#frankensteinxlunark

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 70 – Stepping Into the Daily Life  (Last Chapter)

“Frankenstein...” 

For the second time, Lunark and Muzaka sang in unison, the former out of anxiety and the latter out of fluster. 

Lunark was making pretzels out of her arms and legs in her lord's presence, in snow-white dress shirt loosely curved around her form and black shorts that werewolves don when they must find themselves on examination tables or in experimental tanks. 

Her style could not even meet the minimum demands to qualify as “stylish,” but Muzaka knew that she would never dress like this on her own.

Inevitably, his suspicion was directed to the man standing next to her, and Muzaka mercilessly spun his eyes and kicked at his head to blueprint the plan the blonde man was harboring. 

And then Frankenstein fired a shot aimed right through his calm.

“Lunark and I are together.” 

The unseen flame shattered Muzaka's eardrums, to hop and bounce between gyri and sulci of his brain and throw out his poise. 

“Don't tell me... You mean, 'together' together?” 

“'Together' together.” 

“Frankenstein!” 

I'd thought I told you to please make sure she'll give up on her feelings!

How can you do this to me?! 

Muzaka could not do anything more than keeping his lips parted in frenzied shock, lest she learn about the secret deal he made with Frankenstein. 

Much to his relief, Frankenstein knew how to keep a secret a secret. 

“I'm aware of what you fear. Of course you'd fear. You should know very well what human-werewolf love is like. After all, - forgive me - you had to suffer grievous parting with Lady Eileen and Miss Ashleen.” 

At once, Muzaka's lips furiously collided with each other, at the mention of names that had been flowers and thorns engraved into his heart. 

Now the petals have fallen, the thorns removed, leaving behind only nostalgic perfume, which he can now relaxedly albeit rarely articulate. 

In this case, however, perhaps because they came after Frankenstein's withdrawal from his request, Muzaka was quite unhappy. 

He would have been caught in rage not long after, if it were not for his knowledge that Frankenstein will never break a promise unless there is a very good reason to. 

“You wish Lunark wouldn't even catch a glimpse of what you had to walk through. There's no guarantee that she will be safe from the sabotage from her own kind. Love with humans is considered a taboo in your clan. But you don't wish to leave this pseudo-tradition untouched, do you?” 

Right afterwards, Frankenstein was pinned with arrow-stares silently demanding explanations. 

“I could feel various changes gliding over your domain ever since you returned to the throne. Such as, training warriors based on their natural-born power, untainted by experiments or body modifications. Improvement on relations with nobles. Demise of history of sacrificing your very kind, under orders of Maduke. And I bet amelioration of the counterpart with humans is included on your list. 'Cause lately the wolfkind has benefited from humans, not limited to me. And in order to do that, don't you think you must turn the table in favor of relationships with humans?” 

“...So, you're saying I should make use of your relationship?” 

“Consider it a destruction for creation. We'll destroy the wall that must now be brought down, to give rise to the seeds waiting to sprout from underneath.” 

No sound came from Muzaka, but he was deliberating. 

Frankenstein was right; with new era must come new rules, according to which he must remove the disconnection between mankind and wolfkind. 

And Frankenstein was offering a hand in this matter, which as a werewolf lord he must accept it. 

Lunark's face was a hint that Frankenstein was not the sole advocate of this suggestion. 

As for Muzaka's secondary concern, he dreaded that Lunark will not be able to fully dedicate herself to the QuadraNet Project and post-eradication of the Union due to her unreciprocated love. 

That is, unreciprocated love that will soon assume a wholesome relationship and thus serve no more as bars in her path, if Frankenstein is to make her emotions flow freely like thawed river. 

And yet Muzaka could not help but weigh the pros and cons, as he was worried that Lunark's choice will eventually turn into a tragedy. 

Lunark knew this, and hence she decided to be a lawyer for herself. 

“I know you care for me, my lord. You have been caring for me ever since I was a child. But trust me when I say this - the reason why I choose this path is not because I expect only happiness.” 

As Lunark put together her words, her hand slowly snaked its way towards the man standing next to her, to clasp his fingers and show how iron-hard their hearts are woven. 

“When there's spring, there's winter. When there's light, there's darkness. In other words, when there's darkness, there's light. And when there's winter, there's spring. That is our world. That is life. So is love, I believe. When there's happiness, there's misfortune. When there's misfortune, there's happiness. Happiness is not the only treasure I expect inside the chest. I have simply chosen to open it.” 

Tremor evaporated from Lunark as her speech carried on. 

The pair of pink diamonds on her face was sparkling with conviction instead of credulity, with confidence instead of arrogance. 

“It doesn't matter how stormy our path will be. No howl of rain or avalanche of water will make us release each other's hand. So please, put your faith in us and watch us. Nothing can stop us, as long as we're together.”

Tremor was gone from Muzaka as well, by the end of her deliverance.

But the werewolf lord's mouth was fixed in its place, not even as much as mumbling what is winding in his head. 

And Frankenstein's patience was on a strike for the day. 

“If this is how things will be, I will expend one of my wishes right now.”

Lunark merely let her head lean on her shoulder, clueless about Frankenstein's so-called wish. 

In devastating contrast, Muzaka's eyes tumbled up and down, in overwhelming disbelief of what he had just heard. 

“You said you will grant me any wish, as long as it's in an earthly power. I hereby state my first wish - I want you to be the carrier of banner in support of our relationship.” 

Muzaka shook his head, while Frankenstein eyed Lunark as a promise of details after this. 

“For the love of wolves, I bet no one can best you when it comes to stabbing my sanity at the least expected moment. How can you pull that one from under your sleeve right at...” 

“So? Are you saying you can't?” 

“...Of course not. I gave you my word. It only makes sense for me to keep it. But you don't need a reminder of what would happen if you so as much as even drive her to tears, do you?” 

Muzaka half-heartedly laid out his warning, to which the pair responded with a beam. 

A beam that ultimately urged a smile from Muzaka, which turned out to be short-lived thanks to Frankenstein's follow-up. 

“And allow me to use my second wish. I need you to give Lunark holidays right now. Two months would do it.” 

“Say what?! You can't demand it without any prior dis...” 

“I already had a discussion. We already had one.” 

“No, I meant...! Okay, sure, talking to Lunark is one thing, but you didn't discuss it with...!” 

Muzaka could not even finish his words, before he pushed the palm of his hand into his forehead. 

He knew nothing can beat Frankenstein when he is in his deal-with-it-for-all-I-care mode. 

“No wonder Lunark is dressed like that. This is what you had in mind?” 

“Obviously. Lunark's duties are not impossible at the hands of other warriors, are they? Not to mention Union can only watch themselves as the result of the recent trouble at Seoul; their manpower has already dwindled before the event. Which is why this would be the perfect time for Lunark to enjoy a vacation.” 

Peaceful was his voice, but Frankenstein was basically rubbing - no, stabbing into Muzaka's face that he is more than willing to have a discussion involving fists and claws if he is not to issue a pass from the office for Lunark.

Soon enough, the werewolf lord nodded and waved his hand. 

“Fine. I'll make sure Lunark's absence will not hinder us for the next two months. Now run along. Be free.” 

“My gratitude, my lord.” 

“Much appreciated, Lord Muzaka.” 

Frankenstein and Lunark bowed and turned to leave, but then Muzaka unzipped his lips after a bit of delay. 

“Lunark.” 

“Yes, sir?” 

A momentary silence captured Muzaka, gazing at Lunark with her body rotated halfway towards him. 

“Nothing. You look beautiful today.” 

Replied Muzaka, his lips curled into a somewhat nostalgic, wistfully affectionate curves. 

'Ashleen... Eileen...' 

As soon as Lunark and Frankenstein left with a brief smile, Muzaka scooched into his throne, to resummon the scent ghosting within his heart. 

Lunark had no fear for winter or darkness, as long as she had Frankenstein with her, so she claimed. 

It was reminiscent of his stance when he met Eileen. And when he had Ashleen. 

A stance that was closed off into a tragedy. 

Nevertheless, for some reason he could not help feeling this will not be the same for the two of them. 

Which is why in reality, he had been smiling inwardly as Lunark was speaking in defense of their relationship. 

And he was about to give in to their protest, which was preceded by Frankenstein's use of his wishes. 

'Looks like my clan is now walking towards an actual change. Eileen... Ashleen... How I wish I could have met you two in this era.' 

Regret cannot undo or do what is done or not done. 

For now, the only thing he can do is to light up his hope for the future and pray for luck. 

So that one day, relationship between humans and werewolves will be but part of daily life. 

'I know you two can do it. So just stay the way you are, loving and beautiful.' 

*****

Few days later, KSA headquarter 

“What's up? I'd thought we've still got time until the departure.” 

Yuigi was checking her bag for one last time, before she turned towards her visitor. 

“Are you sure you won't regret this?” 

“Of course I'm sure. You don't take me for some toddler, do you? I think you've gotten your standards too high, now that you're way out of the Union agents' league, including mine. You seem to have forgotten how I used to lounge at the top of the pyramid called the Union.” 

“That's not what I...” 

Takio could not hide his disappointment. 

They had previously plotted a scenario of signing her name on the list of tenants at Frankenstein's house. 

He was expectant to see her impeccably freed from the shadow of the Union, to relish an ordinary life. 

And she knew what he was thinking. 

Yuigi had been lost. 

She had been lost between her life as Yuigi of Cerberus and her long-lost life as Raciela, like a frog unwelcome at both the earth and the water. 

But now she was even convinced that the reason why she had been lost, crouched without direction and assurance, was simply to hop higher than she could ever pull off in the past. 

“I'll be fine. I have found the new direction in my life. Now it's my duty to dedicate myself to my new mission and pay for my days at the Union. So don't worry and be faithful to your ordinary life. Do that for me. Besides, it's not like this is the last time we'll ever see each other. We'll be talking on designated basis, and I'll drop by whenever I need maintenance on my kits. I'll see you then.” 

Takio's disquiet disappeared as he listened to her. 

He was relieved. 

She may not be able to take on an ordinary life, but there is no need to worry about or be sorry for her. 

She just proved that she has landed upon the new agenda of her life as well as a respite of heart, and that was good enough for him. 

“I like the coffee from that cafe we visited. I'll make sure to buy you back. So wait for it.” 

And that was when Yuigi - that was when Raciela smiled. 

For the first time, she smiled a smile full of a human heart, no longer an artificial sneer. 

*****

“You ready?” 

The 3rd Elder greeted Raciela upon her entrance to the KSA rooftop.

The white-haired man was donning a long coat identical to hers, hooded and furnished with a heavy backpack, surrounded by Tao, M-21, Taesik, the doctor, Yeonsu, Sangin, and Raizel, whose phone was connected live-time to Lascrea and the heads of noble clans standing in the Lord's Hall. 

Then at last, the last of the gang made their arrival. 

“Boss!” 

“...Lunark?” 

“What are you doing here...?” 

Lunark's feet effortlessly glided upon the rooftop, and the 3rd Elder made a stiff, awkward recognition with his eyes, in acknowledgment of the length of hiatus in their encounters. 

Pow!!! 

At then the werewolf lashed out an unwarned punch, driving the man right to the edge of the building. 

“M-miss Lunark! He's no longer sturdy enough to...” 

“Handle my power. Yes, yes. I know. I knew that. My fist knew that. I heard how his perfection as a cyclist has been undermined, to the point that he now needs training wheels to ride a bike. Which is why I made sure you wouldn't get to hold a funeral for that guy.” 

She was telling the truth, the 3rd Elder realized, as he put himself back on his feet, rubbing a side of his face. 

His face did throb, so hard that he wanted to stick his hand and rummage through his head to check and see if his brain is intact. 

Contrary to the pain, the only damage he suffered was abrasion that would take less than a minute for recovery. 

Plus, he could see how Frankenstein was smirking behind Lunark, his arms crossed. 

He and Frankenstein did have a word about his betrayal, which ended - sort of - with apology and forgiveness. 

Apparently such process did not completely rinse off the grudge, and the 3rd Elder had no say in this matter. 

He knew he deserved it; actually, he deserved more, he thought. 

<Are you sure you will have no regrets?> 

Lascrea's question chimed through the phone. 

It was a rare occasion for her to start off a conversation with a voluntary question. 

And not a syllable or a vowel has changed with the 3rd Elder's answer. 

“I'm positive. This is what I must do. I must pay for the choice I made out of fear. And for the losses and sacrifices I called upon as a result.” 

When he held Helga's hand, the 3rd Elder was full of fear. 

He feared his followers' sacrifices, the Union's labor, and his tears would be wrong. 

He feared his followers, the Union, and he would be wrong. 

Wrong, fruitless, and in vain. 

However, now he has accepted the truth. 

He accepted that his followers, the Union, and he were wrong. 

He accepted that he has been forcing himself to be deaf and blind to the truth that had been with him since long ago. 

“The Union was originally based on the human crusade for the welfare of mankind. I admit the Union's standing point and pathway have been lethally distorted for the past few centuries. So now it's only logical to cleanse the Union's orbit and spend its final resources and manpower for what is truly meant for humans. So now there is only one thing the Union must do - making itself gone for the sake of mankind, and thereby protecting the ordinary world for the ordinary souls. And I shall take my responsibility for the past, the misdeeds, and the sin of the Union. And for the calamity at Seoul.”

Quoted the 3rd Elder, in solemn announcement of his motive for repentance. 

“I'm afraid I can't set for you the date, but once the last shade of the Union is wiped off clean... I will gladly hand over my life. I know I am being more than shameless, but please, I'd like to ask you to wait until then.” 

And he gave his word that he will never again betray these people. 

He will never again betray the mankind. 

He will never again betray himself. 

The white-haired Icarus who blindly coveted the sun's position was saved from his plummet towards the sea by these people - those endeavoring to protect ordinary life - as well as the ordinary people. 

The moment his steps were about to carry him off the concrete floor, the 3rd Elder whispered an addition. 

“...Benjamin.” 

All eyes and ears perked up at an unfamiliar name. 

“It's Benjamin now. That is my true name. The name I shall answer to from now on.” 

Sheepish but true, that was the smile from Benjamin. 

That was the last of himself he exhibited before taking himself and Raciela away towards the horizon. 

And Frankenstein was the one to break the still that lingered. 

“You okay? Let me see your hand.” 

He inspected her hand, his every contour and plane dripping concern.

“Aww, maybe I should have loosened up a bit. My hand stings a little.” 

Lunark stage-whined, sticking out her hand free of any speck, let alone a wound. 

A sight that gave the spectators an illusionary impression of watching how their sanity was being burned alive. 

“We need to talk about this. When did they end up... Like that?” 

“By 'like that,' are you referring to what I'm thinking?” 

“Probably. Did you see his face when Miss Lunark punched Mr. Benjamin? He appeared ecstatic... And enamored. By her.” 

“But is it just me, or do they actually look great together?”

After indulging in a brief moment of fluff and endearment, Frankenstein turned to face the crowd. 

“Now why don't we scatter? We must go.” 

“Go where?” 

“Go out for our very first date.” 

All listening mouths fell open at the fall of a four-character vocabulary they fathomed not even a pact with the devil could pull out from his throat. 

That is, all mouths except for Raizel's lips. 

Frankenstein made a serene smile as he met Raizel in the eyes, a sign that he had made his choice. 

“I shall see you later, master.” 

As always, Raizel responded with a gracefully breezy smile. 

It did not take long for the rest of the audience to catch up with their atmosphere, curl the corners of their cheeks, and shower the two in celebration. 

“To be honest, I was wondering when you two will officiate it.” 

“Congratulations, Mr. Ex-Chairman.” 

<Please send Lunark my regards. And those of my heads of clans.> 

Not losing their focus on each other even a bit in the middle of the pleasant commotion, Lunark and Frankenstein jumped towards the streets. 

*****

“Look. They're talking about the Noblesse's ex-sanctuary, aren't they?” 

Lunark asked, her finger pointing a huge screen covering a facet of a building at the Gwanghwamun Square. 

Frankenstein nodded after reading the headline, of the breaking news that the international environmental facilities and institutions have selected the Bermudan Treasure Chest as a special protection site, to perform and engage in extensive protection. 

“Aren't you disappointed? You wanted to collect his power from that place.” 

She was alluding to the proposal he made on the day she revealed the secret behind the resurrections following the nuclear missile incident. 

The proposal on retrieving Raizel's power from his ex-sanctuary to replenish him was denied, due to the theory that taking away Raizel's power might lead to extinction of life at the place, since his power has already made itself a cradle, manna, and haven for the local marine creatures. 

“Humans are now working together to save that place. So one day, things will settle down. Let's tell ourselves things will settle down.” 

“At times like this, I feel perhaps humans are not hopelessly hopeless. Humans can be cannibalistic and destructive with their surroundings for the sake of their good, but on the other hand they know how to be altruistic and protective of the world. If I never knew you, I would have never known.” 

Frankenstein gasped a laughter at her bashful comment. 

“Now that's an honor. Speaking of which, I'd like to teach you more. For example, how human fare with their lives. How you can spend a daily life in the human world. What do you say?” 

“Great. Please do. Teach me how humans... How a couple share an ordinary day.” 

Lunark's words were confident, yet her face was blushing. 

Frankenstein held her hand, his mouth arched in a gentle smile. 

They knew they cannot make any promise on their future. 

Just like how they did not expect the breaking news of the day. 

They cannot tell what will be waiting for their discovery tomorrow. Or in an hour. 

Still, they promised themselves and each other that they will devote themselves to this day to the best of their abilities. 

They will hold their hands and be true to their love. 

Thump. Thump. Thump. 

Frankenstein's and Lunark's hearts serenaded a duet of dazing flutter, as they walked into the crystal-clear sunlight illuminating their path to the ordinary life. 

And the day could not be sunnier. 

(Illustration by. RyO - you can find her DeviantArt page here)

I’m so sorry it took much longer for me to post this chapter. I was working on another series that I’m about to submit for a competition, and I had no idea it’s way past my usual posting time. I’m terribly sorry about the delay - what a way to wrap up the series. :’(

At last... My fanfic has reached its conclusion! I posted the first chapter of this fic on April of 2020, and it took me roughly a year and 4 months to finish it. And for the first time in years, I’m having a mixture of emotions cascading upon me as I write my final postscript, including but not limited to elation, bittersweetness, ruefulness, etc.

I made a lot of discoveries on what I lack as a writer throughout my journey with this fic. I had much more stories to include on my mind (most notably the relationship between Rael and Seira) but I had to delete them all from my outline for the sake of word count and constancy with the main topic of this fic. I might recollect them and write about them as a sequel to this fic, but right now I can’t think of any plot that I would find satisfying. And it would take a long time for me to land on a storyline that I would be confident in, enough for me to compose a fic with. And as the number of chapters grew, I ended up making mistakes regarding the details and plot. I remember how with chapter 68, I didn’t notice beforehand how I made several fatal mistakes that could compromise readers’ comprehension of the story, and I had to edit it for at least 3 times. Not to mention the story got kind of loose and lost its tempo over time. I happen to be working on a separate series (which has nothing to do with Noblesse) on a Korean website, and I’m having trouble with it due to the loose contents. This fic gave me an opportunity to look back on what I need to work on as a writer, and I will certainly do that. 

On the other hand, this fic did not leave me fruitless. I think I did a pretty good job and could gain a lot of experience on making story-wise allusions and references throughout chapters, to weave separate scenes together and thus bind 70 chapters into a wholesome series. Most importantly, I’m satisfied with how I could make use of and investigate my personal interpretations and creations on what was left after the final chapter of the original webtoon (such as the reason why those that were engaged in the nuclear missile incident could make it back to life, the faint-but-surely-there romance between Rai and Lascrea, the last of the Union after its destruction, and most of all the relationship between Lunark and Frankenstein).

In all, I gained a lot of regrets while writing this fic, but above all I am happy with my creation since I managed to write about everything I want in the exact way I wanted.

My tremendous gratitude for those of you who have been staying with me throughout this fic. It was not perfect, and it came with a lot of words to read, but I thank each and every one of you readers out there for visiting my fic. Although I happen to be busy with an independent project of mine, one day I’d like to bring another Noblesse fic for you, short or not.

Once again, thank you so much for enjoying my fic so far. Thank you, and that is all! :)

[abusslunaris]

What are plotting?

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 61 – Classical Is the Best

“...Well? Is it over now?”

Tao muttered as he neared his communicator-plunged ear with his shivering hand, with Rael and M-21 nervously attending.

To their dismay, Takio, who was supposed to be reporting at the scene, was silent.

The men are appalled, assuming that Takio entered the scene when the gas was still lingering, effective.

Thankfully, that was when they could hear Takio’s voice.

<I’d say it’s over. We were standing by in a distance, as we could see the gas ghosting close to the surface.>

“Is that so...? What about the people?”

“What about their body modification? Is it gone now?”

“Don’t tell me it’s not over yet...!”

M-21 and Rael, out of impatience, almost barked into Tao’s ear, forgetting that he was not the only one who happened to be equipped with a communicative device.

<They’re...>

They’re...?

They’re what?!

Hearts clattering at Takio’s statement, the three listeners could not dare to pull out the question stuck in their mouths.

<The people... Their bodies are returning to normal! I think that gas did its job!>

Takio cried out loud, sounding like he would weep as soon as he is offered with a handkerchief; Tao, M-21, and Rael replied with a trio of a sigh so deep they might as well spit their lungs out.

“...What about the 3rd Elder?”

Tao hesitantly added, and they tightened their lips once more, all ears on Takio’s reply.

<...Found him. He’s alive, but... Tao, I think you were right. Looks like that gas did get to him as well. Somewhat.>

Evaluated Takio, looking down at 3rd Elder, his body reeking of fatal fatigue, the sort that modified humans will never get to experience without a life-or-death battle that forces its participants’ lives on a line for at least a dozen times.

Although his body was perfectly clean of physical trauma, the white-haired man remained immobile, breathing like a fish pulled out of water.

Apparently, however, the man did not forget his portion of the mission, and he did not hesitate to ask as soon as he spotted Takio.

“Is... Is everyone okay...?”

“...Yes. Their modification is going away, thanks to you.”

“...No. Don’t thank me. This is... This is all thanks to...”

Cough, cough.

The 3rd Elder coughed lightly, but Takio and Yuigi who joined him started, their shoulders hitching.

Their eyes told them his state was nowhere near serious, but their senses told him he needed hospitalization this moment.

An exchange of looks was all it took Takio and Yuigi to settle to move him to KSA this instant.

“Don’t worry about me... Take care of the... Cough. And... Takio.”

“Y-yes...?!”

“Could you please... Send the fastest among you... To this place I’m about to tell you...? And do it... Now.”

The fastest among us would be Rael.

But more importantly, is there an issue that requires Rael right now?

Barely meeting Takio’s eyes, who was suddenly quivering with anxiety, 3rd Elder whispered, his blue eyes curiously having lost its hue for a tone.

“I’m sorry, but... I need a favor.”

*****

Meanwhile, in Lukedonia

“Huff... Huff...”

Lunark’s hand swiped her forehead, a drop of blood turned viscid with sweat trickling down.

It was more than forehead that was soaked with sweat and blood, but it was the best she could do.

She had been fully committed to this battle, reminding and reminding and REMINDING herself that if she is to slip even for a second, this power will drain away like a school of fish making its escape through the holes in the net.

And the battle was much more onerous than she had envisioned, as she had to put herself against the Dark Spear brandishing its true form AND struggle against this power vigorously bubbling within her like gas next to fire.

Just when the round 2 of this fight began, she had thought that now she can finally understand what Frankenstein would have been burdened with as he wielded the Dark Spear, though this power and Dark Spear are not even similar in terms of essence.

Alas, she learned that she was mistaken – mistaken and hubristic.

‘Just how...? How could Frankenstein walk and talk and smile with this power lurking within him? How could he possess both this power and the Dark Spear? How did he manage to use this power along with the Dark Spear?’

Theory and practice are two different things; Lunark learned that, as she saw for herself how controlling this power was nothing far from hellish.

When she sought openings for her to push and pull against the Dark Spear, the power accelerated on its own.

And when she concentrated this power at her limbs to leave a pregnant blow on her foe, it flailed about and disobeyed her.

‘If this keeps going, I’ll end up losing this power and repeating what happened right before I was thrown into the sea.’

At least, Lunark thought, the Dark Spear was treating her with more caution.

She had been clumsily but persistently building damage onto the Dark Spear, which was by no means meaningless.

And with the knowledge on the power Lunark had made her weapon, it could not dare trash about like it used to.

Notwithstanding, Lunark did not dare dub herself upper-handed.

In other words, the lead of this battle was a flag unmastered, out in the open for either one of them to snatch at.

And both of them knew by instinct that the one who is to prevail victorious in the catch-the-flag will be the one to announce this battle as terminated.

‘Now, what should I do?’

Lunark knew what was the most commonly employed compass at the face of a pathway that requires most essential choice of direction – the basics.

Which is probably why her head retrieved a tip from her parents, from the moment she was just introduced to the art of war and combat, excited to start her baby steps – perhaps too excited, as a beginner full of spirit and clumsiness.

How to win against a strong opponent? Hmm... Very well. It’s bit early for you, but I guess it can’t hurt to save a cat from your curiosity.

The win and loss in a brawl between powerful fighters are commonly decided by a very small element. Including, but not limited to, the out-of-norm degree that is added to your right shoulder. The squint that narrows your vision. The tempo that connects your step to your fist. The elements you’d deem so insignificant that you feel no time or need at all to mind can sometimes aid you to take flight. Or take a fall to your doom.

So, once I become strong enough to keep them all in mind as I fight, does that mean I won’t lose to anyone?

Not quite. A combat is composed of more than punches and slashes and whatever that seems decided. It is bound to be entailed with variables.

Which is why some say a battle between powers will end in only two cases – either it never ends, or it ends in a blink of an eye.

Which is why getting your basics correct is the key. Once you have basics to serve as a rope for you, you will be able to save yourself even if an unexpected makes you take a tumble down the abyss. In fact, you can use it to your favor if situation allows it. Which is why we shall try again! On your feet. Get set – and let’s go!

Reiterating her parent’s teaching in the speed of light, Lunark focused her pink pupils, glowing with crimson ring of light.

‘A battle between powers never ends... Or it ends in a blink of an eye.’

And considering their current situation, Lunark knew her next move must put an end to this fight.

She recalled her not-so-plentiful battle data she had personally earned on Dark Spear, before she kicked at where she was standing.

From her head to toes, the blood-red wings of aura as majestic as a burning phoenix spread out its silhouette.

Dark Spear flinched, but it gritted its teeth and lunged towards her, clearly having realized that there was no way to avoid this collision.

Two storms, one bloody and one dark-purple, swept through everything in their paths in deadly incineration.

Their distances were not great, but for some reason their races had yet to reach the finish line.

“Huh...?!”

Until from Lunark’s shoulders the red aura suddenly started to lose its glare.

Bafflement dripping from every curve and cut in her faces, Lunark hurriedly stomped on her feet; and of course, the Dark Spear did not mean to gape at the moment.

“Looks like Lady Luck decided to smile upon us!”

Dark Spear spread out Frankenstein’s lips to more than what they would normally handle and revealed his teeth.

At the same time, it lashed out its true body like a child waving a balloon at a theme park.

Lunark’s skin could not stay unscathed at the wind smeared with black aura, and naturally she recoiled, her legs taking backsteps.

Now with the flow of the battle in its hands, Dark Spear was no longer reluctant.

For it knew this was its only chance to eliminate her.

Which is why it took a rushed step forward to spear itself into her.

Just as the Dark Spear’s vicious red eyes were targeted upon Lunark right at the tip of her nose, with a thump supernaturally strong hands gripped Frankenstein’s arms under Dark Spear’s control, so strong it might as well have snapped the appendages.

And with a crack Lunark’s head was raised, and Dark Spear’s thoughts froze upon meeting her eyes, to find the red circle of light still very vivid in her eyes.

‘She didn’t lose that power! She tricked me into her grasp...!’

Dark Spear’s belated realization was exactly what Lunark had in mind as she set her trap.

Her original plan was to cumulate physical damage upon Dark Spear, so that it cannot retain itself within Frankenstein’s body due to weariness.

Which was canceled almost immediately.

She did manage to add damage that not even Dark Spear could ignore, but it was none other than Frankenstein’s body that Dark Spear was maneuvering.

‘And the problem lies within Frankenstein, not outside. So it’s no use to beat the heck out of that thing.’

Thus she edited her plan – to return Frankenstein’s body to himself by pouring this power into his physical build.

But with the Dark Spear highly keen on keeping her away from itself, what she needed was a crucial moment.

‘My best option is to make that thing fixed on its spot. I don’t need to perfectly overpower it. Once I secure for myself a second that Dark Spear cannot stay away from me, I’d be able to pour this power into Frankenstein’s body. And if I do that...!’

She wondered how she would be able to pull this off, with Dark Spear held in Frankenstein’s hand; the answer came right away.

And there is a reason why people say classical is the best.

‘Hopefully you’ll give me a pass just this once, Frankenstein!’

Lunark attempted to once again grab Frankenstein’s arm, which was trying so hard to shake her away, as if she were a patient caught with a contagion.

Nevertheless, a crisis is bound to lead to a power unbeknownst before, and Dark Spear was no exception to this rule.

Feeling how her opponent’s arm is about to slip out of her fingers, she gave up on arresting the Dark Spear and took in a huge breath.

Upon making sure both their mouths are open, she weighed her neck with velocity.

And she pressed down a pair of dark purple lips with her own.

(Illustration by. RyO - you can find her DeviantArt page here)

Her eyes were shut tight for full concentration, and Dark Spear’s red eyes snapped open wide in shock.

Almost simultaneously, red cloud of light was recast upon her silent body, to cascade straight into Frankenstein’s body through Lunark’s mouth.

Mumbling with its mouth blocked, Dark Spear fired sinister glints from two red pupils.

If we can’t beat you, we’ll at least make sure you won’t get to feast on your victory!

That was when Frankenstein’s arm clutching the Dark Spear was finally freed, and without hesitation the dark pillar of energy hit right through Lunark’s back with deadly aim, still whipped up with crimson maelstrom.

*****

“...I believe it is over.”

Lascrea, who had been walking back and forth before her throne ever since her initial report on the situation, spoke with her gaze stationed far.

Kei, Karious, Gechutel, and Claudia followed suit, who happened to be present at the Lord’s Hall to protect her just in case.

A series of tremor from sprinting footsteps, too loud and too definite to miss even for humans, was approaching fast and furious.

Soon enough, somebody broke through the doors, almost tackling through the Central Knights who tried to stop him.

“...Frankenstein?”

“...Or are you still that damned weapon?”

Frankenstein’s skin had regained its natural tone, but his upper body was drenched with dark red blood.

Hence the nobles did not relieve their bodies of tension.

At then they took in what he was holding in his arms, and their eyes trembled with distraught.

“I need every doctor in this place right now!!!!”

Frankenstein screeched, his manners and introductions cleanly forgotten.

And nobody blamed or chastised him, for through his fingers squeezing down on Lunark’s back to the best of their possibilities was gushing out a strain of black blood.

“I said right now!!!”

Frankenstein’s eyes, back to their natural-born cerulean, were shuddering as if they would burst any moment.

(next chapter)

Frankie and Lunark’s very first kiss was supposed to happen in this chapter. But I didn’t want to wait for 60 chapters to pass until these two finally kiss. And more importantly, since Dark Spear has taken over Frankie’s body in this chapter, I felt it wouldn’t really be their first kiss. Which is why I moved their first kiss to Ch. 29. XD And finally, Lunark’s battle against the Dark Spear is over, and every battle sequence has been terminated. Now all that is left is the aftermath of the battles and finale for this fic. I assume this fic will meet its end in August or September, and I’ll do my best until I reach there!

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 69 – Would You Take My Hand Now? 

“Man, I knew I was born with insight. And I knew you, sir, would pull this off like...” 

“Shut up.” 

“So you can't cope with compliments when they come from me? Did anybody ever tell you what comes around goes around? That applies to the manner of speech, you know?” 

“Then allow me to rephrase myself. I would so very viciously appreciate it if you could please zip those teeth of yours.” 

“...You might want to drop the manners, if that's how you're gonna use them.” 

“I'll be happy to. Shut your pie hole.” 

Despite being the victim of Frankenstein's curses-without-curses for 3 times in a row, Muzaka did nothing to bite back at him. 

Few days ago, he received report from Frankenstein and Lukedonia in relay of the situations from Seoul and nobles, respectively. 

And earlier in the morning, Frankenstein revealed himself in the werewolf realm without anybody's notice, to demand Muzaka to lead the way to the lab. 

As flustered as the werewolf lord was, the blonde human seemingly very inclined to drag him towards the lab if he were not to comply, he had never been so happy to have an uninvited guest. 

Because he could think of only one reason why Frankenstein would sneak into his domain to head straight to the lab - diagnosis and hopefully treatment on the mystery of his body's automated refuge during the nuclear missile incident. 

And Frankenstein, based on the research files from Ignes he had obtained in advance and the results from his treatment on Yuigi, eliminated to perfection the nanochips in Muzaka's head. 

A process during which Frankenstein wore that menacing, sinister looks from beginning to the end, which derived from Muzaka's testament on the behind-the-scenes through which Crombel's nanochips nestled inside his body. 

He was aware of the fact that Muzaka had once stayed under Crombel's hospitality, but he has never got a chance to learn what exactly he had been up to with Crombel during the time. 

And as soon as he was hit by the comprehension that Muzaka provided himself as a test subject for the dead doctor, Frankenstein held a show of how to directly bombard someone's head with every curse available in human language, minus any syllable that is definitely not meant for the underaged audience. 

Muzaka knew he was guilty; now he understood how the Crombel's suggestion he had regarded as a give-and-take deal turned into more-than-troublesome sword and shield against Frankenstein and the RK during their final showdown. 

Hence the werewolf lord assumed a silent rock this time. 

He doubted Frankenstein would accept an excuse that he had no idea Crombel would develop a weapon to control 1st Elder out of the nanochips he was planted with. 

Notwithstanding, Muzaka was a werewolf of manners. 

His personality and conscience did not let him forget his gratitude.

“Thanks, Frankenstein. I owe you big. So does Adne. Don't you agree?”

Muzaka peeked at Adne, who had finally risen from his bed. 

During his treatment of Yuhyung at Seoul, Frankenstein picked up from his patient that Adne fell unconscious due to the gas he concocted. 

While he was treating Muzaka, he injected into Adne the antidote he brewed with Yuhyung's recipe. 

Thus Adne opened his eyes, and even though he was advised not to force himself back on his feet just yet, he was watching how Frankenstein was wrapping up Muzaka's treatment, from which he could always learn something, according to him. 

“Oh, and I still remember our deal. I will grant you one... I mean, two wishes that you have, no matter what it takes.” 

Frankenstein's memory was just as fresh. 

He had marked that Muzaka owe him two wishes - one from their deal regarding the latter's body state, and one from his request regarding Lunark's affection. 

And Frankenstein already knew how he would expend the two wishes, before which, however, was something he must go through. 

Which required more than his power. 

He was reminding himself that it is about time for his helper to arrive, when the door slid open. 

The resonance of footsteps raised its volume, like the set of notes on a piano, and he spun on his heels as the final footstep waltz-rolled into his heart. 

And he was met with Lunark's face, not as startled as he had expected, although she did look as if she were faced with a person she had envisioned as deceased. 

He was met with her pink pupils, wide open and spilling alarm from their cores, and her half-open lips. 

The lips he once held in his own. 

As Frankenstein kept himself busy, choking the outburst of suggestive images in his head, Muzaka greeted his warrior. 

“You're back! You did good, Lunark. You did really good. What are you waiting for, Frankenstein? Shouldn't you thank your savior?” 

Muzaka speared the air with his nose, copycating a father showing off his proud daughter. 

Frankenstein gazed at him with annoyed, questioning eyes before he nodded. 

“I'll do that. While I'm at it, let me borrow her for a minute.” 

“...Say what?” 

Lunark and Muzaka sang in unison as they gaped at Frankenstein.

“It won't take long. So excuse me, but excuse me.”

Frankenstein did not even finish his sentence before his arm extended itself towards its target, and the next moment Lunark was tiptoeing her way out of the lab, caught by Frankenstein's hand. 

Muzaka and Adne could only stare at the door, dumbstruck by the event that befell in the speed of light. 

“Couldn't you at least give us a hint what this is about?” 

*****

'Why are we here?' 

Lunark flung her eyes about her, unable to settle down. 

Yet she could only retrieve her eyes at the pink poking her eyes. 

She and Frankenstein happened to be standing in the sea of wolfsbanes, the site that held the memoir of their first kiss still oscillating with gorgeous pink. 

Because of which Lunark could simply fumble in silence, lost in the details of the disaster from the past. 

And that was a cue for Frankenstein to begin. 

“First of all, thanks.” 

“Uh... What's that?” 

“Thanks for saving me at Lukedonia.” 

“O-oh... D-don't mention it.” 

“And sorry.” 

“A-about what...?” 

“You had to go through all that trouble because of me. And I almost killed you. Not to mention you had to break your long-lived bow.” 

“Uh... Oh... You mean the fact that I accepted the Noblesse's power and therefore broke my bow that I shall nurture my natural-born power without any experiment or body modification? Don't be sorry. I knew what I was doing, and I have no regrets whatsoever. Even if I were to go back in time, I would have made the same choice, although I have to admit that was the only option available for me back then. And, uh... No need to be sorry that you almost killed me. It wasn't you. It was the Dark Spear.” 

A hurried array of excuses naturally rendered Lunark speechless, which did not bring the same effect upon her company.

“When I drank the tonic with the components altered by 3rd Elder...” 

Days were not enough to dilute his nightmarish memories from the time.

The moment he downed the liquid, he could feel sleep - no, he could feel vertigo looming towards him, giving no time at all for him to look for a spare awakening or tonic. 

Like a tumult of unstoppable torrent from a dam cracked, the tsunami of sleep he had been long forcing in imprisonment engulfed him. 

He could feel the Dark Spear screaming in glee even before he blacked out. 

The weapon was screaming, Now it's all over!!! 

As he felt his legs and eyelids giving in, the best and the most he could do was picturing a series of faces. 

Raizel. 

M-21, Takio, and Tao. 

Regis and Seira. 

Gechutel, Karious, Rael. 

Razark, Rayga, and Tesamu. 

And...... 

Lunark. 

Soundlessly shrieking out her name was the last thing he did before his mind slipped away from his grasp. 

“That was when I realized how distinct my feelings have grown. I realized that my feelings for you can no longer stay unspoken.” 

As Frankenstein was stitching the air with a now-I-don't-care-whatever-happens tone, Lunark was still quiet. 

This time, however, she could not speak up.

'Did I hear correctly...? Frankenstein loves me...?!' 

Clutching tightly to her heart that had been fluttering like petals dancing in the moonlight since who-knows-when, Lunark kept attentive to Frankenstein's speech. 

“I knew what my heart was telling me, but I could only play deaf. The Dark Spear in me has grown powerful enough to jeopardize my control, after it took over Crombel and his Blood Stone. I was afraid it will hurt those dear to me... I was afraid it will hurt you. But thanks to you, it has lost the Blood Stone and became tame enough -somewhat - so now I have no more reason to avoid you. And most importantly, my master told me this. We should live our lives to the fullest during the time given to us, without any regret. We must look into our hearts to determine what it is that we really want. And we must make a choice for ourselves.” 

Sounds just like something from a soul born with eternal time but bound to the burdens of Noblesse, thought Lunark as she nodded. 

“And as I came up with your name in the course of my possession by the Dark Spear... I felt regret burning like hellfire inside me. I kept lamenting, if only I were honest with my feelings for just a little. If only I could at least give a signal of my feelings for you. Back then I'd thought my future is no more, so I'd thought I'll be losing you and the rest of my people.”

Lunark's lips were fastened seamlessly as she took in Frankenstein's voice, now turned into a whisper. 

For she had gone through something similar rather recently. 

When she was pouring Raizel's power into Frankenstein's body via kiss, she did not think about what will break beyond that point. 

The only thing she could think of was saving Frankenstein.

Ironically, at the corner of her brain she could view a list of highlights from her life. 

The list of every word and time she shared with Frankenstein, ever since they first met as enemies at Seoul. 

Her survival instinct screeched at her that she can no longer carry or cumulate these memories, which left bitter regrets in her heart for a second. 

She regretted that she did not confess her feelings or make more memories with him. 

And here she was, figuring out that Frankenstein had felt the same regret that had haunted her. 

His feelings were the same, so she could feel tiny expectation bloating like a balloon. 

“And recently, I almost lost you. I almost lost myself. I almost lost everything I treasure... And I shall have no more regrets.” 

So you mean...? 

Lunark could only reiterate the question stuck in her throat, when Frankenstein at last turned his eyes towards her. 

“You might be disappointed in me, since I've been staying single for more than 820 years. Nevertheless, would you take my hand now?” 

Frankenstein's confession was quite direct, truthful to his claim of being single for more than 8 centuries, which was regardless faded in the feathery texture of his voice and the heart-melting perfume from Lunark's cardiac muscle. 

Which was why Lunark let out a relaxed sigh of laughter in reply. 

“I could say the same thing. I had no reason at all to familiarize myself with romance so far... Why would you opt for a terrifying woman like me?”

“Because you're terrifying. Or should I say fiery?” 

Lunark did not expect him to remember the semi-jest she threw at him during their first encounter. 

She could once again revel at how deep her love is, feeling no cringe at all at his delicacy, and her hand was bound by a quintet of huge, slender fingers. 

“Which reminds me, isn't this near the spot we had our first kiss?”

A sentence was more than enough to drown Lunark's cheeks with streaks of red like bombs, and Frankenstein smirked. 

“The first one was an accident. And the second one was stolen by the Dark Spear, during a situation that will allow no chance in hell for a romantic mood... Which is why this time I'll do it myself.”

What?! H-hold on a sec!! 

The man did not spare a second for her to stop him. 

As outgoing as he is, his arm was weighed with strength just as audacious, and its mind-blowing aftermath soon took over Lunark's lips. 

And the werewolf was swept in the impression that the entire blood in her body was drawn to her lips. 

For each of strokes and rubs Frankenstein's mouth made, a rumbling noise one would hear from a freight train spread from her lips throughout her wholesome form, to raise full blooms of elation to every corner and plain of her body, not a speck to be left desolate. 

Lunark's hands, wobbling between sweetness and daze, soon secured themselves onto Frankenstein's chest, to slowly wind across his shoulders and around his neck. 

The two figures basked in the kiss more electrical than the first and more ecstatic than the second, while the pink petals of wolfsbanes surrounding them rippled like dancers blessing them. 

*****

A follow-up on their fluffy-soft and flowery-perfumed kiss in declaration of love, Frankenstein put on that signature full-of-poise smile of his. 

“Now it's time for us to deal with the remaining obstacles. But first thing first - I need you to get changed.” 

He pulled out from his jacket a white dress shirt, meticulously squared and folded in a clean bag of plastic. 

“Sorry. I know I should've brought a brand new one, but I have no knowledge of your accurate size. So I had to opt for one from my own closet. And don't worry. It's washed.” 

Lunark took the bag from him, locking her teeth from spilling that if it is from his collection, he is practically rewarding her. 

“But you'll have to grab one from your possessions as for the fabrics to cover your lower appendages. And it'd better be something comfortable for you to move in.” 

“Uh... Sure. But why would you offer this out of the blue...?”

Her eyes twitched in puzzlement, earning from Frankenstein an unexpressed pleasure of witnessing her loveliness, and he smirked and retorted with a brief explanation. 

“...What?!” 

And Lunark could once again realize how outgoing her man could be, as she rolled her eyes in bewilderment. 

(next chapter)

At last, ladies and gentlemen, Frankenstein and Lunark are official in my fic! XD It took 69 chapters for them to be together, but guess what - next chapter will be the final chapter for this fic. :P

As for Raizel’s advice mentioned in the middle of this chapter, I made a reference to the theme message from the original webtoon during its early seasons. We must live our lives to fullest during the time designated to us, making choices by ourselves and for ourselves. Back when the webtoon was ongoing, the only impression I got was that it sounds good to me, but nowadays as days pass and seasons change, I’m growing to agree with this idea more and more. Which is why I personally wanted to make a reference to this message in my fic.

Anyways, next chapter will be the final chapter for this fic. I’d like to say you’ve been doing an amazing job of keeping up with me so far, and I’d like to ask you to please stay with me for just one more week. Thanks so much! :)

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 68 – The Secret of Resurrection and the Outing

“Greetings to you, O Lord of the nobles. Pardon me, for I cannot rise from my respite.” 

“Have no concern. We are all aware of the state your body is suffering.” 

Lascrea raised her hand in a salute-reply to Lunark. 

When Rael learned from Seira that the werewolf who was as immobile as a corpse finally opened her eyes, he scurried back to the Lord's Hall, which he had emptied for less than 10 minutes, to share the news with Lascrea. 

Lunark also requested to the Central Knights stationed at the ward that she must speak to their lord, and their meeting was scheduled shortly afterwards. 

And they were not the only participants for today's meeting.

“I pray for your patience, although this room is not big enough to allow all of us. Our speaker must not leave her bed.”

“Have no concerns, my lord.” 

“We are alright.” 

Kei and Rosaria were standing next to Lascrea, rendering Lunark's room rather crowded. 

Her room may be the best that Lukedonia can offer, but it was designed for a single occupant. 

And the room felt even smaller because they also had virtual guests for this meeting. 

<May we begin?> 

Lunark flinched at Frankenstein's voice, transferred through Lascrea's phone that was switched to the speaker mode. 

No one would have missed it, yet no one pointed it out, for none of them paid attention to anything other than what Lunark was about to unleash.

“I believe all of you would know by now with what power I defeated the Dark Spear.” 

“We all happened to be shocked and perplexed. How did a werewolf like you got to wield power that was most certainly begotten by Raizel?” 

Everyone solemnly focused their sights and hearings upon Lunark.

Even she was still trying to wrap her head around what happened.

Upon accepting the mysterious power that offered its hand to her as she sunk deep into the sea, her abdomen punctured by the Dark Spear, Lunark realized the oh-so-familiar-for-some-reason power was none other than Raizel's power. 

As of now the power was rinsed off her like snow met with summer sun, but her psyche had been etched with memories that had connected to her during her carriage of the power. 

“This would be a long story, for I must start off from the Noblesse's disappearance into slumber 820 years ago.” 

The nobles surrounding Lunark implied fluster with their eyes. 

They knew discussion on Raizel is a must, considering that he is the source of the power Lunark made use of. 

However, they did not expect her to wind back at least six books on noble history, to land right onto Raizel's slumber that took place 820 years ago. 

“Noblesse, sir, you fell into sleep immediately following your duel against my lord, didn't you?” 

<...I did. I chose dormancy as I was stranded upon the oceanic spot not far from Lukedonia, and the zone of water and salt directly beneath became my sanctuary.> 

“Actually, I fell into the sea nearby after I was fallen as the result of my first showdown against the Dark Spear. Geologically speaking, it was near a human city called Miami, stationed in United States.” 

<Miami...? It happens to be one of the three vertices composing the Bermuda Triangle, at the center of which Lukedonia lies.> 

Lunark coerced her voice to activate, painstakingly shifting her attention away from the now-automated wince in her heart in reaction to Frankenstein's voice. 

“As you were recovering in the ocean for 820 years, your power was leaking from your coffin little by little. And after 8 centuries, the underwater domain centering on your ex-sanctuary came to absorb your power.” 

“What? You mean... Currently there is a submarine area not far from Lukedonia that holds power from Raizel?” 

“Correct. And that happens to be one of the three reasons why you, the Noblesse, and two of your heads of clans could return from death. During the nuclear missile incident, the three of you stood in defense of your homeland right above the Noblesse's ex-sanctuary. Which also served as the vessel of your remains from the clash. There the three of you absorbed the power of Noblesse teeming within, to rise back to life. Speaking of which, don't you feel there has been an increase of your power?” 

Silence heavily dawned upon the chamber as Lunark spoke; the three nobles knew she was absolutely right, their awareness of the phenomenon prevalent within them, unbeknownst to them. 

Once they defeated death, in contrast to their resolve, they could feel their powers have become somewhat more durable, more invulnerable. 

Which was forgotten momentarily due to series of huge events that promptly tagged along the nuclear missile incident, such as the downfall of Union and the QuadraNet Project. 

Hence the question regarding the resurrection of the three of the five affiliates of the nuclear missile incident was gone, but their curiosity was yet vivid. 

No, it has gotten vivider. 

“I beg your pardon, but I need more details regarding what you mentioned earlier. Now I understand how my lord, I, and Kei could return to life, but... Are you saying the return of Noblesse is also related to the place where we met our temporary eternal sleep?” 

No one emitted a breath at Rosaria's question-slash-accusation, for she touched on the spot that had been itching ever since Lunark held in her lips the “three factors” that had brought Raizel, Lascrea, Kei, and Rosaria back to the world of the living. 

All ears grew keen on Lunark's mouth, waiting for her words to water their thirst for knowledge. 

“Yes, but it wouldn't have been possible without the other two factors, one of which happens to be the half of Ragnarok that you yielded to the Noblesse.” 

Lascrea's, Kei's, and Rosaria's mouths turned agape, for they did not expect to hear the name of the noble lord's soul weapon from a werewolf.

No sound could be heard past Lascrea's phone, an evidence that Raizel and Frankenstein would look no different from them. 

“You permanently forfeited the half of your soul weapon to the Noblesse, did you not?” 

“...I did. It was left behind for Raizel by my father the lord, which Raizel gave back to me upon his return to Lukedonia after 820 years. Nevertheless, I handed it to him in order to replenish his life force.” 

“The power that used to compose the half of the Ragnarok would have by now changed into Noblesse's life energy, fully absorbed into his body. But it's not completely gone. Its remains must be there. Even though it is only half of its original form, Ragnarok stemmed from the bloodline of the noblest nobles in the lead of your kind, therefore forged with might beyond any mortal understanding. I'm sure you, O Noblesse, would have felt the weapon flowing within you ever since you received it.” 

Raizel spoke no confirmation, which in turn served as a confirmation.

It was his habit of speech; whereas he does not necessarily confirm what is right, he will deny anything that deserves his denial. 

<...Okay, so what's the final factor?> 

“...The fact that the four of them met eternal sleep, albeit only briefly, on the same day, at the same hour.” 

That was when Kei and Rosaria exchanged glances, their eyes flickering precariously, and Lascrea failed to conceal confusion marred with inquisitiveness from her face. 

“The key is that you, O lord, and the Noblesse fell into eternal sleep at the exact same moment. As your remains dropped into the Noblesse's ex-sanctuary, the power of the Noblesse embedded in the area created a reaction with the remains of the Ragnarok, its power not far behind the former. And this reaction reached out to its twin - yes, it reached out to the Noblesse, now a biological container of the half of the Ragnarok.” 

The three nobles listening to her gaped at her, looking as if they were hammered in their heads. 

“The point is that the bond between the two parts of Ragnarok still exists as we speak, even though a half of it now pulses through Noblesse's blood and soul. As the two Ragnarok's caused a chain reaction of resonation with the Noblesse's power under the sea, there formed a temporary spiritual bond between you and the Noblesse.”

<...So are you saying the resurrection allowed by the power from my master's ex-sanctuary managed to apply to my master as well?>

“...Precisely.” 

As Lunark's speech was closed, no one did not as much as mumble, too starstruck by the elements that felt so much like part of destiny, in joint with coincidence like fate. 

At then Lascrea's eyes gleamed in remembrance. 

“That reminds me of the tale I picked up from the human reporters who used to be short-term tenants of Lukedonia. There is this marine zone near Lukedonia dubbed as 'Bermudan Treasure Chest' among humans, flaunting innumerable number of rare marine species, its individuals much bigger than those from the identical classification inhabiting other areas. However, recently there have been mysterious shifts in the ecological system of this zone, such as mass deaths of marine species, including the blood-red corals exclusive to this zone.” 

“True. This place you speak of happens to be a favorite dining spot of mine, where I would often drop by to feast on the fish.” 

“...Now I am reminded of how it all began upon our homecoming.” 

<...I see. That zone must have flourished thanks to the power from my master's ex-sanctuary, which is not surprising. It has been bearing the greatest force of life on Earth for more than 8 centuries. But now its power is lost to you, two of your heads of clans, and my master, thanks to this spiritual bond thing, resulting in the end of the golden age for its marine population.>

“...Don't forget that I received unimaginable amount of power from that spot as well. So things can only take the worse turn for the natives of that zone.” 

Kei started to speak as soon as Lunark finished her mutter. 

“Quick question - how do you know all this? And how come none of us remember this?” 

“...The ex-sanctuary of the Noblesse absorbed along with his power the psyche he had harbored. I'd say the power that is held there is basically semi-animate. So after the nuclear missile incident, the entire process of spiritual bond and resurrection that touched on your lord and the Noblesse was engraved into the power within the ex-sanctuary. I managed to absorb all this when I accepted this power. But the reason why none of you remember this is because... I'd compare it to the rupture of glasses that could not stand the multiple resonance of sound waves. What you had gone through was a miracle that transcends life and death. So it'd be no wonder that it left an unseeable scar upon your memories.”

Kei was not the last one to fling questions, and Lunark answered all of them. 

The meeting was closed following Frankenstein's offer that Raizel might be able to gain more life if they are to make use of the power that is left in Raizel's ex-sanctuary (and they sort of saw it coming).

Lunark was left alone, and only then someone approached her. 

“Lady Lunark.” 

“You...? What are you doing here? Your lord and your fellow heads of clans are gone.” 

Lunark's pink pupils were sketched with puzzlement as she recognized Rael. 

“There's something I must tell you.” 

The werewolf warrior tensed, in understanding that Rael chose to confront her after Lascrea, Kei, and Rosaria at last went away. 

On the other hand, Rael was fairly calm, for there was no trouble that required his presence. 

It was but a small reason that he requested the Central Knights from the ward to notify him as soon as she awakens, even though they share nothing in common except for the QuadraNet Project. 

It was but a small but legitimate reason. 

When Lunark awakens, relay her a gratitude from me, I pray. 

That was the concise yet packed-with-meanings request from Raizel, as he sent Rael away to Lukedonia. 

That was supposed to be the sole reason why Rael was waiting for the moment Lunark opens her eyes, but lately things have changed a little. 

During the course of arrest of Deneb, the Central Knights confiscated the walkie-talkie he forced away from Yuhyung's bag. 

Which was passed on to Rael, before it can return to its rightful owner.

The QuadraNet Project may be on a hold, but everyone knew it would be on a hold only for the time being. 

When the project is to commence again, the chances are high for Rael to reassume the ambassador of Lukedonia. 

So it would be logical for Rael to keep the walkie-talkie for now, though no one can certify until when he must keep it with him. 

So Rael had no idea the walkie-talkie dropped right onto his hand would spill Frankenstein's voice all of a sudden. 

I decided to bet my hopes on Mr. Jang's walkie-talkie just in case. Boy, am I glad it didn't turn out to be a fool's hope. 

S-sir...? What's going on...? 

I need a favor. And don't fret. It's nothing huge. 

Back then Rael was busy trying to think of a favor that Frankenstein could possibly ask from him. 

He knew Frankenstein was a man of reasons, but he could not help getting anxious, in consideration of the speaker.

When Lunark wakes up, tell her to go back to her homeland as soon as she becomes mobile. 

Sir...? What do you... 

Tell her not to even think about sticking around Lukedonia and go back as soon as her body becomes good enough for her to move around like usual. 

Frankenstein did not assume any coldness in his words, but Rael could not ask what is the matter, due to the just-deal-with-it attitude he wore at the time. 

Nonetheless, Rael presumed there was no misfortune or problem that Frankenstein had in mind that had urged him to make such delivery to Lunark. 

But please tell her that she doesn't have to run back home right as she opens her eyes. Please. 

He could feel generosity, not at all feigned or halfhearted for the sake of the least of the courtesy he could pull off, as Frankenstein added one more “please.” 

Retracing his experience, Rael finally started off with his job as a messenger. 

*****

Few days later, KSA 

“And that's it for the whereabouts of the remaining lots of the Union.”

A series of nods and regards from the table headed to Tao, who had been making his laser pointer busy with the satellite images from the beam projector. 

Seoul at last regained its daily life, thanks to KSA and RK's joint administration. 

All boxes on the to-do list of treatments and examinations were checked off, and the protocol on media management and operation in case of national crisis met its closure. 

And today, the key personnel of KSA, the RK, 3rd Elder, and Yuigi were gathered at the meeting room for the briefing on the progress up-to-date. 

First of all, Yuhyung was officially discharged, permanently expelled from the registered catalog of KSA employees and staff, imperatively relieved from all his duties and privileges. 

At the same time he was charged, with the recent case in Seoul, as a result of the internal investigation on the matter.

His true crime will never be printed on the public document housing the details of his charges, but he will be legally punished in one form or another, via the man's request. 

I don't care what or how. I want the heaviest penalty you can throw upon me. 

They have yet to decide on the exact what or how, but Yuhyung's career and life are now as good as over. 

And the Union agent who was captured at the end of the calamity at Seoul was eliminated the day before. 

Before which came the interrogation on the location of and the melee force possessed by the remainder of the Union, which provided a basis for Tao to plot a satellite map. 

“The international summits over the globe are not yet very cooperative, which means we are the only manforce we can hire for this job. So my opinion is that in terms of efficiency, it'd be much better for us to select and dispatch people for extermination and shutdown, rather than to have us travel back and forth for the job.” 

“So you're saying the said people must live as wanderers until the Union is completely gone, keeping in touch with us for the sake of communication and progress report.” 

“Which is why we need someone equipped with the energy and combat abilities that will allow them to cope with years-long travel and non-stop combats, as well as flexibility in improvisation against the unexpected. And thorough knowledge in the a's-to-z's of the Union would be a plus.” 

The second Tao, Yeonsu, and M-21 finished their speech, a hand was raised in the air. 

“I'll do it.” 

The hand belonged to none other than the 3rd Elder, gaining a dozen spotlights from the spectators' wide-open eyes. 

“I'll join him.” 

And Yuigi was the second to raise a hand. 

“W-what do you mean by that?” 

Takio - obviously - posed a question in alarm.

“I'm the perfect candidate for the requirements you just listed, M-21. And unlike you and your team, with duties to protect this place, I have no requisites that will bind me from travels.” 

“Same could be said of me. Since the 3rd Elder has lost his power, he would need a bodyguard to carry on with his mission against the modified humans potentially as powerful as Helga.” 

Their logics were without a flaw; in fact, they made an appeal that was only essential. 

The results for 3rd Elder's check-up revealed that his power did not altogether vanish; however, now he has become weak, no longer capable of firing an impact on par with that from a tank upon a single glance. 

Not to mention they learned through Helga that Union was still armed with combatants including her teammate named Sol. 

A proof that it will take a miracle, not hope, for them to bypass any physical collision during their mission. 

A proof that the 3rd Elder and Yuigi are basically candidates sent from above for the job. 

And they knew they would not need to be apprehensive for another betrayal, as the two ex-agents were the ones who supplied the key solutions for the catastrophe at Seoul, thereby earning themselves virtual badges that will certify their allegiance. 

The briefing took itself through the introduction, body, and conclusion without a haste, until the 3rd Elder and Yuigi were classified into a special team to search and destroy the hidden survivors of Union around the world. 

Partially because Frankenstein curiously hurried with the briefing.

“Now, I shall take my leave. You guys stay here and... Do whatever you need to.” 

“What? Where are you off to, boss?” 

“Outside.” 

“Outside? You mean outside Korea?” 

“Yup. But don't worry. I'll make sure I'll be there to say good-bye to the special team as they leave.” 

The three men of the RK could only tilt their heads in confusion, staring as Frankenstein hustled away without even telling them where exactly he was headed to. 

“But is it just me, or... Is he kind of excited?” 

“Thought I was the only one.”

“Well, you weren't.” 

The three men felt their curiosity stacking up by the end of their chat. 

Just what could urge the blonde human to leave in urgency, with a face in full bloom with such roseate excitement so very pronounced? 

(next chapter)

There you have it - the secret behind the four nobles’ return from death. As a reminder, in this fic Muzaka was not dead during the nuclear missile incident, which was mentioned in chapters 1 and 2. It took more than 60 chapters for me to finally unleash the secret for the remaining four. XD

This is part of the reason why I wanted to write this fic. I wanted to talk about Frankenstein and Lunark’s relationship, which was never officiated or portrayed in further depth in the original webtoon, and also attempt my take on the why’s and how’s on the nobles’ resurrection. As I was coming up with theories, I was reminded of the half of the Ragnarok that Lascrea gave to Raizel, and then I remembered how Lascrea, Kei, and Rosaria stopped a missile headed to a human city. The name of the city was left unknown in the webtoon, but I decided it’s Miami, since it didn’t take that long for them to stand upon the ocean to stop the missile (meaning it’s nearby Lukedonia and stationed at the coast of the continent, which would meet the demands to describe the American city that happens to be one of the three vertices making up the Bermuda Triangle). Thus I could come up with the grand secret behind the nobles’ return from death. This “Bermudan Treasure Chest” that I created was in a way a huge spoiler, and the blood-red corals that inhabit this zone was also a hint, in a way. And of course, none of this is canon; this is purely my theory, my creation.

At last I revealed the secret behind the return of the four nobles from the nuclear missile incident, and the two villains of this fic - Helga and Yuhyung - made their official exit. And you also know what will become of the 3rd Elder and Yuigi, and now all that remains is the relationship between Frankenstein and Lunark & the reason why Muzaka’s body moved on its own for survival during the nuclear missile incident. Which means that once these two are settled as well, this fic will be over. There are only 2 more chapters to go, and I can’t tell you how thankful I am to you for staying with me all this way. I’ll see you next week and the week after that with chapters 69 and 70, respectively! Thank you so much! :)

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 66 – A Solution, a Dilemma, and an Ordeal

“Just as I’d thought.” 

Upon Frankenstein’s murmur, Takio and M-21 stuck out their faces from behind him towards the papers he was holding. 

Alas, they gave up straight away as their eyes locked upon the numbers, graphs, and charts incomprehensible for their level of knowledge.

Tao, the only person they could count on to translate them into human language(?) was busy fidgeting with the machine that just printed out the papers. 

Which is why they had to wait for Frankenstein to explain. 

And they showed the generosity of waiting until Tao could bring Yuigi from the machine. 

When the subject of the tests finally arrived, Frankenstein nonchalantly raised his glasses and began his lecture. 

“Simply put, I need to take a look at your head.” 

“What?” 

“Huh?” 

“Hmm?” 

Yuigi retorted in fluster, with Takio and M-21’s bafflement resonating in the background. 

Tao’s mouth was hanging open as well, his eyes very close to popping like a pair of balloons. 

“That was meant to be literal. There’s something in your head.” 

“...So Yuri that bastard did something under Crombel’s order, when I was imprisoned at his temporary lab.” 

Yuigi scowled as hard as she could and moved her hand to her temple.

She could not remember what happened back then, her memories blurry due to pain. 

She tried scrutinizing what was left of the pieces of her memories, but she could not find any scene holding Yuri doing something to her head.

Assuming it happened when she finally succumbed to pain, Yuigi focused her gaze upon Frankenstein, demanding more details.

Flapping the papers, Frankenstein landed upon the page about in the middle and turned it around for his small audience, displaying CT and MRI pictures of Yuigi’s head. 

The pictures were not so big, but the four of them could see very clearly something was there, their vision much more superior to normal human vision. 

They could see an array of spots, each of them much more miniscule than grains of sugar, scattered in the area where her frontal lobe would be. 

“I don’t need to tell you what I want you to look at, do I?” 

“No. But what’s this? Did something get into Miss Yuigi’s head?”

“Yup. I recalibrated that machine according to my manual, and I believe Crombel planted nanochips in your head, Yuigi.” 

“Nanochips...? Are you saying all those spots are...” 

Yuigi’s body heaved, as if she were just notified that the dinner she had yesterday was infested with cockroach eggs. 

“When I...” 

Frankenstein’s lips were shut in the course of his reply. 

The pull between his lips were so natural, like the sort that would exist only between two poles of a magnet. 

Which is why no one noticed that it was not his intention to halt in the middle. 

Calming himself by fingering his glasses, Frankenstein restarted himself as smoothly as he could. 

“When I left this place, I could get my hands on several files and data on the Union. Some of them were about Union arts and crafts we weren’t aware of, including this technique that employs nanochips. Since Union's main focus was on the mastery of body modification, nanochips were not exactly the favorite from Union’s shelf of goods. But I wouldn’t say they completely disregarded this technology, since it’s on the list of items that none other than Ignes took her time and effort and resources to study.” 

“So are you saying the nanochips in my head are Ignes’s creation?”

“Either Crombel snuck away her recipe to dissect and put it back up in a fashion he prefers. Or she stole some of the ingredients he was handling.” 

“So what exactly does this thing do?” 

“Consider it a remote control to make a marionette out of its host. One of the features of this nanochip happens to be automatically appropriating the host’s control over its body when the host finds itself in mortal danger, so to make sure the host will stay alive as long as its puppeteer wants.” 

The four humans gaped at him, confusion clear on their faces, and Frankenstein continued on, probably having foreseen this. 

“Remember what happened when I had a rematch with the 1st Elder right before our final showdown against Crombel? Back then he was under Crombel’s control. He served as Crombel’s battle figure, his mind in one piece, with only minimum amount of life force left in him.” 

“...With his willpower trapped within, watching and hearing and experiencing how his body is not his...?”

Yuigi muttered, the only one who did not take part in the aforementioned battle, apart from Tao, who had had wire updates on the situation. 

The three members of the RK knew why she looked so stunned when she had nothing to do with this occasion. 

“So... You’re saying the nanochips that Yuri injected into Miss Yuigi are...” 

“They were probably the prototype of the technology Crombel used upon the 1st Elder. You said when you were fighting with that Kornel guy, you couldn’t even speak before you had an outbreak of emotions and broke free from the unwelcome disconnection of your mind from body, right? Unlike you, at least 1st Elder could offer some words to me back then.” 

“Wait a minute. The gas we fired was based on a sample of Yuigi’s DNA.” 

“So maybe all the people who went through body modification are plagued with...” 

“Oh, don’t worry. The results show that the mechanism of body appropriation derives solely from these nanochips. And as you can see, these nanochips were inserted only in specific parts of her brain. So the victims won’t turn back to pseudo-zombies.” 

“So once these nanochips are gone...” 

“You can return to who you are. I’ll soon come up with a treatment, so I’d appreciate it if you could take your time and wait.” 

Yuigi nodded in affirmation, but in reality Frankenstein knew there was no need for a treatment. 

The only thing Frankenstein had to do was to draw out just enough power he needs to destroy the nanochips within all at once. 

However, he had to coin a specific treatment for the sake of another soul who was unofficially booked for a doctor’s appointment with him. 

Another reason why Frankenstein scurried from Lukedonia upon hearing Yuigi’s symptoms from Tao. 

And something that had been poking needles into his sanity way before the QuadraNet project joined to add trouble to his side. 

‘Lord Muzaka said that during the nuclear missile incidence, his body scrammed from the site on its own. Which would most certainly mean his body saved itself from mortal danger. I bet I can find the exact same nanochips in his head as well.’ 

If he were to be honest with himself, Frankenstein was dying to use this opportunity to his benefit, to broider the front and back of the werewolf lord’s head with big, fat, angry marks from his grasp. 

‘But I have no reason to turn the entire wolfkind into my enemy, after everything that has happened. Not to mention Lunark won’t be happy if she later finds out what...’ 

At then his hand froze in the middle of its frenzied waltz across Yuigi’s test results. 

It was neither in his intention nor in his cognition, yet his thoughts darted themselves right back to Lunark before he could stop them.

In fact, he was stunned for a moment back when he mentioned Ignes’s studies, for he was reminded of the werewolf warrior who visited his island to hand the files of the noble whom he destroyed himself. 

Now that his mind summoned Lunark twice, everything he regarded he had left behind in Lukedonia – his thoughts about her, his deliberation on her, and his feelings for her – cascaded right into his heart to cause furious ripples.

He came back to Korea to seek time to himself, but seemingly fate did not want him to waste his time taking refuge. 

Towards the room that the RK and Yuigi emptied, the sound of footsteps that Frankenstein would always notice regardless of time and place drew near. 

Which was a sign that he could hide no longer. 

“Master.” 

Raizel’s face was blank despite Frankenstein’s greeting, a natural response from a non-talkative noble. 

Which was why Frankenstein momentarily lost his control over his facial profile when Raizel dispensed a verbal reply to his greeting. 

“Still afraid, are you?” 

Raizel’s words drew Frankenstein’s ears right back to Earth, the blonde man mincing his lips. 

“Frankenstein. You treasure her.” 

Raizel usually leaves others untouched in terms of their emotional states, in respect of their respective owners. 

Yet here he was, volunteering to unwrap the subject as soon as he made his arrival, especially at a time like this, which gave Frankenstein good idea of how much he had been in anguish. 

And now that the topic was out in the open with Raizel’s courtesy, Frankenstein knew somehow sneaking past this topic is not an option for him. 

Considering where he was standing at this point, he knew he should at least touch on – no, definitely put an end to this dilemma. 

“I believe you already know she treasures you just as same. You would know the colors of symphony in your hearts have been identical for a long time.” 

Frankenstein’s lips were unmoving, his tongue dormant. 

“Know I well what you dread. You must have dreaded harming Lunark even little under the influence of the Dark Spear, as Lascrea attested. Remember I of how the Dark Spear absorbed Crombel and the shards of Blood Stone to attain greatest power in its history. And with Lunark recovering from the harm caused by the Dark Spear, I can feel how haunting the guilt of your heart is.” 

“...Then you would know. You would know that is exactly why I don’t deserve to...” 

“Do you still believe you will be a harm to her?” 

As mellifluous as crimson silk was Raizel’s voice, but Frankenstein had centuries of experience with his master to pick up how his tone steeled by the smallest of the shade. 

Which is why he unconsciously began retracing the facts instead of losing his words. 

“...No. I can no longer detect Crombel or Blood Stone within the Dark Spear.” 

Frankenstein was telling the truth. 

Although he had no chance to look back on exactly what Lunark did to him, too occupied with agony while standing guard by her bed, he could feel how the Dark Spear returned to how it used to be before it absorbed Crombel and the Blood Stone. 

“Then no more is the reason for you to hesitate, is there?” 

Frankenstein was dumbstruck, the answer so very simple and clear. 

The reason why he had been staying away from those dear to him, Lunark included, was because he feared he will lose his battle of dominance against the Dark Spear and manifest as a weapon threatening them. 

His fear grew even more humongous ever since the nightmare of effigies the Dark Spear staged for him. 

But now that the Dark Spear can no longer be a nightmare for him, there was no reason for him to keep himself isolated any longer.

“What is the bidding of your heart? The choice is most definitely yours, but I have had my lessons from 820 years of sleep. Only logical for us it is to live our lives to fullest, with no regrets, during the time that is given to us. We must listen to our hearts for what they wish. We must follow the choices our hearts seek.” 

Raizel gazed at his most trusted follower, unmoving and silent. 

“I have already told you. The last thing you can save at the moment is time. So do not save your time. Use it well to look into your heart in wholesome.” 

“...Yes, sir. I shall do that.” 

Raizel, as always, did not linger after delivering all of his messages. 

Frankenstein stayed muted in solitude until he got moving; it was time to take a look at another patient he was tasked with, and Tao joined him in the middle, rather faster than what either of them expected. 

“Right now, we are the only ones tending to Mr. Jang. Now everyone at KSA knows about his betrayal, so nobody’s visiting him. Well, Sir Rael was the only one apart from us that...” 

Thanks to Tao, Frankenstein was reminded of the lesser son of the only one he could ever dub as his true friend for his life. 

Rael already left prior to his return to Korea, and being the heir of Kertias, the fastest of nobles, by now he would be officiating his homecoming in the Lord’s Hall. 

And Frankenstein heard from his team about the skirmish Rael had with none other than his own kind – with none other than a head of a noble clan. 

Tao was about to voice his concern for Rael while he was at it, but then he suddenly heard Frankenstein puffing out a ball of air. 

Did he just laugh when we’re discussing Sir Rael here?

Tao’s eyes bulged out, but Frankenstein did not let him stare at him, wiping off his face of his laughter and concern. 

‘What am I worried about? I should worry about myself. As of now, that boy will have no trouble at all.’ 

After a brief self-reprimand, Frankenstein began to strut ahead, with Tao tagging along and complaining at him to wait up. 

(next chapter)

Previously Raizel asked Lunark to take good care of Frankenstein. Now he’s telling Frankenstein to follow his heart. I didn’t plan or see this coming, but I made Raizel a matchmaker in my fic. XD As you would’ve noticed, next chapter will be featuring on Rael, through a scene that I had been dying to compose since the brainstorming stage for this fic. Stay tuned and find out how my boy is going through another growth in his career as a head of his clan!

(Edited) I just realized I posted this chapter instead of saving it as a draft - my mistake, and I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again! My apology for whoever that got confused with the early upload!

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 64 – The Will of the Blade 

“Sir.” 

It was Rael that Raizel’s steps were destined at, following his talk with Frankenstein. 

“...Rael Kertia. It was of an honorable accomplishment that you have brought.” 

Rael sheepishly nodded in response to his commendation. 

On the first day ever he stood in the Lord’s Hall as the head of his clan, Rael cursed the fact that he had nothing to present as a medal unlike other heads of clans. 

But now he finally got for himself what Raizel would dub as an accomplishment. 

Even with something he could carve upon a new trophy for himself – something that he can proudly present to the patriarchs of the Kertia clan – he did not feel elated or proud at all.

His head was endlessly winding and rewinding a marathon of what he had gone through during his showdown against Deneb, pumping into his atriums and ventricles a myriad of feelings for each heartbeat. 

The last of his curiosity for Grandia that has finally made its comeback. 

Indignation at Deneb’s unspeakable plan. 

And...... 

“Seem tremendously troubled you do.” 

Just before he was once again conquered by the emotional chain most intricately bound to his mind at the moment, Raizel’s velvety call dragged him back to reality. 

“Apologies, sir. I’m afraid I failed to attend to your words.” 

“From your body I feel the edge of energies of Rayga and Razark.” 

Rael’s head twitched, bowed in the presence of the Noblesse. 

His soul weapon was tucked in hiding, waiting for the next summon its master would issue. 

And just because a soul weapon is on standby for a summon does not mean its energy is completely intact within its outline. 

However, in order for the energy within the soul weapon to leak, its owner must engage in a battle to unleash even the least portion of power he or she could afford, which will whisk only the faintest of the soul weapon’s energy. 

Like the very first time Rael put himself against Frankenstein in Seoul, for example. 

Compared to what happened back then, Rael’s Grandia is half-asleep, if its state is to be transcribed into a medical state, and Rael did not even attempt to dispense his power. 

Yet Raizel claimed he picked up traces of Rayga and Razark, permanently asleep in Grandia. 

Rael’s head wobbled back and forth, driven by the thought that his father and brother must have been aware of the anguish and deliberation he had suffered. 

As expected. 

And now he knew why Grandia had been serving as a thorn in his path. 

“Sir, could you please spare me some time for me to open my heart...?” 

What he had experienced was not the sort to rub into anybody’s nose, but Rael saw no reason to keep it a secret any longer. 

Thus he unraveled the entire history of distress and woes he had with his soul weapon. 

He also unleashed the sorrow, disorientation, and pressure he had to bear in relation to his conflict with the patriarchs of his clan.

Even though he was made an audience for something he had never asked for, Raizel kept his ears as focused as possible, his eyes never once blinking. 

Rael’s speech met its end, but Raizel remained silent.

From his mouth as well-reserved as his nature, and from his eyes as serene as his physique and psyche, Rael could read Raizel’s intention. 

The Noblesse was serving himself as a well – a well that never retorts or rebukes or rejects, regardless of the words that are poured into it.

A well that will simply accept whatever its visitor throws in and wait where it is until the visitor completely empties his or her monologue. 

Rael realized a tad late that he was puffing up feeble gasps, now that he was done speaking. 

It was not of the rate that would tail unimaginably rigorous physical labor. 

It was closer to a physical and mental closure to a long, long mediation. 

In fact, Rael could feel his heart clear like never before – at least he had never felt like this since his perpetual return to Lukedonia – reminiscent of the heaven made clean with a tempest. 

As of now, he felt like he could do anything – including, for instance, dealing with his struggle against the oh-so-fearful patriarchs of Kertias once and for all. 

‘I see.’ 

That was when Rael caught up on another motive behind Raizel’s quiet toleration of his narrative. 

‘He’s helping me with my practice. After all, second is always easier than the first.’ 

And he even took caution to be considerate of Rael’s dignity, to allow him to figure out his purpose. 

Rael met Raizel in the eyes, the Noblesse pleased that his treasured follower’s son earned an enlightenment. 

“My Grandia had been unresponsive because my will was not what I should have carried. I should have held my blades with nothing but the very essence of the will of Kertias. Since who-knows-when, I’ve been captivated by this obsession that I must be a head of my clan that will not shame my father and brother. I have forgotten about myself as the head of Kertias, even committing shame of mimicking my brother in every aspect of my life, copying his hair and manner of speech.” 

Rael’s voice was devoid of its past weight, instead firm and well-grounded. 

“When I discarded all my obsession and corrected my path into the direction that will lead me to the Kertian will, albeit uncoordinated and inexperienced... That was when Grandia returned to me. And now... I think I know what path I must follow as the head of my clan... What I should do to truly return my gratitude to my father and brother, who gave me an ordeal of a lesson from my blades.” 

It had been less than 24 hours since his steel reassumed its position, but Rael’s eyes were glowing with unmeasurable profundity. 

“There is no need for perfection. There is no need for reenactment of my father and brother. What I need is self-discovery in my own path and will as a head of my clan. And I will never forget what truly matters. My deepest gratitude, sir, for being a company to my account.” 

Raizel at last parted his lips, illustrating a subtle smile as if he was elated to be of help. 

“Now go.” 

Go? Go where? 

“Concerned of him, you have been.” 

Yup, he is impossible to fool. 

“In that case, please excuse me.”

Keeping his manners functional to the very last moment, Rael showed the most well-shaped bow he could perform and turned his course, to the most seriously injured person among all people hospitalized as urgent patients within KSA’s infirmary. 

*****

“...Sir... Rael...” 

Rael was greeted by a vocal beckoning so very thin, not strange at all to be gone in mere seconds, the speaker’s every plane supposedly naked for the noble to see clad in bandages. 

Had Rael been born from a different race, he would not have caught that Yuhyung was making a sound, let alone comprehend what he was making sounds for. 

That was just how disastrously his voice box – no, how his entire body was compromised. 

“Hang in there for just a little bit. Sir Frankenstein will be here soon.” 

Rael offered a notice on Frankenstein’s return, by courtesy of Tao. 

No punishment ever coined would be enough upon the human, considering what he had wrought and hence brought upon Korea. 

Nonetheless, the RK’s reached an agreement to show the felon to Frankenstein. 

After all, neither legal penalty nor physical retaliation would be possible if he is to die. 

And Rael took out that part in his news; he did not feel this is the time to reveal the fact. 

“And I recommend you to brace yourself. Lukedonia may summon you as an affiliate to Deneb’s act of treason, So...” 

At then, Yuhyung spat out eccentric pieces of coughs. 

If his throat happened to be better even by little, Rael would have noted immediately that it was meant to be a self-sneer.

That it was meant to be a self-scorn of immense regret, for making an irrevocable, erroneous choice and marking upon hundreds of people humongous bitterness of betrayal and scars. 

‘Just how blind have I been...?’ 

The day he lost his colleagues to nobleborn and wolfborn elders of the Union and begot the blade called vengeance in his bosom.

That was the day Yuhyung got to define the noblekind and wolfkind as his nemesis. 

He swore he will never forgive them. 

He swore he will have his revenge.

He swore he will pry out the hearts of his nemesis with the blade within him, on the day he finally gains power. 

So on the day Taesik and the doctor suddenly called him and assigned him business trips to nobles and werewolves, he burned with cruel passion. 

And he even got to meet a Union agent called Helga, everything seemingly a golden chance from Lady Luck. 

Which is why the moment he began his duty with the QuadraNet project, he deliberately shaped himself more uncoordinated and frantic. 

He never stopped smiling and dispersing goofy laughs, as if his mouth was full of honey, but he painstakingly waited for the day he would get to reveal the blade within him, very much alive and hissing like a snake. 

That was the way he had been, until he got to learn about Rael. 

He felt his vindictive stance crumbling, in the face of a noble very far from arrogance or vanity. 

He even felt for sure how he was wavering when he met the beautiful lord of the nobles. 

Because when he was demonstrating for her Tao’s phone and apps, she was not hugely different from the human girls from his world, shy about her affections for her certain someone. 

And then he ran into an unexpected addition to his quest – a noble named Deneb who forced him to be his spy on Rael. 

Because of whom Yuhyung was half-coerced to yield from his set of equipment a walkie-talkie and the extrasensitive thermal detector, in case there were to be a future collision with Rael. 

‘I almost had a heart attack when I realized Sir Rael rummaged through my bag, upon the sea where he was to hand me over to Miss Lunark, when I had a seizure. I was scared he might have realized my bag lost some weight.’ 

Apart from his apprehension towards an unwelcome ally, back then Yuhyung was actually thankful for Deneb. 

For he became the reason for Yuhyung to scold himself that nobles cannot be trusted at all (and he should know it), the Illiness reeking of desire for Seira in every composition of his being, upon the sight of which Yuhyung regrounded his attitude that was swaying ever since his encounter with Rael and Lascrea. 

Notwithstanding, he found himself hesitating once again, as he watched how Lunark was basically screaming into his eyes how she had a crush, with Garda making a huge show of teasing her.

He felt that they are basically werewolf versions of his own kind.

And he could feel himself precariously dithering, as he could practically hear the word “maybe” in his head at least dozen times. 

He even had to shake his head as if there were a tarantula sitting upon it, but in the end he was met with a trial. 

When Lunark escorted him back to Lukedonia, they had stopped in the middle of their marine trail. 

He was horrified that she might have detected what lurks in his heart, but to his utmost surprise she brought herself upon her knees. 

I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry about the death of your colleagues and devastation of your homeland, because of the assault that I was part of on that day. I know it’s too late to apologize. I know my apology does not bring back your colleagues. Still... I’m so sorry. I really am. 

Never has he seen it coming. 

Never has he even imagined that the very assailant of the tragedy would kneel before him. 

What shocked him even more was that he almost offered her his hand to raise her up before she did. 

As he put on a masquerade of every frenzy he could muster, he internally gritted his teeth. 

That’s right, werewolf. This doesn’t change anything. 

I’m not changing my goal, no matter what you do. 

And how do I know if you’re being serious? 

So I’m going to stick to my plan. 

I will bring power to the KSA and stab your heart with this blade of mine! 

‘I should have known that I was being stubborn... I should have known that I knew I was being stubborn. I should have stopped myself from ignoring what my heart was screeching at me.’ 

It was because of this incident at Seoul that he finally realized his heart could no longer stay as the sheath for his blade. 

As he watched how the blade he was so certain was meant for nobles and werewolves ironically butchered his own kind and his beloved motherland, and as he grew delirious with pain and despair, as if the heaven had forsaken him, he finally had the enlightenment. 

‘Not all nobles are evil. Not all werewolves are morally castrated. It is not right to dump individual evil upon the entire kind. Most importantly... I knew it deep down inside. But I’ve been playing deaf and blind.’ 

Which was proven by the fact that he unconsciously shifted his eyes towards Rael when he was pleading to Deneb to save this city. 

For a reason unbeknownst to him, he knew that Rael is the one he should be begging to, not Deneb. 

Which is why when Rael saved him from being pushed off the brink of death via Deneb’s hand and speedily carried him to KSA, Yuhyung did not waste his time at all in providing something to him. 

Something he had earned during his quest at wolfkind’s realm, when he found from Adne’s computer the most recently printed file during the course of his work with QuadraNet project. 

A file on something called GC chip. 

It was the Union technology he found to be most enchanting, so he even took his separate notes about it. 

That was what he handed to Rael, and the latter lived up to his expectations, saving Seoul with his team. 

‘Even now he’s caring for a criminal and a traitor called me... Brace myself? I’ve already given up on myself, whatever it is that is waiting for me.’

Enemy to him. Enemy to Korea. And enemy to the mankind. 

One of the subjects he had deemed so in fact saved him. He saved Korea. And he saved the mankind, at least those inhabiting this city.

And he could collect fragments of words that Tao, Takio, and M-21 shared as they visited in turns to take a look at him, to learn that Lunark did something similar at Lukedonia. 

‘My true enemy wasn’t the nobles. Or werewolves. It was my thirst for vengeance twisted and distorted into obsession and obstinacy, refusing to accept that not all nobles and werewolves are my enemies.�� 

Which means it is time for him to throw away the blade he had been tucking deeply in his chest. 

‘No... I shouldn’t throw it away. I must free it from the sheath called obsession, wipe off rust called obstinacy, and pass it on to the new wielder. To somebody who is directly affiliated with this matter and thus scheduled with a hell of a round of toil. Not to mention how he was discussing with Mr. Tao and his team that he must return to Lukedonia as soon as possible and bring judgment upon Deneb.’ 

With his decision made, Yuhyung croaked repeatedly to draw Rael’s attention. 

His eyes bulging, the Kertia approached to look into the man, and Yuhyung for first time ever gave it all he had gotten to clutch onto his garment. 

Or rather, he managed to barely place two of his fingers on Rael’s sleeve. 

“I... Have... Some... Thing... To... Give... You...” 

At first Rael tried to stop him from speaking; speech was on the list of not-to-do’s for the human in his current condition. 

But the fact that Yuhyung would know very well how he is doing and yet is struggling to say something made him change his mind.

Which resulted with Rael’s eyes, already bulky enough, growing so enormous that it was a wonder they did not burst. 

(next chapter)

Once again, I’ve brought you a chapter on how much Rael has grown lol. He happens to be my 3rd bias from Noblesse, so I’ve been waiting to compose and post this chapter. And at last here it is. :) Once I’m done describing the internal shifts the characters have gone through, this fic will finally meet its end. Actually, I assume Ch. 70 will be the final chapter. I have several projects I must get busy with, so it’s about time for me to finish this series. Although I don’t feel like I’m getting there yet, by the time I post the final chapter I’d feel immensely rueful that it’s over. Until then I will do my best as a writer. Much gratitude to those of you who would read my fic!

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 29 – Disaster and Calamity

“Goddamn it...... If only I had arrived sooner...”

“Don’t do that to yourself. It wasn’t deliberate, and you were left in the dark regarding the situation.”

Frankenstein stabbed the end of his sentence with a big fat period, as if warning Lunark that he will hear no more of her self-reprimand.

As she gaped at him, she suddenly made a snickering noise; knowing this is no situation in the world to laugh at, Frankenstein raised his eyebrow.

“I can’t imagine what would have become of us if it weren’t for you.”

Her lips curved in a beautiful crescent, and Frankenstein could feel his head swaying in dazzlement, because of which he could not keep his eyes locked on her face.

To his great relief, his control over his facial expressions was not completely lost. Not just yet.

“Are you saying things would have been irredeemable if it weren’t for me? I know most of your warriors as of now were chosen urgently, but I think you have a trust issue with your own kind.”

“That’s not true. Of course I trust them. But it’s different from the trust I have for you. It’s like... How should I put this?”

After rotating her head to either side for a bit, Lunark set her eyes on a wolfsbane plant, its blossoms embodying the exact color of her pupils.

“My trust for my kind is like trust in a flower. It is capable of thriving and flourishing on its own, but it will surely return your investment as much as you input. On the other hand, you shouldn’t expect much if you did not make much investment, though it won’t wilt so easily.”

Then what about your trust in me?

Frankenstein could not bring himself to ask, lest his voice be marred with expectation too tangible.

“And my trust in you is like... Like that in the moon.”

Lunark raised her head, beholding the milky celestial body glowing above, serving as a spotlight for just the two of them.

“Its presence will never fade away no matter how far it is. It stays inconspicuous for most of your daily life, but you can locate it in its orbit, promised and undoubted, once you seek it. So you can always tell yourself that it will always be there for you.”

And it’s unreachable by all standards. And it shines wherever and whenever I gaze at it.

Lunark muttered her final comment like a whisper, but she soon regretted that she did not furnish it mute in her head.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

Lunark’s heartstrings tugged when Frankenstein retorted, and after hesitation she yielded the latter half of the truth.

“...You shine. You always do, wherever you are.”

As soon as she said that, Frankenstein’s ears, hidden beneath his silky blonde, heated up as his blood boiled, followed suit by his head and heart.

“What? Don’t tell me this is your first time having someone tell you you’re good-looking. I should know it’s not the first, and certainly not the first from me. And don’t you dare ask me to repeat myself. My face is not thick enough to do that.”

As she feigned calmness, the series of words she fired broke the surface of Frankenstein’s heart and caused relentless ripples, each greater than the one before.

Now that he has acknowledged his feelings for her, the words that should contain no meaning (or so he had thought) reached the depths that he did not even know they existed.

On the contrary, he did not hate the fact that she had such high evaluation for him. In fact, he liked it, so much that he felt kind of lightheaded.

The only thing he could do was to peek at her as she stared above, smiling very serenely for a reason Frankenstein could not imagine and would die to figure out.

(Illustration by. RyO - you can find her DeviantArt page here)

He managed to break free from his reverie only when his mind screamed at him that if he keeps gawking at her, he will not be able to produce an excuse when she inquires him what he is looking at.

“So where were you all this time?”

Lunark turned silent at once, not sure what to do.

She had been in Seoul, the perimeter near the neighborhood where Frankenstein used to be. She raced all the way to Korea right after her encounter with Rael.

She wanted to do something to relieve Frankenstein of his stress, so she opted to get something he is fond of from Korea.

To her utmost surprise, she ran up to something not at all she had looked forward to, and she was not sure how she should unleash the details to the man in front of her.

The three modified humans under his wings had a problem – or they were the problem.

And it was by no means insignificant, momentous enough to be dubbed a disaster.

*****

Few days ago, a building zone in Seoul

Never in her life has Lunark ever wished so dearly for a reason.

The one who would have the greatest knowledge of Frankenstein’s likes would be him.

However, immediately after she reminded herself of the fact, she could feel an invisible wall thrusting itself upon her.

‘Just what kind of reason can I give to ask him what Frankenstein likes?’

It was no hour to pay any sort of visit; she regretted that she did not arrive during day, when he would be at school, a much more convenient environment for her to attempt lying that she wanted to say hi during a business trip to Korea.

And since this was a personal visit, she had no legitimate excuse to waste more than a day to fulfill her purpose.

Then it hit her that Frankenstein might not be happy that she had sought Raizel on a personal matter, and in no chance in hell was she going to do something that had even a close-to-zero chance of winning herself his murderous glare.

Which is why she settled on counsel from the three modified humans in his team. For which reason was what she was missing once again.

She did not have to confront them to realize that they are willing to bolt out anytime as soon as she pretends there is something wrong with Frankenstein.

And they were not stupid to buy when she tells them she decided to drop by, whether she had something to deal with or not.

She did break some ice with M-21, offering him a helping hand or two, but she remembered how she made it specific that the only reason why she would ever help him is because he is Frankenstein’s comrade.

‘And why did I ever say that to him...?!’

Unable to find a way out of the labyrinth of trouble in her own mind, Lunark was helplessly exhausting her time, stuck in the shady corner of a nameless building, until she caught a familiar scent in the air.

‘...It’s them. And it’s getting stronger. Like they are coming this way. Did they notice I’m here?!’

Feeling guilty for an unimaginable reason, Lunark made herself even scarcer, well-aware that she had nothing to hide.

She peeked at the sources of the scent, the only hint that she was very close to the ones she was looking for.

She could find the three men, in the exact same looks as the imprinted images in her head, entering a building at distance, in a curiously and highly cautious manner, probably because of whatever that was waiting for them inside.

‘What a coincidence.’

Lunark could not tell whether she should be amazed at herself, having provided herself a chance though it was never intended, or frustrated with herself, incapable of using her chance when it is right there.

She could only watch for what would happen next, and before too long M-21 ran outside – or rather, he ejected himself from within.

Tao followed and held him by his shoulders, and Lunark guessed Takio was near the entrance, by the glimpse of his purple hair dancing.

And M-21 exhibited quite vicious gestures and expressions during their conversation.

‘...No, it’s more than vicious. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him punching at them, and I’d thought they are more than close.’

Lunark knew this requires more investigation, so she slipped away from her secret respite to hear them.

“...This to us?!”

“Hold it, M-21. Let’s just calm down and...”

“I should’ve known something is wrong. I should’ve known something is wrong when you took your least favorite menu from the fridge at an inconvenient spot to reach, and then you started taking out some of our groceries. How could you keep this a secret, Tao? You knew that our fridge has been losing weight recently! Did you give a hand in this?!”

“I didn’t! I didn’t even know what was going on until now. I figured there must be a good reason why Takio didn’t tell us, so...”

“Oh, yes. Speaking of which, let’s hear it. So tell me how good is your reason to keep one of the most dangerous agents of Union hidden in here.”

Lunark could not remember what exactly happened next; when she snapped awake, she found herself looking directly into three pairs of eyes, quaking in recognition.

“W-what are you...”

“Move.”

“What? Uh, wait...!”

Instead of reiterating herself, Lunark shoved herself into the door, the three men too flustered to stop her.

And so Lunark came face-to-face with a woman with red hair and sharp looks all too familiar, flinching at her in a safehouse marred with equipment and supplies boasting Frankenstein’s touch.

“You...?”

“...Aren’t you the 5th Elder?”

“...Care to explain?”

Her eyes were fixed on Yuigi, but Lunark was clearly addressing the supposed inviter, the tall, slender sniper.

“...As you can see, I saved Miss... I mean, her. I found her imprisoned as a specimen in Crombell’s temporary lab and took her with me.”

“Have you lost your senses? She’s not just a Union agent – she’s one of Cerberus, the personal bodyguards of the 12th Elder! Since neither of your teammates knew about this, I guess there’s no chance that Frankenstein or the Noblesse would be aware of this. Why would you fool everyone in your team and hide a Cerberus? Was she your ex-teammate? Or an ex-lover?”

“W-we’re neither of them. If I were to define our relationship, I’d say I personally owe her a debt.”

In spite of the eyes full of curses from both his sides, Takio began his story in a surprisingly peaceful manner, which ended in silence so absorbing nobody would have batted an eye even if the safehouse broke down in crumbles.

Takio was moral enough to feel guilty and break his lips loose from its stun, but Lunark got ahead of him.

“So she actually said she will cooperate if we demand?”

“...Yes.”

As much as she was bothered how he held his breath before his reply, Lunark did not pose a question at him.

‘A Union runaway just got caught by an ally of Union’s greatest fear who also happens to be wolfkind’s executive. Now she will have no choice but be an obedient dog in order to stay alive, although the question remains whether she can be useful to us.’

Not to mention Yuigi is part of 12th Elder’s forces – forces against Crombell. Lunark knew there were more than Crombell and his minions consisting the Union, so she anticipated Yuigi to be a guide in detecting them.

Settled with her decision, Lunark straightened her robe.

“Not that I’m happy with this situation, but I’m not the one who brought her. So I’d have no say in this situation.”

Takio’s and Yuigi’s heads snapped up as soon as she finished her sentence, as if they were electrocuted.

“And don’t forget – you officiated it. You WILL provide us help whenever we need it.”

“So you mean...”

“Prove it. Prove and we’ll see, though this is not really my concern. But instead... You shall be responsible for everything that is to take place from here on.”

Lunark peered at Takio, making sure he put it in his head that he should and shall be the leash for their newfound K9 unit, so that it would not bite off their heads in the future.

Or at least she hoped he would get it in his head, making herself looking as relaxed as possible as she turned on her heels.

*****

Her trip turned out to be much more shocking than expected – so shocking she forgot to her initial purpose – and she still did not have time to fully process it.

‘Should I tell him?’

Lunark, of course, already knew what to do.

‘This guy would completely purge every being that can potentially threaten his master, whether it is a Union agent or a harmless leaf falling from a tree. So even if his teammate is the cause...’

But that did not give her an excuse to play deaf on Frankenstein, and Lunark could feel her mind struggling to escape from her.

To her bewilderment, it was revealed she had worried for nothing.

“Forget it. You don’t have to tell me if you can’t. It’s all good, since you’re back.”

“...What?”

“I know you have a life. And reasons. And I’ve no right to pry them out of you every single time when I can, don’t you think?”

In reality, he was more than interested in her life and reasons; yet he had to shift himself away by force.

He had a good feeling that if he were to let his interest run wild, it will whip itself up as a lethal mental wave and never release him.

Frankenstein feigned leisure as he raised himself from his spot.

“You leaving?”

“Why would I stick around? I’ve no reason to. And you’d better be careful. The Union already trespassed twice; I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go for three and more.”

Frankenstein stepped towards the woods teeming with branches and fruits he could not identify, which brought a reminder for Lunark.

The direction he was taking would take him to the trees exclusively native to her land, notorious for roots protruding as if they were made to trip anyone who passes by and gigantic fruits that were prone to crush anyone’s skull upon walking beneath during the harvest season.

Lunark was about to tail Frankenstein, hurriedly calling after him, when her feet were caught in an especially curvy part of the root, giving her a mortal lesson that there is a reason why people say they should mind their own business.

With a brief cry of alarm, Lunark was about to fall flat on her nose, but luckily it was thwarted by arms sharp and strong.

Then she found herself basically plastered to Frankenstein’s chest.

Thanks. You’re a lifesaver.

That was so very not necessary.

Sorry for being pain in the ass until the last moment.

She could deliver none of the messages floating in her head, and Lunark’s eyes were furiously lost.

So she missed that Frankenstein was just as flabbergasted.

‘...What have I done?’

His body preceded his head, shoving him into a posture that would be impossible for people other than those in a relationship.

‘Relationship my rear end. What you’re doing is no different from groping.’

He should have withdrawn his arms and let go of her waist, but his nerves and joints refused to cooperate.

‘...At least I didn’t hit her in her lips. And that’s good.’

That was the last thing Frankenstein could think of, when he felt her breath ghosting over his own lips.

He was relieved and yet mystified, ticked off from his usual balance and usual celerity to his surroundings, and then a particularly humongous fruit skyrocketed downward and plunged into his head.

The fruit the size of a small melon mercilessly hammered the human’s head before it rolled down the slope, but the two noted nothing thanks to the calamity.

They could not even move for a while, enthralled by the perfume and silkiness of each other’s lips upon theirs.

(next chapter)

At last, ladies and gentlemen, Frankenstein and Lunark kissed for the very first time! XD Originally I did not plan on making them kiss; I was going to have Frankie stare at Lunark in mesmerization, and that was it (which is why the illustration for this chapter does not show them kissing). But while I was composing, I decided it’s about time for them to take a step beyond with their relationship, so here it is lol. Also, it’s about time to introduce more struggles and skirmishes in my fic; I hope you’d stay tuned for more!

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic  (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 51 – Nightmare Walking

Hair originally flaunting glamorous gold now stricken dark purple.

Bare torso marred with purple just as dark.

Atmosphere oh-so-ferocious, ridding the bystanders of any desire to approach, the operative part being the fact that it is from someone who is merely standing with his back visible.

And the building completely tattered into crumbles, an influential addition that renders the entire scene as intimidating as it can be.

Nobody would have stayed standing upon the immediate sight of the isle.

But it was Lunark who was at the scene.

“Frankenstein!”

Her voice even hinted elation as she lunged forward, screeching her sweetheart’s name.

She had been steeling herself for the worst-case scenario – Frankenstein’s death via 3rd Elder’s hand – throughout her marine marathon.

And here she was, confirming how he was at least on his feet, a reason legitimate enough for her to place her emotions above her logics that were suggesting she should first get a picture of what happened here.

Despite her ardent glee that matched that of a wife welcoming a husband back from the war, her body halted when her audience turned around.

There was still a distance between them, but the smile that had bloomed across her countenance froze in awkward distortion.

Her facial muscles were reformed in a violent speed when the lean figure wholly faced her, into those that someone would wear upon running into their parents’ killer.

“...What are you? Don’t even think about playing tricks with your tongue. You’re not Frankenstein. I can tell that you’re not.”

The man looked no different from the time when 1st Elder and 3rd Elder invaded werewolf realm. And from the time when she had met Frankenstein for very first time.

He looked exactly what he looks like whenever he deliberately forfeits the control over the Dark Spear.

Nevertheless, Lunark noticed something has changed, for a reason she could not define herself, the closest excuse being an instinct that would allow a mother bird to recognize her offspring among thousands of fluffy chicks.

With all circumstances put behind, Lunark did not hesitate to sharpen her eyes and lips with belligerence.

“What have you done to Frankenstein?”

That was when her party ended the long silence.

“We did nothing. He brought this on himself.”

We?

Just as I’d thought, the Dark Spear took over his body.

That was one mystery gone, but to Lunark it was simply checking the answer she had on her mind as correct. In other words, the weight in her chest has not been lifted at all.

In fact, the Dark Spear’s claim that Frankenstein was to blame for this added fuel to the concern blazing within her.

“What are you talking about? There’s no way Frankenstein would let this happen.”

“We are just as clueless of the exact reason why. Frankenstein chugged this tonic he’d have more often than water, just like a drug addict doing drug. And this is how things ended up.”

Lunark realized what was the tonic the Dark Spear was mentioning; it must be what Frankenstein had in his silver flask, which she witnessed upon her first visit to this island.

“Not convincing. Frankenstein is more thorough than any other creature I know, especially when it comes to research. He will never make any mistake in managing his own invention. What did you do to him?”

“We can’t deny that we have lots of problem with this world and this guy in particular, but we never lie. When Frankenstein returned from your domain, he briefly talked to that 3rd Elder guy, before he downed the whole cup of the tonic he made in his lab in advance.”

Upon mention of 3rd Elder, Lunark momentarily minced her lips, her rage reminding her that it was still there.

“And then he complained of mind-numbing vertigo, until he fell unconscious like a TV unplugged. At the same time, the iron-hard control he has been maintaining at last broke down.”

From Dark Spear’s mouth slipped a low snicker.

Lunark was now familiar with Frankenstein’s unique devilish laughter, but she has never heard such unpleasant, loathsome laugh.

She felt as if she were witnessing the declaration of war from a devil – no, from disaster itself.

“We have no idea how, but both his body and mind fell into slumber! And now we have full control of his flesh and bones!”

The Dark Spear raised Frankenstein’s head high, and maniacal cackle erupted from his throat; and it raised Frankenstein’s arms and looked around as if showing off what it had done.

“And as you can see, we were free to experiment what we can do. Although we couldn’t get a chance to gain experience from Frankenstein’s roommate. How unfortunate. Perhaps he foresaw that something wicked is coming his way; by the time we could walk around on our own, he was nowhere to be seen.”

At then Lunark’s stony face was struck by thousand chasms.

‘I knew it – he’s behind all this. And he scrammed after flinging a lit match into a barrel of gasoline. I will so not let him get away with this!’

To Lunark’s grimace, she was not given time to plot exactly how she can best beat the guts out of him.

The Dark Spear pointed its hideous crimson eyes, which used to be the most beautiful topaz blue in the world, at the werewolf warrior.

“But look what we have here – a new lab rat that visited on its own feet to substitute him!”

Lunark’s jaw muscles thundered with strain as soon as she processed how things were going.

By now she was supposed to race across the ocean in search of 3rd Elder; alas, she knew there was no way she could walk away from this scene. Instantly she stiffened from head to toe, to go ahead and step backwards.

The Dark Spear crooked the either side of its lips at her response.

“Speaking of which, it’s such a shame that Frankenstein fell in death-like slumber. We’ll miss our chance to make him watch how he will crush his lady by his own hands.”

Lunark happened to be calculating and measuring every option available to break free from her immediate position, hopefully escape unscathed, but Dark Spear’s statement made her brain freeze.

“...What are you saying?”

Asked Lunark in a flustered, desperate, pleading voice, something that should not be pulled out as of now.

Her heart decided to be selfish and outrun her logics.

“Oh? So you had no idea that this guy had feelings for you. Ugh, that reminds us of all those goosebumps we had to suffer. You can’t imagine how much agony and anguish he had assigned himself, weighing for millions of times his affection for you against his duty-slash-standing. And he just had to be a drama queen in the meantime; we were beyond cringed to observe him.”

The enlightenment, thanks to the courtesy of Dark Spear, hit Lunark’s head hard, already half-ridden of its functions, like a lash of a whip upon a skinned body.

‘Frankenstein has feelings for me...?’

Several centuries ago, during a pleasant afternoon outing as a child, her mother discussed how she got to be mates with her daughter’s father.

And she told Lunark that to feel love was to feel how the color of blood paints the heart, of which its color in turn paints one’s vision, which ultimately dyes the world.

Back then Lunark, being an innocent little girl she was, retorted if that means love would make her see the world in red, after the color of her own blood.

Her mother roared with laughter and told her that one day she will understand.

And right now, with her life in undeniable jeopardy, Lunark finally understood what her mother meant.

Her blood and heart and vision were bathed white, like crystal-colored feathers, magically glossing the after-war-like scene into snow white.

Sadly, her ecstasy did not long due to what was about to unfold.

“Anyhow, now it’s time to see how much of despair we can give to a living!”

The Dark Spear spread its palm out wide in a swaggering manner, towards Lunark.

Registering what will promptly follow, Lunark kicked off without thinking.

Bam!!!

Splinters of rocks and dust flew about from the spot Lunark was posted to a mere second ago.

The Dark Spear flung dark purple balls of energy towards the werewolf warrior scurrying here and there in evasion, and each and every last one of Lunark’s teeth ground brutally.

Not long after, Lunark emitted enraged shriek and attempted a counterattack.

“Give him back right now, you bastard!”

Lunark’s fist speared through the air, precisely towards where she wanted.

She had yet to shift into battle form, but she was a werewolf. A race with no superior when it comes to physical strength, and she even came with a proud title of a warrior.

Just when her punch was to do what it was supposed to do, Frankenstein’s eyes were cleared of blood-red haze, to instead pay Lunark a blue gaze buried beneath.

It was too brief to be dubbed a split second, but Lunark’s movement automatically ceased.

And hesitation on a battlefield is bound to end as a fatal error.

“Aaargh!!!”

Dozens of hellish darkness and sharpness pierced through Lunark’s every corporal plane and curve.

She was basically a breathing insect specimen, made immobile in midst of a forest of dark purple spears, too packed to shove even a hand.

“Now this is beyond our expectations.”

The Dark Spear sniggered, swinging the arm it just used to land ruthless blows upon Lunark.

She glared murder at the Dark Spear, as she felt sinister energy spreading throughout her shape through her wounds.

“No need to give us that look. We won’t kill you right now. We had thought of killing Frankenstein’s beloved right on spot, but... Change of plan. We have a better idea.”

Lunark’s heart, captured by anxiety, thumped skittishly within her ribs.

“We’ll be heading to Lukedonia.”

“...What?”

“Frankenstein does have a lot of people he cares for, you included, but his top priority is the Noblesse. Which is not surprising. His greatest fear would be to commit anything that could topple the peace of the Noblesse’s heart. So we would be able to stomp his heart for good if we wreak havoc at the Noblesse’s homeland. After all, physical pain can’t be any more meaningless for him.”

Lunark’s pupils quivered in frenzy, at the sight of an animosity claiming how it will run straight to Lukedonia right now.

“Now excuse us. We have a long way to go. Oh, and it’d be wise not to try anything to get yourself out of there. Thanks to Crombel and pieces of Blood Stone he used to own, our power has more than tripled!”

Leaving behind a sickening smirk, voluptuously sized cloud of dust, and a boom of impact, the slender human frame was gone.

“G-get back here, you...!”

Lunark yelled in alarm; she squirmed in gut reaction, to very soon grunt in pain.

Where she was impaled by dark purple javelins began to release much darker aura.

Of course, she could muster her powers in a flash to destroy all the spears and begin her pursuit.

‘But the Dark Spear is equipped with power that works against healing power, with our endowment of healing power no exception. And the natural-born destructive tendency given to Blood Stone would not leave me unharmed. Which means I’d get to start this battle with a handicap.’

So what?

Are you going to just give up?

It took less than a second for her inner voice to reprimand her, because of which the tremor of her lips was gone.

‘Of course not.’

Lunark shut her eyes for a moment, and the next moment her pink pupils conveyed nothing but determination.

‘Just you wait, Frankenstein. I will save you. Now I know how you feel about me, and though my lord told me to get over you... I’m more generous than you’d think. Generous enough to save my secret admirer’s butt.’

The grey-haired werewolf gnashed her teeth, and her vessels began to thud with resolute pulse.

And then Lunark howled, her hair dispersing with passionate battle spirit, and silver-white pillar of light ejected itself towards heaven.

(next chapter)

Well, there’s one good thing that Dark Spear has done for Frankie and Lunark - it testified that Frankenstein has feelings for Lunark XD. Now that the battles are about to unfold, I will be going back and forth between different places as I make progress with my fic. I’ll do my best to make sure there won’t be any confusion or misunderstanding as you read the future chapters. Hope you’d stay tuned for more!

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 46 – I Heard Nothing

“Don’t kill him. Not just yet. We’d better figure out how big is his dagger and how much he managed to unsheathe and plunge it into our backs.”

Said M-21 to Lunark, who was rummaging her cloak.

“...Can’t guarantee I’ll remember that, but for now I’ll give you my word.”

Countered Lunark to M-21, who was turning away to get his clothes changed.

She was ready to warm up her joints, with nobody to send her away due to her rejection, when a sound stilled her steps.

“Lunark.”

Familiar were both the voice and the name. However, with the two combined Lunark jumped as if she were caught on fire.

It was the very first time having none other than Raizel calling her name.

She assumed only something important would have urged the Noblesse to delay her at such emergency; thus she obediently held her movements and waited for his following words.

Contrary to her assumption he merely stared at her in silence, and Lunark gently crushed her teeth against each other in anxiety.

She decided to ask for his understanding and save whatever it is for later if it falters in necessity. After all, the situation was dire.

Alas, that was when he chose to voice himself.

“At last I have come to see a promise.”

She could determine neither the purpose nor meaning of his words, and her pink eyes flipped like a pancake on a frying pan.

Before she could request for his explanation regarding this promise, Raizel began to retrace his steps back into his home. Apparently he never intended to keep her locked in her place for long.

At the same time, he left something that grabbed Lunark’s steps in their places for good.

“I shall count upon you concerning Frankenstein.”

She could not move for a while even after his disappearance.

She knew that the timing was outrageously wrong for her to speculate so, but it was as if she was watching a father who is sending away his treasured son to be someone’s husband.

‘Husband my behind. Snap out of it, Lunark.’

She had to shake her head to free her mind from idle thoughts. And by doing so, her brain brewed a duty that awaits her, sharpening her concentration to maximum.

Next up came rage, upon picturing a certain white-haired man; now she felt like punching herself in the face for not finding herself an opportunity to use his head as a shovel to dig up a grave for him when they were both elders of the Union.

With her fury driving her, Lunark finally kicked off and threw herself in the air.

Her mind was still keenly reverberating with wrath, shock that did not fade a bit, and hurried commitment.

On the other hand, a corner of her mind was echoing with desperation, and Lunark minced her lips as if her life depended on the action.

‘Please stay safe, Frankenstein... Please hang in there!’

*****

Few days later, Frankenstein’s island

“Welcome back.”

Frankenstein merely flapped his hand to 3rd Elder’s greetings and walked past him, which whipped the latter’s heart with cold biting sensation.

‘...He didn’t notice, did he?’

He knew, of course, that there was no way Frankenstein would know.

Because now he knew the recording device and camera Frankenstein implanted in him are no good.

And he wanted a word with the man regarding the matter.

He watched how Frankenstein was tramping forward, looking too exhausted he could bet the lord of the island would fall by simply having his name called, and he could feel guilt kicking and wrenching his conscience.

Are you sure it’s simply because you’re about to deny an exhausted man of his rest?

Muffling a voice whispering from a corner of his heart he could not pinpoint, 3rd Elder decided to speak.

“...Wait.”

Frankenstein, whose steps were weighed with fatigue, turned his head with much struggle.

Based on the fact that such ridiculously simple gesture was embedded with struggle, 3rd Elder could clearly see how serious Frankenstein’s state was.

That did nothing to make 3rd Elder change his mind, for this was the only chance he had.

“There’s something I’d like to ask.”

“...Be quick about it. I have a long way to go.”

Now that he was handed with the mic, 3rd Elder could not help but gulp.

‘...Just how did things turn out like this?’

The original plan was supposed to end with his immediate evacuation, instead of this confrontation.

‘...Who would’ve known our encounter would be led to this?’

Just a day ago, a weapon against heads of noble clans – or Sol, who has made the body his house and ride – presented himself at the island.

Here. Take it.

What’s this...?

It’s the chemical Union has been keeping. You know, the one that renders a substance its countersubstance. I believe I wouldn’t have to brief you about its use.

The man nodded, and that was supposed to be it.

Yet he asked Sol how he found out about this place, which ultimately rolled a snowball that raced all the way towards his conversation with Frankenstein.

I tracked down your whereabout. Do you remember what happened when you first ran into Ms. Helga?

Yes, but nothing in particular ha... Wait a minute. She did land a blow on my torso as soon as we recognized each other. Is this what you’re referring to? Speaking of which, after that Frankenstein did announce that my camera and recording device were jammed. Though he soon replaced them with functional ones.

Actually, that’s when Ms. Helga planted something in your body, and that thing is equipped with tracking feature. Forgive me for telling you now; she believed we shouldn’t tell you until we are assured that you’re with us.

There’s something inside me...? What did you do?

It’s a sort of distractor. We figured Frankenstein would leash you with a surveillance kit or two, so we requested our conspirator to come up with an anti-kit.

Conspirator? You mean...

Yes, he’s the inventor. It’s a mixture of a stealth device that absorbs sounds above certain decibels and a device that emits special signal to cause only noises for every type of footage-recording device. Both devices distract instead of destroying or freezing, so it would prevent Frankenstein’s knowledge, given that he calibrated his devices so he would pick up as soon as they are unavailable in function. And it’s a unique invention from its proposal to completion.

Shortly expressing marvel at devices that flaunted creativity, 3rd Elder feasted upon the thundering pounds of his heart.

If Sol’s words are as authentic as they could be, Frankenstein has been left in the dark concerning his behaviors ever since he met Helga.

Simultaneously, he could feel question nudging his cognition.

If his camera and recording device did not work properly after replacement, there is no way Frankenstein would not have pointed it out.

Nevertheless, the blonde scientist has never once sought him after replacement.

One excuse he could think of was that Frankenstein’s judgment is now fatally clouded, thanks to the sleeping issue he has been suffering.

Notwithstanding, his past history at Union was telling him there must be more than it seems behind this mystery.

And it was coercing him to find out more.

Sol, I know this is out of nowhere, but I need your help.

My help? For what...?

I’d like to find my voice and footage files Frankenstein would have collected so far.

With Sol’s hands in action, 3rd Elder could sneak a peek into Frankenstein’s personal files.

The firewall failed to stand against their infiltration, perhaps the network security compromised due to loss of connection during the failed activation of QuadraNet.

At the end of his navigation, 3rd Elder was turned speechless.

‘...How can this be?’

He could find records of his words and actions only from the times when he was beyond the shorelines.

The counterparts from the times when he was tucked within the boundaries of the isle were nowhere to be found.

‘Was he lying when he said he’s got his eyes on me on this island?’

Impossible.

That devilish homo sapiens will never do that.

We were adversaries to start with, and he’s keeping me alive just because he can make use of me.

Despite his uncertainties, 3rd Elder could not stop himself from dispensing the topic now that he was faced with the man of interest.

“Am I free of surveillance while I am on this island?”

In a flash, Frankenstein’s face marred with exhaustion and a bit of annoyance was sparked with icy glare.

Though the change did nothing, other than lightening the shade of the bags under his eyes by a tone.

“Don’t get me wrong. Before your return, I was reminiscing my days at Union and... Uh, I muttered something that you might take as a hint that I’m waiting for an opportunity to stab your back. Yeah, that’s right. I’m turning myself in, so you wouldn’t make a Dark-Spear-skewered meat out of me.”

The man did not miss how Frankenstein flinched albeit very faintly the moment he mentioned the cursed weapon.

Exhibiting none of his observations, he continued on.

“There’s a possibility that you didn’t check my voice print yet, but allow me to dare ask you, since you hadn’t burst into my room to throw a fit at me so far. Is this voice recorder inside me actually working...?”

Before either of them knew it, Frankenstein had fully turned to gaze at the speaker, who could feel his throat clenching as he witnessed how the master doctor was not even blinking.

I shouldn’t have asked. If only I can go back in time. If only I can have a word with the past me.

As 3rd elder was winding up bunch of thoughts, Frankenstein muttered, “...This is something students from my school used to say at a time like this: there’s a reason why sometimes it’s better to walk around in underpants than with smarty-pants.”

“...Beg your pardon?”

“That’s right. The voice recorder and the camera are off when you are in this island, via my judgment.”

The 3rd Elder’s face scrunched up so hard it almost looked foul: the one person ought to stay vigilant upon him was practically playing vigilant all this time.

“...But why?”

“Why? Isn’t it obvious? I’m not like Union, that’s why. I have no intention to keep tabs on each and every word and action of someone sharing my roof, like the Union lot had done. Most importantly, I happen to have a family. A family that had to go through horrible manipulation of body and mind under the Union. So there’s no way I’m doing what you have in mind. Now, if that answered your question, please excuse me.”

Frankenstein did not even wait for 3rd Elder to thaw from his mute stupefaction and promptly left.

That did not release 3rd Elder from his petrification.

‘He’s been neglecting me so far...?’

No, he was not neglecting me.

He was trusting me.

Perhaps it was too soon for him to employ the synonym of faith, but at least there was no doubt the way Frankenstein is treating him is different from the way he treats him.

When he explained why he was not keeping surveillance on him, the vocabulary he pulled out was ‘Union.’ Not ‘you Union folks.’ Or ‘your people.’

Which was a proof that Frankenstein no longer identifies him as part of the Union.

He thereby showed how he unconsciously crossed off 3rd Elder’s name from his list of foes.

As soon as he relished in the fact, he could feel something straining his heart.

And then he recalled what he had done at Frankenstein’s lab before his return.

Feeling something striking his chest, he turned halfway towards the lab, only to stop dead not after long.

The table was toppled, and the pieces of what used to lie on top cannot be restored.

‘...There was no other choice. This is for the Union. For the humanity.’

I heard nothing.

I. Heard. Nothing.

He endeavored to cover the fact that his hands are bloody, tagging definitely-not-nothing as nothing.

And he sprinted to get away from the crime scene on the double.

(next chapter)

Yes, 3rd Elder did feel guilty; yet he decided  to stab Frankenstein in the back. :’( And this isn’t the end of his appearance. Of course it’s not! Please stay tuned to find out what he does after this what his betrayal will bring about; I can guarantee that the result will be nothing close to meaningless.

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 50 – Yuhyung’s Scheme, and...

“What favor?”

Rael retorted, his posture frozen in poor coordination, a result of being interrupted when he was about to take a major leap towards KSA headquarter.

As he was waiting for Yuhyung’s following words, Rael was met with an unexpected heavy grit of the human’s upper and lower teeth, because of which he shifted his red irises towards the rear.

“What is it?”

The atmosphere perched upon his back turned grave out of blue, and Rael’s voice got graver to match it.

He could not fathom what could make such a hopelessly careless man so solemn without any warning.

“I know this is sudden, but I must ask you not to go to KSA.”

“What? What do you mean by that?”

“Please, could you take us to somewhere else? And I mean right now.”

They had not a second to waste for the QuadraNet project, and Rael could not be more baffled at Yuhyung’s request.

Still, as far as he was concerned, Yuhyung Jang was not the type to speak or behave with no reason, so Rael decided to give him ears.

“There’s someone after us.”

Right then Rael’s blonde hair made a rushed turn towards the speaker.

“What did you say?”

This cannot be.

I am the umbra unmatched, the sharpest steel of Kertias. There’s no way somebody, if anybody, could bypass my senses.

For the mere seconds he spent waiting for Yuhyung’s further details, the storm in Rael’s brain took his cognition towards deepest dread.

Normally he would have begun retracing everything he knows and has done until now, to ultimately and calmly deduce the most likely case that is at work at the moment.

However, he was held back by the barely-made progress of the QuadraNet project and the hardly-improved relation with the Kertia patriarchs.

What if someone did deceive my senses?

What if such qualified enemy is indeed stalking us?

What if I just went ahead and invited such surely-powerful foe to the KSA’s domain AND the country that the Noblesse has made his home?

And what if it turns out I raised the curtains for the sequel of Ignes’s assault on KSA or the trigger of this human’s trauma?

Rael could see the reprimanding faces of patriarchs ghosting within his vision.

His legs would have given out if Yuhyung had not called him once more.

“Uh, allow me to rephrase that. There’s someone after you.”

To me alone?

Does this mean this pursuer has something personal to deal with me, unrelated to Lukedonia or QuadraNet or the Union?

The tremor that was creeping over Rael’s entire shape was relatively gone.

Relatively.

“And I’d like to apologize... This is my fault.”

“What do you mean that it’s your fault?”

“Because this person is a noble just like you.”

“What? What do you...”

“There is this extremely pale man that looks like he’ll collapse if someone pokes him. Do you know him by any chance?”

“Deneb Illiness? Is that who you’re talking about?”

“Oh, that’s right. He called himself Deneb Illiness.”

Rael was aware that their history was not very beautiful.

Or rather, they had no history at all.

But is there a reason for him to chase me?

Above all, why is this human apologizing me regarding him?

Rael was busy rolling his eyes, and Yuhyung feigned guilt by tightening the entire muscles on his face.

“And for duration of my stay at Lukedonia... I served him as his eyes.”

Don’t tell me, muttered Rael in his head.

“He forecast that you’ll rarely separate yourself from me, as you are the Lukedonian ambassador for this project. So he demanded I spy on you for him.”

“...He told you to spy on me?”

“Y-yes... He said he should keep his eyes on you and even eliminate you if he has to, in order to get what he wants.”

Rael was shocked enough that someone has been trailing them from Lukedonia.

His shock was doubled upon finding out it was none other than Deneb Illiness.

Now his head was spinning to know that Yuhyung had been performing espionage behind everyone’s back for the noble with bloodless looks.

That did not mean the growth he had gone through during his strife against Union is entirely gone; despite that it took him a lot of effort to keep his lobes from being fragmented, his brain was slowly but surely whirring in process.

The only scenario he could think of to assign appropriate reason for Deneb to dare dream of watching and killing him, to the latter’s utmost displeasure, was a love triangle that involves Seira.

Though Deneb has never made his obsession with Seira conspicuous in Rael’s presence, the Kertia’s memories unfortunately remained vivid in terms of the nightmarish tea party during which he was relentlessly ripped apart by the non-octaclans.

Now he could see so very well what Deneb intended during the said tea party; it was no task at all for Rael to link the enlightenment to the fact that Deneb was currently on the chase for him.

“So, did he slip that he’ll be coming all the way to Korea for me?”

“No, he warned me that once you depart, he will wait several minutes before he sets off, so that you wouldn’t notice how you have an uninvited guest looking for you. He added that once he gets caught in a battle with you... He will go all out against you, whether I’m there or not, lest you note we have a connection. He was basically telling me that I’m on my own when it comes to my life.”

“He didn’t order you to relay all this to me, did he?”

“No. Consider it my repentance, albeit late, for deceiving you and other nobles and being unable to beat his coercion and...”

Yuhyung deliberately let the end of his speech droop, in order to make taut the bond of faith Rael has attached to him.

He knew how Rael will react after this.

Rather, he was hoping he knew correctly.

Actually, there was no need to hope; he was already confident that his knowledge will be as true as it can be.

He remembered how that pallid noble admitted himself that his competence in combat cannot be even dubbed competence, compared to what Rael could exercise.

He even specified that he would last less than 3 seconds given that the Kertia pulls out something called soul weapon.

Yet Yuhyung knew that now Rael will recalibrate his destination so that he could settle this quietly by himself.

Based on what he had picked up during his business at Lukedonia, Rael Kertia is fatally conscious of himself.

Though Yuhyung had not the faintest idea who could make him so self-conscious, there was no doubt they were influential enough to make THE head of the Kertias fear his own word and action.

And Rael was severely afraid of providing them with reason to give him a heart-rending lecture, which Yuhyung assumed will be in effect whether he is within or beyond Lukedonian boundaries.

Which gave Yuhyung conclusion that he would not want to cause any trouble in Korea, no matter how brief or small it is.

Therefore, if he is to cast an idea that he must deal with Deneb by himself without anybody else’s awareness, Rael would not be able to walk away from such option.

“Are you going to be okay? I feel like we’re about to have a skirmish with your own kind. Uh, but I’m not questioning your fighting capabilities! They have already been deemed worthy during your struggle against the topmost modified humans from the Union.”

Rael’s lips remained zipped as he listened.

“B-but still... Forgive me for being nosy, but I’m worried you might get caught in trouble once your people find out that you had a physical issue with your own kind during your mission related to the QuadraNet project, though you’re not the cause...”

With the bait out in open, Yuhyung expected Rael to take a bite; and the noble did, by exhibiting awfully dense fear.

Rael’s face was invisible from Yuhyung’s angle; nevertheless, he could see what Rael was going through, thanks to the shiver Rael’s backside delivered to his chest, which was certainly not there before.

“...Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he will not lay his hands on you. And... I must ask you not to spill this to any other soul.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, sir! I happen to be going against my boss’s order to come back as soon as possible.”

“...Now, I shall take you there.”

“There...? What there?”

“I’m terribly sorry I must take you there, but... That’s the only place in this country that comes with an empty space big enough so I wouldn’t have to mind my surroundings during brawl.”

Rael said no more, and Yuhyung, having foreseen this, simply nodded to show his consent.

The spot that bloody chaos took place due to Lunark, Zarga, Urokai, and 8th Elder remains as a concrete desert that looks like a crater created by a gigantic meteor.

To Yuhyung, it is the birthplace of everything that had ever happened to him.

‘As much as I’m still unpleasant to even near that place, I suppose it’s only logical that I finish everything there.’

Rael told him once more to hold on tight, and Yuhyung followed suit, as his lips shrunk in infinitesimal rate.

I’m almost there.

Just a little bit more, and I’m gonna make it.

*****

Meanwhile, somewhere across the sea

Pow! Thud!

Pow!!!

The blue-black surface was being bombarded with an array of deafening noise and aquatic pillars humongous enough to swallow an apartment at least twelve stories high.

Faster... Faster! Come on, don’t fail me now, my legs!

Lunark had been mercilessly kicking across the sea ever since she had passed the shorelines of Korea.

During her race, the wrinkles rooted to her forehead and corners of her lips did not fade a bit.

She could only come up with the worst of the worst-case scenarios regarding what the definitely-to-shred-into-pieces man who repaid her beloved’s hospitality with betrayal would be up to at this very moment, which got renewed and worsened every second.

Which is why she could catch the silhouette of Frankenstein’s island much faster than usual.

She could soon behold the island’s face, and that was when her own face began to shift.

‘...Did my eyes choose to go on a strike because of the recent series of business trips I booked myself in a series? That island shouldn’t look like that.’

Lunark closed the distance with the island that had obviously gotten monochromatic in overall, and she found herself in stupefaction.

“What in the...?”

The heavenly sight that almost rid her of her purpose of visit during her introduction to the place was nowhere to be seen.

Everything – emerald-hued leaves and bushes, petals of thousand colors waltzing in the wind, and horde of butterflies flashing their mesmerizing natural dyes – were all gone, as if telling her that they were all her imaginations.

She was instead met with the aftermath of the scent from something burned and the concrete debris that had been flung to the corners of the island.

‘Did they put up a round while I was on my way?’

After a pregnant gulp, Lunark forced her half-petrified legs to move.

Before she could even take good several steps towards the building, she gasped at the mind-numbing, creepy feeling grasping her from head to toe.

It was, according to Lunark’s personal impression, what one would feel if death is made compatible with sixth sense.

And the only time she could ever feel like this happened when Frankenstein summoned the cursed weapon to brandish his cursed power.

Her mind already surmising that there was at least a bloodshed in this place, Lunark hurriedly ran, her cloak flying about behind her, until her eyes caught a figure ahead.

‘Is that him...?!’

(next chapter)

At the moment I happen to be composing chapters that feature battle scenes, but the chapters I’m posting didn’t even get started yet lol. Which reminded me that as much as I’m moving on to the highlight of this fic, I still have a long way to go until the finale. XD

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 55 – Crisis

“Hmph... So it was more than pure luck that you took out Aris.”

Kornel mumbled through ground teeth, his voice seething, his face kissing the dirt.

Or rather, he was trying to get his behind back up, during which he inevitably got his mouth plastered to the ground.

Kornel was more than eager to wage himself against Takio. He was not alone, and Helga officiated that he is welcome to beat the snot out of the purple-haired sniper, so he played a bull met with a red flag as he chased after Takio.

To his utmost humiliation, Kornel has lost his count on the number of times he was forced to wipe the floor with his body.

He chastised himself that he should not have assumed Takio would be helpless in hand-to-hand combat, based on the pair of guns he was clutching.

Which was not the main reason why he was at disadvantage.

“Damn it, just what kind of drug has he been on since his departure from the Union? He’s too strong!”

Kornel did not stand a chance against Takio, perfectly equipped with agility in motion and action, precision in shooting, and qualified close combat skills supported by his bladed guns.

Because of which Kornel could not dare to lunge towards Takio, even after completely getting on his feet, to instead glare at the sniper poised on his feet.

However, Takio was not poised at heart, as he stared back at Kornel.

Their battle was as good as settled, but that was not the case with Helga.

‘Just what is her power? I could not land a single attack on her.’

In consideration of the situation, he took much more care than we could ever muster to pull the triggers, recalibrate his steps, and swing his guns.

All of which Helga reacted to cleanly.

She even twisted her body before he could point or lift his guns to fire.

Given that Takio’s responses were much faster, nevertheless, Helga could not avoid getting slashed on skin by his bullets from time to time.

Notwithstanding, the fact that she was in all unscathed was enough to render him wary of her.

‘And unlike this guy, she’s prudent, grounded, taking her time to put herself against me and pushing and pulling at me just about right to keep me rooted in this zone. It’s a wonder I had no idea such agent existed during my time at the Uni... Ugh!’

And in the meantime, he had to stop or shoo away modified civilians from engaging in battle royale or being a hindrance-slash-nuisance for him.

Of course, Helga and Kornel did not give him time to teach a lesson to the meddlers, which involved the biggest problem for Takio.

‘Is it just me, or does she see every movement I’d make in advance? Though my speed does not allow her to leave a mark upon me, somehow it feels like she can predict every coordination I will make.’

Everything about her – her blue eyes blazing with artificial glow, the direction her shoulders and knees would take, and the weight and air stirred by her body whenever she moves – was all pre-calculated to where Takio would prepare an attack, evade an impact, or devise a counter.

‘I would have suffered at least dozens of slaps and thwacks if I didn’t happen to have grown much faster and stronger.’

Even with Takio’s somewhat-recognition, Helga did not deem her standing better than that of Takio.

Just like how he internally pointed out, she could not connect a single attack to Takio’s body, and she could see that Takio has more than improved in terms of combat capabilities and specs.

And she did not have to meet his fists with hers or strike up a deathly waltz of kicks to realize that she was now no match for Takio.

She could not guarantee whether she could stand against him, even with Kornel and the rest of very few remaining combatants of Union by her side.

‘The fact that he did not manage to diagnose my power is serving as a shield for us. Along with these modified humans. Which is more than good for us.’

She knew that otherwise she and Kornel would have already hit the road to the afterlife.

‘Not to mention apparently he did not even use his powers to maximum. Considering how Aris and her gang were the type that enhances powers through meds and employs a variety of equipment, he must be leaving his pills for the next stage. Which I didn’t even get a glimpse of. Damn it, just where is that man when we need him?!’

With the battle caught in the tense, unpleasant balance, Helga was naturally reminded of her accomplice.

An accomplice she told to stand by, since it would be preferable for their foes to learn about his betrayal as late as possible.

An accomplice who should be watching what was going on.

But how come he is nowhere to be seen?!

Kornel gaped at Helga with crumpled forehead, packed with inches-deep creases, his mind probably in synchronization with Helga’s mind.

“Guess we don’t have a choice. We’d be basically admitting that you are way out of our league, but we’re in no situation to place our pride above our purpose.”

Helga’s fiery eyes flashed in sinister blue, and Takio automatically grasped his guns, only to withdraw them in bafflement the next moment.

“Kraaaah!!!”

A modified citizen stampeded towards Helga with his mouth wide open, whom she grabbed and flung towards Takio.

Out of gut reaction, Takio stretched out his bare hands to safely pluck the man out of air and gently push him away, and as soon as he straightened himself with pow and wham Kornel and Helga punched his chest and kicked at his abdomen, respectively.

He raised his arms in defense before he could suffer legitimate blows, but as a result his balance was toppled, which Kornel and Helga were not satisfied with.

“Krgh!”

“Krah!”

The two Union agents were now fervently ripping away and pitching the nearby civilians, and Takio was in frenzy to save them and thwart Helga and Kornel’s blitzes.

“Ah-ah-ah! I wouldn’t move if I were you, unless you want this fella’s head cannonballing towards the sky.”

To top it off, whenever he attempted to fight back when the opportunity was given, they snatched one of the modified people as hostage to still him.

“Goddamn it...!”

Now no longer upper-handed in the battle, Takio furiously grit his teeth.

*****

Meanwhile, in the area off-limits

“This gear is much more useful than I had presumed.”

Deneb snickered, having accomplished a feat of staying alive against the head of the Kertia clan and faring pretty well.

Rael could not even move his lips to his taunting comment.

Without his Grandia, he could not flaunt his art of stealth or go all out against Deneb.

And since Deneb was to be captured, not butchered, he could not even exercise proper assaults.

Nonetheless, the dilemma lay with Deneb, not him.

Whenever he targeted Deneb’s shoulders, back, or waist with his bare hands, the Illiness responded each time, to very narrowly swivel and curl his body to nullify Rael’s thrusts and slices of hand.

Yet given that Rael is the fastest of all nobles, his clan being the genesis of assassins among mankind, nobody would have denied that what Deneb managed to pull off was worthy of a boast, the reason being the gear he was using – extrasensitive thermal detector.

Rael could make out from its title that the gear could detect his location by locking upon his body temperature; he supposed the gear in fact did more than picking up body temperature, since with the gear Deneb could react right at the moment when Rael was about to move.

Short in knowledge in terms of machinery, Rael did not even hope to dissect in his head what exactly the gear could do.

After all, what truly mattered at the moment was to figure out how to defeat Deneb.

‘If only I had skills in ranged melee, like Regis.’

He knew he could try out an adjustment he practiced at Yuhyung’s lab when he put out the fire.

Too bad Deneb was seemingly wary of Rael’s potential ranged attack, for he had not moved a bit from his in-a-way-battleground, with Yuhyung at the background.

No matter how deadly Rael was with his aim, he did not know and did not want to find out if Yuhyung’s human body could stand through the aftermath of his attack.

He would have been grateful if Yuhyung would step aside, but the man was impeccably frozen, after a series of shrieks and shouts into his device.

And Deneb added much more to his trouble.

“Humans are not so useless, after all. I’m so glad I could get enlightened before it was too late, unlike you.”

Unlike you.

Rael wobbled at his spot, his determination wavering at the brief statement.

Swirling just enough to stay safe from Deneb’s attacks, Rael did not even feel like parrying.

His head was too complicated – too distraught for the job.

‘Just what do I have to be... In order to be like me?’

With his soul weapon absent, with a number of conditions he could not fix at the moment, with the battle not making any progress unlike his prior experiences, and with his body and mind too fatigued, Rael could not collect his mind together.

Each time he endeavored to piece together the thoughts drifting within him, the memories struck him hard and corrupted his will.

I have never been recognized by the patriarchs of my clan.

I have never prevailed superb with a task for the QuadraNet Project, other than escorting Yuhyung.

I could not even keep my soul weapon safe.

I could not even realize we were hosting and housing an enemy with lethal goal.

And I could not stop this from happening.

As he thought of have-not’s and could-not’s, Rael eventually stopped moving.

His body growing heavy with cuts and bruises, to ultimately roll over dirt, Rael plunged deeper into the swamp of despair.

Maybe I was never meant to be a head of my clan.

Maybe I never should have thirsted after the title of the head of the Kertias.

Maybe I don’t deserve to be dubbed the son of Rayga Kertia. Or the brother of Razark Kertia.

Maybe this is where I should give up on Grandia for good. I have done nothing correctly ever since my return to Lukedonia.

Rael’s knees were glued to the ground, and he stopped altogether.

Not missing his chance, Deneb drove his pointed hand towards Rael’s heart.

*****

Somewhere in the far ocean

Splash!!!!

As many souls were flustered and jeopardized by the circumstances they could surely handle but could not, a watery thud broke through the salty surface and whisked up a bloody mist.

The werewolf’s eyes were already half-lidded as she was wrapped and dragged by the foams and saltwater.

‘No... I can’t let this... End here...’

Much to her devastation, her body did not cooperate.

Raising her hands towards the surface of water she was so sure she could rise through if she tries just a little bit more, Lunark sunk deeper and deeper into the endless dark and blue of the nether region down below.

(next chapter)

Sorry I posted this past the usual time I upload my fic. I was supposed to post this after attending something for a bit, but I had no idea so much time has passed. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again in the future. :’(

There is trouble everywhere - but in order to take a leap into the sky, one must first crouch. And I promise the crisis won’t last long. :)

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 48 – Much More Dangerous Than They Had Envisioned

“Welcome.”

The doctor greeted Tao and M-21 as soon as their shoes tapped past KSA’s front door.

The two men were donned in their signature black suit, the uniform of school guards and RK.

Yet unlike before, their shoulders were heavy with frigid atmosphere oh-so-visible-and-tangible.

The doctor felt nothing, although the situation was more than enough to make him feel disappointed that they are being icy to him.

He knew he was in no position to throw such emotional tantrum.

As for Tao and M-21, they could see.

They could see from the doctor’s superficially well-mannered attitude that he was very inclined to greet them with Taesik as well but could not.

It is late night, with most personnel of KSA back at home. However, words will surely spread once even a single soul spots how both KSA’s director and doctor are groveling at someone at the door, and it would be only a matter of time until every soul figures out that something is going on in their nest.

As much as they are ninety-nine-point-nine-nine-percent sure what the circumstances are all about, they did not want the lesser people to find out before the remaining 0.01% is completely mapped.

Also, in consideration of the weight of the circumstances, it was only natural for them to remain cautious until the very last moment.

“Would you like to go there now...?”

Usually he would have been referring to the director’s office. But this time he meant otherwise, and they did not need to exchange words to know that.

The purpose of Tao and M-21’s visit lay in Yuhyung’s lab.

Tao insisted they search the place before its owner returns to Korea, which gave them only a night to carry out the task.

For that reason the doctor did not wait for their response, although he did ask for it.

Which is why the waiting time inside the ascending elevator could not possibly be more awkward and stifling.

Which was only natural for the doctor to try to let in some air to the murky atmosphere expected only at the runway towards the battlefield.

“Uh... By the way, is there something up with Mr. Takio?”

M-21 started upon the name of his teammate, and Tao followed suit by rolling his eyes in a curious fashion.

Takio was tending to his duty outside during the time they were unveiling most of Yuhyung’s secret at company of Lunark.

When they decided they should head to KSA, he did not hesitate to volunteer as well.

To their concern and puzzlement, he was nowhere to be seen, but they could not afford to wait for him.

At last they made it to Yuhyung’s lab, enclosed by a new alloy door that replaced the one that Yeonsu stomped on.

The doctor unlocked the room with his employee key card, and Tao and M-21 held their breath as they directed their scrutinizing gaze into the dark lab.

Overall, it was basically a replica of the scenes the two men had familiarized themselves with during their times at Union.

But of course, there was a difference in size and magnificence, probably because of difference in resources.

Soon enough their hands got busy as they committed themselves in heated search through desks, drawers, and bookshelves for what they could spy with their eyes.

Which did not surrender anything, to nobody’s surprise.

“Yes, this happens to be an official research content we are running at the moment.”

They wasted their time asking for doctor’s confirmation with the documents, graphs, and printed screenshots they could pick up, to ultimately return them to their original places.

Naturally their eyes were drawn to the computer in slumber.

“Do you think he left something if anything in there? Based on the series of testaments, he may be a hopeless clown in daily life, but even you admit that he is no ordinary person when it comes to research.”

“He must have. Computer-friendly’s that practically treat computers as equal to their flesh and bones – yes, the sort like me – tend to leave in one way or another the most important data inside their computers. Partially because our pride depends on how well we build the firewalls and vaccine programs against potential thefts or leaks.”

Tao quoted with a voice close to desperation than confidence.

After he pushed the button to awaken the computer, they came to think that perhaps Yuhyung added a feature that automatically detonates his computer when it is turned on during his absence.

Which is why for the 3 seconds of waiting their heads whirred with thousands of scenarios, of which none was brought into reality, to their mild astonishment.

Notwithstanding, the very first screen that welcomed them froze them in their shoes.

“Password...?”

They could not understand how they could forget.

Even outside the industry of espionage or secret intelligence, in modern world personal information is held as valuable as a common gold mine, and it is only customary for people to lock their computers with personal passwords.

The fact that they were staring at none other than Yuhyung’s computer fanned their anxiety.

“...I think I’ve seen the similar kit at Union. No, this isn’t a repertoire exclusive to the Union. You know, the data are all blown up if anything other than the set password is input.”

M-21 diverted his enlightenment-seeking eyes towards Tao.

“I can dissect this thing if I want to. But in the meantime, he might receive an automated notification on the infiltration attempt on his ser...”

“Excuse me. One moment.”

The doctor finally broke his silence to step in.

Without even glancing at Tao, who was shoved to the side before he knew it, the doctor typed in three letters strange to Tao’s and M-21’s eyes.

The monitor blinked to give way to the screen plastered with a variety of icons, to Tao’s delight.

“How did you know what the password is?”

“...I chose the name of the colleague who used to be closest to Yuhyung. He was sacrificed during massive city destruction, the inception of Yuhyung’s dark ambition.”

The atmosphere sunk into the dark faster than light, and Tao warmed up the joints of his fingers and in less than a breath opened the file Yuhyung had most frequently rummaged.

“What in the...?!”

Tao moaned, skimming and comprehension over as anticipated from an expert, and the doctor and M-21 madly wiped the monitor with their eyes, to not long after unhinge their jaws in mimicry of Tao’s expression.

“...Why don’t we talk to the director now? I don’t think this is something we can handle by ourselves.”

“...Very well. This way.”

The three humans trotted across the hallway, their movements so swift and forceful that anybody could have seen that nothing could stop them.

They soon came face-to-face with Taesik, his facial profile petrified to maximum due to the fact that they entered before the sound of their knocks was completely gone.

“So, what did you find?”

Prior to their visit, he was already notified of the contents they deduced with Lunark.

And of course, his mind fried by utmost fluster, he appealed how much he did not want to believe them.

Which did not last long, given that they were from the RK and Lunark herself.

Nevertheless, it was obvious he could not throw away the last glimmer of hope, made so very pronounced by his fingers clutching the edge of his desk like a falcon, gaze precariously ghosting over their faces, and body crooked forward like a hunchback.

Feeling slightly guilty at how he must totally annihilate his meaningless hopes, Tao unzipped his lips for the testimony.

“Please listen carefully, sir. I am terribly sorry to say this, but... It looks like Mr. Jang has been in secret alliance with the Union.”

At then Tao and M-21 got to learn how a rapid cancer patient diagnosed with less than a day to survive would appear, seemingly every shadow and shade in the universe transported onto his face, his lips abruptly stupefied and unable to demand if they can swear.

The doctor, who had also seen through the change with his boss, added with a voice barely free from a quake.

“It’s true, sir. It’s more than a presumption. We just found from his computer contents available only once one comes in contact with the Union.”

“I-is that true? Just what did you find...?”

“We already heard from Ms. Lunark what Mr. Jang had gone through during destruction of Seoul. And this ideology he has come to harbor ever since.”

Taesik gave a tense nod, reminded of Yuhyung’s idea of mandatory body modification for all incoming agents, which never fail to give chills to every piece of his spine whenever his memories are refreshed.

“And Mr. Jang had not aborted his idea. He’s been proceeding with a secret study, based on his major and his specialty in KSA, with help from the data from Union.”

“S-so... What is this data from the Union...?”

“Simply put, it’s... It’s rapid body modification. Or should I say, rapid pseudo-body modification?”

“What do you mean...?”

“As you’d know, the amount of resources required for body modification is beyond any human imagination. Especially time. Even perfectly modified humans would often take time to stay under observations or experiments or sign up for multiple modifications. Personally, I’d say time is the most essential resource in body modification.”

Taesik kept attendance to Tao’s words, his countenance full of inquiries.

“Which is why Union in the past studied a way to shorten the amount of time needed for body modification. It happened before I found myself at the Union. And before the M-series project, of which M-21 was part. The Union wanted to find a way to induce rapid physical changes that will temporarily yield power somewhat reminiscent of those from modified humans prepared from lab tables and tanks.”

“Is it safe to assume it’s a mechanism related to how DA-5 used to enhance physical qualities with pills?”

“Precisely. In fact, D that DA-5 used to ingest is what Aris refined from this project after it was canceled. I figured it out while hacking Union’s past data for fun. The purpose of this project was to provide weapon for humans whose bodies are clean from modifications to exercise superhuman power, no matter how small.”

“Listening to you, there’s no doubt it’s a useful technique. But is there a reason why this project was canceled?”

“As Union agents formed this unofficial caste system among them that separated the modified from the unmodified, voices against blessing ordinary humans with powers of modified humans became dominant. Not to mention how causing physical changes begotten solely through body modification on unmodified humans as well was extremely unstable and full of side effects. So it was only logical for the researchers to shred and burn their papers and charts. No one before Aris managed to see the light in this study.”

“...I see. That reminds me of this gas that Mr. Jang had once been developing.”

Tao, M-21, and the doctor flinched as soon as Taesik nodded and quoted.

“...Actually, we have something to tell you regarding that weapon.”

“We found traces that prove he had been handling the file on that weapon until the moment he left for Lukedonia. And we found traces of edit and copy from the files on research on implanting artificial bodies with artificial intelligence.”

Taesik’s face turned pale, other faces just as pallid.

A Union study that sought a way to imbue unmodified humans with powers on par with those of the least qualified modified humans.

A study on a weapon that will work only on designated targets, from none other than a person who advocated obligatory body modification for prospective KSA agents.

The data on the former was discovered inside the computer that belongs to a person who pursued the latter.

To top it off, Yuhyung’s research files on artificial intelligence was edited and copied, when they all remember that Rael and werewolves had violent contact with Union weapons against heads of clans.

So there was no more reason for them to stick to suspicions.

“If only I had examined his USB... It turned out that the reason why QuadraNet failed to come to life lay in Mr. Jang’s USB, which was revealed to be the secret USB once used by the Union. There was network hacking program hidden inside, and I’m sure he planted the program himself as he was working at Lukedonia and the werewolf realm. A secret USB can bypass most of vaccine programs utilized nowadays because it’s too outdated. Though it’s partly because I trusted him too much and deemed usual check-up useless.”

“It’s not your fault, sir. We should have been more careful with...”

Nothing will change even if they exchange apologies and forgiveness; the best they can do right now is to prevent something that might happen very soon.

With conclusion drawn in gloomy acceptance, Taesik bobbed his head.

“Can you get him now?”

“We should. We must.”

“We’ll be counting on you two.”

Just like that, Tao and M-21 turned on their heels, to catch the man who turned out to be much more dangerous than they had envisioned.

*****

As KSA was staging a moment as fatal and vicious as the moment a bomb is about to fall onto ice, Yuhyung finally made it.

Once again riding Rael’s back in a comical way, his face however was not at all comical.

His shaking hand was grasping his personal device that was playing the footage sent from his lab, equipped with cameras that had been working just a minute ago.

(next chapter)

The rapid pseudo-body modification is my creation, of course. But I’d say it wouldn’t be strange to find out Union actually had such technology, given that DA-5 could enhance their physical capabilities by ingesting the D. Actually, I had forgotten about the DA-5 when I began composing this chapter, and I remembered what DA-5 could do in the middle of my composition lol. Anyways, now the RK know, and Yuhyung knows as well. All that’s left is for them to capture and pummel the cause of all this, but as you’d know, it won’t be easy. Yes, I’m saying the RK and their allies would have a really hard time following this chapter. Sorry, my beloved characters. :’(  I hope you’d stay tuned for more!

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 54 – The Night of Horror

“Tao, duck!”

Screamed M-21, to which Tao responded by promptly letting an imaginary hand wrench his entire torso towards his feet.

Not a second after, a human body thrust its way through the exact spot where his head used to be.

Wham!

“Krrrgh!”

“Kraah!”

The agent M-21 just wrestle-flung collided with a man in a lab coat, reaping from them grunts close to beastly snarls.

They shared one thing in common – nothing about their appearances suggested they are Homo sapiens, with discolored skin reminiscent of corpses, nails and teeth jutting out in a vicious manner, and eyes seemingly brimming with blood.

And these were not exclusive to the two pseudo-zombies giving Tao and M-21 a challenge like nothing before.

Of course, it would take less than a minute and feel like less than 10 seconds for Tao and M-21 to make sure their opponents will never again disrupt them.

Alas, they could not position themselves appropriately, let alone pull out a weapon or shift into battle forms, because they happened to be facing the staff of KSA.

“Looks like that gas was combined with the technology on... What was it again? Rapid body modification?”

“Yup. Damn, I didn’t think it would be so effective.”

The two men lamented upon witnessing how employees and agents wobbled back to their feet; they could swear they did more than a proper job of hitting their vital points to knock them out.

They even twisted the ankles, solemnly swearing to get upon their knees for forgiveness once the storm is gone; however, their plan was made null by the healing power that naturally comes with body modification.

“...I don’t think we’ll be getting out of this situation, unless we pry out their limbs or a rib or spine or two.”

“...How I hate the fact that I can’t help but agree with you there.”

The outcome was beyond Tao and M-21’s expectation, probably because of Yuhyung’s adjustment.

Nevertheless, they presumed the healing power that surfaced within the victims would be below average.

After all, the project on which their modification was based off was classified as failure and ultimately canceled.

So just like M-21 said, the victims would not be able to recover the loss of a limb or skeletal structure.

Nonetheless, Tao and M-21 could not dare harm them; the only thing they have done wrong, if they have done anything wrong, was staying overnight to fully dedicate themselves to their duties.

It was not the question of post-measurements, already guaranteed by KSA and Frankenstein; it was the question of morals.

M-21’s and Tao’s faces stiffened as the victims dragged their feet towards them, the two men cornered in the room.

Just then, one of the agents bumped shoulders with a researcher closest to him, from which the situation took a precipitous downfall.

Slash!

Chomp!

The agent made a violent lash at the researcher’s face, and the researcher countered by rooting his teeth into the agent’s shoulder with full power.

Which served as a cue for the rest of the victims to tackle and thwack and open their mouths wide at one another.

Tao and M-21 turned pale as they watched how a scene from fratricidal zombie movie was being played live, their minds becoming numb with shock as the floor being slowly freed from gas was now being plastered with victims’ blood.

They threw themselves in the middle to separate the victims from each other, and that was when their communicators finally vibrated with life.

<Tao! M-21! Do you copy?!>

“Takio? Where are you? What in the world is keeping you? And why did you have to wait to...”

<What is going on? What’s wrong with these people?>

Tao and M-21 met each other in the eyes for a moment at how alarmed Takio sounded.

Then their memories rang the bell for them – the corridors of KSA were not the only area under the effect of Yuhyung’s gas.

“Don’t tell me... Are there people whose body went through modification? Shoot, I was hoping it’d take time for the gas to spread!”

<It’s not far from KSA’s HQ, but what on earth is going on? And what do you mean, body modification? I’m sure these people are civilians!>

“We’ll talk about this later! First, get over here! We could really use a hand or two right now!”

Knowing Takio, they anticipated him to fly over on the double, although they ended up acting individually, a rare occasion to begin and to continue.

Notwithstanding, there was a reason why Murphy’s law was ever coined.

<Uh... I’m afraid as of now I’m... Ugh!>

Swoosh!

Pow!

Their ears whirring upon the sonic boom so very tangible despite the distance secured by the communicators, Tao and M-21 gaped each other with their eyes trembling.

“Takio? What’s going on?!”

“Are you also under the civilian attack?”

<No! It’s the Union! I ran into two of them on my way. One of them happens to be that big guy we saw in the footage we pieced back together from the security camera outside the safehouse that was destroyed. And the other one is a woman with...>

“...Orange hair and cerulean eyes?”

<H-how did you know?>

“Takio, that’s the one!”

“That’s the woman Miss Lunark mistook for Kespar! The one who plotted against Frankenstein in joint with the 3rd Elder!”

“Hang in there. We’re coming in...!”

M-21 and Tao stomped their legs in a halt, in the middle of their sprint carrying the violently struggling people, partitioned with their arms and shoulders.

As soon as they turned the last corner connected to the nearest lab, they saw how the tiles were barely visible due to countless people with abnormal builds.

“Impossible! There’s no way such number would be remaining at this hour!”

“Tao, look at them.”

M-21 directed Tao’s eyes towards the side, where three men and women were yanking each other with their mouths like hyenas that fasted for a month.

“Look what they’re wearing. They’re no agents. Or employees.”

“Are they civilians...? Did some of them trespass?!”

Tao bellowed in dismay, which unfastened the door that was keeping the avalanche of trouble from stampeding towards them.

“Grrr...”

“Krr...”

The blood-shot eyes of people who were busy taking a bite or grab out of anyone within their reach darted glances towards M-21 and Tao.

Not long after, the artificially modified humans lunged towards the two RK’s like a pack of rabid dogs that have spotted a target, a phenomenon propagating outside KSA.

“W-what the hell?!”

“Argh! Mommy!”

“H-help me! Somebody please he... Aaaah!!!”

People who have never consented to their monstrous changes spread out from the street housing KSA’s headquarter, to hunt down innocent citizens, paving the streets with blood and gore.

Which Yuhyung was watching through his device, via the cameras attached upon interior and exterior of the KSA building.

His hands gripping the device quaked, and he hurriedly pulled out a communicative device he would keep asleep unless he has to talk to Helga.

<Oh, hey. So how’s the plan go...>

“What the heck is going on?!?!”

Yuhyung shrieked, as if he were forcing his guts out through his throat, as soon as Helga’s pointed-as-always voice hit his eardrums.

And her response successfully blew up his half-powdered mind.

<What’s the yelling for? Is there a problem?>

She sounded so very placid, whereas her voice was toned up and down deliberately, as if she had seen this coming.

“Problem? Problem is an understatement!!! You know what is... I mean, you are seeing and hearing what is going on! You said you’ll make your way to KSA, so you should know very well what’s...”

<Oh, yes. I know. Of course I do. In fact, I’ve known it for quite long.>

“...What...?!”

Yuhyung’s quivering voice listlessly scattered into thin air, like a ball of dirt caught in the wind.

<I’ve never told you, have I? I mean the reason why this project the data I gave you came from was labeled as failure and canceled. Well, you were too excited to get your hands on the data and didn’t even bother to ask.>

Helga did mention that the project has a side effect, but he heeded not much, since the way she spoke of the side effect gave impression that it is no big deal.

Still, like she said, he was so thrilled back then to at last gain the Union data he had been thirsting for.

His thoroughness, a must-have value for anyone affiliated with investigation, was discarded temporarily, as he was too occupied with letting his elation jingle his entire universe, like popping champagne open.

And when he later examined the data, he could not find anything in particular in terms of side effect, so he had forgotten about it, until now.

<That’s right. What you’re seeing as we speak is the side effect of this project. The subjects that experience rapid body modification lose the ability to tell their friends from foes. Whenever they see something living and moving, they will first and foremost react by driving their teeth and nails into flesh. And if they are devoid of lifeform around them, they will slash and masticate and take apart their own bodies.>

Instantly, Yuhyung felt as if the entire world spun right into his chest; the entire world turned into a stone of immeasurable size and unimaginable weight, smashing his heart into pieces and plummeting towards his core.

<Did you honestly think I’ll forfeit a complete, safe technology to someone like you? We’d rather die than to suffer a humiliation of allowing vermin like you walking on par with us!>

Helga snickered, stage-choking herself.

<Anyways, congratulations. You made your wish come true – turning non-modified into modified. And now, you’d get to collect as much data as you’d want, like picking apples under the falling leaves!>

Helga sneered as she smiled in vile entertainment and sinister glee, and Yuhyung could only make out his mind escaping far away from him as he watched her.

And the horror spreading throughout Seoul, delivered to his device in divided screens, did not stop assaulting his calm.

No...

This isn’t what I wanted......

I’ve never asked for something like this......!

<And now excuse me. There’s something that compels me to make myself unavailable for now.>

After peeking at something that was not accessible for sight from Yuhyung’s side, Helga cut off the signal, to restrain Kornel once more.

“I’d thought I told you to be prudent!”

“Oh, come on! Can’t you stop stopping me now?! We’re going to kill him anyways!”

“I would have let you, if it were someone else. But that’s Takio we’re facing – the one Sol told us. Takio of DA-5.”

“What? That’s him?”

“Precisely. We assumed it’d take a miracle for him to stand against Aris, let alone beat her. But he not only deleted her existence but also decided to put himself against us. Do I have to explain what we could achieve if we manage to apply the secret of his growth to us?”

“Okay, okay. I got it. Geez. But you don’t mind me beating him up just enough to leave him battered but breathing, do you?”

“Actually, that’d be more than welcome. There’s no telling what will unfold if we don’t go that far to capture him.”

This was certainly not a pleasant situation for Takio, about to battle two Union agents when immediately surrounding him was a scene from a common disaster movie.

His fingers poised upon the triggers, waiting for his order, were strained with pressure.

(next chapter)

So in summary, there are 3 battles taking place at the same time: (1) Takio (ft. Tao & M-21) vs Helga and Kornel, (2) Rael vs Deneb (with Yuhyung), and (3) Lunark vs Dark Spear. As I am posting this chapter, I finished composing part 1 of this battle. And once I’m done with the remaining parts, I’ll finally move on to the finale of this fic. I already know what I’m going to write, and I can’t wait to reach there lol. I’ll do my best as I take this fic to its ending!

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 47 – Frankenstein’s Ordeal

Frankenstein sighed, his entire form completely drained of energy, at last back to the one place he had been literally dying to return to.

The only thing he could pull off at the moment was leaning against the nearest table.

He could not remember the last time his fatigue has had so much weight upon him.

He has never been fond of drinking, and hangover has been the furthest experience for him ever since he became a modified human.

But now he could feel what an undergrad just days away from commencement would feel like until the date marked on calendar.

And he knew even if he refills his stomach with tonic, he will not be freed from his exhaustion.

He could personally and objectively see that the current amount and dosage of the tonic far surpass their original values.

The tonic being chemically crafty enough to be classified as a drug, his body was growing immune to it at a nightmarish rate.

And withdrawal and immunity are the most fundamental factors in diagnosing addiction.

As for mental withdrawal symptoms, Frankenstein could definitely check on the ‘yes’ box, for the tonic was the only thing he could think of on his way back.

Which was only one of several ways for him to discern how serious his condition was.

Which did not change the fact that the only choice he can make is to once again down the entire bowl of tonic.

Feeling exasperation seething from his every cell, Frankenstein wobbled towards the table at which he brews his tonic.

He could soon find the tonic, presenting him with both joy and bitterness, as well as two wolfsbane plants, now impeccably mummified under the lights. He failed to safekeep them before bolting out of the isle.

Despite the fact that they lost their life and shine mesmerizing enough to poke his nose with fragrance upon sight, the wolfsbanes still appeased his eyes with glamorous pink.

As glamorous and pink as her eyes.

Frankenstein scrunched his forehead, horrified by his own thoughts.

‘What are you saying, Frankenstein? Glamorous? Like her eyes?’

Nonsense.

‘Pull yourself together.’

That’s right.

Glamorous like Lunark’s eyes? Yeah, right.

The petals are all dry. They’re nothing like her eyes.

Her eyes are much starrier and much more beauti......

Bam!!!

Frankenstein shut down his brain process by pounding the table.

Now it was growing harder for him to keep the reins in his hand, attached to his heart and head, both of them waiting for opportunities whenever possible to roll away from his reasons and logics.

He rubbed his face with his hand as if he were trying to peel off his skin, his mind rewinding to what happened just before his departure from the werewolf realm.

*****

“Do you have a moment?”

“No, of course not.”

Frankenstein did not hesitate to fire his answer towards Muzaka who waved at him.

Muzaka complained about how Frankenstein was “going at it again,” which brought about quite an entertainment for the answerer. However, that was not the sole reason why Frankenstein worded his response as such.

Because whenever Muzaka requested a private one-on-one conversation, chances were only too good for the werewolf lord to fling at his face something extremely annoying and painful but unignorable.

“I’m not trying to dump another quest on you this time, so why don’t you give it a try?”

“Since you framed your words with ‘give-it-a-try,’ I’d say there’s no doubt it’s at least something I won’t be happy with.”

“Damn, this is exactly why I hate talking to smart guys. Whatever. I need a word with you.”

Muzaka checked his surroundings, his face no longer powdered with his usual grin, which made Frankenstein hold his tongue.

“It’s about Lunark.”

Which was made null by Muzaka’s following words.

“Why would you discuss with me about Lunark?”

“Because it’s you. I feel horrible and remorseful that I must talk to you about her behind her back, but... It turned out Lunark has feelings for you.”

Muzaka added just before Frankenstein was about to file a complaint, thereby ruthlessly flipping his senses upside down, which plummeted downward below the ground to ultimately plunge into invisible nether depth that colored his entire being with surreal, dreamy feelings with color coordinates labeled as “ecstasy.”

Feeling how his body is speared by ecstasy like rain washing over land suffering from years of drought, Frankenstein stood stupefied, and Muzaka crooked his bushy eyebrows in expression of surprise.

“You didn’t know? Didn’t think such a sharp guy like you wouldn’t have noticed it. Or are you those types of guys who tend to be oblivious when it comes to girls?”

He was not oblivious.

Lunark was too conspicuous with her feelings on several basis for him to remain oblivious.

Nevertheless, getting testament from someone else felt so new.

Frankenstein could only stay petrified with sensation he is not used to, and Muzaka could continue with the lead of the conversation, determined not to leave his listener stony.

“And that has become a problem for her recently.”

Frankenstein’s face, as smooth and blank as that of a porcelain doll, was sparked by unseeable flame.

It was not that he did not see this coming from Muzaka’s mouth, from the point he mentioned that Lunark “likes him” likes him.

He had already foreseen and lectured himself that there is no good for Lunark to love him.

Still, he was much more than unpleasant to hear such words from Muzaka, which was a nuisance and astonishment for him.

And the only thing he could do was to keep his lips sealed.

“Although I’m about to die from guilt to say this to you, let’s be frank and analytical here. You don’t think that striking up a relationship with Lunark at a time like this would bring any good, do you?”

Once again, Muzaka’s statement was nothing short of Frankenstein’s stance.

So the blonde man could not fathom just why his displeasure would grow thicker.

“Hmm, how should I put this...? Oh. You know that Lunark has been vetoing body modification, relying only on her natural strength, right?”

Frankenstein responded with a nod.

This time he was truly puzzled why Muzaka would bring up the reason why Lunark has been rejecting body modification, to none other than him, his history good enough to win him a title of the inception, the ancestor, and the guardian deity of human body modification.

“That’s who she was. Even before I got to sit in my throne for initial time, my kind has never been astray from the pathway towards power. And among children of my clan, Lunark always stood out from her peers. That’s why I couldn’t help but take note of her.”

Lunark as a child?

I’m sure she stood out, both in terms of competence and personality. After all, werewolves just love to pick a fight.

Frankenstein barely managed to retrack his mind back to its place, before a wave of curiosity lured him away.

“Even after she came of age, along with Kentas she was a block piece incompatible with the rest of our clan. She later told me that she and he were the only ones clean of body modification until Maduke’s death. Her identity as a werewolf and a warrior did not allow her to nurture her power with anything other than her personal work, she claimed. And it was partially because she did not want to put herself in equal to the human scum she so scorned.”

Muzaka stopped short to take a breath at the end of a not-so-short speech, and within a given second Frankenstein’s head whirred madly.

Though Muzaka did not mention anything related, Lunark told him during his past visit to awaken the gray-haired werewolf that she had a rough sense on what the wolfkind’s experiments were based on, which was why she denied any familiarization with body modification.

Their conversation back then did not take long, for Frankenstein was almost solely concerned with waking up Muzaka; nonetheless, a couple exchange was enough to show him how Lunark was awfully devoted to her kind.

How she had unwavering pride in her power, which was made oh-so-tangible by her answer to a question asking what she would do if she needs greater power in order to protect her people.

I’ll just have to get stronger. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Or how much I must destroy myself. I’ll get stronger with my pure power. I will outshine myself and fly higher. And I will. I can gladly give up myself for the sake of my people.

It was an odd occasion for him, as he first touched on body modification and used himself as specimen for human welfare.

Now that he thought about it, perhaps that is when his eyes began to defy the automatic recalibration to their places once they are fixed on Lunark.

He remembered how he actually had to struggle to retrieve his eyes from her.

And once again he had to endeavor to recollect the flow of his thoughts from Lunark.

“And the girl developed her pristine passion for power into will and responsibility as a warrior. The fact that she served as Union elder cannot be excused, of course, but I can guarantee she is very committed to my kind. Anybody would be able to guarantee, werewolf or not.”

Frankenstein nodded in agreement, still clueless about the reason why Muzaka is sermonizing him about Lunark’s responsibility as a warrior.

“Now with Crombel a goner... Wait, no. Even before Crombel hit the road to the other world, Lunark has been carrying out her every word, action, and willpower with our kind as their heart. But her footsteps lately began to stray from such excellence.”

Muzaka went ahead to inform Frankenstein about the unknown cause behind Lunark’s sudden rampage (for which Frankenstein was one of the only two souls who knew so well why) that took place after he left, along with the fact that Lunark now starts whenever his name is brought up and gets lost in thoughts more often during mission, testified by the young werewolf warriors.

His mind thinning as he heard Muzaka, Frankenstein got to hear what he had been anticipating.

“I know I shouldn’t be asking this to either of you, but I would like you to please not give Lunark any more hope. Play cold to her if you need to. She must not lose her sense and responsibility as a warrior because of her personal feelings. And certainly not during times like this. Don’t you agree?”

Frankenstein held his voice as he stared.

“Man, I had never thought I’d get to ask you a favor even more shameless than our secret deal. I owe you one again. I’ll do you a favor later on, as long as it’s something in my power.”

Frankenstein’s reply at the moment was very limited.

No, there was but a single reply he could opt for.

“...Very well.”

Frankenstein could not reassure Muzaka, but he ultimately ignored the tugs from his heart to dispense what Muzaka was seeking to hear.

*****

‘What took you back there, Frankenstein?’

He scolded himself, recalling how he could make a reply just before Muzaka retorted why he was not responsive.

The reality is that there is no reason at all for him to reciprocate Lunark’s feelings, based on a variety points of view.

He has so much more to discover until he lands on the hint to the secret behind Raizel’s resurrection; there is no room he could afford for romance.

And it is only logical for Lunark to abort her feelings if they hinder her with her duties.

Most importantly, he did not even want to imagine himself performing a bridge between Lunark and the cursed creation lurking within him.

That was when Frankenstein viciously gritted his teeth so hard it was a wonder they were still intact.

At the same time, he felt how his heart was heaving as if it were trying to shatter his ribs.

“...Shut up.”

He even had to mumble to himself in order to ignore the ache in his heart, much more biting than usual.

Now that his mind was redirected to the Dark Spear, he was reminded of how he did not chug the tonic yet.

With no reason to wait, he raised his shivering hands towards the flask, poised in waiting for his grip.

(next chapter)

Frankie noooo! Don’t drink it!!!!!

And now begins the highlight of the highlight chapters of this fic. It’s always a challenge to plot and compose battle scenes, but I shall do my best for the grande finale of my work! Wish me luck, and please stay tuned!

[anangelicday-mrwolf]

Wolfsbane : Noblesse Fanfic (post-ending)

(previous chapter)

Chapter 65 – What I Truly Must Do

“Sir?” 

Takio adjusted his gaze into the direction that Yuigi’s eyes and voice were headed to. 

A white-haired man dressed in a hospital gown wordlessly gave them an acknowledging look, right after which he returned to his play-meerkat stance. 

The course of his action was as swift as a lightning, enough to convince some spectators, if there were to be more besides the two visitors, that he was a man who knew nothing of manners. 

Hence Takio and Yuigi mimicked his behavior out of curiosity, and understanding lit across their faces. 

They happened to be standing in the area within the KSA infirmary, at the corridor with the wall partially made of glass for bystanders and passersby to observe what is taking place inside. 

And Tao was tending to several civilians sent to KSA on the other side of the wall. 

Takio and Yuigi were in the middle of their search for the rest of the RK, to discuss how they should wrap up the calamity at Seoul. 

Since they were unaware that Rael had a small business with Yuhyung in the ICU, they sought Tao. 

They have found him, only to remain immobile in their places. 

It was not because Tao was putting up a show of “how-to-make-a-back-and-forth-marathon-in-a-hospital,” doing nearly as thrice as much work than others, checking up on patients and assigning drugs and orchestrating treatments. 

Their eyes were locked upon a child. 

Back when the gas launched by Tao finally put an end to the disaster at Seoul, the 3rd Elder was lying flat on the earth as an aftermath. 

But he was more concerned about the well-being of the bodies around him, and on the other hand he pled that they send the fastest among them to the site he had in mind. 

Not long after, Rael retrieved from the coordinates he provided a girl and a woman the former addressed as her mom, whose blood pressures were being measured by Tao. 

“If it does not concern you, may I ask what is your relation to that girl?” 

Asked Takio, who remembered how the 3rd Elder was visibly relieved after he was shipped to KSA, to witness that Rael performed his commission to perfection. 

Could they be a family? 

Yuigi was also waiting, her question tugging at her nerves. 

“If the relation you speak of is a biological type, I assure you that me, that girl, and her mother does not share any sort of genetic bond.”

“...Really? Then why would you ask me – ask Rael to prioritize that girl and her mother in collection?” 

“...I owe that kid a debt.” 

“A debt...?” 

“...If I were give you the details...” 

At then 3rd Elder’s lips emitted a poof that was most certainly meant to be a smirk, making Takio and Yuigi wonder what in the world could the man be planning to tell them. 

“I’d say that kid is my master in shopping.” 

Two pairs of eyes, one cyan and one light olive, rippled with confusion at the series of words that they deemed impossible to hear from 3rd Elder, whether it is a jest or not. 

Their confusion grew harder as they ascertained that his claim was as unfeigned as it could be. 

The 3rd Elder was wearing a smile deriving from his heart as he regarded the kid. 

He was truly grateful that she was safe. 

And he was truly abominating himself for what the girl and her mother had to go through. 

*****

By the time Frankenstein took to his mouth the wolfsbane tonic that he changed the components of, the 3rd Elder was sprinting out of his island, wrenching himself by force from the purgatory of his heart. 

Snapping at himself that a bowl of water once toppled is no longer worthy of carrying, he did not cease until he joined Helga in Seoul. 

It’d be preferable to have our enemies learn that you are now with us as late as possible. So for now, I must ask you to stay here. We’d appreciate it if you could back us up when you determine it is necessary. 

After the brief briefing, 3rd Elder assumed his position on top of a building not very far from KSA. 

When the cataclysm Helga mentioned broke in the city, he observed everything from where he was standing. 

During the briefing, he was told that everything was simply one of very small steps that will help them unlock the new beginning of the Union.

In fact, that was what he had been lecturing himself even before the briefing. 

‘But why...? Just why would I feel this way...?’ 

Ever since his lodging at Frankenstein’s island, he had been tormented by sense of loss and melancholy stasis that he could not fathom the end to. 

He had given his all to the Union, for mankind’s evolution and growth, and ultimately for mankind’s peace and welfare. 

Union has been his alpha and omega, the commanding key in his every steps and choices and words and actions. 

Alas, now nobody could ever promise that Union will have a future to look up to. 

Instead he had accustomed himself to the ordinary life that had been perfusing into his days and nights; however, he chose to shake himself off from such life to finally lend a hand to the rise of Union back to heaven. 

But why? 

He knew that some sacrifices are a must, as he and Helga intended to critically sabotage the force that must be gone for Union’s revival. 

Besides, he had hundreds of experiences in watching, apprehending, administering, and forgetting such sacrifices during his time at the Union.

Nonetheless, he could feel his heart moaning as he took in how civilians erratically deformed and disfigured were spraying and spreading blood about them. 

He had to fight an iron-hard urge to abandon his post, against which he miraculously managed to prevail as victorious.

‘Don’t you dare. Now there’s no going back. You can only go forward. You must.’ 

The man hammered his lips with his teeth, forceful enough to draw blood, and even shut his eyes tight, until a horror-stricken voice shrill enough to rend anybody’s heart menacingly pierced his eardrums.

His eyes snapped open at the suggestion from the voice that its owner was no older than ten. 

When the breath that was stuck in his throat restarted its circulation, he had already hopped onto the street into a sprint. 

Soon enough he could lock on the origin of the shriek, and his heart twisted as if it were struck by a meteor. 

“Mommy...! Mommy...!!!” 

A girl was dripping tears at how her mother, as loving as any mother would be just a moment ago, was growling at her. 

As much as she was shuddering in terror, her natural-born affinity to the center of her world forbid her from refuge. 

Nevertheless, a parent who lost her abilities to tell her daughter from her foes revealed her sharpened teeth and lunged towards her. 

At the same time, 3rd Elder hollered at the top of his lungs.

“NOOOO!!!” 

Instantly his eyes flashed, keeping his power just about right to keep the woman fixed on the ground. 

Yet his power was far too great for a puny girl to take, and she fell to her feet, to safely stumble onto her savior who had dashed right away to her side. 

And his eyes started during the course of his anxious, hurried inspection. 

‘You...?!’ 

Fate could be cruel at the most unappreciated moment, thought 3rd Elder, who was too hasty just before to study the profile of the girl. 

The girl was his little helping hand. 

The girl who taught him how to use a self-checkout machine, on the day when he first met Helga in this country – the day when he was almost drowned in the questions about the Union, Union’s purpose, and Union’s future as he stood in the middle of ordinary people busy with their ordinary lives. 

The girl whose face was marred with tears, shocked beyond her sanity that her mother got very close to ripping her head from her shoulders. 

The girl who was nearly made victim to the bloodshed that none other than 3rd Elder himself was part of. 

‘She knows nothing about my world... She has nothing to do with my world. She has done nothing wrong. And because of me, this girl...!’ 

The man’s head drooped, boneless, until a cacophony from humans attempting to maul him hit his senses. 

Pushing them away with a single glance, 3rd Elder could at last take in the view surrounding him. 

A wife and a husband were chomping on each other’s limbs, tramping over the bag of fried chicken that was supposed to serve as their late-night snack.

One of the duo of students on their way home had his shoulder bitten by his friend, who was equally spilling blood from his arm nailed with a row of teeth. 

A group of young men , strangers to each other, were scrambled into a ball of flesh and blood. 

They were all innocent people, who should have had no business at all with what 3rd Elder and Helga had planned. 

‘This is for the sake of mankind’s evolution and growth, and ultimately for peace and welfare...? This is the inevitable gateway to Union’s return, future, and purpose...?’ 

The white-haired elder recounted what Helga guaranteed him. 

At the same time, he beheld the catastrophe no different from what he had familiarized himself with at Union, or perhaps worse, considering how these were all ordinary people. 

And slowly his head began to turn sideways.

Once. 

Twice. 

And again and again. 

‘No... This is wrong!’

Finally the realization of what he had unleashed upon Seoul – in reality, what he had been endeavoring to ignore – crushed upon his shoulders. 

Unconscious of what he was doing, 3rd Elder held his head low, to gaze at the girl who was still listless in his arms. 

He also held in his eyes a tiny lollipop she was clutching in her fingers even now, probably a gift from her mother. 

A sight that pushed a cloud of heat and moisture to the corners of his eyes. 

A child perfectly aged to fool around, have fun, and gorge herself on a bunch of sweets was caught in a night of horror like nothing else. 

All because of him. 

‘This isn’t what I wanted...! I...!’ 

This isn’t what you wanted? 

Don’t play innocent. You’re the one who brought this upon her.

The voice within him yelled into his head, as if it were waiting for the moment, and 3rd Elder’s entire body shook in dreadful tremor. 

‘What have I done...?!’ 

He almost lost his breath, nearly swept away in the tsunami of regret; however, he persevered like never before to still and keep himself standing.

Sealing his lips, shedding blood as the result of his ruthless mincing, he started to move. 

He stacked all the modified humans in the largest crossroads, and he ran into Yuigi in the middle, seemingly trying her best to find an exit from this situation, and they shared what they knew, before he handed her a spare communicator he had. 

He did not forget to pick up the girl and her mother, to safely tuck them away from the rest. 

When he managed to reach Tao and learn his plan, he did not wait to urge him to do it, despite Tao’s warning that he could lose his power. 

He figured it is a must-have sacrifice.

In fact, he did not care if he were to lose his powers. 

His powers were what represented him as the elder of the Union. 

They were the most powerful, essentially the only connection he had to the Union. 

Yet here he was, willing to lose – no, willing to give up on his powers. 

For he knew they were not what truly mattered.

‘How I wish I learned sooner what truly matters... What Union truly had to do... What I truly must do.’ 

Which was why he did not regret at all that he might lose his powers.

Which was why he accepted it as natural as the sun rising from the east. 

Which was what he was ready to do in order to pay for what he had done, if it could be paid for. 

Feeling how his heart was being steeled in wholeness, somewhere between guilt and relief, 3rd Elder smiled until Tao’s missile landed.

*****

Knock, knock. 

Tao drummed the glass Takio and Yuigi were also looking into. 

In notice of the sound, 3rd Elder scrubbed the smile off his face, to whom Tao waved his hand in invitation. 

“What is it?” 

“Someone’s looking for you, sir.” 

I don’t think there is anyone who would require my presence, thought 3rd Elder as he followed Tao, and he flinched upon reaching his destination.

“Mister!” 

The girl jumped off her bed and threw her arms around his waist, not giving any hint whether her recognition is based upon their encounter at the market or from her vague memory about her savior. 

The man froze, unresponsive, feeling too guilty to show any welcoming gesture, and the girl rummaged her pocket. 

“Here!” 

From the girl’s pocket was revealed a lollipop, the one that she was holding during the disaster at Seoul, and 3rd Elder’s eyes momentarily bulged in surprise. 

“...Is this for me?” 

“Yeah! Mr. Handsome over there (At then 3rd Elder’s hesitant, unconvinced eyes shifted towards Tao very shortly, who was smirking in glory and pride) told me that you took away the bad stuff in me and my mom! So you can have it!” 

He knew she would otherwise hate to give away a single treat, given her age. 

He knew he should thank her at once, but he spoke of something else, completely barred from innocence in the presence of the girl. 

“Are you sure you want to give this to me?” 

“I’m okay! I can ask my mommy to buy me new one!” 

Exclaimed the girl, until her face grew a shade closer to a frown. 

“So I want to get out of hospital fast. I want to go have picnic with mommy. And buy candies.” 

Her spectator’s lips were ironed taut at an instant, as he stared at how the girl pouted with her cheeks puffed up. 

However, he soon placed his hand on her head and beamed at her.

“Don’t worry. You’ll soon get to do that.” 

“Really? You promise?!” 

“Promise. I promise you.” 

You will get to do what you want to. What you have to. 

You will get to enjoy your ordinary life, as you should. 

“Luckily, the kid is practically clean of the effect of the gas, probably because she is not completely grown up. Of course, I’m keeping my eyes on her just in case. No need to worry.” 

Quoted Tao for the 3rd Elder, as they walked away from the girl and her mother. 

“By the way... I’m hoping to run more thorough tests on you. I know you went through the most basic ones, but you need to go through ‘check-ups’ check-ups to figure out how much damage that gas caused upon...” 

“Sure.” 

Tao and Takio and Yuigi, who were waiting for them to finish, gaped at the 3rd Elder, their eyes wide open, for they expected him to decline at least once, genuinely or not. 

“Uh... Sure. Why not?” 

“And make it happen ASAP, please.” 

“Uh... Yeah. Sure thing. But why did you suddenly change your mind?” 

“...Let’s just say there’s something I must do, before I die.” 

The three listeners silently flipped but said nothing, seeing how he was so very blasé for a person who was expecting death. 

They could only tail him with teetering steps, as he led the way to the lab. 

And thus things were projected and progressed in order, and by the time the examinations and treatments were complete on people sent to KSA and hospitals under association with KSA, the one person they had been waiting for finally made his comeback. 

At last Frankenstein returned to Korea. 

(next chapter)

This chapter shows the process through which 3rd Elder changed his mind and sided with the RK, as he has been getting familiarized with ordinary life and starting to question Union’s purpose and existence. Like I mentioned in my previous chapters, in the early seasons Noblesse focused on the value of ordinary life, so I wanted to highlight this through 3rd Elder and his characterization in this fic. Now his story has been almost wrapped up, and I have a few more stories to unravel for this fic. I’ll do my best until the final chapter, and thanks for staying with me so far! :)