590
Chapter 590
Mephistopheles burst into satisfied laughter seeing Zeke and the former followers of the arrogant savior following him.
"HAHAHA! Just as I thought!"
He pointed his fan at Lilith, who had become a shadow guardian behind Zeke.
"Turning that damned temptress into a familiar right away. Amazing! Truly remarkable, Zeke Draker!"
Zeke had an expression that suggested he'd expected this reaction from Mephistopheles who had been waiting for him.
'There's no way he didn't hear Lilith's voice calling for me.'
From his first encounter with Lilith, he hadn't believed her words.
If Lilith's words had been true, Mephistopheles would certainly never have let him in here.
He must have pretended not to know, curious to see how Zeke would react upon meeting Lilith.
Zeke said to Mephistopheles.
"You don't intend to interfere with me taking back the followers of the arrogant savior, do you?"
Mephistopheles shook his head with a laugh at those words.
"HAHAHA! Of course not. Rather, I welcome it. We are allies, so the stronger your forces become, the better it is for me."
Looking at Mephistopheles speaking amicably while his purple eyes glowed, Zeke could instinctively feel that his words weren't true.
'He seems to have some other scheme.'
Though he couldn't know the true thoughts of Mephistopheles, the Master of unbreakable contracts, he didn't seem likely to cause problems right away since he was showing a friendly attitude. But caution was necessary.
After all, the reason Zeke wanted to bring in the former followers of the arrogant savior was to guard against the demons of the demon realm and their followers.
'I need to be careful with these guys who might stab me in the back at any time.'
Without revealing his inner thoughts, he said to Mephistopheles.
"If you're done here, it's time to fulfill my second request."
Mephistopheles narrowed his eyes at Zeke's words and said.
"Yes, you made two requests of me. To convene the Demon lords' meeting and to reveal what hidden truth the arrogant savior spoke of."
He nodded and continued in a casual tone.
"It's not a difficult matter."
Mephistopheles snapped his fingers again.
TSS! TSS! TSS! TSS!
As the surroundings changed, Zeke and Mephistopheles were moved to an antique room.
Mephistopheles threw himself onto a well-made bed, then gave Zeke a seductive smile while patting the space beside him.
"Come, Zeke Draker. Lie down here."
Zeke looked at Mephistopheles with incredulous eyes.
Mephistopheles shook his head and said.
"No, no! Don't get the wrong idea! Well, of course it's possible if you want. But not right now."
Zeke looked at Mephistopheles patting the bed with a dubious expression before eventually going over and lying down beside him.
Then Mephistopheles took Zeke's hand.
"Now then, what I'm about to show you is a very heartbreaking story. You'd better prepare yourself."
Zeke furrowed his brow at Mephistopheles's words.
"What do you mean…?"
Before Zeke could finish speaking, the surroundings changed.
TSS! TSS! TSS!
A heterogeneous world that looked like it had tens of thousands of pieces of glass attached.
Zeke realized he had entered Mephistopheles's unique domain.
Then, Mephistopheles's voice rang in his ear.
—Welcome to my unique domain 'Kaleidoscope'.
Mephistopheles's unique domain, Kaleidoscope, had the ability to show 'everything' that had existed.
'So this is Mephistopheles's unique domain. Impressive.'
Looking closely, each piece of glass in the kaleidoscope was reflecting everything happening in the world.
It could show events occurring not only in the material world but also throughout the demon realm.
—Here we can look back at not only current events but also things that happened in the past.
Zeke asked in surprise at Mephistopheles's words.
"Past events? Are you saying the truth you want to tell me is about the past?"
—Yes, watch carefully, Zeke Draker.
With his words, the kaleidoscope domain began to gradually change while emitting light.
WOONG WOONG WOONG WOONG!
The tens of thousands of glass pieces rippled and instantly transformed the surroundings completely.
'This is...?'
Zeke looked at the changed surroundings.
He was somewhere in a forest existing in the material world, not the demon realm.
Everything felt vivid as if he had actually moved locations.
'Did we travel to the past? No, it doesn't feel like we crossed a timeline.'
The only power that could cross timelines was Chronos's power.
Although he had glimpsed fragments of the past before, Zeke felt a bit bewildered as he had never experienced it this vividly and clearly.
Just then, something passed in front of Zeke.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Zeke was startled to realize that those moving quickly through the forest were Draker's Black Corps.
'Is this related to the Black Corps?'
Zeke's expression hardened as he couldn't understand what connection the hidden truth the arrogant savior spoke of had with the Black Corps. But for now, he needed to confirm the reality rather than think about it.
Since this was just a recreation of the past, the Black Corps members seemed unable to sense Zeke's presence.
He followed behind the Black Corps members.
The Black Corps members entered deep into the forest while concealing their presence and searching for some traces.
Zeke looked around and soon realized where this was.
'This seems to be the mountain between Baranaon and the Troy Principality.'
He still couldn't understand why the Black Corps members were searching for something here, or what connection it had with him.
Just then, one of the Black Corps members raised their hand to signal.
They seemed to have found some decisive clue.
They quickly ran deeper into the forest following the traces.
Zeke followed behind them as well.
Soon they stopped somewhere and took out an artifact to illuminate the surroundings.
Blue light shone everywhere, and soon an anomalous ripple appeared in one spot.
There seemed to be a magic circle installed to hide an entrance.
When the Black Corps members took out metal plates engraved with magic circuits and placed them in front of the magic circle, the hidden entrance was revealed as the metal plates absorbed the flow of magic power.
The Black Corps members gestured and entered the entrance one by one.
Zeke, who had been watching from behind, also followed the Black Corps members inside.
After passing through the entrance, a secretly hidden place appeared inside.
'What is this place?'
There was level ground like a yard in front, and behind it was a huge cave.
But in front of that cave stood a single knight.
The Black Corps members drew their swords and took defensive stances upon seeing that knight.
At the same time, Zeke couldn't help but be surprised at seeing the knight guarding the cave.
'Decker?'
Decker, who had taken care of Zeke since childhood, was there. For Zeke, this unfamiliar sight of Decker's younger days felt very strange.
Decker, who was once the captain of the Black Sword Knights and currently working as the mayor of the chaotic Heli, used to be a Draker knight.
And his mission was none other than protecting Zeke's mother, Laura Agamemnon.
'Why is Decker here?'
Decker took a dragon-slaying stance and emitted killing intent toward the Black Corps members who were closing in.
Then he said in a low voice.
"Come closer and I'll cut you down."
WOONG! WOONG! WOONG!
As if to prove those words were no empty threat, an aura blade rose from his sword.
The Black Corps members exchanged signals while watching Decker, then spread out widely to surround the cave.
Shortly after, the Black Corps members charged at Decker simultaneously with a signal.
WHOOSH!
Toward the Black Corps members rushing in with short swords from above, below, and the sides, Decker calmly deployed his dragon-slaying technique.
WHOONG!
From Decker wielding his sword with powerful momentum, a strong will could be felt that he would never let them inside the cave.
The Black Corps members who clashed with Decker's aura-imbued sword were thrown back without even being able to deflect the attack.
"KUHEK!"
Seeing the Black Corps members flying like autumn leaves, Zeke couldn't help but admire young Decker's martial prowess.
'At that level, he must have been a highly anticipated talent even within the Draker family.'
Zeke thought that if Decker had continued activities as a Draker knight, he would surely have received the Guardian Knight title.
"HUUUU."
Decker exhaled and looked down at the fallen Black Corps members around him.
Despite the urgent situation, Decker had subdued the Black Corps members without killing a single one.
The Black Corps members seemed flustered seeing Decker's martial prowess far exceed their expectations and tried to retreat.
But then.
KRRRRR!
Something with tremendous presence could be felt approaching from the entrance.
CRACK!
As the barrier magic hiding the hideout completely broke, someone revealed themselves.
Decker clenched his jaw seeing a man approach through the fallen Black Corps members.
The one standing before Decker was none other than the head of the Draker family, Arthur Draker.
Unlike now, Arthur Draker of the past without a beard looked much sharper in appearance.
He glanced at the fallen Black Corps members around and spoke while looking at Decker guarding the cave.
"Decker Galahaut. Watching your remarkable growth was one of my great joys. I never expected you to disappoint me like this."
Decker exhaled heavily, seeming to struggle even breathing under the immense pressure emanating from Arthur.
Taking another step toward Decker, Arthur said.
"A Draker knight pointing his sword at the family head. Doesn't this violate your oath of loyalty?"
Breathing roughly, Decker replied to Arthur.
"...I'll gladly accept punishment for tarnishing my knightly honor. But... I cannot let you pass through here."
Arthur smirked amusedly at those words.
"You'll stop me? Do you think that's possible?"
As Arthur took another step, the pressure on Decker intensified.
He felt as if carrying massive iron weights on his entire body.
Sweating coldly, Decker said to Arthur.
"...As a knight, I cannot forgive the family head trying to violate heaven's law."
Arthur's eyes widened at those words.
His beloved sword Caliburn was suddenly in his hand.
Arthur swung his sword at Decker.
KRRRRR!
Though it was a single strike, Decker felt as if his entire body was being torn apart.
But he didn't submit and stepped forward to receive Arthur's sword.
CRASH!
The moment he clashed with Arthur's sword, Decker collapsed in place from the impact that felt like his entire body was shattering.
"KEUUUU."
It felt like the bones in his arms, legs, and entire body were crushed.
Arthur, holding Caliburn, spoke to the fallen Decker.
"I am not someone the likes of you can judge."
His arrogant voice echoed in Decker's ears.
And then.
KRRRRRR!
A massive vibration rang out from inside the cave.
Simultaneously, an unexpected sound burst forth.
WAAAH!
A clear baby's cry was heard from inside the cave.
Arthur's gaze changed upon hearing this.
He entered the cave, leaving Decker kneeling.
Decker tried desperately to move his body, but couldn't with his entire body shattered.
"KUUUK!"
Decker let himself fall and began crawling bit by bit toward the cave.
Zeke watched with a devastating feeling as Decker entered the cave while shedding tears of blood.
'So this happened.'
He turned to look into the cave where the baby's cry came from.
And slowly walked inside.
Zeke's heart was pounding without him realizing.
And arriving at the end of the long cave, a horrific sight he never expected unfolded.
STAB!
Arthur's Caliburn had pierced through Laura Agamemnon's heart.
Laura was bleeding from her mouth while looking at Arthur who had stabbed her heart.
She spoke with a chilling smile.
"...Arthur Draker. No matter how much you struggle... the wheel of fate will ultimately break."
Arthur furrowed his brow at Laura's words.
Then he pulled out the sword that had pierced her heart in one motion.
THUD!
Laura Agamemnon fell to the ground bleeding.