Chapter 786: Those Who Stand Among Us.
When Vlad emerged from the portal, he found himself immersed in a relatively familiar environment; it had been quite some time since he had last visited this planet. Before him, lined up in impeccable formation, stood a group of Maids dressed in extravagant uniforms with metallic black details. Clearly, these were not your typical Maids' uniforms; they seemed more like combat Maids. The Leader of this striking team, the only one not dressed in a Maid uniform, was a woman of intimidating beauty. Her black hair was as dark as a starless midnight, and her cold eyes were like two spheres of ice, capable of freezing anyone who dared meet her gaze.
However, what caught Vlad's attention the most was the uncanny resemblance this woman bore to someone he knew very well: Victor, his ally, enemy, friend... bearable person.
The connection between them was undeniable; they not only looked alike but also the way they looked at Vlad was the same. The woman did not regard him with a look of respect or admiration, as he was accustomed to, but rather with a very familiar indifference.
"Vlad," the woman spoke his name with so much indifference that it surprised him how much she resembled Victor, not only in appearance but also in behavior. She looked at his subordinate and said, "Alexios."
"We were waiting for you," she turned around and said, "Come, your prize awaits."
Anna began to walk towards a nearby abandoned building with the Maids Maria, Bruna, Eve, and Kaguya following closely behind her. Even though all the Maids were also Victor's Wives, they wouldn't assume the role of accompanying Vlad in Anna's presence, as she could do that herself, and they also didn't want to do it.
Kaguya could take the lead in negotiations and act as the representative of The Alucard Clan, but she would only do so when necessary. Her goal was still to be a Perfect Maid, and even though she was now married to her Master, that dream had not changed.
Even though the others were suited for such work, having been trained by Kaguya herself in the matter, they still wouldn't do it unless absolutely necessary.
Vlad looked more closely at the Maids again and noticed a small detail he had overlooked before. 'They are much stronger... In a very abnormal way.'
Yes, as someone from a Progenitor's Family, it was obvious that the Maids wouldn't be normal, but their Power was clearly very abnormal. Even the Vampires from another Progenitor Lineage that Vlad had seen were not this abnormal.
'Well, it's Victor... Everything about him is abnormal,' Vlad thought. A long time ago, he stopped trying to figure out the oddities around Victor. Even if he tried to understand, he wouldn't be able to without the necessary information, and it was simply exhausting to do that constantly. Because of this, he decided to focus only on himself and ignore Victor.
It turned out that this decision helped alleviate the invisible burden he felt [even if he didn't know] in a very big way. He was too wise to worry about someone who wouldn't actively harm him unless he harmed them first.
Victor's position on most things was clearly understandable to Vlad. He wouldn't move to harm someone if that person didn't do something first. And since the Supernatural World was full of arrogant Beings, there was no shortage of people trying to bother Victor Alucard.
As they crossed the door of the abandoned building, the group was met with a slightly disturbing sight. Scattered around the spacious room were a total of 7 captured Werewolves, bound with thick chains clearly designed to hold Beings like Werewolves. Each of these men displayed signs of struggle and resistance, with torn clothes and wounds scattered across their robust bodies. Their gazes, although weakened, conveyed a mixture of fury and desperation, as they knew they were powerless against their captors.
The minimal number of captured Werewolves contrasted with the influence they held in their society. It was evident that Victor, the group's ruthless enemy, had acted calculatedly in selecting his targets, prioritizing those who could pose the greatest threat to his nefarious plans.
The atmosphere in the abandoned building was dilapidated and filled with evidence of prolonged abandonment. The place was steeped in an oppressive gloom, with daylight blocked by dirty, broken windows and cobwebs stretched across the corners. The echo of the group's footsteps reverberated through the corridors, creating a sinister atmosphere that engulfed them all.
The walls, worn down by time, bore traces of graffiti and vandalism, indicating that the abandoned building had served as a refuge for vandals and other unwelcome visitors. Broken furniture and debris scattered on the floor were silent witnesses to the fact that the place had once housed some form of life and activity, but now it was left to oblivion and darkness.
"These are..." Alexios began to speak.
"Correct, the most influential Werewolves under Volk's command," Anna nodded.
'In less than a few days, your limited group managed to accomplish so much and go unnoticed...' Vlad couldn't help but think in shock. He had a rough idea of how many people Victor had in the Capital, Eclipse Ventus, the real Wolves' territory. And he knew that there weren't enough people to capture so many individuals without drawing the attention of the authorities. Therefore, there was only one way to do it.
'His group is more competent than I ever imagined.' Vlad had tried to overestimate Victor, and yet he was surprised. Well, it wasn't like it was something new, right? Victor always exceeded his expectations.
"As described in the agreement, they are all yours to do with as you wish," Anna continued.
"I understand..." Vlad approached the group, which visibly trembled upon seeing the man's appearance. Even though they didn't know exactly who he was, just by his presence, they could tell he was not someone to be trifled with.
"Look into my eyes..." Vlad's eyes began to faintly glow in blood-red, an enticing light that caused all the Wolves to unconsciously stare into his eyes.
Although Werewolves were naturally resistant to the Charm of Vampires, that only applied to common Noble Vampires. An Ancient Progenitor as powerful as Vlad was simply too overwhelming for these Alpha Werewolves to resist. Probably the only Werewolves who could look into Vlad's eyes without being affected were Volk, Tasha, and Maya.
Slowly, the Werewolves' eyes began to lose life, and they became like emotionless robots.
Vlad approached them and whispered something into each Werewolf's ear. The girls couldn't understand what had happened, and even with their supernatural senses, they couldn't hear what Vlad said.
Anna and Kaguya glanced briefly at Alexios and saw his eyes wide open. It was clear to them that Alexios was isolating the area around Vlad so his words couldn't be heard.
Having finished giving his orders, Vlad stepped back from the group and said, "Forget everything you saw here. Return to your normal everyday lives. If a higher authority figure, like Volk, asks where you were, say you were gathering together to strategize in response to the current situation. If it's not an authority figure asking, just give vague answers that are neither true nor false."
"Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Vlad gestured with his hand, and soon all the supernatural chains holding the Werewolves were cut. He looked at Alexios, and with just that glance, Alexios understood his order.
Alexios raised his hand and made a gesture, and suddenly, a change occurred. All the present Werewolves visibly began to look healthier, and even their tattered clothes were returning to their original state as if they were being sent back in Time.
Anna, Kaguya, Bruna, and Maria couldn't help but gaze at this scene with slight astonishment. They had never witnessed such a clear display of Time Manipulation before. Yes, Kaguya, Bruna, and Maria had been trapped on Earth, unable to return to Nightingale because of the Space-Time barrier that Alexios had created in the past, but that wasn't exactly as "visible" as what they were seeing now.
When the Werewolves were fully restored, they began to walk towards the exit of the abandoned building. Vlad smiled internally as he watched them. It wasn't in his plans to gain influence in the Werewolves' Society in the short term, but since the opportunity presented itself thanks to Victor, he wouldn't let it slip away.
However, it was a shame that he couldn't gain control over The Lykos Clan. Inside Samar, that was one of the Clans he was most interested in. Unfortunately, he lacked Victor's "Charm" to attract crazy women.
Having The Lykos Clan under his dominion was equivalent to having The Scarlett Clan with several members of Scathach's Lineage. It meant immense military power and influence, mainly due to the special "genetics" of The Lykos Clan.
Even Tasha herself; he wanted to have some influence over her. Not only was she a Goddess once called The Monarch of Beasts, but she also had some of the most loyal and deadly people he had ever seen. Her entire people were bred to be assassins and natural warriors.
Having Tasha under his command was equivalent to having a Clan of assassins like The Blank Clan and a Clan of warriors like The Adrastella Clan.
UNFORTUNATELY, he didn't have Victor's Charm to attract crazy women with several screws loose in their heads.
Now that he thought about it more carefully...
'Why the hell are all the current powers led by women with issues?'
The Witch Queen, the most important Clans in Samar, and Nightingale, even the Youkais themselves.
If not for that, he was sure he could have more influence in the world.
Setting aside this hypothetical scenario, Vlad looked at Alexios. "Take them to the capital."
"Yes, My King." Alexios made a hand gesture, and several circles appeared around the Werewolves' bodies, and then they disappeared.
Seeing that everything went smoothly, Anna began to speak, "The deal is done. Now, if you'll excuse us." As she was about to leave, she stopped speaking and looked at the entrance. Soon, everyone began to hear Maya and Victor's voices.
"This place... It smells like Werewolves. Were there Werewolves here before?"
"Yeah, my group captured several Werewolves who play a major influential part of Volk's Faction and handed them over to Vlad."
Vlad felt his eyebrow twitch upon hearing what Victor said.
"... Oh? Why did you do that?" Maya spoke with a dangerously serious tone.
"Because Volk was stupid enough to seek advice from a Vampire because he mistakenly assumed he was 'an acquaintance'."
"You didn't answer my question. Why did you give the Werewolves to Vlad?"
"Why else? Influence, of course. It's no mystery that Noble Vampires have always wanted influence over their 'rivals'."
"... You're being quite open about this with me."
"Even if you knew, you wouldn't be able to change much with the current situation."
"That's... True... Haah, thanks to the conflict Volk provoked, society has divided into two overnight."
Even though Volk tried to minimize the damage, it was a fact that Tasha still held significant influence in the most crucial places of the Wolves' Society, and "cutting" that crucial piece so abruptly would inevitably cause chaos.
"Once again, thanks to Volk and his childish jealousy."
"Well, with you around, it's no wonder the Male Werewolves were quite nervous. You're like a superior predator threatening the territory of all Alphas."
"Your desirability also makes them uncomfortable. After all, they're afraid of having their wives stolen."
"Hmph, I haven't stolen anyone's wives, and I won't pursue married women."
"... But if a woman voluntarily divorces and you're interested, you'll accept her, right?"
"Of course."
"... Honestly, your straightforwardness is one of your best qualities. It's quite refreshing."
"Then you should talk to my mother; I inherited that peculiarity from her."
"I will do that later."
As the conversation ended, Victor's group entered the abandoned building.
"Mhmm, it seems you're finished," Victor spoke with a slightly satisfied look upon seeing his group.
"Vlad," Maya nodded with a slight greeting.
"Maya," Volk repeated the same greeting, surprising her.
"Unexpected, you replied back... You seem more... Hmm... Light? I don't know. I don't see your usual scowl on your face, Vlad."
"Things happened that changed me."
"I see... Well, time changes everything, especially for those of us with long lives."
"That's true."