Ethan stepped onto Floor 5: The Heart of Chaos.
The air here was thick with raw, unstable mana. Black crystalline walls pulsed with shifting runes. The ceiling vanished into endless darkness, and the floor felt alive beneath his feet. Only a handful of figures moved in the shadows — true anomalies, black market tycoons, and those touched by forbidden powers.
This was the deepest layer. The place where the world's script had the weakest hold… and where fate correction struck hardest.
In the center of the vast chamber stood the final auction platform. A silver vial floated inside a protective barrier — the second Fragment of the Cure-All Elixir.
Bidding had already begun. Voices called out outrageous prices in rare crystals, artifacts, and even favors.
Ethan stayed hidden at the edge, using the Ring of Silent Steps and Cloak of Faded Shadows to their maximum. His Morningstar's Spark hummed dangerously in his veins.
He had to act fast.
He pushed everything.
Shadow Step (Lv.7) chained with Flowing Footwork (Lv.3) and Aura Resonance (Lv.2). The blue-silver aura around his legs exploded with power, mixed with growing crimson flames. He became a silent blur, circling the platform, looking for any opening.
The infernal influence surged.
Infernal Influence: 47%
Arrogant thoughts flooded his mind: These insects don't deserve this fragment. I am the anomaly. I am the one who refuses to vanish.
Ethan clenched his jaw and fought it back, but the boost was undeniable. His speed reached a terrifying new level. He slipped past two Level 25 enforcers like they were standing still.
He spotted his chance — a brief gap in the barrier during the next bid transition.
Shadow Step!
He exploded forward.
His hand reached through the weakening barrier and snatched the silver fragment.
System Notification: [You have obtained the Second Fragment of the Cure-All Elixir!] [Hidden Quest "Whispers from Below" – Progress: 2/3] [Anomaly Resonance surging…]
Alarms blared across the floor.
The entire Heart of Chaos trembled. Red system warnings flooded his vision like blood.
Fate Correction Intervention Detected!High-priority anomaly detected on Floor 5.World enforcers deploying…
The few powerful figures on the floor turned toward him. Killing intent filled the air.
Ethan didn't hesitate.
He activated everything at once.
The Ring of Silent Steps, the Cloak, Shadow Step (Lv.7), and the full power of Morningstar's Spark.
His body became a streak of blue-silver fire laced with crimson. He moved like never before — dodging spells, slipping between attacks, leaving dozens of confusing afterimages in his wake.
But the limit was breaking.
Infernal Influence: 68%
Pride burned in his chest. A cruel smile tugged at his lips as he looked back at the enraged elites.
Pathetic. All of you are bound by the script. I am not.
Pain lanced through his head. The Spark was feeding on his defiance and growing stronger, more corrupting.
He pushed through anyway.
Using the chaos, he sprinted toward the emergency exit staircase that led back to the surface. Guards and buyers chased him across all five floors in reverse.
Floor 4 → Floor 3 → Floor 2 → Floor 1.
On every floor, he farmed aura desperately under extreme pressure. Each near-miss, each perfect dodge, each silent burst of speed leveled his movement skills further.
Shadow Step (Lv.7) → Shadow Step (Lv.8)Flowing Footwork (Lv.3) → Flowing Footwork (Lv.4)Aura Resonance (Lv.2) → Aura Resonance (Lv.3)
His Agility skyrocketed.
But so did the infernal corruption.
By the time he burst out of the final sewer grate into the slums above, Infernal Influence had reached 79%.
Ethan collapsed against a wall in a dark alley, breathing raggedly, both fragments of the Cure-All Elixir clutched tightly in his hand.
He had done it.
He had cleared the Abyssal Market dungeon.
He had stolen the second fragment right under the noses of powerful figures.
But the cost was visible.
His aura now burned with a noticeable mix of silver and deep crimson. His gray eyes carried a faint hellish glow. The pride and arrogance Lucifer's power instilled were getting harder to suppress.
System Notification: [You have successfully escaped the Abyssal Market] [Hidden Quest "Whispers from Below" – Progress: 2/3] [Warning: Prolonged use of Morningstar's Spark has increased corruption risk. Emotional stability compromised.] [World awareness of "The Anomaly" has risen significantly.]
Ethan forced the crimson energy down with sheer willpower. Slowly, the glow in his eyes dimmed.
He looked at the two silver fragments in his palm.
Two down.
One more remained.
And now the world knew there was a glitch actively defying its script.
As he staggered back toward the shack, a familiar elegant voice echoed faintly in his mind — Lucifer's parting words from earlier:
"Keep moving, little anomaly… but remember, even devils can fall further than they intend."
Ethan smiled bitterly through the exhaustion and lingering infernal pride.
The dungeon was over.
But his real struggle — balancing the power he had gained with the person he refused to lose — had only just begun.
He would rest tonight.
Tomorrow, he would find the final fragment.
And he would keep refusing to vanish… no matter how much of a devil he had to become.