Blocking Force

The composition of this world's armies was also very much in line with medieval characteristics. There were not many regular soldiers, but they were all elite. The rank and file consisted of temporarily conscripted militia.

Despite ruling such a large territory, Marcus had only a few hundred soldiers. However, every one of them was well-equipped and highly capable in battle.

The position of chief knight was not merely for show. Marcus genuinely placed great importance on Harrot.

Harrot was assigned to command the most elite fifty-man infantry regiment. He was accustomed to using a two-handed greatsword, and his Riding Skill was fairly average, so leading infantry suited him best.

The elite cavalry was led by several other knights. The Bald Man voluntarily requested to lead several dozen gladiators in an infantry regiment, fighting alongside Harrot's elite infantry regiment.

Marcus himself was responsible for commanding the main force and issuing orders to their elite regiments.

Although Harrot had no military experience, he was only leading fifty elite soldiers, so it was not particularly difficult.

On his first day in office, Harrot earned the trust of every subordinate. He was simply too strong!

Even without using any transcendent power, his 27 Strength, 15 Agility, and "+40 Defense" alone were enough to crush any elite soldier!

Not to mention his powerful skills such as Power Strike, Athletics, and Weapon Mastery, along with the bonuses from Weapon Proficiency.

Harrot could now even fight a troll alone! His flames could effectively suppress a troll's regeneration, and with the enhancement of his skills, his physical attributes were not far behind a troll's. He absolutely had a chance of defeating one.

Marcus's elite soldiers were only about as strong as high-ranking gladiators. Just think about how trolls had crushed gladiators, and it was only natural that Harrot could easily crush all those soldiers.

In this world, strength was supreme. The nobles possessed exalted status because they had power beyond that of ordinary people. Once Harrot displayed his great strength, he naturally conquered all the soldiers.

After less than half a month of training, Harrot was already able to lead the elite infantry regiment effectively in battle. His attendants had all leveled up, while the maidservants, who did not participate in training, were still Lucanir Recruits.

The five attendants had advanced from New Northern Adventurers to Northern Knight Squires. Their Strength and Agility had both reached 15, and their combat ability was roughly on par with Stone, the strongest high-ranking gladiator.

After becoming Harrot's attendants and being incorporated into the "player army" by the system, all five attendants became extremely loyal. They also found nothing strange about their rapid increase in strength, which had to be said, startled Harrot somewhat.

From the character panel to the inventory and then the army panel, each function unlocked by the system was more powerful than the last. This also made Harrot increasingly confident in himself!

There was one thing worth mentioning: Harrot could not inspect or recruit a single soldier from the infantry regiment through the system!

In the game Mount & Blade, the player had complete control over ownership of their soldiers. Harrot provided their wages and rations, and he could even lead them to surround and kill the King.

But the infantry regiment's elite soldiers were Marcus's direct subordinates. Marcus provided their pay and supplies. Harrot was merely leading troops for Marcus as his chief knight, so the system naturally would not recognize them as Harrot's soldiers.

The military training was more or less complete, and Marcus's pioneering supplies and personnel arrangements were nearly ready as well.

Not many of the people in Marcus's territory were willing to leave with him. Marquis Harlaus, who held authority in the Northern Province, did not support pioneering, and the people were somewhat frightened after learning that it was considered treason.

Besides, they were merely ordinary commoners. Their greatest wish was to live stable lives, and very few were willing to leave their homes behind.

In the end, Marcus set out with several hundred soldiers and their close family members, along with a small number of ordinary commoners willing to take a gamble.

Their destination was the Eastern Province ruled by Marquis Prague. Prague had established the Eastern Reclamation Alliance and welcomed anyone who wished to pioneer new lands.

The group numbered over a thousand people, with two or three thousand horses and livestock. Combined with the vast amount of supplies and property, they cut such an imposing figure that avoiding attention was impossible.

Before long, Marcus and his group were stopped. A hundred-man cavalry unit blocked the road ahead.

A noble led them, and several cavalrymen beside him possessed powerful energy within their bodies. They were likely Transcendent Knights who had received glory.

The noble asked with an ugly expression, "Viscount Marcus, what are you planning? Moving away? You have not been granted new territory, have you?"

Marcus replied expressionlessly, "It has nothing to do with you, Elfors! Move aside!"

The noble was no fool. He had long guessed that Marcus intended to join the Eastern Reclamation Alliance. He had only asked to confirm it.

The noble said, "Does the Old Marquis know about this? He will never agree to let you go east!"

Those words struck at the thing Marcus hated most. He wanted to break free from Count Harlaus's control. It was precisely because he did not want to remain someone else's vassal that he had resolutely chosen to head east.

Marcus abruptly drew his sword and pointed it at the noble ahead. Flames already covered the blade. Seeing this, Harrot and the other knights also drew their weapons and assumed combat stances.

Marcus said in a deep voice, "What I do does not require his approval! Now, either draw your weapon and go to war with me, or get out of the way and stop obstructing us!"

The noble looked directly into Marcus's resolute eyes. After thinking for a moment, he did not continue blocking them and said, "I have no interest in going to war with you, but I will relay your words in full to Marquis Harlaus!"

With that, the noble departed with his troops.

Marcus's soldiers all breathed sighs of relief. Although the enemy only had a hundred men, they would certainly have won if a fight broke out.

But they were bringing their families and supplies east to pioneer new lands! It was best to avoid conflict whenever possible.

After Elfors left with the cavalry, they encountered no further obstruction for several days on the road to the Eastern Province.

Bandits and wild beasts fled at the sight of such a large force, while the other nobles waited to see what the Old Marquis would do.

Finally, when they were only half a day's journey from the Eastern Province, the Old Marquis caught up to Marcus's group with Count Sarik and a large number of other nobles.

The Old Marquis's party included seven or eight nobles with awakened bloodlines, more than thirty Transcendent Knights, and over five hundred elite cavalrymen. Their combat strength was far beyond anything Marcus could resist.

But this was not a war. So what if they defeated Marcus's forces?

Their reason for preventing pioneering was to avoid weakening the kingdom's power. Attacking those heading out to pioneer was also meant to make an example of them and crush any such thoughts in others.

Now that Marquis Prague had taken the lead and issued a call to action, making an example of others had long lost its deterrent effect. Who had the ability to defeat Marquis Prague, who had entered the legendary realm?

Since force would not work, they could only try persuasion. Marquis Harlaus and Marquis Marcus rode out alone to negotiate before both armies, and Harlaus said sincerely to Marcus:

"Marcus, it is true that I have never treated you and Sarik fairly. But, my child, the blood flowing through your veins is the same as mine. It is the bloodline of the great hero Elvin!"

"Marcus, believe me! I will once again grant you the glory and wealth you deserve, and you can compete fairly with Sarik for the title of Marquis!"

"Whether it is the right to rule the Northern Province or the title of Marquis, they were earned through the hard work and struggle of our ancestors. It was wrong of me to decide the next heir based solely on my personal preference."

"Forgive me, Marcus. Come back! My child! Pioneering in the east is too dangerous!"

Harlaus's words were indeed sincere, and his eyes had even reddened with tears. Marcus was his biological son, after all. Once Marcus left Lucanir to pioneer new lands, whether he succeeded or failed, they would likely never have another chance to meet!

Marcus was somewhat moved as well, but he held back his tears and rejected his father's attempt to keep him. "What use is it to say these things now? I have already made up my mind. You said all this too late!"

After saying that, Marcus turned his horse around and returned to his troops, unwilling to speak with Harlaus any longer. He feared that if he listened any further, he might truly waver in his resolve to pioneer new lands.

Harlaus lowered his head in disappointment. He did not truly dislike Marcus. He simply disliked Marcus's overly forceful attitude. By neglecting him, Harlaus had hoped Marcus would soften and show more respect to him as his father.

Unfortunately, a series of misunderstandings had led to Marcus leaving in anger. Harlaus felt regret. With a sigh, he returned with his troops.

Sarik could not have been happier to see his rival for the inheritance of the title leave as soon as possible. He considered the several dozen gladiators a free gift and followed the Old Marquis back with his troops.

The remaining nobles saw that the two main forces had left. After weighing the situation, they felt that fighting Marcus would only leave both sides wounded, and there was an eighty percent chance they would offend the Old Marquis as well, so they simply gave up.

So what if it was treason? Marquis Prague had committed treason, yet even the King did not dare interfere. There was no reason for them to fight Marcus to the bitter end.

At last, free of their pursuers, Marcus and his group arrived in the Eastern Province ruled by Marquis Prague.

They had expected this place to be a paradise for pioneers, a lively and thriving territory. Yet the desolation along the way shocked them all.

Their group traveled for an entire day without seeing a single village. There were only ruins and wilderness, not even a trace of another person!

Harrot asked, "My lord, is the Eastern Province truly in such poor condition? Could Marquis Prague be..."

Marcus understood what Harrot meant. If conditions in the Eastern Province were this terrible, Marquis Prague might very well be an incompetent and tyrannical man.

If that were the case, the future of the Pioneering Alliance centered around him would be deeply worrying!

However, Marcus knew Marquis Prague and had even fought alongside him. Knowing what Prague was like, he explained:

"Marquis Prague enjoys adventure and battle. Although he is not particularly skilled in domestic affairs, he listens to others' advice. I have visited the Eastern Province before, and it was absolutely not like this!"

After hearing Marcus's explanation, Harrot's concerns faded. Yet at that moment, everyone was filled with doubt. What had happened in the Eastern Province for it to become like this?