Chapter 2: Grand Knight Leader Damiya

Robin was originally nothing more than an ordinary blue‑collar worker on the 21st‑century Blue Star.

Daily life was monotonous and dull, like a wind‑up machine, clocking in on time, dragging his weary body home after work.

His meager salary barely covered the most basic needs; in the vast city he drifted alone, with no support, like a leaf drifting in the wind.

The winter of 2024 was especially cold for Robin.

Because of the economic downturn, not only were salaries cut, the already modest year‑end bonus was drastically reduced, turning his hopeful expectations into bubbles.

With no outlet for his mounting frustration, he fell into a heavy sleep, never imagining that when he opened his eyes again, the world before him was completely unfamiliar.

Towering castles, expansive fields, armored Knights and busy farmers—all of it shocked and confused him immensely.

He discovered that he had actually transmigrated, becoming a descendant of a Knight family under Lord Bloet.

Yet fate seemed to show him no favor despite his crossing.

His father, once a brave Knight, had tragically died in a fierce battle.

With no new Knight born in time, the rules dictated that the Fief was mercilessly taken back by the lord.

The family's honor collapsed instantly, and the once warm household fell apart.

In this cruel world, kinship appears so fragile before profit.

The eldest brother, in order to seize the dwindling inheritance, ruthlessly expelled his illegitimate younger brother from the clan.

At that moment, Robin felt an unprecedented despair and helplessness, as if the whole world had abandoned him.

Fortunately, because his father had been a Knight, he had received some Knight training since childhood, which became his only survival skill in this strange world.

To avoid starving, he had no choice but to immediately join the militia under the lord.

Though life remained hard, at least he had a meal to eat and could barely survive in this turbulent world.

From the moment he was driven out of his family and joined the militia, Robin's life was filled with endless battles and hardships.

In the militia, he constantly faced life‑or‑death tests.

Every expedition was a close‑quarters fight with death itself;

Every battle left new scars upon him.

He once fought enemies in a freezing mud swamp, mud splashing his whole body, eyes blurred by blood and sludge, yet he gripped his weapon tightly without retreat; he also endured scorching desert sun, hunger, fatigue, stubbornly repelling wave after wave of enemy attacks.

Countless nights he lay in a crude tent, his wounds making sleep difficult, yet he never entertained a thought of giving up.

Until that one time, in an unusually brutal battle, when he was cornered and his life severely threatened, a cold electronic tone rang in his mind and his system finally activated.

This system had no flashy functions; its sole purpose was to let him improve his strength by constantly "grinding experience".

Each time he defeated an enemy or trained, he earned corresponding experience points, which could be used to upgrade various skills and make him stronger.

However, the harsh reality soon presented itself again.

In this world, the Breathing Method is the key to becoming a Knight, yet it is tightly controlled by the lord.

Only Knights' retainers approved by the lord are eligible to be granted the Breathing Method, and this grant is conveyed through a mysterious mental transmission that cannot be recorded by any means, thus cannot be passed to the next generation.

This is why here there are only Knight households, not true Knight families.

The nobles' monopoly on knowledge has reached an outrageous degree.

Literacy, something completely ordinary in Robin's original world, here has become a privilege reserved for Knights alone.

Common folk can only struggle in ignorance and darkness; they have no chance to access knowledge, let alone change their fate through learning.

On the third day of recuperating in the crude camp, Robin was closing his eyes to soothe his wounds when a messenger's summons sounded, informing him that Damiya was calling him.

Robin's heart tightened, both eager and a little nervous; he knew this summons might significantly affect his destiny.

After quickly tidying his clothes, Robin headed toward Damiya's residence.

Damiya's room was in the stone barracks on the left side of the militia camp, a separate suite that reflected his special status as a Great Knight.

Along the way, Robin recalled the myriad experiences since arriving in this world—from being expelled and joining the militia, to countless life‑or‑death battles, to now being summoned by the Grand Knight—everything felt like a long, thrilling dream.

Standing before Damiya's door, Robin took a deep breath, steadied himself, then raised his hand and knocked.

After receiving permission, he pushed the door open, entered, stood firm, slapped his chest hard with his right hand, and shouted loudly, "Robin Gabriel has met the Grand Knight Leader."

Damiya was sitting on a chair in the room; when he saw Robin enter, he gave a slight nod, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

He had once been Robin's father's superior; regarding subordinates dying on the battlefield, he has always harbored grief and anger.

Had it not been for this friendship, he would not have taken Robin into the militia.

In his eyes, although Robin's background is humble, his bones possess the same resilience and courage as his father's.

He is far more dependable than his older brother Leimeng.

Knights are divided into three ranks: Knight apprentice, Knight, and Great Knight.

In this world, once one becomes a Formal Knight, they may be addressed as Knight Leader, and a Great Knight is called Grand Knight Leader, just as Robin once referred to certain official posts as "‑Leader" in his previous life, signifying status and authority.

Damiya looked at Robin before him, feeling a flood of emotions.

The hardships Robin endured in the militia have turned him from the naive newcomer he once was into a warrior capable of standing alone.

"Robin, I have watched your performance," Damiya said, his voice low and powerful, "Your bravery on the battlefield lives up to your father's bloodline."

Hearing Damiya's praise, Robin felt a warm surge, straightened his back, and said, "Thank you, Grand Knight Leader, for the commendation; this is what I ought to do. For the territory, for the brave who fell like my father, I am willing to give everything."

(End of Chapter)