novelraw Chapter 165 : Chapter 165
Chapter 165 : Chapter 165
Chapter 165: Zakarin (3)
The fact that the Zakarin Tribe were werewolves was shocking enough.
But that their chief was Fenrir, the wolf god, was even more staggering.
‘The legendary wolf… ruling werewolves in this Black Forest as their chief.’
Perhaps it was only natural.
To unite and lead a pack of prideful werewolves, the leader had to be an overwhelmingly powerful being.
The problem was…
that leader was far stronger than imagined.
“It’s been a long time since humans entered this forest.”
Fenrir’s low, resonant voice shook the ground.
Though no hostility was in its words, the overwhelming pressure crushed the group.
‘It’s just speaking, but it feels like my body is being squeezed from all sides. If I were a frail human, I’d have collapsed from breathing difficulties by now.’
A legendary being too dangerous to be graded.
Merely facing Fenrir exerted immense pressure on mind and body.
Yet Fenrir looked at the humans before it with mere curiosity.
“Chief! These are the ones who were with a vampire.”
“Is that so?”
Fenrir’s golden eyes seemed to pierce through the group.
“Then why were humans with a vampire in this forest?”
At that question, the werewolves’ gazes fixed on Evan.
The group held their breath, waiting for him to speak.
Evan slowly raised his head, meeting Fenrir’s eyes.
Then, he spoke carefully.
“That vampire is actually… my comrade.”
At those words, a howl-like growl erupted from the werewolf pack.
“What?!”
“Humans dare…!”
The werewolves roared in unison.
The group looked at Evan in shock.
Just moments ago, he had feigned being a victim to defuse the situation, but now he openly admitted the truth.
The werewolf warrior who brought them bared its claws, grinding its teeth.
“How dare you deceive us…!”
But.
“Silence.”
Fenrir’s thunderous voice silenced the roaring werewolves.
The massive wolf’s face came close to Evan’s.
Evan didn’t flinch, meeting its gaze unwaveringly.
‘Fenrir is a divine being. Lying rashly could provoke its wrath. It’s better to be honest. The fact that we’re with a vampire isn’t that important to it.’
Wolves and vampires.
Despite their centuries-long conflict, Fenrir, as the werewolves’ protector, took their side but never directly intervened.
For instance, it never appeared during the great war with the vampires, as recorded.
Above all, its gaze was now fixed solely on the unfamiliar humans.
“Fine, I’ll accept that you’re comrades. But why have you come here? You haven’t answered that.”
“May I ask one thing first?”
“…You would ask me a question?”
Fenrir’s massive eyes gleamed, and an intangible pressure surged like a storm.
The air grew heavy, and a heart-pounding force swept over them.
“Ugh!”
“Haa…”
Jack and Jaina clutched their chests first.
Even Anton and Mei breathed heavily.
“How dare you? Ask me a question?”
“Yes.”
But Evan stood firm, eyes open, unshaken.
“Because… only then can I give you a proper answer.”
For a moment, silence filled the area.
Then.
“…Grrrr.”
A low, deep sound came from Fenrir’s mouth.
It sounded almost like laughter, and the oppressive aura slowly faded.
“Is that so?”
Fenrir’s golden eyes gleamed with interest.
“Then ask. What is your question?”
Evan took a short breath and spoke.
“I heard you are the chief of the Zakarin Tribe. Does that mean you’ve been their chief for all these years?”
Fenrir’s golden eyes blinked slowly.
“Then do you also know about the Soul-Separation Technique?”
The Soul-Separation Technique.
As those five words left Evan’s mouth, silence fell among the werewolves.
Even those who had been murmuring quietly shut their mouths.
Fenrir’s massive mouth opened, revealing huge fangs.
With a single move, it could swallow Evan whole, and its threatening roar filled the air.
“You would have done better not to mention the Soul-Separation Technique.”
“I had no choice.”
Evan swallowed and continued calmly.
“I came here… to learn about a human who tried to use that forbidden technique.”
―Boom!!
Fenrir’s paw shook the ground.
The air twisted heavily, and the group’s breathing grew ragged.
“Choose your words carefully from now on. If you even slightly displease me, you and your entire group will breathe your last.”
Cold sweat ran down Evan’s back in the murderous aura, but he stood firm and said.
“Then I’ll ask directly. Has the one called Tarkin I in the Empire… ever come here?”
As the question landed, an overwhelming rage swept through the cave, unlike anything before.
The werewolves growled in unison, and the air burned with heat.
Fenrir’s eyes narrowed, deep wrinkles forming on its forehead.
‘So he did come.’
Suspicion turned to certainty in that moment.
“The Empire…”
Fenrir’s voice rumbled deeply.
As expected, it began to speak of matters related to the Empire.
“I know what the Empire is. But I don’t remember the names of you humans. However.”
The wolf god’s golden eyes flickered faintly.
“Recently, other humans besides you entered this forest.”
To Fenrir, who had lived over a millennium, that memory was but a fragment in time.
Yet, it was vividly etched in its consciousness.
“Could it be…”
Evan narrowed his eyes and spoke cautiously.
“Did an old man with a vile face come here? One with blue eyes and a goatee?”
“Blue eyes and a goatee… Vile is subjective, but it seems you and I are thinking of the same person.”
“Did that man learn about the Soul-Separation Technique?”
Evan’s expression hardened.
“Learn? It went beyond that. He didn’t just study it. He killed everyone who knew how to use it.”
The air grew cold.
According to Fenrir, an Imperial human had massacred the Zakarin Tribe.
But something didn’t add up.
“No matter how many skilled fighters the Empire brought, with you still here, how could they dare do such a thing?”
“Hmph…”
A chilling smile crossed Fenrir’s lips.
“You seem to know a lot about me. Indeed… under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t have dared harm the Zakarin Tribe.”
“They prepared something.”
Fenrir turned to show its flank.
There was a small scar, where fur hadn’t regrown.
“Yes. They brought Delken’s Fang and stabbed me with it.”
“…The Dragon’s Spear.”
The evil dragon Delken.
It had terrorized the continent for ages.
Even after its defeat, its blood poisoned the land, creating a dead zone where life couldn’t survive.
But Delken’s corpse had vanished without a trace, and one of its fangs had been secretly recovered and kept by the Empire.
“That would explain it.”
“A lizard’s poison can’t kill me. But it can render me powerless. They were thoroughly prepared.”
“And they took advantage of that.”
“Yes.”
Fenrir’s voice was laced with deep anger.
“I had to recover for years. That memory makes my blood boil at the mere mention of the Empire.”
The surrounding werewolves bared their sharp teeth, growling lowly.
The hatred for the Empire seemed to fill the forest.
“Then why not seek revenge on the Empire…”
Evan trailed off.
He knew well how vast and powerful the Empire was.
“You know it’s a futile notion.”
From what he’d heard, the fact that they were alive and here
was only possible due to Fenrir’s immense mercy.
“If he learned the Soul-Separation Technique and killed those who knew it…”
Evan took a deep breath and said.
“What happened to Tarkin I in the end?”
“In human terms of death, he certainly died.”
As Evan was about to ask more, Fenrir continued.
“But not a true death.”
“…What does that mean?”
“Why ask? If you know about the Soul-Separation Technique, you should already guess what I mean.”
The massive wolf god stepped forward, looking down at Evan.
“Tarkin I succeeded in separating his soul. And that soul was overlaid onto his child.”
The fear he had hoped wasn’t true.
When that fear became reality, Evan’s heart pounded fiercely.
“That damned bastard… he actually did it…!”
Evan’s fist trembled as he clenched it tightly.
Rage and tension surged from deep within, enveloping his body.
But the group, overhearing Evan and Fenrir’s conversation, looked at each other in confusion.
“What are they talking about?”
Jaina muttered quietly.
“How does Evan know so much about the Empire?”
Her question went unanswered, and Jack’s eyes showed a mix of suspicion and confusion.
“Hmm.”
Fenrir’s golden eyes gleamed with intrigue as it observed their contrasting reactions.
“Hmm. It seems you have a story you can’t tell.”
Fenrir’s voice was soft but seemed to see through everything.
“But how long do you plan to keep it hidden?”
“It’s… time to tell.”
“And if those who trust and follow you deserve to know, you should tell them.”
Evan slowly looked at his group.
As his gaze met each of them—Jack, Jaina, Mei, Anton—they silently returned his look.
These were the ones who had trusted him and followed him to the Black Forest.
Evan’s eyes deepened.
‘…I can’t hide it anymore. I have to tell them the truth.’
But there was something he had to do first.
Evan channeled qi into his hand and, in an instant, cut the ropes.
―Slick.
The severed ropes fell powerlessly to the ground.
“We need to leave this place.”
At Evan’s declaration, both the group and the werewolves were stunned,
and Fenrir looked at him with an intrigued expression.