I awoke with a jolt, clutching my head as a searing pain pierced through my skull. It felt as if someone were twisting a knife deep inside my brain, scrambling it like eggs in a pan. This pain was nearly as excruciating as the soul damage from the chair.

Opening my eyes, I saw an older version of myself furiously kicking a wall of ice. He spoke to me, growling each word through clenched teeth. "So, you saw it all and still managed to keep your mind intact, without it shattering like mine. I had to piece it back together from fragments. I’m not the same person I once was. I’m 60% me and 40% Wrath. Wrath took a piece of himself and patched up my broken mind. But it mixed us together."

"Did I pass the trial, or must I endure that hell again?" I asked, wincing through the pain.

For the first time, he looked at me without the seething hatred I had always seen in his eyes. The rage was still there but wasn't directed at me anymore. "You passed the trial. Now, we're just waiting for this damned system to spawn the door so I can throw you out. But be warned—I’ll let you use Wrath as a tool, but if I sense any weakness, I’ll run rampant again. I’ll kill you, take control of this body, and slaughter that bastard and his family all over again. Then, I’ll raze the planet they called home."

"Whose family?" I asked, confusion mingling with the pain. "I know the man I’m destined to kill, but who were those people? Why did he do this to me... to you?"

"The only silver lining to having a piece of Wrath inside me is the knowledge it brought. Wrath, as the sin itself, witnesses every act of wrath in existence. He sees what causes it, and the aftermath. This extends beyond demons—to every living being capable of wrath. That’s how I learned the truth. The people he made me believe were my loved ones, the ones who drove me to madness—they were his wife and children. The others were just acolytes of the church he served. The man, Ibrual, was the only one who didn’t commit wrath but lust. His family harbored a deep hatred for me, pretending to love me as they hid their loathing." I could feel the cold aura of hatred pouring off of him as he spoke.

Just then, a door to the outside materialized out of nowhere. Before I could react, he did something I could never have anticipated. With terrifying swiftness, he plunged his massive hand into my chest. Pain shot through me, but before I could comprehend what was happening, he hurled me through the door. I felt myself slammed back into my own body, my senses reeling, only to find myself staring at my newest servant. The door behind me began to fade, but before it vanished completely, his voice echoed one last time: "Jackass, get the parry and weapon skill, or you will die. Vorthan has the knowledge and skills to teach you. Learn them, so that I might taste the blood of my enemies."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

After the door finally sealed Wrath in its cage, I noticed a new marking on my body—a tattoo, right above my heart. The pain was excruciating as it burned itself onto my flesh, catching me off guard. The tattoo depicted red, draconic wings spread wide, claws gripping chains that held a wicked blue sword in place, the blade dripping with blood.

Vorthan watched the scene unfold, his expression a mix of shock and reverent awe. He remained kneeling before me, silent, as if the moment had rendered him speechless. Despite the searing agony and the unsettling sensation of a part of my soul being twisted and reshaped, I did not scream. I endured, letting the mark carve itself into my flesh, a testament to the power now bound to me.

As I sat upon my throne, the weight of everything I had endured finally settling in, I allowed myself a moment to breathe. I could feel the changes within my soul, a tangible shift that marked the end of my trials. For the first time, I thought to myself that maybe, just maybe, I was finally done.

Turning my attention to the system notifications, I began to read:

You have survived your Sin Trials. Please wait a moment as the system calculates your rewards. Total time until calculations are done: 6 hours, 32 minutes, and 12 seconds.

Warning: You will gain additional demonic traits and physical alterations. This process may induce severe pain. It is strongly recommended that the user possess a high-level pain resistance skill to mitigate the intensity of the discomfort/pain. Also, there shall be a performance review to see how well you did during the trials.

I sighed as I glanced over the notification, the weight of what lay ahead settling in. Closing the system window, I turned my gaze back to Vorthan. "Vorthan, I’ve completed the trials. Now, I’m waiting for the system to finish calculating the rewards. I have six and a half hours until it’s done. In the meantime, I want you to check around the base and report anything that might concern me. But before you go, tell me—how long did it take for me to finish?"

Startled by my sudden command, Vorthan jumped slightly, snapping out of his daze. "Master, you were in there for 1 hour, 13 minutes, and 2 seconds. You’ve shattered the record for the fastest dual Sin holder in all of Xastrumeth, the Infernal Realm, home of demons. I truly serve the greatest genius to ever exist. Even the Archdemon of Blood took 1 hour, 25 minutes, and 18 seconds. He’ll be most pleased to see you’ve beaten his record. Though sadly I do not know what sins he holds."

Vorthan swayed happily, his awe palpable, until I dismissed him to complete his tasks.