Akira walked with Natsuki to the deck of the Oceanus Grave, where they immediately sensed that the deck felt detached from the outside world.
"A barrier… huh~" Akira muttered as the noise and sounds around them faded away, the deck isolated from the rest of the ship by a magical barrier designed to prevent disturbances.
Aside from himself and Natsuki, there were two others present on the deck — one was a vampire, and the other a human with high spiritual power.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a glowing serpent lunged at Akira.
"Beast Vassal…" Akira murmured as he stared at the snake with indifference. With just a glance, he could tell it was a Beast Vassal.
"…"
Natsuki also stared at the creature without any intent to stop it, continuing to cling to Akira's arm as if nothing was happening.
Roooar!
Out of nowhere, a golden lion manifested behind Akira, unleashing bolts of golden lightning at the serpent-type Beast Vassal.
Roooar!
The crackling golden lightning ripped through the air with a thunderous roar, striking the glowing serpent directly. The electric energy exploded within its body, making it convulse for a brief moment before it disintegrated into nothing, fading silently into the crushing stillness that cloaked the deck.
A heavy silence followed, as if everyone was waiting for Akira's reaction… but he didn't move. He simply raised his right hand slightly and let out a quiet sigh.
"Thanks, Regulus."
He smiled faintly, patting the giant golden lion beside him without a care. Though he hadn't summoned it himself, Regulus had responded instinctively to protect him — and that was precisely why he hadn't lifted a finger.
In truth, even without Regulus's intervention, the serpent Beast Vassal wouldn't have been able to harm him. It couldn't even get past the Multilayer Barrier surrounding Akira.
Step.
As the Beast Vassal vanished, a man stepped forward and gave a graceful, noble bow toward Akira.
"I ask your forgiveness for my impudence in testing your combat power," said the blond man dressed in a pristine white suit, speaking respectfully. "My name is Dimitrie Vatler, direct descendant of the Lost Warlord, and I have been granted the title Duke of Ardeal by my ancestor."
"No need for all that formal talk," Akira replied with boredom as Regulus vanished behind him. "You and I are old acquaintances — there's no need for this fake respectful nonsense."
"True, but things are different now, aren't they? You're no longer just the Heir of the King of Heroes," Vatler said with the same respectful tone, though now a hint of twisted amusement colored his voice. "You are, after all, my beloved — the Fourth Primogenitor."
"Damn you… You're as disgusting as ever," Akira replied in a tired voice, his cold gaze as if he were staring at irredeemable trash.
"Duke of Ardeal, if you don't want to be killed and cause a diplomatic incident, I suggest you refrain from provoking the Fourth Primogenitor too much," said a beautiful girl who suddenly stepped out from behind Vatler. She spoke with respect, but the disgust in her eyes was anything but hidden. Clearly, she too saw Vatler as worthless garbage. She bowed respectfully to Akira and Natsuki and introduced herself,
"It's an honor to meet you, The Fourth Primogenitor and Witch of the Void. My name is Kuzu Kiriha, and I am a Shamanic War Dancer from the Lion King Organization."
Kiriha was a tall girl with deep purple eyes, long dark hair with bangs falling over her eyebrows, and clear white skin. She carried an elegance that left many in awe, yet she also exuded a mysterious aura that made others wonder about her origins and personality.
"…"
Akira stared at Kiriha for a moment — he recognized her. He had ties with the Lion King Organization, and Kiriha was the disciple of Fujisaka Touka — the woman who had once been assigned to monitor him while he was under their supervision. She had abandoned the organization and left with him in the past.
"Though I don't really care… I'd rather not die just yet," Vatler said in a nonchalant tone as he gestured toward a private room on the ship's deck.
"What do you say we head inside and have a little chat over a drink?"
It wasn't that Vatler feared death — far from it. He was a widely known battle maniac and wouldn't mind dying in a thrilling fight against the Fourth Primogenitor. But he didn't want to die at the hands of an incomplete Fourth Primogenitor. He wanted to face Akira after he had fully awakened — not while he was still an imperfect vessel.
Even though Vatler knew he was no match for Akira even before he acquired the powers of the Fourth Primogenitor, he wasn't ready to die just yet. His goal was to consume several first-generation vampires — or perhaps even another Primogenitor — before challenging Akira, hoping that doing so would let him fight longer and indulge more fully in the thrill of battle.
Akira, however, didn't care much about Vatler's thoughts. He had always been overly tolerant with this overgrown child, and as such, didn't put much importance on his actions. Without a word, he headed toward the room Vatler had pointed at.
...
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