Chapter 1214
"Huu...."
Raon exhaled a heavy, silent breath, his eyes fixed on the back of Priest Srude, who was currently radiating a deeply unsettling pressure.
"I’m certain of it."
That man was undeniably Derus Robert. Even though Priest Srude hadn't uttered a word or made a move yet, Raon’s instincts screamed the truth. That monster had successfully hijacked Priest Srude’s physical form.
—What...?
Wrath knit his brows in confusion, projecting his bewilderment.
—How can you be so sure that sinister wretch is him?
The little demon tilted his head, unable to detect anything out of the ordinary from the priest.
"Huu!"
"The moment is finally here!"
"To witness the descent of an Archangel with my own eyes... what a privilege!"
"My heart is racing! I feel like this power might rub off on me too!"
"I know the feeling! It’s not even my ascension, yet I feel a strange sense of pride!"
The inhabitants of Heaven were equally oblivious to the transformation within Priest Srude. Their gazes were fixed upward, mesmerized by the tower stretching toward the firmament.
—No matter how I look at him, he hasn't changed a bit!
Wrath gripped Raon’s shoulder, demanding an explanation for how he could possibly identify Priest Srude as Derus Robert.
"Because it is Derus Robert."
Raon gave a resolute nod.
"There is no other possibility."
As Wrath pointed out, there were no visible internal or external shifts in Priest Srude. But only Raon—who had spent a lifetime with a collar around his neck, only to be executed in a boiling cauldron—could truly know. It wasn't logic; it was a visceral recognition. He could feel that the essence inhabiting the priest was Derus Robert.
—It’s not like he’s some long-lost lover from a previous life....
Wrath blinked, silenced by the sheer intensity of Raon’s conviction.
"From this point on, I’m walking on thin ice."
Raon inhaled deeply, consciously relaxing every muscle, even the faint tension at his fingertips.
—Will that really be enough to hide?
Wrath watched him release his combat readiness and let out a dry, skeptical laugh.
"It has to be."
Raon centered himself, shedding the identity of Raon Zieghart to fully become Zilfen, the embittered mercenary who had known nothing but scorn. He clicked his tongue inwardly.
"Even you admitted he’s a foul person. He likely came here because he smells something fishy. Actually, he suspects me personally. I have to be as cautious as humanly possible."
The fact that Derus’s soul had occupied the clone so abruptly proved that even without hard evidence, he was wary. Total vigilance was the only way forward.
"Heuuu!"
Raon began to breathe heavily, his hands trembling as he hooked his fingers like talons. He perfectly mimicked the volatile behavior he had established while playing Zilfen in Heaven.
"Hahaha."
Derus Robert turned his head slightly while continuing the construction of the tower.
"You seem quite agitated."
He wore a thin, ghost-like smile as his eyes locked onto Raon’s.
"Isn’t that obvious?"
Raon met the gaze head-on, snorting with feigned arrogance.
"The chance to transcend and finally slaughter those bastards who looked down on me is right here! How could I possibly stay calm!"
Beneath Derus’s cold, reptilian stare, Raon felt the weight of the man’s suspicion.
"Thankfully, he isn't 100% sure yet."
He was wary, but he hadn't arrived with a smoking gun. The way his eyes scanned Raon’s frame suggested he was hunting for even a single inconsistency in his persona.
"That is certainly understandable."
Derus Robert gave a measured nod, playing the role of Priest Srude to perfection.
"However, be warned that revenge does not always taste as sweet as one hopes."
Because Srude was a direct clone, the posture, the gaze, and the very rhythm of his breathing remained identical to the original priest.
"This is a test."
Raon activated the Ring of Fire and lowered his gaze.
"One wrong word and the entire mission fails. My head will be off my shoulders before I can blink."
Derus Robert was launching a psychological assault, using the priest's mouth to probe for weaknesses.
"Don't give me that crap!"
Raon snarled, letting out a guttural sound like a cornered animal.
"I dragged myself through the mud just for this, and now you’re telling me it isn’t sweet? I don't care how bitter it is—I’ll grind it between my teeth and swallow it whole. Just give me the power you promised!"
He projected waves of avarice, gluttony, envy, and rage, portraying a man consumed by a vendetta. However, he carefully modulated the Authority of the demon kings to ensure his underlying humanity appeared more prominent, masking his true nature.
"I suppose that is the only answer I could expect."
Derus Robert nodded as if he had anticipated the rejection of his advice.
"In a sense, your resolve is admirable. The moment of vengeance can indeed be more exhilarating than anything else."
Contradicting his previous warning, he now praised the thrill of revenge, the corners of his lips curling upward.
"What...?"
Raon stared at him, performing a mask of utter confusion.
"One second you say it’s bitter, the next you say it’s refreshing! What kind of riddles are you playing at? If you’re trying to back out of our deal, I’ll take your head right now!"
He tensed his muscles, radiating a readiness to strike then and there.
"You arrogant piece of trash!"
Vayph stepped forward, reacting to the perceived insult toward Priest Srude.
"Just because you’ve gained a bit of notoriety and strength! How dare you speak to him with such insolence!"
He ground his teeth, seemingly more offended than the priest himself.
"I am only asking for what I earned!"
Raon scoffed, looking at Vayph with disdain.
"Your only job was to get me here. Stay out of this!"
He stood tall, showing zero intimidation even toward Vayph, his supposed benefactor.
"You’ve truly lost your mind!"
Vayph unleashed a surge of Divine power, the massive pressure bearing down on Raon like a physical weight.
"Ugh...."
Raon played his part, staggering under the weight of the aura and hunching his back as if struggling to stand.
"Another layer of the test."
Derus Robert could have silenced Vayph instantly, but he remained a silent observer, watching Raon’s every reaction. A single slip-up would be fatal.
"Vayph isn’t going for the kill, either."
Vayph was merely playing the loyal subordinate to Priest Srude. He was putting on a show, and Raon only needed to provide the right counter-performance.
"If I am Zilfen...."
Raon channeled the persona of the revenge-obsessed mercenary into his very marrow and forced his torso upright.
"Stop... looking down on me!"
Without tapping into his genuine martial reserves, he repelled Vayph’s Divine pressure using nothing but the raw, unrefined desires he had cultivated during his stay in Heaven.
"This—this is impossible!"
Vayph’s jaw dropped. He clearly hadn't expected Raon to resist his power so effectively. His trembling shoulders betrayed his genuine shock.
"You won't learn until you're dead...!"
"That is enough."
Derus Robert’s eyes turned icy as he looked at Vayph.
"Believer Vayph. This is not your moment to intervene. Withdraw."
He made a dismissive gesture, signaling for the man to retreat.
"I—I apologize!"
Vayph offered a deep, formal bow to Derus Robert, grateful for the intervention, and stepped back.
"Count yourself lucky."
He hissed one last remark to save face before fully retreating into the background.
"Believer. Please accept my apologies for his outburst."
Derus Robert offered a benevolent smile and bowed his head slightly. Raon had found Srude’s act convincing before, but now that the true Derus was present, the sheer weight of the charisma was on an entirely different level. A real Zilfen would have been completely charmed by that expression.
"Fine, just hurry up and do what you said you'd do!"
Staying in character as the impatient, power-hungry Zilfen, Raon ignored the polite gesture and scowled, letting his frustration show.
—Heooo....
Wrath let out a weary sigh, as if his head were spinning.
—I can't keep track of this mental chess game. Is this actually working?
The demon rubbed his temples, completely lost in the complexities of the deception.
"I’m not sure myself anymore."
Raon knew why Derus was here, but reading the man’s twisted psyche was nearly impossible. He was effectively riding a tiger; his only choice was to hold on with everything he had and hope he wasn't thrown.
"You are quite the restless one."
Derus Robert let out a faint, knowing chuckle.
"Do I look like I have time to waste?"
Raon stomped his foot for emphasis, reinforcing his urgency.
"Do not fret. Heaven keeps its word. As proof of that..."
Derus Robert turned and gestured toward the structure behind them.
"Your tower is complete."
Following the gesture, Raon saw the spire had climbed to impossible heights, piercing the blue firmament and vanishing into the sacred mists where the gods were said to reside.
"Uwaaaaaaa!"
"It actually broke through! Zilfen’s tower reached the heavens!"
"It’s true! The path to the sky is open!"
"Unbelievable! The scale is absolutely breathtaking!"
"Heo! I never dreamed I’d witness such a miracle in my lifetime."
The crowd erupted into cheers and gasps of awe at the sight of the magnificent tower.
"So... what happens now?"
Raon’s hands shook, his eyes bloodshot with feigned mania. Internally, he was as cold as a glacier, but externally, he burned like a furnace.
"Now, believer, you must summon the Archangel who will grant your heart's desire."
Derus Robert maintained his saintly smile, extending hands that looked soft and untouched by labor.
"Grasp my hands before the tower and call out to the Archangel. Only through me can your voice reach the divine realm."
He explained calmly that once the connection was made, the rest would follow.
"First the tower, now this? Why is everything so damn complicated!"
Raon grumbled, staring at the two white hands held out toward him.
"Ahaha! My apologies, but the ritual demands it."
Derus Robert shook his head slightly, his smile never wavering.
"Think of the tower as a massive horn, and I am the breath that carries your voice through it."
He turned toward the tower first, beckoning Raon to follow.
"This is annoying."
"I heard that's how it has to be."
"If I can reach Transcendence, I’ll do whatever it takes!"
"It’s better this way! A little drama makes the reward taste better!"
The spectators followed them toward the tower, their faces lit with excitement.
"Tsk."
Raon clicked his tongue, trailing behind Derus Robert.
"Is this the final gauntlet?"
It was obvious. Derus Robert intended to probe his very soul through direct physical contact.
"I might already be exposed."
Despite his perfect acting, Derus might have already seen through the ruse and was simply waiting for the right moment to strike.
"No, that can't be it."
If Derus were certain, he could have killed Raon without the crowd ever knowing. The fact that he was still playing along meant he was still missing the final piece of the puzzle.
"Should I strike first?"
Raon’s mind raced as he analyzed Derus’s posture.
"No, he's ready for it. Even a success wouldn't end it."
Derus was on high alert. The odds of a killing blow landing were abysmal. Furthermore, since this was a clone, killing the body wouldn't stop the man’s soul. The only way was to summon the Archangel and use that opening to finish him.
"But if I take those hands..."
Raon bit his lip, watching Derus’s back.
"He’ll see right through me."
Derus Robert was a monster with a soul so immense it terrified even Darkan. His strength was rivaled only by Glenn. He would easily bypass the defenses of the nine Ring of Fire to see the truth beneath.
"What's the move?"
As Raon fought to steady his trembling hands, Derus Robert came to a halt.
"Now, let us begin."
Standing before the sky-piercing tower, Derus extended his hands once more. In his blue eyes, a flicker of supreme confidence was visible, laced with a hidden contempt for all of humanity.
"There’s only one path left."
Raon looked at those unnaturally pale hands and allowed a sharp, dangerous smile to touch his lips.
"I have to push the nine rings beyond their limit!"
