Baron approached the glass case containing the black book.
As he reached out toward it, Harvey Draker, who had been behind him, stepped forward to block his path.
"Wait."
With those words, Harvey Draker released his energy, illuminating the case and revealing a hidden barrier.
A dense net-like barrier spread out in all directions, centered on the glass case.
Seeing this, Baron furrowed his brow and said, "Can you unlock it with your signet? We can't keep Him waiting any longer."
Harvey Draker frowned at the fanatic's impatience but soon spoke.
"It's not a barrier that can be opened directly with my signet. I need to access it indirectly and neutralize the security barrier. Otherwise, the barrier might send the Book of the Lion somewhere else."
Baron gritted his teeth at Harvey Draker's words.
But with no other choice, he nodded shortly after.
"I'll hold the front. Hurry and disable the barrier."
Without responding to Baron's words, Harvey Draker turned and raised both hands toward the glass case.
Tssst—
White light flowed from his ten fingers, seeping into the net and beginning to infiltrate the security barrier.
Once he breached the barrier, he could neutralize the entire security system with his signet.
Watching Harvey Draker's energy slowly penetrate the barrier, Baron stood in front of the arched door that led into this space.
He then removed his gauntlets and dripped black energy onto the floor.
Kudududuk!
The black energy he dropped soon clumped together, forming a shape like a black ghost.
It quickly took on a form similar to the black angel that had been annihilated by the Elemental King.
It was almost identical, except for the lack of wings.
Baron said to the black form, "Block Zeke Draker and his group from entering this place."
As if in response, the surface of the black form trembled and rippled, then its body split like mud, dispersing into multiple entities.
In an instant, more than ten entities formed, and they stood guard in front of the arched door as per Baron's command.
Nodding as he observed the situation, Baron then removed both gauntlets and dripped more black energy onto the floor.
The area touched by the energy turned into a black swamp, dyed in endless darkness.
With the darkness swamp spread out, Baron turned his gaze to Harvey Draker, hoping he would quickly dismantle the barrier.
But it was then.
Pajijijik!
White lightning erupted from the ceiling where Baron stood guard.
Sensing something ominous, Baron immediately raised his hand toward the ceiling.
A massive tentacle shot up from the darkness swamp he had laid out in front.
Kaaaa!
The tentacle let out a roar as it struck the ceiling where the lightning flickered.
Kwaaakwaaakwa!
The ceiling collapsed, and rubble sank into the darkness swamp.
But there was no further movement from the ceiling.
"A decoy?"
Baron turned his head and looked back.
He saw a shadow rippling and approaching the spot where Harvey Draker stood, dismantling the barrier.
Seeing this, Baron shouted, "Zeke Draker! He's coming!"
At the same time, Zeke emerged from the shadow, gripping his sword, and leaped straight up from the floor.
Pajijijijik!
Lightning infused with Holy Spirit Qi wrapped around his sword, aimed at Harvey Draker.
Tentacles launched by Baron flew to block Zeke, but it was a step too late.
Zeke's sword flew toward Harvey Draker.
Infinite Sword Art Special Transmission Form
Holy Spirit Qi
Light-Breaking Slash
The light of Holy Spirit Qi exploded outward in all directions.
Harvey Draker, who had been focused on dismantling the barrier, was struck directly by Zeke's Light-Breaking Slash.
Kwaaakwaaakwa!
The spot where Harvey Draker had stood was completely devastated, leaving a massive hole.
But then Zeke gritted his teeth and rose from his position.
"Harvey Draker! You used a cheap trick!"
Surprisingly, the Harvey Draker who had been dismantling the barrier was an illusion created by a clone.
The real Harvey Draker had hidden somewhere and concealed his presence.
Baron, who had been watching from behind, also grimaced. He felt tricked as well, despite being on the same side.
'He was never worthy of consecration to begin with. It's no surprise he'd resort to blasphemous tricks.'
Baron immediately recalled the black forms he had placed outside the arched door.
They naturally passed through the black swamp area and approached.
Without separate orders, the black forms gradually revealed their sharp claws as they closed in on Zeke's position, pressuring him.
Watching them, Zeke said to Baron, "Baron, now that Harvey Draker has fled, it's impossible to take the Book of the Lion. Give up already."
In response to Zeke's words, Baron raised both hands without retort and moved the black forms.
Krrreur—
The faces of the black forms, masked like they wore disguises, split open, revealing sharp teeth.
Kaaak!
The dozen or so black forms instantly transformed into grotesque monsters, drooling acidic saliva as they charged at Zeke.
Zeke raised the holy sword Ascalon and unleashed a sword strike infused with the power of Great Purification toward the monsters.
Chwaaak!
As the golden aura swept through, black smoke rose from the bodies of the black monsters, and they writhed in agony.
As Zeke raised his sword to strike again, it was then.
Chwaaak!
Something lunged at Zeke from behind.
It was Harvey Draker, who had hidden his presence.
He had reverted to his dragonkin form, his body covered in dragon scales and sharp claws extended, charging at Zeke.
Zeke turned around, redirecting his attack, and swung his sword at Harvey Draker.
Paching!
Harvey Draker's claws clashed with Zeke's sword.
Kugugugu!
A powerful shockwave spread in all directions.
At the same time, the shockwave brushed against the barrier surrounding the glass case containing the Book of the Lion.
Pajijijik!
The net-like barrier wrapping the glass case began to ripple.
Seeing this, Baron shouted from behind, "Harvey Draker! The security barrier is activating! Hurry and block that!"
But Harvey Draker ignored Baron's words, focusing solely on pressing Zeke.
As a result, the barrier around the glass case expanded further, enveloping Zeke and Harvey Draker beside it.
Tssst—
Zeke and Harvey Draker, locked in combat, were instantly drawn into the spreading net like they were submerged.
The net didn't stop there; it extended further, wrapping around the monsters and even swallowing the darkness swamp on the floor.
Baron backed away upon seeing this, escaping the barrier's domain for now.
Woooong!
The space including the glass case and more than half of the stone chamber filled with a net of light.
Baron gritted his teeth at the sight.
'I must retrieve the Book of the Lion for the god.'
As he tried to examine from the entrance to find a way, it was then.
[Come. To me.]
A voice echoed in Baron's ear.
[Come quickly.]
In an instant, the focus vanished from Baron's eyes.
Dark energy crawled up from his shadow.
Baron, with his focus gone, was enveloped in the darkness and vanished like smoke.
And shortly after Baron disappeared, surprisingly, the space near the stone chamber's ceiling rippled, revealing Nabu and Nigel who had been hiding there.
Riding on the magic carpet summoned by Nabu, Nigel urged him on.
"As Zeke said, since that guy was drawn away by the Book of the Lion, hurry and track him."
Grinding his teeth at Nigel's words, Nabu said, "You think it's as easy as it sounds? How would a granny who only knows how to swing a sword understand the delicate world of word magic... Ack! Stop hitting me! It disrupts my concentration!"
After getting hit a few times by Nigel, Nabu was finally able to track where the vanished Baron had gone using word magic.
And Baron was heading to a place no one would have expected.
Nigel clicked his tongue at the sight and said, "That custodian really hid it well. Let's go quickly. Before he awakens the Book of the Lion."
*
Harvey Draker opened his eyes.
Looking around, the scenery had completely changed from before.
He had slipped through the gap as the barrier expanded and breached the security to enter the place with the sealed entity.
Surveying his surroundings, he found himself in what resembled an ancient ruin site, with a massive dragon statue carved into the stone wall ahead.
And embedded in the mouth of that dragon statue was a single black stone.
Seeing the stone, Harvey Draker smiled.
'The Black Star.'
It was one of the treasures hidden here along with the Book of the Lion, the final fragment of the Elder Dragon's heart.
'If I just absorb this...'
At that moment, sensing something, Harvey Draker turned his head, and someone walked out from that direction.
Confirming who it was, Harvey Draker frowned and said, "You're really persistent, Zeke Draker."
Zeke had followed him through the gap in the barrier and caught up here.
Zeke raised his sword, pointing it at Harvey Draker, and opened his mouth.
"Harvey Draker, I've already known that what you want isn't the Book of the Lion, but the Black Star."
At Zeke's words, Harvey Draker furrowed his brow.
Arthur Draker had ordered him to retrieve the Book of the Lion, but as Zeke said, he was actually more interested in something else.
The Black Star containing the power of the Elder Dragon.
One had already been absorbed by Zeke, and another by Arthur Draker.
For an ordinary human, absorbing the Black Star, the heart of the Elder Dragon, was impossible.
But Harvey Draker was a replica of the first Draker and a humanoid Nephilim, and he already had the heart of a holy dragon implanted.
So he planned to steal the Black Star and escape Arthur Draker's influence to regain his own power.
And Zeke had seen through Harvey Draker's plan from the start.
That's why he had entrusted the High Table to track the Book of the Lion while he personally followed Harvey Draker into this place.
Harvey Draker said to Zeke, "Fine, Zeke Draker. Since it's come to this, I'll make you a proposal."
Catching his breath, he continued.
"You can't absorb that Black Star anymore anyway. No matter how much divinity you possess, as a human, there is a limit to the total amount of power you can absorb." Pausing for a moment, he shone his Dragon Eye.
"Hand it over to me. In return, I'll help you attack Arthur Draker." It meant forming a joint front to stop Arthur Draker together.
Zeke said to Harvey Draker in an incredulous tone, "As if you'd help me."
Given what he had done so far, it was unlikely he'd join hands with Zeke willingly.
It would be more natural for him to betray and deceive him.
Harvey Draker shook his head at Zeke's words.
"You don't see the big picture. You don't know Arthur Draker's true power. Only I have pierced through that power."
Zeke sneered at Harvey Draker's words.
"So what if you pierced it? Cut the bullshit and come at me."
As if he had no desire to hear more, Zeke immediately raised his sword and unleashed his energy.
Kugugugu!
Harvey Draker tensed at the energy emanating from Zeke's body.
Unlike before, Zeke's rank, having absorbed all of the Arrogant Savior's soul, was indeed much higher than his own.
So Harvey Draker had no intention of facing Zeke head-on.
'I had hoped to sneak in here quietly and take just the Black Star.'
Since Zeke had seen through his plan, he had no choice but to use another method.
'No, this might actually be better.'
His eyes gleaming, Harvey Draker raised his left hand and bent his pinky finger sideways.
Prududuk!
Twisting the bent pinky finger, he completely tore it off. Clenching it tightly, he muttered something and tossed it in front of himself.
Then, from the finger that fell to the floor, thick black mist-like substance billowed out.
Zeke realized that the mist was twisted causality.
But this time, the twisted causality began to function in a different way than before.
Tssst—
The black smoke enveloped Harvey Draker's body and seeped into him.
Woooong!
Harvey Draker, who had been in dragonkin form, soon reverted to his original human appearance.
Surprisingly, a different energy emanated from his body than before.
'What is this?'
Zeke couldn't help but be taken aback as he realized the identity of that energy.
The energy emanating from Harvey Draker's body was none other than the authority of the Arrogant Savior.