The next two days passed in a blur of cautious experimentation.
Ethan couldn't afford to waste time. The Abyssal Market would open in one night, and he needed to understand exactly what Lucifer had given him before stepping into a place filled with dangerous players.
He left Liam in the shack with strict instructions to stay hidden and lock the door. Then he slipped into the deepest, most abandoned parts of the slum — an old collapsed sewer tunnel that few dared enter.
First, the Ring of Silent Steps.
Ethan activated it with a thought. The black band on his finger warmed slightly. He took a few steps, then broke into a full sprint.
No sound.
His feet touched the ground, but produced zero noise — not even the faint scrape of stone or splash of puddles. He chained Shadow Step with Flowing Footwork, blurring through the narrow tunnel at terrifying speed. The combination was seamless. He could move like a ghost now.
System Notification: [Ring of Silent Steps (Rare) – Synergy detected with Shadow Step (Lv.5) and Flowing Footwork (Lv.3)] [Stealth effectiveness increased by 45% in low-light or crowded environments] [Sound suppression extends to clothing and minor impacts]
Strength: Perfect for infiltration and escaping fights. Limit: It didn't make him invisible — only silent. Sharp-eyed guards or high-level monsters could still spot him if he wasn't careful.
Next, he tested the Vial of Morningstar Blood.
Ethan hesitated for a long moment before uncorking it. A single crimson drop floated inside the clear liquid, pulsing with faint infernal energy. He swallowed it.
Fire exploded through his veins.
His MP bar surged upward. The increase was immediate and noticeable.
System Notification: [+50 Maximum MP] [New Passive: Minor Hellfire Resistance (Lv.1)] [Resistance to holy/light-based attacks increased by 20%] [Warning: Trace infernal energy detected. Long-term side effects unknown. Possible corruption risk if overused.]
Ethan felt stronger, sharper. His aura now carried a faint crimson tint mixed with the usual blue-silver. When he used Shadow Step, small sparks of dark flame flickered at the edges of his movement for a split second.
He pushed further.
He activated Aura Resonance at maximum and began a brutal movement training session — dodging imaginary attacks, chaining Shadow Step repeatedly, sprinting, pivoting, and flowing through the tight space without stopping.
The Morningstar Spark reacted.
His aura growth accelerated dramatically. Every successful chain of movements fed the Spark, which in turn amplified his agility and stamina recovery.
System Notification: [Morningstar's Spark (Minor) – Active effect triggered] [Aura growth speed: +38% (temporary boost during high-intensity movement)] [Shadow Step (Lv.5) → Shadow Step (Lv.6)] [New effect unlocked: Shadow Step now leaves faint afterimages that can briefly confuse lower-level enemies]
Ethan grinned through the burning in his muscles. This was real power.
But then he hit the wall.
After thirty straight minutes of maximum output, a sharp pain lanced through his head. The crimson tint in his aura grew stronger, and his movements became slightly more aggressive — almost reckless.
System Notification: [Warning: Infernal Influence rising] [Current Limit reached. Continued overuse of Morningstar's Spark may cause: • Temporary loss of emotional control (increased anger/pride) • Attraction of holy or order-based entities • Slow corruption of the Anomaly Title if pushed too far]
Ethan immediately stopped and sat down, breathing heavily.
The limits were clear.
The gifts were powerful, but they weren't free. The Ring was safe and stable. The Blood and Spark, however, carried Lucifer's nature — prideful, rebellious, and slightly corrupting. They amplified his defiance, but they also made him more noticeable to the "world script" that wanted extras erased.
He tested one final thing.
He focused on the silver thread under his skin and willed it to suppress the crimson tint. To his relief, the infernal influence receded slowly when he consciously restrained it.
Strength: Enormous boost to movement, MP, and anomaly resistance. Limit: It feeds on his own will and emotions. The more he relies on it without control, the more it influences him. Overuse could turn the "glitch" into something far more dangerous — or attract powerful beings who hunt devils and anomalies.
Ethan stood up, wiped the sweat from his face, and looked at his updated status.
Name: Ethan Crowe Level: 4 Title: The Anomaly (Hidden) – Enhanced by Morningstar's Spark HP: 162/162 MP: 162/162 (+50 from gift) Agility: 22 (significant boost from aura + gifts)
Skills:
Shadow Step (Lv.6) Flowing Footwork (Lv.3) Aura Resonance (Lv.2)
He now moved with a dangerous grace — silent, fast, and carrying a hint of hellfire.
But he understood the price.
Lucifer hadn't given him overwhelming power. He had given him a sharper blade… one that could cut both his enemies and himself if he wasn't careful.
As night fell, Ethan returned to the shack.
Liam was awake, looking a little stronger thanks to the better food and medicine.
"Brother… you seem different," Liam said quietly, tilting his head. "Your eyes… they look sharper. Almost glowing."
Ethan forced a reassuring smile and sat beside him.
"I'm just getting stronger. For both of us."
He didn't mention the Devil. He didn't mention the growing crimson spark inside him.
Tomorrow night, he would enter the Abyssal Market using everything he had learned.
The gifts had power.
But Ethan would decide how far he was willing to fall to use them.
Outside, the distant roar of dragons echoed across the capital.
The main story continued its march.
And in the slums, a side character — now carrying a piece of the Devil — prepared to take another dangerous step forward.