Chapter 140: Knight of Demonic Armor

Zane’s complaints were more than mere grumbling. As a game designed specifically to entice players to spend money, the Dungeon system was naturally quite professional in this regard. In fact, within the Dungeon system, ninety-nine percent of rare humanoid units summoned were beautiful young women. After all, the game had to cater to its players, and most players certainly wouldn’t be pleased to spend a fortune only to summon a bunch of bald, muscular brutes. So, the humanoid units summoned were almost always female, with higher rarity units being even more so. Of course, it wasn’t a full hundred percent because a few male hero units did exist, but even if Zane ended up summoning one of those, it wouldn’t be a loss. According to the Dungeon system’s consistent player-friendly approach, if a player was unlucky enough to summon that rare one percent, it would be an exceptionally powerful combat unit—at worst four stars, and with luck, even a five-star powerhouse. Because of this, some players even spent money just to see if they could get one of those “muscle monsters”—though one wonders if that setup might influence someone’s orientation.

Maintaining such powerful combat units, however, demanded no small amount of resources. After all, it wouldn’t be fair for one person to have all the advantages. In fact, many players in the game had experienced the bitter regret of summoning rare, powerful creatures through blind luck, only to be unable to afford their upkeep and forced to seal them away.

Though there were some differences between reality and the game, they were not so far apart. At least from Zane’s experience, aside from the alien-type beings, almost all his summoned units were female, mirroring the game’s pattern. From this, he inferred the system was unlikely to joke with him on that front.

Moreover, Zane had asked Enoya and Patilina, only to discover to his surprise that his subordinates were all, like himself, inhabitants from other worlds. Enoya came from a world on the brink of destruction and had been sacrificed to a dark god by her parents. After her death, her soul was summoned by the system and became Zane’s subordinate. Patilina was a warrior from another world, a highly advanced mechanical civilization. Like Enoya, she had died fighting off invaders and was dragged into this world by the system. For reasons unknown, Enoya was resurrected as an undead, whereas Patilina was fully restored to her living form.

According to them, they knew of Zane’s existence when summoned, which was why they accepted him as their master. Yet, perhaps due to their differing pasts, their loyalty levels varied. Enoya saw Zane as the one who gave her life anew and thus worthy of her service. Patilina believed Zane was her destined savior, for she would not have been revived at the moment of death without him. To her, it was all fate’s design.

The game provided no detailed explanation of the summoning system, but it was clear that many secrets lay hidden within it.

As Zane drifted in these thoughts, the glow within the Dark Sanctuary grew ever brighter. Pulsating magical beams stretched from one pillar to another. Before Zane, the colossal stone hand that had been extended began to slowly close, water swirling as it retreated. Simultaneously, the circular magic circle at the sanctuary’s center blazed with dazzling light.

At that moment, another system notification appeared before Zane.

[Detected summoned units: default quantity 75. Please adjust.]

Seventy-five?

Zane raised an eyebrow, curious, but inwardly pleased. Within the Dungeon system, all military units followed the rule: fewer units meant more elite and stronger. Generally, 100 units marked a dividing line—their combat effectiveness beyond that number was average, while below it were the elite, elite among elites. A 75-unit army was already quite impressive.

[No adjustment needed.]

After some thought, Zane decided not to change it. If the system defaulted to 75 units as one army, then it must be a perfectly balanced combat force. He could push it down to fifty units and boost their strength, but that would reduce numbers and create gaps in the perfect formation. He had no spare units to fill those gaps, so he chose to keep the original setup.

With his decision made, the magic circle’s light intensified, and one by one, figures emerged.

After a moment, the glow suddenly contracted and expanded, then burst into scattered points of light—like a grand stage welcome ceremony—fully revealing the beings within to Zane. Seeing their true forms, Zane whistled with admiration.

Before him stood seventy-five exquisitely beautiful young maidens, appearing no older than sixteen or seventeen. They had fair, flawless skin and long platinum hair, resembling identical sisters at first glance. Their slender, delicate bodies were clad in silver-white chainmail forged from mithril. On their pauldrons and chests were vivid crimson magical runes and symbols, clearly visible. Their lower bodies were dressed in loose, lightweight battle skirts, and their feet wore nimble, white silver boots intricately carved with filigree.

Looking closer, though undeniably beautiful, their expressions seemed somewhat vacant—less human, more mechanical. Zane also noticed each girl wore a crystal headpiece embedded in her forehead, surrounded by various patterns that appeared to signify ranks or allegiances.

Each had two longswords strapped to her waist—likely their standard armament. But unlike ordinary swords, these had no guards, and their hilts were far longer than usual, easily gripped with both hands. At the hilt’s end was a faceted crystal, shaped like a prism—Zane couldn’t immediately determine its type. It resembled amethyst but seemed somewhat different.

Fortunately, Zane had the system, and as the girls materialized, detailed information about them appeared simultaneously.

[Magic Armored Knights (Golden Elite SR)]
[Quantity: 75]
[Attack: ★★★]
[Defense: ★★★]
[Special Ability: Magical Penetration (Scorching magic that pierces even the strongest defenses—penetration attribute)]
[Special Ability: Aerial Gliding (Freedom is felt only soaring through the skies—flight attribute)]
[Special Ability: Half-Human Form (Magic infused into their bodies altered their destiny—mana affinity)]
[Note: As guardians of the secret realm, the Magic Armor sentinels sacrificed body and soul to merge with magical crystals, gaining pure power and unyielding will. Their raised blades symbolize protection; their trembling bowstrings signify destruction—nothing survives an attack from a Magic Armored Knight.]
[Traits: Swordsmanship Master (The shining blade is the beacon of victory)]
[Traits: Magic Master (Flowing magic is the symbol of annihilation)]
[Maintenance Cost: 1000 units]

Sword and sorcery combined!

Reading this, Zane was stunned. Combat units with dual master-level talents were exceedingly rare; to appear fully mastered right away was almost unheard of. Even the alien units, after countless battles, only possessed the [Elite Assassin (Death incarnate stalking the shadows)] trait. Yet that alone allowed them to challenge foes rated below three and a half stars. The aliens themselves barely reached one and a half stars in combat strength, not even two stars, but the elite template trait enabled them to confront three-star enemies. This illustrated how significant combat trait bonuses were.

Now, seventy-five master-level sword-and-sorcery maidens before him formed the very pinnacle of dungeon core units—an absolute treasure.

The only downside was the immense resource cost to maintain these maidens. The 500 resource units were not a sum total but applied to each resource type, meaning monthly maintenance required a total of 4,000 resources drawn from silver ore, gemstones, and crystals combined. This was no small sum. By contrast, Zane currently maintained over a hundred alien units for just 1,000 resource points monthly. These seventy-five knights demanded four times that amount—a considerable burden.

He was now spending nearly 5,000 resource units every month just to sustain his combat forces... Clearly, he had to accelerate resource gathering. But—heh heh heh—seventy-five beautiful maidens...

With that thought, Zane sighed inwardly but quickly perked up, a mischievous smile spreading across his face as he regarded the knightly maidens before him.

Just then, his eyes caught a small white flower icon at the top right of the combat unit’s emblem.

What was that?

Cautiously, Zane reached out and tapped the icon. Immediately, a line of hidden information appeared.

[Lily Blossom: The deep bonds forged in life-and-death battles among these maidens are unparalleled. In ancient times, Sparta had its brotherly love, today the magic sisters embrace sisterly bonds. Maidens, elevate friendship to love! Only the elder sisters are the best! — When units of the same attribute fight together, morale +30; opposite-sex recruitment difficulty +50%.]

Damn it!

Zane nearly fell to his knees.

System, how could you do this? You promised a hundred would share the same bed! (To be continued.)