Chapter 647: A New Use for Evil Entities
The old Swordsman was revved up, ready to fully showcase a Swordsman's abilities and combat techniques.
He didn't say it out loud, but in truth, he didn't think much of Matthew's ideas.
Becoming a Swordsman wasn't something that happened overnight.
It was built through sacrifices and research by many predecessors, accumulated and refined over time.
There had been plenty of detours and setbacks along the way.
The current balance with "Evil Entities" and "Monstrosities" was already the ideal state achieved after over a thousand years of accumulation and study.
Though there were still significant downsides, it wasn't something humans could change anymore.
Many extraordinarily talented Swordsmen had tried to change the situation.
Unfortunately, most only managed to patch things up — the root issues remained unresolved.
So despite the confidence in Matthew's tone, and his "intent" to push the Swordsman path further, the old Swordsman wasn't very optimistic.
He still hoped that more of these promising young men would stick it out to the end.
Sacrifices were inevitable, but the old Swordsman hoped more Swordsmen would emerge.
Even if Bay Territory gave up halfway, at least the old Swordsman would've left successors.
With their vast experience, they were already prepared for the worst.
But the old Swordsman was soon left dumbfounded.
After he had carefully demonstrated everything, the Dragon Warriors picked it all up incredibly fast.
In just a few days, they had already mastered the basics.
Any combat technique or feat, they could usually learn in a single day.
At first, the old Swordsman thought it was due to their exceptional talent.
But after close observation, he noticed something else.
It wasn't that the Dragon Warriors had amazing talent — it was that every training session yielded unexpectedly good results, each time better than the last.
If it were just one or two, the old Swordsman wouldn't be surprised.
But nearly all the Dragon Warriors were like this, which puzzled him.
As he closely observed their training, he noticed each one had made subtle changes to the training methods he had taught.
It was precisely these minor and easily overlooked changes that drastically improved their training outcomes.
The old Swordsman turned to look at Instructor Arnold, who was in charge of the training.
Arnold had just been transferred over from the underground lake training base in the Desert of Death and immediately took charge of the Dragon Warriors' training — the old Swordsman had seen it all.
In such a short time, he had overhauled the training plan, and with excellent results.
It was hard for the old Swordsman not to start wondering.
"Could he be a master trainer? Specializing in training tasks?"
"Bay Territory really is full of hidden talents! Are they really this confident?"
Just as the old Swordsman's thoughts were drifting.
In the lab, Matthew was researching advanced skills and feats for Sword Saints and Monks.
Compared to ordinary combat techniques, advanced skills and feats involved the transformation and tempering of life energy.
This was also the core distinction between different Professionals and their fighting styles.
Matthew had already prepared some core and basic skills for the Sword Saint and Monk paths.
First, strengthening the mind and spirit.
With high-level feats: Mental Ward and Calm Mind as the core.
Paired with mid-level feats: Composure, Combat Calm, and Enhanced Thinking to form a complete mental defense system.
Next, increasing physical strength and toughness.
On the foundation of the surgical feats for body modification.
With high-level feats: Diamond Body and Constitution Boost as the core.
Paired with mid-level feats: Enhanced Toughness, Corruption Resistance, and Body Coordination to build a solid physical enhancement combo.
These skills weren't just highly practical — they could also synergize for even better results.
Most importantly, they all had stable pathways for further enhancement and growth, and would become increasingly vital as the Dragon Warriors grew stronger.
Of course, to test this "ideal" skill combination, Matthew naturally had to use test subjects.
Faced with such a rare "opportunity," the chosen test subjects were all especially obedient and diligent.
No worries about food or drink, and they got to stay alive.
That should've been a wonderful thing.
But if the setting was Bay Territory's underground lab, for almost every test subject, it was an eternal nightmare.
Now, a chance to earn merit had finally arrived.
Every test subject was eager to prove themselves.
Just training feats and learning skills — without enduring the pain of body modification — and getting to stretch their limbs a little and taste some food?
That was enough to move these test subjects to tears of regret.
Only after losing something do you learn to cherish it.
For the best-performing group of test subjects, Matthew kept his word and moved them from the immobile cultivation pods to small cages.
Even such a small change had them absolutely thrilled.
The other unselected test subjects looked at them with envy and hatred.
It's not about having little — it's about having less than others!
Why could they move around, while I can only blink?
Matthew, the instigator of all this "resentment" and "rivalry," wasn't too bothered.
Bay Territory never sent doomed test subjects to the battlefield — those who could move were always the ones able to lead and achieve merit.
Thanks to the contributions of these test subjects, Matthew quickly gathered a ton of data and, in just a few days, finalized the feat combinations.
In the next half-month,
The Dragon Warriors who had completed basic training began receiving training in Sword Saint and Monk feats and skills.
With the training methods provided by Matthew, their progress was steady and strong.
As long as they trained seriously, their grasp of feats and skills steadily improved.
This unusual development naturally piqued the old Swordsman's interest.
Over ten years ago,
During the Eastern Empire's time of chaos,
To prevent sealed "Monstrosities" and "Ancient Horrors" from causing trouble,
They gathered most of the Swordsmen and gave them a glorious and arduous task.
Using the full power of the Kingdom, they selected a large group of children with aptitudes matching the Swordsman legacy.
The old Swordsman trained some of them himself.
Most of these children had decent talent, stable temperament, a willingness to sacrifice, and firm willpower.
Yet even those with good talent took over ten days to master a single feat or skill.
And the Dragon Warriors of Bay Territory?
In just half a month, they had basically mastered the advanced feats and skills.
It could be said — their foundations were solid.
They'd already crossed the threshold!
Even though the Dragon Warriors trained for more than 10 hours a day with barely any rest, none of them slacked off.
But even with such intense training, the results still baffled the old Swordsman.
As he chewed the particularly tough Manbull meat, he felt the abundant magical nutrients begin to nourish every part of his body.
Such rare magical food — the old Swordsman could only taste it when he personally went out hunting.
What amazed him more was how gentle the effects of this processed magical food were, without any chaotic excess energy.
This meant the power wouldn't be absorbed by the monstrosity within him — he could safely enjoy it.
Though the old Swordsman didn't know exactly how Bay Territory processed this food,
He knew it wasn't simple — they must've prepared for it in advance.
Perhaps sensing his thoughts, Arnold — munching happily on beef tendons — grinned and said:
"Here in Bay Territory, combat units get the best treatment of any role."
"From fully portioned magical food to all the training resources they need — the best magical gear and the most rigorous training — they don't have to worry about a thing."
"Aside from combat, fighters don't need to think about anything else."
"That's how they can throw themselves into training and improve so fast."
Professional soldiers and armies.
The old Swordsman was deeply impressed. Even the Eastern Empire didn't have large-scale training for fully professional, domestic troops.
Most were assembled by royal command, trained briefly, then sent into battle under centralized leadership.
Aside from a small number of elite soldiers, most were like that.
The reason was simple: it cost too much.
When the old Swordsman learned that Bay Territory's army already numbered nearly 300,000 and was still growing, his eyes showed disbelief as he followed up on Arnold's point:
"Aren't there allocations and quotas? If every soldier gets the full package, can the territory really sustain it?"
On the surface, he was asking about the soldiers' treatment — in reality, he was probing his own prospects.
The reason was simple — if he were the only one, staying or not didn't matter.
But if he truly decided to stay, and to bring other Swordsmen along, then treatment was something that needed serious discussion.
Every Swordsman was a "big eater."
They consumed tons of resources and could become burdens.
Having already received Lord Matthew's instructions, Arnold proudly replied:
"Haha, now you've hit the key question."
"In the entire Northern Continent, only Bay Territory is preparing such a massive proportion of professionalized troops."
"Even the Netheril Empire and the Kingdom of Cole Elves only have about 500,000 permanent troops."
"And over 70% of those are recruited and trained temporarily."
"For them, the burden of large armies is indeed too great."
"But for Bay Territory, soldiers get the same top-tier treatment as children — everything they need for development."
"Because that's our system — no so-called 'allocations'…"
"As Lord Matthew says, allocations are just an excuse for exploitation — a tool for the privileged to protect their interests."
"Just like other lords and nobles, who hoard resources they don't even need, simply to keep it from others."
"They suppress most people's growth, monopolize Professional development paths, and guard rare techniques and resources to maintain their centuries-old rule."
"That doesn't happen in Bay Territory!"
Arnold's tone was filled with unshakable pride.
The old Swordsman could even see a certain disdain in his expression — a disdain for the Netheril Empire and Cole Elf Kingdom.
Yes, disdain!
It was obvious contempt!
Before the old Swordsman could process Arnold's full statement, Arnold continued proudly:
"Elsewhere, people worry about having enough to eat, and generation after generation become 'slaves' to land, houses, and gold."
"Here in Bay Territory, as long as you work hard, everyone can improve their strength and skills."
"Everyone's working for both themselves and the territory."
"The better someone develops, the faster the territory grows."
"The faster the territory grows, the more everyone benefits."
"If people don't get to enjoy those benefits, then someone's stolen the fruit of our efforts."
"That's something no one will tolerate — especially Lord Matthew and Lady Yaya."
"Beyond talent cultivation and skill advancement, we also place great value on research and dissemination in potions, biotechnology, mechanics, magic, enchantment, and Professional development."
"Dragon Warrior modification, Swordsman heritage, Sword Saint and Monk development — these all fall under Professional development tech."
"Progress in these areas will broaden Bay Territory's Professional pathways and produce more elite Professionals."
"Anyone who passes a professional assessment and meets the criteria — even if they're not soldiers — will receive full support."
"That includes you. Whatever you need for daily training or stabilizing your body — we'll cover it."
Arnold spoke with the boldness of someone who knew his side was rich.
The old Swordsman looked at the massive golems and machinery in the distance and thoughtfully nodded.
He set down his tea, looked at the Dragon Warriors who had completed their entry training, and said after a moment of hesitation:
"Beyond skills and combat training, to walk the path of containing Monstrosities, there's one more critical step — potion modification!"
Potion modification!
A powerful and specialized form of bodily transformation.
It involved using potent transformative potions to enhance and modify body parts, aiming for specific purposes.
Normally, the entire potion modification process was extremely difficult.
First, creating the potion itself was very hard.
The ingredients were rare and precious — collecting them alone took tremendous manpower and resources.
Crafting the potion was equally challenging.
In the old Swordsman's memory, even top alchemists in the Eastern Empire only had a 10% success rate.
Without the power of an entire Kingdom, there was no way to mass-produce such potions.
But having seen Bay Territory's crafting techniques and staggering wealth, the old Swordsman wasn't too worried about that part.
As long as they were willing to invest, and with the recipes he provided, producing the potions was only a matter of time.