Ruston is lying on the ground without being able to move even a bit, his body has been destroyed in multiple places which makes him a cripple. Without being able to move his body at all, he was forced to look at the two tombstones which should be Rex's parents.
It was something that he has never expected, Ruston never thought he has such a connection.
Despite feeling the malice coming from Rex the moment both of them met, he only thought that Rex felt that way because they're enemies. He never would've thought that there was more to the malice behind Rex's eyes.
While looking at the tombstones, he can't help but out a gnarly chuckle.
Only subtle crackling sounds escape his mouth due to his destroyed throat and lower muzzle, Ruston finds the situation he's in right now very surreal. It's because of his negligence that he birthed a monster that bites him from the back.
But with his old age that lived through ten or maybe more human generations, he handled it well.
Many said that regret will keep on piling up like a mountain of corpses, and the stench of regret will become even greater the more time passes. Ruston has found that is not the case, the regrets he experienced just got washed off like dust blown by the wind.
At some point in his life, the regrets that should be piling up stopped bothering him anymore.
'Family... Pack members... So he's going to do the same thing I did to him years ago, it seems like I just created trouble for others. But the worst part about this is that I can't die until that happened, it'll be way better if I just die right now and let the Prince butcher the others'
Slowly shifting his eyes to Rex and then to the night sky, Ruston closes his eyes weakly.
'Enlight me, Origin. What are yours and the Lunirich plans for choosing him as a Prince...'
With his consciousness fading away from the leakage of power he experienced and too much blood loss, Rex can see that Ruston is going to go unconscious and possibly slip away. But it's not something that he wanted, he won't let that happen.
'You're going to stay here and repent, you will not escape my judgment!'
A moment later,
Evelyn walks back to Giana that is sitting on the ground while channeling the arcane mana throughout her body, her legs are noticeably better in just a couple of minutes of her doing that. It's all thanks to Rex, of course.
Having the contaminated arcane mana removed, she now can heal herself properly.
"How many survived the ordeal? They have done a great deal for humanity, I need to at least reward them for their valiant effort to help me escape", Giana mutters while opening her eyes.
Upon hearing this, Evelyn sighs before sitting beside her.
"Adhara and Kyran have traced back the Awakened along the way until they reach Nuta City, out of the Silverstar Awakened sent here with you only 7 can be saved. Half of them need more treatment as they all suffer from Werewolf Rash, they're fighting Alphas so it's natural. But with Rex that shouldn't be a problem..."
"What about Ellen? Did she survive?"
"You mean the seventh rank woman? Yes, she survived but her mana is chaotic. Her spirit core cracked and her medias are strained to the point that most of them are destroyed"
"So she's going to be a cripple huh..."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtGiana felt indebted to Ellen as she was the one organizing the Awakened so well that they managed to survive this long being chased by the Alphas, her leadership is faultless and she's without a doubt the most person that contributed to her survival.
If not for her then Rex and the others would've been too late to save Giana.
Having a cracked spirit core can be handled with resources that can potentially help restore it with the help of Awakened healers, but the destroyed medias are the problem. Without it then channeling mana from the inside is impossible, she will be reduced back to the fifth rank realm.
Although that's not too bad, there's also a possibility of mana infection.
Being degraded that much will put a heavy strain on the said Awakened's element and body, and this may cause mana infection where the person isn't able to use mana anymore and become a normal human.
For someone that talented to be crippled, it's a hard loss for them.
Evelyn saw the gloomy expression coming from Giana before she can't help but smile, she tap Giana on her shoulder and said, "Don't put on such a negative look. With Rex around, there's practically no problem that he can't fix"
Upon hearing this, Giana was quite surprised to see the confidence in Evelyn's face.
It's like by saying Rex's name alone she got a wave of unyielding confidence that he can really fix any problem that may arise, and this puts a bit of skeptical feeling in Giana's heart.
"Say... did Rex turns all of you into Werewolves or some of you are like him?"
"Rex is definitely the only one that somehow turns into a Werewolf naturally, me and the others are turned by him. But don't get it wrong, he didn't forcefully turn us into Werewolves. I've seen his record and he definitely birthed human, but as he said to you earlier he turned into a Werewolf during his last mission in the military"
p
Giana just like Evelyn has been interested in the so-called rising star of humanity, Rex Silverstar. Doing the same as any other Awakened that she's interested in, she did a background check so she can verify what Evelyn said matched with what she has seen.
Born in Dupok City and had his parents killed during the Supernatural Emergence.
Serving in the military for more than half of his life and joining the elite forces of the USR, his loyalty to humanity is undeniable as he lay down his life to make sure the great war in Dwight City ended up as a win for humanity.
It's easy to believe that he's really on humanity's side, but Giana still has her reason.
'That happened before he turned into a Werewolf, after that his achievement has become very worrying...', Giana thought while looking at the void with a hint of dilemma inside her heart.
After shaking her head, Giana then asks, "Person to person, can you really trust him?"
Hearing the serious tone that Giana used to ask such a question that shows the sign of her dilemma clearly, Evelyn takes her time to ponder while keeping silent loudly around them. When she felt like the time is right, she takes a deep breath before finally glancing at Giana.
"Yes, he has shown his clear intention numerous times. I would bet on my life to trust him..."
Looking at Evelyn right in her eyes for a couple of seconds, Giana tries to peer inside her eyes before she finally nodded her head and looks away. It's unclear what she's thinking right now, as she can't read her expression.
Out of nowhere, Evelyn stands up before she heads to Adhara and Kyran.
Both of them are resting to catch their strength back after helping the 7 Awakened that can still be saved, they both are exhausted from exerting too much of their energies and now they can only lie on the ground weakly.
Arriving beside them, their eyes open, and looks at Evelyn.
"Lucky you for turning into a Royal Luna, can we switch bloodline? Mine's pretty hard to control", Adhara commented with her body slowly regenerating the scratches she got inflicted in her fight with Arnulf before.
Chuckling lightly, Kyran then added from the side, "You guys have it easy..."
"I hope that I've evolved my bloodline first before coming here, fighting that cocky Werewolf would be much easier. Killing is really fun, but hell fighting is a chore..."
The subtle remarks force out a chuckle from both Evelyn and Adhara.
It's true that Evelyn has it easy for not being allowed to fight directly and just suffers mental crisis all the way from fearing they might lose, Adhara has become an Anti-Werewolf which is made for fighting Werewolves, but no one denies that Kyran has it the toughest.
Weren't for Shurbaa that can weaken a Werewolf's senses, he would've lost very quickly.
But after making small talk for a moment, Evelyn sits down beside Adhara who is still lying on the ground before she said, "Adhara, can you do me a favor real quick? It needs to be done right now"
"Hmm...? What is it?", Adhara replied while sitting up with a puzzled expression.
Nudging her chin towards Giana's direction, Adhara looks over to Giana and finds her channeling arcane mana as she saw before but it seems she's in thought. Giana is looking dazed with her eyes fixated on the ground in front of her.
"You can see a person's emotional aura right? Care to see what she's wearing right now?"
Upon hearing this Adhara narrowed her eyes and finds that Giana emitting a greyish aura alongside a taint of yellow and purple that are intertwining together, it made a frown appeared on her face upon seeing this.
"It's hard to say, but based on the situation may be caution, uncertainty, and possibly fear..."
Evelyn processed what Adhara said in her thought while rubbing her chin with her index finger, and this sparks some curiosity from Adhara, "What did both of you talk about earlier? Is it about the fact that we're Werewolves?"
"Well, yes... partly. But most are talking about Rex and whether he can be trusted"
Although it's already expected, the thought makes Adhara's heart thump faster as Giana is not any ordinary person. She's one of the pillars of humanity, and failing to gain her trust will spill their doom instantly.
Having been beside Rex for a long time, he must've had his reason for doing this.
Usually, he's very secretive about the fact that they're Werewolves and probably will kill to hide that fact. So it's unlike him to show the entire fight to Giana. With her weakened state back then when they arrived, knocking her out is a plausible solution.
But Rex didn't do that and instead asks Giana to trust him.
Meanwhile, on another part of the desolate plain reached yet another forest.
A single Werewolf is sprinting on all four putting his entire senses to the max, there's a clear fear in his eyes as he's going through the forest trying to find something that can help him survive. But there's literally nothing in this forest except for trees and bushes.
Without a doubt this Werewolf is Ian, he can feel his soul screaming danger to him.
"Why am I even agreeing to come here in the first place?! Damn you Ruston, Arnulf! That Royal Black Prince is not weak at all, he's accepted by the Dark Full Moon!", Ian roared in anger but that anger is directed more at himself for following a madman.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmNot all Alphas that have turned into Zegrath's side came to this campaign, but he just had to come here directly hoping that his standing in Zegrath's eyes will be lifted. But he's been praising a dead Werewolf from the start.
It all was nothing but a cryptic talk of overthrowing King Baralt.
Zegrath now is dead, and he's even being pursued by the Royal Black Prince as a result.
In addition to that, it seems they brought the Royal Black Prince what he wanted. By killing Zegrath he got fully accepted by the Dark Full Moon and trigger the Night of Parturition. Ian is completely regretting his decision, he got no benefit at all.
While dashing through the forest, Ian looks to the side sensing something ominous.
Knowing that the Royal Black Prince is nearing, Ian tries to pick up his pace but out of nowhere a powerful hit on his back sends him crashing to the ground. It was so powerful that his body feels like being squashed from that hit.
Pushing himself off the ground, Ian already saw two feet standing in front of him.
From the black ashes falling down like a menacing ornament, he instantly realized that the person standing in front of him was in fact the Royal Black Prince. Looking up he saw Rex's purple devilish eyes looking at him coldly.
"M-My Prince... there has been a-a misu-understanding..."
Ian's body started to shiver as he stayed kneeling on the ground, there was a possibility of angering Rex if he decided to stand up. And he's not willing to take the risk of offending such a powerful Werewolf.
"And what is that, Ian...?"
"I-I've been deceived and manipulated by Arnulf, I've led astray! But with your highness's presence, my eyes have been opened. I-I'm willing to pledge my allegiance to the Royal Black Prince, I will be a useful pawn by your side!"
Upon hearing this, Rex can't help but smile finding Ian's words are very smooth.
"You have such a soft tongue, Ian... but that won't work on me, you're going to die here", Rex said while raising his claws, he's back to his Werewolf form ready to kill Ian swiftly with a slash cloaked with the dark energy.
But as if he got switched, Ian's expression turns into anger.
"You're making a mistake by killing me! I'm one of the trusted Alpha by King Baralt's side, killing me will evoke the wrath of the strongest Werewolf in this world! I promise you that you will die a horrible death if you dare to kill me!"
As if his threat is working, Rex slowly puts down his arm.
It makes Ian's eyes excited seeing that his threat is working, "Now you understand little Prince! It will be a foolish move to k-"
Before he can even finish, Rex intervenes without any expression on his face.
"No problem..."
"Eh...?"
Slash!
<Killed a mid-eighth rank Alpha Werewolf, obtained 50,000,000,000 Exp>
<Level up!>
Rex didn't let Ian breathe another air and clawed his head off, the blood from Ian's severed head still splashes in his vision in slow motion from how fast his movement was. His purple eyes then flash fiercely under the darkness of the night,
"If King Baralt comes for me too, I'll just kill him..."