Marcus shook his head. "I am indeed an elder, but much of the power is in Viktor's hands. Over the years, I have been effectively placed under house arrest in this castle by Viktor. It was also Viktor who personally built that secret dungeon back then, and all the entrances, mechanisms, and seals are in his hands."
Draco stared at him, clearly unconvinced. "Even if you don't know the location of the dungeon, you should at least know something, right?"
"Have you never tried to find any clues all these years? Haven't you sensed even the slightest movement from William?"
"Why should I investigate?" Marcus retorted. "Back then, I asked Viktor to subdue William. He was irrational; all he did from birth was kill. Over the years, I couldn't find a way to save him, so I simply gave up."
"You don't need to pretend anymore." Hermione exposed his lie. " Singe came to see you. You've already cooperated with him to complete the Half-blood experiment, and you've even grown wings, haven't you? Don't you want to release William and continue to refine your bloodline power?"
Hearing Hermione's incisive words, Marcus's feigned sorrow shattered instantly. He straightened up from his throne, his eyes turning icy, and he scoffed, "Pretend? You think I want wolfsbane to taint my body?"
" Singe did indeed come here, and I did indeed receive his wolf blood, which gave birth to these wings." As he spoke, Marcus unfolded the bat bone wings on his back, then immediately retracted them.
Then the tone shifted:
"Accepting wolf blood and growing wings wasn't for some so-called Half-blood experiment. It was a deal Singe offered me."
"He promised to find a way to rescue William, which is why I allowed him to conduct research here; I need that support."
"My greatest obsession is to restore William to normal. Improving my bloodline power is merely a means to an end, not the goal itself."
"Otherwise, why should I endure the torment of wolfsbane eroding my flesh?" Marcus retorted, then added, "I could sit comfortably on this throne and enjoy the power left by Viktor."
Draco remained unmoved. "Thoughts change. That was before. Now you've become Half-blood, wielding power above the Elder level, stronger than Viktor. Whether your thoughts will change accordingly, we don't know."
As he spoke, Draco took out a vial of potion from his pocket. "However, we have a way to make you confess your true feelings. This is Veritaserum, which will allow you to speak your mind."
Marcus's face suddenly darkened, and he roared, "Don't push your luck! I am Marcus, the first progenitor of the vampires, not a prisoner to be manipulated and interrogated at will!"
As he spoke, the outline of bat-like wings on his back bulged violently beneath his robe, stretching the fabric taut as if it might burst out at any moment, and the air in the hall suddenly became heavy.
Trillian showed no fear of the vampire progenitor's intimidation, and said firmly, "Even if you were Alexander Great, it wouldn't matter in front of us. Be smart and confess now!"
Marcus's face darkened completely, and he roared:
"Shut up!"
How dare some trashy human be so disrespectful to him, just because he has a wizard backing him up? He really didn't believe that he, having fused the bloodlines of two races and possessing combat power far exceeding Viktor's, couldn't handle a guy wielding a wooden stick.
Thinking of this, Marcus wanted to test his skills against Draco, but his surroundings became chaotic and his black robe exploded!
With a muffled thud as flesh tore, Marcus completed his transformation. His features twisted and collapsed, his pointed ears stood up, and a mouthful of gleaming white fangs were exposed. Beneath his skin, blood vessels bulged and twisted.
Two slits split open on its back, and a pair of enormous bat-like bony wings suddenly unfurled outwards, their membranous wings spreading out like a spiderweb.
A long, sharp, black claw shot out from the palm.
Draco looked him over and exclaimed in amazement, "This is practically a carbon copy of Voldemort. Old Voldy, even though you're no longer in the game, your shadow is everywhere."
Hermione sighed and glared at him. " Draco, be serious. This is a fight to the death, not idle chatter."
"Who is that?" asked Trillian curiously.
Hermione explained it simply and concisely:
Decades ago, a Dark Lord, feared by all, had a name that reverberated throughout the Britain Wizarding World world.
"Really?" Trillian became interested and asked again:
"Now? How is he?"
"He was killed," Hermione said calmly.
"Who killed him?"
"Far away, yet so close at hand."
Hermione gestured towards Draco with her chin.
"Hi..." Trillian was not surprised, and then inquired:
"Young Master has been this capable since he was a child?"
Hermione smiled and nodded, a hint of pride in her voice. "Yes, Heaven has blessed him with talent."
Trillian let out an envious wail:
" Heaven is so unfair! Where is my food?"
Hermione looked her up and down. "With your face and figure, plus your thieving skills, you're lucky enough not to have been caught. What more could you want?"
Trillian thought for a moment, then her brows relaxed. "That's true. Thinking about it carefully, Heaven has already been kind to me."
As the two spoke, Marcus twisted his neck, moved his wrists, and flapped his wings, adapting to the strength of his new body.
"How dare this ignorant brat threaten the progenitor?" Marcus roared Marcus finishing, his voice shaking the hall. The moment his words fell, his figure transformed into a black blur, rushing towards Draco and the other two!
The two women remained calm, having absolute confidence in Draco's strength. Sure enough, Draco flashed, teleporting the two women to the back, and then teleported back to his original position alone.
Marcus had just arrived in front of Draco when he saw his target suddenly reappear. A bloodthirsty glint flashed in his eyes, and a bone blade grew from his right wing, aiming straight for Draco's neck, slashing horizontally!
That blow would have killed an ordinary person long ago.
However, when the bone-winged blades were a meter away from Draco, he waved his wand and calmly said, " Ultimate Shield."
The magic barrier suddenly took shape, and the light curtain solidified into a tangible form.
Clang--!!
The deafening roar of blades clashing against shields echoed throughout the entire hall!
The winged blade slammed into the magic shield, the violent physical impact exploding outwards, cracking and spreading across the stone palace floor.
But the barrier remained completely still.
Within the barrier, Draco remained calm and composed, his clothes perfectly in place, his aura unchanged, without even the slightest tremor.
Marcus was utterly shocked. His all-out attack had been so easily neutralized!
However, Draco gave him no chance to react, raising his wand and pointing it directly at Marcus in mid-air. " Incendio!"