Chapter 357
Chapter 357
Chapter 357
Sethon’s sword stuck in the ground wouldn't budge.
The spear that had been embedded in the Sea God's body was pulled out very easily.
The sacred spear also responded to Zeke's power, changing its form and acknowledging him as its master.
However, this sword showed no reaction to Zeke's touch and showed no signs of being pulled out.
"NNGH!"
Zeke tried to pull the sword with both hands using all his strength.
But as Arthur had said, the sword didn't move at all, as if it were glued to the ground.
Arthur, who had been watching Zeke intently, suddenly burst into laughter.
"HAHA! That's enough. That's enough. You can stop now."
At Arthur's words, Zeke let go of the sword and stepped back.
He showed a pretend surprised expression and asked Arthur.
"Unless there's some magic on it... there's no way it could be stuck this firmly."
Arthur nodded at Zeke's words.
"I thought the same thing."
He looked at Zeke and said with a grin.
"It's an unofficial tradition for the Draker family heads to have the next heir try to pull out this sword, and they take pleasure in watching them fail. Now I understand why the previous family head was so happy watching me fail."
Zeke shook his head at Arthur's playful words.
Arthur turned his attention to the other swords stuck in the ground and said while looking around them.
"This is where the swords of all previous Draker family heads are gathered."
As he stretched out his arm, light emerged and a sword appeared in his hand.
An ash-colored sword that resembled Arthur's hair color.
Zeke knew this sword was Caliburn, Arthur Draker's personal weapon.
Originally, the descendants of the Draker family would usually choose their weapons from the family treasury full of precious armaments.
The Red Dragon Sword that Abel carried was also that kind of weapon.
However, Arthur Draker's Caliburn wasn't from the Draker treasury but was obtained from a dungeon he entered in his youth.
The exact functions of Caliburn had never been revealed.
This was because Arthur Draker was so strong that there was never a proper opportunity to showcase the sword's abilities.
Arthur spoke while looking at Caliburn.
"When I die, this sword will be stuck here in my place. Just like all the other family heads."
Then he frowned and spoke.
"But there was one family head who couldn't place their sword here."
He looked at Zeke and said.
"Terakan Draker, the Great Dragon Slayer's sword couldn't enter this place."
It was very strange that Terakan, the most famous legendary figure among the Drakers and the creator of the Dragon Slaying techniques that form the foundation of today's Draker family, couldn't place his sword here.
Zeke recalled what the Holy King had said at the ruins.
'Zahak. It was Terakan's sword.'
The sword that annihilated Bahamut's body, who was his lover and soul companion.
Surprisingly, that sword was now in the hands of the corrupted Abel, filled with evil energy.
Zeke was speculating that Zahak, Terakan's sword, might have become a demon sword after being tainted by demonic energy when it annihilated Bahamut, who contained the power of the Demon King.
This assumption was possible since the heart of Bahamut that he first discovered was also contaminated with a very powerful curse.
Zeke pretended not to know and asked Arthur.
"Why is Terakan Draker's sword the only one not here?"
At those words, Arthur pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.
"Zeke, I'll tell you a secret history of the Draker family. You must never reveal this to anyone."
When Zeke nodded, Arthur spoke with a stern expression.
"Terakan Draker was not a true bloodline member of the Draker family, known as the Absolute Sword House."
Zeke showed a puzzled expression at Arthur's words.
Zeke had seen Terakan's past through the Holy Grail.
Though he appeared to have been exiled from the family, he was clearly a member of the Drakers.
However, even he didn't know why Terakan was persecuted and driven out of the Draker family.
Arthur continued speaking to Zeke.
"Terakan Draker was an illegitimate child with common blood."
Zeke finally understood why the Drakers tried to erase Terakan's past, while simultaneously sneering at their narrow-mindedness.
'Again with that damn bloodline. As a family that values bloodline so much, they wouldn't want to reveal that Terakan, known as their founder, was an illegitimate child.'
Hiding his true thoughts, Zeke showed a shocked expression and said.
"Then does that mean we, Terakan's descendants, aren't true Drakers?"
Arthur shook his head at those words.
"No. We clearly inherited the true Draker blood. The proud bloodline of the Absolute Sword House."
Arthur placed his hand on Zeke's shoulder and spoke.
"However, in society, they call us the descendants of the Dragon Slayer and consider Terakan Draker as the founder of our family. While Terakan Draker's achievements were certainly remarkable... the blood of a vulgar bastard cannot represent the Draker family."
Such arrogant bloodline supremacy.
That arrogance had distorted the history of the Liberation War and also concealed Terakan's true identity.
Arthur looked into Zeke's eyes and spoke.
"Zeke, the reason I'm telling you this story is because I believe you are qualified to keep and maintain the Draker family's secrets."
Zeke felt strange seeing Arthur address him with such trust.
He opened his mouth again while looking at Zeke.
"I'll say it once more, what you heard from me today are the Draker family's most important secrets that must never leak outside. Zeke, let's make a promise. You must keep this secret alone until your death. Understand?"
Zeke nodded at Arthur's words.
In the family's most secret space, a father sharing ancestral secrets.
He sensed something through Arthur's actions.
'Is he trying to make me the heir instead of Sister Kali?'
As Arthur said, he couldn't know if he had really brought Kali or Abel here or not.
But beyond all that, Arthur seemed genuinely intent on making Zeke his heir.
After thinking briefly, Zeke looked at Arthur and said.
"Do you intend to make me the heir instead of Sister Kali?"
He asked Arthur directly about his intentions without beating around the bush.
Facing his youngest son who had directly asked about the sensitive matter of succession, Arthur smiled and instead posed a question:
"Rather, I want to ask you. Zeke, do you think you could become the heir by overtaking Kali?"
Zeke clenched his fists for a moment.
When fighting Abel, he honestly didn't feel much like he was fighting his own blood.
Perhaps because he had seen Abel's numerous evil deeds as the Knight of Massacre in his past life, he had no hesitation in killing him.
But unlike Abel, Kali had no particular connection with him in his past life.
She neither protected nor persecuted Zeke when he was expelled from the family.
She had merely been a bystander.
And in this life, Kali was Zeke's strong ally.
His original plan was to put her forward as the head of the family, cut out the rot in the Draker family, build more power from behind, and then perfectly devour the family.
But Zeke realized one thing.
'I cannot control the Draker family by putting Sister Kali forward.'
The Draker family still held many secrets.
Zeke decided to change his plans.
He looked at Arthur and said:
"If I must, then I will do so."
It was a cold voice devoid of emotion.
Hearing Zeke's answer, Arthur smiled again.
"Yes, the blood of Draker must never hesitate. If you think someone is an enemy, you must thoroughly stamp them down so they can never rise again, and stamp them again until they're completely crushed. That's how you avoid trouble later."
Arthur Draker's methods were cruel but effective.
In his past life as a hitman, Zeke's methods weren't much different from Arthur Draker's.
He thoroughly eliminated enemies and moved more coldly than anyone else.
Though he had chosen a new direction as a knight in this life, the coldness from his hitman days still remained in his heart.
Arthur spoke to such a Zeke.
"Zeke, I will bestow upon you the position of Guardian Knight."
He continued while meeting Zeke's eyes.
"Do you still maintain your thoughts about refusing that position?"
At his words, Zeke contemplated before shaking his head.
"No. I will accept the position of Guardian Knight. And I will wait for Sister Kali's reaction."
Arthur smiled with satisfaction at Zeke's answer, indicating he would wait for Kali's side's reaction and respond accordingly after becoming a true heir candidate.
"Good. Both Kali and you are my children who have grown up admirably. Whichever choice either of you makes, I am prepared to accept it gladly. If the time comes for you two to have a final battle..."
Arthur grabbed Zeke's shoulder and whispered softly in his ear.
"Do it like you did with Abel."
Zeke felt chills at Arthur's words.
'Did he know everything?'
Arthur had known both that Zeke had killed Abel in the Joint ghetto and that he had reached the realm of the Black Knight.
Saying he would bestow the vacant position of Guardian Knight due to Abel meant he would give appropriate treatment since Zeke had rightfully won and taken Abel's position.
Zeke clenched his molars.
'Arthur Draker, I really can't let my guard down.'
He suppressed his emotions as much as possible and bowed his head toward Arthur.
"I will do my best to live up to your expectations."
Arthur smiled with satisfaction as he looked at his youngest son who had grown up exactly as he had hoped.
* * *
After finishing his conversation with Arthur, Zeke left the Four Seasons Castle and returned to Atlas's lodgings.
Conversations with Arthur Draker always left him more exhausted than intense battles.
Even though Zeke had infinite stamina, healing factor, and an immortal body constitution, it was difficult to endure the overwhelming fatigue.
Eventually, he closed his eyes in the returning carriage and fell asleep before he knew it.
However, suddenly awakening to an unfamiliar sensation, Zeke realized he had woken up somewhere other than the carriage.
'Where is this?'
A bamboo forest filled with cool fragrance.
Zeke noticed this was the realm of Mount Ouroboros where the Hermit of Stories resided.
As he got up, the Hermit of Stories came out from inside the house.
"Oh? Finally, the connection worked."
The Hermit looked at Zeke with an exasperated expression.
"How is your body structured that you don't even sleep?"
Zeke scratched his head awkwardly as the Hermit scolded him.
"I've been busy with various things recently."
The Hermit of Stories clicked his tongue at those words.
"Anyway. Well, it's good timing. I called you after a long time because I have something to tell you."
The Hermit sat beside Zeke and said while fanning himself.
"I heard you met our kids recently?"
Zeke nodded.
"Yes, I met Adnan and Bodmir in the Bird tribe ghetto."
At those words, the Hermit of Stories looked at Zeke with a curious expression.
"Huh, you become more interesting the more I learn about you. Normal people don't usually get involved with Highlanders. You even came here directly... At this point, your karma is clearly guiding you toward making the Highlander's Covenant, yet you still refuse."
Zeke internally flinched at the Hermit's words.
Originally, he should have met Nigel in the Forest of the Forgotten and made the Highlander's Covenant.
But in this life, he was deliberately delaying meeting Master Nigel as much as possible to avoid making the Highlander's Covenant.
Yet as he kept getting involved with Highlanders, there seemed to be something to what the Hermit said.
'As the Hermit says, are the Highlanders and I fatefully connected somehow?'
Zeke thought briefly, then changed the subject before the Hermit of Stories could bring up the Highlander's Covenant again.
"What did you want to tell me?"
The Hermit snapped to attention at Zeke's words.
"Ah, well. Between the Bird ghetto and now the Holy Kingdom. Things seem strange so I called a full gathering of the High Table after a long time."
The High Table members were reluctant to leave their posts since they were responsible for stopping demons in their respective territories.
Calling all the High Table members meant that the leader of the High Table had summoned them.
Even Zeke, who had been a Highlander, didn't know who the leader of the High Table was that led the Highlanders.
The Hermit of Stories got to the point while looking at Zeke.
"Our leader wants to meet you?"