[Investment Points can be used to unlock deeper target information, lock onto special investment opportunities, and enhance certain system functions.]
[Current Investment Points: 1.]
So there were hidden functions after all.
However, Victor had no intention of wasting it immediately.
Something called an Investment Point did not sound like the kind of resource that could be obtained casually.
He would keep it for now.
"Young Master."
Bruno suddenly spoke from the treatment bed.
Victor looked at him.
Bruno remained silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice.
"About what happened today... It was because I was useless. Ryan was much stronger than the intelligence we received suggested."
"He's clearly only Level Eighteen, but his swordsmanship..."
When he reached this point, obvious unwillingness appeared on Bruno's face.
"It was too fast. I didn't even see his second strike clearly."
Victor did not blame him.
That was perfectly normal.
He was the protagonist, after all.
Levels were never anything more than a reference when dealing with someone like that.
Ryan appeared to only be Level Eighteen right now, but in the original plot, he had already begun coming into contact with a hidden sword technique at this stage.
Although he had yet to obtain the Sword Saint inheritance that would appear three months later, in terms of pure combat ability, ordinary Level Nineteen professionals were already finding it difficult to suppress him.
Otherwise, he would hardly deserve to be called the protagonist of the world.
"So?" Victor asked.
Bruno froze slightly. "What?"
"Because you lost, are you planning to take a detour every time you see him from now on?"
Bruno's face immediately flushed red.
"Of course not!"
"Then that's enough." Victor turned around. "If you lose, keep training. If you can't beat him the first time, train until you can beat him the second time. If you still can't beat him the second time, then keep training."
"You've followed me for two years. If losing to a Level Eighteen swordsman is enough to cripple your spirit, then why did I spend eighty thousand gold coins saving you?"
Bruno stared blankly at Victor's back.
A moment later, he nodded heavily.
"I understand."
[Bruno Loyalty +1.]
[Current Loyalty: 98.]
Victor looked at the notification without much reaction.
Ninety eight loyalty.
That was already extremely high.
The final two points were probably not something that could be increased simply by throwing money at him.
However, Victor was actually more concerned with Bruno's current condition.
A Rank potential.
Berserker profession.
Low level Berserk.
Level Seventeen.
His problems were actually quite obvious.
His profession specialized in frontal explosive combat, but his current talent rank was too low, while his equipment was nothing more than ordinary standardized gear purchased from the academy shop.
There was simply no way for him to fully display the advantages of a Berserker.
If Victor gave him a complete equipment set truly suited for a Berserker, then found him a high quality explosive combat skill, the investment return probably would not be low.
Victor's gaze gradually changed.
It seemed tomorrow's gathering could not merely be something he had casually mentioned.
If the system could truly allow him to continuously become stronger by investing in his subordinates, then the first thing he needed to do was not compete with Ryan over some low level opportunities.
Instead, he needed to establish a faction that truly belonged to him.
A group of people he could invest in over the long term and continuously obtain returns from.
Thinking of this, Victor turned toward Karl.
"Can you contact everyone who usually follows me?"
Karl immediately nodded.
"Yes."
"There are twelve people who regularly act with you, Young Master. Aside from Bruno, there are eleven others."
Victor was slightly surprised. "That few?"
The corner of Karl's mouth twitched.
"Young Master, there were never that many people who would truly follow you all the time. Most of the others only drink with you occasionally or come closer because of the Alves Family."
"If something truly happened..."
He did not continue.
But his meaning was already obvious.
Fair weather friends.
Victor did not mind.
Twelve people was actually just right.
If there were too many at once, he would not be able to cultivate all of them anyway.
"Tell them tomorrow morning at eight. Third Training Ground."
"Anyone who's late doesn't need to come."
"Yes."
"And one more thing." Victor glanced at Karl. "Compile their levels, professions, commonly used skills, and whatever resources they've been lacking recently. Give me a report."
Karl visibly froze.
The former Young Master Victor had never cared about what resources his subordinates lacked.
But after everything that had happened today, Karl was no longer as shocked as he had been at first.
"Understood."
...
Night gradually enveloped the academy.
By the time Victor returned to his private residence, it was already close to ten in the evening.
Yes, a private residence.
Although Starlight Royal Academy claimed that nobles and commoners were treated equally, this so called equality only existed within the most basic rules.
As long as one was willing to pay enough gold coins, forget a private residence, a personal training ground, an exclusive alchemy laboratory, and even private attendants could all be legally obtained within the academy.
Victor pushed open the door.
Only now did he finally have the time to properly inspect the body he had transmigrated into.
He stood in front of a mirror.
Short black hair and deep crimson eyes.
His features were extremely handsome, but there was a naturally sharp, unapproachable quality between his brows and eyes.
Combined with his height of nearly one meter ninety, even when he did absolutely nothing, merely standing there naturally gave off the oppressive presence unique to an arrogant noble young master.
No wonder the original owner had been so hated throughout the academy.
This face really was perfect for a villain.
Victor raised his right hand.
With a thought...
Buzz.
A ball of crimson flame instantly ignited in his palm.
This was the basic magic spell the original owner had mastered most thoroughly.
Flame Condensation.
For an ordinary warrior type professional, directly using elemental magic was uncommon, but the Magic Swordsman profession itself was designed around cultivating both magic and close combat.
Victor's greatest strength right now was not his attributes.
It was his mana, which was six hundred and twenty points.
For a Level Twenty One First Tier professional, that number was already extremely high.
And now he had obtained [Mana Devour].
[Would you like to inspect detailed talent information?]
"Inspect." Victor said without hesitation.