"It was in this place, but I detect absolutely no power disturbance. How can I conceal every trace in just an instant?" Almanfi appeared beneath where he had sensed that presence, but he couldn't discern more than that, only a simple location.
"Should I investigate in the city?"
As that question arose, Almanfi's body flashed in a bright aura and teleported to the city. His body advanced further and further towards the castle where the Greyrat family resided until a dagger struck the roof of a building far ahead of his path.
Almanfi halted and looked at the figure standing in front of him, an elderly withered man who held his sword like a staff and constantly directed a smile at him. After a few seconds, five equally powerful figures surrounded him.
"I wonder, what does a man as powerful as you seek in this region?" The withered elderly man opened his eyes, and a powerful aura emanated from his body. His gaze flashed with pure coldness that demonstrated the ability to kill anyone who didn't answer his questions.
"In the name of Plegarius, my lord, I come to investigate what caused that sudden turbulence of divine energy. I would appreciate it if you didn't interfere with my path because, if you do, I will be forced to take drastic measures." Almanfi wasn't concerned about being surrounded by formidable enemies; what worried him was seeing so many of them apparently serving someone much superior.
The withered elderly man, who was the strongest of the group, said, "I'm sorry, but I don't care if the Dragon King has ordered you; that won't give you the damn right to disturb my lord's slumber. If you dare to take a step forward, that means you've made your decision, and your lord is willing to bear the consequences. My lord has been bored these last few days; he wouldn't mind starting a war against the Dragon King. After all, there is no living being in this world that can stand against him."
Almanfi gripped the hilt of his short sword, clenched his teeth in fury, and asked, "May I know your lord's name?"
"Gilgamesh, King of Kings, unmatched and unrivaled among men!" said the withered elderly man as he snapped his fingers, and the other figures vanished. "The incident has been controlled, so you can go back and tell Plegarius that if he truly seeks answers, he can visit my lord, who will be in this place for approximately three years."
"Very well, I will convey your words, hoping he can uphold them." Almanfi disappeared without a trace, and the withered elderly man's face showed a smile before he too returned.
This time, he would withdraw, not out of fear of death, but because he was certain that the elderly man was terribly powerful and lethal. His words didn't lie or show fear, which was admirable, considering he was addressing Plegarius.
Although he felt furious, he couldn't reflect those feelings in his master's orders. So he decided to return, recount what had happened, and see what actions his lord would take.
...
Days passed, and there was no presence of a Dragon King. Gilgamesh didn't take this as significant because he knew part of the Dragon King's history. Being one of the heroes who saved the world from total annihilation by the demon race, he still had a priority in dealing with the resurrection of the Demon God.
On the other hand, Gilgamesh didn't want to confront enemies who could be formidable with his current small body. He should at least perform a blood ritual to accelerate his body's development, but he could do that whenever he wanted, so there was no rush to progress.
In addition to training with Eris, Gilgamesh spent time expanding the power of the new subordinates who had been hired by the Greyrat family, and each of them was compelled to sign a loyalty contract.
During this time, Philip and Saurios agreed to swear loyalty to Gilgamesh, officially becoming part of the faction of the fourth prince, who until then had the largest and most powerful faction.
Eleina, on the other hand, began to expand the branches of the Uruk Tower. They presented themselves as a tower that sold their most luxurious items only to people with money. Furthermore, Gilgamesh's other businesses started to expand and gain fame in the Kingdom of Asura.
In just a few months, he had formed a monopoly where he was making so much money that he couldn't match his expenses. After this time, many realized that it was impossible for them to easily acquire slaves, and if they bought any, they would be killed.
The bad reputation was so widespread that only the Uruk Tower was allowed to buy slaves, and many families took charge of selling their newest slaves out of fear of the repercussions it could bring to their family.
After some time, Gilgamesh had become more familiar with Eris, and although they weren't friends, they spent time together.
...
"Is that your cat?" Eris's hand trembled as she saw a huge golden lion playing with Gilgamesh, who stood at least two meters tall.
"Isn't he beautiful? I fed him some magical plants to make him grow, but I think his growth exceeded my expectations." Gilgamesh touched the fur of his beautiful lion while feeding him a large piece of meat.
Eris responded hastily, "How is that thing considered a cat? That's a man-eating beast that should be very dangerous even for knights, isn't it aggressive?"
"Not at all. He grew faster, but he's still a cub... Come, pet him." Gilgamesh said as he reassured his large lion with gentle strokes.
"Well... If it bites me, it's your fault!" Eris closed her eyes and extended her hand to the lion's mane. She soon discovered that the sensation was soft and fluffy, which she liked very much.
"Haha! Of course, he wouldn't bite me. This big lion knows who his owner is." Eris lifted her head, but when she saw the beast's fixed gaze on her, her expression darkened. Then, she watched as the lion's enormous mouth opened and closed its eyes, only to feel a huge tongue licking her face.
"Hahaha! I guess he doesn't like you; he usually licks his food to see if he'll like it or not." Gilgamesh teased Eris after enduring countless challenges from her and her rigorous training.
With her hair wet from the lion's saliva, Eris was about to get angry when she saw Gilgamesh climb onto the back of the massive beast. "Hey, don't you want to ride him?"
"Huh?"
"Come on, it'll be a lot of fun!" Gilgamesh said as he lifted Eris into the air and placed her in front of him. After he had her on the lion's back, he gently tapped the creature's back and murmured, "Run!"
Roar!
A roar echoed before Gilgamesh's lion took off running through the castle and outside of it.
"Aahhhhhh!" Eris screamed as she held onto the lion's fur tightly, and Gilgamesh couldn't stop laughing at her fearful expression.