"Well…" Rael exhaled slowly. "It's been what… ten thousand years since someone called me that."
Azrael Draculis.
His eyes shifted back to normal, and his relaxed face hardened. "Now," he said, voice turning serious, "why are you here?"
The giant silver wolf rose slightly. Its front legs were bent, head lowered—not fully kneeling, but clearly showing respect without complete submission. A king greeting a king.
"My lord," the beast began, "as you know, our clan is known for its aggressive nature and brutality. Our whole purpose in life is fighti—"
Rael cut him off. "Skip the speech. Why are you here?"
For a moment, one of the wolf's eyes twitched, as if annoyed. But he swallowed it and continued.
"…My lord. I want to fight."
The moment those words left his mouth, Rael answered instantly.
"No."
He turned around and started walking away without even looking back.
The Silver Shadow Wolf King froze.
This was the first time in his life someone had rejected him so simply.
Rael walked with his hands in his pockets, steps casual, as if he hadn't just ignored one of the most dangerous mythical beasts in existence.
The wolf's aura flared.
Electricity crackled over his fur, the air shaking around his body.
I've been speaking to him respectfully because Father told me he is the strongest in the universe, the beast thought, anger boiling. Equal to the Ultimate King. But he's ignoring me. He was once a great king—now he's just a human. His mana is so low it's pathetic. And he thinks he can just walk away without even hearing me out?
His killing intent surged.
I'll show him who's stronger.
In a blink, he vanished.
To normal eyes, he disappeared. To Rael, he simply moved.
In less than an instant, the wolf appeared right behind Rael, massive claw already swinging down. Lightning trailed behind it—an attack at the speed of light, meant to tear Rael in half.
But before the claw touched him—
Rael vanished.
The wolf's eyes went wide. His claw cut through nothing but air.
"Don't you know," a calm voice said from behind him, "it's a bad habit to attack someone from behind?"
The wolf spun his head around.
Rael stood there, right behind him, one hand still in his pocket. His gaze was flat, almost bored.
The beast's mind raced. That speed… I moved at full power. Not even an S-rank could see that. How—
Rael's presence suddenly changed.
A murderous intent pressed down on the air—cold, heavy, suffocating. It wrapped around the wolf's neck like an invisible collar.
"The next time you think of doing that," Rael said quietly, eyes turning sharp, "you won't have a head left to think with."
A chill shot through the beast's spine.
His fur stood on end. His body, which had faced countless battles and slaughtered armies, trembled slightly on its own.
What is this feeling…? he thought. Is this… what they call fear?
He swallowed, unable to look away from Rael's eyes.
Why… why do I feel that if he truly looks at me with killing intent… he'll behead me before I can even blink?
For the first time since becoming King of the Silver Shadow Wolves—
He understood something.
Compared to this man…
He was prey.