Chapter 16: The Pale Wolf

Over generations, it had been the Bree family's tradition to hold a family meeting when important matters needed to be discussed. As a result, the family meeting room had been established.

To the elders of the Bree family, this meeting room held much more significance than just a place for discussions. It was a reservoir of nostalgia and cherished memories.

The Bree family's culture valued and respected the decisions of each family member, and this respect ran deep in their blood. It was this quality that garnered respect for the Bree family among other families in the Indus Federation.

At this moment, Karl Bree, the smaller brother of the current family head Zohar Bree, looked at his own reflection in the mirror.

"We messed up big time."

He stepped out of the bathroom, grabbed a towel, and wiped his face. Afterward, he headed towards the family's meeting room, a place with great significance in the Bree family's traditions.

With a quick click, Karl pushed open the door to the meeting room. The room was simple, devoid of decorations, except for a long, rectangular black table that dominated the center of the space.

One end of the table was empty, while at the other end, an elderly man of about 80 years sat. Five more family members were seated around the table. Each had a glass of alcoholic beverage in front of them. Karl walked up to the table and took a seat beside his sister, Selena.

"Why don't you face me?" the old man with the hoarse voice suddenly spoke.

"Grandfather, that place belongs to a person called Zohar Bree," Karl replied respectfully. In response, Karl's grandfather didn't say anything further.

Karl tapped his glass filled with an alcoholic beverage and began, "Well, let's start today's meeting. I'm sure most of you are curious as to why I called all of you." His eyes scanned the faces of the people in the room.

His sister, Selena Bree, a man in his twenties, a woman in her twenties, and three other men who appeared to be in their mid-thirties were present. Other family members were absent from the meeting.

Without waiting for anyone's response, he continued, "A certain individual paid me a visit today, someone from the Dark Wizard Association."

The room fell silent as he spoke. Karl tapped the table and proceeded, "This individual came with a VIP card, a card that clearly indicates significant connections in the criminal world."

"And that person asked for guns," Karl stated.

"What?" blurted out the man in his twenties. Karl directed his gaze towards the man and replied, "Indeed, he inquired about obtaining firearms and was ready to compensate for them as well."

"Huh?"

"Yes, you heard me right. It's strange, I agree. The most logical conclusion is that he came to us with some ulterior motive," Karl summarized.

"Isn't Zohar collaborating with these people?" The young man chimed in. "I'm telling you, it's going to harm the family." Karl's anger flared up at the comment, and he slammed both hands on the table, rising from his seat.

"Listen, Loeid, I trust him. It was thanks to my grandfather and him that the Bree family found stability. Without them, we'd be wandering the streets, following others' orders like damn slaves!" Karl declared with determination, glancing at the eighty-year-old man.

"Yes, Zohar gave his all for the family; it was his objective," his grandfather acknowledged. Karl concealed a smile at these words. "But family was just his goal, and he would do whatever it took to achieve it."

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"What if his goals have changed?" The grandfather's question sent a slight tremor through Karl. "I-I trust him."

He closed his eyes, taking a moment to compose himself. After a deep breath, he opened his eyes, revealing a newfound calmness. "I trust him."

...

[District 6]

"Boss, is it really okay if I head home now?"

"Yeah, sure," I said, waving my hand casually. "And for the treat, join me tonight at eight or nine, bring your sister too, at the designated spot."

"Got it, sir."

I remained on the street, watching Evan board the carriage. With a puff of my cigarette, I examined the bag by my side. Its contents could attract the attention of any Enforcer. I casually slid a small matchbox into my coat pocket, adding a touch of mystery to the moment.

I silently continued my walk. The breeze was touching me, and there was this classical scent and theme around the place. Even though this was just my second day, I felt like I had been living in this world for a very long time. All this wasn't just a mere novel anymore, no it wasn't.

And this truth was much more horrifying than it seemed. This was just the second day of my life in this world, and yet I was too deep in conspiracies. The road in front of me seemed to have been shrouded in a fog of mysteries.

I had to survive in this world and to survive I needed strength. Thankfully, as they say, knowledge is strength, this was even more true in the case of this world where wizards ruled. I knew the locations of some cheat items, that a protagonist would normally get.

The Gate Arc was the arc in which I would die, and I had to do everything to survive. As the events of this Arc flashed in my mind, my mood immediately darkened.

The realization struck – it was time for a personal upgrade. My gaze sharpened, and my strides quickened, a determination to enhance myself propelling me forward. The deeper I walked into this street, the more quiet it became. Many turns came into my way, approximately after nine of them I had finally reached my destination.

It was a peculiar sight – a graveyard nestled in some corner of the district. Surprisingly small, with only about ten to fifteen graves, it lacked the usual guards to protect the resting bodies. The apparent carelessness struck me; wizards, in their pursuit of experiments, often resorted to unorthodox methods.

In a place where the deceased lay forgotten, grave raiding became a notorious occupation among wizards practicing dark arts.

In this novel, the protagonist, John Lombardi, wields an artifact known as The Seeker's Map. Initially appearing as an ordinary map devoid of markings, the map's unique ability activated when needed. Upon activation, it skillfully outlined the surrounding area within a radius of 10 kilometers, functioning like a traditional map.

Yet, its capabilities didn't end there. The Seeker's Map went beyond, revealing the presence and locations of artifacts scattered within that area. It was undeniably a coveted and advantageous artifact.

And so, the main character stumbled upon this cheat item. As much as I hesitated to seize opportunities from John, my survival depended on it. I promised myself to make amends later, assuming I and John survived this volume. Without this item, John's chances of survival would plummet.

A sigh escaped my lips as I entered the graveyard through the gate. The atmosphere here was somber, and even the flowers seemed to have lost their vibrancy. The graves, covered in dust, revealed that no one had visited in a long time.

Approaching a corner, I noticed a solitary grave. While devoid of any flowers or decorations, an abundance of blooms had emerged around it.

My heart skipped a beat as I stood before the grave. Here lay the man renowned as the lone wolf, the terror of many wizards during the First Wizard War—the wizard known as The Pale Wolf, a solitary hunter in the world of magic.

Even his grave alone was enough to startle me. I still remember that while reading this part of the novel, it felt like the author was exaggerating the emotions. However, now I have come to terms with the reality that reading the novel and actually facing it in real life are two different experiences.

Clenching my fist and taking a deep breath, I approached the grave, placing my palms on its edges. Surprisingly, no magical seals hindered my progress.

With closed eyes, I inhaled deeply, channeling all my energy and strength. The creaking sound of the grave echoed in the quiet surroundings. After a few minutes, I successfully removed the lid, revealing the contents within. Empty. The grave was completely empty. Anyone would be surprised or would think that some grave raider had already raided the grave.

Empty. The grave held nothing. The notion of a grave robber having plundered it crossed my mind.

I tapped lightly on the bottom and then, with my fingers, applied force to remove the false bottom. A concealed passage was unveiled. Sigh, another staircase.

Carefully, I rested my hand on the flare wand nestled in my sling. Swallowing hard, I positioned my foot on the staircase. Once I get my hands on that thing, just once, then my survival chances would be more than twice.

"Here I come..."

Author's note: I hope you guys are enjoying the series. Due to busy schedule and working on a different book, the release schedule is changed to 2-3 chapters a week. The other book I'm working on is: Reincarnated as a Dragon with Cheats which will be released within 24 hours. Do support it as well. Well wishes~