Chapter 8: A Deal with the Devil (2)

• I wish to be in touch with the arcane

• I want the power of a demon.

• I want one of the highest forms of Insight.

• I wish for eventual greatness.

• I want an ability that allows me to challenge the Titans.

• I want power worthy of a God.

• I desire darkness deeper than the night itself.

• I want power beyond time and space.

…

Eight bargains.

Each promised something different ..

yet every single one was phrased so ambiguously that Ethan had no way of knowing what, precisely, he would gain… or lose.

He thought carefully.

“Each of these deals carries equal potential for win and loss… but I have no idea what I’ll actually receive—or what will be taken from me.”

“Which means… I can’t choose blindly.”

After several minutes of silent analysis, Ethan realized something crucial:

He would gain no clarity unless he tested one.

It was necessary to measure the cost firsthand.

The Devil of Balance had never offered him any of these exact bargains when he played Ordeal in the past.

Which meant this situation ..

was abnormal.

A singular anomaly.

Taking all that into account, Ethan made his decision.

He would choose one.

As a trial.

The bargain that drew him the most was this:

“I want an ability that allows me to challenge the Titans.”

The moment he selected it, the Devil of Balance flared with a blinding glow.

Its piercing voice echoed once more.

“So be it. the bargain is struck.”

At first ..

Ethan felt nothing.

But then ..

fire.

A burning agony ignited at the back of his neck.

He collapsed instantly, clutching the source of the searing pain as it twisted his features into a grimace.

Fortunately, the torment did not last long.

But something had been carved into his flesh.

He couldn’t see it ..

it lay at the back of his neck ..

but he could feel it clearly.

A circular mark.

Like a pitch-black moon.

An eclipse.

And from its lower half… something seemed to drip.

Like blood.

Ethan touched the mark, his expression tense with curiosity.

And that was when Ishizaki spoke again.

“Remarkable… you’ve obtained something quite interesting on your first attempt.”

“What did I get? And what is this thing on my neck?” Ethan demanded.

“Ordinarily, everything would be explained through your Player System interface. Since you don’t possess it yet, I’ll explain for now.”

Ishizaki’s tone shifted into one of measured clarity.

“To summarize: you’ve received a powerful Blessing.”

“But in exchange… the Devil of Balance has placed a Curse upon you.”

Slowly, he elaborated.

“The Blessing you’ve gained is called: The Legendary Weapons Master.”

“This grants you the ability to transform the souls of anything you kill into weapons—without limitation.”

“In other words, you now possess the capacity to forge an endless arsenal.”

Ethan’s eyes lit up.

“I’ve never heard of a Blessing like that…”

In the game, certain boss souls could be transmuted into weapons through specific rituals.

But converting any soul ..

without restriction?

That had never been possible.

“Some weapons contain Ashes of War,” Ethan muttered, connecting the dots. “Dormant abilities engraved within the weapon itself.”

“That means… every time I create a weapon, I could gain an entirely new power.”

Excitement flickered across his face.

Ashes of War were rare. Powerful. Difficult to obtain.

And now ..

he could manufacture them at will.

Ishizaki nodded.

“Yes. But the weapon’s strength will depend on the strength of the enemy you slay.”

“The souls of the weak will yield nothing of value.”

“But the strong…”

A faint smile.

“I suspect their results will please you.”

For a moment, Ethan felt genuine exhilaration.

Then reality returned.

The price.

He looked up sharply.

“What curse did that bastard place on me?”

His tone was tight.

If the Blessing was this strong ..

then the Curse had to be equally devastating.

Possibly worse.

Ishizaki inhaled softly.

“The curse you’ve received… is called Beloved of the Dark.”

“…Beloved of the Dark?” Ethan repeated.

He had never encountered such a curse in the game.

“You’ve been marked by the Curse of Darkness itself,” Ishizaki explained. “You will exist in a liminal state—between the living and the dead.”

“You will hear the voices of those consumed by the curse.”

“And wherever darkness gathers… you will become its target.”

He paused.

“I cannot fully explain it until you experience it.”

“But to put it simply—every monster, every calamity within Ordeal will be drawn to you the moment you set foot in that world.”

Ishizaki’s eyes were solemn.

He did not need to say more.

Ethan frowned deeply.

“So I gained a Blessing… and paid for it with a Curse.”

Now he understood.

This was how the Devil’s exceptional bargains operated.

Power .. for equal suffering.

The ritual was mercilessly balanced.

“Will you make another deal?” Ishizaki asked calmly.

“Or will one be enough?”

Given the nature of the bargains… and their cost…

Ishizaki assumed one or two more would be the limit.

And he suspected Ethan would reach the same conclusion.

The latter fell into deep contemplation… before stepping once more into the circle, where the Devil of Balance awaited him.

“MAKE YOUR CHOICE.”

The ritual began anew, and Ishizaki smiled again.

“So… you choose to forge more deals.”

It was an act of sheer audacity. Ethan was gambling with the possibility of gaining yet another curse to burden his soul.

Ishizaki watched with growing curiosity, wondering which bargain his promised hero would dare to select next.

…

• I wish to be in touch with the arcane

• I want the power of a demon.

• I want one of the highest forms of Insight.

• I wish for eventual greatness.

• I want power worthy of a God.

• I desire darkness deeper than the night itself.

• I want power beyond time and space.

…

Seven deals remained.

Ethan cast them one final look, then drew a deep breath, sealing his decision.

With iron resolve and unyielding will, he dropped a bombshell that shattered Ishizaki’s composure for the first time. Shock consumed the developer so completely that his jaw nearly struck the floor.

“Ethan… what did you just say?” he asked, doubting his own ears.

Ethan confirmed his worst fears.

“All of them. I want them all. Every deal.”

It was a decision bordering on madness — and even the Devil of Balance reacted strangely.

The demon began to laugh.

A horrifying laugh.

Its body swelled grotesquely, threatening to tear apart the very veil that concealed it.

Ishizaki intervened instantly.

From nothingness, dozens of dark iron chains erupted, coiling around the demon like shadow serpents, threatening to crush its expanding form.

Though completely restrained, the Devil of Balance continued to laugh violently as the chains strained to contain it.

The entire scene was terrifying. Ethan instinctively staggered several meters away.

On the other side, Ishizaki looked deeply unsettled.

“Ethan… do you even realize what you’ve done?”

The developer clenched his teeth, frustration etched across his face.

“How the hell do you plan to carry this many curses?”

But it was too late.

The Devil of Balance ceased laughing, announcing that the bargain had been sealed.

“Your desire has weight… and so does the price.”

The deal was complete.

And the madness began.

Ethan collapsed to the ground, screaming from the depths of his being.

His body convulsed violently as seven different powers surged into him .. each bearing its own dreadful cost.

In those fleeting seconds, he felt as though every bone, every muscle, every cell in his body trembled in revolt.

[You have obtained the Demon’s Body… and forfeited your humanity.]

[You have obtained the All-Seeing Raven’s Eyes… and you shall lose your sight.]

[You have obtained the Aura of the Night Lord… and you shall lose all your health.]

[You have obtained the Eventual Greatness… and all your attributes shall be Restrained.]

[You have obtained the Blood of the Gods… and you shall lose your life.]

[You can change class at will… but leveling itself shall become a curse.]

Ethan felt as though his skull were about to split apart .. as if dozens of foreign essences had been injected into him at once.

The pain was unbearable.

It raged for what felt like an eternity… though mercifully, it did not last long.

Gasping for breath, Ethan collapsed, trembling uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Ishizaki banished the Devil of Balance. The demon slowly began to fade, its purpose fulfilled.

Yet even as it vanished, it continued watching Ethan from beneath its veil.

Before disappearing entirely, it left behind a final whisper .. one Ethan could barely hear through the piercing ringing in his skull.

“May the balance favor you… for now.”

The Devil of Balance was gone .. after forging eight deals with a mad human.

Ishizaki approached Ethan slowly, the smile long gone from his face.

Standing over him, he offered congratulations.

“Congratulations. You have just proven yourself to be the most insane of heroes.”

Not the strongest.

Not the smartest.

But the most insane.

“If you wished to capture my interest, you have succeeded. I truly want to see how you survive the chaos you’ve brought upon yourself.”

Ethan could not utter a single word in reply. Exhaustion crushed him completely.

But Ishizaki did not wait for an answer.

Everything had already ended.

And it was time for the strongest player’s ordeal to begin.

“I am certain we will meet again someday… whether you succeed or fail. Until then…”

“Allow me to repeat myself, Ethan.”

With each word Ishizaki spoke, everything around them began dissolving into dense mist.

The transit zone collapsed.

The ritual finally ended.

“Thank you… and welcome… to Ordeal.”

Those were the last words Ethan heard before he was cast into darkness.

His body vanished entirely.

And thus began his true story… within the world of Ordeal.

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