“I have to say while the uniformity of the boost across all stats with no control as well as the need for multiple dungeons does have its downsides I can see a great upside to your race’s thod of progression.” Aurexion said as Ajax and the rest of the champions as well as five of Gryndor’s squads were making their way towards the Republic battlefields. “With the number of dungeons you have here your progress should be swift.”
Ajax had gained nine points in each of his stats in the last couple of weeks. Clearing the dungeons in the capital had been a breeze, not even the level one hundred and sixty floor boss had been a problem with the number of champions there, Ajax didn’t even get to see it as they had started clearing the floor quickly.
“It will only grow quicker.” Ajax assured him. He knew the beastkin had dungeons he had yet to set foot in so they would provide a large boost in power as long as he didn’t level too quickly. “Though I have to say my experience gains have slowed down a lot as of late.”
“That’s because you haven’t been challenged.”Aurexion growled back.
Ajax wanted to deny that but he knew Aurexion was right. The hardest fight had been against the elental floor boss and even that had been the fire elental and Aurexion and Rex had made sure he had the freedom to attack it without worrying for his defences.
“The lack of challenge, outside of your crafting perhaps is also the reason you haven’t been given a chance to gain it yet.” Aurexion was pretty sure the rest of the champions weren’t paying that close attention to what they were talking about but with the Perception amounts so of them had there was no need to risk ntioning the Pseudo-Mythic Skill. “Now that you got yourself used to your regrown arm it should co in the first few combats.”
Ajax knew Aurexion was right. The only aningful Experience gain he had seen since returning to Gryndor had co from his fight with the fire elental as it really gave him a chance to push his offensive Skills, the rest all ca from his work on his crafting Skills.
One other thing Ajax did in his ti at ho was consult with Lexi and Aurexion to finalize his choice for the Skills he wanted to use as the parts of his Pseudo-Mythic Skill. [Mana Syphon], [Life Aspect Mana],[Vibration Aspect Mana], [Last Stand] and [Physically Enhanced Battlemage Style], with the focus being on augnting his body [Telekinesis] would just lose too much of its flexibility.
“Should we be traveling a little more covertly?” Ajax asked Rex, he was feeling slightly guilty since he and Aurexion were the ones standing out the most. With large spacial rings to hold their gear while a few people with low physical stats were being carried, everyone had little baggage to slow them down as they dashed across the countryside.
“No need to worry about it.” Rex reassured him. “It doesn’t matter if we’re seen. They already know we’re coming since we sent the elites ahead of us, and there is no way they weren’t seen by scouts.”
“Also nobody would be suicidal to attack us all as a group.” The prince joined the conversation sporting his usual cocky grin. “They might have the numbers but individually their champions are weaker, fighting in groups doesn’t work in their favour which is why they pushed so hard at the start to make it past the choke point in the mountains. From there their armies could spread out, their champions could split us up so we have nobody to rely on or we’d be forced to let portions of their army crush their way across the Republic.”
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A few people looked in Ajax’s direction at the ntion of splitting up. The question had been posed near the start of their journey if Ajax and Aurexion could split up. Regardless of how well they complented each other’s fighting style it was undeniable that each of them individually had an extrely niche ability.
For Ajax, his ability to counter casters so handedly on top of his decent stealth abilities made him one of the most valuable champions despite him being on the lower end of the power level for a champion.
Aurexion on the other hand was on the high end, his Stats and Size as well as his draconic body made him essentially unmatched physically. The request was swiftly denied by Aurexion however, he was not willing to split up from his bond so soon after the bond was made. More than that he wasn’t willing to risk the life of his bond in the claws of others.
“How will the squads work?” Ajax asked.
In total Gryndor was sending six champion level people, including Ajax and Aurexion, half of their total number along with five squads. A number of those champions were also leaders in a squad and from the looks of it they might end up moving independently of their squad for the duration of the war.
“The mbers of the squads are a special case.” The prince explained. “All of them are on the high end of elite fighters and they each specialize in sothing. With the number of enemy champions running around as well as their strength the squads will have to be split and restructured. The end result is groups that don’t have a champion in them but can rely on their teamwork and specialties to fight and reasonably expect to win against a lower end champion.”
“With so many people as well as the champions and help that Sylvanthal and Brightstone sent on top of the Republic’s own forces won’t we be the ones having the number’s advantage?” Ajax asked.
“Unfortunately not.” Rex shook his head. “While the Republic did manage to keep all its champions alive following the initial invasion a number of them are currently still in no shape to fight and recovering from the initial ambush. As for their squad equivalents about half are dead and two thirds of what is left are still recovering.”
Ajax might not be aware of the implied threat the Republic made of just surrendering but this devastating start to the war was the reason Gryndor, Sylvanthal and Brightstone were all willing to send their champion and elites to support them. They simply couldn’t risk the Republic capitulating and the beastkin army growing even stronger from their dungeons. It was why all three nations were willing to send a large number of champions to reinforce despite there being so few of them in each nation.
“Won’t this just kick off another war once this one ends?” Ajax knew that with how weakened the Republic was, unless a large number of deaths hit every nation it wouldn’t take much to start another war right after.
“It won’t.” Rex said, looking straight at him. “And you are one of the main reasons for it. The delve exchange you started between Sylvanthal, Gryndor, the Republic as well as Brightstone makes it so all of us want there to be a period of peace for this next generation to grow.”
Aurexion had issues controlling his reaction to that statent, he was grateful that nobody could read his reactions. The other nations were clearly not aware of just how powerful his bond would grow and how quickly. If they waited for this generation to grow, Ajax and himself would be strong enough to single handedly take out any nation, they likely thought that by having their own people delve they could match his level of power but Aurexion had seen Ajax’s Status page and his Skills. He knew there was much more to Ajax’s power than sheer Stats.
“Won’t Deepwood or Highmountain attack?” Ajax asked. “Maybe even the Empire.”
“That’s why Sylvanthal, and Brightstone only sent three and four champions respectively, they are keeping the rest back in case of that exact thing.” The prince said. “We were only planning on sending four ourselves before you ca back. In total that’s about a nation's number of champions we are sending to help between the three of us, enough to keep the champions sowhat balanced for the war.”
The travel through the Republic countryside was much different than it had been the last ti Ajax had passed through. Winter was starting and with the war even from a distance Ajax could see that the smaller villages were in a bad state. Many of them would be forced to seek refuge in the closest city and this would co with its own hardships co Spring.
“They’ll be using so of those seeds you found.” The prince inford Ajax when he pointed out his observation. “They’ll need to to keep up with the food demands.”
Five days later the group finally caught back up to the rest of Gryndor’s army, they were still about two day’s march from the Republic’s capital and one day from the large camp that was the Republic’s army headquarters.
Their arrival was t with fear initially by their own people, Aurexion’s intimidating size and oppressive Aura made an instant impact on the elites, even knowing that a dragon was coming wasn’t enough to prepare them. The fear quickly turned into awe and did wonders for morale once they saw that Aurexion was on their side with their own eyes.
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