Four months fshed by in the blink of an eye.

  During this time, I trained a batch of local recruits. Honestly, those veteran kids I once looked up to now almost look like adorable puppies. They bark and test, trying to run and take the lead, needing a bit of disciplining to fall into line.

  At first, they showed some dissatisfaction with me, a retively short man around their age, instructing them as a superior. But throwing a bit of bloodlust here and there made them honest. If need be, I also used a vane cane to give them a few love taps.

  Anyway, by disciplining them, I received the Drill Sergeant Css, which also gave me the Disciplining Ability. Additionally, teaching them how to practice the Legionary Breathing Technique gave me the Teacher Css and the Teaching ability. They didn't have css evolutions, but their effects were impressive.

  From the start, my familiarity with the Legionary Breathing Technique and fighting already made me a competent instructor. However, by increasing these two csses and abilities, my little group was not only more disciplined, but also better at fighting. Additionally, while I couldn't truly help them practice, I could more easily identify their bottlenecks, thus enabling them to break through more easily. That was also why all of them reached the General Warrior realm.

  Honestly? The best Centurions, like Erock, could probably do the same as I, if not better. Of course, that was akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

  But more importantly, after half a year of reaching the Elite Warrior Realm, I reached the Extraordinary Warrior Realm!

  Under the hot summer sun, red Fighting Spirit surrounded my body, fluctuating with every beat of my heart. Inside my body, my fighting spirit vaguely took the form of a ferocious red wolf with a majestic aura, the undisputed alpha of the pack.

  However, there was this final obstacle that tried to prevent me from fully forming it. However, following the instincts that Prestige gave me, I gradually melted this barrier through weak points, and eventually-

  Hum*

  An illusory wolf materialized within me, and I immediately felt a rush of strength flow through every fiber of my being.

  "Success!" My eyes shone brightly, a breath of steam flowing out of my mouth.

  The increase in the simution speed to 32 years per day was proof of my advancement.

  "Of course, having faster simutions only allows me to reach the highest prestige faster. However, the Realm Multiplier doubling again is a tangible boon." I mentally added.

  My sharp ears then heard a small commotion.

  "H-He broke through again..."

  "What a monster..."

  "The God of War himself must have blessed him..."

  "As expected of the uncrowned prince..."

  The surrounding legionaries whispered, eyes full of awe and envy, without a hint of jealousy. I understood what they thought.

  "When someone is too talented, you can't feel jealous about him anymore because you are unable to associate yourself with someone on that level."

  I was honestly also like them before I got the Progress System. As a mere borer, if I heard about a genius this or a prodigy that, I would only dream of reaching that level.

  And in the New Roman Empire, where martial strength is respected, it is even more so. Envious? Then train harder!

  Sure enough, after seeing me break through, the surrounding legionaries started practicing even harder, including the 8-man squad I was teaching.

  At the same time, the Centurion arrived beside me, having stopped his practice, and looked at me with complicated eyes. It was understandable, as he was only in the Elite Warrior Realm.

  "As a Centurion who served in the legion for over 15 years, being surpassed by some young man of common birth must be quite the blow for him." I thought.

  "Sir, congratutions on your breakthrough. It would be best to report to the Camp Prefect as soon as possible..." The Centurion respectfully said.

  "Did he just call me Sir?" I warily thought.

  When a Centurion called me Sir, it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. The man outranked me, after all, both in rank and merit.

  "Thank you, Sir. I will return soon. Please watch over my squad while I am gone, Sir." I respectfully replied, not forgetting my lower rank while subtly reminding him, before leaving.

  As I left, my sensitive ears caught him muttering in embarrassment.

  "I accidentally addressed him as my superior... How clumsy of me..."

  But I ignored it. Everyone has blunders.

  Walking through the base, I soon arrived at the old man's abode and office. And once he saw me, his jaw went sck, his old eyes bulging.

  "You madd, you broke through again?! I thought you would get stuck in the bottleneck for the next year or two! The God of War must be smiling on you."

  "I probably would without the system." I inwardly thought.

  "Yes, Sir. I broke through again." I seriously nodded.

  "You... hah." Primanus facepalmed. "How am I supposed to let you be an Optio if you are that strong? Even the Primus Pilus wouldn't agree."

  I didn't say anything, knowing that this would happen. It was the same problem as st time, just worse. After all, in the entire legion, there were only five individuals in the Extraordinary Realm, all of whom were Centurions of the 1st Cohort. Now, as the 6th Extraordinary Realm powerhouse in the 17th Legion, if I were to become an Optio to any Centurion, including the Primus Pilus, it would cause problems with the power dynamics.

  Of course, I wasn't worried. While it might cause a small logistical headache, I knew how adaptive the legion was. In a sense, our logistical adaptivity was our greatest strength!

  And sure enough-

  "I initially wanted to make you an Optio ad spem ordinis, but now, I need to give you a whole new role... Okay, I thought of something. I will make you Optio Castrorum, effective immediately. That means that, every week, you will attach yourself to a different century within the legion as an acting optio to gain experience. Within a year, or if you accumute enough merit, you will be directly promoted to Junior Centurion. There, problem solved." Primanus nodded to himself, looking proud of his prompt decision.

  "So, I get the same treatment as every Optio, just that I am made to change a century every week?" I strangely asked.

  "Yes. If not for your ck of merit, I would have already promoted you to Junior Centurion. Once you are promoted, I will also give you the 2nd part of the Direwolf Breathing Technique. In the meantime, take a small break from warrior practice and familiarise yourself with the realm. You are advancing too fast." Primanus warily said.

  "Actually, thanks to Prestige, I can very quickly familiarise myself with the realm and continue advancing... But I will take the advice." I thought.

  Indeed, in just a year and four months, I reached something that took the most powerful men in the legion half their lifetime. Taking a short break to learn other things wouldn't hurt.

  "It would have been nice if I had access to magic..." I mentally added.

  Both Concentration and Meditation surpassed lvl 200, meeting the prerequisite to learn magic.

  "Also..." Suddenly, a sly look fshed in the old Camp Prefect's eyes. "You are not in a retionship with a woman yet, are you?"

  Suddenly, I felt as if someone stabbed me through the heart. It was always a sore spot. I couldn't help but look at the familiar system evaluation, which hadn't changed since I got it!

  Women Score: 1(Because 1 is the lowest value.)

  Basically, I was a complete and utter novice when it came to women. Forget about sleeping with one, I don't think I even interacted with a woman properly for a year and a half! Some even jokingly said I'm married to the army.

  But then, it clicked.

  "Wait, why is he suddenly mentioning that? Does he want to introduce me to a distant family member?" I asked myself, feeling suspicious.

  However, I still honestly replied.

  "Yes, Sir. I am not in any retionship with a woman."

  The old Camp Prefect's smile widened, wrinkling his already-wrinkled face.

  "Good... then you don't have any objections if, say, you got engaged to my daughter?"

  My mind went bnk for a moment, taking a beat to restart.

  "I apologize, Sir. It appears I am having hearing problems. Can you repeat that, please?" I said, feeling I had just hallucinated.

  Primanus had an amused look.

  "Boy, you heard me right! I want to betroth my daughter to you."

  I blinked for two seconds, digesting the most confusing thing I have ever heard/seen since I met that scary god.

  "Okay, I am not mishearing things. The old man went senile." I concluded in my mind.

  Of course, saying that to his face would likely result in him beating the crap out of me, so I politely spoke.

  "I am most certainly honored to marry your daughter... but wouldn't it be more fitting to engage her to a fellow equesitarian? I am just a soldier, and my life and death are uncertain."

  I made sure to highlight the problem. I am of low birth, and his daughter may become a widow.

  Contrary to my expectations, the old thing scoffed.

  "I hate the nobles, and I was also a commoner from a lowly birth, a pair of farmers in the boonies. Additionally, I don't want to marry her to a wealthy plebian, since I can't trust them. After all, I only have one daughter and no male heirs... and the one who marries her will inevitably also inherit my wealth, and I don't want my daughter to be wronged by some greedy bastard. And so, I decided to marry her to a soldier I raised and can trust... and that's you."

  "He trusts me so much? I'm fttered!" I honestly thought, feeling a bit warm in my heart.

  However, there was something I needed to confirm first.

  "Aren't there many in the camp who fulfill these conditions? Why me and not them?"

  Primanus's answer was as blunt as a sledgehammer.

  "Talent, hard work, discipline, loyalty, and respect. You have every one of these qualities in spades. What can I ask more of a son-in-w? In my eyes, Power, Strength, Wealth, Knowledge, and Fame are merely accessories you can earn with your own time, blood, and sweat."

  As he said that, he pointed his finger straight at me.

  "I mean, look at you now? Aren't you already well on your way, even without being born with a silver spoon?"

  After hearing this, how could I say no?

  "It is a great honor to join your household, Sir. If it pleases you and your daughter, I will gdly accept." I replied.

  "Good answer! You at least didn't forget to mention my daughter's opinion on this." Primanus said before turning around and calling. "Soheil!"

  Shortly after, the back door to the office was opened, and an old servant of eastern origin entered.

  "Yes, Master?" The servant, likely of sve origin, respectfully asked.

  "Call Antia to the office. Tell her that her future husband is here to see her." Primanus instructed.

  "At once. I shall call the Young Miss right away." The old servant said, giving me a long look before leaving the room.

  However, while I had a calm exterior, I was panicking inside!

  "Wait, now?! I'm still wearing armor and sweaty... Wouldn't that make a bad first impression?" I hesitantly asked, feeling a bit cowardly and shy for some reason.

  However, Primanus just rolled his eyes.

  "You are a soldier, d, not some city boy, and she knows it. Don't worry, she is not some shallow girl."

  I could only take his word for it, as I awaited my future bride-to-be.

  Soon, the door opened, and then I saw her.

  Flowing blonde hair, sky-blue eyes, slightly pale skin, perfectly pink lips, and a curvaceous and full figure, with a thin waist but wide and tempting hips that her modest dress couldn't hide. She stood tall, perhaps half a head taller than I, and her face was sharp and sculpted, comparable to some marble statues I saw.

  However, what attracted me was the air she projected. Despite not wearing any jewelry or fancy clothes, she felt more majestic than any noble woman I could imagine, having this schorly air about her that was rooted deep in her bones, yet having no arrogance, only cold indifference. Those ice-cold blue eyes felt like the indifference of the gods to mortal affairs, with a dissonant feeling of disconnection.

  Intuitively, I felt that she was a top-level genius who never met an equal. How would you form a connection with someone you've never seen as an equal? Some might fake it, but she didn't. She was like an open scroll, showing her undisguised thoughts for everyone to bear.

  To dense and shallow men, they would be attracted by her body. To more sensitive men, they would be intimidated, their confidence gone. Some would even wrongly interpret it as her being a cold bitch.

  Moreover, being an Extraordinary Warrior, I felt that she was already a General Warrior... and there was something else about her.

  Talented men might even be afraid of marrying her since they would feel inferior whenever they were next to her. After all, most men wanted to feel worthy of their wives!

  But me?

  "Beautiful, strong, talented, wealthy, intelligent... She's perfect..."

  Hence, my shyness was gone, and I looked at her as if I was looking at a treasure, my eyes full of deep respect and fascination.

  "The multiplier should be very high, right?"