The Reinforced Legion Awakens

As the evolution rate hit 100%.

All sorts of stats had risen evenly—attack, defense, vitality, the works.

On top of that, they'd all picked up brand-new skills.

Reinforced Armor Knights got Shock Return.

Reinforced Armor Cavalry got Charge.

Reinforced Armor Archers got Multi-Shot.

Reinforced Armor Mages got more powerful attribute-based spells.

"Damn, that's insane. For real."

"Whoa, oppa! This is seriously amaz—!"

"In-incredible."

Mu-hyuk grinned at the awe from Sung Min-woo, Yerin, and Kim Ji-yeon.

"Pretty badass, right?"

"Holy shit, how much stronger are they now?"

"Tremendously."

"So, you gonna challenge the holy warriors and high priests now?"

"Obviously."

Mu-hyuk's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠face brimmed with confidence.

With stat boosts like these?

"And they've each got an extra skill now."

"No way? For real?"

"Yeah, haven't tested 'em yet."

"Check it out!"

Mu-hyuk nodded at Sung Min-woo's urging.

Hard to gauge the skill's power just from the description.

He'd test it soon enough.

Moving on to the next.

Charge was a solid skill. Nice.

The Reinforced Armor Archers had gained Multi-Shot—same name as Mu-hyuk's own skill.

This was...!

If a bunch of Reinforced Armor Archers unleashed Multi-Shot at once?

Just imagining it brought a smile to his face. A massive barrage of bone arrows spreading in fans—spectacular just to watch.

He skimmed through the mages' spells next, eager to see that scene.

Fire Spear.

Ice Stone.

Wind Cutter.

Thunder Fist.

They'd evenly mastered all four attributes.

"How are they? Good?"

"Yeah, no joke. Insane."

"Ooh...!"

"Let's go hunt right now."

"Okay!"

They crossed the apprentice holy knight and priest zones to reach the elite area.

Lucky break—the fallen elite holy knights and priests had respawned.

Clear them all out, then Revive the masses before tackling the holy warriors and high priests. That'd be a huge boost.

"Alright, let's start."

Four lights gathered in the Reinforced Armor Mages' hands as the Reinforced Armor Archers nocked arrows.

Spells shot from the mages' hands—familiar ones they'd known before.

Normally, that'd be it, but now each had one extra new spell.

Mu-hyuk ordered them fired in sequence.

Fwoooong!

Followed by the Reinforced Armor Archers' Power Shots and Multi-Shots.

Bang! Bababang!

The air filled with bone arrows so dense not even an ant could slip through.

An inescapable arrow storm, topped by cascading spells.

"That's INSANE!"

Ignoring Sung Min-woo's shout, the spells slammed into the elite holy knights and priests.

Aftershocks erupted.

Bone arrows pierced the dust, embedding in the foes.

Reinforced Armor Cavalry—Charge!

The already charging cavalry's speed multiplied several times. The shockwave speared the front-line elite holy knights.

Accelerated Thrust!

They thrust their trait-matched weapons.

Solid damage dealt.

The next wave of Reinforced Armor Cavalry closed in with heavy single strikes, forming an encirclement.

Mu-hyuk watched the exchange.

Just before the elites' counterattack ramped up, half-worried, half-excited, he activated the new Shock Return.

Even maximal blocking with shields dealt heavy damage.

Kwang! Kwagwang!

In 5 seconds, average HP loss hit 4,000. Right before 10 seconds ended, each had taken around 7,000 damage.

Including Burtan and Hydra, exactly 44 Reinforced Armor Cavalry. Their barriers flushed red and exploded outward.

Kuwhoooong!

The destructive power exceeded imagination.

2,100 damage per unit.

Total: 92,400 damage blasted everywhere.

Seven fallen elite holy knights melted away.

"Woooah!"

Riding the momentum, they swept the rest.

Moments later.

Sung Min-woo, Yerin, and Kim Ji-yeon stood before Mu-hyuk, faces flushed with excitement.

"Oppa, you're the absolute best...!"

"Seriously insane."

"Y-yeah, tremendous. Really."

Expected reactions.

The skeletons had shone that brightly.

"Even I was shocked."

Anyone could've guessed combat power would surge post-evolution.

But imagining it and seeing it were worlds apart—especially since the gains far exceeded expectations. Total satisfaction.

"Hunting elites felt like a total breeze."

"Me too!"

"Honestly thought it was apprentices for a sec."

"At this rate..."

They could handle holy warriors and high priests too.

"Let's clear out of the elite zone first."

"Okay!"

Energy surged naturally.

Finish this quick.

How much hidden power he gained in this episode would shape his future standing.

To break free from all oppression in Illusion at least, he'd seize maximum power.

He was determined to make it so.

"Let's go."

No rest—they pushed on.

Elite packs visible ahead.

Battle recommenced.

Overwhelming victory.

Again, and again.

One more fight, full rest, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠resummon skeletons, another battle.

"It's past midnight now, oppa?"

"Huh? Already?"

"Yeah."

"Ah, guess we all gotta log out."

"Meet at 1:30."

"Okay."

Before logging out, as he sent the skeletons to the Demon Realm, a thought struck him.

No need for early elites anyway. Reviving around 150 elite monsters was the limit—dead ones or freshly killed were useless.

Better revive and send them to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Demon Realm together.

"Heading out first."

"Yeah, sure."

"See ya soon, oppa."

"Yep."

Once everyone logged out, Mu-hyuk hurriedly mounted his warhorse and backtracked.

There, he revived elites, then headed the way his friends had gone.

Revive, Revive.

All revived: 97 elite holy knights, 38 elite priests. Plus his summons—all to the Demon Realm.

Time to log out myself.

Finally, Mu-hyuk exited the game.

*

The succubus receiving the report wore a sour expression.

"So, you're saying you're scared of some beasts and requesting backup now?"

"W-well..."

"And you call yourselves proud demons?!"

The two lesser demons could only bow their heads.

"Figures. What was I expecting from lowlies."

"We're sorry!"

"Enough. Fine, let's see how impressive they are. Cassandra!"

A female demon in black armor appeared at the succubus's words—one of her escorts.

"Cassandra, take these two to F11 sector. Deal with the beasts there and report their strength accurately."

"Understood."

Cassandra was a mid-tier demon.

She led the two lowlies to F11.

After a long trek, they arrived.

No sign of the so-called beasts—skeletons—yet.

"Where do they show?"

"Here."

"Here?"

"Yes, Lady Cassandra."

"Hmm, got it."

Cassandra leaned against a nearby Bigmouth Tree trunk, arms crossed.

The beastly Bigmouth Tree trembled under her aura.

"Stay still. I won't kill you."

The shaking stopped instantly.

"Good boy. One more tremble and you'd be done."

The tree shuddered again.

"Beast indeed."

Her hand flashed like lightning.

Srash.

A razor-thin blade sliced it; flames erupted from the trunk. As she stepped away, it crumbled to ash in the wind.

Fwoooong.

Wind stirred before her.

"Ho."

The beastly skeleton horde appeared.

"Those guys?"

"Yes."

"Decent numbers."

Cassandra approached slowly.

Armor Cavalry 1 raised its sword.

Mages' spells and archers' bone arrows poured first.

Then cavalry charged, followed by Armor Knights, Poison Ogres, Yetis, Orc Great Warriors, Burtan, Big Skeletons, and more.

Tremendous pressure, but Cassandra just watched the incoming attacks and skeletons.

Only when arrows and spells closed in did she draw her blade—a thread-thin sword.

A light swing, but the result was anything but.

Kwaduk, kwaduduk.

Spells and arrows devoured by the slashed blade.

Felt like space itself was cut—yet power lingered, grazing the charging cavalry.

No deaths, but massive HP loss.

Forced thrust with spears—but.

Srulk.

Cassandra sidestepped effortlessly, advancing. The cavalry collapsed powerless, soon reverse-summoned.

Yeti sprayed cold aura, but the thin blade severed it. No attack touched Cassandra.

Flowing like water.

She dismantled the entire skeleton force.

Took time, but overwhelming.

"That all?"

"Y-yes..."

"Hmm, understood. I'll report back."

"Backup...?"

"Might be tough for you two. Sending two more lowlies."

"Thank you."

Cassandra reported immediately upon return; the succubus approved, dispatching two more lesser demons.

Thus, when skeletons returned to the Demon Realm, they faced four lesser demons.

Two was a struggle; four was impossible.

Endless defeat stretched on.

And today.

44 Reinforced Armor Knights.

25 Reinforced Armor Archers.

17 Reinforced Armor Cavalry.

16 Reinforced Armor Mages.

Total 102 evolved skeletons moved to the Demon Realm. With 135 fallen elite monsters.