The next morning.
The wooden door opened with a stiff, long-unused creak.
A shaft of grayish-white light pierced through, dispelling the lingering chill in the room.
Lynn squinted, adjusting to the long-unseen brightness.
"Come out."
The guard's voice was devoid of emotion, simply carrying out an order.
Lynn was not taken back to the Executioner's Block, nor was he led to a deeper Dungeon.
He was brought to the Castle Courtyard.
The biting air filled his lungs, carrying the lingering clang of metal and the charred aroma of roasted meat drifting from the distant kitchen.
This vibrant atmosphere gave him a sense of being in another world.
Lynn's body was recovering.
The energy from the hot soup and bread was slowly mending his body, which had been hollowed out by hunger and cold.
Two guards stood behind him like door gods, neither too close nor too far.
It was both a watch and a silent warning.
Lynn's range of activity was limited to this small area of the Courtyard.
His gaze swept around.
Not far away, Robb Stark, the heir to Winterfell, was sparring with Ser Rodrik Cassel, the master-at-arms.
Wooden swords clashed, making dull thudding sounds.
Robb's movements were steady and powerful, precise and earnest, a seriousness beyond his years.
On the other side, Theon Greyjoy was practicing archery.
His posture was elegant, each arrow drawing quiet cheers from a few nearby servants.
But his eyes always unconsciously glanced at Robb, carrying a hint of barely concealed rivalry.
Sansa Stark was learning embroidery.
Arya Stark, however, was making a mess of her embroidery.
Everything was full of life.
A rough, resilient vitality, unique to the North.
Lynn walked over to Ser Rodrik Cassel to watch their sparring.
Ser Rodrik Cassel was an experienced instructor, always able to pinpoint Robb's weaknesses with sharp accuracy.
No wonder he could train young men like Robb and Jon Snow, who possessed impressive swordsmanship.
Seeing Lynn 'learning on the sly' nearby, Ser Rodrik Cassel did not chase him away. Instead, he stopped his movements and beckoned.
"Lad, you've been watching for a while. If you want to learn, come over. What are you sneaking around for?"
The blunt straightforwardness characteristic of the North.
Lynn did not stand on ceremony and walked straight over.
"Ser, I want to learn the Two-Handed Greatsword. Can you teach me?"
Ser Rodrik Cassel was a little surprised.
He sized Lynn up, then stepped forward to pinch his arm and shoulder, finally shaking his head.
"With your build, a One-handed sword would be just right. You're still a bit lacking to learn a Two-Handed Greatsword. Even if you could wield a greatsword, you probably wouldn't be able to unleash its proper power. Don't aim too high; start with the basics."
Lynn had already mastered the One-handed sword and naturally had no interest in learning it again. He insisted,
"Ser, I still want to see your greatsword."
Seeing Lynn's persistence, Rodrik scratched his thick white beard, looking troubled.
At this moment, Robb, who was leaning on his iron sword and catching his breath, spoke up.
"Ser Rodrik, if he wants to learn, just teach him a few moves. Let him hit a wall, and he'll naturally settle down."
With the Young Wolf's words, Ser Rodrik Cassel no longer hesitated.
He took a heavy training Two-Handed Greatsword from the weapon rack and tossed it to Lynn.
"Hold it steady."
"Clang!"
Lynn reached out with both hands to catch it, but he underestimated the weight of the thing. The greatsword nearly slipped from his grasp, making his wrists tingle.
Rodrik showed a surprised expression.
"I didn't expect you to have some foundation. In that case, I'll teach you."
"But at your current level, it's still a struggle."
The greatsword felt cold and rough in his hands. The entire weight of the sword pressed down on Lynn's forearms, making him feel as if he wasn't holding a sword, but carrying an iron pillar.
Ser Rodrik Cassel shook his head and easily took the greatsword from Lynn's hands.
Rodrik's strength was great; Lynn estimated he had 8 points, which was related to his sturdy physique. He handled the heavy weapon with ease.
"Watch closely, lad."
"The essence of the greatsword lies in brute force, in momentum!"
"Of course, you can't make this thing fancy either."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ser Rodrik Cassel sank his body slightly, twisted his waist and abdomen, and moved his arm in response.
The heavy blade cut through the air, creating a dull whoosh!
There were no fancy moves, just a simple horizontal sweep, yet it carried an unstoppable momentum, as if it could cleave everything in its path in two.
"Every swing of it must utilize the rotation of the body, driving the shoulder with the waist and abdomen, then transferring it to the arm, and finally to the sword."
"With your build, though you have some core strength, the sword is very difficult to control; you'll only be dragged along by it."
Ser Rodrik Cassel handed the sword back to Lynn.
"You try again."
Lynn mimicked his posture, lowered his center of gravity, and tried to twist his waist and abdomen.
But the sword was simply too heavy. Lynn, imitating Rodrik's earlier movements, swung the sword limply, without any momentum, more like he was flailing a wooden stake.
Robb watched from the side, shaking his head, but there was no mockery in his eyes, only a hint of something strange.
'This kid actually managed to swing it.'
'Goodness, this kid has some tricks.'
He muttered to himself.
If Lynn had a bit more strength, he might actually be able to use a greatsword!
Just as Lynn was desperately trying to grasp the "momentum" Rodrik spoke of, a cold notification sound rang in his mind.
Ding! Detected learnable skill 'Two-Handed Greatsword'.
Learning requirement: Strength >= 7
Your current Strength attribute is insufficient; you cannot master this skill.
Lynn's movements paused.
Not enough strength...
Skills also had requirements for learning?
Well, if learning a skill meant ignoring physical attributes and directly applying it in combat, then this System would be too overpowered.
Now was not the time. Rodrik wasn't going anywhere anyway. Lynn put down the greatsword and bowed earnestly to Ser Rodrik Cassel.
"Thank you for your guidance, Ser."
After all that effort, though he hadn't learned the skill, he had gained a new understanding of how to use strength.
More importantly, he had found a clear short-term goal.
'This kid, though overestimating himself, has a decent attitude.'
Meanwhile, Robb walked over, carrying his sword, and clapped Lynn on the shoulder, a hint of inquiry on his face.
"How does it feel? Still want to learn?"
"I wanted to learn it too back then, but the result was the same as yours."
Robb was kind and did not look down on Lynn just because he was a deserter; he was sincere and straightforward.
Lynn grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth.
"Of course, if I get the chance, I will definitely seek Ser Rodrik's guidance again."
Rodrik nodded in agreement.
'This kid, Lynn, seems quite talented,' he thought, not being a petty man, and immediately said,
"Lad, if you want to learn in the future, just come directly to me. As long as I have time, I'll definitely teach you. But before you come, you should train your body well first."
Just then, a hurried hoofbeat broke the tranquility of the Courtyard.
A messenger, covered in snow, rushed in through the Castle gate.
He stumbled as he dismounted, his face filled with alarm.
"My Lord (Duke)!"
He rushed towards Eddard Stark, who was watching his sons train.
Robb and Ser Rodrik Cassel, who were sparring, stopped.
Theon also put down his longbow.
Everyone's gaze focused on the messenger.
"Another caravan..."
The messenger's voice was very low.
But in the silent Courtyard, a few words still drifted into Lynn's ears on the wind.
"White Knife..."
"...not a single survivor."
Eddard Stark's usually calm face instantly frosted over.
The air around him suddenly grew heavy.
"This is a provocation against the North!"
Robb's young face was filled with anger, his hand gripping the hilt of his wooden sword tightly.
"Father, let me go!"
"Just a bunch of rats hiding in the sewers."
Theon Greyjoy walked over, a hint of bloodthirsty excitement on his face.
"Leave it to me, My Lord (Duke), I promise to hang their heads on the Castle walls."
Eddard ignored them.
He simply gave a brief order to the Captain of the Guard beside him.
"Gather the men."
"Clear them out."
The Captain of the Guard bowed in acknowledgment and immediately turned to execute the order.
Eddard then turned to Robb.
"You come with me."
This meant taking him into the council chamber.
A clear signal.
The Young Wolf of Winterfell was about to formally participate in a military cleanup operation in the North for the first time.
The group quickly walked towards the main keep.
In the Courtyard, only Lynn remained, guarded by two soldiers.
Lynn's heart began to beat powerfully.
Not out of fear.
But because of an irrepressible... desire.
Enemy Slaying System.
To gain experience, he had to kill enemies.
And now, enemies had appeared.
They were not nobles, not soldiers, just a group of lawless bandits.
Killing them would cause no trouble, nor would it invite retaliation from any House.
They were perfect experience points.
This was his chance.
His only chance to break free from his prisoner status and truly control his destiny!
When Eddard and Robb emerged from the main keep with grave expressions, Lynn moved.
He took a step forward.
The guards behind him immediately reached out and pressed his shoulders.
"Stop!"
"Let him speak."
Eddard Stark's voice rang out.
He stopped and turned around.
His gray eyes, like deep pools, quietly watched Lynn.
The guards released him.
Lynn met everyone's gaze, straightened his worn black clothes, and bowed slightly.
"My Lord (Duke)."
Lynn's voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear.
"You gave me my life. This kindness, I have no way to repay."
Theon Greyjoy let out a scoff.
"A deserter also knows gratitude?"
Lynn ignored him, only looking at Eddard.
"Prophecies are words on the wind; time will eventually prove everything."
"But now, loyalty needs to be proven with action."
Lynn's gaze turned to the assembling guards, to the sharp blades and cold armor.
"I hear that bandits are rampaging through your lands, slaughtering your people."
"They threaten the safety of the North; they are enemies of the entire North."
Lynn raised his head, looking directly into Eddard Stark's eyes.
"I am not a knight, nor do I have a title."
"But before I wore the black, I also fought to survive."
"Please allow me to join the clearing party."
"Let me use the blood of those bandits to wash away my shame, to prove my value."
"My life was given by you, and you can take it back at any time."
"But please, first let me fight for the North."
The Courtyard fell silent.
Everyone looked at Lynn with an incredulous gaze.
A prisoner who had just been begging for his life on the Executioner's Block was now volunteering to face brutal bandits.
Robb's face was filled with surprise.
Theon's lips curled in a sneer, as if he were watching a crazy person overestimating himself.
Maester Luwin stood behind Eddard, his gray eyebrows tightly furrowed.
Eddard Stark remained silent for a long time.
He just looked at Lynn.
He looked at his pale face, his worn clothes, and his eyes that still burned with fire in the cold winds of the North.
This man was full of mysteries.
His request, under the honor code of the North, sounded somewhat... noble.
To wash away the shame of being a deserter with the blood of enemies.
To prove his loyalty with action.
This was very Northern.
This was very... Stark.
"What makes you think you can?"
Eddard finally spoke, his voice cold.
Lynn answered quickly.
"If I die at the hands of the bandits, you'll have one less problem."
"If I survive and kill the enemies, then I will have proven that I am not a useless person who only talks big."
Eddard's gaze lingered on his face for a long time.
So long that Lynn could almost hear his own heart pounding in his chest.
"Hullen."
Eddard called the Captain of the Guard's name.
"Give him a sword."
The Captain of the Guard paused, but immediately bowed.
"Yes, My Lord (Duke)."
Eddard's gaze returned to Lynn.
"You'll go with Robb's party."
"Don't disappoint me."
With that, Eddard Stark turned and strode away.
In Lynn's vision, the blue panel seemed to brighten a little.
Name: Lynn
Strength: 5 (Normal adult 3)
Agility: 5 (Normal adult 3)
Constitution: 5 (Normal adult 3)
After a night of rest, his body had fully recovered to its peak state!
Moreover, among the old Night's Watch members, these attributes were also excellent, considered above average.
Killing some bandits, who were ordinary people and some couldn't even properly use weapons, would be easy.