Derek

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Derek (originally Ferrera; adopts the knightly name “Von Derek”)
Alias(es)	Northland Knight; Count of Augusta; Ironclad Duke; Great Emperor; Saint Derek; God of Combat
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Ferrera Family; Augusta Family; Northern Duchy; Great Xia Empire
Occupation/Role	Knight; military commander; noble ruler; emperor; deity
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Knight Level 5	1	His Data Panel records him as a Level 5 Knight. Training and exercise generate experience, which can be allocated to himself or loyal subordinates.
Elite Knight	21	Reaches Elite Knight level, gaining substantially enhanced physical ability and mental acuity. He can wear half-plate armor for extended periods and fight repeatedly without exhaustion.
Level 3 Elite Knight	58	Possesses a physique regarded as peak-level by ordinary standards; can fight in full heavy armor, though its weight remains burdensome.
Five-Star Elite Knight	68	Becomes overwhelmingly superior to ordinary knights, easily disarming and defeating a mounted Southern knight barehanded.
Transcendent Knight	726	Begins studying transcendent power, which can amplify armor, weapons, warhorses, and vehicles far beyond normal limits.
Near-demigod physique	994	Achieves a body that breaks known records; his vitality and appearance begin to reverse toward youth.
Divinity wielder	1106	Activates Fallen Divinity in combat, creating a gray Divine Domain that decays machines, corrupts minds, and destroys hostile fleets.
God of Combat	1110	Condenses his combat Divinity into a unique Divinity Core and gains a deity Data Panel capable of true-name, faith-feedback, power-bestowal, and sainthood functions.

Background / History

Derek transmigrated into the body of a noble-born second son of the Ferrera Family. Though trained under Count Perez as a Knight Squire, he would not inherit his family’s estate. Upon discovering his personal Data Panel, he abandoned the conventional path of joining a knightly order and chose to become a Wandering Knight instead. 1 2

His Panel initially displayed only his own class, level, and Experience Pool, but he discovered it could also recognize and enhance groups under his command. By training ten militiamen in formation, spearwork, and physical conditioning, he accelerated their development several times beyond ordinary training speed while carefully concealing the Panel’s existence. 1

After receiving his knight’s badge, fifty gold coins from Baron Ferrera, recruitment authority, and a Fine Iron Longsword from Andrew, Derek began raising his own force. His earliest organization consisted of farm-born soldiers, Little Tru’s blacksmithing operation, and family-provided weapons and supplies. 2 3 4

Derek moved to Watch City, established a blacksmith shop, took caravan-escort work, and earned his first battlefield reputation by organizing a disciplined defense against mountain bandits. He promoted the loyal spearman Simon to Knight Squire, using advancement, equipment, and promises of status to build loyalty among his soldiers. 7 8 9 10

Through his alliance with the Mountain Folk brothers Wood and Loyd, Derek established a mountain base outside conventional noble control. There he expanded his forge, trained manpower, sold arms through caravans, and sought land and population outside the feudal system’s limits. 13 14 16

His growing armed force led to military promotion during the Northern Barbarians conflict. After Count Perez was impressed by his knights, Derek became temporary Chiliarch of the Tenth Unit of the Northern Province Second Legion and reorganized his thousand-man cohort around trusted officers. 33 34

Military success elevated Derek from a wandering knight into a major Northland power. He became a noble through merit, married into the Perella family, accepted the titles of Northland Knight and Commander of the Saint Myra Legion, later ruled Augusta as Count, and ultimately accepted the title of Duke of the Northern Duchy. 55 101 217

As Duke and later Emperor, Derek centralized government, expanded industry, built railways, shipyards, universities, an ironclad fleet, and advanced military technology. His rule increasingly combined the Data Panel’s mass-management abilities with political control, industrial development, and overwhelming military force. 290 303 375 429

Appearance

Derek is a physically imposing knight whose presence becomes increasingly intimidating as his power grows. He is frequently depicted in armor, from practical half-plate to superior full heavy armor. 21 58

• Wields a Fine Iron Longsword early in his career and demonstrates swordsmanship surpassing most Ferrera family knights. 3
• Regularly wears half-plate, medium armor, or full heavy armor depending on the campaign. 21 58 101
• His heavy armor is described as covering him from head to toe with individually forged joint plates. 58
• Later pilots advanced Knight Mechs, including the winged Angel mech and the Pseudo-Seraphim. 756 841

Personality

Derek is ambitious, cautious, and intensely pragmatic. He seeks power, land, population, and independence because he recognizes that a low-ranking knight without a fief is constrained by the feudal order. 12 14

He combines generosity with calculated leadership. He rewards obedience and effort with names, equipment, wages, titles, and opportunities for social advancement, but treats loyalty as more important than talent because the Panel can compensate for weak aptitude. 7 8 65

Derek is also politically adaptable. He understands when public humility serves his interests, shares credit to prevent resentment, and cultivates an image of a generous, honorable Northland knight. 34 47 55

His ruthlessness grows alongside his authority. He orders executions, intimidates nobles, suppresses opponents, and regards disobedient personnel and slave labor as expendable when they obstruct his goals. 60 61 143 290

Abilities & Skills

Data Panel

Derek possesses a personal panel that displays levels and Experience Pools, tracks those under his influence, and permits the allocation of accumulated experience. 1

• Provides real-time feedback on individual and group progress. 1
• Accelerates training efficiency by roughly four to five times, excluding combat experience and willpower. 1
• Recognizes groups and professions, such as Militiaman Squads and Army Blacksmiths. 1 4
• Allows Derek to improve loyal soldiers, knights, craftsmen, farmers, clergy, and later more than 10,000 people under his rule. 16 96 101
• Can search followers by profession and allocate experience in batches. 101
• Its later divine form supports true names, faith feedback, power bestowal, and sainthood. 1110

Knight Combat

Derek is a highly trained knight with strong swordsmanship, battlefield awareness, and the physical power of an elite and later transcendent warrior. 3 21 68

• Defeats a Southern knight without drawing his own weapon, catches the opponent’s blade with a gauntleted hand, disarms him, and drags him from his horse. 68
• Can wear half-plate armor for prolonged combat as an Elite Knight. 21
• Can operate heavy armor despite its considerable burden. 58
• Later applies transcendent power to armor, weapons, warhorses, vehicles, and mechs. 726

Military Command

Derek is an experienced organizer and commander, trained in caravan escort, marching, formation work, armed combat, and battlefield command during his knight apprenticeship. 8

• Trains militia through simple, repeatable drills focused on formation, spear thrusts, direction, and physical conditioning. 1
• Uses disciplined spear formations and staggered ranks to defeat disorganized bandits. 9 10
• Reorganizes larger armies by embedding his own trusted officers within units commanded by newly acquired personnel. 34
• Leads the Augusta army in operations against the Barbarian Kingdom, including the capture of Yanle City and strategic supply-route disruption. 113
• Employs elite heavy infantry, night operations, cavalry, and coordinated attacks against enemy weak points. 113 117

Political and Administrative Control

Derek develops from a mercenary entrepreneur into an absolute ruler capable of reshaping institutions and territories. 55 217 290

• Uses military success, marriage, patronage, and controlled generosity to build noble alliances. 45 55
• Balances force and benevolence to stabilize newly acquired territory. 234
• Centralizes authority by establishing the Ministry of Navy and Ministry of Army. 290
• Uses public opinion, newspapers, industrial projects, and technological spectacle to reinforce his regime. 375
• Builds Hadley University to develop scientific expertise, ideological influence, and future skilled labor. 303

Deification Art and Divinity

Derek eventually learns to manipulate faith-derived mystical power with the Data Panel, creating and evolving Divinity. 1086

• Separates and recombines particles within the Power of Faith. 1086
• Creates Divine Domains through Fallen Divinity, inducing decay, mechanical failure, mental corruption, and rebellion in enemies. 1106
• Condenses combat Divinity into a unique Divinity Core, becoming the God of Combat. 1110
• Can project power remotely using a supernatural mech and the Data Panel. 1085

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Fine Iron Longsword — Gift from Andrew; Derek demonstrates exceptional familiarity and swordsmanship with it. 3
• Half Plate Armor — Produced through Little Tru’s forge; offers major protection without overwhelming an Elite Knight’s stamina. 21
• Full Heavy Armor — Superior, fully enclosed armor Derek intends to mass-produce. 58
• Warhorse — Derek recognizes warhorses as military assets and a means of expanding trade channels. 11 18
• Angel Knight Mech — Winged, advanced transcendent mech personally named by Derek. 756
• Pseudo-Seraphim — A limited but immensely powerful mech considered the Great Xia Empire’s strongest single-use weapon before destruction. 841
• Golden Data Panel — Integrated into the cockpit controls of the Angel mech. 756

Relationships

• Baron Ferrera / Leandro Ferrera — Derek’s father; initially disapproves of Derek becoming a Wandering Knight but funds him with fifty gold coins and later supports his expansion. 3 24
• Andrew — Derek’s second uncle; early logistical supporter who later helps recruit men, becomes tax collector, and presses Derek to accept the Northern Duchy. 3 17 57 217
• Adrian — Derek’s cousin and Andrew’s son; trusted administrator and military subordinate who helps oversee territory development and later serves the Duchy. 18 56 217
• Simon — Derek’s first Knight Squire and one of his most trusted commanders; rises from a farm-born spearman to a major military leader. 7 8 101 234
• Little Tru — Derek’s earliest blacksmith subordinate; grows from an Army Blacksmith into a key military researcher and mech developer. 4 21 726 756
• Loyd — Mountain Folk leader and bandit ally; Derek cultivates him through weapons, training, and mutual material interest. 13 14 16
• Wood — Mountain Folk warrior who earns Derek’s respect by keeping his promise to deliver Wild Boar Hides. 11 13
• Steward Vincent — Goat Merchant Guild steward; begins as an employer and becomes a recurring commercial partner. 7 12 21
• Knight Cloya — Acquaintance of Derek’s father and examiner; offers Derek a position on his lands, which Derek refuses. 2
• Cesar — Knight who supports Derek’s military advancement and later asks Derek to train his son. 33 34 56
• Count Perella — Political patron who views Derek as a future power-holder and possible successor in Saint Myra Province. 55
• Tiona — Derek’s wife and political partner; supports his military expeditions, technological ambitions, and secret operations. 101 276 375
• Virut / Verut Chrono — Young knight drawn to Derek’s reputation; becomes a devoted follower after Derek’s harsh training and personal care. 63 65
• Philip — Horse-farm manager and loyal subordinate whose family gains status through service to Derek. 57 276
• Burdett — Religious leader who pledges the Monastery Knight Order’s support to Derek’s rule. 217
• Sergei — Derek’s brother; military officer who takes pride in Derek’s victories and later benefits from Derek’s rise. 47 668

Story Role / Major Arcs

Wandering Knight and Watch City

Derek finishes his knight apprenticeship, declines Cloya’s patronage, raises his first soldiers, establishes a forge, and moves into Watch City to pursue independent wealth and battlefield experience. 2 4 5 7

Caravan Escort and Mountain Alliance

He protects the Goat Merchant Guild caravan, defeats bandits through disciplined command, promotes Simon, and forms a strategic relationship with Wood and Loyd. 7 9 10 13 14

Mountain Base and Arms Expansion

Derek establishes a remote mountain base, trains bandits and recruits, expands blacksmithing, trades weapons, and recruits Andrew, Adrian, and young men from Haystack Village. 16 17 18

Northern Barbarians War

Derek’s elite force earns him promotion to Chiliarch. He reorganizes the Tenth Unit, wins military prestige, and emerges as a celebrated Northland commander. 33 34 45 47

Rise of Augusta

Derek becomes a noble power through military merit and political alliances, develops Augusta, attracts young knight squires, and builds his own knightly order. 55 56 63 65

Count, Duke, and Conqueror

As Count of Augusta, Derek integrates thousands through the Panel, campaigns into Barbarian territory, captures cities, gains monastery support, and establishes the Northern Duchy. 101 113 217

Industrial Ruler

Derek consolidates the Duchy through railways, ministries, ironclads, universities, electrification, experimental automobiles, and propaganda. 290 303 375

Emperor and Transcendent Researcher

As Emperor, Derek advances military technology into the transcendent era, develops Knight Mechs, personally pilots Angel and the Pseudo-Seraphim, and explores the interaction between technology and supernatural power. 442 726 756 841

Deification

Derek’s power evolves beyond human limits. He develops Deification Art, uses Fallen Divinity in battle, creates deity Data Panels, and becomes the unique God of Combat. 994 1086 1106 1110

Notable Quotes

“May Simon’s today become your tomorrow. Train hard, fight bravely, and I will grant you gold, status, and honor.” 8

“I, Derek, dare not boast about much, but I am generous to my friends.” 14

“Your will is divine prophecy; the Monastery Knight Order awaits your command.” 217

“Angel!” 756

Trivia

• “Von” is Derek’s given name, while “Derek” is the surname associated with his knightly title; “Ferrera” is his original family name. 2
• Derek deliberately uses small, gradual Experience Pool allocations to avoid exposing the Data Panel’s supernatural effects. 1 101
• He personally gives Simon his name during Simon’s promotion to Knight Squire. 7 8
• Derek’s original ambition is not to improve serfdom or liberate the population, but to obtain power, wear a crown, and live well himself. 57
• He views historical remembrance as a form of immortality and seeks to establish an empire capable of shaping the world’s future. 303