'System, display the ability obtained.'
-[10x Reward System: Ability obtained]-
UNDEAD COMMAND:
Description...
Undead Command allows the player to summon fallen knights, including his dead troops.
Current capacity: 10/??? [Capacity increases as the player levels up]
Levels: 999+
Would the player proceed with the summoning?
-[Yes]- -[No]-
Horus read through the interface, and his heart jumped with joy. Not only had he obtained Erwin's main and passive skills, but he also received a mythic skill from the 10x reward system.
But when he clicked yes, instead of undead rising under his command, a displeasing notification appeared.
-[System Alert: Player Cannot Use Skill 'Undead Command']
-[Reason: Required Level needed: 50]
-[Tips: Player Can Quickly Level Up using upgrade points, 10,000 UP per level, or gain EXP from completing missions]-
Horus scoffed in disappointment. He should have known, because it felt somehow too broken, getting stronger without needing to practice sword swings.
However, he did not really need the undead for anything. After all, Erwin had felt an enormous wave of upgrade.
'Did I get stronger?' he asked himself.
Even the enemies could feel it. When he turned, he saw Horus smiling and nodding. 'The emperor knows how to cast spells?' he thought. 'I better use this before the spell fades,' he added.
Now, he was faster than before. That single movement of his blade severed all five heads of the enemies.
Their bodies fell to the floor, adding to the stain of blood flowing down.
"I needed one of them alive," Horus sighed.
"Oh, forgive me, emperor. I didn't know," Erwin replied, kneeling and lowering his head.
Fortunately, one more person was still alive. It was none other than the leader of the rebellion.
Horus and Erwin jumped down through the shattered glass broken by the minister earlier.
They landed perfectly in the garden. At least it had been a garden. Now it was ruined beyond recognition.
From the shadows, Mira majestically walked out, dragging the dead minister by his hair.
Horus also noticed she kept her left hand behind her back, probably holding a short shuriken or something similar.
"Aish, those loud mouths ended up dying," she giggled.
When he took a good look at the minister, he was certain the man was dead. He also noticed she had toyed with his body, evident from the several cuts.
"Guess I'll have to take you myself." With that said, Mira dropped the minister's body, but before her foot touched the ground,
Boom.
The knight instantly closed the gap between them. It felt like teleportation, but Mira was not fazed at all.
Erwin tried to unsheathe his blade, but he could not. His body was completely frozen in place.
Mira smiled. "Sorry, lovely. Your body is made of blood, and blood is a liquid. I freeze liquids."
Horus' eyes widened, but his expression did not falter. He was witnessing one of the most horrifying abilities in this world.
The commander's body iced from the inside out and then shattered like a cube of ice.
Looking at Horus, Mira giggled. "Isn't that fun?"
-[Ding]-
-[Target: Blood Knight Commander Is Dead: Binding Cancelled, rewards have been recollected]-
"Hmm," Horus growled softly.
So basically, the ability he gained from the binding system would automatically cease to exist once the target died.
He sighed.
-[Skill Activated: Rewind]-
-[Rewinding...]
**
-[Cooldown: 0 hrs : 9 mins : 59 sec]-
"Aish, those loud mouths ended up dying," she giggled.
Horus rewound everything to the moment before Erwin attempted the foolish display that got him killed.
"Erwin, stay put. I'll handle this myself," he said.
Though Erwin felt like disobeying the emperor, after all, this was Mira, leader of the rebellion, he knew very well the emperor did not stand a chance against her. However, recalling what happened, nobody knew if the emperor had practiced magic or anything.
But somehow, the emperor had buffed that ability. That small confidence made him believe Horus might have been pretending to be weak the whole time.
"Guess I'll have to take you myself." With that said, Mira dropped the minister's dead body, but before her foot touched the ground,
Horus was right in front of her. Not just hers, but even Erwin's heart skipped a beat.
"Why did you kill him?" he asked.
Of course, he did not move. They did not see him move, but he was right in front of her. How?
For Horus, he made everything stand still for as long as he wished, even taking his time to check what she held behind her back.
It was a note, a list of names he did not recognize. But if he guessed correctly, the names were written by the dead minister.
Mira could not fathom how he did it, but she hid her fear behind a quick smile before leaping backward.
"Hmph, clearly you are so daft you do not even have a clue about what is happening around you. All you care about is acting when told. You do not have a direction of your own," she cursed.
"That was not an answer. I will ask one last time. Why did you kill him?"
What Horus knew was simple. The minister had deceived the emperor and neglected the needs of the populace while keeping the emperor in the dark.
But that alone was not enough reason for her to kill him.
"You better speak up before my men arrive, or you will not be able to escape."
Mira clicked her tongue. 'What? He wants me to escape? Tsk... I guess all he needs is information,' she thought.
Earlier, she could have killed Horus by freezing his blood. He was in range, but she did not.
Simply because she had promised the people she would make an example out of the emperor. Killing him in front of the people would mark the start of their celebration.
"Minister Evans has been blackmailing women by kidnapping their husbands. After sleeping with them, he kills the men and hides the women underneath his little mansion, clearly feasting on them whenever he feels the need. Unless I kill him, I would not be able to..."
"Is that why you and your rebels attacked?" Horus asked quickly.
"Of course. What other reason could there possibly..."
That was where Horus stopped listening and focused on the system notification and interface.
-[Ding]-
Side Quest: Uncover why the rebels attacked
Mission Completed: +10,000 UP
Achievement: The Intimidator (+10,000 upgrade points)
Total Upgrade Points: 30,000
While explaining herself, Mira finally noticed what was missing from her palm. It was the note.
"Did you steal that from me?" she giggled.
Horus noticed the drastic change in her tone. She was not scared anymore. She seemed relieved.
"Whose names are on this?" he asked.
"Tsk, are you really that clueless that you do not even know the names of your corrupted minister?"
Just after she said that, arrows flew past her from the dark, aiming for Horus' head, neck, eyes, and body.
But before they could reach him, the absurdly fast knight was already there, striking them down with one swing.
At this point, she was already gone.
"I can still trace her steps. Should I..."
"No, let her go."
Erwin felt the emperor's command heavily, and Horus noticed that from the way he exhaled. "As you wish, my liege."
Moving on, though it took time, but once the maids confirmed the minister was dead, Horus was quickly directed to the minister's hideout.
A clever man indeed, because the hidden door was right underneath the minister's bed.
If his personal maiden had not seen him several times, no one would have guessed it.
They walked down the dark hidden tunnels with a torch of flame. Horus wished the rebel leader had been falsely accusing the minister.
But sadly, he was wrong. In front of him were countless cages with ragged women in them. Horus closed his eyes in pain.
'Can I really get used to all this?' he thought. 'Just what the fuck is happening in this empire?.