Chapter 6: Training Lieutenants

It was a new day in Region 32. Josh Aratat and his first two subordinates, Conrad Stan and Lola, stood in the vast grassy plains of Moremo, a desolate town at the heart of the region. Despite its emptiness, the place served as a perfect training ground.

It was serene and quite and far from any eavesdropper or monitoring eyes. This was the advantage of having a backwater region like region 32. Many parts of it was secluded.

Neither Conrad nor Lola had ever wielded a weapon, but Josh Aratat had insisted they would become his first two lieutenants. It sounded absurd in itself, but they believed him nonetheless. That was the advantage of death level Loyalty, they would jump into fire believing him if he asked them to.

The three of them sat cross-legged on the plain, in a meditative pose, the gentle breeze ruffling the overgrown grass. As his subordinates quietly awaited his next instruction, Josh decided to call upon the Kingly System interphase—a mysterious entity embedded within him that he had little knowledge of but believed would be of immense value in the coming seasons.

"Hello, system..." Josh Aratat started hesitantly, his voice echoing in his mind. Part of him doubted he'd receive a response.

But a deep, commanding voice replied almost immediately. "Hello, Future King."

Josh froze as a ghostly figure materialized in the mental interface. The man appeared to be in his seventies, with hair as white as snow, eyes like shimmering emeralds, and a presence that radiated divinity. A muffler fluttered around his neck, complementing his chiseled arms, exposed beneath ornate armor. A cape danced behind him, giving him an aura of invincibility.

Josh's heart raced as he asked, "Who are you?"

The man smiled faintly. "I am many things. You may call me the Kingly System or David Stormborn. I have guided countless great kings to unimaginable heights. I have been in existence for billions of years, if you think of any great king that has ever existed, I am that Invisible and invincible mind behind their success. And now, you are the next in line. For invoking the Rule of Sacrifice, the gods have granted me to you as a reward."

Josh's thoughts swirled. A Kingly System in human form? He had to shake his disbelief away and focus.

"Why are you only showing yourself now? If I hadn't made a bold move to initiate a conversation, you probably won't show up?!" Josh asked, though he quickly pushed the questions and thoughts aside. He had more pressing concerns. "How do I train my subordinates and grow stronger?"

David Stormborn stroked his beard before speaking. "This is how the Kingly System works: You have three tools presently at your disposal—your voice, your staff, and your subordinates. Currently, you are at Level 4, a lieutenant. Your power is weak, and you are far from the level of a king."

Josh listened intently as David continued.

"To grow stronger, you must win wars and recruit more subordinates, then you will have more experience and the system would give you rewards that would strengthen you and even your subordinates at times. Your rank will rise only when you have a subordinate of equal rank to your own. For example, if Conrad Stan ascends to lieutenant level, automatically, you will advance to Major 1."

David raised a finger to emphasize his next point. "As you climb ranks, your power storage increases, and you'll be able to train and produce higher-ranked subordinates. But beware—loyalty is everything. A disloyal subordinate is more dangerous than an entire army."

"Subordinates with high enough loyalty level, like the death level loyalty, grow and train faster than any ordinary follower, their loyalty level is your greatest asset."

Josh nodded as the information settled in his mind. David gestured, and a list appeared within Josh's mental interface:

The Kingly Hierarchy

1. King

2. General

3. Lieutenant General

4. Colonel

5. Major General

6. Captain

7. Lieutenant Colonel

8. Major 2

9. Second Lieutenant

10. Brigadier General

11. Brigadier

12. Corporal

13. First Sergeant

14. Major 1

15. Lieutenant

"You have 15 levels to climb before reaching the rank of King," David Stormborn explained. "And once you achieve kingship, your true journey begins. The day your crown materializes will be the day you officially step into invincibility—but even then, there are levels beyond kingship."

Josh's mind raced as he processed the hierarchy. "How do I train my subordinates?"

David smiled. "Training depends on your methods. You can use your voice to sing them into power, wield a musical instrument, or spar with them using your staff. However, your training is limited by your vortex level. Currently, at D+ vortex level with only 20% storage capacity, your training sessions will be brief—two to three hours at most—and yield minimal results. Beyond that, your subordinates must hone their skills independently to make up for your weak vortex level."

"What about rewards?" Josh asked eagerly.

"Every war or battle you win increases your vortex level and grants you a random reward from the Kingly System," David replied.

"If you are the Kingly System, why do you speak about it in the third person?" Josh Aratat asked, confused.

David chuckled softly. "I am the Kingly System, but the Kingly System is not me. In time, you'll understand."

"That doesn't make any sense" Josh pondered as he appeared even more confused.

Before Josh could press further, David dematerialized, leaving him with his thoughts.

Josh blinked and exhaled sharply. To Conrad and Lola, who had been sitting silently, his sudden movement was puzzling.

"So I can either sing them to power, play a musical instrument to augument their strength or train with them using my Kingly staff. Hmmm, I would try all three methods and see which is more adaptable." Josh pondered.

"Are you all right, my prince?" Conrad asked, standing and dusting off his clothes as he noticed that Josh had constantly flickering eye movements and ever changing facial expression.

Josh nodded, regaining his composure. "I'm fine. Let's begin your training. It'll be unconventional, but I need you to trust me completely."

"Yes, my prince," they responded in unison, unwavering in their loyalty. Their dedication brought David's earlier words to mind:

"Subordinates with death-level loyalty grow and train faster than any ordinary follower. Their loyalty is your greatest asset."

Josh took a deep breath. Despite his uncertainty, he resolved to put David's instructions into practice. This was the first step toward kingship.

Josh now understood what the system meant by the statement -since your subordinate has chosen a death level Loyalty, his growth rate and training efficiency would be significantly enhance, in order words, things would easier with a death level Loyalty subordinates.