400
Chapter 400
'Blood King Caligula?'
Caligula called himself not the king of vampires, but the king of Shambhala.
Zeke recalled the name Shambhala.
'The Third Eye of Shambhala. That information was written on the necklace I obtained from the Inverted Tower.'
It seemed that Shambhala was the realm that Caligula ruled.
Caligula spoke to Zeke with a still languid yet arrogant posture and voice.
[How dare you, a mere human, come to my resting place?]
"There are those who seek the king's power, so I came to prevent that."
At those words, Caligula suddenly burst into laughter.
[HAHAHAHAHA!]
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
His laughter shook the entire consciousness realm.
After laughing for a while, Caligula abruptly stopped and looked at Zeke.
[A lowly human seeking my power?. How utterly ridiculous.]
Zeke could feel the terrifying power hidden within Caligula's arrogance.
'The true master of the Third Eye... I wonder if it has any connection to the Blood Eye.'
Deciding to learn more about Caligula, Zeke took another step forward.
Then, a red light emerged from Caligula's third eye.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
The red energy wrapped around Zeke's body and pressed down on him.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
But Zeke rose up against Caligula's power by deploying a field of golden Aura.
When Zeke stood straight despite his power, Caligula looked down at him with cold eyes.
[What an insolent fool. Have you too come with impious thoughts of claiming my power?]
Zeke looked straight into Caligula's eyes and said.
"It's difficult to deny. Rather than letting it fall into others' hands, I'd prefer to take that power myself."
Caligula could sense that there wasn't a shred of deceit in Zeke's words.
He looked into Zeke and said.
[What an interesting creature. A being that stands at the boundary - human but not human, dragon but not dragon.]
Mumbling, Caligula stretched his hand toward Zeke.
Then Zeke's forehead felt like it was burning hot.
'This is...?'
The Blood Eye had spontaneously appeared on Zeke's forehead.
Caligula examined the Blood Eye, then pulled one corner of his mouth into a smile.
[How very interesting. To think that a fragment of my power dwells within your body. For a human body to be able to use the Blood King's power...]
Taking his eyes off the Blood Eye, he looked into Zeke's eyes and spoke.
[Do you know who I am?]
Zeke looked at Caligula and shook his head.
"Not well. I only came knowing that you were the king of vampires. That's what the true blood in the material world believe."
At those words, Caligula laughed loudly again.
[King of the White Face clan. Well, that's not wrong either.]
Caligula rose from his seat.
When he stretched out his hand, black smoke gathered below the throne and three forms appeared, taking shape.
Looking at the three forms, Caligula spoke.
[The White Face clan, Nightmare Demon clan, and Beast clan - none can escape my rule.]
Zeke examined the forms Caligula had created and pondered his words.
'Vampires, Nightmare demons, and Beastkins?'
He looked at Caligula and asked.
"What kind of being are you to be able to rule over all of them?"
Caligula looked at Zeke and said.
[I am the leader of the Third Eye clan, possessing the strongest power among beings with physical form, and the one and only king who has touched divine power.]
Zeke learned for the first time that there was a separate race called the Third Eye clan.
'It seems to be an ancient race that existed in the age of constellations... If so, Caligula might know about the first immortal, the God Slayer.'
Zeke asked Caligula.
"I heard that Elder Dragons and the Fairy King imprisoned you here. Why did they imprison you?"
At those words, Caligula frowned.
[Who dares say they imprisoned me here?!]
His thunderous voice wrapped powerful energy around the great hall.
Zeke was somewhat surprised by the intense reaction, but thought it better to provoke his temper to learn more information.
Just as he was about to add more words, Caligula looked at Zeke and said.
[Do you think the power of Elder Dragons and the Fairy King could imprison me here?! Ridiculous. I came here of my own will! No one can imprison me!]
"Then why are you sealed here?"
At those words, Caligula closed his mouth and slumped back onto the throne.
With his head deeply bowed just as before, Caligula began to mumble something.
[I am the strongest being, greater than anyone. A great being who touched divinity...]
Looking at Caligula like this, Zeke sensed that his consciousness was not in a normal state.
'Seems like he received some great shock.'
But suddenly Caligula lifted his head and unlike before, began to grasp his head with both hands and tremble anxiously.
[That damned God Slayer! He might come back again!]
In Caligula's screaming figure, not a trace of his previous arrogance could be found.
Zeke clearly heard Caligula shouting about the God Slayer.
'So he did know about the God Slayer after all.'
He asked Caligula.
"Are you saying the God Slayer tried to kill you?"
Caligula began to mumble again with trembling hands.
[I caught him and tore his body to pieces. Even the God Slayer cannot withstand the great power of the Third Eye. But with that cursed immortal power... he would come back to life no matter how many times I killed him, and come for me again.]
Fear could be glimpsed in Caligula's eyes as he spoke of the God Slayer.
A being who would come back to life and return to kill him no matter how many times he was killed.
Zeke thought he understood why Caligula was here.
'He directly requested the Elder Dragons and Fairy King to hide from the God Slayer.'
Even the arrogant king Caligula was scared enough of the God Slayer to seal himself away.
Zeke recalled hearing that the God Slayer took up his spear to kill gods who destroyed balance.
It was obvious that Caligula, who possessed power so great that even Elder Dragons and the Fairy King didn't fear him, had wielded absolute power and authority in his arrogance.
The God Slayer wouldn't have left Caligula alone.
'If the God Slayer didn't have immortal power, he would have been killed by Caligula. His claim about touching divine power probably wasn't complete exaggeration.'
It would be dangerous if such power fell into Jiemens' hands.
Zeke decided to take advantage of Caligula's fear.
"My king. I understand how you feel. I too am being chased by those who seek immortal power."
At his words, Caligula raised his head.
[What do you mean?]
"My enemies are trying to artificially create immortals to bring back the God Slayer who once threatened you to this world."
At Zeke's words, Caligula jumped up from his seat.
[Is that truly the case?!]
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
BOOM!
The consciousness realm began to shake violently again.
Zeke nodded and continued speaking, undisturbed.
"Yes. I, who inherited even a small portion of your power, was chased and pursued by them until I finally came here."
Caligula used his ability to confirm there was no lie in Zeke's words.
Since that was actually Abyss’s goal, everything Zeke said was true when taken at face value.
Caligula slowly descended from his throne, placed a hand on Zeke's shoulder and spoke.
[One who holds a fragment of my power. You are like me.]
Because Caligula was mentally unstable, he immediately fell for Zeke's words.
Especially since the Blood Eye that Zeke possessed was one of the most important core aspects of his power.
Even the arrogant Blood King had no choice but to believe his words since Zeke had inherited his power.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Caligula's eyes began to glow red.
He looked at Zeke and said.
[One who holds a fragment of my power. Do not be afraid.]
As he spoke, Caligula's grip on Zeke's shoulder grew stronger.
He suddenly pulled at the corner of his mouth into a grotesque smile.
[If what you say is true, then the God Slayer is not in this world right now.]
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Red light emerged from Caligula's eyes and connected with the Blood Eye revealed on Zeke's forehead.
[Then there is no need for the great king to remain trapped here. My physical body is already gone, so I shall descend upon the world again using your body.]
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Caligula's red soul began seeping into Zeke.
Zeke's Blood Eye glowed red hot.
Caligula was now attempting to eat away at Zeke's mind and steal his body.
[On the day I return to the world. All wicked things shall kneel before me, weak humans shall offer their hearts and blood to me, and all beings with souls shall fear me!]
Caligula shouted with a voice full of madness.
But then.
"What nonsense are you spouting?.”
Caligula stared at Zeke with a blank expression.
Though his consciousness should have been suppressed, Zeke was staring back at him with clear eyes, and Caligula's face showed disbelief.
[How dare you, mere human! Joyfully offer your body to me!]
"Stop talking nonsense and hand over your power. I tried to do this nicely... but letting a madman like you out into the world would only make things more troublesome than they already are."
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Caligula suddenly felt his power being pulled into Zeke.
[Y-you damned human! Stop this at once!]
"Why should I?"
Through the Blood Eye, Zeke continued to absorb Caligula's power.
He hadn't known this was possible, but thanks to Caligula, he could easily subdue him.
As the absorption had already begun, Caligula couldn't sever the soul connection pathway he had created.
[N-no! This cannot be!]
Zeke quickly absorbed all of Caligula's power and took out the Holy Spear from his inventory.
"Wonder if you remember this."
Caligula's face turned pale when he saw the Holy Spear in Zeke's hands.
[H-how did you get that?!]
"Ah, while it's true others are trying to resurrect the God Slayer, I inherited the Holy Spear. I'm an immortal too."
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The Holy Spear resonated with Zeke's power and vibrated strongly.
Caligula trembled in fear and stepped backward.
He had already backed up to his throne where he was originally sitting.
[N-no!]
"Yes. You seem to have committed many sins, so die quietly."
Zeke thrust the Holy Spear toward Caligula who had fallen back onto the throne.
THUD!
The Holy Spear pierced through Caligula's heart.
[COUGH!]
Caligula spat blood and his hands trembled.
[I am... the great Third Eye's...]
Ignoring his words, Zeke activated his absorption ability.
Caligula's consciousness, which was gradually disappearing from being stabbed, was absorbed into Zeke's shadow.
At the same time, a message appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[You have absorbed 'Caligula', king of the corrupted ancient Third Eye clan.]
[Your depleted health, mental power, and mana are being restored.]
[You gain the authority 'Third Eye' by absorbing Caligula's blood lineage ability.]
[Active skill 'Blood Eye' Changes to the authority 'Third Eye'.]
[You acquire the title 'Blood King'.]
[The White Face clan, Dream Demon clan, and Beast clan will obey those with the title of Blood King.]
[You receive 3,000 Karma Points as a reward.]
[You receive one Special Random Box as a reward.]
After absorbing Caligula and gaining the Third Eye authority and Blood King title, Zeke first checked the information for the 'Third Eye' authority.
—Authority Information—
Third Eye: The third eye possessed by the king of the Third Eye clan, an ancient race and ruler of Shambhala. It is the source of blood magic and necromancy, possessing the power to rule over all wicked things.
As soon as he confirmed the authority information, the scenery before Zeke's eyes changed.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The great hall shattered like broken glass and the original altar appeared.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
At that moment, Caligula's coffin that had been placed before Zeke completely crumbled to dust.
The sealing vessel itself had disappeared as Caligula's soul was absorbed by Zeke.
'I feel my soul power is more abundant than before.'
Soul power was very difficult to increase in proficiency, but by absorbing Caligula's power—though corrupted, he was still a high-ranking being—Zeke's soul had also risen to a higher level than before.
Zeke took a deep breath and slowly descended from the altar toward Bacchus and his group.
But something felt strange about the atmosphere.
Bacchus and Nicky were trembling, unable to look at Zeke as he approached.
Then Carmilla, who had awakened without notice, rose and knelt before Zeke in a respectful posture.
Seeing her action, Bacchus and Nicky also knelt before Zeke and bowed their heads.
Carmilla spoke with a trembling voice.
"This lowly servant Carmilla greets the great king."