Chiba Makoto fell silent for a moment, then smiled.
Hyōsube Ichibē was even more formidable than Makoto had imagined. Merely from Makoto deliberately avoiding calling Hyōsube Ichibē by his true name, he had detected that Makoto might have a problem.
In truth, Makoto had deliberately avoided addressing Hyōsube Ichibē by his true name because, if he did so in Hyōsube Ichibē's presence, Hyōsube Ichibē would instantly detect Makoto's identity.
During their decades-long struggle in the World of Names, Hyōsube Ichibē had been unable to confirm Makoto's true identity, but he had undoubtedly recorded the fluctuation that occurred whenever Makoto spoke his true name.
But at this stage, Makoto no longer had any need to keep hiding it.
Then Makoto slowly spoke.
"What is there to fear, Lord Hyōsube Ichibē?"
Hyōsube Ichibē froze for a moment. Then his already ferocious face became visibly more terrifying. Baring his teeth as though he wanted to devour Makoto alive, he said,
"So you're the rat that's been hiding for decades. What? Do you want to lay your hands on the throne of a 'god' too?"
Yet just as Hyōsube Ichibē thought he had finally caught the rat by the tail, and that the two could openly settle their old scores—
Makoto was taken aback. Looking every bit the upright gentleman, he said,
"Lord Hyōsube Ichibē, I don't understand what you mean. Why does it sound like you're trying to falsely accuse me of conspiring with Yhwach?"
This unexpected answer left Hyōsube Ichibē unable to react for a moment.
Both of them clearly wielded the power of "names" and sought to touch the position of the true Soul King. Why was he still pretending to be some innocent white lotus?
The moment Hyōsube Ichibē confirmed that Chiba Makoto was the hidden controller of the Name