The crimson storm rolled across the wasteland, lightning crackling in strange, divine patterns. The air itself felt heavy — like the world was holding its breath.
Hayate stood at the edge of the ruins, his cloak whipping violently behind him. The fragment of Elarion pulsed faintly within his chest, syncing with his heartbeat.
Lyria wrapped her arms around herself. "The sky… it feels wrong."
Kael narrowed his eyes toward the horizon. "That's not a storm."
And then — the voice came.Soft. Cold. Beautiful.Yet filled with malice that could crush mountains.
"How disappointing, my chosen ones… even now, you defy the will that gave you life."
The clouds parted. A colossal, glowing sigil burned across the sky — the mark of Elythra, the Goddess of Radiant Order. Her voice resonated in every direction, reaching not just Hayate, but every corner of her world.
"You crawl through my realm like vermin, wielding power you were never meant to touch. But if you wish to challenge divinity… then come, little revenant. Show me your defiance."
The sigil shattered like glass, sending waves of golden energy rippling across the land.
[System Alert: Divine Disturbance Detected.][Warning: Host Has Been Targeted by Elythra's Divine Awareness.][Difficulty Level Increased.]
Kael cursed under his breath. "She knows. Every Revenant sanctuary, every safe route — they'll all be watched now."
Lyria turned to Hayate, her voice trembling. "What do we do?"
Hayate clenched his fist, his red hair whipping in the violent wind. His eyes — once dull from despair — now glowed with burning resolve.
"We don't hide. If she's watching, then I'll make her see everything she tried to destroy."
They began their journey east — across the Black Dunes of Draeth, a cursed desert said to swallow entire armies. Monsters twisted by divine corruption crawled from beneath the sands, their forms grotesque and radiant at once.
Kael struck down one with a clean slash. "These aren't normal beasts. She's turning her blessings into weapons."
Hayate drove his spectral blade into another's chest. The creature dissolved into gold dust.
[EXP Gained: +2,450][Level Up: 31 → 32][New Trait: "Divine Resistance (Minor)" acquired.]
Lyria smirked faintly. "At least we're adapting."
"Adaptation," Hayate said, "is the one thing she can't control."
As the night fell, they camped near a canyon illuminated by faint bioluminescent crystals. The silence was peaceful — until Kael tossed a glowing shard toward Hayate.
"You're changing faster than I expected," Kael said. "That Fragment wasn't meant for mortals."
Hayate examined the shard — a broken crystal infused with faint divine energy. "I know. But maybe that's why it chose me."
Lyria looked at him curiously. "You think it chose you?"
"The goddess gave us her system to make us dependent. But this one…" He placed his hand over his chest. "This system fights back."
A faint chime echoed in his head.
[System Notification: Hidden Trait Evolved – "Revenant Core (Stage II)"][Effect: Passive Resistance to Divine Manipulation Increased by 15%.]
Kael's gaze hardened. "Then she'll come for you personally."
Hayate smirked. "Good. I'll be waiting."
In the distance, the storm began to twist into a spiral of light — a divine gate forming somewhere far beyond their reach.
Lyria's expression darkened. "She's opening a path. Sending something… or someone."
Hayate turned toward the horizon, his eyes glowing red under the blood moon.
"Let her send whatever she wants. I'll destroy everything she hides behind."
The Revenant's path burned brighter than ever — and the goddess's fury had only just begun.
[Quest Updated: Path of the Revenant – Divine Counterattack Initiated.][Sub-Quest: Survive the Goddess's Envoy (Pending Activation).]