Chapter 3: The First Battle

As for Lady Bela, his mother, though she had lost her husband and one of her sons, she still seemed to be in good spirits. She ate well, slept soundly, and was kind toward Draxel. Draxel decided to take good care of her, letting her stay within the castle and providing her with a spacious, top-quality bedroom. It would be sufficient for her to live out her twilight years in peace and comfort.

Even in this virtual world, she was, after all, his mother. Treating one’s parents well was a fundamental moral duty for a child.

Once these arrangements were properly settled, a squad of six people finally set out on their perilous knightly journey, fraught with crisis at every turn. 

The sun of the early morning rose gradually, perched atop the prosperous lands of Ukshor, radiating its heat and majestic power. After Draxel exchanged greetings with the rookie guards at the main entrance, the group headed toward the Eastern Abyss Mountain Range. 

The speed of the infantry was slow, akin to snails crawling and cows plodding. Hence, reaching the Eastern Abyss Mountain Range would likely require an estimated five full days. 

For six people, that would mean 30 Denars of food per day, totaling 150 Denars for the journey. And that was the best-case scenario, assuming they encountered no enemies along the way. If they did get into fights, the journey could easily take several more days, costing perhaps around 200 Denars.

After all, funds were tight at the moment, and he knew he would need to make big expenditures in the future.

Looking at these pitiful Swadia recruits, each one clad in just a pair of shabby sandals and a ragged cloth shirt, without even a hat, armed only with makeshift weapons like hoes, wooden sticks, and stones. He couldn’t help but feel a bit disheartened.

They even smeared a mixture of yellow sand and mud on their legs to temporarily serve as makeshift shorts. One could only imagine that if they ran too fast, the mud would fall off, leaving them to fight with their behinds exposed.

“Can you even kill anyone with this gear? Killing a dog would be a challenge!”

“As you can see, my lord.”

Draxel let out a wry smile. If he had a pack of cigarettes on hand, he would have smoked the whole thing on the spot. It seemed that he would have to put in extra effort in battle, leading them to level up for future engagements.

And so, this ragtag team had been marching for two days already.

Fortunately, the majority of the territory in the Kingdom of Swadia was vast plains.

During the first two days, Count Draxel’s force encountered no ambushes. The plains didn’t lend themselves well to ambushes as one could see for miles. Moreover, they were still within the territory of the Kingdom of Swadia, which was currently at peace. Any potential enemies would likely be small-time robbers rather than an organized military force.

However, by the fourth day, Draxel’s luck ran out. His group found themselves in a battle.

They were on the verge of entering the Abyss Mountain Range, an area abundant with forests and fertile soil, making it an ideal resting spot for bandits.

Some forest bandits made a living here by robbing passing merchant caravans and farmers. Seeing that Draxel’s squad consisted of just six men, in which only their leader was decently clad, while the rest were practically bare, the bandits couldn’t stop smiling. It was as if they had stumbled upon an unexpected windfall.

In an instant, fourteen forest bandits charged out.

“Hey, brother! If you want to pass through here, you’ll have to leave behind something valuable.”

Draxel cracked a faint smile and shared a piece of wisdom, saying, “Let me teach you a line. ‘This mountain is mine, I planted this tree. If you want to pass, leave some coin for me!’ Use that line next time, It’ll add some poetic flair.”

“Huh, sounds like you’re more professional at this than I am,” quipped the bandit. “But enough chit-chat. Hand over the toll.”

“Oh, really? And how much do you suppose I should pay you?” Draxel raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm, if you can spare 8,000 Denars,” was the nonchalant reply.

“Holy hell, do you even know who I am?” exclaimed Draxel.

To him, the amount was inconceivable. Did he appear to be someone with such wealth? After all, he was but a penniless wanderer, unable to even afford a travel horse.

“I don’t know you, but I’ve decided that your skull will serve as my drinking cup tonight. Prepare to meet your end,” declared the bandit leader.

Draxel sighed. “Very well, negotiations have broken down. Let the battle commence.”

[Hint: As your reputation and honor grow, people will come to recognize you.]

[Current Reputation: 10, Honor: 1. You are insignificant on the continent of Calradia.]

The system’s feedback only fueled Draxel’s irritation. There was nothing left to do but to vent his pent-up rage on the forest bandits before him.

Slightly more skilled than the green recruits of Swadia, these bandits were armed with short axes and daggers, donned in moderately tough animal hides and leather armor. However, they were no match for Draxel.

These ruffians couldn’t possibly compare to a true knight, seasoned in duels.

In the ensuing battle, Count Draxel took the lead, his sword moving fluidly, akin to a coiling serpent or a majestic dragon soaring through the skies. Channeling a third of his inner fury, he emitted a terrifying aura of killing intent. His sword seemed to carry a warlike fervor that multiplied tenfold with each swing.

In mere moments, he had laid nearly ten forest bandits to rest, their blood permeating the air with a thick, noxious stench.

An overpowering aura of bloodlust and unparalleled valor swept over the enemy forces, sending them into a scattered retreat.

“After engaging in battle, you think you can just run? You’ll have to pay the toll first,” Draxel declared.

At this moment, Draxel resembled a war god descended upon the continent, relishing the thrill of robbing his fleeing foes. It became difficult to discern who the true devil was or identify the unflinching bandit leader willing to kill without hesitation.

Next, Draxel organized his recruits, sending them to chase and encircle the fleeing enemies, providing the fledglings an opportunity to gain experience and level up.

Quickly, the remaining four bandits were dealt with.

[Character Experience Points gained: 500]

[Reputation increased by 5, Denars increased by 100, 1 Swadian Recruit ready for upgrade.]

[Evaluation: You are brave and fought well.]

[Introducing the Swadian Upgrade Tree with three categories:]

[Swadian Recruit – Soldier – Veteran Soldier – Heavy Cavalry – Iron Knight]

[Swadian Recruit – Soldier – Light Infantry – Sergeant]

[Swadian Recruit – Soldier – Crossbowman – Veteran Crossbowman]

“Only the cavalry has five tiers, the rest peak at four,” Draxel noted.

The Kingdom of Swadia was famed for its terrifying cavalry, unparalleled on the plains. Draxel knew which path to choose for the upgrade.

[1 Swadian Soldier obtained, spending 20 Denars.]

[Recent food costs totaled 120 Denars, leaving 1970 Denars remaining.]

The newly upgraded soldier was a marked improvement, replacing his ragged clothes with cotton tunics and short sleeves. His weaponry had been upgraded to wooden spears and short swords, and the straw sandals had been swapped out for leather shoes.

Eyeing this newly upgraded young man, Draxel was quite pleased and asked, “What’s your name?”

“With utmost respect, honorableCount Draxel, my name is Owens,” the young man replied.