"All sins lead somewhere. For those who survive long enough… they find the heart."
The throne room fell into a hush.
Jiwoon's body still trembled faintly—not from fear, but from the sheer weight of power he had just unlocked. His soul echoed with the remnants of the trial, the whisper of the Demon God's voice still lingering.
[System Notice: First Sin Trial Complete]
[Unlocked: Sinheart Gate – Central Nexus of the City of Sin]
[Warning: Only the Worthy May Enter]
The Queen of Sin stood and descended her throne for the first time.
"You've claimed the Crown, passed the First Sin Trial, and faced the shadow of apocalypse without faltering. Few would dare."
"But the City watches all. And now, it listens."
With a wave of her hand, the obsidian walls parted, revealing an impossible corridor—stars and ruin spiraling within, all paths pointing inward.
The Sinheart.
The core of the City. The place where all systems collapse, where sins are not punished—but defined.
Crossing the Threshold
Jiwoon, accompanied by the Abyssal Qirin, began the walk down the shifting path. Mirrors floated in the air. Statues of ancient sinners lined the walls—each one a fallen wielder of the Sin System.
One of the statues moved. Eyes flickered open.
"The Codebearer returns… but not in chains."
Jiwoon ignored it.
Ahead, a glowing gate pulsed.
Symbols carved into it in runes of agony and absolution. Each line was alive, each curve pulsing with sin.
Suddenly—Raegorn stood before the gate.
The Rival Appears Again
Raegorn, the Golden Warden. The system's final firewall. The one who judged sin without emotion. His armor gleamed like daylight. His blade was forged from the law itself.
"You seek the Sinheart?" Raegorn said, voice low.
Jiwoon narrowed his eyes.
"I don't seek it. I was called."
Raegorn shook his head.
"You've come too far. The Sinheart must never awaken. Not again."
The air cracked. Energy distorted.
[Combat Initiated: Forbidden Class – Rival Duel: Codebearer vs Warden]
Raegorn launched forward with speed that broke physics.
"Your justice is too human."
Jiwoon blocked with his gauntlet—Ebonwyrm Exordium glowed, absorbing the shock. Then he countered with a crescent slash of pure Sinforce.
"And yours is too blind."
Their battle tore apart the corridor—light and darkness clashing, one representing purity of system, the other, power earned through suffering and survival.
The Breaking Point
Jiwoon drew closer.
Then—he vanished.
Reappearing behind Raegorn, he whispered:
"I don't follow the system anymore."
And drove his claw into Raegorn's chest.
[Status Update: Warden's Armor Shattered – Barrier Failsafe Engaged]
[Raegorn Forced to Retreat]
Before vanishing into golden dust, Raegorn looked at Jiwoon with something new.
"Pity… or fear?"
Opening the Gate
Jiwoon turned to the gate again. It now stood fully open, responding to his essence. A gust of wind—scented with ash and eternity—blew out from within.
The Queen's voice echoed from afar.
"Step forward, Jiwoon. At the Sinheart… your fate unravels."
And he did.