    He felt he was up against one of the 5 best knights in the royal guard.


    He himself was one of the weakest knights in the royal guard, and he knew his own position.


    He''d have no chance of winning in a 1vs1 situation.


    Garlan tried to stand up, staggering slightly, his dented armor emitting a strange creaking sound. His soldiers gathered around him, but their hesitation was easy to notice.


    Maxime''s icy aura had undermined their confidence.


    The knight of the royal guard finally managed to stand up, then raised a hand to signal his men not to attack.


    "Enough..." he articulated with difficulty, still in shock.


    Aveline, still in the saddle, watched the scene with an indecipherable expression. She''d already seen Maxime''s dark side, so she wasn''t particularly surprised by this scene.


    This young man was afraid of nothing in this world, and above all he was intelligent enough that even with such a crazy side, he managed to legitimize his actions.


    Maxime sheathed his sword with a quick movement, but the oppressive aura didn''t completely disappear. He stepped forward, his cold gaze fixed on Garlan''s.


    "Chevalier Garlan, I suggest you reconsider your position. You''ve tried to humiliate my men and endangered a mission entrusted directly to you by an earl."


    "You have two choices now: accompany us silently back to the capital or take your chances once more, but if you choose this option, I won''t be able to guarantee that your head will still be attached to your body at the end of the day."


    The apprentice knights of the royal guard exchanged nervous glances, none of them seeming to want to face such an adversary.


    "This young man is too terrifying," murmured one of them, the other apprentice knights nodding, swallowing hard.


    Knight Garlan nodded with difficulty.


    "Very well... You''ve won mercenary. I''ll accompany you, but you should know that this incident will be reported to the appropriate authorities."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, a slight ironic smile on his lips.


    "Please do. I can''t wait to hear how you''ll explain your inability to carry out a simple inspection."


    Aveline stepped forward again, her voice soft but tinged with imperious authority:


    "Chevalier Garlan, I advise you to forget this incident. The Valderic family won''t appreciate learning that their future daughter-in-law has been delayed by caprice. Accompany us or return to your post."


    As much as Aveline hated this wedding, she didn''t mind using their power early.


    The name of the Valderic family made Garlan blanch slightly. After a long silence, he nodded in agreement.


    "Very well, Lady Aveline. I''ll escort you to the capital."


    A few hours later, under the escort of the royal guard, the group finally reached the imposing walls of the royal capital.


    The guard towers rose proudly to the sky, and the massive gates were open, letting in merchants, peasants and nobles.


    Above the gate was a phrase carved in stone:


    "Welcome to Hivernia."


    Hivernia was the capital of the kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    Maxime glanced at Aveline.


    He knew their mission would get even trickier once inside the walls.


    Indeed, the mission would only end once this marriage was concluded.


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    But as Maxime sensed, the wedding would hold many surprises.


    The large group passed under the imposing stone arches of Hivernia, then arrived at the center of a huge street filled with the hustle and bustle of a capital in full effervescence.


    In this immense bustle, very few people noticed the arrival of this large group of people.


    "I''ll leave you here Lady Aveline, as well as...the Saber-toothed Tigers." declared the knight of the royal guard with some dismay.


    "Thank you for your services Garlan, we''ll meet again no doubt," replied Maxime with a smile.


    But this smile sent shivers down the spine of the knight of the royal guard and he left without a word with his men.


    Aveline, Maxime and his men found themselves in a street crowded with merchants shouting their wares, nobles chatting behind silk veils, and soldiers patrolling with heightened vigilance.


    Maxime kept one hand resting nonchalantly on the hilt of his sword, as he recorded every detail.


    As Aveline had already been to the capital, Maxime and his men quietly followed her to the Valderic manor.


    In just under 10 minutes, they arrived at the gateway to a cold, austere courtyard, just like the family who lived there. The walls surrounding the mansion were decorated with banners bearing a giant black snake on a silver background, the Valderic emblem.


    A stern-looking butler, dressed in an impeccable suit, awaited them in front of this portal.


    "Lady Aveline, gentlemen. I am butler Guiscard. His Grace, Duke Luc Valderic, awaits you for a private audience."

 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 casting complicated glances at each other. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was not how they had expected to land 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 black 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 black, his presence was imposing.


    His sharp gaze passed slowly over the mercenary group before settling on Aveline.


    "Welcome 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-in-law 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 strength comparable 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 glanced at Maxime.


    The duke followed Romulad''s gaze and saw a young man with blond hair and blue eyes.


    Apart from resembling a young nobleman, at first glance 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 own land.


    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 scholar.


    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 occasion 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 accommodated 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 time later, 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''t lacking 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 accompany 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 placed 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 play.


    "Very well." he yielded reluctantly.


    Aveline nodded with a slight smile. Then, accompanied 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 welcoming, if slightly sinister, smile stretching his lips.


    "Lady Aveline, welcome. 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.


    "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 exemplary. My father chose them carefully, and I trust them completely."


    Dorian sketched an amused smile.


    "Interesting. The young blond man, Maxime, seems particularly... 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 is competent and loyal. Qualities I appreciate."


    Dorian leaned forward slightly, his eyes shining with an almost unhealthy curiosity.

 Chapter 133 Provocative young genius Valderic

    Dorian leaned forward slightly, his eyes shining with an almost unhealthy curiosity.


    "I see. Well, this Maxime is certainly admirable."


    The rest of the dinner passed in a mixture of tension and forced cordiality, or at least that''s how Aveline felt.


    At the end, as she was about to leave the room, Dorian rose and bowed slightly.


    "Lady Aveline, you''re even more fascinating than I imagined. I''m sure we''ll form a union that will be... memorable."


    Aveline replied with a polite smile before leaving the room.


    "Memorable my ass..."


    But she kept her thoughts to herself and bowed only slightly in reply.


    Reaching the west wing, she found Maxime waiting for her.


    "So?" he asked.


    Aveline hesitated for a second before answering.


    "This guy''s definitely not clean-cut, but nothing out of the ordinary happened."


    "Besides, the meal was pretty good."


    Maxime laughed lightly.


    "Your heart may not be filled in this future family, but your belly certainly will be."


    Aveline looked up.


    "Very funny, Maxime."


    Maxime shrugged, his smile fading slightly as he regained his seriousness.


    "Rest up for tonight, Aveline. We''ll keep watch."


    She nodded, tired from the previous days'' walking and especially from that surprise dinner.


    "Good night, Maxime."


    She returned to her room, her thoughts whirling.


    Maxime remained pensive for a moment before heading for his own room.


    The days that followed passed quickly and rather quietly.


    Although Maxime and his 40 men, a dozen of them masked, attracted a lot of stares and gossip, they didn''t cause much of a stir.


    The mercenaries weren''t bothering anyone, spending their days in a training area originally set aside for the Valderic guards.


    This open-air training area, surrounded by high walls, was equipped with dummies, targets and weapons of all kinds.


    Under Maxime''s watchful eye, the mercenaries perfected their skills.


    Everyone was highly motivated as they all felt themselves getting stronger day by day, even Langus and Kaite, much to their surprise.


    It had already been many years since they had made any progress at all, and suddenly, as if something had been unlocked, they were making progress again.


    Maxime himself was always training in the art of the sword, often sparring with his two knights.


    After all, beyond their physical strength, these two were experts in close combat and swordplay, so it would have been a shame not to take advantage. Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    And so, in just 3 days, his mastery of the sword had already reached a level close to that of his new teachers, astonishing them to an unimaginable degree.


    Such progress in such a short space of time was more than exceptional.


    The progress their new boss had made in 3 days was comparable to several months'' training by a genius.


    At first, the two knights were shocked to see such an insane rate of progress, but they became increasingly indifferent, even taking it for granted after a while.


    This particularly motivated them to get more involved with the mercenary group.


    They saw the potential in their new leader, and this gave them hope for the future.


    And for his part, Maxime was pleased that his fighting power had improved again, gradually approaching the level of a knight at peak stage.


    One afternoon, while training was in full swing, an elegant figure appeared at the entrance to the grounds.


    His impeccable clothes contrasted with the dust and sweat that covered the mercenaries. He stepped forward slowly, his boots clacking on the cobblestones and a wry smile hanging on his face.


    "What an impressive troop. They almost look like... dogs of war."


    The mercenaries stopped, their masked gazes turning to the figure.


    Maxime quietly sheathed his sword and stepped forward until only a few steps separated him from this person.


    "If you''re here to mock my men, you might regret it Lord Valderic."


    Dorian raised an eyebrow.


    "A mere mercenary dares to speak to me in that tone, you must not know me." he replied with a cold tone.


    "Oh yes I do, Dorian Valderic one of the 3 greatest geniuses in the kingdom of the frost eagle. He''s 20 years old and a knight at the stage of small success."


    "Am I wrong somewhere Lord Valderic?"


    Maxime''s tone was more than unbearable to Dorian''s ears, and he didn''t like the situation at all.


    Especially when he also noticed the cold stares of the mercenaries on the training ground.


    No one respected him here, as if he were no longer at home.


    But all at once, Dorian smiled.


    "Well, let''s see if all this training is really worth anything. How about a duel? One of your men... or you, perhaps, Captain."


    A heavy silence fell. The mercenaries exchanged furtive glances, expecting to see a fine spectacle.


    Particularly the older mercenaries: in their eyes, Maxime was totally invincible.


    When he was still a mere apprentice knight, he could kill hundreds of orcs, many of them comparable to knights, single-handed.


    So when they saw with their own eyes that the strength displayed by their leader could defeat knights such as Kaite and Langus without too much difficulty, they could only imagine how monstrous his strength could be once he gave it his all.


    And that''s why mercenaries had a very special kind of pride.


    It was the pride of being under the command of such an exceptional man.


    Inwardly, they all saw him as the hero of the age. The one who could change the status quo not of the kingdom, but of the continent.


    Of course, they didn''t hold out much hope of him ever becoming emperor, given his peculiar character.


    But they could all see that he was a very good mercenary leader, who treated his men very well without putting on airs in front of them.


    He always got on well with each and every one of them.


    Kaite and Langus, who had mingled with the other mercenaries, like Duke Devron''s former men, were also beginning to understand this Saber-toothed Tiger pride.


    Just as Maxime was about to reply to Dorian, two silhouettes positioned themselves in front of him.


    "Not just anyone is qualified to challenge our leader. If you wish to confront him, you must first succeed in defeating us."


    Dorian watched in disbelief as the two masked individuals fearlessly challenged him.


    Everyone here knew his identity, yet these two masked individuals were saying he wasn''t qualified to challenge the leader of an unknown mercenary group.


    "Is this a joke?"


    In reply, Kaite and Langus drew their swords and looked coldly at Dorian in front of them.


    The tension was almost palpable, as all the mercenaries watched the scene with bated breath.


    Without a doubt, this show was taking a turn they all really liked.


    Dorian stared at Maxime.


    "Your mercenaries are very brave, Maxime.


    The latter nodded confidently.


    "Without a doubt, my men are among the finest mercenaries to be found in this kingdom."


    Dorian was surprised by the confidence emanating from this man even younger than himself.


    "The best, eh? What a great tone."


    "Well, I''ll leave you here to train. We''ll meet again at the banquet tonight," said Dorian as he turned to leave.


    "You know the way," Maxime finally replied, as amiable as ever.


    Dorian simply waved his hand without turning around.


    Maxime felt a headache coming on as he thought about the banquet planned by the Valderic family. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They had invited all the nobility of the capital to celebrate the union between their family and those of the Ardans.


    But in any case, this strange confrontation ended just like that.


    The mercenaries naturally began to discuss what had happened.


    Andrew broke the silence first.


    "It''s strange what''s happened, boss, it''s as if he''s testing us.


    Tena, standing nearby, nodded approvingly.


    "Clearly, everything suggested that he didn''t really want to challenge us to a duel, or even if he had, he would have done so for a particular reason and not because of a character trait."


    "I agree with Tena and Andrew, Maxime," added Laura.


    Other mercenaries such as Ernest, Charles, Henry and Ultia also gave their opinions on the situation.


    Maxime tried to think it all through, but soon gave up.


    "Who cares what a nobleman thinks? Let''s just complete our mission, then go back to Plouta and beat the shit out of that damned baron."


    "And then we''ll take a well-deserved vacation."


    "We''re here to protect Aveline, not play ego games with a promising knight."


    Just as they were about to resume their training, Aveline entered the courtyard with a quick step. Her gaze swept over the men before settling on Maxime.


    "You." She pointed at the captain with an authoritative gesture.


    Maxime arched an eyebrow.


    "Me? What have I done now?"


    Aveline crossed her arms, her face serious.


    "You''re coming with me to the manor. I''ve found someone to make you a bespoke suit. You can''t show up at tonight''s banquet in combat gear."


    He laughed softly, shaking his head.


    "I don''t think my appearance matters much, especially since I''m not a nobleman but a mercenary."


    She looked up with an exasperated sigh.


    "Trust me, you''re coming to a battlefield tonight and you need to wear the proper armor to protect yourself from the opponents'' weapons. That is, a suit!"


    The mercenaries remained silent, but some exchanged amused smiles.


    Laura glanced at Aveline.


    "Can I come too tonight?"


    But Aveline shook her head.


    "No, it''s a gathering of high-ranking nobles, so I can only bring one person with me."


    Laura looked disappointed, but nodded in understanding.


    All this took place before Maxime''s eyes, who reassured Laura by taking her in his arms.


    "Don''t worry, nothing''s going to happen.


    "She replied without much conviction.


    Just then, he turned and looked at Aveline.


    "Okay for the suit, but I''m warning you: if that tailor sticks me with a ridiculous outfit, you''ll be the one who has to deal with the consequences."


    A victorious smile lit up Aveline''s face.


    "Perfect. Follow me, we haven''t got all day."

 Chapter 134 The banquet has started!

    "Perfect. Follow me, we haven''t got all day."


    Aveline led Maxime through the manor''s corridors to a bright room with large windows.


    Inside was an old man in a suit with a neatly trimmed moustache.


    As soon as Maxime entered the room, the old man inspected him from head to toe.


    At the same time, Aveline took the opportunity to introduce the old man.


    "This is Ma?tre Olivier, one of the capital''s finest tailors," she announced with a satisfied smile.


    Olivier bowed slightly, a professional smile on his face.


    "Lady Aveline, always a pleasure. And here''s the..." He hesitated, searching for an appropriate word.


    "...Captain Maxime."


    Maxime shook his head with a smile.


    "You can just call me Maxime, Master Olivier."


    "Then just call me Olivier," Olivier replied respectfully, smiling back.


    "Well, let''s not waste time. Please remove your upper body clothing, Maxime, and stand up straight."


    Maxime glanced skeptically at Aveline, as if to say:


    "Are you planning to watch me undress?"


    The latter turned and looked up.


    Maxime obeyed, removing his clothes and revealing his muscular frame.


    The tailor''s expert hands quickly went to work, measuring every inch of his body with precision, touching him everywhere.


    "Impressive." murmured Olivier, noting Maxime''s broad shoulders and upright posture.


    "You were made to wear a noble suit, my friend."


    Hearing this, Aveline longed to turn around and take in the scene.


    "Resist, resist, resist..."


    The sight of Maxime shirtless excited Aveline deeply somehow.


    "Noble or not, I prefer armor," Maxime replied to the tailor.


    Seeming to regain some composure, Aveline reassured Maxime.


    "Armor won''t protect you from the judgments those nobles will make when they see you. You need something just as robust, but in appearance."


    "Yeah." replied Maxime without conviction.


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    An hour later, after numerous fabric and style suggestions, Olivier watched his masterpiece being worn by Maxime.


    At the same time, Aveline, who had turned around after Olivier''s measurements, was also looking at Maxime in this beautiful suit.


    "Elegant and imposing," Olivier declared proudly as he adjusted the jacket on Maxime.


    "With that, you''ll definitely attract more than one young noblewoman!" commented Aveline with a laugh.


    Maxime turned to the mirror and remained silent for a moment.


    "Not bad, he thought.


    He''d never worn a suit in his life until now, which gave him a whole new feeling.


    But it wasn''t unpleasant to be dressed like that.


    At the same time, Aveline nodded.


    "Very well, then. Now you''ll be ready to face the nobility tonight."


    "If anything, the nobility should be ready to face me," Maxime replied, laughing.


    Aveline looked up.


    "Have you always been this arrogant?"


    "Ever since I arrived in this world." said Maxime, smiling mysteriously.


    But obviously Aveline didn''t understand the hidden message.


    "So since always..great."


    ...


    Evening arrived very quickly.


    The banquet organized by the Valderic family took place on the top floor of the manor house, which had been specially designed for the occasion.


    Guests entered the mansion, climbed the sumptuous steps and arrived at the giant door leading to the upper floor.


    Of course, the doors weren''t locked, making it easy to go back and forth.


    There were also two guards in charge of announcing the arrival of each participant and protecting the security of the premises.


    But of course, the security was just for show.


    There was no safer place in the kingdom than this manor, except for the king''s palace, where the Valderic family ancestor, Edwin Valderic, still lived.


    His battlefield legends still echoed in the taverns of the capital and the kingdom''s main towns.


    There were also several balconies on the top floor, where guests could enjoy a drink, while taking in the outside breeze and the mansion''s breathtaking view of the capital.


    The room itself was immense and adorned with glittering chandeliers, it seemed bathed in a golden light that enhanced the rich colors of the tapestries.


    Every detail testified to the power and exquisite taste of the Valderics.


    Tables were covered with silk tablecloths embroidered with arrangements of exotic fruits on beautifully decorated plates.


    Waiters carried trays overflowing with refined dishes and offered them to the guests. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, a small band of musicians was also on hand to set the mood for the banquet.


    The guests, representatives of the capital''s great noble families, were equally remarkable.


    The men wore sumptuous suits, embroidered with gold and silver thread, while the women competed in elegance in their sumptuous gowns, adorned with sparkling jewels.


    As hosts of the evening, the Valderics naturally dominated the scene.


    The patriarch, Luc Valderic, stood near the entrance, greeting each guest with calculated courtesy.


    His imposing presence and measured tone exuded unquestionable authority.


    Lady Marissa Valderic, his wife, was equally gracious, chatting deftly with the other noblewomen while glancing around to make sure everything was running smoothly.


    As for Dorian Valderic, he sailed between the guests, a confident smile on his lips, exchanging elegant words and flattery with disconcerting ease.


    Everyone knew his reputation, but reputation didn''t matter if the family behind you was powerful enough.


    And the Valderics were only below the king in terms of status and power, so no one could ignore them.


    The banquet went rather smoothly at first, until Maxime and Aveline''s arrival at the banquet did not go unnoticed.


    "Lady Aveline Ardan and... the captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers, Maxime, have arrived!"


    The doormen''s powerful voice drew all the attention of the guests already present to Maxime and Aveline.


    And as all the capital''s nobility looked on, Aveline made an impeccable entrance, her hand elegantly resting on Maxime''s arm.


    Her midnight-blue gown sparkled under the candelabra lights, and she wore a most charming smile.


    Without a doubt, in this room, Aveline momentarily eclipsed all the young noblewomen in the kingdom.


    If she wasn''t beautiful enough, the Valderics wouldn''t have agreed to marry their greatest genius to a mere heiress of an earl.


    Between count and duke, there were also marquesses.


    So the difference in status was quite substantial.


    But that didn''t matter at the moment.


    Next to her, Maxime, in his suit, radiated natural confidence. His imposing silhouette and calm yet penetrating gaze forced conversations to come to a halt.


    His deep black suit was embellished with subtle silver-thread embroidery around his heart, depicting a Saber-toothed Tiger motif with crossed swords in the background.


    Master Olivier had certainly touched his innocent young heart with this symbol.


    Maxime felt particularly comfortable in this outfit.


    The murmuring resumed as soon as they entered the room.


    The ballroom, bathed in golden lights, vibrated with constant animation.


    As Aveline and Maxime mingled with the crowd, eyes continued to converge on them.


    While Aveline attracted compliments for her elegance and beauty, it was Maxime who quickly became the main topic of conversation.


    His natural presence, enhanced by his impeccable suit, did not go unnoticed.


    Several young noblewomen subtly approached, casting admiring glances or discreet smiles.


    "Who''s that man with Lady Aveline?" whispered a young noblewoman to one of her friends.


    "According to the doorman, he''s the leader of a mercenary group, the Saber-toothed Tigers."


    "Are they famous?"


    "I don''t know, but they''re going to be with such a handsome leader."


    "So much so, I thought mercenaries were country folk, always unshaven with questionable hygiene."


    "And leaders to me are the worst of the worst, besides being generally old, they want to fight all the time over nothing."


    "But clearly, he..."


    "Ahhh I''m melting..."


    And what had to happen, happened.


    A damsel dressed in a crimson gown arrived in front of Maxime, with a fan that she waved delicately in front of his face.


    "Captain Maxime, is it?" she asked in a gentle voice.


    Maxime, a little surprised but polite, replied with a slight smile.


    He didn''t know how, but he was very good at controlling his composure in front of women, no matter how beautiful they were.


    Maybe it was his improved strength, his status in this world or his experiences on the battlefield.


    "That''s me, miss."


    "I wonder if the captain would give me the honor of spending some time together?"


    Maxime raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    But he nodded.


    "Of course, who am I to refuse the request of a beautiful lady?


    The latter blushed slightly.


    Many people had already told her she was pretty, but when it came from the mouth of such a handsome man, it had an entirely different effect.


    As the evening progressed, other young women joined the conversation, forming a circle around him.


    And surprisingly, Maxime handled being surrounded by so many young women very well, as if he''d done it many times before.


    He could make small talk and make each of them laugh.


    But not far away, the critical murmurs of some nobles could be heard.


    "A mercenary, really? And he dares to strut around here as if he were one of us." tossed a thick-bearded man, with a tone of disdain in his voice.


    "Lady Aveline could have chosen someone more... appropriate as an escort," declared a man at her side.


    Another, with meaner eyes, continued:


    "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 Valderics'' generosity."

 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."


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    Aveline, who was never far away, intercepted some of these comments. Her eyes darkened, but she remained impassive, her impeccable 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 had come to speak to him, mixing modesty and confidence in his answers while smiling.


    This attitude only accentuated 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 placed 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 to come 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, where laughter and lively discussion mingled with the light music of musicians seated in a discreet corner.


    Guests moved in small groups, exchanging courtesies and flattery, glances furtively meeting, calculated, 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 glances 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 elaborate 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 had come 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 become 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 relax.


    "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..."


    Hearing the same beginning of an answer as what she''d said, the princess grinned broadly and tried to keep from laughing to maintain her princess image.


    But when she heard the rest, her expression immediately changed.


    "Then sometimes to see, because of her own weakness, her comrades die before her eyes, to see innocent villagers literally exterminated by orcs and just after that for the latter to destroy years of work with a kick in their houses, collapsing 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. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 out laughing 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 how lazy I was to come, especially all alone."


    The princess''s way of speaking, changing completely surprised Maxime but made him laugh 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 circulating 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 young lady 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, composed 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 placed 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.


    "Your company is appreciated, but I''m rather preoccupied 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 play 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, combined with her impeccable 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.


    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 glances 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 accepted without hesitation. She subtly guided Dorian through more complex movements.


    The final turn placed 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 applause.


    Duke Valderic, visibly delighted, spoke up to cover the applause:


    "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 uncomfortable at being just a shadow in this dazzling performance.


    After the first song and a round of applause 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 a combination 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 glances at each other.


    Dorian, still in the middle with Aveline, couldn''t help noticing the glances turned towards the unexpected duo.


    Aveline felt particularly happy not to be receiving so much attention, while Dorian was frustrated at having his scene completely 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."


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    ...


    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''d come 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. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s a promise then."


    Their final pose, simple but full of magnetic charm, stunned the guests.


    "The princess is really supple." murmured a gorgeous young lady, wearing a dark red evening gown.


    "More than the princess, this mercenary looks more like a noble than real nobles," murmured another young lady, squinting her eyes.


    The latter''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 envy common 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 days later, the wedding preparations were completely 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, lay on a mannequin.


    Not far away, servants bustled around a young blonde damsel, adjusting her corset and combing 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.


    "Glad to be, since this is going to be the worst day of my life."


    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 you later, then."


    Maxime left the room while Aveline continued to look at herself in the mirror, with a complicated, sad look on her face.


    At the moment, her emotions were in total disarray.


    Outside, there was a huge commotion.


    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."


    The latter was surprisingly Duke Devron, the Valderic''s main political enemy in the Kingdom.


    "Not that long, but in any case congratulations 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''t come up with any valid plan to sabotage the wedding.


    So he could only come 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 their complicity 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 circulating 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 to come to Count Ardan''s aid."


    "Some may even have already arrived in the south."


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    The cathedral had been sumptuously decorated for the occasion.


    Red and gold hangings adorned the walls, and the rows of pews were filled with the kingdom''s most influential figures.


    The organ played 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. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So handsome."


    "He really is a young hero."


    "If only there weren''t..."


    "Shh...shut up, are you really planning 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 seconds later, 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 glance before turning to the priest.


    The priest, dressed in his regalia, opened a large 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 138 The truth about marriage

    She looked away briefly at Maxime, seated at the back of the room, who was as motionless as a statue.


    After a moment''s silence, she finally answered in a clear voice:


    "Yes, I do."


    The priest nodded and turned to Dorian, a benevolent smile on his face.


    "Dorian Valderic, do you agree to take Aveline Ardan as your wife, to love, cherish and be faithful to her until death do you part?"


    Dorian remained silent, and time seemed to stand still.


    The guests looked at each other, murmuring in low voices, clearly uncomfortable.


    "Why doesn''t he answer?"


    "Does anyone know what''s going on?"


    "I have a feeling something big is going to happen."


    Duke Valderic, seated in the front row, frowned, his expression shifting from incomprehension to annoyance.


    Aveline turned her head towards Dorian, her heart suddenly beating faster.


    After a moment, he exclaimed in a calm but firm voice:


    "No, I don''t want to."


    A collective gasp ran through the room. Murmurs turned to shocked exclamations.


    Luc Valderic stood up abruptly, his face flushed with anger.


    Aveline froze, unable to move. Her hands trembled slightly, but her face remained impassive.


    "Dorian!" cried her father, his voice thundering.


    "Explain yourself at once!"


    Dorian turned to his father, his features marked by cold determination.


    "I''m sorry, Father, but as a gentleman. I refuse to tie my life to someone without true affection. It''s not right, not for her, not for me."


    The duke felt like killing his son on the spot, but forced himself to calm down so as not to create a scandal on the spot.


    This was all to the delight of Duke Devron, who was sitting nearby with some of his family.


    "Father..."


    "It''s happening just as you think it''s happening," Duke Devron replied, extremely pleased.


    "Let''s have a feast tonight with all the members of the family."


    "Yes."


    For her part, stupor gradually gave way to a strange clarity in Aveline''s mind.


    Although shocked, part of her felt relieved. She turned her head to Dorian, searching his eyes.


    "You could have warned me or tried to talk to me before you caused such a scene." she asked, her voice measured.


    Dorian nodded, his gaze sincere.


    "True, but I believed it until the last moment and I didn''t want to resign myself to it," Dorian replied in a bitter voice.


    "I couldn''t find the courage either."


    Aveline seemed to discover a new person when she heard him say this.


    "Was I wrong all along? Was his reputation not reality?"


    A feeling of regret began to sink into Aveline''s heart.


    Especially since her father had counted so heavily on this marriage.


    A heavy silence fell over the assembly. Then, slowly, Aveline raised her head, her expression one of newfound pride.


    "Then I suppose it will be a memorable day for all, but not for the reasons we expected." S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She turned on her heels, head held high, and slowly left the altar under the fascinated and stunned gazes of the guests.


    Maxime quickly followed in the confusion.


    As they exited, they passed all the Saber-toothed Tiger mercenaries who saw Aveline quickly leave her own wedding.


    Everyone was very confused.


    "Andrew, take some men and watch Dorian''s movements for me."


    "Yes, sir!"


    "The rest of you come back with us to the Valderic estate and stand by."


    "Yes, chief!"


    After giving a few orders, Maxime caught up with Aveline and returned together in no time.


    When they arrived in front of their rooms, Aveline turned around.


    "Do me a favor and get your men ready, Maxime. I hope to leave for my territory tomorrow morning."


    "My father will reward you for the return trip, don''t worry."


    Maxime shook his head and replied:


    "That''s not necessary, in any case I was planning to pass through Count Ardan''s territory to collect the wages for this mission before going to Plouta to see my men again."


    Adeline nodded and locked herself in her quarters, keeping her thoughts to herself.


    "I imagine it must be complicated for her," Maxime murmured before heading out to the training ground.


    If there was nothing to do, he was still on the training ground with his men, practicing.


    With such persistence and intensity every day, the servants began to admire these mercenaries and even spread rumors.


    At first, the rumors circulated only on the Valderic estate, but gradually they spread to the capital.


    Although it was a simple fact of life in the capital, it contributed to the fame of the Saber-toothed Tigers.


    Soon night fell on the Valderic estate, and silence hung heavy in the air.


    No one had come to see Aveline until now, nor had she left her room.


    Maxime, wearing a dark cloak, slipped into a less-frequented wing of the manor. He had learned from Andrew that Dorian had retired there after the ceremony.


    Soon he was walking through the wing''s deserted and particularly dirty corridors.


    It seemed as if no one had cleaned here for a long time.


    Soon he found the young nobleman in a small library, leaning against a table, a half-empty glass of wine in front of him.


    The place almost looked like a cellar, but somehow the room was particularly clean.


    Dorian seemed lost in thought, his face closed, but he looked up when he heard Maxime enter.


    "I knew you''d come." he said wearily. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Maxime was surprised.


    "How could you know?"


    "It''s easy for me to notice a few apprentice knights who aren''t very skilled at spying." he replied with a slight sarcasm but still looking at his glass.


    Maxime shook his head a little embarrassed, but quickly returned to his normal self.


    "Why did you refuse? You''ve ruined everything." asked Maxime, curious.


    "Haven''t I said it before, I did it because I didn''t want to marry a woman who didn''t consent."


    "To others, now that I''m here and everything is already in the past you can tell the truth." replied Maxime, frowning.


    Dorian slowly set down his glass, crossing his fingers in front of him. He seemed to hesitate, but finally sighed deeply, as if shaking off too heavy a weight.


    "I did it to save Aveline."

 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 glass, set it down and leaned back in his chair, looking up at the wooden ceiling.


    "The wedding wasn''t meant to seal a lasting alliance between our families. My father had an entirely different plan."


    Maxime went and sat down opposite Dorian.


    He had a feeling this was destined to be a long night.


    "Another plan?"


    Noticing that Maxime had sat down in front of him, Dorian stood up and took a glass of wine from a cupboard.


    Then he set the glass down in front of Maxime.


    "A glass 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 glass and filled it to the brim.


    A glass was never filled to the brim; there was usually a line marked on the glass 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.


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    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, glasses, books and bottles, was made of wood, even the table where the glasses 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 particularly pleasant, in Maxime''s opinion.


    "My father wanted to exterminate the Arden family and then rightfully reclaim their land. 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 plan earlier?"


    Dorian looked down at his wine glass, 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 plans. Without marriage, he has no legitimacy to attack the Ardans."


    "And with this plan, 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 regularly visit my mother at work," Dorian said, laughing.


    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 never come into contact with the darker side of humanity.


    "If this kind of thing could happen in Eternity, then there must be similar 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 mercenary come 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 discomfort.


    But Dorian smiled as he played with his glass 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."


    Dorian laughed.


    "Yeah, that''s true." he replied, still laughing.


    "And is that really the case?" asked Maxime, curious.


    "Why should I hit women? Only the weak who fear the strong do that." commented 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. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 become family if you join my mercenary group."

 Chapter 140 A wild evening

    "However we could become family if you join my mercenary group."


    Dorian smiled in response.


    "An interesting idea...but I refuse."


    But Maxime still wanted to insist a little.


    "Why not? You could be much happier than you are right now."


    "Our mercenary group has already saved many innocent lives."


    Dorian, however, shook his head.


    "You don''t realize the repercussions there would be if I joined your group."


    As the eldest son of a Duke, Dorian''s vision was much broader than Maxime''s, who was currently just the leader of a mercenary group.


    But Maxime was rather intelligent, and suddenly realized a few things from Dorian''s words.


    If a genius knight like him were to join them, it would imply that he himself was stronger than Dorian, and that he could also have knight-level mercenaries.


    Duke Devron could directly link the failure of the ambush to his group of mercenaries, since until then he''d had no idea that mere mercenaries could repel a group of apprentice knights led by 3 knights.


    Duke Valderic might also start paying unwanted attention to them.


    In short, the group''s reputation would grow far too quickly.


    Maxime became pensive, his mind whirling under the avalanche of revelations and possibilities.


    He set his glass down on the wooden table, his gaze fixed on Dorian.


    "I see... You''re not only a talented knight, you also have a brain that works pretty well."


    Dorian shrugged with a mischievous smile and raised his glass to Maxime.


    "So you say."


    Then he drank his glass in one gulp and let out a big belch.


    Clearly Dorian had left all noble superficiality behind.


    Maxime, intrigued, leaned back in his chair.


    "Tell me about the repercussions. What exactly would happen if you joined our group?"


    Dorian the alcohol rising to his brain was beginning to find it hard to think about such profound things.


    "Flemme to think, but believe me, you don''t want your group caught in the middle of a succession dispute."


    Maxime sighed at Dorian''s state, but it also made him laugh.


    "But why help me then? Why tell me all this if you''re not going to join our group?"


    Dorian stared at Maxime, smiling.


    "Because, even if I can''t officially join you, that doesn''t mean I''m your enemy."


    "Quite the contrary. You have enormous potential since you''re not attached to any important family, but by the same token you''re going to become a thorn in the side of many nobles."


    "And I hate the idea of someone with your potential being crushed by the heavyweights of this kingdom."


    Maxime''s gaze softened; he sensed Dorian was sincere, but that didn''t mean he was telling all.


    "So, what do you propose?"


    Dorian smiled, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head.


    "A discreet alliance. No official promises, no contracts."


    "If you need information, access to certain networks, or even a helping hand in the shadows, I''ll do what I can."


    "In exchange, I want you to stay true to yourself."


    All this was bound to be more than interesting for Maxime, since building an information network was one of his ideas, and he''d already begun to do so by building his secret force.


    But above all, this alliance was interesting because, on the surface, he had absolutely nothing to do with it.


    So he didn''t understand, he felt like he was using Dorian and being of no help to him.


    "I don''t understand, what good would it do you?"


    Dorian seemed suddenly sober again as he stared at Maxime with sparkling eyes.


    "Haven''t you figured it out yet?" he asked with a puzzled smile.


    "Maxime, I want you to change this world."


    ...


    Silence filled the room, with only the sound of melting candles and the wind tapping lightly on the window and wooden walls.


    The two men''s gazes almost seemed to clash, but Maxime finally shook his head.


    "Your demands are too great."


    "No, I feel you''re capable of it, Maxime," Dorian insisted with intense eyes.


    "How can you be so sure? We hardly know each other," Maxima continued, refusing. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dorian continued to drink his wine, but this time more moderately.


    "Because I''ve been watching you and your men. And what I''ve found is more than astonishing."


    At the same time, Dorian tapped his fingers excitedly on the table.


    "How did you manage to get knights to join your ranks?"


    Maxime didn''t answer, and just stared at Dorian.


    "Haha, to each his own."


    "But a guy who comes from nowhere, who''s barely come of age, he dares to challenge me, Dorian Valderic one of the best geniuses in this Kingdom, and on top of that he has many strong men from nowhere including 2 knights..."


    "Are you the king''s illegitimate son?" Dorian finally asked, laughing.


    Maxime laughed too, but he knew that Dorian was warning him by gently mocking him.


    His personal strength and that of his group had become far too powerful.


    The day everyone knew his strength could be the day he died.


    "No, unfortunately I''m not the king''s illegitimate son and so I couldn''t change the world."


    "Yes you can, and you will," Dorian immediately replied with confidence and firmness.


    "How can you be so sure?" asked Maxime.


    "Because you''ve already started doing it, without realizing it." explained Dorian in a light tone.


    "Meaning?"


    Maxime was confused, not understanding what Dorian was referring to.


    "Dancing with the only princess in the kingdom, doesn''t that mean anything to you?"


    Maxime opened his eyes wide at this.


    "Are you talking about Selene?"


    "Who else?" replied Dorian as if exasperated.


    "You''ve unintentionally created a huge tsunami in the kingdom."


    "No one had ever danced with the princess in public, no one had even spoken with her in private."


    "But you did both these acts in the same evening, creating rumors not to be ignored in the capital and even in the Kingdom."


    "And in the process you''ve made many of the kingdom''s young nobles jealous and attracted the attention of the 6 princes."


    "Some are already starting to say that the princess''s heart was stolen by a commoner."


    Maxime was suddenly embarrassed; he hadn''t thought that a simple one-night stand would lead to so many consequences.


    "The point is, the princess proved a fact without knowing it."


    "People are naturally drawn to you Maxime, somehow you really do have charisma."


    "Your actions are also in line with what the common people want right now."


    Maxime didn''t believe a word Dorian said.


    In his opinion, without his talent there wouldn''t be a single person who would follow him.


    Without his talent, he would never have been able to accompany Aveline to the banquet, nor would he have met the princess.


    Nor would he have talked and danced with her.


    But time would prove him wrong.


    What had to happen would happen.


    It was not for nothing that Maxime was the man who had attracted the attention of a god who was once the most powerful of gods, and the goddess who had saved the universe.


    "And what do the common people want?"


    Maxime genuinely wondered.


    "To feel safe."


    "And for that, people will be willing to follow you and fight Maxime."


    In saying this, Dorian had a real conviction.


    He''d always had a particular instinct, as well as a very flexible brain.


    He could more or less determine a person''s fate after observing and testing them for a while.


    And above all, he was ambitious and decisive, allowing both talents to be exploited to their full potential.


    "Right now you have to be on the lookout to notice your talent, but you''ll see that little by little enemies as well as friends will approach you."


    "And whether you like it or not, you''ll change this world."


    "But to change it positively, you''ll need my help." Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire


    "After all, nobility controls this world."


    "If you want to control this world, you have to bend to its rules. That means becoming a noble yourself."


    "In the meantime, I''ll be your noble support in this world."


    Dorian took the time to explain a few things to Maxime.


    "But how do you become noble?" intervened Maxime suspiciously.


    "You''ll find a way. You could marry the princess, for example," Dorian laughed.


    "That''s not a bad idea," Maxime replied seriously, sipping his drink.


    "Wait, you don''t mean it?"


    But Maxime looked at him without looking like he''d been joking.


    Even if he had Laura, there was nothing to stop him from having several women in this world.


    And with his talent and good looks, he thought he''d have chances with all the women in the world.


    "Why not?"


    Dorian was speechless for a moment.


    "Well, when are we going to do the face?" asked Maxime, downing his glass of wine in one gulp and holding it out to Dorian.


    Dorian was taken aback for a moment by the surprising request.


    Then he burst out laughing.


    He also downed his glass in one gulp, then rose to grab another bottle of wine from the cupboard and uncorked it with ease, generously filling their glasses.


    And so began a friendship between the sword prodigy from the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle and...

 Chapter 141 A budding friendship

    And so began a friendship between the sword prodigy from the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle and a surprising man who had started out as a simple mercenary.


    The first drinks were accompanied by light discussions, anecdotes of battles and childhood.


    Maxime recounted how, as a teenager, he had found himself trapped in a burning barn while trying to save a dog.


    Of course, this wasn''t true, since he''d only had access to Eternity for 4 months.


    But he couldn''t just say:


    "Actually I''m not from this world, I used a watch to cross the dimensional boundary that separated me from this world called Eternity and the original world where I was born."


    No matter how much he drank, his unconscious knew the risks of exposing himself in this way.


    Rather, the real story was how he''d found himself trapped inside a burning building while trying to rescue people trapped inside.


    "How did you get out?" asked Dorian curiously.


    "Some village elders smashed up the barn to create an entrance that hadn''t yet been attacked by fire, and luckily we weren''t far from them so it was very quick and safe." replied Maxime, making up a story at the time.


    The truth was that he''d been lucky and that a strong man was passing through town, and when he heard about the incident he saved everyone with his own strength.


    "You were very lucky, or what shall I say, the world was very lucky not to have lost you that day."


    Maxime shook his head spitefully at Dorian''s words, he really did seem to have a tendency to say extraordinary things whether serious or not.


    "If you like I''ve got a rather interesting story too, do you want to hear it?" asked Dorian with a mysterious smile.


    "I''m all ears," replied Maxime without too much expectation.


    In any case, with alcohol, even if the story was mediocre, they''d laugh anyway.


    "When I was young, I must have been 13/14, I was already very popular with women..."


    Maxime immediately stopped him with a smile on his lips.


    "Wasn''t it rather your status as heir to a duchy that interested them?"


    "Let''s skip those details..." replied Dorian, sweeping aside with a wave of his hand.


    "And among all those girls, there was the daughter of an earl who particularly interested me."


    "So obviously I courted her, but she rejected me with a cold, contemptuous look."


    Maxime continued to listen, sipping his wine.


    "But when my knightly skills were put to the test, her attitude changed completely."


    "And as my strength progressed and my reputation improved..."


    But as he spoke, Maxime interrupted him again with another laugh.


    "Wait, was there a time in your life when you had a good reputation?"


    "Yeah...That''s just when it started to slip." Dorian exclaimed with pride.


    "Why do you look so proud?" asked Maxime, looking up.


    But Dorian ignored him and continued to tell his story.


    "She started sending me letters to see each other in secret. And of course, I agreed."


    "And pretty soon it became someone I was seeing regularly."


    "And you know, there''s no smoke without fire."


    "Because she learned that I was also seeing other women."


    "She made the decision to go and talk to these women, and after a long discussion, they decided together to destroy my reputation so that other women would no longer be attracted to me."


    "Without them, my reputation would never have reached this point of no return."


    The more Dorian spoke, the more shocked Maxime became.


    "So this kind of story really exists, it''s not just in the movies?" he thought silently as he let Dorian continue.


    "Besides, it''s kind of funny that all those who criticize me behind my back are the ones who can''t get enough of me anymore."


    "Wait, they stayed with you despite the fact that you cheated on them all?" exclaimed Maxime, suddenly rising from his chair with surprise.


    "Of course, compared to other men I''m so exceptional. They can''t go back to men who are too ordinary because the difference would be too great."


    As he said this, Dorian sounded particularly arrogant and proud.


    He was almost hateful, but somehow Maxime couldn''t help laughing.


    "It''s just that they''re too vindictive, and don''t want other women to be won over by me because it would mean less time for them."


    The more he spoke, the more shocked Maxime was at this Don Juan.


    "But at this stage you have to have children now?" asked Maxime curiously.


    "A knight''s vital seed isn''t called vital seed for nothing," Dorian began to explain with a smile, like a master mastering his art.


    "It gives the ability to wield our vital energy to strengthen our bodies or even our weapons."


    "And one ability derived from it is the ability to block all vital energy during...exchange."


    "Incredible, it is indeed incredible." Maxime commented with surprise.


    He didn''t think a world resembling the Middle Ages would have such elaborate and effective methods of contraception.


    "It''s an open secret among noblemen, but it still happens that sometimes, in the heat of the moment, a knight loses control. Not everyone can be as good as me," Dorian said, shaking his head in annoyance.


    He was the illegitimate child of a great knight, so he spoke from experience.


    But that didn''t stop the two men laughing more and more as the bottles emptied. Dorian, whose cheeks were taking on a rosy hue, raised his glass in an unlikely toast.


    "To us, two misunderstood geniuses, alone against the rest of the world!"


    Maxime raised his glass, his eyes shining.


    "And to the drunkenness that makes this world more bearable!"


    They toasted with a resounding flourish, spilling a little wine on the table as they went. The atmosphere was charged with a familiar, almost fraternal warmth. Hours passed, and the words became more chaotic, more frank.


    "You know, Maxime, I envy you a little," said Dorian, leaning awkwardly on the edge of the table.


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    "You, you don''t have to bear the absurd expectations of an entire family on your shoulders."


    Maxime, his eyes unfocused, nodded with exaggerated gravity.


    "But you eat. You eat well, my pig." Then he burst out laughing for no apparent reason, followed by Dorian.


    It was at this point that words and phrases began to become incomprehensible.


    Perhaps they themselves no longer understood what they were saying either.


    Dorian tried to get up to fetch another bottle, but stumbled, barely catching himself on a chair. Maxime, hilarious, tried to help him but ended up falling backwards, taking a stool with him.


    "You''re a bad host." he muttered, laughing.


    Dorian, lying on the floor, raised a hand in a dramatic gesture.


    "And you, an unbearable guest."


    After chatting for a while, they stood up to pour themselves some more wine, after all there were still many bottles to be emptied.


    Their laughter echoed through the room, covering the crackling of the candles.


    Finally, exhaustion and alcohol got the better of them after a long time together. They collapsed on their own, Dorian sprawled on the floor and Maxime slumped in his chair with his feet up on the table and a smile on his face.


    Both seemed to be having pleasant dreams. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon the light of dawn began to pierce through the window, casting long shadows over the untidy scene.


    The two men were fast asleep, their glasses overturned at their sides.


    The distant but insistent tinkling of a bell roused Maxime from his slumber.


    He opened one eye, groaning in the harsh morning light that flooded the room.


    His head was pounding like a drum, and his belly seemed very agitated.


    Dorian, still stretched out on the floor, made light snores, one arm thrown dramatically over his head.


    Maxime struggled to his feet, leaning on the table and wobbling. Empty bottles, spilled glasses were silent witnesses to their evening.


    "Dorian, wake up..." he growled, kicking his new friend lightly in the leg.


    The knight let out an indistinct grunt before opening his eyes, staring at the ceiling with a bewildered expression.


    "Shit, what''s wrong with waking people up so rudely?"


    After a short silence, he asked:


    "What time is it?"


    Maxime glanced out the window. The sun was already high in the sky.


    "Too late to go on sleeping, too early to forget I have to leave."


    Dorian sat up slowly, running a hand over his face.


    "Ah yes that''s right you have to leave this morning. Lapi right?" He rose with a grunt and walked awkwardly to a table where he found a carafe of water.


    "Here, drink this. You can''t leave in this state."


    "Because you can?" replied Maxime, gratefully accepting the water and drinking in large gulps.


    "My reputation won''t sink any lower," he replied, laughing lightly.


    "You''ll miss me, won''t you?" quipped Dorian with a teasing smile.


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, amused.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be back soon my love," Maxime replied with a charming little smile and a wink.


    Dorian burst out laughing.


    "Oula, tell me, did anything happen between you and me last night to make you say that?"


    "If you only knew..." commented Maxime without finishing his sentence.


    But he didn''t want to keep playing this game for much longer; it was possible that his mercenaries were already waiting for him.


    Maxime took one last look at the chaos they''d left behind before grabbing his coat and sword.


    "Try not to get into too much trouble while I''m gone."


    Dorian burst out laughing.


    "Me? In trouble? I don''t know what you''re talking about..."


    With a final smile, Maxime stepped through the door and into the colors of this mysterious, abandoned building.


    He soon reached the main courtyard in front of the mansion.


    The courtyard was bustling with activity; his mercenaries had gathered, ready to go. Some were adjusting their armor, others checking their mounts or reorganizing provisions.


    "Chief, we''re ready." said one of them as Maxime approached.


    Maxime nodded, his posture regaining the discipline of a leader.


    He had an extraordinary physique, so even after a whole night''s drinking and not much sleep he still had enough energy to be fit.


    "Good. Off we go, then. We''ve got a long way to go."


    But as he said this, the world suddenly turned gray around him.


    Ding!


    [Eternity is closing!]


    [User Maxime Valdreuve will be logged out shortly].

 Chapter 142 Eternity is...

    [Eternity is going to close!]


    [User Maxime Valdreuve will be logged out shortly].


    Real world.


    Maxime opened his eyes abruptly, his blurred vision capturing the familiar ceiling of his bedroom. Natural light shone through the half-open curtains, bathing the room in a clarity he had almost forgotten.


    For a moment, he lay disoriented in his bed.


    His bed was comfortable, so he could stay in it for a long time, but that wasn''t why he stayed in it.


    It was because he felt weak, very weak.


    As if he''d fallen ill or worse.


    He quickly looked at his statistics page, and saw that he had lost over a point of physique, or 25% of his strength.


    At this stage, it was even worse than being sick: the stat points represented his strength and his future.


    "System, can you explain to me what''s going on?"


    [Level 2 authorization detected]


    [The host has the right to know this information.]


    [An alien god has placed a restriction on this universe, making ascension extremely difficult.]


    [The restriction starts at 3 physics points; once this limit is reached, every step becomes extremely difficult].


    [To increase by one physics point, you actually need 10 physics points].


    Maxime opened his eyes wide at this, and finally understood a few things.


    "So that was why the teachers said it took tens of thousands of gold coins to reach 4 points!"


    "I wonder if the teachers are aware of this information?"


    Ding!


    [Only individuals with level 2 clearance are allowed to know the origins of this limit, others will have their memories automatically erased if they obtain this information via sources other than the system].


    [Note that some level 2 information can be released to other individuals under certain conditions, but not this one].


    Maxime nodded at this.


    "Specifically, how does this system limitation work?"


    The robotic voice echoed in his mind.


    [In the real world, once your physique reaches 3 points, you need one point of statistics to increase your physique by 0.1].


    [A host with a physique approaching 5 points in Eternity, counting class bonuses, would then have a physique of 3 + 2x0.1, i.e. a maximum of around 3.2 points].


    [Without bonuses, the host has a physique of 3.95 points in Eternity, i.e. a physique approaching 3.1 points in the real world].


    An immediate 25% reduction in his physical strength, no wonder he felt uncomfortable in his body.


    But suddenly he connected with this information, opened his eyes wide in surprise.


    "That was it."


    "That was why leaders of men were particularly valued."


    "Once you''ve reached 3 physics points, it becomes extremely complicated to improve in the real world."


    "So to improve one''s strength in the short term, it becomes logical to try to hire men, particularly knights."


    "With their vital seed, they represent an additional weapon against the aliens and above all they all have formidable combat experience."


    "Successfully hiring a knight when you reach this limit means multiplying your combat power by at least 2 times in one go."


    "It is therefore much more profitable for many people to invest in mercenaries than in themselves once this limit has been reached."


    However, Maxime still had a question running through his mind.


    [System, are my talents restricted?]


    [They aren''t, except for the active effect of the talent from God Nox. Instead of increasing your physical strength by 50%, it will increase it by about 5%].


    Maxime was shocked, but at the same time it seemed logical, as it correlated with the limits imposed by this famous foreign God.


    If his talent wasn''t affected, it would be far too inconsistent.


    "But what could be the purpose of this foreign god to impose a restriction on our universe?"


    Ding!


    [The host does not have the necessary level of authorization to access this information].


    "Well, I kind of suspected, it looks like a big secret," Maxime murmured, albeit with a little disappointment.


    After all, it had to do with the history of the universe, its rules and the gods. It was bound to make one very curious.


    At the same time, his phone vibrated, showing that he had just received a notification.


    Maxime reached out to grab it. A notification appeared on the screen:


    [10:42 AM] Where are you? The boss is going to kill you if you don''t get here before 11. - Hugo


    "Shit...I''d forgotten I had to work this Sunday...and here I was thinking I was going to check in with the boss tomorrow, and now I''m shooting myself in the foot." he muttered, his voice slightly panicked.


    He''d been so excited about getting back into Eternity two months ago, he''d completely forgotten he was going back to bartending this morning.


    "What an idea to go into Eternity just before going to work," he muttered to himself, though he regretted nothing.


    He leapt out of bed, hastily pulled on a pair of black pants and a white sweater, then ran madly down the stairs to the house.


    "What''s got you in such a hurry?" asked Andr��a, his mother in the kitchen, confused at seeing her son rushing around like this.


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    "Work!"


    "Ah, good luck son!"


    "Thanks, Mom!"


    Maxime grabbed a leftover croissant from the dining table and bit into it with vigor.


    Then, while chewing, he put on his shoes with phenomenal speed.


    Then he quickly left the house.


    In the street, the sound of horns and excited chatter echoed. Maxime ran down the street, taking care not to jostle anyone.


    Seeing his speed, some people looked at him with admiration.


    Among most civilians, it was already correct to reach 1.5 physique points, which represented a level 2 or 3 class depending on original physique and class.


    There were many people who reached 2 physique points, but generally this was the ceiling for ordinary people.


    After that, many people were reluctant to put their lives further at risk in Eternity.


    For Maxime, meanwhile, the transition back to everyday life was no easy matter after a session in Eternity. Over there, he was a mercenary leader, he was often in contact with many nobles, having just befriended the heir to a duchy, for example, and he had even danced with the princess of the kingdom.


    But here, he was just another employee. He was ordinary.


    As he passed a billboard, an image caught his eye: a promotional poster for Eternity. The slogan read:


    "Eternity - More real than life itself".


    Immediately afterwards, several men and women dressed as soldiers appeared on the promotional poster.


    "The army is recruiting! High pay, privileges for you and your family, training and investment and many other benefits!"


    "We''re also training reserve soldiers! In the event of an invasion, you''ll have the power to defend yourself! Training funded by the Ministry of Defense."


    "More real than life..." he repeated, ironically.


    Ding!


    [Eternity is as real as the world in which the host resides].


    "What the hell? Eternity is a real world? But how is that possible?"


    Maxime was more than shocked to hear this information.


    Everyone on the Internet was debating whether Eternity offered real worlds to every player or whether it was just a game.


    Logic dictated that it was impossible for a world to be created for each player and then literally paused every time the player logged out.


    So those who said it was a real world were seen as those who believed in flat Earth in the 21st century. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ding!


    [The host doesn''t have enough clearance to know how it works].


    "Yes, I''m sure," Maxime commented, murmuring and looking up.


    Simultaneously, his phone vibrated again. He groaned when he saw the message:


    [10:51 AM] Seriously, you''re dead, man. Say your prayers. - Hugo


    He sighed and quickened his pace.


    Maxime arrived in front of the bar, breathless. His shoes crunched on the pavement as he stopped dead in front of the front door. He glanced at his phone: 10:59.


    "One minute... That should be enough."


    He entered hurriedly. The inside of the bar was already bustling with the first customers enjoying their coffee or reading the paper. Behind the counter, Hugo, his colleague, gave him a half-mocking, half-compassionate look.


    "You''re in luck, the boss hasn''t come down yet. But you''d better get changed, fatso."


    Maxime nodded, blowing out a quick thank-you, before scurrying off into the back room.


    He quickly opened his locker and put on a black shirt, which was the rule in this bar for all bartenders to show a minimum of professionalism.


    As his boss used to say:


    "We''re not at the fair here."


    As he pulled on his shirt, a squeaky voice sounded behind him.


    "Valdreuve, you''re late."


    Maxime''s heart sank. It was the boss, a portly man with a stern face, staring at him with an annoyed expression.


    "Sorry, Monsieur Lemoine. But I''m here, ready to work and give it my all."


    "You''d better be. If I catch you coming in late, it''s out the door."


    Maxime nodded quickly and went to the counter to work.


    In this world he needed money, and this job was the only one where he''d been accepted despite numerous CVs sent everywhere.


    It was also thanks to this job that he''d been able to buy a watch, otherwise his mother, who looked after him and his brother alone, would have had to take out a hefty loan to do so.


    On the other hand, the boss, despite what he said and what he gave off, was a very altruistic person.


    He helped many young people in financial difficulty like Maxime, so that they could help their families feed themselves, find decent housing, and above all, have a future by buying a watch.


    Because in this world, not having a watch to access Eternity meant being much weaker than the others.


    And since looks were linked to productivity in most jobs, it also diminished their chances of being hired at any company, and even if they were hired, their chances of promotion would be very slim compared to others who had been able to go to Eternity many times.


    After all, living in Eternity was also a skill that was valued by many companies.


    Indeed, living in a period comparable to the Middle Ages, with dangers everywhere, was no easy matter, and even less so when dying meant losing one''s life expectancy.


    So having a good physique meant having courage, but also a few skills.


    As Maxime cleaned the glasses and prepared the first orders, his mind wandered. The information received from the system was still echoing in his head.


    "Eternity is a real world."

 Chapter 143 Dimensional battlefield

    Eternity is a real world.


    "How did these watches appear in the first place? 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 glass 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 accumulate so much murderous momentum."


    As he placed 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 occur."


    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-related 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 glancing 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��32, 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 glasses.


    "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 bartenders laughed together.


    "Afterwards, the boss is nice, and it''s very rare for you to arrive late, 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, explain to me what''s going on." Maxime murmured.


    [Dimensional battlefields are high-reward interstellar war zones]. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [That is, by killing enemies you can accumulate 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 access 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, particularly 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 black, 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 is completely eradicated].


    Hearing that his life was really being gambled away, and especially hearing the words "a camp completely 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.


    "Perhaps it was via this method that the gods became gods?"


    "If I rely on the talents of the gods to become stronger, I''ll meet their expectations but not my own."


    "I want to become 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 become 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 more complex the world seemed to become.


    He didn''t even have time to make coffee before Eternity caught up with him.


    Even the military didn''t particularly 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 accompanying 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, replaced by an unfathomable blackness.


    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 occupied it.


    "Without a doubt, the power inside this fortress could strike down the entire Kingdom of the Frost Eagle."


    Maxime felt particularly small within this immense fortress equipped with state-of-the-art technology, filled with well-equipped soldiers and powerful Eternity players.


    Or at least, with his current physique and the strength of his men, he looked very ordinary here.


    "Besides, my physique always seems to be compressed 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.


    [Welcome to dimensional battlefield N��32, 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 succeed in conquering an enemy fort, a mysterious reward will be distributed according 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 calculate 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 play.


    "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 villages. 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 explain these reasons to me?"


    [Your authority and strength level are insufficient at the moment, host]


    "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 contemplating the immensity of the fortress when a group of soldiers approached.


    One of them, a man with a scarred face and wearing black tactical armor with a silver badge on his shoulder, addressed him.


    "So, new guy, are we lost?" he exclaimed 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. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he''d ask the system his questions later, 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 his composure.


    "Possible, yeah. I suppose you''re here to explain how it all works?"


    The soldier burst out laughing, 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, the latter 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 exclaimed, laughing.


    "You''ve already learned one rule here: the strong command 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 explained 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 installations.


    "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 a command 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 plan 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." explained the captain while shaking his head.


    At the same time, Maxime noticed that there were indeed some very young people in the room.


    In particular, 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 in command 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. A commander''s strength is a military secret," replied Varek simply.


    They didn''t stay long and left the command 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 particular room of the fortress, adorned with luminous runes.


    "This is the energy generator for our entire fortress," he explained, pointing to the runes.


    "These inscriptions power a large 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 explained, 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 the command room."


    "By the way, while I''m on the subject, a little rule of survival: save your Eternity coins when you have them. Some newcomers 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 are labyrinths, 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 plasma rifles and energy-pulsing blades. A man in a white coat greeted them with a stern look.


    "Welcome, 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, Varek laughed 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 exclaimed, laughing as he addressed Karad.


    But the latter ignored him completely.


    "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 explanation..."


    "These energy rifles are reliable, lightweight and require minimal maintenance. They are equipped with an aiming aid system to compensate for the recruits'' lack of precision."


    He then pointed to the silver dagger with bluish highlights.


    "And this is your best friend. A blade 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." commented 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 a common choice for new recruits, right? A bigger blade 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 a completely different explanation:


    "I have a level 9 swordsman class, 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 more comfortable 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 blade traversed by luminous ribs.


    "This one. A kinetic 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 blade 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 place 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.


    The latter 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." explained 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 explain, 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 solid combat 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," explained 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." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Varek was rather pleased with Maxime''s answer; many recruits didn''t like being advised.


    Indeed, Eternity being a game played solo and with the help of a system plus a talent, many people developed a superiority complex 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 planning 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 explain.


    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 glazed 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 circular room where several soldiers were already training. Moving targets floated in the air, projecting flashes of light with each successful shot. Some were using rifles, others sophisticated bows that seemed to shoot arrows formed from pure energy.


    "Welcome 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 small laser beam, but missed the target slightly and was knocked off balance by the gun''s recoil. A muffled laugh emanated from the nearby soldiers.


    "It''s not that simple." he muttered to himself, completely ignoring the laughter 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 the laughter, 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.


    "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 calculate 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 he lacked 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 it comes to precision, he looks like a complete 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 the comments 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 one last 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 applauded.


    "Hey, nice recruit!"


    "If you haven''t found a battalion yet, think about the one at the 5th Infantry Battalion! We''ll welcome 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 welcomed." 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."


    The laughter redoubled, and G��rard, the sergeant, burst into a frank laugh 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 blade 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 glances, before Karad, who was observing the scene from the rear, spoke up sharply.


    "All right, enough of this blather. 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 out laughing, giving Karad a pat on the shoulder.


    "Relax, 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 accuracy, 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 glad 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."


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    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 your comrades."


    Karad nodded, softening his tone a little.


    "In any case, if you want to come 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, accompanied 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 and combat 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 the combat 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-hand combat. 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 classes 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, combining speed and precision.


    The blade 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 similar.


    The room fell silent. The soldiers, expecting a rookie''s clumsiness, exchanged stunned glances.


    "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.


    S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 147 Army interrogation

    "You don''t look like you''ve had an easy life in Eternity." he asked curiously.


    Maxime shrugged slightly, carefully avoiding Karad''s direct gaze.


    "Yeah, I didn''t exactly have it easy."


    Karad nodded in understanding, who in this room hadn''t had several very difficult moments in this room?


    Some had even died several times.


    But what was more surprising was that this young man seemed to have had as much experience as they had, even though they had all lived at least several years in Eternity.


    This young man couldn''t be one of them.


    Karad pointed to another mannequin, this time several meters away.


    "Show me a routine.


    Maxime did so almost immediately.


    His movements were a perfect blend of power, control and grace. He moved from one blow to the next without the slightest hesitation, linking precise strikes, feints and imaginary parries as if he were facing an invisible opponent. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The soldiers, silent at first, began to murmur amongst themselves.


    "He''s no beginner, that''s for sure." breathed Beret, impressed.


    Varek, watching intently, leaned towards Karad.


    "Despite his young age, he''s had to face death several times. These moves don''t come from someone who just learned in a training room."


    Karad nodded, arms crossed.


    "Yes, it sure isn''t someone who didn''t follow the merchant''s path or that of training with nobles."


    In this fortress, soldiers had seen it all before, and generally recruits weren''t very good at fighting.


    Indeed, most people in this world would rather earn money slowly and progress steadily than risk losing several years of life.


    Especially in the early days, when everyone was very weak.


    Only those with a lot of courage, determination and, above all, a lack of educational resources made progress on the battlefields.


    Indeed, those with money or a good family could progress almost as quickly as those who put their lives on the line with business and social skills.


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    Not being one of these people, Maxime immediately won everyone''s respect.


    A person with a lot of combat experience was highly valued in the army, and would not be seen as a heavyweight like many recruits.


    As Maxime finished his routine with a clean final blow that would have decapitated a real opponent, G��rard slowly applauded.


    "Hey, kid, are you sure you''re a rookie? Because you''re making us look like amateurs."


    Maxime, who wasn''t the least bit exhausted by this consequent sequence, sketched a modest smile, but his eyes, dark and serious, betrayed a depth that none of the soldiers fully understood.


    He had surely lived for those few months in Eternity, more than many people here.


    "I manage a little." he replied calmly with a smile, sword still in hand.


    A few soldiers, seeing Maxime still carrying that sword, were a little intimidated.


    If Maxime decided to attack them, some of them didn''t think they could survive more than 3 exchanges.


    But at the same time, they were reassured to see that there were people like that on their side of the battlefield.


    Karad motioned to a soldier to activate one of the combat robots.


    The soldier obeyed immediately, since Karad was one of the fortress''s high-ranking officers.


    The robot lit up, its red eyes glinting menacingly. He moved forward slowly, taking up a position opposite Maxime.


    "Now, a real adversary." declared Karad.


    "Let''s see how you do against something that fights back."


    A murmur went through the soldiers, excited to see what would happen.


    Maxime watched the robot adjust. His posture changed subtly: he relaxed, adopting a waiting stance, the point of his sword slightly lowered. This change, imperceptible to most, was immediately noticed by Karad and Varek.


    "He''s done this before."


    The robot charged abruptly, his movements quick and precise, aiming for a sideways strike.


    But Maxime dodged with disconcerting fluidity, slipping out of reach and counter-attacking with a clean sweep.


    The blade struck the robot''s arm, deactivating one of its mechanisms and sending out numerous sparks of electricity.


    Spectators held their breath as the fight intensified. Maxime wasn''t just defending himself: he was mastering the rhythm, anticipating the robot''s movements with an ease that confounded even experienced soldiers.


    After a series of attacks and counter-attacks, he executed a final move of deadly precision, striking the robot at the neck joint. The machine came to a screeching halt, its head tilting slightly before shutting down completely.


    A stunned silence reigned in the room.


    "Well..." began Beret, breaking the silence.


    "I think we''ve just found a genius."


    Karad approached Maxime, who was still holding his sword, his hands surprisingly stable despite the intensity of the fight.


    "You''re more than just a recruit," he said neutrally.


    "But if you want to hide what you know, you''d better not be so good."


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, before replying with an enigmatic smile.


    "I''m not hiding anything. I''m just doing my best."


    Karad sensed there was much more behind that smile and those words.


    In his opinion, geniuses didn''t come from nowhere, or at least the probability was too low for a genius to be born without the support of a powerful person or a wealthy family.


    He himself knew some of the secrets of this world and therefore had his reasons for thinking that.


    "Follow me." he murmured before turning around.


    Maxime nodded without question, following Karad. With Maxime under his protection, Varek followed as well. The soldiers around them moved aside to let them pass, some casting respectful glances, others curious.


    "That guy, he''s just arrived and he could be the captain of a squad..." breathed one of the soldiers, a young balding man.


    "More than a captain, with moves like that, he could rival the combat instructors." replied a woman in light armor, her eyes still riveted on Maxime.


    As Karad led Maxime to a side door, G��rard cracked a joke that drew a few laughs.


    "If you change your mind, kid, don''t forget that the 4? battalion is the best!"


    Beret retorted immediately.


    "Do a little research and you''ll see that the 5th battalion has much better advantages than the4th!"


    Laughter erupted as Maxime turned and bowed slightly before continuing to follow Karad.


    After walking for a while, Karad opened the door to a smaller, soberly lit room.


    In the center was a circular table surrounded by seats, and on the walls were screens displaying tactical maps and real-time data on outside activities.


    Karad sat down and motioned to Maxime to do the same. Varek, ever curious, stood by the door, arms crossed.


    Karad rested his elbow on the table, his piercing gaze fixed on Maxime.


    "Listen to me carefully. Everyone here has a past. A heavy past. But you, you''re... different. Your movements, your mastery... it''s beyond what I''ve seen in most veterans of this fortress. So I''m going to ask you a simple question."


    He paused, letting the tension build.


    "Who are you, Maxime Valdreuve?"


    Maxime didn''t answer immediately. He held Karad''s gaze, his dark eyes revealing an unfathomable depth.


    At that moment, he felt like answering:


    "I''m the man who talks to the gods, and not just any gods."


    Mostly because it was the truth.


    But he obviously couldn''t do that; he''d just met Karad and Varek, and couldn''t immediately trust them.


    And even if he did trust them, he wouldn''t tell them.


    It was his biggest secret, and unless he became one of the most powerful humans in the world, he wouldn''t say anything.


    And for the moment, he was just a little stronger than a squad captain, so far from being one of the strongest humans on the planet.


    Finally, he shrugged and answered in a calm, almost too detached voice.


    "An ordinary player with a little more courage than the others."


    Karad squinted, wary, but chose not to insist.


    "If you want to stay here, in this fortress, you''ll have to prove that you''re worthy of our trust."


    Varek then intervened, breaking the tension.


    "Hey, relax, Karad. He''s already shown he can hold his sword. If he wanted to cause trouble, he would have done so from the start."


    Karad grunted, but he couldn''t help nodding slightly.


    "Maybe so. But I''m keeping an eye on you, Maxime. I don''t want any surprises."


    Maxime, impassive, replied simply:


    "You can keep as many eyes as you like. I''m here to fight. Nothing else."


    To be honest, this questioning irritated Maxime. He wasn''t part of the army and had no obligation to come here.


    If he chose not to fight, no one could blame him because he was under no obligation.


    He''d only come because of the advantages of the dimensional battlefield.


    But for the time being, he felt it would be better to collaborate with the army and develop good relations with them.


    This would be advantageous for his future career, but also in the short term, since he''d be living in their fortress and fighting alongside them for a long time, so despite his sanguine temperament, he restrained himself.


    Karad nodded, satisfied for the moment.


    "So get ready. Because here, we don''t just train. Very soon, you''ll be out in the field, facing enemies far more dangerous than this robot. Then we''ll see what you''re really made of."


    Maxime stood up, his face still calm, but a flame burning in his eyes.


    "I''m looking forward to it."


    Maxime guessed that Karad''s identity must be more than just a chief engineer, or he wouldn''t have said such things.


    As he left the room, Varek whispered to Karad.


    "I bet you he''ll be one of the best we''ve seen in a long time."


    Karad crossed his arms, watching the door close behind Maxime.


    "Maybe it will. But for that, he''d have to stay alive."

 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 in comparison to the armory.


    A rusty sign read "Recruits'' Quarters".


    Inside, the smell of sweat and unkempt weaponry wafted through the air. Bunk beds lined a large common room, while soldiers cleaned their weapons or talked in hushed tones.


    "This is your home for now." declared Varek with a wry smile.


    "Not very glamorous, is it? But you''ll soon learn that comfort 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 newcomer.


    "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 their command, 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," explained 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, places will open up as we go along."


    Maxime immediately understood the implication.


    His mercenaries would take the place 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 the last 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 particularities, 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 sufficiently large 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 unoccupied 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 access 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 relaxation 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.


    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 by laser 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 soldiers laughed, drank and gesticulated to the beat of the music. Not far away, dancers performed graceful, hypnotic movements on neon-lit vertical bars.


    "Welcome to the Army''s relaxation area!" announced Varek with a big smile.


    "Here, we let go, relax... 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 glasses of raw alcohol at a frantic pace.


    "Come on, drink something." Varek patted Maxime on the shoulder before ordering two glasses of a translucent liquid that gave off a slight smoke. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime accepted the glass, 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 plans 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 of coming 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 playing holographic card games projected on tables, others were laughing loudly as they recounted battle anecdotes, and a few were dancing without restraint in the center of the room.


    Maxime noticed a platform where soldiers, obviously in friendly competition, were engaged in simulated 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 glass 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 should come and introduce yourself to my squad. We could use someone like you."


    Maxime nodded slightly, preferring to remain reserved.


    For his part, Varek laughed 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 place 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 play the mystery guy." replied Varek, gently teasing.


    "I''m not playing the mystery guy, it''s just that the war hasn''t started yet, how do you expect me to show you anything?" explained Maxime with some dismay.


    ...


    The 3 of them chatted for a while, then, as one glass followed another, Maxime began to feel like enjoying himself too.


    He placed his empty glass 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 spectacular intensity.


    Swords of light crackled as they clashed, projecting shimmering flashes 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 149 A very pleasant night

    "Yeah, I thought army vets looked pretty weak, so I came to see if my guesses were true."


    Despite the surrounding noise, everyone heard what Maxime had said correctly.


    No one here had a physique inferior to that of an apprentice knight, so it was a no-brainer.


    His arrogant words provoked a slight silence in the audience before people burst out in anger mixed with much laughter.


    "Who does he think he is?


    "hahaha it''s been a long time since we''ve had such an arrogant youngster!"


    "I like him! It''d be a shame if it was all just talk, though."


    "Warrick! You''d better not lose, that''s the face of every army veteran you''re wearing there!"


    ...


    Warrick, who was his opponent, gave a cold smile.


    "Here, take your holographic weapon, it displays directly the weapon you imagine in your thoughts, in reasonable sizes." he said, tossing him a small gadget in the shape of a sword hilt.


    Maxime grabbed the holographic weapon with a curious look; he''d never used such things before.


    Following the veteran''s advice, he imagined a sword, and as expected, a kind of laser was projected from the little gadget. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, he felt his body strengthen ever so slightly.


    "As expected, as long as it''s in sword form, my class bonus applies," Maxime thought calmly.


    "Do you think he''ll win?" asked Lena, looking at Maxime who was facing Warrick on stage.


    "From what I''ve seen, he''s got a good chance." Varek replied simply, without getting too involved.


    Lena was a little surprised that the famous Varek could have such a high opinion of Maxime.


    After all, despite his appearances, Varek wasn''t just a simple squad captain. He was known as a veteran of many dimensional battlefields.


    Few could say how strong this guy was or how many talents he possessed.


    Compared to Varek, Warrick was a complete rookie.


    As Varek and Lena chatted while drinking, a floating countdown began on stage.


    [The match starts in:]


    5


    4


    3


    Maxime watched his opponent, analyzing his movements from the very first seconds.


    2


    1


    [Duel begins]


    Immediately Warrick launched a swift attack, aiming at Maxime''s flanks, but the latter dodged with a fluidity that made his opponent frown.


    Simultaneously, Maxime counter-attacked, a simple but precise move that forced the soldier to step back to avoid being hit.


    The crowd reacted immediately, some whistling with excitement, others laughing at the veteran''s dismay.


    Varek, at the foot of the stage, crossed his arms, clearly amused.


    "I''ll bet you a metre of shot that Maxime finishes it in under five minutes."


    "Bet''s on." replied Lena immediately with a smile.


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    She didn''t believe that someone so young could stand up to a veteran.


    From the look on his face, she even thought Maxime might be the youngest person in the fortress.


    There was no way in hell that such a young person could defeat an elderly soldier who had been through many battles.


    The fight continued, and each exchange revealed a little more of the difference in level between the two adversaries.


    While the soldier tried to catch up with more aggressive movements, Maxime remained methodical. He exploited every opening with disconcerting precision, his face remaining impassive throughout.


    He applied all the advice he had received from Alaric, Langus and Kaite.


    Alaric was one of the best knights in the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, while Langus and Kaite were knights specially trained by a ducal family.


    They were all much stronger than average knights, and above all they had superior knowledge and fundamentals to most knights.


    Few people could claim the good fortune to be taught by such people.


    So Maxime''s mastery of the sword could already be considered exceptional, even if he was still lacking compared to a knight at peak stage.


    But from what he could see, Warrick simply had to be at the level of a knight in the entrance stage.


    So the difference in skill between the two became more and more glaring.


    "Am I dreaming or is Warrick really going to lose to a kid?"


    "You''re not dreaming, it''s happening right before our eyes, it''s crazy."


    "Have we been practicing badly all this time? How can someone so young be stronger than a veteran like Warrick?"


    The fight continued, and finally, after a subtle feint, Maxime disarmed his opponent in one clean motion, his holographic weapon stopping just inches from the soldier''s throat.


    A stunned silence fell over the room before a thunderous applause and enthusiastic shouts broke out.


    "I... I demand a rematch!" stammered the soldier as he straightened up, but Varek intervened before Maxime could reply.


    He shouted from the bar a little way off:


    "A veteran can''t admit defeat!? Don''t shame the army and get off this stage. Maxime doesn''t need to prove anything after dominating you for so long."


    Everyone around heard Varek''s words, but no one dared reply. His prestige was far too high, and Warrick simply walked off the stage with his head bowed.


    Maxime also stepped down from the stage, attracting admiring but also complicated glances.


    He returned to Varek and Lena at the bar and sat down.


    He saw the 10 shots on a board, and immediately felt the urge to take one.


    Varek noticed and laughed.


    "Take several if you feel like it, it''s free anyway!"


    "Free my ass." replied Lena immediately with an angry face.


    At the same time, she looked at Maxime with fierce eyes.


    "We don''t even know each other, why is she looking at me like that, that crazy woman?" wondered Maxime, but he didn''t care and took a glass of shot.


    He toasted with Varek, and the two did shot after shot under Lena''s burning eyes.


    "I''m the one who''s getting paid! Leave me a few, you birds of prey!"


    The first metre of shots was over very quickly, and more were ordered one after the other.


    The party was in full swing, and Maxime let himself be carried away by the contagious energy of the evening.


    He didn''t stay at the bar, but began to socialize with numerous soldiers from various battalions.


    Unwittingly, he began to build a small reputation for himself in this fortress.


    "The hard-drunk kid."


    That is to say, everyone could see how stoned he was, but somehow he managed to keep a trace of clarity in his eyes and in the way he spoke, impressing in the process many soldiers proud of their resistance to alcohol.


    And above all, this guy won every game of strength, dexterity and so on that the soldiers offered him in fun.


    Somehow, Maxime had blended into this raw camaraderie with surprising ease.


    He felt as if he were with his mercenaries, although his mercenaries seemed even more unbridled than these soldiers, perhaps due to their much lower average age.


    But in any case, he felt really good.


    At one point, a woman in a uniform adorned with silver embroidery approached him.


    Her short, black hair was impeccably coiffed, and her icy-blue eyes shone with acute intelligence.


    Directly, this woman seemed to shine in Maxime''s eyes.


    She had a wry smile and an assurance that left no room for shyness, as well as a temperament both gentle and fierce.


    Many of the soldiers standing next to Maxime at that moment didn''t even dare to speak, as this woman exuded something intimidating for them, and above all they knew her identity.


    However, Maxime didn''t care at all; he''d grown up mentally in the world of Eternity, and under the circumstances, he''d need a lot more to feel intimidated.


    The two began to exchange a few pleasantries while making a few innuendoes.


    Tension mounted as the evening wore on, and the two grew closer and closer as the evening reached its peak.


    As the first people began to leave, the two also took the opportunity to disappear.


    The next morning, Maxime opened his eyes in confusion, at the same time as a slight headache attacked him.


    Daylight pierced the curtains, and it took him a few seconds to recognize that he was in a rather luxurious room.


    Especially considering that soldiers normally slept in barracks with each other in this fortress.


    He turned his gaze and saw a beautiful young woman, her relaxed face in stark contrast to the imperious aura she''d exuded the night before.


    Maxime smiled slightly; despite his headache, he remembered everything, especially that he''d had a very pleasant evening.


    But he still didn''t know who she was, except that her first name was Le?la.


    Trying not to wake her, Maxime straightened up and quickly got ready.


    To his astonishment, Le?la opened one eye and said:


    "Are you planning to leave without me? That''s not very gallant."


    "I didn''t want to disturb a sleeping beauty." Maxime replied with a slight smile.


    "You talk pretty good. Wait till I get ready and let''s eat together."


    At the same time, she rose from the bed, revealing her bare body before Maxime''s amazed eyes.


    "Is the view pleasant?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Maxime with a charming smile.


    "Very pleasant." Maxime replied sincerely.

 Chapter 150 Strategy meeting room

    "Very pleasant." replied Maxime sincerely.


    Without a doubt, no man can get enough of a view like this.


    Le?la let out a soft laugh, before taking a shower.


    Meanwhile, Maxime watched the soldiers visible through the window as they bustled about the fortress.


    "I wonder what time it is?


    "And are we really on a battlefield? This is paradise right now," Maxime thought, reflecting on the previous evening.


    Half an hour later, Le?la opened the bathroom door and said:


    "You can use the shower while I do my hair if you like."


    Maxime nodded, and joined Le?la in the bathroom.


    The room was relatively narrow, but the two had shared such intimacy the day before that neither of them minded.


    From time to time, Le?la cast a few mischievous glances at Maxime''s well-proportioned body.


    Many soldiers had beautiful bodies, but Maxime''s, being young and especially reaching 4 points by the standards of the world of Eternity, was particularly pleasing to the eye.


    It was literally a body packed with explosive power, and it showed in his musculature.


    Le?la also noticed a few scars, mainly from bladed weapons but also from firearms.


    But she didn''t comment; she''d noticed that this young man was extraordinary the previous evening, or she wouldn''t have come to see him.


    Especially the scene of Maxime easily beating a veteran like Warrick.


    She could easily guess that this young man had significant fighting experience, and not just in the world of Eternity, otherwise he wouldn''t have been so calm when he fought.


    She knew that most of the time, those who spent their time fighting in Eternity but had no combat experience in the real world, acted differently.


    Indeed, unlike in Eternity, the slightest mistake could mean death in the real world.


    So their mentality was different.


    Soon the two finished getting ready and went to eat in the fortress canteen, under the curious, questioning gazes of many soldiers.


    "Am I dreaming where the Shibuya captain is having lunch with a young man?"


    "Maybe it''s her son?"


    "Given the mood between them, I doubt it."


    "Was the Shibuya goddess conquered last night?"


    The broken hearts of many men seemed to be audible in the cafeteria.


    Maxime obviously picked up a few words in the room, and looked at Le?la with strange eyes.


    The latter quietly sipped her coffee while looking at him with charming eyes, in spite of herself.


    "Any questions?" she asked softly.


    But Maxime shook his head.


    He didn''t want to know about Shibuya or anything else, because he felt it would spoil their relationship if he did.


    So the two simply ate their lunch, exchanging just a few words now and then.


    But the atmosphere was not heavy; on the contrary, both found it very pleasant.


    They weren''t questioning each other, just enjoying their time together.


    After twenty minutes, the two finished lunch.


    "I guess it''s time to go." said Le?la with a sad look on her face.


    "Go where?" asked Maxime curiously.


    "Oh, don''t you know? How cute." replied Le?la, first surprised, then smiling teasingly.


    "You''ll understand when we get there," she continued.


    The two left the canteen together, and as they chatted, she took her to an administrative room where everyone went to get a sheet of paper and a pencil from one of the available desks, next to a soldier.


    The two of them queued up together.


    After only about thirty seconds, it was their turn.


    "Hello, I know madame is the Shibuya captain, but monsieur is?" asked the administrative staff, who glanced questioningly at Maxime.


    "Maxime Valdreuve." he replied, still not understanding what he was doing here.


    "The man at reception entered some information into his computer, then printed out two sheets of paper.


    "You''re registered. Here are the two sheets with your names and two pencils," he said, handing them the items mentioned.


    "Next."


    Maxime looked at the sheet, then saw roughly marked on it:


    "Testament Maxime Valdreuve."


    He was slightly confused when he saw this, and above all it was a stark reminder that he was on a battlefield.


    "Surprised?" asked Le?la with a sad smile.


    "A little, I didn''t imagine I''d be writing a will any time soon," replied Maxime, shaking his head.


    The idea of formalizing one''s last will and testament wasn''t totally foreign to his life - battlefields imposed a certain awareness of mortality - but it seemed more solemn in this context.


    Here, everything was real, and any mistake or misstep could mean the end.


    Le?la sat down at a nearby table, her expression oscillating between serenity and gravity. She began to fill in her own sheet, her closed features betraying a certain familiarity with the task.


    Maxime, for his part, bent over his sheet, pencil in hand.


    For a moment he didn''t know what to write, or rather where to start.


    But in the end it was relatively simple, since all he had in his life were his brother and his mother.


    So he wrote a few lines about them, about what he would bequeath to them, but above all about the words they would want to pass on to them if he really did die.


    Soon Leila finished, and raised her head, watching Maxime in silence. The young man was writing with concentration, his expression marked by an unexpected maturity for his age.


    For her part, it was something she''d done many times before, so it was pretty quick.


    When Maxime finished writing, he put down the pencil and exhaled slowly, as if to free himself of a weight.


    "I didn''t think I''d write more than 2,000 words at once, I had so much to tell them..." he thought a little sadly.


    He felt he hadn''t been spending enough time with his family lately, especially given the time he was spending in Eternity.


    He told them about his goals in life, particularly the fact that he wanted to become strong enough to protect them from any threat in this world, and that if he died here, he would regret nothing because he would have died for a noble cause: the protection of mankind.


    Of course, he didn''t mention the gods or his talent, although he was eager to confide in his mother, even if it was via a sheet of paper she might never see.


    Who knows if a curious eye would want to read his will when he wasn''t dead yet?


    Watching Maxime finish, Le?la gave a sympathetic smile.


    "It always feels that way the first time." she said softly. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But believe me, it brings you a strange kind of peace."


    Maxime stared at her, trying to understand her words. She continued:


    "Knowing that everything is settled, that your thoughts, your legacy, however minute, are in order. It frees you. You can concentrate on the present and the battles to come."


    "Well, it''s true that''s pretty important for morale."


    Maxime agreed completely with Leila.


    He couldn''t say that if he died, he''d die without regret, but at least part of his burden would have been eased by writing this will.


    Then the two of them got up and went to place their wills on the desk of the staff who had welcomed them.


    As they left the room, a different atmosphere reigned in the corridors. The light atmosphere of the previous day had given way to palpable tension. Soldiers were getting ready, adjusting their equipment and checking their weapons.


    Shots rang out here and there in the fortress, testing weapons.


    Le?la beckoned Maxime to follow her into a large strategic meeting room reserved for the top brass.


    Maxime was a little hesitant, but finally followed her.


    Here, he was still a little lost without Varek.


    In no time at all, they arrived and entered the room.


    "Hello everyone!" exclaimed Le?la with a big smile.


    All eyes instantly turned to Le?la, but especially to Maxime who was accompanying her.


    The room was vast and well-lit, adorned with the latest communications equipment and detailed maps of the surrounding area.


    These maps had been drawn the day before by the reconnaissance teams.


    In the center of the room was a table around which all 9 battalion commanders were seated.


    They were all very important men, and together they commanded the fortress''s 10,000 soldiers, not counting the mercenaries who could be summoned.


    At the end of the table was a young man whom Maxime had seen before.


    He was Kavasta, the fortress commander. Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Le?la, always late." commented Kavasta with a slightly furious look.


    "What''s that? You want my fist in your face Kavasta?"


    When he heard Le?na speak like that, Maxime was shocked.


    He felt as if he''d discovered a whole new person.


    "Maybe it''ll relax your anus." she continued with a mocking look.


    A heavy silence suddenly settled over the room, broken only by the noise of nearby electronics.


    "Settle down Le?la, please." the first battalion commander said suddenly, breaking the silence.


    "Of course."


    At the same time, Maxime naturally followed her and found himself around the table alongside the battalion chiefs.


    At the same time, he thought:


    "So she''s a battalion commander? But didn''t it seem so? Why else would others call her the Shibuya captain?"


    "Normally military units don''t have names."


    Simultaneously everyone looked at him with suspicious glances.


    Maxime after being lost in thought for a moment, felt the glances on him and raised his head with a smile.


    "Hello."

 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 battalion commanders 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


    Leila''s words drew surprised shouts from those around the table.


    "What are you talking about, Le?la?" asked a battalion captain, thinking he''d misheard.


    "I said he was the Shibuya''s new deputy chief," replied Le?la 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?la? I don''t even know who the Shibuyas are!" exclaimed 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?la herself.


    "You''re just a high school student!?" she exclaimed, 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, he laughed out loud.


    His laughter seemed extremely inappropriate in this room where the army''s top brass had gathered to begin battalion deployments and organize the army accordingly.


    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 was completely unbridled, if he wanted to do something, he''d do it, no matter what anyone else thought.


    On hearing the joke, Le?la 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?la''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 becoming even more rigid.


    "A high schooler, eh?" He turned slowly to Le?la.


    "Captain, would you be so kind as to explain what a child is doing in this room?" sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Le?la, still a little unsettled by the revelation 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 veteran last 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?la, the strategy meeting room is not a training ground for amateurs."


    Maxime burst out laughing, cutting through the tension like a knife.


    "Hey, relax, guys. I''m not here to give orders or steal your medals. But if you want me to come out, make it clear."


    He pretended to head for the door before stopping, glancing teasingly at Kavasta.


    "Unless you need an extra brain around here."


    This last 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 declared 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, Leila, 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 the commander.


    "Captain Le?na, in future, avoid bringing just anyone into the strategic meeting room, and especially avoid appointing just anyone as Shibuya''s deputy," commented 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 regularly 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 of comparison, it was similar to an ordinary human running very fast and sprinting, but depleting their endurance very quickly in the process.


    With these characteristics, some people called them half-dragons.


    Le?la frowned, her expression betraying her concern.


    "The Dravaks... this dimensional battlefield won''t be easy. They''ve already succeeded 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 plan..."


    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 flank, 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?la 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 accompany this battalion."


    As if a magic word had appeared, everyone was reassured.


    He turned to Le?la.


    "Don''t try with your men to confront the Dravaks head-on, instead use your elite men to slow down their movement by adopting guerrilla tactics. You''re the best at it."


    Leila 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 good commander and continued to clarify 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 a complete rest.


    But he couldn''t help thinking back to Le?la 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 Warrick last 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 out laughing, 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.


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    It was common practice in the fortress for everyone to help each other, otherwise if a detail wasn''t carried out in time it could delay the deployment of a battalion outside and therefore cause the death of many soldiers.


    Particularly during a rescue operation or to secure an area.


    However, the soldier had suggested this offhandedly, as it was also common 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, accommodation 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 their comrades who had gone out to the relaxation 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 clapping his hands or shoulder in thanks.


    "Hey, seriously, man, you really don''t look like an outsider." declared 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 a laugh.


    "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 glancing 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?la, a mischievous smile on her lips but a gleam of determination in her eyes.


    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?la 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?la 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?la 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 occurred to Le?la:


    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 could come 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 accumulate Eternity coins, so this was an interesting offer.


    Finally, he nodded slowly.


    An hour later.


    Maxime found himself in an armored vehicle with twenty or so Shibuya soldiers, all concentrated but rather relaxed.


    Everyone was equipped with sophisticated ranged weapons and armor, as well as melee weapons.


    After all, they were all seasoned Eternity players, 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 regular 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 relatively low.


    The atmosphere in the transport was therefore calm, despite the imminent approach of the enemy.


    The soldier driving, a veteran named Aric, glanced curiously at Maxime through his rearview mirror.


    "So, you''re the new kid who impressed Le?la? 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 of laughter 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 become 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 place was eerily silent, but an oppressive energy hung in the air.


    Le?la 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. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t dare take his life lightly, especially as with today''s technology, a shot could come from very far away.


    The soldiers dispersed efficiently, each one knowing his task. The vehicles were quickly covered with camouflage netting and moved under dense tree cover to make them invisible from the air. Meanwhile, Le?la 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?la, smirking as she teased him.


    Maxime shrugged.


    "I don''t know your methods, so I''d better not get too clever."


    Le?la 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 camouflaged, the squad formed up. Le?la led the way with palpable assurance, her movements silent and precise, while her men stretched out particularly 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 vigilantly beside Le?la.


    The clearing stretched out before them, flanked 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?la stopped dead in her tracks, raising a hand to signal everyone to stand still.


    "It''s strange, our scouts come back exactly every 15 minutes."


    "But this is 16 minutes."

 Chapter 153 Facing a Dravak warrior

    "But it''s been 16 minutes."


    His gaze scanned the trees ahead of them, his keen instincts telling him they weren''t alone.


    "If they attack us now, it could result in many casualties since we''re on open space."


    Maxime followed his gaze, squinting. He couldn''t see anything at first, but a slight movement drew his attention to a ridge to the west. A dark silhouette moved swiftly between the trees, almost imperceptible.


    "Up there." he whispered, casting a quick glance in the direction of the dark silhouette.


    Le?la nodded, confirming his observation.


    "Dravaks. And they know we''re here."


    A murmur ran through the soldiers, but no one moved without a direct order from their captain.


    Clearly, their guerrilla plan was going to fail completely and turn into a head-on confrontation.


    But Leila was confident that even against the Dravaks, her mercenaries had a chance.


    After a few seconds, and sensing something coming, Le?la shouted:


    "Scatter and find something to protect yourself immediately!"


    Hearing the order, no one hesitated and everyone dispersed through the forest.


    At the same time, a piercing cry echoed across the clearing. The Dravaks were moving into action.


    Energetic fire rained down from the forest ahead.


    Le?la and Maxime both hid behind nearby trees, but these exploded as soon as they were hit by enemy fire, so they had to maintain a high level of mobility.


    As the first salvo passed, a hundred silhouettes emerged from the shadows, humanoid creatures with dark armor and futuristic weapons. Their movement was methodical, while they exuded a cold, savage aggression.


    "Return fire! Don''t let them get any closer!" yelled Leila, emerging from her hiding place and firing at the Dravaks.


    The Shibuya reacted instantly, moving into position to intercept the onslaught.


    Shots burst through the air, killing a few Dravaks, but most managed to dodge.


    Maxime also started shooting, but his accuracy and sense of anticipation were poor, so he didn''t hit any Dravaks.


    At the same time, the Dravaks were advancing, their strategy clear: divide the Shibuya and eliminate their targets one by one.


    "Maxime, on your left!" shouted Le?la.


    He pivoted just in time to dodge an energy shot that grazed his shoulder. Reacting by instinct, he aimed and fired, hitting one of the Dravaks in the head.


    "Lucky!"


    The Dravak immediately fell out of the air and landed heavily next to Maxime.


    He was able to get a closer look, and Maxime was immediately frightened.


    "Damn, these guys are really gigantic."


    The body nearby was over 2 meters tall, and with its wings, they could cover up to 4 meters wide around it.


    It was truly impressive to see such a body so close.


    But Maxime had no time for further observation. Two more Dravaks were rushing towards him, their spears pointed at him.


    Indeed, the Dravaks were particularly fond of wielding spears, as they could maximize their aerial advantages and at the same time serve as powerful projectiles.


    Some of the soldiers he''d spoken to the day before had told him about a few species, and that some Dravaks could even destroy spaceships with an ordinary spear.


    Simultaneously, the environment around Maxime was very chaotic, with the Shibuya starting to fight hand-to-hand with the Dravaks, most of whom had already summoned some of Eternity''s men to help them.


    But Maxime, strangely enough, felt calm. His sense of combat was taking over.


    He deftly dodged an attack, ducking behind a tree to protect himself. He glanced quickly at Le?la, who was fighting a powerful Dravak that also looked different from the others.


    She was fighting with deadly precision, her saber dancing in the air like a bright flame, but clearly the duel was complicated for her, so she couldn''t come to his aid.


    Maxime took a deep breath. If he was to survive, he had to act quickly and intelligently.


    If these two Dravaks went toe-to-toe with him, Maxime didn''t know if he''d be a match for them.


    He didn''t know their capabilities, so it was best to use his rifle for the time being.


    He glanced around quickly, looking for an opening or a way to defend himself. His rifle, though powerful, wasn''t fast enough to neutralize them at this distance.


    "Well, we''ll have to improvise," he muttered, dodging a spear that planted itself in the tree behind him with devastating force, the wood splintering under the impact.


    Taking advantage of this moment, Maxime grabbed a piece of the broken tree, a thick branch, and threw it with all his might in the direction of one of the Dravaks.


    The latter deflected the object with ease, but this gesture diverted his attention just long enough for Maxime to roll onto his side and take time to aim.


    Then he fired several shots in the direction of the nearest Dravak. Two shots struck the creature''s armor, creating sparks, but the third hit its free neck. The Dravak staggered backwards before collapsing heavily. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    The second Dravak, furious, spread its wings and leapt into the air, trying to catch Maxime from above.


    He rolled again to avoid the diving attack and found himself behind the Dravak.


    "No way you''re going to run me over."


    He adjusted his rifle and fired point-blank into the creature''s back. The shot hit the armor with a thud, and the Dravak let out a heart-rending scream, but the armor had protected him well.


    He turned and plunged with his spear towards Maxime.


    Maxime threw down his rifle and drew the hilt of his sword, then as if by magic a beam of light burst forth.


    "Let''s see how powerful this thing is!


    Maxime threw himself at the Dravak, a smile on his face.


    Maxime dodged the spear with a small step to the side, then approached the Dravak very dangerously.


    But the Dravak also seemed to have exceptional fighting skills, and in these circumstances he managed to step back with the help of his wings while sweeping Maxime aside with the side of his spear.


    This time Maxime failed to dodge, and was thrown through several trees.


    At the same time, rifle shots flew past him until they landed in a distant spot.


    "Damn, this guy''s really strong!"


    But a smile came to Maxime''s lips.


    "But it''s so exciting!"


    That chaos, that thrill in battle, he didn''t know why but he loved it.


    "Hand-to-hand combat is so incredible," he murmured with satisfaction.


    At the same time, his opponent rushed at him again, his spear pointed at him. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Human, you''re pretty brave, but you''re no match for a Dravak warrior. Die."


    Maxime opened his eyes slightly surprised, he hadn''t expected a foreign race to be able to speak in his language.


    "You''re claiming victory a little too quickly." Maxime replied as he licked his lips, collecting some of the blood that had run down his lips when he fell.


    He looked wild in his appearance, but that didn''t intimidate the Dravak warrior at all.


    On the contrary, everyone of his species was similar to the human in front of him, if not much wilder.


    The Dravak warrior charged at impressive speed, his spear glinting in the sparse light that pierced through the trees. Maxime, still slightly stunned by his recent flight through the trunks, quickly straightened up, laser sword in hand.


    He took a few steps back, assessing the Dravak''s distance and momentum.


    As the spear came dangerously close, Maxime crouched at the last second and swung to the side, letting the weapon graze his shoulder. He took the opportunity to sweep his sword horizontally, aiming at the Dravak''s legs.


    A clang of metal echoed in the air: the Dravak''s armor had absorbed the blow, but the impact forced the creature to lose its balance for a moment.


    "Wow, what''s your armor made of to withstand a laser sword?" exclaimed Maxime, jumping back to create distance.


    The Dravak replied with a hoarse growl, his eyes shining with contempt.


    "You''re nothing but an insect. Your arrogance will get you killed."


    The Dravak swooped down on him, his spear arcing deadly. Maxime did a somersault to the side to dodge.


    "At this rate, this guy''s really going to get me..."


    And he didn''t want to summon his mercenaries, because apart from Kaite and Langus who were pretty strong, the others wouldn''t last a few seconds against this Dravak warrior.


    Firstly, because of the lack of equipment, and secondly, because of a significant physical difference.


    And above all, he wanted to take care of him alone, out of pride.


    At the same time, Maxime took a quick look around and spotted a cracked tree trunk, probably weakened by previous shots and explosions.


    "I might have an idea..." Maxime briefly holstered his sword and grabbed a small stone, which he hurled directly at the Dravak''s face.


    Caught off guard, the creature recoiled slightly, more from surprise than pain. This moment of hesitation allowed Maxime to dash at full speed towards the weakened trunk.


    With a powerful kick, he struck the base of the trunk, sending it reeling. The tree, already precariously balanced, began to collapse with a dull crack.


    The Dravak, realizing the plan, tried to back away, but Maxime''s timing was perfect. The tree came down with a monumental crash, trapping one of the warrior''s wings under its massive weight.


    "Not so invincible, eh?" gasped Maxime, catching his breath.


    "Yes, always invincible." shouted the Dravak, laughing aloud.


    Then with his thick arms, he lifted the tree trunk and swung it away, causing a mini earthquake nearby as the tree landed on the ground.


    "Great..." murmured Maxime.

 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''t last 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 flank, 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 to compress it and prevent too much blood escaping.


    The Dravak didn''t reply, just laughed mockingly before coming at him again. But this time, Maxime had a plan.


    As the Dravak raised his spear for a fatal blow, Maxime leapt forward towards the ground, almost slipping underneath him.


    He planted 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''s laser sword head-on.


    His armor and the sword''s laser clashed for less than a second, until the armor gave way.


    "ARRRGGHHH"


    The pain of a laser 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 blazing 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''d come 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 of competing 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 playing 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." sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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!" exclaimed the latter 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 plans 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''s combative 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 their comfort 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, lacked 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 155 Recruiting the Dravak warrior!

    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.


    As a genius, he mastered many weapons, so he was not to be underestimated, despite the fact that he was no longer holding his spear.


    Kaite and Langus took a quick look at him, then, with quick steps, charged at him.


    Langus rushed at the Dravak with lightning speed, sword in hand. Kaite followed close behind, his precise, elegant movements contrasting with his companion''s brutal approach.


    Dravus, though wounded, crouched slightly, his piercing gaze anticipating their movements.


    Clang!


    Dravak''s dagger met Langus''s sword in a clash of sparks.


    Immediately, Langus''s sword exploded into a thousand pieces before his shocked eyes.


    "What!? That sword was worth at least 10 gold coins!"


    Langus was bewildered; it would be at least months before he could buy a sword of similar quality.


    But fortunately he was an experienced knight, so he recovered quickly and took a step back to avoid Dravus'' counter-attack.


    Taking advantage of the moment, Kaite performed a feint, plunging his sword towards the Dravak warrior''s exposed flank. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But despite his wounds, the Dravak''s instinct did not fail: he pivoted and deflected Kaite''s attack with a precise backhand.


    "Fast... and well-trained" he growled.


    The duel intensified.


    Despite the absence of his sword, Langus was a knight who was also skilled in hand-to-hand combat, so he could always create opportunities for Kaite without suffering serious injury. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    Dravus, despite his condition, resisted with impressive mastery. His movements were calculated, every dodge meticulous, every counterattack dazzling.


    He was truly a genius with an excellent sense of combat.


    Yet, little by little, the accumulated wounds weighed on him. His breath became shorter and his movements slower. Kaite noticed a gap in his guard.


    "Langus, now!" she shouted.


    Langus understood immediately and pretended to attack from the front, attracting Dravus'' attention.


    And because of his state of fatigue and wounds, he didn''t see Kaite slip up behind him and strike with all her might, her sword piercing Dravus''s thick skin.


    Even if their swords were of low quality, it was still sharp enough to pierce a Dravak''s natural skin.


    Dravus'' howl echoed in the surrounding area. He collapsed to his knees, stabbing his dagger into the ground as if it were a support for him.


    Then Kaite withdrew his sword in one clean sweep, leaving the warrior gasping for breath and letting out another grunt of pain.


    It should be noted that Kaite and Langus were also blocked by the restriction of the God of another universe.


    So, in this world, if Maxime had to face them alone and with equipment of similar quality, he would undoubtedly lose.


    Hence the importance of having men under orders under his men when the 3-point limit was reached.


    These men could really change the course of a battle, but of course it was very difficult to find knights who were willing to pledge allegiance without a noble title.


    Most people had a few apprentice knights with complicated pasts.


    Otherwise, if everyone could have knights under their command, there''d be no need for battles.


    The human race would roll over all other races in dimensional battlefields, and be the strongest race thanks to its sheer number of powerful men.


    Thanks to Viviana''s talent, Maxime had been able to observe the short duel and recover sufficiently to stand up and face Dravus.


    Dravus saw this scene and was surprised.


    "You! How can you still stand!?"


    "Talent." replied Maxime lightly with a smile.


    This scene seemed particularly out of context, while all around them, there was a lot of shooting going on, as well as Shibuya mercenaries confronting Dravaks.


    Langus and Kaite watched the battlefield with curious eyes.


    "So war can look like this too?" they thought with shock.


    At the same time, Maxime began to activate the effect of his talent: [Absolute Contract].


    He closed his eyes and let the heat seep into them.


    When he opened them again, his pupils glowed with a golden light. A strange energy filled the air, vibrating like an invisible rope stretched between him and Dravus.


    Dravak watched the scene, squinting.


    "What kind of sorcery is this? Just kill me instead of doing these strange things."


    "Don''t worry, you''re not going to die." Langus reassured him with a gentle smile.


    He was taking a malicious pleasure in seeing another person suffer from this cursed contract.


    And Dravus noticed immediately, as the man''s gentle smile looked extremely Machiavellian to him, and he even began to feel a little scared.


    "You''ll even gain a precious opportunity to become stronger." Kaite added, his eyes excited.


    It seemed that both knights were really enjoying watching this scene in which they themselves had been the protagonists in the past.


    Then Dravus saw Maxime stretch out his right hand in front of him.


    Suddenly, glittering words appeared in the air, traced by an ethereal light.


    Fortunately, the battlefield was sufficiently chaotic and the environment sufficiently overgrown with trees and bushes, that nobody saw anything.


    "Shit, to blot my honor like that what a humiliation."


    Dravus was deeply angry, and as if he''d had a new surge of strength, he pulled his dagger from the ground and tried to stab it into his heart.


    He wanted to kill himself.


    Immediately Kaite and Langus pounced on the Dravak and pulled on his arm to dissipate the dagger''s momentum.


    Maxime, for his part, was not panicked, and silently read the words written in the light, his lips barely moving.


    Finally, he spoke, his voice deeper, with a strange echo.


    "I, Maxime, wish to conclude a contract with the designated person."


    The light between them suddenly transformed into a golden spiral, like a luminous vortex.


    "No, no, no, I don''t want to sign a contract!"


    Dravus at this point was extremely panicked.


    He was a young genius of the Dravaks, he had thought until then that he was a strong man with the honor of his race.


    And indeed, he was not afraid of death and had proved it by attempting suicide.


    But now he was afraid of what the young human in front of him was doing.


    Then, finally, the spiral seemed to rush towards him, penetrating his eyes.


    He seemed to possess it as he gave off golden light through his eyes.


    Simultaneously, an ethereal contract appeared between him and Maxime, linking them by an extremely thin golden thread.


    Dravis felt a phenomenal power seeping into both his body and his soul.


    "No! No! No! I don''t want to!"


    He resisted with all his might, but no matter what he did, he felt this power invade him completely without anything being able to block it or even slow it down.


    After only a few dozen seconds, the floating, dazzling contract vanished in a shower of luminous flashes.


    Dravus collapsed completely, staring at the ground in bewilderment, wondering what had happened.


    He raised his head slightly and saw the young human looking at him with a smile.


    "Welcome to the Saber-toothed Tigers."


    Langus and Kaite looked at him with sympathetic but slightly joyful eyes too.


    For Dravus was a truly strong man, so the mercenary group had improved again and its prospects were becoming better too!


    Above all, the possibility of betrayal was completely nil, so whatever difficulties they might encounter in the future, they had a new back to lean on in difficult battles.


    "The Saber-toothed Tigers?" asked Dravus, dazed.


    "That''s our mercenary group." replied Maxime lightly.


    Dravus seemed to have all his energy draining away.


    "I''m now under the orders of a human...a human..."


    His mind was completely shattered.


    Maxime frowned, if his new warrior remained in such a state, he''d rather kill him to get a new location and sign a contract with another individual.


    "Do you have any dreams, Dravus?"


    Dravus slowly raised his head, his face marked by a pain far deeper than that of his physical wounds.


    His glowing eyes seemed extinguished, as if Maxime had evoked a memory he would have preferred to forget forever.


    "Dreams?" he repeated, his voice hoarse.


    "Maybe I did... once."


    At the same time, Maxime glanced at Langus and Kaite and immediately issued an order:


    "Go help the mercenaries in Shibuya."


    Langus and Kaite nodded, a little sad to miss their new colleague''s story.


    Maxime didn''t want them to know Dravus''s story, and above all there was no point in them knowing the story.


    If they wanted to know, they could ask him in the future.


    As for Maxime, he could also go and help the Shibuya and save a few lives, but his priority was to recruit and retain his new warrior.


    After all, he knew how bright the world could be, but he also knew how dark it could be.


    The Shibuya mercenaries were nice, and so was their captain, but he didn''t yet know them well enough to prioritize their rescue over that of recruiting his new warrior.


    Maxime sat down in front of him and said:


    "I''m listening."


    Dravus clenched his fists, but since it had come to this, he could afford to let go of the stone weighing heavily on his heart.


    So he began to tell Maximus his story.

 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 ablaze 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 become 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 place among the Dravaks.


    Their society, though proud and disciplined, was dominated by the law 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 accuse Dravus of treason against the tribe.


    The accusations were absurd, but Korran''s word carried more weight than that of anyone but the chief.


    Dravus was challenged to single combat, but not by Korran. No, the latter 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 declared that Dravus was no longer worthy of protecting Lyssra.


    In front of the entire tribe, he demanded that she become his.


    Lyssra refused with a firmness that inspired admiration and terror in the other women of the tribe.


    But the laws 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 from committing suicide.


    Until the tribal chief intervened, and refused his son''s order.


    He explained 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 become 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 you command my men and become 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 particularly laudatory about that.


    But at the same time, the idea of collaborating 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 succeed 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 hope competed 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 threats lay 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 similar force, and nothing would happen.


    "Let''s go now." Maxime ordered, easily withdrawing his hand. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All around them, the clash of weapons and war cries filled the air as Shibuya''s mercenaries struggled desperately to contain the Dravaks'' onslaught.


    Dravus nodded in agreement.


    They joined the nearest shots, arriving between more than twenty Dravaks and a dozen Shibuya mercenaries accompanied by some twenty men from Eternity.


    It was easy to distinguish between the mercenaries and their men, as the latter wore equipment designed for hand-to-hand combat.


    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 glanced 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 Dravak comrades 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 calculated force of an accomplished 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'' language, they couldn''t sense when the situation was about to explode again.


    If they reacted too late, 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 Dravak language.


    His wings were disproportionately large and his scarlet armor was still splattered with the blood of Shibuya''s mercenaries.


    Clearly, he was one of the Dravak leaders on this battlefield.


    The latter split the earth with a heavy step, followed by several other Dravak warriors, their blazing 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 become a dog of humans?"


    The other Dravaks growled, their fury palpable. But Dravius remained impassive.


    He wiped the blood from the blade 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 particularly 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 slammed 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 plains.


    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 Dravak language thanks to his contract, was amazed by his new mercenary''s elocution and, above all, his ability to provoke. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 becoming almost melancholy.


    "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 ruthless commanders, 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 calculated, almost mocking nonchalance.


    "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 assailant in a flash, the sharp blade 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 raucous laugh.


    "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 of combat 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-placed kick.


    Kaelor watched, motionless, his eyes blazing 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 Dravak language, surprised everyone, Dravius first.


    He''d naturally learned it from the contract, without necessarily meaning to.


    But if the master didn''t know his slave''s language, could he guess when he heard him inadvertently, whether he was complimenting or insulting him?


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    One of the effects of a talent coming from an SSS-level God could naturally not involve such a flaw.


    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 penetrated 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 out laughing, 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 family come 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."


    The laughter 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 were laughing 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 to laugh at Maxime''s words.


    "This little human is so arrogant and funny!"

 Chapter 158 The universe that feared humanity

    The Dravaks'' first reaction was to laugh at Maxime''s words.


    "That little human is so arrogant and funny!" muttered one of the ordinary Dravaks forming part of the encirclement.


    "He wouldn''t even be able to take on a Dravak child, I''m sure." continued another right next to him, also laughing.


    In their minds, humans could compete with them, only thanks to Eternity.


    It''s important to make a point of history here, which Maxime was also aware of as a human being.


    All the races of the Omega Universe were extremely jealous of humans.


    The Omega universe was the universe in which both humans and Pirans lived.


    And they were up against the Delta universe, from which the Dravaks came in particular.


    Excluding Eternity, in terms of ranking, humans would only be in the lower-middle range in terms of fighting power in the Omega universe.


    And it was only thanks to the innovative spirit and scientific prowess of their race''s scientific geniuses that they could have reached such heights.


    In terms of individual combat power, they would have been among the 100 weakest species, bearing in mind that there were at least ten thousand intelligent races in the Omega universe!


    But it was this weak species, thanks to Eternity, that was in the top 10 of the strongest races in the Omega universe!


    When the monsters were discovered, the human race was still living in a dark corner of the universe with no interesting resources.


    As a result, no race had come to disturb them, while the human race was quietly developing, albeit with many internal conflicts.


    Some extraterrestrial races even saw the human planet as a playground, where by displaying a little of their strength, it was possible to be considered a deity.


    Many companies saw this as an excellent business opportunity, and began selling tickets for a year''s stay on the planet.


    Customers were accompanied by a few professional advisors, who told them what they had to do to become gods and be admired by humans.


    Naturally, places were extremely limited and therefore extremely expensive!


    As time went by, humans became less credulous, and some even began to find various ways of killing these famous "Gods".


    This meant that the weaker members of various nearby races no longer found pleasure in coming to the human planet, while the stronger ones were too busy with their own occupations and responsibilities.


    Watches were introduced during this period, and thanks to them, humanity evolved extremely rapidly.


    If Maxime could evolve so much in just a few months in Eterniy, there were also many geniuses, out of the billions of human beings on Earth, who could also evolve rapidly!


    Even more so in the space of a few hundred years!


    Despite the restriction of the universe from the 3 points of physics, many humans became extremely powerful thanks to Eternity, so strong that they could be considered strategic weapons on a par with nuclear bombs.


    In the beginning, conflicts broke out between nations.


    But seeing no winner after ten years, the powerful men imposed a peace treaty.


    Wasn''t it nice to be able to continue playing Eternity without having to risk your life for a few pieces of power?


    Most of them had superior power in Eternity, so that little power in the real world wasn''t so important in hindsight.


    And above all, they could see much further.


    So these people standing at the pinnacle of humanity began to set their eyes on other planets.


    They invested heavily in the development of spaceships and weapons of war for this purpose.


    It took just a few years to build up a powerful fleet.


    Indeed, for some people who had become very powerful thanks to Eternity, it was easy to make a few calculations and draw up a few spaceship plans.


    Most of the time was spent gathering materials and building production plants.


    Once the spaceships had been built and sent out on expeditions with many powerful men on board, they quickly reported many successes.


    The "weaker" races in the vicinity were unable to resist the powerful humans and were directly eradicated or turned into slaves.


    All their resources were occupied.


    These resources were important for the development of the human race, particularly in the space fleet and infrastructure.


    An information blockade was also enforced by the top leaders of the human race to prevent them from being taken over by other races.


    But no matter how hard they tried, the powerful races of the universe finally received the news.


    But clearly, most of them couldn''t care less about the conflict of a few weaker races.


    Only a few races close to human territory perceived the threat and formed an alliance.


    This alliance consisted of 3 races, including the Pirans.


    They launched a simultaneous attack from various parts of human territory.


    But by this time, human experts were already spread throughout the newly conquered territory.


    All had begun to mark their own territory as their own, like the Western Federation.


    And every strongman began to receive noble titles according to their strength and contribution to the war.


    This plan exploited the inherent desires of each human soldier, defending the territory to a large extent as well as accelerating the development of the newly conquered territory.


    After all, once you''ve got a territory to your name, who wouldn''t give their all to develop it and become a true lord?


    Wouldn''t that be a waste?


    In these circumstances, the alien alliance''s attack was naturally a failure, and the human counter-attack was all the more violent.


    The other races of the universe could never have guessed that human experts were breaking concepts inherent to all races.


    Such as bringing strong men and geniuses together in one place.


    Because normally, all races needed resources and talented people to train their elite! Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    And different places benefited from different degrees of resource inclination and individuals ready to teach.


    No, instead, the human race dispatched them completely.


    And this, the other races couldn''t guess.


    How was it possible to hypothesize that mankind had watches that enabled them to become stronger by going to another world?


    And that, for them, no matter where they went, it didn''t change the progression of their strength?


    Fortunately for the alliance, they were quick to react, issuing various appeals for help, including to races they''d been at war with for millennia!


    A single short message was transmitted:


    "Come and help us or in less than 100 years all the races in the West of the Omega universe will be eradicated or turned into slaves!"


    Many races took this message very seriously.


    How could they not? 3 emperors of different races, all of them in the top 200, had personally signed the note!


    A race called the Aelodins, ranked in the top 10 most powerful races, also received the note and sent all their warriors against the human race.


    The Aelodins are a rather young race, only a few million years old.


    Compared to other races that have existed for hundreds of millions of years, they were very young indeed.


    This was because they were born of a legendary union between an extremely magically gifted woman and a titan.


    No one knew this woman''s race or identity, except perhaps a few individuals in the universe and the high-ranking Aelodins.


    Titans, on the other hand, were humanoid monsters, ranging in size from 2 meters to tens of thousands of meters, depending on their inclination and strength.


    They were known to have been born at the same time as the universe.


    Their numbers were very limited, and their extremely poor reproductive capacity led to their species becoming very rare.


    But thanks to their exceptional longevity and a physique that could almost be described as indestructible, many of them had overcome every catastrophe this universe had ever encountered.


    It was even said that the titan, father of the Aelodins, still lived and protected his "children" in the shadows.


    The Aelodins, who had titanic blood but also inherited the mysterious woman''s gift for magic, possessed exceptional potential.


    Their extraordinary physical strength and innate mastery of magic enabled them to rapidly conquer the territories surrounding their home planet.


    More precisely, each A��lodin possessed an elemental affinity from birth:


    Celestial fire, eternal frost, divine lightning, abyssal shadows and purifying light.


    Each of these affinities was extraordinary and among the most powerful obtainable in the Omega universe.


    In contrast, few humans had a magical affinity with a basic element of the universe.


    Aelodins were also born with a unique talent that generally enabled them to either improve their physique or enhance their magic.


    Based on these parameters, humans used to classify Aelodins as magical warriors or close-combat mages, depending on their talents.


    On top of all this, Aelodins also possessed natural resistance to magical elements, as well as extraordinary regeneration.


    In short, in terms of combat potential alone, Aelodins could be placed in the top 3 of the Omega universe.


    Fortunately, God is just, and they had also inherited a flaw from the giants: they had low fertility.


    Because of this characteristic and because their species was relatively young, they were placed towards the bottom of the top 10.


    But the top 10 was the top 10!


    When this race began to get involved, every race in the universe thought humanity was finished.


    And so it was, under the leadership of the Aelodin, over a hundred races also sent their warriors and reclaimed the newly conquered territory from the humans in just a few hundred years.


    Only the planet Earth, the original home of human beings, was preserved.


    Afterwards, the official version was that the strong men of the human race held their own against the other races of the universe.


    And indeed, the human race still possessed many strongmen and even showed strength comparable to the top 10 most powerful races in the universe!


    But faced with the Aelodins and the alliance of a hundred races, how could they really resist?


    The human race was still too young!


    Many believed that the only reason they were still alive was because they had mastered the mysterious power of the monsters, and thus access to Eternity.


    The theory was that they stayed alive because the other races wanted to master the power to come and go in Eternity.


    Others thought that one or more very strong men of the human race had fled into the vast universe, and threatened to go mad if one race actually eradicated mankind.


    There was also speculation that certain powerful races had issued orders to conserve humans for diversity.


    Like an association to protect the diversity of animals that already existed on Earth.


    And a final hypothesis was that the human race added power on dimensional battlefields to defend against the Delta Universe, and indeed it did.


    But to what extent? Humans didn''t really know.


    Hence the remarks of ordinary Dravaks who also knew "the famous" history of mankind.


    After all, it was well-known gossip.


    A universe had blocked the rise of a race that could have become the strongest of all because it was afraid of it.


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 Chapter 159 Oscar

    A universe had blocked the ascension of a race that could have become 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 simulation.


    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 similar, the Dravaks were to some extent comparable 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 through combat.


    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 classifying bloodlines.


    But this classification could be explained later.


    What was important to know was that, regardless of lineage rank, every Dravak warrior who had awakened his ancestral blood could become 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 through combat.


    The method of awakening and the method of progression were therefore similar.


    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 the complete 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 certain combat 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 their combat power significantly!


    ...


    But as the two young Dravaks chatted and laughed at the young human, they suddenly saw him looking in their direction.


    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 battalion commander Kaelor, but in the latter''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 and come 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 particular, he swooped down on a group of two ordinary Dravaks. His blade 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 had laughed at him moments earlier exchanged stunned glances.


    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 replaced by calculated caution.


    Maxime turned off the laser 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 glances, while Dravius, though still angry, couldn''t help but nod.


    The two knights in particular 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 had laughed, 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 succeeded in awakening their bloodline!


    "Very well, human." his face showed intense rage.


    "You asked for it, prepare to die." S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 flapping 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!


    The latter was temporarily pushed back, and seeing his comrades on the ground, he joined them and landed 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 particularly strongly to this Dravak named Oscar.


    "Yeah," Oscar replied in a bored tone.


    His armor was still clean, as if he hadn''t been in combat.


    "So, is she?" asked Kaelor out of curiosity, looking at the human who had fallen violently to the ground.


    "Leila, 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 Dravak language, 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 fortress commander and all the battalion commanders should land 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 160 Invocation

    "Oscar, and he''s a Dravak who managed to awaken his blood."


    The words shocked Maxime, for he knew the weight a Dravak with awakened bloodline had thanks to the previous day''s discussions in the relaxation area!


    A single Dravak with his bloodline awakened could literally change the entire course of the battlefield!


    And he didn''t think he was currently up to the task, on his own, of a Dravak who had succeeded in awakening his bloodline!


    However, he wasn''t really worried; he himself had his own plan and thought he could turn the tide at any moment.


    "But there are also strong and weak Dravaks among those who awaken the blood, and Oscar is one of the weakest," Dravus continued in a flat tone.


    Maxime nodded carelessly.


    Although he was relieved that Oscar wasn''t among the most powerful of the awakened Dravaks, he knew he couldn''t afford to underestimate him.


    But apart from him and a few Dravaks, most of the other opponents had relatively ordinary fighting power.


    What was more worrying was that, over time, both the Dravaks and the Shibuyas were gathering here.


    But the Shibuya were only 300 men strong, while it seemed that more and more Dravaks were arriving.


    The oppressive weight of the situation seemed to hang over the entire battlefield, with every eye on Maxime.


    After all, Le?la, the Shibuya captain, was on the ground, her silhouette still covered by smoke.


    The Shibuya had no one left to lead them, except for a few remaining leaders.


    Leila couldn''t do everything herself in a regiment of over 300 mercenaries, so there were many leaders in the group as well as a clear hierarchy.


    Otherwise, knowing that mercenaries tended to be very undisciplined when they weren''t on a mission, it would be chaos.


    Soon, 3 silhouettes took the initiative to emerge from the mercenaries and head towards Maxime.


    These 3 people were each responsible for a hundred or so mercenaries, and at the same time they were all endowed with formidable power.


    If they weren''t, Shibuya wouldn''t be as respected as it is today.


    The 300 mercenaries could even command the admiration of regimental commanders and the base commander - that''s how fierce they were!


    The first leader, an imposing man with dark skin and piercing eyes like blades, bore a deep scar that ran from his chin to his left cheekbone.


    He stood erect, his gaze burning with determination.


    He soon came within sight of Maxime, but also Oscar, Kaelor, and numerous Dravaks who stood in a bow before them.


    "I am Edgar Valtieri." he declared in a deep voice.


    "As Le?la''s second in command, I''ll be taking over."


    Hearing this, Maxime wasn''t particularly displeased.


    Rare were the people who could stand up in this kind of situation and not be afraid of death.


    At his side was a slender woman with short, blue-tinted hair. Her fluid, precise movements suggested a formidable skill.


    She smiled with a certain grace, as if her life were not in danger here.


    "Sophia Reinhardt" she said lightly.


    The younger man had a casual air, but his hands were firmly gripped to his weapons, ready to react to any situation.


    His white hair, contrasting with his youthful face, gave him a spectral air.


    "And I''m Lucien Moreau."


    "We have a plan. You go with our leader, and we''ll take care of the rest."


    Edgar, taking a deep breath, continued:


    "I''ve already discussed it with the Shibuyas. We''ll sacrifice ourselves to cover your retreat and that of your men. Please take care of our leader."


    Then he bowed slightly to Maxime.


    Oscar, who was right next to him and perfectly at ease, looked at the young blond human in front of him with disdainful eyes.


    He understood perfectly well the discussion taking place in front of him, as did Kaelor.


    Both were already extremely convinced that they could hold all the Shibuya mercenaries here, and eradicate every last one of them.


    Maxime watched the three Shibuya with respect, but it seemed they hadn''t noticed the situation, and really thought they could hold these Dravaks here.


    "I think there should be two Dravak regiments here, not just one, contrary to the information we''ve been given."


    "You can barely take on an ordinary Dravak regiment head-on, but there are at least 3,000 Dravaks here by the looks of it."


    "Not counting Dravak strongmen, do you seriously think you can hold off 3000 Dravaks with just 300 men?" he asked in a solemn tone, his words sounding like a hammer blow.


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia didn''t know how to react to this question.


    "Do we have any other choice?" Edgar finally replied.


    "You can sacrifice yourselves if you like, but know one thing: I''m going to stay here, and I''m going to slaughter them all."


    A heavy silence fell around him.


    Edgar clenched his fists, rage bubbling in his eyes. Sophia took a step forward, her weapons ready to cleave the air. As for Lucien, he exploded:


    "You think you can take on the Dravaks alone? You''re an arrogant fool!" S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An uproar arose between Shibuya and Maxime, but the latter was impassive and self-assured.


    On the other side, Oscar, the awakened Dravak, burst out laughing, a sinister, mocking laugh.


    "Watch these humans tearing each other apart, it''s really such a satisfying sight."


    Maxime looked slightly at Oscar.


    "When you have my sword stuck in your heart, will you find the feeling satisfying too?"


    Oscar''s expression suddenly turned hideous.


    Ever since he''d broken through, everyone had idolized him, and no one dared speak to him in such a provocative tone.


    But he was extremely confident, and as he imagined some of the scenes that would follow, he began to laugh.


    A cold, razor-sharp laugh. He set his blazing eyes on Maxime, his features distorted by a contemptuous smile.


    "Once you crawl to my feet and beg for your life, you''ll no longer have that irritating expression." he said in an icy voice, every word oozing with terrifying assurance.


    Maxime, far from being impressed, merely raised an eyebrow, his provocative smile still frozen on his face.


    "You talk a lot for someone who needs so many allies to look after me," he retorted, his voice saturated with contempt.


    Kaelor, hitherto silent, took a step forward. This massive Dravak, with a musculature so dense it seemed almost unreal, regarded Maxime like an insect.


    His red eyes glowed with a predatory gleam.


    "Me alone is enough to take care of a human like you, a Dravak with awakened bloodline doesn''t need to intervene."


    "Don''t worry, it''ll be quick, in less than ten seconds you''ll have found eternal peace."


    The tension rose a notch. The Shibuyas exchanged worried glances, wondering if Maxime had gone too far in provoking these two Dravaks at once.


    Maxime crossed his arms, unperturbed. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Ten seconds, eh?" he murmured, before smiling with a certain contempt.


    As he said this, countless circles of light appeared behind him.


    "Summoning circles?"


    Oscar was surprised by the number, usually humans summoned only a few humans.


    But when he sensed the weak aura of these humans, and thus guessed that most barely touched the 2 points of physics, he burst out laughing.


    "Do you think there will be enough of us to defeat them?"


    "The Dravaks race is one of the strongest races in the Delta universe!"


    At the same time Oscar clenched his fists, as a dark, oppressive aura emanated from him, pushing aside a few Dravaks standing nearby.


    Only Kaelor did not move from his position.


    "You think you can defy us?" he roared, his cruel smile widening.


    "When I crush you, you''ll understand how awakened Dravaks are above an inferior species like yours."


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia didn''t understand what Maxime was doing.


    The 3 were all very strong, all having 3 or more physics points.


    So he could also sense that these figures were only at apprentice knight level at the most, and that without proper equipment, the situation wasn''t going to change at all.


    Sophia tried to intervene, her voice betraying a hint of urgency.


    "Please Maxime, take our leader and run!"


    But Maxime raised a hand to silence her, without even looking at her. His eyes were fixed on Oscar and Kaelor, like a predator watching its prey.


    "You talk too much." he said calmly.


    "Why don''t you come and see if your threats hold up against me?"


    The battlefield seemed suspended, each side holding its breath. Oscar and Kaelor stepped forward, their heavy footsteps sounding like thunderclaps.


    Kaelor, a cruel smile on his lips, murmured loud enough for Maxime to hear:


    "I''m going to savor every second."


    Oscar nodded, his gaze burning with cold rage.


    "Let''s begin, human. Show me how pathetic you are."


    But Maxime, instead of drawing his sword, shoved his hands into the pockets of his combat pants.


    At the same time, he murmured:


    "Nox Limit..."


    boom


    An explosion of aura erupted from him as his own physique struggled to surpass the limits imposed by the God of the Delta universe.


    At the same time, his mercenaries appeared one after the other.


    A wave of terrifying aura swept across the battlefield. As the circles of light dissipated, everyone could see an impressive group of powerful warriors ready to do battle.


    Their presence imposed a sudden silence.


    Charle, Ultia, Henry , Andrew , Laura , Ernest, Garen, Lira, Romuald, Rodrigo, Tena, Izo, Terry, James, Piedro and young geniuses from Plouta such as Ivan, Wigor and Liam were all there.


    In all, over a hundred mercenaries were present.


    And under the influence of Maxime''s talent, the physique of most of them went straight to 3 points!


    It should be noted that on a yellow-level battlefield, individuals with 3 points of physique were rare!


    But all at once, some 70 strong men of this level appeared!


    With the naked eye, the Dravaks could see that there were many experienced men among them.


    Fear began to spread through their ranks.


    "Kill." ordered Maxime, smiling slightly.

 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 succeeded 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 become 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 plan.


    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, combined 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 was coming from his side, sword pointed directly at him!


    And with his inertia, he couldn''t flap 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 incomparably superior to a vulgar inferior species than humans!"


    ...


    While Kaite and Kaelor began to clash violently, Langus found it much harder to hold Oscar.


    "Is that all you''re worth?" declared 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. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 flames coming 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 overcome by flames and shouted at the top of his voice.


    "AHHHHHH."


    Langus collapsed to the ground, his body covered in an incandescent veil. Oscar''s flames were no ordinary tongues of fire; they seemed alive, clinging to him like hungry claws, 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 flames.


    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 inhalation drawing in burning vapors that devoured his lungs.


    His mind wavered, but he held on, refusing to succumb.


    The vital seed pulsing within him, his last bulwark against annihilation, activated desperately.


    A cold, regenerative energy began to counter the flames, 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 planted the weapon in the ground and straightened up, his muscles trembling, his breath ragged. The flames began to fade slightly, but Oscar wasn''t done yet.


    "Impressive. You''re still standing? So let''s see how long you can last!" 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 clarity. 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 strange comfort in his opponent''s reaction. He had succeeded in wounding that self-centered Dravak.


    Langus wanted to respond, but he could no longer.


    He fell to the ground, the flames still consuming him.


    Indeed, when surrounded by flame, 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 flames, 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 a laser sword passed where he stood.


    "Too bad, it would have been so much easier if you''d stayed quietly in place."


    Oscar eyed the young blond man warily without replying.


    Even against Le?la, 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 regularly 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.


    Edgar commanded a compact 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 particularly 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 less combat experience, were temporarily disconcerted by this fact.


    But the elites who had accompanied 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-hand combat 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 real combat.


    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 accompanied 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 collapsed 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 playing 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 the command 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..."


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    "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 become 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 players.


    And it was because they were players 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-class 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 corpse lay 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.


    His laser sword was held firmly in his hands.


    His translucent white eyes were fixed on Oscar.


    Maxime''s fingers tightened around the hilt of his laser sword.


    His eyes, usually calm and measured, were filled with cold, implacable rage.


    Oscar, draped in an aura of dancing flames, 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..." commented 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 declared with a playful 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 was completely 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! Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For anyone could guess that his body couldn''t be any stronger than that armor!


    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 163 Fighting Oscar!

    Their leader, so arrogant a moment before, had been so easily wounded?


    "So what do you think of the strength of a Dravak who has awakened his bloodline?" declared Oscar in a scornful tone.


    However, he himself was surprised.


    He had to know that this skill couldn''t be used so easily!


    When Dravaks awakened their bloodline, they usually acquired skills.


    But these skills all had a recharge time.


    His fire spit could only be used once every 3 minutes, while his fireball shot took even longer. He had to wait 10 minutes between shots!


    But that was good enough for him; most Dravaks only awakened one skill, so he was doing pretty well.


    "It''s strong. But I hope you''ve got something else up your sleeve, otherwise it''s the end for you." replied Maxime, his eyes cold.


    Oscar frowned and drew his sword, forged from a highly reinforced alloy.


    "Obviously, he can''t use this magic indiscriminately," Maxime thought.


    Then he smiled.


    "Saber-toothed tigers!" he suddenly shouted, covering the noise on the battlefield.


    All the mercenaries stopped fighting temporarily, and looked at their leader strangely.


    But the elite squad who had accompanied their leader guessed roughly at his intentions.


    "For many of you, we haven''t seen each other for very long, and we haven''t had the opportunity to fight together," he continued in his deafening voice.


    Oscar did nothing; it was to his advantage to play for time.


    Kaelor pushed Kaite and Dravus, who had come to his aid, aside violently, then stood next to Oscar.


    "What''s that human doing?" he asked strangely.


    When he shouted, it was as if the battlefield had shifted.


    No, it hadn''t tilted, it had literally paused!


    Even the Shibuya and Dravaks present unconsciously listened to his words!


    That was how influential this young man was!


    "I don''t know, and I don''t care. Anyway, he''ll die as soon as my skills recharge. So this battle will be over very quickly," Oscar replied, clearly not worried.


    Ever since he''d awakened his bloodline, he''d despised everyone on this battlefield except the human commander and his own commander.


    And he even thought that if he met the human commander, he might succeed in defeating him.


    Kaelor didn''t add anything: although he was better than Oscar at hand-to-hand combat, he didn''t possess skills as strong as Oscar''s. So, overall, he was still a better fighter than Oscar.


    So, overall, he remained weaker than Oscar.


    Even seeing his two skills in action made him feel afraid.


    Kaite took advantage of the brief respite, but his mood was spoiled when he saw Langus''s charred corpse.


    The two of them were very close, and even though she knew he could be resurrected, she didn''t look too good when she saw his inert body.


    Dravus also noticed Langus'' body, but only glanced at it before returning his gaze to Maxime.


    Maxime was standing there.


    His naked torso in plain sight gave him a wild look.


    But whoever looked at him couldn''t help but find him particularly handsome, whether male or female.


    His white eyes made him particularly striking.


    At the same time, he continued his speech:


    "I''m going to take advantage of the fact that you''re here, to show you why your boss is your boss!"


    He knew he must have a few youngsters left in Plouta who weren''t convinced after gaining strength.


    So he also wanted to take this opportunity to reassert his authority over these recruits.


    Maxime''s bold announcement aroused strong emotions in the Saber-toothed Tigers.


    The Shibuyas looked on strangely, unconvinced.


    Even their captain had been defeated by this Dravak, so they really didn''t trust him.


    "Shit, what''s he doing here?"


    "He should be waiting for his super-powered men to come and help him so they can help him defeat that Dravak with horns!"


    "Damn, and I thought I could stay alive after that battle..."


    But they still held out a little hope.


    For if this young man died, they would lose the support of his elite mercenaries. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The leader of the Saber-toothed Tigers did not waver. It was time to show why he was the leader of this team.


    "Watch me, observe me, then copy me!"


    As he spoke, he charged wordlessly in Oscar''s direction.


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    "So it''s still brute force eh..." muttered Oscar dismissively.


    He drew his own sword and rushed towards Maxime as well.


    His physical strength and sword skills were not weak!


    Maxime and Oscar met in the middle of the battlefield in a clash that shook the air around them. Their collision was so violent that it caused a visible shockwave.


    Maxime''s face was calm, while Oscar''s expression was ferocious.


    Maxime''s every blow seemed calculated to exploit the slightest weakness in Oscar''s posture. The latter, however, remained confident, dodging and blocking attacks with controlled fluidity.


    The Saber-toothed Tigers watched with fascination and nervousness. For the first time, they had seen their leader fight with such intensity.


    However, the elites who had followed Maxime were not at all worried.


    Each time he had overcome the unthinkable, and this time would be no different.


    So they had blind faith in their leader.


    Even Andrew, who was a proud man, could only bow to his leader''s methods!


    But what they didn''t know was that a Dravak with an awakened bloodline was something far more powerful than anything they''d faced so far.


    Some species of orc existed in the Omega and Delta universes, but without exception, most were barely in the top 1000 races in each universe, in terms of individual combat power.


    Maxime himself was well aware that he couldn''t face Oscar head-on for long.


    As Oscar struck horizontally with colossal force, Maxime deftly dodged by rolling to the side, taking advantage of his opponent''s lost momentum to counter-attack with a swift, precise blow to the back of his armor.


    Although the armor''s alloy absorbed most of the impact, Oscar grunted, taken by surprise.


    Maxime, sensing that the decisive moment had arrived, leapt back to prepare for a final attack. His voice, clear and resonant, rose above the chaos:


    "Saber-toothed tigers! Strength and honor!"


    Then he launched himself, laser sword brandished, straight at Oscar.


    But Oscar smiled.


    "This is the human end," he declared in a confident, contemptuous tone.


    Then he opened his mouth, and a jet of fire very similar to the one thrown at Langus was projected at very short range at Maxime!


    All the mercenaries saw the extremely ferocious jet of fire, and were suddenly very worried.


    Maxime caught it head-on, and his whole silhouette was suddenly covered in flames.


    But Oscar couldn''t keep his smile any longer, because before he could close his mouth, a laser was in it!


    The laser waves were so strong, he thought his mouth had never been so hot!


    Not even a spit of fire could compare.


    Before he could say anything, the laser suddenly went up, splitting his skull in two.


    Then a hoarse, very strange voice emerged from the flames.


    "This is what happens when you open your mouth too much."


    Oscar''s headless body collapsed heavily to the ground.


    The Dravaks were speechless.


    This human had killed a Dravak with an awakened bloodline!


    And he had killed him alone!


    However, Maxime''s body was still burning, which was not a good result for humans!


    Langus, who was almost as strong physically as Maxime, was dead!


    Andrew was one of the first to react:


    "Save him chief!"


    Andrew''s cry created a click, and the Saber-toothed Tiger elites rushed in first.


    But Kaite and Dravus, who were closest, were the first to position themselves beside Maxime.


    "Kill that human! Once he''s dead, it''ll be our victory!" shouted Kaelor loudly.


    The 2,500 Dravaks still alive after the short confrontation immediately began to open fire in the direction of Maxime''s body, which had just collapsed to the ground.


    The Shibuya were quick to react, too, and opened fire in the direction of the Dravaks.


    Chaos ensued immediately, and the situation was highly unfavorable to the humans, who were outnumbered.


    "Hey, Dravak friend! Take the chief with you and run! We''ll hold them here!" Andrew''s powerful voice echoed in Dravus'' ears.


    Dravus looked strangely at the red-haired young man in front of him.


    "Who are you?"


    "This is no time for questions! The boss is going to die! And if he dies, you''ll die too!" replied Andrew fiercely.


    "Besides, we can''t hold out much longer! At most, another 20 minutes, because the chef''s active talent has a limited lifespan!"


    Andrew''s words woke Dravus, who immediately nodded.


    He picked up Maximus'' body, still surrounded by flames, and ran towards the forest.


    If he flew away, he''d never be able to escape the pursuit of his former comrades, he knew that very well.


    The flames burned him too, but thanks to Viviana''s talent, he was able to resist them despite the intense pain.


    At the same time, he looked at Maxime''s body, which still seemed to be fighting against the flames.


    "Decidedly, this master has a good will," he thought in amazement.


    At that moment, his disdain for humans diminished to some extent, and a spark of respect was born for his new leader.


    At the same time, countless silhouettes wanted to chase Dravus, but in front of them was the elite mercenary squad that had stopped hundreds of orcs, far more powerful than them, with their own bodies!


    And now they had a 3-point physique thanks to the activation of Maxime''s talent as well as a talent blessed by the goddess Viviana!


    On this battlefield, they were afraid of no one!

 Chapter 164 Retreat!

    On the battlefield, they were afraid of no one!


    The other mercenaries followed their example, and showed exemplary courage!


    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.


    The latter 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?la, 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 flames!


    Obviously, during her fight, she had seen Oscar''s shot coming, but hadn''t had time to dodge it completely.


    It was also for this reason that she was still alive, for if the ultra-fast fireball had hit her face completely, she''d already be dead!


    Unfortunately, she was still completely unconscious.


    "Medical unit manager, why isn''t she waking up?"


    One of the Shibuya with glasses, quickly examined Le?la''s condition.


    But his face clearly showed that the news was very bad.


    "That ball of flame 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 penetrated 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 places.


    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! Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 were combining forces to stop him!


    Even an elite Dravak like him, who''d roamed the battlefields for many years and reached the position of regimental commander, 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.


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    If all 100 mercenaries were endowed with significant combat 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 are coming 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 good commander could have on the battlefield!


    However, of the 3 Shibuya leaders, Sophia understood the Dravak language.


    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 balance 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 displayed 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 still completely intact.


    Looking around quickly, he spotted a few talents from Plouta.


    Three in particular.


    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 plan 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-hand combat and outnumbered?


    But Andrew eventually came up with a plan.


    "Shibuya listen to me!"


    Many Shibuya took a quick glance at the young man with the red hair.


    But no one dared to underestimate him despite his young age, for he had been displaying 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 Dravaks come, 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 similar 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 to command the respect of Plouta''s mercenaries!


    "Saber-toothed tigers, are you afraid of death!?" exclaimed 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 accompanying 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 becoming 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.


    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 plan 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 black 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 even laugh.


    90 humans, most of them very young, completely 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, comparable 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 change completely.


    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 villager!


    And here they were going to prove that even villagers with weak physique and potential could become 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 S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 platform. And I don''t have time to add anything interesting to the chapter. So I can only compensate 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 simulator (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 166 90 vs 2000 !

    Facing them were more than 2,000 Dravaks who didn''t dare advance.


    Obviously, the stalemate didn''t last long.


    Kaelor flew in front of all his troops.


    "Kill these humans and pursue their deserters!"


    Yes, they were deserters!


    Cowards!


    Not fierce warriors!


    They were afraid of them!


    Immediately, the Dravaks'' morale was renewed to some extent.


    The Shibuyas continued their retreat, their hearts heavy at having to abandon such a valiant group of men.


    Edgar, running at the head of the group, exchanged one last glance with Andrew before really leaving.


    He knew it was the right decision, but it left a bitter taste.


    Andrew slowly lowered his fist, as did the rest of the mercenaries.


    His eyes fixed on Kaelor, still standing in the background, his gaze filled with rage and frustration.


    "So what, Dravak?" shouted Andrew in a loud voice.


    "Are you going to stand there and watch us die, or are you going to show that you still have some pride?"


    Of course, Andrew was no fool.


    He was provoking Kaelor because if he wanted to go after the Shibuyas, even the Saber-toothed Tigers would find it hard to stop him in these circumstances.


    Kaelor squinted. Although he couldn''t understand a word the humans said, he quickly guessed what these mercenaries were up to.


    But from his point of view, these mercenaries represented a far greater threat than the Shibuya.


    So, for him, this was the best opportunity to eradicate all these humans!


    For, despite himself, he feared that even if he managed to get many powerful men away, the Saber-toothed Tigers would survive and kill all his men!


    Of course, he thought this because he didn''t know they were under the effect of a talent.


    The Dravaks advanced at last, their ranks widening to envelop the Sabertooth Tigers, much to their surprise. None of them went hunting for Shibuya!


    The mercenaries didn''t understand; they thought their mission was to protect the Shibuya.


    Why were they now the targets?


    A few intelligent people like Tena, Ernest and Andrew quickly understood, and stopped themselves from smiling.


    But that didn''t stop them from thinking:


    "Those Dravaks, they really are idiots!"


    "When they find out it was only Kaite who was a knight, they''re probably going to freak out, aren''t they?"


    The mercenaries didn''t move. They stayed together, forming a perfect circle.


    The strongest mercenaries were placed towards the inside of the circle, and the weakest towards the outside!


    For this was the best formation to ensure that they killed as many Dravaks as possible!


    "Get ready!" shouted Andrew from the center of the circle.


    Ernest, Rodrigo, Henry, Ultia, Kaite, Laura, Terry, James and other mercenaries took their places beside him, their faces calm but determined.


    Everyone was ready to support the recruits outside.


    Such as Ivan and Wigor, who were already sweating but also very excited.


    This was their first real battle, and it was so epic!


    They were protecting mankind in a world different from their own!


    Liam, the young genius from Plouta, had his hand quietly holding a Dravak sword on the outside of the circle.


    He was at the very north of the formation, and was in fact closest to Kaelor at the moment.


    No fear could be detected in his eyes, it was as if there were many ants around him.


    And all he needed to do was lift his foot to crush them.


    He''d had this confidence ever since he''d awakened his talent.


    He didn''t know himself where it had come from, but from what they''d gathered, his boss must have enhanced his magical talent, improving the potential of all mercenaries by another level!


    Now he''d asked around, and he was the only one to have awakened a talent in addition to having had his potential enhanced!


    Unless there were other mercenaries lurking like him.


    And what was even better was that he was finally progressing at a rate worthy of his potential!


    It was as if, having awakened his talent, the chains that had imprisoned him until now had been broken.


    The Saber-toothed Tigers howled in response to Andrew, their cries filled with defiance.


    And then the assault began.


    The Dravaks began firing at the mercenary group from a distance!


    This loosened up the formation slightly, but at this point, almost all the mercenaries had 3-point physiques!


    Their reflexes and sense of danger were reaching monstrous heights!


    Not one of them was wounded in the first volley of fire.


    At the same time, many Dravaks rushed at them for hand-to-hand combat, but the mercenaries showed unprecedented coordination and ferocity.


    Every sword stroke, every movement, was extremely savage and endowed with terrifying power to inflict maximum damage.


    They were clearly out to kill, and they weren''t faking it.


    Laura leapt into the air, slicing the wings of a Dravak in mid-air before rolling to the ground to dodge another attack. Andrew made his way through the melee, his flaming sword leaving streaks of light with every blow.


    After carrying out these actions, they always returned to the center of the formation to fill in the gaps and react to any targeted Dravak attacks!


    They also took the opportunity to bring back the wounded and protect them while they healed.


    All the elites who had accompanied Maxime knew just how miraculous their leader''s second talent [Awakening of Life] was.


    And they had to make the most of its effects in battle.


    But as the minutes ticked by, many recruits had no time to be rescued and died under the Dravaks'' blows!


    There were far too many of them!


    But the Sabertooth Tigers didn''t give up.


    At this point it was:


    "Either I die or you die, there are no other options!"


    Kaelor, observing the scene, felt anger welling up inside him. These humans defied all logic.


    "Bunch of weaklings, in the end I always have to intervene!" he roared before throwing himself into the fray, sweeping aside several mercenaries with a sweep of his sword.


    Andrew turned, his eyes gleaming fiercely.


    But before he could do anything, he saw a young white-haired mercenary charging Kaelor. Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    Andrew, like many elite mercenaries, saw this scene and opened his eyes wide.


    "Are there mercenaries this crazy back home?" asked Andrew aloud.


    "It would seem so." interjected Ernest, as he shot an arrow into a Dravak''s head.


    Of course, his bow wasn''t from Eternity either.


    With his current strength, most bows would break with just half his force.


    The arrows he''d brought weren''t of good quality either; he simply found a quiver full of arrows on the corpse of a Shibuya and "borrowed" them from him.


    "Bold." Kaelor muttered disdainfully.


    He could see quite clearly that the strongest mercenaries were on the inside of the formation while those on the outside were small shrimps in comparison.


    So he swung his giant sword at the white-haired young man, intending to finish him off very quickly.


    "It''s too late..."


    "He''s dead..."


    murmured some of the mercenaries.


    Each of them had to observe a large part of the battlefield to analyze the situation in real time, and make the right decision every time.


    Shots were coming at them from time to time, and they had to dodge them or risk being seriously wounded by a single shot.


    And with their reaction time, it was possible.


    Ivan and Wigor also saw this young man with white hair, and more importantly, they knew him very well!


    "Holy shit, do you see what I see Wigor?" asked Ivan, disbelief marked on his face.


    "Yeah, it''s fucking Liam!" replied a stunned Wigor.


    They couldn''t believe it, Liam the famous fallen genius daring to face Commander Dravak alone, whom even the deputy chief avoided!


    "What''s that idiot doing?" he continued disappointedly.


    For a moment, this young man had been raised to the same height as them.


    But very quickly, everyone realized that he was just a piece of trash among the potential 2-stars.


    He was barely progressing as quickly as the potential 1-stars.


    And now he was going to go head-to-head with the strongest of the Dravaks?


    The two geniuses, originally from Enor, shook their heads as they imagined his tragic end. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But on the battlefield, no one could see that Liam''s face showed absolute calm.


    There was no sign that he was making an irrational decision - on the contrary, he was sure of himself!


    Liam''s little sword was soon to confront Kaelor''s giant sword!


    Kaelor was already looking at his next target, since according to his perception, he was undoubtedly going to beat this little human to a pulp.


    But suddenly something strange happened.


    Liam''s sword passed through Kaelor''s!


    "What?" suddenly shouted Kaelor.


    And he wasn''t the only one. Everyone was surprised by this strange event, most of them not having seen it properly.


    "Liam managed to dodge?" questioned Ivan, frowning.


    He had to know that if it had been him, he would certainly have died on that one!


    Faced with a brute like Kaelor, only Maxime''s elite mercenaries had the strength to stand up to him!


    To contain him, we needed the deputy captain Andrew, the captain''s wife and commander, Laura, as well as Kaite, who was a knight!


    "It should rather be Kaelor who missed?"


    "Can a monster like him still miss?"


    Ivan and Wigor looked into each other''s eyes strangely.


    "Shit, dodge Ivan!"


    boom


    Their attention on Liam had increased too much, and they hadn''t noticed that a powerful Dravak had snuck up on them!


    Ivan took a sword blow to the chest and his armor instantly crumbled to dust.


    The sword went through his torso, then he was lifted into the air by the Dravak, with the sword still stuck in his body.


    "Shit, let him go!" suddenly shouted Wigor, filled with rage as she rushed at him.


    But this Dravak watched this rookie rush towards him with disdain, and simply pushed him away with his left arm, severely wounding Wigor and causing him to spit blood.


    Ivan watched this scene from the air in despair, as his body seemed to have entered a vegetative state.


    He felt nothing, and could no longer move a limb.


    The Dravak threw Ivan''s body into the air, then, as Ivan''s body fell, he delivered a powerful backward kick into his torso!


    Ivan''s body was propelled at phenomenal speed through the ranks of the Saber-toothed Tigers, wounding many mercenaries in the process!


    Finally, it was Rodrigo who caught Ivan''s destroyed body with difficulty.


    "Is he still alive?" asked Andrew, without looking at Ivan and Rodrigo.

 Chapter 167 Zarthan

    "Is he still alive?" asked Andrew without looking at Ivan and Rodrigo.


    In the last 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 contemplating it.


    "It''s okay, leave it at the training center. Maybe [The Awakening of Life] can still cure him." S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 in combat!


    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 highest combat 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 slammed 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.


    The latter 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, then compressed 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 weak compared to the others..."


    But at the same time, he was pleased with the results of the first application of his talent to combat.


    This talent gave him the edge to take on people stronger than him!


    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." commented 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 accord, 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 clash 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, come 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 particular, 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 become aware of his own talent and potential, Charles had set himself some very complicated 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, the latter 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 according to the contract.


    After only thirty seconds of flight, he spotted a blue color below.


    "A water source at last," Dravus murmured happily.


    It was like seeing an oasis in a desert for him!


    The flames 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 flames 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 flames with a shrill hiss. Dravus raised his head, panting as he held Maxime''s body to the surface.


    But it wasn''t enough to completely soothe the burns.


    But it didn''t matter: Maxime was still breathing.


    Then he took him to the bank of the pond and laid him down on the grass in the shade of a tree.


    "Hang in there, kid." Dravus murmured, inspecting his condition.


    Although the flames had disappeared, the wounds left behind were terrifying. Much of his body was completely charred, in a mixture of black 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 black 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 a common history.


    Zarthan was a member of a different tribe from Dravus, and in the Dravak world, tribal wars are a regular occurrence!


    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 slaves!


    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 out laughing.

 Chapter 168 Glacial storm

    Zarthan burst out laughing.


    "What do you think? Of course I''m here to take your life, and at the same time that of this young human."


    Dravus roared, his wings opening wide to protect Maxime.


    "You''ll have to go through me then."


    The two stared into each other''s eyes.


    Zarthan didn''t answer, but his posture spoke for him. He threw himself forward, his spear threatening to pierce Dravus.


    Indeed, like Dravus, the spear was his weapon of choice!


    The two colossi engaged in a fierce battle, their movements shaking the ground and destroying nearby trees.


    Meanwhile, Maxime slowly began to open his eyes.


    The first thing he felt was a wrenching pain invading his whole body, as if the flames were continuing to consume him from within.


    Every breath was an ordeal, every heartbeat a torment.


    "For fuck''s sake, that dog should never have been so easy to kill."


    "With his face of: I''m stronger and smarter than everyone."


    "I should have stabbed him 10,000 times before I let him die."


    Maxime''s thoughts were filled with hatred for Oscar.


    He felt as if he''d been suffering for hours, and after feeling the flames go out, he felt that the pain was even stronger than before. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a while, he finally managed to open his eyes.


    They were completely bloodshot, and he could feel that his body was extremely weak at that moment, despite the [Nox Limit] talent he had activated.


    Tilting his head to one side, he could vaguely make out the moving shadows of Dravus and his opponent, but the shock of his wounds prevented him from understanding what was happening.


    "Who''s that son of a bitch again?"


    "It wants to finish me off, doesn''t it?" he thought with a slight smile, not really caring.


    Maxime just knew that it was Dravus who had carried him this far.


    "Come to think of it, if Dravus wasn''t here, I might already be dead."


    "Who the hell is the guy who''s fighting him?"


    A mighty roar resounded, followed by a thud as the two Dravaks clashed with titanic force.


    Maxime tried to move, but his body refused to obey. All he could do was breathe... and endure.


    Meanwhile, Dravus narrowly dodged a spear aimed at his head. His breath was short, and his movements were beginning to slow. Zarthan, on the other hand, seemed indefatigable, his attacks becoming ever more precise and deadly.


    Simultaneously, a cold, soothing energy began to circulate through his body, dissipating the waves of heat his body was emitting.


    But healing was slow, very slow.


    boom


    The floor on which Maxime lay trembled.


    He glanced down and saw that Dravus had just fallen not far from him, his armor destroyed as purple blood poured from his various wounds.


    "Losing twice in one day must be tough, eh Dravus?" murmured Maxime with a faint smile, as he lay still on the ground.


    The first defeat was against Maxime, and the second was imminent.


    Maxime didn''t know how, in this kind of situation, he could still find the opportunity to joke.


    But it still made him smile, as if death was no longer something he feared.


    Dravus, whose brain was currently completely fried, didn''t hear Maxime.


    He tried to stand up, his bloody scales betraying the intensity of the fight.


    But he couldn''t, as each attempt seemed to be a struggle against gravity itself.


    Zarthan stood over him, laughing.


    He placed his foot on Dravus'' chest, making him wince in pain.


    His spear held nonchalantly on his shoulder.


    "Dravus, pathetic as ever, eh?" he said with a mocking smile.


    "Screw you, Zarthan," Dravus replied angrily.


    Maxime, still stretched out, observed the scene with a strange serenity.


    His bloodshot eyes focused on Zarthan, analyzing Dravak''s every move.


    For he knew that, after Dravus, it would be his turn.


    Zarthan raised his spear, ready to deliver the final blow to Dravus.


    With a final burst of willpower, Dravus raised his arm in a derisory attempt to defend himself. But his strength had deserted him.


    Zarthan''s spear plunged, piercing Dravus'' left wing and pinning him to the ground.


    A heart-rending roar escaped Dravus'' lips.


    Seeing this scene, Maxime suddenly had the urge to get up and smash the hell out of Zarthan.


    Dravus was one of his men, despite being a Dravak!


    He didn''t deserve to be humiliated like that before he died!


    So Maxime tried to stand up, mobilizing all his strength!


    He was now mad with rage!


    He just wanted to stand up, grab his weapon and defend Dravus, even if it meant dying in the process!


    But no matter what he did, he couldn''t move a muscle.


    He could only move his head and eyes, and watch his man being tortured before his very eyes.


    "Dravus, I''m sorry..." Maxime thought as he bit his lips, the latter black from the previous flames.


    It hurt, but compared to the pain coming from all over his body, it was negligible.


    And especially compared to the sight of Zarthan torturing his man, it was really nothing.


    At the same time, Zarthan was savoring his triumph, a cruel smile forming on his face.


    "Pitiful. I''ll get it over with, and then I''ll take my time with the human. Maybe I''ll rip his arms off first. What do you say, Dravus?"


    Maxime heard this too, but didn''t show any particular reaction.


    He didn''t care about his own fate at the time.


    And he didn''t think this Dravak would make him suffer any more pain than he had when burned by Oscar''s flames.


    Then something changed.


    Dravus, in a last-ditch effort, raised his good arm. But it wasn''t to beg or to strike weakly.


    His right hand caught Zarthan by the throat with unexpected force.


    The colossus'' eyes widened in surprise.


    "You... dare again?!" roared Zarthan, trying to free himself.


    But Dravus squeezed with an almost supernatural determination, his hand shattering the scales on Zarthan''s body.


    "You think you''re invincible?" whispered Dravus, with a cold smile.


    Immediately, Zarthan began to panic.


    With his spear still in his right hand, he began to pierce Dravus'' body again and again.


    But Dravus seemed to feel nothing as he continued to tighten his grip on Zarthan''s neck.


    Maxime watched the scene with fascination. Dravus'' eyes, though wavering, seemed to burn with a different glow.


    "That''s my Dravak warrior!"


    "Go on, smash him!"


    Maxime''s silent supports seemed to be working.


    Dravus continued to tighten his grip on Zarthan''s throat, ignoring the multiple spear blows perforating his already mutilated body.


    His breathing was labored, each breath accompanied by a deep rattle, but an indomitable gleam shone in his eyes.


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    Zarthan, suffocating, managed to free an arm and thrust his spear straight into the side of Dravus'' torso, shattering countless bones and organs.


    Dravus grimaced, but did not release his grip.


    As the seconds passed, however, Dravus'' strength began to weaken. His arm trembled, his hand gradually released Zarthan''s throat, until he fell limply to the ground.


    Zarthan jumped back, putting a hand to his bruised neck. He choked loudly, his ragged breath betraying the fear that had just taken hold of him. His eyes, wide, landed on Dravus lying on the ground.


    "You... You almost killed me..." he murmured incredulously, his voice tinged with anger and terror. He took several steps back, struggling to catch his breath.


    At the same time, he was overcome by a monstrous rage.


    He had almost been killed by that wretched Dravus!


    The same one he''d used to defeat so easily in the past.


    But while the fear of death still weighed on his conscience, the atmosphere changed.


    The air turned frigid.


    A fine silver mist rose from the ground, enveloping the scene.


    And it all seemed to come from Dravus, who was still lying on the ground.


    Zarthan froze, his Dravak instincts screaming a warning.


    His eyes, previously full of arrogance, filled with an almost primitive fear.


    "No... It''s not possible..." he murmured, stepping back again.


    "Dravus... are you awakening your bloodline?!"


    Maxime, too, felt the change. Cold bit at his skin, but he didn''t worry.


    He''d survived far worse.


    But what he saw next left him speechless.


    Dravus'' inert body began to glow faintly.


    His scales, cracked and bloody, glowed with a bluish light.


    His wounds slowly closed, and a palpable energy filled the air around him.


    "What the hell?" growled Maxime, his eyes struggling to stay open.


    The aura Dravus exuded, even he could feel its power!


    And clearly, even at its peak, it wasn''t something he could defeat!


    Zarthan, for his part, was trembling.


    "No, no, no! You can''t!"


    "How can a weakling like you awaken his bloodline!"


    "It''s unfair, unfair!"


    "I''m so much better than you, so why do you manage to awaken your bloodline, and I don''t!?"


    But regardless of Zarthan''s complaints, the light around Dravus continued to shine, finally reaching its peak.


    A titanic roar shook the earth.


    The once agonized Dravak slowly rose to his feet, despite the many wounds in his body.


    As he stood, he spread his wings with imposing majesty.


    His scales had changed, taking on a shimmering silver hue, and his eyes shone with an unearthly intensity.


    Zarthan stepped back further, his arrogance evaporating.


    "No, don''t you dare! You don''t have the right!"


    Dravus turned slowly towards his opponent.


    His voice, though hoarse, resonated with undeniable authority.


    "You should have thought about that before you came after me."


    "When you''re ready to kill, you must also be ready to be killed."


    Without waiting for Zarthan to reply, Dravus swiftly extended a hand to the sky.


    Simultaneously, countless icicles formed behind him.


    "What''s that?"


    Zarthan''s eyes were wide open, as he barely managed to digest the information his eyes were transmitting.


    But Dravus didn''t answer him.


    After more than a hundred icicles in the shape of small spears appeared behind him, he lowered his arm while murmuring:


    "Glacial storm."

 Chapter 169 Reinforcements

    "Ice storm."


    These words came from the depths of his blood, as if naturally.


    Immediately, Dravus'' attack swooped down on Zarthan, who had no way of avoiding it because the ice cubes were so numerous and, above all, so fast.


    Zarthan''s armor protected him from the first icicles, but the first dozen or so crashed into his armor and it shattered completely, much to Zarthan''s despair.


    He felt the cold seep into every fiber of his being as the remaining icicles pierced his flesh.


    The shock left him breathless, and his unshakeable confidence crumbled under the weight of humiliation.


    Each impact was a lesson in pain, a brutal affirmation that, for the first time, he was powerless.


    He fell to his knees, his armor in shreds, his purple blood dripping onto the partly frozen ground. His hands trembled as he tried desperately to get to his feet.


    But his body no longer responded.


    "No...I can''t die here, not now." he murmured as despair overcame him.


    Dravus walked slowly towards Zarthan, each step shaking the ground.


    The icy aura surrounding him seemed to intensify, making the air almost unbreathable.


    Zarthan, still on the ground, tried to get up, but his legs refused to move.


    "You spoke of taking my life, Zarthan..." said Dravus, his voice filled with icy calm.


    "Now let''s see who will take whose life."


    His eyes, now gleaming with an unearthly glow, stared at Zarthan with cold determination.


    He was no longer the tired, broken Dravak of earlier.


    He had become something else, a titan rising from the ashes of his defeat.


    Zarthan, suffocating, raised his head to face his tormentor''s gaze.


    His throat tightened as a buried memory surfaced in his mind: a promise he had made to his father, and tribal chief.


    To surpass him, to become the best genius among all the surrounding tribes, and finally...to become a Dravak with an awakened bloodline.


    And now, that promise was crumbling before his eyes.


    "You can''t..." he stammered, despair tinging his words.


    "I''m better... I''m stronger!"


    But his protests seemed ridiculous in the face of Dravus'' imposing presence. Dravus raised his hand again, and an icy energy began to swirl around him, taking the form of an immense crystalline spear.


    The light it emitted illuminated Zarthan''s face, revealing wide eyes and a fear that devoured his soul.


    "You''re not stronger," Dravus declared, his voice imbued with implacable gravity.


    "You were stronger."


    Zarthan suddenly felt weaker as the pain continued to course through his body.


    His destiny, once so dazzling, was beginning to tarnish with a shadow called death.


    "Please... let me live." he murmured at last, his voice barely audible.


    Dravus looked at him for a long moment, his expression indecipherable. For a moment, he seemed to hesitate.


    He was, after all, a genius of his own race, and by killing him, he would definitively break any chance of returning to his people.


    "Kill him."


    Maxime''s voice came from afar.


    Dravus turned and looked at Maxime still lying on the ground.


    The latter was so weak he couldn''t look at him, but somehow he always seemed to know what was going on.


    "I''m now in the service of this human being, so now I''m on the side of the humans too," he thought with a slight sadness. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For he knew that if he could return to the Dravaks with his new strength, he could immediately reclaim his wife and achieve immense honor and glory.


    But that was no longer possible.


    As he made his decision, the ice spear behind him immediately split the air with a deadly hiss.


    A deafening roar sounded as the weapon pierced Zarthan''s skull.


    The Dravak fell straight to the ground.


    Silence fell.


    Dravus, standing in the midst of the desolation, slowly turned his head towards Maxime. His eyes, shining like two icy stars, rested on him.


    "Chief, it''s your turn to protect me." he whispered.


    Maxime barely had time to hear these words when, the next moment, he heard a second body fall.


    "What happened? His body finally gave out on him?"


    "He''s not dead, is he?" Maxime immediately thought with concern.


    For Maxime, it was actually possible, since with all the spear blows Dravus had received in his body, it wouldn''t be surprising.


    And for his part, he still couldn''t move a finger.


    "What the fuck do I do now?"


    ............


    Back on the battlefield to the south.


    Maxime''s mercenaries, led by Andrew, and the Dravaks, led by Kaelor, were still clashing.


    It had become a whirlwind of screams, clashing swords and falling bodies.


    The Dravaks were still everywhere, but Maxime''s mercenaries, though reduced in numbers, were holding their ground.


    The fight was becoming more and more complicated, with every mercenary still alive being seriously wounded!


    But they were as ferocious as ever!


    As if each of them were an indomitable warrior from ancient times!


    Unless we decapitated them or pierced one of their vital organs, they wouldn''t fall!


    So far, every mercenary killed had cost the lives of countless Dravaks, and thinking about it, Kaelor gritted his teeth in hatred.


    He''d never thought he''d lose so many men to just a few dozen humans!


    Andrew and Liam, at the front, gave strength to the others, and every blow exchanged against Kaelor showed that they were not yet ready to surrender.


    They were fighting the hardest battle, but thanks to their efforts, the saber-toothed tigers were still holding out!


    Kaelor, though committed to the human resistance, knew his strength was waning, and the rage that had driven him so far was turning into irrepressible fear.


    He had not anticipated such resistance. The mercenaries were proving far more dangerous than he had imagined. Every calculated move, every decision taken by Andrew and his companions, was putting them in a little more difficulty.


    But the situation was far from over.


    Indeed, the two Dravak regiments were approaching dangerously close to the battlefield.


    It was only a matter of minutes before they arrived.


    "What do we do vice-chief?" asked Ernest, his fingers bleeding from firing arrows.


    Andrew parried Kaelor''s sword for the umpteenth time while replying:


    "We keep resisting!"


    "Vice-chief! Dravak reinforcements are on their way! If we stay here, we''ll all really die!" shouted Rodrigo in a loud voice.


    He had long since avenged the deaths of Ivan and Wigor, and had personally killed countless Daraks.


    These powerful Dravak soldiers could barely last an exchange in his hands.


    When he shouted this, he was thinking mainly of being useless to Maxime if they died here, and could no longer protect him.


    "With our wounds, how do you expect us to manage to get away!?" shouted Andrew back.


    "The vice-chief is right, Rodrigo, we only need a few dozen Dravaks to follow us from the air, and then the reinforcements will catch up with us," intervened Terry.


    His face was particularly dark and his eyes filled with hatred.


    The Dravaks had killed Lira before his very eyes, without anyone being able to intervene.


    "So let''s fight these bastards to the bitter end!" shouted Rodrigo, filled with seemingly infinite energy.


    His battle cry immediately intimidated the Dravaks in the vicinity.


    "You idiots! It''s just an attempt at intimidation! These humans are out of breath now! Now all we have to do is wait for reinforcements, and we can kill these humans once and for all!" shouted Kaelor immediately in response to invigorate his troops.


    But the effect was now negligible, too many Dravaks were dead and the remaining mercenaries seemed to be intuitive.


    And indeed this was the case, those who remained were all elites now.


    With the support of [Nox Limit] and [Awakening of Life], it was really complicated to defeat them without a significant difference in combat power.


    But the situation was really bad for the saber-toothed tigers - they were all going to die at this rate.


    Suddenly, muffled noises drew the attention of the saber-toothed tigers.


    "What the hell are those flying machines?" asked Charles, his eyes dazed as he watched helicopters arriving in the distant sky.


    "I don''t know, but I didn''t think there were machines that could allow humans to fly!"


    For indeed, with their exceptional eyesight, they could see the humans on board, as well as the machine guns installed on the sides as soon as the helicopter fighter.


    Just like that, they could easily count some thirty of these helicopters!


    There were also some twenty transport helicopters!


    Kaelor''s expression immediately turned ugly when he saw the human reinforcements.


    But he was a wise commander, so immediately made a wise decision.


    "We withdraw immediately!"


    The Dravak soldiers reacted swiftly, and all fled in the direction of their reinforcements.


    Kaelor took one last look at the mercenaries, before leaving as well, his face grim.


    The helicopter blades beat the air with ferocious intensity, covering the battlefield with their mechanical roar.


    Through the windows of the troop-carrying helicopters, the soldiers watched an extraordinary spectacle.


    Corpses littered the ground in a macabre carpet, turning the faces of many inexperienced soldiers pale.


    But the veterans immediately noticed an inconsistency.


    A veteran close to the captain of the second regiment, Captain Orvari, also noticed the inconsistency.


    "Captain, come and see this!"


    Captain Orvari,who was sharpening his broad sword didn''t care, and didn''t move.


    "What is it?"


    The soldier knew his captain''s temper and explained the situation:


    "This battlefield is strange."


    "There are less than a hundred human bodies... but Dravaks?"


    The veteran seemed to hesitate before going on about what he was going to say, because it was far too incredible for it to be true.


    "Sergeant?" asked Captain Orvari, feeling strange that his soldier should stop in the middle of his report.


    The sergeant looked around a few times to be sure, then swallowed his saliva with difficulty before saying:


    "Dravak corpses number in the thousands, Captain."

 Chapter 170 Captain Orvari

    "Dravak corpses number in the thousands, Captain."


    Even the veteran still seemed to hesitate in what he''d just said, because he didn''t believe what he was seeing!


    A heavy silence fell over the cabin, broken only by the sound of the helicopter''s blades.


    Orvari frowned, visibly disturbed.


    He moved himself next to the man in charge of the helicopter''s machine gun.


    Indeed, he preferred to travel among combat helicopters than in troop transport helicopters.


    In the distance, he saw humans still standing, their upright posture defying fatigue and death.


    Around them, Dravak corpses stretched for several hundred meters, the crystalline glow of their purple blood contrasting with the scant red blood visible.


    "Incredible..." murmured Orvari.


    Before Orvari could say anything else, a sizzling transmission broke the tension.


    "Captain Orvari, this is Bravo-2. The Dravaks are retreating to the west. We have visuals on their reinforcements approaching. Awaiting your orders."


    Bravo-2 was the regiment''s second combat helicopter squad.


    Orvari immediately grabbed the radio, like a conditioned reflex.


    "Understood, Bravo-2. Do not proceed and remain on standby. Give priority to the mercenaries on the ground, we''ll shake them off then evacuate. If those Dravak reinforcements dare to advance, open fire. Over and out."


    "Roger that, Captain Orvari."


    At the same time, with a deft movement, the captain changed channels and switched to the entire regiment''s broadcast channel.


    "To all units, our Alpha squad as well as all Charlies squads will be landing on the ground. Bravo units, secure the perimeter."


    "This is Bravo-1, roger on behalf of all Bravo units."


    "This is Charlie-1, roger on behalf of all Charlie units."


    Alpha Squad being the Captain''s squad and the only unit bearing the Alpha name in the second regiment.


    Bravo squad represented the combat helicopter squads.


    And Charlie squad represented the troop transport helicopter squads.


    Shortly afterwards, the troop-carrying helicopters landed on the ground, as did the helicopter gunships of Alpha Squad.


    Orvari disembarked from the helicopter, as did over 500 soldiers!


    He himself went to meet the mercenaries, while his soldiers spread out in formation.


    When he looked at the mercenaries, his eyes sparkled with admiration.


    They seemed to be made of hardened steel, each with wounds that should have immobilized them, yet here they stood erect, proud and indomitable.


    Andrew stepped forward, his face hard.


    His unintentional murderous intent frightened even the few soldiers accompanying Orvari!


    Every one of these soldiers was an elite.


    Orvari was equally impressed - he himself never thought he could achieve this level of murderous intent.


    But at the same time he squinted in suspicion, for he didn''t know the man in front of him at all!


    Yet he had a good memory for faces, and knew most of Shibuya.


    But the problem was, even the other humans behind the red-haired young man, he didn''t know any of them.


    But he pretended to know them, while feeling around.


    "I didn''t think the Shibuya were that powerful," Orvari blurted out, shaking Andrew''s calloused hand.


    Andrew looked Orvari in the eye.


    "The Shibuya are long gone from this battlefield," Andrew replied dryly.


    But his words sent shockwaves through the soldiers of the second regiment nearby.


    Even Orvari couldn''t contain his surprise.


    "Who are you then?" asked Orvari after a moment''s stupefaction.


    "We are the saber-toothed tigers," Andrew replied simply.


    "Saber-toothed tigers?"


    Captain Orvari turned and looked at his men, asking:


    "Have you ever heard of them? Why don''t I know about such an elite unit?"


    The men at his side were his closest confidants, and among their missions was to provide them with any relevant information that might change the battlefield situation.


    In particular, the presence of certain geniuses or strongmen!


    Captain Orvari was almost starting to get angry with his men.


    But they all shook their heads in dismay.


    The fact that none of his men knew anything about mercenaries was really strange. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s normal that you don''t know us, we come from the world of Eternity."


    "Eternity?" the captain asked again, his eyes wide.


    He found it hard to believe that the strongmen in front of him were all under the command of one player!


    "Who summoned you?" he continued immediately.


    "Maxime Valdreuve." Andrew answered without hurrying.


    But inside he was beginning to seethe!


    For these soldiers were starting to ask him questions even though there were many seriously wounded mercenaries among them and their leader''s situation was totally unknown!


    It was as if they didn''t care whether they lived or died!


    But Captain Orvari was unaware of Andrew''s thoughts, just at the mention of the first name Maxime, it rang a bell but he couldn''t put his finger on it.


    "And where is he now?"


    "We don''t know, we just know the direction in which he fled thanks to a Dravak." said Andrew while shaking his head, albeit unconcerned.


    It wasn''t just him; none of the mercenaries here were worried about Maxime.


    Not to mention that a powerful Dravak was protecting him, their leader was invincible in their minds, no matter what wounds he had.


    "A Dravak!? A Dravak helped a human?"


    "And why did your leader run away?"


    Captain Orvari was at a loss for words.


    But Andrew didn''t let him think any longer.


    "Instead of asking these questions we can talk about later, Captain, can you send some soldiers to perform first aid on my men? Although they look fierce on the surface, they''re actually ready to fall at any moment." said Andrew with slight impatience.


    "Yes, of course," replied Captain Orvari, still deep in thought.


    His men behind him heard Andrew''s request, and reacted accordingly.


    One of them took out a walkie-talkie and switched it on.


    "This is Alpha Squad. Medical unit, please join us. We need your help here."


    Shortly afterwards, a beep sounded from the walkie-talkie.


    "Roger Alpha Squad, we''ll be right there."


    Soon a few soldiers with medical knowledge went to the thirty or so mercenaries who had survived.


    "Shit, how are you guys still alive?"


    One of the medical soldiers knelt beside a mercenary whose thigh bore a large gash, its open flesh revealing the bone beneath.


    Even as a member of the medical unit, he''d only ever seen this kind of wound on dead men!


    And this particular mercenary had wounds like that all over his body.


    The mercenary, however, remained stoic.


    "You can''t understand."


    He was a relatively ordinary mercenary in Plouta, but Maxime''s talent gave him the opportunity to change his destiny.


    Even if his talent wasn''t particularly good, he''d give anything to become just a little bit stronger.


    Like the 9 other Plouta mercenaries who had survived, they were all men with a much stronger than average mentality.


    Obviously, the talents [Nox Limit] and [Awakening Life] had a lot to do with it, otherwise no matter how strong their mentality, they would never have survived.


    The soldier raised his eyebrows, impressed. But his admiration was quickly replaced by rigorous professionalism as he applied hemostatic foam to the gaping wound.


    Andrew watched the scene vigilantly.


    He turned to Orvari, his impatience evident in his voice.


    "Now that your men are taking care of the wounded, it''s time to act. Our leader is somewhere out there, and every minute we waste reduces his chances of survival."


    Although Andrew wasn''t very worried, if he delayed this affair and caused his boss to lose out in any way, he''d blame himself for the rest of his life.


    Orvari, still puzzled by the fragmentary information he''d just received, nodded.


    "Very well, then. I''ll use all the energy of the Second Regiment to find him, but you''ve got to explain to me why this Dravak would have saved him. It doesn''t make sense."


    Andrew immediately shook his head.


    "That information you can only get from our leader."


    "And if you don''t want to help us, then we''ll go find our leader on our own."


    Immediately, behind Andrew, the mercenaries listening to the conversation all began to exude a fierce aura.


    They were all mentally preparing themselves to actually go and find Maxime by their own means while they were seriously wounded.


    Captain Orvari wasn''t unhappy with their reactions; on the contrary, they were beginning to admire these mercenaries.


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    "If all humans were this brave and fierce, maybe we wouldn''t be in this kind of humiliating situation today." he mused.


    "What''s your leader like?"


    "The only extraordinary being on this battlefield, you''ll recognize him straight away." replied Andrew without the slightest fluctuation in his voice.


    He was perfectly honest.


    The mercenaries behind also nodded, unconsciously expressing their agreement.


    Captain Orvari and the accompanying warrant officers were suddenly speechless.


    "An extraordinary appearance? Is their leader some kind of cartoon hero?" they thought simultaneously.


    "Can you be more specific?" Orvari finally asked, slightly taken aback.


    "Young man with blond hair and blue, white or golden eyes, depending on the circumstances."


    "Blue, white or golden? Are they kidding me?" thought Orvari.


    The more he talked with the red-haired young man, the less he understood what he was saying.


    At that very moment, Andrew felt a wave of weakness, his face turning pale, as did Laura, Rodrigo, Henry, Kaite and the other survivors.

 Chapter 171 Finding Maximes trail

    At that very moment, Andrew felt a wave of weakness, his face turning pale, as did Laura, Rodrigo, Henry, Kaite and the other survivors.


    Most of them could stand no longer, and some of Plouta''s mercenaries even fainted directly!


    Only Kaite was still standing, despite the feeling of weakness attacking him.


    Even Andrew no longer had the strength in his legs to stay on his feet any longer.


    "The boss''s talent is no longer working!" thought Andrew immediately, having almost forgotten this detail.


    And yet, the [Nox Limit] talent was an indispensable element that enabled some mercenaries to stay on their feet despite their many wounds!


    And so, as soon as the active effect of the talent disappeared, these mercenaries were the most seriously affected! Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    The hearts of some of them even stopped beating - they were dead.


    The reaction to the mercenaries'' fall was immediate.


    The medical units, already on site, reacted with formidable efficiency.


    No questions were asked, and everyone reacted quickly!


    Nearby doctors directly examined the most serious cases!


    "Cardiac arrest detected here! Bring the defibrillators!"


    Another doctor shouted:


    "Blood loss just accelerated all of a sudden! This is B- blood, request matching blood bags for transfusion immediately!"


    ...


    A young doctor, his face tense with tension, grabbed his walkie-talkie to relay the information given by his colleagues:


    "This is medical unit Alpha, we have mercenaries having a heart attack in the field! Send defibrillators immediately, send all the blood bags we have in stock and prepare for transfusion equipment on site!"


    After a very brief breath, he continued:


    "Schedule priority extraction for critical cases. We need medical transport to the area, now!"


    The words had barely escaped his mouth when a beep sounded in his earpiece.


    "Roger, Alpha. Defibrillators on, extraction in three minutes. Hang in there."


    Simultaneously, a few troop transport helicopters began to turn their propellers.


    They were the ones who were going to do the extraction.


    Simultaneously, a medic was working on a mercenary, his torso barely raised. One of the medics had already torn off the bloody battle dress to reveal a series of deep wounds.


    "Blood pressure almost non-existent... he''s going to drop us if we don''t act now!" one of them shouted, pulling out a tourniquet and a syringe of adrenaline.


    A mercenary from Plouta, who had miraculously survived despite his injuries, watched the scene with sad eyes.


    "Why now?" he murmured weakly, his lips trembling.


    That could almost be him on the floor!


    The doctor, busy stabilizing a nearby colleague, answered him bluntly.


    "Your leader''s talent must have worn off, a common occurrence on human battlefields. And with these wounds and no particular talent, it''s normal that you can no longer stand upright," a doctor replied immediately out of habit.


    These words, though bitter, echoed a brutal reality.


    The mercenaries had long since surpassed their physical limits thanks to Maxime''s talent. Without this supernatural strength to support their shattered bodies, they would naturally collapse under the weight of their wounds.


    Above all, not all of Plouta''s mercenaries were aware of Maxime''s active talent and its limited duration.


    Although it seemed logical, they didn''t think anything of it at the time.


    In the organized panic, a woman with her hair tied in a tight braid pulled out a defibrillator freshly brought in by a soldier.


    "Stand aside!" she shouted, before placing the electrodes on Laura''s chest, whose heart had just stopped beating.


    In the previous battle, she had become a demon of murder, no matter how many wounds she sustained, she still stood her ground and continued to stand in the front row.


    Many mercenaries were impacted by her courage, and didn''t want to be inferior to her!


    It was because everyone was fierce and no one wanted to admit they were inferior to the others that they had been able to hold out for so long against an army 20 times their size!


    At the same time, the woman''s voice rang out:


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    Laura''s body jerked violently under the effect of the electricity. The doctor immediately put her ear close to Laura''s heart, but obviously it hadn''t worked!


    So she shook her head at the other doctors accompanying her, while ordering a second shock.


    " 10,9,8...3,2,1. "


    "Second load...ready. Discharge!"


    The woman listened once more to Laura''s heartbeat.


    "Her heart is beating again and is stable for now! Prepare her for extraction!" she ordered immediately with a firm face.


    Andrew, though weakened, continued to monitor the operation with a grim expression. His clenched fists betrayed his frustration. These men and women, most of whom were his friends, had survived the inferno, but without Maxime, some of them were now falling to the ground beyond his control.


    Some died directly from their wounds, without the nearby doctors being able to intervene.


    Their wounds were just too severe, as in the case of Henry and Ultia, who died within 5 seconds of the [Nox Limit] effect wearing off.


    Orvari, who had been watching in silence, approached the nearest medical unit.


    "How long before those in critical condition are out of danger?" he asked in a deep voice.


    The head of the medical team shook his head.


    "Not until we offer them full treatment. Even if we stabilize them, they''ll remain vulnerable until their leader is found."


    This doctor hoped that their leader would be able to activate his talent again, giving the medical units more time to pull the mercenaries from their deathbed.


    Orvari frowned, an extra weight added to his shoulders.


    "Very well, mobilize all necessary means. I want these men out of this area before the Dravak reinforcements arrive. Andrew, I''ll send a squad to find Maxime. You have my word."


    Andrew nodded, gratitude visible in his eyes.


    Captain Orvari took out his walkie-talkie.


    "To all units, Lieutenant Otas is taking over the extraction and care of all units. With Alpha Squad we''re going in search of the mercenary leader who fought valiantly for humanity."


    "This is Lieutenant Otas from Bravo-1, roger."


    "This is Charlie-1, roger."


    A few minutes later, most of the mercenaries were loaded into transport helicopters under the command of Lieutenant Otas for extraction while Andrew, Rodrigo, Charles and Kaite boarded Captain Orvari''s helicopter gunship.


    "This is Charlie-1. All designated saber-toothed tiger mercenaries have been successfully boarded. Takeoff imminent for return to base, over."


    "Roger that, Charlie-1." replied Captain Orvari immediately.


    "This is Alpha Squad, imminent takeoff for search of saber-toothed tiger leader, over."


    Before long, Lieutenant Otas''s voice echoed through the departing helicopter.


    "Captain Orvari, take a couple of helicopters from Bravo unit."


    "5 will suffice, thank you Lieutenant Otas." replied Captain Orvari after a brief hesitation.


    A few helicopters and many men would enable them to cover a larger search area.


    "May the god of war watch over you Captain, over and out."


    Soon, Andrew, Rodrigo, Charles and Kaite took off in a helicopter for the first time in their lives.


    The flight lasted a few minutes.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" asked the captain with a smile.


    The 4 saber-toothed tigers nodded.


    In their home world, they could never have hoped to live such an experience, so in a way they were happy.


    "In our world, the first flight is called baptism of the air. So today, you are baptized." informed the captain, clearly in good spirits despite keeping a straight face.


    But before the mercenaries could react, the helicopter pilot intervened.


    "Captain, look northeast!"


    Not only did Captain Orvari look immediately, but the mercenaries were also on the lookout.


    They all stood up and looked, clinging to a small handle above them, otherwise the slightest jerk from the helicopter and they''d fall!


    Below them, they saw a pond surrounded by a forest.


    Or rather, the pond was surrounded by a forest, for the forest was now partly destroyed.


    "What the hell happened here?" whispered the captain, his voice covered by the sound of the propellers.


    "Andrew..." whispered Kaite.


    "Yeah, definitely our leader here," Andrew replied.


    The captain reacted too, in any case it was a good lead and should give some clues to the mercenary leader''s position.


    "Pilot, please lower your altitude to 30 meters above ground level," he ordered immediately.


    "Aye, aye, Captain." the pilot simply replied as he lowered the helicopter.


    "Bravo unit guys, we have a lead, please come to us at coordinates 816.798." continued Captain Orvari.


    "This is pilot Joyce from Combat Helicopter No. 7, we''ll be there in 30 seconds, Captain."


    "This is pilot Kaicha from combat helicopter n��8, we''ll be there in 45 seconds."


    ...


    Soon the 6 helicopters arrived not far from the pond and were able to get a closer look at what had happened.


    Andrew and the others looked carefully to see their captain.


    "Andrew, look there''s a Dravak on the ground!"


    Andrew looked intently in the direction Kaite was pointing.


    "Is it...Dravus?"


    Not only Andrew, but Charles, Rodrigo, the captain and the soldiers on the other helicopters saw the massive silhouette of Dravus on the ground.


    His monstrous body, pierced on all sides, lay in a pool of his own purple blood.


    Andrew began to worry about his leader.


    Dravus was responsible for his protection, but now that he lay on the ground, his life and death completely unknown, there was no one left to protect their leader!


    And above all, for a Dravak to put Dravus in such a state, his opponent had to be terribly powerful.


    When they arrived on the battlefield, they had automatically received a lot of information about Dravus, so there would be no allied fire.


    "And there''s another Dravak. Obviously dead." Kaite said, pointing.


    And indeed, Andrew could see a very strong-looking Dravak lying on the ground.


    His skull pierced by...an ice spear?


    Seeing this spear, many soldiers from the other helicopters gulped in fear.

 Chapter 172 Tense situation

    On seeing the spear, many soldiers from other helicopters gulped in fear.


    Despite the blazing sun, it showed no sign of melting.


    Without a doubt, this spear must have been a deadly weapon when thrown at someone!


    "Order to all Bravo units: secure the perimeter as soon as you hit the ground. We''re looking for a young blond man. Be vigilant for any ambush attempt by the Dravaks."


    Then Orvari changed his tone slightly, turning to Andrew and his companions.


    "If your leader is alive, we''ll find him. But I ask you to keep your cool and follow my orders."


    "No worries." replied Andrew simply.


    When Orvari looked at these mercenaries, he found them truly reliable.


    As if they were used to being in dire situations.


    The helicopters landed smoothly, the blades kicking up wisps of dust and torn grass. Orvari descended first, an assault rifle in his hands and a katana strapped to his back.


    He was followed by his men and the mercenaries. They advanced cautiously, their boots crushing broken branches and puddles of purple blood.


    As they approached the pond, a strange calm reigned, as if nature itself were holding its breath.


    The traces of battle were obvious: trees split in two, the ground deeply scarred by impacts, and finally the two Dravaks each bearing mortal wounds.


    Andrew approached the Dravus body, and immediately noticed that it was still breathing.


    He smiled and turned to Orvari.


    But the latter was now pointing a gun at Dravus'' body, as were the dozen or so soldiers accompanying him.


    "Move over young man, this Dravak is a huge threat to the human race!"


    Andrew drew his sword, as did Kaite, Rodrigo and Charles.


    "What does this mean, Captain?" questioned Andrew, positioning himself in front of Dravus'' body to protect it.


    "This Dravak is a Dravak who has awakened his bloodline, and as such, he could influence this entire battlefield and could even become the catalyst for a possible destruction of our fortress!"


    "A Dravak with an awakened bloodline?" asked Andrew, frowning.


    He''d seen for himself that a Dravak of this caliber could mortally wound their leader, but he wasn''t worried.


    All the saber-toothed tigers knew about one of the effects of the [Nox Limit] talent, which was [absolute contract].


    With that, the possibility of betrayal was nil!


    So it was very good news for the saber-toothed tigers to acquire such strong fighting power!


    Especially when they returned to the world of Eternity!


    "He''s one of us now, so you''ll have to go over our corpses if you want to do anything to him," Andrew announced sternly.


    His posture made it clear that there was no room for negotiation.


    "There''s no such thing as a traitor in the Dravak race, he just manipulated you and now we''re going to kill him," replied Orvari, not in the least intimidated.


    He was the captain of the second battalion, and apart from the fortress commander and the captain of the first battalion, he was the strongest human on the battlefield.


    He had already faced Dravaks with awakened bloodlines, as well as Aelodin soldiers and other powerful races.


    A few young men from Eternity weren''t going to intimidate him.


    "He continued, pointing his rifle at Andrew, ready to fire.


    Captain Orvari''s voice sounded like a heavy drum.


    At that moment, Andrew, Kaite, Charles and Rodrigo realized they were facing a very strong man!


    The tension was now palpable, ready to be broken at any moment.


    Just then, some very light footsteps sounded.


    "Who''s there?" exclaimed Captain Orvari, now in a bad mood.


    A dark figure appeared, leaning against a nearby tree as if struggling to walk.


    On closer inspection, the saber-toothed tigers were smiling brightly.


    "Chief!" exclaimed the 4 saber-toothed tigers, no longer caring about Captain Orvari.


    "Hi... guys." replied Maxime with difficulty.


    Then he looked at Captain Orvari.


    "I''m the leader of the saber-toothed tigers...may I ask who''s threatening my men?"


    Maxime''s faint, interspersed words were heard accurately by Captain Orvari.


    But the captain looked at Maxime with shock.


    Because he knew him!


    "You, you''re the young man who interfered in the strategy meeting room with Le?la!"


    At first his first name sounded familiar, and now he knew where he''d heard it.


    But at the same time, he remembered something:


    This young man was a high school student!


    This meant that a high-school student had saved the Shibuya and had the ability to fight back against thousands of Dravaks!


    The same Dravaks who were in the top 10 strongest races in the Delta universe!


    And above all...he had received a report from one of his soldiers on the battlefield a few minutes earlier.


    There was the corpse of an awakened Dravak with fire-related powers.


    He hadn''t yet understood how these mercenaries could have killed a Dravak with an awakened bloodline, but seeing the burns all over this young man''s body, including some on his face, he understood better.


    Not only did this high-schooler have monstrous mercenaries under his command, he was also a monster himself.


    These thoughts made the captain stunned for a few seconds, so he didn''t answer Maxime.


    "The man who dares to threaten my men... you answer now or you die, choose," Maxime announced in a voice weak but filled with extreme resolve.


    Whether in the world of Eternity or the real world, he feared no one, no matter what their condition.


    And thanks to [Awakening Life], he had recovered slightly and could now walk on his own.


    If necessary, he would forcefully activate [Nox Limit] and fight this man to the finish!


    His talent had the power to overcome the limits of the human body, so he was confident.


    But Captain Orvari was not the kind of man who could be frightened by a high-school student.


    "Captain of the Second Battalion, James Orvari. Pleased to meet you, Maxime Valdreuve." the captain finally replied.


    The soldiers beside him were stunned by their captain''s reaction. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their captain was also known to have a very bad temper, and would fight at the slightest opportunity if it didn''t go his way! Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire


    But here he had been threatened by a young man, and he had responded calmly.


    It was a sign that he took this high-school student very seriously!


    "Captain Orvari, put down the gun you''re pointing at my men, or I''ll be in a really bad mood," Maxime demanded in a tone that left no room for negotiation.


    "Because he''s in a good mood now?" the soldiers immediately thought with amazement.


    But Andrew, Charles, Kaite and Rodrigo had long been used to their captain''s strange temperament, so they showed no particular reaction.


    As if it were normal.


    The captain''s thoughts were racing as he listened to Maxime''s words.


    No one who could become captain of a battalion was an idiot!


    They might have hot tempers, but they couldn''t make decisions without thinking.


    "This young man must have strange methods to still dare threaten me after knowing my identity..."


    "Perhaps if I continue in my position, all my men could die here..."


    Of course, the captain still had the confidence to preserve his life and escape, but his men weren''t particularly strong.


    At most, they could fight a Dravak, and that was already considered an elite soldier.


    But faced with these mercenaries who were killing Dravaks as if they were insects, his soldiers weren''t going to be able to hold out for a single second.


    "Captain Orvari ordered, lowering his weapon as well.


    The soldiers obeyed immediately, without question.


    "I control the life and death of this Dravak...He can never betray me," Maxime explained after seeing the soldiers lower their weapons.


    Orvari was surprised.


    He knew many people capable of controlling beasts, but those capable of controlling humanoid species were much rarer.


    What''s more, most people capable of controlling other living beings did so via contracts, and generally these contracts put both parties on an equal footing.


    In other words, both benefited from the other, and if things got out of hand, both parties could break the contract at the price of a certain pre-defined loss.


    This price could vary according to the circumstances under which the contract was broken.


    Once again, Orvari reflected on the brief information he was getting from Maxime.


    "The way he says it, it must be a master-slave contract. And he''s the master."


    "So now he''s telling me that he, a high school student, has a master-slave contract with a Dravak who awakened his bloodline?"


    "It''s so unlikely, but given the strength of his mercenaries and his own strength, it sounds like it''s really true."


    ...


    "I believe you." Orvari finally said after a moment''s reflection.


    This decision could be fraught with consequences, for as he had said, a Dravak with an awakened bloodline could totally upset the delicate balance of power on this battlefield!


    But he decided to gamble!


    For without counting Dravus to the awakened bloodline, he thought that Maxime and his mercenaries could be the ones to tip the human balance in their favor!

 Chapter 173 Did the patient just speak?

    For without counting Dravus to the awakened bloodline, he thought Maxime and his mercenaries could be the ones to tip the human balance in their favor!


    "Captain Orvari?" asked Maxime in a calm tone, despite the sweat present on his forehead.


    "Yes?" replied Orvari unconsciously.


    "Take care of my men and my warrior Dravak. Oh, his name is Dravus, and I''m sure if you listen to him talk about his past and chat with him a bit, you''ll love him." explained Maxime with a smile on his pale face.


    Then his eyes closed involuntarily as he fell to the ground, despite leaning against a tree.


    "Chief!" immediately shouted Andrew worriedly as he went towards him, holding his head back so that it didn''t fall violently against the ground.


    The captain didn''t reply to Maxime, and instead became aware of the seriousness of his injuries.


    So without delay, he picked up the walkie-talkie and put it on Alpha Squad''s channel.


    "Orvari here. Medics to location requested. We''ve found the leader of the Sabertooth Tigers. Critical condition. Urgent extraction required."


    The talent [Awakening Life] was already taking all the strength in Maxime''s body to regenerate.


    It was only when he heard familiar voices nearby that he forced himself to get up and walk.


    Now that things were settled, he could let go again.


    Moments later, a medical unit came running, carrying stretchers and emergency equipment.


    The doctors immediately knelt down beside Maxime, beginning to assess his injuries.


    Some of them broke into a cold sweat as they saw his body burned to varying degrees all over.


    They''d seen burns like this before, but only on corpses!


    While the doctors worked to stabilize Maxime, Andrew stared at his boss with fierce determination.


    "Chief, hold on. We''re going to get you out of here."


    Orvari looked at the young man with a slight sigh.


    He''d been threatened by him just moments ago, and now here he was saving him!


    The medical helicopter quickly arrived, its rotor raising a cloud of dust. The doctors placed Maxime on a stretcher, taking extreme care not to aggravate his wounds.


    His charred skin was threatening to detach itself from his body at any moment.


    The medical unit also gathered to try and carry Dravus'' heavy body to the helicopter gunship!


    But they couldn''t - his body was just too heavy!


    It took the help of 5 soldiers from Alpha Squad to finally get him on board!


    Andrew and Rodrigo boarded the same helicopter as Maxime, accompanied by the captain, while Kaite and Charles went to the helicopter where Dravus was being exported.


    As the helicopters rose into the sky, carrying Maxime and Dravus, a silent tension reigned on board.


    Andrew kept a close eye on his boss''s condition, while the doctors were busy administering emergency treatment.


    The silence was punctuated by the hum of medical equipment and instructions exchanged in low voices between the doctors in the helicopter.


    Captain Orvari, seated in the back, observed the scene in silence.


    He stared at Maxime, lying unconscious on the stretcher.


    Andrew, sensing Orvari''s gaze, slowly turned to him.


    "What''s on your mind, Captain?" he declared firmly, but without animosity.


    Orvari didn''t answer, asking instead:


    "How would you describe your leader, young man?"


    "A madman with whom it''s better to ally than to become his enemy," Andrew replied directly, without hesitation.


    Orvari laughed lightly, he thought he''d already heard similar things from his soldiers about himself although it wasn''t as exaggerated.


    "So how would you characterize those who follow him?" continued Orvari with a slight smile.


    At this point he was very curious.


    "Exactly the same. Even those who aren''t at first, become so." replied Andrew without changing his expression. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Orvari''s eyes were almost twinkling as he looked at Maxime now.


    For the answers Andrew had given him were very precious to him.


    His thoughts were literally overflowing.


    "This guy''s a born commander! Or rather, he was born to lead extremely fierce and fearless elite units!"


    "With the status of humanity, we''re too short of that kind of person. We''re gradually losing territory and status in the Omega universe, but no strongman is reacting because they don''t have enough courage. They''re too afraid of the repercussions."


    "They''ve forgotten that humanity reached its peak because it was arrogant and fearless, conquering everything with unrivalled confidence. And this was reflected in our armies, everyone possessed unlimited courage."


    "Why? Because humanity stood behind them and supported them!"


    But then he shook his head sadly.


    He didn''t think a single person could change the status quo, even if they managed to reach their full potential.


    Andrew didn''t notice the captain''s inner thoughts.


    Instead, he decided to confide in him a little.


    "You know Captain, even if I say our leader is a madman, he''s never mad with his men."


    Orvari looked curiously at Andrew without answering, with only the sound of the propellers drowning out the sound of their voices.


    Obviously, with their exceptional hearing, the propellers were no problem for conversation, so they didn''t need helmets.


    "Become his enemy and wait wisely for him to come and take your life, but become his friend and you''ll be considered his family."


    Andrew said this with a wistful smile, but his words were truly frightening.


    Well, as Andrew had said before, he himself was also a madman, so it was no surprise that he would subscribe to this kind of concept.


    Orvari didn''t reply, and just looked at the young man lying in the stretcher in front of him with complicated eyes.


    The doctors were busy giving him first aid.


    Meanwhile, in the other helicopter, Kaite and Charles kept an eye on Dravus, still unconscious but breathing weakly.


    Medical staff were working on his open wounds to prevent contamination of the internal organs from direct and prolonged exposure to the outside world.


    The awake Dravak seemed strangely peaceful, despite his serious injuries. Charles, visibly curious, leaned towards Kaite.


    "How do you think people will react in the future to seeing a Dravak in Eternity, Kaite?"


    Kaite, who was sharpening his new sword, shrugged.


    "What do I know? That will be our leader''s problem."


    After a moment''s thought, she added:


    "All I know is that he''ll be a new member of our family and if anyone dares to do anything to him, he''ll become an enemy of our saber-toothed tigers."


    Charles laughed lightly in response.


    "What are you laughing at?" asked Kaite immediately, eyebrows furrowed.


    She could scare more than one person with that appearance, especially knowing she had the power of a knight.


    But Charles wasn''t affected at all.


    He already considered Kaite, as well as many saber-toothed tigers, to be members of his family.


    And above all, his ambitions were very high.


    Even if he faced a king, he wouldn''t be afraid, because in his heart he was aiming much higher.


    "Well, with his fighting power, apart from Maxime, Dravus is undoubtedly the strongest of our mercenary group. And even the chief should have trouble facing him."


    "So before the family comes down on him, he''d already have to escape the rage of Dravus himself." he continued, laughing.


    "In any case, it''s going to be interesting to see how he fits in with the team."


    As he said this, Charles still had a slight smile on his face.


    No doubt, since joining the saber-toothed tigers, he''d grown enormously, both in terms of personal strength and character.


    A thud interrupted their conversation.


    One of the soldiers on board indicated that the fortress base was in sight. The helicopters began their descent, flying over a massive defensive line of anti-aircraft guns mounted on the fortress walls.


    A few soldiers watched the helicopters pass overhead.


    "Are those helicopters from the second regiment?


    "I have a feeling so, yet the Shibuya have been back at the fortress for a while now."


    The soldiers were mostly aware that the Shibuya had suffered a great loss this time, and had even risked annihilation. But apart from a few top brass, the soldiers weren''t privy to the details.


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    "I heard they had suffered many losses, but thanks to the help of another mercenary group, they had been able to escape."


    "Another mercenary group? There are many other mercenary groups in the fortress, but which of them could be strong enough to convince the Shibuya to flee while they stayed?"


    "I don''t know, everything about this case is strange. Because none of the mercenary groups had gone out with the Shibuya, all of them had stayed in the fortress waiting to use their flexibility and intervene in case of trouble with the first regiment to the west."


    "Yeah, and on top of that, it''s only a few helicopters from the second regiment. Normally they all come in at the same time, why isn''t that the case this time? It''s really weird."


    ...


    While the soldiers remaining in the fortress chatted and went about their business, Maxime and Dravus were immediately transported to the fortress''s main medical wing.


    The field hospital was overflowing with activity, the wounded being mostly soldiers from the1st regiment fighting to the west. There were also a few soldiers from reconnaissance squads, as well as around thirty from Shibuya.


    The highest priority was given to Maxime, and he was immediately attended to by the most qualified doctors, while Dravus was also attended to by a team of experienced doctors in an adjacent room.


    The doors of the medical wing suddenly closed behind the teams transporting Maxime and Dravus.


    A tense atmosphere immediately pervaded the corridors. Shouts of brief orders, the clatter of medical equipment and the groans of the wounded mingled in an oppressive cacophony.


    The leader of the Saber-toothed Tigers lay motionless, while a team of surgeons worked around him. His charred body seemed about to collapse under the slightest pressure.


    ...


    "We need more tissue regenerators here!" shouted a doctor as he checked his vital signs.


    "His condition is critical. His internal organs are barely holding. If he survives stabilization, it would be a miracle!"


    Despite the gravity of the situation, Maxime opened his eyes briefly.


    A determined, almost arrogant expression crossed his bruised face.


    "What do you mean, a miracle? I''ll survive even without your help," he murmured faintly, before sinking back into unconsciousness.


    The room suddenly fell silent.


    After a few seconds in which no one moved, a surgeon broke the silence by whispering:


    "Am I dreaming, or did the patient just speak?"

 Chapter 174 The combat power of a fortress commander

    "Am I dreaming where the patient just spoke?"


    "Yes, he spoke, Sergeant," replied a doctor in the room.


    The doctors also had military ranks, since they were part of the army.


    The room fell silent again, interrupted only by the sound of machinery.


    "Did someone forget to inject the anesthetic?" asked the sergeant, still stunned.


    "No, we did give him a general anaesthetic, and the dose was even 3 times higher than what soldiers are usually injected with" replied another doctor present, leaving the sergeant in confusion.


    No one spoke in the meantime.


    The sergeant continued to think for a while, not knowing how to react in this kind of situation.


    "I''ve been in this business for 20 years and this is the first time I''ve seen this..." he thought silently.


    "Inject him with 10 times the normal dose," he announced after a long reflection.


    "The patient could die..." commented a member of the medical staff hesitantly.


    The sergeant glanced coldly at the young man who had just spoken.


    "This guy just woke up with 3 times the normal dose. If he wakes up again during a delicate operation, are you prepared to take the consequences?"


    The young doctor didn''t know what to say at the time.


    The sergeant ignored him completely, then began to give orders to treat Maxime as quickly as possible.


    Meanwhile, in the other room, Dravus lay on a reinforced metal table, his inhuman weight and constitution posing unexpected challenges.


    Captain Orvari had quickly explained to the stunned doctors that Dravus was now on their side.


    But although the doctors had no choice but to swallow this information, the medical wards were not at all designed for figures of this size.


    Fortunately, there were still a few large tables in the medical wing, which were generally used for large pets under contract.


    Dravus was perforated with multiple gaping wounds, revealing organs whose textures were both familiar and foreign to human doctors.


    A veteran doctor observed the massive body, his features marked by concentration.


    "Indeed, Dravak have a better recovery capacity than humans."


    "But even if his tissues regenerate at a very fast rate, he has too many wounds to stay alive. It''s a miracle he even made it to our medical wing alive."


    The doctor sighed.


    "Let''s just do our best and fate will take care of the rest."


    ...


    Simultaneously, in the strategic meeting room.


    Le?la was present with Kavasta, the fortress commander and all the regiment captains except the first, who was still on the battlefield.


    "How are you feeling, Le?la?" asked Kavasta with eyes showing concern.


    "She replied with a smile, although part of her face still showed signs of burning.


    Her natural beauty was transformed into something fiercer and wilder.


    Kavasta nodded in response, then continued:


    "And the Dravak who put you in this state, how strong was he?"


    The looks on the faces of the regimental captains, particularly those of a few including Orvari, changed to something much more serious.


    But on hearing this question, Le?la frowned.


    "His hand-to-hand power was pretty good but not on the level of a Dravak regimental captain, but that''s still an awakened Dravak with one or more very powerful spells."


    Come to think of it, her face paled. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If she hadn''t dodged in time she really would have died from that ultra-fast fireball.


    "To be honest, I don''t think anyone here, apart from the2nd and1st regimental captains, has the skills to defeat it. And to kill it, in a duel situation, the commander would have to act himself."


    Le?la''s words provoked a wave of indignation among the captains ranked from3rd to 9th regiment.


    But no one dared to speak out, for despite themselves, they could not but recognize that a Dravak with awakened bloodline had the ability to kill every one of them, at the slightest opportunity left to them.


    They were just unreasonably strong on the same level!


    But Kavasta wasn''t at all bothered by these words.


    He was a genius himself, and vastly stronger than a Dravak who had just awakened his bloodline.


    By way of comparison, if a regimental captain could barely stand up to a Dravak with an awakened bloodline, then the fortress commander on a yellow-level battlefield could stand up to the level above a Dravak with an awakened bloodline!


    In other words, a Dravak genius with an exceptional bloodline who had already exploited some of his bloodline''s potential!


    Otherwise, Dravaks with ordinary bloodlines couldn''t be put on an equal footing with Kavasta, so frightening was the difference in combat power.


    For the level of a fortress commander could even take him to Earth-level battlefields!


    Generally speaking, regimental captains'' levels were somewhere between black and earth.


    On black-level battlefields, they could still retain a certain status, but on earth-level, they were simply ordinary soldiers.


    For on an Earth-level battlefield, the species involved all had thousands of soldiers of the same level as a Dravak who had awakened an ordinary bloodline.


    And as one of the greatest geniuses of the Western Federation, and above all as a genius who had already exploited part of his potential, Kavasta was even qualified to go to the sky-level battlefields, which was still one level higher than the earth level!


    To sum up, it was possible to discern 4 levels of battlefields:


    Yellow level, which normally corresponded to the level of the strongest soldiers of a mid-level species in a universe, i.e. between the top 3000 and the top 5000 of each universe.


    Generally species with animal blood, such as orcs. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    The black level, which corresponded to the level of the heroes of the top 1000 races.


    Earth level, corresponding to the best warriors of the top 100 races.


    Sky level, corresponding to the best warriors of the top 10 races.


    Of course, sky-level battlefields were exceptionally rare, and even if they did appear, only old monsters would go to such battlefields.


    Geniuses who could still grow would never be sent to these battlefields, as they were far too dangerous for them.


    "So, the high school boy you told me about Orvari could have the level of a commander on a yellow-level battlefield?"


    Kavasta''s words stunned the captains, except for Orvari, who nodded heavily.


    For her part, Le?la was confused, having just left the hospital and gone straight to the strategic meeting room under the orders of an adjutant waiting for her to come out.


    She hadn''t spoken to any Shibuya, and even she couldn''t understand how she''d gotten back into the fortress.


    She could only guess that her men had brought her back here.


    "His maximum personal fighting power, according to the reports made by the Shibuya, should still be below an awakened Dravak, although he did manage to defeat one."


    "It was only a newly awakened Dravak, and he took advantage of a surprise effect to take it down."


    "I see, so why do you say he could be at the level of a yellow-level battlefield commander?"


    Hearing Kavasta''s question, Orvari took on a very solemn expression.


    "These are his men, Commander."


    "His men? What do you mean?" continued Kavasta suspiciously.


    "According to reports, he has 2 knights and at least 50 apprentice knights under his command. The rest of his men are all at the peak of elite soldier, another fifty or so of them."


    Kavasta was already surprised, and his thoughts raced as Orvari spoke.


    "A high schooler could muster that many strongmen? That''s already on the level of a Western Federation genius."


    Namely, the Western Federation was actually just a small country on the giant continent they lived on.


    There were 70 million inhabitants at most, but compared to the 1,000 billion humans on the planet, that wasn''t much.


    And compared to a certain planet called "Earth", this planet was 10 times bigger.


    But after thinking about a few things, Kavasta frowned and commented:


    "But whether it''s his personal strength and his men from Eternity, it''s still not enough to be a commander."


    At this point Orvari gave an intriguing smile, while taking his cup of coffee in his hands.


    "What if I told you that he''s able to get most of his men to achieve a 3-point physique for a limited time, and on top of that he''s able to subjugate humanoid species via a master-slave contract?"


    Having finished speaking, he took a few sips of coffee with satisfaction.


    Once again, the meeting room fell silent.


    Whether it was Leila, the other regimental captains or even Kavasta, no one spoke.


    The commander had even risen from his chair, so surprised was he.


    He himself was the person here who most understood the weight of the words spoken by the second regimental captain!


    Orvari placed his cup of coffee on the table with a satisfied look on his face.


    "Very good coffee, what brand do you buy Commander?"


    But Kavasta glared at him.


    "What do you mean he can subjugate humanoid species via a master-slave contract?" he asked with a very serious expression.


    Orvari clearly didn''t care that the commander had ignored his question.


    At that moment, he was thoroughly enjoying the looks of everyone in the room.


    It was his unhealthy pleasure.


    "There''s currently a Dravak with awakened bloodline in the medical wing of the fortress. It''s his slave."

 Chapter 175 Commander Kavastas order

    "There is currently a Dravak with awakened bloodline in the medical wing of the fortress. It''s his slave."


    The fifth captain, who until then had been very carefree in this meeting, suddenly spat his coffee at the sixth captain who was right in front of him.


    The sixth captain began to emit murderous impulses at the fifth captain, who was now wearing a slightly embarrassed expression.


    But at this point, nobody cared.


    Everyone stared at Orvari in disbelief.


    Kavasta sat back heavily in his chair, his hand resting on his chin.


    He tried to put his thoughts in order, but at this moment it was completely impossible.


    But here it was Le?la who was most confused.


    She quickly began to realize that it was thanks to her one-night stand that she''d been saved!


    "No, he''s my future deputy captain..." she thought determinedly.


    She looked at Orvari and asked:


    "Where is Maxime now?"


    "In the medical wing, surrounded by the best medical staff we have in this fortress." replied Orvari simply.


    "Huh? What do you mean in a medical unit?"


    Le?la wasn''t aware that Maxime had returned to the fortress, let alone that he''d been seriously injured.


    "Well, in defeating the Dravak that rendered you unconscious, his entire body including part of his face was burned to the fourth and fifth degree."


    "What!? But he''s going to die then?" replied Le?la almost screaming. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Orvari was still calm.


    "Don''t worry, this guy also has exceptional passive regeneration."


    But Le?la was still worried, so Orvari added more details.


    "Tell yourself that when I tracked him down and wanted to kill his Dravak, he was still standing there threatening to kill me!"


    "You think a half-dead guy would still be able to threaten a regimental captain?"


    This rendered Le?la speechless.


    "Listen to me." ordered Kavasta in a solemn tone.


    The atmosphere immediately became very serious.


    "All information about Maxime will henceforth be classified at S level. If a single important piece of information concerning his fighting power escapes to the outside world, a strict investigation will be conducted into all those who had access to it."


    As he said this, Kavasta revealed part of his aura.


    "And I will personally lead the investigation."


    Every single person in the room felt a pressure building up, making them feel endless fear.


    Even Captain Orvari, who was the strongest man in the room apart from Kavasta, felt small in the face of this kind of aura.


    It was the difference in strength that separated them!


    If Kavasta felt the slightest urge to kill them, no one could resist!


    But he quickly removed the pressure, leaving them there for less than a second.


    But everyone was still in a cold sweat.


    "Maxime''s information will be known only to the highest authorities of the Federation as well as the directors of the 3 largest academies. Moreover, it is likely that he will..."


    Kavasta suddenly thought that these captains weren''t allowed to know about this place.


    So he simply shook his head, and no one dared ask anything although everyone wondered what their commander meant.


    "I''ll send you a confidential document to sign after this battlefield is over when I''ve contacted the higher authorities and they give the precise orders about Maxime."


    "In the meantime, I trust you all."


    "Regarding the battlefield, the third, fourth and fifth regiments must prepare and go to support the second regiment to the south as quickly as possible. The sixth and seventh regiments will go east, and remain stationed. The aim is to prevent our forces from being flanked. The eighth and ninth regiments will remain on stand-by, ready to reinforce the first or second regiments if necessary." "


    "End of meeting."


    Kavasta disappeared from his chair like a mirage, as if in a hurry to get somewhere.


    The regimental captains looked at each other for a moment, wanting to speak but not daring to because of their commander''s threats.


    Le?la was the first to leave, wishing to go quickly to the medical wing of the fortress.


    The captains watched her go, then after a sigh from some of them, they left one after the other.


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    In the room, Orvari remained alone, pensive.


    He went to a window in the strategic meeting room, then opened it.


    Then he leaned back, enjoying the fresh air of the battlefield.


    Despite the murders taking place only a few dozen kilometers from the fortress, the weather was really good.


    The sun cradled the fortress in its warmth.


    It was almost as if we were on vacation.


    Orvari watched the soldiers bustling around the fortress, moving in all directions.


    Mercenaries in particular.


    Some were leaving to reinforce the1st regiment, as news was circulating that it was in trouble.


    Hence the new orders from the commander, who had also received news from the first regiment.


    So among the first to join the first regiment were only mercenaries, as the soldiers had not yet received their captain''s orders.


    There were also a number of mechanics working on the first regiment''s vehicles, which had been used to bring back wounded soldiers, and which had also been damaged.


    "Only the second day, and already seven of the nine regiments are deployed. I''ve rarely known such a catastrophic situation." Orvari thought silently.


    "And if it weren''t for Maxime, we''d already have lost the most powerful mercenary group on this battlefield, knowing that the Shibuya are comparable to an entire regiment."


    Orvari looked up at the sky and the sun hanging there with a touch of melancholy.


    "The commander can''t act outside the fortress, I just hope that this young man can give us some more surprises and tip the balance in our favor."


    While he was deep in thought, his walkie-talkie rang out.


    "Captain! Can you hear me?"


    Orvari quickly picked up his walkie-talkie as he heard the familiar voice.


    "Yeah, I hear you Lieutenant Otas. Report back." Orvari replied as he closed the window.


    "We''ve made contact with the 2 Dravak regiments that have come to reinforce the regiment that faced the Shibuya and the saber-toothed tigers. We''ve managed to repel them thanks to the mobility of our helicopter gunships, but we''re running out of fuel! Request immediate reinforcements for a ground confrontation!"


    As the lieutenant spoke, it was possible to hear a helicopter''s propellers turning, the sound of missiles being launched and a faint echo of their explosion further away.


    The helicopter''s machine gun, equipped with the latest-generation high-performance ammunition, was also firing at full speed.


    The calm situation of the fortress and the battlefield to the west formed a striking contrast.


    "Received Lieutenant. I''m returning with Alpha Squad as well as support from the third, fourth and fifth regiments."


    "Three regiments in support Captain? That''s..."


    Lieutenant Otas''s voice was hesitant.


    Opposite him there were only 2 full Dravak regiments, mobilizing 4 regiments to their face was extraordinary.


    "Commander''s orders. If he''s ordered 4 regiments, it''s because either the two regiments opposite are extraordinarily strong, or he suspects others are hiding." explained the captain in a firm tone.


    In the helicopter, Lieutenant Otas was very surprised to hear this news from his captain.


    But he quickly replied:


    "Roger that Captain, we''ll hold position until you arrive in that case."


    The situation on the battlefield was changing rapidly, as in the hospital, the treatment rooms where Maxime and Dravus were staying reopened their doors.


    Medical staff removed them from the wards and took them to beds in the rest room.


    Meanwhile, Le?la stormed into the medical wing, her heart beating wildly.


    She arrived first at the reception desk and asked the lady at the front desk for information about her savior.


    "Hello, I''ve come to find out about a man named Maxime Valdreuve," she said with some alacrity.


    The lady at reception immediately recognized Le?la, as she had left the medical wing as a patient a few hours earlier.


    "Hello Captain, I''ll see to that for you. So Maxime Valdreuve..."


    She was writing quickly on her computer to get an update on the patient.


    "Found him. I''ve just learned that he''s been taken to VIP rest room N��1." she replied with a strange air.


    "VIP rooms are normally reserved only for regimental captains and certain mercenary captains?" she wondered silently.


    "Is there a captain with that first and last name?"


    While the receptionist was confused, Le?la nodded gratefully and headed straight for VIP room #1.


    In less than 3 minutes, she found the room.


    She paused for a moment in front of the door to VIP room n��1, trying to calm the tumult of her thoughts. The idea of seeing Maxime in a critical condition upset her, but she knew she had to remain calm.


    After a few breaths, she gently pushed open the door and entered.


    The first thing that caught her eye was the imposing figure of Dravak, lying on an adjacent bed.


    His body was no longer as frightening as before, all his wounds having been dressed.


    He was now breathing calmly, his torso rising and falling with an almost soothing regularity.


    Le?la didn''t dwell on him, her mind focused on just one person.


    Her gaze immediately drifted to Maxime, lying on a bed in the center of the room.


    His chest heaved weakly, proof that he was still alive, but his condition was far from reassuring. The severe burns on his body and face were so violent that she looked away for a moment, her heart clenching.


    She slowly reached out, her trembling hand almost instinctively grasping Maxime''s. But she finally stopped herself.


    But she finally stopped herself with a complicated look.


    She sat down beside him, unable to look away from this young man who, just the day before, was clearly in great shape.


    Guilt suddenly overwhelmed her.


    "If only I were stronger, this wouldn''t have happened..." she thought with a bitter smile.


    As she plunged into her thoughts, the bedroom door opened abruptly.

 Chapter 176 VIP Room N°1

    While she was deep in thought, the bedroom door suddenly opened.


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia, the Shibuya''s 3 lieutenants, entered, visibly worried.


    But when they saw the silhouette of their captain, they were surprised.


    "Captain!"


    "Guys, there you are..."


    The 3 lieutenants had complicated looks, and suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    Seeing her lieutenants in this state made Le?la feel strange.


    As if they were hiding something.


    Finally it was Edgar who spoke.


    "So the captain is aware of what happened while she was unconscious?"


    "Yes, I know that Maxime saved me." replied Le?la, shaking her head.


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia looked at each other strangely after this reply.


    It was as if they were wondering whether they should tell him something.


    Le?la frowned at this, and had a bad premonition.


    "What, did something else happen?"


    They all nodded, embarrassed but casting admiring glances at Maxime, who was lying in bed.


    "You''re so quiet, tell me what happened." ordered Le?la in a dry tone.


    She knew her men very well, and none of their reactions escaped her.


    "Maxime didn''t just save you, Captain. He saved us all." explained Sophia, who was standing a little way back.


    Le?la opened her eyes wide.


    Since she''d just woken up, news had been coming one after the other.


    The only thing they had in common was that they all concerned one person in particular.


    "Did he save us all? He''s only one man, and facing an entire regiment of Dravak he can only die." asked Le?la questioningly.


    But Edgar shook his head.


    "His personal power is just the tip of the iceberg of his true fighting strength. The main thing is his men from Eternity."


    The 3 lieutenants began to tell the whole story, while Le?la closed her eyes to make sure she understood everything.


    After 10 minutes, they finished summing it all up.


    Le?la rubbed her eyes with difficulty, feeling her brain heating up.


    "So now you''re telling me that most of Shibuya survived this encounter thanks to my one-night stand, is that it?"


    A slight silence settled over the room.


    Finally broken by Edgar:


    "...Yes."


    Le?la felt like flipping out while they were thinking of many things:


    "And what''s more, he was a high-school student..."


    "What the hell is this?"


    "Why is a high-school student on a dimensional battlefield? How the hell did he get permission?"


    "He should just be preparing for the university exam, shouldn''t he!"


    "And who made him so handsome and gifted at..."


    Le?la didn''t finish her sentence, realizing that she was deviating from the main topic.


    Then she sighed, accepting this reality.


    "And so all his men, apart from this Dravak, are dead?" she finally asked without much hope.


    But to her surprise, her lieutenants shook their heads.


    "Some of them survived!?"


    Edgar answered for them all:


    "Yes, of the hundred or so men he had summoned, some thirty elite men are still alive."


    "But most of them are all in emergency, their condition critical because when Maxime deactivated his talent, or skill, we don''t know yet, 20 of them fell straight to the ground, unconscious."


    Lucien nodded and added:


    "Just like their leader, their vital prognosis is engaged and very few of them are expected to survive."


    "What a pity, his men have formidable fighting power and could have made good contributions on this battlefield," Le?la commented with disappointment.


    At the same time, she blamed herself, because if she and her men weren''t so weak, Maxime wouldn''t have had to sacrifice the majority of his men.


    "We''ll have to compensate Maxime, because when the system calculation is made at the end of the battlefield and distributes the Eternity coins, then Maxime will have far fewer than expected because of the death of his men."


    "He will thus lose a valuable opportunity to obtain skills, talents, combat techniques or technology such as weapons and armor for his mercenaries."


    "He''ll still get plenty of Eternity coins, but the rewards will be less lucrative because of us."


    Le?la really felt guilty about Maxime.


    She herself was a genius, though far less talented than Kavasta, but enough to reach the position of captain of an elite mercenary group.


    And she had the strength to match.


    So she knew how important every opportunity to gain strength, especially at a young age, was.


    Especially when reaching university, where opportunities to become stronger were available, and the ability to seize them depended on the strength of the students.


    But Edgar disagreed.


    He was older than Le?la and knew a bit more than her about how the system worked on the battlefield.


    "The system directly calculates the contribution on the battlefield."


    "And believe me Captain, Maxime''s contribution for saving our mercenary group should not be light."


    "What''s more, if our mercenary group does very well on the battlefield later on, that should also play positively on the Eternity points Maxime will receive at the end."


    Hearing Edgar''s words, Le?la was reassured. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you, Edgar."


    But suddenly, a hoarse voice echoed next to the Shibuyas.


    "Can you be quiet? People are sleeping here."


    The 3 lieutenants were the first to turn in the direction of the voice, and immediately their faces paled.


    Dravus was now sitting cross-legged on the side of his bed in front of them.


    His elbow rested on his thigh, looking bored.


    Even in this position, he was still taller than them, while his spread wings almost covered the width of the room.


    For her part, when Le?la turned around, she wasn''t afraid; on the contrary, she was very curious about the Dravak in front of her.


    Le?la watched Dravus with fascination mixed with caution.


    It wasn''t every day she came face to face with an awake Dravak.


    Their reputation in the Omega universe was truly terrifying.


    "It''s incredible to wake up with the injuries you had," she finally said.


    Dravus raised an eyebrow.


    "Because you thought I was going to die?" he retorted with a smile.


    "Yes." Le?la continued sincerely.


    This caused a small vein to appear on Dravus'' forehead, but he decided not to worry about it.


    "Get out of here, there are people here who need a rest."


    "Although your discussions about Eternity coins are very interesting, since we don''t have that on the Dravak side."


    Le?la didn''t care for Dravus''s requests, and was immediately taken aback by a detail.


    "Since you don''t have any Eternity coins, you''re fighting for nothing?"


    Dravus smiled slightly.


    "Of course if we have our own rewards, but it works differently from you."


    Le?la''s eyes began to sparkle as she heard this.


    No doubt it was classified information she was hearing.


    But just as she wanted to continue asking questions, Dravus stood in front of her, and repeated:


    "I''m not answering any more questions, get out of here. Now."


    This time, Dravus'' voice was much firmer.


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia looked at Le?la, who nodded, showing that they should listen to him.


    "Good rest Dravus. Please be on your way." Le?la said with a smile as she left.


    "I''m counting on it." Dravus replied simply, as if it were obvious.


    The Shibuyas closed the door behind them, and silence returned to the room.


    Dravus sighed slightly, then looked at Maxime, still breathing normally, as if he couldn''t be bothered by the noises in the room.


    "Chief." said Dravus, looking at Maxime.


    But no reaction came from Maxime, his breathing still very steady.


    "I know you''re awake, my perception can''t fool me." Dravus continued in a calm tone.


    This time, a smile appeared on Maxime''s face.


    His blue eyes opened slowly, looking up at the white ceiling above him.


    Then he turned his head slightly, and looked at Dravus.


    "Good perception." Maxime commented.


    "It''s nothing compared to your healing talent." Dravus replied simply.


    Maxime remembered that Dravus was still new, so there was a lot of information he didn''t know.


    "It''s called [the awakening of life], it comes from the goddess Viviana." he explained.


    "I don''t know who the goddess Viviana is, but thanks to her because without the talent she gave you, we''d both be long dead." said Dravus with sincere gratitude.


    "Maybe...or maybe not, because without that talent, my choices would have been different and maybe even our paths would never have crossed Dravus."


    Dravus smiles.


    "Then I''m indebted to her." Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    Maxime didn''t take Dravus''s words seriously; a goddess''s power must have been so powerful that it wasn''t even imaginable to mortals like them.


    Undoubtedly, the recognition of a Dravak or a Dravak with his bloodline was the same for her: it was useless.


    "So how does it feel to wake up a bloodline?"


    "Not much in the end, it was as if I''d always had it inside me. How does it feel to have a Dravak with an awakened bloodline under your command?"


    The two looked at each other seriously, then suddenly began to laugh together.

 Chapter 177 Second regiment in trouble !

    The two looked at each other seriously, then suddenly began to laugh together.


    The two chatted for a while, then went back to sleep.


    Despite the lightness with which they spoke, both were still tortured by pain.


    With injuries this severe, even a strong physique combined with a powerful healing talent wasn''t enough to heal quickly.


    The other saber-toothed tigers still alive were in a similar state.


    They had been repatriated by a few helicopters from the Charlie squad of the second regiment, then these helicopters had quickly returned to the battlefield.


    Now they were all resting in rest rooms in the medical wing, alongside soldiers from the first regiment and the Shibuyas.


    The fittest, such as Kaite, Andrew and Charles, spoke with some of them.


    The next morning.


    Maxime opened his eyes again, looked quickly to his right and saw Dravus still asleep.


    To his left, there was a window that let in the sunlight, while on a small chair, a neatly folded military outfit was laid out. There was also some underwear.


    "They''re pretty thoughtful at this hospital."


    At least, he was glad to see something he could wear to go out, as currently all he was wearing on him was a white tunic.


    So he stood up, but suddenly his body sent him some painful signals.


    "It hurts again!?"


    "That Dravak really got me into trouble with one spell..."


    Looking back, Maxime wasn''t proud.


    He''d really almost died, and even surviving, he was still suffering the consequences of that fight.


    But regardless of the pain, he got up and began to dress.


    Once dressed, he turned to a nearby mirror.


    "Ouch, he really didn''t fake it when he attacked me."


    In his reflection, he still had hair except that before it was long and now it was very short.


    More importantly, part of his face was black, giving him a very fierce look.


    Combined with his military outfit and his young age, it really made for a strange scene.


    At least it was sure he couldn''t be discreet now.


    "I wonder if it will heal with time or will it always stay like this?"


    He himself had no medical knowledge so he could only guess and hope it would heal.


    Without waking Dravus, who was in a much worse state than himself, he discreetly left the room.


    But a voice came from behind him all the same.


    "Hey chief."


    Maxime turned back to Dravus, who was still lying in bed.


    "Yes?"


    "Why did you call your mercenary group Les Tigres �� Dents de Sabre?"


    Maxime smiled.


    "So that''s the question."


    Several times, the mercenaries had already asked him this question.


    And as usual, he replied:


    "It''s a secret."


    In the VIP lounge, Dravus remained silent as to Maxime''s answer.


    "Any more questions, Dravus?" asked Maxime.


    "No, but you''ll have to say it sometime," Dravus replied simply, not really caring.


    "Probably." concluded Maxime, not caring for the moment either.


    He then left the room, closing the door behind him.


    A nurse who happened to be passing by was surprised to see Maxime.


    "Monsieur Valdreuve? Are you fit to walk yet?"


    Maxime smiled at her.


    "It would seem so."


    This smile seemed very seductive to the nurse, and she was not far from blushing.


    Maxime had been very handsome before, but he lacked an air of maturity.


    But with his military outfit, short hair and facial burn, he had a unique charm.


    Of course, his blue eyes and blond hair had a lot to do with it.


    Combined with the fact that the nurse knew Maxime was strong and now had a very high status in the fortress, it made him irresistible.


    "If you want to see your mercenaries, they''re on the floor below Sir Valdreuve." she finally said, regaining her concentration.


    Maxime didn''t care about the nurse''s emotions, what he wanted to know now was the state of the battlefield.


    "My men are strong, I''m not worried about them. Can you show me the way out instead?"


    The nurse was disturbed for a moment by Maxime''s answer, but quickly recovered herself.


    "Um...yes, of course!"


    She quickly showed him the way.


    "What''s your name?" asked Maxime after retaining the information.


    The nurse was a little surprised; she was very rarely asked her first name.


    "Blanche, sir."


    "Then thank you Blanche and see you next time."


    Maxime gave her a little wave as he left.


    It wasn''t much, but it made Blanche happy.


    "I should join the command room, although it must be very busy and no one will have time to explain anything to me, I could learn the exact situation on the battlefield by listening to the reports and orders given there."


    Maxime soon left the hospital and made his way through the fortress''s central field to the command room. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The central field was particularly lively that morning.


    The engines of helicopter gunships roared as they took to the skies in wave after wave, their blades beating the air with almost hypnotic regularity.


    Armored vehicles crossed the large esplanade in a well-orchestrated ballet, their wheels kicking up clouds of dust that lingered in the cold morning air.


    Maxime, advancing at a slow but confident pace, watched the scene with perplexity.


    "A regiment is leaving for the outside?"


    Soldiers, equipped from head to toe, gathered in orderly formations, their faces marked by determination and a hint of nervousness.


    No one paid him any attention at first, all concentrating on their respective tasks. It was only when he passed a group of soldiers boarding a troop carrier that some of them looked up.


    One of the young soldiers, who had heard rumors, squinted as he stared at Maxime.


    "Wait... isn''t that...?" he whispered to his comrade.


    "I know who you mean, but that''s impossible." replied the comrade.


    "They say the captain of the Saber-Toothed Tigers is badly burned, and no one knows if he''ll survive his wounds."


    The former hesitated, seeking to confirm his doubts, but the slap of a hand on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts.


    "Soldiers, this is no time for daydreaming! Check your weapons and armor!"


    "We''ll be in touch with the Dravaks as soon as we''re out!"


    The soldiers jumped up and obeyed immediately, climbing into the vehicle with haste.


    Maxime, who had caught a few snatches of their exchange, sketched a discreet smile but felt strange as he caught a precise piece of information.


    "The Dravaks are close to the fortress? How''s that possible?"


    Not far away, the captain of the 8? regiment, busy supervising preparations, turned his head briefly and caught sight of Maxime.


    A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but he kept his composure.


    He merely nodded respectfully, then immediately turned his attention back to his men, shouting orders with authority:


    "Final equipment check! No room for error, we need to support the 2? regiment as quickly as possible!"


    Maxime noticed the man and also nodded in greeting, but momentarily failed to remember him.


    "Why did he greet me? I can''t remember who he is at all."


    "But he must have a high position in the fortress, perhaps the captain of a regiment?"


    Soon, as Maxime crossed the central space of the fortress, he cast a quick glance at the convoy of armored vehicles leaving the fortress compound, accompanied by an aerial escort of attack helicopters.


    "It''s really majestic."


    Without lingering too long, Maxime passed through a doorway and then walked through the corridors of the fortress.


    He came across a few hurried soldiers, all of whom looked at him with different eyes.


    Mostly confusion and respect, as they all recognized him from the recent rumors in the fortress, but they also wondered if it was really him, as according to the rumors he was in critical condition.


    But here, apart from a burn on his face, he was doing quite well.


    After a few minutes'' walk, Maxime arrived at the command room door, which was already open.


    Inside, various orders were being issued and reports received.


    On the giant screen, a soldier in charge of transmission had one knee on the ground as he shared the situation live from the battlefield.


    Around him were soldiers armed with assault rifles firing at Dravaks.


    "This is the second regiment, all our helicopters are out of action! Under the orders of Captain Orvari we are currently conducting guerrilla warfare with the Dravaks in forest N��3!"


    "Roger corporal, hold position, the eighth regiment has just left!"


    "Roger, we''re holding the..." Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    Suddenly, an explosion detonated behind the corporal, temporarily jamming the camera.


    No sound could be heard in the command room.


    A heavy silence settled over the command room.


    After a few seconds, a soldier in the command room tried to re-establish the link.


    "Corporal, do you copy? Can you describe what just happened?"


    At this point, even Maxime was frowning with ominous premonition.


    The camera slowly reactivated, but the angle of view had changed.


    Now the camera seemed to have fallen to the ground on its side. Some dust had settled on the table, but it didn''t interfere with visibility.


    On the screen in the command room, the corporal''s head was in full view.


    Except that it no longer showed the slightest sign of expression.


    He was dead.


    Then suddenly.


    A foot covered in scales appeared next to the corporal''s head, and the next second, that foot slammed into the corporal''s head like a pebble.


    The corporal''s head flew off as the camera moved and rose into the air.


    A Dravak had taken the camera.


    Behind him were several human corpses, while Dravaks searched their bodies.


    The Dravak said a few words with a menacing smile, then crushed the camera, definitively severing the link with the second regiment.


    The command room fell into silence.


    The communications officer, a major, asked:


    "Can anyone translate what that damned Dravak said?"


    A second lieutenant spoke up:


    "Yes, Major, he said: ''Wait in the warmth of your fortress, it''ll soon be your turn''."

 Chapter 178 Lets go!

    "Yes, Major, he said: ''Wait in the warmth of your fortress, it''ll soon be your turn''."


    Tension immediately mounted in the command room.


    A heavy silence had settled in, broken only by the hum of machines and the frightened murmurs of a few soldiers.


    Maxime, standing back near the entrance, observed the scene.


    He could almost feel the collective fear crawling under the apparent discipline of the soldiers present.


    But the silence didn''t last long, being broken by the Major, who remained calm throughout.


    "Lieutenant Brenson, any estimate of reinforcements? Can the 8? regiment reach their position before the Dravaks break through our lines?"


    Brenson, a man with a face scarred by years of war, quickly replied: Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    "If all goes to plan, they should arrive in less than fifteen minutes, but..."


    He hesitated for a moment, as his news was negative and they really didn''t want to go wrong by talking.


    "...The Dravaks already seem to have a head start. With their physical capabilities, they are likely to surround the rest of the 2? regiment before the 8? regiment can intervene."


    A wave of concern swept through the room.


    The major pounded his fist on the table.


    "And we can''t send anything from here?"


    A logistics operations officer replied in a strained voice:


    "No, Major. The ninth regiment has already moved west to support the first regiment, while we can''t move the sixth and seventh regiments east at the risk of being flanked."


    "And what about the third, fourth and fifth regiments that came to support the second regiment?"


    "They''re being held back by three Dravak regiments, in the knowledge that the second regiment has begun to be surrounded by a Dravak regiment as well as the rest of the Dravaks who fought the Shibuya and Sabertooth Tigers."


    The major gritted his teeth, clearly torn between frustration and the need to keep a cool head. It was then that Maxime decided to intervene.


    "Excuse me, Major, but I think you might have another option."


    All eyes turned to him.


    "Who are you?" asked the Major, frowning.


    "Maxime Valdreuve, captain of the Saber-Toothed Tigers."


    All eyes in the command room, occupied by a dozen high-ranking officers and some thirty military personnel, were immediately drawn to Maxime.


    Some seemed surprised to see him there, others intrigued, waiting to see what he had to say.


    "Isn''t he in intensive care?"


    "I heard he was probably going to die, although I wouldn''t wish him ill, but how come he''s standing in front of us looking so good?"


    "If he didn''t have a burn mark on his face, I wouldn''t even believe it was him."


    The Major, still standing, crossed his arms.


    But in his eyes, everyone could discern the respect he had for this young man.


    "And what would that option be, Captain Valdreuve? As far as I know, you''re in no condition to fight."


    Maxime ignored the reference to his condition and took a few steps forward.


    "Since the Dravaks who surrounded my men are still on the battlefield, I intend to settle my affairs with them."


    "A few of my men and I are still in fighting condition."


    "Give us fast transportation, and we could rejoin the 2? regiment before it''s too late."


    A murmur ran through the room. Several officers exchanged skeptical glances. A lieutenant stepped forward.


    "With all due respect, Captain Valdreuve, your men are convalescing. You risk sending them to certain death."


    Maxime looked him straight in the eye.


    "Certain death? We''re already there, Lieutenant. If the 2? regiment falls, the Dravaks will gain an immense advantage on the battlefield and all our regiments outside will immediately be in danger."


    "This will create a snowball effect until they arrive at the gates of our fortresses in overwhelming numbers."


    "For my part, I''d rather die trying to stop them than wait here for them to come and slaughter us."


    Silence fell again, but this time it was charged with a different energy. The Major stared at him for a long moment, gauging the determination in his eyes.


    Everyone looked at Maxime with renewed respect.


    If before they''d thought the rumors might be exaggerated - that he''d killed an awakened Dravak on his own, for example, or that his men had slaughtered thousands of Dravaks when there were only a hundred of them - they all believed them now.


    "Very well, Captain. I''ll authorize your deployment. But know that if you fail, we''ll have no way of holding back the Dravaks. Mobilize your men immediately."


    "By the way, I''m going to charter two helicopters with two pilots for you. Take good care of them, especially our pilots. They''re rare and valuable talents in the army."


    Maxime nodded, a determined smile on his lips.


    "Thank you, Major. You won''t be disappointed."


    He turned and strode out of the room.


    He passed through the now almost deserted central field again, then arrived in the medical wing.


    Asking for directions, he quickly found the room where his men were resting.


    It was in fact a huge barracks-like rest room where everyone slept in the same room.


    Maxime arrived inside, and had no time to worry about the wounded.


    He shouted directly:


    "Saber-toothed Tigers, those who can return to the battlefield, gather round!"


    In the huge room where over a hundred people were resting, some twenty figures reacted immediately and gathered in front of Maxime.


    The wounded soldiers of the first regiment and a few Shibuya watched the scene with surprise and attention.


    Murmurs rose quickly in the huge room.


    Yet none of them expressed anger or annoyance at Maxime''s sudden cries, waking up many people.


    At first, some of the soldiers were irritated, but when they heard the urgency in the speaker''s voice, they all guessed that something very important was going on.


    Of course, Maxime''s identity and reputation played an important part in this, as there were many soldiers with bad tempers in the room.


    One of the soldiers, lying with one arm in a sling, whispered to his neighbor:


    "That''s him, isn''t it? The one the whole fortress is talking about?"


    His comrade nodded, his eyes fixed on Maxime.


    "Yeah. The captain of the Sabertooth Tigers. The one who managed to kill an awakened Dravak."


    Another, sitting on the edge of his bed, interjected: Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s not the scariest part, it''s said that his men, who are all from Eternity, held out against thousands of Dravaks to save the Shibuya. A hundred mercenaries against an entire regiment."


    "And what''s worse, they actually slaughtered most of the Dravaks and only about 20 mercenaries survived that legendary battle."


    "Those 20 mercenaries are the ones standing in front of him."


    Others responded immediately.


    "I had a chat with the red-haired kid, he''s quite nice but I thought he was just a recruit from the first regiment. I didn''t expect him to come from Eternity and have the strength to survive such a legendary battle."


    "Same, I chatted with the blue-haired one, super nice that too! Looking at them like that, you''d never know they could be so fierce!"


    ...


    Despite their wounds, the soldiers showed nothing but respect and curiosity. They knew how to recognize a hero on the battlefield, someone capable of changing the tide of victory or defeat.


    And Maxime had the makings.


    He nodded to his men, now standing before him in patient white tunics.


    "How are you guys doing?"


    "Much better than you, Chief," Rodrigo replied, looking at the burn on Maxime''s face.


    But Maxime was surprised when he saw Rodrigo say this.


    "You''re missing an arm, at what point do you feel you''re in better shape than me?"


    The other mercenaries looked at Rodrigo strangely, as if they were looking at an idiot.


    "Anyway, we''ve got to get to the second regiment urgently. Put on the military outfits provided immediately, then we''ll go to the armor."


    "Yes, sir!" replied the Sabertooth Tigers in unison.


    Seeing how spirited these men were, many soldiers were shocked.


    "Wait...did I hear that right? They''re going back to the battlefield in this state?"


    "I heard the same thing..."


    "It''s crazy to go back to fight when most of them are still wounded."


    ...


    But no matter what the nearby soldiers said, Maxime ignored them.


    Moments later, Maxime led his men to the armory.


    There, they found Karad, the chief engineer, busy checking the condition of weapons and equipment.


    Seeing Maxime and his soldiers enter, Karad raised an eyebrow.


    "Maxime? I thought you were still in the treatment room..."


    Maxime, in a firm but friendly tone, replied:


    "No time for formalities, Karad. Could you arm my men as quickly as possible?"


    Karad, though a little surprised, nodded. He knew that with Maxime''s current reputation, refusing was not an option.


    Or rather, his reputation proved his strength and deserved that his all-powerful men be well equipped.


    "Very well, then. Take what you need, but be careful. These weapons are our last reserves of quality."


    Within minutes, the Saber-Toothed Tigers were equipped. Some took assault rifles, others heavier weapons. A few even checked for extra grenades and ammunition.


    They had heard about them from the other soldiers in the medical wing, and some of them, such as Kaite, Andrew and Charles, who were not seriously wounded, even had a chance to practice a little.


    Maxime, meanwhile, took up a laser sword.


    He had left his last sword on the battlefield.


    Above all, he realized that he didn''t need anything else - an assault rifle couldn''t properly exert its force in his hands, and resources being scarce, it was better not to take one.


    When they were ready, they left the armory and headed for the central field.


    There, two helicopters were waiting for them, engines on and blades turning slowly. The pilots, already seated, signaled to them to hurry up.

 Chapter 179 Operation sauvatege gets underway!

    There, two helicopters were waiting for them, engines on and blades turning slowly. The pilots, already seated, beckoned them to hurry.


    As Maxime and his men climbed into the helicopters, one of the pilots, a man in his thirties wearing a helmet with a microphone, turned around briefly.


    He raised an eyebrow at Maxime, his clear voice piercing the noise of the rotors.


    "So, you''re the famous Captain Valdreuve? The one who makes the Dravaks tremble, eh?"


    Maxime, sitting by the open door, quickly fastened his belt before answering with a smirk.


    "Looks like rumors are spreading fast."


    Some of the Saber-toothed Tigers followed Maxime and began to strap in too, while others went into the second helicopter.


    The second pilot heard his colleague''s words through his helmet.


    She was a sharp-eyed woman, and as she adjusted the helicopter''s controls she said:


    "Hey G��rard, tell the little chief that he''d better be as impressive as he says, because those birds are important to us."


    G��rard, the first pilot, heard his colleague''s words and passed on the message with a smile.


    Maxime nodded with a serious look on his face.


    He approached G��rard and spoke into his microphone so that the second pilot could hear him.


    "Get us there, and I promise we''ll get you and your choppers back in one piece."


    G��rard continued to smile broadly at Maxime''s words.


    At the same time, he began to make himself comfortable in the pilot''s seat while operating various buttons.


    "I like that kind of assurance, Captain."


    As he said this, the helicopter''s propellers began to turn faster.


    "This is Helicopters Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 to Command Center, requesting immediate takeoff for rescue mission."


    In less than a second, the response echoed through loudspeakers in both helicopters.


    "Command Center for Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, you are cleared for takeoff. Over and out."


    But strangely enough, the channel was not cut.


    And indeed, a few seconds later another voice echoed through the loudspeakers.


    "This is Commander Kavasta. We''re counting on you, go save Captain Orvari and our boys from the second regiment. Over and out."


    This time, the channel cut out completely.


    As soon as the transmission was over, Gerard burst out laughing out of sheer happiness and excitement.


    "HAHAHAHA, you hear that Catherine? Commander Kavasta himself has spoken to us!"


    Maxime said nothing, it was understandable that having direct orders from the highest-ranking person on the battlefield could be very exciting for them.


    Not to mention that this commander wasn''t just anyone, he was one of the greatest geniuses born in the Western Federation in recent years.


    Maxime had even heard that the commander had his picture on the covers of some well-known newspapers.


    "Yeah I heard that, G��rard." commented Catherine in the second helicopter, as she also pressed various buttons to start her chopper.


    "Oh fuck, my blood''s boiling over here!"


    Gerard''s face began to turn red, so excited was he.


    "Come on guys, hang on, we''re taking off in three, two, one..."


    As G��rard''s countdown ended, the two helicopters began to take off.


    But that was without counting a strange silhouette coming straight for the Zelta-1 helicopter.


    Before anyone could comment, Dravus entered the helicopter on his own.


    The helicopter tilted for a moment under Dravus''s heavy weight.


    "Shit, a Dravak!?" exclaimed G��rard even more excitedly.


    But completely ignoring the pilot, Dravus sat down opposite Maxime with displeasure.


    "Chief, had you forgotten me?"


    "I thought you were having sweet dreams, so I didn''t want to disturb you."


    On the surface Maxime was joking, but in his mind, Dravus was too badly wounded to go out on the battlefield again.


    And above all, he knew one way or another, if Dravus died on the battlefield, he''d really die.


    With no possibility of resurrection.


    So he didn''t want to risk losing such a precious asset.


    Especially since when he returned to Eternity, he could bring Dravus along!


    "That''s right yeah...Just so you know, Dravaks have a lot more ego than that, and above all we''re not afraid of death."


    "Whether wounded, sick, sad or whatever, a Dravak will always go out on the battlefield and show what a scary race the Dravaks are."


    As he said this, a cold air began to emanate from Dravus.


    No one knew whether he was doing it on purpose or not.


    "A temperamental child." Maxime thought, not realizing that he himself was similar to Dravus in this respect.


    But the Sabertooth Tigers in the helicopter looked at Dravus seriously.


    Andrew, Ernest, Laura, Tena and a few other Saber-Toothed Tigers all realized that they had just acquired a truly ferocious ally.


    Just standing there, a terrifying pressure emanated from him.


    Only Maxime, who was just as strong as Dravus, and who was his master thanks to the contract, didn''t feel that pressure.


    "It''s my mistake. I''ll force you out of bed next time." Maxime apologized, teasing Dravus a little.


    But Dravus still wasn''t happy.


    "There won''t be a next time when I''m hurt this bad."


    Maxime looked lightly at Dravus.


    "I''ll wait and see."


    As they talked, the helicopters were already high in the sky and had covered a great distance.


    They soon reached the first combat zone.


    Shots were being fired in all directions, as numerous soldiers and Dravaks fought hand-to-hand.


    The helicopters were now flying over a veritable field of desolation. Down below, thousands of human and Dravak figures clashed with unprecedented brutality.


    Explosions punctuated the screams of the men clashing on the ground.


    The ground seemed to tremble under the intensity of the fighting.


    Gerard let out a whistle as he observed the scene from his cockpit.


    "Well, it''s a party down there. Zelta-2, have you ever seen such a mess?"


    In the other helicopter, Catherine replied seriously:


    "Concentrate, G��rard. The Dravaks aren''t here to have fun like you. If we hang around here, they''ll have our rotors before we have time to react."


    G��rard nodded, tightening his hands on the controls. He turned slightly to Maxime and the soldiers in the back.


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    "Hang on, guys. It''s going to shake."


    "By the way, have you ever used a machine gun in flight?"


    Ernest immediately volunteered in the Zelta-1 helicopter.


    "Me, never. But I guess it''s like anything else: you point, you shoot, and you hope it hurts."


    Gerard burst out laughing, but Andrew laid a hand on Ernest''s shoulder.


    "We''re saving ammo, brother. Concentrate on the really troublesome Dravaks."


    Then after a silent moment and seeing the disappointment on Ernest''s face, he laughed.


    "Nah I''m just kidding, the helicopter''s full of ammo, bomb the fuckers. Oh, of course I don''t mean you Dravus when I say asshole."


    Dravus, sitting calmly despite the shaking of the helicopter, didn''t care about Andrew''s teasing.


    He crossed his arms and advised:


    "You''d better target their commanders. If their leaders go down, the others will be disoriented."


    Maxime nodded.


    At the same time, he adjusted his helmet.


    "G��rard, what frequency should we use to talk to as many people as possible in the vicinity?"


    As he asked, Maxime had a very specific plan in mind.


    "Put yourself on 31-7, you''ll get everyone."


    "Great, thanks."


    Maxime quickly placed himself on this frequency.


    For the moment, the frequency was silent, so it was perfect.


    "Hello everyone, this is Maxime of the Saber-Toothed Tigers."


    Down below, it was total chaos.


    The three captains were giving orders with some anxiety.


    They were in a total stalemate with the Dravaks, and they knew that if none of them managed to break through, the second regiment would be wiped out!


    It was at this moment that Maxime''s voice echoed through all the walkie-talkies of the third, fourth and fifth regiments.


    "Is that the captain of the Saber-Toothed Tigers? I thought he was seriously wounded?"


    "Haven''t the Saber-Toothed Tigers been out of action since the last mission?"


    "What the hell are they doing here?"


    ...


    The three captains wondered, as did those with walkie-talkies on them.


    In other words, almost all the soldiers.


    Instantly, everyone was aware that the Saber-Toothed Tigers were close by, but no one understood anything.


    Especially since, in the middle of combat, they really didn''t have time to think about it.


    "The commander has given us the mission of going to the rescue of the second regiment."


    Maxime quietly dropped this information, which sent shockwaves through the soldiers of the three regiments.


    Without waiting for anyone to react, Maxime continued to give information.


    "Two helicopters, identification codes Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, will pass over zone E-4. My mercenaries and I are inside the helicopters."


    "Please prevent the Dravaks from reaching us. Over."


    Maxime was no idiot, and had quickly grasped the necessary wording when speaking via military radio waves.


    The three regimental captains were surprised, but they were all veterans.


    Since the commander had decided to send the Sabertooth Tigers to save the second regiment, that meant they had the best chance of saving the second regiment!


    "Captain Ulysses of the Third Regiment, well received. We will assist you. Over and out."


    "Captain Otaro of the fourth regiment, roger. We will assist you. Over and out."


    "Captain Lena of the fifth regiment, roger. We will assist you. Over and out."


    The voices of the three captains rang out on the chanel 31-7, and thus on all walkie-talkies.


    They quickly began issuing various orders to protect the two helicopters from the Saber-toothed Tigers!


    In just a few exchanges, an entire battlefield of tens of thousands of humans instantly changed targets.


    Everyone converged on zone E-4 to protect the helicopters. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within a very short space of time, numerous helicopters gathered around Zelta-1 and Zelta-2.

 Chapter 180 Thats war!

    Before long, numerous helicopters were gathering around Zelta-1 and Zelta-2.


    The two helicopters continued to advance as planned, their side-mounted machine guns ready to fire.


    "The Dravaks are coming!"


    Literally hundreds of Dravaks moved into their path, their assault rifles aimed at the helicopters.


    Others were also closing in on the Saber-toothed Tigers.


    An announcement rang out over the helicopters'' loudspeakers.


    "Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, get to the rear of the formation and let us take on those Dravaks!"


    Without waiting for their answers, dozens of helicopters moved in front of Zelta-1 and Zelta-2.


    At the same time, the Dravaks opened fire.


    Various shots landed on the front-line helicopters, but they were not seriously damaged.


    By now, all helicopters were well protected.


    They weren''t as tough as tanks, of course, but a few shots weren''t going to endanger them!


    At the same time, down below, numerous shots were fired at the Dravaks blocking the helicopters, forcing them to disperse their formation.


    But there was more to come!


    More Dravaks came within firing range of the helicopters, and the latter, armed with machine guns on board, began to fire them!


    Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, following close behind at full speed, naturally arrived in the middle of this chaotic aerial battlefield.


    "Hang on tight, guys, it''s going to be hot!" exclaimed G��rard with a mad grin.


    The next moment, G��rard began to execute numerous complex maneuvers with the helicopter to avoid the gunfire and the Dravaks!


    Inside the helicopters, there was a lot of movement!


    Undoubtedly, if they weren''t strapped in and some of them didn''t hold on tight to the metal bar above them, they''d fall out of the helicopter!


    The tension was now palpable!


    "Shit, that old guy''s a total psycho, I can tell! Can we really trust him, boss?" exclaimed Charles, swearing.


    "Little faggot." Dravus murmured with a look of disdain at Charles.


    But his voice was clearly audible to everyone despite the sound of the helicopter''s propellers and engine.


    "Excuse me!? What did you say there?" replied Charles, a vein appearing on his forehead, showing his inner anger. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Little faggot." Dravus repeated mechanically, his expression unchanged.


    "My talent will enable me to tame dragons. Then we''ll see who''s here, little faggot." commented Charles, with cold eyes.


    Dravus leaned towards Charles and continued to whisper in his ear:


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    "Little faggot."


    "Shit, shut up."


    Maxime was exasperated by his men bickering even in this kind of context.


    No matter who joined the mercenary group, it seemed they would all become exasperating from time to time.


    Dravus and Charles looked at Maxime, silently.


    But both obeyed.


    At the same time, Ernest was excited.


    "Let''s do it!"


    He switched on the machine gun and began firing at the Dravaks nearby.


    Seeing Ernest start to fire, Andrew decided to light the second machine gun on board the helicopter.


    From the air, it was possible to see Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 executing complicated manoeuvres in the air, while from the two helicopters, countless projectiles were flying away at high speed.


    Many Dravaks were hit and fell from the sky, but many more arrived and replaced those that fell.


    Numerous rounds of assault rifle fire passed through the helicopters, primarily intended to neuralize Andrew and Ernest, who were using the machine guns.


    On several occasions, they almost got hit, the bullets grazing them dangerously.


    Inside the helicopter, the saber-toothed Tigers weren''t particularly afraid of bullets or lasers passing between them.


    Even in Eternity they dared to face death, and it was even easier in a world where they knew that even if they died, they''d be resurrected.


    All around them, a dozen helicopters were doing their utmost to intercept as many Dravaks as possible.


    Below them, turreted vehicles followed, firing into the sky to shoot down the Dravaks.


    Naturally, some Dravaks got in their way, but the soldiers were willing to sacrifice their lives for this rescue mission!


    And so, from time to time, vehicles would deliberately stop to delay the Dravaks!


    Of course, their fate could be imagined, but their mission was accomplished.


    At the same time, the situation in the air was getting worse.


    The Dravaks didn''t understand the humans'' plan, but they knew they had to stop the helicopter charge at all costs!


    And the flying speed of the Dravak soldiers was also very fast!


    So, before long, all the helicopters were being swamped.


    Ahead of them, the Dravak mass was growing ever larger.


    Catherine spoke again, her voice tense.


    "Maxime, it''s going to get complicated going any further!"


    Maxime didn''t know what to say at the time, but was thinking hard about what to do, otherwise they''d all die here.


    Because if he died, his mercenaries would die too! And in that case, it was a definitive death!


    Catherine spoke on a proximity frequency, so the helicopters of the other regiments naturally heard her.


    After a short silence, a voice rang out on the same channel.


    "This is Kayle-3. Don''t worry, Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, we''ll clear the way for you!"


    From a distance, Maxime seemed to see the pilot give them a thumbs-up, a sign not to worry.


    "This is Kayle-4, Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 save Captain Orvari and the second regiment!"


    "This is Kayle-5, we trust you Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, you''d better complete this mission! haha"


    ...


    The 10 helicopters protecting Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 all left messages, then all at once rushed towards the Dravaks opposite.


    G��rard seemed stunned by the scene.


    He''d never seen anything like it in his life.


    "Pilot, what are you doing here? Pull yourself together and follow them." Maxime ordered sharply.


    "Yes, sorry." Gerard replied immediately, motioning Zelta-1 to follow the 10 helicopters.


    Zelta-2 followed suit.


    But the result was expected.


    The first charging helicopters came under fire from the Dravaks, and even under hand-to-hand attack.


    Although these helicopters also opened fire like never before, it wasn''t enough.


    And finally, before G��rard''s wide-open eyes, a first helicopter exploded in mid-air, followed by a second, then a third.


    This was war.


    Here, there was no question of battlefield rewards.


    The priority was to win on the battlefield, and this could not be achieved without sacrifice.


    Thanks to these pilots, a path was opened in the Dravak ranks.


    G��rard maneuvered to avoid the debris from the other helicopters.


    At this point, even Ernest and Andrew stopped shooting, because it was going too fast!


    If they weren''t careful, they could fire on the allied helicopters.


    Finally, Gerard managed to get the helicopter out unscathed!


    Zelta-2 was following close behind!


    Behind them, the remaining 7 helicopters blocked the Dravaks'' advance.


    A voice echoed over the proximity channel.


    "This is Kayle-1 and Captain Ulysse of the Third Regiment. Go ahead Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, we''ll hold them here."


    On hearing this, Maxime was surprised.


    There was a regimental captain in the helicopters accompanying them!


    And clearly at this height, if the helicopter exploded, even a regimental captain had little chance of surviving it!


    "Thank you Kayle-1 and the other units. We''ll accomplish our mission without a doubt," Maxime finally replied solemnly."


    The chaos behind them was indescribable.


    The seven remaining helicopters formed a desperate line of defense, their machine guns spitting out a torrent of bullets as the Dravaks crashed against them like an endless tide.


    Explosions lit up the night sky, and the cries of some of the pilots echoed through the loudspeakers of Zelta-1 and Zelta-2.


    "This is Kayle-4, the aircraft is on fire! We''re evacuating immediately! No...it''s too late!"


    boom


    "This is Kayle-3, a Dravak has entered the aircraft and killed both gunners, self-destruct activated."


    boom


    These shouts weren''t intended for them; it was a mandatory procedure that every soldier in charge of a vehicle in the army had to carry out in order to inform their comrade and the higher-ups of the situation.


    Maxime heard this, his face grim but resolute.


    "These guys... They knew what they were getting into, but they did it anyway. Let''s not let them down."


    Dravus, for his part, seemed impassive, staring at the horizon before them.


    "Their sacrifice will not be in vain if you accomplish your mission, Chief. But you''d better get ready. It''s not over yet."


    Catherine, in Zelta-2, took a deep breath before speaking into the channel.


    "Maxime, we''re approaching the area where the second regiment is surrounded. We have a window, but it''s narrow."


    G��rard confirmed with a quick glance toward his radar.


    "They''re right there, in that gap in the debris. But damn, they''re literally trapped. It looks like the Dravaks have them completely surrounded."


    Maxime grabbed his microphone.


    "Ernest, Andrew, get ready to cover our descent. Catherine, G��rard, find us a safe landing point, even if it''s temporary. We need to evacuate these guys."


    Ernest nodded, his hands tightening the machine gun.


    "Understood, Chief."


    Below, the scene was even worse than the pilots had described. The second regiment, massed behind makeshift barricades, was firing desperately to repel the Dravaks.


    Their lines were broken, and every second counted to prevent an enemy breakthrough.


    G��rard spotted an open area near the human lines and began to descend, narrowly avoiding a projectile that grazed the rear of the helicopter.


    "We''re going to land here! Get ready to jump as soon as we get close enough to the ground."

 Chapter 181 Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 are here!

    "We''re going to land here! Get ready to jump as soon as we get close enough to the ground."


    As he said this, Gerard was particularly focused.


    There was no landing zone with all the trees nearby, and at any moment the Dravaks could target them and destroy the helicopter.


    Maxime stood up and looked at his men.


    "Listen up! As soon as we land on the ground, we move to the front line and cover the retreat of the soldiers from the second regiment! The wounded are given priority in Zelta-1 and Zelta-2. For those who are fit, they will escape to the ground, and will have to cross the Dravak lines to join the third, fourth and fifth regiments!"


    "Yes, sir!" A shout of approval echoed through the helicopter.


    Even Dravus shouted with the other mercenaries in a deep voice.


    The latter surprised himself by shouting.


    Perhaps it was the influence of the contract?


    He didn''t know.


    But that didn''t stop Charles from looking at him differently. Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire


    "At least he respects the boss." he thought.


    Dravus noticed Charles'' gaze directly.


    "What do you want little faggot?"


    Dravus didn''t say directly, especially after Maxime''s reflection, but it was clearly what his eyes conveyed.


    Charles immediately returned to his previous impression.


    "As loathsome as ever."


    At the same time, the helicopters were getting dangerously close to the ground, with only 10 meters left between the helicopter and the ground.


    At the same time, they were right above the soldiers of the Second Regiment.


    The sound of the engine and propellers immediately caught their attention.


    "Captain Orvari, look above us!"


    Captain Orvari, who had just killed yet another Dravak, his armor soaked with blood, glanced up in surprise at the two helicopters.


    "Reinforcements?" thought Orvari, his face solemn.


    He wasn''t particularly happy, because he knew that two helicopters weren''t going to change the situation here.


    In the beginning, the second regiment had over 30 helicopters, including a dozen combat helicopters, and yet all of them had been destroyed by the Dravaks!


    They didn''t have a single vehicle left!


    Meanwhile, Ernest exchanged a quick glance with Andrew, and with a confident gesture, took his place behind Zelta-1''s right-side machine gun.


    Then, immediately, he began firing into the crowd of Dravaks in front of him!


    The gunner in Zelta-2 did the same, and for a moment the Dravaks had to back off!


    Maxime took a look at the situation below.


    Bodies littered the ground, both human and Dravak.


    The ground was soaked with a sickening mixture of black and red blood.


    Maxime saw a human soldier on his knees, exhausted, facing a Dravak still in form.


    The soldier was grabbed by the throat by the Dravak and lifted into the air, his death imminent.


    All it took was a simple squeeze of Dravak''s hand to crush his windpipe.


    But the soldier hadn''t given up, reaching into his boot and pulling out a dagger.


    Then, in one swift movement, he thrust it into the Dravak''s neck!


    Immediately, the Dravak released his grip on the soldier, while he put his hand on his neck to prevent blood from escaping.


    His eyes showed his disbelief.


    "Am I really going to die like this, so easily? Because of a mere human?"


    But it was already over, the Dravak falling to the ground shortly afterwards.


    "That was close." thought the soldier as he caught his breath.


    But he didn''t have time to enjoy the joy of having survived when a Dravak a little further away shot him in the head with an energy bullet.


    The soldier fell to the ground, almost glued to the Darak he had just killed.


    Further on, a Dravak, taller and more imposing than his fellows, brandished a huge sword.


    In one fluid movement, he swept through an entire line of soldiers, his weapon drawing a deadly arc, leaving behind lifeless bodies and muffled screams.


    Meanwhile, the machine guns continued to roar, raining down deadly projectiles on the Dravaks.


    Each tracer briefly illuminated the chaos, finding its target with deadly accuracy. Dozens of Dravaks collapsed, their chitinous skin pierced by the relentless fire.


    Many soldiers were indirectly saved and began to withdraw under the orders of the highest-ranking officers nearby.


    Captain Orvari also began to gather his troops, thanks to the intervention of the two helicopters.


    Everyone was able to take a breather.


    In the midst of the carnage, Commander Dravak watched from a hilltop. His reptilian gaze fell on the human helicopters slowly descending towards their prey.


    His lips curled into a sneer of contempt.


    "Do these humans really think they can turn the tide of this battle with their flying toys? Pathetic."


    "Intensify the assault! May these machines be reduced to ashes!" he roared to his subordinates. A whole troop of Dravaks leapt into the air, their wings flapping furiously, to surround the helicopters.


    Kaelor, who was on the battlefield and had fought Orvari many times over the last few hours, looked up.


    When he caught sight of Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, his heart skipped a beat.


    Or rather, when he recognized the familiar faces there.


    "Those humans again..."


    These were the same humans who, with barely 100 men, had resisted his entire regiment of over 2,000!


    Now he had only 500 men left in his regiment, at most a battalion now.


    This was an absolute disgrace for him, and it was to wash away this shame that he took the initiative to fight with Captain Orvari on this battlefield!


    He himself was in charge of holding the captain back, while the captain of the Dravak regiment he was fighting with was in charge of massacring the human ranks!


    This was why the second regiment was in a very dangerous situation right now!


    They were short of strong men!


    Captain Orvari''s lieutenants, including Lieutenant Otas of Bravo Squad, were doing their best to hold him back, but it was a very difficult task.


    Especially as this left room for the lieutenants of the Dravak regiment to rampage through their ranks!


    As for Kaelor, he only wanted to wash away his shame by fighting with Captain Orvari.


    For all the Dravaks on this battlefield knew Captain Orvari as one of the strongest humans on the yellow-level battlefields.


    On many occasions, he had inflicted great losses on them!


    So if Kaelor succeeded in killing Captain Orvari, he would gain enough military merit to erase the shame he had suffered the day before at the hands of the Sabertooth Tigers!


    With Zelta-1 just five meters above ground, the first wounded began to run towards the helicopter, supported by their comrades.


    Maxime took the opportunity to switch back to frequency 31-7 so he could talk to the soldiers of the second regiment.


    "This is Maxime, captain of the Saber-Toothed Tigers. Commander Kavasta has ordered us to come and rescue you."


    The soldiers didn''t understand, because last they heard, it was they who had gone to rescue the Sabertooth Tigers.


    And on top of that, they could see that there were only two helicopters, and with only those, the situation could not turn to their advantage.


    "The helicopters will take the wounded directly to the fortress, and for those who remain on the ground..."


    As he spoke, Maxime grinned slightly.


    "For those who remain on the ground, run. The Saber-Toothed Tigers will cover you."


    Maxime''s words shocked the soldiers of the second regiment.


    "What''s he talking about?"


    "I thought an elite unit had come to rescue us, but it turned out to be just a half-dead kid and a bunch of half-crippled mercenaries."


    "Yeah, I guess we''re really dead this time. Commander Kavasta doesn''t have any men left to rescue us."


    ...


    The soldiers of the second regiment chatted amongst themselves, and none wore a pretty face as they felt death approaching.


    But most were veterans and elite soldiers, so their mentality remained stable and no chaos occurred.


    Captain Orvari also heard Maxime''s words.


    "So that''s him..."


    The captain of the second regiment was much more optimistic than the others, for he knew that the young man who had just spoken was an extraordinary individual.


    "His combat power, which he has obtained thanks to Eternity, can almost be compared to that of an ordinary military regiment."


    "And on top of that, he had succeeded in a master-slave contract with a Dravak with an awakened bloodline."


    "Maybe we really do have a chance."


    In Zelta-1, Maxime felt they could all jump from the helicopter without getting hurt.


    "Come on guys, let''s jump out of here!" he ordered, speaking into the helicopter''s helmet so that his men in Zelta-2 could hear him too.


    Then he took off his helmet, and set an example by jumping without hesitation.


    Immediately, the Saber-toothed Tigers followed their leader''s example, leaping out of the helicopter like a furious wave, except for Ernest and another mercenary in Zelta-2 who kept firing at the Dravaks.


    They landed one after the other on the ground, before the astonished eyes of the soldiers of the second regiment who accompanied their wounded comrades to the helicopters.


    Maxime sprinted through the soldiers retreating towards the helicopters, his laser sword held firmly in his hands.


    His 18 men and...a Dravak, followed him, all showing extraordinary physique for a yellow-level battlefield.


    Dravus, being far more than any of the mercenaries, easily stood out among the humans.


    Fortunately, many soldiers were already aware that a Dravak had joined the human ranks, otherwise some would have already shot him.


    Maxime quickly arrived in front of the first lines of soldiers of the second regiment.


    Maxime led the charge, cutting down a Dravak who had come too close to a wounded young soldier.


    Another Dravak approached.


    Maxime''s laser sword glowed brightly, leaving a trail of light behind.


    The next instant, the Dravak fell to the ground, his head falling away from his own body.


    The Saber-toothed Tigers rushed into the fray with almost animal-like ferocity.


    Some of them even had fun using the weapons recovered from the armory.


    Some of these weapons were similar to rocket launchers, causing explosions everywhere.


    In just a few seconds, they had formed a living wall, an impenetrable bulwark between the Dravaks and the retreating soldiers.


    But there were still a few fierce soldiers in the second regiment who thought they''d stay here to give their comrades time to evacuate.


    "Back off, Second Regiment guys!" roared Maxime as he deflected an attack, his movements as fluid as they were deadly. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let us hold the line!"

 Chapter 182 Ytan, Captain of the Second Dravak Regiment

    "Let us hold the line!"


    Captain Orvari watched the scene with mingled admiration and relief.


    He had made the right bet.


    He knew he''d made the right bet, because at that moment, Dravus represented at least 30% of the Saber-Toothed Tigers'' fighting power.


    As far as he was concerned, it was only thanks to Dravus'' presence that Maxime''s mercenaries weren''t being overwhelmed.


    And he was right, currently the Sabertooth Tigers couldn''t take advantage of the active talent [Nox Limit] because of the reload time required between each use.


    Although Maxime could force the use, this had side effects.


    As a result, they were all at least 20% to 30% weaker than when fighting with the Shibuya.


    But they were still elite mercenaries.


    With Dravus''s help, the chaos around them seemed to be coming into order, as if they had mastered the scales of victory.


    Seeing this, hope was reborn in the exhausted hearts of the soldiers of the second regiment, who looked off into the distance.


    Kaelor, looking to the side, was seething from within as he watched the Sabertooth Tigers push his troops back.


    Captain Dravak, who was leading the encirclement operation on the second human regiment, joined him.


    "Kaelor."


    A voice appeared right beside him.


    Kaelor glanced in the direction of the voice, to see who was calling him.


    And seeing him, even he could only respect him.


    "Ytan."


    Ytan was the captain of the second Dravak regiment and possessed a status similar to Orvari''s in the Dravak army.


    His strength was even significantly greater than Orvari''s and approached that of the captain of the first human regiment!


    Kaelor was only the captain of the eighth regiment, and thus had a status far inferior to him.


    "The Dravak with the awakened bloodline, he was one of your men wasn''t he?"


    Ytan''s voice was poised and calm, but Kaelor felt an intense pressure from him.


    It was simply because it was Ytan that he felt this way!


    "Yes, Captain Ytan."


    "Then why is he fighting us now?"


    Ytan''s tone was always casual, but those who knew him knew he was very displeased. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "That..."


    For a moment Kaelor didn''t know what to say.


    He knew Dravus well because he was a genius and one of his best men, and basically he even got on very well with him.


    But he knew that since his wife had been stolen from him, Dravus hadn''t been the same.


    He''d become more indifferent to almost everything, except how to build up his own strength.


    Of course, he knew why, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    The chief of the Dravus tribe was himself a very powerful Dravak with many remarkable military contributions.


    Without waiting for Kaelor''s reply, Ytan continued:


    "And I remember that to eliminate the Shibuya, that group of elite human mercenaries, the commander gave you Oscar?"


    Kaelor could only bow his head in shame.


    Ashamed of his own weakness and lack of lucidity at the right moments.


    "You''ve cost our race two warriors in the awakened line. You must pay."


    Ytan''s words weren''t actually true; Dravus had awakened his bloodline by fighting Zarthan.


    Oscar, on the other hand, was uncontrollable and had his way.


    But Kaelor could do nothing about it, his strength and status were too weak compared to Ytan.


    "I''m ready to atone for my sins." he finally said, lowering his head to hide his bitter face.


    Ytan watched him for a few seconds, then finally nodded.


    "That''s good, because I''ve got a mission for you."


    Kaelor looked at Ytan, and waited patiently.


    Ytan glanced at Kaelor, and ordered:


    "You will block Dravus the traitor, as well as Orvari, the captain of the second human regiment, if he dares to intervene."


    Kaelor opened his eyes in surprise.


    "Don''t worry, my best lieutenants will accompany you. Meanwhile, I''m going to kill that human genius."


    Ytan''s cold words made Kaelor smile.


    If this evil human genius died, then Kaelor would be grinning for months.


    "Aye, aye, Captain."


    ...


    Meanwhile, helicopters Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 had landed on the ground, and many wounded were being carried in.


    When Zelta-1 landed, Ernest immediately climbed down, as there was no longer any direct view of the Dravaks.


    Without wasting a second, he headed for the perimeter where the wounded were being dragged or carried by their comrades.


    His gaze pierced through the scrum of men struggling to carry their wounded comrades.


    "Get moving! Every second counts!" he shouted to the soldiers of the second regiment.


    "Load those wounded onto the choppers now!"


    Some of the soldiers, taken by surprise, stopped dead in their tracks and stared at him.


    Ernest wasn''t wearing their uniform, and his imperious tone wasn''t well received by everyone, although they knew he was coming to help them.


    A tight-jawed corporal dared to reply:


    "Who are you to give orders? We have our own officers in the army."


    "Respect the army, and we''ll respect your mercenaries, my boy."


    Ernest, his features tense, glared at him.


    He approached the corporal, his boots crunching the muddy ground.


    "I don''t think you understand. If many soldiers from your regiment are going to survive, it''s because our captain volunteered despite his wounds."


    "And yet he owes you nothing, he''s already saved the Shibuya and when you went to retrieve him, he was already safe."


    "Now we''re in this mess together, and every second that passes could be a second too soon. A second when the Dravaks succeed in destroying the helicopters."


    At the same time Ernest looked at the soldiers nearby.


    "If that happens, then all your wounded will die here! Believe me, the only ones who can lose by dragging their feet are you."


    "The Saber-toothed Tigers are bound to find a way out of this mess!"


    The corporal frowned, finding the young mercenary to be acting in bad faith, but didn''t reply.


    He was right about one thing: they had no time to lose, and if anything went wrong, it would be the second regiment that would be affected, not the mercenary group.


    The other soldiers realized the situation, and drew on their remaining strength to carry their comrades and pick up the pace.


    At the same time, Ernest noticed one soldier carrying another on his back.


    "You there! Stop!"


    The soldier looked at him strangely.


    "Your comrade is already dead, leave his corpse here."


    The soldier opened his eyes in disbelief.


    He laid his comrade on the ground, in disbelief.


    But when he noticed his white eyes he panicked.


    "Marc, Marc, fucking Marc, wake up! This is not the time!"


    Ernest wanted to intervene, but the same corporal who had stopped him intervened.


    "Forget it, Thomas, Marc is dead."


    The soldier couldn''t accept this reality.


    "No Marc...My brother can''t be dead, it''s not possible."


    The corporal gritted his teeth, these two soldiers were also his friends.


    And he knew that these two soldiers were twins, they had sworn to live and die together many times.


    "He''s dead, now do your best to live for him."


    "A person really dies when no one thinks of them anymore."


    The soldier didn''t reply to the corporal; he pounded his fists on the ground several times in rage.


    Then he stood up, his fist bloody, but his face firm.


    "Yes, Corporal. You''re right."


    Ernest softened his gaze for a few seconds at this, but the battlefield with gunfire and explosions everywhere quickly brought him back to reality.


    He turned to a group carrying a badly wounded comrade, his arm dangling at an unnatural angle.


    "Over there, Zelta-2! Go first, this chopper is less loaded!"


    He ran towards another group, himself helping to carry an improvised stretcher by moving one of the porters who was too tired, and pointed to a clearer trajectory.


    "This way, move faster! If you have weapons, leave them here, it''s lives that count!"


    Before long, Zelta-1 was already at maximum capacity, with over 30 wounded on board.


    Zelta-1''s rotors were already starting to turn faster, a sign that G��rard was preparing the helicopter for takeoff.


    Ernest took a last look around Zelta-1 after loading a casualty into Zelta-2.


    Many wounded were still being loaded.


    He sprinted towards Zelta-1, and saw many wounded piled on top of each other.


    Many were groaning in pain under the circumstances, but there was nothing anyone could do about it. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The possibility of being extracted from this battle zone by helicopter was already more than luxurious.


    What''s more, thanks to a few clever soldiers, they were in no danger of falling.


    Indeed, the soldiers were all resourceful and had taken straps and ropes to tie the wounded together and to the helicopter.


    "We''re full up here! Nobody''s coming aboard anymore!" he shouted.


    "If you still have wounded, send them to Zelta-2 or prepare to evacuate them on foot."


    Enemy fire sounded closer. Ernest looked up and saw winged Dravaks diving toward their position. He grabbed the radio clipped to his breastplate and shouted:


    "Chief! We''ve got Dravaks in the air, you''ve got to back off or we won''t make it out of here in one piece!"


    Maxime heard this, and wanted to reply, but just then, Ytan leapt into the air from his previous position.


    He landed heavily in front of Maxime, creating a shockwave that threw up dust and debris.


    Their eyes met, and time seemed to stand still.


    "Maxime, is it?" taunted Ytan, his voice piercing through the din.


    "I''m going to smash you to bits in front of your men. They''ll see how insignificant their leader is."


    Indeed, Ytan knew how to speak the Frankish language, unlike Kaelor.


    Maxime frowned; he didn''t have time to fight. The priority was clearly to evacuate.


    But as he glanced at his men, he realized they were surrounded!


    He remained calm.


    "This is Maxime for Ernest. We''re surrounded, I''m counting on you and the soldiers of the second regiment to protect Zelta-1 and Zelta-2!"


    Ernest gritted his teeth as he heard this, hating not being with Maxime.


    "Roger that, Chief."


    He couldn''t disappoint his boss.


    At the same time, on Maxime''s side, his laser sword vibrated as if sensing its owner''s will to fight.


    "If you want my head, you''ll have to come and get it yourself."


    Ytan''s expression remained unchanged.


    "That was already in my plans."

 Chapter 183 Impasse !

    "It was already in my plans."


    The duel ensued in an explosion of sparks.


    Both opponents were masters of their art, their movements too fast to be followed by the ordinary human eye.


    For his part, Captain Orvari stood off in the distance, watching Maxime and Ytan fight.


    He rested while smoking a cigar.


    It relaxed him from time to time, although it could very slightly reduce his physical capacity permanently if he took it too often.


    But he didn''t care.


    His men would ask him from time to time how he had become so strong, and what had motivated him to become so strong.


    And he would reply:


    "I didn''t become strong because I wanted to, I became strong because I liked playing video games. When I was young, all I wanted to do was have fun, and enjoy life to the full."


    And many gamers were in the same situation as he was. They simply loved this game that allowed them to enjoy life, without it impacting on their lives in the real world.


    Of course, this was on the assumption that they were playing without taking any risks, otherwise the loss of 3 years'' life expectancy, should they die, was there to remind them that this wasn''t just a game.


    "Unfortunately humanity''s predicament has put my family''s life in danger, so I could only take up arms and defend humanity."


    When they said this, many soldiers recognized themselves, as they had a similar background.


    The difference probably lay in their starting talent; they guessed that their captain''s must have been particularly strong.


    On the battlefield, Orvari stood ready to intervene in case a powerful Dravak landed and wanted to destroy the helicopters.


    "Ytan''s sword cleaves the air with devastating force, and clearly Maxime is no match for him. All he can do is deflect or dodge as best he can."


    "He can''t even retaliate. It''s only a matter of time before he''s defeated."


    Orvari''s thoughts varied at this point.


    He could come to help Maxime, but if he did, he would indirectly abandon his soldiers being evacuated, and all could die.


    Meanwhile, the Sabertooth Tigers were also in trouble.


    Numerous elite Dravaks suddenly attacked them at the same time, immediately wounding several of them.


    "Dravus, we''re going to need your help here!" shouted Andrew as he parried a Dravak attack. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dravus noticed the situation and wanted to act, but an imposing figure arrived in front of him, blocking him.


    "Kaelor..."


    Dravus always had mixed expressions when he saw his former regimental captain.


    "Dravus, I knew you wouldn''t die so easily. I take it you killed Zarthan?"


    Dravus looked at him without taking Kaelor seriously.


    "What do you care?"


    At the same time, adhering to the principle of wasting no time, Dravus immediately cast one of the two spells he had awakened.


    "Ice storm."


    A hundred icicles in the shape of small spears made of ice appeared behind Dravus.


    Kaelor was immediately frightened by this spell.


    "Where are your lieutenants, Ytan? Because this is really going to get ugly!"


    For he had already seen awakened Dravaks use their spell many times, and several times he had even seen human regiment captains as powerful as himself die from it!


    At the same time, Dravus launched his attack.


    "Die, ex-captain."


    All the spears came at him, and he did his best to avoid them, but no matter how agile he was, most of them pierced him helplessly.


    His armor was completely destroyed, and blood was spilling everywhere.


    But Kaelor wasn''t a regimental captain for nothing, and he was still alive!


    His eyes turned red, and regardless of the pain he quickly approached Dravus!


    "Even if I have to die, I''ll take you with me Dravus!"


    Kaelor''s giant sword came dangerously close to Dravus.


    Dravus managed to step back in time and successfully dodge Kaelor''s attack, but it wasn''t over yet!


    Kaelor took advantage of the situation to get even closer, and wanted to finish Dravus off!


    Dravus tried again to avoid, but the pain left over from his fight with Zarthan returned, delaying his action by a second.


    But it was the second too long that would prove fatal!


    Kaelor''s sword came at him again, and a savage smile spread across his face.


    A few nearby Saber-toothed Tigers noticed the scene, but none of them could intervene!


    "Die, traitor!"


    Kaelor''s voice rang out, followed by a resounding shock.


    Before everyone''s astonished eyes, Dravus was still alive!


    But even he was surprised.


    For standing before him was the captain of the second human regiment, Captain Orvari!


    "I never thought I''d be protecting a Dravak, let alone an awake one."


    But in Captain Orvari''s eyes, not the slightest trace of hesitation could be detected.


    Since he had made a choice, he would simply follow it to the end.


    He easily pushed aside Kaelor, who had now lost most of his willpower.


    He was already in a weakened state. With the appearance of a man as strong as Orvari, a human he was unable to beat at his peak state, he could already be considered dead.


    And indeed, only a few sword strokes were needed to disarm Kaelor, and bring him to his knees.


    "Any last words, Kaelor?" asked Orvari calmly, pointing his sword, constructed from mysterious materials, at Kaelor''s throat.


    Kaelor finally sighed, then looked at Dravus.


    In his eyes there was no longer any rage.


    "Dravus, maybe you''re right and our race needs to be stricter about abuse of power. Otherwise we could lose more talented warriors like you." he said sadly.


    But Dravus shook his head.


    If it hadn''t been for Maxime, he''d never have betrayed his own race, no matter how much it disappointed him.


    Because the one thing you can''t deny is your own blood.


    "The Dravak race is an elite fighting race. It''s all about the strongest having the most power, and that''s normal. Unfortunately, I lost a fight I shouldn''t have lost, which is what brought me to this state."


    "But no matter, my blood is still Dravak blood and despite my new allegiance to humans, I will prove to all races in different universes that the Dravak race is the strongest race."


    Kaelor heard all this and ended up smiling.


    At that moment he looked like a peaceful old man, he had totally lost the desire to fight.


    "I hope you get Lyssra back," he said sincerely.


    But just then, Ytan seized an opportunity and seriously wounded Maxime, then rushed straight to Kaelor.


    "Orvari! Don''t you dare do that in front of me!"


    Orvari glanced at Ytan rushing towards him, then without changing his expression he replied:


    "I dare."


    Then, without changing his expression, he decapitated Kaelor with a sharp blow, giving him a painless death.


    This time, Ytan was furious.


    The next second, he pounced on Orvari.


    Their swords crossed, Orvari retreating slightly.


    But although Ytan was significantly stronger than Orvari, it wasn''t enough to decide a winner in a short space of time.


    Dravus did not intervene, since he had used the Glacial Storm spell he had felt his old wounds reopen.


    In his current state, if he intervened, he could foolishly die.


    On Maxime''s side, he held his hand over his abdomen and breathed with difficulty.


    A giant, open wound started from his chest and ended not far from his pelvis.


    If he hadn''t stepped back in time, he really would have died then! Sliced in two!


    "Shit, that bastard. If I''d had a few more months in Eternity, things wouldn''t have been the same." Maxime muttered sourly.


    It really hurt.


    It was a good thing he''d recruited Dravus, who in turn allowed Orvari to seize an opportunity to kill Kaelor, otherwise he might have died right then and there.


    At the same time, Ernest''s cry rang out over the radio attached to his armor.


    "Chief!"


    "We won''t last long at this rate! There are too many Dravaks!"


    Hearing this, Maxime began to think quickly.


    "Obviously, this Dravak captain is no fool. Captain Orvari used to hold back the Dravaks with his mere presence. But that''s no longer the case."


    "He was forced to move by Kaelor."


    Her radio beeped again.


    "Maxime!" shouted Catherine into the channel.


    "We''ve got a minute, no more. The Dravaks are starting to surround us again!"


    At the same time, Maxime heard the machine guns of the Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 helicopters firing.


    The sound of the machine guns was not a good sign, as it meant that the Dravaks were directly visible from the helicopters.


    "The Dravaks reacted too quickly. No doubt Ytan had foreseen this situation from the start, and had to send his strong men behind our lines."


    "This way, they can completely destroy the second regiment without letting a single soldier escape!"


    "After that, all they have to do is surround us and attack us, and after a while we''ll all be dead!"


    "Even Captain Orvari won''t be able to survive that..."


    Maxime bit his lips, so bad was the situation.


    He thought of activating [Nox Limit], but on reflection it wasn''t his talent that would allow everyone to survive and escape.


    And here, too, they were completely surrounded by Dravaks, so there was no retreat whatsoever.


    Maxime looked at his men, who were fighting hard but also with difficulty.


    They weren''t going to last long at this rate!


    "What can we do!?"


    Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    ...


    Back at the human fortress, Kavasta stood quietly in the command room.


    By this time, no one dared speak, and tension was at its height.


    On the big screen, the situation of the second regiment could be seen for all to see.


    Many of the soldiers had cameras mounted on their armor, giving a direct view of the situation on all battlefields at once.


    A voice suddenly called out.


    "Report to the commander, the third, fourth and fifth regiments are still pinned down with the Dravak regiments. Numerous breakthrough attempts have been made, but all without success."


    "Report to commander, the first regiment is still in a stalemate with the first Dravak regiment. With Varek''s help, there''s even a tendency to dominate."


    "And concerning the eighth and ninth regiments..."

 Chapter 184 Time is running out!

    "And concerning the eighth and ninth regiments..."


    "The ninth regiment is still in position to the east, while the eighth regiment is currently quietly breaking through the flank of the second Dravak regiment!"


    Kavasta was pleased when he heard this, very pleased indeed.


    "Good, good, good."


    Important things deserved to be emphasized three times over.


    Indeed, everything was still under Kavasta''s control!


    He had anticipated from the start of the battle that the main battlefield would be to the south, despite the presence of the first Dravak regiment to the west.


    To counter this and avoid the unexpected, he decided to send Varek with the first regiment to counter the first Dravak regiment.


    With his presence and that of the first captain, nothing serious could happen.


    The only flaw was that his entire strategy was based on defense.


    He didn''t think he could win on this battlefield.


    But the Shibuyas, and Maxime in particular, gave him hope of turning the tables!


    Indeed, Maxime and his men had hit the eighth Dravak regiment hard, tipping the balance slightly in favor of the humans!


    So until now, the humans had two regiments stationed in the east, which were free, while the Dravaks only had one regiment left!


    This meant that as soon as the eighth human regiment arrived in the south, the entire battlefield would be turned upside down! The situation would be completely reversed!


    And if the last Dravak regiment decided to help the second Dravak regiment, then the ninth regiment would move in behind them and surround them.


    So, what was happening where Maxime was was the decisive moment on the battlefield!


    It was only the third of seven days, but it was this day that would determine who would be the victor, and who would be the loser!


    "How long before the eighth regiment arrives?" asked Kavasta.


    The lieutenant made a quick calculation.


    "My commander, since they''re on foot to keep a low profile, they''ll need another five minutes."


    Kavasta nodded and at the same time thought:


    "Those 5 minutes are going to be decisive, hold on Captain Orvari and the Saber-Tooth Tigers!"


    Back on the battlefield, the sky turned an ominous red, reflecting the blood spilt on the ground.


    The metallic smell of blood reigned for miles.


    The Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 helicopters were desperately trying to keep the Dravaks at bay, but they were getting dangerously close.


    Sensing the danger, Maxime immediately gave an order.


    "Zelta-1, Zelta-2, leave immediately! I don''t care if you''re complete or not, go!"


    G��rard and Catherine gritted their teeth at this.


    It wasn''t particularly because of their feelings about Maxime.


    It was just that they knew that by leaving, they were leaving all these men to their own devices!


    Not hearing the sound of the propellers, Maxime shouted again.


    "G��rard, Catherine, that''s an order! Take off immediately!"


    As he shouted, he felt an intense burning coming from his wound, almost making him groan in pain.


    Already his skin and face were still scarred by Oscar''s fire, he really wasn''t in the best of shape.


    After a few more seconds of hesitation, the two pilots began to manipulate the helicopters.


    The propellers began to turn, a sign that the helicopters were about to take off.


    The Dravaks reacted immediately, becoming much more ferocious.


    But the soldiers of the Second Regiment weren''t there for show.


    "Block them Dravaks!"


    "Protect Zelta-1 and Zelta-2!"


    "Protect our comrades!"


    ...


    Since they knew they were going to die, they wanted to die with honor, protecting their comrades who might still be alive!


    The most powerful army was the army of despair.


    And clearly, the Second Regiment was, at the time, the finest illustration of this phenomenon.


    There were only 500 men left in the second regiment, but they were all part of the elite!


    Once their combat potential had been released, even the 1,500 Dravaks still alive in the second Dravak regiment were temporarily unable to pass through their ranks!


    Ernest joined these valiant soldiers and began to fight alongside them!


    The clash of swords, assault rifle fire, exploding grenades and the sound of explosive ammunition echoed everywhere.


    Ernest had no choice, it made no sense for him to stay in the helicopters, and he couldn''t get past the Dravak troops alone and come to his leader''s aid.


    "The Saber-Tooth Tiger guy, so we lost his group?" laughed a corporal who had just defeated his opponent.


    Ernest recognized him immediately; it was the same corporal who had embarrassed him when he was organizing the rescue.


    But by then, he was a mess.


    Ernest wondered how he was even still standing.


    "Are you still alive?"


    The corporal glanced at him as he finished off a Dravak on the ground.


    "I''ll live until all those bastards die. That way, I can rest in peace in hell."


    Meanwhile, the Sabertooth Tigers were having a very bad time.


    In less than 3 minutes, there were already only a dozen mercenaries left!


    Kaite, Andrew, Charles, Terry, Tena, Henry, Ultia, Romuald, Rodrigo and Laura were all mortally wounded!


    They were the 10 survivors!


    All the rest of the mercenaries, whether from H��nor, Plouta, VentBois or even Quesso?, were already dead!


    Most of them had died trying to protect Maxime, because although he could always defend himself, the Dravaks had understood that killing him meant killing them all!


    Soon, yet another Dravak pounced on Maxime, while another attacked him from behind at the same time!


    Maxime could block the front, but not the back!


    And Maxime himself knew it.


    "At this point...I can only pray that one of my mercenaries will save me once again."


    He managed to block the Dravak''s attack in front of him, and planted his laser sword in its heart, killing it immediately.


    Behind him, a sound echoed.


    It was a sound he knew well by now.


    All the mercenaries he had protected with their bodies had made the same sound.


    Turning around, Maxime immediately saw the back of a beautiful woman.


    Her wavy black hair and figure were the dream of countless men.


    But Maxime immediately noticed the tip of a spear protruding from her back.


    The metal of the spear seemed to glow, showing off its sharpness.


    At the same time, the Dravak using it fell to the ground.


    And so, with no imminent threat around, the young woman turned to Maxime.


    Of course, Maxime recognized her immediately.


    "Laura..."


    The latter smiled, a trickle of blood dripping from her lips.


    She fiercely removed the spear from her body, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the ground.


    Then, with her remaining firepower, she hurled the spear at a Dravak in the air.


    The latter was immediately felled and fell heavily to the ground.


    As for Laure, she was still standing.


    "As ferocious as ever" Maxime said with a bitter smile.


    Laura turned to him.


    "You''ve got to survive, Maxime."


    Her gentle voice suddenly changed Maxime''s world.


    It was as if only she remained.


    Flames and splinters lit up the exhausted, bloodied faces of the remaining mercenaries around them, fighting like lions. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the midst of all this, Maxime and Laura seemed particularly out of place.


    At that moment, Maxime knew that she really was the woman of his life.


    For never before had he felt such pain in his chest.


    Yes, he''d cheated on her with Le?la.


    But he''d heard something very practical from his mercenaries in Eternity.


    Everyone had the right to cheat once on their partner in life.


    But once that joker had been used, it couldn''t be used again in the future, even in other relationships.


    And Maxime had asked Laura about this.


    She was aware of this, and had used the joker herself in a previous relationship, so Maxime wasn''t worried.


    What did worry him was that she''d even cheated on her exes several times before leaving them.


    That''s why Maxime hadn''t hesitated with Le?la.


    But he regretted it.


    Not the act of deception per se.


    Just that he could have done better than Le?la, and done it while not being drunk.


    It was as if he''d taken the first one that came along.


    And besides, he didn''t remember much.


    But that wasn''t the point, in any case he wanted to do it for fear of being cheated on by Laura, since all Laura''s relationships had ended that way.


    In his mind, he''d just avenged himself in advance.


    But damn, did he regret using his joker so soon.


    "It wasn''t even 50% as good as it was with Laura, and yet God knows how many times we''ve done it."


    But now he had no desire for another woman.


    This joker really did have a reason to exist.


    "Do what you want in your world, but in Eternity''s you''re mine."


    That was what Laura had told him word for word.


    But now he''d decided otherwise.


    "It will always be just the two of us, whether in Eternity or in this world."


    These thoughts unfolded in the space of just a few seconds.


    And just then, Laura collapsed in front of him.


    Maxime barely managed to catch her before she collapsed to the ground.


    "Chief! With all due respect, Laura''s already dead!" shouted Andrew.


    Meanwhile, the pressure they were under from the Dravaks was enormous.


    But Maxime didn''t care, he just wanted a few more seconds with his beauty in his arms.


    The other mercenaries were beginning to worry.


    They were afraid their leader had fallen into such despair that he''d lost the will to live.


    By now, they were all forming a kind of circle, fighting around Maxime to hold back as many Dravaks as possible at once.


    A few seconds passed quickly.


    Then Maxime stood up.


    His blue eyes sparkled.


    This drew the eyes of his mercenaries.


    "I''m sorry, guys. I got scared and hesitated."


    No one answered and continued to fight fiercely, but everyone listened attentively.


    "But when have I ever been scared!?"


    "It''s those damned Dravaks who should be afraid of us!"


    "We''re all going to die anyway, who cares about the consequences anymore?"


    At that moment, the Sabertooth Tigers smiled. They all knew the end. Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Nox Limit!"


    In a very distant space, a huge, chained figure opened his eyes, seeming to pierce space itself.


    He murmured:


    "As expected, he''s not lacking in courage."


    Then he closed his eyes again.


    In another distant space, a goddess smiled.


    "He''s feeling brave at the moment, but this time he''s not going to be able to take advantage of my blessing."


    "Well, next time he''ll think twice before putting himself in situations like that."


    "We can''t afford for one of the hopes of our universe to always be so crazy and irrational."


    But watching him like this, the goddess was still worried.


    "I can''t heal his soul wounds anymore, but I can still give him a little gift."


    At the same time, she sighed lightly.


    "I''m going to get my knuckles rapped again by that annoying guy."


    "I hope you''re worth it, Maxime Valdreuve," she finally said with a smile.


    ...


    At that very moment, in the middle of the battlefield, a pillar of light emanated from Maxime.

 Chapter 185 Pillar of light!

    At that very moment, in the middle of the battlefield, a pillar of light emanated from Maxime.


    It was so bright that it pierced the clouds in the sky.


    Every Dravak and human on the battlefield could see this pillar of light.


    The captain of the first human regiment, Adrian Valmont, stood upright on a small ridge with an unobstructed view of the battlefield to the west.


    His imposing silhouette, reinforced by black armor edged in gold, exuded an aura of authority that was almost palpable.


    He leaned on his sword, which was planted in the ground at his feet.


    Just by standing there, he was able to lower the morale of the Dravaks below.


    But his soldiers were also intimidated by a huge Dravak opposite. On the latter''s forehead were two horns, each measuring five centimetres.


    This Dravak also stood atop a small ridge opposite.


    He hadn''t made a single move since the fighting began.


    Hence the 2-day stalemate.


    Back at Adrian''s side was a human who was no inferior to him in terms of aura.


    He was a man with a scarred face, wearing black tactical armor with a silver badge on his shoulder.


    Normally, only regimental captains wore a silver star-shaped insignia on their shoulders.


    Soldiers also wore these insignia, but they were bronze in color.


    These insignia were both a sign of status and strength on dimensional battlefields.


    And that mysterious man standing beside Adrian was Varek.


    The same man who had looked after Maxime on his arrival and given him the tour of the fortress.


    By now, he was covered in dust and blood as he was in charge of fending off the lieutenants of the captain of the first Dravak regiment.


    In fact, each of the lieutenants of the first Dravak regiment was not far from the strength of a human regimental captain!


    Adrian''s lieutenants couldn''t win against them, hence the need for Varek to intervene.


    At that moment, Varek and Adrian were staring at the phenomenon in the sky with an expression split between wonder and concern. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Have you ever seen this, Adrian?" asked Varek, squinting up at the pillar of golden light.


    Adrian didn''t answer immediately.


    His gaze was riveted on the pillar, his thoughts racing through his mind.


    He knew the situation on the battlefield to the south from the information transmitted by the command center.


    So he knew that there was a monstrous schoolboy to the south, named Maxime.


    "Could this be the work of that genius?" he thought doubtfully.


    He''d never seen anything like it in his life.


    The pillar of light wasn''t just a visual manifestation. It emanated an almost oppressive energy.


    A hundred meters ahead of him, the first Dravak regiment, led by their captain, Vrykan, had also ceased all movement.


    The Dravak soldiers, usually implacable and cold, seemed troubled.


    Some stepped back instinctively, others looked at their captain with hesitant expressions.


    As for Vrykan, he gripped the handle of his weapon, a huge black halberd, his golden eyes riveted on the pillar. Unlike his soldiers, he showed no fear.


    However, a hint of doubt hovered in the gleam of his eyes.


    "That light..." he murmured hoarsely.


    "It reminds me of the light of our Gods".


    Adrian heard these words, though they were spoken in Dravak''s half-voiced language and far away from him.


    But with his exceptional physique combined with a passive skill he possessed, he could hear these words.


    He turned his head slightly towards Varek.


    "I know you know a lot more about the truth of our universe than we do, can you tell me what''s going on?"


    After Vrykan''s words, Varek nodded.


    "I can roughly guess what''s going on, but I can''t tell you because you don''t have a high enough level of authorization."


    Adrian didn''t react to these words.


    Despite his strength, he knew he wasn''t eligible for a level 2 clearance.


    For that, he needed a certain status, talent or special opportunity.


    Or else possess absolute strength, which was not Adrian''s case.


    "All I can tell you is that something very rare has happened down south."


    Adrian nodded slowly, understanding.


    He didn''t insist, because sometimes he thought it was better to know little so as not to be disturbed by certain shocking truths.


    Because even if he knew these truths, he couldn''t intervene with his strength. That would disturb him more than anything else.


    Suddenly, a shockwave escaped from the pillar, raising a mighty wind that swept across the battlefield.


    Trees trembled under the power of the wind, while humans had to shield their eyes from the dust.


    Many Dravaks in the air were violently thrown several kilometers.


    "Captain, your orders?" asked a soldier who had just arrived behind Varek and Adrian.


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    He obviously wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to attack.


    Adrian kept his hands on the pommel of his sword, without turning around.


    "We remain on the defensive." he replied firmly.


    "Whatever this light is, our mission remains the same. We have to keep up the pressure on this Dravak regiment. Victory here is not important, what matters is the situation to the south."


    "As long as we win to the south, we''ll get a significant numerical advantage. So there''s no point in sacrificing soldiers here for the death of a few unimportant Dravaks."


    Varek nodded in agreement.


    The soldier made a military sign in response.


    "Aye, aye, Captain!"


    At that moment, Vrykan raised his halberd above his head, and his powerful voice echoed over the battlefield:


    "Dravaks, this is only an artifice manufactured by the human race! We are the strongest race on this battlefield, and nothing can change that! Show them we''ll stop at nothing, not even the heavens!"


    The Dravak soldiers let out a war cry, but Adrian could sense their hesitation. The pillar of light had planted a seed of doubt in their minds.


    Otherwise, Vrykan wouldn''t have made such a war cry at that moment.


    "Varek, prepare yourself," Adrian ordered, his tone icy.


    "If the Dravaks advance, we''ll push them back here, whatever the cost. We must hold."


    Varek drew his weapon, a heavy two-handed hammer.


    His face showed no fear whatsoever.


    "Let them come."


    ...


    From the command room, Kavasta watched the giant screen, as did the rest of the soldiers present.


    Human and Dravak soldiers were still fighting despite the pillar of light.


    On the screen, there was a tally of the soldiers from the second regiment still alive.


    There was also a count of the number of Dravaks still alive.


    [303 soldiers of the second regiment still alive].


    [One Sabertooth Tiger mercenary still alive].


    [1032 Dravaks still alive].


    Within 3 minutes, only 300 of the 500 humans remained.


    But the Dravaks had suffered even greater losses.


    Of the original 1,500 Dravaks, only 1,000 remained.


    Unsurprisingly, the battlefield to the south was a veritable mincer of humans and Dravaks.


    But it was also a battlefield where the strongest and bravest could show their worth.


    In this respect, a board automatically recording the military merits of each soldier was also present.


    [First position: Ernest of the Sabertooth Tigers. 20 Dravaks killed].


    [Second position: Sergeant Jeff Capson. 17 Dravaks killed].


    [Third position: Major Keina Tapsi. 16 Dravaks killed].


    ...


    The command center was naturally aware of the first names of all the Sabertooth Tigers and could easily recognize them, since they had stayed in the medical wing of the fortress.


    They had all been naturally identified during their short stay.


    And Ernest was very much in evidence on the battlefield. His presence alone was even improving morale in the area.


    Within 3 minutes, he had already saved many soldiers from imminent death.


    On the command room side, the screen often changed perspective, as cameras were attached to the armor of soldiers from the second regiment fighting with the Dravaks.


    From time to time, the cameramen would fall to the ground, never to rise again.


    In this way, the screen changed perspective from time to time.


    "Passage to soldier Tener.


    After seeing a spear take up more and more space on the screen, an operator in charge of the video retransmission reported live.


    "Private Tener has fallen in battle."


    "Moving on to Private Hyvra."


    ...


    Behind the thick mass of Dravaks, the pillar of light was easily visible.


    Kavasta watched in silence, naturally knowing the origin of this pillar of light as one of the greatest geniuses of the Western Federation.


    "An intervention of the Gods."


    Even knowing this, Kavasta was still surprised.


    For this was extremely rare!


    It was said that the Gods had to pay a price that even they had to consider before intervening.


    So divine intervention was extremely rare!


    But without a doubt, all those who received them deserved to be the greatest geniuses of each race!


    In some races, these people jumped absolutely all social classes and became the regent of their race after receiving a blessing from the Gods!


    "My human race is destined to prosper," Kavasta thought with a smile.


    Indeed, he wasn''t jealous.


    As a genius of humanity, Kavasta bore a burden few could imagine.


    He was more than happy to see other geniuses arrive to share that weight.


    In the command room, Le?la was also present.


    She wore a strange look as she watched this pillar of light rise into the sky.


    "Could it be him?"


    But even if she thought it could be him, she wondered what he could have done to have caused this kind of phenomenon.


    "What have you done, Maxime?"


    ...


    The captain of the eighth regiment, dressed in camouflage and accompanied by his 2,000 men, could also see this pillar of light.


    "What is this thing?" he thought incredulously.


    He''d been roaming the dimensional battlefields for years, but he''d never seen anything like it.


    At the same time, grey clouds had been appearing one after the other above them all this time.


    It was as if this pillar of light had provoked the wrath of the sky.


    Simultaneously, it began to rain.


    "Come on, guys, let''s get a move on." he murmured, as the first drops of water fell.


    Although he spoke in a low voice, his 2,000 men heard him clearly.


    It was the talent he had awakened in Eternity that enabled him to achieve this kind of feat.


    Many strong people were capable of it, but they were almost non-existent on yellow-level battlefields.


    By wisely using his talent in Eternity, he was able to complete missions that were reputed to be impossible, and earn a lot of money.


    He also did the same on dimensional battlefields, earning himself a lot of merit.


    Thanks to Eternity, and the rewards of the dimensional battlefield, he finally reached the position of regimental captain.


    ...


    At last, in the Dravak fortress, a silent atmosphere reigned in their command room.

 Chapter 186 Second talent update!

    At last, in the Dravak fortress, a silent atmosphere reigned in their command room.


    Only the beeping of electronic devices and the sound of their own battlefield broadcasts continued to echo through the room.


    On a throne made of precious materials sat a medium-sized Dravak. But the horns growing from his forehead proved his noble lineage!


    Among the Dravaks, only those who had their lineage awakened could have horns.


    And the length of these horns showed both the strength and nobility of Dravak bloodlines.


    Lineage nobility determined the minimum horn size, while strength influenced horn growth.


    Generally speaking, it took a year for these horns to appear after the lineage had been awakened.


    When they were one centimeter to five centimeters, it was an ordinary bloodline, and strength could at most reach a black-level battlefield.


    From five centimeters to ten centimeters, they were an unusual bloodline, but their strength was still capped at black-level battlefields.


    However, unlike common bloodlines, warriors with these horns had hopes of reaching the rank of regimental captain on black-level battlefields.


    Particularly when they reached 10 centimeters, as Dravaks'' strength improved drastically once they reached this length.


    When they were between 10 and 15 centimeters, this meant a rare bloodline, and strength could at most reach an earth-level battlefield.


    After that, there were noble and royal bloodlines.


    Horn sizes could no longer accurately represent strength and potential, as horns began to take on different shapes.


    And this Dravak commander had two prominent horns measuring around 15 centimetres, curving slightly upwards.


    Like Kavasta, if he intervened on this battlefield, it would be like an adult fighting children.


    Only the captains of regiments could slightly resist them, and that was only thanks to divine limitation.


    This limitation starts at 3 physics points, and ensures that for each additional physics point, it only has the effect of 0.1 physics point.


    But even so, this Commander Dravak still had a physique greater than 4 points!


    This meant that, in the Delta universe, he had a physique of over 13 points!


    A real monster.


    Currently, with his elbow resting on the armrest, he stared boredly at the pillar of light.


    "What do we do, Commander Vatar?


    Vatar didn''t answer immediately.


    He knew what this pillar of light was, but he didn''t take it seriously.


    There have already been many cases of heroes of certain medium-sized races receiving the blessing of the Gods.


    But which of them are now in the top 100 of the best races?


    Very few, and those that are, are so only because these heroes were still alive.


    As soon as they fell, their race would fall with them.


    But seeing this kind of thing was always very annoying for Vatar, as the effects of these pillars were always very powerful.


    There was no such thing as a weak gift from God.


    "But if the Gods think this will be enough to save the human race, it''s still not enough," Vatar thought disdainfully.


    "Order the ninth regiment in the east to move south and finish off this human genius at all costs."


    The Dravaks nearby reacted immediately and began communicating with the Ninth Regiment.


    A smile spread across his Vatar face.


    Naturally, he knew that moving the ninth regiment would expose him to an ambush by the two remaining human regiments.


    He was no fool.


    But in his eyes, ordinary Dravaks were just cannon fodder.


    Many Dravaks of awakened bloodlines felt the same way. Particularly those from noble backgrounds, for whom succeeding in awakening their lineage was a matter of course.


    Some even awakened unintentionally at a young age.


    Fortunately, every Dravak had the potential to awaken his lineage one day. Otherwise, the status of ordinary Dravaks could be similar to that of slaves.


    But even so, sacrificing these Dravaks at the cost of a human genius was definitely profitable in Vatar''s eyes.


    "I wonder how humanity''s top brass will feel when they know they''ve lost one of their best geniuses?"


    Thinking about it, Vatar suddenly felt much better.


    "All the same, it really is an interesting event."


    Then he rose from his chair in good spirits, as if he''d thought of something fun to do.


    Some of the Dravaks noticed their commander''s movement.


    One of them, a little braver than the others, dared to ask the question everyone else had.


    "Going somewhere, Commander?"


    Normally a person daring to question Vatar would immediately get a violent response.


    Some Dravaks even began praying for the impetuous young Dravak.


    But this time, Vatar was feeling really good.


    He was even beginning to wonder how many military merits he would receive after killing a future leader of mankind.


    "Where could I go? Of course I''m going to see the death of this young genius with my own eyes."


    Then he quietly exited the Dravak command room, and flew out of the fortress.


    In the Dravak command room, it was some time before the Dravaks realized what they had just heard.


    "Did the commander say he was going to the battlefield, or did I hear wrong?"


    "No, you heard right."


    "He said he would go by himself to see the death of the young human genius."


    There was silence again, as battle reports continued to be sent in.


    "But doesn''t he have the right?" asked the same Dravak who had asked the Vatar question.


    An older Dravak looked at him with slight contempt.


    His name was Kesta.


    He had a status similar to Varek''s among the Daraks, and was himself a Dravak with an awakened lineage, though only a common one.


    His horns were actually just two small bumps on his forehead.


    But those two little bumps on his forehead qualified him to despise 99.9% of the Dravaks on this battlefield. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, there were originally only 4 Dravaks with awakened bloodlines on this battlefield where over 27,000 Dravaks were present.


    Of the 4 rare Dravaks, Oscar was the weakest, having only recently awakened his bloodline.


    After him came Kesta, a former Dravak with extremely limited potential.


    Or even waste-level potential.


    Then there was the mighty Vrykan, captain of the first Dravak regiment, with two 5-centimeter horns on his forehead.


    And finally there was Vatar, with two 15-centimeter horns.


    "This is Vatar, a Dravak with a bloodline inferior only to the royal bloodlines. Who will dare say anything to him?"


    After Kesta had spoken, no one dared speak again. Everyone went back to what they were doing.


    Back on the battlefield to the south, Maxime received a notification from the Eternity system.


    Ding!


    A notification panel displayed the following in front of him:


    [Goddess Viviana took pity on her hero, and gave him a gift to help him overcome the situation].


    [Talent received from Goddess Viviana well received].


    [Synchronization in progress...]


    [Error detected...]


    [Synchronization failed].


    At this point, Maxime didn''t understand what was happening.


    He felt a gentle warmth flow through his body and strengthen him, but an immense pain emanated from his heart, preventing him from enjoying the blessing of [Nox Limit].


    He literally felt his soul split in two.


    "Obviously, there must still be some consequences from the last time I activated [Nox Limit] twice in a short space of time."


    "So even the Gods aren''t able to completely heal wounds to the soul..."


    What Maxime didn''t know was that the Gods really were capable of healing this kind of wound, but they were all in a restricted state.


    So the help they could bring to the Omega universe was limited.


    Meanwhile, the Saber-Toothed Tigers once again felt this powerful force coursing through their bodies.


    Thanks to this new power, they all began to repel the Dravaks with ease.


    At this point, even Ytan, who was fiercely fighting Orvari, took notice.


    For it was all too obvious!


    "What the hell did that kid do!?"


    "And what''s with that damn light pillar?"


    Only the remnants of the Eighth Regiment noticed the change, and their eyes became filled with fright.


    Most of them no longer dared to advance and simply stood on the edges of the battlefield, pretending to fight fiercely.


    For them, these humans in this state were simply too frightening!


    Last time, they had wiped out over 1,500 Dravaks with this mysterious power!


    Although there were 100 of them then, and only 20 now, they still didn''t dare to be confident in the face of these monsters!


    Meanwhile, Orvari was able to breathe a sigh of relief, and at the same time laughed out loud as he noticed the trend of the battlefield reversing.


    "Hahaha, I''ve definitely made the best move of my life!"


    As captain of the second regiment, Orvari was naturally aware of Kavasta''s plan.


    So, although he had already lost most of his men, their sacrifice had not been in vain!


    That was the most important thing to him!


    All his soldiers were like family to Orvari, who had been raised in an orphanage.


    He really thought his heart couldn''t take it if his men had all died for nothing.


    But thanks to Maxime''s mysterious power, his men had a better chance of survival.


    So when the eighth regiment arrived, more of them would survive!


    This was definitely good news for the second captain of the human regiment!


    "Don''t think you''ve won Orvari, it''s obviously just a temporary strength bonus. After it''s over, that young genius and all your men will be dead."


    Ytan really wanted to curse Maxime for causing so much change on the battlefield.


    But Orvari couldn''t care less about Ytan''s words now.


    All he had to do was unleash his full strength and then wait for the captain of the eighth regiment to come and help him kill Ytan!


    "Stop talking for nothing Ytan, and come and fight."


    At the same time, he just grinned, waiting for Ytan to continue attacking him.


    Ytan felt uncomfortable seeing Orvari so happy. He sensed an ominous sign of premonition.


    But the arrow had already been shot, so he could only follow his commander''s instructions now!


    Back on Maxime''s side, the notifications continued to scroll.


    [Problem detection in progress...]


    [Detected that the host already possesses a talent granted by the goddess Viviana...] Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    [Life awakening identified...]


    [Added new talent to current Life Awakening talent...]


    [Addition completed]


    [Please check your ''Awakening of Life'' talent for updates].

 Chapter 187 From hell to heaven

    [Please consult your ''Life Awakening'' talent for the latest update].


    The notification window remained open for several seconds, during which time Maxime tried to contain his pain as best he could.


    After getting very slightly used to the pain, he observed this latest notification, ignoring all the previous ones.


    "A talent update?"


    Without asking too many questions, Maxime went to his statistics page and then to the talent column.


    Then he opened the details of his second talent.


    [Second talent: Life Awakening level 1 (0/1000) (diamond rank) ]


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    "It''s a diamond rank talent now?"


    Maxime knew very well that his talent was platinum rank before!


    As a reminder, talents were classified this way:


    Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Legendary.


    And as a further reminder, a talent of legendary rank was only held by a select few on the entire planet Earth!


    Holders of gold-level talents could already be considered geniuses in a school.


    Platinum-level talents were generally considered the best talents to be found in most cities.


    Diamond-level talents were the pinnacle of genius in the vast majority of countries.


    So with only his second talent, he was already one of the greatest geniuses on the planet, on a par with Kavasta!


    "What kind of heaven-defying effect can improve an entire rank''s talent!?"


    Maxime couldn''t wait to discover this new talent, so much so that it made him temporarily forget his pain.


    [Awakening of Life :


    First passive effect: Significantly improves the talent holder''s regeneration as well as that of his men.


    Second passive effect: Slightly improves the lifespan of the talent holder and his men. This effect currently grants an additional 10 years of life.


    Third passive effect: Gives the talent holder a very high affinity for the element of life].


    "The first three effects are the same as before..."


    "So this is a new effect that has enabled the qualitative improvement of the talent."


    [First active effect: Saying ''Awakening of Life'' allows you and your men to restore your physical conditions to 100%.


    Range: One kilometer.


    Reload time: 30 minutes].


    Seeing the new effect, Maxime was dumbstruck for a few seconds.


    "Holy shit, that''s so cool!"


    "It''s almost synonymous with having a tireless army at your side!"


    Maxime quickly understood the advantages and disadvantages of this new effect.


    The advantage was that it meant he and his mercenaries were rarely physically exhausted, thanks to a recharge time of just half an hour.


    The first disadvantage was that it didn''t heal his men''s wounds, thus greatly reducing the effect''s effectiveness.


    The second disadvantage was that it didn''t cure mental fatigue.


    "But this is only the first level of this talent, and it already has such effects!"


    "Once I improve it, the disadvantages will gradually be erased in addition to strengthening existing effects and even adding new ones!"


    "It''s really worthy of a diamond-level talent, it''s definitely very strong!"


    As an example, when the talent was used, it was as if his men were reaching their best form.


    But since they were all currently injured, they would quickly lose fitness when using the talent''s active effect.


    However, it was still very strong!


    Knowing that most people were usually at 60 or 70% of their fitness when an ordinary day was already well underway.


    It often happened that the percentage was even lower, depending on the fatigue accumulated during the day and on previous days.


    And on the battlefield, it was even more dramatic.


    Physical condition dropped extremely quickly due to the adrenalin and effort required to fight with one''s life on the line.


    Hence the extremely exaggerated effect of talent at first level alone.


    Imagine a tired army fighting for several hours, whose soldiers were now struggling to raise their weapons?


    And that these same soldiers were so tired, they could easily see that their strength, agility, combat skills and even reaction time had significantly diminished?


    They were gradually becoming food ready to be slaughtered on a chopping board!


    But as the opponents finally saw the opportunity to easily slaughter their opponents after several hours of fighting, all these men immediately regained their full fitness?


    And that they were even stronger than at the start of the fight?


    Knowing, on top of all this, that their opponents were also exhausted by the prolonged fighting and pressure present on the battlefield?


    It was definitely a devastating blow to the morale of the opposing army!


    The positions of winner and loser could immediately be reversed!


    That was the power of a diamond-rank talent!


    Not to mention the passive effects, each stronger than the last.


    And that was clearly what was going to happen on the battlefield to the south.


    Meanwhile, the pillar of light disappeared, giving way only to the gray clouds that continued to pour down rain.


    As the rain fell to the ground, the water mixed with the blood, creating pools of blood all over the southern battlefield.


    Human and Dravak soldiers would unwittingly step into these pools when fighting hand-to-hand.


    Somehow, this changed the mood of the battlefield.


    A few lightning bolts began to flash here and there.


    Maxime stood looking up at the sky.


    He watched the water droplets falling above him, and the lightning flashing here and there.


    All around him, explosions, screams and the sound of weapons clashing could be heard here and there.


    He spread his arms wide, as if welcoming nature, which was now turbulent, to come and console itself in his arms.


    At that moment, he murmured:


    "Awakening of life."


    Suddenly, a translucent tree appeared behind Maxime''s back and grew to the naked eye.


    One meter, two meters, three meters...


    It grew with the naked eye.


    It wasn''t until it was some ten meters high that it finally stopped, overlooking the entire battlefield.


    Its imposing silhouette almost pierced the sky, its wide, powerful branches reaching out in all directions, forming a veritable dome of protection over Maxime, his men and the human and Dravak soldiers!


    In fact, the dome had a diameter of one kilometer!


    It covered the entire battlefield.


    All the Dravaks avoided the branches for fear of the tree''s mysterious effects.


    Only human soldiers and mercenaries dared touch the branches that appeared around them.


    But when they came into contact with them, their hands literally pierced the branches.


    They were immaterial.


    Yet the tree seemed alive, vibrating with palpable energy.


    Its massive, deep-brown trunk was streaked with luminous veins of shimmering emerald green.


    Its veins pulsed slowly, like a beating heart, illuminating the immediate surroundings with a soft, soothing light that contrasted with the chaos of the battlefield.


    The almost unreal green leaves caught the raindrops, transforming them into beads of luminous energy that slid down the branches before disappearing in an ethereal mist.


    The ground around the tree, previously gorged with mud mixed with blood, had been transformed.


    Bright green grass suddenly sprang up, forming an almost unreal carpet in the midst of the desolation.


    Flowers of subtle hues - blue, white and yellow - sprang up from the earth as if in homage to this ancient, majestic being.


    An aura of serenity and power seemed to extend from the tree, reaching Maxime''s mercenaries.


    Kaite, Andrew, Charles, Terry, Tena, Henry, Ultia, Romuald and Rodrigo, tired and out of breath only moments earlier, felt a wave pass through their bodies.


    Their tired muscles relaxed immediately, their panting breaths becoming regular again.


    They straightened up, their weapons firmly in their hands, and a new glint in their eyes.


    It wasn''t just their physical strength that was returning, but a feeling of clarity, as if the tree was instilling in them the will to keep on fighting.


    Combined with the Nox Limit talent, they felt more powerful than ever.


    Maxime stood with an imposing tree behind him, his pupils glowing with a translucent white light.


    Just by standing there, he intimidated the Daraks nearby.


    These Daraks seemed to be dealing with an extremely terrifying existence at the time.


    They had already fought on the same battlefields as many captains of regiments of all races.


    But never before had they felt such fear coming from a single person!


    Ytan distanced himself from Orvari, equally afraid of the effects this tree could inflict.


    The unknown is the most frightening.


    He looked directly in Maxime''s direction, incredulous at the whole scene.


    "Is this a human or a God?"


    Orvari also glanced around, incredulous.


    "So this is what geniuses look like when they give it their all? It is indeed unlike anything I''ve seen in my entire life."


    He thought back to that half-dead, half-burnt man clinging to a tree to keep himself upright.


    The same man who, in this state, had dared to threaten him if he killed his subordinate Dravak.


    Seeing this scene, he felt a shiver of fear run through his body.


    "If I''d wanted to kill Dravus, would I really have succeeded? I could have..."


    But Orvari immediately suppressed the thoughts that appeared in his mind. They were too frightening.


    The Dravaks of the Eighth Regiment began to desert the battlefield.


    Some of them even began to lose their sanity, all the while shouting:


    "No, no, no, this is the form in which that human killed Oscar in a single blow!"


    "Run if you value your lives!"


    "Stay if you think you''re as strong as a Dravak with an awakened bloodline!"


    ...


    In the command center, the soldiers couldn''t believe it either.


    They''d been leading regiments in yellow-level battlefields for years, but they''d never seen anything like this.


    "What''s that?"


    "Is it the effect of a talent?"


    "No I think it''s the effect of some mysterious skill he must have gotten in Eternity."


    ...


    Many of the soldiers were talking amongst themselves about what they were seeing on the screen.


    Kavasta, who was also watching the situation on the screen, was equally impressed.


    "This kind of scene can generally only be seen on battlefields of black or higher. On a yellow-level battlefield, it''s truly unique."


    This was to be expected, since geniuses who possessed such rare and impressive talents or skills didn''t go to dimensional battlefields when they were high school students.


    It was only when they became university students that some of them came to dimensional battlefields.


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    By then, they''d all spent a lot of time in Eternity, so their strength was no longer compatible with yellow-level battlefields, unless they were applying to be regiment captains or fortress commanders.


    But the human authorities were not going to entrust the lives of thousands or tens of thousands of people into the hands of students with little or no combat experience.


    ...


    The battlefield to the south remained chaotic for about ten seconds, then the tree disappeared as if it had never appeared.


    The battlefield scenery returned to normal, all the flowers and greenery that had sprung up out of nowhere disappearing with the tree.


    Puddles of mud, blood and water reappeared naturally, as if they had never been there.


    For those ten seconds, some felt as if they''d fallen into paradise.


    But as soon as the tree disappeared, they felt as if they''d fallen back into hell.


    This created a violent mental shift, whether on the human or Dravak side.


    Some were even beginning to wonder why they were fighting here?


    What were they fighting for?

 Chapter 188 From heaven to hell

    For what reason?


    But when they saw a sword pointing at their throats, their survival instincts took control.


    The battlefield fell back into chaos.


    "I didn''t think the talent would have such a visual, and even mental, effect." thought Maxime, who had partly noticed the reactions of nearby humans and Dravaks.


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    "Diamond-level talent really isn''t something to be underestimated."


    "I wonder what such a talent looks like at maximum level? And even what is its maximum level?"


    The Sabertooth Tigers, thanks to the effects of the 2 cumulative talents, began to violently retaliate against the Dravaks surrounding them.


    But their efforts were almost in vain, thanks to the 3 lieutenants of the second Dravak regiment on the scene. They were enough to keep order in the Dravak ranks.


    Not only did they manage to keep order in their ranks, but they also kept up the pressure on the Sabertooth Tigers.


    The latter, despite the bonus of Maxime''s two talents, were still in a stalemate with the Dravaks surrounding them, with another 500 of them.


    Maxime didn''t move, simply because the pain in his soul was still there, and seemed to be getting worse with time.


    So he just stood there, trying to keep a straight face.


    But even if some Dravaks were beginning to wonder, none of them dared test the waters.


    For, let alone if they could get past the barrier constituted by super-powered human mercenaries, no one knew whether they were simply sending themselves to their deaths by approaching the human genius.


    20 seconds later.


    The soldiers of the second regiment were gradually beginning to resist the Dravaks who outnumbered them 3 to 1, thanks in particular to one individual.


    This individual was slim, tall and had long blue hair. He had tied his hair back so it wouldn''t get in the way.


    A bow from the fortress armory hung from his back, while he held a laser sword in his right hand.


    His mere presence diminished the morale of the 1,000 Dravaks still alive, for no one was his adversary.


    At the same time, the morale of the soldiers in the second regiment continued to rise.


    "Ever since that mysterious tree appeared, that guy''s become overpowered."


    "Yeah, it''s like he''s become a super human. We can''t even count how many of our comrades he''s saved."


    "He really is a monster, he''s at least on the level of our lieutenants."


    "Yeah, especially since our lieutenants in the second regiment are unfortunately all dead now, so his presence really does us good."


    Another soldier, fighting nearby intervened in the discussion.


    "And there are 9 guys like him 100 meters away from us."


    The3rd squad of the2nd regiment, who were chatting amongst themselves, were surprised to hear these words.


    They hadn''t thought of it!


    But on realizing this, their morale improved considerably.


    "This battle we will win, boys!"


    "For humanity!"


    "For humanity!"


    "For humanity!"


    ...


    The small squad of 10 shouted together at the top of their voices.


    Of course, the soldiers nearby heard them.


    They all thought they had a good chance of dying here, since they were unaware of the arrival of the Eighth Regiment.


    For them, the Sabertooth Tigers were the last hope.


    And indeed, thanks to them, many of the wounded had been able to evacuate.


    For them, these cries represented the will to fight on, even in the worst of circumstances!


    They were the soldiers of the second regiment, not inferior to any other regiment!


    And so the 280 other soldiers of the Second Regiment who were still alive also raised their voices!


    "For humanity!" x280


    ...


    Their cry was so powerful that the eighth regiment, still 1 km away, could hear it!


    "We must hurry! This could be a sign that the second regiment is about to collapse!" ordered the captain of the eighth regiment, still using his talent. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His 3,000 men listened, and everyone accelerated their pace slightly in order to arrive at least a few seconds early.


    ...


    Ernest, standing among the soldiers of the second regiment, smiled as he took down a Dravak with an easy sword thrust.


    This Dravak didn''t even have time to react before he was killed.


    "They''re not too different from our mercenary group after all."


    Ernest''s impression of the Second Regiment soldiers had improved significantly.


    At that moment, only 50 seconds remained before the arrival of the eighth regiment.


    In the vastness of the glowing sky, a Dravak came dangerously close to the battlefield.


    Commander Vatar streaked through the air, his black wings flapping every few seconds.


    Each time he flapped his wings, his speed increased considerably.


    The icy wind of high altitude swept across his face, but with his physique he was totally impervious to it.


    Nor did it take much effort to fly, unlike the Dravak on that battlefield.


    With his keen eyesight, he could already see the entire battlefield to the south.


    "What was that tree?"


    Like many people on the battlefield, Vatar could also see it.


    But Vatar wasn''t particularly worried.


    For him, divine blessings were merely a gift that only the inferior races desperately clung to.


    In his view, the gods, those capricious entities, gave their favor like throwing a bone to a hungry dog.


    But he knew that these gifts were but a fleeting spark in the vast ocean of a universe''s power.


    If one of the top ten races in each universe received such a gift, he or she would automatically become a genius. But that was all.


    He would simply be one genius among many.


    However, Vatar had missed one detail.


    The human race was the one that owned the world of Eternity. In this world, every talent could be amplified beyond measure.


    How else could the human race, which was a totally ordinary race in the universe, defend itself against powerful races like the Dravaks?


    How could they resist the simultaneous attack of numerous alien species in the Omega universe?


    And despite his excellent eyesight, he missed a second detail.


    The trees and outfits worn by the men of the Eighth Regiment completely hid them from the Dravaks, who could fly.


    Including Vatar.


    ...


    Back on the battlefield, the one in the most uncomfortable position was actually Orvari!


    Orvari staggered back, his breath short, his muscles tense under the constant pressure of Ytan''s assaults.


    Captain Dravak''s agility was far superior to his own, and his fluid, precise movements made any attempt by Orvari to counterattack almost futile.


    Ytan''s every blow sounded like an implacable threat, his curved black sword gleaming in the reddish glow of the sky.


    "So, are we weakening Orvari?"


    Ytan wore a mocking smile on his face. He knew that once he won this duel, the Dravaks would win this battle.


    And with his military merits, he could obtain many valuable resources and become even stronger!


    With that, the position of captain of the first regiment wouldn''t be so far off!


    On level battlefields, he''d be an almost invincible existence!


    Orvari, despite his reinforced armor and experience, was struggling to contain his opponent''s strikes.


    Ytan gave him no respite. A wound on Orvari''s right shoulder bore witness to the first blow that had broken through his guard a few seconds earlier.


    Moments later, another, deeper gash lay on his left thigh, narrowly missing a vital nerve.


    Orvari gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain rising in burning waves through his body.


    He attempted a feint, swinging his sword at Ytan''s left flank. But the latter, as if anticipating the move, dodged with frustrating ease, spinning around before retaliating with a brutal kick to Orvari''s torso.


    The impact knocked the human captain back several steps, his breathing becoming complicated under the pain radiating from his ribs.


    "How much longer do you think you''ll last?" ironized Ytan, twirling his weapon.


    "Maybe if you ran away now, you''d still have a chance of survival unlike your men who are already doomed."


    Suddenly, Ytan had a good idea.


    "I can let you run away with ten of your men, what do you say?"


    Orvari, who still had a straight spine despite his wounds, didn''t let the slightest emotion show on his face.


    "Fuck you, Ytan."


    At the same time, he brandished his sword and lunged, but Ytan easily parried the attack, once again slipping under Orvari''s guard and inflicting a superficial gash to his flank.


    "You''d better hurry up and make a decision before I change my mind, Orvari," replied Ytan, showing no anger.


    Obviously, in his mind he would never allow Orvari to leave even if the latter accepted his deal.


    Cannon fodder could be easily recruited and trained, but men capable of becoming regimental captains were not so easy to find.


    So if there was such a good opportunity to kill a regimental captain, Ytan would never miss it. Otherwise he wouldn''t be able to get as much military credit as he wanted.


    The metallic smell of blood filled Orvari''s nostrils as he retreated, cornered, his soldiers too busy in their own fight to intervene.


    Ytan was toying with him, like a cruel predator who took pleasure in seeing his prey exhausted before the final blow.


    It was the style of a veteran warrior.


    Until the last moment, he never underestimated his enemy. He had already seen many Dravaks die at the hands of humans, but also of other races, because they were too confident in their victory.


    Meanwhile, Orvari felt his strength diminishing. But just as he was about to parry another attack, a resounding noise rose up behind him.


    The crash of assault rifle fire and the dull roar of explosions shook the battlefield.


    These were the original explosions, but this time the sound was far more violent.


    Both fighters turned their heads in the direction of the source of the chaos. A hundred meters behind Orvari, flashes of light streaked the air, accompanied by the unmistakable whistle of rocket launchers and the thud of exploding grenades.


    "What the...?" blurted Ytan, his expression distorted by surprise.


    Orvari smiled.


    "The reinforcements have finally arrived."

 Chapter 189 Vatar arrives on the battlefield!

    "Reinforcements have finally arrived."


    He immediately recognized the uniforms of the soldiers of the Eighth Regiment emerging in a whirlwind of noise and fury. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There they were, 3,000 strong, advancing like a destructive wave towards the Dravaks.


    The chaos intensified. Two thousand soldiers of the eighth regiment quickly split up to engage the remaining 1,000 Dravaks, allowing the 300 survivors of the second regiment to catch their breath.


    The remaining 1,000 soldiers set off to support the Sabertooth Tigers.


    Assault rifle fire pierced the air, each burst mowing down the Dravaks with devastating precision.


    Every time a grenade or rocket launcher exploded, Dravaks collapsed in a cloud of smoke and blood.


    But Orvari had no time to savor the moment. Ytan returned to the charge, still taking advantage of the little time he had to finish Orvari off.


    For he knew that once the captain of the eighth human regiment had arrived, it would not be easy to kill either of them!


    The Dravak''s sword shot out, and although Orvari managed to parry the first blow, a deft feint caused him to cry out in pain as the enemy weapon sank into his right flank.


    "You''re dead, Orvari!"


    But before he could land another blow, a powerful voice rang out, drowning out the surrounding tumult.


    "Orvari, hold on a little longer, I''m here!"


    The captain of the eighth regiment, a man with glasses, arrived.


    Combined with his frail figure, he looked more like an intellectual than a warrior.


    In one swift movement, he interposed one of his two daggers between Ytan and Orvari, blocking Captain Dravak''s deadly blade.


    Orvari stepped back slightly, placing a hand on his wound to slow the bleeding. His tired but determined gaze met that of his ally.


    "Manu, you''re just in time."


    "Can you still fight?" replied the captain of the eighth regiment, looking seriously at Ytan.


    His real first name was Emmanuel, but close friends could call him Manu.


    From his point of view, if even Orvari had ended up in such a state against Ytan, he himself would naturally be no match for him.


    Orvar, his face impassive despite his wounds, stood at Emmanuel''s side.


    "Of course, a few light wounds won''t stop me from fighting. I''ve survived far worse."


    The duel shifted balance. Ytan, though powerful, suddenly seemed to hesitate. Faced with two captains, one of them in top form, he realized that it was going to be complicated to win in these circumstances.


    Especially as, in the meantime, his men were literally being massacred.


    If his fight dragged on, he was bound to end up surrounded. And even if he was twice as strong, if they were surrounded by thousands of humans, even he''d be dead in no time.


    A spark of rage flashed across his eyes, and he braced himself for an even more intense confrontation.


    He knew he had to win, and win quickly.


    Meanwhile, Emmanuel charged towards Ytan, his silhouette almost elusive to the naked eye.


    But Ytan wasn''t one to back down easily.


    A growl rose from his throat, a warning both to his new adversary and to the Dravaks still alive around him.


    His wings spread slightly, adding an intimidating aura to his silhouette.


    "You think your intervention will change anything, human?" roared Ytan.


    "Once I kill you, both your regiments will be doomed."


    At the same time, Ytan easily parried Emmanuel''s two blades, one with his sword and the other directly with his arm.


    Indeed, he caught Emmanuel''s wrist, preventing him from advancing another inch.


    The second dagger could almost touch Ytan''s neck at this point, but no matter how hard Emmanuel tried, it was no use.


    "Pitiful."


    As he said this, Ytan swept Emmanuelle''s legs, knocking him to the ground.


    Then he swung his sword straight at Emmanuel, ready to finish him off in one fell swoop.


    But at the same moment, Orvari stepped in and deflected Ytan''s sword, while Emmanuel rolled to the ground to get away.


    However, with his wounds, Orvari no longer had the strength he had at the start and was once again pushed back by Ytan.


    Ytan prepared to attack Orvari once more, but Emmanuel was already back. He arrived on his flank, urging him to defend himself.


    All the action was taking place at such phenomenal speed that an ordinary human would almost see it as a blur.


    Every mistake could cost the life of one of them.


    Not far away, the battle was taking a decisive turn.


    The 2,000 soldiers of the eighth regiment, supported by the survivors of the second, now dominated the remaining Dravaks.


    "This is Lieutenant Irigar of the eighth regiment, where are the lieutenants of the second regiment?"


    This lieutenant was the one responsible for managing the rescue of the soldiers from the second regiment.


    Hence the fact that he was trying to get information about the situation of the second regiment.


    His men had already taken the lead against the 1,000 Dravaks, giving the 300 men of the second human regiment a breather.


    Their help was no longer needed for the time being.


    "All the lieutenants of the second regiment are dead, Lieutenant Irigar."


    The lieutenant glanced at the young man who had just spoken. It was clear from his presence alone that he had the strength of a lieutenant.


    It wasn''t necessarily visible, but experienced men could feel it. It was called aura.


    "Who are you?"


    "Ernest, of the Saber-Toothed Tigers."


    The lieutenant was silent for a moment.


    "Saber-toothed Tigers? I thought the few surviving members of that mercenary group, including your leader, were all hospitalized after nearly decimating the eighth Dravak regiment and killing a Dravak with an awakened bloodline."


    After saying this, the lieutenant looked away at another part of the battlefield and thought:


    "But if these mysterious strongmen were his comrades, it wouldn''t be surprising."


    Obviously this lieutenant hadn''t been able to get the information from the command center, so he reflected on the elements he had at his disposal.


    "Lieutenant Irigar, I''m off to help my leader and comrades, take care of the soldiers of the second regiment."


    Ernest had taken time to speak with this lieutenant and say this simple sentence, because he really liked the mentality of the men of the second regiment.


    Not all human soldiers were as brave as they were.


    The lieutenant nodded in response.


    In any case, he was going to take care of the men of the second regiment, and he couldn''t control Ernest''s actions either.


    For ordinary mercenary groups, they were obviously integrated into the army so they could exert their strength and, above all, obtain more Eternity points.


    But for powerful mercenary groups like the Shibuya or the Saber-Tooth Tigers, he had absolutely no military power over them.


    Meanwhile, beside them, human war cries echoed through the air, accompanied by the pounding of assault rifles and the sporadic explosions of grenades.


    The Dravaks, though ferocious, found themselves overwhelmed by this lightning counter-offensive.


    In the distance, Maxime''s nine mercenaries were still fighting with terrifying efficiency. Their combined strength, amplified by their unique talents, was completely disorganizing the Dravak formations.


    And soon after that, the 1000 men of the eighth regiment, including two lieutenants, joined them, further increasing the pressure on the Dravaks and turning the area into a veritable massacre.


    But on the main front, all eyes were still on the battle between Orvari and Emmanuel against Ytan.


    The battle was reaching its climax.


    Every exchange between Ytan, Orvari and Emmanuel was a spectacle of speed and raw power, a duel where every mistake could be fatal.


    Around them, the soldiers on both sides had instinctively moved away, forming an informal circle.


    Ytan, enraged, growled in frustration. He knew that time was against him.


    Although he was an exceptional fighter, the minor injuries he was gradually accumulating were beginning to slow down his movements.


    For his part, Orvari, though wounded, continued to fight with almost inhuman resilience, while Emmanuel, with frightening agility and precision, pressed relentlessly. Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Do you really think your pathetic efforts will make a difference?" roared Ytan.


    He unleashed a powerful shockwave with his wings, forcing Emmanuel and Orvari back under the brute force of his attack.


    But the two captains didn''t give in. Orvari staggered slightly, gritting his teeth to ignore the pain tearing at his side, while Emmanuel, his gaze icy cold, advanced again, his two daggers ready to strike.


    "You talk too much, Captain." Emmanuel replied in a calm voice.


    "If you were really as powerful as you claim, you''d have defeated us by now."


    Ytan growled, his aura strengthening. His anger was increasing his power tenfold, but it was also beginning to sap his concentration. He had to end this before the human reinforcements converged on his position.


    He leapt forward with lightning force, aiming directly at Emmanuel''s heart.


    But the latter, with a fluid movement, dodged the attack and counter-attacked instantly, his blades aiming at Ytan''s wing joints. One of the daggers managed to nick Ytan''s neck.


    "Not deep enough" judged Emmanuel instantly.


    Ytan, furious at having so fearfully escaped death, swung his sword in a wild arc, forcing Emmanuel to throw himself backwards.


    However, Orvari took advantage of this opening to strike a direct blow with his own blade. The sword struck Ytan''s armor, and the blade managed to penetrate slightly, leaving a thin trail of purple blood.


    Ytan stepped back slightly, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His figure, though still imposing, was beginning to betray growing fatigue.


    But Orvari and Emmanuel were in no better shape, despite the impression they gave off.


    The fight was still at an impasse.


    Just then, as if everyone sensed something coming, they looked up to see a massive shadow approaching at high speed from the sky.


    Commander Vatar''s black wings briefly obscured the red light of the sky.


    Orvari felt his heart clench.


    "No, it''s..."


    Emmanuel immediately noticed Orvari''s reaction.


    "Is he a regimental captain?" asked Emmanuel, frowning.


    Orvari remained silent for a moment.


    Then he finally replied:


    "No, Emmanuel. It''s Commander Dravak himself who''s honoring us with his presence."

 Chapter 190 End of the war

    "No, Emmanuel. It''s Commander Dravak himself who honors us with his presence."


    When Orvari called the captain of the eighth regiment by his first name, it meant the situation was very serious indeed.


    And indeed, when Emmanuel heard the information, his hands trembled.


    "A...commander?"


    He knew just how disproportionately powerful Kavasta, the human commander, was, for he had already faced him several times in training.


    Kavasta, with one arm and no movement, could defeat him, the captain of the eighth regiment.


    In Emmanuel''s mind, Kavasta was a godlike figure, so much stronger than he was.


    Even if he spent decades more in Eternity, he couldn''t imagine a world where he could defeat Kavasta.


    So, if Commander Dravak wanted to act...no one would be able to hold him back.


    Dravus, standing off in the distance, unable to move further because of his wounds, looked at Vatar.


    He could feel his lineage reacting to Vatar''s, as if it were telling him to submit to him.


    He didn''t know his lineage''s own rank, but by feel, it had to be at least one rank lower than Vatar''s.


    Maxime looked up at this Dravak.


    At that moment, he had two thoughts.


    The first thought was that he literally felt like he was standing in front of a God. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    Compared to him, he was just a vulgar fraudster with a few rather pretty and impressive tricks up his sleeve.


    Her second thought was exactly that:


    "I wonder if one day I''ll be able to subdue him thanks to the [absolute contract]."


    He didn''t know why he was thinking this, but somehow it set him a new goal.


    At the same time, sensing Vatar''s threat and not knowing his intentions, Lieutenant Irigar of the second regiment ordered his 2,000 men to withdraw from the battle.


    The two other lieutenants present alongside Maxime also ordered the 1,000 soldiers of the second regiment to stop attacking and concentrate on the defensive.


    The Dravaks did not pursue the humans, as they knew they were in a very bad position at this stage.


    But with the arrival of their commander, their morale improved immediately.


    Vatar, with sinister majesty, landed on top of a small hill, his oppressive aura forcing even the bravest humans to back away instinctively.


    He stared at the two human captains with amused eyes.


    ...


    The command center was very quiet. No one knew how to react to Commander Dravak''s action.


    At the center of it all, Kavasta stared wide-eyed at the screens.


    He couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "It doesn''t make any sense!" he growled, his hands clenched on the metal table in front of him.


    "He knows very well that commanders have no right to intervene on the battlefield!"


    "Commander Kavasta, what do we do?!" asked an officer, his face pale with anguish.


    "If Vatar acts, the second and eighth regiments will be completely annihilated!"


    Kavasta''s thoughts swirled. He knew Vatar''s reputation. He wasn''t just a commander.


    He had a great reputation on yellow-level battlefields, and was a symbol of Dravak superiority.


    His presence on the battlefield wasn''t just a physical threat: it was a psychological blow.


    But Kavasta was not one to give in to fear. His eyes shone with a new determination.


    If something had to be done, he would do it himself.


    At the same time, on reflection, he felt that the situation wasn''t so bad, and that perhaps Vatar''s action was in fact an extreme measure because he felt he was going to lose.


    "Keep command of the fortress." he ordered one of his subordinates.


    "I''ll take charge of this matter." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Commander! You''re not going to... ! "


    But before anyone could stop him, Kavasta dashed out of the fortress.


    His stunned soldiers saw him leap from the ramparts at lightning speed. His silhouette disappeared almost instantly from the horizon.


    Back on the battlefield, Vatar stood in the middle of the carnage, motionless, like a king contemplating his kingdom.


    His presence alone was enough to impose a heavy silence. The human soldiers, who only moments earlier had been fighting fiercely, remained frozen.


    Only rain and lightning could now be heard.


    Even the Dravaks stood completely still, as if observing the scene, galvanized by the presence of their leader.


    "What''s a commander doing here?"


    Orvari''s voice carried across the battlefield.


    Vatar turned his gaze to Orvari.


    Then, without saying a word, he pointed his hand at Orvari.


    "Is a small human insect worthy of asking questions of a being superior to him?"


    As Vatar finished speaking, a ball of energy grew very rapidly in front of Vatar''s hand, until it reached a diameter of 5 meters.


    Maxime, who was still standing on the ground, felt immense pressure coming from this ball.


    "What''s that? If it hits us, we''re all dead without a doubt."


    While Maxime watched this ball of energy, Vatar, with his index finger and thumb, formed a circle.


    Then, as if balancing a piece of paper, he did the same with the terrifying ball of energy.


    It teleported almost directly onto Orvari, such was its speed!


    Orvari, who was the target, looked at the ball of energy coming towards him.


    "I''m dead!"


    "This madman has truly dared to transgress the rules set by the gods!


    But a figure stepped in front of him at the last moment.


    He stretched out both arms, his two daggers still held in his hands, as if welcoming this ball of energy.


    "Manu!"


    Orvari was stunned.


    Indeed, the captain of the eighth regiment was standing before him!


    "Take care of my children for me, Riri."


    Orvari thought back to all the years he had spent with Emmanuel at that moment.


    The history between Orvari and Emmanuel actually dated back to university.


    The two of them had joined a top university in the Western Federation, home to many geniuses.


    At first, they both thought they''d always be at the top, just like in high school.


    But student battles soon broke out to establish rankings, and before long they had to face the truth.


    They were only slightly above average among all these students, and barely in the top 200 of the more than 1,000 freshmen at this university.


    Being in the top 200 meant they were both entitled to an apartment with a single roommate on campus.


    After the top 200, they were all 4-person shared rooms with shared kitchens, bathrooms and toilets.


    So they had both narrowly secured preferential treatment by getting an all-inclusive apartment.


    As luck would have it, they became roommates and shared the same room. In fact, the apartment had only one bedroom.


    So, for 5 years at university, they had studied and slept in the same room as roommates.


    Of course, over the years, they had been challenged by other students who wanted to be ranked with them.


    But because they trained so often together, not only did they not drop in the rankings, but they even moved up a few places each year.


    In the academy, they also had their own reputation, given the strange duo they formed.


    One looked like an emotionless brute, the other like a fragile intellectual.


    As a result, the two joined the army together, and rose through the ranks together.


    It had already been 20 years since they joined the army, and the years spent together had deepened their relationship.


    Meanwhile, Emmanuel had married and had two children. Orvari hadn''t been so lucky, and was still single at the age of 40, despite the fact that he''d been a couple on numerous occasions.


    Orvari was godfather to both children, which is how much Emmanuel trusted Orvari.


    And they spent so much time together that Orvari regarded Emmanuel''s children almost as his own.


    So when he saw Emmanuel stand in front of him, facing this monstrous ball of energy, fear flashed across his face.


    This phrase seemed to echo in his mind:


    "Take care of my children for me, Riri."


    Only Emmanuel dared call her that, and he was also her only true friend in this life.


    It all happened in slow motion, taking less than a tenth of a second.


    Then the ball landed on Emmanuel and exploded.


    The explosion shook the entire battlefield.


    The shockwave ripped through the air, projecting waves of pure energy that swept away everything in their path.


    The ground cracked under the intensity of the explosion, kicking up a storm of dust and rubble. For a moment, everything seemed to disappear in an incandescent fog.


    Orvari, wide-eyed, was thrown backwards.


    His body collided violently with the ground, but he paid no heed and rose quickly to his feet.


    "Manu...fuck...Manu, tell me you''re still alive."


    The crash of the explosion faded slowly, giving way to a deathly silence. The soldiers, both human and Dravak, stood transfixed, stunned by the scene that had just unfolded before their eyes.


    Maxime, who was watching the scene, felt very small in the face of such a display of power.


    "What the hell is this? If he can do that over and over again, he could easily destroy a city..."


    No matter how crazy Maxime was, he knew very well that he could never face such an existence in his current state.


    At the same time, where the captain of the eighth regiment had stood a moment earlier, all that remained was a gaping crater, from which a few wisps of black smoke were still billowing.


    "No..." murmured Orvari, his fists clenching.


    His heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to sit up. He couldn''t accept this reality. Emmanuel couldn''t be dead. Not like this. Not before his eyes.

 Chapter 191 Debriefing

    His heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to sit up. He couldn''t accept this reality. Emmanuel couldn''t be dead. Not like this. Not before his eyes.


    Through the black smoke, a flash of light suddenly drew his gaze to the center of the crater.


    Gradually, a silhouette stood upright, flickering but present.


    The soldiers of the Eighth Regiment, who could see the scene, all held their breath. They all had great respect for their captain, so they all hoped their captain had survived.


    When the dust cleared completely, Orvari was finally able to see what he had both feared and hoped for.


    Emmanuel was standing there, his arms still outstretched and his hands still firmly gripping his two daggers.


    His green uniform, covered in dark leaf patterns, was torn, his glasses were broken, his skin bore the marks of severe burns, and blood flowed profusely from several wounds.


    Yet he was alive and well.


    Around him, luminous fragments floated in the air, remnants of an energy barrier he had manifested at the last moment.


    "Manu!" shouted Orvari, rushing towards him.


    Emmanuel staggered and collapsed on one knee, gasping for breath. His gaze met Orvari''s, and a weak but determined smile spread across his face.


    "I... held on..." he struggled to articulate.


    Orvari appeared at his side with a smile.


    "How did you do it, you bastard?"


    Ernest smiled slightly.


    "My two daggers...They were made by magicians from the world of Eternity...And they had inscribed a level 0 spell on each of the two daggers."


    "Once...activated together...it produces a level 1 spell..."


    Orvari was surprised.


    Spells in the world of Eternity were extremely rare, and only truly powerful players could hope to make contact with magic.


    Emmanuel had been very lucky to acquire such treasures.


    But that no longer mattered.


    "Don''t ever say I look after your children again, you bastard."


    Emmanuel laughed with some difficulty.


    "I had no choice...until now I''d never activated those spells..."


    Meanwhile, Vatar watched them sitting on top of a hill, arms crossed, his expression marked by mild amusement.


    "Impressive. You survived." he declared in a detached tone.


    "I wonder if you could survive a second explosion?


    At the same time, a ball of energy even larger than the previous one appeared.


    Orvari instinctively stepped in front of Emmanuel, drawing his sword despite the certainty that he would be no match for such a monster.


    He didn''t have a spell.


    But he was no coward who would abandon his comrades.


    Vatar watched the scene with malicious pleasure.


    As before, he made a gesture similar to the one before, and threw the energy ball at the two regimental captains, as if he were throwing away common garbage.


    Just then, a rumbling sound was heard in the distance.


    A shadow split the sky at lightning speed. A flash of light crossed the battlefield, and in an instant, a silhouette appeared between them and Vatar.


    Kavasta had just arrived.


    And as soon as he arrived, he sliced Vatar''s energy ball in two with his sword, before sheathing it.


    The energy ball exploded immediately, but Kavasta escaped unharmed.


    Silence fell over the battlefield as all eyes turned to the newcomer.


    The Dravaks themselves recoiled at the human''s actions.


    "You''ve done enough, Vatar."


    Kavasta wore a very serious face, and flashes of lightning burst around him.


    This time, Vatar no longer wore the same expression of amusement.


    "Kavasta...so you''re the human commander on this battlefield."


    Commanders of each race were not that numerous, and those who were exceptional were well known.


    Kavasta didn''t reply to Vatar.


    Without showing any particular emotion, he announced:


    "Since you have flouted the rule of the Gods, I will sanction you in the name of the Gods of the Omega universe."


    Vatar squinted, sensing that something was wrong. And indeed, before he could react, Kavasta disappeared.


    Like a bolt of lightning, Kavasta''s silhouette split the battlefield.


    A titanic shock shook the air as Kavasta reappeared right in front of Vatar, his lightning-encircled fist crashing violently into Vatar''s torso.


    The resulting shockwave pulverized the ground beneath them, sending many Dravak soldiers flying nearby like leaves in a storm.


    Vatar, meanwhile, was sent hurtling across the battlefield.


    His body ripped through the ground for several hundred meters before crashing into a rocky mountain in the distance, shaking the earth.


    There was total silence.


    The Dravaks stared at the scene, transfixed.


    Kavasta, still standing, calmly looked up at the enemy army.


    His voice, filled with absolute authority, echoed across the battlefield:


    "Lay down your arms."


    At first, the Dravaks didn''t react. They couldn''t believe that their commander, previously so majestic, could be so easily defeated.


    "Your commander is defeated. Lay down your arms, I won''t say it a third time."


    The Dravaks, deprived of their commander and faced with a monster far beyond their comprehension, finally understood that all resistance was futile.


    The first ones dropped their weapons. Then, little by little, the entire Dravak army surrendered.


    Kavasta glanced at Vatar, who was still embedded in the mountain without showing the slightest movement.


    Then he ignored him.


    The fight was over.


    Maxime was still stunned by the scene.


    "The war ended just like that?"


    ...


    The next day arrived quickly.


    Maxime, in a spacious room that had been allocated to him, was slowly waking up.


    He was shirtless, wearing only shorts under the covers.


    "I still can''t believe what happened yesterday."


    He thought back to Kavasta''s silhouette surrounded by lightning, defeating Vatar with a single punch. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That guy, is he really dead?"


    Maxime didn''t know, no one knew except the Dravaks remaining in their fortress and Kavasta himself.


    But Maxime knew there weren''t many left.


    The first Dravak regiment was captured by Commander Kavasta himself, the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth regiments all decided to surrender, while the eighth Dravak regiment had been almost totally eradicated.


    "So the war is over."


    Come to think of it, in just two days he''d already nearly died several times. And even having survived, he emerged with burns all over his body and a wound in his soul.


    He began to have a deep respect for these soldiers who had managed to survive for years on this kind of battlefield.


    Of course, he didn''t know that the vast majority of the time, battlefields weren''t that violent at all.


    It was just the occasional skirmish.


    It was practically only the Dravaks who were so keen on war and victory on such battlefields, for it was only in such circumstances that members of their species could foster the appearance of Dravaks with awakened bloodlines.


    Maxime touched his chest.


    The same place where only the day before, it had burned him to the point where he felt like banging his head against the floor.


    Now, there was just a very slight discomfort, but only when he was paying attention.


    "Fortunately, the soul injury simply prevents me from using [Nox Limit] again, if I''d lost some of my physical strength..."


    "I''d rather not even think about it..."


    Especially when thinking about something in particular.


    Maxime did a little mental calculation, and knew that the university competition was only 4 months away.


    "I wonder if in my current state, I''m already the strongest high school student, or if there are other extremely strong high school students?"


    While thinking about this, he began to stretch slowly in bed, his aching muscles reminding him of the previous day''s fights.


    He sat up with difficulty, his whole body aching from the previous day''s fighting.


    Particularly his upper body, where Ytan had left him a long, beautiful scar.


    Of course it was ironic, this scar was beyond frightening and would take a long time to heal.


    He didn''t know if Viviana''s talent could make burns and scars disappear, but for the moment it didn''t seem to be the case.


    But by now Maxime was used to wounds, so he didn''t pay any more attention than that.


    It was just that when he returned to class, his classmates might be startled to see the burn on his face.


    Straightening up, he glanced towards the wide window of his bedroom. Outside, the morning sun bathed the human camp in a peaceful light, contrasting with the hell that had been the battlefield.


    He heaved a sigh as he thought back over the events.


    Kavasta, surrounded by lightning, sweeping Vatar away with a single punch... followed by the Dravaks'' sudden surrender... It was all over so quickly he could hardly believe it.


    Suddenly, a discreet knock on the door drew him from his thoughts.


    "Maxime, are you awake?"


    He looked quickly in the direction of the door, having a little doubt as to who the person was.


    "Captain Orvari?"


    The voice behind echoed again.


    "It''s me, can I come in?"


    Maxime didn''t care that he''d only just woken up. He was literally living with his men in Eternity, so he didn''t have much modesty left.


    "Yes, you can come in."


    Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    The man entered the room, arms crossed, his gaze scanning Maxime as if to make sure he was still standing.


    "Sleep well?" he asked with a very slight, barely perceptible smile.


    Maxime rolled his eyes.


    "Complicated with my injuries, but a few hours is enough."


    Orvari nodded, as if he understood perfectly.


    "The commander wants to see you as soon as possible."


    Maxime raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    "What''s this about?"


    "I don''t know."


    Maxime rose with a grimace, grabbed a clean uniform and quickly donned his gear.


    His body was screaming at him to stay at rest, but his instincts told him that Kavasta wasn''t calling for a mere formality.


    On his way out of the room, he spotted Emmanuel, leaning against a wall with a bandage around his head and one arm in a sling. Despite his condition, he was smiling happily.


    Maxime took one look at him and easily recognized him. It was hard not to remember after seeing the scene where he took a gigantic ball of energy head-on.


    "You''re the captain of the eighth regiment, aren''t you?"


    Emmanuel nodded.


    "You can call me, Emmanuel."


    At the same time, he continued taking a more serious look.


    "If Kavasta summons you, it''s never to talk about rain or shine," he said, half seriously and half jokingly.


    Maxime didn''t reply, although he had become more curious.


    He followed Orvari and Emmanuel to the command room.


    When they entered, Kavasta was already there, standing in front of a holographic map projecting a map of the fortress''s surroundings. He didn''t even look up when he heard them enter.


    "Close the door", he ordered simply.


    Maxime obeyed immediately, without saying a word.


    He was no longer as frivolous as the first time he''d entered this room.


    He now knew the power of the man who was standing there observing the holographic map, so naturally he wouldn''t play the fool in front of him.


    So Maxime and the two regimental captains stood in front of the door, no one daring to say anything.

 Chapter 192 A precious gift with a deep secret

    The three men stood in front of the door, none of them daring to say anything.


    After a few seconds, Kavasta finally looked up.


    "Orvari, Emmanuel, you''re both out. Thank you for bringing Maxime here."


    The two captains saluted militarily, then left.


    Now there was only Maxime and Kavasta in the room.


    Kavasta looked at Maxime very seriously, putting some pressure on him.


    Then suddenly he laughed lightly, breaking the tension, and sat back in his armchair.


    "Relax, I''ve called you in just to discuss a few things."


    After he said that, Maxime took his words to heart.


    He sat comfortably in one of the armchairs, normally reserved for regimental captains.


    "Oh, they''re super comfortable."


    Kavasta looked optimistically at Maxime.


    As far as he knew, he didn''t know of any high school student with such frightening strength as the young man in front of him.


    Without a doubt, he was one of mankind''s hopes for a way out of their current dilemma.


    But this kind of thing was about the future, and humanity already had many hidden geniuses with this responsibility on their shoulders.


    "Commander, can I ask you a question?"


    Kavasta wasn''t particularly surprised. Let alone a single question, he wouldn''t find it surprising if Maxime assailed him with questions for hours.


    Worlds concerning the truths about Eternity, about universes, about Gods, or even these dimensional battlefields were well hidden from the general public.


    "Ask any question you wish, and I''ll answer it according to the confidentiality characters of that question."


    Maxime looked seriously at the commander.


    "Commander Dravak, is he still alive?"


    Kavasta thought for a moment before answering.


    "He is."


    Maxime wasn''t surprised; he found it very surprising that a commander could die so easily.


    Seeing the questions coming, Kavasta beat him to it and began to explain the circumstances.


    "You need to know that every person who can become a commander on a battlefield has to pass a number of tests. And only those who pass these tests can become a commander. And generally speaking, the success rate of these tests in each race is less than 1%."


    "After these tests, all commanders undergo training and education for several months to several years, depending on the race."


    "So no commander is an idiot. On top of that, all of them already have very significant combat experience and have commanded men many times before."


    "Now, I imagine you have many questions that will follow."


    Maxime nodded.


    "I learned very quickly that commanders were not allowed to intervene in battles. They were only allowed to supervise battles."


    "Then why did Commander Dravak intervene?"


    Kavasta smiled.


    "Because of you."


    Maxime was confused.


    "Because of me?"


    Kavasta nodded.


    "At the cost of just two groups of human mercenaries, a Dravak regiment was all but wiped out. Only the captain and a few hundred soldiers survived."


    "To wit, mercenary groups are relatively rare for most races. That''s because many of them prefer to have total control over dimensional battlefields, and they''re not necessarily wrong."


    "And so do the Dravaks."


    Maxime understood quickly.


    "So they found themselves outnumbered."


    "That''s right, and I exploited this inferiority directly," Kavasta explained, not at all proud of it.


    "But I think Vatar still didn''t think he''d be defeated, and it was true. The Dravaks really are a powerful race, and even outnumbered, they almost turned the tables completely."


    "I didn''t think they''d manage to isolate the second regiment and totally block the other regiments nearby."


    "In practical terms, if you hadn''t managed to get there in time to save the second regiment, Orvari and all his men would have died."


    At this point, Kavasta stood up and bowed sincerely in Maxime''s direction.


    "Thank you so much for saving my men."


    Maxime was stunned to see Kavasta bowing in his direction.


    "You don''t need to thank me, Orvari had rescued me too. So it was natural for me to go."


    Kavasta stood up and shook his head.


    "It wasn''t the same circumstances and stakes at all."


    "But no matter. Noticing your intervention, and surprises you were revealing one after another, Vatar understood that because of your presence and also guessing that the eighth or ninth human regiment was on its way, the Daraks were going to lose their entire second regiment, in addition to the captain of the eighth regiment."


    "I think he was analyzing that the loss of these two regiments would inevitably lead to the defeat of the Dravaks. So he preferred to try and eliminate one or two human regiment captains using power that didn''t defy the rules, then abandon that battlefield so that as many Dravaks as possible could survive."


    But Maxime was still confused.


    "But he''s still going to receive an extremely heavy punishment, isn''t he?"


    Kavasta sighed softly.


    "Depends on how you look at it. He''ll simply be banned from ever commanding a yellow-level battlefield again."


    "For him it will be annoying because yellow-level battlefields are lucrative for commanders and above all they''re safe for them."


    Maxime was disappointed to hear this, but he still had a question on his mind.


    "What about the Dravaks still alive? What''s going to happen?"


    A glint of approval flickered in Kavasta''s eyes as he silently analyzed Maxime.


    "Paying attention to all sorts of details and being curious are fundamental qualities in a commander. I can''t wait to see how he does in the competitive examination and at university."


    Then he answered Maxime.


    "On yellow-level battlefields, it''s customary to leave prisoners alive, whether on the human side or other races. Because when the dimensional battlefield calculates the merits of each race, having prisoners rewards more than killing the opponent."


    "And especially since for the strong races, their members who go to these battlefields aren''t really important. Only the commander is valuable to these races, the others are generally cannon fodder."


    "And cannon fodder these races have plenty of. So killing them isn''t profitable at all, it''s better to win rewards from the dimensional battlefield to improve the quality of our men. If some of them can thanks to that and get the strength to go to black-level battlefields, it would be much more profitable for us."


    "There are still several other reasons, but in your situation, it''s enough to know these things."


    Maxime listened attentively, and felt his understanding of warfare on these dimensional battlefields improve.


    "You speak several times of the dimensional battlefield and the rewards it gives to each race...Is there some kind of higher existence that manages these battlefields?"


    "And more importantly, where do these battlefields come from? Who created them?"


    Kavasta''s brows furrowed at these questions.


    "Well, to be honest, even I don''t know the answer to those questions."


    "Even a genius like Kavasta doesn''t know? I wonder what status it takes to know these truths..." thought Maxime with some doubt. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    "Come on, no more questions. The truth is, I didn''t bring you here just to chat when I know for a fact you''re hurt."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow in curiosity, simply watching as Kavasta walked past a previously inconspicuous cabinet in the meeting room.


    This cabinet, obviously built of wood, looked very vintage in this technology-filled room.


    "What are you doing, Commander?"


    Kavasta replied simply:


    "You''ll see, I''m going to give you a beautiful gift to thank you. In fact, it''s a very nice gift."


    "It''s also an investment I''m making in you, otherwise I''d have taken it for myself."


    Maxime felt strange at the idea of receiving a gift, but he didn''t ask for more details.


    Kavasta placed his hand on the cabinet, and suddenly a translucent blue screen appeared where his hand had been resting.


    After a few seconds, the blue screen disappeared, followed by a small unlocking noise.


    Kavasta opened the cupboard and seemed to be looking for something in particular.


    Maxime was curious about what was in the cupboard, but from his position he couldn''t see anything.


    And he didn''t dare get up to look.


    "Great, it''s still there."


    Suddenly, Kavasta stepped back with a small black box in his hands.


    The cupboard behind him closed automatically.


    Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Maxime would never have believed that such an ordinary cabinet could be so secure and high-tech.


    At the same time, Maxime watched as Kavasta placed the box right in front of him.


    Then Kavasta put on a very serious and solemn expression.


    "Maxime, before you open this box, you must promise me that everything you see and everything we say to each other here will not leave this room."


    "I promise that everything that takes place in this room will stay in this room."


    Maxime had no hesitation in his words.


    Kavasta nodded with satisfaction, and left to sit in an armchair next to Maxime.


    "Before you open that box, I''m going to tell you a truth you normally only learn at the top universities. Because what you''re about to open has something to do with that truth."


    Maxime became very intrigued.


    He already knew a lot of things, and now here was something he didn''t know?


    "I feel like the more I find out about this world, the less I know."


    Kavasta opened his lips and spoke exactly 3 words.


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 Chapter 193 New class!

    Kavasta opened his lips and uttered exactly 3 words.


    "Pay-to-win."


    "Does that mean anything to you?"


    Maxime didn''t understand, but his brain was firing on all cylinders.


    "Pay-to-win? A term used in video games?"


    "But what''s that got to do with Eternity..."


    Then suddenly he began to make the connection, though he didn''t quite believe what he was thinking.


    Kavasta noticed his change of expression and smiled.


    "Eternity is a pay-to-win game."


    For a moment Maxime didn''t react.


    Or rather, he didn''t know how to react, so difficult was the information to absorb. It was something he''d never have imagined without being told.


    "A pay-to-win game?"


    "That''s right."


    Silence settled in the room.


    "How could Eternity be a pay-to-win game?" asked Maxime.


    He already knew that Eternity was a real world, and that was precisely what made any attempt at cheating or the like complicated.


    What methods in the real world could give advantages in Eternity?


    "Open the box first, and then I''ll explain."


    Maxime swallowed and slowly lowered his eyes to the black box in front of him. It seemed banal in appearance, with no engravings or ornaments, and yet something about its weight and texture exuded a certain importance.


    He placed his fingers on the lid. The material was cool and smooth, slightly rough under his palms. He pressed gently, looking for an opening mechanism.


    "Don''t look too hard, there''s a slot in the middle. Just lift that slot."


    Maxime was a little embarrassed, there were so many high-tech objects around that he thought this box, containing a precious secret, had to have a security.


    But no, it was like opening a small jewelry box.


    The lid slowly lifted, revealing a dark interior. No lights, no special effects. Just a simple card lying inside.


    Maxime squinted, expecting to see something more... impressive.


    "A map?"


    Kavasta said nothing, and simply watched with a smile.


    Maxime reached out and gently took it. The paper was thick, slightly grainy, giving off a strange sensation between ancient and modern.


    It looked very precious, particularly because of the very realistic drawing on the card.


    Maxime even wondered if it wasn''t a photo.


    The picture showed a kindly-looking old man surrounded by numerous small animals that seemed to want to cling to him. The scenery suggested a forest.


    This image somehow soothed Maxime''s mind, and made him feel good.


    At the same time, he was asking himself a multitude of questions.


    How could this card be used, and what effects did it have?


    How had it appeared or been made?


    As he turned the card over between his fingers, a sound suddenly rang in his mind.


    Ding!


    [Detected that a 4-star "class" card is in your hands].


    [Would you like to absorb it?]


    [Yes/No].


    Maxime froze.


    This was the first time the system had sounded, even though it had nothing to do with his talent or when he was due to join Eternity.


    Kavasta, still seated opposite him, crossed his arms with a smirk.


    "You just got the notification, didn''t you?"


    "Yes...it says it''s a four-star ''class'' type card."


    Kavasta smiled with some satisfaction. He was enjoying seeing the confusion on Maxime''s face.


    When he''d received his first card, which was just a 2-star resource card provided by his university, he''d also been very surprised.


    "So what do you think?"


    Maxime hesitated.


    "Don''t tell me it lets you unlock a rare class without spending any experience?"


    As far as he knew, Maxime only knew about common, uncommon and rare classes.


    The common ones being generally the swordsman, spearman and archer classes.


    This was a general estimate. Maxime''s class, in particular, could not be common because it was already level 9, and had not reached its limit.


    The limit for common classes is generally from level 7 to level 9.


    Uncommon classes included riders and commanders, as well as classes related to money-making professions such as merchants, blacksmiths and so on.


    They were classified here because, in a world where earning money was the extent to which strength could grow, it was bound to be very useful.


    Level limits for uncommon combat classes ranged from level 9 to level 12, while non-combat professions generally had the same limit as common classes.


    And finally, there were the rare classes, which possessed unique and very powerful characteristics. There were usually very powerful talents associated with them, such as the Berserker class, which gave fearsome strength bonuses as the user''s wounds worsened!


    Such was the case with Samuel, Maxime''s best friend on Earth!


    "A rare class?"


    Kavasta felt like laughing upon hearing this.


    "Tell yourself that a 4-star card is even rarer and, above all, far more valuable than a mercenary with 5-star potential who might be under your command."


    As he said this, Maxime''s curiosity burned at its peak.


    Although he had two mercenaries with 6-star potential, who were Langus and Kaite, it was only thanks to his talent that he was able to increase the potential of his mercenaries by two stars.


    In fact, he wondered if his talent had any effect on Dravus...


    But he''d decided to look into that later.


    Especially since Kavasta''s reason for saying this was that this card must have cost an immense fortune!


    Because a mercenary with 5-star potential was usually a great knight, or had the potential to have strength similar to that of a great knight!


    This was the kind of person qualified to become a duke in Eternity! The easiest was to become an earl, since the higher ranks of nobility also required men of grand chevalier level under his command.


    And Kavasta said this card was even more valuable than one individual of that level under orders!


    "Can you tell me what this card is, Commander?"


    "Trust me and use the card. It''s my gift so don''t worry, it''s really a very good thing for you."


    Maxime breathed in, then decided to listen to Kavasta.


    [Detected that a 4-star "class" card is in your hands].


    [Would you like to absorb the 4-star "class" card in your hands?]


    [Yes/No.]


    "Yes, absorb the 4-star ''class'' card."


    As he finished confirming, the watch hanging on his left wrist glowed, as did the card in his hands.


    Then, little by little, the card in his hands evaporated into thousands of white lights.


    From then on, countless notification panels appeared one after the other in front of Maxime.


    Maxime took the time to read each one.


    [Unlock the ''Beast Tamer'' class].


    "Beast tamer?"


    "That sounds really great."


    Maxime was really happy, because it was every self-respecting warrior''s dream to be able to fight alongside powerful, loyal animals.


    They were also far more reliable than the mercenaries recruited in Eternity.


    After all, changes in the human heart are probably the hardest thing to predict.


    [Unlock new skill]


    [Bestial Bond: Allows you to establish a bond between the host and an animal].


    "Basic skill of the new class, and the most important I imagine."


    "It''s good that it''s given from the start."


    [Unlocking a new skill]


    [Rest: A mental space reserved for animals with a link to you. They can rest, eat, drink and sleep inside].


    "Now that''s pretty amazing."


    This had a rather practical aspect for traveling, but also for keeping animals as an asset in future battle. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he watched the notification, he felt a space in his mind opening up.


    But for the moment, he couldn''t say what this space looked like, or how big it was.


    "It''s really a strange feeling, a bit like the sensation of having a new organ and not being able to feel it anymore."


    But he was happy.


    He looked at the last notification panel.


    [Unlock new statistic]


    "A new statistic?"


    [Bestiality: Unique to the Beast Tamer class. Influences the number of beasts you can link to you simultaneously as well as some of the class-related skills].


    "A very important new stat. If I understand correctly, as long as I have enough points in this stat, I''ll be able to contract animals ad infinitum?"


    "This literally represents the power to build an animal army as long as the stat is high enough."


    But just as these were to be the only notifications, a familiar sound rang out again startling Maxime.


    Ding!


    "Isn''t it over?"


    More notification panels began to appear in front of Maxime.


    [Your talent [Nox Limit] influences your new class].


    [You''re unlocking a new talent!]


    "What''s that?"


    "A new talent?"


    Maxime was more than surprised.


    [Zero Limit (Legendary): Spend gold to improve your beasts'' bloodline]


    "What''s that?"


    "What''s this totally cheated talent?"


    Maxime understood that it was a derivative of his main talent [Nox Limit], but he still couldn''t figure it out.


    "A simple reaction to the opening of a class allows you to have a talent of legendary rank?"


    Especially since this talent was well worthy of being legendary!


    With this, even if he couldn''t find a powerful beast, he could simply take a random beast and turn it into a demonic existence!


    This directly solved the problem at the root of his new class!


    Otherwise, if he had to regularly replace the beasts that followed him because they were too weak and endowed with limited potential, he''d be heartbroken every time.


    Kavasta, standing next to him, could only see the excitement in Maxime''s eyes. But he himself thought it was only due to the fact that he''d obtained a new class, and a very strong one at that.


    Little did he know that obtaining this class would cause a chain reaction because of the talents Maxime originally possessed.


    Ding! Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "Isn''t it over yet?"


    Maxime was at a loss for words to describe this bewildering situation.


    [Your talent [Life Awakening] influences your new class!]


    [You get a new skill!]

 Chapter 194 The aura of heroes

    [You get a new skill!]


    [Healing space: The special space in your mind has healing properties. As long as the wound is not fatal, the animal will not die].


    "A lifesaving measure forming a nice synergy with [Zero Limit]."


    With this, Maxime thought he would hesitate less before spending gold to improve the bloodlines of his future comrades.


    [Healing Space] was the last of the notifications, so Maxime could finally breathe in the ocean of all this information.


    Noticing that Maxime was finally raising his head, Kavasta was curious.


    "So, which class did you wake up?"


    Maxime had nothing to hide from the man who had given him this opportunity.


    "Beast tamer."


    "Beast tamer? That actually ties in with the hypotheses I had concerning this class," Kavasta commented aloud, still thinking.


    "In any case, congratulations Maxime on obtaining an epic-level class." he continued with a sincere smile.


    But Maxime was confused.


    He''d never heard of an epic-level class.


    "Um...what exactly is an epic-level class? I imagine it''s better than the rare level classes?"


    Kavasta looked at Maxime strangely.


    As if thinking: "Where did this genius come from? Doesn''t he even know this kind of basic information?"


    "Of course it''s better than the rare class. It''s even much better than a rare class." Kavasta explained.


    Seeing Maxime''s still confused look, Kavasta sighed and continued to explain.


    He never thought he''d one day be a teacher for a high school student.


    "It''s true that for ordinary high school students, it''s complicated to know this kind of thing." he finally admitted after some thought.


    He was just too used to young people from rich and noble families during his university studies.


    These young people had been trained since childhood, both in terms of combat skills but also in terms of knowledge.


    Some even knew about dimensional battlefields from a very early age, whereas most ordinary people were unaware of them all their lives.


    He himself came from a wealthy, noble family, so it seemed like something obvious to him.


    "Let me explain. Most people know that there are 3 ranks of class. That is, ordinary, uncommon and rare."


    Maxime nodded.


    Apart from the fact that the second rank could also be called "uncommon", it was no different from what he knew.


    "But as far as I know, there are still two other ranks above this class."


    "These are the epic rank classes, and the legendary rank classes."


    "Regarding their rarity...if there were only 1000 players holding a rare class, then there would only be one player holding an epic rank class."


    "These classes are so rare, that even in the Western Federation, which has over 100 million inhabitants, there can''t be more than 10,000 people who have one, or 0.01% of the population."


    On hearing this, Maxime became much more grateful to Kavasta. The card Kavasta had given him could literally create a genius. No doubt many wealthy families would be prepared to spend huge sums to acquire such a thing.


    So without waiting for Kavasta to finish his explanation, Maxime stood up and bowed to Kavasta.


    "Thank you very much, Commander."


    Kavasta smiled again, still seated in an armchair next to Maxime, the meeting room table, separating the two slightly.


    "I told you, it''s a gift but also an investment."


    "If you die early in the future or waste your time in Eternity, it''s a gift..."


    Kavasta left a short silence.


    "But if you become strong one day, then I hope you''ll protect the Western Federation."


    When he said this, Kavasta was dead serious.


    "Too many strong men, because they''re afraid of death, never leave their homes. It''s because of these people that humanity now finds itself in such a situation."


    Just thinking about it made Kavasta''s blood boil. Too many of the faces he knew at university were just cowards.


    He despised them deeply.


    Their only goals were to enjoy life in Eternity after acquiring a certain level of strength, as well as to achieve good status in the real world.


    Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    These people had no gratitude for the resources they had received from the university and the Federation. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he quickly pulled himself together.


    At the same time, Maxime nodded, his eyes very serious.


    For him, words here were useless. His actions would speak for him.


    And Kavasta didn''t care. He thought that if, when he was still in high school, he dared to go into such a dangerous battlefield, then the young man in front of him was no coward.


    In addition to the actions he''d taken on the battlefield, Kavasta didn''t think he was taking any risks by making this investment.


    Or the only risk was that the young man was a little too impulsive and fearless, and might die because he rushed in again, without thinking.


    "Coming back to the explanations, epic classes are not only rare, they''re also much stronger than rare classes, both in terms of skills, talents, stat points provided and in terms of potential. Most of them can reach level 20."


    At the end of her sentence, Kavasta gave an intriguing smile.


    "Reaching level 20 of an epic class is enough to be eligible to become the commander of a Yellow-level battlefield or participate in Earth-level battlefields."


    This information intrigued Maxime.


    "And you commander, I imagine you have at least an epic rank class, what level are you?" asked Maxime, very intrigued.


    As he asked this question, Maxime felt small.


    His base class was supposed to be common rank, and it was only level 9.


    He still had a long way to go, despite the fact that he was already very powerful on a yellow-level battlefield.


    But that didn''t demotivate him at all; on the contrary, his determination to get stronger was only renewed and stronger.


    He even thought he should pick up the pace in Eternity and take a few risks to get more gold to get stronger, faster.


    "Secret defense, I can''t tell you." replied Kavasta, shaking his head.


    "And what about the legendary rank classes?" questioned Maxime.


    He wondered if one day he''d be able to get one himself.


    As if guessing Maxime''s thoughts, Kavasta said:


    "Don''t think too much about it. Legendary rank classes depend only on chance and fate. They can''t be researched."


    "To tell you a little more, legendary rank classes are so rare that even in the entire Western Federation, their holders can be counted on the fingers of one hand."


    "It is said that in the whole of the Earth, less than 200 people possess one."


    "And these people are also part of a ranking that references the strongest humans in the world."


    "But that''s still a bit far for you, you''ll learn about that sort of thing later..." finished Kavasta''s explanation.


    But Maxime didn''t react; he was thinking about something in particular, which had nothing to do with the conversation.


    "Hey, can I talk to you about something, Commandant?" he finally asked.


    Kavasta was surprised and curious.


    Maxime''s tone seemed totally different from before.


    As if he were hesitant...


    And seeing Maxime in this state really intrigued him.


    Because when the young man in front of him asked for two helicopters to save the second regiment, there was absolutely no trace of hesitation!


    "Yes, tell me?"


    Maxime looked him straight in the eye, and asked this question:


    "Commander, have you ever fallen in love with a woman in Eternity?"


    Kavasta looked at Maxime with a smile understandable from man to man.


    He thought:


    "So that''s it..."


    The vast majority of men on Earth who had a watch ended up falling ,one day or another, into the arms of a woman in Eternity.


    "Of course. It happens almost inevitably, after all in Eternity you''re out almost all the time, either traveling or chatting with other people."


    "It''s not like in the real world where there''s the internet, technology, work and many other things that encourage solitude."


    Maxime didn''t change his expression, this kind of thing he''d already thought about.


    But that wasn''t his question.


    "And have you ever cheated on one or more women in Eternity?"


    Kavasta was surprised by Maxime''s questions.


    "Sounds like he''s regretting something..." he thought.


    "If I''ve ever cheated, eh..."


    "Yes, I have."


    Maxime was curious.


    He was someone with values, but his values clashed with those of the world of Eternity.


    Even having cheated on Laura, he took no pleasure in it after reflecting on it, and even regretted it.


    He knew that in the world of Eternity, sex was much less taboo than in the real world, and that cheating was even much less serious than stealing food.


    This was because the mores were simply different.


    Where it was in line with the real world was that, in the context of a marriage, deception was also really serious.


    But with Eternity''s mores, he always wondered if he wasn''t open-minded enough.


    And to get an answer to his questions, he decided to talk directly to Kavasta.


    "And so, does the woman know that you had cheated on her with others?"


    Kavasta looked a little proud when he heard this.


    "Of course she knew, cheating is only a small thing in Eternity and you can talk about it easily without risking your relationship."


    "Especially since, after learning the identity of the other women, she was even proud of it."


    At this point, Kavasta burst out laughing while Maxime still felt out of step with these mores.


    "You know Maxime, it''s not uncommon, especially for geniuses, to have harems in Eternity."


    "And it usually goes very well."


    Kavasta spoke with eyes that said:


    "You''re a man, and it''s every man''s dream. Of course it''s great."


    But Maxime shook his head, no matter how he thought about it, he couldn''t live that way.


    Especially after experiencing the bitter feeling of regret.


    "Thank you commander for your answers."


    Nevertheless, Maxime felt refreshed and now knew what he wanted.


    Since he''d made a mistake, he''d make sure not to repeat it.


    Meanwhile, Kavasta clearly understood the state Maxime was in.


    Many Eternity players had been there.


    "You know, Maxime, you have to adapt to the mores of the world you live in. If you don''t, you''ll be ostracized and frowned upon wherever you go," Kavasta advised, after a few seconds'' thought.


    Maxime looked slightly at Kavasta.


    "No, I''ll always live by my own morals and mores. I don''t care what people think of me. And if some are still not happy, let them come and provoke me, I''ll certainly welcome them."


    As he spoke, Maxime''s eyes seemed to sparkle as a wisp of his aura escaped despite himself.


    This was the usual Maxime, arrogant and mad.


    No matter who stood before him, he would never change.


    For a moment, even Kavasta was intimidated.


    That aura didn''t come from fighting power, it came from something else entirely.


    It was the aura of individuals with powerful self-confidence; their ideas were their truth, and no matter what others thought, they wouldn''t change.


    "The aura of heroes." Kavasta couldn''t help thinking, with surprise written all over his face.


    But he quickly pulled himself together and smiled slightly.


    "It''s true, you''re right. You have to live for yourself, it''s not up to others to dictate how you should live."

 Chapter 195 Made to measure!

    "It''s true, you''re right. You have to live for yourself, it''s not up to others to dictate how you should live."


    As Kavasta finished speaking, someone tapped on the door.


    "Yes, you can come in."


    Kavasta had finished speaking with Maxime, so the moment was right.


    The door opened and a man wearing black armor edged in gold entered. In his left hand, he held a strange black orb.


    Kavasta smiled at the newcomer, while Maxime watched quietly, still seated in his armchair.


    "Adrian, do you need anything?"


    It was the captain of the first human regiment, Adrian Valmont.


    On hearing this first name, Maxime also understood his identity. He knew the first names of all the regiment captains after spending several days in this fortress, and talking to various people.


    Only, he hadn''t yet linked all the first names to faces.


    "As expected, to be the captain of the first regiment, his strength must be terrifying. So much so that he could probably kill Oscar easily," Maxime thought.


    He didn''t know why he thought that, he just felt that way. When he''d first come to the meeting room, he hadn''t been able to feel the individual strengths of each of the captains.


    But after all he''d been through, he felt his perception had improved markedly.


    Adrian also glanced at Maxime.


    Surprisingly, he walked over to Maxime and extended his hand.


    "Pleased to meet you, Adrian Valmont, captain of the first human regiment on this dimensional battlefield."


    Out of respect, Maxime stood up and shook his hand.


    "Pleased to meet you, Maxime Valdreuve. A lone mercenary."


    "Valdreuve?" Adrian searched his memory, but no matter how hard he looked, that surname meant nothing to him.


    "Don''t you have a family behind you?" asked Adrian directly, intrigued.


    "A family? Of course I do. I''ve got my mother and my brother." replied Maxime innocently, a little confused.


    Adrian smiled a little embarrassed.


    "No, I meant a rich or noble family.


    But he quickly recovered himself.


    "But your answer was enough for me to understand your situation. It''s amazing how strong you''ve become only in high school and without support."


    Adrian was genuinely admiring.


    "It won''t be long before you overtake me. If you ever become a commander, don''t hesitate to take me on as one of your captains."


    Hearing this, Maxime was confused.


    Noticing his confusion, Kavasta intervened with a smile.


    "Commanders choose their own captains. After all, the position of captain, which is more accessible than that of a commander, grants many advantages that are not negligible."


    "For example, Adrian was an acquaintance of mine at university, while Orvari and Emmanuelle who accompanied you, I knew in the army. All of them gained my trust in one way or another, so I chose them to accompany me here."


    After explaining this, Kavasta looked at Adrian.


    "I don''t suppose you''ve come to court Maxime..."


    At the same time, Kavasta glanced at the strange black orb Adrian held in his left hand.


    "The Commander is as perceptive as ever," Adrian scoffed lightly, before holding out the orb to Kavasta.


    Kavasta ignored Adrian''s teasing and took the orb from Adrian''s hand.


    "Thank you."


    Maxime also looked curiously at the black orb.


    Kavasta obviously noticed Maxime''s curiosity.


    After thinking for less than a second, Kavasta had a good idea.


    "Here, take it; you can consider it a gift from all the humans you''ve helped on this battlefield, Maxime."


    Without waiting, Kavasta stuffed the crystal ball into Maxime''s right hand.


    Maxime had no time to react.


    He felt that the material of the crystal seemed both extremely solid and very fragile.


    If he dropped it on the floor, it would shatter into a thousand pieces.


    "But what''s this?" he finally asked.


    "You''re really giving it command? Even for you it''s a very precious item," Adrian interjected with surprise.


    Kavasta ignored Adrian, and said something very surprising to Maxime.


    "Break the crystal.


    Without hesitation, Maxime listened to Kavasta and clutched the crystal tightly in his hands.


    At first, the crystal was resistant, but after using 80% of its strength, it finally exploded into a thousand pieces.


    At the same time, a notification resounded in the minds of all the soldiers and mercenaries on the battlefield. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    [The Dravak Origin on dimensional battlefield N��32, danger level yellow, has been destroyed by human Maxime Valdreuve].


    [You may now leave the dimensional battlefield].


    "Origin? What''s this? This crystal ball?"


    He didn''t understand what he''d just done.


    Then Adrian began to explain.


    "This crystal ball was the most important object in the Dravak fortress. It is this object that appears first on each race''s side at the start of each battlefield."


    "The objective of each race is to protect their Origin and destroy that of their enemies. Hence the birth of fortresses on each race''s side, to protect their Origin."


    "With the surrender of all the Dravaks and the disappearance of their commander, it was an easy thing to take their Origin and bring it here."


    Maxime stared at the fragments of the broken crystal in his hand. He felt he had accomplished something significant, but without fully realizing its magnitude.


    The notifications still echoed in his mind. Every soldier and mercenary on the battlefield had received the same message: he had destroyed the Dravak Origin.


    He looked up at Kavasta, searching for a deeper explanation.


    "So... it''s over?" he asked.


    Kavasta nodded.


    "Yes, it is. The battle is officially over. With the destruction of their Origin, the Dravaks can no longer dispute their presence on this dimensional battlefield. Space will soon close and everyone can go home."


    Maxime blinked, realizing what this implied.


    "Wait... so why give me this crystal? You could have broken it yourself."


    Adrian smirked slightly and crossed his arms.


    "Technically, it was you who made this victory possible. So it was up to you to deliver the final blow. And above all..."


    Kavasta spoke again.


    "...your name had to be associated with the destruction of Origin."


    Maxime frowned.


    "Why?"


    "Because it grants you a rare privilege. Every person who destroys an enemy race''s Origin for the first time receives a special dimensional battlefield reward."


    "It''s not necessarily the strongest gift, but it''s certainly one of the most valuable things you can get on dimensional battlefields, because it''s tailor-made for the individual."


    "It''s an ancient mechanism, linked to the laws of this world," Kavasta explained, taking on a little air of mystery despite himself.


    But Maxime no longer cared about all these mysteries; he simply felt a hint of excitement rise in him when he heard that there would be a reward.


    "A special reward...?"


    Suddenly, a new notification sounded in his mind.


    [The dimensional battlefield has granted you a unique reward].


    [Analysis in progress...]


    Maxime felt a strange warmth run through his body. His mind became slightly foggy, as if an unknown force were scanning his being. He tensed slightly, but felt no malevolence from this unknown force.


    Kavasta and Adrian watched in silence.


    Then, after a few seconds of waiting, a final notification appeared before his eyes.


    [Congratulations, you have obtained the ''Symbiosis'' breathing method!]


    ...


    Sirap, capital of the Western Federation.


    In a very ordinary office, an old man seemed particularly annoyed by all the paperwork in front of him.


    "When am I going to be done with all this?"


    At the same time, someone suddenly entered the office in a hurry.


    "What do you want now, Anna? If you''re going to give me more work, don''t bother. You can give them to those damned leaders of noble families, each more lazy than the last."


    The young lady, dressed in business attire with high heels, shook her head with a big smile.


    "No it''s not that president!"


    Seeing Anna, who was his representative in the Western Federation, flashing such a smile, the old man''s mood improved slightly. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So what''s this?" he asked casually.


    "Dimensional battlefield n��32, the yellow-level one..."


    The old man raised an eyebrow.


    "The one Kavasta commands?" he interrupted.


    "Exactly, President! It turns out that Commander Kavasta has won a brilliant victory against the Dravaks, and the battlefield will be closing shortly!"


    The old man seemed suddenly invigorated as he rose from his chair while making a victorious posture, just as a youngster would.


    "Yessss! Well done Kavasta!"


    If people on the outside saw him doing this kind of thing, they wouldn''t believe their eyes.


    "HAHAHA, the same battlefield all those old farts said it was best to give up!"


    "Thank you, Kavasta! You really are a genius!"


    The secretary let the president vent before adding:


    "It would seem that this is due solely to Kavasta''s strategies. It seems that part of the credit goes to a mercenary by the name of Maxime Valdreuve."


    "Oh, why do you say that?"


    "It''s only a guess, as no soldiers or mercenaries from this battlefield have returned yet, but it was this man who broke the Dravaks'' Origin."


    The old man was surprised, yet becoming very intrigued.


    "And I suppose you searched our databases? And who''s he? A genius from the family of these old fogies? Or a hidden genius from one of our top universities?"


    Anna smiled mysteriously.


    "None of the above, President."


    She paused for a moment, which was her pleasure.


    "According to our databases, he''s a high-school student," she finally said.


    The president was speechless.


    Never in his wildest thoughts could he have imagined this.


    "Send for him as soon as possible. I want to see and speak with this young man as soon as possible."


    As he said this, the old man was very serious.


    Anna also took on a serious expression.


    "I''ll take care of that."


    ...


    Back on the dimensional battlefield n��32, all the humans but also Dravak received a common notification.


    [Detected that the dimensional battlefield ends in victory for the humans].


    [Calculating contributions...]

 Chapter 196 The Eternity Points Shop!

    [Calculation of contributions in progress��]


    Maxime temporarily ignored the breathing method that had just appeared in his mind, and pricked up his ears when he heard this voice of the system.


    Of course, it was the voice of the dimensional battlefield system, which differed from that of the world of Eternity.


    Its voice seemed more masculine, while Eternity''s voice had a slight hint of femininity.


    Maxime knew nothing about the origins of these systems, but in any case he couldn''t wait to get the Eternity points he was going to be able to earn!


    That was the main reason he was originally fighting here!


    Kavasta and Adrian also heard this voice, and both were also looking forward to the points they were going to earn.


    It was like receiving your salary at the end of the month, no matter how many times you received it, you were always looking forward to that moment.


    [Analysis of the number of kills in progress.]


    [Analysis of the number of allied people saved.]


    [Analysis of the risks taken.]


    [Analysis of the player''s mentality.]


    "Risks and mentality? Does that count too?"


    [Analysis of the player''s courage.]


    [Analysis of combat prowess.]


    [Analysis of the player''s degree of genius.]


    "What are all these parameters, it''s so strange..."


    [Analysis of impact on the battlefield.]


    [Analysis complete.]


    Suddenly, a notification window, very similar to Eternity''s, appeared in front of Maxime.


    [You have received 1826 Eternity points.]


    But Maxime''s reaction was not particularly excited.


    He had just realized that he did not know the value of Eternity points at all.


    "So Maxime, how many points did you receive?" Kavasta asked with some curiosity.


    Adrian was also looking at Maxime at that moment.


    "1826 points."


    On hearing this figure, Kavasta and Adrian looked at each other strangely.


    Maxime didn''t know how to take it.


    "Is that good or bad?"


    Kavasta thought for a few seconds about the answer he was going to give.


    "1826 points... That''s an exceptional reward." Kavasta finally replied, which reassured Maxime.


    He was even jealous.


    He had never received even half of Maxime''s points.


    "Then why the long face?" asked Maxime, still sensing something was wrong.


    Kavasta stared at Maxime.


    "Maxime, do you know where the dimensional battlefields appear from?" he asked without answering Maxime''s question.


    Maxime shook his head.


    He was only a high school student, how could he know so much?


    Kavasta took a deep breath.


    "This is normally something that is only taught at university, but I''m going to teach it to you here because I think you will accomplish exceptional things for the human race in the future. At the same time, after what I''m about to tell you, you''ll have to make a very difficult decision."


    Then Kavasta began to explain, as Maxime looked on, very confused.


    "The dimensional battlefields represent the places where the war between the Omega and Delta universes is taking place."


    On hearing this, it didn''t particularly shock Maxime. After all, he had been fighting Daraks for several days, so this idea had already occurred to him.


    "But what does my score have to do with this truth?" asked Maxime.


    "Don''t worry, I''m getting to it," replied Kavasta immediately, with a very serious face.


    "These dimensional battlefields were all opened up by the Delta universe, the universe we are facing. If they win, we can expect an immediate invasion of the Delta universe, or an invasion that they will plan."


    "You can think of them as a kind of inter-dimensional bridge that can teleport an army." S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Currently the number of dimensional battlefields from which they can invade us is already extremely threatening. So much so that humanity can fall at any moment."


    Adrian, who was nearby, was not surprised, but Maxime was extremely shocked.


    He knew that the human race was in danger, but not to such an extent!


    Time was already running out!


    The entry point to this dimensional battlefield was right in the city center!


    An immediate invasion of the Dravak race, of this single battlefield if the human race lost, could cause the destruction of the city of Nansoy.


    This was also one of the reasons why commanders on dimensional battlefields had to be very strong, in order to be able to contain a potential invasion to some extent.


    There was also the possibility of preventing defeat at the last moment, at the cost of disqualification from the title of commander.


    "So humanity is in danger of extinction?" Maxime said aloud, despite himself.


    Kavasta nodded heavily.


    "Exactly."


    "And meanwhile, there are races from the Omega universe, who are our allies in this war, who dare to intimidate our human race?"


    Maxime couldn''t believe it.


    And thinking about it, he was mad with rage, so much so that he clenched his fists tightly.


    "It''s true." said Kavasta without showing the slightest expression.


    He himself had been holding back his anger for a long time, and now knew how to hide his emotions.


    Because of course, only cowards would not be furious when hearing about the situation of the human race.


    "It''s been more than 10 years since these battlefields started to appear, and the problem is that even if we manage to defeat our enemies, the battlefields don''t close."


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    "Generally, after a year, for a yellow-level battlefield, a new battle starts and another army has to be sent in. That''s why victory isn''t so important; defense is what matters most."


    Kavasta''s explanations frustrated Maxime to no end.


    How many humans had died without anyone knowing about it?


    If it wasn''t to avoid general panic among the civilians, how could these valiant soldiers die so discreetly?


    "But there is one situation where we can close a dimensional battlefield. In that case, if the Delta universe wants to reopen this battlefield, they will have to pay an extremely painful price."


    Maxime calmed down a little and guessed where Kavasta was going.


    "The Eternity points." he said solemnly.


    Kavasta nodded.


    "Indeed, except that the amount needed is enormous."


    "It takes 1500 Eternity points to close a yellow-level dimensional battlefield. However, these points cannot be accumulated; they must always be used all at once after each battle."


    After Kavasta finished speaking, silence fell in the meeting room.


    Adrian didn''t dare say anything, because even he would find it difficult to make this decision.


    1500 Eternity points represented an enormous fortune.


    "Take a look at the shop first, then you can make your own decision." Kavasta finally advised in a light tone.


    Maxime agreed; he couldn''t make a decision carelessly.


    As if his thoughts were heard by the system, the shop appeared before him in the form of a holographic touch panel.


    Several tabs could be selected, including physical enhancements, talents, techniques and skills, equipment and artifacts, and finally special bonuses.


    Maxime went through each of these tabs.


    --------


    [Eternity Points Shop]


    Physical Improvements:


    [50 EP] Fruit of the Sharpened Body �� Randomly increases a physical statistic by 0.1 points between strength, agility, endurance and spirit.


    [500 XP] Fruit of the Titan �� Increases physique by 0.5 points.


    [1,200 XP] Fruit of the Dragon �� Increases physique by one point and strengthens muscles, bones and tendons.


    Talents:


    [100 EP] Talent of the Forgotten God (Bronze) �� Grants a talent belonging to an ancient forgotten god of bronze rank.


    [500 EP] Sleeping God Talent (Silver) �� Grants a silver-ranked talent belonging to the Sleeping God.


    [1,000 EP] Supreme God Talent (Gold) �� Grants a gold-ranked talent belonging to the mysterious Supreme God.


    Techniques and Skills:


    [250 EP] Rank B Martial Art �� Allows you to learn an advanced close combat technique, giving you the opportunity to almost instantly acquire a level 3 mastery of whatever you want.


    [700 EP] Elementary Skill �� Allows you to acquire an elementary mastery of your choice among the 4 primordial elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind.


    [1,500 EP] Unique Skill: Frozen Time �� Allows you to stop time for 0.5 seconds within a radius of 10 kilometers. Cooldown: One hour.


    Equipment and Artifacts:


    [100 EP] Durable Weapon �� A weapon of your choice that can accompany a soldier throughout his career. On yellow level battlefields, it is considered an indestructible weapon.


    [300 EP] Enchanted Weapon �� A weapon of exceptional quality of your choice with random level 0 magic inscribed on it.


    [900 EP] Legendary Artifact �� A piece of equipment with unique and evolving properties.


    Special Bonuses:


    Exchange for Eternity gold: 1 EP=1 gold piece.


    [1500 EP] Close the battlefield �� Obtain definitive peace on battlefield no. 32, yellow level danger.


    --------


    Seeing so many things, Maxime''s eyes were shining.


    Every single thing sold in this shop was definitely extremely valuable!


    Kavasta and Adrian looked at Maxime at that moment, because they themselves had "only" 532 and 300 Eternity points respectively, so they had many choices in the shop, but only items that did not exceed the amount of their balance.


    Yet it was already very good, most soldiers would only have about 30 to 50 Eternity points, while most regimental captains generally only had 150 to 200 Eternity points.


    Hence the colossal amount that Maxime had at that time!


    Time passed quickly as the young man with the blond hair pondered.


    "So Maxime, what are you going to do?" Kavasta asked after giving Maxime a few minutes to think.


    Maxime looked up at Kavasta.


    Those few minutes gave him enough time to make a decision.


    Kavasta and Adrian looked at Maxime, waiting for his answer.


    "I..."

 Chapter 197 I love “I”

    "I..."


    "I''m not going to close this battlefield."


    Adrian and Kavasta looked at Maxime with complicated eyes.


    But Maxime had already thought it through.


    If he closed a yellow level battlefield, would it change anything for the human race?


    The answer was obvious: absolutely not.


    It was only a yellow battlefield, and whether it disappeared or not, it would make no difference to the situation of the Western Federation, and even less so when taking the whole planet Earth into account.


    At the same time, Maxime thought about what he really wanted in this life.


    "What I want is absolute strength. So that even if the Delta universe can invade the human race via thousands of dimensional battlefields, they don''t dare.


    "Because I''ll be there."


    "Everyone''s priority is obviously to protect their family, but no one can be content with protecting their family alone. Sometimes you have to rely on others to protect it for you.


    "So I will protect the human race with my own strength in the future, and the human race will protect my family."


    "And for that, I absolutely must seize every opportunity to become stronger."


    While saying this to himself, Maxime clenched his fists tightly.


    He had found it very difficult to make this decision because he feared Kavasta''s gaze.


    After all, the commander had already given him extremely valuable gifts. It would be a shame to disappoint him, especially so quickly.


    So in fact, he already knew what decision he was going to make when he finished reading everything that could be bought in the shop.


    But he took those few minutes to prepare himself mentally for the reaction of Kavasta and Adrian.


    After all, it was still a more or less selfish decision.


    He met the eyes of Adrian and Kavasta.


    But Adrian and Kavasta did not look at Maxime with complicated eyes because they did not agree.


    It was just that they put themselves in Maxime''s shoes; they knew that they would also find it difficult to make such a decision.


    In the circumstances, Kavasta finally smiled after a moment''s thought.


    "Excellent decision."


    "If the human race was strong, who would even dare to invade us? Would we be in that situation?"


    "If we had extremely strong men, we wouldn''t even need Eternity Point to close these dimensional battlefields. A punch would be enough."


    Maxime did not expect this reaction, but he was immediately relieved.


    Adrian also nodded.


    He didn''t know what Maxime had read in the shop, but he would probably have made the same choice as him.


    Protect the human race?


    That was good, but he still had to have the strength.


    Closing a dimensional battlefield would indeed protect people in the city to some extent.


    But his own family wasn''t even here.


    And he wasn''t strong enough to protect his family in real danger yet, so when was he qualified to protect other people''s families?


    Like many other Eternity players, he only trusted himself to protect his family in the future!


    Of course he had a sense of duty, and even if his family was in danger, he wouldn''t become a deserter.


    Because if everyone did that, then all the front lines would fall immediately and the war would turn into guerrilla warfare directly on Earth.


    And above all, Adrian himself benefited from the army system protecting humanity, since he was not considered a really strong man in humanity.


    The really strong men were on battlefields on Earth or Heaven level.


    But clearly, if he had a choice like Maxime''s, he would choose the means to improve his strength directly.


    His main mission, i.e. to protect humanity, would not change, and he would fulfill it even better in the future since he would be stronger.


    And in the event that an invasion actually occurred, and there were many casualties, it would not be his fault.


    If the others wanted to protect their families, they only had to risk their lives in Eternity and on the dimensional battlefields, just like them!


    But obviously most would still do nothing, even if they knew the reality of humanity''s situation.


    There were still simply too many cowards among the human race!


    They obviously had such a treasure as Eternity in their hands, but they were not brave enough to exploit it.


    In that case, if they could not protect themselves, they could only blame themselves!


    That was how Adrian, as well as many soldiers on Earth, thought!


    Their strength gained in Eternity represented their courage. Participating in the dimensional battlefields represented their honor and their sense of duty.


    They were qualified to despise those who were content with the status quo.


    Of course, as military personnel, their priority mission was to protect the human race, and that''s what they would do!


    Otherwise they wouldn''t go to the dimensional battlefields.


    It was much more reassuring to improve in Eternity, because in the game they only risked 3 years of life expectancy.


    Here they risked their lives for a quantity of Eternity points that was really not exceptional.


    They barely had enough to convert a few dozen points into gold coins and improve their class experience by 20 to 30%.


    But yet they were all still there, fighting for humanity.


    Meanwhile, Kavasta gave his opinion.


    "I think you''re making the right decision, Maxime. You''re still very young and you have much greater potential than I do. You need to seize every opportunity to strengthen yourself while you''re young."


    "You will be able to protect humanity in the future. In the short term, trust your seniors to protect humanity."


    Saying this really reassured Maxime.


    "Can we see your stitching shop?" Adrian suddenly asked, very curiously.


    "Of course," Maxime replied after some hesitation.


    These men, for him, were trustworthy.


    Of course, Maxime also had his limits and he wouldn''t show them things like his talents.


    Soon, he changed the privacy settings of his shop and shared it with Kavasta and Adrian.


    The two looked at the holographic panel in front of them with surprise.


    "What?"


    The two were extremely surprised.


    "The cheapest price is 50 points? Some soldiers wouldn''t be able to buy anything if it weren''t for the conversion of Eternity points into gold coins..." Adrian muttered, amazed at the absurd prices in this shop.


    Kavasta looked more specifically at the items with a high value.


    "Dragon Fruit, Supreme God''s Talent, Elemental Skill, Unique Skill: Frozen Time, Legendary Artifact... Do we really live in the same world?"


    After a while of observing the items available, Kavasta sighed.


    Maxime smirked at Kavasta and Adrian''s reaction.


    "I guess it''s not normal?" he asked amusedly.


    Kavasta shook her head.


    "I don''t know, it''s so rare to get so many points that it''s the first time I''ve seen some of the items in the shop."


    "So what are you going to buy?" Kavasta continued, curiously.


    "I don''t know yet."


    Maxime was still hesitant.


    "Dragon Fruit, which directly increases a stat point, is particularly powerful, but only in Eternity. In the real world, it only gives 0.1 physical points and would produce almost no change in my combat power."


    "The Supreme God talent is interesting, but it''s only a Gold rank..."


    Kavasta felt like he had heard wrong.


    "Wait, Maxime, how is it just a Gold rank talent?"


    Adrian also looked at him strangely.


    He himself had a Gold rank talent that he had acquired when he entered Eternity.


    He was always considered a genius wherever he went thanks to this talent and his hard work.


    But in Maxime''s words, it''s only a Gold rank? Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How powerful was his talent?


    Maxime realized that he had said the wrong thing.


    "I meant to say that a Gold-ranked talent won''t significantly change my combat power," he explained awkwardly.


    "A Gold-ranked talent won''t change your combat power?" Adrian and Kavasta thought, speechless.


    Skip-stepping over this phase, Maxime continued his reflection out loud.


    "The almost instantaneous mastery of an element at the beginner level could be interesting..." Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Kavasta intervened immediately.


    "I advise against it. Magic without a meditation method is like having an assault rifle without a magazine and barrel."


    "Not only will you tire yourself out very quickly using your magic, but on top of that your magic will be really weak."


    Maxime understood, but he especially remembered one term:


    "A meditation method?"


    Kavasta nodded.


    "Indeed, it is something you may be able to learn once you have left the continent on which you first landed in Eternity."


    "But you still need to have a talent for magic, otherwise it''s useless."


    Seeing the growing curiosity in Maxime''s eyes, Kavasta gave him some additional advice.


    "Magic is practised and taught by wizards. But these continents are much more dangerous than the initial continent you land on. To give you a point of comparison, even I have died several times on the continent of wizards where I first landed. And even now, I am still stuck on this continent and I remain very discreet."


    Maxime was astonished.


    The commander must have had an additional 10-point physique, but he was still in danger?


    How powerful could these wizards be?


    For his part, counting his class bonuses, he could almost reach 5 points in Eternity.


    But compared to the commander, it was ridiculous.


    "For the moment, stay in the Kingdom you''ve landed in and earn as many gold coins as possible to strengthen yourself. At some point you will reach a limit, and that will be the moment when you will have to try to find new methods to continue to become stronger."


    Maxime nodded, showing that he understood.


    Adrian was also listening to Kavasta''s advice, as he too had not left the continent on which he had landed.


    He still had a long way to go before he left.


    "Finally, there is the unique skill ''Frozen Time'' and the legendary artifact..."


    Kavasta was curious again.


    The previous choices having been ruled out, only these two items remained.


    "Which will you choose?" asked Kavasta.


    At the same time, he offered some explanations.


    "Frozen Time is clearly a sky-high skill that you can use all your life."


    "But you can also use the legendary artifact all your life, and it''s cheap too. You could even buy another good quality item with the Eternity points that will remain."


    Maxime agreed with what Kavasta said.


    But he was much more keen on one choice than the other.


    "I..."

 Chapter 198 A terrifying purchase

    "I..."


    "I''m going to go for the unique skill [Frozen Time]."


    Kavasta thought he would have made the same choice.


    "It''s definitely a good investment, since this skill is a defense, attack and evasion skill all at once."


    Maxime nodded.


    "Yes, this skill will be useful all my life and maybe it will bring me surprises."


    "As for the legendary artifact, chances are that it will be stolen from me and, above all, it doesn''t matter. I will have other opportunities to obtain very good quality weapons. And when they can no longer keep up with my growth, I can always replace them."


    "But a skill like [Frozen Time]... maybe the opportunity to acquire such a skill will never come up again in my life."


    Adriane and Kavasta totally agreed with what Maxime said and with his choice.


    So without hesitation, Maxime decided to purchase the skill.


    [Confirm purchase of ''Frozen Time?'']


    "Yes."


    [Purchase of ''Frozen Time'' confirmed.]


    [1500 Eternity points deducted.]


    As his purchase was confirmed, the world around Maxime froze.


    A vague murmur gently tickled his ears.


    "Interesting..."


    This voice had appeared as quickly as it had disappeared, which made Maxime shiver slightly.


    The unknown was always the most frightening.


    At the same time, he felt an icy wave run through his mind as a new understanding of the world imposed itself on him. It was as if an invisible door had just opened in his mind, revealing a concept he had never even imagined before.


    Knowledge was forcefully introduced into his brain as his mind was subtly changed.


    As if his very existence was being modified to be optimized.


    His breath momentarily suspended as information poured into him, intangible but with absolute clarity.


    An intense pain struck his brain, but it only lasted a moment.


    At the same time, he realized that he was capable of doing something that would have been totally unimaginable to him before.


    Time... could be stopped.


    Not slowed down. Not disrupted. Stopped.


    Half a second.


    It was both infinitely short and terribly long.


    In that fraction of a second, everything around him would become a frozen image. The particles of dust in suspension would remain in the air, the flames would cease to flicker, the sounds themselves would be devoured by absolute stillness.


    Within a radius of 10 kilometers, the whole world would be his playground.


    Out of curiosity, he immediately activated this skill.


    He blinked, and a strange sensation washed over him. An increased awareness, an overwhelming lucidity. As if his brain were an engine running at full throttle, assimilating variables it had never taken in before.


    His gaze swept across the room. Kavasta, still motionless, his expression frozen in a mixture of approval and concentration. Adrian, arms crossed, still analyzing the situation.


    It all seemed clearer to him. More understandable.


    Maxime took a deep breath.


    He could see the implications.


    An attack coming his way? He could stop it. Deflect a sword strike with surgical precision. Then reposition himself before his opponent even realized what had happened.


    Dodge? He would have enough time to disappear at any moment, like an elusive ghost.


    If he wanted to attack? He could approach his target and strike at the exact moment when the world would return to normal.


    His fingers trembled slightly with excitement. He had just acquired a skill that transcended the laws of nature.


    He took another breath and let the energy settle within him.


    "��Maxime?"


    Kavasta''s voice brought him abruptly back to reality.


    "You were silent for a moment."


    Maxime looked up at him and smiled slightly.


    "I�� I understand now."


    Kavasta raised an eyebrow.


    "Understand what?"


    Maximus ran a hand over his face, gathering his thoughts.


    "The true potential of this skill. It is more than just a combat tool. It is literally a skill that humans cannot normally use."


    At these words, even Kavasta turned pale.


    For he had just realized that if Maximus wanted to kill him, he really could.


    Of course, that didn''t mean that Maxime had become invincible in 1v1 situations; there were still many ways to anticipate a stop in time.


    But that was limited to really strong men. On the original continent of Eternity, Maxime would become truly terrifying with this skill.


    And even against strong men, it was still an extremely powerful skill.


    Because apart from the Gods, who could fight against time itself?


    "You really have learned a skill that shouldn''t exist. It''s scary."


    Maxime smiled at that, he was simply happy with this new skill. At that moment he had no idea how Kavasta might be feeling.


    At the same time, Maxime thought of something during the acquisition of this skill.


    "But something happened..."


    Adrian and Kavasta frowned.


    "What?" asked Kavasta.


    "Someone spoke to me while time was stopped," Maxime explained, not understanding where it came from.


    And it wasn''t the first time it had happened to him.


    And every time it had happened... it was the Gods who had spoken to him.


    "Someone spoke to you? How strange."


    Kavasta had never had a similar experience, so he didn''t understand.


    "In any case, be careful, Maxime."


    In saying this, Kavasta was not paying attention to what Maxime had heard, but rather to his new skill.


    "My main tutor at university, when I had shared some of the power of my talent with him, had said this to me: When the world becomes a playground, we sometimes forget that we are not gods."


    Maxime nodded, fully understanding.


    Every talent and skill has its limits. Too much recklessness can lead to an unexpected end.


    Without waiting, Maxime took a look at his remaining balance in the shop of the dimensional battlefield.


    [Remaining balance: 326 Eternity points.]


    He thought for a moment about what to do with the remaining points.


    He quickly made a decision.


    [Purchase of ''Sharpened Body Fruit'' confirmed.]


    [50 Eternity points deducted.]


    [Purchase of ''Rank B Martial Technique'' confirmed.]


    [Choice of a random spear technique.]


    [250 Eternity points deducted.]


    [Remaining balance: 26 Eternity points.]


    [Conversion of the 26 Eternity points to gold coin completed.]


    Maxim was curious about the taste of the fruit, while he found it very rewarding to be able to master the spear, which is one of the most complex weapons to handle.


    Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    He would have liked to learn archery, but the purchase was limited to melee weapons.


    The transmission of knowledge about the spear was much less sensational than the ''Frozen Time'' skill.


    For five seconds, he received a lot of information about how to handle the spear, and some changes were made to his arms and hands, but that was all.


    Maxime didn''t worry about it any more; he thought about exploring his gains later, as well as his new breathing method.


    Maxime, Kavasta and Adrian continued to talk together.


    Of course, Kavasta and Adrian promised that they wouldn''t let any information escape from the room, even if their superiors asked them questions about Maxime.


    ...


    In a black space, which was now familiar, a gigantic silhouette opened its eyes again.


    Never before had it opened its eyes so often.


    "That brat has acquired a skill that even the Gods could be envious of..."


    "And he got it so easily... He must have also caught the attention of that person..."


    "There was Viviana and now there''s this guy. My young boy is definitely attracting more and more attention."


    "But I''m the first to have noticed him and invested in him. It''s already too much for the others, I''m the one who would benefit the most!


    Then he closed his eyes again, this time in a very good mood.


    He felt that his investment would certainly not disappoint him this time.


    ...


    Maxime left the meeting room, but with a strange feeling of weakness. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As if it was all finally over and he would finally be able to get some rest.


    He wanted to grab a bite to eat in the fortress cafeteria.


    Because as soon as he had been woken up, Orvari and Emmanuel had taken him to the meeting room.


    So he still hadn''t eaten, and now he was starving.


    And at the same time, he felt a little cold.


    With his physique it was surprising, but his injuries greatly weakened his immune system.


    So maybe he had caught a cold.


    Especially since it was still raining outside and there was no heating in the fortress.


    It seemed that the entire budget had been allocated to the efficiency of the fortress at the expense of comfort.


    Only the medical wing seemed to have heating.


    So he went to his room, took a blanket with him and wrapped himself in it.


    "So comfortable."


    He felt really good there.


    Soon he went to the cafeteria as planned, collected a tray of food under the strange gaze of the kitchen staff.


    They rarely had the opportunity to see such young men, and especially wrapped in a blanket?


    It was a military fortress, who would dare to show up like that in a military place?


    It would definitely be social death under the teasing of the other soldiers if someone did that.


    But Maxime didn''t care at all since he wasn''t in the military.


    Soon he sat down at a table alone, taking a little time for himself.


    His tray was very ordinary, a large bowl of hot soup with some vegetables, bread and water.


    That''s all he needed.


    Around him, there were many tables filled with soldiers and mercenaries. None of them recognized Maxime, so he was really at ease.


    It would take Shibuya mercenaries or some of the men from the second regiment to recognize Maxime''s face.


    Some of the men in the command room might also recognize him, as well as the captains of the regiments.


    But otherwise, although now almost all the soldiers in the fortress knew his first and last name, very few had seen him in person.


    Maxime slowly began to eat his meal.


    Taking a small spoonful of soup, which slowly went down his throat, made him feel so good.


    The weather was particularly cool, so that sip of hot soup seemed so pleasant.


    Especially as he was still in pain from his burns and injuries.


    So it really did him good to drink the soup, as if it helped with the healing.


    Time passed slowly.


    He took the opportunity to take a look at his new meditation method.


    A notification panel appeared in front of him.

 Chapter 199 Plaids are great. Who dares to laugh?

    A notification sign appeared in front of him.


    [Breathing method ''Symbiosis'': A very special breathing method that requires the help of a pet to fully exert its effects. The more powerful the animal, the faster the progress and the more the vital power generated will be exacerbated. In addition, the breathing method will take on the attributes of your animal and pass them on to you.]


    Of course, no one except himself could see it.


    "Truly an exceptional breathing method. It allows for both rapid progression and exceptional life force. And on top of that, the breathing method confers an attribute."


    "I wonder how rare it is to have an attribute with the breathing method?"


    "I just know that Kaite and Langus don''t have an attribute with their breathing method, but maybe the breathing methods used by the dukes themselves or by the royal family have one?"


    Of course, Maxime wasn''t particularly shocked when he saw the description of this breathing method.


    He had already been shocked many times, so even such a breathing method just made him smile. Nothing more.


    "Now the primary objective is to find an animal with a good lineage and good strength and to tame it."


    He didn''t have the patience to wait for his future beast to become powerful. It had to be powerful from the start so that he could use the full potential of his new breathing method as soon as possible.


    Otherwise, the awakening of his vital seed will be delayed, and with it the success of his class quest.


    And the potential of his future beast must not be too low to avoid spending too many gold coins on improving his bloodline.


    [Quest: "Upgrade the swordsman class"]


    Description: Congratulations on unlocking your first class quest. If you succeed, it will allow you to improve your class!


    Reward: Change from the "swordsman" class to a higher-level class.


    Objective:


    - Sword handling at level 3 (1/1)


    - Have a breathing method (1/1)


    - Awaken the vital seed (0/1)


    He had fulfilled 2 of the 3 necessary criteria of the quest, all that remained was to awaken his vital seed. Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire


    Once awakened, not only would he obtain a version of the swordsman class, but his combat power would also be directly improved thanks to the vital seed.


    This could even be considered a future asset, as few players were able to awaken their vital seed.


    It was necessary to have both a good knighthood talent and a breathing method.


    And even in this situation it was usually necessary to train for years before having the slightest chance of awakening the vital seed in a mortal combat.


    As Maxime consulted his new breathing method and various other things, a figure appeared in his field of vision and sat down in front of him.


    Maxime looked up at the beauty who had just arrived.


    "Le?la."


    She flashed a very gracious smile.


    At the same time, a few soldiers began to pay attention to Maxime''s table.


    "The captain of the Shibuya? What is she doing with that young man?"


    "I don''t know, maybe he''s one of her men and she''s taking time to integrate him into her group."


    "It looks like that''s the case, seeing how young he is."


    "In any case, he''s lucky to be able to eat one-on-one with the goddess of Shibuya."


    Especially since women were rare in the fortress, many conversations began around them.


    "But why does he have a plaid?"


    "Definitely a young recruit with a weak physique."


    "Another one who''s underestimated the battlefield."


    "If his mother came along, this guy would probably throw himself at her and cry in her arms."


    Many soldiers started to laugh and joke about it.


    The two concerned were completely unaware of the others, and didn''t care whether or not they were being watched.


    "How are you, Maxime?"


    Maxime looked at Le?la for a moment.


    But as expected, he felt nothing in particular when he looked at her.


    "Both very happy and at peace with myself. I''m enjoying a well-deserved bowl of soup."


    Le?la laughed slightly at the sight of Maxime in this state.


    He looked so much like an ordinary high school student at that moment and even seemed fragile with his blanket.


    In that situation, few people could imagine how ferocious he could be on the battlefield.


    The images were just totally incompatible.


    On the surface, perhaps only his burn on his face, still clearly visible, could provide a touch of credibility.


    "And how are you?" Maxime asked casually.


    "I''m just recovering from my injuries. Unlike a certain person, I''m not crazy enough to go back to the battlefield while injured."


    Maxime met Le?la''s gaze as he said this.


    "It''s not madness, it''s courage mixed with a strong confidence in one''s strength. And if my men and I hadn''t gone, who would have saved the second regiment?"


    Le?la did not take Maxime''s words the wrong way; she knew they were factual. But she was still curious.


    "But the second regiment is a regiment of soldiers. They are all prepared to die, while you are just a high school student. You have already done enough just by accompanying my Shibuya. Everything that you and your men did afterwards was more than exceptional."


    "It would have been a shame to lose an exceptional genius just to save a regiment."


    Maxime continued to drink his soup quietly while Le?la was talking.


    After taking a few spoonfuls, he looked at Le?la again with very serious eyes.


    "I felt I could do it, so I did it. That''s all."


    Then Maxime thought about something.


    "In the end, I did the same thing I did for you. If I hadn''t put my life in danger, you and your mercenaries would have died on the battlefield."


    A shiver ran through Le?la''s body when she heard this.


    Because she knew he was right, she and her men had really come very close to death.


    It was just that Maxime''s current appearance made him seem easy to talk to and approach.


    But he was still Maxime, and his words were direct and raw.


    Meanwhile, two figures took their places alongside Maxime and Le?la.


    They were Orvari and Emmanuel.


    The two also arrived with a tray similar to Maxime''s.


    That is to say, a large bowl of hot soup with some vegetables, bread and water.


    "Stop annoying my savior, Le?la. Maxime is a tiger with sharp teeth. Have you ever seen a tiger run away from a fight?" joked Orvari as he sat down next to Maxime, while Emmanuel sat down next to Le?la.


    Seeing two regimental captains sit down at this table, the other soldiers, who had been joking until now, suddenly stopped.


    "Is he the captain of the eighth regiment, Emmanuel?"


    "It certainly looks like it... They say that he is a force to be reckoned with among the captains, and that his intelligence and war strategies are on a par with Commander Kavasta himself."


    "And the one with him, is it really Orvari, the captain of the second regiment?"


    "He''s clearly the captain of the second regiment."


    "But who is this young man to attract so many strong people to his table?"


    The soldiers were all wondering, and no one dared to joke about Maxime anymore.


    Who would dare when there were so many important people at his table?


    He must be someone strong.


    Suddenly, a soldier noticed the burn on Maxime''s face and had a mini revelation.


    "Wait, he has a burn on his face. Could he be the famous young man who saved the Shibuya and who, after being seriously wounded, returned without hesitation to the battlefield to rescue the second regiment?"


    Another soldier suddenly understood too. He had already passed Maxime in the corridors.


    "Shit, it''s definitely him, guys."


    Another soldier still didn''t believe it when he saw Maxime looking like that.


    "But he looks so weak?"


    Other soldiers reacted immediately by bursting out laughing.


    "Weak? He could crush you with a finger." said a burly soldier, showing his little finger with a big smile.


    Soldiers at other tables began to hear the conversations and joined in the fun.


    "Even one finger is too much, his mercenaries are so strong that even the weakest of them could face dozens of Dravaks at once."


    "So he wouldn''t even need to move if he wanted to kill you."


    ...


    The laughter of the soldiers could be heard again throughout the cafeteria now, while the soldiers who were originally making fun of Maxime were all teased by their colleagues.


    The atmosphere was really very good.


    "It''s true, no matter where you go, you become the center of attention, Maxime," Emmanuel commented with a smile.


    With the physiques of each of them, it was difficult not to hear the conversations around them. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime was speechless.


    "I was quiet until you all arrived one after the other," he said, rolling his eyes.


    The 3 captains all laughed together.


    "Believe me, Maxime. These soldiers are all more provocative than the last. If we hadn''t come, one of them would have come to tease you," added Orvari with a teasing smile.


    "Just because the war is over doesn''t mean there can''t be any more victims in the army," replied Maxime simply and matter-of-factly.


    Immediately after saying this, he picked up his spoon and continued to eat his soup. If he had waited any longer, it might have gone cold before he finished it.


    But his words cast a chill over the table.


    "Obviously this guy is definitely crazy," thought the three captains at the table.


    But they were all glad to have him on their side; it was really reassuring.


    At least, as long as no one provoked him, he was always normal and friendly. And especially if they themselves encountered danger on the battlefield, there was no one more reliable than him to come and help them.


    He had already proven this through his actions.


    Thinking in this way, everyone felt close to Maxime despite his hot-headedness.


    "Hey, Maxime. Can you share your blanket a little?" Orvari asked.


    Maxime looked at Orvari, wondering if he was really serious.


    But it didn''t seem like a joke.


    "Come closer."


    Orvari came closer, and Maxime shared his blanket with him.


    The two of them were thus completely wrapped together in the blanket, almost stuck together.


    Fortunately, the blanket was originally really big, otherwise it wouldn''t have been possible.


    "That blanket is really warm. Thanks Maxime."


    "Don''t worry, it''s normal."


    Emmanuel and Le?la were speechless as they watched the scene.


    Not to mention the soldiers, who wanted to laugh when they saw it.


    But who would dare?


    The first of them was the captain of the second regiment, none of them could even resist a single punch from him.


    While the second was a genius crazy enough to go and rescue the second regiment, which was in disarray, with his own force and his men.


    The worst part was that he had really succeeded.


    But no matter, a gigantic and intimidating man, as well as a thin young man, even appearing weak, were rolled up together in a plaid.


    The two were calmly drinking their hot soup and seemed to be living their best lives.


    Some soldiers even began to envy them, because it looked so pleasant...

 Chapter 200 Its good to be back

    Some even began to envy them; it looked so pleasant...


    ...


    Maxime stayed in the fortress all day, mainly talking to regiment captains but also to soldiers.


    He even participated in the capture of Dravak in the wild, as many of them were now in hiding, especially the Dravak regiment captains.


    Of course, no one could find Vatar, nor did anyone want to find him.


    Apart from Kavasta, no one could last more than three exchanges against him.


    The captured Dravaks remained in the fortress during this time, because if the humans took them to Earth, it would become much more complicated to bring them back home.


    Kavasta had obtained the rights to manage the dimensional battlefield for another four days, until the temporary closure of the dimensional battlefield.


    He therefore opened access to the Dravaks, in limited numbers of course, so that emissaries of their race could come to negotiate to recover the prisoners.


    The fortress was therefore still quite busy during the day, with many things still to be done and some fighting going on outside.


    Finally night fell and Maxime also enjoyed a last evening in the relaxation area.


    He took the time to have a drink with many regiment captains who wanted to befriend him, but also with many lieutenants and soldiers.


    He also saw Varek again and spoke with him for a good hour. He didn''t know why, but he got on particularly well with him.


    His mercenaries, who had survived all these events, also took advantage of the relaxation area, where they all had fun playing ''Spectral Duel''.


    There was no such technology in their world, so it was great fun for them.


    In this case, it was Kaite, Tena, Ultia, Romuald and Rodrigo who were present. That''s 5 mercenaries.


    Laura, Henry and Terry had died taking a fatal blow in place of Maxime, while Charles had been targeted by the Dravak lieutenants.


    Andrew had exceeded his physical limits after Charles'' death and was too seriously injured to be able to enjoy himself in the relaxation area.


    He was staying in the medical wing of the fortress, and thanks to Maxime, he had a VIP room.


    As for the mercenaries who died in battle, they could be resurrected after 24 hours, but Maxime had to leave the dimensional battlefield.


    Invoking them again on the dimensional battlefield was impossible because of certain rules.


    In the game ''Spectral Duel'', the ordinary soldiers who had tried their luck after hearing the reputation of the Sabertooth Tigers, and who were not convinced, lost miserably.


    They had no chance against them even if the mercenaries were not under the influence of [Nox Limit].


    It took the arrival of a few sergeants to put pressure on the Sabertooth Tigers, but they continued to win, further boosting the reputation of Maxime and his mercenaries.


    It was only when some of the lieutenants took the stage that the mercenaries began to lose.


    But as most of the mercenaries were injured, some of the soldiers watching the scene began to say that if the mercenaries weren''t injured, even the lieutenants wouldn''t necessarily be their opponents.


    Others disagreed, and a long debate ensued during the evening.


    Maxime didn''t really care; he was just having fun on his own, chatting with other people.


    The night passed quickly, and this time Maxime returned to his room alone.


    He took time to recover from his eventful night, and didn''t return to the real world until the next day.


    It was quite simple, all he had to do was ask the dimensional battlefield system to leave, and that was it.


    Of course, this was only possible because the Dravak homeworld had been destroyed.


    As for the eight saber-toothed tigers under Maxime''s command, they could all be taken care of by the army.


    They will accompany the army until the beginning of the following month so that Maxime can return to his life in the real world, peacefully.


    Otherwise it would be a headache to feed and house so many people.


    ...


    Back in the real world, four full days had passed. It wasn''t like in the world of Eternity, where no matter how much time was spent in the game, less than a second passed in reality.


    The dimensional battlefields had the same relationship to time as the real world.


    Meanwhile, the sound of the shaker echoed throughout the bar as Hugo, sleeves rolled up and black shirt sticking to his skin from the heat, kept up a steady stream of orders.


    "And here''s your whisky on the rocks! And here are two mojitos for the ladies!"


    Hugo served the drinks directly to the customers waiting quietly at the counter.


    The bar was almost full, and customers were piling up at the counter.


    For the moment, it was still okay, but if it went on like this, the bar could really lose loyal customers because of the waiting time!


    Hugo could feel the sweat running down his back.


    "Damn it, you''re pissing me off Maxime! Since you left, I''ve been working overtime and working like crazy!"


    With a sharp movement, he wiped his forehead with his forearm and glared around him. Still no sign of his colleague.


    Four days earlier, he had disappeared without a word.


    At first it was still okay, Hugo thought Maxime wasn''t feeling well and needed some fresh air.


    But four days was a ridiculously long time to be out and about!


    "Damn it... Maxime, if I ever find you, I swear..." he grumbled as he mixed a cocktail with extraordinary skill.


    The boss, Mr. LeMoine, walked up behind him and said exasperatedly:


    "Still no news of Maxime, Hugo?"


    Hugo sighed loudly, his stress reaching new heights.


    "No idea, boss! I still haven''t heard anything."


    The boss''s face tightened.


    "I swear, if he does it again, he''s fired!"


    Hugo rolled his eyes while continuing to smile at the customers, take their orders and serve the drinks.


    "This boss is super nice, but now he''s really pissed me off because he hasn''t found a replacement!" he thought silently with a certain amount of rage.


    But it was true that his skills had improved a lot by keeping up this infernal pace.


    He was going so fast that he had the impression that his hands were moving on their own. A gin and tonic, a Ricard, three shots of tequila...


    But just as he was immersed in his own world, a voice came from just behind him.


    "Hi."


    ? AAAAH ! ?


    "Shit, Maxime! Where have you been!? And stop disappearing and appearing out of nowhere, it''s too surprising!"


    "And what''s this burn on your face!?"


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, visibly amused.


    "What? Are you okay? You look a little tense," Maxime replied, ignoring the second question.


    A vein appeared on Hugo''s forehead.


    "Of course, because of a certain person I''ve had to put in a monstrous amount of work these last few days!"


    Maxime smiled slightly, and began to take orders from a few customers, immediately relieving the pressure in the bar.


    He had already put on his black work shirt, guessing that he would appear again at his workplace.


    "Oh Maxime, you''re back? Wow, you''ve got a nasty burn on your face. Are you sure you can work?"


    Maxime smiled at the person speaking to him, an old man who was a regular at the bar.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lotan, yes, I''m better now. Here''s your glass of whisky with two ice cubes as usual."


    "Take care of your health anyway, that''s the most important thing. And thanks for the whisky."


    As he was making the old man pay, Maxime turned to Hugo.


    "It''s a blessing in disguise, isn''t it? Thanks to my absence, you''re going to get a great paycheck this month."


    Maxime knew that Hugo was in financial difficulties, as he was not a high school student. He was a university student, but at a civilian university.


    The latter did not offer any courses on the subject of Eternity.


    This was also the case for most universities, because it took all sorts to make a society work.


    As for Hugo, he had always had a bad relationship with his parents, so as soon as he finished high school and turned 18, he looked for work so that he could provide for himself.


    And thanks to the owner of the bar, he was able to afford a small apartment and live decently. But making ends meet remained complicated because it was a part-time job since he had not wanted to give up his studies.


    "Yes, it''s true... but I fell a long way behind in my architecture project." replied Hugo, still angry, but less so than at the beginning.


    He was, in fact, at architecture school. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Don''t worry, I''ll take over. You can leave if you want." Maxime reassured him with a smile.


    His bartending skills were not up to Hugo''s level, but with his physique, it was not difficult to keep up a high pace.


    Hugo gave Maxime a suspicious look and did not reply.


    The two worked for a while in silence, completely catching up on the customer tickets.


    At that moment, the boss appeared.


    "Hugo, you can go. There''s nothing to worry about now that Maxime is back."


    Hugo had also had time to observe Maxime, and indeed, he was very efficient.


    He wondered a little where all that energy came from, but he didn''t think too much about it.


    "Thanks, boss."


    Without hesitation, he grabbed his bag from behind the counter and took one last look at Maxime, who was bustling about with an almost supernatural ease.


    His colleague seemed tireless, his movements fluid and precise.


    It was... strange. In the past, although he did well, he really wasn''t as competent as he was today.


    Hugo hesitated for a second before heading for the exit.


    "By the way, Maxime..." he said, turning as he passed the bar counter.


    "Seriously, where were you?"


    Maxime looked up with a slight smile.


    "Oh, that... It''s a long story."


    Hugo narrowed his eyes, intrigued.


    "A long story, eh... I hope it was at least worth it."


    "And... I''d especially like to know where that burning sensation on your face comes from."


    Maxime put a glass on the counter and replied enigmatically:


    "Let''s just say that I learned some interesting things, but that I had to overcome a few obstacles to learn them."


    Hugo raised an eyebrow, then shook his head with a sigh.


    "That''s it... So you just messed up when you were trying out a recipe. My cousin had the same thing in high school, and it went away after a few months, so don''t worry."


    "Well, have a good evening."


    Maxime didn''t react particularly, except with a smile.


    "Good evening, Hugo." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the door of the bar closed behind him, Maxime glanced around the bar.


    He could feel the flow of time, perceive every movement with new acuity.


    Indeed, he could perceive time.


    It was a really strange feeling.


    And it wasn''t just that.


    Whether in terms of strength, skill or temperament, he had changed a lot.


    His whole perception of the world, and even the way he interacted with other people, had been completely changed.


    The boss, Mr. LeMoine, watched Hugo leave before turning his attention back to Maxime. He approached the counter, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised.


    "You..." he said in a deep voice.


    Maxime looked up at him with an innocent smile.


    "Me?"


    "Don''t give me that look. You disappear for four days without warning, you don''t answer any calls, and then you reappear like a flower, calm, as if nothing had happened?!"


    Maxime shrugged.


    "Sorry, boss. Something unexpected came up."


    "An unforeseen event?!" LeMoine growled, placing his hands on the counter abruptly.


    "Do you take me for an idiot?! Do you think I''m going to accept this kind of lame excuse?!"


    Maxime did not lose his composure and simply stared his boss straight in the eye.


    "What do you want me to say? I got caught up in something important, and I couldn''t come back until today. That''s all."


    The boss gauged him for a moment, then sighed loudly while pinching the bridge of his nose.


    "Tsk... If you weren''t such a good bartender and the customers didn''t like you as much, I would have fired you by now."


    Maxime smiled.


    "So, I guess I can keep my job?"


    LeMoine stared at him for a moment longer before pointing a threatening finger at him.


    "One more disappearance like that, and I''ll fire you for good. Understood?!"


    "Understood, boss. I promise I''ll be more careful." Maxime replied seriously this time.


    His boss was much nicer than he looked, so Maxime wasn''t worried.


    But no matter how much his strength and status improved, he would always respect the people who had reached out to him when he needed them.


    The boss blew his nose once more, shook his head and walked away muttering incomprehensible insults.


    Maxime, meanwhile, calmly got back to work, wearing a slight smile.


    "Ah... It''s good to be back."

 Chapter 201 The butler

    "Ah... It''s good to be back."


    Maxime immediately got back into the rhythm of the service, following orders with astonishing fluidity. The atmosphere in the bar was lively, the music playing softly in the background as laughter and conversation mingled in the hubbub.


    Customers continued to flock in, but he kept up the pace.


    LeMoine, who was discreetly keeping an eye on Maxime, was impressed.


    He had originally been worried about Maxime after he had disappeared without saying a word for several days.


    If Maxime was ill or something, he wouldn''t have hesitated to send him home. In his opinion, health is always paramount at work.


    But since everything was going much better than he could have hoped, he went back to his office.


    Time passed quickly, and when the clock struck one in the morning, the customers all started to leave because it was closing time.


    Maxime took one last order, a glass of water for a customer who was in great need of one.


    After that, he wiped down the counter and then, once he had finished, he could finally take a breath.


    The boss approached him, arms crossed.


    "Not bad. You kept up the pace well."


    Maxime shrugged with a smile.


    "I had a good teacher."


    LeMoine chuckled slightly, because he was the one who had taught him everything about the job.


    But he quickly took on a more serious tone.


    "Listen, Maxime... I''m not going to lecture you, but take care of yourself. You give the impression that everything is fine, but don''t take me for a naive old man. This burn is clearly more than a third degree burn."


    "You''re still in high school, it''s not your turn to fight for humanity."


    Maxime was surprised.


    Maxime had obviously assumed that the boss was a former soldier who had already participated in dimensional battlefields or else he had a lot of experience in Eternity.


    And that was also the charm of Eternity, the neighbor you smiled at every morning could be a monster with the strength to participate in sky-level dimensional battlefields.


    Because as long as he didn''t show his strength, almost no one could guess.


    At the same time, Maxime sensed a hint of sincerity and concern in the boss''s voice.


    "I''ll see to it, boss. I promise."


    LeMoine nodded before patting him on the shoulder.


    "Go on, get out of here. You''ve worked hard."


    Maxime nodded and then went to his locker.


    As expected, his T-shirt and white sweater were still there. He changed into them and left his black shirt behind.


    He had several copies of this shirt, and it was the boss who took care of the machines and ironing the shirts.


    It was rather convenient.


    After that, he said goodbye to the boss and left the bar into the cool of the night.


    But he wasn''t cold this time; it seemed that he had been able to recover during the previous day at the fortress.


    He took a deep breath, enjoying the calm after the hustle and bustle of service.


    But he had barely taken a few steps when he felt a chill run down his spine. An unpleasant feeling, as if invisible eyes had fixed on him.


    Then he saw them.


    A few meters away, a dozen men in black were waiting for him. They were wearing black suits, but their rigid posture and cold gaze betrayed military discipline.


    He also saw three luxury black cars parked in the street.


    What bothered him was that he had never seen these cars when leaving work, even though he had been working here for over a year.


    One of the men in black, standing slightly in front, addressed him in a neutral voice.


    "Maxime Valdreuve?"


    Maxime narrowed his eyes, instinctively putting himself on his guard.


    He well remembered that a month before, he had offended a noble family in the city, and that this family had retaliated by dismissing his mother and arranging for his brother to be harassed at school.


    "That depends. Who are you?"


    The man did not reply immediately. A heavy silence fell before he said, almost dismissively:


    "You don''t deserve to know."


    Maxime smiled ironically.


    "Really? And you, do you think you deserve an answer?"


    The atmosphere became tenser and many passers-by nearby quickly moved away when they saw what was happening.


    Even people who were well drunk could see that something dangerous was going on around here.


    "This young man is in danger, let''s go and help him, shall we?" asked a young woman accompanied by several friends.


    One of their friends nearby immediately put his hand over her mouth.


    "Are you kidding? After saving up for so long, we can barely beat apprentice knights at the starting line," he whispered in panic.


    "These guys are all much older than us and it''s obvious they know how to fight really well."


    "I''m sorry for the young man, but we can''t help him!"


    The group of friends looked at each other for a few seconds with complicated expressions, but in the end no one dared to get up and help Maxime.


    And it wasn''t just them, all the passers-by in the street pretended not to have seen anything and quickened their pace to get away.


    In a world where a large part of the population knows how to fight, many people also knew how to estimate their strength and that of others within a wide range.


    No matter what was going on around them, two of the men in black advanced towards Maxime, clearly determined to force him to follow them.


    But he didn''t give them time to act. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant, his body moved with lightning speed.


    The two men were thrown to the ground before they could even react.


    One of them tried to get up, but Maxime knocked him out with a straight punch to the head.


    Of course, he held back a lot of his strength, otherwise the man would have lost his life.


    But it was still enough to knock him completely unconscious.


    "Is this a joke? He defeated Marco and Benji so easily?"


    "I had seen his videos against the Piranhas during the invasion, but he wasn''t as strong when he wasn''t activating his mysterious skill or talent."


    "He can already neutralize us so easily in high school..."


    "In the space of a month, this high school student has become terrifying."


    The other men in black stood still. They were afraid.


    They all knew that this young man was already monstrously powerful a month ago, but not yet powerful enough for them to take him seriously.


    Normally, a young man with about 2 points of physicality, who was struggling to get up to 3 points, could not get their family to do anything.


    Their patriarch had a surface physique of 3.5 points, not counting class bonuses, skills and talent!


    And that was in the real world; in Eternity, he had a physique of over 8 points.


    A real monster in human form.


    In the city, no one was his opponent except the mayor.


    Under the circumstances, only the man who seemed to be the leader of the men in black stepped forward.


    "I guess I''ll have to do it myself, you bunch of idiots."


    The other men in black said nothing, but their fear of Maxime diminished significantly.


    Because this man was one of the most powerful men in their family!


    As he spoke, Maxime immediately sensed an overwhelming threat emanating from this man.


    This guy looked like a simple butler with his impeccable suit and slicked-back hair.


    But his aura... It was terrifying.


    To his knowledge, only Kavasta had a more overwhelming presence than him.


    "Surrender, Maxime. A mere high school student is no match for our Olifer family."


    This butler clearly didn''t care about revealing their identity, and it also showed that they didn''t fear the repercussions at all.


    Maxime frowned.


    "The Olifer family..."


    A month earlier, their eldest son had tried to kill everyone who wanted to enter the shelter closest to the Valdreuve family home during the Pyrans invasion.


    When Maxime arrived on the scene, he saw that his many neighbors, as well as his mother and brother, were being blocked at the entrance to the shelter by the eldest son of the Olifer family.


    His mother was even hit by the eldest son.


    Maxime was also shot at several times by him, before killing him with a punch and then falling unconscious himself.


    Fortunately, no bullet had lodged in his body and his vital organs had not been affected, otherwise he would have been dead for good.


    Revenge also came quickly.


    From then on, his mother was out of work because of that family, while his brother could no longer go to school.


    "The Olifer family, it''s time to settle the score..."


    At the same time, he produced a one-handed sword that he had ''borrowed'' from a Dravak prisoner.


    Naturally, he couldn''t walk around with a lightsaber in the world of Eternity, so this high-quality sword, which didn''t attract attention, was definitely a very good choice.


    Unfortunately, as far as armor was concerned, he hadn''t found anything that was both his size and not too flashy.


    So he had to fight in civilian clothes, but that didn''t bother him.


    The butler also noticed this.


    "Aren''t you afraid? All it takes is one blow from a sword and you''ll die here."


    On hearing the words, Maxime did not react much.


    "If I were afraid of something so insignificant, I would have been dead long ago."


    The butler smiled.


    "All right, you''ll just have delayed your death then."


    No sooner had Maxime heard the last words than the butler''s silhouette disappeared.


    "This is not good, this guy is really on another level to other men!"


    An intense feeling of danger resonated in Maxime''s mind.


    Without hesitation, Maxime activated Frozen Time.


    The world around him stood still.


    As the world around him turned gray, he could see the emotionless expression on the face of the butler who was literally right in front of him.


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    His sword was already almost piercing his throat.


    "That guy was really going to kill me!"

 Chapter 202 Turnaround

    "That guy was really going to kill me!"


    Their physique should not be that far apart because of the physical restrictions on their universe, but combat skills, talents and class bonuses all counted in combat power.


    This meant that even with a physique that could almost be said to be similar, the difference in power could be exceptional.


    Now, Maxime was very strong with a single combat class at level 9 and a level 3 swordsmanship, but compared to those who had reached a similar stage to that of grand knight or even higher in the world of Eternity, it was very insufficient.


    He was of course a new class, but without an animal under his command, he was temporarily useless.


    At the same time, Maxime took advantage of this short period of time to position himself at the butler''s side and put his sword to his throat.


    0.5 seconds passed very quickly.


    When time resumed its course, the positions had been reversed, but the man in black did not flinch.


    He merely observed the blade against his skin, before fixing his piercing eyes on Maxime.


    "Amazing, how did you do that?"


    The butler was not panicking in the slightest, still appearing very confident.


    But Maxime did not reply, staring at the butler in front of him, making sure he did not show the slightest sign of escape.


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    "You don''t want to answer?"


    "It doesn''t matter, in any case you shouldn''t have hesitated. You should have killed me straight away."


    "But now that you''ve used your trump card, you have no chance of survival."


    But at that very moment, a red dot appeared on the butler''s forehead.


    And it wasn''t just him, all the men dressed in black now had a red dot fixed on their foreheads.


    At the same time, many men in military uniform arrived in the area.


    A man strode forward between the ranks of soldiers. Tall, with an imposing build despite his elegant silhouette, he wore a long dark coat with gold braiding that testified to his authority.


    His face was marked by a large scar that ran from his left eyebrow down to his cheek, giving him a stern and uncompromising air.


    Maxime immediately recognized the man who had just appeared.


    "Aleksei Dorne."


    The mayor of the city.


    Maxime could easily recognize him as he had appeared on television several times.


    There were also many videos of the mayor fighting on the internet. In an age when war could break out at any time and anywhere, this was not frowned upon.


    On the contrary, the mayor had won his elections thanks to his show of force on the internet.


    The mayor''s piercing gaze swept across the scene, lingering first on Maxime and the blade he was still holding against the butler''s throat, then on the men in black, still frozen, with red dots dancing on their foreheads.


    "What a curious sight." he said in a calm voice, but one that carried undeniable authority.


    The mayor, so dignified in appearance, was tempted to laugh at the sight of the butler, so often arrogant, with a blade pointed at his throat.


    Even more so when the one threatening him was just a high school student.


    "I thought I had made myself clear, Oswald. You don''t settle personal business in my streets."


    The butler, whose name had just been revealed, smiled slightly, relaxed despite the situation.


    "Mr. Mayor... What a surprise." He bowed his head slightly in greeting, then glanced at Maxime.


    "This young man is a problem we have to deal with. A strictly family matter. I ask the mayor not to intervene."


    Aleksai took another step, and instantly, the atmosphere changed. The air itself seemed to become denser, more oppressive.


    "A family matter?" The mayor raised an eyebrow, then his gaze hardened.


    "I don''t know what makes you think your family has more authority over this city than I do, but let me remind you of something, Oswald..."


    He raised a hand and made a simple gesture.


    Oswald followed the direction pointed out by the mayor of Nansoy and saw the dozens of snipers who were ready to shoot them.


    Oswald knew he was in trouble, although he didn''t show it.


    It was only now that he realized they were being targeted by snipers.


    Namely that bullets fired by snipers travel faster than the speed of sound itself. So unless he could predict when these marksmen were going to fire, he himself could not avoid the bullets.


    Looking in the direction of the sniper who was aiming at him, the sniper even gave him a little ''perfect'' sign, as if he was going to take a photo and he shouldn''t move to get a good shot.


    This annoyed Oswald, but there was nothing he could do about it at the moment and not even in the future.


    Namely that these snipers were not weak in hand-to-hand combat either, but above all they were all under the orders of a guardian.


    So they couldn''t be easily hit.


    Because the guardians were men who had decided to pledge allegiance to a mayor by swearing allegiance to him and the city.


    To become a guardian, one had to be at least a grand knight in Eternity, not counting class bonuses, talent and various skills.


    Only the standard physique and mastery of one''s weapon of choice were evaluated when choosing guardians.


    Thus, they were all unreasonably powerful men, some even reaching the power of an epic knight once they gave their all.


    Currently, there were 5 guardians in Nansoy, making the city a rather well-secured one, as there were sometimes only 2 or 3 guardians in cities of similar size.


    It was a shame that their power could not be used freely due to the precarious situation of the human race. They could only grit their teeth when they saw invasions taking place, and only intervene when the limits were exceeded.


    Particularly when the enemies destroyed shelters or targeted schools. In that case, the guards could go wild.


    "I''m the one who decides here." the mayor declared firmly.


    Oswald didn''t lose his smile, but his gaze became more attentive. He knew he couldn''t afford to directly challenge Aleksei Dorne.


    The Olifer family had a lot of influence, but the mayor was still the most powerful man in the city.


    But as Oswald rapidly considered how to get out of this situation and report the matter to the patriarch, he suddenly felt his perspective change.


    "Huh?"


    He didn''t understand.


    Why suddenly could he only see the mayor''s feet?


    And he could no longer move his arms or legs.


    The mayor looked at Oswald''s head on the ground, motionless.


    "Did you really kill him?" exclaimed the mayor, looking at the young man with blond hair and a burn mark on his face.


    His blue eyes seemed particularly cold.


    "If I hadn''t had a skill that allowed me to avoid his deadly blow, I would already be a dead man."


    "So why shouldn''t I be able to kill him when he had the right to do so?"


    The mayor suddenly began to have a headache .


    It was literally as if the police had come to the aid of a victim and had already neutralized the perpetrator of the crime, and then suddenly the victim killed the person who had wanted to harm him.


    "There are still laws in this country, Mr. Valdreuve." As he said this, the mayor put his hand to his forehead, particularly annoyed by what had just happened.


    It wasn''t easy to mess with the Olifer family, even for him.


    The dozen or so men who were with the butler saw their boss killed before their eyes, and they all began to tremble.


    "Who the hell have we provoked?"


    For his part, after a moment''s thought, the mayor made his decision.


    "Is the neighborhood sealed off?" he asked a policeman who was following him.


    "Yes, there''s no one within 100 meters."


    The mayor nodded and gave a small signal to the snipers.


    Without a sound, the shots rang out.


    Phht.


    Phht.


    Phht.


    The silencers muffled the roar of the detonations, leaving only a faint, barely perceptible hiss. In a fraction of a second, the dozen or so men in black collapsed one by one, struck down by bullets fired with surgical precision.


    The first was shot in the forehead, his body slumping limply to the ground, his eyes still open, as if he had not yet realized that he was dead.


    The second, more intelligent and aware of his surroundings, tried to move back, but a bullet passed through his temple before he could even scream. His body slowly slumped, a frozen expression of incomprehension on his face.


    The others were no more fortunate. One after the other, they fell like puppets whose strings had been cut, their bodies collapsing without the slightest jolt.


    Some had barely had time to widen their eyes before death took them.


    Maxime, still motionless, watched the scene with absolute calm. He felt neither satisfaction nor pity. It was simply the consequence of their own choices.


    And his choice was not a sudden impulse, but a decision made after reflection.


    As soon as the mayor arrived and they had spoken, he knew he was on his side.


    Since that was the case, why hesitate?


    He now had his own status in the army and his connections. So even if things didn''t go as he planned, he could always get out of it. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the worst case scenario, he would go to prison. So what?


    No one could take his watch now that it was linked to him, so it would still grow terrifyingly even if he was in prison.


    And above all, he didn''t have the patience to wait for revenge when the opportunity was so good.


    If he could do it straight away, why wait?


    What made him hesitate more was not being able to protect his family if he ended up in prison.


    Aleksei Dorne, the mayor, watched the carnage without flinching, his men already beginning to clean up the scene to avoid any prying eyes that might arise.


    Then he turned to Maxime.


    "I never thought I''d get to know the famous genius of my city this way."

 Chapter 203 Prédator 2000

    "I never thought I''d get to know the famous genius of my city in this way."


    "Genius?" asked Maxime, not understanding at the time.


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    Except during the Piran invasion, where he had shown some talent, no one knew him.


    And this level of talent was not enough to be called genius in the eyes of a powerful man like the mayor.


    The mayor smiled.


    "All the politicians and nobles of the Western Federation are already aware that a monstrous high school student is to overthrow a dimensional battlefield against Dravaks."


    "It had happened before you, but never against a race as powerful as the Dravaks. At most, it was a race in the top 100 of the Delta universe."


    "But the top 10 is a whole different story. The quality of the human army and the Dravak army is on a completely different level than on the majority of yellow-level dimensional battlefields."


    Maxime did not react particularly. Praise and compliments were not something that gave him particular pleasure.


    At most, it was nice to hear.


    When he thought about what he enjoyed, it was more Laura, his mercenaries, dancing with the princess of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, spending a wild night with Dorian Valderic, training with the sword or protecting and saving people.


    But hearing this kind of thing, especially from someone he had not known a few minutes before, made him more or less indifferent.


    Of course, if it had been his mother or his brother who had said these things, he would have had a completely different reaction.


    Seeing the lack of reaction, the mayor changed the subject.


    "But enough chatter, I didn''t originally come here to save you."


    Maxime was confused.


    "In that case, why did you come?" he asked.


    He still didn''t know why the mayor was there at one in the morning next to an ordinary bar on the outskirts of the city.


    "Because a very important person wants to meet you," he explained with a smile.


    "A very important person?"


    Maxime didn''t wonder why someone who should even have a higher status than the mayor wanted to meet him.


    From what he had heard since his return, he knew that in terms of growth speed, few geniuses in the world could match him.


    What made him even more curious was how this person had obtained information about him.


    The mayor nodded in response to Maxime''s question.


    "Who is it?" Maxime finally asked, no longer able to contain his curiosity.


    "You''ll find out soon enough," replied the mayor, with a mysterious air.


    Maxime was disappointed, but at the same time he was starting to get impatient to meet this mysterious person.


    Two contradictory feelings that he didn''t dislike all that much.


    "How did you know I would be here?"


    The mayor still kept a bit of mystery.


    "Don''t worry, we have our own sources for this kind of thing."


    At this point, Maxime didn''t show anything on his face, but he more or less decided not to ask the mayor any more questions on this kind of subject.


    He was clearly being evasive, and even seemed to take a certain unhealthy pleasure in seeing the confusion on his face.


    Suddenly the mayor took a last look at the corpses of the men in black before saying:


    "Well, it''s time to go."


    "What do you mean?"


    At this point, Maxime was beginning to hate the mayor.


    Even though he didn''t want to ask any more questions, he had no choice but to ask them.


    He couldn''t just follow the mayor around like an emotionless puppet.


    "I have to go and meet the person who asked me to come here."


    "Of course, after learning about your situation and your exploits, I would have saved you in any case."


    Maxime frowned upon hearing these words.


    "You mean you wouldn''t have saved me if I were an ordinary person?"


    The mayor gave Maxime a brief look.


    "Don''t ask questions you''ll regret asking."


    The mayor''s answer made Maxime feel a spark of coldness.


    "As expected, you can only achieve status through strength," thought Maxime.


    "Otherwise, you are at the mercy of others."


    Ignoring Maxime''s thoughts, the mayor gestured for him to follow.


    Without asking any more questions, Maxime followed the mayor.


    It didn''t matter who he was going to meet, he had no choice.


    Refusing could be interpreted as a sign of betrayal towards the Federation since the mayor was one of its representatives.


    And noticing the total lack of any defense of civilians in the event of a conflict against the powerful, Maxime could already imagine that the treatment of traitors must be extremely cruel.


    As they advanced, Maxime noticed that the mayor''s soldiers remained in position, no doubt to lock down the area, clean it up and find those who might have witnessed the scene.


    As for the fate of those who might have witnessed it... Maxime did not know and could not guess with his status and the current information.


    They soon came to a wide, deserted avenue. Suddenly, an almost imperceptible noise resonated above them.


    Maxime looked up and saw an aircraft slowly descending from the night sky.


    Unlike conventional aircraft, it made no noise and seemed to float with perfect stability. Its sleek, matte black design made it almost undetectable in the darkness.


    "A... stealth plane?" whispered Maxime, impressed.


    And above all, this plane seemed capable of flying vertically.


    It was indeed the first time he had come into contact with something so futuristic.


    The mayor smiled at the young man''s reaction.


    "My personal plane," he said, approaching the aircraft that had just landed smoothly.


    The side door opened with a slight hiss. Two guards in dark uniforms were waiting for them inside.


    "Get in. We have a long journey ahead of us."


    Maxime hesitated for a second before climbing aboard. Both guards seemed as strong as the butler he had just met.


    "Among ordinary people, I am already someone extraordinary to them. But compared to the truly powerful of this world, I am just an ant, slightly bigger than the others..." Maxime thought.


    But then he thought about it: he had only had his watch for two months, and he had already reached such a level of power!


    He was confident that in less than a year he could reach the level of those two guards.


    Soon Maxime was fully settled, and the aircraft took off in a fluid motion, rising silently above the sleeping city.


    He glanced around and immediately sensed that this was no ordinary aircraft.


    The interior was luxurious but understated, without excess, designed above all for efficiency.


    The mayor had taken a seat opposite him, with a small table between them, while the mayor discussed a few matters with the guards.


    Maxime took the time to look out of the porthole and see the lights of the city receding as the aircraft quickly gained altitude.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" remarked the mayor with an amused smile, after finishing his conversation with the two guards, who were leaving. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A little." admitted Maxime, arms folded.


    "This plane... How can it not make any noise?"


    The mayor shook his head.


    "You have to ask the specialists for explanations, I was just shown the features of the Predator 2000 from Butterfly and I thought it was brilliant and well worth the price."


    "For example, it can maintain its silent mode up to 1235 km/h, which is the speed of sound. Of course, it depends on the circumstances. To avoid accidentally breaking through the speed of sound, we limit ourselves to a speed of 1000 km/h."


    Maxime found it very interesting that the sound barrier could be broken through at different speeds.


    He had always thought that the sound barrier was a barrier that was systematically crossed after reaching a certain speed.


    The two continued to discuss, and finally starting to get clear answers without mysterious innuendos, Maxime finally found the mayor less unbearable.


    And while the two were discussing, important events were taking place.


    ...


    The manor of the Draevol family, one of the most influential noble families in the Western Federation.


    In a room with red walls, numerous paintings of humans fighting ferociously against alien races, and paintings of spaceships colliding, a man with an overwhelming aura was impassively leafing through a report.


    He had white hair slicked back and, from his appearance, he must have been approaching fifty.


    Of course, in a world where Eternity exists, it was difficult to judge someone by his age.


    "Maxime Valdreuve..." he murmured as he placed the document on his desk.


    A man in a black suit bowed slightly before him.


    "This young man caused a yellow-level dimensional battlefield to collapse, even though this battlefield was against the Dravaks."


    "The sources are reliable, as this report was written urgently by our confidants at the government building."


    The nobleman Draevol slowly swirled his wine glass between his fingers.


    "Interesting. And this report mentions a certain Olifer family. Who exactly are they?"


    The man in the black suit sat up slightly and replied in a cold tone.


    "A vulgar second-rate family who want to be part of the great and the good."


    The patriarch smiled mockingly.


    "And this same family wanted to bring down such a genius? How pathetic."


    He took a sip from the glass of wine on his desk, before putting it back.


    "Keep a close eye on him. Depending on what happens with the meeting with the president, this boy could become a considerable asset... or a threat to be eliminated as soon as possible."


    His gaze became more piercing.


    "And if the Federation doesn''t know how to use him properly, then maybe we''ll have to take care of it."


    The man in the black suit was not surprised by his patriarch''s words; he was thinking the same thing.


    "Your orders, Patriarch."


    The latter thought for a moment and made a slight reminder.


    "And don''t forget to send an expert to Nansoy, in case the Olifer family or another family is stupid enough to intervene in this context."


    ...


    Underground bunker of the Elden family, renowned for its information network.


    A woman with silver hair was quickly leafing through a file.


    "An interesting young man, it''s been a long time since we''ve seen such a talented genius with courage to match his talent," she said, raising an eyebrow.


    "And what''s most intriguing is that he comes from a civilian background and it hasn''t even been two months since he gained access to Eternity."


    Even after reading the report, she didn''t believe it at first.


    It was only after verifying the source of the report that she began to believe it.


    And at the same time, it terrified her.


    "In two months... Two months, and he went from being an ordinary high school student to a fierce warrior capable of turning the tide on a dimensional battlefield. Is this guy really human?"


    She gently closed the file and stared at the two women dressed like assassins standing in front of her.


    "Contact our informants in the government. I want to know exactly what the president has planned for him."


    The two women bowed and disappeared into the shadows.


    The woman crossed her fingers in front of her, her gaze bright with growing interest.


    "The strong of this world are old and cowardly, no one dares to stand up for their land anymore. Humanity has fallen very low."


    "Maxime Valdreuve, will you be one of those young geniuses who will shape the world and restore humanity''s former glory?"

 Chapter 204 Meeting with the President

    "Maxime Valdreuve, will you be one of those young geniuses who will shape the world and restore humanity to its former glory?"


    ...


    Back on the Predator 2000.


    "And so I was saying..."


    But just as the mayor wanted to finish his sentence, one of the two guards approached him.


    "Mr. Mayor, we''re about to land." Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mayor instantly looked serious and turned to Maxime.


    "Very well."


    "Maxime, prepare yourself mentally and try to make the best possible impression on the person you are about to meet."


    Maxime, who had been listening to the mayor''s words with interest until then, was suddenly taken aback.


    No matter who he was going to meet, he wouldn''t change his personality because of the advice given by the mayor.


    It was more the travel time that surprised him.


    "But it''s not even 30 minutes, is it?"


    Aleksei Dorne nodded.


    "25 minutes to be exact, but with our speed, all the places in the Western Federation can be reached in essentially an hour. So it''s not surprising."


    With that, Maxime did some quick mental calculations.


    "That corresponds pretty well to the distance between Nansoy and Sirap..."


    "So we would be at the capital?"


    If that were the case, Maxime would indeed be excited. It would be the first time he visited the famous capital of the Western Federation.


    The aircraft descended with impressive fluidity, stabilizing just above a huge building whose architecture combined futuristic elegance and military robustness.


    Huge tinted windows reflected the city lights, while surveillance towers equipped with automatic cannons framed the scene.


    The aircraft landed gently on a private landing pad on the roof of the building. Immediately, several guards in black and gold uniforms approached in tight formation.


    The side door of the plane opened with a slight hiss.


    Inside, the mayor stood up and adjusted his coat.


    "Come on, follow me."


    Maxime obeyed without asking any questions, although in truth he was still curious about the person he was going to meet.


    He still didn''t know where he was or who he was going to meet. But one thing was certain: it wasn''t just anyone.


    As soon as he set foot on the platform, a light breeze blew in his face. The guards present immediately stood at attention when they saw the mayor, before casting a few puzzled glances at Maxime.


    "This way."


    The mayor walked confidently towards a glass-walled elevator. Maxime followed him, staying on his guard. Once inside, the cabin descended rapidly, offering them a panoramic view of the interior of the building.


    The place was gigantic. Countless offices lined several floors, connected by suspended walkways. Holographic screens projected a continuous flow of information, while men and women in suits came and went with a busy air.


    Maxime frowned.


    "What is this place ...?"


    The mayor gave him an amused look.


    "You still haven''t guessed?"


    Maxime shook his head.


    The mayor smiled before replying in a calm tone, but one that resonated with immense weight.


    "You are at the Federal Palace."


    Maxime felt his heart skip a beat.


    The Federal Palace...


    The seat of government of the Western Federation.


    Maxime felt a shiver run down his spine. He wasn''t just in an important place, he was at the heart of the Federation''s power.


    It was literally the most secure place in the Western Federation.


    The most powerful men in terms of both political power and personal strength were here.


    He also became increasingly curious about the person he was going to meet.


    Moreover, this confirmed his initial assumption:


    He was indeed in Sirap, the capital of the Western Federation.


    Maxime continued to follow the mayor of Nansoy in an elevator.


    The latter went down to the 15th floor.


    Maxime observed that there were 30 floors in total.


    The 15th floor was therefore the floor that was located exactly in the center of the palace of the Western Federation.


    Maxime''s thoughts wandered more and more.


    Although he thought he was indifferent to the person he was going to meet, once he arrived at the most famous place in the Federation, even he was intimidated.


    After all, he was still only a high school student two months before, and although his mentality had evolved enormously during all the trials he had gone through, he still had a way to go.


    At the same time, Maxime did his best to keep his mind from becoming too distracted.


    Soon, the elevator doors opened and two guards posted on either side bowed slightly when they saw the mayor.


    The mayor bowed to them as well.


    Maxime could not even estimate the strength of these two guards.


    There were three possibilities.


    The first possibility was that these two guards had extremely developed combat experience and could therefore naturally hold their breath.


    The second possibility meant that they were much stronger than him.


    The third possibility was that they had learned a technique to hide their breath. But to learn this kind of technique, one had to be strong, have excellent combat experience and a good understanding.


    And in any case, judging by the mayor''s respectful expression, these guards were necessarily stronger than him, and by a fair margin.


    They immediately followed suit, forming a discreet but effective escort behind Maxime and the mayor.


    The corridor they entered was wide and silent, decorated with symbols representing the history and strength of the Federation. Huge flags hung on the walls, while portraits of former leaders were displayed one after the other.


    Maxime also noticed advanced security measures: drones suspended from the ceiling ready to fire, high-tech scanners built into the walls, and heavily equipped soldiers at every intersection.


    Everything here exuded power and order.


    If there was a threat, the scanners could estimate its physical characteristics and equipment, the drones could test the combat power and the soldiers, after obtaining information on the threat, could neutralize it properly.


    Finally, they arrived at a massive steel door, adorned with the official coat of arms of the Western Federation: a phoenix spreading its majestic wings with a scale, symbol of justice, even larger than the phoenix in the background.


    A guard inserted an access card, while a retinal scanner confirmed his identity.


    "Multi-factor authentication method." Maxime thought immediately.


    With that, even if a hacker came here and managed to find flaws in the security system, he would also have to find flaws in the second security system.


    It wasn''t absolute security, but it came dangerously close.


    The door opened slowly, revealing a spacious room bathed in soft light.


    In the center, a huge glass and steel desk stood before a large bay window overlooking the city.


    And sitting behind the desk was an old man, sitting quietly.


    He was obviously discussing something with a young businesswoman of importance before their arrival.


    Maxime recognized him instantly.


    Nathaniel Voskar, President of the Western Federation.


    The most powerful leader in this part of the world.


    Although he was an old man, he had none of the decadent aura that an old man might have.


    On the contrary, his eyes seemed filled with wisdom, as if he had already seen through the truth of this world.


    Maxime immediately felt a weight fall on him.


    Of all the powerful people in the federal palace, he had come across the one who stood at the top.


    The old man looked up at him, and a heavy silence fell.


    "Maxime Valdreuve, welcome. Please sit down. We have much to discuss."


    Maxime obeyed without a word, sitting down in one of the armchairs in front of the President''s imposing desk. His gaze remained fixed on Nathaniel Voskar, trying to analyze the man behind the legend.


    "Aleksei, Anna, you guys can leave us."


    They all bowed without saying a word, then left the office. Anna took care to close the door behind her.


    The old man folded his hands on his desk, observing him with a slight smile.


    "Do you know why you are here, Maxime?" he asked calmly.


    Maxime thought for a second before shaking his head.


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    "No, Mr. President," he replied honestly.


    Voskar nodded slightly, as if he had expected this answer.


    "You are here because you have attracted the attention of the highest echelons of our Federation."


    He paused, then continued:


    "What you achieved during the invasion of the Pyrans and, more recently, your performance on the dimensional battlefield against the Dravaks... these are facts that we cannot ignore."


    Maxime remained silent, attentive.


    The President rose slowly, heading for the bay window. He contemplated the illuminated city for a moment before speaking again:


    "Humanity is in decline, young man. Our era of supremacy is over. The other races in this universe surpass us in power, in technology, and even in organization. We have survived this long thanks to our ingenuity and our humility... but soon it will no longer be enough."


    He turned, his piercing eyes fixed on Maxime''s.


    "That''s why we need young people like you. Individuals capable of defying the odds, of pushing the boundaries."


    Maxime felt his heart beat faster.


    "You want me to join the army?"


    Voskar shook his head.


    "Not exactly. We already have enough soldiers. What we need are real leaders."


    The president let slip some important information, but seeing the lack of confusion and surprise on Maxime''s face, Maxime smiled.


    "You already have level 2 authorization, don''t you?"


    Maxime didn''t think that such information deserved to be hidden from the president.


    He himself, as president, had to have a higher level of authorization, and above all he detected no malice on his part, so he nodded.


    "Well, then you should know that what we really need are figures capable of leading humanity into a new age of prosperity... or at least, of ensuring our survival."


    Silence fell over the room.


    Maxime was beginning to understand the importance of this meeting. It wasn''t just an invitation to serve the Federation; the president had a very specific purpose in inviting him here.


    The president sat back in his chair and leaned slightly towards Maxime, leaning on the table, then said:


    "Maxime, listen carefully to what I''m about to say."

 Chapter 205 The top 3 best universities in the world.

    "Maxime, listen carefully to what I''m about to say."


    "In a month''s time, special recruitment will begin."


    Maxime didn''t understand what the president was talking about.


    "Special recruitment?"


    Nathaniel Voskar decided to explain. This was normal since he was not dealing with a noble as usual, but with an ''ordinary'' civilian. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, it''s early recruitment from universities. After all, true geniuses can''t afford to waste time in high school. The sooner they can grow, the sooner they can be useful to the human race."


    Maxime nodded slowly. He understood the logic behind this reasoning, but he did not expect such a program to exist.


    "And you want me to take part in this special recruitment drive?" he asked.


    Voskar smiled slightly.


    "Exactly. You are one of the few high school students to have demonstrated outstanding potential on a real battlefield. Simulations and training are one thing, but surviving and standing up to the Dravaks... that''s another story."


    The President paused before adding: Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    "If you pass these tests, you have a chance to attend one of the best universities in the world."


    The President''s words made him open his eyes wide.


    "And what are they?" asked Maxime, wanting to find out more about them before starting anything.


    The president smiled, pulled open a drawer and took out a large book, which he held out to Maxime, placing it right in front of him on the desk.


    "That should answer your questions."


    "This book was created by our intelligence services, bringing together all the essential information on the top 10 best universities in the world."


    "Otherwise you wouldn''t be able to find anything interesting after spending hours on the internet."


    Maxime gratefully took the book and looked at it with great curiosity.


    Then he opened it and started on the first page.


    [Solis Imperialis University]


    [Solis Imperialis University is located in the capital of the Helion Empire, which dominates a large part of the central continent.]


    Maxime was naturally familiar with the Helion Empire and the central continent.


    Currently the Western Federation is also on the central continent and can be considered a small neighbor of the Helion Empire.


    [Its specialty being advanced military strategies, leadership and command of armies. Among others, many commanders of dimensional battlefields came from this university.]


    [Solis Imperialis University is the most prestigious of the military and political universities. Founded by the Helion Empire several centuries ago, it has survived all the great wars and is today considered the cradle of humanity''s greatest generals, strategists and leaders.]


    [In terms of its characteristics, students are trained in all forms of combat, from martial arts duels to interplanetary battles.]


    [The quality of its teaching is such that many kings, princes and military leaders have been trained there. Obviously, it only accepts students with exceptional political or martial potential.]


    [It also has the particularity of refusing students with very good potential but who do not come from a powerful family.]


    [The reason given is that the family context could to some extent judge a person''s moral character. If the family had already contributed to humanity on the battlefields, in the economy or in politics, the university would find students from these families more reliable than people without a history.]


    [This university being almost entirely sponsored by the nobles of the Helion Empire, no one could say anything about some of the rules they firmly supported.]


    [Solis Imperialis University has many highly advanced technologies on its campus, allowing students to participate in fictional military campaigns simulating alien invasions or interstellar conflicts.]


    [The dark but nevertheless well-known side of this university was that the dropout rate was over 80%. In addition to this, competition between students was encouraged to the point where some challenges could be deadly.]


    [The reason given was that the aim was for Solis Imperialis graduates to become the figureheads of humanity, taking command of the largest armies and strategic organizations. Not everyone was capable of becoming one of these important people, despite the extremely high-quality courses on offer.]


    [Their motto being: "Only the strongest can forge their own destiny and that of others."]


    "A motto that goes well with this school that forges fighters, army commanders and politicians at the same time," Maxime thought silently.


    While Maxime was reading, the President got up and poured himself a coffee from a machine at the side of the room.


    "Would you like one, Maxime?"


    Maxime looked up at the President, surprised.


    But it didn''t take him long to make a decision.


    "I would like one, Mr. President."


    So the president began to make the two coffees while Maxime returned to his reading.


    He had finished for Solis Imperialis University.


    The second was Nova Genesis University.


    [Nova Genesis University.]


    Maxime began to read about the university of Nova Genesis, and immediately came across an extremely surprising fact.


    It was its location.


    In fact, the students studied on a space station called "Genesis Prime".


    "It''s really crazy to study in space. If I hadn''t read it, I would never have known it was possible."


    [The university''s specialties are advanced technologies, cybernetics and space exploration.]


    [Built on a massive space station in orbit, this university represents the pinnacle of human innovation and research. It is funded by several private consortia and world governments, making it an entity independent of any nation.]


    "No restrictions on origins this time..."


    [Regarding its main characteristics, the first being that each student had a chip implanted in their brain, providing a second neural interface.]


    [This second neural interface almost allows for two different ways of thinking. The first being human and the second coming from artificial intelligence itself.]


    "It''s a bit like having an AI with whom you can carry around everywhere and chat in all circumstances. It''s both interesting and scary...'' Maxime thought silently.


    For this feature alone, he knew he wouldn''t go even if it was the only school he was accepted to.


    But he continued reading because it was still very interesting.


    [A second feature of this school is the high-risk experimentation.]


    [All students are encouraged to push the boundaries of science, whether it be cybernetic enhancements, genetic manipulation or advanced weaponry.]


    [The third characteristic is that the best students are selected to participate in exploration missions to distant solar systems, where they can directly test their inventions.]


    "Students can travel in space?"


    "This university really is quite incredible."


    However, in view of the situation of the human race, the scope for space exploration remained relatively limited.


    Finally, Maxime read the final sentence about Nova Genesis University.


    "Nova Genesis graduates become pioneers in science and technology, shaping the future of humanity through their revolutionary discoveries."


    [Their motto being: "Evolution is our only salvation."]


    "So they think martial arts and Eternity are useless?" Maxime couldn''t help but say aloud in surprise.


    The president naturally heard these words as he poured the coffee, and glanced from afar at the page Maxime was on.


    "Nova Genesis University, eh. All its graduates are madmen."


    Maxime looked at the chairman who had just spoken.


    The latter couldn''t help but gasp.


    "But the truth is, there are many geniuses who can only realize their potential by going there. And indeed they help humanity a lot from their shadowy zone."


    "But they are far from thinking that martial arts and Eternity are useless. They see them rather as a process by which they can become more intelligent and live longer to carry out their research."


    "That''s something they all agree on."


    "As for the fact that science is superior to martial arts, or vice versa, or that the two should not be mutually exclusive and should even help each other, it''s a big debate among them."


    "That''s why in their motto, they don''t specify what kind of evolution is necessary. They just agree that humanity must evolve in one way or another."


    Maxime listened carefully to all the President''s advice. This was information that was extremely difficult to obtain elsewhere, so naturally he cherished all the information and the time he spent in this room.


    The President returned to his chair and placed the two coffees on the desk, one of them right in front of Maxime.


    "Thank you, Mr. President."


    "You''re welcome."


    Maxime turned to the next page and came to the page about Arkanis University, or rather the Arkanis Institute, which would be a more accurate name, since the Arkanis Institute was much more specialized in a particular field than the other two universities.


    [Arkanis Institute.]


    [The Arkanis Institute is located in the Forbidden Continent of Shandar, in an area where the energies of the universe are at their densest.]


    "The Forbidden Continent of Shandar?" Maxime asked out loud, lost.


    He had never heard of this continent.


    The president thought for a moment and then shook his head.


    "It''s a place you''ll get to know when you gain in strength and status, or by joining the institute."


    Maxime did not react particularly and continued reading.


    [The specialty of the Arkanis Institute is in the manipulation of the elements of the universe, in the mystical arts as well as in research concerning the link between science and energy.]


    [The Arkanis Institute is the most mysterious and controversial university in the world. Located on a continent where the energy is both extremely concentrated and extremely unstable, it is accessible only to those who have already demonstrated exceptional talent in its manipulation.]


    [Regarding the selection of students, regardless of your background, your achievements and your talent, only those who have passed the Trials of Ascension, tests of inhuman difficulty, can join the Institute.]


    [As for the specifics, Arkanis does not consider the energies of the universe as a simple force to be exploited but as entities to be understood and mastered at the highest level.]


    [As for the training conditions, those of the Arkanis Institute are very special. Students must face creatures from other realities and interact with ancient entities to deepen their understanding of energies and their applications in combat.]


    [Arkanis graduates are revered and feared because they possess an understanding of the universe that is beyond human comprehension. Yes, they are superhuman. So much so that almost all of them have their own unique magic that is specific to them when they leave the school. Some become protectors of humanity, while others, tired of the infernal challenges they had taken up, mingled among the ordinary people of the human race.


    [The latter included a multitude of individuals, some of whom enjoy provoking aliens during invasions so that they will attack them, and thanks to this, they can ''punish'' them. Some even take the opportunity to use them as guinea pigs for their experiments.]


    [In any case, if you ever meet a graduate of this university, avoid combat at all costs. Otherwise you won''t even know how you died.]


    [Their motto is: "Mastery of power is the only path to truth."]


    Maxime looked up from the book and took a sip of coffee.


    "Aren''t you going to read the description of the other universities?" the president asked curiously.


    Maxime shook his head.


    "No, I''ve already made my choice."

 Chapter 206 New goal, new determination!

    "No, I''ve already made my choice."


    The president''s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this.


    "Are you sure? You should know that the mortality rate is at least 20% in each of these universities, and it is even seen to be decreasing thanks to the presence of Nova Genesis University, which specializes in scientific subjects."


    "The other two schools have even higher mortality rates."


    "Whereas after this top 3, most schools have an average rate of only 5%."


    But Maxime shook his head firmly.


    "The other schools don''t have the same resources, opportunities and technologies as these 3 schools."


    The president thought for a moment, then he ended up smiling discreetly while thinking:


    "I may have become too old and conservative. This is what the youth who will save humanity should look like."


    "A youth that will move forward no matter the dangers that will be in their way."


    But at the same time, the president felt that Maxime was not telling him everything.


    As he blew gently on his coffee and took a small sip, he asked him:


    "I get the impression that there''s more to it than that. There are other reasons that are pushing you to choose one of these three universities in particular, aren''t there?"


    Maxime didn''t even look at his coffee, instead he met the director''s gaze directly.


    "Yes, even more important than that, my goal is to stand at the top of this world."


    "And to stand at the top, I have to seize every opportunity to become stronger and above all to confront people who are likely to stand at the top too."


    The old man finally burst out laughing when he heard this.


    "Good, good, good."


    "You''re right, you have to be ambitious in life!"


    He laughed for a moment under the surprised gaze of Maxime, who did not expect to see the president burst out laughing in front of him.


    He was one of the most powerful men, if not the most powerful man in the Western Federation!


    And on top of that, he was literally a legend in the Federation, his exploits known to all!


    "So which of these three universities will you choose?" he asked, having stopped laughing, although he couldn''t help a smile appearing on his wrinkled face.


    "Can I really take the test for these universities? They all have very strict selection criteria." replied Maxime, very seriously.


    He still found it hard to believe, even though the president himself had told him it was possible.


    "Of course, our Federation is rather average or even weak compared to the other powers in the world, but we still have some well-known strongmen in the world."


    "A candidate that we recommend will definitely be taken seriously by these academies."


    Maxime smiled slightly, his fears allayed.


    Especially since his choice, for him, had been obvious from the start.


    "So obviously, I choose Solis Imperialis."


    It was the world''s leading academy, even stronger than the other two that were mentioned.


    And above all, it suited him really well.


    His main talent was to improve the potential of his men, and over time, the more he grew, the more numerous and stronger his men would become.


    Knowing that his men could be resurrected in less than 24 hours was like having an immortal army at his disposal.


    Thus he had to learn many concepts of army command. Only in this way could he effectively defend humanity in the future.


    "Very good choice."


    The old man was happy. He had left a few clues in his words before, but seeing Maxime make this decision without getting carried away by the characteristics of the other two universities, he was happy.


    He had already seen many students try to join the Arkenis Institute, which seemed particularly bewitching due to its mystery, and end up dying miserably during their cruel recruitment test.


    When all of them could have been extremely strong men in the future, pillars of humanity.


    Even thinking back on it, the president couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.


    Nova Genenis was also very appealing. Joining this academy meant being able to live in space and being able to look at planet Earth from space every day!


    What a great feeling that must be!


    Compared to these academies, Solis Imperialis seemed much more ordinary.


    Maxime, for his part, was also attracted to both universities, but he knew they weren''t right for him.


    "But in this brochure, it says that there are almost only princes, sons of military leaders and other sons of nobles at Solis Imperialis University."


    "I don''t know about my father, but my mother is definitely very ordinary."


    When Maxime explained this, he was still a little worried.


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    No matter how the president had already reassured him, the idea of rubbing shoulders with this kind of person in the future was really stressful for him.


    The old man looked arrogant at that moment.


    "So what? Who would dare to make fun of your origins? From now on you are one of the sons of the Western Federation!"


    "Whoever attacks you will have to take this old man''s punch!"


    At that moment, Maxime couldn''t help but laugh.


    The old man''s temperament seemed particularly compatible with his own.


    But he knew deep down that the president was simply reassuring him.


    Whatever the president said, he was sure to be looked at strangely because of his origins.


    But he needed to hear those words; it made him feel good and gave him the confidence to remain himself.


    Because if a situation arose in which he was bullied, he didn''t know if he would be able to control himself. He wasn''t stupid, but he knew that he had a tendency to get carried away by his emotions.


    But he already knew how to anticipate this situation.


    "I''ll just have to be the strongest."


    "The one with the biggest fist is right, and if my fist isn''t big enough... well, it''s not possible. I will definitely be the strongest in the end."


    Maxime was confident, and with the president, he always had a bit of background. That was enough to cover the consequences of his actions.


    The president smiled when he heard these words, even though he knew that universities were literally havens for little monsters.


    But he didn''t know at that moment what kind of storm Maxime would cause in the future.


    "For the moment, calm down and listen to what else I have to say to you."


    Hearing the president''s tone, Maxime sensed that what the president was about to say was definitely very important.


    "Special recruitment will begin next month. So, your next entry into Eternity will be decisive in determining whether you can join Solis Imperialis."


    At that moment, the old man looked very seriously at Maxime.


    "Because at the moment, you have no chance of getting into this university."


    "What!?"


    This news came as a real shock to Maxime.


    He seriously thought that he had no opponents at his age, and even if there were any, he couldn''t be too far behind them in terms of strength.


    At this, the old man smiled slightly. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You underestimate the gulf that can separate an ordinary family from a family that stands on top of the world."


    "Even the worst student at Solis Imperialis University is probably much stronger than you are now."


    "To be honest Maxime, you are still too weak."


    Maxime did not know how to react to the president''s words.


    He had several super-powerful talents, he had already been through so much, faced death so many times, but he was still not up to these noble sons?


    Could the world be so unfair?


    "Don''t worry, it''s normal to lose out at the starting line to these nobles, especially since most of them got their watches much earlier than you."


    "Not only did they have more time than you to improve, but they also had the resources to progress even faster."


    "Have you ever heard of cards?"


    To this, Maxime simply nodded.


    This time, it was the president''s turn to be surprised.


    "It''s really surprising that you know about the cards, because it''s an open secret well kept by the strongmen for their descendants."


    "But since you know they exist, you can guess that these cards can give you everything except talent. Even gold coins."


    "Even gold coins?" Maxime asked unconsciously, out loud.


    What was the most valuable thing in Eternity?


    Without a doubt, 100% of the players will tell you that it was the gold coins!


    In theory, with enough gold coins, anyone could go from being an ordinary person to a God!


    "The gold coins have their own limits, but you will understand that in the future," the old man reassured him in a soothing voice.


    "You will also understand later that everything in this world has a limit, and that the only thing that can break those limits is talent, perseverance and courage."


    This brought Maxime back to a bit of mental balance.


    Otherwise anyone would go crazy seeing that countless efforts and sacrifices to obtain a good strength, was in fact only the starting point for other people.


    "But where do these cards come from?" Maxime asked, frowning.


    Since the appearance of these cards, he really had the impression that the world had suddenly become very unfair.


    The president finished his coffee and shook his head.


    "You don''t have a high enough level of authorization. Keep growing and gaining strength, and all the answers to your questions will come to you naturally."


    "Besides, I''m sorry Maxime, but our interview is coming to an end. It was a pleasure to meet the genius of our Western Federation and I hope you won''t disappoint me during the special recruitment selections that will take place next month."


    Maxime finished his coffee too, then looked at the president.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. President, my determination remains unchanged."


    ...


    Back in Nansoy, Maxime was lying in bed at home.


    After his meeting with the president, Aleksei Dorne, the mayor of Nansoy, walked Maxime home.


    His mother was anxiously waiting for him on the sofa, and when she finally heard someone knocking on the door, she went straight there.


    When she saw that it was her son, she was immediately reassured.


    After being scolded for a while, she went to bed while Maxime reheated a meal in the microwave.


    After eating quickly, he went to take a shower.


    He had left Nansoy at around one o''clock in the morning, and when he returned, it was only three o''clock in the morning.


    But in just two hours, a lot had happened.


    As the water fell on his back and the steam from the hot water created a light mist, Maxime made a promise to himself.


    "Solis Imperialis Academy, wait for me."


    "I''m going to go back to Eternity again, get stronger, much stronger, and then I''ll successfully enter the best university in the world."

 Chapter 207 Statistics one month before special recruitment

    "I''m going to go back to Eternity again, get stronger, much stronger, and then I''ll successfully enter the best university in the world."


    ...


    The days began to pass in a well-oiled routine.


    Every morning, Maxime would arrive at school, go to class, and sit next to Samuel.


    From time to time, he would also talk to the young nobles in his class, including Winny.


    Although Maxime realized that the word noble was a big word to describe his classmates, who only had one or two people in their family with the strength of a knight.


    But Maxime had fought with these young nobles, all putting their lives on the line. Naturally, their relationship had improved slightly since then.


    Particularly with Winny, who turned out to be someone with whom Maxime shared some values.


    Maxime also saw Riva from the Juggernaut group again, who continued to teach them some lessons about Eternity.


    He was also able to estimate her strength with his perception, which had improved a lot, and she was clearly barely reaching knight level. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But given her young age, she could already be considered a genius.


    Many people could not achieve this level of strength even after spending decades in Eternity.


    It was not that easy to accumulate gold coins.


    In Eternity, you also had to find somewhere to live, feed yourself, treat yourself...


    It was literally a second life that everyone lived in parallel. And most people literally lived in Eternity as they lived in the real world, that is to say peacefully.


    And doing so was already a challenge. Even being very careful in Eternity and living like an ordinary citizen, it was difficult for a person accustomed to the comforts of the modern world to live in Eternity.


    And even if one managed to adopt a profession from the Middle Ages, there were still many opportunities to die:


    bandits, war, disease, monsters, the nobility...


    But no matter, the lessons followed one after the other. Mathematics, history, geography, physical and combat exercises... The pressure of the exams was felt, and even Samuel, despite his carefree nature, began to study seriously.


    The exam that would change their lives was less than four months away. Naturally, the pressure was on.


    "Which university do you want to go to, Maxime?" asked Samuel, relaxed and curious after the geography teacher had left.


    Maxime couldn''t tell them the truth... because he didn''t want to attract attention. So he improvised.


    "Um... I don''t know yet, do you?"


    "I think I''m going to go to the University of the River Calm! In Nansoy, it''s the best academy!" Samuel replied excitedly.


    But Winny, who was standing right in front of him, turned around and showed a little disdain and provocation.


    "You''ve awakened the Berserker class and your ambitions are still limited to Nansoy? The University of the Calm River isn''t even in the top 20 of the best academies in the Federation..."


    "What university are you aiming for?" replied Samuel, frowning.


    Winny looked proud.


    "I''m aiming for the top 10 universities in the Western Federation! If I don''t get one of them, I''ll shoot myself in the head!"


    "And you''re both strong with potential, I''m sure you can also try to get a school in the top 10," Winny continued with a sincere smile.


    "You think so?" Samuel was hesitant.


    His grades were pretty good and his class also had a lot of potential, but he was still having trouble earning gold coins in Eternity.


    This was also the reason why more than 99.9% of high school students were unable to reach a 3-point physique before the competition, even though there were no restrictions in the real world before 3 points.


    The gold coins were really too hard to acquire.


    As for Maxime, he kept a low profile and no one detected any inconsistency in him.


    Everyone thought he had reached the stage of apprentice knight, and for them that was already quite exceptional.


    In any case, the atmosphere at school was good, although he often got bored. The lessons taught were no longer useful to him in view of the time he had already spent in Eternity.


    Whereas his classmates only spent a week in Eternity, he stayed there for exactly 2 months and 7 days.


    Naturally, the life experience of having entered Eternity only twice was totally different from that of his classmates, even if some had already entered Eternity 4 or 5 times.


    But to avoid wasting time, he continued to work on cultural subjects, particularly mathematics and French.


    After school, Maxime went to the bar to work.


    He still had to help his mother financially, so it was essential. Even though she had told him several times that she would manage, and that the most important thing was the competition.


    But Maxime didn''t want to tell his mother his own plans to avoid worrying her.


    So he simply refused to explain anything and just told Andrea, his mother, to trust him.


    So at work, behind the counter, he served the customers, cleaned the tables and sometimes tried to fit in some revision between orders.


    Cultural knowledge remained important even in special recruitment.


    After work, he also tried to train for two hours with the sword in order to continue improving.


    His talent [Sword regeneration] which he had acquired by increasing the level of his sword class, allowed him to lighten the burden of training slightly at the end of the day.


    Because with his current program, he slept less than 4 hours a night, but at least he wasn''t wasting his time.


    The days passed, punctuated by exams, training, shifts at the bar... until the month was over.


    One evening, while Maxime was quietly in bed, he consulted his own statistics page.


    [Status page]


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. MAX level! (+3% physique)


    Swordsman level 9. MAX level! (+5% physique) (Class quest 2/3)


    Beast tamer. Level 1 (0/100)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/500


    Physique : 3.95 (0.32 class bonus) (+0.67 passive trait bonus)


    Total physique : 4.94


    Qi: 0


    Bestiality: 1


    Sword mastery level 3 (70/100)


    Spear mastery level 3 (50/100)


    Language skills: French level 2 (52/100)


    Passive traits:


    +17% physicality when wielding a sword Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire


    +40% efficiency when training with a sword.


    Sword regeneration (allows you to train for longer.)


    Talent:


    NOX LIMIT level 2 (rank unknown) (0/10,000)


    Zero Limit maximum level (Legendary)


    Awakening of Life level 1 (diamond) (0/1000)


    Minor talent in endurance


    Minor talent in strength


    Knight talent: high


    Skills:


    Frozen Time (single rank), Bestial Bond, Rest, Healing Space.


    Money available: 50 gold coins (in the system) + 100 gold coins (saber-toothed tiger treasury)


    Maxime would have been happy to see this luxurious sign before, but that was no longer the case that day.


    "Level 3 spear mastery has appeared and it is not weak. Definitely, acquiring a B-rank martial technique thanks to the Eternity points was not a loss.


    "My progress with the sword has improved enormously with all the time spent fighting. I am almost invincible below a great knight."


    "And especially my physique, it far surpasses that of a knight at the peak stage, but I don''t know if it reaches that of a great knight."


    "But I don''t think so, the minimum to be a great knight should be 5 points."


    "I''m still too weak."


    "My ordinary combat power, that is to say without counting my talents, is far too far from that of a great knight."


    "The goal is to at least be invincible below epic knights on the next outing. Otherwise, I don''t deserve to attend the best university in the world."


    "And the first step is to awaken my vital seed."


    Since he had ended up in a world that was not his own, he had to adapt to the norms of that world.


    Max knew that he could no longer rely on brute force and his talent [Nox Limit]. He had to take the next step.


    And his new breathing method [Symbiosis] and his new class [Beast Tamer] would help him greatly.


    The two were exceptionally compatible, particularly because Symbiosis was a reward created especially for him after he destroyed the Origin of the Dravaks.


    After that, Maxime glanced at his mercenaries.


    Mercenaries: (The data in brackets is the date of the last appearance of the statistics, i.e. between one month and five days and one month and two days because there have been new recruits in the meantime. The time is counting only the time of Eternity. Adding the time spent in real time, it is between two months and five days and two months and two days.)


    Kaite (knight at the peak stage): Six-star potential. Average knight talent. Physique: 4.2 (3.4)


    Langus (knight at the peak stage): Six-star potential. Weak knight talent. Physique: 4.1 (3.5)


    Apprentice knight (peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physical: 3.4 (2.8)


    Apprentice knight (peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physical: 3.3 (2.7)


    Charles: Five-star potential, affinity with dragons. Physical: 3.3 (2.6) (Plouta)


    Ultia (apprentice at the peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knightly talent. Physical: 3.3 (2.5) (Seahorse)


    Henry (apprentice knight at the peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knightly talent. Physical: 3.2 (2.4) (Seahorse)


    Andrew: Four-star potential. Physical: 3.1 (2.6) (Quesso?)


    Laura: Four-star potential. Physical: 3 (2.5) (Bandits)


    Apprentice knight (peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent. Physical: 2.9 (2.5)


    Apprentice knight (peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent. Physical: 2.9 (2.4)


    Ernest: Potential four stars. Physical: 2.9 (2.4) (Brotherhood house)


    Apprentice knight (great success stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physical: 2.8 (2.3)


    Apprentice knight (great success stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physique: 2.7 (2.3)


    Apprentice knight (great success stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physique: 2.7 (2.3)


    Ivan: Four-star potential. Physique: 2.5 (1.8) (H��nor)


    Wigor: Four-star potential. Physique: 2.4 (1.7) (H��nor)


    Liam: Four-star potential. Talent of the ghost swordsman. Physique: 2.3 (1.1) (Plouta)


    Garen: Four-star potential. Talent of a berserker. Physique: 2.1 (1.4) (Woodwind)


    Lira: Four-star potential. Affinity with the shadows. Physique: 1.9 (1.2) (Woodwind)


    Romuald: Three-star potential and a minor talent in physics. Physique: 2.6 (2.3) (City of Barthon)


    Rodrigo: Three-star potential and an elementary affinity with the earth. Physical: 2.5 (2.2)(Brotherhood house)


    Tena: Three-star potential and a minor talent in intelligence. Physical: 2.4 (2) (city of Barthon)


    Izo: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.3 (1.9) (Quesso?)


    Terry: Three-star potential. Physique: 2.2 (1.9) (Quesso?)


    James: Three-star potential. Physique: 2.2 (1.9) (Quesso?)


    Piedro: Three-star potential. Physique: 2.2 (1.9) (Quesso?)


    Moron: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.1 (1.7) (City of Barthon)


    Jeb: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.1 (1.7) (Ventbois)


    Irus: Three-star potential. Physical: 2 (1.7) (Bandits)


    Jean: Three-star potential. Blessed by the wind. Physique 1.7 (1.2) (Woodwind)


    Reta: Three-star potential. Physique: 1.6 (1.2) (Woodwind)


    Yvan: Three-star potential. Physique: 1.5 (1.1) (Woodwind)


    Katarina: Three-star potential. Physique: 1.4 (1) (Ventbois)


    ...


    Maxime couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "I should seriously look at my mercenaries'' statistics more regularly."

 Chapter 208 The story of the unknowns of the Saber-toothed Tigers

    "I should seriously look at my mercenaries'' statistics more regularly."


    Many of the men under his command had literally become monsters in human form. He understood better why he thought that his "simple mercenaries at the level of apprentice knights" could repel an army of thousands of Dravaks.


    "It was because some of them had already surpassed the physicality of an entry-level knight..."


    "And above all, the power of many mercenaries at the apprentice knight stage has been significantly improved."


    His men were really monstrously powerful now. Maxime had completely underestimated the passive effect of his [Nox Limit] talent.


    Now that he was at level 2, the potential of all his mercenaries had been increased by two stars, in addition to the fact that they benefited from a 600% improvement in training efficiency.


    Thus the slow progression in Eternity, where each 0.1 point can take years of training, could take only a few days for the mercenaries of the Sabertooth Tigers.


    There were no bottlenecks, as the potential of the body was far too strong.


    The breathing methods, in particular, exploited the potential of the human body, strengthening it while improving the physique.


    For example, an apprentice knight almost inevitably had a 3-star potential, but if he did not manage to progress to a 4-star potential, he could not, under ordinary circumstances, have a physique superior to 3 points.


    For that was the limit of his body.


    Only by awakening the vital seed and becoming a knight could the limit be pushed back again, and the potential improved.


    But for many mercenaries, the limits were still far away. Very far away.


    In that situation, how could they not take off?


    But it also gave rise to strange scenes.


    The physique of the apprentice knights that Kaite and Langus had recruited was normally only possible by becoming a knight.


    Even more surprising, Kaite and Langus had both exceeded the limits of knights and were starting to approach the physique of grand knights!


    And with a potential of 6 stars, they could potentially reach a physical of 6 points without becoming a grand knight!


    But in this situation, their breathing method could obviously no longer improve their potential, even if they became a grand knight. However, by becoming a grand knight their fighting power would be greatly improved. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But to what extent, Maxime did not know.


    Ding!


    [Military salary received!]


    [6 gold coins have been sent to your system balance!]


    The monthly notification of the 6 gold coins earned thanks to his military rank was always nice to hear.


    Maxime regretted that his military rank of Eternity could not be improved on the dimensional battlefields.


    But no matter, this notification was always followed by another very pleasant notification.


    Ding!


    [An opportunity to go to Eternity has been unlocked!]


    [You have been detected as having authorization to go to Eternity once!]


    [Would you like to use it now?]


    Maxime smiled.


    "Of course."


    In his bed, he closed his eyes.


    When he opened them again, he felt a cool breeze on his face. The wind seemed particularly pure and pleasant.


    He was in the courtyard of the Valderic mansion.


    Around him were Andrew, Terry, Romuald, Laura, Henry, Ultia, Kaite, Langus, Garen, Lira, Jean and so on.


    In total, there were about forty people around him.


    "Welcome back to our world, boss," Andrew said with a smile.


    "Welcome home."


    "Welcome back, captain."


    ...


    Everyone around him was smiling with happiness.


    They had been through difficult times together, and now the bond between the members of the mercenary group had been significantly strengthened.


    And of course there was also Aveline, Count Ardan''s daughter, whom Maxime was supposed to protect until her marriage.


    "Welcome back? What are you talking about?" she asked, looking confused.


    Everyone looked at her with a slight smile without explaining anything.


    "You''ll find out if you join our mercenary group," Maxime finally said with a smile, certain that she wouldn''t want to join them.


    "What if I do join you?"


    "What?"


    Everyone was surprised.


    The daughter of a count wanted to join them?


    Seeing their surprise, Aveline laughed openly.


    "I was joking, no need to make such faces."


    After discussing and organizing the trip, Maxime and his troop of mercenaries made their way back to take Aveline home.


    On the way back, the first thing Maxime thought about was Dravus.


    He wondered if he could bring him to Eternity. If so, he would gain significant additional combat power.


    Even with his lineage and the powers it granted, it was no exaggeration to say that he was the strongest man under Maxime''s command.


    So much so that he himself would not be sure of defeating him without activating his talent [Nox Limit]


    As if the system had heard him, a notification echoed in Maxime''s mind.


    [Detected a creature named ''Dravus'' under contract with the host in the real world.]


    [Do you wish to summon this creature?]


    "No!" Maxime shouted mentally with a slight panic.


    If Dravus appeared out of nowhere in front of Aveline, Maxime could feel trouble coming.


    So he would wait for Aveline to leave before bringing Dravus in.


    At the same time, as he walked quietly alone in front of his men, he displayed part of his statistics window about his mercenaries.


    [Mercenaries page]


    Apprentice knight (peak stadium): Five-star potential. Physical: 3.4 (2.8)


    Apprentice knight (peak stadium): Five-star potential. Physical: 3.3 (2.7)


    "It''s really a shame, considering that I recruited them at the same time as Kaite and Langus, that I didn''t take the time to ask them their names."


    "But now they are among the best men, second only to Kaite and Langus..."


    "And on top of that, they can awaken their vital seed at any time, which would drastically improve their fighting power."


    "It''s a real shame that I never really spoke to them in depth."


    "A leader worthy of the name should at least know the stories of his most important men."


    Taking this thought as a reminder, he turned to Andrew, who was standing a little behind, chatting with Ernest, and signaled to him.


    "I''m going to check on those two. Take charge and lead the group to Lapi, since we have to bring Aveline back."


    Andrew nodded without asking any questions.


    Maxime walked over to the two knights, who were walking slightly behind the group. As he approached, they instinctively straightened up, adopting a more rigid posture.


    "Sir!" they saluted in unison.


    Maxime smiled as he took them in.


    "I would like to know your names. You are among my best men, and yet I know almost nothing about you."


    The two men exchanged a look, visibly surprised.


    Maxime''s words were very direct, but it warmed the hearts of the two men.


    Finally, the taller of the two spoke first.


    "I''m Erwan, boss. And this is Lioran."


    As they said this, his mercenary page came up.


    [Mercenaries page]


    Erwan (peak stadium): Five-star potential. Physique: 3.4 (2.8)


    Lioran (peak stadium): Five-star potential. Physique: 3.3 (2.7)


    "Nice to meet you." replied Maxime.


    "Tell me, how did you become knights?"


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    There was a moment''s silence. Erwan and Lioran seemed to hesitate, but Maxime could see a hint of emotion in their eyes. As if they had been waiting for someone to ask them that question for a long time.


    After a moment, Lioran sighed.


    "Chief... There''s nothing extraordinary about our story."


    Maxime disagreed.


    "All stories are extraordinary because of their uniqueness."


    "Even if they may resemble others, there is always something that makes them unique."


    Erwan put his hands in the pockets of his linen trousers, thinking for a moment, then began to speak.


    "We were ordinary kids from different villages, but with a common dream: to become knights."


    "The dream of every ordinary kid in the world, after all."


    "So, of course, when we awakened our knighthood talent, we were overjoyed. In our village, it was a rare event. Everyone looked at us with admiration, and our families were so proud of us."


    Lioran nodded with a slight smile, then continued.


    "We were selected as recruits of Duke Devron to become knights in the future. An instructor there taught us a breathing technique and the Devron family also provided us with resources. At the time, it was truly a great honor. After all, being trained by a ducal family is completely different from being trained by a family of barons or viscounts."


    At these words, Maxime noticed that their expressions darkened slightly.


    Erwan clenched his fist before continuing the story.


    "We trained hard, but effectively. We were convinced that we would become elite knights. And even if we didn''t, when we returned home, people respected us. We were role models for the children in our villages."


    Then Lioran continued, his voice deeper.


    "But one day, everything changed."


    Maxime remained silent, encouraging them with a simple look.


    The three continued to walk, side by side.


    "Duke Devron himself came to see us. Not a messenger, not an officer. Him."


    "And that day... We lost our freedom."


    Lioran smiled bitterly.


    "He forcibly enlisted us in his shadow army."


    Maxime frowned slightly.


    "The shadow army...?"


    Erwan slowly nodded.


    "Well, that''s what we called it, but it doesn''t really have a name. It was just a unit that had to do the dirty work for the duke."


    "And... we had no choice. He threatened us... Our families, our friends... As long as it could be used to manipulate us, it was used."


    Lioran bowed his head slightly.


    "At the time, we were both 15 years old, and we accepted like about twenty other teenagers."


    "We were immediately sent to hell. The training was... inhuman. We weren''t taught to protect as the knight''s creed demanded, but to kill. We were molded to be emotionless assassins."


    "Torture, whether on us or on slaves, fighting to the death among ourselves, murdering talented apprentice knights, surviving in the wild with fights to the death..."


    "Of these trainees, fewer than one in ten could ultimately survive to become a true assassin."


    On hearing this, Maxime realized that he had just stumbled upon a real gold mine without necessarily meaning to.


    These apprentice knights were the elite of the elite, all endowed with exceptional fighting skills, but also with other very rare and valuable skills.


    But of course Maxime said nothing about it, and continued to listen.


    Erwan gritted his teeth.


    "At first, we resisted. We refused..."


    A heavy silence fell.


    "But Devron made it clear to us that we had to choose between our honor and the lives of our loved ones. In the end, he presented us with a choice, but who in their right mind would sacrifice the lives of their loved ones? As long as our loved ones are alive, we still have a chance of getting out of this."


    "But if they die... it really is the end."


    Maxime folded his arms. He could imagine what followed.


    And he said nothing. He knew that this kind of story was commonplace in a world like Eternity. But hearing the details from his own men was another matter.


    Erwan took a long breath.


    "For years, we were pawns. We carried out orders that we would have preferred never to hear. We dirtied our hands more times than we could count."


    "To be honest, for several years we really lost our emotions."


    Lioran continued but this time with a smile.


    "But one day, we had an opportunity... And that opportunity is you, boss."

 Chapter 209 A dragon, no less.

    "But one day, we had an opportunity... And that opportunity is you."


    Erwan also nodded.


    "Although we''re still worried about our families, in the short term, it should be okay since the duke thinks we''re dead."


    And of course, both had their black masks attached to them, ready to be put on at the first human contact.


    Because they themselves knew the consequences if their identity were to be revealed.


    Maxime continued to listen attentively.


    "You know, boss, we''d never fought to protect and save before. It''s only in your world that we''ve rediscovered the values that made us dream when we were little."


    "And for that..."


    Erwan and Lioran looked at each other, then the two pretended to understand each other, they stopped and bowed to Maxime.


    "Thank you very much."


    "Thank you very much."


    Maxime smiled at that.


    "I also thank you for following me. After all, unlike Kaite and Langus, there''s nothing stopping you from leaving." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s not like we have anywhere else to go." replied Lioran with a laugh.


    Erwan also laughed at that, but after a moment he became more serious.


    "To be honest, we''re staying because we really see this as an opportunity to join this group of mercenaries."


    "Not only do the values suit us and we share them, but on top of that, we have the opportunity to take revenge with our own hands."


    Now that he knew the story, Maxime could naturally understand their desire for revenge.


    Because although they hadn''t explained what had really happened, they had undoubtedly suffered and done some truly horrible things for many years.


    Behind their smiles and laughter lay a heavy past.


    At the same time, Maxime was faced with a dilemma.


    Should he support them? Should he let them sort things out for themselves?


    At the beginning of the mercenary group, it was naturally not a problem to avenge his men, as he had done with the bandit group.


    But there were already a hundred or so mercenaries in the group now, and there would be even more in the future.


    If the mercenary group started to avenge each of its men''s personal grudges and make enemies everywhere, not only might finding work be difficult in the future, but the mercenary group could also end up being wiped out.


    It was a very serious matter.


    After a moment''s silence, Maxime replied very seriously:


    "Do what you want, but don''t spit in the soup that fed you. That''s my only request."


    Erwan and Lioran broke out in a sweat.


    They immediately stopped and knelt down.


    Maxime also stopped and turned around.


    The other mercenaries also noticed a strange movement, and everyone stopped and turned in the direction of the scene.


    Langus and Kaite, in the distance, looked carefully at the scene.


    They were their men and they were their responsibility. If they did something wrong, they would have to take some of the responsibility.


    "What are you doing?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    Lioran was the first to answer.


    "We apologize, boss, and at the same time we swear allegiance to you."


    Erwan continued:


    "Don''t worry, boss, we''ll never do anything to compromise the group."


    Maxime shook his head with a small sigh, then took care of picking them up himself.


    The two men wanted to resist, but they realized that they seemed to have no strength, or rather they had no way of resisting in the face of absolute force.


    They felt like children facing their father.


    "As long as you don''t harm the mercenary group, the Saber-toothed Tigers will always be your home."


    "And even if you do something stupid, as long as there was no intention to harm the mercenary group, then the family will be there to protect you."


    Maxime''s gentle words warmed Erwan and Lioran''s hearts enormously.


    If Maxime could see their loyalty, he would see that Erwan and Lioran''s loyalty, which was originally average, was climbing at full speed.


    And it wasn''t just them, the mercenaries behind Maxime were also touched, while Andrew, Terry, James and Piedro smiled softly.


    Izo didn''t react particularly, but he was happy inside even though he didn''t show it.


    The mercenaries from Quesso? knew their leader well, and their loyalty was already at its maximum.


    They had lost their families but had been avenged thanks to Maxime, and already considered the Saber-toothed Tigers as their own family.


    Over the last four months, they had formed an extraordinary bond with the group.


    For his part, Maxime did not realize the weight of his words at the time.


    He simply thought that he couldn''t control all his men because he didn''t want to become the boss.


    But he couldn''t become the enemy of the world either because each of his mercenaries had a grudge against this or that family.


    So he simply thought that if his men took revenge, they should do it alone and discreetly.


    And if there really was a retaliation, as long as the revenge had been taken without touching innocent people and with just cause, then the group of mercenaries would stand behind them to protect them.


    Since there was no justice in this world, Maxime thought he could at least create it for his men.


    And as was his habit, if people were not happy, then they could always fight.


    Maximus was not someone who would bow down to threats.


    He thought to himself:


    "If one day something really bad happens, then I will be the one to decide and punish the mercenary or mercenaries at fault. It doesn''t matter whether it''s a king or an emperor in front of him, no one can touch my men without my authorization."


    That was all Maxime''s arrogance.


    With his talent, he thought that if he didn''t have the courage and ambition to match his talent, then it would be a total waste of the talent he had been given.


    In any case, these people were going to become a very important fighting force in the future, so he had to treat them very well to keep them loyal.


    He didn''t want to see traitors appear in his ranks, although it was almost inevitable.


    But in that case, Maxime would show them absolutely no mercy.


    After this event, Maxime took the time on the first day of marching to talk with other mercenaries.


    And after the little event that had happened, everyone felt a little emotional and opened their hearts more easily to Maxime.


    What made this possible was more a combination of circumstances due to the recent battles and the decisions Maxime had made throughout the recent battles.


    They knew that their leader was not brave because he knew that he could not really die in Eternity.


    It was because he really was, and much more than anyone else. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    And it was obvious to anyone who had observed the actions he had taken during the dimensional battlefield.


    The mercenaries who had survived naturally shared these decisions with the other mercenaries along the way.


    They all wondered if they could have really done something like that in the same circumstances.


    The day continued in this atmosphere, which was both strange and happy.


    For her part, Aveline didn''t really know where to stand because all the mercenaries were discussing certain things, but as soon as she approached, they stopped talking completely.


    And even when she asked them directly what they were talking about, they didn''t dare say anything.


    This began to frustrate Aveline, who remained alone most of the time.


    But after a while, mercenaries began to approach her.


    They would never have done this before because of the status of the nobility deeply rooted in their genes. But with their recent immersion in the real world, this status began to be called into question in their minds.


    And above all, they also began to have confidence in their own strength and also in that of their leader.


    They all knew that now, even if they had to face a baron''s army face to face, they would win easily.


    So although Aveline still didn''t know the mystery surrounding the mercenaries, she no longer felt time passing slowly.


    On the contrary, she got on particularly well with the mercenaries.


    Much more than on the way there.


    On the way, although finances remained limited, Maxime was not so stingy that he did not treat his men well.


    And since there was no longer any danger since the marriage was annulled, they could simply sleep in inns on the way back.


    At each village they passed through, Maxime and his troop stopped at an inn, enjoying a decent meal and a warm bed when it started to get dark.


    Of course, no one forgot to train during the few breaks Maxime allowed.


    Everyone knew that these breaks could be particularly long because they weren''t really planned as breaks, but as training sessions.


    During the night of the second day of walking, in an inn in a small village by a river, the atmosphere was particularly lively. Laughter and conversation filled the main hall as Maxime and his group sat down to dinner.


    It was then that they overheard a conversation between several villagers sitting at a table not far from them.


    "I swear to you, I saw this thing with my own eyes! A huge beast, with wings as black as night. I think it was a dragon!" said an old man, putting his mug down on the table, visibly angry.


    ''A dragon, nothing less! Our good old G��rard will never change,'' replied another, laughing.


    "Another night when he drank too much and mistook a crow for a dragon!"


    All the villagers at the table laughed out loud, continuing to make fun of G��rard.


    "I''m not crazy! There''s even a farmer who''s lost some chickens in the last few days!" insisted the old man.


    "But of course, don''t worry Gerard, we all believe you here! haha"


    Maxime exchanged a glance with Andrew, then with Ernest, Rodrigo and Romuald who were sitting at the same table.


    "Do you want to find out?" Romuald asked, intrigued.

 Chapter 210 Kadis Mountain

    "Do you want to find out more?" asked Romuald, intrigued.


    "This kind of story is very common in small villages..."


    Everyone had heard that their chief was looking for a powerful animal to contract, although they didn''t understand exactly how their chief was going to make it obey him if they really met one.


    But of course everyone in the group was more sensitive to rumors.


    Aveline whispered to Maxime,


    "My father receives letters like this every day from the villages in the area. Often it turned out that villagers who had been a little too drunk had sent a letter. Sometimes they were upset about the loss of livestock, and deliberately exaggerated the facts so that the count would send an army to reduce the number of predators such as wolves and foxes in the area."


    "Even if it wasn''t true, since the army had been sent, they usually ended up helping the villagers."


    Kaite also nodded as he heard Aveline''s murmurs.


    "A dragon is impossible. It is a species that has not appeared on our continent for hundreds of years, and above all their power would be even greater than that of legendary knights, which is a stage above epic knights."


    "For these dragons, our Kingdom is a poor land. They have absolutely no interest in going there or living there."


    Maxime thought for a moment.


    "Even if the probability is low, there is always a possibility that an animal with a good lineage may be present not far from us. And above all it is on our way, so why not make a little detour." Maxime finally said with eyes showing his curiosity.


    If this rumor turned out to be true, it could solve one of his imminent needs. In the worst case, he would be content to find a wolf or a similar animal, then he would improve his bloodline gradually, even if it cost a lot.


    Because the awakening of the vital seed was really important.


    This would improve his fighting power as well as enabling him to fulfill his class quest, and thus develop his swordsman class.


    Maxime got up from his table and calmly made his way towards the group of noisy villagers. They, already well under the influence of alcohol, did not immediately notice his presence.


    Maxime sat down with them, immediately attracting their attention.


    "Gentlemen, I heard your conversation. You were talking about a flying monster?"


    There was a moment''s silence before one of the men, his face flushed with alcohol, burst out laughing.


    "There you go! Another curious one who wants to hear old Gerard''s stories!"


    Another nodded, his gaze blurred.


    "Be careful, my lad. If you listen to G��rard too much, you''ll end up seeing monsters everywhere too," he said, laughing out loud.


    Maxime let himself be carried away a little by the atmosphere and ended up smiling.


    He found the villagers very friendly.


    "I''d just like to know more. You say that livestock has disappeared recently?"


    The men looked at each other, shrugging or chuckling to themselves.


    "Well, that''s normal, it happens all the time. Wolves, foxes... Nothing very surprising."


    ''What about this flying monster?'' Maxime insisted.


    Old G��rard banged his fist on the table with a wry smile.


    "Yes, I saw one, but these guys don''t believe me!"


    Maxime narrowed his eyes.


    "Are you sure about what you saw?"


    "Of course!" exclaimed G��rard.


    "And I''m not the only one! Go and see Gilbert, he''ll say the same thing as me!"


    Maxime raised an eyebrow.


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    "Yes, yes, a grumpy old man like me. He''s had chickens stolen in the last few months, and says he saw a big flying beast!"


    Maxime noted the name in the corner of his mind.


    After a few more minutes trying to obtain more precise details, but without much success given the state of the villagers, Maxime returned to his table.


    "Well?" asked Andrew, placing his hand on his chin with boredom.


    "Nothing concrete, apart from a first name. A certain Gilbert seems to have seen something similar. I plan to go and talk to him tomorrow morning."


    Kaite and Langus exchanged a look.


    "Alone?" asked Kaite.


    "Yes. It doesn''t take more than one of us to talk to a villager."


    The mercenaries nodded without insisting further.


    After a few more minutes of light conversation, everyone went to sleep.


    The next morning, Maxime left the inn before the sun was fully risen.


    Asking a farmer who was working the land early in the morning for directions, he easily found Gilbert''s house: a modest building on the edge of the village, near a small poultry pen.


    He knocked on the door.


    A long silence followed, before a hoarse voice was heard.


    "Who is it!?"


    "My name is Maxime. I wanted to talk to you about the flying monster."


    The door opened slightly, revealing an old man with a face weathered by time and farm work. He narrowed his eyes as he analyzed Maxime.


    "Another curious one..." he growled.


    "I just want to understand."


    Gilbert sighed and opened the door wide.


    "Come in, then. But I haven''t got all day."


    The interior of the house was simple, but well maintained. Maxime sat down on a wooden chair opposite Gilbert. The latter leaned on the table with his arms crossed.


    "Gerard told me that you saw a monster take your chickens away."


    The old man nodded.


    "Yeah. It''s been going on for months."


    "Can you explain the situation to me?" Maxime asked politely.


    Gilbert sighed before beginning his story.


    "At first, I thought it was the wolves. Every week, one or two hens would disappear. So I reinforced the enclosure, but it kept happening. One night, I decided to stand guard."


    His gaze became darker.


    "And that''s when I saw it."


    Maxime could even see the fear in Gilbert''s eyes, mixed with rage and frustration.


    "Can you describe to me what you saw?"


    "A dark silhouette with large wings. Not a bird, it was far too big. Not a dragon either, like old G��rard says."


    "And my chickens will never be enough to fill a dragon''s belly..."


    "But whatever it was, this thing swooped down on my pen and in an instant, two of my chickens were gone."


    Maxime slowly nodded.


    "You haven''t seen it since?"


    "No... But every few weeks, chickens still disappear."


    Maxime thought for a moment.


    A flying monster sporadically attacking a pen... It could be a simple animal, but his instinct told him it was something else.


    He rested his elbows on the table, his hands crossed at chin level, then looked Gilbert straight in the eye.


    "And do you know which direction the monster went?"


    The old man nodded.


    "Yes, to the southeast, towards the Kadis mountain."


    Maxime thanked the old man, got up, left a gold coin on the table and left.


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    Seeing the gold coin fall in front of him, Gilbert''s eyes widened.


    A little girl of 7 or 8 years old came out of the room behind Gilbert.


    "Grandpa, who was that person?"


    Gilbert''s eyes began to blur. No one knew the financial pressure this beast was putting on him and his little girl.


    He had already started to deprive himself of food in order to continue to feed his little girl, who had lost her parents a long time ago in a tragic accident.


    But this gold coin would enable him to make up for all the losses he had suffered up to now and even more.


    "Thank you very much, young man. You are welcome at any time." Gilbert finally said, his voice trembling.


    Maxime simply waved without turning around. Thanks to his perception, he had noticed the tension in Gilbert as soon as he entered the house, as well as the little girl hiding behind him.


    For him it was no big deal, so he could afford to make this gesture in exchange for valuable information.


    As he left, his eyes were resolute.


    "Whatever this beast is, I have to find out."


    On returning to the inn, he came across his mercenaries, who were already starting to train outside.


    "Good morning, boss!"


    "Good morning, boss, are you training with us today?"


    Maxime shook his head as he saw his mercenaries from the village of VentBois, including Garen, Lira and Jean, asking him.


    "Not now, guys, I need to think for a moment."


    The VentBois mercenaries were a little disappointed, but quickly moved on.


    The most important thing for everyone was to take the training very seriously.


    He returned to the inn and had breakfast, salty of course, to give him strength, and began to think.


    "I hope that if we make a detour to Kadis Mountain, we won''t lose too much time. Because even if we see this famous beast, it could run away as soon as it sees us approaching."


    "Then again, if there isn''t this famous monster, maybe I could find a rather talented animal..."


    After this little passage, Maxime did not dwell on the subject any further, and resumed training as well, on a vacant lot outside.


    His swordplay was not going to improve if he didn''t put in the effort. He had so many bonuses from sword training that he was a sword prodigy.


    It would be a shame to waste this talent.


    And even if he didn''t have that talent, he had always been dedicated to his sword. He wouldn''t let up easily.


    Andrew approached Maxime at that moment.


    "A little sparring, boss?"


    Maxime turned to Andrew with a smile.


    "Of course, let''s see what level of swordplay you''ve reached."


    Andrew looked confident.


    "Don''t be surprised, boss, otherwise, if you let your guard down, you could lose."

 Chapter 211 ~ And how are you going to punish me? ~

    "Don''t be surprised, chief, otherwise, if you let your guard down, you could lose."


    Maxime laughed slightly at Andrew''s provocation, then the next moment, he rushed at Andrew, sword in hand.


    Andrew defended himself hastily, but without being too surprised.


    His boss wasn''t someone who cared about the rules of combat or dueling. If a fight was requested, then from the moment he accepted, the duel began.


    All the mercenaries had gotten used to this and even thought it was the best form of training possible. This was especially helpful in real combat.


    It also had some positive effects on reaction time when ambushes were set.


    Their two swords clashed.


    Knowing that these were their battle swords, any movement could be deadly.


    But they were experts, so they always knew how to control themselves, even though minor injuries were allowed.


    They still had no doctor at their side, but the talent [Awakening of Life] was practical in many ways.


    Thus, duel wounds were common in the mercenary group. As long as they were minor and did not damage combat power, they were accepted.


    Thanks to this talent, the sparring seemed much more realistic, and the mercenaries could also improve their swordsmanship much more quickly.


    Andrew took a few steps back after taking Maxime''s blow.


    "Even if he''s a little off, he''s still much stronger than me." Andrew thought.


    And indeed, there were almost 2 statistical points separating the two, almost a difference of 50%.


    They were not at all at the same physical level, which made the duel very uneven.


    But Andrew was not the kind of person to give up so easily.


    Instead of trying to compete in brute force, he changed tactics.


    With one fluid movement, he deflected an attack from Maxime and attempted a rapid counter-attack by aiming at his flank.


    But Maxime, with impeccable timing, effortlessly parried the blow and immediately countered.


    Andrew had to leap backwards to avoid being neutralized.


    A smile appeared on Maxime''s lips.


    "Not bad."


    Andrew gritted his teeth, but did not reply.


    He repositioned himself and adopted a lower stance, his sword slightly inclined. He then began to execute a series of complex movements, alternating between feints and precise attacks.


    Maxime recognized these techniques immediately. They were advanced level 2 swordplay moves, often used by experienced swordsmen to create openings against stronger opponents.


    Andrew attempted a quick lunge followed by a diagonal sequence, a move that could have destabilized a less experienced fighter.


    But Maxime, unfazed, blocked each attack with ease.


    Then, suddenly, he went on the offensive.


    With a sudden press, he forced Andrew to retreat again and again, each blow forcing him to adopt a more defensive position. Andrew sought to dodge and use his agility to regain the upper hand, but Maxime anticipated his every move.


    One step too slow.


    A slightly open guard.


    Maxime seized the opportunity.


    In a flash, he spun 360 degrees and kicked Andrew in the chest with a roundhouse kick.


    Andrew placed his left arm in front of him to slightly block Maxime''s attack.


    But it was no use, the foot seemed unstoppable, and Andrew literally flew away, but still firmly holding his sword in his hand.


    Silence fell over the training ground.


    Andrew remained motionless on the ground for a moment, short of breath, before letting out a nervous laugh.


    "Ah... I didn''t have a single opening, did I..."


    Maxime lowered his sword and smiled.


    "You have reached level 3 in sword mastery. You are therefore at the same levels of mastery as most knights, congratulations."


    The advanced level 2 techniques that Andrew had used with ease and precision were not something that an individual with level 2 sword mastery could achieve so easily.


    Andrew smiled proudly; he already knew it.


    He, a poor villager, had reached a level at a young age that some knights who had trained from a young age only reached in their thirties.


    Andrew got up, a hint of defiance in his eyes.


    "I trained hard to reach this level. Even if my potential now lags behind that of many mercenaries, I will always be one of the strong ones thanks to my efforts."


    Maxime knew that this was a topic that was going to come up. And it was necessary to manage this topic correctly for the future of the mercenary group.


    Because as time went by, there would be more and more talent in the mercenary group, and so gradually the strong ones of before would only be average in the future.


    And it wasn''t something like ''respect for elders'' that was going to change anything.


    Respect would always go only to the strongest, and Maxime didn''t intend to change that rule.


    Of course, that didn''t mean that humiliation or other similar things were allowed.


    It was just that positions of power could only be held by strong people.


    And Andrew, as vice-chief, could already feel his position slipping away.


    "Keep up the good work, and I''ll give you an opportunity to match your efforts in the future." Maxime reassured him.


    He already had his own idea about it.


    It was something he had planned from the beginning when he saw his talent emerge.


    And the solution had already appeared to him a long time ago.


    It was just that the time was not right.


    Andrew nodded.


    No matter what Maxime said, he would always give his all to be the best.


    "Otherwise you''re not saying much about what we''re going to do, boss. What''s the plan?"


    Maxime nodded, a little embarrassed.


    It was true that he was doing things a bit on his own.


    "The next objective is that once Aveline has been taken back to Lapi and Count Ardan, we will spend a few days at most in the Kadis Mountains, then we will go to Plouta where we will finally all be reunited."


    "Finally, we will meet up with Baron Irut and take our revenge on Baron Barthon."


    On hearing the baron''s name, Andrew''s eyes immediately filled with tears.


    It was because of Baron Barthon that his entire family and those of the brothers from Quesso? had died.


    Without him...


    "When the time comes, let me kill the baron with my own hands, chief," Andrew asked, with a very high murderous intent.


    Maxime could clearly perceive this murderous intent.


    "You still need to be able to defeat Baron Barthon on your own. Do you think you can do it with your current strength?" replied Maxime, regardless of Andrew''s murderous desire.


    Andrew calmed down and bit his lips.


    Maxime walked over to him.


    "You''re still weak, keep training hard and you''ll have everything you want, Andrew."


    As he said this, Maxime placed his hand on Andrew''s shoulder, showing his encouragement, before calmly passing him.


    It was time to leave here and continue on the road to Lapi.


    Maxime hid it very well, but for those with excellent perception, Maxime''s eyes were at that moment very similar to Andrew''s.


    "Not only did he dare to touch the family of my mercenaries, but he even tried to take back the money he had given us and to annihilate us."


    "I don''t know if the famous player who had managed to reach my world of Eternity had anything to do with it, but in any case, Baron Barthon, you will have to pay for your actions."


    Shortly after that, the mercenaries were ready to leave again, the few horses that Count Ardan had lent them whinnying.


    They seemed to sense that they would be going home soon.


    The wind was blowing gently as the group crossed the plains.


    Maxime, at the front, stared at the horizon.


    "What are you thinking about?" asked Laura, who was next to him.


    "If you''re thinking about a woman, I''ll kill you right now." she continued with an innocent expression.


    But Maxime was no longer the innocent man he once was.


    "Ohhh? So if I think of a woman... you''re going to have to beat me to kill me. And you know very well who would win in a fight between you and me."


    "And if you don''t win, I''ll have to punish you..."


    As he said this, Maxime gave a mischievous look.


    Kaite and Langus, who were nearby, naturally heard the conversation because of their excellent hearing.


    But they simply looked at each other with a tacit smile.


    Laura, for her part, rolled her eyes when she heard this.


    But that didn''t stop her from sticking close to Maxime and whispering in his ear:


    "And how are you going to punish me... boss?"


    Maxime remained silent for a moment before saying:


    "No woman but you occupies my thoughts, so don''t worry. There''s no fight, so I won''t need to punish you."


    Laura immediately showed her disappointment.


    "You''re really good at bringing the excitement down..."


    Maxime smiled and thought as he looked at the sky:


    "If you get me excited like that, I won''t be able to hold on until tonight..."


    But of course, he wouldn''t say anything, otherwise he could be sure that Laura would have fun playing this game all day long.


    Her mischievous side was well hidden from the other mercenaries.


    Some mercenaries behind could not help but laugh when they heard Laura''s words.


    Laura immediately turned around when she noticed the laughter behind her.


    "There are some who want to die here, though..."


    The mercenaries behind immediately fell silent.


    Laura was one of the strongest mercenaries, and above all, no one really dared to fight her.


    Otherwise, God knows how their leader might react.


    But the leader in question didn''t give a damn.


    He liked Laura''s strength, and he didn''t think it was necessary to take action against his own mercenaries, even if they did tease her a little.


    As long as it remained within reasonable limits.


    Especially when she already had enough temperament and strength to protect herself.


    Further on, Andrew kept his hands in his pockets, hiding his clenched fists.


    If he could, he would train all the time.


    Because he knew that if he wanted to avenge his family with his own hands, he had to become stronger. Much stronger. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had changed from the little boy who cried for his family four months ago. He had changed, and his determination and maturity had evolved.


    Rodrigo and Ernest, for their part, were at the back of the group, visibly well away.


    For a moment, only the wind could be heard around them.


    Ernest finally broke the silence.


    "It''s crazy how far we''ve come and all we''ve been through."


    "I still can''t believe it..."


    Rodrigo raised an eyebrow but didn''t reply.


    "You, of all people." said Ernest, shaking his head.


    "It''s almost laughable."


    Rodrigo sighed and ended up looking at Ernest, who was enjoying himself playing with him.


    "Are you going to continue speaking in riddles for a long time, or are you finally going to get to the point?"


    "I''m just savoring this moment. We''ve been hiding in this Kingdom together for almost a year now." Ernest continued amusingly, but his eyes betrayed his nostalgia.

 Chapter 212 The past of Ernest and Rodrigo

    "I''m just savoring this moment. We''ve been hiding out in this Kingdom together for almost a year now." Ernest continued amusingly, but his eyes betrayed his nostalgia.


    "I would love to see your family''s reaction if they saw your talent."


    Rodrigo did not react immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, his expression indecipherable.


    "It won''t change anything whether he knows it or not. I would even suffer more contempt from my brothers."


    Ernest smiled bitterly when he heard this.


    "But just a few years ago, no one would have bet on you. Me, maybe, because I always knew we were destined for something greater... But the others? They never would have imagined that the ''incapable prince'' would hide such a legacy within him."


    Rodrigo glanced at Ernest.


    "Who are you calling an incapable prince? Even if I am one, I am certainly not the only one here."


    Ernest pretended to be offended.


    "Ouch. But it''s true."


    A silence fell. Then Rodrigo resumed, his voice deeper:


    "Do you remember that day?"


    Ernest''s smile faded slightly. He didn''t need to ask which day he was talking about.


    "How could we forget it?"


    Rodrigo shifted his gaze to the horizon.


    "We were standing there in that big hall. Our fathers were discussing politics, our brothers and cousins were exchanging flattery with each other... and we were just... there."


    "Useless." Ernest added with a bitter laugh.


    Rodrigo nodded.


    "That''s what we were. Two heirs with no talent, no future. They barely tolerated us because of our blood, but deep down, we were already doomed to be cast aside."


    Ernest briefly closed his eyes, reliving the scene. Then he smiled again, more gently this time.


    "It''s funny when you think about it. We could have stayed there and endured that life... But that night, we made a choice."


    Rodrigo smiled wistfully.


    "We escaped."


    "And we ran without ever looking back." Ernest concluded.


    Silence fell once more, heavier this time. They had fled their respective kingdoms, abandoned their titles, their names...


    All this to find themselves in a country where nobody knew them, where they were no longer despised princes, but just two strangers seeking a new future.


    And yet...


    Rodrigo looked down at his hand. With a thought, earth appeared in his hands.


    At first malleable, he could harden it and manipulate it at will.


    "And now... here I am, bearer of the power of the founding King."


    Ernest burst out laughing, breaking the tension.


    "That''s the funny thing! Your whole family has spent generations hoping for a descendant with the powers of the founding king... and it''s you, the good-for-nothing, who ended up inheriting that power!"


    Rodrigo sighed and rolled his eyes.


    "Are you really going to make fun of me for much longer?"


    "Of course!" Ernest replied with a laugh.


    "With all the other mercenaries around, it''s so hard to outwit you. So don''t worry, I cherish every moment I can outwit you."


    Rodrigo shook his head with a slight smile. But deep down, he knew that despite Ernest''s mockery, Ernest, like him, had trouble knowing what he really hoped to accomplish in this life.


    And above all...


    If he had awakened a dormant power... then what about Ernest?


    Perhaps he was also hiding a powerful talent?


    He didn''t know that Maxime had detected this power in him from the start. But Ernest, on the contrary, really had no apparent talent.


    Of course, a certain Liam had made a name for himself in the mercenary group by confronting, alone, the captain of the eighth Dravak regiment.


    A feat that no other mercenary could copy.


    "If the boss knew about our origins, how do you think he''d react?" asked Ernest with curious eyes.


    "He''d certainly be surprised, wouldn''t he?"


    Rodrigo shook his head.


    "You should know the boss a little by now. He clearly wouldn''t care."


    Ernest laughed out loud.


    "That''s true. This guy only cares about how to improve his strength. Everything else is superfluous in his eyes."


    Rodrigo gave Ernest a slight look, as if to see if he was really serious about what he was saying.


    "You''re exaggerating. Our boss is much more complex than that."


    Ernest raised an eyebrow when he heard Rodrigo''s words.


    "How is our boss complex? This guy is clearly attached to a few values and all his decisions revolve around these values."


    But Rodrigo still didn''t agree.


    "If he hadn''t forced you to wield the sword, you would have been dead a long time ago, and we wouldn''t be talking peacefully here."


    Speaking of death, Rodrigo had a dark look.


    That night, while defending Plouta, so many of their comrades had died... including someone who was very close to him.


    Removing the image of the old bandit from his mind, Rodrigo flashed a slight mocking smile as he thought of something.


    "It''s rather funny, by the way, that he managed to get you to wield the sword, where all the instructors in the kingdom and even the famous master swordsman ''Teran Lania'' considered you a hopeless case."


    While the two argued and laughed together, the group of mercenaries continued to walk.


    Each of Maxime''s men had his own story, but also his own aspirations for the future.


    If they weren''t dreaming, none of them would be here betting their own lives and putting them in the hands of an 18-year-old.


    Two days later.


    The saber-toothed tigers finally arrived in Lapi.


    The city was bustling, as always, and the mercenaries'' presence did not go unnoticed. The guards recognized them immediately and granted them access without asking any questions.


    Count Ardan''s mansion stood in the center of the city, imposing and refined. However, upon their arrival, they found the place strangely quiet.


    "He''s not here," said one of the servants, bowing respectfully to Maxime.


    Maxime raised an eyebrow.


    "Where is he then?"


    "Still at the Purple Knights Academy, sir. He hasn''t been back for several days."


    Aveline stepped forward, frowning.


    "That''s strange, father never stayed at the Academy for so long for no reason. Something must have happened."


    Maxime naturally heard Aveline''s words and took them very seriously.


    "All right, guys, let''s hurry up and go to the Purple Knights Academy."


    Without wasting a moment, the group of about forty people set off again in the direction of the academy.


    About ten minutes later, just as they approached the huge gates of the Purple Knights Academy, an unexpected sight appeared in the sky. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Imposing griffins were hovering above them, their majestic wings spread wide, tracing circles in the air. Their cries pierced the atmosphere, but they were not cries of hunting or threat.


    No... these imposing creatures seemed to be having fun with each other.


    But Aveline did not see the beauty of the spectacle. Her face had frozen as soon as she had recognized the gold and azure harnesses that adorned these creatures.


    "Those griffins..."


    Maxime, who had noticed her change of expression, turned his head towards her.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "They''re from the Kingdom''s air force," said Aveline, very surprised.


    The Kingdom''s air force was an elite army. Most of the strongest knights in the Kingdom were in it.


    This was because to join the army, you had to be a knight. Without that level of strength, it was definitely impossible to be part of it.


    At these words, several mercenaries exchanged glances.


    "The air army? Why would the kingdom''s elite be here?" Laura asked, frowning.


    "Probably to help the count repel the orcs." Maxime replied calmly.


    But when he looked at those griffins, he felt a twinge of envy.


    "How great would it be if I could tame just one of them?" he thought to himself.


    At the same time, he looked at his new ''bestiality'' stat.


    "This statistic defines the number of animals with which I can form bonds. So maybe one day I could also form an air army as imposing as the king''s?"


    "Or even a dragon army?"


    "That would definitely be incredible."


    Maxime couldn''t help but daydream a little as he continued walking.


    Without further ado, the group entered the Academy grounds. The guards posted at the entrance recognized them immediately, although their eyes lingered on the dozen or so men in black masks walking silently at the back.


    But they did not dare to block their way.


    Maxime and his group of mercenaries had a very good reputation in the area, and particularly at the academy.


    Once inside, they spotted some familiar faces training nearby.


    The latter noticed the arrival of new people, then turning, some of them smiled in recognition.


    "Maxime!" came a cheerful voice.


    Tomas, Th��o, Lila and Caleb approached them, enthusiasm etched on their faces.


    All of them were apprentice knights, and above all comrades who had fought alongside the Saber-toothed Tigers against the orcs.


    At the same time, they bowed slightly to Aveline. She was the count''s daughter, and as they reported directly to the count, they could not disrespect her.


    "You''ve come at just the right time, there are some very interesting things happening at the academy right now!" added Lila with a big smile.


    Maxime didn''t reply immediately.


    In fact, a familiar figure appeared in front of them.


    "Professor Alaric."


    While saying this, Maxime bowed slightly towards him.


    As well as being the best instructor at the Purple Knights academy, and one of the most powerful knights in the Kingdom, he had been his private teacher for several days. It was even thanks to him that his swordplay had reached level 3 a month earlier.


    His piercing gaze scanned the group, and immediately a look of astonishment crossed his face.


    He knew most of these mercenaries well. He had himself observed them fighting duels and training with the students of the academy... but today, they were unrecognizable.


    The atmosphere around them was heavy, suffocating. They no longer walked like ordinary mercenaries, but like predators ready to pounce.


    Even he, Alaric, one of the most powerful knights of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, felt a twinge of apprehension as he watched them.


    He particularly noticed two beings wearing black masks who, as far as he could tell, should be no weaker than he was.


    He also noticed no fewer than seven individuals who had surpassed the strength of an apprentice knight at the peak stage.


    But something was eluding him, as if these individuals did not have something very important.


    So, although they gave off a sense of threat, it was slight in comparison with the two existences wearing black masks.


    And finally, he looked at Maxime.


    And... he could feel nothing more when observing him.


    This could only mean one thing: the student had surpassed the master.


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    In his entire career, this had almost never happened.


    How had he done it in such a short space of time? Normally, it would have taken at least several years to reach his level, even with excellent knightly talent and opportunities.


    "These mercenaries... what have they been through to get here?"


    But he ended up greeting them.


    "Hello Maxime and hello to you all."


    "Professor, we have returned from our mission. Can you tell us where the count is?" Maxime asked immediately.


    He didn''t want to waste any time here and rush to Mount Kadis.


    Alaric stared at him for a moment, then replied:


    "The count... He is with the King and the Royal Guard."

 Chapter 213 Arthur and Victor

    "The count... He''s with the king and the royal guard."


    Silence fell over the group.


    "The king and the royal guard? What are they doing here?" Aveline asked in amazement.


    "Is it really so surprising? Your father is a count after all..." Maxime replied, after thinking about it for a moment.


    Aveline shook her head.


    "The king hardly ever leaves the capital because many people wish him dead."


    "But he''s the King... He should be extremely strong," Maxime insisted.


    "Yes, he''s a great knight, and even among the great knights, he is one of the strongest. But it''s not enough."


    "Not enough?"


    Maxime did not understand, and Aveline did not explain further.


    Maxime then turned to Alaric.


    "Do you have any information, professor?"


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    "Yes..."


    Then Alaric glanced at Maxime.


    "He said he would like to see the captain of the Sabertooth Tigers as soon as he arrived. He said he wouldn''t leave the academy without meeting him."


    Hearing these words, the entire group of mercenaries were stunned, while Maxime furrowed his brow, trying to guess the king''s intentions.


    "Why would the king want to see Maxime?" Aveline finally asked in disbelief.


    "I don''t know. You''ll have to go and ask for yourself."


    After a moment''s thought, Maxime turned to Alaric.


    "Professor, please show us the way. Since the king wishes to see us, we will go to meet him."


    Alaric nodded and motioned for them to follow him.


    All the apprentice knights of the nearby academy were amazed.


    "The king wants to meet a mercenary?"


    "Even if it''s Maxime, it''s unprecedented, isn''t it?"


    "Normally, without having the status of a knight, it is almost impossible to have an audience with the King."


    ...


    In the Academy''s great council chamber, bathed in the light of silver candlesticks, the king and Count Ardan sat facing each other.


    Between them, a detailed map of the kingdom and its borders was spread out on the solid oak table.


    A few knights of the royal guard stood guard at the doors outside, guaranteeing the confidentiality of their exchange.


    The king, a man in his forties with black hair and a piercing gaze, tapped the map with his finger.


    "The situation is worrying, Victor. Our borders are increasingly threatened by orc raids in the south, while the other nobles have their eyes on the throne."


    As Victor was the first name of Count Ardan, it was clear that the two men had a very close relationship.


    "I have received consistent reports, your majesty. The orcs are gathering in numbers never seen before. It is no longer a simple matter of looting; they are organizing, and that can only mean one thing: a powerful leader has taken control of the clans."


    The king clenched his fists.


    "An orc leader unifying these barbarians? That doesn''t bode well. We can''t afford a prolonged war while Duke Devron continues to exploit our internal weaknesses."


    Ardan folded his arms, his dark gaze fixed on the map.


    "Devron is waiting for our first misstep. Especially since the duke''s wife has ambiguous relations with the kingdom of Halenveil, and it would not be surprising if she were to try to do something that would allow a new invasion."


    "The snow wolf is still alive. Will they still dare to invade?"


    "Edwin Valderic is old now, his fighting power must have dropped drastically since then. And Luc Valderic, although he is the current head of the family, is just an ordinary great knight compared to his father."


    Count Ardan was slightly depressed.


    He had been talking about the situation in the Kingdom for hours, and the more he learned, the more it became apparent that war was going to break out in all directions.


    The Valderic family was one of the only important families in the Kingdom that was still loyal to the king. And even they were not in an excellent situation.


    At that moment, the king gave a slight smile.


    "But it seems that the Valderics have a very good descendant, although it is possible that they themselves don''t know it. This young man is so naughty."


    Count Ardan also nodded.


    "As expected, you have realized it too."


    The king looked at Count Ardan with a mischievous look.


    "You were planning to marry your daughter to this young man, you thought I wouldn''t find out?"


    Count Ardan gave a small, embarrassed laugh.


    But the king didn''t hold it against him.


    "In any case, you really have an eye. With the reputation he''s built for himself, it''s really not easy to see through his potential."


    "Oh, the king thinks so highly of him?"


    "Well... Yes. I reckon his potential is as good as his grandfather''s."


    Count Ardan smiled; he thought the same thing about this young man, otherwise he would not have married his only daughter so easily.


    The king took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.


    "On a different note... Our forces are already mobilized on several fronts. I can''t afford to send an army against the orcs without weakening our defenses elsewhere. That''s why we need to find fighters who can intervene quickly, without mobilizing all of our troops."


    Ardan shook his head. Even if his territory was in danger, given the situation in the kingdom, he couldn''t really hope for help.


    And he also understood where the king was coming from.


    "You''re talking about the mercenaries. More specifically... about Maxime."


    The king nodded.


    "His name comes up more and more often in the reports I receive. His exploits against the orcs have been remarkable, and he has been able to unite a formidable group under his banner. Better still, he does not depend on any lord, which means that we could entrust him with missions without political complications."


    Count Ardan remained silent for a moment before adding in a measured tone:


    "It''s a risky bet, your majesty. He''s still a mercenary, and mercenaries are only loyal to gold."


    The king smiled slightly.


    "Perhaps. But I have the feeling that this Maxime is different. He''s not just after wealth. He has a purpose... and that''s exactly the kind of man I need."


    Silence fell between them. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the king broke into a smile.


    "And then this young man danced with my daughter, and I know my daughter well. She wouldn''t have given her hand to just anyone."


    Count Ardan also knew the princess''s particularity.


    He was a longtime friend of the king, so he knew a few secrets.


    "But before I do anything, I want to meet him in person. I need to see who he really is... and what he wants."


    As he said this, the king''s eyes sparkled. He was far from being an idiot, and had always been a king who thought of innovative actions.


    Without him, the kingdom would have collapsed long ago.


    Suddenly, he began to cough violently.


    "Arthur!" count Ardan shouted as he approached the king, his eyes showing sincere concern for the king''s condition.


    He dropped all formalities and called the king by his first name.


    The king continued to cough for a few seconds before finally getting up. He felt very unwell at that moment.


    Then he looked at his hand, with clearly visible red spots.


    He gave a bitter smile.


    "All these battles have ended up seriously hurting my body, Victor."


    The king and the count had known each other since their training at the royal knight academy. Both were among the best in the academy and were rivals at the time.


    But after leaving the academy, they fought in several battles together and became very close friends.


    Count Ardan sighed.


    "You have given too much for this kingdom."


    "But if I hadn''t done so much, our kingdom would have collapsed long ago," replied the king immediately, regretting only that he hadn''t had a better talent and that he was so weak.


    Although the king already had a monstrous talent.


    Count Ardan did not refute the king''s words, for he thought his friend''s words were true.


    The king had sailed the battlefields far more than any nobleman.


    And that made him angry.


    "What an exemplary king who sacrifices his well-being for the benefit of his citizens," Count Ardan ended up saying in an exaggerated manner.


    "Stop it, Victor."


    But Count Ardan seemed particularly enraged.


    "This perfect king who has destroyed his life for the sake of the broken future of this kingdom!"


    The king''s fist landed violently on the table.


    boom


    Part of the table was completely destroyed by the king''s fist.


    "I told you to stop, Victor."


    The king was really angry at that moment.


    Count Ardan''s eyes were impassive, but after a few seconds of their gazes meeting, Count Ardan finally averted his eyes.


    But that did not reduce the tension in the room.


    It was at that precise moment that someone knocked on the door.


    "Who is it?" asked the king.


    The person who had knocked entered immediately and bowed.


    "My king, count Ardan, the captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers and his men have arrived."

 Chapter 214 An extremely rare and precious opportunity

    "My king, Count Ardan, the captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers, and his men have arrived."


    On hearing this news, the king smiled, while Count Ardan showed no expression.


    "Send in the captain, alone."


    "Understood."


    Behind the door, Maxime and his men naturally heard these words.


    "Do what you want and enjoy this day as a day of rest. We will be on the road again tomorrow," Maxime ordered, although inwardly he could not help showing a trace of anxiety at the idea of meeting the king.


    The mercenaries all obeyed Maxime''s order, most of them slightly disappointed at not being able to see the king.


    Laura gave him a little wink, as if to wish him good luck.


    Maxime gave her a little wave, as if to say that everything was fine.


    But the guards at the door alone made him feel a certain pressure.


    These guards were, after all, part of the Kingdom''s elite of knights, and could not be measured by common sense.


    Without a doubt, even Kaite and Langus, who had surpassed the knight at the peak stage in terms of physique, would find it difficult to face them.


    Of course it was only a slight pressure, with his physique reaching almost 5 points, as long as he didn''t meet a great knight, he was almost invincible.


    "Don''t worry, young man, our king is a just and good king. Show respect and everything will be fine," advised one of the guards with a smile.


    Maxime gave them a slight nod, as if to say he understood.


    Shortly afterwards, a figure passed through the door while the king and the count were talking.


    Hearing the sound of the door opening, the two turned and observed the young man with blond hair who had just entered the room.


    Immediately, a certain tension was created in the room when the aura of these 3 individuals confronted each other.


    After a moment, the king broke some of this tension by starting to speak.


    "So here is the famous mercenary who caught the eye of Count Ardan and several barons, but who also dared to dance with my daughter."


    Maxime froze for a fraction of a second upon hearing the king''s words.


    His gaze briefly met that of the monarch, then that of Count Ardan, who remained impassive.


    He felt the wave of tension in the room, but he couldn''t afford to show the slightest weakness.


    He bowed respectfully.


    "Majesty. Count Ardan. It is an honor to stand before you."


    The king looked at the young mercenary with a piercing gaze, as if trying to fathom his soul.


    He was surprised to discover that this young man could be the most powerful mercenary in the history of the kingdom.


    And yet, some nobles at the stage of knights had already occupied the profession of mercenary.


    This meant many things at this stage, and at the same time, it confirmed the king in his ideas and plans.


    Maxime did the same and thanks to his perception, he was able to determine approximately the strength of the king.


    And it was terrifying.


    "Count Ardan is already one of the most powerful great knights in the kingdom. But this king... He completely surpasses him in my perception."


    "Can a great knight really be that strong?"


    Maxime''s conclusion was that in his current state, even with Nox Limit activated, he could still be easily defeated by the king.


    The difference was far too great, and a powerful physique could not make up for it.


    After a heavy silence, an amused smile appeared on the king''s lips.


    "Get up, young man."


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    Maxime straightened up, keeping a composed face, although he did not fail to notice the sovereign''s slightly teasing tone.


    The king rose from his seat and took a few steps towards him.


    "Your name comes up often in the reports I receive. Some see you as a talented mercenary, others as a threat. I want to know what you are really looking for."


    On hearing these words, Maxime thought to himself:


    "As expected of the king, he goes straight to the point."


    Without too much hesitation, he simply answered the truth, at least the truth in this world:


    "I want to be free, your majesty. Not to depend on any nobleman, any order. I want to forge my own path and protect those who follow me."


    He couldn''t say that part of his goal was to become stronger in this world to protect himself and his family in the real world.


    What he was saying could already be considered an offense to the king.


    He lived on his territory, but he did not feel the slightest loyalty.


    At that time, it could be seen as a great insult.


    But Count Ardan smiled slightly at this answer, while the king inspected Maxime.


    As if he were trying to analyze whether these words were true or not.


    After a moment, he replied:


    "A noble ideal... but a dangerous one."


    "Freedom comes at a price, young man. If you refuse to belong to a lord, you will sooner or later become an obstacle for some."


    The king''s words put immense pressure on Maxime right away.


    It was clearly a naked threat. If he refused to take orders from the king, then he would be considered a threat.


    And like any threat, he would be eliminated.


    After another moment of silence, the king began to explain certain things without showing any emotion.


    At that moment, the majesty of a king could be felt directly.


    "You know, nobles love to play a game."


    "That game is to have as many talented vassals as possible."


    Maxime listened attentively, standing in front of the door and keeping his distance from the king.


    "A territory needs strong men, but also individuals who are excellent in military strategy and politics."


    "In short, a good lord is a lord capable of finding talented people, training them if necessary, and then employing them to improve the lives of the inhabitants in his territory and to protect them."


    "Or rather, he would be the perfect lord. Because it is almost impossible to spot talent at first glance. So most territories always lack talent in at least two of the three main categories."


    "A lord can already be happy when he possesses even one good warrior, one good strategist or one good politician." S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Listening to all these words, Maxime did not understand where the king was going with this.


    "You are a mercenary, are you not?"


    "Yes, your majesty."


    The king fixed Maxime with a piercing glance.


    "But yet, a mercenary like you is capable of finding extremely talented and ferocious warriors."


    Of course, even the king hadn''t guessed that his mercenaries weren''t particularly talented, and that it was in fact Maxime himself who made them so talented.


    "It''s something that no nobleman in the kingdom is capable of doing."


    "Yet you, who are only a mercenary, manage to do it."


    Maxime began to break out in a sweat.


    He did not think that some of the effects of his talent could be noticed so quickly by the most authoritative man in the kingdom.


    Because once he had entered the king''s eyes, it was only a matter of time before he guessed the reality of Maxime''s talent.


    "Do you know what this means?" asked the king, still expressionless.


    "Please enlighten me, your majesty." Maxime replied immediately, bowing slightly.


    He feared the worst upon hearing the king''s words.


    But he did not see that at that moment, the king smiled.


    "It means that you possess a talent that would make you an excellent lord."


    The king''s words were such that even Count Ardan, who until then had been listening calmly, could not help but raise an eyebrow in surprise.


    But he stopped himself from saying anything. Arthur was much more competent than he was at ruling a kingdom.


    Maximus, still leaning, was shocked to hear the king''s words.


    He got up and asked:


    "This mercenary is too lacking in knowledge to guess the king''s intentions. May I ask what your majesty wishes to express?"


    Seeing Maxime''s good elocution, the king was slightly surprised. His impression improved slightly.


    "This king wishes to give you your own independent territory."


    "What!?" thought Maxime, completely shocked.


    Even Count Ardan couldn''t help but think:


    "Has he gone completely mad with despair?"


    What was the most valuable thing for a kingdom?


    Apart from its inhabitants, it was clearly the land it owned!


    This was usually the main reason for war!


    All kingdoms and empires wanted to extend their borders, welcome more worlds into their territory, and strengthen their military and economic power.


    But the king said he was willing to give up part of his territory?


    Maxime had never considered the possibility of becoming a lord by joining Eternity.


    The king continued to smile slightly.


    "It''s not without a price."


    Maxime stiffened his expression.


    He prepared to wait for the price to get this opportunity.


    "Your future territory, your men and you will serve as a barrier to the kingdom..."


    Maxime understood immediately that the king wanted to use him to protect the kingdom.


    But he was not against it as long as the efforts made were worthwhile.


    "Come and see." asked the king.


    Maxime approached and stood beside the king.


    The king pointed to a place in the southeast of the kingdom on the map on the table.


    "Your territory will be located here."


    Maxime immediately noticed that it seemed familiar.


    He thought silently:


    "This territory is..."


    But the king''s words left him no time to finish thinking.


    "You will obtain the territory of Baron Barthon, that is to say his town of 20,000 inhabitants as well as the villages connected to it, or at least what remains of them..."


    This immediately confirmed his doubts. It was indeed the territory of Baron Barthon.


    But why would the king give him his territory?


    "Could he be aware of the baron''s actions?"


    But it didn''t matter for the moment, the king continued to explain his intentions.


    "This will be your real base. With this you will have money and men."


    "But your real mission is to expand the territory to the south by conquering the orcs'' territory and defending it, because at the moment the orcs are relentlessly attacking Count Ardan''s territory."


    The king left a moment of silence and then met Maxime''s gaze.


    "But if we give you this territory, some of Count Ardan''s pressure will be released."


    "The question is, are you capable of withstanding that pressure?"


    "If you are, you will be given an extremely valuable opportunity. That of having your own power."


    "But if you don''t have the strength to do so, then this territory will be your tomb."

 Chapter 215 Having your own independent territory?

    "But if you don''t have the shoulders for it, then this territory will be your grave."


    Maxime hesitated for a moment while closing his eyes.


    This was a truly extraordinary opportunity, because he knew something:


    His first talent was so powerful that he didn''t need to be a mercenary to get his blessing.


    Anyone under his command could naturally benefit from [Nox Limit].


    This meant that if he had a territory, all residents could potentially receive his blessing.


    Namely that Maxime knew that the mercenary group model was difficult to sustain in the long term.


    Or at least it was without a territory to support and give missions to the mercenary group.


    This was also one of the difficulties for those who followed the path of the leader of men in the real world, and this explained the rarity of those who took this path.


    And the larger the mercenary group became, the more the finances needed to feed and equip the mercenaries increased. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    But obtaining a territory could immediately alleviate some of this financial pressure or even erase it completely.


    And one of the advantages of having a territory was that finding talent would naturally be much less difficult.


    After a moment of reflection while closing his eyes, Maxime imagined a scene:


    He stood alone before an army of hundreds of thousands of men, all extremely well equipped.


    He himself wore resplendent armor, looking extremely majestic.


    Flying monsters such as griffins screamed in the sky while some of his men rode them.


    All the television channels in the world were filming him and his army, confronting all the invaders who dared to set foot on Earth!


    No matter how many came, his troops exterminated them without fear or mercy.


    Because this army could be resurrected every 24 hours!


    At that time, it was literally a powerful and immortal army!


    After imagining this scene, he opened his eyes.


    "A hundred thousand men, eh?"


    "Griffons?"


    Maxime''s pupils seemed to firm up.


    "I''m still not ambitious enough."


    "My army will have many more soldiers than that, and my men will ride dragons, not griffins.


    Determination and resolution filled Maxime''s eyes, and he stared at the king.


    "Please entrust this territory to me."


    The king nodded in satisfaction.


    "Great, glad we can cooperate, Maxime."


    It was only at that moment that the king, Arthur Ravenwood, recognized Maxime, and it was for that very reason that he began to call him by his first name.


    Maxime shook the hand that the king extended to him.


    "Glad to cooperate with the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle."


    He didn''t know at the time if he was really making the right decision, especially since he hadn''t consulted his men at all.


    But he wanted to try and experience the unique experience of being a lord.


    In the worst case scenario, he would fail and come out of it a greater man, that was what he sincerely thought.


    "But, your majesty, why give me Baron Barthon''s territory?"


    Arthur shook his head.


    "No need to call me your majesty or king anymore, you can simply call me Arthur in the future in private circumstances."


    "And to answer your question..."


    "Because I needed a territory that was valuable enough and up to the task I was giving you. And my friend Victor informed me of this baron''s unscrupulous dealings a while ago."


    "So it became the perfect opportunity."


    But on hearing this, Maxime was more than surprised.


    "You knew about Baron Barthon?"


    He sincerely thought that only nearby barons such as Baron Irut knew about it.


    At that moment, Count Ardan intervened.


    "How could a lord not know what is happening on his own territory? Unless he is incompetent, he must have his own sources of information."


    "Without information, you can''t control your territory and make wise decisions."


    "Theoretically, as long as you have enough valuable information, you can control the world."


    On hearing Count Ardan''s words, Maxime agreed. But he knew that information could be a double-edged sword.


    If you could control people with information, others could do the same to you.


    There were endless examples of this on Earth.


    "I see, and you intend to do something about Baron Barthon?" Maxime finally asked.


    If the king or Count Ardan could intervene, Maxime would be relieved.


    In truth, he didn''t know exactly how to handle the situation, even though he currently had greater military power than Baron Barthon.


    Or at least, that''s what Maxime thought. As far as he was concerned, his group of mercenaries could even defeat a viscount''s army as long as they used guerrilla tactics.


    Because even a baron had an army of at least 1,000 men, several dozen apprentice knights and generally 2 to 3 knights if not more.


    As for a viscount''s army, these figures could easily be multiplied by at least 3 to get an approximation of a viscount''s military strength.


    But in any case, even if Maxime was confident of winning against Baron Barthon, he did not think it would be without casualties in his ranks.


    So, if it were possible to avoid casualties, it would be preferable.


    "I will write a document stating that I approve the creation of an independent territory on my lands and that the noble status of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle no longer has any effect on these lands. But that is all I am going to do."


    "It''s up to you to prove your own political skills. Without them, you are not worthy of becoming a lord and you will fall faster than you think, despite the military force at your disposal."


    What Maxime did not know was that the king was even aware of the transactions between Maxime and Baron Irut, although he did not know the details.


    But it was enough for the king to know that even if Maxime''s political skills were poor, his intelligence and interpersonal skills would make up for it. And in the short term, it was enough for a small territory.


    Maxime nodded slowly as he heard the king''s response. He understood that this territory was given to him as much as an opportunity as a test. The man in front of him was not offering him a gift; he was throwing him a challenge.


    "I understand, Arthur." He paused before adding,


    "I will prove that this decision was the right one."


    Arthur Ravenwood smiled.


    "That''s what I expect from you."


    After talking for a while, Maxime bowed his head slightly in greeting, then took a few steps back before turning and leaving the room.


    As he closed the door behind him, he let out a slight sigh.


    He had just crossed a point of no return.


    Until now, he had been nothing more than a mercenary, an independent fighter who answered to no one. But by accepting this territory, he was taking on a role far more extensive and complex than that of a simple mercenary.


    He would no longer be responsible only for a band of warriors, but soon for an entire people.


    "What can I even call this territory?"


    "And what would I be? A king? That would be a bit awkward..."


    The weight of this thought hit him as he walked down the corridor. The excitement was still burning inside him, but a doubt remained.


    He knew how to lead on a battlefield. But how to manage a territory? Manage civilians, negotiate with nobles, ensure the economic stability of an entire region?


    "I guess I''ll have to learn, and fast."


    Baron Barthon had no idea that a young boy not even half his age was already thinking about how to manage his territory.


    When Maxime went outside, his men were not there.


    "I wonder where they''ve gone to train?"


    Maxime was certain that even if he had announced that today was a day of rest, his mercenaries would not relax and would train anyway.


    However, a familiar figure was still outside, so he naturally went to meet him. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The latter was still training the apprentice knights.


    "What''s the point of training if you don''t give your all with every movement you make!? It''s completely useless!"


    The apprentice knights on the training ground, all of them swinging their swords, replied simultaneously:


    "Yes, instructor!"


    The instructor''s voice rang out again.


    "You must put all your energy and soul into every blow you strike, that''s the only way you will improve!"


    "Yes, instructor!"


    "Otherwise, don''t expect to become a knight with your talents! Only perseverance and a strong will can make you knights!"


    "We''re going to become knights, instructors!"


    Maxime arrived at that moment at the instructor''s side.


    "Professor, it''s been a long time. Do you want us to train together?"


    Instructor Alaric turned to Maxime and smiled.


    "My old bones were starting to rust. You''re just in time."


    He did not intend to ask Maxime what had happened with the king and the count, because although it intrigued him, he was only a knight.


    The king''s business was not something he would dare to touch.


    "Theo, you take on the role of instructor while I''m away."


    "At your service, instructor!"


    After leaving a few words, Maxime and the knight Alaric went to the private training yard, the same one in which they had both trained in the past.


    As the knight Alaric was one of the strongest knights in the kingdom, ranking firmly in the top 5, his mastery of the sword was always something that Maxime admired.


    The two took a wooden sword and assumed their positions.


    "Have you improved since Maxime?"


    "A little, yes." he replied with a provocative little smile.


    Of course, he would limit his strength. The goal was to improve his swordsmanship, even if only a little.


    "Then let this teacher see how much progress you''ve made since then," said Alaric before rushing towards Maxime.


    The two thus began to fight, having hours of fun like children.


    It was not until sunset that the two stopped completely.


    As he wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel, Alaric felt exceptionally good.


    "You''ve really improved a lot. Normally, it would take even a talented knight years to improve that much. How did you do it?"


    "With a little more than average talent and training, anything is possible." Maxime replied, teasing Alaric.


    He couldn''t tell him that he had been fighting for several days on a dimensional battlefield.


    Combined with his passive traits conferred by his swordsman class as well as the passive of his talent [Nox Limit], his sword mastery had skyrocketed and had already reached the 50 points of level 3.


    Another 50 points, and his swordsmanship would reach level 4, which was synonymous with being a sword saint in the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.

 Chapter 216 The curtains of the show finally open

    Another 50 points, and his sword mastery would reach level 4, which was synonymous with being a sword saint in the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    Most of the great knights of the kingdom did not reach this level, due to the lack of teaching and resources to improve in this area.


    But now, after their duel, Maxime realized that he was still below Alaric''s level.


    The level of the top 5 knights in the kingdom was clearly not there for show.


    He must have been dangerously close to level 4.


    By instinct, Maxime would say that Alaric must have approximately 80 level 3 sword mastery points.


    The two continued to chat for a while as they made their way to the communal dining hall of the Purple Knight Academy.


    There, Maxime ate with Alaric and some apprentice knights.


    Including Tomas, Th��o, Lila and Caleb, who had accompanied him to defend that famous village against the orcs.


    The same village where they had almost all died, but thanks to the new talent [Awakening of Life] and the arrival of Count Ardan, they had narrowly escaped death.


    The meal passed quickly and in good humor.


    It was only after nightfall that Maxime was finally able to see all his men in the dormitory of the final year students.


    Fortunately, the latter were obviously still on a mission, which left room for all his mercenaries.


    Otherwise, with their numbers, they would have had to go to the hostel to sleep.


    Behind the dormitory for final-year students, there was a large training ground reserved for them.


    So Maxime took the opportunity to gather his men on the training ground and break the news to them.


    Maxime stood in the center of the training ground, his gaze determined, while his men formed a semicircle in front of him.


    The expressions on some of their faces betrayed a slight concern, while others showed eager enthusiasm.


    He took a deep breath before speaking in a clear and confident tone.


    "I have an important announcement to make."


    A respectful silence immediately fell. His mercenaries knew that he never spoke lightly.


    "I met the king of this Kingdom, Arthur Ravenwood, and was able to talk to him."


    The mercenaries'' faces changed very slightly. Although they had all suspected as much, they still found it incredible that a mercenary without status could meet and talk with the king.


    For them, almost all of whom were simple former villagers, the very existence of the king seemed so distant that they thought the chance of meeting a dragon would be higher.


    Only Duke Devron''s older men seemed less disturbed by the news.


    Living in the capital, they had already seen the king on several occasions.


    "And the king, Arthur Ravenwood, has entrusted me with a territory."


    For a moment, there was no reaction, as if his words had not yet sunk in. Then, murmurs ran through the men of the mercenary group.


    Some exchanged surprised looks, others frowned.


    Andrew folded his arms and asked in a calm voice:


    "A territory? Does that mean you''re going to become a nobleman then?"


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    Maxime shook his head.


    "Not exactly. It will be an independent territory, so whether or not there is nobility there is still a question."


    "An independent territory?" Laura couldn''t help but repeat out loud.


    "Does that mean you''ll be a king?" she continued aloud.


    On hearing this, everyone''s thoughts began to wander in all directions.


    "Maybe? I don''t know myself how we can name this territory, and what its status will be," Maxime replied.


    Laura''s eyes lit up.


    "If our future territory becomes a kingdom, that means you''ll be a king... And there''s no king without a queen, right?"


    Everyone looked at Laura, with a common thought:


    "Ah, so that''s what she was getting at..."


    Terry took a step forward.


    "But... we''re mercenaries, aren''t we?" His gaze shone with a mixture of excitement and perplexity.


    "If we settle down, does that mean we''ll stop fighting?"


    A slight smile stretched Maxime''s lips.


    "Of course not. But instead of being simple hired swords, we will be much more than that. We will have an army, an economy, infrastructure. We will no longer be at the mercy of other people''s contracts. We will be our own masters."


    The excitement rose a notch among the mercenaries. Some nodded approvingly, others still seemed hesitant.


    Ernest, calmer than the others, asked:


    "And this territory... Where exactly is it? How big is it? And above all, what are the king''s conditions for offering such a thing?"


    Rodrigo was also looking very seriously at Maxime.


    Both of them, as former princes, were much less naive than the others. Land and people were the two most important things in the world in the eyes of the nobles.


    There was no way they could give this to someone who wasn''t related to them and without something in return.


    There had to be something their leader hadn''t told them yet.


    Maxime looked very serious at that moment.


    Everyone became much calmer and they looked attentively at Maxime.


    "Most of you already know the owner of our future territory... It''s Baron Barthon."


    Everyone was surprised to hear this. Even the mercenaries who had joined Maxime after Plouta left, because the mercenaries talked to each other.


    Naturally, everyone knew Baron Barthon, especially since Maxime had already mentioned him several times.


    Most of them thought to themselves:


    "Fate really does work in mysterious ways."


    For them it was a coincidence, except for a few who had their doubts, such as Ernest, Rodrigo and Tena.


    It was not so easy to dismiss a nobleman, and above all, for a king, it was extremely important to retain the loyalty of his vassals.


    Because no king was safe from a revolt or a coup d''��tat.


    Giving away a noble''s territory was one of the worst decisions a king could make, because it would chill the hearts of the other nobles in the kingdom. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because, since it had happened once, it could happen a second or a third time.


    Who could guarantee that they wouldn''t be next?


    "So the first thing is to defeat Baron Barthon, but that was already planned so it''s not particularly troublesome. What''s really important will come after we''ve defeated the baron."


    Maxime gave the mercenaries a little time to digest what he had just said before continuing.


    "This future territory will serve as a source of finance and manpower for our group of mercenaries to take back some of the orcs'' territory and defend it. In short, we are going to become a wall for the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle."


    Rodrigo and Ernest looked at each other. Being princes, albeit miserable ones, they knew what it meant:


    The kingdom was no longer capable of defending itself. The king had reached the point of giving territory to a mercenary to reduce the pressure on the Kingdom and free up men to transfer them to other places that needed reinforcements.


    "So the kingdom is in such a bad way?" Rodrigo whispered, low enough for only Ernest to hear.


    "I imagine... It must only be a matter of time before it collapses," Ernest replied, also in a low voice.


    "Yet I had heard that the king, Arthur Ravenwood, was a very talented and capable king. It''s really strange..."


    It wasn''t just them, Tena and other rather intelligent mercenaries found it really very strange.


    Although most of them had never seen the king, they had all heard of his reputation and his prowess on the battlefield.


    Maxime naturally overheard some of the murmurs of his mercenaries.


    "It doesn''t matter whether the kingdom is in trouble or not, the kingdom has given us a mission with such a high reward that it is almost unimaginable for other groups of mercenaries."


    "We will seize this opportunity to improve the strength of our mercenary group but also to improve the lives of every person who will live in our future lands."


    While Maxime continued to announce the stakes and the new motivations that he and his mercenaries will have in the future, elsewhere something was happening.


    ...


    Barthon, with an impassive gaze, observed his vast secret training camp from the balcony of a raised building. It was the tallest building in the entire training camp.


    The biting cold of twilight could be felt, but he didn''t care. His physique easily protected him from this kind of temperature.


    In front of him, hundreds of apprentice knights tirelessly repeated the sequences they had been taught, while 2,000 soldiers carried out precise maneuvers under the orders of the captains.


    Behind the baron, a dozen or so knights stood at attention, silent, awaiting his orders.


    All of them were extremely confident, and it showed in their posture.


    Some were eager to fight, while others seemed bored at the idea of facing the weak.


    But in any case, their loyalty was unshakeable because they all drew their strength from the baron''s generosity.


    Without this, there would still only be 2 or 3 knights in the territory.


    But that wasn''t all, it was also because they were all equally deeply convinced by the strength of their lord.


    Not one of them could resist a few moves from the baron, who was giving it his all.


    Baron Barthon folded his arms and took a deep breath before slowly turning to face his men. His piercing gaze lingered on each of them, weighing them up and showing no mercy.


    "The time has come."


    A shiver ran through the knights, not of fear, but of contained excitement. They knew what it meant.


    Even the most bored were excited, because even if they thought they wouldn''t have much to do, the fact was that very interesting things were going to happen.


    Just like a show that finally opened its curtains after a long wait, it was inevitable that a certain excitement would arise.


    "Baron Irut is just an insignificant insect. Three knights, including him, dare to call themselves lords and have the same status as us."


    "And yet this simple insect allied himself with a group of mercenaries and dared to resist us. Even today, this group of mercenaries is still well established in Plouta and defends the village."


    "This same group of mercenaries not only killed many apprentice knights under my command, but also destroyed the band of bandits that I had raised with such care and in whom I had invested so much."


    "All must submit to this lord or die."


    As he said this, Baron Barthon''s eyes gleamed with greed.


    He sensed that this group of mercenaries had to be hiding something, otherwise there was no way that his apprentice knights and his group of bandits could die at the hands of young mercenaries.


    He had seen their captain for himself, and already at the time had sensed that this young man was hiding something.


    It was just a shame that his assassination attempt at the very beginning had failed, and that since then, this group of mercenaries had become much stronger.


    But he still thought he could easily crush this group of mercenaries by sending one or two knights.


    "At the same time, we will prove to the king and the kingdom that our military strength is far greater than that of the surrounding barons, and that we deserve to rule over all of them."


    His tone was implacable, without the slightest hesitation. He expected neither approval nor questions.


    "Gather our troops. We will leave at dawn."


    He turned around and looked back at the camp below. The army was ready, disciplined, ruthless. The knights behind were confident.


    This battle would be a formality.

 Chapter 1 - 1: Entry into Eternity

    "The day has finally come."


    Maxime looked thoughtfully at his brand-new watch in his hands. This watch was going to give him the chance to change his destiny. For this opportunity, he had invested all his savings while working as a part-time bartender during his studies.


    He attached it delicately to his right wrist.


    [Ding!]


    A small alarm sounded as he finished fastening it.


    [Downloading user profile... ]


    Maxime felt a small needle pierce his skin, but it caused him little pain.


    [User profile download complete...]


    [Congratulations to user Maxime Valdreuve on the acquisition of the iron watch X-30 303 030 303]


    [Would user Maxime Valdreuve like to go to the "Eternity" world?]


    "Yes!" replied Maxime excitedly.


    In response to his answer, his body went into a vegetative state, while his mind was projected into a mysterious place at high speed.


    When Maxime opened his eyes again, he found himself in the middle of a completely empty square.


    He was dressed in simple cloth garments, with a small sword strapped to his waist.


    Surrounding him were various ancient-looking dwellings, all seemingly made of wood.


    "Let''s see, statistics page, display yourself," Maxime thought impatiently.


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class: Peasant level 1 (+3% to physique)


    Unlock new class: 0/10


    Physique: 1.15 (+0.0345)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (32/100)


    Franc language level 2 (21/100)


    Talent :


    NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/100 000)


    Money available: 10 gold coins.


    "Rank unknown? How can this be?" wondered Maxime.


    "Show details of the NOX LIMIT talent" ordered Maxime.


    [NOX LIMIT: Increases the effectiveness of any training by 500% of all those belonging to the mercenary group member. Increases the talent of all members by one rank. Shouting NOX LIMIT can increase the performance of all mercenaries belonging to the host''s group by 50% within a radius of 20 meters for 30 seconds.


    Recharge time: one week].


    "Incredible," Maxime reacted, his eyes wide.


    Normally, talents are listed in ascending order: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and finally Diamond.


    "Each of these characteristics is equivalent to a Diamond-ranked talent!"


    While Maxime was still immersed in his stupor, a shout filled with rage was heard.


    "Bunch of unscrupulous thieves, get the hell out of this village before this old man rides your asses!


    Immediately Maxime raced towards the source of the shout.


    "Hahaha old man if you don''t want your little village to become a river of blood, just give us 100 gold coins and we''ll simply go back where we came from!"


    Maxime arrived just in time to see an old man accompanied by a hundred furious-looking villagers carrying a variety of weapons, from pitchforks to cooking pots and knives.


    Opposite them were some thirty bandits equipped with long swords. They didn''t seem to mind the number of villagers; instead, they looked ready to do battle.


    Their leader was seated on a horse, overlooking the crowd of villagers.


    "Grandpa, give them the money, we have no choice or they''ll slaughter us all. As long as we wait for the Kui City army or a powerful mercenary group to arrive, then we can return to our normal lives and everyone will still be alive," said a rather thin and short young man.


    The old man sighed slightly before suddenly straightening up.


    "The problem is, we don''t have that kind of money! So we''ll either starve to death, or die killing those damn thieves. This old man was an elite soldier in the past, so the choice is quickly decided!"


    "Go to Hell, maybe Lucifer has 100 gold coins to give to little shits like you!" shouted the old man as he ran towards the bandit leader, laughing all the while.


    These words seemed to ignite the fighting spirit of all the villagers as they charged towards the robbers.


    The thieves suddenly panicked at seeing so many villagers charging towards them. After all, they were thieves, not soldiers. They liked to fight when they had an absolute advantage, but in this kind of life-threatening situation, they just wanted to run away.


    "I''ll kill anyone who deserts me myself!" roared the bandit leader from his horse when he had already retreated from the battlefield.


    The thieves could only strengthen their resolve and collide with the enraged villagers. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime was briefly surprised by such a violent start to the game, but he knew it was an opportunity to grow stronger, so he also charged with the villagers, drawing his small sword.


    Running with them, his breathing quickened and adrenalin coursed through his entire body.


    Seconds later, the first exchanges were heard, starting with the old man who was surprisingly quick.


    His pitchfork directly skewered a thief, taking his life in just one blow.


    "Hahaha, you damned thief, admire this grandfather''s skills!"


    His fork seemed free of all restraint as he performed moves worthy of a martial arts film.


    Unfortunately for the other villagers, the result was quite different.


    In just a few seconds, a dozen intrepid villagers traded their lives for the chance to seriously wound 3 thieves.


    Indeed, there was a skills gap between those who put their lives on the line every day to survive, and those who occupied a craft, urban or agricultural profession.


    Just then, a young man with blond hair passed through the crowd.


    With a step to the side, he avoided his adversary''s sword by a few centimetres, then pierced his chest.


    Maxime''s action lifted the spirits of all the villagers, including 2 other young men who rushed to the other two seriously wounded thieves.


    Unfortunately for them, they were blocked by other thieves.


    But as the thieves accumulated wounds, the villagers became more cautious in their fighting, and began to grasp the rhythm of the battlefield.


    This further increased the pressure on the thieves.


    The old man and Maxime were all over the battlefield as they reaped the lives of thief after thief.


    "Retreat!" ordered the thieves'' leader as the situation turned dramatic.


    This was followed by cheers from the villagers, who did not pursue the remaining thieves.


    Unfortunately, the cheers were short-lived, as the old man and the young man with the blond hair showed no enthusiasm.


    "Gather up the bodies of our friends and these scoundrels, and we''ll burn them tonight at dusk to prevent disease spreading through the village," ordered the old man sharply.


    In response, the villagers finally looked down at the lifeless bodies of their former acquaintances and even their families.


    The joy of having survived and the confusion of the battlefield made them forget the sacrifice they had to make to repel the thieves.


    As some collapsed to the ground in tears and others began to gather up the bodies, the old man turned to Maxime.


    "It seemed so real, it seems as the rumors say, it''s not just a game, it''s a real living world at this stage. At least I''m glad my physical and sword training have finally yielded results," Maxime thought with a slight smile.


    "Are you all right, young man?" the old man asked worriedly.


    This woke Maxime from his stupor.


    "Haha yes everything''s fine!" he replied, despite his heavy breathing and trembling legs and arms.


    "First battlefield, it seems," smiled the old man.


    "Yes, it was my first time," replied Maxime, a little embarrassed.


    "It was an impressive performance for a beginner, it looks like you could make an excellent soldier or mercenary in the future."


    "Coming to that fact, I''d like to be able to organize my own mercenary group, and therefore recruit a few youngsters from this village." asked Maxime in a tone neither arrogant nor submissive.


    The old man looked seriously at Maxime for a few seconds, thinking.


    After a few seconds, he replied:


    "So be it, but this will be your reward for helping us. Here, human resources are the most precious thing."


    Maxime smiled solemnly and nodded.


    The old man thought a little longer before handing Maxime a small linen bag.


    Guessing the contents, Maxime suddenly became slightly excited.


    Seeing the young man''s expression, the old man smiled slightly and said:


    "This is 10 gold coins, which should help you out quite a bit. I hope that in return, in the future, you''ll rid us of these bandits who threaten the tranquillity of our little village."


    Maxime contained his excitement, as he solemnly took the small linen bag then declared:


    "I promise on my soul that I will eradicate all thieves in the vicinity of this village."


    The old man smiled gently in reply.


    In this world, 100 bronze coins are worth 1 silver coin, and 100 silver coins are worth 1 gold coin.


    As the income of an ordinary adult was 12 to 15 silver coins, 10 gold coins seemed an enormous fortune.


    However, for a group of mercenaries it was the bare minimum in terms of capital, as the salary of a single mercenary started at a minimum of one gold coin.


    It was partly for this reason that the game offered 10 gold coins as basic capital.


    But Maxime was excited for another reason.


    "I can afford to open a new class!"

 Chapter 2 - 2: Sad reality

    "I can afford to open a new class!"


    "Open the statistics page!"


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class: Peasant level 1 (+3% physical


    physique) (0/10)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/10


    Physique: 1.15 (+0.0345)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (32/100)


    Franc language level 2


    (21/100)


    Talent : NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank


    rank) (0/1000)


    Money available: 20 gold coins.


    "Unlocked a new class!"


    Maxime exclaimed mentally.


    [Are you sure you want to spend 10 gold coins to unlock a new class?]


    "Yes!"


    Ding!


    [Depending on your skills, talents, physique and qi, you can choose from these classes: Swordsman, Commander].


    "How fortunate to have the Commander class appear right from the start, it''s probably due to my talent."


    "It''s a class that doesn''t bring anything to the physical, but it does bring passive traits that increase the morale and combat power of the mercenary group."


    "But this is a world where only the strong are respected, plus I have to increase my survivability or I''ll lose 3 years of life expectancy if I die in this world, plus I''ll have to rebuild everything."


    "System, I


    choose the swordsman class!"


    Ding!


    [Swordsman class added to stats page!]


    [+0.2 points added to physique!]


    [10 skill points added in sword mastery!]


    [Passive trait added: +5% physique when wielding a sword!]


    [Passive trait added: +10% efficiency in sword training].


    Simultaneously, a current of warmth ran through his body, while a wave of fresh air passed through his mind.


    These lasted only a few seconds, and then disappeared.


    But Maxime knew he had become much stronger than before.


    "Andrew, Alessandro, Joe, Ronny...Come over here!"


    Several seconds later, 8 young men of all shapes and sizes arrived beside Maxime and the old man.


    "This young man wishes to form his own mercenary group, 4 of you will have the opportunity to join him."


    The eyes of all the young men suddenly brightened as shivers ran through their bodies.


    Throughout their youth, they had been lulled by the stories of famous mercenary groups. Their greatest dream was to become renowned mercenaries and enjoy a thrilling life.


    Indeed, in this world as in reality, mercenaries had an extremely lucrative career, but the risks were also much higher than those of ordinary soldiers.


    Unlike soldiers, who would only go to the battlefield a few times in their lives, mercenaries went out into the field at least once a month.


    This also meant that mercenaries were far more powerful and elitist than regular army soldiers.


    And this was reflected in the legends handed down in these small villages.


    However, they were generally far less equipped in Eternity, as maintenance was far too expensive, logistics were costly and the group''s speed of movement was affected by the heavy armor.


    So one-on-one, the mercenaries didn''t have much of an advantage. Where the mercenaries had the upper hand was in their flexibility and ability to react in any situation.


    "Hello everyone, my name is Maxime. If you''d like to join my mercenary group, you can, only the first month will be a trial period. At the end of it, if you can''t meet my requirements then I''ll kick you out myself."


    Seeing the anticipation in the young villagers'' eyes, Maxime nodded with satisfaction.


    "Meet me tomorrow at sunrise outside the village gate. Oh, and bring some wood chopping supplies and sturdy ropes too."


    Most nodded in response, but one stepped forward and looked intensely at Maxime with a trace of hostility.


    The latter had hair as red as fire, and a physique already worthy of a mercenary.


    "Do you have a question?" asked Maxime with a smile, pretending to ignore the other party''s provocation.


    "I''ve also always wanted to start my own mercenary group, unfortunately I''ve never had the money for it."


    "So what?"


    "At the end of this training, and if I''m able to defeat you in a duel, would you let me take the place of leader as is customary?"


    "Of course," replied Maxime with an even more intense smile.


    "My name is Andrew.


    "Pleased to meet you Andrew, my name''s Maxime, but you''ll call me chief until the training''s over."


    "I wouldn''t call you by that name for long, Chief," Andrew said defiantly, extending his handshake to Maxime.


    "I look forward to the day then Andrew." replied Maxime still smiling as he took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze.


    The two looked at each other intensely for a few seconds as if they were going to fight in the next second, making the other 7 apprentices break out into a cold sweat.


    But finally they parted as if nothing had happened.


    Andrew quickly left, followed by the other 7 apprentices as they helped the other villagers carry away the corpses and clean up the village entrance.


    "I really did the right thing by taking the swordsmanship class, otherwise I really could have lost this duel of physical strength, not to mention the one to come," Maxime thought silently.


    Indeed, their first confrontation had begun as soon as they shook hands, and Maxime had a slight advantage for the moment.


    "Ohohoh, how exciting youth is!" exclaimed the old man still standing there.


    Maxime shook his head wryly and set off to help the other villagers too. He had no choice, after all, there was no hotel here, so he could only curry favor with the villagers, and hope to sleep in one of their homes tonight.


    Time passed quickly, and the sun gave way to the moon.


    In the center of the village, all the corpses were gathered into a single pile.


    All around were the villagers, men, women and children. Most had a torch in hand, lighting up scowling faces.


    The mood was at its lowest, as Maxime stood among them.


    "The situation is catastrophic. Of the 103 men who took part in the battle, 32 were killed instantly, 21 were seriously wounded. Life and death are still unknown," Maxime thought, frowning.


    "Obviously what led to this result was the difference in mentality between the thieves and the villagers, but mostly thanks to the thieves'' teamwork as well as the overwhelming difference in equipment. What were these people even thinking with just a saucepan in their hand?" sighed Maxime discreetly.


    But no one imagined that it would really end in a bloodbath - after all, the thieves had been coming for years to claim their "protection tax".


    Soon the old man arrived at the corpses with a torch in his hand.


    He wasn''t a priest or a good mayor, he was simply a retired soldier.


    So he said nothing, just let his torch ignite the first corpse.


    Soon an hour passed, and the whole small mountain was ablaze.


    In his boredom, Maxime watched everyone''s expressions.


    To his surprise, he could see Andrew with his fists clenched but his head still upright. Other of his future mercenary apprentices also had their fists clenched, others had their heads bowed, while little drops of water could be seen from time to time falling to the ground, others had their heads straight with eyes filled with hatred.


    The latter raised Maxime''s eyebrows. As much as these hate-filled people didn''t lack courage and motivation, they were uncontrollable factors.


    According to his own research, these were things to be extremely careful about.


    He could have known exactly how to deal with them if he''d had extra lessons on Eternity from experts, but unfortunately he didn''t have the money to take these courses, which were outside the school curriculum.


    Another hour passed quickly, and with the corpses almost completely cremated, the square was gradually deserted, causing Maxime to panic slightly.


    He wanted to approach some villagers to ask them to put him up temporarily, but the gloomy atmosphere blocked him mentally.


    But his savior soon arrived. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maxime, is it? Don''t you have anywhere to sleep?" the old man asked kindly.


    "Well, that''s the current situation," Maxime replied, slightly embarrassed.


    "Don''t worry about it, this old man''s house has been stained by loneliness for far too long, a little human warmth won''t do him any harm" declared the old man with a little chagrin.


    "I''ll depend on you then," Maxime thanked with a smile.

 Chapter 3 - 3: Respect

    "I''ll depend on you then," Maxime thanked with a smile.


    After a good night''s sleep, Maxime went to the river not far from the village to wash up, then went straight to the village entrance.


    In this world, food was far too precious for anyone to enjoy the luxury of 3 meals a day.


    A small wooden gate less than 2 meters high and 4 meters wide formed the entrance to the village.


    Surrounding it were a series of interconnected wooden posts. The bare minimum to ensure the safety of this poor village.


    Had the defense been slightly improved, and had the villagers had a few bows or crossbows at their disposal, the thieves of the previous day would never have dared to be so arrogant.


    The wooden door was wide open, as 8 young men carrying various tools chatted amongst themselves.


    The sound of Maxime''s footsteps caught their attention, so they focused their gaze on him.


    Through their postures and eyes, Maxime could see a certain degree of impatience, excitement, stress or even...provocation.


    A few seconds later, Maxime reached them.


    "I see you''re in good form. I''d like to welcome you to my mercenary group, ''Les Tigres �� dents de sabres''", Maxime announced calmly.


    His only response was a simple nod.


    However, he didn''t particularly mind, as discipline would be taught in due course.


    Ding!


    This little sound made Maxime smile. This was what he''d been waiting for.


    [Detected that 8 members have joined the host''s mercenary group].


    [Among them are 7 mercenaries with one-star innate potential and one 2-star mercenary].


    Host''s Talent activated] [All new mercenaries are given a new look.


    [All new mercenaries have their potential increased by one star].


    "Haha, it really worked!" exclaimed Maxime mentally, ecstatic.


    Even he knew from his limited information just how important potential was.


    In Eternity, every individual had mercenary potential, without exception. They ranged from one star to 5 stars. 2-star mercenaries were the elite of the elite, while 3-star mercenaries were as rare as phoenix feathers.


    So rare, in fact, that there were less than a hundred of them in the entire Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, Maxime''s current home, whose population numbered in the tens of millions.


    This potential limited the physical to a certain threshold, a threshold almost impossible to cross without various unique methods.


    For example, 1-star mercenaries could only achieve level 2 swordplay and a physique of 1.5 in their lifetime. A physique of 0.8 corresponds to the average physique of an ordinary adult man who has never trained.


    Obviously, there were exceptions to everything, but this represented the vast majority of the population of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    However, 2-star mercenaries could reach level 3 in sword skills, and had a maximum physical limit set at around 2.


    The difference wasn''t all that great, but it was enough to ensure that individuals with 1-star potential could only admire the prowess of those with 2-star potential from afar.


    Of course, there were legends of mercenaries with 1-star potential who had defied the sky''s the limit, mastering countless skills at levels 1 and 2, and crossing their physical limits countless times by risking their lives. Allowing them to achieve a fighting ability close to that of a mercenary with 3-star potential at their peak.


    In any case, they remained legends, and therefore virtually impossible, hence the importance of having good potential.


    And Maxime''s talent made it possible not only to increase potential, but also to increase training speed by 6 times.


    It deserved to be a talent that couldn''t be ranked.


    "It''s even more surprising that this talent can be improved, but that requires 100,000 gold coins..."


    "I also need to improve and maintain my mercenary group. The day I raise that kind of money will be the year of the monkey..."


    Indeed, players were not subject to Eternity''s innate potential, yet to improve, they had to spend huge sums of money.


    Just as Maxime had had to do, spending 10 gold coins - the income of around 3-4 years of hard work by an ordinary family - just to unlock a new class.


    "In the meantime, I''ll be able to rely on them to build up the reputation of my mercenary group," Maxime thought, carefully observing the different expressions of his new colleagues.


    After all, they''re just colleagues. Although there is a leader, mercenaries are free to leave the group whenever they wish. Individuals come together and form what are known as mercenary groups, simply because their interests and objectives point in the same direction.


    On the other hand, Andrew was deep in thought:


    "What is this, why do I feel as if everything around me suddenly becomes more alive, more beautiful? It''s as if my being has transcended into a higher form of life", he asked himself with excitement and curiosity, looking around him.


    "Could it be because of this man?" he thought, fixing his gaze on the blond-haired young man in front of him.


    "I''d ask you to pay a little attention, my new young mercenaries," Maxime declared softly.


    But seeing 5 of the 8 mercenaries still concentrating on acquiring their new power, he finally decided to use the big guns.


    With a quick step, he rushed towards the nearest of the 5 mercenaries, still unfocused, then grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up with one hand.


    A heavy silence followed.


    "I''m a rather tolerant person, naturally, but it''s a different matter when it comes to the mercenaries of the Saber-toothed Tigers," Maxime declared in a cold tone as he tightened his grip, causing the new mercenary to choke.


    They all suddenly remembered that this blond-haired young man had decapitated several thieves in a row without hesitation the day before, while for their part, the mere scene had been enough to make them want to pull out all their guts.


    "From now on you''re already new members of the group, albeit temporary, and so you''ll have to abide by a few rules common to all mercenary groups. The first being respect for the leader of the group, i.e. me."


    Seeing that the man he was holding by the throat was beginning to turn his eyes skyward, Maxime decided to release him.


    The young man collapsed as he gasped for fresh air, his eyes looking down to hide his immeasurable fear.


    Seeing the result, even Andrew took a small breath to ease his tension at the scene.


    "What you experienced just before is called the baptism of the saber-toothed tiger. It enabled you to increase your innate potential by one star, as well as increasing your speed of progression by six times."


    "But keep in mind that, what I''ve given you, I can take back at any time," Maxime threatened sharply.


    "I knew that there were mercenary group leaders with extraordinary talent, allowing, for example, to increase the combat power of all their members, but that only goes from 3 to 5% normally. Maybe 20% maximum for the most monstrous of them. But this guy''s talent is just in another dimension..." mentally analyzed Andrew as a wave of excitement washed over him.


    "This is the best time to prove himself and make sure he gets a good place in the future in the mercenary group. For surely, this guy will become a heavyweight in the kingdom...No even in the world!"


    This was the collective thought of all the new mercenaries. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Now let''s waste no time and start training," said Maxime with a smile, and another change of face and intonation.


    But the reaction of the new members was quite different:


    "Oui chef!" replied the new members of the mercenary group in unison, with the exception of one, as he was still suffocating on the ground. However, he gave a thumbs-up to show his agreement, which made Maxime laugh slightly.

 Chapter 4 - 4: End of training

    One month later.


    Maxime was not far from the village, 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 villagers to increase the intensity of training, as well as to create a real bond of camaraderie.


    "Congratulations 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 particularly 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 very common.


    What''s more, there was another factor that motivated them to give their all.


    "But the village 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 village."


    "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 muscular 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 ironclad 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, according to his standards but also based on our own personal affinities and your potential, I''ve decided to keep by my side..."


    "Andrew." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The flamboyant-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 village 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."


    The latter 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 ironclad 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 village. We''ll spend one last night there, then head for the nearest town."


    "Yes, sir!"


    An hour later, the small team made their way back to the village. But the silence seemed extremely heavy.


    The faces of the 4 mercenaries who hadn''t passed the selections seemed to be totally decomposed.


    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, successful 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 village.


    "Hmm?" A small noise escaped Maxime''s mouth as he saw that over the village a black 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 village.


    10 minutes later, Maxime reached the village first, but what he saw made his eyes widen and he didn''t dare take another step forward.


    A few seconds later, Andrew arrived as well.


    Seeing Maxime''s back totally motionless, an invisible arrow shot through his heart, but he pressed on.


    What lay before him was worse than anything he could have imagined.


    The wooden houses had all collapsed one on top of the other, with only the largest still burning slightly.


    Corpses filled the village 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 village.


    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.


    "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 planned."


    "Chief, it''s too dangerous to go straight back to the training camp. It''s possible that the villagers 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 his composure.


    "You dare to say that our families could have betrayed us?" exclaimed James angrily as he lifted Terry by the collar.


    "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 training comrades. 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 had committed a totally taboo act in a mercenary group.


    "In this village, 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 relationship not forged by the blood of your adversaries is as fragile as a house of cards."


    "Remember that, James. This will be my first and last 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 voice lacked vigor.

 Chapter 5 - 5: First outing

    Time passed quickly, the dark blue sky sheltering the stars having already made its appearance.


    In the village there were no more corpses in the streets, only dark red blood or black scorched earth were the remaining clues to the tragedy that had occurred during the day.


    In the middle of the village, most of the corpses found in the village were being cremated, while the mercenary apprentices'' family had been given a proper burial.


    Normally, the dead were never buried because, according to popular belief, corpses could be resurrected via certain methods, and when they returned to dry land, 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 of land was more or less contaminated was the mercenaries'' last 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 glance, 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 village was a happy stroke of fate. Having gone through a real emotional elevator between his exclusion from the mercenary group, then the village 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 hours later, 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 gorilla like you," Terry continued, laughing, followed by the laughter 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 Valhalla 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 loud laugh 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 flash 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, laughing loudly.


    Seeing them coming, 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".


    Yet he addressed them in the same way he addressed everyone:


    "Hello, may I ask the purpose of your visit?" declared the deputy head of the guard in a slightly authoritarian tone.


    The mercenaries immediately stopped laughing 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. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Most impressive of all were the long spears they held in their hands, pointing skyward.


    "Standard pikemen produce particularly 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 particularly 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''ve come to declare the annihilation of a village 50km to the south, as well as to officially register our mercenary group."


    The deputy chief guard squinted, for the annihilation of a village was rare even in those days, but more importantly it always provoked the wrath of the nobles who received the village''s talents and taxes.


    So there''s no doubt that bloodshed will soon be the order of the day in these lands.


    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, lay 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 my comrades?


    "They too can enter the town as long as they lay down their weapons at the checkpoint and visit as they please."

 Chapter 6 - 6: Meeting with Baron Barthon

    "They can also enter the town as long as they deposit their weapons at the checkpoint and go and visit it as they please."


    "So be it, go have fun in town as you see fit," Maxime announced, turning back towards his mercenaries.


    "Agreed, chief." they replied loudly, attracting a few glances in their direction.


    "How do we find each other, boss?" asked Peter, slightly worried.


    "Don''t worry about that, I''ll find you easily."


    To which Peter nodded, though still a little worried.


    Seeing the exchange come to an end, the deputy chief:


    "Well, can you follow me now?"


    "I''m at your disposal," replied Maxime with a slight smile.


    Starting to enter the city, Maxime thought with slight excitement:


    "At last I''m really starting my adventure, and who knows, maybe I can find a mercenary with two-star potential in this town. Although even if I do, it''s probably someone with better looks and skills than me. He should also already have a very high status."


    "After all, even this deputy chief is probably stronger than me."


    Suddenly, a startling thought appeared in his mind and he couldn''t help releasing it.


    "Deputy chief of the guard?"


    "Yes?" he replied naturally without turning around.


    "How would you like to join my band of mercenaries?"


    This time he turned and with a stunned look inscribed on his face, then burst out laughing.


    "Haha you''re not lacking in audacity young man!"


    "We must always seize the opportunities that come our way, otherwise we risk regretting certain things." replied Maxima with a light smile.


    "Haha maybe when you''re famous." refused the deputy chief ironically.


    "But then it''ll be too late, and even if you do manage to join us you won''t get any preferential treatment or status, you''ll just be an ordinary mercenary."


    "Although obviously being an ordinary mercenary could already be the achievement of a lifetime for many people in the future," Maxime concluded, laughing lightly as if his words weren''t worth taking seriously, yet his bright eyes spoke volumes.


    Indeed, Maxime was already a very resolute and determined person naturally, but his very ordinary status in real life acted as a restriction for him.


    But his completely surreal talent had completely destroyed this restriction, giving way to overflowing confidence and endless optimism.


    The deputy chief guard had detected these points, and was suddenly stunned by the charm Maxime exuded.


    In his eyes, not only Maxime''s confidence but also his own charisma could be clearly seen, as if it were a tangible substance surrounding his whole being.


    It made his previously calm heart beat faster.


    "I''m 30 today and yet I still haven''t achieved anything particularly noteworthy and my life is as ordinary as ever. I''ve had relationships with many women, but none have been able to reach my heart."


    "I''ve heard that many mercenaries find life much more exciting and enjoyable while roaming the battlefields."


    "I''ve always laughed at them, but then why today does my heart beat so hard at the mention of becoming one?"


    "Honor? Wealth? Status?" S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What do I really want in this life?"


    "Do I really want to continue my life as one, but remaining ordinary and only able to admire these mercenaries or risk becoming one and perhaps achieve a previously imaginable honor?"


    "Who knows? Maybe one day I could be at the front of a huge army and conquer lands and have my name cross the borders of this world. Marry a princess of some kingdom and give birth to a royal line."


    Suddenly, the previously resplendent eyes dimmed all at once as they snapped back to reality.


    "No, with my talent I''d just die like ordinary cannon fodder. I might as well enjoy this quiet life, but still..."


    "I can help you get stronger."


    The deputy chief guard''s thoughts were interrupted by the long blond-haired young man in front of him. After a few seconds of hesitation that could easily be detected on his face, the deputy chief guard seemed to come to a decision as he firmly replied:


    "Agreed."


    The scene had only lasted a few seconds, yet someone''s destiny had changed drastically in that short space of time.


    Even Maxime was surprised by the deputy chief guard''s acceptance; he''d only been testing the waters, and even all his prepared arguments had hardly been used.


    But he recovered quickly and announced with a smile:


    "Welcome to the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries."


    "Thank you."


    Then the scene fell silent as they passed through the noisy streets.


    The echoes of people chatting in the street could be heard everywhere.


    A bard was singing not far from a pub, drunken men applauding him and even singing along with him in their husky voices, provoking laughter from nearby guards and passers-by.


    Individuals entering and leaving various stores selling basic necessities, particularly clothing, could be seen everywhere.


    Shops with a hammer as a symbol inscribed on the roof could also be seen.


    "It would seem that blacksmithing is a popular and lucrative profession, given the number of stores bearing this crest," Maxime analyzed.


    Soon they reached a beautiful residence, apparently a very large mansion.


    In front of the door, two guards watched the newcomers attentively, but soon lost their vigilance as they recognized one of them.


    Soon the distance separating them had shortened significantly.


    "Welcome deputy chief Romuald, may we ask the purpose of your visit and the identity of the person accompanying you?"


    "Oh his name is Romuald..." mentally noted Maxime with an ironic smile.


    "I''ve come to report on the disappearance of a village. The person accompanying me is..."


    "Maxime, leader of the saber-toothed tiger mercenaries. Pleased to meet you", Maxime introduced himself, smiling to establish a good image.


    To which the guards generally bowed their heads in greeting before looking at Romuald.


    Romuald also made a mental note of his new boss''s first name before continuing where he had left off:


    "He witnessed the disappearance of said village."


    Sensing the importance of this matter, the guard who had asked the question hurried to inform the Baron, while the other guard led Romuald and Maxime to the guest lounge before returning to his post.


    Maxime observed the lounge with curiosity, where two comfortable-looking sofas sat opposite each other. A fine carpet covered the floor, on which a precious wooden table was set.


    By way of decoration, there were several paintings and stuffed animals.


    Simultaneously, a beautiful young woman arrived in maid''s attire, placed cups of tea on the table before bowing slightly to Romuald and Maxime and leaving.


    "Well, what comfortable surroundings..." commented Maxime silently, who had never enjoyed such a welcome nor lived in such luxurious surroundings.


    Soon a middle-aged man of imposing stature and aura arrived and took a seat on the remaining sofa.


    A few seconds passed, from which Maxime seemed rather uncomfortable, as he had never come into contact with people of such status.


    At present, he had no great personal strength; at most, he was considered slightly better than an ordinary, well-trained soldier.


    His mercenary group was also currently small and weak.


    And last but not least, his financial situation was not particularly high, and even seemed rather poor for a mercenary group leader.


    Romuald was in a worse state than Maxime because he knew Baron Barthon''s personality.

 Chapter 7 - 7: First mission accepted!

    Deciding to break the atmosphere, the baron questioned them seriously:


    "Well, I''ve heard that a village to the south has disappeared, can you tell me more?"


    Glancing at Romuald, Maxime briefly recounted his encounter with the bandits and then the village''s situation a month later.


    "A stable source of income 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 the common 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 the latter means that their expertise reaches a very high level in just a few years."


    "Human resources management, agriculture, military strategy, law and commerce, 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."


    "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?" S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 blathering 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 enormous compared 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 become a great man and so I''d like to accompany 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 accept his proposal?


    "Interesting, very interesting..." murmured the Baron with a smile.


    "Romuald raised his head," ordered the Baron.


    Romuald complied 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 a large 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!" exclaimed the baron as he laughed 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 salaries 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 village 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 calculation. 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 successful then he will have created a relationship 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 exclaimed:


    "Baron trust us, this mission, the saber-toothed tiger group will certainly accomplish!"

 Chapter 8 - 8: Level up

    "Baron trust us, this mission, the saber-toothed tiger group will certainly accomplish!"


    "I don''t doubt it. You''re dismissed," declared the Baron, and without waiting for an answer, he set off back the way he''d come.


    At the same moment, Barbara arrived with a bag full of gold coins and placed it in Maxime''s hands.


    Maxime thanked Barbara and she simply bowed before setting off again to carry out her duties.


    Before Romuald''s astonished gaze, the bag suddenly became thinner, as if there were nothing left inside, and Maxime quickly tucked it away inside his pockets.


    What kind of magic is this?" asked Romuald curiously.


    "Haha, there''s no such thing as magic, it''s just a handy little trick," replied Maxime with amusement.


    Obviously, he wasn''t going to reveal the system''s capacity to anyone in this world.


    At the same time, he brought up his status screen again.


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class:


    Peasant level 1 (+3% to physique) (0/10)


    Swordsman level 1 (+5% physics) (0/20)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.35 (+0.1)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (42/100)


    Franc language proficiency level 2 (21/100)


    Passive trait :


    +5% physicality when wielding a sword


    +10% sword training efficiency.


    Talent: NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/1000)


    Money available: 210 gold coins.


    Mercenary:


    Andrew: Three-star potential. Physique: 1.3.


    Terry: Two-star potential. Physical: 1


    James: Two star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Piedro: Two star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Izo: Two star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Peter: Two star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Alessandro: Two star potential. Physics: 0.9


    Ronny: Two star potential. Physical: 0.9


    Pending approval:


    Romuald: One-star potential and a minor talent in physics. Physique: 1.6


    Maxime''s eyes sparkled at the sight of so much gold, but he would think later about how to use it.


    What surprised him most was Romuald''s physique, which seemed to have exceeded the limit of his potential!


    If he had level 1 sword skills of at least 60/100, he''d fit right in with the elite soldiers!


    Unfortunately, Maxime couldn''t see that kind of information about individuals in this world. But what he did have was more than enough.


    While Maxime was deep in thought, and was leaving the manor accompanied by Romuald, the latter sighed and exclaimed:


    "The Baron is as impressive as ever."


    Maxime snapped out of his thoughts and only nodded in response, he himself had felt the deep gulf between commoners and nobles.


    Instead, he asked with a slight smile:


    "Romuald, it might be time for you to discover the advantages of joining my mercenary group."


    "Advantages? Don''t tell me you possess a magical talent?" asked Romuald curiously.


    "A magical talent?" asked Maxime, not understanding what he was talking about directly.


    Romuald looked disappointed for a moment, but then explained seriously: S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Magical talents are diversified and super-powerful talents about which no one has found a term to group them."


    "Normally, individuals'' talents are rather simple, such as strengthening the physique, improved training efficiency, better reaction time - in short, it improves certain aspects of the body or brain."


    "That''s what some geniuses rely on to surpass their limits, and I''m one myself!" he announced proudly.


    Maxime listened seriously to his explanations, and so waited quietly for the rest.


    On the other hand, Romuald changed his expression to one of admiration:


    "But there are certain monsters in this world who have a talent that can be applied to all their subordinates, but only if those subordinates are mercenaries."


    "That makes all mercenaries geniuses, even if to a small extent."


    "Indeed, the world is fair and just. Generally magical talents have lesser effects than individual talents, but it''s still heaven-defying since the latter can add up on the same person."


    "If one person in a hundred has a physical talent, then only one person in a hundred thousand has a magical talent!"


    "That''s how rare they are!"


    But seeing Maxime''s lack of reaction, Romuald didn''t elaborate any further and calmed down.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t possess one, there are many mercenary group leaders who don''t and yet are extremely respected and in demand everywhere."


    "Anyway, what are the advantages you mentioned?" asked Romuald without too much expectation.


    "Good comrades, a good salary and an excellent future," Maxime replied with a smile.


    But while Maxime knew what he meant when he said "excellent future", Romuald only understood it as comfort.


    Out of curiosity, Romuald questioned Maxime on a certain point:


    "You mentioned that you could make me stronger, I''d like to know what you meant by that?"


    After all, that was the reason he''d had him convinced to join Maxime''s group.


    "The same thing I meant when I said excellent future."


    Romuald''s constant evasion of the point irritated him, even giving way to a certain rage in his words.


    "Look kid, I just gambled my life joining you and now I can''t go back. So keep fooling around with me and I''ll smash your pretty face to the ground."


    At the same time, Romuald''s face had come dangerously close to Maxime''s.


    Yet, despite his words, Maxime''s face and eyes didn''t change in the least.


    "The magical talent you speak of, I have. And quite a powerful one," Maxime declared, meeting Romuald''s gaze.


    Astonishment appeared on Romuald''s face as he backed away slightly, but still retaining a certain irritation.


    "There you go, whenever you like. Be more direct next time", he declared, waiting to see the effects.


    However, Maxime''s reaction was not long in coming as he threatened:


    "However, talk to me like that again, and your excellent future will be spent at Lucifer''s side."


    Once again, Romuald felt Maxime''s famous charisma, the same one that had convinced him to join him.


    His aura was completely different from that of the Baron. This was the real Maxime, the one who could express himself completely when he had no constraints.


    This somehow eased Romuald''s heart, proving that he hadn''t made the wrong choice.


    On the contrary, he laughed heartily, not taking Maxime''s words at all seriously.


    "Haha I like that temperament chief, keep it and I''ll stay with you until the dawn of time."


    Maxime also laughed lightly as he replied:


    "Stay alive until then."


    "Don''t worry chief, I intend to stay alive and enjoy the view when we get to the top!"


    The discussion over, they continued strolling down the street.


    A few minutes later, they found a bar which they entered.


    As luck would have it, they soon found the members of the saber-toothed tiger mercenary group.


    However, the situation didn''t look particularly good, as Maxime heard:


    "Haha then little redhead what a feeling it is to have good beer on your hair!"


    Maxime had seen his 8 mercenaries laughing merrily together and the next moment a mercenary passing behind spilled an entire pint of beer on Andrew''s hair.


    Andrew kept his head down for seemingly endless seconds as beer continued to fall on him.


    A score of burly men seated around a large table nearby laughed loudly at this action. They seemed to be his comrades, as the rest of the bar remained silent.


    Most were eagerly awaiting the reaction of the redhead and his comrades.


    Romuald was also looking forward to what was to come. It was the first time in a long time that he could enjoy a bit of action without having to intervene as a guard.


    Yet he saw Maxime from behind slowly advancing towards them.


    "No, that would be too fortuitous, wouldn''t it?" Romuald mentally asked himself with a slight touch of irony.


    It wasn''t just Romuald; everyone saw Maxime moving slowly towards the author of the current scene, since he was the only person moving.


    2 mercenaries blocked his path.


    However, Maxime didn''t slow down in the slightest, continuing as if there were no obstacle as he whispered:


    "System, raise the level of the peasant and swordsman classes to level 2."

 Chapter 9 - 9: Nice to meet you, Im Romuald

    "System, raise the level of the peasant and swordsman classes to level 2."


    Ding!


    [10 gold subtracted]


    ["Peasant" class increased by one level]


    [Peasant class raised to level 2]


    [+0.1 points added to physique]


    Ding!


    [20 gold coins subtracted]


    [Swordsman class increased by one level]


    [Swordsman class reached level 2]


    [+0.2 points added to physique] S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    [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 muscular 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 to laugh.


    His laughter 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 forehead coming 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*


    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 knee landed 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''s completely 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!" commented Maxime aloud, laughing.


    "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!" commented Ronny enthusiastically.


    "Hey chief, did you see that too? Andrew''s gotten super strong!" continued Joe, laughing.


    "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 rectangular 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 declared 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 slaughtered.


    In this world, as in the real world, it was difficult with two hands to beat 4.


    However, if they could lay 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 salaries 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 his comrades 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 gorillas were equally quick to smile and introduce themselves:


    "Urs of the Bloody Bears, nice to meet you."


    "Iry des ours sanglants too, nice to meet you."


    Romuald nodded gently in acknowledgement, then landed 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!" exclaimed Romuald, laughing 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 3 combatants began to clash 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 10 - 10: A sky-defying talent

    On the other side of the bar, Maxime stooped to avoid a right and then, with the help of his right foot, spun around quickly.


    He grabbed his assailant''s arm and pulled hard, making sure with his back that he lost his balance.


    *boom*


    His assailant flipped over in the air, his back landing hard on the ground.


    This technical maneuver drew some applause from the nearby audience, much to their delight.


    Unfortunately, before Maxime could reposition himself, two large men armed with stools came up behind him and smashed them violently over his head.


    Maxime stood up groggily, blood pouring from his forehead.


    "Fuck-off!"


    Saving nothing for defense, he swung an arm across the face of each assailant simultaneously. But his physique was such that this amateurish gesture with little power made both men recoil.


    Quickly observing the situation, Maxime realized that he''d more or less lost.


    He''d already been fighting for a few minutes, and although he''d been able to lay some of his opponents out on the ground thanks to his super-powered physique, his comrades couldn''t exert such fighting ability in the same situation.


    Joe and Ronny were barely standing, passively taking blows. Only their minds were keeping them on their feet.


    Terry had somehow managed to slip between the mercenaries and land precise but deadly blows, but he''d been caught by 2 mercenaries and in just a few blows was covered in blood.


    James had also been caught by two of the mercenaries, but somehow kept on struggling while insulting them as "big bitch", which provoked some laughter from the audience.


    As for Piedro, he seemed to be rather calm as he withstood the blows without flinching in the slightest, maintaining a far from ordinary composure.


    Izo was more or less the same as Piedro, except that at least Piedro grimaced and seemed to feel pain. Izo, on the other hand, was like a tireless machine, seeming to feel nothing. This even made his assailants tremble with fear.


    Peter seemed to have put his life on the line ever since a few mercenaries had amused themselves by telling him that once he''d caught him, he''d torture him in every possible and unimaginable way and then send him to hell.


    On the other hand, Andrew threw all his strength into each of his blows, unafraid of the slightest counterattack. Wound for wound, he seemed like a wild beast.


    Romuald had the two gorillas who had blocked him on the ground not far from him. The latter were completely ko, lying half-broken in the middle of the table.


    Romuald seemed to be in a bad way from the state of his face, but his posture showed that he still wanted more. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If that was all, the situation was still pretty good, but the problem was that the mercenaries in front were tough as nails too.


    Only 7 had been knocked out, 4 in total by Romuald and Andrew and the remaining 3 by Maxime.


    And there were still more than a dozen who were only slightly injured, not to mention their boss completely unscathed.


    "Shit, this is an opportunity I can''t afford to miss. I hope these mercenaries are pretty rich..."


    "System, level up the peasant and swordsman classes to level 2."


    Ding!


    [50 gold subtracted]


    [Peasant class increased by one level].


    [Peasant class raised to level 3]


    [+0.1 points added to physique]


    Ding!


    [The "Peasant" class has reached its maximum level].


    [Minor stamina talent added]


    [Minor strength talent added]


    Ding!


    [30 gold subtracted]


    [Swordsmanship class increased by one level]


    [Swordsman class now level 3]


    [+0.2 points added to physique]


    ...


    [Current physique: 1.95 (+0.16)]


    [Remaining balance: 100 gold coins]


    Maxime clenched his hand, feeling immense power in his body as if he''d become indefatigable and could shatter a wall with a single punch.


    Obviously it was only his imagination, but he had indeed already achieved a superhuman physique and his energy increased drastically.


    The weakest generals in this world are only at this level.


    But that''s just in terms of physique, whether it''s the skills they have in hand-to-hand combat or with various weapons, they''re way above Maxime.


    Even an elite soldier could defeat Maxime in a duel with a weapon because his skills are far too weak.


    However, this kind of physics in a battle in a narrow area and without a weapon is perfect.


    With a flash of thought, Maxime fixed his gaze on the instigator of this battle.


    The latter put down his glass as he felt as if he had become someone''s prey. His body tensed instinctively as he placed both arms at a 90-degree angle in front of him.


    The next instant he felt an immense force press down on both his arms, throwing him from his chair and sending him tumbling to the floor.


    The deafening noise instantly calmed everyone as countless eyes fell on the young man with the blond hair, or rather the blond hair tinged with blood.


    But he stood as straight as a spear, his expression looking as if he''d just done something extremely ordinary.


    "Wow." declared a spectator.


    "Fucking amazing!"


    "Yeah, Pyrion the leader of the bloody bears just took off!"


    "Haha we''re witnessing the birth of a new legend who knows!"


    "Yeah that guy''s really strong, especially for his age!"


    "His comrades are pretty strong too to last this long against the bloody bears who are experienced mercenaries!"


    No matter what the surrounding noise, Maxime could always tell the difference.


    And right now his aim was to create an extremely strong image of himself to attract more mercenaries to join him.


    "Do you intend to stand up again, or shall I finish you off as you are?" declared Maxime in an indifferent tone.


    The noise that had existed before fell silent, and the spectacle was fully appreciated.


    "Haha, it''s been a long time since I found myself in such a state!" laughed Pyrion as he quickly got to his feet.


    "What''s your name, young man?" he asked curiously.


    "Maxime, leader of the saber-toothed tiger mercenary group. And you?" replied Maxime with the same curiosity.


    In fact, the hostility between the two wasn''t that great, and fights between mercenary groups were commonplace in this world.


    In fact, it was a way of training members with minimal risk, while increasing one''s reputation, notoriety and prestige.


    Maxime had already worked on himself to change his perception of the world, as entering the mercenary world required adapting to its customs.


    "Pyrion, leader of the Bloody Bears mercenary group," he replied with a smile.


    The next second, he moved quickly and ferociously attacked Maxime.


    "Shit, in terms of physique I''m probably above him but his fighting skills completely dominate me."


    Maxime could only defend himself passively against the deluge of attacks.


    "In that case, I can only do this..."


    Maxime quickly detected a jab coming towards his face.


    "An opportunity!"


    As the jab hit his face, surprise could be seen on Pyrion''s face.


    "Shit, get off me!"


    "Haha now that I''ve got you, believe me, I''m not about to let go!" declared Maxime with a grin.


    Indeed, Maxime had sacrificed his defense to immobilize one of Pyrion''s arms.


    Then it was blow for blow, but on the one hand Maxime was physically superior and attacked with his dominant arm, while Pyrion could only throw jabs with his left arm and grit his teeth.


    But after just 30 seconds, he was puking his guts out from taking blows to the stomach.


    This drained him of energy, but allowed him to regain his distance from Maxime, who had quickly stepped aside.


    "Shit, what kind of mercenary potential you got? It must be a 3-star to be so monstrous at such a young age, right? Even 4 stars..." Pyrion said in frustration.


    Maxime didn''t answer and instead asked:


    "You have gold don''t you?"


    "If you don''t want to go out worse off than you are now, pay 100 gold."


    Pyrion frowned and said:


    "Don''t screw up too much, Maxime, my bloody bears have been rather reasonable, otherwise your men would already be all down in a miserable state."


    Maxime didn''t show anything on his face, but he knew Pyrion was telling the truth. Otherwise it would have been enough for two bloody bears to block the arms of one of his comrades, and then a third could have just beaten him up.


    But in actual fact, they did play fair, although they did take advantage of their numbers, except in their duel court.


    "But I won, and it was your mercenary who provoked us," announced Maxime.


    "50 gold coins," Pyrion replied after some thought.


    "100 gold coins." continued Maxime in a firm tone.


    "Don''t overdo it, saber-toothed tiger chief, 100 gold coins already represents our gross income for a month''s mission."


    "After subtracting logistics, salaries, maintenance of various collective equipment, a few bonuses, curative medicines and compensation for members killed in action, there''s not much left."


    But Maxime remained stoic.


    Waiting a few seconds, Pyrion sighed, then declared firmly:


    "Brother draw your swords, today blood will flow freely."


    The sounds of drawing were heard one after the other, as countless swords were pointed at Maxime and his comrades in various parts of the bar.


    This time, Maxime could no longer maintain his composure.


    "Indeed, mercenaries are no fools and are extremely greedy for money. Taking money from people who have earned it by putting their lives on the line is an extremely dangerous gesture," Maxime thought with slight disappointment.


    "That''s 50 gold coins and you pay for the repairs to the bar," announced Maxime.


    "It''s a deal." replied Pyrion with a smile, tossing a bag of gold coins to Maxime, who caught it in flight with one hand.


    After all, even he would risk death given his current state.


    "Let''s go, guys," said Maxime, leaving without a glance behind him.


    All the mercenaries followed him, although most of them were in a sorry state.


    However, their backs were straight and they exuded a certain menacing aura, impressing the various onlookers.


    On the way, Maxime glanced at Romuald, then nodded in approval.


    Ding!


    [Detected that Romuald has joined the host''s mercenary group].


    [Innate potential of a star with a minor talent in physics detected].


    [Host''s talent activated.]


    [The mercenary Romuald''s potential is increased to two stars].


    Simultaneously, Romuald notices something change from deep within his being.


    "How is it possible...I no longer feel this barrier that used to hold me back so strongly from progress..." murmured Romuald with enormous shock.


    Then he looked at Maxime''s back as he calmly walked away, and his eyes widened.


    "What kind of heaven-defying magical talent is that?"

 Chapter 11 - 11: The test

    "What kind of heaven-defying magical talent is that?"


    "But that would explain how youngsters from nowhere can compete so easily with experienced mercenaries." thought Romuald as he watched the rest of his new comrades, who were also watching him.


    Indeed, without knowing why the deputy head of the guard had joined their battle. Normally, he was supposed to stop the fight and not join it.


    So whether it was Andrew, Piedro or James, they all looked at him with recognition but also with a certain other strange look.


    After a few moments Romuald came to his senses.


    "They''re treating me like an idiot. No doubt about it," Romuald thought, slightly irritated.


    "He continued, but kept his insults to himself as he continued to smile to fit in with the group.


    This only increased the mercenary gaze of the saber-toothed tigers, which annoyed Romuald even more.


    "Why are you here old man?" asked Peter with an innocent face.


    "Old man?" On Romuald''s face, a resplendent vein sprang up.


    "Has an old man ever made you eat the floor?" he continued angrily.


    "No, why would he?" replied Peter normally with a hint of curiosity.


    "Don''t worry, the old man in me has a good reason." continued Edward, clenching his fists in front of him.


    "It''s okay Romuald, some of them really did have grandfathers your age. Not to mention that you look really old," Maxime interjected.


    "Had?" thought Romuald silently as a little condolence appeared in his mind.


    Oblivious to custom, Maxime announced directly:


    "Oh, in fact Romuald is officially joining our ranks today."


    Reactions soon followed:


    "Hahaha a new recruit, that''s fast!" exclaimed James.


    "How did you do it, boss?" asked Terry with a puzzled look.


    "Haha call me big brother from now on old man!" laughed Peter to his heart''s content.


    "No." Romuald curtly replied to Peter with a new vein appearing on his forehead.


    While his mercenaries teased each other, attracting many curious glances along the way, Maxime headed for a strange store. It was as big as a mansion, surpassing most of the city''s infrastructure.


    Seeing their leader heading towards this strange store, the mercenaries asked themselves various questions, but asked nothing.


    Romuald seemed surprised for a moment at such discipline.


    "I didn''t think they were capable of such maturity.


    "However this store is..." murmured Romuald with a shiver of fear running through his body.


    "Whatever the times, these profiteers will always exist," observed Maxime with cold eyes.


    The storefront displayed in large letters:


    "Brotherhood House."


    There was also a small welcome message below it:


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the largest real estate network in the Iron Dragon Empire."


    Without another word, Maxime entered the store, followed by his mercenaries.


    Inside, the d��cor was sumptuous, while various well-dressed people chatted with some of the store''s advisors.


    Soon they arrived at the offices, behind which were some beautiful receptionists working on various documents.


    Maxime made his way to one of them at random.


    Noticing the presence of a new customer, the receptionist looked up from her papers and put on her best smile as she calmly announced:


    "Dear sir good morning, what can I do to help you?"


    "I''m looking for a house in this town to make my headquarters for my mercenary group.


    Reflecting for a moment, the receptionist replied:


    "We do indeed have several houses in our possession that meet these criteria, but can you be specific about your request, so that I can advise you on what suits you best."


    "The house must be able to house at least 50 mercenaries and have a spacious training ground."


    "Sir, if I may say so, prices for this kind of house are extremely high. If you have less than thirty mercenaries in your group, then you won''t be able to rent for a long time. On the contrary, your group will go bankrupt."


    Hearing this, most of the group behind Maxime paled slightly.


    "That''s just his business, if he goes bankrupt so be it, but I don''t think he''s stupid enough for that. What''s he thinking?" analyzed Andrew calmly, watching Maxime''s back.


    "Thank you for your concern. Can you still find me a few houses that fit these criteria?" replied Maxime


    "Of course."


    "Let me take a look at what I have available," affirmed the receptionist with a charming smile before plunging back into her files.


    After a few seconds, the receptionist announced:


    "I have one house left that meets your criteria. It can comfortably accommodate a total of 80 mercenaries. It''s in the center of town, so shops are close by. Security is also excellent. The house has 3 kitchens, 20 bedrooms, several..."


    "That''s fine with me, how much is the rent?" interrupted Maxime.


    "50 gold coins a month, sir."


    Maxime frowned, and the mercenaries behind him sighed heavily.


    Such a sum of money represented 3 or even 4 years of personal savings, and that was for mercenaries. Most individuals in this world only received between 12 and 15 pieces of silver a month, so such a sum was something he could only imagine. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are there discounts for mercenaries with more than one star in terms of potential?" asked Maxime curiously.


    "If she says no, I''ll have to consider lowering my requirements. But in that case my progress in terms of strength will be slowed down, and even my exam grade will be seriously affected." thought Maxime.


    "Yes, there are some. Wait, let me have a look, I can''t remember the exact details" replied the receptionist as she turned and rummaged through the books behind her.


    A few seconds later, she exclaimed:


    "Ah yes that''s the one!"


    "Um...Let''s see...Yes it is!"


    When she exclaimed in such a way, it drew the gaze of many customers in the room and other receptionists.


    Looking up, she said to Maxime:


    "Your mercenary group must include at least 3 mercenaries with 2-star potential and 1 3-star mercenary to qualify for a discount."


    "In this case precisely, it will be a 10% discount on all our services," she concluded with a pretty smile.


    Most of the customers shook their heads in annoyance. Indeed, such a group of mercenaries could only be found in the capital of a Kingdom.


    It was said that there were less than 10 mercenary groups that could fulfill these requirements in the entire Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    "Great, how''s the discount application going?" questioned Maxime curiously.


    The receptionist glanced at Maxime again as she looked very surprised and reassessed him very positively.


    "Wait for me here, I''ll have to contact the manager to take care of you."


    However, the other customers disagreed.


    "What joke, a bunch of brats like them can compete with the Silver Knights?"


    "Not just the Silver Knights, the Snakes of the North, the Ice Eagle Clan, the Barbarian Syndicate!"


    "Hahaha young people are really funny these days!"


    "Reminds me of the day I made a girl in the neighboring village believe I was one of the Silver Knights!" a rough-skinned man with an imposing build laughed aloud.


    "What a worthless playboy." sighed an exaggeratedly well-dressed man next to him.


    "Says the guy looking for his famous pure girl in this world. Stay a virgin wisely in your corner." replied the imposing man sarcastically.


    "Say that again?"


    "Says the guy who''s looking for..."


    "I''m going to kill you." said the well-dressed man as he blushed with rage while starting to draw his sword.


    ...


    "Mr. Karyo!" exclaimed the young receptionist as she came running into a well-decorated office with neatly arranged books.


    The man seated at his desk put down his quill in the ink pot and replied with a smile:


    "What is it, Jessica?"


    "A group of mercenaries want to take the test!"


    Karyo looked confused.


    "What test? And please calm down."


    Jessica took a deep breath before saying:


    "The test for the discount!"


    Karyo thought for a few seconds before his eyes opened wide.

 Chapter 12 - 12: Two fools

    Karyo thought for a few seconds before his eyes opened wide.


    "Karyo ordered after a few seconds'' thought.


    "Ok!" replied Jessica quickly, then left as if she were running away.


    Karyo looked at the small crystal ball on his desk and placed his hand on it.


    A dull star appeared on the crystal ball.


    A faint sigh escaped from the desk.


    ...


    Jessica stood at the top of the stairs, her mouth gaping at the chaos that had occurred in her absence...


    "Rodrigo, come here! My sword thirsts for your blood!"


    "Ernest it was just a joke!"


    "A little joke!"


    "There''s no need to want my life, is there?"


    The well-dressed man had already drawn his sword, while the well-built man fled in all directions.


    The various customers avoided their path as best they could.


    Maxime and his band of mercenaries looked on in amusement, laughing lightly at the exchanges between the two.


    "It''s too bad for Ernest that he left his gun at home haha!" exclaimed Peter, laughing loudly.


    "I wonder why he left his gun at home?" said Andrew in a curious tone. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A real man always keeps his gun close to him, it''s his fault if he dies," muttered Izo, but everyone could hear him one way or another.


    Maxime glanced at him and saw a glint of light on his sleeves.


    "Pretty smart," he thought.


    "It''s a shame the guards got ours outside," James commented sadly.


    "Yeah I really feel like I''m helpless, what a horrible feeling." said Ronny.


    At the same time, the two men creating chaos headed towards Maxime''s mercenary troop.


    "Hey genius mercenaries, come and help me or I''m really going to die because of this damned nobleman!" shouted Ernest in a panic.


    "Fuck you," Andrew replied dryly.


    "What an idea to make noble friends too." thought Terry.


    "Haha I''m coming anyway!" exclaimed Ernest, laughing as he came dangerously close.


    Maxime sighed slightly, knowing that he''d have to act, or else their group''s reputation would suffer.


    But just before he took a step, noise came from outside.


    "The town guard''s here!" exclaimed one of the customers nearest the entrance.


    "Tch." said Ernest, sheathing his sword.


    "Haha I''ll live another day Ernest!" laughed Rodrigo gleefully.


    "Those who break Baron Barthon''s rules, name yourselves and follow us!" shouted one of the men at the front of the newly arrived guard team.


    A heavy silence fell over the room, but Ernest and Rodrigo quickly broke it by coming forward and walking towards the guards.


    In any case, Ernest wouldn''t have too much trouble, given his connections, so he moved with a light, carefree step.


    Rodrigo didn''t care either, since he was the victim, and with a friend like Ernest he was used to it.


    "Ernest, Rodrigo!" intervened Maxime in a loud voice attracting all eyes.


    "What do you want, peasant?" replied Ernest arrogantly.


    On the other hand, Rodrigo looked rather curious, though he didn''t answer.


    "The saber-toothed tigers are recruiting soon. Come and I''ll teach you how to become a strong man," replied Maxime with a smile.


    But there was a slight arrogance in his words that irritated Ernest, while a glint of appreciation appeared in Rodrigo''s eyes.


    Ernest wanted to make a gesture, but finally held back as he was being watched by many people at the moment.


    "If you really do have the kind of talent that would make even the best mercenary groups jealous, I''d certainly come," Ernest finally concluded with a curt tone before leaving.


    Rodrigo nodded in agreement before leaving.


    As they left, Andrew asked:


    "Why recruit these two sick people?"


    "Because they''re interesting, so I want to see them on a battlefield."


    "And because they''re fun." continued Maxime with a cheerful smile.


    "Fun? Is that really a selection criterion in our group?" thought Andrew, looking closely at Maxime.


    Terry watched the scene, thinking of something to say, but finally restrained himself.


    At the same moment Jessica arrived.


    "Gentlemen, the manager would like to welcome you to his office. Please follow me upstairs," she invited, having regained her previous composure.


    "Of course, we''ll follow you," replied Maxime on behalf of everyone.


    Walking for a few seconds, Maxime asked:


    "Jessica, can I ask you a question?"


    "Yes, of course, I''ll answer it to the best of my ability."


    "You seemed really surprised that we have 3 2-star mercenaries and 1 3-star mercenary, is it really that rare?"


    "Well yes, in this city with over 100 years of history, there may only have been 3 groups registering with such a large workforce. But more importantly, each of them already represented a significant force in the milieu, as several thousand mercenaries were affiliated with them."


    Thinking for a moment longer, Jessica continued:


    "Generally speaking, mercenaries with a potential of 2 stars or more seek to obtain a position with a certain status to go on the battlefield with people ready to protect them in case things go wrong."


    "So small groups of mercenaries usually have no expert apart from the leader."


    Maxime smiled slightly and said:


    "Thank you for this valuable information."


    After this brief discussion they arrived in front of the office door, but before stepping through it, Jessica paused for a moment.


    "May I ask a question too?


    "Yes, of course."


    Jessica approached Maxime very closely and whispered innocently in his ear:


    "How did you manage to attract so many experts close to you?"


    She pulled back slightly and their eyes met as they were almost glued together.


    A few seconds passed in this situation while the mercenaries next to them watched the exchange intently.


    Noises from their throats could be heard.


    "It''s a secret," Maxime asserted, laughing lightly and breaking the atmosphere at the same time.


    "Yeah," confirmed Jessica, pouting.


    "Maxime and the others heard them through the door.


    "Maxime replied loudly as he entered with his group and Jessica.


    An hour later, they emerged from the door with broad smiles on their faces.


    "Haha super chef! A 30% discount on the rent, that''s more than we could have hoped for!" exclaimed James.


    "Yeah, but we''ll have to help this branch in case they have a problem. For the moment, we don''t know if this business will be profitable for us," commented Terry.


    "We''ll see what the future brings," intervened Maxime with a brilliant look that made the whole group feel confident, while Jessica looked on in curiosity and shock at this mysterious leader.


    At the same moment, a murmur was heard in the office:


    "Eight 2-star mercenaries, one 3-star mercenary and a leader of unknown potential."


    "Monsters. A group of monsters."


    ...


    "Ernest."


    "Yeah?"


    "I thought you hated mercenaries?"


    "Yeah."


    "Well?"


    "Maybe I''d understand them better if I stood in front of one."


    "Okay."


    "And this guy is interesting." finished Ernest with a deep look.


    A few seconds passed in solemn silence.


    "Are the bars of this prison that interesting?"


    "Fuck you Rodrigo."

 Chapter 13 - 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," commented Maxime, laughing.


    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 player 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 mannequins laid 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


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. MAX level! (+3% physical)


    Swordsman level 2 (+5% physics) (0/20)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.95 (+0.16)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (62/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 115 gold coins.


    Mercenaries :


    ... sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 place like this."


    "But at this rate we''ll only be able to last three months, and with recruitment if we last two months that''s already not bad."


    "After all, there''s food and wages to pay too."


    Maxime felt a headache coming 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 glad 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 relationships."


    "Succeeding in Baron Barthon''s mission will be the first step towards becoming 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."


    "Contemplate 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 hours later.


    Maxime wiped the sweat from his forehead with his left arm.


    "System, display my status page."


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. MAX level! (+3% physics)


    Swordsman level 2 (+5% physics) (0/20)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.95 (+0.16)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 1 (63/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 115 gold coins.


    Mercenaries :


    ...


    "It''s gone up 2 points in just 3 hours," Maxime analyzed happily.


    "The month of training I did last 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''s completely unnecessary to put gold into martial arts mastery. You just need to train while investing in the classes."


    "Well at the same time such a pace of training is normal since I''m already physically comparable 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 play juji with the others?" commented 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 so lame."


    Izo and Peter replied respectively. The former with a cold tone and the latter 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 the communication." 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 place?"


    "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 balance: 109 gold coins].


    "What do you recommend 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 explain 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 explanation.


    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 be complex 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 and complicated," 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 - 14: Test announcement

    3 days later, in front of the saber-tooth tiger mansion.


    A crowd numbering several hundred had gathered for the selections.


    However, most of them were dressed in common 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 in common.


    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 people commented 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, laughing from a corner in the distance.


    "Welcome 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 time laughing 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, laughing.


    "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 to last this headquarters a month or two before abandoning it."


    "That''s why your basic salary 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 no compensation 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 placed his trust in us by granting us a mission of the utmost importance!"


    "Taking all this into account, 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, commanding tone.


    The crowd didn''t follow directly as potential recruits chatted amongst themselves and raised their voices.


    Finally, a muscular but rather skinny individual emerged from the crowd. He looked rather elderly and seemed to have come 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 become pregnant for the4th time, so my small income can no longer adequately feed my entire family." Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 at last 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 much compensation your family would only slowly perish. And even if the compensation is really good, your family will be robbed at best, raped and turned into slaves 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 pillar 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 black outfit.


    ...


    "You see that my brothers, it seems that this group is rather peculiar" laughed 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 can come true with this group."


    ...


    "Hey Ernest, if it only counted strength and potential I''m sure you''d have been accepted."


    "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 accept 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 15 - 15: Recruitment completed

    Andrew, Romuald, Terry and Piedro arrived at the entrance to the mansion.


    Also waiting for them were Izo, James, Alessandro, Ronny and Peter.


    Each of them had invested in their own equipment over the last few days.


    Combined with a month''s training that had toughened them up phenomenally thanks to Maxime''s NOX Limit talent, which increased potential by one star and increased training speed by 6 times.


    This made the farmers feel intimidated by the youngsters in front of them.


    While Andrew went off to talk with the others and sort out the final details, the crowd erupted once again.


    "Shit, they really are all kids like the rumors said!"


    "Yeah, but they''re the same kids who can knock us all to the ground with one hand."


    "Pouahahah even with one finger they put you to the ground with your starving body there Fred."


    " Huh? Are you looking for me Pierre? They blow on you, you fall!"


    "Oh you want to test that?"


    "What, you want to do it now?"


    "Come on, I''ll take you apart in two so I can pass the test quickly while you stay asleep on your hay stinking of manure."


    ...


    At the same moment, when it was starting to get out of hand Andrew turned and announced.


    "Shut up, the test is about to start."


    "Fred hear that, you''re lucky the ginger spoke up now or I''d have made you meet your father in hell."


    Fred turned red with anger at Pierre''s words.


    "Before he could finish, Izo and Peter had already approached the two troublemakers.


    They took hold of their hair with a firm grip and with a violent gesture pulled it down.


    Once they''d reached a certain point, they swung their palms behind their skulls, accelerating their fall.


    *boom*


    *boom*


    Both of them hit the ground hard, face first.


    "What don''t you understand when the vice-captain tells you to shut up?" asked Izo in a cold tone.


    But long seconds of silence passed without getting an answer.


    "Never mind Izo, I think they''re unconscious."


    "So weak. Even before I met the captain, I wasn''t so fragile."


    "You weren''t so arrogant either Izo."


    "And you not so bold to talk to me like that."


    "Haha, I guess we''ve changed quite a bit."


    Izo simply smiled in reply, before returning to Andrew, who kept the same face while Peter laughed lightly.


    The atmosphere became more serious as people similar to themselves were subjected to such treatment by their future college.


    Some were even considering running away from the test.


    Andrew simply smiled in response before announcing:


    "The test will proceed in this way: first you''ll have an interview with us and then we''ll assess your physical strength."


    "Tomorrow, a poster will be hung on the gate concerning the individuals accepted among us."


    "The evaluation of your physical strength will serve us better when integrating you into the group and preparing for your training. concludes Andrew in a calm tone.


    "Training? What training?" asked a man wearing light leather armor and carrying a sword.


    Andrew looked at him and replied:


    "In our group you are obliged to train under our guidance until you reach the level of an experienced mercenary."


    "What''s the point of becoming a mercenary? You might as well be a soldier!" he shouted angrily.


    "It''s true! To reach that level, most of the members here will take several years!" continued another person in the crowd.


    "Nothing forces you to join us. All I can say is that our captain''s magical talent is interesting enough for us to stay." interrupted Andrew with a smile.


    "Magical talent?" shouted some in the crowd in surprise, while other potential recruits such as Ernest, Rodrigo and the young redheaded woman were intrigued. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What kind of talent can keep 8 2-star mercenaries and 1 3-star mercenary together?" asked Ernest, deep in thought.


    "Don''t worry about it Ernest, we''ll see when we get there!" laughed Rodrigo, seeing his friend pensive.


    Maxime, for his part, discreetly made his way to the room where the interviews with the candidates would take place.


    ...


    1 month later.


    On the private training grounds of the saber-toothed tiger''s top brass.


    As the sun shed its last light of the day, Maxime was training diligently with Andrew.


    Both carried wooden swords and sparred.


    Their mastery of the sword could only be described as exquisite, but also violent and brutal.


    They moved from one place to another on the ground, both looking very serious.


    Meanwhile, a mercenary entered the field with a light, respectful step.


    He made no noise, however, and simply waited off to the side.


    "Andrew, you''re getting pretty strong," Maxime said with a smile as he crossed swords with Andrew.


    "Of course, chief, after a month I''ve already reached the standards of a 2-star mercenary!" replied Andrew as he managed to push Maxime back a few steps.


    "Haha pretty good!"


    "Chief, today will be the day I defeat you and take your place!" announced Andrew with a defiant tone.


    "Ohhhhh... So come on, I''ll be waiting for you," Maxime replied simply, his expression serious.


    "You don''t have to tell me twice, boss."


    Andrew braced himself on the ground with his left foot and flew towards Maxime at a speed beyond the human limits of an ordinary person.


    Maxime also accelerated to keep up the momentum.


    The exchanges continued before the astonished eyes of the ordinary mercenary.


    The two silhouettes moved swiftly across the field, but Maxime slightly gained the upper hand.


    A few minutes passed.


    "An opportunity!" exclaimed Maxime mentally as his eyes shone simultaneously.


    With a flick of the wrist, Maxime''s sword deflected Andrew''s wooden sword, then stopped in front of his heart.


    "I give up," Andrew declared disappointedly.


    "You''re progressing so fast, you''ll soon be stronger than me," Maxime replied with a smile.


    What a pity, if I take your place I''ll also lose the bonus of your magical talent," Andrew whispered.


    "What did you say?


    "Andrew replied, shaking his head from side to side.


    "If you say so."


    Maxime looked at the newly arrived mercenary.


    "What''s wrong with Joe?"


    Joe was one of the recently recruited mercenaries.


    "Tena wishes to tell you that it might be time to go on a mission. The finances can only hold out for a few more days at this rate."


    Tena was a young woman with red hair who had joined the saber-toothed tigers with her 3 brothers.


    She had a special talent in finance that Maxime had detected after recruiting her through the system.


    So he gave her the role of group treasurer.


    "I see, tell the squad leaders to come and join me on the public training square with their men."


    "Alright chief!"


    "Andrew, follow me."


    "Okay, boss."


    "It''s time to get down to business," Maxime murmured as he stomped toward the mansion''s public training grounds.

 Chapter 16 - 16: Ambush

    On the public training grounds, exactly 30 mercenaries were haphazardly assembled.


    Among them were Terry, James, Piedro, Izo, Peter, Alessandro, Ronny, Romuald, Joe, Tena and even Rodrigo and Ernest.


    There were also 18 other mercenaries who had been recruited during the test earlier in the month.


    It was dark, and the training area was lit by torches scattered around the sides.


    Maxime arrived, followed by Andrew.


    "Good evening everyone, especially the new recruits since we haven''t really seen each other since the test interview," Maxime announced with the moonlight showing his smile.


    "Most of you being focused on your own training."


    Various awkward smiles appeared on everyone''s faces.


    Indeed, when they passed the test and were finally accepted among the saber-toothed tigers they all received the blessing of Maxime''s magical talent.


    By this time, amazement had invaded their faces as they felt the changes in their bodies.


    Some had wept, others plunged into an imaginary world where they would be torn apart on battlefields, and several even began to treat Maxime as the reincarnation of a God.


    This was the case for Tena and his brothers, who admired the strong in the depths of their being.


    Rodrigo and Ernest, on the other hand, laughed out loud at the reality of their situation, while ambitions sprang to life in their hearts.


    It was the effect of a magical talent that couldn''t even appear in legends because it was far too exaggerated.


    Maxime normally had a whole semester of hearts devoted to human psychology and how to gather people''s hearts in order to win their loyalty.


    But with his talent, it wasn''t necessary.


    Since there was no better opportunity in this world than to submit to him.


    The fact that he was currently weak only made this opportunity even better.


    However, everyone knew that this talent had to be kept secret, even if not for long, otherwise who knows what might happen.


    It was important to avoid any unknown variables that might jeopardize their future.


    This was one of the objectives of the interview. That is, to avoid recruiting people who would talk too much.


    There were also other conditions, such as people who had neither started a family nor had a spouse.


    People detected as easily arrogant or irritable were also automatically excluded.


    Then the physical test was rather to see how willing they were to become stronger, but also, combined with the interview, to find out if these people were mentally ready to kill human beings.


    Maxime was surprised by the results, even if he had anticipated them.


    Indeed, each of the candidates was ready to kill other human beings.


    They had an above-average will to become stronger than in their home world.


    This is probably the difference between a world plagued by war, famine or disease and one at peace.


    In the end, out of over 200 candidates, the main filter was the impression they made at interview, and the second was their physical appearance at recruitment.


    Only 22 of them were recruited, establishing a failure rate of almost 90% on their test!


    This was unheard of among mercenary groups!


    But Maxime had no choice: he had to both recruit for greater fighting power, but also save enough time to turn these people into a true elite!


    But in the end, the main limiter was the gold in his possession.


    "I''m calling you together tonight to tell you that we''re leaving at dawn tomorrow morning for our mission."


    "Indeed, our finances no longer allow us to delay the time any longer, not to mention the Baron who is getting seriously impatient."


    Various confident smiles appeared in the crowd


    "Don''t worry chief, we don''t need any more time!"


    "Yes, most of us have reached the level of an elite soldier!"


    "It''s not a bunch of bandits that will get us into trouble!"


    Seeing the high morale, Maxime also smiled more in response.


    ...


    In another part of town, Baron Barthon looked out over his beautiful city while stirring his wine.


    "So they''re finally going?" he said with a happy smile.


    "Yes, Baron," replied a man in armor kneeling behind him.


    "I''m going to teach him that in this world, those who survive are those who only mind their own business." he murmured with a trace of cruelty but also pleasure.


    "Nobles never make losing deals."


    ...


    The next day, as the sun was rising.


    "Come on guys let''s get a move on!"


    "Did you all take money and food with you?"


    "Yeah!"


    "Of course we did!"


    "Damn it James, we''ve told you a thousand times that we have to leave with the bare minimum! What the hell are you doing with a 20kg bag!"


    "Fuck you, it''s got my statue of my grandmother in it and I wouldn''t leave it here for the world!"


    "Chief?" questioned Izo amidst the chaos.


    "Yeah?" replied Maxime, looking at him as he finished packing his own belongings into his backpack.


    "Do you think 30 people are really enough to eliminate a group of bandits capable of wiping out a village?" said Izo with a slightly worried look appearing on his usually emotionless face.


    "It depends on who these people are."


    "I see." continued Izo without asking further.


    "Guys, we''re leaving!" announced Maxime in a loud voice as he rose to his feet.


    In response, everyone quickly finished getting ready, and they quickly made their way to the entrance to the town.


    Spectators watched in awe as a few dozen individuals, impressive in their equipment and stature, made their final preparations before setting off on their mission.


    "Are those the saber-toothed tigers?" a shopkeeper asked one of his employees.


    "Yeah." replied the employee with respect but also a tinge of nostalgia.


    "Didn''t you apply to join them, by the way?" continued the shopkeeper with a puzzled air.


    "Yes, I did, but they told me that my character and desires didn''t match the life of a mercenary." said the employee with a sigh.


    At the same time, a blond-haired man with a scabbard* and a shield slung over his left arm made a short speech, then left together in high spirits.


    From afar, Baron Barthon watched them set off with a slight smile.


    After a few kilometers, as the members chatted lightly amongst themselves while paying attention to their surroundings, Maxime at the front decided to check his current status.


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve.


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique)


    Swordsman level 3 (+5% physics) (0/100)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.95 (+0.16)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 2 (66/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 20 gold pieces.


    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. Physical: 2.1


    "As expected, my assiduous sword training has taken effect and I''ve already reached the bottleneck between intermediate and advanced level," Maxime analyzed mentally with satisfaction.


    "Right now I''m the best in terms of mastery of the sword, even though Andrew is only at the beginning of level 2 according to our confrontations."


    "Without a doubt, because I focus solely on mastering my sword while the others also have to train hard to increase their physique."


    "Romuald has even become stronger than me in terms of physique."


    "However Rodrigo and Ernest are a total mystery, I have no idea what level they''re at."


    "But from their equipment, Rodrigo seems to be very adept at containing several opponents at once with his shield and armor, which looks rather heavy."


    "Whereas Ernest seems to be an archer, which is rather surprising."


    In this world, archers were rather rare because of their existence warriors could die without showing their strength.


    There was also the fact that they could kill at a distance and underhandedly.


    In this world, this was considered cowardice.


    Not to mention the fact that it was difficult for an archer to kill a soldier with more than 1.5 head-on physicality, due to their reflexes and agility.


    What''s more, mastering a bow required a great deal of time and rigor.


    So, in the culture of this world, those who mastered the bow were called cowards as well as weak.


    However, there were still many people who practiced the bow, just most of them in mercenary bands.


    As the army was controlled by nobles, having archers in their troops would harm their image.


    They also enjoyed seeing the butchery that was a battlefield, and at least without the presence of archers, they could watch the slaughter up close.


    Of course, there were still plenty of reasons that could also be developed, which is why Eternity''s culture was one of the most important subjects to study in high school.


    ...


    "As Tena said, we can''t last another month on just 20 gold coins, since the rent itself costs 35 gold coins."


    "But various purchases such as training equipment were more than necessary." S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A lot of money was also invested in food and in recruiting a chef and maid."


    "In the end, thanks to Romuald''s training advice and experience, it enabled everyone to make gigantic leaps in terms of physique."


    "However, a certain difference between each individual can be noticed according to their innate physical condition but also to their assiduity in training."


    "Because potential remains potential."


    "A high potential doesn''t say that training will be faster than other individuals, although there is a correlation it mostly means that the limit is superior to others."


    As Maxime continued to walk along the path with his mercenaries, he spotted a figure emerging from the bushes with an axe in hand.


    Like a trigger other silhouettes came out of the bushes one after the other, completely surrounding Maxime and his band of mercenaries.


    "Shit."

 Chapter 17 - 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 accustomed to combat 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 overcome the stress of this first life-or-death situation.


    "Maxime is it?" said the axe-wielding man with a relaxed 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.


    At the same time, Maxime stepped calmly towards his designated adversary, gradually drawing his sword.


    "Oh interesting, do you really want to duel me?" laughed 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 and come out alive, that''s why!" exclaimed Jorgi, laughing arrogantly.


    "Really strong indeed." commented Maxime, as his eyes focused on him.


    "According 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 plastered 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 axe completely with his sword and then kicked him in the chest.


    The powerful impact sent him reeling back several meters.


    "What power!" exclaimed 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''s commander 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''s last one.


    ting


    "Haha, chief it seems you''re a little too confident!" laughed the man who had blocked the axe with difficulty.


    "Thank you Romuald!" declared Maxime with a few drops of cold sweat.


    A second later, 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 his comrades 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''t compare 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 a lamb ready to slaughter.


    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 the last battle of their lives.


    "How fun to see them like this. I imagine that when you massacred this village, the citizens must have suffered the same despair as you." said another dull but enraged voice.


    It was James accompanied by Terry, Piedro, Izo and Peter.


    "The village?" 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. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same moment, the first mercenaries of the gang angrily charged Jorgi and the three remaining bandits.


    Yet to their surprise, the latter 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 village with your..."


    He fell suddenly to the ground, an arrow stuck in his head.


    Andrew turned in incomprehension 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 the last three bandits.

 Chapter 18 - 18: The backbone of a strong man

    The other mercenaries wore a rather somber expression as they stared at the last 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 explain 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.


    Moments later, 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 declared 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.


    The latter 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 explaining 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 classroom 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 similar 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 plants 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. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 villages not long ago," declared 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 his comrades.


    "Meaning potential enemy?" questioned Maxime.


    "You''re currently staying with Baron Barthon, the same baron who likes to rob villages in territories adjacent to his own and who destroyed one of our villages 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 village?" asked Maxime.


    "Quessoi."


    "What the hell." thought Maxime, recalling some discussion.


    He turned around and could see the fury in the eyes of some of his comrades.


    Sighing slightly, he turned around, then with a firm tone he declared:


    "Let my comrades 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.


    Moments later Maxime replied curtly:


    "No."


    He hadn''t come 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 similar 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 19 - 19: Back to reality

    To say no to this kind of man when they''ve been conditioned all their lives by the legends of the knights seemed inconceivable.


    Chevalier Ron also seemed stunned, as did the soldiers behind him.


    However, a smile appeared on his face.


    "I''ll take them for 40 gold pieces, and after you''ve finished your mission, it shouldn''t be a problem to settle in Baron Irut''s town either?


    It took a moment''s thought for Maxime to mentally agree.


    "They''re all yours. However, what do you intend to do after Baron Barthon has destroyed one of your villages?"


    "Of course we''re going to integrate his territory with ours, and publicly execute the Baron for not respecting the internal rules of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle." replied Knight Ron in an emotionless tone.


    At the same time, he pulled a small purse from his pocket and swung it towards.


    "So be it, do as you please. In any case, our saber-toothed tiger mercenaries will not apply in your conflict for the time being," announced Maxime as he received the purse in one hand and mentally weighed its weight.


    Chevalier Ron knew from the strength Maxime and his group had shown that it would be difficult to intimidate them by force.


    After a moment''s reflection, he said:


    "Baron Barthon is a knight himself, and he also has a son with excellent knightly skills. In fact, this son is quite well known to be a genius and should soon be sent to the royal knight academy."


    "Because of this fact, the nearby Baron Hyro has deliberately befriended him."


    "So if we attack Baron Barthon, Baron Hyro is bound to get involved," explained Knight Ron.


    "And so you expect us to stop him?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    "That''s right," replied Chevalier Ron curtly.


    "We can''t accept such a dangerous task," refuted Maxime firmly.


    "We''ll offer you remuneration commensurate with such a task."


    "Always say."


    "200 gold coins."


    "Go and ask beggars to do this job, our group of saber-toothed tigers refuse. Guys, let''s go!" replied Maxime as he turned and shouted.


    "Ok chief!" several mercenaries shouted back, as they began to pick up their war trophies, then walk deeper into the forest. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, Maxime suspected that it wasn''t just these bandits. Normally they even had cavalry, since the man who attacked the village was on horseback.


    "Maxime, I hope we don''t find you on the wrong side, it would be a shame if I had to cut your throat because of a simple bad decision on your part," threatened Chevalier Ron with cold eyes.


    No one had dared to say no to him before, his smile before being nothing more than a mocking grin.


    Maxime turned and simply looked at him with emotionless eyes, then went back the way he came without saying a word.


    However, this was not the case for some of the other mercenaries who became furious, but they continued as Maxime had done the same.


    Chevalier Ron and his cavalry of 50 men also set off in the same direction as they had arrived, this time with the bandits in tow.


    Moments later, Andrew came up to Maxime and asked:


    "What do you intend to do chief, why did you refuse?"


    "The balance of power is completely skewed in Baron Barthon''s favor, you''d have to be completely blind not to see that."


    "What''s more, stopping a Baron''s reinforcement army will provoke the wrath not only of the Baron himself, but also of the Baron under attack."


    "Not to mention the fact that we''re not yet strong enough to interfere in a conflict of this scale. And above all, I don''t think Baron Irut is that strong and capable of wiping out Baron Barthon."


    "Otherwise all the barons around would have already taken their revenge on Baron Barthon. But in this case, instead of taking revenge, they''re actually going to befriend him."


    "So it''s obvious which side to side with," concluded Maxime with a dull tone, while Andrew''s eyes twinkled at such an analysis of the situation.


    Even Ernest, who was only a few steps away and could hear the conversation, felt a renewed respect for this mysterious leader.


    On the other hand, Maxime hadn''t swallowed Chevalier Ron''s threat and was still seething with anger.


    "Fucking Chevalier Ron, believe me, as soon as I get a chance I''m going to come looking for your head," Maxime thought angrily.


    To be honest, as long as the price was high enough, Maxime would do anything. However, when it came to his values and, above all, his dignity, he felt like going completely mad and going straight to kill the person who had humiliated him.


    Watching the group go deeper and deeper into the forest, Ernest came up to Maxime and asked:


    "Aren''t we going back to town anymore?"


    Maxime looked at him slightly, then replied with a slight smile:


    "No, since we''ve got rid of our hostages we can afford to go deeper into the forest."


    "Because there are other bandits?"


    "No, because our real objective hasn''t yet emerged.


    This piqued the interest of several nearby mercenaries.


    But Maxime said no more as he continued deeper into the forest.


    Ernest didn''t dare ask what his real objective was, sensing that Maxime was unwilling to explain any further than that.


    Along the way, Ernest continued to ask questions on various subjects such as politics, agriculture and economics.


    To his surprise, Maxime was able to come up with a variety of creative and extremely pertinent opinions every time. Even he felt slightly overwhelmed by so many new ideas and theories that could be implemented.


    But Maxime didn''t feel anything particular about himself - after all, he was still a senior in high school, so it was only natural that he should know so much.


    Especially at a time when having knowledge on the subject was useful to everyone.


    After all, while strength was a means to the top in Eternity, knowledge was also a powerful tool for smoothing the ride.


    Ding!


    [Eternity will close!]


    [User Maxime Valdreuve will be logged out shortly].


    "So this moment is finally here," Maxime declared loudly.


    But no one could hear him; Eternity had literally turned into a temporally paused world, darkened of its colors.


    Maxime closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was in his own little room.


    "Here I am again..." sighed Maxime, slightly disconnected from reality.


    "Maxime, have you disconnected yourself? If so, come and eat!"


    Hearing a familiar voice, Maxime smiled and replied:


    "Yeah I''m coming mom!"

 Chapter 20 - 20: Strategic orientation module: the two paths

    "Yeah I''m coming mom!"


    Descending the stairs rather slowly, Maxime felt as if he were in another dimension, as if everything he''d experienced before was just a dream.


    At the bottom, a young woman with long blond hair but a tired face greeted him with a broad smile.


    Small wrinkles made their appearance, but anyone with a certain eye could guess that they''d been a deadly weapon in his youth.


    "Good morning, Maxime," she said in a soothing voice.


    "Hi Mum, did you sleep well?"


    "Great as usual, especially you my darling." she replied with a hint of concern.


    The world of Eternity was no joke, dying in it meant literally losing 3 years of life.


    Some people died the very first time they arrived in this world, dying several times in succession.


    Obviously this was extremely rare and mainly concerned individuals with particular health situations, but death on first arrival in the world of Eternity remained a common event.


    This would also have been the case for Maxime if he hadn''t succeeded in fending off the bandits or if he hadn''t settled outside the village.


    He could also have died in the battle with Jorgi and the other bandits.


    The world of Eternity had all too many opportunities to offer you a variety of ways to die.


    "It''s okay, I didn''t die and I was also able to get my first class without difficulty," Maxime reassured him with a sincere smile.


    "Great stuff!" rejoiced Andr��a, Maxime''s mother, with a cheerful smile.


    "Come and eat quickly, I''ve just finished preparing breakfast!"


    "Super thanks Mom."


    Maxime felt extremely happy to be back in reality, far from the hard life of a mercenary.


    At the same time, he could share a simple meal with his mother, whom he had already missed for quite some time.


    ...


    Leaving the house an hour later, Maxime raised his eyes to the sky as he watched the skyscrapers and flying cars passing between them.


    "2 months and 5 days. I stayed 2 months and 5 days in Eternity," Maxime thought in deep reflection.


    Usually students stayed about a week in Eternity before eventually being expelled.


    Geniuses could last a little longer, say 2 or 3 weeks.


    Only certain individuals with monstrous talents could last a month on their first connection.


    This was the case of warlord Karyl from the western continent and Zhao Ru the eastern dragon rider. Some famous generals could barely last a month, and yet that was enough to prove that their talent lay at the top of the world.


    But until his return, Maxime would never have believed it possible that someone could last 2 months on his first connection.


    "After that, all I have to do is develop as an ordinary genius, so that I can benefit from the country''s resources and opportunities, but without feeling threatened by certain organizations," sighed Maxime, who was at once shrouded in anxiety and happiness.


    Soon Maxime arrived in front of his high school.


    "Let''s see...Monday May 26, 2132, 9am in class 202, Eternity, strategic orientation module." observed Maxime as he quickly checked his phone and then walked quietly to his classroom.


    "Hey Maxime!"


    Turning around with a curious look, Maxime saw an imposing young man arrive at his side.


    1m90 for 90kg, he was a veritable war machine in terms of appearance.


    Maxime gave him a slight smile.


    "How are you Samuel?


    "Super! So tell me, did you unlock your first class?" asked Samuel with an intrigued face.


    "Swordsman and you?"


    "Haha great! I''ve unlocked the berserker class!" replied Samuel with a proud look on his face.


    Maxime was slightly shocked, even though this was to be expected given his initial appearance.


    Berserker was an extremely powerful class, conferring statics bonuses far superior to those of a swordsman at every level!


    In the end, this class even conferred a powerful talent!


    The ability to temporarily increase one''s strength and agility drastically at the peril of one''s rationality!


    Moreover, the maximum level of this class ranged between 10 and 15, far higher than that of other common classes such as archer, swordsman and spearman, which varied between 4 and 6 depending on various factors.


    With the price of unlocking a class rising considerably each time, the maximum level of unlocked classes represented a person''s potential.


    In this world there were several types of talent, but generally the most important were the talent given on entry to Eternity, followed by the physical talent.


    Physical talent is unique to each individual and has existed since the dawn of time.


    But since the advent of watches and the world of Eternity, the gap has widened considerably. Indeed, the classes unlocked depended mainly on physique and slightly on personality.


    As for initial talent, no one had yet discovered how to influence it. The most popular theories were that it was completely random and that it was God who gave each person a chance to become a genius.


    Others said that being kind and respectful all one''s life could accumulate good karma and that the talent given by Eternity was a kind of retribution.


    But Maxime was more in favor of a minor theory: during reincarnation, the body and memory are completely erased, but the soul itself would not change, so it could retain certain aspects of previous lives.


    The world of Eternity would merely awaken one of these aspects.


    "Berserker! Incredible, bravo mon gars!" exclaimed Maxime with a sincere smile.


    Samuel was his childhood friend and they''d always grown up together.


    With his talent, Maxime thought that the more talented and strong Samuel became, the more time they could spend growing together.


    "Thank you, Max! From your side, I know that a swordsman class could never limit your growth!"


    "Yeah, I think so too," Maxime murmured, smiling but saying no more.


    At the same time, they arrived at their classroom and discreetly placed themselves at the back.


    The class was already almost full when they arrived, so there was a fair amount of noise, to which Maxime and Samuel also contributed by talking about their adventures in Eternity.


    The older students had already been on their Eternity adventure for a few months, while the younger ones had not yet been able to enter because of their young age.


    Indeed, you had to be 18 to enter Eternity, without which, even with the watch, it was totally impossible to do anything except use it as a fashion accessory.


    Samuel was from the month of April, while Maxime had just had his birthday the day before, on May 26.


    Samuel was also working as a bartender in a bar not far from Maxime''s, as he was keen to buy his watch with his own hard work and start at the same time as Maxime.


    Maxime knew very well that Samuel came from a wealthy family with many strong people, but he still wanted to start at the same time as him, even if it meant risking his future.


    Maxime would never have believed such people existed if he hadn''t met Samuel.


    This guy was the most stubborn and unreasonable person he''d ever met.


    Soon the class fell silent as a young woman entered.


    She was dressed in a dark green military outfit, and at her waist was a sword as black as the abyss.


    Her impulse repressed all the students in the room, even though many of them had already had to kill people in Eternity and had even died.


    To have this kind of momentum, no one could identify the number of fights she must have experienced so far.


    This was also the case for Maxime.


    He felt that if he had to face this woman, he''d die without even knowing how.


    "Hello everyone, I''m Riva from the Juggernaut mercenary group. Don''t worry, despite my appearance I have a degree in teaching high school students." she introduced herself in a cold voice.


    Most of the students were shocked to hear the name of this mercenary group in their classroom.


    "Samuel, do you know this mercenary group?" Intrigued, Maxime discreetly asked his neighbor.


    "Yeah, pretty much. In Nansoy, they''re one of the top 3 mercenary groups," replied Samuel with a rarely seen air of seriousness.


    "I wonder how strong they are..." thought Maxime.


    Ignoring the occasional chatter, Riva continued her lecture.


    "Today I''ve been invited to present to you in detail the two paths that will be available to you at the start of your adventure within Eternity." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 21 - 21: First lesson

    "Today I''ve been invited to present to you in detail the two paths that will be available 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 explained with an air of disdain towards a few students in particular.


    "It would seem that this teacher has a particular hatred for second- and third-generation rich kids," Maxime thought doubtfully.


    Yet no one in the class 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 explain to me why?" asked Riva while scanning the classroom with her eyes.


    Seeing no one speak up, Riva simply gave up and continued to explain:


    "I imagine every one of you has heard of the expression: Only your own fist is immortal." S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All the students nodded slightly at this.


    Taking a student at random, Riva pointed to Samuel and asked:


    "You explain 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." commented 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 relaxed person who liked to play 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 become 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.


    "Your comrade 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 become 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 explained with ease and confidence.


    "Whereas a person borrowing the voice of the leader of men can easily take under his command 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 class, 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 classroom 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 glances of the class, but also the mocking ones of the few elitist students in the class.


    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 similar personal strength at first to those taking the solo route, but as their income increases over time, their strength will become 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 explained 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 class.


    She even applauded 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 become 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 class laugh, but most didn''t dare for fear of retaliation.


    After all, although in Riva''s eyes they couldn''t become 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 classmate explained it perfectly. The path of leading men is one regularly 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?" explained Riva with a sincere smile, reassuring most of the students.


    As Riva continued his lecture and explained the various basics to know about the two lanes, 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 voice laced with mischief.


    "Okay, Winny, I''ll find out," he replied in a slightly fearful voice.

 Chapter 22 - 22: The first invader

    "Okay, Winny, I''ll ask around," he replied in a slightly fearful voice.


    At the same time Maxime looked at them slightly, frowning, but didn''t linger long as he didn''t care much for either of them.


    "I hope from now on you''ll have a deeper understanding of the power of money, and above all you''ll be careful in the future about how you use your savings," Riva concluded glumly.


    The slideshow behind her now displayed a GIF of Karyl the western warlord with his palm turned skywards.


    On that palm, a gold coin was spinning in circles.


    "In this world, someone who knows how to handle money is bound to become a strong person," she continued with a hint of firmness.


    "Oh, by the way, the director asked me to tell you that a mock exam for superhuman combat universities will take place in 1 month. Only watch owners will be eligible."


    This provoked much discussion in the class as Riva began to put her things away, signalling the end of the course.


    However, a shrill noise erupted, followed by a huge shock wave shattering the windows and slightly injuring a few students.


    "Shit, the invaders are here!" Riva shouted angrily, waking up most of the students who were still stunned.


    At the same time, she took off running down the corridor, leaving the students in confusion and her belongings on the desk.


    "Invaders huh..." murmured Maxime with a burst of fear surging in his heart.


    He hadn''t been the least bit impacted thanks to his current physique, but emotionally he was deeply troubled.


    Then various alarms rang out one after the other in the city, simultaneously a powerful voice resounded through the city''s loudspeakers.


    "Dear citizens, the Omega sector is currently under attack by invaders but don''t worry several mercenary groups are already present and the Juggernaut mercenary group is on its way!"


    "Please join the security shelters!"


    The students finally regained their composure and began to chat.


    "This is already the third attack in just 2 years..."


    "Yeah, it looks like the Western Federation is having trouble containing the invader attacks."


    "I lost my brother to those damn invaders in the Delta sector during the last attack, I just hope there won''t be too many deaths this year."


    "Hey Maxime, isn''t the Omega sector where you live?" asked Samuel with a worried expression.


    Maxime suddenly opened his eyes wide.


    "No! Mom, Dad, little brother!" he shouted in a panicked voice as he rose from his seat and hurried out of the classroom.


    Samuel''s silhouette could be seen following Maxime''s.


    "Haha that''s called karma, good for you," Winny murmured cheerfully.


    Yet he also stood up and shouted to his comrades:


    "Everyone with a watch, come with me, we''re going to help defend the Omega sector!"


    "That was the plan, Winny, stop yelling like that!" replied one of his friends dressed as a nobleman as he gently rose from his chair.


    Other similarly dressed students also stood up in response to Winny''s call.


    Seeing this scene Winny nodded with an air of satisfaction then ordered:


    "Let''s not waste time, follow me."


    Soon all the smartly dressed students were out of the classroom.


    What was rather surprising was that most of them were much faster than Maxime!


    Of course, the majority had stayed in the classroom, even though many of them had a watch.


    Their strength simply wasn''t enough to take on the invaders.


    Maxime arrived not far from his house after a few minutes of running at full speed.


    Several flying cars, some partially damaged, some destroyed, some on fire, could be seen in the street where he lived.


    Emergency vehicles and several doctors and firemen could be seen at work.


    Some houses had part of their wall collapsed, revealing part of the house to anyone on the street.


    The scene seemed surreal, but it was a fairly common occurrence in this world.


    Walking along, Maxime arrived in front of his house, where he could let out a sigh of relief.


    Andr��a was having her ankle bandaged by a doctor, but apart from a little blood, it was nothing serious.


    Maxime''s little brother could be seen clinging to Andr��a as he held back the tears contained in his eyes red with anger and bitterness.


    He looked very much like Maxime, both in terms of his face and his long, blond hair.


    And just like his brother, he had tied his hair back in a ponytail.


    He was simply a miniature 9-10 year-old version of Maxime.


    Andr��a saw Maxime arrive and said:


    "Maxime, you came."


    "Maxime nodded with a small smile.


    Noticing a familiar voice, the little brother left his mother and ran towards Maxime, shouting:


    "Big brother, the invaders have come and completely destroyed the street and our house!"


    "As long as you''re okay Jona, everything''s fine it doesn''t matter," Maxime replied in a soft voice and gave his tearful little brother a gentle hug.


    "Hum! It''s a good thing a pretty lady mercenary came by and repelled all the invaders, otherwise we might not be alive anymore, big brother!"


    Hearing this, Maxime looked surprised and broke out in a cold sweat.


    "It''s not as bad as all that; the special forces also came through shortly afterwards," Andr��a reassured him in a gentle voice.


    "As soon as I manage to put some money aside, we''ll move to a sector closer to the center of Nancoy, even if that means living in an apartment. The Omega sector is far too dangerous," Maxime asserted firmly.


    At the same time, the doctor finished his treatment:


    "That''s it, madame, avoid straining your ankle for 15 days and it should heal naturally."


    "Thank you very much, young man", Andr��a thanked him with a pretty smile on her wrinkled face.


    "At your service." he replied before leaving to help his colleagues.


    At the same moment, however, an explosion erupted from the house across the street from his family''s, attracting curious but also fearful glances from everyone on the street.


    A figure emerged from the burning house as it collapsed in on itself.


    Soon everyone had a full view of the individual.


    It was a humanoid being, the only differences it had with humans being its skin tending strongly towards red and its pointed ears.


    This frightened most of those present, especially as everyone could see what he was holding in his right hand.


    It was the head of Madame Jolie, the neighbor living opposite the Valdreuve family, Maxime''s family.


    Her expression was still that of the moment of her death, full of fear and disbelief.


    "The intruder smiled playfully as a soft crack erupted from his right hand. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Madame Jolie''s skull was completely exploded, scattering fat and blood everywhere, much to the intruder''s delight.


    Maxime trembled with fear in the face of such an individual.


    He had thought he could easily fight them off after his experience in Eternity.


    But he had realized that facing death in Eternity and death in reality were two completely different concepts.


    Not to mention that here, he was dealing with a veritable monster, his natural predator.


    Invaders were killing millions of people around the world every year, simply a plague.


    However, a man in the street slowly stepped forward towards the intruder.


    An armor covering his body and a sword in his right hand appeared.


    This was one of the watch''s functionalities.


    With a simple thought, you could instantly equip yourself with the armor and weapon you''d decided on while in Eternity.


    "Run away, all of you! I''ll take care of delaying this abomination until help arrives!" he shouted in a powerful voice.


    His voice had an electroshock effect, awakening everyone on the street from their stupor however few were able to run with their legs shaking.


    "Just you?" asked the intruder with a mocking smile as he watched the man in front of him move slowly forward.


    In response, the brave man ran quickly and swung his sword.


    "Take my sword and we''ll talk later!"


    However, the intruder conjured up an axe in his right hand and easily blocked the attack with the axe handle.


    "It''s ridiculous," laughed the intruder as he punched the courageous man with his left hand.


    Cracking sounds were heard from the brave man''s abdomen as he was sent flying 3 metres, spitting blood.


    Everyone was startled by the difference in strength.


    "It was Monsieur Lorgne, at every neighbor''s party he boasted of having been a baron''s general, capable of killing dozens of enemies on a battlefield," whispered a woman in disbelief.


    Everyone knew this man, and especially his ability to boast.


    Yet he still had a slight ability to back up his words, and that''s what frightened everyone.


    Everyone''s legs were shaking, whether they owned a watch or not.


    But someone else had to get up to stall for reinforcements.


    As long as someone stood up and delayed time by a few seconds, it increased the chances of everyone surviving.


    No one dared stand up, however, and everyone simply watched as the demon swept his gaze over them, as if choosing who would be the next victim.


    It amused him to see these people plunged into fear, not even daring to look up.


    Believing that if they avoided his gaze, they''d be spared.


    "How laughable, but coming from an inferior species like yours, I suppose it''s normal," the demon scoffed, but no one dared contradict him.


    It was in this situation that another man stood up and stepped forward.


    The intruder looked at him curiously with a playful smile.


    Hearing footsteps, everyone looked up.


    His golden hair was easily recognizable.


    Especially by Andr��a and Jona.


    "Maxime?"


    "Big brother?"


    The man paused slightly, then continued on his way until there were less than 5 meters separating him from his adversary.


    "That''s what''s so surprising about your race: there are always a few who differ from the rest," said the demon.


    "Yet the outcome will always be the same," he continued with obvious contempt.


    This seemed obvious to everyone, especially as he was also equipped with armor and a sword.


    But the latter seemed unperturbed, as he announced:


    "Today, I have decided that I will kill my first invader."

 Chapter 23 - 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," exclaimed Winny with a smile.


    "He''s an invader comparable 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 a commoner.


    Finally he retraced his steps, abandoning Maxime altogether.


    "Don''t blame me, just blame 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!" exclaimed the intruder, laughing.


    "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 to laugh.


    "Is there a rule that says high school students can''t kill you? If so, sorry, I''m going to become 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 places, all with Maxime as their central landmark.


    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 your command.


    "Human, I admit you''ve surprised me, but given your young age these can only be warriors with a physique not even reaching 1." S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What a futile effort, but what a pleasure to have the opportunity to kill a genius," declared the intruder, laughing uncontrollably.


    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 close combat.


    The latter was slightly alarmed 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 a combat genius, and for lack 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. The latter 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 become friends with this man".


    "What did you say, Winny?" replied a nobleman near Winny.


    "I said make sure you become friends with that classmate!" 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.


    [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 class," 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 class," Maxime thought.


    "Do we know each other?" asked Maxime in a neutral tone.


    "No, but we''re about to become best friends!" exclaimed Winny happily and innocently.


    "The moment before that guy wanted to let our classmate die just for his ego, and he still manages to say things like that!?" The young nobles next door were all surprised.

 Chapter 24 - 24: Complicated feelings

    "The moment before this guy wanted to let our classmate die just for his ego, and he still manages to say this kind of thing!?" The young nobles to the side who followed were all surprised.


    "Why not, I''d just like to ask you a question," Maxime replied with a cold face.


    "Yeah don''t worry buddy, ask me anything you want!" exclaimed Winny, laughing happily.


    "If we become best friends, won''t you just watch when I put my life on the line?" asked Maxime, squinting.


    The saber-toothed tigers had at some point begun to surround the young nobles.


    "We stayed on stand-by so as not to steal your prey, after all a lone alien is a very valuable opportunity to get merit points!" reacted Winny without showing the slightest hint of panic.


    And these were his true thoughts. He had a hunch that Maxime might pull through, and if things got really bad he would have stepped in.


    He knew he was arrogant, but he also knew the limits he had to set for himself.


    What''s more, in this world it was frowned upon to intervene in someone else''s fight, because then merit points would be distributed according to the contribution to the kill.


    Maxime frowned, but didn''t comment further.


    However, he did not tell his mercenaries to stop surrounding the young nobles, including Winny. This put a certain amount of pressure on them, and some even began to touch their weapons.


    After all, they were all students with a history of bloodshed and military training.


    The atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense.


    But suddenly, shouts came from behind them.


    "Glixorb, trazmoflurp! Blip-blork Znorglezop, fribble-blaz!"


    Maxime turned and saw some fifty Piran soldiers arriving at the end of the street. At the very front was a Piran at least 2m50 tall, commanding them.


    They must have been at least 2 kilometers away.


    From a distance, Maxime could detect an evil smile on his face as he shouted something while raising his axe:


    "Zlorp-zap Quibbertron!"


    All at once, the marching Piran soldiers began to roar as they ran in their direction.


    "Shit!" murmured Maxime in mild panic.


    If there had been 10 soldiers, they could have escaped with light losses; if there had been 20, that was fine too, but the losses would have been heavy.


    But without counting the mysterious 2m50 Piran, taking on 50 of them with its current power is clearly impossible. It''s not just Maxime; there aren''t many high-school students in the country capable of taking on so many Piran soldiers.


    He just couldn''t run away, since, quite apart from the many human lives at stake, there was his precious family behind him.


    Maxime took a deep breath to calm himself.


    "Mom, Joana, neighbors, paramedic friends, run! I''m staying here to hold back the invaders!" he shouted in a powerful voice.


    The saber-toothed tigers understood the situation intensely and positioned themselves at Maxime''s side.


    "Out of the question!" cried Andr��a.


    "Maxime you''re not a soldier, so you''re running with us!"


    Maxime was moved by his mother''s red, slightly moist eyes.


    He''d only seen her eyes once before. It was when his mother received the official letter from the government reporting his father''s death at the front, when he was 12.


    He smiled slightly with renewed energy.


    "Like Dad, I''ll become a protector of humanity, Mom. If I run away today I won''t have the courage to go and talk to Dad at his tombstone."


    Willy, who was watching from the side, observed this scene silently, as did the young nobles accompanying him.


    "Your father is nothing but a coward who abandoned his family and marital responsibilities to defend his idiotic ideology!" cried Andr��a, red with rage and emotion.


    Maxime lowered his head slightly; he too was angry at his father for sacrificing himself for people he didn''t even know.


    He didn''t even know how his father had died, and the subsidies were laughable. If his mother hadn''t been working two jobs at once, they should have abandoned the family home a long time ago.


    But no matter, these words irritated her to no end.


    "Since when is dying on the battlefield to defend humanity synonymous with idiocy?" thought Maxime as rage took hold of his mind.


    Maxime raised his head, his eyes red as he shouted:


    "I won''t allow you to say he was a coward, he was a hero!"


    "Without heroes like Daddy, who would go and fight those damned invaders!"


    "Without them, how would humanity even still exist!"


    A wide silence fell as neighbors, paramedics, young nobles and mercenaries observed the situation.


    "Shit what." murmured Maxime, rubbing his eyes lightly while Andrea bit her lips, seeming to contain her emotions as best she could.


    "Never mind, Piedro, Izo take my mother and brother and leave immediately. We don''t have time to talk," Maxime ordered sharply, turning his back on his mother and facing the oncoming Piran soldiers.


    As the two were the least likely to be influenced by emotions during their missions, they were perfectly suited to this task.


    The two concerned nodded solemnly and moved towards Andr��a and Joana.


    Biting her lips for a few seconds, Andr��a declared in a husky voice:


    "It''s okay, it won''t be necessary."


    "Just stay alive, son," she continued.


    "I''ll kill you if you die, bro," Joana added, his eyes also red.


    Maxime simply held his fist up to the sky, his back still to them.


    A minute later, just as silence had settled in and the pressure was building, Winny broke it:


    "It''s nothing against you, Maxime, but we''re all going to die here. You''ve only got 30 mercenaries, and I''ve only got 5 young noblemen with me, and nobody has mercenaries like you," he declared in a light voice.


    Maxime looked slightly at Winny and replied:


    "Eternity is not a game. Since watches are in limited supply, all its users are soldiers."


    "And soldiers are tasked with protecting civilians."


    "Why else do you think society grants you so many privileges?" Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Winny sighed slightly but smiled afterwards.


    "That''s true, but I didn''t think a situation like this would happen so quickly. And here I thought I''d be a commander of at least 100 men in the future surrounded by a halo of glory!" he laughed lightly.


    "You''re pretty brave for an arrogant guy," Maxime replied with a smile.


    "In my family, they say the more arrogant you are, the braver you are!" declared Winny, puffing out his chest.


    The young nobles next to him shook their heads ironically.


    "That''s another reason why this idiot is our leader: in spite of himself, he''s quite famous in the community of young nobles," one of them laughed.


    The saber-toothed tigers also smiled at the conversation. Andrew, who was standing not far from them, looked with amusement at the young nobles and said:


    "Well it will have been an honor to die with guys like you!"


    "Haha it''s not safe yet, I''ve developed a great technique for cleaving the dead!" replied one of the young nobles with blue eyes and green hair. He was small, but everyone could see from his eyes that he was a rather fierce person.


    "Remember who was the first of us to lose at hide-and-seek when we were little Rolls?" interjected Winny.


    "Shit, fuck you guys, maybe I''ll win that one! Who knows, there''s a first time for everything!" replied Rolls, aggressively but with a smile.


    This was the last sentence spoken before the silence returned.


    Indeed, the Pirans were already less than 500 meters away. So the confrontation was just around the corner.


    Everyone took up their positions with Maxime and the young nobles at the front of the formation.


    Just behind them followed Andrew, Romuald, Terry , James, Rodrigo, Ernest etc...


    With 400 meters to go, everyone''s bodies were extremely tense.


    300 meters to go, Ernest took an arrow from his quiver as the tension mounted.


    Their red heads and fierce expressions were clearly visible. It was as if they were going up against orcs, only their skin was red and they belonged to the real world and not to a world constructed from scratch via the imagination of some human being.


    250 meters to go, the imposing size of the Pyran soldiers intimidated most of Maxime''s allies, but everyone held their ground.


    200 meters to go, Ernest stretched his bowstring.


    150 meters to go, Ernest released his arrow. In the space of a second, the arrow appeared in the body of one of the Piran soldiers at the front, causing him to fall, dragging a few soldiers with him.


    "Well shot, Ernest," said Maxime in a light tone.


    "Thank you, Chief.


    The arrow and these two sentences gave the human squad a slight morale boost.


    100 meters to go.


    "Saber-toothed tigers, noble friends" announced Maxime as he drew his sword.


    50 meters to go.


    "Charge!"

 Chapter 25 - 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, laughed heartily, all the while uttering various strange cries.


    0 meters to go.


    Weapons clashed, 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 replaced 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 flame 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.


    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.


    Maxime landed behind him, and a few seconds later 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!" exclaimed Winny mentally as a certain shiver ran through her body.


    "It reminds me of the time when he protected the village. He also showed amazing agility, but it didn''t show up after that," Andrew commented 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!" commented 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 in combat, 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 glance.


    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 few complications, 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 minutes later, 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 places and covered in blood. Yet his eyes were as clear and combative 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 glance, 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 our comrades fell in those few minutes," Maxime commented 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. Particularly 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. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 to laugh!?" 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 like laughing, I''ll laugh!" replied Winny with a provocative smile.


    Rina was about to start fighting, but a voice came from behind him.


    "The hardest part is yet to come," said Maxime calmly, his back still turned.


    With the initial prestige cumulated 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!" laughed Winny.


    Maxime moved his head slightly and looked at Winny out of the corner of his eye.


    The latter met Maxime''s gaze and felt fear seize his body, as if a high-class 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 much later, having surpassed all expectations and attained the majestic position of lieutenant-colonel with a battalion of 800 men under his command, 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 26 - 26: The first extraordinary performance

    Unaware that he had traumatized someone for life, Maxime looked closely at the figure that had just appeared.


    His red skin was much darker than that of ordinary Piran soldiers, and he was also 50 centimetres taller than his fellows.


    So, at 3 meters tall, Maxime sensed that he was about to face the strongest opponent he had ever encountered.


    "Somehow, I have the impression that this Piran is as strong as Instructor Riva," Maxime murmured as he braced himself for any irregular movement.


    However, Maxime''s allies didn''t find anything special about this Piran, so they were slightly more relaxed than Maxime.


    At that moment, the imposing Piran smiled mischievously, making Maxime feel a huge sense of danger.


    "Not good!" mentally shouted Maxime in panic.


    And indeed, dropping the Piran soldiers at his side, he rushed like a flash towards Maxime''s team and the young nobles.


    Maxime only had time to see a flash pass him by and determine the direction of the new threat.


    "It''s heading for Andrew!"


    *boom* sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Turning around, Maxime saw a figure fall violently backwards several dozen meters.


    A morbid silence was produced, as everyone noticed the power of this Piran.


    The young nobles, with the exception of Winny, who had hitherto been rather calm, began to shake their hands.


    Maxime''s mercenaries looked pale as the red-haired man lay motionless on the ground.


    While the invader who''d committed the crime stood in the same spot where the impact had taken place, very calm.


    Then he opened his mouth:


    "Young humans, I''ve underestimated you a little."


    "I didn''t think you''d kill so many of my soldiers, and I just wanted to drag them through iron and blood without causing too many casualties..."


    Her chilling voice and strange accent roamed Maxime''s flesh.


    He sighed lightly.


    "I guess I''ll just tell the higher-ups that this was the price of killing a few human geniuses."


    Then he began to smile in a very creepy way as he turned and stared at Maxime who was standing not far away.


    Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest reacted immediately, trying to move in front of Maxime.


    Unfortunately, the Piran squad commander was moving too fast for them to protect Maxime.


    Their eyes fell on Maxime in despair. While their perception of time was very slow, they noticed Maxime''s lips moving.


    "NOX LIMIT!"


    [Members of the mercenary group "Les tigres �� dents de sabre" have their physical abilities increased by 50%].


    Followed by a mysterious voice, an unknown energy appeared in their bodies, making them boil from the inside.


    It coursed through their bodies, strengthening them drastically.


    At the same time, Commander Piran smiled cruelly as he swung his axe at Maxime.


    In an instant, he stood in front of Maxime, their size differences in stark contrast.


    But when he saw Maxime''s eyes turn from light blue to translucent white, his strong body, of which he had always been proud, trembled with fear.


    "Me, Joya, a Piran commander trembles with fear in front of a small human high school student?"


    "How can that be? My physique has already reached 3.9!"


    Joya''s eyes shone with perplexity, but this only strengthened the force in which he put his attack.


    *boom*


    The ground where Maxime had once stood was shattered into a thousand pieces, creating a small crater.


    But Maxime''s body was nowhere to be found.


    "Shit, where''s the kid?" Joya thought fearfully.


    The next moment, he heard a soft, murderous voice to his right.


    "Die damned invader."


    Maxime seemed to fly through the air as he stood at the same height as Commander Piran.


    Then, with a fluid gesture, he swung his sword at Joya''s neck!


    But his sword stopped in the middle of Joya''s strong neck.


    "Hahaha, what bad luck not to have a sword worthy of your strength!" mocked Joya loudly.


    "Now die!" he continued with a gleeful grin as he swung his hand towards Maxime, as if he wanted to grab his head and then annihilate him.


    But Maxime''s white eyes showed not the slightest sign of fear.


    And indeed, there was no reason to be afraid, since he wasn''t alone.


    The silhouettes of Romuald and Izo appeared in the path of Joya''s fist.


    The two mercenaries looked at each other and then, as if they''d communicated beforehand, drew their swords simultaneously in the direction of the invader''s fist.


    The next instant, a loud collision took place, followed by Romuald and Izo''s silhouettes flying off the ground.


    They collided with Maxime and landed violently together 30 meters away.


    "Cursed humans, how can you be so powerful at such a young age!" mentally insulted Joya in a fierce voice but also with a slight fear.


    "I must kill them absolutely or they''ll become a threatening variable for our plan of conquest!"


    But no sooner had he finished thinking about it than he felt an intense pain in his chest.


    "This is for my brothers!" shouted Tena, who had stabbed his sword deep into Joya''s back.


    "AHHHHH! Damned humans!" Joya turned violently from the pain, swinging Tena who couldn''t hold on to his sword.


    But only 1 metre away from him was Ernest, gliding through the air at a staggering height.


    Mockingly, Ernest let go of the arrow he''d fired earlier, destroying his bow in the process.


    But without a doubt, it made for the most powerful arrow he''d ever shot in his life.


    "Fuck! This time, you won''t get me!" shouted Joya as he arched his back in an astonishing fashion, allowing the arrow to avoid his eyes and pass over him.


    But strangely enough, he wasn''t happy.


    And indeed, a bloody, red-haired figure arrived below him.


    Then, with a powerful leap, he decapitated the remaining half of Joya''s blow.


    His heavy head rolled over the body and his imposing body fell to the ground under the watchful eyes of Maxime and his mercenaries, but also of the young nobles.


    It was Andrew who had been severely wounded earlier, but Maxime''s active talent enabled him to heal his wounds to a large extent and thus deliver this final blow.


    [Ding!]


    [Commander Piran killed!]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Corporal]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Master Corporal]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Sergeant]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Master Sergeant]


    [Military rank unlocked!]


    [Current military rank: Warrant Officer]


    The remaining Piran soldiers saw their leader fall and didn''t dare stay any longer.


    But as they ran, all their heads flew off, one after the other.


    It had all happened very quickly, and the perpetrators of this deed were also quick to return to the young nobles, whose eyes were filled with wonder.


    The young nobles had starry eyes as they looked at Maxime and his mercenaries in the wake of what they had seen, with the exception of Winny who lowered his head.


    "Well done everyone, now I''m going back with my mercenaries to see what happened to my family and neighbors," Maxime declared in a calm tone with his white eyes staring at the young nobles in front of him.


    The latter barely reacted to Maxime''s words, nodding unconsciously.


    So Maxime set off again with his mercenaries, full of wounds and blood, to catch up with his family and neighbors and see if they were safe.


    A few minutes later, one of the young noblemen finally opened his mouth:


    "My God, what have we witnessed?"


    "Is this guy really our age? How did he get so strong?" asked another.


    In response Winny finally raised her head, then replied to the two young nobles who had just intervened:


    "I don''t know, but that guy''s a monster. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been so scared when I met his eyes."

 Chapter 27 - 27: Rapid massacre

    Crossing several completely destroyed streets, Maxime and his few mercenaries arrived not far from a defensive line.


    Several military vehicles were on fire, and some fifty soldiers were engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat with Piran soldiers.


    "Sergeant Frost, we''re not going to be able to hold out much longer at this rate!" shouted a young man in military garb as he finished off a Piran soldier by plunging his sword into his heart.


    "And what do you want to do, soldier? If we retreat, countless civilians will be slaughtered!" replied an imposing man in military garb with a scarred face.


    He was facing 3 Piran soldiers at a time, showing extraordinary strength compared to the rest of the soldiers. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he pushed his opponents back, he issued an order:


    "Soldiers, reinforcements will be arriving soon so resist these damned invaders with your bodies and protect our families!"


    "Yes, Sergeant!" replied the human soldiers in combat.


    Seeing the situation and listening to the short dialogue, Maxime intervened:


    "Take care of those vermin," he ordered sharply as they ran together.


    "Yes, sir!"


    Andrew, Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest split up and began slaughtering the enemy troops, while Maxime ran straight towards Sergeant Frost. On the way, he came across the 3 Piran soldiers from behind and punched one of them in the back.


    The latter arched his back in pain and fell heavily to the ground.


    The Piran soldier''s eyes were still open as he breathed heavily.


    Maxime appeared standing beside him.


    "If my sword hadn''t been stuck in that cursed Commander Piran''s body, I wouldn''t have had to make that second blow," Maxime muttered, slightly irritated.


    The Piran soldier opened his eyes wide at this, then a fist came swiftly in front of him.


    boom


    His brains and blood scattered over several meters, staining Maxime''s ordinary student clothes.


    "Shit, I hadn''t planned that," Maxime continued, even more irritated.


    Sergeant Frost''s eyes widened at the sight of a young man his son''s age being so fierce.


    But he still asked in a serious tone:


    "Where are you from, soldier? State your registration number, the status of your unit and who''s in charge."


    "No registration, no unit and in charge...My mother?" replied Maxime with an ironic smile.


    "I''m still in high school," he continued.


    "Monster," Sergeant Frost blurted out unconsciously.


    "No, forgive me, young genius, it just came out haha" he continued, slightly embarrassed as he ran his hand over the back of his head.


    Maxime shook his head with a smile, showing that he didn''t care.


    Then he stared at the two Piran soldiers who had remained nearby.


    They hadn''t dared move since Maxime had appeared. During this short discussion, the content of which they had only slightly understood thanks to their limited knowledge of human language, they could hear their fallen comrades.


    Indeed, during this short time, the 5 saber-toothed tigers were coming to the aid of the most embattled human soldiers and exterminating absolutely everything in their path.


    Soon silence reigned as the human soldiers and Maxime''s mercenaries surrounded the two remaining Piran soldiers.


    A simple eye contact between Maxime and his mercenaries was enough for the latter to understand that he could finish off the last two.


    Two corpses fell to the ground.


    Simultaneously, the surrounding soldiers looked at the 5 young men who had just saved their lives.


    But the latter remained impassive as they silently joined Maxime, and stood behind him.


    "Sergeant Frost, have you seen any locals passing through here?" asked Maxime, ignoring the strange looks on his face.


    "Well, a lot of civilians have passed through here..." replied the sergeant hesitantly due to the lack of details.


    "Ah, well, some villagers did ask us to go and rescue some youngsters, but they told us there were about thirty of you..." exclaimed the Sergeant excitedly, before looking sad to see only five youngsters return.


    Seeing the Sergeant''s slight sadness, Maxime smiled and said:


    "There were 35 of us."


    But before the sergeant could say anything, Maxime continued:


    "25 of my mercenaries died on the battlefield resisting the Piran soldiers, but there were 5 youngsters who were with me, and they''re still alive. They should be arriving soon."


    "Mercenaries?" replied the sergeant without really meaning to, then after some time of reflection he finally made the connection.


    "Shit, since when are leaders of men, especially high-schoolers, so powerful?" continued the sergeant, laughing loudly.


    The soldiers nearby were equally surprised, they all thought they were geniuses who had banded together to gain military merit.


    "What big family does this guy come from to hire such powerful men?" exclaimed one soldier.


    "I can''t even imagine the salary it takes to hire 2-star mercenaries who''ve reached their maximum potential." replied another.


    "2 stars, you''re sweet. To do what they''ve done, they''re at least 3-star mercenaries." commented a third with an ironic smile as he carefully cleaned his bloody sword.


    Various gossips erupted in the wake of Maxime''s strength.


    But as the soldiers talked among themselves, Maxime decided to leave.


    "Sergeant Frost, do you remember where the people who asked you to save us went?" he asked, wanting to get back to his family as quickly as possible.


    "Yes, they went to shelter no. 34 in bourgeois district no. 3."


    Maxime frowned when he heard "quartier bourgeois", as it was well known that there was a lot of discrimination in this kind of neighborhood, not to mention the fact that shelter space was limited.


    "Thank you, Sergeant," Maxime replied with a military salute.


    "Let''s go, guys," Maxime ordered, turning and looking at Andrew, Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest.


    Then they took off running in the direction of the bourgeois district n��3.


    With their physique, they were much faster than the best athletes in the days before watches.


    The human soldiers and Sergeant Frost looked on in admiration and gratitude as the young men saved not only their own lives, but also those of the people they were protecting.


    Maxime and his mercenaries made their way through several ruined districts, helping soldiers where they could, but also citizens who were protecting their families.


    Unbeknownst to Maxime, the reputation of a genius with long, blood-covered blond hair and white eyes, accompanied by 3 young men and a young woman, was spreading across the city''s battlefields.


    At the same time, Maxime and his mercenaries passed through the bourgeois quarters n��4 and n��5, which were further out, but the invaders had obviously not yet reached them.


    Indeed, these neighborhoods showed no signs of destruction.


    There were even well-to-do families unaware of the danger they were in as they dined quietly on their terraces, frowning with contempt as Maxime and his men, covered in blood, passed by their homes.


    Maxime paid them no heed and continued on his way to shelter no. 34.


    A few minutes later, Maxime spotted his family in the distance.


    [NOX LIMIT deactivated]


    The sudden reduction in their physical strength was so drastic that Maxime and his men lost their balance slightly.


    No sooner had they regained their balance than Maxime''s eyes turned blue again and his breath quickened due to physical exhaustion, but he soon managed to regulate it even though he still felt tired.


    "So there are always side effects, I suppose it''s normal, even extraordinary, to have only this, given the power we''ve been able to obtain," Maxime thought calmly.


    Andrew, Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest seemed to be in a much worse state as they were sweating profusely and their breathing was much more jerky.


    [Minor stamina skill: slightly improves stamina].


    "It must be thanks to that I guess," Maxime analyzed, looking at his status page.


    "It''s a good thing I maximized my peasant class, otherwise I wouldn''t have been able to get this talent." he commented, happy not to be in the same state as his mercenaries.


    As he continued to run, he could see Andrea, Joana and the local acquaintances more clearly.


    But when he saw the situation his family was in, murderous intent burst from his eyes.


    "Andrew, Romuald, Izo, Tena and Ernest."


    "Yes chief?" replied those concerned attentively despite their complicated breathing.


    "Today I thought I''d only be killing invaders..." said Maxime without finishing his sentence.


    The pause seemed interminable as the tigers listened attentively.


    A few seconds passed before Maxime continued:


    "But scum in human form will die by my hand today."

 Chapter 28 - 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 accelerated.


    Despite the disappearance of her [NOX LIMIT] state, she still had a 2-point physique, giving her incredible speed compared to ordinary soldiers.


    "I''ll come with you," Andrew declared, 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, combined 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.


    The latter 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," declared 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 the last 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.


    "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 flash 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!" exclaimed Andr��a as tears began to flow.


    She herself knew how complicated 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 accomplished 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 congratulated her on raising such a fine son.


    "What is she hiding from me?" wondered Maxime, frowning.


    Her quick glance 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 glare 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 exclaimed 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 penetrated 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. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 assailant.


    The latter had a completely 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 still laws in this town.


    *boom*


    *pschitt*


    Another source of pain appeared, but Maxime remained on his feet as a smile as strange as his assailant 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.


    At last Maxime arrived in front of the man and, without saying a word, threw a punch with all his might into his attacker''s face.


    The latter 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," declared 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 relatives and mercenaries, followed by this last sentence:


    "Quickly, take this man to the military rescue service!"


    Then Maxime lost all consciousness.

 Chapter 29 - 29: Olyfer family

    "Quickly, take this man to the military rescue service!"


    Then Maxime lost all consciousness.


    Riva also arrived at this moment with some members of the Juggernaut. She had seen the scene in the distance, and as she looked at Maxime, a hint of admiration could be seen in the gleam of her eyes.


    "Such courage at such a young age, even among the Juggernauts few were capable of it at his age, and even now this kind of courage is still very rare in the group," she thought.


    While a few members of the Juggernauts performed some first aid on Maxime, Riva quickly asked those nearby what had happened.


    Having obtained some information, she was soon able to reconstruct the scene as a feeling of annoyance took hold of her.


    "Why is it that in this world there are always people who think they''re above everyone else?" but she kept her thoughts to herself.


    Nearby soldiers were also inquiring about the situation. The man in charge of this team of soldiers frowned as he observed the tied-up civilians, but an intense sense of panic overcame him when he saw the motionless body in front of the shelter''s iron door.


    "Why the hell is the second son of the Olifer family here, even more so in this state?" he asked himself with a slight sense of panic.


    The Olifer family was well known for being very influential in Nansoy''s business and even in the city''s politics, they represented a not inconsiderable weight.


    Riva also noticed the body, but quickly moved on. She didn''t have a good impression of most of the noble families, so she kept contact to a minimum.


    She could only recall a few powerful people among them, and she had to admit that the military might of these families is definitely not something to be underestimated.


    The man in charge of the team of soldiers looked at the woman crying next to Maxime as well as the civilians nearby, then after a moment''s hesitation, curtly ordered:


    "Take all these civilians to the police station for questioning, also take the man on the ground directly to prison, he''ll be treated directly there."


    The highest-ranking soldier''s thoughts were clear: he wanted to put Maxime directly in prison for wilful murder and let him die of his wounds with the minimum of care.


    Even if he didn''t die, at least he''d make sure Maxime didn''t fail the university entrance exams.


    Seeing the soldiers begin to carry away Maxime''s unconscious body, Riva suspected something and said directly:


    "Leave him here, I''ll make sure he gets to the nearest aid station."


    The military official looked at the beautiful woman who had just spoken and wanted directly to ignore her, but seeing her uniform and the well-equipped men at her side, he thought quickly and replied firmly:


    "I can''t leave him in your hands, a man died because of him. I absolutely must investigate the circumstances of the incident, make a report and then let the court judge his fate."


    Riva''s eyes widened in surprise, then anger overcame her:


    "Excuse me!? The circumstances are quite clear! The dead man targeted civilians, then this courageous young student ordered his men to position themselves in front of the civilians with the sole intention of protecting them! It was only when fire was opened that he fired back!"


    "That''s just the opinion of a few witnesses, procedure means we still have to take him with us," the officer in military uniform calmly replied.


    "Then you''ll have to go over my body if you want to take it away!" retorted Riva as she positioned herself in front of the official.


    Behind her, the two soldiers applying care were at a loss as to how to react.


    "Oh, what an unconscious and energetic young woman, let''s see you stop me!" smiled the man in charge with a hint of lechery as he advanced towards Riva.


    "Wait chief, it''s Madame Riva from the Juggernaut group!" intervened one of the nearby soldiers seeing the situation escalate.


    "Riva?" the uniformed officer unconsciously asked aloud.


    Soon he remembered some military exploits that had recently caused a stir, and wanted to say something, but unfortunately a heavy punch had landed on his chest in the blink of an eye.


    Such was the inertia of the punch that he flew a few meters before landing with difficulty.


    "How dare you!?" questioned the man in charge angrily as he painfully placed his left hand on his abdomen. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I dare!" replied Riva angrily.


    Remembering his identity, the man in charge hesitated for a few moments, then gritted his teeth and ordered his men:


    "It''s all right, let the Juggernaut mercenaries deal with this man first."


    His men nodded, but took with them the shackled civilians and the body of the Olifers'' second son, completely inert.


    "Vice-commandante Riva, are you sure this kid is worth offending the police?" asked a tall man with an imposing build carrying an axe on his back.


    "Without a doubt. Now we''re taking him to the nearest aid station."


    "Excuse me, may I accompany you? I''m this boy''s mother," Andr��a asked, her eyes full of determination.


    "Of course," agreed Riva.


    ...


    Omega Sector Central Hospital.


    The eyelashes of a young man with blond hair moved slightly. Then his pale blue eyes opened directly.


    Confusion invaded him as he observed the various cables connected to his body and the machines surrounding him.


    Then came the smell specific to hospital wards, which made him aware of the environment he was in.


    "Max, you''ve finally woken up!" shouted a small, half-asleep-looking young man loudly.


    "Jona... What day is it? Where''s Mom?"


    "Don''t worry, you only slept for 3 days, you didn''t miss much! And Mom''s at home resting!"


    "I see, I see, so now it''s Thursday, is it?" replied Maxime as he began to unplug everything.


    "Yes, but big brother..."


    "Don''t worry, no bullet was left in my body.


    "But you lost a few organs anyway!"


    "Yes, but with my physique, they''ve long since regenerated," Maxime reassured him with a slight smile.


    Physique represented not only strength, speed and endurance in battle, but also speed of recovery.


    In this world, regenerating an arm naturally was possible as long as the physique was sufficient.


    Comparatively speaking, regenerating a few organs in 3 days seemed relatively ordinary.


    After exchanging a few sentences with his brother, Maxime had already pulled the plug.


    "Jona, what happened to the guy who put me in this state?" asked Maxime casually.


    "He''s dead, big brother, but..." Jona hesitated to finish her sentence.


    "What''s the matter, little brother?" added Maxime, frowning with a bad feeling.


    "Well, we''ve been having a few problems with Mom ever since..." Jona looked both sad and angry as he looked at Maxime with slightly red eyes.


    "Problems, in other words?" replied Maxime as a dangerous aura began to emanate from him.


    Since his trip to Eternity and his recent experience on the battlefield, Maxime''s hands were already stained with blood and his mentality had changed significantly.


    Although it was still far from the aura of a seasoned mercenary, it was enough to intimidate people who had never experienced a real battlefield.


    But for Jona, this aura reassured him and gave him the confidence to explain everything to Maxime.


    After hearing everything, Maxime clenched his fists fiercely, then took a deep breath and calmed down, then summed up what had happened in his head with a clear head.


    "So that explains why Mother is at home today..." Maxime thought after a moment''s reflection.


    At the same time, in a luxurious office, a man in a suit was sitting on a chair covered in leopard skin.


    Sitting there, he was like a mountain with a wild and dangerous aura.


    Opposite him, a confident young man told him the latest news.


    "Father, we''re well into our revenge."


    Seeing his father still guarding him calmly without saying a word, the young man continued:


    "The murderer''s little brother is now harassed every day by his classmates, and he''s also beaten up every day by teenagers older than him on the way home from school."


    "What about his mother?" asked the man with the power-filled aura.


    "The company she works for belongs to a friend of mine, I asked him to give her a workload far beyond her capabilities. Yesterday she argued with her superior, then left work cursing and saying she was working remotely today. Of course, this morning she must have received her letter of dismissal for abandoning her post."


    The young man looked relatively proud as he finished his report to his father. He had called on his network and asked for many favors.


    The imposing man rose to his feet and, with a heavy step, came face to face with his son.


    The previously confident young man''s confidence was plummeting as fear began to invade his body.


    And not for nothing, after all, his father was a legend in Nansoy. Not only did he belong to the famous Olifer family, he was also its patriarch.


    And it was well known that to attain the position of patriarch of this family, one had to have at least a 3.5-point physique!


    Suffice to say, he was a monster in human form.


    Even the best student in the country, who took the competitive exams every year, rarely had a physique exceeding 3 points!


    Knowing that the further you advance, the harder it is to improve!


    To reach 3.5 points, it can cost tens of thousands of gold coins to invest in classes!


    Who can accumulate that much gold in less than a year after connecting to Eternity?


    For ordinary people, it''s a wealth they''ll never see in their entire lives!


    Even among the powerful people of this country, it was considerable wealth!


    After all, it was the equivalent of an earl''s capital income in a year in Eternity!


    And this imposing man visibly wore a disappointed expression as he looked at his eldest son.


    "Loris, I expected more from you. Your brother''s just died and you''re avenging him with childish tricks," he said scornfully.


    Loris bit his lip, having invested so much effort he was still despised by his father.


    "Blood is only repaid with blood," announced the imposing man, looking into his son''s eyes.


    Loris looked surprised.


    "But father, it''s impossible to kill your mother or your brother. Even with the power of our family, it would be difficult to cover this up," Loris retorted with concern.


    The father sighed to see his son so thoughtless.


    But he reassured himself that the second one to die was stupider than an animal.


    After all, you really have to be devoid of intelligence to shoot civilians just to prevent them from getting into a shelter. Such an affair was also complicated to camouflage for their family.


    "In the end, it''s not so bad that the idiot''s dead," thought the Olifer family patriarch.


    "Who told you to keep touching his brother and mother?" he questioned slyly.


    "Maxime? But he''s powerful enough already, it''s become complicated to go after him by ordinary means..." replied Loris worriedly.


    "What a stupid son. You''re still more powerful than him, aren''t you? And there''s something coming up soon..."


    Loris thought for two seconds, then a sudden illumination attacked him.


    Back at the hospital, Maxime rose from his bed and left the room with Jona, whom he followed in a hurry.


    Coincidentally, Maxime and Loris thought simultaneously in two totally different places:


    "Olifer family, eh? See you at the university contest", Maxime thought, while anger could be seen in his eyes.


    "Maxime, just wait for the contest and enjoy the last moments with your family," Loris thought, looking at his father with an arrogant, menacing smile.

 Chapter 30 - 30: Celebrity

    Maxime left the hospital in his patient''s clothes under the questioning eyes of the nursing staff and patients.


    This scene was quite common, but it was usually people of at least 25 years of age who went out in this way.


    For those daring to risk their lives in Eternity, it was usually at this age that they reached a superhuman stage in terms of recovery speed.


    But obviously Maxime was only an 18 or 19 year-old high-school student, hence the surprise of the onlookers.


    Ding!


    As Maxime crossed the threshold of the hospital door, his watch chimed.


    Soon a text appeared in front of him.


    [Report to the host that all mercenaries have recovered and are ready to fight].


    Maxime smiled slightly at this news and it reassured him.


    After all, he''d clearly seen his men die in front of him, so even though he knew they''d be resurrected in less than 24 hours, he''d never seen a resurrection with his own eyes.


    Who knows, maybe there were special conditions for success?


    But obviously, even if there were, his men weren''t affected.


    Looking at the sun above him, Maxime guessed it was around 9am, so he was simply planning to go to class.


    "Jona''s going to meet Mum at home, ask her to help teach you your lessons and you tell her to look up the school curriculum on the internet so you''re not behind your classmates."


    "But big brother, do you think I should stay at home forever from now on?" asked Jona worriedly.


    "No, I''ll be taking care of everything soon. Not only will you be going to school, but you''ll be going to the best schools in the world," Maxime reassured her with a confident smile.


    Jona''s eyes filled with stars as he exclaimed:


    "All right, big brother! I know you''re going to kick ass at the competition!"


    . "Tear it up? Yeah, I''m gonna kick ass." Maxime found the expression funny before nodding with a menacing smile, although it disappeared the next moment as if it were an illusion.


    As Jona returned to the family home, Maxime headed first for a clothes store, then quietly exited under the strange eyes of the store assistant.


    Ten minutes later, he arrived at the school gate without a hitch.


    "It would seem that the Olifer family knows that it would take either a very powerful man to threaten me or a squadron of elite men, but in either case it would require too much effort," Maxime analyzed calmly, hands in his pockets as he crossed the main entrance to his school.


    "When numbers and quality come together, it really makes for explosive development at the very beginning of Eternity."


    "Nox Limit is truly a demonic talent. Even if the patriarch Olifer were standing in front of me, he could hardly kill me with so many elite mercenaries under my command."


    "That''s just the beginning, a really strong man could still easily kill me, there are also these mysterious knights who could pose a threat as well as several other strange phenomena."


    "Eternity is a world full of possibilities and mysteries."


    "Incidentally, I wonder if I get the knight method can I become one? What about my mercenaries, would that be possible? It''s a shame that in high school it''s an area we don''t talk about."


    As various thoughts raced through Maxime''s mind, he arrived at his classroom door.


    Behind the door, he could hear his foreign language teacher speaking in piran.


    Without knocking, he gently opened the door and calmly walked through.


    All eyes in the class were on him.


    Admiration, jealousy, doubt, various emotions ran through the class.


    But Maxime only glanced at his classmates before looking at his teacher, then said simply:


    "I''m sorry I''m late, Professor, but I couldn''t come earlier.


    "That''s all right, Maxime, go and take your seat," replied the teacher with a slight smile.


    "Thank you professor."


    Maxime was slightly taken aback, for normally this teacher would dismiss any student arriving late, which was why he didn''t want to knock before entering.


    But moving on, he glanced quickly at Samuel, who was making a dynamic hand gesture.


    Maxime walked over to his best friend and quietly settled into his chair as the teacher resumed his lecture. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So I was saying that it was very important when communicating with piran soldiers that you combine your words with gestures, otherwise your words could mean totally different things."


    "Indeed, piran language is a mixture of gestural and written speech, so really pay attention to this..."


    Seeing that the course was interesting, Maxime looked at Samuel and said:


    "How are you Sam? Could you pass me a sheet of paper and a pencil?"


    Samuel opened his eyes wide and exclaimed in a whisper:


    "Dude you come to class like a flower and the first thing you ask me for is a sheet of paper and a pencil?"


    "Yeah, what''s the big deal?" retorted Maxime with curious eyes.


    "I guess that''s to be expected since you were unconscious." Samuel tapped his forehead lightly.


    But after that a broad smile was seen on his face as he exclaimed still in a whisper:


    "Dude, you''re famous!"


    Maxime looked surprised, then asked, also in a whisper:


    "What do you mean I''ve become famous?


    Samuel quickly took out his phone, went to TokTik and typed on the search bar: "Today, I''ve decided to kill my first invader!


    Maxime glanced curiously at Samuel''s phone until the page loaded, then directly displayed the first video.


    The title read "Part 1/4: Today I decided I would kill my first invader."


    Just below it, the video launched as a Piran invader appeared in a wide shot.


    The viewpoint of the video was from the balcony of one of the neighboring houses, with an excellent view of the street.


    The Piran soldier was emerging from a burning house as it collapsed in on itself.


    In his right hand, he was visibly dragging a human woman with disconcerting ease.


    The Piran soldier exclaimed with a playful smile:


    "Oh my, it''s busy in here!


    Samuel didn''t dare turn on the sound of the video, so Maxime simply read the subtitles that appeared.


    At the same time, Maxime applied slight pressure to his hand, causing the young woman''s head to explode.


    As the video zoomed out, the number of civilians in the vicinity of Private Piran became apparent.


    Maxime recognized the scene - after all, he was there.


    A man stepped forward from the crowd as armor covered him and a sword appeared in his hand.


    "Run away, all of you! I''ll see to delaying this abomination until help arrives!"


    The subtitles were written in an impressive font that sent shivers down Maxime''s spine, so appropriate was it to the situation.


    They were shivers of admiration for the man''s courage.


    But after only a short exchange and confrontation, the man was punched in the abdomen and flew 3 meters while vomiting blood.


    But soon a young man with blond hair and blue eyes emerged from the crowd.


    The video camera began to focus on him, on the alien and on what appeared to be a middle-aged woman and a little boy who were shouting at the young man.


    But the young man remained indifferent as epic music appeared in the video.


    Samuel had turned up the sound just a little, just enough to hear the music.


    Then the young man of impressive courage moved his lips slightly, at the same time subtitles appeared on the screen:


    "Today, I decided that I would kill my first invader."


    The video ended with this as the app advised to go to the video "Part 2/4: Today I decided I would kill my first invader."


    Samuel turned off the phone at this point, then looked at Maxime and said:


    "Everything you did 3 days ago has been recorded by various people, from almost annihilating your mercenaries, to rescuing the human soldiers and protecting your family. Unfortunately, the man who shot you had his face blurred on all the videos."


    Samuel looked at his best friend in admiration, then delivered some shocking news:


    "You''ve become a role model for the future younger generation, and even famous veteran mercenaries have shared your exploits."


    Maxime simply nodded in response.


    "What''s that all about?"


    Samuel looked slightly disappointed at his best friend''s reaction.


    Maxime smiled slightly and asked him slowly in a whisper:


    "No, could you please pass me a sheet of paper and a pencil?"

 Chapter 31 - 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, the language teacher began to tell the story of the Piran language.


    "At the very beginning of the Piran story there were of course gestures to communicate, but these gestures gradually disappeared to make way for verbal language."


    "Like any species, various language systems emerged throughout history until they succeeded in merging their entire population under a single banner."


    "This enabled their people to have a common language, although many other languages 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 to communicate as quickly as possible on the battlefield, words began to be shortened, certain syllables disappeared forever giving way to gestures with the meaning of those syllables."


    "In our army we also have a similar system of language but generally these are unique languages and developed by certain elite units."


    "But on their side they have promoted this language system throughout their army and therefore to their entire civilization."


    "Their language had some flaws at first, and above all it was very complicated to harmonize this language to a civilization as big as theirs."


    "After all, at that time they already had 5 habitable planets and just over a hundred billion inhabitants."


    "That''s when Emperor Hydra V stepped in and instituted a special education policy to complement an extremely innovative method."


    ...


    "So much for the Piran language history lesson. Make sure you remember the history of this language, as a question on this subject has already appeared in the university competition."


    "Also, to learn a language 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 his comrades 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.


    Moments later, 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. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at his friend''s slanderous 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 planet."


    "Even counting the other human planets 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, black hair.


    Her hair seemed to be extremely silky as it swayed gracefully in the air thanks to the wind entering through the classroom windows.


    The scene seemed almost fairytale-like as the students still in the classroom 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." commented 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.


    "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 you coming 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 his comrades.


    "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 classroom 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 become 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 classmates, 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 exclaimed 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 becomes my wife then I''ll become super rich and influential!" commented Maxime, laughing.


    "That''s it, I give up, you''re a hopeless case bro."

 Chapter 32 - 32: The main objective

    Classes followed, including Riva''s, who glanced 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 seemed completely 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 the competition.


    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.


    Indeed, it''s an advantage every player enjoys. While time was on pause in the world of Eternity, players could take advantage of every break to train and come 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 displays my current status"


    Ding!


    Maxime glanced at his statistics.


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve.


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique)


    Swordsman level 3 (+5% physics) (0/100)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 1.95 (+0.16)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 2 (67/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 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," Maxime commented 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 the competitions" Maxime asked himself hesitantly.


    He was very hesitant because the bar''s owner had hired him where all the other companies had turned him down because of his youth and lack 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 the competition coming up." Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I think I should just let the boss know, and stay there for a few more weeks, while the boss finds a replacement," 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 he lay 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 exclaimed:


    "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.


    "Welcome back to our world, Chief!" exclaimed some of the mercenaries, laughing.


    After the laughter, 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 eyes landed 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 places, since they can''t sleep peacefully in most cities."


    "And they usually have a few hiding places 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 similar but less controlled reactions as they clenched their fists in anger but also sadness in retrospect.


    James, in particular, seemed close to tears.


    Piedro and Izo didn''t react in any particular way; no one could guess their thoughts.


    Ernest, Rodrigo, Romuald, Riva, Ronny, Joe, Alessandro and other mercenaries seemed particularly 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 other companions still alive and at large!"


    This came as a shock to many mercenaries, especially those from outside Quessoi.


    A group of 50 organized bandits with a particularly 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 ransom last time in Quessoi."


    "So to come 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 became completely 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 a comrade 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 replace 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 go completely mad and unscrupulous!" he laughed, temporarily forgetting his rage.


    "Haha that''s true, they owe a lot more money than you''d think!" said the first mercenary.


    The second also laughed and asked Andrew:


    "What would you like to have then if not a good sword or armor?"

 Chapter 33 - 33: New goal

    "What do you want then?"


    Andrew looked at them and directly:


    "A horse!"


    A few nearby mercenaries whistled.


    Then they became even more excited as the news spread rapidly through the small group.


    Maxime watched the scene away from this distraction, although he was dying to join them.


    However, the lessons taught in high school formally forbade such behavior in this kind of situation.


    He waited about thirty seconds, then clapped his hands to attract their attention.


    The noise and atmosphere quickly subsided.


    "We''re not there yet, so keep your eyes peeled because there could be a lot more of them than you think."


    "We''ll continue on this path and then we''ll have to reach a mountain. According to rumors heard by some of Quessoi''s comrades, the bandits'' hideout is on this mountain."


    "So let''s march right now to find their base before nightfall!"


    "Ok chief!"


    But hidden behind a tree, a man covered in black with a black mask over his mouth broke out in a cold sweat when he heard all this.


    He left without a sound, in a hurry.


    Rodrigo, who had just been laughing, heard the light sound of footsteps on the ground and shouted:


    "Ernest behind the tree at 105 degrees from the leader in front of you!"


    As if on instinct, Ernest took an arrow from his quiver and shot a slug in 2 seconds. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A thud was heard the next instant, shocking everyone.


    The first to react was Rodrigo, of course, who ran at full speed towards the intruder.


    Maxime and the rest of the mercenaries barely had time to react before Rodrigo was back with the intruder.


    The latter was groaning in pain from the arrow in his knee.


    "Ernest, Rodrigo, bravo for this work, you''ll be rewarded with 3 gold coins each as a bonus when we return."


    "Thanks chief!"


    A few jealous eyes landed on Ernest and Rodrigo, but most were grateful ones.


    Information is something that can change the course of a life no matter what world it''s in.


    If this man had entered successfully with his comrades, whatever his identity it would have been detrimental to the group.


    "Rodrigo, how did you hear?" Maxime asked curiously.


    "I''ve always had a knack for picking up sounds in the distance," Rodrigo replied with a certain pride.


    An innate gift? No, it''s probably linked to his elemental talent with the earth," Maxime reflected, frowning slightly, looking thoughtful.


    Shortly afterwards, his gaze fell on the man groaning on the ground in front of him.


    "Who are you?"


    "Fuck you!"


    The man on the ground maintained an arrogant smile despite the pain.


    Maxime looked at him, then smiled.


    "Ernest, give me one of your arrows," Maxime demanded, keeping his gaze on the man on the ground.


    Ernest thought for a moment before handing one of the arrows to the chief.


    But at the same time, a certain fear ran through his body as he handed over the arrow.


    Maxime retrieved it, then played lightly with the arrow, particularly by lightly scratching the unharmed knee of the man on the ground with the arrowhead.


    "You know, you''d better answer my questions."


    But the man on the ground, despite some fear, didn''t care.


    "A lousy group of 30 men think they can threaten us? You''ll all die in the end haha!"


    "Wrong answer."


    The man on the ground cried out in pain as tears welled up in his eyes.


    Indeed, Maxime had planted the arrow in his front knee with his bare hands, unharmed.


    Piedro, who had the best mind of the group, unconsciously swallowed his saliva, while Izo, who never showed emotion, opened his eyes wide.


    All the men in the group had different reactions, but most were intimidated by this action, not to mention the man on the ground.


    Killing men on the battlefield was totally different from torture.


    On the battlefield, the opponent was armed, there was adrenalin and everyone was putting their lives on the line. Everyone also wanted to finish the fight quickly so they could come and help their comrades.


    But here there were none of these elements, the aim being only to break his victim''s mentality.


    "I''ll repeat my question once more, who are you?" asked Maxime coldly.


    But the man on the ground didn''t answer, in fact he felt himself leaving slightly.


    Noticing this, Maxime grabbed the man by the throat and slapped him.


    This immediately woke him up as fear invaded his mind.


    "I''m...I''m Romain...The chief asked me to call Jorgi back quickly after his mission."


    Jorgi being the commander of the bandit group that had ambushed Maxime''s mercenary group.


    "Why did he have to return quickly?"


    "Because...Because I had to tell Jorgi to get back quickly because Baron Irut...Baron Irut..."


    Romain couldn''t continue his sentences because the pain was too much.


    He groaned as his eyes grew weirder and weirder.


    Maxime took his water bottle out of his bag and splashed cold water on the man''s face.


    This temporarily awakened Romain as he stared at Maxime, who was only a few centimetres from his face.


    "Go on," Maxime ordered coldly.


    "No, I''m going to die anyway!"


    "Yes, but either you die in excruciating pain or I''ll give you a quick, painless death."


    Romain thought, gritting his teeth.


    "I''ll tell you everything. But if you find our camp and actually defeat our bandit group, you''ll find a little 7/8-year-old girl with black hair."


    "You really think you''re in a position to negotiate?" retorted Maxime coolly.


    But Romain didn''t care.


    "I just hope you can raise her for me."


    The atmosphere became strange and heavy as all the mercenaries looked at Maxime.


    But Maxime didn''t answer and asked the same thing over and over again:


    "Baron Irut did what?"


    Romain stared at Maxime, but finally spoke the truth.


    "Baron Irut was enraged after the destruction of Quessoi, and has already sent many troops to find our base. It''s only a matter of time before he finds it so we needed all our fighting strength."


    "I see, I knew Baron Irut wanted revenge but he couldn''t because of a war with another baron. I didn''t think he''d have started on this business yet."


    After this brief exchange, Maxime stood up and asked Romain in a detached tone:


    "Two questions and I''ll answer your request."


    Romain''s eyes twinkled and he nodded.


    Most of the saber-toothed tigers were also relieved in a way. Seeing their leader torture someone was one thing, and necessary for their survival and success. But it was also necessary for the leader to retain a trace of humanity, otherwise how could they trust him with their lives?


    "Where is your base and how many men are defending it?" asked Maxime.


    "Our base is at the very bottom of the mountain, 5km south of here. The entrance is hidden by plants growing a few meters high," replied Romain.


    "These plants have the particularity of attacking any living thing in the vicinity, but if you drink the sap from the nearby trees, then instead of attacking you, they''ll open the way to the cave that serves as our base", he continued.


    "And as for the number of comrades I have there..."


    Romain struggled to continue his sentence as the pain returned harder. Beneath him, a large flask of blood could already be seen.


    His extremely pale face showed his disastrous physical and mental state.


    But for his daughter''s sake, he bit his lips and said:


    "I''ve got at least a hundred comrades stationed over there, they''re the soldiers of the other two commanders of the same status as Jorgi."


    Romain took a deep breath and continued:


    "There are also a dozen elite men who report directly to our leader. Even the commanders don''t dare tell them anything, so you may notice their status in our camp."


    Maxime nodded.


    "Your camp was indeed well hidden. We''d have a hard time finding it without a few days of searching."


    "Since you''ve been so honest, I promise to look after your daughter if I find her," concluded Maxime.


    Then he drew his sword and decapitated Romain.


    A look of relief and thanks could be seen in his eyes.


    But Maxime never saw them, for his back was already turned to Romain.


    "Get ready, guys, we''ll be there in less than an hour.

 Chapter 34 - 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 class and in popular 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 plants.


    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 place.


    "Chief, this place 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 wasteland, 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 plants and started fighting with the bandits.


    But he knew that the mercenaries accompanying 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 accord, 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, landing 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 glare 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 was coming 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!"


    The last bandit, who was also the first to be attacked by Maxime, panicked.


    "How many comrades do you currently have in your base?" asked Maxime as he slowly approached.


    But when he saw the completely 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. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 our comrades," Maxime explained 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''s lack 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 played out again."


    "You were my prey and I was the predator."


    "Do you understand now, Ernest?"


    Watching the blond-haired, blue-eyed youngster, Ernest was completely 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 life completely.


    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 become 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 our comrades 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 him completely.


    "Chief, I still don''t agree with your methods."


    "But never mind, since I''m going to use you chief to become 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 become your most loyal saber-toothed tiger."

 Chapter 35 - 35: Misunderstanding

    "Today, I will become your most loyal saber-toothed tiger." S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Haha you''re kidding Ernest, I think you''ve forgotten us." interjected Rodrigo, laughing, as if he hadn''t said anything just before.


    Tena stepped forward without expressing anything, just held her sword firmly, with a resolute spirit.


    "What the chief means is that all saber-toothed tigers are very strong on their own, but they''re even stronger as a team," Romuald continued, shaking his head ironically.


    The bandits paused for a moment at the momentum of just 4 people, then roared.


    "Kill them!"


    "Avenge our comrades!"


    Maxime stood quietly behind.


    "About twenty men and there''s more coming, I wonder how long they can hold out?"


    "And above all, given the situation, how will Rodrigo and Ernest react?"


    Maxime didn''t seem worried though, as each of his mercenaries was stronger than an elite soldier and easily approached the level of a bandit commander.


    He could also intervene at any moment.


    But he wouldn''t because of a certain plan he''d worked out with Andrew beforehand.


    Without further ado, the fight quickly began, resulting in deafening noises in the cellar.


    Romuald advanced into the crowd and, taking advantage of his powerful physique, swept aside 3 bandits with a single blow of his stick.


    The sound of breaking bones was easily audible.


    Romuald had opted to use a wooden stick to make the most of his powerful physical strength.


    This frightened the bandits nearby.


    "Shit, what''s that monster!"


    "Let''s surround him and attack him at the same time, he won''t be able to do anything!"


    But the bandit who had come up with this idea barely had time to finish his sentence when Romain used his powerful physical strength to sweep away a few bandits who had dared to come within 3 meters of him.


    "Bunch of losers, keep on coming if you want to keep on tasting my stick!" threatened Romuald in a powerful voice.


    Standing in the cellar, he exuded an astonishing aura, intimidating nearby bandits.


    "Keep attacking him, he''ll wear himself out sooner or later!


    On Rodrigo''s side, things were going even better.


    "Bahaha keep coming, I''ll kill as many as come!"


    Taking advantage of Rodrigo''s moment of inattention, a bandit crept up behind him, his sword aimed at Rodrigo''s back.


    As the bandit''s sword came dangerously close to Rodrigo, the latter stepped aside, easily dodging his attacker''s sword.


    Before the still stunned eyes of the shifty bandit and the others nearby, Rodrigo swiftly cut down his attacker with a blow from his axe.


    Maxime, who was also watching nearby, was equally surprised.


    "What a terrifying intuition, could it be due to his elemental or innate talent?"


    "No, if it was just his elemental talent with the earth, then that talent would be a little too scary."


    After his brief conclusion, Maxime looked at him as if he were looking at a treasure.


    "Even Romuald isn''t that impressive next to him, I absolutely must make sure Rodrigo survives, because he''ll be one of my future commanders without a doubt!"


    Indeed, Romuald had a powerful talent that enabled him to surpass his limits, but his talent only had an effect on himself.


    Rodrigo''s talent, on the other hand, had ancillary uses that suited him better as a mercenary.


    "Bahaha go get your little butts back, you little shits. My axe is thirsty for your blood!" roared Rodrigo, laughing as he took up the fight with the few bandits attacking him.


    "Training will no doubt be necessary though..." murmured Maxime as he saw his potential future commander acting this way.


    He completely forgot that he himself seemed much crazier on the battlefield.


    On the other hand, while Romuald and Rodrigo were doing relatively well, Tena and Ernest seemed to be in danger.


    Indeed, only a short time into the confrontation, Tena and Ernest had already sustained numerous injuries.


    What''s more, the bandits kept coming, leaving no opportunity for Romuald and Rodrigo to come to their aid.


    It was particularly difficult for Ernest, despite his 2.1-point physique, because he was a complete novice at swordplay.


    Indeed, although he regularly carried a sword around town, he had always concentrated his training on archery.


    It was to the point where he hadn''t brought a sword with him because he knew that with his sword skills, if he really had to take it out in combat then it would mean his death.


    So, in his mind, it was much better to get rid of the weight of a sword and be able to run faster.


    And her intuition was right.


    The bandits would easily dodge his attacks and they could even kill him as they wished.


    "Hey Patrick, how much longer are we going to play with him?" one bandit asked his comrade.


    "I''d like to play with him some more, but the two tough guys and the girl seem to be giving our colleagues a hard time, and some of them are even dead."


    "So let''s kill him now."


    "You do the honors."


    "So generous."


    The man who''d started talking to a certain Patrick approached Ernest, who was already quite exhausted.


    Ernest wanted to step back, but a few bandits surrounded Ernest, preventing him from doing anything.


    A few other bandits surrounded Ernest, preventing him from doing anything.


    At the same moment...


    "Shit, how long before reinforcements arrive?" whispered Rena as she fought off one bandit as best she could.


    But a second one arrived the very next instant and swung a sword at her.


    She dodged as best she could while deflecting the second bandit''s sword and managed to find a loophole in his guard.


    "Die!"


    Her sword easily pierced the second bandit''s heart.


    But she failed to see that a third bandit had sneaked up behind her.


    Tena had managed to hold out thanks to her sword skills, which were far superior to those of the bandits, but she had neither Romuald''s powerful physique nor Rodrigo''s terrifying intuition.


    So at that moment she doubted nothing.


    But just as this third bandit was about to pierce Tena''s body, he fell limply to the ground.


    "At last, one killed," murmured a gentle voice from behind Tena.


    She turned, and saw a scene that would mark her forever.


    Before her stood a young man with blue hair, dressed like a nobleman.


    In this cavern full of hot-blooded men, this made him stand out.


    Blood was dripping from his mouth and he could barely stand, but he was smiling brightly.


    "I only thought that one day in my life I''d manage to kill a man with a sword."


    Just after this sentence, he spat out a large quantity of blood.


    Tena looked down slightly, and saw two shiny spikes protruding from Ernest''s body.


    "Why?" murmured Tena.


    No one had ever done that for her.


    "I knew I was bad with a sword, but I didn''t think so," Ernest replied sadly.


    "And how can I tell you...I..."


    But Ernest couldn''t finish his sentence.


    The owners of both swords withdrew their weapons, uninterested in the last words of a dying man.


    As if he''d lost his footing, Ernest collapsed to the ground before Tena''s shocked eyes.


    "Damn, that man really is crazy."


    "Yeah, I didn''t think he was so strong that he''d manage to fend us both off at the same time."


    The two bandits who had thrust their swords into Ernest''s body looked frustrated at their mistake.


    But others roared with excitement at seeing Ernest fall.


    "One fell, only 3 more to go!


    "Aim for the woman, she''s the weakest of the 3 left!"


    The powerful physique of each of the 4 mercenaries under Maxime frightened these bandits who had only 1 point of physique on average, up to 1.3 points for the best of them.


    But Rodrigo, who was in the distance, noticed the excitement and took the time to watch what was going on.


    Thanks to his height and luck, he saw the silhouette of someone who looked very familiar.


    An immense rage seized his body.


    But he turned not to the bandits, but to Maxime, who was still calmly at the back of the cave.


    A few brave bandit corpses lay at his feet, deterring any potential attack.


    "Why Maxime!"


    "Why did you let Ernest die!"


    "He was the only friend I had in this world!"


    "Shit, I thought you cared about your men despite your madness!"


    "Ahhhhh I''m going to kill you Maxime!"

 Chapter 36 - 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." commented 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 with complicated 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 inflating and deflating, 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 accompanied by his 4 men on the battlefield, 2 of whom went to help Tena, one to help Romuald and the last to stand by Andrew''s side.


    This tipped the balance 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 related 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 relatively detached.


    "Believe me, just two sword strokes won''t be enough to kill him, since he has a physique similar 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 main combat experience is intimidating civilians." explained 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 individual combat 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 accompanies 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 explanation.


    "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 your comrades who were already in danger, and attacked your leader, threatening to kill him," Maxime explained 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 man comparable to a commander!?"


    "I really hope their leader stays there or we''re all dead!" sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 the lack of oxygen.


    His face quickly began to turn very pale.


    His thoughts began to become very complicated 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.


    The latter ended up kneeling completely, his gaze on the ground as he recovered oxygen with difficulty.


    "I want you to face one of the two bandit commanders 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 exclaimed:


    "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 regularly happened that a 2-star potential exceeded his limit thanks to various potions, extraordinary plants or even thanks to a method to become 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 their comrade on the small battlefield that had formed.


    Rodrigo also returned, completely reversing the course of the battlefield.


    The bandits were completely overpowered and massacred.


    Watching the scene, Maxime was pensive.


    "I wonder if I could integrate the two bandit commanders 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 become very powerful in the future."


    "However if they''ve done anything to do with Quessoi..."


    As Maxime''s thoughts rambled on, the battlefield took another turn.


    The two commanders, Organ and Laura, arrived with a large number of men.

 Chapter 37 - 37: A mysterious man

    The two commanders, Organ and Laura, arrived with their men.


    Without a word, Laura leapt several meters into the air, passing over dozens of bandits.


    As all eyes briefly focused on her, she used the momentum of her fall to attack Andrew, who was caught off guard.


    The red-haired young man took a few steps back, having managed to block Laura''s kick with his left arm.


    A little taken aback, Andrew looked at the young woman in front of him.


    She had a face with a few scars and freckles. Combined with short, black hair, she had both a wild air but filled with a maturity that didn''t match her age.


    "Fiou, what a beauty!"


    Andrew blushed slightly at Laura, perfectly displaying the shyness of an inexperienced young man.


    The few saber-toothed tigers near Andrew were also unsettled, but most of them were older and more experienced, so they had a better resistance to beauty than Andrew.


    However, when they saw Andrew''s flushed face, they were taken aback.


    "Can the vice-captain really have a face like that?" exclaimed one of the mercenaries in astonishment.


    "It would appear that the vice-captain has fallen in love!" scoffed another while blocking the bandits in front of him.


    "At the same time who would resist such beauty!"


    "Don''t you guys think they match perfectly? Young, strong and handsome, what a divine couple!"


    Hearing the words of the mercenaries who had come with Terry and Izo to the battlefield, Andrew looked at them with cold eyes.


    But the few spots of redness on his cheeks made him lose all credibility, which made these men laugh.


    "You..."


    Andrew wanted to say something, but a sword came at full speed towards his neck.


    With extraordinary instinct and superhuman reaction speed, Andrew arched his back slightly, narrowly avoiding the sword.


    Seeing their vice-captain had just narrowly escaped death, the 4 saber-toothed tigers immediately repelled the bandits in front of them.


    The next second, they all attacked the young woman with the wild aura.


    But the latter easily dodged and repelled them all with explosive power combined with excellent close-combat technique.


    Like dominoes, they crashed into the crowd of bandits, knocking several of them down in the process.


    When they opened their eyes again, each was on the ground with bandits surrounding them, ready to finish them off.


    But reinforcements were not long in coming, and a dozen saber-toothed tigers rushed straight at the bandits threatening their comrades.


    "Whew, I really thought I was going to croak on this floor today!"


    "Yeah, thanks guys!"


    "You got here just in time!"


    The mercenaries who had just arrived smiled at them and replied curiously:


    "No worries guys, but why did the fight start without the whole group being present?"


    "That..." the 4 mercenaries didn''t know what to answer, since the fight had already started when they themselves had already arrived.


    Meanwhile, after fending off the 4 saber-toothed tigers, Laura, who had arrived like a graceful goddess on the battlefield, clashed violently with Andrew in hand-to-hand combat.


    Despite his admiration for the woman in front of him, Andrew managed not to let himself be distracted and managed to block and dodge most of Laura''s attacks.


    Their duel seemed extremely ferocious but at the same time filled with a certain grace, as if it were a spectacle.


    On the other hand, Rodrigo faced Organ as expected.


    Romuald was nearby, worrying about Rodrigo.


    "It''s nothing against you Rodrigo, but it''s a bandit commander all the same opposite, with your physique reaching only 1.7 points you''ll be at a great disadvantage."


    Rodrigo turned to look at Maxime, who was still standing at the back with his arms crossed.


    Meeting Maxime''s cold gaze, he immediately turned his attention away from his boss and back to Organ.


    In front of him stood a skinny old man with tousled hair.


    In his right hand, he held an extremely broad and long sword.


    In his left hand, he still held a gourd that smelled of strong alcohol from several yards away.


    "So you want to face me alone?" asked Organ carelessly.


    Rodrigo swallowed his remaining saliva with difficulty and replied by charging straight at the old man.


    Organ smiled and swung the heavy sword in his hand in Rodrigo''s direction.


    "That''s fast!"


    Rodrigo was surprised and forced to block with his axe.


    However, Organ''s attack was so powerful that he was thrown against one of the walls of the distant cave.


    Rodrigo barely had time to reopen his eyes when Organ''s sword was again in front of him, ready to strike.


    This time, he managed to narrowly dodge the attack.


    Beside him, the wall he''d been standing in now had a huge hole in it.


    "What monstrous power," Rodrigo thought, shocked.


    "Even my older brother known a genius must hardly be on this level."


    Recalling some memories, Rodrigo was upset.


    He who had been born into a family known for its martial prowess, found himself a piece of trash with a potential of only one star.


    His family had long since disowned him and focused their attention on his older brother, who had 3-star potential.


    With this potential, even in the realm of the Frost Eagle he was known as a very rare genius.


    On top of that, his great-brother had a monstrous talent for martial skills and knightly breathing techniques.


    Many believed his great-brother would become one of the kingdom''s finest generals.


    Next to such a genius, Rodrigo went completely unnoticed and had even become the laughing stock of the nobility by the age of 16.


    It was also at this time that he made the acquaintance of Ernest, who like him had become the laughing stock of the nobility for her extremely mediocre skills in all hand-to-hand weapons.


    Rumor had it that even if he miraculously reached the heights of a 2-star mercenary, he would still be unable to hold his own against a well-trained soldier in a duel.


    "In the end, only this man can help us shake off our status as the scum of the nobility," Rodrigo thought as his eyes were filled with determination.


    Organ noticed this and a hint of admiration appeared in his eyes.


    "Few dare look at me like that after suffering two attacks from me!" said Organ, laughing and drinking lightly from his gourd.


    Simultaneously, he sensed a grave danger coming, and backed off slightly as best he could.


    But his opponent seemed to have predicted it: he received a powerful blow in the jaw and was temporarily stunned.


    Organ then unconsciously dropped his sword and gourd.


    But that wasn''t the end of it, as Organ suffered an uninterrupted onslaught of punches as he held on to a meagre guard.


    Then, as if making a decision, he opened his eyes, stepped forward and head-butted his assailant.


    This was indeed successful, and he was able to catch his breath.


    "Damn, to catch the moment when for 0.5 seconds I''m drinking from my gourd and manage to hit me, you''re really good, kiddo!" exclaimed the old man, his face full of blood.


    Indeed, Rodrigo felt particularly at home in the cave, as if he could easily become what his opponents were going to do in the next second.


    "You''re pretty good old man too, it''s impressive to retain such physique and especially such courage at your age."


    "Hahaha, it''s clear that compared to those crusty old noblemen, I''m doing pretty well!"


    At the same time, he tore off his top, showing off his impressive musculature.


    "Second round kid!" shouted the old man as he lunged at Rodrigo at full speed without his sword and gourd.


    Rodrigo blocked the first blow and counter-attacked, but Organ dodged and then went on the offensive again.


    But each time Rodrigo managed to block and counterattack, putting Organ under great pressure.


    It went on like that for a few minutes, then Organ stepped back and struggled to catch his breath.


    "At my age, it''s hard to keep up such a long fight," he thought.


    "If it wasn''t for my ability to predict his movements a second in advance, I''d have been dead a long time ago." Rodrigo thought for his part, particularly as he looked at his arms, which had turned blue from the power of the blows he''d blocked.


    On Andrew and Laura''s side the situation seemed similar, their fight soon reaching the end since both fighters were already badly wounded in appearance and their breath was running out. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My mercenaries have already all arrived and it''s only a matter of time before all the bandits are exterminated," Maxime analyzed from a distance.


    Indeed, in the last few minutes, all the saber-toothed tigers had arrived and were now rampaging across the battlefield.


    Before, only 4 of them could stand up to twenty bandits, but now that all 30 were there, it was easy to overpower the hundreds of bandits at the entrance to the cave.


    Indeed, almost all the remaining bandits were now fighting against Maxime''s men.


    "Now where is he?" thought Maxime, looking off into the distance.


    In the midst of the chaos, a man with a discreet silhouette and a black 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.

 Chapter 38 - 38: Bandits captured

    In the midst of the chaos, an unassuming-looking man in a black 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 black 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 class by Riva.


    ...


    2 months earlier.


    "It is possible using a certain method to go into the world of other players and synchronize with their space-time."


    Hearing this, the whole class 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. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 explained.


    "But the original method of reaching a world and place 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 players 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 black mask.


    His voice sounded rather young, which surprised Maxime.


    "You destroyed the families of some of my mercenaries, it''s impossible," Maxime explained coldly.


    "What are the lives of a few mercenaries compared 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 black mask appeared angry at Maxime''s response.


    "It''s extremely rare to be able to meet other players 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 the latter easily repelled him with his own sword.


    "What do you think you''re doing? I''m already 20 years old and in the last 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 have come 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 bandit commanders 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 player 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 class and open a new class.


    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 a complicated 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 place, various mysterious patterns glittering on a stone floor.


    Not far away, a well-dressed man was sitting on a sofa.


    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 succeeded!"


    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 slapped Jerry across the face, using much of his strength.


    Some of Jerry''s teeth flew out, while he himself lost his balance 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 more complicated to avenge you." explained the uncle after some thought.


    ...


    Back to Maxime''s world of Eternity.


    Maxime had manually deactivated his talent, so that he could always activate it later.


    Unfortunately, his control over his talent was relatively 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 39 - 39: New wave of recruits

    "Now to us."


    Maxime, who had now deactivated the talent, no longer had the aura that escaped, but to these very ordinary bandits, he still looked terrifying.


    Only Organ and Laura seemed calmer, although they had a complicated look.


    In the kneeling crowd, some kept their heads down in prayer.


    Maxime stepped into the kneeling crowd and touched a few shoulders.


    When these people felt a touch on their shoulders, a violent shiver ran through their bodies.


    Then Maxime calmly returned to his position under the dubious eyes of the bandits and mercenaries.


    "All those whose shoulders I touched, stand up," he ordered.


    Seeing a few familiar faces, some of the mercenaries seemed surprised at first, before a violent anger seized them.


    "Come up behind me now", Maxime demanded in a cold tone.


    But some of the mercenaries couldn''t contain their patience.


    "Boss, how are we going to kill them?" asked Izo, his right hand holding his sword with blood still dripping from it.


    "Let me at least kill one of them, Captain," interjected Andrew.


    Other Quessoi mercenaries didn''t speak up, but their expressions revealed that they wanted an abnormally high level of hatred.


    After all, these were the bandits who had extorted Quessoi for years, until the village had recently rebelled and been exterminated.


    But Maxime didn''t answer them; instead, he began to question most of the bandits to find out about each other''s past.


    In particular, he questioned Organ and Laura.


    Both were particularly receptive, so Maxime was able to sort through the bandits in just a few hours.


    Surprisingly, most of them had only recently been recruited and were simple villagers before that.


    Each had his own catastrophe and was converted by the man in the black mask into a bandit.


    It was said that once they had become bandits, their physique would naturally increase in a few days, from 0.2 points to 0.4 points, depending on their potential.


    "Probably the talent of the player in question, it''s a pretty good talent," Maxime thought.


    Getting started is always the most complicated part of Eternity. Once a certain level of strength had been reached, players gained a great deal of freedom and security.


    Of the 45 bandits still alive and well, only a few had committed atrocities in neighboring villages, while the rest were simply trying to survive but still maintaining their morale.


    Perhaps over time their values would have changed, but that''s all hypothetical, and since that didn''t happen, Maxime could always use them.


    Once his interrogation was over, Maxime returned to where the bandits had gathered.


    "Andrew and the Quessoi mercenaries, you can take the standing bandits and do with them what you like," Maxime announced, without expressing any emotion.


    The standing bandits began to take fright.


    "No, please, I''ll do anything for you! I''ll even become your dog if you want me to!"


    "Me too, I can easily take care of cooking, cleaning or anything else you want!"


    "I can become your cannon fodder if you want! As soon as a dangerous mission emerges, I''ll be on the front line!"


    ...


    Andrew didn''t bat an eyelash, he simply looked at the other Quessoi mercenaries and then they all nodded as if they''d agreed beforehand.


    Andrew, Terry, James, Piedro, Izo and Peter, the six mercenaries from Quessoi, stepped forward at the same time, then decapitated on the spot each of the bandits designated by Maxime.


    Heads flew and blood spurted before the horrified eyes of the remaining bandits. Although they hadn''t known each other long, this scene would mark them forever.


    "Just that?" asked Maxime, curious.


    "Torturing them won''t bring our loved ones back," replied Andrew.


    Maxime nodded, understanding.


    With that, Andrew and the 5 Quessoi mercenaries emerged from the cave.


    "I guess they need to take a breather now that their vengeance is complete," Maxime thought.


    "I wonder how I''d react if...No let''s not think about it, it''ll never happen."


    Andrew, now outside the cave, was contemplative as he gazed up at the sky.


    "Mom, dad, my sister. The people who hurt you are finally being punished," he thought as a drop of water fell down his face.


    The 5 other mercenaries behind Andrew sat on the ground, all staring up at the sky.


    No one knew what they were thinking. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Back in the cave, Maxime took a serious look at the remaining bandits.


    "Today I have two options to offer you", he announced to the bandits kneeling before him, still surrounded by a score of saber-toothed tigers including Romuald, Tena and his brothers, Rodrigo, Ernest...


    The former bandits listened attentively.


    "Firstly, you can become the logistical staff of our mercenary group, you''ll enjoy all the benefits brought by my talent and you''ll never have to go to a battlefield."


    "You won''t, however, get a salary without at least 3 years'' service, but you''ll be provided with proper room and board."


    "After 3 years of service, you will get a minimum monthly salary of 10 silver coins. The exact salary will depend on your performance and position."


    "If you choose this option, you''ll have to stay with our de mercenary for at least 5 years."


    The bandits were deeply impressed by such benefits. They had already learned the power of the talent of the man in front of them, not to mention that they would also be housed and fed.


    For them, this was already the pinnacle they could hope for in this life.


    After all, who would risk becoming a bandit if they had enough food and a roof over their heads?


    A wage of ten silver coins was also more than adequate, bearing in mind that the average income per adult civilian was 15 silver coins. But these civilians had to pay for their own food, as well as various housing expenses.


    If these civilians could keep 4 or 5 silver coins a month, that was already great.


    Of course, if they had children, the monthly savings could only be counted in bronze coins.


    "Second option: join our mercenary group," Maxime declared.


    "You''ll directly get a salary of 50 silver coins each month, then your salary will increase to one gold coin per month after one year of service in our mercenary group."


    "You''ll be exempt from all household chores and can spend your free time doing whatever you want unlike the first option."


    "You will also have access to various benefits that are specific to our mercenary group if you are injured during a mission or the like."


    "By choosing this option, you can also hope one day to become one of the greatest men in this world by accumulating merits in our mercenary group." concludes Maxime.


    Of course, there''s the third option, which is to regain your freedom and leave the cave on your own.


    But no one knew if Maxime would let them leave alive if they really chose this option, not to mention the fact that they were already well aware of the saber-toothed tiger leader''s talent as Maxime had already mentioned the effects to them during the interrogation.


    "Now determine your fate."


    "Stand up and stand to my right if you wish to choose the first option. If you wish to choose the second option, stand to my left."


    The bandits looked at each other, hesitating slightly.


    In the first option, they would indeed get Maxime''s talent, but in the end they would never really benefit from it, as they would always have to work for the comfort of the active mercenaries.


    They''ll also never enjoy the glory and adrenalin of mercenary life.


    And above all, if they have children, they will indeed be able to feed and house them with difficulty, but that''s all it came down to, their future could be imagined.


    With the second option, they could become a powerful man as well as ensure a bright future for their children as they''d always dreamed of, but they''d be putting their lives on the line.


    Laura was the first to stand up and move to Maxime''s left.


    "Maybe, thanks to this man, I''ll be able to find my sister," Laura thought, looking at Maxime''s back.


    When Organ saw Laura stand up, he sighed as he made a big decision.


    "Ahhhh, as an old man at this rate I won''t last much longer, so I might as well try everything to increase my lifespan by a few more decades." he thought with a smile, happy at the opportunity.


    Then he stood up and moved to Maxime''s left.


    But his smile was frightening, as his face still hadn''t healed from the damage left by Rodrigo.


    Watching his opponent pull up behind Maxime, Rodrigo wasn''t sure what to think.


    "That old man is far too tenacious, I''d so much like to lie down on the floor and sleep there."


    "I just hope he doesn''t hold a grudge for the blows I inflicted on him," Rodrigo murmured, slightly worried about this new teammate.


    Rodrigo himself, though fully healed, felt terribly tired.


    The energy used to improve the physique and heal wounds didn''t come from nowhere.


    So for Rodrigo, who had had a very fierce fight, he was feeling at the end of his rope.


    Finally, of the 45 bandits remaining after the death of the man in the black mask, 7 had been killed by Andrew and the 5 other Quessoi mercenaries. 32 went to Maxime''s left, while only 6 decided to go to Maxime''s right.


    Maxime smiled with satisfaction at the result: these bandits were all people with little or no family, and they had enough courage to go into battle. This met Maxime''s standards.


    "We''ll go from 30 to 62 mercenaries plus 6 people in logistics, after some training we should be able to get back at Baron Barthon and intervene in the war. We should also be able to negotiate a good contract directly with Baron Irut."


    Gold coins seemed to rain down around Maxime, so happy was he.


    "And in that cave, I''m sure there must be lots of gold coins and equipment," he thought with a smile.


    "Come on Organ, Laura, show me the way to your chests!" he ordered happily.


    Maxime quickly turned and walked towards the back of the cave.


    This slightly shocked the bandits who were used to his cold face and emotionless tone.


    But the new mercenaries didn''t seem surprised, as they were already used to their leader''s rapidly changing emotions.


    Maxime soon arrived at the bandits'' camp and all he saw was a lot of trouble.


    "Damn, why did I forget that detail..."

 Chapter 40 - 40: Rescue

    "Damn, why did I forget that detail..."


    He had arrived in a large 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 dilapidated 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 had come 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 clarified 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. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this world, he had no time for moods. His main objective was always to become 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 become logistics personnel or even a warrior."


    "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." declared 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 particular 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 relatively 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 been completely destroyed by our...former comrades. 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 income 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 become 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.


    His landing a few moments later 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 accompanied Irus.


    "As for you..."

 Chapter 41 - 41: The bandits treasure

    "As for you..."


    "Your wages for the next 12 months will be paid directly to the children."


    The bandits sighed slightly after Maxime had said these words, after all this punishment could hardly be considered punishment.


    At least they weren''t receiving any physical punishment, and above all they would still be housed, fed and able to train without worry.


    For them, this was already very satisfying.


    Maxime didn''t glance at them again, then passed in front of them, while Laura and Organ led the way.


    All the mercenaries, except the bandits who had rebelled, followed them, keeping a respectful eye on Irus.


    After all, beyond the willpower he had demonstrated, Irus was sure to become an important person in the mercenary group with his personality and courage alone.


    A few minutes later, they arrived at the back in the area where the bandit leader stored his treasures.


    "Well, it almost looks like we''re in a dragon''s treasure..." commented Maxime as he saw the pile of ''treasure'' in front of him.


    Indeed, before him lay a mountain of various and sundry objects.


    "Even goblins would have tidied up their work better..." added Andrew with an ashen face.


    Maxime nodded, then regretted not having planned to take all these "treasures" with him.


    No matter how much he thought about it, he didn''t know what to do with all this material.


    Even if he took all these various and sundry objects to town, he''d have nowhere to store them.


    It was at this point that Romuald stepped forward with a precise idea in mind.


    "Chief, may I ask what exactly is your objective in creating a mercenary group?" he asked curiously.


    Maxime looked at him in surprise, then replied:


    "Didn''t I already tell you? It''s simply to become stronger and be able to protect my family."


    "Chief, your thinking is still too naive," Romuald commented, shaking his head.


    Most of the mercenaries frowned as they listened to Romuald, but no one took any action.


    Firstly, Romuald had a high status in the group and secondly, he was one of the strongest mercenaries in the group.


    Even Maxime and Andrew wouldn''t be sure of winning 1:1 against him.


    He had an astonishing 2.3 physical points. Maxime, Andrew and Ernest followed closely behind at around 2.1 physique points.


    "The stronger the group becomes, the more likely it is to embark on big-person intrigues."


    "If we''re not careful, our boat might get caught in currents far too powerful for us."


    Maxime remained silent for about ten seconds, long enough to reflect on Romuald''s words.


    "I imagine you''ve got something in mind when you say things like that," Maxime replied, looking at Romuald.


    "Indeed, Chief. As a former chief of guard, I know quite a bit about how noble families operate."


    "The main piece of advice I could give is to always have part of your force in the dark. This not only blurs the estimation of our strength for those who threaten us, but also means we always have a card to play when things go wrong."


    Maxime was suddenly enlightened by these words.


    He''d never learned this knowledge at school, it was probably an open secret among the big forces, although he''d probably have learned it when he joined the university.


    But he was no less intelligent than those forces.


    "So, since the treasure is here, we''ll leave it here first," declared Maxime with fiery eyes.


    "We''ll establish our first stronghold here, starting by building simple huts in the forest and then setting up several lines of surveillance and means of detection to avoid being attacked by surprise."


    "The children taken in will also be raised in the forest with the help of recently recruited bandits and a dozen mercenaries."


    "Then we''ll set up a system of rounds between the mercenaries residing in town and in the forest."


    "When the rounds are made, we''ll also take advantage of them to receive necessities from the town and at the same time slowly squander the items from the cave treasure that are useless to us."


    Maxime continued to speak, assigning each mercenary a mission to carry out, while appointing people in charge of each important task.


    Once Maxime had finished speaking, everyone looked at him in amazement.


    It only took a few suggestive sentences from Romuald for Maxime to come up with a flawless plan to take the mercenary group to a new level of strength.


    Watching everyone get down to business, Maxime breathed a sigh of relief.


    For the past few dozen minutes, Maxime had felt as if he''d overloaded his brain with information, but now that everything was going well, he was happy.


    At the same time, not far from the cave, a group of men were investigating the bandits'' tracks.


    Of course, he had no way of knowing that these bandits were mostly dead and the rest now belonged to Maxime''s mercenary group.


    A strong man came up behind these men inspecting the surroundings. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So, what''s the result of your research?" asked the strong man.


    "Lord Ron!" replied the men with a military salute.


    Surprisingly, it was Chevalier Ron whom Maxime and his mercenaries had met just after the bandits'' ambush.


    Knights were all considered noble to ordinary people, after all in some declining baron families there were no knights at all.


    "There''s plenty of evidence that humans regularly pass through here," commented one of the men in response to Knight Ron.


    "Um...ok good news, hurry up and find the trail of these cursed bandits. You''ll each receive 1 gold coin as a bonus if you find their hideout before nightfall" announced Ron calmly.


    The men''s eyes twinkled as they set off on their search with more gusto than before.


    Ron smiled mentally before leaving, but suddenly a vague odor crossed his nostrils.


    "Wait, do you smell that?" asked Ron.


    But the men still nearby frowned, smelling nothing.


    "Blood, that''s the smell of human blood!" exclaimed Ron with a smile.


    The men nearby didn''t react immediately.


    The knights were well out of the ordinary category, their senses far more developed than a normal adult''s.


    "Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and warn the rest of our men behind that we''ve found the bandits'' trail!" ordered Ron with some displeasure.


    As his men left, Ron smiled brightly as he looked towards the cave, where Maxime and his mercenaries were still standing!


    Although there were plenty of bushes and trees, and at least 300 meters between Ron and the cave''s hidden entrance, Ron knew by the smell that he''d found the bandits he''d been looking for so long.


    A few minutes later, a hundred armed men were behind Ron, marching towards the cave.


    Simultaneously in the cave, there was a cheerful atmosphere.


    "What did you say, Tena? Can you tell me again how many silver coins that damned bandit leader had hidden here?"

 Chapter 42 - 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 become 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 escort companies to make the trips, or at least they''ll pay a lot less than before."


    Ideas flashed 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 place, and the rest will keep the mercenary group going," Maxime explained, 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". S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By comparison, 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''s command gives bonus points, but these points aren''t as important as those assessing physical strength."


    "System displays my balance please."


    [Available balance: 175 gold coins].


    "Basically I had 20 gold coins, plus 5 gold coins salary obtained thanks to my adjutant title by the system and finally the 150 gold coins given for killing a player in his world."


    "Now I have two choices, either I strengthen my swordsman class, or I open a new class."


    "But I''ve learned that it''s usually best to maximize your classes before opening a new one, in order to maximize the chances of an uncommon or even rare class appearing."


    Indeed, even classes had various different degrees of rating depending on the bonuses they brought as well as skills.


    For example, swordsman was a common class, horseman was an uncommon class, berserker was a rare class.


    There were even classes 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 class and not open any new classes for the time being.


    In front of him, the sign for the Swordsman class 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" class increased by one level] [Swordsman: 87/100 +] [Swordsman: 95/100 +] [Swordsman: 100/100] Ding!


    [Swordsman class 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 to compete head on with Romuald."


    But as he thought of something, Maxime''s smile disappeared.


    "In my classes, I''ve heard that you need at least 3 points in physics to become a knight. And even that''s only the minimum to become 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 balance.


    [Current balance: 75 gold coins].


    [Current balance: 90 gold coins and 2100 silver coins].


    [Current balance: 110 gold coins and 4900 silver coins].


    ...


    [Current balance: 150 gold coins and 15,000 silver coins].


    Ding!


    [Automatic conversion of silver coins into gold coins].


    Ding!


    [Current balance: 300 gold coins].


    A trace of firmness appeared on Maxime''s face then, without a second thought, he upgraded his swordsman class once more.


    He left 25 gold coins and 15,000 silver coins to the mercenary group and used all the rest to strengthen himself!


    According to his calculations, he should be able to upgrade 2 more swordsman classes.


    [Swordsman: 0/125 +]


    [Swordsman: 23/125 +]


    [Swordsman: 48/125 +]


    [Swordsman: 99/125 +]


    [Swordsman: 125/125]


    Ding!


    [The "swordsman" class has gone up one level].


    [Swordsman class 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 classes to improve the ratio between the gold coins spent and the gain in strength brought about by the expenditure.


    To comfort himself, Maxime looked at the evolution of his physique on his stats page.


    [Physique : 1,95 --> 2,45]


    [Current balance: 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 classes and not in the group, he''d never have been able to protect his family and neighbors.


    One person''s energy was limited.


    [Current balance: 175 gold pieces]


    [Swordsman: 0/150 +]


    [Swordsman: 37/150 +]


    [Swordsman: 86/150 +]


    [Swordsman: 128/150 +]


    [Swordsman: 150/150]


    Ding!


    [Swordsman" class increased by one level].


    [Swordsman class 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 - 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 class could confer this talent.


    This could be explained by the fact that rich and powerful families blocked a lot of information, but also because nobody had exactly the same classes.


    "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 displays my stats while indicating the differences from the start of the day."


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve.


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique)


    Swordsman level 3 --> 6 (+5% physics) (0/175)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 2.75 (+0.22 class bonus) (+0.30 passive trait bonus)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 2 (70/100)


    Franc language 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 available: 25 gold coins.


    Mercenary:


    Andrew: Three-star potential. Physical: 2,3 Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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." commented Maxime in a whisper.


    Maxime knew that it was normal for the system not to be able to display the potential and talent of these children. A person''s potential and talent couldn''t be known before the age of 16 according 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 accomplish great things."


    "On the side of the former bandit leaders, they have somehow managed to overcome 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 particular talent?"


    As Maxime pondered intensely the various changes that had occurred 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 place!"


    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 declared 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 villages in the area."


    "So you can leave with a clear conscience," Andrew declared 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 accompanying 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.


    "A common 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 village 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 declared, 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," Ron commented with a cold face.


    Since he had awakened his vital seed and become 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 success."


    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''t lack courage."


    Ron still looked lost as he saw the young, blond-haired figure standing before him.


    "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 extraordinary composure.


    "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 similar 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 44 - 44: Intense negotiation

    "The losses would outweigh the gains."


    "In any case they are mercenaries, so as long as the price is sufficient we can recruit them easily without suffering losses."


    "We''ll quickly regain our investment once Baron Barthon is defeated and his domain reclaimed."


    As his own soldiers, but also the blond-haired young man and his mercenaries watched him, Ron made his decision.


    "Everyone out of here, please," Ron announced.


    His men acted directly, while the saber-toothed tigers looked at Maxime, who nodded in their direction, asking them to obey.


    Sensing Ron''s intentions, Maxime asked for two chairs and a table.


    A few minutes later, Ron and Maxime stood face to face around a small, dilapidated wooden table.


    Ron''s chair was particularly creaky under the weight of his body and armor.


    "I apologize for the 200 gold coins I offered you a few days ago, but I underestimated the strength of your group," Ron began.


    After a few seconds'' hesitation, he added:


    "Especially yours."


    Maxime wasn''t particularly offended, and simply smiled in response.


    "I''d like to recruit your mercenary group to attack Baron Barthon," Ron declared, getting straight to the point.


    Maxime straightened up and looked Ron directly in the eye.


    "So now, how much is our mercenary group worth to you?" he asked with force in his eyes.


    Despite the youth of the man in front of him, Ron didn''t dare spoil things.


    First he asked:


    "How strong is the saber-toothed tiger group right now?"


    Maxime thought for a few seconds, adapting his vocabulary to this world.


    "In total my count is 63 mercenaries including myself, I''m not counting here the personnel dealing with logistics."


    "Concerning the exact strength, we have 20 mercenaries reaching the level of elite soldier."


    An elite soldier could be designated as such once he reached a physique of 1.5.


    Of course, Maxime remained conservative and didn''t expose his full strength directly.


    Ron knew this too, but as long as the estimate was correct, it didn''t matter.


    In any case, reality wouldn''t change too much since this would be detrimental to Maxime in negotiations.


    He also knew he had a closed card with his talent in case things went wrong.


    Otherwise, the news that a group of non-renowned mercenaries was almost half-full of men at the level of elite soldiers might shock Ron.


    And that counted the bandits'' recent integration, otherwise everyone would have been at elite soldier level at the very least.


    "I have 6 mercenaries reaching the level of an apprentice knight."


    Here, Maxime decided to tell the truth, since it was this number that was most important for the negotiations.


    To be considered an apprentice knight, you had to have at least 2 physical points.


    For example, Jorgi, who commanded some of the bandits, was at this level.


    Among the apprentice knights were Andrew, Romuald, Tena, Ernest, Laura and Organ.


    On hearing this, Ron''s eyes widened in surprise, and he rose almost immediately from his chair.


    He had to know that even among all his soldiers there were only 2 who had the level of an apprentice knight.


    And Ron knew that among all the Baron''s troops, there were less than 15 apprentice knights!


    Indeed, the talent to become a knight was rare!


    But the most shocking part hadn''t been said yet.


    "Concerning my strength...I''m at the peak stage of the apprentice knight," Maxime declared.


    The difference between an apprentice knight with 2 physique points and 3 physique points is considerable.


    So, depending on physique, the apprentice knight can be divided into several stages:


    Entry (2 ~ 2,3),


    Small success (2,3~2,6),


    Grand success (2,6~2,9),


    Peak (2,9~).


    It was possible to become a knight with 3 or more physics points, but it was complicated to become a knight with only 3 physics points.


    Generally speaking, apprentice knights awakened their vital seed at around 3.2 or even 3.3 physical points.


    It seemed preferable to do it this way, as after reaching the knight stage, the breathing method generally lost much of its effect on strengthening the body.


    So to have a chance of one day reaching the grand knight stage, many knights strengthened their bodies by riding the battlefields to stimulate their vital seed.


    His actual stats are at the level of an apprentice knight at the stage of great success with a physique of 2.75 points, but thanks to class bonuses he reaches an impressive score of 2.97 points.


    It was thanks to this physique that he was able to fend off Ron, even though the latter hadn''t used all his strength.


    And if he''s holding a sword, he can have a physique reaching a surprising 3.27 physique points.


    "But if we''re talking in mercenary language, I''m a four-star mercenary at the peak."


    Although Ron had already guessed it, he was still surprised by Maxime''s words.


    And it was in the case of Maxime remaining modest, if he took into account the active effect of his talent, he could crush the majority of knights.


    But this remained Maxime''s closed card, he would never promote it and would make sure it remained a secret.


    "Damn, this guy''s not far off the level of the capital''s monstrous geniuses..." thought Ron, reacting to Maxime''s words.


    "Could he be the illegitimate son of a marquis or a duke?"


    Coming to his senses, Ron made a few mental calculations, then said:


    "800 gold coins and free housing for your troops for 2 years in Hypocamp?" S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hypocamp being Baron Irut''s main town and also his home town.


    In Ron''s mind, the free accommodation would mainly enable the mercenary group to stay on his territory and thus become a force affiliated to Baron Irut after a certain period of time.


    Maxime smiled, then said:


    "Ok for the 800 gold coins and the free housing, but I''d also like Baron Berthon''s breathing method."


    "Impossible!" exclaimed Chevalier Ron directly.


    "Why not?" asked Maxime calmly.


    "The breathing method is a method reserved for the nobility only, if anyone discovers that a commoner is secretly practicing it, everyone involved in the affair will be prosecuted by the royal knights!"


    Obviously Maxime knew this. Even any educated person in this world knew it, since the breathing method represented the royal family''s control of the kingdom.


    No one was allowed to practice the breathing method unless they had sworn allegiance to a noble family.


    "Well, then I wouldn''t be too greedy and I''d only ask for 1,500 gold coins and free housing for all the saber-toothed tigers for 2 years," Maxime declared gently but at the same time with a certain firmness.


    This strategy made it harder for Ron to negotiate, but at the same time, he wasn''t surprised by Maxime''s staggering demands.


    What could be more disconcerting and surprising than the demand for a breathing method?


    Baron Irut''s net profit was around 500 gold coins a year.


    After all, the territory''s revenues were substantial, but so were its expenses.


    It was good enough to be able to put aside 500 gold coins in a year.


    So Maxime''s request represented 3 years'' savings from Baron Irut''s territory.


    "The help of their mercenary group could really prevent us from any unforeseen accidents and deal with various situations we wouldn''t have anticipated in our plans."


    "However, with so much money we could also invest it in weapons, armor or even to borrow a knight from a viscount."


    "But revealing our plan to noble forces could bring about some very important variables in our plan."


    "A nobleman''s greed is endless."


    "Investing in a mercenary group provides both short-term strength without increasing the risks of the plan."


    While Ron pondered, Maxime waited patiently.


    After a few minutes'' consideration, Ron made his decision.


    "800 gold coins and we''ll have a dwelling built for you large enough to accommodate and feed 200 people with a plot of land large enough to train as many people."


    It was Maxime''s turn to be surprised.


    It was extremely rare for a nobleman to offer land to a commoner; it might even be considered a sin to do so in this world.


    Maxime pretended to think for a long moment, to give the impression that Chevalier Ron''s offer wasn''t too high.


    But on the inside, he was extremely excited: these 800 gold coins were his ticket to the greatest universities in the country!


    "I agree to the offer, but ask for a down payment of 200 gold coins," Maxime finally replied, after completely suppressing his excitement.


    Ron didn''t think long and accepted.


    "Now let''s talk well, let''s talk little.Tell me all about your plan."

 Chapter 45 - 45: The Trigger

    "Now let''s talk well, let''s talk little. Tell me all about your plan," 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 explain everything to Maxime.


    After a good hour''s listening, Maxime had a better understanding of what had gone into triggering this plan, 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 regularly targeted villages with relatively few defenses, charging "protection fees".


    If these protection fees weren''t paid, a variety of village-related accidents quickly followed.


    These ranged from a few hunters never returning from the mountains to convoys of goods sent by the village disappearing as if they''d never existed.


    The various barons in charge of these villages repeatedly tried to set traps for the bandits, but to no avail.


    On the contrary, various mysterious incidents occurred in the barons'' towns.


    These incidents could simply be sudden bursts of fire in the middle of the night, or gossip about the barons circulating in town. On two occasions, however, the barons'' hidden mistresses were murdered.


    Since then, most barons have become frightened, and these protection costs have become normal over time.


    But in the last few days, the bandits had gone completely mad, going so far as to plunder villages completely, 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 accepting the protection fee.


    This allowed them to add a new source of income without risking any discontent from the villagers.


    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 unacceptable to exploit the villagers, whose lives were already so complicated, 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 relatives and knights and explained the problem.


    After some discussion, they discovered that the problem was also an opportunity!


    A legitimate opportunity to declare war on Baron Barthon, punish him in the name of the Kingdom and gain the title of Viscount by reclaiming his lands!


    From then on, they prepared their plan to eradicate Baron Barthon''s family and seize his lands!


    According 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 regularly because of his deep involvement in his territory.


    So, on the face of it, the balance 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 on commoners, 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. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Maxime had no other opportunities at the moment, he could only seize them and see what happened.


    As for a plan 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, glancing 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 plan, building a secondary base here in case things go wrong while most of our troops reside in Baron Irut''s town." declared 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 become renowned mercenaries don''t you?"


    "Do you know any glorious mercenaries who haven''t experienced shitty situations?"


    Seeing the lack 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 clapped 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 play together during the feast.


    The children and bandits remained reserved at first, but under the mercenaries'' jovial mood, everyone temporarily forgot the complicated events of the day, then danced and laughed 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 a compassionate, 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''ve come 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 one last 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 46 - 46: A pleasant night

    The gentle rocking of the hammock and the sound of birdsong greeted him in the subdued light of the forest. His head was still reeling from the previous day''s excesses.


    Without looking down, Maxime quickly guessed that he was several meters up, the hammock tied between two trees.


    "How could this happen?" sighed Maxime, feeling groggy.


    He opened his eyes, blinking several times to adjust his vision. The majestic trees towered around him, their leaves dancing gently in the wind.


    A cool breeze caressed his face, bringing with it the earthy scent of the forest.


    Then he felt a light weight on his chest.


    Intrigued, he looked down to discover silky black hair splayed across his chest.


    A woman, sleeping peacefully, her breathing even and calm. Her long hair cascaded down her torso, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding greenery.


    He stood still, observing the delicate features of her face. A feeling of confusion mixed with curiosity invaded him.


    Who was she, anyway?


    How had she ended up there, with him, in that hammock suspended between two trees?


    Every detail of the scene seemed unreal, like something out of a dream. But the warmth of her body against his and the soft perfume of her hair confirmed that it was all real.


    Maxime remained motionless, enjoying the wonderful sensation of waking up with a woman in his arms.


    Only a few items of clothing concealed their private parts.


    Time passed quickly, during which Maxime enjoyed the gentle swaying of the hammock in the wind.


    Life in the forest came to life as the birds sang, signifying the start of a new day.


    But for the moment, Maxime wanted nothing more to do with it.


    Drop in on Baron Irut?


    Go to war to get stronger?


    It was all bullshit. He simply wanted to stay here.


    At the same time, he tried to remember the evening before.


    A few flashbacks came to mind as he asked Organ and Laura a few questions during the evening.


    At that moment, he was doing his job as chief and wanted to know more about his new men and what responsibilities he was going to be able to entrust to them.


    He also wanted to know their aspirations.


    He soon learned that Organ was very excited at the prospect of joining the mercenary group, since this opportunity would mean that, if he didn''t die on the battlefield, he''d be able to enjoy life a little longer.


    On the other hand, Laura was quick to admit that her life''s goal was to find her lost sister.


    But she didn''t want to say any more, and clearly wanted to carry the weight of this mission alone.


    Maxime, not wishing to rush things, moved on to another subject, and as time went by, the discussion passed very naturally between them.


    Their laughter echoed through the festive evening, and noticing their complicity, no one disturbed the two lovebirds during the evening.


    Time passed quickly, and then somehow what had to happen did, but Maxime couldn''t remember how they''d ended up in that hammock.


    With the flashback ending here, Maxime remained confused, but now he wondered how to interact with this woman in the future.


    Suddenly, a slight movement was felt on his chest.


    Looking down, he met her light green, almost emerald eyes. Her eyes seemed to reflect the sweetness and depth of his soul.


    Maxime felt his heart beat faster, as if he''d found something important to him.


    "I''ll protect you," Maxime declared softly.


    Laura blinked slightly, as if trying to understand both Maxime''s words and what she was doing here.


    After a few seconds, she remembered many things.


    "Fuck you, Maxime, I don''t need your protection," Laura replied firmly, her eyes menacing.


    The mood changed so suddenly that Maxime found himself speechless.


    Then he laughed so loudly that it woke up many of the mercenaries who had taken the earth as their mattress and the sky as their blanket.


    Hearing this laughter, the mercenaries cast knowing glances at each other.


    "The chief and Laura must have had a lot of fun last night," said one of them with a mischievous grin.


    "The chef and the cheffette you mean now haha!"


    "Cheffette or not, it makes no difference to us, either way she was far too strong for us to dare answer her!" said a former bandit with a laugh.


    "Peter grinned, having spent the night out too.


    Next to him was James. The relationship between them had grown closer during the evening, and they had even sworn an oath to become brothers.


    "Surely only the chief is worthy of Laura here," James added, looking up at the sky.


    ...


    While gossip was going on outside the grotto, Maxime finally finished his giggle.


    "What''s got into you?" asked Laura softly with surprised eyes.


    "Nothing, it''s just...you''re perfect, don''t change a thing," Maxime replied with a smile.


    Laura also smiled in response.


    "Just, do you know how we ended up in that hammock? I have hazy memories of that part of the evening."


    Laura blinked innocently several times.


    "No, absolutely no idea."


    She said nothing more, for her the experience of the evening before was also a first for her.


    But unlike Maxime, she remembered everything, and for the part about the hammock...she was mischievous and didn''t wish to reveal the truth of what had happened.


    "Hm...strange," Maxime thought, but didn''t dwell on it.


    A few hours passed, during which Maxime and Laura talked about everything and nothing.


    Their laughter could sometimes be heard by the mercenaries, children and women outside the cave.


    But unlike them, everyone began to work.


    Some went off to cut down some trees to start building the huts, others made food, and a few washed their clothes and armor in a nearby river.


    Izo, who was normally an extremely discreet person, never revealing his emotions, showed a certain talent for storytelling by teaching the children some important information about the outside world. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And he did so with energy and vigor, eliciting a few amused and surprised glances from the Quessoi mercenaries who had known him for some time.


    For the children, this information was something extremely new, and they listened attentively with starry eyes.


    These children, who had almost always grown up in the cave, knew for the first time what life was really like, and some even began to daydream.


    "Uncle Izo, do you think I could ever become a royal knight?" asked a shy 8-year-old.


    The other children also listened attentively, even some of the mercenaries had fun listening to Izo''s stories while working.


    "Good question. I couldn''t tell you myself, since I''ve never been to the capital", Izo replied with a smile.


    All the stories he told were simply what he''d already heard from the villagers of Quessoi, as well as what he''d heard recently when traveling with the saber-toothed tigers.


    "However, what I know for sure is that as long as you follow the chief for part of your life and remain loyal to him, you can become absolutely anything you want!"


    Speaking of Maxime, Izo''s eyes filled with admiration.


    He firmly believed that in this world, nothing could stop Maxime from reaching the top.


    Of course, all this was on condition that he survived by his side for a few years, but he wouldn''t tell children such details.


    What these children needed right now was hope for the future that awaited them.


    Izo also wanted them to stop worrying about going hungry and being captured at any moment by evil-doers.


    The sun soon showed that it was time for lunch, and everyone happily made their way to the few pots filled with food.


    The atmosphere was excellent, with everyone eating together, talking and laughing.


    Maxime and Laura also joined them towards the end of the meal, prompting curious and mischievous eyes from the mercenaries.


    Naturally, they arrived dressed in light armor.


    Somehow, Laura remembered where their clothes were, which prompted a few questions from Maxime, but she managed to avoid them with some ingenuity.


    At the end of the meal, Maxime stood up with a serious face.


    "Good morning, everyone. I hope you had a pleasant night."

 Chapter 47 - 47: Hypocamp

    Hearing this couldn''t help but cast curious glances at Maxime.


    Noticing these glances, 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 welcome our new comrades to our mercenary group."


    On hearing these words, the former mercenaries applauded 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 having come, 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 planned to arrive in the evening.


    In the forest, they ran slowly due to the vegetation and lack of visibility, but once out, they could simply take the beaten dirt roads created for transporting goods between the various villages 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 his comrades 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''s companions.


    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 occasionally, the metallic clink of an anvil, perhaps from a blacksmith working late.


    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.


    "Welcome 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''ve come 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 seconds later and whispered something to the soldiers'' leader.


    The latter 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."


    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 place. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he held his breath.


    "We understand. Let''s go, guys."


    Maxime walked through the crowd of soldiers without giving them another glance, but Andrew and Rodrigo cast cold glances at them.


    Of course, they said nothing that might aggravate the situation.


    After all, they were on someone else''s territory, and they''d come 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.


    Its large, solid wooden tables covered with delicious dishes, mugs of mead and spiced wine seemed particularly appealing to those mercenaries who had been traveling for a long time. Loud laughter and bawdy singing could always be heard, while the waitresses moved skilfully between the customers.


    Maxime glanced at his comrades 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 glances 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.


    "Welcome 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 becoming 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," declared 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 village, 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 happened last night.


    Maxime was also treated to a few mischievous jokes from his men.


    As they continued to laugh, 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 and laughing.


    "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 to come back later."


    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 particularly short and skinny.


    Only the remaining two looked particularly 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 - 48: Impatience

    Behind the bald man, a few of the women accompanying the group of men seemed very excited by the situation as she laughed 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 stop laughing at them girls, otherwise when they get home they''ll be traumatized!" exclaimed a third woman, laughing shamelessly too.


    The women''s laughter 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," Outa commented, laughing 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 slapped 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.


    The latter 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 delay, 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.


    They left the tavern a few minutes later, under the curious gaze of the remaining guests and the sound of low masses.


    Outside, a fresh breeze greeted Maxime and his comrades, 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 hours later 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." S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 glanced 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 accompanying him.


    The latter 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 still come here." sighed Terry.


    "It makes you wonder how they''ve managed to keep their heads on their shoulders until now," commented Piedro, quickly rolling his eyes while doing some stretching.


    Seconds later, 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 his comrades.


    They all fell to the ground confused.


    Rodrigo played 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," Rodrigo laughed.


    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 become 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 planned 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 success!


    The rest were also strong men, all training to become 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 - 49: Jack Knight

    "Good power", Ernest commented 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 balanced 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 training combined with a certain talent and excellent fighting techniques could only make them strong!


    They obviously lacked combat experience, but that made the strength of both sides similar!


    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 plate 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 similar 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!" exclaimed 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 becoming 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 glance.


    A huge sword could be seen hanging from his back.


    Next to him, even the impressively muscular 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 place to fight," he ordered firmly.


    Finally, Maxime could take no more.


    "I beg your pardon? This is no place 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 place 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 a commoner 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 your laxity 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." sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 this combination of circumstances, Maxime even thought that Baron Irut had planned everything and was testing his mercenary group.


    The crowd was completely 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 his latest 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''s last thoughts before his imposing body was sent flying by Maxime''s punch, which had landed 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.


    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 50 - 50: Wake up in the morning

    The scene seemed chaotic, with soldiers still on the ground around them.


    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.


    Jack was on the ground, about ten meters from Maxime.


    Lifting his head with difficulty, everything blurred as he tried to look at Maxime.


    The energy of his vital seed moved quickly through his body and into his head.


    After a few seconds, he felt a gentle warmth in his face.


    His eyesight quickly recovered, and he was able to stand up again a few moments later.


    Seeing this scene, Maxime silently deactivated his talent.


    He didn''t think it was necessary to activate his talent any longer.


    "Indeed, knights have become a species apart. This regeneration ability is truly enviable," Maxime thought silently.


    Simultaneously, an incredible wave of weakness swept through his body, and he almost fell to his knees.


    "Activating Nox Limit twice is indeed a little too hard for my body."


    He knew he''d receive a backlash for activating his talent twice, but he didn''t think it would be this bad.


    Yet he''d somehow managed to reduce the talent''s consumption by preventing it from escaping to his mercenaries.


    But with his current control over his talent, it was still too hard and the loss of energy was still immense.


    Now he felt that with his body, even an ordinary adult could defeat it.


    Meanwhile, Jack stood up as if nothing had happened.


    Despite his weakness, Maxime used his acting skills and remained calm.


    But the anger in Jack''s eyes could be seen by the entire crowd in the square.


    He approached step by step, exuding an extremely powerful coercion.


    Maxime looked at him quietly.


    "If need be, I''ll activate my talent a third time."


    A dangerous glint appeared in Maxime''s eyes.


    He knew full well that if he activated his talent a third time, even if only for a short time, his lifespan would be permanently shortened.


    But Maxime was determined.


    Knight Jack returned to his previous position, but this time extremely vigilant in the face of Maxime.


    He also saw the dangerous gleam in Maxime''s eyes.


    "Tell your men to sheathe their swords. The fight''s over for tonight."


    As he said this, the coercion he exuded disappeared.


    Jack''s words surprised Maxime, making him doubt his intentions.


    But after a moment''s reflection, Maxime looked at his mercenaries and beckoned them to obey.


    As soon as he was free, Henry quickly escaped behind Jack.


    "Professor, avenge us now! Their leader is obviously not a knight, you''ll only make mincemeat of him!"


    Jack tapped Henry lightly on the head, signaling him to be quiet.


    "I''ll take that punch as compensation for the disruption you''ve had today in our town."


    "I sincerely hope you''ll be able to help our territory out of this complicated situation."


    Of course, these words were spoken in a low voice, so that only those nearby could hear.


    Knight Jack then departed, watched by a stunned Chief of Guard in the distance and the aspiring knights.


    Quickly, the aspiring knights and soldiers still standing carried off their comrades, who were groaning painfully on the ground.


    "Captain..."


    Andrew was worried for his leader.


    So were the others, equally at a loss for what to do.


    "It''s all right. It''s only a small event."


    "But we''ll postpone our visit to Baron Irut."


    "Let''s find a good inn and get some sleep."


    After Maxime''s explanation, his mercenaries nodded.


    It didn''t take them long to find an inn, pay 6 pieces of silver for the night and the morning meal.


    It was already getting late, and with all that had happened in just 2 days, they were all tired and went straight to bed.


    The crowd didn''t dare approach Maxime and his mercenaries either. So they went back to partying in the nearby taverns.


    They chatted about recent events.


    In this isolated little town, interesting things rarely happened, so even ordinary events over 10 years old could still be a topic of conversation here.


    So what happened between these young mercenaries and the town soldiers spread very quickly.


    The very next morning, Baron Irut was interrupted during his breakfast, which was surprisingly conventional and not very luxurious.


    "Baron, sorry to disturb you but I''ve got some important news!"


    Baron Irut, who was in his forties and had an unshaven beard, looked up at a young soldier.


    Feeling that gaze full of vicissitudes and deep but also imbued with a certain kindness, the young soldier took a deep breath and then began to recount the events.


    Hearing that a young mercenary and his men had beaten to the ground his soldiers and even aspiring knights, including two apprentices, Baron Irut''s expression didn''t change much.


    He didn''t even bother to stop eating.


    He''d guessed the identity of these young mercenaries from the report provided by Chevalier Ron.


    But when it came to the part of the story where Maxime lost control and started to get white eyes, the Baron''s expression changed for the first time.


    And when he heard that this young man had sent a right so powerful that Knight Jack lost consciousness for a moment, Baron Irut immediately stood up.


    "What did you say?


    "Knight Jack lost consciousness?"


    Baron Irut seemed particularly excited.


    "Yes lord, but he got up quickly..." added the young soldier hastily.


    "Interesting, very interesting indeed," commented the Baron, sitting back down quietly.


    "Yves."


    Yves being the young soldier''s first name.


    "Tell the men to start the work we discussed immediately.


    "Yes, seigneur," replied Yves, bowing gently.


    "Oh, and tell them that if they finish ahead of schedule everyone will receive a bonus of 50% of their pay."


    Yves''s expression appeared astonished, but he obeyed at once.


    "I''m off to instruct them in the lord''s orders," he replied immediately before leaving.


    ...


    In a much more modest part of town, Maxime and his men ate breakfast in the tavern.


    Observing the curious yet intimidated expressions of the inn''s other occupants, Andrew shook his head.


    "You sure made a lot of noise in town last night, boss," he said, obviously mocking.


    "Nonsense..." replied Maxime, raising his eyes slightly.


    The other mercenaries were amused.


    "Just look at the way the waiter''s hands are shaking when he serves us, it''s so funny!" exclaimed Peter, laughing loudly.


    "I don''t know if you''ve noticed, but the owner of the inn can''t stop looking at us all the time," added Piedro mysteriously.


    "hahaha Did you see it too? And clearly, as soon as we look at him too, he immediately turns his head away, obviously embarrassed at being caught in the act!" continued Rodrigo, also laughing. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Maxime wasn''t in the mood.


    Ernest noticed and asked him:


    "You''re not well, chief? What''s on your mind?"


    The mercenaries'' laughter quietly stopped, then looked at their visibly worried leader.


    "No, I''m trying to guess to what extent our actions last night will affect our negotiations with the Baron."


    Ernest smiled accordingly, which questioned Maxime.


    "You worry too much chief, we''ll go and see how it goes."


    The other mercenaries nodded as well.


    "If not, in the worst-case scenario, we''ll ravage the Baron''s mansion," Andrew commented with a smile.


    All the mercenaries looked at him for a moment before laughing loudly.


    Maxime laughed too.


    What was so funny?


    It was the fact that this situation, which at first seemed like a joke, could after a certain period of reflection become reality.


    Indeed, if Maxime''s talent could be fully exercised, anyone could increase their stats by 50% for 30 minutes.


    Maxime could have the strength of a senior knight wielding a sword, while Andrew and Ernest could barely reach the level of a newly minted knight.


    Rodrigo, Piedro and Peter would all have the strength of an apprentice knight at the peak stage.


    Of course, no one knew the knights'' hidden assets and therefore their actual strength.


    But taking into account only the physical strength of the mercenaries and knights, they could really ransack the mansion.


    But not to mention the events that might follow, they all knew that Maxime could no longer activate his talent without irreversible consequences.


    So it really was a joke...for now.


    They continued talking and laughing undisturbed.


    Once their bellies were full, Maxime stood up and said with a smile:


    "Come on, guys, let''s go see the baron and see what happens."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Their cries startled the other guests, but no one dared say anything.


    Once their backs were turned, the atmosphere in the inn changed completely.


    It was as if everyone felt less pressure on their shoulders.

 Chapter 51 - 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 place from last night.


    The sun rose above the ramparts, illuminating the thatched and slate roofs of the houses huddled together.


    The cobbled streets, winding and often narrow, quickly filled with merchants, craftsmen and busy townsfolk. The steady clatter 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 the large market square, the scene was particularly 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 indispensable commodities.


    The air was filled with the scent of freshly baked bread, spices from faraway lands 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.


    Glancing 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 particular 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 minutes later, 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 plain-clothed man with some eloquence.


    Maxime didn''t think he''d be directly placed at such a height and was surprised, but outwardly he simply flashed 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.


    The latter removed his helmet.


    "As expected, I couldn''t hide for long," laughed 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.


    "Welcome 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.


    The baron laughed 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 similar to the garden.


    It was in a dilapidated state, but the various works of art hanging on the walls, as well as the armor and swords decorating the manor, kept a last 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 have come 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 explanation, Maxime and his men understood the situation slightly better.


    The baron led them into a small room where a large round wooden table sat, surrounded by exactly 9 wooden chairs.


    A large map of the region had been placed 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 place to the right of the baron, while the mercenaries sat closest to Maxime.


    This left one last 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. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 people completely 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 the land 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 accustomed 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 experiences combined with a natural leadership temperament meant that Maxime only needed a moment to calm down.


    "Yes, and it''s a price accepted 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 claws 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''s complicated 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 52 - 52: Unveiling the plan

    The situation became particularly tense when this question was asked.


    Whether in this world or in the real world, talents are considered secrets.


    So any question on the subject is generally perceived as highly disrespectful unless the person belongs to very close family.


    Maxime and Irut had just met.


    But Irut hadn''t finished his questions, even though he was very curious.


    "What is this talent that can allow a brat like you to possess such fighting power at such a young age?"


    "What talent makes it possible to have so many talented people in a small mercenary group?"


    The mercenaries'' faces turned very dark.


    Asking so many questions could be enough to make mortal enemies.


    Andrew pounded his fist on the table, which resonated particularly loudly in the room.


    "We''re not here to be interrogated," Andrew declared coolly.


    "That''s right, excuse me, my curiosity got the better of me." replied Irut lightly, smiling.


    Irut straightened up, then revealed his initial objective.


    "I''m keen to invest in a band as talented as yours, so we''ll respond to your requests."


    Maxime nodded.


    "As for the accommodation..."


    Maxime didn''t have time to finish as Irut cut him off.


    "Don''t worry, the construction of your homes has already begun," announced Irut, as if everything were under his control.


    Maxime was pleasantly surprised.


    "Well...thanks?"


    "You''re welcome. Now let''s talk about the plan of attack."


    Everyone focused on the map spread out on the table.


    "Our Hypocamp city is here, 80km west of the ancient Quessoi village."


    "Itac, the Baron''s town is here, 60km north of Quesso?."


    "Between our two towns, there must be approximately 70km to cover as well as a dozen villages."


    Everyone listened attentively, even Ron and Jack had a solemn expression.


    In this plan, they were also putting their lives on the line.


    No one took their own lives lightly.


    Irut continued to speak.


    "Four of these villages are under my jurisdiction. The problem remains the other six villages, which are Baron Barthon''s responsibility."


    "These villages serve as his control tower."


    "So, if we send troops, there''s more than a 90% chance they''ll be discovered before they reach Itac."


    "Once discovered, the surprise attack effect will be lost and we won''t be able to defeat Baron Barthon quickly."


    "And if we don''t defeat him quickly, Baron Kenepis will take the opportunity to steal some of our villages."


    Despite his scruffy appearance, Baron Irut''s expression was very serious, as he clearly explained the military situation on both sides.


    Maxime listened attentively, but he had absolutely no knowledge of military strategy so he didn''t really understand what needed to be done.


    "Let''s get down to business, where and when should my mercenaries intervene?"


    Irut smiled slightly.


    "I was getting to that."


    "An iron mine has been discovered precisely 20km from Hypocamp and about 50km from Itac." sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The news Irut dropped was surprising.


    An iron mine could easily generate sales of over 500 gold coins a year.


    Counting expenses and taxes, net profit could still reach 450 gold coins.


    This revenue would undoubtedly allow Irut to get its head above water and breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Baron Barthon presents well, but as you now know, he does many things in the dark."


    "All for a specific purpose: to earn more money, improve the strength of his territory and then accomplish merits to obtain the title of viscount."


    "This is also the goal of all nobles, move up to the next class."


    "Although on the surface Baron status is already a status that 99% of people will aim for throughout their lives, this status is the lowest on the nobility ladder."


    "Many have difficulty accepting this gap in reality, including Baron Barthon."


    "It''s also for this reason that many of them will use any means to achieve their goals."


    As he finished this sentence, Irut''s face was calm.


    But Knight Jack and Knight Ron''s faces were both sad and angry.


    Maxime observed all this calmly.


    "So to get to the point, Baron Barthon will undoubtedly come and steal this mine from us," Irut finished.


    "But how could he? Legally speaking, the mine belongs to you," asked Andrew suspiciously.


    Irut shook his head ironically.


    "The law only serves to oppress civilians. Against the nobility it''s just a piece of paper."


    Andrew, Peter and Piedro were shocked by this reality.


    Rodrigo and Ernest seemed to know it already, judging by their unruffled expressions.


    Maxime naturally knew it too, it was part of the basics to know before going into Eternity.


    "On the bright side, he can only use brutal means to force us to concede the mine to him," said Irut, resuming his speech.


    "All we have to do is wait until he starts attacking our villages and the mine."


    "Baron Barthon is extremely likely to attack our villages which border this territory."


    "Since if he takes the mine, he''ll also take the territory that goes with it."


    "According to our forecasts, 2 villages are in danger."


    "They are the villages of H��nor and Plouta."


    "I''ll send 12 apprentice knights to protect H��nor and 3 apprentice knights to protect Plouta."


    Seeing where Irut''s speech was going, Maxime asked him:


    "So I guess we''ll have to protect Plouta?"


    Irut nodded.


    "Indeed, Maxime, I''d like to entrust your mercenary group with the protection of Plouta."


    But Maxime still had a few questions.


    "Why not send at least one of your two knights? If Baron Barthon sends a knight, my mercenary group could be eradicated and Plouta captured."


    Irut shook his head.


    "In this kind of conflict, knights don''t intervene easily otherwise, if just one of them dies then barons like us will only have our eyes to cry over."


    "The loss would be truly enormous; a knight is worth far more than a single iron mine."


    "But the advantage being that in this kind of battle apprentice knights stuck at a certain stage can break through through combat."


    "So the important force in this kind of small skirmish is the apprentice knights followed by the elite soldiers."


    "The ordinary soldiers are also important thanks to their numbers, but generally they''re just cannon fodder."


    Maxime agreed with this, indeed he''d heard about it quickly while watching news reports.


    "So, when do we have to leave?"


    "As soon as possible, Baron Barthon will undoubtedly send troops in less than a week."


    "What if they don''t attack for a long time?" asked Maxime.


    "They''ll certainly attack." replied Irut with a firm face.


    "Okay, give me time to gather my mercenaries and we''ll go to Plouta."


    Irut was glad it had all gone so smoothly.


    "Ron, you''ll protect the mine in case Baron Berthon goes mad and sends a knight," said Irut, addressing Ron.


    "All right."


    "That way, Ron can protect the mine directly but also come to your aid if things really get out of hand." continued Irut, but this time addressing the saber-toothed tigers.


    "Let''s do it that way then," Maxime replied simply.


    The discussion continued, but this time in a more informal manner, with the mercenaries discussing anything and everything with the knights.


    The map was collected later, and various meals were served.


    This did indeed help to deepen relations.


    Maxime and his men didn''t leave until late afternoon.


    As they crossed the sad garden again, Maxime heard a loud voice behind him.


    "Aren''t you forgetting something, Max?" exclaimed Irut, shaking something in his hand.


    Baron Irut was a very sociable man, and called Maxime by his nickname very easily.


    It was just that he didn''t get on with most of the nobles, and Baron Irut didn''t like to pretend, so he appeared to be a loner to the other nobles.


    Maxime smiled, then returned to the top of the steps in front of the manor house.


    "Ron discussed this with you, didn''t he? Here''s your down payment of 200 gold coins."


    Maxime received the small but heavy linen package filled with gold coins.


    "Be careful and try not to croak easily. It would be a shame if the world didn''t get to know your talent."

 Chapter 53 - 53: Growing reputation

    "I''d be careful, Hubert," Maxime replied with a smile.


    Hubert was Baron Irut''s first name.


    Maxime left as planned 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 villages, 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."


    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 glances.


    This friend quickly noticed these stares and began to wonder where the problem lay 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 particularly displeased but continued to whisper to his friend.


    "Right now these mercenaries are ultra popular 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 individual combat 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 merchant laughed 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 merchant laughed 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 class ladder in the future."


    "They literally represent their hope to change their lives and gain wealth and fame."


    When the merchant declared 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." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 particular 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 glances of the former bandits who had decided to become the saber-toothed tigers'' logistics staff.


    They themselves had not progressed due to lack 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 become strong enough, he''d have asked to become 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 54 - 54: The apprentice knight Killian

    Women and children greeted them from afar, but without shouting. They didn''t want to disturb the special atmosphere.


    Maxime did not ask his men to run.


    This time, his men didn''t all have the strength of the first mercenaries, so he would tire most of them significantly if they had to run.


    Walking fast enough, Maxime had calculated that it would take around 8 hours to reach Plouta.


    It might take a little longer, since they were taking water and food with them, enough to last at least 3 days.


    They would see later if they could buy food and water from the villagers of Plouta.


    Time passed quickly and Maxime''s little troupe soon arrived at the village of Plouta.


    The village was disrupted by the sudden arrival of a large number of armed people.


    A small militia of around a hundred people was quickly formed, blocking the path of the saber-toothed tigers.


    Seeing this crowd equipped with a few swords and pitchforks, Maxime laughed slightly but was at the same time impressed by their courage.


    "Stop here immediately, you''re not welcome in our village!"


    An old woman with a bent back came forward with the help of her wooden cane and shouted in the direction of Maxime and his men.


    Maxime stepped forward and explained the situation.


    "We come under the orders of Baron Irut to protect your village.


    But the old woman wasn''t convinced.


    "Protect our village from what? Get out of here!"


    Seeing the situation could take some time to resolve, Maxime chose to use the hard way to both gain time and establish his prestige.


    In this way, all things will become simpler in the future.


    "Andrew, Rodrigo, Romuald, Ernest, Izo, Tena, Piedro, James."


    The mercenaries whose names had been called came out of the mercenary group and went to Maxime''s side.


    "Capture some of them, but definitely don''t attack the grandmother."


    "Aye, aye, sir."


    The silhouettes of the mercenaries quickly charged into the militia and easily subdued some fifteen villagers.


    The newly-formed militia opened their eyes wide in fear of the mercenaries.


    A few of them still seemed courageous and wanted to help their comrades.


    "Don''t come any closer or I''ll crush this guy''s throat."


    "If you don''t want to find your neighbor choked to death, I''d advise against moving forward."


    "A missing arm or leg can happen very quickly."


    The mercenaries proliferated various threats, which intimidated the villagers. They no longer dared to advance.


    The old woman became calmer.


    "We don''t have the strength to resist, let the bandits have what they want.


    But before the villagers could obey, Maxime approached the old woman.


    "We''re not bandits, we''re mercenaries here to protect the village for a while."


    "Protect us? Protect from what? Even a rat wouldn''t be interested in our village, we''re so poor."


    Seeing that the villagers were unaware of the danger to which they were exposed, Maxime decided to tell them part of the truth.


    This would considerably increase their vigilance and thus their safety.


    "Don''t ask too many questions, but this village is very likely to be attacked in the next few days by a force that can be considered invincible to you."


    "Hmph? For a few thieves our militia is more than enough!"


    "And if these bandits include apprentice knights?"


    When Maxime mentioned bandits, all the villagers panicked.


    "Village chief! If that''s true, we''re all going to die!" shouted a panic-stricken militiaman.


    The old woman frowned, doubting the words of the blond-haired young man in front of her.


    But seeing the small army accompanying him, the old woman began to believe in Maxime.


    "If you still don''t believe me, there will be 3 apprentice knights from Hydrocamp arriving here soon." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing these last words from Maxime, the village head finally became convinced.


    "So, you can enter the village. There''s an inn which is intended for people who get lost in the surrounding area, or simply for people who are traveling."


    The old woman turned and started walking slowly to show where the inn was.


    The militia listened to their leader and let the mercenaries pass.


    Seeing the imposing aura of most of them, many militiamen swallowed their saliva.


    Even from the outside, everyone could tell that the difference between the mercenaries and the militia could be compared to the difference between a lion and a rabbit.


    The villagers, mostly women and children who had stayed at home, watched with curiosity as the armed men passed through their village.


    Seeing their village chief leading them, everyone was reassured and went back to their occupations.


    The old woman and the saber-toothed tigers soon arrived in front of the inn.


    Despite its rudimentary appearance and all-wood construction, it still seemed warm and welcoming.


    "Most of the time, the inn is completely empty, like today, but it''s quite small so you''ll have to squeeze in."


    "As long as we have a roof over our heads it''s already very good," Maxime replied with a slight smile.


    The old woman observed the young man with blond hair and blue eyes with a new look.


    "Come on, guys, put your stuff in the rooms and let''s get something to eat.


    Everyone listened to Maxime''s orders with a certain rigor. Everyone settled quietly into rooms designed for two people in groups of around 8 mercenaries.


    "Your mercenaries are rather disciplined," commented the old woman.


    "Maybe that''s because they haven''t had enough experience of death.


    The old woman laughed in a deep voice at Maxime''s reply.


    But Maxime was serious about his answer, because it was the truth.


    Most of his men were stressed by the knowledge that they would be facing apprentice knights and elite soldiers.


    Even those who weren''t particularly worried weren''t in a good mood at the time.


    No one could know whether their lives would still be in their hands the next day.


    "Despite your profession, I still hope for these young men''s sake that they don''t rub shoulders with death on a regular basis."


    Maxime didn''t answer, instead asking something that concerned him.


    "Will you be able to sell us some of your dried meat supplies, your vegetables and tell us where to collect water?"


    "Of course."


    Maxime and the old woman began to talk about various aspects of mercenary life in the village.


    Despite her relatively advanced age, the old woman still had all her wits about her and spoke relatively well and quickly.


    However, she tired very quickly when it came to walking.


    So Maxime avoided putting too much strain on her and tried instead to communicate with the villagers.


    3 days later.


    Maxime had earned the villagers'' gratitude not only by going out to talk to them every day, but also by going out himself to help the villagers with certain tasks requiring physical strength.


    Most of the mercenaries also had skills they had previously developed, and helped the villagers whenever they could with tasks requiring greater expertise.


    Everyone got used to living with mercenaries


    It was also on this day, in the middle of the afternoon, that noise was heard outside the village.


    Maxime went to take a look, accompanied by about thirty of his men. The rest were scattered right and left in various tasks or training sessions.


    The old woman and most of the militia were also present.


    In front of them was a scene very similar to that of 3 days ago.


    "Hello dear villager, I''m the apprentice knight at the stage of great success, Killian."

 Chapter 55 - 55: Maxime and Killian face off

    "By my side are Henry and Ultia, two apprentice knights in the entry stage."


    "We also have 10 elite soldiers and 80 ordinary soldiers accompanying us."


    Maxime watched from afar as this strong apprentice knight was fully equipped in iron armor and riding a strong, sturdy horse.


    He had removed his helmet to show his sincerity.


    Killian was already a middle-aged man in his late thirties.


    His mature face could charm more than one woman, even among the nobility.


    Unfortunately, he had little hope of ever becoming a knight because his body lacked vital energy as he aged.


    Henry and Ultia, who stood beside him, also rode trained horses and removed their helmets when they saw Killian do so.


    Henry was indeed the arrogant young apprentice knight Ernest had faced a few days earlier.


    His arrogance hadn''t disappeared, but he still seemed full of self-confidence.


    Ultia, on the other hand, was more reserved.


    Her flawless face and firm eyes, combined with her knight''s apprentice outfit, made her look like a Valkyrie.


    Many villagers and mercenaries could not help but admire her for a long time.


    She was known to be a genius on the same level as Henry, so she was likely to become a knight one day.


    Behind them were a number of horses tied to carriages, obviously loaded with provisions.


    All the soldiers appeared battle-hardened and highly disciplined. Their equipment was excellent, though far behind the quality worn by apprentice knights.


    Some of them carried a flag with a white background depicting a red buffalo, its horns looking particularly menacing.


    The old woman quickly observed these soldiers and had no doubt that they were Baron Irut''s soldiers.


    She''d already heard the news from Maxime, but she was particularly convinced by the fact that these soldiers looked far too professional to be bandits.


    "Welcome to our village of Plouta, apprentice knights and soldiers of the lord."


    The old woman had once again stepped forward to welcome these new temporary residents.


    "Thank you. Can you let us in? My soldiers would like to rest and eat after walking for so long."


    Killian was clearly not tired, but it did seem that walking had tired many of the soldiers.


    "Of course you can go back."


    "But for accommodation we had an inn but it''s currently occupied by saber-toothed tigers, and for food you''ll have to prepare it yourself."


    The village chief''s reply made Killian disgruntled.


    "Well, our mercenary friends will do us the pleasure of freeing the inn so that my soldiers can rest properly."


    "Besides, we''re Baron Irut''s soldiers and we''ve come to protect you! The least you could do would be to requisition a few villagers to serve our valiant fighters who will fight for you!"


    Henry, standing behind Killian, was equally displeased, while Ultia''s expression remained unchanged.


    The old woman frowned, but was prepared to accept. This apprentice knight represented the authority of Baron Irut and therefore the nobility.


    A simple village chief like her had no power to refuse.


    However, just then Maxime emerged from the crowd and stood between Killian and the old woman.


    "I beg your pardon? You want to commandeer the inn and some of the citizens to serve you? Are the baron''s soldiers so useless that they can''t fend for themselves?"


    "It''s the law of the strongest. The weak submit to the strong, just as your mercenary group submitted to Baron Irut."


    As he said this, the apprentice knight Killian sounded very confident.


    "You know, I had started to build a dwelling for your soldiers with the help of my men, and I thought I''d let my men help you finish it. But now I''ve changed my mind."


    Killian remained contemplating Maxime from his horse, waiting for him to continue his sentence.


    "Let''s have a duel, whoever wins gets the inn but also the absolute right to give orders to the loser on the battlefield."


    The apprentice knight laughed wildly.


    "A mercenary wishes to challenge an apprentice knight to a duel!? How embarrassing that a common insect suddenly thinks he''s a match for a lion."


    But Maxime didn''t change his expression; he was slowly getting used to the fact that his status was low in this world, and that to gain respect he had to impose himself via force every time.


    "Do you accept or not?"


    Killian remained silent for a moment, which was also when Henry recognized Maxime.


    The apprentice knights had long known that a group of mercenaries called the saber-toothed tigers would help them protect the city.


    To them, they were just an ordinary mercenary group to be used as cannon fodder.


    However, when Henry looked closer, he recognized many familiar faces.


    However, it was already too late.


    "Of course, if I have to crush you to get you to accept our authority, there''s no need to worry!"


    Maxime nodded slightly and gave them a few pointers.


    "So, drop your things at the village''s central square and then join my mercenaries south of the village."


    "There''s a large open space there that will allow us to fight without disturbing anyone or scaring the locals."


    Killian agreed and led his men not only to drop off their belongings but also to tie and feed the horses before returning to the forest.


    While they were on their way and the mercenaries waiting for them could be seen, Henry finally found the courage to warn Killian.


    "Captain, these mercenaries are not at all simple, especially their leader is of exceptional strength."


    "Exceptional? What kind of strength can reach an individual without a breathing method? That''s ridiculous."


    Killian was particularly contemptuous, and he was even more so when he saw Maxime''s back in the middle of the empty forest space, chatting with his mercenaries.


    Ultia simply listened from the side without changing her expression, for her these things were not at all important and she simply wished to return as soon as possible to resume her training.


    "Exceptional enough to send Knight Jack flying and wound him slightly."


    "What? What did you just say?"


    At this point Killian was particularly panicked.


    And he became even more so when he saw Maxime turn around and look at him with a slight smile.


    He also realized at that precise moment that all the mercenaries surrounding Maxime were particularly confident and seemed to be expecting to watch a fine show.


    "So he''s the famous individual who dared to fend off Knight Jack and who also had men with the strength of an apprentice knight?"


    Even Killian, who spent his time attending to various tasks assigned by the Baron and training, had heard of this recent rumor.


    But he hadn''t listened to it without close attention. In this city, many legends and rumors circulated with ease, but the veracity of any of them could always be easily questioned.


    He didn''t think this rumor turned out to be true.


    Ultia, who was standing nearby and heard this, finally became curious and looked attentively at Maxime, who was standing less than fifty meters from her.


    Killian took a deep breath and reassured himself that even he could manage a surprise attack on a knight if given the chance.


    "How could a common mercenary have the strength of a knight, it''s impossible of course," thought Killian as he arrived in front of Maxime.


    Killian was right, Maxime was far from having the strength of a knight at this stage.


    And to be honest with himself, Maxime didn''t think he could easily defeat an apprentice knight at the grand-success stage who had spent many years developing his sword skills and traversing various battlefields.


    But this battle had to be fought.


    Maxime beckoned to Killian as he drew his sword.


    "Are you ready?"


    Seeing Maxime draw his sword, Killian drew his too. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The wind blew gently across the grassy plain. A few leaves from nearby trees fluttered in the air between the two combatants.


    The sky was an ominous gray, as if the world itself were holding its breath before the confrontation.


    In the center of this deserted field, two silhouettes faced each other.


    An apprentice knight in full iron armor holding his sword in both hands, and a sharp-eyed mercenary much more lightly equipped.


    Their drawn swords glinted in the dull light.


    The mercenary stood lightly, a simple-looking one-handed sword.


    He wore studded leather armor, reinforced with a few metal plates to protect his vital areas, but much lighter than that of his opponent.


    A mesh vest covered his shoulders and torso, leaving his movements fluid and swift.


    Maxime had found this equipment in the bandits'' camp, and it wasn''t just him; it had become the norm for early mercenaries.


    His eyes, sharp as a hawk''s, watched the knight''s every move with cold concentration.


    All the mercenaries stood in a bow 20 meters behind Maxime, while the soldiers did the same behind Killian.


    Many of the villagers, including the old woman, stood further back, watching this rare event with a certain excitement.


    "I''ll leave the first move to you."

 Chapter 56 - 56: End of the duel

    Hearing Maxime''s words, Killian didn''t hesitate and attacked directly.


    The silence broke as he charged, his sword coming down with a metallic hiss. The young mercenary deftly dodged, taking a quick step back, letting his opponent''s blade 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 flanks. His blade 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 accompanied 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 displayed 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 relative slowness of his armor.


    The duel became a balancing 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 calculated.


    Maxime, who had not yet gained much combat experience, was defeated in this respect.


    Fortunately, his physique far surpassed Killan''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 blade 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 the last moment to strike the mercenary on the flank.


    Maxime was unable to avoid the blow entirely; the blade 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. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then came the decisive moment. In a calculated dash, the mercenary ducked under the knight''s broad attack and, with lightning speed, planted his blade 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 any last gasp. But there was no more fighting.


    Killian laid 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 played 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 to compete 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 similar to or greater than that of knights.


    Had Maxime not possessed the Nox Limit talent, he would simply have become a soldier for a nearby baron and saved up to smoothly progress through the class levels.


    This method, though stable, could take years before he had saved enough money to have the strength comparable 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, becoming a merchant and navigating between cities could be a way to earn money quickly, but the risks involved were far greater.


    So becoming 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 a complex look on his face as he watched this apprentice knight at the stage of great success.


    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 accidents, 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 after coming 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 blamed 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 to compete 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 most compete 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 successful 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 particularly 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 explain 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 village in Baron Irut.


    One day, the newly-bred Ron knight was given the task of going into the various villages 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 become 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 succeeding in becoming an apprentice knight.


    But now her whole psyche was in question.


    "How could this man have become so powerful?"

 Chapter 57 - 57: Alert

    "He''s not a knight, so normally it should be impossible to compete 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 to come 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 village, 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 success, 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 accommodation, in any case, the inn was too small to house you all."


    "So my men have already started living with villagers, 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 the coming 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 minutes later, 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 was committed to respecting it.


    What''s more, he lost nothing. Everything had been arranged so that as many people as possible could live comfortably in the village, 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 village.


    The villagers 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 a common scene these days.


    It was pleasant for these villagers, 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 and laughter to the table.


    Of course, there were also a few conflicts, not least because some of the soldiers found it hard to accept 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 particularly complex, Killian intervened and applied military law.


    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 more comfort 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 villagers, 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 swordplay.


    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 real combat.


    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. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [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.


    For comparison, 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 accessible only to knights or apprentice knights at the peak who were extremely talented.


    Watching Maxime progress rapidly, and hearing regular compliments from Killian, Henry and Ultia invested much more energy than usual in their training to become 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.


    In comparison, 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.


    However, they had also seen that many of the mercenaries who had started out rather ordinary, had in the space of a few days come 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 nearby lakes.


    They didn''t do anything special.


    But that evening, everything changed.


    "Alert, alert, we''re under attack!"

 Chapter 58 - 58: Cemetery

    ? Alerte, alerte, nous sommes attaqu��s ! ? Un jeune soldat se pr��cipita vers Maxime et Laura en hurlant. Les deux hommes se regard��rent avant de se pr��cipiter vers le village. Ils la travers��rent rapidement, croisant des soldats et des mercenaires qui venaient d''��tre pr��venus. On sentait d��j�� l''odeur du sang �� un kilom��tre �� la ronde, tandis que des cris se faisaient entendre au loin.


    Au loin, Killian se battait f��rocement avec un puissant apprenti chevalier couvert de noir et masqu��, tenant deux ��p��es. Tout autour d''eux, la sc��ne ��tait macabre. Plusieurs corps inertes pouvaient ��tre vus dans les environs. Il y avait des cadavres de soldats et de mercenaires.


    Les yeux encore ouverts et blancs, ils lev��rent les yeux vers le ciel, comme pour dire : ? C''est donc l�� que ma vie s''arr��te ? ? Killian n''��tait pas seul : autour de lui, Henry, Ultia et de nombreux soldats et mercenaires se battaient f��rocement contre les hommes en noir. Andrew, Ernest, Organ et Romuald ont tous ��t�� bloqu��s par des adversaires puissants.


    Personne n''a domin�� le champ de bataille ici, c''��tait donc principalement une confrontation morale ! Le premier groupe �� ne pas subir le poids des pertes serait le groupe vaincu, c''��tait aussi simple que cela !


    De puissants mercenaires tels qu''Izo, Peter, Terry et Tena, qui n''��taient pas aussi forts que les apprentis chevaliers mais ��taient parmi les meilleurs soldats d''��lite, ��taient entour��s de plusieurs hommes en noir. Plus t?t, Killian patrouillait dans le village comme d''habitude. Le clair de lune ��clairait faiblement la for��t qui entourait le village.


    Il ��tait accompagn�� de Romuald, d''une dizaine de soldats d''��lite et de mercenaires et d''une vingtaine de simples soldats. Une autre patrouille ��tait ��galement en mouvement, de force similaire �� la premi��re. La nuit se passa tranquillement comme d''habitude, et juste au moment o�� tout le monde commen?ait �� baisser la garde et �� discuter l��g��rement, Killian fit signe �� tout le monde de s''arr��ter.


    Malheureusement, il ��tait d��j�� trop tard : leur petite escouade ��tait compl��tement encercl��e. De nombreux soldats et mercenaires sont morts dans l''attaque surprise. Mais le soldat qui portait le tambour, qui servait de signal d''alarme, ��tait bien prot��g�� et a eu le temps de taper plusieurs fois pour sonner l''alarme.


    Grace au son du tambour, la deuxi��me patrouille men��e par Andrew et accompagn��e d''Henry a pu rapidement intervenir, mais la situation restait extr��mement d��favorable ! Ce n''est qu''avec l''arriv��e progressive des soldats et des mercenaires au repos que la situation s''est progressivement stabilis��e.


    D''un coup d''?il, on pouvait voir qu''il y avait au moins une douzaine d''apprentis chevaliers, une cinquantaine de soldats d''��lite et 200 soldats ordinaires parmi les individus qui avaient mont�� l''embuscade. Sous l''effet d''une telle force, la petite escouade de patrouille fut pratiquement an��antie ! ? Comme c''est honteux pour un apprenti chevalier de planifier de telles embuscades.


    ? Killian avait rapidement ��t�� regroup�� par plusieurs apprentis chevaliers avant de se retrouver seul avec l''homme aux deux ��p��es. Il ��tait d��j�� couvert de sang avec de multiples blessures sur tout le corps. ? Qui a dit que j''��tais un apprenti chevalier ? ? ? Arr��te de faire semblant Orac, nous savons depuis longtemps que tu allais attaquer nos villages.


    ? Orac ��tait un apprenti chevalier bien connu du baron Barthon pour sa ma?trise exceptionnelle et unique de deux ��p��es. He was at the same stage as Killian and of similar strength. "Haha good guess, it''s a shame that even predicting our actions, you''re all still going to die here!" Orac removed his mask, revealing the ordinary face of a middle-aged man. Then Orac intensified his attack on Killian.


    "Once I''ve killed you, the morale of your men will collapse rapidly and then it will be our victory!" In saying this Orac sounded confident and cheerful, but he himself sensed that tonight''s action was not going well.


    "I''ve never seen these men until now, yet these people should have a small reputation." "Where did Baron Irut find them?" "Where do so many strong men come from?" By chance he glanced at a red-haired young man who was surrounded by 3 apprentice knights at the entrance stage. Just then, he saw Andrew abandon defense altogether and swing his sword fiercely at an apprentice knight.


    An incredulous look on his face flew up, as if he still didn''t realize what had just happened. Simultaneously, a sword was thrust deep into Andrew''s abdomen... But before the masked knight apprentice could smile, he saw his opponent''s eyes turn mockingly red.


    "Are you trying to tickle me?" Without changing his expression, Andrew shattered the apprentice knight''s iron armor with a powerful swing of his sword. The latter looked down, and saw a sword planted deep in his heart. "Is it even human to do that?" He took one last look at the red-haired youth, fear filling his body for the last time in his life.


    Then Andrew withdrew his sword, and the apprentice knight''s body fell heavily to the ground. "You''re the only one left." The last apprentice knight dressed in black tried to attack Andrew, but he couldn''t find the courage. Orac then saw the whole scene unfold in just a few seconds. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "2 apprentice knights died so easily, when the baron finds out I''m going to be heavily punished." As he thought this, his expression turned grim, and his desire to kill reached a new peak. He began to abandon defense and stepped up his attack to finish the battle as quickly as possible and avoid further losses. Not far away, the former bandit Irus who had dared to answer Maxime was fighting hard.


    He was part of the squad accompanying Killian and Romuald. All the previous days, he''d been filled with admiration at seeing so many strong everyday people training hard. He followed suit and also trained ferociously, always pushing himself to the point of exhaustion. The results came quickly, and to his surprise, he achieved a strength similar to that of an elite soldier.


    He also enjoyed spending time with his old bandit friends, as well as his new comrades. But those beautiful days came to an end on that cold night. "Hatol, Terran, Pedric..." Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought of the people with whom he''d once chatted, laughed and had fun, and who were now on the ground, either dying or already dead. But this was quickly covered by rage.


    Seeing numerous soldiers and mercenaries arriving as he went, he pushed his opponent back and shouted. "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!" Several soldiers and mercenaries who had been in combat followed suit and shouted as well. "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!" "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!" "Kill Baron Barthon''s men!


    Avenge our fallen comrades!" ... This had a negative impact on the morale of the men in black, who were beginning to worry about the opposition they were witnessing. The shouts were so loud that Maxime and Laura heard them. "No good! We''ve got to hurry!" Laura nodded solemnly and picked up the pace to the point of exhaustion. Every second that passed represented lives lost!


    Just then, on the battlefield, Organ heard those loud cries. "I never thought that at such a young age I''d be living and fighting alongside such brave men!" He was fighting two apprentice knights, one in the entry stage and one in the small success stage.


    Before joining the saber-toothed tigers, Organ already had the strength of an apprentice knight in the entry stage, and after training for the last 10 days, he reached the level of an apprentice knight in the small success stage.


    "Damn it, you little brats, you dare to attack a grandfather like me in a group!" "Do us a favor, and die here grandpa." "It''s not like you''ve got long to live anyway." The two apprentice knights had contemptuous expressions hidden behind their masks. But Organ wasn''t angry. "That''s right, so today I''m going to protect my young comrades by taking you with me to the grave."

 Chapter 59 - 59: Verdict

    Organ glanced quickly at Rodrigo, who was holding an axe, and who was entangled by an apprentice knight at the entrance stage.


    "Vie bien..." murmured Organ with emotion-filled eyes.


    Then he went mad and rushed towards his two opponents.


    A man of such strength who no longer cared about his defense was far more threatening than an apprentice knight at the peak stage.


    So it wasn''t long before the two men in black changed expression and began to defend themselves as best they could.


    Taking advantage of an opportunity when his comrade was attacked, the man at the stage of small success took the opportunity to cut Organ''s left arm.


    The man smiled, pleased that the old man had finally been seriously wounded, with which he and his comrade should easily be able to finish him off.


    Afterwards, they could help their leader and then, like a domino effect, win the battle.


    With that, they''d win great military merit and then be heavily rewarded by the Baron!


    The two men were already excited just thinking about it.


    It''s a pity that reality is often quite different from what one might imagine.


    Organ bore the pain like a superhuman being and immediately took advantage of the fact that his opponent had poured out his old strength and the new one hadn''t yet been generated.


    "No! Alexander, help me!"


    The apprentice knight was horrified as he saw the sword coming towards him.


    Noticing the noise, Rodrigo glanced at Organ.


    He saw Organ rush towards his opponent and decapitate him.


    But he also saw that the apprentice knight at the entrance stage took the opportunity to plunge his sword into Organ''s heart.


    "No, no, no...Organ shit! Don''t die here!"


    Rodrigo had begun to develop a deep relationship with Organ since he''d met her, and they spent an enormous amount of time together.


    Rodrigo was even beginning to think of Organ as his paternal grandfather.


    He had finally begun to feel what it was like to have a loving family. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Organ also liked Rodrigo a lot, and wondered if he''d built a family, what his life would have been like.


    But before Rodrigo''s sad eyes, everything came to an end that evening.


    The apprentice knight withdrew his sword, and this time Organ couldn''t bear it.


    He fell weakly to his knees, spitting blood into his throat.


    As if sensing something, he used the last of his strength and turned his head towards Rodrigo, less than ten meters away.


    He smiled weakly for the last time.


    At that moment, the scene was frozen for a moment.


    The moonlight faintly illuminated Organ''s smiling face.


    Then a sword fell swiftly on his neck, and his head flew off.


    The apprentice knight had just decapitated Organ.


    "NOOOOOONNNNN!"


    Rodrigo''s distressed cry echoed across the battlefield.


    The cry was so loud that Maxime and Laura, who were still some distance from the battlefield, could hear it.


    A certain power began to emerge from Rodrigo''s body at that moment.


    He couldn''t guess where it came from, but instinctively he knew how to use it.


    His opponent was an apprentice knight at the entry stage.


    Indeed, although Rodrigo''s physique was below 2 points, he had already proved by facing Organ that he could stand up to an apprentice knight.


    Rodrigo dived towards his opponent, wanting to settle the situation quickly and then avenge Organ.


    "What an idiot. On other people it might work, but my sword is known to be the fastest under the stage of small success."


    His opponent was calm and full of confidence.


    He saw Rodrigo''s heavy axe coming at him, dodged it easily and counter-attacked.


    His sword arrived at the right side of Rodrigo''s abdomen.


    With Rodrigo''s current momentum, it was impossible for him to defend or dodge.


    His opponent smiled confidently.


    However, a hard sound resounded.


    A thick mass of earth had appeared where the sword was to land.


    "What kind of magical power is this?"


    The apprentice knight was shocked; he''d never seen anything like it in his life.


    "Die."


    Before he could realize it, Rodrigo''s axe was already back and sliced his body in two.


    The scene fell before the eyes of many black-clad assailants, mercenaries and soldiers alike.


    "Now it''s your turn."


    Rodrigo rushed towards Organ''s murderer with a savage dash, like a bull charging towards its prey.


    The apprentice barely had time to counterattack, but just like the previous assailant, his sword was blocked by a mass of earth that appeared at the last moment and out of nowhere.


    "Shit, that''s cheating."


    "Real cheating is putting two on an old person."


    Surprisingly, Rodrigo had heard the last murmurs of Organ''s murderer and answered him while slicing his body in two.


    Blood splashed onto Rodrigo''s face, but his expression didn''t change at all.


    However, a wave of weakness passed through him.


    He felt he''d used up all the power that had appeared.


    But the fighting didn''t stop, as all around him various soldiers and mercenaries continued their relentless battle.


    It wasn''t long before a new assailant broke free and attacked Rodrigo.


    Fortunately, Rodrigo was able to quickly estimate the strength of his new adversary, and it was only at the level of the elite soldier.


    By this stage, of the dozen or so opposing apprentice knights initially detected, there were 13, and of the 13, only 8 remained.


    Andrew had killed 2 of them and was now facing the last one, but with great difficulty. His face was sweaty and his sword was shaking from the wound in his abdomen.


    Organ had killed one and was dead.


    Rodrigo managed to kill 2 with his elite soldier''s physique.


    Ernest and Romuald were each entangled with two apprentice knights.


    Henry and Ultia fought a complicated duel with one apprentice knight each.


    The last enemy apprentice knight was attacked by Terry, who was lean but had formidable reaction speed, and one of Baron Irut''s elite soldiers, who possessed similar physical qualities.


    Between them, they managed to rival an apprentice knight.


    Time passed quickly, with everyone''s wounds getting worse as mercenaries, soldiers and attackers continued to fall to the ground, never to rise again.


    Killian was becoming particularly weak in the face of Orac''s onslaught.


    He had already been wounded at the start by the sudden ambush, and as the fight went on, his wounds were getting worse.


    His sword seemed heavier and heavier, and his reactions slower and slower.


    If it hadn''t been for his iron armor, he''d have been a cold corpse long ago.


    Noticing an opportunity, Orac managed to fend off Killian''s sword with his right hand, then continued his attack with his left.


    Killian noticed Orac''s victorious smile and panicked slightly, but there was nothing he could do to stop the sword!


    Just then, a thud was heard.


    Looking ahead, Orac could see a beautiful young woman with black hair who had just blocked his sword.


    Orac stepped back quickly.


    He had already lost much of his physical strength over time, so the arrival of a powerful person at this moment made him think about retreating!


    Simultaneously, cries were heard on the battlefield.


    He looked quickly in the direction of Andrew, Ernest and the other powerful individuals previously blocking his men.


    He quickly noticed that the red-haired young man was lying on the ground, but his body was whole, unlike his opponent who had his head separated from his body.


    It wasn''t just Andrew''s opponent, 3 other of his men had fallen in a very short space of time, and now only he and 4 others remained among the apprentice knights.


    Terry''s and the elite soldier''s opponents, Henry and Ultia, now lay in their own blood.


    He could see a young man with blond hair coming to the rescue of a blue-haired mercenary who was initially surrounded by 2 apprentice knights at the entry stage and a man at the small success stage.


    Surprisingly, these two young men easily repelled his soldiers, so much so that he estimated that in less than a minute, they would all be defeated.


    "Chief!"


    "Chief, we''re all going to die at this rate!"


    "Chief, save us!"


    "Chief, give the order to retreat!"


    The three apprentice knights called out in distress.


    They themselves knew that the turn the battlefield was taking was very bad for them.


    "The chief and the cheffette have arrived!"


    "Great, let''s hold the bastards back!"


    "Not one of them should leave here alive!"


    "Let''s teach those bastards who killed our comrades a lesson!"


    "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our dead comrades!"


    "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!"


    "Kill Baron Barthon''s men! Avenge our fallen comrades!"


    ...


    Various cries rang out from Maxime and Baron Irut''s men.


    Orac looked hatefully at Killian.


    "You''re lucky, you can still keep your head on your shoulders tonight."


    "Everyone, retreat!"


    The men in black fled immediately after Orac''s order.


    "You think you''re in your own backyard and can come and go as you please?"


    "Everyone, don''t let them escape!"


    Maxime issued his orders with a furious face.


    "Yes, sir!"


    Since he''d arrived in this world, he''d never lost a single man.


    And that night, he lost more than a dozen of them in one fell swoop, including a mercenary with 3-star potential.


    When Maxime saw Organ''s body, he was particularly furious.


    When he had improved his talent, Organ could have had the strength of a knight in the near future!


    But now, the man was dead!


    And it wasn''t just him, Andrew was also badly wounded!


    Had he arrived later, the losses might have outweighed the gains of the mission.


    But now that he had arrived, these men in black could always dream if they wanted to escape!

 Chapter 60 - 60: Farewell (1/2)

    All the mercenaries and soldiers fiercely blocked the men''s passage, even if it meant putting their lives in danger.


    If these people were allowed to leave, then they''d only come back stronger next time!


    Maxime positioned himself directly in the path of retreat of Ernest''s 3 opponents.


    Several incoming mercenaries and soldiers stood not far from Maxime and the 3 apprentice knights.


    Everyone knew that the most important thing was to kill Baron Barthon''s high-end power!


    The 3 apprentice knights began to panic.


    What''s more, they didn''t dare underestimate the young man in front of them after seeing so many young people with such monstrous power.


    Armed with his sword, Maxime charged bravely towards the 3 apprentice knights, then confronted his sword with that of one of his opponents.


    "What power!"


    The apprentice knight at the stage of small success seemed surprised.


    He had trained for years and years before reaching this level of strength and technique!


    But he had just been pushed aside by a young man who looked to be only around 18 years old!


    "Die."


    The sword made a semicircle towards the apprentice knight''s neck.


    "No!"


    But no matter how much he didn''t want to see that sword come near him, it still continued in his direction.


    Then, finally, the sword moved away from him.


    Or rather, it was his head that moved away from the sword, while his body remained in the same place.


    "The baron had told us that this would be an extremely simple mission, how could our squad have encountered so much resistance in an ordinary village?"


    Had he known, he''d never have proposed his participation in this mission.


    Looking back, he was full of enthusiasm, with a fierce desire to perform meritorious deeds to win the Baron''s recognition and receive more resources.


    But that night his eyes were filled with regret. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a pity there was no medicine for regret.


    "So weak."


    Maxime had a physique exceeding 3 points counting bonuses, which represented a chasm compared to the mere apprentice knights in front of him who didn''t exceed 2.5 points.


    What''s more, his mastery of the sword had already reached a milestone with Killian''s help, so the gap between the parties was enormous.


    By rough calculation, Maxime was at least 30 to 40% stronger than apprentice knights at the entry stage or at the stage of minor success.


    The two remaining apprentice knights immediately tried to escape, but at the cost of serious injuries, the mercenaries and soldiers who had positioned themselves managed to block them and even wound them!


    With their help, Maxime put an end to the lives of the remaining apprentice knights.


    Orac watched his men die one after the other, a look of anger and sadness on his face.


    He also wanted to run, but every time he started to leave, Killian blocked his path.


    At the same time, Killian surrounded Orac with Laura''s help.


    Orac''s strength was similar to Kilian''s, so Laura''s help was the last straw.


    Or rather, given her strength, it was another bucket of water added to the first!


    Orac was completely submerged, her body full of wounds.


    "You''ll pay dearly for this!"


    "No one who dares offend the baron ends well!"


    Orac was really furious at this point.


    "Who offended whom? It''s your baron who should have thought twice before offending our chief."


    Laura already knew the ins and outs of the case from talking to the former mercenaries.


    Orac kept his mouth shut at this point; he also knew his baron''s plans for this group of mercenaries.


    But who would have thought that this group would be so strong?


    At the same moment, Laura took advantage of a loophole in Orac''s guard and cut his neck.


    Orac''s head flew up, his eyes filled with incomprehension and anger.


    Soon, only the mercenaries and soldiers remained.


    The cold night wind rippled the tall grass, whistling softly between inert bodies and abandoned weapons.


    The ground was littered with corpses, a landscape of death frozen under the stars.


    Dented armor, broken swords and shattered shields lay on the ground, testifying to the fury of the battle that had raged hours earlier.


    Very few of the enemy had had the chance to flee; those who had tried to escape had mostly been blocked or caught.


    From now on, the only thing that remained was victory, but there was nothing glorious about it. It was heavy, silent, almost oppressive.


    Maxime began to issue orders.


    "Those who are slightly wounded, be sure to pierce all opposing bodies to make sure they''re dead, then take back everything of value.


    "The apprentice knights dressed in black all hid iron armor, make sure you take them back, they''re precious."


    "Those who still have energy, gather the bodies of our comrades at the forest clearing, in the same place where we had a duel with Killian."


    Romuald, full of wounds but still very much alive, approached Maxime.


    "What do we do with the corpses of Baron Barthon''s men?"


    Romuald''s eyes were complex as he said this.


    He knew most of these men, but the sword has neither wit nor wisdom.


    "Let''s leave them here."


    Answering this, Maxime''s eyes were deep.


    Having ordered this, Maxime approached Andrew, who was still on the ground.


    "Still alive?"


    No answer.


    Maxime gave a little kick.


    "Who''s that? Leave me alone."


    A faint voice finally emerged.


    Maxime breathed a small sigh of relief.


    "It''s your boss, get off your ass if you''re still alive."


    "Maxime? No, the floor''s so comfortable... And so warm...I wouldn''t move."


    "Idiot, you''re bathing in your own blood, of course it''s warmer on the ground."


    "I don''t care."


    Maxime laughed lightly, but he was still worried. Andrew had lost a lot of blood. Even though he had an extraordinary physique, it could be fatal.


    "Somebody bring that idiot back."


    Several mercenaries came immediately and lifted Andrew.


    Andrew said nothing, seemed to have lost consciousness and was moved like a puppet by a few mercenaries, then taken back to town for treatment.


    Maxime then went to Organ''s body.


    Rodrigo was on his knees beside him, tears falling to the floor from time to time.


    Maxime observed the scene for a moment, sensing the gravity of the moment, then gently knelt down beside his subordinate.


    His knees sank into the still-warm earth, soaked with the blood of the dead.


    Apart from the blood that continued to flow, Organ simply looked like an old man smiling in his sleep.


    As if he''d found peace in this hell of iron and blood.


    "He''s gone in peace," Maxime murmured.


    He reached out a hand to the young mercenary''s shoulder, feeling the tension and sadness in his tense body.


    Rodrigo clenched his fists, his dirty fingers digging into the damp earth.


    "He had told me he intended to stay alive for a very long time yet, he wanted to see what it was like to have power."


    "He believed in you, Maxime."


    Maxime didn''t answer.


    Silence fell again, a moment of contemplation that even the night winds seemed to respect.


    All around them, mercenaries and victorious soldiers gathered their dead and dressed their wounds, but this corner of the field seemed strangely isolated from the rest.


    "We''ll honor him, like all our fallen comrades tonight," Maxime said solemnly, rising to his feet.


    "He deserves a farewell worthy of what he accomplished. But for now... we must move on. He would have wanted that too."


    Rodrigo nodded, still perturbed, but determined.


    "Thank you, Chief."


    Before leaving, he leaned over and closed the old man''s eyelids, covering his face with a simple cloak.


    Then, with one last look, he straightened up, his heart heavy but his shoulders straight.


    Together they left that dark corner of the battlefield, leaving behind them the old man who now rested in peace, the smile still fixed on his lips as if he were finally living in a better place, far from the noise of battle and the fury of the world.

 Chapter 61 - 61: Farewell (2/2)

    The mercenaries in charge of the bodies came a few moments later to tend to Organ''s body.


    "So he''s dead too.


    "Yeah, I saw him in his last moments. He knew he couldn''t do anything against two apprentice knights, one of whom was just a small success. 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 place.


    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 success 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 minutes later it was all over.


    The night ended in a strange atmosphere.


    The sky on the horizon gradually blazed 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, laden with the moisture of the morning dew, and silence reigned on this wasteland 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 flames.


    Some were wrapped in blankets or cloaks found on the battlefield; others, fallen with nothing to protect them, simply lay in the dust.


    The faces of the dead were calm, frozen in an expression of eternal immobility. Their weapons had been carefully laid out beside them, a final mark of respect for these fallen men.


    Mercenaries and soldiers, still marked by exhaustion, dragged the last 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 accompanied this sad funeral ballet.


    Maxime stood a few steps from the pyre, erect and silent.


    His gaze wandered over the bodies of his fallen companions, those with whom he had shared wine and fire, those who would never laugh 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 place beside Maxime after carefully laying 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 recommendations 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 become 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 one last 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, our companions, those who fought alongside us. They left us yesterday, in chaos and blood, but today they rest in peace. This pyre, these flames... it''s all we can offer them now."


    He paused, his gaze sweeping over the tired faces of his men.


    "In particular, I''d like to highlight the courage of many of our men, starting with Organ."


    "A former bandit who had come 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 flames rising little by little, ready to devour the dry wood.


    "Today, we let them go. We entrust them to the flames, 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 with complicated eyes, but they were also filled with respect.


    The charisma exuded by this young man with blond hair was particularly 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 acceptance of what awaited them all one day.


    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 flames of the pyre, before lowering it gently to add it to the fires already lit. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As if gasoline had been on fire, the flames 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 flames, 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 flames 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 62 - 62: The day after a fight

    It was some time before the fire died down, at which point Maxime sighed silently, looking up at the clear sky.


    The sun was beginning to release its soft glow and comfortable embrace.


    "I wonder how often I''ll be attending this kind of funeral from now on."


    Clearing these dark thoughts, Maxime left silently.


    As the chief left, many mercenaries and soldiers followed him, while others chose to stay a while longer.


    At the edge of the forest, mercenaries and soldiers, still smeared with dried blood and dust, returned to the village, their heavy footsteps echoing on the beaten earth.


    The villagers, already up and about, were waiting for them, but a certain distance, mingled with curiosity and apprehension, had settled between them.


    Although the village was some distance from the battlefield, all the families had heard the soldiers'' cries of rage, despair and sadness.


    As a result, he didn''t know how to approach these people who had undoubtedly experienced something atrocious the night before.


    And indeed, these men and women, who only the day before had put up a fierce fight, were now almost unrecognizable.


    They had left behind the face of war and death to adopt a totally different attitude. Some were already beginning to remove their breastplates and place their weapons in various places.


    This simple gesture in itself was strange to the villagers, used to seeing these warriors always ready for battle, always on the alert.


    Since their arrival, they had never seen them without their equipment.


    Even when they ate in the evening, they kept it on.


    But that day, many mercenaries and soldiers took it away.


    Near the farms, mercenaries had picked up picks and shovels, joining the villagers to help them with their tasks.


    An old farmer, his eyebrows furrowed, watched as these men, accustomed to wielding swords, drove pickaxes into the ground with a precision that was no match for that of an experienced person.


    Beside him, a young woman, holding a child in her arms, stared at the mercenaries with a mixture of astonishment and fear.


    She murmured: "They''re not like yesterday..."


    Her child, his eyes innocent, watched the mercenaries work with curiosity as he kept his index finger warm in his mouth.


    A soldier, still covered in mud, stopped beside the old man and, without a word, bent down to pick up a fallen plank of wood.


    The farmer hesitated for a moment, observing the man in scratched armor, before nodding his thanks.


    A silent, almost solemn exchange took place between them, as if last night''s deeds were already distant, belonging to another life.


    Near the village well, a small group of women had formed, stealthily watching a mercenary who, after removing his battered helmet, began chopping wood with an axe.


    The thud of each blow echoed in the still morning air.


    The man who had fought so fiercely the day before now seemed entirely absorbed in this simple, repetitive task.


    His movements were fluid, efficient, as if he''d been doing this all his life. Yet the mark of war was still visible in his tired eyes, a shadow that would not easily disappear.


    "They''re softer than you''d think," murmured one of the women, a widow from the village.


    She remembered her husband as the kindest, most caring man she''d ever known. Yet he was also a soldier.


    "They''re not always bloodthirsty beasts. When the fighting stops, they become men like us again."


    In a corner of the village, Rodrigo was helping to milk the cows, which was a more technical task, under the watchful eye of an elderly farm woman. She looked at him with suspicion, guessing that something had happened last night.


    But the young man was calm, his gestures clumsy but full of goodwill.


    "It''s not as easy as wielding an axe, is it?" he joked softly, a sad smile on his lips.


    The old woman didn''t reply, worrying about him.


    Henry and Ultia also helped out in the village, but they no longer maintained their original arrogance and pride.


    After that bloody baptism, both had matured.


    The day continued in a strange atmosphere.


    When evening came, the meals were no longer as lively as before.


    The mercenaries and soldiers eating in the villagers'' homes no longer seemed able to formulate long sentences.


    "Bon app��tit."


    "Thank you for the meal."


    "Good night."


    These were the most common phrases heard that evening.


    Maxime stood alone, on a wooden chair, arms crossed beside Andrew''s bed, which was still unconscious.


    The flickering light of a candle on the bedside table cast dancing shadows on the walls, creating an atmosphere both peaceful and heavy with gravity. Outside, the night stretched on, silent, disturbed only by the distant chirping of crickets and the light breeze blowing through the trees.


    A wide bandage covered his right flank, where the enemy''s blade had bitten deep. Every breath he took was a struggle, a hoarse whisper that betrayed the severity of his wounds. Sweat beaded on his forehead, testifying to the invisible battle he was waging against death.


    The village healer, a stooped old woman with deft hands, had already passed by, applying ointments and bandages, murmuring prayers to the ancient spirits. She had done all she could. Now the rest was up to him and his will.


    "You little fucker, I hope resting in this bed is more comfortable than bathing in your blood in the middle of the forest."


    Maxime laughed lightly as he thought back to last night.


    Terry, James, Piedro and Izo arrived just then.


    "Still here, Chief?"


    James asked in a husky voice.


    Clearly, this tall, strong young man had been scarred by last night.


    "Yeah, obviously, where''s Peter?"


    "Dead."


    Izo, who normally kept an impassive expression, had a tear running down his left eye.


    Maxime remained silent for a moment.


    "Alessandro?"


    "Dead."


    "Ronny?"


    "Dead."


    Every time Maxime asked, Izo''s neutral, emotionless voice popped up.


    "So of the 8 mercenaries originally recruited from Quessoi, only 5 are left," Maxime thought sadly.


    It was a fitting reflection of the tragedy that had unfolded the night before.


    "If only I''d arrived earlier, maybe many mercenaries could have survived."


    At that moment, he wondered if he would really be able to carry all the weight of the dead that would be on his shoulders in the future.


    War really did bring nothing but destruction, sadness and anger in its wake.


    "For my family, I have no choice."


    Maxime reinforced his conviction once again.


    Alien attacks were becoming more and more frequent, and everyone could see that humans were finding it harder and harder to defend themselves.


    Just as had happened with the Piran attack.


    Not to mention the oppression of civilians by certain powerful families. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Chief, urgent news!"


    A mercenary came panicking into the room, breaking the heavy atmosphere there.


    "What''s going on?"


    The mercenary glanced at Terry and the others.


    "It''s okay, they can listen."


    The mercenary nodded, then took on a serious expression.


    "When I arrived at the village of Enor, what I saw was nothing but destruction."


    "The village wall had completely collapsed while most of the houses and fields were burned."


    "Fortunately, almost all the villagers were neither injured nor killed, but they lost a lot during that night."


    "It''s not certain that they''ll all be able to survive the coming winter."


    The mood in the room was heavy after hearing this news.


    "What about the baron''s apprentice knights and soldiers?"


    The mercenary answered Maxime''s question at once.


    "Of the 12 apprentice knights sent by Baron Irut, I''ve learned that only 3 survived."


    "Concerning the soldiers, I heard that only about ten of them were able to escape."


    "The 3 surviving apprentice knights left to warn Knight Ron of their failure, but when they all returned it was already too late."


    "I heard that Knight Ron was furious and had followed the trail of the men in black, but I don''t know any more."


    After this news, Maxime''s face didn''t change.


    It was as if he was already used to being told about death as a common thing.


    "Okay, thanks for your work. You can go and get some rest."


    The mercenary left immediately.


    The atmosphere returned to silence.


    "What do we do now, boss?"

 Chapter 63 - 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 village. Go and ask them if they''d be interested in becoming 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 relationship with the villagers would diminish. What''s more, those who are weak have complexes and therefore dreams that stem from these complexes that are far more powerful than those who were born strong."


    "Besides, don''t limit yourself to this village."


    "Ask our men to go to Honor''s village."


    "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. By coming 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 of last 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 accompanied 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 success."


    Maxime turned his gaze on Andrew, who was still breathing heavily, and murmured:


    "A great success, 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 plans.


    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 village of Henor have long since returned, so why haven''t those in the village of Plouta returned yet?"


    "Could something have gone wrong?"


    "No it couldn''t, according to the spies sent, the forces defending Plouta must have been even weaker than the village 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. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 slaughtered. The mercenaries, the village 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 villagers and a few honorless mercenaries slaughtered 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 thunderclap. 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 of lawless 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 slamming down on the desk again.


    "They have no discipline, no loyalty... How could they...?!"


    He stopped suddenly, breathless, eyes burning with rage and incomprehension. 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 blade.


    "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 breath coming 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 becoming 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 village, 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 64 - 64: Charles

    Hypocamp.


    In the subdued shadow of his study, Baron Irut stood by the window, hands folded behind his back.


    He watched the twilight begin to descend on his lands, the fields in the distance gilded by the fading sunlight.


    The soft glow that bathed the room contrasted violently with the inner turmoil bubbling up inside him. Beside him, Chevalier Jack stood motionless, waiting for his lord to react to the news he had just reported.


    The Baron remained silent for a few moments longer, his eyes lost in the horizon, a kind of forced calm weighing on his shoulders.


    He should have been satisfied, shouldn''t he? Plouta was well protected. Thanks to the mercenaries, the enemy had been annihilated.


    But a bitter smile played on his lips.


    "Saber-toothed tigers, eh." he thought.


    They''d done the job they''d been paid to do, and more. They''d delivered a decisive victory on top of the fact that 3 precious apprentice knights, 2 of them geniuses, were still alive.


    But, as he''d learned the hard way, in war, even victory can have a bitter taste. And this victory was overshadowed by what had happened elsewhere.


    He turned slowly to Jack, his gaze hardening.


    "So the mercenaries... did exactly what was expected of them," he said calmly, almost too calmly.


    "The enemy is no longer a threat to the mine. With last night''s fighting, Baron Barton should calm down for a while to digest the losses. The victory, in part, is ours."


    Jack nodded with some admiration.


    "Yes, my lord. The first village is saved, and your apprentice knights are safe, including Killian who is a very good apprentice knight but also Henry and Ultia, our young geniuses."


    "How did you know that the mercenaries would have a great chance of defeating Baron Barthon?"


    Baron Irut shook his head, surprising Jack.


    "I didn''t."


    "Baron Barthon must not have known of their strength, so I gambled."


    "Who could have predicted that a new mercenary group could be so strong?"


    "But..."


    The "but" hanging in the air crashed like a stone into the Baron''s mind, weighing down his pent-up anger.


    The Baron closed his eyes, his jaw twitching with burning anger.


    He inhaled deeply, trying to contain the rage rising within him. His soldiers had died almost needlessly in Enor. These lands, so precious to his domain, had been reduced to ashes. All for the price of a mine.


    "Was it really worth it?"


    He turned abruptly, striding up and down the room, his boots pounding the floor with restrained fury.


    "How could this happen?! With so many apprentice knights and soldiers, the village should have been safe!"


    The baron stopped suddenly, staring intently at Jack. "What about Ron? Where''s Ron?" he asked in a lowered voice, but one heavy with icy concern.


    Jack took a deep breath before answering.


    "My lord... Ron, carried away by rage, followed in the footsteps of Baron Barthon''s soldiers. He left the battlefield on horseback, alone."


    "Since then... there''s been no news of him."


    "No one knows where he is."


    The baron''s face hardened even more. Ron''s temerity had put him in danger. A danger he should never have faced alone.


    "So he''s lost?" he asked without waiting for an answer.


    The Baron turned away again, approaching the large fireplace at the far end of the room. He stared at the flames, his mind whirling.


    On the one hand, he was pleased with the mercenaries'' work. They''d done their part, and their brutality had wiped out the enemy.


    But for Enor... it was a disaster. Her lands burned, her soldiers dead, and one of her knights missing. It all irritated her deeply. Victory had a bittersweet taste, and the losses were hard to digest. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But there was nothing he could do for Ron; a knight was already in the realm of the extraordinary.


    Sending people would be completely useless, while sending Jack would increase the risk of something happening.


    "So let''s get on with exploiting this damned mine.


    Baron Irut''s words echoed around the room.


    3 days passed quickly.


    After the attack, Maxime''s men began recruiting men from both Plouta and H��nor villages.


    Recruitment was a great success, particularly in the village of H��nor.


    Candidate after candidate poured in.


    Maxime had limited recruitment to 60 mercenaries in the village of H��nor and 15 mercenaries in Plouta.


    With the remaining 25 mercenaries, this brought the total to 100 mercenaries, not including logistics personnel.


    Maxime knew this was a lot, but after a few battles and missions, this number would drastically decrease to keep only the elite.


    "Holy shit, how is that possible?"


    [Charles: Four-star potential, affinity with dragons. Physique: 1.5.]


    "So you''re Charles, are you?"


    Maxime stood in the village inn of Plouta and before him was the source of his surprise.


    A young man of 15/16, with dark, curly hair. He looked thin, but everyone in the village of H��nor knew how impressive his strength was.


    Many people said he was born with divine strength.


    "Yeah, and you''re Maxime, aren''t you?" replied Charles with a dark face but also a slight air of arrogance.


    His parents were among the few victims in the village of H��nor after the attack.


    He had seen his parents killed before his very eyes by a few men in black as they robbed his home of its few precious possessions.


    He was therefore filled with hatred and thoughts of revenge.


    However, he had always been praised for his powerful physical strength, and everyone was already saying that he undoubtedly had knightly talent and would become an exceptional knight.


    So he retained a lot of arrogance.


    He was so arrogant that he wouldn''t have joined Baron Irut''s forces for the world.


    He wanted to create his own group of mercenaries and then rely on this group to perform meritorious deeds in order to gain his own territory.


    Recent events had disrupted his plans, but the arrival of the saber-toothed tigers was just the thing.


    He planned to climb the ranks quickly, defeat the mercenary leader and then become the group''s leader.


    When he felt the change in his body, he was already taken aback, making him question himself.


    But for the time being, he kept to his plans, making no direct link with his integration into the mercenary group.


    However, this was without knowing Maxime''s temperament.


    Maxime brought his face slightly closer to Charles''.


    "Call me by my first name again when we don''t know each other and I''ll cut your head off, is that okay?"


    Maxime''s cold words refreshed Charles'' thoughts directly as he nodded with a few drops of perspiration.


    "I didn''t hear anything!"


    "It''s okay."


    "Louder!"


    "It''s okay!"


    "It''s okay, who!?"


    "It''s okay, chief!"


    "Good."


    The little exchange of greetings ended quickly, as Maxime resumed a normal position in his chair.


    "Would you like something to drink?"


    Maxime''s sudden question disturbed Charles.


    "A glass of water, please...chief."


    Maxime waved his hand at the inn''s waitress.


    Normally there wasn''t one, but with soldiers and mercenaries pouring in, not only a waitress but a cook as well as cleaning staff were needed.


    "Hi Maxime, hello young man, so what would you like?"


    The waitress greeted the two guests enthusiastically and with a beautiful smile.


    "Hi Sandrine, that''ll be two glasses of water as well as a charcuterie platter please."


    "Will that be all?"


    "That will be all."


    "Okay, I''ll be right back."


    Maxime and Charles looked at each other for a long moment, without saying a word.


    The noise and enthusiastic chatter around them only increased with time, but the atmosphere remained heavy between the two men, or rather for Charles.


    It wasn''t until Sandrine returned that the tension dropped a notch.


    "There you go!"


    "Great, thanks Sandrine."


    "My pleasure."


    Maxime casually took a small piece of charcuterie.


    "So tell me Charles, what are your ambitions, your dreams?"


    Charles seemed surprised, wondering whether he should really reveal them or tell lies that might please a mercenary leader.


    But either way, he knew it was worth it for him to tell the truth.


    "Grow up, train, get stronger, defeat you, take control of the mercenary group and then perform meritorious deeds to become noble."


    The next moment, he was beginning to regret having said that.


    It was like telling the King that he would stage a coup and take all his power by rebelling.

 Chapter 65 - 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?"


    Maxime laughed lightly.


    "No, even nobles have classes. 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 become 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 become a knight. That means that even if I were to place 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 become 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 become a dragon tamer."


    But before Charles could become happy, Maxime poured him the cold shower.


    "But what kind of dragon would enter into a contract with a human incapable of becoming extraordinary?"


    "Isn''t that ironic?"


    Charles was completely flustered after all this information.


    His thoughts were completely 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 my command 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 was completely 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 village 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 become stronger and stronger. By being at my side you can hope to one day become a noble and above all take advantage of your talent and become a true dragon knight."


    "But once you''re no longer under my command, 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 become one of your sharpest swords." sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 become a dragon knight is to become 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 village of H��nor, while the last 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 few common 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 newcomers.


    Everyone understood that the stronger the comrades, 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 the large 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 hiccup, 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 incomprehension.


    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 66 - 66: News

    "Because that means it''s really fucked up, and the band''s facing extinction, hic."


    This shocked Charles.


    What kind of talent could be so important and especially so powerful?


    This exchange intrigued Charles deeply, making him increasingly curious.


    Just then, the3rd mercenary at the table intervened.


    "Or that the boss is very angry."


    "Bahaha it''s true I''ve heard about that too, hic."


    Charles looked at Tristan, who was smiling ruefully, seeming to know what they were talking about.


    Tristan quickly recalled the anecdote about his boss being foolish enough to punch one of Baron Irut''s knights in the face.


    Come to think of it, he was rather proud to have such a powerful and courageous leader, but at the same time he wasn''t sure if it was a good thing that his boss could be so impulsive.


    Suddenly, a powerful voice drew everyone''s attention.


    Everyone looked at a man standing in the inn.


    This was a strange man, not one of Baron Irut''s mercenaries or soldiers.


    He was also dressed very strangely, looking like a bard.


    "Brave gentlemen, have you heard what''s going on in the south?"


    "But from the looks of your stupid faces, I guess not haha!"


    As he insulted everyone, most people looked at him with displeasure while others looked at him with interest and curiosity.


    "Stop being such a smartass, stranger, or you''ll find out just how sharp my blade is!"


    A soldier threatened the tourist in all seriousness.


    "Go on Ivan, tear him to pieces!"


    "Yeah, cut him into a thousand pieces and feed them to the animals!"


    "Next time you open your mouth, it''ll be to spit out your teeth stranger!"


    ...


    The atmosphere quickly turned chaotic as the man provoked some hot-blooded men.


    "Stop acting like savages, and let''s hear what this man wishes to say."


    A light voice ran through the tavern, but everyone fell silent instantly as they recognized the speaker.


    It was the vice-chief of the saber-toothed tigers, Andrew.


    Many of those present had seen Andrew''s fearlessness on the battlefield, and the rest had heard about it.


    No one had the courage to challenge his words.


    "Will I ever be like him?"


    Charles''s thoughts flared as he watched Andrew''s poise.


    By sitting back in his chair and speaking softly, he had calmed countless fierce men in one fell swoop.


    But the stranger was not at all perturbed.


    "haha, thank you dear friend, what''s your first name?"


    "Andrew. Tell us this famous news or I''ll let these men do what they wish with you."


    "Ohoh, in that case indeed I have no choice but to tell you this news."


    The stranger wasn''t at all frightened when he answered this, in fact he took it with humor.


    "I bring news from the south, where the winter winds blow earlier than at home. Dark news, spreading like a shadow over our lands..."


    Murmurs rose again, some exchanging worried glances. The man raised his voice to cover the low hubbub.


    "The orcs, my friends. They''re back. Again. This winter."


    A shiver ran through the room. Faces froze, mugs froze halfway between table and lips.


    "I was at the gates of Ravemont County, where the story goes that scouts were massacred near the border of the Black Mountains. Their bodies... unrecognizable. Tracks in the snow leave no doubt. The orcs are getting organized, and this time, they''re not just targeting isolated farms. No...


    They''ve raised an army. A real one."


    The murmurs intensified again.


    "Count Ardan is preparing his defenses, but he''s alone, far too isolated to face this threat."


    "It is said that the orcs plan to march towards the southern lands, devastating everything in their path. The viscounts who border his domain are already on the alert, and missives have been sent to the surrounding barons, but..."


    The bard paused, weighing his words as if to increase their gravity. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Some say these creatures won''t stop there. They don''t just want to plunder the food as usual."


    The seriousness of the matter suddenly increased.


    If the matter was mishandled, the Kingdom could lose land!


    "They would seek to take these lands before spring."


    A heavy silence fell over the inn.


    Some of the old soldiers, those who had already known the fear of an orc invasion in their youth, suddenly looked more pallid, as if buried memories had come to haunt them once again.


    "And... that''s not all," continued the bard in a lower voice, prompting everyone to listen.


    "What do you mean by that?" tossed Andrew, frowning.


    The bard sighed and looked down.


    "There''s talk of alliances between certain orc tribes and humans, traitors who sell them information. Others say that dark sorcerers lurk in the mountains, offering orcs powers they never had."


    The mercenaries and soldiers looked at each other, aghast, sensing a far greater threat looming on the horizon.


    "So... what do we do?" asked a voice in the crowd.


    A young man with blond hair, followed by a young woman with long brown hair, entered the inn at that very moment and replied.


    "Absolutely nothing."


    Simultaneously, the young man glanced casually at the stranger.


    The latter simply smiled in response.


    "We''ll simply go where there''s money, if there''s no money then you won''t find our mercenaries there."


    "As for the soldiers, try to keep your heads on your shoulders until the fighting is over."


    "When that happens, the Kingdom will already have intervened and put down the orc attack."


    "In any case, you''re overestimating your strength and underestimating the monsters in the Kingdom."


    Panic inside the inn was immediately quelled.


    "The boss is right, there''s always someone all the way up there to block out the sky when it falls."


    "Even if we went, we''d only be cannon fodder!"


    "Anyway, these nobles have their own troops as well as the kingdom that will support them, how can this go wrong!!!


    ...


    Maxime took one last look at the mysterious man, then went straight off with Laura.


    He''d just dropped by because he''d overheard what was being said in the inn while he was wandering around town with Laura.


    "That man was strange, and above all he gave me a feeling of danger."


    Laura was worried as she said this.


    From the moment she''d entered the inn, she''d felt like a knife was at her throat.


    "Yes, I felt the same way. Hoping he won''t get involved in our business..." replied Maxime, while adding something else.


    "Time is extremely important to us. As long as we give it time, the strength of our mercenary group will become powerful."


    "Are you thinking of Charles when you say that?"


    "Not just Charles, despite his potential, it''ll be a long time before he has the strength of a knight, even with the help of my talent."


    The two continued chatting while the atmosphere in the inn returned to normal.


    The bard sat down quietly on one of the stools at the inn''s counter, which also doubled as a bar.


    "What an interesting young man, to be able to be so strong but also gather so many talents around him and simultaneously have so much respect from his subordinates, he really is exceptional."


    "Each of these points could make him a genius even in the empire, but he had to possess only a low-level knightly talent as well as a vulgar talent for endurance and strength."


    Surprisingly, this strange man could instantly analyze the talents Maxime possessed apart from his main one.


    "He''s not even a noble. At most, he could become a baron, and that would already be the achievement of a lifetime."


    "Where can I find a true genius who could save us all?"


    The stranger''s eyes became extremely deep and mysterious.


    "Besides, I hope the old fuddy-duddies of this Kingdom''s royal court don''t underestimate the orc invasion, or they''ll deeply regret it."


    Thinking of a certain existence among orcs, even he was intimidated.


    The mercenary who had threatened the bard rose to his feet.


    "Stranger, why are you so quiet all of a sudden!?"


    The latter turned, and his eyes, still not having returned to the original, fixed on the mercenary.


    "Brave gentlemen, would you like me to sing you a song from my homeland?"


    The bard''s gentle voice echoed through the inn.


    But the mercenary who asked the question was entranced by the bard''s mysterious eyes and temporarily unable to answer.


    But other soldiers and mercenaries saw nothing and began to shout.


    "Go on champion, we''re all listening!


    "You''d better sing well, considering the shitty atmosphere you created earlier!"


    The atmosphere in the inn picked up again.


    No one had noticed the anomaly in the bard''s eyes, except the mercenary, who was now watching with suspicion as this unknown man sang softly around the inn and set the mood.

 Chapter 67 - 67: Ron Returns

    Things were going smoothly for the saber-toothed tigers.


    New and old mercenaries were training regularly.


    An apprentice knight representing the Baron had passed through the village.


    Maxime greeted him, and the latter explained that he had only come to hand over 100 gold coins to the leader of the saber-toothed tigers.


    Indeed, Baron Irut had been very pleased with the mercenaries'' performance and had given them an exceptional bonus.


    The apprentice knight also raised the question of the villagers recruited into the mercenary group, saying that if Maxime needed men, he could apply directly to Baron Irut, who could use his power to promote them.


    Maxime had been surprised by these gestures, but on reflection, it was a logical decision on the part of the baron.


    At present, the mercenary group was totally tied in with the baron''s territory, and once the mercenary housing was finished, there would forever be a branch of the saber-toothed tigers here.


    Incidentally, Maxime had sent a mercenary to Brotherhood House.


    Indeed, they had rented accommodation via their network in Nansoy.


    So it was now important to terminate this contract, since having a base in Hypocamp and another hidden in the forest was sufficient.


    "System displays my statistics and those of the mercenary group."


    Classes:


    Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique)


    Swordsman level 6 (+5% physics) (0/175)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/50


    Physique: 2.75 (+0.22 class bonus) (+0.30 passive trait bonus)


    Qi: 0


    Skills :


    Swordsmanship level 3 (10/100)


    Franc language proficiency level 2 (36/100)


    Passive trait :


    +11% physicality when wielding a sword


    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 available: 25 gold coins (in the system) + 250 gold coins (saber-toothed tiger treasury)


    Mercenary:


    Charles: Four-star potential, affinity with dragons. Physical: 2.1


    Andrew: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.4


    Laura: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.4


    Ernest: Three-star potential. Physics: 2.3


    Romuald: Two-star potential and a minor talent in physics. Physics: 2.3


    Rodrigo: Two-star potential and an elemental affinity with the earth. Physics: 2.1


    Tena: Two-star potential and a minor intelligence talent. Physical: 2


    Izo: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.9


    Terry: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.8


    James: Two star potential. Physical: 1.8


    Piedro: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.8


    Joe: Two star potential. Physics: 1.8


    Irus: 2-star potential. Physics: 1.5


    ...


    "Wow, Charles increased his physique by 0.6 points in just two weeks. This 4-star talent is really scary."


    Maxime felt really lucky to have found a mercenary with the original 3-star potential so quickly and, above all, so easily.


    "As expected, three-star potentials always improve, but very slowly."


    It was normal for the progress of 3-star talents to slow down significantly despite the bonus of Maxime''s talent.


    Indeed, the closer mercenaries get to the limits of their potential, the more complicated it becomes to strengthen their physique.


    This made Romuald''s and Rodrigo''s talents all the more astonishing, enabling them to quickly reach the limits of their potential and even surpass it.


    In Eternity, nothing was set in stone.


    The rules were movable, and the unpredictable could happen at any moment.


    "Two-star talents also stagnate for those above 1.7 points."


    "The most impressive remains Rodrigo, who has broken the two-point barrier; his talent is not only useful in combat, but also allows you to cross the limits of potential."


    Maxime had overheard mercenaries discussing Rodrigo''s amazing exploits on the battlefield.


    When he spoke to him again, Rodrigo explained that he had developed the ability to create a thin layer of rock at will on any part of his body.


    On top of this, he felt a mysterious energy slowly strengthening both his body and mind. He knew he hadn''t yet reached his limits.


    On Baron Irut''s side, a very important person had just reappeared.


    His thick beard and strong odor were of little concern to the Baron.


    On the contrary, a broad smile of relief spread across his face.


    He was reassured to see his knight back safe and sound.


    Ron had finally reappeared!


    "You really had me worried, Ron.


    "Excuse me, my lord, but the thought of those bastards getting away so easily disgusted me to no end."


    Come to think of it, Ron had an ugly expression.


    "So what have you been doing all this time?"


    Ron began to explain what he''d been going through for the past two weeks.


    And he told him some frightening news.


    Following the troops that had attacked the village of Henor, he inadvertently stumbled into a secret camp of Baron Barthon.


    Inside, countless troops were training regularly.


    "How many?" asked Baron Irut, both curious and, above all, anxious.


    "I don''t know exactly, but I''d say there are at least 2,000 ordinary soldiers, 300 elite soldiers and about 30 apprentice knights."


    "In addition, it''s not impossible that one or two knights are stationed there to guarantee order in the camp.


    Baron Irut jumped from his chair.


    "Where did he find so many troops?"


    Ron, who wore a solemn expression, shook his head.


    "I don''t know, my lord, but even without counting the troops resident in the town of Nancoy, Baron Barthon''s military strength reaches a truly frightening level."


    Baron Irut sat back gently, then put his hand to his forehead.


    "We have only 1500 ordinary soldiers, 200 elite soldiers and a dozen apprentice knights after the battles of Plouta and Nansoy." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My god, how can we have the strength to compete with so many soldiers?"


    "Especially knowing that Baron Barthon has other troops in his town and villages.


    Baron Irut looked desperate.


    "Baron, I''ve also made another discovery."


    "What''s that?"


    Baron Irut looked at Knight Ron with some despair.


    "Listening to discussions in the hidden camp, I heard that Baron Barthon wishes to conquer the territory of all nearby barons and become a viscount directly using certain methods!"


    "Excuse me!? Could you repeat that Ron?"


    Baron Irut thought the previous news was shocking enough, but it had to be on top of that Baron Barthon wished to use a method of promotion despised by all.


    That is, to attack and capture the territory of other barons!


    The most legitimate way to climb the nobility ladder was usually to fight at the front against the orcs in the south and earn military merit.


    Or at least, you had to make a contribution to the kingdom.


    By earning military merit or making contributions, the Kingdom could offer gold, precious objects and, above all, territory!


    Once strength reached a certain level and territory was sufficient, promotion to the corresponding title was easy.


    It was in this context that certain vicious-minded nobles found it easier to orchestrate plots, seize neighboring territories and subjugate apprentice knights or even knights in the service of other lords.


    As long as it was done quickly and ordinary citizens weren''t affected, the Kingdom remained indifferent.


    "My lord, Baron Barthon wishes to eradicate some of the nobles in the vicinity and take the land in his name."


    Baron Irut took a deep breath to calm himself, then remained silent for a moment.


    He tapped rhythmically on the desk in front of him.


    Then he stopped.


    "Ron.


    "Yes, my lord."


    "You are to go to Baron Kenepis to the north, Baron Terquan to the south and Baron Ivan who is east of Nansoy, and tell them what you have just told me."


    Baron Irut''s orders surprised Ron, but he nodded.


    "I swear on my honor to complete this task as quickly as possible."


    "Good."


    Once Ron was gone, Baron Irut sighed heavily.


    "As if the orcs, more menacing than ever, weren''t enough... it took a powerful and treacherous baron to pop up at the same time."


    He sighed, his gaze lost in the distance.


    "I hope I can at least protect these lands."


    His thoughts drifted to the town''s inhabitants.


    "All those citizens who work so hard... they deserve to live in peace."


    He then sat back down, resuming the town''s administrative affairs with an invisible weight weighing on his shoulders.

 Chapter 68 - 68: Rumors

    As the day wore on, news of the recent battlefields had begun to circulate, 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 exclaimed excitedly.


    "How did Maxime and his mercenaries win that battle? Everyone said that the enemies in black 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 plausible. 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 annihilated. Most of the houses went up in smoke..."


    "Yes, it''s a good thing the men dressed in black weren''t cruel and bloody to ordinary people, the vast majority of Henor''s villagers 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 explain 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 to laugh until he bent double.


    "Don''t laugh like that, I''m sure they exist!" asserted the merchant with certainty and confidence.


    "Stop it! Rumors have been circulating 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 black 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!" exclaimed 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 village 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 his command. 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 become 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 glance, he appeared thin, but beneath this appearance lay 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 the last moment.


    **Clang!


    He took a step forward and struck again, this time with a diagonal thrust.


    Every movement seemed calculated, 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.


    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 circular 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 planted 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 planted his sword in the ground, taking a moment to contemplate 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 one last time as he executed one last 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. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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: applause.


    Slow at first, then more regular.


    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 - 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." commented Ron in a deep, warm voice, his hands stopping to clap 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 one last 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 breastplate, 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 become 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 place with a weapon in your hand, but in the decisions you have to make."


    Speaking of which, he thought about the latest events that had just transpired.


    He turned slightly, glancing towards the darkness of the woods he''d just come 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 been laid 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 village 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 becoming 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. The latter 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 villagers 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 with commandments, 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 you come 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 knights come 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 become 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.


    "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, your compassion."


    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. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 become strong enough for the events that will come."


    "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.


    Maxime laughed lightly, then finally announced his idea.


    "We''re going south to fight the orcs!"

 Chapter 70 - 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 become 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 succeed, 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 out laughing.


    "Maybe I do. But above all, I want us to become something bigger, Laura. Not just mercenaries who take contracts without thinking. We can build something lasting, 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 becoming 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 village 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 circulate.


    "Did you hear what Maxime has planned 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 glanced toward the trees lining the village.


    "Smells like trouble. Every time he has a meeting like this, it means we''re going to move."


    Romuald didn''t seem particularly touched, but he was still curious.


    "You think we''re going to move from here? Knowing that Baron Barthon certainly hasn''t said his last 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.


    "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."


    The two glanced 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 nervous laugh.


    "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 village.


    "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 guys last 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 plan, 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 out laughing.


    "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 penetrated by a new orifice."


    The two looked at each other and burst out laughing.


    "Fuck off or I''ll make you feel how it feels."


    The two walked on in good humor as they continued chatting and laughing.


    ...


    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 fireplaces, their faces illuminated by the light of the flames.


    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, exchanging laughter and jokes with their comrades.


    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 calculated slowness, his gaze settling on his companions 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. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 become powerful mercenaries thanks to their efforts and Maxime''s talent, but against the might of apprentice knights it was already complicated, 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 flames.

 Chapter 71 - 71: Baron Iruts envoy

    His intense gaze swept the assembly. A hundred faces turned towards him, some curious, others slightly tense. They awaited his words.


    Maxime advanced to the center of the clearing, taking a deep breath before addressing his men. His voice was calm, but each word carried weight, as if marking a turning point in their shared destiny.


    "Mercenaries..." he began, drawing everyone''s attention.


    The murmurs died away completely.


    "You''ve proved to Plouta that we''re not just a group of mercenaries. We''ve repelled forces superior in numbers, and we''ve shown the world what we''re capable of. But that was only the beginning."


    All eyes were on him, some mercenaries shaking their heads with pride at the memory of past victory. Yet Maxime never smiled. His features were serious, almost hard.


    "What I''m about to tell you tonight is going to sound... crazy to some of you."


    The tension was palpable as everyone lowered the sound of their breathing to the maximum.


    "We''re going south."


    A slight murmur ran through the assembly. Questioning glances were exchanged, but Maxime continued, unperturbed.


    "We''re going to face the orcs.


    The shock was instantaneous. Exclamations erupted, and expressions of astonishment appeared on some faces.


    Andrew, who until then had been relaxed, suddenly straightened up, eyes wide.


    Romuald cleared his throat, trying to work out if this was a joke, but seeing Maxime''s seriousness, he knew it was not.


    "The orcs!" Charles blurted out, unable to hide his surprise.


    Maxime raised his hand, again imposing silence.


    "Yes, the orcs. They''ve been ravaging the southern lands for years, and every winter their threat grows. This is our chance to prove, not just to ourselves, but to the whole kingdom, that we are a force to be feared."


    "It''s also an opportunity for us to make our fortune, recruit new comrades and improve our power to deal with the unexpected."


    Tena, expecting a bold idea, couldn''t help but let out a small sigh.


    "The man''s too crazy..."


    But Maxime smiled this time, a confident smile full of determination.


    "If we succeed, if we manage to intervene in the war and be one of the key elements in pushing back the orcs, the name of our group will echo in every tavern, every castle, every corner of the kingdom."


    "I know it''s dangerous," he resumed in a deeper voice.


    "But there''s no glory without risk."


    Some of the mercenaries nodded silently, others still looked worried, but no one dared to argue. They knew that Maxime didn''t take this kind of decision lightly.


    "And that''s not all," he added, once again capturing the full attention of his men.


    "Once this mission is accomplished, we''ll be back here for another battle. A much closer one. But this time we''ll be totally ready. This will be the decisive battle against Baron Barthon."


    Faces froze. Baron Barthon''s name was synonymous with power and oppression in this region. Confronting his forces seemed an even greater challenge.


    Maxime continued, his voice now more determined than ever:


    "This will be the decisive battle. Once we''ve finished in the south, we''ll come back here, stronger, more numerous. And we''ll destroy Barthon''s forces. We''ll put an end to his tyranny, and we''ll take our place in history."


    The murmurs had turned into a palpable energy. Some mercenaries exchanged glances full of adrenalin and pride. Others remained silent, weighing up the magnitude of the battles ahead.


    But all understood that they were about to embark on something far greater than ordinary missions.


    "So get some rest," concluded Maxime.


    "The day after tomorrow, we''re leaving." S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The heavy air of the clearing took on a new tension, an excitement mixed with worry. The fate of the battles to come was still uncertain, but one thing was certain: the mercenaries'' destiny was about to change forever.


    Maxime stepped down from his wooden crate, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his mercenaries, who were slowly recovering from the shock announcement. Some were chatting amongst themselves, hesitating between enthusiasm and fear, while others were already sharpening their weapons.


    Laura walked alongside, arms crossed, watching her comrades with a pensive air.


    "You''ve managed to motivate them, but you know that''s only part of the problem. It takes more than determination to take on orcs, especially if they''re outnumbered."


    Maxime nodded, his face now more serious.


    "Yes, I know. But we still have a few days to prepare a real strategy. We''re not going to rush in headlong. I''m going to meet a few scouts, see if there''s any way of getting more information about their camp. We''re not walking into a trap."


    Laura nodded, impressed by her leader''s lucidity despite his usually carefree air.


    "Okay, that''s reassuring."


    The evening continued in a somewhat tense atmosphere, but fortunately for everyone, it ended quickly and everyone went to sleep.


    The next day, Laura and Maxime gathered in a small room of the new inn that temporarily served as a strategic meeting room for important discussions.


    "We now need to know how many there are, how they move, and above all, where to strike to weaken them before they can strike back."


    As they continued to ponder their strategy, one of the young mercenaries entered the room, out of breath.


    "Chief, a foreigner has just arrived. She claims to be an envoy from Baron Irut. She says it''s urgent."


    Maxime and Laura exchanged glances.


    "Should we expect a new problem?" asked Laura, suspiciously.


    Maxime squinted. "With Baron Irut, who knows. Send her in."


    The envoy entered the room, a young woman dressed in light armor, obviously traveling for several days judging by the dust that covered her clothes. She bowed quickly to Maxime and Laura.


    "Maxime? Leader of the saber-toothed tigers?"


    Maxime stepped forward resolutely.


    "That''s me."


    The woman nodded.


    "I''ve come from Baron Irut. He sends me with some disturbing news."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, approaching her curiously.


    "Speak, what''s on his mind?"


    "Baron Barthon... he''s getting ready. We''ve received reports that he''s been building up his forces faster than expected. The attack on his territory could be imminent."


    She paused, glancing nervously at Maxime.


    "Baron Irut asks you to be ready. He sees you as indispensable support against this threat."


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, thinking. Then he straightened up, his eyes sparkling with new resolve.


    "Good. Tell the baron he can count on us. But also inform him that we''re not yet ready to act recklessly. If he wants us to be one of his bulwarks, he must give us time."


    The envoy nodded, relieved by this answer.


    "I''ll pass on your words to him."


    When the envoy left the room, Laura sighed heavily.


    "Between the orcs and Baron Barthon, we''re in a hell of a fix."


    Maxime nodded contemplatively.


    "Yes. But it''s situations like this that forge legends. If we can get out of this, no one will be able to ignore us anymore."


    Laura smiled.


    "Well, Maxime, I sincerely hope everything goes as you plan, because if it doesn''t, we''re all going to die very soon."


    Maxime remained silent, aware of the dangers he was taking on.


    On the other hand, most of his comrades were simply trying to survive in the world of Eternity.


    Usually, they joined a famous mercenary group and went on simple escort missions.


    Although there was a slight risk involved, the rewards were well worth the effort to get off to a good start in Eternity.


    Some tried to join the forces of certain nobles, preferably viscounts or counts, so as to be able to guarantee a degree of security while having plenty of resources to improve their skills.


    Moreover, the advantage was that if they unlocked the knighting talent, they might be able to practice a breathing method and thus have another method than the system to become stronger.


    The two methods were compatible and one didn''t hinder the other.


    But all these methods could take years to achieve even the level of a knight.


    Even Maxime, who had a connection time of 2 months to Eternity - 4 or even 8 times longer than most people - would need at least 2 or 3 years to obtain this level of strength.


    But here, by his second connection, Maxime was already approaching the strength level of a knight and had a hundred powerful men under his command.


    But he knew he had achieved all this by relying on his talent and, above all, by being bold from the start.


    At the moment, his eyes were fixed on the map of the south spread out before him. Baron Irut''s envoy had just left, and with her, Barthon''s ominous shadow now hung over their camp.


    The wind outside was blowing harder, as if to indicate that the storm was approaching. Laura, at his side, watched him attentively, sensing the tension rising in her leader''s mind.


    "So, what do we do, boss?" she asked, her voice softer than usual.


    Maxime took a few seconds before answering.


    "We''re not changing our plans. The orcs are a real threat. If we manage to beat them, it will give us not only fame, but also extra men."


    "The nobles of the south will also come to us regularly to ask for protection. What''s more, thanks to our future reputation we''ll have a strong flow of new recruits and resources."


    He stared at Laura, looking determined.


    "But to take on Barthon, we''ll have to be very quick."


    Laura frowned, pondering her leader''s words.


    "So, you want us to play on both fronts virtually at the same time?"


    Maxime nodded.


    "Yes. The key is timing. We need to hit the orcs, win a quick and decisive victory. Then we''ll turn to Barthon."


    Laura crossed her arms, observing the map.


    "You realize we''re flirting with disaster, right? If we fail against the orcs, Barthon Barthon could take the opportunity to crush us."


    Maxime smiled.


    "And that''s precisely why we can''t fail that every step has to be calculated."

 Chapter 72 - 72: Recruit Henry and Ultia!

    "And that''s precisely why we can''t fail that every step must be carefully calculated."


    As they chatted, Ernest entered the tent, his bow strapped securely to his back.


    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 accomplish things that the sword couldn''t, and the bow held inestimable sentimental value for him.


    With a quick glance, he assessed Maxime and Laura.


    "You look preoccupied. 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 allayed 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 plan, though," Maxime replied, visibly more sure of himself.


    Laura and Ernest exchanged a glance, before staring again at Maxime, eager to listen attentively.


    Maxime, having obviously already thought everything through to the last 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 slaughterhouse 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, glancing confidently at Laura and Ernest. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 village will remain protected. This way, Baron Barthon won''t take the risk of launching a hasty attack if the village 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''ve come 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.


    "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 become 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 become 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 place 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 become 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 total commitment, 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 glance 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 accept them?]


    "Yes."


    [The apprentice knights Henry and Ultia have been successfully 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 her completely, 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 class.


    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 surprisingly compatible with this world!

 Chapter 73 - 73: The mystery of the breathing method revealed

    "Why are you reacting like this, Maxime?" asked Ernest, his tone tinged with concern.


    Maxime gasped slightly, brought back to reality by his friend''s question. He turned his head and saw Ernest and Laura staring at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. But even as he met their gazes, his mind remained cluttered with questions.


    "Henry, Ultia, can you practice the breathing method and tell me if there are any changes?"


    The two young apprentice knights awoke too, being busy feeling the changes deep in their genes.


    "Yes, of course!"


    The two then began to make a few slow movements, then speeding up suddenly before gradually slowing down again.


    Their breathing was also strange, obviously quite different from that of an ordinary person.


    It was as if there was an incomprehensible rhythm to it.


    As they did so, Henry and Ultia''s faces became increasingly shocked.


    "It''s okay, you can stop now. Can you tell us exactly what the changes are?"


    The two looked at each other, then seeming to feel the same, Henry spoke up.


    "It seems...that the breathing method has become totally ineffective."


    Maxime''s eyes sparkled.


    "That''s exactly what I thought! And I was wrong all along!"


    Ernest and Laura were confused, but everyone was curious.


    "What exactly is going on, Maxime?" asked Laura, her eyebrows furrowed.


    "Well, I think what I''m about to say will still have some omissions, but as I understand it, the breathing method is about gradually changing your potential while improving your physique passively through effort."


    "Normally what you feel Henry and Ultia, and why the breathing method tires a lot, is because it literally transforms your potential to make it stronger."


    "Similarly, every time, the satisfaction and pain you have during and after your workouts is almost exclusively related to improving your potential."


    "The importance of physical strengthening is in the minority when practicing the breathing method."


    This discovery also disappointed Maxime a little, as he thought he''d obtained a method for improving his physical strength without going through the system.


    But having the knightly talent also meant being able to awaken the vital seed at the knightly stage, and thus be able to exercise the powers associated with it.


    Indeed, a knight could almost be said to be disabled if he could no longer use his vital seed.


    "Now, my talent consists in improving the potential of any individual joining my mercenary group, by one level."


    "Which means your potential has already met the standards for becoming a knight."


    The excitement in Ultia and Henry''s eyes could be seen.


    "We can become knights at any time then?"


    Maxime shook his head.


    "Not exactly. You''ve only fulfilled the fundamental condition for becoming a knight."


    "To awaken the vital seed and become a knight, you still lack at least 0.9 points of physicality as well as the opportunity to awaken it."


    Indeed, once potential and physique had been achieved, it took powerful excitement, usually triggered in life-or-death battles, or through expensive potions for the vital seed to awaken and fully form.


    Henry and Ultia calmed down a little; they themselves knew far more than Maxime about the conditions for becoming a knight, but the excitement had clouded their judgment.


    However, they were now extremely optimistic!


    If before they''d only had a slim chance of becoming knights, and even then it was at least 10 years of training or more, now they were confident of becoming knights in less than a year!


    "Indeed, joining this mercenary group is the opportunity of a lifetime!


    Henry''s thoughts were similar to Ultia''s.


    "Why did you hesitate so long? Because of my hesitation we''ve lost so much time!"


    Henry had a slightly bitter taste in his mouth knowing this.


    And thinking about how he''d offended Maxime in the past with his arrogance, he felt like smashing his skull into a wall.


    He could have ruined the chance of a lifetime just because of his ego!


    Maxime also warned them as usual.


    "The chance you had today must remain discreet so that my talent is not known to all."


    "What''s more, I have great control over this part of my talent. At any time, if you wish to leave the mercenary group, if you make an irreparable mistake or if you betray the group, I will directly take away what I have given you today. You''ll also lose all the progress that''s been made thanks to the blessing of my talent."


    "In practical terms, this would return you to a physical strength similar to today''s."


    "If the circumstances are particularly grave, your head will also be drawn on several supports and then your face will be shown to all our mercenaries. You will then be hunted down by all the Sabertooth Tigers until your death is confirmed."


    Henry and Ultia shuddered.


    In their early days, saber-toothed tigers were already so strong, so in the future they could already imagine that if they did anything wrong, they might be hunted down by countless mercenaries as powerful as knights...or even stronger.


    Hearing all this, Henry made himself a promise.


    "From now on I''ll keep my head down forever in front of him and I''ll never cause trouble in the group!"


    For her part, Ultia wasn''t too worried by Maxime''s words and simply nodded in response.


    She knew she wouldn''t do anything to lose this opportunity.


    The speech over, Maxime smiled again.


    "Welcome to the saber-toothed tigers."


    Ernest and Laura smiled back.


    "I hope to be able to entrust you with my back on the battlefields, I''ll also assist you as best I can." added Ernest, while touching his girdle.


    "You will undoubtedly become the pillars of the mercenary group in no time, when that happens I hope to be able to count on you." continued Laura, as she lightly combed back her hair.


    Henry blushed slightly; it had to be said that Laura''s charm might even make her one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom.


    But Henry quickly suppressed his thoughts, realizing how dangerous the situation could be for him if he fell under Laura''s spell.


    Without a doubt, coveting the chief''s wife was synonymous with courting death! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Question like that, but do you think Baron Irut might let me learn his breathing method?" asked Maxime without too much expectation.


    "The breathing method is the foundation of a noble family, it''s not so easily transmitted." replied Ultia, shaking her head.


    Henry disagreed.


    "I think Baron Irut might make an exception if we manage to defeat Baron Barthon, and in exchange for some benefits or promises."


    "Well, we''ll see," concluded Maxime without much conviction.


    Henry looked quickly at Ultia before taking a step forward as he assumed a more serious expression.


    "Besides, we came here for another reason."


    Everyone looked at Henry, who had taken on a very serious expression.


    "Baron Irut''s scouts have reported that the first lines of battle against the orcs are only three days'' march to the south. The orcs are already gaining ground, and there are sporadic clashes. If you leave now, you''ll reach the front lines just in time to reinforce the allied troops."


    Maxime crossed his arms, pondering this new information. The orcs were a growing danger, and the situation seemed more urgent than expected. He turned to Laura and Ernest, seeking their advice with his eyes. They nodded in silent approval.


    "We''re not changing our plans, we''re still leaving tomorrow," replied Maxime rather dryly.


    These cold words cooled Ultia and Henry''s spirits slightly.


    They wanted to reply, but suddenly remembered that the man in front of them, who was also their age, was now their leader.


    But Maxime quickly explained a few things so they could understand their new identity.


    "Mercenaries are not knights, we only act for money and to get stronger so we can survive longer and make even more money."


    "Intervening when people really need help adds enormous value to our intervention while putting our men at less risk."


    Henry and Ultia looked at each other, confused.


    All their lives, they''d been raised on chivalric virtues. But today, they were embarking on a very different path.


    Yet one thing was certain: they would not go back.

 Chapter 74 - 74: Ideals

    Maxime watched the silence settle in, his new companions 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, placing 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 becoming 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."


    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."


    Maxime laid 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 flames, lost in thought. The shadow of decisions to be made weighed heavily on him. Despite the day''s success, 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 relationship 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 at last.


    "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 relationship 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 flames.


    "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 becoming 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 one last 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 his companions into a storm greater than they had ever imagined. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He clenched his fists. Whatever happened, he was ready to face this uncertain future.

 Chapter 75 - 75: Departure

    He clenched his fists. Whatever happened, he was ready to face this uncertain future.


    The timid light of dawn tinted the hills a golden hue. The time had come.


    Today, he and a score of his men would head south, leaving behind the soldiers, the village and its inhabitants, as well as a large number of saber-toothed tigers.


    Outside, activity was just beginning to pick up. The first mercenaries, their hair still in disarray, were starting to get ready, and villagers were coming and going between the rudimentary wooden houses.


    Baron Irut''s well-organized soldiers were already up and training, led by Killian, who looked very serious.


    He was standing shirtless.


    Several menacing scars, some from Orac, could be seen on his torso.


    But in this world, instead of being repulsive, they glorified Killian''s body. As if he looked more intimidating than he originally did.


    Maxime nodded and waved to a few new mercenaries nearby.


    The latter immediately understood the order, and quickly moved towards Andrew, Romuald, Laura, Ernest, Rodrigo, Terry, James, Piedro, Izo, Tena and his brothers, Charles, Henry, Ultia and 5 other powerful mercenaries, telling them to get ready to leave.


    Meanwhile, Maxime headed for Killian.


    "Killian," Maxime called as he approached.


    The apprentice knight at the stage of great success turned his head and greeted him with a respectful nod.


    "Maxime, up and about already?


    "The world belongs to the men who get up early," Maxime replied with a half-smile.


    Killian raised an eyebrow in surprise, then laughed lightly.


    "I guess that''s true."


    Maxime quickly switched to a more serious tone.


    "I''m counting on you to look after the village in our absence. You''re now the most important bulwark against Baron Barthon if he decides to attack." S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Killian nodded gravely.


    "Don''t worry. As long as I''m here, Plouta won''t fall."


    Maxime thanked him with a look, satisfied with this assurance.


    He would have liked to take more men with him, but Killian alone wasn''t enough; he needed many men to help him in battle.


    Given enough time, new recruits to the saber-toothed tigers will quickly acquire a physique comparable to that of an elite soldier.


    Combined with the teachings of an apprentice knight like Killian, they would form a small but powerful elite army.


    It was also the least Maxime could do - after all, he was paid to defend the village, not to leave just a few men here to go off and fight orcs.


    Simultaneously, Andrew, looking serious despite the early hour, arrived at Maxime and Kilian''s side and handed them a cup of steaming tea.


    "Ready to go?" asked Andrew, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.


    His eyes showed that he was thirsty for new adventures and challenges.


    Maxime took the cup gratefully and nodded, while Killian refused with a shake of his head.


    Andrew shrugged, showing that he didn''t care.


    Seeing Laura arrive, he handed her the remaining cup of tea, still steaming.


    Simultaneously, Maxime smiled at her in greeting, and she replied in kind.


    "Thank you, Andrew."


    Laura looked kindly at Andrew, but the latter seemed immune to her charm.


    On the contrary, probably having fought against her in the former bandits'' base, he considered her a pair.


    He also knew that, currently, no one but Maxime could beat her without risking his life.


    Maxime glanced at Andrew.


    "Yeah, everything''s ready, and you, is everything in order?"


    Andrew nodded.


    "The men who stay here have been briefed. Tena and Laura have checked the supplies, everything''s in place. As for those leaving with us, they''re ready."


    Laura spoke up in turn, her expression serious.


    "We''ve got twenty-four hours'' provisions for the trip, but the men know we can find something to hunt on the way if need be. No logistical problems to report."


    Maxime smiled inwardly. They made a good team. Every detail was already thought out, anticipated.


    "Good. We leave in an hour. Get the men ready," Maxime ordered as he finished his tea.


    An hour later, the camp was abuzz with activity. Weapons carefully inspected and adjusted.


    The group of mercenaries leaving with Maxime gathered in the center of the village, ready to go.


    There was a palpable mix of excitement and nervousness among them.


    Some were adjusting their protective gear, others checking their blades one last time.


    Maxime took one last look at the 80 mercenaries remaining in Plouta.


    He raised his hand and addressed them in a strong voice.


    "I''m counting on you to protect this village! You know the orders. Hold out until we return, and make sure Barthon regrets it if he decides to come closer!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    The mercenaries were loyal, at least as long as they were paid, and Maxime had made sure that their wages would be paid, even in his absence.


    In any case, he wasn''t worried: his talent was the best means of controlling his mercenaries.


    No one could bear to lose the opportunity to become a powerful man.


    This dream was all the more magnified when the individual had been weak all his life.


    Maxime exchanged one last glance with the mercenaries accompanying him.


    They all looked fierce and powerful, and so they were.


    Even the weakest of them could compete, for a short time, with an apprentice knight at the entrance stage.


    Then he turned south, to where the roads would take them.


    "Forward!" he shouted loudly.


    The twenty mercenaries set off, followed by the gaze of the villagers and mercenaries left behind.


    Three days of walking followed, punctuated by discussions and the monotony of the journey. The group advanced at a good pace, crossing dense forests, peaceful valleys and winding rivers.


    On this third day, as the sun declined over the horizon, Andrew and Charles walked side by side.


    Everyone was talking except them.


    After a while, it was Andrew who broke the silence.


    "So, Charles, ready for your first real mission?" he asked in a husky voice, without taking his eyes off the road.


    In the space of a few months, Andrew had grown in maturity and aura.


    Just by walking the way he did, some might think he''d been fighting all his life.


    No one would guess that only a few months before, he''d been a simple villager who''d lost his family to bandits.


    Charles straightened a little in his saddle, trying to hide the tension that knotted his shoulders. He knew he had talent, but being under Andrew''s gaze made him nervous.


    "As much as possible." he replied in what he hoped was a confident tone.


    "I''m not here to make up the numbers."


    Andrew chuckled softly, a note of amused contempt in his voice.


    "That''s what all the newbies say. Talent''s all well and good, but it won''t save your hide when a blade''s ready to slit your throat."


    Charles glanced at Andrew, noticing the coldness in his eyes. He knew the man had far more courage than he could, it turns out, ever have.


    "You don''t think I''ll last?" asked Charles, a hint of defiance in his voice.


    Andrew shrugged, indifferent.


    "It''s not for me to judge. You could be the son of an earl or just a poor fellow with a bit of luck, it doesn''t matter to me. What I want to see is how you react when you''ve got an enemy''s blood on your hands."


    There was a tense silence. Charles understood the message behind these words. It wasn''t a question of talent or potential. Here, in this group of mercenaries, only the blood spilled in battle spoke for them.


    Charles didn''t answer, but he knew that this mission was his trial by fire. And whatever happened, he would prove to Andrew, Maxime and himself that he deserved his place among them.


    Further ahead, Romuald, who was walking close to Maxime, wanted to know more.


    After all, only a few knew what was going to happen.


    "Maxime, it''s already the3rd day, could you explain the situation in the south. Who are the nobles involved?


    As their troop was small, everyone interrupted the ongoing discussions and concentrated on what was about to be said.


    This information was vitally important, and everyone knew it.


    Maxime took a deep breath before answering, his eyes scanning the horizon as if gathering his thoughts.

 Chapter 76 - 76: Brutal battles against orcs (1/2)

    "The south is a fragmented region.


    "There are several noble houses, but the most powerful is unquestionably that of Count Ardan, master of the county of Ravemont. His territory is vast and well-defended, stretching from the hills of Endrial to the forest of Myra."


    Everyone knew the Endrial hills, for they were reputed to be the first line of defense against the orcs.


    For if the orcs wanted to attack the kingdom''s territory, they were obliged to pass through these hills.


    For its part, the Myra forest was known for the legends linked to it.


    It was said that in the past, there was nothing there but dead, uncultivable land. But after the death of a woman, considered by legend to be a goddess, trees grew rapidly, insects appeared and animals began to live there.


    This woman''s name, according to legend, was Myra.


    Maxime resumed his speech.


    "The county of Ravemont is a natural fortress. Ardan is an ambitious man, an outstanding strategist, and his army is the most disciplined in the region. He has over 20,000 regular soldiers under his command, dozens of powerful knights as well as a small but formidable heavy cavalry." S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And the other nobles?" asked Romuald.


    "Are they all allied to him, or are there divisions?"


    Maxime nodded.


    "Ardan has allies, of course, but they''re not very reliable. Some petty lords are loyal to him more out of fear than conviction. But there are tensions too. Count Ardan dominates, but other, smaller nobles, like Baron Roulf de Ventel or Viscountess Elda de Mirande, are unhappy with his influence."


    "Roulf in particular has lost several lands because of Ardan''s decisions, and Elda, for her part, is always looking to expand her own domain, in order to become countess. These rivalries complicate the situation."


    Romuald frowned, weighing these words.


    "So, who are we going to help first against the orcs?" he asked.


    "Ardan? Or another nobleman?"


    "I think it''s best to lend a hand to the noble family of Algrande," said Maxime.


    "Why this territory in priority?" asked Romuald, curiously.


    "Their lord, Baron Edrin, is only an apprentice knight at the peak stage, and he''s poorly equipped to deal with a threat like the orcs. His forces are very weak with less than 500 regular soldiers and only a few apprentice knights."


    Romuald quickly understood.


    "Since they''re weak, they''re both the most likely to fall quickly but also the easiest to help, our elite force could really change the situation on a small battlefield like this."


    Maxime nodded at Romuald''s thought, and at the same time added an important element.


    "His territory should have excellent revenues, but strangely his army is so small. In any case, he shouldn''t be spending a lot of gold on this aspect."


    "Generally, that means the lord likes to have gold to spare and so they can pay us well."


    "If it turns out that he was just a greedy lord, we''ll see if he''s still greedy after having a sword under his neck."


    As he said all this, Maxime wore an imperturbable expression, as if he were talking about the errands he was going to run the next day.


    But Romuald looked very worried, as did several other mercenaries listening in on the conversation.


    "If the news that our group has threatened a nobleman reaches the ears of the Kingdom''s court, we could be beheaded Maxime."


    Maxime suddenly stopped and looked at Romuald.


    A heavy atmosphere settled over the forest where they were walking.


    Only the sound of a few birds and the wind whistling through the leaves could be heard.


    "If for you the mercenary life means being paid a pittance and bowing to every nobleman you come across, then you haven''t yet understood the mentality of our mercenary group."


    Maxime took one last look at the other mercenaries, then turned and walked on as if nothing had happened.


    No one dared reply to Maxime on the subject; they all knew it was for their own good that they had to act in this way.


    "What''s our plan?" questioned Terry, who had been listening intently all along.


    "From what I understand, it''s difficult to repel orcs in open terrain."


    Maxime''s voice became more solemn.


    "Algrande is a small fortress town perched on a hill to the east of Ravemont, not far from the Endrial hills. It''s an advantageous defensive position, but according to the latest reports, orcs have already crossed the mountains and are harassing the villages affiliated with the town."


    "Our first mission is to strengthen its defenses. We also need to understand the scale of the opposing army. If it''s just an isolated raid, we can repel them. But if it''s a more organized orc army, that''s another matter."


    Terry nodded, understanding the wisdom of his words. The road still stretched before them, and in the distance it was possible to make out the first hills marking the entrance to the southern lands.


    As the group made their way along the steep paths, an acrid smell of smoke carried on the wind reached them. Maxime, alerted, raised a hand to immobilize the troop. They scanned the surrounding hills, and a dark cloud hovered at the edge of the forest to the north, where the village of Ventbois lay, a village supposedly under Algrande''s protection.


    "A village in the distance is in flames," Andrew announced, squinting, his voice tinged with seriousness. He turned a questioning gaze to Maxime, wondering what action they should take next.


    "Forward. If they''re under attack, we need to act fast."


    The troop quickened its pace, rolling down the hill and following the smoke to the outskirts of the village. Wrenching cries echoed through the air, and they soon saw a horrific scene.


    Houses had been set on fire, villagers were trying to flee, while some thirty orcs were spreading terror, happily pursuing the defenseless villagers.


    Their only defense was their green skin, but they all held a variety of rather large weapons.


    Their racial peculiarity gave them a physique particularly focused on robustness, then strength and finally speed.


    It should be noted that even a teenage orc could have the strength of an elite soldier, while most adult orcs could reach the strength of an apprentice knight at the entry stage.


    However, their agility and army coordination was poor, allowing humans to hold the line against them and even win most battles.


    Here, only a few brave men tried to confront the orcs, but they were quickly slaughtered one after the other due to the orcs'' powerful natural strength.


    If ordinary humans attacked orcs without proper equipment and strategy, they were courting death.


    Without a doubt, this village of 200-300 inhabitants would soon be massacred without the intervention of Maxime and his men.


    "Romuald, take five men and block the north exit! The rest, with me! We attack from the east," ordered Maxime, drawing his sword. The troop deployed without hesitation, every man and woman knowing what they had to do.


    "Yes chief!"


    Tena and his brothers and Terry accompanied Romuald to the north, while the rest continued to follow Maxime.


    Maxime soon reached the wooden wall to the east of the village, which had been completely destroyed by the orcs.


    From his vantage point, he could see that in the center of the village, an orc, taller and more massive than the others, dominated the scene.


    A huge axe, with twisted blades covered in dried blood, hung from his belt.


    He made strange noises to control his men.


    But this orc was a little too far away, and right now it was more important to save the villagers nearby.


    Maxime nodded to his men, and the 14 accompanying mercenaries jumped onto the roofs of the houses like martial arts experts with superhuman physiques to gain better visibility.


    Then, in teams of 2-3, they quickly surrounded several intrepid orcs and killed them.


    Others were powerful enough to easily defeat an orc in 1vs1.


    With a war cry, Maxime leapt up and struck an orc in the flank with a precise blow that pierced its green skin. The orc let out a hoarse howl before collapsing heavily.


    Ernest, standing on the roof of a house, unhooked his bow from his back, aimed at an orc about to lay waste to a house, then shot an arrow straight into its eye.


    As the orc cried out in pain, covering his eye with his left hand, Ernest rushed towards him and decapitated him directly.


    For his part, Henry managed to knock down an orc by knocking him off balance with his shield and then piercing his mouth with his sword.


    The surprise worked in their favor, and in less than a minute they had already eliminated a dozen orcs.


    The villagers, who until then had been running around in panic and shouting, began to calm down and watched in amazement as the mercenaries tore through the small orc squad.

 Chapter 77 - 77: Brutal battles against orcs (2/2)

    They were attracted by the impressive sight of these men coming to their rescue.


    Comments and exclamations 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 are completely 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 villagers 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, landed 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 village with Romuald, Terry, Tena and his two brothers.


    The latter''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 was completely 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 succeeded 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 dodge completely, and the axe blade 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. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 villagers and repel the orcs who were wreaking havoc all around them. The village square was transformed into a veritable battlefield, with each mercenary engaged in a relentless struggle.


    Andrew, the young man with the flaming 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 blade into the creature''s side, which collapsed with a howl.


    No sooner had he withdrawn his blade 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 accuracy. 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 village 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 blade of his usually sharp sword made a strange noise and bounced off Rodrigo''s skin.


    A thin layer of broken rock could be seen.


    Taking advantage of his opponent''s surprise, Rodrigo counter-attacked, his axe slamming down hard on the orc''s skull, causing him to collapse 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.


    With a fluid, calculated gesture, she dashed into the fray, striking with frightening precision. Her blade 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 blade split the air in a precise movement, piercing the orc who collapsed 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 becoming increasingly angry, his blows more chaotic and powerful, but less precise.


    Maxime, seeing an opening, launched himself to deliver the final blow.


    But suddenly, the orc leader shouted a hoarse command, and suddenly 3 orcs who were occupied 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.


    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 the last 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 collapsed on Charles, his life and death unknown.


    But he gained a few precious seconds for Andrew and Ernest, who joined forces to hold back the last 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 collapsed.


    The two stood back, watching as their opponent collapsed heavily to the ground.


    30 seconds later, 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 the last orc fell, silence fell. The villagers, at first terrified, dared to emerge from their hiding places, looking at their rescuers with a mixture of amazement and gratitude.


    Maxime blew slightly to calm his breathing, then exchanged glances with Andrew, Ernest, Rodrigo, Laura and the rest of the mercenaries, each of them still alert despite the absence of new enemies.

 Chapter 78 - 78: Charles wounds

    Not arguing with the villagers, Maxime and Laura went straight to Charles'' condition.


    The warrior lay under a pile of wood and stones, the remains of the house that had collapsed on him.


    Maxime and Laura quickly headed for the rubble, Maxime being particularly worried.


    A mercenary with 4-star potential, it would hurt his heart to lose just one at this stage.


    Even more so when he possessed such an astonishing and rare talent.


    One had to imagine that, generally speaking, those who had 4-star mercenaries under their command had at least 5 years'' experience in Eternity in addition to being very powerful both in terms of personal strength but also in terms of political power.


    Of course, most leaders of men in the real world didn''t rely on mercenary potential to make their men stronger.


    Instead, they directly recruited apprentice knights, knights and even more powerful individuals.


    The vast majority didn''t train troops for the simple reason that it took too long to turn an ordinary person into a powerful individual.


    But more on that later.


    Laura, noticing Maxime''s concern, felt her heart warm slightly.


    "The usually arrogant Maxime with the powerful aura could have such an expression?" she thought silently.


    Then she reassured him with a gentle.


    "We''ll get him out of there, Maxime. I''m sure he''s only injured, but he already has a powerful physique compared to an ordinary person so he''ll recover quickly."


    Maxime, his face tense, nodded silently and set about moving the stones and pieces of wood with Laura.


    Eventually, they saw Charles''s torso, unusually deep as if a crevasse had formed while blood poured out of many places.


    But he was still breathing, albeit with difficulty.


    A faint smile stretched across his lips as he caught sight of their faces.


    "I didn''t expect... my first battle... to end this way."


    His voice was almost a fragmented whisper.


    Maxime was reassured and laughed lightly as he heard what Charles was saying.


    "Did you see that? Mercenary life''s great, isn''t it?"


    Charles smiled with difficulty in response.


    Laura laid a hand lightly on his shoulder, her gaze more tender than usual.


    "You''ll get off easy, don''t worry."


    "I don''t doubt it, my career... is just beginning..." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Several villagers came over.


    Totally ignoring Maxime and Laura, an elderly woman in a brown dress watched Charles with a frown.


    Two adult men accompanied her, holding baskets filled with herbs.


    Maxime and Laura exchanged puzzled glances as they watched the old woman approach with two men.


    The old woman, with her weathered face and piercing eyes, inspected Charles'' wounds without a word, then turned a sharp gaze on Maxime.


    "This young man is lucky to be alive. Move over and leave it to me."


    Maxime hesitated, instinctively defensive, but Laura whispered softly:


    "Let her do it, she seems to have some medical knowledge."


    "Look at the villagers standing behind, they obviously have a lot of respect for this old woman."


    "After our actions, there''s no way they mean us any harm."


    Nodding his head, Maxime stepped back slightly, keeping a watchful eye on the old healer''s every move.


    From one of the baskets held by the other men, she took out several dark green and pale blue herbs.


    Then she expertly crushed them between two stones she had brought with her, until she obtained a thick paste which she applied to Charles''s wounds.


    She motioned to one of her assistants to apply a clean cloth to Charles'' wounds to help stop the blood leaking out.


    Charles, though still weak, seemed to regain some color. He murmured a barely audible thank you.


    The healer didn''t reply, absorbed in her work.


    Meanwhile, a few mercenaries had approached Maxime and Laura, while others were chatting with the villagers.


    The old woman ignored all this, looking after Charles.


    After a while, she turned to Maxime, who was listening with rapt attention.


    "He needs rest, and an infusion of herbs every morning and evening for a few days. And above all, don''t let him train just yet."


    A certain weight seemed to lighten within him as he nodded in response.


    "Thank you."


    The old woman rose to her feet and, with the help of her assistants, began to walk away.


    When the healer disappeared from their sight, Maxime moved closer to Charles, who was breathing a little easier thanks to the treatment. Charles'' tired smile warmed his heart.


    Maxime crouched down beside Charles, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.


    "So, old chap, you''re going to be bedridden for a while, apparently," Maxime said with a smirk.


    Charles, still pale but obviously in a teasing mood, tried to straighten up slightly.


    "As long as a roof doesn''t fall in on me again, I should be fine." he murmured, still in a joking mood.


    Maxime shook his head, amused.


    In the distance, all the villagers and mercenaries began to gather, including Romuald and the men who had accompanied him to the north, who had returned victorious and without visible wounds.


    There were murmurs and bursts of admiration.


    The men had fought with such ferocity that they had managed to repel the orcs with only a score of them.


    This victory marked a turning point for the village, which had never dared to believe that outsiders could save them from such a threat so suddenly and miraculously.


    A woman with rosy cheeks flushed with enthusiasm walked up to Maxime, surrounded by several other villagers.


    "Hello, may we know who you are?"


    Everyone, the villagers in particular, stopped their chatter and listened attentively.


    "Hello, we''re a group of mercenaries called the saber-toothed tigers," Maxime replied with a reassuring smile.


    "Mercenaries... you saved us from those creatures. We really thought the orcs were going to slaughter us all. Their strength was...far too terrifying..."


    As she said this, the woman still looked terrified.


    "But you...you fought with a strength we''ve never seen!" She looked at Maxime with eyes shining with admiration.


    An older man, with calloused hands and hair bleached by years, stepped forward in turn.


    "It''s not common to see a small band of 20 men stand up to a squad of orcs and emerge victorious."


    Maxime looked at his men with unseen pride.


    "We trained for this, any mercenary or soldier would have done the same."


    His humble attitude surprised the mercenaries, who were clearly not used to it.


    The old man shook his head in respect.


    "Not to mention the courage it takes to take on orcs, very few people would have been able to repel so many orcs with so few men. You''ve given us hope we''d totally lost."


    Laura addressed the villagers sympathetically.


    "Now everyone needs a rest. If you have any makeshift shelters for us to rest in, we''d be grateful."


    The woman shook her head.


    "We don''t have any makeshift shelters and especially many of the houses were destroyed during the fighting."


    "But our doors are open to all of you!" she continued, flashing a bright smile.


    Maxime nodded, touched by the sincerity of their welcome, then turned to his fellow mercenaries.


    "Alright, everyone, let''s follow these good people and get some rest today."


    The group dispersed into the village, some of the mercenaries exchanging laughter and anecdotes with the villagers who were still cheering them on.


    Maxime, arms folded, watched the scene with a mixture of pride and nostalgia.


    He had just saved many lives with his own power, and it was a powerful feeling of satisfaction.


    He realized that this was the life of a mercenary too.


    It wasn''t all about waging war everywhere, killing people and losing comrades.


    They could also save lives and get thanks in their own way.


    Slightly behind, Andrew approached Charles and held out his hand to help him up.


    "Come on don''t be fragile, with your physique you should be more than able to stand."


    Charles smiled slightly and took Andrew''s hand.


    Andrew pulled his hand away and helped Charles to his feet.


    Once up, he leaned on Andrew''s shoulder with difficulty.


    Despite his light words, Andrew was fully aware that Charles'' injuries were truly serious.


    An ordinary person, let alone stand up, would have died long ago.


    "Indeed, you didn''t make the cut for your first battle."

 Chapter 79 - 79: Baron Edrin

    Charles looked at Andrew''s face in profile with astonishment and emotion.


    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 accompanied by two small children.


    The two little ones hid behind their father''s legs while casting curious glances at Charles and Andrew.


    "Respectable mercenaries, I have a room with an insulated 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 available, it must have been occupied before.


    Otherwise, the room would have been rearranged.


    Similar scenes occurred again and again.


    Every family in the village had lost one or more members, whether children, parents, cousins or grandparents.


    But thanks to this, Maxime''s little mercenary troop was easily accommodated 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 fireplace, 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 fireplace and placed steaming dishes of soup and still-warm bread on the table.


    "Thank you very much for the meal." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 be complicated 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, laid 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 particularly reliable.


    They''d all given a lot of thought to becoming mercenaries, their goals, what they wanted to become 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 village, with discussions, tears and emotional moments.


    For the evening, a large table had been set up in the village square, where the little food available was gathered for a generous meal.


    After songs, toasts and stories, a moving ceremony took place to honor the dead.


    The old woman in the brown dress, respected by all, stepped into the center of the village, carrying in her hands an earthenware bowl filled with ashes and twigs.


    The villagers 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 villagers 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, unaccustomed to such rituals, froze in deep reverence.


    She placed the bowl on the ground and began throwing dried herbs into it, invoking the memory of the dead who had fallen to defend the village.


    Wisps of bluish smoke rose up, carrying with them prayers of protection.


    At that moment, each villager, 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 villagers towards their dead.


    Henry and Ultia also seemed absorbed in the gravity of the moment, despite their youth and lack 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 particular, 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 and compassionate 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 flames of the brazier at the center of the circle, creating a great flame that lit up the faces of all present.


    This fire symbolized the passage of souls to a place of eternal rest. The villagers watched the flame in silence, while the mercenaries felt for the first time the depth of this communion.


    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 flame 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 villagers, marking this ceremony with a sense of closeness between villagers and mercenaries.


    As the flame 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 village, 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 villagers.


    The villagers enjoyed hearing tales of past battles, fascinated by the endurance and bravery of these men who had come 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 village.


    It was Baron Edrin, who had come to check on his people and the mercenaries who had saved them.


    He dismounted and went first to speak with a few villagers.


    After listening to the villagers'' stories, he rode over to Maxime and his companions, a grateful smile lighting up his tired face.


    Edrin bowed slightly in respect.


    "Maxime, you and your men have accomplished what I thought impossible. My duty should have been to protect them, and yet it was you who saved my village. 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, laid 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 to laugh.


    "Maxime likes to play 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 villagers and mercenaries.


    "My friends, this village will rise and prosper again, thanks to the bravery of these men and women. Together, we will rebuild what has been lost."

 Chapter 80 - 80: Festivity and reflection

    The villagers gave Baron Edrin a standing ovation.


    Baron Edrin''s short speech provoked a wave of enthusiasm among the villagers, their faces lighting up with hope and determination.


    It seemed that the baron was particularly popular 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 villagers."


    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 reward commensurate with the difficulty of the task, if not..." S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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''t come because he didn''t have the strength to get rid of them.


    He''d only come here because he''d received the news that the village 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 be completely won over by him.


    However, Maxime''s threat changed his plans completely.


    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 appropriately commensurate with the task you''ve performed, plus a gift of gratitude for saving my villagers."


    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 glanced outside, easily able to see the destroyed buildings.


    "That''s why I''d like to hire you more... officially. Not only to defend this village, 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''s lack of reaction, the baron regained his composure so as not to spoil his relationship with these powerful mercenaries.


    After all, if they survived, he''d forge a relationship 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 villagers again.


    "Tonight, we will celebrate your bravery. You all deserve an evening of peace before you set out again."


    As evening fell, the entire village was illuminated by torches and bonfires. The villagers had gathered colorful chairs, tables and tablecloths, adorned with simple wildflower decorations.


    The small central square vibrated with a festive atmosphere, filled with laughter, song and music, and the mercenaries mingled with the villagers like long-lost companions.


    Several hours after Baron Edrin''s arrival, several carriages filled with food arrived in the village, making the evening a gustatory delight for all.


    Charles, still pale but determined to participate, leaned on Andrew to join the party.


    The latter 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 it later."


    Charles laughs lightly.


    "We agree. Later I could tell the new recruits that after being badly wounded, I completely 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 mocking laugh.


    "Look at you clinging to my shoulder like a koala, your charisma with the village women must be at an all-time high."


    Charles rolled his eyes.


    "Anyway, when I ride my dragon and become 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 help laughing as he realized the reality.


    At the center of the festivities, Piedro and Terry began an impromptu drinking contest, accompanied by a few hilarious villagers.


    Terry, grinning mischievously, turned to other mercenaries and villagers:


    "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 villager lifted his tankard and challenged Terry with a very serious look despite his flushed face.


    Other villagers 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 villagers trained from generation to generation to get drunk every day!"


    Piedro found this interesting and laughed 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 accepted 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 flavor."


    "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.


    This could range from simple famine among the orcs or particularly 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 become the orc king and unite all the tribes, one had to be far more powerful than a great knight, at least comparable to an epic knight!


    Indeed, among the orcs there were already many comparable 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 - 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, the laughter and singing of the villagers filled the square, creating a warm atmosphere that contrasted with the two men''s anxiety.


    A few children approached them laughing, 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 his large 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 villager 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 out laughing, 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 villagers laugh.


    "Exactly! No...no villager...can bend...can bend mercenaries of our caliber!"


    His drunken, hesitant voice provoked another round of laughter from the villagers.


    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 were competing against a dozen people.


    A young woman named Lira raised her glass 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!"


    "Pfft, it''s not me who''s fading, it''s just the firelight that''s... that''s... uh... making everything blurry..."


    The villagers burst out laughing as Terry struggled to keep his balance 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... recalculate, you know?"


    "Recalculate what?"


    Piedro whispered softly in Terry''s ear. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve got a plan...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 flaw in your plan 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 to launch the final blow.


    "Well, my friends, I think we can declare victory for the villagers! Those mercenaries certainly don''t have any legs left to stand on!"


    The villagers exulted, clapping their hands and laughing out loud.


    Piedro, in a final burst of pride, tried to stand up, but missed and collapsed 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 sensation landed on his lips.


    Startled, Terry lost his balance and fell backwards into the hay with Lira.


    All the villagers began to whistle and shout with enthusiasm as the two began to kiss languorously 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 a laugh, 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 villagers."


    James began to laugh 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 villagers raised their tankards in the direction of the mercenaries.


    Garen was excited when he saw them.


    "Hey, here come 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 and laughed.


    "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''m coming...wait for me...just a moment..."


    The villagers laughed 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 villagers 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 balance 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 balance, you''ll be an easy target, and you won''t last against an experienced enemy."


    Gradually, other villagers 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, while laughter could be heard in the distance.


    A camaraderie had begun to form between the villagers and the mercenaries.


    A few hours passed, and the calm of the night gradually descended on the village as the campfires were extinguished one by one.


    The next morning, while the village was still asleep, Maxime gathered his men in the dawning light, his features serious.


    He explained the situation, making no secret of his doubts or the urgency of the situation. Each mercenary listened in silence, aware of the more complex mission ahead.


    Andrew stepped forward, breaking the silence with a firm voice.


    "Who cares, let''s just get to the places 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 him completely.


    "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 82 - 82: More new recruits and new talent!

    "Just, where are Terry and Piedro? Why aren''t they here?"


    A brief silence settled among the mercenaries, broken by whispers and wry smiles.


    Ernest raised an amused eyebrow.


    "Let''s just say they celebrated their victory until the wee hours. Maybe they''re still sleeping in a pile of straw somewhere."


    Maxime closed his eyes for a second, torn between amusement and annoyance.


    "Good. Can someone go and wake them up so they can come here?"


    Maxime''s words made everyone feel a cold draught pass over them.


    No one had yet dared miss a briefing from Maxime, and they all wondered what would happen if two of their own ventured to do so.


    Despite the tension, a mischievous smile appeared on several faces; Terry and Piedro would surely regret their absence.


    Laura, smirking, stepped forward.


    "Leave it to me, boss."


    "I''m counting on you."


    She turned and headed for the barn, humming lightly, aware that waking Terry and Piedro would not be an easy task, but it should be rather fun.


    When she reached the spot where the two men were slumped, she indeed found Terry, sunken in a pile of hay, a blissful smile on his lips, and Piedro, snoring loudly, his arm passed around an empty barrel.


    She gave them a friendly kick to shake them off.


    "Come on, get up, champions! The briefing''s already started and Maxime''s in no mood to wait."


    Terry opened one eye, struggling against the morning light that seemed to be attacking his retinas. He grunted, trying to sit up, then brought a hand to his head, obviously in the grip of a powerful headache.


    Piedro opened one eye in turn, a vague smile on his lips.


    "Just five minutes... just..." then let out a snore.


    Laura, unwilling to let the two mercenaries laze around any longer, grabbed a bucket of water lying nearby and poured it over the two men without hesitation.


    Terry let out a cry of surprise, leaping to his feet, while Piedro, shaken, tried to right himself to no avail.


    "It''s okay, it''s okay! We''re awake, no need to drown us!" protested Terry, shaking himself like a wet dog.


    "You really fucking dared Laura!" shouted Piedro angrily.


    "As far as I know, the barrel you''re hugging isn''t a woman, and believe me, a bucket of water on your head is better than keeping Maxime waiting."


    Gradually, Terry and Piedro understood the gravity of their situation.


    "Damn it..." murmured Terry, as they hurriedly gathered up their belongings to join the rest of the group.


    Under the mocking glances of their comrades, they found Maxime, who was waiting for them, arms crossed with a stern look, although his eyes betrayed a hint of amusement.


    "Ah, here come the latecomers at last."


    Maxime stared at them for a moment before declaring in a solemn tone:


    "As punishment, you will wash the entire group''s clothes by this afternoon. Make sure they''re dry by evening."


    Terry and Piedro sighed, relieved at the lightness of the punishment.


    "Yes, Chief!" they replied, visibly embarrassed, while their comrades tried not to smile.


    Maxime then turned to his entire group.


    "Make sure you''re ready this afternoon for tomorrow''s departure. Check your weapons, restock your bags and be ready at dawn. This won''t be an easy mission, so the slightest distraction could be fatal."


    The mercenaries nodded, regaining their seriousness.


    Each of them knew that the next few days would bear no resemblance to the festive atmosphere that surrounded them the day before.


    Once the instructions had been given, the mercenaries dispersed into the village to prepare their belongings and enjoy the last few hours of peace and quiet.


    A few villagers helped the mercenaries gather provisions for the road, exchanging a few more laughs and self-defense tips with those they had trained the night before.


    In the late afternoon, Maxime found himself alone for a moment, watching the sunset tint the sky with reddish hues, like a silent omen.


    Suddenly, a noise was heard behind him.


    He turned and saw a dozen villagers staring at him with awe and respect.


    Among them were Garen and Lira, looking rather uncomfortable.


    Maxime stared at them in silence, intrigued by their unusual presence.


    Garen took a deep breath before stepping forward, his gaze determined despite a certain hesitation.


    "Maxime, we''ve come to see you and join your mercenary group."


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, pondering the outcomes of integrating them into the group.


    "If I make you come with us, you''re going to die fighting orcs, that''s almost a certainty."


    A villager named Jean stepped forward, his face firm and full of resolution.


    "Those of us who are here have already lost everything."


    "We''ve lost our parents, our siblings and our children for those who had them."


    Maxime knew that by the time they had arrived, the orcs had already killed many people, especially whole families since they either lived together or in close proximity to each other.


    But he had no idea that so many people would end up alone.


    Garen nodded, his eyes shining with an indomitable flame.


    "We must fight, not for revenge, but to prevent this from happening to others."


    But Maxime still disagreed.


    "Then why not join Baron Edrin''s soldiers? You''ll be safer there than following us."


    Lira intervened, scornfully:


    "Because they''re useless. They arrived days after the attack began. You can''t trust someone who''s not even aware of what''s happening on their land."


    "And I don''t think a baron is unaware of the situation in his territory to such an extent."


    Maxime sighed, finally convinced.


    These men and women seemed determined, courageous and morally sound.


    It remained to be seen whether they possessed any real combat potential, but he had few expectations.


    "I''d like to make it clear that you won''t be paid until we get back to the north, where most of our mercenaries are."


    "We''ve always worked to survive, not to make money," Garen replied with conviction.


    This answer lifted the last weight holding Maxime back.


    "Either way, you''re officially joining the saber-toothed tigers, which is the name of our mercenary group."


    Ding!


    [12 villagers have expressed a wish to join your mercenary group. Would you like to accept them?]


    "Yes." he replied mentally.


    Ding!


    [Recruitment condition met!]


    [All 12 villagers are now mercenaries].


    Maxime ignored the notifications floating before him, and began to inspect the talents of these new mercenaries.


    Garen: Three-star potential. Berserker talent. Physique: 1.2


    Lira: Three-star potential. Affinity with shadows. Physical: 0.9


    Jean: Two-star potential. Blessing of the wind. Physique 1.


    Katarina: Two-star potential. Physics: 0.8


    Reta: Two-star potential. Physics: 1.1


    Yvan: Two star potential. Physical: 0.9


    ...


    "Incredible..."


    "So many powerful and different talents, if I wasn''t here most of these talents would remain hidden within them until they died."


    "Then if I wasn''t here, would this world exist?"


    But he shook his head before developing his ideas further, everything was mysterious about Eternity and the monsters.


    He concentrated on the pleasant surprise of having recruited such good recruits by complete chance.


    Garen and Lira might become stronger than Andrew in the future, while Jean might have a strength similar to that of Rodrigo and Romuald.


    But he kept this information to himself, so as not to hinder the training motivation of the weaker members.


    For he knew that even the weakest members of the group could become very powerful in the future as his talent gradually improved.


    Simultaneously, the 12 new mercenaries felt profound changes in their bodies, but they didn''t know exactly what they were.


    "Don''t worry, it''s my talent acting on your body."


    Garen, Lira, Jean and the rest of the newbies were surprised.


    "Meaning your talent?" asked Lira curiously.


    "I have a talent that allows my men to improve their potential by one level as well as improve their training speed," Maxime replied simply as usual.


    But this simple answer excited the villagers, who began to dream of a better life where they could truly protect those they wished to. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t daydream too much and start packing your things, we plan to leave tomorrow at dawn for Lapi."


    "If you don''t have any weapons, we can lend you a few that we originally used as reserves."

 Chapter 83 - 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 contemplating the beauty of nature.


    Evening soon arrived.


    The mercenaries shared a final meal with the villagers, in a much more subdued atmosphere than the day before. Everyone seemed to sense that the tranquility of this village might be the last they would experience for a long time to come.


    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 glances 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 newcomers'' 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 village.


    They had stored a dozen swords, 3 axes and 2 pairs of daggers.


    At first glance, 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 villages, 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-hand combat."


    "That also means you''ll be despised all your life, unless you one day become strong enough that no one can despise you anymore."


    But Jean had no doubts about his choice.


    He felt the bow was particularly 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.


    The other new recruits were much more indecisive about their choice of weapons, and dabbled a bit with everything before finally opting for classic 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 village.


    A solemn silence hung in the air as everyone tightened the straps on their equipment. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 applause of the Ventbois villagers.


    "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 village!"


    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 accumulate 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 villagers were happy and started whistling with joy.


    "Jean, you have to survive too! When you all come back to the village 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 villagers laugh 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 explained to the newcomers 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 villagers'' 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 plain.


    The atmosphere became progressively tense, for although they could not be ambushed, they were also extremely visible from afar.


    Maxime led the way, flanked 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."


    The latter 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 particular 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 - 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.


    "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 the lack of power, it failed to reach the creature''s vital organs.


    But a victorious smile played 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.


    For ordinary people, picking up an arrow and cocking the bow was complicated enough.


    Shooting correctly was good enough in the beginning.


    However, asking a beginner for precision was like asking an ordinary villager 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 the lack of space, none of them could use their agility as they had done in the village.


    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. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 particular 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 blade. 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 much lacking so the orc was only slightly pushed back a few steps and could quickly come back.


    Fortunately, Terry, who had unwittingly let the orc penetrate 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!" exclaimed Tena in a cold sweat.


    "If you could stop flirting on the battlefield that would be great!" commented Piedro with a light laugh.


    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 his comrades 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 become 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.


    The latter, 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 planted Henry.


    Of course, the term "little orc" was relative, as he was still the size of a normal human.


    And in theory, all orcs could speak the human language, 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 the latter 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 succeeded, 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 particularly 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 their composure, but looked grim.


    "The dagger was poisoned," Henry murmured with a bitter smile.

 Chapter 85 - 85: NOX LIMIT !

    As if in revenge, the fighting against the orcs intensified.


    But Maxime knew that this renewed intensity would not last long.


    Seeing that the outcome of the battle was becoming increasingly negative, he made a decision.


    "Nox Limit, activate!"


    A powerful energy coursed through the bodies of all the mercenaries, making them stronger, more agile, more enduring and improving their thinking abilities.


    Suddenly, the entire battlefield was turned upside down.


    Experienced mercenaries who had previously been in trouble could now easily fend off the orcs and even kill them!


    Maxime, before the shocked eyes of the former villagers, began to exude an almost tangible aura.


    Maxime took advantage of this to decapitate 3 orcs who had been bothering him for a while, at lightning speed.


    With his talent bonus, he had over 4 physical points, making him as strong as any knight in the Kingdom!


    A few new mercenaries were able to catch a glimpse of the scene.


    "Is it still human to do this?" muttered one of them in disbelief.


    On the other hand, Andrew went slightly mad with joy, as if changing personality, and began a massacre in the ranks of the orcs.


    "Hahahaha I''ve missed this feeling of being filled with power!"


    Raucous cries began to echo throughout the valley.


    "Hum! That''s better, chief!"


    Rodrigo complained slightly, but he was happy.


    At the same time, he and Ultia looked at the little orc with mischievous eyes.


    "Since when can humans be so powerful?"


    The little orc was incredulous.


    In his tribe, he was always told that humans were extremely weak, and that he should only be wary of humans dressed in metal.


    His shock was compounded when he saw his first victim stand up as if nothing had happened.


    Henry felt particularly good at that moment, as if he''d just come back to life.


    His sense of weakness had completely disappeared; instead, he had never felt so powerful.


    He first decapitated the orc who had attacked him in a blind spot, then kept an eye on the little orc.


    "Leave him to me, I''ll take care of him personally," he said, looking at Rodrigo and Ultia.


    Both nodded and stepped back.


    Maxime, who had had time to kill a dozen orcs, and seeing that the overall situation was under control, turned to Garen, Lira, and Jean, who were now shining particularly brightly.


    "You too can fight. It''ll give you your first combat experience."


    Seeing their leader still exuding a powerful aura, and with his now white, intimidating eyes fixed on them, they all had a renewed respect for their new leader.


    They understood why no one dared respond to Maxime''s orders.


    Faced with a monster of such power, the thought of a negative response did not exist.


    After being stunned for a moment, Garen happily nodded with some excitement and rushed towards an orc attacking Piedro.


    Full of spirit, he let out a roar and swung his sword with increased power at the orc.


    But the latter blocked easily, to Garen''s surprise.


    The orc, even with his low intelligence, felt it odd that this human should be so weak compared to the human he''d fought before.


    He began to emit continuous hoarse sounds.


    "Hey Garen, I think he''s laughing at you," Lira murmured with a smile.


    She had been discreetly following Garen as he charged without a clear plan.


    Simultaneously, an arrow flew into the orc''s mouth and pierced his brain directly.


    This sent him plummeting to the ground, never to rise again.


    The two turned and saw Jean still holding the bow and pointing at it.


    But even he was surprised.


    "Don''t look at me like that, even I didn''t know that was possible."


    The other new recruits escaped from the center of the protective circle and began to help the experienced mercenaries.


    The new recruits, who temporarily had the physique of elite soldiers, were no longer as vulnerable to orcs as before.


    As the need to protect them disappeared, all the experienced mercenaries were able to let loose and show off their expertise.


    Some even took the time to give the new recruits a few pointers during the fight.


    On the other hand, the fight between the little orc and Henry was brutal and intense.


    Henry, wounded and poisoned, had almost lost his life, but thanks to the activation of Maxime''s special power, his body was recovering very quickly.


    The little orc, quick and cunning, was still a threat.


    If his physique was calculated, he wouldn''t be far off the 3-point mark.


    What''s more, unlike the other orcs, his physique was very well balanced, with no obvious strengths or weaknesses.


    As he stood at a distance, watching the scene with calculating eyes, he analyzed Henry, now back on his feet and invigorated.


    Henry''s muscles tensed as he slowly advanced towards his opponent.


    The little orc, armed with his poison-coated dagger, squinted his piercing black eyes, a look of contempt on his face.


    Not waiting for Henry to take the initiative, he ran towards him.


    His movements were agile, almost dance-like, contrasting with the brutality of the other orcs.


    "Don''t think you can win just because you''ve resisted my poison, human," the orc growled, his hoarse voice echoing in the stale air of the plain.


    He circled around Henry, looking for an opening, while Henry kept his sword raised, ready to strike.


    Suddenly, the orc leapt at Henry''s back, his dagger gleaming in the morning light.


    Henry reacted immediately and deflected the attack with his blade, creating a sparkle between the two weapons.


    But the little orc, far from being thrown off balance, used the momentum to slide to Henry''s side and attempt a swift blow to his leg.


    Henry felt a sharp pain as the poisoned point grazed his thigh, but he didn''t flinch.


    Instead, he seized the opportunity to swing a circular blow, forcing the orc to step back hastily, narrowly missing tripping over the corpse of another orc.


    "Is that all you got?" spat Henry, his jaw clenched, his eyes shining with determination.


    His muscles vibrated, fueled by the power of Maxime''s talent.


    The little orc responded with a twisted smile, then charged again, this time with a series of swift, precise attacks.


    The sound of clashing blades intensified, each movement becoming a deadly dance.


    Henry managed to dodge and deflect the blows, but the orc continued relentlessly, his movements becoming more and more frenzied. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, Henry saw a gap.


    In the rush of the orc''s over-ambitious attack, he dived, bringing his sword down with all his might.


    The little orc''s face became a marvel to behold.


    The blade split the air and hit the orc in the shoulder. A wrenching cry of pain erupted from the creature''s throat, and an expression of pure hatred contorted his face.


    Yet he didn''t fall. With one last thrust, it tried to plunge its dagger into Henry''s neck, clearly ready to die taking its opponent with it.


    But Henry, anticipating this move, pivoted and grabbed the orc''s wrist with a powerful hand. The poisoned dagger hung trembling between them.


    Then Henry slowly brought his sword down one last time, driving the blade into the little orc''s chest.


    Henry felt the strange sensation of the sword slowly piercing the orc''s entire body.


    But he didn''t feel any sense of disgust; instead, he was still a little afraid.


    If it weren''t for Maxime''s talent, he''d be dead here today.


    Silence fell abruptly on the battlefield as the orc''s body slowly collapsed, his now empty gaze still fixed on Henry.


    Panting, covered in sweat and blood, Henry sat up, his breath heavy but triumphant.


    Adrenalin was still pumping through his veins, and he turned his gloomy gaze on the rest of the mercenaries who continued to fight against the remaining orcs.


    Gradually, the orcs began to retreat, their ranks broken and their ferocity cooled by the mercenaries'' might.


    Their green blood ran over the ground in much of the valley.


    Undoubtedly these monsters were extremely robust, usually requiring several blows from an experienced mercenary to finish one off, and that was counting the bonus of Maxime''s talent.


    Rodrigo and Romuald coordinated a final assault, finishing off any orcs who tried to flee.


    When calm returned, a heavy silence fell over the battlefield. The saber-toothed tigers, covered in sweat and blood, regrouped, counting their wounded.


    Maxime, standing in the center, glanced at his men, satisfied. Despite the difficulty of the ambush, his new mercenaries had stood their ground, had not run away and had even fought the orcs, proving their worth from the very first fight.


    He approached Garen, Lira and Jean, who were still panting, their eyes shining with fatigue but also with a newfound pride.


    "You fought well," Maxime declared, his tone solemn.


    "But this is only the beginning."


    The three newcomers nodded, realizing that their lives had changed forever and that they were no longer ordinary villagers.

 Chapter 86 - 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 village of VentBois."


    "Those ears are very valuable."


    Jean, who was particularly 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, replaced 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 of larger, 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 rugged landscape for an idea.


    Then he spotted a steep path winding up to a small rocky plateau, 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. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 mutilated bodies.


    Among them was a strange orc.


    This orc was small, wore a strange black robe and had a bent back.


    From his position, Maxime couldn''t see his face, but somehow he sensed an intense feeling of danger coming from this orc.


    This orc approached one of the orcs killed by Maxime, and used his clawed 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 unfamiliar language, his eyes crinkling in cold anger.


    When he noticed that the orcs'' ears were missing, he became even angrier, muttering something to the orcs accompanying him.


    Charles, who, like everyone else, was watching every move from his hiding place, 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 a commotion that diverted the orcs'' attention.


    The trackers looked up and exchanged glances 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 particularly large 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.


    In any case, given their size, these large orcs should be able to rival knights, at least in terms of sheer strength.


    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 relaxing. Henry glanced 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 become their ally as they moved away from the valley that had become the graveyard of a battle that could have become their graveyard.

 Chapter 87 - 87: Crossing the forest

    Daylight was fading, and darkness would soon become their ally as they moved away from the valley that had become the graveyard of a battle that could have become their graveyard.


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    The group set off again, twilight enveloping them in its protective shadow.


    The mercenaries advanced cautiously along the steep path leading down from their hiding place, each step calculated not to betray their presence.


    The smell of blood and death, which had permeated the valley, seemed to follow them like a sinister shadow.


    Tena and Ultia took their temporary role as scouts to heart, carefully observing the road that wound through the dense forest leading to Lapi.


    If an orc army had passed through the valley, it meant that the situation in the south was far more serious than anyone thought.


    Even Lapi could be in danger at this rate.


    The silence was heavy, and the rustling of leaves seemed louder than ever. Every crack of a branch beneath their feet made their hearts beat a little faster.


    Suddenly, a whisper pierced the darkness.


    It was Jean, walking alongside Andrew.


    "Those orcs, Andrew... What was that being in black robes? I''ve heard of orc shamans before, but I''ve never seen anyone so... sinister."


    Andrew shook his head, his eyes fixed on the horizon where the last rays of daylight were fading.


    "I don''t know, I was just a simple villager a few months ago."


    "But if this being is a shaman, then he must have powers that even we can''t understand."


    His gaze wandered for a moment, searching the growing darkness for an explanation.


    "After all, our captain possesses powers that are more than mysterious and, above all, very powerful. He must have other individuals in the world with powers just as powerful."


    This did little to reassure Jean, who felt he was venturing into a world far too dangerous for a former simple villager like himself.


    Henry, standing nearby, also frowned.


    To be honest, as an apprentice knight he''d never experienced any great battles or mysterious events.


    He''d simply been on patrol, and sometimes enjoyed abusing his good looks to break up brawls in town and impress the ladies.


    This gesture often worked, and thanks to it he had known many women in bed.


    But the battle of Plouta profoundly changed his mentality, and made him feel weak in the face of world events that might come his way.


    He felt in danger.


    That was why he had decided to betray Baron Irut and join Maxime''s mercenary group.


    Deep down, despite his gentle mask, he had an enormous desire for power and strength.


    But with one danger after another, he felt even more uneasy than before.


    "Perhaps I should have stayed quietly by Baron Irut''s side and trained quietly while enjoying the pleasure of life."


    But he immediately shook his head with firm eyes to clear these thoughts.


    "A strong man grows in adversity. I normally had little hope of becoming a knight, but now it''s a sure thing as long as I survive."


    "Maybe one day I can even become a great knight."


    "A great knight!"


    "What an honor that would be!"


    Henry''s eyes firmed, filled with new resolve and without the slightest trace of fear.


    He wasn''t the only one with doubts; most of the mercenaries had many questions about the choice they''d made in joining Maxime.


    Some reassured themselves in the same way as Henry, telling themselves that they would become powerful in the future, while others thought that saving lives was worth risking one''s own and living for.


    On the other hand, Maxime paused for a moment to check that the group was keeping up. His face, usually impassive, was taut with worry.


    He hadn''t thought that by going south, he''d be exposing his elite mercenaries to so much danger.


    Especially now that his talent couldn''t be reactivated in the next 7 days, or he''d suffer a soul injury.


    This kind of injury was extremely complicated to heal.


    Fortunately, he had already obtained a map of the Kingdom from Baron Irut, which also showed the southern region.


    He had long since memorized the geographical location of the southern territory.


    "We''ll reach the first village before nightfall," he announced.


    "Let''s hope the roads to Lapi are safe."


    But hope, at this moment, seemed a luxury.


    As they descended the hillside and entered deeper into the forest, the mercenaries felt the atmosphere change.


    The birds, still singing faintly, fell silent, and the gentle night wind became a colder, more oppressive breeze.


    At last, they reached the first village.


    It was a modest hamlet, where the bleating of sheep and the laughter of children should have been heard.


    Instead, a suffocating smell greeted them.


    Charred houses rose up, and scattered corpses lay in postures frozen by the horrors they had seen before they died.


    The dying flames of the fires cast flickering shadows, bringing nightmarish scenes to life. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Garen, his face pale, rushed into some nearby bushes and vomited his guts out.


    And he wasn''t the only one: of the 12 new recruits, 7 couldn''t stop themselves from vomiting.


    Maxime frowned as Laura stood next to him with a very pale face.


    "So this is what would have happened if we hadn''t gone to rescue the village of Ventbois."


    Laura''s words surprised the new recruits, not realizing that their village could have ended up in the same state as this hamlet.


    It was fortunate that, despite the loss of their families, they still had a place to return to.


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, absorbing the scene before him. He clenched his fists, his eyes hardening.


    The troop moved cautiously through the ruins, avoiding debris and signs of struggle.


    The atmosphere weighed on them, like an invisible hand clutching their chests.


    The new recruits tried to avert their eyes from the mutilated bodies, while the mercenaries who had been through several battles already guided them with a grave air.


    Tena came running back, sweating.


    Since the battle with the orcs, they''d had no rest, running in every direction and paying attention to everything.


    This constant vigilance was tiring everyone.


    "I spotted some orc scouts nearby, probably looking for survivors or securing the area."


    Maxime nodded.


    "Pick up the pace, and don''t make any noise."


    They would have liked to bury these people, but the energy required and the danger hanging over them made the action too risky.


    They silently left the ruined village, passing through a forest to reach Lapi more quickly.


    Once through this forest, they would finally reach Lapi in less than 10 minutes.


    Bypassing it would waste too much time and could present a greater danger.


    What''s more, the forest offered several advantages.


    They would be hard to spot, and its large surface area made it difficult to set up ambushes.


    If a battle were to take place, this battlefield would also be conducive to them, as they could fully utilize their agility and use the environment as a force.


    On the contrary, orcs accustomed to wide, strong movement won''t be able to use all their strength here because of the environment.


    Darkness thickened around them, but the glow of Lapi, the central city, already appeared to them as the promise of a last refuge, and a hope as fragile as the flame of a candle ready to flicker.


    The mercenaries advanced at a steady pace, their senses always on the alert.


    Only the occasional creak of branches beneath their feet and the rustle of wind in the trees disturbed the oppressive calm of the forest. The stars, tiny points of light, timidly pierced the dark sky, but were not enough to dispel the growing darkness.


    Jean, at the rear of the group, was casting worried glances behind him. The vision of the ruined village and its corpses remained etched in his mind, an image he knew he''d find hard to shake off. Rodrigo, walking beside him, murmured in a husky voice:


    "Do you think they''re already on our trail? Those scouts... they were so close."


    Jean replied, his gaze fixed and his jaw clenched:


    "I don''t know, but I have a feeling we''re not out of danger yet."


    A palpable tension spread through the group. Even those who hadn''t heard the exchange felt the growing nervousness.


    In the lead, Maxime scanned the road, his beady eyes searching for the slightest sign of movement.


    His left hand rested firmly on his sheath, as if to tell himself that his sword was still there and would defend him if anything happened.

 Chapter 88 - 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, complete silence and camouflage 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 frenetic 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 night combined 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, irregular footsteps drew closer, accompanied by grunts and choppy words in a language 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 particularly worried about Charles. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    This guy was his mercenary with the most potential; he could become as strong as a knight in the next few months given enough time.


    Not to mention his talent, which would still come in handy in a few years'' time.


    Unfortunately, he was only an apprentice knight at the entry stage at last 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 become 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 calculated...]


    Ding!


    [Statistics calculated, 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: display 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 displayed in front of him as he saw something strange and prepared to react to any situation.


    The blackness of night returned completely.


    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. His companions 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 village.


    Maxime waited for the torchlight to fade into the distance before straightening slightly, his muscles finally relaxed. He exchanged a glance 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." sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 and lanterns hanging from the walls radiated a warm, welcoming glow.


    The town seemed inviolable, a bastion of peace in the midst of tormented lands.


    An emotional silence fell over the group, as everyone felt the weight of tension gradually dissipate.


    Maxime cast a calculating glance 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 villages.


    "Here we are." murmured Henry, looking almost incredulous.


    "Lapi is intact."


    The mercenaries exchanged knowing glances, fatigue and fear giving way to a semblance of comfort.


    Jean looked up at the ramparts and saw guards in full armor watching over the plain around the city.


    Their discipline and vigilance 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.


    "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''ve come 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 villagers.


    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.


    "Welcome to Lapi. Come in, and rest assured you''re safe here."


    The portcullis lifted with a deep creak, and the mercenaries entered the city, welcomed 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 89 - 89: Whos Baron Irut?

    Maxime paused for a moment, watching the vibrant city, and murmured to himself:


    "For how much longer?"


    After being allowed into the city, Maxime and his mercenaries separated from the crowd on the central alley and moved into a cobbled alley, looking for a place to rest.


    The group, exhausted by the battles and the night''s flight, was in desperate need of sleep. Rodrigo suddenly raised his hand and pointed to a carved wooden sign depicting a sleeping dragon, called L''Auberge de l''antre du Dragon.


    They entered, and were greeted by a puff of warmth and a delicious smell of stew.


    All the mercenaries began to swallow thanks to the smell mixed with the cries of distress from their stomachs.


    The innkeeper, a stocky man with grey hair and bright eyes, quickly sized them up. But despite their dirty, battle-scarred outfits, he didn''t neglect them.


    The weapons they carried made it clear that they were not to be trifled with.


    On the contrary, he knew better than to offend powerful fighters whatever their appearance.


    "Good evening and welcome to the Auberge de l''Antre du dragon, what can I do for you?" he asked in a slightly husky voice.


    Maxime placed a few gold coins on the counter, a payment that more than covered their needs.


    "A good meal and beds for 30, please."


    The innkeeper nodded and handed them iron keys, indicating the staircase to the upper floors.


    "Your meal will be ready in 15 minutes, you can rest in your rooms.


    "Your room numbers are indicated on the keys.


    "A member of our staff will come and let you know when your meal is ready."


    Maxime was satisfied and let the mercenaries disperse with their keys.


    Some collapsed on the beds as soon as they were in their rooms, others took the time to remove their dusty boots and tend to their wounds.


    As for Maxime, he sat on the edge of his bed for a while, his mind still tense, mentally replaying the latest events.


    The image of the orc army advancing under the trembling light of their torches still haunted his thoughts.


    Especially that mysterious orc shaman, he really thought for a moment that they would have been forced to engage in combat with those orcs.


    If that had happened, even he didn''t know if he would have made it out alive.


    Shortly afterwards, a woman passed through the rooms to warn that the meal was ready.


    Some of the mercenaries had already fallen asleep, but they were shaken by their teammate to force them to go and eat.


    At dawn, after a few hours'' restful sleep and a hearty breakfast, Maxime gathered his men in the inn''s great hall.


    They had all had a chance to take a bath in the water, while their equipment had been washed by the inn''s staff.


    They were much more presentable than when they had returned to town.


    Now they had to appear before Count Ardan with proof of their battle and claim their reward.


    Each mercenary''s features were marked by fatigue, but a gleam of determination shone in their eyes.


    Proudly carrying the saddlebag containing the orc ears, the group once again made their way through the streets of Lapi, which was slowly waking up under the first rays of the sun.


    Their passage through the streets frightened some of the town''s citizens, as the aura they exuded in the street was still marked by the previous battles they had experienced.


    Unlike the civilians who circulated here and lived a happy, peaceful life, the mercenaries had seen blood, killed with their own hands, and put their lives on the line in recent days.


    So obviously, there was something of a collision between the two worlds when they came face to face.


    As they walked towards Count Ardan''s mansion, a group of young men in burgundy uniforms crossed by gold embroidery blocked their path.


    Leading the way was a young man named Leo, a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed man who stopped them with suspicious eyes.


    "Well, what do you hope to achieve by parading around like that?" challenged L��o.


    Maxime, aware of the futility of a conflict here, replied calmly.


    "We''re mercenaries. We''re on our way to the manor to show the count our military merits and claim our reward."


    The young teenagers were surprised, but when they saw that the mercenaries were mostly around their own age, they burst out laughing.


    Another apprentice, Tomas, a dark-haired, square-jawed boy, raised an eyebrow.


    "Are you making fun of us? How could poor mercenaries like you kill orcs? Even apprentice knights like us have to risk our lives to kill just one!"


    Maxime took another look at them.


    Lapi deserved to be a count''s capital; they could meet a dozen apprentice knights at random in the morning.


    However, he was far too busy to waste time with apprentice knights who were obviously still in training and had therefore never seen blood.


    "Andrew, could you please clear the way?"


    The latter agreed with a big smile at Maxime''s request.


    "It''s my pleasure to do it."


    Seeing a red-haired young man emerge from the mercenary group, the apprentice knights felt contemptuous.


    "What do you plan to do?" asked Leo, curious.


    "Clear the way of course, what else could I do?"


    The apprentice knights were particularly angry on hearing this, especially Tomas.


    "We''re apprentice knights from the purple knight academy!"


    "Our academy trains over fifty powerful apprentice knights every year!"


    "Do you really think a mere mercenary like you can defeat us?"


    In this world, apprentice knights almost never joined mercenary groups, as the risk/reward ratio was far more attractive when they served nobles than when they risked their lives as mercenaries.


    What''s more, the profession of apprentice knight in the service of a nobleman was far more glorious than that of apprentice knight in a mercenary group.


    In fact, apprentice knights joining mercenaries were seen as waste products with no potential and a rebellious streak.


    As a result, Ultia and Henry found it even more difficult to make a choice beforehand.


    "Ohhhh are apprentice knights from an academy so powerful?" exclaimed Andrew with a contemptuous smile.


    "Of course they are! Our breathing method and our training are far more qualitative than all the apprentice knights you could find at barons and viscounts!" replied Leo, confidently.


    "Exactly, we''re one level above!" continued Tomas.


    "During the tournaments held in the capital, we regularly manage to have an apprentice knight in the top 10!"


    "Our apprentice knights from the south are well known for their fighting power!"


    Andrew felt like laughing to hear these guys boasting so much about their performance.


    Then suddenly he had a good idea.


    "In our mercenary group, we have two apprentice knights who come from Baron Irut''s territory, would you like to have a match?"


    "Apprentice knights in your mercenary group?"


    "And they want to compare themselves to us?"


    "Is this a joke?"


    "Who''s even Baron Irut?" S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you know the guys?"


    "No, never heard of them..."


    The apprentice knights of the purple knight academy burst out laughing.


    "Do you accept or not?"


    Andrew''s firm, powerful voice calmed the apprentice knights'' ardor.


    At this point, somehow, they sensed that Andrew was a particularly strong individual.


    "Yeah, we accept." finally replied Leo with a confident face.


    The ruckus began to draw many villagers into the street.


    Seeing that the situation could get out of hand, the apprentice knights proposed to have the duel at their academy.


    Andrew then looked to Maxime for authorization.


    Maxime gestured with his hand that he didn''t care and could accept.


    "All right, we''ll follow you."

 Chapter 90 - 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 and large 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 clad apprentice knights trained here, executing precise movements under the watchful gaze of their instructors.


    The sudden arrival of mercenaries accompanied 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. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was one of the academy''s masters of arms, a respected veteran named Sir Alaric.


    Leo stepped forward, puffing out his chest.


    "Master Alaric, we''ve decided to show these mercenaries the true power of an apprentice knight trained here at the Purple Knight Academy."


    Sir Alaric squinted, his attention focused on the mercenaries, whose posture was surprisingly relaxed, as if they''d come 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 Alaric nodded, intrigued.


    "So be it. I want to see what you can do. Let the duel take place 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," declared 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 can come 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 success!"


    "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, accept." the firm voice of the Alaric instruction echoed on the spot.


    "So annoying." murmured Leo, stepping forward in spite of himself; in no life would he dare answer the knight Alaric, 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 place, 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 Alaric gave the signal.


    The two apprentices charged without delay, Tomas using his shield to try to destabilize Henry.


    But Henry deftly dodged, pivoting with feline precision. His blade 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 and landed a swift kick, sending his opponent crashing to the ground.


    The mercenaries weren''t particularly surprised, as these gestures were regularly practiced by Henry during training sessions.


    The crowd, however, was not at all accustomed 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 Alaric''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."


    Alaric''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 relaxed 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 glancing at Leo. They exchanged a brief nod.


    Sir Alaric squinted curiously.


    He was familiar with the silent language of apprentices preparing to attack together.


    In their academy, teamwork was very important and surpassed, in terms of importance, individual combat 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 flank.


    Simultaneously, Tomas took advantage of the opening to strike with his sword towards Henry''s right shoulder. The duo hoped to throw Henry off balance with this coordinated attack.


    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 blade, 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 blade met Tomas''s in a controlled clash.


    He disarmed Tomas with a swift movement, the latter''s sword whirling through the air before falling back to his feet.


    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.


    "Strength comes not only from where you train, but from what you live."

 Chapter 91 - 91: Duel won

    "Strength comes not only from where you train, but from what you live."


    A heavy silence followed his words, then he raised a hand to signify the end of the duel.


    "This is the end of the duel. I declare Henry the winner."


    Murmurs began to run through the crowd, having difficulty accepting the fact that a mercenary could defeat apprentice knights in their3rd year at the academy.


    Everyone began to look at the mercenaries who had accompanied Henry.


    "Henry must be a special existence among them, no?"


    "I hope so, because otherwise it would be really scary."


    "Can you imagine a group of mercenaries all with that level of power?"


    "No, that''s impossible, and then what kind of personal strength would it take to keep order in a group of men where everyone has the strength of an apprentice knight?"


    "You''d have to be at least as strong as a formal knight, wouldn''t you?"


    A few glances landed on Maxime, who had a simple smile on his face at this point.


    "No impossible that he''s a knight, he looks maximum 20 years old."


    "In the whole kingdom, only a few exceptional geniuses manage to become knights at that age."


    "Especially since he looks more like 18 than 20."


    "To become a knight at 18, in the entire history of the kingdom, there have been less than five people who have managed that feat including the founding king."


    Sir Alaric''s gaze met Henry''s and he nodded slightly, a rare gesture from a man renowned for his rigor.


    The mercenaries, smiling at Henry, watched their comrade return to their ranks. Rodrigo patted Henry on the shoulder with a laugh.


    "Well done, you''ve made your mark today."


    Henry sketched a calm smile.


    "I just hope people stop underestimating our mercenaries."


    "And especially by improving our group''s reputation, we''ll also be able to earn more money."


    The mercenaries nearby all heard Henry''s words and most began to laugh loudly, drawing curious glances from the students of the Purple Knight Academy.


    "You''ve got it, Henry!" commented Rodrigo, laughing.


    But their laughter gradually stopped as Sir Alaric stepped forward, his imposing stature dominating the courtyard.


    All the mercenaries were aware that this man could crush them all single-handed, if it weren''t for Maxime.


    And even with Maxime, it would be a tragic fight without his talent.


    A silence fell, and every apprentice knight, every mercenary, held his breath.


    "Henry," he began, his voice deep.


    "Rare are those who have been able to face two of our students alone and win hands down with a kingdom similar to theirs or even inferior."


    His stern gaze was tinged with admiration.


    "You''ve proved that your training, though different, has nothing to envy that of our students."


    A murmur of approval went through the crowd. Leo, still panting with frustration on his face, stared at Henry with a mixture of respect and bitterness.


    Tomas, for his part, acknowledged his defeat without rancor.


    From his point of view, they had been completely dominated from start to finish. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Naturally, such an adversary deserved his respect.


    Sir Alaric continued, turning to the school''s students, who were turning out in ever-increasing numbers in the wake of the event.


    Among them were even4th and 5th graders.


    There were no 6th graders, which was also the last year, as 6th graders gained experience fighting orcs.


    "Let this be a lesson to all. True strength is not limited to the fighting techniques acquired within these walls, but to the experience and instinct gained in battle."


    The master-at-arms spoke again, this time addressing Henry directly:


    "I see in you a potential that exceeds what I''ve seen in many of my students. In this exceptional case, I invite you to join the Academy of the Purple Knights."


    "Your talents, if cultivated here, could make you a powerful knight."


    A shocked silence fell over the crowd.


    Some of the apprentice knights looked at each other in disbelief.


    Henry, caught off guard by this unexpected offer, remained calm.


    The idea of joining an academy with such prestige, which is the dream of so many, had often haunted him when he was still in training at Hypocamp.


    But he turned to his fellow mercenaries, meeting Maxime''s still calm gaze.


    Then he turned back to Chevalier Alaric, with a confident smile.


    "Master Alaric, this is an honor I would never have dared hope for," Henry replied, his clear voice finally breaking the silence.


    Sir Alaric was beginning to put on a slight smile, but the words that followed made his face change completely.


    "Master Alaric, this is an honor I would never have dared hope for. But I cannot accept. My path has been paved by my fellow mercenaries. They trained me, supported me and became my family. My destiny is with them."


    A stunned silence fell over the courtyard. The apprentices exchanged shocked glances, and even Sir Alaric, master of his emotions, let slip a flash of surprise mixed with a little anger at being rejected in front of so many people.


    Leo, watching Henry, had a look filled with respect and frustration, understanding at that moment that the man they had faced was not only physically strong, but mentally too.


    "Are you sure of your decision? A group of mercenaries will only waste your talents in addition to drastically increasing your chances of dying without a burial ground."


    Sir Alaric''s words didn''t make the mercenaries laugh at all.


    And having been through several battles in a short space of time, everyone was hot-blooded now.


    Everyone laid hands on their weapons, ready to draw at the slightest command from Maxime.


    This immediately changed the mood of the place.


    The apprentice knights, especially the4th and 5th graders, had previously been completely uninterested and even scornful of Henry.


    From their point of view, he had only benefited from a little surprise.


    A mere apprentice knight at the entry stage didn''t deserve praise in front of them, most of whom had reached the stage of minor or even major success.


    They were all highly skilled fighters.


    But at this moment, they were all intimidated by the momentum of the Saber-toothed Tigers.


    Twenty of them in particular, while another ten didn''t seem to know how to react.


    Maxime stepped forward to face Sir Alaric, before the shocked eyes of the crowd.


    He silently activated his talent, suddenly giving off a powerful burst of energy.


    He controlled his talent as best he could so that it was active only on himself.


    After all, he had already activated his talent less than 24 hours earlier.


    But he hadn''t used up all his energy when he activated it, so he still had enough energy left to activate it again, limiting the effect on himself for a few minutes.


    His eyes and hair changing color shocked everyone.


    No one had ever seen anything so magical.


    "Chevalier Alaric is it? You can secretly despise us, but you can''t publicly humiliate our mercenary group."

 Chapter 92 - 92: Training with apprentice knights from the Purple Knights Academy

    "Chevalier Alaric 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 Alaric.


    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 Alaric, 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 Alaric 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. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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, Alaric 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 Alaric''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 black leather tunic reinforced with polished metal plates completed 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 that laid bare the very essence of each person.


    The murmurings ceased instantly when his eyes met Maxime''s. The latter, still under the spell of his own presence, was in awe.


    The latter, 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.


    With a slow gesture, Ardan raised his hand.


    "Good morning dear students, good morning Alaric 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 intelligence network.


    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.


    Alaric 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''ve come to Lapi to take on my students?" he added in a calm tone.


    "Indeed, we''ve come both to offer our services to Count Ardan and at the same time to claim 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 glances 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 particularly 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?"


    "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 Alaric took his place 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 welcoming, confident smile.


    "I accept. 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 welcomed by the apprentice knights.


    Of course, the apprentice knights knew that they were just villagers 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 clashes of swords was already resounding, marking the beginning of this encounter that would definitively redefine the image of the Saber-toothed Tigers.

 Chapter 93 - 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 singularity 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 particularly important meritorious deeds."


    "Otherwise I''ve heard rumors about you, Maxime."


    "The count is joking, what kind of rumors can circulate 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 his command ordinary former villagers who in a very short time have become 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 become stronger overnight, but it must be said that I have a certain eye for spotting people with potential."


    Maxime preferred to play the modesty card mixed with a little truth rather than say directly:


    "I have a monstrous talent that means anyone can become 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 by coming 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 inflexible laws of lords and knights. I want to show that we can become 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 flat tone.


    Maxime made a note in his head to research the subject later, as Count Ardan obviously didn''t want to talk about it in depth.


    A few moments later, 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.


    A large 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 placed 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 a large 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, particularly 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 placed his hands on the table and leaned towards Maxime.


    "It''s no accident that I agreed to receive you so promptly. Your group and your talent could play 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 become a pivot, a point of balance in this storm."


    The silence that followed was heavy, while outside, the sound of clashing blades 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 orcs comparable 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 villages." the Count replied directly.


    Then he went on to explain:


    "Orc armies, for greater efficiency, dispatch their armies quickly to eradicate as many villages 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 salary 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 sum coming 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. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 accept 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 succeeded, so much the better; if not, he''d only be a little disappointed.


    "I hear your request, Maxime, and I accept it. You''ll have carte blanche to conduct your operations as you see fit, provided you deliver regular reports on your missions. And believe me, these reports will be closely scrutinized."


    Maxime nodded, satisfied with this clause.


    "We have a deal then," he replied, extending his hand towards Ardan.

 Chapter 94 - 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 elaborate.


    "He''s an apprentice knight at the stage of great success 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 my command, 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 calculated every gesture he made.


    In the absence of training methods, all mercenaries became like this, developing their own style of mastery according 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.


    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.


    The latter barely dodged, the sweat beading on his forehead and the tension in the air becoming 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 balance.


    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 become 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.


    By the time Alden received the blow and saw the lack of power, it was already too late.


    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 applause. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sir Alaric approached Andrew, took his left arm and raised it.


    "I declare 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 applause 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 acceptance 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 glances 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 village 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 accept, your first mission will begin tomorrow."

 Chapter 95 - 95: Maximes strength revealed

    "Get your men ready. If you accept, your first mission will begin tomorrow."


    "Do we have any details on the number of orcs we''ll be facing?"


    Count Ardan looked at Maxime approvingly.


    A leader shouldn''t rush headlong into a mission without knowing the details of his opponent.


    "There are only about thirty orcs, but all of them are rather large and therefore strong."


    Maxime didn''t know this information, as studying orcs is part of the courses received at university.


    No one expects students in high school to fight orcs, and teaching them to fight them will only encourage students to fight them, and in most cases, to die quickly.


    "What does that mean? What exactly should I expect?"


    Count Ardan was slightly surprised that Maxime didn''t know this kind of common sense.


    Then he remembered that he was young and not noble, so it was rather understandable.


    "We consider that as soon as an orc exceeds 2 meters, which is the case for most orcs, they have the strength to take on an apprentice knight."


    "If an orc exceeds 3 meters, he can barely take on a knight, but he''ll probably end up losing, and in short order." S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This knight will undoubtedly win thanks to his agility and technique. Because a contest of strength with an orc is generally a bad idea."


    Maxime reflected slightly, and guessed that, based on the system, one meter of height was equal to one point of physique.


    However, unlike the physique of humans, which was generally very balanced, that of orcs leaned heavily towards strength, endurance and defense, to the detriment of agility.


    Hence the count''s remarks.


    "And according to the information, there are orcs to pay attention to?"


    "Yes, they''re led by an orc measuring 3 meters tall, and there are also 5 orcs measuring between 2.5 meters and 2.7 meters tall."


    "The rest are pretty ordinary ranging from 2 meters to 2.3 meters."


    Maxime nodded, quickly analyzing the situation.


    The orc measuring over 3 meters had to represent the greatest challenge, especially if he had the ability to command and coordinate the other orcs.


    The mention of the five intermediate-sized orcs between 2.5 and 2.7 meters indicated powerful orcs that could seriously injure or even kill some of the mercenaries if they weren''t careful.


    "It''s feasible, but we need to prepare our strategy well," Maxime thought silently.


    Count Ardan watched him with rapt attention. Maxime''s thoughtful reaction, his ability to envisage solutions and not just reactions, confirmed that he was not dealing with a simple mercenary leader.


    "I wonder if he''s born with it, or has someone taught him?" thought Count Ardan silently.


    The Count could never have imagined that Maxime came from another world, and that in this world there were many subjects to study in connection with the world of Eternity.


    "We accept this mission."


    Ardan inclined his head, satisfied with the swift, assured response.


    "Irina is a strategic position, and its loss would weaken our control over the entire southern region. The defense of the village is crucial, but it might just be a prelude to something bigger."


    Maxime frowned slightly, catching the nuance in the Count''s words.


    "You think the orcs are planning a major incursion?"


    Ardan nodded slowly, his gaze lost for a moment in memories of ancient battles.


    "It''s highly probable. There are rumors of a coalition between orc tribes, a rare and worrying event. If they''re true, we can expect a more devastating wave than usual."


    Maximus frowned.


    "The Count''s words are the same as Baron Edrin''s, so there really could be something dark afoot?"


    Maxime and the Count then discussed a few innocuous things, before Maxime respectfully left the Count''s office.


    After leaving the office, Maxime joined the courtyard, where Andrew was still chatting with Alden and other apprentice knights, while the other mercenaries were busy learning duels with the other apprentice knights.


    There were victories and defeats on both sides, but the main thing was that each side learned from the other.


    The mercenaries learned the orderly, methodical style of the apprentice knights, while the apprentice knights learned to counter the unpredictable and particularly deadly styles of the mercenaries.


    But the arrival of Maxime caught everyone''s attention, bringing the duels to a temporary halt.


    "Get ready, Saber-toothed Tigers. We leave at dawn to defend Irina''s village."


    The mercenaries exchanged glances, smiles taut with concentrated faces. Andrew, who was closest, nodded.


    "Agreed, Chief. We''ll be ready."


    Alden, sensing an excellent opportunity to make progress, interrupted Maxime.


    "I wish to accompany you."


    A murmur of astonishment ran through the ranks, as Maxime watched the young knight with a piercing gaze.


    But for him, having an apprentice knight at the stage of great additional success was an important added strength.


    "So get ready, Alden. At sunrise, we''ll leave to face this storm together."


    "There''s still time before you leave, why don''t you train with me in the meantime?"


    Maxime turned to the person who had said this with surprise.


    "Chevalier Alaric..."


    "Why are you afraid?" added Alaric with a teasing smile.


    "No, but the difference in strength is far too great between us."


    Alaric shook his head with amusement.


    "Don''t worry, I''m simply offering you a personal course to improve your skills."


    All the apprentice knights in the academy couldn''t believe it, and displayed gaping mouths.


    One apprentice knight murmured:


    "Am I dreaming or did I really hear what I heard?"


    "I think I heard the same thing," added another nearby.


    "Professor Alaric really did offer personal training to the mercenary leader."


    "Luck."


    "Normally you have to be top in the top three of your year to benefit from it, and even then it''s only a few hours'' guidance."


    The crowd was a little disgruntled and jealous of such preferential treatment for an outsider to the academy.


    Sir Alaric noticed this, and laughed at the apprentice knights.


    "If you can reach the level of a knight at his age, even if he''s the weakest knight who ever existed, then I''ll gladly teach you all day."


    The apprentice knights were shocked, while the mercenaries were suspicious that this knight could directly guess their leader''s level of strength.


    "Don''t deny it Maxime, when you gave off that aura earlier, I felt threatened."


    "Now you''re back to normal, but you must still have the level of a knight."


    Maxime shook his head.


    "I''m at most slightly stronger than the apprentice knights at the peak stage, but the power of a knight is still a long way off."


    Maxime''s words created a silence in the crowd.


    A mercenary from nowhere could take down all the students of the strongest academy in the south of the Kingdom.


    It was unheard of.

 Chapter 96 - 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."


    Alaric was the honest, straightforward type, so he explained his intentions and motivations directly.


    "And who knows, maybe one day it''ll be me who needs your help."


    Maxime understood better, and accepted the situation.


    His mastery of the sword still lagged 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 Alaric." S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Alaric 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," Alaric said with a laugh.


    "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 similar 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.


    Alaric 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 Alaric, pointing to a blunt steel training blade 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 balance was perfect, a sign of the superior quality of the academy''s weapons.


    "We''ll start with some basic movements," Alaric explained.


    "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, Alaric attacked, his blade 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 calculated to test his opponent''s reflexes and defense.


    Maxime defended himself with total concentration, using movements he had learned as best he could through combat and self-reflection.


    He also applied Kilian''s advice on how to defend himself.


    Yet Alaric 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 Alaric had the power to cut him cleanly in two.


    But he was happy.


    The recognition of a master like Alaric was priceless.


    "Your skills are incredible, Professor. I can already see where I need to improve."


    Alaric gave a short, frank laugh.


    "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 Alaric deliberately left. As the minutes passed, the bond between the two men grew stronger, a mutual respect forged in the exchange of blades and the sweat beading on their foreheads.


    As the training drew to a close, Maxime knelt briefly, exhausted.


    Alaric laid 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 the complex in amber hues.


    Built on a hill, the academy dominated the surrounding area, offering a breathtaking view of the forests and rolling plains.


    Its buildings, though simple in architecture, bore the hallmarks of subtle wealth: arches adorned with engravings recounting legendary battles, stained-glass 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 become accustomed 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 97 - 97: A bad feeling

    Only a few seemed indifferent to such wealth.


    These were Rodrigo, Ernest, Laura and Izo.


    The first two came from noble families, so this was understandable, although nobody knew exactly where they came from.


    All the other mercenaries knew was that they were considered trash in their families.


    Izo, who was one of the mercenaries who had joined Maxime at the very beginning, had always been an emotionless individual.


    As if the outside world couldn''t affect him.


    Even when Quessoi had been destroyed by bandits, he had shown no emotion.


    So the mercenaries were used to it, although everyone watched Izo from time to time to see if he could display anything other than an imperturbable face.


    But that never happened.


    On the other hand, the mystery surrounding Laura was total: her past was something dark, as everyone had guessed.


    But no one dared ask her what she''d been through.


    It was in this atmosphere that they continued walking, eventually arriving in a gigantic room, where 3 extremely long tables were placed, each able to seat over 100 people.


    The room was extremely well decorated, with paintings hanging on the walls, showing various war scenes that had been important in the history of Ravemont County.


    Many showed war scenes with orcs, while others showed scenes against other humans.


    Some even featured men riding griffins.


    At the back of the room was a table reserved for teachers if they wished to eat here and/or announce something to the students.


    The mercenaries spread out with the apprentice knights with whom they had got to know.


    This created a very friendly and pleasant atmosphere.


    Servants in embroidered tunics moved silently about, bringing dishes garnished with roasted meats, seasoned vegetables and still-warm bread.


    The tables in the large common room, made of dark, polished wood, were illuminated by hanging candlesticks that cast dancing shadows on the walls.


    Stories, battle anecdotes and funny training moments were shared.


    Voices and laughter echoed around the room.


    Andrew, raising a glass of fruity-tasting wine, toasted a young knight who recounted how he had almost lost his life in the city.


    On patrol in the town center, he had noticed a fight between some elderly people.


    Not wanting to see anyone hurt in front of him, he tried to stop the fight.


    But when he approached them and decided to stop them with his powerful physique, he was sent straight to the ground.


    As it turned out, these old men were all retired apprentice knights who had seen many battlefields.


    Even if old age had caused them to lose a lot of strength, it was more than enough to deal with an inexperienced apprentice knight at the entry stage.


    When the anecdote was told, giggles were heard at their table.


    Others then began to recount similar experiences, which further amplified the laughter of those at the table.


    It seemed that these old men were notorious for fighting amongst themselves, and that many an apprentice knight had been beaten by them.


    And unfortunately for them, being valuable soldiers who had performed meritorious deeds, the Count turned a blind eye to all their actions as long as they weren''t excessive.


    On the other side of the room, Alden was chatting with James and Piedro, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as he listened to their tales of battle against bandits and orcs.


    At another table, Terry and Lira sat side by side, chatting with apprentice knights.


    No one noticed that their hands were intertwined under the table.


    Little by little, the warriors grew tired. The voices died away, giving way to the crackling fire of the torches illuminating the academy, and the light wind whistling through the ramparts.


    The mercenaries slept in the very comfortable beds of the 6th-year apprentice knights who were in training, and who wouldn''t be back so soon.


    For their part, the apprentice knights returned to their own dormitories, the last words exchanged fading into the quiet night.


    At the first light of dawn, Maxime stood ready, his figure erect before the massive doors of the academy.


    His stern gaze swept over the gathering warriors. The Saber-toothed Tigers, armed and braced, took up their positions, closely followed by a few apprentice knights led by Alden.


    Each of them wanted to gain real combat experience before the 6th year.


    Clearly, the Count had great confidence in Maxime and let these apprentice knights accompany him.


    The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, bathing the courtyard in a golden glow and casting elongated shadows on the academy walls.


    A solemn silence fell as Maxime raised a hand, drawing everyone''s attention.


    His eyes met those of his mercenaries, battle-hardened faces, some bearing visible scars while others concealed deeper, invisible wounds.


    The new recruits remained in the academy for training.


    On this mission, they would only be a hindrance, given their physical appearance.


    So the mercenaries returned, 20 in number. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The 5 young apprentice knights, including Alden, less experienced but just as determined, stood up straight, listening respectfully.


    There were 3 apprentice knights in the small-success stage and two others, including Alden, in the large-success stage.


    "Saber-toothed Tigers, apprentice knights" began Maxime, his strong, confident voice echoing through the academy''s imposing doors.


    "Today we leave for Irina''s village."


    "We will go together, with a clear strategy, and above all, with confidence in each other."


    "Everyone here has a role to play. Our lives depend on everyone''s cooperation and discipline. So, whatever happens, remember: protect your allies, stand by each other and remain clear-headed in the decisions you make."


    "Don''t let the excitement of battle overwhelm you."


    Andrew raised his sword in a rallying gesture, shouting in a loud voice:


    "For Irina and for honor!"


    The other Tigers followed his example, their voices rising to seal their commitment.


    "For Irina and for honor!"


    "For Irina and for honor!"


    "For Irina and for honor!"


    The apprentice knights shouted back, feeling their spirits rise and their fears and anxieties fade slightly, replaced by fighting spirit, courage and positivism.


    Maxime and his men set off with this energy under the mysterious eyes of the Count and Chevalier Alaric, who had been observing the scene from the top of the ramparts.


    "I see you''re pensive Director, don''t you trust them?" asked Alaric calmly.


    "No, it''s not that, but I don''t know why I have a bad feeling about it" replied the Count, frowning.

 Chapter 98 - 98: Distrust

    "No, it''s not that, but I don''t know why I have a bad feeling about it," replied the Count, frowning.


    On the way, Rodrigo walked alongside Ernest, chatting quietly in a low voice like most mercenaries.


    They were supposed to arrive in the evening, so it was bound to be hard not to get bored for so long.


    These were men, not machines.


    To make up for this, Maxime designated a few men each, 2 at the front, 2 at the back and 1 on each side, for a total of 6 men.


    They thus formed 4 teams, and the teams rotated every hour.


    These teams, when on duty, were not to talk and were to reserve all their attention for their surroundings.


    Occasionally, they moved away from the main team to carry out reconnaissance.


    The march proceeded calmly in this way, without anything happening.


    As they approached Irina''s village, the mercenaries and apprentice knights were relieved to arrive at last.


    The first signs of life appeared in the form of small isolated farms and barns, the wheat fields buffeted by a gentle breeze. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When they were within a hundred meters of the village, Maxime ordered them to stop so as not to frighten the villagers.


    They were soon spotted, and a crowd of villagers gathered outside the village gates.


    Maxime addressed his men.


    "Don''t forget," he whispered to his men,


    "We''ll be living with these people for 2 days, so be as nice as you were in Plouta. For the apprentice knights, pass yourselves off as mercenaries under my orders."


    "What for, Maxime?" asked Alden curiously.


    "It''s chief." added Andrew, glaring at Alden.


    Alden looked slightly at Andrew.


    "You''re under the chief''s orders right now, so you have to call him chief."


    Seeing that the mercenaries looked at him with almost menacing glances, Alden finally nodded.


    "What for, chief?"


    "And we don''t ask questions about the chief''s orders," Andrew continued dryly.


    Alden knew that Andrew was doing this mainly to establish Maxime''s authority, but also to annoy him so he could make fun of him later.


    They''d already become friends since their duel, and had sensed a good feeling between them.


    "It''s okay Andrew, it doesn''t matter."


    Maxime looked at Alden and explained the choice.


    "If you declare your identity as an apprentice knight, the villagers will feel a social barrier with you, which will complicate our cooperation with them."


    "It''s not particularly annoying, but if we can avoid that kind of little hassle it''s better."


    After Alden nodded in understanding and asked no further questions, Maxime advanced with his men towards the village.


    The villagers, who had emerged from their homes, were casting cold, worried glances at the armed group.


    Although there were over 500 villagers gathered here, Maxime''s 20 mercenaries accompanied by 5 powerful apprentice knights had much more momentum.


    Some of the peasants murmured among themselves, exchanging wary glances in the direction of the mercenaries.


    A middle-aged man with piercing eyes stepped forward, addressing Maximus directly, who was one step ahead of everyone else.


    "What are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously.


    Maxime bowed his head respectfully, trying to appear as calm as possible.


    "We''ve received information from reliable sources that orcs will be attacking this village in less than two days."


    His words sounded like thunder to the villagers, who began to panic.


    Living in the south, they knew full well how much stronger orcs were than humans.


    "But don''t worry, we''ve been commissioned by Count Ardan to protect you."


    At these words, a dry laugh broke out among the crowd.


    A burly man leaning on a pitchfork stared at him suspiciously.


    "And with only a score of men you think you can repel them? It looks like the Count has abandoned us."


    Maxime did not lose his composure in the face of the villagers'' suspicion. He took another step forward, his confident gaze lingering on each of them.


    "I understand your doubts", he replied in a firm but calm tone.


    "But it''s not just a question of quantity when it comes to facing orcs, but of quality."


    "My mercenary squad has already faced and defeated many orcs, otherwise the count wouldn''t have sent us here."


    The man with the pitchfork, his features still contracting with distrust, raised an eyebrow before retorting:


    "Easy for you to say. What are we villagers supposed to do? Hide and pray you''re as strong as you say you are?"


    "Stop it Francis, we have no choice but to trust them anyway."


    The village chief looked at the man with the pitchfork with disgruntled eyes.


    "Whether it''s true or not, we only have these men to protect us."


    Just then, Andrew intervened, his voice ringing with vibrant assurance.


    "No, sir. You''re going to help, too. We need barricades, observation posts, and the eyes of each and every one of you. If we work together, we can block these orcs more easily."


    Murmurs began to break out among the villagers, some nodding their heads while others exchanged worried but determined glances. Maxime, seeing that Andrew''s words had had an effect, addressed the crowd again.


    "Within two days, we will turn this village into a stronghold and protect your families and your land."


    He added in a softer voice, intended to calm the spirits:


    "We understand your apprehensions, but we really need each and every one of you to make this plan work."


    After a few moments of silence, the villagers finally accepted the help of the mercenaries and apprentice knights.


    They were first welcomed with a modest evening meal in various village families.


    There were so many villagers in this village that, even with only one mercenary per family, there were still many families who did not welcome any mercenaries.


    The next day, under the leadership of Maxime and his men, the village went into battle.


    They began by erecting barricades and preparing available weapons, while the apprentice knights helped the villagers to quickly practice the basic gestures needed to defend themselves in the event of a breakthrough.


    The most important thing was to make long spears, so that if the unexpected happened, the villagers would be able to defend themselves at least a little.


    Of course, the orcs were so powerful that it would take at least a dozen villagers armed with long spears to face just one.


    After spending a whole day working together, the villagers of Irina''s village were less wary of the mercenaries.


    So much so, that they organized a big meal in the evening, much to the delight of the mercenaries, who began to enjoy these evenings with the villagers.


    The village filled with laughter and song around a large fire in the village center.


    Tired, dust-covered faces gave way to smiles, and the tension of the day gradually evaporated.


    It was a chance to get to know the villagers.

 Chapter 99 - 99: Getting to know each other

    This little event was an opportunity to get to know the villagers.


    For example, there was the village chief''s wife, in her fifties, with sparkling eyes and a kind smile.


    Her name was Mira and she was an incredibly gentle healer, known for her remedies made from simple plants and medicinal herbs she gathered herself in the surrounding forests.


    That evening, she circulated among the mercenaries and apprentices, checking their wounds and chatting with them as if they were old friends.


    She told Izo how she had once healed a soldier who had been bitten by a wolf, while joking that animals are easier to heal than men, as the latter were generally too proud to admit they were in pain.


    To everyone''s surprise, Izo grinned slightly at this story and started talking to her.


    This mercenary, usually so discreet, revealed himself for the first time to be a little sociable.


    On the other hand, there was the man who had provoked Maxime and Andrew leaning on his pitchfork at the entrance to the village.


    Francis was a massive man with greying hair who was busy forging all the tools the villagers needed.


    He was still covered in soot and had scorch marks on his arms, signs of long years spent wielding hammer and anvil.


    But beneath his gruff exterior, Francis was a loving father and loyal friend, appreciated for his sound advice and sense of humor.


    Tonight, he exchanged stories of battles and weapon-making with Andrew, extolling the virtues of his latest blacksmith''s hammer, which for him "had surpassed the work of his ancestors by 3 generations!"


    After a few drinks, he recounted how he had once forged a sword so sharp that "even a child could cut an orc in half".


    Unfortunately, he had lost that sword, which he had made on a whim, mixed with a flash of inspiration.


    Elinor, barely twenty, was a farmer''s daughter who raised sheep with impressive agility and vivacity.


    That evening, dressed in a simple linen tunic, she listened with fascination to the stories of the mercenaries. Her red hair and intense gaze captivated the attention of the apprentices, especially Alden, who almost seemed to look at her with admiration.


    The two stood off to one side and chatted together.


    It seemed that the feeling between the two was very good.


    Among the apprentice knights, apart from Alden, were Tomas, Theo, Lila and Caleb.


    Tomas was the young man who had fought Andrew with Leo.


    Leo, for his part, hadn''t wanted to risk his life, so he hadn''t come.


    Theo was a slim-faced young man with piercing eyes. His discreet nature contrasted with his skills: he was a highly intelligent strategist as well as being an apprentice knight in the early stages of success.


    That evening, he often stood back, observing the interactions, his lips sometimes quirking a discreet smile.


    Until he started chatting with Tena, who had a minor talent for intelligence.


    The two began to talk about many different things, including politics, finance, territory management and war strategy.


    Their discussion went wonderfully well.


    Occasionally, villagers or mercenaries would join in, until they realized that they were not at all up to the level of such discussions.


    Among the apprentice knights, the only woman who had wanted to come was Lila, with her childlike face and boundless energy, she was an apprentice knight full of life, ready to protect others at all costs.


    She laughed out loud as she listened to Francis the blacksmith''s stories, and even asked Mira to teach her simple herbal remedies if he had time. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She even showed the village children how to hold a sword.


    When James saw this scene, he was interested and started chatting lightly with her.


    First about swordplay, then about other things.


    In particular, the two found they had something in common.


    They both loved the beauty of nature, and loved to take quiet walks to observe it.


    Their dreams were also very similar. They both wanted peace in the world, even with foreign races.


    For them, the world would be happy the day all races lived together in harmony.


    The fifth and final apprentice knight was named Caleb.


    He was tall and sturdy, with a serious look in his eyes, but he had a tender heart and cared about everyone''s safety.


    He was the second apprentice knight at the stage of great success and his strength was very close to Alden''s.


    That night, he took the time to talk to each villager.


    Noticing a little sadness in his eyes, Andrew couldn''t resist talking to him.


    He learned that he had originally wanted to become a simple farmer and take over his ancestors'' land to cultivate.


    When he learned that he had an extremely rare knightly talent - a medium-level knightly talent - he didn''t feel much.


    His dream was to live quietly with his farm animals and continue to cultivate the land of his ancestors.


    But when he saw the pride in his father''s eyes, and how he told the villagers that his son possessed a very high talent for becoming a knight, he could never look him in the eye and tell him that what he wanted was to be like his father.


    And so, in spite of himself, he had forged a new life goal.


    "I want to protect the people who are living my dream.


    Francis, who had heard everything in spite of himself, was touched.


    "Come back to the village one day, and I''ll forge you a unique blade and top-quality armor from what''s left of my precious materials."


    As the night wore on, the villagers began to sing songs from their childhood, and apprentice knights and mercenaries were invited to dance.


    Rudimentary musical instruments had been made by the villagers, adding to the good mood.


    The evening passed quietly in good spirits, until Maxime, who had been lying quietly at the foot of a tree with Laura in his arms, saw one of Tena''s brothers coming towards him in a slight panic.


    "What''s wrong with Moron?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    "The orcs...the orcs are coming!"


    Simultaneously, Laura gripped Maxime''s hand tightly, feeling worried that if it were only the orcs arriving, Morvon wouldn''t have been so panicked.


    He himself was a mercenary who had already experienced many battles.


    "They are extremely numerous, far too numerous!"

 Chapter 100 - 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 glanced at each other solemnly.


    For his part, Alden also left Elinor in spite of himself, sensing that the mood had suddenly changed.


    The villagers also noticed the movement and began to worry.


    Seeing the mercenaries and apprentice knights gathering in front of him, Maxime explained 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 villagers didn''t climb to the top of the ramparts, as the mercenaries blocked their access completely, 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 are coming." replied Maxime simply, his gaze fixed on the nearby forest.


    "Yes, we already know they''re coming, but why react this way?"


    "Because they''re arriving early and in large numbers - too many, according 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."


    The latter 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''re coming."


    Maxime signaled the mercenaries to stand by, and a tense calm settled over the village.


    The villagers 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. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then another twenty or so appeared.


    Seconds later, 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 planned.


    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 villagers.


    "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 village.


    "I''ll delay them, take the villagers 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 orcs comparable 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!"


    The mercenaries watched this silent scene, their faces filled with all kinds of emotions.


    Everyone knew what kind of relationship 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.


    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 village 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''t come out alive against such an army.


    How unfair was life?


    A relatively 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 villagers survive!"


    Simultaneously, the first orc collided with the ramparts, shaking the ground beneath the feet of the mercenaries and apprentice knights.

 Chapter 101 - 101: Evacuation

    Simultaneously, the first orc collided with the ramparts, causing the ground to tremble beneath the feet of the mercenaries and apprentice knights.


    "Chief, the mission will be accomplished!"


    Andrew shouted, striking a military pose.


    He''d learned it when he was in the real world, quickly observing the military men he''d come across.


    For him, it was the greatest mark of respect he could show to Maxime.


    All the mercenaries did the same, while the apprentice knights brought their fists level with theirs.


    "Chief, the mission will be accomplished!"


    The voices of these 25 individuals rang out together, imbued with an unprecedented solemnity.


    The villagers who heard this were slightly reassured, although the noise outside was frightening.


    "For Irina, for honor and for our survival! Flee!"


    All the mercenaries and apprentice knights leapt lightly from the ramparts like martial arts experts.


    "All villagers, a huge orc horde is attacking us!"


    "Our leader immediately orders you to abandon everything in place and run for the back gate of the village!"


    "Our group of mercenaries will protect you from the orcs chasing you!"


    Andrew, as a worthy self-proclaimed vice-captain, began issuing various orders to make the evacuation orderly.


    Women and children immediately ran out of their homes, and began to run towards the village gate.


    With so many people, panic was inevitable, but fortunately everyone knew each other, so there was no jostling.


    On the contrary, an immense solidarity was born.


    Men carried the village''s elderly and sick on their backs, and ran with one person on their back.


    Although these men quickly exhausted their energy, they couldn''t help smiling gratefully at the other people carrying their family members.


    This mutual aid between villagers was truly admirable.


    Maxime, now alone at the top of the ramparts, stared at the orcs gathering beneath him.


    The promise he''d made to Laura and the love shared at such a tragic moment strengthened his resolve, giving him immense momentum.


    Standing here alone, he had the aura of a hero with the villagers who could see him in the distance.


    "Why are we running, Mom?" one child asked fearfully and with tears in his eyes to his mother, who had taken him in her arms. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Because our village is in danger, my darling," replied the young mother, trying to reassure her child as much as possible.


    No one but herself knew how much effort it took to keep smiling in this kind of situation.


    On the contrary, she felt like crying her eyes out.


    "So why is there a gentleman still on the wooden wall, why isn''t he running?" asked the child with very curious eyes.


    The mother was stunned for a moment.


    She looked behind her, and saw this solitary back facing monsters of unheard-of size.


    A feeling of admiration and respect was born in her heart at that moment.


    "Because he decided he would save us all, using his body as a bulwark."


    The child calmed slightly after his mother''s reply.


    "I would like to become like this gentleman in the future! ! "


    Red-eyed Laura overheard this conversation and bit her lips.


    Simultaneously, the ramparts literally exploded, creating a thick cloud of mist.


    Maxime''s solitary silhouette could no longer be seen.


    But everyone knew he was there, as silhouettes of orcs were suddenly propelled backwards or even literally split in two.


    Despite this, many orcs began to invade the village.


    House after house was destroyed, savagely trampled underfoot by the orcs.


    Fortunately, no one was left inside.


    "Saber-toothed tigers, that''s where our mission begins!" shouted Andrew in a powerful voice.


    "For the honor!" suddenly shouted Izo.


    This surprised everyone, especially the mercenaries who had known Izo for some time.


    But it motivated them all, giving off a wave of positivity.


    "For the honor!"


    "For the honor!"


    "For the honor!"


    ...


    All the mercenaries and apprentice knights began to shout.


    In the next instant, most of them flew off in the direction of the nearest orcs to fight them, while some stayed behind to protect the villagers in the event of any unforeseen events.


    The villagers kept running in spite of everything, fear and panic mingling with a strange confidence.


    Mira, the healer, guided the older people behind, her reassuring words calming the trembling spirits around her.


    She had volunteered to be in this position, refusing to abandon them even to save her own life.


    The men of the village, led by Francis and the village chief, formed an improvised rearguard of 300 men, each armed with spears and pitchforks, ready to fight to give the others time to escape.


    Lila, the young apprentice knight, walked alongside the children, reassuring them, speaking to them of courage and hope.


    Her soft, soothing voice carried beyond the cries of anguish, and despite the gravity of the situation, the little ones found a little comfort in her smile.


    Andrew and Caleb, for their part, guided the villagers along the safest paths, keeping watch at every turn.


    Caleb, with his serious, determined gaze, felt a particular weight, his own purpose echoing in every step.


    For Maxime, the mood was completely different.


    He felt far too weak against so many orcs, even if he had plenty of space to use his agility.


    Gradually, he became overwhelmed, and more and more orcs invaded the village and began to pursue the villagers and his men.


    If it went on like this, his sacrifice would be for nothing.


    So, alone against the orc army, Maxime made a radical decision to accomplish his mission.


    "NOX LIMIT, activation!


    "NOX LIMIT, activation!


    "NOX LIMIT, activation!


    In a very short time, Maxime forced the activation of his talent several times, while limiting its effect to himself.


    An immense energy surged through his body, strengthening it to an unimaginable degree.


    At the same time, it began to destroy all his muscles, making his body feel immense pain.


    And it wasn''t just his body; he could feel that his soul, deep inside him, had suffered extremely serious wounds, giving him a second immense pain.

 Chapter 102 - 102: The end

    And it wasn''t just his body; he could feel that his soul, deep down inside, had suffered extremely serious wounds, giving him a second, immense pain.


    But Maxime gritted his teeth and tried as best he could to control the energy that appeared throughout his body simultaneously.


    And all that energy transformed him completely.


    Not only had his hair turned white, but so had his eyes.


    All the mercenaries and apprentice knights felt a shiver run through their hearts in Maxime''s direction.


    Especially Laura, who felt her heart clench with every passing moment.


    It was as if a monster of unprecedented power had been born.


    Everyone knew the details of Maxime''s talent.


    And they more or less equally knew the consequences.


    Having become so powerful, they all knew that Maxime''s chances of survival diminished with every passing second.


    Alone against the orc army, Maxime felt his heart beating intensely, the pressure of events weighing heavily.


    A 3-meter-high orc approached, its deep howl tearing the morning silence.


    Maxime''s sword, brandished high, reflected the rays of the rising sun, and burst into powerful light, like a final call to courage.


    He knew that every second gained counted in saving those fleeing behind him.


    The impact was brutal and intense, and a relentless battle ensued as Maxime struck, dodged and countered the orc''s blows with unprecedented precision and strength.


    The 3-meter-high orc was immediately pushed back without him being able to do anything.


    The orc looked at Maxime with frightened eyes.


    It was the first time in his life he''d been pushed back by a human being.


    Maxime''s current strength was such that he could send all nearby orcs flying with his sheer force alone.


    His speed was also unheard of as he moved through the orcs, decapitating them one by one.


    Despite his courage, the horde continued to pour in, each fallen orc seemingly immediately replaced by two others, and Maxime''s fatigue began to set in.


    In a place far, far away, a mysterious individual opened his eyes.


    His surroundings were equally mysterious and dark.


    Various chains bound his immeasurably large body.


    "Ohhh, I knew I was pretty good at detecting talent."


    His voice was so powerful that it created fractures in the surrounding space and shook the chains that bound him.


    Then he closed his eyes again, perhaps for thousands of years, to conserve as much energy as possible and stay alive.


    Maxime, who was on the battlefield among the orcs, felt that his affinity with the energy that was constantly emerging from his body had evolved, enabling him to control it more effectively.


    He even felt he could put all that energy to new uses.


    Suddenly, he concentrated as much energy as possible in his right arm.


    The more energy he accumulated, the more he felt his arm threatened to implode at any moment.


    But he knew this movement had to be absolutely powerful, as it would be his last.


    So he continued to build up energy in his right arm, before the terrified eyes of the orcs, who began to sense the monstrous power this human was exuding.


    Then, two seconds later, in a violent gesture with his sword, he propelled all this energy around him.


    *boom*


    A gigantic explosion took place on the spot.


    All the villagers now walking through the forest towards Lapi heard the explosion, and for a moment stopped to look back.


    Laura, on hearing this, immediately started to retrace her steps, wanting to join Maxime.


    But Andrew stopped her with his body, preventing her from returning.


    "Andrew whispered to Laura, who was biting her lips until they bled.


    The pain she felt in her heart was horrible, but eventually she came to her senses.


    Seeing the villagers looking in the direction of their village, Andrew had to pull them together too.


    "Don''t stop!"


    His deafening voice awakened all the villagers, who resumed walking.


    But Andrew cast worried glances at the other mercenaries, particularly Laura, whose eyes were red.


    Everyone suspected that the explosion had come from Maxime, or at least had something to do with him.


    Back on the battlefield, Maxime had dropped to one knee.


    His sword was stuck in the ground, and he was still clinging to it.


    All around him were countless unrecognizable orc corpses.


    It was even possible to make out 4 enormous orc corpses.


    They were 4 orcs, over 3 meters tall, and could once rival knights, who would never open their eyes again.


    There were still fifty or so normal orcs more or less seriously wounded.


    In other words, with a single move, Maxime had taken down over 500 orcs.


    6 orcs measuring over 3 meters in height had also been seriously wounded.


    The last orc, over 4 meters tall, had several light sword scars on his body.


    His expression was filled with hatred and rage at what had happened. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He approached Maxime slowly, taking resounding steps in spite of himself.


    Maxime watched helplessly as he approached.


    He had no energy left to fight.


    All that remained was the pain that ran through both his body and his soul.


    But not for a moment did he regret his choice.


    His arms were heavy, but his resolve remained unshaken. His thoughts, beyond the noise of battle, flew to Laura and all those he protected.


    "Damned human."


    "My whole army was almost destroyed by a mere human like you."


    "What a humiliation."


    The hoarse words of the orc, holding a giant mace in front of him, sounded like a loudspeaker in his ears.


    "You''re going to have to pay for this, human."


    But Maxime no longer had the strength to do anything, except show him his middle finger with a light smile.


    After that, Maxime saw the orc''s huge foot approaching him at phenomenal speed.


    His sword, which was in the way, was immediately snapped in two, while his body flew at phenomenal speed into the ramparts.


    The wooden ramparts were immediately destroyed, creating a fog of dust.


    When the dust cloud cleared, Maxime opened his eyes with difficulty.


    What he saw brought a bitter smile to his face.


    He could see a wooden spike literally protruding from his body.


    A piece of rampart had pierced his body completely, creating a huge pool of blood beneath him.


    Maxime had never felt so weak in his life.


    He felt that every bone in his body was completely destroyed, while his soul threatened to fracture at any moment.


    His brain was also severely damaged, to the point where he could no longer feel any sensation or pain.


    Gradually, he felt his eyes close, perhaps never to open again in this life.

 Chapter 103 - 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 villagers and the village 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.


    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 bandit commanders 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 particularly 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 village of Plouta by putting their lives on the line.


    Thinking of Henry, Maxime felt like laughing, 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 accepted 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 in common 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 relatively 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 become 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 calculating 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 light laugh 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 plans to come to fruition. Maxime belongs to me in a deeper sense than you could ever understand."


    Viviana sighed softly, her expression compassionate.


    "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." S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 uncontrollable 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, would compromise what he had been planning for centuries.


    Simultaneously, one notification after another appeared before him.


    Ding!


    [System unlocked on level two].


    [The host can now access highly confidential information about the real world and the world of Eternity].


    Ding!


    [The system will now have level 2 artificial intelligence].


    [Level AI has a much larger 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 balancing 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 104 - 104: A tough battle

    [The host has received a new talent!]


    At that moment, Maxime couldn''t read all the notifications that had appeared one after the other.


    He only felt one last burst of energy, almost alien to himself.


    The spectral glow intensified around his wounds, miraculously driving the wooden stake from his body and healing the wound in no time.


    His body and soul were once again in very good condition, yet Maxime still wanted to close his eyes.


    He felt that the new energy that had appeared and healed his wounds had done so at the cost of enormous mental exhaustion.


    But he managed to get up again, demonstrating a powerful will to live.


    The giant orc was shocked; he had never seen such a tenacious human in his life.


    At the same time, silhouette after silhouette appeared beside and in front of Maxime.


    "Mission accomplished, chief. The villagers are safe."


    A familiar voice crossed Maxime''s ears, and he recognized the person who had said that.


    It was Andrew!


    "Guys, you shouldn''t have come," Maxime replied with difficulty, but he was happy in his heart.


    His whole body was still soaked with his own blood, proof of the deadly situation he''d just been through.


    But he couldn''t help smiling as immense joy coursed through him. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How many people in the real world had such loyal men under their command?


    His men were back!


    Even the Count''s apprentice knights had returned too.


    "We will live and die with this group of mercenaries. Don''t ever say that again, boss," Andrew replied firmly.


    "You rarely get to see the chief in such a sorry state!" laughed Rodrigo.


    "I''d like to see you there, Rodrigo, go ahead and load up the 4-meter orc and we''ll see how you turn out," added Ernest provocatively."


    "Always taking things at face value," replied Rodrigo, shrugging his shoulders.


    Simultaneously, Laura jumped into Maxime''s arms, embracing him with her warm shower.


    And this time it was for real.


    Unfortunately, the scene wasn''t so romantic, as both he and she were covered in blood.


    The other mercenaries were also all more or less wounded, having fought hard against the orcs who had broken through Maxime''s blockade.


    But fortunately none of them had died, even the apprentice knights who hadn''t had much combat experience were all still alive.


    "I was so scared..." whispered Laura with great emotion.


    "It''s okay, everything''s fine now," Maxime replied softly.


    The mercenaries heard Maxime''s words and all looked at each other to see if they had really heard correctly.


    In the back of their minds, they wondered that if this situation for Maxime was under control, what kind of situation would it take for it to be out of control?


    Perhaps with a god intervening?


    But no one dared say anything, so as not to spoil the moment.


    The orc at the stage of the great knight became increasingly furious at seeing these humans return.


    He had enough intelligence to know what this meant.


    He had lost the orcs he had sent to kill the villagers.


    So he roared with rage, and shouted in orcish:


    "Kill those damned humans!"


    The 6 orcs at knight stage and the hundred orcs at apprentice knight stage screamed in rage in response and charged towards Maxime''s small troop.


    Maxime slowly extricated himself from Laura''s embrace, and placed himself in front of the small troop of men, with a determination that seemed almost supernatural.


    As he did so, he took a spare sword from Andrew so as not to fight empty-handed.


    However, a gentle voice reached his ears just then.


    "Don''t use Nox''s talent, you risk permanently breaking your newly healed soul."


    "Good luck my new prot��g��."


    The voice came from nowhere and left as it had come, disturbing Maxime.


    How could a voice come from nowhere?


    On the other hand, he also seemed to have heard a voice filled with rage when he was about to become unconscious.


    Could he really be going mad?


    Especially as he really intended to use his talent once again to get out of this situation.


    This left him confused for a brief moment.


    "I''ll kill those orcs with or without talent," he thought firmly, clutching his sword with conviction.


    But the reality was quite different.


    Apart from him, when the orcs actually approached, his tired men found it hard to use their agility as before.


    What''s more, the advantage of agility had also diminished because of the number of orcs in front of them.


    They couldn''t move forward, and if they did, their companions at their side would find themselves in danger.


    As a result, one mercenary or apprentice knight after another was wounded.


    Maxime, with superhuman effort, kept intervening to save his men, each movement of his sword guided by incredible strength.


    But the orcs were numerous, always too numerous.


    The ground was soon covered in human and orc blood, but the mercenaries still managed to fight back fiercely.


    They knew that if they suffered the orc attacks without retaliating, there would be only one end.


    So they fought with all the courage they could muster.


    Somehow, even when they suffered powerful blows from the 6 orcs at knight stage, they managed to get up and heal quickly.


    Everyone guessed it had something to do with Maxime, but no one had time to ask for details.


    Gradually, the battle began to drag on, lasting several hours.


    The number of orcs facing us had diminished significantly.


    All that remained were thirty or so ordinary orcs, 4 orcs over 3 meters tall and their leader.


    Of course, the 4-meter-plus orc had intervened several times, but was blocked each time by Maxime at the cost of serious injuries.


    But the end was fast approaching, whether on the orc side or the human side.


    Of the 25 men who had accompanied Maxime, only a dozen remained.


    The rest were still alive, but they couldn''t move a muscle, so they''d been rushed out by those still standing.


    "Chief, if we don''t find a solution soon, we''ll soon be seeing some of our own dead," exclaimed Andrew, who was dueling an orc over 3 meters tall.


    Charles, Laura and Rodrigo took care of the remaining 3 with great difficulty, while Henry and Ultia miraculously managed to kill one orc each at the knight stage.


    But the latter two never got up again after winning their duel, and were among the evacuees.


    All the mercenaries would have died long ago had it not been for the blessing of Maxime''s new talent.


    On the other hand, Alden, Thomas, Theo, Lila and Caleb had long since been evacuated from the battlefield.


    None of them had been able to stay on the battlefield for so long.


    The longest to stay was Alden, with a record of one hour, which was more than admirable.


    He had stayed until he lost consciousness.


    Fortunately, Ernest was nearby and was able to evacuate him quickly.


    It was at this point, when all seemed lost, that a tremor came from the ground.


    It was so peculiar that everyone quickly recognized it.


    A cavalry was approaching.


    The individuals riding the horses in the distance could soon be recognized.


    It was the Count, surrounded by over a hundred horsemen.


    Almost like a divine sword, the whole troop charged fearlessly towards the orcs.


    The result was not long in coming: the orcs were utterly massacred by the terrifying force of the riders.


    The frightened orcs, over 3 meters tall, tried to flee away from Maximus and his men.


    But suddenly 2 men close to the Count jumped from their horses and blocked their path.


    In no time at all, each of the orcs was easily decapitated by these two men.


    The 4-meter-high orc also took fright, and tried to flee, but was stopped by the Count himself, still on his horse.


    "You dare to wreak havoc on my territory and now you want to flee like a coward?"


    "Die."


    The Count, still on his horse, swung his sword, and like a magic blow, a wave of energy was created and sliced the orc''s body in two.


    The orc could do nothing but die with rage and regret.


    The battle finally over, the battlefield was plunged into a heavy silence.


    The ground, reddened by the blood of both sides, was covered with the bodies of orcs.


    The dozen or so remaining mercenaries stood panting.


    But a furious rage began to boil within each of them.


    If they had found themselves in such a situation, it was because of this man.


    Who else but the man who had sent them here, giving them information far removed from reality, could be responsible?


    If they hadn''t had the ability to regenerate very quickly, they''d all have died here.


    They all looked at the Count, standing calmly in front of the 4-meter orc, who seemed to be thinking about something profound.


    After a moment, he approached the mercenaries, followed by his men.


    "Hello, Saber-toothed Tigers.


    "I hope your whole family will soon be exterminated by the orcs."

 Chapter 105 - 105: No casualties

    "Shut your mouth you bastard, I hope your whole family gets exterminated by the orcs soon."


    Laura''s face was particularly hideous at this point, her rage almost seeming able to manifest itself.


    Maxime stood beside her, slightly surprised by Laura''s ferocity, but he did nothing to stop her.


    On the contrary, he was eager to hear what the Count thought of the situation.


    But before the Count could react, two men at the Count''s side stepped forward.


    "How dare you talk to the Count in that tone, do you want to die?"


    Maxime recognized them at once; they were the two men who had taken care of the four remaining 3-meter orcs in a flash.


    "No, Sauna and Lock come back, this situation happened because of me. These mercenaries have every right to be angry."


    "By the way, take off all your helmets, who do you think you''re intimidating?"


    The Count immediately stepped in before things got out of hand.


    Everyone obeyed immediately.


    When Sauna took off his helmet, everyone was able to take a good look at the flamboyant-looking redhead.


    He exuded a vivid, intimidating energy, a raw power that seemed ready to explode at any moment.


    Beside him, Lock, the gray-haired knight, kept an impassive, almost cold face, as if measuring every detail of the scene with calculating precision.


    His appearance and temperament contrasted sharply with that of Sauna.


    The Count watched them for a long moment before approaching Laura, his gaze softer and more sincere than before. He smiled resignedly, clearly aware of the impact of his decisions on these mercenaries.


    "First of all, I sincerely apologize for what happened."


    The Count leaned forward, lowering his posture, which calmed the mercenaries slightly.


    The knights and cavaliers beside him were visibly surprised to see the Count in this position.


    "To be honest, we have no idea how this army arrived..."


    These words rekindled the mercenaries'' rage slightly.


    "What do you mean, you don''t know how this army arrived?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    "This is your territory, you should have total control over it, shouldn''t you?" he continued suspiciously.


    "Well, under normal circumstances, yes, that''s the case," replied the Count with a sincere face, but without saying anything.


    For a moment, the Count hesitated to tell the truth.


    Then he finally let go.


    "But when the gods intervene that''s another story."


    The knights and horsemen at his side didn''t seem surprised, and the Count didn''t hide this level of knowledge from them.


    His men occasionally had to face events of this kind, so hiding the truth from them made no sense.


    However, Maxime''s mercenaries didn''t believe a word of it.


    "Come on, Maxime, let''s not work for that crazy nobleman anymore!" exclaimed Andrew, clearly angry.


    "I agree, what a god story, it''s clearly making excuses for one''s own incompetence." continued Rodrigo, also angry.


    "Even if there were gods in this world, why would they be interested in ordinary mercenaries like us?" said Henry, shaking his head.


    But Maxime took the Count''s words very seriously.


    "No, I think the Count is telling the truth," he added in a calm, serene voice.


    The mercenaries looked at their leader like a madman.


    "How can you believe such nonsense chief?" James.


    Maxime once again displayed the notifications that had appeared when he was about to die.


    [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 host has received a new talent!]


    "It''s not nonsense, otherwise how do you think you could have become so strong and even survived such a violent fight?"


    The mercenaries suddenly tensed.


    No one could understand Maxime''s powers, so they simply took them for granted without questioning them.


    Maxime''s mysterious healing and the exceptional passive regeneration they had achieved on the battlefield were more than exceptional.


    But of course, everyone was smart enough not to mention it in front of the Count.


    "The chief is right, if you''ve been paying attention, there was also a terrifying voice ringing in our ears."


    "It was something like, ''how-oses Viviana?''"


    "In the books I was reading in the village library, there was a goddess by that name, and she was known for her healing powers."


    Terry''s voice rang out, receiving a great deal of attention.


    There were over a hundred eyes on him, but he didn''t flinch in the slightest in the face of this pressure.


    On the contrary, he was really confident in what he was saying.


    What''s more, he was careful not to mention Maxime''s powers or what had happened before.


    So the mercenaries were convinced, while the Count nodded, obviously aware of this information too.


    But then he thought of something that puzzled him.


    "But what the mercenaries were saying wasn''t irrelevant, why would gods want to eradicate a small group of mercenaries?"


    The Count scrutinized Maxime intently, as if he''d just discovered a key piece in a complex game.


    Simultaneously, his gaze wandered among the mercenaries, who remained silent, absorbing this startling truth.


    "You''re beginning to understand," resumed the Count in a heavy voice.


    "What''s at stake goes far beyond what anyone could imagine."


    Sauna, the man with flaming red hair, then intervened, his keen eyes staring at Maxime.


    "You seem to be one of the blessed few, Maxime. If you agree to stay, the Count and I might be able to help you master this blessing. Who knows what you might be capable of?"


    Maxime, though troubled by this proposal, remained impassive. A shadow of hesitation passed over his eyes, but he quickly recovered.


    "To master this blessing..." he murmured to himself.


    "Can I refuse this offer? What will happen if I decide to stick to the mission you gave us and nothing more?"


    The Count smiled, a smile tinged with slight malice but also respect.


    "Then I''ll respect your choice. But know that in this world, few people survive without understanding the powers that inhabit them. You and your mercenaries are now targets."


    Laura, whose anger seemed to be subsiding, glanced at Maxime, seeking a glimmer of decision in his expression.


    She placed a hand on his shoulder, as if she wanted to share the burden of this new destiny.


    But for Maxime, what better way than through the system to better grasp his own power?


    Besides, he didn''t want to trust anyone with this kind of question.


    Maxime then took a deep breath and, turning to his men, pronounced in a firm voice:


    "We will continue to simply receive your missions, Monsieur le Comte."


    "Furthermore, I demand compensation for what has happened."


    Sauna and Lock were clearly not happy with Maxime''s bold demand, but the Count stopped them with a wave of his arm.


    The Count replied immediately.


    "No worries about compensation, god or no god, I should indeed have noticed that orc army much earlier."


    "After all, this army didn''t appear out of nowhere."


    "How much are you offering?" questioned Maxime, with a serene look on his face.


    "Um...there are currently around 900 orcs dead at your hands, plus 6 orcs comparable to knights..."


    At that moment, the Count suddenly realized the problem.


    In the rush he hadn''t been paying attention.


    "How did you do that!?"


    The Count''s knights and riders were equally surprised, they hadn''t thought of it at the time.


    "Done what, sir count?" replied Maxime doubtfully.


    "Killing so many orcs obviously."


    The Count seemed stunned; to him it was a more than spectacular scene, but to these mercenaries it looked very ordinary.


    "With our bodies and our swords, how could we have done otherwise?"


    Maxime wasn''t about to confess all his secret cards so easily.


    The Count looked carefully at Maxime, knowing full well that this young mercenary leader must have more than one secret.


    After all, with the strength they''d shown before in the academy, it was impossible to survive this kind of event, let alone kill so many orcs.


    But he decided not to explore further, for he himself had his own secrets.


    "And what''s become of the villagers?" asked the Count, but without too much hope.


    It was good enough that these mercenaries could survive and kill many orcs. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he was obviously going to be surprised once again.


    Maxime glanced at Andrew, since he himself knew nothing of the villagers'' situation.


    Andrew, understanding Maxime''s gaze, stepped forward and explained the situation to the Count.


    "They''re all in the forest resting, waiting for us to return."


    "None of them are hurt."


    The Count looked on admiringly.


    "Incredible."


    "At a quick glance, I owe you a minimum of 1400 gold pieces for the orcs killed. And since you performed your task of protecting the villagers brilliantly, as well as to forgive me I''ll round that number up to 2000 gold coins."


    "I''m also prepared to pay an indemnity of 100 gold pieces for each man you''ve lost."


    Maxime looked at his men with a smile, before turning once more to the Count.


    "So you''re going to save money on this one, Monsieur le Comte."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well...we didn''t lose any men."

 Chapter 106 - 106: Who are you, Nox?

    "Well...we didn''t lose any men."


    The Count remained silent for a moment, his riders looking at these mercenaries differently.


    What was the most important parameter before swearing loyalty to a nobleman?


    It wasn''t the salary, training conditions or even the nobleman''s personality.


    It was the mortality rate.


    There were exceptions, but generally it was the most important indicator to consider before swearing loyalty to someone.


    For most people, whether in the real world or in the world of Eternity, it was important to earn a good living, to have the respect of others, to be strong and to build one''s own family.


    Many wanted to see their children and grandchildren grow up in the future.


    They wanted to tell them their stories, tips on how to make money in Eternity or how to train faster.


    For the smartest among them, they wanted to teach them how it was possible to curry favor with a nobleman. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, when these people saw that absolutely all Maxime''s men had survived such a terrible battle, they all began to wonder if they''d made the right choice in their lives.


    This was also true in the real world.


    Seeing the evolution of one of one''s children or grandchildren in the world of Eternity was something very satisfying for most of them.


    According to some studies, the world of Eternity was as much a topic of discussion among parents as grades at school.


    Before the advent of watches and the world of Eternity, the most common question parents asked their children was:


    "How are things at school?"


    And now it''s:


    "Tell us, what''s it like in Eternity?"


    And unlike school, students were much more comfortable talking about Eternity and asking for advice.


    Plus, with parents often in the world of Eternity too, it made for livelier discussions.


    To return to the Count''s horsemen who admired Maxime, if they knew how many men had lost Maxime at the battle of Plouta, they would certainly no longer think the same things.


    "Impressive. I''d offer you a congratulatory bonus too," exclaimed the happy Count.


    He realized that he seemed to have bet on a mercenary with enormous potential.


    He was also happy to know that the 5 apprentice knights he had left in Maxime''s care were all alive.


    They were all geniuses with excellent moral character.


    It would have hurt his heart to lose such geniuses.


    "You can go back to the academy now, my men will take care of the rest here. They''ll also protect these villagers from the small orc army arriving tomorrow."


    Maxime didn''t hesitate in the slightest to accept.


    All his men were mentally and physically exhausted.


    If there was to be a battle tomorrow, who could guarantee that his mercenaries wouldn''t make any mistakes?


    With the strength of orcs, the slightest mistake could cost the life of one of his men.


    Maxime didn''t want to be played by gods again either, so the best thing was to return to the academy, receive the Count''s reward, improve his talent and strength and continue the missions after that.


    "Thank you, Count Ardan."


    Immediately Sauna remounted his horse, followed by some thirty men, and rode into the forest to fetch the villagers.


    It seemed that the Count''s team was very well organized; it didn''t even take a word between the Count''s men to know who was staying and who was leaving.


    What''s more, with a knight at the helm, followed by some thirty riders, all of whom were undoubtedly apprentice knights, Maxime was reassured.


    At the same time, the Count suddenly thought of something.


    "Oh by the way Maxime, we received a messenger who gave us a purse full of gold coins, and he told us it was to give to the Saber-toothed Tigers."


    Maxime smiled slightly at this news.


    "Yes, before we came here, we helped Baron Edrin save one of his villages, who decided to reward us."


    Maxime was smart enough to dodge the part where he''d threatened the baron with an appropriate reward.


    But on hearing this, the Count simply nodded.


    Clearly, he already knew.


    Maxime wondered how the Count could obtain so much information so quickly.


    But it also proved that to hide so huge on his territory, the gods'' means were truly exceptional.


    "I''ll leave you Saber-toothed Tigers here, see you back at the academy."


    Simultaneously, the Count rode off to join his own mount.


    All his riders, including Lock, followed immediately.


    "See you soon," Maxime replied simply, as he and his men watched the Count and his riders ride off.


    Shortly afterwards, Tena jumped up.


    "We''re going to be rich chief!"


    As she said this, her eyes filled with stars.


    As treasurer and responsible for the group''s expenses, this influx of money couldn''t make anyone happier than her.


    With one exception.


    "Ouiiii, we''re going to be rich Tena!"


    The two looked at each other with gold coins seemingly floating in their pupils.


    Only gold could drive Maxime so crazy, so much so that he almost looked like a child at the time.


    The other mercenaries were equally happy as they watched this scene, after all they would benefit from it too.


    "Just boss, how are we going to transport our wounded to the academy?"


    Terry''s voice suddenly set the mood.


    Maxime was stunned for a moment, not knowing what to say.


    There were 10 mercenaries and 5 apprentice knights in a coma, whom they had hidden in the village during the battle.


    For a moment, he had no good idea.


    "Let''s go and see them, maybe some of them have woken up now."


    The mercenaries looked at each other with a shrug, then finally followed Maxime.


    Even walking slowly, they soon arrived in front of an intact house.


    "So they''re inside Ernest?"


    "Yes, we''ve hidden them all here."


    Hearing Ernest''s confident reply, Maxime lightly pushed open the wooden door.


    It gave an unpleasant creak, but the sight of his men lying on the floor next to each other reassured Maxime.


    At least, no orc had found them here and finished them off, for they were very much alive.


    However, all of them, without exception, were seriously wounded, as well as being in a coma.


    Blood was flowing everywhere, due to lack of timely treatment.


    To be honest, Maxime was even wondering how his men were still alive.


    "Have everyone search the nearby houses to see if we can give them a modicum of help to heal."


    Everyone obeyed immediately and began searching for clothing and medicinal herbs to stop the loss of blood.


    While everyone was busy doing this, Maxime took the opportunity to take a look at his new talent.


    [Second talent: Life awakening level 1 (0/1000) (platinum rank)].


    [Its main effect is to significantly improve the regeneration of its owner and his men].


    [A second effect is to slightly improve the lifespan of this talent''s owner and that of his men].


    [Finally, its third effect is to confer on the holder of this talent a very high affinity to the element of life].


    Maximus saw the notifications appear before him, and was shocked.


    He had expected this new talent to be powerful, but he hadn''t thought it would be this powerful.


    The talents were classified as follows:


    Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Legendary.


    However, the legendary rank was called that because only a select few on the entire planet in the real world had talents of that level.


    Holders of gold-level talents could already be considered geniuses in a school.


    Platinum-level talents were generally considered the best talents to be found in most cities.


    Diamond-level talents could be the greatest geniuses in the vast majority of countries.


    So this talent alone already made him the genius of the city of Nansoy, and its effects truly defied the heavens.


    At level 1 alone, it gave him and his men extraordinary passive regeneration and, above all, he had also gained those that many people sought when they went to the world of Eternity!


    He had improved his lifespan!


    In practical terms, this also meant that he had increased the number of times he could die in this world.


    So his potential had been enhanced in some way.


    "System, how much life expectancy have I gained."


    [This talent to increase your lifespan by 10 years.]


    But it also made him ask a lot of questions about his first talent.


    "Incredible."


    The last effect was also great, giving him in itself, another high-level talent.


    However, to appreciate its effects, he would have to continue to grow stronger and study under very powerful people.


    For the moment, this was still a long way off.


    Magic was a subject that was generally only explored in the later stages of university.


    Magic was a subject that was generally only explored in the final stages of university.


    He brought up a few previous notifications.


    [The god Nox is the god of talent, limits and authority. Until the famous incident, he was considered the one balancing 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 him and his history is currently blocked].


    "Who exactly are you Nox?"

 Chapter 107 - 107: Divine messenger

    "Who are you exactly Nox?"


    "How did you become 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?" S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 become 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 village.


    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 of comment didn''t occur to Nox, who was, according to the system, the most powerful of the gods."


    "It''s all so complicated."


    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'' plans.


    He simply wanted to become 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 glanced 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 villagers, 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 placed 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 village still battered, but at peace.


    The cart, heavily laden 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 success, 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 accomplished a large 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 become 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 become strong as they approached elite soldier level.


    Suddenly, Terry, who was serving as a scout, came back to them with a complicated 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 particularly 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.


    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 to come here.


    One of the men, an imposing knight with black 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 village, 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 were coming from.


    He didn''t even know this kind of profession existed.


    But Edrick''s words weren''t finished.


    "Since you have successfully completed 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 black box.


    When he opened it, Maxime could see a strange black stone, surrounded by a mysterious and almost intimidating aura.


    "This is a stone of divine power, extracted from the sacred lands of the temple of Nox," explained 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 classes 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 relatively 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 accept this reward," Maxime finally declared, 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 his companions 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 been completely 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 108 - 108: Back to the academy

    If Viviana hadn''t intervened, all his elite men would have died and he himself would have lost 3 years of his life.


    The thought disturbed Maxime to the core, already thinking of the many men he had lost at Plouta.


    Would his future consist of earning a lot of gold at the cost of his men''s lives, or even his own?


    But he was determined to shoulder the weight of this responsibility.


    It was in this kind of internal conflict that Maxime kept his thoughts to himself as the rest of the journey passed calmly.


    Maxime and his men finally arrived at the academy, the weight of the ordeal behind them mingling with overwhelming fatigue.


    After several hours of walking, punctuated by the creaking of the cart and the heavy footsteps of his mercenaries, the familiar walls of the academy appeared in the distance, imposing and reassuring.


    Reaching the academy''s great stone gate, Maxime signaled to his men to slow down.


    Two guards met them for a routine inspection, though they immediately recognized Maxime and his men.


    And seeing their deplorable state, they wondered what they had been through.


    2 days earlier, they seemed to be full of powerful men with a leader of unfathomable power.


    And now, here they were again, their faces dirty and exhausted.


    Their clothes and armor were completely torn.


    As they approached, they were even more astonished to see that in the cart were many mercenaries but also many familiar faces.


    "Shit, Alden, Tomas, Theo, Lila and Caleb are all unconscious!"


    "What kind of adventure could they have been on to end up in such a state?"


    Maxime began to frown at the guards'' lack of reaction.


    "We''ve got wounded people here, please open the door as quickly as possible so we can give them treatment!"


    Maxime''s cold, dry voice surprised the two young guards.


    Had this been the leader of a simple mercenary group, the two young guards would have scoffed at such threats.


    They were themselves apprentice knights at the stage of minor success.


    But faced with Maxime, they obeyed immediately, without the slightest thought of refusing.


    The two guards quickly returned to the door and immediately ordered it opened.


    The door opened slowly, with a thud.


    As Maximus, his men and the cart passed through the door, they looked very small by comparison. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Slowly, they entered the academy grounds.


    As they moved through the courtyard, students stopped training, some rushing to offer assistance to the wounded.


    Once inside, he gave clear instructions for the wounded to be taken to the infirmary.


    "Charles, watch over them until the academy healers take over. We can''t lose sight of any of these men."


    Charles nodded, grateful for Maxime''s trust, and guided the cart to the treatment rooms.


    The other mercenaries went to help Charles, or began chatting with the apprentice knights they''d gotten to know the day before.


    Maxime, for his part, headed for the dormitories, accompanied by Laura who walked silently beside him.


    "You''ve been a good leader, Maxime," she said suddenly.


    "Without you, we wouldn''t have come back."


    Maxime turned his head towards her, a little surprised by her words.


    Simultaneously, a familiar face arrived to meet them.


    Alaric, the Academy''s chief instructor, gave them an empathetic look.


    "You seem to have returned in one piece. The Count has informed me of your success."


    "So the Count has already returned?"


    "Yes, much sooner than you, so it''s about time you thought about investing in horses."


    "You''re wasting a lot of time on the road, and time is money."


    Maxime nodded, agreeing with Alaric despite the fact that his head wasn''t really in it at the moment.


    Alaric lowered his voice slightly, his tone becoming more serious.


    "The Count also told me about the peculiarity of your mission."


    Maxime nodded. He wasn''t surprised that the Count had slipped Alaric some information.


    "The mission was more complex than expected, but we fulfilled our part of the contract," Maxime replied, folding his arms.


    "The orcs are eliminated, and the villagers are safe."


    Alaric squinted, a gleam of respect mixed with curiosity in his eyes.


    From what the Count had said, the young man before him had killed more orcs in a few hours than he himself had in 3 years.


    Even though he hadn''t been out on the battlefield much since he''d been in charge of apprentice knight training, the few times he''d been out so as not to rust, his performance had been exceptional.


    He really wondered what kind of card this young man was hiding to obtain such performances, but the Count had reserved a mission for him that had nothing to do with that.


    "Follow me, the Count has reserved accommodation for you in the quarters reserved for special guests. You will also be granted a private audience with him tomorrow morning."


    Maxime was rather curious, given that their treatment had gone from sleeping in the sixth-grade dormitory to sleeping in guest quarters.


    Strength determined status, and nothing was truer than that phrase.


    They followed him through the Academy''s corridors, once again admiring the simple yet robust luxury that characterized the premises.


    The stone walls were strewn with gleaming armor, shields engraved with ancient insignia, and paintings depicting epic battles.


    Several cadets in formation turned to observe the mercenaries, muttering to each other about what they might have faced.


    Once they reached the apartments, Alaric stopped in front of Maxime, staring at him with calculated intensity.


    "The Count seems to think you have... special potential, Maxime. What exactly has happened?"


    "It would seem that this knight is the curious, calculating type," Maxime thought silently.


    But since the Count hadn''t told him everything, Maxime had no reason to reveal his cards.


    No one could know whether today''s friend could become tomorrow''s enemy.


    "We encountered more orc than expected, but we held our swords firmly and held our positions until the Count and his riders arrived."


    Obviously, Maxime couldn''t simply refuse to give the minimum of information.


    Not to mention the fact that this information was of little value, it was preferable to maintain good relations with Alaric for the duration of their stay.


    Alaric smirked.


    "I''m glad the Count was able to get here in time before anything bad happened."


    "I''ll leave you here, feel free to rest well."


    With that, Alaric took his leave, leaving Maxime and Laura to discover their new quarters.


    Seeing that he and Laura were the only ones left, Maxime let himself fall against the stone wall behind him, sliding slowly until his buttocks touched the ground.


    He was tired, too tired.


    Too much had happened in too short a time, and his heart could hardly take it, despite all he could say and think.


    The brain has its limits, where the heart begins to reveal itself.


    Instinctively, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the divine power stone Edrick had entrusted to him.


    The jewel radiated a gentle warmth, calm and reassuring, but its bright, rippling glow seemed to remind him of the extent of all he''d just been through.


    Gradually, however, his hands tightened around the stone of divine power, and he stared at it with an empty, frozen, almost desperate gaze.


    The glow of the stone seemed to beat in unison with the frenetic pulsations of his heart, each shard a reminder of an injury, a near-death experience, the absolute chaos that had marked the last few days.


    Suddenly, an icy wave washed over him, a black tide of pure terror.


    His chest tightened, painfully, as if caught in an iron vise.


    He tried to breathe, but his throat was closing up, each inhalation turning into a muffled rattle.


    The air seemed to have suddenly disappeared as he began to suffocate.


    He brought his hand to his chest, fingers trembling, nails digging into the fabric of his torn armor, desperately searching for something to hold onto.


    But at the same time, the ground beneath him seemed to disappear, as if he were falling, interminably.


    His vision blurred and black dots danced before his eyes.


    The cries of his men, Nox''s frightening voice, the endless army of orcs before him.


    He was alone.


    Everything blended together in an unbearable maelstrom.


    His mind was racing with panic.


    "They''re going to die, they''re going to die... and it''ll be my fault."


    He was literally going mad.


    He dropped the stone, which fell to the ground with a dull clink, and his hands closed around his head, pressing against his temples in a frenzied gesture, as if to chase away the storm of thoughts pounding at his skull.


    Laura, still close by, rushed towards him, her eyes filled with fear and concern at seeing Maxime in such a state.


    She put her hands on his shoulders, but he didn''t react.


    She shook him slightly, calling his name repeatedly, her voice laced with panic, but Maxime was too far away, as if engulfed in an abyss from which he could no longer extricate himself.


    "Maxime!"


    "Maxime!"


    "Maxime, come back! Breathe!"


    She tried to catch his gaze, but her eyes were lost, fixed on something invisible, deep in the darkness of her mind.

 Chapter 109 - 109: Panic attack

    "Maxime, come 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 slap 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 accumulated fear and fatigue spreading through him like an insidious, uncontrollable 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 village 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 semblance of lucidity returned, enough for him to slowly regain his bearings.


    The sound of his breathing calmed, becoming 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 relax, 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 to come 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.


    "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 could last 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 at last, 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."


    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 balance. 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 and comforting.


    The academy''s large 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: large platters 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 places alongside the apprentice knights, the ranks finally complete with the return of the wounded who had regained their strength thanks to the care of the healers.


    The faces of Alden, Tomas, Theo, Lila 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. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The evening came to life slowly, each discussion intertwined with discreet laughter and murmurs.


    All the apprentice knights had somehow learned that the mercenaries and the few geniuses who had accompanied 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, Lila 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 a complicated expression.


    He was glad 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 delay them, and let his men save the villagers.


    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 villagers, received their share of compliments.


    For his part, Maxime, seated at the end of the table, watched his companions, 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 place in a private room at the Academy.


    Maxime, accompanied by Andrew, stood before the Count, who already seemed to have meditated on their exploits and the next step in their collaboration.


    "I hope you''ve taken the time to consider my proposals," began the Count with a smile.


    Maxime exchanged a glance 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 claim 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 110 - 110: Receive the money!

    "Now let''s talk about the main topic, 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.


    "My men have calculated that you killed precisely 873 orcs, including 6 orcs over 3 meters tall."


    "Regarding the orc ears you brought back, we have indeed confirmed the elimination of 52 orcs."


    "Paying you at the same time your first salary of the week in advance, that gives a total of 1825 gold coins."


    Maxime simply nodded in response, but inside he was wildly excited.


    With that much money, he''d not only be able to upgrade his Nox Limit talent to level 2, but he''d also be able to strengthen himself drastically.


    He could, for example, increase his swordsman class by several levels, or even open a new class!


    After his ordeal, Maxime had a strong desire for strength, and clearly wanted to open a new class to become as strong as possible in a short space of time.


    For him now, this was the only way he could keep as many of his men alive as possible, and thus to some extent preserve his potential.


    After all, if he held back from opening a new class to obtain a strong class in the future, but in the meantime he and his men were getting killed, his invested efforts would have been in vain.


    What''s more, if he got stronger, he''d have more confidence in himself to face a challenge if it were to happen again.


    "Adding the Baron''s gift of 300 gold coins for protecting the village of VentBois and 200 gold coins, which, according to his envoy, are an investment in your group, we have a total of 2,325 gold coins."


    "How would you like to receive this money?"


    While asking this question, the Count sipped gracefully from a glass of delicate wine.


    "That is, how do you receive this money?" asked Maxime, slightly confused.


    As far as he was concerned, all he had to do was give him the money in a bag.


    The Count smiled as he took his time answering.


    "Well, instead of giving it all to you directly, you can place an order with me to buy horses, equipment, food or anything else you might need."


    Maxime immediately understood what the Count meant.


    For his part, the equipment worn by his mercenaries was bought by themselves with their wages, so he didn''t need to spend any money on it.


    However, horses could indeed be very useful.


    "How much does a horse cost?"


    "Well, that depends on the breed and quality of horse you want."


    Maxime was speechless for a moment, knowing absolutely nothing about the subject.


    He glanced quickly at Andrew, hoping to find some support. The latter, true to form, resumed the discussion in a measured tone.


    "Count Ardan, could you provide us with a rough estimate of prices for different types of horses?" he asked professionally.


    The Count smiled, amused by their lack of knowledge on the subject. He gently put down his wine glass and replied:


    "Without going into detail, an ordinary horse, sturdy and suitable for travel, costs around 150 gold pieces. A war horse, better trained and more resistant, is around 300 to 400 gold pieces. Finally, if you''re looking for fast, hardy, elite mounts, you''ll need at least 600 gold coins per animal."


    "So expensive!" thought Maxime and Andrew simultaneously.


    "We''ll think about it carefully with the other mercenaries, but for now we want to receive the gold coins and then take our time to think about it." he replied calmly.


    But inwardly he knew he clearly wasn''t going to buy horses just yet.


    If it had been a native, he would probably have chosen to buy a few horses.


    But Maxime had a system that allowed him to become stronger in gold coins.


    Currently, by spending 175 gold coins he could raise his swordsman class from level 6 to level 7, and for 50 gold coins he could even open a new class and become much stronger in no time.


    So, the value for money in horses seemed extremely poor compared to getting stronger.


    Knowing also that evolving his Nox Limit talent, was a priority for him, and he''d been looking forward to it for a long time to see what would happen.


    In any case, he was so eager to get stronger, that even if the horses were 10 times cheaper, he might have hesitated to spend the money.


    Count Ardan rose from his chair, with the calculated slowness of a man accustomed to imposing his authority.


    His piercing gaze lingered on Maxime, who stood erect but whose eyes betrayed a certain impatience.


    "Very well, young man," said Ardan in a serious, almost theatrical tone.


    He gestured to his steward, a lean but very elegant man, who stepped forward carrying a heavy carved wooden chest.


    "It would seem that even a skinny butler cannot be underestimated," Maxime thought silently, as he watched the butler carry the chest with ease.


    This chest must have weighed around a hundred kilos, so only a physique of more than 1.3 points or even 1.5 could carry it.


    And given the ease with which the butler had carried the chest, he must have had at least 2 physical points.


    The chest was placed on the solid oak table in front of the Count, producing a thud that made the room vibrate.


    "Here''s the sum due, 2325 gold coins, as agreed," declared the Count, placing his gloved hands on the chest, his tone imbued with a certain solemnity.


    He slowly opened the lid, revealing a vision that made Maxime''s eyes sparkle.


    Stacks of carefully stacked gold coins glittered in the candlelight.


    The metallic clatter of the coins as they settled seemed to echo in Maxime''s mind like a gentle melody.


    Maxime felt his breath catch. It wasn''t the first time he''d seen gold, but he''d never seen such a quantity.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" the Count smirked, noticing his guest''s amazement.


    Maxime nodded, forcing himself to keep a neutral expression.


    "Yes, it''s... more than I imagined."


    The Count chuckled, a mixture of amusement and superiority.


    "Make no mistake, Maxime. This sum is substantial, of course, but it''s only the beginning. If you keep up the momentum, your personal coffers could soon rival those of a baron."


    Maxime was surprised, and this emotion was easily captured by the Count.


    "You think nobles are all rich, don''t you?"


    Without waiting for an answer from Maxime, the Count continued to speak.


    "Nobles are indeed rich, but only from the status of count."


    "Barons are generally poor, barely managing to balance their expenses and income."


    "Viscounts often do much better, and they generally have a good financial capacity, but it remains within a certain range."


    "Whether for barons or viscounts, 2325 gold pieces should represent approximately the savings they could have made in 1 year."


    Our young mercenary leader wasn''t surprised; he already knew this sort of thing from courses in the real world.


    Simultaneously, the steward brought in paper and ink - writing materials.


    "If you don''t mind, Monsieur Maxime, I''m going to record the transaction. We have a register here to manage our treasury."


    Maxime nodded without concern.


    "Of course."


    The intendant quickly noted the details, his pen scratching the paper with mechanical precision. When he had finished, he handed the document to Maxime, who quickly signed it.


    The Count then signaled to two servants, who approached with heavy canvas bags.


    They began transferring the coins into the bags.


    "I advise you to be careful with such a large sum," warned the Count, folding his hands behind his back.


    "This world is full of covetousness, and some people won''t hesitate to attack those carrying treasures." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, a smirk appearing on his lips.


    "The last bandits who dared to target us didn''t come to a good end."


    The Count smiled in response, he knew the strength of Maxime and his men, but he also knew how dark the world could be.


    As the filled bags were placed in front of him, the Count spoke again.


    "One last thing, Maxime."


    The latter looked up, puzzled.


    "Consider this not only a reward, but also an investment. You''re still young and promising. However, remember that these coins are only a tool. Their true value lies in what you do with them."


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, the Count''s words resonating strangely within him. He nodded slowly.


    "I''ll remember that, Count Ardan."


    The Count smiled, satisfied, and raised his wine glass.


    "So, go on, spend it wisely, or foolishly, depending on your instincts."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll make very good use of it."


    With one last glance at the Count, Maxime grabbed the bags, one on each shoulder, feeling their crushing but satisfying weight.


    Maxime and Andrew soon left the director''s office.


    Maxime returned to his quarters while Andrew left to train with some apprentice knights.


    "Here we are."


    The gold-filled bags fell heavily to the floor, as Maxime had 2000 gold coins absorbed into the system.


    [Current balance: 2025 gold coins].


    [Status displayed according to pre-selected filters].


    Current class: Swordsman - Level 6


    Talent: Nox Limit - Level 1, Life Awakening - Level 1


    Options available:


    Upgrade class (175 gold)


    Unlock a new class (50 gold)


    Upgrade "Nox Limit" or "Life Awakening" to Level 2 (1000 gold)

 Chapter 111 - 111: Class quest

    [Current balance: 2025 gold coins].


    [Status display according to pre-selected filters].


    Current class: Swordsman - Level 6


    Talent: Nox Limit - Level 1, Life Awakening - Level 1


    Options available:


    Upgrade class (175 gold)


    Unlock a new class (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 class 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 class increased by one level].


    [Swordsman class 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 class 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 swordplay, which lagged far behind his level of physical strength.


    Fortunately, his swordsmanship was continually improved by the system as he passed levels.


    [Current balance: 1850 gold coins].


    [Swordsman class level 7 (0/200)]


    Looking at the level of his class, 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, class evolution had its limits.


    Generally speaking, common classes 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 class to get stronger for less money.


    After all, the first levels of each class were generally very inexpensive, while the physical improvement was quite noticeable.


    For example, to go from level 1 to level 2 of the swordsman class cost just 10 gold coins, and that added 0.2 points of physique.


    But he knew that if he opened a new class, 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 class to level 9."


    He knew in his heart of hearts that if he opened a new class, 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 class, he had gained two talents.


    A minor talent in strength and a minor talent in endurance.


    So if he maximized the swordsman class, 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 become stronger.


    Finally, this indecision and reflection lacked the guidance of a strong expert.


    If he''d come from a large family or attended a well-known university, he wouldn''t have been plagued by indecision.


    Right away, he would have been given the best advice and the recommended 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 successful.


    [Passage to level 8 successful.]


    "300 gold coins? Maxime opened his eyes wide, seeing so much money go.


    But there was more to come.


    [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 blame 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 class has gone up a level].


    [Swordsman class has reached level 8].


    Ding!


    [Your passive traits have been improved.] sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [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!


    This last 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 slow compared 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 class increased by one level].


    [Swordsman class 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 relaxing, stronger, denser. His nerves, stimulated 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 balance and power. His vision had become 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 clarity.


    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 become a swordsmanship genius.


    He could easily see the flaws in his own technique and so improve accordingly.


    "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!


    [Congratulations on reaching level 9 of the swordsman class!]


    [You will be rewarded with a talent specific to this class and related to your life experience!]


    Ding!


    [Congratulations on acquiring the passive ability "Sword Regeneration"].


    [Sword Regeneration: Constant use of the sword naturally accelerates muscle recovery and body adaptation, allowing for prolonged training.


    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.


    Ding!


    [The conditions have been met!]


    [Class quest unlocked!]

 Chapter 112 - 112: Liam, the fallen genius

    Ding!


    [Conditions have been met!]


    [Class quest unlocked!]


    "What?"


    "A class quest?"


    Maxime had never heard of one.


    But the notifications would answer his questions.


    Ding!


    [To answer the host''s questions, you had access to class 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 Class" ]


    Description: Congratulations on unlocking your first class quest. If successful, this quest will allow you to upgrade your class!


    Reward: change the "Swordsman" class to a higher-quality class.


    Objective:


    - Swordsmanship at level 3 (0/1)


    - Breathing method (0/1)


    - Awaken vital seed (0/1)


    "Everything suggests that the future class 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 class level, it all depended on chance.


    In the world of Eternity, to obtain uncommon, rare or superior classes, 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 class, 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 class or a similar class.


    He didn''t yet know the quality of this class, but it was undoubtedly far superior to the swordsman class.


    Above all, it would have great potential.


    As far as Maxime knew, knights possessed many formidable combat techniques and, above all, there were many applications of the powers linked to the vital seed.


    If Maxime were to unlock a class that could evolve to the very end of a knight''s potential, then this class would undoubtedly be exceptional.


    In order, there were apprentice knights, knights, great knights and epic knights.


    Each kingdom was much stronger than the last.


    So if Maxime could become an epic knight thanks to this future new class, 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 players who appeared out of nowhere, it was really complicated to gain a nobleman''s trust.


    Obtaining a breathing method was therefore extremely complicated 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 very complicated 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. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 balance with a happy yet bitter smile.


    [Current balance: 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-black 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 swordplay, Romuald sharpening his sword, Henry and Ultia chatting, they all felt a strange wave of energy.


    This was also the case in the village 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 village, 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 two coming from the village 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.


    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 successful apprentice knight with the highest authority in the village 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 village of Plouta against the 2 geniuses from the village of H��nor.


    But with his strength, not only did he not become this figure, but he was also ostracized by the other mercenaries and even the villagers 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 flame.


    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 become 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.


    [Congratulations!]


    [The Nox Limit talent has been successfully 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 - 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 now lasts 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?"


    [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 Frankish language. He also got the blessing of the host''s talent, even if he didn''t become a mercenary].


    [Concerning the limits, the success 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 become 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 had come close on several occasions to wiping out a village in front of him and slaughtering thousands of villagers.


    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].


    [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 accumulate enough power to protect his family.


    "System displays the list of mercenaries, and displays in brackets their physique from two weeks ago to see how they''ve evolved."


    [Displays 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 occasions.


    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 villagers.


    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 change compared 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 experience lasted two months and five days."


    "And they''ve improved that much in just two weeks?" S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 the last 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 minimal compared 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 blade designed for practice.


    He placed 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 particularly serious, while his breathing was perfectly regular.


    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 blade were a legendary weapon with an exceptional cutting edge.


    But it was just an ordinary training blade.


    "Let''s stay a little longer in the south and earn a bit more money, then come back north."

 Chapter 114 - 114: VentBois recruits on the rise

    "Let''s stay a little longer in the south to earn a little more money and then come 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 acceptable range.


    But when they returned to fight Baron Barthon, Maxime would probably have at least the strength of a knight at the grand success stage, while he would have at least 3 men at the knight entry or even petit success stage.


    In this way, the strength of his mercenary group could even be compared 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 place 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 place: a vast fortified complex 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 regular scenes of mercenaries taking part in supervised training as well as cultural courses, usually reserved for nobles.


    Most mercenaries had never had access to intellectual courses.


    Everything they learned came from their parents or neighbors when they were still villagers.


    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.


    Only Tena, Ernest, Rodrigo and Laura continued to attend.


    Tena, on the other hand, was a particularly 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 a combination of hard work, talent and Alarick''s help, he finally achieved his goal.


    [Sword mastery level 3 (1/100)]


    "Congratulations Maxime, I think you now have fencing comparable to that of a knight!"


    Alaric 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 Alarick, I couldn''t have done it without you.


    Maxime thanked Alarick 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 explain, not to mention unhelpful during training.


    After all, he could crush Alarick 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 this large 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 and laden 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 black 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.


    Particularly 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 clatter of blades, 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 simulations with first-year students. At first we were getting beaten up badly, and many of the students were secretly laughing at us."


    "Some of them had fun comparing us to the old mercenaries, saying we were really garbage compared to Andrew or even Laura."


    "But now we''re starting to come 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 overcoming hardships and becoming 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 close combat.


    "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 villagers 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 the last few days. Keep up the hard training. I have a feeling we''ll have an important mission soon, and when that time comes 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 a combat demonstration in the academy''s large 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 glance 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. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Who is it?"


    The Count''s deep voice rang out.


    "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 please come 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 - 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 explain 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 orcs last 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 blame 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 placed 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 planning and constant vigilance.


    "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, the latter 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 the last 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 contemplative 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''re competent. I expect you to live up to that reputation." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 incompetence."


    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 his last mission before returning to the real world.


    Maxime smiled slightly.


    "I don''t doubt it, Lady Aveline."


    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 young lady 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 planned, to Count Ardan''s private apartments.


    Unlike their previous meeting in the Count''s office, the atmosphere this time was more intimate.


    A large fireplace 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 fireplace, seemed pensive.


    "Maxime, come in. Make yourself comfortable."


    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 relaxed.


    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 pillar of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle. But in recent years, things have changed. Old alliances are breaking down, and new, power-hungry players are emerging."


    He placed 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 become a nest of vipers. The great houses are vying for the king''s good graces, some with more devious methods than others. Several latent 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 become a weakness in the eyes of some. They see us as an obstacle to their ambitions."


    "Recently, we discovered that House Drevon is funding groups of bandits to attack caravans from my lands. 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 116 - 116: The Counts machinations

    "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."


    Maxime nodded slowly. He knew this kind of dynamic well: when a power wavers, even for a moment, its enemies spring up like predators around wounded prey.


    "And the capital?" he asked.


    "That''s where things really play out, isn''t it?"


    The Count nodded, a bitter smile on his lips.


    "Exactly. The capital is the heart of all these machinations. At this council, the king is seeking to reassert his authority by setting up new military alliances. But these alliances depend on the support of the great houses. And there, rumor and slander carry more weight than fact. A good reputation can be destroyed in an evening."


    Maxime now understood why the Count was so keen for Lady Aveline to arrive safely. He took another sip of wine before asking a more direct question.


    "Your daughter, Lady Aveline... what role does she play in all this?"


    The Count leaned forward slightly, staring at Maxime with increased intensity.


    "Aveline is my greatest pride. She''s not only a woman of noble birth, she''s also incredibly intelligent and strategic. Her mission in the capital is twofold: to represent our house at the council and, potentially, to conclude a matrimonial alliance."


    "So Lady Aveline''s heart is taken? I wish her all the happiness in the world."


    He himself, being currently very attached to a certain person, sincerely wished her happiness, with no ulterior motive.


    "That''s not the case."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, but remained silent.


    "Don''t judge me too harshly, Maxime. I don''t want to marry my daughter off against her will. But she understands, as I do, that the future of our house depends on the alliances we can forge. Some high-ranking nobles have expressed interest in her. If she can seal an alliance through marriage, it could secure our position for decades to come."


    "And then, who should she marry?" asked Maxime, sighing lightly.


    "The eldest son of Duke Valderic de Rivenclaire," replied the Count, lowering his tone.


    Clearly he wasn''t proud of his future son-in-law.


    The name echoed in Maxime''s mind. The duchy of Rivenclaire was one of the most influential in the kingdom of the Frost Eagle, known for its wealth and powerful army. Aveline''s union with this family would undoubtedly strengthen the Count''s political position. But there was one detail that made Maxime pause.


    "The eldest son... This is Dorian Valderic, isn''t it?"


    The Count nodded, clearly uncomfortable.


    "Yes, Dorian. At only twenty, he''s already a knight. He''s already fought several times, and his reputation on the battlefield is already impressive. He''s seen as a future pillar of the kingdom."


    "He''s undoubtedly a martial genius, destined to reach the stage of great knight, and he certainly won''t be one of the weakest."


    "Some say he might even reach that stage before the age of 30."


    Maxime squinted. He also knew another, less glorious side of Dorian.


    Through his discussions with Alaric and other apprentice knights, he had learned a great deal of information, which was only accessible when one possessed a high enough status.


    "But that''s not all they say about him."


    The Count looked away, staring at the flames in the hearth.


    "You''re right. Dorian is... problematic. His martial talent is undeniable, but his character leaves much to be desired. He''s said to be arrogant, self-confident and... cruel, especially to women."


    Maxime crossed his arms, his gaze growing colder.


    That was indeed what he''d heard.


    "Cruel? Are you referring to his concubines?"


    The Count nodded, a mixture of shame and sadness on his face.


    "Yes. There are several rumors about him. They say he treats his concubines like possessions. Some are said to have run away, others... to have been severely abused. But his status as future duke and his political influence protect him from any consequences."


    A heavy silence settled over the room. Maxime, though outwardly calm, felt anger rising inside him.


    He didn''t particularly care for Aveline, he simply detested this kind of unscrupulous behavior.


    "And you accept this, my lord?" he finally asked, his voice harsher than he would have liked.


    Adalric straightened up, stung to the quick.


    "Do you think I have a choice, Maxime? I must protect my family and my lands. The king himself supports this union. To refuse would put my duchy in danger."


    Maxime stared at him for a moment, weighing his words.


    "What about your daughter? What does she think of all this?"


    The Count ran a hand over his face, visibly overwhelmed.


    "Aveline is a devoted daughter. She understands what''s at stake and is willing to sacrifice her happiness for the good of our house."


    Maxime clenched his fists on the armrests of his chair, but held back any acerbic comment. He knew the situation was far more complex than it appeared. After a moment''s silence, he spoke in a calmer but firm voice.


    "I see. But if Dorian represents a danger to Aveline, I won''t stand idly by. My group and I will watch over her all the way to the capital."


    The Count raised an eyebrow, surprised by Maxime''s tone.


    "I understand your concern, Maxime. But be careful. Dorian is powerful, and his family even more so. I don''t want this affair to endanger your life or the lives of your men."


    Maxime gave a cold smile.


    "I''m not afraid of Dorian. It''s not a young knight from a noble family who will frighten me today, no matter how strong his family."


    Adalric watched Maxime for a long moment, then nodded slowly.


    In his heart, he knew one thing.


    If Dorian was a genius, the young man before him was a monster.


    Indeed, he had sensed the aura Maxime unconsciously gave off.


    "He hasn''t yet reached the stage of the great knight, but he''s certainly at the stage of the knight''s peak."


    "At the age of 18, what could it be other than a monster?"


    "If the Valderic family offends him, there''s no telling who will end up unhappy in this story in the end."


    The Count''s thoughts were foggy.


    For a moment he even thought of marrying off his daughter to this young man.


    But he immediately dismissed the idea.


    Potential was still potential, the Valderic family possessed extremely terrifying men of power as well as the political power he needed.


    He needed that power now, he didn''t have time to wait.


    "Very well, then. But please, don''t complicate an already delicate situation any further. Protect my daughter, that''s all I ask."


    Maxime rose from his chair, his gaze determined.


    "You have my word, monseigneur. Aveline will remain under my protection."


    Obviously, Maxime had no intention of interfering in the Count''s affairs after this mission.


    There was nothing he himself could do in this situation, so Aveline''s future was of no concern to him.


    In any case, it was the Count''s decision that was leading his own daughter to disaster.


    If even the father wanted this situation, was he, as a foreigner, entitled to intervene in it?


    Maxime pondered for a moment, thinking of the dangers of this mission now that he knew all this.


    "And your enemies know it. They''ll do anything to prevent her from reaching the capital, or to besmirch your name before she gets there."


    The Count nodded darkly.


    "Exactly. That''s why I need you. You''re a man I can trust, but more importantly, you''re unpredictable to my enemies. They have no idea of your strength or that of your men."


    As he said this, the Count smiled mysteriously.


    Maxime was clearly his joker card.


    A powerful card that nobody knew existed.


    He paused before adding:


    "Be careful, Maxime. You''re about to enter a game where cunning counts as much as strength. And never forget that, even if you survive the dangers of the road, greater dangers await you in the capital."


    Maxime stood up, bowing his head slightly in respect.


    "I will do everything in my power to protect Lady Aveline and preserve the honor of your house."


    The Count held out a hand, which Maxime shook firmly.


    "I''d expect nothing less from you. Good luck, Maxime. You''ll need it."


    But Maxime still had one last subject to discuss, a very important one.


    "Before I go, Count Ardan, there is one more thing to settle."


    The Count, who had begun to raise his cup to his lips, immediately put it down again, intrigued by Maxime''s tone.


    "Yes?"


    Maxime crossed his arms, taking on a neutral but firm tone. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You expect me and my men to cross dangerous territory, protect your daughter from obvious threats, and potentially confront hostile forces sent by your enemies."


    "All this, when you have just exposed to me the extent of the political conflicts in which you are immersed. This goes far beyond a simple escort mission."


    The Count raised an eyebrow, but remained calm. At the same time, somehow he liked this kind of situation.


    And because he was particularly good at it, he had strengthened his family''s military and economic power for decades, while maintaining his strong influence in the southern part of the Kingdom.


    "Let''s get straight to the point, what exactly do you want Maxime?"

 Chapter 117 - 117: Political test

    "Let''s get straight to the point, what exactly do you want Maxime?"


    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 to commit 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 be compromised."


    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 relations with the other person could significantly diminish.


    The Count stared intently at Maxime, but said nothing, letting the latter continue.


    "I want to know right now what price you''re willing to pay. What''s more, my men and I will receive additional compensation 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 price last 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 successfully, 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-placed ambush, and everything you''ve built could come tumbling down."


    Silence settled in. The flames in the fireplace 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 heavy laugh.


    "You''re not lacking 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 currently comprises one man with a power comparable to a knight at the stage of great success, 6 apprentice knights at the stage of small success, 3 apprentice knights at the stage of entry, and 24 elite soldiers."


    Maxime had decided to reveal his power directly, since he had planned 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 their combat experience, while the new recruits were still far from being elite soldiers.


    But averaged out, their strength was comparable 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 strength comparable to that of a knight at the stage of great success.


    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 acceptable 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 become 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 accomplish our missions." S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And with those last words, Maxime finished his drink in one swift gulp and left the room, satisfied with the negotiation, and ready for the challenge ahead.


    "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-glass 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 place. 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 classes. 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, settling comfortably 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 plains 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 - 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, declared 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 daring commander 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 classic 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 Haldir launched 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 charge completely 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 relations with Halenveil."


    "This victory was particularly 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 to lay no further claim to the Silver Rift in addition to sending a large 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," Maxime commented, slightly embarrassed.


    "You couldn''t know either, unless you attended a class." 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.


    "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 are complex, 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 ever come 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."


    Tena laughed softly.


    "I guess it comes 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 second complex military story, which also had political implications.


    Tena would continue to accompany him, so he could always ask her about the siege.


    Soon he pushed open the door to his room.


    The glow of an oil lamp 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 a lamp 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 playing 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."


    Laura''s voice was tinged with frustration.


    But Maxime dodged the subject completely, 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?"


    She laughed 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 placing a hand on his hip.


    The rest of the words were suspended in silence, replaced by a mutual warmth and passion that made us forget, for a time, the pressures of the mission ahead.


    30 minutes later, silence returned to the room.


    The oil lamp 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 relax and reassure her.


    "That''s why we have to be unpredictable. We''re not going to take the route that was planned, we''ll take detours to avoid this kind of thing happening." sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 119 - 119: Just before leaving for the capital

    "That''s why we have to be unpredictable. We''re not going to take the route that was planned, we''ll take detours to avoid this kind of thing happening."


    "After all, with these families'' pasts, there''s bound to be spies everywhere."


    "The only place where there are no spies is in our mercenary group."


    She smiled softly, reassured, but one point still worried her.


    "But they won''t be the only obstacles..."


    "Meaning?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    Laura sighed.


    "I was able to have a little chat with Aveline, since you were so busy..." as she said this Laura looked at Maxime with mischievous eyes. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But she quickly regained a serious air.


    "She has no desire to marry, least of all to such a macho man."


    Maxime didn''t answer immediately.


    After a few moments, Maxime explained his point of view.


    "It''s not our role to discuss and intervene in politics. All we have to do is escort her back to the capital alive. If she wants to run away from this wedding, it''ll be up to her to find a solution afterwards."


    Laura watched Maxime''s face carefully as she approached.


    Their faces were almost glued together.


    "I know you now, and I think everything you''re saying right now is wrong."


    Her sweet voice, beautiful eyes and perfect face melted Maxime''s heart.


    And she was right, so Maxime didn''t answer.


    "Promise me one thing: if things go wrong, if things get too dangerous, you won''t play the hero. It''s your duty to your men and to yourself, Maxime."


    Maxime continued to remain silent.


    "Promise me, Maxime, please."


    "If you won''t do it for yourself and the others, do it for me."


    He bit his lips; he himself knew how uncontrollable his emotions could make him.


    It had happened in the past, and it would undoubtedly happen again in the future.


    "Maxime, you can''t make me go through moments again where you might die."


    "You can''t."


    "You don''t have the right."


    Tears began to appear in Laura''s beautiful eyes.


    But Maxime answered nothing, his heart still conflicted.


    He didn''t want to make a promise he couldn''t keep.


    He knew that if the genius of the Valderic family dared to touch Avenline in front of him, and especially to hit her, he probably wouldn''t be able to control himself.


    It wasn''t a matter of logic, but of value.


    After a while, Laura sighed as she pulled her face away from Maxime''s.


    "Who made me fall in love with such a crazy man?"


    Maxime smiled a slight spite, but it seemed Laura understood he couldn''t give in on that ground.


    Laura regained control of her emotions, but a gleam of concern remained in her eyes. She rested her head on his chest, and murmured:


    "Then I''ll stay with you, whatever happens. All the way."


    Hearing these words, Maxime was touched, and decided to make her a promise.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll always be my number 1 priority. If anything really happens, I''ll guarantee your safety."


    "Idiot."


    In the soothed silence of the room, the two remained in this position, and fell quietly asleep.


    On the morning of departure, the Sabertooth Tigers stood ready at the entrance to the academy.


    The massive doors of the Purple Knight Academy were fully open, and the Saber-toothed Tigers, lined up in small groups, waited for Maxime to give the signal for departure.


    10 horses loaned by the Count were snorting softly, and the murmur of conversation rose faintly in the cool morning air.


    3 carts filled with food and water were lined up to the side.


    "Everyone in shape?" asked Maxime with a smile, without raising his voice.


    "Obviously, Chief, this isn''t our first mission." replied Andrew.


    "That''s clear, especially since compared to what we''ve been through before, this mission is relatively simple." added James.


    But Maxime shook his head, wanting to warn his men how dangerous this mission was.


    "This mission might not be so simple, so don''t let your guard down the whole way."


    Some of the mercenaries frowned, including Tena, Ernest, Rodrigo, Henry and Ultia, who were beginning to think that Maxime had information they didn''t have.


    Others kept the same face, simply thinking that the future had already been mapped out, and that what had to happen would happen.


    Among those who felt this way were Charles, Laura, Romuald, Izo, Terry, James and Piedro.


    And then there were those who were already stressed and were now stressing even more since it was their first mission, such as Garen, Jean and Lira.


    The latter stood slightly back from the main group. Their nervousness showed in their posture, and their low voices mingled with the discussions of the other mercenaries.


    "So... this is going to be our first real mission," Garen breathed, tightening the strap on his armor for the tenth time.


    "Do you think we''re really ready?"


    Jean, still calm and collected, shrugged as he adjusted the bow on his back.


    "We''re trained, equipped, and following the leader. Frankly, we should be fine."


    "Yeah, but escorting a noblewoman, isn''t that a bit... how can I put this... risky?" retorted Garen, grimacing.


    "You know, with all this politics between powerful families," he continued.


    Lira rolled her eyes at Garen''s remark. She crossed her arms and murmured with a touch of impatience:


    "Garen, you''re kidding yourself. She''s just an escort. We drop her off at the capital, collect our pay, and that''s it. End of story."


    "Yeah, but imagine if someone tried to attack her. "Garen insisted.


    "We''re talking about Aveline Ardent! She''s important, isn''t she? Like, she''s a count''s daughter."


    "Besides, I heard that Count Ardent only had this one girl left in his family. He had two sons, but both died on the battlefield. And as if that wasn''t enough, his wife died when she gave birth to Aveline."


    "If anything should happen..."


    Jean frowned slightly, glancing toward the rest of the group.


    "Look, even if it did, we don''t have to worry about it. The chief and the veterans will handle the situation if anything happens."


    Lira nodded, but her tone was softer this time.


    "Look around you, Garen. We''re surrounded by super-strong guys. Laura, Andrew, even James... they''re all as strong as4th or 5th graders at the academy!"


    "Whereas we''re always struggling against first-year students..."


    "Then stop stressing, you''ll give us cold sweats."


    Garen took a deep breath and looked at his two classmates, seeking some comfort in their words.


    "You''re right." he muttered.


    "But you know, I keep thinking about what Maxime said earlier, isn''t that a bit of a strange warning for an escort that should be straightforward?"


    "What did he say?" asked Lira.


    "He said: this mission might not be so simple, so don''t let your guard down the whole way."


    Jean shrugged to ease the rising tension.


    "It''s just him being careful. That''s his job as chief."


    "Yes." said Lira with a smirk, agreeing with Jean.


    "Besides, if you ask me, he has to say that on every mission."


    Garen tried to smile, even though his face still betrayed a hint of nervousness.


    "Maybe you''re right, but still... I''ve got a bad feeling about this."


    Lira gave him a light tap on the shoulder, a mocking smile on her lips.


    "Well, keep your bad feeling to yourself."


    Jean gave a discreet laugh, and even Garen ended up smiling in spite of himself. The tone of the conversation softened, and the tension seemed to dissipate a little.


    Simultaneously, the rhythmic clatter of a horse''s hooves could be heard.


    Garen turned his head first, intrigued by the sudden silence that had fallen over their comrades. What he saw left him speechless.


    A young woman was approaching, mounted on a magnificent white horse.


    Her blond hair, almost golden in the sunlight, floated lightly behind her, framing a face both gentle and determined. Her violet eyes, deep and luminous, seemed almost supernatural, as if she carried within her a glow from another era.


    She was in light armor, finely engraved with delicate motifs, protective enough for battle, but elegant enough not to hide her slender figure.


    A short cloak of royal purple, emblazoned with the Ardan family crest, rested on her shoulders, adding to her noble allure.


    "By all the gods..." murmured Garen, unable to tear his gaze away.


    Lira followed his gaze, raising an eyebrow as she caught sight of Aveline. But instead of Garen''s naive wonder, she crossed her arms and blurted out, a little mockingly:


    "What''s this? A princess in armor?"


    Jean, more pragmatic, watched Aveline carefully without commenting right away.


    "Not just a princess." he finally replied.


    "Look at her posture. She''s holding the reins like she''s used to riding."


    Lira squinted, detailing Aveline more closely. She had to admit he was right. There was something about the way Aveline held herself, straight and confident, that betrayed a certain competence, or at least rigorous discipline.


    "Maybe." Lira conceded.


    "But that doesn''t mean she knows how to fight. She''s still a noblewoman."


    Garen, for his part, wasn''t even listening to their exchanges anymore. All he could see was a woman who perfectly embodied the chivalric ideal he''d heard so much about in the stories of his childhood.


    "She looks invincible..."

 Chapter 120 - 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 have laughed.


    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 become 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 regularly coming 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 become 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 success.


    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.


    An apprentice knight at the stage of small success and gifted in combat was too much for him despite his combat experience.


    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. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 become.


    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, according 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 accounts, 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 calculating Duke Drevon gathered his advisors in an austere room lit by meager torches. The Drevon coat of arms, a silver bear''s claw on a black background, adorned the stone walls.


    "Count Ardan is playing with fire." Devron declared 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, according to our reports, it would be completely 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.


    "According to our agents, most of the mercenaries have the level of apprentice knights, with a few reaching the combat power of apprentice knights at the stage of great success, or even peak."


    "And it''s said that their leader has the combat 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-success 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 declared 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 become more complicated in this region. The hills have always been a good place for ambushes."


    "That''s why, at the last minute, we''ll be taking a detour. We won''t go through the hills even if it delays us a day''s travel." he replied lightly.

 Chapter 121 - 121: Perceval

    "That''s why, at the last minute, we''ll make a detour. We won''t go through the hills, even if it means delaying our journey by a day." he replied lightly.


    Aveline was slightly surprised, but simply nodded in response.


    It wasn''t her job to define the route.


    The walk went smoothly and the days passed without incident.


    Each evening, the group set up camp out of sight, using groves or natural folds in the terrain to mask their presence.


    By the campfires, conversations were fairly quiet.


    When they were out in nature, everyone was careful not to make too much noise and to remain vigilant.


    Maxime and Aveline were in the background at the time.


    "They don''t seem to be afraid..." murmured Aveline.


    Maxime shrugged.


    "Afraid of what?"


    "Fear of being ambushed and having to fight," Aveline replied immediately.


    "Those who let themselves be overcome by fear can''t have a long career as a mercenary." commented Maxime lightly.


    "What about you?" she asked suddenly, her violet eyes scanning him.


    "Do you ever get scared?"


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, staring at the flames dancing in front of him.


    "Every day." he finally replied.


    "Mercenaries need to be afraid, because fear reinforces vigilance and helps avoid recklessness."


    "It''s all about mastering it."


    "Because if we don''t master it, we become impatient, we sleep badly, our reaction speed decreases, our ability to judge in combat is severely impacted and our ability to make courageous decisions disappears."


    "You might as well say that fear can decrease a person''s combat power by more than 80% rather easily."


    "That''s why I''m telling you that those who let themselves be overcome by fear can''t survive for long."


    Aveline didn''t reply, but her gaze seemed to soften.


    The night passed quietly and everyone went to bed, except for a few who had been assigned to watch the area for part of the night.


    On the third day, the landscape changed.


    The open plains gave way to rugged terrain.


    The mercenary group walked at the foot of the hills.


    The trees, sparse and twisted by the winds, cast long, ominous shadows.


    As planned, Maxime had ordered the mercenaries to go around the hills.


    But as they walked quietly along, Maxime sensed something.


    He signaled the scouts to double their vigilance.


    The other mercenaries also saw Maxime''s signs, and conversations ceased almost immediately.


    The atmosphere was heavy. The mercenaries had an instinct for danger, and it seemed to hang in the air like a blade ready to fall.


    The new recruits, sensing the change in atmosphere, began to get sweaty hands.


    Aveline, too, seemed on her guard.


    But her face showed not the slightest sign of shyness.


    Suddenly, a metallic flash in the bushes caught Maxime''s attention.


    Unfortunately, before he could react, a volley of arrows whistled through the air, aimed at the convoy.


    "EVERYONE TAKE COVER!"


    Simultaneously, Maxime pulled his horse''s reins to make it retreat immediately, while he protected it by deflecting the arrows with his sword.


    The mercenaries quickly took up defensive positions.


    Those with shields raised them to protect themselves, while the rest simply avoided or deflected the arrows.


    Some thirty masked men emerged from the woods, armed with swords, shields and axes.


    Their unkempt appearance gave the impression of simple bandits, but Maxime immediately noticed the discipline in their movements. These men were well trained.


    "Shit, how can there be an ambush here!" thought Maxime, frowning.


    "These aren''t ordinary bandits." Andrew commented, drawing his sword while deflecting a few arrows.


    "No matter. They made a mistake attacking us." replied Maxime, jumping off his horse.


    The mercenaries quickly formed a defensive line, while the enemy archers continued to fire from the heights.


    Ivan and Katarina, two of Ventbois'' recruits, blocked the arrows with their shields, while Jean and Ernest returned fire with their bows and arrows.


    A young man holding a sword watched the arrows rain down on the mercenaries as his men began to surround the convoy.


    A bald man with a scar across his mouth and a short, dark-haired woman with an eye patch covering her left eye stood beside him.


    "They sure have good reactions for mere mercenaries," the woman with the eye patch exclaimed.


    "It''s a good thing they can survive a few arrows - frankly, only civilians or those stupid orcs can die from arrows," Percival commented dismissively.


    "Their trajectories are so predictable."


    "They''re still mercenaries, I don''t even know why the duke sent us here." growled the bald man at his side.


    Suddenly Maxime looked in their direction with piercing eyes.


    Meanwhile, the mercenaries at his side were easily fending off the assailants who had begun hand-to-hand combat.


    The bald man squinted when he saw Maxime looking in their direction.


    "I think he''s watching us.


    "Indeed."


    Seeing the situation going in the wrong direction for them, Perceval commented with a little surprise.


    "I never thought I''d see the day when mercenaries would repel our apprentice knights, and especially so easily."


    "I imagine the duke knew that, and that''s why he sent us," the woman replied immediately with a slight smile. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Come on, it''s time to intervene or deaths in our ranks will start to appear." ordered Percival in a tec tone.


    "And don''t forget, we''ve got to keep an eye on Aveline - if she escapes, all this will have been for nothing," he continued sternly.


    The 3 men jumped from the top of their position, landing directly in front of Maxime.


    Without a word, Maxime charged straight at Perceval.


    Perceval was surprised, but a look of mockery formed in his eyes.


    He was one of the geniuses of House Devron, trained with the best techniques, the best teachers and the best resources in the Kingdom.


    There was no way he could lose to someone much younger than him.


    But the bald man immediately recognized Maxime.


    "Be careful Perceval, he''s the famous chief we were supposed to watch out for".


    Simultaneously, Maxime''s sword arrived directly in front of Perceval.


    Perceval tried to block it, but had fallen for the first feint.


    Maxime''s sword deflected completely and passed under his guard.


    "Pshit."


    Perceval looked down, his armor had been pierced by a sword, and the latter was now lodged in his body.


    Looking up, he was confronted by Maxime''s surprised gaze.


    "So simple?"


    "Think more of traversing more battlefields in your next life."


    Perceval''s eyes opened wide.


    Hearing these words, Perceval suddenly thought of someone.


    "So I finally have the answer I''ve been looking for all these years, why you''re so strong."


    "The answer was so simple all along."


    Then Percival''s lifeless body fell to the ground as his eyes closed at the same time.


    The two knights accompanying him were shocked.


    "ARRRHHH"


    "How could he kill Perceval so easily!?"


    The bald man had gone mad while the woman''s eyes were more than icy as she looked at Maxime.


    As if the two were connected, both immediately attacked Maxime.


    But Maxime had a physique approaching 4 points, a little life-and-death combat experience and a knight''s level of sword technique.


    So he could remain calm in the face of both opponents'' assaults.


    "How can he even be that strong?"


    "At his age even the crown prince wasn''t that strong!"


    The two assailants quickly began to worry.


    On the other side, led by Andrew, Ultia, Henry and Charles, the mercenaries finally began to kill their attackers.


    The two knights, seeing the situation worsen, began to panic.


    Both looked at each other with resolution, then nodded.


    Simultaneously, something seemed to break inside their bodies as their aura rapidly strengthened.


    "Miserable mercenary, you will pay with your life for killing our young master!"


    Maxime frowned and remained calm.


    Then his two adversaries charged at him, catching him in a vice-like grip.


    Their speed was much faster than before.


    And their strength too.


    Maxime was being pushed back more and more.


    "They''re using their vital seed to its full potential."


    "It''s so strong."


    Minor wounds were beginning to appear on his body as his light armor cracked.


    The situation was going from bad to worse.


    And especially since, after suffering the immense pain caused to his soul by having activated Nox Limit several times in a short space of time, he preferred never to use it again unless absolutely necessary.


    So in this kind of situation, even if he was dominated in combat, he wouldn''t use Nox Limit unless he was close to death.


    Especially as he now had the talent of the goddess Viviana, so even if he made a mistake he could survive it.


    However, if his opponents made a mistake, then he''d take advantage of it to deliver the final blow, even at the cost of serious injury.


    That was how this talent was to be used.


    "Sounds like you need some help Maxime?"


    A graceful voice suddenly appeared at his side.


    Turning his head to the right, Maxime caught sight of a heroic young woman in armor.


    Her blond hair fluttered in the wind, while her sword blocked the short-haired woman''s attack with an eye patch.


    The latter stepped back slightly, staring at the newcomer.


    "What are you doing here Aveline!?"


    "You''re their target, you''re putting yourself in danger!"


    Aveline looked at Maxime with a charming smile.


    "With you by my side, how can they threaten me?"

 Chapter 122 - 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. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 now lay lifeless on the ground before her.


    "This rising star could look so wretched," she thought silently.


    Simultaneously, she glanced 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.


    By comparison, Perceval, who had become 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 uncontrollable 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, particularly when adrenalin was at its peak during a fight, the knight''s body could be rapidly strengthened.


    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 circulating 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 become stronger.


    This method had enabled many knights with limited talent to become great knights.


    However, it also had a major drawback.


    It was that even if the knight managed to become 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 become a knight.


    "It would seem that Viviana''s talent could completely make up for this flaw."


    "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, Alarick, and combined with his talent, Maxime had made enormous progress in his technique.


    As a result, the duel had become almost savage, with blades clashing against each other at breakneck speed.


    The flashes of these blades briefly lit up their faces, tense with effort, and the boots pounded the dusty ground in a violent dance.


    Their combat zone had become a no-man''s-land.


    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 become 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.


    The latter 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 platinum-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 similar 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 become 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 flank.


    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 a completely 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.


    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 collapsed 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 - 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 become 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 could last 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 placed her blade in a position ready to deliver the coup de grace.


    "Aveline, duck!" cried Maxime.


    Without hesitation, Aveline threw herself to the ground, and Maxime intervened in a flash. 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 glanced 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 succ��s stage, the same stage as Perceval, but his sense of combat 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." Maxime commented, his icy eyes planted in those of the knight.


    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 glanced at the mercenaries nearby, and saw that the fight was coming 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 implacable 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 become 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, combined 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." S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maybe you think dying in silence is a heroic act, but think again."


    "Who gave you those orders, and how did they plan 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 flashed 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 signet 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 signet 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 signet ring.


    The signet 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 ancient language 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 124 - 124: Kaite, recruiting the first knight!

    "I, Maxime, wish to conclude a contract with the designated person."


    Then he resumed his normal voice.


    "If you''re not speaking of your own free will, that''s your choice. But just so you know, I don''t need your cooperation."


    The light between them suddenly turned into a golden spiral, like a luminous vortex.


    "No! What are you doing!? What sorcery is this!? What are you doing to me!?"


    The knight struggled, her body tensing under a force she didn''t understand.


    But Maxime''s knee held her firmly to the ground.


    Then, the spiral seemed to rush towards her, penetrating her back.


    She let out a muffled scream, her eyes widening as a similar light emanated from her own heart.


    An ethereal contract appeared before them, linking them by an extremely thin golden thread.


    The knight felt a phenomenal power seeping into both her body and her soul.


    "No! No! No! I don''t want to!"


    She resisted with all her might, but in her current state, it was far too difficult to mobilize the slightest strength to fight back against this foreign power infiltrating her body.


    After only a few dozen seconds, the floating, dazzling contract vanished in a shower of luminous flashes.


    The knight collapsed completely, gasping for breath, her hands clutching her chest as she gasped for air.


    Maxime turned to Aveline, who was observing the scene with genuine fear.


    "What did you just do?" she asked in a trembling voice.


    Maxime clenched his fists, feeling the invisible link that now connected him to the signet ring.


    "I''ve just signed a contract," Maxime replied simply.


    At the same time, he looked at Aveline with piercing eyes.


    "Know that if you spread a word about what you''ve just seen, I''ll eradicate the Ardan family from this continent."


    This time, Aveline was truly frightened.


    Her father was one of the strongest knights in the kingdom.


    But she felt that if she dared offend this mercenary, not only she but also her father might die.


    Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day without a doubt.


    And that terrified her, completely changing the way she imagined this mercenary who looked so kind and approachable.


    "Maybe marrying this guy could be worse than marrying Dorian Valderic."


    This thought came and went immediately from Aveline''s mind.


    But from Maxime''s point of view, it was a logical reaction.


    Aveline was not one of his mercenaries, and therefore not loyal to him.


    Naturally, she mustn''t spread a word about his talents, otherwise it could backfire violently on him in the future.


    "Can you stay away, Aveline? I think it''s best for your own good."


    The latter didn''t hesitate in the least and moved away to the edge of the battlefield, while she watched from afar as Maxime and the other mercenaries conducted interrogations.


    Other mercenaries also took the weapons and armor of the deceased and placed them in one of the three carts - after all, they were valuable.


    For her part, the knight raised her head, her gaze a mixture of rage and despair. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, she too was truly afraid at this moment.


    "You think... that makes me a puppet?" Her voice vibrated with restrained anger.


    "I can talk, think, and act however I want. This contract gives you only limited power over me, and you can never force me to betray my faith."


    Maxime frowned, not believing her.


    He closed his eyes for a moment, probing their bond.


    After a few moments of analysis, he sensed she was right.


    Although she was obliged to carry out his immediate orders, her mind remained free, and her thoughts inaccessible.


    In short, the contract mainly restricted her actions physically.


    Maxime sincerely hoped that when he evolved his talent in the future, this effect would be reinforced, otherwise he wouldn''t be able to execute the ideas he''d originally had, particularly in the field of espionage and infiltration.


    Of course, if Maxime gave her an order, she would be obliged to carry it out.


    So, to a certain extent, this contract exerted a great influence on the psyche of the person who signed it.


    However, the benefits of the contract were soon felt as well.


    The knight felt a very comfortable power flowing through her body.


    She could even feel the hidden wounds left by the repeated overexploitation of her vital seed healing.


    They were healing slowly, but they were healing.


    At the same time, she felt that invisible but very present chains in her body were beginning to disappear.


    It was as if...her potential had been enhanced.


    She had just begun to receive all the blessings of Maxime''s talents, and the reason why his men were both so strong and so loyal.


    Although Maxime''s temperament and charisma also played an important role.


    Maxime had noticed this, but he didn''t want to discuss it here with the knight, since Aveline was there.


    She''d already seen enough of him.


    But that wasn''t Maxime''s priority at the moment; he''d talk to his new recruit alone later.


    There were more important matters to discuss before that.


    "So now let''s talk." he said in a neutral tone.


    "Who gave you the order to attack us?"


    She hesitated, then, against her will, her lips moved.


    "Duke Devron. He wanted to... capture the young lady of the Arden family."


    Maxime nodded, then asked the question that concerned him most.


    "How did you know our route?"


    The knight tried to resist, her face twisting under the effort. But the contract imposed itself, and she finally blurted out:


    "We had simply sent one of our apprentice knights to monitor your journey."


    He stared at the knight, who seemed exhausted by the effort of having spoken against her will.


    And above all, she could only speak the truth.


    That a mere apprentice knight could follow them without himself and his mercenaries, including Jean, being able to notice, was truly distressing.


    "This apprentice knight must possess a special talent, mustn''t he?"


    The knight no longer resisted and now simply answered honestly.


    "Indeed."


    But she glanced around and quickly noticed one corpse in particular, albeit a disfigured one.


    "But he''s already dead."


    Maxime glanced at the corpse, and sighed slightly.


    Perhaps this apprentice knight''s talent might have been worth signing a contract for.


    He finally removed his knee from the knight''s back, since having signed a contract with her it was no longer useful.


    The latter stood up after feeling the pressure on her back disappear.


    Maxime glanced at her again after she had risen.


    "In this world, are there any ugly signet rings?" he thought silently, observing the delicate curves of his new recruit.


    Then suddenly he felt a cold stare pierce him, which made him sweat.


    Without even turning around, he knew it was Laura.


    Pretending he''d done nothing wrong, Maxime inquired about this knight in shining armor.


    "What''s your name?"


    This time she sensed the contract wasn''t working, making her hesitate slightly before finally sighing at her fate.


    "I can only obey this young man''s orders from now on, it''s so frustrating."


    "Me, a knight forced to obey a mere mercenary."


    "What kind of world is this?"


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she felt.


    But she tried to calm herself as best she could.


    "My name is Kaite." she said in a more or less soft voice.

 Chapter 125 - 125: Death after life

    "My name is Kaite." she said in a more or less soft voice.


    "Don''t you have a surname?"


    Maxime was surprised; the knights were almost all nobles, so it seemed natural to him that they should all have family names.


    "No, I was raised in a small family in the Duke''s territory. After having my talent tested, I was recruited into the duke''s army for training."


    "Unlike Percival, once I reached the stage of apprentice knight, I traversed various battlefields without forgetting to practice an ordinary breathing method they had given me."


    "After years of training, I finally got my strength."


    She summed up her whole life in just a few sentences, but only she knew how much sweat and blood she had shed to reach the stage of a knight''s small success.


    And as she spoke, she couldn''t help glancing at Perceval''s corpse with a certain regret.


    Perhaps if he''d had a childhood like hers, he''d have had far greater strength.


    Perhaps that strength would have made it possible to kill that damned mercenary quickly, and above all she wouldn''t have had to become some kind of slave today.


    "All that to say, I''m not nobility at all, so I wasn''t lucky enough to get a family name."


    "But perhaps I could have obtained the name Devron and thus become part of the nobility, had I succeeded in this mission."


    When she thought about it, she felt like going berserk.


    She was so close...so close to becoming part of the nobility.


    Perhaps she could have been married to an earl or viscount, and with the support of the Devron family, she would have become an important person in the nobility of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    But looking at the young man before her, all those aspirations were now a thing of the past.


    No one could predict what would happen to her in the future.


    "So be it, from now on you''ll wear a mask and be part of my bodyguard."


    Kaite was more than a little surprised.


    "A guard for a mercenary?"


    "What kind of joke is this?"


    Of course, she kept her words to herself, and only nodded in reply.


    Maxime began to explain his missions.


    "Your role in the future will be to follow me absolutely everywhere, preferably always lurking in the shadows."


    "On the battlefield, your role will be to protect new recruits without them being aware of it."


    "And you''ll show up on a battlefield and fight with all your might only if we''re in a bad way."


    This was Maxime''s new idea.


    To create a secret force whose members'' identities were known only to him.


    A force that was totally devoted to him and would do all the dirty work for him.


    A force that would exterminate absolutely all enemies who dared to offend him in the future.


    Maxime knew the importance of image, whether for a company or a group of mercenaries.


    He was keen to keep the image of the Saber-toothed Tigers clean and respectable, while the aim of this force would be to cleanly eradicate any force that threatened him.


    Of course, at first, the missions would be fairly straightforward, as he had explained to Kaite.


    But as more people join the force, and as his talent evolves, the missions will diversify and become more important, but also more dangerous.


    "As the first member of this elite group, what would you like the group to be called?" asked Maxime with a smile.


    Kaite swallowed hard.


    "This guy is crazy, completely crazy," she thought fearfully.


    Without waiting too long for Kaita''s answer, Maxime continued to speak.


    "I''ll let you think about it, but in the meantime, let''s go recruit his second member."


    Simultaneously, Maxime eyed the bald man on the ground with a degree of impatience.


    Following his gaze, Kaite was more than shocked.


    "But...is he going to die here?" she said sadly.


    Maxime looked her straight in the eye teasingly.


    "You still haven''t noticed?"


    "Noticed what?" replied Kaite not understanding what her new boss was talking about.


    "The blessings of my talent."


    Kaite opened her eyes wide, finally understanding why she was feeling strange changes in her body.


    She thought it was all due to the mysterious contract she''d signed.


    "Do you possess a magical talent?"


    "Of course, how else could my mercenary group be so strong?"


    "So that means Langus won''t die?" she said excitedly.


    To her, although magical talent was something extremely rare and powerful, in the moment Langus''s survival seemed far more important.


    "Of course not." replied Maxime as he walked towards Langus.


    "If I''d decapitated him or cut off one of his limbs it might have been different."


    "But my sword only pierced a few minor organs."


    "Although that should be fatal for many people, but my talent is sufficient to heal such wounds and even regenerate lost organs."


    "Or at least, it''s possible for a knight to survive it. An ordinary person would never survive this kind of injury even with my talent."


    As he spoke, Maxime knelt before the bald knight.


    Soon, a scene very similar to the one that had just taken place with Kaite occurred.


    Once again, he closed his eyes to concentrate on using his talent.


    Feeling that he was communicating with his talent, he opened his eyes again.


    They sparkled with a golden, almost divine glow.


    A bond began to form between him and Langus.


    Maxime held out his right hand. Suddenly, glittering words appeared in the air, traced by an ethereal light.


    They literally floated in the air, in an unknown language.


    Maxime recited the floating words silently, his lips barely moving.


    Finally, he spoke, his voice deeper, with a strange echo.


    "I, Maxime, wish to conclude a contract with the designated person."


    The light between them suddenly transformed into a golden spiral, like a luminous vortex.


    An ethereal contract appeared before them, linking them by an extremely thin golden thread.


    Langus''s body began to show signs of movement.


    In another dimension of the universe, Langus''s body floated in the air.


    All around him was dark and cold.


    Suddenly, he opened his eyes.


    "Where am I?"


    "It''s so cold..."


    He knew his eyes were open, yet all he saw was pitch black. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So this is what death looks like?"


    "Hey god, are you there?"


    His voice echoed in this dimension.


    Simultaneously, a small, dazzling light appeared before him.


    "So he really does exist?"


    He just wanted to soothe his heart with a little joke.


    He didn''t think "God" would actually appear.


    Instinctively, he reached out for the light.


    As if answering his call, the light gradually grew and then surrounded him completely.


    But he wasn''t expecting it; the light pierced his body.


    "No, no, what''s that!?"

 Chapter 126 - 126: Life after death

    "No, no, what is this!?"


    A burning glare erupted inside him, as if something foreign and powerful was taking hold of his essence.


    But no matter how hard he tried to resist, nothing helped.


    All he could feel was pain, as if someone were marking his possession on his soul with a burning iron.


    Abruptly, he opened his eyes in the real world.


    The air rushed into his lungs and he let out a hoarse, desperate cry, a mixture of agony and rebirth.


    He straightened up, his still numb muscles trembling under the effort, as he inhaled again greedily.


    Each breath seemed to rip through an invisible barrier as an energy surged through his body.


    "Where am I?" he thought, as a shower of sensations washed over him.


    A gentle warmth emanated from his chest, where the sword had pierced him. But this warmth was unnatural.


    It was too vivid, too present, almost oppressive. His heart, which he had thought destroyed, was beating at a terrifying pace, like a war drum.


    Langus brought a trembling hand to his chest. His fingers grazed his wound, where a gaping hole must have been.


    Only a scar could be seen. Yet he could still feel the impact of the blade, like a memory etched into his flesh.


    Noticing his movements, Maxime reassured him.


    "Your skin healed quickly, but your organs are another matter altogether. We''ll have to take it easy on your body over the next few days, to give it time to heal."


    Her eyes fell on Maxime, who stood there, watching her with a satisfied smile.


    "What have you done to me?" growled Langus, his voice hoarse and broken.


    But even as he spoke, he felt a new strength invade his being. His aching muscles seemed to awaken with an energy he didn''t recognize.


    This power was disturbing, foreign, yet deeply rooted in him. A warmth rose from his insides, a warmth he knew was not his own.


    Maxime crouched before him, plunging his eyes into Langus''s.


    "I''ve given you a new life." he said, his voice calm but heavy with meaning.


    "And in return, you belong to me now."


    Langus felt a shiver run down his spine. The words resonated within him, as if engraved in his soul. He tried to stand up, but his legs gave way.


    A sharp pain shot through his skull, and blurred images assailed his mind. The blade. The blood. The icy sensation of death coming for him. Then, that golden thread, that invisible link, had torn him from the darkness.


    "It''s not natural." he murmured, his eyes burning with anger and confusion.


    "It''s not... me."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow.


    He himself couldn''t guess what state Langus must be in after coming back from the dead.


    "No, it''s not you anymore. You''ve become a better version of yourself.


    "You possess the same strength as before, but your potential has been sublimated."


    Langus clenched his fists. He could feel this energy, this power pulsing inside him.


    He felt that one energy was healing his body and his hidden wounds, while another was breaking the limits the heavens had imposed on him.


    But ironically, he also felt a grip, a new invisible chain binding him to this man.


    He looked up at Maxime.


    "And if I refuse?" he asked, his voice more assured, almost defiant.


    Maxime laughed softly.


    "Refuse?" he repeated, amused.


    "This bond we share cannot be broken."


    Langus looked at Maxime with complicated eyes, before sighing.


    Then he glanced at the person standing next to him.


    It was her.


    Kaite stood a few steps behind him, silent but visibly tense.


    Langus squinted in disbelief as his memories flooded back.


    He remembered her face. That iron gaze she wore in the heat of battle, that almost arrogant assurance she displayed as she cut down her enemies.


    But this was different. She seemed... docile. Almost self-effacing. And above all, she was standing next to this man, Maxime, the assassin of her former young master, Perceval.


    "Kaite?" he breathed, his husky voice echoing in the silence.


    He squinted, as if to make sure it wasn''t a hallucination. But no, there she was, motionless, arms folded, staring right at him.


    A flash of anger crossed his face.


    "You?" He almost growled, trying to straighten up despite his wobbly legs.


    "What are you doing beside her? Why are you still alive?"


    Kaite swallowed, but she held his gaze. She hesitated for a moment, searching for her words.


    "Langus... things have changed. What you think you know is no longer true. If I''m alive, it''s because of him. Just like you."


    Langus felt an icy chill run through him.


    "Thanks to him?" he repeated incredulously.


    He looked at Maxime, then at Kaite, searching for an explanation that would make sense. But all he found were pieces of a puzzle he didn''t know how to fit together.


    "You''re standing there, alive, by her side? How could you betray..." His tone was a mixture of anger and incomprehension, but he didn''t dare utter the duke''s name for fear that Maxime would learn who it was who had ordered the ambush of the mercenary group.


    But little did he know, Kaite had already said it all.


    Kaite inhaled deeply, his jaw set.


    "Do you think I had a choice? Neither do you, Langus. I mean, look at you. You shouldn''t even be alive right now."


    She pointed at Maxime, a spark of resentment in her eyes.


    "What he''s capable of doing... it''s beyond anything you can imagine. We''re tied to him now. Whether we like it or not."


    "Bound?" he murmured. He brought a trembling hand to his chest, where he''d felt that strange warmth. He remembered the feeling of death that had invaded him.


    He''d never been so close to it.


    Cold, empty... And yet, here he was. Alive. And if what she was saying was true, then...


    He shook his head, struggling against this truth he refused to see.


    "No... this isn''t possible. It''s not you, Kaite. Not you."


    Kaite looked away again, clenching his fists.


    "It''s not a question of what I want to be, Langus. It''s about survival. You''ll soon understand."


    Maxime, who was observing the strange scene, spoke up.


    "It''s fascinating to see how similar you two are. Always struggling against the inevitable. But in the end, you''ll accept it."


    Langus glared at Maxime, but deep down he felt this truth. The bond, that golden thread, he felt with every beat of his heart.


    His anger, though intense, was stifled by a deeper, more insidious feeling: an involuntary loyalty, imposed by this contract he hadn''t chosen to sign. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he calmed himself as best he could.


    At the same time, he had an idea.


    "And what about Perceval, since you managed to save me, you should also be able to save Perceval?" asked Langus expectantly.


    Maxime looked at Perceval''s inert body in the distance without too much emotion.


    "He''s probably already dead, and I can''t revive the dead."


    Langus was speechless.


    "Why didn''t you save him when you could?"


    "Because I can''t sign contracts ad infinitum, and mostly because the guy was just too weak."

 Chapter 127 - 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 thunderclaps.


    "Well, never mind," Maxime concluded impatiently.


    "Like you, Langus became part of this secret force. I''ll leave you to explain 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 explained a few important points.


    "Both of you, don''t worry, you won''t be slaves. 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 you complete 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 play its part.


    "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 planning 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 dreams come 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 it later."


    On the other hand, he gave them a quick glance and was amused to see these two powerful knights looking completely 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 mentality compared 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 villagers."


    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 minutes later, 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 4 comrades. 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 becoming 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.


    "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 become 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 at last.


    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 in coming 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''t come 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, your comrades... your family. Together, we will climb to heights you can''t even imagine today."


    He pointed to the flames.


    "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." Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 128 - 128: Resignation

    "You can choose to extinguish yourself under the pressure, or grow up to be part of this inferno that nothing and no one will be able to extinguish."


    A murmur ran through the assembly. Some straightened their shoulders, others exchanged emotional glances.


    Maxime sensed the moment. He added a final note, the one that would turn fears into ambition.


    "I won''t promise you an easy life, but I can promise you today that I''ll give you a meaningful life. Keep following me, and you''ll be able to accomplish absolutely anything you wish."


    He let the silence fall, watching their reactions. Slowly, but surely, he saw their faces change. The fear hadn''t disappeared, but it was now tinged with a glow of determination.


    "Rest tonight," he concluded.


    "But from tomorrow, I want to see warriors in the making, not broken souls."


    ...


    Night fell quickly and Maxime and his men began to set up their tents not far from the previous battlefield.


    The captives were tied together, heads bowed.


    Kaite and Langus chatted amongst themselves, observing the main camp in the distance.


    According to the role Maxime had given them, they were not to mix with the other mercenaries, so that as few people as possible would be aware of their existence.


    This position enabled them to intervene at any time should danger arise.


    To sleep through the night, they had set up two tents not far from the main camp.


    "So, Kaite, you''re resigning yourself? Are you willing to be his puppet? Don''t you want to fight to the bitter end?"


    Kaite, leaning against a tree, slowly looked up at him.


    "Fight? Against what, Langus? Against a contract that binds us to him until our last breath? It would be like trying to break invisible chains with bare hands."


    Langus clenched his fists, his face contracted in anger.


    "A knight should never be forced to follow someone like that. There''s nothing honorable about this bond... this cursed bond."


    Kaite sighed, but a glint of frustration briefly passed into his eyes.


    "Honor, Langus? How many times has that honor protected you on the battlefield? How many times has it saved you from death?"


    Langus planted his gaze in hers, jaws clenched.


    "It''s nothing to do with that. We swore fealty to ideals, not to a kid who manipulates our souls like toys."


    Kaite straightened, his tone more incisive.


    "And yet, he won, Langus. If we were stronger it wouldn''t have happened, but we lost. He could have killed us, so it''s always better to stay alive."


    Langus looked away, his anger giving way to a more muted bitterness.


    "Winning, eh? Playing with forces we don''t even understand... That''s not what I call courage." S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaite approached him, his gaze hard but not devoid of understanding.


    "Maybe it isn''t. But this contract, unfair as it is, forces us to face a truth we can''t ignore: we''re not strong enough."


    "At least compared to him, we''re too weak."


    Langus remained silent, Kaite''s words resonating within him.


    She continued, her voice softer.


    "And if you really want to talk about courage, then let''s face it. Maxime didn''t just bind our souls together; he gave us a new chance. A chance to become more powerful, more useful. And I refuse to throw that away."


    Langus shook his head slowly, his features marked by doubt.


    "A chance... or a golden prison. He controls our lives, Kaite. We''re no longer free."


    Kaite laid a firm hand on his shoulder, forcing him to meet her gaze.


    "Maybe he controls our lives. But what we do with this life, Langus, that''s for us to decide. This bond is no excuse to remain bitter. If we''re going to follow Maxime, then let''s do it our way. With everything we are."


    Langus inhaled deeply, trying to contain the storm inside him.


    "I hate it... being forced. But you''re right. I''d rather move on than sit here and complain."


    Kaite smirked.


    "Then stop sulking, Langus. And show this kid what you can do."


    They exchanged a look, a fragile but real resolution settling between them. It wasn''t a cheerful acceptance, but a pragmatic acknowledgement of their reality.


    And under the starry sky, the weight of the contract binding them to Maxime seemed a little lighter.


    The camp was silent, lulled by the crackling of the flames and the murmurs of tired mercenaries.


    Most of the VentBois recruits were more discreet than usual.


    Only Garen and Jean continued to chat with other mercenaries as before, such as Andrew and Charles.


    For her part, Lira lay comfortably in Terry''s arms. The two seemed surprisingly well-matched and deeply in love.


    Yet that didn''t stop them from chatting in this position with other mercenaries, the latter obviously not caring.


    Only James liked to tease them.


    There were a few bursts of laughter here and there, but most of the men and women preferred to enjoy the peace and quiet after the battle.


    It had been a hard day, and the wounds, though tended, left the bodies sore and tired.


    Maxime was sitting by the main fire, a bowl of stew in his hand.


    He was eating quietly with Laura and other mercenaries at his side.


    Aveline approached gently, a blanket over her shoulders and a thoughtful look in her violet eyes.


    "May I sit down?" she asked softly.


    Maxime nodded and patted the floor beside him.


    "Of course, Lady Aveline."


    Aveline smirked.


    "Just Aveline, I''ve already told you."


    Laura gave her a strange look, but quickly withdrew it, clearly not caring about Aveline.


    She trusted herself and Maxime enough to know that no other woman threatened her position.


    Or so she convinced herself.


    For her part, after the day''s events, Aveline had done a lot of thinking and told herself that this young man wasn''t scary as long as he was on her side.


    If he were really crazy, his men wouldn''t respect him so much.


    And... there wouldn''t also be such a beautiful, strong woman by his side.


    Only the enemies had to be afraid of him.


    She just had to be careful not to offend him.


    "Old habit," Maxime replied with a smile.


    They remained silent for a moment, watching the flames dance. The shadows of the fire cast strange shapes on the surrounding trees.


    "Your men respect you," Aveline remarked.


    Maxime shrugged.


    "They respect me because they know I care about them."


    She nodded slowly, admiring the simplicity of his answer.


    "You''re a good leader," she said finally.


    "And you, an impressive warrior. To hold out this long against a knight seasoned in the stage of small success like Kaite, you really have to be strong.


    If he still had the same strength he had in the village of VentBois, where he fought orcs for the first time, then Aveline could have been stronger than him.


    Aveline lowered her eyes slightly, a flicker of sadness darkening her gaze.


    "My father didn''t leave me much choice," she murmured.


    Maxime frowned.


    "What do you mean?"


    Aveline pulled the blanket tighter around her, her hands clutching the fabric.


    "I had two brothers," she began in a deeper voice.


    "Strong, brilliant men, destined to take over the reins of our family. They died on the battlefield, one after the other. I was only a child at the time..."


    Maxime remained silent, understanding that she needed to empty her heart.


    "My mother died when I was born, from internal bleeding. So when I was born, as far as my father was concerned, I was the only one left."


    She inhaled deeply before continuing.


    "My father, Count Ardan, devoted all his time to making me what he thought was the only solution: a weapon. Not a daughter, not a noblewoman, not even an heiress... A knight, ready to fight and survive where my brothers had failed."


    Maxime looked at her, feeling the weight of her words.


    "He trained you hard," he guessed.


    "Hard is an understatement."


    As she said this, Aveline lowered her gaze slightly with a bitter smile.


    Then she raised her eyes, as if scenes from her past were flashing before her.


    "Days began at dawn and ended well after sunset. Swords, strategy, survival... all subjects having to do with war were discussed and developed."


    "Even when he congratulated me, it was to push me to go further. I think he loves me, in a way, but..."


    She paused, searching for words.


    "But he never saw me as just a child. Only as an heiress who shouldn''t fail."


    Maxime nodded, respecting the silence that followed.


    "It''s a big responsibility," he finally said.


    Aveline looked at him, then sighed.


    "You know, Maxime, I''m not angry with my father, really I''m not. But sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like if my mother had still been here... or if my brothers had come back."


    "My childhood would have been so different and probably...with more love."


    Maxime gently laid a hand on her shoulder, a simple but sincere gesture.


    "You''re so much more than what he wanted to make you. What I saw today is not a weapon."


    "It''s a strong, courageous woman who isn''t afraid to put her life on the line to protect others."

 Chapter 129 - 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 have come 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 of complicity while the mercenaries nearby ate quietly.


    Aveline finally stood up, pulling the blanket 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," Laura commented, 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 you come 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 explain to them that we''re more than just a group of mercenaries."


    Kaite nodded.


    "If we explain to them that their deaths won''t change anything except bring sadness and desolation 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 plant 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 plan 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 minutes later, 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, the latter 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 glance.


    "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 succeed you."


    "Meanwhile, your family will mourn your death without comfort 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 place 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 glances. 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 becoming 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 no law to protect commoners like them.


    If someone wanted to harm them, without their presence, it would be very simple.


    After Kaite''s explanation, Langus resumed and concluded, his voice firmer:


    "I ask you to consider what you can accomplish 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, becoming 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 becoming a knight.


    To become 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 particularly 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 placed 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 become something greater, under a banner that respects your strength and ambitions."


    "Accept, 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 acceptance.


    Maxime straightened up, observing their inner transformation. The seeds had been sown, and soon a new blaze would be born.


    After that, everyone had a meal for lunch, including Duke Devron''s former men.


    However, all had covered themselves with black masks covering most of their faces except for their mouths. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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.


    The latter remained equally silent, still pondering the many implications of the change in their allegiance.


    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 newcomers, 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 accepted their new masked allies.


    They watched them with suspicion.

 Chapter 130 - 130: Knight Garlan

    They watched them warily.


    Some murmured among themselves, exchanging comments 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. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 only last a short time. Do you really think we can trust them?"


    Maxe glanced 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 blade 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 success stage): Six-star potential. Physique: 3.5]


    [Kaite (knight in early success stage): Six-star potential. Physique: 3,4]


    [Apprentice knight (grand success stage): Five-star potential. Physique: 2.8]


    [Apprentice knight (stage of great success): Five-star potential. Physical: 2.7]


    [Apprentice knight (small success stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2.5]


    [Apprentice knight (small success stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2.4]


    [Apprentice knight (small success stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2,3]


    [Apprentice knight (small success stage): Five-star potential. Physical: 2,3]


    [Apprentice knight (small success 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.


    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 success stage, 3.6 points designated a knight in the major success stage and 3.9 points a knight in the peak stage.


    Almost all knights stopped at the grand success 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 and comfort 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 success 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 become great knights without fighting on the battlefield.


    So, generally speaking, all knights progressed by putting their lives at risk, as explained above.


    So a knight''s fighting power was generally very strong in all aspects.


    Whether in terms of physique, technique, combat 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 village of Quessoi off the map and tried to kill them on several occasions.


    He had also lost many talented mercenaries to this baron. The hatred between them had long been irreconcilable.


    "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.


    The landscape gradually changed as they approached the capital. The austere plains of the south gave way to better-maintained roads, lined with groves and small villages.


    On the sixth day, the forty-strong convoy reached its destination as planned.


    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 flapping in the wind.


    At their head stood a man in shining armor, mounted on a black steed.


    His face was half-covered by a finely crafted helmet, but the intensity of his blade-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 how common 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, the latter 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 Garlan 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 annihilating any threat that might come 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 regular 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."


    "The commander-in-chief of the royal guard is a great knight."


    Aveline''s explanation 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."


    Garlan 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 that combat was becoming a habit for them.


    With one victory after another, they weren''t afraid of anyone as long as Maxime commanded them.


    "These are members of my group, Chevalier Garlan. Their faces are covered for reasons that concern them alone. They pose no threat to the kingdom."


    Garlan 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 131 - 131: Arrived in Hivernia!

    "Take off those masks, or I''ll arrest you all for concealing identity and threatening the kingdom."


    "What a great hat!" thought Maxime immediately as anger really started to go to his head.


    While he wasn''t an idiot, he didn''t live to be insulted like that.


    If he had to, he''d fight against the Kingdom.


    He would dare and start a rebellion.


    With his talent, anything was possible.


    Aveline, hitherto silent, brought her horse forward a step. Her voice, soft but firm, rose above the tension.


    "Chevalier Garlan, your devotion is commendable, but I am under the protection of the Saber-toothed Tigers by order of my father, Count Ardan. These masked men are necessary for my safety."


    "If you have any doubts, I invite you to accompany us to the capital."


    The soldiers exchanged uncertain glances, surprised by the authority emanating from the young woman. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Garlan, however, did not let his guard down.


    "Lady Aveline, your position does not exempt you from respecting the laws of the kingdom. These men must reveal their identity. Now."


    Maxime''s eyes were starting to turn red in earnest, but he felt a hand touch his shoulder.


    Maxime glanced to his left in surprise; it was Andrew, also mounted on his horse.


    But the latter wasn''t looking at him, also containing his anger by looking at Chevalier Garlan.


    For her part, Aveline began to show her fangs.


    "If you have any doubts about men Count Ardan himself has hired, I suggest you take your concerns to Duke Valderic himself."


    Aveline''s voice, clear and assured, made Garlan hesitate. Count Ardan was a rather discreet count whose reputation remained within closed circles.


    So he wasn''t afraid of him since he didn''t know his true level of strength, but the Valderic family was a subject for another level.


    Their reputation and strength were well known.


    But he remained visibly wary, and his gaze returned to Maxime.


    "That''s all well and good, but if these men are truly innocent, they''d have no problem removing their masks. I''ll have to insist."


    "This farce has gone on long enough," Maxime intervened immediately.


    What had to happen finally did.


    Maxime quietly dismounted and drew his sword.


    Chevalier Garlan frowned.


    "What are you doing, mercenary?


    "What I should have been doing a long time ago," Maxime replied simply, then dashed towards Chevalier Garlan.


    Andrew, Laura, Charles, Terry, Tena and all the other mercenaries except the new recruits looked on as if they''d been expecting it.


    Kaite and Langus looked at each other in shock.


    "He dares to attack a knight of the royal guard?"


    "Is he insane?"


    "This is literally an attack on the Kingdom!"


    Both thought the same things. This was totally different from their little ambush in the dark.


    Here, Maxime was attacking a knight of the royal guard in broad daylight.


    This could clearly be interpreted as a sign of rebellion!


    For his part, the knight Garlan, although surprised, was expecting an attack after seeing this young man draw his sword, but he wasn''t particularly worried.


    Given his young age, he was at most an apprentice knight at the stage of great success, because otherwise, if he were any stronger, he''d be known throughout the kingdom.


    And Maxime knew this and took advantage of the fact that, while he maintained a speed corresponding to an apprentice knight, he accelerated all of a sudden when he was close enough to the knight Garlan.


    "What''s that?"


    The Garlan knight had no time to react and Maxime managed to open his guard with a sword thrust, then did a backhanded kick right into the middle of the Garlan knight''s armor.


    The latter flew towards his men at phenomenal speed, knocking some of them over like dominoes.


    "Captain!"


    Chevalier Garlan felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and struggled to get to his feet.


    After all, it was a blow comparable to a knight at peak stage.


    His men were all shocked to see their captain looking so miserable after just one exchange.


    "Keep pissing us off and I''ll kill you all," declared Maxime coolly.


    Simultaneously, a slight bloodthirsty aura that he had accumulated over the course of battles naturally flowed out of him.


    When the Garlan knight saw this young man exude such a demonic, demon-like aura, he took fright.


    He felt he was up against one of the 5 best knights in the royal guard.


    He himself was one of the weakest knights in the royal guard, and he knew his own position.


    He''d have no chance of winning in a 1vs1 situation.


    Garlan tried to stand up, staggering slightly, his dented armor emitting a strange creaking sound. His soldiers gathered around him, but their hesitation was easy to notice.


    Maxime''s icy aura had undermined their confidence.


    The knight of the royal guard finally managed to stand up, then raised a hand to signal his men not to attack.


    "Enough..." he articulated with difficulty, still in shock.


    Aveline, still in the saddle, watched the scene with an indecipherable expression. She''d already seen Maxime''s dark side, so she wasn''t particularly surprised by this scene.


    This young man was afraid of nothing in this world, and above all he was intelligent enough that even with such a crazy side, he managed to legitimize his actions.


    Maxime sheathed his sword with a quick movement, but the oppressive aura didn''t completely disappear. He stepped forward, his cold gaze fixed on Garlan''s.


    "Chevalier Garlan, I suggest you reconsider your position. You''ve tried to humiliate my men and endangered a mission entrusted directly to you by an earl."


    "You have two choices now: accompany us silently back to the capital or take your chances once more, but if you choose this option, I won''t be able to guarantee that your head will still be attached to your body at the end of the day."


    The apprentice knights of the royal guard exchanged nervous glances, none of them seeming to want to face such an adversary.


    "This young man is too terrifying," murmured one of them, the other apprentice knights nodding, swallowing hard.


    Knight Garlan nodded with difficulty.


    "Very well... You''ve won mercenary. I''ll accompany you, but you should know that this incident will be reported to the appropriate authorities."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, a slight ironic smile on his lips.


    "Please do. I can''t wait to hear how you''ll explain your inability to carry out a simple inspection."


    Aveline stepped forward again, her voice soft but tinged with imperious authority:


    "Chevalier Garlan, I advise you to forget this incident. The Valderic family won''t appreciate learning that their future daughter-in-law has been delayed by caprice. Accompany us or return to your post."


    As much as Aveline hated this wedding, she didn''t mind using their power early.


    The name of the Valderic family made Garlan blanch slightly. After a long silence, he nodded in agreement.


    "Very well, Lady Aveline. I''ll escort you to the capital."


    A few hours later, under the escort of the royal guard, the group finally reached the imposing walls of the royal capital.


    The guard towers rose proudly to the sky, and the massive gates were open, letting in merchants, peasants and nobles.


    Above the gate was a phrase carved in stone:


    "Welcome to Hivernia."


    Hivernia was the capital of the kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    Maxime glanced at Aveline.


    He knew their mission would get even trickier once inside the walls.


    Indeed, the mission would only end once this marriage was concluded.


    But as Maxime sensed, the wedding would hold many surprises.


    The large group passed under the imposing stone arches of Hivernia, then arrived at the center of a huge street filled with the hustle and bustle of a capital in full effervescence.


    In this immense bustle, very few people noticed the arrival of this large group of people.


    "I''ll leave you here Lady Aveline, as well as...the Saber-toothed Tigers." declared the knight of the royal guard with some dismay.


    "Thank you for your services Garlan, we''ll meet again no doubt," replied Maxime with a smile.


    But this smile sent shivers down the spine of the knight of the royal guard and he left without a word with his men.


    Aveline, Maxime and his men found themselves in a street crowded with merchants shouting their wares, nobles chatting behind silk veils, and soldiers patrolling with heightened vigilance.


    Maxime kept one hand resting nonchalantly on the hilt of his sword, as he recorded every detail.


    As Aveline had already been to the capital, Maxime and his men quietly followed her to the Valderic manor.


    In just under 10 minutes, they arrived at the gateway to a cold, austere courtyard, just like the family who lived there. The walls surrounding the mansion were decorated with banners bearing a giant black snake on a silver background, the Valderic emblem.


    A stern-looking butler, dressed in an impeccable suit, awaited them in front of this portal.


    "Lady Aveline, gentlemen. I am butler Guiscard. His Grace, Duke Luc Valderic, awaits you for a private audience."

 Chapter 132 - 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 casting complicated glances at each other.


    This was not how they had expected to land 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 black 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 black, his presence was imposing.


    His sharp gaze passed slowly over the mercenary group before settling on Aveline.


    "Welcome 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-in-law 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 strength comparable 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 glanced at Maxime.


    The duke followed Romulad''s gaze and saw a young man with blond hair and blue eyes.


    Apart from resembling a young nobleman, at first glance 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 own land.


    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." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 scholar.


    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 occasion 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 accommodated 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 time later, 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''t lacking 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 accompany 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 placed 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 play.


    "Very well." he yielded reluctantly.


    Aveline nodded with a slight smile. Then, accompanied by Guiscard, she left the right wing of the manor.


    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 welcoming, if slightly sinister, smile stretching his lips.


    "Lady Aveline, welcome. 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.


    "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 exemplary. My father chose them carefully, and I trust them completely."


    Dorian sketched an amused smile.


    "Interesting. The young blond man, Maxime, seems particularly... 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 is competent and loyal. Qualities I appreciate."


    Dorian leaned forward slightly, his eyes shining with an almost unhealthy curiosity.

 Chapter 133 - 133: Provocative young genius Valderic

    Dorian leaned forward slightly, his eyes shining with an almost unhealthy curiosity.


    "I see. Well, this Maxime is certainly admirable."


    The rest of the dinner passed in a mixture of tension and forced cordiality, or at least that''s how Aveline felt.


    At the end, as she was about to leave the room, Dorian rose and bowed slightly.


    "Lady Aveline, you''re even more fascinating than I imagined. I''m sure we''ll form a union that will be... memorable."


    Aveline replied with a polite smile before leaving the room.


    "Memorable my ass..."


    But she kept her thoughts to herself and bowed only slightly in reply.


    Reaching the west wing, she found Maxime waiting for her.


    "So?" he asked.


    Aveline hesitated for a second before answering.


    "This guy''s definitely not clean-cut, but nothing out of the ordinary happened."


    "Besides, the meal was pretty good."


    Maxime laughed lightly.


    "Your heart may not be filled in this future family, but your belly certainly will be."


    Aveline looked up.


    "Very funny, Maxime."


    Maxime shrugged, his smile fading slightly as he regained his seriousness.


    "Rest up for tonight, Aveline. We''ll keep watch."


    She nodded, tired from the previous days'' walking and especially from that surprise dinner.


    "Good night, Maxime."


    She returned to her room, her thoughts whirling.


    Maxime remained pensive for a moment before heading for his own room.


    The days that followed passed quickly and rather quietly.


    Although Maxime and his 40 men, a dozen of them masked, attracted a lot of stares and gossip, they didn''t cause much of a stir.


    The mercenaries weren''t bothering anyone, spending their days in a training area originally set aside for the Valderic guards.


    This open-air training area, surrounded by high walls, was equipped with dummies, targets and weapons of all kinds.


    Under Maxime''s watchful eye, the mercenaries perfected their skills.


    Everyone was highly motivated as they all felt themselves getting stronger day by day, even Langus and Kaite, much to their surprise.


    It had already been many years since they had made any progress at all, and suddenly, as if something had been unlocked, they were making progress again.


    Maxime himself was always training in the art of the sword, often sparring with his two knights.


    After all, beyond their physical strength, these two were experts in close combat and swordplay, so it would have been a shame not to take advantage.


    And so, in just 3 days, his mastery of the sword had already reached a level close to that of his new teachers, astonishing them to an unimaginable degree.


    Such progress in such a short space of time was more than exceptional.


    The progress their new boss had made in 3 days was comparable to several months'' training by a genius.


    At first, the two knights were shocked to see such an insane rate of progress, but they became increasingly indifferent, even taking it for granted after a while.


    This particularly motivated them to get more involved with the mercenary group.


    They saw the potential in their new leader, and this gave them hope for the future.


    And for his part, Maxime was pleased that his fighting power had improved again, gradually approaching the level of a knight at peak stage.


    One afternoon, while training was in full swing, an elegant figure appeared at the entrance to the grounds.


    His impeccable clothes contrasted with the dust and sweat that covered the mercenaries. He stepped forward slowly, his boots clacking on the cobblestones and a wry smile hanging on his face.


    "What an impressive troop. They almost look like... dogs of war."


    The mercenaries stopped, their masked gazes turning to the figure.


    Maxime quietly sheathed his sword and stepped forward until only a few steps separated him from this person.


    "If you''re here to mock my men, you might regret it Lord Valderic."


    Dorian raised an eyebrow.


    "A mere mercenary dares to speak to me in that tone, you must not know me." he replied with a cold tone.


    "Oh yes I do, Dorian Valderic one of the 3 greatest geniuses in the kingdom of the frost eagle. He''s 20 years old and a knight at the stage of small success."


    "Am I wrong somewhere Lord Valderic?"


    Maxime''s tone was more than unbearable to Dorian''s ears, and he didn''t like the situation at all.


    Especially when he also noticed the cold stares of the mercenaries on the training ground.


    No one respected him here, as if he were no longer at home.


    But all at once, Dorian smiled.


    "Well, let''s see if all this training is really worth anything. How about a duel? One of your men... or you, perhaps, Captain."


    A heavy silence fell. The mercenaries exchanged furtive glances, expecting to see a fine spectacle.


    Particularly the older mercenaries: in their eyes, Maxime was totally invincible.


    When he was still a mere apprentice knight, he could kill hundreds of orcs, many of them comparable to knights, single-handed.


    So when they saw with their own eyes that the strength displayed by their leader could defeat knights such as Kaite and Langus without too much difficulty, they could only imagine how monstrous his strength could be once he gave it his all.


    And that''s why mercenaries had a very special kind of pride.


    It was the pride of being under the command of such an exceptional man.


    Inwardly, they all saw him as the hero of the age. The one who could change the status quo not of the kingdom, but of the continent.


    Of course, they didn''t hold out much hope of him ever becoming emperor, given his peculiar character.


    But they could all see that he was a very good mercenary leader, who treated his men very well without putting on airs in front of them.


    He always got on well with each and every one of them.


    Kaite and Langus, who had mingled with the other mercenaries, like Duke Devron''s former men, were also beginning to understand this Saber-toothed Tiger pride.


    Just as Maxime was about to reply to Dorian, two silhouettes positioned themselves in front of him.


    "Not just anyone is qualified to challenge our leader. If you wish to confront him, you must first succeed in defeating us."


    Dorian watched in disbelief as the two masked individuals fearlessly challenged him.


    Everyone here knew his identity, yet these two masked individuals were saying he wasn''t qualified to challenge the leader of an unknown mercenary group.


    "Is this a joke?"


    In reply, Kaite and Langus drew their swords and looked coldly at Dorian in front of them.


    The tension was almost palpable, as all the mercenaries watched the scene with bated breath.


    Without a doubt, this show was taking a turn they all really liked.


    Dorian stared at Maxime.


    "Your mercenaries are very brave, Maxime.


    The latter nodded confidently.


    "Without a doubt, my men are among the finest mercenaries to be found in this kingdom."


    Dorian was surprised by the confidence emanating from this man even younger than himself.


    "The best, eh? What a great tone."


    "Well, I''ll leave you here to train. We''ll meet again at the banquet tonight," said Dorian as he turned to leave.


    "You know the way," Maxime finally replied, as amiable as ever.


    Dorian simply waved his hand without turning around.


    Maxime felt a headache coming on as he thought about the banquet planned by the Valderic family.


    They had invited all the nobility of the capital to celebrate the union between their family and those of the Ardans.


    But in any case, this strange confrontation ended just like that.


    The mercenaries naturally began to discuss what had happened.


    Andrew broke the silence first.


    "It''s strange what''s happened, boss, it''s as if he''s testing us.


    Tena, standing nearby, nodded approvingly.


    "Clearly, everything suggested that he didn''t really want to challenge us to a duel, or even if he had, he would have done so for a particular reason and not because of a character trait."


    "I agree with Tena and Andrew, Maxime," added Laura.


    Other mercenaries such as Ernest, Charles, Henry and Ultia also gave their opinions on the situation.


    Maxime tried to think it all through, but soon gave up.


    "Who cares what a nobleman thinks? Let''s just complete our mission, then go back to Plouta and beat the shit out of that damned baron."


    "And then we''ll take a well-deserved vacation."


    "We''re here to protect Aveline, not play ego games with a promising knight."


    Just as they were about to resume their training, Aveline entered the courtyard with a quick step. Her gaze swept over the men before settling on Maxime.


    "You." She pointed at the captain with an authoritative gesture.


    Maxime arched an eyebrow.


    "Me? What have I done now?"


    Aveline crossed her arms, her face serious.


    "You''re coming with me to the manor. I''ve found someone to make you a bespoke suit. You can''t show up at tonight''s banquet in combat gear."


    He laughed softly, shaking his head.


    "I don''t think my appearance matters much, especially since I''m not a nobleman but a mercenary."


    She looked up with an exasperated sigh.


    "Trust me, you''re coming to a battlefield tonight and you need to wear the proper armor to protect yourself from the opponents'' weapons. That is, a suit!"


    The mercenaries remained silent, but some exchanged amused smiles.


    Laura glanced at Aveline. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can I come too tonight?"


    But Aveline shook her head.


    "No, it''s a gathering of high-ranking nobles, so I can only bring one person with me."


    Laura looked disappointed, but nodded in understanding.


    All this took place before Maxime''s eyes, who reassured Laura by taking her in his arms.


    "Don''t worry, nothing''s going to happen.


    "She replied without much conviction.


    Just then, he turned and looked at Aveline.


    "Okay for the suit, but I''m warning you: if that tailor sticks me with a ridiculous outfit, you''ll be the one who has to deal with the consequences."


    A victorious smile lit up Aveline''s face.


    "Perfect. Follow me, we haven''t got all day."

 Chapter 134 - 134: The banquet has started!

    "Perfect. Follow me, we haven''t got all day."


    Aveline led Maxime through the manor''s corridors to a bright room with large windows.


    Inside was an old man in a suit with a neatly trimmed moustache.


    As soon as Maxime entered the room, the old man inspected him from head to toe.


    At the same time, Aveline took the opportunity to introduce the old man.


    "This is Ma?tre Olivier, one of the capital''s finest tailors," she announced with a satisfied smile.


    Olivier bowed slightly, a professional smile on his face.


    "Lady Aveline, always a pleasure. And here''s the..." He hesitated, searching for an appropriate word.


    "...Captain Maxime."


    Maxime shook his head with a smile.


    "You can just call me Maxime, Master Olivier."


    "Then just call me Olivier," Olivier replied respectfully, smiling back.


    "Well, let''s not waste time. Please remove your upper body clothing, Maxime, and stand up straight."


    Maxime glanced skeptically at Aveline, as if to say:


    "Are you planning to watch me undress?"


    The latter turned and looked up.


    Maxime obeyed, removing his clothes and revealing his muscular frame.


    The tailor''s expert hands quickly went to work, measuring every inch of his body with precision, touching him everywhere.


    "Impressive." murmured Olivier, noting Maxime''s broad shoulders and upright posture.


    "You were made to wear a noble suit, my friend."


    Hearing this, Aveline longed to turn around and take in the scene.


    "Resist, resist, resist..."


    The sight of Maxime shirtless excited Aveline deeply somehow.


    "Noble or not, I prefer armor," Maxime replied to the tailor.


    Seeming to regain some composure, Aveline reassured Maxime.


    "Armor won''t protect you from the judgments those nobles will make when they see you. You need something just as robust, but in appearance."


    "Yeah." replied Maxime without conviction.


    An hour later, after numerous fabric and style suggestions, Olivier watched his masterpiece being worn by Maxime.


    At the same time, Aveline, who had turned around after Olivier''s measurements, was also looking at Maxime in this beautiful suit.


    "Elegant and imposing," Olivier declared proudly as he adjusted the jacket on Maxime.


    "With that, you''ll definitely attract more than one young noblewoman!" commented Aveline with a laugh.


    Maxime turned to the mirror and remained silent for a moment.


    "Not bad, he thought.


    He''d never worn a suit in his life until now, which gave him a whole new feeling.


    But it wasn''t unpleasant to be dressed like that.


    At the same time, Aveline nodded.


    "Very well, then. Now you''ll be ready to face the nobility tonight."


    "If anything, the nobility should be ready to face me," Maxime replied, laughing.


    Aveline looked up.


    "Have you always been this arrogant?"


    "Ever since I arrived in this world." said Maxime, smiling mysteriously.


    But obviously Aveline didn''t understand the hidden message.


    "So since always..great."


    ...


    Evening arrived very quickly.


    The banquet organized by the Valderic family took place on the top floor of the manor house, which had been specially designed for the occasion.


    Guests entered the mansion, climbed the sumptuous steps and arrived at the giant door leading to the upper floor.


    Of course, the doors weren''t locked, making it easy to go back and forth.


    There were also two guards in charge of announcing the arrival of each participant and protecting the security of the premises.


    But of course, the security was just for show.


    There was no safer place in the kingdom than this manor, except for the king''s palace, where the Valderic family ancestor, Edwin Valderic, still lived.


    His battlefield legends still echoed in the taverns of the capital and the kingdom''s main towns.


    There were also several balconies on the top floor, where guests could enjoy a drink, while taking in the outside breeze and the mansion''s breathtaking view of the capital.


    The room itself was immense and adorned with glittering chandeliers, it seemed bathed in a golden light that enhanced the rich colors of the tapestries.


    Every detail testified to the power and exquisite taste of the Valderics.


    Tables were covered with silk tablecloths embroidered with arrangements of exotic fruits on beautifully decorated plates.


    Waiters carried trays overflowing with refined dishes and offered them to the guests.


    Of course, a small band of musicians was also on hand to set the mood for the banquet.


    The guests, representatives of the capital''s great noble families, were equally remarkable.


    The men wore sumptuous suits, embroidered with gold and silver thread, while the women competed in elegance in their sumptuous gowns, adorned with sparkling jewels.


    As hosts of the evening, the Valderics naturally dominated the scene.


    The patriarch, Luc Valderic, stood near the entrance, greeting each guest with calculated courtesy.


    His imposing presence and measured tone exuded unquestionable authority.


    Lady Marissa Valderic, his wife, was equally gracious, chatting deftly with the other noblewomen while glancing around to make sure everything was running smoothly.


    As for Dorian Valderic, he sailed between the guests, a confident smile on his lips, exchanging elegant words and flattery with disconcerting ease.


    Everyone knew his reputation, but reputation didn''t matter if the family behind you was powerful enough.


    And the Valderics were only below the king in terms of status and power, so no one could ignore them.


    The banquet went rather smoothly at first, until Maxime and Aveline''s arrival at the banquet did not go unnoticed.


    "Lady Aveline Ardan and... the captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers, Maxime, have arrived!"


    The doormen''s powerful voice drew all the attention of the guests already present to Maxime and Aveline.


    And as all the capital''s nobility looked on, Aveline made an impeccable entrance, her hand elegantly resting on Maxime''s arm.


    Her midnight-blue gown sparkled under the candelabra lights, and she wore a most charming smile.


    Without a doubt, in this room, Aveline momentarily eclipsed all the young noblewomen in the kingdom.


    If she wasn''t beautiful enough, the Valderics wouldn''t have agreed to marry their greatest genius to a mere heiress of an earl.


    Between count and duke, there were also marquesses.


    So the difference in status was quite substantial.


    But that didn''t matter at the moment.


    Next to her, Maxime, in his suit, radiated natural confidence. His imposing silhouette and calm yet penetrating gaze forced conversations to come to a halt.


    His deep black suit was embellished with subtle silver-thread embroidery around his heart, depicting a Saber-toothed Tiger motif with crossed swords in the background.


    Master Olivier had certainly touched his innocent young heart with this symbol.


    Maxime felt particularly comfortable in this outfit.


    The murmuring resumed as soon as they entered the room.


    The ballroom, bathed in golden lights, vibrated with constant animation.


    As Aveline and Maxime mingled with the crowd, eyes continued to converge on them.


    While Aveline attracted compliments for her elegance and beauty, it was Maxime who quickly became the main topic of conversation.


    His natural presence, enhanced by his impeccable suit, did not go unnoticed.


    Several young noblewomen subtly approached, casting admiring glances or discreet smiles.


    "Who''s that man with Lady Aveline?" whispered a young noblewoman to one of her friends.


    "According to the doorman, he''s the leader of a mercenary group, the Saber-toothed Tigers."


    "Are they famous?"


    "I don''t know, but they''re going to be with such a handsome leader."


    "So much so, I thought mercenaries were country folk, always unshaven with questionable hygiene."


    "And leaders to me are the worst of the worst, besides being generally old, they want to fight all the time over nothing."


    "But clearly, he..."


    "Ahhh I''m melting..."


    And what had to happen, happened.


    A damsel dressed in a crimson gown arrived in front of Maxime, with a fan that she waved delicately in front of his face.


    "Captain Maxime, is it?" she asked in a gentle voice.


    Maxime, a little surprised but polite, replied with a slight smile.


    He didn''t know how, but he was very good at controlling his composure in front of women, no matter how beautiful they were.


    Maybe it was his improved strength, his status in this world or his experiences on the battlefield.


    "That''s me, miss."


    "I wonder if the captain would give me the honor of spending some time together?"


    Maxime raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    But he nodded.


    "Of course, who am I to refuse the request of a beautiful lady?


    The latter blushed slightly.


    Many people had already told her she was pretty, but when it came from the mouth of such a handsome man, it had an entirely different effect.


    As the evening progressed, other young women joined the conversation, forming a circle around him.


    And surprisingly, Maxime handled being surrounded by so many young women very well, as if he''d done it many times before.


    He could make small talk and make each of them laugh.


    But not far away, the critical murmurs of some nobles could be heard.


    "A mercenary, really? And he dares to strut around here as if he were one of us." tossed a thick-bearded man, with a tone of disdain in his voice.


    "Lady Aveline could have chosen someone more... appropriate as an escort," declared a man at her side. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another, with meaner eyes, continued:


    "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 Valderics'' generosity."

 Chapter 135 - 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."


    Aveline, who was never far away, intercepted some of these comments. Her eyes darkened, but she remained impassive, her impeccable 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 had come to speak to him, mixing modesty and confidence in his answers while smiling.


    This attitude only accentuated 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 placed 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 to come 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, where laughter and lively discussion mingled with the light music of musicians seated in a discreet corner.


    Guests moved in small groups, exchanging courtesies and flattery, glances furtively meeting, calculated, 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 glances 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 elaborate 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. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whispers died away as she passed, as if everything had come 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 become 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 relax.


    "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..."


    Hearing the same beginning of an answer as what she''d said, the princess grinned broadly and tried to keep from laughing to maintain her princess image.


    But when she heard the rest, her expression immediately changed.


    "Then sometimes to see, because of her own weakness, her comrades die before her eyes, to see innocent villagers literally exterminated by orcs and just after that for the latter to destroy years of work with a kick in their houses, collapsing 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 out laughing 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 how lazy I was to come, especially all alone."


    The princess''s way of speaking, changing completely surprised Maxime but made him laugh 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 circulating in the capital tomorrow."


    "And I also don''t feel like being scolded by my father."

 Chapter 136 - 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 young lady 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, composed 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 placed 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.


    "Your company is appreciated, but I''m rather preoccupied 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 play 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. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her natural elegance, combined with her impeccable 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.


    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 glances 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 accepted without hesitation. She subtly guided Dorian through more complex movements.


    The final turn placed 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 applause.


    Duke Valderic, visibly delighted, spoke up to cover the applause:


    "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 uncomfortable at being just a shadow in this dazzling performance.


    After the first song and a round of applause 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 a combination 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 glances at each other.


    Dorian, still in the middle with Aveline, couldn''t help noticing the glances turned towards the unexpected duo.


    Aveline felt particularly happy not to be receiving so much attention, while Dorian was frustrated at having his scene completely 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."


    ...


    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''d come 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 magnetic charm, stunned the guests.


    "The princess is really supple." murmured a gorgeous young lady, wearing a dark red evening gown.


    "More than the princess, this mercenary looks more like a noble than real nobles," murmured another young lady, squinting her eyes.


    The latter''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 envy common people, at least they can choose with whom they wish to spend the rest of their day."

 Chapter 137 - 137: Do you, Aveline Ardan, take Dorian Valderic to be your lawful wedded husband?

    A few days later, the wedding preparations were completely 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, lay on a mannequin.


    Not far away, servants bustled around a young blonde damsel, adjusting her corset and combing 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.


    "Glad to be, since this is going to be the worst day of my life."


    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 you later, then."


    Maxime left the room while Aveline continued to look at herself in the mirror, with a complicated, sad look on her face.


    At the moment, her emotions were in total disarray.


    Outside, there was a huge commotion.


    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."


    The latter was surprisingly Duke Devron, the Valderic''s main political enemy in the Kingdom.


    "Not that long, but in any case congratulations 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''t come up with any valid plan to sabotage the wedding.


    So he could only come 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 their complicity 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 circulating 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 to come to Count Ardan''s aid."


    "Some may even have already arrived in the south."


    ...


    The cathedral had been sumptuously decorated for the occasion.


    Red and gold hangings adorned the walls, and the rows of pews were filled with the kingdom''s most influential figures.


    The organ played 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 planning 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 seconds later, 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 glance before turning to the priest. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The priest, dressed in his regalia, opened a large 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 138 - 138: The truth about marriage

    She looked away briefly at Maxime, seated at the back of the room, who was as motionless as a statue.


    After a moment''s silence, she finally answered in a clear voice: S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, I do."


    The priest nodded and turned to Dorian, a benevolent smile on his face.


    "Dorian Valderic, do you agree to take Aveline Ardan as your wife, to love, cherish and be faithful to her until death do you part?"


    Dorian remained silent, and time seemed to stand still.


    The guests looked at each other, murmuring in low voices, clearly uncomfortable.


    "Why doesn''t he answer?"


    "Does anyone know what''s going on?"


    "I have a feeling something big is going to happen."


    Duke Valderic, seated in the front row, frowned, his expression shifting from incomprehension to annoyance.


    Aveline turned her head towards Dorian, her heart suddenly beating faster.


    After a moment, he exclaimed in a calm but firm voice:


    "No, I don''t want to."


    A collective gasp ran through the room. Murmurs turned to shocked exclamations.


    Luc Valderic stood up abruptly, his face flushed with anger.


    Aveline froze, unable to move. Her hands trembled slightly, but her face remained impassive.


    "Dorian!" cried her father, his voice thundering.


    "Explain yourself at once!"


    Dorian turned to his father, his features marked by cold determination.


    "I''m sorry, Father, but as a gentleman. I refuse to tie my life to someone without true affection. It''s not right, not for her, not for me."


    The duke felt like killing his son on the spot, but forced himself to calm down so as not to create a scandal on the spot.


    This was all to the delight of Duke Devron, who was sitting nearby with some of his family.


    "Father..."


    "It''s happening just as you think it''s happening," Duke Devron replied, extremely pleased.


    "Let''s have a feast tonight with all the members of the family."


    "Yes."


    For her part, stupor gradually gave way to a strange clarity in Aveline''s mind.


    Although shocked, part of her felt relieved. She turned her head to Dorian, searching his eyes.


    "You could have warned me or tried to talk to me before you caused such a scene." she asked, her voice measured.


    Dorian nodded, his gaze sincere.


    "True, but I believed it until the last moment and I didn''t want to resign myself to it," Dorian replied in a bitter voice.


    "I couldn''t find the courage either."


    Aveline seemed to discover a new person when she heard him say this.


    "Was I wrong all along? Was his reputation not reality?"


    A feeling of regret began to sink into Aveline''s heart.


    Especially since her father had counted so heavily on this marriage.


    A heavy silence fell over the assembly. Then, slowly, Aveline raised her head, her expression one of newfound pride.


    "Then I suppose it will be a memorable day for all, but not for the reasons we expected."


    She turned on her heels, head held high, and slowly left the altar under the fascinated and stunned gazes of the guests.


    Maxime quickly followed in the confusion.


    As they exited, they passed all the Saber-toothed Tiger mercenaries who saw Aveline quickly leave her own wedding.


    Everyone was very confused.


    "Andrew, take some men and watch Dorian''s movements for me."


    "Yes, sir!"


    "The rest of you come back with us to the Valderic estate and stand by."


    "Yes, chief!"


    After giving a few orders, Maxime caught up with Aveline and returned together in no time.


    When they arrived in front of their rooms, Aveline turned around.


    "Do me a favor and get your men ready, Maxime. I hope to leave for my territory tomorrow morning."


    "My father will reward you for the return trip, don''t worry."


    Maxime shook his head and replied:


    "That''s not necessary, in any case I was planning to pass through Count Ardan''s territory to collect the wages for this mission before going to Plouta to see my men again."


    Adeline nodded and locked herself in her quarters, keeping her thoughts to herself.


    "I imagine it must be complicated for her," Maxime murmured before heading out to the training ground.


    If there was nothing to do, he was still on the training ground with his men, practicing.


    With such persistence and intensity every day, the servants began to admire these mercenaries and even spread rumors.


    At first, the rumors circulated only on the Valderic estate, but gradually they spread to the capital.


    Although it was a simple fact of life in the capital, it contributed to the fame of the Saber-toothed Tigers.


    Soon night fell on the Valderic estate, and silence hung heavy in the air.


    No one had come to see Aveline until now, nor had she left her room.


    Maxime, wearing a dark cloak, slipped into a less-frequented wing of the manor. He had learned from Andrew that Dorian had retired there after the ceremony.


    Soon he was walking through the wing''s deserted and particularly dirty corridors.


    It seemed as if no one had cleaned here for a long time.


    Soon he found the young nobleman in a small library, leaning against a table, a half-empty glass of wine in front of him.


    The place almost looked like a cellar, but somehow the room was particularly clean.


    Dorian seemed lost in thought, his face closed, but he looked up when he heard Maxime enter.


    "I knew you''d come." he said wearily.


    Maxime was surprised.


    "How could you know?"


    "It''s easy for me to notice a few apprentice knights who aren''t very skilled at spying." he replied with a slight sarcasm but still looking at his glass.


    Maxime shook his head a little embarrassed, but quickly returned to his normal self.


    "Why did you refuse? You''ve ruined everything." asked Maxime, curious.


    "Haven''t I said it before, I did it because I didn''t want to marry a woman who didn''t consent."


    "To others, now that I''m here and everything is already in the past you can tell the truth." replied Maxime, frowning.


    Dorian slowly set down his glass, crossing his fingers in front of him. He seemed to hesitate, but finally sighed deeply, as if shaking off too heavy a weight.


    "I did it to save Aveline."

 Chapter 139 - 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 glass, set it down and leaned back in his chair, looking up at the wooden ceiling.


    "The wedding wasn''t meant to seal a lasting alliance between our families. My father had an entirely different plan."


    Maxime went and sat down opposite Dorian.


    He had a feeling this was destined to be a long night.


    "Another plan?"


    Noticing that Maxime had sat down in front of him, Dorian stood up and took a glass of wine from a cupboard.


    Then he set the glass down in front of Maxime.


    "A glass 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 glass and filled it to the brim.


    A glass was never filled to the brim; there was usually a line marked on the glass 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.


    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, glasses, books and bottles, was made of wood, even the table where the glasses 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 particularly pleasant, in Maxime''s opinion.


    "My father wanted to exterminate the Arden family and then rightfully reclaim their land. 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 plan earlier?"


    Dorian looked down at his wine glass, 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 plans. Without marriage, he has no legitimacy to attack the Ardans."


    "And with this plan, 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 regularly visit my mother at work," Dorian said, laughing.


    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 never come into contact with the darker side of humanity.


    "If this kind of thing could happen in Eternity, then there must be similar 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 mercenary come to be in this world?" he said lightly. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t realize he''d directly hit Maxime''s nerve.


    "Exceptional? I''m not," he replied, hiding his discomfort.


    But Dorian smiled as he played with his glass 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."


    Dorian laughed.


    "Yeah, that''s true." he replied, still laughing.


    "And is that really the case?" asked Maxime, curious.


    "Why should I hit women? Only the weak who fear the strong do that." commented 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 become family if you join my mercenary group."

 Chapter 140 - 140: A wild evening

    "However we could become family if you join my mercenary group."


    Dorian smiled in response.


    "An interesting idea...but I refuse."


    But Maxime still wanted to insist a little.


    "Why not? You could be much happier than you are right now."


    "Our mercenary group has already saved many innocent lives."


    Dorian, however, shook his head.


    "You don''t realize the repercussions there would be if I joined your group."


    As the eldest son of a Duke, Dorian''s vision was much broader than Maxime''s, who was currently just the leader of a mercenary group.


    But Maxime was rather intelligent, and suddenly realized a few things from Dorian''s words. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If a genius knight like him were to join them, it would imply that he himself was stronger than Dorian, and that he could also have knight-level mercenaries.


    Duke Devron could directly link the failure of the ambush to his group of mercenaries, since until then he''d had no idea that mere mercenaries could repel a group of apprentice knights led by 3 knights.


    Duke Valderic might also start paying unwanted attention to them.


    In short, the group''s reputation would grow far too quickly.


    Maxime became pensive, his mind whirling under the avalanche of revelations and possibilities.


    He set his glass down on the wooden table, his gaze fixed on Dorian.


    "I see... You''re not only a talented knight, you also have a brain that works pretty well."


    Dorian shrugged with a mischievous smile and raised his glass to Maxime.


    "So you say."


    Then he drank his glass in one gulp and let out a big belch.


    Clearly Dorian had left all noble superficiality behind.


    Maxime, intrigued, leaned back in his chair.


    "Tell me about the repercussions. What exactly would happen if you joined our group?"


    Dorian the alcohol rising to his brain was beginning to find it hard to think about such profound things.


    "Flemme to think, but believe me, you don''t want your group caught in the middle of a succession dispute."


    Maxime sighed at Dorian''s state, but it also made him laugh.


    "But why help me then? Why tell me all this if you''re not going to join our group?"


    Dorian stared at Maxime, smiling.


    "Because, even if I can''t officially join you, that doesn''t mean I''m your enemy."


    "Quite the contrary. You have enormous potential since you''re not attached to any important family, but by the same token you''re going to become a thorn in the side of many nobles."


    "And I hate the idea of someone with your potential being crushed by the heavyweights of this kingdom."


    Maxime''s gaze softened; he sensed Dorian was sincere, but that didn''t mean he was telling all.


    "So, what do you propose?"


    Dorian smiled, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head.


    "A discreet alliance. No official promises, no contracts."


    "If you need information, access to certain networks, or even a helping hand in the shadows, I''ll do what I can."


    "In exchange, I want you to stay true to yourself."


    All this was bound to be more than interesting for Maxime, since building an information network was one of his ideas, and he''d already begun to do so by building his secret force.


    But above all, this alliance was interesting because, on the surface, he had absolutely nothing to do with it.


    So he didn''t understand, he felt like he was using Dorian and being of no help to him.


    "I don''t understand, what good would it do you?"


    Dorian seemed suddenly sober again as he stared at Maxime with sparkling eyes.


    "Haven''t you figured it out yet?" he asked with a puzzled smile.


    "Maxime, I want you to change this world."


    ...


    Silence filled the room, with only the sound of melting candles and the wind tapping lightly on the window and wooden walls.


    The two men''s gazes almost seemed to clash, but Maxime finally shook his head.


    "Your demands are too great."


    "No, I feel you''re capable of it, Maxime," Dorian insisted with intense eyes.


    "How can you be so sure? We hardly know each other," Maxima continued, refusing.


    Dorian continued to drink his wine, but this time more moderately.


    "Because I''ve been watching you and your men. And what I''ve found is more than astonishing."


    At the same time, Dorian tapped his fingers excitedly on the table.


    "How did you manage to get knights to join your ranks?"


    Maxime didn''t answer, and just stared at Dorian.


    "Haha, to each his own."


    "But a guy who comes from nowhere, who''s barely come of age, he dares to challenge me, Dorian Valderic one of the best geniuses in this Kingdom, and on top of that he has many strong men from nowhere including 2 knights..."


    "Are you the king''s illegitimate son?" Dorian finally asked, laughing.


    Maxime laughed too, but he knew that Dorian was warning him by gently mocking him.


    His personal strength and that of his group had become far too powerful.


    The day everyone knew his strength could be the day he died.


    "No, unfortunately I''m not the king''s illegitimate son and so I couldn''t change the world."


    "Yes you can, and you will," Dorian immediately replied with confidence and firmness.


    "How can you be so sure?" asked Maxime.


    "Because you''ve already started doing it, without realizing it." explained Dorian in a light tone.


    "Meaning?"


    Maxime was confused, not understanding what Dorian was referring to.


    "Dancing with the only princess in the kingdom, doesn''t that mean anything to you?"


    Maxime opened his eyes wide at this.


    "Are you talking about Selene?"


    "Who else?" replied Dorian as if exasperated.


    "You''ve unintentionally created a huge tsunami in the kingdom."


    "No one had ever danced with the princess in public, no one had even spoken with her in private."


    "But you did both these acts in the same evening, creating rumors not to be ignored in the capital and even in the Kingdom."


    "And in the process you''ve made many of the kingdom''s young nobles jealous and attracted the attention of the 6 princes."


    "Some are already starting to say that the princess''s heart was stolen by a commoner."


    Maxime was suddenly embarrassed; he hadn''t thought that a simple one-night stand would lead to so many consequences.


    "The point is, the princess proved a fact without knowing it."


    "People are naturally drawn to you Maxime, somehow you really do have charisma."


    "Your actions are also in line with what the common people want right now."


    Maxime didn''t believe a word Dorian said.


    In his opinion, without his talent there wouldn''t be a single person who would follow him.


    Without his talent, he would never have been able to accompany Aveline to the banquet, nor would he have met the princess.


    Nor would he have talked and danced with her.


    But time would prove him wrong.


    What had to happen would happen.


    It was not for nothing that Maxime was the man who had attracted the attention of a god who was once the most powerful of gods, and the goddess who had saved the universe.


    "And what do the common people want?"


    Maxime genuinely wondered.


    "To feel safe."


    "And for that, people will be willing to follow you and fight Maxime."


    In saying this, Dorian had a real conviction.


    He''d always had a particular instinct, as well as a very flexible brain.


    He could more or less determine a person''s fate after observing and testing them for a while.


    And above all, he was ambitious and decisive, allowing both talents to be exploited to their full potential.


    "Right now you have to be on the lookout to notice your talent, but you''ll see that little by little enemies as well as friends will approach you."


    "And whether you like it or not, you''ll change this world."


    "But to change it positively, you''ll need my help."


    "After all, nobility controls this world."


    "If you want to control this world, you have to bend to its rules. That means becoming a noble yourself."


    "In the meantime, I''ll be your noble support in this world."


    Dorian took the time to explain a few things to Maxime.


    "But how do you become noble?" intervened Maxime suspiciously.


    "You''ll find a way. You could marry the princess, for example," Dorian laughed.


    "That''s not a bad idea," Maxime replied seriously, sipping his drink.


    "Wait, you don''t mean it?"


    But Maxime looked at him without looking like he''d been joking.


    Even if he had Laura, there was nothing to stop him from having several women in this world.


    And with his talent and good looks, he thought he''d have chances with all the women in the world.


    "Why not?"


    Dorian was speechless for a moment.


    "Well, when are we going to do the face?" asked Maxime, downing his glass of wine in one gulp and holding it out to Dorian.


    Dorian was taken aback for a moment by the surprising request.


    Then he burst out laughing.


    He also downed his glass in one gulp, then rose to grab another bottle of wine from the cupboard and uncorked it with ease, generously filling their glasses.


    And so began a friendship between the sword prodigy from the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle and...

 Chapter 141 - 141: A budding friendship

    And so began a friendship between the sword prodigy from the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle and a surprising man who had started out as a simple mercenary.


    The first drinks were accompanied by light discussions, anecdotes of battles and childhood.


    Maxime recounted how, as a teenager, he had found himself trapped in a burning barn while trying to save a dog.


    Of course, this wasn''t true, since he''d only had access to Eternity for 4 months.


    But he couldn''t just say:


    "Actually I''m not from this world, I used a watch to cross the dimensional boundary that separated me from this world called Eternity and the original world where I was born."


    No matter how much he drank, his unconscious knew the risks of exposing himself in this way.


    Rather, the real story was how he''d found himself trapped inside a burning building while trying to rescue people trapped inside.


    "How did you get out?" asked Dorian curiously.


    "Some village elders smashed up the barn to create an entrance that hadn''t yet been attacked by fire, and luckily we weren''t far from them so it was very quick and safe." replied Maxime, making up a story at the time.


    The truth was that he''d been lucky and that a strong man was passing through town, and when he heard about the incident he saved everyone with his own strength.


    "You were very lucky, or what shall I say, the world was very lucky not to have lost you that day."


    Maxime shook his head spitefully at Dorian''s words, he really did seem to have a tendency to say extraordinary things whether serious or not.


    "If you like I''ve got a rather interesting story too, do you want to hear it?" asked Dorian with a mysterious smile.


    "I''m all ears," replied Maxime without too much expectation.


    In any case, with alcohol, even if the story was mediocre, they''d laugh anyway.


    "When I was young, I must have been 13/14, I was already very popular with women..."


    Maxime immediately stopped him with a smile on his lips.


    "Wasn''t it rather your status as heir to a duchy that interested them?"


    "Let''s skip those details..." replied Dorian, sweeping aside with a wave of his hand.


    "And among all those girls, there was the daughter of an earl who particularly interested me."


    "So obviously I courted her, but she rejected me with a cold, contemptuous look."


    Maxime continued to listen, sipping his wine.


    "But when my knightly skills were put to the test, her attitude changed completely."


    "And as my strength progressed and my reputation improved..."


    But as he spoke, Maxime interrupted him again with another laugh.


    "Wait, was there a time in your life when you had a good reputation?"


    "Yeah...That''s just when it started to slip." Dorian exclaimed with pride.


    "Why do you look so proud?" asked Maxime, looking up.


    But Dorian ignored him and continued to tell his story.


    "She started sending me letters to see each other in secret. And of course, I agreed."


    "And pretty soon it became someone I was seeing regularly."


    "And you know, there''s no smoke without fire."


    "Because she learned that I was also seeing other women."


    "She made the decision to go and talk to these women, and after a long discussion, they decided together to destroy my reputation so that other women would no longer be attracted to me."


    "Without them, my reputation would never have reached this point of no return."


    The more Dorian spoke, the more shocked Maxime became.


    "So this kind of story really exists, it''s not just in the movies?" he thought silently as he let Dorian continue.


    "Besides, it''s kind of funny that all those who criticize me behind my back are the ones who can''t get enough of me anymore."


    "Wait, they stayed with you despite the fact that you cheated on them all?" exclaimed Maxime, suddenly rising from his chair with surprise.


    "Of course, compared to other men I''m so exceptional. They can''t go back to men who are too ordinary because the difference would be too great."


    As he said this, Dorian sounded particularly arrogant and proud.


    He was almost hateful, but somehow Maxime couldn''t help laughing.


    "It''s just that they''re too vindictive, and don''t want other women to be won over by me because it would mean less time for them."


    The more he spoke, the more shocked Maxime was at this Don Juan.


    "But at this stage you have to have children now?" asked Maxime curiously.


    "A knight''s vital seed isn''t called vital seed for nothing," Dorian began to explain with a smile, like a master mastering his art.


    "It gives the ability to wield our vital energy to strengthen our bodies or even our weapons."


    "And one ability derived from it is the ability to block all vital energy during...exchange."


    "Incredible, it is indeed incredible." Maxime commented with surprise.


    He didn''t think a world resembling the Middle Ages would have such elaborate and effective methods of contraception.


    "It''s an open secret among noblemen, but it still happens that sometimes, in the heat of the moment, a knight loses control. Not everyone can be as good as me," Dorian said, shaking his head in annoyance.


    He was the illegitimate child of a great knight, so he spoke from experience.


    But that didn''t stop the two men laughing more and more as the bottles emptied. Dorian, whose cheeks were taking on a rosy hue, raised his glass in an unlikely toast.


    "To us, two misunderstood geniuses, alone against the rest of the world!"


    Maxime raised his glass, his eyes shining.


    "And to the drunkenness that makes this world more bearable!"


    They toasted with a resounding flourish, spilling a little wine on the table as they went. The atmosphere was charged with a familiar, almost fraternal warmth. Hours passed, and the words became more chaotic, more frank.


    "You know, Maxime, I envy you a little," said Dorian, leaning awkwardly on the edge of the table.


    "You, you don''t have to bear the absurd expectations of an entire family on your shoulders."


    Maxime, his eyes unfocused, nodded with exaggerated gravity.


    "But you eat. You eat well, my pig." Then he burst out laughing for no apparent reason, followed by Dorian.


    It was at this point that words and phrases began to become incomprehensible.


    Perhaps they themselves no longer understood what they were saying either.


    Dorian tried to get up to fetch another bottle, but stumbled, barely catching himself on a chair. Maxime, hilarious, tried to help him but ended up falling backwards, taking a stool with him.


    "You''re a bad host." he muttered, laughing.


    Dorian, lying on the floor, raised a hand in a dramatic gesture.


    "And you, an unbearable guest."


    After chatting for a while, they stood up to pour themselves some more wine, after all there were still many bottles to be emptied.


    Their laughter echoed through the room, covering the crackling of the candles.


    Finally, exhaustion and alcohol got the better of them after a long time together. They collapsed on their own, Dorian sprawled on the floor and Maxime slumped in his chair with his feet up on the table and a smile on his face.


    Both seemed to be having pleasant dreams.


    Soon the light of dawn began to pierce through the window, casting long shadows over the untidy scene.


    The two men were fast asleep, their glasses overturned at their sides.


    The distant but insistent tinkling of a bell roused Maxime from his slumber. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He opened one eye, groaning in the harsh morning light that flooded the room.


    His head was pounding like a drum, and his belly seemed very agitated.


    Dorian, still stretched out on the floor, made light snores, one arm thrown dramatically over his head.


    Maxime struggled to his feet, leaning on the table and wobbling. Empty bottles, spilled glasses were silent witnesses to their evening.


    "Dorian, wake up..." he growled, kicking his new friend lightly in the leg.


    The knight let out an indistinct grunt before opening his eyes, staring at the ceiling with a bewildered expression.


    "Shit, what''s wrong with waking people up so rudely?"


    After a short silence, he asked:


    "What time is it?"


    Maxime glanced out the window. The sun was already high in the sky.


    "Too late to go on sleeping, too early to forget I have to leave."


    Dorian sat up slowly, running a hand over his face.


    "Ah yes that''s right you have to leave this morning. Lapi right?" He rose with a grunt and walked awkwardly to a table where he found a carafe of water.


    "Here, drink this. You can''t leave in this state."


    "Because you can?" replied Maxime, gratefully accepting the water and drinking in large gulps.


    "My reputation won''t sink any lower," he replied, laughing lightly.


    "You''ll miss me, won''t you?" quipped Dorian with a teasing smile.


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, amused.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be back soon my love," Maxime replied with a charming little smile and a wink.


    Dorian burst out laughing.


    "Oula, tell me, did anything happen between you and me last night to make you say that?"


    "If you only knew..." commented Maxime without finishing his sentence.


    But he didn''t want to keep playing this game for much longer; it was possible that his mercenaries were already waiting for him.


    Maxime took one last look at the chaos they''d left behind before grabbing his coat and sword.


    "Try not to get into too much trouble while I''m gone."


    Dorian burst out laughing.


    "Me? In trouble? I don''t know what you''re talking about..."


    With a final smile, Maxime stepped through the door and into the colors of this mysterious, abandoned building.


    He soon reached the main courtyard in front of the mansion.


    The courtyard was bustling with activity; his mercenaries had gathered, ready to go. Some were adjusting their armor, others checking their mounts or reorganizing provisions.


    "Chief, we''re ready." said one of them as Maxime approached.


    Maxime nodded, his posture regaining the discipline of a leader.


    He had an extraordinary physique, so even after a whole night''s drinking and not much sleep he still had enough energy to be fit.


    "Good. Off we go, then. We''ve got a long way to go."


    But as he said this, the world suddenly turned gray around him.


    Ding!


    [Eternity is closing!]


    [User Maxime Valdreuve will be logged out shortly].

 Chapter 142 - 142: Eternity is...

    [Eternity is going to close!]


    [User Maxime Valdreuve will be logged out shortly].


    Real world.


    Maxime opened his eyes abruptly, his blurred vision capturing the familiar ceiling of his bedroom. Natural light shone through the half-open curtains, bathing the room in a clarity he had almost forgotten.


    For a moment, he lay disoriented in his bed.


    His bed was comfortable, so he could stay in it for a long time, but that wasn''t why he stayed in it.


    It was because he felt weak, very weak.


    As if he''d fallen ill or worse.


    He quickly looked at his statistics page, and saw that he had lost over a point of physique, or 25% of his strength.


    At this stage, it was even worse than being sick: the stat points represented his strength and his future.


    "System, can you explain to me what''s going on?"


    [Level 2 authorization detected]


    [The host has the right to know this information.]


    [An alien god has placed a restriction on this universe, making ascension extremely difficult.]


    [The restriction starts at 3 physics points; once this limit is reached, every step becomes extremely difficult].


    [To increase by one physics point, you actually need 10 physics points].


    Maxime opened his eyes wide at this, and finally understood a few things.


    "So that was why the teachers said it took tens of thousands of gold coins to reach 4 points!"


    "I wonder if the teachers are aware of this information?"


    Ding!


    [Only individuals with level 2 clearance are allowed to know the origins of this limit, others will have their memories automatically erased if they obtain this information via sources other than the system].


    [Note that some level 2 information can be released to other individuals under certain conditions, but not this one].


    Maxime nodded at this.


    "Specifically, how does this system limitation work?"


    The robotic voice echoed in his mind.


    [In the real world, once your physique reaches 3 points, you need one point of statistics to increase your physique by 0.1].


    [A host with a physique approaching 5 points in Eternity, counting class bonuses, would then have a physique of 3 + 2x0.1, i.e. a maximum of around 3.2 points].


    [Without bonuses, the host has a physique of 3.95 points in Eternity, i.e. a physique approaching 3.1 points in the real world].


    An immediate 25% reduction in his physical strength, no wonder he felt uncomfortable in his body.


    But suddenly he connected with this information, opened his eyes wide in surprise.


    "That was it."


    "That was why leaders of men were particularly valued."


    "Once you''ve reached 3 physics points, it becomes extremely complicated to improve in the real world."


    "So to improve one''s strength in the short term, it becomes logical to try to hire men, particularly knights."


    "With their vital seed, they represent an additional weapon against the aliens and above all they all have formidable combat experience."


    "Successfully hiring a knight when you reach this limit means multiplying your combat power by at least 2 times in one go." sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It is therefore much more profitable for many people to invest in mercenaries than in themselves once this limit has been reached."


    However, Maxime still had a question running through his mind.


    [System, are my talents restricted?]


    [They aren''t, except for the active effect of the talent from God Nox. Instead of increasing your physical strength by 50%, it will increase it by about 5%].


    Maxime was shocked, but at the same time it seemed logical, as it correlated with the limits imposed by this famous foreign God.


    If his talent wasn''t affected, it would be far too inconsistent.


    "But what could be the purpose of this foreign god to impose a restriction on our universe?"


    Ding!


    [The host does not have the necessary level of authorization to access this information].


    "Well, I kind of suspected, it looks like a big secret," Maxime murmured, albeit with a little disappointment.


    After all, it had to do with the history of the universe, its rules and the gods. It was bound to make one very curious.


    At the same time, his phone vibrated, showing that he had just received a notification.


    Maxime reached out to grab it. A notification appeared on the screen:


    [10:42 AM] Where are you? The boss is going to kill you if you don''t get here before 11. - Hugo


    "Shit...I''d forgotten I had to work this Sunday...and here I was thinking I was going to check in with the boss tomorrow, and now I''m shooting myself in the foot." he muttered, his voice slightly panicked.


    He''d been so excited about getting back into Eternity two months ago, he''d completely forgotten he was going back to bartending this morning.


    "What an idea to go into Eternity just before going to work," he muttered to himself, though he regretted nothing.


    He leapt out of bed, hastily pulled on a pair of black pants and a white sweater, then ran madly down the stairs to the house.


    "What''s got you in such a hurry?" asked Andr��a, his mother in the kitchen, confused at seeing her son rushing around like this.


    "Work!"


    "Ah, good luck son!"


    "Thanks, Mom!"


    Maxime grabbed a leftover croissant from the dining table and bit into it with vigor.


    Then, while chewing, he put on his shoes with phenomenal speed.


    Then he quickly left the house.


    In the street, the sound of horns and excited chatter echoed. Maxime ran down the street, taking care not to jostle anyone.


    Seeing his speed, some people looked at him with admiration.


    Among most civilians, it was already correct to reach 1.5 physique points, which represented a level 2 or 3 class depending on original physique and class.


    There were many people who reached 2 physique points, but generally this was the ceiling for ordinary people.


    After that, many people were reluctant to put their lives further at risk in Eternity.


    For Maxime, meanwhile, the transition back to everyday life was no easy matter after a session in Eternity. Over there, he was a mercenary leader, he was often in contact with many nobles, having just befriended the heir to a duchy, for example, and he had even danced with the princess of the kingdom.


    But here, he was just another employee. He was ordinary.


    As he passed a billboard, an image caught his eye: a promotional poster for Eternity. The slogan read:


    "Eternity - More real than life itself".


    Immediately afterwards, several men and women dressed as soldiers appeared on the promotional poster.


    "The army is recruiting! High pay, privileges for you and your family, training and investment and many other benefits!"


    "We''re also training reserve soldiers! In the event of an invasion, you''ll have the power to defend yourself! Training funded by the Ministry of Defense."


    "More real than life..." he repeated, ironically.


    Ding!


    [Eternity is as real as the world in which the host resides].


    "What the hell? Eternity is a real world? But how is that possible?"


    Maxime was more than shocked to hear this information.


    Everyone on the Internet was debating whether Eternity offered real worlds to every player or whether it was just a game.


    Logic dictated that it was impossible for a world to be created for each player and then literally paused every time the player logged out.


    So those who said it was a real world were seen as those who believed in flat Earth in the 21st century.


    Ding!


    [The host doesn''t have enough clearance to know how it works].


    "Yes, I''m sure," Maxime commented, murmuring and looking up.


    Simultaneously, his phone vibrated again. He groaned when he saw the message:


    [10:51 AM] Seriously, you''re dead, man. Say your prayers. - Hugo


    He sighed and quickened his pace.


    Maxime arrived in front of the bar, breathless. His shoes crunched on the pavement as he stopped dead in front of the front door. He glanced at his phone: 10:59.


    "One minute... That should be enough."


    He entered hurriedly. The inside of the bar was already bustling with the first customers enjoying their coffee or reading the paper. Behind the counter, Hugo, his colleague, gave him a half-mocking, half-compassionate look.


    "You''re in luck, the boss hasn''t come down yet. But you''d better get changed, fatso."


    Maxime nodded, blowing out a quick thank-you, before scurrying off into the back room.


    He quickly opened his locker and put on a black shirt, which was the rule in this bar for all bartenders to show a minimum of professionalism.


    As his boss used to say:


    "We''re not at the fair here."


    As he pulled on his shirt, a squeaky voice sounded behind him.


    "Valdreuve, you''re late."


    Maxime''s heart sank. It was the boss, a portly man with a stern face, staring at him with an annoyed expression.


    "Sorry, Monsieur Lemoine. But I''m here, ready to work and give it my all."


    "You''d better be. If I catch you coming in late, it''s out the door."


    Maxime nodded quickly and went to the counter to work.


    In this world he needed money, and this job was the only one where he''d been accepted despite numerous CVs sent everywhere.


    It was also thanks to this job that he''d been able to buy a watch, otherwise his mother, who looked after him and his brother alone, would have had to take out a hefty loan to do so.


    On the other hand, the boss, despite what he said and what he gave off, was a very altruistic person.


    He helped many young people in financial difficulty like Maxime, so that they could help their families feed themselves, find decent housing, and above all, have a future by buying a watch.


    Because in this world, not having a watch to access Eternity meant being much weaker than the others.


    And since looks were linked to productivity in most jobs, it also diminished their chances of being hired at any company, and even if they were hired, their chances of promotion would be very slim compared to others who had been able to go to Eternity many times.


    After all, living in Eternity was also a skill that was valued by many companies.


    Indeed, living in a period comparable to the Middle Ages, with dangers everywhere, was no easy matter, and even less so when dying meant losing one''s life expectancy.


    So having a good physique meant having courage, but also a few skills.


    As Maxime cleaned the glasses and prepared the first orders, his mind wandered. The information received from the system was still echoing in his head.


    "Eternity is a real world."

 Chapter 143 - 143: Dimensional battlefield

    Eternity is a real world.


    "How did these watches appear in the first place? 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 glass 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 accumulate so much murderous momentum."


    As he placed 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 occur."


    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-related 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 glancing 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��32, 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 glasses.


    "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 bartenders laughed together.


    "Afterwards, the boss is nice, and it''s very rare for you to arrive late, 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, explain to me what''s going on." Maxime murmured.


    [Dimensional battlefields are high-reward interstellar war zones].


    [That is, by killing enemies you can accumulate 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 access 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, particularly 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 black, 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 is completely eradicated]. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing that his life was really being gambled away, and especially hearing the words "a camp completely 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.


    "Perhaps it was via this method that the gods became gods?"


    "If I rely on the talents of the gods to become stronger, I''ll meet their expectations but not my own."


    "I want to become 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 become 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 more complex the world seemed to become.


    He didn''t even have time to make coffee before Eternity caught up with him.


    Even the military didn''t particularly 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 accompanying 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, replaced by an unfathomable blackness.


    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.


    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 occupied it.


    "Without a doubt, the power inside this fortress could strike down the entire Kingdom of the Frost Eagle."


    Maxime felt particularly small within this immense fortress equipped with state-of-the-art technology, filled with well-equipped soldiers and powerful Eternity players.


    Or at least, with his current physique and the strength of his men, he looked very ordinary here.


    "Besides, my physique always seems to be compressed 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.


    [Welcome to dimensional battlefield N��32, 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 succeed in conquering an enemy fort, a mysterious reward will be distributed according 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 - 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 calculate 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 play.


    "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 villages. 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 explain these reasons to me?"


    [Your authority and strength level are insufficient at the moment, host]


    "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 contemplating the immensity of the fortress when a group of soldiers approached.


    One of them, a man with a scarred face and wearing black tactical armor with a silver badge on his shoulder, addressed him.


    "So, new guy, are we lost?" he exclaimed 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 questions later, 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. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime raised an eyebrow but kept his composure.


    "Possible, yeah. I suppose you''re here to explain how it all works?"


    The soldier burst out laughing, 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, the latter 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 exclaimed, laughing.


    "You''ve already learned one rule here: the strong command 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 explained 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 installations.


    "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 a command 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 plan 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." explained the captain while shaking his head.


    At the same time, Maxime noticed that there were indeed some very young people in the room.


    In particular, 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 in command 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. A commander''s strength is a military secret," replied Varek simply.


    They didn''t stay long and left the command 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 particular room of the fortress, adorned with luminous runes.


    "This is the energy generator for our entire fortress," he explained, pointing to the runes.


    "These inscriptions power a large 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 explained, 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 the command room."


    "By the way, while I''m on the subject, a little rule of survival: save your Eternity coins when you have them. Some newcomers 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 are labyrinths, others gigantic moving machines or even biological bodies. But they all have a weakness."


    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 - 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 plasma rifles and energy-pulsing blades. A man in a white coat greeted them with a stern look.


    "Welcome, 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, Varek laughed 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 exclaimed, laughing as he addressed Karad.


    But the latter ignored him completely.


    "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 explanation..."


    "These energy rifles are reliable, lightweight and require minimal maintenance. They are equipped with an aiming aid system to compensate for the recruits'' lack of precision."


    He then pointed to the silver dagger with bluish highlights.


    "And this is your best friend. A blade 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." commented 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 a common choice for new recruits, right? A bigger blade 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 a completely different explanation:


    "I have a level 9 swordsman class, 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 more comfortable 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 blade traversed by luminous ribs.


    "This one. A kinetic 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 blade 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 place for amateurs."


    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.


    The latter 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." explained 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. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Maxime didn''t decide to explain, 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 solid combat 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," explained 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 played solo and with the help of a system plus a talent, many people developed a superiority complex 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 planning 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 explain.


    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 glazed 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 circular room where several soldiers were already training. Moving targets floated in the air, projecting flashes of light with each successful shot. Some were using rifles, others sophisticated bows that seemed to shoot arrows formed from pure energy.


    "Welcome 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 small laser beam, but missed the target slightly and was knocked off balance by the gun''s recoil. A muffled laugh emanated from the nearby soldiers.


    "It''s not that simple." he muttered to himself, completely ignoring the laughter 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 the laughter, 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.


    "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 calculate 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 - 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 he lacked 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 it comes to precision, he looks like a complete 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 the comments 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 one last 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 applauded.


    "Hey, nice recruit!"


    "If you haven''t found a battalion yet, think about the one at the 5th Infantry Battalion! We''ll welcome 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 welcomed." 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."


    The laughter redoubled, and G��rard, the sergeant, burst into a frank laugh 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 blade 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 glances, before Karad, who was observing the scene from the rear, spoke up sharply.


    "All right, enough of this blather. 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." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Varek burst out laughing, giving Karad a pat on the shoulder.


    "Relax, 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 accuracy, 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 glad 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."


    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 your comrades."


    Karad nodded, softening his tone a little.


    "In any case, if you want to come 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, accompanied 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 and combat 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 the combat 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-hand combat. 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 classes 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, combining speed and precision.


    The blade 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 similar.


    The room fell silent. The soldiers, expecting a rookie''s clumsiness, exchanged stunned glances.


    "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 147 - 147: Army interrogation

    "You don''t look like you''ve had an easy life in Eternity." he asked curiously.


    Maxime shrugged slightly, carefully avoiding Karad''s direct gaze.


    "Yeah, I didn''t exactly have it easy."


    Karad nodded in understanding, who in this room hadn''t had several very difficult moments in this room?


    Some had even died several times.


    But what was more surprising was that this young man seemed to have had as much experience as they had, even though they had all lived at least several years in Eternity.


    This young man couldn''t be one of them.


    Karad pointed to another mannequin, this time several meters away.


    "Show me a routine.


    Maxime did so almost immediately.


    His movements were a perfect blend of power, control and grace. He moved from one blow to the next without the slightest hesitation, linking precise strikes, feints and imaginary parries as if he were facing an invisible opponent.


    The soldiers, silent at first, began to murmur amongst themselves.


    "He''s no beginner, that''s for sure." breathed Beret, impressed.


    Varek, watching intently, leaned towards Karad.


    "Despite his young age, he''s had to face death several times. These moves don''t come from someone who just learned in a training room."


    Karad nodded, arms crossed.


    "Yes, it sure isn''t someone who didn''t follow the merchant''s path or that of training with nobles."


    In this fortress, soldiers had seen it all before, and generally recruits weren''t very good at fighting.


    Indeed, most people in this world would rather earn money slowly and progress steadily than risk losing several years of life.


    Especially in the early days, when everyone was very weak.


    Only those with a lot of courage, determination and, above all, a lack of educational resources made progress on the battlefields.


    Indeed, those with money or a good family could progress almost as quickly as those who put their lives on the line with business and social skills.


    Not being one of these people, Maxime immediately won everyone''s respect.


    A person with a lot of combat experience was highly valued in the army, and would not be seen as a heavyweight like many recruits.


    As Maxime finished his routine with a clean final blow that would have decapitated a real opponent, G��rard slowly applauded.


    "Hey, kid, are you sure you''re a rookie? Because you''re making us look like amateurs."


    Maxime, who wasn''t the least bit exhausted by this consequent sequence, sketched a modest smile, but his eyes, dark and serious, betrayed a depth that none of the soldiers fully understood.


    He had surely lived for those few months in Eternity, more than many people here.


    "I manage a little." he replied calmly with a smile, sword still in hand.


    A few soldiers, seeing Maxime still carrying that sword, were a little intimidated.


    If Maxime decided to attack them, some of them didn''t think they could survive more than 3 exchanges.


    But at the same time, they were reassured to see that there were people like that on their side of the battlefield.


    Karad motioned to a soldier to activate one of the combat robots.


    The soldier obeyed immediately, since Karad was one of the fortress''s high-ranking officers.


    The robot lit up, its red eyes glinting menacingly. He moved forward slowly, taking up a position opposite Maxime.


    "Now, a real adversary." declared Karad.


    "Let''s see how you do against something that fights back."


    A murmur went through the soldiers, excited to see what would happen.


    Maxime watched the robot adjust. His posture changed subtly: he relaxed, adopting a waiting stance, the point of his sword slightly lowered. This change, imperceptible to most, was immediately noticed by Karad and Varek.


    "He''s done this before."


    The robot charged abruptly, his movements quick and precise, aiming for a sideways strike.


    But Maxime dodged with disconcerting fluidity, slipping out of reach and counter-attacking with a clean sweep.


    The blade struck the robot''s arm, deactivating one of its mechanisms and sending out numerous sparks of electricity.


    Spectators held their breath as the fight intensified. Maxime wasn''t just defending himself: he was mastering the rhythm, anticipating the robot''s movements with an ease that confounded even experienced soldiers.


    After a series of attacks and counter-attacks, he executed a final move of deadly precision, striking the robot at the neck joint. The machine came to a screeching halt, its head tilting slightly before shutting down completely.


    A stunned silence reigned in the room.


    "Well..." began Beret, breaking the silence.


    "I think we''ve just found a genius."


    Karad approached Maxime, who was still holding his sword, his hands surprisingly stable despite the intensity of the fight.


    "You''re more than just a recruit," he said neutrally.


    "But if you want to hide what you know, you''d better not be so good."


    Maxime remained silent for a moment, before replying with an enigmatic smile.


    "I''m not hiding anything. I''m just doing my best."


    Karad sensed there was much more behind that smile and those words.


    In his opinion, geniuses didn''t come from nowhere, or at least the probability was too low for a genius to be born without the support of a powerful person or a wealthy family.


    He himself knew some of the secrets of this world and therefore had his reasons for thinking that.


    "Follow me." he murmured before turning around.


    Maxime nodded without question, following Karad. With Maxime under his protection, Varek followed as well. The soldiers around them moved aside to let them pass, some casting respectful glances, others curious.


    "That guy, he''s just arrived and he could be the captain of a squad..." breathed one of the soldiers, a young balding man.


    "More than a captain, with moves like that, he could rival the combat instructors." replied a woman in light armor, her eyes still riveted on Maxime.


    As Karad led Maxime to a side door, G��rard cracked a joke that drew a few laughs.


    "If you change your mind, kid, don''t forget that the 4? battalion is the best!"


    Beret retorted immediately.


    "Do a little research and you''ll see that the 5th battalion has much better advantages than the4th!"


    Laughter erupted as Maxime turned and bowed slightly before continuing to follow Karad.


    After walking for a while, Karad opened the door to a smaller, soberly lit room.


    In the center was a circular table surrounded by seats, and on the walls were screens displaying tactical maps and real-time data on outside activities.


    Karad sat down and motioned to Maxime to do the same. Varek, ever curious, stood by the door, arms crossed.


    Karad rested his elbow on the table, his piercing gaze fixed on Maxime.


    "Listen to me carefully. Everyone here has a past. A heavy past. But you, you''re... different. Your movements, your mastery... it''s beyond what I''ve seen in most veterans of this fortress. So I''m going to ask you a simple question."


    He paused, letting the tension build.


    "Who are you, Maxime Valdreuve?"


    Maxime didn''t answer immediately. He held Karad''s gaze, his dark eyes revealing an unfathomable depth.


    At that moment, he felt like answering:


    "I''m the man who talks to the gods, and not just any gods."


    Mostly because it was the truth.


    But he obviously couldn''t do that; he''d just met Karad and Varek, and couldn''t immediately trust them.


    And even if he did trust them, he wouldn''t tell them.


    It was his biggest secret, and unless he became one of the most powerful humans in the world, he wouldn''t say anything.


    And for the moment, he was just a little stronger than a squad captain, so far from being one of the strongest humans on the planet.


    Finally, he shrugged and answered in a calm, almost too detached voice.


    "An ordinary player with a little more courage than the others."


    Karad squinted, wary, but chose not to insist.


    "If you want to stay here, in this fortress, you''ll have to prove that you''re worthy of our trust."


    Varek then intervened, breaking the tension.


    "Hey, relax, Karad. He''s already shown he can hold his sword. If he wanted to cause trouble, he would have done so from the start."


    Karad grunted, but he couldn''t help nodding slightly.


    "Maybe so. But I''m keeping an eye on you, Maxime. I don''t want any surprises." sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime, impassive, replied simply:


    "You can keep as many eyes as you like. I''m here to fight. Nothing else."


    To be honest, this questioning irritated Maxime. He wasn''t part of the army and had no obligation to come here.


    If he chose not to fight, no one could blame him because he was under no obligation.


    He''d only come because of the advantages of the dimensional battlefield.


    But for the time being, he felt it would be better to collaborate with the army and develop good relations with them.


    This would be advantageous for his future career, but also in the short term, since he''d be living in their fortress and fighting alongside them for a long time, so despite his sanguine temperament, he restrained himself.


    Karad nodded, satisfied for the moment.


    "So get ready. Because here, we don''t just train. Very soon, you''ll be out in the field, facing enemies far more dangerous than this robot. Then we''ll see what you''re really made of."


    Maxime stood up, his face still calm, but a flame burning in his eyes.


    "I''m looking forward to it."


    Maxime guessed that Karad''s identity must be more than just a chief engineer, or he wouldn''t have said such things.


    As he left the room, Varek whispered to Karad.


    "I bet you he''ll be one of the best we''ve seen in a long time."


    Karad crossed his arms, watching the door close behind Maxime.


    "Maybe it will. But for that, he''d have to stay alive."

 Chapter 148 - 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 in comparison to the armory.


    A rusty sign read "Recruits'' Quarters".


    Inside, the smell of sweat and unkempt weaponry wafted through the air. Bunk beds lined a large common room, while soldiers cleaned their weapons or talked in hushed tones.


    "This is your home for now." declared Varek with a wry smile.


    "Not very glamorous, is it? But you''ll soon learn that comfort 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 newcomer.


    "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 their command, 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," explained 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. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But will there be enough beds?"


    Varek shook his head.


    "Not for the first day, but don''t worry, places will open up as we go along."


    Maxime immediately understood the implication.


    His mercenaries would take the place 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 the last 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 particularities, 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 sufficiently large 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 unoccupied 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 access 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 relaxation part."


    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.


    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 by laser 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 soldiers laughed, drank and gesticulated to the beat of the music. Not far away, dancers performed graceful, hypnotic movements on neon-lit vertical bars.


    "Welcome to the Army''s relaxation area!" announced Varek with a big smile.


    "Here, we let go, relax... 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 glasses of raw alcohol at a frantic pace.


    "Come on, drink something." Varek patted Maxime on the shoulder before ordering two glasses of a translucent liquid that gave off a slight smoke.


    Maxime accepted the glass, 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 plans 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 of coming 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 playing holographic card games projected on tables, others were laughing loudly as they recounted battle anecdotes, and a few were dancing without restraint in the center of the room.


    Maxime noticed a platform where soldiers, obviously in friendly competition, were engaged in simulated 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 glass 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 should come and introduce yourself to my squad. We could use someone like you."


    Maxime nodded slightly, preferring to remain reserved.


    For his part, Varek laughed 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 place 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 play the mystery guy." replied Varek, gently teasing.


    "I''m not playing the mystery guy, it''s just that the war hasn''t started yet, how do you expect me to show you anything?" explained Maxime with some dismay.


    ...


    The 3 of them chatted for a while, then, as one glass followed another, Maxime began to feel like enjoying himself too.


    He placed his empty glass 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 spectacular intensity.


    Swords of light crackled as they clashed, projecting shimmering flashes 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 149 - 149: A very pleasant night

    "Yeah, I thought army vets looked pretty weak, so I came to see if my guesses were true."


    Despite the surrounding noise, everyone heard what Maxime had said correctly.


    No one here had a physique inferior to that of an apprentice knight, so it was a no-brainer.


    His arrogant words provoked a slight silence in the audience before people burst out in anger mixed with much laughter.


    "Who does he think he is?


    "hahaha it''s been a long time since we''ve had such an arrogant youngster!"


    "I like him! It''d be a shame if it was all just talk, though."


    "Warrick! You''d better not lose, that''s the face of every army veteran you''re wearing there!"


    ...


    Warrick, who was his opponent, gave a cold smile.


    "Here, take your holographic weapon, it displays directly the weapon you imagine in your thoughts, in reasonable sizes." he said, tossing him a small gadget in the shape of a sword hilt.


    Maxime grabbed the holographic weapon with a curious look; he''d never used such things before.


    Following the veteran''s advice, he imagined a sword, and as expected, a kind of laser was projected from the little gadget.


    At the same time, he felt his body strengthen ever so slightly.


    "As expected, as long as it''s in sword form, my class bonus applies," Maxime thought calmly. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you think he''ll win?" asked Lena, looking at Maxime who was facing Warrick on stage.


    "From what I''ve seen, he''s got a good chance." Varek replied simply, without getting too involved.


    Lena was a little surprised that the famous Varek could have such a high opinion of Maxime.


    After all, despite his appearances, Varek wasn''t just a simple squad captain. He was known as a veteran of many dimensional battlefields.


    Few could say how strong this guy was or how many talents he possessed.


    Compared to Varek, Warrick was a complete rookie.


    As Varek and Lena chatted while drinking, a floating countdown began on stage.


    [The match starts in:]


    5


    4


    3


    Maxime watched his opponent, analyzing his movements from the very first seconds.


    2


    1


    [Duel begins]


    Immediately Warrick launched a swift attack, aiming at Maxime''s flanks, but the latter dodged with a fluidity that made his opponent frown.


    Simultaneously, Maxime counter-attacked, a simple but precise move that forced the soldier to step back to avoid being hit.


    The crowd reacted immediately, some whistling with excitement, others laughing at the veteran''s dismay.


    Varek, at the foot of the stage, crossed his arms, clearly amused.


    "I''ll bet you a metre of shot that Maxime finishes it in under five minutes."


    "Bet''s on." replied Lena immediately with a smile.


    She didn''t believe that someone so young could stand up to a veteran.


    From the look on his face, she even thought Maxime might be the youngest person in the fortress.


    There was no way in hell that such a young person could defeat an elderly soldier who had been through many battles.


    The fight continued, and each exchange revealed a little more of the difference in level between the two adversaries.


    While the soldier tried to catch up with more aggressive movements, Maxime remained methodical. He exploited every opening with disconcerting precision, his face remaining impassive throughout.


    He applied all the advice he had received from Alaric, Langus and Kaite.


    Alaric was one of the best knights in the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, while Langus and Kaite were knights specially trained by a ducal family.


    They were all much stronger than average knights, and above all they had superior knowledge and fundamentals to most knights.


    Few people could claim the good fortune to be taught by such people.


    So Maxime''s mastery of the sword could already be considered exceptional, even if he was still lacking compared to a knight at peak stage.


    But from what he could see, Warrick simply had to be at the level of a knight in the entrance stage.


    So the difference in skill between the two became more and more glaring.


    "Am I dreaming or is Warrick really going to lose to a kid?"


    "You''re not dreaming, it''s happening right before our eyes, it''s crazy."


    "Have we been practicing badly all this time? How can someone so young be stronger than a veteran like Warrick?"


    The fight continued, and finally, after a subtle feint, Maxime disarmed his opponent in one clean motion, his holographic weapon stopping just inches from the soldier''s throat.


    A stunned silence fell over the room before a thunderous applause and enthusiastic shouts broke out.


    "I... I demand a rematch!" stammered the soldier as he straightened up, but Varek intervened before Maxime could reply.


    He shouted from the bar a little way off:


    "A veteran can''t admit defeat!? Don''t shame the army and get off this stage. Maxime doesn''t need to prove anything after dominating you for so long."


    Everyone around heard Varek''s words, but no one dared reply. His prestige was far too high, and Warrick simply walked off the stage with his head bowed.


    Maxime also stepped down from the stage, attracting admiring but also complicated glances.


    He returned to Varek and Lena at the bar and sat down.


    He saw the 10 shots on a board, and immediately felt the urge to take one.


    Varek noticed and laughed.


    "Take several if you feel like it, it''s free anyway!"


    "Free my ass." replied Lena immediately with an angry face.


    At the same time, she looked at Maxime with fierce eyes.


    "We don''t even know each other, why is she looking at me like that, that crazy woman?" wondered Maxime, but he didn''t care and took a glass of shot.


    He toasted with Varek, and the two did shot after shot under Lena''s burning eyes.


    "I''m the one who''s getting paid! Leave me a few, you birds of prey!"


    The first metre of shots was over very quickly, and more were ordered one after the other.


    The party was in full swing, and Maxime let himself be carried away by the contagious energy of the evening.


    He didn''t stay at the bar, but began to socialize with numerous soldiers from various battalions.


    Unwittingly, he began to build a small reputation for himself in this fortress.


    "The hard-drunk kid."


    That is to say, everyone could see how stoned he was, but somehow he managed to keep a trace of clarity in his eyes and in the way he spoke, impressing in the process many soldiers proud of their resistance to alcohol.


    And above all, this guy won every game of strength, dexterity and so on that the soldiers offered him in fun.


    Somehow, Maxime had blended into this raw camaraderie with surprising ease.


    He felt as if he were with his mercenaries, although his mercenaries seemed even more unbridled than these soldiers, perhaps due to their much lower average age.


    But in any case, he felt really good.


    At one point, a woman in a uniform adorned with silver embroidery approached him.


    Her short, black hair was impeccably coiffed, and her icy-blue eyes shone with acute intelligence.


    Directly, this woman seemed to shine in Maxime''s eyes.


    She had a wry smile and an assurance that left no room for shyness, as well as a temperament both gentle and fierce.


    Many of the soldiers standing next to Maxime at that moment didn''t even dare to speak, as this woman exuded something intimidating for them, and above all they knew her identity.


    However, Maxime didn''t care at all; he''d grown up mentally in the world of Eternity, and under the circumstances, he''d need a lot more to feel intimidated.


    The two began to exchange a few pleasantries while making a few innuendoes.


    Tension mounted as the evening wore on, and the two grew closer and closer as the evening reached its peak.


    As the first people began to leave, the two also took the opportunity to disappear.


    The next morning, Maxime opened his eyes in confusion, at the same time as a slight headache attacked him.


    Daylight pierced the curtains, and it took him a few seconds to recognize that he was in a rather luxurious room.


    Especially considering that soldiers normally slept in barracks with each other in this fortress.


    He turned his gaze and saw a beautiful young woman, her relaxed face in stark contrast to the imperious aura she''d exuded the night before.


    Maxime smiled slightly; despite his headache, he remembered everything, especially that he''d had a very pleasant evening.


    But he still didn''t know who she was, except that her first name was Le?la.


    Trying not to wake her, Maxime straightened up and quickly got ready.


    To his astonishment, Le?la opened one eye and said:


    "Are you planning to leave without me? That''s not very gallant."


    "I didn''t want to disturb a sleeping beauty." Maxime replied with a slight smile.


    "You talk pretty good. Wait till I get ready and let''s eat together."


    At the same time, she rose from the bed, revealing her bare body before Maxime''s amazed eyes.


    "Is the view pleasant?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Maxime with a charming smile.


    "Very pleasant." Maxime replied sincerely.

 Chapter 150 - 150: Strategy meeting room

    "Very pleasant." replied Maxime sincerely.


    Without a doubt, no man can get enough of a view like this.


    Le?la let out a soft laugh, before taking a shower.


    Meanwhile, Maxime watched the soldiers visible through the window as they bustled about the fortress.


    "I wonder what time it is?


    "And are we really on a battlefield? This is paradise right now," Maxime thought, reflecting on the previous evening.


    Half an hour later, Le?la opened the bathroom door and said:


    "You can use the shower while I do my hair if you like."


    Maxime nodded, and joined Le?la in the bathroom.


    The room was relatively narrow, but the two had shared such intimacy the day before that neither of them minded.


    From time to time, Le?la cast a few mischievous glances at Maxime''s well-proportioned body.


    Many soldiers had beautiful bodies, but Maxime''s, being young and especially reaching 4 points by the standards of the world of Eternity, was particularly pleasing to the eye.


    It was literally a body packed with explosive power, and it showed in his musculature.


    Le?la also noticed a few scars, mainly from bladed weapons but also from firearms.


    But she didn''t comment; she''d noticed that this young man was extraordinary the previous evening, or she wouldn''t have come to see him.


    Especially the scene of Maxime easily beating a veteran like Warrick.


    She could easily guess that this young man had significant fighting experience, and not just in the world of Eternity, otherwise he wouldn''t have been so calm when he fought.


    She knew that most of the time, those who spent their time fighting in Eternity but had no combat experience in the real world, acted differently.


    Indeed, unlike in Eternity, the slightest mistake could mean death in the real world.


    So their mentality was different.


    Soon the two finished getting ready and went to eat in the fortress canteen, under the curious, questioning gazes of many soldiers.


    "Am I dreaming where the Shibuya captain is having lunch with a young man?"


    "Maybe it''s her son?"


    "Given the mood between them, I doubt it."


    "Was the Shibuya goddess conquered last night?"


    The broken hearts of many men seemed to be audible in the cafeteria.


    Maxime obviously picked up a few words in the room, and looked at Le?la with strange eyes.


    The latter quietly sipped her coffee while looking at him with charming eyes, in spite of herself.


    "Any questions?" she asked softly.


    But Maxime shook his head.


    He didn''t want to know about Shibuya or anything else, because he felt it would spoil their relationship if he did.


    So the two simply ate their lunch, exchanging just a few words now and then.


    But the atmosphere was not heavy; on the contrary, both found it very pleasant.


    They weren''t questioning each other, just enjoying their time together.


    After twenty minutes, the two finished lunch.


    "I guess it''s time to go." said Le?la with a sad look on her face.


    "Go where?" asked Maxime curiously.


    "Oh, don''t you know? How cute." replied Le?la, first surprised, then smiling teasingly.


    "You''ll understand when we get there," she continued.


    The two left the canteen together, and as they chatted, she took her to an administrative room where everyone went to get a sheet of paper and a pencil from one of the available desks, next to a soldier.


    The two of them queued up together.


    After only about thirty seconds, it was their turn. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hello, I know madame is the Shibuya captain, but monsieur is?" asked the administrative staff, who glanced questioningly at Maxime.


    "Maxime Valdreuve." he replied, still not understanding what he was doing here.


    "The man at reception entered some information into his computer, then printed out two sheets of paper.


    "You''re registered. Here are the two sheets with your names and two pencils," he said, handing them the items mentioned.


    "Next."


    Maxime looked at the sheet, then saw roughly marked on it:


    "Testament Maxime Valdreuve."


    He was slightly confused when he saw this, and above all it was a stark reminder that he was on a battlefield.


    "Surprised?" asked Le?la with a sad smile.


    "A little, I didn''t imagine I''d be writing a will any time soon," replied Maxime, shaking his head.


    The idea of formalizing one''s last will and testament wasn''t totally foreign to his life - battlefields imposed a certain awareness of mortality - but it seemed more solemn in this context.


    Here, everything was real, and any mistake or misstep could mean the end.


    Le?la sat down at a nearby table, her expression oscillating between serenity and gravity. She began to fill in her own sheet, her closed features betraying a certain familiarity with the task.


    Maxime, for his part, bent over his sheet, pencil in hand.


    For a moment he didn''t know what to write, or rather where to start.


    But in the end it was relatively simple, since all he had in his life were his brother and his mother.


    So he wrote a few lines about them, about what he would bequeath to them, but above all about the words they would want to pass on to them if he really did die.


    Soon Leila finished, and raised her head, watching Maxime in silence. The young man was writing with concentration, his expression marked by an unexpected maturity for his age.


    For her part, it was something she''d done many times before, so it was pretty quick.


    When Maxime finished writing, he put down the pencil and exhaled slowly, as if to free himself of a weight.


    "I didn''t think I''d write more than 2,000 words at once, I had so much to tell them..." he thought a little sadly.


    He felt he hadn''t been spending enough time with his family lately, especially given the time he was spending in Eternity.


    He told them about his goals in life, particularly the fact that he wanted to become strong enough to protect them from any threat in this world, and that if he died here, he would regret nothing because he would have died for a noble cause: the protection of mankind.


    Of course, he didn''t mention the gods or his talent, although he was eager to confide in his mother, even if it was via a sheet of paper she might never see.


    Who knows if a curious eye would want to read his will when he wasn''t dead yet?


    Watching Maxime finish, Le?la gave a sympathetic smile.


    "It always feels that way the first time." she said softly.


    "But believe me, it brings you a strange kind of peace."


    Maxime stared at her, trying to understand her words. She continued:


    "Knowing that everything is settled, that your thoughts, your legacy, however minute, are in order. It frees you. You can concentrate on the present and the battles to come."


    "Well, it''s true that''s pretty important for morale."


    Maxime agreed completely with Leila.


    He couldn''t say that if he died, he''d die without regret, but at least part of his burden would have been eased by writing this will.


    Then the two of them got up and went to place their wills on the desk of the staff who had welcomed them.


    As they left the room, a different atmosphere reigned in the corridors. The light atmosphere of the previous day had given way to palpable tension. Soldiers were getting ready, adjusting their equipment and checking their weapons.


    Shots rang out here and there in the fortress, testing weapons.


    Le?la beckoned Maxime to follow her into a large strategic meeting room reserved for the top brass.


    Maxime was a little hesitant, but finally followed her.


    Here, he was still a little lost without Varek.


    In no time at all, they arrived and entered the room.


    "Hello everyone!" exclaimed Le?la with a big smile.


    All eyes instantly turned to Le?la, but especially to Maxime who was accompanying her.


    The room was vast and well-lit, adorned with the latest communications equipment and detailed maps of the surrounding area.


    These maps had been drawn the day before by the reconnaissance teams.


    In the center of the room was a table around which all 9 battalion commanders were seated.


    They were all very important men, and together they commanded the fortress''s 10,000 soldiers, not counting the mercenaries who could be summoned.


    At the end of the table was a young man whom Maxime had seen before.


    He was Kavasta, the fortress commander.


    "Le?la, always late." commented Kavasta with a slightly furious look.


    "What''s that? You want my fist in your face Kavasta?"


    When he heard Le?na speak like that, Maxime was shocked.


    He felt as if he''d discovered a whole new person.


    "Maybe it''ll relax your anus." she continued with a mocking look.


    A heavy silence suddenly settled over the room, broken only by the noise of nearby electronics.


    "Settle down Le?la, please." the first battalion commander said suddenly, breaking the silence.


    "Of course."


    At the same time, Maxime naturally followed her and found himself around the table alongside the battalion chiefs.


    At the same time, he thought:


    "So she''s a battalion commander? But didn''t it seem so? Why else would others call her the Shibuya captain?"


    "Normally military units don''t have names."


    Simultaneously everyone looked at him with suspicious glances.


    Maxime after being lost in thought for a moment, felt the glances on him and raised his head with a smile.


    "Hello."

 Chapter 151 - 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 battalion commanders 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."


    Leila''s words drew surprised shouts from those around the table.


    "What are you talking about, Le?la?" asked a battalion captain, thinking he''d misheard.


    "I said he was the Shibuya''s new deputy chief," replied Le?la 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?la? I don''t even know who the Shibuyas are!" exclaimed 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?la herself.


    "You''re just a high school student!?" she exclaimed, 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, he laughed out loud.


    His laughter seemed extremely inappropriate in this room where the army''s top brass had gathered to begin battalion deployments and organize the army accordingly.


    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 was completely unbridled, if he wanted to do something, he''d do it, no matter what anyone else thought.


    On hearing the joke, Le?la 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?la''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 becoming even more rigid.


    "A high schooler, eh?" He turned slowly to Le?la.


    "Captain, would you be so kind as to explain what a child is doing in this room?"


    Le?la, still a little unsettled by the revelation 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 veteran last 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?la, the strategy meeting room is not a training ground for amateurs."


    Maxime burst out laughing, cutting through the tension like a knife.


    "Hey, relax, guys. I''m not here to give orders or steal your medals. But if you want me to come out, make it clear."


    He pretended to head for the door before stopping, glancing teasingly at Kavasta.


    "Unless you need an extra brain around here."


    This last 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 declared 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, Leila, 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 the commander.


    "Captain Le?na, in future, avoid bringing just anyone into the strategic meeting room, and especially avoid appointing just anyone as Shibuya''s deputy," commented 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 regularly 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 of comparison, it was similar to an ordinary human running very fast and sprinting, but depleting their endurance very quickly in the process.


    With these characteristics, some people called them half-dragons.


    Le?la frowned, her expression betraying her concern.


    "The Dravaks... this dimensional battlefield won''t be easy. They''ve already succeeded 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 plan..."


    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 flank, 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?la 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 accompany this battalion."


    As if a magic word had appeared, everyone was reassured.


    He turned to Le?la.


    "Don''t try with your men to confront the Dravaks head-on, instead use your elite men to slow down their movement by adopting guerrilla tactics. You''re the best at it."


    Leila 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 good commander and continued to clarify 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 a complete rest.


    But he couldn''t help thinking back to Le?la and her strange choice to introduce him as her deputy.


    "Seriously, what was going through her head?" he muttered with a sigh. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 - 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 Warrick last 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 out laughing, 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.


    It was common practice in the fortress for everyone to help each other, otherwise if a detail wasn''t carried out in time it could delay the deployment of a battalion outside and therefore cause the death of many soldiers.


    Particularly during a rescue operation or to secure an area.


    However, the soldier had suggested this offhandedly, as it was also common 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, accommodation 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 their comrades who had gone out to the relaxation 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 clapping his hands or shoulder in thanks.


    "Hey, seriously, man, you really don''t look like an outsider." declared 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 a laugh.


    "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 glancing 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?la, a mischievous smile on her lips but a gleam of determination in her eyes.


    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?la 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?la 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?la 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 occurred to Le?la:


    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 could come 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 accumulate Eternity coins, so this was an interesting offer.


    Finally, he nodded slowly.


    An hour later.


    Maxime found himself in an armored vehicle with twenty or so Shibuya soldiers, all concentrated but rather relaxed.


    Everyone was equipped with sophisticated ranged weapons and armor, as well as melee weapons.


    After all, they were all seasoned Eternity players, 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. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 regular 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 relatively low.


    The atmosphere in the transport was therefore calm, despite the imminent approach of the enemy.


    The soldier driving, a veteran named Aric, glanced curiously at Maxime through his rearview mirror.


    "So, you''re the new kid who impressed Le?la? 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 of laughter 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 become 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 place was eerily silent, but an oppressive energy hung in the air.


    Le?la 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 could come from very far away.


    The soldiers dispersed efficiently, each one knowing his task. The vehicles were quickly covered with camouflage netting and moved under dense tree cover to make them invisible from the air. Meanwhile, Le?la 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?la, smirking as she teased him.


    Maxime shrugged.


    "I don''t know your methods, so I''d better not get too clever."


    Le?la 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 camouflaged, the squad formed up. Le?la led the way with palpable assurance, her movements silent and precise, while her men stretched out particularly 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 vigilantly beside Le?la.


    The clearing stretched out before them, flanked 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?la stopped dead in her tracks, raising a hand to signal everyone to stand still.


    "It''s strange, our scouts come back exactly every 15 minutes."


    "But this is 16 minutes."

 Chapter 153 - 153: Facing a Dravak warrior

    "But it''s been 16 minutes."


    His gaze scanned the trees ahead of them, his keen instincts telling him they weren''t alone.


    "If they attack us now, it could result in many casualties since we''re on open space."


    Maxime followed his gaze, squinting. He couldn''t see anything at first, but a slight movement drew his attention to a ridge to the west. A dark silhouette moved swiftly between the trees, almost imperceptible.


    "Up there." he whispered, casting a quick glance in the direction of the dark silhouette.


    Le?la nodded, confirming his observation.


    "Dravaks. And they know we''re here."


    A murmur ran through the soldiers, but no one moved without a direct order from their captain.


    Clearly, their guerrilla plan was going to fail completely and turn into a head-on confrontation. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Leila was confident that even against the Dravaks, her mercenaries had a chance.


    After a few seconds, and sensing something coming, Le?la shouted:


    "Scatter and find something to protect yourself immediately!"


    Hearing the order, no one hesitated and everyone dispersed through the forest.


    At the same time, a piercing cry echoed across the clearing. The Dravaks were moving into action.


    Energetic fire rained down from the forest ahead.


    Le?la and Maxime both hid behind nearby trees, but these exploded as soon as they were hit by enemy fire, so they had to maintain a high level of mobility.


    As the first salvo passed, a hundred silhouettes emerged from the shadows, humanoid creatures with dark armor and futuristic weapons. Their movement was methodical, while they exuded a cold, savage aggression.


    "Return fire! Don''t let them get any closer!" yelled Leila, emerging from her hiding place and firing at the Dravaks.


    The Shibuya reacted instantly, moving into position to intercept the onslaught.


    Shots burst through the air, killing a few Dravaks, but most managed to dodge.


    Maxime also started shooting, but his accuracy and sense of anticipation were poor, so he didn''t hit any Dravaks.


    At the same time, the Dravaks were advancing, their strategy clear: divide the Shibuya and eliminate their targets one by one.


    "Maxime, on your left!" shouted Le?la.


    He pivoted just in time to dodge an energy shot that grazed his shoulder. Reacting by instinct, he aimed and fired, hitting one of the Dravaks in the head.


    "Lucky!"


    The Dravak immediately fell out of the air and landed heavily next to Maxime.


    He was able to get a closer look, and Maxime was immediately frightened.


    "Damn, these guys are really gigantic."


    The body nearby was over 2 meters tall, and with its wings, they could cover up to 4 meters wide around it.


    It was truly impressive to see such a body so close.


    But Maxime had no time for further observation. Two more Dravaks were rushing towards him, their spears pointed at him.


    Indeed, the Dravaks were particularly fond of wielding spears, as they could maximize their aerial advantages and at the same time serve as powerful projectiles.


    Some of the soldiers he''d spoken to the day before had told him about a few species, and that some Dravaks could even destroy spaceships with an ordinary spear.


    Simultaneously, the environment around Maxime was very chaotic, with the Shibuya starting to fight hand-to-hand with the Dravaks, most of whom had already summoned some of Eternity''s men to help them.


    But Maxime, strangely enough, felt calm. His sense of combat was taking over.


    He deftly dodged an attack, ducking behind a tree to protect himself. He glanced quickly at Le?la, who was fighting a powerful Dravak that also looked different from the others.


    She was fighting with deadly precision, her saber dancing in the air like a bright flame, but clearly the duel was complicated for her, so she couldn''t come to his aid.


    Maxime took a deep breath. If he was to survive, he had to act quickly and intelligently.


    If these two Dravaks went toe-to-toe with him, Maxime didn''t know if he''d be a match for them.


    He didn''t know their capabilities, so it was best to use his rifle for the time being.


    He glanced around quickly, looking for an opening or a way to defend himself. His rifle, though powerful, wasn''t fast enough to neutralize them at this distance.


    "Well, we''ll have to improvise," he muttered, dodging a spear that planted itself in the tree behind him with devastating force, the wood splintering under the impact.


    Taking advantage of this moment, Maxime grabbed a piece of the broken tree, a thick branch, and threw it with all his might in the direction of one of the Dravaks.


    The latter deflected the object with ease, but this gesture diverted his attention just long enough for Maxime to roll onto his side and take time to aim.


    Then he fired several shots in the direction of the nearest Dravak. Two shots struck the creature''s armor, creating sparks, but the third hit its free neck. The Dravak staggered backwards before collapsing heavily.


    The second Dravak, furious, spread its wings and leapt into the air, trying to catch Maxime from above.


    He rolled again to avoid the diving attack and found himself behind the Dravak.


    "No way you''re going to run me over."


    He adjusted his rifle and fired point-blank into the creature''s back. The shot hit the armor with a thud, and the Dravak let out a heart-rending scream, but the armor had protected him well.


    He turned and plunged with his spear towards Maxime.


    Maxime threw down his rifle and drew the hilt of his sword, then as if by magic a beam of light burst forth.


    "Let''s see how powerful this thing is!


    Maxime threw himself at the Dravak, a smile on his face.


    Maxime dodged the spear with a small step to the side, then approached the Dravak very dangerously.


    But the Dravak also seemed to have exceptional fighting skills, and in these circumstances he managed to step back with the help of his wings while sweeping Maxime aside with the side of his spear.


    This time Maxime failed to dodge, and was thrown through several trees.


    At the same time, rifle shots flew past him until they landed in a distant spot.


    "Damn, this guy''s really strong!"


    But a smile came to Maxime''s lips.


    "But it''s so exciting!"


    That chaos, that thrill in battle, he didn''t know why but he loved it.


    "Hand-to-hand combat is so incredible," he murmured with satisfaction.


    At the same time, his opponent rushed at him again, his spear pointed at him.


    "Human, you''re pretty brave, but you''re no match for a Dravak warrior. Die."


    Maxime opened his eyes slightly surprised, he hadn''t expected a foreign race to be able to speak in his language.


    "You''re claiming victory a little too quickly." Maxime replied as he licked his lips, collecting some of the blood that had run down his lips when he fell.


    He looked wild in his appearance, but that didn''t intimidate the Dravak warrior at all.


    On the contrary, everyone of his species was similar to the human in front of him, if not much wilder.


    The Dravak warrior charged at impressive speed, his spear glinting in the sparse light that pierced through the trees. Maxime, still slightly stunned by his recent flight through the trunks, quickly straightened up, laser sword in hand.


    He took a few steps back, assessing the Dravak''s distance and momentum.


    As the spear came dangerously close, Maxime crouched at the last second and swung to the side, letting the weapon graze his shoulder. He took the opportunity to sweep his sword horizontally, aiming at the Dravak''s legs.


    A clang of metal echoed in the air: the Dravak''s armor had absorbed the blow, but the impact forced the creature to lose its balance for a moment.


    "Wow, what''s your armor made of to withstand a laser sword?" exclaimed Maxime, jumping back to create distance.


    The Dravak replied with a hoarse growl, his eyes shining with contempt.


    "You''re nothing but an insect. Your arrogance will get you killed."


    The Dravak swooped down on him, his spear arcing deadly. Maxime did a somersault to the side to dodge.


    "At this rate, this guy''s really going to get me..."


    And he didn''t want to summon his mercenaries, because apart from Kaite and Langus who were pretty strong, the others wouldn''t last a few seconds against this Dravak warrior.


    Firstly, because of the lack of equipment, and secondly, because of a significant physical difference.


    And above all, he wanted to take care of him alone, out of pride.


    At the same time, Maxime took a quick look around and spotted a cracked tree trunk, probably weakened by previous shots and explosions.


    "I might have an idea..." Maxime briefly holstered his sword and grabbed a small stone, which he hurled directly at the Dravak''s face.


    Caught off guard, the creature recoiled slightly, more from surprise than pain. This moment of hesitation allowed Maxime to dash at full speed towards the weakened trunk.


    With a powerful kick, he struck the base of the trunk, sending it reeling. The tree, already precariously balanced, began to collapse with a dull crack.


    The Dravak, realizing the plan, tried to back away, but Maxime''s timing was perfect. The tree came down with a monumental crash, trapping one of the warrior''s wings under its massive weight.


    "Not so invincible, eh?" gasped Maxime, catching his breath.


    "Yes, always invincible." shouted the Dravak, laughing aloud.


    Then with his thick arms, he lifted the tree trunk and swung it away, causing a mini earthquake nearby as the tree landed on the ground.


    "Great..." murmured Maxime.

 Chapter 154 - 154: Dravus, the Dravak warrior

    "Great..." murmured Maxime.


    All around him, chaos persisted, but the Shibuya were really fighting back.


    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''t last 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 flank, 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 to compress it and prevent too much blood escaping. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Dravak didn''t reply, just laughed mockingly before coming at him again. But this time, Maxime had a plan.


    As the Dravak raised his spear for a fatal blow, Maxime leapt forward towards the ground, almost slipping underneath him.


    He planted 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''s laser sword head-on.


    His armor and the sword''s laser clashed for less than a second, until the armor gave way.


    "ARRRGGHHH"


    The pain of a laser 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 blazing 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''d come 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 of competing 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 playing 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!" exclaimed the latter 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 plans 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''s combative 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 their comfort 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, lacked 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 155 - 155: Recruiting the Dravak warrior!

    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.


    As a genius, he mastered many weapons, so he was not to be underestimated, despite the fact that he was no longer holding his spear.


    Kaite and Langus took a quick look at him, then, with quick steps, charged at him.


    Langus rushed at the Dravak with lightning speed, sword in hand. Kaite followed close behind, his precise, elegant movements contrasting with his companion''s brutal approach.


    Dravus, though wounded, crouched slightly, his piercing gaze anticipating their movements.


    Clang!


    Dravak''s dagger met Langus''s sword in a clash of sparks.


    Immediately, Langus''s sword exploded into a thousand pieces before his shocked eyes.


    "What!? That sword was worth at least 10 gold coins!"


    Langus was bewildered; it would be at least months before he could buy a sword of similar quality.


    But fortunately he was an experienced knight, so he recovered quickly and took a step back to avoid Dravus'' counter-attack.


    Taking advantage of the moment, Kaite performed a feint, plunging his sword towards the Dravak warrior''s exposed flank.


    But despite his wounds, the Dravak''s instinct did not fail: he pivoted and deflected Kaite''s attack with a precise backhand.


    "Fast... and well-trained" he growled.


    The duel intensified.


    Despite the absence of his sword, Langus was a knight who was also skilled in hand-to-hand combat, so he could always create opportunities for Kaite without suffering serious injury.


    Dravus, despite his condition, resisted with impressive mastery. His movements were calculated, every dodge meticulous, every counterattack dazzling.


    He was truly a genius with an excellent sense of combat.


    Yet, little by little, the accumulated wounds weighed on him. His breath became shorter and his movements slower. Kaite noticed a gap in his guard.


    "Langus, now!" she shouted.


    Langus understood immediately and pretended to attack from the front, attracting Dravus'' attention.


    And because of his state of fatigue and wounds, he didn''t see Kaite slip up behind him and strike with all her might, her sword piercing Dravus''s thick skin.


    Even if their swords were of low quality, it was still sharp enough to pierce a Dravak''s natural skin.


    Dravus'' howl echoed in the surrounding area. He collapsed to his knees, stabbing his dagger into the ground as if it were a support for him.


    Then Kaite withdrew his sword in one clean sweep, leaving the warrior gasping for breath and letting out another grunt of pain.


    It should be noted that Kaite and Langus were also blocked by the restriction of the God of another universe.


    So, in this world, if Maxime had to face them alone and with equipment of similar quality, he would undoubtedly lose.


    Hence the importance of having men under orders under his men when the 3-point limit was reached.


    These men could really change the course of a battle, but of course it was very difficult to find knights who were willing to pledge allegiance without a noble title.


    Most people had a few apprentice knights with complicated pasts.


    Otherwise, if everyone could have knights under their command, there''d be no need for battles.


    The human race would roll over all other races in dimensional battlefields, and be the strongest race thanks to its sheer number of powerful men.


    Thanks to Viviana''s talent, Maxime had been able to observe the short duel and recover sufficiently to stand up and face Dravus.


    Dravus saw this scene and was surprised.


    "You! How can you still stand!?"


    "Talent." replied Maxime lightly with a smile.


    This scene seemed particularly out of context, while all around them, there was a lot of shooting going on, as well as Shibuya mercenaries confronting Dravaks.


    Langus and Kaite watched the battlefield with curious eyes.


    "So war can look like this too?" they thought with shock.


    At the same time, Maxime began to activate the effect of his talent: [Absolute Contract].


    He closed his eyes and let the heat seep into them.


    When he opened them again, his pupils glowed with a golden light. A strange energy filled the air, vibrating like an invisible rope stretched between him and Dravus.


    Dravak watched the scene, squinting.


    "What kind of sorcery is this? Just kill me instead of doing these strange things."


    "Don''t worry, you''re not going to die." Langus reassured him with a gentle smile.


    He was taking a malicious pleasure in seeing another person suffer from this cursed contract.


    And Dravus noticed immediately, as the man''s gentle smile looked extremely Machiavellian to him, and he even began to feel a little scared.


    "You''ll even gain a precious opportunity to become stronger." Kaite added, his eyes excited.


    It seemed that both knights were really enjoying watching this scene in which they themselves had been the protagonists in the past.


    Then Dravus saw Maxime stretch out his right hand in front of him.


    Suddenly, glittering words appeared in the air, traced by an ethereal light.


    Fortunately, the battlefield was sufficiently chaotic and the environment sufficiently overgrown with trees and bushes, that nobody saw anything.


    "Shit, to blot my honor like that what a humiliation."


    Dravus was deeply angry, and as if he''d had a new surge of strength, he pulled his dagger from the ground and tried to stab it into his heart.


    He wanted to kill himself.


    Immediately Kaite and Langus pounced on the Dravak and pulled on his arm to dissipate the dagger''s momentum.


    Maxime, for his part, was not panicked, and silently read the words written in the light, his lips barely moving.


    Finally, he spoke, his voice deeper, with a strange echo.


    "I, Maxime, wish to conclude a contract with the designated person."


    The light between them suddenly transformed into a golden spiral, like a luminous vortex.


    "No, no, no, I don''t want to sign a contract!"


    Dravus at this point was extremely panicked.


    He was a young genius of the Dravaks, he had thought until then that he was a strong man with the honor of his race.


    And indeed, he was not afraid of death and had proved it by attempting suicide.


    But now he was afraid of what the young human in front of him was doing.


    Then, finally, the spiral seemed to rush towards him, penetrating his eyes.


    He seemed to possess it as he gave off golden light through his eyes.


    Simultaneously, an ethereal contract appeared between him and Maxime, linking them by an extremely thin golden thread.


    Dravis felt a phenomenal power seeping into both his body and his soul.


    "No! No! No! I don''t want to!"


    He resisted with all his might, but no matter what he did, he felt this power invade him completely without anything being able to block it or even slow it down.


    After only a few dozen seconds, the floating, dazzling contract vanished in a shower of luminous flashes.


    Dravus collapsed completely, staring at the ground in bewilderment, wondering what had happened.


    He raised his head slightly and saw the young human looking at him with a smile.


    "Welcome to the Saber-toothed Tigers."


    Langus and Kaite looked at him with sympathetic but slightly joyful eyes too.


    For Dravus was a truly strong man, so the mercenary group had improved again and its prospects were becoming better too!


    Above all, the possibility of betrayal was completely nil, so whatever difficulties they might encounter in the future, they had a new back to lean on in difficult battles.


    "The Saber-toothed Tigers?" asked Dravus, dazed.


    "That''s our mercenary group." replied Maxime lightly. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dravus seemed to have all his energy draining away.


    "I''m now under the orders of a human...a human..."


    His mind was completely shattered.


    Maxime frowned, if his new warrior remained in such a state, he''d rather kill him to get a new location and sign a contract with another individual.


    "Do you have any dreams, Dravus?"


    Dravus slowly raised his head, his face marked by a pain far deeper than that of his physical wounds.


    His glowing eyes seemed extinguished, as if Maxime had evoked a memory he would have preferred to forget forever.


    "Dreams?" he repeated, his voice hoarse.


    "Maybe I did... once."


    At the same time, Maxime glanced at Langus and Kaite and immediately issued an order:


    "Go help the mercenaries in Shibuya."


    Langus and Kaite nodded, a little sad to miss their new colleague''s story.


    Maxime didn''t want them to know Dravus''s story, and above all there was no point in them knowing the story.


    If they wanted to know, they could ask him in the future.


    As for Maxime, he could also go and help the Shibuya and save a few lives, but his priority was to recruit and retain his new warrior.


    After all, he knew how bright the world could be, but he also knew how dark it could be.


    The Shibuya mercenaries were nice, and so was their captain, but he didn''t yet know them well enough to prioritize their rescue over that of recruiting his new warrior.


    Maxime sat down in front of him and said:


    "I''m listening."


    Dravus clenched his fists, but since it had come to this, he could afford to let go of the stone weighing heavily on his heart.


    So he began to tell Maximus his story.

 Chapter 156 - 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 ablaze 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 become 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 place among the Dravaks.


    Their society, though proud and disciplined, was dominated by the law 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 accuse Dravus of treason against the tribe.


    The accusations were absurd, but Korran''s word carried more weight than that of anyone but the chief.


    Dravus was challenged to single combat, but not by Korran. No, the latter 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.


    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 declared that Dravus was no longer worthy of protecting Lyssra.


    In front of the entire tribe, he demanded that she become his.


    Lyssra refused with a firmness that inspired admiration and terror in the other women of the tribe.


    But the laws 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 from committing suicide.


    Until the tribal chief intervened, and refused his son''s order.


    He explained 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 become 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 you command my men and become 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 particularly laudatory about that.


    But at the same time, the idea of collaborating 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 succeed in conquering this Dravak. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 hope competed 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 threats lay 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 similar force, and nothing would happen.


    "Let''s go now." Maxime ordered, easily withdrawing his hand.


    All around them, the clash of weapons and war cries filled the air as Shibuya''s mercenaries struggled desperately to contain the Dravaks'' onslaught.


    Dravus nodded in agreement.


    They joined the nearest shots, arriving between more than twenty Dravaks and a dozen Shibuya mercenaries accompanied by some twenty men from Eternity.


    It was easy to distinguish between the mercenaries and their men, as the latter wore equipment designed for hand-to-hand combat.


    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 glanced 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 Dravak comrades 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 - 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 calculated force of an accomplished 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'' language, they couldn''t sense when the situation was about to explode again.


    If they reacted too late, 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 Dravak language.


    His wings were disproportionately large and his scarlet armor was still splattered with the blood of Shibuya''s mercenaries.


    Clearly, he was one of the Dravak leaders on this battlefield.


    The latter split the earth with a heavy step, followed by several other Dravak warriors, their blazing gazes focused on their former brother-in-arms.


    Dravius took a step back, his spear pointing downwards, but without showing any fear. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 become a dog of humans?"


    The other Dravaks growled, their fury palpable. But Dravius remained impassive.


    He wiped the blood from the blade 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 particularly 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 slammed 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 plains.


    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 Dravak language 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 becoming almost melancholy.


    "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 ruthless commanders, 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 calculated, almost mocking nonchalance.


    "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 assailant in a flash, the sharp blade 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 raucous laugh.


    "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 of combat 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-placed kick.


    Kaelor watched, motionless, his eyes blazing 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 Dravak language, surprised everyone, Dravius first.


    He''d naturally learned it from the contract, without necessarily meaning to.


    But if the master didn''t know his slave''s language, could he guess when he heard him inadvertently, whether he was complimenting or insulting him?


    One of the effects of a talent coming from an SSS-level God could naturally not involve such a flaw.


    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 penetrated 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 out laughing, 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 family come 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."


    The laughter 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 were laughing 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 to laugh at Maxime''s words.


    "This little human is so arrogant and funny!"

 Chapter 158 - 158: The universe that feared humanity

    The Dravaks'' first reaction was to laugh at Maxime''s words.


    "That little human is so arrogant and funny!" muttered one of the ordinary Dravaks forming part of the encirclement.


    "He wouldn''t even be able to take on a Dravak child, I''m sure." continued another right next to him, also laughing.


    In their minds, humans could compete with them, only thanks to Eternity.


    It''s important to make a point of history here, which Maxime was also aware of as a human being.


    All the races of the Omega Universe were extremely jealous of humans.


    The Omega universe was the universe in which both humans and Pirans lived.


    And they were up against the Delta universe, from which the Dravaks came in particular.


    Excluding Eternity, in terms of ranking, humans would only be in the lower-middle range in terms of fighting power in the Omega universe.


    And it was only thanks to the innovative spirit and scientific prowess of their race''s scientific geniuses that they could have reached such heights.


    In terms of individual combat power, they would have been among the 100 weakest species, bearing in mind that there were at least ten thousand intelligent races in the Omega universe!


    But it was this weak species, thanks to Eternity, that was in the top 10 of the strongest races in the Omega universe!


    When the monsters were discovered, the human race was still living in a dark corner of the universe with no interesting resources.


    As a result, no race had come to disturb them, while the human race was quietly developing, albeit with many internal conflicts.


    Some extraterrestrial races even saw the human planet as a playground, where by displaying a little of their strength, it was possible to be considered a deity.


    Many companies saw this as an excellent business opportunity, and began selling tickets for a year''s stay on the planet.


    Customers were accompanied by a few professional advisors, who told them what they had to do to become gods and be admired by humans.


    Naturally, places were extremely limited and therefore extremely expensive!


    As time went by, humans became less credulous, and some even began to find various ways of killing these famous "Gods".


    This meant that the weaker members of various nearby races no longer found pleasure in coming to the human planet, while the stronger ones were too busy with their own occupations and responsibilities.


    Watches were introduced during this period, and thanks to them, humanity evolved extremely rapidly.


    If Maxime could evolve so much in just a few months in Eterniy, there were also many geniuses, out of the billions of human beings on Earth, who could also evolve rapidly!


    Even more so in the space of a few hundred years!


    Despite the restriction of the universe from the 3 points of physics, many humans became extremely powerful thanks to Eternity, so strong that they could be considered strategic weapons on a par with nuclear bombs.


    In the beginning, conflicts broke out between nations.


    But seeing no winner after ten years, the powerful men imposed a peace treaty.


    Wasn''t it nice to be able to continue playing Eternity without having to risk your life for a few pieces of power?


    Most of them had superior power in Eternity, so that little power in the real world wasn''t so important in hindsight.


    And above all, they could see much further.


    So these people standing at the pinnacle of humanity began to set their eyes on other planets.


    They invested heavily in the development of spaceships and weapons of war for this purpose.


    It took just a few years to build up a powerful fleet.


    Indeed, for some people who had become very powerful thanks to Eternity, it was easy to make a few calculations and draw up a few spaceship plans.


    Most of the time was spent gathering materials and building production plants.


    Once the spaceships had been built and sent out on expeditions with many powerful men on board, they quickly reported many successes.


    The "weaker" races in the vicinity were unable to resist the powerful humans and were directly eradicated or turned into slaves.


    All their resources were occupied. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These resources were important for the development of the human race, particularly in the space fleet and infrastructure.


    An information blockade was also enforced by the top leaders of the human race to prevent them from being taken over by other races.


    But no matter how hard they tried, the powerful races of the universe finally received the news.


    But clearly, most of them couldn''t care less about the conflict of a few weaker races.


    Only a few races close to human territory perceived the threat and formed an alliance.


    This alliance consisted of 3 races, including the Pirans.


    They launched a simultaneous attack from various parts of human territory.


    But by this time, human experts were already spread throughout the newly conquered territory.


    All had begun to mark their own territory as their own, like the Western Federation.


    And every strongman began to receive noble titles according to their strength and contribution to the war.


    This plan exploited the inherent desires of each human soldier, defending the territory to a large extent as well as accelerating the development of the newly conquered territory.


    After all, once you''ve got a territory to your name, who wouldn''t give their all to develop it and become a true lord?


    Wouldn''t that be a waste?


    In these circumstances, the alien alliance''s attack was naturally a failure, and the human counter-attack was all the more violent.


    The other races of the universe could never have guessed that human experts were breaking concepts inherent to all races.


    Such as bringing strong men and geniuses together in one place.


    Because normally, all races needed resources and talented people to train their elite!


    And different places benefited from different degrees of resource inclination and individuals ready to teach.


    No, instead, the human race dispatched them completely.


    And this, the other races couldn''t guess.


    How was it possible to hypothesize that mankind had watches that enabled them to become stronger by going to another world?


    And that, for them, no matter where they went, it didn''t change the progression of their strength?


    Fortunately for the alliance, they were quick to react, issuing various appeals for help, including to races they''d been at war with for millennia!


    A single short message was transmitted:


    "Come and help us or in less than 100 years all the races in the West of the Omega universe will be eradicated or turned into slaves!"


    Many races took this message very seriously.


    How could they not? 3 emperors of different races, all of them in the top 200, had personally signed the note!


    A race called the Aelodins, ranked in the top 10 most powerful races, also received the note and sent all their warriors against the human race.


    The Aelodins are a rather young race, only a few million years old.


    Compared to other races that have existed for hundreds of millions of years, they were very young indeed.


    This was because they were born of a legendary union between an extremely magically gifted woman and a titan.


    No one knew this woman''s race or identity, except perhaps a few individuals in the universe and the high-ranking Aelodins.


    Titans, on the other hand, were humanoid monsters, ranging in size from 2 meters to tens of thousands of meters, depending on their inclination and strength.


    They were known to have been born at the same time as the universe.


    Their numbers were very limited, and their extremely poor reproductive capacity led to their species becoming very rare.


    But thanks to their exceptional longevity and a physique that could almost be described as indestructible, many of them had overcome every catastrophe this universe had ever encountered.


    It was even said that the titan, father of the Aelodins, still lived and protected his "children" in the shadows.


    The Aelodins, who had titanic blood but also inherited the mysterious woman''s gift for magic, possessed exceptional potential.


    Their extraordinary physical strength and innate mastery of magic enabled them to rapidly conquer the territories surrounding their home planet.


    More precisely, each A��lodin possessed an elemental affinity from birth:


    Celestial fire, eternal frost, divine lightning, abyssal shadows and purifying light.


    Each of these affinities was extraordinary and among the most powerful obtainable in the Omega universe.


    In contrast, few humans had a magical affinity with a basic element of the universe.


    Aelodins were also born with a unique talent that generally enabled them to either improve their physique or enhance their magic.


    Based on these parameters, humans used to classify Aelodins as magical warriors or close-combat mages, depending on their talents.


    On top of all this, Aelodins also possessed natural resistance to magical elements, as well as extraordinary regeneration.


    In short, in terms of combat potential alone, Aelodins could be placed in the top 3 of the Omega universe.


    Fortunately, God is just, and they had also inherited a flaw from the giants: they had low fertility.


    Because of this characteristic and because their species was relatively young, they were placed towards the bottom of the top 10.


    But the top 10 was the top 10!


    When this race began to get involved, every race in the universe thought humanity was finished.


    And so it was, under the leadership of the Aelodin, over a hundred races also sent their warriors and reclaimed the newly conquered territory from the humans in just a few hundred years.


    Only the planet Earth, the original home of human beings, was preserved.


    Afterwards, the official version was that the strong men of the human race held their own against the other races of the universe.


    And indeed, the human race still possessed many strongmen and even showed strength comparable to the top 10 most powerful races in the universe!


    But faced with the Aelodins and the alliance of a hundred races, how could they really resist?


    The human race was still too young!


    Many believed that the only reason they were still alive was because they had mastered the mysterious power of the monsters, and thus access to Eternity.


    The theory was that they stayed alive because the other races wanted to master the power to come and go in Eternity.


    Others thought that one or more very strong men of the human race had fled into the vast universe, and threatened to go mad if one race actually eradicated mankind.


    There was also speculation that certain powerful races had issued orders to conserve humans for diversity.


    Like an association to protect the diversity of animals that already existed on Earth.


    And a final hypothesis was that the human race added power on dimensional battlefields to defend against the Delta Universe, and indeed it did.


    But to what extent? Humans didn''t really know.


    Hence the remarks of ordinary Dravaks who also knew "the famous" history of mankind.


    After all, it was well-known gossip.


    A universe had blocked the rise of a race that could have become the strongest of all because it was afraid of it.

 Chapter 159 - 159: Oscar

    A universe had blocked the ascension of a race that could have become 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 simulation.


    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 similar, the Dravaks were to some extent comparable 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 through combat.


    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 classifying bloodlines. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this classification could be explained later.


    What was important to know was that, regardless of lineage rank, every Dravak warrior who had awakened his ancestral blood could become 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 through combat.


    The method of awakening and the method of progression were therefore similar.


    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 the complete 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 certain combat 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 their combat power significantly!


    ...


    But as the two young Dravaks chatted and laughed at the young human, they suddenly saw him looking in their direction.


    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 battalion commander Kaelor, but in the latter''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 and come 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 particular, he swooped down on a group of two ordinary Dravaks. His blade 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.


    The Dravaks who had laughed at him moments earlier exchanged stunned glances.


    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 replaced by calculated caution.


    Maxime turned off the laser 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 glances, while Dravius, though still angry, couldn''t help but nod.


    The two knights in particular 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 had laughed, 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 succeeded 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 flapping 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!


    The latter was temporarily pushed back, and seeing his comrades on the ground, he joined them and landed 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 particularly strongly to this Dravak named Oscar.


    "Yeah," Oscar replied in a bored tone.


    His armor was still clean, as if he hadn''t been in combat.


    "So, is she?" asked Kaelor out of curiosity, looking at the human who had fallen violently to the ground.


    "Leila, 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 Dravak language, 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 fortress commander and all the battalion commanders should land 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 160 - 160: Invocation

    "Oscar, and he''s a Dravak who managed to awaken his blood."


    The words shocked Maxime, for he knew the weight a Dravak with awakened bloodline had thanks to the previous day''s discussions in the relaxation area!


    A single Dravak with his bloodline awakened could literally change the entire course of the battlefield!


    And he didn''t think he was currently up to the task, on his own, of a Dravak who had succeeded in awakening his bloodline!


    However, he wasn''t really worried; he himself had his own plan and thought he could turn the tide at any moment.


    "But there are also strong and weak Dravaks among those who awaken the blood, and Oscar is one of the weakest," Dravus continued in a flat tone.


    Maxime nodded carelessly.


    Although he was relieved that Oscar wasn''t among the most powerful of the awakened Dravaks, he knew he couldn''t afford to underestimate him.


    But apart from him and a few Dravaks, most of the other opponents had relatively ordinary fighting power.


    What was more worrying was that, over time, both the Dravaks and the Shibuyas were gathering here.


    But the Shibuya were only 300 men strong, while it seemed that more and more Dravaks were arriving.


    The oppressive weight of the situation seemed to hang over the entire battlefield, with every eye on Maxime.


    After all, Le?la, the Shibuya captain, was on the ground, her silhouette still covered by smoke.


    The Shibuya had no one left to lead them, except for a few remaining leaders.


    Leila couldn''t do everything herself in a regiment of over 300 mercenaries, so there were many leaders in the group as well as a clear hierarchy.


    Otherwise, knowing that mercenaries tended to be very undisciplined when they weren''t on a mission, it would be chaos.


    Soon, 3 silhouettes took the initiative to emerge from the mercenaries and head towards Maxime.


    These 3 people were each responsible for a hundred or so mercenaries, and at the same time they were all endowed with formidable power.


    If they weren''t, Shibuya wouldn''t be as respected as it is today.


    The 300 mercenaries could even command the admiration of regimental commanders and the base commander - that''s how fierce they were!


    The first leader, an imposing man with dark skin and piercing eyes like blades, bore a deep scar that ran from his chin to his left cheekbone.


    He stood erect, his gaze burning with determination.


    He soon came within sight of Maxime, but also Oscar, Kaelor, and numerous Dravaks who stood in a bow before them.


    "I am Edgar Valtieri." he declared in a deep voice.


    "As Le?la''s second in command, I''ll be taking over."


    Hearing this, Maxime wasn''t particularly displeased.


    Rare were the people who could stand up in this kind of situation and not be afraid of death.


    At his side was a slender woman with short, blue-tinted hair. Her fluid, precise movements suggested a formidable skill.


    She smiled with a certain grace, as if her life were not in danger here.


    "Sophia Reinhardt" she said lightly.


    The younger man had a casual air, but his hands were firmly gripped to his weapons, ready to react to any situation.


    His white hair, contrasting with his youthful face, gave him a spectral air.


    "And I''m Lucien Moreau."


    "We have a plan. You go with our leader, and we''ll take care of the rest."


    Edgar, taking a deep breath, continued:


    "I''ve already discussed it with the Shibuyas. We''ll sacrifice ourselves to cover your retreat and that of your men. Please take care of our leader."


    Then he bowed slightly to Maxime.


    Oscar, who was right next to him and perfectly at ease, looked at the young blond human in front of him with disdainful eyes.


    He understood perfectly well the discussion taking place in front of him, as did Kaelor.


    Both were already extremely convinced that they could hold all the Shibuya mercenaries here, and eradicate every last one of them.


    Maxime watched the three Shibuya with respect, but it seemed they hadn''t noticed the situation, and really thought they could hold these Dravaks here.


    "I think there should be two Dravak regiments here, not just one, contrary to the information we''ve been given."


    "You can barely take on an ordinary Dravak regiment head-on, but there are at least 3,000 Dravaks here by the looks of it."


    "Not counting Dravak strongmen, do you seriously think you can hold off 3000 Dravaks with just 300 men?" he asked in a solemn tone, his words sounding like a hammer blow.


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia didn''t know how to react to this question.


    "Do we have any other choice?" Edgar finally replied.


    "You can sacrifice yourselves if you like, but know one thing: I''m going to stay here, and I''m going to slaughter them all."


    A heavy silence fell around him.


    Edgar clenched his fists, rage bubbling in his eyes. Sophia took a step forward, her weapons ready to cleave the air. As for Lucien, he exploded:


    "You think you can take on the Dravaks alone? You''re an arrogant fool!" sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An uproar arose between Shibuya and Maxime, but the latter was impassive and self-assured.


    On the other side, Oscar, the awakened Dravak, burst out laughing, a sinister, mocking laugh.


    "Watch these humans tearing each other apart, it''s really such a satisfying sight."


    Maxime looked slightly at Oscar.


    "When you have my sword stuck in your heart, will you find the feeling satisfying too?"


    Oscar''s expression suddenly turned hideous.


    Ever since he''d broken through, everyone had idolized him, and no one dared speak to him in such a provocative tone.


    But he was extremely confident, and as he imagined some of the scenes that would follow, he began to laugh.


    A cold, razor-sharp laugh. He set his blazing eyes on Maxime, his features distorted by a contemptuous smile.


    "Once you crawl to my feet and beg for your life, you''ll no longer have that irritating expression." he said in an icy voice, every word oozing with terrifying assurance.


    Maxime, far from being impressed, merely raised an eyebrow, his provocative smile still frozen on his face.


    "You talk a lot for someone who needs so many allies to look after me," he retorted, his voice saturated with contempt.


    Kaelor, hitherto silent, took a step forward. This massive Dravak, with a musculature so dense it seemed almost unreal, regarded Maxime like an insect.


    His red eyes glowed with a predatory gleam.


    "Me alone is enough to take care of a human like you, a Dravak with awakened bloodline doesn''t need to intervene."


    "Don''t worry, it''ll be quick, in less than ten seconds you''ll have found eternal peace."


    The tension rose a notch. The Shibuyas exchanged worried glances, wondering if Maxime had gone too far in provoking these two Dravaks at once.


    Maxime crossed his arms, unperturbed.


    "Ten seconds, eh?" he murmured, before smiling with a certain contempt.


    As he said this, countless circles of light appeared behind him.


    "Summoning circles?"


    Oscar was surprised by the number, usually humans summoned only a few humans.


    But when he sensed the weak aura of these humans, and thus guessed that most barely touched the 2 points of physics, he burst out laughing.


    "Do you think there will be enough of us to defeat them?"


    "The Dravaks race is one of the strongest races in the Delta universe!"


    At the same time Oscar clenched his fists, as a dark, oppressive aura emanated from him, pushing aside a few Dravaks standing nearby.


    Only Kaelor did not move from his position.


    "You think you can defy us?" he roared, his cruel smile widening.


    "When I crush you, you''ll understand how awakened Dravaks are above an inferior species like yours."


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia didn''t understand what Maxime was doing.


    The 3 were all very strong, all having 3 or more physics points.


    So he could also sense that these figures were only at apprentice knight level at the most, and that without proper equipment, the situation wasn''t going to change at all.


    Sophia tried to intervene, her voice betraying a hint of urgency.


    "Please Maxime, take our leader and run!"


    But Maxime raised a hand to silence her, without even looking at her. His eyes were fixed on Oscar and Kaelor, like a predator watching its prey.


    "You talk too much." he said calmly.


    "Why don''t you come and see if your threats hold up against me?"


    The battlefield seemed suspended, each side holding its breath. Oscar and Kaelor stepped forward, their heavy footsteps sounding like thunderclaps.


    Kaelor, a cruel smile on his lips, murmured loud enough for Maxime to hear:


    "I''m going to savor every second."


    Oscar nodded, his gaze burning with cold rage.


    "Let''s begin, human. Show me how pathetic you are."


    But Maxime, instead of drawing his sword, shoved his hands into the pockets of his combat pants.


    At the same time, he murmured:


    "Nox Limit..."


    boom


    An explosion of aura erupted from him as his own physique struggled to surpass the limits imposed by the God of the Delta universe.


    At the same time, his mercenaries appeared one after the other.


    A wave of terrifying aura swept across the battlefield. As the circles of light dissipated, everyone could see an impressive group of powerful warriors ready to do battle.


    Their presence imposed a sudden silence.


    Charle, Ultia, Henry , Andrew , Laura , Ernest, Garen, Lira, Romuald, Rodrigo, Tena, Izo, Terry, James, Piedro and young geniuses from Plouta such as Ivan, Wigor and Liam were all there.


    In all, over a hundred mercenaries were present.


    And under the influence of Maxime''s talent, the physique of most of them went straight to 3 points!


    It should be noted that on a yellow-level battlefield, individuals with 3 points of physique were rare!


    But all at once, some 70 strong men of this level appeared!


    With the naked eye, the Dravaks could see that there were many experienced men among them.


    Fear began to spread through their ranks.


    "Kill." ordered Maxime, smiling slightly.

 Chapter 161 - 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 succeeded 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 become 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 plan.


    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! S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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, combined 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 was coming from his side, sword pointed directly at him!


    And with his inertia, he couldn''t flap 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!


    "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 incomparably superior to a vulgar inferior species than humans!"


    ...


    While Kaite and Kaelor began to clash violently, Langus found it much harder to hold Oscar.


    "Is that all you''re worth?" declared 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 flames coming 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 overcome by flames and shouted at the top of his voice.


    "AHHHHHH."


    Langus collapsed to the ground, his body covered in an incandescent veil. Oscar''s flames were no ordinary tongues of fire; they seemed alive, clinging to him like hungry claws, 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 flames.


    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 inhalation drawing in burning vapors that devoured his lungs.


    His mind wavered, but he held on, refusing to succumb.


    The vital seed pulsing within him, his last bulwark against annihilation, activated desperately.


    A cold, regenerative energy began to counter the flames, 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 planted the weapon in the ground and straightened up, his muscles trembling, his breath ragged. The flames began to fade slightly, but Oscar wasn''t done yet.


    "Impressive. You''re still standing? So let''s see how long you can last!" 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 clarity. 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 strange comfort in his opponent''s reaction. He had succeeded in wounding that self-centered Dravak.


    Langus wanted to respond, but he could no longer.


    He fell to the ground, the flames still consuming him.


    Indeed, when surrounded by flame, 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 flames, 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 a laser sword passed where he stood.


    "Too bad, it would have been so much easier if you''d stayed quietly in place."


    Oscar eyed the young blond man warily without replying.


    Even against Le?la, 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 regularly 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.


    Edgar commanded a compact 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 particularly 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 - 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 less combat experience, were temporarily disconcerted by this fact.


    But the elites who had accompanied 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-hand combat 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 real combat.


    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 accompanied 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 collapsed 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 playing 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 the command of Langus and Kaite also showed astonishing fighting prowess. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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..."


    "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 become 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 players.


    And it was because they were players 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-class 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 corpse lay 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.


    His laser sword was held firmly in his hands.


    His translucent white eyes were fixed on Oscar.


    Maxime''s fingers tightened around the hilt of his laser sword.


    His eyes, usually calm and measured, were filled with cold, implacable rage.


    Oscar, draped in an aura of dancing flames, 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..." commented 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 declared with a playful 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 was completely 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!


    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 163 - 163: Fighting Oscar!

    Their leader, so arrogant a moment before, had been so easily wounded?


    "So what do you think of the strength of a Dravak who has awakened his bloodline?" declared Oscar in a scornful tone.


    However, he himself was surprised.


    He had to know that this skill couldn''t be used so easily!


    When Dravaks awakened their bloodline, they usually acquired skills.


    But these skills all had a recharge time.


    His fire spit could only be used once every 3 minutes, while his fireball shot took even longer. He had to wait 10 minutes between shots!


    But that was good enough for him; most Dravaks only awakened one skill, so he was doing pretty well.


    "It''s strong. But I hope you''ve got something else up your sleeve, otherwise it''s the end for you." replied Maxime, his eyes cold.


    Oscar frowned and drew his sword, forged from a highly reinforced alloy.


    "Obviously, he can''t use this magic indiscriminately," Maxime thought.


    Then he smiled.


    "Saber-toothed tigers!" he suddenly shouted, covering the noise on the battlefield.


    All the mercenaries stopped fighting temporarily, and looked at their leader strangely.


    But the elite squad who had accompanied their leader guessed roughly at his intentions.


    "For many of you, we haven''t seen each other for very long, and we haven''t had the opportunity to fight together," he continued in his deafening voice.


    Oscar did nothing; it was to his advantage to play for time.


    Kaelor pushed Kaite and Dravus, who had come to his aid, aside violently, then stood next to Oscar.


    "What''s that human doing?" he asked strangely.


    When he shouted, it was as if the battlefield had shifted.


    No, it hadn''t tilted, it had literally paused!


    Even the Shibuya and Dravaks present unconsciously listened to his words!


    That was how influential this young man was!


    "I don''t know, and I don''t care. Anyway, he''ll die as soon as my skills recharge. So this battle will be over very quickly," Oscar replied, clearly not worried.


    Ever since he''d awakened his bloodline, he''d despised everyone on this battlefield except the human commander and his own commander.


    And he even thought that if he met the human commander, he might succeed in defeating him.


    Kaelor didn''t add anything: although he was better than Oscar at hand-to-hand combat, he didn''t possess skills as strong as Oscar''s. So, overall, he was still a better fighter than Oscar.


    So, overall, he remained weaker than Oscar.


    Even seeing his two skills in action made him feel afraid.


    Kaite took advantage of the brief respite, but his mood was spoiled when he saw Langus''s charred corpse.


    The two of them were very close, and even though she knew he could be resurrected, she didn''t look too good when she saw his inert body.


    Dravus also noticed Langus'' body, but only glanced at it before returning his gaze to Maxime.


    Maxime was standing there.


    His naked torso in plain sight gave him a wild look.


    But whoever looked at him couldn''t help but find him particularly handsome, whether male or female.


    His white eyes made him particularly striking.


    At the same time, he continued his speech:


    "I''m going to take advantage of the fact that you''re here, to show you why your boss is your boss!"


    He knew he must have a few youngsters left in Plouta who weren''t convinced after gaining strength.


    So he also wanted to take this opportunity to reassert his authority over these recruits.


    Maxime''s bold announcement aroused strong emotions in the Saber-toothed Tigers.


    The Shibuyas looked on strangely, unconvinced.


    Even their captain had been defeated by this Dravak, so they really didn''t trust him.


    "Shit, what''s he doing here?"


    "He should be waiting for his super-powered men to come and help him so they can help him defeat that Dravak with horns!"


    "Damn, and I thought I could stay alive after that battle..."


    But they still held out a little hope.


    For if this young man died, they would lose the support of his elite mercenaries.


    The leader of the Saber-toothed Tigers did not waver. It was time to show why he was the leader of this team.


    "Watch me, observe me, then copy me!"


    As he spoke, he charged wordlessly in Oscar''s direction.


    "So it''s still brute force eh..." muttered Oscar dismissively.


    He drew his own sword and rushed towards Maxime as well.


    His physical strength and sword skills were not weak!


    Maxime and Oscar met in the middle of the battlefield in a clash that shook the air around them. Their collision was so violent that it caused a visible shockwave.


    Maxime''s face was calm, while Oscar''s expression was ferocious.


    Maxime''s every blow seemed calculated to exploit the slightest weakness in Oscar''s posture. The latter, however, remained confident, dodging and blocking attacks with controlled fluidity.


    The Saber-toothed Tigers watched with fascination and nervousness. For the first time, they had seen their leader fight with such intensity.


    However, the elites who had followed Maxime were not at all worried.


    Each time he had overcome the unthinkable, and this time would be no different.


    So they had blind faith in their leader.


    Even Andrew, who was a proud man, could only bow to his leader''s methods!


    But what they didn''t know was that a Dravak with an awakened bloodline was something far more powerful than anything they''d faced so far.


    Some species of orc existed in the Omega and Delta universes, but without exception, most were barely in the top 1000 races in each universe, in terms of individual combat power.


    Maxime himself was well aware that he couldn''t face Oscar head-on for long.


    As Oscar struck horizontally with colossal force, Maxime deftly dodged by rolling to the side, taking advantage of his opponent''s lost momentum to counter-attack with a swift, precise blow to the back of his armor.


    Although the armor''s alloy absorbed most of the impact, Oscar grunted, taken by surprise.


    Maxime, sensing that the decisive moment had arrived, leapt back to prepare for a final attack. His voice, clear and resonant, rose above the chaos:


    "Saber-toothed tigers! Strength and honor!"


    Then he launched himself, laser sword brandished, straight at Oscar.


    But Oscar smiled.


    "This is the human end," he declared in a confident, contemptuous tone.


    Then he opened his mouth, and a jet of fire very similar to the one thrown at Langus was projected at very short range at Maxime!


    All the mercenaries saw the extremely ferocious jet of fire, and were suddenly very worried.


    Maxime caught it head-on, and his whole silhouette was suddenly covered in flames.


    But Oscar couldn''t keep his smile any longer, because before he could close his mouth, a laser was in it!


    The laser waves were so strong, he thought his mouth had never been so hot!


    Not even a spit of fire could compare.


    Before he could say anything, the laser suddenly went up, splitting his skull in two.


    Then a hoarse, very strange voice emerged from the flames.


    "This is what happens when you open your mouth too much."


    Oscar''s headless body collapsed heavily to the ground.


    The Dravaks were speechless.


    This human had killed a Dravak with an awakened bloodline!


    And he had killed him alone!


    However, Maxime''s body was still burning, which was not a good result for humans!


    Langus, who was almost as strong physically as Maxime, was dead!


    Andrew was one of the first to react:


    "Save him chief!"


    Andrew''s cry created a click, and the Saber-toothed Tiger elites rushed in first.


    But Kaite and Dravus, who were closest, were the first to position themselves beside Maxime.


    "Kill that human! Once he''s dead, it''ll be our victory!" shouted Kaelor loudly.


    The 2,500 Dravaks still alive after the short confrontation immediately began to open fire in the direction of Maxime''s body, which had just collapsed to the ground.


    The Shibuya were quick to react, too, and opened fire in the direction of the Dravaks. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chaos ensued immediately, and the situation was highly unfavorable to the humans, who were outnumbered.


    "Hey, Dravak friend! Take the chief with you and run! We''ll hold them here!" Andrew''s powerful voice echoed in Dravus'' ears.


    Dravus looked strangely at the red-haired young man in front of him.


    "Who are you?"


    "This is no time for questions! The boss is going to die! And if he dies, you''ll die too!" replied Andrew fiercely.


    "Besides, we can''t hold out much longer! At most, another 20 minutes, because the chef''s active talent has a limited lifespan!"


    Andrew''s words woke Dravus, who immediately nodded.


    He picked up Maximus'' body, still surrounded by flames, and ran towards the forest.


    If he flew away, he''d never be able to escape the pursuit of his former comrades, he knew that very well.


    The flames burned him too, but thanks to Viviana''s talent, he was able to resist them despite the intense pain.


    At the same time, he looked at Maxime''s body, which still seemed to be fighting against the flames.


    "Decidedly, this master has a good will," he thought in amazement.


    At that moment, his disdain for humans diminished to some extent, and a spark of respect was born for his new leader.


    At the same time, countless silhouettes wanted to chase Dravus, but in front of them was the elite mercenary squad that had stopped hundreds of orcs, far more powerful than them, with their own bodies!


    And now they had a 3-point physique thanks to the activation of Maxime''s talent as well as a talent blessed by the goddess Viviana!


    On this battlefield, they were afraid of no one!

 Chapter 164 - 164: Retreat!

    On the battlefield, they were afraid of no one!


    The other mercenaries followed their example, and showed exemplary courage!


    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.


    The latter 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?la, 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 flames!


    Obviously, during her fight, she had seen Oscar''s shot coming, but hadn''t had time to dodge it completely. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was also for this reason that she was still alive, for if the ultra-fast fireball had hit her face completely, she''d already be dead!


    Unfortunately, she was still completely unconscious.


    "Medical unit manager, why isn''t she waking up?"


    One of the Shibuya with glasses, quickly examined Le?la''s condition.


    But his face clearly showed that the news was very bad.


    "That ball of flame 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 penetrated 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 places.


    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 were combining forces to stop him!


    Even an elite Dravak like him, who''d roamed the battlefields for many years and reached the position of regimental commander, 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.


    If all 100 mercenaries were endowed with significant combat 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 are coming 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 good commander could have on the battlefield!


    However, of the 3 Shibuya leaders, Sophia understood the Dravak language.


    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 balance 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 displayed 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 still completely intact.


    Looking around quickly, he spotted a few talents from Plouta.


    Three in particular.


    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 plan 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-hand combat and outnumbered?


    But Andrew eventually came up with a plan.


    "Shibuya listen to me!"


    Many Shibuya took a quick glance at the young man with the red hair.


    But no one dared to underestimate him despite his young age, for he had been displaying 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 Dravaks come, 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 - 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 similar 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 to command the respect of Plouta''s mercenaries!


    "Saber-toothed tigers, are you afraid of death!?" exclaimed 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 accompanying 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 becoming 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.


    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 plan 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! Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who was afraid of whom?


    Looking into the distance, it was even possible to see a flying black 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 even laugh.


    90 humans, most of them very young, completely 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, comparable 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 change completely.


    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 villager!


    And here they were going to prove that even villagers with weak physique and potential could become 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.


    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 platform. And I don''t have time to add anything interesting to the chapter. So I can only compensate 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 simulator (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 166 - 166: 90 vs 2000 !

    Facing them were more than 2,000 Dravaks who didn''t dare advance.


    Obviously, the stalemate didn''t last long.


    Kaelor flew in front of all his troops.


    "Kill these humans and pursue their deserters!" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yes, they were deserters!


    Cowards!


    Not fierce warriors!


    They were afraid of them!


    Immediately, the Dravaks'' morale was renewed to some extent.


    The Shibuyas continued their retreat, their hearts heavy at having to abandon such a valiant group of men.


    Edgar, running at the head of the group, exchanged one last glance with Andrew before really leaving.


    He knew it was the right decision, but it left a bitter taste.


    Andrew slowly lowered his fist, as did the rest of the mercenaries.


    His eyes fixed on Kaelor, still standing in the background, his gaze filled with rage and frustration.


    "So what, Dravak?" shouted Andrew in a loud voice.


    "Are you going to stand there and watch us die, or are you going to show that you still have some pride?"


    Of course, Andrew was no fool.


    He was provoking Kaelor because if he wanted to go after the Shibuyas, even the Saber-toothed Tigers would find it hard to stop him in these circumstances.


    Kaelor squinted. Although he couldn''t understand a word the humans said, he quickly guessed what these mercenaries were up to.


    But from his point of view, these mercenaries represented a far greater threat than the Shibuya.


    So, for him, this was the best opportunity to eradicate all these humans!


    For, despite himself, he feared that even if he managed to get many powerful men away, the Saber-toothed Tigers would survive and kill all his men!


    Of course, he thought this because he didn''t know they were under the effect of a talent.


    The Dravaks advanced at last, their ranks widening to envelop the Sabertooth Tigers, much to their surprise. None of them went hunting for Shibuya!


    The mercenaries didn''t understand; they thought their mission was to protect the Shibuya.


    Why were they now the targets?


    A few intelligent people like Tena, Ernest and Andrew quickly understood, and stopped themselves from smiling.


    But that didn''t stop them from thinking:


    "Those Dravaks, they really are idiots!"


    "When they find out it was only Kaite who was a knight, they''re probably going to freak out, aren''t they?"


    The mercenaries didn''t move. They stayed together, forming a perfect circle.


    The strongest mercenaries were placed towards the inside of the circle, and the weakest towards the outside!


    For this was the best formation to ensure that they killed as many Dravaks as possible!


    "Get ready!" shouted Andrew from the center of the circle.


    Ernest, Rodrigo, Henry, Ultia, Kaite, Laura, Terry, James and other mercenaries took their places beside him, their faces calm but determined.


    Everyone was ready to support the recruits outside.


    Such as Ivan and Wigor, who were already sweating but also very excited.


    This was their first real battle, and it was so epic!


    They were protecting mankind in a world different from their own!


    Liam, the young genius from Plouta, had his hand quietly holding a Dravak sword on the outside of the circle.


    He was at the very north of the formation, and was in fact closest to Kaelor at the moment.


    No fear could be detected in his eyes, it was as if there were many ants around him.


    And all he needed to do was lift his foot to crush them.


    He''d had this confidence ever since he''d awakened his talent.


    He didn''t know himself where it had come from, but from what they''d gathered, his boss must have enhanced his magical talent, improving the potential of all mercenaries by another level!


    Now he''d asked around, and he was the only one to have awakened a talent in addition to having had his potential enhanced!


    Unless there were other mercenaries lurking like him.


    And what was even better was that he was finally progressing at a rate worthy of his potential!


    It was as if, having awakened his talent, the chains that had imprisoned him until now had been broken.


    The Saber-toothed Tigers howled in response to Andrew, their cries filled with defiance.


    And then the assault began.


    The Dravaks began firing at the mercenary group from a distance!


    This loosened up the formation slightly, but at this point, almost all the mercenaries had 3-point physiques!


    Their reflexes and sense of danger were reaching monstrous heights!


    Not one of them was wounded in the first volley of fire.


    At the same time, many Dravaks rushed at them for hand-to-hand combat, but the mercenaries showed unprecedented coordination and ferocity.


    Every sword stroke, every movement, was extremely savage and endowed with terrifying power to inflict maximum damage.


    They were clearly out to kill, and they weren''t faking it.


    Laura leapt into the air, slicing the wings of a Dravak in mid-air before rolling to the ground to dodge another attack. Andrew made his way through the melee, his flaming sword leaving streaks of light with every blow.


    After carrying out these actions, they always returned to the center of the formation to fill in the gaps and react to any targeted Dravak attacks!


    They also took the opportunity to bring back the wounded and protect them while they healed.


    All the elites who had accompanied Maxime knew just how miraculous their leader''s second talent [Awakening of Life] was.


    And they had to make the most of its effects in battle.


    But as the minutes ticked by, many recruits had no time to be rescued and died under the Dravaks'' blows!


    There were far too many of them!


    But the Sabertooth Tigers didn''t give up.


    At this point it was:


    "Either I die or you die, there are no other options!"


    Kaelor, observing the scene, felt anger welling up inside him. These humans defied all logic.


    "Bunch of weaklings, in the end I always have to intervene!" he roared before throwing himself into the fray, sweeping aside several mercenaries with a sweep of his sword.


    Andrew turned, his eyes gleaming fiercely.


    But before he could do anything, he saw a young white-haired mercenary charging Kaelor.


    Andrew, like many elite mercenaries, saw this scene and opened his eyes wide.


    "Are there mercenaries this crazy back home?" asked Andrew aloud.


    "It would seem so." interjected Ernest, as he shot an arrow into a Dravak''s head.


    Of course, his bow wasn''t from Eternity either.


    With his current strength, most bows would break with just half his force.


    The arrows he''d brought weren''t of good quality either; he simply found a quiver full of arrows on the corpse of a Shibuya and "borrowed" them from him.


    "Bold." Kaelor muttered disdainfully.


    He could see quite clearly that the strongest mercenaries were on the inside of the formation while those on the outside were small shrimps in comparison.


    So he swung his giant sword at the white-haired young man, intending to finish him off very quickly.


    "It''s too late..."


    "He''s dead..."


    murmured some of the mercenaries.


    Each of them had to observe a large part of the battlefield to analyze the situation in real time, and make the right decision every time.


    Shots were coming at them from time to time, and they had to dodge them or risk being seriously wounded by a single shot.


    And with their reaction time, it was possible.


    Ivan and Wigor also saw this young man with white hair, and more importantly, they knew him very well!


    "Holy shit, do you see what I see Wigor?" asked Ivan, disbelief marked on his face.


    "Yeah, it''s fucking Liam!" replied a stunned Wigor.


    They couldn''t believe it, Liam the famous fallen genius daring to face Commander Dravak alone, whom even the deputy chief avoided!


    "What''s that idiot doing?" he continued disappointedly.


    For a moment, this young man had been raised to the same height as them.


    But very quickly, everyone realized that he was just a piece of trash among the potential 2-stars.


    He was barely progressing as quickly as the potential 1-stars.


    And now he was going to go head-to-head with the strongest of the Dravaks?


    The two geniuses, originally from Enor, shook their heads as they imagined his tragic end.


    But on the battlefield, no one could see that Liam''s face showed absolute calm.


    There was no sign that he was making an irrational decision - on the contrary, he was sure of himself!


    Liam''s little sword was soon to confront Kaelor''s giant sword!


    Kaelor was already looking at his next target, since according to his perception, he was undoubtedly going to beat this little human to a pulp.


    But suddenly something strange happened.


    Liam''s sword passed through Kaelor''s!


    "What?" suddenly shouted Kaelor.


    And he wasn''t the only one. Everyone was surprised by this strange event, most of them not having seen it properly.


    "Liam managed to dodge?" questioned Ivan, frowning.


    He had to know that if it had been him, he would certainly have died on that one!


    Faced with a brute like Kaelor, only Maxime''s elite mercenaries had the strength to stand up to him!


    To contain him, we needed the deputy captain Andrew, the captain''s wife and commander, Laura, as well as Kaite, who was a knight!


    "It should rather be Kaelor who missed?"


    "Can a monster like him still miss?"


    Ivan and Wigor looked into each other''s eyes strangely.


    "Shit, dodge Ivan!"


    boom


    Their attention on Liam had increased too much, and they hadn''t noticed that a powerful Dravak had snuck up on them!


    Ivan took a sword blow to the chest and his armor instantly crumbled to dust.


    The sword went through his torso, then he was lifted into the air by the Dravak, with the sword still stuck in his body.


    "Shit, let him go!" suddenly shouted Wigor, filled with rage as she rushed at him.


    But this Dravak watched this rookie rush towards him with disdain, and simply pushed him away with his left arm, severely wounding Wigor and causing him to spit blood.


    Ivan watched this scene from the air in despair, as his body seemed to have entered a vegetative state.


    He felt nothing, and could no longer move a limb.


    The Dravak threw Ivan''s body into the air, then, as Ivan''s body fell, he delivered a powerful backward kick into his torso!


    Ivan''s body was propelled at phenomenal speed through the ranks of the Saber-toothed Tigers, wounding many mercenaries in the process!


    Finally, it was Rodrigo who caught Ivan''s destroyed body with difficulty.


    "Is he still alive?" asked Andrew, without looking at Ivan and Rodrigo.

 Chapter 167 - 167: Zarthan

    "Is he still alive?" asked Andrew without looking at Ivan and Rodrigo.


    In the last 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. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 contemplating 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 in combat!


    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 highest combat power!


    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 slammed 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.


    The latter 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, then compressed 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 weak compared to the others..."


    But at the same time, he was pleased with the results of the first application of his talent to combat.


    This talent gave him the edge to take on people stronger than him!


    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." commented 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 accord, 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 clash 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, come 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 particular, 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 become aware of his own talent and potential, Charles had set himself some very complicated 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, the latter 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 according to the contract.


    After only thirty seconds of flight, he spotted a blue color below.


    "A water source at last," Dravus murmured happily.


    It was like seeing an oasis in a desert for him!


    The flames 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 flames 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 flames with a shrill hiss. Dravus raised his head, panting as he held Maxime''s body to the surface.


    But it wasn''t enough to completely soothe the burns.


    But it didn''t matter: Maxime was still breathing.


    Then he took him to the bank of the pond and laid him down on the grass in the shade of a tree.


    "Hang in there, kid." Dravus murmured, inspecting his condition.


    Although the flames had disappeared, the wounds left behind were terrifying. Much of his body was completely charred, in a mixture of black 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 black 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 a common history.


    Zarthan was a member of a different tribe from Dravus, and in the Dravak world, tribal wars are a regular occurrence!


    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 slaves!


    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 out laughing.

 Chapter 168 - 168: Glacial storm

    Zarthan burst out laughing.


    "What do you think? Of course I''m here to take your life, and at the same time that of this young human."


    Dravus roared, his wings opening wide to protect Maxime.


    "You''ll have to go through me then."


    The two stared into each other''s eyes.


    Zarthan didn''t answer, but his posture spoke for him. He threw himself forward, his spear threatening to pierce Dravus.


    Indeed, like Dravus, the spear was his weapon of choice!


    The two colossi engaged in a fierce battle, their movements shaking the ground and destroying nearby trees.


    Meanwhile, Maxime slowly began to open his eyes.


    The first thing he felt was a wrenching pain invading his whole body, as if the flames were continuing to consume him from within.


    Every breath was an ordeal, every heartbeat a torment.


    "For fuck''s sake, that dog should never have been so easy to kill."


    "With his face of: I''m stronger and smarter than everyone."


    "I should have stabbed him 10,000 times before I let him die."


    Maxime''s thoughts were filled with hatred for Oscar.


    He felt as if he''d been suffering for hours, and after feeling the flames go out, he felt that the pain was even stronger than before.


    After a while, he finally managed to open his eyes.


    They were completely bloodshot, and he could feel that his body was extremely weak at that moment, despite the [Nox Limit] talent he had activated.


    Tilting his head to one side, he could vaguely make out the moving shadows of Dravus and his opponent, but the shock of his wounds prevented him from understanding what was happening.


    "Who''s that son of a bitch again?"


    "It wants to finish me off, doesn''t it?" he thought with a slight smile, not really caring.


    Maxime just knew that it was Dravus who had carried him this far.


    "Come to think of it, if Dravus wasn''t here, I might already be dead."


    "Who the hell is the guy who''s fighting him?"


    A mighty roar resounded, followed by a thud as the two Dravaks clashed with titanic force.


    Maxime tried to move, but his body refused to obey. All he could do was breathe... and endure.


    Meanwhile, Dravus narrowly dodged a spear aimed at his head. His breath was short, and his movements were beginning to slow. Zarthan, on the other hand, seemed indefatigable, his attacks becoming ever more precise and deadly.


    Simultaneously, a cold, soothing energy began to circulate through his body, dissipating the waves of heat his body was emitting.


    But healing was slow, very slow.


    boom


    The floor on which Maxime lay trembled.


    He glanced down and saw that Dravus had just fallen not far from him, his armor destroyed as purple blood poured from his various wounds.


    "Losing twice in one day must be tough, eh Dravus?" murmured Maxime with a faint smile, as he lay still on the ground.


    The first defeat was against Maxime, and the second was imminent.


    Maxime didn''t know how, in this kind of situation, he could still find the opportunity to joke.


    But it still made him smile, as if death was no longer something he feared.


    Dravus, whose brain was currently completely fried, didn''t hear Maxime.


    He tried to stand up, his bloody scales betraying the intensity of the fight.


    But he couldn''t, as each attempt seemed to be a struggle against gravity itself.


    Zarthan stood over him, laughing.


    He placed his foot on Dravus'' chest, making him wince in pain.


    His spear held nonchalantly on his shoulder.


    "Dravus, pathetic as ever, eh?" he said with a mocking smile.


    "Screw you, Zarthan," Dravus replied angrily.


    Maxime, still stretched out, observed the scene with a strange serenity.


    His bloodshot eyes focused on Zarthan, analyzing Dravak''s every move.


    For he knew that, after Dravus, it would be his turn.


    Zarthan raised his spear, ready to deliver the final blow to Dravus.


    With a final burst of willpower, Dravus raised his arm in a derisory attempt to defend himself. But his strength had deserted him.


    Zarthan''s spear plunged, piercing Dravus'' left wing and pinning him to the ground.


    A heart-rending roar escaped Dravus'' lips.


    Seeing this scene, Maxime suddenly had the urge to get up and smash the hell out of Zarthan.


    Dravus was one of his men, despite being a Dravak!


    He didn''t deserve to be humiliated like that before he died!


    So Maxime tried to stand up, mobilizing all his strength!


    He was now mad with rage!


    He just wanted to stand up, grab his weapon and defend Dravus, even if it meant dying in the process!


    But no matter what he did, he couldn''t move a muscle.


    He could only move his head and eyes, and watch his man being tortured before his very eyes.


    "Dravus, I''m sorry..." Maxime thought as he bit his lips, the latter black from the previous flames.


    It hurt, but compared to the pain coming from all over his body, it was negligible.


    And especially compared to the sight of Zarthan torturing his man, it was really nothing.


    At the same time, Zarthan was savoring his triumph, a cruel smile forming on his face.


    "Pitiful. I''ll get it over with, and then I''ll take my time with the human. Maybe I''ll rip his arms off first. What do you say, Dravus?"


    Maxime heard this too, but didn''t show any particular reaction.


    He didn''t care about his own fate at the time.


    And he didn''t think this Dravak would make him suffer any more pain than he had when burned by Oscar''s flames.


    Then something changed.


    Dravus, in a last-ditch effort, raised his good arm. But it wasn''t to beg or to strike weakly.


    His right hand caught Zarthan by the throat with unexpected force.


    The colossus'' eyes widened in surprise.


    "You... dare again?!" roared Zarthan, trying to free himself.


    But Dravus squeezed with an almost supernatural determination, his hand shattering the scales on Zarthan''s body.


    "You think you''re invincible?" whispered Dravus, with a cold smile.


    Immediately, Zarthan began to panic.


    With his spear still in his right hand, he began to pierce Dravus'' body again and again.


    But Dravus seemed to feel nothing as he continued to tighten his grip on Zarthan''s neck.


    Maxime watched the scene with fascination. Dravus'' eyes, though wavering, seemed to burn with a different glow.


    "That''s my Dravak warrior!"


    "Go on, smash him!"


    Maxime''s silent supports seemed to be working.


    Dravus continued to tighten his grip on Zarthan''s throat, ignoring the multiple spear blows perforating his already mutilated body.


    His breathing was labored, each breath accompanied by a deep rattle, but an indomitable gleam shone in his eyes.


    Zarthan, suffocating, managed to free an arm and thrust his spear straight into the side of Dravus'' torso, shattering countless bones and organs.


    Dravus grimaced, but did not release his grip.


    As the seconds passed, however, Dravus'' strength began to weaken. His arm trembled, his hand gradually released Zarthan''s throat, until he fell limply to the ground.


    Zarthan jumped back, putting a hand to his bruised neck. He choked loudly, his ragged breath betraying the fear that had just taken hold of him. His eyes, wide, landed on Dravus lying on the ground.


    "You... You almost killed me..." he murmured incredulously, his voice tinged with anger and terror. He took several steps back, struggling to catch his breath.


    At the same time, he was overcome by a monstrous rage.


    He had almost been killed by that wretched Dravus!


    The same one he''d used to defeat so easily in the past.


    But while the fear of death still weighed on his conscience, the atmosphere changed.


    The air turned frigid.


    A fine silver mist rose from the ground, enveloping the scene.


    And it all seemed to come from Dravus, who was still lying on the ground.


    Zarthan froze, his Dravak instincts screaming a warning.


    His eyes, previously full of arrogance, filled with an almost primitive fear.


    "No... It''s not possible..." he murmured, stepping back again.


    "Dravus... are you awakening your bloodline?!"


    Maxime, too, felt the change. Cold bit at his skin, but he didn''t worry.


    He''d survived far worse.


    But what he saw next left him speechless.


    Dravus'' inert body began to glow faintly.


    His scales, cracked and bloody, glowed with a bluish light.


    His wounds slowly closed, and a palpable energy filled the air around him.


    "What the hell?" growled Maxime, his eyes struggling to stay open.


    The aura Dravus exuded, even he could feel its power!


    And clearly, even at its peak, it wasn''t something he could defeat!


    Zarthan, for his part, was trembling.


    "No, no, no! You can''t!"


    "How can a weakling like you awaken his bloodline!"


    "It''s unfair, unfair!"


    "I''m so much better than you, so why do you manage to awaken your bloodline, and I don''t!?"


    But regardless of Zarthan''s complaints, the light around Dravus continued to shine, finally reaching its peak.


    A titanic roar shook the earth.


    The once agonized Dravak slowly rose to his feet, despite the many wounds in his body.


    As he stood, he spread his wings with imposing majesty.


    His scales had changed, taking on a shimmering silver hue, and his eyes shone with an unearthly intensity.


    Zarthan stepped back further, his arrogance evaporating.


    "No, don''t you dare! You don''t have the right!"


    Dravus turned slowly towards his opponent.


    His voice, though hoarse, resonated with undeniable authority.


    "You should have thought about that before you came after me."


    "When you''re ready to kill, you must also be ready to be killed."


    Without waiting for Zarthan to reply, Dravus swiftly extended a hand to the sky.


    Simultaneously, countless icicles formed behind him. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What''s that?"


    Zarthan''s eyes were wide open, as he barely managed to digest the information his eyes were transmitting.


    But Dravus didn''t answer him.


    After more than a hundred icicles in the shape of small spears appeared behind him, he lowered his arm while murmuring:


    "Glacial storm."

 Chapter 169 - 169: Reinforcements

    "Ice storm."


    These words came from the depths of his blood, as if naturally.


    Immediately, Dravus'' attack swooped down on Zarthan, who had no way of avoiding it because the ice cubes were so numerous and, above all, so fast.


    Zarthan''s armor protected him from the first icicles, but the first dozen or so crashed into his armor and it shattered completely, much to Zarthan''s despair.


    He felt the cold seep into every fiber of his being as the remaining icicles pierced his flesh.


    The shock left him breathless, and his unshakeable confidence crumbled under the weight of humiliation.


    Each impact was a lesson in pain, a brutal affirmation that, for the first time, he was powerless.


    He fell to his knees, his armor in shreds, his purple blood dripping onto the partly frozen ground. His hands trembled as he tried desperately to get to his feet.


    But his body no longer responded.


    "No...I can''t die here, not now." he murmured as despair overcame him.


    Dravus walked slowly towards Zarthan, each step shaking the ground.


    The icy aura surrounding him seemed to intensify, making the air almost unbreathable.


    Zarthan, still on the ground, tried to get up, but his legs refused to move.


    "You spoke of taking my life, Zarthan..." said Dravus, his voice filled with icy calm.


    "Now let''s see who will take whose life."


    His eyes, now gleaming with an unearthly glow, stared at Zarthan with cold determination.


    He was no longer the tired, broken Dravak of earlier.


    He had become something else, a titan rising from the ashes of his defeat.


    Zarthan, suffocating, raised his head to face his tormentor''s gaze.


    His throat tightened as a buried memory surfaced in his mind: a promise he had made to his father, and tribal chief.


    To surpass him, to become the best genius among all the surrounding tribes, and finally...to become a Dravak with an awakened bloodline.


    And now, that promise was crumbling before his eyes.


    "You can''t..." he stammered, despair tinging his words.


    "I''m better... I''m stronger!"


    But his protests seemed ridiculous in the face of Dravus'' imposing presence. Dravus raised his hand again, and an icy energy began to swirl around him, taking the form of an immense crystalline spear.


    The light it emitted illuminated Zarthan''s face, revealing wide eyes and a fear that devoured his soul.


    "You''re not stronger," Dravus declared, his voice imbued with implacable gravity.


    "You were stronger."


    Zarthan suddenly felt weaker as the pain continued to course through his body.


    His destiny, once so dazzling, was beginning to tarnish with a shadow called death.


    "Please... let me live." he murmured at last, his voice barely audible.


    Dravus looked at him for a long moment, his expression indecipherable. For a moment, he seemed to hesitate.


    He was, after all, a genius of his own race, and by killing him, he would definitively break any chance of returning to his people.


    "Kill him."


    Maxime''s voice came from afar.


    Dravus turned and looked at Maxime still lying on the ground.


    The latter was so weak he couldn''t look at him, but somehow he always seemed to know what was going on.


    "I''m now in the service of this human being, so now I''m on the side of the humans too," he thought with a slight sadness.


    For he knew that if he could return to the Dravaks with his new strength, he could immediately reclaim his wife and achieve immense honor and glory.


    But that was no longer possible.


    As he made his decision, the ice spear behind him immediately split the air with a deadly hiss.


    A deafening roar sounded as the weapon pierced Zarthan''s skull.


    The Dravak fell straight to the ground.


    Silence fell.


    Dravus, standing in the midst of the desolation, slowly turned his head towards Maxime. His eyes, shining like two icy stars, rested on him.


    "Chief, it''s your turn to protect me." he whispered.


    Maxime barely had time to hear these words when, the next moment, he heard a second body fall.


    "What happened? His body finally gave out on him?"


    "He''s not dead, is he?" Maxime immediately thought with concern.


    For Maxime, it was actually possible, since with all the spear blows Dravus had received in his body, it wouldn''t be surprising.


    And for his part, he still couldn''t move a finger.


    "What the fuck do I do now?"


    ............


    Back on the battlefield to the south.


    Maxime''s mercenaries, led by Andrew, and the Dravaks, led by Kaelor, were still clashing.


    It had become a whirlwind of screams, clashing swords and falling bodies.


    The Dravaks were still everywhere, but Maxime''s mercenaries, though reduced in numbers, were holding their ground.


    The fight was becoming more and more complicated, with every mercenary still alive being seriously wounded!


    But they were as ferocious as ever!


    As if each of them were an indomitable warrior from ancient times!


    Unless we decapitated them or pierced one of their vital organs, they wouldn''t fall!


    So far, every mercenary killed had cost the lives of countless Dravaks, and thinking about it, Kaelor gritted his teeth in hatred.


    He''d never thought he''d lose so many men to just a few dozen humans!


    Andrew and Liam, at the front, gave strength to the others, and every blow exchanged against Kaelor showed that they were not yet ready to surrender.


    They were fighting the hardest battle, but thanks to their efforts, the saber-toothed tigers were still holding out!


    Kaelor, though committed to the human resistance, knew his strength was waning, and the rage that had driven him so far was turning into irrepressible fear.


    He had not anticipated such resistance. The mercenaries were proving far more dangerous than he had imagined. Every calculated move, every decision taken by Andrew and his companions, was putting them in a little more difficulty.


    But the situation was far from over.


    Indeed, the two Dravak regiments were approaching dangerously close to the battlefield.


    It was only a matter of minutes before they arrived.


    "What do we do vice-chief?" asked Ernest, his fingers bleeding from firing arrows.


    Andrew parried Kaelor''s sword for the umpteenth time while replying:


    "We keep resisting!" S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Vice-chief! Dravak reinforcements are on their way! If we stay here, we''ll all really die!" shouted Rodrigo in a loud voice.


    He had long since avenged the deaths of Ivan and Wigor, and had personally killed countless Daraks.


    These powerful Dravak soldiers could barely last an exchange in his hands.


    When he shouted this, he was thinking mainly of being useless to Maxime if they died here, and could no longer protect him.


    "With our wounds, how do you expect us to manage to get away!?" shouted Andrew back.


    "The vice-chief is right, Rodrigo, we only need a few dozen Dravaks to follow us from the air, and then the reinforcements will catch up with us," intervened Terry.


    His face was particularly dark and his eyes filled with hatred.


    The Dravaks had killed Lira before his very eyes, without anyone being able to intervene.


    "So let''s fight these bastards to the bitter end!" shouted Rodrigo, filled with seemingly infinite energy.


    His battle cry immediately intimidated the Dravaks in the vicinity.


    "You idiots! It''s just an attempt at intimidation! These humans are out of breath now! Now all we have to do is wait for reinforcements, and we can kill these humans once and for all!" shouted Kaelor immediately in response to invigorate his troops.


    But the effect was now negligible, too many Dravaks were dead and the remaining mercenaries seemed to be intuitive.


    And indeed this was the case, those who remained were all elites now.


    With the support of [Nox Limit] and [Awakening of Life], it was really complicated to defeat them without a significant difference in combat power.


    But the situation was really bad for the saber-toothed tigers - they were all going to die at this rate.


    Suddenly, muffled noises drew the attention of the saber-toothed tigers.


    "What the hell are those flying machines?" asked Charles, his eyes dazed as he watched helicopters arriving in the distant sky.


    "I don''t know, but I didn''t think there were machines that could allow humans to fly!"


    For indeed, with their exceptional eyesight, they could see the humans on board, as well as the machine guns installed on the sides as soon as the helicopter fighter.


    Just like that, they could easily count some thirty of these helicopters!


    There were also some twenty transport helicopters!


    Kaelor''s expression immediately turned ugly when he saw the human reinforcements.


    But he was a wise commander, so immediately made a wise decision.


    "We withdraw immediately!"


    The Dravak soldiers reacted swiftly, and all fled in the direction of their reinforcements.


    Kaelor took one last look at the mercenaries, before leaving as well, his face grim.


    The helicopter blades beat the air with ferocious intensity, covering the battlefield with their mechanical roar.


    Through the windows of the troop-carrying helicopters, the soldiers watched an extraordinary spectacle.


    Corpses littered the ground in a macabre carpet, turning the faces of many inexperienced soldiers pale.


    But the veterans immediately noticed an inconsistency.


    A veteran close to the captain of the second regiment, Captain Orvari, also noticed the inconsistency.


    "Captain, come and see this!"


    Captain Orvari,who was sharpening his broad sword didn''t care, and didn''t move.


    "What is it?"


    The soldier knew his captain''s temper and explained the situation:


    "This battlefield is strange."


    "There are less than a hundred human bodies... but Dravaks?"


    The veteran seemed to hesitate before going on about what he was going to say, because it was far too incredible for it to be true.


    "Sergeant?" asked Captain Orvari, feeling strange that his soldier should stop in the middle of his report.


    The sergeant looked around a few times to be sure, then swallowed his saliva with difficulty before saying:


    "Dravak corpses number in the thousands, Captain."

 Chapter 170 - 170: Captain Orvari

    "Dravak corpses number in the thousands, Captain."


    Even the veteran still seemed to hesitate in what he''d just said, because he didn''t believe what he was seeing!


    A heavy silence fell over the cabin, broken only by the sound of the helicopter''s blades.


    Orvari frowned, visibly disturbed.


    He moved himself next to the man in charge of the helicopter''s machine gun.


    Indeed, he preferred to travel among combat helicopters than in troop transport helicopters.


    In the distance, he saw humans still standing, their upright posture defying fatigue and death.


    Around them, Dravak corpses stretched for several hundred meters, the crystalline glow of their purple blood contrasting with the scant red blood visible.


    "Incredible..." murmured Orvari.


    Before Orvari could say anything else, a sizzling transmission broke the tension.


    "Captain Orvari, this is Bravo-2. The Dravaks are retreating to the west. We have visuals on their reinforcements approaching. Awaiting your orders."


    Bravo-2 was the regiment''s second combat helicopter squad.


    Orvari immediately grabbed the radio, like a conditioned reflex.


    "Understood, Bravo-2. Do not proceed and remain on standby. Give priority to the mercenaries on the ground, we''ll shake them off then evacuate. If those Dravak reinforcements dare to advance, open fire. Over and out."


    "Roger that, Captain Orvari."


    At the same time, with a deft movement, the captain changed channels and switched to the entire regiment''s broadcast channel.


    "To all units, our Alpha squad as well as all Charlies squads will be landing on the ground. Bravo units, secure the perimeter."


    "This is Bravo-1, roger on behalf of all Bravo units."


    "This is Charlie-1, roger on behalf of all Charlie units."


    Alpha Squad being the Captain''s squad and the only unit bearing the Alpha name in the second regiment.


    Bravo squad represented the combat helicopter squads.


    And Charlie squad represented the troop transport helicopter squads.


    Shortly afterwards, the troop-carrying helicopters landed on the ground, as did the helicopter gunships of Alpha Squad.


    Orvari disembarked from the helicopter, as did over 500 soldiers!


    He himself went to meet the mercenaries, while his soldiers spread out in formation.


    When he looked at the mercenaries, his eyes sparkled with admiration.


    They seemed to be made of hardened steel, each with wounds that should have immobilized them, yet here they stood erect, proud and indomitable.


    Andrew stepped forward, his face hard.


    His unintentional murderous intent frightened even the few soldiers accompanying Orvari!


    Every one of these soldiers was an elite.


    Orvari was equally impressed - he himself never thought he could achieve this level of murderous intent.


    But at the same time he squinted in suspicion, for he didn''t know the man in front of him at all!


    Yet he had a good memory for faces, and knew most of Shibuya.


    But the problem was, even the other humans behind the red-haired young man, he didn''t know any of them.


    But he pretended to know them, while feeling around.


    "I didn''t think the Shibuya were that powerful," Orvari blurted out, shaking Andrew''s calloused hand.


    Andrew looked Orvari in the eye.


    "The Shibuya are long gone from this battlefield," Andrew replied dryly. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But his words sent shockwaves through the soldiers of the second regiment nearby.


    Even Orvari couldn''t contain his surprise.


    "Who are you then?" asked Orvari after a moment''s stupefaction.


    "We are the saber-toothed tigers," Andrew replied simply.


    "Saber-toothed tigers?"


    Captain Orvari turned and looked at his men, asking:


    "Have you ever heard of them? Why don''t I know about such an elite unit?"


    The men at his side were his closest confidants, and among their missions was to provide them with any relevant information that might change the battlefield situation.


    In particular, the presence of certain geniuses or strongmen!


    Captain Orvari was almost starting to get angry with his men.


    But they all shook their heads in dismay.


    The fact that none of his men knew anything about mercenaries was really strange.


    "It''s normal that you don''t know us, we come from the world of Eternity."


    "Eternity?" the captain asked again, his eyes wide.


    He found it hard to believe that the strongmen in front of him were all under the command of one player!


    "Who summoned you?" he continued immediately.


    "Maxime Valdreuve." Andrew answered without hurrying.


    But inside he was beginning to seethe!


    For these soldiers were starting to ask him questions even though there were many seriously wounded mercenaries among them and their leader''s situation was totally unknown!


    It was as if they didn''t care whether they lived or died!


    But Captain Orvari was unaware of Andrew''s thoughts, just at the mention of the first name Maxime, it rang a bell but he couldn''t put his finger on it.


    "And where is he now?"


    "We don''t know, we just know the direction in which he fled thanks to a Dravak." said Andrew while shaking his head, albeit unconcerned.


    It wasn''t just him; none of the mercenaries here were worried about Maxime.


    Not to mention that a powerful Dravak was protecting him, their leader was invincible in their minds, no matter what wounds he had.


    "A Dravak!? A Dravak helped a human?"


    "And why did your leader run away?"


    Captain Orvari was at a loss for words.


    But Andrew didn''t let him think any longer.


    "Instead of asking these questions we can talk about later, Captain, can you send some soldiers to perform first aid on my men? Although they look fierce on the surface, they''re actually ready to fall at any moment." said Andrew with slight impatience.


    "Yes, of course," replied Captain Orvari, still deep in thought.


    His men behind him heard Andrew''s request, and reacted accordingly.


    One of them took out a walkie-talkie and switched it on.


    "This is Alpha Squad. Medical unit, please join us. We need your help here."


    Shortly afterwards, a beep sounded from the walkie-talkie.


    "Roger Alpha Squad, we''ll be right there."


    Soon a few soldiers with medical knowledge went to the thirty or so mercenaries who had survived.


    "Shit, how are you guys still alive?"


    One of the medical soldiers knelt beside a mercenary whose thigh bore a large gash, its open flesh revealing the bone beneath.


    Even as a member of the medical unit, he''d only ever seen this kind of wound on dead men!


    And this particular mercenary had wounds like that all over his body.


    The mercenary, however, remained stoic.


    "You can''t understand."


    He was a relatively ordinary mercenary in Plouta, but Maxime''s talent gave him the opportunity to change his destiny.


    Even if his talent wasn''t particularly good, he''d give anything to become just a little bit stronger.


    Like the 9 other Plouta mercenaries who had survived, they were all men with a much stronger than average mentality.


    Obviously, the talents [Nox Limit] and [Awakening Life] had a lot to do with it, otherwise no matter how strong their mentality, they would never have survived.


    The soldier raised his eyebrows, impressed. But his admiration was quickly replaced by rigorous professionalism as he applied hemostatic foam to the gaping wound.


    Andrew watched the scene vigilantly.


    He turned to Orvari, his impatience evident in his voice.


    "Now that your men are taking care of the wounded, it''s time to act. Our leader is somewhere out there, and every minute we waste reduces his chances of survival."


    Although Andrew wasn''t very worried, if he delayed this affair and caused his boss to lose out in any way, he''d blame himself for the rest of his life.


    Orvari, still puzzled by the fragmentary information he''d just received, nodded.


    "Very well, then. I''ll use all the energy of the Second Regiment to find him, but you''ve got to explain to me why this Dravak would have saved him. It doesn''t make sense."


    Andrew immediately shook his head.


    "That information you can only get from our leader."


    "And if you don''t want to help us, then we''ll go find our leader on our own."


    Immediately, behind Andrew, the mercenaries listening to the conversation all began to exude a fierce aura.


    They were all mentally preparing themselves to actually go and find Maxime by their own means while they were seriously wounded.


    Captain Orvari wasn''t unhappy with their reactions; on the contrary, they were beginning to admire these mercenaries.


    "If all humans were this brave and fierce, maybe we wouldn''t be in this kind of humiliating situation today." he mused.


    "What''s your leader like?"


    "The only extraordinary being on this battlefield, you''ll recognize him straight away." replied Andrew without the slightest fluctuation in his voice.


    He was perfectly honest.


    The mercenaries behind also nodded, unconsciously expressing their agreement.


    Captain Orvari and the accompanying warrant officers were suddenly speechless.


    "An extraordinary appearance? Is their leader some kind of cartoon hero?" they thought simultaneously.


    "Can you be more specific?" Orvari finally asked, slightly taken aback.


    "Young man with blond hair and blue, white or golden eyes, depending on the circumstances."


    "Blue, white or golden? Are they kidding me?" thought Orvari.


    The more he talked with the red-haired young man, the less he understood what he was saying.


    At that very moment, Andrew felt a wave of weakness, his face turning pale, as did Laura, Rodrigo, Henry, Kaite and the other survivors.

 Chapter 171 - 171: Finding Maximes trail

    At that very moment, Andrew felt a wave of weakness, his face turning pale, as did Laura, Rodrigo, Henry, Kaite and the other survivors.


    Most of them could stand no longer, and some of Plouta''s mercenaries even fainted directly!


    Only Kaite was still standing, despite the feeling of weakness attacking him.


    Even Andrew no longer had the strength in his legs to stay on his feet any longer.


    "The boss''s talent is no longer working!" thought Andrew immediately, having almost forgotten this detail.


    And yet, the [Nox Limit] talent was an indispensable element that enabled some mercenaries to stay on their feet despite their many wounds!


    And so, as soon as the active effect of the talent disappeared, these mercenaries were the most seriously affected!


    The hearts of some of them even stopped beating - they were dead.


    The reaction to the mercenaries'' fall was immediate.


    The medical units, already on site, reacted with formidable efficiency.


    No questions were asked, and everyone reacted quickly!


    Nearby doctors directly examined the most serious cases!


    "Cardiac arrest detected here! Bring the defibrillators!"


    Another doctor shouted:


    "Blood loss just accelerated all of a sudden! This is B- blood, request matching blood bags for transfusion immediately!"


    ...


    A young doctor, his face tense with tension, grabbed his walkie-talkie to relay the information given by his colleagues:


    "This is medical unit Alpha, we have mercenaries having a heart attack in the field! Send defibrillators immediately, send all the blood bags we have in stock and prepare for transfusion equipment on site!"


    After a very brief breath, he continued:


    "Schedule priority extraction for critical cases. We need medical transport to the area, now!"


    The words had barely escaped his mouth when a beep sounded in his earpiece.


    "Roger, Alpha. Defibrillators on, extraction in three minutes. Hang in there."


    Simultaneously, a few troop transport helicopters began to turn their propellers.


    They were the ones who were going to do the extraction.


    Simultaneously, a medic was working on a mercenary, his torso barely raised. One of the medics had already torn off the bloody battle dress to reveal a series of deep wounds.


    "Blood pressure almost non-existent... he''s going to drop us if we don''t act now!" one of them shouted, pulling out a tourniquet and a syringe of adrenaline.


    A mercenary from Plouta, who had miraculously survived despite his injuries, watched the scene with sad eyes.


    "Why now?" he murmured weakly, his lips trembling.


    That could almost be him on the floor!


    The doctor, busy stabilizing a nearby colleague, answered him bluntly.


    "Your leader''s talent must have worn off, a common occurrence on human battlefields. And with these wounds and no particular talent, it''s normal that you can no longer stand upright," a doctor replied immediately out of habit.


    These words, though bitter, echoed a brutal reality.


    The mercenaries had long since surpassed their physical limits thanks to Maxime''s talent. Without this supernatural strength to support their shattered bodies, they would naturally collapse under the weight of their wounds.


    Above all, not all of Plouta''s mercenaries were aware of Maxime''s active talent and its limited duration.


    Although it seemed logical, they didn''t think anything of it at the time.


    In the organized panic, a woman with her hair tied in a tight braid pulled out a defibrillator freshly brought in by a soldier.


    "Stand aside!" she shouted, before placing the electrodes on Laura''s chest, whose heart had just stopped beating.


    In the previous battle, she had become a demon of murder, no matter how many wounds she sustained, she still stood her ground and continued to stand in the front row.


    Many mercenaries were impacted by her courage, and didn''t want to be inferior to her! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was because everyone was fierce and no one wanted to admit they were inferior to the others that they had been able to hold out for so long against an army 20 times their size!


    At the same time, the woman''s voice rang out:


    "Loading... ready. Unload!"


    Laura''s body jerked violently under the effect of the electricity. The doctor immediately put her ear close to Laura''s heart, but obviously it hadn''t worked!


    So she shook her head at the other doctors accompanying her, while ordering a second shock.


    " 10,9,8...3,2,1. "


    "Second load...ready. Discharge!"


    The woman listened once more to Laura''s heartbeat.


    "Her heart is beating again and is stable for now! Prepare her for extraction!" she ordered immediately with a firm face.


    Andrew, though weakened, continued to monitor the operation with a grim expression. His clenched fists betrayed his frustration. These men and women, most of whom were his friends, had survived the inferno, but without Maxime, some of them were now falling to the ground beyond his control.


    Some died directly from their wounds, without the nearby doctors being able to intervene.


    Their wounds were just too severe, as in the case of Henry and Ultia, who died within 5 seconds of the [Nox Limit] effect wearing off.


    Orvari, who had been watching in silence, approached the nearest medical unit.


    "How long before those in critical condition are out of danger?" he asked in a deep voice.


    The head of the medical team shook his head.


    "Not until we offer them full treatment. Even if we stabilize them, they''ll remain vulnerable until their leader is found."


    This doctor hoped that their leader would be able to activate his talent again, giving the medical units more time to pull the mercenaries from their deathbed.


    Orvari frowned, an extra weight added to his shoulders.


    "Very well, mobilize all necessary means. I want these men out of this area before the Dravak reinforcements arrive. Andrew, I''ll send a squad to find Maxime. You have my word."


    Andrew nodded, gratitude visible in his eyes.


    Captain Orvari took out his walkie-talkie.


    "To all units, Lieutenant Otas is taking over the extraction and care of all units. With Alpha Squad we''re going in search of the mercenary leader who fought valiantly for humanity."


    "This is Lieutenant Otas from Bravo-1, roger."


    "This is Charlie-1, roger."


    A few minutes later, most of the mercenaries were loaded into transport helicopters under the command of Lieutenant Otas for extraction while Andrew, Rodrigo, Charles and Kaite boarded Captain Orvari''s helicopter gunship.


    "This is Charlie-1. All designated saber-toothed tiger mercenaries have been successfully boarded. Takeoff imminent for return to base, over."


    "Roger that, Charlie-1." replied Captain Orvari immediately.


    "This is Alpha Squad, imminent takeoff for search of saber-toothed tiger leader, over."


    Before long, Lieutenant Otas''s voice echoed through the departing helicopter.


    "Captain Orvari, take a couple of helicopters from Bravo unit."


    "5 will suffice, thank you Lieutenant Otas." replied Captain Orvari after a brief hesitation.


    A few helicopters and many men would enable them to cover a larger search area.


    "May the god of war watch over you Captain, over and out."


    Soon, Andrew, Rodrigo, Charles and Kaite took off in a helicopter for the first time in their lives.


    The flight lasted a few minutes.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" asked the captain with a smile.


    The 4 saber-toothed tigers nodded.


    In their home world, they could never have hoped to live such an experience, so in a way they were happy.


    "In our world, the first flight is called baptism of the air. So today, you are baptized." informed the captain, clearly in good spirits despite keeping a straight face.


    But before the mercenaries could react, the helicopter pilot intervened.


    "Captain, look northeast!"


    Not only did Captain Orvari look immediately, but the mercenaries were also on the lookout.


    They all stood up and looked, clinging to a small handle above them, otherwise the slightest jerk from the helicopter and they''d fall!


    Below them, they saw a pond surrounded by a forest.


    Or rather, the pond was surrounded by a forest, for the forest was now partly destroyed.


    "What the hell happened here?" whispered the captain, his voice covered by the sound of the propellers.


    "Andrew..." whispered Kaite.


    "Yeah, definitely our leader here," Andrew replied.


    The captain reacted too, in any case it was a good lead and should give some clues to the mercenary leader''s position.


    "Pilot, please lower your altitude to 30 meters above ground level," he ordered immediately.


    "Aye, aye, Captain." the pilot simply replied as he lowered the helicopter.


    "Bravo unit guys, we have a lead, please come to us at coordinates 816.798." continued Captain Orvari.


    "This is pilot Joyce from Combat Helicopter No. 7, we''ll be there in 30 seconds, Captain."


    "This is pilot Kaicha from combat helicopter n��8, we''ll be there in 45 seconds."


    ...


    Soon the 6 helicopters arrived not far from the pond and were able to get a closer look at what had happened.


    Andrew and the others looked carefully to see their captain.


    "Andrew, look there''s a Dravak on the ground!"


    Andrew looked intently in the direction Kaite was pointing.


    "Is it...Dravus?"


    Not only Andrew, but Charles, Rodrigo, the captain and the soldiers on the other helicopters saw the massive silhouette of Dravus on the ground.


    His monstrous body, pierced on all sides, lay in a pool of his own purple blood.


    Andrew began to worry about his leader.


    Dravus was responsible for his protection, but now that he lay on the ground, his life and death completely unknown, there was no one left to protect their leader!


    And above all, for a Dravak to put Dravus in such a state, his opponent had to be terribly powerful.


    When they arrived on the battlefield, they had automatically received a lot of information about Dravus, so there would be no allied fire.


    "And there''s another Dravak. Obviously dead." Kaite said, pointing.


    And indeed, Andrew could see a very strong-looking Dravak lying on the ground.


    His skull pierced by...an ice spear?


    Seeing this spear, many soldiers from the other helicopters gulped in fear.

 Chapter 172 - 172: Tense situation

    On seeing the spear, many soldiers from other helicopters gulped in fear.


    Despite the blazing sun, it showed no sign of melting.


    Without a doubt, this spear must have been a deadly weapon when thrown at someone!


    "Order to all Bravo units: secure the perimeter as soon as you hit the ground. We''re looking for a young blond man. Be vigilant for any ambush attempt by the Dravaks."


    Then Orvari changed his tone slightly, turning to Andrew and his companions.


    "If your leader is alive, we''ll find him. But I ask you to keep your cool and follow my orders."


    "No worries." replied Andrew simply.


    When Orvari looked at these mercenaries, he found them truly reliable.


    As if they were used to being in dire situations.


    The helicopters landed smoothly, the blades kicking up wisps of dust and torn grass. Orvari descended first, an assault rifle in his hands and a katana strapped to his back.


    He was followed by his men and the mercenaries. They advanced cautiously, their boots crushing broken branches and puddles of purple blood.


    As they approached the pond, a strange calm reigned, as if nature itself were holding its breath.


    The traces of battle were obvious: trees split in two, the ground deeply scarred by impacts, and finally the two Dravaks each bearing mortal wounds.


    Andrew approached the Dravus body, and immediately noticed that it was still breathing.


    He smiled and turned to Orvari.


    But the latter was now pointing a gun at Dravus'' body, as were the dozen or so soldiers accompanying him.


    "Move over young man, this Dravak is a huge threat to the human race!"


    Andrew drew his sword, as did Kaite, Rodrigo and Charles.


    "What does this mean, Captain?" questioned Andrew, positioning himself in front of Dravus'' body to protect it.


    "This Dravak is a Dravak who has awakened his bloodline, and as such, he could influence this entire battlefield and could even become the catalyst for a possible destruction of our fortress!"


    "A Dravak with an awakened bloodline?" asked Andrew, frowning.


    He''d seen for himself that a Dravak of this caliber could mortally wound their leader, but he wasn''t worried.


    All the saber-toothed tigers knew about one of the effects of the [Nox Limit] talent, which was [absolute contract].


    With that, the possibility of betrayal was nil!


    So it was very good news for the saber-toothed tigers to acquire such strong fighting power!


    Especially when they returned to the world of Eternity!


    "He''s one of us now, so you''ll have to go over our corpses if you want to do anything to him," Andrew announced sternly.


    His posture made it clear that there was no room for negotiation.


    "There''s no such thing as a traitor in the Dravak race, he just manipulated you and now we''re going to kill him," replied Orvari, not in the least intimidated.


    He was the captain of the second battalion, and apart from the fortress commander and the captain of the first battalion, he was the strongest human on the battlefield.


    He had already faced Dravaks with awakened bloodlines, as well as Aelodin soldiers and other powerful races.


    A few young men from Eternity weren''t going to intimidate him.


    "He continued, pointing his rifle at Andrew, ready to fire.


    Captain Orvari''s voice sounded like a heavy drum.


    At that moment, Andrew, Kaite, Charles and Rodrigo realized they were facing a very strong man!


    The tension was now palpable, ready to be broken at any moment.


    Just then, some very light footsteps sounded.


    "Who''s there?" exclaimed Captain Orvari, now in a bad mood.


    A dark figure appeared, leaning against a nearby tree as if struggling to walk.


    On closer inspection, the saber-toothed tigers were smiling brightly.


    "Chief!" exclaimed the 4 saber-toothed tigers, no longer caring about Captain Orvari.


    "Hi... guys." replied Maxime with difficulty.


    Then he looked at Captain Orvari.


    "I''m the leader of the saber-toothed tigers...may I ask who''s threatening my men?"


    Maxime''s faint, interspersed words were heard accurately by Captain Orvari.


    But the captain looked at Maxime with shock.


    Because he knew him!


    "You, you''re the young man who interfered in the strategy meeting room with Le?la!"


    At first his first name sounded familiar, and now he knew where he''d heard it.


    But at the same time, he remembered something:


    This young man was a high school student!


    This meant that a high-school student had saved the Shibuya and had the ability to fight back against thousands of Dravaks!


    The same Dravaks who were in the top 10 strongest races in the Delta universe!


    And above all...he had received a report from one of his soldiers on the battlefield a few minutes earlier.


    There was the corpse of an awakened Dravak with fire-related powers.


    He hadn''t yet understood how these mercenaries could have killed a Dravak with an awakened bloodline, but seeing the burns all over this young man''s body, including some on his face, he understood better.


    Not only did this high-schooler have monstrous mercenaries under his command, he was also a monster himself.


    These thoughts made the captain stunned for a few seconds, so he didn''t answer Maxime.


    "The man who dares to threaten my men... you answer now or you die, choose," Maxime announced in a voice weak but filled with extreme resolve.


    Whether in the world of Eternity or the real world, he feared no one, no matter what their condition.


    And thanks to [Awakening Life], he had recovered slightly and could now walk on his own.


    If necessary, he would forcefully activate [Nox Limit] and fight this man to the finish!


    His talent had the power to overcome the limits of the human body, so he was confident.


    But Captain Orvari was not the kind of man who could be frightened by a high-school student.


    "Captain of the Second Battalion, James Orvari. Pleased to meet you, Maxime Valdreuve." the captain finally replied. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The soldiers beside him were stunned by their captain''s reaction.


    Their captain was also known to have a very bad temper, and would fight at the slightest opportunity if it didn''t go his way!


    But here he had been threatened by a young man, and he had responded calmly.


    It was a sign that he took this high-school student very seriously!


    "Captain Orvari, put down the gun you''re pointing at my men, or I''ll be in a really bad mood," Maxime demanded in a tone that left no room for negotiation.


    "Because he''s in a good mood now?" the soldiers immediately thought with amazement.


    But Andrew, Charles, Kaite and Rodrigo had long been used to their captain''s strange temperament, so they showed no particular reaction.


    As if it were normal.


    The captain''s thoughts were racing as he listened to Maxime''s words.


    No one who could become captain of a battalion was an idiot!


    They might have hot tempers, but they couldn''t make decisions without thinking.


    "This young man must have strange methods to still dare threaten me after knowing my identity..."


    "Perhaps if I continue in my position, all my men could die here..."


    Of course, the captain still had the confidence to preserve his life and escape, but his men weren''t particularly strong.


    At most, they could fight a Dravak, and that was already considered an elite soldier.


    But faced with these mercenaries who were killing Dravaks as if they were insects, his soldiers weren''t going to be able to hold out for a single second.


    "Captain Orvari ordered, lowering his weapon as well.


    The soldiers obeyed immediately, without question.


    "I control the life and death of this Dravak...He can never betray me," Maxime explained after seeing the soldiers lower their weapons.


    Orvari was surprised.


    He knew many people capable of controlling beasts, but those capable of controlling humanoid species were much rarer.


    What''s more, most people capable of controlling other living beings did so via contracts, and generally these contracts put both parties on an equal footing.


    In other words, both benefited from the other, and if things got out of hand, both parties could break the contract at the price of a certain pre-defined loss.


    This price could vary according to the circumstances under which the contract was broken.


    Once again, Orvari reflected on the brief information he was getting from Maxime.


    "The way he says it, it must be a master-slave contract. And he''s the master."


    "So now he''s telling me that he, a high school student, has a master-slave contract with a Dravak who awakened his bloodline?"


    "It''s so unlikely, but given the strength of his mercenaries and his own strength, it sounds like it''s really true."


    ...


    "I believe you." Orvari finally said after a moment''s reflection.


    This decision could be fraught with consequences, for as he had said, a Dravak with an awakened bloodline could totally upset the delicate balance of power on this battlefield!


    But he decided to gamble!


    For without counting Dravus to the awakened bloodline, he thought that Maxime and his mercenaries could be the ones to tip the human balance in their favor!

 Chapter 173 - 173: Did the patient just speak?

    For without counting Dravus to the awakened bloodline, he thought Maxime and his mercenaries could be the ones to tip the human balance in their favor!


    "Captain Orvari?" asked Maxime in a calm tone, despite the sweat present on his forehead.


    "Yes?" replied Orvari unconsciously.


    "Take care of my men and my warrior Dravak. Oh, his name is Dravus, and I''m sure if you listen to him talk about his past and chat with him a bit, you''ll love him." explained Maxime with a smile on his pale face.


    Then his eyes closed involuntarily as he fell to the ground, despite leaning against a tree.


    "Chief!" immediately shouted Andrew worriedly as he went towards him, holding his head back so that it didn''t fall violently against the ground.


    The captain didn''t reply to Maxime, and instead became aware of the seriousness of his injuries.


    So without delay, he picked up the walkie-talkie and put it on Alpha Squad''s channel.


    "Orvari here. Medics to location requested. We''ve found the leader of the Sabertooth Tigers. Critical condition. Urgent extraction required."


    The talent [Awakening Life] was already taking all the strength in Maxime''s body to regenerate.


    It was only when he heard familiar voices nearby that he forced himself to get up and walk.


    Now that things were settled, he could let go again.


    Moments later, a medical unit came running, carrying stretchers and emergency equipment.


    The doctors immediately knelt down beside Maxime, beginning to assess his injuries.


    Some of them broke into a cold sweat as they saw his body burned to varying degrees all over.


    They''d seen burns like this before, but only on corpses!


    While the doctors worked to stabilize Maxime, Andrew stared at his boss with fierce determination.


    "Chief, hold on. We''re going to get you out of here."


    Orvari looked at the young man with a slight sigh.


    He''d been threatened by him just moments ago, and now here he was saving him!


    The medical helicopter quickly arrived, its rotor raising a cloud of dust. The doctors placed Maxime on a stretcher, taking extreme care not to aggravate his wounds.


    His charred skin was threatening to detach itself from his body at any moment.


    The medical unit also gathered to try and carry Dravus'' heavy body to the helicopter gunship!


    But they couldn''t - his body was just too heavy!


    It took the help of 5 soldiers from Alpha Squad to finally get him on board!


    Andrew and Rodrigo boarded the same helicopter as Maxime, accompanied by the captain, while Kaite and Charles went to the helicopter where Dravus was being exported.


    As the helicopters rose into the sky, carrying Maxime and Dravus, a silent tension reigned on board.


    Andrew kept a close eye on his boss''s condition, while the doctors were busy administering emergency treatment.


    The silence was punctuated by the hum of medical equipment and instructions exchanged in low voices between the doctors in the helicopter.


    Captain Orvari, seated in the back, observed the scene in silence.


    He stared at Maxime, lying unconscious on the stretcher.


    Andrew, sensing Orvari''s gaze, slowly turned to him.


    "What''s on your mind, Captain?" he declared firmly, but without animosity.


    Orvari didn''t answer, asking instead:


    "How would you describe your leader, young man?"


    "A madman with whom it''s better to ally than to become his enemy," Andrew replied directly, without hesitation.


    Orvari laughed lightly, he thought he''d already heard similar things from his soldiers about himself although it wasn''t as exaggerated.


    "So how would you characterize those who follow him?" continued Orvari with a slight smile.


    At this point he was very curious.


    "Exactly the same. Even those who aren''t at first, become so." replied Andrew without changing his expression.


    Orvari''s eyes were almost twinkling as he looked at Maxime now.


    For the answers Andrew had given him were very precious to him.


    His thoughts were literally overflowing.


    "This guy''s a born commander! Or rather, he was born to lead extremely fierce and fearless elite units!"


    "With the status of humanity, we''re too short of that kind of person. We''re gradually losing territory and status in the Omega universe, but no strongman is reacting because they don''t have enough courage. They''re too afraid of the repercussions."


    "They''ve forgotten that humanity reached its peak because it was arrogant and fearless, conquering everything with unrivalled confidence. And this was reflected in our armies, everyone possessed unlimited courage."


    "Why? Because humanity stood behind them and supported them!"


    But then he shook his head sadly.


    He didn''t think a single person could change the status quo, even if they managed to reach their full potential.


    Andrew didn''t notice the captain''s inner thoughts.


    Instead, he decided to confide in him a little.


    "You know Captain, even if I say our leader is a madman, he''s never mad with his men."


    Orvari looked curiously at Andrew without answering, with only the sound of the propellers drowning out the sound of their voices.


    Obviously, with their exceptional hearing, the propellers were no problem for conversation, so they didn''t need helmets.


    "Become his enemy and wait wisely for him to come and take your life, but become his friend and you''ll be considered his family."


    Andrew said this with a wistful smile, but his words were truly frightening.


    Well, as Andrew had said before, he himself was also a madman, so it was no surprise that he would subscribe to this kind of concept.


    Orvari didn''t reply, and just looked at the young man lying in the stretcher in front of him with complicated eyes.


    The doctors were busy giving him first aid.


    Meanwhile, in the other helicopter, Kaite and Charles kept an eye on Dravus, still unconscious but breathing weakly.


    Medical staff were working on his open wounds to prevent contamination of the internal organs from direct and prolonged exposure to the outside world.


    The awake Dravak seemed strangely peaceful, despite his serious injuries. Charles, visibly curious, leaned towards Kaite.


    "How do you think people will react in the future to seeing a Dravak in Eternity, Kaite?"


    Kaite, who was sharpening his new sword, shrugged.


    "What do I know? That will be our leader''s problem." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a moment''s thought, she added:


    "All I know is that he''ll be a new member of our family and if anyone dares to do anything to him, he''ll become an enemy of our saber-toothed tigers."


    Charles laughed lightly in response.


    "What are you laughing at?" asked Kaite immediately, eyebrows furrowed.


    She could scare more than one person with that appearance, especially knowing she had the power of a knight.


    But Charles wasn''t affected at all.


    He already considered Kaite, as well as many saber-toothed tigers, to be members of his family.


    And above all, his ambitions were very high.


    Even if he faced a king, he wouldn''t be afraid, because in his heart he was aiming much higher.


    "Well, with his fighting power, apart from Maxime, Dravus is undoubtedly the strongest of our mercenary group. And even the chief should have trouble facing him."


    "So before the family comes down on him, he''d already have to escape the rage of Dravus himself." he continued, laughing.


    "In any case, it''s going to be interesting to see how he fits in with the team."


    As he said this, Charles still had a slight smile on his face.


    No doubt, since joining the saber-toothed tigers, he''d grown enormously, both in terms of personal strength and character.


    A thud interrupted their conversation.


    One of the soldiers on board indicated that the fortress base was in sight. The helicopters began their descent, flying over a massive defensive line of anti-aircraft guns mounted on the fortress walls.


    A few soldiers watched the helicopters pass overhead.


    "Are those helicopters from the second regiment?


    "I have a feeling so, yet the Shibuya have been back at the fortress for a while now."


    The soldiers were mostly aware that the Shibuya had suffered a great loss this time, and had even risked annihilation. But apart from a few top brass, the soldiers weren''t privy to the details.


    "I heard they had suffered many losses, but thanks to the help of another mercenary group, they had been able to escape."


    "Another mercenary group? There are many other mercenary groups in the fortress, but which of them could be strong enough to convince the Shibuya to flee while they stayed?"


    "I don''t know, everything about this case is strange. Because none of the mercenary groups had gone out with the Shibuya, all of them had stayed in the fortress waiting to use their flexibility and intervene in case of trouble with the first regiment to the west."


    "Yeah, and on top of that, it''s only a few helicopters from the second regiment. Normally they all come in at the same time, why isn''t that the case this time? It''s really weird."


    ...


    While the soldiers remaining in the fortress chatted and went about their business, Maxime and Dravus were immediately transported to the fortress''s main medical wing.


    The field hospital was overflowing with activity, the wounded being mostly soldiers from the1st regiment fighting to the west. There were also a few soldiers from reconnaissance squads, as well as around thirty from Shibuya.


    The highest priority was given to Maxime, and he was immediately attended to by the most qualified doctors, while Dravus was also attended to by a team of experienced doctors in an adjacent room.


    The doors of the medical wing suddenly closed behind the teams transporting Maxime and Dravus.


    A tense atmosphere immediately pervaded the corridors. Shouts of brief orders, the clatter of medical equipment and the groans of the wounded mingled in an oppressive cacophony.


    The leader of the Saber-toothed Tigers lay motionless, while a team of surgeons worked around him. His charred body seemed about to collapse under the slightest pressure.


    ...


    "We need more tissue regenerators here!" shouted a doctor as he checked his vital signs.


    "His condition is critical. His internal organs are barely holding. If he survives stabilization, it would be a miracle!"


    Despite the gravity of the situation, Maxime opened his eyes briefly.


    A determined, almost arrogant expression crossed his bruised face.


    "What do you mean, a miracle? I''ll survive even without your help," he murmured faintly, before sinking back into unconsciousness.


    The room suddenly fell silent.


    After a few seconds in which no one moved, a surgeon broke the silence by whispering:


    "Am I dreaming, or did the patient just speak?"

 Chapter 174 - 174: The combat power of a fortress commander

    "Am I dreaming where the patient just spoke?"


    "Yes, he spoke, Sergeant," replied a doctor in the room.


    The doctors also had military ranks, since they were part of the army.


    The room fell silent again, interrupted only by the sound of machinery.


    "Did someone forget to inject the anesthetic?" asked the sergeant, still stunned.


    "No, we did give him a general anaesthetic, and the dose was even 3 times higher than what soldiers are usually injected with" replied another doctor present, leaving the sergeant in confusion.


    No one spoke in the meantime.


    The sergeant continued to think for a while, not knowing how to react in this kind of situation.


    "I''ve been in this business for 20 years and this is the first time I''ve seen this..." he thought silently.


    "Inject him with 10 times the normal dose," he announced after a long reflection.


    "The patient could die..." commented a member of the medical staff hesitantly.


    The sergeant glanced coldly at the young man who had just spoken.


    "This guy just woke up with 3 times the normal dose. If he wakes up again during a delicate operation, are you prepared to take the consequences?"


    The young doctor didn''t know what to say at the time.


    The sergeant ignored him completely, then began to give orders to treat Maxime as quickly as possible.


    Meanwhile, in the other room, Dravus lay on a reinforced metal table, his inhuman weight and constitution posing unexpected challenges.


    Captain Orvari had quickly explained to the stunned doctors that Dravus was now on their side.


    But although the doctors had no choice but to swallow this information, the medical wards were not at all designed for figures of this size.


    Fortunately, there were still a few large tables in the medical wing, which were generally used for large pets under contract.


    Dravus was perforated with multiple gaping wounds, revealing organs whose textures were both familiar and foreign to human doctors.


    A veteran doctor observed the massive body, his features marked by concentration. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Indeed, Dravak have a better recovery capacity than humans."


    "But even if his tissues regenerate at a very fast rate, he has too many wounds to stay alive. It''s a miracle he even made it to our medical wing alive."


    The doctor sighed.


    "Let''s just do our best and fate will take care of the rest."


    ...


    Simultaneously, in the strategic meeting room.


    Le?la was present with Kavasta, the fortress commander and all the regiment captains except the first, who was still on the battlefield.


    "How are you feeling, Le?la?" asked Kavasta with eyes showing concern.


    "She replied with a smile, although part of her face still showed signs of burning.


    Her natural beauty was transformed into something fiercer and wilder.


    Kavasta nodded in response, then continued:


    "And the Dravak who put you in this state, how strong was he?"


    The looks on the faces of the regimental captains, particularly those of a few including Orvari, changed to something much more serious.


    But on hearing this question, Le?la frowned.


    "His hand-to-hand power was pretty good but not on the level of a Dravak regimental captain, but that''s still an awakened Dravak with one or more very powerful spells."


    Come to think of it, her face paled.


    If she hadn''t dodged in time she really would have died from that ultra-fast fireball.


    "To be honest, I don''t think anyone here, apart from the2nd and1st regimental captains, has the skills to defeat it. And to kill it, in a duel situation, the commander would have to act himself."


    Le?la''s words provoked a wave of indignation among the captains ranked from3rd to 9th regiment.


    But no one dared to speak out, for despite themselves, they could not but recognize that a Dravak with awakened bloodline had the ability to kill every one of them, at the slightest opportunity left to them.


    They were just unreasonably strong on the same level!


    But Kavasta wasn''t at all bothered by these words.


    He was a genius himself, and vastly stronger than a Dravak who had just awakened his bloodline.


    By way of comparison, if a regimental captain could barely stand up to a Dravak with an awakened bloodline, then the fortress commander on a yellow-level battlefield could stand up to the level above a Dravak with an awakened bloodline!


    In other words, a Dravak genius with an exceptional bloodline who had already exploited some of his bloodline''s potential!


    Otherwise, Dravaks with ordinary bloodlines couldn''t be put on an equal footing with Kavasta, so frightening was the difference in combat power.


    For the level of a fortress commander could even take him to Earth-level battlefields!


    Generally speaking, regimental captains'' levels were somewhere between black and earth.


    On black-level battlefields, they could still retain a certain status, but on earth-level, they were simply ordinary soldiers.


    For on an Earth-level battlefield, the species involved all had thousands of soldiers of the same level as a Dravak who had awakened an ordinary bloodline.


    And as one of the greatest geniuses of the Western Federation, and above all as a genius who had already exploited part of his potential, Kavasta was even qualified to go to the sky-level battlefields, which was still one level higher than the earth level!


    To sum up, it was possible to discern 4 levels of battlefields:


    Yellow level, which normally corresponded to the level of the strongest soldiers of a mid-level species in a universe, i.e. between the top 3000 and the top 5000 of each universe.


    Generally species with animal blood, such as orcs.


    The black level, which corresponded to the level of the heroes of the top 1000 races.


    Earth level, corresponding to the best warriors of the top 100 races.


    Sky level, corresponding to the best warriors of the top 10 races.


    Of course, sky-level battlefields were exceptionally rare, and even if they did appear, only old monsters would go to such battlefields.


    Geniuses who could still grow would never be sent to these battlefields, as they were far too dangerous for them.


    "So, the high school boy you told me about Orvari could have the level of a commander on a yellow-level battlefield?"


    Kavasta''s words stunned the captains, except for Orvari, who nodded heavily.


    For her part, Le?la was confused, having just left the hospital and gone straight to the strategic meeting room under the orders of an adjutant waiting for her to come out.


    She hadn''t spoken to any Shibuya, and even she couldn''t understand how she''d gotten back into the fortress.


    She could only guess that her men had brought her back here.


    "His maximum personal fighting power, according to the reports made by the Shibuya, should still be below an awakened Dravak, although he did manage to defeat one."


    "It was only a newly awakened Dravak, and he took advantage of a surprise effect to take it down."


    "I see, so why do you say he could be at the level of a yellow-level battlefield commander?"


    Hearing Kavasta''s question, Orvari took on a very solemn expression.


    "These are his men, Commander."


    "His men? What do you mean?" continued Kavasta suspiciously.


    "According to reports, he has 2 knights and at least 50 apprentice knights under his command. The rest of his men are all at the peak of elite soldier, another fifty or so of them."


    Kavasta was already surprised, and his thoughts raced as Orvari spoke.


    "A high schooler could muster that many strongmen? That''s already on the level of a Western Federation genius."


    Namely, the Western Federation was actually just a small country on the giant continent they lived on.


    There were 70 million inhabitants at most, but compared to the 1,000 billion humans on the planet, that wasn''t much.


    And compared to a certain planet called "Earth", this planet was 10 times bigger.


    But after thinking about a few things, Kavasta frowned and commented:


    "But whether it''s his personal strength and his men from Eternity, it''s still not enough to be a commander."


    At this point Orvari gave an intriguing smile, while taking his cup of coffee in his hands.


    "What if I told you that he''s able to get most of his men to achieve a 3-point physique for a limited time, and on top of that he''s able to subjugate humanoid species via a master-slave contract?"


    Having finished speaking, he took a few sips of coffee with satisfaction.


    Once again, the meeting room fell silent.


    Whether it was Leila, the other regimental captains or even Kavasta, no one spoke.


    The commander had even risen from his chair, so surprised was he.


    He himself was the person here who most understood the weight of the words spoken by the second regimental captain!


    Orvari placed his cup of coffee on the table with a satisfied look on his face.


    "Very good coffee, what brand do you buy Commander?"


    But Kavasta glared at him.


    "What do you mean he can subjugate humanoid species via a master-slave contract?" he asked with a very serious expression.


    Orvari clearly didn''t care that the commander had ignored his question.


    At that moment, he was thoroughly enjoying the looks of everyone in the room.


    It was his unhealthy pleasure.


    "There''s currently a Dravak with awakened bloodline in the medical wing of the fortress. It''s his slave."

 Chapter 175 - 175: Commander Kavastas order

    "There is currently a Dravak with awakened bloodline in the medical wing of the fortress. It''s his slave."


    The fifth captain, who until then had been very carefree in this meeting, suddenly spat his coffee at the sixth captain who was right in front of him.


    The sixth captain began to emit murderous impulses at the fifth captain, who was now wearing a slightly embarrassed expression.


    But at this point, nobody cared.


    Everyone stared at Orvari in disbelief.


    Kavasta sat back heavily in his chair, his hand resting on his chin.


    He tried to put his thoughts in order, but at this moment it was completely impossible.


    But here it was Le?la who was most confused.


    She quickly began to realize that it was thanks to her one-night stand that she''d been saved!


    "No, he''s my future deputy captain..." she thought determinedly.


    She looked at Orvari and asked:


    "Where is Maxime now?"


    "In the medical wing, surrounded by the best medical staff we have in this fortress." replied Orvari simply.


    "Huh? What do you mean in a medical unit?"


    Le?la wasn''t aware that Maxime had returned to the fortress, let alone that he''d been seriously injured.


    "Well, in defeating the Dravak that rendered you unconscious, his entire body including part of his face was burned to the fourth and fifth degree."


    "What!? But he''s going to die then?" replied Le?la almost screaming.


    But Orvari was still calm.


    "Don''t worry, this guy also has exceptional passive regeneration."


    But Le?la was still worried, so Orvari added more details.


    "Tell yourself that when I tracked him down and wanted to kill his Dravak, he was still standing there threatening to kill me!"


    "You think a half-dead guy would still be able to threaten a regimental captain?"


    This rendered Le?la speechless.


    "Listen to me." ordered Kavasta in a solemn tone.


    The atmosphere immediately became very serious.


    "All information about Maxime will henceforth be classified at S level. If a single important piece of information concerning his fighting power escapes to the outside world, a strict investigation will be conducted into all those who had access to it." S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he said this, Kavasta revealed part of his aura.


    "And I will personally lead the investigation."


    Every single person in the room felt a pressure building up, making them feel endless fear.


    Even Captain Orvari, who was the strongest man in the room apart from Kavasta, felt small in the face of this kind of aura.


    It was the difference in strength that separated them!


    If Kavasta felt the slightest urge to kill them, no one could resist!


    But he quickly removed the pressure, leaving them there for less than a second.


    But everyone was still in a cold sweat.


    "Maxime''s information will be known only to the highest authorities of the Federation as well as the directors of the 3 largest academies. Moreover, it is likely that he will..."


    Kavasta suddenly thought that these captains weren''t allowed to know about this place.


    So he simply shook his head, and no one dared ask anything although everyone wondered what their commander meant.


    "I''ll send you a confidential document to sign after this battlefield is over when I''ve contacted the higher authorities and they give the precise orders about Maxime."


    "In the meantime, I trust you all."


    "Regarding the battlefield, the third, fourth and fifth regiments must prepare and go to support the second regiment to the south as quickly as possible. The sixth and seventh regiments will go east, and remain stationed. The aim is to prevent our forces from being flanked. The eighth and ninth regiments will remain on stand-by, ready to reinforce the first or second regiments if necessary." "


    "End of meeting."


    Kavasta disappeared from his chair like a mirage, as if in a hurry to get somewhere.


    The regimental captains looked at each other for a moment, wanting to speak but not daring to because of their commander''s threats.


    Le?la was the first to leave, wishing to go quickly to the medical wing of the fortress.


    The captains watched her go, then after a sigh from some of them, they left one after the other.


    In the room, Orvari remained alone, pensive.


    He went to a window in the strategic meeting room, then opened it.


    Then he leaned back, enjoying the fresh air of the battlefield.


    Despite the murders taking place only a few dozen kilometers from the fortress, the weather was really good.


    The sun cradled the fortress in its warmth.


    It was almost as if we were on vacation.


    Orvari watched the soldiers bustling around the fortress, moving in all directions.


    Mercenaries in particular.


    Some were leaving to reinforce the1st regiment, as news was circulating that it was in trouble.


    Hence the new orders from the commander, who had also received news from the first regiment.


    So among the first to join the first regiment were only mercenaries, as the soldiers had not yet received their captain''s orders.


    There were also a number of mechanics working on the first regiment''s vehicles, which had been used to bring back wounded soldiers, and which had also been damaged.


    "Only the second day, and already seven of the nine regiments are deployed. I''ve rarely known such a catastrophic situation." Orvari thought silently.


    "And if it weren''t for Maxime, we''d already have lost the most powerful mercenary group on this battlefield, knowing that the Shibuya are comparable to an entire regiment."


    Orvari looked up at the sky and the sun hanging there with a touch of melancholy.


    "The commander can''t act outside the fortress, I just hope that this young man can give us some more surprises and tip the balance in our favor."


    While he was deep in thought, his walkie-talkie rang out.


    "Captain! Can you hear me?"


    Orvari quickly picked up his walkie-talkie as he heard the familiar voice.


    "Yeah, I hear you Lieutenant Otas. Report back." Orvari replied as he closed the window.


    "We''ve made contact with the 2 Dravak regiments that have come to reinforce the regiment that faced the Shibuya and the saber-toothed tigers. We''ve managed to repel them thanks to the mobility of our helicopter gunships, but we''re running out of fuel! Request immediate reinforcements for a ground confrontation!"


    As the lieutenant spoke, it was possible to hear a helicopter''s propellers turning, the sound of missiles being launched and a faint echo of their explosion further away.


    The helicopter''s machine gun, equipped with the latest-generation high-performance ammunition, was also firing at full speed.


    The calm situation of the fortress and the battlefield to the west formed a striking contrast.


    "Received Lieutenant. I''m returning with Alpha Squad as well as support from the third, fourth and fifth regiments."


    "Three regiments in support Captain? That''s..."


    Lieutenant Otas''s voice was hesitant.


    Opposite him there were only 2 full Dravak regiments, mobilizing 4 regiments to their face was extraordinary.


    "Commander''s orders. If he''s ordered 4 regiments, it''s because either the two regiments opposite are extraordinarily strong, or he suspects others are hiding." explained the captain in a firm tone.


    In the helicopter, Lieutenant Otas was very surprised to hear this news from his captain.


    But he quickly replied:


    "Roger that Captain, we''ll hold position until you arrive in that case."


    The situation on the battlefield was changing rapidly, as in the hospital, the treatment rooms where Maxime and Dravus were staying reopened their doors.


    Medical staff removed them from the wards and took them to beds in the rest room.


    Meanwhile, Le?la stormed into the medical wing, her heart beating wildly.


    She arrived first at the reception desk and asked the lady at the front desk for information about her savior.


    "Hello, I''ve come to find out about a man named Maxime Valdreuve," she said with some alacrity.


    The lady at reception immediately recognized Le?la, as she had left the medical wing as a patient a few hours earlier.


    "Hello Captain, I''ll see to that for you. So Maxime Valdreuve..."


    She was writing quickly on her computer to get an update on the patient.


    "Found him. I''ve just learned that he''s been taken to VIP rest room N��1." she replied with a strange air.


    "VIP rooms are normally reserved only for regimental captains and certain mercenary captains?" she wondered silently.


    "Is there a captain with that first and last name?"


    While the receptionist was confused, Le?la nodded gratefully and headed straight for VIP room #1.


    In less than 3 minutes, she found the room.


    She paused for a moment in front of the door to VIP room n��1, trying to calm the tumult of her thoughts. The idea of seeing Maxime in a critical condition upset her, but she knew she had to remain calm.


    After a few breaths, she gently pushed open the door and entered.


    The first thing that caught her eye was the imposing figure of Dravak, lying on an adjacent bed.


    His body was no longer as frightening as before, all his wounds having been dressed.


    He was now breathing calmly, his torso rising and falling with an almost soothing regularity.


    Le?la didn''t dwell on him, her mind focused on just one person.


    Her gaze immediately drifted to Maxime, lying on a bed in the center of the room.


    His chest heaved weakly, proof that he was still alive, but his condition was far from reassuring. The severe burns on his body and face were so violent that she looked away for a moment, her heart clenching.


    She slowly reached out, her trembling hand almost instinctively grasping Maxime''s. But she finally stopped herself.


    But she finally stopped herself with a complicated look.


    She sat down beside him, unable to look away from this young man who, just the day before, was clearly in great shape.


    Guilt suddenly overwhelmed her.


    "If only I were stronger, this wouldn''t have happened..." she thought with a bitter smile.


    As she plunged into her thoughts, the bedroom door opened abruptly.

 Chapter 176 - 176: VIP Room N°1

    While she was deep in thought, the bedroom door suddenly opened.


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia, the Shibuya''s 3 lieutenants, entered, visibly worried.


    But when they saw the silhouette of their captain, they were surprised.


    "Captain!"


    "Guys, there you are..."


    The 3 lieutenants had complicated looks, and suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    Seeing her lieutenants in this state made Le?la feel strange.


    As if they were hiding something.


    Finally it was Edgar who spoke.


    "So the captain is aware of what happened while she was unconscious?"


    "Yes, I know that Maxime saved me." replied Le?la, shaking her head.


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia looked at each other strangely after this reply.


    It was as if they were wondering whether they should tell him something.


    Le?la frowned at this, and had a bad premonition.


    "What, did something else happen?"


    They all nodded, embarrassed but casting admiring glances at Maxime, who was lying in bed.


    "You''re so quiet, tell me what happened." ordered Le?la in a dry tone.


    She knew her men very well, and none of their reactions escaped her.


    "Maxime didn''t just save you, Captain. He saved us all." explained Sophia, who was standing a little way back.


    Le?la opened her eyes wide.


    Since she''d just woken up, news had been coming one after the other.


    The only thing they had in common was that they all concerned one person in particular.


    "Did he save us all? He''s only one man, and facing an entire regiment of Dravak he can only die." asked Le?la questioningly.


    But Edgar shook his head.


    "His personal power is just the tip of the iceberg of his true fighting strength. The main thing is his men from Eternity."


    The 3 lieutenants began to tell the whole story, while Le?la closed her eyes to make sure she understood everything.


    After 10 minutes, they finished summing it all up.


    Le?la rubbed her eyes with difficulty, feeling her brain heating up.


    "So now you''re telling me that most of Shibuya survived this encounter thanks to my one-night stand, is that it?"


    A slight silence settled over the room.


    Finally broken by Edgar:


    "...Yes."


    Le?la felt like flipping out while they were thinking of many things:


    "And what''s more, he was a high-school student..."


    "What the hell is this?"


    "Why is a high-school student on a dimensional battlefield? How the hell did he get permission?"


    "He should just be preparing for the university exam, shouldn''t he!"


    "And who made him so handsome and gifted at..."


    Le?la didn''t finish her sentence, realizing that she was deviating from the main topic.


    Then she sighed, accepting this reality.


    "And so all his men, apart from this Dravak, are dead?" she finally asked without much hope.


    But to her surprise, her lieutenants shook their heads.


    "Some of them survived!?"


    Edgar answered for them all:


    "Yes, of the hundred or so men he had summoned, some thirty elite men are still alive."


    "But most of them are all in emergency, their condition critical because when Maxime deactivated his talent, or skill, we don''t know yet, 20 of them fell straight to the ground, unconscious."


    Lucien nodded and added:


    "Just like their leader, their vital prognosis is engaged and very few of them are expected to survive."


    "What a pity, his men have formidable fighting power and could have made good contributions on this battlefield," Le?la commented with disappointment.


    At the same time, she blamed herself, because if she and her men weren''t so weak, Maxime wouldn''t have had to sacrifice the majority of his men.


    "We''ll have to compensate Maxime, because when the system calculation is made at the end of the battlefield and distributes the Eternity coins, then Maxime will have far fewer than expected because of the death of his men."


    "He will thus lose a valuable opportunity to obtain skills, talents, combat techniques or technology such as weapons and armor for his mercenaries."


    "He''ll still get plenty of Eternity coins, but the rewards will be less lucrative because of us."


    Le?la really felt guilty about Maxime.


    She herself was a genius, though far less talented than Kavasta, but enough to reach the position of captain of an elite mercenary group.


    And she had the strength to match.


    So she knew how important every opportunity to gain strength, especially at a young age, was.


    Especially when reaching university, where opportunities to become stronger were available, and the ability to seize them depended on the strength of the students.


    But Edgar disagreed.


    He was older than Le?la and knew a bit more than her about how the system worked on the battlefield.


    "The system directly calculates the contribution on the battlefield."


    "And believe me Captain, Maxime''s contribution for saving our mercenary group should not be light."


    "What''s more, if our mercenary group does very well on the battlefield later on, that should also play positively on the Eternity points Maxime will receive at the end."


    Hearing Edgar''s words, Le?la was reassured.


    "Thank you, Edgar."


    But suddenly, a hoarse voice echoed next to the Shibuyas.


    "Can you be quiet? People are sleeping here."


    The 3 lieutenants were the first to turn in the direction of the voice, and immediately their faces paled.


    Dravus was now sitting cross-legged on the side of his bed in front of them.


    His elbow rested on his thigh, looking bored.


    Even in this position, he was still taller than them, while his spread wings almost covered the width of the room.


    For her part, when Le?la turned around, she wasn''t afraid; on the contrary, she was very curious about the Dravak in front of her. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Le?la watched Dravus with fascination mixed with caution.


    It wasn''t every day she came face to face with an awake Dravak.


    Their reputation in the Omega universe was truly terrifying.


    "It''s incredible to wake up with the injuries you had," she finally said.


    Dravus raised an eyebrow.


    "Because you thought I was going to die?" he retorted with a smile.


    "Yes." Le?la continued sincerely.


    This caused a small vein to appear on Dravus'' forehead, but he decided not to worry about it.


    "Get out of here, there are people here who need a rest."


    "Although your discussions about Eternity coins are very interesting, since we don''t have that on the Dravak side."


    Le?la didn''t care for Dravus''s requests, and was immediately taken aback by a detail.


    "Since you don''t have any Eternity coins, you''re fighting for nothing?"


    Dravus smiled slightly.


    "Of course if we have our own rewards, but it works differently from you."


    Le?la''s eyes began to sparkle as she heard this.


    No doubt it was classified information she was hearing.


    But just as she wanted to continue asking questions, Dravus stood in front of her, and repeated:


    "I''m not answering any more questions, get out of here. Now."


    This time, Dravus'' voice was much firmer.


    Edgar, Lucien and Sophia looked at Le?la, who nodded, showing that they should listen to him.


    "Good rest Dravus. Please be on your way." Le?la said with a smile as she left.


    "I''m counting on it." Dravus replied simply, as if it were obvious.


    The Shibuyas closed the door behind them, and silence returned to the room.


    Dravus sighed slightly, then looked at Maxime, still breathing normally, as if he couldn''t be bothered by the noises in the room.


    "Chief." said Dravus, looking at Maxime.


    But no reaction came from Maxime, his breathing still very steady.


    "I know you''re awake, my perception can''t fool me." Dravus continued in a calm tone.


    This time, a smile appeared on Maxime''s face.


    His blue eyes opened slowly, looking up at the white ceiling above him.


    Then he turned his head slightly, and looked at Dravus.


    "Good perception." Maxime commented.


    "It''s nothing compared to your healing talent." Dravus replied simply.


    Maxime remembered that Dravus was still new, so there was a lot of information he didn''t know.


    "It''s called [the awakening of life], it comes from the goddess Viviana." he explained.


    "I don''t know who the goddess Viviana is, but thanks to her because without the talent she gave you, we''d both be long dead." said Dravus with sincere gratitude.


    "Maybe...or maybe not, because without that talent, my choices would have been different and maybe even our paths would never have crossed Dravus."


    Dravus smiles.


    "Then I''m indebted to her."


    Maxime didn''t take Dravus''s words seriously; a goddess''s power must have been so powerful that it wasn''t even imaginable to mortals like them.


    Undoubtedly, the recognition of a Dravak or a Dravak with his bloodline was the same for her: it was useless.


    "So how does it feel to wake up a bloodline?"


    "Not much in the end, it was as if I''d always had it inside me. How does it feel to have a Dravak with an awakened bloodline under your command?"


    The two looked at each other seriously, then suddenly began to laugh together.

 Chapter 177 - 177: Second regiment in trouble !

    The two looked at each other seriously, then suddenly began to laugh together.


    The two chatted for a while, then went back to sleep.


    Despite the lightness with which they spoke, both were still tortured by pain.


    With injuries this severe, even a strong physique combined with a powerful healing talent wasn''t enough to heal quickly.


    The other saber-toothed tigers still alive were in a similar state.


    They had been repatriated by a few helicopters from the Charlie squad of the second regiment, then these helicopters had quickly returned to the battlefield.


    Now they were all resting in rest rooms in the medical wing, alongside soldiers from the first regiment and the Shibuyas.


    The fittest, such as Kaite, Andrew and Charles, spoke with some of them.


    The next morning.


    Maxime opened his eyes again, looked quickly to his right and saw Dravus still asleep.


    To his left, there was a window that let in the sunlight, while on a small chair, a neatly folded military outfit was laid out. There was also some underwear.


    "They''re pretty thoughtful at this hospital."


    At least, he was glad to see something he could wear to go out, as currently all he was wearing on him was a white tunic.


    So he stood up, but suddenly his body sent him some painful signals.


    "It hurts again!?"


    "That Dravak really got me into trouble with one spell..."


    Looking back, Maxime wasn''t proud.


    He''d really almost died, and even surviving, he was still suffering the consequences of that fight.


    But regardless of the pain, he got up and began to dress.


    Once dressed, he turned to a nearby mirror.


    "Ouch, he really didn''t fake it when he attacked me."


    In his reflection, he still had hair except that before it was long and now it was very short.


    More importantly, part of his face was black, giving him a very fierce look.


    Combined with his military outfit and his young age, it really made for a strange scene.


    At least it was sure he couldn''t be discreet now.


    "I wonder if it will heal with time or will it always stay like this?"


    He himself had no medical knowledge so he could only guess and hope it would heal.


    Without waking Dravus, who was in a much worse state than himself, he discreetly left the room.


    But a voice came from behind him all the same.


    "Hey chief."


    Maxime turned back to Dravus, who was still lying in bed.


    "Yes?"


    "Why did you call your mercenary group Les Tigres �� Dents de Sabre?"


    Maxime smiled.


    "So that''s the question."


    Several times, the mercenaries had already asked him this question.


    And as usual, he replied:


    "It''s a secret."


    In the VIP lounge, Dravus remained silent as to Maxime''s answer.


    "Any more questions, Dravus?" asked Maxime.


    "No, but you''ll have to say it sometime," Dravus replied simply, not really caring.


    "Probably." concluded Maxime, not caring for the moment either.


    He then left the room, closing the door behind him.


    A nurse who happened to be passing by was surprised to see Maxime.


    "Monsieur Valdreuve? Are you fit to walk yet?"


    Maxime smiled at her.


    "It would seem so."


    This smile seemed very seductive to the nurse, and she was not far from blushing.


    Maxime had been very handsome before, but he lacked an air of maturity.


    But with his military outfit, short hair and facial burn, he had a unique charm.


    Of course, his blue eyes and blond hair had a lot to do with it.


    Combined with the fact that the nurse knew Maxime was strong and now had a very high status in the fortress, it made him irresistible.


    "If you want to see your mercenaries, they''re on the floor below Sir Valdreuve." she finally said, regaining her concentration.


    Maxime didn''t care about the nurse''s emotions, what he wanted to know now was the state of the battlefield.


    "My men are strong, I''m not worried about them. Can you show me the way out instead?"


    The nurse was disturbed for a moment by Maxime''s answer, but quickly recovered herself.


    "Um...yes, of course!"


    She quickly showed him the way.


    "What''s your name?" asked Maxime after retaining the information.


    The nurse was a little surprised; she was very rarely asked her first name.


    "Blanche, sir." Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then thank you Blanche and see you next time."


    Maxime gave her a little wave as he left.


    It wasn''t much, but it made Blanche happy.


    "I should join the command room, although it must be very busy and no one will have time to explain anything to me, I could learn the exact situation on the battlefield by listening to the reports and orders given there."


    Maxime soon left the hospital and made his way through the fortress''s central field to the command room.


    The central field was particularly lively that morning.


    The engines of helicopter gunships roared as they took to the skies in wave after wave, their blades beating the air with almost hypnotic regularity.


    Armored vehicles crossed the large esplanade in a well-orchestrated ballet, their wheels kicking up clouds of dust that lingered in the cold morning air.


    Maxime, advancing at a slow but confident pace, watched the scene with perplexity.


    "A regiment is leaving for the outside?"


    Soldiers, equipped from head to toe, gathered in orderly formations, their faces marked by determination and a hint of nervousness.


    No one paid him any attention at first, all concentrating on their respective tasks. It was only when he passed a group of soldiers boarding a troop carrier that some of them looked up.


    One of the young soldiers, who had heard rumors, squinted as he stared at Maxime.


    "Wait... isn''t that...?" he whispered to his comrade.


    "I know who you mean, but that''s impossible." replied the comrade.


    "They say the captain of the Saber-Toothed Tigers is badly burned, and no one knows if he''ll survive his wounds."


    The former hesitated, seeking to confirm his doubts, but the slap of a hand on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts.


    "Soldiers, this is no time for daydreaming! Check your weapons and armor!"


    "We''ll be in touch with the Dravaks as soon as we''re out!"


    The soldiers jumped up and obeyed immediately, climbing into the vehicle with haste.


    Maxime, who had caught a few snatches of their exchange, sketched a discreet smile but felt strange as he caught a precise piece of information.


    "The Dravaks are close to the fortress? How''s that possible?"


    Not far away, the captain of the 8? regiment, busy supervising preparations, turned his head briefly and caught sight of Maxime.


    A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but he kept his composure.


    He merely nodded respectfully, then immediately turned his attention back to his men, shouting orders with authority:


    "Final equipment check! No room for error, we need to support the 2? regiment as quickly as possible!"


    Maxime noticed the man and also nodded in greeting, but momentarily failed to remember him.


    "Why did he greet me? I can''t remember who he is at all."


    "But he must have a high position in the fortress, perhaps the captain of a regiment?"


    Soon, as Maxime crossed the central space of the fortress, he cast a quick glance at the convoy of armored vehicles leaving the fortress compound, accompanied by an aerial escort of attack helicopters.


    "It''s really majestic."


    Without lingering too long, Maxime passed through a doorway and then walked through the corridors of the fortress.


    He came across a few hurried soldiers, all of whom looked at him with different eyes.


    Mostly confusion and respect, as they all recognized him from the recent rumors in the fortress, but they also wondered if it was really him, as according to the rumors he was in critical condition.


    But here, apart from a burn on his face, he was doing quite well.


    After a few minutes'' walk, Maxime arrived at the command room door, which was already open.


    Inside, various orders were being issued and reports received.


    On the giant screen, a soldier in charge of transmission had one knee on the ground as he shared the situation live from the battlefield.


    Around him were soldiers armed with assault rifles firing at Dravaks.


    "This is the second regiment, all our helicopters are out of action! Under the orders of Captain Orvari we are currently conducting guerrilla warfare with the Dravaks in forest N��3!"


    "Roger corporal, hold position, the eighth regiment has just left!"


    "Roger, we''re holding the..."


    Suddenly, an explosion detonated behind the corporal, temporarily jamming the camera.


    No sound could be heard in the command room.


    A heavy silence settled over the command room.


    After a few seconds, a soldier in the command room tried to re-establish the link.


    "Corporal, do you copy? Can you describe what just happened?"


    At this point, even Maxime was frowning with ominous premonition.


    The camera slowly reactivated, but the angle of view had changed.


    Now the camera seemed to have fallen to the ground on its side. Some dust had settled on the table, but it didn''t interfere with visibility.


    On the screen in the command room, the corporal''s head was in full view.


    Except that it no longer showed the slightest sign of expression.


    He was dead.


    Then suddenly.


    A foot covered in scales appeared next to the corporal''s head, and the next second, that foot slammed into the corporal''s head like a pebble.


    The corporal''s head flew off as the camera moved and rose into the air.


    A Dravak had taken the camera.


    Behind him were several human corpses, while Dravaks searched their bodies.


    The Dravak said a few words with a menacing smile, then crushed the camera, definitively severing the link with the second regiment.


    The command room fell into silence.


    The communications officer, a major, asked:


    "Can anyone translate what that damned Dravak said?"


    A second lieutenant spoke up:


    "Yes, Major, he said: ''Wait in the warmth of your fortress, it''ll soon be your turn''."

 Chapter 178 - 178: Lets go!

    "Yes, Major, he said: ''Wait in the warmth of your fortress, it''ll soon be your turn''."


    Tension immediately mounted in the command room.


    A heavy silence had settled in, broken only by the hum of machines and the frightened murmurs of a few soldiers.


    Maxime, standing back near the entrance, observed the scene.


    He could almost feel the collective fear crawling under the apparent discipline of the soldiers present.


    But the silence didn''t last long, being broken by the Major, who remained calm throughout.


    "Lieutenant Brenson, any estimate of reinforcements? Can the 8? regiment reach their position before the Dravaks break through our lines?"


    Brenson, a man with a face scarred by years of war, quickly replied:


    "If all goes to plan, they should arrive in less than fifteen minutes, but..."


    He hesitated for a moment, as his news was negative and they really didn''t want to go wrong by talking.


    "...The Dravaks already seem to have a head start. With their physical capabilities, they are likely to surround the rest of the 2? regiment before the 8? regiment can intervene."


    A wave of concern swept through the room.


    The major pounded his fist on the table.


    "And we can''t send anything from here?"


    A logistics operations officer replied in a strained voice:


    "No, Major. The ninth regiment has already moved west to support the first regiment, while we can''t move the sixth and seventh regiments east at the risk of being flanked."


    "And what about the third, fourth and fifth regiments that came to support the second regiment?"


    "They''re being held back by three Dravak regiments, in the knowledge that the second regiment has begun to be surrounded by a Dravak regiment as well as the rest of the Dravaks who fought the Shibuya and Sabertooth Tigers."


    The major gritted his teeth, clearly torn between frustration and the need to keep a cool head. It was then that Maxime decided to intervene.


    "Excuse me, Major, but I think you might have another option."


    All eyes turned to him.


    "Who are you?" asked the Major, frowning.


    "Maxime Valdreuve, captain of the Saber-Toothed Tigers."


    All eyes in the command room, occupied by a dozen high-ranking officers and some thirty military personnel, were immediately drawn to Maxime.


    Some seemed surprised to see him there, others intrigued, waiting to see what he had to say.


    "Isn''t he in intensive care?"


    "I heard he was probably going to die, although I wouldn''t wish him ill, but how come he''s standing in front of us looking so good?"


    "If he didn''t have a burn mark on his face, I wouldn''t even believe it was him."


    The Major, still standing, crossed his arms.


    But in his eyes, everyone could discern the respect he had for this young man.


    "And what would that option be, Captain Valdreuve? As far as I know, you''re in no condition to fight."


    Maxime ignored the reference to his condition and took a few steps forward.


    "Since the Dravaks who surrounded my men are still on the battlefield, I intend to settle my affairs with them."


    "A few of my men and I are still in fighting condition."


    "Give us fast transportation, and we could rejoin the 2? regiment before it''s too late."


    A murmur ran through the room. Several officers exchanged skeptical glances. A lieutenant stepped forward.


    "With all due respect, Captain Valdreuve, your men are convalescing. You risk sending them to certain death."


    Maxime looked him straight in the eye.


    "Certain death? We''re already there, Lieutenant. If the 2? regiment falls, the Dravaks will gain an immense advantage on the battlefield and all our regiments outside will immediately be in danger."


    "This will create a snowball effect until they arrive at the gates of our fortresses in overwhelming numbers."


    "For my part, I''d rather die trying to stop them than wait here for them to come and slaughter us."


    Silence fell again, but this time it was charged with a different energy. The Major stared at him for a long moment, gauging the determination in his eyes.


    Everyone looked at Maxime with renewed respect.


    If before they''d thought the rumors might be exaggerated - that he''d killed an awakened Dravak on his own, for example, or that his men had slaughtered thousands of Dravaks when there were only a hundred of them - they all believed them now.


    "Very well, Captain. I''ll authorize your deployment. But know that if you fail, we''ll have no way of holding back the Dravaks. Mobilize your men immediately."


    "By the way, I''m going to charter two helicopters with two pilots for you. Take good care of them, especially our pilots. They''re rare and valuable talents in the army."


    Maxime nodded, a determined smile on his lips. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you, Major. You won''t be disappointed."


    He turned and strode out of the room.


    He passed through the now almost deserted central field again, then arrived in the medical wing.


    Asking for directions, he quickly found the room where his men were resting.


    It was in fact a huge barracks-like rest room where everyone slept in the same room.


    Maxime arrived inside, and had no time to worry about the wounded.


    He shouted directly:


    "Saber-toothed Tigers, those who can return to the battlefield, gather round!"


    In the huge room where over a hundred people were resting, some twenty figures reacted immediately and gathered in front of Maxime.


    The wounded soldiers of the first regiment and a few Shibuya watched the scene with surprise and attention.


    Murmurs rose quickly in the huge room.


    Yet none of them expressed anger or annoyance at Maxime''s sudden cries, waking up many people.


    At first, some of the soldiers were irritated, but when they heard the urgency in the speaker''s voice, they all guessed that something very important was going on.


    Of course, Maxime''s identity and reputation played an important part in this, as there were many soldiers with bad tempers in the room.


    One of the soldiers, lying with one arm in a sling, whispered to his neighbor:


    "That''s him, isn''t it? The one the whole fortress is talking about?"


    His comrade nodded, his eyes fixed on Maxime.


    "Yeah. The captain of the Sabertooth Tigers. The one who managed to kill an awakened Dravak."


    Another, sitting on the edge of his bed, interjected:


    "That''s not the scariest part, it''s said that his men, who are all from Eternity, held out against thousands of Dravaks to save the Shibuya. A hundred mercenaries against an entire regiment."


    "And what''s worse, they actually slaughtered most of the Dravaks and only about 20 mercenaries survived that legendary battle."


    "Those 20 mercenaries are the ones standing in front of him."


    Others responded immediately.


    "I had a chat with the red-haired kid, he''s quite nice but I thought he was just a recruit from the first regiment. I didn''t expect him to come from Eternity and have the strength to survive such a legendary battle."


    "Same, I chatted with the blue-haired one, super nice that too! Looking at them like that, you''d never know they could be so fierce!"


    ...


    Despite their wounds, the soldiers showed nothing but respect and curiosity. They knew how to recognize a hero on the battlefield, someone capable of changing the tide of victory or defeat.


    And Maxime had the makings.


    He nodded to his men, now standing before him in patient white tunics.


    "How are you guys doing?"


    "Much better than you, Chief," Rodrigo replied, looking at the burn on Maxime''s face.


    But Maxime was surprised when he saw Rodrigo say this.


    "You''re missing an arm, at what point do you feel you''re in better shape than me?"


    The other mercenaries looked at Rodrigo strangely, as if they were looking at an idiot.


    "Anyway, we''ve got to get to the second regiment urgently. Put on the military outfits provided immediately, then we''ll go to the armor."


    "Yes, sir!" replied the Sabertooth Tigers in unison.


    Seeing how spirited these men were, many soldiers were shocked.


    "Wait...did I hear that right? They''re going back to the battlefield in this state?"


    "I heard the same thing..."


    "It''s crazy to go back to fight when most of them are still wounded."


    ...


    But no matter what the nearby soldiers said, Maxime ignored them.


    Moments later, Maxime led his men to the armory.


    There, they found Karad, the chief engineer, busy checking the condition of weapons and equipment.


    Seeing Maxime and his soldiers enter, Karad raised an eyebrow.


    "Maxime? I thought you were still in the treatment room..."


    Maxime, in a firm but friendly tone, replied:


    "No time for formalities, Karad. Could you arm my men as quickly as possible?"


    Karad, though a little surprised, nodded. He knew that with Maxime''s current reputation, refusing was not an option.


    Or rather, his reputation proved his strength and deserved that his all-powerful men be well equipped.


    "Very well, then. Take what you need, but be careful. These weapons are our last reserves of quality."


    Within minutes, the Saber-Toothed Tigers were equipped. Some took assault rifles, others heavier weapons. A few even checked for extra grenades and ammunition.


    They had heard about them from the other soldiers in the medical wing, and some of them, such as Kaite, Andrew and Charles, who were not seriously wounded, even had a chance to practice a little.


    Maxime, meanwhile, took up a laser sword.


    He had left his last sword on the battlefield.


    Above all, he realized that he didn''t need anything else - an assault rifle couldn''t properly exert its force in his hands, and resources being scarce, it was better not to take one.


    When they were ready, they left the armory and headed for the central field.


    There, two helicopters were waiting for them, engines on and blades turning slowly. The pilots, already seated, signaled to them to hurry up.

 Chapter 179 - 179: Operation sauvatege gets underway!

    There, two helicopters were waiting for them, engines on and blades turning slowly. The pilots, already seated, beckoned them to hurry.


    As Maxime and his men climbed into the helicopters, one of the pilots, a man in his thirties wearing a helmet with a microphone, turned around briefly.


    He raised an eyebrow at Maxime, his clear voice piercing the noise of the rotors.


    "So, you''re the famous Captain Valdreuve? The one who makes the Dravaks tremble, eh?"


    Maxime, sitting by the open door, quickly fastened his belt before answering with a smirk.


    "Looks like rumors are spreading fast."


    Some of the Saber-toothed Tigers followed Maxime and began to strap in too, while others went into the second helicopter.


    The second pilot heard his colleague''s words through his helmet.


    She was a sharp-eyed woman, and as she adjusted the helicopter''s controls she said:


    "Hey G��rard, tell the little chief that he''d better be as impressive as he says, because those birds are important to us."


    G��rard, the first pilot, heard his colleague''s words and passed on the message with a smile.


    Maxime nodded with a serious look on his face.


    He approached G��rard and spoke into his microphone so that the second pilot could hear him.


    "Get us there, and I promise we''ll get you and your choppers back in one piece."


    G��rard continued to smile broadly at Maxime''s words.


    At the same time, he began to make himself comfortable in the pilot''s seat while operating various buttons.


    "I like that kind of assurance, Captain."


    As he said this, the helicopter''s propellers began to turn faster.


    "This is Helicopters Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 to Command Center, requesting immediate takeoff for rescue mission."


    In less than a second, the response echoed through loudspeakers in both helicopters.


    "Command Center for Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, you are cleared for takeoff. Over and out."


    But strangely enough, the channel was not cut.


    And indeed, a few seconds later another voice echoed through the loudspeakers.


    "This is Commander Kavasta. We''re counting on you, go save Captain Orvari and our boys from the second regiment. Over and out."


    This time, the channel cut out completely.


    As soon as the transmission was over, Gerard burst out laughing out of sheer happiness and excitement.


    "HAHAHAHA, you hear that Catherine? Commander Kavasta himself has spoken to us!"


    Maxime said nothing, it was understandable that having direct orders from the highest-ranking person on the battlefield could be very exciting for them.


    Not to mention that this commander wasn''t just anyone, he was one of the greatest geniuses born in the Western Federation in recent years.


    Maxime had even heard that the commander had his picture on the covers of some well-known newspapers.


    "Yeah I heard that, G��rard." commented Catherine in the second helicopter, as she also pressed various buttons to start her chopper.


    "Oh fuck, my blood''s boiling over here!"


    Gerard''s face began to turn red, so excited was he.


    "Come on guys, hang on, we''re taking off in three, two, one..."


    As G��rard''s countdown ended, the two helicopters began to take off.


    But that was without counting a strange silhouette coming straight for the Zelta-1 helicopter.


    Before anyone could comment, Dravus entered the helicopter on his own.


    The helicopter tilted for a moment under Dravus''s heavy weight.


    "Shit, a Dravak!?" exclaimed G��rard even more excitedly.


    But completely ignoring the pilot, Dravus sat down opposite Maxime with displeasure.


    "Chief, had you forgotten me?"


    "I thought you were having sweet dreams, so I didn''t want to disturb you."


    On the surface Maxime was joking, but in his mind, Dravus was too badly wounded to go out on the battlefield again.


    And above all, he knew one way or another, if Dravus died on the battlefield, he''d really die.


    With no possibility of resurrection.


    So he didn''t want to risk losing such a precious asset.


    Especially since when he returned to Eternity, he could bring Dravus along!


    "That''s right yeah...Just so you know, Dravaks have a lot more ego than that, and above all we''re not afraid of death."


    "Whether wounded, sick, sad or whatever, a Dravak will always go out on the battlefield and show what a scary race the Dravaks are."


    As he said this, a cold air began to emanate from Dravus.


    No one knew whether he was doing it on purpose or not.


    "A temperamental child." Maxime thought, not realizing that he himself was similar to Dravus in this respect.


    But the Sabertooth Tigers in the helicopter looked at Dravus seriously.


    Andrew, Ernest, Laura, Tena and a few other Saber-Toothed Tigers all realized that they had just acquired a truly ferocious ally.


    Just standing there, a terrifying pressure emanated from him.


    Only Maxime, who was just as strong as Dravus, and who was his master thanks to the contract, didn''t feel that pressure.


    "It''s my mistake. I''ll force you out of bed next time." Maxime apologized, teasing Dravus a little.


    But Dravus still wasn''t happy.


    "There won''t be a next time when I''m hurt this bad."


    Maxime looked lightly at Dravus.


    "I''ll wait and see."


    As they talked, the helicopters were already high in the sky and had covered a great distance.


    They soon reached the first combat zone.


    Shots were being fired in all directions, as numerous soldiers and Dravaks fought hand-to-hand.


    The helicopters were now flying over a veritable field of desolation. Down below, thousands of human and Dravak figures clashed with unprecedented brutality.


    Explosions punctuated the screams of the men clashing on the ground.


    The ground seemed to tremble under the intensity of the fighting.


    Gerard let out a whistle as he observed the scene from his cockpit.


    "Well, it''s a party down there. Zelta-2, have you ever seen such a mess?"


    In the other helicopter, Catherine replied seriously:


    "Concentrate, G��rard. The Dravaks aren''t here to have fun like you. If we hang around here, they''ll have our rotors before we have time to react."


    G��rard nodded, tightening his hands on the controls. He turned slightly to Maxime and the soldiers in the back.


    "Hang on, guys. It''s going to shake."


    "By the way, have you ever used a machine gun in flight?"


    Ernest immediately volunteered in the Zelta-1 helicopter.


    "Me, never. But I guess it''s like anything else: you point, you shoot, and you hope it hurts."


    Gerard burst out laughing, but Andrew laid a hand on Ernest''s shoulder.


    "We''re saving ammo, brother. Concentrate on the really troublesome Dravaks."


    Then after a silent moment and seeing the disappointment on Ernest''s face, he laughed.


    "Nah I''m just kidding, the helicopter''s full of ammo, bomb the fuckers. Oh, of course I don''t mean you Dravus when I say asshole."


    Dravus, sitting calmly despite the shaking of the helicopter, didn''t care about Andrew''s teasing.


    He crossed his arms and advised:


    "You''d better target their commanders. If their leaders go down, the others will be disoriented."


    Maxime nodded.


    At the same time, he adjusted his helmet.


    "G��rard, what frequency should we use to talk to as many people as possible in the vicinity?"


    As he asked, Maxime had a very specific plan in mind.


    "Put yourself on 31-7, you''ll get everyone."


    "Great, thanks."


    Maxime quickly placed himself on this frequency.


    For the moment, the frequency was silent, so it was perfect. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hello everyone, this is Maxime of the Saber-Toothed Tigers."


    Down below, it was total chaos.


    The three captains were giving orders with some anxiety.


    They were in a total stalemate with the Dravaks, and they knew that if none of them managed to break through, the second regiment would be wiped out!


    It was at this moment that Maxime''s voice echoed through all the walkie-talkies of the third, fourth and fifth regiments.


    "Is that the captain of the Saber-Toothed Tigers? I thought he was seriously wounded?"


    "Haven''t the Saber-Toothed Tigers been out of action since the last mission?"


    "What the hell are they doing here?"


    ...


    The three captains wondered, as did those with walkie-talkies on them.


    In other words, almost all the soldiers.


    Instantly, everyone was aware that the Saber-Toothed Tigers were close by, but no one understood anything.


    Especially since, in the middle of combat, they really didn''t have time to think about it.


    "The commander has given us the mission of going to the rescue of the second regiment."


    Maxime quietly dropped this information, which sent shockwaves through the soldiers of the three regiments.


    Without waiting for anyone to react, Maxime continued to give information.


    "Two helicopters, identification codes Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, will pass over zone E-4. My mercenaries and I are inside the helicopters."


    "Please prevent the Dravaks from reaching us. Over."


    Maxime was no idiot, and had quickly grasped the necessary wording when speaking via military radio waves.


    The three regimental captains were surprised, but they were all veterans.


    Since the commander had decided to send the Sabertooth Tigers to save the second regiment, that meant they had the best chance of saving the second regiment!


    "Captain Ulysses of the Third Regiment, well received. We will assist you. Over and out."


    "Captain Otaro of the fourth regiment, roger. We will assist you. Over and out."


    "Captain Lena of the fifth regiment, roger. We will assist you. Over and out."


    The voices of the three captains rang out on the chanel 31-7, and thus on all walkie-talkies.


    They quickly began issuing various orders to protect the two helicopters from the Saber-toothed Tigers!


    In just a few exchanges, an entire battlefield of tens of thousands of humans instantly changed targets.


    Everyone converged on zone E-4 to protect the helicopters.


    Within a very short space of time, numerous helicopters gathered around Zelta-1 and Zelta-2.

 Chapter 180 - 180: Thats war!

    Before long, numerous helicopters were gathering around Zelta-1 and Zelta-2.


    The two helicopters continued to advance as planned, their side-mounted machine guns ready to fire.


    "The Dravaks are coming!"


    Literally hundreds of Dravaks moved into their path, their assault rifles aimed at the helicopters. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Others were also closing in on the Saber-toothed Tigers.


    An announcement rang out over the helicopters'' loudspeakers.


    "Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, get to the rear of the formation and let us take on those Dravaks!"


    Without waiting for their answers, dozens of helicopters moved in front of Zelta-1 and Zelta-2.


    At the same time, the Dravaks opened fire.


    Various shots landed on the front-line helicopters, but they were not seriously damaged.


    By now, all helicopters were well protected.


    They weren''t as tough as tanks, of course, but a few shots weren''t going to endanger them!


    At the same time, down below, numerous shots were fired at the Dravaks blocking the helicopters, forcing them to disperse their formation.


    But there was more to come!


    More Dravaks came within firing range of the helicopters, and the latter, armed with machine guns on board, began to fire them!


    Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, following close behind at full speed, naturally arrived in the middle of this chaotic aerial battlefield.


    "Hang on tight, guys, it''s going to be hot!" exclaimed G��rard with a mad grin.


    The next moment, G��rard began to execute numerous complex maneuvers with the helicopter to avoid the gunfire and the Dravaks!


    Inside the helicopters, there was a lot of movement!


    Undoubtedly, if they weren''t strapped in and some of them didn''t hold on tight to the metal bar above them, they''d fall out of the helicopter!


    The tension was now palpable!


    "Shit, that old guy''s a total psycho, I can tell! Can we really trust him, boss?" exclaimed Charles, swearing.


    "Little faggot." Dravus murmured with a look of disdain at Charles.


    But his voice was clearly audible to everyone despite the sound of the helicopter''s propellers and engine.


    "Excuse me!? What did you say there?" replied Charles, a vein appearing on his forehead, showing his inner anger.


    "Little faggot." Dravus repeated mechanically, his expression unchanged.


    "My talent will enable me to tame dragons. Then we''ll see who''s here, little faggot." commented Charles, with cold eyes.


    Dravus leaned towards Charles and continued to whisper in his ear:


    "Little faggot."


    "Shit, shut up."


    Maxime was exasperated by his men bickering even in this kind of context.


    No matter who joined the mercenary group, it seemed they would all become exasperating from time to time.


    Dravus and Charles looked at Maxime, silently.


    But both obeyed.


    At the same time, Ernest was excited.


    "Let''s do it!"


    He switched on the machine gun and began firing at the Dravaks nearby.


    Seeing Ernest start to fire, Andrew decided to light the second machine gun on board the helicopter.


    From the air, it was possible to see Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 executing complicated manoeuvres in the air, while from the two helicopters, countless projectiles were flying away at high speed.


    Many Dravaks were hit and fell from the sky, but many more arrived and replaced those that fell.


    Numerous rounds of assault rifle fire passed through the helicopters, primarily intended to neuralize Andrew and Ernest, who were using the machine guns.


    On several occasions, they almost got hit, the bullets grazing them dangerously.


    Inside the helicopter, the saber-toothed Tigers weren''t particularly afraid of bullets or lasers passing between them.


    Even in Eternity they dared to face death, and it was even easier in a world where they knew that even if they died, they''d be resurrected.


    All around them, a dozen helicopters were doing their utmost to intercept as many Dravaks as possible.


    Below them, turreted vehicles followed, firing into the sky to shoot down the Dravaks.


    Naturally, some Dravaks got in their way, but the soldiers were willing to sacrifice their lives for this rescue mission!


    And so, from time to time, vehicles would deliberately stop to delay the Dravaks!


    Of course, their fate could be imagined, but their mission was accomplished.


    At the same time, the situation in the air was getting worse.


    The Dravaks didn''t understand the humans'' plan, but they knew they had to stop the helicopter charge at all costs!


    And the flying speed of the Dravak soldiers was also very fast!


    So, before long, all the helicopters were being swamped.


    Ahead of them, the Dravak mass was growing ever larger.


    Catherine spoke again, her voice tense.


    "Maxime, it''s going to get complicated going any further!"


    Maxime didn''t know what to say at the time, but was thinking hard about what to do, otherwise they''d all die here.


    Because if he died, his mercenaries would die too! And in that case, it was a definitive death!


    Catherine spoke on a proximity frequency, so the helicopters of the other regiments naturally heard her.


    After a short silence, a voice rang out on the same channel.


    "This is Kayle-3. Don''t worry, Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, we''ll clear the way for you!"


    From a distance, Maxime seemed to see the pilot give them a thumbs-up, a sign not to worry.


    "This is Kayle-4, Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 save Captain Orvari and the second regiment!"


    "This is Kayle-5, we trust you Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, you''d better complete this mission! haha"


    ...


    The 10 helicopters protecting Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 all left messages, then all at once rushed towards the Dravaks opposite.


    G��rard seemed stunned by the scene.


    He''d never seen anything like it in his life.


    "Pilot, what are you doing here? Pull yourself together and follow them." Maxime ordered sharply.


    "Yes, sorry." Gerard replied immediately, motioning Zelta-1 to follow the 10 helicopters.


    Zelta-2 followed suit.


    But the result was expected.


    The first charging helicopters came under fire from the Dravaks, and even under hand-to-hand attack.


    Although these helicopters also opened fire like never before, it wasn''t enough.


    And finally, before G��rard''s wide-open eyes, a first helicopter exploded in mid-air, followed by a second, then a third.


    This was war.


    Here, there was no question of battlefield rewards.


    The priority was to win on the battlefield, and this could not be achieved without sacrifice.


    Thanks to these pilots, a path was opened in the Dravak ranks.


    G��rard maneuvered to avoid the debris from the other helicopters.


    At this point, even Ernest and Andrew stopped shooting, because it was going too fast!


    If they weren''t careful, they could fire on the allied helicopters.


    Finally, Gerard managed to get the helicopter out unscathed!


    Zelta-2 was following close behind!


    Behind them, the remaining 7 helicopters blocked the Dravaks'' advance.


    A voice echoed over the proximity channel.


    "This is Kayle-1 and Captain Ulysse of the Third Regiment. Go ahead Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, we''ll hold them here."


    On hearing this, Maxime was surprised.


    There was a regimental captain in the helicopters accompanying them!


    And clearly at this height, if the helicopter exploded, even a regimental captain had little chance of surviving it!


    "Thank you Kayle-1 and the other units. We''ll accomplish our mission without a doubt," Maxime finally replied solemnly."


    The chaos behind them was indescribable.


    The seven remaining helicopters formed a desperate line of defense, their machine guns spitting out a torrent of bullets as the Dravaks crashed against them like an endless tide.


    Explosions lit up the night sky, and the cries of some of the pilots echoed through the loudspeakers of Zelta-1 and Zelta-2.


    "This is Kayle-4, the aircraft is on fire! We''re evacuating immediately! No...it''s too late!"


    boom


    "This is Kayle-3, a Dravak has entered the aircraft and killed both gunners, self-destruct activated."


    boom


    These shouts weren''t intended for them; it was a mandatory procedure that every soldier in charge of a vehicle in the army had to carry out in order to inform their comrade and the higher-ups of the situation.


    Maxime heard this, his face grim but resolute.


    "These guys... They knew what they were getting into, but they did it anyway. Let''s not let them down."


    Dravus, for his part, seemed impassive, staring at the horizon before them.


    "Their sacrifice will not be in vain if you accomplish your mission, Chief. But you''d better get ready. It''s not over yet."


    Catherine, in Zelta-2, took a deep breath before speaking into the channel.


    "Maxime, we''re approaching the area where the second regiment is surrounded. We have a window, but it''s narrow."


    G��rard confirmed with a quick glance toward his radar.


    "They''re right there, in that gap in the debris. But damn, they''re literally trapped. It looks like the Dravaks have them completely surrounded."


    Maxime grabbed his microphone.


    "Ernest, Andrew, get ready to cover our descent. Catherine, G��rard, find us a safe landing point, even if it''s temporary. We need to evacuate these guys."


    Ernest nodded, his hands tightening the machine gun.


    "Understood, Chief."


    Below, the scene was even worse than the pilots had described. The second regiment, massed behind makeshift barricades, was firing desperately to repel the Dravaks.


    Their lines were broken, and every second counted to prevent an enemy breakthrough.


    G��rard spotted an open area near the human lines and began to descend, narrowly avoiding a projectile that grazed the rear of the helicopter.


    "We''re going to land here! Get ready to jump as soon as we get close enough to the ground."

 Chapter 181 - 181: Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 are here!

    "We''re going to land here! Get ready to jump as soon as we get close enough to the ground."


    As he said this, Gerard was particularly focused.


    There was no landing zone with all the trees nearby, and at any moment the Dravaks could target them and destroy the helicopter.


    Maxime stood up and looked at his men.


    "Listen up! As soon as we land on the ground, we move to the front line and cover the retreat of the soldiers from the second regiment! The wounded are given priority in Zelta-1 and Zelta-2. For those who are fit, they will escape to the ground, and will have to cross the Dravak lines to join the third, fourth and fifth regiments!"


    "Yes, sir!" A shout of approval echoed through the helicopter.


    Even Dravus shouted with the other mercenaries in a deep voice.


    The latter surprised himself by shouting.


    Perhaps it was the influence of the contract?


    He didn''t know.


    But that didn''t stop Charles from looking at him differently.


    "At least he respects the boss." he thought.


    Dravus noticed Charles'' gaze directly.


    "What do you want little faggot?"


    Dravus didn''t say directly, especially after Maxime''s reflection, but it was clearly what his eyes conveyed.


    Charles immediately returned to his previous impression.


    "As loathsome as ever."


    At the same time, the helicopters were getting dangerously close to the ground, with only 10 meters left between the helicopter and the ground.


    At the same time, they were right above the soldiers of the Second Regiment.


    The sound of the engine and propellers immediately caught their attention.


    "Captain Orvari, look above us!"


    Captain Orvari, who had just killed yet another Dravak, his armor soaked with blood, glanced up in surprise at the two helicopters.


    "Reinforcements?" thought Orvari, his face solemn.


    He wasn''t particularly happy, because he knew that two helicopters weren''t going to change the situation here.


    In the beginning, the second regiment had over 30 helicopters, including a dozen combat helicopters, and yet all of them had been destroyed by the Dravaks!


    They didn''t have a single vehicle left!


    Meanwhile, Ernest exchanged a quick glance with Andrew, and with a confident gesture, took his place behind Zelta-1''s right-side machine gun. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, immediately, he began firing into the crowd of Dravaks in front of him!


    The gunner in Zelta-2 did the same, and for a moment the Dravaks had to back off!


    Maxime took a look at the situation below.


    Bodies littered the ground, both human and Dravak.


    The ground was soaked with a sickening mixture of black and red blood.


    Maxime saw a human soldier on his knees, exhausted, facing a Dravak still in form.


    The soldier was grabbed by the throat by the Dravak and lifted into the air, his death imminent.


    All it took was a simple squeeze of Dravak''s hand to crush his windpipe.


    But the soldier hadn''t given up, reaching into his boot and pulling out a dagger.


    Then, in one swift movement, he thrust it into the Dravak''s neck!


    Immediately, the Dravak released his grip on the soldier, while he put his hand on his neck to prevent blood from escaping.


    His eyes showed his disbelief.


    "Am I really going to die like this, so easily? Because of a mere human?"


    But it was already over, the Dravak falling to the ground shortly afterwards.


    "That was close." thought the soldier as he caught his breath.


    But he didn''t have time to enjoy the joy of having survived when a Dravak a little further away shot him in the head with an energy bullet.


    The soldier fell to the ground, almost glued to the Darak he had just killed.


    Further on, a Dravak, taller and more imposing than his fellows, brandished a huge sword.


    In one fluid movement, he swept through an entire line of soldiers, his weapon drawing a deadly arc, leaving behind lifeless bodies and muffled screams.


    Meanwhile, the machine guns continued to roar, raining down deadly projectiles on the Dravaks.


    Each tracer briefly illuminated the chaos, finding its target with deadly accuracy. Dozens of Dravaks collapsed, their chitinous skin pierced by the relentless fire.


    Many soldiers were indirectly saved and began to withdraw under the orders of the highest-ranking officers nearby.


    Captain Orvari also began to gather his troops, thanks to the intervention of the two helicopters.


    Everyone was able to take a breather.


    In the midst of the carnage, Commander Dravak watched from a hilltop. His reptilian gaze fell on the human helicopters slowly descending towards their prey.


    His lips curled into a sneer of contempt.


    "Do these humans really think they can turn the tide of this battle with their flying toys? Pathetic."


    "Intensify the assault! May these machines be reduced to ashes!" he roared to his subordinates. A whole troop of Dravaks leapt into the air, their wings flapping furiously, to surround the helicopters.


    Kaelor, who was on the battlefield and had fought Orvari many times over the last few hours, looked up.


    When he caught sight of Zelta-1 and Zelta-2, his heart skipped a beat.


    Or rather, when he recognized the familiar faces there.


    "Those humans again..."


    These were the same humans who, with barely 100 men, had resisted his entire regiment of over 2,000!


    Now he had only 500 men left in his regiment, at most a battalion now.


    This was an absolute disgrace for him, and it was to wash away this shame that he took the initiative to fight with Captain Orvari on this battlefield!


    He himself was in charge of holding the captain back, while the captain of the Dravak regiment he was fighting with was in charge of massacring the human ranks!


    This was why the second regiment was in a very dangerous situation right now!


    They were short of strong men!


    Captain Orvari''s lieutenants, including Lieutenant Otas of Bravo Squad, were doing their best to hold him back, but it was a very difficult task.


    Especially as this left room for the lieutenants of the Dravak regiment to rampage through their ranks!


    As for Kaelor, he only wanted to wash away his shame by fighting with Captain Orvari.


    For all the Dravaks on this battlefield knew Captain Orvari as one of the strongest humans on the yellow-level battlefields.


    On many occasions, he had inflicted great losses on them!


    So if Kaelor succeeded in killing Captain Orvari, he would gain enough military merit to erase the shame he had suffered the day before at the hands of the Sabertooth Tigers!


    With Zelta-1 just five meters above ground, the first wounded began to run towards the helicopter, supported by their comrades.


    Maxime took the opportunity to switch back to frequency 31-7 so he could talk to the soldiers of the second regiment.


    "This is Maxime, captain of the Saber-Toothed Tigers. Commander Kavasta has ordered us to come and rescue you."


    The soldiers didn''t understand, because last they heard, it was they who had gone to rescue the Sabertooth Tigers.


    And on top of that, they could see that there were only two helicopters, and with only those, the situation could not turn to their advantage.


    "The helicopters will take the wounded directly to the fortress, and for those who remain on the ground..."


    As he spoke, Maxime grinned slightly.


    "For those who remain on the ground, run. The Saber-Toothed Tigers will cover you."


    Maxime''s words shocked the soldiers of the second regiment.


    "What''s he talking about?"


    "I thought an elite unit had come to rescue us, but it turned out to be just a half-dead kid and a bunch of half-crippled mercenaries."


    "Yeah, I guess we''re really dead this time. Commander Kavasta doesn''t have any men left to rescue us."


    ...


    The soldiers of the second regiment chatted amongst themselves, and none wore a pretty face as they felt death approaching.


    But most were veterans and elite soldiers, so their mentality remained stable and no chaos occurred.


    Captain Orvari also heard Maxime''s words.


    "So that''s him..."


    The captain of the second regiment was much more optimistic than the others, for he knew that the young man who had just spoken was an extraordinary individual.


    "His combat power, which he has obtained thanks to Eternity, can almost be compared to that of an ordinary military regiment."


    "And on top of that, he had succeeded in a master-slave contract with a Dravak with an awakened bloodline."


    "Maybe we really do have a chance."


    In Zelta-1, Maxime felt they could all jump from the helicopter without getting hurt.


    "Come on guys, let''s jump out of here!" he ordered, speaking into the helicopter''s helmet so that his men in Zelta-2 could hear him too.


    Then he took off his helmet, and set an example by jumping without hesitation.


    Immediately, the Saber-toothed Tigers followed their leader''s example, leaping out of the helicopter like a furious wave, except for Ernest and another mercenary in Zelta-2 who kept firing at the Dravaks.


    They landed one after the other on the ground, before the astonished eyes of the soldiers of the second regiment who accompanied their wounded comrades to the helicopters.


    Maxime sprinted through the soldiers retreating towards the helicopters, his laser sword held firmly in his hands.


    His 18 men and...a Dravak, followed him, all showing extraordinary physique for a yellow-level battlefield.


    Dravus, being far more than any of the mercenaries, easily stood out among the humans.


    Fortunately, many soldiers were already aware that a Dravak had joined the human ranks, otherwise some would have already shot him.


    Maxime quickly arrived in front of the first lines of soldiers of the second regiment.


    Maxime led the charge, cutting down a Dravak who had come too close to a wounded young soldier.


    Another Dravak approached.


    Maxime''s laser sword glowed brightly, leaving a trail of light behind.


    The next instant, the Dravak fell to the ground, his head falling away from his own body.


    The Saber-toothed Tigers rushed into the fray with almost animal-like ferocity.


    Some of them even had fun using the weapons recovered from the armory.


    Some of these weapons were similar to rocket launchers, causing explosions everywhere.


    In just a few seconds, they had formed a living wall, an impenetrable bulwark between the Dravaks and the retreating soldiers.


    But there were still a few fierce soldiers in the second regiment who thought they''d stay here to give their comrades time to evacuate.


    "Back off, Second Regiment guys!" roared Maxime as he deflected an attack, his movements as fluid as they were deadly.


    "Let us hold the line!"

 Chapter 182 - 182: Ytan, Captain of the Second Dravak Regiment

    "Let us hold the line!"


    Captain Orvari watched the scene with mingled admiration and relief.


    He had made the right bet.


    He knew he''d made the right bet, because at that moment, Dravus represented at least 30% of the Saber-Toothed Tigers'' fighting power.


    As far as he was concerned, it was only thanks to Dravus'' presence that Maxime''s mercenaries weren''t being overwhelmed.


    And he was right, currently the Sabertooth Tigers couldn''t take advantage of the active talent [Nox Limit] because of the reload time required between each use.


    Although Maxime could force the use, this had side effects.


    As a result, they were all at least 20% to 30% weaker than when fighting with the Shibuya.


    But they were still elite mercenaries.


    With Dravus''s help, the chaos around them seemed to be coming into order, as if they had mastered the scales of victory.


    Seeing this, hope was reborn in the exhausted hearts of the soldiers of the second regiment, who looked off into the distance.


    Kaelor, looking to the side, was seething from within as he watched the Sabertooth Tigers push his troops back.


    Captain Dravak, who was leading the encirclement operation on the second human regiment, joined him.


    "Kaelor."


    A voice appeared right beside him.


    Kaelor glanced in the direction of the voice, to see who was calling him.


    And seeing him, even he could only respect him.


    "Ytan."


    Ytan was the captain of the second Dravak regiment and possessed a status similar to Orvari''s in the Dravak army.


    His strength was even significantly greater than Orvari''s and approached that of the captain of the first human regiment!


    Kaelor was only the captain of the eighth regiment, and thus had a status far inferior to him.


    "The Dravak with the awakened bloodline, he was one of your men wasn''t he?"


    Ytan''s voice was poised and calm, but Kaelor felt an intense pressure from him.


    It was simply because it was Ytan that he felt this way!


    "Yes, Captain Ytan." S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then why is he fighting us now?"


    Ytan''s tone was always casual, but those who knew him knew he was very displeased.


    "That..."


    For a moment Kaelor didn''t know what to say.


    He knew Dravus well because he was a genius and one of his best men, and basically he even got on very well with him.


    But he knew that since his wife had been stolen from him, Dravus hadn''t been the same.


    He''d become more indifferent to almost everything, except how to build up his own strength.


    Of course, he knew why, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    The chief of the Dravus tribe was himself a very powerful Dravak with many remarkable military contributions.


    Without waiting for Kaelor''s reply, Ytan continued:


    "And I remember that to eliminate the Shibuya, that group of elite human mercenaries, the commander gave you Oscar?"


    Kaelor could only bow his head in shame.


    Ashamed of his own weakness and lack of lucidity at the right moments.


    "You''ve cost our race two warriors in the awakened line. You must pay."


    Ytan''s words weren''t actually true; Dravus had awakened his bloodline by fighting Zarthan.


    Oscar, on the other hand, was uncontrollable and had his way.


    But Kaelor could do nothing about it, his strength and status were too weak compared to Ytan.


    "I''m ready to atone for my sins." he finally said, lowering his head to hide his bitter face.


    Ytan watched him for a few seconds, then finally nodded.


    "That''s good, because I''ve got a mission for you."


    Kaelor looked at Ytan, and waited patiently.


    Ytan glanced at Kaelor, and ordered:


    "You will block Dravus the traitor, as well as Orvari, the captain of the second human regiment, if he dares to intervene."


    Kaelor opened his eyes in surprise.


    "Don''t worry, my best lieutenants will accompany you. Meanwhile, I''m going to kill that human genius."


    Ytan''s cold words made Kaelor smile.


    If this evil human genius died, then Kaelor would be grinning for months.


    "Aye, aye, Captain."


    ...


    Meanwhile, helicopters Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 had landed on the ground, and many wounded were being carried in.


    When Zelta-1 landed, Ernest immediately climbed down, as there was no longer any direct view of the Dravaks.


    Without wasting a second, he headed for the perimeter where the wounded were being dragged or carried by their comrades.


    His gaze pierced through the scrum of men struggling to carry their wounded comrades.


    "Get moving! Every second counts!" he shouted to the soldiers of the second regiment.


    "Load those wounded onto the choppers now!"


    Some of the soldiers, taken by surprise, stopped dead in their tracks and stared at him.


    Ernest wasn''t wearing their uniform, and his imperious tone wasn''t well received by everyone, although they knew he was coming to help them.


    A tight-jawed corporal dared to reply:


    "Who are you to give orders? We have our own officers in the army."


    "Respect the army, and we''ll respect your mercenaries, my boy."


    Ernest, his features tense, glared at him.


    He approached the corporal, his boots crunching the muddy ground.


    "I don''t think you understand. If many soldiers from your regiment are going to survive, it''s because our captain volunteered despite his wounds."


    "And yet he owes you nothing, he''s already saved the Shibuya and when you went to retrieve him, he was already safe."


    "Now we''re in this mess together, and every second that passes could be a second too soon. A second when the Dravaks succeed in destroying the helicopters."


    At the same time Ernest looked at the soldiers nearby.


    "If that happens, then all your wounded will die here! Believe me, the only ones who can lose by dragging their feet are you."


    "The Saber-toothed Tigers are bound to find a way out of this mess!"


    The corporal frowned, finding the young mercenary to be acting in bad faith, but didn''t reply.


    He was right about one thing: they had no time to lose, and if anything went wrong, it would be the second regiment that would be affected, not the mercenary group.


    The other soldiers realized the situation, and drew on their remaining strength to carry their comrades and pick up the pace.


    At the same time, Ernest noticed one soldier carrying another on his back.


    "You there! Stop!"


    The soldier looked at him strangely.


    "Your comrade is already dead, leave his corpse here."


    The soldier opened his eyes in disbelief.


    He laid his comrade on the ground, in disbelief.


    But when he noticed his white eyes he panicked.


    "Marc, Marc, fucking Marc, wake up! This is not the time!"


    Ernest wanted to intervene, but the same corporal who had stopped him intervened.


    "Forget it, Thomas, Marc is dead."


    The soldier couldn''t accept this reality.


    "No Marc...My brother can''t be dead, it''s not possible."


    The corporal gritted his teeth, these two soldiers were also his friends.


    And he knew that these two soldiers were twins, they had sworn to live and die together many times.


    "He''s dead, now do your best to live for him."


    "A person really dies when no one thinks of them anymore."


    The soldier didn''t reply to the corporal; he pounded his fists on the ground several times in rage.


    Then he stood up, his fist bloody, but his face firm.


    "Yes, Corporal. You''re right."


    Ernest softened his gaze for a few seconds at this, but the battlefield with gunfire and explosions everywhere quickly brought him back to reality.


    He turned to a group carrying a badly wounded comrade, his arm dangling at an unnatural angle.


    "Over there, Zelta-2! Go first, this chopper is less loaded!"


    He ran towards another group, himself helping to carry an improvised stretcher by moving one of the porters who was too tired, and pointed to a clearer trajectory.


    "This way, move faster! If you have weapons, leave them here, it''s lives that count!"


    Before long, Zelta-1 was already at maximum capacity, with over 30 wounded on board.


    Zelta-1''s rotors were already starting to turn faster, a sign that G��rard was preparing the helicopter for takeoff.


    Ernest took a last look around Zelta-1 after loading a casualty into Zelta-2.


    Many wounded were still being loaded.


    He sprinted towards Zelta-1, and saw many wounded piled on top of each other.


    Many were groaning in pain under the circumstances, but there was nothing anyone could do about it.


    The possibility of being extracted from this battle zone by helicopter was already more than luxurious.


    What''s more, thanks to a few clever soldiers, they were in no danger of falling.


    Indeed, the soldiers were all resourceful and had taken straps and ropes to tie the wounded together and to the helicopter.


    "We''re full up here! Nobody''s coming aboard anymore!" he shouted.


    "If you still have wounded, send them to Zelta-2 or prepare to evacuate them on foot."


    Enemy fire sounded closer. Ernest looked up and saw winged Dravaks diving toward their position. He grabbed the radio clipped to his breastplate and shouted:


    "Chief! We''ve got Dravaks in the air, you''ve got to back off or we won''t make it out of here in one piece!"


    Maxime heard this, and wanted to reply, but just then, Ytan leapt into the air from his previous position.


    He landed heavily in front of Maxime, creating a shockwave that threw up dust and debris.


    Their eyes met, and time seemed to stand still.


    "Maxime, is it?" taunted Ytan, his voice piercing through the din.


    "I''m going to smash you to bits in front of your men. They''ll see how insignificant their leader is."


    Indeed, Ytan knew how to speak the Frankish language, unlike Kaelor.


    Maxime frowned; he didn''t have time to fight. The priority was clearly to evacuate.


    But as he glanced at his men, he realized they were surrounded!


    He remained calm.


    "This is Maxime for Ernest. We''re surrounded, I''m counting on you and the soldiers of the second regiment to protect Zelta-1 and Zelta-2!"


    Ernest gritted his teeth as he heard this, hating not being with Maxime.


    "Roger that, Chief."


    He couldn''t disappoint his boss.


    At the same time, on Maxime''s side, his laser sword vibrated as if sensing its owner''s will to fight.


    "If you want my head, you''ll have to come and get it yourself."


    Ytan''s expression remained unchanged.


    "That was already in my plans."

 Chapter 183 - 183: Impasse !

    "It was already in my plans."


    The duel ensued in an explosion of sparks.


    Both opponents were masters of their art, their movements too fast to be followed by the ordinary human eye.


    For his part, Captain Orvari stood off in the distance, watching Maxime and Ytan fight.


    He rested while smoking a cigar. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It relaxed him from time to time, although it could very slightly reduce his physical capacity permanently if he took it too often.


    But he didn''t care.


    His men would ask him from time to time how he had become so strong, and what had motivated him to become so strong.


    And he would reply:


    "I didn''t become strong because I wanted to, I became strong because I liked playing video games. When I was young, all I wanted to do was have fun, and enjoy life to the full."


    And many gamers were in the same situation as he was. They simply loved this game that allowed them to enjoy life, without it impacting on their lives in the real world.


    Of course, this was on the assumption that they were playing without taking any risks, otherwise the loss of 3 years'' life expectancy, should they die, was there to remind them that this wasn''t just a game.


    "Unfortunately humanity''s predicament has put my family''s life in danger, so I could only take up arms and defend humanity."


    When they said this, many soldiers recognized themselves, as they had a similar background.


    The difference probably lay in their starting talent; they guessed that their captain''s must have been particularly strong.


    On the battlefield, Orvari stood ready to intervene in case a powerful Dravak landed and wanted to destroy the helicopters.


    "Ytan''s sword cleaves the air with devastating force, and clearly Maxime is no match for him. All he can do is deflect or dodge as best he can."


    "He can''t even retaliate. It''s only a matter of time before he''s defeated."


    Orvari''s thoughts varied at this point.


    He could come to help Maxime, but if he did, he would indirectly abandon his soldiers being evacuated, and all could die.


    Meanwhile, the Sabertooth Tigers were also in trouble.


    Numerous elite Dravaks suddenly attacked them at the same time, immediately wounding several of them.


    "Dravus, we''re going to need your help here!" shouted Andrew as he parried a Dravak attack.


    Dravus noticed the situation and wanted to act, but an imposing figure arrived in front of him, blocking him.


    "Kaelor..."


    Dravus always had mixed expressions when he saw his former regimental captain.


    "Dravus, I knew you wouldn''t die so easily. I take it you killed Zarthan?"


    Dravus looked at him without taking Kaelor seriously.


    "What do you care?"


    At the same time, adhering to the principle of wasting no time, Dravus immediately cast one of the two spells he had awakened.


    "Ice storm."


    A hundred icicles in the shape of small spears made of ice appeared behind Dravus.


    Kaelor was immediately frightened by this spell.


    "Where are your lieutenants, Ytan? Because this is really going to get ugly!"


    For he had already seen awakened Dravaks use their spell many times, and several times he had even seen human regiment captains as powerful as himself die from it!


    At the same time, Dravus launched his attack.


    "Die, ex-captain."


    All the spears came at him, and he did his best to avoid them, but no matter how agile he was, most of them pierced him helplessly.


    His armor was completely destroyed, and blood was spilling everywhere.


    But Kaelor wasn''t a regimental captain for nothing, and he was still alive!


    His eyes turned red, and regardless of the pain he quickly approached Dravus!


    "Even if I have to die, I''ll take you with me Dravus!"


    Kaelor''s giant sword came dangerously close to Dravus.


    Dravus managed to step back in time and successfully dodge Kaelor''s attack, but it wasn''t over yet!


    Kaelor took advantage of the situation to get even closer, and wanted to finish Dravus off!


    Dravus tried again to avoid, but the pain left over from his fight with Zarthan returned, delaying his action by a second.


    But it was the second too long that would prove fatal!


    Kaelor''s sword came at him again, and a savage smile spread across his face.


    A few nearby Saber-toothed Tigers noticed the scene, but none of them could intervene!


    "Die, traitor!"


    Kaelor''s voice rang out, followed by a resounding shock.


    Before everyone''s astonished eyes, Dravus was still alive!


    But even he was surprised.


    For standing before him was the captain of the second human regiment, Captain Orvari!


    "I never thought I''d be protecting a Dravak, let alone an awake one."


    But in Captain Orvari''s eyes, not the slightest trace of hesitation could be detected.


    Since he had made a choice, he would simply follow it to the end.


    He easily pushed aside Kaelor, who had now lost most of his willpower.


    He was already in a weakened state. With the appearance of a man as strong as Orvari, a human he was unable to beat at his peak state, he could already be considered dead.


    And indeed, only a few sword strokes were needed to disarm Kaelor, and bring him to his knees.


    "Any last words, Kaelor?" asked Orvari calmly, pointing his sword, constructed from mysterious materials, at Kaelor''s throat.


    Kaelor finally sighed, then looked at Dravus.


    In his eyes there was no longer any rage.


    "Dravus, maybe you''re right and our race needs to be stricter about abuse of power. Otherwise we could lose more talented warriors like you." he said sadly.


    But Dravus shook his head.


    If it hadn''t been for Maxime, he''d never have betrayed his own race, no matter how much it disappointed him.


    Because the one thing you can''t deny is your own blood.


    "The Dravak race is an elite fighting race. It''s all about the strongest having the most power, and that''s normal. Unfortunately, I lost a fight I shouldn''t have lost, which is what brought me to this state."


    "But no matter, my blood is still Dravak blood and despite my new allegiance to humans, I will prove to all races in different universes that the Dravak race is the strongest race."


    Kaelor heard all this and ended up smiling.


    At that moment he looked like a peaceful old man, he had totally lost the desire to fight.


    "I hope you get Lyssra back," he said sincerely.


    But just then, Ytan seized an opportunity and seriously wounded Maxime, then rushed straight to Kaelor.


    "Orvari! Don''t you dare do that in front of me!"


    Orvari glanced at Ytan rushing towards him, then without changing his expression he replied:


    "I dare."


    Then, without changing his expression, he decapitated Kaelor with a sharp blow, giving him a painless death.


    This time, Ytan was furious.


    The next second, he pounced on Orvari.


    Their swords crossed, Orvari retreating slightly.


    But although Ytan was significantly stronger than Orvari, it wasn''t enough to decide a winner in a short space of time.


    Dravus did not intervene, since he had used the Glacial Storm spell he had felt his old wounds reopen.


    In his current state, if he intervened, he could foolishly die.


    On Maxime''s side, he held his hand over his abdomen and breathed with difficulty.


    A giant, open wound started from his chest and ended not far from his pelvis.


    If he hadn''t stepped back in time, he really would have died then! Sliced in two!


    "Shit, that bastard. If I''d had a few more months in Eternity, things wouldn''t have been the same." Maxime muttered sourly.


    It really hurt.


    It was a good thing he''d recruited Dravus, who in turn allowed Orvari to seize an opportunity to kill Kaelor, otherwise he might have died right then and there.


    At the same time, Ernest''s cry rang out over the radio attached to his armor.


    "Chief!"


    "We won''t last long at this rate! There are too many Dravaks!"


    Hearing this, Maxime began to think quickly.


    "Obviously, this Dravak captain is no fool. Captain Orvari used to hold back the Dravaks with his mere presence. But that''s no longer the case."


    "He was forced to move by Kaelor."


    Her radio beeped again.


    "Maxime!" shouted Catherine into the channel.


    "We''ve got a minute, no more. The Dravaks are starting to surround us again!"


    At the same time, Maxime heard the machine guns of the Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 helicopters firing.


    The sound of the machine guns was not a good sign, as it meant that the Dravaks were directly visible from the helicopters.


    "The Dravaks reacted too quickly. No doubt Ytan had foreseen this situation from the start, and had to send his strong men behind our lines."


    "This way, they can completely destroy the second regiment without letting a single soldier escape!"


    "After that, all they have to do is surround us and attack us, and after a while we''ll all be dead!"


    "Even Captain Orvari won''t be able to survive that..."


    Maxime bit his lips, so bad was the situation.


    He thought of activating [Nox Limit], but on reflection it wasn''t his talent that would allow everyone to survive and escape.


    And here, too, they were completely surrounded by Dravaks, so there was no retreat whatsoever.


    Maxime looked at his men, who were fighting hard but also with difficulty.


    They weren''t going to last long at this rate!


    "What can we do!?"


    ...


    Back at the human fortress, Kavasta stood quietly in the command room.


    By this time, no one dared speak, and tension was at its height.


    On the big screen, the situation of the second regiment could be seen for all to see.


    Many of the soldiers had cameras mounted on their armor, giving a direct view of the situation on all battlefields at once.


    A voice suddenly called out.


    "Report to the commander, the third, fourth and fifth regiments are still pinned down with the Dravak regiments. Numerous breakthrough attempts have been made, but all without success."


    "Report to commander, the first regiment is still in a stalemate with the first Dravak regiment. With Varek''s help, there''s even a tendency to dominate."


    "And concerning the eighth and ninth regiments..."

 Chapter 184 - 184: Time is running out!

    "And concerning the eighth and ninth regiments..."


    "The ninth regiment is still in position to the east, while the eighth regiment is currently quietly breaking through the flank of the second Dravak regiment!"


    Kavasta was pleased when he heard this, very pleased indeed.


    "Good, good, good."


    Important things deserved to be emphasized three times over.


    Indeed, everything was still under Kavasta''s control!


    He had anticipated from the start of the battle that the main battlefield would be to the south, despite the presence of the first Dravak regiment to the west.


    To counter this and avoid the unexpected, he decided to send Varek with the first regiment to counter the first Dravak regiment.


    With his presence and that of the first captain, nothing serious could happen.


    The only flaw was that his entire strategy was based on defense.


    He didn''t think he could win on this battlefield.


    But the Shibuyas, and Maxime in particular, gave him hope of turning the tables!


    Indeed, Maxime and his men had hit the eighth Dravak regiment hard, tipping the balance slightly in favor of the humans!


    So until now, the humans had two regiments stationed in the east, which were free, while the Dravaks only had one regiment left! S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This meant that as soon as the eighth human regiment arrived in the south, the entire battlefield would be turned upside down! The situation would be completely reversed!


    And if the last Dravak regiment decided to help the second Dravak regiment, then the ninth regiment would move in behind them and surround them.


    So, what was happening where Maxime was was the decisive moment on the battlefield!


    It was only the third of seven days, but it was this day that would determine who would be the victor, and who would be the loser!


    "How long before the eighth regiment arrives?" asked Kavasta.


    The lieutenant made a quick calculation.


    "My commander, since they''re on foot to keep a low profile, they''ll need another five minutes."


    Kavasta nodded and at the same time thought:


    "Those 5 minutes are going to be decisive, hold on Captain Orvari and the Saber-Tooth Tigers!"


    Back on the battlefield, the sky turned an ominous red, reflecting the blood spilt on the ground.


    The metallic smell of blood reigned for miles.


    The Zelta-1 and Zelta-2 helicopters were desperately trying to keep the Dravaks at bay, but they were getting dangerously close.


    Sensing the danger, Maxime immediately gave an order.


    "Zelta-1, Zelta-2, leave immediately! I don''t care if you''re complete or not, go!"


    G��rard and Catherine gritted their teeth at this.


    It wasn''t particularly because of their feelings about Maxime.


    It was just that they knew that by leaving, they were leaving all these men to their own devices!


    Not hearing the sound of the propellers, Maxime shouted again.


    "G��rard, Catherine, that''s an order! Take off immediately!"


    As he shouted, he felt an intense burning coming from his wound, almost making him groan in pain.


    Already his skin and face were still scarred by Oscar''s fire, he really wasn''t in the best of shape.


    After a few more seconds of hesitation, the two pilots began to manipulate the helicopters.


    The propellers began to turn, a sign that the helicopters were about to take off.


    The Dravaks reacted immediately, becoming much more ferocious.


    But the soldiers of the Second Regiment weren''t there for show.


    "Block them Dravaks!"


    "Protect Zelta-1 and Zelta-2!"


    "Protect our comrades!"


    ...


    Since they knew they were going to die, they wanted to die with honor, protecting their comrades who might still be alive!


    The most powerful army was the army of despair.


    And clearly, the Second Regiment was, at the time, the finest illustration of this phenomenon.


    There were only 500 men left in the second regiment, but they were all part of the elite!


    Once their combat potential had been released, even the 1,500 Dravaks still alive in the second Dravak regiment were temporarily unable to pass through their ranks!


    Ernest joined these valiant soldiers and began to fight alongside them!


    The clash of swords, assault rifle fire, exploding grenades and the sound of explosive ammunition echoed everywhere.


    Ernest had no choice, it made no sense for him to stay in the helicopters, and he couldn''t get past the Dravak troops alone and come to his leader''s aid.


    "The Saber-Tooth Tiger guy, so we lost his group?" laughed a corporal who had just defeated his opponent.


    Ernest recognized him immediately; it was the same corporal who had embarrassed him when he was organizing the rescue.


    But by then, he was a mess.


    Ernest wondered how he was even still standing.


    "Are you still alive?"


    The corporal glanced at him as he finished off a Dravak on the ground.


    "I''ll live until all those bastards die. That way, I can rest in peace in hell."


    Meanwhile, the Sabertooth Tigers were having a very bad time.


    In less than 3 minutes, there were already only a dozen mercenaries left!


    Kaite, Andrew, Charles, Terry, Tena, Henry, Ultia, Romuald, Rodrigo and Laura were all mortally wounded!


    They were the 10 survivors!


    All the rest of the mercenaries, whether from H��nor, Plouta, VentBois or even Quesso?, were already dead!


    Most of them had died trying to protect Maxime, because although he could always defend himself, the Dravaks had understood that killing him meant killing them all!


    Soon, yet another Dravak pounced on Maxime, while another attacked him from behind at the same time!


    Maxime could block the front, but not the back!


    And Maxime himself knew it.


    "At this point...I can only pray that one of my mercenaries will save me once again."


    He managed to block the Dravak''s attack in front of him, and planted his laser sword in its heart, killing it immediately.


    Behind him, a sound echoed.


    It was a sound he knew well by now.


    All the mercenaries he had protected with their bodies had made the same sound.


    Turning around, Maxime immediately saw the back of a beautiful woman.


    Her wavy black hair and figure were the dream of countless men.


    But Maxime immediately noticed the tip of a spear protruding from her back.


    The metal of the spear seemed to glow, showing off its sharpness.


    At the same time, the Dravak using it fell to the ground.


    And so, with no imminent threat around, the young woman turned to Maxime.


    Of course, Maxime recognized her immediately.


    "Laura..."


    The latter smiled, a trickle of blood dripping from her lips.


    She fiercely removed the spear from her body, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the ground.


    Then, with her remaining firepower, she hurled the spear at a Dravak in the air.


    The latter was immediately felled and fell heavily to the ground.


    As for Laure, she was still standing.


    "As ferocious as ever" Maxime said with a bitter smile.


    Laura turned to him.


    "You''ve got to survive, Maxime."


    Her gentle voice suddenly changed Maxime''s world.


    It was as if only she remained.


    Flames and splinters lit up the exhausted, bloodied faces of the remaining mercenaries around them, fighting like lions.


    In the midst of all this, Maxime and Laura seemed particularly out of place.


    At that moment, Maxime knew that she really was the woman of his life.


    For never before had he felt such pain in his chest.


    Yes, he''d cheated on her with Le?la.


    But he''d heard something very practical from his mercenaries in Eternity.


    Everyone had the right to cheat once on their partner in life.


    But once that joker had been used, it couldn''t be used again in the future, even in other relationships.


    And Maxime had asked Laura about this.


    She was aware of this, and had used the joker herself in a previous relationship, so Maxime wasn''t worried.


    What did worry him was that she''d even cheated on her exes several times before leaving them.


    That''s why Maxime hadn''t hesitated with Le?la.


    But he regretted it.


    Not the act of deception per se.


    Just that he could have done better than Le?la, and done it while not being drunk.


    It was as if he''d taken the first one that came along.


    And besides, he didn''t remember much.


    But that wasn''t the point, in any case he wanted to do it for fear of being cheated on by Laura, since all Laura''s relationships had ended that way.


    In his mind, he''d just avenged himself in advance.


    But damn, did he regret using his joker so soon.


    "It wasn''t even 50% as good as it was with Laura, and yet God knows how many times we''ve done it."


    But now he had no desire for another woman.


    This joker really did have a reason to exist.


    "Do what you want in your world, but in Eternity''s you''re mine."


    That was what Laura had told him word for word.


    But now he''d decided otherwise.


    "It will always be just the two of us, whether in Eternity or in this world."


    These thoughts unfolded in the space of just a few seconds.


    And just then, Laura collapsed in front of him.


    Maxime barely managed to catch her before she collapsed to the ground.


    "Chief! With all due respect, Laura''s already dead!" shouted Andrew.


    Meanwhile, the pressure they were under from the Dravaks was enormous.


    But Maxime didn''t care, he just wanted a few more seconds with his beauty in his arms.


    The other mercenaries were beginning to worry.


    They were afraid their leader had fallen into such despair that he''d lost the will to live.


    By now, they were all forming a kind of circle, fighting around Maxime to hold back as many Dravaks as possible at once.


    A few seconds passed quickly.


    Then Maxime stood up.


    His blue eyes sparkled.


    This drew the eyes of his mercenaries.


    "I''m sorry, guys. I got scared and hesitated."


    No one answered and continued to fight fiercely, but everyone listened attentively.


    "But when have I ever been scared!?"


    "It''s those damned Dravaks who should be afraid of us!"


    "We''re all going to die anyway, who cares about the consequences anymore?"


    At that moment, the Sabertooth Tigers smiled. They all knew the end.


    "Nox Limit!"


    In a very distant space, a huge, chained figure opened his eyes, seeming to pierce space itself.


    He murmured:


    "As expected, he''s not lacking in courage."


    Then he closed his eyes again.


    In another distant space, a goddess smiled.


    "He''s feeling brave at the moment, but this time he''s not going to be able to take advantage of my blessing."


    "Well, next time he''ll think twice before putting himself in situations like that."


    "We can''t afford for one of the hopes of our universe to always be so crazy and irrational."


    But watching him like this, the goddess was still worried.


    "I can''t heal his soul wounds anymore, but I can still give him a little gift."


    At the same time, she sighed lightly.


    "I''m going to get my knuckles rapped again by that annoying guy."


    "I hope you''re worth it, Maxime Valdreuve," she finally said with a smile.


    ...


    At that very moment, in the middle of the battlefield, a pillar of light emanated from Maxime.

 Chapter 185 - 185: Pillar of light!

    At that very moment, in the middle of the battlefield, a pillar of light emanated from Maxime.


    It was so bright that it pierced the clouds in the sky.


    Every Dravak and human on the battlefield could see this pillar of light.


    The captain of the first human regiment, Adrian Valmont, stood upright on a small ridge with an unobstructed view of the battlefield to the west.


    His imposing silhouette, reinforced by black armor edged in gold, exuded an aura of authority that was almost palpable.


    He leaned on his sword, which was planted in the ground at his feet.


    Just by standing there, he was able to lower the morale of the Dravaks below.


    But his soldiers were also intimidated by a huge Dravak opposite. On the latter''s forehead were two horns, each measuring five centimetres.


    This Dravak also stood atop a small ridge opposite.


    He hadn''t made a single move since the fighting began.


    Hence the 2-day stalemate.


    Back at Adrian''s side was a human who was no inferior to him in terms of aura.


    He was a man with a scarred face, wearing black tactical armor with a silver badge on his shoulder.


    Normally, only regimental captains wore a silver star-shaped insignia on their shoulders.


    Soldiers also wore these insignia, but they were bronze in color.


    These insignia were both a sign of status and strength on dimensional battlefields.


    And that mysterious man standing beside Adrian was Varek.


    The same man who had looked after Maxime on his arrival and given him the tour of the fortress.


    By now, he was covered in dust and blood as he was in charge of fending off the lieutenants of the captain of the first Dravak regiment.


    In fact, each of the lieutenants of the first Dravak regiment was not far from the strength of a human regimental captain!


    Adrian''s lieutenants couldn''t win against them, hence the need for Varek to intervene.


    At that moment, Varek and Adrian were staring at the phenomenon in the sky with an expression split between wonder and concern.


    "Have you ever seen this, Adrian?" asked Varek, squinting up at the pillar of golden light.


    Adrian didn''t answer immediately.


    His gaze was riveted on the pillar, his thoughts racing through his mind.


    He knew the situation on the battlefield to the south from the information transmitted by the command center.


    So he knew that there was a monstrous schoolboy to the south, named Maxime.


    "Could this be the work of that genius?" he thought doubtfully.


    He''d never seen anything like it in his life.


    The pillar of light wasn''t just a visual manifestation. It emanated an almost oppressive energy.


    A hundred meters ahead of him, the first Dravak regiment, led by their captain, Vrykan, had also ceased all movement.


    The Dravak soldiers, usually implacable and cold, seemed troubled.


    Some stepped back instinctively, others looked at their captain with hesitant expressions.


    As for Vrykan, he gripped the handle of his weapon, a huge black halberd, his golden eyes riveted on the pillar. Unlike his soldiers, he showed no fear.


    However, a hint of doubt hovered in the gleam of his eyes.


    "That light..." he murmured hoarsely.


    "It reminds me of the light of our Gods".


    Adrian heard these words, though they were spoken in Dravak''s half-voiced language and far away from him.


    But with his exceptional physique combined with a passive skill he possessed, he could hear these words.


    He turned his head slightly towards Varek.


    "I know you know a lot more about the truth of our universe than we do, can you tell me what''s going on?"


    After Vrykan''s words, Varek nodded.


    "I can roughly guess what''s going on, but I can''t tell you because you don''t have a high enough level of authorization."


    Adrian didn''t react to these words.


    Despite his strength, he knew he wasn''t eligible for a level 2 clearance.


    For that, he needed a certain status, talent or special opportunity.


    Or else possess absolute strength, which was not Adrian''s case.


    "All I can tell you is that something very rare has happened down south."


    Adrian nodded slowly, understanding.


    He didn''t insist, because sometimes he thought it was better to know little so as not to be disturbed by certain shocking truths.


    Because even if he knew these truths, he couldn''t intervene with his strength. That would disturb him more than anything else.


    Suddenly, a shockwave escaped from the pillar, raising a mighty wind that swept across the battlefield.


    Trees trembled under the power of the wind, while humans had to shield their eyes from the dust.


    Many Dravaks in the air were violently thrown several kilometers.


    "Captain, your orders?" asked a soldier who had just arrived behind Varek and Adrian.


    He obviously wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to attack.


    Adrian kept his hands on the pommel of his sword, without turning around.


    "We remain on the defensive." he replied firmly.


    "Whatever this light is, our mission remains the same. We have to keep up the pressure on this Dravak regiment. Victory here is not important, what matters is the situation to the south."


    "As long as we win to the south, we''ll get a significant numerical advantage. So there''s no point in sacrificing soldiers here for the death of a few unimportant Dravaks."


    Varek nodded in agreement.


    The soldier made a military sign in response.


    "Aye, aye, Captain!"


    At that moment, Vrykan raised his halberd above his head, and his powerful voice echoed over the battlefield:


    "Dravaks, this is only an artifice manufactured by the human race! We are the strongest race on this battlefield, and nothing can change that! Show them we''ll stop at nothing, not even the heavens!"


    The Dravak soldiers let out a war cry, but Adrian could sense their hesitation. The pillar of light had planted a seed of doubt in their minds.


    Otherwise, Vrykan wouldn''t have made such a war cry at that moment.


    "Varek, prepare yourself," Adrian ordered, his tone icy.


    "If the Dravaks advance, we''ll push them back here, whatever the cost. We must hold."


    Varek drew his weapon, a heavy two-handed hammer.


    His face showed no fear whatsoever.


    "Let them come."


    ...


    From the command room, Kavasta watched the giant screen, as did the rest of the soldiers present.


    Human and Dravak soldiers were still fighting despite the pillar of light.


    On the screen, there was a tally of the soldiers from the second regiment still alive. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was also a count of the number of Dravaks still alive.


    [303 soldiers of the second regiment still alive].


    [One Sabertooth Tiger mercenary still alive].


    [1032 Dravaks still alive].


    Within 3 minutes, only 300 of the 500 humans remained.


    But the Dravaks had suffered even greater losses.


    Of the original 1,500 Dravaks, only 1,000 remained.


    Unsurprisingly, the battlefield to the south was a veritable mincer of humans and Dravaks.


    But it was also a battlefield where the strongest and bravest could show their worth.


    In this respect, a board automatically recording the military merits of each soldier was also present.


    [First position: Ernest of the Sabertooth Tigers. 20 Dravaks killed].


    [Second position: Sergeant Jeff Capson. 17 Dravaks killed].


    [Third position: Major Keina Tapsi. 16 Dravaks killed].


    ...


    The command center was naturally aware of the first names of all the Sabertooth Tigers and could easily recognize them, since they had stayed in the medical wing of the fortress.


    They had all been naturally identified during their short stay.


    And Ernest was very much in evidence on the battlefield. His presence alone was even improving morale in the area.


    Within 3 minutes, he had already saved many soldiers from imminent death.


    On the command room side, the screen often changed perspective, as cameras were attached to the armor of soldiers from the second regiment fighting with the Dravaks.


    From time to time, the cameramen would fall to the ground, never to rise again.


    In this way, the screen changed perspective from time to time.


    "Passage to soldier Tener.


    After seeing a spear take up more and more space on the screen, an operator in charge of the video retransmission reported live.


    "Private Tener has fallen in battle."


    "Moving on to Private Hyvra."


    ...


    Behind the thick mass of Dravaks, the pillar of light was easily visible.


    Kavasta watched in silence, naturally knowing the origin of this pillar of light as one of the greatest geniuses of the Western Federation.


    "An intervention of the Gods."


    Even knowing this, Kavasta was still surprised.


    For this was extremely rare!


    It was said that the Gods had to pay a price that even they had to consider before intervening.


    So divine intervention was extremely rare!


    But without a doubt, all those who received them deserved to be the greatest geniuses of each race!


    In some races, these people jumped absolutely all social classes and became the regent of their race after receiving a blessing from the Gods!


    "My human race is destined to prosper," Kavasta thought with a smile.


    Indeed, he wasn''t jealous.


    As a genius of humanity, Kavasta bore a burden few could imagine.


    He was more than happy to see other geniuses arrive to share that weight.


    In the command room, Le?la was also present.


    She wore a strange look as she watched this pillar of light rise into the sky.


    "Could it be him?"


    But even if she thought it could be him, she wondered what he could have done to have caused this kind of phenomenon.


    "What have you done, Maxime?"


    ...


    The captain of the eighth regiment, dressed in camouflage and accompanied by his 2,000 men, could also see this pillar of light.


    "What is this thing?" he thought incredulously.


    He''d been roaming the dimensional battlefields for years, but he''d never seen anything like it.


    At the same time, grey clouds had been appearing one after the other above them all this time.


    It was as if this pillar of light had provoked the wrath of the sky.


    Simultaneously, it began to rain.


    "Come on, guys, let''s get a move on." he murmured, as the first drops of water fell.


    Although he spoke in a low voice, his 2,000 men heard him clearly.


    It was the talent he had awakened in Eternity that enabled him to achieve this kind of feat.


    Many strong people were capable of it, but they were almost non-existent on yellow-level battlefields.


    By wisely using his talent in Eternity, he was able to complete missions that were reputed to be impossible, and earn a lot of money.


    He also did the same on dimensional battlefields, earning himself a lot of merit.


    Thanks to Eternity, and the rewards of the dimensional battlefield, he finally reached the position of regimental captain.


    ...


    At last, in the Dravak fortress, a silent atmosphere reigned in their command room.

 Chapter 186 - 186: Second talent update!

    At last, in the Dravak fortress, a silent atmosphere reigned in their command room.


    Only the beeping of electronic devices and the sound of their own battlefield broadcasts continued to echo through the room.


    On a throne made of precious materials sat a medium-sized Dravak. But the horns growing from his forehead proved his noble lineage!


    Among the Dravaks, only those who had their lineage awakened could have horns.


    And the length of these horns showed both the strength and nobility of Dravak bloodlines.


    Lineage nobility determined the minimum horn size, while strength influenced horn growth.


    Generally speaking, it took a year for these horns to appear after the lineage had been awakened.


    When they were one centimeter to five centimeters, it was an ordinary bloodline, and strength could at most reach a black-level battlefield.


    From five centimeters to ten centimeters, they were an unusual bloodline, but their strength was still capped at black-level battlefields.


    However, unlike common bloodlines, warriors with these horns had hopes of reaching the rank of regimental captain on black-level battlefields.


    Particularly when they reached 10 centimeters, as Dravaks'' strength improved drastically once they reached this length.


    When they were between 10 and 15 centimeters, this meant a rare bloodline, and strength could at most reach an earth-level battlefield.


    After that, there were noble and royal bloodlines.


    Horn sizes could no longer accurately represent strength and potential, as horns began to take on different shapes.


    And this Dravak commander had two prominent horns measuring around 15 centimetres, curving slightly upwards.


    Like Kavasta, if he intervened on this battlefield, it would be like an adult fighting children.


    Only the captains of regiments could slightly resist them, and that was only thanks to divine limitation.


    This limitation starts at 3 physics points, and ensures that for each additional physics point, it only has the effect of 0.1 physics point.


    But even so, this Commander Dravak still had a physique greater than 4 points!


    This meant that, in the Delta universe, he had a physique of over 13 points!


    A real monster.


    Currently, with his elbow resting on the armrest, he stared boredly at the pillar of light.


    "What do we do, Commander Vatar?


    Vatar didn''t answer immediately.


    He knew what this pillar of light was, but he didn''t take it seriously.


    There have already been many cases of heroes of certain medium-sized races receiving the blessing of the Gods.


    But which of them are now in the top 100 of the best races?


    Very few, and those that are, are so only because these heroes were still alive.


    As soon as they fell, their race would fall with them.


    But seeing this kind of thing was always very annoying for Vatar, as the effects of these pillars were always very powerful.


    There was no such thing as a weak gift from God.


    "But if the Gods think this will be enough to save the human race, it''s still not enough," Vatar thought disdainfully.


    "Order the ninth regiment in the east to move south and finish off this human genius at all costs."


    The Dravaks nearby reacted immediately and began communicating with the Ninth Regiment.


    A smile spread across his Vatar face.


    Naturally, he knew that moving the ninth regiment would expose him to an ambush by the two remaining human regiments.


    He was no fool.


    But in his eyes, ordinary Dravaks were just cannon fodder.


    Many Dravaks of awakened bloodlines felt the same way. Particularly those from noble backgrounds, for whom succeeding in awakening their lineage was a matter of course.


    Some even awakened unintentionally at a young age.


    Fortunately, every Dravak had the potential to awaken his lineage one day. Otherwise, the status of ordinary Dravaks could be similar to that of slaves.


    But even so, sacrificing these Dravaks at the cost of a human genius was definitely profitable in Vatar''s eyes.


    "I wonder how humanity''s top brass will feel when they know they''ve lost one of their best geniuses?"


    Thinking about it, Vatar suddenly felt much better.


    "All the same, it really is an interesting event."


    Then he rose from his chair in good spirits, as if he''d thought of something fun to do.


    Some of the Dravaks noticed their commander''s movement.


    One of them, a little braver than the others, dared to ask the question everyone else had.


    "Going somewhere, Commander?"


    Normally a person daring to question Vatar would immediately get a violent response.


    Some Dravaks even began praying for the impetuous young Dravak.


    But this time, Vatar was feeling really good.


    He was even beginning to wonder how many military merits he would receive after killing a future leader of mankind.


    "Where could I go? Of course I''m going to see the death of this young genius with my own eyes."


    Then he quietly exited the Dravak command room, and flew out of the fortress.


    In the Dravak command room, it was some time before the Dravaks realized what they had just heard.


    "Did the commander say he was going to the battlefield, or did I hear wrong?"


    "No, you heard right."


    "He said he would go by himself to see the death of the young human genius."


    There was silence again, as battle reports continued to be sent in.


    "But doesn''t he have the right?" asked the same Dravak who had asked the Vatar question.


    An older Dravak looked at him with slight contempt.


    His name was Kesta.


    He had a status similar to Varek''s among the Daraks, and was himself a Dravak with an awakened lineage, though only a common one.


    His horns were actually just two small bumps on his forehead.


    But those two little bumps on his forehead qualified him to despise 99.9% of the Dravaks on this battlefield.


    Indeed, there were originally only 4 Dravaks with awakened bloodlines on this battlefield where over 27,000 Dravaks were present.


    Of the 4 rare Dravaks, Oscar was the weakest, having only recently awakened his bloodline.


    After him came Kesta, a former Dravak with extremely limited potential.


    Or even waste-level potential.


    Then there was the mighty Vrykan, captain of the first Dravak regiment, with two 5-centimeter horns on his forehead.


    And finally there was Vatar, with two 15-centimeter horns.


    "This is Vatar, a Dravak with a bloodline inferior only to the royal bloodlines. Who will dare say anything to him?"


    After Kesta had spoken, no one dared speak again. Everyone went back to what they were doing.


    Back on the battlefield to the south, Maxime received a notification from the Eternity system.


    Ding!


    A notification panel displayed the following in front of him:


    [Goddess Viviana took pity on her hero, and gave him a gift to help him overcome the situation].


    [Talent received from Goddess Viviana well received].


    [Synchronization in progress...]


    [Error detected...]


    [Synchronization failed].


    At this point, Maxime didn''t understand what was happening.


    He felt a gentle warmth flow through his body and strengthen him, but an immense pain emanated from his heart, preventing him from enjoying the blessing of [Nox Limit].


    He literally felt his soul split in two.


    "Obviously, there must still be some consequences from the last time I activated [Nox Limit] twice in a short space of time."


    "So even the Gods aren''t able to completely heal wounds to the soul..."


    What Maxime didn''t know was that the Gods really were capable of healing this kind of wound, but they were all in a restricted state.


    So the help they could bring to the Omega universe was limited.


    Meanwhile, the Saber-Toothed Tigers once again felt this powerful force coursing through their bodies.


    Thanks to this new power, they all began to repel the Dravaks with ease.


    At this point, even Ytan, who was fiercely fighting Orvari, took notice.


    For it was all too obvious!


    "What the hell did that kid do!?"


    "And what''s with that damn light pillar?"


    Only the remnants of the Eighth Regiment noticed the change, and their eyes became filled with fright.


    Most of them no longer dared to advance and simply stood on the edges of the battlefield, pretending to fight fiercely.


    For them, these humans in this state were simply too frightening!


    Last time, they had wiped out over 1,500 Dravaks with this mysterious power!


    Although there were 100 of them then, and only 20 now, they still didn''t dare to be confident in the face of these monsters!


    Meanwhile, Orvari was able to breathe a sigh of relief, and at the same time laughed out loud as he noticed the trend of the battlefield reversing.


    "Hahaha, I''ve definitely made the best move of my life!"


    As captain of the second regiment, Orvari was naturally aware of Kavasta''s plan.


    So, although he had already lost most of his men, their sacrifice had not been in vain!


    That was the most important thing to him!


    All his soldiers were like family to Orvari, who had been raised in an orphanage.


    He really thought his heart couldn''t take it if his men had all died for nothing.


    But thanks to Maxime''s mysterious power, his men had a better chance of survival.


    So when the eighth regiment arrived, more of them would survive!


    This was definitely good news for the second captain of the human regiment!


    "Don''t think you''ve won Orvari, it''s obviously just a temporary strength bonus. After it''s over, that young genius and all your men will be dead."


    Ytan really wanted to curse Maxime for causing so much change on the battlefield.


    But Orvari couldn''t care less about Ytan''s words now.


    All he had to do was unleash his full strength and then wait for the captain of the eighth regiment to come and help him kill Ytan!


    "Stop talking for nothing Ytan, and come and fight."


    At the same time, he just grinned, waiting for Ytan to continue attacking him.


    Ytan felt uncomfortable seeing Orvari so happy. He sensed an ominous sign of premonition.


    But the arrow had already been shot, so he could only follow his commander''s instructions now!


    Back on Maxime''s side, the notifications continued to scroll.


    [Problem detection in progress...]


    [Detected that the host already possesses a talent granted by the goddess Viviana...]


    [Life awakening identified...]


    [Added new talent to current Life Awakening talent...] S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Addition completed]


    [Please check your ''Awakening of Life'' talent for updates].

 Chapter 187 - 187: From hell to heaven

    [Please consult your ''Life Awakening'' talent for the latest update].


    The notification window remained open for several seconds, during which time Maxime tried to contain his pain as best he could.


    After getting very slightly used to the pain, he observed this latest notification, ignoring all the previous ones.


    "A talent update?"


    Without asking too many questions, Maxime went to his statistics page and then to the talent column.


    Then he opened the details of his second talent.


    [Second talent: Life Awakening level 1 (0/1000) (diamond rank) ]


    "Diamond!?"


    "It''s a diamond rank talent now?"


    Maxime knew very well that his talent was platinum rank before!


    As a reminder, talents were classified this way:


    Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Legendary.


    And as a further reminder, a talent of legendary rank was only held by a select few on the entire planet Earth!


    Holders of gold-level talents could already be considered geniuses in a school.


    Platinum-level talents were generally considered the best talents to be found in most cities.


    Diamond-level talents were the pinnacle of genius in the vast majority of countries.


    So with only his second talent, he was already one of the greatest geniuses on the planet, on a par with Kavasta!


    "What kind of heaven-defying effect can improve an entire rank''s talent!?"


    Maxime couldn''t wait to discover this new talent, so much so that it made him temporarily forget his pain.


    [Awakening of Life :


    First passive effect: Significantly improves the talent holder''s regeneration as well as that of his men.


    Second passive effect: Slightly improves the lifespan of the talent holder and his men. This effect currently grants an additional 10 years of life.


    Third passive effect: Gives the talent holder a very high affinity for the element of life].


    "The first three effects are the same as before..."


    "So this is a new effect that has enabled the qualitative improvement of the talent."


    [First active effect: Saying ''Awakening of Life'' allows you and your men to restore your physical conditions to 100%.


    Range: One kilometer.


    Reload time: 30 minutes].


    Seeing the new effect, Maxime was dumbstruck for a few seconds.


    "Holy shit, that''s so cool!"


    "It''s almost synonymous with having a tireless army at your side!"


    Maxime quickly understood the advantages and disadvantages of this new effect.


    The advantage was that it meant he and his mercenaries were rarely physically exhausted, thanks to a recharge time of just half an hour.


    The first disadvantage was that it didn''t heal his men''s wounds, thus greatly reducing the effect''s effectiveness.


    The second disadvantage was that it didn''t cure mental fatigue.


    "But this is only the first level of this talent, and it already has such effects!"


    "Once I improve it, the disadvantages will gradually be erased in addition to strengthening existing effects and even adding new ones!"


    "It''s really worthy of a diamond-level talent, it''s definitely very strong!"


    As an example, when the talent was used, it was as if his men were reaching their best form.


    But since they were all currently injured, they would quickly lose fitness when using the talent''s active effect.


    However, it was still very strong!


    Knowing that most people were usually at 60 or 70% of their fitness when an ordinary day was already well underway.


    It often happened that the percentage was even lower, depending on the fatigue accumulated during the day and on previous days.


    And on the battlefield, it was even more dramatic.


    Physical condition dropped extremely quickly due to the adrenalin and effort required to fight with one''s life on the line.


    Hence the extremely exaggerated effect of talent at first level alone.


    Imagine a tired army fighting for several hours, whose soldiers were now struggling to raise their weapons?


    And that these same soldiers were so tired, they could easily see that their strength, agility, combat skills and even reaction time had significantly diminished?


    They were gradually becoming food ready to be slaughtered on a chopping board!


    But as the opponents finally saw the opportunity to easily slaughter their opponents after several hours of fighting, all these men immediately regained their full fitness?


    And that they were even stronger than at the start of the fight?


    Knowing, on top of all this, that their opponents were also exhausted by the prolonged fighting and pressure present on the battlefield?


    It was definitely a devastating blow to the morale of the opposing army!


    The positions of winner and loser could immediately be reversed!


    That was the power of a diamond-rank talent!


    Not to mention the passive effects, each stronger than the last.


    And that was clearly what was going to happen on the battlefield to the south.


    Meanwhile, the pillar of light disappeared, giving way only to the gray clouds that continued to pour down rain.


    As the rain fell to the ground, the water mixed with the blood, creating pools of blood all over the southern battlefield.


    Human and Dravak soldiers would unwittingly step into these pools when fighting hand-to-hand.


    Somehow, this changed the mood of the battlefield.


    A few lightning bolts began to flash here and there.


    Maxime stood looking up at the sky.


    He watched the water droplets falling above him, and the lightning flashing here and there.


    All around him, explosions, screams and the sound of weapons clashing could be heard here and there.


    He spread his arms wide, as if welcoming nature, which was now turbulent, to come and console itself in his arms.


    At that moment, he murmured:


    "Awakening of life."


    Suddenly, a translucent tree appeared behind Maxime''s back and grew to the naked eye.


    One meter, two meters, three meters...


    It grew with the naked eye.


    It wasn''t until it was some ten meters high that it finally stopped, overlooking the entire battlefield.


    Its imposing silhouette almost pierced the sky, its wide, powerful branches reaching out in all directions, forming a veritable dome of protection over Maxime, his men and the human and Dravak soldiers!


    In fact, the dome had a diameter of one kilometer!


    It covered the entire battlefield.


    All the Dravaks avoided the branches for fear of the tree''s mysterious effects.


    Only human soldiers and mercenaries dared touch the branches that appeared around them.


    But when they came into contact with them, their hands literally pierced the branches.


    They were immaterial.


    Yet the tree seemed alive, vibrating with palpable energy.


    Its massive, deep-brown trunk was streaked with luminous veins of shimmering emerald green.


    Its veins pulsed slowly, like a beating heart, illuminating the immediate surroundings with a soft, soothing light that contrasted with the chaos of the battlefield.


    The almost unreal green leaves caught the raindrops, transforming them into beads of luminous energy that slid down the branches before disappearing in an ethereal mist.


    The ground around the tree, previously gorged with mud mixed with blood, had been transformed.


    Bright green grass suddenly sprang up, forming an almost unreal carpet in the midst of the desolation.


    Flowers of subtle hues - blue, white and yellow - sprang up from the earth as if in homage to this ancient, majestic being.


    An aura of serenity and power seemed to extend from the tree, reaching Maxime''s mercenaries.


    Kaite, Andrew, Charles, Terry, Tena, Henry, Ultia, Romuald and Rodrigo, tired and out of breath only moments earlier, felt a wave pass through their bodies.


    Their tired muscles relaxed immediately, their panting breaths becoming regular again.


    They straightened up, their weapons firmly in their hands, and a new glint in their eyes.


    It wasn''t just their physical strength that was returning, but a feeling of clarity, as if the tree was instilling in them the will to keep on fighting.


    Combined with the Nox Limit talent, they felt more powerful than ever.


    Maxime stood with an imposing tree behind him, his pupils glowing with a translucent white light.


    Just by standing there, he intimidated the Daraks nearby.


    These Daraks seemed to be dealing with an extremely terrifying existence at the time.


    They had already fought on the same battlefields as many captains of regiments of all races.


    But never before had they felt such fear coming from a single person!


    Ytan distanced himself from Orvari, equally afraid of the effects this tree could inflict.


    The unknown is the most frightening.


    He looked directly in Maxime''s direction, incredulous at the whole scene.


    "Is this a human or a God?"


    Orvari also glanced around, incredulous.


    "So this is what geniuses look like when they give it their all? It is indeed unlike anything I''ve seen in my entire life."


    He thought back to that half-dead, half-burnt man clinging to a tree to keep himself upright.


    The same man who, in this state, had dared to threaten him if he killed his subordinate Dravak.


    Seeing this scene, he felt a shiver of fear run through his body.


    "If I''d wanted to kill Dravus, would I really have succeeded? I could have..."


    But Orvari immediately suppressed the thoughts that appeared in his mind. They were too frightening.


    The Dravaks of the Eighth Regiment began to desert the battlefield.


    Some of them even began to lose their sanity, all the while shouting:


    "No, no, no, this is the form in which that human killed Oscar in a single blow!"


    "Run if you value your lives!"


    "Stay if you think you''re as strong as a Dravak with an awakened bloodline!"


    ...


    In the command center, the soldiers couldn''t believe it either.


    They''d been leading regiments in yellow-level battlefields for years, but they''d never seen anything like this.


    "What''s that?"


    "Is it the effect of a talent?"


    "No I think it''s the effect of some mysterious skill he must have gotten in Eternity."


    ...


    Many of the soldiers were talking amongst themselves about what they were seeing on the screen.


    Kavasta, who was also watching the situation on the screen, was equally impressed.


    "This kind of scene can generally only be seen on battlefields of black or higher. On a yellow-level battlefield, it''s truly unique."


    This was to be expected, since geniuses who possessed such rare and impressive talents or skills didn''t go to dimensional battlefields when they were high school students.


    It was only when they became university students that some of them came to dimensional battlefields.


    By then, they''d all spent a lot of time in Eternity, so their strength was no longer compatible with yellow-level battlefields, unless they were applying to be regiment captains or fortress commanders. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the human authorities were not going to entrust the lives of thousands or tens of thousands of people into the hands of students with little or no combat experience.


    ...


    The battlefield to the south remained chaotic for about ten seconds, then the tree disappeared as if it had never appeared.


    The battlefield scenery returned to normal, all the flowers and greenery that had sprung up out of nowhere disappearing with the tree.


    Puddles of mud, blood and water reappeared naturally, as if they had never been there.


    For those ten seconds, some felt as if they''d fallen into paradise.


    But as soon as the tree disappeared, they felt as if they''d fallen back into hell.


    This created a violent mental shift, whether on the human or Dravak side.


    Some were even beginning to wonder why they were fighting here?


    What were they fighting for?

 Chapter 188 - 188: From heaven to hell

    For what reason?


    But when they saw a sword pointing at their throats, their survival instincts took control.


    The battlefield fell back into chaos.


    "I didn''t think the talent would have such a visual, and even mental, effect." thought Maxime, who had partly noticed the reactions of nearby humans and Dravaks.


    "Diamond-level talent really isn''t something to be underestimated."


    "I wonder what such a talent looks like at maximum level? And even what is its maximum level?"


    The Sabertooth Tigers, thanks to the effects of the 2 cumulative talents, began to violently retaliate against the Dravaks surrounding them.


    But their efforts were almost in vain, thanks to the 3 lieutenants of the second Dravak regiment on the scene. They were enough to keep order in the Dravak ranks.


    Not only did they manage to keep order in their ranks, but they also kept up the pressure on the Sabertooth Tigers.


    The latter, despite the bonus of Maxime''s two talents, were still in a stalemate with the Dravaks surrounding them, with another 500 of them.


    Maxime didn''t move, simply because the pain in his soul was still there, and seemed to be getting worse with time.


    So he just stood there, trying to keep a straight face.


    But even if some Dravaks were beginning to wonder, none of them dared test the waters.


    For, let alone if they could get past the barrier constituted by super-powered human mercenaries, no one knew whether they were simply sending themselves to their deaths by approaching the human genius.


    20 seconds later.


    The soldiers of the second regiment were gradually beginning to resist the Dravaks who outnumbered them 3 to 1, thanks in particular to one individual.


    This individual was slim, tall and had long blue hair. He had tied his hair back so it wouldn''t get in the way. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A bow from the fortress armory hung from his back, while he held a laser sword in his right hand.


    His mere presence diminished the morale of the 1,000 Dravaks still alive, for no one was his adversary.


    At the same time, the morale of the soldiers in the second regiment continued to rise.


    "Ever since that mysterious tree appeared, that guy''s become overpowered."


    "Yeah, it''s like he''s become a super human. We can''t even count how many of our comrades he''s saved."


    "He really is a monster, he''s at least on the level of our lieutenants."


    "Yeah, especially since our lieutenants in the second regiment are unfortunately all dead now, so his presence really does us good."


    Another soldier, fighting nearby intervened in the discussion.


    "And there are 9 guys like him 100 meters away from us."


    The3rd squad of the2nd regiment, who were chatting amongst themselves, were surprised to hear these words.


    They hadn''t thought of it!


    But on realizing this, their morale improved considerably.


    "This battle we will win, boys!"


    "For humanity!"


    "For humanity!"


    "For humanity!"


    ...


    The small squad of 10 shouted together at the top of their voices.


    Of course, the soldiers nearby heard them.


    They all thought they had a good chance of dying here, since they were unaware of the arrival of the Eighth Regiment.


    For them, the Sabertooth Tigers were the last hope.


    And indeed, thanks to them, many of the wounded had been able to evacuate.


    For them, these cries represented the will to fight on, even in the worst of circumstances!


    They were the soldiers of the second regiment, not inferior to any other regiment!


    And so the 280 other soldiers of the Second Regiment who were still alive also raised their voices!


    "For humanity!" x280


    ...


    Their cry was so powerful that the eighth regiment, still 1 km away, could hear it!


    "We must hurry! This could be a sign that the second regiment is about to collapse!" ordered the captain of the eighth regiment, still using his talent.


    His 3,000 men listened, and everyone accelerated their pace slightly in order to arrive at least a few seconds early.


    ...


    Ernest, standing among the soldiers of the second regiment, smiled as he took down a Dravak with an easy sword thrust.


    This Dravak didn''t even have time to react before he was killed.


    "They''re not too different from our mercenary group after all."


    Ernest''s impression of the Second Regiment soldiers had improved significantly.


    At that moment, only 50 seconds remained before the arrival of the eighth regiment.


    In the vastness of the glowing sky, a Dravak came dangerously close to the battlefield.


    Commander Vatar streaked through the air, his black wings flapping every few seconds.


    Each time he flapped his wings, his speed increased considerably.


    The icy wind of high altitude swept across his face, but with his physique he was totally impervious to it.


    Nor did it take much effort to fly, unlike the Dravak on that battlefield.


    With his keen eyesight, he could already see the entire battlefield to the south.


    "What was that tree?"


    Like many people on the battlefield, Vatar could also see it.


    But Vatar wasn''t particularly worried.


    For him, divine blessings were merely a gift that only the inferior races desperately clung to.


    In his view, the gods, those capricious entities, gave their favor like throwing a bone to a hungry dog.


    But he knew that these gifts were but a fleeting spark in the vast ocean of a universe''s power.


    If one of the top ten races in each universe received such a gift, he or she would automatically become a genius. But that was all.


    He would simply be one genius among many.


    However, Vatar had missed one detail.


    The human race was the one that owned the world of Eternity. In this world, every talent could be amplified beyond measure.


    How else could the human race, which was a totally ordinary race in the universe, defend itself against powerful races like the Dravaks?


    How could they resist the simultaneous attack of numerous alien species in the Omega universe?


    And despite his excellent eyesight, he missed a second detail.


    The trees and outfits worn by the men of the Eighth Regiment completely hid them from the Dravaks, who could fly.


    Including Vatar.


    ...


    Back on the battlefield, the one in the most uncomfortable position was actually Orvari!


    Orvari staggered back, his breath short, his muscles tense under the constant pressure of Ytan''s assaults.


    Captain Dravak''s agility was far superior to his own, and his fluid, precise movements made any attempt by Orvari to counterattack almost futile.


    Ytan''s every blow sounded like an implacable threat, his curved black sword gleaming in the reddish glow of the sky.


    "So, are we weakening Orvari?"


    Ytan wore a mocking smile on his face. He knew that once he won this duel, the Dravaks would win this battle.


    And with his military merits, he could obtain many valuable resources and become even stronger!


    With that, the position of captain of the first regiment wouldn''t be so far off!


    On level battlefields, he''d be an almost invincible existence!


    Orvari, despite his reinforced armor and experience, was struggling to contain his opponent''s strikes.


    Ytan gave him no respite. A wound on Orvari''s right shoulder bore witness to the first blow that had broken through his guard a few seconds earlier.


    Moments later, another, deeper gash lay on his left thigh, narrowly missing a vital nerve.


    Orvari gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain rising in burning waves through his body.


    He attempted a feint, swinging his sword at Ytan''s left flank. But the latter, as if anticipating the move, dodged with frustrating ease, spinning around before retaliating with a brutal kick to Orvari''s torso.


    The impact knocked the human captain back several steps, his breathing becoming complicated under the pain radiating from his ribs.


    "How much longer do you think you''ll last?" ironized Ytan, twirling his weapon.


    "Maybe if you ran away now, you''d still have a chance of survival unlike your men who are already doomed."


    Suddenly, Ytan had a good idea.


    "I can let you run away with ten of your men, what do you say?"


    Orvari, who still had a straight spine despite his wounds, didn''t let the slightest emotion show on his face.


    "Fuck you, Ytan."


    At the same time, he brandished his sword and lunged, but Ytan easily parried the attack, once again slipping under Orvari''s guard and inflicting a superficial gash to his flank.


    "You''d better hurry up and make a decision before I change my mind, Orvari," replied Ytan, showing no anger.


    Obviously, in his mind he would never allow Orvari to leave even if the latter accepted his deal.


    Cannon fodder could be easily recruited and trained, but men capable of becoming regimental captains were not so easy to find.


    So if there was such a good opportunity to kill a regimental captain, Ytan would never miss it. Otherwise he wouldn''t be able to get as much military credit as he wanted.


    The metallic smell of blood filled Orvari''s nostrils as he retreated, cornered, his soldiers too busy in their own fight to intervene.


    Ytan was toying with him, like a cruel predator who took pleasure in seeing his prey exhausted before the final blow.


    It was the style of a veteran warrior.


    Until the last moment, he never underestimated his enemy. He had already seen many Dravaks die at the hands of humans, but also of other races, because they were too confident in their victory.


    Meanwhile, Orvari felt his strength diminishing. But just as he was about to parry another attack, a resounding noise rose up behind him.


    The crash of assault rifle fire and the dull roar of explosions shook the battlefield.


    These were the original explosions, but this time the sound was far more violent.


    Both fighters turned their heads in the direction of the source of the chaos. A hundred meters behind Orvari, flashes of light streaked the air, accompanied by the unmistakable whistle of rocket launchers and the thud of exploding grenades.


    "What the...?" blurted Ytan, his expression distorted by surprise.


    Orvari smiled.


    "The reinforcements have finally arrived."

 Chapter 189 - 189: Vatar arrives on the battlefield!

    "Reinforcements have finally arrived."


    He immediately recognized the uniforms of the soldiers of the Eighth Regiment emerging in a whirlwind of noise and fury.


    There they were, 3,000 strong, advancing like a destructive wave towards the Dravaks.


    The chaos intensified. Two thousand soldiers of the eighth regiment quickly split up to engage the remaining 1,000 Dravaks, allowing the 300 survivors of the second regiment to catch their breath.


    The remaining 1,000 soldiers set off to support the Sabertooth Tigers.


    Assault rifle fire pierced the air, each burst mowing down the Dravaks with devastating precision.


    Every time a grenade or rocket launcher exploded, Dravaks collapsed in a cloud of smoke and blood.


    But Orvari had no time to savor the moment. Ytan returned to the charge, still taking advantage of the little time he had to finish Orvari off.


    For he knew that once the captain of the eighth human regiment had arrived, it would not be easy to kill either of them!


    The Dravak''s sword shot out, and although Orvari managed to parry the first blow, a deft feint caused him to cry out in pain as the enemy weapon sank into his right flank.


    "You''re dead, Orvari!"


    But before he could land another blow, a powerful voice rang out, drowning out the surrounding tumult.


    "Orvari, hold on a little longer, I''m here!"


    The captain of the eighth regiment, a man with glasses, arrived.


    Combined with his frail figure, he looked more like an intellectual than a warrior.


    In one swift movement, he interposed one of his two daggers between Ytan and Orvari, blocking Captain Dravak''s deadly blade.


    Orvari stepped back slightly, placing a hand on his wound to slow the bleeding. His tired but determined gaze met that of his ally.


    "Manu, you''re just in time."


    "Can you still fight?" replied the captain of the eighth regiment, looking seriously at Ytan.


    His real first name was Emmanuel, but close friends could call him Manu.


    From his point of view, if even Orvari had ended up in such a state against Ytan, he himself would naturally be no match for him.


    Orvar, his face impassive despite his wounds, stood at Emmanuel''s side.


    "Of course, a few light wounds won''t stop me from fighting. I''ve survived far worse."


    The duel shifted balance. Ytan, though powerful, suddenly seemed to hesitate. Faced with two captains, one of them in top form, he realized that it was going to be complicated to win in these circumstances.


    Especially as, in the meantime, his men were literally being massacred.


    If his fight dragged on, he was bound to end up surrounded. And even if he was twice as strong, if they were surrounded by thousands of humans, even he''d be dead in no time.


    A spark of rage flashed across his eyes, and he braced himself for an even more intense confrontation.


    He knew he had to win, and win quickly.


    Meanwhile, Emmanuel charged towards Ytan, his silhouette almost elusive to the naked eye.


    But Ytan wasn''t one to back down easily.


    A growl rose from his throat, a warning both to his new adversary and to the Dravaks still alive around him.


    His wings spread slightly, adding an intimidating aura to his silhouette.


    "You think your intervention will change anything, human?" roared Ytan.


    "Once I kill you, both your regiments will be doomed."


    At the same time, Ytan easily parried Emmanuel''s two blades, one with his sword and the other directly with his arm.


    Indeed, he caught Emmanuel''s wrist, preventing him from advancing another inch.


    The second dagger could almost touch Ytan''s neck at this point, but no matter how hard Emmanuel tried, it was no use.


    "Pitiful."


    As he said this, Ytan swept Emmanuelle''s legs, knocking him to the ground.


    Then he swung his sword straight at Emmanuel, ready to finish him off in one fell swoop.


    But at the same moment, Orvari stepped in and deflected Ytan''s sword, while Emmanuel rolled to the ground to get away.


    However, with his wounds, Orvari no longer had the strength he had at the start and was once again pushed back by Ytan.


    Ytan prepared to attack Orvari once more, but Emmanuel was already back. He arrived on his flank, urging him to defend himself.


    All the action was taking place at such phenomenal speed that an ordinary human would almost see it as a blur.


    Every mistake could cost the life of one of them.


    Not far away, the battle was taking a decisive turn.


    The 2,000 soldiers of the eighth regiment, supported by the survivors of the second, now dominated the remaining Dravaks.


    "This is Lieutenant Irigar of the eighth regiment, where are the lieutenants of the second regiment?"


    This lieutenant was the one responsible for managing the rescue of the soldiers from the second regiment.


    Hence the fact that he was trying to get information about the situation of the second regiment.


    His men had already taken the lead against the 1,000 Dravaks, giving the 300 men of the second human regiment a breather.


    Their help was no longer needed for the time being.


    "All the lieutenants of the second regiment are dead, Lieutenant Irigar."


    The lieutenant glanced at the young man who had just spoken. It was clear from his presence alone that he had the strength of a lieutenant.


    It wasn''t necessarily visible, but experienced men could feel it. It was called aura.


    "Who are you?"


    "Ernest, of the Saber-Toothed Tigers."


    The lieutenant was silent for a moment.


    "Saber-toothed Tigers? I thought the few surviving members of that mercenary group, including your leader, were all hospitalized after nearly decimating the eighth Dravak regiment and killing a Dravak with an awakened bloodline."


    After saying this, the lieutenant looked away at another part of the battlefield and thought:


    "But if these mysterious strongmen were his comrades, it wouldn''t be surprising."


    Obviously this lieutenant hadn''t been able to get the information from the command center, so he reflected on the elements he had at his disposal.


    "Lieutenant Irigar, I''m off to help my leader and comrades, take care of the soldiers of the second regiment."


    Ernest had taken time to speak with this lieutenant and say this simple sentence, because he really liked the mentality of the men of the second regiment.


    Not all human soldiers were as brave as they were.


    The lieutenant nodded in response.


    In any case, he was going to take care of the men of the second regiment, and he couldn''t control Ernest''s actions either.


    For ordinary mercenary groups, they were obviously integrated into the army so they could exert their strength and, above all, obtain more Eternity points.


    But for powerful mercenary groups like the Shibuya or the Saber-Tooth Tigers, he had absolutely no military power over them.


    Meanwhile, beside them, human war cries echoed through the air, accompanied by the pounding of assault rifles and the sporadic explosions of grenades.


    The Dravaks, though ferocious, found themselves overwhelmed by this lightning counter-offensive.


    In the distance, Maxime''s nine mercenaries were still fighting with terrifying efficiency. Their combined strength, amplified by their unique talents, was completely disorganizing the Dravak formations.


    And soon after that, the 1000 men of the eighth regiment, including two lieutenants, joined them, further increasing the pressure on the Dravaks and turning the area into a veritable massacre.


    But on the main front, all eyes were still on the battle between Orvari and Emmanuel against Ytan.


    The battle was reaching its climax.


    Every exchange between Ytan, Orvari and Emmanuel was a spectacle of speed and raw power, a duel where every mistake could be fatal.


    Around them, the soldiers on both sides had instinctively moved away, forming an informal circle.


    Ytan, enraged, growled in frustration. He knew that time was against him.


    Although he was an exceptional fighter, the minor injuries he was gradually accumulating were beginning to slow down his movements.


    For his part, Orvari, though wounded, continued to fight with almost inhuman resilience, while Emmanuel, with frightening agility and precision, pressed relentlessly.


    "Do you really think your pathetic efforts will make a difference?" roared Ytan.


    He unleashed a powerful shockwave with his wings, forcing Emmanuel and Orvari back under the brute force of his attack.


    But the two captains didn''t give in. Orvari staggered slightly, gritting his teeth to ignore the pain tearing at his side, while Emmanuel, his gaze icy cold, advanced again, his two daggers ready to strike.


    "You talk too much, Captain." Emmanuel replied in a calm voice.


    "If you were really as powerful as you claim, you''d have defeated us by now."


    Ytan growled, his aura strengthening. His anger was increasing his power tenfold, but it was also beginning to sap his concentration. He had to end this before the human reinforcements converged on his position.


    He leapt forward with lightning force, aiming directly at Emmanuel''s heart.


    But the latter, with a fluid movement, dodged the attack and counter-attacked instantly, his blades aiming at Ytan''s wing joints. One of the daggers managed to nick Ytan''s neck.


    "Not deep enough" judged Emmanuel instantly.


    Ytan, furious at having so fearfully escaped death, swung his sword in a wild arc, forcing Emmanuel to throw himself backwards.


    However, Orvari took advantage of this opening to strike a direct blow with his own blade. The sword struck Ytan''s armor, and the blade managed to penetrate slightly, leaving a thin trail of purple blood.


    Ytan stepped back slightly, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His figure, though still imposing, was beginning to betray growing fatigue.


    But Orvari and Emmanuel were in no better shape, despite the impression they gave off.


    The fight was still at an impasse.


    Just then, as if everyone sensed something coming, they looked up to see a massive shadow approaching at high speed from the sky.


    Commander Vatar''s black wings briefly obscured the red light of the sky.


    Orvari felt his heart clench.


    "No, it''s..."


    Emmanuel immediately noticed Orvari''s reaction.


    "Is he a regimental captain?" asked Emmanuel, frowning. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Orvari remained silent for a moment.


    Then he finally replied:


    "No, Emmanuel. It''s Commander Dravak himself who''s honoring us with his presence."

 Chapter 190 - 190: End of the war

    "No, Emmanuel. It''s Commander Dravak himself who honors us with his presence."


    When Orvari called the captain of the eighth regiment by his first name, it meant the situation was very serious indeed.


    And indeed, when Emmanuel heard the information, his hands trembled.


    "A...commander?"


    He knew just how disproportionately powerful Kavasta, the human commander, was, for he had already faced him several times in training.


    Kavasta, with one arm and no movement, could defeat him, the captain of the eighth regiment.


    In Emmanuel''s mind, Kavasta was a godlike figure, so much stronger than he was.


    Even if he spent decades more in Eternity, he couldn''t imagine a world where he could defeat Kavasta.


    So, if Commander Dravak wanted to act...no one would be able to hold him back.


    Dravus, standing off in the distance, unable to move further because of his wounds, looked at Vatar.


    He could feel his lineage reacting to Vatar''s, as if it were telling him to submit to him.


    He didn''t know his lineage''s own rank, but by feel, it had to be at least one rank lower than Vatar''s.


    Maxime looked up at this Dravak.


    At that moment, he had two thoughts.


    The first thought was that he literally felt like he was standing in front of a God.


    Compared to him, he was just a vulgar fraudster with a few rather pretty and impressive tricks up his sleeve.


    Her second thought was exactly that:


    "I wonder if one day I''ll be able to subdue him thanks to the [absolute contract]."


    He didn''t know why he was thinking this, but somehow it set him a new goal.


    At the same time, sensing Vatar''s threat and not knowing his intentions, Lieutenant Irigar of the second regiment ordered his 2,000 men to withdraw from the battle.


    The two other lieutenants present alongside Maxime also ordered the 1,000 soldiers of the second regiment to stop attacking and concentrate on the defensive.


    The Dravaks did not pursue the humans, as they knew they were in a very bad position at this stage.


    But with the arrival of their commander, their morale improved immediately.


    Vatar, with sinister majesty, landed on top of a small hill, his oppressive aura forcing even the bravest humans to back away instinctively.


    He stared at the two human captains with amused eyes.


    ...


    The command center was very quiet. No one knew how to react to Commander Dravak''s action.


    At the center of it all, Kavasta stared wide-eyed at the screens.


    He couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "It doesn''t make any sense!" he growled, his hands clenched on the metal table in front of him.


    "He knows very well that commanders have no right to intervene on the battlefield!"


    "Commander Kavasta, what do we do?!" asked an officer, his face pale with anguish.


    "If Vatar acts, the second and eighth regiments will be completely annihilated!"


    Kavasta''s thoughts swirled. He knew Vatar''s reputation. He wasn''t just a commander.


    He had a great reputation on yellow-level battlefields, and was a symbol of Dravak superiority.


    His presence on the battlefield wasn''t just a physical threat: it was a psychological blow.


    But Kavasta was not one to give in to fear. His eyes shone with a new determination.


    If something had to be done, he would do it himself.


    At the same time, on reflection, he felt that the situation wasn''t so bad, and that perhaps Vatar''s action was in fact an extreme measure because he felt he was going to lose.


    "Keep command of the fortress." he ordered one of his subordinates.


    "I''ll take charge of this matter."


    "Commander! You''re not going to... ! "


    But before anyone could stop him, Kavasta dashed out of the fortress.


    His stunned soldiers saw him leap from the ramparts at lightning speed. His silhouette disappeared almost instantly from the horizon.


    Back on the battlefield, Vatar stood in the middle of the carnage, motionless, like a king contemplating his kingdom.


    His presence alone was enough to impose a heavy silence. The human soldiers, who only moments earlier had been fighting fiercely, remained frozen.


    Only rain and lightning could now be heard.


    Even the Dravaks stood completely still, as if observing the scene, galvanized by the presence of their leader.


    "What''s a commander doing here?"


    Orvari''s voice carried across the battlefield.


    Vatar turned his gaze to Orvari.


    Then, without saying a word, he pointed his hand at Orvari.


    "Is a small human insect worthy of asking questions of a being superior to him?"


    As Vatar finished speaking, a ball of energy grew very rapidly in front of Vatar''s hand, until it reached a diameter of 5 meters.


    Maxime, who was still standing on the ground, felt immense pressure coming from this ball.


    "What''s that? If it hits us, we''re all dead without a doubt."


    While Maxime watched this ball of energy, Vatar, with his index finger and thumb, formed a circle.


    Then, as if balancing a piece of paper, he did the same with the terrifying ball of energy.


    It teleported almost directly onto Orvari, such was its speed!


    Orvari, who was the target, looked at the ball of energy coming towards him.


    "I''m dead!"


    "This madman has truly dared to transgress the rules set by the gods!


    But a figure stepped in front of him at the last moment.


    He stretched out both arms, his two daggers still held in his hands, as if welcoming this ball of energy.


    "Manu!"


    Orvari was stunned.


    Indeed, the captain of the eighth regiment was standing before him!


    "Take care of my children for me, Riri."


    Orvari thought back to all the years he had spent with Emmanuel at that moment.


    The history between Orvari and Emmanuel actually dated back to university.


    The two of them had joined a top university in the Western Federation, home to many geniuses.


    At first, they both thought they''d always be at the top, just like in high school.


    But student battles soon broke out to establish rankings, and before long they had to face the truth.


    They were only slightly above average among all these students, and barely in the top 200 of the more than 1,000 freshmen at this university.


    Being in the top 200 meant they were both entitled to an apartment with a single roommate on campus.


    After the top 200, they were all 4-person shared rooms with shared kitchens, bathrooms and toilets.


    So they had both narrowly secured preferential treatment by getting an all-inclusive apartment.


    As luck would have it, they became roommates and shared the same room. In fact, the apartment had only one bedroom.


    So, for 5 years at university, they had studied and slept in the same room as roommates.


    Of course, over the years, they had been challenged by other students who wanted to be ranked with them.


    But because they trained so often together, not only did they not drop in the rankings, but they even moved up a few places each year.


    In the academy, they also had their own reputation, given the strange duo they formed.


    One looked like an emotionless brute, the other like a fragile intellectual.


    As a result, the two joined the army together, and rose through the ranks together.


    It had already been 20 years since they joined the army, and the years spent together had deepened their relationship.


    Meanwhile, Emmanuel had married and had two children. Orvari hadn''t been so lucky, and was still single at the age of 40, despite the fact that he''d been a couple on numerous occasions.


    Orvari was godfather to both children, which is how much Emmanuel trusted Orvari.


    And they spent so much time together that Orvari regarded Emmanuel''s children almost as his own.


    So when he saw Emmanuel stand in front of him, facing this monstrous ball of energy, fear flashed across his face.


    This phrase seemed to echo in his mind:


    "Take care of my children for me, Riri."


    Only Emmanuel dared call her that, and he was also her only true friend in this life.


    It all happened in slow motion, taking less than a tenth of a second.


    Then the ball landed on Emmanuel and exploded.


    The explosion shook the entire battlefield.


    The shockwave ripped through the air, projecting waves of pure energy that swept away everything in their path.


    The ground cracked under the intensity of the explosion, kicking up a storm of dust and rubble. For a moment, everything seemed to disappear in an incandescent fog.


    Orvari, wide-eyed, was thrown backwards.


    His body collided violently with the ground, but he paid no heed and rose quickly to his feet.


    "Manu...fuck...Manu, tell me you''re still alive."


    The crash of the explosion faded slowly, giving way to a deathly silence. The soldiers, both human and Dravak, stood transfixed, stunned by the scene that had just unfolded before their eyes.


    Maxime, who was watching the scene, felt very small in the face of such a display of power. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What the hell is this? If he can do that over and over again, he could easily destroy a city..."


    No matter how crazy Maxime was, he knew very well that he could never face such an existence in his current state.


    At the same time, where the captain of the eighth regiment had stood a moment earlier, all that remained was a gaping crater, from which a few wisps of black smoke were still billowing.


    "No..." murmured Orvari, his fists clenching.


    His heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to sit up. He couldn''t accept this reality. Emmanuel couldn''t be dead. Not like this. Not before his eyes.

 Chapter 191 - 191: Debriefing

    His heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to sit up. He couldn''t accept this reality. Emmanuel couldn''t be dead. Not like this. Not before his eyes.


    Through the black smoke, a flash of light suddenly drew his gaze to the center of the crater.


    Gradually, a silhouette stood upright, flickering but present.


    The soldiers of the Eighth Regiment, who could see the scene, all held their breath. They all had great respect for their captain, so they all hoped their captain had survived.


    When the dust cleared completely, Orvari was finally able to see what he had both feared and hoped for.


    Emmanuel was standing there, his arms still outstretched and his hands still firmly gripping his two daggers.


    His green uniform, covered in dark leaf patterns, was torn, his glasses were broken, his skin bore the marks of severe burns, and blood flowed profusely from several wounds.


    Yet he was alive and well.


    Around him, luminous fragments floated in the air, remnants of an energy barrier he had manifested at the last moment.


    "Manu!" shouted Orvari, rushing towards him.


    Emmanuel staggered and collapsed on one knee, gasping for breath. His gaze met Orvari''s, and a weak but determined smile spread across his face.


    "I... held on..." he struggled to articulate.


    Orvari appeared at his side with a smile.


    "How did you do it, you bastard?"


    Ernest smiled slightly.


    "My two daggers...They were made by magicians from the world of Eternity...And they had inscribed a level 0 spell on each of the two daggers."


    "Once...activated together...it produces a level 1 spell..."


    Orvari was surprised.


    Spells in the world of Eternity were extremely rare, and only truly powerful players could hope to make contact with magic.


    Emmanuel had been very lucky to acquire such treasures.


    But that no longer mattered.


    "Don''t ever say I look after your children again, you bastard."


    Emmanuel laughed with some difficulty.


    "I had no choice...until now I''d never activated those spells..."


    Meanwhile, Vatar watched them sitting on top of a hill, arms crossed, his expression marked by mild amusement.


    "Impressive. You survived." he declared in a detached tone.


    "I wonder if you could survive a second explosion?


    At the same time, a ball of energy even larger than the previous one appeared.


    Orvari instinctively stepped in front of Emmanuel, drawing his sword despite the certainty that he would be no match for such a monster.


    He didn''t have a spell.


    But he was no coward who would abandon his comrades.


    Vatar watched the scene with malicious pleasure.


    As before, he made a gesture similar to the one before, and threw the energy ball at the two regimental captains, as if he were throwing away common garbage.


    Just then, a rumbling sound was heard in the distance.


    A shadow split the sky at lightning speed. A flash of light crossed the battlefield, and in an instant, a silhouette appeared between them and Vatar.


    Kavasta had just arrived.


    And as soon as he arrived, he sliced Vatar''s energy ball in two with his sword, before sheathing it.


    The energy ball exploded immediately, but Kavasta escaped unharmed.


    Silence fell over the battlefield as all eyes turned to the newcomer.


    The Dravaks themselves recoiled at the human''s actions.


    "You''ve done enough, Vatar."


    Kavasta wore a very serious face, and flashes of lightning burst around him.


    This time, Vatar no longer wore the same expression of amusement.


    "Kavasta...so you''re the human commander on this battlefield."


    Commanders of each race were not that numerous, and those who were exceptional were well known.


    Kavasta didn''t reply to Vatar.


    Without showing any particular emotion, he announced:


    "Since you have flouted the rule of the Gods, I will sanction you in the name of the Gods of the Omega universe."


    Vatar squinted, sensing that something was wrong. And indeed, before he could react, Kavasta disappeared.


    Like a bolt of lightning, Kavasta''s silhouette split the battlefield.


    A titanic shock shook the air as Kavasta reappeared right in front of Vatar, his lightning-encircled fist crashing violently into Vatar''s torso.


    The resulting shockwave pulverized the ground beneath them, sending many Dravak soldiers flying nearby like leaves in a storm.


    Vatar, meanwhile, was sent hurtling across the battlefield.


    His body ripped through the ground for several hundred meters before crashing into a rocky mountain in the distance, shaking the earth.


    There was total silence.


    The Dravaks stared at the scene, transfixed.


    Kavasta, still standing, calmly looked up at the enemy army.


    His voice, filled with absolute authority, echoed across the battlefield:


    "Lay down your arms."


    At first, the Dravaks didn''t react. They couldn''t believe that their commander, previously so majestic, could be so easily defeated.


    "Your commander is defeated. Lay down your arms, I won''t say it a third time."


    The Dravaks, deprived of their commander and faced with a monster far beyond their comprehension, finally understood that all resistance was futile.


    The first ones dropped their weapons. Then, little by little, the entire Dravak army surrendered.


    Kavasta glanced at Vatar, who was still embedded in the mountain without showing the slightest movement.


    Then he ignored him.


    The fight was over.


    Maxime was still stunned by the scene.


    "The war ended just like that?"


    ...


    The next day arrived quickly.


    Maxime, in a spacious room that had been allocated to him, was slowly waking up.


    He was shirtless, wearing only shorts under the covers.


    "I still can''t believe what happened yesterday."


    He thought back to Kavasta''s silhouette surrounded by lightning, defeating Vatar with a single punch.


    "That guy, is he really dead?"


    Maxime didn''t know, no one knew except the Dravaks remaining in their fortress and Kavasta himself.


    But Maxime knew there weren''t many left.


    The first Dravak regiment was captured by Commander Kavasta himself, the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth regiments all decided to surrender, while the eighth Dravak regiment had been almost totally eradicated.


    "So the war is over."


    Come to think of it, in just two days he''d already nearly died several times. And even having survived, he emerged with burns all over his body and a wound in his soul.


    He began to have a deep respect for these soldiers who had managed to survive for years on this kind of battlefield.


    Of course, he didn''t know that the vast majority of the time, battlefields weren''t that violent at all.


    It was just the occasional skirmish.


    It was practically only the Dravaks who were so keen on war and victory on such battlefields, for it was only in such circumstances that members of their species could foster the appearance of Dravaks with awakened bloodlines.


    Maxime touched his chest.


    The same place where only the day before, it had burned him to the point where he felt like banging his head against the floor.


    Now, there was just a very slight discomfort, but only when he was paying attention.


    "Fortunately, the soul injury simply prevents me from using [Nox Limit] again, if I''d lost some of my physical strength..."


    "I''d rather not even think about it..."


    Especially when thinking about something in particular.


    Maxime did a little mental calculation, and knew that the university competition was only 4 months away.


    "I wonder if in my current state, I''m already the strongest high school student, or if there are other extremely strong high school students?"


    While thinking about this, he began to stretch slowly in bed, his aching muscles reminding him of the previous day''s fights.


    He sat up with difficulty, his whole body aching from the previous day''s fighting.


    Particularly his upper body, where Ytan had left him a long, beautiful scar.


    Of course it was ironic, this scar was beyond frightening and would take a long time to heal. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t know if Viviana''s talent could make burns and scars disappear, but for the moment it didn''t seem to be the case.


    But by now Maxime was used to wounds, so he didn''t pay any more attention than that.


    It was just that when he returned to class, his classmates might be startled to see the burn on his face.


    Straightening up, he glanced towards the wide window of his bedroom. Outside, the morning sun bathed the human camp in a peaceful light, contrasting with the hell that had been the battlefield.


    He heaved a sigh as he thought back over the events.


    Kavasta, surrounded by lightning, sweeping Vatar away with a single punch... followed by the Dravaks'' sudden surrender... It was all over so quickly he could hardly believe it.


    Suddenly, a discreet knock on the door drew him from his thoughts.


    "Maxime, are you awake?"


    He looked quickly in the direction of the door, having a little doubt as to who the person was.


    "Captain Orvari?"


    The voice behind echoed again.


    "It''s me, can I come in?"


    Maxime didn''t care that he''d only just woken up. He was literally living with his men in Eternity, so he didn''t have much modesty left.


    "Yes, you can come in."


    The man entered the room, arms crossed, his gaze scanning Maxime as if to make sure he was still standing.


    "Sleep well?" he asked with a very slight, barely perceptible smile.


    Maxime rolled his eyes.


    "Complicated with my injuries, but a few hours is enough."


    Orvari nodded, as if he understood perfectly.


    "The commander wants to see you as soon as possible."


    Maxime raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    "What''s this about?"


    "I don''t know."


    Maxime rose with a grimace, grabbed a clean uniform and quickly donned his gear.


    His body was screaming at him to stay at rest, but his instincts told him that Kavasta wasn''t calling for a mere formality.


    On his way out of the room, he spotted Emmanuel, leaning against a wall with a bandage around his head and one arm in a sling. Despite his condition, he was smiling happily.


    Maxime took one look at him and easily recognized him. It was hard not to remember after seeing the scene where he took a gigantic ball of energy head-on.


    "You''re the captain of the eighth regiment, aren''t you?"


    Emmanuel nodded.


    "You can call me, Emmanuel."


    At the same time, he continued taking a more serious look.


    "If Kavasta summons you, it''s never to talk about rain or shine," he said, half seriously and half jokingly.


    Maxime didn''t reply, although he had become more curious.


    He followed Orvari and Emmanuel to the command room.


    When they entered, Kavasta was already there, standing in front of a holographic map projecting a map of the fortress''s surroundings. He didn''t even look up when he heard them enter.


    "Close the door", he ordered simply.


    Maxime obeyed immediately, without saying a word.


    He was no longer as frivolous as the first time he''d entered this room.


    He now knew the power of the man who was standing there observing the holographic map, so naturally he wouldn''t play the fool in front of him.


    So Maxime and the two regimental captains stood in front of the door, no one daring to say anything.

 Chapter 192 - 192: A precious gift with a deep secret

    The three men stood in front of the door, none of them daring to say anything.


    After a few seconds, Kavasta finally looked up.


    "Orvari, Emmanuel, you''re both out. Thank you for bringing Maxime here."


    The two captains saluted militarily, then left.


    Now there was only Maxime and Kavasta in the room.


    Kavasta looked at Maxime very seriously, putting some pressure on him.


    Then suddenly he laughed lightly, breaking the tension, and sat back in his armchair.


    "Relax, I''ve called you in just to discuss a few things."


    After he said that, Maxime took his words to heart.


    He sat comfortably in one of the armchairs, normally reserved for regimental captains.


    "Oh, they''re super comfortable."


    Kavasta looked optimistically at Maxime.


    As far as he knew, he didn''t know of any high school student with such frightening strength as the young man in front of him.


    Without a doubt, he was one of mankind''s hopes for a way out of their current dilemma.


    But this kind of thing was about the future, and humanity already had many hidden geniuses with this responsibility on their shoulders.


    "Commander, can I ask you a question?"


    Kavasta wasn''t particularly surprised. Let alone a single question, he wouldn''t find it surprising if Maxime assailed him with questions for hours.


    Worlds concerning the truths about Eternity, about universes, about Gods, or even these dimensional battlefields were well hidden from the general public.


    "Ask any question you wish, and I''ll answer it according to the confidentiality characters of that question."


    Maxime looked seriously at the commander.


    "Commander Dravak, is he still alive?"


    Kavasta thought for a moment before answering.


    "He is."


    Maxime wasn''t surprised; he found it very surprising that a commander could die so easily.


    Seeing the questions coming, Kavasta beat him to it and began to explain the circumstances.


    "You need to know that every person who can become a commander on a battlefield has to pass a number of tests. And only those who pass these tests can become a commander. And generally speaking, the success rate of these tests in each race is less than 1%."


    "After these tests, all commanders undergo training and education for several months to several years, depending on the race."


    "So no commander is an idiot. On top of that, all of them already have very significant combat experience and have commanded men many times before."


    "Now, I imagine you have many questions that will follow."


    Maxime nodded.


    "I learned very quickly that commanders were not allowed to intervene in battles. They were only allowed to supervise battles."


    "Then why did Commander Dravak intervene?"


    Kavasta smiled.


    "Because of you."


    Maxime was confused.


    "Because of me?"


    Kavasta nodded.


    "At the cost of just two groups of human mercenaries, a Dravak regiment was all but wiped out. Only the captain and a few hundred soldiers survived."


    "To wit, mercenary groups are relatively rare for most races. That''s because many of them prefer to have total control over dimensional battlefields, and they''re not necessarily wrong."


    "And so do the Dravaks."


    Maxime understood quickly.


    "So they found themselves outnumbered."


    "That''s right, and I exploited this inferiority directly," Kavasta explained, not at all proud of it.


    "But I think Vatar still didn''t think he''d be defeated, and it was true. The Dravaks really are a powerful race, and even outnumbered, they almost turned the tables completely."


    "I didn''t think they''d manage to isolate the second regiment and totally block the other regiments nearby."


    "In practical terms, if you hadn''t managed to get there in time to save the second regiment, Orvari and all his men would have died."


    At this point, Kavasta stood up and bowed sincerely in Maxime''s direction.


    "Thank you so much for saving my men."


    Maxime was stunned to see Kavasta bowing in his direction.


    "You don''t need to thank me, Orvari had rescued me too. So it was natural for me to go."


    Kavasta stood up and shook his head.


    "It wasn''t the same circumstances and stakes at all."


    "But no matter. Noticing your intervention, and surprises you were revealing one after another, Vatar understood that because of your presence and also guessing that the eighth or ninth human regiment was on its way, the Daraks were going to lose their entire second regiment, in addition to the captain of the eighth regiment."


    "I think he was analyzing that the loss of these two regiments would inevitably lead to the defeat of the Dravaks. So he preferred to try and eliminate one or two human regiment captains using power that didn''t defy the rules, then abandon that battlefield so that as many Dravaks as possible could survive."


    But Maxime was still confused.


    "But he''s still going to receive an extremely heavy punishment, isn''t he?"


    Kavasta sighed softly.


    "Depends on how you look at it. He''ll simply be banned from ever commanding a yellow-level battlefield again."


    "For him it will be annoying because yellow-level battlefields are lucrative for commanders and above all they''re safe for them."


    Maxime was disappointed to hear this, but he still had a question on his mind.


    "What about the Dravaks still alive? What''s going to happen?"


    A glint of approval flickered in Kavasta''s eyes as he silently analyzed Maxime.


    "Paying attention to all sorts of details and being curious are fundamental qualities in a commander. I can''t wait to see how he does in the competitive examination and at university."


    Then he answered Maxime.


    "On yellow-level battlefields, it''s customary to leave prisoners alive, whether on the human side or other races. Because when the dimensional battlefield calculates the merits of each race, having prisoners rewards more than killing the opponent."


    "And especially since for the strong races, their members who go to these battlefields aren''t really important. Only the commander is valuable to these races, the others are generally cannon fodder."


    "And cannon fodder these races have plenty of. So killing them isn''t profitable at all, it''s better to win rewards from the dimensional battlefield to improve the quality of our men. If some of them can thanks to that and get the strength to go to black-level battlefields, it would be much more profitable for us."


    "There are still several other reasons, but in your situation, it''s enough to know these things."


    Maxime listened attentively, and felt his understanding of warfare on these dimensional battlefields improve.


    "You speak several times of the dimensional battlefield and the rewards it gives to each race...Is there some kind of higher existence that manages these battlefields?"


    "And more importantly, where do these battlefields come from? Who created them?"


    Kavasta''s brows furrowed at these questions.


    "Well, to be honest, even I don''t know the answer to those questions."


    "Even a genius like Kavasta doesn''t know? I wonder what status it takes to know these truths..." thought Maxime with some doubt.


    "Come on, no more questions. The truth is, I didn''t bring you here just to chat when I know for a fact you''re hurt."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow in curiosity, simply watching as Kavasta walked past a previously inconspicuous cabinet in the meeting room. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This cabinet, obviously built of wood, looked very vintage in this technology-filled room.


    "What are you doing, Commander?"


    Kavasta replied simply:


    "You''ll see, I''m going to give you a beautiful gift to thank you. In fact, it''s a very nice gift."


    "It''s also an investment I''m making in you, otherwise I''d have taken it for myself."


    Maxime felt strange at the idea of receiving a gift, but he didn''t ask for more details.


    Kavasta placed his hand on the cabinet, and suddenly a translucent blue screen appeared where his hand had been resting.


    After a few seconds, the blue screen disappeared, followed by a small unlocking noise.


    Kavasta opened the cupboard and seemed to be looking for something in particular.


    Maxime was curious about what was in the cupboard, but from his position he couldn''t see anything.


    And he didn''t dare get up to look.


    "Great, it''s still there."


    Suddenly, Kavasta stepped back with a small black box in his hands.


    The cupboard behind him closed automatically.


    Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Maxime would never have believed that such an ordinary cabinet could be so secure and high-tech.


    At the same time, Maxime watched as Kavasta placed the box right in front of him.


    Then Kavasta put on a very serious and solemn expression.


    "Maxime, before you open this box, you must promise me that everything you see and everything we say to each other here will not leave this room."


    "I promise that everything that takes place in this room will stay in this room."


    Maxime had no hesitation in his words.


    Kavasta nodded with satisfaction, and left to sit in an armchair next to Maxime.


    "Before you open that box, I''m going to tell you a truth you normally only learn at the top universities. Because what you''re about to open has something to do with that truth."


    Maxime became very intrigued.


    He already knew a lot of things, and now here was something he didn''t know?


    "I feel like the more I find out about this world, the less I know."


    Kavasta opened his lips and spoke exactly 3 words.

 Chapter 193 - 193: New class!

    Kavasta opened his lips and uttered exactly 3 words.


    "Pay-to-win."


    "Does that mean anything to you?"


    Maxime didn''t understand, but his brain was firing on all cylinders.


    "Pay-to-win? A term used in video games?"


    "But what''s that got to do with Eternity..."


    Then suddenly he began to make the connection, though he didn''t quite believe what he was thinking.


    Kavasta noticed his change of expression and smiled.


    "Eternity is a pay-to-win game."


    For a moment Maxime didn''t react.


    Or rather, he didn''t know how to react, so difficult was the information to absorb. It was something he''d never have imagined without being told.


    "A pay-to-win game?"


    "That''s right."


    Silence settled in the room.


    "How could Eternity be a pay-to-win game?" asked Maxime.


    He already knew that Eternity was a real world, and that was precisely what made any attempt at cheating or the like complicated.


    What methods in the real world could give advantages in Eternity?


    "Open the box first, and then I''ll explain."


    Maxime swallowed and slowly lowered his eyes to the black box in front of him. It seemed banal in appearance, with no engravings or ornaments, and yet something about its weight and texture exuded a certain importance.


    He placed his fingers on the lid. The material was cool and smooth, slightly rough under his palms. He pressed gently, looking for an opening mechanism.


    "Don''t look too hard, there''s a slot in the middle. Just lift that slot."


    Maxime was a little embarrassed, there were so many high-tech objects around that he thought this box, containing a precious secret, had to have a security.


    But no, it was like opening a small jewelry box.


    The lid slowly lifted, revealing a dark interior. No lights, no special effects. Just a simple card lying inside.


    Maxime squinted, expecting to see something more... impressive.


    "A map?"


    Kavasta said nothing, and simply watched with a smile.


    Maxime reached out and gently took it. The paper was thick, slightly grainy, giving off a strange sensation between ancient and modern.


    It looked very precious, particularly because of the very realistic drawing on the card.


    Maxime even wondered if it wasn''t a photo.


    The picture showed a kindly-looking old man surrounded by numerous small animals that seemed to want to cling to him. The scenery suggested a forest.


    This image somehow soothed Maxime''s mind, and made him feel good.


    At the same time, he was asking himself a multitude of questions.


    How could this card be used, and what effects did it have?


    How had it appeared or been made?


    As he turned the card over between his fingers, a sound suddenly rang in his mind.


    Ding!


    [Detected that a 4-star "class" card is in your hands].


    [Would you like to absorb it?]


    [Yes/No].


    Maxime froze.


    This was the first time the system had sounded, even though it had nothing to do with his talent or when he was due to join Eternity.


    Kavasta, still seated opposite him, crossed his arms with a smirk.


    "You just got the notification, didn''t you?"


    "Yes...it says it''s a four-star ''class'' type card."


    Kavasta smiled with some satisfaction. He was enjoying seeing the confusion on Maxime''s face.


    When he''d received his first card, which was just a 2-star resource card provided by his university, he''d also been very surprised.


    "So what do you think?"


    Maxime hesitated.


    "Don''t tell me it lets you unlock a rare class without spending any experience?"


    As far as he knew, Maxime only knew about common, uncommon and rare classes.


    The common ones being generally the swordsman, spearman and archer classes.


    This was a general estimate. Maxime''s class, in particular, could not be common because it was already level 9, and had not reached its limit.


    The limit for common classes is generally from level 7 to level 9.


    Uncommon classes included riders and commanders, as well as classes related to money-making professions such as merchants, blacksmiths and so on.


    They were classified here because, in a world where earning money was the extent to which strength could grow, it was bound to be very useful.


    Level limits for uncommon combat classes ranged from level 9 to level 12, while non-combat professions generally had the same limit as common classes.


    And finally, there were the rare classes, which possessed unique and very powerful characteristics. There were usually very powerful talents associated with them, such as the Berserker class, which gave fearsome strength bonuses as the user''s wounds worsened!


    Such was the case with Samuel, Maxime''s best friend on Earth!


    "A rare class?"


    Kavasta felt like laughing upon hearing this.


    "Tell yourself that a 4-star card is even rarer and, above all, far more valuable than a mercenary with 5-star potential who might be under your command."


    As he said this, Maxime''s curiosity burned at its peak.


    Although he had two mercenaries with 6-star potential, who were Langus and Kaite, it was only thanks to his talent that he was able to increase the potential of his mercenaries by two stars.


    In fact, he wondered if his talent had any effect on Dravus...


    But he''d decided to look into that later.


    Especially since Kavasta''s reason for saying this was that this card must have cost an immense fortune!


    Because a mercenary with 5-star potential was usually a great knight, or had the potential to have strength similar to that of a great knight!


    This was the kind of person qualified to become a duke in Eternity! The easiest was to become an earl, since the higher ranks of nobility also required men of grand chevalier level under his command.


    And Kavasta said this card was even more valuable than one individual of that level under orders!


    "Can you tell me what this card is, Commander?"


    "Trust me and use the card. It''s my gift so don''t worry, it''s really a very good thing for you."


    Maxime breathed in, then decided to listen to Kavasta.


    [Detected that a 4-star "class" card is in your hands].


    [Would you like to absorb the 4-star "class" card in your hands?]


    [Yes/No.]


    "Yes, absorb the 4-star ''class'' card."


    As he finished confirming, the watch hanging on his left wrist glowed, as did the card in his hands.


    Then, little by little, the card in his hands evaporated into thousands of white lights.


    From then on, countless notification panels appeared one after the other in front of Maxime.


    Maxime took the time to read each one.


    [Unlock the ''Beast Tamer'' class].


    "Beast tamer?"


    "That sounds really great."


    Maxime was really happy, because it was every self-respecting warrior''s dream to be able to fight alongside powerful, loyal animals.


    They were also far more reliable than the mercenaries recruited in Eternity.


    After all, changes in the human heart are probably the hardest thing to predict.


    [Unlock new skill]


    [Bestial Bond: Allows you to establish a bond between the host and an animal].


    "Basic skill of the new class, and the most important I imagine."


    "It''s good that it''s given from the start."


    [Unlocking a new skill]


    [Rest: A mental space reserved for animals with a link to you. They can rest, eat, drink and sleep inside].


    "Now that''s pretty amazing."


    This had a rather practical aspect for traveling, but also for keeping animals as an asset in future battle. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he watched the notification, he felt a space in his mind opening up.


    But for the moment, he couldn''t say what this space looked like, or how big it was.


    "It''s really a strange feeling, a bit like the sensation of having a new organ and not being able to feel it anymore."


    But he was happy.


    He looked at the last notification panel.


    [Unlock new statistic]


    "A new statistic?"


    [Bestiality: Unique to the Beast Tamer class. Influences the number of beasts you can link to you simultaneously as well as some of the class-related skills].


    "A very important new stat. If I understand correctly, as long as I have enough points in this stat, I''ll be able to contract animals ad infinitum?"


    "This literally represents the power to build an animal army as long as the stat is high enough."


    But just as these were to be the only notifications, a familiar sound rang out again startling Maxime.


    Ding!


    "Isn''t it over?"


    More notification panels began to appear in front of Maxime.


    [Your talent [Nox Limit] influences your new class].


    [You''re unlocking a new talent!]


    "What''s that?"


    "A new talent?"


    Maxime was more than surprised.


    [Zero Limit (Legendary): Spend gold to improve your beasts'' bloodline]


    "What''s that?"


    "What''s this totally cheated talent?"


    Maxime understood that it was a derivative of his main talent [Nox Limit], but he still couldn''t figure it out.


    "A simple reaction to the opening of a class allows you to have a talent of legendary rank?"


    Especially since this talent was well worthy of being legendary!


    With this, even if he couldn''t find a powerful beast, he could simply take a random beast and turn it into a demonic existence!


    This directly solved the problem at the root of his new class!


    Otherwise, if he had to regularly replace the beasts that followed him because they were too weak and endowed with limited potential, he''d be heartbroken every time.


    Kavasta, standing next to him, could only see the excitement in Maxime''s eyes. But he himself thought it was only due to the fact that he''d obtained a new class, and a very strong one at that.


    Little did he know that obtaining this class would cause a chain reaction because of the talents Maxime originally possessed.


    Ding!


    "Isn''t it over yet?"


    Maxime was at a loss for words to describe this bewildering situation.


    [Your talent [Life Awakening] influences your new class!]


    [You get a new skill!]

 Chapter 194 - 194: The aura of heroes

    [You get a new skill!]


    [Healing space: The special space in your mind has healing properties. As long as the wound is not fatal, the animal will not die].


    "A lifesaving measure forming a nice synergy with [Zero Limit]."


    With this, Maxime thought he would hesitate less before spending gold to improve the bloodlines of his future comrades.


    [Healing Space] was the last of the notifications, so Maxime could finally breathe in the ocean of all this information.


    Noticing that Maxime was finally raising his head, Kavasta was curious.


    "So, which class did you wake up?"


    Maxime had nothing to hide from the man who had given him this opportunity.


    "Beast tamer."


    "Beast tamer? That actually ties in with the hypotheses I had concerning this class," Kavasta commented aloud, still thinking.


    "In any case, congratulations Maxime on obtaining an epic-level class." he continued with a sincere smile.


    But Maxime was confused.


    He''d never heard of an epic-level class.


    "Um...what exactly is an epic-level class? I imagine it''s better than the rare level classes?"


    Kavasta looked at Maxime strangely.


    As if thinking: "Where did this genius come from? Doesn''t he even know this kind of basic information?"


    "Of course it''s better than the rare class. It''s even much better than a rare class." Kavasta explained.


    Seeing Maxime''s still confused look, Kavasta sighed and continued to explain.


    He never thought he''d one day be a teacher for a high school student.


    "It''s true that for ordinary high school students, it''s complicated to know this kind of thing." he finally admitted after some thought.


    He was just too used to young people from rich and noble families during his university studies.


    These young people had been trained since childhood, both in terms of combat skills but also in terms of knowledge.


    Some even knew about dimensional battlefields from a very early age, whereas most ordinary people were unaware of them all their lives.


    He himself came from a wealthy, noble family, so it seemed like something obvious to him.


    "Let me explain. Most people know that there are 3 ranks of class. That is, ordinary, uncommon and rare."


    Maxime nodded.


    Apart from the fact that the second rank could also be called "uncommon", it was no different from what he knew.


    "But as far as I know, there are still two other ranks above this class."


    "These are the epic rank classes, and the legendary rank classes."


    "Regarding their rarity...if there were only 1000 players holding a rare class, then there would only be one player holding an epic rank class."


    "These classes are so rare, that even in the Western Federation, which has over 100 million inhabitants, there can''t be more than 10,000 people who have one, or 0.01% of the population."


    On hearing this, Maxime became much more grateful to Kavasta. The card Kavasta had given him could literally create a genius. No doubt many wealthy families would be prepared to spend huge sums to acquire such a thing.


    So without waiting for Kavasta to finish his explanation, Maxime stood up and bowed to Kavasta.


    "Thank you very much, Commander."


    Kavasta smiled again, still seated in an armchair next to Maxime, the meeting room table, separating the two slightly.


    "I told you, it''s a gift but also an investment."


    "If you die early in the future or waste your time in Eternity, it''s a gift..."


    Kavasta left a short silence.


    "But if you become strong one day, then I hope you''ll protect the Western Federation."


    When he said this, Kavasta was dead serious.


    "Too many strong men, because they''re afraid of death, never leave their homes. It''s because of these people that humanity now finds itself in such a situation." S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just thinking about it made Kavasta''s blood boil. Too many of the faces he knew at university were just cowards.


    He despised them deeply.


    Their only goals were to enjoy life in Eternity after acquiring a certain level of strength, as well as to achieve good status in the real world.


    These people had no gratitude for the resources they had received from the university and the Federation.


    But he quickly pulled himself together.


    At the same time, Maxime nodded, his eyes very serious.


    For him, words here were useless. His actions would speak for him.


    And Kavasta didn''t care. He thought that if, when he was still in high school, he dared to go into such a dangerous battlefield, then the young man in front of him was no coward.


    In addition to the actions he''d taken on the battlefield, Kavasta didn''t think he was taking any risks by making this investment.


    Or the only risk was that the young man was a little too impulsive and fearless, and might die because he rushed in again, without thinking.


    "Coming back to the explanations, epic classes are not only rare, they''re also much stronger than rare classes, both in terms of skills, talents, stat points provided and in terms of potential. Most of them can reach level 20."


    At the end of her sentence, Kavasta gave an intriguing smile.


    "Reaching level 20 of an epic class is enough to be eligible to become the commander of a Yellow-level battlefield or participate in Earth-level battlefields."


    This information intrigued Maxime.


    "And you commander, I imagine you have at least an epic rank class, what level are you?" asked Maxime, very intrigued.


    As he asked this question, Maxime felt small.


    His base class was supposed to be common rank, and it was only level 9.


    He still had a long way to go, despite the fact that he was already very powerful on a yellow-level battlefield.


    But that didn''t demotivate him at all; on the contrary, his determination to get stronger was only renewed and stronger.


    He even thought he should pick up the pace in Eternity and take a few risks to get more gold to get stronger, faster.


    "Secret defense, I can''t tell you." replied Kavasta, shaking his head.


    "And what about the legendary rank classes?" questioned Maxime.


    He wondered if one day he''d be able to get one himself.


    As if guessing Maxime''s thoughts, Kavasta said:


    "Don''t think too much about it. Legendary rank classes depend only on chance and fate. They can''t be researched."


    "To tell you a little more, legendary rank classes are so rare that even in the entire Western Federation, their holders can be counted on the fingers of one hand."


    "It is said that in the whole of the Earth, less than 200 people possess one."


    "And these people are also part of a ranking that references the strongest humans in the world."


    "But that''s still a bit far for you, you''ll learn about that sort of thing later..." finished Kavasta''s explanation.


    But Maxime didn''t react; he was thinking about something in particular, which had nothing to do with the conversation.


    "Hey, can I talk to you about something, Commandant?" he finally asked.


    Kavasta was surprised and curious.


    Maxime''s tone seemed totally different from before.


    As if he were hesitant...


    And seeing Maxime in this state really intrigued him.


    Because when the young man in front of him asked for two helicopters to save the second regiment, there was absolutely no trace of hesitation!


    "Yes, tell me?"


    Maxime looked him straight in the eye, and asked this question:


    "Commander, have you ever fallen in love with a woman in Eternity?"


    Kavasta looked at Maxime with a smile understandable from man to man.


    He thought:


    "So that''s it..."


    The vast majority of men on Earth who had a watch ended up falling ,one day or another, into the arms of a woman in Eternity.


    "Of course. It happens almost inevitably, after all in Eternity you''re out almost all the time, either traveling or chatting with other people."


    "It''s not like in the real world where there''s the internet, technology, work and many other things that encourage solitude."


    Maxime didn''t change his expression, this kind of thing he''d already thought about.


    But that wasn''t his question.


    "And have you ever cheated on one or more women in Eternity?"


    Kavasta was surprised by Maxime''s questions.


    "Sounds like he''s regretting something..." he thought.


    "If I''ve ever cheated, eh..."


    "Yes, I have."


    Maxime was curious.


    He was someone with values, but his values clashed with those of the world of Eternity.


    Even having cheated on Laura, he took no pleasure in it after reflecting on it, and even regretted it.


    He knew that in the world of Eternity, sex was much less taboo than in the real world, and that cheating was even much less serious than stealing food.


    This was because the mores were simply different.


    Where it was in line with the real world was that, in the context of a marriage, deception was also really serious.


    But with Eternity''s mores, he always wondered if he wasn''t open-minded enough.


    And to get an answer to his questions, he decided to talk directly to Kavasta.


    "And so, does the woman know that you had cheated on her with others?"


    Kavasta looked a little proud when he heard this.


    "Of course she knew, cheating is only a small thing in Eternity and you can talk about it easily without risking your relationship."


    "Especially since, after learning the identity of the other women, she was even proud of it."


    At this point, Kavasta burst out laughing while Maxime still felt out of step with these mores.


    "You know Maxime, it''s not uncommon, especially for geniuses, to have harems in Eternity."


    "And it usually goes very well."


    Kavasta spoke with eyes that said:


    "You''re a man, and it''s every man''s dream. Of course it''s great."


    But Maxime shook his head, no matter how he thought about it, he couldn''t live that way.


    Especially after experiencing the bitter feeling of regret.


    "Thank you commander for your answers."


    Nevertheless, Maxime felt refreshed and now knew what he wanted.


    Since he''d made a mistake, he''d make sure not to repeat it.


    Meanwhile, Kavasta clearly understood the state Maxime was in.


    Many Eternity players had been there.


    "You know, Maxime, you have to adapt to the mores of the world you live in. If you don''t, you''ll be ostracized and frowned upon wherever you go," Kavasta advised, after a few seconds'' thought.


    Maxime looked slightly at Kavasta.


    "No, I''ll always live by my own morals and mores. I don''t care what people think of me. And if some are still not happy, let them come and provoke me, I''ll certainly welcome them."


    As he spoke, Maxime''s eyes seemed to sparkle as a wisp of his aura escaped despite himself.


    This was the usual Maxime, arrogant and mad.


    No matter who stood before him, he would never change.


    For a moment, even Kavasta was intimidated.


    That aura didn''t come from fighting power, it came from something else entirely.


    It was the aura of individuals with powerful self-confidence; their ideas were their truth, and no matter what others thought, they wouldn''t change.


    "The aura of heroes." Kavasta couldn''t help thinking, with surprise written all over his face.


    But he quickly pulled himself together and smiled slightly.


    "It''s true, you''re right. You have to live for yourself, it''s not up to others to dictate how you should live."

 Chapter 195 - 195: Made to measure!

    "It''s true, you''re right. You have to live for yourself, it''s not up to others to dictate how you should live."


    As Kavasta finished speaking, someone tapped on the door.


    "Yes, you can come in."


    Kavasta had finished speaking with Maxime, so the moment was right.


    The door opened and a man wearing black armor edged in gold entered. In his left hand, he held a strange black orb.


    Kavasta smiled at the newcomer, while Maxime watched quietly, still seated in his armchair.


    "Adrian, do you need anything?"


    It was the captain of the first human regiment, Adrian Valmont.


    On hearing this first name, Maxime also understood his identity. He knew the first names of all the regiment captains after spending several days in this fortress, and talking to various people.


    Only, he hadn''t yet linked all the first names to faces.


    "As expected, to be the captain of the first regiment, his strength must be terrifying. So much so that he could probably kill Oscar easily," Maxime thought.


    He didn''t know why he thought that, he just felt that way. When he''d first come to the meeting room, he hadn''t been able to feel the individual strengths of each of the captains.


    But after all he''d been through, he felt his perception had improved markedly.


    Adrian also glanced at Maxime.


    Surprisingly, he walked over to Maxime and extended his hand.


    "Pleased to meet you, Adrian Valmont, captain of the first human regiment on this dimensional battlefield."


    Out of respect, Maxime stood up and shook his hand.


    "Pleased to meet you, Maxime Valdreuve. A lone mercenary."


    "Valdreuve?" Adrian searched his memory, but no matter how hard he looked, that surname meant nothing to him.


    "Don''t you have a family behind you?" asked Adrian directly, intrigued.


    "A family? Of course I do. I''ve got my mother and my brother." replied Maxime innocently, a little confused.


    Adrian smiled a little embarrassed.


    "No, I meant a rich or noble family.


    But he quickly recovered himself.


    "But your answer was enough for me to understand your situation. It''s amazing how strong you''ve become only in high school and without support." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Adrian was genuinely admiring.


    "It won''t be long before you overtake me. If you ever become a commander, don''t hesitate to take me on as one of your captains."


    Hearing this, Maxime was confused.


    Noticing his confusion, Kavasta intervened with a smile.


    "Commanders choose their own captains. After all, the position of captain, which is more accessible than that of a commander, grants many advantages that are not negligible."


    "For example, Adrian was an acquaintance of mine at university, while Orvari and Emmanuelle who accompanied you, I knew in the army. All of them gained my trust in one way or another, so I chose them to accompany me here."


    After explaining this, Kavasta looked at Adrian.


    "I don''t suppose you''ve come to court Maxime..."


    At the same time, Kavasta glanced at the strange black orb Adrian held in his left hand.


    "The Commander is as perceptive as ever," Adrian scoffed lightly, before holding out the orb to Kavasta.


    Kavasta ignored Adrian''s teasing and took the orb from Adrian''s hand.


    "Thank you."


    Maxime also looked curiously at the black orb.


    Kavasta obviously noticed Maxime''s curiosity.


    After thinking for less than a second, Kavasta had a good idea.


    "Here, take it; you can consider it a gift from all the humans you''ve helped on this battlefield, Maxime."


    Without waiting, Kavasta stuffed the crystal ball into Maxime''s right hand.


    Maxime had no time to react.


    He felt that the material of the crystal seemed both extremely solid and very fragile.


    If he dropped it on the floor, it would shatter into a thousand pieces.


    "But what''s this?" he finally asked.


    "You''re really giving it command? Even for you it''s a very precious item," Adrian interjected with surprise.


    Kavasta ignored Adrian, and said something very surprising to Maxime.


    "Break the crystal.


    Without hesitation, Maxime listened to Kavasta and clutched the crystal tightly in his hands.


    At first, the crystal was resistant, but after using 80% of its strength, it finally exploded into a thousand pieces.


    At the same time, a notification resounded in the minds of all the soldiers and mercenaries on the battlefield.


    [The Dravak Origin on dimensional battlefield N��32, danger level yellow, has been destroyed by human Maxime Valdreuve].


    [You may now leave the dimensional battlefield].


    "Origin? What''s this? This crystal ball?"


    He didn''t understand what he''d just done.


    Then Adrian began to explain.


    "This crystal ball was the most important object in the Dravak fortress. It is this object that appears first on each race''s side at the start of each battlefield."


    "The objective of each race is to protect their Origin and destroy that of their enemies. Hence the birth of fortresses on each race''s side, to protect their Origin."


    "With the surrender of all the Dravaks and the disappearance of their commander, it was an easy thing to take their Origin and bring it here."


    Maxime stared at the fragments of the broken crystal in his hand. He felt he had accomplished something significant, but without fully realizing its magnitude.


    The notifications still echoed in his mind. Every soldier and mercenary on the battlefield had received the same message: he had destroyed the Dravak Origin.


    He looked up at Kavasta, searching for a deeper explanation.


    "So... it''s over?" he asked.


    Kavasta nodded.


    "Yes, it is. The battle is officially over. With the destruction of their Origin, the Dravaks can no longer dispute their presence on this dimensional battlefield. Space will soon close and everyone can go home."


    Maxime blinked, realizing what this implied.


    "Wait... so why give me this crystal? You could have broken it yourself."


    Adrian smirked slightly and crossed his arms.


    "Technically, it was you who made this victory possible. So it was up to you to deliver the final blow. And above all..."


    Kavasta spoke again.


    "...your name had to be associated with the destruction of Origin."


    Maxime frowned.


    "Why?"


    "Because it grants you a rare privilege. Every person who destroys an enemy race''s Origin for the first time receives a special dimensional battlefield reward."


    "It''s not necessarily the strongest gift, but it''s certainly one of the most valuable things you can get on dimensional battlefields, because it''s tailor-made for the individual."


    "It''s an ancient mechanism, linked to the laws of this world," Kavasta explained, taking on a little air of mystery despite himself.


    But Maxime no longer cared about all these mysteries; he simply felt a hint of excitement rise in him when he heard that there would be a reward.


    "A special reward...?"


    Suddenly, a new notification sounded in his mind.


    [The dimensional battlefield has granted you a unique reward].


    [Analysis in progress...]


    Maxime felt a strange warmth run through his body. His mind became slightly foggy, as if an unknown force were scanning his being. He tensed slightly, but felt no malevolence from this unknown force.


    Kavasta and Adrian watched in silence.


    Then, after a few seconds of waiting, a final notification appeared before his eyes.


    [Congratulations, you have obtained the ''Symbiosis'' breathing method!]


    ...


    Sirap, capital of the Western Federation.


    In a very ordinary office, an old man seemed particularly annoyed by all the paperwork in front of him.


    "When am I going to be done with all this?"


    At the same time, someone suddenly entered the office in a hurry.


    "What do you want now, Anna? If you''re going to give me more work, don''t bother. You can give them to those damned leaders of noble families, each more lazy than the last."


    The young lady, dressed in business attire with high heels, shook her head with a big smile.


    "No it''s not that president!"


    Seeing Anna, who was his representative in the Western Federation, flashing such a smile, the old man''s mood improved slightly.


    "So what''s this?" he asked casually.


    "Dimensional battlefield n��32, the yellow-level one..."


    The old man raised an eyebrow.


    "The one Kavasta commands?" he interrupted.


    "Exactly, President! It turns out that Commander Kavasta has won a brilliant victory against the Dravaks, and the battlefield will be closing shortly!"


    The old man seemed suddenly invigorated as he rose from his chair while making a victorious posture, just as a youngster would.


    "Yessss! Well done Kavasta!"


    If people on the outside saw him doing this kind of thing, they wouldn''t believe their eyes.


    "HAHAHA, the same battlefield all those old farts said it was best to give up!"


    "Thank you, Kavasta! You really are a genius!"


    The secretary let the president vent before adding:


    "It would seem that this is due solely to Kavasta''s strategies. It seems that part of the credit goes to a mercenary by the name of Maxime Valdreuve."


    "Oh, why do you say that?"


    "It''s only a guess, as no soldiers or mercenaries from this battlefield have returned yet, but it was this man who broke the Dravaks'' Origin."


    The old man was surprised, yet becoming very intrigued.


    "And I suppose you searched our databases? And who''s he? A genius from the family of these old fogies? Or a hidden genius from one of our top universities?"


    Anna smiled mysteriously.


    "None of the above, President."


    She paused for a moment, which was her pleasure.


    "According to our databases, he''s a high-school student," she finally said.


    The president was speechless.


    Never in his wildest thoughts could he have imagined this.


    "Send for him as soon as possible. I want to see and speak with this young man as soon as possible."


    As he said this, the old man was very serious.


    Anna also took on a serious expression.


    "I''ll take care of that."


    ...


    Back on the dimensional battlefield n��32, all the humans but also Dravak received a common notification.


    [Detected that the dimensional battlefield ends in victory for the humans].


    [Calculating contributions...]

 Chapter 196 - 196: The Eternity Points Shop!

    [Calculation of contributions in progress��]


    Maxime temporarily ignored the breathing method that had just appeared in his mind, and pricked up his ears when he heard this voice of the system.


    Of course, it was the voice of the dimensional battlefield system, which differed from that of the world of Eternity.


    Its voice seemed more masculine, while Eternity''s voice had a slight hint of femininity.


    Maxime knew nothing about the origins of these systems, but in any case he couldn''t wait to get the Eternity points he was going to be able to earn!


    That was the main reason he was originally fighting here!


    Kavasta and Adrian also heard this voice, and both were also looking forward to the points they were going to earn.


    It was like receiving your salary at the end of the month, no matter how many times you received it, you were always looking forward to that moment.


    [Analysis of the number of kills in progress.]


    [Analysis of the number of allied people saved.]


    [Analysis of the risks taken.]


    [Analysis of the player''s mentality.]


    "Risks and mentality? Does that count too?"


    [Analysis of the player''s courage.]


    [Analysis of combat prowess.]


    [Analysis of the player''s degree of genius.]


    "What are all these parameters, it''s so strange..."


    [Analysis of impact on the battlefield.]


    [Analysis complete.]


    Suddenly, a notification window, very similar to Eternity''s, appeared in front of Maxime.


    [You have received 1826 Eternity points.]


    But Maxime''s reaction was not particularly excited.


    He had just realized that he did not know the value of Eternity points at all.


    "So Maxime, how many points did you receive?" Kavasta asked with some curiosity.


    Adrian was also looking at Maxime at that moment.


    "1826 points."


    On hearing this figure, Kavasta and Adrian looked at each other strangely.


    Maxime didn''t know how to take it.


    "Is that good or bad?"


    Kavasta thought for a few seconds about the answer he was going to give.


    "1826 points... That''s an exceptional reward." Kavasta finally replied, which reassured Maxime.


    He was even jealous.


    He had never received even half of Maxime''s points.


    "Then why the long face?" asked Maxime, still sensing something was wrong.


    Kavasta stared at Maxime.


    "Maxime, do you know where the dimensional battlefields appear from?" he asked without answering Maxime''s question.


    Maxime shook his head.


    He was only a high school student, how could he know so much?


    Kavasta took a deep breath.


    "This is normally something that is only taught at university, but I''m going to teach it to you here because I think you will accomplish exceptional things for the human race in the future. At the same time, after what I''m about to tell you, you''ll have to make a very difficult decision."


    Then Kavasta began to explain, as Maxime looked on, very confused.


    "The dimensional battlefields represent the places where the war between the Omega and Delta universes is taking place."


    On hearing this, it didn''t particularly shock Maxime. After all, he had been fighting Daraks for several days, so this idea had already occurred to him.


    "But what does my score have to do with this truth?" asked Maxime.


    "Don''t worry, I''m getting to it," replied Kavasta immediately, with a very serious face.


    "These dimensional battlefields were all opened up by the Delta universe, the universe we are facing. If they win, we can expect an immediate invasion of the Delta universe, or an invasion that they will plan."


    "You can think of them as a kind of inter-dimensional bridge that can teleport an army."


    "Currently the number of dimensional battlefields from which they can invade us is already extremely threatening. So much so that humanity can fall at any moment."


    Adrian, who was nearby, was not surprised, but Maxime was extremely shocked.


    He knew that the human race was in danger, but not to such an extent!


    Time was already running out!


    The entry point to this dimensional battlefield was right in the city center!


    An immediate invasion of the Dravak race, of this single battlefield if the human race lost, could cause the destruction of the city of Nansoy.


    This was also one of the reasons why commanders on dimensional battlefields had to be very strong, in order to be able to contain a potential invasion to some extent.


    There was also the possibility of preventing defeat at the last moment, at the cost of disqualification from the title of commander.


    "So humanity is in danger of extinction?" Maxime said aloud, despite himself.


    Kavasta nodded heavily.


    "Exactly."


    "And meanwhile, there are races from the Omega universe, who are our allies in this war, who dare to intimidate our human race?"


    Maxime couldn''t believe it.


    And thinking about it, he was mad with rage, so much so that he clenched his fists tightly.


    "It''s true." said Kavasta without showing the slightest expression.


    He himself had been holding back his anger for a long time, and now knew how to hide his emotions.


    Because of course, only cowards would not be furious when hearing about the situation of the human race.


    "It''s been more than 10 years since these battlefields started to appear, and the problem is that even if we manage to defeat our enemies, the battlefields don''t close."


    "Generally, after a year, for a yellow-level battlefield, a new battle starts and another army has to be sent in. That''s why victory isn''t so important; defense is what matters most."


    Kavasta''s explanations frustrated Maxime to no end.


    How many humans had died without anyone knowing about it?


    If it wasn''t to avoid general panic among the civilians, how could these valiant soldiers die so discreetly?


    "But there is one situation where we can close a dimensional battlefield. In that case, if the Delta universe wants to reopen this battlefield, they will have to pay an extremely painful price."


    Maxime calmed down a little and guessed where Kavasta was going.


    "The Eternity points." he said solemnly.


    Kavasta nodded.


    "Indeed, except that the amount needed is enormous."


    "It takes 1500 Eternity points to close a yellow-level dimensional battlefield. However, these points cannot be accumulated; they must always be used all at once after each battle."


    After Kavasta finished speaking, silence fell in the meeting room.


    Adrian didn''t dare say anything, because even he would find it difficult to make this decision.


    1500 Eternity points represented an enormous fortune.


    "Take a look at the shop first, then you can make your own decision." Kavasta finally advised in a light tone.


    Maxime agreed; he couldn''t make a decision carelessly.


    As if his thoughts were heard by the system, the shop appeared before him in the form of a holographic touch panel.


    Several tabs could be selected, including physical enhancements, talents, techniques and skills, equipment and artifacts, and finally special bonuses.


    Maxime went through each of these tabs.


    --------


    [Eternity Points Shop]


    Physical Improvements:


    [50 EP] Fruit of the Sharpened Body �� Randomly increases a physical statistic by 0.1 points between strength, agility, endurance and spirit.


    [500 XP] Fruit of the Titan �� Increases physique by 0.5 points.


    [1,200 XP] Fruit of the Dragon �� Increases physique by one point and strengthens muscles, bones and tendons.


    Talents:


    [100 EP] Talent of the Forgotten God (Bronze) �� Grants a talent belonging to an ancient forgotten god of bronze rank.


    [500 EP] Sleeping God Talent (Silver) �� Grants a silver-ranked talent belonging to the Sleeping God.


    [1,000 EP] Supreme God Talent (Gold) �� Grants a gold-ranked talent belonging to the mysterious Supreme God.


    Techniques and Skills:


    [250 EP] Rank B Martial Art �� Allows you to learn an advanced close combat technique, giving you the opportunity to almost instantly acquire a level 3 mastery of whatever you want.


    [700 EP] Elementary Skill �� Allows you to acquire an elementary mastery of your choice among the 4 primordial elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind.


    [1,500 EP] Unique Skill: Frozen Time �� Allows you to stop time for 0.5 seconds within a radius of 10 kilometers. Cooldown: One hour.


    Equipment and Artifacts:


    [100 EP] Durable Weapon �� A weapon of your choice that can accompany a soldier throughout his career. On yellow level battlefields, it is considered an indestructible weapon.


    [300 EP] Enchanted Weapon �� A weapon of exceptional quality of your choice with random level 0 magic inscribed on it.


    [900 EP] Legendary Artifact �� A piece of equipment with unique and evolving properties.


    Special Bonuses:


    Exchange for Eternity gold: 1 EP=1 gold piece.


    [1500 EP] Close the battlefield �� Obtain definitive peace on battlefield no. 32, yellow level danger.


    --------


    Seeing so many things, Maxime''s eyes were shining.


    Every single thing sold in this shop was definitely extremely valuable! S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kavasta and Adrian looked at Maxime at that moment, because they themselves had "only" 532 and 300 Eternity points respectively, so they had many choices in the shop, but only items that did not exceed the amount of their balance.


    Yet it was already very good, most soldiers would only have about 30 to 50 Eternity points, while most regimental captains generally only had 150 to 200 Eternity points.


    Hence the colossal amount that Maxime had at that time!


    Time passed quickly as the young man with the blond hair pondered.


    "So Maxime, what are you going to do?" Kavasta asked after giving Maxime a few minutes to think.


    Maxime looked up at Kavasta.


    Those few minutes gave him enough time to make a decision.


    Kavasta and Adrian looked at Maxime, waiting for his answer.


    "I..."

 Chapter 197 - 197: I love “I”

    "I..."


    "I''m not going to close this battlefield."


    Adrian and Kavasta looked at Maxime with complicated eyes.


    But Maxime had already thought it through.


    If he closed a yellow level battlefield, would it change anything for the human race?


    The answer was obvious: absolutely not.


    It was only a yellow battlefield, and whether it disappeared or not, it would make no difference to the situation of the Western Federation, and even less so when taking the whole planet Earth into account.


    At the same time, Maxime thought about what he really wanted in this life.


    "What I want is absolute strength. So that even if the Delta universe can invade the human race via thousands of dimensional battlefields, they don''t dare.


    "Because I''ll be there."


    "Everyone''s priority is obviously to protect their family, but no one can be content with protecting their family alone. Sometimes you have to rely on others to protect it for you.


    "So I will protect the human race with my own strength in the future, and the human race will protect my family."


    "And for that, I absolutely must seize every opportunity to become stronger."


    While saying this to himself, Maxime clenched his fists tightly.


    He had found it very difficult to make this decision because he feared Kavasta''s gaze.


    After all, the commander had already given him extremely valuable gifts. It would be a shame to disappoint him, especially so quickly.


    So in fact, he already knew what decision he was going to make when he finished reading everything that could be bought in the shop.


    But he took those few minutes to prepare himself mentally for the reaction of Kavasta and Adrian.


    After all, it was still a more or less selfish decision.


    He met the eyes of Adrian and Kavasta.


    But Adrian and Kavasta did not look at Maxime with complicated eyes because they did not agree.


    It was just that they put themselves in Maxime''s shoes; they knew that they would also find it difficult to make such a decision.


    In the circumstances, Kavasta finally smiled after a moment''s thought.


    "Excellent decision."


    "If the human race was strong, who would even dare to invade us? Would we be in that situation?"


    "If we had extremely strong men, we wouldn''t even need Eternity Point to close these dimensional battlefields. A punch would be enough."


    Maxime did not expect this reaction, but he was immediately relieved.


    Adrian also nodded.


    He didn''t know what Maxime had read in the shop, but he would probably have made the same choice as him.


    Protect the human race?


    That was good, but he still had to have the strength.


    Closing a dimensional battlefield would indeed protect people in the city to some extent.


    But his own family wasn''t even here.


    And he wasn''t strong enough to protect his family in real danger yet, so when was he qualified to protect other people''s families?


    Like many other Eternity players, he only trusted himself to protect his family in the future!


    Of course he had a sense of duty, and even if his family was in danger, he wouldn''t become a deserter.


    Because if everyone did that, then all the front lines would fall immediately and the war would turn into guerrilla warfare directly on Earth.


    And above all, Adrian himself benefited from the army system protecting humanity, since he was not considered a really strong man in humanity.


    The really strong men were on battlefields on Earth or Heaven level.


    But clearly, if he had a choice like Maxime''s, he would choose the means to improve his strength directly.


    His main mission, i.e. to protect humanity, would not change, and he would fulfill it even better in the future since he would be stronger.


    And in the event that an invasion actually occurred, and there were many casualties, it would not be his fault.


    If the others wanted to protect their families, they only had to risk their lives in Eternity and on the dimensional battlefields, just like them!


    But obviously most would still do nothing, even if they knew the reality of humanity''s situation.


    There were still simply too many cowards among the human race!


    They obviously had such a treasure as Eternity in their hands, but they were not brave enough to exploit it.


    In that case, if they could not protect themselves, they could only blame themselves!


    That was how Adrian, as well as many soldiers on Earth, thought!


    Their strength gained in Eternity represented their courage. Participating in the dimensional battlefields represented their honor and their sense of duty.


    They were qualified to despise those who were content with the status quo.


    Of course, as military personnel, their priority mission was to protect the human race, and that''s what they would do!


    Otherwise they wouldn''t go to the dimensional battlefields.


    It was much more reassuring to improve in Eternity, because in the game they only risked 3 years of life expectancy.


    Here they risked their lives for a quantity of Eternity points that was really not exceptional.


    They barely had enough to convert a few dozen points into gold coins and improve their class experience by 20 to 30%.


    But yet they were all still there, fighting for humanity.


    Meanwhile, Kavasta gave his opinion.


    "I think you''re making the right decision, Maxime. You''re still very young and you have much greater potential than I do. You need to seize every opportunity to strengthen yourself while you''re young."


    "You will be able to protect humanity in the future. In the short term, trust your seniors to protect humanity."


    Saying this really reassured Maxime.


    "Can we see your stitching shop?" Adrian suddenly asked, very curiously.


    "Of course," Maxime replied after some hesitation.


    These men, for him, were trustworthy.


    Of course, Maxime also had his limits and he wouldn''t show them things like his talents.


    Soon, he changed the privacy settings of his shop and shared it with Kavasta and Adrian.


    The two looked at the holographic panel in front of them with surprise.


    "What?"


    The two were extremely surprised.


    "The cheapest price is 50 points? Some soldiers wouldn''t be able to buy anything if it weren''t for the conversion of Eternity points into gold coins..." Adrian muttered, amazed at the absurd prices in this shop.


    Kavasta looked more specifically at the items with a high value.


    "Dragon Fruit, Supreme God''s Talent, Elemental Skill, Unique Skill: Frozen Time, Legendary Artifact... Do we really live in the same world?"


    After a while of observing the items available, Kavasta sighed.


    Maxime smirked at Kavasta and Adrian''s reaction.


    "I guess it''s not normal?" he asked amusedly.


    Kavasta shook her head.


    "I don''t know, it''s so rare to get so many points that it''s the first time I''ve seen some of the items in the shop."


    "So what are you going to buy?" Kavasta continued, curiously.


    "I don''t know yet."


    Maxime was still hesitant.


    "Dragon Fruit, which directly increases a stat point, is particularly powerful, but only in Eternity. In the real world, it only gives 0.1 physical points and would produce almost no change in my combat power."


    "The Supreme God talent is interesting, but it''s only a Gold rank..."


    Kavasta felt like he had heard wrong.


    "Wait, Maxime, how is it just a Gold rank talent?"


    Adrian also looked at him strangely.


    He himself had a Gold rank talent that he had acquired when he entered Eternity.


    He was always considered a genius wherever he went thanks to this talent and his hard work.


    But in Maxime''s words, it''s only a Gold rank?


    How powerful was his talent?


    Maxime realized that he had said the wrong thing.


    "I meant to say that a Gold-ranked talent won''t significantly change my combat power," he explained awkwardly.


    "A Gold-ranked talent won''t change your combat power?" Adrian and Kavasta thought, speechless.


    Skip-stepping over this phase, Maxime continued his reflection out loud.


    "The almost instantaneous mastery of an element at the beginner level could be interesting..."


    Kavasta intervened immediately.


    "I advise against it. Magic without a meditation method is like having an assault rifle without a magazine and barrel."


    "Not only will you tire yourself out very quickly using your magic, but on top of that your magic will be really weak."


    Maxime understood, but he especially remembered one term:


    "A meditation method?"


    Kavasta nodded.


    "Indeed, it is something you may be able to learn once you have left the continent on which you first landed in Eternity."


    "But you still need to have a talent for magic, otherwise it''s useless."


    Seeing the growing curiosity in Maxime''s eyes, Kavasta gave him some additional advice.


    "Magic is practised and taught by wizards. But these continents are much more dangerous than the initial continent you land on. To give you a point of comparison, even I have died several times on the continent of wizards where I first landed. And even now, I am still stuck on this continent and I remain very discreet."


    Maxime was astonished.


    The commander must have had an additional 10-point physique, but he was still in danger?


    How powerful could these wizards be?


    For his part, counting his class bonuses, he could almost reach 5 points in Eternity.


    But compared to the commander, it was ridiculous.


    "For the moment, stay in the Kingdom you''ve landed in and earn as many gold coins as possible to strengthen yourself. At some point you will reach a limit, and that will be the moment when you will have to try to find new methods to continue to become stronger."


    Maxime nodded, showing that he understood.


    Adrian was also listening to Kavasta''s advice, as he too had not left the continent on which he had landed.


    He still had a long way to go before he left.


    "Finally, there is the unique skill ''Frozen Time'' and the legendary artifact..."


    Kavasta was curious again.


    The previous choices having been ruled out, only these two items remained.


    "Which will you choose?" asked Kavasta.


    At the same time, he offered some explanations.


    "Frozen Time is clearly a sky-high skill that you can use all your life." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But you can also use the legendary artifact all your life, and it''s cheap too. You could even buy another good quality item with the Eternity points that will remain."


    Maxime agreed with what Kavasta said.


    But he was much more keen on one choice than the other.


    "I..."

 Chapter 198 - 198: A terrifying purchase

    "I..."


    "I''m going to go for the unique skill [Frozen Time]."


    Kavasta thought he would have made the same choice.


    "It''s definitely a good investment, since this skill is a defense, attack and evasion skill all at once."


    Maxime nodded.


    "Yes, this skill will be useful all my life and maybe it will bring me surprises."


    "As for the legendary artifact, chances are that it will be stolen from me and, above all, it doesn''t matter. I will have other opportunities to obtain very good quality weapons. And when they can no longer keep up with my growth, I can always replace them."


    "But a skill like [Frozen Time]... maybe the opportunity to acquire such a skill will never come up again in my life."


    Adriane and Kavasta totally agreed with what Maxime said and with his choice.


    So without hesitation, Maxime decided to purchase the skill.


    [Confirm purchase of ''Frozen Time?'']


    "Yes."


    [Purchase of ''Frozen Time'' confirmed.]


    [1500 Eternity points deducted.]


    As his purchase was confirmed, the world around Maxime froze.


    A vague murmur gently tickled his ears.


    "Interesting..."


    This voice had appeared as quickly as it had disappeared, which made Maxime shiver slightly.


    The unknown was always the most frightening.


    At the same time, he felt an icy wave run through his mind as a new understanding of the world imposed itself on him. It was as if an invisible door had just opened in his mind, revealing a concept he had never even imagined before.


    Knowledge was forcefully introduced into his brain as his mind was subtly changed.


    As if his very existence was being modified to be optimized.


    His breath momentarily suspended as information poured into him, intangible but with absolute clarity.


    An intense pain struck his brain, but it only lasted a moment.


    At the same time, he realized that he was capable of doing something that would have been totally unimaginable to him before.


    Time... could be stopped.


    Not slowed down. Not disrupted. Stopped.


    Half a second.


    It was both infinitely short and terribly long.


    In that fraction of a second, everything around him would become a frozen image. The particles of dust in suspension would remain in the air, the flames would cease to flicker, the sounds themselves would be devoured by absolute stillness.


    Within a radius of 10 kilometers, the whole world would be his playground.


    Out of curiosity, he immediately activated this skill.


    He blinked, and a strange sensation washed over him. An increased awareness, an overwhelming lucidity. As if his brain were an engine running at full throttle, assimilating variables it had never taken in before.


    His gaze swept across the room. Kavasta, still motionless, his expression frozen in a mixture of approval and concentration. Adrian, arms crossed, still analyzing the situation.


    It all seemed clearer to him. More understandable.


    Maxime took a deep breath.


    He could see the implications.


    An attack coming his way? He could stop it. Deflect a sword strike with surgical precision. Then reposition himself before his opponent even realized what had happened.


    Dodge? He would have enough time to disappear at any moment, like an elusive ghost.


    If he wanted to attack? He could approach his target and strike at the exact moment when the world would return to normal.


    His fingers trembled slightly with excitement. He had just acquired a skill that transcended the laws of nature.


    He took another breath and let the energy settle within him.


    "��Maxime?"


    Kavasta''s voice brought him abruptly back to reality.


    "You were silent for a moment."


    Maxime looked up at him and smiled slightly.


    "I�� I understand now."


    Kavasta raised an eyebrow.


    "Understand what?"


    Maximus ran a hand over his face, gathering his thoughts.


    "The true potential of this skill. It is more than just a combat tool. It is literally a skill that humans cannot normally use."


    At these words, even Kavasta turned pale.


    For he had just realized that if Maximus wanted to kill him, he really could.


    Of course, that didn''t mean that Maxime had become invincible in 1v1 situations; there were still many ways to anticipate a stop in time.


    But that was limited to really strong men. On the original continent of Eternity, Maxime would become truly terrifying with this skill.


    And even against strong men, it was still an extremely powerful skill.


    Because apart from the Gods, who could fight against time itself?


    "You really have learned a skill that shouldn''t exist. It''s scary."


    Maxime smiled at that, he was simply happy with this new skill. At that moment he had no idea how Kavasta might be feeling.


    At the same time, Maxime thought of something during the acquisition of this skill.


    "But something happened..."


    Adrian and Kavasta frowned.


    "What?" asked Kavasta.


    "Someone spoke to me while time was stopped," Maxime explained, not understanding where it came from.


    And it wasn''t the first time it had happened to him.


    And every time it had happened... it was the Gods who had spoken to him.


    "Someone spoke to you? How strange."


    Kavasta had never had a similar experience, so he didn''t understand.


    "In any case, be careful, Maxime."


    In saying this, Kavasta was not paying attention to what Maxime had heard, but rather to his new skill.


    "My main tutor at university, when I had shared some of the power of my talent with him, had said this to me: When the world becomes a playground, we sometimes forget that we are not gods."


    Maxime nodded, fully understanding.


    Every talent and skill has its limits. Too much recklessness can lead to an unexpected end.


    Without waiting, Maxime took a look at his remaining balance in the shop of the dimensional battlefield.


    [Remaining balance: 326 Eternity points.]


    He thought for a moment about what to do with the remaining points.


    He quickly made a decision.


    [Purchase of ''Sharpened Body Fruit'' confirmed.]


    [50 Eternity points deducted.]


    [Purchase of ''Rank B Martial Technique'' confirmed.]


    [Choice of a random spear technique.]


    [250 Eternity points deducted.]


    [Remaining balance: 26 Eternity points.]


    [Conversion of the 26 Eternity points to gold coin completed.]


    Maxim was curious about the taste of the fruit, while he found it very rewarding to be able to master the spear, which is one of the most complex weapons to handle.


    He would have liked to learn archery, but the purchase was limited to melee weapons.


    The transmission of knowledge about the spear was much less sensational than the ''Frozen Time'' skill.


    For five seconds, he received a lot of information about how to handle the spear, and some changes were made to his arms and hands, but that was all.


    Maxime didn''t worry about it any more; he thought about exploring his gains later, as well as his new breathing method.


    Maxime, Kavasta and Adrian continued to talk together.


    Of course, Kavasta and Adrian promised that they wouldn''t let any information escape from the room, even if their superiors asked them questions about Maxime.


    ...


    In a black space, which was now familiar, a gigantic silhouette opened its eyes again.


    Never before had it opened its eyes so often.


    "That brat has acquired a skill that even the Gods could be envious of..."


    "And he got it so easily... He must have also caught the attention of that person..."


    "There was Viviana and now there''s this guy. My young boy is definitely attracting more and more attention."


    "But I''m the first to have noticed him and invested in him. It''s already too much for the others, I''m the one who would benefit the most!


    Then he closed his eyes again, this time in a very good mood.


    He felt that his investment would certainly not disappoint him this time.


    ...


    Maxime left the meeting room, but with a strange feeling of weakness.


    As if it was all finally over and he would finally be able to get some rest.


    He wanted to grab a bite to eat in the fortress cafeteria.


    Because as soon as he had been woken up, Orvari and Emmanuel had taken him to the meeting room.


    So he still hadn''t eaten, and now he was starving.


    And at the same time, he felt a little cold.


    With his physique it was surprising, but his injuries greatly weakened his immune system.


    So maybe he had caught a cold.


    Especially since it was still raining outside and there was no heating in the fortress.


    It seemed that the entire budget had been allocated to the efficiency of the fortress at the expense of comfort.


    Only the medical wing seemed to have heating.


    So he went to his room, took a blanket with him and wrapped himself in it.


    "So comfortable."


    He felt really good there.


    Soon he went to the cafeteria as planned, collected a tray of food under the strange gaze of the kitchen staff.


    They rarely had the opportunity to see such young men, and especially wrapped in a blanket?


    It was a military fortress, who would dare to show up like that in a military place?


    It would definitely be social death under the teasing of the other soldiers if someone did that.


    But Maxime didn''t care at all since he wasn''t in the military.


    Soon he sat down at a table alone, taking a little time for himself.


    His tray was very ordinary, a large bowl of hot soup with some vegetables, bread and water.


    That''s all he needed.


    Around him, there were many tables filled with soldiers and mercenaries. None of them recognized Maxime, so he was really at ease.


    It would take Shibuya mercenaries or some of the men from the second regiment to recognize Maxime''s face.


    Some of the men in the command room might also recognize him, as well as the captains of the regiments.


    But otherwise, although now almost all the soldiers in the fortress knew his first and last name, very few had seen him in person.


    Maxime slowly began to eat his meal.


    Taking a small spoonful of soup, which slowly went down his throat, made him feel so good.


    The weather was particularly cool, so that sip of hot soup seemed so pleasant.


    Especially as he was still in pain from his burns and injuries.


    So it really did him good to drink the soup, as if it helped with the healing.


    Time passed slowly.


    He took the opportunity to take a look at his new meditation method.


    A notification panel appeared in front of him.


    sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 199 - 199: Plaids are great. Who dares to laugh?

    A notification sign appeared in front of him.


    [Breathing method ''Symbiosis'': A very special breathing method that requires the help of a pet to fully exert its effects. The more powerful the animal, the faster the progress and the more the vital power generated will be exacerbated. In addition, the breathing method will take on the attributes of your animal and pass them on to you.]


    Of course, no one except himself could see it.


    "Truly an exceptional breathing method. It allows for both rapid progression and exceptional life force. And on top of that, the breathing method confers an attribute."


    "I wonder how rare it is to have an attribute with the breathing method?"


    "I just know that Kaite and Langus don''t have an attribute with their breathing method, but maybe the breathing methods used by the dukes themselves or by the royal family have one?"


    Of course, Maxime wasn''t particularly shocked when he saw the description of this breathing method.


    He had already been shocked many times, so even such a breathing method just made him smile. Nothing more.


    "Now the primary objective is to find an animal with a good lineage and good strength and to tame it."


    He didn''t have the patience to wait for his future beast to become powerful. It had to be powerful from the start so that he could use the full potential of his new breathing method as soon as possible.


    Otherwise, the awakening of his vital seed will be delayed, and with it the success of his class quest.


    And the potential of his future beast must not be too low to avoid spending too many gold coins on improving his bloodline.


    [Quest: "Upgrade the swordsman class"]


    Description: Congratulations on unlocking your first class quest. If you succeed, it will allow you to improve your class!


    Reward: Change from the "swordsman" class to a higher-level class.


    Objective:


    - Sword handling at level 3 (1/1)


    - Have a breathing method (1/1)


    - Awaken the vital seed (0/1)


    He had fulfilled 2 of the 3 necessary criteria of the quest, all that remained was to awaken his vital seed.


    Once awakened, not only would he obtain a version of the swordsman class, but his combat power would also be directly improved thanks to the vital seed.


    This could even be considered a future asset, as few players were able to awaken their vital seed.


    It was necessary to have both a good knighthood talent and a breathing method.


    And even in this situation it was usually necessary to train for years before having the slightest chance of awakening the vital seed in a mortal combat.


    As Maxime consulted his new breathing method and various other things, a figure appeared in his field of vision and sat down in front of him.


    Maxime looked up at the beauty who had just arrived.


    "Le?la."


    She flashed a very gracious smile.


    At the same time, a few soldiers began to pay attention to Maxime''s table.


    "The captain of the Shibuya? What is she doing with that young man?"


    "I don''t know, maybe he''s one of her men and she''s taking time to integrate him into her group."


    "It looks like that''s the case, seeing how young he is."


    "In any case, he''s lucky to be able to eat one-on-one with the goddess of Shibuya."


    Especially since women were rare in the fortress, many conversations began around them.


    "But why does he have a plaid?"


    "Definitely a young recruit with a weak physique."


    "Another one who''s underestimated the battlefield."


    "If his mother came along, this guy would probably throw himself at her and cry in her arms."


    Many soldiers started to laugh and joke about it.


    The two concerned were completely unaware of the others, and didn''t care whether or not they were being watched.


    "How are you, Maxime?"


    Maxime looked at Le?la for a moment.


    But as expected, he felt nothing in particular when he looked at her.


    "Both very happy and at peace with myself. I''m enjoying a well-deserved bowl of soup."


    Le?la laughed slightly at the sight of Maxime in this state.


    He looked so much like an ordinary high school student at that moment and even seemed fragile with his blanket.


    In that situation, few people could imagine how ferocious he could be on the battlefield.


    The images were just totally incompatible.


    On the surface, perhaps only his burn on his face, still clearly visible, could provide a touch of credibility.


    "And how are you?" Maxime asked casually.


    "I''m just recovering from my injuries. Unlike a certain person, I''m not crazy enough to go back to the battlefield while injured."


    Maxime met Le?la''s gaze as he said this.


    "It''s not madness, it''s courage mixed with a strong confidence in one''s strength. And if my men and I hadn''t gone, who would have saved the second regiment?"


    Le?la did not take Maxime''s words the wrong way; she knew they were factual. But she was still curious.


    "But the second regiment is a regiment of soldiers. They are all prepared to die, while you are just a high school student. You have already done enough just by accompanying my Shibuya. Everything that you and your men did afterwards was more than exceptional."


    "It would have been a shame to lose an exceptional genius just to save a regiment."


    Maxime continued to drink his soup quietly while Le?la was talking.


    After taking a few spoonfuls, he looked at Le?la again with very serious eyes.


    "I felt I could do it, so I did it. That''s all."


    Then Maxime thought about something.


    "In the end, I did the same thing I did for you. If I hadn''t put my life in danger, you and your mercenaries would have died on the battlefield."


    A shiver ran through Le?la''s body when she heard this.


    Because she knew he was right, she and her men had really come very close to death.


    It was just that Maxime''s current appearance made him seem easy to talk to and approach.


    But he was still Maxime, and his words were direct and raw.


    Meanwhile, two figures took their places alongside Maxime and Le?la.


    They were Orvari and Emmanuel.


    The two also arrived with a tray similar to Maxime''s.


    That is to say, a large bowl of hot soup with some vegetables, bread and water.


    "Stop annoying my savior, Le?la. Maxime is a tiger with sharp teeth. Have you ever seen a tiger run away from a fight?" joked Orvari as he sat down next to Maxime, while Emmanuel sat down next to Le?la.


    Seeing two regimental captains sit down at this table, the other soldiers, who had been joking until now, suddenly stopped.


    "Is he the captain of the eighth regiment, Emmanuel?"


    "It certainly looks like it... They say that he is a force to be reckoned with among the captains, and that his intelligence and war strategies are on a par with Commander Kavasta himself."


    "And the one with him, is it really Orvari, the captain of the second regiment?"


    "He''s clearly the captain of the second regiment."


    "But who is this young man to attract so many strong people to his table?"


    The soldiers were all wondering, and no one dared to joke about Maxime anymore.


    Who would dare when there were so many important people at his table?


    He must be someone strong.


    Suddenly, a soldier noticed the burn on Maxime''s face and had a mini revelation.


    "Wait, he has a burn on his face. Could he be the famous young man who saved the Shibuya and who, after being seriously wounded, returned without hesitation to the battlefield to rescue the second regiment?"


    Another soldier suddenly understood too. He had already passed Maxime in the corridors.


    "Shit, it''s definitely him, guys."


    Another soldier still didn''t believe it when he saw Maxime looking like that.


    "But he looks so weak?"


    Other soldiers reacted immediately by bursting out laughing.


    "Weak? He could crush you with a finger." said a burly soldier, showing his little finger with a big smile.


    Soldiers at other tables began to hear the conversations and joined in the fun.


    "Even one finger is too much, his mercenaries are so strong that even the weakest of them could face dozens of Dravaks at once."


    "So he wouldn''t even need to move if he wanted to kill you."


    ...


    The laughter of the soldiers could be heard again throughout the cafeteria now, while the soldiers who were originally making fun of Maxime were all teased by their colleagues.


    The atmosphere was really very good.


    "It''s true, no matter where you go, you become the center of attention, Maxime," Emmanuel commented with a smile.


    With the physiques of each of them, it was difficult not to hear the conversations around them.


    Maxime was speechless.


    "I was quiet until you all arrived one after the other," he said, rolling his eyes.


    The 3 captains all laughed together. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Believe me, Maxime. These soldiers are all more provocative than the last. If we hadn''t come, one of them would have come to tease you," added Orvari with a teasing smile.


    "Just because the war is over doesn''t mean there can''t be any more victims in the army," replied Maxime simply and matter-of-factly.


    Immediately after saying this, he picked up his spoon and continued to eat his soup. If he had waited any longer, it might have gone cold before he finished it.


    But his words cast a chill over the table.


    "Obviously this guy is definitely crazy," thought the three captains at the table.


    But they were all glad to have him on their side; it was really reassuring.


    At least, as long as no one provoked him, he was always normal and friendly. And especially if they themselves encountered danger on the battlefield, there was no one more reliable than him to come and help them.


    He had already proven this through his actions.


    Thinking in this way, everyone felt close to Maxime despite his hot-headedness.


    "Hey, Maxime. Can you share your blanket a little?" Orvari asked.


    Maxime looked at Orvari, wondering if he was really serious.


    But it didn''t seem like a joke.


    "Come closer."


    Orvari came closer, and Maxime shared his blanket with him.


    The two of them were thus completely wrapped together in the blanket, almost stuck together.


    Fortunately, the blanket was originally really big, otherwise it wouldn''t have been possible.


    "That blanket is really warm. Thanks Maxime."


    "Don''t worry, it''s normal."


    Emmanuel and Le?la were speechless as they watched the scene.


    Not to mention the soldiers, who wanted to laugh when they saw it.


    But who would dare?


    The first of them was the captain of the second regiment, none of them could even resist a single punch from him.


    While the second was a genius crazy enough to go and rescue the second regiment, which was in disarray, with his own force and his men.


    The worst part was that he had really succeeded.


    But no matter, a gigantic and intimidating man, as well as a thin young man, even appearing weak, were rolled up together in a plaid.


    The two were calmly drinking their hot soup and seemed to be living their best lives.


    Some soldiers even began to envy them, because it looked so pleasant...

 Chapter 200 - 200: Its good to be back

    Some even began to envy them; it looked so pleasant...


    ...


    Maxime stayed in the fortress all day, mainly talking to regiment captains but also to soldiers.


    He even participated in the capture of Dravak in the wild, as many of them were now in hiding, especially the Dravak regiment captains.


    Of course, no one could find Vatar, nor did anyone want to find him.


    Apart from Kavasta, no one could last more than three exchanges against him.


    The captured Dravaks remained in the fortress during this time, because if the humans took them to Earth, it would become much more complicated to bring them back home.


    Kavasta had obtained the rights to manage the dimensional battlefield for another four days, until the temporary closure of the dimensional battlefield.


    He therefore opened access to the Dravaks, in limited numbers of course, so that emissaries of their race could come to negotiate to recover the prisoners.


    The fortress was therefore still quite busy during the day, with many things still to be done and some fighting going on outside.


    Finally night fell and Maxime also enjoyed a last evening in the relaxation area.


    He took the time to have a drink with many regiment captains who wanted to befriend him, but also with many lieutenants and soldiers.


    He also saw Varek again and spoke with him for a good hour. He didn''t know why, but he got on particularly well with him.


    His mercenaries, who had survived all these events, also took advantage of the relaxation area, where they all had fun playing ''Spectral Duel''.


    There was no such technology in their world, so it was great fun for them.


    In this case, it was Kaite, Tena, Ultia, Romuald and Rodrigo who were present. That''s 5 mercenaries.


    Laura, Henry and Terry had died taking a fatal blow in place of Maxime, while Charles had been targeted by the Dravak lieutenants.


    Andrew had exceeded his physical limits after Charles'' death and was too seriously injured to be able to enjoy himself in the relaxation area.


    He was staying in the medical wing of the fortress, and thanks to Maxime, he had a VIP room.


    As for the mercenaries who died in battle, they could be resurrected after 24 hours, but Maxime had to leave the dimensional battlefield.


    Invoking them again on the dimensional battlefield was impossible because of certain rules.


    In the game ''Spectral Duel'', the ordinary soldiers who had tried their luck after hearing the reputation of the Sabertooth Tigers, and who were not convinced, lost miserably.


    They had no chance against them even if the mercenaries were not under the influence of [Nox Limit].


    It took the arrival of a few sergeants to put pressure on the Sabertooth Tigers, but they continued to win, further boosting the reputation of Maxime and his mercenaries.


    It was only when some of the lieutenants took the stage that the mercenaries began to lose.


    But as most of the mercenaries were injured, some of the soldiers watching the scene began to say that if the mercenaries weren''t injured, even the lieutenants wouldn''t necessarily be their opponents.


    Others disagreed, and a long debate ensued during the evening.


    Maxime didn''t really care; he was just having fun on his own, chatting with other people.


    The night passed quickly, and this time Maxime returned to his room alone.


    He took time to recover from his eventful night, and didn''t return to the real world until the next day.


    It was quite simple, all he had to do was ask the dimensional battlefield system to leave, and that was it.


    Of course, this was only possible because the Dravak homeworld had been destroyed.


    As for the eight saber-toothed tigers under Maxime''s command, they could all be taken care of by the army.


    They will accompany the army until the beginning of the following month so that Maxime can return to his life in the real world, peacefully.


    Otherwise it would be a headache to feed and house so many people.


    ...


    Back in the real world, four full days had passed. It wasn''t like in the world of Eternity, where no matter how much time was spent in the game, less than a second passed in reality.


    The dimensional battlefields had the same relationship to time as the real world.


    Meanwhile, the sound of the shaker echoed throughout the bar as Hugo, sleeves rolled up and black shirt sticking to his skin from the heat, kept up a steady stream of orders.


    "And here''s your whisky on the rocks! And here are two mojitos for the ladies!"


    Hugo served the drinks directly to the customers waiting quietly at the counter.


    The bar was almost full, and customers were piling up at the counter.


    For the moment, it was still okay, but if it went on like this, the bar could really lose loyal customers because of the waiting time!


    Hugo could feel the sweat running down his back.


    "Damn it, you''re pissing me off Maxime! Since you left, I''ve been working overtime and working like crazy!"


    With a sharp movement, he wiped his forehead with his forearm and glared around him. Still no sign of his colleague.


    Four days earlier, he had disappeared without a word.


    At first it was still okay, Hugo thought Maxime wasn''t feeling well and needed some fresh air.


    But four days was a ridiculously long time to be out and about!


    "Damn it... Maxime, if I ever find you, I swear..." he grumbled as he mixed a cocktail with extraordinary skill. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The boss, Mr. LeMoine, walked up behind him and said exasperatedly:


    "Still no news of Maxime, Hugo?"


    Hugo sighed loudly, his stress reaching new heights.


    "No idea, boss! I still haven''t heard anything."


    The boss''s face tightened.


    "I swear, if he does it again, he''s fired!"


    Hugo rolled his eyes while continuing to smile at the customers, take their orders and serve the drinks.


    "This boss is super nice, but now he''s really pissed me off because he hasn''t found a replacement!" he thought silently with a certain amount of rage.


    But it was true that his skills had improved a lot by keeping up this infernal pace.


    He was going so fast that he had the impression that his hands were moving on their own. A gin and tonic, a Ricard, three shots of tequila...


    But just as he was immersed in his own world, a voice came from just behind him.


    "Hi."


    ? AAAAH ! ?


    "Shit, Maxime! Where have you been!? And stop disappearing and appearing out of nowhere, it''s too surprising!"


    "And what''s this burn on your face!?"


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, visibly amused.


    "What? Are you okay? You look a little tense," Maxime replied, ignoring the second question.


    A vein appeared on Hugo''s forehead.


    "Of course, because of a certain person I''ve had to put in a monstrous amount of work these last few days!"


    Maxime smiled slightly, and began to take orders from a few customers, immediately relieving the pressure in the bar.


    He had already put on his black work shirt, guessing that he would appear again at his workplace.


    "Oh Maxime, you''re back? Wow, you''ve got a nasty burn on your face. Are you sure you can work?"


    Maxime smiled at the person speaking to him, an old man who was a regular at the bar.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lotan, yes, I''m better now. Here''s your glass of whisky with two ice cubes as usual."


    "Take care of your health anyway, that''s the most important thing. And thanks for the whisky."


    As he was making the old man pay, Maxime turned to Hugo.


    "It''s a blessing in disguise, isn''t it? Thanks to my absence, you''re going to get a great paycheck this month."


    Maxime knew that Hugo was in financial difficulties, as he was not a high school student. He was a university student, but at a civilian university.


    The latter did not offer any courses on the subject of Eternity.


    This was also the case for most universities, because it took all sorts to make a society work.


    As for Hugo, he had always had a bad relationship with his parents, so as soon as he finished high school and turned 18, he looked for work so that he could provide for himself.


    And thanks to the owner of the bar, he was able to afford a small apartment and live decently. But making ends meet remained complicated because it was a part-time job since he had not wanted to give up his studies.


    "Yes, it''s true... but I fell a long way behind in my architecture project." replied Hugo, still angry, but less so than at the beginning.


    He was, in fact, at architecture school.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll take over. You can leave if you want." Maxime reassured him with a smile.


    His bartending skills were not up to Hugo''s level, but with his physique, it was not difficult to keep up a high pace.


    Hugo gave Maxime a suspicious look and did not reply.


    The two worked for a while in silence, completely catching up on the customer tickets.


    At that moment, the boss appeared.


    "Hugo, you can go. There''s nothing to worry about now that Maxime is back."


    Hugo had also had time to observe Maxime, and indeed, he was very efficient.


    He wondered a little where all that energy came from, but he didn''t think too much about it.


    "Thanks, boss."


    Without hesitation, he grabbed his bag from behind the counter and took one last look at Maxime, who was bustling about with an almost supernatural ease.


    His colleague seemed tireless, his movements fluid and precise.


    It was... strange. In the past, although he did well, he really wasn''t as competent as he was today.


    Hugo hesitated for a second before heading for the exit.


    "By the way, Maxime..." he said, turning as he passed the bar counter.


    "Seriously, where were you?"


    Maxime looked up with a slight smile.


    "Oh, that... It''s a long story."


    Hugo narrowed his eyes, intrigued.


    "A long story, eh... I hope it was at least worth it."


    "And... I''d especially like to know where that burning sensation on your face comes from."


    Maxime put a glass on the counter and replied enigmatically:


    "Let''s just say that I learned some interesting things, but that I had to overcome a few obstacles to learn them."


    Hugo raised an eyebrow, then shook his head with a sigh.


    "That''s it... So you just messed up when you were trying out a recipe. My cousin had the same thing in high school, and it went away after a few months, so don''t worry."


    "Well, have a good evening."


    Maxime didn''t react particularly, except with a smile.


    "Good evening, Hugo."


    As the door of the bar closed behind him, Maxime glanced around the bar.


    He could feel the flow of time, perceive every movement with new acuity.


    Indeed, he could perceive time.


    It was a really strange feeling.


    And it wasn''t just that.


    Whether in terms of strength, skill or temperament, he had changed a lot.


    His whole perception of the world, and even the way he interacted with other people, had been completely changed.


    The boss, Mr. LeMoine, watched Hugo leave before turning his attention back to Maxime. He approached the counter, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised.


    "You..." he said in a deep voice.


    Maxime looked up at him with an innocent smile.


    "Me?"


    "Don''t give me that look. You disappear for four days without warning, you don''t answer any calls, and then you reappear like a flower, calm, as if nothing had happened?!"


    Maxime shrugged.


    "Sorry, boss. Something unexpected came up."


    "An unforeseen event?!" LeMoine growled, placing his hands on the counter abruptly.


    "Do you take me for an idiot?! Do you think I''m going to accept this kind of lame excuse?!"


    Maxime did not lose his composure and simply stared his boss straight in the eye.


    "What do you want me to say? I got caught up in something important, and I couldn''t come back until today. That''s all."


    The boss gauged him for a moment, then sighed loudly while pinching the bridge of his nose.


    "Tsk... If you weren''t such a good bartender and the customers didn''t like you as much, I would have fired you by now."


    Maxime smiled.


    "So, I guess I can keep my job?"


    LeMoine stared at him for a moment longer before pointing a threatening finger at him.


    "One more disappearance like that, and I''ll fire you for good. Understood?!"


    "Understood, boss. I promise I''ll be more careful." Maxime replied seriously this time.


    His boss was much nicer than he looked, so Maxime wasn''t worried.


    But no matter how much his strength and status improved, he would always respect the people who had reached out to him when he needed them.


    The boss blew his nose once more, shook his head and walked away muttering incomprehensible insults.


    Maxime, meanwhile, calmly got back to work, wearing a slight smile.


    "Ah... It''s good to be back."

 Chapter 201 - 201: The butler

    "Ah... It''s good to be back."


    Maxime immediately got back into the rhythm of the service, following orders with astonishing fluidity. The atmosphere in the bar was lively, the music playing softly in the background as laughter and conversation mingled in the hubbub.


    Customers continued to flock in, but he kept up the pace.


    LeMoine, who was discreetly keeping an eye on Maxime, was impressed.


    He had originally been worried about Maxime after he had disappeared without saying a word for several days.


    If Maxime was ill or something, he wouldn''t have hesitated to send him home. In his opinion, health is always paramount at work.


    But since everything was going much better than he could have hoped, he went back to his office.


    Time passed quickly, and when the clock struck one in the morning, the customers all started to leave because it was closing time.


    Maxime took one last order, a glass of water for a customer who was in great need of one.


    After that, he wiped down the counter and then, once he had finished, he could finally take a breath.


    The boss approached him, arms crossed.


    "Not bad. You kept up the pace well."


    Maxime shrugged with a smile.


    "I had a good teacher."


    LeMoine chuckled slightly, because he was the one who had taught him everything about the job.


    But he quickly took on a more serious tone.


    "Listen, Maxime... I''m not going to lecture you, but take care of yourself. You give the impression that everything is fine, but don''t take me for a naive old man. This burn is clearly more than a third degree burn."


    "You''re still in high school, it''s not your turn to fight for humanity."


    Maxime was surprised.


    Maxime had obviously assumed that the boss was a former soldier who had already participated in dimensional battlefields or else he had a lot of experience in Eternity.


    And that was also the charm of Eternity, the neighbor you smiled at every morning could be a monster with the strength to participate in sky-level dimensional battlefields.


    Because as long as he didn''t show his strength, almost no one could guess.


    At the same time, Maxime sensed a hint of sincerity and concern in the boss''s voice.


    "I''ll see to it, boss. I promise."


    LeMoine nodded before patting him on the shoulder.


    "Go on, get out of here. You''ve worked hard."


    Maxime nodded and then went to his locker.


    As expected, his T-shirt and white sweater were still there. He changed into them and left his black shirt behind.


    He had several copies of this shirt, and it was the boss who took care of the machines and ironing the shirts.


    It was rather convenient.


    After that, he said goodbye to the boss and left the bar into the cool of the night.


    But he wasn''t cold this time; it seemed that he had been able to recover during the previous day at the fortress.


    He took a deep breath, enjoying the calm after the hustle and bustle of service.


    But he had barely taken a few steps when he felt a chill run down his spine. An unpleasant feeling, as if invisible eyes had fixed on him.


    Then he saw them.


    A few meters away, a dozen men in black were waiting for him. They were wearing black suits, but their rigid posture and cold gaze betrayed military discipline.


    He also saw three luxury black cars parked in the street.


    What bothered him was that he had never seen these cars when leaving work, even though he had been working here for over a year.


    One of the men in black, standing slightly in front, addressed him in a neutral voice.


    "Maxime Valdreuve?"


    Maxime narrowed his eyes, instinctively putting himself on his guard.


    He well remembered that a month before, he had offended a noble family in the city, and that this family had retaliated by dismissing his mother and arranging for his brother to be harassed at school.


    "That depends. Who are you?"


    The man did not reply immediately. A heavy silence fell before he said, almost dismissively:


    "You don''t deserve to know."


    Maxime smiled ironically.


    "Really? And you, do you think you deserve an answer?"


    The atmosphere became tenser and many passers-by nearby quickly moved away when they saw what was happening.


    Even people who were well drunk could see that something dangerous was going on around here.


    "This young man is in danger, let''s go and help him, shall we?" asked a young woman accompanied by several friends.


    One of their friends nearby immediately put his hand over her mouth.


    "Are you kidding? After saving up for so long, we can barely beat apprentice knights at the starting line," he whispered in panic.


    "These guys are all much older than us and it''s obvious they know how to fight really well."


    "I''m sorry for the young man, but we can''t help him!"


    The group of friends looked at each other for a few seconds with complicated expressions, but in the end no one dared to get up and help Maxime.


    And it wasn''t just them, all the passers-by in the street pretended not to have seen anything and quickened their pace to get away.


    In a world where a large part of the population knows how to fight, many people also knew how to estimate their strength and that of others within a wide range.


    No matter what was going on around them, two of the men in black advanced towards Maxime, clearly determined to force him to follow them.


    But he didn''t give them time to act.


    In an instant, his body moved with lightning speed.


    The two men were thrown to the ground before they could even react. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One of them tried to get up, but Maxime knocked him out with a straight punch to the head.


    Of course, he held back a lot of his strength, otherwise the man would have lost his life.


    But it was still enough to knock him completely unconscious.


    "Is this a joke? He defeated Marco and Benji so easily?"


    "I had seen his videos against the Piranhas during the invasion, but he wasn''t as strong when he wasn''t activating his mysterious skill or talent."


    "He can already neutralize us so easily in high school..."


    "In the space of a month, this high school student has become terrifying."


    The other men in black stood still. They were afraid.


    They all knew that this young man was already monstrously powerful a month ago, but not yet powerful enough for them to take him seriously.


    Normally, a young man with about 2 points of physicality, who was struggling to get up to 3 points, could not get their family to do anything.


    Their patriarch had a surface physique of 3.5 points, not counting class bonuses, skills and talent!


    And that was in the real world; in Eternity, he had a physique of over 8 points.


    A real monster in human form.


    In the city, no one was his opponent except the mayor.


    Under the circumstances, only the man who seemed to be the leader of the men in black stepped forward.


    "I guess I''ll have to do it myself, you bunch of idiots."


    The other men in black said nothing, but their fear of Maxime diminished significantly.


    Because this man was one of the most powerful men in their family!


    As he spoke, Maxime immediately sensed an overwhelming threat emanating from this man.


    This guy looked like a simple butler with his impeccable suit and slicked-back hair.


    But his aura... It was terrifying.


    To his knowledge, only Kavasta had a more overwhelming presence than him.


    "Surrender, Maxime. A mere high school student is no match for our Olifer family."


    This butler clearly didn''t care about revealing their identity, and it also showed that they didn''t fear the repercussions at all.


    Maxime frowned.


    "The Olifer family..."


    A month earlier, their eldest son had tried to kill everyone who wanted to enter the shelter closest to the Valdreuve family home during the Pyrans invasion.


    When Maxime arrived on the scene, he saw that his many neighbors, as well as his mother and brother, were being blocked at the entrance to the shelter by the eldest son of the Olifer family.


    His mother was even hit by the eldest son.


    Maxime was also shot at several times by him, before killing him with a punch and then falling unconscious himself.


    Fortunately, no bullet had lodged in his body and his vital organs had not been affected, otherwise he would have been dead for good.


    Revenge also came quickly.


    From then on, his mother was out of work because of that family, while his brother could no longer go to school.


    "The Olifer family, it''s time to settle the score..."


    At the same time, he produced a one-handed sword that he had ''borrowed'' from a Dravak prisoner.


    Naturally, he couldn''t walk around with a lightsaber in the world of Eternity, so this high-quality sword, which didn''t attract attention, was definitely a very good choice.


    Unfortunately, as far as armor was concerned, he hadn''t found anything that was both his size and not too flashy.


    So he had to fight in civilian clothes, but that didn''t bother him.


    The butler also noticed this.


    "Aren''t you afraid? All it takes is one blow from a sword and you''ll die here."


    On hearing the words, Maxime did not react much.


    "If I were afraid of something so insignificant, I would have been dead long ago."


    The butler smiled.


    "All right, you''ll just have delayed your death then."


    No sooner had Maxime heard the last words than the butler''s silhouette disappeared.


    "This is not good, this guy is really on another level to other men!"


    An intense feeling of danger resonated in Maxime''s mind.


    Without hesitation, Maxime activated Frozen Time.


    The world around him stood still.


    As the world around him turned gray, he could see the emotionless expression on the face of the butler who was literally right in front of him.


    His sword was already almost piercing his throat.


    "That guy was really going to kill me!"

 Chapter 202 - 202: Turnaround

    "That guy was really going to kill me!"


    Their physique should not be that far apart because of the physical restrictions on their universe, but combat skills, talents and class bonuses all counted in combat power.


    This meant that even with a physique that could almost be said to be similar, the difference in power could be exceptional.


    Now, Maxime was very strong with a single combat class at level 9 and a level 3 swordsmanship, but compared to those who had reached a similar stage to that of grand knight or even higher in the world of Eternity, it was very insufficient.


    He was of course a new class, but without an animal under his command, he was temporarily useless.


    At the same time, Maxime took advantage of this short period of time to position himself at the butler''s side and put his sword to his throat.


    0.5 seconds passed very quickly.


    When time resumed its course, the positions had been reversed, but the man in black did not flinch.


    He merely observed the blade against his skin, before fixing his piercing eyes on Maxime.


    "Amazing, how did you do that?"


    The butler was not panicking in the slightest, still appearing very confident.


    But Maxime did not reply, staring at the butler in front of him, making sure he did not show the slightest sign of escape.


    "You don''t want to answer?"


    "It doesn''t matter, in any case you shouldn''t have hesitated. You should have killed me straight away."


    "But now that you''ve used your trump card, you have no chance of survival."


    But at that very moment, a red dot appeared on the butler''s forehead.


    And it wasn''t just him, all the men dressed in black now had a red dot fixed on their foreheads.


    At the same time, many men in military uniform arrived in the area.


    A man strode forward between the ranks of soldiers. Tall, with an imposing build despite his elegant silhouette, he wore a long dark coat with gold braiding that testified to his authority.


    His face was marked by a large scar that ran from his left eyebrow down to his cheek, giving him a stern and uncompromising air.


    Maxime immediately recognized the man who had just appeared.


    "Aleksei Dorne."


    The mayor of the city.


    Maxime could easily recognize him as he had appeared on television several times.


    There were also many videos of the mayor fighting on the internet. In an age when war could break out at any time and anywhere, this was not frowned upon.


    On the contrary, the mayor had won his elections thanks to his show of force on the internet.


    The mayor''s piercing gaze swept across the scene, lingering first on Maxime and the blade he was still holding against the butler''s throat, then on the men in black, still frozen, with red dots dancing on their foreheads.


    "What a curious sight." he said in a calm voice, but one that carried undeniable authority.


    The mayor, so dignified in appearance, was tempted to laugh at the sight of the butler, so often arrogant, with a blade pointed at his throat.


    Even more so when the one threatening him was just a high school student.


    "I thought I had made myself clear, Oswald. You don''t settle personal business in my streets."


    The butler, whose name had just been revealed, smiled slightly, relaxed despite the situation.


    "Mr. Mayor... What a surprise." He bowed his head slightly in greeting, then glanced at Maxime.


    "This young man is a problem we have to deal with. A strictly family matter. I ask the mayor not to intervene."


    Aleksai took another step, and instantly, the atmosphere changed. The air itself seemed to become denser, more oppressive.


    "A family matter?" The mayor raised an eyebrow, then his gaze hardened. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t know what makes you think your family has more authority over this city than I do, but let me remind you of something, Oswald..."


    He raised a hand and made a simple gesture.


    Oswald followed the direction pointed out by the mayor of Nansoy and saw the dozens of snipers who were ready to shoot them.


    Oswald knew he was in trouble, although he didn''t show it.


    It was only now that he realized they were being targeted by snipers.


    Namely that bullets fired by snipers travel faster than the speed of sound itself. So unless he could predict when these marksmen were going to fire, he himself could not avoid the bullets.


    Looking in the direction of the sniper who was aiming at him, the sniper even gave him a little ''perfect'' sign, as if he was going to take a photo and he shouldn''t move to get a good shot.


    This annoyed Oswald, but there was nothing he could do about it at the moment and not even in the future.


    Namely that these snipers were not weak in hand-to-hand combat either, but above all they were all under the orders of a guardian.


    So they couldn''t be easily hit.


    Because the guardians were men who had decided to pledge allegiance to a mayor by swearing allegiance to him and the city.


    To become a guardian, one had to be at least a grand knight in Eternity, not counting class bonuses, talent and various skills.


    Only the standard physique and mastery of one''s weapon of choice were evaluated when choosing guardians.


    Thus, they were all unreasonably powerful men, some even reaching the power of an epic knight once they gave their all.


    Currently, there were 5 guardians in Nansoy, making the city a rather well-secured one, as there were sometimes only 2 or 3 guardians in cities of similar size.


    It was a shame that their power could not be used freely due to the precarious situation of the human race. They could only grit their teeth when they saw invasions taking place, and only intervene when the limits were exceeded.


    Particularly when the enemies destroyed shelters or targeted schools. In that case, the guards could go wild.


    "I''m the one who decides here." the mayor declared firmly.


    Oswald didn''t lose his smile, but his gaze became more attentive. He knew he couldn''t afford to directly challenge Aleksei Dorne.


    The Olifer family had a lot of influence, but the mayor was still the most powerful man in the city.


    But as Oswald rapidly considered how to get out of this situation and report the matter to the patriarch, he suddenly felt his perspective change.


    "Huh?"


    He didn''t understand.


    Why suddenly could he only see the mayor''s feet?


    And he could no longer move his arms or legs.


    The mayor looked at Oswald''s head on the ground, motionless.


    "Did you really kill him?" exclaimed the mayor, looking at the young man with blond hair and a burn mark on his face.


    His blue eyes seemed particularly cold.


    "If I hadn''t had a skill that allowed me to avoid his deadly blow, I would already be a dead man."


    "So why shouldn''t I be able to kill him when he had the right to do so?"


    The mayor suddenly began to have a headache .


    It was literally as if the police had come to the aid of a victim and had already neutralized the perpetrator of the crime, and then suddenly the victim killed the person who had wanted to harm him.


    "There are still laws in this country, Mr. Valdreuve." As he said this, the mayor put his hand to his forehead, particularly annoyed by what had just happened.


    It wasn''t easy to mess with the Olifer family, even for him.


    The dozen or so men who were with the butler saw their boss killed before their eyes, and they all began to tremble.


    "Who the hell have we provoked?"


    For his part, after a moment''s thought, the mayor made his decision.


    "Is the neighborhood sealed off?" he asked a policeman who was following him.


    "Yes, there''s no one within 100 meters."


    The mayor nodded and gave a small signal to the snipers.


    Without a sound, the shots rang out.


    Phht.


    Phht.


    Phht.


    The silencers muffled the roar of the detonations, leaving only a faint, barely perceptible hiss. In a fraction of a second, the dozen or so men in black collapsed one by one, struck down by bullets fired with surgical precision.


    The first was shot in the forehead, his body slumping limply to the ground, his eyes still open, as if he had not yet realized that he was dead.


    The second, more intelligent and aware of his surroundings, tried to move back, but a bullet passed through his temple before he could even scream. His body slowly slumped, a frozen expression of incomprehension on his face.


    The others were no more fortunate. One after the other, they fell like puppets whose strings had been cut, their bodies collapsing without the slightest jolt.


    Some had barely had time to widen their eyes before death took them.


    Maxime, still motionless, watched the scene with absolute calm. He felt neither satisfaction nor pity. It was simply the consequence of their own choices.


    And his choice was not a sudden impulse, but a decision made after reflection.


    As soon as the mayor arrived and they had spoken, he knew he was on his side.


    Since that was the case, why hesitate?


    He now had his own status in the army and his connections. So even if things didn''t go as he planned, he could always get out of it.


    In the worst case scenario, he would go to prison. So what?


    No one could take his watch now that it was linked to him, so it would still grow terrifyingly even if he was in prison.


    And above all, he didn''t have the patience to wait for revenge when the opportunity was so good.


    If he could do it straight away, why wait?


    What made him hesitate more was not being able to protect his family if he ended up in prison.


    Aleksei Dorne, the mayor, watched the carnage without flinching, his men already beginning to clean up the scene to avoid any prying eyes that might arise.


    Then he turned to Maxime.


    "I never thought I''d get to know the famous genius of my city this way."

 Chapter 203 - 203: Prédator 2000

    "I never thought I''d get to know the famous genius of my city in this way."


    "Genius?" asked Maxime, not understanding at the time.


    Except during the Piran invasion, where he had shown some talent, no one knew him.


    And this level of talent was not enough to be called genius in the eyes of a powerful man like the mayor.


    The mayor smiled.


    "All the politicians and nobles of the Western Federation are already aware that a monstrous high school student is to overthrow a dimensional battlefield against Dravaks."


    "It had happened before you, but never against a race as powerful as the Dravaks. At most, it was a race in the top 100 of the Delta universe."


    "But the top 10 is a whole different story. The quality of the human army and the Dravak army is on a completely different level than on the majority of yellow-level dimensional battlefields."


    Maxime did not react particularly. Praise and compliments were not something that gave him particular pleasure.


    At most, it was nice to hear.


    When he thought about what he enjoyed, it was more Laura, his mercenaries, dancing with the princess of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, spending a wild night with Dorian Valderic, training with the sword or protecting and saving people.


    But hearing this kind of thing, especially from someone he had not known a few minutes before, made him more or less indifferent.


    Of course, if it had been his mother or his brother who had said these things, he would have had a completely different reaction.


    Seeing the lack of reaction, the mayor changed the subject.


    "But enough chatter, I didn''t originally come here to save you."


    Maxime was confused.


    "In that case, why did you come?" he asked.


    He still didn''t know why the mayor was there at one in the morning next to an ordinary bar on the outskirts of the city.


    "Because a very important person wants to meet you," he explained with a smile.


    "A very important person?"


    Maxime didn''t wonder why someone who should even have a higher status than the mayor wanted to meet him.


    From what he had heard since his return, he knew that in terms of growth speed, few geniuses in the world could match him.


    What made him even more curious was how this person had obtained information about him.


    The mayor nodded in response to Maxime''s question.


    "Who is it?" Maxime finally asked, no longer able to contain his curiosity.


    "You''ll find out soon enough," replied the mayor, with a mysterious air.


    Maxime was disappointed, but at the same time he was starting to get impatient to meet this mysterious person.


    Two contradictory feelings that he didn''t dislike all that much.


    "How did you know I would be here?"


    The mayor still kept a bit of mystery.


    "Don''t worry, we have our own sources for this kind of thing."


    At this point, Maxime didn''t show anything on his face, but he more or less decided not to ask the mayor any more questions on this kind of subject.


    He was clearly being evasive, and even seemed to take a certain unhealthy pleasure in seeing the confusion on his face.


    Suddenly the mayor took a last look at the corpses of the men in black before saying:


    "Well, it''s time to go."


    "What do you mean?"


    At this point, Maxime was beginning to hate the mayor.


    Even though he didn''t want to ask any more questions, he had no choice but to ask them.


    He couldn''t just follow the mayor around like an emotionless puppet.


    "I have to go and meet the person who asked me to come here."


    "Of course, after learning about your situation and your exploits, I would have saved you in any case."


    Maxime frowned upon hearing these words.


    "You mean you wouldn''t have saved me if I were an ordinary person?"


    The mayor gave Maxime a brief look.


    "Don''t ask questions you''ll regret asking."


    The mayor''s answer made Maxime feel a spark of coldness.


    "As expected, you can only achieve status through strength," thought Maxime.


    "Otherwise, you are at the mercy of others."


    Ignoring Maxime''s thoughts, the mayor gestured for him to follow.


    Without asking any more questions, Maxime followed the mayor.


    It didn''t matter who he was going to meet, he had no choice.


    Refusing could be interpreted as a sign of betrayal towards the Federation since the mayor was one of its representatives.


    And noticing the total lack of any defense of civilians in the event of a conflict against the powerful, Maxime could already imagine that the treatment of traitors must be extremely cruel.


    As they advanced, Maxime noticed that the mayor''s soldiers remained in position, no doubt to lock down the area, clean it up and find those who might have witnessed the scene.


    As for the fate of those who might have witnessed it... Maxime did not know and could not guess with his status and the current information.


    They soon came to a wide, deserted avenue. Suddenly, an almost imperceptible noise resonated above them.


    Maxime looked up and saw an aircraft slowly descending from the night sky.


    Unlike conventional aircraft, it made no noise and seemed to float with perfect stability. Its sleek, matte black design made it almost undetectable in the darkness.


    "A... stealth plane?" whispered Maxime, impressed. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And above all, this plane seemed capable of flying vertically.


    It was indeed the first time he had come into contact with something so futuristic.


    The mayor smiled at the young man''s reaction.


    "My personal plane," he said, approaching the aircraft that had just landed smoothly.


    The side door opened with a slight hiss. Two guards in dark uniforms were waiting for them inside.


    "Get in. We have a long journey ahead of us."


    Maxime hesitated for a second before climbing aboard. Both guards seemed as strong as the butler he had just met.


    "Among ordinary people, I am already someone extraordinary to them. But compared to the truly powerful of this world, I am just an ant, slightly bigger than the others..." Maxime thought.


    But then he thought about it: he had only had his watch for two months, and he had already reached such a level of power!


    He was confident that in less than a year he could reach the level of those two guards.


    Soon Maxime was fully settled, and the aircraft took off in a fluid motion, rising silently above the sleeping city.


    He glanced around and immediately sensed that this was no ordinary aircraft.


    The interior was luxurious but understated, without excess, designed above all for efficiency.


    The mayor had taken a seat opposite him, with a small table between them, while the mayor discussed a few matters with the guards.


    Maxime took the time to look out of the porthole and see the lights of the city receding as the aircraft quickly gained altitude.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" remarked the mayor with an amused smile, after finishing his conversation with the two guards, who were leaving.


    "A little." admitted Maxime, arms folded.


    "This plane... How can it not make any noise?"


    The mayor shook his head.


    "You have to ask the specialists for explanations, I was just shown the features of the Predator 2000 from Butterfly and I thought it was brilliant and well worth the price."


    "For example, it can maintain its silent mode up to 1235 km/h, which is the speed of sound. Of course, it depends on the circumstances. To avoid accidentally breaking through the speed of sound, we limit ourselves to a speed of 1000 km/h."


    Maxime found it very interesting that the sound barrier could be broken through at different speeds.


    He had always thought that the sound barrier was a barrier that was systematically crossed after reaching a certain speed.


    The two continued to discuss, and finally starting to get clear answers without mysterious innuendos, Maxime finally found the mayor less unbearable.


    And while the two were discussing, important events were taking place.


    ...


    The manor of the Draevol family, one of the most influential noble families in the Western Federation.


    In a room with red walls, numerous paintings of humans fighting ferociously against alien races, and paintings of spaceships colliding, a man with an overwhelming aura was impassively leafing through a report.


    He had white hair slicked back and, from his appearance, he must have been approaching fifty.


    Of course, in a world where Eternity exists, it was difficult to judge someone by his age.


    "Maxime Valdreuve..." he murmured as he placed the document on his desk.


    A man in a black suit bowed slightly before him.


    "This young man caused a yellow-level dimensional battlefield to collapse, even though this battlefield was against the Dravaks."


    "The sources are reliable, as this report was written urgently by our confidants at the government building."


    The nobleman Draevol slowly swirled his wine glass between his fingers.


    "Interesting. And this report mentions a certain Olifer family. Who exactly are they?"


    The man in the black suit sat up slightly and replied in a cold tone.


    "A vulgar second-rate family who want to be part of the great and the good."


    The patriarch smiled mockingly.


    "And this same family wanted to bring down such a genius? How pathetic."


    He took a sip from the glass of wine on his desk, before putting it back.


    "Keep a close eye on him. Depending on what happens with the meeting with the president, this boy could become a considerable asset... or a threat to be eliminated as soon as possible."


    His gaze became more piercing.


    "And if the Federation doesn''t know how to use him properly, then maybe we''ll have to take care of it."


    The man in the black suit was not surprised by his patriarch''s words; he was thinking the same thing.


    "Your orders, Patriarch."


    The latter thought for a moment and made a slight reminder.


    "And don''t forget to send an expert to Nansoy, in case the Olifer family or another family is stupid enough to intervene in this context."


    ...


    Underground bunker of the Elden family, renowned for its information network.


    A woman with silver hair was quickly leafing through a file.


    "An interesting young man, it''s been a long time since we''ve seen such a talented genius with courage to match his talent," she said, raising an eyebrow.


    "And what''s most intriguing is that he comes from a civilian background and it hasn''t even been two months since he gained access to Eternity."


    Even after reading the report, she didn''t believe it at first.


    It was only after verifying the source of the report that she began to believe it.


    And at the same time, it terrified her.


    "In two months... Two months, and he went from being an ordinary high school student to a fierce warrior capable of turning the tide on a dimensional battlefield. Is this guy really human?"


    She gently closed the file and stared at the two women dressed like assassins standing in front of her.


    "Contact our informants in the government. I want to know exactly what the president has planned for him."


    The two women bowed and disappeared into the shadows.


    The woman crossed her fingers in front of her, her gaze bright with growing interest.


    "The strong of this world are old and cowardly, no one dares to stand up for their land anymore. Humanity has fallen very low."


    "Maxime Valdreuve, will you be one of those young geniuses who will shape the world and restore humanity''s former glory?"

 Chapter 204 - 204: Meeting with the President

    "Maxime Valdreuve, will you be one of those young geniuses who will shape the world and restore humanity to its former glory?"


    ...


    Back on the Predator 2000.


    "And so I was saying..."


    But just as the mayor wanted to finish his sentence, one of the two guards approached him.


    "Mr. Mayor, we''re about to land."


    The mayor instantly looked serious and turned to Maxime.


    "Very well."


    "Maxime, prepare yourself mentally and try to make the best possible impression on the person you are about to meet."


    Maxime, who had been listening to the mayor''s words with interest until then, was suddenly taken aback.


    No matter who he was going to meet, he wouldn''t change his personality because of the advice given by the mayor.


    It was more the travel time that surprised him.


    "But it''s not even 30 minutes, is it?"


    Aleksei Dorne nodded.


    "25 minutes to be exact, but with our speed, all the places in the Western Federation can be reached in essentially an hour. So it''s not surprising."


    With that, Maxime did some quick mental calculations.


    "That corresponds pretty well to the distance between Nansoy and Sirap..."


    "So we would be at the capital?"


    If that were the case, Maxime would indeed be excited. It would be the first time he visited the famous capital of the Western Federation.


    The aircraft descended with impressive fluidity, stabilizing just above a huge building whose architecture combined futuristic elegance and military robustness.


    Huge tinted windows reflected the city lights, while surveillance towers equipped with automatic cannons framed the scene.


    The aircraft landed gently on a private landing pad on the roof of the building. Immediately, several guards in black and gold uniforms approached in tight formation.


    The side door of the plane opened with a slight hiss.


    Inside, the mayor stood up and adjusted his coat.


    "Come on, follow me."


    Maxime obeyed without asking any questions, although in truth he was still curious about the person he was going to meet.


    He still didn''t know where he was or who he was going to meet. But one thing was certain: it wasn''t just anyone.


    As soon as he set foot on the platform, a light breeze blew in his face. The guards present immediately stood at attention when they saw the mayor, before casting a few puzzled glances at Maxime.


    "This way."


    The mayor walked confidently towards a glass-walled elevator. Maxime followed him, staying on his guard. Once inside, the cabin descended rapidly, offering them a panoramic view of the interior of the building.


    The place was gigantic. Countless offices lined several floors, connected by suspended walkways. Holographic screens projected a continuous flow of information, while men and women in suits came and went with a busy air.


    Maxime frowned.


    "What is this place ...?"


    The mayor gave him an amused look.


    "You still haven''t guessed?"


    Maxime shook his head.


    The mayor smiled before replying in a calm tone, but one that resonated with immense weight.


    "You are at the Federal Palace."


    Maxime felt his heart skip a beat.


    The Federal Palace...


    The seat of government of the Western Federation.


    Maxime felt a shiver run down his spine. He wasn''t just in an important place, he was at the heart of the Federation''s power.


    It was literally the most secure place in the Western Federation.


    The most powerful men in terms of both political power and personal strength were here.


    He also became increasingly curious about the person he was going to meet.


    Moreover, this confirmed his initial assumption:


    He was indeed in Sirap, the capital of the Western Federation.


    Maxime continued to follow the mayor of Nansoy in an elevator.


    The latter went down to the 15th floor.


    Maxime observed that there were 30 floors in total.


    The 15th floor was therefore the floor that was located exactly in the center of the palace of the Western Federation.


    Maxime''s thoughts wandered more and more.


    Although he thought he was indifferent to the person he was going to meet, once he arrived at the most famous place in the Federation, even he was intimidated.


    After all, he was still only a high school student two months before, and although his mentality had evolved enormously during all the trials he had gone through, he still had a way to go.


    At the same time, Maxime did his best to keep his mind from becoming too distracted.


    Soon, the elevator doors opened and two guards posted on either side bowed slightly when they saw the mayor.


    The mayor bowed to them as well.


    Maxime could not even estimate the strength of these two guards.


    There were three possibilities.


    The first possibility was that these two guards had extremely developed combat experience and could therefore naturally hold their breath.


    The second possibility meant that they were much stronger than him.


    The third possibility was that they had learned a technique to hide their breath. But to learn this kind of technique, one had to be strong, have excellent combat experience and a good understanding.


    And in any case, judging by the mayor''s respectful expression, these guards were necessarily stronger than him, and by a fair margin.


    They immediately followed suit, forming a discreet but effective escort behind Maxime and the mayor.


    The corridor they entered was wide and silent, decorated with symbols representing the history and strength of the Federation. Huge flags hung on the walls, while portraits of former leaders were displayed one after the other.


    Maxime also noticed advanced security measures: drones suspended from the ceiling ready to fire, high-tech scanners built into the walls, and heavily equipped soldiers at every intersection.


    Everything here exuded power and order.


    If there was a threat, the scanners could estimate its physical characteristics and equipment, the drones could test the combat power and the soldiers, after obtaining information on the threat, could neutralize it properly.


    Finally, they arrived at a massive steel door, adorned with the official coat of arms of the Western Federation: a phoenix spreading its majestic wings with a scale, symbol of justice, even larger than the phoenix in the background.


    A guard inserted an access card, while a retinal scanner confirmed his identity.


    "Multi-factor authentication method." Maxime thought immediately.


    With that, even if a hacker came here and managed to find flaws in the security system, he would also have to find flaws in the second security system.


    It wasn''t absolute security, but it came dangerously close.


    The door opened slowly, revealing a spacious room bathed in soft light.


    In the center, a huge glass and steel desk stood before a large bay window overlooking the city.


    And sitting behind the desk was an old man, sitting quietly.


    He was obviously discussing something with a young businesswoman of importance before their arrival.


    Maxime recognized him instantly.


    Nathaniel Voskar, President of the Western Federation.


    The most powerful leader in this part of the world.


    Although he was an old man, he had none of the decadent aura that an old man might have.


    On the contrary, his eyes seemed filled with wisdom, as if he had already seen through the truth of this world.


    Maxime immediately felt a weight fall on him.


    Of all the powerful people in the federal palace, he had come across the one who stood at the top.


    The old man looked up at him, and a heavy silence fell. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maxime Valdreuve, welcome. Please sit down. We have much to discuss."


    Maxime obeyed without a word, sitting down in one of the armchairs in front of the President''s imposing desk. His gaze remained fixed on Nathaniel Voskar, trying to analyze the man behind the legend.


    "Aleksei, Anna, you guys can leave us."


    They all bowed without saying a word, then left the office. Anna took care to close the door behind her.


    The old man folded his hands on his desk, observing him with a slight smile.


    "Do you know why you are here, Maxime?" he asked calmly.


    Maxime thought for a second before shaking his head.


    "No, Mr. President," he replied honestly.


    Voskar nodded slightly, as if he had expected this answer.


    "You are here because you have attracted the attention of the highest echelons of our Federation."


    He paused, then continued:


    "What you achieved during the invasion of the Pyrans and, more recently, your performance on the dimensional battlefield against the Dravaks... these are facts that we cannot ignore."


    Maxime remained silent, attentive.


    The President rose slowly, heading for the bay window. He contemplated the illuminated city for a moment before speaking again:


    "Humanity is in decline, young man. Our era of supremacy is over. The other races in this universe surpass us in power, in technology, and even in organization. We have survived this long thanks to our ingenuity and our humility... but soon it will no longer be enough."


    He turned, his piercing eyes fixed on Maxime''s.


    "That''s why we need young people like you. Individuals capable of defying the odds, of pushing the boundaries."


    Maxime felt his heart beat faster.


    "You want me to join the army?"


    Voskar shook his head.


    "Not exactly. We already have enough soldiers. What we need are real leaders."


    The president let slip some important information, but seeing the lack of confusion and surprise on Maxime''s face, Maxime smiled.


    "You already have level 2 authorization, don''t you?"


    Maxime didn''t think that such information deserved to be hidden from the president.


    He himself, as president, had to have a higher level of authorization, and above all he detected no malice on his part, so he nodded.


    "Well, then you should know that what we really need are figures capable of leading humanity into a new age of prosperity... or at least, of ensuring our survival."


    Silence fell over the room.


    Maxime was beginning to understand the importance of this meeting. It wasn''t just an invitation to serve the Federation; the president had a very specific purpose in inviting him here.


    The president sat back in his chair and leaned slightly towards Maxime, leaning on the table, then said:


    "Maxime, listen carefully to what I''m about to say."

 Chapter 205 - 205: The top 3 best universities in the world.

    "Maxime, listen carefully to what I''m about to say."


    "In a month''s time, special recruitment will begin."


    Maxime didn''t understand what the president was talking about.


    "Special recruitment?"


    Nathaniel Voskar decided to explain. This was normal since he was not dealing with a noble as usual, but with an ''ordinary'' civilian.


    "Yes, it''s early recruitment from universities. After all, true geniuses can''t afford to waste time in high school. The sooner they can grow, the sooner they can be useful to the human race."


    Maxime nodded slowly. He understood the logic behind this reasoning, but he did not expect such a program to exist.


    "And you want me to take part in this special recruitment drive?" he asked.


    Voskar smiled slightly.


    "Exactly. You are one of the few high school students to have demonstrated outstanding potential on a real battlefield. Simulations and training are one thing, but surviving and standing up to the Dravaks... that''s another story."


    The President paused before adding:


    "If you pass these tests, you have a chance to attend one of the best universities in the world."


    The President''s words made him open his eyes wide.


    "And what are they?" asked Maxime, wanting to find out more about them before starting anything.


    The president smiled, pulled open a drawer and took out a large book, which he held out to Maxime, placing it right in front of him on the desk.


    "That should answer your questions."


    "This book was created by our intelligence services, bringing together all the essential information on the top 10 best universities in the world."


    "Otherwise you wouldn''t be able to find anything interesting after spending hours on the internet."


    Maxime gratefully took the book and looked at it with great curiosity.


    Then he opened it and started on the first page.


    [Solis Imperialis University]


    [Solis Imperialis University is located in the capital of the Helion Empire, which dominates a large part of the central continent.]


    Maxime was naturally familiar with the Helion Empire and the central continent.


    Currently the Western Federation is also on the central continent and can be considered a small neighbor of the Helion Empire.


    [Its specialty being advanced military strategies, leadership and command of armies. Among others, many commanders of dimensional battlefields came from this university.] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Solis Imperialis University is the most prestigious of the military and political universities. Founded by the Helion Empire several centuries ago, it has survived all the great wars and is today considered the cradle of humanity''s greatest generals, strategists and leaders.]


    [In terms of its characteristics, students are trained in all forms of combat, from martial arts duels to interplanetary battles.]


    [The quality of its teaching is such that many kings, princes and military leaders have been trained there. Obviously, it only accepts students with exceptional political or martial potential.]


    [It also has the particularity of refusing students with very good potential but who do not come from a powerful family.]


    [The reason given is that the family context could to some extent judge a person''s moral character. If the family had already contributed to humanity on the battlefields, in the economy or in politics, the university would find students from these families more reliable than people without a history.]


    [This university being almost entirely sponsored by the nobles of the Helion Empire, no one could say anything about some of the rules they firmly supported.]


    [Solis Imperialis University has many highly advanced technologies on its campus, allowing students to participate in fictional military campaigns simulating alien invasions or interstellar conflicts.]


    [The dark but nevertheless well-known side of this university was that the dropout rate was over 80%. In addition to this, competition between students was encouraged to the point where some challenges could be deadly.]


    [The reason given was that the aim was for Solis Imperialis graduates to become the figureheads of humanity, taking command of the largest armies and strategic organizations. Not everyone was capable of becoming one of these important people, despite the extremely high-quality courses on offer.]


    [Their motto being: "Only the strongest can forge their own destiny and that of others."]


    "A motto that goes well with this school that forges fighters, army commanders and politicians at the same time," Maxime thought silently.


    While Maxime was reading, the President got up and poured himself a coffee from a machine at the side of the room.


    "Would you like one, Maxime?"


    Maxime looked up at the President, surprised.


    But it didn''t take him long to make a decision.


    "I would like one, Mr. President."


    So the president began to make the two coffees while Maxime returned to his reading.


    He had finished for Solis Imperialis University.


    The second was Nova Genesis University.


    [Nova Genesis University.]


    Maxime began to read about the university of Nova Genesis, and immediately came across an extremely surprising fact.


    It was its location.


    In fact, the students studied on a space station called "Genesis Prime".


    "It''s really crazy to study in space. If I hadn''t read it, I would never have known it was possible."


    [The university''s specialties are advanced technologies, cybernetics and space exploration.]


    [Built on a massive space station in orbit, this university represents the pinnacle of human innovation and research. It is funded by several private consortia and world governments, making it an entity independent of any nation.]


    "No restrictions on origins this time..."


    [Regarding its main characteristics, the first being that each student had a chip implanted in their brain, providing a second neural interface.]


    [This second neural interface almost allows for two different ways of thinking. The first being human and the second coming from artificial intelligence itself.]


    "It''s a bit like having an AI with whom you can carry around everywhere and chat in all circumstances. It''s both interesting and scary...'' Maxime thought silently.


    For this feature alone, he knew he wouldn''t go even if it was the only school he was accepted to.


    But he continued reading because it was still very interesting.


    [A second feature of this school is the high-risk experimentation.]


    [All students are encouraged to push the boundaries of science, whether it be cybernetic enhancements, genetic manipulation or advanced weaponry.]


    [The third characteristic is that the best students are selected to participate in exploration missions to distant solar systems, where they can directly test their inventions.]


    "Students can travel in space?"


    "This university really is quite incredible."


    However, in view of the situation of the human race, the scope for space exploration remained relatively limited.


    Finally, Maxime read the final sentence about Nova Genesis University.


    "Nova Genesis graduates become pioneers in science and technology, shaping the future of humanity through their revolutionary discoveries."


    [Their motto being: "Evolution is our only salvation."]


    "So they think martial arts and Eternity are useless?" Maxime couldn''t help but say aloud in surprise.


    The president naturally heard these words as he poured the coffee, and glanced from afar at the page Maxime was on.


    "Nova Genesis University, eh. All its graduates are madmen."


    Maxime looked at the chairman who had just spoken.


    The latter couldn''t help but gasp.


    "But the truth is, there are many geniuses who can only realize their potential by going there. And indeed they help humanity a lot from their shadowy zone."


    "But they are far from thinking that martial arts and Eternity are useless. They see them rather as a process by which they can become more intelligent and live longer to carry out their research."


    "That''s something they all agree on."


    "As for the fact that science is superior to martial arts, or vice versa, or that the two should not be mutually exclusive and should even help each other, it''s a big debate among them."


    "That''s why in their motto, they don''t specify what kind of evolution is necessary. They just agree that humanity must evolve in one way or another."


    Maxime listened carefully to all the President''s advice. This was information that was extremely difficult to obtain elsewhere, so naturally he cherished all the information and the time he spent in this room.


    The President returned to his chair and placed the two coffees on the desk, one of them right in front of Maxime.


    "Thank you, Mr. President."


    "You''re welcome."


    Maxime turned to the next page and came to the page about Arkanis University, or rather the Arkanis Institute, which would be a more accurate name, since the Arkanis Institute was much more specialized in a particular field than the other two universities.


    [Arkanis Institute.]


    [The Arkanis Institute is located in the Forbidden Continent of Shandar, in an area where the energies of the universe are at their densest.]


    "The Forbidden Continent of Shandar?" Maxime asked out loud, lost.


    He had never heard of this continent.


    The president thought for a moment and then shook his head.


    "It''s a place you''ll get to know when you gain in strength and status, or by joining the institute."


    Maxime did not react particularly and continued reading.


    [The specialty of the Arkanis Institute is in the manipulation of the elements of the universe, in the mystical arts as well as in research concerning the link between science and energy.]


    [The Arkanis Institute is the most mysterious and controversial university in the world. Located on a continent where the energy is both extremely concentrated and extremely unstable, it is accessible only to those who have already demonstrated exceptional talent in its manipulation.]


    [Regarding the selection of students, regardless of your background, your achievements and your talent, only those who have passed the Trials of Ascension, tests of inhuman difficulty, can join the Institute.]


    [As for the specifics, Arkanis does not consider the energies of the universe as a simple force to be exploited but as entities to be understood and mastered at the highest level.]


    [As for the training conditions, those of the Arkanis Institute are very special. Students must face creatures from other realities and interact with ancient entities to deepen their understanding of energies and their applications in combat.]


    [Arkanis graduates are revered and feared because they possess an understanding of the universe that is beyond human comprehension. Yes, they are superhuman. So much so that almost all of them have their own unique magic that is specific to them when they leave the school. Some become protectors of humanity, while others, tired of the infernal challenges they had taken up, mingled among the ordinary people of the human race.


    [The latter included a multitude of individuals, some of whom enjoy provoking aliens during invasions so that they will attack them, and thanks to this, they can ''punish'' them. Some even take the opportunity to use them as guinea pigs for their experiments.]


    [In any case, if you ever meet a graduate of this university, avoid combat at all costs. Otherwise you won''t even know how you died.]


    [Their motto is: "Mastery of power is the only path to truth."]


    Maxime looked up from the book and took a sip of coffee.


    "Aren''t you going to read the description of the other universities?" the president asked curiously.


    Maxime shook his head.


    "No, I''ve already made my choice."

 Chapter 206 - 206: New goal, new determination!

    "No, I''ve already made my choice."


    The president''s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this.


    "Are you sure? You should know that the mortality rate is at least 20% in each of these universities, and it is even seen to be decreasing thanks to the presence of Nova Genesis University, which specializes in scientific subjects."


    "The other two schools have even higher mortality rates."


    "Whereas after this top 3, most schools have an average rate of only 5%."


    But Maxime shook his head firmly.


    "The other schools don''t have the same resources, opportunities and technologies as these 3 schools."


    The president thought for a moment, then he ended up smiling discreetly while thinking:


    "I may have become too old and conservative. This is what the youth who will save humanity should look like."


    "A youth that will move forward no matter the dangers that will be in their way."


    But at the same time, the president felt that Maxime was not telling him everything.


    As he blew gently on his coffee and took a small sip, he asked him:


    "I get the impression that there''s more to it than that. There are other reasons that are pushing you to choose one of these three universities in particular, aren''t there?"


    Maxime didn''t even look at his coffee, instead he met the director''s gaze directly.


    "Yes, even more important than that, my goal is to stand at the top of this world."


    "And to stand at the top, I have to seize every opportunity to become stronger and above all to confront people who are likely to stand at the top too."


    The old man finally burst out laughing when he heard this.


    "Good, good, good."


    "You''re right, you have to be ambitious in life!"


    He laughed for a moment under the surprised gaze of Maxime, who did not expect to see the president burst out laughing in front of him.


    He was one of the most powerful men, if not the most powerful man in the Western Federation!


    And on top of that, he was literally a legend in the Federation, his exploits known to all!


    "So which of these three universities will you choose?" he asked, having stopped laughing, although he couldn''t help a smile appearing on his wrinkled face.


    "Can I really take the test for these universities? They all have very strict selection criteria." replied Maxime, very seriously.


    He still found it hard to believe, even though the president himself had told him it was possible.


    "Of course, our Federation is rather average or even weak compared to the other powers in the world, but we still have some well-known strongmen in the world."


    "A candidate that we recommend will definitely be taken seriously by these academies."


    Maxime smiled slightly, his fears allayed.


    Especially since his choice, for him, had been obvious from the start.


    "So obviously, I choose Solis Imperialis."


    It was the world''s leading academy, even stronger than the other two that were mentioned.


    And above all, it suited him really well.


    His main talent was to improve the potential of his men, and over time, the more he grew, the more numerous and stronger his men would become.


    Knowing that his men could be resurrected in less than 24 hours was like having an immortal army at his disposal.


    Thus he had to learn many concepts of army command. Only in this way could he effectively defend humanity in the future.


    "Very good choice."


    The old man was happy. He had left a few clues in his words before, but seeing Maxime make this decision without getting carried away by the characteristics of the other two universities, he was happy.


    He had already seen many students try to join the Arkenis Institute, which seemed particularly bewitching due to its mystery, and end up dying miserably during their cruel recruitment test.


    When all of them could have been extremely strong men in the future, pillars of humanity.


    Even thinking back on it, the president couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.


    Nova Genenis was also very appealing. Joining this academy meant being able to live in space and being able to look at planet Earth from space every day!


    What a great feeling that must be!


    Compared to these academies, Solis Imperialis seemed much more ordinary.


    Maxime, for his part, was also attracted to both universities, but he knew they weren''t right for him.


    "But in this brochure, it says that there are almost only princes, sons of military leaders and other sons of nobles at Solis Imperialis University."


    "I don''t know about my father, but my mother is definitely very ordinary."


    When Maxime explained this, he was still a little worried.


    No matter how the president had already reassured him, the idea of rubbing shoulders with this kind of person in the future was really stressful for him.


    The old man looked arrogant at that moment.


    "So what? Who would dare to make fun of your origins? From now on you are one of the sons of the Western Federation!"


    "Whoever attacks you will have to take this old man''s punch!"


    At that moment, Maxime couldn''t help but laugh.


    The old man''s temperament seemed particularly compatible with his own.


    But he knew deep down that the president was simply reassuring him.


    Whatever the president said, he was sure to be looked at strangely because of his origins.


    But he needed to hear those words; it made him feel good and gave him the confidence to remain himself.


    Because if a situation arose in which he was bullied, he didn''t know if he would be able to control himself. He wasn''t stupid, but he knew that he had a tendency to get carried away by his emotions.


    But he already knew how to anticipate this situation.


    "I''ll just have to be the strongest."


    "The one with the biggest fist is right, and if my fist isn''t big enough... well, it''s not possible. I will definitely be the strongest in the end."


    Maxime was confident, and with the president, he always had a bit of background. That was enough to cover the consequences of his actions.


    The president smiled when he heard these words, even though he knew that universities were literally havens for little monsters.


    But he didn''t know at that moment what kind of storm Maxime would cause in the future.


    "For the moment, calm down and listen to what else I have to say to you."


    Hearing the president''s tone, Maxime sensed that what the president was about to say was definitely very important.


    "Special recruitment will begin next month. So, your next entry into Eternity will be decisive in determining whether you can join Solis Imperialis." sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, the old man looked very seriously at Maxime.


    "Because at the moment, you have no chance of getting into this university."


    "What!?"


    This news came as a real shock to Maxime.


    He seriously thought that he had no opponents at his age, and even if there were any, he couldn''t be too far behind them in terms of strength.


    At this, the old man smiled slightly.


    "You underestimate the gulf that can separate an ordinary family from a family that stands on top of the world."


    "Even the worst student at Solis Imperialis University is probably much stronger than you are now."


    "To be honest Maxime, you are still too weak."


    Maxime did not know how to react to the president''s words.


    He had several super-powerful talents, he had already been through so much, faced death so many times, but he was still not up to these noble sons?


    Could the world be so unfair?


    "Don''t worry, it''s normal to lose out at the starting line to these nobles, especially since most of them got their watches much earlier than you."


    "Not only did they have more time than you to improve, but they also had the resources to progress even faster."


    "Have you ever heard of cards?"


    To this, Maxime simply nodded.


    This time, it was the president''s turn to be surprised.


    "It''s really surprising that you know about the cards, because it''s an open secret well kept by the strongmen for their descendants."


    "But since you know they exist, you can guess that these cards can give you everything except talent. Even gold coins."


    "Even gold coins?" Maxime asked unconsciously, out loud.


    What was the most valuable thing in Eternity?


    Without a doubt, 100% of the players will tell you that it was the gold coins!


    In theory, with enough gold coins, anyone could go from being an ordinary person to a God!


    "The gold coins have their own limits, but you will understand that in the future," the old man reassured him in a soothing voice.


    "You will also understand later that everything in this world has a limit, and that the only thing that can break those limits is talent, perseverance and courage."


    This brought Maxime back to a bit of mental balance.


    Otherwise anyone would go crazy seeing that countless efforts and sacrifices to obtain a good strength, was in fact only the starting point for other people.


    "But where do these cards come from?" Maxime asked, frowning.


    Since the appearance of these cards, he really had the impression that the world had suddenly become very unfair.


    The president finished his coffee and shook his head.


    "You don''t have a high enough level of authorization. Keep growing and gaining strength, and all the answers to your questions will come to you naturally."


    "Besides, I''m sorry Maxime, but our interview is coming to an end. It was a pleasure to meet the genius of our Western Federation and I hope you won''t disappoint me during the special recruitment selections that will take place next month."


    Maxime finished his coffee too, then looked at the president.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. President, my determination remains unchanged."


    ...


    Back in Nansoy, Maxime was lying in bed at home.


    After his meeting with the president, Aleksei Dorne, the mayor of Nansoy, walked Maxime home.


    His mother was anxiously waiting for him on the sofa, and when she finally heard someone knocking on the door, she went straight there.


    When she saw that it was her son, she was immediately reassured.


    After being scolded for a while, she went to bed while Maxime reheated a meal in the microwave.


    After eating quickly, he went to take a shower.


    He had left Nansoy at around one o''clock in the morning, and when he returned, it was only three o''clock in the morning.


    But in just two hours, a lot had happened.


    As the water fell on his back and the steam from the hot water created a light mist, Maxime made a promise to himself.


    "Solis Imperialis Academy, wait for me."


    "I''m going to go back to Eternity again, get stronger, much stronger, and then I''ll successfully enter the best university in the world."

 Chapter 207 - 207: Statistics one month before special recruitment

    "I''m going to go back to Eternity again, get stronger, much stronger, and then I''ll successfully enter the best university in the world."


    ...


    The days began to pass in a well-oiled routine.


    Every morning, Maxime would arrive at school, go to class, and sit next to Samuel.


    From time to time, he would also talk to the young nobles in his class, including Winny.


    Although Maxime realized that the word noble was a big word to describe his classmates, who only had one or two people in their family with the strength of a knight.


    But Maxime had fought with these young nobles, all putting their lives on the line. Naturally, their relationship had improved slightly since then.


    Particularly with Winny, who turned out to be someone with whom Maxime shared some values.


    Maxime also saw Riva from the Juggernaut group again, who continued to teach them some lessons about Eternity.


    He was also able to estimate her strength with his perception, which had improved a lot, and she was clearly barely reaching knight level.


    But given her young age, she could already be considered a genius.


    Many people could not achieve this level of strength even after spending decades in Eternity.


    It was not that easy to accumulate gold coins.


    In Eternity, you also had to find somewhere to live, feed yourself, treat yourself...


    It was literally a second life that everyone lived in parallel. And most people literally lived in Eternity as they lived in the real world, that is to say peacefully.


    And doing so was already a challenge. Even being very careful in Eternity and living like an ordinary citizen, it was difficult for a person accustomed to the comforts of the modern world to live in Eternity.


    And even if one managed to adopt a profession from the Middle Ages, there were still many opportunities to die:


    bandits, war, disease, monsters, the nobility...


    But no matter, the lessons followed one after the other. Mathematics, history, geography, physical and combat exercises... The pressure of the exams was felt, and even Samuel, despite his carefree nature, began to study seriously.


    The exam that would change their lives was less than four months away. Naturally, the pressure was on.


    "Which university do you want to go to, Maxime?" asked Samuel, relaxed and curious after the geography teacher had left.


    Maxime couldn''t tell them the truth... because he didn''t want to attract attention. So he improvised.


    "Um... I don''t know yet, do you?"


    "I think I''m going to go to the University of the River Calm! In Nansoy, it''s the best academy!" Samuel replied excitedly.


    But Winny, who was standing right in front of him, turned around and showed a little disdain and provocation.


    "You''ve awakened the Berserker class and your ambitions are still limited to Nansoy? The University of the Calm River isn''t even in the top 20 of the best academies in the Federation..."


    "What university are you aiming for?" replied Samuel, frowning.


    Winny looked proud.


    "I''m aiming for the top 10 universities in the Western Federation! If I don''t get one of them, I''ll shoot myself in the head!"


    "And you''re both strong with potential, I''m sure you can also try to get a school in the top 10," Winny continued with a sincere smile.


    "You think so?" Samuel was hesitant.


    His grades were pretty good and his class also had a lot of potential, but he was still having trouble earning gold coins in Eternity.


    This was also the reason why more than 99.9% of high school students were unable to reach a 3-point physique before the competition, even though there were no restrictions in the real world before 3 points.


    The gold coins were really too hard to acquire.


    As for Maxime, he kept a low profile and no one detected any inconsistency in him.


    Everyone thought he had reached the stage of apprentice knight, and for them that was already quite exceptional.


    In any case, the atmosphere at school was good, although he often got bored. The lessons taught were no longer useful to him in view of the time he had already spent in Eternity.


    Whereas his classmates only spent a week in Eternity, he stayed there for exactly 2 months and 7 days.


    Naturally, the life experience of having entered Eternity only twice was totally different from that of his classmates, even if some had already entered Eternity 4 or 5 times.


    But to avoid wasting time, he continued to work on cultural subjects, particularly mathematics and French.


    After school, Maxime went to the bar to work.


    He still had to help his mother financially, so it was essential. Even though she had told him several times that she would manage, and that the most important thing was the competition.


    But Maxime didn''t want to tell his mother his own plans to avoid worrying her.


    So he simply refused to explain anything and just told Andrea, his mother, to trust him.


    So at work, behind the counter, he served the customers, cleaned the tables and sometimes tried to fit in some revision between orders.


    Cultural knowledge remained important even in special recruitment.


    After work, he also tried to train for two hours with the sword in order to continue improving.


    His talent [Sword regeneration] which he had acquired by increasing the level of his sword class, allowed him to lighten the burden of training slightly at the end of the day.


    Because with his current program, he slept less than 4 hours a night, but at least he wasn''t wasting his time.


    The days passed, punctuated by exams, training, shifts at the bar... until the month was over.


    One evening, while Maxime was quietly in bed, he consulted his own statistics page.


    [Status page]


    Identity: Maxime Valdreuve


    Class:


    Peasant level 3. MAX level! (+3% physique)


    Swordsman level 9. MAX level! (+5% physique) (Class quest 2/3)


    Beast tamer. Level 1 (0/100)


    Unlocked a new class: 0/500


    Physique : 3.95 (0.32 class bonus) (+0.67 passive trait bonus)


    Total physique : 4.94


    Qi: 0


    Bestiality: 1


    Sword mastery level 3 (70/100)


    Spear mastery level 3 (50/100)


    Language skills: French level 2 (52/100)


    Passive traits:


    +17% physicality when wielding a sword


    +40% efficiency when training with a sword.


    Sword regeneration (allows you to train for longer.)


    Talent:


    NOX LIMIT level 2 (rank unknown) (0/10,000)


    Zero Limit maximum level (Legendary)


    Awakening of Life level 1 (diamond) (0/1000)


    Minor talent in endurance


    Minor talent in strength


    Knight talent: high


    Skills:


    Frozen Time (single rank), Bestial Bond, Rest, Healing Space.


    Money available: 50 gold coins (in the system) + 100 gold coins (saber-toothed tiger treasury)


    Maxime would have been happy to see this luxurious sign before, but that was no longer the case that day.


    "Level 3 spear mastery has appeared and it is not weak. Definitely, acquiring a B-rank martial technique thanks to the Eternity points was not a loss.


    "My progress with the sword has improved enormously with all the time spent fighting. I am almost invincible below a great knight."


    "And especially my physique, it far surpasses that of a knight at the peak stage, but I don''t know if it reaches that of a great knight."


    "But I don''t think so, the minimum to be a great knight should be 5 points."


    "I''m still too weak."


    "My ordinary combat power, that is to say without counting my talents, is far too far from that of a great knight."


    "The goal is to at least be invincible below epic knights on the next outing. Otherwise, I don''t deserve to attend the best university in the world."


    "And the first step is to awaken my vital seed."


    Since he had ended up in a world that was not his own, he had to adapt to the norms of that world.


    Max knew that he could no longer rely on brute force and his talent [Nox Limit]. He had to take the next step.


    And his new breathing method [Symbiosis] and his new class [Beast Tamer] would help him greatly.


    The two were exceptionally compatible, particularly because Symbiosis was a reward created especially for him after he destroyed the Origin of the Dravaks.


    After that, Maxime glanced at his mercenaries.


    Mercenaries: (The data in brackets is the date of the last appearance of the statistics, i.e. between one month and five days and one month and two days because there have been new recruits in the meantime. The time is counting only the time of Eternity. Adding the time spent in real time, it is between two months and five days and two months and two days.)


    Kaite (knight at the peak stage): Six-star potential. Average knight talent. Physique: 4.2 (3.4)


    Langus (knight at the peak stage): Six-star potential. Weak knight talent. Physique: 4.1 (3.5)


    Apprentice knight (peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physical: 3.4 (2.8)


    Apprentice knight (peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physical: 3.3 (2.7)


    Charles: Five-star potential, affinity with dragons. Physical: 3.3 (2.6) (Plouta)


    Ultia (apprentice at the peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knightly talent. Physical: 3.3 (2.5) (Seahorse)


    Henry (apprentice knight at the peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knightly talent. Physical: 3.2 (2.4) (Seahorse)


    Andrew: Four-star potential. Physical: 3.1 (2.6) (Quesso?)


    Laura: Four-star potential. Physical: 3 (2.5) (Bandits)


    Apprentice knight (peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent. Physical: 2.9 (2.5)


    Apprentice knight (peak stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent. Physical: 2.9 (2.4)


    Ernest: Potential four stars. Physical: 2.9 (2.4) (Brotherhood house)


    Apprentice knight (great success stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physical: 2.8 (2.3)


    Apprentice knight (great success stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physique: 2.7 (2.3)


    Apprentice knight (great success stage): Five-star potential. Weak knight talent Physique: 2.7 (2.3)


    Ivan: Four-star potential. Physique: 2.5 (1.8) (H��nor)


    Wigor: Four-star potential. Physique: 2.4 (1.7) (H��nor)


    Liam: Four-star potential. Talent of the ghost swordsman. Physique: 2.3 (1.1) (Plouta)


    Garen: Four-star potential. Talent of a berserker. Physique: 2.1 (1.4) (Woodwind)


    Lira: Four-star potential. Affinity with the shadows. Physique: 1.9 (1.2) (Woodwind)


    Romuald: Three-star potential and a minor talent in physics. Physique: 2.6 (2.3) (City of Barthon)


    Rodrigo: Three-star potential and an elementary affinity with the earth. Physical: 2.5 (2.2)(Brotherhood house)


    Tena: Three-star potential and a minor talent in intelligence. Physical: 2.4 (2) (city of Barthon)


    Izo: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.3 (1.9) (Quesso?)


    Terry: Three-star potential. Physique: 2.2 (1.9) (Quesso?)


    James: Three-star potential. Physique: 2.2 (1.9) (Quesso?)


    Piedro: Three-star potential. Physique: 2.2 (1.9) (Quesso?) S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moron: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.1 (1.7) (City of Barthon)


    Jeb: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.1 (1.7) (Ventbois)


    Irus: Three-star potential. Physical: 2 (1.7) (Bandits)


    Jean: Three-star potential. Blessed by the wind. Physique 1.7 (1.2) (Woodwind)


    Reta: Three-star potential. Physique: 1.6 (1.2) (Woodwind)


    Yvan: Three-star potential. Physique: 1.5 (1.1) (Woodwind)


    Katarina: Three-star potential. Physique: 1.4 (1) (Ventbois)


    ...


    Maxime couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "I should seriously look at my mercenaries'' statistics more regularly."

 Chapter 208 - 208: The story of the unknowns of the Saber-toothed Tigers

    "I should seriously look at my mercenaries'' statistics more regularly."


    Many of the men under his command had literally become monsters in human form. He understood better why he thought that his "simple mercenaries at the level of apprentice knights" could repel an army of thousands of Dravaks.


    "It was because some of them had already surpassed the physicality of an entry-level knight..."


    "And above all, the power of many mercenaries at the apprentice knight stage has been significantly improved."


    His men were really monstrously powerful now. Maxime had completely underestimated the passive effect of his [Nox Limit] talent.


    Now that he was at level 2, the potential of all his mercenaries had been increased by two stars, in addition to the fact that they benefited from a 600% improvement in training efficiency.


    Thus the slow progression in Eternity, where each 0.1 point can take years of training, could take only a few days for the mercenaries of the Sabertooth Tigers.


    There were no bottlenecks, as the potential of the body was far too strong.


    The breathing methods, in particular, exploited the potential of the human body, strengthening it while improving the physique.


    For example, an apprentice knight almost inevitably had a 3-star potential, but if he did not manage to progress to a 4-star potential, he could not, under ordinary circumstances, have a physique superior to 3 points.


    For that was the limit of his body.


    Only by awakening the vital seed and becoming a knight could the limit be pushed back again, and the potential improved.


    But for many mercenaries, the limits were still far away. Very far away.


    In that situation, how could they not take off?


    But it also gave rise to strange scenes.


    The physique of the apprentice knights that Kaite and Langus had recruited was normally only possible by becoming a knight.


    Even more surprising, Kaite and Langus had both exceeded the limits of knights and were starting to approach the physique of grand knights!


    And with a potential of 6 stars, they could potentially reach a physical of 6 points without becoming a grand knight!


    But in this situation, their breathing method could obviously no longer improve their potential, even if they became a grand knight. However, by becoming a grand knight their fighting power would be greatly improved.


    But to what extent, Maxime did not know.


    Ding!


    [Military salary received!]


    [6 gold coins have been sent to your system balance!]


    The monthly notification of the 6 gold coins earned thanks to his military rank was always nice to hear.


    Maxime regretted that his military rank of Eternity could not be improved on the dimensional battlefields.


    But no matter, this notification was always followed by another very pleasant notification.


    Ding!


    [An opportunity to go to Eternity has been unlocked!]


    [You have been detected as having authorization to go to Eternity once!]


    [Would you like to use it now?]


    Maxime smiled.


    "Of course."


    In his bed, he closed his eyes.


    When he opened them again, he felt a cool breeze on his face. The wind seemed particularly pure and pleasant.


    He was in the courtyard of the Valderic mansion.


    Around him were Andrew, Terry, Romuald, Laura, Henry, Ultia, Kaite, Langus, Garen, Lira, Jean and so on.


    In total, there were about forty people around him.


    "Welcome back to our world, boss," Andrew said with a smile.


    "Welcome home."


    "Welcome back, captain."


    ...


    Everyone around him was smiling with happiness.


    They had been through difficult times together, and now the bond between the members of the mercenary group had been significantly strengthened.


    And of course there was also Aveline, Count Ardan''s daughter, whom Maxime was supposed to protect until her marriage.


    "Welcome back? What are you talking about?" she asked, looking confused.


    Everyone looked at her with a slight smile without explaining anything.


    "You''ll find out if you join our mercenary group," Maxime finally said with a smile, certain that she wouldn''t want to join them.


    "What if I do join you?" sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What?"


    Everyone was surprised.


    The daughter of a count wanted to join them?


    Seeing their surprise, Aveline laughed openly.


    "I was joking, no need to make such faces."


    After discussing and organizing the trip, Maxime and his troop of mercenaries made their way back to take Aveline home.


    On the way back, the first thing Maxime thought about was Dravus.


    He wondered if he could bring him to Eternity. If so, he would gain significant additional combat power.


    Even with his lineage and the powers it granted, it was no exaggeration to say that he was the strongest man under Maxime''s command.


    So much so that he himself would not be sure of defeating him without activating his talent [Nox Limit]


    As if the system had heard him, a notification echoed in Maxime''s mind.


    [Detected a creature named ''Dravus'' under contract with the host in the real world.]


    [Do you wish to summon this creature?]


    "No!" Maxime shouted mentally with a slight panic.


    If Dravus appeared out of nowhere in front of Aveline, Maxime could feel trouble coming.


    So he would wait for Aveline to leave before bringing Dravus in.


    At the same time, as he walked quietly alone in front of his men, he displayed part of his statistics window about his mercenaries.


    [Mercenaries page]


    Apprentice knight (peak stadium): Five-star potential. Physical: 3.4 (2.8)


    Apprentice knight (peak stadium): Five-star potential. Physical: 3.3 (2.7)


    "It''s really a shame, considering that I recruited them at the same time as Kaite and Langus, that I didn''t take the time to ask them their names."


    "But now they are among the best men, second only to Kaite and Langus..."


    "And on top of that, they can awaken their vital seed at any time, which would drastically improve their fighting power."


    "It''s a real shame that I never really spoke to them in depth."


    "A leader worthy of the name should at least know the stories of his most important men."


    Taking this thought as a reminder, he turned to Andrew, who was standing a little behind, chatting with Ernest, and signaled to him.


    "I''m going to check on those two. Take charge and lead the group to Lapi, since we have to bring Aveline back."


    Andrew nodded without asking any questions.


    Maxime walked over to the two knights, who were walking slightly behind the group. As he approached, they instinctively straightened up, adopting a more rigid posture.


    "Sir!" they saluted in unison.


    Maxime smiled as he took them in.


    "I would like to know your names. You are among my best men, and yet I know almost nothing about you."


    The two men exchanged a look, visibly surprised.


    Maxime''s words were very direct, but it warmed the hearts of the two men.


    Finally, the taller of the two spoke first.


    "I''m Erwan, boss. And this is Lioran."


    As they said this, his mercenary page came up.


    [Mercenaries page]


    Erwan (peak stadium): Five-star potential. Physique: 3.4 (2.8)


    Lioran (peak stadium): Five-star potential. Physique: 3.3 (2.7)


    "Nice to meet you." replied Maxime.


    "Tell me, how did you become knights?"


    There was a moment''s silence. Erwan and Lioran seemed to hesitate, but Maxime could see a hint of emotion in their eyes. As if they had been waiting for someone to ask them that question for a long time.


    After a moment, Lioran sighed.


    "Chief... There''s nothing extraordinary about our story."


    Maxime disagreed.


    "All stories are extraordinary because of their uniqueness."


    "Even if they may resemble others, there is always something that makes them unique."


    Erwan put his hands in the pockets of his linen trousers, thinking for a moment, then began to speak.


    "We were ordinary kids from different villages, but with a common dream: to become knights."


    "The dream of every ordinary kid in the world, after all."


    "So, of course, when we awakened our knighthood talent, we were overjoyed. In our village, it was a rare event. Everyone looked at us with admiration, and our families were so proud of us."


    Lioran nodded with a slight smile, then continued.


    "We were selected as recruits of Duke Devron to become knights in the future. An instructor there taught us a breathing technique and the Devron family also provided us with resources. At the time, it was truly a great honor. After all, being trained by a ducal family is completely different from being trained by a family of barons or viscounts."


    At these words, Maxime noticed that their expressions darkened slightly.


    Erwan clenched his fist before continuing the story.


    "We trained hard, but effectively. We were convinced that we would become elite knights. And even if we didn''t, when we returned home, people respected us. We were role models for the children in our villages."


    Then Lioran continued, his voice deeper.


    "But one day, everything changed."


    Maxime remained silent, encouraging them with a simple look.


    The three continued to walk, side by side.


    "Duke Devron himself came to see us. Not a messenger, not an officer. Him."


    "And that day... We lost our freedom."


    Lioran smiled bitterly.


    "He forcibly enlisted us in his shadow army."


    Maxime frowned slightly.


    "The shadow army...?"


    Erwan slowly nodded.


    "Well, that''s what we called it, but it doesn''t really have a name. It was just a unit that had to do the dirty work for the duke."


    "And... we had no choice. He threatened us... Our families, our friends... As long as it could be used to manipulate us, it was used."


    Lioran bowed his head slightly.


    "At the time, we were both 15 years old, and we accepted like about twenty other teenagers."


    "We were immediately sent to hell. The training was... inhuman. We weren''t taught to protect as the knight''s creed demanded, but to kill. We were molded to be emotionless assassins."


    "Torture, whether on us or on slaves, fighting to the death among ourselves, murdering talented apprentice knights, surviving in the wild with fights to the death..."


    "Of these trainees, fewer than one in ten could ultimately survive to become a true assassin."


    On hearing this, Maxime realized that he had just stumbled upon a real gold mine without necessarily meaning to.


    These apprentice knights were the elite of the elite, all endowed with exceptional fighting skills, but also with other very rare and valuable skills.


    But of course Maxime said nothing about it, and continued to listen.


    Erwan gritted his teeth.


    "At first, we resisted. We refused..."


    A heavy silence fell.


    "But Devron made it clear to us that we had to choose between our honor and the lives of our loved ones. In the end, he presented us with a choice, but who in their right mind would sacrifice the lives of their loved ones? As long as our loved ones are alive, we still have a chance of getting out of this."


    "But if they die... it really is the end."


    Maxime folded his arms. He could imagine what followed.


    And he said nothing. He knew that this kind of story was commonplace in a world like Eternity. But hearing the details from his own men was another matter.


    Erwan took a long breath.


    "For years, we were pawns. We carried out orders that we would have preferred never to hear. We dirtied our hands more times than we could count."


    "To be honest, for several years we really lost our emotions."


    Lioran continued but this time with a smile.


    "But one day, we had an opportunity... And that opportunity is you, boss."

 Chapter 209 - 209: A dragon, no less.

    "But one day, we had an opportunity... And that opportunity is you."


    Erwan also nodded.


    "Although we''re still worried about our families, in the short term, it should be okay since the duke thinks we''re dead."


    And of course, both had their black masks attached to them, ready to be put on at the first human contact.


    Because they themselves knew the consequences if their identity were to be revealed.


    Maxime continued to listen attentively.


    "You know, boss, we''d never fought to protect and save before. It''s only in your world that we''ve rediscovered the values that made us dream when we were little."


    "And for that..."


    Erwan and Lioran looked at each other, then the two pretended to understand each other, they stopped and bowed to Maxime.


    "Thank you very much."


    "Thank you very much."


    Maxime smiled at that.


    "I also thank you for following me. After all, unlike Kaite and Langus, there''s nothing stopping you from leaving."


    "It''s not like we have anywhere else to go." replied Lioran with a laugh.


    Erwan also laughed at that, but after a moment he became more serious.


    "To be honest, we''re staying because we really see this as an opportunity to join this group of mercenaries."


    "Not only do the values suit us and we share them, but on top of that, we have the opportunity to take revenge with our own hands."


    Now that he knew the story, Maxime could naturally understand their desire for revenge.


    Because although they hadn''t explained what had really happened, they had undoubtedly suffered and done some truly horrible things for many years.


    Behind their smiles and laughter lay a heavy past.


    At the same time, Maxime was faced with a dilemma.


    Should he support them? Should he let them sort things out for themselves?


    At the beginning of the mercenary group, it was naturally not a problem to avenge his men, as he had done with the bandit group.


    But there were already a hundred or so mercenaries in the group now, and there would be even more in the future.


    If the mercenary group started to avenge each of its men''s personal grudges and make enemies everywhere, not only might finding work be difficult in the future, but the mercenary group could also end up being wiped out.


    It was a very serious matter.


    After a moment''s silence, Maxime replied very seriously:


    "Do what you want, but don''t spit in the soup that fed you. That''s my only request."


    Erwan and Lioran broke out in a sweat.


    They immediately stopped and knelt down.


    Maxime also stopped and turned around.


    The other mercenaries also noticed a strange movement, and everyone stopped and turned in the direction of the scene.


    Langus and Kaite, in the distance, looked carefully at the scene.


    They were their men and they were their responsibility. If they did something wrong, they would have to take some of the responsibility.


    "What are you doing?" asked Maxime, frowning.


    Lioran was the first to answer.


    "We apologize, boss, and at the same time we swear allegiance to you."


    Erwan continued:


    "Don''t worry, boss, we''ll never do anything to compromise the group."


    Maxime shook his head with a small sigh, then took care of picking them up himself.


    The two men wanted to resist, but they realized that they seemed to have no strength, or rather they had no way of resisting in the face of absolute force.


    They felt like children facing their father.


    "As long as you don''t harm the mercenary group, the Saber-toothed Tigers will always be your home."


    "And even if you do something stupid, as long as there was no intention to harm the mercenary group, then the family will be there to protect you."


    Maxime''s gentle words warmed Erwan and Lioran''s hearts enormously.


    If Maxime could see their loyalty, he would see that Erwan and Lioran''s loyalty, which was originally average, was climbing at full speed.


    And it wasn''t just them, the mercenaries behind Maxime were also touched, while Andrew, Terry, James and Piedro smiled softly.


    Izo didn''t react particularly, but he was happy inside even though he didn''t show it.


    The mercenaries from Quesso? knew their leader well, and their loyalty was already at its maximum.


    They had lost their families but had been avenged thanks to Maxime, and already considered the Saber-toothed Tigers as their own family.


    Over the last four months, they had formed an extraordinary bond with the group.


    For his part, Maxime did not realize the weight of his words at the time.


    He simply thought that he couldn''t control all his men because he didn''t want to become the boss.


    But he couldn''t become the enemy of the world either because each of his mercenaries had a grudge against this or that family.


    So he simply thought that if his men took revenge, they should do it alone and discreetly.


    And if there really was a retaliation, as long as the revenge had been taken without touching innocent people and with just cause, then the group of mercenaries would stand behind them to protect them.


    Since there was no justice in this world, Maxime thought he could at least create it for his men.


    And as was his habit, if people were not happy, then they could always fight.


    Maximus was not someone who would bow down to threats.


    He thought to himself:


    "If one day something really bad happens, then I will be the one to decide and punish the mercenary or mercenaries at fault. It doesn''t matter whether it''s a king or an emperor in front of him, no one can touch my men without my authorization."


    That was all Maxime''s arrogance.


    With his talent, he thought that if he didn''t have the courage and ambition to match his talent, then it would be a total waste of the talent he had been given.


    In any case, these people were going to become a very important fighting force in the future, so he had to treat them very well to keep them loyal.


    He didn''t want to see traitors appear in his ranks, although it was almost inevitable.


    But in that case, Maxime would show them absolutely no mercy.


    After this event, Maxime took the time on the first day of marching to talk with other mercenaries.


    And after the little event that had happened, everyone felt a little emotional and opened their hearts more easily to Maxime.


    What made this possible was more a combination of circumstances due to the recent battles and the decisions Maxime had made throughout the recent battles.


    They knew that their leader was not brave because he knew that he could not really die in Eternity.


    It was because he really was, and much more than anyone else.


    And it was obvious to anyone who had observed the actions he had taken during the dimensional battlefield.


    The mercenaries who had survived naturally shared these decisions with the other mercenaries along the way.


    They all wondered if they could have really done something like that in the same circumstances.


    The day continued in this atmosphere, which was both strange and happy.


    For her part, Aveline didn''t really know where to stand because all the mercenaries were discussing certain things, but as soon as she approached, they stopped talking completely.


    And even when she asked them directly what they were talking about, they didn''t dare say anything.


    This began to frustrate Aveline, who remained alone most of the time.


    But after a while, mercenaries began to approach her.


    They would never have done this before because of the status of the nobility deeply rooted in their genes. But with their recent immersion in the real world, this status began to be called into question in their minds.


    And above all, they also began to have confidence in their own strength and also in that of their leader.


    They all knew that now, even if they had to face a baron''s army face to face, they would win easily.


    So although Aveline still didn''t know the mystery surrounding the mercenaries, she no longer felt time passing slowly.


    On the contrary, she got on particularly well with the mercenaries.


    Much more than on the way there.


    On the way, although finances remained limited, Maxime was not so stingy that he did not treat his men well.


    And since there was no longer any danger since the marriage was annulled, they could simply sleep in inns on the way back.


    At each village they passed through, Maxime and his troop stopped at an inn, enjoying a decent meal and a warm bed when it started to get dark.


    Of course, no one forgot to train during the few breaks Maxime allowed.


    Everyone knew that these breaks could be particularly long because they weren''t really planned as breaks, but as training sessions.


    During the night of the second day of walking, in an inn in a small village by a river, the atmosphere was particularly lively. Laughter and conversation filled the main hall as Maxime and his group sat down to dinner.


    It was then that they overheard a conversation between several villagers sitting at a table not far from them.


    "I swear to you, I saw this thing with my own eyes! A huge beast, with wings as black as night. I think it was a dragon!" said an old man, putting his mug down on the table, visibly angry.


    ''A dragon, nothing less! Our good old G��rard will never change,'' replied another, laughing.


    "Another night when he drank too much and mistook a crow for a dragon!" S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All the villagers at the table laughed out loud, continuing to make fun of G��rard.


    "I''m not crazy! There''s even a farmer who''s lost some chickens in the last few days!" insisted the old man.


    "But of course, don''t worry Gerard, we all believe you here! haha"


    Maxime exchanged a glance with Andrew, then with Ernest, Rodrigo and Romuald who were sitting at the same table.


    "Do you want to find out?" Romuald asked, intrigued.

 Chapter 210 - 210: Kadis Mountain

    "Do you want to find out more?" asked Romuald, intrigued.


    "This kind of story is very common in small villages..."


    Everyone had heard that their chief was looking for a powerful animal to contract, although they didn''t understand exactly how their chief was going to make it obey him if they really met one.


    But of course everyone in the group was more sensitive to rumors.


    Aveline whispered to Maxime,


    "My father receives letters like this every day from the villages in the area. Often it turned out that villagers who had been a little too drunk had sent a letter. Sometimes they were upset about the loss of livestock, and deliberately exaggerated the facts so that the count would send an army to reduce the number of predators such as wolves and foxes in the area."


    "Even if it wasn''t true, since the army had been sent, they usually ended up helping the villagers."


    Kaite also nodded as he heard Aveline''s murmurs.


    "A dragon is impossible. It is a species that has not appeared on our continent for hundreds of years, and above all their power would be even greater than that of legendary knights, which is a stage above epic knights."


    "For these dragons, our Kingdom is a poor land. They have absolutely no interest in going there or living there."


    Maxime thought for a moment.


    "Even if the probability is low, there is always a possibility that an animal with a good lineage may be present not far from us. And above all it is on our way, so why not make a little detour." Maxime finally said with eyes showing his curiosity.


    If this rumor turned out to be true, it could solve one of his imminent needs. In the worst case, he would be content to find a wolf or a similar animal, then he would improve his bloodline gradually, even if it cost a lot.


    Because the awakening of the vital seed was really important.


    This would improve his fighting power as well as enabling him to fulfill his class quest, and thus develop his swordsman class.


    Maxime got up from his table and calmly made his way towards the group of noisy villagers. They, already well under the influence of alcohol, did not immediately notice his presence.


    Maxime sat down with them, immediately attracting their attention.


    "Gentlemen, I heard your conversation. You were talking about a flying monster?"


    There was a moment''s silence before one of the men, his face flushed with alcohol, burst out laughing.


    "There you go! Another curious one who wants to hear old Gerard''s stories!"


    Another nodded, his gaze blurred.


    "Be careful, my lad. If you listen to G��rard too much, you''ll end up seeing monsters everywhere too," he said, laughing out loud.


    Maxime let himself be carried away a little by the atmosphere and ended up smiling.


    He found the villagers very friendly.


    "I''d just like to know more. You say that livestock has disappeared recently?"


    The men looked at each other, shrugging or chuckling to themselves.


    "Well, that''s normal, it happens all the time. Wolves, foxes... Nothing very surprising."


    ''What about this flying monster?'' Maxime insisted.


    Old G��rard banged his fist on the table with a wry smile.


    "Yes, I saw one, but these guys don''t believe me!"


    Maxime narrowed his eyes.


    "Are you sure about what you saw?"


    "Of course!" exclaimed G��rard.


    "And I''m not the only one! Go and see Gilbert, he''ll say the same thing as me!"


    Maxime raised an eyebrow.


    "Gilbert?"


    "Yes, yes, a grumpy old man like me. He''s had chickens stolen in the last few months, and says he saw a big flying beast!"


    Maxime noted the name in the corner of his mind.


    After a few more minutes trying to obtain more precise details, but without much success given the state of the villagers, Maxime returned to his table.


    "Well?" asked Andrew, placing his hand on his chin with boredom.


    "Nothing concrete, apart from a first name. A certain Gilbert seems to have seen something similar. I plan to go and talk to him tomorrow morning."


    Kaite and Langus exchanged a look.


    "Alone?" asked Kaite.


    "Yes. It doesn''t take more than one of us to talk to a villager."


    The mercenaries nodded without insisting further.


    After a few more minutes of light conversation, everyone went to sleep.


    The next morning, Maxime left the inn before the sun was fully risen.


    Asking a farmer who was working the land early in the morning for directions, he easily found Gilbert''s house: a modest building on the edge of the village, near a small poultry pen.


    He knocked on the door.


    A long silence followed, before a hoarse voice was heard.


    "Who is it!?"


    "My name is Maxime. I wanted to talk to you about the flying monster."


    The door opened slightly, revealing an old man with a face weathered by time and farm work. He narrowed his eyes as he analyzed Maxime.


    "Another curious one..." he growled.


    "I just want to understand."


    Gilbert sighed and opened the door wide.


    "Come in, then. But I haven''t got all day."


    The interior of the house was simple, but well maintained. Maxime sat down on a wooden chair opposite Gilbert. The latter leaned on the table with his arms crossed.


    "Gerard told me that you saw a monster take your chickens away."


    The old man nodded.


    "Yeah. It''s been going on for months."


    "Can you explain the situation to me?" Maxime asked politely.


    Gilbert sighed before beginning his story.


    "At first, I thought it was the wolves. Every week, one or two hens would disappear. So I reinforced the enclosure, but it kept happening. One night, I decided to stand guard."


    His gaze became darker.


    "And that''s when I saw it."


    Maxime could even see the fear in Gilbert''s eyes, mixed with rage and frustration.


    "Can you describe to me what you saw?"


    "A dark silhouette with large wings. Not a bird, it was far too big. Not a dragon either, like old G��rard says."


    "And my chickens will never be enough to fill a dragon''s belly..."


    "But whatever it was, this thing swooped down on my pen and in an instant, two of my chickens were gone."


    Maxime slowly nodded.


    "You haven''t seen it since?"


    "No... But every few weeks, chickens still disappear."


    Maxime thought for a moment.


    A flying monster sporadically attacking a pen... It could be a simple animal, but his instinct told him it was something else. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He rested his elbows on the table, his hands crossed at chin level, then looked Gilbert straight in the eye.


    "And do you know which direction the monster went?"


    The old man nodded.


    "Yes, to the southeast, towards the Kadis mountain."


    Maxime thanked the old man, got up, left a gold coin on the table and left.


    Seeing the gold coin fall in front of him, Gilbert''s eyes widened.


    A little girl of 7 or 8 years old came out of the room behind Gilbert.


    "Grandpa, who was that person?"


    Gilbert''s eyes began to blur. No one knew the financial pressure this beast was putting on him and his little girl.


    He had already started to deprive himself of food in order to continue to feed his little girl, who had lost her parents a long time ago in a tragic accident.


    But this gold coin would enable him to make up for all the losses he had suffered up to now and even more.


    "Thank you very much, young man. You are welcome at any time." Gilbert finally said, his voice trembling.


    Maxime simply waved without turning around. Thanks to his perception, he had noticed the tension in Gilbert as soon as he entered the house, as well as the little girl hiding behind him.


    For him it was no big deal, so he could afford to make this gesture in exchange for valuable information.


    As he left, his eyes were resolute.


    "Whatever this beast is, I have to find out."


    On returning to the inn, he came across his mercenaries, who were already starting to train outside.


    "Good morning, boss!"


    "Good morning, boss, are you training with us today?"


    Maxime shook his head as he saw his mercenaries from the village of VentBois, including Garen, Lira and Jean, asking him.


    "Not now, guys, I need to think for a moment."


    The VentBois mercenaries were a little disappointed, but quickly moved on.


    The most important thing for everyone was to take the training very seriously.


    He returned to the inn and had breakfast, salty of course, to give him strength, and began to think.


    "I hope that if we make a detour to Kadis Mountain, we won''t lose too much time. Because even if we see this famous beast, it could run away as soon as it sees us approaching."


    "Then again, if there isn''t this famous monster, maybe I could find a rather talented animal..."


    After this little passage, Maxime did not dwell on the subject any further, and resumed training as well, on a vacant lot outside.


    His swordplay was not going to improve if he didn''t put in the effort. He had so many bonuses from sword training that he was a sword prodigy.


    It would be a shame to waste this talent.


    And even if he didn''t have that talent, he had always been dedicated to his sword. He wouldn''t let up easily.


    Andrew approached Maxime at that moment.


    "A little sparring, boss?"


    Maxime turned to Andrew with a smile.


    "Of course, let''s see what level of swordplay you''ve reached."


    Andrew looked confident.


    "Don''t be surprised, boss, otherwise, if you let your guard down, you could lose."

 Chapter 211 - 211: ~ And how are you going to punish me? ~

    "Don''t be surprised, chief, otherwise, if you let your guard down, you could lose."


    Maxime laughed slightly at Andrew''s provocation, then the next moment, he rushed at Andrew, sword in hand.


    Andrew defended himself hastily, but without being too surprised.


    His boss wasn''t someone who cared about the rules of combat or dueling. If a fight was requested, then from the moment he accepted, the duel began.


    All the mercenaries had gotten used to this and even thought it was the best form of training possible. This was especially helpful in real combat.


    It also had some positive effects on reaction time when ambushes were set.


    Their two swords clashed.


    Knowing that these were their battle swords, any movement could be deadly.


    But they were experts, so they always knew how to control themselves, even though minor injuries were allowed.


    They still had no doctor at their side, but the talent [Awakening of Life] was practical in many ways.


    Thus, duel wounds were common in the mercenary group. As long as they were minor and did not damage combat power, they were accepted.


    Thanks to this talent, the sparring seemed much more realistic, and the mercenaries could also improve their swordsmanship much more quickly.


    Andrew took a few steps back after taking Maxime''s blow.


    "Even if he''s a little off, he''s still much stronger than me." Andrew thought.


    And indeed, there were almost 2 statistical points separating the two, almost a difference of 50%.


    They were not at all at the same physical level, which made the duel very uneven.


    But Andrew was not the kind of person to give up so easily.


    Instead of trying to compete in brute force, he changed tactics.


    With one fluid movement, he deflected an attack from Maxime and attempted a rapid counter-attack by aiming at his flank.


    But Maxime, with impeccable timing, effortlessly parried the blow and immediately countered.


    Andrew had to leap backwards to avoid being neutralized.


    A smile appeared on Maxime''s lips.


    "Not bad."


    Andrew gritted his teeth, but did not reply.


    He repositioned himself and adopted a lower stance, his sword slightly inclined. He then began to execute a series of complex movements, alternating between feints and precise attacks.


    Maxime recognized these techniques immediately. They were advanced level 2 swordplay moves, often used by experienced swordsmen to create openings against stronger opponents.


    Andrew attempted a quick lunge followed by a diagonal sequence, a move that could have destabilized a less experienced fighter.


    But Maxime, unfazed, blocked each attack with ease.


    Then, suddenly, he went on the offensive.


    With a sudden press, he forced Andrew to retreat again and again, each blow forcing him to adopt a more defensive position. Andrew sought to dodge and use his agility to regain the upper hand, but Maxime anticipated his every move.


    One step too slow.


    A slightly open guard.


    Maxime seized the opportunity.


    In a flash, he spun 360 degrees and kicked Andrew in the chest with a roundhouse kick.


    Andrew placed his left arm in front of him to slightly block Maxime''s attack.


    But it was no use, the foot seemed unstoppable, and Andrew literally flew away, but still firmly holding his sword in his hand.


    Silence fell over the training ground.


    Andrew remained motionless on the ground for a moment, short of breath, before letting out a nervous laugh.


    "Ah... I didn''t have a single opening, did I..."


    Maxime lowered his sword and smiled.


    "You have reached level 3 in sword mastery. You are therefore at the same levels of mastery as most knights, congratulations."


    The advanced level 2 techniques that Andrew had used with ease and precision were not something that an individual with level 2 sword mastery could achieve so easily.


    Andrew smiled proudly; he already knew it.


    He, a poor villager, had reached a level at a young age that some knights who had trained from a young age only reached in their thirties.


    Andrew got up, a hint of defiance in his eyes.


    "I trained hard to reach this level. Even if my potential now lags behind that of many mercenaries, I will always be one of the strong ones thanks to my efforts."


    Maxime knew that this was a topic that was going to come up. And it was necessary to manage this topic correctly for the future of the mercenary group.


    Because as time went by, there would be more and more talent in the mercenary group, and so gradually the strong ones of before would only be average in the future.


    And it wasn''t something like ''respect for elders'' that was going to change anything.


    Respect would always go only to the strongest, and Maxime didn''t intend to change that rule.


    Of course, that didn''t mean that humiliation or other similar things were allowed.


    It was just that positions of power could only be held by strong people.


    And Andrew, as vice-chief, could already feel his position slipping away.


    "Keep up the good work, and I''ll give you an opportunity to match your efforts in the future." Maxime reassured him.


    He already had his own idea about it.


    It was something he had planned from the beginning when he saw his talent emerge.


    And the solution had already appeared to him a long time ago.


    It was just that the time was not right.


    Andrew nodded.


    No matter what Maxime said, he would always give his all to be the best.


    "Otherwise you''re not saying much about what we''re going to do, boss. What''s the plan?"


    Maxime nodded, a little embarrassed.


    It was true that he was doing things a bit on his own.


    "The next objective is that once Aveline has been taken back to Lapi and Count Ardan, we will spend a few days at most in the Kadis Mountains, then we will go to Plouta where we will finally all be reunited."


    "Finally, we will meet up with Baron Irut and take our revenge on Baron Barthon."


    On hearing the baron''s name, Andrew''s eyes immediately filled with tears.


    It was because of Baron Barthon that his entire family and those of the brothers from Quesso? had died.


    Without him...


    "When the time comes, let me kill the baron with my own hands, chief," Andrew asked, with a very high murderous intent.


    Maxime could clearly perceive this murderous intent.


    "You still need to be able to defeat Baron Barthon on your own. Do you think you can do it with your current strength?" replied Maxime, regardless of Andrew''s murderous desire.


    Andrew calmed down and bit his lips.


    Maxime walked over to him.


    "You''re still weak, keep training hard and you''ll have everything you want, Andrew."


    As he said this, Maxime placed his hand on Andrew''s shoulder, showing his encouragement, before calmly passing him.


    It was time to leave here and continue on the road to Lapi.


    Maxime hid it very well, but for those with excellent perception, Maxime''s eyes were at that moment very similar to Andrew''s.


    "Not only did he dare to touch the family of my mercenaries, but he even tried to take back the money he had given us and to annihilate us."


    "I don''t know if the famous player who had managed to reach my world of Eternity had anything to do with it, but in any case, Baron Barthon, you will have to pay for your actions."


    Shortly after that, the mercenaries were ready to leave again, the few horses that Count Ardan had lent them whinnying.


    They seemed to sense that they would be going home soon.


    The wind was blowing gently as the group crossed the plains.


    Maxime, at the front, stared at the horizon.


    "What are you thinking about?" asked Laura, who was next to him.


    "If you''re thinking about a woman, I''ll kill you right now." she continued with an innocent expression.


    But Maxime was no longer the innocent man he once was.


    "Ohhh? So if I think of a woman... you''re going to have to beat me to kill me. And you know very well who would win in a fight between you and me."


    "And if you don''t win, I''ll have to punish you..."


    As he said this, Maxime gave a mischievous look.


    Kaite and Langus, who were nearby, naturally heard the conversation because of their excellent hearing.


    But they simply looked at each other with a tacit smile.


    Laura, for her part, rolled her eyes when she heard this.


    But that didn''t stop her from sticking close to Maxime and whispering in his ear:


    "And how are you going to punish me... boss?"


    Maxime remained silent for a moment before saying:


    "No woman but you occupies my thoughts, so don''t worry. There''s no fight, so I won''t need to punish you."


    Laura immediately showed her disappointment.


    "You''re really good at bringing the excitement down..."


    Maxime smiled and thought as he looked at the sky:


    "If you get me excited like that, I won''t be able to hold on until tonight..."


    But of course, he wouldn''t say anything, otherwise he could be sure that Laura would have fun playing this game all day long.


    Her mischievous side was well hidden from the other mercenaries. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some mercenaries behind could not help but laugh when they heard Laura''s words.


    Laura immediately turned around when she noticed the laughter behind her.


    "There are some who want to die here, though..."


    The mercenaries behind immediately fell silent.


    Laura was one of the strongest mercenaries, and above all, no one really dared to fight her.


    Otherwise, God knows how their leader might react.


    But the leader in question didn''t give a damn.


    He liked Laura''s strength, and he didn''t think it was necessary to take action against his own mercenaries, even if they did tease her a little.


    As long as it remained within reasonable limits.


    Especially when she already had enough temperament and strength to protect herself.


    Further on, Andrew kept his hands in his pockets, hiding his clenched fists.


    If he could, he would train all the time.


    Because he knew that if he wanted to avenge his family with his own hands, he had to become stronger. Much stronger.


    He had changed from the little boy who cried for his family four months ago. He had changed, and his determination and maturity had evolved.


    Rodrigo and Ernest, for their part, were at the back of the group, visibly well away.


    For a moment, only the wind could be heard around them.


    Ernest finally broke the silence.


    "It''s crazy how far we''ve come and all we''ve been through."


    "I still can''t believe it..."


    Rodrigo raised an eyebrow but didn''t reply.


    "You, of all people." said Ernest, shaking his head.


    "It''s almost laughable."


    Rodrigo sighed and ended up looking at Ernest, who was enjoying himself playing with him.


    "Are you going to continue speaking in riddles for a long time, or are you finally going to get to the point?"


    "I''m just savoring this moment. We''ve been hiding in this Kingdom together for almost a year now." Ernest continued amusingly, but his eyes betrayed his nostalgia.

 Chapter 212 - 212: The past of Ernest and Rodrigo

    "I''m just savoring this moment. We''ve been hiding out in this Kingdom together for almost a year now." Ernest continued amusingly, but his eyes betrayed his nostalgia.


    "I would love to see your family''s reaction if they saw your talent."


    Rodrigo did not react immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, his expression indecipherable.


    "It won''t change anything whether he knows it or not. I would even suffer more contempt from my brothers."


    Ernest smiled bitterly when he heard this.


    "But just a few years ago, no one would have bet on you. Me, maybe, because I always knew we were destined for something greater... But the others? They never would have imagined that the ''incapable prince'' would hide such a legacy within him."


    Rodrigo glanced at Ernest.


    "Who are you calling an incapable prince? Even if I am one, I am certainly not the only one here."


    Ernest pretended to be offended.


    "Ouch. But it''s true."


    A silence fell. Then Rodrigo resumed, his voice deeper:


    "Do you remember that day?"


    Ernest''s smile faded slightly. He didn''t need to ask which day he was talking about.


    "How could we forget it?"


    Rodrigo shifted his gaze to the horizon.


    "We were standing there in that big hall. Our fathers were discussing politics, our brothers and cousins were exchanging flattery with each other... and we were just... there."


    "Useless." Ernest added with a bitter laugh.


    Rodrigo nodded.


    "That''s what we were. Two heirs with no talent, no future. They barely tolerated us because of our blood, but deep down, we were already doomed to be cast aside."


    Ernest briefly closed his eyes, reliving the scene. Then he smiled again, more gently this time.


    "It''s funny when you think about it. We could have stayed there and endured that life... But that night, we made a choice."


    Rodrigo smiled wistfully.


    "We escaped."


    "And we ran without ever looking back." Ernest concluded.


    Silence fell once more, heavier this time. They had fled their respective kingdoms, abandoned their titles, their names...


    All this to find themselves in a country where nobody knew them, where they were no longer despised princes, but just two strangers seeking a new future.


    And yet...


    Rodrigo looked down at his hand. With a thought, earth appeared in his hands.


    At first malleable, he could harden it and manipulate it at will.


    "And now... here I am, bearer of the power of the founding King."


    Ernest burst out laughing, breaking the tension.


    "That''s the funny thing! Your whole family has spent generations hoping for a descendant with the powers of the founding king... and it''s you, the good-for-nothing, who ended up inheriting that power!"


    Rodrigo sighed and rolled his eyes.


    "Are you really going to make fun of me for much longer?"


    "Of course!" Ernest replied with a laugh.


    "With all the other mercenaries around, it''s so hard to outwit you. So don''t worry, I cherish every moment I can outwit you."


    Rodrigo shook his head with a slight smile. But deep down, he knew that despite Ernest''s mockery, Ernest, like him, had trouble knowing what he really hoped to accomplish in this life.


    And above all...


    If he had awakened a dormant power... then what about Ernest?


    Perhaps he was also hiding a powerful talent?


    He didn''t know that Maxime had detected this power in him from the start. But Ernest, on the contrary, really had no apparent talent.


    Of course, a certain Liam had made a name for himself in the mercenary group by confronting, alone, the captain of the eighth Dravak regiment.


    A feat that no other mercenary could copy.


    "If the boss knew about our origins, how do you think he''d react?" asked Ernest with curious eyes.


    "He''d certainly be surprised, wouldn''t he?"


    Rodrigo shook his head.


    "You should know the boss a little by now. He clearly wouldn''t care."


    Ernest laughed out loud.


    "That''s true. This guy only cares about how to improve his strength. Everything else is superfluous in his eyes."


    Rodrigo gave Ernest a slight look, as if to see if he was really serious about what he was saying.


    "You''re exaggerating. Our boss is much more complex than that." S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ernest raised an eyebrow when he heard Rodrigo''s words.


    "How is our boss complex? This guy is clearly attached to a few values and all his decisions revolve around these values."


    But Rodrigo still didn''t agree.


    "If he hadn''t forced you to wield the sword, you would have been dead a long time ago, and we wouldn''t be talking peacefully here."


    Speaking of death, Rodrigo had a dark look.


    That night, while defending Plouta, so many of their comrades had died... including someone who was very close to him.


    Removing the image of the old bandit from his mind, Rodrigo flashed a slight mocking smile as he thought of something.


    "It''s rather funny, by the way, that he managed to get you to wield the sword, where all the instructors in the kingdom and even the famous master swordsman ''Teran Lania'' considered you a hopeless case."


    While the two argued and laughed together, the group of mercenaries continued to walk.


    Each of Maxime''s men had his own story, but also his own aspirations for the future.


    If they weren''t dreaming, none of them would be here betting their own lives and putting them in the hands of an 18-year-old.


    Two days later.


    The saber-toothed tigers finally arrived in Lapi.


    The city was bustling, as always, and the mercenaries'' presence did not go unnoticed. The guards recognized them immediately and granted them access without asking any questions.


    Count Ardan''s mansion stood in the center of the city, imposing and refined. However, upon their arrival, they found the place strangely quiet.


    "He''s not here," said one of the servants, bowing respectfully to Maxime.


    Maxime raised an eyebrow.


    "Where is he then?"


    "Still at the Purple Knights Academy, sir. He hasn''t been back for several days."


    Aveline stepped forward, frowning.


    "That''s strange, father never stayed at the Academy for so long for no reason. Something must have happened."


    Maxime naturally heard Aveline''s words and took them very seriously.


    "All right, guys, let''s hurry up and go to the Purple Knights Academy."


    Without wasting a moment, the group of about forty people set off again in the direction of the academy.


    About ten minutes later, just as they approached the huge gates of the Purple Knights Academy, an unexpected sight appeared in the sky.


    Imposing griffins were hovering above them, their majestic wings spread wide, tracing circles in the air. Their cries pierced the atmosphere, but they were not cries of hunting or threat.


    No... these imposing creatures seemed to be having fun with each other.


    But Aveline did not see the beauty of the spectacle. Her face had frozen as soon as she had recognized the gold and azure harnesses that adorned these creatures.


    "Those griffins..."


    Maxime, who had noticed her change of expression, turned his head towards her.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "They''re from the Kingdom''s air force," said Aveline, very surprised.


    The Kingdom''s air force was an elite army. Most of the strongest knights in the Kingdom were in it.


    This was because to join the army, you had to be a knight. Without that level of strength, it was definitely impossible to be part of it.


    At these words, several mercenaries exchanged glances.


    "The air army? Why would the kingdom''s elite be here?" Laura asked, frowning.


    "Probably to help the count repel the orcs." Maxime replied calmly.


    But when he looked at those griffins, he felt a twinge of envy.


    "How great would it be if I could tame just one of them?" he thought to himself.


    At the same time, he looked at his new ''bestiality'' stat.


    "This statistic defines the number of animals with which I can form bonds. So maybe one day I could also form an air army as imposing as the king''s?"


    "Or even a dragon army?"


    "That would definitely be incredible."


    Maxime couldn''t help but daydream a little as he continued walking.


    Without further ado, the group entered the Academy grounds. The guards posted at the entrance recognized them immediately, although their eyes lingered on the dozen or so men in black masks walking silently at the back.


    But they did not dare to block their way.


    Maxime and his group of mercenaries had a very good reputation in the area, and particularly at the academy.


    Once inside, they spotted some familiar faces training nearby.


    The latter noticed the arrival of new people, then turning, some of them smiled in recognition.


    "Maxime!" came a cheerful voice.


    Tomas, Th��o, Lila and Caleb approached them, enthusiasm etched on their faces.


    All of them were apprentice knights, and above all comrades who had fought alongside the Saber-toothed Tigers against the orcs.


    At the same time, they bowed slightly to Aveline. She was the count''s daughter, and as they reported directly to the count, they could not disrespect her.


    "You''ve come at just the right time, there are some very interesting things happening at the academy right now!" added Lila with a big smile.


    Maxime didn''t reply immediately.


    In fact, a familiar figure appeared in front of them.


    "Professor Alaric."


    While saying this, Maxime bowed slightly towards him.


    As well as being the best instructor at the Purple Knights academy, and one of the most powerful knights in the Kingdom, he had been his private teacher for several days. It was even thanks to him that his swordplay had reached level 3 a month earlier.


    His piercing gaze scanned the group, and immediately a look of astonishment crossed his face.


    He knew most of these mercenaries well. He had himself observed them fighting duels and training with the students of the academy... but today, they were unrecognizable.


    The atmosphere around them was heavy, suffocating. They no longer walked like ordinary mercenaries, but like predators ready to pounce.


    Even he, Alaric, one of the most powerful knights of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, felt a twinge of apprehension as he watched them.


    He particularly noticed two beings wearing black masks who, as far as he could tell, should be no weaker than he was.


    He also noticed no fewer than seven individuals who had surpassed the strength of an apprentice knight at the peak stage.


    But something was eluding him, as if these individuals did not have something very important.


    So, although they gave off a sense of threat, it was slight in comparison with the two existences wearing black masks.


    And finally, he looked at Maxime.


    And... he could feel nothing more when observing him.


    This could only mean one thing: the student had surpassed the master.


    In his entire career, this had almost never happened.


    How had he done it in such a short space of time? Normally, it would have taken at least several years to reach his level, even with excellent knightly talent and opportunities.


    "These mercenaries... what have they been through to get here?"


    But he ended up greeting them.


    "Hello Maxime and hello to you all."


    "Professor, we have returned from our mission. Can you tell us where the count is?" Maxime asked immediately.


    He didn''t want to waste any time here and rush to Mount Kadis.


    Alaric stared at him for a moment, then replied:


    "The count... He is with the King and the Royal Guard."

 Chapter 213 - 213: Arthur and Victor

    "The count... He''s with the king and the royal guard."


    Silence fell over the group.


    "The king and the royal guard? What are they doing here?" Aveline asked in amazement.


    "Is it really so surprising? Your father is a count after all..." Maxime replied, after thinking about it for a moment.


    Aveline shook her head.


    "The king hardly ever leaves the capital because many people wish him dead."


    "But he''s the King... He should be extremely strong," Maxime insisted.


    "Yes, he''s a great knight, and even among the great knights, he is one of the strongest. But it''s not enough."


    "Not enough?"


    Maxime did not understand, and Aveline did not explain further.


    Maxime then turned to Alaric.


    "Do you have any information, professor?"


    "Yes..."


    Then Alaric glanced at Maxime.


    "He said he would like to see the captain of the Sabertooth Tigers as soon as he arrived. He said he wouldn''t leave the academy without meeting him."


    Hearing these words, the entire group of mercenaries were stunned, while Maxime furrowed his brow, trying to guess the king''s intentions.


    "Why would the king want to see Maxime?" Aveline finally asked in disbelief.


    "I don''t know. You''ll have to go and ask for yourself."


    After a moment''s thought, Maxime turned to Alaric.


    "Professor, please show us the way. Since the king wishes to see us, we will go to meet him."


    Alaric nodded and motioned for them to follow him.


    All the apprentice knights of the nearby academy were amazed.


    "The king wants to meet a mercenary?"


    "Even if it''s Maxime, it''s unprecedented, isn''t it?"


    "Normally, without having the status of a knight, it is almost impossible to have an audience with the King."


    ...


    In the Academy''s great council chamber, bathed in the light of silver candlesticks, the king and Count Ardan sat facing each other.


    Between them, a detailed map of the kingdom and its borders was spread out on the solid oak table.


    A few knights of the royal guard stood guard at the doors outside, guaranteeing the confidentiality of their exchange.


    The king, a man in his forties with black hair and a piercing gaze, tapped the map with his finger.


    "The situation is worrying, Victor. Our borders are increasingly threatened by orc raids in the south, while the other nobles have their eyes on the throne."


    As Victor was the first name of Count Ardan, it was clear that the two men had a very close relationship.


    "I have received consistent reports, your majesty. The orcs are gathering in numbers never seen before. It is no longer a simple matter of looting; they are organizing, and that can only mean one thing: a powerful leader has taken control of the clans."


    The king clenched his fists.


    "An orc leader unifying these barbarians? That doesn''t bode well. We can''t afford a prolonged war while Duke Devron continues to exploit our internal weaknesses."


    Ardan folded his arms, his dark gaze fixed on the map.


    "Devron is waiting for our first misstep. Especially since the duke''s wife has ambiguous relations with the kingdom of Halenveil, and it would not be surprising if she were to try to do something that would allow a new invasion."


    "The snow wolf is still alive. Will they still dare to invade?"


    "Edwin Valderic is old now, his fighting power must have dropped drastically since then. And Luc Valderic, although he is the current head of the family, is just an ordinary great knight compared to his father."


    Count Ardan was slightly depressed.


    He had been talking about the situation in the Kingdom for hours, and the more he learned, the more it became apparent that war was going to break out in all directions.


    The Valderic family was one of the only important families in the Kingdom that was still loyal to the king. And even they were not in an excellent situation.


    At that moment, the king gave a slight smile.


    "But it seems that the Valderics have a very good descendant, although it is possible that they themselves don''t know it. This young man is so naughty."


    Count Ardan also nodded.


    "As expected, you have realized it too."


    The king looked at Count Ardan with a mischievous look.


    "You were planning to marry your daughter to this young man, you thought I wouldn''t find out?"


    Count Ardan gave a small, embarrassed laugh.


    But the king didn''t hold it against him.


    "In any case, you really have an eye. With the reputation he''s built for himself, it''s really not easy to see through his potential."


    "Oh, the king thinks so highly of him?"


    "Well... Yes. I reckon his potential is as good as his grandfather''s."


    Count Ardan smiled; he thought the same thing about this young man, otherwise he would not have married his only daughter so easily.


    The king took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "On a different note... Our forces are already mobilized on several fronts. I can''t afford to send an army against the orcs without weakening our defenses elsewhere. That''s why we need to find fighters who can intervene quickly, without mobilizing all of our troops."


    Ardan shook his head. Even if his territory was in danger, given the situation in the kingdom, he couldn''t really hope for help.


    And he also understood where the king was coming from.


    "You''re talking about the mercenaries. More specifically... about Maxime."


    The king nodded.


    "His name comes up more and more often in the reports I receive. His exploits against the orcs have been remarkable, and he has been able to unite a formidable group under his banner. Better still, he does not depend on any lord, which means that we could entrust him with missions without political complications."


    Count Ardan remained silent for a moment before adding in a measured tone:


    "It''s a risky bet, your majesty. He''s still a mercenary, and mercenaries are only loyal to gold."


    The king smiled slightly.


    "Perhaps. But I have the feeling that this Maxime is different. He''s not just after wealth. He has a purpose... and that''s exactly the kind of man I need."


    Silence fell between them.


    And the king broke into a smile.


    "And then this young man danced with my daughter, and I know my daughter well. She wouldn''t have given her hand to just anyone."


    Count Ardan also knew the princess''s particularity.


    He was a longtime friend of the king, so he knew a few secrets.


    "But before I do anything, I want to meet him in person. I need to see who he really is... and what he wants."


    As he said this, the king''s eyes sparkled. He was far from being an idiot, and had always been a king who thought of innovative actions.


    Without him, the kingdom would have collapsed long ago.


    Suddenly, he began to cough violently.


    "Arthur!" count Ardan shouted as he approached the king, his eyes showing sincere concern for the king''s condition.


    He dropped all formalities and called the king by his first name.


    The king continued to cough for a few seconds before finally getting up. He felt very unwell at that moment.


    Then he looked at his hand, with clearly visible red spots.


    He gave a bitter smile.


    "All these battles have ended up seriously hurting my body, Victor."


    The king and the count had known each other since their training at the royal knight academy. Both were among the best in the academy and were rivals at the time.


    But after leaving the academy, they fought in several battles together and became very close friends.


    Count Ardan sighed.


    "You have given too much for this kingdom."


    "But if I hadn''t done so much, our kingdom would have collapsed long ago," replied the king immediately, regretting only that he hadn''t had a better talent and that he was so weak.


    Although the king already had a monstrous talent.


    Count Ardan did not refute the king''s words, for he thought his friend''s words were true.


    The king had sailed the battlefields far more than any nobleman.


    And that made him angry.


    "What an exemplary king who sacrifices his well-being for the benefit of his citizens," Count Ardan ended up saying in an exaggerated manner.


    "Stop it, Victor."


    But Count Ardan seemed particularly enraged.


    "This perfect king who has destroyed his life for the sake of the broken future of this kingdom!"


    The king''s fist landed violently on the table.


    boom


    Part of the table was completely destroyed by the king''s fist.


    "I told you to stop, Victor."


    The king was really angry at that moment.


    Count Ardan''s eyes were impassive, but after a few seconds of their gazes meeting, Count Ardan finally averted his eyes.


    But that did not reduce the tension in the room.


    It was at that precise moment that someone knocked on the door.


    "Who is it?" asked the king.


    The person who had knocked entered immediately and bowed.


    "My king, count Ardan, the captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers and his men have arrived."

 Chapter 214 - 214: An extremely rare and precious opportunity

    "My king, Count Ardan, the captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers, and his men have arrived."


    On hearing this news, the king smiled, while Count Ardan showed no expression.


    "Send in the captain, alone."


    "Understood."


    Behind the door, Maxime and his men naturally heard these words.


    "Do what you want and enjoy this day as a day of rest. We will be on the road again tomorrow," Maxime ordered, although inwardly he could not help showing a trace of anxiety at the idea of meeting the king.


    The mercenaries all obeyed Maxime''s order, most of them slightly disappointed at not being able to see the king.


    Laura gave him a little wink, as if to wish him good luck.


    Maxime gave her a little wave, as if to say that everything was fine.


    But the guards at the door alone made him feel a certain pressure.


    These guards were, after all, part of the Kingdom''s elite of knights, and could not be measured by common sense.


    Without a doubt, even Kaite and Langus, who had surpassed the knight at the peak stage in terms of physique, would find it difficult to face them.


    Of course it was only a slight pressure, with his physique reaching almost 5 points, as long as he didn''t meet a great knight, he was almost invincible.


    "Don''t worry, young man, our king is a just and good king. Show respect and everything will be fine," advised one of the guards with a smile.


    Maxime gave them a slight nod, as if to say he understood. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shortly afterwards, a figure passed through the door while the king and the count were talking.


    Hearing the sound of the door opening, the two turned and observed the young man with blond hair who had just entered the room.


    Immediately, a certain tension was created in the room when the aura of these 3 individuals confronted each other.


    After a moment, the king broke some of this tension by starting to speak.


    "So here is the famous mercenary who caught the eye of Count Ardan and several barons, but who also dared to dance with my daughter."


    Maxime froze for a fraction of a second upon hearing the king''s words.


    His gaze briefly met that of the monarch, then that of Count Ardan, who remained impassive.


    He felt the wave of tension in the room, but he couldn''t afford to show the slightest weakness.


    He bowed respectfully.


    "Majesty. Count Ardan. It is an honor to stand before you."


    The king looked at the young mercenary with a piercing gaze, as if trying to fathom his soul.


    He was surprised to discover that this young man could be the most powerful mercenary in the history of the kingdom.


    And yet, some nobles at the stage of knights had already occupied the profession of mercenary.


    This meant many things at this stage, and at the same time, it confirmed the king in his ideas and plans.


    Maxime did the same and thanks to his perception, he was able to determine approximately the strength of the king.


    And it was terrifying.


    "Count Ardan is already one of the most powerful great knights in the kingdom. But this king... He completely surpasses him in my perception."


    "Can a great knight really be that strong?"


    Maxime''s conclusion was that in his current state, even with Nox Limit activated, he could still be easily defeated by the king.


    The difference was far too great, and a powerful physique could not make up for it.


    After a heavy silence, an amused smile appeared on the king''s lips.


    "Get up, young man."


    Maxime straightened up, keeping a composed face, although he did not fail to notice the sovereign''s slightly teasing tone.


    The king rose from his seat and took a few steps towards him.


    "Your name comes up often in the reports I receive. Some see you as a talented mercenary, others as a threat. I want to know what you are really looking for."


    On hearing these words, Maxime thought to himself:


    "As expected of the king, he goes straight to the point."


    Without too much hesitation, he simply answered the truth, at least the truth in this world:


    "I want to be free, your majesty. Not to depend on any nobleman, any order. I want to forge my own path and protect those who follow me."


    He couldn''t say that part of his goal was to become stronger in this world to protect himself and his family in the real world.


    What he was saying could already be considered an offense to the king.


    He lived on his territory, but he did not feel the slightest loyalty.


    At that time, it could be seen as a great insult.


    But Count Ardan smiled slightly at this answer, while the king inspected Maxime.


    As if he were trying to analyze whether these words were true or not.


    After a moment, he replied:


    "A noble ideal... but a dangerous one."


    "Freedom comes at a price, young man. If you refuse to belong to a lord, you will sooner or later become an obstacle for some."


    The king''s words put immense pressure on Maxime right away.


    It was clearly a naked threat. If he refused to take orders from the king, then he would be considered a threat.


    And like any threat, he would be eliminated.


    After another moment of silence, the king began to explain certain things without showing any emotion.


    At that moment, the majesty of a king could be felt directly.


    "You know, nobles love to play a game."


    "That game is to have as many talented vassals as possible."


    Maxime listened attentively, standing in front of the door and keeping his distance from the king.


    "A territory needs strong men, but also individuals who are excellent in military strategy and politics."


    "In short, a good lord is a lord capable of finding talented people, training them if necessary, and then employing them to improve the lives of the inhabitants in his territory and to protect them."


    "Or rather, he would be the perfect lord. Because it is almost impossible to spot talent at first glance. So most territories always lack talent in at least two of the three main categories."


    "A lord can already be happy when he possesses even one good warrior, one good strategist or one good politician."


    Listening to all these words, Maxime did not understand where the king was going with this.


    "You are a mercenary, are you not?"


    "Yes, your majesty."


    The king fixed Maxime with a piercing glance.


    "But yet, a mercenary like you is capable of finding extremely talented and ferocious warriors."


    Of course, even the king hadn''t guessed that his mercenaries weren''t particularly talented, and that it was in fact Maxime himself who made them so talented.


    "It''s something that no nobleman in the kingdom is capable of doing."


    "Yet you, who are only a mercenary, manage to do it."


    Maxime began to break out in a sweat.


    He did not think that some of the effects of his talent could be noticed so quickly by the most authoritative man in the kingdom.


    Because once he had entered the king''s eyes, it was only a matter of time before he guessed the reality of Maxime''s talent.


    "Do you know what this means?" asked the king, still expressionless.


    "Please enlighten me, your majesty." Maxime replied immediately, bowing slightly.


    He feared the worst upon hearing the king''s words.


    But he did not see that at that moment, the king smiled.


    "It means that you possess a talent that would make you an excellent lord."


    The king''s words were such that even Count Ardan, who until then had been listening calmly, could not help but raise an eyebrow in surprise.


    But he stopped himself from saying anything. Arthur was much more competent than he was at ruling a kingdom.


    Maximus, still leaning, was shocked to hear the king''s words.


    He got up and asked:


    "This mercenary is too lacking in knowledge to guess the king''s intentions. May I ask what your majesty wishes to express?"


    Seeing Maxime''s good elocution, the king was slightly surprised. His impression improved slightly.


    "This king wishes to give you your own independent territory."


    "What!?" thought Maxime, completely shocked.


    Even Count Ardan couldn''t help but think:


    "Has he gone completely mad with despair?"


    What was the most valuable thing for a kingdom?


    Apart from its inhabitants, it was clearly the land it owned!


    This was usually the main reason for war!


    All kingdoms and empires wanted to extend their borders, welcome more worlds into their territory, and strengthen their military and economic power.


    But the king said he was willing to give up part of his territory?


    Maxime had never considered the possibility of becoming a lord by joining Eternity.


    The king continued to smile slightly.


    "It''s not without a price."


    Maxime stiffened his expression.


    He prepared to wait for the price to get this opportunity.


    "Your future territory, your men and you will serve as a barrier to the kingdom..."


    Maxime understood immediately that the king wanted to use him to protect the kingdom.


    But he was not against it as long as the efforts made were worthwhile.


    "Come and see." asked the king.


    Maxime approached and stood beside the king.


    The king pointed to a place in the southeast of the kingdom on the map on the table.


    "Your territory will be located here."


    Maxime immediately noticed that it seemed familiar.


    He thought silently:


    "This territory is..."


    But the king''s words left him no time to finish thinking.


    "You will obtain the territory of Baron Barthon, that is to say his town of 20,000 inhabitants as well as the villages connected to it, or at least what remains of them..."


    This immediately confirmed his doubts. It was indeed the territory of Baron Barthon.


    But why would the king give him his territory?


    "Could he be aware of the baron''s actions?"


    But it didn''t matter for the moment, the king continued to explain his intentions.


    "This will be your real base. With this you will have money and men."


    "But your real mission is to expand the territory to the south by conquering the orcs'' territory and defending it, because at the moment the orcs are relentlessly attacking Count Ardan''s territory."


    The king left a moment of silence and then met Maxime''s gaze.


    "But if we give you this territory, some of Count Ardan''s pressure will be released."


    "The question is, are you capable of withstanding that pressure?"


    "If you are, you will be given an extremely valuable opportunity. That of having your own power."


    "But if you don''t have the strength to do so, then this territory will be your tomb."

 Chapter 215 - 215: Having your own independent territory?

    "But if you don''t have the shoulders for it, then this territory will be your grave."


    Maxime hesitated for a moment while closing his eyes.


    This was a truly extraordinary opportunity, because he knew something:


    His first talent was so powerful that he didn''t need to be a mercenary to get his blessing.


    Anyone under his command could naturally benefit from [Nox Limit].


    This meant that if he had a territory, all residents could potentially receive his blessing.


    Namely that Maxime knew that the mercenary group model was difficult to sustain in the long term.


    Or at least it was without a territory to support and give missions to the mercenary group.


    This was also one of the difficulties for those who followed the path of the leader of men in the real world, and this explained the rarity of those who took this path.


    And the larger the mercenary group became, the more the finances needed to feed and equip the mercenaries increased.


    But obtaining a territory could immediately alleviate some of this financial pressure or even erase it completely.


    And one of the advantages of having a territory was that finding talent would naturally be much less difficult.


    After a moment of reflection while closing his eyes, Maxime imagined a scene:


    He stood alone before an army of hundreds of thousands of men, all extremely well equipped.


    He himself wore resplendent armor, looking extremely majestic.


    Flying monsters such as griffins screamed in the sky while some of his men rode them.


    All the television channels in the world were filming him and his army, confronting all the invaders who dared to set foot on Earth!


    No matter how many came, his troops exterminated them without fear or mercy.


    Because this army could be resurrected every 24 hours!


    At that time, it was literally a powerful and immortal army!


    After imagining this scene, he opened his eyes.


    "A hundred thousand men, eh?"


    "Griffons?"


    Maxime''s pupils seemed to firm up.


    "I''m still not ambitious enough."


    "My army will have many more soldiers than that, and my men will ride dragons, not griffins.


    Determination and resolution filled Maxime''s eyes, and he stared at the king.


    "Please entrust this territory to me."


    The king nodded in satisfaction.


    "Great, glad we can cooperate, Maxime."


    It was only at that moment that the king, Arthur Ravenwood, recognized Maxime, and it was for that very reason that he began to call him by his first name.


    Maxime shook the hand that the king extended to him.


    "Glad to cooperate with the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle." S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t know at the time if he was really making the right decision, especially since he hadn''t consulted his men at all.


    But he wanted to try and experience the unique experience of being a lord.


    In the worst case scenario, he would fail and come out of it a greater man, that was what he sincerely thought.


    "But, your majesty, why give me Baron Barthon''s territory?"


    Arthur shook his head.


    "No need to call me your majesty or king anymore, you can simply call me Arthur in the future in private circumstances."


    "And to answer your question..."


    "Because I needed a territory that was valuable enough and up to the task I was giving you. And my friend Victor informed me of this baron''s unscrupulous dealings a while ago."


    "So it became the perfect opportunity."


    But on hearing this, Maxime was more than surprised.


    "You knew about Baron Barthon?"


    He sincerely thought that only nearby barons such as Baron Irut knew about it.


    At that moment, Count Ardan intervened.


    "How could a lord not know what is happening on his own territory? Unless he is incompetent, he must have his own sources of information."


    "Without information, you can''t control your territory and make wise decisions."


    "Theoretically, as long as you have enough valuable information, you can control the world."


    On hearing Count Ardan''s words, Maxime agreed. But he knew that information could be a double-edged sword.


    If you could control people with information, others could do the same to you.


    There were endless examples of this on Earth.


    "I see, and you intend to do something about Baron Barthon?" Maxime finally asked.


    If the king or Count Ardan could intervene, Maxime would be relieved.


    In truth, he didn''t know exactly how to handle the situation, even though he currently had greater military power than Baron Barthon.


    Or at least, that''s what Maxime thought. As far as he was concerned, his group of mercenaries could even defeat a viscount''s army as long as they used guerrilla tactics.


    Because even a baron had an army of at least 1,000 men, several dozen apprentice knights and generally 2 to 3 knights if not more.


    As for a viscount''s army, these figures could easily be multiplied by at least 3 to get an approximation of a viscount''s military strength.


    But in any case, even if Maxime was confident of winning against Baron Barthon, he did not think it would be without casualties in his ranks.


    So, if it were possible to avoid casualties, it would be preferable.


    "I will write a document stating that I approve the creation of an independent territory on my lands and that the noble status of the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle no longer has any effect on these lands. But that is all I am going to do."


    "It''s up to you to prove your own political skills. Without them, you are not worthy of becoming a lord and you will fall faster than you think, despite the military force at your disposal."


    What Maxime did not know was that the king was even aware of the transactions between Maxime and Baron Irut, although he did not know the details.


    But it was enough for the king to know that even if Maxime''s political skills were poor, his intelligence and interpersonal skills would make up for it. And in the short term, it was enough for a small territory.


    Maxime nodded slowly as he heard the king''s response. He understood that this territory was given to him as much as an opportunity as a test. The man in front of him was not offering him a gift; he was throwing him a challenge.


    "I understand, Arthur." He paused before adding,


    "I will prove that this decision was the right one."


    Arthur Ravenwood smiled.


    "That''s what I expect from you."


    After talking for a while, Maxime bowed his head slightly in greeting, then took a few steps back before turning and leaving the room.


    As he closed the door behind him, he let out a slight sigh.


    He had just crossed a point of no return.


    Until now, he had been nothing more than a mercenary, an independent fighter who answered to no one. But by accepting this territory, he was taking on a role far more extensive and complex than that of a simple mercenary.


    He would no longer be responsible only for a band of warriors, but soon for an entire people.


    "What can I even call this territory?"


    "And what would I be? A king? That would be a bit awkward..."


    The weight of this thought hit him as he walked down the corridor. The excitement was still burning inside him, but a doubt remained.


    He knew how to lead on a battlefield. But how to manage a territory? Manage civilians, negotiate with nobles, ensure the economic stability of an entire region?


    "I guess I''ll have to learn, and fast."


    Baron Barthon had no idea that a young boy not even half his age was already thinking about how to manage his territory.


    When Maxime went outside, his men were not there.


    "I wonder where they''ve gone to train?"


    Maxime was certain that even if he had announced that today was a day of rest, his mercenaries would not relax and would train anyway.


    However, a familiar figure was still outside, so he naturally went to meet him.


    The latter was still training the apprentice knights.


    "What''s the point of training if you don''t give your all with every movement you make!? It''s completely useless!"


    The apprentice knights on the training ground, all of them swinging their swords, replied simultaneously:


    "Yes, instructor!"


    The instructor''s voice rang out again.


    "You must put all your energy and soul into every blow you strike, that''s the only way you will improve!"


    "Yes, instructor!"


    "Otherwise, don''t expect to become a knight with your talents! Only perseverance and a strong will can make you knights!"


    "We''re going to become knights, instructors!"


    Maxime arrived at that moment at the instructor''s side.


    "Professor, it''s been a long time. Do you want us to train together?"


    Instructor Alaric turned to Maxime and smiled.


    "My old bones were starting to rust. You''re just in time."


    He did not intend to ask Maxime what had happened with the king and the count, because although it intrigued him, he was only a knight.


    The king''s business was not something he would dare to touch.


    "Theo, you take on the role of instructor while I''m away."


    "At your service, instructor!"


    After leaving a few words, Maxime and the knight Alaric went to the private training yard, the same one in which they had both trained in the past.


    As the knight Alaric was one of the strongest knights in the kingdom, ranking firmly in the top 5, his mastery of the sword was always something that Maxime admired.


    The two took a wooden sword and assumed their positions.


    "Have you improved since Maxime?"


    "A little, yes." he replied with a provocative little smile.


    Of course, he would limit his strength. The goal was to improve his swordsmanship, even if only a little.


    "Then let this teacher see how much progress you''ve made since then," said Alaric before rushing towards Maxime.


    The two thus began to fight, having hours of fun like children.


    It was not until sunset that the two stopped completely.


    As he wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel, Alaric felt exceptionally good.


    "You''ve really improved a lot. Normally, it would take even a talented knight years to improve that much. How did you do it?"


    "With a little more than average talent and training, anything is possible." Maxime replied, teasing Alaric.


    He couldn''t tell him that he had been fighting for several days on a dimensional battlefield.


    Combined with his passive traits conferred by his swordsman class as well as the passive of his talent [Nox Limit], his sword mastery had skyrocketed and had already reached the 50 points of level 3.


    Another 50 points, and his swordsmanship would reach level 4, which was synonymous with being a sword saint in the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.

 Chapter 216 - 216: The curtains of the show finally open

    Another 50 points, and his sword mastery would reach level 4, which was synonymous with being a sword saint in the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle.


    Most of the great knights of the kingdom did not reach this level, due to the lack of teaching and resources to improve in this area.


    But now, after their duel, Maxime realized that he was still below Alaric''s level.


    The level of the top 5 knights in the kingdom was clearly not there for show.


    He must have been dangerously close to level 4.


    By instinct, Maxime would say that Alaric must have approximately 80 level 3 sword mastery points.


    The two continued to chat for a while as they made their way to the communal dining hall of the Purple Knight Academy.


    There, Maxime ate with Alaric and some apprentice knights.


    Including Tomas, Th��o, Lila and Caleb, who had accompanied him to defend that famous village against the orcs.


    The same village where they had almost all died, but thanks to the new talent [Awakening of Life] and the arrival of Count Ardan, they had narrowly escaped death.


    The meal passed quickly and in good humor.


    It was only after nightfall that Maxime was finally able to see all his men in the dormitory of the final year students.


    Fortunately, the latter were obviously still on a mission, which left room for all his mercenaries.


    Otherwise, with their numbers, they would have had to go to the hostel to sleep.


    Behind the dormitory for final-year students, there was a large training ground reserved for them.


    So Maxime took the opportunity to gather his men on the training ground and break the news to them.


    Maxime stood in the center of the training ground, his gaze determined, while his men formed a semicircle in front of him.


    The expressions on some of their faces betrayed a slight concern, while others showed eager enthusiasm.


    He took a deep breath before speaking in a clear and confident tone.


    "I have an important announcement to make."


    A respectful silence immediately fell. His mercenaries knew that he never spoke lightly.


    "I met the king of this Kingdom, Arthur Ravenwood, and was able to talk to him."


    The mercenaries'' faces changed very slightly. Although they had all suspected as much, they still found it incredible that a mercenary without status could meet and talk with the king.


    For them, almost all of whom were simple former villagers, the very existence of the king seemed so distant that they thought the chance of meeting a dragon would be higher.


    Only Duke Devron''s older men seemed less disturbed by the news.


    Living in the capital, they had already seen the king on several occasions.


    "And the king, Arthur Ravenwood, has entrusted me with a territory."


    For a moment, there was no reaction, as if his words had not yet sunk in. Then, murmurs ran through the men of the mercenary group.


    Some exchanged surprised looks, others frowned.


    Andrew folded his arms and asked in a calm voice:


    "A territory? Does that mean you''re going to become a nobleman then?"


    Maxime shook his head.


    "Not exactly. It will be an independent territory, so whether or not there is nobility there is still a question."


    "An independent territory?" Laura couldn''t help but repeat out loud.


    "Does that mean you''ll be a king?" she continued aloud.


    On hearing this, everyone''s thoughts began to wander in all directions.


    "Maybe? I don''t know myself how we can name this territory, and what its status will be," Maxime replied.


    Laura''s eyes lit up.


    "If our future territory becomes a kingdom, that means you''ll be a king... And there''s no king without a queen, right?"


    Everyone looked at Laura, with a common thought:


    "Ah, so that''s what she was getting at..."


    Terry took a step forward.


    "But... we''re mercenaries, aren''t we?" His gaze shone with a mixture of excitement and perplexity.


    "If we settle down, does that mean we''ll stop fighting?"


    A slight smile stretched Maxime''s lips.


    "Of course not. But instead of being simple hired swords, we will be much more than that. We will have an army, an economy, infrastructure. We will no longer be at the mercy of other people''s contracts. We will be our own masters."


    The excitement rose a notch among the mercenaries. Some nodded approvingly, others still seemed hesitant.


    Ernest, calmer than the others, asked:


    "And this territory... Where exactly is it? How big is it? And above all, what are the king''s conditions for offering such a thing?"


    Rodrigo was also looking very seriously at Maxime.


    Both of them, as former princes, were much less naive than the others. Land and people were the two most important things in the world in the eyes of the nobles.


    There was no way they could give this to someone who wasn''t related to them and without something in return.


    There had to be something their leader hadn''t told them yet.


    Maxime looked very serious at that moment.


    Everyone became much calmer and they looked attentively at Maxime.


    "Most of you already know the owner of our future territory... It''s Baron Barthon."


    Everyone was surprised to hear this. Even the mercenaries who had joined Maxime after Plouta left, because the mercenaries talked to each other.


    Naturally, everyone knew Baron Barthon, especially since Maxime had already mentioned him several times.


    Most of them thought to themselves:


    "Fate really does work in mysterious ways."


    For them it was a coincidence, except for a few who had their doubts, such as Ernest, Rodrigo and Tena.


    It was not so easy to dismiss a nobleman, and above all, for a king, it was extremely important to retain the loyalty of his vassals.


    Because no king was safe from a revolt or a coup d''��tat.


    Giving away a noble''s territory was one of the worst decisions a king could make, because it would chill the hearts of the other nobles in the kingdom.


    Because, since it had happened once, it could happen a second or a third time.


    Who could guarantee that they wouldn''t be next?


    "So the first thing is to defeat Baron Barthon, but that was already planned so it''s not particularly troublesome. What''s really important will come after we''ve defeated the baron."


    Maxime gave the mercenaries a little time to digest what he had just said before continuing.


    "This future territory will serve as a source of finance and manpower for our group of mercenaries to take back some of the orcs'' territory and defend it. In short, we are going to become a wall for the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle."


    Rodrigo and Ernest looked at each other. Being princes, albeit miserable ones, they knew what it meant:


    The kingdom was no longer capable of defending itself. The king had reached the point of giving territory to a mercenary to reduce the pressure on the Kingdom and free up men to transfer them to other places that needed reinforcements.


    "So the kingdom is in such a bad way?" Rodrigo whispered, low enough for only Ernest to hear.


    "I imagine... It must only be a matter of time before it collapses," Ernest replied, also in a low voice.


    "Yet I had heard that the king, Arthur Ravenwood, was a very talented and capable king. It''s really strange..."


    It wasn''t just them, Tena and other rather intelligent mercenaries found it really very strange.


    Although most of them had never seen the king, they had all heard of his reputation and his prowess on the battlefield.


    Maxime naturally overheard some of the murmurs of his mercenaries.


    "It doesn''t matter whether the kingdom is in trouble or not, the kingdom has given us a mission with such a high reward that it is almost unimaginable for other groups of mercenaries."


    "We will seize this opportunity to improve the strength of our mercenary group but also to improve the lives of every person who will live in our future lands."


    While Maxime continued to announce the stakes and the new motivations that he and his mercenaries will have in the future, elsewhere something was happening.


    ... S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Barthon, with an impassive gaze, observed his vast secret training camp from the balcony of a raised building. It was the tallest building in the entire training camp.


    The biting cold of twilight could be felt, but he didn''t care. His physique easily protected him from this kind of temperature.


    In front of him, hundreds of apprentice knights tirelessly repeated the sequences they had been taught, while 2,000 soldiers carried out precise maneuvers under the orders of the captains.


    Behind the baron, a dozen or so knights stood at attention, silent, awaiting his orders.


    All of them were extremely confident, and it showed in their posture.


    Some were eager to fight, while others seemed bored at the idea of facing the weak.


    But in any case, their loyalty was unshakeable because they all drew their strength from the baron''s generosity.


    Without this, there would still only be 2 or 3 knights in the territory.


    But that wasn''t all, it was also because they were all equally deeply convinced by the strength of their lord.


    Not one of them could resist a few moves from the baron, who was giving it his all.


    Baron Barthon folded his arms and took a deep breath before slowly turning to face his men. His piercing gaze lingered on each of them, weighing them up and showing no mercy.


    "The time has come."


    A shiver ran through the knights, not of fear, but of contained excitement. They knew what it meant.


    Even the most bored were excited, because even if they thought they wouldn''t have much to do, the fact was that very interesting things were going to happen.


    Just like a show that finally opened its curtains after a long wait, it was inevitable that a certain excitement would arise.


    "Baron Irut is just an insignificant insect. Three knights, including him, dare to call themselves lords and have the same status as us."


    "And yet this simple insect allied himself with a group of mercenaries and dared to resist us. Even today, this group of mercenaries is still well established in Plouta and defends the village."


    "This same group of mercenaries not only killed many apprentice knights under my command, but also destroyed the band of bandits that I had raised with such care and in whom I had invested so much."


    "All must submit to this lord or die."


    As he said this, Baron Barthon''s eyes gleamed with greed.


    He sensed that this group of mercenaries had to be hiding something, otherwise there was no way that his apprentice knights and his group of bandits could die at the hands of young mercenaries.


    He had seen their captain for himself, and already at the time had sensed that this young man was hiding something.


    It was just a shame that his assassination attempt at the very beginning had failed, and that since then, this group of mercenaries had become much stronger.


    But he still thought he could easily crush this group of mercenaries by sending one or two knights.


    "At the same time, we will prove to the king and the kingdom that our military strength is far greater than that of the surrounding barons, and that we deserve to rule over all of them."


    His tone was implacable, without the slightest hesitation. He expected neither approval nor questions.


    "Gather our troops. We will leave at dawn."


    He turned around and looked back at the camp below. The army was ready, disciplined, ruthless. The knights behind were confident.


    This battle would be a formality.

 Chapter 217 - 217: Confirmation of rumors

    This battle would be a mere formality.


    ...


    When dawn began to paint the horizon, the camp of the Purple Knight Academy was still plunged in semi-darkness.


    In the dormitory of the senior students, the mercenaries were all already awake except for a few who liked to sleep.


    But of course, the latter were shaken awake by other mercenaries until they finally woke up, grumbling.


    Everyone began to prepare their belongings for departure.


    This ranged from going to wash their belongings in the academy''s water well to sharpening their swords with whetstones available in the dormitory.


    It was obviously a must-have in a knight''s academy.


    And all the mercenaries were well versed in the technique of sharpening their swords:


    First, you had to wet your whetstone by immersing it in water for about 10 to 20 minutes.


    A whetstone generally has one thicker side and one thinner side. You had to start with the thick side to sharpen the blade and make sure that the whetstone was placed on a solid and secure base, so that it wouldn''t slip.


    After that, it was necessary to move the blade along the thick side of the whetstone at a constant angle. Generally 20 degrees for their swords.


    There were still a few more steps to be taken, notably using the thinner side of the whetstone.


    When the blade was sharp enough, it had to be rinsed and wiped with a towel.


    Finally, it was necessary to let the whetstone dry until it was completely dry before putting it away.


    There was therefore a technique to learn in order to sharpen one''s sword properly, but after doing it a few times, it became a rather simple routine to perform.


    Other mercenaries were simply busy grooming themselves. With their wages, they could all afford to buy a few products for brushing their teeth and washing and styling their hair.


    This type of product was very common, but the main customers were fairly well-off. Most villagers could not afford to buy these products, or only used them once a week, at the most.


    City dwellers, however, could more easily afford to consume this product, and could consume it more regularly than villagers.


    While his mercenaries were busy, Maxime took the opportunity to get some fresh air and do a little training to warm up for the day.


    But surprisingly, he was not the only one out at that hour.


    Three men wearing light clothing were already practicing the art of the sword, their swords reflecting the faint light of the rising morning.


    Not far from them, their majestic griffins, creatures as imposing as they were fearsome, were resting peacefully, their wings folded and their claws motionless on the stone floor.


    They were clearly men of the royal guard.


    "They''re up pretty early. But I guess no matter what world you''re in, without effort, no matter how talented you are, it''s impossible to reach the top."


    "These guards, being part of the elite of the kingdom''s elite, all have to have such discipline."


    Maximus, wearing his reinforced leather armor, lingered for a moment near the griffins. He observed their powerful muscles quivering beneath their plumage, the fineness of their sharp beaks, and the quiet majesty they exuded just by lying on the ground.


    How majestic it must be to ride such a creature and feel the speed and power of flight.


    For a moment, he even wondered if he shouldn''t go back to the king and ask to join the royal guard instead of getting a territory.


    The salary would be generous and as one of the kingdom''s strong men, the risk of losing his life would be relatively low.


    "Maybe I should have been a little more ambitious and asked the king to give me a griffin in addition to the territory?"


    "Hmm... would I have seemed too greedy if I did that? After all, a territory is worth much more than a griffin."


    While Maxime was daydreaming, the three knights of the royal guard noticed him and approached with a friendly smile.


    But Maxime didn''t recognize any of them, the two knights he had met the previous evening and who guarded the king, always having to sleep or be occupied with other things.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" asked one of them, a veteran in his forties with a long beard, while noticing Maxime''s gaze fixed on the griffins.


    The other two who were following were slightly younger, looking to be in their thirties.


    "Oh, and I''m being rude. My name is Kael and the two who are with me are Rita and Tamor." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime shook the hand that Kael held out to him, as well as those of Rita and Tamor, who also gave him a welcoming smile.


    "Nice to meet you, my name is Maxime. And yes, it''s true that to be impressive, he''s really impressive." Maxime replied honestly.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have daydreamed for a moment about joining the royal guard to obtain such a majestic mount.


    It wasn''t just in Eternity, even summoning such a beast on a dimensional battlefield or in the real world, could only cause a sensation.


    Kael nodded, running an affectionate hand over the neck of his mount, which was sleeping nearby, and the latter emitted a slight growl of satisfaction at the feel of its owner''s hand.


    "They are our most loyal allies, and we consider them members of our family. Without them, our fighting power would be drastically reduced and, above all, we would never be as mobile as we are today."


    Maxime continued to look at the griffin next to him while listening to the bearded knight speak.


    "The relationship you have with your griffins and what they allow you to do is certainly enviable."


    Rita, who noticed that mercenaries were leaving the dormitory one after the other, changed the subject and asked:


    "Are you leaving already? Dawn has barely broken."


    Maxime nodded.


    "Yes, we have to make a detour before returning to our base. In order not to waste time, we have to get up early." he replied with a smile.


    The royal guard''s opinion of Maxime improved by a few points.


    Knowing that the royal guard''s impression of him was already positive. The two guardsmen who had seen him enter the room where the king and Count Ardan were and had already discussed what they had seen with other members of the royal guard.


    It was said that a young man with blond hair, who was also the captain of a group of mercenaries, had caught the king''s attention.


    And that alone meant a lot.


    "And if I may ask, where are you going?" added Kael, intrigued.


    Maxime had nothing to hide, especially from the king''s men, so he told them directly about the detour he was planning to take.


    "We''re going to Kadis Mountain."


    Kael, Rita and Tamor all frowned at this announcement.


    "The mountain of Kadis, eh? You''d better be careful. Our griffins detected a threat there a few days ago."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, immediately intrigued.


    "A threat? What kind?"


    "Hard to say." admitted the knight with a shrug.


    Tamor, who had been standing back until now, began to explain.


    "Griffins have much keener senses than humans, and they sensed an unusual presence. And what I can say is that if they reacted, it''s because there is definitely something out there that can threaten them."


    "But since it didn''t have the power to scare them, we didn''t go to investigate."


    Maxime nodded slowly, but in his mind he was very excited.


    This meant that the villagers'' rumors were based on something real!


    "Thanks for the warning." he replied seriously, hiding his excitement.


    He couldn''t tell them he was going for this mysterious threat, otherwise it would raise questions on their part.


    And he didn''t want to explain anything, especially when it had to do with talents or classes.


    There was only the downside of his talent [Nox Limit], which he didn''t care about anymore.


    Clearly, it was going to become increasingly easy for those with a modicum of knowledge and intelligence, which he possessed, to use talent, valuable resources, ancient techniques or even magic to have so many strong men in his group of mercenaries.


    And clearly, Maxime preferred that people guess part of the truth about this talent, because a talent could neither be copied nor stolen.


    This also reduced the threats. But if some people thought he had a treasure or valuable techniques, then that could be the beginning of some problems.


    And that was bound to happen in the future, so the goal was to become strong enough quickly to counter these future threats.


    "We will remain on our guard." Maxime continued to reply, in order to reassure the knights of the royal guard.


    Maxime and the knights of the royal guard continued to talk for a while, until the majority of the Saber-toothed Tigers'' mercenaries were already present in the vicinity.


    Sensing that the time had come to say goodbye, Kael once again extended his hand.


    "Pleased to meet you, Maxime. Take care, and have a safe journey." he concluded with a smile.


    Maxime shook it firmly.


    "The pleasure is mutual. Take care of yourselves too, the orcs are certainly not weak and obviously they won''t stop their attacks for a few months yet." replied Maxime with a sincere smile, before turning away to rejoin his men.


    At that moment, the apprentice knights and the academy instructors were slowly waking up, but Maxime''s mercenaries were all wide awake, their gear ready and their weapons checked.


    Without another word, Maxime gave the signal to depart.


    The group moved off slowly but this time without horses, since the previous ones had all belonged to Count Ardan.


    Aveline, who was surprisingly awake, watched the group leave with a certain reluctance from a room high up. She had befriended many mercenaries along the way, and would have liked to have accompanied them.


    But with her noble status and as the only heir of Count Ardan, it was completely impossible.


    She was mature enough not to do anything stupid. After all, the inhabitants of her father''s territory would be counting on her to provide for them in the future.


    The knights of the royal guard also watched the departure of the mercenaries. Two of their colleagues approached them, clearly having already been awake for a while.


    "What are you guys looking at?"


    Kael, Rita and Tamor turned to their colleagues.


    "These mercenaries, and particularly their captain, they''re really very interesting." Kael replied with a mysterious smile.

 Chapter 218 - 218: A guide came out of nowhere

    "These mercenaries, and particularly their captain, are really very interesting," replied Kael with a mysterious smile.


    But a few almost imperceptible drops of sweat were running down his back.


    "Oh, what makes you say that, Kael?" asked one of the two newly arrived knights.


    "Ira, my griffin, although pretending to be asleep, was clearly telling me to watch out for this young captain."


    The two newly arrived knights of the royal guard were truly surprised. But they all knew that a griffin''s senses were very sharp, being able to spot danger from several kilometers away very easily.


    "Irfa told me the same thing."


    "The same goes for Ita."


    The respective words of Rita and Tamor confirmed everyone''s doubts.


    All their griffins, who all seemed to be sleeping and harmless, were in fact ready to fight at the slightest sign of aggression from the young mercenary captain.


    "And it wasn''t just the captain, there were also two mercenaries who were at our level..."


    "That group of mercenaries is really scary."


    As Kael finished his sentence, he sighed.


    The two knights of the royal guard, who had not seen Maxime, were really surprised.


    "I wonder how he got that burn on his face, it''s really scary," Kael thought silently.


    "This kid must have been through a lot before he got to this point..."


    ...


    As the sun rose, the Sabertooth Tigers mercenaries finally left the grounds of the Purple Knights Academy.


    Time passed quickly.


    Without horses, they still advanced quickly thanks to their powerful physiques, their equipment still securely fastened to their backs and their weapons carefully stowed away.


    Some of the mercenaries, especially those who had slept a little longer, were still in the process of fully emerging from their torpor.


    Others, on the other hand, were already wide awake, especially when thinking back to the majestic creatures they had seen earlier.


    They were all close to each other, so as soon as someone spoke, everyone could hear them.


    "Did you see those griffins?" exclaimed Terry, while adjusting the strap on his armor.


    "I''ve never been so jealous in my life. If one day I could ride such a beast, it would mean that I had really succeeded in life."


    "I believe in you, and I think you''ll get there one day." said Lira, who was walking right next to him, while winking at him.


    Everyone knew about their relationship, so it didn''t surprise anyone.


    "I wonder how many griffins they have in the Kingdom?" Rodrigo asked out loud, with a certain nonchalance.


    Ernest, who was nearby and who was carrying a bow on his back and a sword at his waist, shared his information.


    "While Maxime was talking to the king, I was talking to a knight named Tamor, and he told me that there were less than 100 griffins in the Kingdom, and even that was counting young griffins and also those that were too old to be ridden."


    "In their royal guard, there seem to be 50 in total, most of whom are always based in Hivernia to protect the capital at the sign of any attack."


    "They are also very mobile, so some of them can come to the aid of a major city very quickly."


    But Romuald disagreed with Ernest''s last sentence.


    "Um... You''re right, they''ll only go to towns where there are nobles. You''ll never see them in small villages."


    Andrew, who was also nearby, had already thought about this question with other mercenaries.


    "It''s not as if they were the ones choosing where to go, they are always under the orders of the king, and I imagine that they are always under close surveillance, particularly by the enemies of the kingdom."


    "So ironically, despite their mobility, it must be the unity of the kingdom that travels the least outside the capital."


    "They won''t go to the rescue of small villages in case it''s a trap hiding an ambush. The value of a knight and a griffin is much higher than an ordinary village. So much so that losing several elite griffins and knights would reduce the power of our kingdom by one or two points."


    It pained Andrew to say it, but he sincerely meant what he said.


    But something in Andrew''s words made Laura smile.


    "Our kingdom? We will soon have our own territory, so you will soon no longer belong to the Kingdom of the Frost Eagle."


    "That''s true." Andrew replied immediately, with a sincere and optimistic smile.


    Despite the fact that he had lost everything that fateful day, he had gained a band of brothers in arms and a promising future.


    That was enough motivation for him to keep moving forward, to live and to dream.


    Many mercenaries were in the same situation, most of them having no family left or having fallen out with theirs.


    "In any case, it''s not surprising that they are reserved for the royal guard." Langus added, with a certain longing.


    As a child, he dreamed of joining this famous elite troop. But after suffering the torture of Duke Devron''s training, he only hoped to return alive after each mission.


    It was only by joining Maxime''s group of mercenaries that he finally began to regain his zest for life, as did Kaite and the apprentice knights who accompanied them.


    From now on, even without the [absolute contract], he would no doubt continue to follow the Saber-toothed Tigers. The future was simply too promising; only an idiot would turn down such an opportunity.


    "Sure, with a mount like that, you could wipe out an enemy troop of apprentice knights without even touching the ground." Kaite continued, with a certain envy.


    The griffons perfectly matched the image of the ideal knight she had in her head.


    Her ideal man in her life would have to have a mount as majestic as a griffin, and preferably one that he could also offer her.


    That way, they could both fly through the sky together.


    Even when they started their own family, their mounts would also give birth to a family.


    That way, their children could ride their griffins'' young.


    It was the perfect image of what she imagined for her future.


    She was only 32, so she had not given up hope of this dream, and it seemed even more attainable after joining the Sabertooth Tigers.


    "Don''t get your hopes up. Even if you all had a griffin, you wouldn''t have a chance of riding it without training for years." replied Piedro, a Quesso? veteran.


    "It''s not just a question of sitting down and holding the reins, these animals have to accept you."


    Everyone looked strangely at Piedro.


    Andrew finally said what everyone was thinking:


    "Since when have you been so smart?"


    There was a moment''s silence, before a vein seemed to burst from Piedro''s forehead.


    "Fuck you, Andrew."


    Maxime, who had been listening while walking at the head of the group, gave a slight smile.


    The group continued to advance, and the discussions faded away little by little as they left the plain to approach a steeper area. After several hours of walking, as the sun had already risen high in the sky, they saw a village nestled below the mountain of Kadis.


    As soon as they crossed the village gate, a palpable tension invaded the air.


    The women grabbed their children and forced them to go home when they saw the troop of mercenaries approaching.


    Some of the men, although continuing with their activities, gave the group suspicious looks. Their eyes showed increased vigilance, and several of them instinctively placed their hands on the handles of their tools or improvised weapons they had nearby.


    Maxime immediately sensed the hostility in the air. He signaled to his men to remain calm and silent, not wanting to make the situation worse.


    "Stay calm and don''t provoke anyone." he whispered to his group.


    "We''ll buy what we need and leave."


    "Yes, boss!"


    His men dispersed in accordance with his orders, going to buy warm clothes and equipment, taking advantage of the few shops available in this isolated village. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime had inquired, and this village was known to be both a supply point and a gateway to Kadis Mountain.


    Because there were dirt paths that had formed naturally over time, which allowed hunters to find their way.


    Without them, it was easy to get lost in the mountains.


    Meanwhile, Maxime, accompanied by about twenty of his men, crossed the village and left, waiting for the rest of his men to arrive.


    He looked at the majestic mountain in front of him.


    Its peak was so high that it could not be seen from his position.


    The other mercenaries also looked at the mountain ahead, but they were so close that, to be honest, all they could see were trees.


    Then a teenager of about fourteen or fifteen approached, followed by a few dogs barking with boundless energy.


    All the mercenaries who had stayed behind, including Laura, Andrew and 18 others, looked at the young boy with curiosity.


    Few people would dare to approach a group of strangers armed to the teeth.


    Particularly when several of them had frightening faces, due to war wounds.


    "You look like you want to go to the mountains, gentlemen." said the boy excitedly.


    "If that''s the case, I can be your guide."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow, amused by the young man''s audacity.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Chill27."

 Chapter 219 - 219: The importance of a strong character

    "Chill27."


    A silence fell.


    "Chill... what?"


    "Chill27, that''s my nickname." replied the teenager, very seriously.


    "And what does it mean?" asked Maxime, his curiosity piqued by the nickname.


    "It''s my secret." replied Chill27 firmly.


    Maxime didn''t press the point, although he did wonder what the nickname could mean, particularly the number 27.


    "Okay... and what''s your first name, anyway?"


    "My uncle always told me to use a nickname with strangers. Only when you find them trustworthy can you give them your real first name."


    Maxime was amused to hear this. The young teenager was implying very clearly that they were not trustworthy.


    But Maxime didn''t hold it against him, it was even rather logical that he should think that, although it did sound a bit too direct an approach.


    "And do you know why the villagers are so suspicious of us?" Maxime asked, with a certain curiosity.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Chill27 looked at Maxime like he was an idiot.


    "It''s because you don''t have a flag. Without a banner or other distinctive signs, you look like bandits to them." he finally explained calmly.


    Maxime understood immediately. In this world, not showing that you belong somewhere meant being a stranger, and strangers often meant danger.


    But a smile appeared on Maxime''s face, as he became increasingly intrigued by the young teenager in front of him.


    "And you, aren''t you afraid?"


    The boy shrugged.


    "Fear isn''t going to fill my stomach, so I don''t have much choice."


    Maxime laughed out loud. Laura, who was standing nearby, also smiled when she heard these words.


    Although it brought back some bad memories.


    "Very well, Chill27. As soon as we have gathered all our men, you will show us the way."


    On hearing these words, the young teenager held out his palm to him, looking him straight in the eye.


    Although he was bold, Chill27 knew that if he didn''t do this, the guys who hired him might go back on their word.


    "This kid really has a sense of business..." Maxime thought discreetly as he took 10 silver coins out of his pocket and gave them to the boy.


    Seeing the 10 coins sparkling in the palm of his hand, Chill27 was surprised.


    "That much?"


    He had never received such a high reward in the past.


    But he needed the money, so he said nothing. But Maxime saw right through him and sensed his surprise.


    "The mountains are risky, I think it''s a very adequate reward," Maxime explained in a gentle tone.


    The nearby mercenaries said nothing; on the contrary, some of them smiled at the scene.


    Although many of them had initially joined the mercenary group for the money, it wasn''t just their leader''s talent that made them so loyal to the mercenary group.


    It was Maxime''s character. Although he was not without flaws, his qualities more than made up for them. And generosity was one of them.


    For their part, all the mercenaries had a salary of one gold coin, if not a little more depending on what they negotiated with Tena. But very few of them managed to negotiate more than one gold coin in salary with her.


    One gold coin being the income of an ordinary peasant in one year''s work, they were not to be pitied.


    Of course, it was the salary they all deserved, otherwise who would be willing to lick the knife every day?


    While waiting for the mercenaries in the village to do their thing, Maxime decided to find out a little more about this young boy.


    Maxime sat down on a large rock, which meant that Chill27 no longer had to look up to talk; on the contrary, it was now he who was looking down.


    "So, tell me, Chill27... How long have you been a guide?"


    The teenager gave him a strange look.


    "You really ask a lot of questions, sir."


    "I like to get to know the people to whom I entrust part of my life." sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chill27 smiled.


    "That''s a valid reason."


    Then he began to answer Maxime''s previous question.


    "I''ve been a guide since my uncle died. I sometimes accompany the village''s merchants or hunters, but most of the time I''m alone with my dogs."


    When he spoke of his uncle, Maxime detected a hint of sadness in Chill27, but the latter hid it very cleverly.


    Maxime nodded, without dwelling on it any further, then glanced at the three animals surrounding the boy.


    They seemed as alert as they were loyal. One of them, a large, thick-furred mastiff, stared at him intensely as if analyzing his every move.


    "And them? Have you had them long?" asked Maxime, pointing to the dogs by the chin.


    A fleeting smile appeared on Chill27''s face. He leaned down to stroke the muzzle of the largest one, who closed his eyes in contentment.


    "They''re my brothers."


    Maxime raised an eyebrow.


    "Your brothers?"


    "Not by blood, obviously," replied Chill27, laughing and stroking his three dogs, who were standing by his side.


    "But they are my family."


    Maxime could sense the sincerity in the teenager''s words, which made him smile too.


    "When I was little and I used to go with my uncle to the mountains, I got lost once. I was really scared and I couldn''t find my way anymore, especially since we had climbed quite high."


    "As the days went by, I became weaker and weaker, because even though I was pretty good at finding food, it was very difficult to find water. And I quickly ran out of supplies."


    "But when I lay down and thought I was going to die, a dog appeared."


    "At first I was scared, but Malof, my dog now, brought me back down the mountain using his own strength."


    On hearing this story, Maxime was more than astonished. Especially when he looked at the dog, which was no taller than his own ankle.


    "What strength and willpower." he thought, looking at the dog in question, who seemed particularly innocent at that moment.


    "Since that day, he has never left me."


    As he said this, Chill27 looked particularly happy and proud of his dog.


    "Later, I found my second and third dogs in the Kadis mountains, and like Malof, as soon as I found them, they decided to stay with me."


    At first, it could have been just a good story mixed with luck, but hearing what happened next, Maxime had a hunch.


    "It''s strange, could he have a talent for animals, and especially for dog breeds?" he thought silently, observing the teenager in front of him.


    Then he looked at the dogs, and observed them more closely.


    And he noticed something very surprising.


    These dogs were nothing like the classic village animals, and yet he had seen many. They were powerfully muscled, their eyes were lively, and they had a special intelligence in their gaze.


    "They look like they''ve been well trained."


    "I train them myself, every day. These mountains do not forgive the weak," replied Chill27 immediately.


    Hearing these words from a young boy, Maxime was slightly surprised.


    Then he smiled, mixed with a little bitterness. This teenager, despite his young age, already seemed to have the mentality of a survivor.


    Obviously, the death of his uncle, who was also the only person who had raised him, meant that his maturity had developed much faster than normal.


    Before Maxime could say anything else, one of the dogs barked softly, looking up towards the entrance to the village.


    Maxime turned his gaze and saw his men gradually returning, some carrying bags full of provisions and new equipment.


    He sat up and placed a hand on the teenager''s shoulder.


    "Well, it looks like it''s time to go."


    The mercenaries returning from the village began to slow down when they saw a young boy at their leader''s side.


    "It looks like the boss and Laura are now parents..." Charles muttered to the other mercenaries nearby.


    "I hear you, Charles," said Maxime loudly and curtly.


    On hearing his name, Charles froze momentarily before giving an embarrassed laugh.


    "Haha, it was just a joke, boss."


    But he was secretly thinking:


    "Damn, the boss''s physique is really terrifying to have such hearing."


    But Maxime wasn''t the only one who had heard that. Jean, who had the wind as his talent, also heard Charles'' words and started to laugh.


    Some mercenaries nearby whispered to Jean to share what Charles had said, but at a glance from Maxime, they all froze momentarily before backing away, as if they hadn''t asked for anything.


    A silence fell.


    "If you get lost in the mountains, don''t count on me to sniff your ass and find you."


    Chill27 knew that the young man not far away must have been laughing at him, although he hadn''t heard anything. Naturally, he wasn''t going to take that lying down.


    His words momentarily stopped the mercenaries who had just arrived from following in their footsteps.


    Then most of the mercenaries burst out laughing.


    "The boy has courage." said Romuald, putting his hand on Charles'' shoulder as if to console him.


    Charles rolled his eyes before smiling and saying,


    "We won''t get lost if we have a good guide."


    Chill27 also smiled when he heard Charles'' answer.


    He was used to spending time with provocative people, and he had become provocative himself because otherwise the strong men didn''t trust him.


    You really had to have a quick tongue.


    Otherwise, without the trust of his ''clients'', accidents could easily happen. In the very beginning, this happened often, as he didn''t have much character.


    However, at that time, he didn''t have a nickname, so his ''clients'' couldn''t make fun of him about it.


    His young age was more than enough to ensure he wasn''t taken seriously.


    He didn''t have a nickname at the beginning because a particular event had not yet happened, and despite much thought, he couldn''t find a nickname that suited him.


    But in any case, he had learned to defend himself with his words, since it wasn''t possible to do so with his weak physical strength.


    It was difficult at first, but as time went by, he gained in conviction and self-confidence.


    So much so that when he found his nickname and announced it for the first time, he had no trouble gaining the trust of the men he was guiding that day.


    Of course, he could also defend himself with his dogs. He himself knew how ferocious his dogs could be.


    But even if his dogs were strong, they weren''t necessarily as strong as well-equipped men. And if, by some misfortune, his dogs were injured through his fault, he would feel enormous remorse.


    Maximus, who had been watching the scene with amusement, raised a hand to calm his men.


    "Enough joking. Chill27 knows the mountain better than anyone here. You''d better listen to him, otherwise you risk losing your life."


    His tone was not threatening, but there was no doubt in his voice.


    The mercenaries stopped laughing, realizing that their leader was only half joking.


    Soon, led by Chill27 and Maxime, who was standing right next to him, the group of forty men or so entered the forest that lined the sides of the mountain.

 Chapter 220 - 220: The mysterious creature makes its appearance

    Soon, led by Chill27 and Maxime, who was standing right next to him, the group of about forty men entered the forest that lined the sides of the mountain.


    The trees, huge and twisted by the wind, formed a dense canopy above them, filtering the sunlight into a mosaic of green and golden hues.


    The air was more humid, laden with the smell of moss and earth, and every step raised dead leaves that crunched under their boots.


    The mercenaries advanced in silence, aware of the strangeness of the place. Occasionally, a rustle in the bushes caught their attention, but it was only rodents or small birds fleeing their presence.


    Yet a tension hung in the air, an impression that the forest was watching them, testing their resolve.


    Chill27 led the way, closely followed by his dogs. Their gait was fluid, almost instinctive, as if they had known these paths forever. They had no trouble avoiding the snare-like roots and crevices hidden under the damp leaves.


    Maxime, for his part, began, as time went by, to allow himself to be distanced by the young teenager. Even if he had good perception, it was not infallible, so he preferred to stay slightly behind.


    After several hours of walking, the boy glanced at Maxime, curiosity shining in his innocent eyes.


    "By the way, you haven''t told me, but what exactly are you looking for?" he asked in a neutral tone.


    Maxime did not slow down. His gaze remained fixed in front of him.


    "We just have to reach the top, don''t worry about anything else."


    Chill27 didn''t quite understand why this mercenary leader didn''t want to explain, when he had seemed so approachable before.


    But since that was how it was, he wasn''t going to insist.


    However, as he continued to move forward, his expression became more hesitant. He regularly glanced towards the top of the mountain, as if he expected to see something there.


    He had heard rumors about a monster in the mountain, and as a professional, he would pay close attention to this kind of rumor.


    Even if the possibility that a monster really existed was slim, he didn''t want to risk his life on that probability.


    Especially since there was no smoke without fire.


    The hours passed and the air grew colder. The forest thickened, and the tree trunks seemed to twist even more, their gnarled branches stretching like claws towards the sky.


    As if the forest wanted to swallow up the mercenaries and never let them leave again.


    A light mist snaked between the roots, giving the place an almost unreal appearance.


    Then, suddenly, Chill27 stopped.


    His dogs had frozen, their ears pricked, their muscles tensed like bows ready to relax.


    Maxime frowned.


    "What''s going on?"


    The boy turned to him, visibly uncomfortable.


    "I won''t go any further."


    The mercenaries exchanged surprised looks.


    Maxime narrowed his eyes.


    "Why?"


    Chill27 hesitated for a moment before answering.


    "There are rumors. For several months now, people have been saying that a terrifying beast lurks at the summit. Those who approach it... don''t come back."


    Silence fell over the group. Only the distant rustling of the forest could be heard.


    "I won''t risk my life or that of my dogs for a little money."


    There was no exaggerated fear in his voice, only a cold and sincere resolution.


    Maxime watched the boy. He didn''t seem to be lying or trying to negotiate a better reward. He was genuinely convinced that continuing was a mistake.


    The mercenaries remained impassive, but the young teenager''s words reassured them.


    They were not making this journey for nothing. But it also increased the pressure and vigilance of each of them.


    Maxime took a last look at the top of the mountain, hidden by the mist, before resting his eyes on Chill27.


    "Very well. Then we will continue alone."


    Chill27 didn''t reply immediately. He looked at his dogs, then at Maxime, as if he wanted to say something more... but in the end he just nodded.


    "Be careful."


    Then, without another word, he turned around, his dogs following him.


    The group watched him disappear into the fog.


    The silence grew thicker around them as Chill27 disappeared into the fog with his dogs. Even those who had been in the mood for laughter earlier now seemed tense.


    Maxime looked back at the path winding its way up to the summit. The mist seemed denser here, as if the mountain itself were trying to mask what awaited them.


    "Let''s continue." he said firmly.


    The mercenaries nodded, tightening their grip on their weapons. Tension hung in the air, muted and invisible, as if something were watching them through the forest around them.


    The path became steeper, the stones under their feet becoming treacherous and slippery. The wind was blowing harder, whistling through the trees like an unintelligible murmur.


    At times, a distant rumbling could be heard, but it was impossible to know if it was a storm in the distance... or something else.


    They soon found strange marks on the tree trunks. Deep gashes, as if something gigantic had sunk its claws into them.


    "What kind of beast can make such gigantic marks?" whispered Jean, the first to have noticed this peculiarity on the trees.


    Even Maxime began to wonder if this beast might be beyond their reach, and that by going there, he might risk the annihilation of his group of mercenaries.


    "Maybe we should turn back." said Kaite, his eyes narrowed with concern.


    "Kaite is right," continued Langus. "No matter how strong and useful an animal may be, it is not worth sacrificing some of our men for."


    Hearing these words, the mercenaries who had been in the mercenary group for a long time looked at Langus with fierce eyes.


    Andrew looked slightly at Langus and said:


    "Since when is it your turn to speak and tell the boss how to do things?"


    The Saber-toothed Tigers were a group of mercenaries that had long since broken away from stereotypical mercenary groups.


    Normally, in a mercenary group, there was a leader, but everyone could give their opinion. And if the majority did not agree with certain decisions of the leader, then the leader could only go back on the decisions concerned.


    But it wasn''t like that with the Sabertooth Tigers. Maxime was extremely respected and, even if it wasn''t always obvious, many mercenaries were extremely loyal.


    If Maxime told them to jump into a suicidal battle, they would do it anyway. They trusted their leader.


    And all the battles they had fought so far had reinforced that belief.


    Of course, everyone could always express their opinion in the group, but when a mercenary who was only loyal because of a contract gave an opinion contrary to their leader as if it were obvious, naturally most of the mercenaries took it badly.


    "A slave has no say in the leader''s decisions," Andrew continued, before continuing to walk.


    Langus felt as if someone had just poured a bucket of cold water over his face.


    He opened his mouth to say something, but seeing the fierce look on some of the mercenaries'' faces, he closed it again and said nothing.


    Maxime agreed with what Andrew was saying.


    His mercenaries all had the right to speak, but when it came to decision-making, it had to remain firmly in his hands.


    This limit absolutely must not be crossed.


    So Maxime completely ignored Langus, but he turned and replied to Kaite, who was merely sharing a concern:


    "If this beast is really too strong, I''ll hold it back and you''ll escape together."


    Kaite nodded, and understood with Andrew''s reminder that even if they were part of the mercenary group, as long as they had this contract, they would never have the full trust of the other mercenaries.


    They would always be different.


    Ironically, their former men were better perceived than the two of them, even though they were knights that everyone desired and respected.


    But in this group of mercenaries, it seemed that although strength was extremely important, loyalty was just as important.


    Without it, no matter how strong you were, it seemed impossible to gain the trust and respect of the other mercenaries.


    The ascent continued in an oppressive silence, broken only by the sound of footsteps on the stones and the increasing gusts of wind.


    The mist grew thicker as they climbed, reducing their visibility to a few meters. This only accentuated the oppressive silence, but also made everyone more vigilant.


    As they climbed, the trees became scarcer, replaced by strangely shaped piles of rocks, sculpted by centuries of violent winds.


    The group advanced cautiously. Every noise, every rustle in the vegetation put them on alert.


    "There are no more birds singing..." whispered a mercenary.


    He was right. For some time now, the mountain had been plunged into an abnormal silence. Not a sound of an animal, not a rustle of insects. As if all life had vanished.


    Then they came across a corpse.


    It was a deer, or at least what was left of it. Its carcass had been reduced to shreds. Its broken ribs opened up like a torn-open cage.


    Impressive fang marks were visible on its bones, and its skull had been split in two like an eggshell.


    "What the hell is that?" whispered Terry as he took a step back.


    Maxime did not reply. He simply gritted his teeth and raised his hand to signal to everyone to be on their guard. There was only one creature capable of this kind of carnage on this mountain.


    And it was the one they were looking for.


    Maxime could feel the adrenaline coursing through his body. He knew his goal was close.


    Soon, they reached the top of the mountain, and strangely, there was a dark cave in front of them.


    As Maxime pondered whether to enter alone or take his men with him, the wind suddenly howled, causing the rocks to shake and raising a cloud of dust in the surrounding area.


    Then a sound was heard. A dull, steady beat that resonated in the air like the beating of a war drum. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No... They weren''t drums.


    It was the sound of wings flapping in the air.


    Something was moving above them.


    Maxime looked up at the thick mist that covered the summit. At first he saw nothing, but a gigantic shadow gradually took shape, cutting through the fog. A winged creature was slowly hovering, its impressive wingspan hiding part of the sky.


    Then a scream rang out.


    A heart-rending howl that made the air vibrate and made the hairs on the back of all the mercenaries stand on end.


    Langus couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "It''s..."

 Chapter 221 - 221: Capture of the wyvern

    "It''s..."


    "It''s a wyvern." said Langus with a certain fear in his eyes.


    "So there really are still such legendary creatures in the kingdom of the Frost Eagle?" Kaite continued, frowning.


    The wyvern was a two-legged dragon with huge wings, capable of splitting the heavens with lightning speed. Endowed with a sharp and sometimes extremely poisonous tail, it was known for hunting with cunning and ferocity.


    They were literally the absolute masters of the air, so much so that it was said that in the past wyverns fed on griffins. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were surpassed only by a few legendary creatures such as dragons or titans.


    Although not all the mercenaries recognized this monster, everyone knew simply by seeing it that it was an extremely powerful creature.


    It began to descend slowly through the mist, revealing its immense scaly silhouette. Its body was covered with metallic black scales, its eyes gleamed with a wild light.


    Its massive wings folded back abruptly as it swooped straight towards them, opening a mouth bristling with huge fangs.


    "Disperse!" Maxime yelled.


    His men obeyed immediately, and all moved away from each other.


    But of course, the wyvern would not let them get away that easily.


    It flapped its wings furiously and descended with lightning speed.


    Then...


    boom


    A cloud of smoke was created where it landed, the fate of Maxime''s men at that location totally unknown.


    At the same time, the wyvern let out a shrill cry as it got up.


    But instead of trembling in the face of this display of brute force, a smile stretched across the lips of the young mercenary captain.


    It was perfect.


    Since obtaining his new class, he had been waiting for this moment. He knew he could tame fearsome creatures, but he didn''t know how far his abilities extended. And this wyvern was the perfect opportunity, he couldn''t hope for better.


    However, his enthusiasm was tinged with a hint of concern. The beast seemed very powerful, much more than he had imagined.


    If he was not careful, he risked not only his own life, but also that of his mercenaries. And it was out of the question to lose men through overconfidence.


    Among the men whose fate was unknown were Izo and Piedro, as well as two apprentice knights.


    But he did not have time to worry about the fate of his men for long; their silhouettes were soon seen escaping from the smoke screen of dust created by the wyvern.


    Obviously, even elite soldiers would all have died under the wyvern''s attack.


    But his men were mostly at the level of apprentice knights and were therefore already touching on the realm of the extraordinary.


    Naturally, even though the wyvern was an extraordinary being, it had still somewhat underestimated the humans who had invaded its territory.


    But the wyvern let out a second shrill scream when it saw that the humans had survived, and was determined to take them more seriously this time.


    And Maxime knew from what he had heard on Earth that even the weakest wyvern was at the level of a knight in the peak stage.


    Just as griffins had many admirers, wyverns were also the dream mount of many people.


    There was therefore a lot of information about them on the internet.


    Maxime raised his hand.


    "Everyone back off!" he ordered in an imperious voice.


    His men hesitated for a moment, but faced with their leader''s determination, they obeyed and all took a step back.


    Then Maxime stepped forward, swinging his sword on the ground and stretching his hands.


    His bones made a sound like beans being broken, but Maxime felt good.


    Some were surprised to see Maxime advance, unarmed, facing the creature, even though they knew their captain well.


    "A wyvern is really a creature that can be faced with bare hands?" murmured one of the mercenaries.


    "The captain really does live in a different world from ours."


    "He lives in a different world from ours."


    Seeing a human advancing arrogantly towards it, the wyvern was merciless and leapt towards Maxime.


    Its claws, black and sharp as blades, sliced through the air towards Maxime. The latter barely dodged by ducking down before retaliating with a punch loaded with all his strength.


    His fist struck the scaly side of the wyvern.


    There was a dull thud, and the creature was thrown to the side, plowing through the rocky ground with a roar of pain and anger.


    But it did not give up.


    Rising up in a flash, the wyvern lunged at him again, this time trying to grab him with its claws. Maxime dodged several attacks with a precise leap, then with a brutal kick he sent the creature crashing into a rock.


    The fight lasted for several long minutes.


    Maxime struck it again and again, trying to weaken it without inflicting fatal wounds.


    The wyvern fought back furiously, managing to gash his shoulder with one claw and then his chest with another. But Maxime gritted his teeth and took the blows, refusing to back down.


    Mad with rage, the wyvern roared and swung its tail at Maxime.


    He knew that this tail was not poisonous thanks to his knowledge, but he had underestimated it a little during the fight.


    In fact, he had temporarily forgotten that wyverns without poisonous tails were no weaker than those with them. On the contrary, their tail was their strongest limb, with an unusually dense concentration of muscles.


    And the attack was so fast and surprising that Maxime had no time to react and was propelled backwards for several dozen meters, until he landed violently against a rock.


    His body was no harder than a rock, so he was stopped abruptly by the rock and was seriously injured at the same time.


    "Shit, I made a fool of myself this time." Maxime muttered, feeling that several bones in his body had been cracked by the impact.


    In his condition, it was still a question of whether he could get up and walk.


    "Boss!"


    "Captain!"


    The mercenaries in the vicinity were in shock.


    The wyvern clearly wanted to finish Maxime off and pounced on him.


    Noticing the danger, Andrew was the first to react and rush towards Maxime.


    "I won''t make it in time!" Andrew thought anxiously, blaming himself for being too weak and too slow.


    But while the wyvern was only a few meters from Maxime, Langus and Kaite, who were already nearby, propelled themselves from their position.


    And just as the wyvern''s claw was about to tear Maxime in two, Langus and Kaite''s bodies landed on the wyvern''s flank, pushing it to the side and throwing it off balance.


    The charge of two knights who had surpassed the peak stage was not to be underestimated. They were literally two monsters in human form.


    Seeing this scene, Maxime was not desperate and was not panicking at all; he still had an ace up his sleeve.


    "I guess I have no choice but to bring it on now."


    "System, invoke Dravus," he thought to himself.


    [Detection of a creature under contract with the host, named Dravus.]


    [Invocation of the Dravak named Dravus, in progress��]


    Out of nowhere, bursts of blue light appeared in front of Maxime.


    Then, in just a few seconds, the silhouette of a dragon in humanoid form appeared. Its blue scales were visible from afar.


    It turned instinctively towards Maxime, then, seeing his condition, could not help but smile.


    "I only really appear when you are unable to move, boss."


    Maxime shrugged, while the other mercenaries were reassured to have Dravus back among them at last.


    They were second only to their leader, and even then, without [Nox Limit], Dravus was even stronger than their young captain.


    "Capture the beast without hurting it too much, Dravus. It will be my future mount," Maximus explained, in a weak tone.


    Dravus glanced at the Wyvern, which had not dared to move from its position for a while.


    She felt a kind of pressure coming from her lineage, which made her very fearful. And she couldn''t run away for some reason, which immobilized her here.


    "Aye, aye, captain." Dravus replied seriously.


    A new fight then began between Dravus and the wyvern.


    Langus and Kaite stood to the side, not daring to intervene.


    Their captain, who was much stronger than they were, had been seriously injured with a single attack.


    If it were them, they could die instantly if they were subjected to that attack.


    Finally, after only a few minutes of fighting with Dravus, the wyvern began to weaken. Its breathing became shorter and more erratic, while its wings trembled with fatigue.


    Maxime sensed that the moment had come.


    He turned his head towards his mercenaries and shouted:


    "Now! Use the ropes!"


    He still had enough strength to shout that powerful cry, which woke all his mercenaries.


    His men reacted immediately. They rushed over, surrounded the wyvern and unrolled the ropes they had bought in the village.


    Then they threw them over the wyvern, chaining it up with impressive speed and precision.


    The creature struggled violently, but its exhaustion prevented it from putting up any real resistance.


    And above all, with Dravus present, it could only offer token resistance.


    Slowly, she was subdued, her wings and legs immobilized by the tight bonds the mercenaries had made.


    Seeing this, Maxime smiled and looked up at the sky:


    "It''s over, now we just have to see if the skills of my new class really allow me to tame such a ferocious and powerful beast."

 Chapter 222 - 222: First beast tamed (last chapter)

    "It''s over, now we just have to see if the skills of my new class really allow me to tame such a ferocious and powerful beast."


    Indeed, Maxime had always underestimated the strength of this legendary beast. It was clearly a beast that even a great knight would not underestimate.


    Meanwhile, the talent [Awakening of Life] had kicked into high gear in Maxime''s body, and had slightly healed his wounds and some of the pain.


    At least he could walk normally and make his way to the wyvern.


    "Good work, Dravus." Maxime commented as he arrived just in front of the wyvern.


    "No worries." he replied calmly.


    "Thank you Kaite and Langus for your support at the right time," he continued, nodding to his two knights.


    The two responded with a small nod.


    In any case, it was normal to act this way because if Maxime died, they would die too. It was in their best interest to defend him at the risk of their lives.


    Then Maxime placed a hand on the massive skull of the wyvern.


    Seeing that his name was not called, Andrew bit his lips in frustration.


    It had indeed been useless, even though he had been the first to react.


    But at that moment, Maxime did not know about the torment of his young vice-leader.


    His heart was pounding as he activated his power.


    [Beast Link]


    The moment he activated the skill, he found himself in a dark space.


    In front of him, the wyvern''s silhouette appeared, completely towering over him.


    "Is this a battle of wills?" Maxime wondered.


    He really didn''t know what to do with the wyvern in front of him.


    But as he asked himself this question, some information answering his questions appeared in his mind.


    After analyzing them for a moment, he smiled and thought:


    "This skill is really a skill tailor-made for me."


    "Invader, why invade my territory?"


    Surprisingly, a voice came out of the wyvern''s mouth.


    "You can talk?" Maxime asked in surprise.


    "Why shouldn''t I be able to talk?" the wyvern replied immediately with disdain.


    "Obviously, we are in a space created by your mental consciousness, so we are no longer separated by the barriers of language," it continued, still in the same tone.


    "What surprising class, but I imagine that for a class of epic rank this kind of thing is normal," Maxime thought silently.


    The wyvern was still looking at Maxime with fierce eyes at that moment.


    "But you haven''t answered my question, invader."


    "It''s because I came for you." Maxime replied simply, looking up at the wyvern.


    "For me? All I did was steal a few pastures from the humans in the surrounding villages."


    "I always made sure not to disturb them too much or scare them."


    "Why would humans as powerful as you mobilize an elite squad to shoot me down?" As she said this, the wyvern was filled with frustration and hatred.


    Until then, she thought she had hidden well and did not deserve the attention of human beings.


    And indeed, that was the case. Even the griffin knights present nearby did not wish to deal with her.


    At this, Maxime smiled slightly.


    "We are mercenaries, not a squad of elite men mobilized by the kingdom. And to answer your questions, the mere fact that you are alive gives me a reason to take the time to capture you."


    The wyvern was extremely angry when it heard this.


    "The simple fact of being alive? Humans really are the trash they think they are, totally incapable of living in communion with other species."


    "In the past, all the races lived together in peace. But because of you humans and your insatiable desire for power and war, all the races suffered huge losses and the continent was even fragmented into countless parts because of your actions."


    Hearing the wyvern''s words, Maxime was more than surprised. He did not expect to obtain historical information about the history of this world.


    "How do you know all this?"


    "Wyverns are a race with dragon blood, and like dragons, certain memories can be passed down through the blood and generations."


    It was these memories that had made the wyvern hide in the Kadis mountain and deliberately avoid disturbing humans so as not to be hunted down.


    "In any case, know that I have not come to kill you, but to make you a combat partner," Maxime explained, in a tone that was neither arrogant nor humble.


    "I refuse." replied the wyvern, disdainfully.


    "I would rather die than submit to a human weaker than me."


    Maxime sighed at this, then asked rhetorically:


    "Weaker than you?"


    Maxime smiled and activated [Beast Link] again.


    Indeed, it was a skill that had to be activated twice to fully exert its effect.


    When he activated the skill for the second time, two mysterious figures appeared behind Maxime.


    And at the same moment they appeared, the wyvern, due to the pressure exerted, was immediately pressed to the ground.


    As if a mountain had just fallen on its back, it was totally unable to resist.


    "How did you do that?"


    Maxime moved closer to the wyvern, to the point that he could touch it with just an outstretched arm.


    At the same time, the difference in size between the two was now completely obvious.


    He really did look like an ant in the face of a mammoth.


    "My ability to subdue animals like you is not based on my personal strength to force them to submit."


    "It relies mainly on my talent."


    When he himself learned this just before, Maxime was really happy.


    In concrete terms, once he managed to bring an animal to this species, he was almost invincible.


    "Talent?"


    The wyvern couldn''t believe it and found it hard to believe the human in front of her.


    As a wyvern and an extremely powerful creature, her racial talent was enough for her to dominate most humans as well as many animals.


    But obviously, this human in front of her was far too monstrous.


    At the same time, she felt something forming in her mind, just like Maxime. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A bond was being created between the two of them.


    Gradually, a cage with a tiny wyvern appeared in a space in Maxime''s consciousness.


    Finally, after a few seconds, this cage enclosing a wyvern was fully materialized in his mind.


    Then he took a deep breath. It was done.


    This wyvern... It was under his control.


    Simultaneously, the space created by the skill was shattered into a thousand pieces, and his mind and that of the wyvern returned to reality.


    Maxime opened his eyes at the same moment as the wyvern.


    All eyes focused on him.


    "Untie the ropes." Maxime ordered.


    His mercenaries had some doubts, but they all obeyed immediately.


    Everyone watched as the legendary creature, which had previously seemed indomitable, slowly straightened up.


    Its pupils, once filled with rage and defiance, flickered under the effect of the bond that had just been created.


    It shook its head, as if to cast off a strange sensation, then fixed its sharp gaze on Maxime.


    A heavy silence fell over the clearing, broken only by the powerful breath of the wyvern.


    The mercenaries, who had watched the whole scene with suspicion, now wore a stunned expression.


    "��He really did it?" whispered Kaite, eyes wide.


    Even his former boss, Duke Devron, was incapable of such a thing.


    Only the king had the ability to tame flying monsters, and they were griffins.


    It took three griffins to beat even one wyvern.


    "He really tamed a wyvern." Langus could see the disbelief on his face as he looked at the wyvern in front of him.


    Dravus, who was standing next to Maxime, smiled slightly.


    He was originally a genie from a Dravak tribe, one of the races known for their extraordinary fighting power.


    Naturally, his vision was broader than that of the villagers of Eternity and was therefore not as surprised as the mercenaries.


    But the one who was most admiring was certainly Charles.


    "I wonder if my talent works on this kind of monster?" he thought excitedly.


    As for the wyvern itself, it lowered its head, as if an invisible weight forced it to recognize its new master.


    "It''s... impossible..." it whispered, its voice resonating directly in Maxime''s mind through the bond that now united them.


    Maxime, for his part, smiled slightly and reached out towards the creature''s snout, brushing against its rough scales.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of you. And in the future, I''ll improve your lineage." he said calmly.


    "Improve my lineage?" thought the wyvern silently, and above all doubtfully.


    But she didn''t think the human was lying to her, because he had no interest in doing so.


    She just remained silent while accepting her new destiny, in spite of herself.


    "Chief, while you were unconscious, we went to explore the cave."


    Romuald''s voice made Maxime turn towards him, with a mixture of doubt and curiosity.


    He turned around, and when he saw what his men were carrying as they came down from the summit, it left him speechless.

 Chapter 223 - 223: A day that makes you happy

    A sound of footsteps made him turn around. His men were coming down from the summit, and what they were carrying left him speechless.


    Each was holding a gigantic egg with smooth, shiny scales.


    Five eggs.


    Maxime understood immediately. This wyvern... it was a mother. She hadn''t fled because she was protecting her young.


    He looked again at the creature.


    "You wanted to defend them..." he whispered.


    A deep respect arose in him. This animal was not only powerful, it was also devoted to its offspring.


    Maxime closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting on the situation. He now understood why the wyvern had been so ferocious and tenacious. A mother will always protect her young, even in the face of an overwhelming threat.


    When he opened them again, his gaze met the wyvern''s.


    "I suppose it was for them that you took the risk of getting close to human territory?" he asked in a calm voice.


    The creature did not reply immediately. Her bond with Maxime now enabled her to sense his emotions, and what she perceived in him unsettled her: there was neither cruelty nor absolute domination, but a form of sincere respect.


    "I wanted to find a safe place... where my little ones wouldn''t be hunted as soon as they were born..."


    Her voice always resonated directly in Maxime''s mind, heavy with resignation.


    And above all, looking at her little ones who had not yet hatched, she seemed to be saying.


    "I''m sorry, my children, Mommy wasn''t able to protect you."


    Maxime didn''t know why he felt this way, but it was almost instinctive.


    He thought it was probably a side effect of [Beast Link]


    "And now that you''re under my command, you''re afraid I''ll use them as weapons, is that it?"


    The wyvern didn''t answer, but her silence spoke volumes.


    Maxime sighed and turned to his men, who were still waiting for his instructions, the eggs in their arms.


    After a moment''s thought, he called Terry.


    "Terry."


    "Yes, I''m here, boss," he replied, taking a few steps closer to Maxime.


    "Can you hand me the duvet you bought in the village this morning?"


    The latter pretended to be confused, not knowing what Maxime was talking about.


    "Which duvet?"


    Maxime looked Terry straight in the eye, with a slight implication.


    "The one you bought for you and Lira to spend even more wonderful nights..."


    The expressions of the mercenaries around them, who were listening to everything, were also wonderful to observe.


    The person in question pretended not to understand, until Lira came up to him and tapped him lightly on the stomach.


    "Idiot."


    "This is all your fault because you weren''t discreet enough."


    Terry laughed a little self-consciously, while Lira shook her head and took the quilt out of her bag, then gave it to Maxime.


    It looked very luxurious, so much so that even Maxime was envious.


    Even in the modern world, it would still be a very pleasant quilt.


    With his perception, he had noticed the purchases of his mercenaries when they left the village at the foot of the Kadis mountain, especially those that took up space.


    But Terry and Lira had hidden their purchase so well that even he had not directly seen what it was.


    But it only took a little analysis and reflection to guess that it was a duvet.


    And seeing as it was their only purchase, Maxime also guessed that it must be a good quality one.


    "Thank you both, I''ll ask Tena to reimburse you from your next salary, plus some interest."


    Terry said nothing, even if his boss didn''t reimburse him, he wouldn''t say anything and wouldn''t hold a grudge.


    Without his boss, he would already have died in the bandit attack in Quesso?, he would never have gained such strength and he would not have met love either.


    All this was due to the appearance of Maxime in his destiny.


    Maxime placed the quilt on the ground and ordered in a gentle tone:


    "Guys, come and put the eggs in the quilt."


    His men, including Romauld, who was carrying the eggs, also quickly placed the eggs in the duvet, without understanding what their leader wanted to do.


    Once the eggs had been placed, Maxime nodded and turned to the wyvern.


    Maxime turned back to the wyvern and held out his hand towards it.


    "I make you a promise."


    The wyvern raised its head slightly, surprised.


    "I will protect these eggs as much as you will. They will not be weapons of war, but powerful companions. I will offer them a better future than the one your kind has known so far."


    "And until they are adults, I will treat them as children and they will never be sent to a battlefield."


    The mercenaries exchanged stunned looks. A normal man would have taken advantage of the situation to sell the eggs at a high price, or worse, destroy them to prevent them from becoming a threat.


    But Maxime...


    A shiver ran down the wyvern''s spine. A part of her refused to believe such words. Humans were greedy beings, ready to do anything to dominate.


    Yet she felt no lie in her heart.


    Her instinct told her that this man was truly different.


    She lowered her head slightly, a sign of partial submission.


    "�� I will observe you, human. If you ever break this promise, I will destroy everything in my path, even if it means dying."


    A wry smile appeared on Maxime''s face.


    "That''s all I ask."


    Immediately after that, with its wings as arms, the wyvern delicately picked up the nest with its eggs on it and carried them, revealing a look of intense love.


    "Her children have not been born, but they are already receiving such love. In fact, it is not uncommon for mothers, whatever their breed, to offer unconditional love even before their children are born," thought Maxime.


    Then he thought of something else, so he asked:


    "Where is the father?"


    "He died," replied the wyvern via the [Beast Link], showing no emotion.


    "I''m sorry."


    The wyvern looked at Maxime, and she could really tell that he was truly sorry for what he had said.


    "It''s okay, it was 10 years ago. I''ve had time to grieve and, above all, I still see a future with my children."


    "I see." replied Maxime with a smile, seeing that the wyvern was still in good spirits.


    "Do you have a name?" he continued curiously.


    After all, it would undoubtedly be his steed for a long time. It would be shameful not to know its name.


    "Yes, like dragons, we have a name that is designated according to our generation and our lineage."


    "But they tend to be extremely long, so you can just call me Maria."


    "All right Maria, my name is Maxime, it''s a pleasure to meet you."


    While facing Maria, Maxime also pointed to his men by making a backward thumb gesture.


    "The men behind me belong to my mercenary group called ''The Saber-toothed Tigers''."


    She nodded, while the mercenaries watched the scene with a strange look on their faces.


    Naturally, they did not understand the language of a wyvern, so they did not understand what exactly they were discussing either.


    They were just trying to follow the discussion based on what their leader was saying.


    Seeing that Maxime was talking about them, they made a different sign to greet Maria, although it seemed ironic with the fight that had taken place a few moments earlier.


    Maxime took one last look at his men before turning to Maria.


    Excitement was building up in him as he contemplated his next request.


    "Maria, I''m sorry to ask you this directly, but I''m going to need your help," he asked very seriously.


    He was calm, because there was indeed a part of excitement but also a part of worry that was present in him.


    "As long as you take care of my children, I will be your most faithful steed. What do you want?"


    "I have some men in a human village, and I''m worried about them. Maybe they''re in danger."


    The wyvern seemed surprised by his request, but she didn''t take long to answer.


    "So to get there quickly, you want to ride on my back?"


    Maxime nodded.


    "Yes, it will be faster than walking the whole way. And then..." He gave an amused smile.


    "It will be the first time I''ll fly."


    Maria watched him for a moment, assessing the situation. It was true that flying would be much faster than walking for hours through the mountains and forests. She bent her legs slightly and tilted her neck towards him.


    "Come on then."


    A thrill of excitement ran through Maxime as he cautiously placed a hand on the wyvern''s rough scales.


    To be honest, he was much more excited about getting on the wyvern''s back than about the fate of his men.


    With the blessing of his talent, his men in the village of Plouta were almost invincible as long as a knight did not intervene.


    And he always thought that Baron Barthon had only 2 or 3 knights including himself, so he would not easily send them on a mission, especially after the failure of the last attack. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxime nimbly used the scales on the back of his neck to climb onto his back. His mercenaries looked at him with a variety of expressions, ranging from admiration to pure jealousy.


    At the same time, Maria laid her eggs, wrapped in Terry''s duvet, on the ground.


    "Boss, it''s not fair! We want to fly too!" Garen exclaimed with an envious laugh.


    (Author''s note: As a reminder, Garen is one of the recruits from VentBois, just like Jean and Lira)


    He wasn''t the only one; other mercenaries began to express the same wish.


    Maxime burst out laughing as he adjusted his position.


    "You''ll be able to have your own mount one day too, don''t worry."


    Maria slowly spread her wings, carefully testing their range. Unsurprisingly, the immense wingspan alone cast an impressive shadow on the ground.


    "Hold on tight."


    Maxime tightened his grip, clinging to Maria''s thick scales.


    Then, with a powerful flap of its wings, the wyvern rose into the air, raising a cloud of dust as it left the ground.


    The ascent was brutal but exhilarating.


    Since they were at the top of Kadis Mountain, they quickly began to glide.


    The wind whipped across Maxime''s face, the cold air rushing through his clothes, and his heart was pounding.


    He couldn''t help but laugh at the exhilarating sensation of flying.


    "I never thought that the first day I joined Eternity, such a day would come."


    With a smile stretching his lips, Maxime had never been so happy.

 Chapter 224 - 224: Situation in Plouta

    With a smile stretching his lips, Maxime had never been so happy.


    "So, how do you feel?" asked Maria, sensing his excitement through their bond.


    "It''s incredible!" he exclaimed as he watched the landscape pass below him. He could see the land receding, the trees becoming mere green spots beneath them.


    His men below looked up, envying their leader who could experience the sensation of flying.


    Especially since flying on the back of a wyvern, how majestic was that?


    Of the millions of people living in the kingdom of the Frost Eagle, probably less than 500 of them had ever flown at least once in their lives.


    And on a wyvern... Maxime was probably the only one in the whole Kingdom.


    As Maxime flew through the air while pointing the way to Maria, Laura rolled her eyes, and a few memories from her past flashed before her eyes.


    But these thoughts disappeared the moment she heard:


    "Come on guys, let''s go down the mountain and hurry up to join our leader in Plouta."


    "And don''t forget to take care of the eggs, and above all be careful. Despite their appearance they are quite heavy, so we will take turns carrying them on the way."


    Laura listened to Andrew, who had taken over as leader of the mercenary group, and smiled slightly.


    Obviously, Andrew did not enjoy the same level of respect as Maxime, but his abilities as a leader were in fact very high.


    So much so that he himself did not know it. He sincerely believed that only force could convince everyone to listen to his orders.


    Now that his strength was no longer the best, he thought his position was in danger.


    But nevertheless everyone respected him enormously.


    Because he was the one who always took the lead, and always took the greatest risks.


    Against the bandits, he had taken the greatest pressure by confronting Laura.


    During the battle of Plouta, he single-handedly took care of three apprentice knights, including one who was at the stage of great success, while he himself was only at the stage of small success.


    This was also the case on the dimensional battlefield where he withstood the most intense pressure when confronting Kaelor, and offered Liam opportunities to strike.


    In most battles, he always ended up seriously injured because he wanted to protect everyone.


    But it wasn''t just thanks to the battlefields that he was respected.


    In the daily life of the mercenary group, he was the one who took care of resolving most of the internal troubles that could arise.


    When a mercenary was ill, he would spend time taking care of him or her, chatting and bringing food and drink.


    When someone was too drunk, he would give them water first, then often carry them back to bed on his back or in his arms.


    Even if the sleeping places were several hundred meters from where the party was taking place.


    When newcomers arrived in the group of mercenaries, he was also the one who took care of integrating them.


    Even if at first he might have seemed fierce and arrogant, his heart was really kind.


    And his place was not something that could be taken by force.


    "Yes, vice-chief!" all the mercenaries replied simultaneously.


    Laura, for her part, picked up one of the eggs and put her ear to it. To her surprise, she could actually hear noises.


    *batoum*


    *batoum*


    *batoum*


    It was the sound of the little wyvern''s heart beating inside.


    "I wonder if one day I could give birth too?" Laura whispered discreetly, her eyes narrowed as she observed the egg in her hands.


    ...


    Kingdom of the Frost Eagle, village of Plouta.


    boom


    A wooden house collapsed on top of her, a figure in blood slowly getting up.


    "Liam!"


    Ivan and Wigor approached in panic.


    Liam struggled to his feet.


    "It''s okay guys, I''m fine."


    Ivan and Wigor looked at Liam with complicated eyes.


    They had previously looked down on Liam because of his three-star potential, which was no better than those with two-star potential.


    But since the dimensional battlefield, it was this same mediocre man, whom everyone despised and mocked, who had become the strongest in the village of Plouta. No mercenary could compete with him for this title.


    Ivan and Wigor were only better than Liam in terms of physique, but his swordplay combined with his talent [ghost swordsman] made him almost as strong as a knight.


    The two of them had only the fighting power of an apprentice knight at the stage of maximum great success, they were not at all on the same level.


    At that moment, a figure stood calmly in front of the three mercenaries.


    "What amazing talent, you managed to seriously injure me with the physique of an apprentice knight at the stage of great success."


    The speaker was a man wearing full steel armor. He looked like an invulnerable war machine just by standing there.


    Except for the fact that he was now missing an arm.


    If he hadn''t had his vital seed, which allowed him great control over his own body, he would have died from blood loss.


    All around them, it was total chaos.


    Baron Irut''s soldiers and the remaining mercenaries of the Sabertooth Tigers fought fiercely against well-trained soldiers.


    "Keep fighting and protect the villagers!"


    "Baron Irut''s knights will be here soon!"


    The one who shouted was a middle-aged man in his thirties.


    It was Killian, the leader of Baron Irut''s soldiers and an apprentice knight at the stage of great success.


    His status was equivalent to that of Ivan and Wigor, even slightly higher because he had received orders from Maxime when he left the village of Plouta.


    A few months earlier, he had come to Plouta with Henry and Ultia, two apprentice knights, as well as 10 elite soldiers and 80 ordinary soldiers.


    Although only 4 elite soldiers and 21 ordinary soldiers remained, Maxime still assigned him the task of taking good care of the village in his absence.


    And he did his best to organize the defense of the village.


    Although at that moment, the village streets were filled with the clash of weapons and the screams of combatants.


    The muddy ground was littered with corpses and the wounded, while flames licked at the roofs of several houses. The smell of blood and smoke mingled in the air, making the atmosphere suffocating.


    Liam, despite his injuries, gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his sword. His body was screaming in pain, but he had no time to weaken.


    "Can we at least have the honor of knowing the name of the knight we are facing?"


    This knight had appeared out of nowhere, and had taken advantage of the fact that he was fighting fiercely against an apprentice knight to launch a surprise attack.


    Unfortunately, it had backfired, and Liam had immediately activated his talent, seriously wounding him very quickly.


    "I am Argan, a knight of Lord Barthon."


    Liam frowned.


    The saber-toothed tigers did not just train in the village. They had inquired a lot about Baron Barthon and his men, particularly by sending mercenaries into his territory but also by talking to Baron Irut.


    And clearly, they had never heard of this knight.


    "Why attack the village so violently, to the point of attacking the houses?" asked Liam, not understanding the motives for such violence.


    Argan smiled mockingly at such a question.


    "Who really cares about these people? They''re cockroaches, and they''ll manage to survive in any circumstances."


    "The most important thing for us is to conquer Baron Irut''s territory."


    Hearing these words, Liam''s heart was far from calm.


    For it meant that they were fully prepared to launch such an attack after so long.


    It was the first time he had felt in danger and had really put his life in jeopardy.


    "Don''t worry, Liam."


    "We''re here."


    The voices of Ivan and Wigor somewhat calmed Liam''s agitated heart.


    "It''s true, even though at the time I was just a weak villager, the Saber-toothed Tigers had already managed to repel Baron Barthon''s men."


    "Of the 62 mercenaries, only 25 were left at the end of the battle."


    "Yet none of them thought of running away during the battle, showing an absolutely inhuman courage that even elite commandos would envy."


    "Let''s not disgrace the name of our mercenary group."


    Liam''s words fired up Ivan and Wigor, who clenched their swords tightly in their hands. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re right, Liam, we can do it."


    Seeing this scene unfold before him, Argan laughed out loud.


    "How pathetic, consoling each other like that. Go to hell, you two."


    Suddenly, he rushed towards Liam.


    He was so fast that Liam barely had time to draw his sword to defend himself.


    But he succeeded by the skin of his teeth. However, the force of the attack was such that he was immediately pushed back several meters.


    Ivan and Wigor took advantage of the opportunity to attack, but both were easily blocked by Argan.


    "Damn it, back off, Ivan!" shouted Wigor, seeing their attacks easily blocked.


    From then on, they were in a weak position!


    And indeed, Argan''s counter-attack came quickly, pushing back the two young mercenaries with a sword stroke each, seriously injuring them both at the same time.


    In the various streets of the village, things were no better.


    The other 77 mercenaries, including 5 veterans of the Saber-toothed Tigers, fought hard against Baron Barthon''s soldiers in the streets of Plouta, as well as outside.


    Faced with them, the ordinary and elite soldiers did not have much strength to resist, and they were dropping like flies.


    "What the hell are these monsters?"


    "They''re all apprentice knights at the very least!"


    "There are even a lot of them who have achieved the level of minor success!"


    Among Baron Barthon''s soldiers, morale was not at its best.


    At first they were confident, attacking this small village with more than 1000 soldiers, 30 apprentice knights and even one knight!


    But after so long, all the recruits of Plouta and H��nor had trained enormously, and their enthusiasm for becoming stronger had only increased when [Nox Limit] was upgraded to level 2.


    After several months of training, they were all in excellent physical shape.


    They also had combat experience thanks to the dimensional battlefield, and had already experienced death.


    Under these circumstances, they could not be considered ordinary recruits with only a few months of training.


    They were clearly elite warriors who could no longer be measured by common sense!

 Chapter 225 - 225: Major losses

    They were elite warriors who could no longer be measured by common sense!


    Yet Baron Barthon''s soldiers all knew that a few months earlier, an attack on this village had miserably failed, sending 13 apprentice knights, 50 elite soldiers and 200 soldiers.


    More than 90% of the men sent had died during this attack, a real tragedy.


    But despite this defeat, the losses of the mercenaries and soldiers of Baron Irut were also enormous!


    Almost 70% of the defense of the village of Plouta had been annihilated!


    So everyone thought that this time, the remaining mercenaries and soldiers would be wiped out.


    Even if a few civilians were recruited as mercenaries, and Baron Irut sent some reinforcements, could they reach the level of defense they had before the first attack?


    The answer in a normal world was no, it was unlikely.


    But Baron Barthon was a very cautious man, so when he organized this attack against the village of Plouta, he always envisaged the worst-case scenario.


    Thus, the army''s configuration could be considered extremely luxurious!


    So much so that the army was nearly three times larger than before to avoid any unforeseen events!


    1000 soldiers, 30 apprentice knights and even a knight!


    Baron Barthon was therefore not at all worried, especially as his current military power was enormous and this attack only contained a tenth of his military power.


    Who could have guessed that a simple village could resist this army?


    And what''s worse, the army so carefully designed by Baron Barthon was even on the verge of losing this battle if it hadn''t been for the intervention of Knight Argan.


    Because the defense was even more terrifying when the white-haired young man was in charge, along with two other mercenaries who were much stronger than the others.


    "Luckily, Knight Argan is dealing with these three young monsters, otherwise this attack could already be considered a defeat!" said one of the apprentice knights at the woodpecker stage, named Pam, slightly terrified by this observation.


    He was one of the main leaders in this attack on the village, and his status was relatively high.


    But even he was afraid, what about the others?


    The streets of Plouta had become a hellish battlefield. The inert bodies on the ground accumulated, blood stained the ground, and screams of pain mingled with the crash of metal.


    The smell of iron and burnt flesh filled the air as the mercenaries repelled wave after wave of attacks by Baron Barthon''s soldiers.


    The situation was really not good for the soldiers of Baron Irut and the Saber-toothed Tigers.


    Killian, wounded in the shoulder, continued to bark orders at his men.


    "Hold the line! Fall back in good order! Protect the wounded!"


    Around him, Baron Irut''s soldiers collapsed one by one, pierced by enemy blades.


    Baron Irut had sent reinforcements, but in the face of such an attack, they were clearly not enough.


    Killian glanced at the mercenaries and couldn''t help but admire their strength and professionalism.


    With his combat experience, he wasn''t afraid to say that each of these mercenaries was as strong as an apprentice knight!


    And they weren''t the kind of apprentice knights who had grown like flowers in a greenhouse!


    They were more like those who had grown up on a battlefield!


    He himself did not understand where these civilians could have acquired such combat experience, since he saw them every day.


    But no matter what kind of mysterious treasures or talents the group of mercenaries possessed, it did not prevent the death of many mercenaries during the fighting, and others would soon fall as well.


    But for every mercenary who fell, at least five enemy soldiers perished under the fury of their blades.


    And that was what made Pam fear, because if they continued like this, even if they won, it would not be without having to build a mountain of corpses with the bodies of the men under his command.


    In an alleyway, a veteran of the Sabertooth Tigers, a massive man with a shaved head named Rogan, was blocking an assault by several enemy elite soldiers.


    He was one of the mercenaries recruited in Baron Barthon''s city, and was part of the first wave of recruitment organized by Maxime.


    He was also one of the few survivors of the attack on Plouta, as well as one of the five men who remained in the city after Maxime left.


    "The time has come to prove yourselves and show that you deserve the wages you earn every month!"


    "If you want to become a strong and renowned man, you all have to go through this!"


    Rogan''s shouts boosted the morale of a dozen or so nearby mercenaries, who were still fighting harder and harder despite their injuries.


    "Rogan is right!"


    "Let''s show them how elite and ferocious the Saber-toothed Tigers really are!"


    "No army can defeat us without suffering huge losses!"


    ...


    Several mercenaries began to shout, and regardless of whether what he believed was true or not, the effect on the morale of the mercenaries was clearly visible.


    Everyone was becoming more ferocious.


    Opposite them, a few apprentice knights leading a hundred soldiers were fighting them ferociously!


    In fact, the mercenaries in this alley were fighting almost 1vs10!


    But thanks to the limited space, the mercenaries, despite their numerical inferiority, and also thanks to the passive talent [Awakening of Life] that allowed them to improve their recovery and healing speed, they held their ground!


    Rogan''s sword sliced through the air, cutting a throat with a single blow.


    Then he pivoted, dodging a spear, and with the back of his blade, opened his opponent''s stomach.


    But suddenly, a sword sprang out of his blind spot and sank deep into his back.


    "Ahhhhh! You coward without honor, die!"


    Rogan growled in pain, staggered back, and spat out blood.


    But he quickly pulled himself together and didn''t forget to seize the opportunity to take off the head of his assailant with a sword stroke.


    "Serves you right, you bastard," murmured Rogan as he saw the head fall to the ground, breathless from the fighting and his new serious injury.


    But several nearby soldiers saw their chance, and all of them pierced Rogan''s body with their weapons.


    Rogan wanted to defend himself, but he no longer had any strength left.


    "I... I... argh."


    He wanted to say a few brave words, just like the heroes in the stories who died bravely.


    But his throat was filled with blood, and he couldn''t utter a single word.


    The next moment, his sturdy body fell heavily to the ground after the soldiers had removed their weapon from his body.


    "Rogan has fallen!" cried one mercenary, stunned.


    "Avenge him!" yelled another, filled with rage.


    The saber-toothed tigers redoubled their efforts, transforming their rage into a murderous storm.


    "Let me finish off this bunch of incompetents!"


    An apprentice knight of Baron Barthon, believing he could break them, threw himself into the fight.


    He did not believe that these mercenaries could really be so ferocious and powerful.


    But he didn''t notice that he had thrown himself into a space on the battlefield that was very advantageous for the mercenaries.


    He was quickly surrounded by three mercenaries, who attacked him from all sides. He blocked a few blows, but a dagger found a chink in his armor and plunged deep into his neck.


    He collapsed, his gaze fixed.


    "How is this possible?" he thought incredulously.


    He had noticed that he would be trapped and surrounded by three mercenaries, but he was an apprentice knight!


    He had been strengthening his physique and his combat skills for more than ten years!


    How could he die so easily at the hands of a few ordinary mercenaries?


    But no matter what he was thinking, his lifeless body fell to the ground as the fighting continued all around him.


    Only a few apprentice knights saw his miserable death, bit their lips and became more cautious so as not to suffer the same fate.


    Meanwhile, in the central square, Liam, Ivan and Wigor were fighting desperately against Argan.


    Ivan, despite having a wound in his side, charged with lightning speed. He feinted a cut to distract Argan, while Wigor took the opportunity to strike from the side.


    But Argan, even with only one arm, was still a very experienced warrior.


    He pivoted, deflected Wigor''s blade with a precise movement, and with a brutal kick sent Ivan crashing into the wall of a wooden house. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liam tried to take advantage of this to attack, his blade whistling towards the knight''s throat.


    But Argan parried narrowly and countered with a vicious attack.


    But not on Liam.


    "No, dodge Wigor!"


    Despite Liam''s warning, Argan''s sword found an opening and pierced Wigor in the abdomen.


    Wigor coughed up blood, his hand trying to hold back the flow escaping from his wound.


    "Wigor!" Liam shouted, his eyes mixed with rage and sadness.


    With a final grunt, Wigor placed his left hand on the sword in his body, then with his right hand still holding his sword, he attempted a final blow.


    "So naive."


    Despite Wigor''s firm grip on the sword, Argan easily removed his sword from the mercenary''s body, and then, even before Wigor could finish his attack, Argan finished him off with a sharp blow to the throat.


    This attack was so fast that even Ivan and Liam could not see it.


    Wigor''s body remained upright for a moment, with Ivan and Liam looking at his back.


    But of course, his headless body eventually fell heavily to the ground.


    Ivan, seeing his brother in arms fall, screamed in rage and threw himself at Argan, striking with all the strength he had left.


    "You bastard! He was my brother in arms! How could you kill him!?"


    "You weren''t worthy!"


    "He was a man who was supposed to be at the top of humanity, he couldn''t die here!"


    Ivan thought back to all the moments they had shared together, when they had confided in each other, while dreaming of things that had previously seemed so unattainable.


    Ivan thought back to all the moments they had shared together, when they had confided in each other, while dreaming of things that had previously seemed so unattainable.


    Under the blows of such a mad and unpredictable man, Argan was forced to retreat under the furious assault.


    Liam, still keeping his cool, saw his chance.

 Chapter 226 - 226: Maxime arrives in Plouta!

    Ivan thought back to all the moments they had shared together, when they had confided in each other, while dreaming of things that had previously seemed so unattainable.


    Under the blows of such a mad and unpredictable man, Argan was forced to retreat.


    But Liam, still keeping his cool, saw his chance.


    He suddenly appeared in the knight''s blind spot.


    Argan immediately spotted the threat, and instinctively blocked the attack.


    Then he realized his mistake, but it was too late.


    And Liam, thanks to his excellent innate sense of combat, immediately spotted this flaw.


    And he certainly wasn''t going to miss this precious opportunity.


    Liam''s sword became immaterial and passed through Argan''s sword, before reappearing just after, the blade of the sword meeting and then breaking the knight''s armor.


    But the momentum of the sword had been almost completely stopped by the armor, which canceled out the lethality of the attack.


    "No, the armor is too strong in that area!"


    The feat of cutting off Argan''s arm had made him overconfident.


    Liam immediately realized his mistake: the degree of protection of armor was obviously not the same everywhere.


    But it was already too late, and the precious opportunity to defeat their opponent had been wasted.


    Argan didn''t wait, and took the opportunity to immediately push back Ivan and Liam before retreating, sweating slightly from the adrenaline.


    He felt a sharp pain from where Liam had hit him.


    "Argan, you were this close to seeing the lord of the underworld there."


    Suddenly, a mocking voice appeared not far away, while a second man wearing armor similar to Argan''s appeared.


    Only, his armor seemed slightly more luxurious and noble.


    Argan frowned and whispered:


    "Tengan."


    Ivan wanted to go back to the attack like a madman, but Liam grabbed him by the shoulder.


    Ivan turned and looked at Liam with a glint of madness in his eyes.


    "Don''t hold me back, Liam! This guy killed my brother in arms!"


    Liam gave him a deep look, before finally removing his hand.


    "Go ahead if you want to die, but know that the second guy who just arrived is no less strong than the one who killed Wigor."


    Liam''s words brought a glimmer of lucidity back to Ivan, who calmed down a little despite his overflowing emotions.


    Tengan, with a mocking look, watched the scene with a smirk.


    "You seem to be having some difficulties, Argan."


    Argan growled, gripping his sword tighter.


    "These kids are tougher than expected. And you, couldn''t you have arrived earlier?"


    Tengan shrugged with an air of relaxation.


    "I like to let my colleagues have some fun before I intervene. But it seems that you are really starting to lose control of the situation, so I could no longer be content to remain a mere spectator."


    Tengan was Baron Barthon''s backup in case the attack failed for some unknown reason.


    Even the soldiers did not know that Tengan, who was a knight at the height of his success and one of the strongest knights under Baron Barthon, was accompanying them.


    Argan suppressed a grin, and at the same time his anger.


    If it weren''t for the fact that this comrade really liked to see blood flow, he might still have his arm.


    But although he didn''t like Tengan and his arrogant way of approaching every situation, he could only admit that he was indeed a formidable warrior.


    And above all, he himself, as a knight at the stage of small success, did indeed have a lower status than Tengan.


    "Very well. Please help me kill these two young fighters," Argan finally said, pointing to Liam and Ivan, the latter painfully getting back into fighting position.


    "Then we''ll definitely capture this village and end this damn battle."


    Tengan shot Argan a menacing look.


    "You''re telling me how to do things, Argan?"


    Of course, Argan was already unhappy with Tengan''s arrogant tone, so he shot back with a meaningful look as well.


    Especially since using a polite phrase was the most he could concede to Tengan, he certainly wasn''t going to bow down any further.


    The two looked at each other for a moment, then Tengan finally raised his hand.


    "It''s okay, don''t look at me like that, I was just teasing you a little."


    Argan stopped looking at Tengan after these words, then began to stare at the two young mercenaries.


    Then without further ado, the two knights pounced on their opponents with astonishing synchronization.


    Liam and Ivan, although determined to fight to the end, stood no chance against the combined might of Argan and Tengan.


    After a few exchanges, Argan dealt Liam a deep gash to the side, causing him to fall to his knees, while Tengan pierced Ivan''s shoulder, causing him to groan in pain.


    His sword fell to the ground, Ivan could no longer muster any strength in his right hand.


    As the two knights prepared to deliver the final blow, a deafening scream rent the sky, echoing across the battlefield.


    Argan and Tengan, interrupted in their momentum, immediately looked up. Their confident expressions disappeared, replaced by absolute stupor.


    There, in the sky darkened by smoke and dust, an immense creature hovered.


    "Is it... Is it a wyvern?" whispered Tengan, his eyes wide open.


    "Why is such a creature here?" continued Argan, frowning.


    It wasn''t just them, everyone in the village could see the wyvern flying over the village.


    No one understood anything, neither the mercenaries nor Baron Barthon''s soldiers.


    But that wasn''t the worst of it, and on noticing these details, the Argan and Tengan had hideous expressions on their faces.


    What froze them in terror was that they noticed a young man in light armor standing on the back of the wyvern, the latter observing the battlefield with an imposing presence.


    Of course that''s how he felt from where they were on the ground.


    The reality for the person in question was quite different.


    "Shit, I thought flying would be a lot more pleasant than this..."


    "I didn''t think I''d feel more like throwing up than anything else after my first flight..." murmured Maxime, his face slightly pale.


    Maria transmitted her laughter through their spiritual bond, then tried to reassure Maxime.


    "Don''t worry, according to the memories of my lineage, it''s an event that even an epic knight can''t avoid."


    ...


    Argan swallowed hard, seeing the creature and the young man in armor still hovering above them.


    "We have to leave."


    "Even with the baron''s entire army, we don''t stand a chance against such a creature..."


    Tengan didn''t know what to say for a moment.


    It was common knowledge that a wyvern in adulthood was not much weaker than a great knight.


    It was even said that if an ordinary great knight did not use the power of his vital seed, he would lose.


    Of course, telling a great knight not to use his power was like telling a wyvern to fight without its wings. It didn''t make sense.


    "You''re right, Argan." you warned your men. We must flee immediately and report to the baron."


    The two knights began to retreat, while Liam and Ivan watched them leave, helpless.


    They were not strong enough to slow them down; it would be suicide to go after them.


    After Maxime had recovered from his airsickness for a while, he noticed the aura of these two knights.


    With his perception, if the apprentice knights emitted faint glows, then these two knights were like ultra-powerful street lamps.


    Even hundreds of meters above the ground, Maxime could easily see them.


    "Maria, land right in front of those two men!"


    "No need to ask twice." replied Maria, obeying immediately.


    Since the contract had been signed between the two of them, and she wanted an excellent future for her children, she would always do her best.


    It was important to know that wyverns were not shy creatures, nor were they peaceful like some griffins.


    In fact, unlike griffins, which were omnivorous, wyverns were carnivorous. So it was in their genes to fight, and there was no shortage of stories of human heroes fighting on the back of a wyvern.


    In a titanic flap of its wings, the wyvern dived down, then slowed all at once when it neared the ground.


    Its landing caused a gust of wind and threw the two knights off balance.


    Maxime looked down at the two knights in front of him from his lofty position.


    He completely towered over Argan and Tengan in terms of both height and aura.


    "Young master, may we ask..." sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Tengan could even finish his sentence, he heard behind him:


    "Chief!"


    "Captain!"


    Liam and Ivan were extremely happy to see their captain. They had never imagined that their leader, who had not returned for several months, would suddenly return at this critical moment.


    On hearing this, the expressions on Argan and Tengan''s faces did not improve and, on the contrary, they were sweating profusely.


    "Chief, captain?"


    The two looked at each other, not understanding what they had just heard.


    Or rather, they didn''t want to understand.


    Because if it turned out to be real...


    Maxime gracefully climbed down from the back of the creature and slowly advanced towards the two knights, fixing his piercing gaze on Argan and Tengan.


    With every step he took, the pressure felt by the two men seemed to grow heavier.


    With only a few steps separating them, Maxime stopped.


    "Did you really think you could run away after killing my men?"


    Argan and Tengan looked at the young blond-haired man in front of them, with fear and disbelief.


    They had never experienced anything like this in their lives and didn''t know how to react.


    For his part, Maxime was really angry even if he didn''t show it.


    From the sky, he had had time to see many familiar faces on the ground.


    Many of them had their eyes wide open, looking up at the sky, but without the slightest hint of life in their pupils.


    Seeing all these faces, Maxime''s emotions seemed to overflow for a moment.

 Chapter 227 - 227: Protection of Plouta (1/2)

    Seeing all these faces, Maxime''s emotions seemed to overflow for a moment.


    "I hope that when you came here with the intention of killing my men, you were also prepared to die."


    Maxime showed absolutely no hesitation; the two knights really felt that they were going to die if they did nothing.


    Argan and Tengan looked at each other, their faces betraying their hesitation. Maxime seemed young, too young to be a serious threat despite his good looks and wyvern.


    The idea grew in their minds that he was perhaps just a nobleman too sure of himself, playing the warrior.


    Tengan gripped his sword, ready to risk his life to see if he could really get away with it.


    "I have already met a great knight in the capital, and this young man is not one."


    Hearing this, Argan slowly nodded. In this situation where he felt extremely close to death, he began to lose some of his lucidity.


    Any tiny glimmer of hope was worth taking.


    "If we kill him, the wyvern might not come after us." he replied to Tengan.


    It was a risky bet, but they had no other choice.


    In perfect synchronization, the two knights lunged at Maxime, their swords tracing sharp arcs in the air.


    They were incredibly fast, and their combat skills were among the best among knights of their level.


    But this time, they were facing someone much stronger than them.


    Maxime did not back down.


    With a precise movement, he dodged Argan''s blade by leaning his body slightly to the side, then caught his wrist in one fluid motion.


    "What!?"


    Argan tried to escape, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t.


    Without a second''s hesitation, he exploded his vital seed.


    By exploding his vital seed, he knew that he would have absolutely no future as a knight.


    But it allowed him to greatly improve his physical abilities.


    "If I can survive, no matter the price I have to pay, it will be worth it."


    While thinking this, he mobilized all the power of his body and tried to escape from Maxime''s firm grip.


    His vital energy was such that green energy was escaping from his body, showing all the power he was deploying at the moment.


    Faced with this, Liam couldn''t believe it.


    "Were we really facing such a monster?"


    "Only now do I realize how lucky I was to cut off his arm."


    Ivan swallowed hard.


    "If he had used that strength from the start, we would have died without knowing how..."


    Argan''s hide seemed almost incapable of withstanding such force, and it cracked in many places.


    Maria, who was standing obediently behind Maxime a few dozen meters away, showed no expression, but inside she was amused, as if she were watching a show.


    "How could the master of a wyvern be defeated by an ordinary knight? Those stupid humans!"


    It was also at that moment that Argan began to panic.


    "What''s going on?"


    "No matter how much strength I use, it makes no difference."


    At that moment, he saw a smile appear on Maxime''s face, and then heard these words:


    "This is interesting, I''ve never faced a knight who can explode his vital seed before... But I''m a little disappointed."


    "It turns out that the increase is at most 30%, for me, that''s still not nearly enough."


    In the next second, Maxime pivoted on himself and threw Argan to the ground with brutal force thanks to the hold he had on him.


    "Arghh..."


    Argan''s spine seemed to shatter into a thousand pieces due to the violence of the impact, and at the same time he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    All this happened in less than a second.


    And there was still another knight.


    Tengan, taking advantage of the opening, tried to pierce Maxime''s body with a quick thrust.


    But Maxime, with almost superhuman agility, sidestepped and caught the blade with his bare hands, squeezing it so hard that cracks appeared on the metal.


    Tengan''s eyes widened.


    "He''s neither a knight nor a great knight... Who is this monster?"


    He couldn''t help but mutter these words aloud, and Maxime coincidentally heard them.


    And that made him smile even more.


    "It''s true. Currently, I am neither a knight nor a great knight. I am a simple mercenary. More specifically, the captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers."


    "In your next life, try to be discreet and don''t become my enemy."


    His sentence had barely ended when a fist crashed violently into Tengan''s abdomen, taking his breath away and sending him rolling several meters.


    But it wasn''t enough to kill him.


    Tengan, still dazed, tried to get up quickly, but a boot crashed down on his chest, crushing him violently to the ground.


    The impact was such that the force transmitted through the knight''s body created a pit under his body.


    It was hard to imagine the state his body must now be in.


    The two knights lay there, unable to move, their bodies broken under the devastating force of the young mercenary.


    They gasped, unable to utter a word due to the pain.


    Liam and Ivan watched the scene with disbelief but also with admiration.


    On the dimensional battlefield, because of the power of the Dravaks, they had failed to realize something important.


    The power of their leader was truly phenomenal, and far above that of any knight.


    On the battlefield, the silence was heavy, the two knights completely unable to utter a single word.


    Finally, after a heavy silence, Tengan stammered:


    "We... we surrender..."


    Argan growled, but in his current state, surrendering was the only option to stay alive.


    "Surrender?" Maxime whispered.


    "How could such a good thing exist?"


    Maxime''s cold words extinguished all hope for the two knights, their expressions changing from anger to sadness very quickly.


    A few tears even appeared on the faces of the two knights.


    "Please... Cut off my right hand and make me disabled if you want, but I must find my family... My wife... my children..."


    "They count... They all count on me to live..."


    Tengan''s words were like a drop of water falling into an ocean; they did not provoke the slightest emotion in Maxime.


    "I have a sister, without me and with the number of people who covet her beauty, she will suffer an extremely unfortunate fate," added Argan, hoping to provoke a slight compassion in the young mercenary.


    Especially since it was the truth.


    But obviously, Maxime was still unharmed.


    "You should have thought of that before killing my men and causing casualties among the villagers."


    Then Maxime''s silhouette became blurred for a moment, then the image became clear again, Maxime still standing in the same place while slowly sheathing his sword.


    At the same moment, the heads of Tengan and Argan rolled on the ground.


    Two knights had just died so easily that Ivan and Liam still could not believe their eyes.


    On the dimensional battlefield, there was no way of understanding the status and strength of the Dravaks they had themselves killed and faced.


    But in this world, they understood very well the weight that a knight carried. He was a terrifying fighting force, a true one-man army capable of facing 100 ordinary soldiers without worry and even winning under these circumstances.


    They were the weapons of the nobles to prevent any rebellion on their territory, as well as to prevent assassinations.


    The number of knights a territory had was almost synonymous with the power and greatness of that territory.


    But they were so rare that some barons had only one or two under their command.


    Their training required not only talent, but also time, resources and sometimes luck.


    But now two such precious knights had died before their very eyes. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What are you waiting for?" asked Maxime, fury still clearly visible in his eyes.


    "Our men are still fighting, go help them repel the invaders."


    This roused Liam and Ivan from their stupor, so much so that they temporarily forgot about Wigor''s death.


    "Yes, sir!" they replied simultaneously, before running towards the center of the village.


    Every second that passed could mean the death of one or more of their men, so the two ran at full speed, to the point where they could both feel their hearts beating wildly.


    As soon as they reached the center of the village, they spotted six mercenaries cornered between two destroyed houses, with two women and three children behind them.


    One of the children clung to the dress of a young woman.


    "Mommy, I''m scared..."


    The woman took the child in her arms and comforted him with a soft voice:


    "Everything is fine, the good mercenaries are going to save us."


    "Sandrine..." murmured the other woman at her side, fear clearly present in her eyes, but not having lost hope.


    "Yes, I know, if ever the situation goes wrong, we''ll run as fast as we can into the forest," Sandrine whispered to the other mother.


    If Maxime were there, he would recognize Sandrine immediately, because she was the only waitress at the Plouta inn.


    And she was very popular among the mercenaries.


    All around them, there were many corpses.


    Liam, when he arrived, recognized those of some of the mercenaries.


    While those who were still standing all seemed wounded and at the end of their strength.


    "Hold on, guys!"


    "If they want Plouta, they''ll have to go through us!"


    A voice among the mercenaries suddenly rose, boosting everyone''s morale.


    "Come on, let''s fight!"


    "We, the Saber-toothed Tigers, are not afraid of anyone!"

 Chapter 228 - 228: Protection of Plouta (2/2)

    "We, the Saber-toothed Tigers, are afraid of people!"


    Obviously, the 6 mercenaries were not going to give up so easily, even if their lives were in danger.


    "Don''t be fooled by appearances, these mercenaries are already at the end of their tether!"


    An apprentice knight among Baron Barthon''s soldiers shouted back, also to boost the morale of the soldiers in the surrounding area.


    Three apprentice knights and a dozen or so soldiers also shouted in response, while showing their determination by increasing the intensity of their attacks.


    At that precise moment, Liam brandished his sword and threw himself into the fray, blocking with a swift blow the weapon of an enemy about to strike one of their men.


    Ivan, for his part, used his brute strength to violently repel a group of soldiers who had just managed to bring a mercenary to the ground and were about to finish him off.


    "The captain is here! Hang in there, guys!" Ivan cried out as he fought off another opponent.


    The mercenaries and allied soldiers, although exhausted, found a second wind when they saw Liam and Ivan appear and fight alongside them.


    And especially when they heard Ivan''s words.


    All had been able to see the power of their leader on the dimensional battlefield, and so they were all reassured.


    Especially as it also meant for them that many of their comrades were nearby.


    They could not know that Maxime had come on the back of a wyvern, but the assumption that their comrades were arriving did much to boost the morale of the six mercenaries, who seemed to gain a second wind.


    Little by little, they began to gain ground, taking advantage of the momentum provided by the two combatants.


    With a sword stroke, Liam beheaded one of the three apprentice knights, while Ivan, not far away, thrust his sword into the body of a second apprentice knight.


    Seeing this scene, the last of the apprentice knights fled without saying a word, as did the other soldiers.


    They weren''t going to stand around here waiting stupidly for death.


    "Sandrine, I think we''re saved."


    "It certainly seems that way," replied Sandrine, letting out a slight smile while holding her daughter against her chest and reassuring her.


    Seeing the opponents flee and, above all, noticing something else, Liam jumped onto the roof of a house, raised his sword in the air and shouted in a loud voice:


    "It''s over, soldiers of Baron Barthon, our leader has arrived!"


    His voice was heard not only by the six mercenaries who had just escaped death, but also by all the mercenaries and soldiers in and around the center of the village.


    Everyone turned their heads towards him, with different expressions on their faces.


    The mercenaries were at first confused and then extremely excited, while Baron Barthon''s soldiers and apprentice knights did not understand why this would be the end.


    "Indeed, if he is there, then it''s game over," whispered a middle-aged man, who had a very powerful aura compared to the other soldiers and mercenaries on this battlefield.


    It was Killian, and he had learned many things about Maxime from the mercenaries.


    Thanks to the mercenaries, he was somewhat familiar with Maxime''s strength, although he did not understand exactly how the mercenaries had news of their captain.


    But there were many talents in this world, so he didn''t ask too many questions. Misplaced curiosity could be seen as an offense to the group of mercenaries, and he definitely didn''t want to give the slightest wrong impression to these mercenaries.


    So he contained his curiosity both about this and about the fact that the mercenaries were getting stronger at a tremendous speed.


    Meanwhile, Liam slowly raised his finger to the sky.


    Everyone who was watching him instinctively followed the direction he was pointing.


    There, hovering majestically at a low altitude above the village, was a huge wyvern.


    "Roahhhh!"


    Maria''s roar caused a slight shockwave throughout the village of Plouta, momentarily freezing everyone in their tracks, including the mercenaries.


    On her back, the clearly visible silhouette of Maxime dominated the scene.


    A silence fell over the square. Even Baron Barthon''s soldiers stopped fighting when they saw this surreal apparition.


    The baron''s apprentice knights, who were leading the remaining troops, exchanged uncertain glances.


    "What the...?", whispered one of them, eyes wide.


    The silence was broken by Maxime''s powerful voice, which resonated across the battlefield:


    "Soldiers of Baron Barthon, surrender immediately! Your two knights are dead!"


    A murmur of shock ran through the enemy ranks.


    "Impossible..." whispered a soldier, overcome with despair upon hearing the news.


    "Knight Argan is dead?" muttered an apprentice knight, himself not believing what he was saying.


    "It''s a lie..." stammered another apprentice knight, trying to convince himself that it wasn''t possible.


    ...


    But in the face of the wyvern hovering above them, the truth seemed obvious. Such a creature could only be defeated by a great knight, and none were present in this battle or even in their entire army.


    "We had two knights? I thought only Knight Argan was with us." commented a more reasonable soldier.


    "Probably an insurance provided by the baron if things went wrong, but I imagine that even the baron would never have imagined that a young man commanding a wyvern would appear." commented another, also surprisingly calm.


    "And our two knights are probably indeed dead since he said so." he continued.


    In an army, there were obviously various characters, some more exceptional than others.


    Many apprentice knights gritted their teeth all the same. They wanted to deny this reality, to refuse to believe that they had just lost their greatest strike force. Yet the facts were there.


    Among the most lucid of the apprentice knights, one of them took a deep breath before raising his sword high.


    "Listen to him and lay down your weapons, lads. Even if we continue to fight, it would be pointless, we couldn''t do anything any more." he ordered, while letting go of the sword.


    The sword made a metallic sound when it hit the ground.


    "To continue fighting in these circumstances would be just synonymous with losing our lives for absolutely no reason," he explained, making various gestures with his hands and speaking loudly.


    "He''s right, we still have a future ahead of us, and maybe we can still become knights in the future." another commented aloud.


    Hearing this, one by one, the other apprentice knights looked at each other.


    But gradually, the apprentice knights and soldiers dropped their weapons, and even the most recalcitrant did the same, albeit with bitterness and despair.


    The metallic sound of weapons falling to the ground echoed throughout the village, officially signaling the end of the battle.


    A huge sigh of relief escaped from the ranks of the mercenaries and allied soldiers.


    Some collapsed from fatigue, others raised their arms to the sky in victory.


    Maxime jumped from Maria''s back in front of everyone and quickly arrived in front of Killian.


    "Maxime, you''ve changed a lot..." Killian commented, his expression complicated.


    It was one thing to hear things, and quite another to see them with his own eyes.


    Only a few months before, he could exchange numerous moves with Maxime and fight fiercely with him.


    Now, he was still a mere knight-in-training at the stage of great success, while the other party had surpassed the power of knights and had even tamed a wyvern.


    "Hi, Killian. You think so? I don''t think I''ve changed that much." replied Maxime, unconcerned.


    His evolution had been so rapid and events had followed one another so quickly that he hadn''t noticed the time passing.


    And not looking back, he hadn''t particularly noticed his own progress.


    But after a moment''s thought, and sensing that Killian''s strength was still the same, Maxime did indeed realize that he had changed.


    In response, Killian shook his head.


    "The gap between ordinary people and geniuses can really be huge." he added, but he gave Maxime a sincere and grateful smile.


    After all, without his intervention, he and his soldiers would all have died here. Even the friends he had made during that time would all have died. Maxime''s intervention allowed many of them to survive.


    But Maxime didn''t want to waste time needlessly arguing.


    "Can you take charge of binding all the soldiers and apprentice knights and making them prisoners? If there are any wounded among them, make sure they survive."


    "I can do that, but what do you plan to do with them? There must still be several hundred soldiers alive, as well as about twenty apprentice knights. That represents a huge food expense, even if we only give them one meal a day."


    Maxime smiled.


    "Don''t worry, I have my own plan for them. And provide 3 meals a day."


    Hearing this, Killian''s expression looked really strange and above all worried.


    "The war will have started quickly, and it will end quickly." Maxime added, in a relaxed tone.


    ...


    A week later, secret military camp, Baron Barthon''s office.


    boom


    The baron''s fist fell heavily on his desk, creating a huge hole in it.


    A few servants outside the room heard the sound and, being used to it, had already started to move a new desk into the room.


    Meanwhile, the baron''s rage did not diminish.


    "Can someone explain to me what''s going on!?"


    "All our attacks have failed miserably and 30% of our army has already been killed or imprisoned!"


    "Now morale is at an all-time low, and we''re even starting to get deserters!"


    The baron''s angry cries were like a deafening storm exploding in his office.


    The victims, 5 knights, some of whom were wounded, wore complicated expressions.


    But in their eyes, it was easy to see that they had already made a decision. However, the baron had not yet realized it.


    "Five of our fellow knights have already been killed: Argan and Tengan by the mercenary captain of the Saber-toothed Tigers, Melissa and Tristan were captured by two knights wearing black masks, and Lambard was literally frozen and then brought back by a terrifying humanoid creature that can fly." began to explain a knight with tousled brown hair.


    He seemed slightly lethargic, lacking in energy. The fact that he did not care about his own appearance reinforced the negative image he projected.


    But no one here dared underestimate him, for he was a knight at the stage of great success, as well as the most powerful knight under Baron Barthon. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lambard was the second most powerful knight, while Tengan was the third.


    "What do you mean, Marco?" Baron Barthon replied angrily.


    But Marco was not lacking in courage at that moment.


    "It is necessary to send an emissary to the royal court to obtain peace! As long as we have a mediator from the royal court, we can negotiate peace, even if it requires a huge price to get it signed by Baron Irut."


    "How dare you, Marco! You''re talking to me..."


    "LET ME FINISH BARON BARTHON, OTHERWISE AT THIS PACE, WE ARE GOING TO LOSE EVERYTHING!"

 Chapter 229 - 229: Baron Barthons trump card

    "LET ME FINISH BARON BARTHON, OTHERWISE AT THIS PACE, WE ARE GOING TO LOSE EVERYTHING!"


    Marco, who was the most powerful of the knights under Baron Barthon, finally bared his teeth at his own Baron, who was becoming mad and irrational.


    "I AM A NOBLE, HOW DARE YOU MARCO! YOU WISH TO BETRAY YOUR OWN LORD!?"


    The shouting in the office between Marco and the baron was so loud and powerful that many soldiers in the military camp could hear it.


    "Our baron has definitely gone mad." whispered one soldier.


    "Let''s hope our knights can reason with him." replied another nearby, worry clearly visible in his eyes. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The atmosphere throughout the army had been similar since they had suffered a series of defeats at the hands of several superhuman men in Baron Irut''s camp.


    Back at Baron Barthon''s office, the other four knights stepped forward, hand on sword, showing their support for Marco.


    Seeing this scene where his faithful knights, the very same individuals to whom he had provided numerous resources and given a valuable breathing technique, turned their swords on him, really infuriated the baron.


    "What a bunch of ungrateful people!"


    But this time, he kept his words to himself, because in this situation, he was indeed in a weak position.


    His strength was reputed to be very high, but against five knights, even if some were injured, he certainly did not have the upper hand.


    "We are not going to betray you, lord, we are helping you to make the most logical decisions, and those that will allow us to keep our territory." Marco replied to the accusations of treason.


    After raising his voice, he was now much calmer.


    Baron Barthon looked at him for a moment.


    Silence fell over the room.


    "Do what you want." he finally said.


    Marco and the other knights bowed slightly.


    "Thank you for your trust, lord."


    In response, the baron gestured to them with his hand, indicating that they should leave.


    Then the baron turned and looked out of his office window, thinking as his knights left quietly.


    Then, still thinking, he saw a dark mass in the distance.


    "What is it?"


    He squinted, but nothing.


    From such a distance, all he could see were black shadows.


    Suddenly, the door of his office opened with a loud crash.


    "Report, baron!"


    A bad premonition gripped the baron''s mind at the sight of the soldier''s urgent air.


    "What is it?"


    "We are under attack!"


    "What!?"


    The baron was stunned and did not know how to react for a moment.


    The knights who had passed the scout in the corridor had discreetly settled down next to the door.


    So they also heard the report, and they all looked at each other.


    "They''re really attacking us... I guess this is the end," whispered Marco, his head bowed.


    A red-haired knight placed his hand on Marco''s shoulder.


    "We are knights, Marco. Even if defeat is almost certain, we will certainly not surrender."


    Marco looked up and met the firm gaze of this knight.


    He ended up smiling slightly.


    "You''re right, Baro. The baron has invested a lot in us. It is thanks to him that we have become so strong, and it is also thanks to him that we have learned the virtues of a knight."


    "We will fight to the death to defend our territory."


    The other knights nodded firmly.


    Then the four knights set off with Marco at their head, all their expressions extremely resolute.


    For his part, Baron Barthon reacted quickly.


    "How many are they?"


    The soldier hesitated for a moment.


    "Speak."


    The soldier gritted his teeth.


    "Yes, Baron. According to our estimates... they have 1,000 soldiers, about fifty apprentice knights, half of whom are from the Saber-toothed Tigers, as well as five knights including Baron Irut, his two men and two knights from the mercenaries."


    The baron looked at the soldier, then asked:


    "Is that all?"


    Because if that was all, the forces on paper were more or less equal.


    The soldier shook his head.


    "There are also these strange mercenaries. According to our latest information, there are six mercenaries with a fighting power similar to that of a knight at the entry stage."


    "And above all, there is their captain and that wyvern."


    The baron remained silent for a few seconds, the atmosphere becoming heavy.


    "Do we have any information on the fighting power of this mercenary?"


    "Apart from the first day when he allegedly killed the knights Argan and Tengan, he did not act again. Only his men fought during the skirmishes between our forces and those of the baron of Baron Irut."


    The baron nodded.


    "I guess we can only appeal to them to save us." he murmured.


    "Did you call us Baron?"


    Suddenly a voice erupted in the room, followed by the sound of violent lightning. After this strange event, 20 silhouettes appeared in the office.


    The office seemed very crowded with so many people all at once, while the soldier, kneeling and making his report, trembled with fear.


    He felt intimidated in these circumstances because he had the impression that all these men seemed very strong and very well equipped.


    He even felt like he was suffocating even more than when he was facing knights like Marco or the baron himself.


    Seeing these people who had appeared out of nowhere, the baron did not show any surprise.


    During that week, having obtained information about Maxime, his wyvern and the strength of his mercenary group from the outset, he had prepared an ace up his sleeve to win this war.


    And those mercenaries were his ace.


    He bent down and opened a trapdoor under his desk.


    Baron Barthon took out a chest and placed it noisily on his desk. With a sharp movement, he opened it, revealing an impressive quantity of gold coins that reflected the light of the candles. His gaze was dark as he declared:


    "3000 gold coins, as expected."


    A young man then stepped forward nonchalantly. He was not very tall, about 1.65 meters in height.


    He didn''t look like a very muscular person either, but his bright yellow hair with orange highlights combined with a strong and supple body gave him a very charismatic air.


    Especially when his own personality, talent and authenticity were added to it, it made him a true leader.


    Otherwise the strong men behind him wouldn''t obey so easily.


    With an arrogant smile, he placed his hand on the baron''s desk and looked his interlocutor straight in the eye.


    "Hmm... I''m sorry, Baron, but we''re going to have to renegotiate our terms."


    The baron narrowed his eyes, while the young man continued with a mischievous smile:


    "Circumstances have changed. The risks are much higher than expected. We want 5,000 gold coins."


    A heavy silence fell over the room. The baron clenched his fists under his desk, the urge to curse this impudent mercenary burned him from within, but he swallowed his pride.


    "Are you making fun of me?" he growled.


    With all these events, Baron Barthon felt his brain was about to explode. Between the audacity of his own knights, the news of an attack on his camp and now being swindled by someone half his age, he really felt like he was going mad.


    But the young mercenary was feeling quite the opposite, so much so that his smile grew wider. He knew he had the baron by the throat. Without them, Baron Barthon had no chance of repelling the opposing army.


    And above all, he had a lot of fun conducting these negotiations and seeing people''s expressions when he announced that the price would be completely different. It was always his favorite part of the missions.


    Some tried to negotiate, but... Only he had the power to raise or lower the prices. His clients had no say in the matter.


    In any case, he himself had not become a mercenary for the money, which made him and his group different from other mercenaries.


    If the price did not suit them, then he could just leave with his mercenaries, without regret.


    After a short duel of intense gaze between the two of them, or rather a duel in which the baron endured the playful gaze of the young mercenary, the baron finally gave in.


    He snapped his fingers and signaled to one of his soldiers:


    "Go get the extra 2,000 gold coins from the safe."


    But the young mercenary stopped him immediately.


    "Wait, you misunderstood me. We want 5,000 gold coins in addition to the 3,000 gold coins originally promised. So you have to go and get 5,000 gold coins, soldier."


    But seeing the enraged expression on Baron Barthon''s face, the young mercenary could no longer hold back and suddenly laughed out loud.


    "Haha, don''t be like that Baron Barthon, it was just a little joke. Don''t worry."


    His mercenaries behind him showed no expression. They had long been accustomed to the temperament of their young captain, and in the circumstances, they did their best to maintain a high level of professionalism.


    For various reasons, they had no choice but to act in this way.


    After a confirming signal from the baron, who now had a red face, the soldier nodded and left the room in a hurry.


    Meanwhile, the mercenary remained leaning on the desk, looking relaxed, observing Baron Barthon with a mixture of amusement and calculation.


    He even took the trouble to chat quietly with the baron, and surprisingly, the baron''s rage diminished noticeably.


    When the soldier returned, the baron took the bags of gold and placed them on the table with an annoyed sigh.


    "Here is your gold."


    One of the mercenaries behind the young man took one of the bags, opened it and let a few coins fall through his fingers.


    "These are not fake gold coins, and according to the weight of these bags, the count should be correct," the mercenary reported to his young captain.


    The young man in question didn''t really care because when they did the accounts, if there was the slightest gold coin missing, they would go and look for them themselves while charging a certain interest.


    "Glad to have done business with you, Baron Barthon," he said with a big smile stretching his lips.


    The baron reluctantly shook hands with his interlocutor, knowing that he had just squandered a large part of his fortune, to such an extent that he would have to tighten his belt for the next ten years.


    He wondered if he hadn''t also lost a few brain cells because of all these events.


    But now he had no choice. His future depended on these mercenaries.


    "I''m counting on you."

 Chapter 230 - 230: Start of the attack

    "I''m counting on you."


    The young man gave the baron a confident smile and then turned away.


    "Come on, guys, it''s time to see which of us is the strongest: our mercenary group ''The Lightning Blades'' or the ''Saber-toothed Tigers''."


    One of the men with a well-groomed mustache, resembling a butler, stepped forward with a confident air.


    "There''s no doubt about it, captain, we''re bound to be the strongest. After all... each of us has the fighting power of a knight." he said, stroking his mustache.


    The young man shook his head.


    "These guys have a wyvern, let''s not underestimate them."


    But even as he said this, the young man still seemed very confident, as did his men.


    This reassured Baron Barthon.


    "I invested this money well." he thought secretly.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the side of Baron Irut''s army.


    Maxime and Baron Irut were on horseback, at the head of the army that was advancing slowly towards Baron Barthon''s camp.


    Not far from Baron Irut were Ron and Tersan, the two knights who served under his command.


    Two knights at the stage of great success not to be underestimated.


    Baron Irut himself was a knight at the stage of minor success.


    As for Maxime, all his mercenaries were at the front of the main army, as if protecting them.


    Kaite and Langus, wearing their black masks, followed Maxime very closely.


    Andrew stood very seriously in front of most of the mercenaries.


    Erwan and Lioran, wearing their masks, as well as Charles, Ultia, Henry, and Laura were at his side.


    All of them were part of the main force in this battle, and were at the front in order to take the maximum pressure from the opposing army and minimize that of Baron Irut''s soldiers.


    This idea didn''t come out of the blue, it was a request from Baron Irut. Once the battle was over, he promised Maxime 500 gold coins for this task.


    Maxime didn''t see any problem with it, and accepted immediately when the idea was put forward.


    He wasn''t afraid of running out of talented mercenaries, but he was afraid of ending up with mercenaries who were physically strong but incapable of fighting on a battlefield as a team.


    Otherwise, in this situation, even if they were strong, they would be no better than orcs.


    Moreover, after Baron Barthon''s attack on the village, only 50 of the 80 mercenaries who resided and trained there remained.


    More than 30 mercenaries had been lost forever, and just thinking about it made Maxime feel sick to his stomach.


    They were really heavy losses.


    But at the same time, he felt sincere gratitude towards Kavasta, who had given him the mysterious card that allowed him to unlock a new epic class.


    Without it, he would never have actively searched for Maria, nor would he have formed a bond with her.


    He would have arrived several days after the attack, and what he would have found... Even he didn''t want to think about it.


    Despite this, after last week''s skirmishes, there had also been a few more casualties among his men.


    After holding a ceremony for each of the victims and burning the corpses of his mercenaries, Maxime had no regrets.


    The path of a strong man was made up of countless corpses, and those who followed him had all decided to follow him for their own reasons.


    Those who survived the trials would naturally become stronger and more elite than those who had not experienced their baptism of blood.


    And indeed, even though there were more than a thousand men under Baron Irut''s command, in terms of aura alone, everyone knew that the true fighting power was in Maxime''s hands.


    In total, adding the 20 elite mercenaries who accompanied Maxime from Plouta, plus the VentBois recruits and the assassin troops of Duke Devron, the group of mercenaries under Maxime''s command now numbered 90 men, all highly experienced and powerful.


    As for Baron Irut, Ron and Tersan were the wild cards in his hands, ensuring that he always had a certain amount of influence in this battle.


    The troop of more than 1,000 soldiers continued to march in discipline.


    The morning light promised a beautiful day for many people, but this day would also be the last for many people.


    The opposing camp came into view. Silhouettes were stirring behind the wooden palisades, and knights in armor could already be seen preparing for battle.


    The heavy atmosphere of the impending battle began to weigh on the soldiers, but Maxime remained perfectly relaxed.


    "So this is Baron Barthon''s famous camp," he said lightly, his eyes quickly analyzing the position of the enemy troops.


    Baron Irut nodded, his face grave.


    "It was originally a training camp that Ron had spotted a few months ago, but now it is definitely a military camp."


    Maxime smiled slightly.


    "After this battle, we will finally be able to discover how Baron Barthon managed to have so many knights under his command."


    Both Maxime and Baron Irut were truly surprised when they learned that Baron Barthon had a total of 10 knights under his command, in addition to himself, who was a powerful and well-known knight.


    Baron Irut''s territory was only slightly smaller than Baron Barthon''s, and yet he had only two knights under his command.


    Having 10 was completely crazy, unless there was a particular reason that could explain it.


    But it didn''t matter, the battle was about to begin and it had to be won.


    Baron Irut''s army and the mercenaries continued to advance until less than 100 meters separated the army and the military camp


    At that moment, Baron Irut raised his hand.


    The whole army stopped momentarily.


    Maxime took a deeper look at Baron Barthon''s military camp.


    "According to the information obtained over the past week, there should be at least 1300 soldiers, about twenty apprentice knights and six knights including Baron Barthon."


    "But obviously, they are not all there. Numerous troops must be located in the center of the camp, ready to respond to our maneuvers and be deployed quickly."


    However, Maxime was very confident.


    As the skirmishes of the past week progressed and one victory followed another, the morale of Baron Barthon''s troops was not high, and could even be considered low.


    Maximus estimated, conservatively, that last week more than 700 soldiers, around 30 apprentice knights and 5 knights from Baron Barthon''s troops had been killed or captured.


    Almost half of the fighting force had been wiped out even before the main battle began, while Baron Irut''s troops had lost fewer than 100 soldiers and no apprentice knights.


    Even among his men, there had only been a few casualties after the Battle of Plouta while they were still leading the charge.


    But in all cases, Maxime remained cautious and solemn. This was not due to his personality, but rather to the prevailing atmosphere, and he was not yet accustomed to it.


    For indeed, the silence that preceded a battle was heavy. Each side sized up the other, whether it was Baron Irut''s 1,000 soldiers and a dozen or so apprentice knights, or Baron Barthon''s troops. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sweating under armor and clammy hands were commonplace. Only experienced fighters like the Saber-toothed Tigers mercenaries seemed calmer.


    But even they had hearts beating faster than usual.


    Maximus, still at the front, looked over at his men. They were all focused, ready to fight. He could feel their determination, their thirst to prove their worth despite their racing hearts.


    "Kaite, Langus."


    The two masked mercenaries approached slightly, ready to receive their orders.


    "We will strike first."


    Maxime''s heavy words echoed in the minds of the two mercenaries.


    Langus nodded, while Kaite glanced towards the opposing army.


    "I imagine you''re calling us, captain, to lead a detachment and attack on a flank?" asked Kaite, very calm at the moment.


    "Exactly, you and Langus, you will take twenty men and attack on their right flank. Be careful not to go deep into their camp, otherwise you risk being surrounded."


    Kaite nodded.


    "There will be attacks on the other flanks?"


    Maxime gave a mysterious smile. This battle had been in preparation for several months by Baron Irut and he himself had discussed the battle plan at length with Baron Irut over the past week.


    Nothing was left to chance.


    "Yes, when the attacks on the other flanks begin, start breaking through the enemy lines."


    Kaita nodded again without saying another word, then turned briefly to Langus, their eyes met and seemed to speak to each other.


    Both were very solemn, as they had already taken part in such battles, and they knew very clearly that no matter what the appearances, all could be lost.


    But this moment was very fleeting.


    Kaite quickly began to call out the names of 20 mercenaries, all from Plouta, including Liam and Ivan.


    Seeing this scene, Baron Irut glanced at Knight Tersan.


    "As planned, take 300 men and 5 apprentice knights, and accompany the Saber-toothed Tigers in their attack."


    Knight Tersan nodded, and made a few hand gestures while giving some orders.


    A negligible part of the soldiers thus separated from the main army.


    ...


    "Baron Irut and the Saber-toothed Tigers have begun to deploy their men," whispered Baron Barthon, still standing in his office.


    The Lightning Blades were no longer there, and had already begun to position themselves.


    Only three messengers stood behind him, kneeling and ready to pass on his orders.


    "Tell my 5 knights and 500 men and 10 knight apprentices, who are still in the center of the camp, to take up position in the south."


    The soldier who was tasked with delivering the message was surprised and couldn''t help but ask:


    "Will all the knights go and protect the south of the camp, sir? Who will then fight against the opposing knights in the west?"


    Baron Barthon turned slightly, giving the soldier a frightening look.


    The latter seemed to feel his head separate from his body for a moment.


    Then the pressure momentarily subsided.


    "Just do your job, and everything will be fine."


    "Yes, sir." replied the soldier immediately, momentarily happy to still be alive.


    Then he got up and ran to carry out his mission.


    "The pieces are in place, now only God knows what will happen over the next few hours," thought Baron Barthon silently, while keeping a close eye on some twenty figures to the west of the camp.


    Behind them, more than 1,000 soldiers were silently awaiting orders.


    The walls of the military camp were made of wood, like a common village wall, and were less than a meter high. They were not even thick enough for the soldiers to stand on.


    Thus the two armies could see each other completely.


    Then Baron Barthon smiled, visibly filled with confidence.


    "Once this battle is over, I could completely conquer Baron Irut''s territory."


    "Once this territory is digested, it won''t be long, maybe only a few years and at most 10 years to conquer the territory of the other nearby barons."


    Baron Barthon''s eyes hardened.


    "10 years... And I will become a viscount."


    Then he clenched his fist, filled with determination.


    "With this immense territory, and over the years, I will finally gain the strength to protect my territory even if an orc army appears."


    "And maybe even becoming a great knight is not impossible."

 Chapter 231 - 231: Surrender

    "And maybe even becoming a great knight isn''t impossible."


    ...


    On the battlefield, Baron Barthon''s troops were stirring. Their knights lined up in tight formation, ready to charge, while the mercenaries of the Sabertooth Tigers took up position behind them.


    But Maxime waited no longer.


    "Andrew! Erwan! Lioran! With me!"


    With a fluid movement, he drew his sword and ran at extraordinary speed towards the enemy camp. Behind him, some fifty of his mercenaries followed in a lightning charge.


    Not a single one fell behind, showing off the physical prowess of each mercenary.


    Then, behind them, Baron Irut raised his sword and gave the order:


    "Follow the captain of the Sabertooth Tigers and break through the enemy lines!"


    The highest-ranking among the leaders, mostly apprentice knights, began to shout:


    "For our territory, for peace and for our family!"


    "For our territory, for peace and for our family!"


    "For our territory, for peace and for our family!"


    ...


    The soldiers also began to shout, removing some of the tension and nervousness, and slightly improving the morale of the whole army.


    Baron Irut glanced at Ron.


    "Let''s go too."


    Then the two began to run, but much more slowly than the Sabertooth Tigers so as not to force the soldiers behind to sprint and exhaust their stamina.


    It was a two-pronged attack, and it was going to do some serious damage to Baron Barthon''s camp!


    And indeed, the first clash between the mercenaries and Baron Barthon''s troops was brutal.


    The mercenaries leapt over the small palisade with disconcerting ease.


    The enemy front ranks didn''t even have time to react before Maxime and his men hit them head-on. Cries of pain and the clash of weapons echoed across the battlefield.


    Kaite and Langus, for their part, had already infiltrated the right flank. Taking advantage of the chaos, they cut through the enemy lines like a hot blade through butter.


    But never too deeply into the enemy lines, thus eliminating any possibility of venturing too deep into the enemy camp, encircling and annihilating them.


    But a plan was still a plan, and it was impossible to foresee everything in advance without having all the information at one''s disposal.


    A lack of information that would lead to heavy losses for the Sabertooth Tigers.


    "Come on guys, it''s our turn to intervene," announced the young captain of the Lames Foudroyantes.


    The 19 men of the Lames Foudroyantes wore all kinds of expressions, from slight smiles to excitement to seriousness...


    Then they seemed to disappear in a flash of lightning.


    When their silhouettes appeared again, they were already alongside the Saber-toothed Tigers, followed by the sound of lightning, as if lightning had struck the battlefield.


    The shock was instantaneous, taking many Saber-Tooth Tigers by surprise.


    A bolt of lightning flashed less than five meters from Maxime, forcing him to briefly interrupt his attack to parry a lightning blow from one of the members of the Lames Foudroyantes with the back of his sword.


    "What speed!" he thought, surprised, after fending off his new adversary.


    Then he observed the particles of lightning escaping from his attacker''s body.


    Seeing this, he opened his eyes wide and glanced at the battlefield.


    Seeing that there were nearly 19 men displaying similar peculiarities, Maxime was shocked.


    "That would be...a magical talent!?"


    It was the first time he''d seen a magical talent with an active effect in Eternity since he''d started living in this world!


    And that wasn''t all!


    All around him, his men were being overwhelmed. Lightning Blades, each with a level comparable to that of a knight, struck with impressive strength and coordination.


    Saber-toothed Tigers fell one after the other, despite their training and skill. In just a few seconds, five bodies were already lying on the ground, staring at each other blankly.


    Maxime gritted his teeth.


    "I''ve got no choice. If I let them go on, they''ll break all our momentum."


    He concentrated his energy, his muscles tensed, his eyes narrowed, and in one breath, he charged.


    His target: the source of the magical talent, the captain of the Lightning Blades.


    As the possessor of a magical talent with active effects himself, it wasn''t hard to guess.


    The latter, alerted by the magical power emanating from Maxime, turned towards him.


    But Maxime''s speed was so fast that the young captain barely had time to react when their two swords clashed so violently that a shockwave swept away the surrounding dust and blood.


    But the young captain escaped without too much difficulty.


    "You must be Maxime." said the captain, having stepped back slightly from the impact.


    "Indeed, and who are you?" asked Maxime, very curious.


    "Adam, the captain of the Lames Foudroyantes. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Les Lames Foudroyantes?" thought Maxime with some doubt.


    This mercenary group name didn''t ring a bell.


    "Could it be a knight''s order or something?" he tried to guess.


    But in the short term, it didn''t matter what he guessed, he wouldn''t guess easily.


    Meanwhile, the fight went on in a series of lightning exchanges, where Maxime''s brute strength seemed to rival the supernatural speed of the enemy captain.


    Each blow bore the mark of an expert. Sparks flew with every steel contact.


    "He''s really strong." Maxime thought, after the umpteenth exchange.


    Yet the young man in front of him looked no older than himself.


    It had to be said that Maxime had become just as strong thanks to the advantages of being a gambler, and of being able to grow stronger thanks to gold coins.


    However, the youngster opposite relied on talent, hard work and no doubt a few resources to achieve such strength at such a young age!


    It was totally different, and far more difficult!


    But since Maxime had obtained a new class, he wouldn''t be content to risk his life foolishly against a monstrous genius from the world of Eternity.


    Especially as the longer he dragged on in this fight, the more likely it was that the mercenaries of the Lames Foudroyantes would turn the battlefield upside down.


    He raised his left hand briefly.


    "Maria."


    A shrill roar split the sky.


    All combatants, allies and enemies alike, stopped for a moment. A gigantic silhouette broke through the clouds before landing heavily behind Maxime.


    The wyvern''s scarlet eyes blazed with intensity.


    "A wyvern? But how could it appear so suddenly?" murmured one of the nearby members of the Lames Foudroyantes, taking a few steps back.


    The attention of Baron Barthon''s soldiers and the mercenaries of the Lames Foudroyantes was now all focused on Maria and the young man standing in front of her.


    "It''s not just this wyvern that''s the problem, across the way there are several ferocious men too," added another, backing away after sparring with Andrew for a while.


    Adam also finally stepped back, shouting:


    "We''re retreating, guys!"


    He was aware that even he couldn''t defeat a creature of this scale without the help of his mercenary group.


    Especially since, as it stood, the captain opposite possessed a strength similar to his own, and he knew he wouldn''t be able to get rid of him easily.


    But seeing his opponents wishing to flee, Maxime didn''t hesitate for a second and whispered:


    "Frozen weather."


    No sooner had these words been uttered than space and time around Maxime froze completely.


    When time resumed, Maxime was holding Adam by the throat, before the stunned eyes of the Lightning Blades who had already begun to beat late.


    "You..."


    Adam couldn''t believe what had happened.


    Let alone react, he''d seen absolutely nothing coming!


    Maxime smiled slightly.


    "It''s a good thing I bought this skill on the dimensional battlefield, otherwise that monstrous genius would really have escaped from here." he thought with satisfaction.


    For a few seconds, a heavy silence reigned over the western battlefield.


    Suddenly, however, cries began to echo to the north and east of the camp.


    On hearing this, Maxime smiled slightly, knocked Adam out easily and then handed him over to Andrew.


    "The plan''s working even better than expected."


    Andrew barely had time to react and retrieve Adam, before Maxime had already jumped on Maria''s back and started shouting:


    "Surrender! It''s only a matter of time before Baron Barthon is captured! Baron Irut''s troops and my Sabertooth Tigers have defeated you in the west and will soon defeat you in the south! Barons Terquan and Kenepis and their troops and knights have just arrived to the north and east of your camp, and will take little time to break through to the center of your camp!"


    "Resist and you will have a meaningless death!"


    Maxime''s words were very convincing. Or rather, Maria''s silhouette in itself was enough of a deterrent.


    Everyone knew very well that unless they had a great knight in their camp, it would be difficult to defeat a wyvern.


    Shortly afterwards, Baron Barthon''s first soldiers began to drop their weapons and kneel before the Sabertooth Tigers.


    The Thunder Blades gritted their teeth at the sight, but most were still ready to fight.


    "Suddenly, a voice came from one of the men of the Lames Foudroyantes.


    The 18 remaining knights watched the person who had just spoken, kneeling on the ground, head slightly bowed and hands behind his head.


    "Carl..." said one of the men from the Lames Foudroyantes.


    But he couldn''t finish before Carl, who was kneeling, said:


    "We''ve all become renowned knights thanks to our leader, and in this situation, my honor won''t allow me to run away after failing to protect him."


    His firm voice echoed in the hearts of the Lightning Blades.


    Then one after the other gritted their teeth, and also began to drop their weapons and kneel.


    It had all happened so quickly that Baron Irut''s men to the west had only just arrived at the side of the Sabertooth Tigers.


    Just in time to observe the entire surrender scene.


    Even Baron Irut couldn''t believe what he''d just seen.


    He was also asking himself a question shared by many.


    "How did he make his wyvern appear out of nowhere?"


    Then he shook his head and grinned happily.


    "Does it really matter that I know? As long as I remain his ally, then in this life I could probably die of old age and not on the battlefield."


    Then he ordered:


    "Soldiers, go and tie up all the soldiers and mercenaries who have surrendered."