DEB 70

[Congratulations on using the command function for the first time. As an achievement reward, you have received one command draw ticket.]

Amidst all this, the system window, oblivious to the tension, popped up with a new notification, congratulating Huiyun on using a command for the first time. 

The blue light, rather than gold, caught Huiyun off guard. 

He looked at Siho who narrowed his eyes and slightly smiled. 

Only then did Huiyun snap back to reality.

This is my chance.

In this unexpected situation where everyone was shocked, Huiyun realized they needed to escape from the demon realm. 

He embraced the silver fox tightly.

He didn’t want to reveal Siho’s abilities in front of the demon, but Cherban had attacked first, leaving him no other choice. 

If they tried to return through the existing cube passage, Cherban might launch another surprise attack before they could escape.

Rather than showing his back to an unknown enemy, it was better to reveal a card.

“Siho.”

He whispered softly, and the divine beast gently wagged its tail and let out a small cry. 

As Cherban watched with curiosity and Jiwook openly showed his emotional turmoil, Siho emitted a bright light that enveloped the group.

“How dare you…!”

Cherban reacted too late as the light extended to cover even Jiwook. 

Huiyun, watching Cherban attempting to enter the light, spoke.

“I won’t forget this, Cherban. Although half of the trust has been broken, I hope you will honor the non-aggression pact. Unless you wish to start a war with humanity.”

As soon as his cold voice trailed off, Siho let out a cry. 

It took less than a second for Huiyun and his party to vanish from the demon realm.

As the light faded and the intruders disappeared, Cherban furrowed his brows.

“Too quick-witted…”

Just once. 

By allowing a single attack, he had hoped to gauge their power and confirm if it was the same as the power of the forgotten ones. 

But the plan was foiled by the words of the most seemingly weak, yet paradoxically threatening, human. 

Cherban clicked his tongue, still unable to be sure of the intruders’ identities.

“But at least we gained something.”

Due to his master’s orders, he couldn’t interrogate the captured bait. 

However, knowing that those who came to rescue the bait were the same as the ones who previously invaded the demon realm wasn’t a complete loss.

Cherban recalled how beings with such tremendous power banded together only once in the past.

Long ago.

When the damned dragons protected the world.

Back then, the dragons moved in groups, led by the primordial dragon.

Recalling this, Cherban let out a hollow laugh. 

“…Lord Pride, your words were not wrong.”

After losing the great war, the demons felt the absence of the dragons for ten thousand years, thinking they had perished. 

But only Pride, having resurrected from fragments and regaining power, consistently claimed that they would return.

He said that since he had returned, they would return too, as a matter of balance.

All demons, even other lords, laughed at this. 

But now, seeing the events unfold, with the lords awakening and high-ranking demons regaining their power back, the ones suspected to be the dragon groups visited the demon realm. 

Everything was aligned with what Pride had predicted.

“But it’s still not certain.”

It’s still a phase of suspicion. 

If they were truly dragons, they wouldn’t have agreed to negotiate but would have killed him immediately. 

And Cherban would have treated them as complete threats and fought more cautiously.

But the invaders were weak, at least compared to the ancient dragons.

Moreover, he didn’t feel the distinct dragon aura.

They were somewhat different from humans but not dragons. 

Given the ambiguity, Cherban thought they might be descendants of the ancient dragons and adjusted his attire, staring at the spot where the humans had vanished.

“Well… thinking about it alone is useless.”

After all, it was his master’s task to confirm if they were dragons. 

Cherban, who was just a supporter for Pride’s recovery, turned towards the castle.

Having established the pact to ensure peace in the demon realm for Pride’s recovery, it was time to report everything he saw, felt, and thought.

“The future we desire is not far, my lord.”

***

Flash!

As the intense light that had overwhelmed their eyes faded, 

Huiyun and Yasha’s disciples found themselves in the underground training room of the Ash Guild. 

The cube-created passage closed, severing the link to the demon realm. 

Finally feeling the air clear, Huiyun nearly collapsed but was supported by Juan.

“…”

The cold silence from the demon realm persisted. 

Even Juan, who was helping Huiyun, remained silent.

Huiyun kept his gaze on the ground, sweating. 

Without looking up, he could feel the burning stares of five pairs of eyes on him.

Damn it.

He never wanted to use the command feature. 

Who would have thought the situation in the demon realm would escalate so quickly?

This is a disaster.

It’s a messy disaster.

Lost in these trivial thoughts, Huiyun’s escape was blocked by a low, cold voice.

“You…”

The voice belonged to Jiwook, who had directly experienced the absurd situation. 

Of all people, he couldn’t be ignored. 

Even as a reincarnated dragon, he had enough conscience to acknowledge what had happened.

If it had only been a simple kneeling command, it might have been different, but he had made him bow his head as well.

Torn between feigning a fit and facing the consequences, Huiyun realized there was no other option. 

Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet Jiwook’s piercing blue eyes.

Huiyun suddenly remembered the same piercing look and the voice calling him “you” from when he first met Jiwook.

Reenacting that moment, Jiwook grabbed Huiyun’s arm.

“Explain what just happened.”

“…Well,”

“You used the power of domination to make me kneel, didn’t you?”

You asked me to explain but you already said it all yourself.

Swallowing his frustration, Huiyun realized something. 

The command wasn’t just a system order but drew on Yasha’s power to enforce actions.

So, I could make someone kneel just by my ability?

[You don’t have enough power to dominate an S-rank since you’re not awakened! But if you awaken right now, the success rate to make an S-rank “bow their head” is 100%!]

The system quickly crushed his brief hope. 

Huiyun, feeling the pain in his wrist from Jiwook’s grip, tried to pull his hand away. 

Briefly hoping Nameless or Juan might help, he realized they were just watching without any intention of intervening.

Fine, I get it.

Life is about surviving alone.

Huiyun, realizing he could only rely on himself and Siho, faced Jiwook.

“…It seems that by inheriting the power of domination, I could make you kneel.”

“You made me kneel with the power you inherited.”

“Probably.”

Jiwook laughed coldly as if he had heard the world’s greatest nonsense.

“Make sense. Yasha’s disciples are equal. Just as I can’t erase your memory, you can’t dominate me. Do you understand what it means that you could dominate me?”

…What?

Huiyun blinked in surprise at this unknown fact. 

Jiwook, gripping Huiyun’s wrist, leaned closer with a fierce blue glare.

“Using the power of domination on me means you’re above Yasha’s disciples. And there’s only ever been one such person.”

“…”

“Mok Huiyun. Are you still not Yasha?”

The question was now filled with absolute certainty, without any doubt, only strong conviction.

It was a question intent on getting a definite answer, and Huiyun sighed internally.

I can no longer deny by claiming to be the seventh disciple.

Damn system. If this was the case, you should have told me earlier!

[You didn’t ask!]

That damn system.

His resolve not to awaken grew even stronger today.