My Talent's Name Is Generator Chapter 975 Phasing

Leaning against the cold stone, I let my head rest for a moment, observing him. He was noticeably more stable and cleaner now than when he had initially collapsed in the cell. Having seen him in his previous panther hybrid form, his current human appearance felt a bit unusual, though it was an expectation we'd both harbored before our arrival.

"So, what happened after you got here?" I inquired, turning my head slightly towards him. "I mean… right from the beginning. How did all of this even start for you?"

Knight exhaled slowly, adjusting his position against the wall. His gaze drifted into the distance as he began to recount his experience.

"When I woke up," he stated, "I was already half-dead. The body I had taken over sustained a massive wound across its torso, so deep that I could feel the damage before I even understood where I was. They had tossed me into what I believe was their version of a morgue… just left there to perish."

He paused, running a hand over the back of his neck as if the memory itself was unsettling.

"Initially, I wasn't alone. There were other prisoners, a few still conscious. One of them filled me in on my circumstances, telling me who I was supposed to be and what I had done. As I mentioned before, the original owner of this body had apparently murdered the mayor's entire family. They were believers, but they were considering becoming defiers, so he eliminated them before they could make that choice."

He briefly met my eyes before continuing.

"Right after that, the system materialized, and everyone was pulled into the tutorial. I didn't even have the chance to ask further questions. Suddenly, I found myself utterly alone in the prison."

His expression shifted subtly, a mix of disbelief and subdued amusement flickering across his features.

"And then," he continued, "the door opened by itself."

I raised an eyebrow but refrained from interrupting.

"I don't know if it was a system malfunction or something else entirely, but the lock simply… disengaged. So, I got up, barely holding myself together, and walked out. The entire place seemed deserted. I managed to exit the prison, then the city, knowing I wouldn't survive long in such a weakened state."

He leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on his knees.

"So, I ventured into the forest. I started hunting. Slowly at first, because I could hardly move, but I persevered. I killed whatever I could, gained levels, healed myself, and returned to the city when I needed to recuperate or gather information about my surroundings."

"You went back?" I interjected.

He nodded.

"Yes. The mayor's residence was abandoned. Most of the administrative buildings were as well. I reasoned that if I was trapped here, I might as well acquire some useful knowledge. Therefore, I began examining everything I could find—documents, records, anything that shed light on the region, its structure, and the workings of this world. It provided me with a general understanding of the world, at least from their viewpoint."

He paused once more, his expression hardening slightly.

"Then they arrived."

"Believers?" I questioned.

"Yes. But not as I had anticipated. These were… different. And clearly not human." He let out a slow breath. "The moment they realized I was a defier, they attacked. No hesitation. No questions. Just a direct assault with the intent to kill."

"So you fled."

"I had no other choice," he replied. "I wasn't strong enough to confront them directly back then. However, I didn't simply flee. I targeted the weaker ones when opportunities arose. I captured a few. Interrogated them."

A brief silence followed before he added, with a casualness that belied the grim nature of his words, "I tortured them too. They wouldn't talk otherwise."

I remained impassive, allowing him to continue his account.

"That's how I learned about everything," he said, gesturing vaguely around us. "They aren't native to this realm. Different races. Different worlds. Goldius, or whatever they call their deity, has made pacts with them. Their purpose here is to support the believers, guide them, and aid them in gaining control once the tutorial concludes."

"And yet, they tracked you down," I stated.

He nodded.

"Indeed. I'm unsure how, but they located me in the forest. They surrounded me, forcing me into a confrontation I couldn't win at that moment. That's when they apprehended me for the first time and brought me here."

I frowned slightly. "The first time?"

A faint smirk touched his lips.

"I didn't remain captive for long," he disclosed. "I managed to escape. Broke free, evaded the city, and this time, I avoided repeating the same error. I established a secure zone, acquired the communication system, and began making proper preparations."

"And then?"

"They found me again," he stated plainly. "This time, it was swifter. I didn't have as much time as I desired."

I studied him for a moment before posing the inevitable question.

"How did you escape the first time?"

His smirk widened slightly.

"That," he stated, "is because of my talent."

I leaned forward a bit.

"Continue."

"It is called Phasing," he explained. "Initially, I did not fully grasp it. I thought it was merely a defensive skill. However, it is far more. When I activate it, my body ceases to function normally. It stops interacting with physical matter as it ought to."

He raised his hand slightly, as if to illustrate his point.

"Consider it this way… rather than colliding with a wall, I phase through it. Simply… disregarding its presence. My physique enters a state where solid objects are not perceived as impediments."

My gaze sharpened slightly, the implications dawning on me.

"So, you can traverse any barrier?"

"Not quite," he responded. "There are constraints. It consumes my Qi, and I cannot maintain that state indefinitely. Precision in execution is crucial. Control is vital. Should I falter, I risk becoming trapped or being violently expelled back, which could prove disastrous. I suspect I acquired this talent due to my prior spatial abilities, which were modified after my soul arrived here."

He exhaled softly.

"However, for escaping a prison?" he added, surveying the confines of the cell. "Indeed. It is exceptionally effective."

My eyes flicked to the bars before us, then returned to him.

"…That is advantageous for our current predicament."

A low chuckle escaped him.

"Yes," he agreed. "That was my assessment as well."