The Celestial Palace loomed like a dream carved from starlight.Its spires pierced the heavens, glowing faintly with holy radiance that made the air hum. The marble halls stretched endlessly, lined with statues of winged beings — their eyes closed, their faces sorrowful.
But beneath the light… lay decay.Cracks ran along the pillars.The divine inscriptions flickered like dying embers.And at the very heart of it all, a faint whisper echoed — not divine, but desperate.
The Sealed Hall
They walked in silence.Each step echoed, swallowed by the vastness of the corridor.
Kael's voice finally broke the quiet. "It's too quiet… even for gods."
Astraea nodded slowly. "That's because this place isn't alive anymore. It's feeding something."
"Feeding?" Selene asked, uneasy.
Astraea raised her hand, tracing the air. A pulse of mana spread outward, revealing a hidden door — massive and sealed with thirteen glowing chains. Each chain hummed with divine script.
"The Heart Chamber," she said quietly. "Where they hide their sins."
Hayate stepped closer. "Then let's drag them into the light."
He raised his sword, the void flaring to life. The moment the blade touched the seal, the System screamed.
[System Warning: Divine Containment Barrier Detected.][Risk: Entity of Unknown Origin – Probability of Hostile Awakening: 84%.]
"Do it anyway," Hayate said, his tone flat.
With a single slash, the chains shattered.The gates groaned open — and darkness spilled out like smoke.
The Goddess of Chains
The chamber was vast and dimly lit by floating orbs of pale light.At the center, suspended by chains of gold and blood, hung a woman.
Her hair was silver-white, her skin faintly glowing. But her wings — once divine — were torn, bound tightly behind her. The golden chains ran through her wrists, ankles, and even her throat, silencing every word she tried to speak.
She opened her eyes as they entered.They were empty — yet infinite.
Astraea froze. "That's impossible… she's—"
"A goddess," Hayate finished. "One of theirs?"
Astraea shook her head. "No. Theirs are the ones who did this."
Hayate stepped forward slowly. The woman's gaze locked on him, her lips trembling as faint whispers escaped past the bindings.
"...Mortal… or shadow…?"
He didn't answer. He raised his hand, the void energy pulsing around his arm.
[Skill Activated: Abyssal Touch.]
The chains screamed as they dissolved, one after another, until only fragments of light floated in the air.
The woman collapsed into his arms, weak and trembling. Her voice was soft but clear now.
"You shouldn't have done that…"
"Why?" Hayate asked quietly.
"Because now… they will know."
The Fallen Truth
The room trembled violently.Divine glyphs flared along the walls, forming countless golden eyes that turned toward them.
Astraea cursed. "You broke the divine circuit! The entire city knows we're here now!"
Selene backed away as light poured from the ceiling. "Hayate—she's glowing—"
The woman lifted her hand weakly, touching Hayate's face.
"You… carry the mark of the Void. You are their greatest fear…""And their last mistake."
Her wings began to heal, faint feathers of silver regrowing. She looked toward the sky as tears formed in her eyes.
"I was once the Goddess of Creation — until they chained me for asking why mortals must die for their vanity."
Kael stepped forward, stunned. "They chained their own?"
"They always do," she whispered. "Power built on fear must silence truth."
She turned her gaze to Hayate, her eyes glowing faintly gold and red.
"Rengoku Hayate… The System that saved you — it is a fragment of me."
The air fell silent. Even Astraea's eyes widened.
"You mean—"
"Yes. The Void System is my rebellion. My will scattered through the worlds… searching for one who would destroy what the gods became."
Hayate's heart pounded. "Then you chose the wrong person."
The goddess smiled faintly. "No. I chose perfectly."
The Awakening
Light burst from the chains around her wrists — not holy, but wild, radiant with both darkness and life. The floor split open as divine energy surged, twisting the marble into shards.
A massive tremor shook the city. Far above, bells rang across Aetherion as golden storms gathered.
[System Alert: Divine Anomaly Detected.][Priority Target Established: Rengoku Hayate.][Celestial Army Mobilizing.]
The goddess touched his chest, imprinting a glowing sigil that merged with his mark.
"Take this. When the sky bleeds gold, it will guide you to the truth of your summoning."
"And you?" Hayate asked.
"I'll buy you time."
Her chains reformed — but this time, by her will. They wrapped around her body again, forming a barrier as her energy flared.
"Go, before the gods see too much."
Astraea grabbed Hayate's arm. "She means it — we have to leave, now!"
He looked back one last time — the chained goddess glowing brighter than the stars.
And then they ran.
The corridor exploded behind them as divine fire swept through the palace.Hayate clenched his fists. "She said the System was hers…"
Astraea nodded grimly. "Then we're no longer fighting the gods' game."
Selene looked up, terrified. "Then what are we fighting?"
Hayate's voice was calm, but it echoed with something ancient."The truth."
[Quest Updated: Infiltrate the Celestial Palace – Success.][New Quest: Seek the Goddess's Truth.][Bonus Objective: Survive the Celestial Army's Descent.]
Hayate stared at the sigil on his chest, glowing faintly with gold and black light.
"You said they'd know..." he whispered."Then let them come."