Karl took a seat off to the side of the training grounds, along with a few of the Elder Clerics, who were supervising the training and not actively involved in the process.
An old woman on Karl’s left gestured towards where the warriors were training. “It looks like you got a batch of naturals. They already understand about basic sword stances and blade techniques.”
Karl nodded. “They were raised by a soldier, a fallen Elite. The other ones might need a bit more work, but the warriors should have the basics down.”
As they talked, Owen was spun in a circle by the soldiers again, as they had gotten past his golem and dodged his magic missile.
Dana was giving him hints, but he had zero combat sense. So, she changed the routine. Instead of having the Golem defend, it was on the attack, with the soldier defending her. Now, the young mage could see what it took to keep an enemy away from the mage for as long as possible.
Further down the sandy field, Sybil was also having issues. Despite her diminutive size, she was completely stonewalled by the warrior on defence, and couldn’t even make a step of progress towards Rae. All she had to do was get close enough to touch Rae, who was standing still, and she would win the round, but it just wasn’t happening.
A messenger came over with a note for Karl, in the apartment building’s stationary envelopes.
[If your Bloodbath Spider isn’t busy tonight after dinner, I will be free to train with her in Basement 3 training Gym. I have it booked and I will be there all night. -Niall]
“Thank you. If you see him, let the Overlord know that Rae will be there at sunset.” The messenger nodded, then returned to the apartment, but not before stopping to watch the practice for a few seconds.
The soldiers of the Church were an extremely physically fit group, and not gender segregated during combat training, which the messenger obviously viewed as an opportunity for eye candy.
The aging cleric woman next to Karl was watching the training with sharp eyes, making sure nobody was in real danger, but she continued to talk to Karl.
“Were you going to try something new with these ones? I see that you’ve awakened some extra skills for them, but that’s pretty standard for individually guided students.” She asked.
“I believe that we might have a way to speed their initial level increases. With a couple of herbal supplements and a specialized training regimen, we should be able to make them at least Awakened before the school year even starts, with a good shot at Ascended the first semester.
After that, we will likely be moved to another assignment, but I believe our plan has potential. If we manage to bring these five to Ascended in half a year, they might start implementing the method on a larger scale.
From what I can tell, the goal is to more reliably bring Elites up to Ascended or Commander Rank, where they are in a position to challenge the main combat forces of the Giants and anyone else who might invade.
If we can prove that it is possible, the status of the Elites will change quickly to gain the sort of respect that the Spellblades command elsewhere.” Karl elaborated.
The old woman smiled. “I can only imagine. With all the different classes the Elites have, they would have so many new skills in battle if they were stronger. It wasn’t bad like this until recently. When it was just the feral beasts and some monster spawns, we could take care of it with the armies of the faithful. But with the Giants invading, and that new Dungeon that seems to attract trouble, I understand why they’re trying this. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
But how did you pick these five? They seem like an odd group, and I think that Rogue is deaf.”
Karl chuckled. “She is. However, they did the selection by lottery, and she stuffed a bully in a storage closet when he tried to steal her place, so she’s got the motivation.”
The old woman smiled. “That is what the Elites need. Too many of them are after the fame and fortune. Not enough of them are willing to stab someone to get where they need to be in life.”
“Are you sure that you’re from the Red Dragon and not the black?” Karl joked. “War is war. It doesn’t matter if it’s external forces, a civil war or a Cultural Revolution. If they want to turn their movement into a war, the Red Dragon approves, under certain conditions.”
The cleric next to her, a middle-aged man also in the robes of the Red Dragon, nodded in agreement. “The Elites are a Cultural Revolution. Who would have thought fifteen years ago that we would be recruiting every child capable of becoming superhuman and giving them the chance to become the hero from their childhood stories?
The Elites might have all but won the war of public opinion, but were you not nearly assassinated just a few days ago?”
[She has a point. They might not have understood that they were hopelessly outmatched, but whoever they were, they were willing to sacrifice their lives for their cause.] Remi agreed.
Karl considered the answers. “You know, I never thought about it that way. I thought about how the extra combat power of the elites made things safer when monsters appeared near my hometown, and how they put on shows on the TV in the café.
But I suppose that it makes sense that there would be pushback, even if it didn’t primarily come from GDN residents.”
The Cleric nodded. “Nothing in life is ever as simple as it seems, and the War Dragon sees every conflict, then judges its worthiness.”
The old woman smiled. “Even between the Spellblade Clans, the Red Dragon recognizes states of war. Small and petty wars, where they are both subordinates to someone else, but determined enough to have earned the Red Dragon’s recognition.
There was a time that she even recognized a workers’ uprising and attempt to unionize.”
Karl chuckled at that. It had been the miners who had risen up against their employers, and they had fought against the mine bosses for over a decade, shutting down nearly all resource production. They had eventually lost, and the leaders of the unionists were executed, but it was a legend of heroes to the miners of Karl’s generation.
“Is that why you watch the soldiers training? Because they’re the ones who are most likely to please your God in the future?” Karl asked.
“Oh, perceptive. That is part of the reason. We find it relaxing to be here. But we are actually working. We are the supervisors for the clerics on duty, and in charge of preventing serious incidents.
When you give swords to a thousand people who may or may not like each other, things can happen.”
[Friendly Fire is not Friendly.] Thor chuckled.
[Indeed.]
The younger cleric laughed out loud, making Karl think that he had heard Thor’s mental voice, but the Cleric was watching where Thor had changed training techniques and was having Aaron charge at a training post with his shield up.
“What on earth is your warrior teaching him?” He asked.
“Shield bash. Thor is a firm believer in the usefulness of smashing posts as a training tool. Just watch, the young warrior will learn to adapt his [Guard] ability soon, and use it as an offensive slam attack with his shield.”
It was only natural, after all. Karl was putting a lot of energy into Rank Four Skill Master to help everyone teach and learn skills. With a little luck, his beasts might even pick up a new combat technique from watching all the training.