**Chapter 128**
—
Whitebeard rose from his seat.
He approached Anna, who was frozen stiff with her eyes wide open, and took a sip from the coffee in her hand.
“Oh? This coffee… the taste is rather unique.”
Arthur smiled faintly.
“Mr. Whitebeard, you seem to know how to enjoy coffee.”
“Is there some kind of special secret to it?”
“I put in about eight shots.”
“Eight shots? Hm… so that’s why it tastes like this. I’ll have to remember that for later.”
Apparently satisfied, he took the entire cup with him.
Watching this, Arthur slowly asked,
“But what did you mean when you said you came to collect payment?”
“Hm? Don’t tell me you don’t remember?”
Arthur tilted his head.
Whitebeard clicked his tongue and explained.
“Didn’t I say I’d come to collect payment once you awakened the true power of the Bayern bloodline?”
Arthur let out a sound of realization.
“Ah… that’s right. You did say you’d come if I awakened my true power.”
“No backing out now. Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve put me through?”
“I’ve caused you trouble?”
“Of course! You should’ve caused at least one or two accidents… This is the first time in my life I’ve had to bow my head so much!”
At his grumbling, Arthur scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“Hm… I thought I was keeping myself fairly quiet, but I apologize. By the way, Mr. Whitebeard?”
“Yes?”
“I’ve awakened a few hidden powers of the Bayern bloodline, but… is this really all there is?”
Whitebeard’s eyes lit with interest.
“And what exactly have you awakened?”
“Well… first, I learned how the bloodline powers I absorb can grow.”
“That wasn’t something you discovered—it was something you stumbled into, wasn’t it?”
“Oh? Now that you mention it, you’re right.”
Indeed, Arthur had only learned how absorbed powers could grow by sheer coincidence, thanks to Jeannie.
Which made Arthur tilt his head.
“Have you been watching me or something? You seem to know in detail.”
Whitebeard shrugged.
“Not watching… just looking to the stars.”
“The stars?”
“Often, the stars above know things we cannot see.”
Arthur shrugged in return.
“Sounds like the kind of excuse a magician would make.”
Whitebeard burst out laughing, his phlegm-rattled chuckle oddly genuine.
“…Your way of speaking is always so peculiar.”
“My way of speaking?”
“Yes. Well, we can talk about that later. So, what else did you awaken?”
The corners of Arthur’s lips curled slightly.
“The ability to steal the memories of those whose blood I drink.”
Whitebeard clapped his hands.
“Yes! That’s it!”
“…So the ability you were after in the Bayern bloodline was memory theft?”
“No! Not stealing—”
“…?”
“The true power of the Bayern bloodline isn’t *absorbing*! It’s *taking*!”
Arthur’s eyes widened.
“Taking?”
“Yes. Now you’re beginning to grasp what the Bayern bloodline really is, aren’t you?”
Arthur stroked his chin.
‘So the power of the Bayern bloodline is *taking*? Then maybe it isn’t just blood and memories… maybe there’s more I can take?’
As he pondered, Arthur tilted his head again.
‘Then what is it that Whitebeard wants to take with this ability?’
Scratching his head, Arthur asked,
“What exactly is it you want, Mr. Whitebeard?”
Whitebeard shook his head.
“If I told you everything right now, wouldn’t that spoil the fun?”
“I’d actually find it fun.”
“Ah, but answers only have value when you find them yourself.”
“Oh… can’t deny that. In that case—”
Arthur raised the Beast, aiming it squarely at Whitebeard’s forehead.
At the sudden, unannounced threat, Whitebeard blinked.
“Hm? What’s this now?”
“What else? I’m trying to kill the wicked necromancer who’s after my body.”
“Oh… that, you remember well.”
“How could I forget, when someone like you set your sights on me?”
Whitebeard stuck out his tongue—so red it was nearly black, curling like a snake to lick his lips.
“Are you confident?”
“Of course I am.”
“Confident you can kill me?”
“Yes.”
At that, Whitebeard burst out laughing.
“Amusing… Back when we first met, you were so terrified you couldn’t even draw your sword…”
Trailing off, he rose to his feet.
Arthur’s gun barrel tracked his every move.
Then Whitebeard made a suggestion.
“Instead of here, why don’t we change locations?”
“Change locations?”
“If the two of us clash here, everyone present will die. Are you fine with that?”
Arthur let out a small exclamation.
“Oh… you’re right. Mr. Whitebeard, I never knew you were such a considerate man.”
“Of course. Soon, everything will be mine anyway.”
“…?”
Whitebeard’s expression twisted grotesquely, though the corners of his lips trembled as if forcing a smile.
Arthur could tell—that distorted look was him laughing.
“Once I take your body, everything will be in my hands. Why destroy what I can claim?”
As he said this, Whitebeard stroked Jeannie’s sharp ear.
Arther gave a dry laugh at the unsettling gesture.
“As expected… there’s no such thing as a good necromancer.”
Rising from his seat, Arthur jerked his chin.
“Lead the way, Mr. Whitebeard. I’ll at least give you the right to choose your grave.”
—
—
Following Whitebeard through the door, Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
It was a place he knew well.
“This… isn’t this the underground city of the Seven Sovereigns?”
Whitebeard turned his head.
“Correct. You’ve been here once before, haven’t you?”
“Yes. But this city—it belongs to you?”
“Hm? What makes you think that?”
“When I showed your card to the goblins, they trembled like leaves.”
Whitebeard chuckled.
“Just one of the slaves I collected. They said they needed management, so I handed a few of them over to Balans.”
“Oh… so there’s no place you haven’t extended your hand.”
“Of course not. I didn’t live a thousand years for nothing. The entire underground network of Arcane is my creation.”
Arthur’s eyes widened.
“The entire underground network? You mean the Seven Sovereigns *and* the pirates are all your doing?”
“That’s right.”
“Wow… But why go that far?”
“No kingdom, no matter how powerful, can oversee the entire world. That’s why one needs underlings.”
Arther let out a small laugh.
“Ah… so the Seven Sovereigns and pirates were your underlings.”
“Correct. They think they built their own power, but in truth, it’s all my design.”
Arthur’s gaze sharpened.
“Mr. Whitebeard… you’re even more impressive than I thought.”
“Aren’t I? So then, why not hand over your body willingly?”
“Ah. Sorry about that, but no.”
Whitebeard laughed and turned away, striding boldly across the underground city.
Arthur followed, taking in the hollow, abandoned streets.
They walked for quite some time until Whitebeard stopped before a small side door beneath a massive tower.
He gently pulled its iron ring.
Creak…
The old hinges groaned as the door opened, revealing a staircase descending into darkness.
Whitebeard stepped inside.
Watching him, Arthur scratched his head.
‘Even a thousand-year-old necromancer is the same…’
After all, his disciple Frakil had his own basement chamber too.
Shrugging, Arthur followed him inside.
Drip, drip…
In pitch-black darkness, not a glimmer of light could be seen.
But neither complained.
For two beings with senses beyond human, sight was no longer necessary.
They descended deeper and deeper until Whitebeard finally stopped.
Two torches flared to life, devouring the darkness.
Arthur scanned the surroundings.
A vast hall, its walls covered in strange symbols and ancient murals—so weathered by time they were almost unrecognizable.
Whitebeard spoke.
“This is the sanctuary where God first descended.”
“…God?”
“Yes. The God who created this world first came down to the earth here.”
Arthur tilted his head.
“So you believe in religion, Mr. Whitebeard?”
“Well… not religion. More like legends and oral traditions.”
“Aren’t those the same?”
“No. Religion fabricates what isn’t there, but legends and traditions weave stories out of truth.”
Arthur chuckled.
“So, this is where we’ll fight?”
“If angels and demons are to clash, it should be before God, don’t you think?”
The moment Whitebeard finished speaking, Arthur’s Beast roared.
Bang—!
The bullet flew unannounced, striking Whitebeard square in the back of the head.
Or so it seemed.
“Oh?”
Arthur blinked, fascinated to see the bullet stop just a finger’s breadth from Whitebeard’s skull.
“An unusual magic.”
“It’s my specialty.”
Turning, Whitebeard flicked the floating bullet aside.
“So you’re not planning to hand your body over willingly, then?”
Arthur nodded.
“No. I still have things to do.”
“I can do them for you.”
“…But if I don’t do it myself, what meaning is there?”
“That’s true. Still, if you’re going to lose it anyway, wouldn’t it be better to trade with me?”
Arthur chuckled.
“There’s another way. By killing you.”
“…Do you really believe you can kill me?”
“Why not?”
Arthur drew his demonic sword.
“Everyone dies, Mr. Whitebeard.”
“…”
“That includes you. Living a thousand years doesn’t make you immortal.”
Whitebeard let out a hearty laugh.
“You’re sharp in the strangest places… Fine. Come, then.”
He beckoned with a finger, taunting.
Arther gripped his sword tighter.
Shing—!
The blade trembled once before shooting forward like a bullet.
Whitebeard, leaning on his staff, avoided it with deliberate slowness.
“You’ve obtained not only a bloodline, but also an amusing sword.”
He tapped his staff against the ground.
The entire hall shook as a grotesque wailing rang out.
Arthur halted mid-charge.
“Oh…? And that is?”
“My collection.”
At his words, goblins poured into the hall, their numbers easily in the hundreds.
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“They’re not quite the same as the ones you’ve seen. These are… very hungry.”
Whitebeard chuckled, gesturing with his hand.
The horde screamed as one.
Kiiiik—!
Hundreds of goblins charged straight at Arther.
As the green swarm descended, Arthur raised the Beast.
Bang—!
With the thunder of gunfire, dozens of goblins fell.
But the survivors leapt over their corpses, still rushing at him.
Kiiiik—!
Weapons swung.
Arthur swung his demonic sword in return.
In that instant, goblin weapons—and dozens of their heads—were sliced apart like paper.
But there were always more alive than dead.
They clawed, bit, struck at Arthur’s body, trying desperately to kill him.
Not a scratch appeared on him.
As Whitebeard watched with fascination, the goblins around Arthur suddenly exploded.
“…?”
Whitebeard blinked.
What? Why are they dying all of a sudden?
Then lightning struck from the clear sky.
CRASH—!!
With a violent roar, the charging goblins froze in place.
Kiiiik—!
A beat later, screams echoed as their bodies twisted and collapsed, dead in an instant.
Not one or two—but all who had rushed Arthur.
Whitebeard finally grasped what he was seeing.
“Lightning? Ha… I didn’t expect that.”
As he spoke, Arthur brushed goblin blood off his sleeve.
“Shall we get serious now?”
Whitebeard’s eyes narrowed.
“Get serious?”
“Yes. That was just a warm-up, wasn’t it?”
Whitebeard blinked.
That was a warm-up? Killing hundreds of goblins?
Studying Arthur’s face, he suddenly laughed.
“You… truly are fascinating. If not for your Bayern bloodline, I’d genuinely want to take you as mine.”
Arthur smiled warmly.
“It’s not too late. We can still be friends, Mr. Whitebeard.”
“That I must decline.”
The laughter vanished. Whitebeard’s eyes burned red.
“Then, as you said… let’s truly begin.”
At his words, the sanctuary quaked.
As Arthur’s eyes widened, Whitebeard slowly lifted off the ground.
“I won’t kill you. But you will struggle, and learn. Sometimes, there are \[fates] that cannot be overcome.”
At that warning, Arthur grinned.
“Your tongue is too long, Mr. Whitebeard. Enough talk—come at me.”
—
