The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1795: Lonely Darkness

"I am the Royal Black Prince," Rex's voice boomed, carrying its force across the surroundings. "I inherited the power of the Dark Moon. The Blood Moon and Honey Moon backed me too, so you should submit to me as your Alpha."

In front of him writhed over a dozen shadows, positioned nearly in full prostration.

Submission showed in their lowered tails.

His gaze was avoided by none of them. Hierarchy and purity explained this, not their weakness.

A day had passed since the encounter with Ignatius.

To fight the empire and finish the second Race Evolution Quest, Rex aimed to expand his pack's size. The Shade Crawlers became his targets. Their scents reached him near the Tomb of Heroes, sufficient for any werewolf to pursue prey.

Hiding proved impossible for them in the Black Rift.

Yet he discovered their group not far from his spot.

Empress Morgana's Blood Moon-empowered slash had hurled him a distance, but these Shade Crawlers lingered within five miles of his landing. They waited openly rather than concealed, clearly intending to be discovered.

Submission came from all of them now.

Stranded in the Spirit Realm, they remained unaware of the werewolves' plight in their homeland.

Unaware that others labeled him a false werewolf.

Unaware of his victories and taunts against the royals.

Unaware that their race now depended on his mercy and his empire's.

They might even ignore that their Origin had vanished long ago, with the survivors sealed away.

The ancient era persisted for them, though a new one had dawned elsewhere.

By revealing his curving horns and unleashing his Alpha aura, Rex bent the Shade Crawlers to his command. Among them, some possessed tremendous strength, including their Shaman Varya—a seven-hundred-year-old werewolf by Mortal Realm measure—nearly matching his own power.

Her spiritual points exceeded Rex's by double, though not conclusively superior.

With their combined numbers and might, resistance seemed possible.

Traditional instincts, however, allowed Rex to dominate them easily and convert most into Silverstars.

Ten of the mightiest Shade Crawlers, Varya included, became Silverstars under his influence, placed in the Outer Pack—yet denied human forms. Obedience defined them in their current state, and Rex avoided risks from altering their shapes.

Turning these Shade Crawlers brought a heavy strain to Rex's body.

Rapid pack expansion wasn't new to him.

Previously, he had only transformed Voidal Knights, far inferior in strength.

The Shade Crawlers, though, rivaled his pre-Blood Moon Echo power for most. Their incredible might made the transformation's toll unavoidable, limiting Rex to just ten conversions.

"What is your answer, Varya?" Rex gazed down at her.

Positioned directly before him, she knelt rather than prostrated like the rest.

Her status wasn't the reason for this elevation over others.

A back mutation hindered her forward bending; kneeling represented her utmost submission to Rex. "I am simply keeping order, Your Highness. Now that you’re here, it’s natural for me to step back."

"Good," Rex nodded, softly stroking her head with his hand. "Now, it’s time for work."

"What is your order?" As Rex's fingers lifted her chin, she raised her eyes.

"I need you to locate someone," Rex declared, his eyes shining with determined purpose. "And secure the path towards it. Bring the Ten with you. I learned your mutations are compatible with tracking, so I want the result in a day or less. Can you do that?"

"Easily," Varya replied with firm confidence, nodding.

The Black Rift had served as home for her and the Shade Crawlers over endless years. They explored the continent and likely more, etching a vivid mental map of its surface.

Survival without growing their numbers relied on that intimate knowledge.

"Also, call the others here," Rex added, turning to depart. "I want them all here."

These Shade Crawlers didn't encompass the entire group, naturally.

Two to three dozen more roamed the Solmara Continent, requiring time to gather. Few in count against an empire's fodder, yet each matched a general, Baron, or even Marquis in prowess.

Viewed that way, Rex commanded a formidable force already.

The Spirit Emperor loomed as a persistent threat.

A voice resonated in his thoughts as he briefly parted from the Shade Crawlers.

Mira delivered the latest updates.

A sly smile curved Rex's lips while absorbing her words.

Empress Morgana had vanished, likely fearing exposure of her true identity. Princess Davina and her troops hunted him frantically, per Mira's exact report. Royal knights were meant to assist, deploying life-energy pulses from empire bubbles like radar signals.

Aid from the Royal Knights never arrived.

The Spirit Emperor proclaimed the Empress misunderstood and commanded the usurper's immediate execution. Doubts would arise among many, undoubtedly, but Rex remained indifferent. He anticipated this turn.

In this realm, he counted as nothing.

Merely an invader from the Mortal Realm.

Empress Morgana, faults and deceptions aside, belonged natively here.

Nobles such as Duke Lorcan might challenge the emperor's choice, yet ultimately, the empire's populace would rally to their cherished ruler. Such dynamics prevailed inevitably.

Public sentiment could shift, however.

Back in the Mortal Realm, Rex ruled his own empire, and though this realm surpassed it in might, human natures aligned closely. Emperor Dominar erred arrogantly, believing Rex weakened post-battles with the Archangel of Knives and the Empress.

Regret awaited the emperor, courtesy of Rex.

After dispatching the Shade Crawlers on their tasks, he settled in a cave beside a two-hundred-foot cliff. Varya's long-time dwelling, it had sustained her for centuries. Every Shade Crawler depended on her presence.

Food procurement aside, she provided essential morale.

No Lunas existed in this realm. All were Alphas.

According to Varya, stranded Lunas adapted poorer than Alphas.

Betas fared similarly, shaping their all-Alpha structure.

Though adapted to Luna-less operation, Shade Crawlers required a haven to recharge exhausted spirits—one of their initial stranded challenges.

Varya endured agony from forced mutations to accelerate adaptation.

The ordeal nearly claimed her life, yet she endured.

Presently, her scent and energy echoed Lunas, positioning her as a maternal anchor for the Shade Crawlers—offering lullabies to steel their resolve, murmuring promises of the Origin's eventual rescue.

Rex's fingers glided over the warped rune etched into the wall.

System-granted rune knowledge let him recognize the carving's flaws. Weakened by time's toll on her mind, Varya's work suffered in quality.

Pity stirred in Rex at the thought.

Stranded werewolves in the Spirit Realm, their homeland memories fading.

Deep in the Black Rift's core, Rex lost track of time without System query, though days had likely passed. Meditation consumed most, as essence and power from the Archangel of Knives repaired his soul and form.

<Fiber of the Unbound Titan>

<Bonus: +2,000,000 Strength, 1,500,000 Endurance, and 500,000 Agility>

This boon came from enlisting Ignatius's aid.

A blessing of sorts, it restored his stamina while fortifying his physique.

Titan-like power now surged through his muscles.

Four million stat points from Ignatius's mere touch stunned Rex, highlighting their vast gap. Scion, Blank, and Werewolf though he was, Ignatius dwarfed him utterly.

Kei Xun's "baby" label rang true now.

Against that monster, he truly was one.

Within the cave's gloom and his shut eyes, senses sharpened to extremes.

Solitude evaded him, it seemed.

Eyelids fluttered at Gistella's combing touch. Gentle, elongated fingers wove through his dense black hair, then pressed the nape, drawing away stresses and dark thoughts.

Softness and tenderness defined her entirely, a balm for his rugged exterior.

A moist aroma prompted a deep breath.

Adhara's keen lips met his with fierce intensity, as if claiming him wholly. Beyond cautious moments, she infused excessive force into actions, striving to equal his vigor.

Her fiery nature likely stemmed from a harsh upbringing.

An unforgiving father shaped her, a fate spared scarring her flawless skin by her werewolf turn.

A chill coursed his spine as hands clasped his.

Firm grips identified Evelyn's hold.

Among all, Evelyn evoked memories of his mother, Mrs. Greene, most vividly.

Decisive in desires, she spotted his promise and pushed him harder than most—while offering bolstering confidence and power. She fueled his sense of invincibility.

Rex's right hand jerked from a sharp bite.

Blood ignited as Calidora's fangs pierced his flesh.

Her aura always unsettled him, unlike the rest.

Yet she kept him vigilant, even in sanctuary.

Reminiscent of his Noob Box drill instructor, she instilled sleep trauma, making true rest scarce. Pregnant with his child, her ruthlessness in maintaining his alertness intensified.

Complications loomed post-daughter's birth.

Entrusting her to Elder Tilrith might prove wise.

Calidora's easy acceptance seemed unlikely.

Sensations faded like a fleeting breeze when Rex's eyes snapped open.

Darkness persisted, yearning for their caresses, his home—yet idleness wasn't an option.

Approaching footsteps resounded from the cave entrance, delving into the shadows.

Voidal energy parted under Rex's push, revealing the arrivals; keen vision identified Amanir and two others instantly. Rising, he approached with arms folded across his torso.

"I didn’t think you two would come," he stated evenly, masking astonishment. "Are you sure about this?"