Chapter 1207
"Speak to me now."
Raon hoisted his ale, tilting his chin in Charlie’s direction.
"How is the commerce of desire conducted?"
Both the man sitting across from him and Vayph, the guide who had escorted him to this celestial realm, had maintained that every commodity was accessible here provided one possessed sufficient desire. Having amassed a significant reservoir of that essence through a series of lethal encounters, Raon was now intent on understanding how to exert that influence.
"Ah..."
Charlie’s lips quivered as he stared at Raon, his expression one of lingering disbelief.
“W-who are you, truly?”
His speech had shifted to a tone of profound deference, and he went so far as to offer a seated bow across the table.
"I’ve addressed this. Stop obsessing over identities."
Raon gave a soft snort and lowered his mug to the wood.
"It wasn't as if I performed some grand miracle."
He dismissed the notion with a casual wave, implying his recent displays were of little consequence.
"How can you claim it wasn't grand!"
Charlie’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with incredulity.
"Just yesterday, Master Zilfen, you consumed over ten souls! You've systematically stripped the lower tiers—from Pisir on down—of every scrap of desire they owned. What are you saying!"
He slammed his hand against the surface, insisting that while talented novices occasionally arrived, Raon was the first in memory to systematically dismantle ten opponents on his very first day.
"That is precisely what I find regrettable. I had hoped to harvest more."
Raon gave a faint click of his tongue.
"For some reason, the invitations to battle simply ceased."
Once he had dispatched his tenth challenger with ease, the crowd’s will broke; they slunk away in terror. The transition of the atmosphere from mockery to pure, shivering dread had been a fascinating spectacle to witness.
-It has been an age since I witnessed mortals looking so pathetic.
Wrath gave a slow shake of his head, picturing the broken husks Raon had left behind after siphoning their essence.
-Even those of us in the demonic realms grant a modicum of leniency...
The spirit let out a heavy sigh, noting that Raon possessed a temperament far more ruthless than any demon.
"Of course they fled in terror! A fresh arrival just liquidated ten seasoned 'Newcomer Killers'!"
Charlie barked that their fear was the only logical response.
"Observe! The entire room is tracking our movements! They are paralyzed, unable to even walk past us!"
He shivered, noting that every patron in the establishment was fixated on their corner from a safe distance.
"That’s enough."
Raon moved past the flattery.
"Simply explain the mechanics of utilizing desire."
He wasn't some youth seeking validation. His sole focus was on constructing a spire tall enough to reach the firmament, allowing him to confront either Derus Robert or one of the heavenly host.
"Desire isn't traded in a typical market. It must be surrendered as an offering."
Charlie took a shaky breath before clarifying.
"An offering?"
Raon’s brows knit together at the unfamiliar concept.
"Precisely. You must journey to the cathedral located over there and present the desire you have harvested to the deity who fashioned this paradise."
Charlie nodded, confirming that he too had once visited the sanctuary to surrender his essence.
"The creator of this realm possesses absolute power. It is said that if you demonstrate your devotion by erecting a monument that pierces the heavens, the god will dispatch an Archangel—a celestial herald—to fulfill your deepest longing."
He tightened his grip, mentioning that some had actually witnessed the descent of such a being. Despite his current lowly status, it seemed the ember of that ambition still flickered within him.
"So it aligns with what you alluded to earlier."
Raon gave a slow, measured nod.
'That stands to reason.'
Mortals who found themselves in a place as surreal as this "heaven" would inherently be riddled with doubt. The existence of such persistent rumors suggested that an Archangel had indeed made an appearance.
'It confirms the strategic weight of this location.'
To Derus Robert, the Archangels represented his ultimate tactical assets. Deploying such high-level entities to this seemingly trivial place indicated that this territory was of paramount importance to their designs.
'The temple is my next destination.'
Raon felt a momentary pang of irritation.
'There is a risk of being compromised, but I must investigate personally.'
A structure designated as a temple would undoubtedly be fortified with complex mystical wards. It was a treacherous path, but if he wanted to close the distance to Derus, entering that sanctum was non-negotiable.
"I must warn you, though—going directly to the temple is unwise. The perimeter is crawling with infamous scavengers."
Charlie’s face darkened, explaining that predatory groups frequently ambushed those carrying large amounts of desire to the altar.
"Instead, I suggest we..."
As Charlie gestured for patience, Raon finished his drink in one gulp and set the glass down with a definitive thud.
"No more talking. Take me to the temple."
He rose with a finality that brooked no argument.
"If there are predators waiting for me, then there is no reason to delay."
A sharp, cold smile touched Raon’s lips as he noted the blood draining from Charlie’s face.
"We shall simply consume them instead."
"Wait... is that...?"
From his vantage point in a nearby hostel, Nagis narrowed his gaze at a tall figure strolling down the primary boulevard toward the sanctuary.
'It’s the individual from yesterday!'
The novice who had decimated ten veterans in the slums and collected a staggering bounty of desire—the man operating under the alias Zilfen—was marching straight toward the temple gates.
'Just as I predicted.'
Nagis felt a surge of triumph, clenching his fist.
'With Charlie acting as his compass, this move was inevitable.'
Having secured a massive hoard of essence, any logical progression would lead him to the temple to make an offering. The newcomer was following the script perfectly.
'Charlie likely cautioned him, but a talent of that caliber was never going to play it safe.'
Nagis smirked, watching the absolute confidence in Raon’s stride.
'I would have done the same in his shoes.'
After crushing ten experts upon arrival, the man likely felt invincible. Even if warned about the "hyenas" patrolling the district, his instinct would be to simply turn the hunters into prey.
'Bold, but this neighborhood is a different beast.'
The predators in the slums targeted the weak because their own grasp on desire was tenuous. However, those guarding the temple were true combatants. Even if this newcomer was a prodigy, he lacked the seasoned intuition of a veteran.
'He’s practically glowing with it.'
Nagis could sense the massive aura of desire clinging to the man’s soul. The spoils taken from yesterday’s kills had turned him into an incredibly lucrative target.
'Is it time?'
Just as Nagis prepared to intercept him, another figure lunged from a building on the right, cutting off Raon’s path.
"Guren!"
The aggressor was a notorious desire-thief named Guren. He was a scavenger in the truest sense, lurking near the holy ground to pick off anyone he deemed vulnerable.
"That vulture beat me to it..."
Given how quickly he had moved, Guren must have been stalking the newcomer with the same intent as Nagis.
"It had to be Guren."
Guren was famous for never losing a mark on their way to the altar. He was a ruthless operator with a perfect record, specializing in blocking the temple entrance and forcing his victims into fatal duels.
"Excellent. Step forward."
Raon accepted the lethal challenge with a calm that suggested he had been expecting the confrontation.
"It’s over. I might as well head back to bed... Wait, what?"
Nagis, preparing to walk away, froze. The veteran Guren was suddenly convulsing, unable to withstand the sheer pressure of the desire the newcomer had unleashed.
"W-what is this force... Aaargh!"
Guren fought to maintain his ground, but he was utterly dominated. He collapsed, smothered by Raon’s overwhelming essence, his body shriveling into a desiccated husk.
"Hmm, that was a decent haul."
The newcomer gave a satisfied nod, seemingly pleased with the quality of Guren’s stolen desire. However, Nagis noticed fine beads of perspiration on the man’s brow.
'Wait...?'
Nagis felt his throat go dry as he studied Raon.
'The encounter was nearly instantaneous, yet he appears fatigued?'
Though the victory over Guren had been swift and total, Raon looked physically strained.
'Could it be...'
Is his technique limited to short, explosive bursts? Reflecting on the reports, the newcomer had ended every single one of his engagements with extreme speed.
'Of course! That explains it!'
No matter the talent, manifesting that level of power immediately was unnatural. It had to be a specialized, high-drain ability that lacked endurance.
'Yesterday’s fodder didn't live long enough to test his stamina, but now the exertion is showing.'
Confident in his analysis, Nagis vaulted from his hiding spot.
"You there, freak! Face me!"
Unlike the newcomer, Nagis was a master of attrition and defensive maneuvers. If he could simply weather the initial storm and drag the fight out, victory was certain.
"Very well."
The newcomer’s lips curled into a smirk, as if Nagis was merely the next course in a meal, and he accepted the duel.
"Don't think I’ll fall as easily as that amateur Guren!"
Nagis focused his will, hardening his desire into a series of dense, layered barriers.
"Once I stop your momentum... Huh?"
Before he could reinforce his shield, Raon’s desire condensed into the razor-sharp form of a lance. It punched through Nagis’s fortifications like they were parchment, striking his very core.
"Aaaaaah!"
The sheer magnitude and precision of the attack broke Nagis’s spirit instantly. He dropped to his knees, his will shattered.
"Grrr..."
The struggle ended before it truly began. Nagis felt his entire existence being siphoned away, absorbed into Raon’s expanding aura.
'M-monster. A literal monster...'
Nagis looked up, gasping for air.
'He isn't a specialist in short-range combat... he’s a predator.'
An entity designed specifically to feast on the desire of others. There was no other explanation for such dominance so soon after arriving.
"Hah..."
Raon took a heavy, ragged breath, leaning forward as if the two consecutive fights had pushed him to his limit.
"Look at him! His hands are shaking—he’s completely spent!"
Nagis watched in a daze as yet another hunter, emboldened by Raon’s apparent weakness, leapt from the shadows to strike.
"N-no... stop..."
Nagis tried to signal the attacker, having seen the dark, predatory grin Raon was hiding while his head was bowed in "exhaustion," but his warning went unheard.
"Fine."
Nagis drifted into unconsciousness just as the devil accepted his next victim with a smile.
"The caliber of prey here is certainly superior."
Raon reflected with grim satisfaction after systematically neutralizing every scavenger that had been lying in wait around the sanctuary.
"The essence here is remarkably dense."
These fighters were far more disciplined than the thugs in the entertainment district, and the purity of the desire they carried was on another level.
"Every one of those high-tier hunters has been broken by Master Zilfen."
Charlie exhaled sharply, his capacity for shock reaching its breaking point.
"It works out for the best."
Raon gave a short laugh and offered Charlie a solid pat on the shoulder.
"It simply means the tribute I bring to the temple will be that much more significant."
Given the sheer volume and quality of the desire he had harvested at the gates, his standing within the sanctuary was likely to be higher than anticipated.
"So, this is the place?"
Standing before the grand structure Charlie had pointed out, Raon looked up. It shared the architectural language of worldly temples, yet its iconography was distinct.
'Wings and plumage everywhere.'
Most temples reflected the specific attributes of their deity, but this edifice was draped in white feathers, the universal signifier of the angelic. It felt less like a house of worship and more like a hall dedicated specifically to the service of the messengers.
'Strange creatures, truly.'
Raon let out a quiet scoff and pushed the heavy doors open.
"I have arrived to present an offering..."
He began to state his intent as he stepped inside, but his words died in his throat. In the heart of the sanctuary, standing before a towering effigy of the divine, was a priest whose features were identical to a man he knew all too well.
'Derus Robert?'
