Chapter 512 - 508: Old Janus Back

"What plan do you have?" High Dukes asked Ryder, wondering about his plan. 

"I want to hide myself and go fight with our normal soldiers as a fellow soldier," Ryder said. 

"So your plan is to leave your commander duties and fight like a brute?" High Duke Magna said, unable to believe what he was hearing. 

Was this really the person who was supposed to lead them?

Ryder, on the other hand, had a different idea. In reality, he could see an opportunity here. There were so many enemies; it was like a fest to gain exp. 

If he stayed back, all the easy targets would be killed, and he won't get any experience. As for the stronger enemies later, they would be killed by High Dukes. He didn't want to stand here like a decoration and lose the opportunity to get stronger. But he couldn't tell them that he wanted to take part because of his own greed. So he decided to give an excuse. 

"You don't understand my entire plan. What I plan to do is go in as a soldier but find an opportunity to infiltrate the enemy if I can and kill their commander," Ryder said, wondering if his words would work. 

"Let me get this straight. So your plan is to go fight thousands of soldiers where you can be killed to find an opportunity to sneak to enemy camps where their strongest warriors protect their General along with a few other traps, thinking that you can kill them," High Duke Magna spoke, making Ryder uncertain if he was mocking his plan or seriously asking. 

But the way he said it made Ryder realize how stupid his plan was. 

'I should've used different words. Now I realize how hasty I was in speaking it,' he thought, wondering how to correct his statement. 

"Is that what you're saying? Because if it is, then I don't know what to say. Because I don't want to insult you," High Duke Magna said. 

Ryder was cursing inside his heart, thinking, 'You old man! You say you don't want to insult me. What you are doing is exactly the same, dumbass.'

"You don't understand my plan. I have a few abilities that make me best for stealth. Moreover, I can impersonate their soldiers as well as hide myself to extreme levels. I have faith in myself," Ryder said, telling a bit of truth to cover his lies. 

High Duke Magna looked at High Duke Oris, sighing as if he didn't want to deal with this level of stupidity or explain more. "You speak to him. Maybe he will understand."

"My Prince, this idea is genuinely bad. You're the leader of our side, and you need to be present here to see the changing situations of war, not in the middle of the field, fighting like brutes. The soldiers see you here and get moral support. So does all the Dukes and Marquis. It's more advantageous for you to be here," High Duke Oris said to Ryder calmly. 

"Moreover, you are underestimating the Spirit Warriors. No matter how good at stealth you are, they are expected to find you and kill you. Losing a Prince is no less than losing a war here. So we can't allow you to leave," High Duke Mila chimed in. 

High Duke Eston also agreed to this notion. In general, no one was going to let Ryder leave. 

Ryder sighed in disappointment. Was there nothing he could do to not lose this opportunity? 

[Attention Players!]

Ryder was thinking about what to do while Alice was thinking about the outcome of the war when the two of them heard the notification in their ears. 

Ryder looked towards the sky, where the sound was supposedly coming from, only to find Maya there. 

"What now?" he asked. 

[The live broadcast of your War is about to start in another five minutes. By accepting the Quest, you gave us the right to broadcast this war. For that, we are grateful.]

[As a reward for giving us that privilege, we provide you with an opportunity.]

Up to this point, Ryder and Alice heard the same thing, but this was where the words changed for both of them. 

[As you are already in the top ten ranks, You are allowed to take part in our billion-dollar prize event. But as a special reward, you are allowed to give one more player the right to join the billion-dollar event along with you.]

[If you accept, send the details of yours and the other player to Necrosis Headquarters in a sealed envelope with title Special0011]

As Ryder heard it, he couldn't help but smile wryly. These guys, they were really going all out. Giving him the permission to bring another player? That wasn't a bad proposition. But disclosing his information was still a problem. 

"Wait a minute, what if I lose the war? Won't I be banned? How can I join the event then?" he asked, frowning. 

[In case of a loss in the quest, your participation chance will still be valid, and you'll be rewarded an unban as long as you're not found to go against the rules in this war]

"Interesting. So if I lost, I still have a chance to continue inside Divinity, given that I sent my details and take this opportunity. These complicated things. I better try my best not to lose then," Ryder muttered, rubbing his chin. 

...

Ryder heard about an additional chance to give the participation rights to another player, whereas Alice heard something different. 

[As you may know, Necrosis Corporation has organized an event for the top ten players of Divinity where they have an opportunity to win a billion-dollar. Despite not being in the top ten, you are provided an opportunity to take part in the event.]

[If you accept, send the details of yours and the other player to Necrosis Headquarters in a sealed envelope with title Special0012]

Alice also asked the same question as Ryder about being banned, and she was given the same answer, which made her eyes lit up. That means she didn't have to worry about losing the war. She found it extremely helpful. 

"Thank you so much," she told Maya, who disappeared. 

...

"Alright. This is a war we must win. No excuses," Ryder muttered, clenching his fist. 

"High Dukes and everyone else present here! I have a command for you!" he declared as he looked around, using his unique grade artifact, which was his crown, to use his authority. 

"Yes, Your Highness."

"I want all of you to tell me about all your skills. Nothing should be skipped. We will work smart and make sure we make the best of your skills. There needs to be synchronization between our skills to maximize the effort," Ryder said. 

His strategic mind was finally working as he was reminded that losing meant giving away his privacy or his right to play divinity. 

Since he couldn't take this as a VR that he was supposed to take part in, he was going to take it as a strategic war game.

They began with the Marquis, who started describing their skills in detail. The line kept moving as one after another they kept coming forward. 

After all the marquis were done, it was the turn of Dukes. Some of the Dukes were uncertain about exposing all their skills since there were conflicts between Dukes as well. Telling their skills meant telling their future potential enemies about their strength which they believed could be bad. 

But it was a command. If they lied or disobeyed, they were going to be killed at discovery. 

With the invisible sword of death hanging above their head, none of them lied or hid anything from others. 

They all told the truth. 

The last in the line was Devilia, who told her skills. 

"And my last skill is Vision of Glaiafh. It allows me to see through walls of any obstruction," Devilia said.

"See through walls, huh. Interesting skill. If I had that, wouldn't I be able to see through walls too?" Ryder muttered, amused at the prospects of having a skill like that. 

<Perverted thoughts detected>

<A new mission has been issued>

'What perverted thoughts, you idiot! I was thinking about seeing through walls when enemies were on the other side. Not watching ladies bathe!' Ryder thought, feeling like crying. 

It was the truth, though. When thinking about the prospects of this power, he thought about enemies first, but a small part of him also realized that it could be used for perverted things. But that didn't mean he wanted to do it. 

He had a feeling that this mission was going to be the death of his, depending on what it was. 

He could only hope that old Janus wasn't back who used to bully him with missions just to have fun. It had been a long time since Janus stopped that but hearing his tone, he had a feeling that it's what Janus was going to do here. 

<Mission: Hug High Duke Mila and grab her butt while whispering in her ears that you want to marry her>

<Time Limit: 5 Minutes>

"What the heck?" Ryder cursed, hearing the mission.