Chapter 101: Mystery

"Craig von Darkstar?" Austin blinked, his usually stoic heart skipping an uncharacteristic beat.

There was not a single living soul across the Four Continents who had not heard of the Darkstar Ducal Family.

They were the undisputed apex powerhouses of the Western Continent—the legendary Dragon Lords whose bloodline commanded absolute terror and reverence.

But even beyond the overarching reputation of the Darkstar name, that specific individual had recently taken the entire world by storm.

Digging deep into his vast mental catalog of continental intelligence, Austin recalled the explosive rumors that had swept through the merchant guilds just weeks ago regarding the latest Dragon Calling Ceremony.

A direct descendant of the Crimson Duke had accomplished the impossible, bonding not merely with a single wyvern, but with three top-tier dragons simultaneously—two 4th-Tier dragons and a breathtaking 5th-Tier dragon.

It was a feat that shattered century old recorded history.

Furthermore, intelligence reports confirmed he was the only descendant in the entire history of the Darkstar bloodline to successfully awaken his mana core completely independent of the Dragon’s Grace ritual.

Add to that the viral, continent-spanning reports of a high-level assassination attempt that he had casually survived, and Craig von Darkstar was easily the most talked-about figure in the West.

"Are you certain it is that trending star of the Darkstar Family you are referring to?" Austin asked, his tone laced with rare hesitation.

Alyse nodded smoothly, crossing her legs as a soft, knowing smile graced her ethereal face.

"Indeed," Alyse affirmed. "Craig von Darkstar, the Seventh Successor of the Darkstar Ducal Family. He is also the only successor among his siblings to be granted explicit authority by the Crimson Duke to construct his own private military company.

Despite having awakened his mana core only recently, he has already broken through his limits and ascended into the class of a Sword Runner Ranker. And that very same Craig von Darkstar is exceptionally interested in you, Master Austin."

Austin gulped, involuntarily swallowing hard as his sharp mind raced. "...Why? What could a Dragon Lord’s successor possibly want with the third son of a merchant house?"

Alyse shook her head, her smile turning slightly helpless. "Even I do not have a clear answer to that question. I have no idea what Craig ultimately envisions for you, but given his terrifying foresight and rising influence, his interest is not something to be dismissed lightly. That is precisely why I chose to facilitate this connection."

She rested her hands gracefully on her lap, her violet eyes locking onto Austin’s with unwavering focus. "Once our trade agreement is formally finalized today, do not return to the Eastern Continent immediately.

Take your brothers and your convoy and head straight to the Myrain Viscounty, where Lord Craig currently resides."

"And why should I willingly throw myself into the territory of a Darkstar successor without knowing his game?" Austin questioned, narrowing his eyes.

"Because I am willing to offer you something you cannot refuse," Alyse replied softly, her voice carrying the undeniable weight of a future Duchess.

"In exchange for your cooperation, I will officially throw the full political, military, and financial backing of the Veraxes Ducal Family behind your personal claim to lead the Paureen Merchant Group."

Austin’s breath hitched slightly.

Alyse extended her delicate, gloved hand across the mahogany table, her lips curling into a captivating, ambitious smirk.

"Become my second primary partner, Master Austin. A true business alliance where both of us reap unimaginable profit and authority across both continents."

She tilted her head, her eyes glinting with playful provocation. "Besides... aren’t you even a little bit eager to see what a real Dragon Lord looks like up close?"

Austin remained entirely silent for a long, heavy minute.

He weighed the astronomical risks of stepping into the Myrain Viscounty against the game-changing leverage of having a Ducal Family back his claim over his elder brothers for control of the Paureen empire.

Slowly, a sharp, determined glint flared in his golden eyes.

Austin reached forward and firmly grasped Lady Alyse’s hand, sealing the pact.

"We have a deal."

One Week Later — Central Region, Western Continent.

***

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

A catastrophic, violent explosion tore through the serene silence of the central mountain range, sending massive, earth-shattering shockwaves reverberating across the surrounding valleys.

The force of the detonation was so immense that it rattled the distant outposts of neighboring domains, painting the sky in a violent hue of apocalyptic crimson.

Yet, surprisingly, despite the sheer scale of the spatial disturbance and destruction, the Goldenfyre Family.

The supreme rulers who governed the central region with an iron fist—did not dispatch a single vanguard unit, nor did they issue a mandate to investigate.

They remained completely silent.

For they knew precisely who was treading upon those mountains, and they possessed no desire to intervene in a slaughter executed by him.

Dense, suffocating columns of black smoke billowed into the atmosphere, scattering ash across the shattered, crumbling mountain slopes.

The entire plateau was transformed into a horrific, blood-soaked graveyard littered with piles of rubble, pulverized armor, and torn flesh.

Hundreds of bodies—an entire secret battalion of elite, ghost-masked operatives—lay scattered across the debris.

Most had been charred beyond recognition by intense, high-density flames, their severed heads and dismembered limbs painting the black stone.

Blood flowed down the rocky ravines like a crimson river.

Crunch. Crunch. ℯ𝔴ℯ

The slow, steady sound of heavy leather boots crushing charred bone and rubble echoed through the silent wasteland.

A tall figure draped in a long, flowing black trench coat walked effortlessly through the sea of corpses.

His long, sleek black hair fluttered against the ash-laden wind, his cold, emerald flickering eyes reflecting the lingering embers of destruction.

A few yards ahead of him, a heavily wounded man—his right arm completely severed at the shoulder and his armor melted into his flesh—was desperately crawling through the blood-stained dirt.

Tears of absolute, primal horror streamed down his blistered face as he dragged his broken body away from the approaching figure.

"H-Help! Someone... save me! AAAHHH!" the survivor shrieked, his voice cracking with unbearable terror as he felt the cold, suffocating pressure closing in behind him.

The black-coated figure did not even break his slow, rhythmic stride.

He simply paused for a fraction of a second, slightly tilting his head as he lazily raised his right hand, flicking his wrist toward the crawling man.

FLOOOOSH!

Without a sound, a torrent of terrifying, dark crimson-black fire erupted from thin air.

The absolute, unholy heat instantly engulfed the screaming operative before he could even let out a second plea.

In less than three seconds, his flesh, bones, and armor were completely vaporized, reduced to nothing more than a pile of fine, drifting black ash upon the rocks.

The dark-haired entity lowered his hand, his expression entirely unbothered as he looked out over the desolate, annihilated stronghold.

Standing amidst the ash and total ruin, the dark haired entity slightly turned his head toward the silent horizon, his deep, resonant voice echoing into the empty void:

"Tell Hydra.....that the Crimson Duke sends his warmest greetings." the figure slightly turned to leave.

"I don’t know what you all did to Oscar but it really seems you pissed him so bad....."

"That he sent me to you!"