Chapter 541: Karmic points

"Oh, so the newcomer has claws," she murmured, her voice thick with approval. "You might actually be dangerous."

With an elegant twist of her hips, she slipped from his grip and turned toward Annie with that same taunting, playful smile.

"Now... it’s your turn, dear."

The shift in focus hit Annie like a jolt, dragging her out of the flustered haze she had been trapped in. She took a deep, shaky breath and stepped toward the trial room, the murmurs of the gathering crowd following behind her.

The door shimmered faintly, opening to reveal a space that seemed larger than she had expected it to be.

Inside, she hesitated for a moment, glancing down at the garment she had selected. She had never worn anything like this before. Her heart raced as she lifted the garment toward herself, the fabric hovering as though it had a mind of its own, aligning perfectly with her body.

She quickly slid her arms through the straps and the material wrapped snugly around her curves. Her reflection in the mirror made her gasp—half of her breasts were visible. The upper edge clung tightly to the fullness she had gained from bearing Rael, and the sight made her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"It’s... it’s because I birthed Rael," she whispered to herself. "That’s why my breasts are so big... and... and this... it feels... exposed."

She adjusted the lower garment as well, making it more comfortable on her skin. The fabric stuck to her upper thighs, leaving the rest of her legs uncovered. She inhaled sharply, trying to calm her racing heart as she noticed the way the garment seemed to mold perfectly to every curve of her body.

Steeling herself, she whispered again, this time a little louder, "This... this is my body... my strength... my... gift."

With that, she took one last deep breath and pushed the door open. Immediately, gasps and murmurs filled the room.

Dina was the first to step forward, her expression mischievous as she let her gaze roam over Annie.

"Well, well," she said in a sing-song voice, tilting her head. "Look at you... stepping out of the trial room and into

all eyes

."

A soft ripple of murmurs ran through the floating crowd.

"She’s... bold," one whispered.

"So... exposed," another said, voice low and filled with curiosity.

Annie felt heat rush to her cheeks instantly. Her eyes flicked up toward Julian—Rael—and her heart skipped a beat when she realized he wasn’t averting his gaze. His eyes traveled over her form openly, taking in her chest, the curve of her hips, the way the garment clung to her upper thighs.

Dina leaned a little closer, a teasing smile curving her lips.

"Don’t look so flustered, darling," she murmured sultry, "It’s only natural for... well, certain people... to notice."

Annie’s body stiffened, and she pressed her arms lightly against her chest, trying to hide the flush that spread across her skin.

"I... I..." she stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence as her eyes remained locked on Julian.

She could feel the electricity of his gaze on her body, and every flutter of her heartbeat seemed magnified in the charged silence of the crowd.

The murmurs around her grew louder, more daring.

"Her chest... her curves..." a female voice whispered, while a male voice added, "...and that waist, those hips..."

Annie’s blush deepened, and she took an almost unnoticeable step back, suddenly aware of the way her body had become the center of attention. Her heart raced violently, a mixture of embarrassment and something else—a strange, intoxicating awareness of her own allure.

"Relax, dear," Dina murmured, placing a hand on Annie’s shoulder. "You

are

beautiful. Let yourself feel it... though I see someone’s already appreciating the view," she added, tilting her head toward Julian with a sly grin.

Annie’s throat tightened, her fingers clenching slightly as her gaze stayed on him. Her pulse was a drumbeat in her ears as she realized just how openly he was examining her.

The crowd’s murmurs grew bolder, filled with laughter, gasps, and whispers that danced between admiration and shock. Annie’s cheeks burned hotter than ever, her heartbeat threatening to burst from her chest as she found herself caught between shame, desire, and the impossible realization of how much she was enjoying this.

Julian finally tore his gaze from Annie and fixed it on Dina, his expression composed once more.

"So," he said, gesturing toward the hovering garments around them, "how exactly are we supposed to pay for any of this? We’re new here. I doubt we have any currency this realm would recognize."

Dina nodded, her teasing expression shifting into something more businesslike and serious.

"I was wondering when you’d ask," she said with a knowing smile. "Like I said before, there are different zones of purification scattered throughout this realm. These zones are arranged in layers—think of them as ascending levels of mortality."

She gestured upward toward the floating islands visible through the transparent walls. "You must pass through the uppermost layer, the Zone of Wrath, to gain access to the true Heaven beyond. And the only way to pass through these layers is by accumulating karmic points."

"Karmic points?" Julian asked, his tone carrying genuine curiosity.

"Yes," Dina confirmed with a nod. "Think of them as... charity points, in a sense. The more beneficial actions you perform, the more karmic points you accumulate. Acts of genuine kindness, moments of self-sacrifice, helping others overcome their own limitations—all of these generate karmic points that can be measured and exchanged."

She paused, then her expression grew more contemplative. "You remember what Valdris explained about how one can act freely here without moral restriction?"

Julian nodded while Annie listened intently, her earlier discomfort fading as she focused on understanding this crucial information.

"Well," Dina continued, "that freedom exists precisely because the karmic system provides natural consequences and rewards. You

can

commit what mortals would consider heinous acts—nothing physically prevents you. But doing so generates negative karma, which actively hinders your progression through the zones. In extreme cases, negative karma can even cause you to descend to lower zones, trapping you further from your goals."

Annie’s brows furrowed as she processed this. "So it’s not that harmful actions are impossible, but that they’re... not fruitful?"

"Exactly," Dina said with an approving smile. "The system doesn’t enforce morality through restriction, but through consequence."