Chapter 463

Chapter 463: Naming Kanis

When questioned by the family head, Midi gave an immediate affirmative answer.

With the challenge settled, the next question became who to challenge.

But this posed no difficulty for Midi—

The perfect target already existed: Kanis, fifth-ranked among the core disciples.

Leaving aside their personal history, Kanis’s position as the lowest-ranked core disciple alone justified Midi’s choice.

In the Shaded Realm, weakness itself was a crime.

Midi had studied all five core disciples. Each earned their position through unique strengths approved by the higher-ups.

Yet Kanis’s advantages weren’t obvious. His core disciple status stemmed from two factors: formidable combat strength and professional advantage.

Kanis was a Level 64 "Black Dragon Knight."

In Arad, holy light-wielding knights called paladins cast sacred spells.

But in the lightless Shaded Realm, such radiant skills would make users instant targets, drawing swarms of magical beasts.

Here, knights followed the Dark Dragon God – hence Black Dragon Knights.

Despite differing faiths, Black Dragon Knights mirrored paladins in skills and profession traits.

Midi would face a full-plated opponent wielding sword, shield, and divine arts.

Theoretically, dark elves’ slim frames shouldn’t suit heavy armor or frontal assaults.

All who held this belief had been crushed by Kanis.

Arena tales described the armored Kanis lacking dark elf weaknesses – surpassing even Lizardmen and Dragonkin in frenzy. He charged like an unstoppable siege engine with endless stamina, outlasting delay tactics.

Choosing this unconventional profession meant Kanis possessed special capabilities.

These capabilities secured his core disciple position.

Though Midi shone at the bonfire gathering, most still predicted Kanis’s victory.

Midi had only joined Death Scorpion two weeks prior. While causing upheaval, he remained unaccepted.

An outsider versus their own? The clan naturally favored Kanis.

Moreover, none who faced Kanis head-on ever prospered.

Public opinion meant nothing to Midi. Since his slave warrior days, few had believed in him – yet he always answered with flawless victories.

This time would be no different.

"Truly not worried at all…" Veyna remarked sourly, observing Midi’s utterly calm demeanor.

The Black Dragon High Priest visited Midi’s room partly to claim credit and scheme, but mainly to assess his mental state.

Against a Level 64 defense-specialized Black Dragon Knight, Midi remained two levels lower.

An attack-focused Demon Swordman could easily be suppressed and worn down by such an opponent.

With most Death Scorpion members distrusting Midi and rumors spreading, Veyna expected even steel-nerved warriors to show doubt.

Seizing this chance, the priestess could play the savior, soothing Midi with soft words, encouraging him, and sharing key intelligence until she carved an indelible mark in his heart. Perhaps she might even plant a seed of affection that would silently sprout.

Though Veyna wasn’t adept at scheming, her intuition for human hearts was unusually sharp. Yet this time, she faced Midi—a man hardened by twenty years of reincarnated life.

When the priestess rushed to Midi’s room, she was stunned to find him acting as if nothing was wrong, calmly brewing potions, flipping through books, and leveling up… as though someone else would fight an opponent two levels higher the next day.

Even the usually mischievous Veyna couldn’t hide her irritation. How could anyone stay so composed before such a lopsided challenge?

“Got some secret weapon that guarantees victory?” Veyna snapped, inexplicably furious, and kicked at Midi.

Midi sidestepped the Black Dragon High Priest’s attack, gently settling his crucible into the cooling tray. “No secret weapons. Even if I had one, I’d save it for bigger threats. Since you’re here, priestess, explain Kanis to me.”

This guy…

Veyna gritted her teeth. Had he predicted her visit?

“Explain what?” She feigned ignorance.

“How can a dark elf wear heavy armor and wield the Black Dragon’s power? He’s like an enhanced version of a Black Dragon priestess,” Midi pressed, subtly baiting her.

Veyna scoffed. “A Black Dragon Knight’s power can’t match a priestess’s. But don’t underestimate Kanis. His attack power might exceed even Risen the Black Dragonkin’s—he has bloodline powers.”

“Dragon bloodline?” Midi frowned.

“Not everyone’s a polymath with Dragon Breath Fire,” Veyna retorted, tossing him a playful glare. “His lineage is Steel War Scorpion.”

The Steel War Scorpion, an evolved Terrorclaw Scorpion. Midi remembered how even an Asura’s Exploding Flame Orb couldn’t crack a Terrorclaw’s shell. Imagining its stronger cousin chilled him.

Kanis’s Steel War Scorpion bloodline overrode his dark elf traits, explaining his brute force. Veyna added that ancient Steel War Scorpions mutated from Terrorclaws exposed to the Black Dragon’s aura, loosely linking them to the Dark Dragon God. This bloodline granted Kanis heavy armor mastery and pseudo-priestess abilities, patching his weaknesses.

Through Veyna’s sarcastic commentary, Midi refined his understanding. No longer viewing Black Dragon Knights as mere Shaded Realm paladins, he tailored tactics to Kanis’s specifics.

“Originally risky, but now… Kanis won’t stand a chance.” Confidence flashed in Midi’s eyes. “I’ve got him.”

“What about *my* reward?” Veyna grinned, her smile equal parts familiar and infuriating.

Midi gestured to the cooling crucible. “A Grade-7 Ice Lotus potion. Boosts ice-water affinity without side effects. With this, you could train as an Ice Mage alongside being a priestess.”

For a Black Dragon priestess—an exorcist with limited attack power—this was tempting. Custom-brewed to her habits, its effects would be exceptional.

Veyna’s eyes gleamed at the icy-blue potion… then she shook her head.

“It’s tempting, but I want something else.” She met his gaze, resolve hardening. “Retrieve an item from the Crystal Dragon Fortress for me.”