105th Adversary: Miko & Markus

"Hahaha!"

The Saevus Clan. Loud laughter could be heard coming from the Clan leader's Quarters. Inside Miko and his grandfather Markus were both talking with smiles on their faces.

"I'm serious, Tessa is far cuter than Kristen. You really need to give her a chance."

"I don't know. She seems like she takes more from her mother's side. But I gotta admit I'm a bit interested in her…..I guess I'll meet up with her one day and see what kind of person she is."

Miko nodded.

"I'm sure you'll love her."

(Looks like they're getting along. That's a relief.)

Leon thought while laying on the sofa.

"Miko, you seem to be a sophisticated person if anything. I guess blood really doesn't lie."

Markus suddenly stopped smiling.

"Which is why I find you playing the role of a puppet unsettling."

Miko also stopped smiling as well. Leon immediately felt the atmosphere become tense and sat up.

"Miko, from what I can tell from all of your recent achievements, you're a very intelligent person. Yet, I can't understand why you're letting people manipulating your movements."

Miko smiled.

"Well, aren't you the same? Don't tell me you didn't know that those idiots wanted us to meet and get along like this?"

"..."

Miko leaned back in his seat.

"I've said this many times before but I actually don't mind if others use me. That's because I'll make them pay the appropriate price eventually. Using me is like holding a naked blade with your bare hands and using it as a weapon, you'll slay your opponent but you'll lose a few fingers in return."

"That's an interesting outlook. But what if you discard the blade before you lose your fingers? What happens then? You'll only be used."

Markus pointed at Miko.

"Your way of thinking is too naïve. A king must overwhelm his opponents to properly protect himself and his subjects. He must never leave himself at the mercy of others."

"Well, I have bad news for you."

Miko placed his hand on his chest.

"I am not a king. I'm just a man desperate to protect my own happiness. For that, I'm willing to do anything, even throwing away my pride. What is pride if you have no one around you!"

"Fool! You are a king! You might not see yourself as one but those around you do! I'm not telling you to abandon those around you to keep your pride! That's not the actions of a king, but the actions of a coward!"

Markus and Miko were now glaring at each other.

"How did they move from laughing cheerfully to this?"

Leon mumbled.

"Now, now. Calm down, the both of you. I'm sure the both of you are correct."

Leon looked at his father.

"Father, you said what you said because you already acknowledged Miko as one of your own right? You just don't like the idea of him being used, right?"

Markus and Miko took a breath and exhaled loudly to calm down.

"Listen, Miko. You don't seem to realize it, but you're way in over your head if you think you can outsmart everyone. I don't think you realize just what kind of people you're dealing with here."

"Do you mean Joesph?"

Markus shook his head.

"From what I can tell, Joesph is not your enemy. The Branch Leaders are 100% behind you as well. In fact, I believe they intend to make you the center of the Dragna empire. The one I'm talking about is Krow."

Miko's eyes twitched when Krow's name was mentioned.

"I see that you really hate him, but you can't defeat him."

"You know, people have been saying the same thing to me over and over again."

"And for a good reason. Krow is extremely dangerous, but he's also vital to the Dragna empire. Even as much as a branch leader. If he was to truly turn his back on the clan, it would be the clan's greatest crisis since Augustus was defeated."

Miko remained silent. He didn't know why Krow was so vital but if characters like Markus was saying so then it must be the truth.

"While Joesph and the Branch Leaders are behind you, it doesn't mean they don't have their own selfish reasons for backing you. You're like a diamond everyone wants to possess."

"Doesn't that go for you as well?"

"Of course."

Markus answered honestly.

"I want to possess you but if I can't, then it's no big deal. Obtaining you would indeed be a bonus but that's all. We can survive without you."

"….I wonder if this is how it feels to be rejected by someone you didn't even like?....It's a strange feeling really."

Miko mumbled.

"While I agree with some of the things you said, I can and will only do things my own way."

He looked at his grandfather with a sharp gaze.

"I will not back down or hide, but I have no problem with deceiving my opponents. If I need to act like a puppet to cut off their heads, then I have no problem with dancing by someone's tone for a little bit."

He smirked.

"After all, they'll dance by my tone pretty soon."

"...."

Markus looked at Miko in silence for a while before sighing.

"Damn, you're stubborn. You must've gotten that from your mother's side."

Leon showed a wry smile. Markus suddenly smiled.

"Very well, do things your way. However, I like your spirit. It's of a king no matter how much you deny it."

He pointed at Miko.

"Very well, it might be what those bastards want but I'll help you out."

"If you're giving them what they want, aren't you allowing them to manipulate you?"

"Not if I do something they wouldn't expect. For example…"

Markus threw something at Miko. Miko caught it. It was a ring with the Saevus Clan insignia on it.

"For example, recognizing you as an official member of the Saevus Clan's main family."

"What?"

"With this, you'll not only be backed by us you'll officially be eligible to inherit the clan in the future."

"You're making me your heir?"

"No, a heir candidate. You're currently 3rd in line for my throne. Only your father, his brother, and myself ranks above you. This makes you a central member of the clan."

"I thought you said you didn't care if you get me? Were you playing hard to get or something?"

"No, I spoke the truth. However, since I've already acknowledged you as one of my own, I can't help wanting to help you out. I also wanted to spite some people, so I made you a central member of the clan…What? Are you declining my offer?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

Miko placed the ring on his finger and grinned.

"I said it earlier didn't I? I'm just a man desperate to protect my own happiness. For that I'm willing to do anything, even throw away my pride. Something like turning you down would be a waste."

Markus nodded.

"You're smart. As expected of a Saevus descendent."

(He's already treating him like he's family. Well, technically he is.)

Leon thought to himself.

"Then, Grandfather. Could you share some of your wisdom with this grandson of yours?"

"You really have no pride do you?"

"I can say the same for you."

The two started laughing.

"Fine. I'm sure it'll hurt those bastards if you become a bit more knowledgeable about things."

"Good. Then while Krow is on my mind I'm sure you wouldn't answer anything about him. After all, it's not like you're not on his side."

"You figured it out?"

"I'm not a fool. I know that Krow must've partnered up with one of the three clans and you guys are the obvious choice since you don't really care about brotherhood among the three clans."

"I see. However, we aren't really on his side. We're just partners in several businesses. You could say we invested in him."

"Either way, I can't trust any information regarding him from you, so I won't ask. For now, I'm curious about the old man."

"Nero?"

Miko's nodded.

"I can understand why the other branch leaders would want the three clans united, but I can't see him as someone who would care about that. There must be something in it for him."

"And what do you think that is?"

"I can only think he's trying to make me emperor to regain his freedom, so that he can roam about in the world again."

"Hahaha!"

Markus burst out laughing.

"You really don't take Nero seriously do you?"

"Then I'm wrong?"

"Well, you're in the right direction."

Markus sat up in his chair.

"From their actions I can tell that the other Branch leaders plan on making you the central pillar of the clan in the future. But I don't think they want to make you emperor."

"Wouldn't Alec be a better a choice? Or even Krul? If we're talking about pure talent then those two are leagues ahead of me."

"True, but you're the one they chose."

"Then what is the old man's goal? His goal is different from the others right?"

Markus nodded.

"Nero's goal is to make you the clan leader of the Dragna clan."

"What?"

Miko was shocked speechless. What Markus said was just that shocking.

"There has only been one clan leader in the history of the dragna clan and that's Augustus himself. Making me the clan leader is completely impossible because that would require me….."

Miko paused and thought about it again.

"You figured it out, huh?"

Markus smiled.

"There's only one way to become the leader of the Dragna clan and that is to be acknowledged as such by not only the five branches but by the Flameheart and Saevus Clan as well."

"Damn…..I was really dancing to that old man's tune. I got close with both the Saevus and Flameheart clans. If I was to say I want to be clan leader then I would definitely gain their supports."

"Finally understanding who you're dealing with? Nero is almost untouchable when it comes to scheming. The scariest thing about his schemes is that even if you know you're being manipulated by him, most time there's nothing you can do about it."

(That is true. There's no way I would worsen my relationship with the Saevus and Flameheart clans just to spite the old man. I can only continue to improve our relationships because it's the best for Renacido.)

Miko thought to himself. He couldn't stop himself from being impressed. But there was something he didn't get.

"Why is the old man going to such lengths?"

"Hm….If I were to guess, I think he plans on having you free his siblings."

"Siblings? Gramps have siblings?"

"This is the first I'm hearing this too."

Leon chipped in.

"Really? Well, I guess it isn't really known among the younger generations."

Markus thought about it for a while and shrugged.

"I guess telling you could throw a wrench in his plans which does seem fun."

He grinned.

"Nero has two siblings. One older brother and a younger sister. Both rivaled Nero when it came to talent and power. In fact, his older brother was thought to be the next Augustus just like his father."

"Where are they now?"

"Locked up. They're both dangerous criminals that were feared by the entire dragna clan. Just like you were, they are locked up in solitary confinement in the Devil's Nest."

"The Devil's Nest…."

For them to be locked up in the empire's most secure prison alone was testament to how dangerous they were, but that wasn't it. They were also in solitary confinement. Only those who are too dangerous to interact with other inmates are put in solitary confinement. That was because they can negatively influence or harm other inmates or even their guards.

"Are they really that dangerous?"

Markus nodded.

"In the history of the Demon's Nest from the time of its creation until now three criminals who were imprisoned there stood out. They are Falkon Dragna, Ravel Dragna and Andre Bernard."

"Andre Bernard?"

Miko has never heard that name before.

"It's better off that you don't know about him. The less you know about him the better."

Markus said seriously. This made Miko feel like this Andre Bernard was extremely dangerous.

"Anyway, Falkon and Ravel is probably Nero's goal. He wants to use you to free them. Since only the clan leader of the Dragna clan can do so. After all, the other branch leaders would never agree to such a thing."

"Just what did they do?"

"Well, it's pretty complicated. Falkon had a mental breakdown when his mother died after the war and started to indiscriminately slaughter everyone around him in a fit of rage. He killed so many members of the three clans that it's a miracle that we still exist today. He was imprisoned with his children as a precaution, since there was a chance that they would react like he did if they were separated from their father."

"Damn…And Ravel?"

"She's even more complicated. Ravel was only a mere child when she was imprisoned but she was just as dangerous as her brother. She was born with immense and strange powers completely out of this world. The downside was she couldn't control them, maybe because she was a child and they were too much for her to handle. Also, Ravel had an unstable personality. Only a few outside of her immediate family could control her and understand her. Fearing that would one day go insane, she was imprisoned as well. Or so I heard."

"And gramps wants to free those two? Is he insane?"

"Put yourself in his shoes. If it was Kristen and Tessa wouldn't you want to see them again?"

"...."

Miko didn't answer.

"Anyway, I've gifted you some valuable information, free of cost. You should be satisfy now."

"Not really, but we're both busy people so I don't want to waste any more of your time."

Miko stood up and stretched his hand out towards Markus.

"Thanks for everything you've done today. I hope we can collaborate on several business endeavors in the future."

Markus took his hand and shook.

"Of course. I'm a businessman. I can't pass up a good chance at business."

Leon smiled while looking at the two. That's when a text came in on his phone. He opened it and read it.

"Kristen and Tessa are coming back from the academy."

Bloodied Love Arc End!!!

Dragon Stars Arc Begins!