565
Chapter 565
KUGUGUGUGUGU!
As Zeke entered the valley, he heightened his vigilance due to the strange energy felt from all directions.
'This energy...'
A sticky energy that clings to the body.
It was none other than the energy of the Outer Beings.
As the dragon's energy felt dense at first but the Outer Beings' energy grew stronger as he went deeper inside, Zeke became increasingly curious about the identity of the Enemy King who had set such a trap.
'Is this connected to Harvey West who handled the power of the Outer Beings? If not...'
Even using the Akashic Code, the true nature of the Outer Beings' power could not be accurately determined.
Whenever he tried to read the information, the karma data would break down.
'If I catch the Enemy King, I might be able to find out what the Outer Beings' power really is.'
Zeke went deeper into the valley while protecting his body with Shadow Armor.
But then something appeared in front of Zeke.
"Zeke Draker."
Surprisingly, the one who appeared was Don Juan, the boss of the Mekein Cartel who died by his hands long ago.
Zeke saw through Don Juan's essence, whose eyeballs were completely black, and immediately recognized that he wasn't real.
"I wondered what kind of trap was set, but it's a mental trap?"
TSUTSUTSUTU!
The power of the Third Eye rose from Zeke's body as he muttered.
Against the Blood King's power, the strongest among mental abilities, such traps were nothing but useless.
Zeke tried to dispel Don Juan's illusion using the Third Eye's power without much concern.
However, Don Juan's form only became slightly blurry before returning to normal.
Seeing this, a peculiar light appeared in Zeke's eyes.
'Not just a simple illusion?'
Don Juan dusted off his body and said while looking at Zeke.
"I felt it while watching the memories, but you're indeed hasty in nature."
Zeke drew out Leviathan and pointed it at Don Juan.
"You're not an illusion set by the Enemy King. What are you?"
Don Juan nodded.
"Yes, as you say, I'm not just an illusion. I'm certainly not Don Juan whom you killed in both your past life and current life."
When this unidentified being in Don Juan's form mentioned regression, Zeke revealed strong killing intent.
In response, that being waved his hand and said.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Zeke Draker. I didn't reveal myself with such difficulty to fight."
The being in Don Juan's form grinned, then looked around the valley and said.
"Do you know what this place is?"
Instead of answering, Zeke continued to emit killing intent while remaining wary of the unknown being.
The being in Don Juan's form shook his head and spoke as if he had no choice.
"This place was called the Dragon's Tomb in the past. It was designed to lure dragons, neutralize their power, kill them, and steal their hearts."
He pointed to himself and said.
"This form now. It appeared as a mixture of your past fears, regrets, and resentment."
Soon Don Juan's form disappeared and Arthur Draker's form appeared.
"This form is the same. This valley cleverly exploits the gaps in one's existence to create their substance. Those who created traps here amplified this power to make the illusions more realistic. To strike at the sturdy minds of dragons, that is."
Zeke spoke to the unknown being in Arthur Draker's form.
"So you're saying you're also an illusion created by that damn trap?."
To these words, the unknown being smiled and shook his head.
"I admit that I was able to meet you like this by relying on the unique power created by this valley. But I'm not just some illusion."
He continued speaking while looking at Zeke.
"Do you know why I came to meet you in person?"
The unknown being spoke in a familiar voice as if he knew Zeke very well.
However, because that face was Arthur Draker's, Zeke felt strong revulsion.
As if noticing this, the unknown being nodded understandingly.
"This face seems to make you uncomfortable. I see. Then how about this?"
The being's form changed again.
At that moment, Zeke's eyes wavered.
This time, the form that appeared was none other than Zeke's mother, Laura Agamemnon.
The unknown being in Laura Agamemnon's form looked at Zeke and smiled.
"Oh, you're most disturbed by this form. Well, that's understandable. Do you know why dragons with supreme powers and abilities couldn't resist when they fell into this trap?"
The being in Laura's form said with an amused, playful smile.
"Dragons are originally beings with dull emotions. If I were to make a comparison, they're like ancient trees that live for thousands of years. These dragons changed when they interacted with humans and learned their emotions and expressions."
He continued speaking slowly.
"Dragons of the past wouldn't have fallen for such a childish trap. But they interacted with humans, even went as far as sharing their hearts and trying to transcend the limits of lifespan. Truly un-dragonlike behavior."
Zeke looked at the unknown being and said.
"What are you trying to say?"
When he opened his mouth, the being in Laura Agamemnon's form clapped joyfully.
"Oh, you finally spoke. What I want to say is... dragons too were drawn into this trap, unable to control their emotions when they saw the forms of their loved ones here. Just like you now."
At those words, Zeke raised his sword and said.
"I didn't come in here because of such childish emotions."
"Is that really true? Didn't you think that if there was a surviving dragon, you should save it?"
The unknown being knew exactly what Zeke had been thinking outside the valley.
'Could this being be…?'
Zeke could guess who the being before him was.
As Zeke's eyes narrowed, Laura Agamemnon elegantly raised her hand, bowed her head, and spoke.
"Now I can properly greet you. Zeke Draker."
After raising herself up again, she looked at Zeke and said.
"I've had numerous names. I was called 'The Self-Luminous One,' or 'The Arrogant Savior,' and countless others like Lord of Hell, Light's Adversary, and so on. But all these are mere modifiers in the end."
She approached Zeke with a smile and said.
"Lucifer. That's my true name."
* * *
"T-this is..."
Castro Pollock stood on Jupiter's castle walls with his mouth agape, watching the allied forces reorganize.
All his strategies, using monsters, magical beasts, and even secret weapons, had come to nothing.
Thanks to the solid earthen wall Zeke created, the allied forces' defensive position had become even stronger than before.
Even if they fired shells again, they could now predict the range and prepare defenses.
Castro Pollock clenched his fists and trembled all over.
The aide beside him saw Castro's state and said.
"Commander. Please calm down. In any case, looking at the current situation, we who are conducting the siege are in a much more advantageous..."
"AAAARGGGHH!"
Castro screamed, unable to contain his anger.
His eyes gleamed with madness, burning red with uncontrollable rage.
He drew his sword, pointed it at the aide, and shouted.
"Advantageous? ADVANTAGEOUS! How dare you say such things now?!"
Castro was taking out his frustrations on the aide who had been giving him sound advice all along, even though he had worsened the situation with his own stubbornness.
The aide, well aware of Castro's temperament from the start, tried his best to calm him.
"Though their morale may be high right now, they've lost all their food and supplies in this attack. Nothing is harder to control than hungry soldiers and knights. If we wait patiently, they will fall apart on their own."
Though it was rational and reasonable advice, such words no longer reached Castro's ears.
He swung his sword at the aide and shouted.
"How dare you try to teach me?! I am the commander! I am the king here!"
A red aura blade erupted from Castro's sword, and he swung it at the aide.
The aide, startled by Castro's sudden attack, stepped back and quickly drew his sword to block.
CLANG!
The aide skillfully blocked Castro's sword but fell from the castle wall while retreating from the continued assault, unable to watch his surroundings.
BOOM!
Seeing the aide fall from the high castle wall, Castro became even more excited and shouted with a voice full of madness.
"Kill! Kill them all!"
Then a black shadow silently appeared beside Castro.
A dark mage who looked like a wax doll stood beside Castro and whispered something in his ear.
"The master desires blood. Open the gates and hold a festival of blood."
Castro, with eyes full of madness, fell completely under the black magician's spell.
He turned to the knight behind him and said.
"Open the gates! Tell the standard-bearers and mercenaries to prepare for advance immediately!"
The knights were bewildered by Castro's sudden order to prepare for advance, but quickly went down when he drew his sword again.
DONG! DONG!
The sound of drums announcing the advance echoed throughout Jupiter Castle.
The waiting mercenaries rose from their positions in confusion at the sudden advance signal.
"What?"
"We're going outside the castle now?"
"Is this insane?"
As the mercenaries were in chaos over the incomprehensible order, the captain leading the Breaker mercenary corps appeared.
The mercenary captain, with bloodshot eyes and bulging veins all over his body, said to his men.
"...Prepare your weapons to move out immediately."
The mercenaries sensed something was wrong with their captain.
"Captain? Are you alright? You don't look so good..."
WHOOSH!
The mercenary captain swung his greatsword and cut off the head of the mercenary who had spoken to him.
Blood spurted like a fountain from the mercenary's severed neck.
With his face covered in blood, he shouted at his men.
"Festival of blood! The festival of blood will begin soon!"
Starting with the mercenary captain, knights consumed by madness began appearing everywhere.
They became blood-hungry demons, taking up weapons and preparing to lead the soldiers outside.
Soon the gates opened and the legion's standard-bearers and mercenaries rushed out of Jupiter Castle straight toward the allied forces' position.
"RAAAAAHHH!"
Those rushing out screaming were like fanatics buried in madness.
And then. There was someone watching this while crouching low at the bottom of the castle wall.
'This place is finished now.'
It was the aide who had been assisting Castro Pollock.
While Castro and the surrounding soldiers thought he had died falling from the wall after being pushed by the sword, he had actually faked it to find a chance to escape.
The aide skillfully removed the emblem on his body, shaved his beard, and changed his appearance.
The reason the commander's aide had such skills was because he was from the Empire's Department 13.
After the Emperor's death, agents from Department 13, the core of Rom Empire's intelligence agency, scattered everywhere looking for ways to survive.
The aide too had drifted around before settling into Castro Pollock's legion as an aide.
But while watching Castro fall apart in real time, he had been waiting for a chance to escape.
When Castro swung his sword in madness, it created an opening that allowed him to naturally slip out of the castle.
The aide, who instantly changed his appearance, planned to leave Jupiter during the chaos and go elsewhere.
'Should I go to the lawless zone? Though there are many rough people, it seems like a place where I can make a living with my abilities. Or should I apply for an experienced position at the Thieves' Guild?'
While considering various options and assessing the situation, the aide had to stop even the smallest movement when he felt a chilling energy behind him.
A black shadow had approached and was holding a dagger to his neck.
'Perfectly caught from behind.'
The aide realized that whoever caught him was a skilled person from the same field.
With someone this skilled, any clumsy resistance would result in immediate decapitation.
The aide immediately raised his hands and said.
"I'm a deserter. I'll tell you everything you want to know, just spare my life."
After a moment of silence, the person who caught the aide spoke.
"Senior, it's been a while."
The one holding the dagger to the aide's neck was none other than Boris.