Episode 490
When Zeke reached out to arrange a meeting, Baron Draker personally visited Terra.
Upon entering Terra, Baron Draker was taken aback by its scale and facilities. Everywhere he looked, the latest magical arrays were installed, and the craftsmanship of the dwarves was evident in every building.
“The reputation that shakes the continent, innate talent, and immense wealth.”
Baron’s eyes deepened with thought.
“Zeke Draker has become someone who can’t be judged merely as a knight.”
As Baron toured Terra’s headquarters, he was guided to Zeke’s office. When the door opened, Zeke greeted him warmly.
“Welcome, Baron.”
It was their first face-to-face meeting since the death of Arthur Draker.
“I’m relieved to see you’re well, Sir Zeke.”
Given the public narrative that Zeke had been attacked by the Siemens family, Baron offered the customary greeting. Zeke nodded and led Baron to the table in the center of the office. Once seated, Zeke personally prepared tea and handed a cup to Baron.
“Please, have some.”
Baron, not particularly knowledgeable about tea, took a sip with an indifferent expression.
“I hear you’ve captured Howard Draker.”
Baron got straight to the point, and Zeke set his cup down, nodding.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Howard had been one of those who moved under Arthur Draker’s orders alongside Baron. Zeke watched closely to see how Baron would react to this.
To Zeke’s surprise, Baron bowed his head.
“As the leader of the Black Stage, I must thank you, Sir Zeke.”
Zeke narrowed his eyes, not expecting gratitude. He had anticipated a proposal for a deal regarding Howard’s fate or perhaps an attempt to feign ignorance.
Baron continued, looking at Zeke.
“I’ve been tracking Howard Draker for quite some time. I sensed the distorted ambition he harbored.”
“Distorted ambition? You mean he coveted the power of the Draker family?”
Baron shook his head at Zeke’s question.
“It was more than that. He knew he couldn’t fully control the Draker family, so he deliberately sought to weaken its power to make it easier for him to maneuver.”
Indeed, Howard had sought external forces to seize power, even reaching out to the mafia organization Nostra Family and, though it was part of Zeke’s plan, extending his influence to Ishtar. If given the chance, he would have allied with Siemens as well.
Baron continued.
“The late head of the family was aware of Howard’s ambitions. That’s why he kept him close, to keep an eye on him. Otherwise, Howard would have been a persistent thorn in the Draker family’s side.”
Arthur Draker had followed the adage of keeping one’s enemies closer. Zeke pondered how much of Baron’s words he could trust.
“If it were Arthur Draker, he might have indeed done that. He could have kept Howard close to manipulate him into doing the dirty work.”
Arthur Draker was a man whose true intentions were hard to discern, so Zeke couldn’t take Baron’s words at face value.
Zeke asked Baron, “Did the head of the family assign you to monitor Howard?”
“Yes. The more dangerous the individual, the more cautiously one must approach. We placed the right-hand lieutenant by his side, using necessary information as bait to keep him under surveillance.”
The right-hand lieutenant, Souma, was someone Zeke was familiar with.
“So Souma was acting as a double agent.”
As the head of the Black Stage’s intelligence division, playing the role of a double agent was well within his capabilities. The question was how much of Baron’s story was true.
For now, Zeke decided to hear Baron out.
“The head of the family anticipated that once he passed, the cunning Howard would try to seize the family in the succession struggle.”
“He foresaw all this? Then why didn’t he appoint a successor? If he had, this chaos could have been avoided.”
Baron shook his head at Zeke’s words.
“The head of the family had a different perspective. The reason is… because of you, Sir Zeke.”
Zeke was taken aback by Baron’s statement.
“What do you mean by that?”
Baron took a sip of tea before continuing.
“The truth is, the head of the family wanted to name you, Sir Zeke, as the successor. But… he was conflicted about it until the very end.”
“You mean he was unsure if I had the qualities of a successor?”
Baron shook his head again.
“No, quite the opposite.”
Baron set his teacup down and spoke.
“The head of the family believed your talents were too exceptional to be confined to the Draker family.”
Zeke was stunned by Baron’s words.
“Arthur Draker?”
The Arthur Draker Zeke knew was not someone who would highly value or consider the potential of others.
Baron, seeing Zeke’s surprise, continued.
“Sir Zeke, do you know one of the oldest principles of the Draker family?”
Zeke nodded slowly.
“The Draker exists only as a family. Is that what you mean?”
It was one of the principles passed down through the Draker family, which had a longer tradition than even the oldest kingdoms of the central continent. Despite having the potential to become a kingdom, the Draker family maintained its form to uphold this principle.
Baron, hearing Zeke’s response, spoke again.
“The head of the family believed you could break the first principle of the Draker family and establish a new order on the central continent.”
Not as a family, but as a new kingdom or empire, Zeke was the one who could transform the Draker family.
Zeke was astonished by Baron’s words. Arthur Draker, known as the head of the Draker family and the continent’s strongest, was also someone who wouldn’t hesitate to commit unsavory acts. He was a man who would do anything to achieve his goals, so Zeke couldn’t help but be suspicious of Arthur’s death.
The idea that Arthur Draker had such high regard for Zeke was hard to believe. Even if it was a trap, the mere mention of such thoughts indicated some level of consideration.
As Zeke’s thoughts deepened, Baron spoke again.
“The head of the family instructed us to assist you, Sir Zeke, in opening a new chapter for the Draker family.”
“Are you saying you’re transferring the Draker’s power to me?”
Baron shook his head at Zeke’s question.
“The position of head will go to Lady Kali. However… the head of the family intended to pass on the Black Stage and the legacy of the Conqueror, Arthur Draker, to you.”
Baron took out a key from his pocket and handed it to Zeke.
“This is the key to accessing the head’s legacy. I was only told to deliver this key; I don’t know where the legacy is located.”
Zeke examined the key Baron handed him. It was an old, ordinary-looking key.
“Is something hidden within it?”
Zeke decided to investigate it thoroughly later and tucked the key away for now.
“Thank you, Baron. It seems I’ve ended up following the head’s wishes. I’ve also decided to yield the position of head to Lady Kali.”
Baron nodded at Zeke’s words.
“The head of the family also predicted you would make that choice.”
He continued, looking at Zeke.
“And there’s one more thing.”
Baron spoke in a more serious tone, and Zeke looked at him with a somber gaze.
Baron slowly began to speak.
“The head of the family said Ramon Siemens must be stopped. If his treacherous actions aren’t halted, the entire central continent will be reduced to ashes.”
Zeke recalled the Third Continental War from his past life. The image of cities destroyed, filled with blood and screams, flashed chaotically in his mind.
If Ramon Siemens received the second baptism and gained the power of the Flesh Emperor, Azitahaka, he would undoubtedly wage a full-scale war with that terrifying power.
“And if he gains the power of the Demon King… the material world will become a living hell.”
Zeke didn’t know how much Arthur Draker was aware of, but he agreed that Ramon Siemens was a threat, nodding with a grave expression.
“I think so too. But we haven’t found any trace of Ramon Siemens yet.”
Baron then took out a file from his pocket and handed it to Zeke.
“This contains the location information where Ramon Siemens is preparing his treacherous actions.”
Astonishingly, the Black Stage had already pinpointed Ramon Siemens’ location.
As Zeke processed this surprising information, Baron bowed his head to him.
“The Black Stage now follows Sir Zeke Draker. Even if Lady Kali becomes the head, our true master will be you, Sir Zeke. So, if you need anything, please let us know.”
Baron had chosen Zeke as someone above the head of the family, following Arthur Draker’s will.
“The Black Stage, huh.”
It felt similar to when he received the black card in the head’s name from Arthur Draker. It was undoubtedly useful, but it seemed like something that shouldn’t be used recklessly.
“A double-edged sword is dangerous, but it depends on how you wield it.”
Zeke looked at Baron and spoke.
“Very well. From now on, the Black Stage is mine. Baron Draker, will you swear loyalty to me?”
Baron raised his head and looked at Zeke, speaking.
“I swear, my lord.”
Zeke nodded at Baron’s pledge of loyalty. He then gave a direct order.
“Assign Souma, the right-hand lieutenant, as the intermediary. If there’s anything I need, I’ll contact you through him.”
“Understood, my lord.”
Keep your enemies closer.
Zeke had decided to follow this adage as well.
After leaving Zeke with much to ponder, Baron bid him farewell and exited the office.
Left alone, Zeke opened the file Baron had left behind and skimmed through its contents.
He confirmed the location where Ramon Jimenez was hiding.
“Baranaon.”
It was the site of the former capital of the Chronos Empire.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of pounding echoed from within a cage made of a mix of black iron and fairy stone.
The knights guarding the cage swallowed nervously at the noise.
In front of them stood a dozen dark sorcerers, and across from them were members of a special magic corps armed with magic guns, alongside black-armored dark knights.
At the negotiation table sat Ramon Jimenez and Harvey West, the priest of the Abyss.
Ramon, looking more gaunt than before, glanced at the priest, who was possessed by an apostle, and spoke.
“I thought you’d show up in person today, but I see you’re still just a parasite.”
Despite Ramon’s provocative words, the priest remained calm and replied in a composed voice.
[Given the circumstances, I ask for your understanding.]
Ramon clicked his tongue and gestured to the knights behind him.
Soon, the knights brought a box to the table.
Thud!
Ramon stood up and slowly opened the box on the table.
Inside was a living, pulsating heart, its black veins visible.
The priest examined the heart closely and nodded.
[The heart of the Mad Dragon Zeus. It’s genuine.]
Zeus, the Dragon Lord, had been the contract beast of Jimenez Apollyon during the Hero King era, when the demon wars erupted.
After having his heart stolen by his contractor, Jimenez Apollyon, Zeus went mad.
With the heart of the Mad Dragon implanted, Jimenez Apollyon gained the power of an immortal and prepared to embrace the Demon King.
Though Jimenez Apollyon vanished in the ensuing war, his heart was preserved by the Abyss and passed down through the ages.
Eventually, the heart was implanted in Abel, who was reborn as a dragon-human hybrid.
Due to the complex alliance between the Abyss and Jimenez, Ramon Jimenez had removed Zeus’s heart from Abel’s body as a precaution.
The priest nodded after confirming the heart.
Then, the dark sorcerers standing behind began chanting towards the black cage.
Rumble—
The tightly sealed walls of the cage slowly began to open.
Growl—
Inside, Abel, partially transformed into a dragon-human, was revealed.
Even with the heart of a red knight, he struggled to withstand the overpowering dragon energy consuming his body.
Ramon looked at Abel’s form with cold eyes and nodded.
“Good. It’s confirmed. We’ll reinsert the heart on the day of the second baptism.”
[We accept those terms.]
Jimenez and the Abyss agreed to reestablish their alliance for the second baptism.
The members of the Abyss returned Abel to the cage and vanished through a black portal.
As Ramon watched the empty space left by the Abyss, his gaze turned icy.
“The moment the second baptism ends, you too will kneel at my feet.”
He eagerly awaited the rise of the blood moon.