Chapter 320 - Personal Guard
When Shi Feng saw Kite’s depressing state, Shi Feng wondered just how much determination that independent player, Drunk Xiao, had when he decided to recruit Kite as his personal guard and invest in grooming Swordsman. However, reality had proven that Drunk Xiao certainly had impressive foresight.
When choosing a personal guard, players relied on two things: foresight and luck.
If a player made the wrong choice, they could only blame themselves for being dull and impatient.
Before placing an NPC under their command, players had absolutely no access to said NPC’s data. They would have no access even if they took in an NPC as a normal guard.
In the case of Anna, Shi Feng could only view her data because she was an assistant provided due to an Epic Quest. Anna belonged to Shi Feng completely, so she fit under the category of a personal guard.
After becoming a Viscount, players were given two slots for personal guards and 48 slots for normal guards. These slots were precious, as after signing the contract with an NPC, players were required to pay a considerable fee should they ever wish to dissolve the contract.
If it were merely dissolving the contract for normal guards, most players could afford the fee. After all, normal guards were incapable of growth. As a player’s strength grew, sooner or later, they would have to replace these normal guards. However, personal guards were a different story. Personal guards could grow with a player. Even if it were Shi Feng, he would not dare dissolve contracts of personal guards casually, as the price was simply too high.
Hence, after players became Viscounts, they would be very careful when selecting their personal guards. They absolutely would not waste these two slots.
However, leaving it empty was also unwise. Even if one accepted personal guards with slightly lower potential,, these personal guards could be of great help when properly developed, especially when leveling up. Moreover, the sooner one started nurturing a personal guard, the stronger they could become later on.
Also, players could not simply recruit any NPC they wished. For example, players could not recruit NPCs directly affiliated to the various kingdoms, empires, or the several strongest powers of God’s Domain. In other words, the NPCs must not be affiliated with any powers. In addition, the stronger the NPC was, the harder it was for a player to put them under their command.
Hence, thoughts such as recruiting a Level 200 Tier 5 NPC should be kept to one’s dreams.
In the past, Drunk Xiao’s decision to accept Kite as his personal guard relied on both foresight and luck. It was not a feat normal people could repeat.
In this life, however, Shi Feng had decided that he needed to obtain the NPC named Kite no matter what.
“Mister Kite, I have just recently become a Viscount of White River City, and currently, I am trying to recruit guards for myself. I wonder if you would be interested?” Shi Feng asked.
Kite looked a little excited when he heard Shi Feng’s offer. However, when he looked at the empty space where his right arm used to be, he sighed and said, “My lord, you, too, can see for yourself. I am but a cripple now, so I have no way to serve as one of my lord’s guard.”
“I realize Mister Kite’s concerns. I had heard that Mister Kite became a Tier 2 Sword Master at an early age. During the Great Demon War, you have even managed to injure a Tier 3 Demon heavily, though at the cost of your sword arm. Today, I have come to recruit you as my guard, so of course, I have come prepared. Do you know what this is?” Shi Feng smiled as he retrieved a small, crystalline bottle.
Within the crystalline bottle, there was a single droplet of dark-blue liquid. Just by looking through the crystal wall of the bottle, one could already feel the boundless life energy coming from this droplet.
“Water of Life!”
Kite immediately recognized this liquid, a hint of emotion appearing on his stone-cold face. After all, this liquid was something he had yearned for all this time. Now that it was in front of him, how could he not recognize it?
“That’s right. As long as Mister Kite agrees to become my personal guard, the Water of Life in this bottle is yours.” Shi Feng smiled.
“Esteemed Lord Viscount, are you truly willing to use this precious Water of Life on a mere Sword Master like me?” Kite asked carefully. In reality, Shi Feng’s offer was touching. “My lord, you should know that, with this droplet alone, even a Tier 3 powerhouse would agree to become your personal guard.”
Aqua Rose was greatly shocked when she heard Kite’s declaration.
She never realized the Water of Life was so precious.
A single droplet could actually convince a Tier 3 NPC to serve as a player’s personal guard!
That was a Tier 3 class! Players revered even Tier 2 classes, let alone Tier 3 classes.
If their Guild could have a Tier 3 NPC as a guard, they could simply annihilate anyone who provoked them.
Unfortunately, Aqua Rose’s thoughts were too good to be true. Although the Water of Life could be enough recruit a Tier 3 powerhouse, Shi Feng was simply too weak right now. He would not be able to recruit a Tier 3 NPC, even if he wanted to.
“Of course, I already know that, Mister Kite. However, I value your potential even more. Based on your firm and unyielding will and the fact that you have not fallen to become a Demonkin yet, I believe that you will one day become an apex powerhouse on the continent,” Shi Feng affirmed.
Shi Feng’s words were not without justification.
One should never provoke a Demon. Shi Feng had simply met with the phantom of a Tier 4 Great Demon, and as a result, he bore its curse. If Sharlyn, a Tier 3 Divine Official, had not dispelled the curse for him, he would have had no choice but to delete and restart a new account.
Meanwhile, Kite had fought a real Tier 3 Demon, so how could he have avoided receiving its curse?
A Demon’s power was the evilest force that could corrode a human’s spirit. However, after suffering the Demon’s curse for so many years, although Kite had lost his powers, he continued to live normally; he had not turned into a Demonkin. If Kite had not possessed a firm and unyielding will, the Demon’s power would have devoured him long ago.
“Mister Kite, I wonder if you are willing to become my guard?” Shi Feng asked seriously.
“Since Lord Viscount is willing to accept a cripple like myself, how could I possibly reject my lord’s good intentions? From today onwards, my lord will be my only master. I swear allegiance,” Kite dropped to a knee in front of Shi Feng, receiving the Water of Life respectfully.
System: Do you wish to assign Kite as your personal guard?
Shi Feng clicked “Agree.” Following which, Kite’s data appeared in Shi Feng’s NPC Managing interface.
[Kite] (Ye Feng’s Personal Guard)
Gender: Male
Age: 39
Loyalty: 90
Charm: 60
Physique: 40
Wisdom: 81
Growth Potential: 26
Class: Tier 1 Swordsman
Level: 30
HP: 8,000/8,000
Attack Power: 600-720
Defense: 3,100
Attributes: Strength 125, Agility 130, Endurance 200, Intelligence 90, Vitality 180
Although Shi Feng had mentally prepared himself, when he looked at Kite’s data, his heart could not help but twitch. Setting aside Kite’s other Attributes, his Growth Potential was only at 26 points. This number was simply maddening.
Shi Feng truly wondered how Drunk Xiao had managed to endure and nurture Kite in the past.
Common ranked personal guards had 0 to 30 Growth Potential. Basically, no one wanted such personal guards.
Bronze ranked personal guards had 31 to 50 Growth Potential. These were the lowest ranked personal guard players would usually possess.
Mysterious-Iron ranked personal guards had 51 to 70 Growth Potential. Meeting personal guards of such rank was rare. Normally, one required honed foresight and had to carry out long-term observation to find such guards.
Secret-Silver ranked personal guards had 71 to 80 Growth Potential. Such personal guards were extremely rare. Normally, players that managed to obtain these NPCs would treat them like their own babies.
Fine-Gold ranked personal guards had 81 to 90 Growth Potential. These individuals were as rare as a phoenix’s feather.
Dark-Gold ranked personal guards had 91 to 100 Growth Potential. If a player managed to recruit such a personal guard, as long as developed properly, the player’s strength no longer mattered.
As for Epic ranked personal guards, which were above Dark-Gold rank, Shi Feng had never actually seen one before. He also did not know how powerful Epic ranked personal guards were. However, it would not be unusual if such a guard transcended the realm of normal men, achieving godhood.