Ethan's eyes sparkled with contentment.
Though the Skeleton Warriors appeared innocuous, benign to both man and beast, their martial capabilities were astonishingly formidable, challenging the bounds of conventional wisdom.
Moreover, these warriors were merely at the beginning of their potential, classified as Black Iron 1-star. Yet, they held the capacity for advancement.
With progression, the Skeleton Warriors would not only experience growth in stature but also in strength and agility, awakening intrinsic talents unique to their lineage.
A slight tremor passed through Ethan's hand as he unveiled the attribute panel for the Skeleton Warriors: Skeleton Warrior Strength: 25 Agility: 20 Intelligence: 10 Skill: Focus — An ability allowing for limitless augmentation of attack speed, with each consecutive strike increasing the speed by 1%. Note: This increment is exclusive to a single target. Altering targets necessitates a reset in the speed gain. Merit Points Needed for Next Level: 2 "Oh, mighty ruler of the Netherworld, your humble servants vow to serve you!"
The gaze of the two Skeleton Warriors was alight with a verdant spectral flame as they genuflected, placing their right hand over their hearts in a gesture of absolute fealty.
In the eyes of these skeletal beings, Ethan was their creator, their sovereign, the monarch of the underworld.
Though devoid of speech, Ethan could perceive every nuance of their intentions.
"Excellent. Are you ready to join me in our campaign across the realms?"
Ethan surveyed the Skeleton Warriors with a frosty demeanor.
"We are wholly committed to the Netherworld King, and it is our esteemed privilege to be summoned to battle alongside His Majesty," the Skeleton Warriors affirmed, their forms quivering slightly with anticipation.
"Even if we were to face lords or divinities as our adversaries, would you falter not?"
Ethan queried.
The flickering soul flames within the eyes of the Skeleton Warriors conveyed their unwavering resolve, "We stand ready to vanquish all obstacles for the Netherworld King, even if it leads to the extinguishing of our soul flames."
Ethan nodded in approval. To the Skeleton Warriors, their soul flame was the quintessence of existence; its extinguishment equated to the cessation of being.
"Alas, these brave warriors are yet too nascent in their strength,"
Ethan reflected with a sigh.
The ranking of Skeleton Warriors, akin to that of the Avalon (formerly Fei) Temple, spans from Black Iron to Gold, with the present warriors standing at Black Iron 1-star.
"It's time to devise a strategy for accruing merits,"
Ethan contemplated.
At that moment, a golden icon on the transparent display captured his interest—an option that had not existed in his previous life.
"What could this be?"
"Maintain the current troop archetype, enable random substitution of the summoned unit type!"
This feature was boundless, permitting indefinite modifications.
Witnessing Ethan's lack of response, a trace of unease flickered in the captivating eyes of the two vampire maidens. Given their existence hung in the balance of another's whims, it was natural for them to harbor a deep-seated fear of the count before them.
Ethan's gaze shifted towards the two vampires, whose petite and endearing demeanor belied their potent nature.
"Could you devise a method to purge the magical beasts within a ten-mile radius?"
He recalled how, in his previous life, the proliferation of magical beasts around the temple had significantly hampered his progress, presenting a continuous source of vexation.
"One approach could take about ten days to exterminate them completely. Yet, employing our corruption ability to assimilate them into our ranks would substantially expedite the process—five days for a ten-mile radius, and a month for extending to a hundred miles," detailed one of the vampire progenitors.
"Assimilated into vampires?"
Ethan's brow furrowed slightly at the proposition.
"Indeed. Post-assimilation, these vampires would fall under our dominion. Should the Count desire to forge a vampire legion spanning a hundred miles, we stand ready to serve. The sole limitation being their transition into a dormant state during daylight, rendering them inactive," the other vampire elaborated, keen to underscore their indispensable value as the forebearers of their kind.
"A vampire legion over a hundred miles?"
Ethan pondered over the proposition with great intrigue.
The allure was undeniable; the notion of wielding a nocturnal force of such magnitude, capable of challenging even the celestial and demonic prodigies, was immensely appealing.
Their evident sagacity and strategic acumen far surpassed any forces he had previously marshaled.