Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Heavenly Sword Army Requirements
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[86]
[Factors Increasing Required Mana Level]
Tyrant King Knight Yuchun Absent +10
Heavenly Sword Army Knight Commander Yeonheuk Absent +5
Heavenly Sword Army 1st Division Captain Jinseok Absent +5
Heavenly Sword Army Supply Captain Junghan Absent +5
…….
…….
…….
Yoo Seongwon had nothing more to say in front of the list scrolling down like a credit card statement at the end of the month.
Realizing that operating a legendary unit wasn't easy after all, he felt the harsh reality of the world once again.
And he didn't forget to check the reduction factors that weren't entirely absent.
[Factors Decreasing Required Mana Level]
Acquired Paehwang Heavenly Sword Style -5
Acquired Command (EX) -10
"Indeed, this is why I can't use it properly. Anyway, if I reduce those increases and add more reduction factors, I can expand the forces. But most of them……."
Rather than requiring specific skills, they demanded personnel—namely, summoning knights to build the composition.
Yoo Seongwon felt subtly absurd, like he'd fallen for some shady sales tactic.
"Knights sold separately! They don't even do this with toys!"
"But isn't trying to get an army with just two skills the real issue here? Even necromancers have to learn and stack various skills like summon corpse arts."
"…You're right? So the easy part was the suspicious one?"
"Of course."
Convinced by Shin Somi's words, Yoo Seongwon decided to use his remaining two choice rewards to try summoning knights again.
But first, to actually see what the Heavenly Sword Army was like, he decided to summon one soldier.
"Let's see. Troop composition……."
[Troop summoning possible up to a total of 1,806 (your current mana).]
[Heavenly Sword Army Elite Soldier x1 100/1,806]
[Summon]
"I answer Your Majesty's call. What shall I do?"
A distortion of mana appeared in the air, and from it emerged a soldier clad in armor white as snow accented with blue, holding a sword and spear.
The armor was ornate at first glance, with a neatly fitted helmet, exuding the aura of an elite soldier. He knelt crisply before Yoo Seongwon, paying his respects with precise movements.
However, upon closer inspection, he gave off an oddly inhuman impression, blurred around the edges…… His skin and complexion were lifelike, but he felt like a living ghost.
"It's kind of eerie. But a soldier's a soldier, so that's good? What's your name?"
"…I apologize, but as a being resummoned from records as a soldier of Your Majesty's army, I do not remember my name."
"I-I see?"
"Still, I am proud to have served alongside the great Tyrant King Knight Yuchun and remained in the Heavenly Sword Army, so please do not worry. Send me to the battlefield, Your Majesty!"
His confident demeanor was unbelievable for a nameless foot soldier. The mere fact of being part of the Heavenly Sword Army filled him with immense pride, even after death and resummoning.
In any case, Yoo Seongwon felt diminished by the soldier's radiant presence but desperately held it together, maintaining his composure.
"Ah… Um… Well~ For now, this is just a test summon, so no fighting. I called you after learning the summoning skill to check various things… Sorry, but could you go back?"
"We exist only to answer Your Majesty's call. There is no need to apologize, Your Majesty. Use us whenever and however you wish. Then!"
The Heavenly Sword Army elite soldier paid his respects crisply, knelt, and vanished.
Yoo Seongwon, overwhelmed by the soldier's discipline and courtesy, let out a sigh of relief only after he disappeared.
If a single soldier was this impressive, it was reassuring, but Yoo Seongwon feared that fully assembling the Heavenly Sword Army with higher knights would create an atmosphere so intense he couldn't even breathe.
"Wow~ If a single soldier has this much discipline, summoning the real knights would be chaos, right? Um, Guild Master Somi?"
"Did you see that soldier's… status and skills?"
"No. No time for that… Why?"
"That soldier had C-rank hunter stats. And four skills! Hang on."
[Heavenly Sword Army Elite Soldier]
[Status]
Str:100(C+) Dex:75(D+) Vit:110(C+) Mag:30(E+)
[Skills]
Indomitable - This soldier, as the emperor's elite guard, will never flee first.
Heavenly Sword Army Martial Arts - As Tyrant King Knight Yuchun's elite unit, the Heavenly Sword Army was trained in supreme martial arts.
Heavenly Sword Army Special Gear - Possesses top-grade armor, sword, and spear specially forged from titanium ore.
Intermediate Anti-Magic - Nullifies magic cast with mana 100 or below.
Yoo Seongwon jumped in surprise upon seeing the specs Shin Somi jotted down for the summoned soldier.
It was unbelievable for a soldier summonable just by meeting mana requirements—such high specs and equipment.
Shin Somi, the Baekya Guild Master who had once scrambled and spent fortunes to recruit a single C-rank melee hunter, wore an incredulous expression.
"Haa~ I was shocked when I first saw those knights, but this is really……."
"Ah, all these guys come with full status and skills."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, I don't have status analysis skills, so I either ask directly or figure it out in combat."
As he said, Yoo Seongwon had always prioritized efficiency and his own strength, so he had no skills for checking others' statuses or skills.
Skill points were precious, and since his goal was avoiding people altogether, he'd never felt the need for analysis skills.
"Well, it doesn't matter much now. I don't need to check statuses or skills one by one—I can tell just by crossing weapons, fighting, or even looking."
Thanks to his martial talent skills, he'd never obsessed over viewing opponents' statuses.
Shin Somi found it absurd but accepted it easily, having witnessed his battles.
"Anyway, that's enough for now. To use the Heavenly Sword Army at full army scale, we'll have to slowly unlock each of these reduction factors listed. So now, time to summon some knights."
The skill came with many restrictions despite being hard-won, but seeing the potential power once unlocked didn't feel too bad.
Thinking inversely, starting small and getting used to it might be better, so he headed outside the cabin to draw two knights with his remaining two rewards.
"Whew~ It's completely random, so I'm a bit anxious……."
"Worried about getting weak knights?"
"Weak is secondary—I'm scared of personality clashes. Think about it: isn't it already miraculous that those four get along?"
One dragonkin, one abyss darkness, one machine, one celestial—and no fights, no value clashes. It was astonishing.
Sure, they were all figures legendary enough for constellation records, but he feared a new knight would disrupt that balance.
"But we can't skip summoning here. Whew~ The army has limits on expansion anyway… Alright, here goes. This time… no take-backs! Summoning two at once!"
To quell his fears, Yoo Seongwon quickly activated knight summoning for two simultaneously.
Two magic circles appeared before him, glowing with light, revealing the new knights' forms.
The waiting existing knights clasped their hands, praying for their allies.
[I pray that 'KMG-002 Akaron' or 'KMG-003 Barisada' comes. Even just those two would make formation-building easier…….]
[…Dragonkin… addition… would be…….]
"Hmm, with three Sacred Heaven Knights, specific formations…… Please, let it be……."
Amid various hopes and fears, human silhouettes appeared within the circles' light, soon stepping forth as it faded.
Two men in unfamiliar armor.
One was a sharp, cold-looking young man in his mid-20s wearing glasses; the other a burly, sturdy man in his late 30s.
Both wore similar snow-white armor with blue accents and cloaks, armed appropriately. They knelt before Yoo Seongwon and shouted.
"Glory to the Heavenly Sword Army banner risen once more! 1st Division Captain Lee Jinseok reports anew, Your Majesty!"
"Glory to the Heavenly Sword Army banner! Staff Officer Yucheong answers Your Majesty's call and arrives."
[Knight summoned: 'Heavenly Sword Knight Jinseok.' Their joining reduces Heavenly Sword Army required mana by (5).]
[Knight summoned: 'Heavenly Sword Staff Officer Yucheong.' Their joining reduces Heavenly Sword Army required mana by (5).]
Yoo Seongwon was truly experiencing what it meant to be overwhelmed by presence.
Unlike the first four summoned, these knights radiated powerful will, nobility, and dignity.
'T-This is the real deal!'
Of course, this wasn't disparaging Akaron, Gaulf, Seom-myeol, or Krokbane.
They too would show such bearing if fulfilling missions aligned with their values.
But these two had devoted their lives—and souls—to the Heavenly Sword Army itself, bound to its legend.
"S-So… you're Heavenly Sword Army knights, right?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"So… I'm not exactly your original lord, and I'm not that great a person? So… if you don't like it… you can just go back. No need to force yourselves. If you find me lacking, feel free to leave."
Shin Somi and the four rear knights gaped in shock at his bombshell statement.
Why react like this to knights summoned with precious reward points?
Unable to stand it, Gaulf approached and whispered a rebuke.
[Contractor, are you sane? What's wrong with those guys? Why send back valuable forces you just drew? They don't seem like betrayers.]
"These guys… they're on a different human level from me. How can a sparrow lead an eagle? Heavenly Sword Army skill or not, they don't fit with me."
[Then are we sparrows too?]
"No, that's not what I mean… Their scale as humans is just different…… Anyway, step back for now. I'll explain later."
He pushed the uncomprehending Gaulf back.
Turning to the two who hadn't budged an inch…… They were, by their own measure, towering figures.
Legends made flesh—it was natural, but as a pathetically ordinary human, Yoo Seongwon felt the gap acutely upon seeing them.
'Deep down, I just want to kneel and bow my head.'
Yes, if born in their era, he'd be a common soldier marching to death at their command.
Feeling that insurmountable gap, he'd tried sending them back.
"Anyway… you can stand now, relax. I have the Heavenly Sword Army skill, but I'm no 'Your Majesty' worthy of the title, and it's not that era anymore. I'll respect your choice—if you want to go, do so now. If you can't, I'll~ prepare suitable lodging or let you roam free in this era doing as you please. Like entertainment until I die."
Considering his own limits, Yoo Seongwon offered them freedom.
Hearing this, Heavenly Sword Army Knight Jinseok and Staff Officer Yucheong exchanged glances, smiled, and nodded. Watching them, Yoo Seongwon began sensing something ominous.