Repelling a knight!
"A new talent?"
[Knight talent: weak]
"I've unlocked the knight talent?"
Maxime was pleasantly surprised, indeed he didn't know that reaching level 6 of the swordsman class could confer this talent.
This could be explained by the fact that rich and powerful families blocked a lot of information, but also because nobody had exactly the same classes.
"So now one of my goals is to find a knight breathing method!"
"As long as I have one, I'll have a method other than money to increase my stats!"
"And above all my fighting power will increase significantly!"
Maxime clenched his fist, happy with the changes.
"As long as I don't meet any knights, I'm invincible!"
"System displays my stats while indicating the differences from the start of the day."
Identity: Maxime Valdreuve.
Class:
Peasant level 3. Level MAX! (+3% to physique)
Swordsman level 3 --> 6 (+5% physics) (0/175)
Unlocked a new class: 0/50
Physique: 2.75 (+0.22 class bonus) (+0.30 passive trait bonus)
Qi: 0
Skills :
Swordsmanship level 2 (70/100)
Franc language proficiency level 2 (35/100)
Passive trait :
+5% --> +11% physicality when wielding a sword
+10% --> 25% training efficiency with a sword.
Talent :
NOX LIMIT level 1 (rank unknown) (0/1000)
Minor stamina talent
Minor strength talent
Knight talent: weak
Money available: 25 gold coins.
Mercenary:
Andrew: Three-star potential. Physical: 2,3
Terry: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.7
James: Two star potential. Physical: 1.8
Piedro: Two-star potential. Physics: 1.8
Izo: Two star potential. Physics: 1.9
Peter: Two-star potential. Physical: 1.6
Alessandro: Two star potential. Physics: 1.5
Ronny: Two star potential. Physical: 1.6
Romuald: Two star potential and a minor talent in physics. Physical: 2.3
Joe: Two star potential. Physical: 1.5
Tena: Two-star potential and a minor intelligence talent. Physical: 2
Rodrigo: Two-star potential and an elemental affinity with the earth. Physical: 1.9
Ernest: Three-star potential. Physical: 2.2
...
After a month's training, the statistics of all the mercenaries had indeed changed.
The only mercenary with no change was Romuald.
Probably because of his talent, since usually a mercenary with two-star potential reached a maximum of 2 physics points.
Romuald was able to reach 2.3 points thanks to his minor talent in physics, but this was indeed the limit of his talent.
Maxime sighed slightly at this realization; even his Nox Limit talent couldn't do more at the moment.
Perhaps when he took his talent to the next level, things would change.
At the same time, Maxime noted the statistics of a few new members.
Romain's daughter: Potential unknown, talent unknown. Physical: 0.4
Child: Potential unknown, talent unknown. Physical: 0.3
Child: Potential unknown, talent unknown. Physical: 0.5
Child: Potential unknown, talent unknown. Physical: 0.4
...
"It seems normal that the system isn't omniscient and doesn't know the first name of each individual in the group, but the practical side being that it records an image of each individual so that at least there's something to know who's who." commented Maxime in a whisper.
Maxime knew that it was normal for the system not to be able to display the potential and talent of these children. A person's potential and talent couldn't be known before the age of 16 according to normal methods.
...
Irus: Potential 2 stars. Physical: 1.3
Organ: Potential 3 stars. Physical: 2.1
Laura: 3-star potential. Physical: 2.3
...
"As expected, Irus isn't very strong, but with his courage he may be able to accomplish great things."
"On the side of the former bandit leaders, they have somehow managed to overcome the limits of their potentials before, and managed to achieve these impressive scores."
"2.1 physique points for Organ is impressive given her age, but the most shocking thing is still Laura."
"2.3 physique points, how on earth did she achieve that physique without any particular talent?"
As Maxime pondered intensely the various changes that had occurred recently, a loud voice came from the distance, disrupting his moment of introspection.
"Chief!"
Maxime turned and saw Peter running towards him.
"No good! Knight Ron and his men have entered the cave!"
"Our men are also facing them with Andrew as leader, but at any moment a confrontation could take place!"
Looking at Peter's sweaty face and his ominous words, Maxime took on a solemn look.
...
At the entrance to the cave.
"I see some familiar faces around here," Ron declared humorously.
In front of him were still many corpses that had not yet been buried.
Andrew stood at the front of the dozens of saber-toothed tiger mercenaries.
His face seemed somewhat cold as he gripped the handle of his sword tightly.
His sword still hanging from the sheath on his belt.
"Chevalier Ron, as you can see we've been dealing with the bandits who were ransacking the villages in the area."
"So you can leave with a clear conscience," Andrew declared in a tone devoid of emotion.
Ron put on a disgruntled face, then ordered directly:
"Search this cave from top to bottom, find the bandit leader's head and his treasures."
The men accompanying him immediately set to work, advancing fearlessly towards the mercenaries blocking their path.
"You dare!" shouted Andrew, drawing his sword and pointing it at the advancing soldiers.
All the mercenaries also drew their weapons, ready to fight at any moment.
In addition, the rest of the mercenaries and the recently recruited bandits continued to arrive.
The original dozens of mercenaries soon grew to around fifty, and the numbers kept rising.
The situation worsened as more people kept arriving.
As their side grew stronger, the mercenaries' momentum gradually increased, although it was still intimidating to face a hundred trained soldiers with a knight at their head.
Ron stepped forward, his face grim.
"A common third-rate mercenary dares to threaten a knight?"
"If you don't move out of the way, I'll see to it that you do, whether you like it or not."
But Andrew didn't move an inch, and stood his ground with a firm face.
However, many of the mercenaries panicked.
Most came from Nansoy and had long heard of the martial prowess a knight could wield.
It was even said that it was better to face a 3-meter-high orc than a knight!
Of course, Andrew and the Quessoi mercenaries had also heard about it from the old village chief.
But fear is one thing, defying it another.
"Dare to attack and we'll show you that we third-rate mercenaries, like you said, aren't vegetarians," Andrew declared, challenging Ron.
The straight backs of Piedro, Izo and Romuald, who were standing at Andrew's side, reassured the rest of the mercenaries behind.
Some even found the courage to step forward and stand beside them.
"How childish and naive," Ron commented with a cold face.
Since he had awakened his vital seed and become a knight, he had rarely been challenged in such a way, let alone by vulgar mercenaries of no renown.
Even if he was challenged, it was at least by another baron's knights.
"Since that's what you wish."
The next moment Ron's silhouette disappeared from its previous location, then reappeared right in front of Andrew.
Andrew's eyes widened in amazement as he was able to follow Ron's silhouette with his own eyes, but he had absolutely no time to react to protect himself.
Ron still had some restraint and simply used his fist.
This was simply to avoid losses on his side, but also to give himself one more chance to subdue the mercenary group.
"Once this is over, I'll make sure I bring this mercenary group back and use it well against Baron Barthon..."
"If Baron Irut has a few more chess pieces, it will increase his chances of success."
As various thoughts ran through Knight Ron's mind, a blurred silhouette passed over the mercenaries.
Then, before the shocked eyes of Andrew, the mercenaries and the soldiers, an individual crossed his fist with that of Chevalier Ron.
The individual took 5 steps back from the impact, while Knight Ron took 3.
But it was enough to shock everyone.
"Chevalier Ron, dare to attack my men, you don't lack courage."
Ron still looked lost as he saw the young, blond-haired figure standing before him.
"You...how is this possible?" asked Ron shocked.
But he quickly calmed down; years of training and time spent on the battlefield had given him extraordinary composure.
"Even if I didn't use all my strength, an elite soldier would have been seriously injured if he'd taken my blow..." thought Ron quickly.
"But this guy was even able to fend me off. If he doesn't have the strength of a knight, he shouldn't be far from the minimum threshold."
Ron's analytical skills deserved praise; with his experience he could estimate an opponent's strength after a simple exchange.
But it made him even more confused.
After all, this kind of character shouldn't exist in their region.
"Can you remind me of your identity, young man?" asked Ron with a face quite different from when he was addressing Andrew.
"Maxime, captain of the saber-toothed tigers," Maxime replied simply.
Obviously he wasn't going to reveal his family name in this world where having a family name was synonymous with nobility.
Andrew and the mercenaries who knew Maxime's strength well were now totally confused.
A few weeks earlier, they'd had similar strength, so how could their captain's strength have changed so suddenly?
Ron took a quick breath to put his thoughts in order.
"It is now impossible to subdue this group by force without suffering casualties."