Chapter 1204
"Keep up with me."
Vayph stepped into the heart of the bizarre metropolis as if he intended to be their personal escort.
"Understood."
Raon inclined his head in unison with the others and trailed after Vayph.
"Surrender it!"
"You filthy rat!"
"Stale crusts are far too luxurious for scum like you!"
Individuals dressed in what looked like opulent garments were thrashing those in tattered rags and seizing their meager belongings. Even as blatant muggings unfolded right before them, Vayph remained indifferent, and the patrolling Angels didn't lift a finger. They actually curled their mouths in a sneering display of contempt for the victims.
'This location is...'
Raon narrowed his gaze as he observed the robbery and brutality taking place on the radiant, magnificent boulevard.
'It feels like the actual world.'
-The actual world?
Wrath scrunched his nose, seemingly confused by the comparison.
'Correct. It mirrors the dog-eat-dog reality we inhabit.'
Unlike the Cloud Land, where indulgence was granted without toil, Heaven felt identical to the world outside.
"Intriguing, isn't it?"
Vayph spun around with a dry chuckle.
"I imagine you're wondering why we don't intervene?"
He arched an eyebrow at the group, who were staring at the chaos with wide, shocked eyes.
"Y-yes."
The man who had been the first summoned to the temple gave a frantic nod.
"Why let it happen? That man is on the verge of death..."
He gulped hard, watching a victim who had been beaten into unconsciousness for desperately clinging to a piece of bread.
"That person was assaulted for absolutely no reason!"
The woman whose midsection had ballooned from overindulgence in the Cloud Land trembled, her voice thick with terror.
"Wh-what is this place?"
"Is this truly Heaven?"
"It’s... it’s nothing like what I imagined..."
The others scanned their surroundings with frantic eyes, as if the very concept of Heaven was crumbling before them.
"This is indeed Heaven."
Vayph gathered his midnight-black silk robes and flung his arms wide. His limbs were so unnaturally long that his silhouette resembled a dark shroud descending from the firmament.
"It is a realm where you can expand your cravings further and higher than ever before."
Vayph lifted a finger, directing their attention. The affluent citizens on the left side of the street were highlighted by his pointed gesture.
"Observe. In this Heaven, you will be granted access to delights you have never even dreamt of."
Vayph’s lips twisted into a smirk as he pointed toward those drowning in luxury, though they were saturated with the world’s most toxic emotions.
"Conversely..."
He shifted his finger toward the right side of the road.
"Those wretches are the discarded failures. They ended up in that state by merely waiting for handouts as they did in the Cloud Land. They will likely end up as corpses where they sit."
Vayph scowled, looking at the miserable souls with pure loathing. His face, which was handsome enough to be called striking, began to take on the sinister edge of a serpent.
"Th-then how do we ensure we stay on the other side?"
The woman with the protruding belly clasped her hands, gazing longingly at the wealthy group on the left. She bit her lip, looking ready to do anything to join them.
"Hmm..."
"Please, instruct us!"
"We implore you!"
The rest of the group watched Vayph with desperate intensity, begging for the secret to success.
"The process is uncomplicated."
Vayph lingered in silence for a moment, clearly savoring the frantic looks on their faces.
"Crave."
He pointed his long finger toward the chests of the newcomers, where their hearts were thudding rapidly.
"Lean into your greed and be transparent with your lusts! To claim what you desire, you must be prepared to cast aside your elderly parents or snatch the last bit of food from your sobbing children."
Vayph’s mouth curled, explaining that only by discarding the moral structures of human society could one truly chase their ultimate desires.
"This is a dreamscape where willpower and greed manifest as strength. The more devoted you are to your cravings and the more you unleash your instincts, the more you will possess."
He squeezed his hand into a fist, claiming that in Heaven, these inner desires could be converted directly into Martial Prowess.
'It's true...'
Raon gave a subtle nod while assessing the people on both sides of the street.
'The individuals on the left are significantly more powerful.'
Broadening his Aura Perception, he realized that if the people on the left were comparable to Grandmasters, the failures on the right didn't even reach the Master level.
'A realm where greed translates to Martial Prowess...'
Raon let out a dry, mocking laugh.
'They’ve certainly come up with some bizarre concepts.'
It was preposterous, yet he couldn't help but laugh because it was exactly the kind of system Derus Robert would orchestrate.
-This place also seems to be siphoning the energy of those Archangel fools.
Wrath spat the words out, scanning the terrain and the architecture.
-The stench of that repulsive divine energy is everywhere.
He grimaced, stating that being in this environment was an utter insult to his senses.
"If you can remain true to your greeds, you will achieve a level of ecstasy that the simple comforts of the Cloud Land could never hope to match."
He gave a sharp laugh, gesturing toward the wealthy elites whom the others viewed with a mixture of reverence and dread.
"However..."
Vayph cast a cold, hardened stare at the beggars on the right, who sat like statues of misery.
"If you simply sit with your mouth open as you did in the Cloud Land, that is your inevitable fate."
He twirled his finger, signaling them to weigh their options carefully.
'That aspect is certainly vital as well.'
Raon nodded to himself.
'Because the act of discrimination is a form of indulgence in itself.'
In the Cloud Land, every person was treated identically, but Heaven was a place where inequality was the standard. Essentially, it meant one could savor the thrill of superiority by owning what others lacked.
"Hmm..."
"If that’s the requirement, I can do it!"
"We... we really have to rob our own families...?"
"When it comes to greed, I won't be outdone!"
"This promises to be quite entertaining."
Five of the ten newcomers were already blinded by the prospect of pleasure, their eyes shimmering with a predatory light, while the others slumped their shoulders in dread of the future.
'Typical of Derus Robert.'
Raon smiled inwardly as he watched the group split into two distinct mindsets.
'He designed this quite cleverly.'
-Designed?
Wrath tilted his head, seeking clarification.
'It’s a cycle: lure people with deep voids in their lives to the Cloud Land, give them a brief taste of paradise, and then throw them into Heaven to slaughter each other for dominance through greed.'
It was a system that took those who had failed in the external world, taught them the language of desire, and then dropped them into a gladiator pit to fight for it all over again. It was monstrously cruel, yet perfectly efficient—the trademark of Derus Robert.
-What is that Derus insect actually trying to achieve?
Wrath raised his brow, genuinely curious.
'He's likely harvesting the negative Aura generated when people obsessively chase their desires. This "Heaven" is nothing but a massive farm for that energy.'
Raon massaged his neck as it began to stiffen.
'Every soul in Heaven is just a captive of Derus Robert.'
The arrogant rich who acted like they owned the place and the starving wretches who looked like walking corpses were all just livestock in a pen, having their essence drained.
-Hah, now that you mention it, it makes sense!
Wrath nodded his blue hair vigorously as the realization hit him.
'Since the system requires both those who serve as the foundation and those who climb over them, it’s a perfect wilderness.'
Raon recognized Derus’s scheme to turn humanity into addicts of pleasure and felt a slight chill.
'He is a terrifyingly meticulous bastard.'
-This King finds you much more unsettling.
Wrath frowned, noting that Raon was even more bizarre than Derus.
'Why is that?'
Raon looked at Wrath, puzzled.
-The moment you stepped into this twisted game, you decoded the entire thing! No, even managing to infiltrate this place is a feat a ghost couldn't pull off!
Wrath exhaled a heavy sigh, noting that even Derus Robert likely never anticipated Raon’s presence here.
'That’s almost certainly true.'
Raon’s lips pulled back into a wide, confident grin.
'Which is why I need to observe and experience everything I can.'
To eventually bring Derus down, he had to grasp every facet of the man's operations. Even in this twisted land of Heaven, he needed to squeeze out every drop of intelligence possible.
"Take one of these."
Vayph reached into his tunic and produced ten small bags. Each one contained twenty gold coins stamped with the image of Angel wings.
"Wh-what are these for?"
A middle-aged man with a balding head blinked in confusion as he accepted a pouch.
"The local currency of Heaven."
Vayph held a coin between his fingers as if the answer should have been obvious.
"Money?"
"There’s a monetary system here too?"
The group looked around, stunned that they would still need currency.
"I told you. This isn't the Cloud Land. There are no servants here to feed and house you for free. You must trade your desires to survive."
Vayph smirked, emphasizing that everything in Heaven was a contest.
"But if your desire is strong enough—whether it’s gold, Martial Prowess, or companions—you can purchase anything your heart wishes!"
He distributed the gold to each person, effectively telling them to begin their struggle.
"Deeply appreciated!"
Raon spoke up with feigned enthusiasm as he took the bundle from Vayph.
"Good. I have high hopes for your progress."
In a departure from how he treated the others, Vayph actually patted Raon’s shoulder as he handed over the coins.
"I won't let you down!"
Raon promised he wouldn't disappoint and bowed his head low. As he slowly straightened up, he felt a barrage of sharp, predatory gazes from the shadows. These weren't from his fellow newcomers. The cold, piercing eyes of established residents were locked onto them like arrows ready to fly.
However, the attention wasn't solely on him. Greed and curiosity were directed at everyone who had just received a purse of gold.
'That snake...'
Raon pressed his lips together as he watched Vayph walk away.
'He handed these out here on purpose.'
They were standing in a congested area with heavy foot traffic. By giving them the money in such a public place, Vayph’s goal was blatant.
"Now, move out. Let your cravings run wild in this land of absolute liberty!"
Vayph wore a broad, trusting smile.
"If you grow powerful enough, we shall encounter one another again."
He gave a final nod of anticipation and vanished.
A soft, menacing murmur filled the air.
Raon clutched the heavy pouch of gold and shifted his eyes as if he were terrified. But internally, he was suppressing a laugh that threatened to break through his facade.
'This is going to be very interesting.'
A young man named Charlie huddled low, masking his presence entirely.
'Failure is not an option this time.'
His hands shook with anxiety, and he bit down hard on his lip.
He took a slow breath.
Charlie inhaled deeply and then held it, staving off his nerves.
'If I fail tonight, I'm truly going to starve.'
It had been six months since he arrived in Heaven—a place that was more like a living nightmare. Initially, he believed he would do anything to reclaim the bliss of the Cloud Land, but he had been betrayed by an ally on his first day, lost his starting gold, and had lived as a beggar ever since.
He had attempted to rob newcomers before and failed every time, but the target he had selected today looked particularly frail and dim-witted. He was sure he could win this time.
'What a moron...'
The target could have been safe in an inn, but seeing the newcomer head into the tall grass to save a few coins reminded Charlie of his own past stupidity.
'I feel for him, but it’s him or me.'
If he didn't secure funds today, he was a dead man, so he couldn't afford any guilt. He steeled his resolve and crept into the brush where the newcomer was resting, moving without a sound.
'He thinks he’s being clever, but it’s useless.'
The newcomer likely thought the rustling of the grass would warn him, but everyone in Heaven developed some level of Martial Prowess. Moving silently was second nature to the residents here.
'Got him!'
Charlie’s eyes lit up as he spotted the newcomer’s silhouette, breathing softly in the greenery.
'If I can't sneak it away, I'll take it by force. As a fresh arrival, he’s bound to be weaker than I am.'
He decided to seize the moment and lunged toward the newcomer’s chest. Suddenly, a flash! The "sleeping" man snapped his vibrant blue eyes open and instantly snatched Charlie’s wrist.
"Wh-what the!"
Startled, Charlie tried to yank his arm back, but it wouldn't budge. It felt as though he had been caught in the iron grip of an Ogre.
"You took your time."
The newcomer grinned broadly, looking like someone who had been eagerly awaiting a long-lost friend, and tightened his hold on Charlie’s wrist.
"I’ve been waiting here for quite a while."
