Episode 410

Swoosh!

Shaton Dreiker’s sword, charged with immense power, came crashing down toward Zeke.

Clang!

Though Zeke managed to block it with Bahamut, the force was so intense that the ground beneath him buckled.

In mid-air, Shaton twisted his body and swung his sword again in rapid succession.

Whoosh!

Zeke stepped back, calmly parrying Shaton’s relentless strikes.

Boom!

The clash of their swords sent shockwaves rippling through the air, culminating in an explosive burst.

Shaton, with a satisfied grin, exclaimed, “Impressive strike! Truly remarkable!”

Yet, his sword showed no signs of halting.

Vroom!

The blade hummed ominously, its aura flickering with energy.

Zeke tightened his grip on Bahamut, sensing the unusual power emanating from Shaton’s sword.

‘What is this power?’

It seemed like an aura blade, but it was unlike any he had encountered before.

As he remained on high alert, Shaton swung his sword at Zeke once more.

Crash!

The impact sent Zeke flying backward, his body momentarily airborne.

Quickly regaining his composure, Zeke focused his mind and unleashed the Astral Sword.

Vroooom!

The realm of the Astral Sword unfolded, bending the space to Zeke’s will.

Without hesitation, Zeke launched the Astral Sword at Shaton.

Screeeech—

The blade tore through the very fabric of the space where Shaton stood.

In response, the aura within Shaton’s sword spread across his body, forming a luminous shield.

Crackle—

Zeke’s Astral Sword failed to penetrate the barrier, passing harmlessly by.

Shaton, unfazed, steadied his breath and pointed his sword at Zeke once more.

Zeke, incredulous at how effortlessly Shaton had deflected his attack, couldn’t hide his disbelief.

‘How is this possible…?’

Noticing Zeke’s bewilderment, Shaton lowered his sword and approached him.

“You’ve grown a lot since we last met, Zeke Dreiker.”

Zeke sheathed his sword and bowed respectfully to Shaton.

“When we met at the inverted tower, I thought you were merely a recorded spirit. Was I mistaken?”

Shaton shook his head at Zeke’s hurried question.

“No, the one you saw at the tower was indeed a recorded spirit. But now, I am here as a manifested spirit.”

“Are you saying the recorded spirit’s data transferred to your spirit form?”

Shaton nodded in affirmation.

“When I crossed over to ‘the other side’ as a spirit, I learned many things. In simple terms, I absorbed the karma data recorded in the spirit, which included memories of you, Zeke Dreiker.”

Having adapted somewhat to the principles of the Kabbalah system, Zeke understood Shaton’s explanation.

“Then, are you in the same place as the Hero King?”

Shaton chuckled wryly at the question.

“Lord Kaishir resides in the Fairy Realm, which is a different dimension from where I am. He could move if he wished, but it involves a complex process and could affect the material world, so he refrains.”

“Is there a separate higher dimension for transcendents, apart from the Fairy Realm?”

“In simple terms, yes. We call it the Peach Blossom Spring, a place between the celestial realm where the constellations dwell and the material world.”

“The Peach Blossom Spring…”

Zeke wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with the concept, as Hoshgar, a companion of Terracan Dreiker, had also moved to a higher dimension.

‘Transcendent beings are moved to spirit form by karma to prevent them from disrupting the material world. So that’s the Peach Blossom Spring.’

Observing Zeke’s deep contemplation, Shaton spoke again.

“It’s hard to define the Peach Blossom Spring with human senses.”

He shifted the topic to something else.

“Anyway, I’m glad you made it here, Zeke. I was curious about who would inherit my insights and the legacy of the Dreikers.”

“Was it you who founded the Absolute Sword Family, Dreiker?”

Shaton nodded.

“Yes, after creating the True Dragon Sword Technique and spreading the aura cultivation method to humans, I continued to wander the continent, pondering.”

“What were you pondering?”

“About the complete eradication of the Demon King.”

Zeke looked puzzled at Shaton’s words.

“I heard the Great Sage sealed the Demon King in the Book of the Dead. Were you still searching for a way to destroy him?”

Shaton nodded again.

“After the Demon King was sealed, I roamed the continent, dealing with the remnants of his army. But even then, there were followers plotting his resurrection.”

Zeke knew these followers had become the Abyssal Horde over the millennia.

Shaton continued with a somber expression.

“I believed they would find a way to resurrect the Demon King. That’s why I sought a method to completely destroy him.”

Zeke’s eyes widened as he realized something.

“Only an Immortal can completely destroy the Demon King… Were you searching for the power of immortality?”

Shaton nodded.

“Yes, paradoxically, the Immortal is both the ideal vessel for the Demon King and the only one who can destroy him. Seeking the Immortal’s power was a chance to destroy the Demon King, but it also risked providing a vessel for his resurrection.”

Zeke frowned at the implications.

Shaton continued slowly.

“I decided to take that risk and search for the Immortal’s power. Eventually, I found a clue.”

“What was it?”

Though Zeke possessed the power of an Immortal, he knew little about it, having gained the class through a series of coincidences.

Shaton spoke deliberately.

“I focused on the commonality between the two known Immortals.”

“The Godslayer and Siemens Apollyon?”

“Yes, and surprisingly, Siemens Apollyon was a descendant of the Godslayer.”

Zeke was taken aback by Shaton’s revelation.

“Are you saying Siemens Apollyon is connected to the Godslayer’s lineage?”

“I don’t know if Lord Kaishir knew this when he first adopted Siemens, but my investigation confirmed it. Siemens’ lineage traces back to the Godslayer.”

Zeke had never imagined the two Immortals could share the same bloodline.

As he processed this shocking information, he asked Shaton.

“Do you know the identity of the Godslayer?”

Shaton nodded.

“Yes, after the war, the Clock Tower Knights disbanded, but some friends supported my quest. With the help of Jerome, the Knight of Wisdom, I uncovered the truth.”

Zeke stepped closer, eager for answers.

“Who is the Godslayer? The one who first fell and became the Demon King?”

Shaton hesitated briefly before speaking.

“The Godslayer is… Solomon, the King of Carcosa.”

“What?”

Zeke was stunned by Shaton’s words.

“Are you saying King Solomon was the Godslayer and the first to fall and become the Demon King?”

Shaton nodded.

“Yes. According to Jerome’s research, Solomon lost Carcosa to the constellations and became a Godslayer. He used the power of immortality to kill the constellations, absorbing their power and growing stronger. Eventually, he succumbed to that power and became the Demon King.”

“My God…”

Zeke, who had been tracing the Godslayer’s identity, never imagined it would be King Solomon.

‘A ring that can seal demons and demonic beings… Did King Solomon use that ring to seal demons and fight the constellations?’

Though he couldn’t be sure, Zeke felt it was no coincidence that Solomon’s ring had come into his possession.

Shaton continued his explanation.

“I traced Siemens Apollyon’s lineage back to King Solomon of Carcosa. Astonishingly, I discovered that Siemens Apollyon had left behind a human descendant.”

Zeke was startled by this revelation.

“Wait… Shaton, are you saying what I think you are?”

Shaton nodded.

“Yes, I adopted Siemens Apollyon’s descendant as my own and gave him my name. But my time in the material world was limited. So I asked my companions to train the Immortal’s lineage to become the savior who would destroy the Demon King upon his return. That was the beginning of the Absolute Sword Family, Dreiker.”

Zeke felt his mind freeze.

‘The Dreiker lineage began with King Solomon of Carcosa, passed through Siemens Apollyon, and reached Terracan Dreiker and me.’

Zeke’s ability to unlock the power of an Immortal was no accident.

The power of immortality was embedded in the Dreiker bloodline.

Seeing Zeke’s shock, Shaton placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Zeke Draker, you must steel your heart. The power of the Immortal has transcended time and now rests with you. You are the only one who can vanquish the Demon King.”

Zeke looked at Shaton and asked, “What if… what if I become the vessel for the Demon King?”

Shaton paused, then spoke slowly. “The world as we know it would fall into the Demon King’s grasp. No one in this realm could stand against a Demon King wielding complete immortal power.”

In the past, before Siemens Apollyon could become a full-fledged Demon King, countless heroes, a homunculus mimicking the Hero King’s power, and a great sage had to unite to stop him. The Liberation War ended with Bahamut’s sacrifice, sealing the Demon King’s soul within her body, and Terracan Draker binding it in the Book of the Dead.

Never before had the Demon King possessed a truly immortal body. If the Demon King were to descend into Zeke, who held the power of both an Immortal and an Elder Dragon, stopping him would be nearly impossible.

Shaton looked at Zeke and said, “I intend to pass on my final insights and the Draker legacy to prevent the Demon King from descending upon you.”

“Is it really possible to stop the descent of the Demon King?”

“I hope it will help, but I can’t guarantee it. Ultimately, it depends on your will.”

No matter how strong Shaton was, it was Zeke who held the power of the Immortal. Zeke pondered deeply, then nodded resolutely.

“Nothing has changed. I just need to become stronger and destroy the Demon King. I won’t overthink it.”

Shaton nodded, satisfied with Zeke’s determination. “Excellent. Then let me first pass on the Draker family’s legacy to you.”

A surge of energy flowed from Shaton into Zeke. As it did, a message appeared before Zeke’s eyes.

[Receiving a large transfer of karma data from Swordmaster Shaton Draker.]

[Data is being stored in the secure archive. Would you like to create a new folder?]

This time, Zeke created a folder named “Draker Family Legacy” instead of the usual “Anything.”

[A vast amount of data on swordsmanship, weaponry, and magic tomes is being stored in the folder.]

[Includes numerous lost ancient knowledge from vanished eras.]

Zeke quickly skimmed through the contents stored in the folder.

“This is insane. Records from the Chronos era and even magic tomes from ancient kingdoms…”

Priceless knowledge, beyond current valuation, was being transferred to Zeke through Shaton. Once the massive data transfer was complete, the light emanating from Shaton’s body faded.

“Phew. The transfer is finally complete. I’ve included some updates I made while in my spirit form.”

“Is all of this truly the Draker family’s legacy?”

“To be precise, it’s the legacy of a bygone era. It’s a restoration of countless records lost through long wars.”

Even if you combined the current Draker, Nirvana, and Ishtar, they wouldn’t possess such a wealth of ancient knowledge and secrets. Zeke had become a living museum, a walking history.

With the transfer complete, Shaton drew his sword. “The legacy is now yours. What remains is the final insight I gained.”

He looked at Zeke and said, “Watch closely, Zeke. This is the secret technique I discovered in my later years—the Heart Sword.”