For the researchers of the Nostra Family, who studied bloodline ability users, this was the most desirable subject imaginable.
The two mages moved to the laboratory with eager anticipation, carrying the blood they had drawn from Dool.
The attendant mages had already transported the casket containing Zeke's body to the laboratory.
As soon as they arrived, the chief mage said to the senior mage.
"Take out the pureblood dragon slayer's body."
At his command, the senior mage opened the casket, which was sealed with preservation magic, revealing Zeke's clone body curled inside.
With a gesture from the senior mage, the attendant mages waiting behind stepped forward and lifted Zeke's body onto the experimental table.
The chief mage approached the table and examined Zeke's clone closely.
"The preservation is excellent. It seems like he died very recently. This should be more than sufficient for various experiments."
At that moment, the senior mage standing nearby looked at the chief mage and said.
"But this knight... isn't he the famous Knight of Salvation? Howard's side will handle it, of course, but I'm worried there might be backlash."
The chief mage clicked his tongue and replied to the senior mage.
"A true seeker of truth must transcend worldly shackles. I don't know about when he was alive, but now that he's dead and lying before us, he's nothing more than an experimental subject. Don't let your mind and hands dull, getting swayed by emotions like fear."
Rebuked by the chief mage, the senior mage pressed his lips together and nodded.
As the chief mage examined Zeke's dead body, he spoke.
"I need to take a look inside before more time passes. I've long been curious about the awakening process of the Draker pureblood and the formation of the lower dantian. I see it as one of the bloodline abilities—what do you think?"
The senior mage nodded in agreement with the chief mage's words.
"I think the same. The mana rejection reaction that only appears in purebloods can also be viewed as a type of bloodline ability." The chief mage nodded.
"Good. Whether we can extract that ability from this experimental subject remains to be seen. It would have been ideal if we'd brought him in alive... but that's just greed." They prepared to dissect Zeke's clone.
Whirrrrr!
The senior mage stood in front, holding a mana-powered saw.
He said to the attendant mages behind him.
"Remove that uniform and store it carefully. We'll need to dress the fake body with it later when we send it out."
As the attendant mages quickly approached Zeke's body to strip off the uniform, Ssshhh...
Suddenly, black smoke began to seep from Zeke's body.
"Wh-what?"
The attendant mages, enveloped by the black smoke, staggered back before rolling their eyes and collapsing.
Seeing this, the chief mage and senior mage panicked and tried to respond belatedly.
"What is this?"
But before they could cast any spells, the black smoke soon filled the entire laboratory.
The chief mage and senior mage also soon thudded to the floor.
Zeke's clone on the experimental table dissolved into smoke and vanished, and in its place, Zeke, who had been watching from the shadows, revealed himself.
He looked down at the mages, whose bodies were paralyzed by the authority of shadow and unable to move.
The chief mage rolled his eyes, staring at the living Zeke Draker in disbelief.
Zeke slowly approached him.
"A true seeker of truth, you say. Is that how you've been rationalizing it to yourself?" He smirked and placed his hand on the chief mage's head.
"I'll personally check how close you've come to the truth." Woooong!
As the power of the Blood King and Dragonʼs Wisdom unfolded together, they scoured the chief mage's mind thoroughly.
Under that immense power, his brain felt as if it were being destroyed, but Zeke paid no heed and rummaged through his memories to extract information.
Soon, the chief mage's eyes rolled back, drool spilling from his mouth.
But Zeke did not let him lose consciousness.
Using amplified healing, he restored the man's awareness, forcing him to fully feel the agony.
Once he had extracted all the information, Zeke stood up, looking at the chief mage whose eyes had completely lost focus.
"I've planted an eternal hell in your mind. The nightmares of being violated by those you've tormented will never end."
Zeke cast a similar curse on the other mages and then located the secret storage room where the research materials he had seen in their memories were kept.
He stored all the materials there in his inventory and then severed the hands of the chief mage and senior mage before picking them up and returning to the black door.
Rumble...
The door opened, revealing Dool trapped inside the glass tube.
A third eye appeared on Zeke's forehead.
『Bloodline of the fallen god.』
When he conveyed his intent through the third eye, Dool, who had been floating motionless in the glass tube, slowly opened his eyes.
Zeke said to Dool.
『I'll give you a chance for revenge. But there's one condition.』 Dool's eyes turned toward Zeke.
Zeke continued, meeting Dool's gaze.
『The Nostra Family's don who imprisoned you here. Tell me his identity.』 *
Boom!
A massive door opened, and Howard Draker entered the underground base.
He frowned at the damp, ominous aura emanating from within the base.
The bloodline ability users escorting him showed no change in expression, as if accustomed to it.
And beside Howard were not only bloodline ability users but also Draker knights and even Ishtar mystics.
One of the conditions Ishtar had proposed for cooperation was an introduction to the Nostra Family.
They were highly interested in the Nostra Family's chimera research and sought to establish a collaborative relationship and conduct transactions through Howard.
From Howard's perspective, the closer his ties with Ishtar, the more cards he could play, so it was a beneficial deal.
Moreover, with Ishtar mystics present, he anticipated that the Nostra Family members wouldn't act recklessly.
'During Arthur Draker's lifetime, these guys were cautious in various ways, but now they're suddenly strutting around—it's an eyesore...ʼ
As Zeke had predicted, Howard was the one handling the dirty backroom deals between Draker and the Nostra Family.
Arthur Draker, who had seen through Howard's true nature early on, had granted him a councilor position and assigned him to manage such underhanded dealings.
The quick-witted Howard had immediately begun engaging in illegal activities with criminal organizations without hesitation to secure his position upon receiving Arthur's orders.
After Arthur Draker's death, he actively exploited the fact that he was the sole connection between Draker and the Nostra Family.
Howard headed deep into the underground base, accompanied by his confidants, the Ishtar mystics led by Himmel, and the Family's bloodline ability users.
Upon arriving at the reception room inside, a man in a high-end suit greeted Howard.
"Howard! My old friend. Come on in."
The one spreading his arms in welcome was a middle-aged gentleman named Peter Olson.
He was a noble from the central region who ruled a small fief.
But that was merely his public identity; in reality, he was one of the key executives of the Nostra Family, who controlled the underworld.
"Peter, it's been a while."
Howard exchanged greetings with Peter and introduced Himmel beside him.
"As I mentioned, this is Himmel Ishtar, the successor of Ishtar. Himmel, this is Peter
Olson. He's the de facto operator of the Nostra Family."
At Howard's words, Peter laughed heartily and clapped his shoulder.
"This guy, always saying things that could get us in trouble."
Peter bowed to Himmel with the elegant, restrained gestures befitting a central noble.
"Welcome, successor of Ishtar. It's an honor to host you."
He tried to kiss her hand as he would a typical lady, but Himmel did not offer it, merely glaring at him with sharp eyes.
Peter straightened up with a slightly awkward expression and gestured to the seats.
Howard, Peter, and Himmel sat at the round table.
Soon, attendants brought wine.
Peter, lifting his wine glass with noble poise, looked at Howard and said.
"You look in a great mood—things must be going well."
Howard nodded.
"Ishtar's help was crucial. The mystics' poisons are as fearsome as ever. Even a black knight would fall to the abyss the moment they let their guard down. Of course, your assistance was key. We captured Zeke Draker using the bloodline ability users who amplify gravity fields."
Peter clicked his tongue and said.
"For us, Zeke Draker was like a thorn in our side, so we provided top-tier ability users. Even I was surprised when the don made that decision. It means he was that concerned about him."
Peter's words caught Howard off guard, and he was startled.
"I didn't expect the don himself to step in to catch him. Zeke Draker—if left alone, he might have become a monster even greater than Arthur Draker." Peter winked, holding a glass filled with blood-red wine.
"Anyway, we're glad we caught him. Come, let's toast to Zeke Draker's death and the newly reborn Draker Family ahead."
Peter and Howard clinked glasses, but Himmel sat still without lifting hers.
Peter, taking a sip of wine, looked at her and said.
"I'd like to ask what brings the successor of Ishtar to see us." At his words, Himmel took something out from her bosom.
A vial containing black liquid.
It was what Rahim, the former leader of the Six, had possessed—a strengthening drug made using corrupted sacred blood.
Himmel stammered in the central continent tongue.
"Need this. Drug. For Ishtar."
It meant the Ishtar Family needed the strengthening drug made by the Nostra Family. Peter looked surprised upon hearing Himmel.
"Oh? I didn't expect Ishtar to be interested in this. No, more importantly, how did you even obtain it?"
The black drug was treated as the utmost secret within the Nostra Family.
It was a mystery how a drug that couldn't leak outside had ended up in Ishtar's hands.
Himmel continued with sharp eyes.
"Decide. Deal. Or death." A deal or death.
A choice befitting the transcendent family of Ishtar.
At Himmel's words, Peter feigned surprise before shaking his head with a laugh.
"Haha, as expected of Ishtar. Even I don't want to become a target for mystics." He set down his wine glass and looked at Himmel.
"We welcome any deal with Ishtar. But there are conditions."
Himmel tucked the black drug back into her bosom and said.
"Speak. Conditions."
Peter grinned and slowly opened his mouth.
"We need experimental subjects."
Instantly, killing intent rose from Himmel's body.
In response, the bloodline ability users behind them went on alert, and the Ishtar mystics drew their swords.
As the atmosphere turned tense, Howard intervened to mediate.
"Bloodshed during negotiations is unwelcome. Let's calm down and resolve this through talk."
At his words, the tension from Ishtar eased slightly, and Peter gave Howard a grateful nod before speaking to Himmel.
"If you intend to use that strengthening drug, clinical trials are inevitable anyway. Ishtar, with its elven bloodline, who knows what reactions the black drug, tailored for humans, might cause? Provide experimental subjects, and we'll not only share the experiment data but also improved versions of the drug."
The Nostra Family already knew that Ishtar had an elven bloodline.
Himmel furrowed her brows, glaring at Peter, before gesturing to the mystics behind her.
The mystics sheathed their swords completely and stepped back.
Himmel said to Peter.
"No experimental subjects. Speak. Other conditions." Peter shook his head.
"It's hard for us to propose other conditions. We have plenty of money. What we really need is information, right?"
At Peter's sly words, Himmel pondered before nodding as if she had no choice.
"Fine. Agree to conditions. But another condition." Peter smiled and lifted his wine glass.
"Good. Tell me what it is."
Himmel raised her hand and held up three fingers.
Then, she folded them one by one.
Peter and Howard tilted their heads at her incomprehensible actions.
When all three fingers were folded, Boom boom boom!
A massive explosion echoed from outside.
As Peter and Howard startled and tried to stand, they realized their bodies were rigid and immobile.
'P-Poison?'
The bloodline ability users and knights behind them had already been swiftly subdued by the Ishtar mystics.
One of the mystics removed her mask.
Yellin, the true successor of Ishtar, revealed her face. She looked at Peter and Howard and said.
"The new condition is simple. Your worthless heads."