[Prologue – The Empire Beneath the Sun]
The Zareth Empire was beautiful in the way a blade was — polished, perfect, and always one motion away from spilling blood.
Its towering spires cut through the evening mist, reflecting the crimson glow of the setting sun. Golden banners fluttered along marble bridges, bearing the sigil of the Radiant Goddess, the very deity who had cursed Hayate's name.
And beneath those holy walls… corruption festered like a wound.
Merchant caravans passed through gilded gates while beggars lined the cobbled streets. Soldiers marched with prayers on their lips, never realizing their goddess watched them not with love, but with hunger.
From a shadowed alleyway, Rengoku Hayate watched them all.
His cloak was dark, tattered at the edges. A single feather — white with a hint of red — hung from his sword hilt. The faint light of the Saint's Echo pulsed within his chest like a quiet heartbeat.
[System Notice: Region Detected – Zareth Empire (Divine Jurisdiction Zone).]
[Warning: Celestial Influence High. Disguise Protocols Engaged.]
"Good," Hayate murmured. "Let's see what kind of world worships my enemies."
[Scene: The Market of Echoes]
He walked through the busy market, the smell of roasted meat and incense mingling in the air. Every few steps, a priest shouted sermons of the Radiant Goddess, her statue towering over the plaza — arms open, smile merciful, eyes carved from pure sapphire.
But Hayate could feel it — the faint pulse of divine energy radiating from the statue, like a beacon watching him.
[System Alert: Surveillance Node Identified. Source – Divine Idol.]
[Suggestion: Avoid prolonged eye contact.]
Hayate smirked. "So even statues spy for her now."
He turned away, slipping into a shaded tea house tucked between stone pillars. The interior was quiet, lit only by candles and the soft hum of lute music. Travelers, mercenaries, and information brokers filled the room — the kind of place where secrets traded hands faster than coins.
Hayate took a seat near the back, his hood low.
[Scene: The Mysterious Informant]
A waitress approached — tall, graceful, with long raven hair and sharp golden eyes that glowed faintly even in the dim light. Her voice was low, teasing.
"Welcome, stranger. You look like someone who's lost more than his way."
Hayate glanced up. Something about her aura felt… wrong. Not divine. Not mortal. Something in between.
"Just looking for information," he said flatly. "Heard this city whispers more than it speaks."
She smiled faintly. "Then you've come to the right place. The first cup of tea's free… the truth, however, isn't."
He slid a small pouch of gold across the table. "Then pour both."
She sat opposite him, uninvited, and poured two cups. Steam curled between them as her eyes shimmered.
"So, what are you searching for, traveler?"
Hayate's answer was simple. "The Radiant Church's High Council. I heard they hold relics from the heavens."
Her gaze sharpened. "You're either a fool… or someone who hates the gods."
He smiled faintly. "Can't I be both?"
A pause — then she laughed softly, a sound like silver bells in a storm. "You're bold. I like that."
But before she could say more, the door slammed open.
[Scene: The Inquisition Arrives]
Three armored figures entered, their armor gleaming gold and white. Each bore the insignia of the Divine Inquisition, the personal guard of the High Priestess of the Radiant Church. The room fell silent.
The tallest knight scanned the tea house with cold precision. His voice rang like steel.
"By order of the Church, all patrons remain seated. We are searching for a fugitive connected to heresy and celestial treason."
Hayate's jaw tightened. They're fast.
The waitress leaned close, whispering just loud enough for him to hear.
"You should leave — now."
He raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know I'm the one they're after?"
She smiled faintly, eyes glowing gold. "Because the moment you walked in, the goddess started screaming in my head."
[System Alert: Concealment Protocol Breached.]
[Hostile Recognition Confirmed: Divine Knight-Class – Rank S]
The knights advanced, and the lead one drew his blade, pointing directly at Hayate.
"There he is! By decree of the Radiant Goddess, surrender yourself, Abyss-Touched!"
The entire tea house erupted into chaos. Tables overturned. Patrons fled. Hayate rose slowly, cloak swirling behind him.
"Guess I can't keep a low profile after all."
[Battle: The Inquisition Clash]
The first knight lunged. Hayate sidestepped, his blade flashing once — silent, efficient. The man's sword arm fell to the floor before he realized it had been severed.
The second knight shouted, "Form the Halo!"
Golden runes flared, creating a radiant circle around them that burned with divine fire.
[System Warning: Suppression Field Detected – Limiting Dark Energy Output by 60%.]
"Annoying," Hayate muttered.
He reached forward, grasped the nearest rune in midair — and crushed it with his bare hand.
The knights froze. "That's impossible—!"
[Skill Activated: Revenant's Dominion – Nullify Divine Constructs (Low-Tier).]
The circle shattered, light bursting outward like glass. Hayate moved like a phantom, cutting through their formation in a blur of black and crimson. When the dust cleared, the three knights lay unconscious — breathing, but broken.
The tea house was silent again.
The waitress stood, clapping softly. "Impressive. I haven't seen someone humiliate the Church like that since…"Her smile faded slightly. "Since her."
Hayate tilted his head. "Her?"
She stepped closer. "The Exiled Saint."
[Revelation: The Hidden Faction]
He froze. "You know of her?"
The woman nodded. "More than that. I was one of her Shadows — agents she left behind in the mortal realm when she fell. We protect her legacy… and the child she saved."
Her gaze met his directly, her tone almost reverent.
"So tell me, Hayate — what's your plan now?"
He hesitated. "…You know my name?"
She chuckled. "The world may have forgotten it, but the shadows never did."
Hayate's eyes narrowed. "Then tell me what you want."
"To serve," she said simply. "The saint foresaw your rise. She called you the Heavenbreaker.
"Her tone grew darker. "But to challenge heaven, you'll need more than strength. You'll need allies who move unseen — and the truth buried beneath this empire."
Hayate crossed his arms. "And where do I start?"
She leaned forward. "With the High Priestess of Zareth. She's not human. She's a vessel — for the goddess herself."
[Scene: The Temple of Dawn]
That night, Hayate stood atop a cathedral spire overlooking the temple district. The moon hung low, silver and cold, illuminating the marble dome of the Temple of Dawn — the seat of divine power in the empire.
The system pulsed faintly in his vision.
[Objective Updated: Infiltrate the Temple of Dawn. Retrieve the Relic of the Exiled Saint.][Warning: Target Region Under Divine Protection. Entry Unauthorized.]
He smirked. "Good thing I stopped asking for permission."
The waitress — now revealed as his new ally — appeared beside him, dressed in black armor trimmed with crimson silk. Her name echoed faintly through the system.
[New Ally Registered: Seris – Shadow of the Saint.]
[Affection: 18%]
"You're serious about going in there alone?" she asked.
"I'm used to being alone," Hayate replied. "But if you insist on tagging along, stay out of my way."
She smiled. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. But you might want to prepare yourself."
He frowned. "For what?"
She looked toward the temple, eyes glinting with amusement. "Because the High Priestess you're after… isn't who you think she is."
[Scene: The Face of Betrayal]
The temple doors opened — and out stepped a figure in flowing white robes, her golden staff glowing with divine power.
Her beauty was ethereal, her expression serene. But when she looked up, Hayate's breath caught.
It was Akiyama Reira — one of his classmates.
The same girl who had abandoned him in the dungeon.
[System Identification: Reira Akiyama – Class: Divine Vessel (Temporary).]
[Status: Linked to the Radiant Goddess.]
Hayate's eyes went cold. "You've got to be kidding me."
Seris whispered, "You know her?"
"Too well," Hayate said. "She's one of the people I swore I'd destroy."
As the temple bells tolled midnight, Reira raised her staff.
Her eyes, once gentle, now glowed with the light of the goddess.
"Rengoku Hayate," she said softly, her voice layered with another — the Radiant Goddess herself."You shouldn't have survived."
Hayate drew his sword, the air crackling around him.
"Guess your goddess made a mistake."
[Quest Updated: "Revenge Path: Divine Vessel"]
[Objective: Defeat Reira Akiyama – Retrieve the Saint's Relic.]
And as lightning split the sky, the battle for Zareth began.