The following morning, the camp was quieter than usual. There was a subtle tension in the air, something only a leader might feel when addressing a group about something difficult but necessary. I could feel the weight of my upcoming speech as I made my way through the camp, my footsteps heavy, my mind racing. I had spent all night thinking about what I was going to say and how I could convince them that this delay in payment was for the best.
The recruits were already gathered in the training field, their murmurs quieting when they saw me approaching. I glanced over at Silvana, who gave me a nod of encouragement. She knew how hard this would be, but she trusted that I could get through to them. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, feeling the eyes of my troops on me.
“Everyone,” I began, my voice steady but not without a touch of unease. “I know many of you are wondering why I've gathered you all here. It's about something important, and it concerns each and every one of you.”
I could see their faces turning from curiosity to concern, so I wasted no time in getting to the point. “For the past few days, you’ve been working hard, training harder than most. But we all know this kind of preparation doesn’t come cheap. And with the funds we've spent on equipping everyone with better armor and weapons, our resources are running low.”
I paused, letting that sink in. I could see a few worried expressions among the recruits, some looking at each other, wondering what was coming next.
“I want to be honest with you,” I continued, raising my voice just a little to ensure everyone could hear. “For the next few days, I won't be able to pay your daily wages. We’re stretched thin. But I want you to know that I care about every one of you. I refuse to compromise on your safety. That’s why we made sure everyone has the best gear we could provide—so that when the time comes, we’re all as ready as we can be.”
The tension in the air thickened. I could sense their doubts creeping in, but I wasn’t finished. “In return for your patience, I promise that each of you will receive triple the amount you’re owed once we complete our next contract. This isn’t just about money. It’s about ensuring that we come back alive and that we face as few casualties as possible. I could have kept paying you and left you to fight with the gear you had before—but that would have meant more of us wouldn’t make it through. I couldn’t live with that.”
A murmur spread through the crowd, and I could see some heads nodding. Slowly, they were starting to understand. I glanced at Silvana, who gave me a slight smile of approval.
“Additionally,” I added, “I’ve worked with Sora to develop welfare programs for all of you. We want to ensure that if something does happen, your families won’t be left empty-handed. You’ve heard me speak about this before, and now, I’m making it a reality. Your sacrifice today will pay off in the long run.”
There was a moment of silence. I could feel their eyes on me, weighing my words. Then, to my relief, a few of them started nodding. One of the recruits, Leon, stepped forward.
“We trust you, Augustus,” he said firmly. “You’ve led us well so far, and we can see that you’re doing this for us, not for yourself.”
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A chorus of agreements followed. I exhaled, relieved beyond words. They accepted it. Happily, even. The weight on my shoulders lightened, but I knew the real test was still ahead.
To be honest, I expected a little retaliation from them but everything went so well it was probably because of the welfare programs, the promise to pay them three times what they were owed or they were happy with the new equipment that they received knowing fully well they will never be able to afford it. Whatever it was it made my life easy.
//
The days that followed were filled with rigorous training. While the recruits worked with their respective weapons, I focused on mastering my own skills. My one-handed sword had always been my weapon of choice, but I knew that versatility could mean the difference between life and death.
I spent hours working with polearms, feeling the weight and balance of the spear as I thrust it through the air, imagining enemies on the battlefield. The motion felt foreign at first, but slowly, my body adapted. Two-handed swords came next—heavier, requiring more control. Each swing tested my endurance, but I could feel the raw power behind the blade. And finally, I trained with javelins, perfecting my aim and learning the subtleties of throwing weapons. My arms ached from the strain, but it was a good pain, a reminder that I was growing stronger.
As the days passed, I couldn’t help but notice the improvement in my recruits. They were getting faster, and more precise with their movements. Silvana’s leadership of the crossbow unit was already making a difference—her sharpshooters were becoming a formidable force. Leon, too, proved himself to be a natural leader, commanding the infantry with the ease of someone born for the role.
It wasn’t just about skill anymore. I could see it in their eyes—their confidence was growing. I felt proud, knowing that we were becoming something more than just a ragtag group of mercenaries. We were becoming a unit, a force to be reckoned with.
With only two days left before our encounter with the bandits, something strange happened during my training. I was in the middle of practicing with my one-handed sword, focusing on improving my form, when I suddenly heard that familiar, eerie robotic voice—the one I hadn’t heard in days.
“Your one-handed skill has reached level 5. Please choose one of the following buffs.”
A translucent screen appeared before me, its glowing text hovering in the air.
Shield Bash - Grants you and your troops increased shield health and can add the debuff “Destabilization” to enemies for a longer period when you are wielding a shield.
Weapon Handling- Grants you and your troops improved weapon handling with one-handed weapons, increasing attack speed and precision.
I blinked, taking a step back as the options lingered before me. This wasn’t just any skill upgrade—it could affect not only me but my entire party. My heart raced, excitement and confusion swirling together in my mind. Was this the system giving me another advantage? How many of these choices would I be faced with?
I took a deep breath and weighed my options. On the one hand, Shield Bash sounded incredibly useful for defending against large groups of enemies. But Weapon Handling… could make us faster, and deadlier.
I thought about the bandits we were about to face—how well-equipped they were, how experienced. If we were going to win, we needed to strike fast and hard, not just hold out defensively. But at the same time, Shield bash was a skill that was important in the long run. After thinking about it for some time my decision was made.