The kobold troops Austin put tremendous effort into creating, how capable are they in combat, even Austin himself is unsure. But at the very least, they exude a formidable presence when they simply stand there.
Even when compared to those elite knight orders on the civilized land, the well-trained demeanor of this group of kobolds does not fall short in the slightest.
Of course, Austin knows well that the formation of any army requires a trial by blood; only an army nurtured through bloodshed is truly elite.
While Austin was pondering this issue, the kobold leader Vini cautiously approached him.
"Master Austin, the cold winter will arrive in just a few days. Could we halt the training for a few days as we need to store enough food before the cold winter sets in?"
The kobold leader Vini, appearing troubled, spoke as he approached Austin.
The continuous training over the past month had already impacted the kobolds' production activities, even though Austin reduced a significant portion of the yield they had to hand over due to training rewards. However, the training time greatly compressed their production time, and until now, this group of kobolds has not stored enough food to survive the winter.
In this Otherworld, the principles of the seasonal changes are not the same as those in the world Austin was in before.
In Austin's previous world, the reason for the change of seasons was related to Earth's axial tilt and the elliptical orbit around the Sun. Due to the axial tilt, it is summer when the Sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer and winter when it is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn.
But this world is completely different. According to the inherited memories of the Dragon Race, the climate changes on the Seta Continent are caused by the periodic influence of magic power tides.
Take the Kawa Great Forest as an example: for nine months of the year, the Fire Attribute Magic Power tides dominate the land, making the entire Kawa Great Forest feel like it's trapped inside a furnace. Meanwhile, the Water Attribute Magic Power tides in the extreme south also continuously erode the land, resulting in a massive amount of rainfall due to the clash between hot and cold, creating that unique tropical rainforest landscape.
But in the last three months of the year, the Fire Attribute Magic Power of the Seta Continent recedes, and the Water Attribute tides from the ocean surge, causing the air to cool rapidly due to the passage of Water Attribute Magic Power. The entire Kawa Great Forest will then be shrouded in a cold spell of Water Attribute Magic Power, with snow blanketing the land and ice sealing ten thousand miles.
Despite the existence of magic power, an extraordinary factor, in this world, preventing many trees in the Kawa Forest from shedding leaves or withering under the cold's erosion, maintaining a semblance of prosperity, food scarcity is inevitable during the three months of cold winter.
"The cold winter...," Austin silently mused to himself. The cold winter every year is the most dangerous, yet also the safest, time in the Kawa Great Forest.
Those predators who did not store enough food during the summer would be tormented into madness by long-term hunger, desperately seeking food in the ice and snow.
Hungry and injured beasts are often the most dangerous.
But at the same time, in the ice and snow, the heavy snow covers all traces. As long as one does not venture out carelessly, hiding in caves generally means safety.
At that moment, Austin also recalled the cold winter from a year ago, when his lack of understanding of this world and inadequate preparation almost resulted in his death, turning into a dragon corpse that winter.
"I will grant your request, but every three days, you must conduct a concentrated training for one day. Also, be prepared; tomorrow, everyone will gather for an outing to hunt. This time, the opponent won't be little rabbits. Carelessness could mean death."
Austin's authoritative voice echoed in the air, and looking at the shadow cast by that massive body, the kobold leader Vini involuntarily swallowed his saliva and said:
"We will comply with your orders, Master Austin."
With that, the kobold leader Vini respectfully retreated.
"Cold winter, this might be an opportunity..."
Austin did not forget that his deeply resented enemies were still living comfortably elsewhere.
The Blood Wolf pack, it's about time to avenge those grudges...
During the summer, the entire Kawa Forest is covered by lush trees, making it difficult for Austin to find the traces of those beasts.
But in the cold winter season, finding the trail of a pack of Blood Wolves became much easier, especially since Blood Wolves, as magic beasts, do not have the habit of storing food. Despite the winter, they also need to hunt to survive.
However, although these kobolds are quite well-trained, dealing with a hundred Blood Wolves led by a low-tier magic beast is still very dangerous.
Before that, this kobold "army" needs to be sufficiently blooded!
And Austin has already found the first opponent for these kobolds to sharpen and temper their blood.
If they undergo enough practical combat beforehand, then this winter will mark the end of the Blood Wolf pack!
A fierce gleam flashed across Austin's pupils before he turned and returned to the Dragon's Nest.
....
Time flew by swiftly. After receiving the orders to go to war, the kobolds seemed a bit flustered, but the result of a month of training was quite evident. At the very least, these kobolds had already learned about strict obedience to orders.
The next day, as the sun rose,
seven kobolds stood neatly together holding long Wooden Spears, waiting for Austin's arrival. Their stance was imposing, making them seem rather formidable.
Among this group of kobolds, the only kobold child, Nina, sat inside a tree house, worriedly looking down at them.
During training, except for Nina, even the crippled old kobold had to join. This time, too, everyone except Nina was to go on the expedition.
Austin flared his wings and soared down from the Dragon's Nest, looking down at the "army" he painstakingly built, nodding in satisfaction, feeling a sense of fulfillment rising within him.
"It's just a pity that weapons are a major issue."
Both Austin and the kobold troops were veritable paupers, without even a single piece of iron between them. The kobolds still had to use stone tools to make various implements during production.
The spears they held were created by arduously hacking down some hard, straight trees with a Stone Knife, then shaping them on stones.
Originally, in Austin's imagination, these kobolds should wield a Wooden Shield in one hand and a Wooden Spear in the other, ready to attack and defend, transforming into a killing machine through mutual cooperation.
To realize this idea, Austin had long ordered the kobolds to gather vines so that when making Wooden Shields, they could use the tough vines for reinforcement. But at the last moment, they found they had no suitable iron tools to cut wood and make qualified wooden shields. Helplessly, they had to make do with training using only the Wooden Spears.
"When I have time, I'll need to quickly develop copper refining, iron-smelting, and other metallurgical work...."
With such a thought in mind, Austin landed on the ground with a thump, the sand and dust kicked up by the airflow sweeping across.
"This time's operation is to eliminate the crocodiles entrenched in that nearby lake. Given your training, working together against those stupid beasts shouldn't be a problem. I don't want any accidents, understood!"
His authoritative voice rang like muffled thunder, shaking their spirits and souls.
Upon hearing this target, the kobold group visibly stirred but quickly regained their composure, thanks to a month's worth of rigorous training.
"Good, then let's move out!"
Austin nodded in satisfaction, his azure wings unfurling, causing his entire body to swell by more than twice its size. With a whoosh of wind, his body ascended into the sky, flying towards a lake with the orderly kobold troops following closely behind....