310
Chapter 310
Zeke immediately armed himself and flew out of the barracks.
As he expected, monsters were attacking the camp.
Zeke pulled out Roland and swung his sword at the charging monsters.
SWOOSH!
Monsters slashed by Roland emitted black smoke and collapsed to the ground.
The Bird tribe and Beastkin had already detected the monsters' surprise attack with their sharp senses and were fighting.
The Bird tribe were swinging heavy iron maces to fight the monsters, while the Beastkin were wielding sharp claws against them.
Zeke held Roland and spread the holy light, casting a wide-area buff.
RUMBLE!
The light of the holy power settled into the bodies of the Bird tribe and Beastkin.
"Oh?"
Receiving the buff from the holy light made it much easier to deal with the monsters.
Just as he was about to charge at the monsters, something caught Zeke's eye.
He discovered a suspicious shadow on the cliff above.
Zeke spoke to Helen, who had armed herself and come out of the barracks.
"Sister, I've discovered an unusual situation. I'll go and check it out, so please take care of the others."
"Understood. Don't worry."
Zeke immediately ran up the cliff.
However, once he climbed to the top, the black shadows were nowhere to be seen.
'Are they the minions of the Abyss controlling the monsters?'
At that moment.
WHOOSH!
A kick attack suddenly flew in from his blind spot.
BANG!
Zeke blocked the kick by raising his elbow.
The knights of the Central Continent did not use such martial techniques.
Zeke stepped back, pointing Roland and observing his opponent.
A figure wearing a black cloak and hood, with an unrecognizable face, stood facing Zeke.
In his hands were two swords - a dagger and a sword of intermediate length, a deformed sword.
Zeke was startled the moment he saw the weapon.
'That weapon?'
While he was surprised, another attack invaded from a blind spot.
WHOOSH!
Cutting through the air, a bastard sword targeted Zeke's side.
Zeke used Roland to deflect the bastard sword to the side, lowered his body by touching the ground, and delivered a back kick towards the swordsman.
CRACK!
Zeke's kick landed squarely on the swordsman's breastplate.
As the swordsman stepped back, a black-robed individual with twin swords charged at Zeke.
SWISH!
The twin swords crossed as they flew towards Zeke.
Zeke simply twisted his body and delivered a kick towards the black-robed individual's chin.
SNAP!
The black-robed individual raised his arm to block Zeke's kick and was sent flying backwards.
'He threw his body back before getting hit.'
Zeke immediately got up and regained his balance.
The black-robed individual with twin swords and the swordsman with the bastard sword pointed their weapons at Zeke.
Zeke noticed hunting dogs lying down behind the black-robed individual.
'Did they drive the monsters this way?'
Zeke looked at the black-robed individual and swordsman and said,
"Highlanders! Lower your weapons. I am not your enemy."
* * *
Second Prince Leo, who arrived at the garrison camp for peacekeeping inspection, looked perplexed upon receiving the report.
"Morgan, the unit commander, has disappeared? What does that mean?"
The adjutant managing the garrison broke into a cold sweat and stammered.
"That, that is... There's been no trace of him since he said he would go on patrol with the knights yesterday."
The adjutant knew that Morgan had personally led the knights to attack the autonomous district where Zeke Dreaker was located.
However, if that fact were to be revealed, it would expose that the Empire had directly threatened the Bird tribe and Beastkin within the neutral zone of Ghetto , so he was hiding that information.
Leo still looked uncomprehending and said to the adjutant,
"How strange. It's unlikely the unit commander was taken by monsters."
At that moment, someone entered the room without any prior notice.
"Hmm?"
Leo frowned at the person who entered without permission, then was shocked when he realized their identity.
It was Abel Draker, the Black Knight and Guardian f House Draker.
Abel bowed to Leo.
"Greetings to the Prince. I am Abel Draker."
Leo, being a knight himself, was very pleased to see Abel, a black knight. Since this was essentially a battlefield, he understood why Abel would be coming and going like this.
"The Demon Slayer Sword! I've heard much about your reputation. Congratulations on becoming a black knight!"
Abel approached Leo with an attractive smile.
"I am deeply honored that Your Highness knows of me."
Abel slightly lowered his head and approached Leo, saying:
"I have urgently come after hearing that the whereabouts of Lord Morgan Buffon are unknown."
Leo nodded at those words.
"I also heard that news as soon as I arrived. Apparently, after going on patrol, there is still no word... I cannot understand what has happened."
Then Abel erased his smile and put on a serious expression before speaking.
"Your Highness, I have a theory."
Leo was surprised and asked,
"Do you know what happened to Lord Morgan?"
"Although I only have a hunch... It seems to be the work of the Kali Draker Faction."
"Kali Draker? I haven't heard that the Silver Knight is here?"
"That's why I said 'the Kali Draker faction'. You must have heard that many monsters suddenly appeared here. And they are gathering around the place where the Bird tribe and Beastkin race were supposed to hold a conference. I believe this is Kali Draker's scheme. Perhaps Lord Morgan noticed this and was trying to confirm it, and then met with an accident."
"I understand the situation here roughly... So are you saying that Kali Draker isolated them?"
"Yes, by doing so, they want to make them request help from Kali Draker and create a pretext for their army to enter the independent protected zone of Ghetto."
Leo frowned and asked Abel, "What is the reason for Kali Draker trying so hard to take over the Ghetto region?"
Abel wore a serious expression and said,
"With utmost respect, it seems Kali Draker is planning to station troops in the Ghetto region and gradually invade the southern part of the central continent."
"The southern continent region... Do you mean they are targeting the Empire?"
"From the circumstances now revealed, it seems that is the case."
Leo's expression hardened at Abel's words.
The Ghetto region was currently a hot potato.
If the Silver Knight stationed an army here and pressured the Empire, the already chaotic border would surely become even more turbulent.
Leo thought seriously, and a question arose, so he looked at Abel and asked,
"But if they are isolated, wouldn't it be difficult to request help? Have you seen any movements towards the Ghetto region?"
Abel nodded.
"Currently, Kali Draker is not directly taking action but has sent another of my brothers, Zeke Draker, to the Ghetto region to handle monster extermination."
"Are you saying Zeke Draker has entered the Ghetto region?"
Abel nodded.
"We confirmed he entered the border area on the Alencia side after receiving monster extermination permission."
"The knight of the sea... I have already heard of Zeke Draker's reputation. Surely he didn't attack Lord Morgan?"
At those words, Abel shook his head.
"Your Highness, do not be deceived by Zeke Draker's known external appearance. He has the talent of a devil and the heart of a snake, and is a dangerous person. Although he is my brother, his dangerousness is growing day by day."
Leo looked at Abel with an unbelievable expression.
"Earlier you said you only had a hunch. What reason made you think this way?"
"Listen to this."
As Abel spoke and snapped his fingers, soldiers outside entered carrying a large coffin.
When they opened the coffin lid, there was a dead Bird tribe member's corpse inside.
Leo was startled and looked at Abel.
"What is this?"
Abel pointed to the Bird tribe corpse and said,
"This is the result of Zeke Draker's atrocities. This Bird tribe member died from a mutated Hong-hwa disease."
"A mutated Hong-hwa disease? Didn't Allensia already create a treatment medicine?"
"Your Highness, the place creating that treatment medicine is precisely the pharmaceutical company established by Zeke Draker. He is making the medicine in collaboration with Princess Melissa of Alencia."
"I didn't know that. But what is the relationship between that and the Bird tribe member who died from Hong-hwa disease? And until just now, you said Zeke Draker came here due to Kali Draker's scheme?"
Abel slowly opened his mouth.
"The interests of Kali Draker and Zeke Draker align well. Externally, Kali Draker's influence is still stronger as a figurehead. Zeke Draker has joined hands with Kali Draker and created a mutated Hong-hwa disease that can magically infect the Bird tribe for his own benefit."
"Wh-what?"
Abel relentlessly pressed Leo.
"Once the Hong-hwa disease spreads to pressure the Bird tribe, they will first reach out to the Alencia Kingdom. Moreover, since the pharmaceutical company making the medicine belongs to Zeke Draker, the Bird tribe in the Ghetto region will have no choice but to cling to him."
Abel had skillfully shifted the blame for the Empire's actions onto Zeke.
Leo's face turned pale.
While he was indeed talented as a knight, he still lacked extensive experience.
In truth, if considered coldly, his claims were full of doubts without clear evidence.
However, Leo thought of Abel as an ally and was completely swept away by this unexpected story.
After being dazed for a moment, Leo slowly raised his head and looked at Abel, saying,
"...What should we do, Sir Abel?"
Abel spoke with a serious expression,
"We must first strike the Zeke Draker faction. Word has it that he is currently injured and isolated in the Ghetto region. Now is the time to act."
Leo's expression darkened.
"Attack the injured? That goes against knightly honor..."
"Your Highness, sometimes one must dirty their hands for the greater good."
Abel's wicked words began to seep into Leo's pure soul. Leo was a knight with a strong sense of duty to protect the Empire. Abel was targeting this point to shake Leo's resolve.
"Currently, the Ghetto region is under control, and no one can enter from the outside. Even if we strike Zeke Draker's Faction, if we claim it was a monster attack, no one will suspect anything."
Leo's expression grew even darker.
"How can we do such a thing in the name of the Imperial Army?"
Abel shook his head.
"The Imperial Army need not move. If Your Highness would just give permission, we can bring people from outside to handle this."
"Do you mean calling assassins?"
"You can think of it similarly. You are the one responsible here. Please grant your permission."
Leo felt dizzy from Abel's words. Normally, he would have immediately refused. But with Morgan Buffon's disappearance and Abel's subtly disturbing words, he was confused.
After pondering, Leo slowly spoke,
"...I will think about it a bit more."
Abel bowed his head and left the room. Once outside, his expression twisted like a devil.
"DAMN IT. Morgan's presence is making this complicated."
His eyes were tinged red.
"Abel, calm down. Getting excited here might alert the prince."
William, waiting outside, quickly tried to calm him.
Abel took a deep breath and settled his excitement.
"Whew, okay. The prince will follow my words anyway. So we'll attack Zeke's camp immediately."
"Right now? Proceeding without the prince's permission could be dangerous. Have you forgotten that Daria Calvi, a knight of the Imperial Palace, is also coming here soon?"
Abel smiled wickedly.
"Even if problems arise, I'll directly speak to Julius and resolve it. If we waste more time and Zeke escapes, it'll be even more troublesome. William, you go handle the autonomous district."
"Me? What if our involvement is discovered?"
William's words made Abel's eyes turn red again. Seeing this reaction, William clenched his fist.
They were already comrades in the same boat.
'DAMN.'
William bit his lip and then nodded.
"Understood. What about the Bird tribe and Beastkin race who escaped from the fortress?"
Abel waved his hand. "They seem to have chosen dying outside over dying in the fortress. Anyway, they're weakened, so crossing the canyon is impossible. I'll talk to the person in charge. We'll just let the monsters take care of them and collect evidence of their deaths later."
"Understood."
Abel told William,
"Don't forget. Once this is over, things will get easier afterward."
William nodded. "I know."
"Good. Do it properly this time."
William resigned himself to everything and hurriedly prepared to set out.
In the dark corridor, Abel's eyes glowed red before slowly fading.
'Zeke, this time you absolutely won't escape.'