Chapter 779: Glory to the Volkov Family

Not long after leaving his wife and Lucianna, Nikolai couldn’t help but think about the messages from Ryan, Alexei and Vernan that came one by one in the morning. They buzzed with their discontent and grievance, forced to leave their loved ones at the crack of dawn.

"The lazy little bastards...!"

However, after a stern response, the three of them replied with messages that made him unable to do anything but smile.

[Brother, please, my wife is cold-blooded and needs my body heat in the morning!]

[Boss... my wife said no.... help....]

[On my way, bro!]

On his way to the central compound, his thoughts lingered on the possibility that they might fail, or that Alucard and Dr. Franz might do something that surprises them so much that he has no choice but to ask his father for help.

’Am I just being too nervous?’

Nikolai scratched the side of his head.

Probably.

But after everything that happened these past few months, he couldn’t help imagining the worst possible outcome. Every time they felt prepared, something unexpected appeared. A new enemy, some hidden experiment, or another bastard who somehow survived long enough to become a problem.

’That’s why I need to start killing them, with no mercy!’

Alucard was already dangerous enough after his awakening during the outpost battle, but when it came to Doctor Franz... The defeat in Al’Qutar resonated in the back of Nikolai’s mind, reminding him that he wasn’t a superhero.

’That bastard worries me more.’

Someone like Alucard could be understood.

The man wanted control, and from everything Nikolai knew, he possessed enough strength to justify his arrogance.

Because they were both similar in type, ’Honestly, I would do the same if it were to save one of my women or family members...’ That’s why, although he despised Alucard, Nikolai just couldn’t bring himself to hate him.

Franz was different.

There wasn’t any way to predict what a mad scientist might prepare after spending years hidden away on a floating island filled with vampires and experimental subjects.

"If things really go to shit..."

Nikolai took a deep breath, glancing back at the distant mansion where his parents were staying and sighed. He would call his father, no matter how embarrassing.

But he really didn’t want to.

If his father had to personally appear and clean up everything whenever Nikolai encountered an enemy beyond his expectations, then what was the point of becoming Patriarch?

’I need to handle this myself.’

Unless there was genuinely no alternative.

The vehicle carrying him passed through another security checkpoint before entering the central section of the Volkov compound.

Nikolai glanced through the window.

Then his thoughts stopped.

"...Whoa."

Even after living here, he rarely appreciated how much everything had changed.

The old central training ground had expanded several times over, swallowing neighbouring courtyards and smaller facilities until it resembled something closer to a military assembly ground than anything belonging to a supernatural clan.

Thousands of people already occupied it.

Different groups stood separated beneath banners and temporary markers while officers moved through their formations. Some wore combat armour, others wore simple uniforms, while several beastkin and supernatural races didn’t bother hiding their ears, tails or other characteristics anymore.

Even the usual maids wore full tactical gear, designed for anti-monster combat.

The same members who joined Leona just a few months ago were not combat-ready beasts.

True wolves.

’This is what my choices and decisions created?’

Nikolai nodded, confirming his thoughts, this was the way for Volkov to rise and protect itself in the turbulent times.

’But when the hell did we gather this many people?’

There were quite a few warriors before, but most of them lived off-compound... it seemed that when he asked his knights and father to act, they all moved here.

A few dozen strong members gathered together already looked impressive, never mind perhaps a hundred during an emergency.

However, Nikolai could barely count the individual formations from inside the moving vehicle. Several dozen black jeeps waited along the southern edge. Beyond those were larger armoured transports, supply trucks and fuel vehicles. Three helicopters rested on reinforced landing pads while their crews performed final checks.

Further in the distance, beyond the walls separating the central compound from the private airstrip, Nikolai could even see several aircraft prepared beside the hangars.

’Can I even call this a strike force now? It’s a fucking army...!’

The vehicle stopped beneath the central Patriarch’s mansion.

Nikolai stepped outside.

Almost immediately, several officers bowed before approaching with tablets and folders, but he raised one hand.

"Later."

"Yes, Patriarch."

He walked inside without slowing.

The former main mansion wasn’t really used as a home anymore, as it was when his grandfather ruled.

Since Nikolai became Patriarch, the central building had gradually transformed into something between a command centre, meeting hall and administrative headquarters.

The upper floors remained luxurious enough to receive foreign guests, but the lower sections were filled with guards, communications equipment and people constantly hurrying around with reports between departments.

’Grandfather would probably hate what we’ve done to the place.’

Or maybe he’d secretly enjoy it.

Nikolai entered the elevator.

[Welcome]

[Please state your desired floor.]

"Roof."

[Confirmed Voice imprint. Greetings, Lord Commander]

’....Ryan....’

For several seconds, there was nothing but the quiet hum of machinery and a strangely uplifting elevator song that made Nikolai want to raise his fist in the air.

Ding!

Cold wind struck his face the moment the upper doors opened.

[Glory to the Volkov Family]

The pleasant voice that was certainly a recording of either Kumiko or Rika echoed behind him as Nikolai stepped onto the massive rooftop terrace. It was built similarly to a castle battlement, covering the upper levels of the entire compound.

Three figures were already standing near the edge.

"Oi, you ungrateful bastards. Why is no one here to greet their ’Lord Commander,’ huh?"

"...Shit!" Ryan gasped and turned as if to run.

"STOP!"

Ryan froze halfway towards the stairwell.

Alexei turned his face away, but the slight shaking of his shoulders made it obvious he was trying not to laugh. Vernan, meanwhile, had no shame and simply leaned against the battlement with an enormous grin.

"Brother, whatever you’re thinking... I had nothing to do with it."

"Bullshit!"

Nikolai pointed back towards the elevator.

"Lord Commander? Glory to the Volkov Family? And what the fuck was that music?!"

Ryan slowly turned around.

"...Morale?"

"Morale my ass! I am the only one other than you guys who’d use that fucking elevator!"

"Hahaha!"

Vernan finally burst out laughing, forcing Nikolai to glare at him instead.

"You think it’s funny?"

This time it was the huge bear that froze in silence, his laughter stopping almost instantly.

Nikolai hadn’t noticed, but now, when he became angry or emotional, a huge amount of aura would leak out naturally. This wasn’t him using his powers, but the sheer amount of excess power that lingered within his body in his natural state.

"Tsk!"

Nikolai clicked his tongue, but couldn’t maintain the anger for long. It was stupid. Completely unnecessary.

Though the true reason was simple.

’I kind of like it.’

He would never admit that aloud.

"Whatever. I’ll deal with you later."

Ryan immediately relaxed.

"Thank god."

"I said later."

"...Shit."

Ignoring him, Nikolai approached the battlement, and the jovial atmosphere gradually disappeared with every step. From this height, almost the entire northern section of S-City could be seen beneath them.

Yet Nikolai’s attention remained fixed on the Volkov compound.

’It’s enormous.’

He’d already noticed from the vehicle, but looking down from above made the scale completely different.

The expanded central training compound occupied an enormous section beneath the Patriarch’s mansion, and thousands of people stood organised across it. The old training grounds he’d seen months ago were almost impossible to recognise beneath the reinforced barriers, equipment depots and temporary command stations surrounding the formations.

Some groups wore the black combat equipment of the Volkov family.

Others belonged to smaller clans and affiliated forces.

There were beastkin with exposed ears and tails, vampires standing beneath shaded structures, humans carrying anti-monster rifles, and several races Nikolai couldn’t identify without getting closer.

Even the servants had changed.

Several squads of maids moved between the formations wearing tactical armour over their uniforms, carrying weapons and medical equipment.

’Leona really turned them into monsters...’

A strange sense of satisfaction filled his chest.

These weren’t helpless people waiting for some ancient vampire or monster to slaughter them anymore.

They were warriors.

His gaze shifted west.

The medical research complex stretched across several reinforced buildings, their white and grey structures surrounded by checkpoints, patrol vehicles and elevated defensive positions. Several towers rose behind them, overlooking the outer walls and northern districts beyond.

To the east stood the residential area.

Once a beautiful place filled with mansions and showing their assets, it was now filled with garrison towers and stone walls where the enemy broke through a few nights earlier.

The places where their families lived.

Where his children slept.

Where Kumiko, Madoka and the others would remain while he disappeared onto some floating island filled with vampires.

"Nikolai."

Alexei’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Hm?"

"Are you alright? You seem a little distracted..."

’It’s just like you to notice...’

Nikolai shrugged. "You’re right; I am a little nervous and worried we might fuck up. I mean, can you remember a single mission or action we’ve taken that didn’t end in us almost dying or facing immeasurable danger?"

"...well, I can’t deny it, but we always pull through, right, brother?"

"True." Ryan chimed in.

"..."

Nikolai leaned on the stone railings and chewed on his bottom lip, glancing at the people down below.

Vernan joined them near the railing. "It’s becoming quite dramatic, brother."

Nikolai glanced between the three men.

"...Fuck off."

Their laughter briefly returned, and this was how their morning passed; after spending so long together, things just slipped into place for them. Though he still worried, Nikolai felt it wouldn’t be so bad to fight to his last with these idiots.

With his emotions settled, Nikolai turned to face his three brothers and asked them an important question.

"Alright then, stop pissing about and tell me...

How many troops do we have for tonight, and have your wives agreed?"