What truly concerns the military isn’t these honorific weapons and armor.

  They all realize Henwell is about to expand the army.

  Sure enough, after keeping the staff members on board, Henwell announces the expansion pn.

  But it’s not quite what everyone expected. Henwell doesn’t intend to expand immediately, but to proceed gradually.

  This time, he pns to form two new legions, fewer than most anticipated.

  Next year, Peace Haven’s Fourth Legion and the Second Garrison Legion will be established.

  The commanders for these two legions are already decided. Agnico, former commander of the First Defense Battle Group, will lead the Fourth Legion.

  Orus, deputy commander of the First Garrison Legion, will be transferred to command the newly formed Second Garrison Legion.

  Agnico is one of the young gdiators and a core member of Pi’s forces.

  Orus has followed Henwell since he first arrived in Peace Haven and is a key figure among the local faction.

  Henwell appoints leaders from both factions to bance power.

  But more importantly, it’s about personal capability, both have performed best in legion-level campaigns.

  Their military skills and personal strength make them the top choices for commanding the new legions.

  Henwell pns to build the structure for these new legions after his wedding.

  Officer appointments will start next year, with full troop recruitment completed the year after.

  Half of the officers will be graduates from the Military Academy.

  Henwell wants to try reforms and see which is better: officers trained in the academy or those forged in battle.

  Besides that, the gradual formation of these two legions also considers political factors.

  Everyone knows Peace Haven’s military power is formidable, holding three elite legions already unsettles neighboring forces.

  If Henwell loudly forms two new legions like the Vorry Kingdom, it will likely provoke backsh.

  An arms race could erupt, escating tensions and damaging trade and diplomatic exchanges, outcomes Henwell wants to avoid.

  Moreover, King Amir is pnning to form six legions to establish the Southwestern Military Command of the Vorry Kingdom. Henwell forming two legions simultaneously would look like a direct challenge.

  Embarrassing a king isn’t wise; people’s moods change.

  Don’t seek momentary satisfaction or petty disputes that leave you at a disadvantage.

  Henwell dislikes empty dispys, substance in hand is what truly matters.

  Of course, if he can have both substance and face, Henwell wouldn’t refuse.

  Forming the new legions is something that will happen gradually ter on. For now, Henwell just wants to give the senior commanders a heads-up so they can prepare for the adjustments.

  When the two new legions are formed, some seasoned veterans will be pulled from existing legions. It can’t be all fresh recruits, as that would seriously hurt combat effectiveness.

  How many veterans to pull, from which legions, and which elite units to transfer. Those details inevitably lead to squabbling and finger-pointing among the officers below.

  As long as it’s not excessive, Henwell stays out of the dispute.

  If the new legion commanders can’t secure enough elite veterans, then they might as well refuse the job!

  There’s another issue: Peace Haven’s First Cavalry Battle Group is already overstrength.

  A cavalry group with 11,000 troops sounds awkward.

  Henwell orders it reorganized into the Peace Haven First Cavalry Legion, including the logistics battalion, totaling 13,000 soldiers.

  Maintaining a fully formed cavalry force is still necessary for the current style of warfare.

  The former Trade Route Patrol Battalion is officially renamed the Cavalry Battle Regiment.

  As Peace Haven’s influence expands and commerce flourishes, the need for escort forces grows too.

  Besides patrolling Peace Haven itself, the Cavalry Battle Regiment also handles mobile support during border skirmishes.

  In intelligence reports from various factions, the Cavalry Battle Regiment is recognized as a semi-official armed force of Peace Haven.

  Its involvement differs fundamentally from deploying regur legions directly.

  The regiment’s existence is crucial. Not only can it be deployed in border conflicts, but it also provides significant security for merchant caravans traveling through Peace Haven.

  All caravan leaders know one thing: once inside Peace Haven’s borders, they no longer have to worry about being robbed.

  After the military conference ends, Henwell summons Simon, the commander of the Lord Iron Guards.

  “Sir, the Lord Iron Guards currently number 369, with 37 on leave and the rest on duty. In the Iron Guard training camp, there are over 900 knight attendants undergoing training. By the end of the year, we expect over 30 more qualified members. At that point, the total will surpass 400, and the captain for the Fourth Squad will be up to you to decide…”

  The Lord Iron Guards have a decent headcount, but most are regur guards.

  Only through selection and by serving directly under Henwell do they earn the prestigious Iron Guard title.

  People often say the cavalry and garrison legions are aggressive when recruiting, but the most ruthless in snatching talent within Peace Haven’s military system is the Lord Iron Guards.

  They have first pick rights from the recruit camp and can pull personnel directly from any legion or even the Military Academy.

  And they never miss. The question is, which soldier in Peace Haven wouldn’t want to serve close to Henwell?

  With the official role of protecting Henwell, the Lord Iron Guards’ recruitment is untouchable; legion commanders can’t object.

  What frustrates those legion commanders most is when their elite soldiers or outstanding junior officers get selected into the Iron Guard training camp but then might be returned months ter.

  That’s a real blow!

  Each year, the Lord Iron Guards select 1,000 candidates. Previously, the graduation standards were lower.

  If a knight attendant performs well and shows talent, they could join the Lord Iron Guards.

  But after the Blood Battle transformation, the graduation bar has been raised significantly.

  Now, only those who reach the Knight rank are considered basically qualified.

  Next, these knight Iron Guards must pass various tests: assassination and counter-assassination, reconnaissance and pursuit, erasing traces, intelligence gathering, capturing and interrogation…

  Out of the 1,000 candidates annually, only a few dozen graduate to officially join the Lord Iron Guards and move into the Blood Hill Manor.

  The assessments are extremely rigorous, and most are eliminated.

  Those who don’t make it return to their original units and are immediately promoted by one rank as a basic compensation.

  After all, the Iron Guard selection process is personally designed by Henwell.

  Henwell often teaches courses at the Iron Guard camp himself, practically handcrafting these guards.

  As long as they’re not total failures, even those who train for a year and are ter eliminated are exceptionally talented.

  Many mid-level officers across the legions come from the Iron Guard training camp.

  They all carry an extraordinary alloy longsword issued by the Iron Guard camp. It’s a memento for those who didn’t make the final cut.

  But in the army, that sword is a symbol of honor!