Mercenary System: I can increase innate potential !

"Chill27."

A silence fell.

"Chill... what?"

"Chill27, that's my nickname." replied the teenager, very seriously.

"And what does it mean?" asked Maxime, his curiosity piqued by the nickname.

"It's my secret." replied Chill27 firmly.

Maxime didn't press the point, although he did wonder what the nickname could mean, particularly the number 27.

"Okay... and what's your first name, anyway?"

"My uncle always told me to use a nickname with strangers. Only when you find them trustworthy can you give them your real first name."

Maxime was amused to hear this. The young teenager was implying very clearly that they were not trustworthy.

But Maxime didn't hold it against him, it was even rather logical that he should think that, although it did sound a bit too direct an approach.

"And do you know why the villagers are so suspicious of us?" Maxime asked, with a certain curiosity.

"Isn't it obvious?" Chill27 looked at Maxime like he was an idiot.

"It's because you don't have a flag. Without a banner or other distinctive signs, you look like bandits to them." he finally explained calmly.

Maxime understood immediately. In this world, not showing that you belong somewhere meant being a stranger, and strangers often meant danger.

But a smile appeared on Maxime's face, as he became increasingly intrigued by the young teenager in front of him.

"And you, aren't you afraid?"

The boy shrugged.

"Fear isn't going to fill my stomach, so I don't have much choice."

Maxime laughed out loud. Laura, who was standing nearby, also smiled when she heard these words.

Although it brought back some bad memories.

"Very well, Chill27. As soon as we have gathered all our men, you will show us the way."

On hearing these words, the young teenager held out his palm to him, looking him straight in the eye.

Although he was bold, Chill27 knew that if he didn't do this, the guys who hired him might go back on their word.

"This kid really has a sense of business..." Maxime thought discreetly as he took 10 silver coins out of his pocket and gave them to the boy.

Seeing the 10 coins sparkling in the palm of his hand, Chill27 was surprised.

"That much?"

He had never received such a high reward in the past.

But he needed the money, so he said nothing. But Maxime saw right through him and sensed his surprise.

"The mountains are risky, I think it's a very adequate reward," Maxime explained in a gentle tone.

The nearby mercenaries said nothing; on the contrary, some of them smiled at the scene.

Although many of them had initially joined the mercenary group for the money, it wasn't just their leader's talent that made them so loyal to the mercenary group.

It was Maxime's character. Although he was not without flaws, his qualities more than made up for them. And generosity was one of them.

For their part, all the mercenaries had a salary of one gold coin, if not a little more depending on what they negotiated with Tena. But very few of them managed to negotiate more than one gold coin in salary with her.

One gold coin being the income of an ordinary peasant in one year's work, they were not to be pitied.

Of course, it was the salary they all deserved, otherwise who would be willing to lick the knife every day?

While waiting for the mercenaries in the village to do their thing, Maxime decided to find out a little more about this young boy.

Maxime sat down on a large rock, which meant that Chill27 no longer had to look up to talk; on the contrary, it was now he who was looking down.

"So, tell me, Chill27... How long have you been a guide?"

The teenager gave him a strange look.

"You really ask a lot of questions, sir."

"I like to get to know the people to whom I entrust part of my life."

Chill27 smiled.

"That's a valid reason."

Then he began to answer Maxime's previous question.

"I've been a guide since my uncle died. I sometimes accompany the village's merchants or hunters, but most of the time I'm alone with my dogs."

When he spoke of his uncle, Maxime detected a hint of sadness in Chill27, but the latter hid it very cleverly.

Maxime nodded, without dwelling on it any further, then glanced at the three animals surrounding the boy.

They seemed as alert as they were loyal. One of them, a large, thick-furred mastiff, stared at him intensely as if analyzing his every move.

"And them? Have you had them long?" asked Maxime, pointing to the dogs by the chin.

A fleeting smile appeared on Chill27's face. He leaned down to stroke the muzzle of the largest one, who closed his eyes in contentment.

"They're my brothers."

Maxime raised an eyebrow.

"Your brothers?"

"Not by blood, obviously," replied Chill27, laughing and stroking his three dogs, who were standing by his side.

"But they are my family."

Maxime could sense the sincerity in the teenager's words, which made him smile too.

"When I was little and I used to go with my uncle to the mountains, I got lost once. I was really scared and I couldn't find my way anymore, especially since we had climbed quite high."

"As the days went by, I became weaker and weaker, because even though I was pretty good at finding food, it was very difficult to find water. And I quickly ran out of supplies."

"But when I lay down and thought I was going to die, a dog appeared."

"At first I was scared, but Malof, my dog now, brought me back down the mountain using his own strength."

On hearing this story, Maxime was more than astonished. Especially when he looked at the dog, which was no taller than his own ankle.

"What strength and willpower." he thought, looking at the dog in question, who seemed particularly innocent at that moment.

"Since that day, he has never left me."

As he said this, Chill27 looked particularly happy and proud of his dog.

"Later, I found my second and third dogs in the Kadis mountains, and like Malof, as soon as I found them, they decided to stay with me."

At first, it could have been just a good story mixed with luck, but hearing what happened next, Maxime had a hunch.

"It's strange, could he have a talent for animals, and especially for dog breeds?" he thought silently, observing the teenager in front of him.

Then he looked at the dogs, and observed them more closely.

And he noticed something very surprising.

These dogs were nothing like the classic village animals, and yet he had seen many. They were powerfully muscled, their eyes were lively, and they had a special intelligence in their gaze.

"They look like they've been well trained."

"I train them myself, every day. These mountains do not forgive the weak," replied Chill27 immediately.

Hearing these words from a young boy, Maxime was slightly surprised.

Then he smiled, mixed with a little bitterness. This teenager, despite his young age, already seemed to have the mentality of a survivor.

Obviously, the death of his uncle, who was also the only person who had raised him, meant that his maturity had developed much faster than normal.

Before Maxime could say anything else, one of the dogs barked softly, looking up towards the entrance to the village.

Maxime turned his gaze and saw his men gradually returning, some carrying bags full of provisions and new equipment.

He sat up and placed a hand on the teenager's shoulder.

"Well, it looks like it's time to go."

The mercenaries returning from the village began to slow down when they saw a young boy at their leader's side.

"It looks like the boss and Laura are now parents..." Charles muttered to the other mercenaries nearby.

"I hear you, Charles," said Maxime loudly and curtly.

On hearing his name, Charles froze momentarily before giving an embarrassed laugh.

"Haha, it was just a joke, boss."

But he was secretly thinking:

"Damn, the boss's physique is really terrifying to have such hearing."

But Maxime wasn't the only one who had heard that. Jean, who had the wind as his talent, also heard Charles' words and started to laugh.

Some mercenaries nearby whispered to Jean to share what Charles had said, but at a glance from Maxime, they all froze momentarily before backing away, as if they hadn't asked for anything.

A silence fell.

"If you get lost in the mountains, don't count on me to sniff your ass and find you."

Chill27 knew that the young man not far away must have been laughing at him, although he hadn't heard anything. Naturally, he wasn't going to take that lying down.

His words momentarily stopped the mercenaries who had just arrived from following in their footsteps.

Then most of the mercenaries burst out laughing.

"The boy has courage." said Romuald, putting his hand on Charles' shoulder as if to console him.

Charles rolled his eyes before smiling and saying,

"We won't get lost if we have a good guide."

Chill27 also smiled when he heard Charles' answer.

He was used to spending time with provocative people, and he had become provocative himself because otherwise the strong men didn't trust him.

You really had to have a quick tongue.

Otherwise, without the trust of his 'clients', accidents could easily happen. In the very beginning, this happened often, as he didn't have much character.

However, at that time, he didn't have a nickname, so his 'clients' couldn't make fun of him about it.

His young age was more than enough to ensure he wasn't taken seriously.

He didn't have a nickname at the beginning because a particular event had not yet happened, and despite much thought, he couldn't find a nickname that suited him.

But in any case, he had learned to defend himself with his words, since it wasn't possible to do so with his weak physical strength.

It was difficult at first, but as time went by, he gained in conviction and self-confidence.

So much so that when he found his nickname and announced it for the first time, he had no trouble gaining the trust of the men he was guiding that day.

Of course, he could also defend himself with his dogs. He himself knew how ferocious his dogs could be.

But even if his dogs were strong, they weren't necessarily as strong as well-equipped men. And if, by some misfortune, his dogs were injured through his fault, he would feel enormous remorse.

Maximus, who had been watching the scene with amusement, raised a hand to calm his men.

"Enough joking. Chill27 knows the mountain better than anyone here. You'd better listen to him, otherwise you risk losing your life."

His tone was not threatening, but there was no doubt in his voice.

The mercenaries stopped laughing, realizing that their leader was only half joking.

Soon, led by Chill27 and Maxime, who was standing right next to him, the group of forty men or so entered the forest that lined the sides of the mountain.