Hero of Darkness

1 Week Later…

In a frigid, a breathtaking spectacle unfolded before the eyes of any who beheld it.

An unbelievable sight came to be in a cold region with a massive tree made of crystalline ice that was touching the sky with its whooping 3-kilometer tall height and 1-kilometer radius.

Thousands of massive boulders made of permafrost were rotating around this ginormous tree and the air was filled with snow, casting shimmering reflections in the icy air.

The air was chilled to the point where one would get a frostbite just by breathing it.

Rumble!

Whoosh!

Amidst this frozen tableau, a sudden disturbance ruptured the serene landscape. With a deafening rumble and a rushing whoosh, a grandiose black castle materialized into existence, its imposing form dominating the horizon.

This 5-kilometer wide and 1-kilometer tall black castle appeared just 3 kilometers away.

Encircled by a reddish barrier, the fortress hovered ominously in the sky, radiating an aura of formidable strength and power. Without entering the frost zone, the castle that was housing thousands of warriors and 8 saints shook the surroundings with its imposing aura.

Finally, the red film of barrier-like formation that surrounded the Bran Castle waned on its own, and the gates of this mighty fortress-like castle were opened.

Woosh!

"We're here. They should have learned of our arrival now." spoke Argos Belmont, the Vampire King.

Kahn and Lucian along with the other 4 saint vampires who served Argos looked at the unfathomable creation of nature in front of them.

"What's up with that tree? It looks like it's made of ice but why do I feel like something is different about it; something incomprehensible." said Lucian Varangis, the most loyal retainer of the Revenant Sovereign.

"That's no normal ice. I can feel the Law from it…" said Vildred, the Royal Dragon in his humanoid form.

"What law?" asked the golden-haired vampire.

However, it was Kahn who replied in a stern voice and a serious expression.

"The Space Law."

Not only Lucian but the other vampire saints were also taken aback.

It was their first time coming to the Empire of Space, so they had no means to sense or detect the Space Law.

Only Kahn, who practiced the Space Law himself, Vildred, who was one of the most skilled and knowledgeable Magicians in the world and Argos, a Sovereign of Vantrea, were able to detect it at first glance.

"That tree isn't actually a tree and neither it is made from ice.

It's actually… a Dimensional Tower." declared the silver-haired vampire.

"Let me guess… it's similar to those cracks in space that lead you somewhere else by creating a direct passage between dimensions and space." said Vildred.

"Correct. Although you're a Royal Dragon… You seem to have explored the outside world beyond the Dragon Empire." spoke Argos.

Even at this point, Argos had no idea that Vildred was a Sage and the previous Dragon Emperor.

To him, he was just a Royal Dragon akin to a pilgrim on a sabbatical.

"Something like that." responded Vildred casually while showing an anticipating expression on his face, trying to study the operational mechanics of this astronomical-sized tree.

Right then, Argos spoke with a confident smile…

"They're here."

Crack!

Crack!

The surroundings reverberated as the ginormous tree started cracking like a burning wooden log.

And finally, the ginormous tree opened a pathway in the middle while the thousands of those permafrost boulders stopped revolving.

A bright blueish hue encompassed everyone's sight as multiple grand spaceship-like figures appeared from the 500-meter-wide pathway opened by the tree.

"The hell… who is that?" asked Kahn.

"The one who contacted me." responded Argos with a carefree tone.

Rumble!

Rumble!

The ships finally stopped and hundreds of tall armored figures came out at the hanger of the flying ship.

But at the same time, they all seemed to guard someone while holding the banners of their empire.

[Careful, boy. That's an 8th-stage saint.] informed Rathnaar with caution.

"Don't tell me, that's…" spoke Kahn but before he could continue…

"Yes, it's him." said the Vampire Sovereign.

They all landed in the hangar and finally met the host.

"So you've brought him without wasting time as we agreed." spoke an imposing figure.

Before them, stood an old man with long brown hair and a white beard, adorning a Sokutai while having a katana on his waist.

If Argos hadn't told him about this hidden ally beforehand, Kahn's first instinct would have been to run away as far as he could.

"Kahn… meet Sakamoto Hideyoshi, the Emperor of the Erdve Empire." said Argos as he introduced the 8th-stage saint.

The emperor, who seemed human by appearance but had a demonic aura to him looked at Kahn with a light smile.

"Isn't this the confident young man who said he'd end my entire bloodline at the Conclave of Heroes?"

Kahn was stunned but smiled awkwardly in return…

"Had to do what I had to do. But even you would agree that the message did make an impact." spoke Kahn in a respectful tone.

"That it did. Even our Hero was highly motivated by your display of strength and the domineering aura you showed everyone at the end.

He has been training intensely ever since we returned from the Conclave, saying that he can't fall behind you if he were to fight the Demon God one day." responded the Emperor, not holding any grudge against Kahn for such an open threat.

"Admirable. But does he know about this alliance?" asked Kahn in a skeptical tone.

"No, and I'd rather keep it this way. Even my family or my loyal Daimyos don't know about this.

The less people know about this coalition for now, the better." iterated the Emperor.

Kahn nodded.

"Let's go. This place is one of the Imperial Family's secret Space Terminals that no one even in the Imperial Court knows about.

It will lead us directly to the sacred resting place of my family." said the Emperor and turned back.

"Wait… why are we going to his family's ancestral tombs?" asked Kahn to Argos.

"Didn't I say… He's the one who 'contacted' me.

But now, we are following him to meet the one who 'informed' me about the change in the timeline." revealed the vampire king and quietly followed behind the ruler of the Empire of Space.

[Sakamoto Hideyoshi… that's a Japanese name. And if my guess is correct, they too use the surname first and name later just like Japan and a few other Asian countries on Earth.

Do they have some connection?] wondered Kahn.

The Bran Castle was left behind as Argos and his entourage boarded the ship.

Soon, the flock of flying ships turned around and entered through the pathway steadily.

"You practice the Space Law, right?" asked Hideyoshi.

"Yes, the 3rd enlightenment," responded Kahn.

"Can't help but say that I'm jealous of your talent. I'm only a fire elemental swordsman.

Even among my children, no one has even achieved the 2nd enlightenment.

Even our Hero of Space has been struggling to get past the 2nd enlightenment." revealed the emperor casually, divulging secret information so easily for some reason.

"Well… he'll get there some day." spoke Kahn.

Obviously, he couldn't tell the Emperor that he achieved that 3rd enlightenment with the help of a literal Linchpin of the Multiverse within the Chamber of Exaltation that was inside the Tablet of Arcana, one of the six creations left by Demi-Gods.

It wasn't that he wasn't exceptional… just that he had the best help in the world to achieve the 3rd enlightenment.

Soon, the surroundings of these flying ships were covered in a blueish barrier, shaped like beehives while completely encircling them.

"Entering the Hyperspace." announced the pilot of the ship.

Swoosh!

Shing!

As if turning into a ray of light, all the ships suddenly flew at hyperspeed.

[This… is just like the Hyperdrive from those Star Wars movies.

The Empire of Space can use something like that?] wondered Kahn, completely gobsmacked.

It had barely been 3 minutes and the captain of the ship made another announcement…

"Reaching destination in 3… 2… 1!"

Rumble!!

As if space itself was torn, a void crack appeared in a vast mountain valley and the entourage of the flying ships came out of them.

A mountain filled with lush greenery and bamboo shoots. This mountain was filled with natural waterfalls and rich wildlife.

At the peak of the mountain, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, stood the imposing Dobei castle. Its grandeur and size were unparalleled, stretching for a kilometer and featuring multiple layers of intricate architecture. The castle's walls boasted a pristine white and golden color, shimmering under the sunlight and commanding attention from afar. It was a fortress that symbolized strength and protection, capable of accommodating a vast number of warriors during times of conflict.

As one approached the castle, they would notice the meticulous carvings and designs adorning its structure. These engravings depicted monsters, deities, and divine beings that were unfamiliar to the inhabitants of Vantrea, giving an air of mystery and enchantment to the fortress.

Guarding the castle were hundreds of warriors, armed with spears and swords, positioned strategically throughout the fortress.

Among them, two formidable 3rd-stage saints stood out, their presence exuding power and authority. The warriors hailed from various backgrounds, with only a third of them being humans. The rest displayed distinct characteristics reminiscent of demons, showcasing a diverse array of skin colors, shapes, and sizes.

"So this is the Erdve Empire that serves the God of Space, Raum?" asked Kahn.

Obviously, he noticed the architecture from Earth because of his past as a fan of the japanese culture as Elric.

But all he could do was ask himself at this moment…

"Who the hell created this empire?"

The very next moment…

"The one you're here to meet… My great ancestor. He was also…"

Sakamoto Hideyoshi, the Emperor of the Erdve Empire, ended his curiosity as he declared…

"The 6th Hero of Space."