Episode 330
Whispering through the night, a ghostly horse with a mane of blue-gray and eyes glowing red galloped silently. It was a phantom steed, conjured from the spirit of a fallen warhorse.
Vampires of the Red Eye clan rode these spectral mounts, moving soundlessly between cities. Even now, they glided through the forest, cutting through the darkness.
A dozen vampires soon arrived at an old monastery, not far from Vadoka.
As they dismounted, the ghostly horses vanished into thin air. The Red Eye vampires, with their pale skin exposed, wore only leather pants and vests emblazoned with their clan’s emblem.
The monastery doors creaked open, revealing another vampire from within.
“Welcome, brothers.”
The vampire who greeted them sported a full beard and arms covered in tattoos. He welcomed the visitors warmly.
“Thank you for coming all this way.”
“A brother’s trouble is our trouble.”
The Red Eye vampires were known for their strong bonds. As their numbers dwindled, maintaining their lineage became increasingly difficult. To preserve their kind and protect their home, they formed a tightly-knit organization. No matter the distance, they would ride their phantom steeds to aid one another.
This time, they had come to help their kin, entering the old monastery together.
The visitors were the head and members of the branch responsible for the Holy Kingdom. The branch leader addressed the vampire inside.
“Captain, I’ve heard bits and pieces through the ravens, but it’s hard to grasp the full story. Can you explain what’s going on?”
The vampire known as Captain nodded, acknowledging the difficulty of conveying everything through the ravens.
“I apologize for the gaps in communication. We’ve found traces of the King.”
The branch leader and the other vampires were taken aback.
“Traces of the King? Is that true?”
“Yes, we’ve made contact with the Founder’s bloodline. Through them, we’ve been tracing the King.”
The branch leader’s face turned to shock.
“The Founder? You mean Queen Carmilla? Is she still alive?”
“Let’s discuss this upstairs. You must be tired from your journey.”
“My apologies for my impatience.”
“Think nothing of it, brother. Let’s go. The Founder’s kin is waiting for you upstairs.”
Captain led the group upstairs to a chapel, where someone awaited them in a makeshift hideout. The figure wore a long-beaked mask, reminiscent of the doctors from the Holy Empire era.
The sight startled the other vampires.
“Is that the Founder’s kin?”
Captain nodded.
“Come, let me introduce you.”
As Captain was about to lead them, the masked figure raised a hand.
“You’ve brought a tail.”
The vampires were startled, scanning their surroundings. The branch leader protested.
“Impossible! We erased all traces with magic…”
Suddenly, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, lunging at the vampires with a dagger aimed at their ankles.
The branch leader and Captain managed to evade, but others weren’t so lucky.
“Ugh!”
The assailant was none other than Shadia. After her initial attack, she charged at the masked figure.
“You scoundrel!”
One of the tattoos on Captain’s arms, depicting a wraith, began to glow ominously.
A chilling aura emanated from the tattoo, releasing three wraiths that flew towards Shadia.
The wraiths shrieked, their cries filled with a curse that disoriented the mind. Shadia, unable to harm the ghostly wraiths with her dagger, retreated in confusion.
Other vampires moved to capture her, but then—
A bolt of light struck the wraiths, turning them back into a sinister mist that was sucked back into Captain’s tattoo.
Captain shouted, “There’s another one!”
Emerging from the shadows, Zeke appeared, armed with Hersion and wielding Bahamut. With a swing of his sword, the approaching vampires were sent crashing into the walls.
Zeke charged at the masked figure, who swiftly drew a chain sword to block his attack. The chain sword split into dozens of strands, probing for gaps in Zeke’s armor. But the enchanted Hersion was impervious to such attacks.
Realizing the futility, the masked figure attempted a martial arts maneuver to unbalance Zeke, but Zeke countered, delivering a powerful punch to his exposed side.
The impact sent the masked figure flying into the wall. Meanwhile, Captain and the other vampires tried to attack Zeke from behind, but Shadia intercepted them with her dagger.
The masked figure, recognizing Zeke, spoke.
“Zeke Draker.”
He knew Zeke’s identity, just as Zeke knew his.
“Bacchus.”
Zeke removed his helmet, revealing his face, and glared at Bacchus.
“You broke your promise to Sir Kali.”
“Did Kali send you to capture me?”
As Zeke and Bacchus faced off, the vampires whose ankles had been cut began to recover and charged at Zeke.
“How dare you challenge the Red Eye!”
The Red Eye vampires wielded chains with heavy weights as weapons, swinging them with formidable strength and centrifugal force.
Zeke, still focused on Bacchus, casually raised a hand and swept it towards the vampires.
A powerful pressure forced the vampires to their knees, the chains crashing to the ground.
The vampires were immobilized by the overwhelming force.
Captain and the branch leader, baring their fangs, rushed to free their comrades.
The branch leader summoned skeletons from his shadow, their black bones and red eyes gleaming as they charged at Shadia.
While Shadia dealt with the skeletons, Captain’s tattoo glowed red, conjuring a crimson spear in the air.
He hurled the spear at Zeke, shouting to Bacchus, “Bacchus! We’ll hold him off! Get out of here!”
But Bacchus couldn’t move. The intense killing intent emanating from Zeke held him in place.
‘He’s not just any red knight. Could it be true that he received the blessing of the Fairy King?’
Zeke, his gaze sharp, spoke to Bacchus.
“Don’t even think about running.”
He turned, raising his sword, and called out.
“Shadia! Fall back!”
He swung his sword at the skeletons and the crimson spear.
Dragon Slayer Technique
Black Sword Art
Black Wind
A fierce black wind erupted from the sword, shredding the skeletons and spear, sweeping Captain and the branch leader into the walls.
In an instant, Zeke had neutralized the dozen Red Eye vampires.
Bacchus shouted, “Zeke Draker!”
As Zeke turned, Bacchus swallowed hard and asked.
”…What do you want?”
Zeke, his sword still raised, fixed Bacchus with a piercing gaze and asked in return.
“The information you provided about the island. Was it a trap for Sir Kali?”
Bacchus hesitated, unable to answer immediately.
A massive aura surged from Zeke.
The ground trembled under the weight of his power.
A powerful presence filled the chapel, its intensity almost palpable.
Standing at the center of this force, Bacchus felt a pressure so overwhelming that his hands and feet trembled uncontrollably.
Zeke slowly approached Bacchus, his voice steady and demanding. “Bacchus, tell me the truth. Did you personally set the trap for Sir Carly?”
Bacchus, struggling to shake off the oppressive weight, reached up with trembling hands to remove the mask from his face.
As the mask fell away, Bacchus’s face was revealed—strikingly handsome, with elegant ash-gray hair and eyes that sparkled like precious gems. He looked more like a noble heir than a covert operative.
In his past life, Zeke had only seen Bacchus once as a child, so this was his first time seeing the man he had grown into.
With a pale face, Bacchus met Zeke’s gaze and spoke. “If I say no, will you believe me?”
Zeke stepped closer without a word, and Bacchus felt the pressure around him intensify, wrapping around him like a vice.
Summoning his courage, Bacchus glared at Zeke. “Kill me if you must. But I have never betrayed Sir Carly.”
“Then why did you kill your own mother, Carmilla, and flee from her domain?” Zeke pressed.
“That was…” Bacchus bit his lip, unable to provide a proper answer.
Just then, a massive fireball hurtled toward Zeke.
With a swift motion, Zeke deflected the fireball and turned to see an unexpected figure standing there.
‘The Pope’s successor?’
It was Rovan, the Pope’s successor whom Bacchus had supposedly taken hostage, who had launched the attack. He was instantly recognizable from the portrait sent by the Black Stage.
While Zeke’s attention was momentarily diverted by Rovan’s surprising assault, Bacchus transformed into mist and vanished, reappearing behind Rovan.
“Bacchus!” Rovan exclaimed.
Bacchus quickly grabbed Rovan, intending to make a swift escape.
But their path was already blocked.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Boris stood in their way, sword drawn, aura blade at the ready.
Shadia, who had subdued the fallen vampires, was also there, keeping a watchful eye on Bacchus.
Realizing he had no escape, Bacchus turned to Zeke. “Zeke Draker, what is it you want from me?”
“I hear you’ve caused quite a stir within the Black Stage. The head of intelligence himself wants you brought in,” Zeke replied.
Bacchus thought of Souma, biting his lip. Despite his friendly demeanor, Souma was the most feared figure within the Black Stage.
Bacchus addressed Zeke again. “Zeke Draker, I want to make a deal.”
Zeke chuckled softly. “Do you really think you’re in a position to negotiate with me?”
“I know I’m at a disadvantage. But I have information that might interest you.”
Zeke regarded him silently.
Bacchus decided to reveal a piece of information that might catch Zeke’s attention. “The Emperor is marching on the Holy Kingdom to find the relics of the first Holy King.”
Zeke clicked his tongue. “I already know that. If that’s all you have, I’m disappointed, Bacchus.”
Bacchus knew from Zeke’s past actions that his intelligence network was formidable. And if he had met with Souma, he might already have this information.
‘If I can’t capture his interest here, there’s no way out.’
Finally, Bacchus decided to reveal one of his most crucial pieces of information.
He looked at Zeke and spoke slowly. “What the Emperor seeks at the relic site is the remains of the first Holy King, Gio Luvern.”