The temple fell silent. Only the faint drip of blood echoed through the hall.
Hayate stood motionless, his blade lowered at his side. The crimson aura around him slowly faded, but the power within his veins still roared — wild and alive. Every heartbeat was louder than thunder.
Ren Ichiro's body lay still among the shattered altar stones. Once a proud hero… now nothing more than another name in Hayate's growing list of debts repaid.
System Notification:[Battle Log Completed][Energy Synchronization: 78%][New Passive Skill: Pain Conversion Lv.1]
Hayate let out a long, trembling breath. "Pain… conversion, huh?"
He looked down at his palm, still faintly glowing red. The wounds were already closing — not through healing, but through absorption. The System fed on his suffering, turning agony into strength.
"That's… terrifying," he muttered, half in awe and half in fear.
He turned toward the far corridor — the only exit left uncollapsed. The crimson light of the altar dimmed behind him as he walked, his shadow stretching long against the broken walls.
For a moment, he thought he was alone.
Until a soft voice whispered, "You shouldn't have done that."
Hayate froze.
The air grew colder. He turned slowly — and saw a figure kneeling beside Ren's corpse.
A woman, draped in tattered robes, her long silver hair flowing like moonlight. Her face was hidden beneath a dark veil, and faint black mist drifted from her hands.
"Who are you?" Hayate demanded, raising his guard instantly.
The woman didn't answer right away. Instead, she touched Ren's body gently — and in an instant, the corpse dissolved into black ash.
Hayate's eyes widened. "You—"
"—killed one of the goddess's chosen," she finished for him, her voice soft yet filled with sorrow. "That means she will come for you next."
The word goddess made Hayate's chest tighten.The same being who had summoned them.The one who threw him away like trash.
He clenched his fists. "Let her come."
The woman tilted her head slightly. "You're not afraid?"
Hayate stepped closer. "I was afraid once. When they left me to die. When I begged for help that never came. That fear died the moment my blood awakened."
For a moment, the woman was silent. Then, she chuckled softly."A dangerous resolve. I like it."
She stood, her veil shifting slightly — and for an instant, Hayate glimpsed her eyes beneath it. They glowed faintly purple, ancient and knowing.
"I am Selith, the Whisper of the Abyss," she said. "The goddess calls me a heretic… because I once tried to destroy her."
Hayate's grip tightened on his sword. "Then we have something in common."
Selith smiled faintly. "Perhaps. But your power is still incomplete. You're using the Blood System, yes? Then you'll need guidance before it consumes you."
"Consumes me?" Hayate frowned.
"The Blood of the Fallen is cursed," she said softly. "Each time you use it, you offer a part of your soul. Keep going like this, and the System will make you its vessel."
A cold silence filled the hall. Hayate's mind flashed with memories — the pain, the burning veins, the voices he thought he'd imagined.
He took a step back. "…Then how do I stop it?"
Selith raised her hand, and from the shadows, a small red crystal floated into view. It pulsed with faint life — like a beating heart.
"Find the Crimson Sigils scattered through this dungeon," she said. "Each one seals a part of the curse… and reveals a fragment of truth. Gather them all, and you might live long enough to challenge her."
Hayate stared at the crystal — then nodded. "Where do I start?"
Selith smiled under her veil. "You already have. The first sigil lies deeper, where light cannot reach… guarded by what remains of the goddess's first creation."
The ground trembled faintly beneath them — a warning from the depths below.
Hayate looked into the darkness, his expression sharpening."So be it. I'll tear down everything she built… one piece at a time."
As he turned to leave, the System chimed once more.
[Quest Updated: Hunt for the Crimson Sigils – Step 1: Descent into the Abyss]
Selith's voice echoed softly behind him."Be careful, Blood-Bound One. Power always demands a price…"