Chapter 168: Mythical Army

"Get out, get out!" The man in the crowd rushed in to get to the front. "Hey there lord Afal! It seems that lord Zieglind has another strength contest or something!"

"You again..." I can't help but sigh in exhaustion when I see this soldier. He's loud, obnoxious and all around annoying. He tried to join the contest for selecting a healer and an enchanter last time despite having no talents in magic and tried to prove himself using his sword. But he's decent in the sword nonetheless. "Line up. I still haven't finished what I wanted to say."

"Yeah!" He just stood there without moving despite cutting in line.

"...Moving on, my lord is in need of warriors that are willing to defend Izgoy for the time being while he is gone. While your talents is sufficient for hunting and killing low level enemies, it is not enough. So that's why we're creating an elite group consisting of 50 trained people. Now, my lord has shown his mercy so that you won't feel as caged here like a slave as your lives before. So that's why you're being given benefits."

I then explained to them the benefits that they were receiving. My lord said that these benefits will help to bring in more candidates and to show them that they are really free. I don't fully understand but I'm guessing that this is the best route for us to take to protect Izgoy itself.

Family Protection - If they die in the battlefield or anywhere, we'll be handling their current family for anything they want. They'll also be receiving gold every month around 100 gold. Their safety is guaranteed.

Elite Soldier Benefits - The soldiers who are under the 50 unit team will receive better armor and weapons. Specially magical ones. They'll also be given artifacts for whatever we find. They'll be under my tutelage also. So they'll be undergoing the harshest training I could think of with the restriction of them not dying or receiving heavy wounds.

Vassal Opportunity - Everyone in the elite unit will have a chance to own a piece of land, a small village or a kingdom as long as they don't cut the ties with the Crimson Order. Zieglind will handpick the best of these soldiers to lead and if we continue to raid more kingdoms and villages, they'll have a chance. But their position in the Elite Unit will be remove so there'll be a slot open for anyone to join.

"That'll be all the benefits you'll receive. We'll add more in the future but this is all the things my lord could think of." I told them all.

Everyone cheered and shouted as they were excited for joining the Elite Soldier Unit. It seems this is the 'freedom' feeling they feel as my lord said so? I don't know anything about this but I guess this is it.

Four hundred people lined up so their chances are high for joining the elite unit. I was told by Zieglind that it'll be up to me how to select.

"Just wait here for a few moments. I'll bring someone." I disappeared from their sight an reappeared a couple of minutes later with Rize beside me. "Rize, set up a giant barrier. This is a trial that was hosted by my lord himself."

"Uh... okay?" She replied. "Barrier!" A giant cube of barrier was formed all around us. About 50 meters in size.

"Thanks. You can go or observe it's your choice."

"I'll just watch from above. Gazer Form!" Rize changed into her Gazer form and flew up to the sky and looked down on us.

"Then, this is your first trial. For three hours, survive. I will be attacking all of you. You may also attack me. Here are the conditions of dropping out on this trial, the first one is losing consciousness or you can't hold a weapon anymore. I will be greatly holding back so it'll be near impossible for me to kill you. If you get severely wounded, then you'll be healed by Helga. Well then," I then clapped my hands loudly. "Let's start the hunt."

I rushed to a nearby tree near us and snapped of a branch and used it as a weapon.

All the contestants raised up their weapons and rushed at me. I used my quick movements and went through the wave of crowd and got to the other side. They all looked back and twenty people already dropped down without them noticing what just happened.

"Come on, there's still one hour and 54 mins left. Stay strong for me." I taunted.

"Don't mind if I do!" That loud and obnoxious guy earlier jumped in with his spear and lunged at me.

I dodged to the side and stabbed his stomach with the stick and it sent him flying.

It seems that this trial is interesting.

The rest of the hour passed and there seems to be 240 people left. All the other people were all unconscious. But the rest were battered up with bruises and wounds.

I didn't use my incredible speed with the sword as I fought with their pace. But they managed to hold out well. The others were all resting in the ground and their weapons planted as they try to catch their breath.

"Congratulations on passing the first round." I announced.

"That's it!? Come on! Give me some more!" That obnoxious guys suddenly shouted. Even though he's the most damaged out of everyone for rushing at me blindly, he's still standing with his spear planted on the ground with both of his arms crossed and with a big smile on his face.

"That's the first trial. Now for the second trial, keep up with me. We'll be running through the entire Izgoy. If you slow down from your initial speed from the start you'll be removed. If you collapse you'll be removed. No time to rest. Follow me!"

The people were slightly pissed off according to their faces but they managed to stand up and run with me. They were panting and coughing throughout the whole run but others had their faces completely fine as they run.

We run through the entirety of Izgoy again and again until one by one of them dropped out. It took them about two hours of constantly running at full speed. I tried my best to keep up at their pace but they're slower than I expected. But I can't help but be discouraged by their weakness for now. But I guess it's fine since exactly a hundred of them were left.

They were all promising.

"Good job." That's all I could say. I'm not profficient with these kinds of speeches. "You're the ones that were strong enough to last this long. But only 50 people are allowed to enter the elite unit. That's why for the final trial... It's an all out war. But... killing is not allowed. THE LAST FIFTY PEOPLE STANDING WILL BE ALLOWED. NOW DO IT, FIGHT AMONGST YOURSELVES!"

The contestants were staring at each other confused on what to do. Some people raised up their weapon but didn't attack. They were simply wary. But that loud obnoxious guy was the first to ravage through the battlefield.

He jumped in the very middle of the pack and swung his spear in a giant motion blowing tens of people away. "COME ON! GET ME!"

The others followed his lead and rushed in too.

The mages in the pack blasted countless spells, the swordsman specifically targeted the mages but their barriers were too strong for them to penetrate.

It was a wild unorganized war... no... a dogfight. But it highlighted who were strong and those who were not. Some people caught my eye.

The two greatshield user who bashes and taunts everyone to come at him while his other ally who blows away everyone that came at her or him were an amazing display of teamwork.

The archer who I never once have seen missed came raining down of pure accurate and calculated shots and everytime he let out an arrow, someone will be eliminated.

And finally, that guy who's been screaming at the top of his lungs boasting about his power. "COME ON! HAHAHA! THE BATTLEFIELD IS MINE!" He and Neco were the ones that were hunting the most animals when they were just both hunting. He was also challenging Neco everytime that he can. But his skills are no joke. Even though he's that annoying, everything he does is calculated. He's a natural born for the field of war.

He separates the frontlines of the unit and paves a giant path for the mages. He's interesting.

After a few hours of fighting, the fifty people have finally appeared. "Congratulations. You all have passed. Rize!" I called out to her. "Give the other fifty people who have lost in the final trial a piece of artifact."

The people around me were all amazed by 'my' generosity. But this is all thanks to my lord Zieglind for planning all of these.

"Alright, for all of you winners, you'll all get the things I said earlier. Take a rest for tomorrow and we'll continue training the day after. Our training regimen is the trials hosted here. But no one will be eliminated. It seems that you all can handle it. So I guess this'll be the default training for all of you. Rize! Give all of these people the rest of the artifacts Neco hauled in."

It seems that my lord is forming a mythical army. An elite and powerful army consisting of strong people. I'll see this to the end.