Sssss---!!!

The demonic energy that flowed through my hand infiltrated Yusa’s body.

There was no problem with it entering.

So far, it didn’t feel all that different from infusing a human with demonic energy.

The only real difference was—

"It’s slow."

The speed at which the demonic energy seeped in was significantly sluggish. Seeing that it was even slower than with Heuksaek, I couldn’t tell if this was due to cultivation level or simply a difference in existence.

But one thing was certain.

"Demonic energy seeps into the Moonlit Night Tribe slower than it does into humans."

Demonic energy was inefficient against the Moonlit Night Tribe.

That much was clear.

Sssss---!!

“Kwaaaaah...!!!!”

As the demonic energy invaded, Yusa let out a scream.

“You...! What the hell are you doing...!!! Let go!”

Crack—!!!

"Oh."

As the demonic energy coursed through him, Yusa tried to struggle. His previously severed arm was regenerating.

His wounded body was rapidly healing.

It seemed that—

"The effects of chaos have worn off."

The regenerative abilities that had been suppressed by the Cheonma Divine Art surged back the moment the force weakened.

“Uwaaaaaah---!!!”

Having finished regenerating, he attempted to use his power once more. His now even thinner frame caught my eye.

"The more he regenerates, the thinner he becomes."

Now, he was little more than skin and bones.

Yet, ironically, his strength had only grown.

The veins in my arm bulged as I continued injecting demonic energy. Though I was restricting his movements, suppressing him entirely with demonic energy alone was no easy task due to his overwhelming strength.

"How much more do I have to pour in?"

Compared to when I corrupted Heuksaek, I had already injected twice as much.

At this rate, my demonic energy would run dry first.

“Huff!! Huff—!!! Let go-!!”

Yusa continued to struggle.

Every time he tried to move, my insides churned in response.

"Tsk."

A jolt of impact surged through my body, forcing up blood. I swallowed it instead of spitting it out.

"What should I do?"

I kept trying to corrupt him, but it wasn’t as easy as I had hoped.

If this kept up, my demonic energy would be depleted first, just as I feared.

"Should I just kill him?"

Wouldn’t it be better to finish him off rather than let this become troublesome?

Just as that thought crossed my mind—

Vwoooom—!!!

"Hm?"

The demonic energy coursing through his body brushed against something.

"What is that?"

It should have flowed through his meridians and straight into his heart.

But there was something in the way.

Curious, I prodded at it with my demonic energy.

Clank—!

Crunch—!

"...!"

The moment I touched it, something bit into my demonic energy.

"Hah."

Oh, you little bastard?

I smirked.

Now I understood.

So that’s why demonic energy hadn’t been working so well.

"It was because of this thing."

Crunch—! Grrrr—!!

Something inside him was acting as a gatekeeper, blocking the demonic energy from reaching his heart.

And that something was none other than Devour.

"Yusa’s Authority."

The Authority he wielded beneath the moonlight—Devour.

A power that allowed him to consume, to swallow endlessly, growing stronger with everything he ate.

I had gotten a glimpse of it once before.

At a glance, it seemed similar to techniques like the Demonic Absorption Art or Greed...

"But it has far more applications."

My Greed only manifested against another’s Authority.

But Devour made no such distinction.

A beast incapable of resisting its hunger would consume anything and everything to make it its own power.

To claim a more tempting prey, its senses had evolved to extreme levels.

And to devour all in its path, it had developed all kinds of resistances.

It would eat anything.

Because of that trait, Devour was even consuming my demonic energy.

Not good.

I rolled my eyes upward and looked at the sky.

"If his Authority is starting to awaken..."

Then that meant the Moonlit Blessing would soon manifest.

"And that would be troublesome."

The situation I had carefully crafted could crumble at any moment.

Time was running out. If I delayed any longer, I wouldn’t be able to predict what would happen next.

What should I do?

I pondered my options, but in the midst of my dilemma, I suddenly smiled.

There was something I was curious about.

"If he can eat anything..."

And if he supposedly has resistance to everything—

"Does that include demonic energy?"

The demonic energy I was currently feeding him—

Would he have resistance to that as well?

It was a passing thought.

Considering how much I had already poured into him, it seemed like he did.

“Grrrr...”

But judging by his pained reaction, maybe not.

"Kraaaaa-!"

Crack.

As he convulsed, another sharp pain surged through my arm.

Holding on wasn’t easy.

But I couldn’t let go now. Forcing myself to endure, I kept injecting demonic energy.

"Grkkkk-!"

No matter how much resistance he had, it was surely meant for energy or poisons found within Mangye.

But I doubted that demonic energy was a common force here.

If I kept pushing, I could force it through.

With that thought in mind, I didn’t stop.

However—

"Rather than simply shoving it in..."

I needed to set a precise target. It wouldn’t do to just recklessly pour it in.

"I’ll focus on that thing."

The thing that had brushed against my demonic energy.

The one devouring it.

Devour.

I targeted it specifically.

Rumble—!!!

Gathering power into my heart, I unleashed a surge of demonic energy all at once.

"Grkkk-!!!"

Yusa groaned.

The veins in my arm, already taut, were now bulging to the limit.

Crunch—! Crunch—!

Devour frantically chewed through the incoming demonic energy.

Before the bastard could even swallow the energy, I kept forcing it in.

"How much can he consume?"

Just how much could he devour? It couldn’t be limitless.

I kept feeding him, over and over again.

I knew I would eventually reach my limit as well.

Even so, I kept pouring it in.

After continuing for a long while—

Crunch... Crack... Crrrk...

Devour, which had been greedily consuming my demonic energy, finally shut its mouth.

Gulp.

A burp escaped, as if proving it had reached its limit.

At that moment—

Whoooosh—!!!

"Keoheok!!!"

Like a dam bursting, demonic energy flooded through Yusa’s entire body.

"Kwaaaaaah!!!"

Before long—

His pale green eyes were completely dyed purple.

Thud.

Boom—!!

His massive body collapsed to its knees.

As his enormous frame hit the ground, a cloud of dust rose.

“Keuh... Heuk...”

Yusa, who had been coughing and retching like he was vomiting up his insides, began to change.

Fur scattered onto the ground. His body started shrinking.

“Keu... Heuk...”

His voice returned.

And soon, he reverted back to the Yusa I originally knew.

“Haa... Huff... Kuh... Haaah.”

His eyes trembled.

Then, looking down at his palms, his expression filled with shock.

"This... What is this...?"

His fingertips quivered, betraying his distress.

Watching him, I approached.

"Lift your head."

“...!”

At my words, Yusa’s head snapped up.

His eyes, now tainted with the unmistakable mark of a demon—purple irises.

A full-fledged demon.

As expected, his Devour had no resistance against demonic energy.

That said, he had devoured an insane amount of energy before it took effect.

But ultimately, I succeeded.

"So, how do you feel?"

“You...”

Yusa tried to speak but clamped his mouth shut.

Then his eyes widened.

It seemed he couldn’t act as he wanted to.

Seeing that, I had a thought.

"He’s no different."

No different from Heuksaek.

Though I had forced him to a standstill, it didn’t mean he suddenly developed respect or loyalty toward me.

It didn’t matter.

Loyalty was never the point.

"Now, I’ll ask you once more."

I fixed my gaze on him.

"Where is the Sacred Tree of Yahwol?"

“...!”

The Sacred Tree.

Turning a general into a demon? That was a secondary matter.

Right now, the location of the Sacred Tree was more important.

So I questioned Yusa again.

"Keuk..."

Surprisingly, he was trying to keep his mouth shut.

He had become a demon—he should have been unable to resist answering.

And yet, he was struggling against it with all his might.

“Keuk... Krrk.”

Yusa was enduring, as if determined to resist the compulsion.

But as I silently observed, his lips slowly began to part.

And so—

"Meeti..."

Little by little—

His mouth opened.

"Meeting... Meeting hall..."

"Meeting hall?"

"The... The meeting hall... Underground... Underground."

Underground beneath the meeting hall.

Hearing that, I smirked.

So that’s ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) where it was.

That’s where they were keeping it.

I was about to express my satisfaction—

"Kugh...!"

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Yusa vomited blood.

What now?

Was he trying to resist the compulsion again?

"Ku... Heok..."

His body convulsed, veins bulging grotesquely.

This wasn’t resistance.

It felt different.

"A... Aaagh... Agh...!"

His reaction was strange.

His entire body trembled.

And then—

"Kuheok!"

A larger mouthful of blood spewed from him.

What the hell.

What’s wrong with this bastard?

I masked my confusion behind my mask and watched him.

“A... Aaah... O, O Great One...”

Yusa muttered, his voice trembling.

Thunk—!

A sharp, bursting sound echoed as Yusa collapsed.

"What...?"

I removed my mask and examined him.

Placing my hand on his body—

"...He’s dead?"

He was dead.

His heart had stopped.

No, it wasn’t just that.

His heart hadn’t merely stopped beating.

It had exploded.

This was—

"...The same as a Restriction Breaking."

The restriction Cheonma had placed on me.

It had resulted in the exact same thing.