The next day began with a different pace, with no immediate signs of combat and with the presence of reinforcements that completely changed the situation at the border. More than a thousand new knights had arrived during the night, reorganizing the defense and occupying positions that had previously been overloaded. Two hours had passed and it was another day—yes, this attack had been carried out almost at dawn.
Among the new allies who arrived was one of the kingdom's five elementals, Darius Grom, a rank ten mage who took over the front line in Leon's place, allowing him to be removed from the field after the accumulated damage from the previous battle. With no new enemy attacks throughout the rest of the day, the king's order was clear: Leon should return to the castle to report the situation and receive direct instructions.
[That was tense, good thing you made a plan to end the elf war quickly]
'I know, I'm amazing'
[No need to exaggerate either]
The carriage door was opened for the first time since they had departed, and Jirena entered with a focused expression, carrying simple treatment materials. Without saying much, she approached and began checking the bandages, adjusting some wraps and observing Leon's body response.
"You need to rest, even if you think you're fine"
"I'm stable enough"
She didn't respond directly, just finished adjusting things and left shortly after, closing the door carefully with a concerned look. Leon kept his gaze fixed for a few seconds before shifting his attention.
'She's going to do this more often, isn't she?'
[Considering your current condition, without a doubt]
Without replying, he leaned his head slightly back while organizing his mana internally. He was trying to create a new recovery technique with all the adjustments he had been making, as he felt he needed more power considering he would have to face rank 11 in the future.
'I need to get stronger, this level is still not enough'
The system remained silent for a few moments before responding in a different way than usual. Something that made Leon raise an eyebrow slightly upon hearing something new.
[Mission created: Surpass current combat limit]
[Requirements: achieve stable performance against rank ten mages without significant loss of efficiency]
[Reward: unlocking an advanced ability linked to your current affinity]
'This is…'
[Do you like it? Just know I'll only do this in this world, since it's different from the original where I can't interfere much]
Leon observed the information and felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. Excitement at discovering a new ability without knowing what it was. It was interesting because, for the first time, he had received a mission.
'So now you create missions?'
[Only in this world, and there won't be many]
'I understand. Even so, this will help a lot. I thank you for this gift, my great system'
[…hahaha praise me more, human]
After feeding the system's ego a bit more, he remained silent for a few seconds, absorbing the information before closing his eyes again.
'Really, thank you'
[…]
The carriage continued its journey without interruptions until the door was opened again. Jirena entered once more, repeating the same process of checking, adjusting the bandages, and observing his breathing carefully. Leon didn't comment this time, but the slight discomfort was noticeable in how he avoided movements while she worked.
"If you keep pushing yourself, it will get worse, Lord Leon"
"I know, I'll be careful, Jirena"
She finished quickly and left again, maintaining the same pattern as before. Some time later, the carriage slowed slightly, indicating a change in terrain. Trevon approached and partially opened the door, resting his arm on the side as he looked inside.
"Are you awake?"
"I am"
"I wanted to talk about the knights"
Leon adjusted his posture slightly, paying attention. All those knights were undeniably terrifying, but even with the discomfort, Trevon had noticed some things.
"They're monsters, but there's still a lack of consistency in some points, especially among the lower ranks"
"That's expected, they haven't reached their adaptation limit yet"
"Even so, their performance is already above normal for their rank"
"That's because they weren't trained to be normal, Trevon"
Trevon nodded slightly. He couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for those knights and a bit of envy. That envy came from the fact that when they reached his level, they would undoubtedly be stronger than he currently was, so in his mind he needed to train as much as possible to not be surpassed so easily.
"Keep observing those who show variation, especially in prolonged combat"
"Understood, sir"
Trevon remained in position for a few more seconds before closing the door and returning to the outer formation. The journey continued without any significant events, and after a few hours, the structure of the capital began to become visible in the distance. The walls were already active, indicating more movement than usual for that time. The carriage passed through the gates without difficulty, being immediately recognized, and proceeded directly toward the castle.
'We finally arrived'
Shortly before arriving, the door was opened for the third time. Jirena entered again, repeating the checking process, this time with more attention on the areas where there was greater tension in the bandages. Leon looked away for a moment, clearly bothered by the frequency, but said nothing while she finished.
"It's better now, but don't make unnecessary effort"
She looked at him seriously, which made him feel a slight chill, but only a slight one, as Leon's body did not allow him to feel those kinds of humiliating emotions. The carriage stopped a few minutes later. Leon stepped down carefully, maintaining a steady posture while ignoring the discomfort. The Solfyr knights positioned themselves around naturally, especially the three leaders of each rank, while Trevon approached from the side.
[Do you think they called you for another meeting]
'Possibly, especially because that attack was dangerous, so we need to prepare for more attacks'
Upon entering the castle, the internal movement immediately caught attention. The environment was more illuminated than usual, and the presence of nobles indicated that something was happening. Before he could analyze further, one of the counselors approached with quick steps, showing relief upon seeing him.
"I'm glad you came, Lord Leon."
'Wait… did they hold a banquet at this time?'