My Werewolf System

Chapter 1672  A Cure?

Galdark’s search had been long, exhausting, and far more difficult than he had ever expected it to be. From the moment Jack had somewhat entrusted him with the task, Galdark had assumed that, given enough time and effort, he would eventually uncover something, some trace, some rumor, some passing word that would lead him closer to Lenny Steel. Yet as the hours turned into days and the days had turned into a week, and it stretched on, it became painfully clear that this was not going to be a simple search.

Just as Jack had said, it was as if Lenny Steel had vanished completely from the world.

There were no confirmed sightings. No stories passed through taverns. No whispers carried by merchants or travelers. Even among the guilds and information networks that usually knew everything worth knowing, there was nothing. It was almost as if Lenny had erased himself deliberately, leaving behind no trail for anyone to follow.

And the more Galdark thought about it, the more unsettling that realization became.

Jack, burdened as he was by his responsibilities, had never truly been able to leave the Red Wing Kingdom to conduct a full investigation himself. His duties as an Alpha, as a protector of his people, and as a symbol of stability for the land meant that he could not simply abandon his post and wander the world in search of answers. Not only that, but there had never been a strong reason to do so, at least not until now.

After all, Lenny Steel was a hero.

A powerful one.

A man who, after everything he had done for Bronzeland, could have lived the rest of his life in peace, honored for his past deeds. If someone like Lenny chose to disappear, then surely there was a reason for it. And shouldn’t that choice have been respected? Shouldn’t a man who had already given so much be allowed his solitude?

Those thoughts were part of the reason the search for Lenny Steel had never been pushed too aggressively.

Instead, the investigation had focused on major cities, guild halls, and known trade routes. Galdark had relied on networks of informants, adventurer groups, and merchants who moved between regions. Messages had been passed quietly, questions asked discreetly, but still, nothing.

No one knew where Lenny had gone.

No one even seemed certain that he was still alive.

Yet Galdark refused to give up.

As the days wore on, he began to realize that his approach had been flawed. Searching for Lenny himself, his name, his face, his reputation, was useless. If Lenny truly wanted to remain hidden, then he would never allow those things to surface.

So Galdark changed tactics.

Instead of searching for the man, he began searching for his work.

Lenny Steel was more than a warrior. He was a brilliant alchemist, one of the few in the world capable of identifying, analyzing, and treating conditions that even experienced healers and doctors could not understand. If something strange had happened anywhere in Bronzeland, an illness that defied logic, a curse that could not be explained, a transformation that made no sense, then there was a chance Lenny had been involved.

And rare cases left traces.

People talked about them.

With that realization, Galdark began retracing reports of unusual incidents, unexplained afflictions, and strange recoveries. He visited places where someone had survived against all odds, where a condition had mysteriously stabilized rather than worsened. He asked not for names, but for descriptions of methods, smells, reactions, anything that hinted at advanced alchemy.

It was slow, painstaking work.

But it paid off.

Eventually, during one of his stops at a modest inn, Galdark overheard something that made him pause. A hushed conversation. A traveler mentioning that someone had been asking questions, about him. Someone wanted him to explain everything.

Before Galdark could react, an individual approached him.

At first, he didn’t recognize either of them.

The man was smaller than he expected, with familiar facial features that didn’t quite match the image he had built in his mind. Only after they spoke did Galdark begin to understand who stood before him.

By the time everything had been explained, there was no hesitation.

They needed to go, immediately.

Lenny sought out Bliss, already knowing where she would be, and together they followed Galdark back to the unfolding confrontation. By the time they arrived, the situation had escalated to the brink of disaster.

And now, standing between Jack and Steve, the truth could no longer be delayed.

“You can smell it, right?” Lenny asked quietly.

Jack’s expression hardened as he inhaled, his senses sharpening.

“You… your scent,” Jack said slowly. “It’s the same as hers. Almost exactly the same. Yet… not quite.”

“Almost as if we belong to a different race,” Lenny replied calmly. “The same way you can distinguish between a human, a Werewolf, and a beast.”

Jack clenched his fists.

Lenny continued, his voice steady. “Jack, you know me. You know I’ve spent my life investigating things others refuse to touch. And I’m here to tell you this clearly, what happened to your wife, what happened to me… none of it is your fault.”

Jack’s breath hitched.

“If there is anyone to blame,” Lenny said, “then it is not you. And the last thing I want, truly want, is to see you and your brother turn on each other when peace still exists between you.”

Steve stood silently behind Jack, listening.

“That is why,” Lenny continued, “even though I’ve been trying to solve this alone, even though I’ve spent countless days investigating matters behind the scenes, I’ve chosen to step forward now. I won’t ask you to believe me blindly, but I ask you to listen. Before you make a decision you may regret for the rest of your life.”

Jack turned slightly, glancing back at Steve.

He had never wanted this fight.

From the beginning, he had searched desperately for another answer. But time had pressed down on him relentlessly, forcing his hand.

“Do you have a cure?” Jack asked quietly. “Have you found a way to stop what’s happening to Lilly?”

There was a pause.

Lenny did not lie.

“If I had a cure,” he said softly, “do you think I would still be like this myself?”

Jack’s shoulders sagged slightly.

“There is no cure,” Lenny continued. “But I can help her live a normal life. You’ve already noticed, haven’t you? I’m standing here in daylight, unharmed.”

Jack’s eyes widened.

“If you trust me,” Lenny said, “then Lilly can walk in the sun as well.”

That was enough.

Jack reached back and placed his great sword securely against his back. His transformation faded, his body returning to its normal state. Hope, real hope, flickered in his chest for the first time in what felt like forever.

Lenny turned toward Steve, intending to speak further, suggesting privacy.

But before they could move,

“Wait a second,” Gary said suddenly. “What about us?”

Lenny turned, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the three of them.

“Forgive me,” he said. “But… who are you?”

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(Only One Chapter today, I am celebrating Christmas on the 24th instead of the 25th)

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