Hank stopped dead and immediately opened his personal interface.
Beneath the dark gold Ladder Emblem, the glaring [Current Points: 0] had changed to [Current Points: 10]!
It was only a small change, but that number seemed to hold infinite power. His blood surged through his veins.
"Hahaha! Yes! I got points!"
Hank burst out laughing. No monster he had ever killed had thrilled him this much.
"Damn it, keep it down!" snapped a rogue beside him, fresh from slitting an enemy's throat with his dagger. "You'll scare off the other prey!"
Even so, the rogue could barely contain his own delight as he hurried to check his points.
Clink.
Something fell from the mage's corpse.
It was a ring, an eerie green throughout. Wisps of black vapor curled over its surface, and it gave off an unsettling aura of envy.
[Corrupted Mana Ring (Cursed)] [Equipment Requirements: ???] [Effect: ???]
"Tch. Junk." Hank kicked the ring, his face full of disgust.
Equipment tainted by Sin Karma was unusable. Wearing it would steadily corrode the wearer's mind. It was more trouble than it was worth.
"Wait!" A teammate's eyes lit up as he remembered something. "Did you forget the Sin Origin Furnace?"
"The Sin Origin Furnace!"
Everyone's eyes lit up.
They instinctively turned toward the War Ladder rising from the center of the Court of Sin Punishment's plaza, its summit lost in the sky.
At the foot of the ladder, the immense phantom of a furnace formed from countless runic chains hovered silently, radiating an ancient, imposing presence.
Hank picked up the corrupted ring with some doubt. Imitating a prayer, he silently formed a thought.
Sacrifice.
The instant the thought arose, everything changed!
Hundreds of meters away, the Sin Origin Furnace seemed to hear his call. It shuddered violently.
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