In the west, in Franke.
The night was deep, and the full moon hung high.
Moonlight poured down like a pale silver ribbon.
Beyond vast vineyards and through dense sycamore forests, there stood an ancient manor.
At the center of the manor was a grand castle.
Behind the castle grew a large field of wolfsbane. The wolfsbane swayed gently in the night breeze, giving off an eerie vibe.
This place was the headquarters of the Modock Family, home to the slumbering Wolf Empress and the council elders.
The top of the castle was made of special glass, completely transparent.
Moonlight streamed directly through the top of the castle, illuminating the werewolf statues inside.
The werewolf statues stood over ten meters tall, twelve in total, each representing a figure from wolf clan mythology.
There was Vile Wolfsbane holding Alse’s Dagger, Ruinous Wolfsbane with Tess Holy Bow, Wrathful Wolfsbane wielding a blood axe, and War Wolfsbane clad in Wolfsbane Plate and holding Champion’s Goldblade, among others.
The statues were primarily black, intricately carved, especially the faces, which appeared lifelike as if they were not mere sculptures.
Behind the twelve statues lay a golden coffin with a transparent glass top.
Through the transparent top, one could see a woman lying inside-a Western woman with golden hair and stunning beauty.
She wore a diamond crown with a blood-red gem in the center.
The woman was dressed in an elegant gown, holding a staff made of an unknown material in her right hand.
She appeared to be merely asleep, and indeed she was.
She was the supreme Wolf Empress, the slumbering Wolf Empress Marianna.
At this moment, thirty-four people stood before the golden coffin.
All thirty-four were high-ranking members of the wolf clan.
Among them, four stood closest to the golden coffin. In the center were the surviving Wolf Tribe Princes, Augustus and Oliver.
Standing half a step behind Augustus and Oliver were two elders in silver robes.
The elder to Augustus’s left was tall and thin with a stern face, named Raymond, the first elder and president of the council.
To Oliver’s right stood a slightly plump elder with small eyes and a sinister expression, named Valdo, the vice president of the council.
Behind them were ten red-robed dukes. Beyond them stood twenty blue-robed marquises.
After a brief silence, Augustus spoke with excitement in his voice: “The rise of the wolf clan is unstoppable. The lowly vampires and blood clan will eventually bow at our feet!”
Augustus turned around and raised his right hand. Nine Everlife Fruits floated out and hovered before him.
Under the moonlight, the nine Everlife Fruits emitted a tempting silver-white glow.
A look of fervor flashed in Oliver’s eyes as he exclaimed, “Not only will the lowly blood clan bow at our feet, but the entire world will also submit to our great wolf clan. The great wolf clan will be the most powerful existence in the world!”
Raymond and Valdo, along with the other dukes and marquises, focused their gazes on the Everlife Fruits with greed and fervor in their eyes.
Consuming an Everlife Fruit would break their bloodline limitations and elevate them to a more powerful state.
Raymond suppressed his fervor and said, “Prince Augustus, it is indeed a great fortune for our wolf clan that you obtained nine Everlife Fruits from the Enchanted Realm.”
After saying this, Raymond shifted his tone and continued, “However, our wolf clan suffered significant losses during this expedition to the Enchanted Realm. Five elders, ten marquises, and Prince Nicholas perished there.”
Including Raymond and Valdo, there were only seventeen members in the council. With five fallen in the Enchanted Realm, only twelve remained.
This was undoubtedly a severe blow to the council.
Raymond’s words caused Augustus’s face to darken.
With the Wolf Empress asleep, the council was now the only force that could balance the power of the princes.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that sometimes the council’s power surpassed that of the princes.
“Grand Elder Raymond, we have already reported to the council what happened in the Enchanted Realm upon our return,” Augustus said coldly. “We lost so many because that Atrarian named Leo allied with two major martial sects of Atraria.”
“Prince Nicholas was indeed killed by that Atrarian boy named Leo.”
“A mere Atrarian boy possesses such strength?” Although he knew it was true, Raymond still couldn’t accept this reality.
A dignified Wolf Tribe Prince being slain by an Atrarian boy-if this got out, it would make them a laughingstock to the lowly blood clan.
Vice President Valdo instinctively glanced back at the golden coffin and said coldly, “If Her Majesty Wolf Empress were not asleep, those lowly Atrarians would have no place to hide!”
“Valdo, Her Majesty has been asleep for two hundred years,” Raymond sighed softly.
A glint of ferocity flashed in Augustus’s eyes as he said coldly, “Elder Raymond, Elder Valdo, I will soon personally tear that Atrarian boy to pieces. And those two martial sects will also be annihilated!”
“Augustus, you won’t be avenging alone,” Oliver declared loudly.
“Of course,” Augustus replied. He looked up through the transparent castle roof at the full moon.
The full moon was about to align directly above the castle dome.
“Oliver, Elder Raymond, Elder Valdo, it’s almost time. Each of us will take one Everlife Fruit.”
“The remaining five will be shared among the dukes and marquises. Two will be offered to Her Majesty Wolf Empress.”
“Naturally, if Her Majesty does not awaken under the influence of Everlife Fruit, they will be kept as treasures of our wolf clan.”
Augustus’s words intensified the fervor in Oliver’s, Raymond’s, Valdo’s, and all other dukes’ and marquises’ eyes.
Their gazes once again focused on the floating Everlife Fruits.
Just as Augustus was about to distribute the Everlife Fruits, a figure suddenly rushed into the castle and quickly approached Augustus and the others.
The sudden arrival drew everyone’s attention.
When they saw who it was, Augustus frowned.
The newcomer was Count Antoine, Augustus’s subordinate responsible for overseeing information from Asia.
“Count Antoine, what happened?” Augustus knew Antoine wouldn’t come here unless it was urgent.
Antoine first apologized: “Prince Augustus, Prince Oliver, President Raymond, Vice President Valdo, esteemed dukes and marquises, I apologize for disturbing you.”