Chapter 143 - SIN OF WRATH

Cale looked at Fiora, who was staring back at him with those ice-blue eyes. Without speaking, he gave her his hand.

She took it without hesitation, and he pulled her up. Then, before she could process what was happening, he pulled her into a hug, unguarded embrace that revealed more vulnerability than his usual demeanor.

"W-what?" she was surprised, her body stiffening slightly before relaxing against him.

"Alright, so hear me out," he said. "I will go and claim the inheritance here, and after that, I will be leaving this continent for around a year or so. There are treasures outside which I can claim before time."

Fiora pulled back slightly, her expression shifting to concern.

"Cale? What even are you saying? What treasures? Who told you something like this?" she asked. Where would he get such knowledge? How could he possibly know about treasures outside the continent?

"Don’t worry, I can easily return if I want," he assured her, parting the hug and staring directly into her eyes. "But in that time, you have your work cut out."

He sighed heavily.

"It’s weird to say this, but I guess even as your fiancé, we didn’t spend much time together. It all went here and there, right? Hehe."

A small smile tugged at her face, making her look absolutely beautiful and painfully cute in that moment.

Without warning, she leaned forward and kissed him.

Once... Twice... Thrice...

Each kiss was deliberate and possessive.

Cale was completely dumbfounded, staring with wide eyes as she pulled back.

"You sure have gotten bold, seems like you’ve changed too~," he said with a light laugh, making her blush instantly, a faint pink coloring spreading across her pale cheeks.

"Alright... you should go join the group," he said softly, patting her head. Even he didn’t know why he did that!

"Hmm, but remember to return," she said. "It will be problematic to come find you with all these girls fawning over you."

"Hoh~ is this jealousy I see? Hehe," he teased, drawing another blush from her. "Don’t worry, my main goals have changed quite a lot. Outside, it should’ve been around two years by now, so remember — some of the bordering countries from the eastern side would ask for an alliance, while some from the north too. In the next few months, there could possibly be a few attacks from the west. The south will stay calm until half our forces deplete... well, all in all, handle these people properly, and don’t let them control you. Or my good old uncle would actually come out for once and hit me."

’And after that, will be the fight to become the representative of this coalition. Sigh...’

Fiora listened intently, "Although I don’t know where you know all this from, I will keep it in mind. If it does go as you say, I will take measures. Else I will just pass it off as wishful thinking," she replied thoughtfully.

"Good. That’s what I expected," he nodded.

His wings came out with a flutter of movement, and he flapped them, launching himself a few meters above the ground. Then, looking at his own reflection through the Thorned Lotus, a smile formed.

There, marked clearly on his neck and upper chest, were several hickeys; evidence of Fiora’s passionate nature.

’Feisty, aren’t you? Heh.’

"Alright, meet you soon~"

Then he flew onward, toward the location where the true inheritance awaited.

Before departing entirely, Cale threw dozens of magical letters into the air. They flew in different directions, each one carrying messages to their respective receivers.

Since he was going to be absent for a year... or possibly longer, he wanted to ensure everyone understood his intentions, even if he wasn’t the type for prolonged goodbyes.

He didn’t have any regrets about not saying formal farewells to the other girls he knew. They would understand eventually, even if it took time. He simply wasn’t a particularly touchy-feely individual, and they would have to come to accept that.

Thinking such thoughts, he flew toward a desolate, desert-like region marked by ancient, weathered stone.

There, nestled in the barren landscape, stood a small tomb — nothing more than a roughly square-shaped rock placed to mark a grave.

’Is this it?’

He placed his hand on the cold stone surface, and reality shifted.

He was teleported instantly.

When his senses stabilized, Cale realized he was now inside a cave; an ancient, weathered one, and radiating an aura of tremendous age. The walls seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, creating an atmosphere of profound isolation.

"Is this where...?" he began, but his words trailed off.

His head snapped to the right.

There, carved into the stone wall, was a tablet covered in intricate script. Crude carvings, yes, but he recognized the language immediately.

It was the same language Rhaezel and the people from that era used.

From his past life.

’No way. Was he... how can that be? How did he visit this world?!’

His mind reeled. Although he couldn’t read the complete language fluently, he could decipher enough to understand the message.

[TO THE ONE WHO VISITS HERE... I KNOW. YOU ARE MY SUCCESSOR.]

Cale’s eyes widened.

’H-how did he...?’

[THAT’S HOW IT WILL BE. I MANIPULATED FATE ITSELF TO MAKE SUCH A COINCIDENCE POSSIBLE. SO... I HOPE THAT IT IS INDEED YOU.]

[AS I LEAVE THE LOWER REALMS AND ASCEND TO DIVINEHOOD, I REALIZED I NEVER HAD ANY FAMILY... OR ANYONE I PROPERLY COULD PASS ON MY EVERYTHING TO...]

[SO, HERE IT IS. AS SOON AS YOU INJECT YOUR ESSENCE INTO THIS TABLET, YOU’LL BE MY SOLE INHERITOR. AND YOU’LL BECOME THIS ERA’S SIN OF WRATH.]

[I KNOW IT IS A BURDEN, BUT IF YOU ACCEPT IT, YOU WILL GAIN ACCESS TO MY INVENTORY. I MIGHT SEEM LIKE BRAGGING, BUT I’VE COLLECTED A THOUSAND TREASURES IN MY LIFE. ALTHOUGH NOT THE REAL ITEMS, I WILL GIVE YOU A TECHNIQUE TO ACCESS THE SHADOWS OF THOSE WEAPONS. IT IS WHAT MAKES THE SIN OF WRATH MORE FIERCE.]

[I WANT TO SAY A THOUSAND MORE THINGS, BUT ALAS... I DON’T KNOW YOU, AND YOU ONLY KNOW A BIT ABOUT ME... HAHAHA

THIS IS IT... GOODBYE, OH CHILD WHOSE NAME I DON’T KNOW. IT’S YOURS NOW. MY LEGACY...]

[DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. TAKE IT, THROW IT AWAY, OR FORGET IT...]

Cale’s shock was indescribable. His entire body trembled.

’Was... was this portal designed for... me?’

If it was, it would be absolutely terrifying. Wouldn’t that mean someone was manipulating his fate, guiding him along a predetermined path? The thought made his skin crawl.

’But... no, what I know from my past life, it wasn’t this. This kind of thing wasn’t the inheritance. It was just a big... a big warship carrying thousands. It would help the inheritor become an asset for their nation, along with getting millions of spiritual stones, hundreds of herbs, and techniques.’

’But then, what is this? No, wait—he said he altered fate! Like... like the skill I got! If I can get it, of course there would be others too...’

"Although the rewards can be changed due to the butterfly effect... this is absurd."

He sighed heavily, wrestling with the decision before him.

Either way, it was his now.

And becoming a Primordial Sin — one of the Seven of this world, didn’t matter much. They were hidden, and didn’t have much respect in any continent.

Besides, he had to close the inheritance to go outside. He had no choice in this matter.

His hand moved forward.

The moment his fingertips made contact with the cold, glassy surface of the tablet, a jolt of energy arced up his arm like lightning. The tablet flared to life, illuminating the entire chamber in a brilliant, blinding crimson glow that made him squint against the intensity.

He gasped, stumbling backward as a searing heat bloomed against the skin of his hand.

It didn’t burn really, but it throbbed with a terrifying power that echoed the beat of his own heart — as if the tablet was recognizing him.

Cale held up his hand, his breath catching in his throat.

There, stamped permanently onto the back of his palm, a vibrant crimson mark had bled into his skin.

It was a fiercely stylized image of a dragon biting its own tail, locked in an eternal, jagged loop. The head of the beast was angular and aggressive, its maw open wide as it clamped down on its own body with possessive fury.

Running along the outer perimeter of the circular silhouette were sharp, repeating triangular spikes, each one inlaid with a minute, target-like circle that seemed to stare back at him with intelligent malice.

’So this is...’

"...Hehe, how many more tattoos am I going to get..."

The system notifications cascaded across his vision:

[Congratulations! Inheritance Received!]

[New Title Received: Sin Of Wrath]

[LEGACY OF THE SIN OF WRATH HAS BEEN RECEIVED!]

[NEW SKILL: ARSENAL OF THE INFINITE HEAVENS HAS BEEN ADDED!]

Cale stared at the mark on his palm, watching as the dragon’s eyes seemed to glow with an inner light; burning with the same chaotic fire that now flowed through his veins.