Smoke crawled across the broken plaza like a living thing.
The banners of the Divine Path lay in tatters, their holy symbols smeared with blood and ash. Cracked stone and shattered statues surrounded Hiroto as he stood in the center of the ruin, shadow drifting around his feet like mist that refused to fade.
Yui staggered toward him, gripping her side.
"Hiroto… the western line collapsed. Goro is holding them back alone."
Hiroto clenched his fist.
The war had turned into something worse than battle.
It had become a hunt.
Priests no longer preached.
They executed.
Believers no longer prayed.
They burned villages in the name of "purity."
And now… something else was coming.
A deep horn echoed from the cathedral hill.
Not a war horn.
A summoning call.
The remaining Divine Path soldiers knelt in unison, even those bleeding, even those dying.
A voice thundered from the ruined cathedral steps.
"Children of faith…
Witness the judgment of the heavens."
The High Preacher stepped aside.
And from behind him…
It descended.
Not a god.
Not human.
A massive figure wrapped in scripture chains, its face hidden behind a golden mask carved with prayer symbols. Light leaked from the cracks in its body like it was holding a sun inside.
Yui whispered, terrified,
"…what is that?"
Hiroto felt his shadow recoil for the first time since childhood.
"…A vessel," he said.
"A fake god."
The creature raised one arm.
Light poured out.
The front line of resistance was erased in an instant.
No scream.
No blood.
Just ash.
Goro roared in rage and charged, smashing into the creature's chest with everything he had. The impact split the ground but the thing didn't even stumble.
Instead, it grabbed Goro by the throat.
Cracks spread across Goro's armor.
"Run!" he shouted. "Hiroto don't fight that thing head-on!"
Hiroto stepped forward anyway.
His shadow exploded outward, covering the plaza like a black tide.
"If this is what your faith looks like…"
his voice was low, shaking with fury,
"…then I will bury it."
The vessel's mask turned toward him.
And for the first time…
It spoke.
"Shadow-born…
You are incompatible with salvation."
Light and darkness collided.
The explosion ripped through the plaza and shattered the cathedral behind them.
When the dust settled Hiroto was on one knee, blood dripping from his mouth.
The vessel still stood.
Unharmed.
Yui screamed his name.
And from the distant city walls, bells began to ring.
Not victory bells.
Execution bells.
Because the Divine Path had activated their final decree:
All non-believers are to be purged before dawn.
Hiroto slowly rose, shadow writhing around him like a wounded beast.
"…Then dawn will drown in blood."
To be continued.