Smoke curled through the shattered ruins.
The world felt like it held its breath.
Atop the crumbling tower of the ruined village, Apollyon stood shirtless, his aura pulsing violently like a heart made of black flame.
His crimson eyes locked onto the glowing divine figure floating above.
She descended slowly—Seraphina Eltharys, Goddess of Judgement.
Wings of radiant silver flame spread from her back, each feather shimmering like crystal. Her blade, long and gleaming with divine script, hummed with celestial power. The air around her shimmered like it was afraid to touch her.
She didn't speak at first.
She just looked at him.
A man born without a thread of fate. A creature who should not exist.
Apollyon smirked, tilting his head like a wolf eyeing a deer.
> "So the heavens sent you already?" he said. "That was quick. You must be afraid."
Her expression didn't waver. "You're an abomination. A tear in the pattern. I'm not here to talk."
> "Then swing your blade, angel," he said, stepping forward. "Let's see if heaven's steel can wound chaos."
---
[SYSTEM ALERT]
> [WARNING: DIVINE BEING DETECTED — THREAT LEVEL: ABSOLUTE]
[YOU CANNOT WIN THIS BATTLE.]
[RECOMMENDED ACTION: ESCAPE.]
Apollyon laughed aloud.
> "Finally. A real challenge."
He raised his hand—and the shadows screamed.
The blood of the fallen soldiers began to swirl. A storm of crimson and darkness surged around him, forming dozens of shadow blades that hovered in the air like wolves around a king.
Seraphina raised her divine glaive.
She vanished.
CLANG.
She reappeared mid-swing, blade crashing against Apollyon's aura-forged sword. Sparks exploded. The impact cracked the tower beneath him.
She flipped back, slashing again. This time, Apollyon dodged with inhuman speed—his bare foot sliding across broken stone like it was water.
They clashed again.
And again.
BOOM. BOOM. CRACK.
The ruined tower collapsed beneath their fury, sending both hurtling into the open field beyond.
Seraphina landed like a meteor, blasting the ground into glass.
Apollyon hit the earth, rolled, and stopped on one knee. He wiped the blood from his mouth with a smirk.
> "You're fast. Beautiful, too. Pity you're on the wrong side."
Seraphina narrowed her eyes.
> "Chaos corrupts everything it touches. I won't let you spread it."
> "Corruption?" Apollyon laughed darkly. "You call this corruption? I call it truth. Your gods are afraid of me because I remind them what they buried."
---
He exploded forward.
His aura spiraled outward like a living beast, taking the form of a horned demon behind him.
He threw a punch—one that shattered sound.
Seraphina blocked with her glaive, but the impact sent her skidding backwards, tearing a trench into the earth with her boots.
Her expression faltered. For just a split second.
He saw it.
Fear.
> "You felt that, didn't you?" Apollyon grinned. "I'm still growing."
She darted back, forming a sigil in mid-air.
Holy light surged.
> "Judgement: Heavenfall."
A pillar of divine flame rained down from the clouds, engulfing him completely.
The field turned white.
Silence.
---
But then… laughter.
Low. Terrifying. Unrelenting.
The light faded—revealing Apollyon still standing, his body burned but unbent. His aura flared stronger, wrapping around him like a cloak of death.
> "That... was beautiful," he said through the smoke. "My turn."
---
He stabbed his hand into the ground.
> "Rise."
Dozens of corpses burst from the field—twisted soldiers he'd slain earlier. Their eyes now glowed red with stolen aura, bodies stitched by shadows.
They stood behind him in silence.
> [SKILL UNLOCKED: CHAOS CALL — Raise temporary aura shadows from fresh corpses.]
Seraphina readied herself.
> "Necromancy... you've already begun to evolve."
Apollyon laughed. "You came to kill a man. But what stood here... was a storm waiting to be named."
He raised his hand. The undead surged forward like a tide.
Seraphina's blade flashed. One by one, she cut them down, a goddess dancing in divine fury.
But while she fought them—
Apollyon vanished.
---
He appeared right behind her mid-spin, whispering:
> "Your light is lovely… but you've never fought something that smiles while it burns."
He drove his fist into her stomach.
She gasped.
The ground exploded under them. Seraphina was sent flying, her wings flickering.
He didn't let up.
He leapt after her mid-air, grabbed her ankle, and slammed her into the ground.
CRACK.
Dust shot up for miles.
Apollyon landed on her chest, one hand glowing with aura ready to strike.
> "Still sure I'm the monster?"
But Seraphina didn't look afraid.
She smiled faintly.
> "I… can see it now. Why the gods fear you."
> "Then kneel."
> "No. But I'll remember your name."
She vanished—teleported in a flash of divine light, leaving only a faint scorch in the dirt.
---
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
> [BATTLE DATA RECORDED — FIRST DIVINE CLASH SURVIVED]
[EXP GAINED. LEVEL UP.]
Strength: 41 → 48
Speed: 36 → 42
Mana: 50 → 70
Aura: 18 → 24
[NEW TRAIT UNLOCKED: CHAOS CORE]
You grow faster the more divine beings try to erase you.
---
Apollyon stood in the silence, breathing slowly.
He cracked his neck.
> "She'll be back."
He looked at his reflection in a pool of blood.
His eyes glowed.
His grin widened.
> "Good."