Rumble rumble rumble!
Souma staggered to his feet, reeling from the powerful impact.
"What the hell?"
He had thought that nothing besides the Kraken guarding Storm Castle could deal such a blow to the giant magical beast under his control.
But as if mocking his assumption, another whirlpool surged from the depths of the sea, sending a spray of water crashing down on the giant magical beast.
Rumble rumble rumble!
Souma realized something was amiss and activated the prepared spell, linking his senses with the magical beast.
Ssssh—
Soon, connected to the magical beast, Souma felt as if he himself had become the colossal creature.
Rumble rumble!
Feeling the sensation of being a massive sea serpent, Souma scanned the underwater surroundings to identify what had attacked him.
"Nothing in sight."
He wondered if it was another sea monster, but there were no traces of such a thing.
At that moment, he sensed another massive whirlpool swirling toward him right in front of his eyes.
Souma maneuvered his body, controlling the magical beast to raise the scales attached to its form.
Ziiiiiing!
The tens of thousands of scales clinging to the giant magical beast vibrated, shaking the entire ocean.
The shockwaves created by the vibrations spread in all directions, disrupting the incoming whirlpool.
Ziiiiiing—
As the vibrations from the giant magical beast intensified, the sea churned even more violently.
Even the massive Kraken, guardian of Storm Castle, had been unable to withstand this ultra-vibration and succumbed after having its tentacles wrapped and injected with venom.
Having spread the vibrations through the magical beast, Souma heightened his senses to locate the attacker.
But just then, something flickered near the translucent orb containing him.
"What is this?"
Sharing senses with the magical beast, Souma spotted something rapidly approaching his forehead and went on high alert.
He soon realized what it was.
"Zeke Draker!"
Zeke charged toward the giant magical beast with Laevatein in hand.
Woooong!
Power from the Full Power Technique surged from the sword Zeke held, and he immediately thrust it toward the giant magical beast.
Full Power Technique
Double Spell
Will of Piercing
The Dragon Slaying Technique infused with the Full Power Technique unfolded, sending a sharp whirlpool hurtling toward the magical beast's forehead.
Souma swiftly moved the magical beast the instant Zeke's sword stirred.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The sea serpent-form magical beast dodged Zeke's sword strike and instead focused its ultra-vibration attack on him.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
The Will of Piercing clashed with the ultra-vibration, unleashing a massive collision underwater.
Rumble rumble rumble rumble!
The shockwave surged upward, strong enough to pierce through the thick frozen ice on the surface.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The shadow summons and Outsider-Species magical beasts battling on the ice were swept away by the shockwave.
Thanks to Zeke's quick judgment, his summons dissolved into shadows and relocated elsewhere, but the Outsider-Species magical beasts took the full brunt, their bodies torn to shreds.
Crunch crunch crunch!
The shredded bodies of the Outsider-Species magical beasts sank into the sea.
The lingering shockwaves from Zeke and the magical beast in the depths prevented proper regeneration, causing the flesh chunks to disintegrate entirely.
The intense impact dealt Souma a mental blow, severing his link with the giant magical beast.
He could no longer wield it like his own body, but even so, he broke out in cold sweat and extended tentacles in all directions to search for traces of Zeke.
"No way he survived an attack like that..."
But then— Tap tap!
Souma turned his head to see Zeke Draker staring at him from outside the translucent orb.
"You bastard!"
Souma summoned tentacles to shake Zeke off.
But Zeke was faster.
He slammed Laevatein down hard on the orb containing Souma.
Crunch crunch crunch!
With a bursting sound, the top of the orb shattered, allowing seawater to flood in.
In his panic, Souma tried to activate another spell to merge with the magical beast again, but Zeke slipped inside even quicker.
Before the spell could fully activate, Zeke lunged at Souma.
Crunch!
Souma's lower body tore away completely.
"Argh!"
Souma screamed in agony, glaring at Zeke.
The spell had failed, but the partial connection to the magical beast remained. At his will, tentacles surged from all sides, attempting to wrap around Zeke.
Zeke summoned Shadow Armor to block the tentacles and stared down at Souma.
"You and I have some business to settle."
Zeke bound Souma's body with the Chains of Solomon.
Then, he channeled Lightning of Light through Souma's form.
Crackle crackle crackle!
"Argh!"
Ever since receiving the Constellation Title Guide of Fair Suffering, Zeke's tortures had become a branch of his authority, allowing for far deeper pain than before.
It was not just physical torment—it affected the soul and mind, making escape impossible.
Souma, the Black Stage intelligence captain accustomed to most tortures and pains, trembled and writhed under Zeke's lightning.
Zeke dragged the writhing Souma out of the translucent orb.
Then, he unleashed Elemental Sword: Chamber of Water Power toward the now-empty magical beast husk.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
A massive whirlpool formed around the magical beast, grinding it from head to tail until nothing remained.
Rumble rumble rumble!
Not just the giant magical beast, but even the Outsider-Species magical beasts that had fallen into the sea were sucked into the whirlpool.
Zeke swiftly ascended toward the surface.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
Bursting through the ice, Zeke emerged onto the surface, dragging Souma with him back aboard the original frigate.
Thud!
Bound by the Chains of Solomon, Souma was flung carelessly onto the deck by Zeke's indifferent handling.
"Urk!"
Just then, Richmond and Bane approached Souma.
Souma flinched at the approach of the Arch Lich, a high-rank monster.
Richmond looked at Zeke and said,
"Master, what should we do with this one? Shall I carefully extract the bones and turn him into a skeleton?"
Bane, examining him, chimed in.
"How about freezing him solid and making him into an Ice Ghoul?" Zeke shook his head at Richmond and Bane.
"Enough. For now, there's information to extract from him." Richmond and Bane smacked their lips in disappointment.
Ignoring them, Zeke approached Souma.
"Souma, seeing you here is both a pleasure and a disappointment."
At those words, Souma looked up at Zeke and replied,
"...The feeling is mutual, Sir Zeke."
Zeke pulled a chair from his inventory and sat down.
He then manipulated his shadow to force the prone, bound Souma to his knees.
With a steaming cup of tea already prepared on the table, Zeke leisurely sipped it and said to Souma,
"As I recall, Baron swore loyalty to me. So how should I interpret your presence here?" Souma ground his teeth at Zeke's nonchalant words before slowly opening his mouth.
"Our true master is but one—the head of the Draker Family."
"Then your master should be Kali Draker. She's the head of the Draker Family, after all."
Souma's lips curled as he replied to Zeke,
"Kali Draker is not the true head. The true head of the Draker Family is..."
"Arthur Draker?"
Souma's words were cut off by Zeke.
At the same time, Zeke gripped the chains and channeled lightning through them.
Crackle crackle crackle crackle!
"Urk!"
As the lightning seeped into his body, Souma writhed in immense pain, unable to speak further.
Zeke looked down at him and said,
"The current head of the Draker Family is Kali Draker. That's an indisputable fact."
With cold eyes, he continued to the gasping Souma,
"Arthur Draker, who faked his death and abdicated the headship, no longer qualifies. If you keep calling him head, I'll treat it as treason."
Souma lifted his head at Zeke's words and began to laugh maniacally.
"Heh heh heh heh."
Still bound by the chains, Souma slowly rose to his feet.
Looking down at Zeke, he said,
"The sole master of the Draker Family is none other than Arthur Draker. Only him. Zeke
Draker, cease this pointless resistance and swear loyalty to your master once more." Zeke pointed a finger at Souma and slowly lowered it.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The Chamber of Metal Power unfolded, unleashing tremendous pressure on Souma.
"Urk!"
Unable to withstand it, Souma, who had stood defiantly, slowly sank back to his knees.
Zeke looked at him and said,
"Was it Arthur Draker who injected the Outsider-Species power into the Black Stage?"
Souma, enduring the pressure, raised his head and said to Zeke,
"Our master... gave us an opportunity. The chance to receive the Draker name through consecration."
The Black Stage were members of the Draker Family but denied the family name.
Arthur Draker had bestowed the Draker name upon those Black Stage operatives who successfully underwent consecration.
"My name is Souma Draker. A member of the Draker Family and a new humanity for the world to be reborn."
At the same time, Souma's eyes flashed.
Crunch!
His body twisted unnaturally, and tentacles slipped through the gaps in the Chains of Solomon.
Swoosh!
The escaped tentacles lunged at Zeke, and Souma shouted,
"Die, Zeke Draker!"
But the tentacles halted mid-air, unable to advance further, stopping right before Zeke.
Souma's eyes widened in shock.
"What...?"
The tentacles closest to Zeke began to melt and rot away.
"Urk!"
They had entered the domain of Zeke's Authority of Decay and could not resist its power, succumbing to necrosis.
No matter the Outsider-Species power infused, organic matter could not escape the Authority of Decay.
The decay spread along the tentacles toward Souma's main body.
"Argh!"
Soon, the Authority of Decay rapidly infested Souma's body.
Unlike the tentacles, Souma's body decayed and regenerated at similar rates, endlessly repeating the cycle.
This left him in constant agony as his flesh rotted away.
Souma, chained, writhed and groaned in torment.
"Urk urk urk!"
Zeke looked at him and said,
"If you don't want to talk, you don't have to. I merely guide fair suffering. I won't force you."
Even as he spoke, Souma's flesh continued to decay and regenerate.
His endurance and mental strength steadily eroded under the immense pain.
Finally, gasping for breath, Souma looked at Zeke.
Zeke was still sipping his tea leisurely.
Less than thirty minutes later, Souma broke.
"I-I'll talk. Please, stop this first..."
"For a new humanity of a new world, your endurance is lacking."
Zeke intensified the Authority of Decay, calmly waiting until Souma's body was on the verge of collapse.
"Urk urk urk!"
Souma convulsed on the deck, unable to endure any longer.
Seeing this, Zeke raised his hand, reducing the Authority of Decay. "Huff, huff..."
Not fully freed, but with the pain lessened, Souma finally regained his senses.
Zeke looked at him and said,
"Feeling like opening up now?"
Souma trembled under Zeke's emotionless, cold gaze.
"He's even more terrifying than I thought."
Only now did he understand why Harvey Draker had hidden his fear whenever speaking of Zeke.
Zeke said to Souma,
"What is Arthur Draker's goal? It can't just be summoning the Demon King."
Souma ground his teeth and slowly replied,
"...Our master seeks to open a new world."
"A new world?"
Souma looked at Zeke with mad eyes and said,
"Yes. A completely new world with a different order. The Demon King is merely preparation for that."
Zeke pondered Souma's words before standing.
He looked down at him and slowly said,
"Still not enough suffering, I see."
Souma flinched at Zeke's cold voice and quickly spoke.
"I-It's true. That's our master's goal..."
Ssssh—
The Authority of Decay began infusing into Souma again.
The pain was worse than before.
"Urk!"
Zeke smiled cruelly at the writhing Souma.
"Don't worry. You won't die until you truly open your mouth. I'll play with you thoroughly."