Fate Online: Shadow

If only Michael had looked more into the life of Dylan's family after his death. Then he would have learned that Black Skull had tried to harm Tina and her mother, and it was only because of the protection of the unassuming and flirty Emma that they had managed to live normally after that, and wasn't harmed by the people from Black Skull.

Sadly, he didn't, or else he would have known Emma's true identity.

And if Michael had learned about it, he would probably become so shocked that his jaws would dropped on the ground.

"Young lady, you're really amazing. Your commanding skills are already on par with some of our commanders, maybe even better" Colonel Shin was walking beside Emma and the rest as they traversed through a path cleared by the soldiers inside the forest.

"Your ability to command a small troop is amazing, if we have ten more of you with courage and leadership, then the Empire wouldn't be constantly harassed by those annoying kingdoms at the Western and Southern Border and the monsters from this shitty place" Shin praised her, which made Emma somewhat shy and annoyed at the same time, as she felt a bit uncomfortable being watched by hundreds of users and soldiers alike, gazes contained with envy and admiration.

Then Shin turned his head towards Emma, his face full of seriousness and said, " By the right as an Imperial Knight of the Empire, I hereby wish to appoint you, a Three Hundred Man Commander. Would accept my proposal young lady?"

"Huh?"

"HU~H!?"

The people around her exclaimed in shock, that it even caused a slight delay in their marching speed because the people at the back had suddenly bumped into the other users in front of them who remained rooted on the ground from the stunning news.

Even Michael raised an eyebrow as he didn't expect Emma to received an offer to become a soldier, and even the rank of a Company Commander at that, and he knows... He knows that she would probably received a Unique Title from this.

After all, an unprecedented event like this where a user was offered a position in the army had never occurred before, and this would become the first when she accepts it.

While Emma on the other hand covered her mouth in shock as she stared in disbelief at the window floating in front of her.

You have received a job offer!

If you accept it, you will take a military position of a Company Commander in the army of Sunrise Empire. You will take command of three hundred foot soldiers. You are entitled to receive regular training, and a monthly income of five gold. Will you accept his job offer?

A military officer, commanding three hundred men would certainly make many to become envious of her and would certainly accept it without even thinking, but Emma wasn't someone like them, as she just wants to live freely.

"I really appreciate that you think highly of me Colonel, but...I can only respectfully reject your offer" Emma smiled apologetically at Shin.

"Perfect! Once we return to the Empire then the General will...wait, did you just say that you're rejecting my offer?" Shin was smiling at first, then suddenly his face was covered in disbelief while looking at the woman walking beside him.

"Why?" Shin said with confusion, even Michael and the rest were surprised by her decision as they expected her to accept it.

It was understandable, because except for Harrison and Rick, no one really knows her true identity. After all in the real world, just one order from her and thousands of people would move under her desires.

So being a leader of three hundred men is not really appealing to her.

"It's because I'm someone who values my freedom and doesn't want to be bound by the restrictions of an army, and it's also because I want to travel around the world and learn all of the different cultures of the people in the continent, and help those in need of my help. If you ever need my help or if there ever would be a time where the Empire needs someone of someone of my capabilities, then I would gladly traverse hundreds of miles to offer my services to the Empire"

"Your principles are well understood, Lady Hilda. The doors to the Imperial Army will always be open for you if you ever change your mind" Colonel Shin said to her with a contented look on his face.

"I will leave you with your friends then, as the General might want to know of your decision"

"Yes, please offer my apologies to the General in my stead"

After that, Shin jumped on the back of his large wolf and departed with his soldiers, as they made their way towards the head of the expedition force.

When they saw Shin and the rest had already travelled far away from them, Tina quickly elbowed Emma lightly and said, "I don't believe whatever nonsense that you've just spouted there, so tell us the real reason why the heck did you freaking reject him? Chances are, you could have become a General if you only worked hard for a bit"

"Hehehe, I haven't even travelled outside the Empire, why would I suddenly restrict myself in a single place? I'd rather enjoy playing the game than leading some soldiers" Emma said to them as she chuckled, while she stealthily glanced at Harrison from the corner of her eyes.

But Harrison on the other hand has a relieved look on his face while thinking, 'Good thing she didn't accept his offer, or else Uncle would kill me if he finds out about it'

It was because Emma is actually considered as one of the main commanders of War Temple, and in the previous games before Fate Online, she even gained the moniker as the Dark Hand because she had always hidden who she is under a cloak, with only a few people who truly knows the person behind the name, Dark Hand, and some had even called her the Zhuge Liang of the western world.

War Temple even almost took the world championship from Wandering Souls last year who was led by Emma. It was just unfortunate that luck wasn't on their side at that time or else the outcome would've been very different.

A week later.

The troops finally arrived at the edge of the Blood Wolves territory, called Blood Forest.

The whole trip was rather uneventful on the way to this place except for the first horde of monsters that ambushed the expedition force when they had just arrived inside the forest. It was because the most monsters along the way was too wary of the large troop of humans, and just watched them from a distance, but there were also some powerful monsters that would sometimes attack them from time to time, causing a decrease in their numbers.

From the original two hundred users, only over a hundred users managed to survive so far while the NPC soldiers only suffered minor casualties in their ranks.

This result made Emma dissatisfied, it was because their group of users are lacking in skills and good quality equipment, or else their casualty rate would have been lower.

But no one is depressed, as every user gained two to three levels during the trip and they even got a lot of items from common to rare quality equipment.

And during the duration of the week, Emma was once again offered the second time to become a military officer, where even General Ouki came over and personally asked her, which truly amazed the other users, and Michael had finally became interested in her. After all, someone like her shouldn't have an ordinary background with a leadership talent like her.

And currently, Michael is equipped with rare and higher quality items from head to toe during this trip.

His uncommon grade bastard had even become a rare grade buster type broadsword.

"Men! Make camp for the night, and set up a perimeter within a hundred meter radius and also deploy the alarm runes!" a soldier donned in military armor are giving orders to the soldiers from left to right.

"Let's also make camp" Michael said to them, as he and his group started setting up camp, while the other users also came over and started to set their camps near them.

*****

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