"What did you just say...?"

Yusa narrowed his eyes and asked again.

Did he hear that wrong? No matter how he thought about it, it seemed like he had.

What had that bastard just called him?

'...Lowly thing?'

Did he really just call him that? That couldn't be.

For the first time in his life, Yusa heard something so outrageous that his pupils trembled.

Lowly thing?

'...Me?'

He had been born at the very heart of the Moonlit Night Tribe and had lived for countless years.

Throughout those unfathomable years, he had ruled under his master, and every single member of the Moonlit Night Tribe had knelt before him.

Among the current generals, the only ones from the Moonlit Night Tribe were himself and that unknown being, Yarang.

'How dare he.'

Did he just call him a lowly thing?

Even the purebloods were nothing more than dust beneath his feet.

"...Hahaha..."

A chuckle slipped from Yusa’s lips.

At that moment, a bead of cold sweat trickled down the chin of the Blue Commander.

Drip.

The moment the sweat hit the floor—

Kuggggggggg—!!!

An overwhelming energy surged from Yusa’s body.

The sheer force of it caused the Blue Commander, who was standing close, to tremble violently.

"Keuuuuh...!!!"

It wasn’t just that his breath grew ragged—his hands were visibly shaking.

A suffocating and terrifying aura filled the entire space, a chaotic blend of killing intent and pure, raw aggression.

Kuguguguung—!!!!!

The building shook, and dust rained down from the ceiling.

And in the midst of it all, the one who exuded that monstrous energy—Yusa—was laughing.

His lips curled into a grin so wide it looked as if his face might tear apart.

"Who the hell are you?"

At that moment, Yusa’s pupils had already stretched thin, like those of a beast.

"Do you not know who I am? You should."

Crunch.

As Yusa took a step forward, the ground beneath his foot caved in.

It felt as though the floor had been crushed under an unbearable weight.

"Because if you don't—you're going to be chewed to death right here."

Grind, grind.

He had every intention of devouring him whole, bones and all.

The bloodlust Yusa emitted was overwhelming.

["Kukukuku...."]

A laugh, sharp and grating to the ears, brushed past him.

"...You're laughing?"

It came from the one standing before him.

The masked figure, as if unable to hold back any longer, had grabbed at his mask and let out a chuckle.

Yusa's eyes widened at the sight.

His pupils dilated, a reaction triggered purely by emotion.

["Ah, my apologies. I simply couldn't hold it in."]

"And what exactly is so damn funny?"

["How could I not laugh?"]

Flutter.

The masked figure moved as Yusa halted his steps.

His black robe swayed in the air.

At the same time, he walked forward unbothered, as if Yusa's overwhelming aura was nothing more than a gentle breeze.

Yusa's grin deepened.

["Something as insignificant as you actually believes itself to be the heavens. Tell me, how could that not be amusing?"]

"...Ha."

Insignificant.

Believing oneself to be the heavens.

The words struck Yusa like a hammer.

A deep cross of veins bulged on his forehead.

"...How dare you...?"

Something so worthless—so utterly beneath him—had the audacity to speak to him like this?

Crack.

A rough sound echoed from Yusa's body.

His tail expanded, growing larger.

At the same time, one of his arms swelled, covered in thick, bristling fur.

His hand alone grew to the size of a grown man.

From his now-thickened fingers, razor-sharp claws extended.

"If you kneel now, I might spare your life."

Yusa spoke. His body had changed—and so had his voice.

It was now a dry, rasping sound, yet still carried traces of the boyish pitch unique to him.

"Of course, I’ll have to take your arms first. But at least you’d live. Kneel."

[...]

Even after Yusa’s warning, the figure remained silent.

"Why aren’t you speaking? Ah, have you finally realized you're afraid?"

Yusa sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.

Just moments ago, this bastard had been acting strong—was he now paralyzed with fear?

The thought had barely crossed Yusa’s mind when—

["How disappointing."] 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

The masked figure spoke.

"...What did you say?"

Disappointing?

Did he just say he was disappointed?

["Even the so-called Commanders are unimpressive. I was already losing interest, and it seems the Generals are no different."]

"..."

The smirk vanished from Yusa’s face.

For a brief moment, he had considered—just barely entertained the thought—that maybe this fool simply didn’t know who he was.

But after hearing him speak, it became clear—

That wasn’t the case.

Which meant—

'He knows I’m a General, yet he's still acting like this?'

He was fully aware that Yusa was one of the four great beings beneath the heavens of Mangye—

And yet, he was still this brazen?

Unbelievable.

It was impossible.

Even among Generals, where power and hierarchy determined everything, they never outright disregarded one another.

'Who the hell is this bastard?'

How could he dare to look down on a General?

Yusa glared at him, unable to comprehend the situation.

'What... is he?'

Just what was this man?

And why—

'Why can't I see anything?'

He could feel nothing from him.

It wasn’t that the man lacked power.

His presence was overwhelming.

Yusa could tell he possessed some kind of unsettling strength.

And his sheer arrogance alone made it clear—he was no weakling.

But—

'That’s it.'

That was all he could sense.

He couldn’t determine how much strength he held.

He couldn’t grasp anything beyond his existence.

Nothing at all.

'...What....'

What kind of feeling was this?

Never in his life had Yusa felt something so alien.

His senses were absolute.

Nothing—not even the strongest of barriers—should have been able to prevent him from perceiving his opponent.

And yet—

'...Why can’t I see through him?'

He was standing right in front of him, yet Yusa couldn’t read him at all.

Could it be—

'Is it because of that mask?'

The cracked white mask he was wearing.

Did it have some sort of effect?

Yes, that had to be it.

Upon reaching that conclusion, a smirk returned to Yusa’s lips.

'I don’t know how you’re hiding from my sight...'

But now that he had figured it out, it didn’t matter.

All he had to do was remove that mask.

And besides—

'He’s Moonlit Night Tribe.'

The ears and tail were proof enough.

Which meant—

'He's beneath me.'

This unknown bastard—this arrogant fool—was ultimately just another servant beneath his feet.

Realizing that, Yusa's eyes gleamed as he spoke.

"It’s too late for regrets now."

The masked figure tilted his head slightly.

Yusa grinned.

And then—

[Now.]

Yusa’s voice carried an inexplicable force.

[Remove that mask.]

It was an absolute command, one that could not be disobeyed by any being subordinate to a General of Mangye.

The moment he spoke, a smirk stretched across Yusa’s lips.

Go on. Take it off.

He needed to confirm the face of the wretched creature that had been disrupting his domain as of late.

And once he had—

He would tear him apart and chew him to the bone.

Every single fragment, crushed between his teeth.

As he eagerly stared at the masked figure—

Swish.

Before long, the figure moved.

He raised his hand and lightly ran his fingers over his mask before gripping it firmly.

As expected.

'There’s no way you can resist.'

It was an oath, a bond sealed into the very depths of the soul.

A curse, yet also a blessing—one that no one could escape.

'And you won’t be any different.'

No matter how much confidence this fool had, it would be the end for him.

Yusa still couldn’t understand where this bastard had found the nerve to bare his fangs at him.

As he watched, waiting for the mask to come off—

Click.

A faint sound came from the mask.

Was he finally removing it?

Yusa focused his gaze, but—

"...Huh?"

Before he could even process it, an empty sound escaped his lips.

The hand gripping the mask... suddenly lowered.

And then—

The masked figure started walking toward Yusa as if nothing had happened.

To make matters worse—

["You still don’t understand, do you?"]

He spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

["A lowly thing like you has no right to command me."]

"...W-What...!"

Not only had he ignored the command—he remained just as arrogant as before.

["You have no authority over me, you worthless insect."]

"...!"

Yusa’s eyes widened at the words that pierced through him.

His command hadn’t worked?

That was impossible.

'...What the hell is going on...?'

No being under the heavens of Mangye could disobey its laws.

Not even the great master of the world could defy them.

Which meant—

'...If he’s ignoring my command...'

In other words—

'This bastard is a higher being than me?'

That could only mean this unknown creature was a superior entity.

"That’s absurd...!"

The moment he realized it, Yusa let out a shout.

"There’s no way!"

Only his master stood above the Generals.

And yet, this bastard was claiming to be above him?

That was impossible.

"Just what kind of trickery is this?!"

Yusa’s face twisted in fury as his grip tightened.

His monstrous, beast-like arm moved.

Screeeech—!!!

It tore through the air, accelerating at terrifying speed.

He would rip that bastard apart, shred him into pieces—

Just before his claws could reach his target—

["Stop."]

Thud—!

Kuuuuuuu—!

"...!"

Yusa’s entire arm came to a dead halt.

Not just his arm—

His entire body had frozen.

His trembling pupils darted frantically, trying to process the impossible.

This sensation...

It was the same pressure he felt whenever he gave a command.

'How...?!'

His command had failed—

And yet, this bastard’s command had worked on him?

What the hell—

["You still don’t get it?"]

"..."

A deep, heavy voice rang inside Yusa’s skull.

By the time he realized it, the masked figure had already closed the distance, standing right before him.

["I already told you—you have no right to order me."]

Crack.

Yusa tried to move his body by force.

But it was useless.

His frozen body refused to obey.

What was he?

Just what was this bastard that he could do something like this?

Yusa wanted to ask—but even his lips wouldn’t move.

["Do you think a lowly thing barking at the sky will ever be heard? You are exactly that."]

Slide.

The masked figure raised a hand and tilted Yusa’s chin upward with a single finger.

His head lifted effortlessly, completely out of his control.

["Know your place."]

Their eyes met.

Yusa swallowed hard.

In the darkness, the figure’s purple eyes glowed ominously.

They were devouring.

All-consuming.

Yet strangely...

They felt familiar.

What were those eyes...?

Where had he seen them before?

Yusa struggled to recall—

And then, he remembered.

'Ah.'

He didn’t need to search far.

That gaze—he had seen it many times.

In someone close to him.

The one he served.

The one he feared and revered.

'...My master?'

The ruler of Mangye.

The sky above him.

This presence—this oppressive, boundless presence—held the same weight as his master.

'...N-No, that’s ridiculous...'

It was laughable.

Even the thought itself filled him with disbelief.

How could he possibly feel his presence from this unknown bastard?

It was nonsense.

Yusa tried to shake the thought away.

And then—

["Your head is too high."]

The masked figure spoke again.

["Bow."]

"...!"

Thud—!

Yusa’s knees slammed against the ground.

Crack—!

The earth beneath him fractured, spreading deep, jagged lines outward.

Both of his knees had been driven into the floor.

It wasn’t just his knees—his gaze had also been forced downward.

A perfect humiliation.

All he could see was the floor.

And the feet of the one standing before him.

His entire body shook violently.

And yet—

Even in that state, he could still hear the bastard’s voice.

["Good."]

The voice was filled with satisfaction.

["This suits you perfectly."]

"..."

["Don’t you agree?"]

The more Yusa listened to that voice—

Something surged inside him.

It wasn’t the hunger he always felt.

It was something much ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) more primal.

It was fear.