The Eber Family was completely wiped out?
Kai Adler was momentarily stunned by the news.
What the hell was going on? He hadn't even made his move yet—and they were already gone?
"What happened exactly?"
Selene, seeing the disbelief written all over Oka's face, couldn't help but feel a tinge of pity for the man before her.
Hearing that his entire family had been annihilated, the expression on his face was already considered unnaturally calm.
"You know… our kind, the Vampires, have been close allies with your Eber Family for decades," Selene's eyes flickered faintly.
"But last night, Klein lost all contact with them. After some… extensive inquiries, we received confirmation of the worst."
Her voice dropped as she watched him carefully.
"According to reports from the European magical community, a group of powerful Dark Wizards suddenly located the Eber Family's stronghold. In less than half an hour, they reduced everything to ash."
She paused, her gaze sharpening.
"The Eber Family—there were no survivors."
For once, Kai was speechless.
He hadn't even started playing his hand yet… and the opponent had already toppled?
The destruction of the Eber Family caught him completely off guard. Grindelwald himself had once told him: any family with the ability to record and utilize the Soul-Locking Curse was no mere pawn. These were ancient families, relics of the last century—whatever power they showed publicly was barely scratching the surface.
The real power always hid beneath.
How could such a family be erased overnight?
Kai's mind raced as he rubbed his temples. One possibility clicked into place, and the more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
Last night, after surviving the assassination attempt, he'd only spoken to Dumbledore about it. No matter what anyone thought of him, Albus Dumbledore was still the moral cornerstone of the so-called light side of the wizarding world. Even if he wanted to retaliate, wiping out an entire family? That wasn't Dumbledore's style.
But… Dumbledore informing the Old Man?
Entirely likely.
The timeline matched perfectly. He'd told Dumbledore, and soon after, the Old Man—the most dangerous living Black Wizard—had remotely ripped the seal off Kai's body.
The Eber Family being obliterated the same night? Coincidence? Not likely.
Kai rubbed his aching temples harder.
And in truth… that was exactly what happened.
Last night, when the Old Man had removed Kai's seal, the sky above Nurmengard darkened under a black veil.
Moments later, countless unknown Black Wizard groups appeared simultaneously across Austria and Germany. Through a vast underground intelligence network, they pinpointed the hidden location of the Eber Family in under thirty minutes.
At the Eber Manor, the head of the family had been livid over Oka's failure, threatening to drag Kai's soul out and toss it to the Dementors himself.
Instead, they found themselves completely surrounded by an army of merciless, heavily armed Black Wizards.
Portkeys? Cut off.
Apparition? Impossible.
Floo Network? Silenced by wards of unknown origin.
What followed was simple. Hundreds of elite Black Wizards descended on the Eber estate like a tidal wave, suffocating every living thing inside.
When they left, nothing remained but scorched ruins.
The local Aurors had been left stunned, helpless spectators to a massacre. These Black Wizards came and vanished without a trace, each stronger than the last. Lone Aurors who stumbled across them simply… disappeared.
No suspects caught. But everyone understood exactly where to look for the mastermind.
Nurmengard.
Though technically a prison, Nurmengard had long been a symbol of something else—control. The black veil that hung over the fortress last night wasn't just ominous; it was a warning.
The Ministry knew. Every Ministry knew.
But what could they do?
Grindelwald had never physically left Nurmengard—a convenient, untouchable alibi.
And who in their right mind could judge him? Most of the brave generation of war-era Wizards were gone. What remained were politicians like Cornelius Fudge—spineless, comfortable, peace-softened bureaucrats.
Asking them to confront Grindelwald? The man they'd grown up fearing in bedtime horror stories? They could barely breathe in the shadow of his name, let alone walk into his stronghold.
Besides, everyone knew the truth: Grindelwald remained in Nurmengard only out of respect for him—the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Dumbledore.
And Dumbledore? Happily staying at Hogwarts, as far away from politics as possible.
No one wanted the nuclear weapons of old roaming free again.
So, the Ministries played their game. The official report? A tragedy. The Eber Family was lost to "rogue" Black Wizards. The Ministry condemned the violence, issued wanted posters, vowed "swift justice"… but no one mentioned Grindelwald.
Behind closed doors, they knew: this was over. A few scapegoats might get tossed into Azkaban, but the real message? Delivered loud and clear.
Grindelwald doesn't need a reason to annihilate a family. And anyone curious enough to ask why?
They're welcome to knock on Nurmengard's door…
Back in Cairo, Selene watched as Oka's face shifted through shock, calculation, suspicion—all veiled behind cold restraint.
She sighed, sympathetic despite herself.
Losing your family while out on a mission? Anyone would crack.
"You don't have to participate in the operation tonight," Selene finally said, soft but firm. "This is a Vampire matter now. You've got your own grief to deal with."
At her words, Kai's head shot up, the shadows retreating behind his black and ice-blue eyes.
Of course not.
Tonight's operation was critical. If he missed it, there'd be no other opportunity to gather such powerful, durable cannon fod—teammates—as the Vampires.
But he was still playing the role of Oka, grieving heir of the Eber Family.
He tilted his chin slightly, eyes darkening as they locked with Selene's.
"No." His voice was low, unwavering. "This was the last mission my family entrusted to me… I'll see it through."
Selene's brows lifted, surprise flashing across her usually stoic features.
She hadn't expected that. This man—this ridiculous, insufferable, leering man—had a spine after all.
For the first time, she found him… tolerable.
Suppressing the flicker of respect in her eyes, Selene pursed her lips and nodded, saying no more.
She turned to leave, her boots echoing softly across the manor floor, leaving Kai alone with his spiraling, dark thoughts.