Chapter 1219
Raon stepped toward the patch of scorched earth where the remains of Priest Srude had been scattered following Derus Robert’s self-destructive detonation.
"He certainly didn't leave much behind."
It was clear that Derus Robert feared his physical vessel might be used as a medium for tracking, as he had systematically shredded the corpse before triggering the final explosion. Having successfully bought himself a window of time, it appeared his defensive maneuvers had been flawlessly executed.
"And yet..."
A thin, cold smile touched Raon’s mouth as he reached down to recover microscopic bits of charred organic matter and tiny splinters of bone from the blackened soil.
"Evidence still lingers."
Despite the intensity of the blast, the body had been a vessel for significant divine energy. Furthermore, as it served as a direct terminal for Derus Robert’s consciousness, it was inevitable that some essence would remain trapped in the debris.
"Our forces have been bracing for this exact scenario for quite some time."
Raon understood the workings of Derus Robert’s mind better than anyone alive. From the moment he identified Priest Srude as a puppet of the Master of Robert, he had anticipated that the villain would take such drastic measures.
'This is precisely why I consulted Evelyn.'
Ever since the initial construction of the Tower of Desire, Raon had tasked Evelyn with developing a magical method to trace Derus Robert, even in the event that Priest Srude’s physical form was utterly annihilated.
'Even if the life of Derus Robert remains out of reach for now...'
At the very least, he intended to dismantle the foundation of whatever scheme the man was brewing.
Derus Robert was undoubtedly knee-deep in meticulous preparations to ensure an absolute, error-free victory in the conflict slated for one year from today. After infiltrating this Heaven, Raon felt that striking at the very heart of the enemy's hidden sanctuary and raking through its secrets would be the most effective retaliation.
"There's no need for concern."
Evelyn offered a knowing wink, signaling that she had not only grasped the gravity of his request but had already perfected the solution.
"Those fragments are helpful, but honestly, I can manage without them."
She stepped forward with a confident air, suggesting that the absence of a physical corpse was no longer a barrier to pinpointing their target.
"You can track him without the remains?"
Raon’s eyes widened slightly at her assertion.
"Indeed. Through my studies of various spiritual essences, both beast and man..."
Evelyn raised a slender hand, gesturing toward the shimmering air.
"I've learned that every soul possesses a distinct olfactory signature. Derus Robert is no exception. In fact, that man’s soul carries a stench far more pungent and unique than most."
She hovered her hand over the site of the priest's demise, her lips curling into a sharp grin.
"Had ten minutes passed, the trail might have gone cold. But since he only just departed, I can easily lock onto his wake!"
Evelyn confirmed with a firm nod that the spiritual residue left by Derus Robert was still fresh enough to follow.
"Incredible..."
A dry, breathless laugh escaped Raon. While he had placed his trust in Evelyn, he hadn't dared hope for such a definitive and immediate result. She continued to prove herself as the most formidable sorceress in his circle.
-Did... did you catch the words of that deranged woman?
Wrath’s jaw hung slack, his voice trembling with genuine disbelief.
-She analyzes the souls of living creatures? She isn't even a practitioner of the dark arts! What kind of mainstream mage dabbles in such things? She is fundamentally broken!
The small monarch slumped his shoulders, muttering that Evelyn became progressively more terrifying the more her secrets were unveiled.
"It will, however, require a moment of preparation."
Evelyn brought her palms together, explaining that because the ritual involved the complexities of the soul, the activation wouldn't be instantaneous.
"Take your time."
Raon ground the charred bone fragments of the priest between his fingers until they were dust, then gave a steady nod.
"Derus Robert will be delayed as well."
Unlike his usual composed self, the villain was currently reeling from a metaphorical blade to the ribs. Scrubbing his tracks and relocating his entire operation would be a time-consuming endeavor.
"I shall move with all possible haste!"
Evelyn beamed, her eyes fluttering shut as she channeled her focus into the intricate flow of her mana.
"Was this all part of your design?"
Glenn let out a short, incredulous laugh.
"I was aware you intended to storm this stronghold, but I hadn't realized you were prepared to hunt Derus himself afterward."
He looked at his grandson, truly wondering how many moves ahead the young man was thinking.
"The concept was mine, but the execution relied on the talents of others."
Raon gestured toward Evelyn with a modest smile.
"I imagined my position deep within the enemy's lair was the most difficult, but it seems everyone else has been pushed to their limits as well."
He glanced toward the perimeter, where the elite Zieghart warriors were systematically purging the remaining Angel Elites and Robert's subordinates with the efficiency of exterminators.
-They have certainly evolved.
Wrath offered a rare note of genuine praise.
-I can see the fruit of their desperate labor. Whether they did it for your sake or their own, they are transformed.
The demon acknowledged that the progress of the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen was undeniable.
"I am grateful to both of you for indulging my reckless strategy."
Raon offered a respectful bow to Glenn and Rector.
"Hmph! I had little choice! If my grandson decides to dive into the dragon's den, I am obligated to follow!"
Glenn shifted his gaze, clearly moved yet embarrassed by Raon’s sudden display of appreciation.
"I thought I had grown accustomed to your antics, but jumping into the very core of the enemy and holding your ground for so long... you are truly something else."
Rector waved a dismissive hand, though his expression betrayed the immense anxiety he had suffered during the wait.
"It seems you have adapted quite well yourself, Grandfather."
Raon’s smile brightened as he noted how naturally Rector was manipulating his artificial limb.
"It was a necessity. In my frantic worry for you, my arm began to move of its own accord!"
Rector sighed, admitting that his mastery over the prosthetic had been forged through sheer desperation.
"Still, despite the fact that I spent every waking moment honing my blade, it seems you—trapped in this place—have surpassed my growth."
He looked down at the fallen form of Archangel Raphael, a heavy weight in his eyes.
"I am inclined to agree."
Glenn gave a somber nod of concurrence.
"What sort of realization did you reach to manifest a strike like that?"
He looked troubled, struggling to comprehend how a being as powerful as an Archangel could be felled by a single blow.
"Lessons can be found in every struggle. And besides..."
Raon turned a warm, sincere gaze toward the two elders.
"The guidance you both gave me was instrumental."
He lowered his head, reflecting on the profound philosophies of the sword that Glenn and Rector had shared with him in the past.
"Our guidance?"
"What do you mean by that?"
The two master swordsmen exchanged confused glances, unsure of which specific words had sparked such a metamorphosis.
"Yes. You see..."
Raon started to elaborate, but his words died in his throat as his eyes snapped toward Raphael’s remains. A strange, haunting energy, shimmering with five distinct colors, began to drift upward from the corpse.
"What is this...?"
"Gasp...!"
In his true physical form, Derus Robert's eyes flew open. He was gasping for air, his chest heaving with exertion.
"Kubara!"
He tore off his leather gloves, which were slick with a dark, viscous fluid, and barked out the name of his subordinate.
"The current status..."
"Yes, my Lord. I have already initiated the command to sever all ties with Heaven."
Kubara bowed low, speaking as though she had personally witnessed the catastrophe unfolding in the celestial realm.
"Severing the link is insufficient! Trigger the self-destruction arrays immediately! We must wipe this base from existence and leave no trace that we were ever here!"
Without a second thought, Derus Robert ordered the annihilation of a headquarters that had cost years of labor and untold fortunes to establish.
"Self-destruction...?"
Kubara looked up, her face pale with shock at the severity of the command.
"The physical distance between Heaven and this facility is vast. Simply cutting the communication channels should be enough to—"
"It is not!"
Derus Robert cut her off with a sharp, categorical refusal.
"They bypassed a defensive perimeter I believed to be impenetrable. They reached Heaven. We must proceed as if this location has already been compromised."
His brow furrowed in a deep scowl. Even though the loss of the facility was a bitter pill, his survival instinct demanded a total retreat.
"I have no desire to abandon this place. But if we fall into the trap of complacency, believing the Zieghart dogs cannot find us, we risk losing everything."
Derus bit his lip, staring at his bloodied hand. Though his voice simmered with a rare, scorching fury, his mind remained analytical and detached.
"The others are a nuisance, but Glenn Zieghart is a true threat. He must be eliminated eventually, but I am not yet prepared for a direct confrontation with that old monster. I require more time."
He felt capable of handling Raon Zieghart and Rector simultaneously, but Glenn was an anomaly—an apex predator whose power had reached a level beyond the continental norm. At his current strength, Derus could hold his own, but he could not guarantee a victory.
"...Understood, my Lord."
Kubara bowed her head in submission and hurried from the room to carry out the orders.
"Haaa..."
Derus Robert exhaled a heavy, tainted breath. This base was isolated, protected by concentric circles of wards and lethal traps. Even if they discovered the coordinates, it would require immense effort to breach the inner sanctum. That delay would give him the time he needed to scrub the records and vanish.
"Let the purge begin."
With a snap of his fingers, the thousands of volumes lining the walls of his study tumbled to the floor, instantly consumed by ravenous black flames.
He reached into the heart of the dark fire and retrieved a single book, its cover charred and blackened. Curiously, the pages within remained untouched by the heat, the text perfectly legible.
"In the end, it wasn't a total failure."
Derus scanned the columns of data and mystical notations within the book, his eyes narrowing.
"It's fair to say that the primary objectives of establishing Heaven have been met."
He nodded to himself, rationalizing that despite the late-stage setbacks, he had secured the essence of what he required.
"Though Raphael’s demise was an irritating variable..."
A guttural, grating sound emerged from his throat as he gnashed his teeth in frustration.
"A blade that severs both the physical and the spiritual. Did Raon Zieghart develop that on his own? Even with the advantage of two lifetimes, such a feat is... wait. Could that boy actually be..."
A sudden, chilling realization seemed to strike him. His eyes widened in shock as he slammed the book shut.
Evelyn threw her arms toward the sky, her eyes snapping open with a flash of triumph.
"I've got him!"
She nodded emphatically, signaling that she had successfully traced the destination of Derus Robert’s retreating soul.
"Where is he?"
Raon stepped toward her, his eyes dark with focus.
"It's the very forest we were scouting earlier! We kept our distance then to avoid detection, but there's no reason to hold back now!"
Evelyn grinned, confirming it was indeed the northern woodlands she had previously investigated in her animal guise.
"You have the precise coordinates?"
Raon asked, his jaw tightening.
"Yes! I have the exact location of his hideout. Be warned, though—it’s likely crawling with defensive spells and obstacles."
Evelyn’s expression soured slightly as she considered the layers of security they would have to pierce.
"Can you transport us there immediately?"
Glenn asked, moving to stand by her side.
"I can! I had the foresight to plant a beacon nearby that can anchor a Dimensional Gate!"
Evelyn nodded quickly, proud of her preparations.
"Then the path is clear."
Rector adjusted his grip on his weapon, signaling their imminent departure.
"We will make short work of those barriers."
He rested his hand on his hilt, ready to carve a path through whatever stood in their way.
"Derus Robert likely assumes we are still regrouping. He won't expect a pursuit to materialize so instantly, even if he suspects we know his location."
Raon looked at Evelyn, knowing they had to strike now to catch the villain while he was vulnerable.
"Success through foresight... or perhaps, success through devotion!"
Evelyn clasped her hands together with a dramatic flair. From her fingertips, a swirling Dimensional Gate tore open the fabric of reality, bringing with it the crisp, earthy scent of a deep forest.
"Move out."
Raon stood at the threshold of the portal, sharing a look of grim determination with Glenn and Rector.
"It’s time to show Derus Robert the true meaning of defeat."
