Seven Sins System Chapter 586. Shadow and Light War Between Mortals

Seven Sins System Chapter 586. Shadow and Light War Between Mortals

“Funny,” I said lightly, stepping forward, watching him tense again. “Because someone’s already been playing around with dark crystals elsewhere. Maybe you’ve heard about that?”

He blinked slowly. “I have no idea what you speak of.”

I chuckled, taking another step forward. “Sure you don’t.”

He hesitated, clearly uncertain. “Please, leave now. You don’t belong here.”

I smiled coldly. “Oh, I think I belong right here.”

He lifted his hand, suddenly glowing with pale, silvery light. “Do not force me to act against you.”

My grin widened into something wicked. “You sure about that?”

Before he could respond, I activated Hypnosis.

[Skill Activated: Hypnosis]

[Resistance Check: Target has Moderate Resistance. Overcoming… Successful!]

[Effect: Compelled Truth.]

His eyes glazed over slightly. He froze, suddenly docile.

“Now, let’s try this again,” I said softly. “What are the crystals really for?”

His voice came out monotone, eyes blank. “They’re weapons. Holy weapons. Against the devils. Especially Wrath.”

I exhaled slowly, shaking my head. “There it is. Who ordered this?”

He struggled momentarily, lips twitching, but the magic forced him to comply. “The High Council. They’re afraid… afraid the devils will return.”

I smirked coldly. “They should be. Is that all?”

“No,” he whispered, voice faint, eyes wide with panic even under hypnosis. “There’s… something else. Something below. Something darker. Something they hide even from us.”

“Where?”

“Below… beneath the Sanctum,” he rasped. “In the Vault of Purity. But you cannot go there. Please…”

I ignored his pleading, releasing the hypnosis. He staggered backward, breathing heavily.

“You... you’re a devil!” he gasped.

I smiled coldly, raising my hand. Shadows surged around me, coiling eagerly, hungry for blood. “No shit.”

Then, I moved faster than he could react, knocking him unconscious with a single precise strike. His body crumpled silently to the marble floor.

I stood still for a moment, the air now charged with my dark aura. The crystals pulsed gently, mocking me with their purity.

So, the mortals were preparing for war. Using holy energy against devils? Trying to harness divine power as a weapon against us?

I chuckled, low and dry, shaking my head.

“Oh, this is rich.”

I was used to this bullshit.

I let out a slow breath, rolling my shoulders as I examined the magic formations.

The door behind me—lined with mortal seal magic.

That explained a lot.

This was why we hadn’t sensed it earlier—they were using mortal-made formations instead of divine or demonic ones. A cheap trick, but effective. It masked the crystal cultivation process, keeping it hidden from higher beings like myself or Puriel until we were right on top of it.

I muttered to myself, pacing slowly.

“So… there are cults who cultivate demonic power, using summoning formations to create dark crystals.”

I turned, my eyes tracing over the statues.

“And then there’s another cult—or at least, some other group—targeting my Wrath domain, making their own version of Wrath crystals.”

I smirked to myself. “I guess they think they can use it to conquer the world or something. Cute.”

My voice echoed slightly, bouncing off the massive chamber, the only reply the low, steady hum of divine energy.

And now?

There were these people—the devout ones. The ones who feared devils so much they decided to copy the same damn method and cultivate holy power into crystals.

I stopped walking, letting the realization settle in.

A slow, dry chuckle left my lips.

“So… this is just another shadow and light war between mortals?”

I shook my head, crossing my arms. “And they’re doing it without openly involving devils or the goddess herself? Oh, this is so ironic.”

Mortals, playing war behind the scenes, pretending to be righteous, pretending to be above sin—while doing the exact same thing they condemned.

I huffed, rubbing the back of my neck. “Fucking hypocrites.”

I turned back to the white core statues, my gaze narrowing.

“Alright then.”

I let my power flicker slightly, my aura spreading just enough to test the barriers.

The energy pushed back—resistant, dense, but not unbreakable.

My smirk deepened. “Let’s see what they’ve got beneath this sanctum.”

But before I could even take a step toward the sealed door at the far end, I felt the atmosphere shift suddenly. A chill crawled up my spine—not fear, but the unmistakable sensation of something powerful waking up.

I turned slowly, already half-expecting what I’d find. Sure enough, the statues were no longer staring blankly into space. Their stone eyes, once serene and lifeless, were now fixed directly on me. The crystals embedded within their chests glowed brighter, pulsing rhythmically, sending waves of pure, holy energy cascading through the room.

The air felt thicker now, oppressive and charged like an incoming thunderstorm. A new notification flashed into my vision.

[System Notification: High-Level Holy Signatures Detected]

[Threat Assessment: High]

I let out a slow breath, a dry chuckle slipping past my lips. “Great… animated statues. Just my luck.”

The statues said nothing at first, their gazes unblinking, their marble faces impossibly calm. I stood still, matching their silence. ‘Let's hear what they want to say.’ I decided to test their intelligence.

Sure enough, after a heavy, almost theatrical pause, the largest statue—the queen—spoke. “Devil,” she said, her tone soft yet undeniably authoritative. “You trespass upon sacred ground.”

I tilted my head, smirk still firmly in place. “Really? And here I thought I was just passing through. Don’t mind me. Just taking a quick tour of your overly decorated basement.”

One of the statues—the virtue of humility, if I had to guess from her modest robes—shifted forward slightly, her polished stone feet scraping gently against the marble floor.

“You mock that which you cannot understand,” she said solemnly. “Your kind brings only suffering, chaos, and corruption to the mortal realm.”

I rolled my eyes, waving a dismissive hand. “Oh please. Spare me the self-righteous lectures. I've heard it all before.”

Another statue, draped in a shimmering marble robe that represented purity, chimed in, her voice high and clear like crystal bells. “Sins should not exist in this world. We strive to purge them—to cleanse humanity of your corruption.”