Bab 4: Family Matters
When was the last time I'd fought Chela Dray Black? Why was it I was feeling scared right now?
Maybe because of my head injury, but it felt like all my grief pushed to the side to make way for anger.
Why did my head hurt?
I touched my head and felt the natural regeneration capabilities of a werewolf healing my concussion.
Ah… I started to remember.
Chela… This wasn't the first time she'd struck me with the intent to kill. Maybe this was her forte.
No, that wasn't quite right.
"Come on~ Isn't it your turn now?" The teenage looking child my age taunted me with a smirk.
I started to remember my first time fighting her.
She'd caught me off guard and struck my ribs with lethal force, then taunted me to mess with me.
Acting like she was just showing some 'skill'.
The old me was traumatised by that incident.
I started to believe she was more skilled than me despite knowing otherwise. Getting clumsy…
Why did this matter anyway?
Shouldn't I be focusing on these memories?
Was my last name Graham… or Ocelot?
Many questions started to arise.
But after seeing this girl, all thoughts were blown away… and was replaced by a seething hatred.
I hated her guts.
Chela… I'll never forgive you.
"What's with that glare, huh?" My opponent started to get annoyed the more I stared at her silently.
"Adam, you don't have to-"
"Shut up." I stopped this 'brother' of mine from saying anything else. His face was annoying.
"…What?" Caden's face looked shocked as I pried him off. I wasn't sure what this guy was thinking.
"Get off. Aren't you interrupting this duel?" (Adam)
My 'big brother' should've known better than me that it was frowned on to get assistance like this.
"Umm… Alright." Caden looked at me blankly.
What's with that reaction?
It was annoying to think any further about it, so I cut the chitchat and got back to my feet already.
My head was still ringing.
"Are you feeling alright? We can stop this if you-"
"Shut it." These bastards. Did my opponent also see me as a pushover that's lay down after that?
Why were they talking about it so much?
Moreover, Chela… If you really cared, you wouldn't have tried to kill me with that attack just earlier.
…However, I understood why she acted this way.
Killing me 'by accident' might be okay, but it wouldn't fly if she actively tried to show her intent.
"Try doing that again." I taunted her myself.
Tapping my cheek with an aggressive smile.
"…Have you gone crazy?" Chela's reaction seemed a bit off though. Making the same look as Caden.
Was my taunting skills really bad or something?
"Are we here to talk or fight?" I shrugged without caring how anyone saw me. A glare in my eyes.
There was no way I'd let this girl get off scot-free.
I cracked my knuckles and loosened my breath. My muscles relaxed rather than staying stuff as before.
"Don't say I didn't try warning you." Chela once again charged at me with incredible speed.
She was faster than me.
Our physical strength output was around the same level. On top of that, she was great hand-to-hand.
Better than me, at least.
…Maybe I should have at least tried learning close combat at some point. Violence didn't feel right.
Whether it be used by Ocelot or Graham.
However, that didn't mean I had nothing to fight with. My sudden increase in insight wasn't useless.
A loud smack resounded.
The crowd looked disappointed to see that I'd just been blustering. It wasn't like I could win right now.
So what was the point feigning strength?
The result of my taunting was being beaten around by my opponent. Showing them a pathetic sight.
Chela didn't speak nonsense anymore.
She was giggling at the height of adrenaline while raining down one lethal blow one after the other.
The sound of my body being broken didn't stop.
She flung the upper half of my body side to side with each strike. A wonderful mastery of kicks.
"End it… End it…!" This pathetic sight gradually caused the crowd to be enraged by my pride.
A fake tough front like this didn't look good at all.
The only thing they didn't know that the more they goaded her, the greater the mental pressure…
…on Chela.
She had been trying to end it from the beginning until now. Every move she threw was a finisher.
But I was still standing.
Intimidating her with a willpower I had never shown in the past. It caused her to doubt her strength.
I could tell what she was thinking…
'Am I doing any damage?' It was the kind of thought even experienced boxers sometimes felt.
The feeling of inadequacy in their attacks…
Little did she notice the little details in her hurry to end this duel. How my eyes never faltered.
After calming myself down, I could somehow see her attacks clearly despite her level of mastery.
But rather than using this to do some untrained move that'd definitely miss, I used it differently.
The moment her attacks landed was when I'd shift my body slightly to tilt the impact zone off of me.
Making it so she couldn't land any 'clean' strikes.
Of course, this method still hurt like hell because it was also untrained. A measure created right here.
Though this was the case, it was still useful.
By suppressing the emotions from appearing on my face and using my regeneration, I'd instilled the illusion in her mind that I wasn't getting hurt. The more she fought, the higher her own pressure.
This was something Chela taught me herself.
Maybe I wasn't some experienced fighter, but I knew my way around a bully as much as the next guy. I've experienced being the one doing injustice and having it done to me. Chela was easy to read.
"Why… won't you go down?" An ugly look appeared in her face. She was getting exhausted.
The mental fatigue was making her waste more stamina than she should. Slowing down a bit.
I clenched my fist while planning the angle of the punch beforehand, all while answering her doubts.
"You've a lot gotten weaker, haven't you?" I lied without a change in expression. Looking curious.
Her face went from pale to vibrant red, then blue.
She was likely feeling a mixture of fear, inferiority, shame, and the same anger deep within my heart.
The only difference was our own self-control.
"Ah… AAARGH!" She started screaming and attacking much more violently to prove me wrong.
Eyes, groin, ribs, joints, neck… She targeted the worst possible places to hit a person in her fury.
It was to the point even the spectators gasped.
This was no longer under the table. They were watching her truly use killing moves on me.
But each time she did, I made more obvious movements to dodge out of her strike zones.
Patiently waiting for my opportunity.
And just when she stopped to take a breath, I unleashed the fist I'd clenched for some time.
A soft thud could be heard unlike the many painful sounds my body made previously. It looked like I'd made a rash attempt to retaliate, causing many to sigh in disappointment in giving up the advantage.
"Lil' Bro, that's enough… Chela-" Just as Caden was about to stop this farce, he noticed a change.
My opponent fell to the ground.
Caden looked down with wide eyes along with the others. Noticing that my punch had hit her chin.
It took quite a bit of effort to pull this off, but I successfully protected my pride in this instance.
There was nothing more I'd ever wanted.
"Chela…!" The girl's mother finally came forward and took her back. She bowed to us respectfully…
…then left the same way as my 'Dad'.
"Adam, you-" I guess today was the day my brother wouldn't be able to finish his sentences in peace.
Because I'd already gotten up at that point.
"I'm going to rest." (Adam)
"…Is there something wrong?" I'm not sure why he'd been asking this with his gaze for a while.
"Nothing, nothing… Well, I'll see you later." I gave my fake smile of courtesy before walking away.
I needed some time alone.
…..
….
…
..
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Fenrir did his work as per usual.
He directed his clansmen to integrate more knowledge from humanity to boost themselves.
Werewolves were usually a disorganised pack that merely hunted on a daily basis. That was their life.
Only his Bloodlust Clan was different in how it operated more 'actively' than what you'd expect.
'There was another tail…' Fenrir found it annoying how humans seemed obsessed with hunting them.
Her just received the report of a scout killing another animal trying to follow them back to base.
Such behaviour was definitely the work of a Hunter.
Those cruel monsters who would train regular animals into trackers. All to capture werewolves.
Apparently, they sold for quite the pretty penny.
As he was reading through the reports, Fenrir was interrupted by the appearance of a certain 'person'.
A small body walked over on its four legs.
"Shouldn't you be with Adam?" He spoke after seeing the identity of the real wolf that barged in.
It was the 'Spirit Wolf' of his son, Estelle.
Although it was rare for a male werewolf to be born with a female Spirit Wolf, it wasn't exactly unique.
Which was why Fenrir could confidently believe this child would take care of his son sensibly.
Even if he wasn't there, Adam would still have someone to confide in. Estelle would be just that.
…Even though there are times rules would make it so they were split up (like at the time of his duel).
The reason why he asked why the Spirit Wolf wasn't with her other half was because the ban was only effective DURING the duel. Once things had settled, it should be fine for them to meet.
"There is important news." Estelle, despite looking like an animal, telepathically communicated to him.
Speaking fluently with a calm feminine voice.
"Is it about the Moonlight Pack's movements?" He seemed a little obsessed about those werewolves.
But the wolf only glared at him before speaking:
"It's about your son." (Estelle)
After hearing her speak, the man coughed and decided it wouldn't be bad to hear her out.
"Did he lose too badly?" (Fenrir)
Usually, this Spirit Wolf wasn't the type to report anything useless. News about his son wasn't really something that could move the Clan. Therefore, it was normal for her to never talk about Adam.
Only if an accident happened…
Like the incident involving Chela Dray Black.
"He won." Estelle spoke this briefly.
It was to the point her answer seemed to go in one ear and out the other. Needing her to clarify again.
"Won?" (Fenrir)
"Your son won the duel." Even though the wolf's words were positive, he knew this wasn't news.
"…How did he win?" Fenrir spoke with hesitation.
"He used some sort of mental warfare to trick his opponent into thinking he was stronger than he actually was. After bluffing, he took advantage of a gap in her defence and knocked her out." Estelle's explanation sounded more ridiculous when spoken.
"You're joking." He couldn't believe this nonsense.
"If you doubt me, you can check with anyone about the witness statements." Estelle didn't rush at all.
Talking as if this had no relation to her.
"Is that all you wanted to tell me?" A complicated look appeared on his face. He put aside his work.
"I only wanted to inform you that the child in your memories has grown. He has become exactly the type of son you've always wished for. If you feel anything, then you better meet him sooner." These were the only words Estelle left before leaving.
It caused Fenrir to fall deep into thought.
He double-checked with others and found many were congratulating him on his son new maturity.
Many had recognised his scheme…
This was a great boon that would make any father proud. His son was no longer weak and pathetic.
He could take care of himself now.
So why was there this bitterness in his heart?
'Adam…' Fenrir couldn't recognise the child who'd won as the same one he'd raised from a young age.
Wasn't his son too soft?
Then again, his actions might have been too cold.
He could still vividly remember the desperate voice that was calling out. Wanting the man to stay.
Fenrir started to look uncertain of what he really wanted. It was exactly what Estelle had aimed for.
As a Spirit Wolf, she had already perceived the changes in the child long before anyone else.
Especially because she'd also sensed a subtle shift in her personality that didn't show on the surface.
Estelle searched for Adam. Unable to find him anywhere within the territorial borders of the Clan.
But she still had their link guiding her.
Her small wolf body weaved between the trees to find a child under the moonlight. In front of a hill.
That child's back no longer small and helpless.
"Estelle?" The boy turned his head ever so slightly.
From what she could tell, Adam was still aware of her existence. It looked like his mind was retained.
This made it easier for them to converse.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone