5: Clay Rio's Choice

Phew—!

Linn slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, the breath actually creating a faint gray ripple in the cool morning air. After a night of meditation, instead of feeling the slightest bit of fatigue, he felt his entire body brimming with unprecedented power.

"A level three potion truly lives up to its reputation. Even if it's just a low-grade level three potion." Linn was shocked as he looked internally at the fountain of mana that had nearly doubled in size. This night's cultivation efficiency was comparable to three months of hard work in the past! He could even clearly feel that the barrier to the Silver Rank was now in sight; it felt as if one more bottle would be enough to pierce right through it.

"Potions—this is the true shortcut for all practitioners." Linn clenched his fists, an incredibly clear thought forming in his mind. "I must acquire more advanced knowledge of Apothecary as soon as possible. Only by becoming self-sufficient can I control the wheel of my own destiny."

"Young Master, are you up?" Morton's lowered voice came from outside the bedroom. "The head butler is here to hurry us along. The squad of knight attendants arranged by the Count has already assembled outside the North City Gate."

"Let's go." Linn pushed the door open and stepped out, his expression having already returned to calm. It had been less than forty-eight hours since he returned home from the Royal Academy, and now he was being driven away to the unknown front lines again. He sneered in his heart, "This damn life of a beast of burden."

Morton had taken a Level One Healing Potion Linn had brewed at the academy, and his injuries were mostly healed. He was currently waiting at the door with two people's worth of luggage on his back. Linn's own luggage was much simpler, consisting only of the Apprentice Magic Staff that had accompanied him for many years. The mana crystal at the tip of the staff was dim and lackluster, completely out of place with the surging new power within its master.

Master and servant spoke no more, stepping into the morning light and walking toward the city gate.

"Young Master Linn, this is Knight Captain Clay Rio. He is responsible for leading the knight squad to accompany you to the Storm Sea Region," the butler introduced indifferently at the city gate.

Linn looked at Clay Rio. Clay, who was about thirty years old, had a face full of helplessness and dissatisfaction. He then looked at the two squad leaders and twenty Apprentice Knight soldiers behind Clay. Each one was listless, and their formation was loose. They knew full well that this trip was a death sentence, yet they were powerless to resist; disobeying the orders of the Count of the Iris Family could be even more terrifying than death!

Aside from Clay and the two squad leaders who wore leather armor and carried knightly longswords at their waists, the others wore coarse cloth clothes and held damaged spears. This was hardly an army; it stood in stark contrast to the well-equipped soldiers of the Count Ailisis Fief who were passing through the city gate in black knight armor.

"Greetings, Young Master Linn."

Clay clenched his right fist over his chest and bowed perfunctorily to Linn! The twenty-two knights behind Clay also gave a scattered salute.

"Stand up, all of you!" Linn wasn't about to put on "Young Master" airs right now. This was his own foundation; he had to find a way to win them over to avoid being backstabbed before the fighting even started.

At this moment, the butler handed over a letter.

"Young Master Linn, this is the kingdom's appointment letter. You have been appointed as a Pioneer Knight of the kingdom. You can reach Tianhai City smoothly with this letter." The shifty-looking butler continued, "Congratulations, Young Master Linn, you have finally entered the threshold of the nobility."

Linn took the appointment letter with his name on it without even glancing at it. All noble classes in the kingdom were much the same. A Pioneer Knight would gain noble titles such as Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron upon developing the kingdom's land to a certain level and prosperity. Once one reached the rank of Baron, they were considered a true noble.

"Let's set off!" Linn climbed into a dilapidated carriage. Morton took on the role of the driver. Clay led the two squad leaders and twenty soldiers as they followed behind the carriage.

From beginning to end, Linn didn't look back even once, showing not the slightest bit of attachment to this so-called home.

After the carriage had bumped along for a few hours, Linn estimated the distance and lifted the carriage curtain. Some things had to be resolved before they arrived at Tianhai City and everything officially began. If potential cracks were not mended early, they would surely become fatal problems in the future.

"Old Mo, stop the carriage." Linn's voice was calm but left no room for doubt. "Tell everyone to rest and eat."

"Yes, Lord!" Morton pulled the reins and called out the order.

The team came to a ragged halt. Aside from Knight Clay and the two squad leaders who had inferior horses, the rest of the soldiers were traveling on foot. The weather was already hot, and they were exhausted, almost collapsing to the ground. They silently took out the few hard, dry rations issued by the Iris Family and began to gnaw on them. The air was filled with a silence that bordered on despair.

Linn walked slowly up to Clay, his gaze sweeping over those faces that were weathered but as still as stagnant water. What he saw was not the determination of warriors, but the numbness of those going to their deaths.

"I know," Linn began, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone's ears. "In your hearts, this trip to the Storm Sea Region is no different from going to your deaths. You are forced by the authority of the Iris Family to follow me, a Young Master who has been semi-exiled by the family, to that dangerous place that swallows lives."

No one spoke, but many people avoided his gaze. This silence was itself a form of admission.

Linn nodded slightly, his tone suddenly turning cold with a hint of piercing chill. "Good. Admitting fear is the first step toward rationality. But you have made a mistake—you only see the family's oppression, yet you've forgotten to examine the person you now serve. That person is me, Lynn Ellis."

Linn paused, letting the weight of these words sink into everyone's hearts. The class-based rule of the nobility throughout the history of the continent caused everyone present to set aside their contempt and resentment toward Linn.

"I am giving you two choices now." Linn's voice was like quenched steel. "First, continue with this 'certain death' mentality and follow me in a daze. If you do, I guarantee that the 'dead end' you envision will certainly come true. In the Storm Sea Region, I don't need dead weight, and I certainly don't need useless people who might break at any moment and drag the whole team down. Once I find anyone harboring dissent or being slack in their actions, I won't wait for sea beasts or enemies to act; I will finish him myself, and his family won't get a single copper of compensation!"

The magic staff in Linn's hand gathered elemental power as if it were about to erupt at any moment. His cold words were like ice water splashed on their faces, making all the soldiers shudder. They looked up in fear at the seemingly young mage master. In his eyes at this moment, there was not the slightest hint of a joke, only an unquestionable resolve.

"The second choice," Linn's tone shifted, remaining steady but gaining a stirring power, "is to put away your useless pessimism and entrust your lives and your loyalty to me. I am not a fool leading you to your deaths, but a leader who will bring you to seize life and a future."

He took a step forward, his eyes shining brightly. "I, Lynn Ellis, swear by my surname and my magical future to the god of dawn! As long as you serve me wholeheartedly and obey my every command, then:"

"· I promise that I will do everything in my power, using my magic and Apothecary knowledge, to ensure everyone's safety to the greatest extent possible. I will help your strength advance a step further."

"· I promise that the spoils of war you obtain will be distributed fairly according to merit; I will never be stingy with rewards. The wealth and resources you gain will be beyond anything the Iris Family could offer."

"· I promise that every one of you will no longer be ordinary family soldiers—you will become my direct subordinates, enjoying treatment and glory far exceeding what you have now. Once we are settled, your families will be brought over to reunite with you. They will receive the best care because of your loyalty and courage."

Using both favor and authority, the carrot and the stick. Linn looked at the people whose expressions were beginning to change and finally said with great force:

"Choose! Will you be cannon fodder ignored by the family, trash to be cleared away by me, or will you be warriors following me to carve out a path through death and seize a future you never dared to dream of! Your fate is in your own hands right now."

The god of dawn has several kingdoms that follow him, and the Aolai Kingdom is one of them. In the eyes of his many believers, the god of dawn is a sacred existence that cannot be profaned. This was the highest form of oath.

Linn's powerful words stirred everyone's hearts. His oath to the god of dawn left everyone greatly astonished!

As his voice fell, the resting area was deathly silent, with only the sound of heavy breathing remaining. A moment later, Clay was the first to stand up. He clenched his right fist and struck his left chest heavily, performing a standard knight's salute, and said solemnly, "I, Clay, swear to the god of dawn that I am willing to serve Lynn Ellis until death!"

Clay was nearly forty and had yet to reach the rank of Silver Rank Knight. To the Iris Family, Clay had nothing worth cultivating, and his final end would be nothing more than an ordinary soldier or knight. Following Linn, he had even become the Knight Captain; perhaps in the future, he really could reach the heights he had always dreamed of.

Moreover, Linn was also an Apothecary. Although they didn't know Linn's rank in terms of potions, the title of Apothecary alone carried immense weight across the entire continent.

With a leader stepping forward, the other two squad leaders and the soldiers looked at each other. Ultimately, the desire to survive and a faint hope for the future outweighed their despair. They struggled to their feet one after another, and following Clay's example, they struck their chests with all their might.

"We swear to the god of dawn, we are willing to follow Lord Linn!"

The voices were messy at first, but they quickly became orderly and loud. The previous deathly stillness was replaced by a desperate determination to succeed at any cost. Linn watched this scene, knowing that the initial integration was complete.

Linn was very satisfied with the change in their attitude; the art of making grand promises was being utilized to its fullest by him at this moment.

"Clay, tell me about the treatment of the Iris Family soldiers."

"Yes, Lord!" At this moment, Clay had completely lost his previous contempt and lethargy. "The Iris Family gives one gold coin to those at the Silver Rank, ten silver coins a month to Bronze Rank soldiers, and two silver coins a month to ordinary soldiers and Apprentice Knights."

Linn nodded. "From now on, Clay, as the Knight Captain, your monthly pay will increase to one gold coin. Karl and Angus, yours will increase to fifty silver coins." Karl and Angus were the names of the two squad leaders, both around thirty years old. "As for the others, you are all my direct guard; you will receive ten silver coins a month."

These words moved everyone even more. This treatment was several times better than that of the soldiers in the Count Ailisis Fief.

"Old Mo, pay everyone one month's military salary now," Linn turned and instructed Morton. Linn understood the principle that if you want the horse to run, you have to feed it. Relying solely on grand promises without showing results wouldn't work.

After everyone joyfully received their own silver, Linn continued to shout, "I have fulfilled my initial promise. Now, we continue our journey. If we don't reach Tianhai City within the specified time, everything we just did will be empty talk. We will all die."

"Yes, Lord!"

The convoy set off again toward Maple Leaf City, where they would perform their first teleportation. There was none of the previous procrastination; everyone was in high spirits.