As I assembled my contraption, every time I glanced up at the Legionnaires, I noticed a few more wide-eyed expressions from those who had figured out what was going to happen. They obeyed orders and remained silent, but I could sense the nervous energy beginning to take hold. When I lifted the completed contraption and fastened it to Francis, some of the Legionnaires started to sweat in panic.

I dusted myself off and straightened up before addressing them. "We are going to face a difficult battle, where you'll have to hold against an enemy that outnumbers you and has significantly more mass to push you back. We have trained as best as we can to help you withstand this pressure, but there are only so many Legionnaires to train with. I have recruited Francis to help solve that problem."

After I finished speaking, everyone who hadn't yet grasped what was going to happen finally did, and I couldn't help but smirk. Some of the more observant Legionnaires didn't fail to notice it.

I glanced at Francis, who was getting accustomed to his new accessory. It wasn't a perfect tool, but it would get the job done. By modifying his pulling harness and attaching two long, iron-reinforced logs to both sides that were designed for the upgraded village gate, Francis could now push back the entire group of 40 Legionnaires.

"Legionnaires, prepare to receive a charge!" I yelled out, and immediately, with practiced ease, they all fell into the correct line formation and readied their shields. I guided Francis a bit closer because I didn’t want the first time to be too rough on them.

When we were about 10 feet away, I slapped Francis on his rear, and he burst forward. I was glad that Francis was smart because the entire column was pushed back, and many people lost their footing, falling backward even though the Legionnaire behind them was supposed to prevent that.

I helped Francis get back into position, and I looked at the sorry excuses that were supposed to protect us. "Did you try to embarrass me? Did you think that we are playing around? I am trying to teach you how to stay alive, yet what do you do? You fall to the ground like a bunch of children. Get back in line and ready for another charge!" I yelled so close to them that the people in the front row were covered in spittle.

It took me a long time to learn how to yell so that spittle would fly, but it's one of my proudest abilities. Nothing quite gets your point across like being yelled at while being covered with someone else's spittle without being able to do anything about it. The next charge was equally pathetic, but I could see improvements. "Again!" I yelled out and everyone prepared once again.

On the third attempt, they managed to remain upright for a moment, but it seemed Francis had other plans. With a swift, forceful shove, he disrupted their formation once again. I took a moment to study Francis more closely and saw that he was genuinely enjoying himself—perhaps even more than when he pulled heavy carts back to the village.

The Legionnaires were well-trained and adapted quickly, but Francis was nothing short of spectacular. I could never have imagined him excelling so remarkably at this task. When the Legionnaires managed to halt his direct charge, he cleverly angled the log so that one side struck before the other. He also unleashed sudden bursts of power while already pushing against the shield wall. As Francis continued to learn and improve, I increased the distance he was allowed to cover during his charge, forcing the Legionnaires to adapt anew.

Battles in this world were diffrent. For one, people had abilities. They also had the stamina to keep fighting a lot longer. The first significant breakthrough occurred three hours into our training session. The Legionnaires had once again successfully stopped Francis in his tracks, holding him at bay without conceding an inch. So, I issued a command: "Push." It was an instinctive response we had ingrained in them, and they simultaneously advanced the shield wall a step further.

Even with his strength, Francis couldn't defy physics. He was pushed back one step but didn't let that deter him, pushing back even harder. Although the Legionnaires were pushed back by about an inch, they remained firmly rooted in place. I shouted another "push," but this time they managed only half a step before Francis overpowered them, sending people tumbling to the ground. "Legionnaires, take a rest and recuperate."

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I was proud of their progress and allowed them to do whatever they needed to recover. I removed the contraption from Francis, giving him a chance to rest as well. He was panting heavily. I brought him a large bucket of water to drink. "You did so well. Are you interested in continuing this training for at least a few days?" I received a huff in response, which I interpreted as him telling me to stop asking silly questions.

I chuckled as I scratched behind his ears. All the trainers had been observing, so I quickly explained to them how to conduct this exercise and what to watch for and improve. We had to run this drill with every group of Legionnaires to prepare them for battle. After that, I hurried towards the goblins to inform them that it was time to start gathering.

The Slave King's army was supposed to be almost two weeks away, but I was no longer confident about that. Something told me we had less time, but I believed I could persuade the goblins to wait a few more days fully gathered than initially planned if necessary.

My journey to the goblin lands was swift, and my stay even shorter. By evening, I was back at the village, supervising a different group of Legionnaires as they learned to hold the shield wall against a more formidable opponent.

The next morning, I had Goose fly out to check on the progress of the Slave King's army. The distance they had covered confirmed they were indeed marching relentlessly to reach us sooner. I couldn't pinpoint the exact reason for this urgency—whether it was due to dwindling food supplies or some other factor—but it didn't really matter. What mattered was that our time was running out.

The day after tomorrow was the summer solstice. Fear hung in the air, dampening any celebratory spirit. For many people, they had been on the run for a long time, but there was nowhere left to flee. This was the end of the line, and if the Slave King's armies broke through, they would either be killed or enslaved. The only thing keeping morale afloat was the sight of the Legionnaires training tirelessly to protect them.

I decided to use today and tomorrow to push the Legionnaires hard, and then we would have a summer solstice celebration. Everyone would be called back into the village. When I informed the council of my decision, they were all surprised. They had expected me to insist on continued training and had spent nearly the entire night devising ways to persuade me to hold the summer solstice celebration.

This revelation lifted everyone's spirits somewhat. They quickly began preparing for the festivities while I returned to the training grounds, where I spent most of my remaining time before the celebration. During this period, another idea came to me, and I couldn't decide whether to be proud of myself or horrified. I gradually worked on that project throughout the night, hoping I had enough time to complete it.

Every member of the military was instructed to enjoy themselves but not to drink excessively. The joy on their faces when we informed them during the lineup on the training grounds on the morning of the summer solstice—while they anticipated another day of training—was heartwarming.

The only thing that saddened me about the summer solstice was that I wouldn't be able to return to my home and use my sauna. Fortunately, they still had the tradition of burning bonfires. At least I could participate in that ritual.

While everyone around me celebrated, I continued working on my project. I even used some of the stronger metal I had acquired from the raid dungeon market. I also had to modify my armor slightly, as I had grown considerably taller. Now standing at 6 feet 1 inch, I didn't think my growth would cease anytime soon. However, even I wasn't going to work the entire day; I too wanted to take some time off to unwind.

The night was simultaneously warm and cool, a difficult sensation to describe, but it was my favorite weather for a bonfire. Watching the flames dance has always made me feel closest to nature, and this time was no exception.

A similar pulse of energy occurred, much like the previous year, but it had little impact on our nation, and most people didn't even notice it. Apparently, this phenomenon was entirely natural and happened annually. The undead that arose as a result were a byproduct of the immense quantities of natural life energy comprising the pulse.

No one in the area understood the true reason behind the pulse's occurrence. I was sure that some individuals elsewhere knew the cause, but for now, I chose not to dwell on it and instead allowed myself to be enveloped by the surrounding nature. I had fallen asleep beside my bonfire on a grassy hill just outside the village. In the morning Goose woke me up when he left to search of food.

It was time to address all those who would be fighting. There wouldn't be time for a speech before the battle, as it simply didn't align with our strategy and the image we wanted to project to our enemies. Thus, now was the best and final opportunity to deliver it. Today, everyone would start preparing for the confrontation. All the pieces were in place, and now it was time to let the dice roll, hoping we would live to see another day.