Throne of Magical Arcana

After making it through the difficulties, the tiny bit of sunlight finally penetrated through the clouds and the fog in the sky that was full of gaps, as well as the dense crown and the leaves of the tree, leaving gold spots of light on the dark and cold mountain.

Crack.

A thick foot wearing a knight’s boot stomped on one of the gold spots, collapsing the rotten leaves piled on it and breaking a branch that was hidden among it.

Nasdell, the werewolf who was following him, thought to himself in surprise, Why did the prince fail to control his foot? Was he considering something important?

It was Dubenal, the werewolf prince, who was walking in the front. He had silver-gray short hair and a brawny body, with arrogance all over his face. One could easily tell that he was a legendary knight who was adept at melee battles.

Dubenal was wearing a strange black armor. It was not as clumsy as the full-body armor, and it did not have the small pieces. It was more like a leather armor that was crafted with the materials and skills for full-body armor. He played with many stones in his hands as he said in an unpredictable tone, “Nasdell, are you surprised?”

“My prince, how did you know?” Nasdell blurted out in shock. The prince was able to tell what was on his mind without resorting to the supernatural powers at all? He truly deserved to be the smartest of werewolves and the most cunning schemer!

Dubenal squinted and looked at the pillars of light that leaked in through the dense leaves. It was so clear and brilliant that he saw grains of dust flying in the air.

“I know that you must be wondering why I did not go to the Valley of Fiery Stone through the Portal to Alternate Realm but decided to walk slowly in the forest.”

The Valley of Fiery Stone was where the Dark Congress was headquartered.

Well, I was only wondering why you failed to control the force of your foot. Wait, I did not find it strange that the prince chose walking at all. It would take us hours before we could reach the Valley of Fiery Stone! I’m still too far away from the wisdom of the prince that is as boundless as an ocean. I did not notice the most obvious anomaly, and the prince had to enlighten me in person!

Nasdell, who always considered himself smart, was stunned at first. Then, he understood the “thoughtfulness” of the prince. Half ashamed and half touched, he couldn’t have admired the prince more. “Yes, my prince. I was indeed surprised.”

Haha. Dubenal chuckled without a sound. Your mind is too easy to read. As the most clever prince of werewolves, I can easily know what you are thinking. 

“This meeting is summoned by Danisos and Dracula together. They’re hoping to unite the Dark Congress into a well-organized group, instead of a loose organization where nobody is under any restraint, in which case internal strife might burst out when everybody has their own thoughts.

“It’s a good thing in general, but not necessarily so for us the werewolves, because only I and Sonite are legendary. Compared to the seven primordial dragons and the four first-generation vampires, our legends are too few. Also, Sonite and I have been lingering on level three of legendary, and Danisos and Dracula are both at the peak. If we are united, it’s possible that we will become slaves to those goddamn vampires.”

As his prince analyzed the situation and prospect of werewolves clearly and elaborately, Nasdell’s eyes were shining. He was shocked, worried, and awed. Prince Sonite and the other princes always mocked that his prince had nothing but muscles in his head and that he was too bloodthirsty and brutal to think. However, could they have been so visionary?

There were several princes among the werewolves, but only two were legendary.

Dubenal looked rather solemn. “So, I chose to walk so that I would have time to think about how the werewolves could get away from the dilemma and earn enough benefits from the matter…”

Looking at the tall and strong shadow of his prince, Nasdell felt that his eyes were wet. It was so touching. Even a tough werewolf such as himself could not control his feelings anymore. His prince was truly the conscience and the hope of werewolves. He was their savior…

“Have you come up with any solution, my prince?” Nasdell asked anxiously.

“… It’s a complicated and difficult problem that cannot be addressed so easily…” Dubenal’s tone became heavy. Then, he suddenly sniffed and said solemnly, “There’s a strange smell.”

A strange smell? A stranger who has successfully reached such depths of the Dark Mountain Range? Nasdell felt that his wolf hair was rising, but he was reassured after seeing the magnificent back of his prince.

Dubenal suddenly turned around and pounced forward. The enormous wind blew apart the trees, revealing the glistening lake far away.

At the edge of the lake where the wild wind was blowing, time and space rippled, and a shadow slowly popped out. He was wearing a black double-breasted suit and a top hat of the same color, with a delicate silver pocket watch in his right hand. It was Lucien.

Lucien was neither surprised nor panicked but simply nodded his head in approval. The legendary werewolves did have keen senses about the changes in the environment around them. It was even more unbelievable than what the Congress recorded.

Hooooooo!

Dubenal’s silver short hair rose, and his mouth was opened. Sharp fangs protruded out, and his gold eyes were dyed silver.

His body half bent, he was like a longbow that was full of power, with dozens of shadows surrounding him.

His eyes suddenly glittered, and the silver in them was gone.

However, in the dark forest, a cold moon was rising on the top of the trees!

Under the silver moon, the hundred shadows dispersed and lunged at Lucien from all directions. Some slithered on the ground like real shadows, some swooped like black ravens, and some waved their paws like real werewolves.

After the shadows dispersed, Dubenal lost his traces, as if any of the shadows could’ve been him!

“Luxury Cracking!” Lucien pointed his finger and cast his spell.

Crack, crack, crack, crack.

The shadows were broken without any resistance, melting in the darkness where the moonlight could not reach.

Suddenly, the shadow next to Lucien’s feet was enlivened and turned into an exceptionally brawny werewolf, who snatched Lucien’s body with its silver, glittering claws!

Dubenal’s previous shadows were all disguises, and this was his fatal attack!

Crack.

By the time he saw the beautiful and mysterious pocket watch, he heard a crisp sound. Then, he could not see anything anymore, as if he had been locked in a different world.

Crack.

Something on Dubenal’s body was broken. It released silver rays, resonating with the cold moon in the sky.

So, the grayness around faded away, and all the colors returned. However, Dubenal could not see the stranger anymore, although the distant noise of “Mental Fulmination” surged into his ears.

Boom!

Dubenal felt that somebody just threw an alchemical bomb into his head. The gigantic noise made him dizzy. He could barely keep himself balanced. In the meantime, his mind became slow, and his soul trembled uncontrollably.

As a legendary knight, he fell to the ground without considering his image thanks to his natural instincts, before he rolled and jumped in the shadow, dodging the subsequent attacks.

“Hehe.” A gentle chuckle came from the forest nearby. “Dubenal, I never thought that you could look so terrible. If Mr. Evans had intended to kill you, you would not be in one piece right now. Neither ‘Snow Goddess’ Forgiveness’ nor the antimatter spell that heavily wounded the Lord of Hell is something that you can resist.”

As she talked, a little cat whose body was pitch black but whose paws were white crawled out of the forest and lay on the ground lazily, playing with its own belly. Behind the cat, a seemingly weak and sick girl was floating in midair. She had a pretty and delicate face, and she was wearing a long robe in the style of the Magic Empire, which was full of complicated and mysterious patterns.

Just like the cat, the girl had a pair of green and deep eyes. Her honey-colored long hair was curled behind her back.

Although she was trying to cover her air, Lucien, who had reached the peak of legendary, keenly sensed that she was a vampire, and a legendary one. However, she was not any of the vampire princes that he knew, and she did not have the unique vibe of the first-generation vampires.

After making fun of Dubenal, she turned her eyes to Lucien, who was standing not far away. “Mr. Evans, I am Fitia, Prince Dracula’s subordinate. He sensed your battle and asked me to inquire about the reason for your visit to the Valley of Fiery Stone.”

Although she admitted that she was Dracula’s subordinate, her tone lacked respect. She spoke so casually as if he were just a common friend.

“Am I not allowed to come to the Valley of Fiery Stone?” Lucien asked back with a smile. “I’m told that Mr. Rhine is around?”

Fitia? That name sounds familiar…

“The Silver-Eyed Count has always been mysterious, but I’m sure that he will participate in the following meeting,” Fitia told Lucien the things about Rhine with a smile, not obeying Dracula’s order at all.

Hehe!

A sniff echoed. Intense darkness rose and covered the forest. The deterrence of the top legend bent all the dark creatures in the forest.

His face unchanged, Lucien stepped forward, and the time and space around him were immediately changed. Stars in different colors rose from the darkness. The one at the center emitted such strong heat and light, illuminating the darkness like the sun.

Soundlessly, darkness faded and stars were gone. Everything was back to normal. The two top legends had given each other a test remotely.

Mr. Evans, who had just stepped onto the peak of legendary, was as good as Prince Dracula…

The smile on Fitia’s face was gone.