Eternal Thief

Chapter 1519: Trial of Sin! (7)

The voices clawed deeper, especially the one that mentioned his parents, striking him more than any other, to the point he nearly roared aloud. Then, all of a sudden, the Darkness Order seemed to have had enough of these laws, and as if gaining the approval of an authority, the Sin Law became more potent than ever before.

All of a sudden, Ace’s chaotic mind became clear, and comprehension started to surface in his mind before he realized that fighting envy wasn’t about denial. It was about acceptance.

Following the comprehension that the Law of Sin had brought forth, he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, and muttered, ”Yes... I’ve envied. I’ve hated. I’ve coveted power and peace and love. But envy doesn’t define me—it’s part of my hunger, my drive!”

At that moment, something inside him broke, and then mended stronger.

The viridian flames no longer burned him; they began to circle his soul instead, tamed by his acceptance.

The Law of Sin resonated once more, and three glyphs appeared before him, swirling with green luminescence.

The first mystic ability was the Yearning, allowing one to reflect the power or talent of those they envy, borrowing strength equal to their own desire.

The second was the Envious Desire, a mystical inversion that transforms envy into comprehension; by coveting, one understands, by understanding, one comprehends.

The third was the Heart of Envy, a dominion that nullifies superiority itself, dragging all within its field to an equal state of law comprehension and power.

At that moment, a cold smile curved Ace’s lip. ”So, envy isn’t poison...it’s adaptation.”

Opening his eyes, he saw the gigantic Envy-beast roar, its corrosive flames trying to crush him again. But this time, Ace raised his hand and invoked the Yearning. The beast’s own flames condensed before him into a swirling mirror of green light.

The next moment...boom!

He used Envious Desire. The reflection shattered, and the beast’s flames turned inward, consuming itself as Ace’s aura surged higher than ever.

”Heart of Envy!”

His final shout echoed through the void, and the towering reflection froze, its power equalized, stripped of dominance. Its eyes widened in disbelief before it cracked apart, collapsing into thousands of light shards that swirled into Ace’s chest like a returning tide.

When Ace opened his eyes again, he stood once more before the seven pillars. The viridian one was now dull, its light absorbed into him.

Ace exhaled, sweat trailing down his brow, but his gaze was calm—almost serene. Within his inner world, four colored stars—violet, crimson, golden, and green—spun slowly.

”Wrath burns, Pride commands, Sloth restrains... and Envy learns,” He murmured softly. ”Each Sin isn’t evil—it’s a law of emotion, a reflection of will.”

He looked toward the next pillar—a crimson-pink one that pulsed with heat and heartbeat-like rhythm. The instant Ace’s gaze fell upon the crimson-pink pillar, it pulsed like a beating heart.

A faint sigh escaped his lips, ”So...next is the lust, huh?”

If Ace were apprehensive of any sin trial, it would be the sin of lust because even Ace didn’t know what kind of trial it would bring or what it would reveal. Nonetheless, he had no choice but to calm his heart and face it because he had no choice in this matter.

At this moment, the entire obsidian plain trembled with each throb, and the air grew heavy, humid—charged with something primal and intoxicating.

The light wasn’t violent like Wrath’s or domineering like Pride’s. It was softer, yet infinitely more dangerous, like silk concealing a blade.

A faint, sultry voice echoed from the pillar, neither male nor female, whispering into Ace’s mind like a lover’s breath.

”Desire is creation. Desire is corruption. Lust... is the longing that binds all things. Will you master it, or drown in your own yearning?”

Before Ace could respond, a ripple of pink-golden mist spread outward and coiled around him.

It smelled faintly of sweet nectar and burning incense, a scent that tugged at memory itself. His body stiffened as the tendrils of light slithered beneath his skin, bypassing spiritual defenses as though they had always belonged there.

He didn’t resist—he couldn’t because he was not fast enough. The next moment, the world folded inward, and he was pulled into the fifth trial.

When his sight returned, Ace found himself standing on a grand field under a twilight sky painted with rose and gold.

Petals of light floated through the air, and the ground shimmered like flowing glass. Beautiful, ethereal music echoed softly, weaving through the space.

In the center of this mesmerizing world—stood ’them’...

Eva, Alina, Noa, Freya, Winter, Zaria...even Pixy....

Every woman who had ever mattered to him—each appearing more breathtaking, more flawless than his memories could justify.

They looked at him with eyes filled with warmth, longing, and devotion. Their voices overlapped, soft as sighs, calling out his name.

”Ace...”

”Why do you keep running from what you desire?”

”You take everything—but never us.”

His breath hitched. His heart thudded against his ribs. The trial wasn’t attacking his body, nor his mind—it was targeting his heart.

Their words bled into his memories, stirring every buried emotion he had suppressed through reason and will.

The sky shimmered as those figures stepped closer. Their beauty was overwhelming—divine, almost unreal. The Law of Lust was not mere carnal hunger—it was emotional craving, the desire to possess and be possessed.

The scene began to warp subtly. The sky darkened to amethyst, and the world pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat. His spiritual power began to fluctuate, and even his Sin Law faltered for a heartbeat under this oppressive temptation.

For a brief moment, he wavered.

”What if... this is what I truly want? Peace, warmth, connection... something beyond endless struggle?”

His vision dimmed. The figures reached out, their fingers like silk and flame, brushing against his soul flame. He could feel his will bending—his mind fogging with warmth.

However, right at that moment, the Law of Sin suddenly flared. A surge of icy darkness burst from his inner world, scattering the rose-gold mist like torn illusions.

His silver-violet eyes snapped open, cold and razor-sharp. The four fused Sin Laws—Sloth, Pride, Wrath, and Envy—ignited within him like four cardinal stars forming a tetragonal array.

The obsidian plain inside his soul trembled as his Law of Sin expanded violently, asserting dominance!