420 The Greatest King

The Blade of Purification...

A name that had not been heard for a long time reverberated in Thales' mind.

'How…'

He stared at the Dragon Breaker on the paper, and there were countless questions in his head. He was confused.

While he was in Heroic Spirit Palace, Thales received the precious 'Confronting the Heavens' from Saroma, which described the Dragon Breaker as the exact same weapon as the Blade of Purification in terms of style. Thales just never thought that the strange-looking weapon would have such a close connection to his name and blood.

'The Dragon Breaker...

'The Blade of Purification...

'Is it a coincidence?

'Or was this the blade that sealed Giza…'

"So this is… just Queen Aixora's dowry?"

Samel looked at Zakriel with a puzzled expression, while Thales snapped out of his state of recollection.

As soon as the Knight of Judgment spoke of the past, he sank into his dazed condition again.

"It's more than that; it's a testimony of history.

"Everything in the treasury is of great significance."

Samel and Ricky looked at each other, frowning.

Zakriel gently touched the cell's bars. Then, before it was activated, he quickly lifted his hand from it. His actions were agile and skillful.

"The relationship between Constellation and Eckstedt was probably the tensest during that time." The former watchman's gaze was unfocused.

"The invasion of the Night Wing King, and the disaster of Third Peninsular War broke the political balance, causing countless small as well as medium-sized forces of power to perish. The big countries who lived through the disaster were also in bad condition. The balance of power in the Western Peninsula shifted again.

"So, the countries in the Western Peninsular fought for dominance. The conflict between the descendants of the Empire and the Dragon's children once again reached its peak.

"Two people among the Three Dawn Heroes ascended the highest positions in their countries. Chara the Hero became the Regent of Dragon Clouds City and the person in control of Eckstedt, while Midier was crowned as the fourth king in Constellation. However, due to the hatred between their countries and their personal grudges towards each other, they became enemies."

Samel and Ricky looked at each other, seemingly dissatisfied with the prisoner who was talking aimlessly. He intended to let his mouth run its natural course.

Thales listened quietly to Zakriel mumble to himself in a manner that reminded one of sleep-talking. He remembered the song that Putray sang in the military camp in Black Sand Region six years ago.

'When Dawn Came.'

He still remembered the tune in Putray's song and the three leading characters in the song. In fact, the Prince of Constellation 'had not attended to his proper duties' and learned to play the lute as well as sing bardic songs. It was one of his few forms of entertainment in the Northlanders' palace (After the night Dragon's Blood was launched, the unfriendly Star Killer had intensified his efforts in treating anyone who entered Heroic Spirit Palace as a potential assassin, and the bards who were supposed to serve as entertainment during banquets were no exception).

Zakriel continued.

"The two countries began to use various political means through their political games to unite the smaller countries under them again, and it was even worse than before.

"Due to political reasons, the Sacred Tree Kingdom and Constellation engaged in a political marriage, which was something rarely seen in the history of elves and humans."

Zakriel lifted the paper in his hand and looked at the outline of the strange short sword on it. He looked miserable, as though he was recalling the past.

"So, this weapon, which has been put away for god knows how many years, treated more as a collectible than something used for war after the great dragons disappeared, and acted more as a keepsake than a weapon, was treated as a gift of great political significance. Once Queen Aixora came to Constellation, it entered the Royal Treasury."

Zakriel looked at the sketch in his hand and spoke softly.

"The Dragon Breaker...

"A few years later, the large fortress built next to Cold Castle between Black Sand Region and the Northern Territory was named after it."

"Around one hundred years later, Constellation and the Great Dragon's positions in attacking each other changed repeatedly, but that fortress was always at the center of conflict. The stalemate lasted until Queen Erica defeated the allied forces of Eckstedt six times in the famous Three Pocket Campaign and eventually won over Cold Castle. That forced the Northlanders to retreat to the Northern Plains, bringing the power of Constellation to its peak."

With the dim fire acting as his background, the words of the Knight of Judgment drifted in the dark and dusty Black Prison which had fallen into disuse for a long time. The unrest and prosperity during that era could be vaguely sensed from his words.

Zakriel gently unfurled his fingers, and the paper fell to the floor.

He gradually moved his gaze away from the empty air. His eyes became clear again.

"Perhaps one of the reasons why our Constellation predecessors wanted this weapon to be brought among them was because they were worried about the legendary Queen of the Sky. They were worried that it would intervene in their political situation when Eckstedt was weak. This way, they would at least have a weapon that could restrict its movements, even though it never appeared," Zakriel said indifferently.

"It appeared." After he remained silent for a while, Samel whispered, "The legendary dragon was in Dragon Clouds City six years ago."

That sentence slightly shocked Zakriel and made Thales sink into his thoughts.

"It was the night of King Nuven's demise."

Samel sighed. "The dragon, which we thought was only a character from a story, descended from the sky and destroyed a calamity before Dragon Clouds City was reduced to ruins."

The people outside and inside the cell were silent for a long time.

Then, Zakriel closed his eyes and exhaled.

"It seems that I've missed a lot during these years."

Ricky did not seem like he desired to hear Zakriel's endless and topicless narration anymore. He stepped forward and askedhim directly, "But I don't understand how this royal treasure in Renaissance Palace got to the Tower of Eradication."

Zakriel snorted and shook his head.

"Who knows." The Knight of Judgment's attitude was not so pleasant when he had to talk to strangers. His expression was one of nonchalance. "Around a decade ago, many things in the treasury were brought out for the king's wedding. Maybe this thing was also on the list. Who knows?"

'Wait a minute...'

Thales' ears twitched.

'King's wedding?

'Which king?

'Was it Kessel the Fifth's? The wedding that happened when he was still a prince?

'With… Queen Keya?'

A beautiful figure holding a doll flashed across Thales' mind, and his heart sank.

"In that case, we can confirm that it's this item?"

As he watched the paper fall to the floor, Samel turned to Ricky as if asking for his advice. "More than ten years ago, under the king's orders, the Dragon Breaker was brought out from the treasury?"

However, Zakriel did not seem bothered by what they were saying. He leaned against the wall casually.

"Is it important whether it was brought out or not?"

Samel was about to retort, but Ricky was faster than him.

"Good. Let me change the question then."

The leader of the Disaster Swords appeared relaxed. There was the ghost of a smile on his face, but Thales could feel the seriousness hidden in his tone. "What's so special about the Dragon Breaker? Does it have no other secret?"

Zakriel changed his posture, and the light from the fire elongated his shadow on the wall.

"What do you want to know?" Impatience gradually seeped into Zakriel's words.

"Records about this ancient weapon from the Sacred Tree Kingdom have been buried under the dust for a long time. Even the Sacred Elves know little about it. That's why they sent it to us as a political dowry. Do you expect mortals like us to know more about it?" the Knight of Judgment said coldly.

Ricky scrutinized him carefully, but his expression gradually changed.

It felt as if pressure had landed on the air around them.

"Zakriel..."

The last trace of warmth on Ricky's face disappeared. "Do you really not know, or are you just playing the fool?"

Zakriel narrowed his eyes and looked at the strangers outside the bars with the corner of his eyes.

The Knight of Judgment did not intend to cooperate with Ricky. In a similarly cold tone, he said, "I'm tired. Hurry up and leave before the guards come."

Samel appeared to be slightly anxious. He looked at his old colleague's firm attitude. When he was ready to speak to mediate the situation, Ricky snickered.

However, Thales felt the chill in his laughter.

"Do you know why we came here to ask you these questions at such a high cost, Knight of Judgment?"

The leader of the Disaster Swords spoke with a sneer.

"Because what we really want to know is…"

Zakriel continued to lean motionlessly against the wall. He seemed to have descended into an absentminded state. He began to observe his nails again.

He seemed to be indifferent to everything… until Ricky asked his question.

"The so-called Dragon Breaker, which Samel saw and you guarded eighteen years ago, is a legendary anti-mystic equipment, isn't it?" Rickey whispered.

Ricky's whisper echoed throughout the hall.

That second, the light flashed ever so slightly. The people inside and outside the prison cell sank into absolute silence.

Soon, Thales' breathing became disorderly. He did not notice it, but he had to rely on the Sin of Hell's River to stabilize. Even then, he barely managed it.

'What did he say?

'He said—it's a legendary anti-mystic equipment?'

Thales stared at the piece of paper under his feet and slowly picked it up.

'That means... That means...

'The Blade of Purification that sealed Giza six years ago…

'The Dragon Breaker in Saroma's book…

'The black sword that the mercenaries were interested in back in the tavern…

'The Dragon Breaker that Zakriel mentioned…

'The black sword that the Disaster Swords saw again, the so-called 'Dragon Breaker' that they saw…'

As he stared at the familiar yet unknown picture on the paper, various events, elements, and clues were pieced together in his brain in just a few seconds.

However, at that moment, someone else lost his composure in a degree even greater than Thales'!

*Bang!*

*Dong!*

A loud bang and a muffled sound shot up. Thales was pulled back to reality.

He turned his head and was surprised to see that Zakriel, who had pushed himself against the bars at some unknown point of time, fell heavily to the floor. Light wisps of smoke rose from his body.

However, the Knight of Judgment did not care about the pain he suffered. Zakriel just struggled to get up. Thales had never seen such shock and fear on the man's face.

"What did you say?"

Zakriel gritted his teeth and stood up straight. He then stared at the cold Ricky outside his prison cell. There was a rarely-heard quiver in his voice.

"What equipment?"

It was as if he had seen the end of the world.

Thales, who should have been the most surprised after he saw Zakriel in such a state, calmed down.

He had a feeling that something happened...

And the few people in front of him were the insiders.

"Ah ha."

Outside the prison cell, Ricky sounded vaguely pleased and a little surprised.

"Your expression… I understand."

Ricky, and Zakriel—who lost his composure—looked at each other silently. The cold expression on Ricky's face was slowly replaced by a solemn look.

"So… it seems that you really don't know."

Next to him, Samel was clearly clueless. He looked at Zakriel, and then at Ricky. He asked the same question as Thales, "What's wrong?"

Yet, neither Zakriel nor Ricky had the leisure to pay him any attention.

The former's breathing became more and more rapid, while the latter muttered to himself under his breath.

Zakriel's chest heaved, and his breathing was incredibly quick. But it was nothing compared to how panicked he appeared to be.

"Tell me..."

The Knight of Judgment gnashed his teeth. The brand on his forehead stood out distinctly. "What did you just say? What legendary anti-mystic equipment?

"Tell me!"

Ricky stood silently without moving from his original spot. A light crease materialized between his eyebrows.

A few seconds later, when he saw just how eager Zakriel was for the answer, and he nodded to Samel by his side.

"Tell him."

Zakriel immediately looked at Samel. His gaze was sharp and aggressive, appearing quite ferocious.

Samel glanced at Ricky strangely, but still spoke quietly.

"Zakriel, according to the information we obtained from the Tower of Eradication, this… so-called Dragon Breaker is a legendary anti-mystic equipment." Samel seemed a bit hesitant, but also seemed like he did not quite understand what was going on.

That second, Zakriel's stubble-covered face became pale.

"No…" He stared at the empty space in front of him and began to mumble to himself.

Looking serious, Samel said, "Our intelligence is unequivocal. It's said that this legendary anti-mystic equipment has been verified, and it has sealed a calamity."

Thales subconsciously clenched his fists.

He remembered the scene six years ago. The short sword that emitted a red light seemed to call out to the blood in his body. It was almost alive.

In the cell, Zakriel's gaze shifted back and forth, as though he was looking at the most incredible thing.

"No, no, impossible…" he murmured.

In the end, he stared straight ahead, then slid down to the floor, as though he had lost all of his energy.

He was dumbstruck.

Samel sighed softly.

"Yes, we never knew that the Royal Family had a legendary anti-mystic equipment hidden among—"

But before he could finish speaking, Zakriel suddenly looked up behind the bars!

"No!"

The sudden change in the prisoner's expression silenced Samel.

"No, it's not like that!

"It's not... No!"

He screamed and struck the floor.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The sudden outburst from the Knight of Judgment caught Samel by surprise. He was amazed to see Zakriel breathe heavily and tremble for an unknown reason.

'Is he… having a fit again?'

Outside the prison, Ricky silently looked at the prisoner who was acting strangely again. He did not say a single word.

Just like Samel, Thales did not know what was going on. There were plenty of questions running through his mind.

"No…"

Finally, Zakriel managed to stop hitting the floor. He placed his hands on the floor in a daze.

"Dragon Breaker… Dragon Breaker?"

He shook his head in disbelief as if he wanted to ask for help from the person in the empty space.

The flames were dim, and the people outside the prison cell were shocked.

Ricky sighed softly and said something profound, "It seems that you already understand, right?"

Zakriel's expression changed several times. All sorts of emotions surged in him.

A few seconds later, something struck the prisoner's mind. The stunned look on his face faded away.

His shoulders began to shake.

The next moment, the long-faced man raised his head, and a distressed, helpless look settled on his face. He began to laugh loudly in a neurotic fashion.

"Haha. That's what it is!"

For a full ten seconds, Zakriel's laughter echoed throughout the hall.

"Hahahaha…"

His laughter was full of great sorrow, which a person would only have after he experienced relief. It was like pain, which could not be taken away, was contained in him. It caused the puzzled Thales to feel uncomfortable.

"Hahaha…"

In the end, Zakriel's wan laughter slowly disappeared.

He knelt on the floor and slowly closed his eyes. Then, he let out a cry full of remorse and pain.

"Your Majesty… Oh, Your Majesty!"

Thales furrowed his eyebrows.

He could not understand.

Zakriel's laughter disappeared, but another laugh began to rang in the air.

"Hahaha, Aydi the Second, the King of Eternal Rule! What a man!"

Compared to the Knight of Judgment's pain and distress, this laughter was bold and magnificent. It belonged to someone who was excited and filled with desire upon witnessing the truth.

"What a bold king!"

The prince as well as Samel turned their heads in astonishment and looked at Ricky, who had suddenly burst out laughing. They saw the rare excitement and ecstasy on his face.

'Aydi the Second?

'King?'

Thales' puzzlement became even greater.

"Ricky?" Samel inquired tentatively.

However, the leader of the Disaster Swords did not pay attention to him. He was immersed in that joy and pleasure, which he rarely felt. He laughed loudly.

"Whether it's the King of Renaissance, Dragon King, King of Mountains, or the Grand Cadillac, the wonderful achievements, bravery, and spirit of these so-called heroes in the history of mankind cannot even begin to be compared to yours!"

Ricky laughed so much that he slapped his thighs happily. It was a stark contrast to the pained moaning from the trembling Zakriel.

"Eighteen years ago… Eighteen years ago! It's a pity, it's a pity!"

In his eyes, he showed a rare excitement, and said, "Why wasn't I in the Western Peninsular at that time?! I didn't get to witness this magnificent, exciting, and crazy scene!"

Ricky turned and looked excitedly at Thales, who was still out of the loop. He unfolded his arms and pressed down on the prince's shoulders.

Thales groaned. He could feel that the other person was using all his strength. He had really forgotten about his happiness.

The torch shook violently in Ricky's hands, and sparks flew from it.

"Child, you should be proud of it!"

Ricky's breathing quickened like an emotional bard who just watched the rise and fall of history. He sighed deeply. "Your grandfather's been the greatest and most fearless supreme king in human history since the Battle of Eradication!"

Thales looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. He sensed the unusual passion in Ricky's words, and he could no longer resist asking questions.

Nonetheless, Samel was faster than him. The former Royal Guards' flag bearer solemnly asked, "Zakriel, Ricky, what happened? What are you all talking about?"

Ricky's laughter slowly disappeared.

He released Thales' shoulder and took the paper from the prince's hand. But he did not answer Samel's question.

"Knight of Judgment, I'll confirm for the last time." Ricky's normal expression returned to his face, and he asked the stricken Zakriel in the cell sternly, "This Dragon Breaker, was it the Dragon Breaker that you brought out with your own hands from the treasury eighteen years ago?"

Zakriel trembled a little, as though he had just woken up from a nightmare.

He laughed neurotically.

"Hahahahaha..." Zakriel's coarse laughter tumbled out from his chest. It was hollow. "Look at me now and think about the past…"

The Knight of Judgment lowered his head and whispered, "Do you still need confirmation?"

Ricky laughed.

He turned around.

"Samel, let's go," Ricky said casually.

However, the sparkle in his eyes was full of unprecedented confidence. "We didn't come here in vain."

He stepped forward and left Zakriel behind in the boundless darkness.

But Samel whispered, "Ricky..."

The vice flag bearer lifted his head coldly and raised the torch. His voice was filled with dissatisfaction.

"I need an explanation."

Ricky's footsteps came to a halt.

Thales frowned and looked at the interaction between the two.

Ricky sighed and turned around.

"Samel, you were born into a noble family in the capital. Tell me…

"How did we win the Battle of Eradication?"

His expression was indifferent, and he smiled slightly. It was as if they were in a normal conversation between friends.

Samel first hesitated, though soon after, he spoke subconsciously.

"The legendary anti-mystic equipment."

Ricky snapped his fingers, a telling sign of how relaxed he was at that moment.

He turned around and approached Samel. He ignored the trembling Zakriel in the prison as if the man had lost all his value.

"Yes. For more than six hundred years, each legendary anti-mystic equipment sealed the calamity. They served as the biggest bane of their existence."

Ricky whispered, "But ironically, every legendary anti-mystic equipment, which could seal the calamity, was jointly forged during the Battle of Eradication by the two most powerful calamities. They used wisdom left behind by human wizards and countless prototypes as their foundation."

Right then, Thales grew excited!

'What a minute!

'What they're talking about is…'

A pleasant male voice rang in his mind, awakening memories from some time ago.

"'Unbeknownst to us, the two Mystics, who always seemed to keep themselves out of things and stayed neutral, had started to work together with the humans, with the survivors of the Magic Towers. In the end, with the existing anti-mystic equipment as a basis, they produced the Mystics' greatest enemy...

"'The legendary anti-mystic equipment."'

Ricky continued to speak in the face of Samel's brightly-burning eyes in Black Prison.

"Then, we won the war. The wizards were wiped out, the two Magic Empresses parted ways, the alliance of the humans collapsed, the famous Calamity Hunters disbanded, and the limited number of legendary anti-mystic equipment were scattered everywhere.

"However, most people don't know about this," Ricky sneered. "Blood Spike and Hellen, the two most powerful calamities who fought with us...

"...secretly tampered with their creations as the creators of the legendary anti-mystic equipment."

Samel was stunned. "Tampered?"

Thales' breathing hastened. He subconsciously straightened his body.

The memories of the past once again occupied his mind.

"'Wait, I've thought of a question... If the legendary anti-mystic equipment is the Mystics' greatest problem…

"'Wouldn't the weapons they make be a threat to themselves?"'

At that moment, what Thales saw before him was the elegant smile of the man in blue and the profound gaze from his eyes, glowing in blue.

"'Good question. You're approaching the truth of the world, Your Highness."'

Thales was stunned.

He understood something.

Then, Ricky's vague words traveled into his ears.

"After the war, after they paid a devastating price, the heroes of mankind verified a fact: the existing legendary anti-mystic equipment could not seal Blood Spike and Hellen."

Samel raised his eyebrows.

Ricky laughed and threw the torch. "Yes, the most powerful weapon in the Battle of Eradication could seal almost every Mystic, end the disasters they brought, but it could not hurt even a single hair on their creators' heads."

The torch fell to the floor, and sparks flew all over the place. The torch gradually grew dimmer as it rolled around until it could only create faint light and heat. 

"I mean, of course, that would happen. If I were them, why would I create something that would harm myself?"

Ricky looked up and sighed softly in the much darker Black Prison.

"So Blood Spike and Hellen, the two Magic Empresses, were the most powerful Mystics in the world. They were the only two Mystics who could not be sealed and they were like two taboo forces that couldn't be defeated. They ruled over the world.

"For many years, no one could control them. They stood above all as beings that transcended all forms of existence. They formed a frightening balance, which lasted for seven centuries in Errol. All countries and all races were silent. They did not dare voice their anger."

As he listened to Ricky's words, Thales' thoughts started to churn faster as faint astonishment and vague understanding formed in him.

The words of one of his mysterious teachers sounded again.

"'But, the secret of the legendary anti-mystic equipment has always been in the Two Empresses' hands. We've never been able to find out, even now. 

"'This is a yoke that's been pressing down on our shoulders for almost seven hundred years.

"'We still can't figure it out."'

That instant, he found many of the mysteries in the world solved after he went there. Many of the questions he had were answered. 

He was not the only one who had such a thought.

Samel's cheeks moved slightly.

He looked as if he had realized something. He lifted his head abruptly.

"Wait, the Dragon Breaker was not a legendary anti… Eighteen years ago… That means…"

Samel's words came to a halt. They froze along with the expression on his face.

Ricky threw his head back and laughed. His laughter echoed throughout the hall.

"Yes, though we don't know the details, if our guess is correct…"

Ricky took a deep breath and lowered his head.

Samel's torch was reflected off his eyes in the darkness. It instantly caused his gaze to sharpen as if he was a wild beast out for a hunt.

"Eighteen years ago, with the Dragon Breaker as its base, the first and only legendary anti-mystic equipment not created by the Magic Empresses…

"...was created in Constellation, though with great difficulty."

He sounded like a bard sitting near a fire in the night. The rhythm of his words was orderly, and he sounded mysterious.

Samel was frozen.

The atmosphere in Black Prison was never as horrifying as it was the moment Ricky's words spread. It seemed like they were talking about the most unbearable secret in the world.

Thales looked at the piece of paper flutter in the air before it fell on the barely-burning torch on the floor.

"Eighteen years ago, the King of Eternal Rule, Aydi Jadestar the Second and Constellation recreated the miracle of our predecessors, which occurred during the Battle of Eradication. They created an unprecedented, forbidden weapon."

Ricky's voice became fierce and solemn. It sent a slight chill down Thales' spine.

It was a legendary anti-mystic equipment without any limits or restrictions."

The flames from the torch licked the paper with the well-drawn sketch of the Dragon Breaker. It was now scorched black due to the embers remaining on the torch.

It was thicker and darker than the surrounding color in Black Prison.

"A secret weapon that can completely seal Blood Spike and Hellen…"

Ricky's voice was cold, and every word was accompanied by the faint crackle of the burning paper.

"One that can completely end their reign of terror for seven centuries…

"The perfect anti-mystic equipment..."

*Clack!*

The embers trembled, and sparks flew out from it.

Thales' mind almost froze. He felt his breathing become stagnant. His hands and feet were also cold.

The Black Prophet's strange attitude...

Asda's fervent ardor...

The Duke of the Northern Territory's hysteria before his imprisonment...

King Nuven's thought-provoking attitude when he told him the truth...

Little Rascal's hesitation to speak before they parted...

And… the secret of the Bloody Year.

Countless terrible answers and questions rose made themselvess known his mind.

Ricky sneered and said, "Naturally, it's also the ferry bell that rang for the entire Jadestar Royal Family before they collectively went to Hell's River during the Bloody Year."

In the darkness, the Knight of Judgment's trembling voice slowly rose into the air. "No…"

Thales suddenly felt that the area around him was very dark, still, and chilly.

Ricky cackled, serving as a foil against Zakriel's faint weeping.

"It's simply hard to imagine. Aydi the Second, a seemingly mediocre king who practically had no achievements to claim and whom the people of the world regarded as having done nothing for them..."

Multiple layers of shadows appeared on Ricky's face in the dark. Then, it spread out gradually along with his voice, which carried endless lament and mockery.

"He was probably... the first king of mankind since the Battle of Eradication who dared stomp on the calamities' might and strength, as well as the Two Empresses' power and pride at the same time."

*Puff!*

A soft noise chimed in. The last spark from the torch on the floor flew into the air

The unique and strange shortsword on the drawing paper was reduced to ashes.

It crumbled inch by inch and drowned in the boundless darkness.