Subduing Followers

Keosius stepped forward, removed the medallion from the carriage wall, and lightly infused it with fire elemental energy using a cantrip. Illusory words immediately appeared within the burning flames.

"Anzeta Branch cordially invites you to join."

"Gathering time: December 1, 1723."

"Location: Strasbourg."

"Teleportation coordinates: *******"

"An identity medallion from the Arcane Hermit Order. Interesting. This gathering should be a few years from now." Keosius tucked the medallion away with satisfaction.

"What about those books?" the red dragon asked.

"They're here. I hid them all away—I was afraid those idiots would use them to cook." Langpu smiled sheepishly and pushed aside the heaps of bones, revealing a Golden Nanmu Chest filled with beautifully wrapped books.

"Noble Military Drill Code—How to Build a Good-Looking Army"

"Foolproof Fireball Technique Analysis"

"Encyclopedia for Spell Apprentices—How to Explain the Weave to Your Son"

"Sien's Adventure Log"

"Bard's Court Poetry Collection"

"How to Become a True Noble"

"How to Survive in the Wilderness—A Complete Guide to Wild Herbs"

"Power and Strife—A Biography of Courtly Struggles in the Arcanas Kingdom"

"Giant Women Appreciation"

Seeing this dazzling collection of absurd books, Keosius was dumbfounded. He finally understood why the Ogre before him spoke with a bard-like eccentricity, and he also deeply realized that the young noble Mage apprentice had not died unjustly.

Even if he had not died in an Ogre's belly, he would probably have died at the hands of its bizarre hobbies. "Uh... not bad. Keep collecting them." Keosius was still rather speechless and could only offer some perfunctory praise.

Langpu scratched his head bashfully. For the first time, the red dragon discovered that the word "shy" could appear on the face of an Ogre three meters tall and weighing a ton.

"Langpu, I need you to build camps and fortresses in Giant's Valley."

"And this place will become the headquarters of my followers. In the future, it will no longer be called Giant's Valley. It will be called..."

The red dragon pondered for a moment before choosing the name used by that Keosius from his previous life.

"It shall be called Ember Nest."

"Yes, Master."

Langpu's face was full of excitement as the blueprint of conquering the world surfaced in his mind once more. Unfortunately, the noisy jeering of his fellow Ogres nearby did not understand the sentiment unique to the wise, mercilessly shattering his fantasy.

"Boss, when are we eating?"

"Yeah, my stomach's shrunk flat. I couldn't see my toes before, but now I can." The Ogre called Longfang complained unhappily, his yellowish fangs trembling up and down.

"Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating! Get to work!" Langpu waved the wooden club in his hand, his expression ferocious.

Still, aside from the more absurd ones, Langpu's—or rather, that young noble's—book collection did contain some genuinely valuable knowledge.

For example, Foolproof Fireball Technique Analysis and Encyclopedia for Spell Apprentices explained the applications of magic in clear and detailed terms. Keosius gained greatly from them, and his understanding of the Weave rose to a new level.

This so-called "New Era" Ogre Tribe, with over thirty Ogres and an Ogre Mage capable of casting Fireball, could be considered a fairly powerful force within several miles.

After successively subduing the Chimera of Giant's Maw Cave and the Ogre Tribe of Gluttony Valley, the red dragon finally had a force under his command and had thoroughly made a name for himself.

Ember Nest.

Only two days later, nearby Hobgoblins arrived at Giant's Valley to pledge allegiance, bringing more than four hundred Goblins with them.

These Goblins chattered noisily, but the moment they saw the red dragon's colossal body, they all fell silent. A few were even so frightened that they wet themselves and fainted on the spot.

The leader was not a Goblin, but a tall Hobgoblin Warlord.

They were close relatives of Goblins, but not the same race, and they were far stronger and more intelligent.

Behind the Hobgoblin stood several large humanoids with thick, powerful Limbs. They were Bugbears, the officer's personal guards.

The Hobgoblin Warlord before him had reddish-brown skin and dark gray hair. Beneath his protruding brow were yellow eyes, while his Big Mouth was filled with long, pointed yellow teeth.

It was obvious that he was male, because his face bore a large red nose, a symbol of Hobgoblin masculinity and strength.

At that moment, he knelt on one knee before the red dragon, his expression humble.

Keosius looked down at him from above.

[Based on your strength, you obtain the following information]

Hobgoblin Officer

Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), Lawful Evil
Race: Hobgoblin
AC: 17 (half plate armor)
Strength—14
Dexterity—13
Constitution—14
Intelligence—12
Wisdom—10
Charisma—11
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 ft.

Skill Proficiencies: Domination +6, Hunting +4, Military +4, Construction +4
Languages: Common Tongue, Goblin Language

Traits: Army Advantage, Military Legion

Actions: Multiattack, Greatsword, Leadership

Challenge Rating: 4 (1,100 XP)

Evaluation: "War horns sound, catapults hurl boulders, and Hobgoblins march onto the battlefield. The earth echoes with the thunder of hundreds and thousands of marching boots. Settlements and residents on the fringes of civilization often have to Contend Against these humanoid invaders and their endless desire for conquest."

The red dragon stared at the leading Hobgoblin and slowly said, "Why do you wish to become my follower?"

The Hobgoblin kept his head lowered, his expression unchanged. "Goblins will always submit to the strong."

He paused before continuing, "Especially when you are a powerful red dragon. Your desire for conquest is without end."

"And I can put my talents to use under your command."

The red dragon narrowed his eyes. "Why should I trust you, a tiny Goblin?"

The Hobgoblin did not dwell on the racial label. He merely said, word by word, "I will prove my loyalty with blood and fire."

After pondering for a moment, Keosius decided to accept these Goblins. His territory was only beginning to take shape, and cheap labor like Goblins was indispensable. Besides, there was a rather capable Hobgoblin among them.

Hobgoblins possessed an exceptionally strong desire for conquest. Their excessive thirst for war often meant they did not live long enough to die naturally.

Having him command the troops would be far better than the half-baked methods the Ogres had learned from Noble Military Drill Code.

"Well said. But we shall see how you perform in the future."

"I permit you to enter my territory. Go find my follower; he will tell you what to do."

"We shall obey your command."

Upon hearing that they had been accepted under the command of the powerful red dragon, the Goblins erupted into fervent cheers.

These Goblins were weak, generally only a little over a meter tall. An individual Goblin could not even defeat an ordinary human farmer.

Only by gathering in groups and attaching themselves to the strong could they barely gain a foothold in the wilderness. Now, they had latched onto the thickest thigh of all—a red dragon.

No wonder these Goblins were so excited.