Tactical Awareness: This skill endows you with heightened battlefield acumen, enabling swift and astute analysis of the battlefield's dynamics and the comparative advantages of both sides. Moreover, it grants you an intuitive insight into the morale values of both factions. (Unlocked when Intelligence reaches 20)

Agility: This skill amplifies your reflexes, enabling instinctive evasion of enemy assaults. The greater the discrepancy in agility between both sides, the more readily this effect can be triggered. (Unlocked when Agility reaches 20)

Field Surgery: This skill imparts you with a degree of medical proficiency, ensuring that injured comrades do not suffer debilitating combat effectiveness loss on the battlefield. (Unlocked when Intelligence reaches 20)

Infantry Leadership: When commanding infantry, soldiers under your charge will receive attribute enhancements and morale boosts. The higher your leadership attributes, the more pronounced these enhancements will be. (Unlocked when leading infantry)

Cavalry Leadership: When leading cavalry, riders under your command will receive attribute enhancements and unlock formations such as 'Wedge Formation' and 'Diamond Formation'. The higher your leadership attributes, the more pronounced these enhancements will be. (Unlocked when leading cavalry)

Avi and Rafe have recently leveled up, allocating their attribute points respectively to Agility and Intelligence, surpassing the threshold of 20 points for these attributes, thus unlocking new skills as anticipated.

Surveying the attributes displayed on the panel, Avi finds himself genuinely perplexed:

Avi, Level 20, Strength 20, Agility 20, Intelligence 20, Charisma 15; Skills: Persuasion 1, Trade 2, Lore 1, Riding 2, Weapon Mastery 2, Leadership 1, Endurance 1.

Rafe, Level 21, Strength 35, Agility 16, Intelligence 7, Charisma 8; Skills: Weapon Mastery 4, Riding 2, Iron Will 1, Endurance 1.

Considering his lack of cavalry, 'Cavalry Leadership' is naturally irrelevant. 'Infantry Leadership' undoubtedly suits Rafe without much deliberation.

How should the remaining skill point be allocated? Avi regards himself as a commander, but leading a charge at this juncture could undoubtedly instill a significant morale boost.

With only one skill point remaining, should he invest in 'Agility', representative of individual prowess, or opt for 'Tactical Awareness' or 'Field Surgery', which offer team-oriented benefits?

The roar of beasts echoes nearby, indicating that there's scant time for contemplation.

"Calm yourself, calm yourself... Ponder carefully, what does the team need most at this moment—a leader or a hero? What could I do to better serve?"

Amid his agitation, Avi can't help but vigorously scratch his scalp. "If only this were like a game with a pause button!"

"My Lord!"

Airen rushes over from the defense line he's overseeing, prompting Avi to swiftly close the panel and turn to his loyal follower. "What's amiss?"

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"I've reason to suspect that the enemy might not be as formidable as they seem."

Airen gasps for breath, "I hurled a couple of javelins into the darkness, yet there was no reaction whatsoever. So, I endeavored to cast a torch in, only to witness those crimson lights dissipate upon illumination!"

"What might this signify?"

"My Lord, I believe those luminous orbs resembling eyes are illusions concocted by a mage, likely a practitioner of shadow magic."

"Are you certain?" Avi muses momentarily. "If that's the case... Could it be a howler shaman?"

"A howler shaman?"

"Yes, the mage of the orcs, purportedly the mouthpiece of the dark gods—but that's immaterial. Reserve the educational discourse for later. Your intel is invaluable, but can we truly conclude that all those outside are mere illusions?"

"No," Airen asserts, "Not entirely illusions. There were authentic beasts by the torch I cast, though I surmise their numbers are sparse, else they'd have assailed us outright."

"It makes sense," Avi nodded firmly.

"Airen, go inform your friends, tell them to get ready for the attack."

"As you wish, Your Excellency."

"Also—" Avi halted Airen again.

"Yes?"

"Prepare our horses."

"As you wish." Airen swiftly dashed off to carry out the orders, while Avi confidently reopened the panel.

"Now that's much easier. Whether it's the wailing or whatever witchcraft those shamans use, only dead ones make good shamans."

Avi upgraded Rafe's "Infantry Command" skill and his own "Agility" skill.

Simultaneously upgrading both agility and endurance skills, even though his combat prowess still lagged behind Rafe's, when it came to maneuvering the battlefield, Avi was no slouch.

"Good!"

Drawing his sword, Avi rose to his feet, rallying his comrades in the center of the camp, "Brothers! Look at those crimson eyes outside, focus on them!"

With that, he vigorously hurled a burning stick from the bonfire outwards.

The flames, like a purifying light against evil, extinguished all terrifying illusions wherever the orange-red fire touched, leaving only a few mastiffs cowering on the ground, growling softly.

"See that? That's what's been toying with us for so long!" Avi proclaimed, "Brothers, it's time to charge out and show them what real mercenaries are made of!Fifty silver coins for every skin, and if we catch that spellcasting filth, we could pocket a few hundred gold coins!"

Primitive material incentives always worked, especially when witnessing the disappearance of things that once haunted them, mercenaries tightened their grips on their weapons and cheered.

"Clear the obstacles! I'll handle the front myself, Rafe takes the left, Airen takes the right. Throw all the torches into the darkness to illuminate it, all units, charge—"

Avi mounted his horse and waved his sword, charging out, while Rafe, eager for action, roared as he led the charge with his massive, jagged sword.

In contrast, Airen remained composed. Despite inheriting Rafe's armored warhorse, he wasn't reckless. Instead, he cautiously directed his small contingent, aiming for maximum impact with minimal casualties.

Riding a swifter yet more vulnerable warhorse, Avi felt his blood surge to his head, his teammates' cheers fueling his adrenaline, leaving his mind in a blank state.

Charge, charge, charge!

Dozens of mastiffs around him howled and leapt, attempting to bring him down, but with the aid of "Agility," facing these instinctive attackers on horseback was almost effortless for Avi. His longsword rose and fell dozens of times, countless blood blooms unfurling in the dark of the night.

By the torchlight, Avi could see one filthy, furless mastiff after another cut open, revealing bloody flesh and gleaming white bones.

The pack leapt countless times in an attempt to dismount Avi, but countless times Avi dodged with the "Agility" skill, the few wounds from claw slashes barely enough to affect Avi's determination and stamina.

With the combined blessings of endurance and agility, Avi maneuvered back and forth among the pack.

The camp's location, with its open and flat surroundings, was perfect for cavalry warfare.

As the last mastiff emitted a mournful cry and fell, unable to rise, Avi lifted his longsword, its blade still warm with fresh blood.

"Finally, only that howling shaman remains. He must be nearby!"