The storm above the temple had turned crimson.
Lightning split the sky like veins of blood as the shattered remains of the Oracle's mirror glowed faintly in the dust-choked air.
Hayate stood before the dais, cloak torn, his chest rising and falling heavily. His right arm—still wrapped in black-and-gold divine runes—pulsed with restrained violence.
[SYSTEM WARNING: Soul Link unstable. Overload imminent.]
He ignored it.
The Oracle's voice trembled as she knelt amidst the shards. "Y-you shouldn't have been able to resist the Goddess's will… How—how are you still alive?"
Hayate's gaze was cold. "Because unlike you," he said, stepping closer, "I didn't trade my soul for power. I earned mine through pain."
He slammed his foot down, and the ground quaked. Shadow fire erupted beneath him—dark, coiling tendrils that devoured light itself. The Oracle's halo flickered and cracked, her once-pure white robe now stained by the blood of her own betrayal.
She laughed weakly, a sound laced with despair. "You think you've won, don't you, mortal? The Goddess whispers in all things… She sees through every shadow."
Hayate's expression didn't change. "Then let her watch."
He drew his blade—the Oblivion Fang, now infused with both divine corruption and abyssal energy. As he raised it, his memories flickered in his mind: the moment his classmates abandoned him, their sneers echoing through the dungeon walls; the laughter of the Goddess when he begged for mercy. His grip tightened.
The Oracle reached out with a trembling hand. "If you kill me… her mark will awaken fully. The curse will—"
"Good," Hayate interrupted, voice low and deadly. "Then I'll drag her down with me."
The blade descended.
A single arc of black-red light filled the chamber, slicing through the air like a crack in reality itself. Silence followed—broken only by the fading chime of the Oracle's shattered staff.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Quest Complete – "Purge the Oracle of Deceit"]
[Reward Acquired: Fragment of the Goddess's Voice]
The dust settled. Hayate stood over the fading body, but something strange happened—the Oracle's dying form dissolved not into nothingness, but into light that seeped into his chest. For a brief moment, he felt her memories: her service to the Goddess, her fear, and her final regret.
"Forgive me… I saw the truth too late…"
Hayate clenched his jaw. "Another victim of her lies."
He turned toward the altar, where the sacred pool had begun to ripple. A faint whisper echoed through the chamber, carried on a cold wind.
"Rengoku Hayate… you've made quite a mess of my domain."
The voice was soft—beautiful even—but laced with venom. The Goddess herself.
Hayate's pulse quickened, but he didn't bow. "So, you finally speak to me directly."
"Why wouldn't I?" she purred. "You've slaughtered my Oracle, desecrated my temple, and devoured the seed of my curse. I find you… fascinating."
He spat. "You find broken toys fascinating."
A laugh. "Still defiant. But tell me, little flame, do you really believe you can burn a god?"
The temple walls began to glow with sigils of light. Energy flared, and for a brief instant, the Goddess's form appeared—ethereal, veiled in gold and shadow. Her eyes, pools of molten amber, regarded him with a cruel kind of affection.
"Your power grows," she said. "Too much, too quickly. Do you even know what that system of yours truly is?"
Hayate stiffened. "It's mine. That's all that matters."
"Oh, child…" Her smile deepened. "No. It's mine."
[SYSTEM ALERT: Unauthorized Synchronization Detected.]
Hayate's eyes widened. His system interface flickered violently. The runes on his arm flared, searing through his skin. Pain exploded in his chest as divine light clashed with abyssal corruption.
"Get… out of my head!" he roared, gripping his arm as black veins spidered up his neck.
The Goddess's laughter filled the temple. "You cannot escape what you are, my chosen mistake."
And then, just as suddenly as she appeared, her form disintegrated into a swarm of feathers that scattered into the air, leaving the temple silent once more.
Hayate dropped to one knee, breathing raggedly. He stared at his trembling hands—his veins still pulsing with light and shadow both.
[SYSTEM UPDATE: Hidden Pathway Unlocked – "Revenant's Genesis"]
He blinked. "Revenant…?"
Before he could read further, a soft groan echoed from behind the altar. Hayate's instincts flared—he spun around, blade raised.
A figure stumbled into view—a girl in tattered armor, chained by glowing runes. Her hair was silver-white, and her eyes were clouded, as though she hadn't seen sunlight in years.
"Who are you?" Hayate demanded.
The girl's voice was faint. "P-please… don't kill me… I'm… the last of the Oracle's guard. But I—I know how to reach the Goddess's realm."
That made him pause.
"How?" he asked, lowering the blade just slightly.
Her lips quivered. "Through the Abyss Gate. Only those cursed by the Goddess can enter."
Hayate smirked faintly, the corner of his mouth twisting upward. "Then it's my lucky day."
He extended his hand. The girl hesitated, then slowly took it. The moment their fingers touched, his system flared again.
[New Ally Registered: Selene – "The Shackled Acolyte"]
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: "Journey to the Abyss Gate"]
Hayate looked at the trembling girl and said quietly, "If you really want to destroy her… then walk with me. But know this—there's no turning back."
She nodded weakly. "Then I'll walk into hell itself."
Hayate turned toward the shattered temple doors. Lightning flashed again, painting his silhouette in gold and red. The storm hadn't faded—it had only begun to change color, swirling in a spiral that reached toward the heavens.
Somewhere above, the Goddess whispered again—faint, amused, and dangerous.
"Come then, Rengoku Hayate… show me what your hatred can create."
He smiled without joy.
"Gladly."
[Quest Updated: Journey to the Abyss Gate – New Ally Acquired]