Episode 248

“Huh?”

A voice echoed in his mind, but it was in a language he had never heard before, making it impossible to understand.

Zeke spoke to the system.

“System, why isn’t the auto-translate working?”

A message appeared before his eyes.

[The language in question is a dead language erased from records, making translation impossible.]

He never imagined there could be a language the system couldn’t translate.

”■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■!!!”

The dragon continued to shout something at Zeke and Yellin.

“Sir Zeke…”

Beside him, Yellin was trembling, her face pale with fear.

While Zeke, with his dragon-like physique, was immune to the dragon’s intimidation, Yellin, a high elf, seemed to feel its menace acutely.

Facing a living dragon was no ordinary experience.

“I remember my legs shaking the first time I saw one on screen.”

Zeke took Yellin’s hand and used his indomitable will. A gentle strength flowed through her, calming her trembling and bringing some color back to her cheeks.

Zeke raised his head and sent a telepathic message to the dragon.

―O hermit of the Black River, we cannot understand what you are saying.

As Zeke communicated his thoughts, the dragon’s violet eyes turned towards him.

Grrrr—

The massive dragon’s face loomed closer, glaring at Zeke.

Then, another language resonated in Zeke’s mind.

“You wretched creature! Do you think you can destroy my precious Blackie No. 1 and get away with it?”

Though it was in an ancient Eastern tongue, Zeke understood the words, though the content was unexpected.

“Blackie? Is it referring to that black knight?”

The dragon ground its teeth, glaring at the black knight still hovering in the air.

“Oh, the trouble I went through to create that! And now it’s completely wrecked. Wrecked!”

―Are you saying that you, a great being, created that black knight?

At Zeke’s words, the dragon turned its head back to him, shouting.

“Of course, I made it! Who else could craft such a masterpiece? The intricate magical mechanisms, the smooth joints, the natural movements! And you ruined it!”

Zeke couldn’t quite understand why the dragon was so angry with him when all he did was defend himself.

“This isn’t what I expected.”

He had thought the dragon, imprisoned by an Elder Dragon for killing its kin, would be as ferocious as the Bahamut of old, but it didn’t seem quite like that.

Yet, Yellin was still trembling, though less than before.

Zeke spoke to the dragon again.

―Great one, I have something to say.

“Silence! You will not speak until I permit it!”

Zeke wasn’t one to be silenced so easily.

Ignoring the dragon’s command, he retrieved Anexi’s dagger from his inventory.

―I am the bearer of the Black River’s token, here to break the shackles of the covenant binding the Ishtar family.

The dragon was visibly startled by Zeke’s words.

“You, you? How are you speaking when I told you not to in dragon tongue?”

―I just spoke. Is there something wrong with that?

Zeke’s response seemed to intrigue the dragon, who looked at him with curiosity.

After a moment, the dragon spoke again.

“Are you one of those dragonkin or something?”

―I’m not a dragonkin, but I can use dragon power.

Suddenly, the dragon sniffed the air around Zeke, then recoiled in shock.

“Ba-Bahamut! That’s Bahamut’s scent!”

The dragon seemed to sense the power of Bahamut within Zeke.

Zeke asked, “Do you know Bahamut?”

Grrrr—

The dragon’s aura grew even more menacing.

“Bahamut! That wretched creature always sneaking into my lair to steal treasures! Ruining all my guardians! Argh, it’s infuriating!”

The dragon’s rage was so intense that the entire lair shook with its roar.

Yellin, not understanding the situation, was pale with fear at the dragon’s fury.

“Sir Zeke! Why is the great one so angry?”

Zeke was at a loss for how to explain.

“Perhaps it’s the pain of losing something precious?”

Yellin looked at Zeke, puzzled by his cryptic words in the face of the enraged dragon.

“That’s the truth, though,” Zeke muttered to himself.

As the dragon calmed down, it spoke, still seething.

“Human, what is your relationship with Bahamut?”

Zeke hesitated before slowly replying.

―No relationship at all.

Though he had absorbed Bahamut’s heart, Zeke feigned ignorance.

Besides, even without the heart, he was a distant descendant of Claudia Luvern, Bahamut’s human form, but he chose to deny any connection.

The dragon eyed Zeke suspiciously.

Then it spoke again.

“You are a suspicious creature. What was that about the Black River’s token?”

Zeke held up Anexi’s dagger for the dragon to see.

The dragon glanced at the dagger, then grumbled.

“Ugh, this is annoying. Wait there.”

The dragon’s body began to glow, shrinking in size.

In its place stood a young elf boy with black hair, appearing about twelve years old, but the aura from his violet eyes unmistakably marked him as a dragon.

The polymorphed black dragon floated over to Zeke.

Landing a short distance away, he flicked his fingers.

Anexi’s dagger floated from Zeke’s hand to the black dragon.

The dragon examined the dagger closely, then glanced sharply at Zeke.

“Human, where did you find this?”

Zeke hesitated before responding telepathically.

―I found it in the inverted tower created by the Elder Dragon.

At the mention of the Elder Dragon, the black dragon flinched.

“So, it’s the place that Chronos was building.”

“Do you know of it?”

The black dragon chuckled.

“I designed it, of course I know.”

Zeke was taken aback by the dragon’s words.

“Are you saying the great one designed that place?”

The black dragon frowned.

“Call me by my name, not some grand title.”

“The hermit of the Black River…”

“Not that weird title, my name!”

Zeke, trying to appease the dragon, asked gently.

“What is your name?”

“What? You don’t even know my name?”

The dragon trembled with anger.

“Hades!”

The black dragon Hades glared at them, still fuming.

Zeke addressed him.

“Lord Hades, can this dagger break the covenant’s shackles?”

At his question, Hades unleashed a terrifying aura towards Zeke.

“Arrogant creature. Who do you think you are to break a covenant with a great being like me?”

The dragon was clearly full of pride.

Zeke sighed inwardly and spoke on behalf of the Ishtar family.

“The Ishtar family, burdened with the Black River tribe’s covenant, has been bound here for two thousand years, unable to leave. Please, release them from the covenant’s shackles.”

Hades floated into the air, coming to a stop right in front of Zeke and Yellin.

“Human, are you not afraid?”

Few humans could stand firm under a dragon’s killing intent.

But Zeke was one who could speak his mind even in the face of such intimidation.

Zeke looked at Hades and said, “I am afraid. But I trust that as a great race, you will make a rational choice.”

Hades’ expression shifted at Zeke’s words.

“A rational choice?”

“Keeping the Ishtar family bound here offers you no benefit, Lord Hades.”

“That’s not for you to decide, insolent creature.”

“Then please tell me, is there a reason to keep the Ishtar family here?”

Hades hesitated, then gritted his teeth.

“This wretched human dares to manipulate me with words. Why should I explain anything to you?”

“Not explaining suggests there’s no real reason to keep them here, doesn’t it?”

Hades flinched slightly at Zeke’s words.

Because, in truth, Zeke was right.

The covenant with the Black River tribe was mutually beneficial at the time.

The tribe received protection from a powerful black dragon, and the dragon had dark elves as guardians.

Back then, with many monsters and frequent wars with other tribes, it was common to form covenants, even if not one-on-one, at a tribal level.

But as time passed and the Black River dried up, the area became a desolate land no one visited.

Hades had no real need to keep a tribe bound as guardians here.

Zeke, well-versed in dragon behavior through the Chronicles of Kaishir, had deduced this and challenged Hades’ logic.

Hades, at a loss for words, let out a frustrated sigh.

“I don’t care! I have no intention of breaking the pact! Go back!”

Zeke hesitated for a moment before speaking to Hades.

“I was just wondering… Are you also bound to this place, Lord Hades?”

Hades glared at Zeke, his voice rising in anger.

“You little creature! I was being lenient because it’s been ages since anyone’s come here, and now you’re crossing the line! Do you want to taste my wrath?”

Sensing the tension, Zeke quickly communicated telepathically.

―Lord Poseidon has been released from his seal.

Hades was taken aback by Zeke’s words. He responded telepathically, his surprise evident.

―W-what? Poseidon has been released? What do you mean?

―I removed the divine spear lodged in his heart, breaking the seal.

Hades’ jaw dropped, disbelief etched on his face.

―Is that even possible?

―I don’t fully understand it myself, so I can’t explain in detail. But if you’re also trapped here, perhaps I could break your seal too.

Intrigued by Zeke’s eloquence, Hades pondered for a moment. Then, with a swift motion of his hand, the scenery around them transformed.

Zeke and Yellin looked around, bewildered.

“Where are we?”

They found themselves in a workshop that seemed to be a blend of a wizard’s lab and a blacksmith’s forge. Suits of armor and weapons of unfamiliar design lined the walls.

Floating in mid-air, Hades addressed Zeke and Yellin.

“You’ve piqued my interest, human.”

With another gesture, a sofa appeared. At his nod, Zeke and Yellin sat down, and Hades continued to speak from above.

“Those high elves… They begged me for a pact, and now they want to back out?”

Yellin, startled, asked, “Wait, are you saying our ancestors asked for the pact first?”

Despite her fear, Yellin couldn’t help but question him.

Hades, now reclining in the air, replied, “Yes, back then, the high elves were on the brink of extinction. They came to me seeking protection.”

Yellin’s face fell in shock as she murmured, “We… we thought we were upholding the pact for the Black River tribe…”

“Well, technically, that’s true. The Black River tribe left for war, leaving my guardian position vacant. The high elves, driven south by vampires, sought my protection.”

“V-vampires?”

“Didn’t you know? Back then, the north was overrun by vampires, even orcs couldn’t venture there. I heard the demon king’s army fell because they couldn’t withstand the joint assault of the vampires and their allies.”

Even Zeke was hearing about the vampires for the first time.

“I’d only heard that the great sage sealed the demon king, but nothing about vampires.”

Suddenly, a thought struck Zeke, and he asked Hades, “Were you bound here by the power of an Elder Dragon?”

Hades snorted dismissively.

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

Zeke and Yellin exchanged glances.

Zeke cautiously continued, “The legend says you were imprisoned here for the crime of being the first to kill your kin…”

Before Zeke could finish, an overwhelming aura of menace emanated from Hades, cutting him off.