Mercenary System: I can increase innate potential !

Chapter 106 Who are you, Nox?

"Well...we didn't lose any men."

The Count remained silent for a moment, his riders looking at these mercenaries differently.

What was the most important parameter before swearing loyalty to a nobleman?

It wasn't the salary, training conditions or even the nobleman's personality.

It was the mortality rate.

There were exceptions, but generally it was the most important indicator to consider before swearing loyalty to someone.

For most people, whether in the real world or in the world of Eternity, it was important to earn a good living, to have the respect of others, to be strong and to build one's own family.

Many wanted to see their children and grandchildren grow up in the future.

They wanted to tell them their stories, tips on how to make money in Eternity or how to train faster.

For the smartest among them, they wanted to teach them how it was possible to curry favor with a nobleman.

So, when these people saw that absolutely all Maxime's men had survived such a terrible battle, they all began to wonder if they'd made the right choice in their lives.

This was also true in the real world.

Seeing the evolution of one of one's children or grandchildren in the world of Eternity was something very satisfying for most of them.

According to some studies, the world of Eternity was as much a topic of discussion among parents as grades at school.

Before the advent of watches and the world of Eternity, the most common question parents asked their children was:

"How are things at school?"

And now it's:

"Tell us, what's it like in Eternity?"

And unlike school, students were much more comfortable talking about Eternity and asking for advice.

Plus, with parents often in the world of Eternity too, it made for livelier discussions.

To return to the Count's horsemen who admired Maxime, if they knew how many men had lost Maxime at the battle of Plouta, they would certainly no longer think the same things.

"Impressive. I'd offer you a congratulatory bonus too," exclaimed the happy Count.

He realized that he seemed to have bet on a mercenary with enormous potential.

He was also happy to know that the 5 apprentice knights he had left in Maxime's care were all alive.

They were all geniuses with excellent moral character.

It would have hurt his heart to lose such geniuses.

"You can go back to the academy now, my men will take care of the rest here. They'll also protect these villagers from the small orc army arriving tomorrow."

Maxime didn't hesitate in the slightest to accept.

All his men were mentally and physically exhausted.

If there was to be a battle tomorrow, who could guarantee that his mercenaries wouldn't make any mistakes?

With the strength of orcs, the slightest mistake could cost the life of one of his men.

Maxime didn't want to be played by gods again either, so the best thing was to return to the academy, receive the Count's reward, improve his talent and strength and continue the missions after that.

"Thank you, Count Ardan."

Immediately Sauna remounted his horse, followed by some thirty men, and rode into the forest to fetch the villagers.

It seemed that the Count's team was very well organized; it didn't even take a word between the Count's men to know who was staying and who was leaving.

What's more, with a knight at the helm, followed by some thirty riders, all of whom were undoubtedly apprentice knights, Maxime was reassured.

At the same time, the Count suddenly thought of something.

"Oh by the way Maxime, we received a messenger who gave us a purse full of gold coins, and he told us it was to give to the Saber-toothed Tigers."

Maxime smiled slightly at this news.

"Yes, before we came here, we helped Baron Edrin save one of his villages, who decided to reward us."

Maxime was smart enough to dodge the part where he'd threatened the baron with an appropriate reward.

But on hearing this, the Count simply nodded.

Clearly, he already knew.

Maxime wondered how the Count could obtain so much information so quickly.

But it also proved that to hide so huge on his territory, the gods' means were truly exceptional.

"I'll leave you Saber-toothed Tigers here, see you back at the academy."

Simultaneously, the Count rode off to join his own mount.

All his riders, including Lock, followed immediately.

"See you soon," Maxime replied simply, as he and his men watched the Count and his riders ride off.

Shortly afterwards, Tena jumped up.

"We're going to be rich chief!"

As she said this, her eyes filled with stars.

As treasurer and responsible for the group's expenses, this influx of money couldn't make anyone happier than her.

With one exception.

"Ouiiii, we're going to be rich Tena!"

The two looked at each other with gold coins seemingly floating in their pupils.

Only gold could drive Maxime so crazy, so much so that he almost looked like a child at the time.

The other mercenaries were equally happy as they watched this scene, after all they would benefit from it too.

"Just boss, how are we going to transport our wounded to the academy?"

Terry's voice suddenly set the mood.

Maxime was stunned for a moment, not knowing what to say.

There were 10 mercenaries and 5 apprentice knights in a coma, whom they had hidden in the village during the battle.

For a moment, he had no good idea.

"Let's go and see them, maybe some of them have woken up now."

The mercenaries looked at each other with a shrug, then finally followed Maxime.

Even walking slowly, they soon arrived in front of an intact house.

"So they're inside Ernest?"

"Yes, we've hidden them all here."

Hearing Ernest's confident reply, Maxime lightly pushed open the wooden door.

It gave an unpleasant creak, but the sight of his men lying on the floor next to each other reassured Maxime.

At least, no orc had found them here and finished them off, for they were very much alive.

However, all of them, without exception, were seriously wounded, as well as being in a coma.

Blood was flowing everywhere, due to lack of timely treatment.

To be honest, Maxime was even wondering how his men were still alive.

"Have everyone search the nearby houses to see if we can give them a modicum of help to heal."

Everyone obeyed immediately and began searching for clothing and medicinal herbs to stop the loss of blood.

While everyone was busy doing this, Maxime took the opportunity to take a look at his new talent.

[Second talent: Life awakening level 1 (0/1000) (platinum rank)].

[Its main effect is to significantly improve the regeneration of its owner and his men].

[A second effect is to slightly improve the lifespan of this talent's owner and that of his men].

[Finally, its third effect is to confer on the holder of this talent a very high affinity to the element of life].

Maximus saw the notifications appear before him, and was shocked.

He had expected this new talent to be powerful, but he hadn't thought it would be this powerful.

The talents were classified as follows:

Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Legendary.

However, the legendary rank was called that because only a select few on the entire planet in the real world had talents of that level.

Holders of gold-level talents could already be considered geniuses in a school.

Platinum-level talents were generally considered the best talents to be found in most cities.

Diamond-level talents could be the greatest geniuses in the vast majority of countries.

So this talent alone already made him the genius of the city of Nansoy, and its effects truly defied the heavens.

At level 1 alone, it gave him and his men extraordinary passive regeneration and, above all, he had also gained those that many people sought when they went to the world of Eternity!

He had improved his lifespan!

In practical terms, this also meant that he had increased the number of times he could die in this world.

So his potential had been enhanced in some way.

"System, how much life expectancy have I gained."

[This talent to increase your lifespan by 10 years.]

But it also made him ask a lot of questions about his first talent.

"Incredible."

The last effect was also great, giving him in itself, another high-level talent.

However, to appreciate its effects, he would have to continue to grow stronger and study under very powerful people.

For the moment, this was still a long way off.

Magic was a subject that was generally only explored in the later stages of university.

Magic was a subject that was generally only explored in the final stages of university.

He brought up a few previous notifications.

[The god Nox is the god of talent, limits and authority. Until the famous incident, he was considered the one balancing the strengths and weaknesses of all races].

[He is a god who used to be ranked as the most powerful god in the world among the very few EX-rank gods!]

[Now he's still a very powerful god, ranked among the best at SSS rank].

[Further information about him and his history is currently blocked].

"Who exactly are you Nox?"