THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

David cupped her face, a reassuring smile playing on his lips. "It's alright, little kitten," he murmured, the warmth in his voice a soothing balm. "I managed, didn't I?" A soft rumble, barely audible, emanated from her throat.

"But master," she continued, her voice a velvety caress as she nuzzled his hand, "your scent… it was scattered, disoriented. Like a wisp of smoke on the wind. The Wolf's Grace, perhaps?"David's brow furrowed in thought as he traced a circle on her small back."Interesting," he noted, contemplating the implications of her words.

David's wolf grace may not have been on par with Luna's, but still, him using Wolf's Grace had made him nearly impossible to track.The two kilometres from Tervan to Blackwood Manor melted beneath his swift, impossible strides, his presence dissolving like smoke on the wind. Luna, for all her otherworldly abilities, found herself struggling to keep his trail.

Wolf's grace would definitely come in handy to hide his presence.

As the duo embraced one another, a holographic window materialized in the air before David, emblazoned with the triumphant words: "[You have defeated a master]." "[You have defeated a master]."

The air crackled with a sudden, malevolent energy. Lifeless fingers, scattered across the ground like grisly fallen stars, pulsed with a dark light. Eerie orbs of swirling power erupted from them, hurtling towards David with an unholy purpose.

Luna watched, her breath catching in her throat, as the orbs slammed into him, merging with his very being.A wave of searing heat washed over David, followed by another holographic window declaring, in stark white letters, "[Eternal Gluttony]." A final, chilling message materialized: "[You Have Devoured An Enemy]." Darkness pulsed around David, his power visibly blossoming, an undeniable aura of raw strength emanating from him.

Luna's heart hammered against her ribs. "He's growing… stronger," she thought, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. David's meteoric rise in power was awe-inspiring, terrifying, and utterly unnatural. Yet, as he stood there, bathed in the malevolent afterglow of his victory, Luna forced herself to accept this bizarre evolution as her new reality.

It defied everything she knew, everything she was, but for David, it seemed, the rules had been rewritten.A palpable shift crackled in the air. A dark aura pulsed outwards from David, a heavy cloak that choked the night with an oppressive energy. A holographic window materialized, glowing ominously before him.

In stark white letters, it proclaimed: "[You have awakened]."A tense silence followed, broken only by the ragged rasp of David's breath. Then, another window flared into existence, this one pulsing with a gentle green hue. "[Rejuvenating Surge]" it declared, activating instantly.

David watched in stunned fascination as torn flesh knitted itself back together, the wounds inflicted by the battle vanishing like phantoms. All that remained was a ragged hole in his tunic and, beneath it, a shoulder smooth and unmarked.A tide of unfamiliar power surged through him, tingling in his fingertips and coursing through his veins.

It felt alien yet strangely familiar, an echo of a dormant potential finally unleashed. He flexed his hand, a tremor running through it as raw energy crackled around him. "Is this what it means to be awakened?" he murmured, his voice hushed with a mix of awe and trepidation.Before him lay the battleground, a testament to the brutal struggle he'd just endured. Yet, it felt distant, almost irrelevant.

The awakening, this profound shift within him, overshadowed everything else. He could feel it – his very essence was undergoing a fundamental transformationThe system had always been his guide, the source of his ever-growing strength. Yet, this awakening felt like a fundamental shift – a tectonic plate grinding beneath his very being.

His abilities, once defined by numerical values, now pulsed with an intangible, raw power that resonated deep within him. It was exhilarating, terrifying, and impossibly vast. A primal urge to explore this newfound potential warred with a gnawing curiosity about the extent of this change.

If only he had the time to delve into his status window, to fully understand the transformation that had just unfolded. But for now, the echoes of battle hung heavy in the air, demanding his immediate attention.Luna, still nestled in the crook of David's arm, spoke in a voice laced with unease. "Master," she murmured, the tremor in her words betraying her usual composed demeanor.

"I felt...something foreign enter you. A surge, a twisting of power."David, his own eyes burning with a newfound intensity, offered a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, Luna," he murmured, his voice a low rumble. "Explanations will come later."His gaze snapped towards the looming silhouette of Blackwood Manor.

Gone was the playful glint that usually danced in his eyes, replaced by a cold, steely resolve. "Let's finish what we started," he declared, his voice devoid of its usual amusement.With Luna at his side, a silent phantom in the night, David took a purposeful step towards the manor. Frostfang, his ever-present companion, shimmered in his hand, the moonlight catching on its deadly edge.

The air crackled with unspoken tension – a storm brewing within David, a predator stalking its prey. The night held its breath as they approached the threshold, the weight of the coming confrontation settling like a shroud.Together, David and Luna walked towards Blackwood Manor, the silence broken only by the crunch of shattered stone beneath their feet.

The hall now resembled a battlefield, scars of Orkler's rampage etched into the cobblestones and blood staining the walls like grotesque murals.

Reaching the grand staircase, David cast a glance at Luna, her silhouette merging seamlessly with the shadows."Anything?" he murmured, his voice barely a whisper.Luna's reply was a barely perceptible shake of her head, her eyes focused on the devastation before them.

"No lingering traces," she replied in a voice as soft as a sigh.They ascended the stairs, each step echoing ominously in the stillness. As they reached the landing overlooking the living room, an eerie sense of emptiness washed over them. Gone were the guards and thugs, the panicked shouts replaced by a suffocating silence.

It was unnerving, a reversal of the chaos they'd anticipated.Suddenly, Luna froze, a low growl rumbling deep in her throat. Her eyes, usually pools of molten gold, narrowed into silver slits, her gaze fixed on the imposing grey double doors at the far end of the room. David tensed, his celestial eyes scanning the area for any hidden threats.

Responding to Luna's silent cue, he flicked his wrists, the silver daggers blurring into a deadly dance as he shifted into a fighting stance.A chilling smile played on his lips. "Seems our host has impeccable timing," he said coolly, the playful edge to his voice replaced by a steely undercurrent of tension.

"Let's not keep them waiting any longer, shall we?"With a silent nod to Luna, David took a purposeful stride forward. He placed a hand on the cold, ornate handle of the double doors, and with a deep breath, pushed them open.

The hinges creaked in protest, revealing a well-lit but otherwise empty living room.****A lone figure sat bathed in the warm glow of a chandelier, perched gracefully on a plush armchair. In her hand, a delicate porcelain cup held a steaming liquid. She took a leisurely sip, blowing gently on the fragrant vapour that swirled around her face like a translucent veil.

The flickering candlelight danced in her eyes, which gleamed with an otherworldly intelligence. Her attire was a stark contrast to the carnage that lay just beyond the doorway."It seems the unwanted guests have finally arrived," she murmured, her voice a melodious purr

A flicker of disbelief crossed the woman's face, a porcelain cup halfway to her lips. "Stripe, Orkler, and Mace," she murmured, the names tasting like ash on her tongue. Her finger tapped thoughtfully against her chin, a gesture that highlighted the ethereal grace of her features.

"This is definitely troublesome," she thought, her angelic face creasing into a frown at the implications of the intruders' success. She knew that the news of the Three Fingers' defeat would send shockwaves through the underworld, stirring up a storm of chaos.

She sighed, a sound like wind rustling through ancient trees. "Why must complications arise at every turn?" she muttered, setting the cup down with a delicate clatter. A hint of frustration tinged her voice, a stark contrast to the serenity of her surroundings. Patience, however, remained her only option.

Settling back in her plush chair, she waited for the inevitable arrival of her guest, the silence thick with anticipation and a growing undercurrent of unease.