(Meanwhile)
"It does smell like pork!" My booming voice declared to the rest of the 41st Division.
Around a great collection of fires, we feasted; and it was at the largest one where I sat in front of that the former {Captain Tuan} was currently being roasted on a great spit- a thick log piercing him from anus to mouth as I rotated over an open fire. My personal handiwork- when I said that I'll squeeze every drop of exp from our former CO, I really meant it. It was all thanks to him that I had gained the last exp needed to level up, other useful skills, and the supplies to feed our ostrich-horse mounts!
Skill Level up: [Cooking]! Lvl 2 - Lvl 3
Skill Level up: [Animal Taming]! Lvl 1 - Lvl 2
"Well, if any of our ostrich-horses didn't already have a taste for traitors, they certainly will tonight!" I laughed, and the men laughed along- likely just the alcohol. I had distributed his rather large collection of wines to the men as celebration, and his hoard of gold as their bonuses. Such distribution of wealth gave me a lot of Reputation and Obedience with them.
For casually displaying indescribable cruelty in front of your men and servants...
{41st Division} Reputation : 30 - 27
{41st Division} Obedience : 20 - 50
{Servants} Obedience : 0 - 40
{Earth Kingdom} Infamy: 5 - 15
Now, Captain Tuan gave me even more. I take it back, he was such a swell guy! It makes me almost wish that I didn't impale him while he was still alive.
"41st Division!" I proclaimed as I stood up and everyone's eyes went to me. "Eat, drink and celebrate. Because from tomorrow onwards, we're not just going to complete our mission, we're also going to make the entire Earth Kingdom live in terror of us!"
The troops- wholeheartedly agreeing- raised their tankards and filled the night air with shouts and roars of praise, while our new POW-servants just bowed their heads subserviently. I looked up at the starry night sky and made a vow: This world was going to be mine, everything and everyone in it.
...
"... Do you really think everything will be okay, Suki?"
"Yeah, it will. We have each other, don't we? Sisters forever."
"Sisters forever."
...
[41st Division Encampment, South of Omashu]
I'm positive that Fire Nation Command will overlook the fact that I had a commissioned officer impaled through the anus, roasted and fed to the Ostrich-Horses!
All I have to do is prove that I'm more competent at getting results than he was- which was a low bar if we're going to be honest- and bribe them with pillaged Earth Kingdom goods. No sweat. It was after combing through the former captain's correspondence that I found out just how I was going to impress them with my competency. was going to complete the mission that the 41st Division was supposed to do in this region.
Our purpose was very simple really: Act as live bait.
It was a fairly clever strategy, I'll give Fire Lord Ozai that much. Let me explain. The 41st Division was supposed to land in this area and harass Earth Kingdom towns between {Omashu}- the second greatest stronghold of the Earth Kingdom- and {Gaoling}- Toph's wealthy hometown to the East.
The Earth Kingdom, seeing the disruption on one of their most vital trade routes, will be forced to commit forces away from their strongholds to stamp us out... just long enough for the Fire Nation to assault Omashu itself. Fire Nation Command fully meant for us to be eventually surrounded and annihilated by an overwhelming number of Earth Kingdom forces; but in doing so, it will make every surrounding Earth Kingdom fortress undermanned and ripe for assault.
..
..
New Quest:
RAID AND PILLAGE
Main Objective: Completely disrupt the Gailong-Omashu trade route
Rewards:
Large Reputation increase with the {Fire Nation}
Massive bonus exp
Legendary Item x2
..
..
I was going to raid and pillage anyway, but now I'm doubly eager to do it now! Thank you, Game! Legendary items right off the bat, what a treat!
Moreover, it was a good feeling participating in a canon event in the show, however indirectly. None of Captain Tuan's letters mention anything about it, but for someone who knows how the ATLA timeline goes, it was easy to see that the fortress that the Fire Nation wanted was none other than {Omashu}, King Bumi's domain.
It was there that you could see the broad strokes of Fire Lord Ozai's Grand Master Plan™ and likely with input from Daddy's Little Girl™, Azula. I could even appreciate the simple elegance of the plan... apart from the fact that I was part of the live bait, of course.
It'll be fine. After I level up a few times and whip the 41st Division into shape, there will not be an Earth Kingdom army strong enough to defeat us.
I looked out to the encampment- to their eager little faces.
"Make some space!" I boomed to them, "We're going to do some training."
...
(Later that noon)
The 41st Division was an infantry division.
That meant that we had none of those cool metal tanks that could climb vertical cliff faces, or powerful rhinos that could uproot trees or even the nimble Ostrich-Horses... just infantry fresh from boot camp- cheap and disposable with a barebones logistics platoon.
The fighting force of this division consisted of three platoons of {Fire Nation Recruits}, one platoon of {Firebender Recruits}, and several barely-trained {Ostrich-Horse Scouts} on Ostrich-Horses that we claimed in the last few days. More of a company than a division, but I couldn't expect Fire Nation military organisation to be 1-to-1 with Earth's.
But the point I was trying to make was that they were utter shit.
Frankly, I would have just written this entire division off as cannon fodder that wouldn't even win against a squad of little girls if not for one thing: Me.
At the centre of the encampment, three fully-armoured Fire nation soldiers stood on shaky legs as they panted from exertion and a bruise or two. And after sparring with almost half the division all morning, I was almost in the same boat to be honest.
Who knew that the [Weapon Proficiency] perk which gave me a working understanding of every weapon I held was extremely useful in training people? Specifically, it granted a "Lvl 3 proficiency - Novice" in any weapon, and it was a really sad indicator to know that even at a paltry 'Novice' level proficiency, I still had a lot to teach these recruits.
Subdued {Fire Nation Recruit}, +2 exp!
Subdued {Fire Nation Recruit}, +0 exp!
Subdued {Fire Nation Recruit}, +1 exp!
Spear Weapon Proficiency is now Level 4 - Novice!
I tossed the spear that I was sparring with them back onto the rack, and turned towards the three trainees to give my final critique for the day.
"You're a spineless, pale pathetic lot. And you haven't got a clue. Number 12... grow some balls, your knees are still bending inwards when you block. Number 185... I don't care if your tits are getting in the way, engage your pecs when you go for the lunge. Number 98... Adequate skill, but work on your stamina- Earth Kingdom geriatrics could outpace you. Dismissed!"
"Sir, thank you, sir!"
For demonstrating martial knowledge and building rapport with the troops...
{41st Division} Reputation : 27 - 37
{41st Division} Obedience : 50 - 55
[ Trainer Level 5 Reached - New Skill Perk Unlocked! ]
[ Group Comprehension (Passive): Monkey see, Monkey do. Train up to (6) students at a time without suffering training speed penalties.]
It's funny how a little public execution, destroying an Earth Kingdom platoon and almost two extra feet in height could make you so respectable.
But they were listening and obeying me, and that was what mattered. If I keep this up, the {41st Division} might actually become a force to be reckoned with. But that was a long road to travel down on, because if Aang and his friends dropped by right now, they'd definitely wipe the floor with the 41st.
Not that it was possible, the Winter Solstice was just 2-3 days from now. The Gaang should be on the way to Fire Sage island to converse with Roku about the Sozin's Comet. We still had time to train and complete [Quest: Raid and Pillage].
I can already taste those two Legendary reward items...
...
Don't forget to throw some power stones :)
...
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