The Tiger's Pride
Because the energy circuit was already connected, it was recognized as a single entity.
[Warning! If this process is carried out as is, the existing undead may be destroyed.]
[Do you wish to proceed?]
What was there to ask?
“Proceed.”
It was nothing but a small loss of money and time.
Compared to the glory that would come with success, it was nothing at all.
[The corpse fabrication process now includes another entity.]
[An undead in a form not recorded in the Akashic Records.]
[The Armed Zombie Strengthened Soldier and the Sanguine Demon are now connected as a single entity.]
[If either side is destroyed, it will revert to the original undead.]
[Please choose a name for the new undead.]
There was no rejection reaction, just as there had been with the Armed Zombie Warrior.
Truly a grand development.
Whoa-whoa-whoa!
The new undead has been classified as a Medium Infantry.
“That’s right.”
[I would like to recommend a name.]
“What?”
[The Tiger. A truly honorable name bestowed upon direct imperial medium infantry.]
Direct imperial?
It was an extremely grand name.
“Something that would come up in social studies class.”
Still.
It felt right.
“I’ll go with Tiger.”
The new undead’s name has been decided as Tiger.
The entity’s information has been recorded in the Akashic Records.
Tiger
Species: Undead
Grade: B
Stats
Strength: 742
Agility: 413
Stamina: 755
Defense: 901
Mana: 468
Skills
―Ferocious Charge [B]
―Courageous Footwork [B]
―Brandish Attack [B]
―Immortal Legion [C+]
―Dead Doping [C+]
The specs were on par with Draco’s.
It looked as though the Raptor corpse had been fused with the Armed Zombie Warrior.
Draco had been hard to mass-produce because of raw material shortages.
Tiger, on the other hand, had no trouble sourcing materials and was easy to replenish.
“The skill set changed quite a bit.”
The axe technique had been removed and charging-related abilities added in bulk.
Ferocious Charge guaranteed paralysis and massive physical damage when used at maximum speed.
Courageous Footwork ignored disruption effects during charges and granted extra buffs.
It was a perfect skill set that matched the Medium Infantry concept.
[Magnificent! As expected of Lord.]
“If there’s a specialized charging troop, your army will become even stronger.”
[I do not like the sound of that, my lord.]
I had expected some grand achievement to come out of it, but it was quiet.
Since the main purpose had been achieved, I wasn’t sorry.
“Should I assign Tiger to the Knights Order?”
[It is recommended that the Medium Infantry be operated separately.]
Commander Isra’s Knights Order specialized in fighting while planted firmly on the ground, according to her.
“A knight is a cavalryman, isn’t he?”
[Lord’s world seems to treat that as common sense, but my world is different.]
Knights and Medium Infantry served entirely different roles, she said.
Well, if a clumsy one was good, then so be it.
I had to respect that.
krrrrr.
“Ugh. I’m starving.”
Time: 01:13 AM
I had worked without a break and only now realized it was past midnight.
My stomach being empty was only natural.
“Lord. Let’s eat naengmyeon right now!”
Ingrid tried to slide closer to me.
Look at her.
I knew she had a bottomless appetite, but was she really this eager to eat?
I stepped back to create some distance.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting. Let’s go eat now.”
“No, that’s not—wait.”
[Hahaha. How amusing. A magician.]
“Tch.”
What were the two of you talking about?
I grabbed my stomach, which was growling nonstop, and headed toward the naengmyeon restaurant.
***
After clashing with the Chinese hunters.
We canceled all gate-clearing and blacksmith practice schedules and stayed at the forge.
clang! clang!
[It’s already the third day. Are you all right?]
“Just fine.”
On the first day I went back to my studio to sleep, then came out.
But when I saw the reporters swarming the place the next day, I realized I couldn’t go back to the studio.
All the tools I needed for the work were at the forge.
From the second day on, after finishing the undead, I would sleep at a nearby motel.
―Tiger: 3 pieces
―Armed Zombie Warrior: 2 pieces
The combat power I had recovered by working around the clock for two days.
To fill the Knights Order’s total numbers, I would need to make three more Armed Zombie Warriors.
The Mage Order hadn’t even touched them, so.
I probably needed to stay at the forge for about a week.
“I decided that prioritizing power enhancement was the right choice.”
[Reducing variables is correct.]
While staying at the forge.
Ingrid threw herself into melting magic stones for research.
Cyclone
Cyclone
Grade: C
Classification: Magic
Launches a whirlwind that contains countless blades. The whirlwind shreds anything that comes into its path.
Projectile-type magic fired in a straight line.
Can be used for both single-target and area attacks, making it highly versatile.
Its weakness is that, for a C-rank spell, the power is a little lacking.
Since Ingrid possessed unique abilities, there was no real problem.
[Lord! If I study swordsmanship too, it will help increase combat power!]
“When you activate it, a skill is added on the spot.”
[Tiger is not affected by that, so would studying swordsmanship not be necessary?]
Oh.
That had logic… didn’t it?
“You have a thick skull. You’re the one who’s good with swords.”
[I learned spear technique and horse riding as cultural studies.]
“Spending rare magic stones on something at the cultural level?”
[Hahaha. Have you forgotten who I am? The continent’s greatest sword knight, Commander Isra.]
Greatest sword knight.
Not spear.
Just as I thought that, Isra grabbed a hammer.
whoosh!
It was sharp.
My Heavenly Martial Body’s senses, though imperfect, read the subtle mystery contained in the strike.
It was spear technique at the level of imperial knightly style.
It felt overkill for cultural studies.
“Heh. What’s that got to do with anything.”
[Hahaha! You understood, Lord, so that’s why magicians aren’t allowed.]
It really was high-level martial arts.
“U-um. I see.”
“But there’s one problem.”
[What is it?]
“You forgot that higher-grade skills take a long time to research.”
[Ah.]
That was why Ingrid had focused on lower-grade skills.
High-grade skills required an absurd amount of research time.
Once the forge’s grade rose, or the revived’s abilities increased, the speed would probably go up a bit.
At the current level, it took over a day to research just one C-rank skill.
Looking at how I had been hammering for two days straight and only managed to develop one Cyclone, didn’t you feel something?
“Pick something appropriate.”
[I will remember.]
If I got greedy and was whining about researching A-rank skills, I’d better be prepared for the consequences.
Since the sweat had cooled, should I resume work?
Just as the hammer’s shadow fell across the anvil.
booowuuung—
Mr. Baek
Whoa. Timing.
The hand that had reached for the hammer moved toward the phone instead.
“I’m picking up.”
“I’m sorry to bother you while you’re busy.”
“Hey. It’s just the same old work.”
“I- I made a mistake.”
What the heck?
That word didn’t fit Mr. Baek at all.
“Hey. People make mistakes, you know. It’s okay.”
“I apologize for troubling Park Hunter.”
“What happened that you’re saying all this?”
“Actually, on the day the Turangi Park Hunter attacked, GGG contacted me.”
GGG was the guild fighting for first and second place in the Western United States.
The place that had even made investment proposals.
“You rejected the investment, right?”
“Yes. But GGG expressed interest in meeting me.”
“So you’re the boss and I’m the main target, huh?”
[That’s probably it.]
It wasn’t that Mr. Baek was unhappy.
In the end, the past agency investment deal had been aimed at me too.
“Since the meeting proposal doesn’t mention Park Hunter, I was going to tell you after accepting it first.”
“I was pretty out of it that day.”
Who could have known the Chinese hunters would push past their grades and enter the gate?
I had said I would review GGG’s offer positively, then forgotten to pass it on because I was busy dealing with the aftermath of the Chinese hunter attack.
“It’s no big deal.”
“That’s right. Executive Director Sophia is arriving at Incheon International Airport soon.”
Eh?
What?
The Saint of Los Angeles Sophia has landed in Korea!
***
“Have a pleasant trip.”
“Thank you.”
Sophia winked with one eye, then opened it.
The airport staff gave her an annoyed look.
Golden hair, flawless skin, and sharp, distinct features.
Even if you didn’t know her title of “Saint of Los Angeles,” her appearance alone was enough to draw stares.
The staff members behind her were packing the luggage.
“It’s exciting.”
One of the staffers moved closer and spoke up.
“Um, isn’t it overdoing it for the executive director to come to Korea herself?”
“Hee. Are you speaking sincerely?”
Contempt flashed across her blue eyes.
The staffer’s expression turned icy.
“You know that a national conflict happened because of Mr. Park?”
“Ah, I know.”
“You’re not some random person. The Executioner personally took notice of this talent.”
The Executioner.
The foreign name for Director Jeong Seungil of the Counter-Abnormal Bureau.
He mostly operated in East Asia and wasn’t as famous as the Twelve Heroes, but everyone who knew his power recognized him.
“Can James defeat a B-grade hunter in his 20s who drank the weakening potion?”
The weakening potion.
A secret the Korean government hadn’t even uncovered.
GGG had already secured it.
“…It’s possible.”
“Even an A-rank hunter who had just been promoted to C-rank managed to deal with the risk of a new hunter displaying explosive growth and power like yours.”
“I’m sorry.”
In the vast United States, no hunter had ever shown such explosive growth and power as Minho.
“Oh dear. Look at me. I was scolding you. Don’t worry.”
Sophia gave a light, teasing smile.
I can understand their reactions.
All the staff were A-rank hunters.
The top 0.1% among hunters.
Warriors released aura.
Magic hunters could cast D-rank or lower magic without chanting.
Any of them should be envious of a single C-rank in the Far East.
James’s line of followers was also a problem.
William had personally recruited and nurtured this talent.
One of the staffers following Sophia was clearly here to monitor her.
Go ahead and monitor.
Just watching from the side wouldn’t change anything.
Even if their past performance is outstanding, there’s no guarantee it will continue.
The wall of awakening.
Even talented hunters faced struggles from B-rank onward.
In GGG alone, several new recruits who were paid a fortune ended up stuck because they couldn’t grasp the thread of awakening.
The sharp attitudes of the staffers came from that.
Even if Minho was amazing.
If you couldn’t cross the wall, your growth potential had limits.
They’ll find out when they watch.
Across the airport entrance, the moment she stepped inside.
On Sophia’s retina was the image of the hot new recruit she had been watching with such interest—Park Minho.