NOVEL NEXT Chapter137-The New Summoned Unit: Life Sorcerer
Aurek's attention was drawn to the newly unlocked skill, Dawn's Verdict.
The Doomsday Warrior was already an immensely powerful unit, yet now, with the addition of this new skill, it would be like giving wings to a tiger—further enhancing its already overwhelming might.
This was undoubtedly an excellent development.
Inside the depths of Valoria Palace, within the heart of Eryndor City, Aurek was occupied with the relentless flow of imperial state affairs. Scrolls, decrees, and reports littered his desk, his mind constantly moving between military campaigns, tax levies, noble appointments, and foreign affairs.
And then—without warning—a sharp, crystalline wave of energy pulsed from the system.
"Hmm?!"
His sword-like eyes narrowed slightly, surprise flashing across his features.
[Battle of Truva City concluded.]
[Mass enemy units slain. Emperor Points gained: +2,400,000]
"…What?"
Aurek felt a genuine shock ripple through him.
How could he have gained such a staggering number of Emperor Points from this single campaign?
The provincial governor, Charles, though not insignificant, surely did not possess the kind of background or foundation that could yield such enormous gains. Yet here it was: the points rewarded to Aurek from this battle were three or four times greater than those he had acquired from crushing the mighty Holy Sword Alliance!
Among the factions ambushed in the campaign, the Holy Sword Alliance should, by all logic, have been the most resource-rich, the most deeply entrenched, and the most resilient of the lot.
How, then, could the personal accumulation of a mere provincial governor possibly exceed the wealth and heritage of a time-honored and powerful faction?
This unusually generous bounty, particularly the massive influx of Emperor Points, was a riddle—one Aurek chose not to unravel for the moment.
The system's prompt had already appeared, which meant the campaign in Truva Province was over, concluded in Aurek's favor. Steurn, his seasoned commander, and the legions under him must have executed their mission flawlessly. The seven thousand elite attribute warriors he had dispatched earlier were more than enough to handle any unexpected development.
There was no need to waste more thought on it.
Instead, Aurek's gaze shifted toward the balance of Emperor Points now displayed on his interface, and more importantly, to the shop exchange card that gleamed with new potential.
[Conditions met: Emperor's Scepter may be upgraded. Required Emperor Points: 1,000,000. Upgrade now?]
The prompt shimmered clearly before his eyes.
Aurek did not hesitate for even a breath. The Emperor's Scepter was his supreme authority over the summoning system, and every upgrade opened the path to new summoned units. Refusing such an opportunity would be folly.
Confirming the expenditure, he watched one million Emperor Points vanish from his reserves. Rising from his chamber, Aurek strode toward a newly constructed, grandiose hall.
This was the Mandate Palace—an edifice he had ordered built specifically for such rituals.
The palace dwarfed even the imperial sleeping chambers in sheer size. Its interior was a cavernous expanse, devoid of unnecessary ornamentation. The only illumination came from the vaulted dome above, where luminous mana stones had been inlaid, glowing with cold starlight that cascaded downward, filling the hall with solemnity and an air of profound mystery.
Aurek closed his eyes and intoned his confirmation silently within his heart.
Hummmm—!
An invisible wave of power burst outward from his body, expanding through the chamber. The Emperor's Scepter in his grasp erupted in dazzling golden brilliance, radiating a majestic aura that filled every corner of the hall.
This presence was unlike that of any summoned unit he had encountered before. The Doomsday Warriors had been avatars of destruction, brimming with oppressive force. The Mountain Shieldbearers carried the weight of indestructible defense. The Elemental Assassins shimmered with lethal subtlety.
But this time, the aura was something wholly different.
In the depths of Aurek's consciousness, a statue began to take shape—vivid and lifelike, as though carved by the hand of divinity itself.
It was the image of a woman, holy and serene.
Her face radiated compassion and purity. In her left hand, she cradled a cauldron overflowing with verdant vitality. In her right, she bore a massive tome—the Tome of Life—its cover entwined with blooming vines and fragrant blossoms.
[Emperor's Scepter upgraded successfully.]
[New Summoned Unit unlocked: Life Sorcerer.]
[Life Sorcerer count: 1 | Initial level: 1]
[Upgrade requirement for next level: 100,000 Emperor Points.]
[Skills unlocked: Vital Genesis, Hymn of Life.]
[Special note: At Level 1, the Life Sorcerer Rebirth Pool may cultivate 10 Life Sorcerers per day.]
[Description: Life Sorcerers perceive and command the energy of life itself, peering into the essence of all living things. With Vital Genesis, they can extract the life essence from potions, rare plants, and even the vital blood of magical beasts, condensing it directly into potion-grade essence. With Hymn of Life, they channel the vitality of nearby flora, transforming it into radiant healing light that restores physical wounds. The higher the sorcerer's level, the greater the potency and scope of this ability.]
…
Aurek read through the detailed introduction carefully, astonishment growing within his heart.
The Life Sorcerer's capabilities bore a resemblance to the empire's alchemists and energy potion masters—yet their craft far surpassed such professions in both efficacy and miraculous power.
Ordinary energy alchemists required intricate instruments, elaborate furnaces, meticulous control of flame, and long, complicated procedures to produce even a single vial of potion.
But the Life Sorcerers could directly perceive the essence of life within ingredients, draw out its concentrated power, and—guided by the proportions inscribed in a formula—merge and condense that essence into pure medicinal extract.
So long as a proper recipe existed, these sorcerers could craft with an ease that bordered on the effortless. Moreover, their skill scaled with their level: the higher they ascended, the more refined and potent the essences they could create.
Even Aurek, who had witnessed many wonders, felt surprised.
But their healing skill, Hymn of Life, was perhaps even more extraordinary.
If a battlefield were littered with casualties, a Life Sorcerer could summon the vitality of the surrounding plant life, transmuting it into waves of restorative radiance. This power could sweep across entire units, mending wounds and staving off death itself.
And with each higher tier, the sorcerer's reach would extend further, their healing light burning brighter and stronger.
Though this unit was not specialized for direct combat, its abilities were invaluable in ways few others could match. The alchemical aspect alone—essentially mass-producing powerful essences—was nothing short of heaven-defying. And as for group healing, in the crucible of war, such support was priceless.
Aurek's mind turned quickly toward logistics. He was planning to expand the imperial army by three million soldiers. If sufficient resources and formulas could be secured, the Life Sorcerers could churn out potion essences at unprecedented speed, bolstering strength and recovery alike. The implications reached beyond the battlefield; they could also enhance loyal courtiers, raising the baseline strength of officials across the empire.
In short, the Life Sorcerer solved one of the empire's most critical shortages.
Aurek allowed himself a faint smile of satisfaction.
Yet he did not immediately rush to expand the Life Sorcerer pool. Instead, his eyes shifted back to the balance of Emperor Points.
Adding the 500,000 or so points left from before, his total had now reached over three million.
Upgrading the Doomsday Warrior's rebirth pool to Level 6 would cost 1.3 million.
The same level upgrade for Mountain Shieldbearers and Elemental Assassins required 1.5 million each.
After some contemplation, Aurek chose to prioritize offense and stealth.
He directed the system accordingly:
[Elemental Assassin upgraded to Level 6. Daily Rebirth capacity: 400 units.]
[Next upgrade requirement: 11,000,000 Emperor Points.]
…
[Doomsday Warrior upgraded to Level 6. Daily Rebirth capacity: 400 units.]
[New Skill unlocked: Dawn's Verdict.]
[Next upgrade requirement: 10,000,000 Emperor Points.]
Aurek blinked, genuinely intrigued. The Doomsday Warrior's sixth-tier evolution had unlocked a new skill entirely, something he had not anticipated.
With that done, he turned his attention back to the Life Sorcerers. Though not immediately ready for mass deployment, their long-term value was undeniable. He invested another 300,000 points, raising the unit to Level 4.
[Life Sorcerer upgraded to Level 4. Daily Rebirth capacity: 100 units.]
[Next upgrade requirement: 350,000 Emperor Points.]
At last, his reserve balance dwindled to a mere 90,000 points—insufficient for further large-scale enhancements.
The upgrades were complete.
For the moment.