Chapter 736: Ten Master Recruits

Chapter 736: Ten Master Recruits

The fog hadn’t fully dispersed when Shane stepped forward…

His Meteor Greatsword, the one he bought for 800 Zombie Cores in his System’s Weapon Store, was slung across his back, and for his equipment, it was his Corruptor Set from Prov the Corruptor.

Just as Shane expected, the ten individuals stood in close proximity to one another… Their clothes, armor, and overall presence suggest that they were in the same group or company.

Of course, even without speaking, Shane could already tell that they were warriors.

‘Well… Warriors are fine.’ He mused after seeing the figure of a woman standing at the very front.

Behind her were three heavily armored men with reinforced tower shields. From the shield’s colors, they were probably made of an unfamiliar dark alloy… They also carried short pikes as secondary weapons.

‘The woman is probably the leader… As for these Shieldbearers, they look really tough…’ Shane thought. He could already tell that he had summoned a squad of warriors.

Another three seemed to be wearing lighter equipment, but they were carrying longswords with them…

They were already looking at the wall that had greeted them upon getting out of the fog. These were definitely Knights, and perhaps they even knew about Lady Seraph and her knights!

The last three, on the other hand, wore padded leather armor and carried longbows with them. Each had a quiver of black-fletched arrows and a short blade strapped to their thigh.

‘Three shieldbearers, three swordsmen, and three archers plus the leader… This is a good lineup…’ Shane gently nodded after seeing the 10 Master-Grade Recruits. Perhaps, he just needs to upgrade their weapons and pieces of equipment, and they could probably raid a Zombie King right away.

Master Grade Recruits could not be underestimated at all.

‘Wait… That emblem. I think they’re really Royal Knights like Seraph and the others.’ He mused. However, he didn’t plan to reveal that just yet, as he planned to just let them meet some other time.

After the fog had completely dissipated, everyone had a clear view of the new recruits.

Shane raised a hand for a moment and asked. “Identify yourselves.”

To his surprise, it wasn’t the woman in front who answered.

It was probably the eldest among them, who was one of the Shieldbearers…

As he removed his helmet, Shane could see that he had graying temples and a square jawline. He slammed his fist across his chest in a gesture of respect.

“Sir, I am Jan Feldein, Captain of the Virellan Royal Vanguard. The people with me are part of my unit. We were tasked with protecting Princess Alora of Virellan during his diplomatic journey across the Fallow Borders… However, something mystical happened to us.”

Vale could already tell what it was.

“Is that woman in front Princess Alora? And Virellan?” Shane asked.

“Yes…” Jan replied. He didn’t actually want the princess to stand in front, but since they heard from the fog that they were about to arrive in front of the Foreign Survivor, which would lead them to save the world, she couldn’t help but step forward to see the person they had to serve.

“Virellan is a Kingdom in the south… But I’m sure that we’ve been gone for many years. Is it still existing?” one of the Knights added…

“Ahhh… I am Rinya. We were ambushed by a massive zombie horde… Our line broke, and I thought that was the end.”

Another archer chimed in, but instead of death, we were swallowed by… the fog.”

The others nodded grimly.

Jan continued, “It came from the ground and sky as it covered everything. We didn’t really know what to do at that time… It wasn’t cold or painful… just endless gray. And then, we were just able to tell that a lot of time had passed.”

“Then, after hearing a mysterious voice telling me about the Foreign Survivors, I opened my eyes and I’m back with my friends. In front of your fortress.” He gestured to the walls of the New Genesis Shelter, which were filled with artillery and snipers.

It was quite intimidating.

“How long do you think it’s been?” Shane asked, though he already had an idea. After all, he had asked the same question to other recruits.

They glanced at each other before Jan replied, “We cannot say. There is no sun, no night, no wind… in the fog, there is no time. But we knew that we weren’t there for just a day or two.”

Shane nodded slowly. The story matched what he’d heard before from previous summons.

The Fog Realm, as some Survivors had started calling it, was where the recruits went, perhaps seconds before death, and it was also where the mysterious force behind the Recruitment Stones held them… until some Survivors like Shane activated a Stone and brought them back into the living world.

There were already several theories suggesting that it was a divine act. Probably, nature’s attempt to save the world… Others claimed it was the otherworldly system’s function that probably came from the universe.

Anyway, Shane wasn’t sure yet. But one thing was clear, the fog chose people randomly. From the weakest to the strongest… Or those with potential still burning in their hearts.

After some time, Shane shifted the topic.

“Tell me what you can do.”

At this time, the woman, or Princess Alora, had finally spoken…

She stepped forward and lifted her chin proudly.

She seemed completely unfazed by the walls, the turrets, the Super Soldiers, the Warden Units, and the Snipers around.

“I am Alora Virellan, Third Princess of the Virellan Royal Line. I am trained in the arts of leadership, diplomacy, and war…” she said with a clear and loud voice.

Then, in a more formal tone, she lifted her hand.

“Here… I can show you my skills.” She said.

Shane smiled as he finally approached the group so he could see the skills personally.

[ Equestrian Mastery – Lv.10 (Max): Mastery over mounted combat, warhorse control, and cavalry formations… ]

[ Royal Swordsmanship – Lv.10 (Max): A refined combat style focusing on grace and lethality. Combines noble dueling techniques… ]

[ Elegant Dancing – Lv.10 (Max): A noble court skill, but also an unexpected form of movement training. Boosts agility and body control… ]

[ Tactical Command – Lv.8: Grants the ability to inspire and coordinate small to mid-sized units in battle. Enhances morale, speeds up decision-making… ]

Shane didn’t fully read the Skills. It was just enough to get some idea about her set of skills.

‘She’s really a noble…’ Shane mused after seeing the Royal Swordsmanship and even the Elegant Dancing at max level. She must’ve practiced a lot.

Anyway, her set of skills didn’t end there.

[ Aura of Royal Presence – Lv.10 (Max): A passive but powerful aura that boosts the confidence, loyalty, and focus of nearby allies… ]

‘There’s even a skill that affects a certain area…’ Shane was momentarily taken aback. The Aura of Royal Presence was definitely a great buff.

He’d seen many recruits before, but rarely had someone arrived with such a stacked set of skills. There was no doubt—this woman was born for war… and command.

‘She’ll be a great field commander.’ Shane thought to himself.

She then continued, “I do not claim to be the strongest in swordplay or the fastest on the field—but I was trained to lead. I can hold the line or push it forward if needed. My presence will greatly help you in the battlefield. I will not weigh down your Shelter. I will strengthen it.”

Jan and the other knights bowed slightly behind her, affirming her words without hesitation. The archers and shieldbearers followed suit, showing no signs of formality for appearance’s sake.

They respected and followed her. It was genuine.

Shane nodded with satisfaction. He had no doubt she would be useful. In fact, she was probably the most balanced Master-Grade recruit he had summoned so far. A fighter, a leader, and someone who could command respect both in battle and maybe diplomatic halls.

Still, he maintained his professional tone.

“Accepted,” he said, his voice calm but resolute. “You’ll be assigned temporary housing in the Officer’s Quarters. I’ll review your team’s role within the Shelter in the coming days.”

Alora gave a nod… “We are ready for your command.”

Behind her, the others voiced in near unison, “By your will, Commander.”

Anyway, Shane just briefly asked the others about their abilities…

He confirmed that the shieldbearers specialize in fortress defense and shock absorption. They can hold a line against numbers four to five times their own, provided they’re given a strong position.

They also know how to counter-charge when flanked… Long story short, they would be great instructors if Shane wanted to build his own army.

One of the Knights, Rinya, also explained that they were all using the Royal Vanguard sword style. It could be used for duels and during a formation stance.

Lastly, Shane learned that the archers had a special skill called Windform Arrows. Their arrows accelerate when shot and strike with a piercing bonus…

Furthermore, they could actually act as scouts as well!