Chapter 1035 Setting New Course After the earth-shattering events that unfolded during the tumultuous 4th Conclave of Heroes, the delicate balance of power that had long governed the world stood on the brink of upheaval. The revelation of the Hero of Darkness sent shockwaves throughout the minds of the rulers of major empires, while the unveiling of the Hero of Time as a Time Regressor, wielding knowledge of the future, added another layer of complexity to the unfolding saga. On top of it, Argos Belmont, the Revenant Sovereign who was heralded as one of the two strongest saints of this era declared himself as the new representative of God of Darkness and officially backed Kahn in front of all the powerhouses of the Empires serving Gods and Goddesses. His open threat to the Emperors and Heroes in case anyone tried to harm the Hero of Darkness was etched in their memories because he truly possessed the strength to wipe out their entire empire if he willed to do so. With these many predicaments that affected all of their futures, the Conclave of Heroes ended, with no certain victor or a loser while everyone was aware of the fact that the entire timeline of Vantrea had been affected. The Next Day… Swoosh! Flutter! Two figures suddenly appeared in a vast valley, filled with numerous mountains on both sides that spanned 100 kilometers in length and 15 kilometers in width. The lush greenery and enriched wildlife brought a sense of serenity and natural charm to the environment. However… In the middle of this valley, was a ginormous and tall black castle that spanned for 5 kilometers in width and 1 kilometer in height, floated quietly in the cloudy sky. "Welcome to my humble abode… the Bran Castle." spoke the Vampire King as he introduced his home to Kahn. Hundreds of massive 10-meter-tall humanoid creatures including Vampires, Gargoyles, Bruxas, Lamias, and Werewolves were guarding the grand castle on various fronts, turning it into a war fortress in a sense. Among them, Kahn sensed 4 Saints that resided in 4 towers on opposite ends. Shing! But the very next moment, Kahn's senses went on high alert as his eyes widened. Creak! The massive 50-meter-tall gates of the castle opened and a small army of black and red armored vampire knights revealed itself. But they were not the ones Kahn found alarming but rather a single individual leading them. A tall and muscular old vampire with long golden hair, beard and gleaming yellow eyes, dressed in white and red suit akin to a butler in aristocratic attire walked with a confident gaze. As soon as Kahn and Argos landed at the front of the gates, the old butler who seemed to be in his 70s in terms of human years, revealed a gobsmacked expression. "This is my most loyal retainer… Lucian Varangis." revealed Argos as he walked with slow steps. Thud! All the knights knelt on one knee while holding the banner of the Belmont Kingdom. "This vampire… is an Intermediate 7th-stage saint." spoke Kahn with an astonished countenance. But at the same time… "My lord… is he who I think he is?..." asked the old vampire. "Yes… Meet the new Hero of Darkness, Kahn Salvatore." spoke Argos as he casually strode off with a steady pace while the other two followed behind. Lucian on the side, was perplexed and slightly elated. He bowed in respect towards Kahn. "It is an honor to finally meet you, Young Lord." he said in a gentle and caring tone. "Likewise." said Kahn and extended his right palm to greet the golden-haired vampire. Lucian suddenly stopped with an astonished countenance… "This lowly one is not worthy to shake the young lord's hands." he spoke with a calm voice. On the other hand, Kahn was left puzzled… An intermediate 7th-stage saint was strong enough to be one of the top 5 strongest beings in any empire. Even the Heavenly King of Metal, Jaro was an Intermediate 7th-stage saint but he was one of the strongest clan leaders who commanded millions of people in the Beast Empire. Much like his master, Romulus Lykaios… Lucian was a powerhouse who would earn respect and authority no matter where he went. Yet for some reason, he was presenting himself as a mere servant in front of Kahn while addressing himself as unworthy to even shake his hand. Kahn awkwardly pulled back his hand. "My Lord, now that you have finally found the Young Lord… Please tell me why I did you to reveal yourself as the backer of the Hero of Darkness so suddenly?" asked Lucian with a slight resignation visible on his face. "I received an urgent message that compelled me to act hastily since it was related to Kahn's safety. That's why I had to hurry up and enter Hesperides on short notice." revealed Argos sternly in a regal tone. "So you know about the altered timeline?" asked Kahn. Argos nodded. However, their conversation was interfered by the retainer of the vampire king. "Ah, so the Young Lord's life was in danger because someone altered the timeline?" asked Lucian with a bewildered countenance. "Yes. It was the Hero of Time who returned to the past. I had no choice but to reveal it to everyone present at the Conclave of Heroes. For now, all of the Empires and their rulers will have their attention focused on him. The Empire of Time will also be busy dealing with the aftermath." he said calmly. "I also noticed the Royal Dragon but didn't talk about it until you were comfortable." said the Revenant Sovereign. Swoosh! The very next second, Vildred Mortelix, the Lightning Dragon Emperor, and the Sage of Preservation came out of an invisible barrier. "How much do you know?" asked the Sage Magician. "You… since I attended the Conclave. Him…" suddenly, Argos pointed towards Kahn's chest. "Since the time Kahn killed the Hero of Fire in the Vulcan Empire." spoke Argos with a smirk. [Boy… he knows about me too.] spoke Rathnaar in Kahn's mind. "To make a Soul-Oath with the former Peak Saint of Vantrea… I must say that you have impressed me a lot." cited the vampire king. "I reckon you survived the Hero of Time and his party's onslaught with his help and guidance?" asked Argos curiously. But instead of Kahn, he received the telepathic response from Rathnaar himself… [It was all done by the boy. The Hero of Time came fully prepared and severed our connection using an Ancient Rank artifact called Warhorn of Confinement. I only regained my connection to him after he was done defeating the Hero of Time. But if you say that he traveled back in time… that explains how he knew about me.] iterated the Peak Saint. Meanwhile, Lucian felt relieved. He was not even taken aback by suddenly seeing a Royal Dragon, rather, his priorities were different... He quickly appeared in front of Kahn and grasped both his shoulders. "Thank you! Thank you for staying alive, young lord!" he spoke in a jolted and overly elated high-pitched voice. Kahn was simply stunned to even react and stood awkwardly as Lucian shook his body back and forth because of his happiness. "Ah, don't worry. He rarely gets this happy so his response to such news is always extreme. He will open up to you with enough time." spoke Argos with a mischievous smile. Stare! Lucian intently stared at the revenant Sovereign with an intense gaze, complaining to his lord for embarrassing him without speaking a word. Argos' gaze shifted sideways as he shifted the topic. "Any word from the battlefield?" he asked. Lucian's expression relaxed as he responded sternly while following towards the main door of the castle. "The Demon Emperor is honoring his word. If the Demon God hadn't entered the retreat for his next breakthrough, he would have been fighting on the front himself. And during your visit to the Conclave of Heroes, Sir Sylvester has taken the responsibility to guard the borders." reported the old 7th-stage saint vampire. "What?! Why is that upright bastard suddenly acting on his own?" asked Argos, slightly taken aback. "I believe he feared that the Demon Empire would make another move since all the Emperors, Empresses, and the summoned Heroes were busy with the Conclave of Heroes. And since you too disappeared after commencing the ceasefire with the Demon Emperor… In his words… he was being cautious." stated Lucian as a long line of servants bowed in front of Argos and Kahn. Right then, Kahn asked with a curious tone… "Who is this sir Sylvester? To hold the Demon Emperor at bay with his presence?" Argos suddenly stopped his steps and replied in a stoic voice… "There are 4 Sovereigns in Vantrea. Two of them are Beginner 9th-stage saints while the other two, including me, are Intermediate 9th-stage saints. Although I'm usually regarded as the strongest among the two, he is not the one to look down upon even if it's the Demon Emperor." stated the Revenant Sovereign. "His name is Sylvester Armstrong. The people also call him… the Warfarer Sovereign." declared Argos as if advocating his peer's strength and regality. "Oh, he also has a unique class you probably never heard of." "What class?" asked Kahn. Argos replied to Kahn nonchalantly… "The Deity Summoner." Gasp! Kahn was shocked. It was the Ancient Rank class similar to someone he knew very well. But right then… he remembered something. [So the future me knew that he would be crucial for the Great War.] Because among the list of people the Martial Emperor aka original Kahn instructed him to meet in this new timeline… The Warfarer Sovereign was one of them. Kahn, Argos, Vildred, and Lucian entered the castle guarded by 10-meter-tall gargoyles, hellhounds, and 4 saints of vampire species. Kahn then asked Argos… "Where are we going now? This castle can't be our final destination, right?" he queried. Argos let out a smile and responded… "To meet the one who informed me that this timeline has changed. Thus forcing me to reveal myself as the new representative of the God of Darkness prematurely." "And who is that?" asked Vildred as he too was fascinated at this point. "I'd rather have you meet him yourself first." replied the sovereign. "So there where does he live?" asked Kahn curiously. Argos then looked at Lucian and spoke in a commanding tone. "Steer the course of the castle. We're going to the…" revealed Argos the next immediate destination of Kahn's journey as soon as he was revealed to the world as the Hero of Darkness. "Empire of Space."