540
Chapter 540
The relationship between the Central and Northern Continents was ambiguous to call an alliance.
The reaction of the Delpoa mages who were startled by the appearance of the Northern knights showed the state of relations between the two continents.
In such circumstances, it was actually surprising that Zeke, Draker's guardian knight from the heart of the Central Continent, would help Himonas without any compensation.
If Zeke hadn't saved Himonas when he was attacked by demons, Alicia would have suspected he had other intentions.
But he truly wanted to help Himonas.
Zeke had to forcefully suppress his stirring emotions again as he watched Alicia looking at him with her bright blue eyes.
He spoke in a composed voice.
"The Grand Duke needs to become stronger to fight against demons. The demon realm's invasion will eventually become a problem for the entire physical realm, so we should prepare in advance."
Alicia silently peered into his eyes at Zeke's words.
After a long while, she slowly opened her mouth.
"This is the first time you've lied to me, Zeke Draker."
She had caught the slight tremor in his eyes that wasn't perfectly concealed due to his feelings for Alicia.
Alicia leaned her body closer towards Zeke.
Her face was very close to Zeke's.
"Are you hiding something from me?"
At those words, Zeke couldn't respond for a moment.
When he was close to her, memories from his past life came flooding back as if they happened yesterday.
Memories of embracing each other in a cave to survive the bitter cold, of holding her slender shoulders as she cried in grief over fallen comrades.
Looking into her bright blue eyes made past memories continuously surge forth.
They were the eyes he had longed for the longest, both in his past life and his regained life.
Though he had met many people he had connections with in his past life again, and formed new bonds after his regression, he didn't feel the same emotions for them as he did for Alicia.
Zeke only realized after his regression.
That he had been in love with Alicia for a long time.
Nevertheless, the reason he couldn't go meet Alicia right away was because he didn't have the confidence to face the past Alicia who didn't share various memories with him.
In a strict sense, he felt anxious that if the past Alicia had disappeared and only an Alicia who had forgotten everything remained, then the woman he loved had vanished forever.
But Zeke strongly felt that the Alicia before his eyes was indeed her past self.
Although she didn't share the memories he had, her essence hadn't changed at all.
She was still rough, aggressive, lovable, and also fragile.
Every time Zeke realized that the current Alicia was the same being as the Alicia he had loved and missed in the past, he felt overwhelming emotions.
However, he couldn't tell her about everything he had experienced and all these truths.
The past was the past, and now a new life had unfolded, so Zeke wanted to form a different relationship with Alicia.
After collecting his thoughts, he looked at her and said.
"Do you want to know what the real truth is, Grand Duke?"
At Zeke's words, Alicia peered deeply into his eyes.
Then she turned her head away first.
"...Somehow I feel I shouldn't hear what that truth is, based on your expression."
"I won't do anything to harm you or the North. Rather, I'm asking for help."
Alicia shrugged her shoulders at Zeke's words and picked up the bottle of spirits in front of her again.
She took a sip and passed the bottle to Zeke.
Like the Northern knights, Zeke also drank straight from the bottle.
As he put down the bottle, Alicia looked at Zeke again and asked.
"Zeke Draker, why do you want to save this world? Is it because you're the Knight of Salvation?"
There was a saying in the Central Continent that a knight's epithet determined their destiny.
Some said that Zeke had inherited the destiny to save the world like the legendary Hero King or Dragon Slayer Terakan Draker, following his epithet as the Knight of Salvation.
Zeke slowly opened his mouth at Alicia's question.
"Saving the world, huh?."
He couldn't readily answer her question.
He had only used the Elder Dragon's power to turn back time by exerting his will to reject the miserable death he experienced in his past life.
What he truly desired was not saving this world.
Looking at Alicia, he said.
"I've never thought about saving the world. What I've wanted for a long time has always been a personal wish. To become free."
At times, Zeke recalled what the Cross Sword Aslan had said.
He said his dream was to be a wandering knight who would abandon everything to roam aimlessly, helping the weak and slaying monsters.
Though he thought it was just a romantic notion, the freedom Zeke ultimately dreamed of was similar in context.
Zeke wanted to live wandering freely in a peaceful world.
After hearing Zeke's words, Alicia nodded.
"Becoming free. That's much better than pointlessly going on about salvation or being a hero."
She slowly stood up.
Picking up her Wolf fang sword that was leaning to one side, she looked at Zeke and said.
"It's difficult for me to judge how much of your words are true. But at least I don't think you have any malicious intent."
She said while strapping the wolf fang sword to her back.
"And putting all that aside, I completely agree with exterminating those damned demon realm bastards who threaten my and the North's freedom. In that sense, I'll refine my strength by meeting the Sword King as you suggested."
The proud Northern ruler had decided to accept Zeke's opinion.
Zeke nodded as he watched Alicia.
"I deeply appreciate the Grand Duke's cooperation and consideration."
She gave the Northern style greeting of placing her hand on her heart while bowing her head.
At the same time, her blue eyes sparkled as she grinned.
"Likewise. See you again, Knight of Salvation, no, Knight of Freedom."
Alicia opened the office door and went outside.
Zeke stared blankly at the spot where Alicia's warmth still lingered, then shook his head.
He shook off all traces of memories and emotions of the past Alicia that he held in his mind.
'The past is just the past. Now is the time to move forward.'
As Zeke raised his head again, his eyes flashed with light.
* * *
BOOM!
After the agreement and establishment of the Continental Allied Forces, troops from all over the Central Continent began marching towards Jupiter in the southern Empire.
They decided to gather at Hell, the border region entering the Empire from Midland, then head south past Thermo Fortress towards Jupiter.
After the decision, Central Continent forces began gathering at Heli one after another.
At the center was Helen Draker, Draker's guardian knight renowned by the epithet Iron Knight.
She had to take on the role of Commander-in-Chief, leading not only the Draker knights but the entire allied forces.
While Helen led the allied forces to strike Jupiter, Zeke prepared to strike the underground labyrinth in Jiemens where Abyss was hiding.
Zeke set up at an old castle ruins not far from the underground labyrinth with the spy unit to prepare for infiltration.
First, Boris planned the infiltration while commanding Six members and Salmak assassins.
Because it was a labyrinth hidden underground, infiltration methods were limited, and above all, they couldn't know what experimental subjects and demon beasts would be there since it was Abyss's headquarters.
After devising an infiltration plan using various methods, Boris and Shadia approached Zeke to report the plan.
"It seems we'll have to blow this place up."
Spy unit infiltration was traditionally done covertly.
But Boris completely reversed this principle of espionage.
Zeke looked at Boris and Shadia and asked.
"There's a chance they could escape if we approach noisily, what's the reason for planning it this way?"
After contemplating Zeke's question, Boris opened his mouth.
"No matter how much we look, we can't find a route to approach this place without leaving traces."
The underground labyrinth that had been hidden in Jiemens for a long time was essentially no different from a solid fortress.
Moreover, not only were Abyss's dark mages there, but Jiemens' main forces and Emperor Nero's secret units also remained, making the chance of detection too high the moment they infiltrated.
Boris clenched his fist and said.
"If traceless infiltration is impossible, it might be better to provoke them noisily and erase traces of infiltration instead."
No matter what method they used, they would inevitably be discovered by the enemy soon after entering.
In that case, it would be better to create an opening by exploding the exterior to lure and disperse enemy forces, then strike during that gap.
After hearing Boris's words, Zeke turned to look at Shadia.
"Shadia, do you agree with Boris's opinion?"
At those words, Shadia also pressed her lips together and nodded.
"Though it's shameful to say as an assassin, I agree with Commander Boris. Usually, since armies are where people are, they need basic necessities. Salmak usually exploits gaps that arise from that. But... we couldn't find such gaps with them."
Zeke nodded at Shadia's words.
Since the underground labyrinth was guarded by monsters rather than humans, normal infiltration methods seemed impossible.
Zeke skimmed through their infiltration plan report and stood up.
"We'll proceed as you suggested. Except for one thing."
Zeke continued as he put down the report on the desk.
"Instead of bombs, I'll shake them up myself."
* * *
BOOM!
A massive explosion occurred in the middle of a barren wasteland that seemed to contain nothing.
RUMBLE!
The ground split instantly and mounds of dirt burst up from underground with the explosion.
Then something huge rose up between the dirt mounds.
SCREECH!
A giant insect with horrific tentacles and sharp hooks writhed as it emerged from the split ground.
SCREECH!
Green acidic liquid flowed from the giant insect's mouth, spraying everywhere.
HISS!
Toxic fog rose from where the green acidic liquid touched the ground.
Scorpions and lizards roaming the wasteland bubbled and dissolved into poison water the moment they touched the toxic fog.
The wasteland instantly became a land of death filled with toxic fog.
Then the surface of the empty wasteland stirred and black holes appeared in the ground.
Knights in black armor emerged from those holes in neat rows and columns.
STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
The black knights who emerged onto the wasteland without the slightest misalignment began patrolling the area while maintaining formation, unaffected by the toxic fog.
As they appeared, eagle-like demon beasts appeared in the sky and began gliding to detect suspicious movements.
They seemed to be searching for the cause of the sudden explosion.
Something entered the black knights' view as they searched for suspicious traces in the smoke.
SWOOSH!
It was Zeke standing on a hill in the wasteland, holding Leviathan while wrapped in black shadows like a cloak.
Not only the black knights but also the demon beasts in the sky confirmed his appearance and transmitted this to the dark mages through prepared magic.
The black knights drew their swords and surged toward the hill where Zeke stood.
SLASH!
A torrent of sword strikes, charged with energy, rained down on Zeke.
Since the energy had the power to neutralize aura, it would have been impossible for an ordinary knight to block it head-on.
But Zeke was no ordinary knight who used aura.
BOOM!
The shadows wrapping Zeke's body rose up and blocked all the black knights' sword strikes.
After neutralizing all the black knights' attacks with Shadow Armor, Zeke raised Leviathan.
Dragon Slaying Technique
Black Sword Energy
Black Wind.
The massive black wind that surged from his sword instantly swallowed up the black knights.