Episode 366
“Kill Abel for me…”
As expected, Julius found himself at odds with Abel.
After a moment of contemplation, Zeke turned to Julius and spoke.
“Why not simply revoke the regent’s endorsement of Abel’s imperial lineage? That would allow you to mobilize the imperial army against him.”
Julius shook his head in response.
“Rome has already fallen into their hands. It’s too late.”
Zeke frowned at Julius’s words.
“Fallen into their hands? Are you talking about Abel and Siemens?”
Julius shook his head again, his voice trembling with fear.
“Evil demons… they’ve taken over Rome.”
Zeke stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“Demons have taken over Rome? Is that a metaphor?”
Julius leapt to his feet, his eyes wide with panic.
“No! I mean it literally! Demons have appeared!”
Julius’s eyes were bloodshot with agitation, and Zeke realized something crucial.
“Could it be that the demons have truly manifested in Rome?”
Narak and Siemens had been working on summoning demons into the physical realm using artificial bloodstones. It seemed they might have succeeded, using Abel as a front to seize control of Rome.
Julius collapsed back into his chair, trembling uncontrollably. It was hard to believe this was the same man who commanded the entire Roman army and held the title of regent.
Zeke asked him, “Even so, why are you so afraid of Abel? Surely he wouldn’t harm the regent.”
Julius looked up, clutching his head in despair.
“Their idea of ‘not harming’ is completely different from ours… Unspeakable horrors are happening in Rome right now.”
Seeing Julius on the verge of another panic attack, Zeke clapped his hands sharply.
Clap!
The sound snapped Julius back to his senses, and he looked at Zeke.
“I understand the situation. I have a few questions, and I’d appreciate your answers.”
Julius nodded in agreement.
“Prince Leo and Prince Karus are guests in my camp. Could we install one of them as emperor to oust Abel?”
Julius bit his nails, visibly shaking as he considered the possibility, trying to suppress his fear of Abel.
Finally, he nodded.
“If both Prince Leo and Prince Karus join forces, we could rally even those who have remained neutral.”
Originally, Prince Karus was aligned with the first prince, who was the primary heir. Julius had planned to use Abel to brainwash Karus and bring him to his side, thereby gaining the first prince’s supporters. However, Zeke’s intervention had led to Karus seeking asylum in Midland, successfully isolating the first prince but failing to sway his followers.
But if both princes united, they could potentially draw in Julius’s existing allies and even the first prince’s former supporters.
Zeke nodded at this.
“Which of the 13 legions have sided with Abel?”
Julius tore at his hair before answering slowly.
“The Twin Stars, Golden Bull, Giant Crab, and Capricorn legions have turned.”
Zeke frowned at the list.
“Twins, Bull, Crab, and Goat. Not a favorable combination.”
Having fought the imperial army in a past life, Zeke knew the strengths and capabilities of the 13 legions and their commanders. The most troublesome had been the Knights of the Dog Star, led by Morgan Buffon, but Zeke had already dealt with him.
However, there was another equally troublesome faction.
“The Knights of Capricorn. Azmun Barrios.”
While Morgan was a strategist, Azmun was more of a cunning schemer. He excelled at manipulating people from the shadows, using unexpected tactics to achieve his goals. Compared to Azmun, even Carlito, the deputy commander of the Sagittarius legion, seemed honorable.
Moreover, unlike Morgan, Azmun had reached the level of a Red Knight, making him a formidable opponent in combat as well.
In his past life, Azmun had not become regent because he had clashed with Julius after the continental war, leading to a civil war where he was ultimately killed by Abel. But in this life, with Zeke’s intervention, it seemed Azmun had aligned with Abel to oust Julius and seize power for himself.
Zeke pondered for a moment before asking Julius, “Have the Black Knights of the empire shown any reaction?”
Julius shook his head.
“Not yet. As long as they’re not directly threatened, they don’t care who becomes emperor or if the empire falls apart.”
“Even if Prince Leo and Prince Karus take action, the Black Knights won’t move?”
Julius nodded and explained.
“If another kingdom or the Draker army invades Rome, they might intervene. But right now, it’s technically a civil war, so they don’t see it as their place to get involved.”
Because Julius had vouched for Abel’s imperial lineage, Siemens’s involvement was also considered part of the civil war. However, Zeke found this hard to accept.
“Demons are ravaging Rome, committing atrocities, and yet the Black Knights won’t intervene just because it’s a civil war?”
Julius shook his head.
“Most of the Black Knights hold titles of marquis or higher. Even as regent and commander, I can’t conscript or command them at will. They have the authority to refuse orders from the emperor and the council of elders.”
Zeke considered this and replied, “So, if a Black Knight were to get involved in the civil war, Abel wouldn’t have a legitimate reason to stop them.”
Julius frowned at this.
“True, but… the Black Knights won’t move unless they’re directly threatened.”
As he spoke, Julius suddenly looked at Zeke with realization.
“Are you planning to provoke Abel into threatening them, forcing them to get involved?”
Julius was quick to grasp the situation.
Zeke nodded and said, “Abel is in a frenzy, committing massacres without restraint. There’s no guarantee he won’t target the Black Knights.”
Julius’s face brightened slightly at this prospect.
“If Abel provokes even one Black Knight… the situation could completely turn around.”
Zeke leaned back, crossing his legs as he looked at Julius.
“Will you join forces with us to drive Abel and Siemens out of Rome? Or will you continue to cower under Abel’s rule?”
Julius recalled Abel’s madness. Even Emperor Nero, for all his insanity, hadn’t been as openly destructive as Abel.
“If I leave Abel unchecked, I’ll eventually become their prey.”
Julius made up his mind quickly and nodded.
“Help us. Save the empire from his grasp.”
Zeke nodded in agreement.
“Very well. Let’s work together for the peace and safety of the empire.”
Zeke extended his hand to Julius, who hesitated before finally shaking it.
Just as they were about to conclude their meeting, Julius suddenly convulsed.
“Ugh…”
Black smoke began to seep from his mouth and nose, and his grip on Zeke’s hand tightened, refusing to let go.
“Argh!”
Julius writhed in agony, something wriggling beneath the skin of his arm.
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, something burst from Julius’s arm, tearing through his skin.
Splat!
A grotesque tentacle, made of crimson flesh, shot out towards Zeke, its sharp teeth aiming for his eyes. But a radiant light erupted from Zeke’s body.
Screech—
The tentacle recoiled in shock from the holy light Zeke emitted. In that moment, Zeke seized the tentacle and infused it with the power of the holy light.
Sizzle—
The tentacle disintegrated into black smoke upon contact with the light.
Zeke quickly donned the Mask of Agamemnon.
At that moment, more tentacles burst from Julius’s body, piercing through his skin.
“Ugh!”
Julius gasped, unable to regain his senses.
Zeke held Julius’s hand, channeling the power of purification.
Hum—
A golden aura filled the room, and the tentacles that had been lunging at Zeke disintegrated into dust.
The real issue was Julius himself. The tentacles had ravaged his internal organs, leaving him on the brink of death.
Zeke immediately cast a healing buff on Julius.
A soft hum filled the air as Zeke’s magic took effect, mending Julius’s damaged organs and allowing him to regain consciousness.
“Ugh!”
But it wasn’t long before the dormant tentacle seeds within Julius began to stir again.
Before the tentacles could reemerge, Zeke gripped Julius’s body and channeled a powerful cleansing force into him.
A golden aura flowed into Julius, and a fierce battle ensued within him between the purifying energy and the demonic parasites.
“Argh!”
The parasites gnawed at Julius’s insides, desperately trying to escape the purifying force. Yet, Zeke maintained the healing buff, steadily restoring Julius.
Thousands of parasitic seeds attempted to ignite within Julius, but the cleansing power proved stronger. The seeds, struggling to torment Julius, gradually succumbed and vanished.
“Ugh!”
Julius collapsed, coughing up black blood. The expelled blood was filled with white eggs, the seeds of the parasites, wriggling like larvae.
Horrified, Julius recoiled at the sight of the eggs.
“What… what is this…?”
Zeke swiftly eradicated the surviving eggs with his cleansing power and approached Julius, who was slumped against the wall.
Gripping Julius’s shoulder, Zeke spoke calmly, “Endure the pain. Even one surviving can cause trouble.”
He kindly tore a piece of Julius’s sleeve and placed it in his mouth to bite down on.
With an even stronger surge of cleansing energy, Zeke eradicated the last of the parasites from Julius’s body.
Julius writhed in agony before finally losing consciousness.
Only after confirming that Julius was free of parasites did Zeke release him.
‘Those vile creatures. I suspected, but to think they’d plant something like this in Julius.’
Zeke’s eyes sharpened as he thought of Siemens and Narak, who were certainly capable of such treachery.
‘If they know Julius came here for a secret meeting, they won’t let it slide.’
Just then, Muhammad burst into the secure room.
“Sir Zeke!”
He froze, shocked at the sight of Julius collapsed against the wall, and covered his mouth in surprise.
Zeke shook his head at Muhammad. “Julius is fine, no need to worry. But what’s going on?”
Muhammad wiped the sweat from his brow, calming himself before speaking.
“A portal has suddenly appeared, and monsters are pouring out of it!”