*Buzzing noise*
In front of the second outer castle of Calix Castle, a square was bustling with many players gathered in small groups, chatting amongst themselves.
“Ah, I’m nervous. Is it finally time for real war?”
“This is your first territory war, right? Must be nerve-wracking, hehe.”
“They say it’s completely different from hunting monsters. Is that true?”
“You’ll know once you experience it. I just kind of fumbled around and used a few skills, and then the battle was over.”
Another friend nearby butted into their conversation.
“It doesn’t look like it’ll be that easy this time around.”
“Why? Aren’t territory wars pretty much the same?”
“Last time, the First Knight Order crushed the enemy. This time, the opponent is different.”
“…That’s true. Still, won’t we win?”
Even the player speaking didn’t sound entirely confident. Information and a rough strategy for this territory war had already been communicated to the participants.
The battleground was in the southern part of the Ruben Kingdom. The main players were the Selfjord Barony and the Jeremy Viscounty.
The Selfjord Barony had a long history, operating a large ranch for generations.
The barony featured grasslands where special plants grew, and the horses raised there were larger and had better endurance than those of the same species, making them ideal for warhorses.
Naturally, many had their eyes on it, but the barony’s resilience had always been robust enough to maintain the family without issue.
The head of the family himself was of Expert intermediate-level strength, overseeing five Expert-level knights.
Additionally, operating a strong cavalry befitting a ranch-owning barony, they were not to be compared to typical baronies.
“Still, the Jeremy Viscounty is likely at an advantage, right?”
“Of course. The difference in the number of knights and troops is significant. Plus, there’s support from the Marquis’ family.”
The Selfjord Barony had a total of 2,500 troops and 10 knights.
In contrast, the Jeremy Viscounty had 5,000 troops and 30 knights.
Even though the Selfjord Barony managed a cavalry force of 1,000, their overall strength was nearly doubled by their opponent.
With the covert support from the Marquis McNeil’s Household, the numerical gap could be overwhelming to the point where a proper battle might not even form.
So, when the request for participation came to the Player Association, there were dissenting voices.
“Why are we participating in a clearly disadvantageous territory war? We should side with the winning team if we’re going to join a battle.”
But realistically, that wouldn’t be easy. Raul had laughed off the complaints, saying.
“The advantageous side wouldn’t bother hiring mercenaries if they didn’t need them, especially mercenaries whose identities are uncertain like foreigners. If you really want, feel free to negotiate directly with the viscounty side; I won’t stop you.”
Of course, none of the players had the guts for such a challenge.
And given that nearly 7,000 players remaining in the territory had volunteered for the mercenary assignment sending 2,000 support troops, it seemed there were outspoken individuals everywhere.
Thus, the selected 2,000 players were assembled in the square, ready for departure.
“Oh, look, it’s the Purple Guild!”
“Wow, even Bae Dohyun is participating this time?”
The gates of the second outer castle opened, and fifty players on white horses marched into the square. They all wore white armor emblazoned with a purple hawk symbol and blue cloaks fluttering behind them.
The Purple Guild, now comprising fifty members with the addition of Academy’s second batch of graduates and newly selected players, remained the top player guild, officially and unofficially.
All its members ranked within the top 300 overall, boasting an impressive lineup.
Guild Master Bae Dohyun, who had held the number one ranking since Connect’s launch.
Vice Master and Player Association President, Kim Ilwoo, ranked second.
Swordsmanship expert and Purple Guild Team Leader, Wang Chunmyung, ranked third.
Also notable were the fifth-ranked martial artist Lewis Blake, seventh-ranked beast summoner Han Seohyun , and eighth-ranked mage Xavier Adele, among other star players.
“We’d better stay sharp!”
“Why all of a sudden?”
“Well, think about it. This is arguably the most elite team among players right now. If we get crushed, it’ll be humiliating.”
“Now that you mention it, this could be our debut, so to speak.”
The previous territory war in the First Territory hadn’t really featured player prowess.
The powerful knights and guild members of the First Knight Order had practically decimated the opposing forces, leaving little for the players to clean up.
As a result, the standing of players on the Connect continent was virtually non-existent. This territory war was crucial.
It was a chance to show that players were not to be underestimated and also to demonstrate who was controlling them. Once the Purple Guild arrived, the troops were officially organized.
As previously notified, they were temporarily arranged by guild, class, and ranking. With real-time communication facilitated through the Connect system, the process wrapped up smoothly.
Although they couldn’t employ a fully integrated strategy like a proper military unit, they needed at least to form ranks.
After the 2,000-player force was organized, about a hundred soldiers who had been on standby joined them. Though dressed as regular soldiers, these were actually members of the First Knight Order.
Even though they were dispatching the player force, it wasn’t realistic to send only them.
If Marquis McNeil’s Household set a trap or if the imperial intelligence unit acted, they needed to protect the players from being massacred.
Moreover, despite the presence of the Purple Guild, controlling 2,000 players wouldn’t be easy. As it was the first presentation of the player force, they needed to ensure they didn’t cause any trouble.
Vroom.
As mana vibrated, a teleport gate was created on the large magic circle. Step by step, the 2,000 players, led by the Purple Knights, entered the gate with various thoughts in mind.
*
“Did you say reinforcements have arrived?”
“Yes… they are from the First Knight Order.”
“The First Knight Order…?”
A rat-faced man thought for a moment before slamming the table.
“That guild made by Raul or whatever his name is? Why are they showing up here?”
“Well, I’m not too sure….”
Thud!
The book thrown by Viscount Jeremy, a man with a thin beard, hit his subordinate in the face.
“Isn’t that why I hired you for such an exorbitant fee? Go out and find out what’s happening! Earn your keep!”
“Yes, my lord.”
The subordinate, responsible for gathering information, bowed his head and hurriedly exited the office.
“Damn, there’s no one I like!”
Besides, the situation had turned troublesome, making him displeased.
‘Damn it. I declared the territory war thinking no one would come to help, but now look at this mess.’
The Viscount Jeremy family was somewhat different from the typical noble families of the Ruben Kingdom. They weren’t skilled swordsmen or particularly politically adept.
Merchants.
Having raised their family through trade, they were quick in calculating profits and losses and adept at riding the tides of change. This was why they had aligned themselves with the Marquis McNeil’s Household.
They intended to seize the ranch of the Selfjord Barony, which they had long coveted, but now….
Squeak.
“You called for me, my lord?”
The one who entered was a burly knight clad in brown armor.
The insignia on his armor seemed to have been erased, but knights wearing such dull-colored and styled armor were exclusively from the Marquis McNeil’s Household.
“Ah, sir Yannick. Come in. Have you heard any news?”
On hearing the viscount’s question, Yannick’s rough face twisted slightly as he replied.
“Are you referring to the reinforcements?”
“Yes. What’s going on? Wasn’t it assured that the baronial family would receive no support?”
Yannick pulled out a chair and sat down, responding nonchalantly.
“There’s no need to worry much. Though they claim reinforcements, they are not proper soldiers.”
“What do you mean by that? They’re not soldiers?”
“Have you perhaps heard? Earlier this year, the temple was talking about strangers or something.”
“Ah, those strangers.”
Being a trader, Viscount Jeremy’s family had at one point taken an interest in these strangers. However, after receiving reports from the Free Cities, he quickly lost interest.
‘Didn’t they say some beggars appeared?’
He still remembered mocking the temple folks for hyping up those who couldn’t even fight as saviors.
“It seems the newcomers are those very strangers.”
“Is that really so? Ha, what a joke. Why bring in those who can’t even fight?”
“Exactly. They must have called them in out of desperation when they couldn’t find any proper mercenaries. Those scarecrows won’t stand a chance against our elite troops, so don’t worry.”
Yannick’s words seemed to somewhat calm Viscount Jeremy.
“But if it’s the First Knight Order, then it’s Raul’s guild. And they have Count Ashton’s backing, right? If they get involved, things will change. Don’t you think so?”
“Haha, if they intended to intervene, would they have sent such scarecrow strangers? Besides, they’re not deaf. They must have some idea who you have backing you.”
“True. No matter how powerful the count’s household is, they wouldn’t dare go against that person. Then, I’ll leave it to you, sir Yannick.”
“Of course. You can rest assured.”
Yannick said as he turned around, but his eyes glinted with rage.
‘Raul, you bastard!’
Knight Zachary, who had died at Raul’s hand during the recent territory war at Calix Castle, was from the Marquis McNeil’s Household.
Though Zachary wasn’t as skilled as Yannick, they were practically brothers, having trained and grown up together from the same hometown.
Zachary had died without making a name for himself, in an insignificant battle on foreign ground.
‘I will have my revenge! This time it’s the strangers you sent. Soon, it will be you whose head rolls at my hands!’
But did he realize?
He too was hiding his name and risking his life for an insignificant war.
*
Bwooo.
The sound of a horn echoed, and both sides’ troops lined up on a gentle hill overlooking a vast plain.
“It seems the numbers match up reasonably well.”
“At least that’s a relief. We received that proposal only days before the territory war.”
Baron Selfjord, standing atop the hill with the knights, surveyed both sides and conversed.
“We owe Viscount Raul a great debt. Sending us 2,000 troops during such difficult times is no small feat.”
“Indeed. Just getting these forces here on time over such a distance is remarkable.”
They still vividly recalled the sight of 2,000 troops emerging from the teleport gate. It wasn’t even a fixed portal; moving such a large force through a temporary teleport gate would have required an unimaginable number of mages and mana stones.
‘Hiring 2,000 mercenaries would likely have cost less.’
In some ways, this was a more extravagant effort, yet the support troops were sent, indicating a willingness to help despite the losses.
In reality, the transport had been facilitated by newly joined tower mages and mana stones obtained from the gate, making it less costly than expected.
Yet this was only possible because it was Raul; for others, moving 2,000 troops via a teleport gate would be close to a reckless expenditure.
“Haha, they seem reliable now that I see them like this.”
“Indeed. When we first heard it was a force of strangers, we had no faith.”
The player force of 2,000 was positioned at the center of the baronial formation on the front lines.
Though the baron initially opposed putting the support troops at the forefront, he eventually agreed as they insisted.
Their mixed attire and seemingly poor discipline initially struck disappointment, but after observing their skills while staying in the territory for a few days, his opinion changed.
‘2,000 with the prowess of junior knights. No one would believe this even if we told them.’
He even started to wonder who Raul was to manage such strangers as his subordinates.
Bwooo, bwoo!
Another horn sounded, and a dozen cavalrymen from each side rode to the center of the formations. A flag with a yellow background and a sword and fist symbolized the Ruben Kingdom.
“Let’s head out.”
Baron Selfjord, accompanied by his knights, spurred his horse towards the flag. Once the royal observer proclaimed the territory war, the real battle would begin.
(To be continued)