Chapter 12: The Knight's Oath
Cedric was dumbfounded.
Cedric knew that his master, Kim Minwoo, was an outstanding swordsman.
He had seen the way Kim Minwoo swung his sword on the battlefield.
A master could recognize another master at a glance.
Indeed, he was a freak of a necromancer who wielded the blade better than most knights.
‘But I didn’t acknowledge him as my master because he was an outstanding swordsman.’
What Cedric admired was his courage in standing firm against overwhelming foes.
His unyielding fighting spirit—his refusal to give up.
Above all, his knightly resolve to risk his life protecting a complete stranger like Cedric.
That was what had moved Cedric on a deeper level.
But that initial sense of admiration was beginning to fade.
Who could have imagined he’d be this much of a brute?
‘Even the Death Lord never treated me with this much disrespect.’
‘If anything, we respected each other.’
Cedric had seen countless knights in his time. That was why he could precisely gauge Kim Minwoo’s current state.
‘He’s so intoxicated with his ego that he’s lost in delusions.’
A little talent had gone to his head, and now he could no longer see straight.
Rookie knights who’d learned a little swordplay often acted like that.
Cedric spun his spear.
His once near-perfect spearmanship felt somewhat dulled somehow. It must be restricted now that he was down to level 1, even his skills affected.
‘Doesn’t matter.’
He wasn’t the only one at level 1.
His master was too.
What mattered was pure weapon skill.
Cedric had never lost to anyone with a spear in his life.
‘My weapon gives me the edge too.’
When sword meets spear, nine times out of ten, the spear wins.
The reason was simple.
A spear had far greater reach than a sword.
Weapon advantage, skill advantage—total dominance.
Cedric was confident.
Or so he thought…
* * *
Crack!
The wooden sword of justice smashed down on the evil summon’s skull.
Cedric gritted his teeth and swung his spear. There was definite sharpness in his technique.
But Minwoo dodged it all too easily.
‘One more hit.’
Crack!
‘Another.’
Crack!
The wooden sword kept battering Cedric’s body.
If he’d been summoned in the state Cedric remembered from the battlefield, he wouldn’t have even fought.
How do you beat a monster riding a bone dragon?
But now was different.
Right now, Cedric was just level 1.
In terms of attributes, he barely matched a level-50 fighter.
Kim Minwoo, meanwhile, was another matter.
Pure stats put him near level 70. And the pilot wasn’t some scrub.
‘Did the world’s top-ranked player look like easy prey?’
Gate Hunter might’ve been an old game, but its difficulty was top-tier.
He’d crushed it for number one.
That’s why Kim Minwoo was quietly recognized as the world rank 1 among 3 billion VR players.
If Cedric’s spearmanship was at its battlefield peak, maybe different—but in this hacked-up state…
‘Easy.’
In that state, Cedric was little more than prey for Kim Minwoo.
[Damage exceeding limits accumulates!]
[Cedric is reverse-summoned!]
[Death Lord (EX) effect activates!]
[Cedric revives!]
“Hi?”
Cedric charged again, teeth gritted. A few more whacks, and he was gone again.
No big deal.
He had mana to spare for summons.
[Cedric Summon (SSS) activates!]
“Meet again?”
―…
Whack.
Reverse-summoned.
Whack.
Reverse-summoned.
Whack.
―…Wait!
Cedric blurted desperately.
He must’ve instinctively realized.
Something was wrong.
“Who’s your bro?”
―…
“Looks like you need more love’s discipline.”
Smack!
An endless loop.
Probably reliving his nightmare over and over by now.
“Whew.”
When stamina and mana dipped, he chugged a potion.
Body refreshed once more.
“Guiding someone straight is tough, huh.”
Guiding someone onto the right path was never easy. That was what made success so rewarding.
[Cedric Summon (SSS) activates!]
His goal was one hundred loyalty.
He’d get there.
* * *
Day 1.
―…How long are you gonna keep this up?
“Until you accept my love.”
Day 2.
―…I get it, master’s strong. I was reckless. I’ll acknowledge you.
“Nah. That’s nowhere near enough. My discipline was lacking too.”
Day 3.
―…I lost.
“Who’s your bro?”
―…You are, master. Seems like it.
“You hesitated a bit?”
―Uh…
Day 4.
―You’re my bro, master. For real.
“Then, can you swear loyalty?”
―…!
“Guess I’m the only sincere one again?”
Smack!
Day 5.
―Stop…! I’m going insane! How many times a day do you summon me! My head’s ringing! Quit hitting my skull already!
“No manners.”
Day 6.
―…Sorry. My fault. All of it.
“Then shall we do the loyalty oath?”
―I’ll…do it.
“You hesitated just now?”
―No. You’re worth my loyalty, master.
[Dragon Knight Cedric swears loyalty to you!]
[A knight’s oath, solid as rock!]
[Cedric’s loyalty fixed at 100!]
Loyalty oath.
In plain terms, it was a slave contract.
Loyalty locked at 100.
If his master jumped into a fire, Cedric would follow. The oath left no room to refuse an order.
High undead naturally hated it.
Hence the need for love’s discipline.
―Ugh…
“I’ll treat you right from now on, bro.”
Cedric got a head pat.
Six grueling days of sacrificing sleep to summon Cedric over and over had paid off.
Worth it.
Now Cedric was truly his summon, and Kim Minwoo could finally treat him as one of his own.
A swell of pride in his chest.
“Oh yeah, been wondering forever—who wiped you guys out?”
―…Can’t say. Restricted.
“Restricted?”
Cedric nodded.
―Probably the Lord’s doing. No point you knowing now anyway.
“Too strong?”
―Roughly. Grow first, master. You’ll learn when I regain my full power.
“Was gonna level up anyway.”
He had already hit his current growth limit.
He needed levels to break past it.
‘Level 51.’
Level 51 was typical E-rank Awakener territory.
‘Rush there first.’
He looked at Cedric.
“Cedric. Promoting you to Skeleton Commander from now on. Train those skulls hard.”
―…Got it.
He summoned the skeletons around Cedric. As a former legion commander, Cedric would have no trouble training them.
“Weapons are stocked in the training grounds—help yourselves.”
Clatter!
The skeletons nodded vigorously. With their training arranged, Kim Minwoo returned to his room.
‘Time to move for real.’
He had received three trillion won in sponsorship so far.
Money was hard to earn and frighteningly easy to spend.
‘One more gear haul and it’s gone.’
He had bought skillbooks, equipment, and consumables.
Money was vanishing, especially after the skeletons’ previous equipment had been swallowed by that Eternal Battlefield.
‘Need more cash.’
He could ask for more, but too many eyes were on him now.
The excitement surrounding his bout with the Sword Sage was already fading.
Even Chairman Kim would eventually start feeling the strain.
‘Gotta pull off something big.’
Then he could grab funds guilt-free.
‘Spotlight’s on me perfect timing.’
The forum was still buzzing about the duel. Kim Minwoo checked the latest GateNet posts on his phone.
―So what’s Kim Minwoo’s actual achievements? Isn’t he just trash?
―Fought Sword Sage head-on, even if mid he’s gotta be B to A lol. Top 1% awakener trash?
―Nah. Rank depends on awakening conditions. Could be lower.
―BS lol. C or below and that light show?
―Even A’s an issue. High achievements don’t mean jack. Plenty bury themselves mid-way.
―(Info) A-ranks got flops, but zero S-achievement flops lol. S-skillbook the judge? Lol
―S is impossible tho?
―Overhyping hard. Bet he didn’t pick swordsman? Why snag all gear otherwise lol
―That gear buyer really Kim Minwoo? Could be someone else.
―Who else drops 70bil on noob gear? Lol swept skillbooks like consumables lol
―Rumor he picked necromancer. First auction was necro skillbook. Bulk gear makes sense for necro.
―Lmao fought Sword Sage then picks that? Shitter? Lol
―So Kim Minwoo bubble???
―Dunno? Gotta see gate run lol
The discussion was livelier than expected. The information team had done an excellent job fanning the flames.
It made sense.
His debut as an Ilsung model had given him excellent visibility.
‘Perfect.’
He had planned to inflate his value from the start, beginning with a level-1 F-rank Gate.
When was an Awakener’s value at its highest?
The answer was simple.
When a newcomer's future potential vastly exceeded their present strength, they were called a super rookie.
While others began at F or E rank with equally low-rank skills, he had started with an S-rank skill.
First, he would build the hype.
Then he would blow expectations apart with his Gate-clear speed.
Kim Minwoo planned to do exactly that.
Only on a much larger scale.
Dialed a number.
“Team Leader Im? It’s me, Kim Minwoo. Need you to gather press. Heading to conquer a gate. Solo, obviously. Round up everyone you know.”
He wanted every reporter in the industry.
Once the hype peaked, he would deliver the most shocking debut possible.
‘World shortest time, solo clear.’
Party play was standard in Gates, and even super rookies formed parties for their first runs.
A solo attempt would be insanely risky.
But for Kim Minwoo?
‘F-rank? Neighborhood stroll.’
Even at level 1, his current body was stronger than any version of Kim Minwoo from the previous six years.
His skills also complemented one another perfectly.
Death Lord and Cedric under its effect. Skeleton soldiers too.
On top of that, he could fight personally.
Korea.
No—the whole world would lose its mind.
Was it simply because he was strong?
No.
It was because the future he represented was too exciting to ignore.
[Breaking! Ilsung’s Kim Minwoo declares awakening! Real deal! But job’s not swordsman—necromancer?!]
[Experts judge achievements min B+!]
[Crown Prince’s flashy return! Kim Minwoo declares solo on first gate ‘Osiris’s Tomb’! Vows shortest clear ever!]
[‘Osiris’s Tomb’ known as top difficulty among F-ranks…]
Korea started buzzing.