Newbie Gacha (8)
“Hmm, they still look like they can swing a couple more times. Let's see if they can block three more.”
The newbie knights tasted hell. Sisilia wanted to see their limits. And she hoped they'd surpass them. With that in mind, she decided on infinite PK. They wouldn't know what hit them at first, but keep hitting, and they'd desperately find ways to survive! In a word, she was force-injecting 'enlightenment' into them.
“This is tough. I feel like I'm gonna die from exhaustion.”
The knights were already at their physical limits. Blocking one or two of Sisilia's strikes drained the strength from their hands. But Sisilia, like a ghost, could spot their 'true limits.' Even the knights who thought they were done somehow managed to block her attacks, much to their own surprise. In the process, many instinctively manifested their Auras, creating techniques they'd never had before. They'd mastered ways to draw maximum efficiency from minimal mana.
Of course, the process was pure hell. They prayed for it to end soon, but time dragged on like it had frozen. And Sisilia was sparring with live steel. No half-hearted thoughts of tanking hits with their bodies—they had to abandon those entirely.
“But……”
Even hellish times came to an end. Sisilia led soldiers over to set up five tents. The knights could rest there. The damn cold was still biting, and the area echoed with groans from all the kicks Sisilia had landed, but……
“I can feel myself getting stronger.”
They had no choice but to admit it. This training was worth enduring, even if it felt like death.
“I've been stuck in a plateau for a year. No method worked to improve.”
“Now I get why Windsor Knights are so strong.”
The knights nodded. They'd never endured anything this grueling in their lives. But feeling their skills grow made it bearable somehow.
“Let's hang in there. When this training ends, we'll be even stronger.”
“Ughhh……”
“B-Bea! You okay?”
“One buff before I die!”
And the reason they didn't complain much about the training? Beatrice played a big part. She was wrapped head to toe in bandages, clutching her stomach and groaning.
Beatrice had taken the worst of it. Even while facing the other knights, Sisilia would occasionally fling sword beams at her.
“Her mana regeneration is fast.”
That was the reason. Thanks to it, Beatrice had blocked more strikes than any other newbie. Knowing the monstrous power behind them, the newbie knights showered her with respect and admiration—while thinking:
'If a woman can push this hard……'
'I can't look more pathetic than her as a man.'
Beatrice's uniform was different from the others, too. It matched Sisilia's. Windsor Knight uniforms came with built-in 'defensive effects' by default—better than most market armor. But Beatrice's was a skirt. And maybe because of that, Sisilia mercilessly targeted her legs.
—Her lower body's just begging to be hit. She dressed her like that herself!
Beatrice's eyes welled with tears.
“M-My stomach hurts so much.”
“Why your stomach? You only got low kicks…… Oh.”
The knights quickly realized why Beatrice's gut ached. Mana was the culprit. With her reserves already depleted, Sisilia had squeezed every last drop out of her until she was on the brink of death. Knights stored mana in their dantians. Forcing out empty reserves like that? Inevitable agony. And Beatrice had to burn through it as fast as it regenerated.
They got it now. The pain made sense.
“Poor girl……”
The newbie knights genuinely pitied Beatrice.
**
Meanwhile, Sisilia—the epitome of mercilessness—strode breezily into headquarters with a stack of papers in hand.
'They're pretty damn usable!'
The newbie gacha had revealed one thing: the probabilities were ridiculously generous. Results:
- One S-rank, four A-ranks, fifteen B-ranks.
The tier list was Sisilia's invention. S-ranks could reach Sword Sovereign on a steady diet of training. A-ranks could taste it with hard work. B-ranks might struggle for Sovereign but could aim for Sword Emperor.
Of course, Aura was only as good as the user wielding it. For reference, Sisilia's own was 'A-rank.'
'See? I've got an eye for this.'
The sole S-rank was Beatrice. Sisilia recognized only three S-rank Auras: space-time, light, darkness. They were in a league of their own.
“Didn't expect you'd come to me first?”
Sisilia headed to the vice-captain's office. Edward's eyes filled with curiosity. Newbie matters fell under the captain's authority—Chiron's orders.
-He upheld business ethics, so we should too. And…… with my retirement in mind, Edward needs to learn the captain's duties early.
She explained it to him, and he nodded.
“Hm, I see. Business ethics, huh. Wasn't exactly my intent.”
Sisilia, curious, asked:
'Did he really help just to order me around later?'
“Mind if I ask why you helped with the cleanup?”
Edward smiled warmly. “We're in the same order. Helping's only natural.”
His gentle smile seemed utterly kind. Sisilia gazed into the distance and muttered:
“……You don't need to act for my sake.”
Edward dropped the facade instantly.
“Tch.”
He clicked his tongue, crossed his legs arrogantly.
“Remember our bet?”
“Ah.”
“I said I wouldn't interfere. But sitting idle isn't my style.”
Edward shrugged.
“And this way, you won't block my path to captain either.”
Live and let live, basically. Sisilia agreed. She had no plans to hinder him anyway.
“Alright…… Here's the report. A summary table of the newbies' levels.”
She handed the papers to Edward. He took them, examined closely.
“New criteria. Yours?”
“Yes.”
Edward furrowed his brow. Something wrong? The tiers were perfect. Then it hit her.
'Right! This is the medieval era!'
In medieval thinking, daring to rank the goddess's sacred power? Sacrilege. Sisilia pulled out a knee blanket, frantically scanning for a corner to perform 'Repentant Sisilia.'
But.
“……I like this a lot.”
Edward, after pondering, stroked his chin and nodded.
“What's the standard? I read the realm notes, but curious about your judgment criteria.”
Not expecting approval, Sisilia answered awkwardly.
“Based on combat viability and potential.”
“Example?”
“……Take my Aura: viability A, potential S, average A.”
Edward, a fellow nature-affinity user, was also A-rank. He shot her a pouty glare.
“Me, A? Just A?”
“I'm A too.”
“Feels off. Aren't we both hailed as the kingdom's top talents?”
His doubt was fair. His epithet was Holy—fitting the queen's successor, sacred and divine. But 'holy' also meant a sudden rising powerhouse.
'Jealous of permanent epithets……'
Rarely, some epithets stuck forever, unchanged by realm advancement. Sisilia coveted one, tied to her identity, but no dice. A knight called Sword Princess existed a century ago.
“Nature Auras lack viability in raw power. They're progenitors for most, so high limits, but. Vice-captain's fire Aura? Flame Burst is upper-tier.”
“Low-tier, you mean. As you said, flames are basic.”
“No. Fire loses to magma.”
“I can make magma too. Want a demo?”
Edward glared sharply. But Sisilia wouldn't yield on Auras. She was the ultimate authority here!
She stubbornly countered. “That's because you've worked hard. Turning fire to magma's no easy imagery.”
“……”
Edward's pupils quivered faintly.
“……I see.”
'Same nature affinity, huh. Hits an unexpected sore spot.'
'Effort' was foreign to him.
-Genius!
-The kingdom's future!
Everyone praised his genius. Few acknowledged the blood, sweat, and tears behind it. They assumed talent alone got him there. Sisilia had poked that wound.
'Well, her storm's no mortal feat either.'
He chuckled. Softening slightly, he set the papers down.
“Why's light S-rank?”
“Viability S, potential S.”
“You said viability's power, but light lacks punch, no?”
Modern folk knew light's potential, but medievals? Hard. Photons focused infinitely? Black hole. Gamma bursts outnuke nukes. Unrealistic, sure, but light didn't need that. Nothing outran it.
“If you had light Aura, what first?”
“Gather ambient light into sword beams…… Right. Massive mass with minimal mana drain. Blinds foes too.”
Edward nodded, convinced.
“Ranking Auras by potential, not current skill? Smart. Usable right away. Classify our whole order first?”
“Sure.”
Sisilia accepted without fuss. Necessary step. With hordes of newbies incoming, better set standards now.
“And, wasn't gonna tell you early, but—”
Edward smirked oddly.
“Bringing this? Commendable. Here's something important.”
“Yes.”
Sisilia shrugged it off. Newbies were her only priority.
“Rush the newbie training.”
“I'll take it slow. Over a year.”
“No time for that, guaranteed.”
Sisilia tilted her head. Edward smirked.
“Winds of war are stirring.”
Her eyes sharpened.
“West?”
Demons were pushing hard west. She'd crushed what seemed a key feint. Targeting Gartan meant collapsing the western front. No way they'd back off—they'd hit harder soon.
Within expectations. But Edward said otherwise.
“No, west's stabilizing. Talk of pushing deeper even.”
“No way……”
Demons wouldn't quit that easily. Sisilia blinked.
“Not just west. South too.”
“North?”
“North too, but imperial intel came in.”
Liannen bordered demon forces everywhere. North was riskiest—suspected Demon King Castle site. And not just Liannen bordered it. The Empire did. They split northern defenses.
“Four Heavenly Kings and strong demons sighted in numbers. Odd part? They didn't invade.”
Sisilia pondered. Drew a blank. Demon frat party?
Edward said, “Ring any bells? Rare here, common abroad. Halting fights as powers gather centrally.”
It clicked.
“……Power struggle?”
“Yeah. Just my hunch, but……”
Edward's voice chilled.
“The Demon King's dead.”