Ex rank talent Awakening: 100\% Dodge rate-Chapter 174 - : FALLOUT

"You!" the Oracle roared, his voice shaking the hall like a thunderclap. Behind him, the celestial knights immediately stepped forward, weapons drawn and pointed directly at King Edmund. The tension in the room surged to a boiling point, but Edmund stood tall, not a flicker of fear crossing his face.

"Go ahead and kill me," he said with defiant calm. "If you do, the world will finally see the celestial temples and the Grey Empire for what they truly are—tyrants hiding behind borrowed divinity."

The room fell into stunned silence.

"Drop your weapons, or you will force us to take action," came a cold voice from the side. The Draconian chieftain, who had remained silent for most of the meeting, now stepped forward, his scales glinting faintly in the golden light of the hall. His expression was stern, irritated. He had endured much, but this blatant disrespect—pointing weapons at a king—was more than he would tolerate.

The Oracle's expression twisted with displeasure. He turned to his knights and hissed, "Lower your weapons." His tone was sharp, suppressing the same fury his knights clearly felt. Even he, for a brief moment, had felt the urge to silence Edmund permanently. Such blasphemy, uttered so freely, was an insult to all that he stood for.

"I believe there is truth in King Edmund's words," King Arthur said, rising from his seat. His voice, though calm, held weight. "We all know the history. The favoritism you've shown the Grey Empire, the atrocities you turned a blind eye to… these are not mere accusations. They are facts, and we've endured them long enough, Oracle."

Prince George, son of the slain King Adam, clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. "I don't care about anything else," he said, trembling with fury. "The Grey Empire must answer for the death of my father."

Prince Nate, seated beside him, nodded grimly, his own sorrow and anger echoing through his silence. Their glares joined the others', all directed at Emperor Augustus. Yet the emperor remained unmoved—cold, composed, detached. He had long been known as the cruelest and most unfeeling ruler in history, and today, he proved why. He returned their gazes without emotion, as if their rage was beneath him.

The Oracle was silent. In truth, he had no defense. The celestial temple had indeed extended favoritism to the Grey Empire, though he had tried to keep it subtle, within the bounds of plausible deniability. But now, with emotions high and truths being spoken aloud, there was no hiding it anymore. His actions had strained the bonds between the celestial temple and the other kingdoms beyond repair.

And if forced to choose—between alienating the other kingdoms or the Grey Empire—the decision was clear. The Grey Empire's faithful alone could not compare to the combined believers across the other lands.

"I'm not here to protect the Grey Empire," the Oracle finally said, attempting to recover control. "I am asking only that we postpone our disputes—for now—and focus on the demon threat. Once it's dealt with, you may fight amongst yourselves as you wish. That will no longer concern the temple."

But it was too late.

"My kingdom will withdraw from this alliance," King Edmund said firmly, standing. His voice cut through the chamber like a blade. "From this day forth, no celestial clergy or temple shall be welcome within our borders. They have one week to leave, or they will be dealt with by force."

"I will do the same," King Arthur added, rising to his feet. "My people have suffered enough under your bias."

"As will ours," Prince George followed.

"And mine as well," Prince Nate declared.

The Oracle's face darkened into a frown. His jaw tensed. A part of him wanted to unleash his fury, to command his knights to strike them down for their blasphemy and betrayal. But he forced himself to remain still. He knew that such an act would irreparably tarnish the celestial temple's image among the masses. Worse, he had not brought his strongest knights—only those he thought would suffice for a diplomatic meeting. He had never anticipated it would come to this.

"Then this meeting is over," the Draconian chieftain said coldly, standing. His towering frame loomed over the others. "We sever all ties with the celestial temple. From this point onward, we prepare to wage war against the Grey Empire—without your guidance, Oracle."

One by one, the leaders rose and followed suit. Their minds were made up. The trust had been broken beyond repair.

The Oracle sighed heavily. The air felt heavier now, like the sky before a storm. He had played his cards poorly. But he had one last move left.

"Before you go," he said, his voice regaining its authoritative tone, "there are only two days left before the one-month deadline is reached."

The room paused.

Even Emperor Augustus, for the first time, shifted his gaze toward the Oracle. freēwēbnovel.com

"As we discussed previously, the celestials promised to intervene after one month. Just two days from now, one of their servants will descend to the mortal realm to deal with the demons."

The room grew still.

"So I ask you all—can you not postpone your war for just two more days? Let us hold our positions until the celestials arrive. Once victory over the demons is secured, you may resume your internal quarrels. Until then, all I ask is for your patience."

It was a clever move. The Oracle had brought out his trump card.

The mention of a celestial being—a true servant of the divine—was enough to give even the most hardened leaders pause. He wasn't threatening them with punishment. He was offering them a miracle, knowing full well how such divine intervention would sway public opinion. If the common people saw a celestial defeat the demons, their faith would be restored, their loyalty reaffirmed. Any king who tried to defy the temple after that would risk rebellion from within.

King Edmund's expression twisted with rage. "So that was your plan all along," he spat. "To manipulate the people with a show of power. Well played, Oracle. But don't think this is the end."

He turned sharply and walked out, cloak trailing behind him like a banner of defiance.

The other leaders followed, silent and bitter. They understood what the Oracle had done. If the people saw a celestial arrive and perform divine miracles, no amount of rhetoric could undo that influence. The temple would be seen as saviors once more, and any effort to cast them out might result in uprisings or lost thrones.

They had lost—for now.

In their frustration, none of them noticed Emperor Augustus's expression.

The emperor stood slowly, his face unreadable. He waited until the others were gone before speaking.

"Thank you, Oracle, for your continued support. The Grey Empire is indebted to you."

The Oracle smiled, visibly pleased. "Of course. As the chosen nation of the celestials, I would never allow it to fall."

But the emperor's smile was faint, and behind it simmered cold annoyance. The Oracle, in his arrogance, hadn't noticed the shift.

Augustus was not pleased.

Not at all.