South Fort Morgan
It took about two days for the large carriage to finally reach the walls of Fort Morgan. When they arrived, the skies above were covered with dark clouds. Thunder rumbled and rain threatened to fall.
Enhanced by the dark sky and the stormy atmosphere, John was amazed by the majestic black walls stretching into the distance. He couldn't accurately judge their height but estimated they might be around 200 feet (60 meters). He was unsure of the purpose of such thick and tall walls. The fortress seemed as large as a small city.
Along the road, he saw strings of large carriages filled with people like them.
Two hours later, John's carriage followed the others toward the massive metal gate. As they approached, he vaguely saw hundreds of ballistae and catapults mounted on the walls. Soldiers armed with swords, pikes, and bows patrolled the ramparts, their expressions stern. John even noticed a few knights radiating such pressure that they seemed ready to strike anyone who caused trouble.
"It feels like this whole fortress is a powder keg waiting to explode," John thought, sensing a foreboding, grim atmosphere.
…
After a while, the carriage reached the barracks at the northern part of the fortress. It stopped in front of a stone building where guards and armored cavalry moved in and out.
In the courtyard, about 700–900 men stood in front of a large podium. A middle-aged man clad in plate armor stepped forward and boomed his voice.
"Welcome to Fort Morgan! My name is General Knox. There is not much time to explain why you have been conscripted. One thing you need to know: the empire is at war! It's only a matter of months before the enemy reaches us!"
Hearing this, many were shocked. John frowned. He had expected to be assigned to logistics or paperwork due to his frail physique. No sane general would put a boy with a barely manageable weapon on the front lines. Now he understood why the soldiers on the walls had been on edge.
"Since you are on the front line, there is NO retreat!" General Knox roared.
The general then explained their duties and the kingdom's situation. Many wanted to complain, but General Knox exuded a strong aura that made people fear him. One glance from him could make a grown man kneel under the pressure.
…
Exhausted from the long journey, John and the others were assigned to their sleeping quarters. He was so tired that he fell asleep immediately.
…
Deep in the night, in the General's quarters, a few men were seated at a table.
One was General Knox, and across from him sat another middle-aged man whose aura was stronger, his face partially hidden by a cloak. A closer look revealed a burn scar on the left side of his face.
General Knox asked with a hint of fear, "Sir Viscount Jorren, is it true that the Dark Wizards are that close?"
The viscount did not answer directly, his cold, hoarse voice cutting through the room. "Our numbers are still insufficient. Increase the men manning the walls. Drag them from their homes if you must. Employ all available mercenaries and gather every slave you can find."
"But Viscount, these people aren't ready for battle," General Knox protested. "They'll hinder us and become cannon fodder."
The viscount smiled with a gleam in his eyes. "I don't care. If they can block a spell or two, they've served their purpose." He stood and gazed at the dark skies. Whispering, he said, "Two months."
…
The bell rang in the morning, startling everyone, including John. They were led to the Drill Yard to practice sword drills with wooden swords. John was paired with a 17-year-old named Caleb, who had dark brown hair.
Just three minutes later, John was on the ground, panting and dizzy.
He had no fighting experience, and his frail body couldn't withstand a single blow.
The captain of the training ground, Felix, noticed John was the first to fall and frowned. He walked over, smiling mockingly.
"Look, everyone! We have a sleeper here!"
"Do you want your mommy to bring you a pillow?"
"Did your parents not teach you not to use your face when someone's attacking?"
Felix continued berating John with more insults, drawing laughter from the onlookers.
John seethed internally. "What the heck is wrong with this guy?"
Once the dizziness passed, he stood and raised his sword. Though he wanted to deny being affected by the captain's insults, it made him focus intensely on his swordplay.
This time, he lasted five minutes before falling, then fifteen, then thirty. Eventually, he no longer fell and began to counterattack.
"My speed is slow and my attacks are weak," John thought. "But I can easily predict where the strikes are coming from. It must be my Spirit stat at work."
Watching his opponent tire, he analyzed, "If I can strike accurately at the weak points, I should be able to knock him out."
John's attacks slowed, signaling exhaustion. His opponent saw an opening when John lowered his left shield and lunged at his chest. John pivoted, faced him, and struck his neck.
The opponent collapsed instantly and was carried to the infirmary.
"Woops," John said wide-eyed, amazed by the outcome.
The others were stunned. Even Captain Felix watched, recognizing that despite John's lack of speed and strength, his swordsmanship was improving.
The bell rang again, ending the two-hour training session. Everyone moved to the cafeteria for breakfast. When John lined up, the lady serving him asked, "Are you John?"
"Yes," he replied, confused.
She nodded and gave him extra food. Though still bland, it was better than nothing. She also handed him a glass of milk, smiling. "Courtesy of Captain Ellias."
John thanked her without asking why. He had more pressing matters.
Internally, he called, "System." The blue interface appeared before him without closing his eyes.
He checked the experience next to his level. Disappointingly, it was still 0/10.
"So defeating opponents doesn't give experience," he mused. "By game logic, I'd have to kill to gain experience."
He observed the chef cutting cooked chicken. "But it doesn't have to be human," he thought, smiling at the possibilities.
Then he checked the SKILL tab. In the Passive category, he saw a greyed-out sword icon with 8/100 experience.
John smiled at the progress. It wasn't much, but it was something.