Chapter 381 - 265: Troop Review: Heh Heh

Chapter 381: Chapter 265: Troop Review: Heh Heh

When Claude returned to Henry’s side, Henry was sitting at his desk, looking through a document concerning the allocation of provisions on the border.

Hearing footsteps, Henry looked up. Seeing Claude, he motioned for him to sit.

"So, how are my new fellow alumni fitting in?" Henry asked.

Claude reported everything he had just seen in the camp. "My lord, the new officers are already fighting with the soldiers."

Henry froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Fighting? Haha, now *that’s* an army!"

Claude nodded and continued, "They’re challenging the soldiers, proving themselves with their fists. The men were a bit resistant at first, but their attitudes started to change after seeing the new officers’ Martial Arts."

Henry laughed and slapped the table, seemingly transported back to his academy days. "When we first entered the academy, the upperclassmen were always bullying us," he recalled. "I put up with it for two months and trained desperately to increase my strength."

He paused, a flicker of nostalgia in his eyes. "Later, I went right up to them and beat the hell out of the upperclassmen who had been bullying us. After that, I established my footing in the academy, and no one dared to look down on me again."

’Are you kidding me? After grinding experience and attribute points for two months, beating you was a piece of cake.’

Claude chuckled along, knowing how fondly Henry remembered his life at the academy.

For Henry, those were the easiest times. The living conditions were good, there was little pressure to survive, and he had few worries. It was a damn good life.

"Letting your fists do the talking is the most direct and effective method in the army."

Claude nodded. "Indeed. They’ve taken the first step. As long as they can win the respect of the soldiers, it’s only a matter of time before they’re fully integrated."

「A few days later.」

A solemn silence fell over the garrison camp in Odoche. Another army, nearly four thousand strong, was ready.

At dawn, the first rays of morning sun bathed every inch of Odoche in golden light, casting a brilliant sheen over the garrison camp.

On the training grounds, the soldiers stood in neat formations. Each man was full of spirit, his gaze like a torch that could pierce through any obstacle.

Their armor glittered in the sunlight, like countless dancing stars converging into a single, powerful force.

Thirty 120-man companies of the Imperial New Recruit Team, two 80-man companies of the Imperial Archer Team, and five 40-man squads of Grassland Warriors!

Nearly four thousand men in total—another batch of elite soldiers, fierce and unwaveringly loyal!

The Grassland Warriors stood at the forefront of the formation. They were powerfully built, with well-defined muscles and skin tanned dark by the scorching sun. Their eyes held a look of untamable wildness.

The scimitars in their hands glinted coldly in the sun, ready to tear any enemy to pieces.

Now, they brought that wildness and courage into the army, becoming a force that struck fear into the hearts of all who heard of them.

The soldiers of the Imperial New Recruit Team were young and resolute. They had undergone rigorous training, honed in everything from physical fitness and tactics to discipline and teamwork.

While their armor wasn’t as heavy as that of the Senior Infantry, it was still on par with the equipment of other nobles’ Skilled Infantry.

In Henry’s military system, there was no such thing as a "new recruit" or "infantryman" in the traditional sense.

The Imperial Archer Team flanked the formation, bows in hand and quivers slung over their shoulders. Their arrows glinted coldly in the sunlight.

These archers were masters of their craft, able to hit targets with precision from over fifty paces away.

Henry stood on a raised platform, a satisfied smile on his face as his gaze swept over the army before him.

’I’m not sure if it’s because Boman’s and Fass’s armies did most of the work attacking the walls, or if the enemy simply routed too quickly. Either way, conquering Odoche didn’t grant as many Overlord Training points as I’d expected.’

’Looks like I can’t afford to just wear down the enemy’s morale next time. I have to launch an aggressive, head-on attack. Otherwise, the panel will rate the enemy’s strength as too low, and I’ll lose out on a huge reward.’

After a month of abstract, absurd, unscientific, and utterly unreasonable "loyalty training," these soldiers were no longer the greenhorns they once were. They had grown into a true army.

Their bearing alone was proof of their strength, and their loyalty was as solid as a rock.

"March out!"

The soldiers roared their assent in unison, their voices shaking the very earth. They set off with uniform steps, marching toward the horizon.

The soldiers only needed to follow orders. For the academy graduates who had pledged allegiance to Henry to become Deputy Captains, however, there was much more to consider.

They stood at the head of their respective units with a bewildered look in their eyes. Most of these cadets came from minor noble families and had received an elite education at the academy, where they studied tactics, strategy, and leadership.

However, now that they were on the brink of a real battle, their hearts were filled with questions.

"Who exactly are we going to fight?" a young Deputy Captain muttered, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

His companion looked just as baffled. They had been eagerly anticipating the chance to prove their skills in the army, but they never expected to face a real battle so soon.

It wasn’t that they were afraid of risking their lives. Since they had made the decision to join Henry, they were prepared to fight for him. But hadn’t this day come a little too quickly?