Level 1 Warrior

Ang bade Jada farewell and returned to his wounded soldiers' tent. Sitting on his bed, he once again circulated his Qi force to heal his body. After several days of effort, Ang's injuries had fully recovered. At this time, the entire Thirty-Ninth Regiment was in a period of rest and reorganization.

After recovering, Ang decided to visit the regiment commander, Richard. Less than a month remained before Ang's retirement, and he hoped to submit his application to Richard in advance. After seeing Ang's retirement application, Richard warmly invited him to remain with the Thirty-Ninth Regiment. He said that even if Ang no longer served as a soldier of the duchy, he could still hold a post in his regiment and would be given a suitable position.

However, continuing as a soldier conflicted with Ang's own plans. He already had other intentions, so he politely declined Richard's invitation. Richard showed no displeasure at being refused. Instead, he readily stamped Ang's retirement application with his seal. He then told Ang that he still needed to take the application to headquarters and have it stamped with the headquarters' seal, adding that the Thirty-Ninth Regiment would always welcome Ang's return.

"Thank you for understanding, Commander," Ang said gratefully.

"You have always been an outstanding warrior," Richard said with a smile. "No matter what path you choose, remember that this place will always be your home."

After finding headquarters, Ang explained the situation to the staff. Once they had inspected his application and verified his identity information, they also stamped it with the headquarters' seal.

"Be sure to keep this application safe," the staff member reminded him. "We will report your retirement application to the Military Department and the duchy for their records."

The staff member continued, "After retirement, you will need to return the equipment you received from the armory. That equipment belongs to the duchy, not to you personally."

This news surprised Ang. He had always thought that the equipment became his once it was issued to him. He had not expected to return it after retirement. Ang nodded to show that he understood.

"All right, I'll return the equipment according to the regulations," Ang said.

The staff member smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. I wish you all the best in the future. If you have any questions, you can come to headquarters for advice at any time."

Ang bade the staff member farewell, considering his arrangements after retirement.

Ang also made a trip to the armory and asked about the process for returning his equipment. The armory staff told him that he did not need to return it immediately, only before he left upon retirement. Even if the equipment was damaged, it still had to be returned. However, they also told Ang that he could choose to buy out the equipment.

"Your double-bladed battle axe costs 11 Black Magic Crystals, and the arm shield costs 9 Black Magic Crystals. As for the iron armor, you only need 10 Gold Wack to buy it out," the staff member said.

Ang was immediately startled by the price. Nearly 20 Black Magic Crystals meant killing 20 Demons, which was an enormous challenge for many people. The Gold Wack price was acceptable, but Ang felt that the iron armor's defense was only average, far inferior to the black armor worn by official warriors.

After thinking it over, he decided not to make a decision for the time being and simply kept the information in mind. After all, he still had time before retirement to consider whether to buy out the equipment.

"Thank you for explaining," Ang said to the staff member. "I'll think it over carefully."

"No problem. If you have any questions, feel free to come ask us anytime," the staff member said kindly.

Ang nodded and left the armory. After returning to his tent, he once again considered his plans for the future. Although the equipment was expensive, he knew that his experiences and gains on the battlefield during this time had already helped him grow greatly. No matter what path he chose in the future, he would have to take responsibility for his decisions and strive for them.

After dealing with the various matters related to his retirement, Ang finally had time to pay attention to his physical condition. During this period, he felt that his recovery speed had become noticeably faster than before, while his strength and physique had also improved significantly. This change had been especially apparent in battle; otherwise, he would not have been able to hold on for so long.

To confirm his feeling, Ang decided to measure his strength. He found a huge stone, one he had often carried when he was responsible for loading ammunition into the catapults of the Logistics Regiment. Each stone weighed around 150 kilograms, and in the past, he had needed to work together with others to move one. But now, when Ang gave it a try, he easily lifted it into his arms.

Ang estimated that he could easily lift 200 kilograms, with his limit probably around 240 kilograms. This increase in strength had already far surpassed that of ordinary people. As for his physique, Ang's recovery ability had also been greatly enhanced, something especially evident in his rapid recovery.

It seemed that the training and battles of this period had brought me quite a bit of progress, Ang thought to himself. He understood that the improvement in his strength and physique was not only the result of his training, but also of constantly surpassing himself in battle.

Ang knew that these changes were not merely physical. His mentality and willpower had also been tempered and strengthened in battle.

However, Ang could not determine whether he had broken through to Level 1, so he specifically went to find Jada.

Ang told Jada that he felt his strength and physique had improved tremendously compared to before, but he was not sure whether he had reached the level of a Level 1 Warrior. After listening, Jada had Ang stand up and throw a powerful straight punch forward. Following the instruction, Ang thrust out a punch with all his strength, and a sharp whooshing sound arose from the friction between his fist and the air.

Ang asked Jada in surprise what caused it. Jada explained, "A Level 1 Warrior surpasses ordinary people in strength, physique, and other aspects. You can already break through certain limits. The speed of your punch created a slight sonic boom through friction with the air. That proves you have surpassed the conventional limits of the body and stepped onto the path of the extraordinary."

After hearing this, Ang felt both delighted and moved. He had never imagined that he could reach such a level through battle and training. Jada continued, "Becoming a Level 1 Warrior is not merely an increase in strength. More importantly, you now possess stronger physical qualities and combat ability. Next, you need to keep improving your skills and combat experience if you want to travel farther on this extraordinary path."

Ang nodded, filled with renewed motivation. He knew that becoming a Level 1 Warrior was only a new beginning, and that more challenges and opportunities awaited him in the future. He said to Jada, "Thank you for your guidance. I'll keep working hard and won't let this new strength go to waste."

Jada smiled and patted Ang on the shoulder. "You can definitely do it. I have faith in you. Remember, strength is only a means. How you use it is what matters."

Ang did not continue to disturb Jada. After saying goodbye, he returned to his barracks. After working so hard for so long, he had finally become a Level 1 Warrior, and his heart was filled with joy and accomplishment.

Ang lay on his bed, thinking about the path of a warrior. He guessed that the warrior's path was a process of constantly breaking the limits of the human body. Level 1 Warriors had surpassed the limits of ordinary people, so could Level 2 and Level 3 Warriors reach even more incredible realms? For example, could they punch out shockwaves?

Amid these thoughts, Ang's mind was filled with longing and questions about the future. He imagined himself defeating enemies and protecting his comrades on the battlefield with even greater strength and skill. Gradually, these fantasies made him tired, his thoughts slowly blurred, and he eventually fell peacefully asleep, full of hope and anticipation.

After hearing what Jada had said yesterday, Ang decided to revise his training plan, especially his strength training. He chose heavier stones for lifting exercises in order to further increase his strength.

Early in the morning, Ang walked to the training grounds and found several larger stones. These stones were far heavier than those he had used in training before. Ang took a deep breath and began lifting them. With every lift, he tried his best to remain steady and control his breathing and posture to make sure he would not be injured.

As time passed, Ang felt his muscles enduring increasingly greater pressure, but he did not give up. Instead, he challenged his limits again and again. Each time he completed a lift, he felt his strength gradually increasing.

Besides strength training, Ang also intensified his training in other areas, including speed, endurance, and combat techniques. He knew that becoming a Level 1 Warrior was only a new starting point. If he wanted to remain undefeated in future battles, he had to keep breaking through his own limits.

After several days of grueling training, Ang clearly felt that his strength had improved significantly. He was filled with confidence and anticipation for his future path as a warrior, and he resolved to continue working hard in the training ahead so that he could become a higher-level warrior as soon as possible.

During breaks from training, Ang also considered his arrangements after retirement. However, the most important question before him was whether to buy out his current equipment. If he wanted to do so, he had to obtain at least 20 Black Magic Crystals before retiring.

If he wanted Black Magic Crystals, he would have to return to the battlefield, and Ang was deeply conflicted over it.