Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant novel Chapter 386

The battalion-commander-class Lizardmen who had survived to the very end and proudly made it into the final three.

Even though they had not officially received the title of battalion commander from Su-ho, they took care of the Lizardmen under them more rigorously than anyone—like true battalion commanders.

That was why Su-ho valued their sense of responsibility and professional spirit more than anyone.

“Everyone, you’ve worked hard.”

“Tsrat! Not at all!”

The battalion-commander-class Lizardmen snapped to attention, discipline tight.

Watching them, he couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter.

Su-ho said:

“What are your names?”

“We have none!”

“None?”

“Yes, that’s correct!”

“Hm?”

He hadn’t considered that at all.

But it was true.

Except for named monsters like mid-bosses or bosses, most common-grade monsters didn’t have names.

‘Well, “battalion commander,” “company commander”—those are ranks I slapped on them; ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) they’re not officially recognized by the System.’

In that case, I can just give them names.

Su-ho said:

“Then I’ll bestow names upon you.”

“T-Tsrat! Truly?!”

“A n-name, you mean?”

“A... name...!”

At the words that he would bestow names, the three Lizardmen visibly trembled with excitement.

Not only them.

The other Lizardmen were the same.

“Ts, Tsrat!”

“My word...”

“Tsraaaat...”

“So jealous...”

“Wow, a name...”

The lower Lizardmen stirred at the promise of names.

Why are they like this?

Is receiving a name really something to cause this much commotion?

Of course, Su-ho knew well the importance of a name—he’d lived long enough.

A name is the medium that establishes a being’s identity.

Even so, he’d simply never seen anyone sad for lack of a name, so he was just a bit taken aback.

Maybe that was why a sudden weight pressed on him.

‘Ah, I was going to just wing it.’

Since there were three battalion commanders, he’d planned to go with something like First Chief, Second Chief, Third Chief.

But judging by the mood, he shouldn’t.

‘From the vibe, they’ll be thrilled to get names—so I should make them at least sound decent.’

After a brief hesitation, Su-ho asked the battalion commanders:

“Have you fought among yourselves? It is, after all, a ranking match.”

“Yes, that’s correct. Just in case, we fought among ourselves.”

“Yeah? What about the company commanders and platoon leaders below you?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Good. Then what’s the order among you three?”

“Tsrat, I’m first, this guy is second, and this one is third.”

The one who answered as their representative each time was the first.

And he was also the one who had tried to evacuate the other Lizardmen while taking Yeocheon’s attack alone.

No wonder he’d been more devoted and principled.

‘So the position did make the man.’

After a moment’s thought, Su-ho said:

“Do you remember what those guys called me earlier?”

“Yes, they called you the Red Dragon King.”

“They called me that not because we’re actual dragons—we’re lizards—but because to them we looked like dragons. If I’m a dragon, then you’re dragons too. So the one ranked first is Ilyong (First-Dragon), the second is Duyong (Second-Dragon), and the third is Samyong (Third-Dragon).”

“E-even us...?!”

“Why? You don’t like it?”

“Tsrat! No, we truly like it! A name bestowed by the Great King—we will cherish it deep in our hearts!”

“I, Duyong, will treasure it forever as well!”

“Thank you, Great King! I love the name Samyong!”

The three, their eyes not only shining but oddly misting over, expressed their heartfelt thanks.

‘Glad they like it.’

He’d worried they might call it tacky.

Even if they did, so be it.

It’s not like he could visit a naming bureau just to name monsters.

‘And from now on, you’re the Yongyongies.’

Just then—

[ You have bestowed a name upon a Lizardman. ]

[ Is the bestowed name “Ilyong” correct? ]

[ You have bestowed a name upon a Lizardman. ]

[ Is the bestowed name “Duyong” correct? ]

[ You have bestowed a name upon a Lizardman. ]

[ Is the bestowed name “Samyong” correct? ]

Notifications streamed before his eyes.

It was the National System.

Thinking, ‘Huh, it even has this,’ Su-ho answered the prompts.

[ A name is being bestowed upon a Lizardman. ]

[ A common Lizardman has acquired the name “Ilyong.” ]

[ “Ilyong” is granted the King’s Recognition. ]

[ Mana is bestowed upon “Ilyong.” ]

[ A name is being bestowed upon a Lizardman. ]

[ A common Lizardman has acquired the name “Duyong.” ]

[ “Duyong” is granted the King’s Recognition. ]

[ Mana is bestowed upon “Duyong.” ]

[ A name is being bestowed upon a Lizardman. ]

[ A common Lizardman has acquired the name “Samyong.” ]

[ “Samyong” is granted the King’s Recognition. ]

[ Mana is bestowed upon “Samyong.” ]

What’s this now?

As he nodded along to the National System’s prompts, the King’s Recognition was suddenly conferred, and mana drained from Su-ho’s body and began pouring into the Yongyongies.

Fwaaah!

At the same time, the Yongyongies’ bodies began to shine and underwent physical change.

The physical change was evolution.

Like something out of a certain Japanese monster cartoon, the evolved Yongyongies grew far larger than the existing Lizardmen, their scales thickened, and they took on features befitting commanders—true generals.

[ “Ilyong”’s information has changed. ]

[ “Ilyong” has grown stronger. ]

[ “Duyong”’s information has changed. ]

[ “Duyong” has grown stronger. ]

[ “Samyong”’s information has changed. ]

[ “Samyong” has grown stronger. ]

A notification that they had grown stronger.

It was definite evolution.

Smiling at the far more stalwart Yongyongies, Su-ho said,

“So that’s why you were all crazy about names?”

“Ha-ha, that’s right.”

“I didn’t expect a secret like this. But if it works like this, would the ones below all get stronger if I bestow names on them too?”

“Yes, it seems so.”

“Ts ts ts ts ts!!”

“Great King! Great King! Great King!”

“So cool!!”

“Kiaaaaa!!”

An unprecedented surge of morale whipped across the Amnok River.

*

“......”

“......”

“......”

CMC Amnok River Surveillance Unit.

Only silence lingered there.

They had all just confirmed the Trident Trio’s defeat.

“Haa...”

Section Chief Rongchen let out a sigh.

The Trident Trio thought they had secretly made a surprise attack on the Amnok River, but in truth the Surveillance Unit—no, the Chinese government—already knew the Trident Trio would attack the Amnok.

It wasn’t that there was a mole inside the Trident Trio.

It was because, though over a billion people live in China, the Chinese government astonishingly monitors all Chinese citizens through various means.

So the Chinese government deliberately left the Trident Trio alone.

Not out of respect for their usual conduct, but out of curiosity.

They wanted to see how far, at the Amnok River, the Trident Trio—counted among China’s powerhouses—would get.

Put simply, they needed data.

But the result was disastrous.

“......”

“......”

“......”

Silence settled over the Surveillance Unit.

On the central monitor, the Trident Trio retreated, supporting one another, each with an ear torn off.

Just then, Rongchen’s phone rang.

It was Wang Qiang, a senior officer of the Paranormal Ability Corps who had visited before.

“Yes, I’ve answered.”

— How did it go?

“A crushing defeat. The three of them kept their lives, but their weapons were destroyed and one ear each was torn off.”

— They each lost an ear and their weapons were destroyed, yet they kept their lives?

“Yes.”

— Huh... That’s a warning. A warning from the Red King to stop fooling around. Or else... this is only the beginning.

“The beginning?”

— They were the ones who didn’t attack the people of Dandong and Yuanbaogu. But the Trident Trio stirred up a hornet’s nest, so retaliation will surely come.

“Then what should we...?”

— We need to show sincerity. The Red King is a smart bastard, so at the right time you have to catch those Trident bastards, cut off their heads, and send them to the Red King. Only then will he think you’ve shown the minimum sincerity and be able to suppress his anger.

— ......

Rongchen nodded at Wang Qiang’s words.

Frankly, there was no other way.

Of course, that was the response from the optimistic point of view. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The worst case would be the Red King leading his forces to begin an invasion of China.

At that moment—

“S-Section Chief?”

“What is it?”

“You need to see this right away.”

“What is it?”

What the subordinate held out was a video playing on a phone.

The clip had been uploaded to Waver, and Rongchen’s eyes widened when he saw it.

Because the video on Waver was none other than a brutal fight between the Trident Trio and the Red King.

“What is this?”

The footage Su-ho had filmed began to spread from China to countries all around the world.