To be honest, Alex wasn't the slightest bit intimidated by Marcus.
Admittedly, Marcus was undeniably the strongest powerhouse in Alexander's clan.
Among all the vampire legends Alex had ever come across, Marcus stood out as a true titan.
Even in Marvel's major vampire stories like Blade, Marcus belonged to the very pinnacle of the pyramid.
Just the fact that he could fly put him above most other vampires.
And those wings weren't just for flight—they were deadly weapons in their own right, capable of easily crushing powerful vampires like Klein with a single strike to the head.
When you looked across all vampires, how many could sprout wings and take to the skies? Aside from Dracula, Alex honestly couldn't think of anyone else.
That might explain why Marcus didn't even consider Alex worth his time.
Alex pondered this silently.
Unfortunately for Marcus, with Alex's current strength, even Dracula was a mere pushover in comparison—let alone Marcus.
If Marcus was smart enough to show some respect, fine. But if he wanted to act arrogant, Alex wouldn't mind teaching him just why flowers bloom so brightly and why the sun shines so brilliantly.
As these chaotic thoughts flashed through his mind, Alex followed Selena into the grand hall of the ancient castle.
"Supreme One!"
The undead within the hall immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed deeply when they saw Alex enter.
Alex maintained the dignified aura befitting a Supreme One, ignoring their salutes.
"Selena, you may leave now. I'll handle things from here."
Kraven approached Alex and waved Selena off with a commanding gesture.
The place they were about to enter was the highest sanctum of the entire clan—so exclusive that not even Selena was allowed in freely. Only Kraven had that privilege.
"Supreme One, I'll take my leave now."
Serena nodded in understanding and stepped aside after greeting Alex.
Klein shot a glance at Serena's retreating figure and snorted coldly to himself.
So what if she's got the Supreme One on her side? In this clan, he was still the one calling the shots.
"Supreme One, please, this way."
Kraven quickly dismissed his thoughts and gestured respectfully to Alex, leading him into the vast inner chamber.
At the far end sat the three elders, rigidly perched in their seats. None rose to greet Alex.
Yet their expressions told very different stories.
Amelia looked flustered and uneasy, barely daring to meet Alex's eyes.
Clearly, she didn't want to put on airs in front of Alex but was forced to under Marcus's overwhelming presence.
Marcus sat boldly and arrogantly, his face cold and disdainful as he looked down on Alex, radiating an air of superiority and menace.
He truly didn't regard Alex as worthy of his notice.
The other elder, Viktor, looked like a lifeless statue, utterly expressionless, revealing nothing of his thoughts.
He was a cunning old hand—no one could guess his intentions.
Under the elders' watchful eyes, Alex followed Kraven right up to them.
"Elders, Supreme One Alex has arrived," Kraven respectfully reported, then stepped back with hands folded.
The new Supreme One?
Marcus glanced over the young, clean-cut face barely out of his teens, and undisguised contempt flashed across his features.
He was an ancient creature over a thousand years old, powerful and noble—how could he take this brat seriously?
Even if this kid possessed the Ancestor's ring, it didn't count until he fully transformed into an undead. Marcus refused to acknowledge him.
"You must be Mr. Alex."
Marcus addressed him condescendingly, dropping the "Supreme One" title entirely.
That showed exactly how little he cared for Alex.
"I don't know what rumors you've heard, maybe from other clans or some foolish undead, but you need to understand—our clan is different."
"Other clans might worship you as Supreme One just because you flash the Ancestor's ring. Here? That's useless."
"We value not just the bloodline of the Ancestor, but strength above all."
"My words may sound rude or harsh, but I'm just being honest."
"You want to be Supreme One of this clan? Simple."
"Beat me, and it's yours."
"You think I'm targeting you? No. I'm just telling you how things are."
"Before you came, our clan had a Supreme One. Why did he leave?"
"Because he wasn't strong enough."
Marcus spoke coldly, his tone laced with oppressive arrogance—unapologetically blunt.
Amelia's face showed a helpless sigh.
Even if the new Supreme One's strength was lacking, he had a close connection to the Dracula Ancestor—Marcus was being too arrogant.
Viktor remained stone-faced, unreadable as ever.
Kraven's eyes, however, glimmered with a subtle hint of triumph.
Marcus clearly disliked this new Supreme One and was blatantly trying to drive him out.
Perfect!
For Kraven, this was a godsend.
If he could get rid of this Supreme One, the clan would be his to command again.
Could the new Supreme One defeat Marcus and stay?
Don't be ridiculous—that was impossible.
Marcus was definitely Supreme One level. Some Supreme Ones weren't even his match, so how could he be so cocky otherwise? This move was rock solid!
As Marcus finished speaking, Amelia, Viktor, and Kraven all fixed their eyes on Alex, waiting to see what he would do next.
Suddenly—
A flash of motion.
Before anyone could react, a gust of wind slammed into the hall.
Alex had appeared mere meters from Marcus, standing cold and calm.
With one hand, he grabbed Marcus by the neck and lifted him off the ground.
A sneer curled on Alex's lips as he looked down at Marcus:
"Is defeating you really all it takes?"
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