Ex rank talent Awakening: 100\% Dodge rate-Chapter 111 - : ROGUE KNIGHT

[Your Ex-rank talent disdains having its master serve someone else. All pledges, vows, and contracts that bind the user to others are abolished by your talent.]

Brian was intrigued. His talent had nullified his knighthood as well as the restrictions placed on him to prevent him from betraying or abandoning the empire.

Brian felt sad, though. He had grown attached to the empire, Commander Joshua, the other knights, and the Ice Princess.

"Guess I will continue to be a knight despite my talent forcing me not to be one."

"Come on, don't be a fool. I've never seen someone enjoy working as a slave just because he's in love. Snap out of it," Stagnant Water said, looking at Brian in surprise.

Brian had filled him in on his talent, and Stagnant Water was extremely surprised to learn that talents could be reawakened.

"This is a discovery of a lifetime. I wonder what the criteria are for my own talent to be upgraded. Having infinite stamina like you might as well make me super OP—teleporting wherever I want spontaneously without worrying about my stamina."

"Give up on that, bro. That might not be what you gain after reawakening," Brian advised, trying to keep his friend's hopes from getting too high or fixated on one possibility.

"With my reawakened talent, I can finally try to catch up with Nemesis and Kyle," Brian muttered, clenching his fist. For Nemesis, it was pure admiration and the will to surpass him out of respect. But Kyle? He wanted to pay him back for everything he had done—for endangering Elizabeth's life as well as hurting him.

Brian recalled his fight with the demon knights. It felt as though he had experienced countless battles beforehand. Tactics, battle instincts, combat prediction, and techniques flooded his mind, almost as if he had practiced and mastered them over countless years.

The thought made him frown. How was he able to know these things when he never did before? Unless Nemesis was right, and Apocalypse wasn't just a game...

Don't be surprised that he was thinking this way—the government had muddied the waters, making it difficult for people to outright believe Nemesis. Only a very few gamers did.

"Chris... what if Nemesis was right, and Apocalypse wasn't just a game? Maybe we can find a way to heal you," Brian spoke softly to Stagnant Water.

Stagnant Water looked into Brian's eyes, silence stretching between them for several seconds.

"I told you, Brian, we can't talk about this. It's not your fault, so stop holding onto guilt. I've accepted my fate. Besides, thanks to VR games, I get to enjoy my life," Stagnant Water said, forcing a smile. But Brian, ever perceptive, noticed the sadness in his voice.

"Alright, I'm sorry for bringing it up," Brian said, trying to ease his friend's heart. But deep down, he promised himself that he would help Stagnant Water no matter what.

"I guess I have to have a conversation with Nemesis," Brian thought to himself.

"Let's get out of here. Staying in this crater any longer is starting to creep me out," Stagnant Water muttered. Holding onto Brian, they teleported out of the crater.

"Sigh, just one teleportation, and I'm already out of gas. I really wish I had your infinite stamina," Stagnant Water grumbled, while Brian shook his head, unable to say anything to his friend.

---

******

"You are sure of it?" Emperor Augustus asked the knight delivering the message.

"Yes, my lord. The bond binding Knight Sword God has been broken. We believe he has defected from the knighthood," the knight reported.

Follow current novels on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

"Hah, and here I thought I could trust at least one foreigner. How annoying. Investigate the situation. If he has truly defected, place a bounty on his head and mark him as a rogue knight," Emperor Augustus commanded.

"Yes, my lord," the knight responded before taking his leave.

"What do you have to say about this, Commander Joshua?" Emperor Augustus asked, his voice chilling. "Tackling the demons is already bad enough, but now your favorite student is defecting? You'd better find a solution before I get angry. I still haven't forgotten the death of my son," the emperor warned.

"I will be sure to bring him back to the empire, my lord. I'm sure this is just some misunderstanding," Commander Joshua said with a bow before taking his leave to begin the search for Brian.

---

******

"Those two foolish demon knights... dying without accomplishing their goal. I wish I could kill them a thousand times over," Viscount Zert cursed, infuriated by Tail and Kite's failure. If he had known they didn't even die because of the mission but because Tail decided to pick a fight, he would have likely coughed up blood in frustration.

"This is why I advised you to create backup plans. They didn't accomplish their goal, but the backup knights did. Now, we sit back and watch the chaos unfold," Kyle said, lounging comfortably in his chair while Jessica sat close by.

"Indeed. I guess I owe you one this time," Viscount Zert muttered.

"Any news on the player who crossed into the demon realm?" Kyle asked.

"None. Earl Kodiac has forbidden me or anyone else from alerting those in the demon realm about the intruders," Viscount Zert replied.

"And why is that? I'm sure it would be better to report it," Kyle questioned.

"Earl Kodiac has ordered otherwise. Only a fool would defy him. I have just one life, and I'm not risking it over something so trivial. Besides, they'll die soon enough. Our realm is filled with many dangerous and powerful beings—I don't see how they'll survive."

"Only a fool underestimates his enemies," Kyle sneered.

"Are you trying to pick a fight with me?" Viscount Zert shot him a glare.

"Relax. I'm just stating a fact—something all war leaders know, except demons, sadly. Underestimating your enemies is the fastest way to dig your own grave. Well, since there's nothing fun left to do here, we'll be on our way. Keep me informed about our little plan or any news concerning the player," Kyle said as he stood and left with Jessica.

Viscount Zert watched them go.

"I would have killed that arrogant brat if he weren't so useful. Once I win this war, I'll make sure to take his head for speaking so insolently to me," he muttered coldly.