Chapter 256: Rallying the Troops

Chapter 256

Rallying the Troops

The association leader looked around, seeing his hunters listening intently. Everyone knew how dangerous this war was. For some of them...this might be their last battle.

Many hunters showed fear; some didn’t want to fight, while others planned to avoid it altogether. Seeing these clear expressions, the association leader felt a deep weariness.

"For this battle...if we end up fighting 6 times, winning 3, and losing 3, our kingdom’s reputation will be utterly ruined. No other kingdom will find us formidable anymore. We must at least widen the gap."

"And...I’ve heard that they are skilled in using poison. Originally, the Ryuger and Recres families were close to victory, but they were deceived by a poison plot, leading to their chaotic retreat and abandonment of the city. Now, the defeated families have joined with the others that haven’t fought yet, and they’ve sent numerous warnings about the poison. This is something everyone must be very cautious about."

He knew many hunters joined the profession simply to support their families. No one ever thought they’d be drawn into a massive war and called to serve under hunter regulations like this. Yet, regardless of the circumstances...these hunters had homes to return to. But...in this war, they couldn’t think only of themselves.

They were hunters, not soldiers. Their mindset and upbringing were different. None of them wanted to sacrifice their lives without ensuring their families would be taken care of. So...as their leader, he needed to stir their emotions and inspire them to fight for victory.

"I understand you might feel that winning or losing won’t change anything. It might not make your lives better or improve your family’s circumstances. It’s not surprising to think this way. But...this is a battle between kingdoms. How long have we lived in the Ares Kingdom? Isn’t it right to fight for our kingdom at least once in our lives?"

"Moreover, if we lose this war, what do you think will happen to your families? They could be enslaved, killed without reason, or unjustly oppressed. We have no idea how the Rhea Kingdom governs its people or how they would treat us as captives."

"Would you fight with all your might to ensure your family’s safety?" The association leader tried to rally their spirits again, but it seemed futile.

"We’ve heard that the Rhea Kingdom plans to govern us just like the Ares Kingdom does. They don’t want to interfere much; they just want more resources from the nobles."

"That’s right. I heard the same. Even the soldiers talk about it, so it might be true."

"Yes, yes. If we fight, we’ll just die. And the result might be the same. It feels like we’re being used to protecting the nobles. Even the nobles have already surrendered 2 cities. And who are we...why can’t we think about surrendering too? We could surrender and join forces with others and make the fight more advantageous, couldn’t we?"

Some hunters dared to voice their thoughts under such pressing circumstances. In the face of life and death, some found newfound courage.

"Thinking like that isn’t quite right. If we lose all our cities, how will we have a chance to win? Where will the kingdom get resources from? Look...we’ve completed numerous missions on this second floor. We are more agile; we know the escape routes better. Isn’t this our chance to win?"

Even though the association leader used reason and persuasion, in the end, he still couldn’t ignite their morale...

"Sir, I don’t understand complex things like that. Maybe it’s because I lack experience. But...if we win this time, could you give us rewards right after the victory? Right now, I need a new weapon. If you help...could you give me 10 gold coins? Would that be too much?"

While everyone was lost in their own thoughts, Ellie, who deeply understood the plight of the poor, raised her hand. He was different from nobles or the wealthy. They might excel in using psychology, principles, or ethics in their speech. But they didn’t realize that for the poor, the most valuable thing was "money."

Wasn’t it true that they risked their lives every day completing missions, facing all sorts of beasts, running all over the kingdom, all for money?

Ellie remembered getting 2 copper coins per kilogram for hunting wild boars. She fought fiercely for that. The first time, she nearly got killed by a horde of beasts. If it were someone less capable than her, they’d be dead by now.

For 2 copper coins, people risked their lives entering the forest. So...wouldn’t they do the same for 100,000 copper coins or 10 gold coins?

"W-What?"

"I’m asking for 100,000 copper coins from you. If we win this battle, can you give that to everyone? Or you can pay per kill. For instance, if I kill a soldier or beast from the Rhea Kingdom, you give me 10 silver coins. I want 10 gold coins, so I’ll kill 1,000 soldiers from the Rhea Kingdom. That way, I’ll earn 10,000 silver coins, or 10 gold coins."

"This proposal makes it clearer what we need to do. But can you offer these benefits? If not...I don’t see why I should work hard."

"Because, in the end, this involves everyone, not just us hunters. Nobles, soldiers with high salaries, they’ve reaped benefits even when there was no war. But we get nothing. And now we have to work even harder in wartime?"

Hearing Ellie, in Luke’s guise, speak like this, many hunters cheered. Yes! They agreed with Ellie. His words struck a chord with them.

It was true, as Ellie said...they felt it was unfair. But if they had to fight seriously, at least they wanted some special benefits. They wanted to let others know that they were here to help. This wasn’t their responsibility, after all.

When they had no money, the palace didn’t pay them a salary. Instead, they kept taxing heavily. Many who lived under the jurisdiction of the Recres, Ryuger, Tates, and other families paid hefty sums annually but received no family benefits.

Many had died from illnesses, and when thieves raided the villages, it was up to them to handle it. So...seeing their protectors abandon their posts made them wonder why they couldn’t do the same!

However, if they returned with 10 gold coins, their lives would change drastically. They could survive comfortably for the next 3 winters without hunting for the next 5 years. That’s what they truly needed.

The association leader was a bit confused. He hadn’t expected Luke to incite the crowd this way, but upon reflection, he realized it wasn’t incitement to resist.

Someone like Luke could surely earn 10 gold coins. He had promised to elevate Luke to a higher rank, so Luke probably knew he could make tens of thousands of gold coins soon. This request might have been a way to highlight an overlooked fact.

Combining all the enemies, there wouldn’t be more than 15,000, including their soldiers and beasts. Paying 10 silver coins per life would amount to 150,000 silver coins or only 1,500 gold coins. With this amount...the leader could easily afford it, even if the palace wouldn’t.

Even if they had to pay each hunter 10 gold coins, it would only total 50,000 gold coins. If he had to do it once for the hunters and the mission was also completed, he was willing to pay.

However, if they gave too much, some hunters might slack off. After careful consideration, the association leader announced:

“Alright, since you’ve asked, I won’t be stingy. Instead of 10 silver coins per life, I’ll give 20 silver coins per life. You won’t need to work so hard and hunt down 1,000 enemies; 500 will suffice. You’ll definitely get your 10 gold coins for new weapons.”

“The performance tracking remains the same. All your kills will be recorded by the association’s magical devices. If you die during battle but manage to kill even 1 enemy, the earnings will be kept in your name. When the time comes to inform this news to you, or your family come to ask for you, I’ll give the earnings to your family. So...just do your best. I promise this as the association leader!”

Hearing this, all the hunters were thrilled. The earnings would be given to their families too! Unlike when they were hunting beasts, if they died, nothing would be left for their loved ones, although the mission was completed.

But this time was different. The association, no! The leader was so generous. He wasn’t just meeting Luke’s proposal but doubling it and ensuring their families would be taken care of. This made every hunter’s heart swell with determination.

“Good! In that case, I’ll aim to bring home some money too. At the very least, I need to earn 1 gold coin. So, watch out. If I sweep all the enemies where I go, don’t come crying to me.”

“Haha, same here. Luke, I might have to apologize in advance. Since you want 10 gold coins, you might not keep up with me.”

“Although I don’t dare to aim for gold coins, I’ll be happy to hunt down at least 10 enemies, hehe.” The hunters laughed heartily, each excited about the announcement. Some showed complete confidence, recalling past hunts where they killed many beasts but earned only 1 silver coin. This would certainly be a much more lucrative venture.

Those with support roles quickly voiced their requests, some asking for 10% of the earnings from future hunts or asking for different amounts. While some people chose at the price they ask for, some had to reduce the % to ask for their share. However, no one interfered with Luke. They knew he didn’t need others to join his missions.

The strength of the strong would be proven now!

Luke wasn’t the only strong one; the others were all high-level hunters. The promise of a few gold coins didn’t excite them, but...they were too strong. After hearing Luke’s declaration, their eyes fired up.

Many hunters were even looking forward to the hunt, viewing the soldiers of the Rhea Kingdom as mere targets for points.

Since the arrogant new guy boasted about claiming 1,000 lives, they were eager to see if he could do it as quickly as they could! If he was too slow, only 10-20 enemies might be left for him!

“Alright, that’s settled then. Hunters ranked 1-3 stars will stay here, defending the camp and dealing with the enemies. Hunters ranked 4 stars and above, including Luke, will go out and disrupt the enemy lines from behind as much as possible. You can retreat whenever needed. Once you retreat, regroup at the front line.”

“If anyone has questions or sees any issues, raise your hand now.” The leader looked around and saw that everyone’s expression had changed. This reward was sufficient for the 1-3 star hunters, while the higher-ranked hunters, who had no fear of death, saw this as a fun challenge instead.

“Alright, if no one has any objections, go prepare yourselves. I expect the enemy to reach our camp in just a few hours!”

“Hurrah!!!”

The hunters all cheered loudly. In the guise of Luke, Ellie nodded at the leader before mounting her little frog and disappearing from sight.

As the little Apple had grown larger, it proved to be much more useful than just providing a defensive shield. Especially in a war like this, the little Apple acted like a swift and powerful warhorse.

While warhorses rely on horizontal running, the little Apple used powerful jumps to move forward. Its strong hind legs propelled it higher than any horse. If there were a race...her little Apple would undoubtedly win, but unfortunately, no one would likely want to compete.

However, with its advantages came disadvantages. If an enemy anticipated their movements, they could wait for the moment the little Apple was in mid-jump to strike. There was a slight delay while in the air, and in a real fight...even a 1-second delay could change the situation. Therefore, while using the little Apple in this manner, Ellie had to be extra vigilant and check below frequently.