Episode 476

Zeke flinched at Bacchus’s words and set down his teacup.

He looked at Bacchus and spoke.

“Arthur Draker is dead? The Conqueror, the strongest on the continent?”

Bacchus nodded.

“I couldn’t believe it at first either… but it seems to be true.”

Zeke’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.

Arthur Draker’s death.

It had happened in his past life too, but it still struck him anew.

Zeke asked Bacchus.

“What was the cause of death?”

“A natural death due to illness. I heard he had been suffering for quite some time.”

Even a Black Knight wasn’t immune to illness.

They could die from aging or disease just like anyone else.

However, Arthur Draker was relatively young among the Black Knights and was known for his active lifestyle, so no one suspected he was ill.

Zeke pondered over Bacchus’s words.

‘In my past life, Arthur Draker also died from illness. And then Abel took over as head of the family, sparking the continental war.’

After Arthur Draker’s death, the central continent was thrown into chaos.

As Zeke recalled those times, a new hypothesis formed in his mind.

‘What if Arthur Draker used his death to plunge the central continent into turmoil?’

Just like in his past life, the current situation was bound to cause massive upheaval with Draker’s head gone.

There would be significant unrest within the Draker family, and the political landscape of Midland and the entire central continent would shift.

Zeke turned to Bacchus again.

“What’s the situation within the Draker family?”

“We haven’t fully grasped the details within the Four Seasons Castle yet. But one thing is clear.”

He paused before continuing.

“Baron Draker of the Black Stage. Something is happening around him.”

Baron Draker was Arthur Draker’s most loyal confidant.

Hearing this, Zeke’s suspicions deepened.

‘Arthur Draker faking his death, with Baron managing the ensuing chaos…’

It seemed like there was a purpose behind it, but the truth would only be revealed by entering the Four Seasons Castle.

“Do you know what Kali and Helen are up to?”

“They’re both staying at Iason’s estate. They haven’t made any significant moves, but it seems some elders are trying to contact them.”

With the head of the family gone, a new leader needed to be appointed.

It was only natural for the elders to reach out to Kali Draker, a candidate for the head position.

‘They’ll probably contact me soon too.’

Zeke decided he would head to the Four Seasons Castle as soon as he wrapped up his affairs here.

Just as his conversation with Bacchus was winding down, Nikki entered the central tent.

She had shed her usual languid demeanor and knelt before Zeke with a disciplined posture.

“My king, I have something to report.”

“Go ahead.”

“We’ve captured some suspicious individuals who infiltrated the headquarters. I thought it best for you to see them.”

“Suspicious individuals, you say. Very well, bring them in.”

Nikki nodded and whistled.

Her subordinates dragged in the captives, bound in chains.

Nikki spoke with a cold expression.

“You’re in the presence of the king. Bow your heads immediately.”

Zeke examined the captives Nikki had brought.

‘Huh? Those guys…’

To his surprise, the captives were members of the Three-Eyed Clan.

All four possessed a faint power of the Blood Eye, but the youngest among them had a power that could barely be called a Blood Eye.

Nikki forced them to kneel and spoke with icy eyes.

“These fools appeared at our headquarters, demanding submission and causing a ruckus. Their aura, though weak, was unusual enough that I brought them to you.”

Zeke understood the situation from Nikki’s words.

Successors like Titus from Tantra had emerged on the central continent to reclaim the power of the Blood King.

They planned to re-subjugate the former vassal races—the White-Faced, Beast, and Dream Demon tribes—to expand their influence and reclaim the Blood King’s power.

‘They tried to subjugate the Red Eye vampires and ended up captured instead.’

They had made the mistake of challenging the progenitor clan of royal vampires without fully harnessing the power of the Blood Eye.

Zeke slowly approached the Three-Eyed Clan members.

Like Titus and Yulina, they had red hair and pale skin, but the tattoos on their faces and bodies were different.

It seemed each family had its own distinct patterns.

The child at the front appeared to be around Titus’s age.

He tried to maintain a brave front, but when he sensed the aura of the Blood King emanating from Zeke, he trembled slightly.

Zeke considered them for a moment before speaking to Nikki.

“Go ask the Western Alliance if they have any similar individuals.”

Nikki nodded at Zeke’s command and left the tent.

A short while later, she returned with a group of Three-Eyed Clan members, their faces bruised and clothes tattered.

They had also been captured while trying to subjugate the beastmen of the Western Alliance.

The successors of the Three-Eyed Clan, now kneeling before Zeke, recognized each other and exchanged somber looks.

Zeke looked down at them and unleashed the power of the Blood King.

A third eye appeared on his forehead, radiating a mystical red light.

Unlike the malevolent tyrant Caligula, Zeke’s third eye shone with a mysterious, pure red glow.

The successors of the Three-Eyed Clan trembled at the sight.

Zeke addressed them.

“You dare to keep your heads high before the true king?”

The successors felt as if Zeke’s eye was piercing through their very souls.

Overwhelmed by an irresistible fear and rising awe, they belatedly bowed their heads and pressed their foreheads to the ground.

“W-We greet the true king!”

The dozen or so members of the Three-Eyed Clan showed their submission to Zeke, who had unleashed the power of the Blood King.

Zeke questioned the one who seemed to be the highest-ranking successor.

“How did you cross over from Tantra to this place?”

The successor, struggling to suppress his fear, finally spoke.

“Magicians and sorcerers from Tantra combined their powers to create a portal using a mandala.”

Zeke raised an eyebrow at the successor’s words.

“You mean they created a gate from beyond the Eternal Mountains to here using Tantra’s mandala?”

The successor nodded.

“Y-Yes. The mandala has amplification and sustaining effects, so as long as there’s a supply of magic, it can be used in various ways. However… the more powerful the force, the more complex the mandala needs to be, which takes a lot of time. It also requires sorcerers of the Holy Blood level to activate…”

As the successor explained everything he knew, Zeke recalled the mandala Yulina had drawn on the ground.

It was far more intricate and complex than the magic circles of the central continent, capable of creating a barrier strong enough to contain a mid-level demon like Morgant.

‘If used properly, it could be incredibly useful.’

Though it took time to create, it could be invaluable for establishing defensive lines and fortifications.

After some thought, Zeke decided to take the Three-Eyed Clan to Mycenae, where Hades was.

With Hades, who had inherited the Book of Hyperion, they might be able to further develop the mandala’s applications.

Zeke instructed Nikki.

“Treat their wounds and find them a place to stay.”

“Understood, my king.”

He planned to leave the Three-Eyed Clan at the central tent for now and head to Nigel’s treehouse.

He needed to check on Nigel’s condition before returning to the Four Seasons Castle to assess the situation.

Using the system portal, Zeke swiftly transported himself to Nigel’s treehouse.

Inside, he was surprised to find the purple-haired triplets playing a game with Yulina in the front yard.

‘It seems Master has healed the children.’

Watching them with a warm heart, Zeke noticed the children freeze in fear upon seeing him.

They were so startled that they dropped the marbles they were holding.

Seeing their fear, Zeke thought of a way to reassure them.

“Raven.”

At Zeke’s call, Raven, with its magnificent feathers, appeared on his shoulder, letting out a phoenix cry.

Urrrrr—

The mystical aura of Raven’s phoenix cry calmed the triplets.

The children gazed at the beautiful phoenix in awe.

Feeling their admiring gazes, Raven fluffed its wings proudly.

As Raven spread its wings and soared into the sky, the children cheered and followed it around.

“Pretty bird!”

“Let’s play together!”

“Come here!”

Watching the triplets and Yulina play with Raven, Zeke felt a sense of satisfaction.

Just then, the door to the treehouse opened, and a weary-looking Nabu emerged.

“You’re here.”

Zeke approached Nabu with a smile.

“Master, you look exhausted.”

“Ugh, I’ve been up all night with Mana fixing the broken barriers.”

“Thank you for your hard work. How is Master?”

“He woke up earlier and went for a walk.”

“I’m relieved to hear he’s well.”

Zeke nodded and asked Nabu.

“What about Anastasia?”

Nabu gestured towards the storage area, indicating Zeke should see for himself.

Zeke opened the door to the storage room and stepped inside.

But there was nothing there.

“Anastasia.”

As soon as he called her name, two glowing eyes emerged from the darkness.

Then, something swiftly lunged at Zeke.

“Kaaargh—”

Zeke quickly sidestepped and grabbed the scruff of whatever had pounced on him.

To his surprise, it was a fierce-looking cat that he held in his grasp.

The cat squirmed and struggled in Zeke’s grip.

He looked at the cat and said, “Seems like you’re enjoying your new body, huh?”

The cat hissed back at him with a defiant expression, but to Zeke, it was nothing more than a playful display.

This seemingly ordinary cat was, in fact, Anastasia, the demon princess of the underworld.

Through a deal with Anastasia, Zeke had gained control over her soul.

To keep the unpredictable Anastasia in check, he used the power of the Blood King, a master of souls.

He had captured her soul with Solomon’s Chains and, borrowing the power of the Blood King, transformed her into a cat.

Recalling the tale of a princess cursed into a cat, Zeke had turned the demon princess Anastasia into one.

With a snap of his fingers, a buzzing sound filled the air, and Anastasia’s voice rang out.

[Curse you, human! I’ll kill you! Get me out of this wretched form right now!]

She had been silenced for being too noisy, and the moment he released her, she started shouting again.

Zeke looked down at her with cold eyes and said, “Would you prefer to be sealed in a ring or simply cease to exist?”

At his words, Anastasia flinched and then went limp, trembling as she vowed to find a way to escape.

Zeke carried the cat-turned-Anastasia out of the storage room and tossed her onto the ground.

Despite being thrown carelessly, Anastasia landed gracefully, her feline agility on full display.

Zeke looked at her and said, “You know why I’ve kept you alive, don’t you?”

The cat, now Anastasia, raised her tail and replied, [You plan to use me as bait to lure my sisters and father. Cunning human.]

Anastasia was the adopted daughter of the demon duke, a key figure among the six demons ruling the underworld. The demon duke was collaborating with the Abyss to resurrect the Demon King.

Zeke realized that to free the mortal realm from the Demon King’s threat, he needed to deal with the demon duke and his followers.

Thus, he intended to use Anastasia, the duke’s most cherished daughter, as bait to set a trap for them.

“The demon duke cherishes you, so he’ll come to rescue you soon, won’t he, Anastasia?”

Anastasia looked at Zeke and said, [Zeke Draker, there’s something you don’t know.]

“And what might that be?”

Anastasia, in her cat form, glared at Zeke with a sharp expression and said, [The underworld is in the midst of a fierce war right now.]