Sin Slayer System : Levelling Up From C-Rank to SSS-Rank

Elric stood up slowly, feeling a strange mix of happiness and nervousness bubbling inside him. He took the tablet from Ernestina's hands and promised to put it on charge for the next day.

"Sleep well," he whispered one more time before stepping out of the guest room, closing the door softly behind him.

In his own room, he placed the tablet on his desk and sat on the edge of his bed. For a while, he just stared at the floor, trying to understand why his heart felt so light, almost as if something good was finally breaking through the darkness.

Outside, the storm kept raging. The rain hit the windows like tiny pebbles, and the wind howled through the trees. But inside, there was a quiet warmth that wrapped around him, stronger than any blanket.

He thought about Ernestina's words, her stories, and the way she had smiled when they played the Bible game together. He remembered her laughter, gentle and genuine, echoing in his mind like a sweet song.

"Esther, huh?" he muttered to himself with a small smile. "Brave and kind… maybe I need to be a little like that too."

He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. The Sin Slayer System screen flashed faintly in his mind. The numbers were still painful to see:

Sin Points: [ 10,780 ]

Virtue Points: [ -10 ]

Temptations Record: [Overloaded]

After that night of talking with Ernestina, playing the Bible games, and opening up about his struggles, Elric felt something inside him shift.When he later checked his Sin Slayer System screen, he was shocked.

His Sin Points had dropped, as if the darkness was finally letting go, little by little. Even more surprising, his Virtue Points had risen above zero for the first time in what felt like forever.

For the first time, a tiny green glow surrounded the Virtue Points bar, as if cheering him on silently.He sighed heavily, his smile fading. Even after tonight, the weight of his past felt huge. But for the first time, he felt like maybe, just maybe, he had seen a crack of light.

Then, a soft knock at his door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Come in," he called, expecting maybe his mom.

But it was Ernestina.

She stepped in slowly, wearing an oversized T-shirt that probably belonged to his mom. Her hair was slightly messy, and her eyes were sleepy but gentle.

"Sorry," she said softly, hugging her arms around herself. "I… I couldn't sleep. The thunder is too loud."

Elric's heart jumped. He stood up quickly. "No, no, it's fine! You can stay here if it helps."

She looked around shyly and then nodded. "Can I just sit for a bit? I promise I won't stay too long.""Of course," he said, moving aside so she could sit on the bed.

They sat there in silence at first, listening to the rumble of the storm outside. Ernestina pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them.

"Do you ever get scared of storms?" she asked suddenly, her voice small.

Elric thought for a moment. "I used to," he said honestly. "But I think… I've been more scared of myself than of thunder."

She turned to look at him, her eyes curious and a little sad. "Why?"

He hesitated. The words felt heavy, but he knew he wanted to tell her. "Because… I've done things I'm not proud of. And sometimes, I feel like there's no way back from it."

Ernestina reached out and touched his hand lightly. Her fingers were soft and warm. "There's always a way back," she whispered. "You just have to want it enough to fight for it."

Elric stared at her, feeling something shift inside him. For a long moment, they just sat like that, holding hands while the rain sang outside.

Then, she yawned and gave a shy smile. "I think… I can try sleeping now."

He stood up, guiding her gently to the door. "Thank you… for staying and talking," he said softly.

She looked back at him, her eyes kind. "Good night again, Elric. I'm happy you shared your heart with me."

"Good night, Ernestina," he said, his voice low but steady.

When she left, Elric sat back on his bed, holding his breath for a few seconds. He felt both terrified and hopeful.

As he finally lay down and closed his eyes, he felt something new blooming inside ; a small, fragile hope that maybe he wasn't too far gone after all.

And for the first time in a long while… he fell asleep with a peaceful heart....