“Clatter, clatter.”
Black metal fragments piled up on the floor like a small hill. Raul, who had taken out every last piece from his inventory, frowned slightly.
‘Even though these are all broken, it still feels unpleasant.’
Raul was standing in the secret training hall located beneath the Calix Castle, his main base. Returning from the Marquis’ estate, Raul had to take care of pending tasks for several days due to the unexpectedly prolonged visit.
And finally, today, he came to the training hall to conduct an overdue “settlement”.
“Is this enough?”
“Even though they’re broken, this amount should be enough.”
Raul asked, and Rabel replied with his arms crossed. In front of them was a pile of black fragments, remnants of the power armor obtained from the battle with the Imperial Hounds.
When a power armor infused with dark essence integrates with its owner’s body, its properties change, making it unusable again. Simply put, these were practically trash. However, Raul brought these back for one reason: “Regnator”.
“Whoosh.”
When Raul infused mana into the bracelet on his right hand, it transformed into a golden power armor that covered half of his upper body.
“This feels unpleasant. It’s almost similar to their aura.”
Caldenas, who had revealed himself, muttered as he sensed the dark energy emanating from the broken power armors.
“Whose aura are you talking about?”
“The demons of the demonic realm. Their aura, ‘demonic energy’, is quite similar, yet slightly different from this.”
“There’s been talk that those imperial scum might be related to demons for a long time.”
“Damn it… this…”
Caldenas attempted to say more but seemed to be restricted by some taboo. Despite the lack of further explanation from Caldenas, Raul already had the general information about the empire.
The information collected in his previous life was still well-organized in the link cafe.
“Shall we start then?”
“To witness the awakening of a divine artifact, how thrilling.”
A spark of curiosity flickered on Caldenas’s expressionless face. Despite living for countless years, opportunities to see something worthy of being called a divine artifact were nearly nonexistent. Seeing the unsealing of such an artifact was something he didn’t expect.
“Don’t get your hopes too high. There might be no significant change, or it might not awaken this time.”
While Rabel spoke, Raul extended his hand towards the power armors tainted with dark energy.
“Flash!”
A golden light emanated from his hand as the black armors were pulled towards his palm.
Crunch, chew.
The giant metal fragments the size of an adult’s torso were crushed and absorbed into his palm as if being chewed by teeth.
“As expected, they don’t provide much experience. It seems like it won’t take much time to digest them.”
Even without Rabel’s words, Regnator was tirelessly devouring the power armors stacked up. Soon after. When Raul’s arm started to feel numb and he inexplicably felt a sense of fullness, only two power armors remained.
“If this isn’t enough, we’ll have to wait until next time.”
The two remnants came from No. 5 and No. 9. Considering how much experience he had gained from absorbing No. 3’s core during the battle, Raul couldn’t help but hold some expectation.
And finally, when the two remaining power armors were absorbed.
Whoosh.
Regnator detached itself from Raul’s body without his conscious effort.
“Huh?”
As Raul stood bewildered, the bracelet on his wrist began to emit a shine, vibrating alone for a moment.
‘Quite something.’
Originally, the Regnator bracelet had a tarnished, rusty appearance due to its degraded state after crossing dimensions. But now, it gleamed with a complete black luster, looking as if it were newly forged.
The vibration stopped, and Regnator expanded again, this time covering Raul’s entire body.
“Ho.”
“Wow!”
Caldenas and Rabel gasped in amazement. The altered Regnator now completely covered Raul’s entire body. Raul, clad in golden armor, appeared both stunningly beautiful and immensely dignified.
‘…Ah, it’s different!’
The moment he donned it, he felt it. The exhilaration he had felt the first time Regnator awakened and enveloped his entire body came rushing back to him. Within that sensation, Raul instinctively discovered new functionalities.
Raul extended his left wrist, which had another power armor attached.
“Whoosh!”
From the empty air, a power armor unfolded, forming the shape of a knight.
“Master.”
At Raul’s call, Caldenas unconsciously approached the knight’s form.
“Flash.”
In an instant, Caldenas’s form vanished, and a faint light emanated from the knight’s shape.
“Click.”
The knight-shaped power armor began to move on its own.
“Haha, to think something like this was possible.”
As Caldenas’s voice emanated from the knight’s mouth, Raul clenched his fist in triumph.
『Ghost Armor』.
This was the new ability of the awakened Regnator. A special function that allowed him to control lower-grade power armors through his ego. Presently residing in Regnator was Raul’s master, Caldenas. This meant that Caldenas could now control the power armor.
“…How do you feel?”
Raul asked cautiously. Although Caldenas had not intended to reside in Regnator, Raul was unsure if Caldenas wanted to move a new power armor. But it turned out Raul’s worries were unfounded.
Caldenas felt a new sense of exhilaration as he experienced the sensation of a body for the first time in nearly a year and a half.
‘Once, I wished for annihilation, and now I’m delighted to regain a body….’
Having spent his life with a sword, it must have been incredibly frustrating for Caldenas not to wield one unwillingly.
“Give me a sword.”
At Caldenas’s words, Raul quickly handed over a sword.
“Swish.”
Running a hand down the blade, Caldenas then lifted the sword.
“Whoosh!”
It began lightly. He inspected the movement of his newly acquired body with basic motions, wielding the sword without using mana.
“Wow.”
Rabel exclaimed in admiration. Caldenas’s movements resembled a dance of the sword more than mere swordsmanship.
‘Really on another level.’
Although Raul had learned basic movements and swordsmanship from him, Caldenas’s 『Infinity Sword』 was nothing short of perfection. Without using mana at all, Raul couldn’t see any openings to exploit in Caldenas’s form.
And when Caldenas began to truly exert his strength,
‘…My word. This is completely overpowered, isn’t it?’
Despite not appearing to exert much force, a 3-meter-long aura blade surged from Caldenas’s sword, tearing the space apart. If his previous movements were a beautiful, agile dance of swordsmanship, his current sword was like a voracious black hole that threatened to swallow everything.
‘A companion more powerful than his main body…’
With 7-circle mage Rabel and now swordmaster Caldenas, Raul’s team was growing formidable. Ironically, he was on the verge of becoming more of a summoner than a swordsman or a superhuman. Although that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, it did leave him feeling a bit odd.
Caldenas, having retracted his sword, approached Raul and spoke, “It seems the power armor can’t withstand much more. The maximum duration is probably around 30 minutes.”
“What level of prowess should I consider that you just demonstrated?”
“It would be at the Intermediate to entry level of Advanced Master. Hm, it seems like it would make for a good match against Count Melvin.”
‘Whew….’
Raul let out a small sigh inwardly. He thought he had been diligently working, but another mountain to climb had appeared, causing him to become anxious once more.
“What are you doing?”
“…Yes?”
“Draw your sword quickly. I was so frustrated guiding you merely with words. From now on, I’ll teach you properly.”
Raul was deeply moved by Caldenas’s consideration. Knowing his master was willing to look after his swordsmanship right after regaining a body touched his heart.
But that sentiment was fleeting.
“Um, Master?”
Raul’s face turned slightly pale.
“Hm? What’s the matter?”
“Why are you… wielding an aura blade?”
The razor-sharp aura blade extending from Caldenas’s sword looked as if it could slice through anything with a mere touch.
“Training should be like real combat! I’ll train you properly, just as I’ve taught other masters.”
“N-no, wait…!”
Clang! Thud.
The temporary aura blade Raul hastily conjured couldn’t withstand even a single strike and crumbled down.
“Tsk! You must focus properly!”
But without giving him any rest, Caldenas’s next strike was already on its way.
‘I’m not even a master yet!’
Raul internally screamed, but Caldenas showed no mercy. Finally, only after Raul’s mana was entirely depleted and he fainted, did Caldenas’s training session come to an end.
*
『Regnator: Power Armor』
Rarity: Unique -> Epic
Grade: A
Status: Bound (Raul), Partially Unsealed, sealed
Output: 1.8 -> 2.0 CP (Core Power)
Operation Time: 120 -> 240 min/max
Operation Mode: Self-Charging
Defensive Spell: 6th Circle, high-level Mana Blade Defense Field, 75% Attribute Effect Reduction
Special Functions:
Judgement (200% effect amplification against the subject of a pact)
Stealthy Predator (Absorb lower-grade power armors and mimic their functions)
Phantasmal Wings (Generate wings with the infused energy attribute)
Ego (Armor can operate autonomously even if the owner loses consciousness)
Ghost Armor (Control lower-grade power armors through the ego)
Awakening Time: 30 seconds -> 1 minute
Raul examined the updated information window of Regnator and sighed again.
‘It’s good, very good, but why can’t I smile….’
The Caldenas wielding a sword was not the warm mentor Raul had imagined. He was a stringent and cold-hearted teacher who pushed Raul to the brink, perfectly utilizing the 30-minute limit he was given.
Thanks to this, for the fifteen days since Regnator’s awakening, Raul ended up fainting every day and being carried to his bedroom to see the morning sun.
Of course, perhaps because of this relentless training, the experience and proficiency bars that had seemed almost static began to move again, but….
‘I don’t feel like I’m improving at all.’
Raul wondered if his confidence wasn’t waning, considering he was getting beaten up every day. However, aside from the terrifying sparring sessions with his master, recent developments in the territory were quite favorable.
The players who had migrated to the First Viscounty had settled down and were actively working hard. Through the commissions from the First Knight Order and the Player Association, they were traveling across the Ruben Kingdom, tackling dungeons and gates, and gaining meritorious achievements.
Thanks to this, the second round of immigrant recruitment, which had started recently, was also progressing successfully.
Furthermore, the First Player Association, which had been initiated in the First Viscounty, was gradually expanding its influence and scope. Once the existence of the association was spread among players through community and broadcasts, inquiries about joining the association poured in, even from those not affiliated with the viscounty.
Now, with external players joining the association centered around the First Knight Order branches, it was becoming the first and largest player association in name and reality.
Internally, the Mage Tower had officially begun its activities. Combining the alchemy line overseen by Nakia, which included potion production, the artisans and craftsmen Raul had steadily recruited, and the newly acquired Perido Mage Tower, the 『First Mage Tower』 was announced.
With its foundation in potion production and now the enchanted equipment production, the ultimate goal was to produce power armors in-house, involving enormous funds and manpower.
According to reports from Nakia and Rabel, basic power armor production was expected to be feasible by the first half of next year.
‘The First Knights are also nearing the guild’s capacity of 1,000 members, and the elite training of all the territorial soldiers is progressing well.’
Raul’s ultimate goal was to have all forces reach the level of mana users and to implement cavalry. Increasing numbers half-heartedly would only result in victims in the coming great wars. From the bonds formed through the recent territorial war, a sufficient number of warhorses had been secured from Baron Selfjord, ensuring no significant issues appeared for the cavalry.
While Raul was organizing the state of the territory, Bernard came to the office.
“Master, someone from the order has come.”
“The order? Do you mean the Xenon Church?”
“It’s rather peculiar. I think you should meet them in person.”
‘What is it? Is there any reason for the order to act now…?’
While he briefly searched his memory, a sudden realization struck him.
‘Could it be, them…?’
Raul’s expression hardened as he swallowed his dry throat.
(To be continued.)