For the first time in days, Hayate felt wind.Cool air brushed against his face as he pushed open the massive stone gate. It wasn't dungeon air — it was clean, alive, and filled with the scent of rain.
Behind him, Lyria followed, eyes wide. "We actually made it out…"
The sunlight blinded them both. The world beyond the dungeon stretched endlessly — rolling black hills under a blood-red sky. The sun here wasn't golden; it glowed like a dying ember.
"This… isn't home," Hayate murmured.
Lyria nodded quietly. "We're still in her world — the Goddess's realm."
[System Notice: First Dungeon Cleared.][Reward Granted – Title: Survivor of the Abyss.][Skill Upgrade Available.]
A small chime echoed in his mind. Blue glyphs floated before his eyes, forming a translucent screen.
[Skill: Revenant's Echo → Level 2 Unlocked.][New Effect: Summon Phantom Armament (Duration: 30s)]
Hayate smiled faintly. "Guess dying has its perks."
They traveled across the wasteland, heading toward the nearest visible structure — the ruins of a black citadel surrounded by giant stone spears.
Lyria frowned. "This looks abandoned…"
"Maybe," Hayate replied, scanning the area. "Or maybe it's watching."
A sudden sound — metal scraping stone.
From the shadows of the ruin, armored figures stepped out — but these weren't monsters. They looked human, their armor worn and darkened by ash. Their leader, a tall man with pale eyes, stepped forward.
"Survivors from the summoning?" he asked.
Lyria tensed. "You know about the summoning?"
"Everyone knows," the man said coldly. "The goddess brings new pawns every century. Most die before reaching this place."
Hayate's eyes narrowed. "And what about you?"
"We're what's left of the last batch."
The man raised his hand, signaling his soldiers to lower their blades. "Come with us. You'll want to hear the truth about this world before she finds you again."
Inside the citadel, the air smelled of iron and herbs. Torches lit the hall, illuminating a large mural — the goddess herself, cloaked in gold, standing over kneeling mortals.
Lyria clenched her fists. "That's her…"
The man nodded. "She calls herself Elythra, the Divine Arbiter. But to us, she's the Devourer."
He turned to Hayate. "You're not the first to resist her system, are you?"
Hayate hesitated. "No… but I'm probably the first she tried to kill for it."
The man smirked. "Then you're a lucky one."
He tossed Hayate a black cloak marked with a crimson sigil — the same design as Hayate's glowing mark.
"What is this?"
"A symbol of the Revenant Order — the last rebellion against her."
[Quest Alert: "Echoes of the Revenant Order" – Side Mission Unlocked.][Objective: Learn the truth of Elythra's Realm.]
Hayate stared at the cloak for a long moment before finally draping it over his shoulders. It felt… familiar.
"If this is rebellion," he said quietly, "then count me in."
Night fell.Hayate stood alone on the citadel balcony, staring at the red moon hanging low in the sky. His reflection shimmered faintly on the blade of a spectral sword hovering beside him — his new Phantom Armament.
"Every time I use this power," he whispered, "I feel less human."
Lyria approached silently. "Maybe being human isn't what will save us."
He glanced at her — her golden eyes glinting in the moonlight.
"Then what will?"
She smiled faintly. "Being stronger than the gods who play with us."
He looked back at the red horizon. The world beyond was vast — filled with lies, power, and blood waiting to be spilled.
And this time, he wouldn't be the victim.
[Quest Updated: Echoes of the Revenant Order – Alliance Formed.]