Episode 613
Baron approached the glass case where the black book lay.
As he reached out towards it, Harvey Draker stepped forward to block his path.
“Hold on.”
With those words, Harvey released his energy, revealing a hidden barrier around the glass case. It was woven like a dense net, spreading out in all directions from the center.
Baron frowned at the sight. “Can you disable it with your seal? We can’t keep him waiting any longer.”
Harvey grimaced at Baron’s impatience but replied, “This isn’t a barrier that can be opened directly with my seal. We need to bypass it and disable the security system. Otherwise, the barrier might send the Book of the Dead elsewhere.”
Baron clenched his jaw at Harvey’s words but nodded, seeing no other option. “I’ll hold them off. Hurry and break the barrier.”
Without responding, Harvey turned to the glass case, raising his hands. A white light flowed from his fingers, seeping into the net and beginning to infiltrate the security barrier.
As Harvey’s energy slowly penetrated the barrier, Baron positioned himself at the archway entrance, removing his gloves and letting dark energy drip to the floor.
With a rumble, the dark energy coalesced into a ghostly form, resembling a black angel without wings, similar to one that had been vanquished by the Spirit King.
Baron addressed the dark figure, “Prevent Zeke Draker and his group from entering.”
The figure quivered as if in response, then split into multiple entities, quickly multiplying to over ten. They took their positions at the archway, guarding it as Baron had commanded.
Satisfied, Baron removed his gloves again, letting more dark energy spill onto the floor, transforming the area into a black swamp of endless darkness.
He watched Harvey, hoping he would dismantle the barrier quickly. But then, a crackling sound erupted from above.
Sensing danger, Baron raised his hand towards the ceiling, and a massive tentacle shot up from the dark swamp, screeching as it struck the ceiling.
With a crash, the ceiling collapsed, debris sinking into the dark swamp. But there was no further movement from above.
“A decoy?” Baron turned to see a shadow approaching Harvey, who was focused on the barrier.
“Zeke Draker! He’s coming!” Baron shouted.
From the shadow, Zeke leaped, sword in hand, lightning crackling around it, aiming for Harvey.
Baron’s tentacles tried to intercept Zeke, but they were too late. Zeke’s sword flew towards Harvey.
Infinite Sword Technique: Holy Spirit Art - Light Break Slash
The light of the Holy Spirit exploded outward, striking Harvey directly.
The spot where Harvey stood was obliterated, leaving a massive crater. But Zeke gritted his teeth, realizing the truth.
“Harvey Draker! You used a cheap trick!”
The Harvey standing by the barrier had been a mere illusion. The real Harvey was hidden somewhere else.
Baron, watching from behind, scowled, feeling deceived as well. “He was never worthy of the blessing. It’s no surprise he’d resort to such unholy tactics.”
Baron summoned the dark figures from outside the archway. They moved through the dark swamp, closing in on Zeke without needing further orders.
Zeke, observing them, addressed Baron, “Baron, with Harvey gone, you can’t take the Book of the Dead. Give it up.”
Baron didn’t respond, instead raising his hands to command the dark figures.
Their faces split open, revealing sharp teeth, and they charged at Zeke, acidic saliva dripping.
Zeke raised the holy sword Ascalon, unleashing a purifying strike at the creatures.
Golden aura swept through them, causing black smoke to rise as they writhed in agony.
As Zeke prepared another strike, something lunged at him from behind.
It was Harvey Draker, now in his dragon form, scales and claws bared, charging at Zeke.
Zeke turned, redirecting his attack towards Harvey.
Their clash sent shockwaves through the room, disturbing the barrier around the glass case.
“Harvey Draker! The security barrier is activating! Stop it now!” Baron shouted.
But Harvey ignored him, focused solely on Zeke. The barrier expanded, enveloping both Zeke and Harvey, as well as the dark creatures and the swamp.
Baron retreated, stepping out of the barrier’s reach.
The room, including more than half of the stone chamber, was filled with a glowing net.
Baron clenched his teeth. “I must retrieve the Book of the Dead for the god.”
As he considered his next move, a voice echoed in his mind.
“Come to me.”
Baron’s eyes lost focus as shadows rose from his own, enveloping him until he vanished like smoke.
Moments after Baron’s disappearance, the ceiling shimmered, revealing Naboo and Nigel, hidden until now.
Riding a magic carpet summoned by Naboo, Nigel urged him, “Zeke was right. He’s been drawn to the Book of the Dead. Track him quickly.”
Naboo grumbled, “You think it’s easy? How would a sword-swinging hag understand the delicate world of incantations… Ow! Stop hitting me! You’re breaking my concentration!”
After a few more hits from Nigel, Naboo managed to trace Baron’s path through incantations.
Baron was heading somewhere completely unexpected.
Nigel clicked his tongue. “The leader hid it well. Let’s go before he awakens the Book of the Dead.”
Harvey Draker opened his eyes.
The surroundings had changed completely. He had breached the security and entered the chamber where the seal was kept.
The place resembled an ancient ruin, with a massive dragon carving on the stone wall ahead. In the dragon’s mouth was a black stone.
Harvey smiled at the sight. “The Black Star.”
It was the last heart fragment of the Elder Dragon, one of the treasures hidden here with the Book of the Dead.
“If I can just absorb this…”
Sensing something, Harvey turned to see someone approaching.
He scowled, recognizing the figure. “Zeke Draker, you just won’t quit, will you?”
Zeke had followed him through the barrier’s breach, sword raised, ready to face Harvey once more.
“I knew all along, Harvey Draker, that what you truly sought wasn’t the Book of the Lion, but the Black Star,” Zeke declared, his voice steady and unyielding.
Harvey Draker furrowed his brow at Zeke’s words. Though Arthur Draker had ordered him to retrieve the Book of the Lion, Harvey’s true interest lay elsewhere.
The Black Star, imbued with the power of the Elder Dragon.
One had already been absorbed by Zeke, and the other by Arthur Draker. For an ordinary human, absorbing the Black Star, the heart of an Elder Dragon, was impossible. But Harvey Draker was no ordinary human. As the first Draker and a replica of a human-like Nephilim, he had already transplanted the heart of a holy dragon into himself.
His plan was to seize the Black Star, break free from Arthur Draker’s influence, and amass his own power once more. Zeke had long since seen through Harvey’s intentions.
That’s why he had tasked the High Table with tracking the Book of the Lion, while he himself followed Harvey Draker into this place.
Harvey turned to Zeke, a calculating look in his eyes. “Alright, Zeke Draker. Given the circumstances, I have a proposal for you.”
He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “You can’t absorb any more of the Black Star’s power. Even with your divine status, there’s a limit to the power a human can contain.”
He stopped, his eyes gleaming with a dragon’s intensity. “Hand it over to me. In return, I’ll help you take down Arthur Draker.”
It was an offer to form an alliance against Arthur Draker.
Zeke scoffed, incredulous. “As if you’d ever help me.”
Given Harvey’s past actions, Zeke knew he would never ally with him willingly. It was more likely that Harvey would betray him at the first opportunity.
Harvey shook his head, dismissing Zeke’s skepticism. “You fail to see the bigger picture. You don’t understand Arthur Draker’s true power. Only I have seen it for what it is.”
Zeke laughed derisively. “And what good does that do? Stop spouting nonsense and come at me already.”
He raised his sword, energy radiating from him, signaling he was done with words.
The ground trembled under the force of Zeke’s power, and Harvey tensed, recognizing the gap between them. Zeke, having absorbed the soul of the arrogant savior, was now far beyond Harvey’s reach.
Harvey had no intention of facing Zeke head-on. ‘I had hoped to sneak in and snatch the Black Star unnoticed.’
But with Zeke having seen through his plan, he had no choice but to resort to another tactic. ‘Perhaps this is for the best,’ he thought, a glint of determination in his eyes.
Raising his left hand, he bent his pinky finger sideways with a sickening crack, tearing it off completely. Clutching the severed finger, he muttered an incantation and tossed it to the ground.
From the fallen finger, a thick, black mist began to swirl and rise.
Zeke recognized it as a distortion of causality. But this time, it was behaving differently.
The black smoke enveloped Harvey, seeping into his body.
A low hum resonated as Harvey’s draconic form reverted to his original human appearance. Yet, the aura emanating from him was entirely different.
‘What is this?’ Zeke was taken aback, realizing the nature of the power now radiating from Harvey Draker.
It was none other than the authority of the arrogant savior.