Chapter 361: Solderin’s New Mission

Three days later, as High Lord Gawain was reviewing documents in his study, a steady knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

He looked up, already sensing who stood outside by the faint aura he detected.

“Come in, Solderin.”

The door swung open, and in stepped the high-ranking ranger with his shining golden hair.

“Looks like you’ve made a full recovery,” Gawain smiled, nodding as he took in Solderin’s healthy complexion. “All the lingering toxins finally cleared out?”

“Long gone,” Solderin replied with a shrug. “But that old druid kept dragging it out, always saying, ‘The cultist poison is strange and unpredictable, needs more observation and testing.’ He kept making me drink weird potions every few days and took seven or eight blood samples—I’m pretty sure he was just pulling my leg.”

“Of course he was,” Gawain said casually. “I told you from the start to be careful dealing with Pittman. You could probably attribute every trick and scam you’ve ever encountered in your life to him.”

Solderin was speechless.

Seeing the ranger’s stunned expression, Gawain chuckled and quickly changed the subject before his old friend could spiral into existential doubt. “Enough about him. How are you settling into life here on the estate?”

Since returning injured over two weeks ago, Solderin had been recuperating quietly on the Cecil estate. But he hadn’t been idle. Once his wounds healed and he could move freely, Gawain had him involved in military duties—training and advising the Cecil Combat Corps as a seasoned consultant and mountain warfare instructor.

Though his appearance was somewhat delicate, Solderin’s formidable skills and legendary exploits alongside Gawain during their campaigns had earned him great respect among the soldiers. According to Knight Byron’s reports, the “consultant” was performing admirably.

Still, Gawain knew that a high-ranking advisor and instructor role wasn’t what Solderin truly wanted. As an elf warrior in his prime, he craved an active military post—something that would put him directly on the battlefield.

Just as Gawain expected, Solderin sighed with a hint of frustration. “I’m adapting… well enough. This land is developing faster than I thought, and the people here are full of energy. The soldiers are dutiful, and I like that atmosphere. But you know me—I can’t just sit still.”

He flexed his arm as he spoke. “As you can see, I’m fully healed. No problem going back to the front lines. So I wanted to talk to you—maybe give me something to do beyond advising and teaching?”

“If you want to fight, there’s no war here right now. At least, not for the time being,” Gawain said slowly, studying Solderin. “But I guess that’s not really what you mean. You just want something to keep you moving, something more active than hanging around the barracks all day?”

Solderin smiled. “You know me too well.”

“Actually, I do have a mission lined up for you,” Gawain said without hesitation. “You’ve probably already met the soldiers of the Cecil Combat Corps—the infantry and the newly formed artillery units. What do you think of them?”

Solderin had been observing the corps for some time and quickly gave his assessment. “They’re a powerful frontline force. The thermal ray guns and plasma swords can handle any regular soldier or low-tier supernaturals. The magic crystal railguns can demolish any fortress or take on mid-tier supernaturals head-on. If conditions are right, a salvo from those cannons could even threaten high-tier opponents. But that’s only on the open battlefield.”

“Exactly. The Combat Corps shines when two armies face off directly,” Gawain nodded. “We’ve equipped a strong main force with magitech weapons, but what I’m missing now are… specialized troops.”

Solderin raised an eyebrow, immediately thinking of his own profession and Gawain’s mention of a “mission.” Tentatively, he asked, “You mean… a ranger unit?”

“Something like that,” Gawain confirmed. “Elite fighters capable of operating in unconventional environments—experts in infiltration, reconnaissance, survival. And when necessary, they can strike like a dagger at the enemy’s weak points. That’s the kind of unit I need.”

As Gawain spoke, he couldn’t help but think of the “special forces” he knew from his previous life. In some ways, the concept was similar.

But in this world, with supernatural powers in play, the gap between “special forces” and regular troops was even wider.

Ranger units were the Silver Empire’s elite, but every human nation had their own versions of special forces. Some were also called “rangers,” like those from the southern Gaoling Kingdom or the western Ogure tribal lands. Others had unique names—Typhon’s “Wanderers” or Ansu’s “Royal Shadow Guard.” These were all elite combat forces cultivated by their respective nations.

Though each country had special forces, their styles varied greatly due to the continent’s vastness, differing battlefields, and cultural traditions. For example, Gaoling’s rangers excelled in mountain warfare like the Silver Elves, Ogure’s were masters of stealth, Typhon’s Wanderers specialized in magic and assassination, and Ansu’s Royal Shadow Guard were known for suddenly bursting out mid-stealth wielding twin greatswords in a whirlwind slash…

All formidable warriors, no doubt.

“I thought your Military Intelligence Bureau was your version of the Royal Shadow Guard,” Solderin said curiously. “I’ve seen you train them using at least some of the same methods.”

“The bureau is purely an intelligence agency,” Gawain explained. “Its operatives focus more on infiltration than combat. What I need you to train is a fighting force.”

Gawain believed many military doctrines in this world were outdated—probably because raw supernatural power was so effective that people overlooked the finer points of warfare. No nation had a truly advanced, systematic concept of “intelligence warfare.” Even special forces were mostly just “exceptionally tough soldiers.” The Royal Shadow Guard were assassins and warriors, but not professional spies or intelligence operatives. That’s why Gawain created the Military Security Intelligence Bureau to fill that gap. But a real special operations combat unit? He hadn’t built one yet.

After Gawain’s brief explanation, Solderin understood his old friend’s request. After a moment’s thought about the current Combat Corps and artillery units, he smirked. “You’re not asking me to train just any ordinary ‘ranger unit,’ are you?”

“Exactly,” Gawain said seriously. “Based on the current Cecil magitech arsenal and some new tactical ideas, I want you to build a unit that can handle more complex battlefield scenarios. I’ll provide them with the most advanced gear, ample resources, and even custom weapons. They’ll be the first to test all kinds of new tech. You can work with Nicholas the artificer to research and develop whatever equipment you need. If it’s feasible, you can try it.”

“An experimental unit as well…” Solderin nodded slowly, grasping Gawain’s intent. “Indeed, all those magitech weapons you’ve created are brand new. Each piece is essentially experimental. Having a special unit to trial new gear makes perfect sense.”

“You can select the top hundred trainees from the Cecil Combat Corps for initial training,” Gawain continued. “I won’t draft the training manual for you—the Silver Empire’s standard ranger training program is excellent. If a third of them make it through, that’s a success. I’ll also have various departments support you, including dedicated liaisons at the ‘Rebel Fortress’ weapons and machinery workshops.” He smiled. “Let’s call this unit the ‘Iron Rangers.’”

“Iron Rangers…” Solderin mused over the bold, imposing name. “So they’re cavalry?”

“Oh no,” Gawain said with a grin. “I just think it sounds cool.”

Solderin was speechless.

After the high-ranking ranger left, Gawain exhaled softly.

He knew the mission he’d given Solderin was a tough one.

He’d only provided a broad goal and generous support, without any detailed training or organizational plans—simply because he himself didn’t know how such a unit should be formed or trained.

Solderin would have to rely on his own understanding and experience to build this force.

A unit based on the Silver Empire’s ranger training, equipped with Cecil’s magitech, and carrying an experimental nature… Gawain found himself eager to see what kind of “Iron Rangers” Solderin would ultimately create.

Somehow, he felt a little uneasy. He had a hunch this unit might end up a bit… unconventional. But then again, in a world where stealth operatives could suddenly burst out swinging twin greatswords in a whirlwind slash, what could be more mind-bending?

Lost in thought, Gawain’s study door knocked again. He looked up and saw Hetty enter, holding a large sheet of paper still fresh with the scent of ink.

“Ancestor,” she smiled, “the first issue of the Cecil Weekly Bulletin is ready.”

(End of chapter)