Chapter 136
‘Could that be?’
Zeke recalled the subordinate wielding the staff of ‘Herald of Blood and Madness’ in Hydra’s cave.
CRACK!
The blood seeping into the ground and black smoke gathered and adhered to the dead mage’s body.
GROWL!
The already dead mage’s body twisted grotesquely and slowly began to rise.
Then with a cracking sound, the waist turned 180 degrees.
As the robe covering the face tore, a bald head was revealed, and the back of the head writhed before a human face appeared on it.
CRACK!
Sharp bones protruded from the inverted elbows, and the fingernails and toenails were growing like those of a beast.
GRRRRRR!
The face that appeared on the back of the head began to roar.
Zeke realized that a demon subordinate, a demon clan member, had revealed itself using the dead mage’s body.
“Light Mace!”
Zeke used the skill toward the roaring subordinate.
Clash!
But the Light Mace was blocked by the black smoke surrounding the subordinate and scattered.
‘It seems stronger than the previous one?’
GROWL!
As the mage’s back of head split open, the form of a demon clan member with a beast’s face was revealed.
[How dare you touch a servant of ‘The Lord of the Lowest Place’!!!]
It seemed to be a different demon’s subordinate from the Herald of Blood and Madness.
Zeke pointed his orichalcon sword at the subordinate.
“Demon. What are you trying to do using the bloodline of Lubern?”
Of course, the creature wouldn’t answer Zeke’s question.
Having finished preparing, the demon straightened its back. Then a massive body appeared that was unbelievably large for having inhabited the small mage’s body.
From the outside, it looked like a giant skinned werewolf, but its aura and feeling were completely different.
[You reek of disgusting light’s seed.]
Light magic was certainly incompatible with demons.
A moment later, the demon crouched down and rushed straight at Zeke.
WHOOSH!
Sharp claws swept through where Zeke had been.
The magical energy imbued in each claw was as powerful as an aura blade.
‘Not bad.’
Zeke equipped the newly made Hersion and put on Agamemnon’s mask.
The blade of purification rose from the orichalcon sword.
Whoom!
Golden aura swirled like flames from the sword.
The demon stepped back in confusion at the energy emanating from the blade of purification.
[That is…?]
The demon bared its teeth while looking at Zeke.
[So you’re the key to the holy relic!]
Then it opened its mouth wide and spewed black energy.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Zeke swung the blade of purification toward the black energy.
Dragon Slaying Technique True Dragon Sword Style
Chapter 3 Section 1
Crescent Moon Slash
The Crescent Moon Slash containing the energy of the purification blade split the black energy the demon spewed.
SLASH!
Zeke rushed toward the demon while wrapped in golden aura and struck with dragon claws.
SLASH!
The powerful dragon claw skill struck directly into the demon’s body.
[KUHECK!]
As the demon stepped back from the unexpected attack, Zeke spun in mid-air and swung the blade of purification.
SLICE!!!
Zeke’s sword split the demon from shoulder to waist.
THUD!
The severed body fell to the ground.
Zeke pulled out chains with soul binding echnique and tightly bound the demon’s upper body.
SIZZLE!
When the chains touched the demon’s flesh, black ashes scattered.
[KRAAAGH!]
The demon screamed as if in pain.
Zeke thrust forward the blade of purification and asked.
“What is the holy relic? Is that why you’re searching for Lubern’s bloodline instead of miracles?”
Zeke remembered the word ‘holy relic’ from the newly appeared main quest.
‘Since it came after the Lubern quest, there must be some connection.’
The chained demon looked at Zeke and burst into mad laughter.
[KRKRK. I’ve remembered your soul. Now ‘The Lord of the Lowest Place’ will send subordinates to tear you to pieces.]
Zeke pulled the chains tighter.
[KRAAAGH!]
“Where do you get off threatening me? You want to die?”
If the demon thought Zeke would be scared by its threats, that was a big mistake.
Zeke snorted and decided to test the new skill he got from clearing the quest mission.
“Sacred Fire.”
When Zeke used the Sacred Fire skill, a white flame appeared before him.
The flame circled around Zeke’s body.
‘So this is Sacred Fire? It just seems like a warm flame, why is it an S-rank skill?’
But then the demon beneath Zeke’s feet screamed.
[AAARGH! Remove it! Remove that!]
Surprisingly, the demon’s body exposed to the light from Sacred Fire turned to ashes and scattered.
Zeke was shocked at this.
‘Does the light magic effect spread wherever Sacred Fire’s light touches?’
If that was the case, even knights who couldn’t use light magic could fight demons and magical beasts wherever Sacred Fire was present.
Zeke thrust the Sacred Fire toward the demon and said.
“What is the holy relic? Speak quickly.”
SIZZLE!
[KRAAAGH!]
Zeke was torturing the demon with Sacred Fire.
The demon wanted to abandon its body and return to the demon realm, but it couldn’t move at all due to the soul binding technique.
The demon became filled with terror as it watched Zeke deliberately burning its painful spots with Sacred Fire.
“You’re holding up better than expected.”
Zeke wielded the orichalcon sword and used the light of punishment skill.
Then he pressed it against the demon’s side.
SIZZLE!
[KRAAAGH!]
While the blade of purification disrupted and destroyed magical energy on contact, light magic didn’t destroy magical energy but seemed to cause pain to demons.
The light of Sacred Fire intensified the pain.
The demon finally couldn’t endure the pain and opened its mouth.
[KRAAAGH! Th-there was competition between subordinates!]
“What do you mean by competition?”
[KRKRK. Th-the subordinate who brings the holy relic is gi-given a chance for rank promotion. If we ha-have Lubern’s bloodline, we can find the ho-holy relic!]
“What are you saying? Speak plainly. What’s this about rank promotion?”
The demon trembled in pain as it barely managed to speak.
[Huu. Huu. That means… even subordinates like us can obtain constellation names.]
Zeke tilted his head at the demon’s words.
“Constellation? What nonsense is that? Why are demons talking about constellations?”
Just then, there was a loud noise from behind.
‘Must be the hounds. TCH.’
He couldn’t waste any more time.
Zeke used gluttony on the demon.
SWISH!
Zeke’s shadow slowly absorbed the demon.
[Wh-what?! What are you doing?!]
The demon’s body was completely absorbed into Zeke’s shadow.
A message appeared before Zeke’s eyes.
[You have devoured a corrupted mind completely tainted by demonic energy.]
[Depleted health, mental power, and mana are being restored.]
[You have devoured part of the corrupted soul of Griesmodal, subordinate of The Lord of the Lowest Place, which remained in the eroded body.]
[The passive skill Combat Sense has evolved into Beast Sense after absorbing the blood lineage ability of the devoured subordinate.]
[500 karma points awarded as bonus reward.]
Zeke smiled with satisfaction at the rewards from devouring the demon.
‘Even the enhanced Hydra only gave 1500 points, but I got 500 points from a relatively easy opponent.’
It seemed that defeating demons gave much more bonus karma points.
‘Beast Sense, huh?.’
Before leaving, Zeke tested the enhanced sense skill.
‘Oho?’
Beyond the five senses, it felt like all movement information around him was being transmitted to Zeke in three dimensions.
Sensing the approaching hounds, Zeke used stealth to hide himself.
After safely escaping the hounds’ encirclement, he spent several days roaming the forest, luring paladins and hounds and using dragon soldiers to make them fight each other, disrupting their net of surveillance.
During that time, the princess’s party safely escaped Tempel and arrived in Mycenae.
* * *
Zeke arrived in Mycenae several days after the princess’s party.
The members of House Agamemnon warmly welcomed him.
“It’s been a long time, Lord.”
Rufus Agamemnon, the head of House Agamemnon who had been notified in advance, embraced Zeke.
“Welcome, Zeke.”
Zeke could feel familial affection from Rufus who welcomed him.
“It’s been a long time, Lord.”
“Hey now, I told you to call me grandfather.”
Zeke grinned at Rufus.
“Yes, grandfather. Did Princess Arina arrive safely?”
“Yes. I made preparations after receiving your message. She’s inside, let’s go together.”
Zeke and Rufus headed to where Princess Arina was.
The princess was with Clonne, who was wearing a nun’s habit.
When she saw Zeke, she ran to him at once.
“Sir Zeke! You’re safe!”
Princess Arina held Zeke’s hand with a genuinely relieved expression.
“Didn’t I tell you I would be fine? I’m glad you arrived safely, Your Highness.”
Rufus watched Zeke and Princess Arina with an odd expression.
Zeke sat down on the sofa across from the princess and Clonne with Rufus.
“Have you had any discomfort during your stay?”
The princess answered with a smile.
“The Lord has been too kind. I finally got to sleep peacefully after a long time.”
In Tempel, she had always been anxious about potential attacks.
But at House Agamemnon’s castle, neither the Holy Kingdom nor the Empire would dare to barge in.
Rufus spoke politely to Princess Arina.
“Please consider this your castle and stay comfortably.”
The princess smiled at Rufus.
Zeke asked Clonne.
“Did the Rose Knights arrive safely?”
“Not all of them have arrived yet, but they’ll be here soon… I mean, they will arrive soon.”
Sister Clonne started speaking casually to Zeke before switching to formal speech while glancing at the princess and Lord Rufus.
Zeke said to Clonne.
“Don’t do things that don’t suit you, just speak comfortably.”
“Should I?”
Clonne immediately switched to casual speech even while still being mindful of others.
After hearing everything, Zeke asked Rufus and Clonne to leave them for a moment.
As Rufus got up, he whispered to Zeke.
“Zeke, grandpa approves.”
“…?”
Rufus gave Zeke a thumbs up before going out.
Zeke shook his head in bewilderment at Rufus.
‘Grandfather, do you not know the princess’s age?’
Zeke collected himself and told Princess Arina about his encounter with the demon.
“A demon? I thought those only existed in stories.”
“Your Highness. Have you ever heard of holy relics?”
The demon had said they could find the holy relic through Lubern’s bloodline.
But Princess Arina tilted her head in confusion.
“Holy relics. That’s the first I’ve heard of them.”
If Princess Arina, the successor of Lubern magic, didn’t know about it, then likely no one in Lubern’s bloodline would know.
Just then, Princess Arina clapped her hands.
“Ah, perhaps the holy relic refers to that.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a story my mother told me when I was young. It’s about the Fairy King.”
“The Fairy King?”
“Yes. The Fairy King was born from the first tear shed by the Primordial Light that created this world. That’s why the Fairy King, unlike other constellations, holds the power of the beginning.”
“Wait a moment. Primordial Light? Does that refer to the Sun God?”
“No. All constellations, including the Sun God and Moon Goddess, are beings that split from the Primordial Light.”
“I knew both the Holy Empire and Holy Kingdom worshipped the Sun God. This is my first time hearing about the Primordial Light.”
“Lubern’s light magic was created following that Primordial Light. Originally, the Holy Empire worshipped not the Sun God, but the Primordial Light.”
“I see.”
The princess continued her explanation.
“They say the Fairy King, who uniquely possessed the power of the Primordial Light, gave three gifts to humans who were weaker than other races. Thanks to those gifts, humans were able to prosper as they do now, according to legend.”
“Three gifts containing the Fairy King’s power. Those could be the holy relics.”
“I think that’s the most likely explanation.”
“Then do you know where these holy relics are?”
The princess shook her head.
“I only heard the story from my mother and thought it was just a legend, so I never considered they might actually exist. However…”
She looked at Zeke and said.
“The Hermit of stories might know about the holy relics.”
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