Summoning Millions of Gods Daily, My Strength Equals Theirs Combined

The figure of the Elemental Assassin darted forward like a phantom, swift and elusive, a blur of shadow in motion.

Yet the Mountain Shieldbearers, despite their bulky frames, reacted as though they could sense the coming threat instinctively. Almost as one, they raised their massive shields and turned toward the danger.

In the next instant, one of the Elemental Assassins slammed his fist into the face of a shield with a thunderous impact!

Now, these Elemental Assassins had already reached Elite Rank Lv.9. Even without wielding their enchanted blades, a full-powered strike from one of them carried devastating force. To underestimate such an attack would be foolish.

A booming bang! rang out as fist met shield in a violent collision.

The result, however, was utterly shocking.

The Elemental Assassin was blasted backward, thrown through the air like a ragdoll, while the Mountain Shieldbearer remained unmoved. He did not even take a single step back. The giant shield, which had absorbed the blow head-on, did not ripple, crack, or show the faintest sign of damage.

And then—something even more extraordinary occurred.

The Mountain Shieldbearers standing behind the one who had taken the blow lifted their own shields. Brilliant light began to radiate from them, flowing outward like rippling water.

Aurek's eyes narrowed. He could clearly feel it—the defenses of these warriors were not isolated. They were connected.

Their defensive power had somehow fused into one.

This realization stunned him for a moment.

At that time, the leader of the Shieldbearers stepped forward and offered an explanation, his voice solemn yet reverent.

"My lord, our defenses can be shared and stacked. That is why the attack just now… was nothing to worry about."

Aurek nodded slowly, but the corners of his lips curled upward despite himself.

At first, he had assumed that the Mountain Shieldbearers would only be useful on a massive battlefield, serving as the iron bulwark for his armies. But now, his perspective changed entirely.

If their defenses could be interlinked… if they could layer their protective strength upon one another… then wasn't it possible for them to serve as his personal guardians?

Imagine it—rows of Mountain Shieldbearers forming a living fortress around him. Even a Master Rank powerhouse, or perhaps someone even stronger, would find it nearly impossible to break through!

This discovery was nothing less than a perfect life-saving trump card.

What made it even more astounding was that the Elemental Assassins, despite being at Elite Rank Lv.9, had not managed to make the slightest dent in the Mountain Shieldbearers' defense. That was no trivial feat.

The Elemental Assassins were assassins of the highest caliber—so deadly that even against Expert Rank enemies, they could fight toe-to-toe and prevail.

If even they could not shake the Shieldbearers… did that not mean that a single Shieldbearer might be able to withstand the strike of a Hero Rank powerhouse?

And if Aurek could summon not just a hundred, but thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of these Shieldbearers… could they not hold the line even against a Master Rank? Perhaps even an Advanced Master Rank would fail to pierce their impregnable defense!

As that thought took root, Aurek's heart surged with boundless joy.

For him, enhancing his own survival was far more critical than increasing his offensive power. After all, no one wanted to build everything up, only to be suddenly cut down by some top-tier powerhouse emerging out of nowhere.

He already possessed enough destructive might. His Elemental Assassins were lethal specters in the dark, and his Doomsday Warriors were devastating engines of destruction. The Mountain Shieldbearers, however, patched the very gap he lacked: defense.

"Very well. For now, go outside and await further orders."

Aurek waved his hand in command. The Shieldbearers bowed and filed out, while he sank into thought.

Perhaps it was time to remodel the Imperial Palace. With the number of soldiers he summoned each day steadily rising, he would soon need designated quarters to house and organize them.

But more than logistics, Aurek turned his attention inward, weighing the true extent of his current strength.

The Elemental Assassins, at their present level, could barely brush against the threshold of half-step Master Rank combat power. The Gold Assassins were, of course, a cut above even that.

At the current pace of summoning one hundred assassins each day, it would take only a handful of days before their numbers swelled to terrifying proportions. And once the Elemental Assassins reached a certain critical mass, even an Advanced Master Rank opponent would struggle to survive against their endless waves of attacks.

Even if such a mighty foe could not be killed outright, the assassins would at the very least keep them occupied, cutting off any chance of escape.

As for the Doomsday Warriors, while they lacked the assassin's elusive mobility and cunning lethality, their destructive power in large-scale combat was unmatched.

Aurek had seen this firsthand during the battle at the Hyrule War Academy.

Ten Doomsday Warriors alone had obliterated the entire Academy, reducing its proud halls to ash. Even the Academy's Headmaster, a respected powerhouse, had been forced to flee for his life.

If such devastation could be wrought with ten warriors, what would happen when their number reached hundreds? Thousands? Could not their collective destruction erase an entire empire in but an instant?

This thought made Aurek's breathing grow heavier. Yet he was no fool—he also knew the Doomsday Warriors had a glaring weakness. Their survival capabilities were poor compared to the Elemental Assassins. Against truly mighty foes, they were more cannon than shield—devastating, but vulnerable.

The Mountain Shieldbearers, however… his thoughts on them were clear:

The more, the better!

As long as his safety was guaranteed, everything else would follow naturally.

From this moment onward, Aurek no longer feared the intimidation of the Ordon Theocracy.

With the forces he now commanded, he had the strength to look them directly in the eye.

The parasitic relationship between the Empire and the Theocracy had to end. The so-called protection and authority of their Cathedral no longer held any value.

Aurek's lips curved into a faint, mocking smile.

No doubt, within Eryndor City, the various factions were eagerly waiting for him to lower his head, to humble himself and seek the Theocracy's blessing inside their Cathedral.

But unfortunately for them, that scene would never come to pass.

The Ordon Theocracy? Nothing more than a paper tiger.

Aurek's mood soared, lighter than it had been since arriving in the Crossbridge Empire.

For so long, the Empire's crises had weighed upon him like chains, leaving him taut and on edge every day. But now, with the power to defend himself and strike back, he could finally breathe a little easier.

The path ahead was clear. He would flush out every lurking wolf, every hidden enemy crouching in the shadows, and sever their heads from their bodies.

As for his remaining Emperor Points, Aurek deliberated for only a short while before reaching a decision.

He would use them to strengthen himself.

At present, his personal strength had reached Expert Rank Lv.7.

By age alone, this was already extraordinary. To be at Expert Rank Lv.7 at his age marked him as a true genius.

But in the current turbulent situation, Aurek knew—such strength was far from enough.

If he still had Emperor Points in reserve, then he must invest them into his own body, his own power.

Could he, perhaps, ascend to the rank of Hero?

That thought set his blood surging.

For now, the storm in Eryndor City could wait. The city was like a simmering hotpot stuffed with ingredients—its boil not yet begun. Aurek himself didn't know whether new "ingredients" would leap into the pot on their own.

But rationally speaking, there was no shortage of fools eager to throw themselves into the fire.

Not that it mattered.

The Elemental Assassins already had eyes everywhere, watching every street, every corner of Eryndor City. No matter what faction dared step inside, none could escape the assassins' notice.

"Use Emperor Points," Aurek commanded, his voice steady with resolve.

"Strengthen myself!"