Chapter 148 - Commander
"Commander Tullius the third! It is an honour to meet you here!" Said the Captain. They shake hands while they laughed.
"Captain Brice! It was a long time before we have seen each other! I present you my gifts and as well as the green recruits! You can make them into a war machine if you like," The General said in a lower voice in the last sentence.
"I am glad you all made it well and in peace. Let us go inside, we will prepare our humble place for a small celebration. You can rest well for now after a tiring journey," Captain Brice said to him.
They continued their talking and Joan then met the scout he has seen in the past. Looking at him, he jolted and was in utter disbelief. Their mouth went agape and pointed his finger at Joan.
"You? Why are you here? Adventurer? You said that I was mistaken right?" He said.
."Yes? I am but only a humble adventurer here. No need to fret," Joan said to him.
"You turned down the offer of joining the army right? We could have given you a high ranking position. Still, if you are not the one I have seen then it would be a waste to someone like you," He said to Joan.
"I am honoured to be offered but I tend to think that positions are a blessing to others but a binding chain to some. So you want to talk more? We have drinks here!" Joan said to him.
"Sure! Wait? Why are you offering one? A mere soldier here will offer the most precious booze?" He said.
"Master Joan! We should train the green leaves! Let them taste your training!" Shouted one of the adventurers. Others can only laugh at them, imagining what could happen to them. The scout then made his mouth open in utter disbelief. Not knowing that Joan has a standing already.
"Well, wanna drink later on? I gotta go now, we have to reform the new ones," He said, moving towards the training grounds.
"Move! Lousy chicks! Form yourselves!" Joan was then heard shouting at them. To the scout's eyes, he can see a kid scolding old grown men. Making him squeeze his eyes if what he was looking at was true or not. Just imagining a child becoming the drill instructor or the camp trainer was hard to accept. What experience does he have to train them? On what grounds that he was chosen? It was then, he watched and observed some more. It was a few minutes but he was amazed at how strict he was. Making the adventurers struggle with their drills. It was then, Joan let them all spar at him. All versus one, he said. They were also allowed to use their skills when attacking him.
The scout watched some more and now, he knew the reason why he was chosen. It was of his absurd strength to trash them all and without using skills at that. The adventurers groaned as they were crawling on the ground. Others grabbed dirt and threw it to Joan's eyes. Joan then disappeared from his sight and then kicked him upwards. Making him fly to the air and then back-kicked by Joan.
Bang!
The scout then was utterly shaken. His thoughts of him being one of the adventurers he saw in the Nightmare clash was getting into his thought. If he was that strong then the possibility that he was the only one who survived was also a possibility. His imagination began to get rowdy and it was getting uncontrollable. Making him want to report this to the Commander.
It was a gruelling battle and all the adventurers were knocked out. They were carried to the sleeping quarters and they rested there. Groaning in pain bathed the entire sleeping quarter's noises. Tired and were in pain, backaches too and joints were numb. Joan then was called by the commander to talk with them.
As Joan entered the strategy room, he saw the commander and the scout while they were whispering with each other. The Commander nodded and they separated.
"Ahem, as my scout has said, you are a survivor of the Nightmare assault yes? Your life is on the line depends on your answer, so choose your words," The Commander said.
Joan's complexion has gone worst. His heart raced at the moment he heard that his life was on the line. To him, maybe it will benefit him if he told them the truth.
"As your performance has been assessed, you can deal will all the recruits by yourself. And, you are the trainer here right?" He asked.
"Yes, I am the drill instructor and the camp trainer here commander," Joan said.
"So, you admit that you are a survivor?" He said.
"Yes, though I am not the only survivor. I can only tell you that far, but who is he is a secret I must not spill," Joan said to him.
"Ah, you confessed! And with that, you are now a camp trainer and the drill instructor, and that is official. We can call you now Grandmaster, as you are the trainer of our force. Your salary will be handed to you every month. And here is the insignia of your status. You are a high ranking official now. Congrats!" He said to him. Lending his hands.
Joan then grabbed the insignia. Earning him the title of a Grandmaster. And with that, the Captain congratulated him. They soon made a small feast and they cheered with their drinks. Having the title doesn't mean much to him. All he wanted to do was to be of service to Joan original. Who was training himself to get stronger in the Academy. He will be surprised if he will knew that he was a Drill instructor now.
Days went by and Joan trained them to the bones. Making the camp lively with their presence. Soon after, they prepared to attack the near forts at their areas. The Fort of the North, in the East, and, to the West.
They made a meeting in the strategy room and divided their forces into three. Attacking all the forts at the same time. The place was inhabited by goblins and so the battle was one-sided, in the favour of the adventurers. Still, it took hours to kill them all as the keeps were also their den. Making the terrible mistake of entering inside was pure suicide. And so they smoked the place and they were forced to get outside. Killing them in the process. They entered the keeps and deep down has a dungeon. Only skeletons were left after years of being there. They burned their tents and they absorbed their essences. Cleaning the place to be habitable for humans.
Their numbers have been lessened after their raid but they can capture the place. Other forces were moved to the forts and the road was repaired. Making also a steady supply of food on them. It was a great victory as they have minimal casualties this time. They made a feast on their forts to celebrate their great victory. The soldiers were high in morale after Joan visited them and trained them in his visits. Making it a busy schedule for him as he visited their bases. Also, the recruits came again and they trained in the Riverside Stronghold. As the camp was vast and the training grounds were the largest one of all their captured bases.
He trained them day by day and so their overall strength has heightened. Making the same drills at them as of the past adventurers that managed to survive. It was a one-sided beating against the great numbers of recruits.
"Is that all you've got! Another lap or jog around the training grounds!" Joan shouted after beating them up.
They moved again and then others were already freaking out.
"This is hell! I didn't sign up for this!"
"We should go home! I can't do it anymore!"
Joan then laughed at them. They were spanked on the butt with a stick and so they were feeling lively again. Not knowing that it was his skill [Minor heal]. They went on and then like in the past, they were divided into two groups. Battling each other while making way for the ball to reach the hoop was like a rugby game but with a twist. And that was, they can use their skills to handle the enemy and then either protect the one who has the ball or if you are the enemy, you stop him together with the others. They all went all out and that made their game fun to watch. Joan was laughing left and right with their game.
Days passed by and they were now in a formation. They all have serious faces plastered on them. It was then, Joan announced that they were now all graduates, they went weeping after all they have faced. The camaraderie was developed on each one of them and they were all laughing while in tears. They thanked Joan for guiding them. Not only one bowed their heads but all of them.
"Thank you very much for guiding us!"