Hoo… Hoo…

Rough breaths echoed in my ears. A body larger than any human was continuously exhaling.

The stained purple eyes pierced through the darkness, staring directly at me.

The unclothed form was somewhat bothersome, but I didn’t care.

I simply locked eyes with him and waited for what he would say.

As that moment passed…

“…What have you done?”

That guy.

Once known as a general, possessing the head of a bull and the body of a human.

The Duryeong spoke to me.

“Just what have you done to me…!!”

Kukung-!!

He unleashed a shout that shook the surroundings. I merely nodded, feeling the energy radiating from him.

The reason was simple.

‘He’s weakened.’

I could feel that his strength had significantly diminished.

Compared to just before we fought, he felt far weaker.

I looked up at the sky. The moon was still hanging high.

Confirming that, I immediately moved my hand.

Swoosh-!

“Cough!?”

I slashed at his chest.

Blood splattered, and a deep wound appeared before my eyes.

His face contorted in pain, and in that moment…

Suuuuuu-!!!

Heat flowed from the wound as it began to heal. While the speed was fairly quick, still…

Tsk.

I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

‘Is his immortality weakened as well?’

It seemed his regenerative abilities had diminished compared to before. I briefly considered cutting off his neck or arm, but decided against it.

‘It’d be troublesome if he died after all this.’

After all the effort to bring him this far, it wouldn’t do to let him die.

I held back my thoughts and observed him.

Aside from the horns, he didn’t look much different from a human.

Though he appeared overly large for a human, compared to his previous size and appearance, it was notably diminished.

“Grrr…”

He twisted his face in frustration. His lifted eyes gleamed with a bright purple hue.

As I observed him closely, I noted his condition.

‘Demon.’

He had become a demon.

I had unleashed demon energy and turned him into one.

‘It worked.’

I poured the demon energy into him when he was on the brink of death, resulting in his transformation.

Since he was nearly dead, it was easy to corrupt him, and it required extreme concentration, pouring nearly all my demon energy into him.

‘But why did he end up looking like that?’

After successfully enacting the demonization, I quickly gathered my thoughts.

It was good that he managed to heal and survive, but…

‘…Why did his body change like that?’

His physique shrank unexpectedly and became more human-like.

That was the result.

‘What gives?’

What could have caused this? Why did the Duryeong suddenly become human?

Even if he wasn’t part of the Moon Night Clan, he wasn’t really human at all.

His body transformed upon becoming a demon.

‘Hmm.’

Through what means did this happen?

I confirmed the change but was in a hurry, so I went to the Spirit’s Den.

Then…

‘Now he’s completely changed.’

He clearly resembled a human.

Moreover, his presence had diminished as well. Though his power remained, so even that strength had declined.

In terms of ability, he was at the brink of transformation. Or…

‘Upper ranks of a novice martial artist.’

Compared to his previous transcendent level, he had clearly weakened.

“Grrr…”

Did the Duryeong himself realize the situation? His twisted expression revealed everything.

“How dare… a dragon…”

Deep hatred seeped into his voice.

At that moment.

Kwahhh-!!

“Urk!”

The backlash erupted, and the Duryeong grunted. It was the resistance of demon energy.

‘Trying to rebel against me caused the demon energy to react.’

Unlike other demons, who became loyal after being corrupted, when a demon was corrupted in Mankye, loyalty did not develop.

As such, it was difficult to fully make use of him.

‘Looks like the demon energy is moving to prevent rebellion.’

This was akin to…

‘When I was corrupted by the Heavenly Demon.’

When I was captured by the Heavenly Demon and became a demon.

The situation was no different.

Those who willingly became demons, intoxicated by the overwhelming power of the Heavenly Demon, faced no problems.

Yet, there were certainly those like me who were forced into demonhood.

Half of them swore allegiance due to the demon energy, but…

‘I was not one of them.’

In contrast, I was different.

Driven insane by the demon energy, I ran wild for years.

Though I regained my mental faculties as my abilities grew, it didn’t mean I developed loyalty.

I rather plotted escape several times. All of which failed.

Recalling that…

‘This guy is no different.’

While the demon energy prevented rebellion, loyalty did not manifest.

Worse still…

“…Just kill me!”

He didn’t even allow death.

“Hmm.”

Watching this, I lightly snapped my fingers. Snap-!

With the sound, the shackles binding him were released.

“Grrr!”

Noticing he was freed, he lunged at me immediately. Gripping his enormous fist, he swung it at me just as…

Boom-!!

Before my face could be hit, I saw his body freeze again.

This was not voluntary. The demon energy had manifested from his body, binding his form.

I glanced at his fist briefly and examined his expression.

“Grrr—!!!”

He was doing everything in his power to attack me, but the demon energy perfectly controlled his actions.

‘Not bad.’

Even though his strength had waned, he was by no means weak. I was easily able to hold him back in that state.

‘Is it because my abilities have grown?’

After reaching the transcendent state, an increase in energy gave rise to these developments.

Could this be the reason?

‘Whatever’s happened to his body, I don’t quite understand.’

He became human.

If I had to think of a reason…

‘It must be my mental state.’

Overlaying the characteristic of a demon on top of his original essence.

While the difference between a human and a demon wasn’t that stark, the disparity of his condition indicates…

‘Because the identity of a demon feels so much closer to being human.’

The change arose from the difference in perception.

Though I no longer perceived myself as human and thought of myself as a dragon…

‘To me, demons are no different from humans.’

Since my perception was set that way, when I transformed him into a demon, this phenomenon occurred.

‘At least that’s my guess.’

But even that didn’t matter.

“What a waste to kill him—!!”

The key question remained—how could I use the Duryeong?

“Just kill me at once!”

“Shut up. I’m still thinking.”

“……!!”

His mouth snapped shut.

“Bow down.”

Thud-!

The Duryeong kneeled before me.

Without even issuing a command, using the demon energy made it easy.

“Well, to be honest, killing you would be nice for me too, you know?”

“……”

“Honestly, it’d be a lot easier if you were dead. But that’s not so simple now, is it?”

Was it because my mother was anxious? Indeed, that was where it all began.

“Now that it’s come to this, what if I could use you well?”

Thoughts filled my mind.

If I can make good use of such a powerful ally, I could leverage anything from him.

“And besides.”

It wasn’t just about power; I had questions to ask the Duryeong too.

“You. Why do you hate dragons so much?”

“……”

When the word “dragon” was mentioned, his shoulders shuddered.

It wasn’t just him.

‘Everyone in Mankye reacts similarly to the mention of dragons.’

What did dragons mean to them?

What had forged such negativity? I asked this to the Duryeong.

He was the one displaying the most hatred towards dragons, excluding the dwarf clan I had seen so far.

‘Considering those people had been thoroughly used by dragons, that’s understandable, but…’

What had this guy been through to hate dragons so much?

I wanted to ask him that.

“Grrr…”

He reacted to my question, his face clearly reluctant to speak.

“Speak.”

I forced him to spill out the words using demon energy.

Thus he began.

“…Dragons must be killed.”

He trembled as he spoke.

“Arrogant and vile creatures…”

It started with insults.

“Driven by desire so thick that in the end, they are buried beneath their own longings.”

The crux of the matter was a curse.

“So, when they couldn’t suppress their instincts, they were sealed by their masters.”

The ending brought a surprising statement.

‘Sealed?’

Was it my mother who sealed the dragon?

*

Kugugung-!!!

The once calm void tore apart.

Cracks emerged, and an ominous sensation rose. From within, someone burst out and rolled onto the ground.

“Cough–!!”

It was a man with massive black wings.

He rolled on the ground, grunting.

During this, blood leaked from him, soaking the floor.

“Hoo… Hoo…”

His breaths were labored, deep with pain.

“Damn it…”

He cursed while grimacing.

“F… that damned thing…”

He recalled the woman he had faced just before.

She was a persistent one.

She’d clung to him tenaciously. The strength of that bond was potent, making it difficult for him to break free.

“Damn it… I ended up using one of my beaks.”

He had used one of the remaining five beaks to escape.

But the toll was far too great.

“What the hell is going on?”

What were those creatures? What had happened to the Duryeong?

From what I could sense, he hadn’t died yet.

“…This doesn’t feel right.”

Things seemed tangled.

“There’s still a lot of time left.”

Though the timing he had set his sights on hadn’t arrived, with this turn of events…

“…I’ll need to advance the plan.”

Despite the unease, he had to purposefully proceed.

“A chance has come…!”

Bang! He slammed the ground. The events of Mankye had unfolded.

The Abyss had vanished, causing his master’s main body to leave its post.

At this time, he had to proceed flawlessly.

“Damn it…”

He ground his teeth, frustrated by the unexpected turn of events.

Simultaneously, he pulled something from his pocket.

It was a black orb.

Crack-!

As he crushed it in his hand, shards flew in every direction.

At that moment.

Wooooooo…!!!!

The void twisted, and another crack emerged.

Zzzzzz-!!

The crack momentarily shifted shape, resembling a massive eye that gazed at him.

Underneath that chilling gaze, he knelt and lowered his head.

The tension was palpable.

“…Great Taechon.”

He offered his respects to the massive eye.

“A disruption has occurred in the plan…”

Rumble-!!!

At his words, the eye trembled, then gradually curved like a crescent moon.

It looked almost as if it was smiling.