Chapter 129: 129 Strong Army Plan

Chapter 129: The Elite Troops Initiative

The fortress of Ashwood Village was rudimentary, and its quarters were cramped.

Ronin swept inside with over a dozen subordinates, creating an immediate crush of bodies; since chairs were scarce, several men had to stand behind the table, looking very much like latecomers excluded from a feast.

"Rhydderch performed marvelously in this battle, and I hope everyone will learn from him. Especially you professional knights—our commander is never stingy about guiding your progress."

Seated in the host’s chair, Ronin spoke with gravity: "However, we must face facts. Avoiding a direct confrontation with the Sion Domain this time relied entirely on Rhydderch's personal prowess. We cannot ignore the external threats that still loom."

Everyone understood in their hearts that territorial disputes would not simply vanish because of a single minor victory.

Layson, in particular, had set his sights on the wilding tribes early on, only for Ronin to arrive later and secure the greater administrative rights; the man would absolutely never accept such an outcome lying down.

"Though we won this duel, we must not lose ourselves in momentary triumph and fail to confront our own weaknesses. Aside from our top-tier fighters, we still lag significantly behind the Sion Domain in all other aspects."

Ronin recalled the sensation of seeing Layson's knight squadron for the first time—the sheer oppression it radiated, and the envy that had risen within him.

He, Ronin, needed a troop of his own like that.

"First of all, every single knight in Layson's squadron was meticulously chosen, whereas we have many newcomers among us."

Ronin's gaze drifted over Juvet, Sim, George, Tomash...

Some had awakened their battle qi seeds less than two months ago, while others hailed from the wilding tribes and possessed mediocre combat skills to begin with. Compared to the knights of a regular squadron, they would undoubtedly fall short.

"They must be drilled!"

Ronin looked toward Rhydderch. "Do not worry about injuries. I have brought Elrond with me this time, and he will be stationed in Ashwood Village from now on. If you get hurt during sparring, you can seek his treatment free of charge."

"Understood, my Lord!"

Rhydderch nodded solemnly. "Starting tomorrow, the professional knights and guards will begin their drilling. I will draw up a corresponding training regimen to raise their combat readiness as swiftly as possible."

The lessons Ronin had taught previously were merely for discipline and obedience; when it came to actual combat, veterans like Rhydderch and McCann had to take the lead, while he provided support from other quarters.

"An annual tournament for the knights will be held at the end of the year."

Ronin put forward his proposal: "All novice knights must participate to contest for the top three spots. I shall provide the rewards: ten gold coins for first place, five for second, and one for third."

The novice knights present exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with sudden fervor.

If advanced or intermediate knights like Rhydderch and Babulin were to participate, they wouldn't stand a chance at the top three.

But now that the competition was restricted to novice knights, they had a real shot—even taking first place was not impossible.

They had all experienced their lord's generosity firsthand. Over the past few months, there had never been a single delay in their pay. Since this bonus had been declared in public, it was practically set in stone.

Ten gold coins—that was equivalent to a novice knight's entire annual salary!

Every novice knight in the room silently clenched his fists; the end of the year was fast approaching, and they would certainly give it their all.

"The guards shall have their own competition as well, and I will sponsor five, two, and one gold coins for the top three."

Ronin added further: "Such tournaments will take place twice a year, once at the end of June and once at the end of December. Elrond, you shall be in charge of the specific arrangements."

Elrond smiled and said, "Your Lordship’s tournament will undoubtedly ignite the passion of the knights and guards alike."

Ronin’s intent was indeed to foster a competitive spirit among the knights; pure drilling lacked a certain edge, but introducing rankings and rewards would give them far greater motivation.

With that matter settled, Ronin moved on to his second agenda—the formation of the Forest Town knight squadron.

Only a baron who possessed a standard knight squadron could truly be considered a baron.

Given Ronin's current strength, funds, and the capabilities of his core followers, he could finally entertain the idea.

He currently had a sufficient number of knights, and including Irene, he also commanded three mages.

Setting aside the actual combat efficacy of this group for a moment, the sheer number of transcendent individuals fully met the requirements of a standard knight squadron.

What he lacked now were cavalry, infantry, and archers.

"Rhydderch has trained dozens of militia in Ashwood Village lately, but most of them are still a bit frail in constitution