Leaving the Black Leader’s residence, I moved immediately.

My reason for visiting him had been twofold: to pressure him and to confirm whether the demonic energy had properly taken root in his body.

From what I observed, the results weren’t bad.

"The progress is slow, but it’s definitely there."

The corruption was real. The demonic energy had taken hold.

"At first, I thought it wasn't settling properly."

But that didn’t seem to be the case. It was just slow.

"It’s gradually taking over."

It was merely much slower compared to humans.

The real issue was why the demonic energy behaved differently.

"Is it because he’s part of the Moonlit Night Tribe rather than human?"

I had never used it on anything other than humans, so I had no prior data.

Perhaps demonic energy was simply less effective on the Moonlit Night Tribe.

It wasn’t a matter of the gap in power or cultivation level.

That much was certain.

"The Black Leader is among the top-tier of the Ten Great Masters."

The other leaders were the same. Judging by their strength in daylight, they were precisely at that level.

That meant it wasn’t a difference in strength.

"Even warriors at that level could be turned into demons."

Those on par with or approaching the Ten Great Masters could be easily corrupted.

Not only that, but they had even been capable of submitting to me.

"Is he just an exception?"

The Black Leader was different.

Despite becoming a demon, he hadn’t submitted to me through demonic energy.

Was it just him? Or were the others the same?

I didn’t know.

"If I don’t know, I’ll just have to find out."

If I lacked information, I had to gather it.

That was my goal tonight, and for that reason, I moved through the darkness toward another target.

Tap.

The tips of my feet touched solid ground—not a rooftop this time, but the floor of a building.

The moment I landed, I felt the weight of countless gazes fall upon me.

"Who goes there?!"

"Intruder...!"

"What? An intrud—urk!"

The soldiers stationed nearby gasped as they recognized me.

"Cheonma...!"

"Inform the commander immediately!"

"Cheonma is here—!"

"...Noisy."

Kuuuuuuuuu—!!

I released my energy, letting it cut through the air. The expanding pressure drained the color from the soldiers' faces.

I hadn’t used my command.

I had simply exuded my presence.

"I do not enjoy pointless chatter. Keep silent. Let the night remain as it should."

Crack. Crackle—!!

"Urk... Guhhh...!"

"Hurgh...!"

The stronger my aura grew, the more pronounced the reactions became. Those who had barely managed to stand began collapsing one by one.

Some lost consciousness outright, unable to withstand the pressure.

Even those who managed to remain standing soiled themselves or vomited.

"Hah."

A smirk formed behind my mask.

"This isn’t bad."

I hadn’t even mixed in any killing intent—just pure energy manipulation.

And yet, the difference was stark.

What would happen if I added killing intent to this?

I was curious, but I didn’t bother trying.

Was it because I wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed?

No.

These fools were nothing to me. Whether they lived or died was of no concern.

"It’s just that I need to conserve my strength."

I had no interest in wasting power where it wasn’t necessary.

There was something I wanted to test, and I needed to be fully prepared.

Ignoring the bodies crumpling around me, I lifted my gaze.

A massive gate loomed in the distance.

And beyond it, in proportion to its size, was an even larger estate.

Like the Black and Blue Leaders' residences, this one bore a distinct color theme—white buildings lined the estate.

I slowly examined them.

"Hmm."

Was he inside?

Should I go to him directly? Or make him come to me?

I contemplated my options.

Crack! Rumble—!!

The stronger my energy became, the more the ground cracked and pillars trembled.

"How destructive." This was completely different from when I infiltrated the Black Leader’s residence.

At the time, I had moved with extreme caution.

I had been fully aware of the danger.

I had tread carefully, ensuring that neither Yusa nor the master, who were in Yahwol, would react to my presence.

That was why I had also taken care with the Blue Leader.

That was why I had been careful with the Black Leader.

But—

Crunch.

I stepped forward, and the ground shattered beneath me.

It didn’t matter who saw me.

Or what the consequences of this disturbance might be.

It was irrelevant.

In fact, I wanted them to see.

I wanted them to watch.

I had intentionally concealed myself until now, only to act so recklessly.

Because—

"It’s strange."

This was yet another confirmation.

Not just for the demonic energy I had used on the Black Leader.

But for the unease surrounding the master.

"Why did the master give me a message as if it were meant for the Black Leader?"

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

I recalled those words as I looked up at the sky.

Auroras streaked across the heavens, and above them, two moons hung.

One was already close to a crescent.

The other was nearing its full phase.

"Since she said 'next,' she must have meant the next moon, not this one."

The next full moon.

And the hill.

I still didn’t understand what the master’s message meant.

"Why?"

If she had realized I was an anomaly, there had been no need for her to deliver such a message in the first place.

"Was it because she wasn’t in her true form?"

That wasn’t a valid reason either.

If that were the case, she wouldn’t have left me a message.

"She would have taken action against me instead."

If she truly intended to stop me, she should have done so.

But she didn’t.

"That means she isn’t planning to act against me—she wants something from me."

But what?

"Wasn’t she supposed to have lost all her memories?"

The mother I had known was gone.

Only the master’s persona was supposed to remain.

But what if that wasn’t true?

What if some fragment of memory remained?

If she had even left arrangements with Shin Noya, then—

Perhaps, even if only a sliver, there was still hope.

That was why I had chosen this course of action.

"If I stir up enough chaos..."

Would the master appear?

If she did, and if she moved against me, that would be a problem.

But—

"If she doesn’t."

If, even after all this commotion, she doesn’t appear...

"Then maybe... I can afford to hope."

Hope.

A sliver of it.

A hope that, perhaps, I could still hold onto my mother.

That feeling coursed through me.

Crack.

I took another step forward.

I didn’t unleash my full power.

I simply walked, ensuring that my presence stretched fully toward the grand estate ahead.

"Hmm."

I raised my energy slightly and tilted my head.

I hadn’t pushed myself to the limit, but something about this approach felt lacking.

Was there something else I could do?

I pondered as I walked.

Then, suddenly, an idea surfaced.

"There was something I wanted to try anyway."

It was something I hadn’t attempted yet, as I hadn’t mastered it.

But now, in this situation, it seemed like the perfect time.

With that conclusion, I gathered my strength and focused.

Whirr—!!!

I activated the Nine Flames Firewheel Technique and simultaneously initiated Tua Pacheonmu.

At once, pressure and friction clashed.

The sheer force generated from the intense friction was overwhelming.

Tighten.

My veins bulged as my body tensed.

It was the burden that came with utilizing Cheonma Divine Art.

"Oh..."

I felt the strain on my body and marveled at it.

"Not bad."

It was significantly better than before.

Was it because I had become part of the Moonlit Night Tribe?

My body had become far more flexible, my muscles enhanced. Even under immense strain, the burden felt much lighter.

Creak—!!!

A sensation like my entire body was being torn apart surged through me.

A destructive force that felt like my body would explode if I lost even a little control.

But I suppressed it.

That was the essence of Cheonma Divine Art—harnessing that force and crushing it ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ into submission.

"At this level..."

I might be able to attempt what I had envisioned.

Normally, I used Cheonma Divine Art to channel its force into a single punch.

It wasn’t even a technique, nor a formal martial art move.

It was simply about maintaining control over the force and releasing it explosively through my fist.

Calling that a technique would have been an overstatement.

I had wanted to incorporate the power into a proper move, but—

"If I tried forming a real technique with it..."

The power was too great.

I couldn’t control it well enough yet to integrate it into intricate movements.

"Which is why I just throw punches."

A simple punch—that was my limit.

But that also meant—

"I can integrate it into simple movements."

So.

"What if I infused this power into my steps?"

Just walking.

A simple, mundane action taken to move forward.

What if I infused Cheonma Divine Art and Tua Pacheonmu into it?

I had always been curious.

Before, I wouldn’t have even been able to attempt it.

But now?

I could.

Rumble—!!!

I poured that gathered force into my steps.

Boom—!!!

"Uaaaaaagh!!!"

Screams erupted all around me.

My walking speed slowed.

"...This is my limit for now."

If I tried to go any faster, I wouldn’t be able to control it.

Even at this pace, it was already precarious.

This was only possible because my Moonlit Night Tribe physique supported it.

Unlike releasing everything at once, maintaining and slowly releasing power was far more difficult.

But.

"I did it."

It worked exactly as I imagined.

Aaaaaaaagh—!!!!

The pressure radiating from me was nothing like before.

Every step crushed the air around me.

"Guh... Ugh..."

Even those who had managed to endure collapsed.

The range of the effect was vast—far away, soldiers rushing toward me began dropping before they could even reach me.

No one was allowed near me.

This was domination.

The footsteps of one who stands above all.

If I had to name it—

"Domination Step."

And since it was created through Cheonma Divine Art...

Cheonma Domination Step.

Yes. That name fit well.

"Hmm."

Satisfied, I nodded to myself.

Even I had to admit—it was a well-chosen name.

Feeling pleased, I continued walking forward.

KRAAAAAAH—!!!

Suddenly, a deafening roar shattered the air.

"You bastard—!!!"

BOOOOM—!!!

A massive presence plummeted from the sky, slamming into the ground ahead of me.

A powerful shockwave blasted outward.

Debris scattered, and a cloud of dust billowed up, obscuring my vision.

Rumble—

A low growl rumbled through the air as the dust settled.

And there, standing in the cleared space, was the one I had been waiting for.

The one in charge of this place.

Someone I had already encountered once before.

The White Leader.

"...Hm?"

I tilted my head in confusion as I looked at him.

"What...?"

I tried to meet his eyes, but my gaze kept rising.

And rising.

And rising.

Only after looking up for quite some time did I finally see his face.

He—

"You dare... do you have any idea where you are?!"

—was towering over me, unnaturally massive.