Episode 529
The command of Kali Draker, the true head of the Draker family.
Baron lifted his head to speak to Kali.
“I’ve come here with the utmost loyalty, my lord.”
“I’m not sure what kind of loyalty you’re referring to. What I do know is that you threatened and coerced the elders to delay my approval as head, and in that time, you annihilated Valdeck, one of Draker’s largest bloodlines. Half-hearted excuses of loyalty won’t cut it, so you’d better explain yourself properly.”
Baron paused at Kali’s sharp words before speaking slowly.
“I rushed here upon hearing that Mycenae was under attack by demons.”
Kali scoffed at Baron’s response.
“Since when did the Black Stage take on siege support missions? Have you forgotten the role of the intelligence unit, Baron Draker?”
Baron replied again.
“It was the last will of the former head.”
At his words, not only Kali and Helen but all the knights present flinched.
Baron continued.
“The former head’s will was to protect Sir Zeke Draker, and that’s what I intended to do.”
There had been no official revelation of Arthur Draker’s will, the former head. There was only speculation that his confidant, Baron, might know something about it. Yet, Baron had remained silent about the will for months after Arthur’s death. Now, out of nowhere, he mentioned Arthur Draker’s will, claiming it was to protect Zeke Draker. This could imply that Arthur had chosen Zeke, not Kali, as his rightful successor. If this became known, it would undoubtedly cause a stir within the family.
Kali was momentarily at a loss for words at Baron’s statement.
And then, a voice interrupted.
“Quite the interesting conversation you’re having.”
Duke appeared beside them, casually holding a bottle of liquor.
Kali acknowledged Duke with a bow.
“Greetings, Sir Duke.”
Duke returned the gesture.
“Greetings to you, my lord. Please forgive my rough manners; I’m not one for formalities.”
Kali nodded, indicating it was fine.
Duke turned to Baron and spoke.
“Arthur’s will, you say. I’m curious too. Care to elaborate?”
Baron closed his mouth, then spoke in a flat, emotionless tone.
“I’m sorry. I must maintain confidentiality and cannot say more.”
Duke clicked his tongue, watching Baron clench his lips shut.
‘He’s always been inflexible like that. No wonder Arthur kept him around for decades.’
Knowing further questioning would be futile, Duke turned to Kali.
“So, what brings you here, my lord?”
Kali began to explain.
“I came to assess the situation in Mycenae personally… and there are matters to discuss with Zeke.”
She glanced at Baron before continuing with Duke.
“The continent is becoming increasingly chaotic. Monster waves are occurring everywhere, and demons summoned by dark wizards are attacking kingdoms, leaving citizens in fear.”
She paused briefly before speaking again.
“I intend to hold a Continental Assembly in Mycenae.”
Duke’s expression hardened at Kali’s words.
“Are you saying you wish to host the Continental Assembly, my lord?”
The Continental Assembly was a meeting of all major kingdoms and families on the continent. It hadn’t been convened since the Murk Empire’s invasion of the central continent 25 years ago.
At that moment, a familiar voice chimed in.
“A Continental Assembly. I agree with that idea, my lord.”
Kali and Helen visibly relaxed at the sound of the voice.
“Zeke!”
Zeke had returned to Mycenae.
Back in Mycenae, Zeke sat in a meeting room with Kali and Duke.
He began by explaining the current situation to them.
“The reason the Abyss seeks to summon the Demon King is to bring the demon realm into the physical world.”
Kali and Duke’s expressions grew grim at Zeke’s words.
If the demon realm were summoned into the physical world, it would indeed become a living hell.
Zeke transmitted data to the magical projector, displaying the demon realm’s landscape.
The screen split into four, showing Abyss, Abaddon, Gehenna, and Pandemonium.
Duke sighed as he looked at the screen.
“Where did you get this?”
Zeke replied calmly.
“I found it at the Abyss’s base.”
Kali frowned as she spoke.
“This is proof they’re in direct contact with the demon realm.”
Seeing the demon realm’s actual appearance, which they had only heard about in stories and legends, made Zeke’s words more tangible to Kali and Duke.
“If we don’t stop the Abyss, humans will become slaves to demons, and our cities will turn into breeding grounds for fallen celestials.”
Duke clenched his teeth as he listened to Zeke.
“Those damned dark wizards…”
“The fact that high-ranking demons invaded Mycenae shows that the demon realm’s influence is growing stronger.”
Kali spoke with a stern face.
“Monsters are running rampant across the continent. Creatures that usually can’t form colonies are acting like organized armies.”
Zeke nodded at Kali’s words.
“Mutant creatures are starting to appear among the monsters. This indicates the demon realm’s influence is growing, and the Demon King’s summoning is near.”
Typically, monsters exist as independent entities unless under special circumstances. They have a strong sense of territory, attacking even their kind indiscriminately. The fact that they’re forming organizations suggests the emergence of a mutant capable of leading them. If these powerful monsters attack cities in organized groups, the damage will be far greater than before.
Zeke looked at Kali and Duke.
“Before their power grows any stronger, I plan to strike at the Abyss’s base.”
Zeke changed the screen on the magical projector to display a map of the continent. He pointed to one of the locations.
“Jupiter, one of the major cities of the Rom Empire, is where Castro Pollock’s imperial legions are gathering. And…”
Zeke pointed to a spot between Jupiter and Heli.
“Between Heli and Jupiter, once the territory of Siemens, lies a hidden underground labyrinth. The Abyss’s forces are gathered there.”
This information was obtained from Elizabeta, the first princess. Skilled in magic, Elizabeta had traced the summoning circle used by the Abyss to pinpoint where the ritual was conducted. This allowed Zeke to discover that the Abyss’s base was located in Siemens’s underground labyrinth.
Zeke addressed Kali and Duke.
“Once the Continental Assembly is held and a central continental alliance is formed, advance on Jupiter. I’ll infiltrate the underground labyrinth and wipe out the Abyss.”
Duke nodded at Zeke’s plan.
“Eliminate the Abyss, and there’ll be no one left to summon demons or the Demon King, bringing an end to this chaos.”
“Yes, they’re like cockroaches. We need to wipe them out in one go. To do that, we need to draw their attention.”
Kali understood Zeke’s implication and responded.
“That’s why you need the continental alliance. To draw their attention and launch a diversionary attack on their base.”
“Exactly, my lord. After you host the assembly, you must ensure the formation of the alliance.”
Kali nodded slowly at Zeke’s words.
“Understood. I’ll gather the continent’s key figures to discuss the matter. I’ll conclude the talks as quickly as possible and relay the results.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
After the meeting with Kali and Duke, Zeke returned to his room.
He contacted the Hermit of the Story through a mirror.
―“Hmm, if things go as you say, this chaos could indeed be ended.”
“I’m planning to finish off the Abyss for good this time. Have you found the intruder in the Beast Region you mentioned last time?”
―“I’ve been keeping an eye out, but there’s no trace. Whoever it is, they’re incredibly elusive.”
Zeke pondered for a moment before speaking to the Hermit.
“Could the intruder possibly be Arthur Draker?”
The Hermit was taken aback, eyes widening in surprise.
―“Arthur Draker? You mean your father? I thought he was dead.”
“I interrogated the head of the Nostra family, and he mentioned Arthur Draker might still be alive.”
―“What? The Conqueror alive and infiltrating the Beast Region?”
The Hermit considered this for a moment before sighing and continuing.
―“If Arthur Draker is indeed alive, it’s certainly possible. But if your suspicion is correct and he’s the intruder, then the Conqueror is far stronger than the world knows. Perhaps… even stronger than Nigel.”
Zeke knew well how powerful Nigel, who had reached the level of a transcendent, was. If Arthur Draker was stronger than Nigel, his power would be beyond Zeke’s imagination.
There was one more thing that worried Zeke.
‘What if Arthur Draker managed to seize and absorb the Black Star that was there?’
Zeke himself had absorbed the Black Star, a fragment of an Elder Dragon’s heart, thanks to his Immortal class and the blessing of the ancient dragon.
Arthur Draker wasn’t in the same situation, but he was a member of the Draker lineage, which carried the power of immortality.
If, by any chance, he succeeded in absorbing the Black Star, he could become something beyond a transcendent being.
‘He might even attain divinity, like I did.’
As Zeke pondered these thoughts, the Hermit of Stories spoke up.
—“I’ll look into that matter further.”
“Understood. Oh, and…”
Zeke transmitted the karma data through the mirror.
“This is the image of the person who killed Abel Draker and stole his heart. It’s not fully restored, so it’s just a silhouette, but I thought it might be useful. Please let me know if you discover anything.”
The Hermit of Stories, on the other side of the mirror, examined the image Zeke sent and nodded.
—“The data is quite damaged. I’ll see if I can restore it further.”
“Thank you, Hermit.”
With that, Zeke ended his communication with the Hermit and sat back to organize his thoughts.
A lot had happened at once, leaving Zeke’s mind in a state of chaos.
Among all these issues, the one that concerned him the most was the Seal of the Arrogant Savior.
‘The Priest of the Abyss has the Seal of the Arrogant Savior.’
Arataso, who had once been a servant of the Arrogant Savior, had said so, and there was no reason to doubt it.
Thinking of the priest, Zeke fell into contemplation.
To complete the final scenario, he needed to absorb the Seal of the Arrogant Savior held by the priest.
Absorbing the seal would allow Zeke to attain full divinity and qualify as the sixth lord of the Demon Realm, enabling him to prevent the demons of the Demon Realm from interfering in the material world alongside the demon lords.
If that happened, the descent of the Demon King into the material world would be impossible, and chaos would cease.
‘In the end, I must capture the Priest of the Abyss.’
Once Kali formed the Continental Alliance through the Continental Assembly, Zeke planned to enter the Labyrinth of Siemens and attack the Abyss’s stronghold.
Then, he intended to capture the Priest of the Abyss and absorb the Seal of the Arrogant Savior to elevate his divinity.
If everything went according to his plan, he could finally put an end to the chaos that had persisted since his previous life.
After organizing his thoughts over a cup of tea, Zeke stood up.
“Alright, now that I’ve sorted out my thoughts, it’s time to finish the crafting I put off.”
Zeke took out both the oversized random box and the special random box he had saved.
He was about to try a new crafting method he had devised.
By combining two oversized random boxes, he aimed to create a new grade of random box.
‘The oversized random box yielded legendary items. I wonder what will come out if it’s something beyond that.’
With eyes full of anticipation, Zeke opened the system crafting window.