Chapter 1641: The Forgotten Hero Lenny Steel, A name spoken rarely now, almost forgotten by most of Bronzeland. Yet once, during the years of the Shadow Plague, his name had carried weight equal to generals and kings. He was one of the few who had stood on the front lines, crafting medicines, tools, and strange alchemic creations that helped push the infection back. For a time, he had lingered in the kingdom, helping with lingering outbreaks and problems that plagued the land. But as the years passed, Lenny quietly faded from public life. One day he was there, assisting the medics with his peculiar brilliance, and the next he was simply gone. No farewell. No trail. No letters. He had always been a solitary man, a mind far more comfortable with bubbling vials and silent experiments than classrooms or crowds. With no apprentices, no close friends, and no official ties, searching for him was like chasing smoke. “Lenny Steel,” Jack repeated softly, rubbing his forehead with tired fingers. “You’re right... he was one of the best alchemists the world has ever seen, and a man who could think beyond what anyone believed possible.” There was a heaviness in Jack’s voice, a mixture of faint hope and bitter exhaustion. Every day he seemed to age a little more under the pressure, the weight of responsibility pulling him down. “I had no doubt he might be able to help,” Jack continued. “And the truth is, I did search for him... but I’ve been unable to find him.” Galdark opened his mouth to ask more, but Jack kept speaking. “There have been hints,” Jack admitted. “Rumors scattered through Bronzeland. Small whispers of people who claimed to know someone who might have seen him. But whispers aren’t enough. And with everything happening here... I barely have the time to stand up from this chair, let alone leave the city in search of him.” Galdark felt a pang in his chest. Watching Jack now, his posture stiff, his shoulders tense, yet his eyes trembling, he understood a fraction of the burden the Alpha had been carrying alone. “I have someone on the task already,” Jack said. “So maybe I should have been clearer. It’s not that I haven’t found him... it’s that we haven’t found him yet.” Galdark nodded slowly. It made sense. Jack was the type to push forward even with broken legs, but even he couldn’t be everywhere at once. “The issue,” Jack went on, voice dropping, “is time. Time is running out. And I don’t know how much we have left before someone gets hurt.” The two men let out simultaneous breaths, heavy with shared relief and frustration. Both had been afraid to bring this subject up, afraid of the emotional wound it might reopen. But now that everything was out in the open, the tension softened, just a little. “So what are you going to do?” Galdark finally asked. “Are you planning to attack Steve and his pack... to stop whatever might spread? To protect Lilly?” It was a dangerous question. Yet Galdark asked it anyway. Because Jack needed someone, anyone, who would speak openly with him. Whatever you decide,” Galdark said, placing a hand over his chest, “I believe you will make the right choice. And I will stand behind you.” Jack shook his head. “I don’t believe Unzoku’s words,” he admitted. “At least... not yet. There are too many things that don’t make sense. If he truly existed for this long, why appear now of all times? How could someone of his power remain hidden from all werewolf packs for generations?” Galdark listened quietly. Jack’s reasoning was sound, as always. Even while drowning in fear and worry, Jack never let go of logic. “And if stopping the spread was truly his priority,” Jack continued, “why only warn me? Why not the other Werewolf communities? Why not the kingdom itself? None of this adds up.” Jack’s fist tightened on the desk. “In truth... I want to speak with Steve directly.” Galdark raised an eyebrow. “But?” “But,” Jack sighed, “I don’t know what’s happening on their side. If they’re suffering the same thing we are... if they have someone like Lilly right now... then going there at the wrong moment could turn everything into chaos.” There it was, the heart of Jack’s conflict. Not fear of Unzoku, not fear for his position, but fear of causing more suffering. Galdark smiled faintly. This was why so many followed Jack. He wasn’t perfect, but he had grown into a leader who thought with both his head and heart. “Being patient may be the only path,” Galdark said softly. “Even if patience is the last thing you want.” Jack let out a rough laugh filled with exhaustion. “It is.” The conversation felt like it had reached its natural end. Galdark was preparing to leave, stepping toward the door, when Jack spoke again. “The three newcomers,” Jack asked suddenly. “How are they settling in? I haven’t had time to look over them myself. Were they any trouble? I was... worried they might be working with Unzoku. Or they might have even been sent by Steve as he tries to keep an eye on our movements as well.” Galdark quickly shook his head. “I don’t think you need to worry about them,” he said firmly. “They work hard. They learn fast. And together... they’re surprisingly capable. Who knows? One day we may rely on them more than we expect.” Jack nodded, accepting the reassurance. As Galdark left the room, he already knew his next destination, the dorm rooftop. He needed to speak with the three newcomers, to learn what they knew... and maybe, just maybe, find out if there was anything they could do to help Jack and Lilly. **** ***** For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media below. Instagram: jksmanga P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga When news drops about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, or any other series, you’ll hear it there first. Feel free to reach out, if I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.