Rewards

[you have gained 30,000 EXP]

[level up]

[level up]

[level up]

[affinity with the remnants of the Sidus Village slightly increased]

[you have gained 60 points]

[your subordinates have leveled up]

[your subordinates have leveled up]

[Jeffery, Asher, and Lance have leveled up]

[you have gained the achievement (village defender)]

[village defender: you now had a slight affinity with villagers and they will treat you with slightly better hospitality]

[you have gained 6 gold coins for the successful defense of the Sidus Village]

[further rewards will be gained at the end of the campaign]

Jason took a deep breath of relief as he looked over all of the notifications.

He was now level 49 just one level away from 50. Apparently there was a type of class awakening or something at 50, but he was still a rose knight trainee so he wasn't sure.

Jason looked over the notifications that he had gotten throughout the battles. He had already leveled up thanks to the rewards of the mission and killing all of the goblins, and the wolves it seemed go a bit stronger.

Jason gazed at Jeffery who was happily jumping around. Jeffery originally was a grey wolf about with a regular size around the withe of Jason's arms. He was still the same but Jefferys fur seemed to have more volume the original dull grey. Now it shone like silver and had a glossy look to it.

Jason tried to resist petting it, but after a quick battle inside his mind, he lost and pet Jeffery with bliss.

As Jason ran his hands over Jeffery's fur he could feel the strong and rippling muscles underneath. They were rock solid and Jason could feel Jeffery's breathing and he rested his hands on his fur.

Jason wanted to spend more time with the wolves but the green barrack member called out to him

"Arch, we should head back and treat the survivors"

Jason nodded and started to walk back with the rest of the wolves. Asher was still out hunting the remnants with his group of wolves, but Jeffery and Lance walked side by side with him. The looked around a bit protectively and some of the wolves kept on sniffing their surroundings like they were afraid that they would be ambushed like the many times they were in the forest near the training center.

As he walked back Jason spotted small houses that were ruined, some had completely collapsed and others were burnt pitch black. As he walked through he could see the corpse of some of the villagers some had been slaughtered by the goblins and others had been crushed by the collapsing houses or even suffocated in the smoke.

Jason turned his head to the east side of the village, the part that was still on fire. That part couldn't be saved, more then 3/4 of the buildings there were on fire, and even with the system's map, Jason could only find one survivor.

Jason was a bit upset since he got a rank C on this mission, but at the same time, he couldn't complain, that was what he deserved.

He started to regret focusing on attacking the goblins instead of saving the villagers, perhaps if he went into the east side first he could have saved more villagers....

So many more thoughts were running through his head, what if he had searched for more survivors with the villager woman on his back could he have saved another life? or how about when he waited on the top of a building for the goblins to come to him? why didn't he just sneak around and attack them?

Boops reassured Jason before he started to wallow in his doubts

'Jason, it's over now, sure we may have made some mistakes, but that's part of life, stick your head up and put the past behind you, we have much more to do'

Jason listened to Boops' advice, and his 15-year-old mind started to realize what Boops meant with those words.

The Past shouldn't drag him back, but instead, serve to teach him something.

Jason let out a single laugh

He had never really thought about it like that, ever since he was young, if he failed then it was over, no do-overs, but if you could learn from the mistakes that one had, then making them wasn't all too bad right? it would serve to teach himself lessons for the future, make him stronger mentally physically, and spiritually.

Jason lifted his head. While he was regretting all of the decisions he made, he had lowered his head to stare at the ground. He regained confidence and started to walk with more upright and strong steps.

Jason started to learn at this moment, and the start of a valuable lesson started to grow in his mind. A leader will fail, but only the truly great ones will get up after the failure.

And besides, he didn't really fail at that time, it but it was awfully convenient to use this experience as a lesson to Jason.

As Boops and Jason surveyed the village, they both come to the conclusion that nobody would be able to live there for a long time. The storage houses were empty and houses ransacked and almost unlivable.

Those 60-70 villagers would have to go somewhere else.

Finally, they reached the entrance of the village where the green barrack member who was originally at taking care of the wounder was. He and a few other green barrack members that didn't fight with Jason in the last battle.

He stood up and called for them to come over.

Jeffery and Lance naturally went with Jason as they walked over. The green barrack member smilled and pet Lance as he addressed Jason

"so I'm guessing you took care of the rest right?"

"yes, only the remnants remain and they are getting hunted right now"

The green barrack member who was taking care of the wounded nodded in happiness, but then a sudden thought hit him.

"you don't know my name huh? well its Jamie, i well i already know your name Arch, your a bit famous in our platoon"

Jamie stretched out his hand for a handshake and Jason took it. They made a firm handshake and Jason asked

"Alright, so what are we doing next?"

Jamie grimaced and answered

"well, we are supposed to regroup with the main force there is an important battle that we have to reach"

Jamie glanced at the 60-70 villagers almost all of them were laying on the ground, growing in pain. Most of them had injuries and half of them were women and children. Jamie said in a worried voice

"but we can't just leave these people here, we would just leave them to die if we left"

Jason tried to go into thought, but he really didn't know what decision he should make.

Perhaps he should urge Jamie to go and help fight the more important battle since it might save more lives. But should he? those villagers needed help and he needed points... I mean he wanted to help them.

Jamie also went into thinking with Jason, but he came up with an idea. He said with a determined light.

"Arch, I'm the leader of this team, but it's only because of my healing skills, ill stay here to take care of these villagers and defend them. You take the rest of my team and take them to the city of Muno, that's where a large army of bandits are attacking. If they take over the city, then it will cost us a lot of resources and manpower to take it back."

Jamie gritted his teeth in anger and said

"The city of Muno is a border city so its naturally strong, or at least it was, but that rotten bastard Viscount Dieid is a corrupt bastard and has severely crippled the cites defensive power with his mindless spending and random parties"

Jamie handed Jason a map and a token that had a green flower engraved on it.

"that's a map the city, and the tokens green barrack thing, just show it to a fellow team leader and they will know whats going on"

Jamie then stood up and said to the awaiting green barrack members

"listen up! Arch is going to lead you to the City of Muno, the platoon needs our information and scouting skills and Ardem desperately needs more manpower. Arch has proven himself, he's a member of the Blue 2 team so that already proves it. Listen to his commands"

All of the green barrack members nodded and said in a loud voice

"YES SIR"

Jason revied the map and the token. The moment he placed his hands on the map a notification came up

[you have gained a detailed map of Earl Grey's territory]

[updating map]

Boops already started to calculate the amount of time it would take to get to the city of Muno.

'alright, it's going to take us a good 4 days and nights for us reach there if we are going at max speed.'

Jason nodded and shouted to the green barrack members and wolves

"Okay, we are heading out!"

All of the wolves and green barrack members stood in front of Jason ready. He turned to see Jamie hurrying around applying ointment onto some villagers. Somehow he sensed Jason's gaze and he turned around to nod to Jason.

Jason gave a downwards nod of respect and set off.