Ex rank talent Awakening: 100\% Dodge rate-Chapter 314: PRELUDE TO WAR

"I’m aware," Rebecca replied coolly, her voice steady without breaking her meditative posture, her breathing rhythmic and controlled amid the chamber’s oppressive quietude.

"And I warned them," she continued, a hint of exasperation threading through her words. "Did I not?"

"You did indeed," Number One conceded, though his expression remained stern, etched with lines of concern and unwavering loyalty, his massive frame blocking the faint light filtering through a narrow slit in the wall.

"But yet, you harbor this unusual fondness for this particular being," he pressed on, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Is this merely curiosity, viewing him as a potential pawn to manipulate in your grand designs? Or is there something more at play here?"

"I don’t recall having to answer to you," Rebecca stated coldly, her eyes snapping open to meet his gaze with piercing intensity, the air between them crackling with unspoken authority and tension.

"Forgive me for crossing my boundaries," Number One said, bowing his head slightly in deference, though his broad chest rose and fell with restrained frustration.

"I’m just wondering who truly holds your priority, us, your loyal numbers, or this enigmatic bug known as Nemesis."

"Very well," Rebecca responded, her tone laced with calculated patience as she unfolded her legs and rose gracefully to her feet, her robes whispering against the stone.

"Send Numbers Nineteen, Eighteen, and Seventeen after him," she commanded, her voice firm and unyielding.

"If that doesn’t satisfy your doubts, then dispatch Sixteen as well. That should be sufficient to ease your concerns, right?"

"It is," Number One agreed, though a flicker of dissatisfaction crossed his rugged features, his fists clenching subtly at his sides.

"But what I would truly relish is to squash the bug under my own feet personally, rather than relying on the double digits to handle it."

"We are supposed to remain in the shadows for now," Rebecca countered strongly, her eyes flashing with authority as she stepped closer, the chamber’s chill seeming to deepen around them.

"Do not interfere with my carefully laid plans."

"Once more, sorry, my lord," Number One replied, his voice humbled as he straightened to his full, intimidating height.

"I will instruct them exactly as you have commanded."

With that, he turned and took his leave, his heavy footsteps echoing down the corridor until they faded into silence, leaving Rebecca alone in the dimly illuminated space.

Rebecca watched him depart, her thoughts swirling inwardly like a turbulent storm, her expression a mask of composed resolve that hid the undercurrents of doubt.

She felt a powerful wave of frustration washing over her, crashing against the shores of her mind, as she realized she was gradually losing her iron grip on her puppets, their strings fraying one by one in the face of emerging uncertainties.

The floating island, serving as the primary stronghold for the Twilight Guild, hovered majestically high above the sky of the castle, its ethereal form casting a vast shadow over the restored grounds below, having been maneuvered into position by the dedicated guild members who piloted it with practiced precision.

"You’ve declared war against the demon realm," Cain stated as he stood firmly in front of Greg, his stance resolute and ready for action. "We’re here to assist in any way we can."

Greg nodded in acknowledgment, his golden eyes sweeping over the assembled guild members and friends who had gathered before him in the grand courtroom, their faces a mix of determination and lingering grief under the high, arched ceilings.

Brian’s gaze locked onto Elizabeth, who stood nearby still very much alive, a tumultuous wave of emotions surging through him like a stormy sea, relief mingled with betrayal, sorrow intertwined with faint hope.

"I was waiting for all of you," Greg informed them calmly, rising smoothly from the ornate throne, its golden accents catching the light filtering through the tall windows.

Through the intricate mental link connecting him to all his scattered copycats across the vast realms, he issued a silent recall, summoning them back as they formed an essential cornerstone of his meticulously crafted plans for the impending conflict.

After a brief interval, with a substantial number of copycats materializing in orderly ranks around the area, their identical forms creating an eerie yet powerful symmetry, Greg finally initiated the war in earnest, his decision resolute.

At the very core of the empire’s heart, a massive rift tore open in the fabric of reality, swirling with dark, pulsating energy that hummed with otherworldly power.

The rift was destined to forge a stable connection to a predetermined, fixed point deep within the treacherous demon realm, a gateway of calculated invasion.

However, for any demons attempting to cross through into the human world, the exit points would be wildly unpredictable, scattering them across random locations like leaves in a gale.

[World level event!]

[The war against the demon realm has officially begun!]

[Players who are willing can apply to be a part of the event, and if accepted by the emperor, may take part in the event!]

"Oh, it’s turned into a full-blown event," Aaron remarked, a spark of excitement lighting up his features as a genuine smile spread across his face, breaking through the tension.

"That should be fun, at least it’ll draw in a ton of support from everywhere."

"I’m not accepting anyone outside our circle," Greg stated firmly, his voice cutting through the murmurs like a blade. "Elizabeth, take command over the empire until my return."

Without another moment’s hesitation, he turned toward the rift, his mind already mapping out the chaos ahead, and stepped forward as if the swirling portal were merely a doorway to cross.

"What’s going on?" Cain demanded, his brow furrowing into a deep frown as he noticed Greg halting at the threshold. "Why aren’t you entering with us?"

"The rest of you go on ahead," Greg instructed, his tone steady but laced with underlying intensity. "I’ll follow shortly after dealing with some persistent bugs that need squashing."

His expressionless face twisted abruptly into one of pure, unbridled anger and icy coldness, his golden eyes flashing like sharpened daggers in the dim light.