Serazade's expression showed surprise at Zeke's words.
"The Oath of Sincerity."
The Oath of Sincerity was a vow passed down from the ancient Eastern Continent, formed on the foundation of trust and faith between the parties involved.
Those who entered into this oath could never betray each other or speak falsehoods.
It was similar to the Central Continent's "Oath of Vow," but the Oath of Sincerity from the Eastern Continent went beyond a mere contract, strengthening the bond between the parties in a way that set it apart.
By forming this oath, the Sultan could gain the justification of aligning her will with that of the Phoenix's Guide, while Zeke could spread his reputation as the Knight of Salvation across the Eastern Continent and serve as a bridge for diplomacy between the Eastern and Central Continents.
Serazade looked at Zeke and said,
"It's surprising that you know of the Oath of Sincerity. Hmm, though marrying you appeals to me even more."
"As I mentioned, that would complicate matters."
Serazade turned her head to gaze at Yellin, who stood beside Zeke.
Then she said to him,
"Could it be that you're refusing my proposal because your heart belongs to this beautiful descendant of the High Elves beside you? If you wish, I would permit her to become your concubine after our marriage."
Zeke shook his head at those words.
"If it were swayed by her beauty, I would have accepted Your Majesty's proposal instead.
Considering all the factors, this is the most reasonable offer I can make."
Serazade felt her heart skip a beat at Zeke's casual remark, tossed out so matterof-factly.
She was the Sultan, a conqueror and ruler who had lived for decades.
If she desired, there were hundreds or thousands of men ready to offer their bodies and hearts.
Naturally, the five consorts she had taken were all men of exceptional appearance, sturdy physique, and noble backgrounds.
Yet Serazade had never felt her heart flutter for any of those consorts.
To experience such a feeling now from a knight from the distant Western Continent, far younger than herself, left her astonished.
She composed her expression with effort and said to Zeke,
"It would be far simpler to marry me without overcomplicating things and become my royal consort. You're making unnecessary trouble for yourself."
"It's just my nature. Please understand, Your Majesty."
Serazade smiled at his words and replied,
"I admire and favor those who put in effort. Very well, Guide of the Divine Beast. But if you truly wish to form the Oath of Sincerity with me, you must overcome a trial befitting it."
Seated atop the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, she raised her voice in the majestic tone of a sovereign.
"Zeke Draker, for your sake, I shall personally prepare the 'Sacred Trialʼ!"
At the mention of the Sacred Trial, Omar and all the eunuchs around him were taken aback.
The banquet hall below the dais where the Sultan sat immediately erupted in commotion.
"The Sacred Trial is beginning!"
"The Sultan is imposing the Sacred Trial on the Guide of the Divine Beast!"
As the surroundings grew noisy, Yellin quietly asked Hades,
"Lord Hades, what exactly is this Sacred Trial the Sultan mentioned?"
"It's similar to the Law of the Earth God in your family."
When Zeke had first met Yellin, he had fought a battle of honor under the Law of the Earth God.
And by winning that battle, he had been able to absolve the sin of violating the Expulsion Order of the Ishtar Family.
The Sacred Trial followed a similar procedure, but there was one key difference from the Law of the Earth God.
The one imposing the trial was not a god, but the Sultan herself, who, as the proxy of the divine, determined the nature of the Sacred Trial.
Rumble, rumble!
Soon, the sound of something entering the banquet hall could be heard.
Muscular slaves appeared, pulling a dozen or so carts.
The carts were maneuvered to the center of the hall, and as the slaves unfolded them, an arena astonishingly took shape atop them.
Rumble—
At that moment, the dais where Zeke's group stood began to vibrate and moved to a position with the best view of the arena in the center of the hall.
Once the slaves had relocated the Sultan's seat to the front of the dais, it instantly became the prime viewing area.
More carts followed, and seats began to form around the arena.
Zeke's group watched in astonishment as a large arena was assembled in mere moments.
Zeke wondered how many duels they needed to hold to construct something of this scale so quickly.
The Sultan Serazade was herself deeply versed in martial arts and had a keen interest in various forms of combat.
On the Central Continent, each family had focused on refining their aura training methods and secret techniques, preserving their traditions.
Though not widely known, the foundational form of the aura training method first created by Shattan Draker had branched into many variations, but its basic structure remained nearly unchanged even after thousands of years.
As a result, the misinterpreted aura training method passed down through Bahamut had continued to the present day.
Amid this, the only place that actively researched new secret techniques was the Draker Family.
While the framework of aura training methods was fixed, they advanced by developing secret techniques into special transmission forms and registering them as family manuals for preservation—far more progressive than other families.
In that light, Serazade's approach of maintaining dedicated martial scholars in the Imperial Palace to comparatively study the Central Continent's aura training methods and the rites of succession was revolutionary.
It was no wonder, then, that she had established such an arena and system.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
As Zeke's group marveled at the scene, slaves with drums appeared, heightening the atmosphere.
Reclining on soft cushions with her three spirit beasts, the Sultan looked down at the arena with evident interest.
She then raised her voice.
"Warrior Krashnu! Step forward!"
At Serazade's command, one of the warriors guarding the dais leaped onto the arena with agile movements.
Whoosh!
As Krashnu landed, Serazade said to Zeke,
"Sir Zeke Draker, I impose upon you the Sacred Trial. You must defeat the three warriors I have selected in this duel."
Zeke nodded at her words.
"I understand, Your Majesty."
"If you win the duel, you may form the Oath of Sincerity with me. If you desire, I will even permit sharing my bed."
Yellin's face flushed bright red at the Sultan's bold declaration.
As the heir to the relatively conservative Ishtar Family, she struggled to keep up with the Sultan's forthrightness.
Hades, watching her reaction, clutched his stomach in laughter.
"You might end up like a dog chasing a chicken at this rate. Put in more effort."
Oblivious to how his teasing burned Yellin up inside, Hades continued to mock her mercilessly.
Zeke leaped directly from the dais onto the arena, landing steadily.
The Murk nobles cheered excitedly at his light-footed display.
"Guide of the Divine Beast! We look forward to it!"
"Krashnu! Show the might of a Murk warrior!"
As the cheers rang out, Serazade raised her hand, and the drumbeat changed.
Thrum, thrum, thrum—
Krashnu drew his sword first.
It was a curved saber unique to the Murk Empire, with a slightly bent blade back.
He held the curved saber in one hand and a round shield in the other.
Compared to the Central Continent's kite shields, it was small—enough to cover only the upper body.
With a smaller shield, his movements had to be faster.
Aside from Luther, this was Zeke's first real fight against an Eastern warrior, so he remained cautious as he drew his sword.
Sss—
Summoning Laevatein from his inventory, Zeke drew murmurs of wonder from the Murk nobles who stared at his blade.
"A sword appearing from thin air? Is it a spirit-bound weapon?"
"A Central Continent knight couldn't possibly wield a spirit-bound weapon reserved for successors. It must be magic."
As the whispers filled the air, Zeke and Krashnu finished their preparations. Serazade snapped her fingers.
Boom!
The drumming slaves signaled the start of the duel.
Krashnu twirled his sword at the wrist, slowly circling Zeke.
Seizing what he saw as an opening, he charged forward with his shield raised.
Whoosh!
Riding the wind like a gale, Krashnu thrust his shield toward Zeke at blinding speed.
The shield sliced through the air, aiming to smash Zeke's face.
Zeke effortlessly evaded with illusion step.
As his attack missed, Krashnu pivoted and swung his shield again at Zeke, who had retreated behind him.
Zeke sensed that Krashnu's shield strikes were quite sharp.
But compared to his speed, the attacks themselves were straightforward.
Dodging Krashnu's assaults with ease, Zeke spotted an opening and stepped forward.
He immediately swung Laevatein.
Whoosh!
It was a light swing, merely to probe.
Yet Krashnu's shield shattered upon contact with Laevatein, fragments exploding outward.
Boom!
The sturdy shield broke apart in all directions, sending Krashnu reeling from the immense impact.
"Urgh!"
A casual stroke had nearly mangled his left hand.
Zeke couldn't help but be astonished as he looked at Laevatein in his grip.
With Bahamut's seal fully released and even evolved... its power was no joke.
He realized he might be swept away by the sword's force if not careful.
Krashnu hastily tore his clothing to wrap his left arm and gripped his sword with his right.
Even in this state, Zeke could sense the resilient will unique to Eastern warriors as Krashnu prepared to continue the duel.
Then, something remarkable happened.
Sss—
An aura poured from the sword Krashnu held, enveloping his entire body.
Humm—
His presence, drawing out the power of the spirit bound to his weapon, was utterly different from before.
Krashnu raised his sword and charged at Zeke.
Whoosh—
He soared into the air like a single gust of wind, closing in with ferocious speed.
"Hah!"
Like an oncoming storm, Krashnu's blade rained down on Zeke from all sides.
Zeke parried the wind-infused strikes with Laevatein.
As he blocked the onslaught directly, Zeke realized something.
There was a faint elemental force here?
Humans, by their physiology, could not wield elemental power.
But the Eastern successors transcended bodily limits and wielded the power of spirits sealed in their weapons. They seemed to harness it indirectly through that.
If one could not wield elemental power oneself, then one controlled a being that could.
The spirits sealed in Eastern weapons were akin to genies, a type of spirit body close to elementals, allowing them to manipulate elemental forces.
Whoosh—
As Zeke observed closely, the wind flowing from Krashnu's sword grew even fiercer.
The spirit sealed in that weapon commanded the power of wind.
Zeke held Laevatein steady, blocking Krashnu's gales as he advanced a step.
He wanted to examine the Eastern successors' power more thoroughly, but two more opponents remained. He couldn't afford to dawdle.
Zeke assumed the stance of the Dragon Slaying Technique with Laevatein raised.
Humm!
A resounding sword resonance echoed from his blade as Zeke stepped forward and unleashed the Dragon Slaying Technique.
Dragon Slaying Technique: True Dragon Sword Formula
Chapter 4 Verse 1
Full Moon Slash Whoosh!
Zeke's strike birthed a full moon, cleaving through Krashnu's storm.
The backlash whipped into a reverse gale, sweeping Krashnu up in the very tempest he had created. "Argh!"
It wasn't that Krashnu's ability was weak; Zeke's power was simply overwhelming.
Unable to endure, Krashnu was hurled by the counter-wind, tumbling off the arena below.
Thud!
In contrast, Zeke landed steadily on the arena.
Thud!
The Murk nobles were stunned to see Zeke defeat the sturdy warrior Krashnu so effortlessly.
Never expecting such a one-sided victory, the spectator seats buzzed loudly.
Serazade wore a satisfied expression as she beheld Zeke's triumphant stance.
She rose from her seat and declared,
"The warrior for the second trial is Saladin!"
At the name Saladin, the entire banquet hall fell into stunned silence.
Even the nobles who had been cheering excitedly paled at the sound.
Hades and Yellin, watching from the VIP seats, sensed something amiss from the reaction.
And moments later. Clank, clank, clank.
The banquet hall doors opened, and a man bound head to toe in iron chains was led onto the arena by over a dozen slaves.
Thud!
The slaves yanked the chains, forcing the man to his knees on the ground.
Serazade smiled seductively upon seeing the man and said,
"The Duke of Butchery, Saladin. He is your second trial."