Berserk: The Prophet

Hmm... Twenty Pendor infantrymen and twenty black-armored archers will suffice. Too many people and they'll easily starve to death in this desolate wilderness. Halve the garrison costs, and the monthly expenses will be around three thousand dinars, which is acceptable.

[Host detected to intend to occupy this wooden fortress. Requires 10 tools, 5 velvet, 5 furs, and 20 iron blocks. Immediately convert this location into a base?]

After considering it for a while, Green clicked "Yes".

[The team's maximum Engineering skill is 5 points, with an upgrade time of 120 days. Please increase the number of personnel in the city's defenses to speed up construction.]

One hundred and twenty days...almost half a year, four months, you know.

Green set a blue troop card he had just drawn to refresh at a time not far away. It could be accompanied by two supply cards as a synergy summon, and it also gave him 20 loaves of bread and 10 portions of dried meat. That should be enough to eat for a while. He would call them out again in the morning.

As for the twenty armed infantrymen, we can simply store the twenty men from the unit here.

Please name the new castle.

Hmm... I just said goodbye to Pence, so as a memento, let's name the wooden fortress Demiaris.

The four large black characters for Blackrock Prison disappeared from the system name, replaced by light blue text: [Demiaris Fortress, Current Size: Castle. Highest Level: Fortress.]

[No agent detected for this castle. The highest-experience captain has been automatically assigned as the castle lord. The castle lord is: Lucian Themis, Black-Armored Archer Captain.]

Indeed, after arranging all of this, Green's eyelids were drooping. Sure enough, no matter how high one's mental strength is, it cannot escape the limitations of the physical body.

...Let's take a rest.

[Loading in progress, host in good condition, Mount & Blade map loading... Consciousness carrier connected...]

——【Barkley Continent, Port Tulai】——

The harsh winter did not affect this giant port city; the streets were bustling with pedestrians, busy transshipping goods to various destinations.

The supplies transported from the port to the Barkley mainland included flax bundles from the Kingdom of Fieldsway on the Pendor continent, pig iron from the Kingdom of Ravenlands on the Pendor continent, spices from the Kingdom of Maritine on the Alama continent, and various tropical fruits from the matriarchal Ficavia Islands.

The market was bustling with people, and the stalls sold all sorts of small items.

As in previous years, the area around Port Toole was still plagued by the Vanscare people burning, killing, and looting. Green had already dealt with many of them on the way there.

Although there were quite a few trinkets for sale, Green wasn't in the mood to look at them. He was too tired these past few days, and his mental energy was only a little over 100 points and hadn't recovered yet.

"Filthway, the city shrouded in mist, welcomes adventurers and travelers to the continent of Pendor. The price is 1280 denars per person." [Pander Common Language]

The leader, a middle-aged man with a long beard and a white face, was shouting orders. He was dressed in Fieldsway's classic uniform, with an axe at his waist and a large shield on his back.

Greene recognized them all too well; they were units he frequently used in the early game. The Royal Guards and Fieldsway Berserkers were incredibly effective at conquering cities and territories.

The Barkley interpreter beside him continued to shout, repeating in Barkley's dialect, and this time Green understood that it would cost 1280 dinars per person to board the ship.

Although he is of legitimate royal blood in Pendor, it's rather amusing that Green isn't very fluent in Pendor Common.

Even if he puts half of his troops in Demiaryburg, Green's team will still consist of 20 men, and Green plans to negotiate with the captain there.

Green stepped forward, looked at the long-bearded, white-faced middle-aged man, gave him a friendly smile, and said in Barkley's dialect, "Captain, I have twenty men going to Fieldsville Fog City. Do you think you can give me a discount? It's not easy for anyone traveling, and your price is a bit difficult for me."

Hearing the translator's reply, the middle-aged man sized up Green, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness. "Sir, this price is already very fair. As you know, sea voyages are not peaceful these days. The Vanskerry people are plundering everywhere. Our ship can safely take you to your destination, so this price is absolutely worth it."

Green's heart skipped a beat, and he deliberately frowned. "Captain, I understand all that you're saying. But you see, I have quite a few men with me, which would be enough to fill your ship with business. Besides, I can provide you with some useful information about the Vanscare people's movements. How about this, could you give me a discount, let's become friends, and maybe we'll have opportunities to cooperate in the future?"

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, clearly intrigued by the news of the Vanscare people that Green had mentioned. In these pirate-infested waters, knowing the enemy's movements in advance could greatly increase the safety of a voyage.

"Tell me, what do you know? If the information is useful, we can discuss the price."

Green was secretly pleased. He had indeed encountered several groups of Vanskerry people on his way to Port Tulai and had some understanding of their range of activities and general patterns of action.

“Captain, I encountered several groups of Vanskerrys on the road a few days ago. They seem to be planning an attack on several ports nearby. Moreover, their recent movements have been rather strange, frequently landing from the sea, as if they are looking for something important. I don't know the exact time and location of their operations, but the general direction is towards several ports to the north. If you can avoid their area of ​​activity, you will be much safer on your journey.”

The middle-aged man's expression changed slightly. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Alright, considering you provided this information, I'll give you a discount. 1000 dinars per person, that's the lowest price I can offer. If you agree, we can sign the travel agreement now."

Green did the math in his head. Although it wasn't the price he'd expected, it was still a significant discount compared to before. "Alright, Captain, you're very generous. I won't waste any more words. Let's do it your way. We'll take the ship for twenty people to Fieldsway Fog City."

The middle-aged man smiled with satisfaction. "Haha, it's a pleasure doing business with you! Please wait a moment, I'll go prepare the boarding agreement right away." With that, he turned and went into a small hut next door.

A short while later, the middle-aged man came out of the house, holding several pieces of parchment covered with dense writing.

"Guest, this is the boarding agreement. Take a look. If there are no problems, we can sign it."

Green took the agreement and examined it carefully. The agreement detailed the sailing route, the estimated arrival time, and the rights and obligations of both parties.

After confirming that everything was correct, Green picked up a pen, signed his name on the agreement, and pressed his fingerprint on it. The middle-aged man followed suit and completed the signing process.

"Alright, guests. The ship departs early tomorrow morning, so you can board and rest now. Alternatively, you can pay your deposit and stay at an inn nearby. You must arrive at the dock before dawn tomorrow to avoid missing the ship," the middle-aged man said, putting away the agreement.

Green nodded his thanks and then handed the 20,000 dinars to the captain.

"We'll board the ship tonight."

As soon as Green finished speaking, a sailor led the way. Life at sea was not easy, and boarding the ship early would at least allow them to choose a good spot.

Green led twenty men onto the ship with the sailors. The ship was filled with a faint smell of seawater and wood.

The sailors led them to the cabin, where rows of simple beds were set up. Although the space was a bit cramped, it was enough to provide a place to stay for a long voyage.

The ship is not much smaller than Judas's Stormwind, and it can easily accommodate two or three hundred people.

A long sea voyage is about to unfold in Pendor.

——【Berserk】——

North of Landier lies a plain at the foot of the mountains, but it is covered in snow in winter, obscuring its original appearance. There are few shrubs and bushes, and a number of villages are clustered there.

Green and his team rode their warhorses through the snow. The heavy snow of the previous two days had covered half of the footprints left by the Fierce Bear Gang. The villages showed signs of burning, and several skeletons lay scattered on the ground. Based on the state of decomposition, the people had been dead for about three months.

These people died violently; their skulls had dents and damage, and there were signs of blunt force trauma.

The snow-covered land made this place look like a barren wasteland, completely bare.

"It looks desolate. We need to catch up with the Fierce Bear Gang before they completely disappear. Giddy up!" Green abandoned his plan to temporarily camp here. The twenty men, their hooves wrapped in cloth, set off through the night.