Episode 439
“Are you talking about a sword instead of a spear?”
Duke Crevan nodded in response.
Though puzzled, Zeke retrieved Roland from his inventory and handed it to the duke.
The duke gripped the sword and aimed it at Zeke.
Whoooosh!
Zeke was taken aback by the aura emanating from Duke Crevan, reminiscent of when he wielded the Spear of the Underworld.
Duke Crevan looked at Zeke and asked, “What do you think when you see me like this?”
”…Have you ever learned swordsmanship before?”
The duke shook his head. “I’ve never properly learned swordsmanship. I’ve only ever trained with a spear.”
“But your stance with the sword is flawless.”
“Does it look like I’m holding a sword to you?”
Zeke tilted his head, confused by the duke’s cryptic question.
In that moment, the appearance of Roland in the duke’s hand began to change.
Ssssssh—
The sword transformed into a spear in Duke Crevan’s grasp, or at least that’s how Zeke perceived it.
The fierce energy radiating from the spear made Zeke step back in surprise.
‘When did the duke switch to a spear?’
When Zeke looked again, Duke Crevan was holding Roland as a sword once more.
It dawned on Zeke what the duke meant.
“You mean there’s no need to learn the spear separately.”
Duke Crevan relaxed his stance and returned Roland to Zeke, saying, “You can turn your hand into a sword, and even your entire body can become one. So why not use a spear as a sword?”
Indeed, Zeke’s hand had become a sword, and Duke Crevan’s hand had become a spear.
Zeke had instinctively been capable of this, but his long-standing training had led him to mistakenly believe he needed to learn the spear separately.
Duke Crevan shattered Zeke’s preconceptions and broadened his perspective.
‘A spear and a sword are merely extensions of the hand. I’ve already achieved unity with the sword, so becoming one with the spear should be possible too.’
With the duke’s advice, Zeke gained a new understanding. He slowly raised his hand, extending his arm forward.
Just like Duke Crevan earlier, Zeke’s arm transformed into a spear.
He swung his spear-like arm.
Whoooosh!
The Sacred Spear Technique unfolded from his arm.
Rumble—
Zeke’s spear-arm sliced through the air effortlessly.
Initially, the spear technique followed the Sacred Spear Technique taught by the Sacred King, but it gradually morphed into a sword technique.
Zeke’s arm shifted from a spear to a sword, blurring the line between the two.
For him, the distinction between spear and sword techniques no longer held much meaning.
He could wield sword techniques with a spear and spear techniques with a sword.
A message appeared before Zeke’s eyes.
[Passive Skill Limit Break activated.]
[Through enlightenment, the special skill Sacred Spear Technique has merged with the special skill Infinite Swordplay.]
[The grade of the special skill Infinite Swordplay has increased from SS to SS+.]
[The proficiency of the special skill Infinite Swordplay has increased.]
The proficiency of Infinite Swordplay, which had remained at a beginner level, finally advanced.
Watching Zeke perform Infinite Swordplay in a state of enlightenment, Duke Crevan looked on with awe.
Duke Crevan realized his instincts had been correct.
‘A new wave is sweeping across the continent.’
And at the center of that wave was Zeke Draker.
The plan was executed flawlessly.
Zeke and Duke Crevan agreed to face off in the Colosseum, and the event was widely publicized.
News of the duel between the two black knights spread across the central continent.
Crowds flocked to Rom’s Colosseum to witness the clash between the Knight of Salvation and the King of the Underworld.
Amidst great anticipation, the duel unfolded, and after hundreds of exchanges, Zeke Draker conceded defeat to Duke Crevan di Panion.
He acknowledged his loss and announced his intention to withdraw the Black Sword Knights from Rom.
However, an unexpected turn of events occurred.
The citizens of Rom refused to let the Knight of Salvation, Zeke Draker, leave.
They wanted Zeke, who had saved them from Abel’s tyranny, to remain in Rom.
The unexpected reaction from the citizens was intense, forcing Zeke to decide to stay in Rom for the time being.
However, realizing he couldn’t stay in the palace indefinitely, Zeke moved out with his knights and took up residence in a luxury hotel that had recently reopened in Rom. Seated in a chair in the hotel suite, Zeke rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.
“This wasn’t part of the plan.”
Originally, Zeke intended to hand over the affairs of the Rom Empire to Duke Crevan, withdraw the Black Sword Knights, and take a brief respite. Under the guise of rest, he planned to secretly search for the Temple of the Goddess Theia and the final seal.
However, staying in Rom meant many people sought to meet him, making it difficult to freely search for the temple and seal.
Moreover, he was wary of the watchful eyes of Baron, a close aide to Arthur Draker, and the Black Stage.
After some contemplation, Zeke stood up.
“There’s no choice but to proceed cautiously and find them quickly, then leave Rom at the right moment.”
Realizing that waiting wouldn’t solve anything, Zeke decided to act immediately.
He took out the Absolute Compass and pondered whether to search for the Temple of the Goddess Theia or the seal first.
After some thought, he opened the mission window to find the Temple of the Goddess Theia.
―Achievement Quest (Linked)―
[Find the Temple of the Moon Goddess Theia and obtain the authentication code. (No time limit)]
[Activate the inactive item with the obtained authentication code. (No time limit)]
[Quest Mission Reward: Title - Theia’s Blessing]
[Linked Quest Mission Reward: ???]
There were two inactive items related to the Goddess Theia.
One was armor imbued with the power of the Goddess Theia, and the other was the legendary item, Siemens Apollyon’s Sword, which he had recently acquired.
Both required visiting the Temple of the Goddess Theia to obtain the authentication code for activation.
Zeke took out Siemens Apollyon’s Sword from his inventory.
“This sword keeps bothering me.”
He gazed at the sword, identical to the one found in the secret chamber of the Draker family.
Deciding to uncover the secrets of the sword first, he picked up the compass.
“Show me the location of the Temple of the Goddess Theia.”
As soon as Zeke set his destination, the needle of the Absolute Compass spun rapidly before coming to a sudden stop, pointing in one direction.
‘To the south of Rom.’
After confirming the direction, Zeke stepped out onto the terrace, opened the hotel window, and took flight.
His figure vanished into the darkness without a trace.
Knock, knock!
Baron Draker knocked on the office door.
A voice invited him in.
As Baron entered, he saw Arthur adjusting his attire.
“Come in. Have a seat.”
At Arthur’s gesture, a beautiful woman who had been adjusting her dress bowed and left the office.
Baron recognized her as a popular singer.
Arthur poured whiskey into a glass and handed it to Baron.
“You returned sooner than expected. I thought it would take longer.”
Arthur took a sip of his own whiskey, wetting his throat.
Baron placed the whiskey glass on the table and looked at Arthur.
“Have you heard that Zeke Draker lost to Duke Crevan in the Colosseum?”
Arthur nodded at Baron’s words.
“Yes, I read the report from the Black Stage. Zeke pulled off quite an interesting stunt.”
Arthur chuckled and downed his whiskey in one go.
He looked at Baron and said, “I didn’t give him that mission expecting him to beat Duke Crevan, but I didn’t expect him to use it this way.”
Baron looked at Arthur and spoke.
“The match was orchestrated by Zeke Draker.”
Arthur’s eyebrows twitched at Baron’s words.
“Orchestrated, you say? Are you suggesting that Duke Crevan and Zeke prearranged the outcome?”
“Yes.”
Arthur stroked his beard thoughtfully.
“Hmm, Duke Crevan isn’t the type to do such things. If what you say is true, it’s quite surprising. He’s even more upright than the Sword King.”
Baron maintained a serious expression as he spoke.
“Zeke Draker and the King of the Underworld had already clashed before the Colosseum match.”
“Oh, I wasn’t aware of that. What was the result?”
“It ended in a draw without a decisive outcome.”
“A draw with the King of the Underworld, you say.”
Arthur pondered Baron’s words before speaking again.
“What do you think? Is it safe to leave Zeke as he is?”
Baron, usually composed and reserved, remained silent for a while before responding to Arthur’s question.
“Zeke Draker’s goal is to confront Siemens and the Abyss. I don’t believe he poses a threat to the family at this time.”
Arthur found Baron’s response intriguing.
“Baron, I didn’t expect you to say that. I thought you’d suggest taking action before Zeke grows any further.”
“The rise of Zeke Draker is certainly impressive, but when you look at the bigger picture, it’s nothing compared to the power of the family. We can manage it without much trouble.”
The Draker family was known for having more hidden power than what was visible to the world.
Baron was well aware that at the heart of this power stood Arthur Draker, the head of the family.
That’s why, no matter how rapidly Zeke was growing, Baron didn’t see him as a threat to the family’s affairs.
Arthur nodded at Baron’s assessment.
“If that’s how you see it, then it must be so. Leave Zeke be for now. After all, his growth benefits me as well.”
With the discussion about Zeke concluded, Arthur tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his chair.
After a moment of contemplation, he turned to Baron.
“The real issue isn’t Zeke. It’s Ramon Zimens. Have we still not located him?”
Baron spoke slowly in response to Arthur’s question.
“We’ve identified most of Zimens’ forces, but the whereabouts of Ramon Zimens himself remain unclear.”
A powerful wave of energy suddenly radiated from Arthur, who had been smiling just moments before. His expression hardened.
In a low voice, Arthur said, “If Ramon Zimens undergoes the second baptism, he’ll fully harness the power of Azitahaka. With the complete authority of devouring, he’ll become quite a nuisance.”
Arthur rose from his seat and walked toward Baron.
As Arthur approached, Baron, the Black General, felt his heart tighten and his breath catch under the overwhelming aura emanating from Arthur.
Arthur Draker, the Conqueror, was considered the pinnacle of strength on the continent.
Even Baron found it difficult to withstand the force of Arthur’s anger head-on.
Baron’s face turned pale, and he trembled uncontrollably.
Arthur placed a firm hand on Baron’s shoulder.
“The eclipse is approaching. If we don’t find him before then, the war with Ramon could drag on tediously. You know how much I despise that, don’t you, Baron?”
Baron managed a nod, and the oppressive energy around him vanished.
Freed from the pressure, Baron exhaled deeply, a thin line of blood trickling from his lips.
Arthur clicked his tongue at the sight.
“Looks like you’re not in the best shape these days.”
With a teasing pat on Baron’s back, Arthur returned to his seat and gestured for Baron to proceed.
“Find his location as soon as possible. I’m dying to see that pesky Ramon’s twisted face.”
Baron composed himself, stood up, and bowed as usual.
“I will carry out your orders, my lord.”
Once Baron left the office, Arthur was left alone, lost in thought with his chin resting on his hand.
“Ramon Zimens…”
Arthur murmured softly as he rose and approached the window.
Gazing at the view of Atlas beyond the Four Seasons Castle, he muttered to himself.
“No matter how much you struggle, you’ll never escape my grasp.”
In that moment, Arthur Draker’s shadow flickered briefly before returning to normal.
Reflected in the window, the Conqueror’s eyes glinted with a cold madness.