A Faction of my Own

It's been two months since we established the headquarters. In that time we have put up a few new buildings and I've also upgraded most of my combat units to Tier 2. The small headquarters did its job and provided us with two new basic units which I turned into a swordsman and a scout with a crossbow.

I now have a basic unit limit of 22 thanks to our barracks, just as it's name might suggest it added five extra unit slots and is now home to most of my units. The training facility is also quite effective, giving my combat units access to internal energy.

I tried going in there myself and in only three days I managed to manifest internal energy, I can now use it in combat should I need to. The workers are currently building two new things in my list of structures, they popped up when I built all three of the original ones.

[Watchtower]

Adds 2 unit slots, capable of housing five units. The watchtower has both a bell to warn others and a high vantage point that can be used to defend your base.

Cost: 100 Lumber, 75 Stone

[Note: Upon building three watchtowers the small headquarters can be upgraded.]

[Animal Pen]

A place to keep captured animals that can be used as livestock.

Cost: 25 Lumber

The build time for each is only a few days due to how many workers I have. My territory has expanded quite a bit, the monsters in the forest have also learned to steer clear from our region. My only fear now is gaining the attention of the demons before we become ready for their attack.

One of my new goals is to upgrade my tier 2 units in the training facility so that they can turn into commanders, but the main problem is that this specific upgrade comes after the small headquarters upgrade.

We're growing stronger though, slowly but surely. With [10/22] Basic Units I can finally rest easy at night, I plan on checking out the town again soon. Surely if I can get at least a few more units that are equal to veteran soldiers, I would finally be able to manage the raid of a demon infested town.

But the main reason for my need to raid that town comes from the simple fact that the mercenary's association in the area would likely have something that I want. Magic Crystals can net me more soldiers and it is a material that those sorts of groups usually gather. Crystals can be used for crafting potions, weapons and even clothing or armor. A single one can fund a person's stay at an inn for about a week.

"I have around five soldiers that can use internal energy not including myself, I think we're ready no?"

---

Captain Gerv managed to convince two other platoons to join him on his journey to reclaim his hometown. A platoon is made up of fifteen soldiers including their captain, within platoons at least 5 members must be capable of using internal energy. Meaning that in their group with 45 soldiers total, fifteen are considered elite soldiers.

Led by Captain Gerv they headed for the town with only a bit of delay. This is due to a problem with one of the carriages that made their supposed week long journey, two days later than it had to be. And so three weeks and two days into the demonic invasion, Captain Gerv and his group finally reached their hometown.

It was a wreck, the streets were littered with skeletons and demons could be seen gnawing at their bones. The small port that the town was known for had no boats left,

"There doesn't appear to be any commander-class demon sir." A soldier with binoculars reported.

"Then we'll make a B-line for the hidden shelter, follow me men. Even if our families died, they should have died knowing that we took down the lives of those that desecrated them. Let them know the rage of Rikport!" The captain yelled out as they marched onto the ruined port town.

They took down the demons with great precision as they entered the town.

They reached the hidden shelter with ease, what welcomed them were the women and children that managed to hide. The supplies that they had left would only be able to last them a few more days, the team got to the town just in time.

A simple get in and get out mission, that's what it was supposed to be but things were not as easy as they thought it would be as the real threats that decimated the town returned.

Demons are classified into tiers much like regular monsters, If it had just been a few humanoid demons and their peers then the group with a slew of elite soldiers would have no trouble at all. They defended the main walls of the kingdom from such demons after all, but as luck would have it the town that was home to almost a dozen elite soldiers fell to something a bit more sinister.

Captain Gerv assumed that the demons simply outnumbered the populace, but this could not be farther from the truth.

With long jagged horns, black leathery wings, hooves for feet and a hulking figure that was taller than some of the buildings. They met a demon with a decently high level of purity in its blood, some call them royals while most simply call them nobles. In demon society they are those that have either risen to the top through a lot of effort or were simply born into it.

No matter the case, such an existence can only be described as a small calamity.

A demon commander was present and their chances of survival dwindled down to zero from the moment that they saw it.

A messenger bird would be sent out as they fought their last battle, detailing the end of their town. They could not even attempt to stall for their rescued companions, the gap in power was simply far too large. A demon commander was an existence that required at least ten platoons to challenge, it required power equivalent to that of a sword master.

Captain Gerv's message would reach the capital and reported to areas that have recently cleared out similar threats. His last message would not remain unheard as one such elite unit would be coming to the area.

The party of a Holy Swordsman, a man named Noah.