Hero of Darkness

Argos revealed one of his secrets to Havi to display his strength and capabilities in front of the latter.

The Darkness element was forbidden in the world and anyone who practiced it was to be killed on sight in all the empires associated with the gods. However, Argos Belmont himself turned out to be a Darkness elemental user.

This was a secret that no one knew until this moment. So even Havi was gobsmacked.

Then right in front of Havi, Argos created two entities. One of whom was of the normal-sized humanoid species individual while the other was a 5 meter tall demonic creature who had hundreds of red bleeding eyes spread across its pitch-black body. And both of their saint pressures resembled that of a 7th stage saint.

[Just how strong is his control over the Darkness element? Even I can't do something like that.] wondered Havi.

7th Stage Saints stood at the peak in Rakos Empire. Yet, Argos created such beings within a minute.

"Get to work." ordered Argos.

In a few moments, these two new creations started causing wanton destruction to nearby regions while Havi ordered all his troops to evacuate 100 kilometers of the region.

Argos then turned to Havi and spoke.

"This will help you justify how a 6th stage saint like the Pope was killed. These 2 will also go in different directions to create a diversion.

This will also bide me more time." stated Argos with a thoughtful expression.

"Bide time for what?" asked Havi.

"Once I find him. I have to train and prepare him…

For the Conclave of Heroes." revealed the revenant sovereign.

And as soon as he revealed his intentions…

"Then count me in as well." spoke Havi hastily.

Even Argos had a shocked countenance after hearing this.

"Why? Wouldn't that be troublesome for you? Our deal protects your empire and your daughter.

But if you show up for the Conclave of Heroes after what happened… this will put you at risk." he asked.

"Our Hero of Fire is already dead.

Hetrax will probably abandon us soon if we don't elect a new Pope.

But given how the Church defected… even electing a proxy Pope would be too risky.

And I don't want to give them any power to do potential harm in the future." responded Havi.

"Even with the situation due to the church's treason… you're still risking your empire's fate just for the guy who saved your daughter.

Or is it because you're aiming for the Tablet of Arcana?" Said Argos teasingly.

"What other choice do we have?

Even if we continued to serve Hetrax… we have no Hero to represent or back up for the claim on that place during the Conclave of Heroes. And Kahn has even a bigger claim after he killed Axel because of the 2 Divine Keys." iterated Havi with a solemn voice.

"Well, it's your decision. Let's add this to our pact as well.

You must keep your promise. You will show up for the conclave regardless of the consequences to yourself or your empire.

Otherwise, I cannot trust you." spoke Argos in a serious tone, his face showing conflict that arose in his mind.

Havi nodded and both added new terms to their oath.

After they were done, Argos pulled a big blood-red hexagonal crystal out of a wormhole and handed it to Havi.

"This is one of my creations.

Take this. It will help you cure the backlash of the bloodline.

You will need 5 years to heal. You won't regress in rank or die either.

But you will never be able to rise to a higher rank and at best… you will live for another 50 years. That's all I can help you with." he said.

"You son of a… You could've given me this before." said Havi, surprised but yet also feeling wronged.

To his words, Argos winked playfully and replied with a smug grin.

"Ha ha!

It's because we weren't allied a few minutes ago and I had no reason to trust you."

The vampire sovereign had pulled one over Havi.

Havi took the artifact with a sense of relief. 50 years was much better than just 15 years to live. This would also help him pave the path for Venessa in the long run.

"Tell me something… why are you even doing this?

You know too much for someone who wasn't directly involved in the events of the massacre 300 years ago.

You even know about the members of that group. Even my imperial clan doesn't have that much information on them." queried Havi since they were now bound to help each other.

Argos then finally decided to tell Havi now that they're bound by the soul-oath and both couldn't betray each other. No one could force out his information from them by using any means either.

"Because the 8th Hero of Darkness told me himself. After all, he was…" revealed Argos why he was involved in this matter greatly and was eagerly looking for Kahn.

"My adoptive Father."

A silence ensued and even Havi took a few minutes to absorb this sudden revelation.

It explained a lot of things about how Argos had extensive knowledge about the matter of Heroes and Gods. He probably searched and gathered a lot of information in the past 250 years to know all the secrets as well.

Argos then told Havi some superficial information about his history with the 8th Hero of Darkness.

"I was an orphan of war and would've died in the street.

He saved my life when he was on the run after the massacre of other Heroes and the destruction of the Abyss Empire.

He raised me till I turned 30. In all my time with my father…

There was something he wanted to do desperately. But in the end, his human body had reached its limits and he died while attempting to become a Peak Saint 20 years later." revealed Argos.

This meant that the 8th Hero of Darkness died 250 years ago right when he was about to reach his peak strength.

"Before his death, he had already prepared for the worst and paved the way for me to become what I'm today.

My father also knew that once the new Hero is summoned… the world would hunt him or her.

During his last days, he gave me a mission that in case he died, I was to complete a mission no matter what it took or how many years it needed." he explained in a heavy tone.

Argos then told Havi about the objectives of the tasks as part of his mission and what he was going to do other than grooming Kahn.

"This… I understand. So the 8th Hero did what was absolutely necessary even if it meant committing the biggest sin.

I don't think anyone without a resolve as strong as him could do that." spoke Havi.

He too was now affirmed that he made the right choice by sparing Kahn's life.

"With you and me…

It'd be good if Kahn had two powerful backers during the conclave." said Argos in a stern voice.

"Agreed." spoke Havi and nodded in affirmation.

The reason behind the 8th Hero of Darkness' actions was way bigger than him or his empire.

"Besides, when the time comes… he may need us to become his main force for the final war since no Empire is backing him." iterated Argos in a cryptic tone.

"Why? Don't we have like 90 more years?" asked Havi with a puzzled expression.

"Not anymore. Because the Demon God…

Has already reached the final stage." he revealed with a sigh.

"Impossible! How can it happen so early?!" exclaimed Havi in disbelief.

"Because those 4 idiot empires are still at war with the Demon Empire despite my warning. They're fueling the fire with more oil.

More than 8 billion lives have been lost in just 5 years." replied Argos, clenching his fist as he revealed an exasperated face.

"I also contacted the Elder Dragon Baltaraaz as well as the remaining 3 Archangels.

Their response is the same as in the past 3 thousand years.

The Elder Dragon is still stuck on the Ancient Prophecy. Waiting for the 'One' to show up in the world.

And because of his orders, the Dragon Emperor won't be helping us either.

As for the 3 Archangels… they wouldn't even help their new Hero of Light.

All 4 of these powerhouses won't interfere in this war or help kill the Demon God even if it meant the destruction of the world." said Argos and sighed helplessly.

It was Havi who then spoke with an exhausted face.

"There was a time when all the empires worked together and the Demon God was hunted by all the Heroes who joined hands.

Yet none ever succeeded."

Argos then spoke his own opinion.

"It wouldn't have come to any of this if the 5th generation of heroes, their empires and churches hadn't messed with the Rakos Empire.

Rathnaar Whitlock would have managed to kill the Demon God because he was the only Peak Saint in the world back then.

That man could kill the chosen Heroes, Royal Dragons and Godbeasts like slaughtering cattle despite being a normal human with no powerful bloodline or divine abilities." spoke Argos in a stoic voice.

"That's why the 8th Hero chose to do what he did. But even someone as strong as him failed.

And now because of his actions… we're in a situation where everyone is looking for their own gains and heroes as well as their empires aren't working together anymore." said Havi as he also expressed his honest opinion because he too had a similar stand.

But after hearing the truth from Argos, even he had a guilty expression.

"That's why… I need to find Kahn within the next 5 years. I need time to train him properly and see if he is indeed worthy of placing all our hopes on.

Because in the next 20 years… The Demon God will reach the Demi-God rank.

And after that… no Hero or Heroine would be able to stop him." said Argos.

Unbeknownst to Kahn… at this moment, he had gained 2 of the most powerful saints as his allies.

First was one of the 4 Sovereigns while the second was one of the 14 Emperors in Vantrea.

"So what do you plan to do first once you find him?" asked Havi their time to part was coming near.

"I will take him there." replied the vampire king with a lifeless expression.

"That place? Even a 9th stage saint like you would die there." said Havi with a constricted face as he felt a great threat just by imagining the place Argos was talking about.

"What choice do I have? It's one of the 3 main objectives my father gave me in that mission.

Since I'm the only one in the world who can awaken his Divine Key.

And I'm the one who has…" spoke the vampire, looking towards the cloudy sky as he revealed the biggest part he had to play in Kahn's story…

"Kahn's Divine Weapon."

------------END OF ARC/VOLUME 4--------------