Chapter 615: Private Military

Back at the Starfall estate, Thoren had already recovered from Fidelia’s departure. There was no time for lingering sentiment. His time was limited, and he needed to achieve his plan before he descended into the Abyss once more.

Previously, he might have thought his family was safe in the city. With the few hunters under their command, nothing could happen to them. That thought had vanished from his mind.

The presence of the Crimson Womb and the Slave Trade Guild remained unresolved. He knew Suncrest City could never be truly safe. Not while those forces still breathed.

Thus, he needed to make sure his family was truly protected.

"Father, have you gathered all the men?" he asked.

"Yes. I managed to find two hundred trusted men with clean backgrounds," Ardyn replied seriously.

With how things were developing in the city, he had agreed with Thoren to develop their own private military. When Thoren was in the Abyss, he saw how easily the awakener families changed their faces and bared fangs at their investments. Loyalty was a currency, and it was easily spent.

He did not even trust the Federation at this juncture. Thus, when he learned his son wanted to create a private military for their family, he was in full support.

Thoren rose to his feet.

"Father, let me meet them. I don’t have time on my side any longer. We need to resolve this as quickly as possible."

"Very well." Ardyn nodded and quickly led his son out of the pavilion.

If anyone were to enter the Starfall estate, they would have noticed the number of guards was few. Deliberately so. What lay beneath the surface was not meant for prying eyes.

The father and son went deeper into the estate, journeying through the woods for a hundred meters before they appeared at a large opening.

The area had been cleared. Many wooden houses were scattered everywhere, arranged in neat rows. From a distance, it resembled a small barrack.

Shouts and yells of men in training could be heard.

Their deep grunts echoed in the air, punctuated by the clash of wooden weapons and the pounding of boots against packed earth.

Thoren stopped at the edge of the clearing and observed.

Rows of men moved in formation. Others sparred in pairs. A few ran obstacle courses that had been carved into the terrain.

Thoren watched the men training without any change in his expression. He noticed close to fifty of them were hunters.

Hunters were ordinary humans who had taken diluted strength potions to increase their strength beyond standard humans.

However, not everyone could become a hunter. They must possess a strong constitution to withstand the diluted strength potion.

Without a cultivation technique, it was impossible for humans to cultivate their body, and thus they could only depend on potions.

However, with his influence and wealth, his family had managed to produce close to fifty hunters.

For a newly awakened family, that was a high number. Many older families could not even manage such a number.

Most had between five and ten. As for the influential families with deep backgrounds, their numbers might come close to the Starfall family.

And now, Thoren wanted to create something much greater than the known hunters. Seeing Ardyn and Thoren, the camp commander shouted.

"Attention!"

"Formation!"

The effect was immediate.

All the men scrambled into formation. Those who had been training in the sparring pits abandoned their matches.

Those running the obstacle courses jumped down and sprinted toward the center. Those drilling weapon forms halted mid-swing and fell into line.

And all it took was less than ten seconds.

They stood in perfect rows, shoulders squared, chins lifted, arms locked at their sides. Their breathing was heavy from exertion, but none of them moved.

None of them spoke.

Sweat dripped from their brows and soaked their training clothes, yet they held their positions with discipline.

The camp commander, a grizzled man with a scar running down his left cheek, turned to face Thoren and Ardyn.

He saluted sharply.

"Two hundred men present and accounted for, my lords."

Thoren let his gaze travel across the formation. He walked slowly down the first row, then the second, then the third.

His eyes met theirs one by one.

Some held his gaze.

Others looked away, unable to withstand the weight of his attention.

He stopped at the center of the formation.

"You may be wondering why you are here," he said. His voice carried easily across the silent clearing. "You may be wondering what purpose you serve."

He paused for a couple of moments.

"Some of you are hunters. Some of you are not. It does not matter. From this moment forward, you are all the same. You are the foundation of something new. Something this city has never seen."

Listening to Thoren’s words, the commander and his men did not have any change in their expression.

"Before I continue, you all must prove your loyalty."

Hmm?

All the men, including their commander, were stunned. Even Ardyn was confused for a moment but chose to remain quiet.

Whoosh!

From his inventory, Thoren produced an ancient scroll covered in pulsating runes.

The parchment seemed to breathe, the symbols on its surface glowing with a faint, ethereal light that shifted and swirled like living things.

Seeing this, everyone inside the training ground was stunned. Their eyes widened and some took an involuntary step back. Others simply stared, frozen in place.

Even his father could not help but have his jaw drop.

Unbothered by their expressions, Thoren continued.

"This is the Thousand Soul Registry. All you need to do is sign your name on it, promising to never betray the family."

He held the scroll up, letting them see it clearly. The runes pulsed in response, as though sensing the attention.

"Those who sign will be bound by its contract. Those who break it will suffer consequences beyond imagination. But those who remain loyal will find themselves rewarded."

He lowered the scroll.

"The choice is yours. Sign, and become part of something greater. Refuse, and walk away now. There will be no punishment for those who leave."

For a moment, the training ground was exceptionally quiet. Each lost in their own thoughts. Ardyn looked at his trusted men and wished they all made the right decision.

Even though he did not know what his son wanted to reveal to warrant such secrecy, he knew it must be extraordinary.

Just then, the scarred commander stepped forward.

"Young lord, I’m ready to sign." He said seriously.