Book 1 Chapter 615

"They sent a letter offering to help resolve this incident in Rwalyn."

Upon hearing the report, Eggerth's eyes twitched.

His face was stained with displeasure.

"I don't know what Rwalyn thinks of Zerdinger. Don't you agree? Head of the family?"

In response to Eggerth's question, the cool gaze of Selder, the head of the Zerdinger family, turned towards Eggerth.

The moment Selder's eyes met Eggerth's, Eggerth flinched.

'This guy?'

Eggerth Zerdinger.

A hero who earned the epithet 'Sword of Ash' because anyone cut by his sword turned to ash.

Despite achieving such feats, Eggerth was considered inferior to Selder Zerdinger, the head of the Zerdinger family.

'Flame' Selder Zerdinger.

Not only was he one of the greatest heads in the history of the prestigious Zerdinger knightly family, but he was also always mentioned when discussing who the strongest knight was after the Sword Saint's demise.

The undisputed strongest knight in the empire.

He was a man with overwhelming flames that surpassed even the previous head of the family.

"The head of Rwalyn sent a letter out of concern for my brother, offering help."

Selder's head tilted slightly.

"Does that displease you so much?"

Gooooooo-

The surrounding temperature rapidly increased.

Everyone here was trained in swordsmanship at Zerdinger.

They were all users of flame aura.

Selder's overwhelming aura was so intense that even they felt a momentary heat.

"Brother."

Jis, the head's brother, who was sitting next to Selder, called out to him.

Then, the heat instantly disappeared.

Silence filled the meeting room.

Amidst the silence, an elder cautiously opened his mouth.

"Mages would be much better at tracking the culprit's movements. How about receiving help in that regard?"

At Jis's words, the Zerdinger dignitaries nodded.

Meanwhile, Eggerth swallowed his anger at the power Selder had exerted over him.

'This arrogant fool dares! Even if he's the head of the family, to treat me, the de facto power holder of the Elder Council, like this!'

Eggerth felt a fire burning within him due to this humiliation in front of the family's dignitaries.

However, now was the time to suppress his anger.

No matter how powerful the Elder Council was, it could not compare to the head of the family.

Furthermore, since security was a domain handled by the Elder Council, it was also his own failure.

Strictly speaking, he had intentionally made it lax, but if the angered head of the family made an issue of it, the Elder Council would inevitably be weakened.

'That cannot happen.'

Eggerth didn't think of himself becoming the master of Zerdinger.

His son, Reed, couldn't either.

Selder Zerdinger was too formidable for that.

However…

'My grandson can become the head of the family.'

If Ris, the current successor, were to meet with an unfortunate accident, Celia would become the next head of the family.

And if something were to happen to even Celia, then Leo would be next.

At first glance, it seemed like there were many.

But.

'If these three disappear, there will be no one to take the position of head of the family.'

Jis Zerdinger, the head's brother, had one daughter.

However, she was just an ordinary young lady from a noble family, far removed from knighthood.

'Now is an era of great upheaval. Tartarus is rampant, and the world is falling into chaos.'

Zerdinger is a heroic noble family.

For a long time, they have fought with their swords during the empire's crises, and even global crises, earning their current reputation.

It was unacceptable for even the heirs of the head of the family to be in a safe place.

'They are strong, but they are still incomplete youngsters. Unfortunate accidents can happen at any time.'

Isn't that why he unleashed the best hunting dogs?

'No matter how much the head of the family tries, it's impossible to find out that the Elder Council is behind this incident.'

Most of the family's knight order followed Selder Zerdinger.

However, most of Zerdinger's shadows were led by the Elder Council.

For a long time.

It was not easy for knights going out onto the battlefield to chase after the lurking shadows.

'The fact that I found out about that guy means that God has chosen me.'

Eggerth recalled the Hero Slayer and inwardly smiled.

It was unknown how he revealed himself in this world.

However, the Hero Slayer, who had massacred heroes long ago, was literally a hunting dog specialized for this task.

After the meeting ended.

Eggerth, arriving at the Elder's corridor, immediately headed to his office.

Elders followed behind him.

"The head of the family won't find out the truth, will he?"

An elder asked with a worried face.

Another elder chuckled at that.

"Zerdinger's shadows are under the Elder Council. Even Selder can't find out we're behind it unless he has the shadows under his command."

At those words, another elder said,

"What if we bring in Rwalyn's shadows?"

Eggerth chuckled.

"The stronger the light, the deeper the shadow. There is no force in the western continent that can devour Zerdinger's shadows."

Even if Rwalyn's shadows investigated, there would ultimately be a limit within Zerdinger's territory.

Opening the door to the Elder's corridor, Eggerth said,

"No one can reach the secret. No one."

Creeeak-!

The moment the door to the Elder's corridor opened.

Eggerth's face stiffened.

Not only Eggerth.

Everyone who saw the inside of the Elder's corridor was astonished.

Zerdinger's shadows lay scattered everywhere.

And it seemed like the Elder's corridor itself had been ransacked.

Countless documents were scattered on the floor.

"W-what is this!"

This was when the elders exclaimed in shock.

Eggerth, his face hardened, strode towards a shadow still breathing and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

"What is this? Who did this!"

To his words, the shadow gasped and said,

"They… they came. Cough!"

"Who are 'they'!"

As he pressed the shadow, who was spitting blood, the Zerdinger shadow gasped and said,

"The Shadow… Lord… the one who rules the world's darkness… has come…"

Eggerth's eyes widened.

The Shadow Lords.

Eggerth had heard of their existence.

The Shadow Empire.

Beings who ruled the darkness of each race, led by the Shan Empire.

"Why are they targeting Zerdinger! Why!"

"We are not targeting Zerdinger."

At that moment, a voice echoed from the darkness.

Screeeech-

At the words, the elders drew their swords in unison.

They were all heroes or equivalent to heroes.

The killing intent they exuded was enough to cut down a person just by being exposed to it.

However, the woman who revealed herself from the darkness did not even blink an eye at their killing intent.

"Beastman?"

Eggerth frowned.

Kirin, the Southern Shadow Lord, said in a languid tone,

"We were targeting the traitor of the world who colluded with the Hero Slayer."

Kirin lazily opened her eyes.

"Zerdinger's Elder Council."

At those words, Eggerth scoffed.

"You're making an absurd claim."

"Oh my? It's not an absurd claim, is it?"

Anya, wearing a hood, walked out from beside Kirin.

On her clasped hands was a crystal ball.

Upon seeing it, Eggerth's face momentarily stiffened.

But then he regained his composure.

The crystal ball looked like an ordinary crystal ball at first glance.

"This Orb of Secrecy. It could only be made with the magic of the Elf Hero, the Alchemist of All Things, long ago."

"And what of it?"

To Eggerth's words, Anya smiled.

"Most artifacts created by the Alchemist of All Things were possible due to his magic. And after his death, artifacts whose magic ran out turned into junk."

Anya rolled the crystal ball in her hand back and forth.

"The Alchemist of All Things was killed by the Hero Slayer, who stole his magic. And it has been officially confirmed that the Alchemist of All Things' magic, as a reward for conquering the hero's world, does not exist. Therefore, to create this artifact, the Alchemist of All Things' own magic is required."

"……"

"This crystal ball. It looks like it was made recently."

Anya tapped the crystal ball.

As the magic activated, clear bloodstains appeared on the surface of the crystal ball.

The material required to activate the crystal ball was the blood of the registered user.

"My specialty is blood magic. I can regenerate bloodstains like this."

"And what of it?"

Anya smiled.

"All magical artifacts leave behind residual magic. And the communication orb leaves behind its voice."

Eggerth's face hardened.

"No matter how complex a magical artifact a great mage creates, its operating principle will eventually be deciphered by later generations. Even if they can't create it, knowing the structure allows them to do many things. Then, something like this becomes possible."

"What happened to Rhys Zerdinger?"

"He's still alive."

"Didn't you clearly say you would eliminate Rhys if given the opportunity?"

The voice of an unknown person and Eggerth's voice flowed from the crystal ball.

As Eggerth was about to shout at that, Anya said,

"Don't say it was manipulated. Any skilled mage can do it simply. If you doubt it, you can entrust the emotion to Rwalyn or the Mage Tower?"

At those words, Eggerth's face contorted.

Seeing Eggerth like that, Anya sneered.

"Checkmate. You were quite careless for someone who betrayed the world?"

It wasn't careless.

It was simply a disaster beyond imagination.

No matter how deep and dark Zerdinger's shadows were.

They could not be as deep and dark as the world's shadows.

And just as the world's powers were divided in various forms.

The shadows were the same.

Who could have imagined?

That the entire darkness of the world followed a single person.

And that the one who ruled that darkness was the one who had targeted their lives.

To think that they would be cornered in less than half a day.

No one could have imagined it.

Eggerth opened his mouth.

"Zerdinger is by no means weak. If I kill all of you here, that will be the end of it."

"Southern Lord. He says he'll kill all of us."

"They are just lowly shadows anyway. They can't withstand Zerdinger's sword."

Flame aura erupted from Eggerth's body.

Seeing that, Kirin said indifferently,

"I want to cut off that tongue right now and stop you from spouting nonsense, but unfortunately, he said he would personally punish you."

"He?"

The moment Eggerth frowned.

Flash- Kaga ga ga ga ga gang! Hwaruru-!

Flames erupted at the entrance of the Elder's corridor.

Seeing that, Eggerth's face stiffened.

"Zerdinger's flames?"

***

Hwaruru-!

The entrance of the Elder's corridor, engulfed in flames.

Leo was walking towards it.

Thump- Thump-

The knights who had tried to block Leo were groaning.

"You found the evidence faster than I thought."

"I never imagined the Shadow Lords would investigate their own backs."

This was when Algren said calmly.

"What is this! Leo Frobb!"

"Reed Zerdinger."

Leo, seeing Reed, the son of Eggerth, the de facto power holder of the Elder Council, smirked.

"Do you know where my mother is?"

"What?"

"I heard she was kidnapped by the Hero Slayer."

At those words, Reed's complexion hardened.

'How does this guy know that far?'

"I found out it's related to your Elder Council."

"You punk! What nonsense are you spouting…!"

Kuaang-!

Hwaruru-!

Reed's eyes widened as he looked at Leo's sword, which he had barely blocked.

"Because of you, I'm on the verge of reverting to my old ways."

'How does this young brat have such killing intent…'

"I'll give you a choice. Do you want to die peacefully? Or die painfully?"

Gooooo-!

"You arrogant fool! Did you go blind because you became a hero at such a young age! Even heroes are not all the same…"

Gulp-!

Sploosh-

"Strangely, guys like you never choose to die peacefully."

"Kyaaaaaaaaaak!"

Reed screamed, clutching his right arm.

Raising his sword, Leo tilted his head slightly.

"Where should I cut next?"