’Well, he really didn’t waste any time...’
It was the last thought Grey could have. The sword was far too fast to dodge, and that was despite the fact his PER caught the faint intent to attack ahead of time.
The problem was that his PER would probably have to be double before he could actually react to something like this. Even with the +50 boost he was getting from his Legendary Set, he was still too slow compared to a Vector Class opponent.
Grey wouldn’t even summon his daggers in time. All he could do was communicate with his Cyber Space and pull on his iron jaw.
It seemed that he had underestimated Captain Terran’s shamelessness.
Or maybe from the very beginning they had already had every intention of killing him.
The world split in two.
—
[You have died. Better luck next time. Oh wait, there won’t be a next time. Toodle-oo]
—
**
Grey shot awake with a gloomy expression back in the shower room Baron Giyoto had given him. He wasn’t happy in the slightest as he rolled the Cyber Core between his fingers.
There was no way that he was going to kneel to that cunt. There had to be a better way out of this.
Standing there, Grey thought of several things, but not a single one of those plans was viable.
He topped himself up again and looked down at the Cyber Core.
’There’s some real reality bending shit going on with this thing.’
That seemed to go without saying considering he could literally both be sent back in time and revived. But what Grey was actually thinking about was the energy.
It took energy to set a checkpoint, and then more energy beyond that to actually store enough to be revived. Right now, each one took 10 units.
But when Grey went back, he obviously didn’t have to set the checkpoint again, so it was like he got more energy from this Cyber Core than there actually was.
Grey felt that this was quite a big deal, but he couldn’t exactly put his finger on why he felt that way. The headliner was obviously the revival part, but this felt...
Shaking his head, Grey focused himself again.
’I refuse.’
...
"Kneel."
The echo of Captain Terran’s words carried all the underlying disdain of the first time, his unsheathed sword glistening beneath the beaming sunlight.
Grey met his gaze, and then those behind him. He observed Joaquin for a particularly long time, but while normal people would grow uncomfortable beneath the look, Joaquin’s smile remained controlled and pleasant. He neither gloated, nor did he retreat.
Then Grey looked at the old Holy Knight he had pointed out earlier. He observed everyone he could.
Captain Terran’s eyes narrowed. "Kneel, Grey Temolt."
Grey finally looked back to Captain Terran.
"Not to you."
It took Grey a long time to figure out what words to settle on. But he eventually settled on these.
A golden aura rolled off of Captain Terran, nearly forcing Grey to his knees.
Inwardly, Grey sneered. ’Just like I thought.’
’If this bastard wanted, with his strength, that momentum was more than enough to drive me to my hands and knees, let alone just my knees. Pause.’
Grey shook his head.
Captain Terran had come here with every intention of killing him, or maybe he was looking for any slight inkling to allow him to do exactly that.
But the fact he didn’t just strike out meant something very obvious.
He needed a reason first. He couldn’t just act arbitrarily.
In this loop, Grey had already tried to get more information about Terran’s transgressions from Silva, but the silver fox was just as tight lipped as the first loop. Grey didn’t know if there was any combination of words he could use to make the butler spill any more than he had.
"Are you refusing the Goddess’ favor?"
But Grey felt that he might have enough... if he was stubborn enough.
’That’s it. During the first loop, he asked that same exact question. The dialogue tree in this one is different, but he still ended up saying it. He’s not asking, he’s fishing. He always planned on asking this.’
Grey’s eyes narrowed.
How had he responded in the first loop?
’I said: "I refuse you"... didn’t I?’ Grey’s gaze sharpened. ’No. I didn’t get a chance to finish before he attacked. Is that what he’s relying on? I said "I refuse" and he used that as an excuse. That shit is so blatantly obvious. I bet if I take too long this time—.’
Grey had only just had the thought when Terran’s blade descended.
His price for being correct was death.
—
[You have died. Better luck next time. Oh wait, there won’t be a next time. Toodle-oo]
—
**
Grey gasped awake, a slight pounding in his head that faded soon after tickling at his skull.
His teeth ground against each other. He had already hated Captain Terran enough, but this was really pushing against his limits.
’Just you wait. Just you...’
Grey’s gaze dimmed.
He wasn’t the most patient person in the world, that had already been proven enough. How many times had he already said something like that?
When was he ever going to get strong enough to face the Producers when candidates that could wipe out entire cities were under their thumb too? He was a puppet on a string of a little Vector Class knight when the first arc had enemies tiers above waiting in the shadows for him.
"FUCK."
Grey’s roar shattered a nearby mirror. Clenching the Cyber Core in his hands, his eyes glowed a furious shade of red, his teeth grinding against each other so hard he practically eroded them away.
Taking a deep breath, Grey forced himself to push down the frustration.
He took another and his heart finally quieted.
...
"Kneel."
"Not to you." Grey responded with a sharpness in his tone.
"Are you refusing the Goddess’ favor?"
"No." Grey replied without missing a beat. "I have received the Goddess’ Blessing not just once, but twice over. I am refusing your favor. I’d prefer someone without such a stain on them to knight me. I choose him."
A bracelet on Grey’s arm lit up as he pointed toward the old man.
"He should be just fine."
Grey’s world didn’t split in two this time.
Unfortunately, that didn’t stop blood from spurting out of the stub that remained of his severed arm.
He didn’t even see Terran move this time.