The Iron Fortress
Inside the main meeting hall, Arthur stood beside a large table that held a detailed map of the region, scattered with several documents and military reports.
Next to him were Victor, the commander of his forces, and Gabriel, his trusted aide, who was flipping through the official records they had received after Edric's departure.
"What's the supply situation? Do we have enough to support the garrison for a long-term defense?" Arthur asked while studying the details of the surrounding forts and defensive positions.
Albert glanced over the records, then answered after some thought:"We have the supplies we brought with us, along with what Baron Edric left behind.
But they'll barely last a month if we're careful with their use.
There's a clear shortage of some heavy military equipment, and some of the rations might be spoiled due to poor storage."
Arthur furrowed his brows.
He had known the fortress wasn't in the best shape when he took command, but the situation seemed worse than expected.
If they were attacked suddenly, they might find themselves in a dangerously vulnerable position.
It had been two days since Arthur assumed command of the fortress after the departure of Baron Edric and all the soldiers he had brought with him under the conscription order.
Originally, the fortress was supposed to be manned by soldiers of the kingdom's garrison—those permanently stationed at strategic points to protect the realm—but reality was quite different.
There wasn't a single soldier from the regular army present when Arthur arrived, and anyone with a bit of wit could guess why.
Given the scale of losses the fortress had suffered in recent battles against the orcs, it wasn't hard to deduce the truth.
Edric had lost most of his men on the battlefield, and it was unrealistic to expect him to distribute the risk equally between his own troops and those of the regular army.
By the instinct innate to every aristocratic noble, he had kept his most loyal men in the rear lines, in safer positions, while other forces were deployed where the fighting was fiercest.
As a result, by the time he left, there wasn't a single regular soldier left in the fortress—either fallen in battle or "reassigned" in a way that left no chance of survival.
It would be a mistake to oversimplify the matter by painting Edric as a malicious or evil commander;
his decisions were not driven by vengeance so much as they reflected the human nature that compels individuals—especially in a world ruled by power and status—to prioritize their self-interest over idealistic principles.
In an environment where only the strong survive, it is hard to imagine a commander placing justice and equality above survival—especially when the fate of his men and their future is on the line.
As for those who seek equal treatment that doesn't distinguish between individuals, no matter their lineage or ties—then the orcs, in their savage way, provide that kind of "equality," where there is no difference between kin and stranger when the time comes for the feast.
And now, the fortress was entirely under Arthur's control. The forces under the command of the summoned soldiers and Victor were competent, even though most of them had never served here before.
Nevertheless, the transition was organized, and no significant chaos occurred. The real problem wasn't the transfer of command, but rather the challenges that had surfaced over the past two days—challenges that proved things would not be as easy as some had hoped.
Arthur extended his hand toward the map, his gaze fixed on the location of the Iron Fortress, one of the key defensive outposts protecting the eastern borders of the stronghold.
Several attacks had been reported there in recent months, which was one of the main reasons the command had been changed.
"Is there any hostile activity in the nearby areas?" Arthur asked, lifting his eyes to Victor this time.
Victor responded, pointing to several spots on the map:" According to reconnaissance reports, there's unusual movement a few miles east of the Iron Fortress. We can't confirm whether it's just scouting patrols or preparations for a large-scale assault, but the timing is suspicious. After all, the last recorded attack on the fortress was just three days ago."
Arthur pressed his fingers against the table for a moment. He wasn't a real military commander, though he could play the part well enough to deceive outsiders.
But he would never make the worst mistake of all—deceiving himself. He had led a battalion on a month-long march and suffered through migraines and near-baldness trying to implement strategies inspired by modern armies—ideas he had seen in videos, on television, and in games.
If it weren't for Victor and Gabriel, he would've become a laughingstock among the nobles, shouting orders at soldiers who had been mere peasants until recently.
In the end, Arthur had accepted the truth—he didn't possess the commanding aura or military genius of the heroes found in epic tales, those who partook in great wars and battled for thrones. But he did have something else—something far more realistic and useful: his real skill, the cheat he brought with him.
He leaned back slightly, then turned to Victor and asked again.
Victor looked at Arthur, then pointed at the map with his finger and said:" There are two main possibilities: either they're gathering intelligence on our defenses in preparation for another attack, or they're simply repositioning their forces after the previous assault. In either case, we can't afford to sit and wait to see what happens."
Arthur crossed his arms in thought. The fortress lacked the necessary resources, and most of the new soldiers had yet to experience real combat.
He didn't have enough time to prepare for a prolonged siege. Still, if the enemy decided to attack with the same scale and method Edric had described, his defenses wouldn't crumble—he could repel them with ease.
But the real issue was that Arthur didn't want to follow Edric's approach, which focused on defense and waiting for the enemy to strike.
He didn't want to remain in a reactive position, where the enemy dictated the pace and terms of the conflict.
Arthur thought for a moment about the options available to him. He knew that remaining on the defensive wouldn't lead to any favorable outcome.
Continuing to wait would only offer the enemy more time to take full control of the situation.
"Victor," he said at last, eyes fixed on the map, "we need to be more aggressive. We can't let them dictate the tempo of the battle. We must send out a scouting force to track them. We need to know exactly what they're doing and what their intentions are. If they're repositioning their troops, we'll identify their weak spots and exploit them. And if they're preparing to attack, then so be it—we'll be ready to respond, but this time we decide when and where the battle takes place."
Victor looked at Arthur thoughtfully, then nodded in agreement. "If that's your decision, my lord, then we'll need to prepare a preemptive strategy. We'll send a small squad first, infiltrate behind their lines, and determine whether they're truly mobilizing for an attack or simply executing a feint. It'll cause minimal damage if their intentions are still unclear."
Arthur agreed to the plan, fully aware that swift action was the only way to stay in the fight."Alright. Let's start preparations immediately. I don't want them coming to us while we're still unready."
Victor gave a faint smile and replied with confidence, "We'll succeed, as always, my lord."Arthur wrapped up the brief meeting with his aides and then made his way to a private room within the fortress—Baron Edric's former bedchamber.
…
As Arthur sat quietly in the calm of the room, he slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling a warm sensation flowing from his lungs through every part of his body, as if life itself was returning to him, slowly and rhythmically.
He began breathing in a very specific pattern, one that carried a certain rhythm—he had begun to practice the "Qi Breathing Technique".
He began directing his focus deep within his body, imagining how the Qi flowed through his bones in perfect balance.
Each breath carried pure energy, gently coursing through his bones, strengthening and fortifying them.
In his mind, he could see the Qi wrapping around each bone, enhancing his body's ability to endure pressure and overcome obstacles.
The flow of energy was clear—a soft current running from deep within the bones outward. Each bone underwent a gradual purification process, growing stronger and denser with every inhale and exhale. He felt a light pressure, indicating that the Qi was successfully interacting with his body, contributing to its reinforcement.
As he continued breathing, a faint pain began to creep into his limbs, a sign that old internal blockages were being broken down—barriers that had once hindered the flow of energy.
But Arthur was determined to endure the pain, resolved to push past this stage and ascend to a higher level of cultivation.
His breathing intensified, and the Qi began to flow more rapidly through his bones, causing a growing sensation of heat.
Each inhale filled his body with energy, while each exhale cleansed it of impurities, bringing him closer to the stage of Pure Energy Refinement.
At last, Arthur felt a distinct transformation within his body. His bones had become tougher, the Qi more powerful and fluid, allowing him to make the transition from the Body Tempering Stage to the Acquired Stage.
This technique wasn't merely a physical exercise—it was a precise process of refinement and enhancement, enabling him to reach new levels of strength and capability.
Afterward, he stopped and rose from the bed, taking a few steps toward the corner. He approached a small table where a vial of Life Essence Elixir, known to aid in training, had been placed.
Arthur picked up the vial of the elixir with a trembling hand and drank it in one gulp.
He immediately felt a warm sensation spreading through his body, easing the pain he had been enduring.
As time passed, he began to notice a surge in his energy and strength, despite the sweat pouring down his body. It seemed his body had responded to the training even better than he had expected.
"It took over two months of training with this technique, and I've already mastered it to the level of this body's previous owner," Arthur thought to himself as he reflected on his progress.
Since his arrival in this world—and due to his injuries and the lack of full adaptation to his new body—Arthur hadn't trained in the breathing techniques used by knights.
He had spent some time focusing on healing and regaining his physical fitness. In addition, he had thrown himself into studying the "Forest Breathing" technique given to him by the family.
Though the name sounded simple and the technique was classified as mid-tier, it was surprisingly effective.
It was used to circulate Qi throughout the body to strengthen it to human limits, while emphasizing a calm style and avoiding bodily strain during training.
When Arthur began practicing the technique, he could feel energy flowing through his body. With every movement, his muscles and bones gave off a faint humming sound.
This technique was among the best the family provided to their non-heir children.
Although it didn't match the quality of the family's main technique—reserved exclusively for the eldest brother, the heir to the title—it was still comparable in quality to those used by minor barons, and thus well-suited to Arthur's average talent.
From his memories, Arthur knew that his predecessor had begun learning the path of the uncommon knights at the age of seven.
Since then, nine years of continuous training had passed. Despite his progress, he was still only at an advanced stage of knight training, far from reaching the peak.
"Now, with my accelerated training speed by the help of the Life Essence, I can reach the peak of Knight Apprentice within a few months. After that, I'll finally be able to become an Iron Knight."