Chapter 98 – Eisenwald's Military Reconstruction
After the duel with Kael Morgenstern, Eisenwald's air itself felt heavier, charged with newfound strength. Word spread fast across the marshlands and beyond: the wandering knight who once fought nobles and generals had now bent his knee to Baron Fenrir Eisenwald.
But Fenrir knew victory in a duel meant nothing without structure. Eisenwald had grown, and its military needed to evolve—or crumble under the weight of its ambition.
Inside the great hall of Eisenwald's fortress, a large map sprawled across the war table. Names of recruits, lists of resources, and sketches of formations littered the parchment. Around the table stood the six core pillars of Eisenwald's military: Viktor, Selene, Garrik, Lyra, Roland, and now Kael Morgenstern.
Fenrir's crimson eyes swept over them as he spoke.
> "From this day forth, Eisenwald will not be seen as a mere swamp barony. We will become a war machine—an iron wolf pack capable of tearing apart three baronies at once."
---
Fenrir's hand moved over the map, assigning responsibilities, building something greater than a militia.
1. Infantry (Main Battalion):
Number: 5,200 soldiers
Commander: Darius Holt (a hardened veteran, newly sworn to Eisenwald).
Formation: Marsh Phalanx—dense shield walls in front, long pikes behind, unyielding in both swamp and field.
2. Archer Corps (Light Artillery):
Number: 2,000 archers
Commander: Selene Aestra (+ Deputy Harlan Kreutz)
Formations: V-Shaped Volley and Wedge Spread. Coordinated mass-fire with support from siege ballistae.
3. Cavalry Corps (Rapid Strike):
Number: 2,000 riders
Commander: Garrik Stormhoof
Tactics: Hammer-and-Anvil and Diagonal Blitz. Crushing charges, rapid flanking maneuvers.
4. Recon & Assassins (Special Unit):
Number: 750 operatives
Commander: Lyra Nightshade
Role: Reconnaissance, sabotage, night raids, information warfare.
5. Artillery & Heavy Weapons:
Number: 550 operators + 20 ballistae
Commander: Roland Ironarm
Role: Breaking fortified positions, disrupting dense formations.
6. Crimson Knights (Independent Elite Division):
Number: 150 Aura Knights
Commander: Kael Morgenstern
Role: Not bound to any single formation. Deployed directly under Fenrir's command at the battlefield's most critical points. Their mere charge could shatter enemy morale.
Symbol: The "Crimson Fang" of Eisenwald—the nightmare whispered into enemy ranks.
Total Forces: 10,500 regular soldiers + 150 Crimson Knights (elite).
---
The restructured army was not left on paper. Fenrir demanded immediate drills.
The Infantry formed a solid shield wall that held firm as Eisenwald's own cavalry crashed against them. Pikes thrust forward like a forest of steel, proving the phalanx could withstand even its allies' charge.
The Archers loosed coordinated volleys under Selene's command, arrows blackening the sky before falling with deadly precision. Behind them, Roland's ballistae boomed, their bolts tearing through wooden mock defenses.
From the forests, Lyra's scouts melted in and out of the shadows, their blades at the throats of mock sentries before anyone noticed.
But the greatest spectacle came from the Crimson Knights. Kael led them like a storm given flesh. A hundred and fifty aura-bearing knights thundered across the field, their weapons glowing faintly with energy. They pierced through a simulated enemy line, leaving chaos and awe in their wake.
Even seasoned veterans watching from the ramparts shivered.
> "This… this is no longer the swamp militia. This is an army born to conquer."
— Darius Holt, muttering under his breath.
---
From the common soldiers came whispers and shouts of pride.
A young infantryman wiped the sweat from his brow after hours of drilling.
> "I was just a farmer… and now I stand in an iron wall that can stop even cavalry."
An archer whispered to his comrade.
> "These hands once hunted birds in the marsh. Now they can kill nobles' men from two hundred paces."
And in the distance, the villagers who had come to watch began to believe more than ever: Eisenwald was no longer prey—it was predator.
---
As the sun set and the drills ended, Fenrir felt the familiar metallic chime in his mind.
[Quest Update]
Shadows of the Border – Strengthen Eisenwald's military to 5,000 soldiers: Completed.
Reward:
+1 Level (Auto)
+20 Strength
+25 Stamina
+15 Charisma
---
[Status Panel – Fenrir Eisenwald]
Age: 17
Title: Crimson Wolf of Eisenwald
Level: 17 (UP)
EXP: 22,000 / 30,000
Aura: 145
Stamina: 145 (+25)
Strength: 140 (+20)
Cunning: 225
Charisma: 165 (+15)
Mental Fortitude: 185
Skills:
[Aura Control Lv.3]
[Swordsmanship Lv.3]
[Leadership Lv.4]
[Tactical Instinct Lv.3]
[Passive – Legacy of Strategies]
[Oathbound Command]
Traits:
[Wounds That Shape]
[Lord of the Marsh]
---
That evening, Fenrir climbed the wooden watchtower that overlooked his army. Below, thousands of men and women drilled with discipline and strength unthinkable a year ago.
Kael and the Crimson Knights stood apart, their black aura flickering faintly as they practiced maneuvers in silence, like wolves waiting for the command to hunt.
Fenrir's crimson gaze hardened.
> "No longer shall we be underestimated. This is the new Eisenwald… and with these fangs, I will tear apart the barons who dare stand before me."
A trumpet blast echoed through the training grounds, followed by the unified roar of 10,500 soldiers and 150 Crimson Knights. The marshlands trembled under their voices.
#wanD48