Chapter 11: Raging Chaos

Ethan moved quickly. The fighters of the Heart clan would not last much longer—that much he had concluded after observing for a short time.

“That damned Ishizaki said I’d be able to use the system interface… so I should be able to summon it now that I’m one of the Hearts.”

He chose to ignore how the others had called him by name and focused instead on the fact that he was one of them now.

Taking a deep breath, he extended his single remaining hand and grasped at the empty air.

“Status Window.”

Fortunately, everything responded smoothly.

His Player System materialized before him without issue.

Seeing it, Ethan let out a quiet breath of relief.

“If I want even the slightest chance of surviving, I need to know exactly what I’m capable of… and what I truly gained from that damned Devil of Balance.”

That last thought had lingered in his mind since he regained his composure.

He had made eight deals.

Paid a price for each.

Yet he only knew the full details of one.

Now was the time to uncover the rest.

Racing against time, Ethan inspected his Player System carefully, scrutinizing every detail.

—

Name: Ethan Heart

Class: Classless

Level: 1

Vigor: 10 (Increases Health Points)

MP: 10 (Increases Mana)

Endurance: 10 (Increases Stamina)

Strength: 10 (Increases Heavy Weapon Damage)

Dexterity: 10 (Increases Speed-based Weapon Damage)

Intelligence: 10 (Increases Magic Power)

Faith: 10 (Increases Incantation Power)

Arcane: 10 (Increases Luck)

—

These were Ethan’s current stats.

“Level one… just as I expected.”

Somewhere deep in his heart, he had hoped for a better starting point through the previous owner of this body.

But everything had reset to zero the moment Ethan took possession of it.

Fighting at this level was impossible.

There was no hope in that.

So Ethan placed his entire gamble on the contracts he had made.

“Let’s see what that damned Devil of Balance actually gave me…”

—

Blessing:

[The Legendary Weapons Master]

Grants the ability to convert the souls of slain enemies into weapons without restriction. Some weapons contain Ashes of War, granting unique abilities to their wielder. Weapons can also be stripped and reclaimed.

Curse:

[Beloved of the Dark]

The bearer exists between life and death. Whispers of the dead stalk him when night falls, and all creatures of the curse are drawn to his presence.

—

The moment Ethan finished reading the curse description, he realized something he had been unconsciously ignoring.

Slowly turning his head toward the Ember Hunter, he noticed that the cursed boss had been casting him dreadful glances from time to time—radiating intense killing intent directly at him.

“If the Heart clan fighters weren’t occupying him… he would’ve already slaughtered me.”

Ethan now understood the curse’s effect.

Tilting his head upward, he examined the sky.

In Ordeal, distinguishing day from night was difficult. The eclipse was constant. The sky had long since lost its blue.

Yet the atmosphere itself revealed the difference.

Night was pitch-black and oppressive.

Day turned the heavens into a suffocating orange-black haze.

Day or night—both were steeped in despair.

But at least for now…

It was day.

That realization offered him a faint measure of reassurance.

“At least I won’t have to worry about the curse for a while.”

Its implications frightened him.

But this was not the time to dwell on fear.

Without delay, Ethan examined the remaining contracts.

—

[Wise Crow’s Insight]

Eyes that perceive what none else can see. Crow’s Insight reveals enemy weaknesses, health points, stats, abilities, and repeated attack patterns.

Price:

Each use gradually erodes the player vision.

—

[Demon Body]

A non-human physique that evolves faster than ordinary humans. Greater strength, higher endurance, heightened senses, and unshakable mental stability under extreme adversity.

Price:

The bearer gradually loses their humanity.

—

“…Demon Body.”

Ethan murmured quietly.

Now he understood how he had remained conscious earlier, despite injuries that should have driven any normal human into oblivion.

Even if he were to lose consciousness, the Demon Body would rouse him within seconds—granting him ironclad awareness and monstrous endurance.

But the price was strange… and disturbingly vague.

The gradual loss of his humanity.

Ethan ignored it.

He moved on.

—

[Eventual Greatness]

A truly unique ability—the price is part of its design. It is both blessing and curse.

All of the player’s stats are forcibly restricted, yet the restriction can be lifted at will.

However, the benefit depends entirely on how long the bearer endures the limitation. If the restriction is removed immediately, stats return to normal—no gain, no loss.

But the longer the bearer withstands the suppression, the greater the permanent enhancement granted once it is lifted.

—

It was indeed a singular power.

To put it simply ..

Eventual Greatness imposed a severe limitation upon Ethan.

For example, if his health pool were compared to another level-one player:

Ethan’s HP would be significantly lower.

If the other player possessed 100 HP, Ethan would have somewhere between 40 and 50.

The same applied to mana.

But…

If Ethan endured the restriction long enough, he would receive a permanent increase that would remain with him forever.

And when that happened, the scales would reverse entirely.

He would far surpass any other player of the same level.

The difference would depend on how long he bore the burden.

“I suppose I won’t see any real benefit unless I endure it for at least a few months…”

Ethan exhaled, fully aware of how difficult it would be to extract value from such a power.

—

[Blood of the God]

A human dies once.

A shadow dies twice.

But you carry the blood of gods within your veins—and gods cannot die.

Neither can you.

Price: Each time this ability is used, the lifespan of the player—and of everyone nearby—is reduced by a significant amount.

—

[Class Change at Will]

The player is not bound to a single class. He may freely switch between all classes at will—knight, mage, priest, assassin, beast tamer, necromancer, and any other class—by allocating the required stats for each.

Price: Every upgrade costs far more souls than other players. (Double)

—

[Night Lord’s Aura]

The player gains a dark aura that multiplies offensive power several times over, ensuring devastating damage to the enemy.

Price: While the aura is active, the player’s HP drops to 1—and all defensive stats collapse.

Absolute offense.

Zero defense.

Double damage…

But a single strike ends your life.

—

“Overwhelming powers… and crushing restraints.”

“As expected of that damned Devil of Balance.”

Ethan’s mind raced, frenzied and relentless as he began constructing a strategy.

Even with all these abilities at his disposal ..

In his current condition, he could barely make use of most of them.

Still… he had already begun sketching his plan despite the shackles placed upon him.

But before he could finish assessing everything ..

A realization struck him.

He had made eight deal’s.

Yet he had only reviewed seven.

“…Where’s the eighth?”

He reopened the Player System.

And there it was ..

A hidden corner he had overlooked.

[???]

An unknown ability.

The sight of it sent a pulse of pain through his skull.

Not merely because he had no memory of the eighth contract ..

But because the system displayed an additional curse.

One that did not belong to any bargain he had made.

Curse:

[Cursed Blood of the Heart]

It was not his.

It belonged to the body’s original owner.

“You’re telling me I have to survive this chaos… in a merciless world like this?”

Ethan slowly lifted his head, swallowing hard.

The battle raged on.

And time was running out.

One arm.

Restricted abilities.

Additional curses.

And an unforgiving boss.

This was his beginning.

Survive—

Or perish, and be erased without a trace.

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