Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil Chapter 2008: "If Pain Is the Price of Becoming Stronger, I’ll Suffer in Silence".

White Raven Island. Labh Salem.

The time had long since passed the midnight hour.

It felt as though a pair of Skills—one of sound and one of gravity—had been cast in unison, rendering the atmosphere as stagnant and dense as a pit of mud.

Abruptly, seven distinct manifestations of Sin Series Mana were unleashed into the air.

Without Eren even intending it, his immediate vicinity was transformed into a demonic zone.

This was the exact brand of demonic corruption he had encountered upon his initial arrival in Labh Salem.

Back then, the Helenbora coven sought to utilize that unique demonic zone to call upon the wills of Immortal demons. In doing so, they inadvertently paved the way for Eren, facilitating his entry into Labh Salem. One might argue that it was the Helenbora coven that effectively summoned Eren into this realm.

During his first arrival, Eren had exploited the demonic zone's traits to gain entry. This time, however, the space around him had shifted into a demonic zone simply through the passive discharge of his Greater Skills.

It was evident that the Menaka's Mesh addressed only the symptoms rather than the underlying cause. Eren had yet to achieve absolute mastery over his Greater Skills, leading to a constant leakage of their passive effects.

The Mesh merely suppressed these effects and the leakage via spatial constraints. Nevertheless, the overflow continued to accumulate. When the alcohol finally affected Eren for a fleeting second, this built-up pressure found its vent.

A sudden shiver raced down Azurea's spine.

Her muscles locked up, feeling as if an unseen force had ensnared her.

Glancing at Marina, she saw her sister mirroring her reaction—breath hitched, eyes wide with alarm, and shoulders squared in tension.

Without warning, a suffocating and heavy aura had descended upon the garden.

It felt foul and ponderous, unlike any sensation they had ever experienced.

Initially, it was merely an odd weight. But moments later, a torrent of emotions began to overwhelm them—hitting one after another with unstoppable speed.

Fury boiled in Azurea’s veins, sparking a violent urge to strike out. This was followed by a surge of avarice, making her long for everything she didn't possess.

In rapid succession, lust, pride, envy, gluttony, and sloth followed… Each one battered her soul like a tempestuous gale.

Marina gripped her hands so tightly her knuckles paled. She ground her teeth in an effort to remain grounded. However, it was no longer just a matter of emotion. Faint, seductive voices began to whisper within the recesses of her mind.

Give in.

Hehehe, with my liege's blessings, I can grant your wishes.

Power. Love. Revenge. Name it.

No other beings were present. These voices were illusions, yet they felt far too tangible to be dismissed.

These were hallucinations—or more accurately, the external manifestations of the passive traits of Eren’s Sin Series Greater Skills.

The aura wasn't merely seeping out; it was infiltrating their very spirits. Their Soul Spaces were being inundated with distorted mana carrying the quintessence of the seven deadly sins.

The Sin Series Mana was tainting them from within, attempting to provoke their hidden shadows.

The twin dragons were stunned. How could such a passive influence affect S-Rank draconic entities? Weren't they supposed to be the apex predators regarding intent-based magic? How could an A-Rank individual cause them to lose command over their own thoughts?

Azurea let out a low growl, biting her cheek until the taste of blood filled her mouth. She forced her concentration, violently circulating her mana to purge her mind. The alcoholic haze she had been enjoying was instantly shattered.

Marina followed suit. A vibrant radiance enveloped her as she regulated her breathing, dispelling the intoxication that clouded her judgment.

Her gaze met Azurea's for a brief moment, both sisters silently realizing how close they had come to total mental collapse.

United, they pushed back against the corrupting influence, striving to protect their souls and minds from the dark pressure.

They refrained from addressing Eren immediately, but their grim faces spoke volumes. The mood had turned. Something grave had occurred, and he was the source.

Eren inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, attempting to steady his rattled consciousness.

His expression grew somber. He then called forth the Spectral Screen before him.

Tapping a luminous icon, he navigated the Menaka's Mesh interface. His movements were swift and precise as he recalibrated the distribution of Origin Force Points into a specific configuration for the Sin Series Greater Skills.

A faint click resonated in his mind—more a sensation than a sound—signaling that the changes were implemented.

Instantly, the crushing weight that had filled the garden evaporated. It was as if a hurricane had been extinguished in a single heartbeat.

Azurea and Marina blinked, utterly bewildered.

What had just transpired?

The whispers ceased. The overwhelming emotions vanished. The aura that had weighed on their bodies and warped their minds retreated as if it had never existed.

Marina was the first to break the silence, her voice hushed and strained.

"Eren…. What… What was that?"

Eren glanced at her, then at Azurea, offering a joyless grin.

"That? That was just the pressure from the Sin Series Greater Skills I've got stored in me," he replied softly. "It's nothing. I just lost control for a moment."

He shifted back, resting an arm on the table's edge while staring into the distance.

"Kekeke… to be honest, this soul strain was the reason I couldn't get drunk. Those passive effects keep me away from drunken stupor. But… like everything else, even that has a limit."

He made a dismissive gesture, acting as if the weight of the event was trivial. "Anyway. Things are under control now. Don't worry."

Marina remained skeptical, and Azurea’s narrowed gaze suggested she wasn't ready to let the matter drop.

Azurea struck the table with her palm, making the bottles and glassware rattle. Her eyes glowed with a faint draconic light as she glared at Eren.

"You call this keeping things under control?" she demanded, her voice cutting through the silent night.

"Eren, that wasn't normal even by the demigod standards. Believe me, I know. I have seen and observed Shir when he was alive for quite some time. If he was exposed to this demonic field, he would have lost his sense of being as well.

That aura… that pressure… if your soul is exposed to that kind of strain constantly, you'll eventually break down. It's not something non-Immortals like us can just endure forever."

Eren blinked but remained unmoved. He leaned back in his seat, arms relaxed as Azurea continued her warning.

"Even Immortals would struggle if their soul had to handle something like that," Azurea added.

"It would either drive them mad or twist them so badly that they'd lose themselves. Everything that made them who they were would change."

Eren let out a dry, quiet chuckle.

"Kekeke… I know that already."

He looked toward Azurea, his smirk shifting into a serious expression.

"Do you know that God Aleph—when he took on the burden of the Seven Sin Series Planes—had to strip himself of all emotions?

He didn't just throw them away for fun. He did it to survive. This thing was too much even for an Elder God like him. Of course, the pressure he must have experienced by taking the full brunt must have been countless times more than what I'm facing right now. But you get the gist."

Eren paused briefly before speaking again.

"As his true inheritor, I don't get to choose this path. This… this was bound to happen to me eventually. This thing is part of my demonic heritage."

His tone grew heavier and more deliberate. The teasing was gone, replaced by a cold truth.

Marina watched him intently, her brow furrowed. She leaned in, her voice gentler than her sister's but filled with concern.

"Even if you say this is normal… that it is part of your demonic heritage… your soul is still that of a mortal, Eren. You haven't become an Immortal yet.

This kind of strain will keep growing. It'll haunt you. It'll hurt you—physically, mentally, spiritually. You'll suffer more the stronger you become. Things will get worse before they can get any better."

She paused, then suggested, "Unless… you give up God Aleph's inheritance. That might be the only way to stop it."

Eren did not answer immediately. He looked away from the table, staring past the garden into the night sky. The three moons of Labh Salem hung overhead, bathing the scenery in a soft radiance.

"Pressure and pain, huh…" he whispered to himself.

A breeze moved through the trees, carrying the scent of wine and blossoms. He turned back to the twin dragonesses. His emerald eyes showed no dread of his legacy. Unlike God Aleph, he appeared to embrace the soul-crushing weight of his demonic lineage.

"If pain is the price of becoming stronger," he remarked with a faint smile.

"I'll suffer in silence. In fact, give me more of that."