Chapter 37: Spoils of War

“David, I thought you’d be sick at the sight of this, but you’re tougher than I expected!” Garen turned to David with a smile.

“Uncle Garen, I’ve seen worse.” David recalled his second day in this world—nearly a hundred broken corpses. After surviving that horror, nothing else could really frighten him.

“Pick something from these spoils for yourself.” Garen paused, remembering what David had recently endured, and shifted the subject.

“Really?” David’s heart leapt with disbelief.

Here, the trophies were all genuine Armored Warrior equipment, every item priceless.

“Don’t think about the exoskeleton armor. All of them here are damaged, and when you officially become an Armored Warrior, you’ll have your own. The exoskeletons at Naan University are far superior to these,” Garen laughed, seeing David’s gaze linger on the Black Diamond exoskeleton, and reminded him.

David smiled a little sheepishly, then turned his attention to the twin swords that had belonged to Commander Froman.

Among all the spoils, only these two swords stood out, their color matching the warhammer wielded by the Shimmer Knight. They must be valuable.

“David, you truly have good taste. All the spoils together can’t match the worth of these two Grade-Two swords. But, I promised you,” Garen said with a shake of his head, picking up the swords and turning them over in his hands.

He handed the swords to David, who hesitated but accepted them.

In truth, if not for David’s extraordinary talent, Garen would never have gifted such precious weapons.

Not only were they spoils, but Grade-Two weapons. For ordinary Armored Warriors, using swords, as Garen had taught David, was irresponsible toward themselves and their comrades.

But Garen knew that with David’s skill with the warhammer, once he became a true Armored Warrior, he’d be formidable. Learning the sword would take little effort for a genius like David, and mastering another weapon would benefit his growth.

Garen had seen many warriors lose their fighting power on the battlefield when their weapon broke; finding a suitable replacement was never easy. The more weapons one mastered, the greater their chance of survival.

“David, I’ll get to the bottom of the issue with your home’s security system,” Garen said gravely, thinking of the security program.

David nodded. He wanted to tell Garen what he’d discovered, but it involved his stepmother Bertha’s father, Mr. Sturt. Even though Garen was his father Hans’s friend, David didn’t want him involved.

Still, letting Garen investigate Lixin Security Company would be helpful, since David had to be cautious even leaving the house.

He wasn’t sure how powerful Garen truly was, but with five Shimmer Knights and the mayor Bernard’s attitude, Garen’s status was clearly formidable.

For Myron to call him a big shot, Garen’s standing far surpassed that of the mayor.

“This scabbard is yours too.” Garen took a scabbard from Commander Froman’s corpse, removing it from the Black Diamond exoskeleton, and handed it over.

“Thank you, Uncle Garen.” David took it, sliding the twin Grade-Two swords inside.

The scabbard’s exterior was made from the hide of an unknown creature, its interior of some mysterious material. Both terrifyingly sharp swords were held securely.

“Remember, the sword is only an auxiliary in combat. I don’t want it to interfere with your mastery of the warhammer,” Garen reminded him.

Just then, four transport aircraft approached, and five Interceptor drones appeared overhead.

Eight Armored Warriors jumped from the transports, each clad in a different style of exoskeleton.

“David, a good exoskeleton reflects your strength and guarantees your safety. So, when you choose one in the future, be careful. Know your own traits and choose what suits you best,” Garen said softly.

David realized Garen was using the eight warriors’ armor to give him advice, so he nodded quickly.

“With your abilities, getting into Naan University won’t be a problem. There are plenty of exoskeletons there. If you need any help, contact me anytime,” Garen continued.

Now, he wasn’t just helping his friend’s son—he was investing in a prodigy.

David’s gaze lingered on Garen’s right arm; the close-fitting armor exposed during battle had vanished, as if it had never been there.

He was curious, but he knew if Garen didn’t want to talk, asking would be pointless.

Meanwhile, the eight local Armored Warriors began taking over the scene, more police arrived, and the place grew busy.

“Let’s head back,” Garen said, disliking the chaos.

David also wanted to return quickly and see what benefits Shadow Attendant had gained, so he followed Garen.

As witnesses and participants, they should have been questioned by the police, but none stopped them.

Officer Bob stood among the officers, his eyes glinting. He knew David’s identity, but hadn’t expected him to cause such a stir.

That David’s home would be protected by five Shimmer Knights was beyond his imagination; he realized he’d need to curry favor with David for his own benefit.

“David, how’s everything outside?” The moment they returned to the underground gym, Myron hurried to David, peppering him with questions.

He wasn’t worried at all—with Garen around, no trouble was too big.

But anything that required Garen’s personal attention had to be significant, and the time spent waiting made him unbearably curious.

“The four mercenaries who tried to attack me last time came again, but Uncle Garen took care of them,” David said simply.

“Those four Armored Warrior mercenaries? Uncle Garen fighting them—I can’t believe I missed it!” Myron slapped his thigh in frustration.

Perhaps because he’d just slain three Armored Warriors, Garen was in good spirits and ignored Myron, instead contacting someone via his identity bracelet.

“David, what’s this?” Myron’s sharp eyes spotted the scabbard in David’s hands and reached for it, but David dodged, answering quickly.

“It’s a trophy Uncle Garen gave me,” David replied, clutching the scabbard.

“Let me see! I’ll leave the two warhammers I brought behind; for the sake of our friendship, just let me take a look!” Myron’s curiosity surged as he pleaded.

David glanced at the two warhammers lying on the floor. They weren’t even Grade-One weapons, just practice hammers made with a lot of Grade-One bug shell—not suitable for real combat.

But seeing Myron’s eagerness, David handed over the scabbard.

Myron grabbed it, and as he drew the sword, he realized it was a pair—two blades with uniquely shaped hilts, joined as one.

“Careful, don’t hurt yourself!” David cautioned.

Myron didn’t draw them all the way. As soon as he saw the faint blue glow, he froze.

“This… this… it’s a pair… a pair of Grade-Two swords!” he stammered.

His tone was full of disbelief. Growing up in his family’s environment, he understood what Grade-Two weapons meant.

In all of Peran City, Grade-Two weapons could be counted on one hand, all owned by powerful warriors backed by major corporations.

Yet Garen had casually given David two Grade-Two swords. How could he not be astonished?

Myron held the swords before his eyes, examining them carefully. It was his first time so close to Grade-Two weapons, and the blue glow enchanted him.

He had trained with swords himself and felt the urge to ask David for one, but he knew perfectly well their value. No matter how close they were, a Grade-Two weapon gifted by Garen could never be passed on.