321
Chapter 321
HUUUUU―
As the powerful flash subsided, Daria slowly turned her head.
'Did it work?'
She had activated 'Gorgon's Eye,' the final measure hidden in the Horse Palace's Hersion she was wearing.
This secret device, which releases thousands of arrowheads at once, could only be used at the last moment.
After hearing Abel's words, Daria had deliberately pretended to be caught and prepared this trap, sensing that Zeke Draker would become a threat to the Empire regardless of whether those words were true.
Daria was famous for valuing chivalry.
Therefore, this was a secret technique she could use precisely because no one would expect her to employ such underhanded methods.
Rising from her position, she looked to the side to see arrowheads embedded throughout Zeke's Hersion.
With thousands of such tiny arrowheads raining down, even armor proved useless as they penetrated between the gaps.
Daria slowly approached where Zeke had fallen.
She switched her bow to a spear and prodded Zeke.
'Is he dead?'
It would have been difficult to avoid the Argos Eye she had activated.
Still cautious, Daria thrust her spear toward Zeke's heart.
KWACHING!
Her spear couldn't pierce Zeke's Hersion.
'The armor's strength is incredible.'
It seemed it would be difficult to recover Zeke Draker's body until his full plate armor was removed.
Just as Daria was about to order her knights to carry Zeke's body inside.
HWARARRRRUK!
A massive fireball flew toward Zeke lying on the ground.
As the fireball instantly engulfed Zeke, Daria stepped back in surprise.
'What is this?'
As she turned around, another massive fireball flew consecutively toward Zeke.
KWAKWAKWANG!
The flames created a storm, sweeping over Zeke and his surroundings.
Abel, who had promised to be responsible for the prince's security, appeared holding the Red Dragon Sword with his red eyes glowing.
He gazed intently at the burning firestorm.
Daria approached Abel and shouted.
"What are you doing right now?!"
Looking at Daria shouting at him, Abel smiled with satisfaction.
"Corps Commander. That was a brilliant move."
He had been watching the fight between Zeke and Daria from behind.
As Abel had predicted, Zeke possessed power beyond that of a Red Knight.
Although Daria had deliberately retreated to use Gorgon's Eye, even considering that factor, Zeke had consistently pushed her back with the Black Sword throughout.
If they had fought a fair duel, Zeke would clearly have been victorious.
However, as history proves, superior knights don't always win.
Abel glanced at the burning Zeke, then turned his gaze back to Daria and said.
"Well done, Corps Commander Daria. I'll take care of the rest, so you can go back..."
KIIIING!
Suddenly Abel hastily stepped back.
KWACHING!
Three streaks of scars appeared on his chest.
Daria behind him couldn't move her body, subdued by shadow dominion.
Zeke was slowly walking out of the firestorm.
Zeke approached Daria and subdued her with his blood eye.
Looking at Zeke in his Hersion, Abel grinned.
"Interesting."
Abel pointed his sword at Zeke and said.
"Zeke, it seems killing you this way was too ambitious."
Zeke removed his helmet and faced Abel.
"Finally showing yourself, Abel."
The two had been checking and interfering with each other without direct confrontation.
And at last, they could face each other here.
Abel looked at Zeke and smiled, raising the corner of his mouth.
"Since I learned that you were the one who killed Cain, I knew this moment would come."
Zeke frowned at Abel's words.
His expression seemed to ask how he had discovered that fact.
Of course, he already knew about the relationship between Abel and Cain through William's memories.
'Abel and Cain were twins, and Ramon Jimenes tried to use them for something. When Cain died, he gave Abel the baptism instead.'
Through Aaron's memories, he knew that Cain had been an important figure in Jiemens.
However, Ramon Jiemens had hidden the identity of his twin Cain from Abel.
But Abel had discovered this on his own and was now trying to control all the power of Ramon, Draker, and the Rom Empire.
'He's no different from the Abel of my past life. This time it's just happening a bit earlier.'
In his past life, since Zeke hadn't killed Cain, Cain likely received the baptism that Abel had received..
However, in this life, Abel would have received baptism due to Zeke's intervention, and because of that, unlike his previous life, he clearly reached the level of Black Knight quickly.
Abel pointed the Red Dragon Sword at Zeke.
"Just Like Kali... You've been interfering with my business quite well. But that ends today."
Abel's sword was engulfed in flames.
Abel was the only one in the Draker family who could properly use the Red Dragon Sword, which could create dragon flames.
Abel, the owner of the demon sword called the Red Dragon Sword, was undoubtedly a genius among the top ranks in Draker just by that fact alone.
Zeke pointed Bahamut at Abel.
Abel shook his head looking at Zeke.
"Zeke, I acknowledge that you're strong. It's truly amazing. But even so, you're no match for me."
"You talk big after receiving baptism from the abyss and gaining the power of a Black Knight."
Abel smiled amusingly at Zeke's words.
"You knew about the baptism too? You really surprise me in many ways. But there's something you're mistaken about."
Abel's pupils began to change gradually.
The color remained red, but the shape was different.
Abel, with eyes that now resembled those of a reptile, glared at Zeke.
Zeke was shocked by Abel's pupils.
'Dragon eyes?'
Through William's memories, he knew Abel had some different power, but he didn't know it was related to dragons.
Suddenly, the flames of the Red Dragon Sword grew more intense and engulfed Abel's body.
Abel, wrapped in flames, looked down at Zeke with arrogant eyes.
"Do you see, Zeke? Being a Black Knight or Red Knight isn't what matters. I... have become something entirely different, transcending human limits."
In that moment, Abel swung his sword at Zeke.
A powerful storm of flames swept over Zeke.
Zeke swung Bahamut to scatter the flames Abel had released.
'This isn't ordinary fire. This is authority.'
The flames created by dragon's authority were on a different level from ordinary fire magic.
Zeke realized that Abel, after gaining dragon-person power, became able to use the dragon's authority embedded in the Red Dragon Sword.
Abel spoke while looking at Zeke.
"Zeke, watch carefully. See what becomes of those who defy me."
Enormous flames rose from Abel's body.
Abel sent those flames toward the protected area.
It created an illusion as if a massive meteor was falling.
Zeke realized that Abel, unlike before, had started rampaging without restraint.
'These aren't ordinary flames. I must block them.'
He immediately spread a wind force field.
Elemental Sword
Wind Force Field
Storm Sword
A massive storm arose from Zeke's sword.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWA!
The powerful storm caught and neutralized the authority flames falling toward the protected area.
The flames mixed with the storm split into multiple streams, starting to rain fire on the wasteland.
Seeing this, Abel showed a genuinely surprised expression.
"Power that can block the authority of flame... It seems you too have secrets I don't know about yet, Zeke."
In that moment, Zeke launched a sword strike at Abel.
KWANG!
Abel, having dodged Zeke's attack, gripped his sword and burst into maniacal laughter.
"This level isn't enough to do anything to me! Come at me stronger! I'll test my power through you!"
It didn't make sense that after trying to kill Zeke through Daria, he now wanted to test his power through him.
Zeke sensed an even greater madness than in his previous life from Abel with his red dragon eyes.
'He was already crazy, but he's become even crazier.'
Becoming a dragon-person through baptism from the abyss couldn't have been a normal method.
During the baptism process, Abel's mind must have become more corrupted than before.
Abel created flames again and swung them at Zeke.
Four massive fireballs flew toward Zeke.
HUUUNG!
Zeke rolled to dodge the fireballs.
But the fireballs changed direction and chased after Zeke again.
It was as if the fireballs were alive.
'The difference between magical flames and authority flames is clear.'
Zeke gritted his teeth and launched dragon claws toward the fireballs.
CHWAAAAAK!
A fireball, torn to shreds by the dragon's claws, was cancelled out and disappeared.
Seeing this, Abel made an expression of disbelief.
"Fire magic cannot be eliminated by normal methods. How fascinating."
Hearing Abel's words, Zeke realized that despite being a dragon person, he could not use dragon clan skills.
'Is he unable to use the system window?'
The only dragon person he had seen was Hoshgar, and she was able to use the system window.
It seemed not all dragon people could use the system.
'If he cannot use the system, I have a much greater advantage.'
Zeke could gradually guess the scale of power that Abel possessed.
Abel swung his sword toward Zeke, who was slowly approaching, and shouted.
"Whatever power you're hiding doesn't matter! I have already transcended humanity! I'll find out what secret you possess!"
Abel didn't even make the slightest assumption that he could lose to Zeke.
This was because after the baptism, he believed he had surpassed human limitations.
Therefore, even if Zeke was hiding his power, he was certain that he could not surpass himself.
'I'll strike that gap.'
WHOOSH!
Zeke activated the dragon's claws once again and eliminated all the incoming fireballs.
"HAAAH!"
Right after that, Zeke took the stance of the Black Sword Energy and charged toward Abel while swinging Bahamut.
Abel swung his Red Dragon Sword toward Zeke.
Clash!
Zeke's Bahamut and Abel's Red Dragon Sword collided with each other.
CREAK!
Abel grinned while making eye contact with Zeke.
"You think a Red Knight like you can defeat me!"
He raised his power to pressure Zeke.
Simultaneously, he swung his sword to push Zeke back.
Just as he was about to use Astral Sword.
WOONG!
Zeke lifted himself into the air with dragon wings and took the stance of Infinite Sword Technique.
At that moment, formless power erupted from his body.
Abel's eyes widened to the point of tearing.
By the time he realized that Zeke's momentum had completely surpassed the level of a Red Knight, it was already too late.
RUMBLE!
Faster than Abel, the Astral Sword rose from Zeke's sword.
He unleashed the Infinite Sword Technique toward the off-guard Abel.
WOONG!
The Astral Sword, a power that cuts through the origin, dwelled in Zeke's sword and flew toward Abel.
Infinite Sword Technique Secret Art
First Form
Sun Moon Fierce Strike
ZING!
As Zeke's Infinite Sword Technique came straight on, Abel also desperately raised his Astral Sword.
But he was already one step too late.
Zeke's Astral Sword entered the domain and cut him down in one breath.
CRASH!
The Red Dragon Sword that Abel was holding broke, and Zeke's sword strike hit him directly.
"UGH!"
Abel, properly hit by Zeke's sword strike, flew back with the impact.
CRASH!
The building he collided with couldn't withstand the shockwave and collapsed.
RUMBLE!
A huge dust cloud rose up.
Zeke immediately ran toward the building ruins where Abel was buried.
'Where is he?'
Having been properly hit by the Astral Sword, he must have sustained serious injuries.
Now that he was severely injured, there was a need to properly end it here.
It was when Zeke was looking around holding his sword.
ZING!
A strong wave swept across Zeke's body.
'This is...'
It was the mana field distortion phenomenon due to the pure-blood Draker's unique mana rejection constitution.
Sparks flew from the Hersion that Zeke was wearing.
It seemed the drive plate was affected by the mana distortion phenomenon.
Zeke stepped back while using mana sealing technique to offset Abel's distortion field.
Then the Hersion began functioning normally again.
RUMBLE!
And right after that, the collapsed building debris flew away, and Abel slowly walked out from inside.
THUD!
Abel, who reappeared, was surprisingly wearing a Hersion that had never been seen before.
It was a strange form of Hersion with the entire body painted dark red and a grotesque magical beast engraved on the breastplate.
'This is not an Imperial style Hersion.'
Like Theia's Hersion, it seemed to be an artifact excavated from an ancient ruins.
Abel casually threw down the broken Red Dragon Sword.
"Zeke, so you're a Black Knight…?"