Chapter 36: Legendary Beast Fenrir Bloodline Awakens

In Alice's Room

Alice scrunched her nose in disgust, eyeing the blood-filled room and the menacing Cerberus before her. "Ugh, this place is even filthier than Garret," she muttered. "I didn't think anything could be more disgusting than him, but this tops it." She shook her head, trying to push the revulsion aside.

Meanwhile, in Garret's Room

Garret, in the midst of his own battle, suddenly sneezed. "Achoo!" He rubbed his nose, confused. "Who's plotting against me now?" he wondered aloud, before dodging another swipe from his Cerberus. "Focus, Garret! You've got bigger problems than someone talking behind your back."

Back in Alice's Room

The Cerberus growled, its blood-red eyes fixed on Alice. She took a deep breath, readying herself. "Alright, beastie, let's dance," she said, her tone defiant. She quickly activated her Wind Escape Technique, darting to the side with incredible speed. The Cerberus snapped its jaws where she had just been, missing by inches.

"Dagger Throw!" she shouted, flinging a pair of daggers at the beast. They struck its hide but bounced off harmlessly. "Great, it's got tough skin," she grumbled, then switched tactics. "Poison Shards!" She threw a handful of tiny, glistening shards that embedded into the Cerberus' flesh. The beast roared, momentarily slowed by the toxins.

Alice used the opening to employ her Flowing Steps, moving gracefully around the room, avoiding the Cerberus' attacks with ease. She threw a series of hidden weapons, small darts and needles, each aimed with deadly precision. Yet, the Cerberus seemed unfazed, its rage only growing.

"Come on, just go down already!" Alice shouted, her frustration mounting. The Cerberus lunged, and she barely dodged in time, her foot slipping slightly in the blood. She regained her balance, but the beast was relentless.

She tried to use her Wind Escape Technique again, but the room's confines and the Cerberus' persistence made it difficult. "You're really starting to annoy me!" she yelled, launching another volley of poison shards. The Cerberus slowed again, but only slightly.

Alice paused, panting. She was running out of options. "Alright, let's see how you like this," she said, pulling out a hidden blade coated with a potent toxin. She charged the Cerberus, aiming for its eyes, but the beast swatted her away with one of its massive paws.

She hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. "This... is not going... well," she admitted, struggling to her feet. The Cerberus advanced, growling deeply.

Alice wiped blood from her mouth, glaring at the Cerberus. "You think you're so tough?" she taunted. "Well, I've got one last trick." She activated her Wind Escape Technique one final time, darting around the room at blinding speed.

The Cerberus tried to follow her movements but grew increasingly confused. Alice used the opportunity to plant her remaining hidden weapons in strategic spots on the beast's body. "Take that!" she shouted, landing a final, desperate blow with her poisoned blade.

The Cerberus staggered, but still didn't fall. Alice fell to her knees, exhausted and out of tricks. "Why won't you just die?" she whispered, half in disbelief and half in defeat.

"Why are such thick-skinned like that brat?"

The Cerberus, seeing its prey weakened, roared and moved in for the kill. Alice closed her eyes, bracing herself for the end.

In Garret's Room

Garret suddenly felt a chill. "Alice, you better not be getting into trouble," he muttered, sneezing once more. "Alright, who is definitely plotting against me?"

Back in Alice's Room

Alice's eyes snapped open. "No, I won't give up!" she screamed, summoning the last of her strength. But the Cerberus was too fast, too powerful. It struck, and Alice was thrown against the wall, her body aching, her spirit waning.

The Cerberus loomed over her, victorious. Alice glared at it, defiant to the end. "Stupid dog," she muttered, half-laughing at the absurdity of it all. "I guess Garret's not the only one who can't get a break today."

The Cerberus roared one last time, and Alice, with no more tricks up her sleeve, could only watch as her vision blurred. "Sorry, guys," she whispered, her consciousness fading. "I did my best."

As Alice's vision blurred and the Cerberus loomed over her, she was suddenly transported back to her childhood, memories flooding her mind in vivid detail.

She was born into a wealthy family, but her birth had come with a tragic cost—her mother's life. From the moment she drew her first breath, Alice was shunned by her own family, treated as a pariah. Her father, stricken with grief and anger, could never look at her without seeing the ghost of his beloved wife. The mansion, filled with opulence, felt more like a prison to young Alice, who was constantly reminded of her unwanted presence.

The household staff, following her father's lead, treated her with cold indifference or outright disdain. Her siblings avoided her, blaming her for their mother's death, a sentiment echoed in hushed whispers that never failed to reach her ears. Alice grew up isolated, a shadow in her own home, craving affection and acceptance but receiving none.

One fateful day, a demonic wolf infiltrated the mansion. The beast was a monstrous sight, its eyes glowing with malevolence as it tore through the guards like they were paper.

Panic spread like wildfire. Her family, the same ones who had shunned her, were helpless against the creature's wrath. Screams echoed through the halls as the wolf slaughtered everyone in its path.

Alice, only twelve years old, felt a surge of courage amidst the chaos. She ran towards the source of the commotion, her heart pounding in her chest.

When she arrived, she saw the demonic wolf standing over the bodies of the fallen. Her father, who had never shown her an ounce of love, lay bleeding and helpless on the floor. 

With a fierce determination, Alice stepped forward. She picked up a broken sword from one of the fallen guards and faced the beast.

The wolf snarled and lunged at her. She tried to defend herself, but the wolf's claw slashed across her chest, sending her sprawling to the ground, blood pouring from the wound.

In that moment of sheer helplessness, something inside Alice snapped. A powerful, unfamiliar energy surged through her body. Her hair turned a brilliant silver, and her eyes glowed with a newfound intensity.

The transformation was swift and dramatic. She rose to her feet, and with a single, piercing gaze, the demonic wolf was struck down, its life snuffed out in an instant.

The room fell silent. Everyone present stared at her in shock and terror. Alice, despite her pain, felt a fleeting moment of happiness.

She had saved her family, the same people who had always despised her. She smiled faintly, then closed her eyes and collapsed, unconscious.

When Alice awoke, she found herself in a cold, damp prison cell. Heavy iron handcuffs bound her wrists. Panic set in as she realized where she was. She cried out, calling for the guards to release her. "Please, let me out! I didn't do anything wrong! I saved them!"

The guards, however, were unmoved. One of them sneered, "Monster. You tried to kill your own family. You should be grateful you're still alive."

Alice's eyes widened in horror. "No, that's not true! I saved them! I killed the wolf!"

The guard's expression turned mocking. "It was your own father who brought you here. He called you a monster. Said you tried to attack them all."

The words hit Alice like a physical blow. She slumped against the wall, her spirit crushed. The father who had never loved her now condemned her as a monster.

Her heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

Tears streamed down her face as she realized the depth of her family's rejection. She had done everything she could to save them, and this was her reward.

Days passed in a blur of despair. Alice lay on the cold stone floor of her cell, her body weak from the wound and her spirit broken. She lost track of time, each moment blending into the next in a haze of misery.

Then came the day of her trial. She was dragged from her cell, her wrists still shackled, and brought before a tribunal. The room was filled with people, all of them staring at her with a mix of fear and disgust. Alice felt numb, unable to process the events unfolding around her.

To her surprise, an elderly man entered the room, his presence commanding immediate respect. He was the old principal of Thousand Leaves Academy, a figure of great authority and wisdom. He approached the tribunal and spoke in a calm, authoritative voice. "Release her."

The guards hesitated but ultimately obeyed, unlocking her shackles. Alice looked up at the old man with a mixture of confusion and hope. He took her hand gently and led her out of the tribunal room.

Outside, Alice turned to him, her voice trembling. "Why... why was I shunned? I saved them. I just wanted to help."

The old principal looked at her with kind, knowing eyes. He chuckled softly and then spoke words that would stay with her forever. "In this world, people fear what they do not understand. Your power is extraordinary, and it saved many lives. But fear often blinds people to the truth. Do not let their ignorance define you. You are destined for greatness, Alice. Embrace your strength, and one day, you will find those who see you for who you truly are."

His words resonated deep within her, igniting a spark of hope in her heart. For the first time in her life, Alice felt understood, seen. She nodded, determination slowly replacing the despair. The principal's belief in her gave her the strength to move forward, to prove to the world—and to herself—that she was not a monster, but a hero.

And with that, Alice left her past behind, ready to forge a new path, one where she could finally be free to become who she was always meant to be.

As Alice's vision faded back into the present, the vivid memories of her past began to dissipate. An ancient energy surged within her, rekindling the power she had once felt.

Silver strands of hair started to weave through her red locks, shimmering in the dim light of the blood-filled room.

Her eyes, once a warm brown, turned a striking blue, glowing with a newfound intensity.

Marquis Raynes, who had been observing the battle from a distance, stood frozen in shock. His usual air of confidence was replaced with wide-eyed astonishment.

"I thought this bloodline had gone extinct in that battle 100 years ago," he muttered, unable to tear his gaze away from Alice.

As Alice continued to transform, the power of the ancient energy enveloped her, and the silver in her hair spread like wildfire until it was completely transformed. The change was breathtaking, her entire being emanating an aura of strength and power.

Marquis Raynes began to laugh, a maniacal sound that echoed through the chamber. "I never expected to see such a surprise—a remnant of the legendary bloodline of Fenrir! The one loved by every type of wind in the world," he exclaimed, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and glee.