Elysian smirked without uttering a word, casually enjoying his peanuts alongside his two companions.
“The young master doesn’t need to fight. We, the soldiers of Ironspire, will be victorious!” Yorick exclaimed loudly so that everyone could hear. Looking at his men with a stern expression, he continued, “All of you are a disgrace! At the mere sight of money, you all lost your discipline. Acting like f*cking animals who are blinded by greed—what a joke! You don’t even know you’re being herded for slaughter.”
Immediately, all the soldiers’ eyes averted his gaze, some even looking down, feeling ashamed by their actions.
Scowling at his men, Yorick sighed and declared, “From now on, all of you will act as soldiers! I won’t tolerate any disgraceful actions. As soldiers of Ironspire, I won’t allow further humiliation in our name. Also, the reward money will be equally distributed to everyone. Do I make myself clear?!”
“Yes, sir!” Standing at attention, all the soldiers shouted in unison. With renewed fire in their eyes, they were determined to rectify their past actions.
“Group yourself by your squad and form a line!” Yorick commanded. Addressing the two soldiers on his side, he instructed, “Quinn, Harper, go to your squad and take charge. Carry out what we’ve discussed.”
Observing the scene before him, Elysian couldn’t help but smile. He was satisfied with what he saw.
‘He’s young but good.
I may have a lot of criticism for my father, but it can’t be denied that he has an eye for talent. It’s not surprising that he’s often summoned to war.’
“Master, wouldn’t it make more sense to join them?” Osric inquired, bewildered by the young noble’s decision up to now. “If we don’t act now, Yorick will surely get the relic and win this competition.”
“That’s unlikely,” Elysian stated, glancing at the older boy. “Just sitting here and observing the fight will increase our chances of victory. Even Yorick knows this, but he didn’t have a choice since his soldiers had performed poorly in challenging that old man.”
Osric’s brow furrowed even more as he attempted to grasp the young noble’s reasoning.
Noticing this, Elysian simply smiled and asked, “What did we do before this?”
“We ran.”
“Yes, we ran,” the younger noble repeated, giving him a nod. “I’m exhausted after all that running. Even though the soldiers aren’t as tired as me, they’re still not in their best condition. And you needed more than your best to beat that old man.”
“Ah, now I understand,” Osric said, nodding. “So, we’re taking a break to have the stamina needed to secure our victory.”
“Yes, that's right,” Elysian responded, glancing back at the fight. “However, that’s just the beginning. Both of you should always remember this: knowing your opponent will secure victory in almost any battle. Looking at the way that old man fights, what do you see?”
“Hmm, he fights very well?” Bran said, unsure how to respond.
“Of course he fights very well, you big oaf. Everyone can see that,” Elysian stated, scowling at the servant’s nonchalant response. “What I want are the finer details of the way he fights. Perhaps you can list his strengths and weaknesses.”
“His strength is his speed, young master,” Osric replied, carefully studying the movement of the old man. “I also noticed that he wasn’t taking the fight seriously. He’s too laid-back. This means he might not be fighting at his top speed, which is worrying.”
“Good observation,” Elysian responded, nodding in agreement. “You’re right; his speed is outstanding. This made the swarming strategy futile against him. The old man can just move from one side to the other without any problem. Furthermore, with just one kick, he can clear an entire section of soldiers. It’s already a loss unless something changes.”
“Does it mean it’s hopeless, young master?” the servant questioned, looking concerned.
“Bran does make a valid point, young master,” Yorick acknowledged, conveying a sense of resignation at the thought of defeat. “If this is the case, wouldn’t it be better to just give up?”
“You’re an idiot!” the young noble exclaimed, scoffing at his words. “Are you infected by Bran’s stupidity? I said, ‘if nothing changes.’”
“Apologies, master,” Osric immediately said, kneeling anxiously in front of the young noble. “I’m deeply sorry for disappointing you!”
“Take it easy,” Elysian remarked, chuckling at the older boy’s sudden action. “I’m not reprimanding you. First, please, stop kneeling and sit,” he insisted. After his new companion sat back next to him, he continued, “Listen, if you want to keep working for me, you need to understand that most of what I’m saying is just in jest. Don’t take it seriously. Is that clear?”
Osric nodded without uttering a word.
“Also, if we are alone like this or even among friends, feel free to be casual with me. You can even call me an idiot; I won’t mind it. Being stiff and formal all the time is just so tiring. Do you understand?” Elysian asked, smiling sincerely at the older boy.
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“Yes, young master,” Osric responded, smiling back and developing a newfound sense of respect and admiration for his lord.
“Good, good. That’s nice to hear.” Elysian nodded and grinned. Returning his attention back to the fight, he noticed a new development. “Look, Yorick is making his move. Let’s see if these new changes will bring about positive outcomes.”
After their disgraceful showing, the soldiers were now well-organized and more determined than ever. Their forces were now divided into three squadrons, with Yorick leading the first, and the other two groups headed by Harper and Quinn. One of the most significant changes was the weapons they were using. Unlike the earlier assortment of arms, each squadron now had the same weapons, which spoke volumes to their intended roles. Squad one carried a huge shield and sword, making them less mobile but greatly increasing their defensive capability, allowing them to absorb more damage. On the other hand, squad two used long spears, greatly increasing their range, and designated them as the damage dealers of the group. Lastly, squad three carried only a short sword, purely focusing on mobility.
“Why do you think Yorick chose those weapons for each squadron, master?” Osric asked curiously, studying the movements of the troops.
“Make a guess,” Elysian said, grinning.
“Hmm, squad one will act as a blockade to stop him. If they can’t, they can just slow him down. Meanwhile, squad two will dish out damage from a safer distance, making it hard for their enemy to retaliate. They can also attack from behind squad one, making them complementary to each other,” Bran suddenly remarked nonchalantly, munching on his peanuts. He did not even notice his two companions looking at him strangely.
“You always surprise me, my friend,” Elysian remarked, smiling genuinely at his attendant.
“The master is right, big fella,” Osric agreed. “I had no idea you were knowledgeable about warfare and strategy.”
“Hmm, I don’t,” Bran said, turning to the other boy, confused by his statement. Glancing at their master, he asked curiously, “I still don’t understand the purpose of squad three. They excel in mobility, but their enemy is so fast that their extra speed will be useless against him. Wouldn’t it be better to be like squad two or even squad one?”
“Hmm, I don’t know about that,” Elysian stated after musing for a moment. “In my opinion, I believe that squad three’s role is the most important. They’re more like a support unit, but not in a traditional sense. Rather, they fill the gaps in both squads. Remember, winning the competition isn’t about defeating that old man. It’s about touching that relic, and that’s their primary role. If they can’t manage that, they can suddenly change their role to either offensive or defensive, or even both. For example, if their enemy engages the spear bearer in close combat, their main weakness, squad three can rush in quickly, offering defensive support, allowing them to get much-needed distance,” he remarked, observing the start of the fight. “At the end of the day, it’s not really what weapons they’re using but how they use them to accomplish their specific objective, bringing them that much closer to victory.”
“Squad one, move!” Yorick shouted. “Squads two and three, follow!”
The shield bearer ran in an inverted wedge formation, trying to encircle the mercenary.
“Now this is getting much more fun,” Jareth stated, grinning from ear to ear. Not letting himself be surrounded, the mercenary went to the right of the formation, attacking it immediately.
“The old man made the right move in attacking that area of the formation,” Osric commented, looking at where the other squad was going. “It seems your earlier analysis was correct, master.”
“Yes, it seems so,” Elysian responded, agreeing with the older boy's observation. “Look how the soldiers engaged by the old man are holding their ground much better. Restrained by the spear bearers, he couldn’t act recklessly. Each attack is now purposeful, giving the shield bearer ample time to brace for any incoming attack. Without the infighting from earlier, plus the added discipline and strategy, this fight is going very well. I just hope I haven’t tempted fate with my words just now.”
“Squads one and two, form a battle line!” Yorick shouted, orchestrating orders while attentively observing the unfolding fight.
Being able to hold against the enemy much better than intended, the left portion of the squadron went forward, followed by soldiers in the tip or back portion of the inverse wedge formation, creating a line towards the relic. Instead of charging straight to the dagger, squad one held their ground, holding their shield towards the mercenary, anticipating an attack at any moment. This was followed by squad two, who also formed a line behind the shield bearer with their spears pointed to the front, acting as a defensive deterrent with offensive potential. Meanwhile, squad three quickly moved behind the two squads, eyeing the prize.
‘The old man is being bogged down by just a couple of soldiers, and despite Yorick's good strategy, this shouldn’t be happening. It feels too easy. Am I missing something?
Hmm, I have a bad feeling about this.’
“Young master, it seems this competition is about to end,” Osric stated while staring at squad three approaching the relic.
“Hey, old man, my companion here says that you’re losing!” Elysian suddenly shouted. Instead of the usual teasing tone, his voice was devoid of any mirth. The old man didn’t respond but remained focused on the fight. However, the soldiers couldn’t contain their happiness. Some even started cheering, convinced of their impending victory.
“No, it’s just beginning,” Bran declared, squinting his eyes and observing the old man with a curious expression.
“Huh, why do you say that, big fella?” Osric inquired, surprised by his older companion’s unexpected response.
“He seems too relaxed for someone on the verge of losing,” Bran remarked, munching on some peanuts again.
Just as Elysian feared, this fight wasn’t simple and straightforward. As squad three was on the verge of bringing victory, they were suddenly stopped in their tracks by an invisible barrier. After their initial surprise, they immediately attacked it, attempting to get past the barrier. No matter what they did, however, it wouldn’t break. It simply held, withstanding the onslaught of the soldiers.
Jareth’s laughter suddenly reverberated throughout the training ground, savoring the shocked and defeated expression on their faces. Grinning widely, he turned to the young noble and mockingly asked, “What did you say earlier, young master? I’m losing?”
While the old man was distracted, Yorick suddenly dashed forward, blazing with aura. With everything he had, he struck the barrier with his sword. At first, nothing happened; however, with his second strike, Elysian noticed a hairline fracture forming at the impact site.
Jareth materialized in front of Yorick, moving so quickly that it was nearly imperceptible to mortal eyes. Executing a swift front kick, he sent the older boy hurtling farther backward. “No, you can’t do that.”
Considering what happened, the old man’s demeanor was now a little serious. He vanished once more, appearing in front of the nearest enemies, taking the initiative this time to attack.
In the midst of chaos, when no one was looking, a peanut infused with a condensed aura sneakily flew undetected, hitting precisely where the hairline fracture was forming.
“What?” Elysian asked, turning and grinning at Osric, who wore a shocked expression on his face.