The crucial point was that these pirates' throwing axes were hitting their targets with deadly accuracy, leaving casualties or severe injuries in their wake. Most of the recruits had never seen such a situation before, and some had hardly even seen bloodshed.
Suddenly, a dozen or so armored pirates were chasing after hundreds of new recruits.
"Stay steady! Stay steady!" shouted Grand Duke Ferdinand's commander, riding on horseback.
However, the chaotic recruits paid no heed to the command. Suddenly, the commander drew his sword and rode his horse to cut down several of the fastest fleeing recruits. This brutal act shocked the recruits into calming down, stabilizing their formation and preventing a complete rout.
Apart from the commander executing the deserters, Alexander and his companions also played a significant role. By now, all of Alexander's soldiers had donned standard-issue equipment: cotton armor and Saint Martin longswords. However, being mercenaries, they were allowed to supplement their gear. Alexander sold all their iron swords and replaced them with hefty oak shields.
Thus, although Alexander's soldiers were also new recruits of Saint Martin, they had oak shields for defense and, having experienced battle and seen bloodshed, their psychological resilience was relatively intact. They could hold their own against the pirates for a few rounds, which was crucial in stabilizing the front line.
Especially Alexander, Otto, and Victor, the trio with experience in battles large and small, understood the essence of the battlefield: as long as they could kill the enemy, any method was fair game. Their ancestral battle tactic was Defense, Counterattack, and the Kick of Justice (a low blow).
Typically, they would first use their shields to block the pirate's axe strike, then, while the opponent was still recovering, they would deliver a thrust with their sword. If the opponent didn't react in time, they would end up with a fatal wound. If the opponent did react, they would parry with their weapon. In either case, the next move from Alexander and his companions would be a kick aimed at the opponent's groin.
This move was frequently successful, as most of the pirates wore upper-body armor, effectively defending against slashes and chops, but their lower bodies were unprotected. When a kick landed, it was satisfying, leaving the kicked pirate writhing on the ground in agony, clutching their groin.
"Damn... you... where's your knightly spirit?" groaned the pirate leader as Alexander's kick knocked him down, alternating between gasps for breath and curses.
"Knightly spirit?" Alexander smirked devilishly. "My friend, this move represents justice, judgment upon you and your wicked descendants!"
"You shameless... Ahh~" Before the pirate leader could finish his curses, Alexander rushed forward and thrust his sword, ending his life.
[Killed Pirate Leader, Experience +50]
[Killed Pirate, Experience +30]
[Killed Pirate, Experience +30]
Once again, the system's voice echoed. Alexander killed the pirate leader, while Otto and Victor executed the pirates using the same method. Since Alexander had awakened on the Lord's Path, he gained experience when his subordinates killed enemies.
With the death of the pirate leader and the realization by the new recruits that they held the numerical advantage, the pirates' morale waned. Eventually, some pirates surrendered while others perished in battle. Thus, the first training battle ended, simultaneously resolving the piracy issue.
No matter how many pirates were eradicated in the northern waters of the Kingdom of Saint Martin, they would always resurface like weeds in the spring. This led to the mention of the Vid Kingdom in the northeast.
Unlike other countries, the ancestors of the Vid Kingdom were a group of pirates who, through bravery and prowess, carved out a territory. Hence, the pirate tradition in that country often led to pirates causing trouble in the Kingdom of Saint Martin.
This posed a significant problem for the Kingdom of Saint Martin. Consequently, it had become a tradition for lords of Saint Martin to lead troops northward to suppress pirates whenever possible.
However, the fighting capabilities of the pirates had subtly improved over time, as demonstrated today by the near disaster that was averted, thanks to the intervention of Alexander and his companions.
The commander expressed gratitude to Alexander, acknowledging that without their help, he would have had to kill many more to stabilize the front line. Alexander modestly replied that it was his duty.
As for the underhanded tactics Alexander used in battle, they were deliberately overlooked by most, although some of the more astute recruits couldn't help but admire his resourcefulness, their eyes gleaming with admiration.
In this battle, Alexander accumulated a total of 170 experience points, and there were no casualties among his men, with only two new recruits sustaining minor injuries.
"Congratulations, Lord Alexander, on leveling up!" The system's addressing of Alexander began to subtly change.
Alexander checked his status:
[Level]: 5
[Strength]: 8
[Agility]: 10
[Intelligence]: 6
[Charisma]: 6
[Available Attribute Points]: 1
[Experience]: 70/1600
[System Coins]: 100
This time, Alexander decided to allocate his attribute point to strength. Facing opponents clad in heavy armor, speed alone wouldn't suffice to penetrate their defense; thus, investing in strength was imperative.
In an instant, Alexander felt a surge of strength coursing through his entire body, dispelling the fatigue from the recent battle. His sword and shield no longer felt burdensome.
Perhaps it was time to upgrade to better equipment. With a strength attribute of 9, he could bear heavier armor, which meant stronger protection.
Without hesitation, he opened the system's store and purchased a breastplate – Infantry Soft Armor.
[Infantry Soft Armor]: Price 100 System Coins, Body Defense +8.
Now, his data panel looked like this:
[Level]: 5
[Strength]: 9
[Agility]: 10
[Intelligence]: 6
[Charisma]: 6
[Available Attribute Points]: 0
[Experience]: 70/1600
[System Coins]: 0
The old leather armor was naturally no longer suitable. After taking it off, he packed it up to sell later. Additionally, Alexander had acquired better equipment – Pirate Chainmail. However, he disliked wearing clothes from the deceased. Since he had access to the system's store, where he could purchase new armor, he handed the two relatively intact sets of Pirate Chainmail to Otto and Victor, instructing them to put them on. He also gave them any other usable equipment.
This was one of the advantages of being a mercenary – all spoils of war belonged to oneself.
Unfortunately, many pieces of equipment were damaged in the battle against the four pirates they killed. In addition, Alexander had seven new recruits from the village who, due to their outstanding performance, were all promoted to Saint Martin Light Infantry. They received standardized equipment from the Kingdom of Saint Martin, further enhancing the overall combat effectiveness of Alexander's army.
After a brief rest and reorganization, the entire new recruit detachment resumed their journey to intercept pirates, accumulating combat experience.
However, gradually, the coach, who was also a nobleman, noticed something was amiss with the demeanor of the entire detachment.