Chapter 259
‘The power of a dragon?’
Zeke was greatly surprised by Aoul’s words, but he spoke calmly.
“The power of a dragon, what do you mean by that?”
Aoul once again slowly opened his mouth.
“Nothing has been confirmed, but according to the Successor, I heard that dragons still remain on the Eastern Continent.”
Though he had heard it from Hades, Zeke feigned surprise.
However, Andrei, who was beside them, jumped in surprise and freaked out, so Zeke’s rather lukewarm reaction was completely buried.
“N-No way, Sir Aoul! To think there’s a dragon still alive!”
If one went to Mycenae, they could see a living, breathing dragon, but it was officially known that no dragons remained on the Central Continent after the Liberation War, so Andrei’s reaction was not strange.
After calming the excited Andrei, Zeke asked Aoul,
“Assuming for a moment that there are dragons on the Eastern Continent, how would their power be used to create weapons?”
“I do not know the exact details either. To repeat the Successor’s words exactly, he said they implant ‘Chains of the Soul.’”
Hearing Aoul’s words, something clicked for Zeke.
‘Chains of the Soul. Come to think of it, when Terakan Draker and Bahamut made their pact, their hearts were bound by chains. The thing that was binding Lord Hades in Blanca was also chains.’
Zeke thought it might be a type of ancient sorcery that had now disappeared.
‘I’ll have to ask Lord Hades when I see him later.’
When the conversation ended, Aoul stood up, holding his sword.
“The more one stands still, the more the body is bound to get rusty. Let’s hurry up and spar.”
Aoul, the training maniac, never rested for a moment.
In the end, until the appointment ceremony, Zeke had to spar continuously with Aoul and Andrei, aside from the time he spent eating and sleeping.
Zeke was beginning to understand a little why Duke found it burdensome when the two of them came to visit.
***
RUMBLE—!
Zeke Draker’s Senior Knight appointment ceremony was held in the Hall of Ātumpel, where Abel Draker’s Guardian Knight appointment ceremony had been held not long ago.
Despite the hasty preparations, the hall was packed with people.
Zeke, who had made a name for himself as the Knight of Resolution, was being appointed as a Senior Knight, a position of command authority in clan Draker, so many people were interested.
Not only Princess Melissa of Alencia, but also major kingdoms like Thebes, Delphoi, and Argos sent high-ranking officials to participate in the appointment ceremony.
On top of that, with representatives from Zeke’s sponsor clans, Agamemnon and Graham, as well as influential noble clans of the central region participating, there were even more attendees than at Abel’s ceremony.
Arthur Draker was seated on the Dragon’s Throne, just as before.
The Guardian Knights, including Kali, and the members of the Cross Society and the elders also maintained their positions with solemn expressions.
Most notably, among them was Abel Draker, who had newly received the rank of Guardian Knight.
As the attendees watched, the doors of the hall opened.
RUMBLE—!
Zeke, dressed in the official uniform of the Draker clan, revealed himself.
An aura that overwhelmed the audience emanated from Zeke as he walked across the hall.
The attendees marveled at the overwhelming atmosphere, as well as Zeke’s handsome features and his balanced, powerful physique that could not be hidden even by the uniform.
Zeke, possessing the Body of a War God and the Body of a Dragon God, had what could be called the ultimate physique a human could possess.
Striding confidently before the Dragon’s Throne, Zeke slowly knelt before Arthur Draker.
Then, he recited the long, drawn-out praise for the head of clan Draker.
Watching Zeke, Arthur, who had been grinning, slowly rose from his seat.
He shouted to the audience.
“I offer my thanks to all the distinguished guests who have attended this event. From this moment, I will now commence the Senior Knight appointment ceremony for Zeke Draker!”
Following Arthur Draker’s words, knights wearing ceremonial armor engraved with the sigil of the Dragon Slayer came out holding flags.
They lined up in formation and then drew their swords.
Woooong!
Surprisingly, distinct Aura Blades arose from all the knights’ swords.
It meant that all of them possessed skills of a Blue Knight or higher.
The only place on the continent capable of mobilizing Blue Knights for such a ceremonial event was clan Draker.
Zeke rose from his spot and stood before Arthur Draker.
Arthur smiled at Zeke, then took out a silver Dragon Slayer’s insignia from a box an attendant had brought.
It was the insignia symbolizing a Senior Knight of Draker.
The moment he was about to pin the insignia on Zeke, someone rose from their seat.
“I have a request for the Lord of the clan!”
Instantly, everyone in the hall turned their heads to look at the person who had spoken.
It was none other than Abel Draker.
No matter that Abel was a Guardian Knight, to suddenly step forward like this during an appointment ceremony conducted by the clan Lord himself was a clear breach of etiquette.
Arthur stopped the hand that was about to pin the Dragon Slayer insignia on Zeke and turned his head to look at Abel.
“Sir Abel. Go on, tell me what kind of request it is.”
Abel came forward from his seat and said, looking at the attendees,
“As this is the occasion where my youngest brother is appointed as a Senior Knight, I too have participated in this ceremony with a joyful heart. However! As a Guardian Knight, not as Zeke Draker’s brother, there is one point I would like to address.”
Abel looked around at the audience and said,
“It is to confirm whether Zeke Draker truly possesses the skills befitting a Senior Knight.”
Before becoming a Guardian Knight, Abel himself had proven he was a Black Knight. He was telling Zeke to prove his skills, to see if he, too, was qualified to rise a step higher.
Arthur said to Abel,
“An interesting request. What is Sir Abel’s standard for the skills befitting a Senior Knight.”
At those words, Abel spoke.
“Those who have currently received the qualification of Senior Knight all possess skills of a Red Knight or higher. Zeke Draker needs to prove he has skills equivalent to that.”
At that, Kali, who was behind them, rose from her seat and shouted.
“Nowhere in the laws of the clan is there a clause that requires a Red Knight’s skill as a condition to become a Senior Knight! I object to Sir Abel’s demand.”
As Abel and Kali squared off, the surroundings grew tumultuous.
The sponsor and allied clans supporting Zeke voiced their complaints, saying it was an absurd demand.
On the other hand, the members of the anti-Kali faction sided with Abel’s opinion, raising their voices that Zeke needed to prove his skills.
As the inside of the hall grew noisy, Abel smiled and looked at Zeke.
He already knew that Zeke possessed skills equivalent to a Red Knight.
Therefore, what he was aiming for was not simply to see Zeke’s skills.
‘The reason Zeke is able to display the skills of a Red Knight despite being a Blue Knight is because he uses an unidentified power that I do not know. I will let you choose for yourself whether you will reveal that power for the sake of becoming a Senior Knight, or hide that power and give up the qualification.’
Abel thought his statement had cornered Zeke, leaving him unable to move.
It was then.
Zeke, who had been standing still, stepped forward.
At Zeke’s action, the hall fell silent.
Just by him stepping forward, he had overwhelmed the audience.
He looked not at Abel, but at Arthur, and spoke.
“How should I prove it, Lord Draker.”
At Zeke’s words, Arthur showed an intrigued expression.
Arthur turned around and called out.
“Sir Gareth! I request your assistance for a moment.”
Gareth Draker, one of the Guardian Knights, stepped forward at the clan Lord’s request.
Gareth, one of the Guardian Knights and the commander of the Black Wolf Knights, one of the three great knight orders of the Draker clan, was a knight renowned throughout the continent.
Gareth, who held the epithet ‘Knight of Scars,’ had been chosen as the one to verify Zeke’s skills.
As Gareth stepped forward, all the attendees in the hall moved back.
In the middle of the hall, Zeke and Gareth stood facing each other.
Gareth drew the sword he was wearing. At that, Zeke also drew his sword and spoke.
“Zeke Draker, I ask for the teachings of the Knight of Scars.”
Gareth stood silently, holding his sword.
It was then.
Woooong!
In an instant, an unbelievably powerful energy erupted from Zeke’s body.
Simultaneously, Zeke charged forward toward Gareth at an invisible speed.
FWOOSH!
Gareth, facing a stronger sword strike from Zeke than he had expected, hurriedly pulled his sword back and took a defensive stance.
CLANG!
Zeke’s heavy sword strike repelled Gareth’s sword.
Zeke did not miss that opening.
VROOOOM!
A powerful cry rang out from Zeke’s sword as a jet-black aura arose.
He once again swung his sword toward Gareth.
Dragon Slayer Arts
Black Sword Technique
Black Wings
The black aura spread out like wings and aimed for Gareth’s vital points.
Gareth, like the experienced veteran knight he was, did not panic and calmly launched a counter-technique.
Dragon Slayer Arts
Shadowless Technique
Shadow of Silence
As Gareth swung his sword, Zeke’s technique vanished as if it were being nullified.
At the same time, a sword strike flew toward Zeke from a blind spot. The signature ultimate technique of the Knight of Scars had been unleashed.
FWOOSH!
However, the Black Wings, which he thought had been nullified, revived again and aimed for Gareth’s back.
Both Zeke and Gareth swung their swords toward each other’s counter-techniques.
CRASH!
The sword strikes offset each other, and the two men were pushed back.
“Hmm….”
A cut appeared on Gareth’s cheek, and a thin stream of blood flowed down.
The audience, seeing this, began to murmur.
Gareth lowered his sword, looked at Arthur Draker, and spoke.
“Lord Draker, I believe Sir Zeke Draker’s skills have been sufficiently proven.”
At those words, Arthur turned his head and looked at Abel.
“How about it, Sir Abel. Are you convinced now.”
At Arthur’s question, Abel nodded with a hardened expression.
Contrary to his plan, Zeke had proven his skills with only his sword.
It had been officially proven that Zeke possessed skills greater than or equal to a Red Knight.
Arthur rose from his seat again and approached Zeke.
He pinned the silver insignia he was holding onto Zeke’s uniform, then put his arm around his shoulder and shouted.
“With this, the appointment of Sir Zeke Draker as a Senior Knight is confirmed! Furthermore, Sir Zeke Draker has become the youngest Red Knight promotee on the continent, so this is also something to be celebrated! Also!”
Pausing for a moment, Arthur made a bombshell announcement.
“I, Arthur Draker, head of the Draker clan, hereby declare that alongside Kali and Abel, I will consider Zeke Draker as a candidate for the succession!”
At those words, the faces of not only those attending in the hall but also the elders and councilors of Draker were colored with shock.
In a situation where the line of succession was rapidly changing with Abel’s appointment as a Guardian Knight, the clan Lord had officialized a new candidate for the succession.
On top of that, he had put forward the youngest of the direct line as a candidate, foreshadowing a great upheaval.
The youngest Red Knight promotee and a Senior Knight.
And on top of that, a candidate for the head of clan Draker.
Another new record had been added to Zeke Draker’s astonishing journey.
The head of the Agamemnon clan and its elders all rose from their seats and clapped vigorously.
As the powerfully built members of the Agamemnon clan gave a thunderous applause, the entire Hall of Ātumpel seemed to shake.
Amidst the ovation of the attendees, Zeke bowed his head with a polite attitude.
Just then, Arthur Draker whispered in Zeke’s ear.
“Congratulations. Starting today, you have truly stepped into the Draker’s war.”
Arthur had prepared a new stage for competition, anticipating what kind of change would occur when he threw the variable named Zeke into the rivalry between Kali and Abel.
Zeke, while finding Arthur’s machinations loathsome, controlled his emotions on the outside and answered calmly.
“I will do my best to meet the Lord’s expectations.”
Foreshadowing a great upheaval, Zeke’s Senior Knight appointment ceremony came to an end.
Zeke faithfully greeted the guests at the banquet held after the ceremony as well.
Princess Melissa, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, approached Zeke with a stiff, frozen expression, said only a few words of congratulations, delivered a gift, and left.
Zeke tilted his head in confusion as he recalled Princess Melissa’s flushed red face.
It was then.
Someone approached Zeke hesitantly.
“S-Sir Zeke. C-Congratulations. On your appointment as a Senior Knight….”
It was an unimpressive-looking man who stuttered badly, had a thin body, and a sallow face.
But surprisingly, the Draker’s Dragon Slayer's Sigil was attached to the man’s collar.
It meant he was an official knight of the house.
In that instant, something flashed through Zeke’s mind.
‘Could this person be?’
Zeke asked the unimpressive man.
“Are you Sir Luther Zemben?”