Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

The Black Knight crouched behind a scrapped car, her breath ragged and rapid. Hours of relentless combat had drained her strength, and the cold rain soaking her armor only worsened her condition. Even a natural-born warrior would begin to tire after such a prolonged fight—ambushed since the moment she left home.

Despite Felix's aerial support, the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. Within the nearly hundred-strong assassination team, she sensed the presence of elites. The regular grunts were already difficult enough to handle, and she also had to stay vigilant for the poisoned arrows occasionally launched by the elite killers.

But then, the assault had abruptly ceased. The assassins of the Armorless Union had stopped their advance, as if following a new command. They didn't retreat—instead, they formed a tight encirclement, making escape almost impossible.

The Black Knight sneered. Were they trying to exhaust her completely like a cornered beast?

She panted softly, scanning the ring of enemies with sharp eyes. One hand massaged a bruised area on her body, trying to keep warm. The other reached behind her, fingers wrapping around the handle of the Degenbrecher stored in her weapon box.

Footsteps echoed across the rain-slicked ground, drawing the Black Knight's attention. When she saw the golden halo, her eyes widened in alarm. That damn angel—didn't he realize how many enemies were lying in wait? Did he have a death wish?

The surrounding assassins of the Armorless Union were equally stunned by Felix's sudden appearance. One of them instinctively raised his crossbow—

Bang—

A gunshot cracked through the rain.

The assassin collapsed with a groan, a bullet lodged in his shoulder. Smoke curled lazily from the muzzle of Felix's gleaming revolver, White Dawn.

Amid the rain, his golden halo and radiant wings made him an unmistakable target.

Felix met the Black Knight's gaze. She stared back, surprised and anxious, her golden eyes locked on his. He offered her a faint smile.

"Hello," Felix said evenly. "Your employer has made it clear: the next assassin who raises a weapon at me won't be so lucky—they won't just get a bullet in the shoulder."

The assassins fell silent.

Felix stepped forward. The formation of the Armorless Union parted to make way for him. He stopped before the Black Knight and extended a hand.

"Felix, you…" she began.

"It's a long story," he replied.

"Then, you make it short."

Felix chuckled.

The cyan-robed assassin, evidently the leader of the group, stepped forth. His outfit marked him apart from the rest, with its distinct blue hue.

"The higher-ups have agreed," he said coldly. "If you wish to buy her life, you can. Twenty million—no less. And the Black Knight is hereby banned from entering any major city in Kazimierz. She has three days. After that, she must be gone."

When the Black Knight heard this, she pulled Felix toward her, her eyes filled with complex emotion. Gritting her teeth, she said, "You… Felix, you…"

"The injured should just lie down quietly. The night will be over soon," Felix replied bluntly. Then he turned to the Blue-Gold Assassin, retrieved the small terminal from his pocket, and tapped a few commands into it.

"It's already been transferred."

The Blue-Gold Assassin waited silently for about a minute. Then, after receiving confirmation, he nodded. "The higher-ups have received your payment. Thank you for your cooperation."

With that, he turned and left. The surrounding assassins of the Armorless Union sheathed their weapons, dragging away the unlucky one who had been shot. Within five minutes, they vanished completely, leaving only Felix and the Black Knight behind.

Felix let out a long sigh of relief. Turning back to the Black Knight, he smiled. "You're safe now."

"I bought your life from the Chamber of commerce. It's a shame, though. From now on, Black Knight, you can no longer walk Kazimierz's soil as a competitive knight. But at least your life is yours to keep."

The Black Knight sat on the ground to catch her breath. Felix sat down beside her. After a night of running around, he felt utterly exhausted. All he wanted now was a good sleep.

"Twenty million…" the Black Knight murmured. In all her years as a competitive knight, she had never heard of anyone spending so much money for a single person. "Was I worth that much?"

"What's worth, really? Black Knight, don't tell me you think you're not worth twenty million?"

Felix smiled as he gazed at the rising sun. "To me, twenty million for a life is a good deal. Life is priceless. And your life, Black Knight—yours is even more priceless."

"That sounds like something a priest of Laterano would say," the Black Knight replied with a slight smirk.

"So, does this mean I'm your property now?"

Felix shook his head. "I've got two options for you. Want to hear them?"

The Black Knight gave a short snort and gestured for him to go on.

"First option: from now on, you live as a free person. You owe me a favor, but I won't press you. I'm not the kind of guy who demands payback from comrades who've fought beside me. I won't ask you to do anything you don't want to."

The Black Knight was silent for a moment. "And the second?"

Felix gave a faint smile. "The second option is to become my bodyguard. I'll pay you a regular salary. I'm planning to do something in this land—something no one else has done before. And I'll need a lot of help to pull it off. What do you think? Considering I spent twenty million to save you, this second option doesn't sound too demanding, does it?"

The Black Knight looked at Felix's bright smile as it caught the light of the morning sun. Then she turned toward the distant city wall, watching as the sunlight spilled across it. Leaving Kazimierz behind, traveling Terra with an employer like this—one who was… interesting—didn't sound like such a bad outcome.

"Your conditions are pretty mild," the Black Knight said as she stood up. She looked down at Felix, who stared up at her in surprise, and extended a hand to him.

"As an employer, shouldn't you also cover hot water and healing salves, in addition to daily expenses?"

Felix extended his hand and was pulled to his feet by the Black Knight. Looking at her, he smiled.

"From now on, as your employer and bodyguard, as your partner and comrade-in-arms—please take care of me, Black Knight."

"Don't call me the Black Knight."

She turned her gaze toward the city behind them. With the arrival of a new day, Kawalerielki once again brimmed with life. Even from this distance, the loud, abrasive sounds of commercial advertisements could be heard echoing through the air.

Her fate as the Black Knight had come to its end. She had fulfilled her destiny—securing three consecutive championship titles and becoming the strongest competitive knight in the hearts of countless fans.

She laughed quietly. Her thoughts drifted like the morning wind. The shackles that had once bound her had come loose. In this moment, she was no longer a knight—she was simply herself.

"Call me Degenbrecher."

Degenbrecher looked toward Felix. "So then, what should I call you? Boss? Pioneer?"

"In private, just call me by my real name. The rest of the time, it's up to you."

Degenbrecher nodded, then stretched her arms toward the sun.

[B-rank mission: "Rainy Night Knight" – Completed]

[Reward: 80,000 EXP]

[Special Reward: Degenbrecher's Favorability Increased]

After closing the mission panel, Felix took a deep breath. For the first time, the air in Kawalerielki felt fresh and fragrant to him. The dawn after a rainy night shone especially bright.

Degenbrecher was still injured. After fighting through the rain all night, she was in desperate need of medical attention and hot water. Leaving Kawalerielki right now was not an option. The Chamber of commerce had dragged him here for this business, and now that it was done, they didn't even bother leaving him a ride. Felix silently cursed them in his heart—a bunch of heartless bastards.

He spent a handful of LMD to buy a disposable motorcycle from a roadside dealer. Donning a helmet that covered part of his blond hair, Felix rode the bike back toward the center of Kawalerielki.

After handing Degenbrecher the key and letting her clean up and tend to her wounds, Felix made his way to a nearby pharmacy to buy emergency medical supplies. He wasn't a doctor, didn't possess healing Originium Arts, and couldn't forge medicine the way he did weapons—so he had no choice but to pay for it.

When Felix returned home, he was greeted by the sight of Degenbrecher wearing his white shirt. Well… she had a stunning figure—mature and elegant—and seeing her in her "boyfriend's shirt" was lethally charming.

At the moment, she was towel-drying her long hair, curiously studying Felix's cluttered workbench.

"Are you a craftsman?"

That was her first conclusion after seeing the strange flying machine the night before.

"I'm a craftsman, a mechanic, and a gunsmith," Felix replied calmly as he handed the medicine to Degenbrecher. "In short—I like building things, making things, and the sound of hammering metal."

Degenbrecher accepted the medicine with a quiet "thank you," then added with a faint smile, "No wonder you could throw out 20 million like it was nothing."

Since he had just signed a letter of intent with the Pioneers, Felix simply nodded. "Three days. You can take that time to get ready."

"I've already transferred the first month's salary to your account in advance. If you need more funds, let me know. By the way, what kind of outfit do you prefer when fighting?"

Degenbrecher thought for a moment. "Lightweight. I don't like armor."

"Good."

Now that she was officially his employee and bodyguard, a uniform appearance was necessary. Their equipment would be standardized and marked with the Pioneers' emblem. Establishing a visual identity wasn't just for professionalism—it was also a branding strategy. Players were always drawn to gear aesthetics, and if they saw his squad wearing sleek, uniform equipment, it might inspire them to invest in the same.

He had already envisioned a consistent design—primarily black, with white accents, conveying a sense of advanced tech and exploration. Future equipment could branch out from this foundation, refining both color scheme and styling for broader appeal.

In June, Rhine Lab received a lecture invitation from the Maylander Foundation. Muelsyse was one of the keynote speakers, and the busy schedule left her little time to join Felix on his expeditions. Still, Felix found himself wondering how to break the news to Muelsyse that her idol had now joined his team.

He watched as Degenbrecher, now changed into dry clothes, prepared to leave. The two exchanged contact information—Kawalerielki still had a signal, allowing communication via mobile terminals, access to the internet, and streaming news or videos. However, once outside the city, the signal would vanish. That was the reason messengers and disaster couriers existed: there was simply no connection between mobile cities in Terra's wilderness.

He had spent nearly all his savings to secure Degenbrecher. The old must be cleared away for the new to come in. But for Felix, this felt like a worthwhile investment—20 million to acquire a strong, beautiful queen loyal to him and willing to serve as his bodyguard? That sounded like an incredible deal.

Still, it was time to seriously consider building his own brand.

He planned to compete against Blacksteel International for contracts in Columbia. The mercenary business was booming—everyone wanted in. Players especially loved mercenary gameplay, and combining that with a transport service? That could make for a dynamic range of missions. Letting the clients take the role of NPCs would free him up for larger strategies.

It was a solid idea. Felix nodded to himself. Now that he had a clear goal, the next step was seizing the right opportunity.

He wouldn't be returning to Kawalerielki anytime soon. And the next time he did, he wouldn't be able to bring the Black Knight back with him.

Over the next two days, Felix threw himself into his workshop. He spent the time repairing the wear and tear on his equipment, upgrading his two revolvers, and crafting a custom set of lightweight protective gear for Degenbrecher.

In his previous life, most players had little memory of Degenbrecher's appearance. She had rarely shown up in public quests, only appearing in the Kjerag questline—which few players had triggered. But Felix, who had once traveled every corner of Terra, remembered clearly what she had worn.

It was a light black, modified military uniform with mechanical shoulder pads capable of releasing electric current and simple knee pads. Just imagining Degenbrecher in it—sharp, heroic—was enough to leave an impression.

After receiving the outfit Felix had sent to her home, Degenbrecher put it on and turned around in front of the mirror. Her body felt light, her movements unrestrained. Even with the mechanical components, the uniform didn't restrict her at all—it was comfortable, responsive, and fit like a glove.

During his last two days in Kawalerielki, Felix took time to visit some old friends.

At the notorious Martin's Bar on Golden Feather Avenue, Felix pushed open the door and was surprised to see Zofia of the Nearl family sitting inside, casually sipping a drink.

The TV behind the bar was playing a commercial featuring the Radiant Knight. The atmosphere inside was as noisy as ever. Bald Martin waved him over to the counter.

The old knight and the old craftsman were seated together, both looking uncharacteristically downcast.

"What's wrong?" Felix asked, puzzled. These two were usually brimming with energy. Could it be that Zofia had disciplined them?

Bald Martin poured him a drink. "The Black Knight is dead."

"…What?"

"It was the Commercial Federation and the Armorless Union. The day after the match, someone discovered signs of battle stretching from the arena all the way to the outer city… Tch. Those filthy bastards. The news said a fugitive had stolen something from the arena and was apprehended by a Federation unit. Justice served, they said. What nonsense." The old knight spat bitterly.

Zofia sighed quietly, as if lost in memories of the Black Knight.

The old craftsman slammed his fist on the bar. "Typical Federation tactics. Damn those Ursus dogs!"

"To a great jousting knight," Bald Martin said, raising his glass in solemn tribute.

"To a great jousting knight." The other three joined in, lifting their glasses in unison.

Just as Felix was about to raise his own, he caught the scent of a faint, familiar breeze.

"To a great tournament knight."

The unfamiliar female voice startled the four mid-toast. They looked up, confused, and saw a Caprinae woman standing at the entrance. She wore a sleek, dark military uniform—crisp, clean. Her face was obscured by a mask and a beret, but her long golden hair cascaded freely behind her.

"…Why are you here?"

"Boss, I'm ready. We can leave at any time."

Felix smiled at the stunned group. "Degenbrecher, take off your mask. These people can be trusted."

And so, the one they had just finished toasting to—the supposed deceased—stood before them, very much alive. The old knight and the craftsman sat there, jaws slack, faces full of disbelief. Zofia's eyes sparkled strangely as she stared at Felix. Had she just heard the Black Knight call him… Boss?

Bald Martin let out a long breath and gave Felix a thumbs-up. "Young folks these days are something else. You actually snatched the Black Knight from the Commercial Federation. Incredible. Today, I, Old Martin, am in a good mood. Drinks are on me."

"Bald Martin treating me to a drink? I should treasure this," Felix laughed, turning to Degenbrecher. "Degenbrecher, how about enjoying one of our rare nights in Kawalerielki with a drink?"

Degenbrecher stepped forward and took a seat beside him at the bar. With a faint smile, she said, "Rum for me."

"Cheers!"