Episode 531
Zeke reviewed the list of mobile bases displayed by the system.
―Mobile Base List―
Ark
Triangle
“The Ark and the Triangle,” Zeke murmured, his eyes widening in surprise at the list.
The Ark, hidden in Death Valley, and the Triangle, Captain Kidd’s ship. As Zeke had anticipated, while the production of new mobile bases was impossible, ancient relics could be integrated with the Offense Mode to function as mobile bases.
“I’ve sailed the Triangle with the system before. But… does the Ark need to be set afloat on the sea as well?” Zeke wondered aloud.
He asked the system, “System, can you tell me about the Ark’s capabilities listed here?”
The system responded with a message.
[You can access the functions available to the administrator.]
“Really? Then show me the Ark’s available functions on the screen.”
The system promptly displayed the Ark’s functions that could be used in conjunction with Offense Mode. Zeke couldn’t help but be amazed as he reviewed them.
“It’s almost identical to the airship used in Demon Chess!”
Demon Chess was based on the celestial beings’ playful battles, allowing the retrieval of data from lost civilizations. This meant that the items and structures producible in Demon Chess had once existed in the real world.
Zeke recalled that the Ark was a relic left by a vanished ancient civilization.
“So, the airship from Demon Chess is the same as the Ark in Death Valley.”
He realized anew that traces of lost ancient civilizations still lingered in the world, shrouded in mystery. The Ark was one such relic, embodying ancient mysteries.
As Zeke examined the Ark’s functions more closely, he discovered it had even more capabilities than the airship from Demon Chess.
“The Ark can teleport on its own? With enough karma, I could transport troops directly into enemy territory.”
Using the Ark would give him a strategic advantage in battles against the Abyss and sieges with Jupiter.
“I’ll need to make time to retrieve the Ark from Death Valley,” Zeke decided.
He exited Offense Mode and turned his attention to organizing Defense Mode. The recent invasion by the demon princesses highlighted the need for more robust defenses against demon attacks.
“System, show me the list of areas that can be linked with Defense Mode.”
[Retrieving the list of ‘Stronghold Areas’ compatible with Defense Mode.]
The system displayed the list of defense stronghold areas.
―Stronghold Area List―
Fortress of Atrahasis
Tomb of the Dragon Slayer
Sanctuary of the Hero King
Sanctuary of the Sky Tribe
Tower of the Giant’s Guardian (Access Granted)
Ark
Tower of Infinity (Access Granted)
Zeke noticed the expanded list of stronghold areas and examined it closely.
“Number 7, Tower of Infinity.”
The Tower of Infinity, the third defense base he accessed at the Nirvana Central Branch of Aten, had been added to the list. Although he hadn’t had administrative access at the time, it seemed he had gained it through the blessing of the Grand Mage title.
“I’ve gained administrative access to both the Tower of the Giant’s Guardian and the Tower of Infinity. If demons invade, I can establish a remote defense line.”
Zeke’s gaze shifted to the first item on the list.
“Wait, the Fortress of Atrahasis?”
Previously, it had been listed as ’???‘s Fortress.’ Now, the name had changed to Atrahasis.
He recalled hearing the name Atrahasis before. It had appeared when the true name of Agamemnon’s Mask was revealed.
“Atrahasis is… the true name of the Great Sage.”
And the fortress referred to was none other than Agamemnon’s Castle in Mycenae.
“Agamemnon’s Castle is the Great Sage’s fortress?”
Zeke had always thought Agamemnon’s Castle was built by dragons.
“It wasn’t dragons, but the Great Sage who built the fortress.”
He now understood why the sacred artifact, the mask, was there, and why the divine beast Nahuel resided in the lake.
With the update to the administrator mode, Zeke explored the newly unlocked functions of the fortress. It was possible to summon various defensive weapons, starting with a grand defense magic circle.
“If the update had come a bit sooner, I could have perfectly defended against the invading fortress’s attack.”
Muttering in regret, Zeke set the defense functions to automatic. Now, even in his absence, Agamemnon’s Castle could defend itself, buying time against monster waves.
Having organized Defense Mode, Zeke closed the system window and took a moment to clear his mind, checking other items.
At some point, he found himself holding two keys.
“The Key to Chronos’s Treasury, and Arthur Draker’s Legacy…”
He hadn’t yet used the Key to Chronos’s Treasury in actual combat. The treasury key allowed the temporary use of items stored in the Chronos Kingdom’s treasury by consuming karma points.
However, for Zeke, who possessed legendary items, there was little need to summon items with the treasury key. It was more cost-effective to purchase other necessary items from the shop with karma points.
Despite being a hard-earned quest mission reward, the key held little utility for Zeke, who had the Elder Dragon’s system.
Then, an idea struck Zeke.
“What if I put this in the Holy Grail?”
He had confirmed that even legendary items could be placed in the Holy Grail. Without further thought, Zeke took out the Holy Grail and placed the treasury key inside.
As he closed the lid, the Holy Grail’s power began to activate.
Wooooong!
Zeke watched the glowing Holy Grail, curious about how the treasury key would transform.
Eventually, the Holy Grail opened again, and the treasury key floated out.
Zeke checked the key’s information.
―Key to Chronos’s Treasury (Enhanced)―
Description: A key that can unlock the Chronos Kingdom’s treasury. Enhanced by the Holy Grail’s power, it now includes the ability to summon spirits.
Unique Abilities: Treasury Access, Spirit Summoning
Special Notes: The user can summon items stored in the Chronos Kingdom’s treasury and spirits related to the Chronos Kingdom for a limited time. Using an item related to the spirit as a medium can increase the stability of the summoning. Karma points are consumed for causality.
Zeke was astonished by the enhanced treasury key.
“Summoning spirits related to the Chronos Kingdom?”
In addition to item summoning, the key now had the power to summon spirits. Holding the key, Zeke thought of a figure to test the summoning.
[Insufficient connection stability with the spirit for summoning.]
Zeke frowned at the message. Then he remembered the cloak he wore belonged to Jerome, one of the Clock Tower Knights known for his wisdom.
He grasped Jerome’s cloak and attempted the spirit summoning again.
[Connection stability increased through the related medium. Summoning is possible. However, the medium may be destroyed depending on the connection environment.]
Seeing the warning message, Zeke canceled the summoning. He couldn’t risk destroying the precious cloak just for a test.
“If I prepare related items in advance and summon spirits in emergencies, it could be a great help in battle.”
The legendary Clock Tower Knights were all near-transcendent in skill. Although there was a time limit on the summoning, strategic use could turn it into a powerful weapon.
At the same time, Zeke considered another possibility.
“If this is true, could I summon Master Kaishir or the Sword Saint?”
Both had appeared in the world as spirits before, so it wasn’t entirely impossible. However, given their transcendent status, summoning them would likely require an enormous amount of karma.
Especially Kaishir, whose mere presence in the world could disrupt causality, making it practically impossible.
Having seen new possibilities with the enhanced treasury key, Zeke turned his attention to another key, Arthur Draker’s Legacy.
He examined Arthur Draker’s key with a complex expression.
“If Arthur Draker isn’t dead, why leave this key to me as a legacy?”
Across both his past and present lives, Arthur Draker remained the most enigmatic figure to Zeke. He still couldn’t be sure whether to believe that Arthur Draker wasn’t his biological father.
However, considering his mother, Laura Agamemnon’s disdain for Arthur Draker, it wasn’t entirely implausible.
In noble families, it wasn’t uncommon for marriages to be arranged out of necessity, with each partner having separate lovers. Thus, the fact that Arthur might not be Zeke’s biological father wasn’t particularly shocking.
“Moreover, technically, Lubern also carried the blood of Terracan Draker, so even if Arthur Draker isn’t my father, being a Draker by blood isn’t strange.”
Since Agamemnon’s lineage branched from Lubern, awakening the power of immortality wasn’t surprising, even if his father wasn’t a Draker.
Furthermore, Zeke’s case involved the blessing of the ancient dragon combining with his healer talent to awaken the power of immortality.
Thus, Zeke had no way of knowing who his real father was. Even with the wisdom of dragons, he couldn’t retrieve past memories due to a lack of a proper medium.
He held Arthur Draker’s key in his hand, staring at it with a mix of emotions. Almost without thinking, he activated the Sage’s Eye.
To his surprise, the key reacted.
Crackle!
Sparks flew from the key, and the karma data it contained was transmitted to Zeke.
“What is this…?”
When he had received a key from Baron before, no matter how hard he tried to read its contents with the Wisdom of the Dragon, there had been no response.
But now, unlike before, he could access the karma data.
A message appeared before Zeke’s astonished eyes.
―Final Scenario (??? Temple Chapter)―
[Find the Temple of the ??? Constellation.]
[Scenario Reward: Granting of the Constellation’s Power]
Zeke was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the final scenario.
“Arthur Draker’s legacy is connected to the final scenario?”
Along with the scenario instructing him to find the temple of the mysterious ”???”, a map appeared.
Zeke’s expression shifted subtly as he examined the map.
“This is in the Duchy of Troy.”
The Duchy of Troy, the heart of the Draker family.
It was home to the cradle where young Drakers were raised and the family’s main estate, the Lair.
The legacy of Terracan Draker, the founder of the Draker family, had also been discovered there.
Zeke didn’t think it was a coincidence that Arthur Draker’s legacy pointed to the Duchy of Troy.
“It might be connected to some secret of Arthur Draker that I don’t know.”
He saved the location marked on the map.
For now, he intended to finish the first final scenario, the Chapter of the Fallen Constellation, before heading to the Duchy of Troy.
Receiving this new final scenario made Zeke ponder more deeply about Arthur Draker.
As he was lost in thought, someone came to his room.
“My lord. It’s Baron.”
It was quite late at night, yet Baron had come to Zeke’s room in person.
“What could this be about?”
Though he had accepted Baron as a subordinate, it was more to keep an eye on him, so he never let his guard down.
Zeke spoke quietly towards the door.
“Come in.”
With his permission, Baron opened the door and entered with a respectful bow.
“I apologize for disturbing your rest.”
“It’s fine. What is it, Baron?”
Baron approached Zeke and began to speak.
“I have something to report to you, my lord.”
He paused briefly before continuing.
“Recently, there have been unsettling movements detected from Nirvana.”