Chapter 11: War Game

(Note: Haha! He said the funny!)

Hidden Quest Complete: First Conquest!

Condition 1: Achieve victory on your first major battle/siege/negotiation and take over a new asset: Complete

Condition 2: Suffer less than 5% casualties: Complete

Condition 3: Suffer no casualties: Complete

Rewards:

System Update: War Game

New skill: Stewardship

New skill: Tactics

'What in the flying fuck is this?' Arthur stared intently at the scroll-like interface, it never did any such thing before.

Luckily enough, he was alone in his solar trying to estimate how long they could live off their supplies. His men were already troubled enough without seeing him stare at nothing for extended periods of time.

The room had been well kept by sir Baveur, its former occupant. It was doubtlessly on the humble side of the scale; old wooden furniture, cold stone walls warmed by the fireplace. The smell of burning logs and aged parchment wasn't for everyone, but he thought it had its own charm.

Arthur watched warily as the words mixed and shifted, melting down into ink and flowing across the flying scroll like mercury. That was new, he had gotten used to the opening and closing of the scroll while he navigated the interface.

Eventually, the ink turned into unknowable runes turned into intelligible writing. It was a disturbing process, then again the very concept of rebirth with a game interface in a fictional world was highly disturbing.

Congratulations, You have unlocked The War Game.

What in hell was this supposed to mean? He stared bemused at the text, mind racing to understand the implications.

'Satus'

Arthur Black

Title: Potential Wizard.

Mana Points: 130/130

Strength: 9

Perception: 8

Endurance: 10

Charisma: 10

Intelligence: 10

Agility: 8

Luck: 2

Magic: 13

Magic Control: E

Now that was really new, he raised his brow studying his new interface. He went through his skill and perk categories, noted the new Quest screen and his unchanged inventory space.

'It's good…too good.' He scrunched his nose.

Arthur thought he should be happy with this new development, but instead all he felt was apprehension and a feeling of impending doom.

The game didn't play nice, it never did. Why would it somehow turn from a semi-useless mess into an almost accommodating system?

No, he called Bullshit. There had to be foul play somewhere, it's how life worked. It doesn't reward you for your hard work, it puts you down each time you go and try to rise above the lake of shit we call modern society.

You start hitting the gym and try to be a better person? Boom, you get crushed by a train.

You get reincarnated into a fictional world? Grimdark AU getto, go get enslaved within five minutes of your new life as a bonus.

You somehow have managed to free yourself and get a following? Alright, you're stuck in hostile territory and more than half your manpower deserts you.

Now the Game of all things is trying to cajole him? That stunk more than the armpits of a woke body positive chick on a fine summer morning.

Skills:

Martial:

Sword: 7

Spear: 1

Shield: 1

Bow and Arrow: 3

Armor: 2

Running: 6

Stealth: 10

Physical Conditioning: 8

Tactics: 1

Governance:

Stewardship 1

Magic:

Charms: 4

Dark Arts: 2

Transfiguration: 1

Sensing: 12

'God Damn.' He cursed, looking at the literal clusterfuck before him. It was the kind of hell only a grand strategy game addict would understand, not enjoy, but understand.

'There is no enjoyment in the endless expense of numbers, only pain and frustration and anguish and the salt of a thousand manly tears.' He resigned himself to this fate, not willing to hope for a new update. 'I knew the game would fuck me in the end.'

He saw the new skills, in which he was hopelessly useless. The old ones had thankfully retained their progression, the game at least had the decency to keep an illusion of respect for him.

'Whatever, I'll rock along with it.'

Basic Quests:

Ector's Training:

Train your body and fighting skills with Ector, or avoid him and break his old heart.

Reward: +1 Physical Conditioning, +1 Sword, +5 Relationship with Ector

Penalty: Ector is sad.

'Are you trying to hit me in the feels, Game? Because it's working pretty fucking well.'

Hell Hath No Fury:

You rule over more women than men, and they proved their worth in battle. Listen to Martha, and see how you can improve their situation…and yours, by proxy.

Reward: +1 Charisma, +5 Reputation with group: Arthur's women.

Penalty: They will spit in your soup.

'Joke's on you, I'm into that shit.'

Lord of the Fort:

Keeping the law, hearing your advisor and planning the future is the lot of all rulers of men. Fulfill your duties for the day, or face retribution.

Reward: +1 Stewardship, +5 Fame, +5 Relationship with group: Arthur's men.

Penalty: -10 Relationship with group: Arthur's men.

'I don't know what 'Fame' is, I don't know what Relationship is. What I do know is that Arthur's men sounds pretty fucking gay, and that you're trying to play on my ego with all this ruler bullshit.' He thought, activating his Sensing to locate Ector's particular brand of magic.

'And it's super effective.'

!Retainer

Name: Ector

Title: Right Hand Man of Arthur Black

Relationship: 60 (Dedicated Friend.)

It didn't take long for Arthur to track him, unsurprisingly he was instructing five men on how not to gut themselves with their own sword.

"Oh Arthur, finally out of your books now are you?" The old man chuckled, trying and failing to ruffle his hair. "I'm telling you, reading so much can't be good for you. Heard it makes you blind, I did."

"I have to learn that magic somehow." He answered, no longer minding the level of Ohio his men exhibited on a daily basis. "Have they made any progress?"

Their form looked pretty decent to him, then again he was only seven levels deep in his swordsmanship. Ector was old and silly, but Arthur was sure he'd reach a solid level forty five when it comes to the blade.

'Even his level has gray hair.' He thought, repressing a chuckle.

"Well, when they started they were more likely to hit their dead grandma than actually touch an enemy." The old man with no regard for the betrayed faces the trainee shot him.

"And now." Arthur smiled, holding back a chuckle.

"Same, but they won't die doing it." He looked at Ben, who used too much strength blocking a strike and ended up touching his own throat with the wooden blade. "Maybe."

"I'll join in." The boy said, but his smile vanished when he saw just how happy Ector was.

"That's excellent!" I clapped his hand, urging one of the repurposed Avery servants to bring me a practice sword and a round shield. "Let's start with twenty laps to break you in."

'That's not too bad.' Arthur removed his overcoat, and was just about to go if not for the veteran literally picking him up.

"Not so fast, leader of mine." He chuckled at Arthur's attempts to gauge his eyes out. "You forgot your mighty sword and shield.

"You said I'd be running laps around the yard…" The boy stopped trying to murder his best soldier, tilting his head on the side in a way that would be cute if he wasn't a mass murderer

"Of course, you plan on charging the enemy without weapons? I'd make you wear Sir Noballs's full plate if you could fill it up." He laughed at his liege's new attempts on his life.

"I hate being a child." Arthur growled much like his namesake, the one who doesn't have an ahoge that is.

"Said every child ever." The old coot had the galls to pat his head, and he smiled all the while.

"Fuck off." The man made child made wizard made leader made trainee flipped him the bird with all the grace of a Texan, the best kind of people, before running off with his equipment.

'Well, it could be worse.' He thought, getting used to the weight.

"Arthur." He stopped, turning back to the offender who smiled kindly in return."I didn't say nothing about running around the training yard."

'Did I jinx it?' He thought, before shaking his head and dispelling these superstitious thoughts 'Nah, nope, absolutely no fucking way in satan's burnt off nutsack.'

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked him, dreading the answer.

"I mean that you, young man, have yet to finish your twenty laps around the fort."

'Fuck.' He thought.

"Fuck." He said.

"Off you go." His own subordinate shooed him away, he should court marshal the old man!

"First, you can't court marshal your master at arms for training you. Second, you are too damn honorable to do it anyway." The old man counted on his fingers, before smirking. "Third, you like me."

"I don't!" Arthur bit off.

"Do too!

"Do not"

"Do too."

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"Gotcha." Arthur chuckled, leaving for twenty long runs.

"You little rascal…" The old man grumbled under his breath, only letting out a laugh when his leader was out of his sight. "What are you looking at, boys? Thirty series to train the sloth out of you!"

It was a very tired, sweaty and overall miserable Arthur who came back for the actual sword training. He gained a few stat points, leveled up his running along the way and his stance was thoroughly bullied by the fort's well meaning master at arms.

Quest Completed: Ector's training

Reward: +1 Physical Conditioning, +1 Sword, +5 Relationship with Ector.

'Two more to go.' He thought, enjoying the bath a servant prepared for him. It was truly a good decision not to execute every civilian who came under Avery's banner, and while his men didn't agree at first they soon learned not to question his orders.

His second task took him to the great hall, where all shared a hearty lunch of hot vegetable soup, black bread and mashed potatoes. He didn't need to seek out the gentle middle aged women, she always insisted on personally serving him a double portion.

"Here you go, some nice food for a growing boy." There was something about the woman that made her incredibly…familiar.

She was an aunt May, for lack of a better word.

"Thank you Martha." Arthur smiled "For the food, and everything you and the others are doing here."

"Oh, my…why thank you, young man." the old woman's eyes brightened, surprised but happy for the unexpected compliments.

"I tried looking out for everyone on board, but the circumstances didn't allow me to properly take care of you." He sighed "For that, I apologize."

"Don't!" she interrupted him, but the soft smile on her face told him all he needed to know about her true opinion. "We know you did your best, no one could blame you for neglecting our comfort. Besides, we Welsh women are made of sterner stuff."

!Subject

Name: Martha

Title: Subject of Arthur Black.

Relationship: 47 (Dedicated Friend)

And it was steadily rising, some flattery and lip service were all it took to turn a measly neglected 39 into a fond 47. Arthur doubted that it would work on everyone, Martha being a jolly woman he saved from literal slavery doubtlessly played a big factor.

From his understanding; 0 in relationship was neutral like some of the servants he spared, anything up to twenty was acquaintance like some of the more grateful servants, from twenty five to forty was friendly like the majority of his people, from forty to sixty was dedicated friend like Erwin and Ector and now Martha.

He knew these relationships were solely platonic, some of the more attractive servant girls and freed women had another Love level in addition to the standard relationship level.

How did it work, with him being a literal child? He had no idea and no wish to know, his followers being pedophiles was not something he needed to consider.

"Is there anything I can do to make your lives easier?" He asked with his most charming smile, which was simply adorable…then again, mass murderer.

Quest Complete: Hell Hath No fury.

Reward: +1 Charisma, +5 Reputation with group: Arthur's women.

He found himself with nothing to do, his sore body would not let him train any more, and his last daily quest had to wait for the evening on their daily council.

So he studied.

Charm after charm, jinx after jinx, he tried so many spells the ministry workers in charge of tracking underage magic would have a stroke and fucking die seeing him work.

Of course, he read the entire tomes at least once before attempting anything. Wizards had the habit of writing the warnings and undesirable effects in the end of the book, using a really fine print.

'And they wonder why so many of them die in magical shenanigans.' He shook his head, trying yet another variation of the fire creation charm.

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Author's words which you won't read if you're gay.

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Hey guys! How do we greet friends after a long absence? With double chapters of course!

I know some of you were mad, and most of you thought I dropped. But I had some shite to deal with in my life, still fighting the good fight right now, and was honestly just fed up with this site's bullshit.

It's filled with dumb arse fics, fake authors who beg for money (you know who.), smuts without plot and no sense whatsoever trying to make a good man fail no nut November (I play on hard mode, which is constant no fap.) and so much Chinese machine translated crap I almost had a propaganda overdose just thinking about it.

Anyways, I still like writing and will do so for you guys as long as you're willing to read. (And bribe me with power stones, of course.) i thought about some solutions, moving to another platform, but nothing urgent.

I hope you guys would support me if I did so, though.

(just kidding, I know you will.)

Goodbye!