Captain Stormwind produces a large iron key and unlocks my cell. "Well then, Marcus. Let's see if you can back up the demonstration with practical skills. We've got equipment waiting, and the Duke wants us marching within two hours."
I step out of the cell that's been my home for exactly two days—though it feels like much longer given everything that's changed.
My enhanced senses immediately catalog details I couldn't have noticed before: the exact positions of each soldier, subtle tension patterns that reveal who's nervous versus simply alert, the way they're all unconsciously giving me slightly more space than they would a normal person.
"Lead the way, Captain," I say with growing confidence. "Time to see what this new world has to teach me."
---
The armory is impressive—racks of well-maintained weapons, armor sorted by size and quality, and the kind of organizational efficiency that speaks to serious military experience. But what strikes me most isn't the equipment.
It's how the soldiers are moving around me now.
They're trying to maintain professional composure, but I can see the subtle changes from ten minutes ago.
The younger ones keep glancing at me with mixtures of wariness and curiosity. The veterans are more controlled, but they're giving me the kind of space that suggests unconscious respect for demonstrated capability.
Captain Stormwind notices it too. I catch him watching the interactions with the calculating gaze of someone who understands group dynamics in life-or-death situations.
"Try this," he says, handing me a standard-issue sword.
The moment my fingers close around the grip, something extraordinary happens. Knowledge floods my mind—not memories exactly, but understanding.
Balance points, optimal grip positions, basic forms and advanced techniques all somehow available as if I'd trained with swords for years.
```
[WEAPON MASTERY - ADAPTIVE LEARNING ACTIVATED]
Weapon Type: Standard Military Longsword
Analysis Complete: Balance adequate, steel quality good
Combat Forms: [DOWNLOADING] Basic techniques, intermediate maneuvers
Mastery Level: COMPETENT (rapid adaptation)
Enhancement: Supernatural strength multiplies effectiveness +180%
Current Understanding: Novice-to-intermediate combat capability unlocked
```
The sword feels natural in my hand, though not quite like an extension of my body. I know how to hold it properly, understand basic attack and defense patterns, can sense how my enhanced strength will affect its use. It's not instant mastery—more like accelerated learning that's compressed months of training into moments.
"How's the balance?" Captain Stormwind asks, watching my grip and stance.
I move through some basic forms—cuts and thrusts that feel right even though I've never practiced them before.
The blade moves smoothly, and I can sense how much more force I can put behind each strike than a normal person could manage.
"Good," I say honestly. "Better than I expected, actually."
"You handle it like you've had some training," one of the veterans observes.
"I pick things up quickly," I reply, which is becoming the truth in ways I'm still discovering.
Captain Stormwind hands me armor—leather and mail that should fit my build.
As I put it on, I notice how my enhanced physique makes the weight almost negligible, and my developing tactical awareness automatically calculates how the protection will affect mobility and combat options.
```
[COMBAT READINESS ASSESSMENT]
Armor Compatibility: GOOD
Weapon Proficiency: COMPETENT LEVEL (improving)
Physical Enhancement: HIGH EFFECTIVENESS
Tactical Analysis: BASIC BATTLEFIELD APPLICATIONS ACTIVE
Leadership Presence: SOLDIERS BEGINNING TO RESPOND
Corruption Opportunities: 2 HIGH-VALUE TARGETS IDENTIFIED
Status: READY FOR BASIC COMBAT OPERATIONS
```
"Not bad for a foreigner who's been locked up for two days," Captain Stormwind admits. "Duke said you'd shown unusual problem-solving during your trial. Didn't mention combat potential."
"The Duke doesn't know everything about me yet," I reply with a slight smile. "I'm still figuring some things out myself."
A horn sounds from outside—three long blasts that make every soldier straighten to attention.
"March call," Captain Stormwind explains, already moving toward the door. "Time to see if the Duke's gamble pays off."
As we file out of the armory, I catch fragments of whispered conversations:
"...stronger than he looks..."
"...moved like he knew what he was doing..."
"...something different about him, but maybe that's what we need..."
"...least he's not completely hopeless..."
Good. Cautious respect rather than fear, acknowledgment of capability rather than worship. A foundation I can build on through performance rather than intimidation alone.
```
[ARMY UNIT ANALYSIS]
Unit Designation: Ravencrest Border Guard, 2nd Company
Total Personnel: 47 soldiers + officers
Combat Experience: Mixed (15% veterans, 60% experienced, 25% recruits)
Morale: MODERATE → STABLE (Marcus effect establishing baseline)
Corruption Potential: MODERATE (military structure, shared hardship opportunities)
Strategic Value: Personal influence development opportunity
Timeline: 2-3 weeks campaign optimal for gradual loyalty building
```
---
The courtyard is bustling with the organized chaos of a military unit preparing to march. Nearly fifty soldiers in various stages of preparation, pack animals loaded with supplies, and the focused energy of men getting ready to face real danger.
Duke Ravencrest stands at the center of it all, and when he sees me emerge from the armory, his expression is complex—hope mixed with desperation, calculation layered over genuine concern for his people's survival.
"Marcus," he calls out, approaching with determined authority. "I trust Captain Stormwind has equipped you adequately?"
"More than adequately, Your Grace," I reply, making my tone respectful but not subservient. "Though I suspect we'll discover how adequate when we meet these dark elves."
The Duke's jaw tightens slightly—he's still not comfortable with my lack of deference—but he needs my cooperation too badly to challenge it now.
"Captain Stormwind will brief you on our tactical situation during the march.
The Shadowmere clan has been increasingly aggressive—three villages hit in the past week, with coordinated strikes that suggest military planning rather than simple raiding."
```
[TACTICAL ANALYSIS - ENEMY ASSESSMENT]
Target: Shadowmere Clan Dark Elves
Estimated Force: Unknown, likely 100-200 raiders
Combat Capability: [INSUFFICIENT DATA] Assumed superior to human normal
Advantages: Unknown magical abilities, terrain knowledge, coordination
Weaknesses: [ANALYZING] Require more intelligence
Strategic Opportunity: [INSUFFICIENT DATA] Need battlefield assessment
Corruption Potential: [UNKNOWN] Requires direct contact for evaluation
```
"Coordinated strikes suggest central command," I observe, my developing tactical awareness providing insights. "Disrupt their leadership structure and the raids might become less effective."
Duke Ravencrest looks surprised by the analysis. "That's what our military advisers suggested. But identifying their leadership has proven difficult."
"I'll need to see them in action before I can make real recommendations," I say honestly. "But command structures always have vulnerabilities if you know how to look for them."
What I don't mention is that I'm genuinely curious about these dark elves. The system's hints suggest they might respond to strength, which could make them more than just enemies to defeat.
"Form up!" Captain Stormwind bellows across the courtyard. "We march in ten minutes!"
Soldiers scramble to final preparations, and I find myself naturally positioned near the front of the formation.
The men around me aren't quite deferring yet, but they're watching me with the kind of attention reserved for unknowns that might prove important.
Duke Ravencrest approaches for one final word, his expression earnest despite our complicated relationship.
"Marcus," he says quietly. "I know there's been... tension between us. But the lives of my people depend on the success of this mission.
Whatever our personal differences, I need to know you're committed to protecting them."
For a moment, looking at his genuine concern for his subjects, I feel something like sympathy.
He's a man trying to do right by his responsibilities, even if his methods are desperate and his understanding of the situation completely wrong.
"Your Grace," I say, meeting his eyes directly. "Your people are going to be as safe as I can make them. You have my word on that."
The relief in his expression is genuine. "Thank you. That... that means more than you might realize."
What he doesn't understand is that by the time I'm finished, "his" people might have very different ideas about who they actually serve.
The column begins to move—fifty soldiers marching south toward a conflict none of us fully understand yet.
I settle into the rhythm of the march, feeling the enhanced endurance that makes the pace effortless, already planning how to use the coming weeks to transform these professional soldiers into something more personally loyal.
```
[CAMPAIGN INITIATION COMPLETE]
Status: Military integration beginning, combat system preparing, influence network establishing
Primary Objectives: Dark elf assessment, soldier integration, combat capability development
Corruption Targets: 47 soldiers + officers, gradual approach required
Energy Harvest Potential: Combat experience + loyalty building = 400-800 CP estimated
Timeline: 2-3 weeks optimal for unit integration and tactical mastery
Next Milestone: First contact with enemy forces for system evolution
[QUEST PROGRESS UPDATE]
PRIMARY MISSION: Defeat Dark Elf Incursion - 5% complete
SECONDARY MISSION: Build Military Power Base - 10% complete
CORRUPTION NETWORK: Soldier Unit - 5% complete
Next Objective: Establish battlefield credibility through performance
```
Behind us, the Duke's castle grows smaller against the morning sky. Ahead lies the border, unknown enemies, and whatever trials will shape me into something this kingdom has never seen before.
In two days, I've gone from prisoner to military adviser. In two weeks, if everything goes according to plan, I'll return as something much more dangerous—a war hero with personal loyalty from an entire military unit, enhanced abilities I'm only beginning to understand, and a reputation that will open doors throughout the kingdom.
Lady Vivienne is waiting for her promised night together. By the time I return to claim it, she'll discover exactly how much I've grown beyond the man who first touched her hand through prison bars.
The real deal is just beginning.