Roland had 103 people when he arrived and 193 when he came back. Could this be the legendary art of warfare—fighting to grow stronger?

"Guys, speed up! We need to get to Rivendell!" Roland shouted, full of energy.

"So, my lord... where is Rivendell?" Reynold asked weakly.

"..." Roland sighed.

"Carlos, do you know where Rivendell is?" Roland asked with a glimmer of hope.

"Uh, maybe we should look at the map?" Carlos suggested, scratching his head.

"So... we're lost again?" Roland said, disbelief written on his face.

Seeing Reynold and Carlos nod in affirmation, Roland covered his face with his hand. The last time he got lost, he was looking for Bag End Cave in Hobbiton.

"Alright, let's find our way..." Roland sighed.

…

"This is the last elven refuge in the East, often called..." Gandalf raised his eyebrows and introduced, pausing for dramatic effect.

"Rivendell!" Bilbo murmured, stunned by the beauty before him.

"Gandalf?" An elf greeted him.

"Ah! Lindir, I'm here to see Lord Elrond," Gandalf said.

"Unfortunately, Lord Elrond is not here," Lindir replied.

Just then, the sound of horse hooves echoed behind them...

…

"When the thrush knocks, stand by the gray rock. The setting sun will shine on the keyhole with the last light of Durin's Day," Lord Elrond read from the map in the moonlight.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

…

Late at night, Roland and his group huddled around a campfire, scrutinizing their map, trying to make sense of the stick-figure-like drawings.

"Sir, maybe we should just go our own way..." Reynold suggested helplessly.

"What are you thinking? We still have ten brothers with them," Roland retorted, holding his head.

With his current strength, Roland could easily take over a small town in the Shire and become its ruler. However, he was reluctant to give up the quest rewards of the main storyline.

"Sign in the system!" Roland looked up at the sky. It was past midnight.

"Sign-in successful! Reward: 100 Lagrand Empire Infantry."

"I'm not dreaming, am I? We're getting reinforcements!" Roland said in surprise.

However, the infantry couldn't ride horses. First, they were infantry units and wouldn't improve their combat effectiveness. Second, Roland's horse reserve was nearly depleted...

Roland chose to summon the 100 infantry soldiers. Soon, the sound of marching feet echoed in the distance, and the vigilant Batanian archers readied their bowstrings.

"Relax, they're our people," Roland assured the nervous crowd. No band of wandering orcs would attack an army composed entirely of professionals unless it was an orc army.

"My lord! Reporting for duty!" The neatly lined-up infantry clenched their fists and saluted.

"Good work, rest now," Roland waved his hand. Someone immediately went to help set up tents. Everything was running smoothly.

Roland took a closer look at the infantry. It was his first time observing this unit. These were the most common soldiers in the Lagrand Empire. Though they were ordinary men and mere cannon fodder in the game, they were different now.

Thanks to the Lagrand Empire's strong national strength, even regular infantry were well-equipped. They wore fine iron barrel helmets, lined with leather armor, and outer chainmail. They wielded five-meter-long spears and carried full-body shields inlaid with iron and leather, with steel maces hanging at their waists. They were armed to the teeth. Unfortunately, as non-professionals, they couldn't use skills. If they faced an equal number of professional infantry, even probationary level, they would be slaughtered.

…

After clearing the area, Roland and his group set off again. This time, they wandered in circles...

"All right, spread out and look for the elves! If we can't find Rivendell, maybe we can find some elves!" Roland suggested.

"High! High! It's a brilliant idea!" Carlos quickly flattered him.

Reynold covered his face, embarrassed by their leader's suggestion. It was the first time he had seen someone get lost and resort to capturing others to ask for directions.

Meanwhile, Lindir was leading a patrol of ten elf cavalry. They climbed over hills, crossed streams, and walked through grasslands, only to find themselves surrounded. Nearly 300 armed soldiers emerged from all directions. The most fearsome were the infantry with their five-meter-long spears. The heavily armed knights cruising on the periphery looked just as intimidating.

Lindir rode forward and shouted, "What are you doing? Are humans breaking the covenant? This is Rivendell!"

Someone in Roland's group couldn't help but snicker.

Roland's eye twitched. He had expected Lindir to challenge him to a duel, but instead, he was waving the flag of surrender.

"Alright, we're looking for Rivendell! Capture them!" Roland ordered.

"On it!" Carlos grinned and led the charge.

"Ah! Despicable humans!"

"Hey, don't hit the face!"

…

"My lord! They've all returned," Carlos reported happily.

Reynold was shocked by the sight before him.

"What did you do to them?" Roland asked, pointing to the 11 bruised and swollen elves.

"Uh, they resisted, but we couldn't kill them..." Carlos explained, embarrassed.

"The Shire! The Shire!" Lindir shouted, though his words were slurred.

"Let them go..." Roland turned around, shoulders shaking with laughter. After a moment, he composed himself and turned back.

"Hello, could you please tell us how to get to Rivendell?" Roland asked, suppressing a smile.

"You fools! Follow the high-speed trail!" Lindir said angrily, though his speech was barely understandable.

"What about your lord?" Reynold asked.

"Everyone, stay alert! Wait for more elves to come. A patrol team is missing; they must be searching for them," Roland sighed.

"Alright!" Reynold left to set up their defenses.