Ch.312Chapter 312: The Great Confrontation (3)

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*Thud- Thud-*

Desire’s footsteps toward the fallen Kal were slow.

Yet despite her unhurried movements, her mind was unfolding a vast blueprint of ambition and desire that didn’t match her leisurely pace.

She contemplated the changes she would experience after stealing the divinity from the sword she was about to acquire with near certainty.

And the things she would slowly unfold after fully consolidating those changes.

Perhaps this slow walk was a calculated act, allowing her to fully spread the wings of pleasant imagination that had emerged after so long.

Her grand plan, which could only be properly measured using the term “vast” even by the standards of one who had ascended to the seat of transcendence, was as follows:

After completely absorbing the divinity (神性) still distinctly present in the fallen Kal’s body.

After being reborn as an even higher being based on that absorbed divinity.

After ascending to that lofty place where those who observe and protect this vast world as if looking at their own palms reside.

She would make the detestable guardians of order and balance—who had always interfered with what she and her comrades tried to do—recognize the difference in power and submit to her.

If they resisted to the end, she would erase their very existence without a trace.

And if they still chose to kneel and obey her, she would graciously accept them.

After all, ruling as an exalted being is only possible when there are those who kneel and submit to one’s overwhelming power.

In any case, even after pacifying that lofty place, there remained more to be done.

Going further, she would demonstrate to her former comrades that she was no longer their equal but a being who should reign from a higher position.

And receive their voluntary submission.

Long ago, after fierce debates with numerous comrades, including herself, who had set their sights on this land.

This was possible because of a pact that whoever first dominated this world would have the others serve under them.

Well, some comrades would certainly question her about bringing up such a pact now, saying it had no use anymore, but that didn’t matter.

Even if they confronted her boldly after she successfully completed her celestial domination.

They would have no recourse against the logic of power—the only thing that Desire herself and her otherwise completely disunited comrades unanimously accepted.

Not to mention her old comrades who no longer granted her requests.

Even Renium, who still provided her with some help, wouldn’t put a stop to her actions.

Even though he had largely lost interest in this world after one failure, aside from occasionally granting her requests.

He would surely recognize and submit to her once she completed her great work.

*Shudder-*

Desire’s body trembled even as she steadily continued her footsteps.

Was she trembling from fear, realizing that what she had envisioned was too burdensome for her to accomplish alone?

Judging by her trembling appearance alone, one might think so.

“Hehehe…”

But the faint laughter escaping her lips as she continued walking, exuding immense self-confidence, strongly refuted such a view.

The current trembling was merely a precursor to experiencing the exhilaration that the immense power she was about to obtain would bring her.

It was a pleasant and delightful imagination just to think about.

However, no matter how enjoyable the imagination might be.

*Halt-*

After stopping her footsteps upon reaching her destination, the reality she was about to experience would make her imagination seem trivial in comparison.

Though it took quite some time to reach the fallen Kal due to her extremely slow pace.

Despite allowing so much time, Desire confirmed that Kal’s consciousness had not awakened after collapsing from her strike, and from her mouth came:

“…I’ve arrived.”

The emotion that had been building up while spreading her wings of imagination earlier was nowhere to be found in her calm tone, and then.

From Desire’s right arm, which extended toward where Kal had fallen, a bright red energy—different from the dark red energy she usually emitted—began to rise.

Though it seemed more vibrant than her usual energy that exuded only ominousness due to the absence of black.

As soon as she recognized the energy coming from her arm.

[Damn wench. Trying to do something filthy again.]

A voice echoed hollowly from an invisible place, with both anger and disgust flowing from her kinsman.

Of course, since Desire would never react to her kinsman raising his voice and condemning her.

“Don’t worry. I have little interest in targets I’ve already devoured.”

After uttering these indifferent words.

“Besides, no matter how much you rant as an invisible spirit, I’m not scared at all.”

[Grrrgh!!]

“It’s sweet to hear your angry voice after so long. Cry out louder. It increases the satisfaction I feel when taking everything.”

[This… damn…]

“No matter what, with Kal fallen, you can’t affect me at all.”

[…Grrrgh!!]

She blatantly showed her disregard for Paphnir, deliberately provoking his anger.

Though the situation was as such and her words were extremely arrogant, they contained not a single flaw—they were correct.

Just as powerless justice is hollow, no matter how wrong it might be for Desire to attempt to dominate an ordinary material world by her will alone rather than the will of its inhabitants.

To stop her would require not logic but power that overwhelms her.

With no one to stop her now.

At least at this moment, she could do as she pleased.

Having rationalized her thoughts by emphasizing absolute power, albeit somewhat loosely, Desire took action.

“…”

Looking down at Kal who had collapsed right in front of her without moving, she knelt on one knee.

Then she extended her right arm—that was the beginning.

Unlike the dark red energy she had been emitting since awakening, Desire’s extended right arm was enveloped in a red light the same color as her hair.

*Shaaaa-*

Around that time, an ominous sound that didn’t match the brightness of the red light emanated from around her arm.

It was an ominous noise that might be heard when a snake slithers across a smooth floor.

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The theft, or consumption, of divinity.

Though the expressions differed, the essence was not much different.

Since her birth as a dragon, instead of being satisfied with the mighty power she possessed from birth.

She had devoured countless kindred similar to herself and grown their power into her own.

For Desire, taking not the flesh of her opponent but the mark of transcendence sleeping within was not a difficult task.

As she had done before, she first extended her right arm toward where her target was.

When it was time for her to begin her meal, she always unleashed the red light she had cultivated.

As she continued a life of obtaining divinity and ascending by accumulating all sorts of karma.

The color that originally defined her as red had black added to it, leading to her current state.

But when continuing this “meal,” only pure red light still emanated from her body.

Like a mirror reflecting her original intention to devour, digest, make it her own, and ascend to a higher place.

*Thud-*

Her glowing red right hand was placed on Kal’s crown.

It was the moment that signaled the beginning of her meal.

There was no noticeable change in her immediately after placing her hand.

But the anomaly occurring in the fallen Kal’s body, who had become her prey, showed that Desire’s current meal was proceeding well.

It rises. A red light that doesn’t belong in this pitch-black space gently rises not from Desire’s right arm but from Kal’s entire body.

Though both were red, unlike Desire’s energy which was so deep it reminded one of blood.

The faint red light, which seemed to give warmth just by looking at it without getting close, was surrounded by warmth.

“…Makes me jealous.”

After confirming the nature of the divinity dwelling in Kal’s body that she was about to devour, an assessment mixed equally with envy and jealousy flowed from Desire’s lips.

It was a sentiment that arose simultaneously with her judgment that despite having the same color tone, such a difference had occurred due to the different paths she and Kal had lived.

Well, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

For her, life was a struggle, and that struggle was a preliminary work necessary to smoothly achieve everything needed to devour those better than herself.

Similarly, this man’s life, who was about to have everything taken from him, was also closely related to struggle.

But his struggle was not about asserting himself but always prioritizing dedication and sacrifice for others.

He had reached this conclusion through choices different from her own.

And because that conclusion seemed quite plausible even to her, she felt jealousy spreading like wildfire in her heart.

“Even so. I’m the one standing.”

Soon after recognizing her victory, Desire skillfully extinguished the wildfire rising in her heart.

*Woong-!!*

She focused on intensifying the energy in her arm and absorbing Kal’s divinity.

No matter how righteous a path one walks and how plausible a conclusion one reaches at the end of that path.

For a being who cannot overcome this wall called Desire, the end is nothing but becoming food.

As Kal’s divinity seeped into her body at the cellular level, Desire’s mind filled with ecstasy represented by a sense of superiority.

Living for ages and steeped in boredom, there was only one moment when she escaped such tedium.

When she subdued those among her prey who had the power and qualities to make her take notice, and made everything they had her own.

In that moment of consuming the various intricate emotions revealed by those who submitted to her, Desire recognized that she was alive.

That’s why she was curious. This man, from whom she would only take the key necessary for transcendence without taking his life.

Kal Ranos, who initially knelt before her once and reluctantly pledged obedience in countless repeated times.

But ultimately rebelled against her for what he believed in and always met the conclusion of turning to ashes.

She wondered what reaction he would show as he collapsed, having lost the means to oppose her.

“Well, I’d laugh at you as you roll on the ground with indigestion, having accepted power you couldn’t digest.”

“Hmm…, just imagining that gives me quite an appetizing impression… Huh?”

It was at that moment that Desire, who should have been focused on absorbing the divinity, opened her eyes which had been closed, distracted by a voice she shouldn’t have heard.

*Grip-*

“Ugh…!!”

Her right hand, which should have been placed on Kal’s crown, was roughly caught by his right hand, causing her to involuntarily let out a groan suppressing the pain.

Kal’s gaze, who should have taken much more time to regain consciousness after being struck in several vital points most effective for losing consciousness, was meeting hers, surprised by the sudden pain.

This alone was enough to surprise Desire, but what would truly shock her had not yet occurred.

What on earth was about to happen?

*Crack…*

The strange rupturing sound that seemed to embody her desire grows weaker.

Considering the principle that the stronger the sound, the more concrete Desire’s desire becomes, and that concretized desire itself gives her tremendous power.

“…How?!”

It’s only natural that Desire’s bewilderment, realizing her power weakening in real-time, would be expressed through her mouth.

But was this still not enough to surprise Desire?

“Hmm, seems you still have the energy to talk?”

Desire couldn’t understand the words coming from Kal’s mouth as he gradually raised his fallen body, lifting Desire’s body along with it by gripping her right arm.

As a sound like her heart beating in reverse pounded in her ears.

“Kh…huh…aagh…”

Desire screamed, revealing the pain of her body being torn to shreds starting from her heart, and her legs gave way.

Fortunately… no, very unfortunately for her.

Thanks to Kal Ranos who now held her arm, her body did not roll on the obsidian floor.

One might ask if it’s fortunate not to have a body writhing in pain rolling on the cold obsidian floor.

“That really hurt earlier.”

Kal’s voice, infused with a strange playfulness.

*Whack-!!*

“…Uugh!!”

Judging by Desire’s groan as Kal swung his left arm, which wasn’t holding her arm, and planted a proper straight punch into her abdomen.

It would have been much better if her body had rolled on the cold obsidian floor.

After all, if there was heat from the unexpected pain, she might have had a chance to cool it by rolling on the cold obsidian floor.

‘Why…??’

With the pain from Kal’s strike still not subsiding, only confusion and questions arose in Desire’s mind.