” You merely adopted the dark…. I was born in it ” Zippo said coldly as Max got chills all over his body.

This was the first time he had seen Zippo take any initiative, and it seemed like the guard who only ever spoke a few words had a very good word game when he did speak.

Black dragon clan were known to be mysterious and powerful and while Max did not know about all the powers that his aunt Rhea or Mira had, he was not aware about any high level darkness abilities being in their arsenal.

From Zippo’s demeanour and mannerisms it seemed like he was truly born from darkness and had lived and breathed that element day in and day out.

Thinking about this, Max once again got shivers down his spine.

His bodyguard was a true Chad.

” I will give you the sealing method of the god’s, if you accept my mission and kill Arandale first!

Only if you complete my quest first, shall I answer your question” Zogaroth said eventually after he understood that he could not outmuscle Zippo.

” Oh no! I’m done playing this game, you see, I don’t care about either you or Arandale and both of you claim to be masters of the sealing method and want to kill each other.

I’m getting all the information you have about that method, or I’m simply killing you here and now, simple as that! ” Max said with anger as he brazenly stared into Zogaroth’s eyes unperturbed.

” Ha- even if you kill me here, I’ll only be resurrected by the codex. Unlike your two friends who succumbed to my previous attack, I cannot die within this city ” Zogaroth said as he confidently called out Max and questioned his ability to kill him.

” Oh, but you see, very unfortunately for you, the curse of death that has been put on your body has eroded your powers to tier4…. And the thing is, I’m also tier4 ” Max said as a sinister smile unfurled on his face.

Zogaroth seemed to be waiting for the kicker in Max’s speech…

Both of them were tier4, but so what?

[ Illusion Space ]

What Zogaroth did not know was that Max was in possession of a spacial type move that could forcefully drag an opponent of the same tier to an illusionary world created by Max where he was the master of everything!

Before Zogaroth could even react, he was teleported by Max’s move into an endless white room with blood all over the floor uptil one’s ankle as inside the space he could feel his connection with the codex being cut off.

Throwing his mask aside, Max let it drip into the blood underneath as he let Zogaroth see his true face.

[ Blood Manipulation ]

Max raised both his hands, as a massive tidal wave of blood rose behind his back, while countless chains of blood restricted Zogaroths movement.

” Spacial move? Hmmmm…. ” Zogaroth assessed calmly as he did not struggle against the blood chains and calmly accepted his fate.

” The pitiful HP bar of yours, it won’t last a second against me in this space.

I’m a man of my word, and I’ll not kill you here if you answer my questions truthfully, however, should you not, then I’ll kill you here without a second’s hesitation

The choice is yours ” Max said threateningly as he awaited Zogaroths answer.

*********

( Meanwhile Lucius )

Lucius banged his hands against the desk as he glared towards Sebastian.

This was the first time he had ventured out of his father’s territory and tried to carry out such a ruins exploration.

He was a tier3 warrior whose skills were on-par with an early tier4 warrior, however, throughout the exploration he only found himself to be more and more useless.

The pride he had in himself for being a member of the Aurelius clan and a genius in swordsmanship and combat was shattered within the abyss city as he realised that without elite level methods to track and detect opponents, all his swordsmanship play was useless.

At first he could not detect the wind elemental which greatly frustrated him, then later he could not enter the mage tower because he had no means to resist the aura of death leaking from that place and finally in the basement he had no moves in his arsenal that could counter the abyss attack the enemy launched as if the little dwarf had not bailed him out of that situation, he would have became a sitting duck for the enemies attack to take full effect.

This situation greatly depressed the mighty prince who used to think that the universe revolved around him.

” Dwarf – that detection technique that you share with lord Ravan, teach me that move, regardless of the price you want in exchange, just ask for it, but please teach me the move ” Lucius said in a half authoritative and half pleading tone as his frustrations leaked out of his body during this plea.

Sebastian who had no intentions of leaking master Kremeth’s teachings shook his head as he said ” To learn that technique you need to embrace the way of the coward first.

Only by understanding the path of cowardice and becoming a true coward can I impart that secret technique upon you “

” I need to become a coward? Are you suggesting that Lucius Aurelius becomes a coward? ” Lucius said in an annoyed tone as he gave Sebastian a warning and an opportunity to retract his statement, but contrary to his expectations Sebastian stuck by it.

” Indeed, may the cowardice be with you, amen “

Sebastian joined his hands and prayed earnestly for Lucius to become cowardly in the future.

The third princes left eye fluttered at this response as he could not figure out if the dwarf was trolling him or being serious, but in the end he let the matter be as he stormed outside the office he was in, fearing that if he stayed longer he might lose control and kill the annoying dwarf.

———

/// A/N – Chapter 16/20, done for the day ///