Knight: Becoming King of the World

It was better than nothing, at any rate.

He also had a feeling that once his Life Level truly reached the third level, something terrifying would happen.

Henry looked down at the slightly chipped blade of the long-handled Yanyue Saber in his hand and noticed his proficiency with long pole weapons had increased from 211 to 325.

His Passive Skills were now hidden, and he couldn’t unlock any new ones.

But this pure statistical increase was still a powerful boost.

At the very least, he could feel his arms, waist, and abdomen growing stronger. He could control the weapon in his hands with greater speed and agility, allowing him to attack more effectively.

He also discovered that his Riding Skill seemed to have improved significantly. He felt almost no bumps while on horseback. He could twist and turn as if he were on solid ground.

Ratifa’s Personal Guard began to move, splitting into small groups and methodically gathering spoils of war from the battlefield.

A group of Heavy Armor Guard Soldiers was now doing the work of Auxiliary Soldiers.

The corpses of the Inferior Horned Beasts on the battlefield were searched one by one. Their heads were severed and stacked neatly to one side.

The cleanup of the battlefield continued for several hours. The sun gradually sank in the west, dyeing the clouds on the horizon gold.

The stench of blood on the battlefield gradually faded, replaced by the acrid smell of burning corpses.

This was another scent of war—the scent of victory.

As the last ray of sunlight vanished from the horizon, the cleanup of the battlefield finally concluded. The bodies of the Inferior Horned Beasts were piled up and burned, while their heads and other spoils of war were stacked neatly together.

Henry’s army and Ratifa’s Personal Guard gathered around the pile of spoils, their faces weary but content.

As the cleanup work on the battlefield drew to a close, Henry’s soldiers began to talk more amongst themselves.

They gathered in groups of two and three, discussing the minute details of the battle and the changes that might come in its wake.

Among one group of Skilled Infantry, the most heated topic of discussion was the possibility of promotion after the battle.

They speculated amongst themselves, discussing who had performed exceptionally in battle and might be promoted to Senior Infantry.

Becoming a Senior Infantry didn’t just mean a pay raise and better equipment. More importantly, their status within the army would rise as well!

"He took down at least five Inferior Horned Beasts in that battle. I bet he’ll definitely get promoted!"

"Yeah, even Lord Knight’s Squire Bain praised his courage. By the way, I heard Lord Henry might be forming a new Personal Guard team. I wonder if we’ll have a chance," another soldier chimed in, his eyes filled with a longing for greater honor.

"The Personal Guard? Haha, don’t even think about it. Even if he does form one, they’ll pick from the Senior Infantry Team. It’ll never be our turn."

In fact, while the Skilled Infantry were discussing their own chances of promotion, the Senior Infantry were actually debating whether they were qualified to join Henry’s Personal Guard.

They sought out their officers, hoping they could ask Henry or Vasco if the lord truly intended to establish a new Personal Guard team.

For them, having reached this rank, the monthly salary was no longer their primary concern. They were thinking about higher status and land.

Becoming a member of the Personal Guard meant they would be closer to Henry, their lord. This was an enormous temptation for their future.

"I heard the pay and benefits for the Personal Guard are excellent, and you get direct access to Lord Henry. That’s a rare opportunity."

"Exactly! If we could become part of the Personal Guard, it wouldn’t just be about the salary. We might even be granted farmland!"

Furthermore, according to the temporary military retirement benefits Henry had implemented, if one of them became a member of the Personal Guard and died in battle, their family would receive a large sum of Dinars and ten acres of land.

While many of them had no older relatives, most of the high-ranking soldiers had married within the last year.

It couldn’t be helped. After all, who else in Westwood Laine had both money and prestige?

As for the archers and crossbowmen, they weren’t engaged in any heated discussions. In Henry’s military system, their role was always somewhat unique.

In a complete reversal of how other nobles’ armies operated, they only received a small wartime bonus after each battle. Despite this, they had a clear understanding of their place.

They didn’t need much discussion, as their achievements had already been proven on the battlefield.

The archers and crossbowmen silently organized their gear, checking their longbows and crossbows for any damage.

Their conversations revolved more around technique and equipment maintenance than post-battle rewards.

Only by keeping their equipment in optimal condition could they perform at their best in the next battle.

The Grassland Riders gathered together. They were more realistic, not believing that fighting these ordinary Inferior Horned Beasts was enough to earn them a promotion.

They knew that at their level, especially for a Cavalry unit, promotions required significant achievements in larger, more intense campaigns.

But if quality wasn’t enough, quantity could make up for it! As long as they participated in enough campaigns in the Northern Lands and accumulated enough merit, they were sure to get better warhorses and equipment.

"Next time, I’ll make my warhorse run faster and my spear strike truer," one of the Grassland Riders said, a determined glint in his eye. He gently stroked the warhorse beside him, as if making a promise.

His warhorse had almost been injured this time. If only it had better barding, he could have better protected his battle companion.

As for the Grassland Warriors, their mood was even more boisterous. They were shouting and bragging about their battlefield exploits, much like a band of Horse Bandits.

They loudly recounted how many Inferior Horned Beast throats their scimitars had slit, how many heads they had sent flying, and how many enemies they had shot down. Every one of them boasted that they would surely become a Grassland Rider.

"Did you see that cut I made? Went straight from the Inferior Horned Beast’s shoulder to its waist! The blood sprayed higher than my horse!" a Grassland Warrior proclaimed, gesturing wildly and drawing a roar of laughter from the men around him.

"Haha, that’s nothing! I put one arrow through the throats of two Inferior Horned Beasts! The damn thing is still stuck in the last one’s head!" another Warrior shot back, not to be outdone. His words provoked even more boisterous laughter.

Nearby, Bain, Roland, and the other Attendants watched the Grassland Warriors, smiling and shaking their heads.

The rugged combat prowess of these Grassland Warriors was not to be underestimated. If they hadn’t known these men were Henry’s Cavalry, they might have mistaken them for a gang of Bandits.

"These fellows are certainly full of life," Bain said with a smile.

Bain suddenly recalled that when he had first arrived at the ruins of Westwood Laine with Henry, it was these same Grassland Warriors who had distinguished themselves in the first major battle against the bandits.

"Yes, their passion and courage are a precious asset to our army," Roland agreed with a nod.

He had been a nobleman himself and always had a headache dealing with such unruly soldiers. He was deeply impressed by Henry’s ability to win their loyalty.

Selas snorted. "They’re just a bit too arrogant. Look at the soldiers from the New Recruit Team. Their eyes are filled with envy for the Grassland Warriors."

This time, the fifteen New Recruit Teams had seen their first taste of blood. Once their combat abilities improved, they could immediately be promoted to the Skilled Infantry Team and enjoy better treatment. Henry was very good to the soldiers who risked their lives for him.

"I just don’t know why the lord won’t let the Citizen Cavalry Team get some practical experience?"

"The Citizen Cavalry Team is a precious asset. From the recruits and horses to their weapons and equipment, every part of it is priceless. Even if we were to let them get some real combat practice, we couldn’t throw them into a war involving tens of thousands of combatants.

Against this level of enemy, losing even a single Citizen Cavalry would be a devastating blow!"