"So, what now? Just sit back and enjoy the show?" Coulson asked as he watched the entire scene unfold like a live broadcast. Along the way, he even picked up some gossip from a few hundred years ago.
Weren't you already enjoying the show? Uzumaki Asaoka thought to himself, expression unchanged.
"We should investigate both sides," he said aloud. "It's not a difficult task. But your mission seems really troublesome. It would be much easier if you just let me deal with these vampires directly."
"We're a law enforcement agency," Coulson replied with righteous conviction. "We don't act unless it's necessary."
"Stop pretending," Asaoka scoffed. "You guys at the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division definitely have your own agenda. What is it—are you after the vampires' fighting strength? Or are the werewolves more your type?"
Coulson scratched his head awkwardly. "That's not something I can decide. I'm not the Director. But… we really do lack excellent agents. How about joining us? Give it a try."
He wasn't joking. If they could recruit a few ninjas into S.H.I.E.L.D., the risks might be high, but the benefits would be immediate. Director Nick Fury himself had emphasized the importance of establishing a good relationship with Su Xiuyu and his allies.
"I refuse," Asaoka replied flatly. "I'm from the Uzumaki clan. I can't join S.H.I.E.L.D."
Are you kidding me? he thought. Why would I ever work for S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Coulson changed the subject. "What's your clan's relationship with the Uchiha?"
"We're firm allies. Each clan has its own strengths. Our current clan leader is Brother Xiuyu. The Uchiha clan's leader is Madara. Brother Xiuyu and Madara are practically brothers."
"Sounds complicated," Coulson mused. "If Mr. Su and Mr. Madara ever disagree, whose opinion do the clans usually follow?"
Asaoka shot him a sharp look. "Don't ask questions like that again. It's fine that you asked me, but if you say something like that to the Uchiha, you'll get your teeth knocked out. Say it in front of Lord Madara, and you're just asking to die."
Coulson wiped the sweat from his brow, guilty. "Really? I was just asking casually. I didn't mean anything by it."
"I know," Asaoka said with a shrug. "But it's best to avoid those questions. Madara-sama is a lot better now, but back in the day… you wouldn't have even gotten this close."
"Was his temper really that bad?"
"I think he's fine," Asaoka said carefully. "But no, he wasn't good-tempered. Very stubborn too. That said, he listens to what Xiuyu-nee says."
As an experienced agent, Coulson had asked the question on purpose. He was curious about the Uchiha and Uzumaki clans. While his question had seemed casual, it was deliberate—and effective. He'd managed to glean two pieces of valuable intel: Uchiha Madara was difficult to get along with, and Su Xiuyu held significant influence. By that measure, his little test was a success.
Asaoka also understood the hidden meaning behind the question. But he didn't mind—it wasn't classified information. It was also a fair reminder: don't speak carelessly in front of Madara. Though Madara had mellowed out, killing someone was still his go-to solution. Solving a problem might be complicated, but eliminating the person causing the problem was always simple.
"Alright, enough chatting. We need to track both sides. Actually, never mind. We can't count on you guys for that," Asaoka sighed. For such a large organization, S.H.I.E.L.D. had surprisingly few reliable combatants. Xiuyu had said it was a global force, but it didn't even feel as competent as the Hunter Organization from the Pacific Rim world.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Asaoka suddenly formed a hand seal.
A perfect duplicate of himself appeared next to him, ready to track the werewolf while Asaoka's real body stayed with Coulson.
"Th-this—" Coulson stuttered, stunned by the transformation. He instinctively reached out and patted both Asaokas on the shoulders. They felt solid—completely real. If he hadn't touched them himself, he would've thought it was just some advanced holographic projection.
"How did you just… become two people?" Coulson asked, eyes wide. "That's insane."
"It's a ninjutsu technique," Asaoka replied. "The clone has physical form. As you can see, it's very useful for reconnaissance."
The shadow clone gave the original a small nod and quickly took off in pursuit of the werewolf.
"Wait, wait," Coulson said, turning back to Asaoka. "Did the clone just… respond to you?"
"Of course," Asaoka nodded. "The clone has its own intelligence. It inherits everything from the original—including memory, personality, and knowledge."
"That's amazing," Coulson muttered. "If I could make eight or ten of those, I'd have my own squad."
"You could, technically. Most people can only manage one or two."
"Wait, you're saying this jutsu can be performed more than once?"
"Sure. It just depends on your chakra reserves. The stronger you are, the more clones you can make."
"How many are we talking?"
"Dozens. Hundreds, even."
Coulson swallowed. "So… how many can you make?"
"Me? Not many. I haven't tried my upper limit."
Coulson exhaled in relief. So he's not at the top level yet.
"At least a few thousand, though," Asaoka added casually. "Ten thousand isn't too hard. This isn't even considered a high-level jutsu. It's just a great learning tool. Brother Xiuyu taught me that."
Coulson nearly choked on his own breath.
"Enough chit-chat. Let's move. We're tracking that vampire again," Asaoka said, motioning toward the car.
They followed the vampire Selene all the way to a remote manor. She seemed distracted—probably still processing the truth about Lucien, the so-called Wolf King. Her guard was so low that she didn't even notice them. Normally, she wouldn't have let anyone tail her this easily, but her thoughts were elsewhere—mainly on the truth about her biological parents' deaths.
"How do we get in? Plant some bugs?"
"That's too much trouble," Asaoka said. "I'll take you in directly."
"Wait, what do you—hey, hey, HEY! Why are you grabbing my collar?! And why are you holding the back of my head?!"
"I'm making sure your neck doesn't snap during the jump…"
In one fluid motion, Asaoka vaulted over the wall and teleported them both directly into the manor grounds.
The sudden spatial distortion hit Coulson like a brick. He doubled over, nauseated, and promptly threw up.
"Keep it down," Asaoka whispered, annoyed. "You'll alert the entire estate."
---------------
"Ugh..."
Coulson finally stopped retching, his body drained from vomiting until only bile remained. As the nausea subsided, a realization dawned on him—he finally understood why Uzumaki Asaoka had held his head in place. Without Asaoka support, his neck might've snapped on the spot.
"What the hell kind of tricks do you ninjas use? That felt like teleportation!"
"It's no use asking," Asaoka replied with a hint of amusement. "Even if I explained, could you learn it?"
He tilted his head slightly, listening to the commotion below. "Don't make a sound. I'm heading down to see what they're arguing about."
With that, Uzumaki Asaoka vanished, using a combination of teleportation and transformation jutsu to silently slip into Kraven's room.
---
Inside, Kraven raised a glass of red wine, but before he could take a sip, a voice pierced the silence.
"Kraven, how did my parents die?" Selene stood in the doorway, eyes locked on him.
Kraven flinched, startled. "You're… Elder Victor's daughter?"
"I was adopted by Victor," she corrected coldly.
Kraven narrowed his eyes. "What's your connection to the werewolf Lucian? If I report you to the Council for colluding with werewolves, don't think they'll protect you."
"I'm not afraid of you," Selina snapped. "We both know we've never gotten along."
"So, Lucian told you everything." Kraven didn't bother hiding his surprise. In fact, he almost looked relieved.
"Yes. I've known Lucian for centuries. Did you think I wouldn't find out he once served under Victor?" she said, voice steady.
"Served?" Kraven smirked. "He was a slave. A werewolf slave of the vampire clan. But then... the tragedy happened."
Selina's expression shifted, shock mixing with disgust. "What does any of that have to do with me?"
"It's more connected than you think," Kraven replied. "Ever wonder why Victor adopted you? It wasn't out of kindness. You know what kind of man he really is."
He leaned back, swirling his wine. "Elder Marcus had a daughter—Sonya. She and Lucian… they were in love."
Selina blinked. "What?"
"Yes. A noble vampire in love with a slave. Absurd, isn't it? But it's true." Kraven chuckled darkly. "Even humans frown on such relationships. Among vampires, it's seen as repulsive. Victor was furious. His own daughter shamed him."
He paused for effect. "So, he had her executed. Both Sonya and Lucian were sentenced to die. But Lucian escaped."
Selina's hands clenched into fists. She didn't want to believe it—but something in her heart told her it was true.
Kraven went on, his voice softer now. "Victor once made a rule forbidding harm to ordinary humans. But he broke his own law. One night, he slaughtered a family… and then saw a little girl."
Selina's breath caught.
"She looked just like Sonya. The resemblance was uncanny. Victor couldn't bring himself to kill her. So, he took her in."
"Stop…" Selina's voice cracked. Her eyes filled with tears, but she held back the sob in her throat.
"When she grew up, she was given a name—Selina." Kraven finished his wine and set the glass down.
He watched her carefully. "If you want revenge, we can work together."
"Don't flatter yourself. I know you're just trying to use me," she snapped. "Victor's still an Elder. So are Marcus and Amiraya. You won't rise to the top that easily. You may have ambition, but you don't have the strength."
Kraven smiled, unfazed. "That's not your concern. You just handle Victor."
He leaned in slightly. "Let me worry about the rest."
---
Elsewhere, Lucian stood over a restrained Michael, deep in werewolf territory.
"How long until the serum is ready?" he asked, voice tight with urgency.
"Tomorrow," the doctor in a white coat replied. "We'll complete the injection then."
Lucian nodded, eyes burning. After centuries of struggle and pain, power was finally within his grasp. But it wasn't for power's sake. No… it was for her. For Sonya.
"Victor… I'm coming for you," Lucian growled.
---
The next day, the moment arrived.
Lucian stood bare-chested in the lab, veins pulsing as the serum was injected into his body. The effect was instant. Strength surged through him—raw, untamed, and overwhelming.
"Yes... Yes!" he roared, laughing maniacally. "Victor! Your end has come!"
The transformation was complete. Lucian's body radiated with terrifying power.
"How's Michael?" he asked the doctor.
"He's unconscious. Lost a lot of blood. He needs rest."
"Leave two men to guard him. The rest—follow me! This is the day our clan rises. No more hiding. No more fear!"
The werewolves howled in unison, a chorus of rage and hope. They were ready to strike.
Back at the vampire manor, Kraven sealed the final part of his plan—he had leaked Elder Amiraya's location to Lucian.
"Everything is in place," he told Selina. "Lucian will strike soon. Amiraya will be the first to die. After that... you can have your revenge on Victor."
"Ambitious, aren't you?" Selina said, unimpressed.
"Let's not be enemies," Kraven said smoothly. "We both gain something from this. I've never gone against you, have I? Now our goals align."
"Our first cooperation," he added with a smirk. "Hopefully not the last."
Selina's eyes narrowed. "I don't care about your schemes. I just want to know—was Victor really the one who murdered my parents?"
"If that's your only goal, we'll get along just fine," Kraven replied, hiding his relief. If Selina had political ambition, he would've eliminated her long ago.
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I didn't realize the Discord Link I shared had an expiration date, so I've updated it. Here's the new link
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Check my Pâtreon for (40) advanced chapters
Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03
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Discord Link Here:
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