Chapter 14: Weak Maggots should stick together!

Approx. 5min reading time

The next day, Paul woke up earlier than usual and equipped his new armor and weapons. After a quick breakfast, he headed to the gates where the quest was starting. When he arrived, there were 20 soldiers and about 3 adventurers waiting. After a few minutes, the commander stood up and approached the adventurers, including Paul. He checked the stats of each adventurer and rejected those who weren’t D rank.

The commander then focused on Paul. Paul used his memo to lower his luck to 50 and showed the commander his stats. With a low, grumpy voice, the commander said:

“Good enough. Since you’re a higher rank than some of the others here, you can ask if any of them want to be under your command. You can have 2 of them. If none agree, you will still have the responsibilities of a squad, but you’ll have to manage them alone.”

“I understand, sir.”

A young man stepped forward from the soldiers, but most of them ignored him. After a brief moment to attract their attention, he released a powerful killing intent. The soldiers all drew their swords and looked around. Paul smirked and released a commanding aura even more powerful than the commander’s.

“Who wants to join my squad? I need two people!”

His voice echoed as if speaking directly into the ears of every soldier. No one volunteered immediately; they all looked around until two soldiers were pushed forward from the back. The soldiers laughed when the commander said:

“Good! You two are now in his squad! Weak maggots should stick together!”

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It seemed that most of the soldiers were above D rank, while these two were the weakest, E ranked. They introduced themselves as Faj and Naj, brothers with Naj being the older by a year. Their armor was beaten up and rusty, and their swords were in similar condition.

Paul approached the commander and asked:

“Sir, may I take a different route to the dungeon?”

“Only if you can get there within two days.”

“Of course.”

“Then permission granted. If you’re not there in two days, your squad will be punished.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The commander took the road around the forest to maintain mobility for his larger group, while Paul and his squad headed straight through the forest. At the forest’s edge, Paul repaired their swords and armor and outlined the plan.

“Follow me through the forest. When a creature attacks, defend me using all your skills and teamwork. If there are too many creatures or I determine you can’t handle them, I will assist. This will be challenging! This is your training to ensure you don’t die in the dungeon. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir!”

They entered the forest. Paul adjusted his speed so the brothers could keep up. Shortly after, they were attacked by some weak pigs. The brothers managed to kill them, though it took 30 minutes to deal with three pigs. They had minor injuries, which Paul treated with bandages. He handed them two bags to carry the loot, adding extra weight to their journey.

As they delved deeper into the forest, their combat improved. They developed good teamwork, with Naj being stronger and Faj faster. After a few hours, exhausted but stronger, Paul decided they needed a rest.

He cooked a meal for them, and they ate ravenously. After a 30-minute break, they resumed their journey, maintaining the same pace. The brothers continued to grow stronger with each fight. Paul led them through areas with challenging creatures but avoided the more dangerous ones. Their stats improved significantly, reaching 500 in strength for Naj and agility for Faj, though their other stats remained low.

The next day, they reached the dungeon with time to spare. Paul decided they needed more experience. He instructed the brothers to survive alone for the next 12 hours while he went hunting stronger creatures. He stayed within sight to ensure their safety but engaged in a killing spree, taking down every creature he encountered.

After 10 hours of relentless fighting, Paul checked his stats:

**Name:** Paul Silver

**Title:** Lone Wolf

**Guild Level:** D

**Guild Points:** 3950

**Strength:** 371

**Agility:** 415

**Endurance:** 228

**Stamina:** 520

**Wisdom:** 442

**Intelligence:** 456

**Charisma:** 215

**Leadership:** 50

**Luck:** 338

**Fighting Spirit:** 431

**Fame:** 1405

Satisfied, Paul returned to the brothers, who were exhausted but safe.

“How are you feeling now that you’ve been under my command for this short period?”

“Sir, we’re tired, hungry, and hurt, but we’re happy.”

“Good. Now let’s eat and rest a bit near the dungeon entrance until the others arrive.”

They moved faster than before and reached the dungeon entrance in half the time it took to travel the same distance. Paul healed the brothers with bandages, cooked a meal, and they rested until the commander and the soldiers arrived. While waiting, they talked and then fell asleep.

Two hours later, Paul woke to the sound of soldiers arriving. He roused the brothers, and they stood near the dungeon entrance. The commander, seeing them from a distance, let out a small “Tch…” As he approached, he spat at the feet of Paul and the brothers.

“So, you’re on time, huh? Since you arrived earlier than us, you must have rested. Go scout the dungeon while we rest.”

“I understand.”

Paul disliked the commander, who seemed lazy and demanding. He told the brothers to wait outside since he could move faster alone. They agreed, knowing they were still weak. Paul examined the dungeon entrance, which looked like a cave emitting a cold, foul odor.

He entered carefully, relying on his night vision. After a few minutes, he spotted two goblins. Unsure of their strength, he stabbed one in the neck with a dagger. The dagger didn’t penetrate, so Paul quickly switched to his swords. The goblins attacked clumsily. Paul struck with all his might, decapitating one goblin. The other fled, but Paul caught up and killed it with two swift blows.

As he explored further, Paul observed that the goblins were ugly with greenish, thick skin resembling armor. They wore simple linen clothing and wielded rudimentary swords. After absorbing guild points and the bodies, he ventured deeper into the dungeon. After half an hour of finding nothing, he reached a large room filled with goblins.

Paul hurried back to report to the commander. Confident in his own abilities, the commander led the soldiers into the dungeon. When they arrived at the goblin-infested room, the commander ordered an attack. The soldiers, however, were disorganized and struggled to advance. The commander’s commands were lost in the chaos of battle.

After an hour of fighting, about five soldiers had died, and ten were severely injured. Paul and the two brothers remained unscathed. When the soldiers began retreating, Paul noticed the captain was missing, likely dead. He drew his daggers and helped the soldiers escape, keeping the goblins at bay. Surrounded but determined, Paul leaped over the goblins and made his way to the exit. The goblins did not pursue, having sustained significant losses.

Outside the dungeon, Paul immediately began tending to the wounded soldiers. After treating them, he cooked food to warm them up and set up campfires, as night had fallen. The soldiers, having suffered a heavy defeat, rested. Of the original 20, the commander was dead, along with six others. Four were in no condition to fight, leaving ten able-bodied soldiers. Paul and the two brothers took watch to prevent any ambushes.

Paul used the opportunity to check his stats: