Chapter 321

Hegel ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Cornelia and Celot Cornelia were Grand Mages who had reached 8-Star on their own.

With ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only the limitless mana they gained through Synchronization with the Magic Tower, they could wield magic beyond their own limits. If not for Charles, they would have been worthy candidates to discuss as successors to the Violet Magic Tower.

All ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the more reason.

'I ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍cannot let them be held back in a place like this.'

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Kingdom Alliance could advance as it did because of the abilities of each of its pillars. The moment Cornelia's advance stopped, Eurasia would have to press forward alone.

That ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍would be unacceptable.

"……"

Charles quietly examined the intruder before her.

After the High Priest's surprise attack the other day, she had made the Magic Tower's defensive formulas even more robust.

'He infiltrated in the first place through the peculiarity of the Authority of Keys, though.'

The man before her was not the same.

Smoke rose from his body.

It must have been an aftereffect of enduring Solaris among the defensive spells.

The Sun Magic Solaris and the Moon Magic Luna Maria.

On top of that, dozens of 8-Star spells enhanced by the Magic Tower's mana must have struck him head-on.

Yet the intruder was perfectly unharmed, without so much as a scorch mark.

'Violet.'

[Analyzing the information obtained.]

The instant he entered her domain, the analysis had begun.

The completed information streamed ceaselessly into her mind.

[Race: Dragon (possible mixed blood)]

[Epithet: Drago de Lord]

[Grade: ???]

[Mana: 500,000]

[Divine Power: 400,000]

[Threat Level: Highest]

The data was fragmentary, but more than sufficient to confirm how dangerous her opponent was.

'Where did a monster like this come from?'

Even if Hegel and Celot were together, she could not be certain they would be able to subjugate him.

And.

'It almost seems as though he came here to draw the two of them in.'

Few beings could make her feel such danger now. Even so, the gap she felt was great enough that Celot's insistence that she be protected before Hegel seemed reasonable.

While she checked the intruder's information, Drago placed a cigar he had taken from his pocket between his lips.

"Hoo."

His golden eyes swept over Charles as he casually exhaled smoke.

"Every master of a Magic Tower seems to use interesting magic."

Mana had been circling him from the moment he entered the Magic Tower.

That was the reaction of someone who realized it was analyzing his existence.

"The density of the mana and the structure of the formula. It was not a bad linked spell."

He calmly boasted about his own formidable body, saying that if someone did not possess a body like his, even a 9-Star knight or mage would not have broken through it easily.

"But even so, it is only human magic. I have already tested 8-Star magic synchronized with a Magic Tower often enough to grow tired of it."

His attitude suggested that he had met masters of Magic Towers besides Charles.

In the present day, there was only one Magic Tower master who could compare with her.

Rastian Arken, the Mixed-Color Duke.

'If it is him, the one who inherited the research of the Black Duke, even handling dragons would not be impossible.'

The owner of three Magic Towers, unprecedented in the history of the continent.

Even if he had possessed a dragon egg and revived it only now, it would not be strange.

'Even so, for him to possess an existence force comparable to Hazard's true body while in human form…….'

He had neither resurrected a dead dragon like the Black Duke nor hatched an egg as she had.

At least several hundred years.

'This man is a dragon that has lived out its full span of time.'

Charles felt her heart pound quickly. She felt as though she were a mage from thousands of years before dragons went extinct.

The dragon race, called the strongest species for millennia.

Not only did they possess formidable bodies from birth, but their immense hearts known as Dragon Hearts could not be compared to those of humans, who did not even live a hundred years.

"I had not heard that dragons still lived."

"Of course not. You were not permitted to remember it."

"……"

Charles's eyebrow twitched.

To say that memories had not been permitted implied, as in Killian's case, that he was an existence whose memories had been erased.

In other words.

'If I can capture this man alive, it means I can help Sir Killian.'

At the mere thought of him, vitality surged through her body.

The curiosity of a mage researching Creation Magic.

The competitive spirit of a mage at war.

And compassion for a man who had struggled alone from ancient times into the present.

Apart from Cornelia's greater cause, this was a situation worth challenging on a personal level as well.

"Hooooo……"

The cigar between Drago's lips crumbled and scattered as he took a deep breath in.

"To stir up fighting spirit even with me before you. Humans truly are an interesting species."

Though weak, they had survived and become the rulers of the continent.

"Honestly, I am impressed. I expected the Mana Heart, but I never imagined you would develop something like this too."

He was comparing the Mana Heart, which had driven humanity's progress, to a mere luxury item like a cigar.

Even in a situation that could have made her laugh in disbelief, Charles did not lose her gentle smile.

"Knowledge enriches life."

"Is a human trying to lecture me?"

"There are things those born with great strength do not know."

"The logic of the weak."

"Precisely because we are weak, we can become strong."

"Enough with the wordplay. I have a temperament like fire."

Whoosh.

The pitch-black mana wrapped around Drago's body flickered like flames.

'A temperament like fire…… Could he possess the power of a fire dragon as well?'

At a glance, he looked like a Black Dragon in polymorphed form.

But according to the Magic Tower's analysis, there was a possibility that he was of mixed blood.

A fire dragon bearing the thick blood of a Black Dragon.

That was a plausible deduction.

Suppressing her trembling emotions, Charles continued the conversation.

"Drago de Lord."

"Oh? You can learn even that?"

His vertically slit pupils narrowed.

"De Lord. What an interesting name."

There was no god called 'Lord' in the world.

The chance that the Violet Magic Tower had judged incorrectly also approached zero.

'Whatever his true name may be, the name by which he is called is certainly Drago de Lord.'

In the past, those who called themselves 'de Lord' would have been dismissed as heretics at best.

Not now.

"An ancient human called the Godslayer."

"……"

"And the god who led the sealing of that human."

"……"

A smile lingered at the corner of Drago's mouth, as if inviting her to say more.

"Even if one searches the world's history books, only two beings bear his name."

"Hmph."

Drago's smile deepened. He bared his teeth in a broad grin, as though looking forward to the words that would leave Charles's mouth.

Charles did not hesitate.

"The Monster Lord and the Dragon Lord."

For thousands of years, the Monster Lord had caused many Waves. The Waves he caused had been named Great Wars, leaving deep scars on human history.

The Dragon Lord, on the other hand, was a being described as though he were a myth. Unlike the monsters scattered throughout every mountain range, dragons had gone extinct.

The leader of the extinct dragon race.

"Are you the Dragon Lord?"

At Charles's question, Drago's body stirred.

"Did the Magic Tower tell you that as well?"

"It is a deduction based on the Magic Tower's information. It is a fundamental virtue for a mage."

"So you are not merely someone who struts about relying on dragons."

Mana leaked from Drago's body.

'An interesting human.'

Unlike gloomy creatures like the Emperor and the Mixed-Color Duke.

She was a mage who held reverence for dragons.

He found himself wanting to continue the conversation.

"Why have you not lost your memories?"

'And he seems keenly aware of that fact himself, since he keeps trying to continue the conversation.'

Even now, the Magic Tower would be analyzing him and delivering information into the woman's mind.

With her clever deductions, she would eventually reach the very purpose of his existence.

"There is no need to think so hard."

"……?"

"It is the monologue of one absorbed in a long-awaited amusement."

"……"

"I did well to let that fellow deceive me."

"That fellow……?"

"The Monster Lord."

"……"

"That greedy fellow told me how to reach you."

He had told him that he would explain how to meet the owner of the dragon, so he should go get some air for a while.

[That seems sufficient compensation for overlooking each other's amusement, does it not?]

He had been growing tired of serving as a watcher.

"For someone who has repeated failures for thousands of years, he knew many interesting moves."

"What does that……?"

Keeping his distance, Drago stepped toward Charles.

"Unfortunately, I have not been granted much time."

He had accepted the promise on the condition of half a day's time.

The successor to the Violet Magic Tower and the owner of the Mixed Dragon Hazard.

"Charles Cornelia."

Rumble.

An immense Haki bore down upon her.

[Danger. Detecting the Authority of Haki.]

The Magic Tower's defense system activated, casting barriers throughout the area.

Despite the Magic Tower's efforts.

"Bring out the dragon."

Otherwise.

"I will tear this entire tower to shreds."

[Danger. Detecting the use of Dragon Speech.]

"……!!"

CRUNCH!

Along with a spray of blood.

Charles's vision blurred.

* * *

[You are my piece and fragment.]

He had been born with immense power.

He had known it from the moment he opened his eyes.

That he was special.

[Drago de Lord.]

The god who created him gave him the name Drago.

[That is what you will be called in the language of mortals.]

Shut away in the cave Lord had prepared for him, he absorbed mana into his Dragon Heart.

He learned the magic that used mana, called Formulae.

He had no teacher, but it was not difficult. His heart could absorb and store as much mana as it pleased from the atmosphere, and given time, understanding formulas was not difficult either.

It took him a hundred years to learn 9-Star magic by human standards.

The body strengthened by magic could catch a 9-Star knight's sword barehanded, and if he released his polymorph, he could blow away an entire mountain range with a single breath.

He had lived alone in that cave for hundreds of years, but he knew it.

That no living creature in the world was stronger than him.

Then, one day, he asked his creator, who had come to visit.

"Lord. What is the purpose of my existence?"

Why had he been created?

It was a fundamental question about his own identity.

[It is not yet time.]

Lord wanted him to learn divine power after mana.

The power used by the transcendent being who had created him.

He did not refuse.

He received Lord's power into his immense heart.

[The Authority of Haki seems suited to you.]

The Haki used by knights who had crossed the wall.

[I do not mean that toy-like aura.]

Rumble—

Haki that had reached the level of an Authority made the earth quake merely by being released.

It took another hundred years to fully master the Authority he had been granted.

Only then did Lord seem satisfied.

[I will tell you the truth of the world.]

A Gate opened in his cave.

Beyond the Gate lay a human castle.

It was quite some time later that he learned it was called the Imperial Castle, where the Emperor of the Empire resided.

Several Gates continued before him, and he stepped through them without much concern.

Then he arrived at a temple.

"Welcome, Drago."

At the end of the temple.

"My brother."

A young man in splendid clothes greeted him.

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