The Cathedral of Asterion towered above the kingdom like a monument to perfection — its white spires reaching into the clouds, its golden stained glass shimmering with divine radiance.But beneath that glory… lay rot.
As night draped the city, Hayate, Lyria, and Kael moved silently through a narrow alley near the eastern wall.
"The System's hint said the rebellion hides beneath the temple," Lyria whispered."Then we're going underground," Hayate replied, eyes narrowing.
A faint pulse glowed in his vision — a crimson mark on the ground near an abandoned chapel.
[System Pathfinding Active.][Secret Route Detected: 'The Hollow Sanctuary'.]
Kael chuckled. "A church hiding heretics? I like the irony."
They slipped inside. The chapel was silent, its pews covered in dust, the air heavy with old prayers and forgotten faith. A cracked statue of the goddess stood at the altar — one hand raised in blessing, the other broken.
Hayate stepped closer. "Even her stone lies."
He pressed his palm against the statue's chest. The System pulsed again.
[Hidden Mechanism Triggered.][Access Granted: Secret Passage Unlocked.]
The floor beneath them rumbled, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness.
The tunnel below was narrow and damp, lit only by flickering blue torches. Whispers echoed in the distance — cautious, human.
When they reached the end, several cloaked figures emerged from the shadows, weapons drawn.
"Stop right there," one said coldly. "No outsiders allowed."
Hayate didn't move. "Relax. I'm here for the same reason you're hiding — to destroy the goddess."
The air froze.The guards exchanged nervous glances. Then, a woman's voice cut through the tension.
"Let them through."
From the darkness stepped a woman clad in dark crimson robes, her hair silver as moonlight, and her eyes glowing faintly violet. She moved with quiet authority — every gaze in the room lowered as she approached.
"You've caused quite a stir, Rengoku Hayate," she said softly. "The entire city is whispering about the red-haired Revenant who burned the Inquisitors."
Hayate's expression didn't waver. "And you are?"
"Selene," she replied. "Leader of the Resistance. We've been waiting for someone like you."
Selene led them deeper into an underground hall filled with rebels — humans, elves, and beastkin alike. Many bore scars or glowing runes where the goddess's curse had touched them.
"The people here were once priests, soldiers, and slaves," she explained. "All betrayed by Elythra's false light."
Kael whistled low. "Quite the collection of misfits."
Selene ignored the remark and turned to Hayate. "Tell me, Revenant. Why risk your life to defy her?"
Hayate's red eyes glimmered in the dim light. "Because she took everything. My friends. My world. My humanity."He looked up, the darkness around him pulsing. "I'm here to take it back."
The room fell silent — every rebel in the chamber frozen under the weight of his words.
Selene smiled faintly. "Then perhaps fate finally remembers us."
[System Notification: Faction Alliance Detected.][New Ally: Selene – Shadow Oracle Lv. 52.][New Quest: Liberation of Asterion.][Objective: Infiltrate the Cathedral's Inner Sanctum.]
Selene unrolled a map across the table, showing the massive cathedral complex.
"The inner sanctum lies beneath the prayer chambers," she explained. "That's where Elythra's High Priests perform the Ritual of Binding — enslaving souls in the name of 'purity.'"
Lyria's eyes widened. "Binding… you mean they trap living people?"
Selene nodded grimly. "They call it ascension. We call it murder."
Hayate clenched his fists. "Then we end it."
The rebels erupted in murmurs — hope and fear mixing in equal measure.
Selene raised a hand for silence. "We attack at dawn. Hayate, you'll lead the vanguard. The goddess's magic won't affect you like it does the rest of us."
Kael grinned. "Finally, something suicidal enough for my taste."
Lyria gave him a sharp look. "Try surviving it first."
Selene chuckled softly. "I like your team already."
As she turned to leave, she glanced back at Hayate.
"One more thing. There's something… different about your System, isn't there?"
He paused. "…You could say that."
"Good," she said with a mysterious smile. "You'll need it where we're going."
Later that night, as the rebels prepared for battle, Hayate stood alone in the shadows, staring at the faint light filtering through the cracks above.
[System Alert: New Title Obtained – "Liberator's Shadow."][Effect: Increases resistance to divine spells by 50%.]
He smirked faintly. "Even your blessings can't stop me now, goddess."
The torches flickered. The whispers of the Resistance echoed like a heartbeat beneath the holy city.
Tomorrow, the light would burn — and darkness would rise to meet it.
[Quest Updated: Find the Hidden Resistance – Completed.][New Quest Unlocked: Infiltrate the Cathedral's Inner Sanctum.][Objective: Stop the Ritual of Binding Before Dawn.]