A/N: We just smashed past 100 collections!!! 😤🔥 As promised, here's your celebratory chapter!
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"One day, I will personally behead Alliser Thorne," Jon declared, his eyes blazing with determination as he gritted his teeth. Hearing this, Leon couldn't help but nod in agreement, sharing the depth of Jon's resolve.
Compared to hanging, beheading did seem the better way to vent anger. As Leon helped the still-weak Jon into the canteen, they found it mostly empty, with only scraps of food remaining. The fat cook scraped the bottom of a pot with a harsh clang, clearly unwilling to leave them much.
But Eddie, who had been missing when they first arrived, slipped over quietly. Before Jon could ask, Eddie produced two black loaves of bread from his greasy sleeves. A closer look revealed wild boar meat inside—Jon's favorite.
"This one's mine," Eddie said, "and I had to use two big spoons to wrest the other from Jenny. You two should eat it quickly."
Leon grabbed the bread without hesitation, swallowing it in one massive bite. After a full day in the watchtower, exposed to wind and sun, and with only this single meal, he was far too hungry to think of manners.
Jon, though equally famished, treated the bread differently. He ate it carefully, taking five or six deliberate bites, honoring the etiquette of a noble even in hunger.
"The coach announced something during dinner," Eddie said, worry briefly clouding his tone before he broke into a teasing grin. "All the new recruits who can walk must gather at the parade ground this morning. Looks like your little brother will soon get his wish and be sent to Mole's Town to be a pampered playboy."
Leon froze, realizing that the "little brother" Eddie mentioned was none other than himself.
The original Leon hadn't been a bad kid, but after the ridiculous experiences in Mole Village, the predecessor had caught a nasty illness, running a high fever for several days—the first real disaster among the Night's Watch recruits.
Leon, however, wore a blank expression, as if Eddie were talking about someone else entirely. He had no intention of shouldering the predecessor's mistakes.
Jon, though, was visibly tense. He subconsciously tightened his grip on his sword and said firmly, "No. I will never let this happen. Leon and I agreed we'd be rangers together. I'll be the chief ranger, and he will be my deputy."
"Ha! Lord Snow, that's the funniest thing I've heard today," Eddie said sarcastically.
Jon didn't laugh. He clenched his fists, eyes locked on Leon with unwavering resolve.
"Besides, what's wrong with being a pampered playboy? Sitting in a comfortable room all day with nothing to do isn't worth the wind and cold we face out here. A handsome guy like you could have lived easy in Mole's Town, but here you are, toughing it out with us."
Eddie tried to sway Leon, but both remained unmoved. Once they finished eating, the three of them rose and headed to the training ground together.
"Don't worry, Leon. No one will touch you with me here."
Despite Jon's earlier embarrassment, he maintained a calm, brave, and protective demeanor in front of Leon.
Leon felt deeply moved. He knew Jon was supporting him. Even though Leon now possessed the Mount & Blade panel and his combat strength had tripled, explaining this to Jon would be far too complicated. Instead, he planned to demonstrate his power through action.
At the parade ground, almost all new Night's Watch recruits had arrived. They eagerly selected armor and weapons from the armory, eyes sharp as they sized up potential opponents.
But when Leon, Jon, and the others entered, most recruits restrained hostile glances; only a few dared throw provocative looks. This wasn't because Leon or Jon lacked presence—it was Jon who intimidated everyone.
Under Ser Rodrik Cassel's guidance, Jon's swordsmanship had reached near perfection. Even taller and stronger recruits could rarely withstand more than a single round against him. Those who had been defeated before seemed more relaxed today, likely bracing for the inevitable.
"What are you doing here, little bastard?" Alliser Thorne sneered from the platform. "Was cleaning toilets and stables such an easy job that you've got time for the Night's Watch selection?"
He expected Jon to hide after the morning humiliation, not embarrass himself again.
Instead, Jon's gaze met his with seething defiance, silently saying, If you don't want me here, too bad—I'll come anyway.
Alliser Thorne, seeing this, smiled with contempt, confident that everything remained under his control.
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Tyrion Lannister:"Upto Chapter 9 is on the house, my friend. The rest? Chapters 10–26 await the cunning on Patreon. Drink and read wisely."
patreon.com/Captain_Lag
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**A/N: We're still under 15,000 words, so no rankings for now… but from next week, we'll officially start our PowerStone Milestone Goals! 🎯
In the meantime… Library Collection Goals:
📚 100 collections → +1 bonus chapter (achieved!!!)
📚 250 collections → +1 bonus chapter
📚 500 collections → +1 bonus chapter
📚 1,000 collections → +1 bonus chapter
And uh… y'all can still chuck some Stones at me if you're feeling spicy 😏💎
Let's make this novel go brrrr 💥📚
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