Preparations Before the War

As war drew closer, potions weren't the only things going up in price. So, after buying a large batch of potions, Gagnor went straight to Barto's Smithy.

Barto's Smithy was well-known, and the reason was simple: the owner, Barto, was a Dwarven blacksmith.

Barto lived up to the Dwarves' stereotype, his blacksmithing skills were excellent, and most of the high-quality weapons in South Sea Town came from his hands.

"Long time no see, Gagnor!" Greeting Gagnor was Grim, Barto's brother, but he wasn't as skilled a blacksmith as his brother.

Grim was a Mosa Follower, and seemed to have a zealot's fervor, being quite devout. Since he always mistakenly thought Gagnor was also a devout Mosa Follower, he was always quite enthusiastic towards Gagnor.

"What do you need?" he asked with a smile.

"I need to buy quite a few things this time." Gagnor said, walking to the weapon rack displaying bows and arrows, and pointed, "How much are these arrows?"

"Enchanted steel arrows, steel arrowheads, ash wood shafts, wind eagle fletchings, the arrowhead is enchanted with 'Ever Sharp' – collisions and wear won't dull it." Grim introduced, "A set of twelve costs one gold coin."

"I'll take three sets."

"No problem!" Grim brought three sets of enchanted steel arrows.

"I also need a sword... how much is this?"

"A steel longsword, without enchantment, is one gold and twenty silver, enchanted with 'Lesser Fortification', three gold coins."

"I'll take one enchanted with 'Lesser Fortification'."

"Alright!"

"Is this steel chainmail enchanted?"

Grim shook his head: "No, enchanting armor is much more troublesome than enchanting weapons, if you need it, we can provide an 'Ever Clean' enchantment, for easy cleaning."

"Okay, how much?"

"The chainmail is six gold coins, the enchantment is free."

Even though he knew armor was expensive, Gagnor couldn't help but feel a sting in his heart when he heard the price: "I'll take it."

Afterward, he bought some odds and ends, such as arrow shafts, fletchings, trap tools, and ten sets of cheap arrows.

All in all, it cost about thirteen gold coins.

Gagnor then went to the Mage Guild and bought some spell scrolls, mainly three types, the first-level spells "Agathys's Armor", "Tasha's Hideous Laughter", and the second-level spell "Remove Curse".

Agathys's Armor was a defensive spell, while Tasha's Hideous Laughter was an offensive spell that could make enemies fall into a fit of laughter.

He bought several copies of each of these two spell scrolls, plus some practical cantrip scrolls, which cost Gagnor about five gold coins.

Then he had a thought: what if the enemy also had similar spells or spell scrolls?

Agathys's Armor was fine as a defensive spell, but if the enemy also had Tasha's Hideous Laughter or something, and cast it on him, would he laugh himself to death?

Gagnor's mental stats were high enough to resist some of it, but to be on the safe side, he gritted his teeth and bought a "Remove Curse" scroll.

"Remove Curse" was a second-level spell scroll, and the most expensive of all second-level spell scrolls, which brought Gagnor's spending at the Mage Guild to nine gold coins.

In the evening, on the way back to his residence, Gagnor reviewed his spending for the day.

A total of thirty-one gold coins!

Enough to buy a decent house in South Sea Town!

In fact, Gagnor had recently considered buying a house in South Sea Town, but after spending these thirty-one gold coins, buying a house was obviously a bit of a stretch.

Hopefully this money won't be wasted...

With this in mind, Gagnor ended his day of shopping.

As it turned out, his choice was wise. Just the next day, the prices of various potions, weapons, and scrolls rose again, and remained so for the next few days.

At the same time, with the increase in short-term combat personnel, the size of the Gray Hawk Mercenary Group began to expand rapidly, and in just a few days, the total number of people in the group exceeded one thousand.

Many of these recruits who signed short-term contracts were street thugs from the slums, usually with no more than two segments of Holy Name, without blessings or skills.

Obviously, they needed to undergo some training before they could become qualified cannon fodder.

So for more than ten days in a row, the training grounds of Gray Eagle Camp were a hive of activity, with hundreds of people receiving crash courses every day, learning basic combat skills, as well as common sense about the military and war.

"They think they can get that money!" Marcus looked at these prospective cannon fodder from afar, his tone full of contempt.

Gagnor raised an eyebrow slightly: "Does the mercenary group owe money?"

"Not really. But you have to know, everyone wants to save costs. For the mercenary group, money is a cost, but people aren't, at least not these people." Marcus paused, and continued, "Of course, this is good news for us."

Gagnor didn't understand, and gave him a questioning look.

Marcus said leisurely: "The world is nothing more than men and women, and war is ultimately about killing men and robbing women. After men consume each other, the surviving men can find women more easily, and as long as men find women, the world will be at peace..."

He grinned: "Hehe, I guess it won't be long before the girls on Joy Street collectively lower their prices, don't you want to try it?"

"No." Gagnor replied, "I'm going to Presto."

Marcus was stunned: "You were selected to be a 'camp follower pharmacist'?"

"I want to go myself."

"Why?" Marcus widened his eyes, as if he was seeing his neighbor for the first time.

Gagnor was silent for a moment, then simply said: "You can understand it as me being a bit of a war fanatic."

Marcus paused for a couple of seconds, then sighed, "Alright, I thought he was the only one of his kind in the world."

As he spoke, he pointed.

"Lucius the Twinblade."

Up on the training ground's platform, the Gray Hawk Mercenary Group's leader, Lucius, rarely seen on ordinary days, was using his impassioned tone to inspire the soldiers.

He wore a gray swordsman's outfit, tall and lean, with a handsome, hawk-like face framed by long black hair.

At this moment, Lucius stood on the high platform, the twin swords behind him reflecting cold light in the sunlight. With his raised arms and lowered hands, the cheers and silence of hundreds of people rose and fell in alternation, making him look like the conductor of an orchestra.

"You may have just stepped through the mud of Raven Street yesterday, but I see steel coursing through your bodies—something those rats huddled in the corners of taverns looking for bran crumbs will never understand!"

"Your cowardly countrymen, some of whom are waiting for you to die in the muck like stray dogs, but I know you'll return to Nordanlun, to South Sea Town, with gold coins, and then sleep in every bed on Joy Street!"

The soldiers roared with cheers.

"Some of you also crave power, you are the darlings of the battlefield!"

"Because Holy Name will never descend upon cowards, it will only fall on the heads of the brave—even if they have already been chopped off!" As he said this, Lucius raised his head.

Only then did people notice that a terrifying scar ran around his neck for a full half-circle!