Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Cadre Meeting and Southern Scout
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I assembled the executives.
"What's the current breakdown of our territory's population?"
At my question, Swordsman pulled out a few return scrolls.
Naturally, he wasn't planning to head back to some village. He was using the backs of them as memo pads.
Tear one by accident, and you'd teleport straight to the central plaza, plus lose your notes in the process. Unfortunately, the castle lacked proper recording materials, so we'd been making do with these.
"The women we rescued from inside the castle, plus the refugees who've spotted the castle and come seeking shelter, have swelled our total numbers to 3,471."
"And our elite troops?"
"Steadily growing—now at 1,153."
An impressive figure. And obviously, they were all walking gold mines.
'Even just the cash spent on class summon tickets has topped 15 million won by now.'
Pulling that many had netted two hero-grade ones, but they'd gone straight into my collection—no gifting them away.
"How's the Quick Advance Art training going?"
Hundred spoke up first.
"Training thirty-five right now. Had them redirect some stat points to mana and spam Battle Cry—definitely effective. Nine have even sensed mana and started gathering qi."
Steelstone chimed in next.
"Twenty elite troops under my watch. And... additionally, forty-three women."
"Women?"
"They're not getting full-time training like the twenty elites—just three hours after sunset."
At Steelstone's words, Hundred and Smile looked surprised, as did Flower.
Speaking for them, I asked,
"All volunteers accounted for?"
Of course, that probably wasn't the question they expected. 'Why women?' was likely what they had in mind.
But I knew better.
'Once they awaken aura, gender lines blur into irrelevance. Even more so with a class card.'
Men and women had insurmountable physical gaps, but aura leveled that field. In some ways, women even held advantages.
"No, far more volunteers—around four hundred."
"Four hundred!?"
Flower's startled exclamation rang out, but it wasn't all that surprising. Women who'd lost family and homes to monster attacks naturally craved power.
"Then why only forty-three out of four hundred?"
"Checked their stamina and combat sense first. And, uh, this might sound odd, but..."
Steelstone hesitated a moment before answering.
"We took in ones with a good 'feel' about them. Like they could really excel."
"...Apologies, but that does sound pretty strange."
Hundred, who'd been listening quietly, looked baffled. The other two nodded along.
But I understood perfectly.
'It's the divine art's power at work.'
Martial arts in the Great Cosmic Era had been quantified and refined over eons.
Dismissing a third-rate style as trash while hailing a divine art as world-best? That belonged to primitive, underdeveloped civilizations.
In the Great Cosmic Era, no tiers divided martial arts.
Just differences in ultimate pursuits and tendencies.
'Take Quick Advance Art, for instance.'
It outright abandoned higher realms for laser focus on rapid learning and growth. No wonder it was the most-chosen among countless arts—the pinnacle for the masses.
Quick Advance Art barely cared about innate talent either. Unless you were spiritually handicapped like me, anyone could reach the limit with enough time.
Steelstone's art was different.
'Reverse Muscle Marrow Scripture.'
Commonly called a divine ultimate. Unlike Quick Advance Art—a fresh blend of advanced principles—this preserved its foundational history and traditions through endless refinements.
With orthodox arts, even the talented saw zilch after five years.
Ten years just built the base.
But endure that grind, cultivate relentlessly...
And you'd shatter realm barriers effortlessly, ascending without end.
The prime path to transcendence.
"You've awakened spiritual sense."
It'd been over fifteen years since Steelstone started the Reverse Muscle Marrow Scripture.
He'd trained with bovine stubbornness, his talent genuinely genius-level.
A vigilante from a nomadic village sensing mana on his own, without guidance? No small feat.
'Had he started at five—no, ten—the guy would've been a master by now. Hell, even Heavenly Dragon Sword Art alone would've made him a sword master... but he chose Reverse Muscle Marrow Scripture.'
Whether the time was ripe or the class card tipped it—no telling.
But clear as day: his talent and diligence had unlocked upper dantian awareness.
Not at star-gazing prophecy levels, but enough to gauge others' spiritual potential.
"Spiritual sense... you mean?"
"Yeah. That 'feel' you're getting—trust it. Mostly spot-on, so don't ignore it. Haven't checked in lately, but handling it yourself? Good work."
My praise made his lips twitch upward. Bull-headed by nature, but even whales dance for compliments.
"Fast Three?"
Smile snapped out of his daze at my prompt.
"Gathered twenty sharp ones for training. Thanks to wizard class granting mana, ten have formed mana circuits. But their basics are so lacking, none have learned spells yet."
"Focus on drilling at least one spell per student and expand enrollment as much as possible. Mages are always better in numbers... oh, and."
A sudden thought hit me.
"If anyone's mastering abilities in a day or growing abnormally fast, halt training and report to me. Quick Advance and Fast Three are solid, but capped at aura user and third-class master. Straightjackets for real prodigies."
"Third-class is high mage territory, though..."
Ignoring Smile's bewilderment, I turned to Flower.
"Healer training?"
"Selected volunteers from the women. We prioritize surgical skill, medicine, and herbology over mana talent since we use skills."
Smooth sailing, thankfully. I probed her other duties.
"Status of the women rescued from the dungeon?"
"All fine, fortunately."
Flower glanced around cautiously before adding in a careful tone,
"...No pregnancies either."
That sparked a thought.
'Monsters can't reproduce.'
Makes sense—Revenge monsters were respawning fodder, not built for pregnancy or birth.
But lore-wise?
'The game skipped sex mechanics 'cause it's a game, but goblins aren't hardcoded as asexual.'
Goblins believed the women would bear and birth. Otherwise, why keep them alive and corralled after assault?
Yet no pregnancies occurred.
Respawn logic at work.
"Messy setup..."
Monster minds ran on [lore], bodies on [system].
Unlike Revenge's chatty grunts or blind rushers, intelligent monsters—how would they process this?
I'd keep it in mind. For now,
"No issues? Drop the partitions then. Swordsman."
"Yes, my lord."
"Select a hundred elites and five hundred regulars for a northern push. For regulars..."
"With only a hundred elites, we won't hit five hundred soldiers."
True enough—most soldiers had classes by now.
No issue, though.
"Recruit fresh. Man, woman, child, elder—whoever volunteers. White Mountain Territory's threats are just boars and wolves anyway. Arm them properly, log merits clearly. Announce class grants for solid performers."
"Worried about volunteer overload."
"Even on expedition, screen out trouble. Anyway, lead them north. I'll siege first and secure—gather locals nearby and settle them in."
"Yes, sir!"
"You three, hold the castle, fulfill duties, max levels."
"Yes!"
"Talent shortage. We've got a solid base—mobilize everything to recruit."
After issuing orders, I dismissed them.
Then sorted my thoughts.
"Speaking of, why hasn't Khan Slasher shown?"
The guy gasped it out while dying.
-Grk... you... I'll... come back...
Rushed castle upgrades on that, stuck waiting. Figured a repeat intruder was due.
But no word. Bluff?
"Didn't feel like it."
Two possibilities.
'Died, lost memories, forgot this place. Or something's blocking him.'
In the emptying lord's castle, I pondered, then stepped out.
Summoned Sky.
"Kreeek!"
The massive hawk's screech stirred the guarding soldiers.
Instead of explaining—plenty more shocks ahead, too tedious—I called back casually.
"If anyone's looking, say I'll return by dinner."
"Yes, sir!"
Sky launched south. I'd planned north first—or east—but this nagging needed clearing.
Hours later.
Easier confirmation than expected.
"O~rorororo!"
"Kill the intruders!"
Orcs battled encroaching foes.
Pathetically outmatched.
"What the hell...?"
I eyed the invaders.
[Ice Elemental (Advanced)]
"Monsters fighting monsters?"
As bafflement hit.
"Hold the line! Show 'em Vulcan Orc grit!"
A roar, then sword qi swept the oncoming elementals. From Sky's back, I spotted Khan Slasher at the orc vanguard, mowing them down.
Heroic gusto, sure—but I focused on the enemies.
Ice-giant forms. Familiar breed.
'From the hot springs dungeon.'
But why trek 100km+ to attack fellow monsters?
'Hang on.'
A memory clicked.
-No! Why crawl 100km up here to screw around?!
Right—not the first time. Khan Slasher himself rampaged up 100km once.
"Anyway, no orc worries now."
Pocketing the return scroll, I descended slowly toward a quiet forest patch.
Khan Slasher's no-show explained—no need for hit-and-run recon. Time for bolder moves.
"Heh, figures."
A chuckle escaped.
"They're getting raided themselves—where they gonna invade from?"