647
Chapter 647
‘To protect the destined savior?’
Zeke could tell that the savior Laura was talking about was none other than himself.
Rex furrowed his brows at Laura’s words.
“Are you talking about the savior in the prophecy you mentioned?”
“Yes, the savior with black eyes. The one who will lift the curse of our family and prevent the end of this world.”
Rex looked displeased at Laura’s words.
Laura said, looking at Rex like that.
“Don’t worry too much. It’s just a formality. That monster wants me, the prophet, by his side… … Rather, for me, being by that monster’s side is the safest place.”
Laura didn’t hesitate to use the word “monster” to describe Arthur Draker.
Rex frowned at Laura’s words.
“Do you still have the same thoughts about Arthur?”
“You know that, Rex. The man sitting in the Draker household now is not the Arthur we knew.”
The tyrant of Midland who holds absolute power.
As the head of the Draker family, Arthur Draker wielded literally ‘god-like’ power.
If there is anyone who stands in his way, he will not hesitate to mobilize his knights to eliminate them, even if it means fabricating evidence of treason. If that is difficult, he will use his men to eliminate them from behind.
On the surface, he was renowned as a knight among knights, following in the footsteps of the Dragon Slayer Terakan Draker, but in reality, he was no different from a thug who did not hesitate to commit the most despicable acts.
But even so, the Draker family led by Arthur Draker grew stronger and more famous day by day.
After the invasion of the Eastern Continent, the reputation of the Overlord could only grow further.
Now, there was no one who could stand against Draker, who was at the top of the three great Transcendent families in the Central Continent.
The same was true for Rex, who became the head of the Tourn family, and Ramon, who became the head of the Jiemens family.
They have enhanced the reputation of their family as a stalwart of the Drakers.
Rex was aware that Arthur Draker, who had gone from being his friend to his master, was different from before, but he did not have extreme thoughts like Laura, such as that he was no longer Arthur Draker.
Laura said, looking at Rex.
“Arthur and Ramon have definitely changed. The only ones who are the same as before are you and me.”
As she said, Ramon, who had become the head of Jiemens, also changed at some point. However, Rex understood Ramon’s change.
After Arthur Draker became the head of the Draker family, he secretly ‘purged’ the Jiemens, one of the major bloodline families.
He eliminated all the key figures in Jiemens who had been linked to his enemies in the past succession race.
After the purge, Arthur installed Ramon as the head of the Jiemens family.
He then took Ramon’s sister as his second wife and had his first son, Abel, with her.
Ramon swore loyalty to Arthur, who made him the head of the Jiemens family, but something went wrong from then on.
The relationship that had been formed as friendships disappeared, and only a distorted master-servant relationship remained.
After that, Ramon cut off all ties with Rex and Laura and stayed locked up at Jiemens’ main house, absorbed in something.
Rex tried to regain their past friendship by seeing Ramon and Arthur like that, but it was impossible.
In a situation where all of their friendships from their youth had disappeared, the one who despised and hated the changed Arthur the most was none other than Laura.
When Laura, who was like that, suddenly announced that she was marrying Arthur as his fifth wife, Rex couldn’t help but be surprised. It was something he had never expected, so he had come all the way here to hear the whole story from her.
And Laura told Rex that marrying Arthur was the only way to protect herself and her future savior.
Rex looked at Laura with a sad expression.
“… … As always, I can’t break your will, Laura.”
“I will, Rex. But know this. Arthur, Ramon, and you. Just knowing that you still hold on to our pure friendship is a tremendous comfort to me.”
Rex nodded and turned away, realizing that he couldn’t change Laura’s mind.
Arthur and Laura were still his close friends, but he knew that their marriage was not a happy one, so he could not help but feel bitter
Only Rex’s translucent form of Zeke remained in the place where Rex had left.
Laura slowly drank the tea that was still warm after Rex had left.
That’s when Carmilla approached Laura.
“My lady, even the Battle King came personally to express his concern. Are you really going to be alright?”
Laura nodded to Carmilla as if telling her not to worry.
“Yes, this is the only way.”
She said with a determined expression.
“Carmilla, please prepare what I asked for before.”
At Laura’s words, Carmilla spoke with an even more worried expression.
“Are you really going through with that plan? Arthur Draker won’t just sit back and watch.”
“No, I’ve already finished the contract. I’ll only marry him but will never mix bodies with that monster. After all, what he wants from me is the power of prophecy.”
Then Carmilla carefully continued speaking.
“Then… my lady, why do you need equipment to fake a pregnancy…?”
Hearing this, Zeke who was listening had a shocked expression.
‘Fake a pregnancy?’
The Laura that Zeke saw in the past was clearly pregnant.
She gave birth to a child in the cave, and Arthur Draker killed her before taking young Zeke to the Draker family.
But judging from Carmilla and Laura’s conversation, what he saw didn’t seem to be the truth.
If she had successfully faked the pregnancy through Carmilla, that is.
‘Why didn’t Carmilla mention this fact?’
As Zeke was retracing his memories in confusion, he recalled that Carmilla, being a True blood vampire, had died once and been resurrected to escape from Arthur Draker’s grasp.
There was a possibility that she had forgotten about this fact due to memory damage during that process.
‘If the pregnancy was really faked… does that mean Laura Agamemnon might not be my birth mother?’
But that’s when it happened.
BOOM!
A massive vibration was felt in Zeke’s body.
It felt like a repulsive force trying to push him out of this world.
‘No.’
If Laura wasn’t his birth mother, he needed to find out why she faked the pregnancy and where he as a baby came from.
He desperately held onto the crumbling world of memories and focused on Laura and Carmilla’s conversation.
“…savior… Chronos… I… destiny…”
Laura’s words were unclear as if submerged in water.
Just as Zeke tried to get closer to Laura to hear those words.
CRACKLE!
Cracks started appearing in the world of memories created by Zeke’s power.
It was no longer possible to sustain this world even with his power.
CRASH!
As the world collapsed, Zeke was thrown outward by a powerful repulsive force.
“AH.”
Zeke opened his eyes with a short breath.
Right in front of him was Rex Tourn, sitting while leaning on his sword.
The real Rex, having aged much more than in the memory, had already breathed his last.
“Lord.”
Zeke held Rex Tourn’s hand and laid him on the ground.
Until the end, he had tried to protect his friendship with his friends and defend Midland that they had built together.
Zeke knelt down with reverence to mourn the death of this man who had remained pure to the point of stubbornness.
After a moment, he rose and spoke to the deceased Rex Tourn as if making a vow.
“I will convey your will to the Tourn family well. Now rest in peace.”
Zeke slowly opened the door and left the room.
Kali was waiting in front.
She realized Rex Tourn had passed away from seeing Zeke’s expression.
“…Did the Battle King pass peacefully?”
Zeke slowly nodded at Kali’s words.
Kali felt deep sorrow at the death of the head of the Tourn family, who had maintained loyalty as Draker’s blood ally until the end, and one of the continent’s strongest warriors.
Zeke spoke to Kali who was immersed in silence.
“Please prepare the funeral with maximum respect.”
Kali nodded at his words.
Then, as if she had somewhat collected her emotions, she asked Zeke.
“Zeke, what will we do now?”
The entire continent was in chaos from the attacks of magical beasts.
Thanks to Zeke’s help, Atlas had barely escaped crisis, but other kingdoms and cities had already fallen, unable to hold out.
Zeke looked at her and replied to Kali’s words.
“It won’t be difficult to stop the magical beasts if we build defense lines centered around the strongholds I’ve prepared.”
Zeke planned to activate Defense Mode and use Karma Points to build defense lines to block the magical beasts.
He was also considering using the Ark to drive out magical beasts outside the defense lines, and installing mobile fortresses with the help of the Three Princesses of the Demon Realm in urgent areas.
However, the pressing issue now wasn’t those magical beasts.
“There’s a different problem. Arthur Draker. We must find the mastermind behind all this.”
Kali's expression hardened at the mention of Arthur's name.
Arthur Draker, the former head of the Draker family who faked his death, was undoubtedly the pinnacle and strongest of the continent.
For Kali, it was difficult to grasp why such an Arthur Draker would go this far as to fake his death.
Zeke looked at Kali and said.
“Arthur Draker is trying to use the power of the Constellation to destroy this world and open a new world for a new human race.”
Kali made a bewildered expression as if Zeke's words sounded absurd.
"A new human race? What on earth does that mean?"
"Would it make more sense if I said it's a world ruled by 'new human race' who are reborn with impure power under the name Draker?"
Arthur Draker, who had ruled the Central Continent as the head of Draker, wanted to be reborn as a true ruler and god beyond this.
Hearing Zeke's words, Kali clenched her teeth with an even more hardened expression than before.
"...Are you saying Arthur Draker is actually trying to carry out such an insane idea?"
"Yes, that's why I must stop him."
Kali looked at Zeke and said.
"I agree that Arthur Draker must be stopped. But right now, we have no idea where he is."
Zeke shook his head at those words.
"I think I know where Arthur Draker is."
Kali asked back in surprise at Zeke's words.
"Is that true?"
"Yes, so sister. Please take care of the allied forces in my stead."
Zeke said with flashing eyes.
"I will find him and put an end to this."
* * *
BOOM!
A huge door opened and the sword grave of the Draker family appeared.
Arthur Draker walked through the numerous swords stuck in the ground.
Then he climbed onto the platform placed at the very end.
A jet-black sword was stuck there.
Arthur Draker slowly reached out toward the sword.
WHOOM!
As if sensing Arthur Draker's touch, the sword created strong vibrations.
WHOOOM!
He grabbed the sword handle.
Then an even stronger vibration occurred than before.
ZING!
The other swords stuck in the ground also resonated with the black sword's vibration.
As sword sounds echoed from all directions, the entire space seemed to distort.
Arthur Draker tried to pull out the sword stuck in the ground amidst these vibrations, but despite the strong vibrations, the sword wouldn't come out.
RUMBLE!
As he continued to force the sword out, the vibrations grew more intense, and the entire space, unable to withstand the sword's resonance, screamed and tried to collapse.
Arthur Draker finally let go of the sword.
WHOOM!
When he removed his hand, the resonance finally stopped.
Arthur Draker stroked his heart area while looking at the sword stuck in the ground.
"Even this much is not enough?"
In his eyes dwelled an enormous desire for something.
Just then, as he was swallowing his disappointment, a shadow rippled behind Arthur Draker.
SWISH!
A young knight wearing a white uniform similar to the Draker uniform appeared.
The knight, with gray hair like Arthur Draker and sharp gleaming eyes, wore a sword at his waist and white gloves on his hands.
After moving in front of Arthur Draker, he bowed his head in greeting and spoke.
"Father, we have detected Zeke Draker's movements."