After announcing the destination of Group One, the knight continued reading from the paper.
"Group Two will be sent to the Main Base of Battlefield No. 1."
Upon hearing the announcement, the candidates of Group Two visibly relaxed. Some even let out quiet sighs of relief.
There was a good reason for their reaction.
Among the five battlefields of the Eastern Dukedom, Battlefield No. 1 was considered one of the safest.
It was located relatively close to the Dukedom's capital, making it one of the most heavily guarded battlefields. Due to its strategic importance and proximity to the capital, it regularly received military supplies, reinforcements, and other resources from the Dukedom.
Furthermore, Group Two wasn't even being sent to a frontline base. They would be stationed at the Main Base itself.
For newly recruited soldiers, the Main Base of Battlefield No. 1 was widely regarded as one of the safest places to begin their military service.
After announcing the destination of Group Two, the knight continued.
"Group Three will be sent to Frontline Base No. 7 of Battlefield No. 4."
"Group Four will be sent to Frontline Base No. 9 of Battlefield No. 2."
As the destinations of the two groups were announced, the reactions among the candidates varied.
Some appeared relieved, while others couldn't hide the uneasiness on their faces. After all, neither group had been sent to a Main Base.
They would be stationed at the front lines.
Although the danger varied from one battlefield to another, being assigned to a frontline base meant that they would inevitably be exposed to the threat of Demonic forces.
The knight didn't pay much attention to their reactions and continued reading.
"Group Five will be sent to Frontline Base No. 10 of Battlefield No. 5."
The moment those words echoed across the training grounds, the expressions of Group Five changed.
Unlike the previous groups, not a single person could be seen showing any signs of relief.
Instead, their faces turned grim.
Group Five was Aether's group.
Even Aether, who had been quietly listening to the announcements, couldn't help but feel his heart sink.
He wasn't the only one. Almost everyone in his group wore an unpleasant expression.
There was a very good reason for their reaction.
Battlefield No. 5 was the most dangerous battlefield in the entire Eastern Dukedom.
It was where some of the fiercest and most frequent clashes between the military and the Demonic forces took place.
And among all the frontline bases within that battlefield, Frontline Base No. 10 was considered one of the most dangerous locations.
It was under constant threat of Demonic attacks, with battles breaking out almost every day.
For experienced soldiers, being stationed there was already a dangerous undertaking.
For newly recruited soldiers who had barely begun their military journey?
It was practically a one-way ticket to hell.
After finishing the announcements, the knight turned towards Rowan Brooks and gave a slight bow, indicating that he had completed his task.
Having received no further instructions, he stepped back and returned to his previous position at the side of the stage.
Once the knight had left, Rowan Brooks stepped forward and stood at the front of the platform.
His cold gaze slowly swept across the five groups of candidates.
He didn't speak immediately.
Instead, he allowed his intimidating presence to settle over the training grounds, carefully observing the reactions of the people standing below.
After a brief silence, he finally spoke.
"Now that all of you have been assigned to your respective military bases, there is something you must understand."
His deep voice echoed throughout the training grounds.
"From the moment you arrive at your assigned bases, you will be required to follow the orders of your superiors without question. The military operates on discipline and a strict chain of command. Disobedience will not be tolerated."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"Anyone found disobeying orders will be severely punished. And depending on the severity of the offence, the punishment may even extend to execution."
As soon as those words fell, the atmosphere across the training grounds grew noticeably heavier.
Rowan remained silent for a while, allowing his words to sink into the minds of the candidates.
His cold, menacing gaze once again swept across the assembled groups.
He turned his attention towards the candidates.
Only after a short while, he spoke again.
"All of you are to report here tomorrow at 8:00 AM. Your assigned Knight Captains will meet you here and escort you to your respective military bases."
"That is all."
With that, Rowan stepped back, having finished addressing the newly recruited candidates.
After delivering his final words, Rowan turned around and walked off the stage, leaving the training grounds without another glance at the candidates.
In the world of Athallint, the Knight Order followed a ranking system consisting of ten distinct ranks.
These ranks were established according to the cultivation realms, with each Knight Rank corresponding to a particular level of cultivation.
The five ranks introduced to the candidates were as follows:
1. Initiate Knight: Equivalent to a cultivator who has reached the 9th Stage of Body Tempering.
2. Bronze Knight: Equivalent to a cultivator in the Mana Awakening Realm, from the 1st to the 9th Stage.
3. Silver Knight: Equivalent to a cultivator in the Mana Refinement Realm, from the 1st to the 9th Stage.
4. Gold Knight: Equivalent to a cultivator in the Vein Awakening Realm, from the 1st to the 9th Stage.
5. Platinum Knight: Equivalent to a cultivator in the Core Condensation Realm, from the 1st to the 9th Stage.
Among these ranks, Silver Knights held the position of Squad Captains and were responsible for leading and commanding their respective squads.
That was all the information regarding the Knight Ranking System that had been revealed to Aether and the other candidates.
After the announcement, all five groups were dismissed.
With nothing else left to do, Aether returned to his assigned barracks.
The day had certainly been eventful. He had learned about the cultivation realms, discovered the military structure of the Eastern Dukedom, and, most importantly, learned about the dangerous place where he and his fellow candidates would soon be stationed.
Now, all he could do was wait.
Tomorrow, he would meet his assigned Knight Captain and begin his journey towards Battlefield No. 5.
The day of his departure was drawing near.