Blackened, scorched hair. A white mask covering his face.

Clothing of an inky shade, mirroring his hair.

A towering figure, muscles seemingly ready to burst.

And along with that, a creeping sense of danger exuding from him.

"..."

Black couldn't find the words to speak as he stared at the man inside his room.

What in the world...

The more he looked, the stranger it seemed.

Those violet eyes staring at him felt as if they would swallow him whole.

...It’s as if he absorbs light...

As though he devoured the surrounding brightness, expelling only darkness in return.

Around him, everything appeared unnaturally dim.

How could he describe this feeling?

Dissonance. Alienation. No words surfaced properly.

And as Black struggled to force through the haze and grasp at something tangible—

Ah.

Before long, a single word lodged itself into his mind. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Revulsion.

Disgust.

Simply standing before that being—he found it repulsive. And beyond that—

Ominous.

Dread.

Just looking at him made those emotions surge within.

Suppressing them with difficulty, Black finally spoke.

"...How long have you been here?"

[Not long. No need for concern.]

As he spoke, the man casually pulled out a chair and sat down.

It was the seat meant for the leader, yet he took it without hesitation.

Black did not say anything about it.

Partly because the man seemed so natural in his actions,

but more than that, his tongue simply refused to move.

Then, as he sat quietly in the chair—

[So.]

He suddenly turned to Black and spoke.

[How did it go?]

"..."

A languid voice.

Black frowned at the sound of it.

Did this man not even realize where he was?

This was no ordinary place—it was his domain.

Even the other leaders hesitated to step foot here.

There was a reason they rarely left their own domains.

Brazen.

He was utterly brazen.

Is he that confident?

Even while standing inside someone else's territory,

did he believe he could win regardless?

Narrowing his eyes, Black scrutinized him.

Eyes as lifeless as a corpse, betraying no emotion.

Yet oddly enough, a brilliance flickered within.

Like darkness consuming light only to release it again.

His gaze was unsettling.

What gave him such unwavering confidence?

Black wracked his mind, searching for an answer.

Right, even Blue fell within his own domain.

The place where Blue had been defeated—

it had been his own stronghold.

And if that was the case, even though this was his own territory now—

That only proves how sure of himself he is.

This man could kill him at any time, should he choose.

That kind of confidence was dangerous.

And beyond that—

Even the General didn't give me this feeling.

Not even Yusa, one of the four rulers of Mangye,

a warrior of unparalleled might, had given him this feeling.

Was it vastness? Or rather, emptiness?

He couldn't even describe it.

With Yusa, there had always been a palpable ferocity,

a looming terror, the threat of being devoured if one let their guard down.

But this man—there was nothing.

Even as he stood right in front of him, he felt like a void.

An eerie absence.

And that absence pressed relentlessly upon Black’s throat, tightening its grip.

...What in the world...

What was he?

What was he planning?

Everything about him was an enigma.

As he wrestled with those thoughts, his brow furrowed.

[Are you deaf?]

"...!"

The man’s voice rang out.

[I asked—how did it go?]

Hearing those words, Black’s body stiffened slightly.

There was an undercurrent of restrained hostility in his tone.

The moment he sensed it, his body reacted instinctively.

Danger.

The being before him was dangerous.

His instincts screamed at him, warning him again and again.

[Hmph.]

Seeing no response, the man tilted his head slightly.

Then, just as he slowly began to rise—

"...I did as you instructed."

Black finally spoke.

Hearing this, the man settled back into his chair.

[You followed my instructions?]

"Yes. Just as you said...."

Black fell silent for a moment, choosing his words carefully before continuing.

"...I ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) informed the General at the banquet. Told him that you had a purpose,

and that you would be seeking out the other leaders to achieve it."

[And you told him to use that against me?]

"Yes."

At those words, the man let out a low chuckle.

What was so amusing?

Black scowled slightly at his reaction, but—

[I see.]

The laughter was fleeting.

He tapped his fingertips lightly against the table.

For a moment, Black’s gaze was drawn to the movement.

[So you followed my words. Isn’t that right?]

"..."

Hearing this, Black only bit his lip in response.

[Which means—it wouldn’t be wrong to say you’ve stepped onto my ship, now would it?]

His tone was laced with amusement.

Black's frown deepened.

"...That’s—"

[It’s too late to deny it. You know that as well as I do, don’t you?]

Crack.

His words cut through, allowing no room for argument.

It infuriated him—but he had no rebuttal.

[Well? Is your mind clearer now?]

"...What exactly is your goal?"

[Hmm?]

At last, Black asked.

"Who are you? And what exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

He recalled the moment this man first approached him, before the banquet.

Silently.

Without anyone noticing.

By the time he realized, the man had already been inside his room.

He hadn't even had time to react.

Before he knew it, his back had been exposed—

And what was even more shocking—

[Well now, if we’re to discuss that—]

The man’s violet eyes locked onto him.

[You should sit down first.]

"...!"

Thud—!

Black's body moved on its own, dropping into the chair.

Feeling this, he gasped in shock.

It was the same as before.

...A Command...?!

An absolute power that only those at a General’s rank or higher in Mangye could wield.

A force akin to authority itself—one that directly seized the soul and compelled obedience.

This man...!

Just like before, the man before him had used a Command with no difficulty whatsoever.

The mere fact that he could use it was astonishing, but the real issue was—

This means... at the very least, he is of General rank.

At minimum, he was a General. But beyond that—

...Could he be something even greater?

Could it be possible that this being was above even a General?

The thought was absurd. So absurd that Black couldn't bring himself to say it aloud.

After all, above a General, there was only one—

the supreme and noble ruler of the heavens.

Beyond that, nothing else existed.

For this man to be greater than a General was an impossibility.

The only conclusion left was that he stood at the same level as one.

...Indeed.

A question arose in Black’s mind.

If that were the case—what about Yusa’s reaction at the banquet?

Why?

Why had he reacted like that?

Black couldn't understand Yusa’s response.

If this man were merely another General, Yusa should have been nothing more than surprised.

But his gaze had been... different.

As he mulled over the thought, confusion clouding his mind—

[I already know what you want.]

The man spoke.

[As I said earlier, the reason I sought you out remains the same. I will grant your wish.]

"...What are you saying?"

Suppressing his trembling, Black asked.

"I desire nothing."

[Nonsense. A man who desires nothing—why, then, did you obey my words?]

"That’s..."

[You’ve already acknowledged it, haven’t you?]

Screech.

The man leaned forward, closing the distance between them.

[That the one before you... might just be able to grant your wish.]

"..."

Black clenched his fists tightly.

[Shall I say it outright, since you keep denying it?]

The man let out a small chuckle as he spoke.

[You want to become a General. Isn’t that right?]

"...!"

Black’s eyes widened at the words.

[You wanted it so badly that the moment a rope appeared, you couldn’t stop yourself from grabbing it.]

He had to deny it.

He had to cut off this conversation before it went any further.

Even as he thought that, the words wouldn’t leave his mouth.

[You don’t like Yusa, do you?]

Now, he was openly belittling a General.

That, too, should be stopped.

[Of course, you wouldn’t. That bastard rarely shows himself even after decades, yet whenever he does, he plays ruler before disappearing again. It must be infuriating, isn’t it?]

"...I..."

[You don’t like the other leaders either. They’re all fools, and you refuse to be seen as their equal. You don’t want to be treated the same as them. Am I wrong?]

"..."

Word after word—

Everything he said—

Black could not refute a single thing.

It wasn’t just because the words were true.

It was because of the certainty in the man’s tone. The way he spoke, as if he knew—

his piercing gaze—

Those things forced him into silence.

[I’m right.]

The man’s eyes gleamed.

[I am right.]

Black couldn’t look away.

[You are different. You are not like them.]

The man extended a single finger, pointing directly at him.

[That is why I chose you.]

Screeeech—

The man stood up fully.

From this angle, those violet eyes completely looked down upon Black.

Realizing this, Black instinctively tried to move his legs, but—

[Stay still.]

—!!!

Once more, his body turned to stone.

[I am still speaking, am I not?]

A hand extended toward him, fingers lightly wrapping around his throat.

As if ready to crush it at any moment.

[Now, what was it you asked me earlier? Ah, right.]

Despite everything, his gaze remained unwavering.

Black wanted to avert his eyes.

He needed to.

And yet, his frozen body refused to obey.

[You asked about my purpose.]

Laughter.

[My purpose—]

The man’s voice carried softly through the air.

[—is to turn this Mangye into a true paradise.]

Upon hearing those words, Black’s pupils shook.