Episode 102
“Abel.”
Zeke was bewildered by Abel’s unexpected presence. But questions wouldn’t help them escape.
First, they needed to get out of there.
Zeke stood in front of Karus, brandishing his sword at Abel and the Red Lion Knights.
He quickly scanned the surroundings.
“I need to find a way out.”
Just then, Abel stepped forward.
“I arrest you for the kidnapping of the prince. Drop your weapon immediately.”
Abel didn’t recognize Zeke, who was wearing a helmet.
“A kidnapper, huh.”
Zeke realized Abel’s plan as he eyed the menacing knights. They intended to frame him for killing Karus while resisting capture.
Zeke steadied his breath, keeping his sword raised.
At Abel’s nod, one of the knights lunged forward.
Whoosh!
As a knight of Draker, his movements were exceptional.
The knight swung his sword at Zeke.
Clang!
Zeke parried the attack with his iron sword, employing the Northern-style swordsmanship he had mastered in his past life.
Abel watched Zeke’s fighting style intently, as if trying to glean information about how Zeke had spirited Karus away.
Zeke fought with the rough, Northern-style swordsmanship typical of mercenaries from the North.
Swish!
Zeke dodged the knight’s sword and struck his fist into the knight’s abdomen.
The knight was caught off guard by the Northern technique that seamlessly combined martial arts and swordplay.
Crack!
A loud noise emanated from the knight’s abdomen.
“Ugh!”
Zeke’s fist, enhanced by his strength, was as powerful as an ogre’s punch.
The overwhelming physical force surpassed even the knight’s aura-enhanced defenses.
The knight staggered back, clutching his ruptured abdomen.
Abel nodded again.
Four more knights advanced toward Zeke.
“So, you want to keep testing me.”
Abel seemed to think he had Zeke and Karus cornered and was trying to uncover the mastermind behind the kidnapping.
Zeke assumed a Northern-style stance, raising his sword above his head.
The four knights charged at him.
“Haaah!”
Their swords, brimming with aura, flew at Zeke from all directions.
Zeke deflected their attacks with his strength-infused sword, displaying the Northern-style’s distinctive, vigorous movements as he cut down Abel’s knights one by one.
Whoosh!
One knight’s leg was sliced by Zeke’s swift blade.
“Argh!”
In an instant, Zeke had subdued all four.
Abel watched Zeke, who hadn’t even broken a sweat, and pondered.
Then he raised his hand and addressed the knights surrounding the portal station.
“Capture him alive. We need to find out who’s behind him.”
Dozens of knights drew their swords and slowly advanced on Zeke.
Karus, who had been retching behind them, finally regained his senses and shouted.
“You insolent fools! Stand down at once! Abel Draker! I trusted you as a friend, yet you conspire with the regent to kill me! Do you not fear the gods?”
Despite Karus’s outburst, the knights did not halt.
Zeke steadied his breath, gripping his sword.
Rumble!
He summoned all his strength.
A knight charged at Zeke.
Zeke swung his sword at him.
Crash!
The knight’s sword shattered, and he was hurled back, crashing into the wall.
Ordinary knights might have been startled, but Draker’s knights were different.
They seemed to know no fear, charging at Zeke without hesitation.
Slash!
A dozen blades descended upon Zeke.
Zeke deflected them all with his strength-infused sword.
Crash!
The knights’ swords broke as they clashed with Zeke’s.
Without pausing, Zeke charged at the knights, using his body to knock them aside.
Boom!
Even without any special techniques, his sheer physical force sent the knights flying.
Watching this, William spoke to Abel.
“Abel, that looks like a magic sword and armor.”
Even with aura enhancement, such immense physical power was impossible.
Only those blessed with physical prowess, like the Turn family or the Agamemnon clan, could achieve such feats.
At William’s words, Abel slowly removed his gloves.
Crackle!
As Abel took off his gloves, the surrounding magic flickered, and sparks flew from the magic circle.
Zeke realized Abel was disrupting the magic.
“So that’s how it is.”
The Elemental Sword relied on elemental power, not magic, so it wasn’t affected by the magic disruption of a pure-blooded Draker awakener.
But if he revealed that, they’d be even more determined to capture him, so Zeke feigned a look of surprise.
Abel shouted.
“The magic effect is gone! Capture him!”
The knights rushed at Zeke.
Feigning panic, Zeke moved toward Karus.
He grabbed Karus tightly.
As the knights closed in, he unleashed the Dragon’s Majesty, Flashbang, and Dissonance skills in quick succession.
Flash!
A blinding light erupted, and the dissonance threw the charging knights into confusion.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Zeke used wind power to leap toward the lounge.
Crash!
He shattered the reinforced glass and rolled inside, quickly getting to his feet and pulling Karus up.
“Karus, get a grip! We need to get out of here!”
Once outside the terminal, he could summon Bucephalus and escape into the sky.
At that moment, knights approached Zeke and Karus.
They seemed to be imperial knights, not from the Red Lion Knights.
Zeke swung his sword, imbued with the power of fire, at the imperial knights.
Fwoosh!
A fierce blaze surged toward the knights.
With the flames holding them back, Zeke dashed toward the terminal exit with Karus.
Just then, knights from the portal station charged at Zeke.
“Seize him!”
Zeke was about to change direction to flee when he noticed something different about the approaching knights.
They wore gleaming golden armor and marched in perfect formation.
“The Golden Knights of the Graham Duchy?”
They had previously guarded Zeke during the Draker martial arts tournament.
The sudden appearance of the Golden Knights caught the Red Lion Knights off guard.
The Golden Knights and the Red Lion Knights stood at an impasse, with Zeke and Karus between them.
The captain of the Golden Knights stepped forward and addressed the Red Lion Knights.
“You are currently trespassing on the Graham Duchy’s property, the Pansthas Terminal, causing significant damage to private property.”
In response, the Red Lion Knights’ lieutenant stepped forward and shouted.
“We are on a mission for Draker! Stand down immediately!”
But the Golden Knights did not back down.
“We have received no official notice of a Draker mission. Without such notice, any unauthorized occupation of the Graham family’s private assets will have consequences.”
Tension crackled between the Golden Knights and the Red Lion Knights.
Then Abel appeared.
The presence of the renowned Lion Sword made even the Golden Knights tense.
Abel glared at them and spoke.
“As far as I know, Draker knights can carry out missions in Midland without cooperation notices.”
The Golden Knights’ captain countered.
“This is the Graham Duchy’s private property. You should have sent a cooperation notice and sought our assistance.”
Abel smirked.
“I don’t want to hear any more of your nonsense. Step aside, or you’ll pay for obstructing a Draker mission.”
As Abel tried to force his way through, the Golden Knights tensed and drew their weapons.
A battle seemed imminent.
Then, something appeared behind the Golden Knights.
Whoosh!
The sight of a massive silver hawk emblem startled both the Golden Knights and the Red Lion Knights.
Abel bit his lip.
“The Silver Knights…”
It was none other than the Silver Knights led by Kali Draker.
In the midst of the knights stood a woman clad in silver armor.
She called out to Abel Draker.
“Lion Sword! Thank you for assisting in the rescue mission for Prince Karus!”
She unfurled a document.
“By official decree, I, Kali Draker, and the Silver Knights are tasked with the rescue and escort of the Empire’s Fourth Prince, Karus Nerva Constantinus!”
Kali Draker showed the official document to the Golden Knights’ captain.
The Golden Knights immediately saluted and bowed to Kali Draker.
“In accordance with the cooperation treaty, we will follow Sir Kali Draker’s orders.”
Abel realized something had gone awry.
He slowly approached Kali.
“It’s been a while, sister.”
“This is an official setting. Use the proper title.”
Abel bit his lip and spoke again.
“Sir Kali. I’ll take care of Prince Karus, so you needn’t worry.”
Kali shook her head.
“The family has already made its decision. The Lion Sword will comply with it.”
Abel glanced at Karus, who was warily watching from behind Zeke.
“Damn, just one more step.”
He regretted wasting time earlier. But he couldn’t give up now.
Abel glared at Kali and spoke.
“Sir Carly, this is a blatant overreach. Matters concerning the Empire are clearly under my jurisdiction…”
“That’s absurd. I’ve never heard that only Abel Draker handles all affairs with the Empire.”
Abel clenched his teeth, a dangerous aura emanating from him.
As Abel refused to lower his sword and instead gathered his energy, both the Silver and Golden Knights drew their weapons, readying themselves.
Carly took a step forward, unfazed by Abel’s display. “Are you defying the orders of the Guardian Knight?”
Abel stepped forward as well, his voice steady. “In the process of rescuing Prince Karus, my knights lost their lives. As the commander of the Red Lion Knights, I am asserting my rightful claim.”
In a swift motion, Abel redirected his sword from Carly to Zeke.
Boom!
A powerful strike was unleashed toward Zeke, who countered with Northern-style swordsmanship.
Clang!
As Zeke blocked the surprise attack, Abel raised his sword, summoning an aura blade.
Vroom!
He shouted at Zeke, “No price can atone for the harm done to a Draker knight!”
Abel pressed on, determined to unmask Zeke’s hidden identity for the sake of his cause.
Crash!
The clash of Zeke’s and Abel’s swords echoed with a thunderous explosion.
“Ugh!”
Even with his strength, Zeke struggled to fend off Abel’s aura-infused blade.
Simultaneously, flames seemed to erupt from Abel’s sword.
Abel swung his flame-wreathed sword at Zeke. “Die!”
The flames surged toward Zeke and even threatened to engulf Karus behind him.
“Damn it!”
Carly, alarmed, dashed toward Karus. He hadn’t expected Abel to so openly attempt to kill the prince.
Just as the massive flames were about to consume Karus, a sudden gust of wind extinguished them in an instant.
“What?”
Even Abel was taken aback by how easily his flames were snuffed out.
At that moment, someone began to walk steadily between the two factions.
A towering old man with a white beard and hair, clad in thick leather and carrying a sword on his back, approached. A long scar ran across his face from his forehead to his chin.
The moment he appeared, the knights of the Draker family fell silent, frozen in place. Abel’s expression hardened as well.
The old man stopped near Karus and Zeke, looking down at them. “Which one of you is the prince?”
Karus, visibly frightened, slowly raised his hand.
The old man drew his sword and stepped between Karus and Zeke. “I’ll be taking the prince.”
Both Carly and Abel were stunned, but none dared to stop him.
He was Bernas Draker, the Sword King, one of the Black Knights of the Draker family, renowned for having reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.