The battalion-commander-class Lizardn who had survived to the very end and proudly made it into the final three.
Even though they had not officially received the title of battalion commander from Su-ho, they took care of the Lizardn under them more rigorously than anyone—like true battalion commanders.
That was why Su-ho valued their sense of responsibility and professional spirit more than anyone.
“Everyone, you’ve worked hard.”
“Tsrat! Not at all!”
The battalion-commander-class Lizardn snapped to attention, discipline tight.
Watching them, he couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter.
Su-ho said:
“What are your nas?”
“We have none!”
“None?”
“Yes, that’s correct!”
“Hm?”
He hadn’t considered that at all.
But it was true.
Except for nad monsters like mid-bosses or bosses, most common-grade monsters didn’t have nas.
‘Well, “battalion commander,” “company commander”—those are ranks I slapped on them; ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) they’re not officially recognized by the System.’
In that case, I can just give them nas.
Su-ho said:
“Then I’ll bestow nas upon you.”
“T-Tsrat! Truly?!”
“A n-na, you an?”
“A... na...!”
At the words that he would bestow nas, the three Lizardn visibly trembled with excitent.
Not only them.
The other Lizardn were the sa.
“Ts, Tsrat!”
“My word...”
“Tsraaaat...”
“So jealous...”
“Wow, a na...”
The lower Lizardn stirred at the promise of nas.
Why are they like this?
Is receiving a na really sothing to cause this much commotion?
Of course, Su-ho knew well the importance of a na—he’d lived long enough.
A na is the dium that establishes a being’s identity.
Even so, he’d simply never seen anyone sad for lack of a na, so he was just a bit taken aback.
Maybe that was why a sudden weight pressed on him.
‘Ah, I was going to just wing it.’
Since there were three battalion commanders, he’d planned to go with sothing like First Chief, Second Chief, Third Chief.
But judging by the mood, he shouldn’t.
‘From the vibe, they’ll be thrilled to get nas—so I should make them at least sound decent.’
After a brief hesitation, Su-ho asked the battalion commanders:
“Have you fought among yourselves? It is, after all, a ranking match.”
“Yes, that’s correct. Just in case, we fought among ourselves.”
“Yeah? What about the company commanders and platoon leaders below you?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Good. Then what’s the order among you three?”
“Tsrat, I’m first, this guy is second, and this one is third.”
The one who answered as their representative each ti was the first.
And he was also the one who had tried to evacuate the other Lizardn while taking Yeocheon’s attack alone.
No wonder he’d been more devoted and principled.
‘So the position did make the man.’
After a mont’s thought, Su-ho said:
“Do you rember what those guys called earlier?”
“Yes, they called you the Red Dragon King.”
“They called that not because we’re actual dragons—we’re lizards—but because to them we looked like dragons. If I’m a dragon, then you’re dragons too. So the one ranked first is Ilyong (First-Dragon), the second is Duyong (Second-Dragon), and the third is Samyong (Third-Dragon).”
“E-even us...?!”
“Why? You don’t like it?”
“Tsrat! No, we truly like it! A na bestowed by the Great King—we will cherish it deep in our hearts!”
“I, Duyong, will treasure it forever as well!”
“Thank you, Great King! I love the na Samyong!”
The three, their eyes not only shining but oddly misting over, expressed their heartfelt thanks.
‘Glad they like it.’
He’d worried they might call it tacky.
Even if they did, so be it.
It’s not like he could visit a naming bureau just to na monsters.
‘And from now on, you’re the Yongyongies.’
Just then—
[ You have bestowed a na upon a Lizardman. ]
[ Is the bestowed na “Ilyong” correct? ]
[ You have bestowed a na upon a Lizardman. ]
[ Is the bestowed na “Duyong” correct? ]
[ You have bestowed a na upon a Lizardman. ]
[ Is the bestowed na “Samyong” correct? ]
Notifications stread before his eyes.
It was the National System.
Thinking, ‘Huh, it even has this,’ Su-ho answered the prompts.
[ A na is being bestowed upon a Lizardman. ]
[ A common Lizardman has acquired the na “Ilyong.” ]
[ “Ilyong” is granted the King’s Recognition. ]
[ Mana is bestowed upon “Ilyong.” ]
[ A na is being bestowed upon a Lizardman. ]
[ A common Lizardman has acquired the na “Duyong.” ]
[ “Duyong” is granted the King’s Recognition. ]
[ Mana is bestowed upon “Duyong.” ]
[ A na is being bestowed upon a Lizardman. ]
[ A common Lizardman has acquired the na “Samyong.” ]
[ “Samyong” is granted the King’s Recognition. ]
[ Mana is bestowed upon “Samyong.” ]
What’s this now?
As he nodded along to the National System’s prompts, the King’s Recognition was suddenly conferred, and mana drained from Su-ho’s body and began pouring into the Yongyongies.
Fwaaah!
At the sa ti, the Yongyongies’ bodies began to shine and underwent physical change.
The physical change was evolution.
Like sothing out of a certain Japanese monster cartoon, the evolved Yongyongies grew far larger than the existing Lizardn, their scales thickened, and they took on features befitting commanders—true generals.
[ “Ilyong”’s information has changed. ]
[ “Ilyong” has grown stronger. ]
[ “Duyong”’s information has changed. ]
[ “Duyong” has grown stronger. ]
[ “Samyong”’s information has changed. ]
[ “Samyong” has grown stronger. ]
A notification that they had grown stronger.
It was definite evolution.
Smiling at the far more stalwart Yongyongies, Su-ho said,
“So that’s why you were all crazy about nas?”
“Ha-ha, that’s right.”
“I didn’t expect a secret like this. But if it works like this, would the ones below all get stronger if I bestow nas on them too?”
“Yes, it seems so.”
“I see. But I won’t.”
“Sir?”
“Then what’s the point of you winning the ranking match? When you move one or two steps further up, I’ll bestow nas on the company and platoon leaders then.”
“Great King...!”
Su-ho ant it.
Purely for efficiency, it would be right to bestow nas on all the Lizardn.
With the Yalu (Amnok) River Gate gone, he could no longer gather more Lizardn; strengthening and carefully using the existing forces was the best course.
But if he bestowed nas on everyone just for efficiency’s sake, the specialness of the Yongyongies, who had beco the three battalion commanders through the ranking match, would be lost.
‘Of course, they’d be loyal either way...’
Still, there must be special treatnt comnsurate with the position.
That’s how you get the other Lizardn to push themselves.
Then Su-ho’s gaze fell to the Yongyongies’ weapons.
“But your weapons are the sa, huh?”
“Tsrat, so they are.”
It seed the evolution applied only to their bodies.
After a brief thought, Su-ho smiled.
“Good. Then next cos the weapon-bestowal ceremony.”
“T-Tsrat...! E-even weapons, you an?”
“Of course. Your bodies grew, so what are you going to do if your weapons stay the sa? You’re battalion commanders, after all.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Su-ho made a light gesture, and three spears were drawn from the Blood Armory.
They were tridents.
All Lizardn used tridents.
Su-ho handed the red, nacing Blood Tridents to the Yongyongies.
“The edge won’t dull, and even if they break they’ll regenerate. If you lose one, I’ll make you a new one, so don’t be stingy—use them.”
“Ts-Tsrat...”
“Great King...”
“Huuuk...”
Now they were truly getting teary-eyed.
Cute kids.
Jutting his chin toward the subordinates watching from below, Su-ho said to the Yongyongies,
“Go show them. Show them what you’ve beco.”
“Tsrat!”
At their answer, the Yongyongies stood before the thousands of Lizardn. And then—
Cheok!
All three raised their bestowed Blood Tridents high for all to see.
Ilyong shouted as representative:
“These are the weapons bestowed by the Great King!”
“Waaaaaaaaaa!!”
“Tsraaaaat!!”
“Ts ts ts ts ts!!”
“Great King! Great King! Great King!”
“So cool!!”
“Kiaaaaa!!”
The Lizardn roared so loud the Amnok River might have been shaken.
Watching that sight, he felt truly proud.
‘So this is why power-holders tried so hard to sit on the throne.’
But what Su-ho felt was a bit different from what ordinary power-holders would feel.
These creatures had begun as monsters and ruled this land, but now, following Su-ho’s orders, they had beco fine warriors who fought at his side against their enemies.
Thus, to Su-ho, the Lizardn had beco beings he must protect—like other people.
Presently, Su-ho stepped up beside the Yongyongies and spoke to the thousands of Lizardn.
“Always strive! Train and hone your strength, and look upward! Then you too will be able to stand here!”
“Waaaaaaaaaaaa!”
“We are proud warriors!”
“Tsraaaaat!!”
“Waaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
“Waaaaaaaaa!!”
“Ts ts ts ts ts!!”
“Great King! Great King! Great King!”
“So cool!!”
“Kiaaaaa!!”
An unprecedented surge of morale whipped across the Amnok River.
*
“......”
“......”
“......”
CMC Amnok River Surveillance Unit.
Only silence lingered there.
They had all just confird the Trident Trio’s defeat.
“Haa...”
Section Chief Rongchen let out a sigh.
The Trident Trio thought they had secretly made a surprise attack on the Amnok River, but in truth the Surveillance Unit—no, the Chinese governnt—already knew the Trident Trio would attack the Amnok.
It wasn’t that there was a mole inside the Trident Trio.
It was because, though over a billion people live in China, the Chinese governnt astonishingly monitors all Chinese citizens through various ans.
So the Chinese governnt deliberately left the Trident Trio alone.
Not out of respect for their usual conduct, but out of curiosity.
They wanted to see how far, at the Amnok River, the Trident Trio—counted among China’s powerhouses—would get.
Put simply, they needed data.
But the result was disastrous.
“......”
“......”
“......”
Silence settled over the Surveillance Unit.
On the central monitor, the Trident Trio retreated, supporting one another, each with an ear torn off.
Just then, Rongchen’s phone rang.
It was Wang Qiang, a senior officer of the Paranormal Ability Corps who had visited before.
“Yes, I’ve answered.”
— How did it go?
“A crushing defeat. The three of them kept their lives, but their weapons were destroyed and one ear each was torn off.”
— They each lost an ear and their weapons were destroyed, yet they kept their lives?
“Yes.”
— Huh... That’s a warning. A warning from the Red King to stop fooling around. Or else... this is only the beginning.
“The beginning?”
— They were the ones who didn’t attack the people of Dandong and Yuanbaogu. But the Trident Trio stirred up a hornet’s nest, so retaliation will surely co.
“Then what should we...?”
— We need to show sincerity. The Red King is a smart bastard, so at the right ti you have to catch those Trident bastards, cut off their heads, and send them to the Red King. Only then will he think you’ve shown the minimum sincerity and be able to suppress his anger.
— ......
Rongchen nodded at Wang Qiang’s words.
Frankly, there was no other way.
Of course, that was the response from the optimistic point of view.
The worst case would be the Red King leading his forces to begin an invasion of China.
At that mont—
“S-Section Chief?”
“What is it?”
“You need to see this right away.”
“What is it?”
What the subordinate held out was a video playing on a phone.
The clip had been uploaded to Waver, and Rongchen’s eyes widened when he saw it.
Because the video on Waver was none other than a brutal fight between the Trident Trio and the Red King.
“What is this?”
The footage Su-ho had fild began to spread from China to countries all around the world.
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