Falter 2

Eddra was no intelligent person, he was aware of this since his childhood. What was he thinking when he wanted to run away from entering the army? That he tried to enroll himself in the academy to avoid the faith he was bestowed to?

Shaking his thoughts, of course, what he did was the natural reaction. He had always wanted to leave the army in his years of serving after all...

However, if presently he had the memories of what would happen in the future, maybe he could prevent the fall of the innocents and the death of the thousand knights. It would be his strong asset, and he could use this to confront every possibility to refrain any deaths, including his.

'[Item Stats]' He looked down at the sword on his lap, still had the gifts of his other siblings on his arms.

Ding!

[Name: Flux the Blacksmith's Sword | Other Name: None

Type: Longsword

Grade: B-

Weight: 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs)

---

Physical Atk.: 24

Magic Atk.: 0

---

Value Price: 12 Orb Credits

*Can be: exchanged, dropped, or sold in the shop.]

...

The travel was long and quiet. Throughout their way, at first, Eddra felt suffocated from the overwhelming aura, but soon then, before he knew it, he became used to them already.

"Coachman, let's have a stop in an inn," Arundel ordered the man driving the carriage, leaning by the window on the vehicle's door.

Ding!

[Location: Small Town of Horo]

The small town had nothing to expect. It was a dull, too quiet, and fairly compact town. Only a minute passed since the coachman was commanded to take a stop for a resting place and he had seen one already.

Arundel went and open the door of the carriage, stood in front of a two-storey inn. The commander stormed in first and was followed with Eddra and the other recruits.

Just like what Eddra viewed it outside, the lobby also looked inexpressibly dim, giving the pessimistic vibes with not a single decorations placed on the wall. Although it looked that lonely, it was surprisingly spacious and well-cleaned.

Paying for the lodge of eight people, the keeper did not give the commander a large amount of charge for a big number of individuals. The set was a day of lodging with a nice hot bath and there would be a breakfast to be served tomorrow. The men would certainly enjoy their cheapest stay in the incredible inn.

Shortly after he walked in his rented room, he started thrusting his siblings' gifts in the [Inventory] then soon rolled himself on the bed. Eddra's bed was comfortable that he hardly believe that the keeper allowed them to stay for a decent amount.

'He wasn't planning to take our belongings while we sleep, was he?' The thought gradually left Eddra's mind while he let his drowsy feeling dwelled in him. 'I don't care anymore... I just want to sleep.'

It was like a blink when he woke up early that day. Eddra refused to pull himself out of the bed because the mattress was too cozy and warm for him. As a way for the [System] to greet his wonderful morning, it showed the routine before his face.

Ding!

[Daily Quest: Routine!

Swing the sword (0/500)

Hit the practice dummy (0/500)

Stamina run (0/10mi)

Push-ups (0/100)

Time Duration: 23:54:31

Reward(s): (3) Stat Points & (1) New System Feature

Warning: Failing the Quest will bring death to the User.]

"A new feature again." Eddra was thrilled to finish his routine to unfold what type of feature would it be.

The fight was on between the cozy mattress and the tempting rewards of the [System]. Eddra rolled himself on the bed, figuring out what he would choose. And of course, it was normal for the hunting thing to win, since he would reset if he failed to complete it again.

Sitting on the side of the bed, strangely, Eddra heard a short high-pitched whistling call from the other room since the walls were made out of thin plank.

"Is that an eagle?" he mumbled to himself. "Someone has delivered a letter to the Commander?"

Leaving his curiosity, he stood from his bed and immediately did his push-ups and running around the town that morning.

Eddra finished his stamina runs for barely four hours. It was a new achievement since his first run took four and a half hours.

'The [Base Stats] are working!' A weird smile was drawn on his lips while he stooped down. struggling to catch his breathing.

After a short rest, when Eddra reminded himself that his hits were too loud and that it could attract people, he went into the forest just far behind the inn. Since he did not bring any tools to set up the practice dummy, Eddra used his strength to push the equipment in the ground.

He successfully did it, though he was surprised by how deep it went in.

"[Inventory]." He thrust his hand and grabbed the wooden sword to start the final requirement he needed to complete the routine.

...

Ding! Ding! Ding!

[You have completed the Daily Quest!]

[You have received (3) Stat Points!]

[You have received (1) New System Feature!]

[Updating the System... ]

Everyone was taking their seats on the long table. The commander called for an emergency meeting in the lobby of the inn. Thankfully, Eddra had completed his routine before he asked for their presence, achieving another record of finishing his routine before lunch.

Glancing while he was waiting for the [System] to update itself, Eddra wondered why it was taking so long to update.

"A Major asked for an immediate investigation at the southern border. He said there were a few enemies that slip through in the land," Arundel informed.

'I see... This is expected.'

Eddra had heard about this when the knight major was escorting him, however, the path that they were taking was no way near at the location and they had chosen to leave it to someone who was close by.

'... And it was the Knight Commander,' Eddra thought to himself.

"And are we close to the location that's why the Commander called us here?" One of the recruits sitting beside Eddra asked.

"Oh, you're quick," Arundel joked out, "Well then, grab your swords, and prepare to head out."

Arundel stood from his seat and so did the men with him. They all left the inn following the knight commander, marching with their swords in hand. Although some had acquired their own like Eddra, the others got their swords from the crate that was with the belongings on the carriages.

Even with a weapon in hand, Eddra and his fellow recruits were lack of armor. Though aware of their circumstance, no one dared to ask for it.

Storming to the place where the commander had instructed the coachmen, it took them three hours to arrive at the forest near the southern border of Bancroft.

As they got off the vehicle one after the other, Arundel brought his hands on his waist and ordered the recruits to line up in rows of four before him.

Arundel turned his back to them, facing the forest. "Now, men. An act of greed is the death of the team. Don't leave my sight or instantly charging in combat."

"Um... How many rats have slip through?" one of them asked.

"A team of fifty and two mages."

"That's—!" Eddra staggered and shortly shut his mouth soon as he was aware of what he had done.

The moment the commander became conscious of his men's anxiety, Arundel simply made a boisterous laugh. "Ha-ha! Don't falter my friends, you have me!"

'Where did he get that much confidence?'

Although the commander was so sure of himself, and even if Eddra knew he could defeat them instantly, the future was already clear. The other recruits who were far too weak would die, and only the three monsters remained barely scarred.