Serazade's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Zeke holding the royal seal of the Kingdom of Tantra, engraved with three eyes.
"That emblem... Could it be that the Three-Eyed Ones, the ruling race of the Everwinter Mountain Range known only in legends, actually exist?" Zeke nodded.
"They are the Third-Eye Clan, descendants of ancient Shambhala. They are now called the Kingdom of Tantra."
"The Kingdom of Tantra. The fact that you hold that royal seal means you have conquered that kingdom."
Zeke considered her words for a moment before responding.
"The word 'conquered' might be misleading... but it is true that I have inherited the qualifications of the King of Shambhala, the origin of the Kingdom of Tantra, giving me legitimate authority."
Serazade fell silent, unable to grasp the extent of Zeke's abilities and background from his words.
'This man... it's impossible to even guess how many more astonishing secrets he hides.' Zeke addressed the stunned Serazade.
"You no longer need to worry about the magical beasts beyond the Everwinter Wall. I plan to unite the tribes within the Everwinter Mountain Range, centered on the Kingdom of Tantra, and establish a defensive line."
Serazade's eyes widened even further at Zeke's declaration.
"You mean to pioneer beyond the Everwinter Wall? My word... That place is a demon lair that has barred outsiders for thousands of years. Even for you, developing it won't be easy."
The Kingdom of Tantra had maintained a secret kingdom within the Everwinter Mountain Range for a long time since the fall of Shambhala. With their power, it was possible to develop the mountain range.
He had already planned to unlock the power of the Kingdom of Tantra, bound by the blood-rank caste system, and actively utilize it.
Awakening the blood eyes of those with potential, like Titus and Yulina, to control the magical beasts, and gradually expanding safe zones within the Everwinter Mountain Range would be the starting point.
Additionally, establishing branches of Feynen Pharmaceuticals and the Reinhart Trading Company in the Kingdom of Tantra to introduce Central Continent civilization would accelerate development.
Serazade nodded in agreement after hearing Zeke's plans for the Everwinter Mountain Range.
"Developing beyond the wall centered on the Kingdom of Tantra. It's an astonishing plan."
"For this, I will also need the help of the Murk Empire. If you permit trade with the Reinhart Trading Company, a massive trade route connecting Tantra to the Murk Empire and then to the Central Continent will emerge."
Serazade was a woman of exceptional intelligence who had held the position of sultan for a long time.
She quickly calculated the benefits the Murk Empire could gain if the trade route Zeke mentioned was completed.
'It will bring benefits to the empire in various ways.'
Serazade nodded and said to Zeke.
"You're asking me to prepare troops to secure these gains. If Arthur Draker revives the Demon King and causes chaos, building such a large-scale trade network would be impossible."
"That's right. Trade can flourish and develop more vigorously when the continent is stable."
Serazade knew Zeke's words were sound reasoning.
After considering various factors, Serazade soon nodded.
"Very well. Zeke Draker, if you can guarantee what you've said, I can certainly persuade the ministers."
Zeke finally let out a sigh of relief at Serazade's words.
At that moment, Serazade clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"In truth, if you became my consort, this would be resolved much more easily. You're making it unnecessarily difficult."
"That could lead to its own set of problems."
Serazade, who knew better than anyone the delicate relations between the Central Continent and the Eastern Continent, understood exactly what Zeke meant.
She smirked and said.
"I suppose I can't outmaneuver you with words. Anyway, since we've resolved the urgent matter, now we can leisurely enjoy the banquet..." Woooong!
Before Serazade could finish, a vibration emanated from Zeke's pocket.
Zeke pulled out the source of the vibration and saw it was the mirror Nabu had given him.
It hadn't connected inside the Everwinter Mountain Range due to the lack of communication network, but it seemed to have reconnected upon arriving in the Murk Empire.
Zeke immediately answered the call on the mirror.
"Hermit, I was just about to contact you..."
—"Zeke! Big trouble!"
Nabu shouted at Zeke in a frantic voice.
—"Damn it! Storm Castle! They've invaded here!"
Zeke's expression hardened as he sprang to his feet upon hearing Nabu's words.
"Invaded Storm Castle? Who do you mean? Don't tell me...?"
—"Arthur Draker! It's his men! Harvey West, that bastard, has sided with Arthur Draker!"
Zeke furrowed his brow upon learning that Harvey West, whom he thought had survived, had allied with Arthur Draker.
'Harvey West and Arthur Draker.'
It was the worst-case scenario he could imagine.
Nabu's voice echoed again.
—"Damn it, most of the High Table members have already fallen to Arthur Draker! Taking advantage of that, Harvey West has led outsider-species magical beasts to attack this place!"
"Are they after the Black Star there?"
Then Nabu gritted his teeth and said.
—"Zeke, listen carefully! Here, the Book of the Lion..."
Zzzzt—
—"is..."
Zzzzt zzzt!
The communication cut off before Nabu could finish.
But Zeke had clearly heard Nabu's last words.
'The Book of the Lion is at Storm Castle?'
As far as he knew, the Book of the Lion, which sealed the Demon King's soul, was in the Last Tower on the Abandoned Continent beyond the Dark Sea.
He didn't know why the Book of the Lion, known to be beyond the Dark Sea, was at Storm Castle, but it was clear the situation there was dire.
Zeke put the mirror back in his pocket and said to Serazade.
"Your Majesty, it seems the banquet will have to wait."
Serazade, who had seen everything, shrugged and nodded. "Yes, I understand. Heroes are always busy. What can I do to help?" Zeke thought for a moment and said to Serazade.
"Please persuade the ministers. Inform them that Arthur Draker's advance is not far off and that we must prepare together."
"Understood. Don't worry about that. I've already made up my mind while we talked. Is there anything else you need?"
"Please convey my situation to Mycenae. I'll summarize the details for you.
And finally..."
His eyes gleamed as he spoke.
"Lend me just one ship. Preferably a sturdy one."
*
Rumble rumble rumble!
Zeke rode the frigate Serazade had provided toward the Storm Sea Region.
However, the frigate looked anything but ordinary.
Its surface was made of bone and ice, and the prow was adorned with the fearsome skull of a magical beast.
Anyone who saw it would have thought it was a cursed ghost ship adrift on the sea.
On the deck of the ship, which could aptly be called an abomination vessel, two arch liches floated busily in the air.
The two repaired holes punched in the hull by crashing waves with summoned bone and ice, or drove away ferocious sea monsters that approached, keeping them at bay.
At the front, the spirit beast Nahuel diligently led the ship through the raging waves.
Roooaaar!
But suddenly, a massive sea monster rose, attempting to swallow the ship in one gulp.
Startled, Bane and Richmond quickly cast their spells.
Boom boom boom boom!
The monster, frozen by Bane's ice magic, was pierced by Richmond's bone spears and sank into the sea.
Richmond said to Zeke with a desperate expression.
"M-Master. What kind of sea is this? It seems even rougher than last time."
Zeke calmly sipped his tea on the rocking ship, blocking the splashing seawater with his shadow armor.
He replied to Richmond in a steady voice.
"Yes, so work harder and check more carefully for any holes in the ship."
Richmond trembled with gritted teeth at Zeke's words.
'He went to the Demon Realm and became a grand lord, but he's turned into a real demon...'
"I can hear you, Richmond."
"Eek! I-I didn't say anything. It's Bane, Master!"
Richmond dragged in the innocent Bane, who was quietly minding his own business, trying to save himself.
Leaving the cleanup to Richmond and Bane, Zeke sipped his tea while gazing at the stormy sea.
'As Richmond said, the sea is much rougher than before.' It wasn't a natural storm.
The sea, calm near the Murk Empire, churned wildly as it approached Storm Castle.
'This storm is related to Storm Castle.'
It had been incredibly stormy before, but now it was incomparable.
As they somehow navigated the rough sea with the power of the two liches and Nahuel, Bane, floating in the air, shouted.
"Master! Something's visible ahead!"
Zeke stood and focused his vision in the direction Bane pointed.
His expression hardened.
Dozens of ships bearing a familiar emblem were visible.
'Draker Black Stage.'
Ships marked with the Black Stage emblem were gathered around Storm Castle.
On the surface, the current Black Stage had sworn loyalty to Zeke along with Baron Draker.
But Zeke didn't believe that the Black Stage, including Baron, truly pledged loyalty to him.
If they did, there would have been no need to create a new intelligence organization called Nemesis centered on Boris.
'The current Black Stage is loyal only to Arthur Draker.'
If Arthur Draker were truly dead, it might be different, but since his death was revealed to be a ruse, Zeke couldn't trust them at all.
'As the Hermit said, Arthur Draker has intervened. The Black Stage being here confirms it.'
Zeke narrowed his eyes and steered the ship toward the Black Stage vessels.
At that moment, he sensed something approaching his ship.
He initially thought it was a sea monster, but the aura felt different.
'An outsider species?'
As Zeke realized it, a horrific outsider-species magical beast with tentacles sprouting from below the surface emerged.
Grooooaaar!
The massive, three-headed, giant earthworm-like magical beast writhed its surfacegrown tentacles, trying to wrap around Zeke's ship.
Richmond and Bane saw it and quickly cast spells.
Boom boom boom boom!
Hundreds of ice arrows and bone arrows flew toward the magical beast and struck true.
Grooooaaar!
The magical beast, hit by the bone and ice arrows, recoiled as if taking damage.
But soon, unwilling to end it there, it extended its tentacles again to attack Zeke's ship.
Zeke summoned his familiars from the shadows.
Guardian Caligula and Ashvin appeared.
They were the guardians with the highest offensive power among Zeke's summons.
Caligula's three eyes gleamed as he raised his black chakram, and Ashvin spread his four wings, creating a black spear of shadow.
"Take it down."
At Zeke's command, Caligula and Ashvin soared into the air and unleashed attacks on the outsider-species magical beast.
Caligula first threw his black chakram, severing all the magical beast's tentacles.
As the startled magical beast hesitated from the sharp attack, Ashvin hurled the shadow spear infused with wind power.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
The wind-empowered spear pierced the magical beast's body, creating a massive hole.
Grrrruk!
Unable to regenerate from the guardians' powerful attacks, the outsider-species magical beast cowered.
In that gap, something struck from the air.
Boom boom boom boom crash!
Zeke, raising the Holy Sword Ascalon, had struck the outsider with a thunderbolt infused with holy power.
Crackle crackle crackle!
The outsider-species magical beast, directly hit by hundreds of lightning bolts, couldn't even scream as it charred black and sank into the sea.
Richmond and Bane gaped at the might of the newly summoned guardians.
'I might become redundant.'
'Surely Master won't turn me into a skull ornament as unnecessary?'
Ignoring the two anxious liches, Zeke steered the ship toward the Black Stage vessels.
At that moment, a long-range communication came toward Zeke.
Zzzzt zzzt—
Zeke pulled out his crystal orb and checked the communication.
—"Greetings, Sir Zeke."
The one contacting him through the crystal orb was none other than Souma, the right wing captain of the Black Stage.