Chapter: 952
Ku-goo-goo-goo!
Kneeling under a terrible pressure, I couldn’t lift my head and was only looking at the ground.
Boom-! Boom-! Boom-!
The sound of my heart beating resonated throughout my body.
This was Yusa’s current state.
Hoo-huu…
I breathed heavily.
With each breath, a drop of sweat dripped from my face, soaking the floor below.
‘What the heck…’
What on earth is going on?
Why am I in this position?
Even now, Yusa couldn’t make sense of the situation.
Why am I kneeling? Why can’t I say a word?
I couldn’t figure it out.
What’s more,
Gkeuggeug!
What was this bitter feeling surging inside me?
The hunger I’ve felt all my life has dulled.
I’ve never felt such shallow hunger before.
Am I not hungry? No, that’s not it.
‘This is…’
Something was layered on top of the hunger.
Something so heavy and thick that it robbed me of any other feelings.
What could this be?
As Yusa pondered, realization struck.
‘…Fear?’
Glancing at my trembling fingertips, Yusa came to a correct conclusion.
But.
‘That’s absurd.’
I denied it, thinking it couldn’t be true. There’s no way I could feel fear.
Moreover.
‘Move. Move right now.’
Even being in this position, on my knees, felt impossible.
I am a general.
How could a single word make me kneel?
Especially to a servant of Moonlight?
‘Move!’
Get moving and devour that bastard in one gulp!
Leave not even a bone behind!
Yusa thought that way and tried to move, but—
Gkeuggeug—!!!
My body wouldn’t budge.
The trembling in my fingertips only escalated.
Grrr…
I squeezed my eyes with enough force to burst the blood vessels.
At that moment.
[It’s pitiful, watching you struggle.]
A figure spoke to Yusa.
[As always, seeing the weak thrashing about is quite annoying…]
They raised my chin with their finger.
[I want to trample you. I can’t help myself.]
Meeting those violet eyes made Yusa’s heart race even faster.
Now, the pounding of my heart was so loud it felt like my body was throbbing.
[Isn’t that right? That’s how it felt for me.]
The figure’s pupils shifted. Even behind the mask, Yusa could tell they were smiling.
How humiliating.
So humiliating.
That I, a general, was subjected to such treatment by a stranger.
And.
‘What on earth is that guy?’
It feels like something that’s not my master is giving me orders.
Nothing made sense, and it was all confusing.
Especially that guy’s identity felt stranger than the emotions I was experiencing.
The concept of an ‘order’ is a power and law contained within the soul.
It’s a force that shouldn’t activate unless it outranks me.
‘…Why?’
How can that guy give me orders?
It didn’t click for me at all.
Or—
‘…Has my master appointed another general without me knowing?’
Could it be that another general was appointed behind my back?
With that thought, Yusa shook her head right after.
‘No… The seeds of the divine tree haven’t opened anymore.’
To become a general, one has to receive a divine gift.
Only by receiving the divine tree can one be baptized by the master.
That way, I could obtain the authority to be recognized as a general.
In rare cases, Yarhong received their powers without a divine tree. But that was a very special situation.
As my master had said there wouldn’t be such an occurrence again, change should be impossible.
Then,
‘What the heck is that guy?’
Even if they’re both generals, they can’t give each other orders.
If so, the only explanation would be that guy has a higher soul rank.
‘…What the hell?’
Yusa frowned as unresolved questions kept swirling in her mind.
The moment of realization struck.
Bam-!
“…!”
Suddenly, the pressure on Yusa’s body vanished.
I felt the control dissipate, and realized I had regained my freedom.
What? Why has the pressure disappeared?
It felt eerie, but now wasn’t the time for pondering.
Yusa turned her gaze toward the figure.
They were still looking at Yusa. Seeing that, Yusa pulled up the strength she had been crouching with.
Crackle.
The fear in my body evaporated.
A dreadful hunger surged forth.
I’m hungry.
I need to catch and swallow that thing in front of me right now.
Thoughts raced through me, almost frightening.
‘Let’s eat it all.’
Yusa lifted the corners of her lips, waving her hand.
A gigantic arm moved towards the figure.
“Predation.”
As Yusa said this, a crack appeared on the underside of her massive palm.
Shrrrk-!
It opened wide as if it were a mouth.
I lunged forward to engulf that thing in one bite.
‘I don’t know what it is, but I’m swallowing it now.’
Despite my confusion, eating it was the answer.
The moment I released my powers, I wouldn’t let it slip away.
After all, my authority is to consume anything.
The creature before me shouldn’t be any different.
As Yusa’s hand reached out, suddenly—
Snap-!
“…Huh?”
Yusa instinctively gasped.
It couldn’t be helped.
The arm that should have devoured that bastard instead bit into something.
“What the hell…?”
The shape was black.
Something sprung from the figure’s shadow and sunk its teeth into Yusa’s arm.
Crackle.
“Grrh!?”
Yusa reacted to the sharp pain, pulling her arm back with urgency.
Fortunately, her arm slipped free.
Drip, drip.
Blood poured from Yusa’s arm onto the floor.
“…Ugh…”
Flesh was torn off her arm, leaving behind deep bite marks.
In that instant, hearing a sound in her bewildered state, Yusa thought she heard:
[Predation… Not bad.]
“…You…”
A creature that had just uttered the name of her ability.
Calmly, they seemed unbothered, just gazing at Yusa.
Then, a shadow snaked out from their form and started crawling up their body like a serpent up a tree.
‘What the heck… What is that?’
Chills ran down Yusa’s spine.
Just watching made her legs weak.
“You…! What the hell did you do?!”
[What am I doing? We were just indulging in our specialties.]
“Specialties…?”
[Yes, just like how you enjoy eating.]
Slither.
The dark shape coiled around their arm as it climbed upwards.
[I also happen to be pretty proud in that department.]
“…”
Yusa frowned.
There’s no way.
‘Is that also an ability?’
Does that thing count as a form of power?
Yusa watched her torn arm, crippling pain gnawing at her body.
How can it be this painful? That question bothered her.
‘…Isn’t it going to regenerate?’
Her injured arm wasn’t healing at all.
It was a wound that should have healed ages ago.
Yusa’s arm was wracked with pain and showed no signs of recovery.
Seeing this, Yusa shifted her gaze sideways.
She could see the moon rising beyond the window.
It clearly indicated that it was nighttime.
But why wasn’t she healing?
Even worse.
“…Why aren’t you moving?”
The power of predation that was supposed to consume everything is malfunctioning.
No matter how she tried to summon strength in her body, her palms stayed quiet, refusing to open.
Realizing this, Yusa yelled at the figure.
“What have you done to me…!”
It was that bastard. He must have done something!
That’s why her power was disobeying her.
[Hmm.]
That figure nodded at Yusa’s remarks.
[Honestly, I don’t know how far I should be disappointed.]
Those softly spoken words pierced Yusa’s heart.
Crack-!
Finally, Yusa bit her teeth down fiercely.
Seeing this, the figure abruptly turned their back.
[I was curious about the general, but your current state makes it hard to want to engage.]
“What…?”
What does that mean? No way.
“Are you telling me you’re escaping?”
Yusa growled fiercely at the figure, now turned away.
[Escape?]
The figure glanced at her while saying this.
[The term ‘escape’ is not something weaklings should say.]
There’s no need to run away from a pathetic human like that. That was the implication.
[If I had to be picky about it…]
The figure paused briefly to ponder before continuing.
[Let’s call it being a picky eater. I avoid tasting anything bland.]
“This bastard…!!”
At that remark, Yusa felt the heat rise in her head, urging her to muster all her strength.
Click-!
“Ugh…!!”
The pain in her arm was hindering all her energy.
Her abilities wouldn’t release, and her vitality wouldn’t budge.
On top of that.
“Gahh… huff….”
It felt like something was wrong with her body as her breathing became increasingly ragged.
As Yusa struggled, gripping her knee, the figure turned their head once more.
[I hope you can entertain me a bit more when we meet next time.]
They turned to grab the door and stepped outside. But just before the door closed—
The figure looked back at Yusa.
[There’s no second chance.]
Thud.
As soon as that sentence left their lips, the door slammed shut.
“Grrr….”
Yusa hurriedly got up.
What had felt strange about her body managed to stabilize in that brief moment.
So without a moment’s hesitation, she tore the door open and scanned the outside.
“…Where are you-! Where did you go?”
Nobody was in sight in the corridor beyond the door.
In the empty hallway, Yusa frowned, scouring for any signs of presence.
But.
“Damn it…!!”
Normally, she should have sensed all their presences, but she couldn’t detect a single one.
It seemed that a problem with her powers had caused this issue too.
“This bastard! How dare he…!”
Yusa’s eyes flared, veins bulging with fury.
Where did he go? She needed to find him right away.
Yusa, glancing around, suddenly spotted something.
“…!”
Her eyes lit up, staring at one specific place.
It was the prison located within the Blue Clan.
She didn’t hesitate.
Yusa dashed towards the prison, her speed faster than the wind.
*
Bang-!
Yusa arrived at the prison and flung the door open.
No one was there to stop her.
Amid the sudden chaos, all the soldiers had vanished.
Even apart from this, Yusa had intentionally cleared the soldiers away beforehand.
In that moment, rushing into the prison, Yusa looked through the bars.
But.
“…Huh…”
The sight inside was vastly different from what Yusa had expected.
“Why…?”
Her eyes widened upon confirming the contents.
Inside was—
“Hmm?”
A black-haired woman she had captured was sitting calmly, and beside her—
“…Ugh… What time is it… Is it morning?”
A young man lay there, groggily waking up.
The one who introduced himself as Cheoljiseon was rubbing his sleepy eyes.
“…”
“Oh, you’ve arrived…?”
Cheoljiseon greeted her rather blandly.
Faced with him, Yusa’s face twisted in confusion.
The bars looked just as they had before, with the chains unchanged as well.
This meant there was no sign of anyone having gone out or returned.
Then—
“…It wasn’t you?”
“Yeah?”
“I asked if the one I just met was you. Answer me.”
“No… What… all of a sudden?”
“I said answer me!”
Boom!
Yusa’s loud voice reverberated throughout the prison.
Only then did Cheoljiseon finally respond, looking bewildered.
“Um, I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but, uh, no. I’ve been here this entire time.”
“…”
He said no again. This made Yusa wonder if he was telling the truth.
‘…That guy didn’t listen to orders either.’
That masked person couldn’t obey her commands; could this guy be the same?
‘Could this guy actually be him?’
Yusa kept repeating this thought, intuition nagging her to insist he had to be the one.
Then.
“I need to confirm something with you, you little punk.”
Let’s just check it out.
As this crossed her mind, Yusa attempted to gather her strength.
“Now, General—!”
She heard someone call for her from outside.
“Right now, in the sky—!”
“…!”
Upon hearing this, Yusa quickly swung the door open and looked up at the sky.
Then.
“That guy…!”
Under the black night sky and purplish moon,
Someone hovered in the air, looking down on her.
That bastard.
The very one who mocked and humiliated her, was now floating in the sky, gazing down at her.
“This bastard!!”
Thud-!
Yusa immediately kicked off the ground and leaped into the sky.
She slashed at him with her razor-sharp claws.
Crash-!
Fwheee—!
But Yusa’s claws couldn’t cut through anything; it felt as if she had slashed through thin air.
“Why…?”
Why do I feel this way?
In disbelief at her failed attack, Yusa stared blankly.
[General, let me reiterate.]
That figure only uttered more of his words, seemingly unfazed.
[There will be no second chances. The next time we meet, you had better not disappoint me.]
As he spoke, the figure faded like mist.
“…Where, where did you go?”
Yusa growled, baring her fangs in anger.
“Where did you go—!!”
Wham—!!!
A gales of wind surged through the area.
What a ferocious force!
It was so strong it wreaked havoc in both the mansion and the prison.
Hmm.
Feeling that gale, Cheoljiseon—no, Gu Yangcheon—secretly wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, finding confidence within.
‘I can kill him.’
I can kill the general.
That was his newfound certainty.
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