Chapter 395: Becoming Low Level Squad Member

Hearing Vikram’s confirmation, silence filled the hall.

Neither the Mist King nor the Sand King spoke immediately. Their gazes remained fixed on him.

After a long moment, the Mist King finally broke the silence.

"You’ve changed."

Vikram lowered his head and nodded. "I have."

The Mist King studied him carefully. The arrogance and recklessness that had once defined his grandson were noticeably absent this time.

The Sand King also observed Vikram for a moment before speaking. "So, you’ve finally cooled down?"

Vikram felt a wave of relief at the calm tone. He took a deep breath.

"I have. I’ve remembered everything. I know what I did. I know how foolish I was."

The Mist King remained expressionless. "Do you?"

Vikram nodded firmly.

"I acted without thinking. I let my anger control me. I blamed everyone else... when the one who made the mistake was me."

The hall fell silent once again. Kara and Carol stood quietly behind Vikram, neither of them interrupting.

After a while, the Mist King slowly rose from his seat and walked toward Vikram. Stopping only a few steps away, he looked directly into his grandson’s eyes.

"I knew your temper. I believed that one day, after calming down, you would find your way back."

He let out a faint sigh.

"But instead... you disappeared. For all this time, I thought you had died somewhere in the forest."

Hearing those words, Vikram’s heart trembled. He slowly knelt on one knee.

"Grandfather... I’m sorry. I disappointed you."

The Mist King looked at the kneeling Vikram in silence for a long while before finally speaking.

"You’ve admitted your mistake. That is a good beginning. But it does not erase what you’ve done."

Vikram lowered his head even further. "I understand."

The Mist King continued, his voice heavy with authority. "You abandoned your responsibilities. You acted recklessly. And because of your anger, you nearly destroyed your own future."

The entire hall remained deathly silent. No one dared to interrupt.

Then the Mist King took another step forward. "Do you think a single apology is enough to become the future Alpha again?"

Vikram answered without hesitation. "No. I don’t."

The old king gave a slight nod. "Good. At least you’ve learned something."

He turned around and slowly returned to his seat. "From this moment onward, your position as the future Alpha will not be restored. You are no longer my successor, nor do you possess any authority within the Mist Pack. You will begin again as an ordinary member of the pack."

Vikram accepted the decision without objection. "I understand."

Seeing his calm and composed reaction, both the Mist King and the Sand King exchanged a brief glance. This Vikram was truly different from the one they remembered.

The Mist King continued, "If you wish to reclaim your place... if you wish to become the Alpha one day... then you will have to earn it. I will personally test whether you have truly changed. There will be no favoritism because you are my grandson. If you fail, you will remain an ordinary member of the Mist Pack for the rest of your life."

Vikram slowly raised his head. "I accept."

The Mist King’s eyes met his. "Good. Then your first trial begins today."

He pointed toward the vast forest beyond the village. "From this day onward, you will join the hunting parties and the zombie extermination squads. You will live, train, hunt, and fight alongside every ordinary warrior. You will receive no special treatment. You will earn your meals. You will earn your respect. And only after you have earned the acknowledgment of the entire Mist Pack... will I consider giving you the next trial."

Vikram rose to his feet and bowed deeply. "I won’t disappoint you this time."

The Mist King nodded once. "We’ll see."

Standing quietly behind him, Kara and Carol watched the exchange in silence, their expressions filled with quiet support.

At that moment, Vikram finally understood. His journey to becoming the true Alpha had only just begun.

---

After the meeting ended, the Mist King looked toward one of the elders standing beside him.

"Elder Rowan."

An elderly man stepped forward. Despite his age and long gray hair, Elder Rowan’s body was still powerful and broad-shouldered, radiating the strength of a seasoned warrior who had not let time dull his edge.

"Your Majesty."

"From today onward, Vikram will be assigned to the Third Hunting Team. He will receive the same treatment as every other warrior. No privileges. No exceptions. If he makes a mistake, punish him according to the pack’s rules."

"Understood." The elder nodded respectfully.

The Mist King then looked back at Vikram. Vikram bowed slightly. "I understand."

The Sand King, who had remained mostly silent until now, suddenly spoke. "I’ll be staying here for a few more days." His gaze rested heavily on Vikram. "Let me see whether your words carry more weight than they did before."

Vikram met his eyes steadily. "They will."

The Sand King gave a faint nod but said nothing more.

---

After leaving the hall, Elder Rowan led Vikram toward the training grounds. Along the way, many werewolves in human form stopped what they were doing and stared at him. Some whispered among themselves.

"So he’s really back."

"I heard the Mist King stripped him of his status."

"Good. He’ll finally know what ordinary warriors go through."

Vikram paid no attention to their discussions. He knew he had brought this upon himself.

Soon, they arrived at an open field where dozens of young werewolves, all in human form, were sparring. Some practiced with spears and swords, while others fought in their werewolf forms.

Elder Rowan stopped walking and turned to Vikram.

"This is where your first trial begins. You once believed becoming Alpha depended only on strength. But an Alpha must first understand the warriors he leads."

He pointed toward a group of six werewolves preparing their equipment. "Starting today, you will eat with them, train with them, hunt with them, and fight beside them. You will receive exactly the same share as everyone else."

Vikram nodded. "I have no objections."

The elder’s stern expression softened slightly. "Good. Then your first assignment begins immediately." He gestured toward the squad. "They are leaving to eliminate a group of zombies that wandered into our territory. You’ll accompany them. Remember, you are merely a new member. You will follow the orders of your squad leader without question."

Without another word, Vikram walked toward the group.

As he approached, six pairs of eyes turned toward him. None of them greeted him warmly. The squad leader, a sturdy warrior named Roran, simply tossed a spare spear toward him.

Vikram caught the spear effortlessly.

The six warriors gave Vikram only a brief glance before continuing to prepare their equipment. No one welcomed him. To them, he was simply another member of the hunting squad.

Roran, the squad leader, picked up his spear. "Let’s move."

Without another word, the group headed deeper into the forest.

As they traveled, Vikram carefully observed the others. Their movements were disciplined and efficient. Nobody spoke unnecessarily. Each warrior constantly scanned a different direction, ensuring nothing escaped their notice.

Nearly an hour later, Roran suddenly raised his hand. The entire squad stopped at once. Vikram halted as well.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

The squad leader pointed toward the muddy ground. "Tracks."

Vikram looked down. Several strange footprints stretched into the distance. They looked vaguely human, yet the toes were unnaturally long and claw-like, with dried black blood staining the earth around them.

"They’re fresh," one of the warriors whispered.

Roran nodded. "They passed through here less than an hour ago."

Vikram instinctively tightened his grip on the spear. Just then, an inexplicable irritation surged within him. ’Why are they moving so slowly? If the zombies are nearby, we should just charge in and kill them.’

The impulsive thought startled even him. He immediately closed his eyes for a brief moment and forced the anger back down.

’...Not again.’

Roran noticed his unusual expression. "You alright?"

Vikram nodded. "I’m fine."

Although he answered calmly, he knew the anger hadn’t disappeared. It was simply waiting for another opportunity to cloud his judgment.

As they continued forward, another strange feeling arose. For a brief instant, his gaze drifted behind him, instinctively searching for Kara and Carol. Then he remembered, they were not with him. Of course they weren’t. They were leaders of their own teams: Kara commanded the First Hunting Team, and Carol led the Second. They had their own duties.

A quiet sense of longing washed over him, and with it, the lingering influence of lust quietly stirred. He quickly looked away.

’...Get a hold of yourself.’

He silently cursed the turbulent emotions inside him. Neither the anger nor the lust had weakened. If anything, they had become more unpredictable. He could only suppress them through sheer willpower.

---

The squad continued following the trail until the forest grew eerily quiet. Even the birds had stopped singing.

Roran slowly crouched behind a fallen tree and motioned for everyone else to do the same. Vikram peered through the bushes. His pupils contracted.

Roughly fifty meters ahead, several figures wandered aimlessly between the trees. Their bodies were covered in dried blood, their movements stiff and unnatural. Their pale, lifeless eyes stared blankly into the distance.

Without needing an explanation, Vikram recognized them immediately.

"Zombies..."

Roran slowly raised three fingers.

Three... Two... One...

"Attack!"

The six warriors burst from the bushes simultaneously. In a flash, they transformed into gray-furred werewolves, their powerful bodies surging forward with deadly intent.

Vikram gripped his spear tightly and charged with them. With a surge of power, he transformed as well. Silver fur rapidly covered his muscular frame as he became a majestic silver werewolf. The distinct color of his fur marked the purity of his bloodline, the direct lineage of the Mist King.

The zombies reacted instantly, letting out hoarse, guttural growls as they charged toward the hunting squad.