Lyerin stood in the center of the sanctuary, his hands clenched at his sides, frustration bubbling under his cool exterior.


    Commanding others had never been his style.


    He was a lone wolf, a sadistic bastard who thrived on the thrill of hunting his prey one-on-one, relishing in their terror as he told them they were going to die.


    The chase, the fear in their eyes, the thrill of running them down—it was all a part of the game he yed.


    Butmanding?


    Relying on others?


    It felt unnatural to him. powered-by-MvLeMpYr


    He paced in the dim light, his mind swirling with thoughts.


    He hated the idea of leading an organization, let alone a tribe.


    Although he had said in the past that he would make it—and lead his tribe—now, when he felt the responsibility on his shoulders, he felt like he was not the type who could do it.


    The idea of sitting back, giving orders, and waiting for others to act went against everything that made him who he was.


    The only reason he felt any confidence against the Borgias Family was because of the knowledge he had about them, the secrets he had acquired. But here, in this Eldritch universe, he wasn''t sure.


    There were too many unknowns, too many powerful organizations he had yet to understand when he was alone as a lone hunter.


    The thought gnawed at him.


    Suddenly, a familiar chime broke through his thoughts.


    | Ding!


    A system screen appeared in front of him, the message ringly clear:


    | Note:


    | This is not rmended due to the host''s personality.


    | It''s practically impossible! If the host desires, he can step down.


    | After all, the host could still use the leveling-up ability even as a regr member of the tribe. |


    Lyerin''s body stiffened, his blood running cold for a brief moment.


    The system itself doubted his ability tomand?


    The implication hit him hard, a deep-rooted rage slowly building inside him. His fists tightened, knuckles turning white as he stared at the message.


    The arrogance of the system to assume he couldn''t handle this!


    For a moment, he stood there in silence, the weight of the message sinking in.


    It wasn''t just a statement—it was a challenge. He felt his entire being bristle with defiance.


    ''Me? Not fit to lead?''


    His inner voice wasced with venom.


    Although he wasn''t one to be easily provoked, this particr message felt like it was deliberately pushing his buttons.


    His lips curled into a sneer, with his eyes shing with intensity.


    ''Isn''t this exactly what I live for? The impossible?''


    He had always thrived on adversity, on facing impossible odds anding out on top.


    This was no different.


    He was Lyerin, a creature born from chaos and destruction.


    Not from the Borgias Family''s trauma that he had just confirmed.


    Commanding an organization might not be in his nature, but that only made the challenge all the more appealing.


    His entire existence had been about defying expectations, crushing those who thought they are stronger whenever he hunts them.


    A low, almost manicugh escaped his lips, echoing through the sanctuary. "So," he muttered to himself, "this is my next challenge, huh?" Hisughter grew louder, resonating with the wildness of his soul. "I guess I''m about to walk a new path."


    His mind was still racing with this newfound purpose when a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.


    "Lyerin, you''re here!"


    He turned sharply, his dark eyes locking onto Sophia, who had appeared behind him. Her presence momentarily distracted him from his inner turmoil, and he tilted his head, assessing her with a piercing gaze.


    His thoughts were still lingering on the system message, but he forced them aside for now.


    "Sophia," he said, his voice smooth and low. "Where is everyone else?"


    Sophia hesitated for a moment before answering. "They''re… out. They thought they could find more survivors, people who might still be alive and need help."


    Lyerin''s brow furrowed. "Survivors? Who told them to do that?"


    Sophia looked down, her fingers fidgeting nervously. "It was Corora''s idea," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Lyerin let out a snort of disdain but said nothing more.


    He had expected as much.


    Corora had always been the type to take charge in situations like this, she was just hiding whenever in his presence, but it irritated him that they had acted without hismand.


    ''Confident in their strength, are they?'' he thought, feeling a simmering annoyance rise within him.


    Turning his attention back to Sophia, he took a step closer, his presencemanding. "And you, Sophia?" he asked, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "Why didn''t you go with them?"


    Sophia''s face flushed a deep shade of red, her eyes darting away from his intense gaze. She hesitated, biting her lip before finally answering, "I… I waited for you."


    The admission hung in the air, her vulnerability palpable. Lyerin regarded her for a moment, and soon, a smirk creeped across his face. ''Interesting.''


    Without warning, he ced a finger on his chin in mock contemtion. "Hmm," he said, his voice dripping with confidence. "I think I like you."


    Sophia''s eyes widened, her face going an even deeper shade of crimson. She stammered, clearly taken off guard, not knowing how to respond.


    Before she could say another word, Lyerin swiftly moved forward, scooping her up into his arms, cradling her as if she were a delicate princess.


    "Wha—what are you doing?!" she eximed, her voice a mix of shock and embarrassment. Her heart raced as she clutched his shoulders for bnce, her mind spinning from his sudden boldness.


    Lyerin''s eyes twinkled with amusement as he nced down at her, his voice smooth and yful. "You look surprised, Sophia. Rx. Aren''t you carrying children now?"


    Sophia''s breath caught in her throat. "But… but what if Corora does find out?" she asked, her voice trembling. "She''ll be furious!"


    Lyerin chuckled, a dark, almost dangerous sound. "Corora? She''s of no concern to me. The only reason I care about her at all is because of the curse."


    Sophia''s eyes widened at his words, but before she could respond, a voice cut through the air, sharp andmanding.


    "Lyerin?"


    The sound sent a shiver down Lyerin''s spine, and he turned his head slowly toward the source.


    There, standing in the entrance of the sanctuary, was Corora herself, her eyes zing with suspicion and anger.


    For a brief moment, the air between them crackled with tension.


    Lyerin''s charming smirk didn''t falter, but his mind was already calcting his next move.


    He could see the storm brewing in Corora''s eyes, but he didn''t flinch.


    Instead, he kept his hold on Sophia, his stance rxed, as if daring Corora to say something.


    "Well," he said, his voiceced with amusement. "It seems the fun is just getting started."


    Corora''s fists clenched at her sides, her voice icy. "What do you think you''re doing, Lyerin and Sophia?"


    Lyerin met her gaze without a hint of fear, his smirk widening. "What does it look like I''m doing?"


    The tension between the three of them hung in the air, thick and electric.


    Lyerin could feel the weight of Corora''s gaze, but he didn''t care.


    In fact, it only excited him further.


    The game was on.


    Time to show Corora who he really is.