Chapter 94 – The Surge of New Blood
Though the war drums had quieted, Eisenwald did not rest. Its markets grew crowded, its streets filled with unfamiliar faces—traders, wandering mercenaries, and men who had once served other lords. Rumors of the Crimson Wolf had traveled across the Luminaria Empire.
From the balcony of his fortress, Fenrir looked down upon the swelling tide of people. His gaze was cold but sharp, like a wolf measuring prey and allies alike. Behind him, Markus arrived with a scroll of reports.
> "My lord," Markus began, "it has been only seven days since your call for recruitment. Already more than eight hundred men stand at our gates. By the week's end, there may be double."
Fenrir's lips curled faintly.
> "Good. Let them come. Eisenwald cannot stand against four barons with 3,500 men. We will grow—or die."
---
The central courtyard of Eisenwald was transformed into a proving ground.
Spearmen demonstrated their thrusts in tight phalanxes.
Archers loosed volleys that darkened the air.
Swordsmen fought one-on-one duels, sparks flying with each clash.
Fenrir sat high upon a wooden dais, his commanders at his side. Lyra's hawk-like eyes studied each candidate, while Viktor Redmane grunted approval at the stronger ones. Selene Aestra silently judged the archers, her voice cutting like an arrow whenever she criticized sloppy form.
And then, the air shifted.
A young man stepped forward, his body trembling, but with a desperate scream he ignited a faint blue aura. It clung weakly to his spear as he lunged at the practice dummy. The blow cracked the wood in half.
> "Aura…" Markus whispered, astonished.
He was not alone. Later that day, a woman archer summoned a thin green aura to her arrow. The arrow struck through not one, but three layers of oak target.
By sunset, no less than twelve recruits had displayed some form of aura. Thin, unstable, but undeniably real.
Fenrir's eyes glimmered red like molten lava.
"Weak or not, a dozen aura users… Even they can change the tide of war."
---
That evening, the chosen recruits stood in ranks under the blood-red dusk. Fenrir descended the dais, walking before them with his broken but resolute sword in hand. His aura flared briefly, like embers in a furnace, silencing the courtyard.
> "You came here from every corner of the empire. Some of you are farmers, some vagabonds, some once soldiers with no banner. But from this day forward, if you swear loyalty—you are Eisenwald!"
A thunderous shout followed, a sea of voices echoing across the marshlands.
Fenrir raised his sword higher.
> "Four barons gather to crush us. They believe numbers will devour us. But they do not have you. They do not have this resolve. Follow me, and you will not remain nameless soldiers. You will become the fangs of the Crimson Wolf!"
The roar that followed was not mere cheer. It was the birth-cry of an army.
---
Among the crowd of new recruits, a few old veterans muttered quietly.
> "Have you heard the rumors? A wandering knight heads here. They say he seeks a new lord."
> "A wandering knight? Those are fairy tales."
> "Not this one. They say he once served a great house… until his master fell in a war of succession. Since then, he's searched for a commander worthy of his sword."
The whispers reached Fenrir's ears as he passed. His eyes narrowed slightly.
If such a knight comes… then I must prove myself.
---
That night, the council assembled once more. Markus read from the scrolls:
New Infantry: 900
New Archers: 300
New Cavalry: 200
Reserves & Miscellaneous: 150
Aura Users: 12
Total Army: ~5,000
Lyra crossed her arms.
> "Numbers alone won't win battles. These are raw recruits. They'll break without training."
Viktor chuckled, eyes gleaming.
> "But their spirit burns. I have not seen such fire since the old campaigns of my youth."
Fenrir closed the scroll calmly.
> "Then tomorrow, the training begins. Eisenwald is no longer a forgotten barony. We are forging a people's army."
---
A cold chime echoed in Fenrir's skull.
[Quest Progress Updated – Shadows of the Border]
Objective: Strengthen Eisenwald's military to 5,000 soldiers – ,✓
Reward Granted:
+10 Strength
+10 Stamina
+500 EXP
Remaining Objectives:
Expand diplomatic or trade alliances (0/2).
Fenrir inhaled deeply, feeling strength surge through his limbs. His body no longer felt as frail as before.
"One step closer. But the war of wolves has only begun."
---
Fenrir walked alone upon the battlements. The marsh stretched endlessly under the moonlight, dark and quiet. Yet a strange ripple stirred in his chest. He felt… observed.
His crimson aura flickered faintly.
In the distance, on the road leading to Eisenwald, a silhouette moved steadily forward. A rider clad in black steel.
Fenrir gripped his sword tighter, a wolf's grin spreading across his lips.
> "Come then. Let's see if you are hunter—or prey."
---
[Status Panel – Fenrir Eisenwald]
Name: Fenrir Eisenwald
Title: Baron of Eisenwald, The Crimson Wolf
Age: 17
Level: 15
EXP: 24,600 / 28,000 (+500)
Aura: 135
Stamina: 155 (+10)
Strength: 115 (+10)
Cunning: 205
Charisma: 120
Mental Fortitude: 160
Skills:
[Aura Control Lv.3] – Refined manipulation of aura in combat.
[Swordsmanship Lv.3] – Adaptive sword techniques.
[Leadership Lv.4] – +20% morale to units under command.
[Tactical Instinct Lv.3] – Advanced battlefield adaptation.
[Counterintelligence Lv.1] – Increases detection rate of spies by 20%.
[Passive – Legacy of Strategies] – Knowledge of ancient stratagems from his past life.
Traits:
[Wounds That Shape] – Trauma of war permanently increases Mental Fortitude.
[Lord of the Marsh] – +25% Cunning and +15% Strength when fighting in swamp terrain.
Active Quests:
1. Expand Eisenwald's Territory – Conquer or integrate two neighboring baronies (Progress: 1/2).
Note: Falkenrath integrated. One more remains.
2. Shadows of the Border – (In Progress)
Objectives:
Expand diplomatic or trade alliances (0/2).
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