After sending Sylvia and the maids back with puffy eyes, Raon returned to his room.
'I should check before going to sleep.'
It seemed to be a good idea to clean his mind and body with the Ring of Fire, which had become three-star, before sleeping.
Whir.
The rings surrounding his heart rotated and throbbed, as if they were alive.
It certainly looked like the three stars made the rings rotate faster, and the effects on his body and mind were further enhanced.
'This is good.'
Three stars were so effective, despite being the start of the apprentice stage, so it was worth looking forward to how impressive the intermediate stage was going to be.
Raon rotated the rings of fire five times, then went to bed. Just as he was about to close his eyes, after turning off the lights, messages that he had never seen before appeared.
[Trait ??? has been activated.]
[Trait Wrath has been created.]
[Wrath awakens.]
'Wrath?'
Raon swallowed hard and looked around.
'There is somebody here…'
Although it wasn't visible or audible, a presence had appeared in the room where he used to be alone. It must have been the from the message.
Flash.
A blue flame ignited before his eyes as he stayed vigilant.
From the fist-sized flame, a terrifying wave emerged, resembling the eminence of a volcanic eruption.
Finally.
From the inside of the blue flame, a chilly voice sounded. It sent shivers down his spine. A madness that could explode at any moment was contained in the voice.
"What is this…?"
He had a considerable amount of knowledge due to his previous life, but he had never heard nor seen a talking flame.
The wrath that you have nurtured has reached the King of Essence. Under the name of the second Monarch of Devildom, Wrath, I will grant your revenge. Offer your mind and body… Hmm?
The blue flame that introduced himself as Wrath, the Monarch of Devildom, dropped its jaws after looking him up and down.
A child? Why is a child…?
"What are you?"
Who are you? The wrath that reached me wasn't an emotion that a child still wet behind his ears could possess.
Wrath's voice was low but contained turbulent feelings.
"Wrath?"
Raon frowned. He might have felt it in his previous life, but he had never been infuriated in his current life.
'Hold on, previous life?'
When he thought about it, he had obtained the mysterious ability called status window after being reincarnated with the memories of his previous life. That had occurred after he had died.
He came to the realization that it could've been Wrath that gave him those special abilities.
"Was it you who gave me the status window?"
Status window? You can use it?
"Yes."
Nonsense! Hmm?
The blue flame surrounding Wrath convulsed.
The… The connection was lost! Why…
"Who are you, and why did you show up here?"
You are the one who called the King of Essence.
"I called you?"
You blazed out in anger. You said you would kill someone at any cost. The advent of the King of Essence was to grant your wish.
"Ah…"
He remembered swearing he would kill Derus Robert at any cost. From what he said, it looked like the flame had appeared in front of him because of his anger back then.
'But it's too late.'
There was two years of time lapse between his previous and current life, and it had been twelve years since he was born. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, being fourteen years late.
"Did you say you would grant me revenge?"
Indeed.
"What is the cost?"
Passionate flames ignited in Raon's eyes.
"Nothing is free in the world. From what you said earlier… Are you going to take my body and soul?"
If you crave your revenge, it is only natural to offer your paltry mind and body.
"…"
He patiently looked down at Wrath. Something could be seen, confined inside the blue flame. An inhuman existence was giving a wicked smile.
'Did this happen because I was reincarnated?'
If he had to guess, it must've been because he had died in his previous life—before Wrath could take over his body.
"Revenge is meaningless if not achieved by me."
He had been played by Derus his entire life, but finally got a new chance after dying. He couldn't accept somebody else granting him revenge.
'I have to do it myself.'
No matter how difficult it was, he was going to cut off Derus' head by himself. He had no intention of leaving it to others.
Excuse me. You're right.
Wrath glared at him with eyes hidden inside the blue flame.
You are hiding a deep and dark wrath at the bottom of your heart.
He smiled with his teeth.
I don't care what happened. The King of Essence has already decided, so you just have to offer your body.
As anger burned up from Wrath's voice, the blue flame struck him.
"Kuh!"
Raon grabbed his chest, bending at the waist.
It was cold.
Not only his body, but his mind was also frozen. Wrath's affinity wasn't fire, but ice.
Think of him and increase your anger. The King of Essence will kill him for you, even if he is a god.
His heart was pounding because of Wrath's creepy voice. It felt as if his heart was pierced by an icicle.
[Water Resistance (Three-Stars) is activating.]
'Water Resistance!'
The water resistance that he had obtained from absorbing the ice was reducing the pain from Wrath's icy power.
However, Wrath's attack wasn't just ice.
"Kuh…"
Raon moaned painfully. He remembered Derus' face, the way he laughed while looking down on him like a bug, making him gasp.
Leave your body to the King of Essence. I will break his skull and chew on his flesh.
Raon gasped for breath.
As Wrath's voice incited his emotions, Raon wanted to explode with his anger towards Derus.
'Absolutely not…'
Raon bit back his emotions as hard as he could. If he left his body to Wrath, he could do terrible things to Sylvia and the maids.
Even if he were to die there, he couldn't give him his body.
'I have to endure.'
He clenched his fist to bleed. He was an assassin, and the best one at that.
Patience and emotionlessness were the qualities of an assassin.
You are enduring better than I thought, but for how long? No one can win against the icy power of the King of Essence.
As if Wrath was mocking him, he released an icy power capable of freezing his mind and body.
"Huff…"
It was a relief. It was going to be difficult to hold on if he kept inciting his emotions, but he chose to enhance his icy power instead. Raon caught his breath and withstood the icy power penetrating to his bones.
A mere human dares!
Wrath's burning voice was irritated and angry.
I wanted to avoid harming the body that the King of Essence was going to use, but it can't be helped. I'm going to devour you alive.
It wasn't an exaggeration. As his flame grew bigger, the intensity of the icy wave assailing his mind and body increased immensely.
"Kuh!"
Unable to withstand it, Raon groaned. His lip parted as he felt the pain of his flesh being torn apart and organs being severed.
Raise your anger and accept the King of Essence. Are you planning to die?
"I'd rather die than give my body to someone like you."
He bit his tongue to come to his senses. The moment he resolved to die rather than giving Wrath his body, he had an idea.
'Wait. If Water Resistance can block his icy power…'
Then the Ring of Fire might be able to lower the pain in both his body and mind.
Even if it didn't, he had to give it a try.
Rage!
Raon forcefully calmed his mind and started rotating the rings of fire. The three rings of fire around his heart started to spin violently.
[Ring of Fire (Three-Stars) is greatly reducing the damage to your mind and body.]
It went as expected.
The Ring of Fire was a cultivation technique that could develop and protect the mind and body. Therefore, it was also effective at enduring external stimulation.
The Ring of Fire rotated rapidly, bringing vitality to his body and mind. The emotions that were about to explode started to subside.
The willpower that he had built up from his previous life, the Ring of Fire, and Water Resistance combined, greatly reducing the pain and stimulus that Wrath was inflicting.
Wh-What are you…
Wrath's voice was astonished.
Woosh.
His barrage of icy power gradually became weaker. It looked like he couldn't stick to him if he didn't increase his anger.
How did a mere human child?!
"I am a human, but I am not a child."
Casting off the subsiding icy power, Raon responded calmly.
This doesn't make any sense. Not at all!
Wrath came away from his body while screaming furiously. His lips were shaking like a scared colt.
Even though it hasn't been long since I woke up, for the King of Essence to be pushed back by a mere human!
"Haaaah…"