Chapter 1194
"Excuse me?"
Raon stared in disbelief, his eyes fixed on the slight tremor in Evelyn's hands.
"You’ve located it already? For certain?"
While he harbored deep confidence in Evelyn—having tasked her with the volume recovered from the Dragon Lord and facilitating her collaboration with the Shadow Agents and the Black Market—he had anticipated a timeline of several months before any actionable intelligence surfaced.
'It stood to reason. Derus Robert is not a man to be underestimated.'
In Raon’s experience, Derus Robert was the most duplicitous and calculating individual alive. Even with the concentrated efforts of information specialists and Evelyn’s peerless talent for infiltration and data recovery, this breakthrough felt unnervingly swift. He felt a wave of genuine agitation.
'Is it possible...'
Raon bit his lip, observing the flushed excitement on Evelyn’s face.
'That this is a setup?'
Given Derus Robert's nature, he might have deduced the Dragon Lord’s demise through the vanishing of the Ancient Dragons and laid a trap to ensnare anyone tracking him. Knowing that monster, such a countermove was entirely within the realm of probability.
'Regardless, I must hear the details first.'
Raon took a measured breath to steady himself. He activated the Ring of Fire, cooling his internal heat and sharpening his logic to ensure his deductions remained objective.
"Speak. What is the nature of Derus Robert's scheme?"
He gave a sharp nod, signaling his readiness to receive the report.
"Currently, Derus Robert is..."
Evelyn’s lips curled into a frigid smirk as she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Rounding up offerings from every corner of the lands."
She explained that Derus was orchestrating mass abductions, her violet eyes flashing with intensity.
"So he is proceeding with the plan to utilize kidnapped civilians as tribute."
Raon recalled the theories he had formed while deciphering the Dragon Lord’s archives and scowled.
"Indeed. However, they are not typical tributes."
Evelyn held up her slender, graceful fingers.
"Live stock. It appears he is nurturing these people specifically to be consumed by something else."
She shook her head, emphasizing that the victims weren't being used for a simple ritual.
-Li-live stock?
Wrath squirmed in visceral disgust.
-The man is utterly depraved! To treat sentient beings as mere fodder for a sacrifice!
Despite his status as a monarch of the abyss, the concept of such a sacrifice seemed to chill him to the bone, causing his tail to twitch in agitation.
"How did you confirm the status of these 'living' sacrifices?"
Raon gestured for her to elaborate.
"The flow of provisions."
Evelyn pointed toward the ground of the fifth training field, which was marked by numerous tracks.
"Across the continent, as the disappearance rate climbs, there has been a corresponding, subtle uptick in the transport of food and supplies. This suggests the captives aren't being eliminated immediately; they are being sustained and kept alive."
She let out a heavy breath, having connected those specific dots.
"Hence your classification of them as living sacrifices."
Raon looked into Evelyn’s bright purple eyes and nodded slowly.
'The logic is sound.'
If the spike in missing persons aligned perfectly with the logistical movement Evelyn described, the conclusion that Derus was hoarding live subjects was the most plausible explanation.
'This aligns with my initial suspicions.'
He had wagered that upon the Dragon Lord’s fall, Derus might act with uncharacteristic haste to fill the void in his power, thereby exposing his hidden operations. It seemed that gamble had paid off.
'And yet...'
He reminded himself to remain wary of a possible ambush. Derus Robert was a man whose brilliance for deception was unrivaled on this continent. In fact, throughout all known realms, few could match his capacity for intricate plotting. If it were him, he could easily fabricate this entire scenario as a lure, demanding absolute vigilance.
"Evelyn, do you think there is any chance Derus Robert leaked these crumbs on purpose?"
Raon voiced his primary concern.
"The possibility exists, certainly."
Evelyn responded with a calm nod, as if she had already weighed that factor.
"However, I find it unlikely in this specific instance."
She squinted slightly, dismissing the idea that the information was a plant.
"What leads you to that conclusion?"
Raon tilted his head.
"The source material."
Evelyn tapped the tome left behind by the Dragon Lord.
"The Dragon Lord was just as devious as Derus Robert. He conducted his surveillance with such extreme secrecy that the other side remained oblivious. No matter how perceptive Derus Robert claims to be, he couldn't have accounted for these specific records."
She gestured negatively, arguing that since the Dragon Lord’s spying was so glacial and covert, even Derus would have been kept in the dark.
"I see..."
Raon hummed as he scrutinized the documents Evelyn had provided.
"The fluctuations in disappearances and cargo movement are incredibly minute; there’s no glaring anomaly."
Derus was aware the Dragon Lord was gone, but even in his rush, he wasn't being reckless with his abductions. He was managing the optics—taking people from the south one week, then shifting to the central territories the next, showing a calculated restraint.
Under normal circumstances, the continent was full of missing persons and shifting trade routes, so an uninformed observer would see nothing out of the ordinary.
However, using the Dragon Lord’s foundation, they had narrowed down potential locations for the central base. By layering that with the networks of the Black Market and Shadow Agents, they could finally track their prey’s pulse.
"You are correct."
Raon closed his hand into a tight fist, his resolve hardening.
"Derus Robert is unaware we are watching."
The enemy knew of the Dragon Lord’s death, but he almost certainly didn't realize he was being hunted in return.
'This is an opening.'
Since Derus Robert had gone into hiding, there hadn't been a single chance to strike. Now, that opportunity had finally materialized. A surge of anticipation made his muscles coil with tension.
-This King concurs.
Wrath bobbed his head in rare agreement.
-Usually, there is a sense of impending doom, but this path feels strangely clear.
Even the demon king seemed to have a positive intuition regarding this lead.
"Isn't it?"
Evelyn let a confident smile play on her lips.
"In short order, we will identify the specific demographics they target and the exact corridors they use for transport."
She noted that their intelligence networks were still digging deeper.
"Once that is settled, we will be able to pinpoint the territory where Derus Robert and the Archangels are entrenched."
Evelyn traced her lip with a finger, sensing the endgame was approaching.
"Yes. Proceed with that. But move with extreme caution. Derus Robert is the most paranoid man alive."
Raon’s expression darkened as he thought of Derus, a man who scrutinized every shadow and every coincidence.
"Naturally! Both the Shadow Agents and the Black Market are only deploying operatives native to those specific zones. And for the final reconnaissance..."
Evelyn pointed to herself.
"I will handle it personally. There is no need for concern."
She gave a faint smile, implying she would utilize her animal possession techniques for the final approach.
-That is a sound plan. Even this King finds it impossible to detect the shift.
Wrath exhaled sharply, seemingly still bothered by her ability to mimic animals so perfectly.
"Very well. I’ll leave the matter in your... no, hold on."
Raon paused mid-nod, a thought occurring to him.
"I have a specific instruction regarding that. Knowing Derus..."
"What... what's happening?"
Krein’s eyes darted frantically as he crouched behind a massive boulder.
"I expected him to come charging in, swinging that sword like a blunt instrument. Why is it so quiet?"
He gulped, finding Raon’s absence more terrifying than his presence.
"The Palace Master didn't seem particularly upset, did he?"
Dorian sidled up next to him, shaking his head.
"If anything, he seemed pleased that we kept up with our training while he was away."
He offered a small smile, claiming to have gauged Raon’s mood through his Mind’s Eye.
"Is that so?"
Krein’s eyes went wide, desperate for that to be true.
"Yes. I doubt today’s session will be anything too grueling."
Dorian nodded confidently, suggesting that because Raon was happy with the Light Wind Palace's progress, he would likely keep the sparring light before heading back.
"I'm inclined to agree."
A deep, calm voice drifted down from the branches above them.
"Eek!"
"Gah!"
Burren dropped from the tree, landing gracefully in front of the jumpy duo.
"Raon was radiating a bit of a chill today, but his underlying mood seemed genuinely positive."
Having served as Raon’s right hand for a long time, Burren felt he could accurately interpret the Palace Master’s expressions.
"See? I told you,"
Dorian beamed, glad to have his assessment validated by Burren.
"Oh, thank goodness. In that case..."
Krein began to exhale a sigh of relief, rubbing his chest to steady his heart.
"AAAGGHHH!"
A blood-curdling shriek ripped through the forest from the lower slopes. It wasn't the sound of someone simply losing a fight; it was a scream of pure, unadulterated agony.
"What on earth was..."
Krein froze, his throat going dry.
"UUUUUUGH!"
Seconds later, a second scream, different in pitch but equal in terror, rang out across North Grave Mountain.
"NOOOOO!"
Before the second cry had even faded, a third voice joined the chorus. They were the sounds of people being pushed to their absolute limits, voices strained to the point of breaking.
"No, this can't be..."
Krein turned around, his eyes wide with fear.
"You said he’d go easy! What the hell is happening!"
He gasped for air, convinced that Raon had lost his mind and gone on a rampage.
"This... this isn't what I expected?"
"What changed?"
Dorian and Burren both looked pale, clearly blindsided by the sudden escalation.
"I'm done hiding! Come and face me!"
Amidst the tension, Martha’s defiant shout echoed from nearby.
"KYAAAAARGH!"
But even Martha’s bravado didn't last. She let out a high-pitched scream—entirely unlike her usual self—before falling silent.
"Even Martha? We’re doomed! What do we... wait?"
Krein turned to his companions for a plan, only to find the air beside him empty.
"Where did they go?"
Dorian and Burren, the two who had just told him to relax, had vanished into thin air.
"They ditched me? Those absolute cowards!"
Krein tried to slip away, muffling his breath, but a dark shadow suddenly eclipsed him from above.
"Ah..."
Krein slowly looked up, his neck trembling. He saw Raon standing there, flecks of blood dotting his cheek. He was staring down at Krein with a smile that didn't reach his cold eyes.
"But... Dorian said you'd be lenient because you were in a good mood..."
Krein clung to that fading hope, his voice cracking.
"I was."
Raon nodded, the eerie smile widening.
"I had every intention of keeping it light, seeing as how diligently you all worked in my absence."
"Then why..."
"But I just received some wonderful news, and I find myself brimming with far too much energy to hold back."
He spoke as if it were a simple matter of physics, lifting the blood-stained scabbard of Heavenly Drive.
"Why does being happy make you hit harder!"
Krein’s lip quivered in genuine terror.
"I couldn't say. Furthermore..."
Raon’s eyes glowed with a crimson light that outshone the moon.
"I've decided it’s high time you all became much, much stronger."
He whispered the decree and struck like a bolt of red lightning.
"UAAAAARGH!"
That night, the wails of the swordsmen echoed through North Grave Mountain without pause... right up until the break of dawn.
A soft, rhythmic pattering echoed through the thicket where the canopy was so dense that even the midday sun struggled to reach the forest floor. The sound belonged to a small squirrel, notable for a patch of black fur on its brow. It scurried through the undergrowth, its bushy tail swaying with every agile leap.
The little creature paused frequently, sniffing the air and inspecting the terrain as if on a mission. Possessing an uncanny grace, it navigated the heights and the hollows of the woods, easily bypassing the predatory beasts and monsters that lurked in the shadows.
The squirrel, which had been moving with the confidence of the forest’s true master, suddenly stopped dead in front of a massive, ancient pine tree with sparse needles. It remained motionless for a long time, staring ahead as if transfixed, before finally nodding and turning back.
It retreated with the same light, effortless bounds, a faint, human-like satisfaction hidden in its movements.
'There truly is a sensory field capable of detecting even Animal Possession!'
Evelyn, the peerless mage capable of such flawless transformations, felt a surge of triumph within her squirrel form.
'Raon’s instincts were spot on.'
She was amazed that Raon’s warning to remain cautious even in this form had proven necessary, and she mentally clenched her tiny paws.
'I can't advance further, but this is enough. The presence of a barrier of this caliber means...'
She narrowed her eyes, imagining the look on Raon’s face when she delivered the news.
'It means we’ve found exactly what we were looking for!'
