If the master had indeed realized something was off and said those words with intent, then at what point did she notice?

No—considering how strange it was for her to be there in the first place, there had been far too many opportunities for her to figure it out.

The real issue I needed to focus on wasn’t the fact that she noticed.

"Why did she choose to respond in this particular way?"

With so many chances to become suspicious, it wasn’t strange for her to have figured it out.

But why had she acted the way she did in that moment?

"When the next full moon rises, go to the hilltop."

"......"

I recalled her words, my brow furrowing.

If she had known I was an intruder, she could have acted then and there.

From what I had seen, she certainly had the power to do so. Then why?

"Was there a reason she couldn’t?"

Could there have been something preventing her from eliminating me on the spot?

"Noya said she wasn’t here in her true form."

Something like a thought projection or an avatar created by separating a portion of her strength.

Directly descending would have caused complications, and since doing so would be too taxing, she had instead appeared in a weaker form, even equipping herself with an unknown artifact.

If she had been so drastically weakened, was it simply that she couldn't confront me?

"No. That’s not it."

I had to [N O V E L I G H T] deny that immediately.

"Weakness aside... something about it is off."

If this was the method she had chosen, that in itself was the strangest part.

A full moon and a hill?

Why had she relayed that message not to the Black Leader but to me?

And more than that—

"Was it really meant for me?"

Even if it wasn’t directed at the Black Leader, could I be sure it was meant for me? Just because he hadn’t understood it didn’t necessarily mean I was the intended recipient.

"......"

I had to deny that, too.

Whether it was instinct or intuition—or perhaps both—

Everything about her actions pointed to the fact that she had delivered the message to me.

It wasn’t logic or calculation.

"...Just a gut feeling."

Despite it being purely instinctual, I was strangely certain. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

As I continued trying to sort through my tangled thoughts—

"Ugh..."

A groan came from in front of me.

Hearing it, I quickly released my grip on my energy.

"Hah... hah..."

As the suppression of my command dissipated, the Black Leader gasped for breath.

"Has my control over this technique gotten stronger?"

Previously, I had to focus intensely, or the effect had been too weak—or, conversely, the recoil on my own body had been too great.

But now, even when using my command, there was barely any backlash, and controlling it wasn’t difficult.

"What... the hell..."

Perhaps because I had suddenly exerted force, there was visible panic in the Black Leader’s eyes.

Seeing that, I spoke to him.

"Black."

"......"

"Answer me."

"...Why are you doing this?"

The Black Leader’s discomfort was clear in his voice. I let out a dry chuckle.

It wasn’t really a situation to laugh in, but I needed to maintain the illusion of composure, so I forced the expression.

"Looks like you still don’t understand your position. Do I need to remind you more clearly?"

I stepped forward as I spoke.

The Black Leader’s face twisted.

"...What do you want from me?"

"What do I want? I believe I already told you last time."

It wasn’t an explanation, but it didn’t need to be. However he interpreted it didn’t matter.

His reaction was irrelevant.

Creak—!

"Argh!"

As I manipulated the demonic energy, the Black Leader clutched his chest in pain.

His response was noticeably different from when I had used my command earlier.

The demonic energy was properly embedded.

Though I hadn’t been able to make him completely obedient, that didn’t matter.

As long as I could suppress him with sheer force.

"Black."

"Grgh..."

"Black. Answer me."

"Ugh... Yes..."

Even after he responded, I didn’t withdraw my power. Instead, I stepped even closer and met his eyes.

"Do you know why I came to find you?"

"Ugh..."

He wouldn’t know. There was no way he could.

I hadn’t told him.

"Because I will create a paradise. And for that, I have use for you."

Paradise.

A paradise for whom? I recalled that the concept of paradise was meant for those lost to Mangye.

Moreover, the paradise I was speaking of now—

"The one the Blood Demon spoke of."

It was an adaptation of what the Blood Demon had once claimed he dreamed of.

"A paradise... What are you talking about..."

The Black Leader’s reaction showed clear confusion at the mention of paradise.

Naturally. Even I didn’t fully understand it.

However.

"You don’t need to understand."

Understanding wasn’t necessary.

"Even if you fail to grasp my will, it doesn’t matter."

Whether he understood or not.

Or even if he never understood at all.

None of that mattered.

The only thing that did—

"If you follow me, you will obtain what you desire."

Ensuring he gained a sufficient benefit.

More than just a benefit.

"Don’t you want to become a general?"

"...!"

I knew the Black Leader’s ambition, his hunger for power. If I played into that and provoked him just right—

Using him wouldn’t be difficult at all.

"I’ll place you in that position."

"......"

Even while suffering from the demonic energy, the Black Leader lifted his head to look at me.

His eyes trembled.

Despite the pain, he was shaken.

Surprisingly easy to manipulate.

And also—

"You already knew, didn’t you?"

I was certain that, on some level, he had already accepted this.

Because—

"If you hadn’t, you would have acted differently."

The fact that he had done nothing until this moment.

That was proof enough.

"That’s..."

The Black Leader tried to say something, but I spoke first.

"Are you going to claim that you were being controlled by my energy? Ridiculous."

I scoffed as I released my hold.

His body was freed.

"You had every opportunity to act."

If he had truly wanted, he could have sought out Yusa. I didn’t mention the master since I wasn’t sure how much he knew about her.

"You could have even approached that pathetic general."

I made sure to refer to Yusa in a deliberately belittling manner.

"But you didn’t. Why do you think that is?"

"......"

The Black Leader did not answer.

It didn’t matter if he didn’t.

"As I said before, you already know. I am your hope."

"......"

"The one who will fulfill your desires, who will elevate you to where you wish to be—that is me. And you know that, don’t you?"

I stepped in close, locking eyes with him. His pupils were dark as onyx.

There was something ominous about him.

But I wasn’t afraid.

Was it because I had become part of the Moonlit Night Tribe and grown stronger? No.

"If we’re talking about ominous auras, I’m not lacking in that either."

Calling his presence ominous was laughable.

Compared to me, it was nothing.

Sssssssss—!!

I let out my energy through my shoulders—pure demonic energy, untainted by anything else.

Because it was so untainted, it was dangerously clean.

And because it was so clean, its ominous nature was amplified.

In fact—

"What is this? Was it always this intense?"

Was it because I had become part of the Moonlit Night Tribe under the night sky? The aura surging from me was far greater than I had anticipated.

Even I was surprised.

But now wasn’t the time for that. I suppressed my reaction and continued staring at him.

I could see him flinch and tremble violently at the sight of my aura.

"What the..."

Was he truly overwhelmed by the energy? Well, if even I was startled, what chance did he have?

"What exactly... do you want me to do...?"

"Submit. If you swear loyalty to me, I will grant you your desires."

"......"

"Kneel. Do so, and I will give you the world."

The more I spoke, the deeper the conflict in his eyes became.

I waited patiently for him to reach a decision.

And after a brief moment—

The Black Leader slowly rose to his feet.

He stepped away from the chair he had been seated in and approached me.

Swish—!

Then, before me, he lowered himself onto one knee.

I scoffed at the sight.

"How amusing. Only one knee? Is this meant to be a challenge to me?"

I had told him to kneel entirely, yet he had only gone halfway. What was he playing at?

"...If you truly intend to fulfill my desires, then I will gladly pledge my loyalty to you. However, I would like a bit more certainty. This is my way of asking for that."

"Certainty? Hah."

Crrrkkkk—!!

With a sneer, I gathered even more energy.

Damn. So I can release this much now. The more I do it, the more surprising it is.

"I should test just how strong I’ve become."

I hadn’t had a chance to properly confirm it in my haste.

But knowing my limits would allow me to use this power more safely, so I needed to test it on someone.

"Fine. What proof do you need? It’s laughable, but I’ll grant you this indulgence. What do you want?"

I spoke as if I were being generous.

Hearing that, the Black Leader clenched his trembling hands into fists, concealing his hesitation, and spoke.

"If you truly have the power to make it happen... then I would like you to prove it."

"In what way?"

"......Are you aware that the General is currently in Yahwol?"

Tch.

At his words, I let out a quiet chuckle. I could already tell what he was about to ask.

"I know."

Yusa was in Yahwol.

I had known for some time.

"That person... no, him..."

The Black Leader hesitated mid-sentence.

Was he struggling to get the words out? It seemed so, so I spoke in his place.

"Do you want me to kill him?"

"...!"

His eyes widened.

Seeing his reaction, I tilted my head.

"That’s a simple task. Very well."

I nodded as I allowed my energy to coil around me.

I had planned to do it anyway, so this was a convenient excuse.

Of course—

"Not Yusa."

The same went for the one standing before me.

In fact, if I had to prioritize—

"This one should come first."

The Black Leader was set to die before Yusa.

The only difference was...

It wouldn’t be by my hand.

It would be by someone else’s.