Chapter 88: Burn the Chain, Keep the Core
The trial was over. The demon was dead. The arena was still.
And yet Isaac's window still glowed.
[Sin of Wrath – Rank EX]Effect: Permanently multiplies all base stats by 30x. Passive. Always active.Cost: Eternal servitude to the Great Demon of Wrath.Warning: This choice is irreversible.
But Isaac wasn't afraid.
He stood in the crimson-lit silence of Wrath's altar, his breath even, his hands calm.
Lira stared at him with disbelief. "You accepted it. That contract binds your soul to him. You're… his."
"No," Isaac said quietly, eyes fixed on the window. "Not for long."
He opened another system.
[Skill Fusion Protocol – Rank EX]
– Fuse compatible skills– Sacrifice higher-ranked skills to upgrade lower-ranked ones– Decompose skills into raw stat points
Target Skill: [Sin of Wrath – Rank EX]Base Skill to Upgrade: [Essence Efficiency – Rank E]
Effect: Reduces the mana/resource cost of a selected skill by 1%.
Lira stepped forward, concern clear in her voice. "Wait. You're not actually going to—"
"I am," Isaac said. "He offered me power. I'm keeping it. But not on his terms."
He confirmed the fusion.
The interface pulsed.
Fusion Initiated...
Sin of Wrath – Rank EX: Sacrificed.Essence Efficiency – Rank E: Absorbing demonic essence...
Fusion Complete.
[Essence Efficiency – Rank EX]Effect: Passively reduces mana and resource consumption by 90% for one designated skill.Passive. Always active.Current Skill Target: [Pending Selection]
The pressure in the room changed. The lingering presence of Satan's wrath vanished like a breath exhaled too late.
No flames. No punishment. No chains.
Just power—reclaimed.
[Sin of Wrath – Permanently Deleted][Servitude Contract: NULLIFIED]Status: Free
Isaac lowered his hand and closed the window.
A strange stillness settled over the temple. Even the runes etched into the black stone pulsed slower, as if sensing the contract had been burned away—not broken, but outwitted.
Lira stared at him. "You sacrificed it. That insane EX-rank stat buff. You could've been…"
"I don't need inflated numbers," Isaac said. "I need efficiency. I need control."
He flexed his fingers. The mana flowing through him already felt cleaner—less friction, less loss. It wasn't flashy. But it was perfect.
A foundation.
Lira let out a slow breath. "That's one hell of a trade."
He nodded. "And worth it."
Then he turned his eyes upward, toward the broken sky.
"I came here to test my strength," he said. "But what I learned is more important."
Lira tilted her head. "And what's that?"
Isaac smiled faintly. Not cold. Not triumphant.
Just certain.
"That I don't need to be feared," he said. "I just need to be underestimated."