When Henwell calls out the nickna from their training camp days, the young man looks at him in surprise, scrutinizing him closely. After a mont, he tentatively asks, "Are you The Flash?"
Henwell replies, "Fathead, is Curtain around?"
Now certain of Henwell’s identity but wanting to be sure, the young man asks, "Do you have a code?"
Henwell rolls his eyes, "Do you want to strike a gladiator pose for you, Fathead? Your head might not be fat anymore, but your brain sure isn’t working!"
"I don't go by Fathead anymore; I’m Kivel now."
Henwell responds, "Alright! Hurry up and take to Curtain!"
Fathead corrects him, "He goes by Victor now."
Henwell continues walking, "Okay, okay! He's the Curtain, got it!"
"It's Victor!"
Fathead is now completely convinced that this is their leader, the legendary gladiator—The Flash—who saved them from death. Soon, all the forr young gladiators are gathered together, led by Victor, forrly known as Curtain.
Curtain got his nickna because he couldn't sleep with any light and always needed curtains to block it out. Back in the youth training camp, when they moved into rooms with windows, he repeatedly tried to return to the caves but was always stopped by Scarface Archie, who would give him a thrashing. Hence, everyone called him Curtain. Now, he is one of the two brains among the injured forr young gladiators.
Nine young gladiators gather, with six missing. Victor explains, "They're on a mission led by Chick, also known as Jar, assigned by Mr. Daniel, the Duke Rayr's second son."
Henwell asks, "Is it dangerous?"
"We're in a line of work where danger is part of the deal. Saying there's no risk would be a joke. But with Chick overseeing things, it should be manageable."
After this, Victor and the other young gladiators exchange a glance and then kneel on one knee before Henwell. "We've never had the chance to thank you for saving our lives! We've sworn to serve you forever! The Flash, your will is where our blades will strike!"
Henwell steps forward and pulls them up. "We're brothers here, no need for all this. We fought our way through together. Now, we're the only ones left from our old group. Helping and supporting each other is all we poor souls can do."
These words aren't just to win them over; Henwell genuinely trusts these young n, having spent the most ti with them. Their loyalty is unquestionable.
Once everyone is seated, they begin to report on their current progress. After Henwell left, thanks to Daniel's n putting in a good word, no one dared to trouble the young gladiators. Being chosen for the Forge Furnace training camp already proved their talent.
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Graduating as gladiators ant they underwent rigorous training and selection. Surviving two years of brutal fights in the Bloodhorn Arena further demonstrated their skills.
Such a capable and smart team can hold their own anywhere. When Henwell first sent a caravan to make contact, they had already established themselves here. The few thousand gold coins Henwell sent their way were crucial in addressing the imdiate needs of their newly ford organization.
Over ti, Henwell has invested tens of thousands of gold coins here and sent nurous knight body-strengthening potions. These young gladiators have shown impressive progress, with nearly all of them advancing to the rank of knight within the year. They kept this under wraps to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
On their street, they now own two casinos, two loan shops, and several pawn shops, all part of their organization. Not only are they self-sufficient, but they also have substantial funds in reserve.
Despite this, Henwell continues to send a significant amount of gold each year. This funding is used to scout and train promising talents, redeeming potential youths from various arenas and purchasing promising young slaves for training.
They have developed a comprehensive training system. While not as specialized as the Forge Furnace camp, the youths they train are on par with noble squires. Currently, aside from their fifteen core mbers, they have nearly a hundred adolescents and over a hundred skilled adults.
After listening to their report, Henwell shares his experiences from the past three to four years. The group is amazed at how far Henwell has co and what he has achieved.
Henwell continues, "I'm now a knight lord, and this ti I'm here accompanying the Grand Duke's youngest son for a marriage alliance. Once that's settled, I want you all to co back with to Peace Haven. I don't have reliable people around , and many things can't be done without trustworthy hands. I promise you, within your lifeti, I'll make sure you all beco knight barons."
Victor responds, "The Flash, we appreciate your generosity, but staying here for now benefits your growth more. In just about a year, we'll be able to send you enough young talent for your domain. It'll be easier for you to further train them and place them strategically."
Henwell waves his hand dismissively, "No need to discuss this. You'll co with when the ti cos! There's no future in this godforsaken place!"
The group accepts Henwell's plan, and then he inquires about two of his companions, "By the way, how are White Butterfly and Flying Ant doing?"
Victor replies, "Those two are doing quite well! White Butterfly has beco a favorite among the ladies at Fun House. After she advanced to knight rank, she beca the head of Fun House's guard. She leads a group of girls protecting the ladies there. People rave about their skills, but we've seen them a few tis, and they're just okay."
"Earlier this year, White Butterfly even asked us to take care of so rivals and bandits stealing their 'goods.' Her girls are good at showmanship, but when it cos to actual killing, they're not quite there yet!"
Henwell chuckles, choosing not to comnt. He knows these little girls aren't killing outside, but in bed!
As for Flying Ant, he followed Henwell's advice and joined the city lord's mansion. After reaching knight rank, he beca a squad leader in the mansion's guard. Last year, he was transferred to the patrol army as a company commander, overseeing over two hundred n. After a year of training, his company perford well at the Midsumr Festival drill. Recently, there's talk of him possibly getting promoted again.
Though their shared background doesn't make them inseparable, they do keep in touch and sotis collaborate. Their relationship is quite amicable.
Victor offers, "Should I arrange for you to et them? They've been asking about you."
Henwell shakes his head, "No need! As long as they're alive and doing well, there's no need for contact. They're smart enough to see through a lot, and that might complicate things."
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