The Upgraded Lord Nurturing Device
The enhancement of the Lord Nurturing Device.
This was something Arthur had never once heard of while playing the Monarch Game.
'A function unique to the specialized Lord Nurturing Device.'
He couldn't help but think that.
The light faded from the Lord Nurturing Device, floating in midair and scattering a blue glow.
Its appearance hadn't changed at all.
Arthur looked down at the device that had smoothly settled onto his palm.
Please confirm the enhanced Lord Nurturing Device.
Confirm?
'The reward for clearing the 4th stage tutorial is an upgrade to the Lord Nurturing Device, huh.'
He let out a snort.
Arthur chuckled.
The Lord Nurturing Device before the upgrade had already demonstrated far greater functions than the standard one Bakalos had taught him about.
And now it had received an additional enhancement.
An upgrade to the specialized Lord Nurturing Device that even Bakalos hadn't obtained!
Without hesitation, Arthur confirmed it.
◈ Special Abilities:
⦁ Emergency Combat Mode: 20,000 cash or 50,000 gold
⦁ Designated Important Information View: 20,000 cash or 50,000 gold
As mentioned, the basic item grades were four in number.
Trivial, Common, Faded, and Fantastic.
And Arthur had discovered an additional grade: Absolute.
This meant the Lord Nurturing Device might be able to upgrade two more stages.
"Emergency Combat Mode and Designated Important Information View?"
These were the new additions from the enhancement of the specialized Lord Nurturing Device.
There might be other unlisted additions as well.
Emergency Combat Mode cost a whopping 20,000 cash.
After clicking for details and reading, Arthur let out a gasp of admiration.
'It finds the optimized breakthrough.'
Optimized breakthrough.
Emergency Combat Mode was described as locating an optimized breakthrough that could lead the lord to victory depending on the situation.
For example, if Arthur faced a dangerous predicament, it would reveal a mission, quest, dungeon location, strategy, or anything else that could save him.
In exchange, it cost 20,000 cash—or 50,000 gold as an alternative—and lasted only 24 hours.
But during that time, Arthur could take truly 'optimized' actions.
'Even if the Lord Nurturing Device is optimized, it means nothing if the user can't make use of it.'
For instance, it was like the difference between when Bakalos had the specialized Lord Nurturing Device and when Arthur had it.
They possessed the same item, but how they used it and how much they grew differed vastly.
No matter how well you knew the strategy, failure was possible depending on the user.
'Useful.'
Arthur flashed a satisfied smile.
Next was Designated Important Information View.
This was somewhat expected, but he checked anyway.
And sure enough.
'I can open Important Information View for whatever I designate.'
Whatever Arthur was curious about or desired—he could unlock the Important Information View for it.
But it also cost a steep 20,000 cash, or 50,000 gold as a substitute.
Arthur currently had 66,000 cash, up from 56,000 with an additional 10,000.
He planned to use Designated Important Information View first once he returned.
His target: Aris, the Goddess of Buffs.
The method to awaken her.
'Perfect. Just perfect.'
Arthur couldn't help but feel elated.
"My lord?"
Gremori called out in bewilderment at how broadly Arthur was grinning.
"Ahem. Was I laughing like a maniac by myself?"
"Yes."
Gremori answered firmly.
Swallowing a wry smile, Arthur said,
"Now's the time to draw."
Arthur's hand began moving swiftly.
Creation Painting was activating.
Lord's Statement: I, Arthur, hereby notify my victory in the first confrontation against Lord Daph and request a fair rematch.
Format:
⦁ Lord Daph receives 80 troops from a territory just out of the Lord Protection Period to participate in the war.
⦁ Lord Daph fills all 5 stages of the Lord's Shackles (up to stage 5) to balance with Lord Arthur and fights with lowered stats.
⦁ Both lords are defeated if all troops die; the defeated lord pays 20,000 gold to the victor.
⦁ Lord Arthur faces no special restrictions and can participate freely.
⦁ Lords do not kill each other.
Daph laughed as he looked over the newly formatted war mode proposal he'd just signed.
"That arrogant little shit!"
He'd seen it coming ever since the punk demanded ownership of the relic artifact for the Valkyrie Federation.
The bastard was at the peak of his hubris right now.
Daph had lost his first 50 troops in a somewhat pathetic manner.
But it was purely due to the guy's luck.
Daph no longer touched alcohol.
There was still some buzz left, but it wouldn't hinder combat.
Plus, this brat had generously allowed him 30 extra troops to show just how cocky he was.
In exchange, he'd upped the stakes to 20,000 gold.
Pfft, 20,000 gold was nothing. Lord Daph snorted and accepted.
And then.
"Hey, Orwen!"
"Yes, my lord."
"I need to borrow some of your remaining troops."
"......Pardon?"
Orwen nearly lost control of his expression.
Perfectly matching, Arthur had specified Orwen's remaining 80 troops.
"You deaf? I said I'm borrowing more of your troops."
"Then, for purchasing new troops—"
Crack!
The moment he spoke, Lord Daph's furious fist slammed down on his head.
"Gahk!"
Even though it was just a downward strike, Orwen collapsed from the shock.
His body trembled as he briefly blacked out.
Fortunately, he didn't die.
"Kirek, Lord Orwen!"
His proxy paled as he checked on the fainted Orwen.
"You lowly goblin scum, take your lord and get the fuck out."
"Kirek, y-yes......"
One wrong word, and both Orwen and he would be in danger.
The goblin proxy groaned as he dragged Orwen away with effort.
Satisfied, Daph turned to his remaining 80 Kau tribe troops and began designating them.
80 troops have been designated.
Now, if these designated troops died, it would be defeat.
But there'd be no defeat this time!
"Chase them down!"
Hiihiihiiing!
The horses of the golden carriage let out fierce neighs as they charged forward.
"Oh, Lord Orwen......"
Lucia, who had been mocking him from behind Daph, bit her lip at the sight of Orwen foaming at the mouth and collapsed.
'This isn't why I joined the Valkyrie Federation......'
A sense of helplessness surged within Lady Lucia.
This wasn't the treatment she'd signed up for.
Yet she cowered before Daph's recklessness, inwardly hoping someone would give the damn bastard a taste of his own medicine.
Still, she knew it wouldn't be her fighting Daph right now.
She'd seen it herself.
Shoddy troops, shoddy tactics. Using the flower of the berserker was clever, but with such mediocre forces, beating Lord Daph seemed impossible.
"L-Lady......"
The Bakuk tribe beside her spoke in a worried tone.
The Bakuk tribe also walked upright.
Lucia nodded at her 13-year-old-boy-sized Bakuk proxy's concern.
"Hurry and follow. He might throw another fit if we're late."
Daph had said to watch him fight and learn properly today.
And she had learned something.
That the bastard really was trash.
The 40 troops who had raced ahead on horseback to the Ophillis River were aboard the boats Arthur had drawn, shouting their heads off.
"Uwaaaah, they're chasing us! Hurry and flee~!"
"Kwah, the Kau tribe's coming! That's 80 troops—we can't win!"
"Get on the boats and run!"
"Hurryyy! If they catch us, we're all done for!"
Arthur wore a satisfied smile as he watched the soldiers cup their hands and yell.
Tututututu!
The sound of the enemies approaching echoed.
The grins vanished from the 40 troops' faces.
Tatatatat!
Arthur and Gremori, atop Fenrus, quickly hid.
He saw no need to reveal himself yet.
Everything had its proper stages.
Arthur wasn't in enough of a rush to confront Daph directly.
He cunningly maneuvered his troops to provoke further.
The soldiers on the four wooden boats launched them just as the golden carriage and 80 Kau tribe arrived.
"You fucking bastards!"
Daph panted heavily.
He spotted the additional wooden boats floating nearby.
"Everyone, board!"
No one disobeyed Daph's command.
Not even the Kau tribe, who feared his ferocity.
Especially after he'd bashed Lord Orwen's head.
Of course, resentment brewed.
But since their lord Orwen wouldn't want rebellion, they had no choice but to obey.
Few questioned the boats on the Ophillis River.
Abandoned boats from lords dotted the river, or ones left for trade with other territories.
Boats could be bought from the Gold Shop, and weren't too expensive.
Wooden boats were among the cheapest.
But with the enemy fleeing on boats right in front of him, Daph lost his mind and boarded with his troops.
The Kau tribe, slightly larger than adult males, split eight per boat across several vessels.
Daph, wedged among them, had long discarded the golden carriage.
His only thought: kill them all here.
"Row!"
"Moooo!"
The Kau tribe rowed with all their might.
Their boats rapidly closed in on the troops.
But Valkas territory's soldiers rowed leisurely.
Soon, Valkas's wooden boats reached the river's midpoint.
Daph's lead boat narrowed the gap to 5 meters.
"Faster!"
Daph bellowed from the prow, as if ready to tear them apart right then.
And Arthur, hidden nearby, spotted it.
A Hound tribe member who looked like he'd been beaten with clubs from the golden carriage.
He seemed thoroughly thrashed by Daph, yet never took his worried eyes off the boarding Daph, wagging his tail gently.
'Crazy bastard.'
Arthur glared fiercely at Daph.
Beating his own proxy like a dog.
And he had no idea.
That the Hound tribe girl he'd beaten like a dog—Ollia—was hiding another secret unit.