Episode 394
Zeke hurried to find Alicia as he watched the horde of monsters and beasts advancing toward Himonas Castle.
“There are so many of them.”
At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if Himonas Castle fell.
When he reached the great hall, he found Alicia and the entire Himonas Knights gathered there.
Alicia addressed Zeke as he entered.
“Where have you been? Anyway, Zeke Draker, we’ve received a message from them.”
Zeke took the letter Alicia handed him, and his expression shifted subtly as he read it.
“They want me?”
The message stated that if Alicia handed over Zeke Draker alive, they would withdraw from Himonas.
Alicia looked at Zeke and asked, “Why do the Empire’s forces want you so badly?”
“Well, I can’t say for sure, but it might be because I’ve been dismantling their monster armies,” Zeke replied.
Alicia nodded in agreement. “That could be it. But it doesn’t matter why. I, Alicia, will never abandon a comrade.”
Zeke knew Alicia to be fiercely loyal. In his past life, she never betrayed those she considered friends.
Knowing this about her only made Zeke more concerned.
“I won’t let history repeat itself this time,” he vowed silently.
Zeke then spoke to Alicia. “Your Grace, there’s something I’d like to discuss.”
“Discuss? What is it, Zeke Draker?”
Zeke approached Alicia and whispered something in her ear. Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Hmm?”
“What do you think? Can we do it?”
After a moment of contemplation, Alicia nodded. “I’ll give it a try.”
Zeke smiled, satisfied. “Great, then let’s pull one over on them.”
Ikeros, the high-ranking nightmare demon commanding the northern monster army, pondered over the message from Himonas.
“Hmm, the Northern Duke claims to have captured Zeke Draker?”
The lower-ranking nightmare demon, kneeling before Ikeros, reported, “Yes, they say they used poison to subdue him because he’s so strong.”
Ikeros chuckled, amused by the report. “They’re trying to play tricks on us.”
The nightmare demons, followers of the “Endless Dreamer,” were allied with the “Slithering Darkness” faction. Ikeros had already been briefed about Zeke Draker by Lopocale.
The letter was bait, meant to sow discord between Himonas and Zeke.
But the famously stubborn Northern Duke using poison to capture Zeke Draker? It was clearly a trap.
The lower-ranking demon grinned at Ikeros’s words. “They’ve picked the wrong opponent. Other demon factions might be clueless, but you’re a strategist who’s led countless victories.”
Ikeros, slightly flattered, replied, “Those foolish humans have no idea we’ve seen through their trap. Based on what Lopocale told me, Zeke plans to pretend to be captured and then strike.”
After a moment of thought, Ikeros devised a clever plan.
“Fine, let’s turn their scheme against them,” he said with a sly smile.
He stood and instructed the lower-ranking demon, “Tell them to bring the supposedly poisoned Zeke Draker into our camp.”
The lower-ranking demon was taken aback. “Isn’t it risky to let humans into our camp?”
Ikeros shook his head. “No, they don’t know the power we possess. Before Zeke can attack, we’ll use hypnosis to control him and the Northern Duke. Himonas Castle will be ours.”
Ikeros’s hypnosis was irresistible, even to the strongest humans.
The lower-ranking demon nodded, understanding the plan. “Indeed, they won’t see it coming. I’ll bring them in!”
Led by Alicia, the Himonas Knights, along with the Black Spirit Squad, the Barbarians, and the Knights of Turn, entered the nightmare demon’s camp with the bound Zeke Draker.
The camp was set up near the gate the Himonas Knights had discovered, at the site of the Elder Dragon ruins.
Alicia surveyed the area. In the center was the gate Zeke had mentioned.
“So that’s where they summon their monster army.”
She wanted to rush over and destroy it, but with monsters everywhere, she held back, clenching her teeth in frustration as they moved deeper inside.
Nightmare demons emerged from the cave.
Thud!
The demons, wings spread, landed before the Himonas Knights.
The largest and most imposing of them stepped forward to face Alicia.
“So, you’re the Northern Duke? I am Ikeros, leader of this army.”
Alicia, unfamiliar with demons, might have mistaken him for a lesser demon if she hadn’t known from Zeke that the Empire was summoning demons. She nodded, showing no surprise.
“Yes. As agreed, I’ve brought Zeke Draker. Now withdraw your monsters and beasts from Himonas.”
Ikeros grinned. “Surprising. I heard the Northern Duke never compromises. But even your convictions falter before an overwhelming army?”
Alicia bit her lip in frustration, glaring at Ikeros.
“I have a duty to protect the North, no matter what.”
Ikeros laughed heartily. “Humans always rationalize things to their advantage. I understand.”
He gestured to the bound Zeke behind Alicia. “Hand him over, and I’ll withdraw the monster and beast army from Himonas.”
“You better keep your word.”
“Only humans break promises. For demons, deals are sacred. We never break them.”
Alicia glared at Ikeros, then signaled with her hand.
Sven dragged the bound Zeke toward Ikeros.
Ikeros nodded to a nearby demon.
A slender demon, much smaller than Ikeros, approached Zeke with a nervous expression.
The demon took the chains from Sven and led Zeke to Ikeros.
Alicia addressed Ikeros. “Keep your promise.”
As she turned to leave, Ikeros called out, “Wait.”
“What is it, demon?”
Ikeros grinned. “It seems the account isn’t settled yet.”
“What trickery is this? I’ve done as you asked…”
Suddenly, Sven lunged at Alicia, restraining her.
“Sven! What are you doing?”
Alicia turned to see Sven’s eyes unfocused.
She glared at Ikeros. “What have you done?”
The slender demon holding Zeke’s chains stepped forward, addressing Alicia.
“A mere human trying to outwit the noble nightmare demons…”
The demon forced Zeke to his knees and spoke.
“I am the true leader of this army, the high-ranking nightmare demon Ikeros.”
Ikeros had hidden his identity, preparing a counterattack.
He pulled Zeke closer. “Too bad your plan failed, Zeke Draker. My scent is a powerful hypnotic. Any human who inhales it becomes my captive.”
Alicia gritted her teeth at Ikeros’s words. “Zeke Draker! Snap out of it!”
Realizing their plan had failed, Alicia cried out desperately.
Ikeros laughed, amused. “It’s useless. No human can resist my hypnotic scent.”
The eyes of the Himonas Knights who accompanied Alicia were all unfocused.
Seeing this, Ikeros smirked. “As promised, I’ll withdraw the beasts and monsters. Because you’ll open the castle gates for us.”
Alicia, restrained by Sven, glared at Ikeros in frustration.
Ikeros approached her. “Don’t look so upset. I’ll take good care of you. A spirited girl like you is fun to…”
Thunk!
Ikeros’s expression changed as he looked down at the sword protruding from his abdomen, unable to finish his sentence.
“Huh? What?”
Icarus slowly turned his head.
Zeke stood over him, his gaze icy as he held Roland firmly in his grip.
Behind him, the Black Spirits and Barbarians had already subdued the other nightmares.
In an instant, the tables had turned.
Icarus stared at Zeke in disbelief.
“How… how is this possible?”
Zeke, who had already overcome the mental prowess of the high-ranking nightmare Pan, was more than capable of resisting Icarus’s hypnotic scent.
Looking at the stunned Icarus, Zeke spoke calmly.
“I knew you were the leader all along. Your plan to turn my strategy against me was clever, but you didn’t realize it was all part of my plan.”
As Zeke spoke, a white light emanated from Roland, who he was holding.
Crackle—!
Lightning surged from Roland, striking Icarus.
“Aaargh!”
Icarus screamed and collapsed.
Chains shot from Zeke’s hand, wrapping around Icarus’s body.
Now bound, Icarus couldn’t comprehend how the situation had reversed so completely.
Alicia, who had been pretending to be immobilized, casually shrugged off Sven.
Even under hypnosis, it was impossible for Sven to overpower Alicia, who possessed the strength of a grandmaster.
Gritting her teeth, Alicia glared at the fallen Icarus.
“You arrogant bastard, you thought you could do something to me? I should crush your head right now, you damned demon.”
Zeke held back the seething Alicia.
“We can’t kill him yet. We need to find out why he attacked Himonas.”
Zeke tightened the chains around Icarus and demanded, “Who ordered you to attack Himonas?”
Icarus trembled, refusing to answer, so Zeke unleashed the holy light again.
Crackle—!
“Aaargh!”
Icarus foamed at the mouth, his muscles convulsing in agony.
Zeke looked at him again and asked, “I’ll ask once more. Why did you attack Himonas?”
The power of the holy light, anathema to demons, was enough to break even the will of a high-ranking nightmare like Icarus.
“W-wait! I’ll talk, just please, not that again…!”
Zeke nodded, signaling him to speak.
Icarus, still shaking, looked at Zeke and said, “We were ordered to find something while attacking Himonas.”
“And what exactly were you supposed to find?”
Icarus, trembling, replied, “The… the king’s tomb.”
Zeke paused at his words.
“A king? What king are you talking about?”
When Icarus hesitated, Zeke unleashed the holy light once more.
Crackle—!
“Please, no more!”
“Tell me quickly, which king’s tomb are you searching for?”
Icarus, looking at Zeke, finally confessed, “We’re looking for the tomb of King Caligula!”
Zeke stopped the holy light at Icarus’s words.
He looked down at the fallen Icarus and said, “The tomb of Caligula, the vampire king?”
Icarus nodded.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Zeke frowned at Icarus’s revelation.
‘Nightmares searching for Caligula’s tomb… Could someone in the empire know about it?’
Just then, Liam shouted from the cliff above.
“Master! A beast has appeared above us!”
Zeke quickly looked up to where Liam was pointing.
He immediately recognized the creature that had appeared.
A grotesque beast, like a fusion of a sheep and a boar.
‘Taotie.’
One of the Four Fiends, Taotie, had shown itself.