The Sunken Cathedral glowed north of Eldrin—stone drowned in radiant light, air thick with holy resonance that burned the shadows. Beelzebub stood at its heart, Steel Sword in hand, aura a twenty-meter tempest of cold dominance, doubled by his Devourer profession. Level 18, 2775 EXP, stats a towering edifice—Strength at 669, Speed at 570, Luck and Charisma at 115. The Radiant Warden loomed before him—Level 24, armor blazing with divine fire, spear aglow with sanctity. Its voice rang, clear and unyielding: "You devour light itself… but it will judge you."
"Bow or break," Beelzebub growled, King's Roar thundering (10/10—maxed). The Warden faltered, light dimming, then thrust—spear blazing with holy flames. He flickered with Phantom Step (Mastery to 8/10), teleporting aside, then struck with Razor Rush, Speed at 570 slashing its armor. Light flared, searing his arm—HP dropping 18%, Minor Life and Magic ticking it back slowly.
The voices screamed—Void… chains… purity… who?—Spawn's nullity, Paladin's oath, now Warden's righteousness bleeding in. His head split, memories clashing: crypto screens, his old smirk, drowned in sanctimonious light. "I'm Beelzebub!" he roared, aura shattering a pew—a flex against the chaos within. Mana Surge flared, Mana spiking to 910 for thirty seconds. Arcane Breath blasted—mana fire clashing with holy flames, Mastery to 6/10.
The Warden swung—radiant wave rippling. Dark Aegis rose (Mastery to 3/10), dark shield cracking under the light—HP dipping 10%. Horned Frenzy pushed Speed to 855 briefly—Storm Call summoned lightning (Mastery to 4/10), Void Grasp coiling tendrils around its spear (Mastery to 2/10). The Warden broke free, spear thrusting—Defense at 465 tanked it, HP dropping 8%. He grinned, cold and cruel, then Phantom Step flickered him behind—Strength at 669 driving the Steel Sword through its chest. Light exploded—HP fell 20%—but the Warden crumbled, radiance fading.
"Ding! Radiant Warden defeated. Absorbed: Strength +80, Speed +70, Defense +60, Mana +100, Luck +5, Charisma +5, Radiant Strike (Skill). Loot: Warden's Gauntlets x1, Copper x700."
Strength: 749 Speed: 640 Defense: 525 Mana: 707 Luck: 120 Charisma: 120 Skills: Radiant Strike (Unleash holy slash, Mastery: 1/10)
"Ding! Quest Complete. Reward: 350 EXP, 140 Copper, Favor (Mage Guild Trust +5%)."
"Ding! Level Up! Reached Level 19. EXP: 3125/2750."
The voices howled—Light… purity… who am I?—Warden's sanctity now, piercing and unrelenting. His skull split, a cacophony of wills—Wyrm's storm, Spawn's void, Warden's light. He staggered, aura flaring wildly—crushing stone to dust. "I'm me!" he roared, fists clenched, shoving it down. The strain pulsed—Gluttony devouring too much, identity a fraying thread stretched to breaking. His smirk returned, colder, a mask over the widening fracture.
POV Shift: Ryn, the Assassin
Ryn watched from the cathedral's shadows, cloak blending with decay. Beelzebub's aura was a storm—Level 19, a force unraveling at the seams. Her trust hit 38%, her past as a cursed player binding her tighter. "He's burning," she whispered, dagger steady. "But he won't stop." His power mirrored her lost self—salvation or a shared collapse, she'd stay to find out.
Beelzebub emerged, aura a tempest, Warden's Gauntlets—+20 Defense, +5% Mana Regen—gleaming on his hands. Eldrin's square hushed—players gaping, NPCs shrinking. Elara approached, trust at 12%, eyes dark with dread. "You're… a void now," she said, voice trembling.
He leaned close, Charisma at 120 weaving charm into menace. "A void that swallows light, priestess. Pray harder." She stepped back, trust dropping to 10%—fear consuming.
The twins rushed up—Lia at Level 14, Mira at 15, both sharper now. "Level 19?" Lia breathed, ambition glowing. "Help us—a dungeon, please?"
Mira scowled. "We'll overtake you soon."
He winked, flirty yet sharp. "Earn my time, ladies. I don't drag ants." Lia's resolve burned; Mira's rivalry flared.
Kael stormed in, Level 17, Warrior's armor dented. "Light-killer?" he spat. Beelzebub's aura splintered a stall. "Trash barks loud. I'll bury you next." Kael retreated, rage veiling terror.
The Mage Guild summoned—trust at 50% now, tense. The priestess, eyes wary, offered a tome: "Lore: The chained force awakens. Gods tremble at its name." "Your goddess too?" he teased, flirty and cold. Her trust fell to 2%—dread overtaking.
POV Shift: Beelzebub's Mind
The voices clawed—Light… void… who?—Warden's purity, Spawn's nullity, more bleeding in. His head split, a memory flashing: his old life, a laugh, now burned in light's judgment. "I'm Beelzebub," he growled, aura flaring in the guild—cracking crystal. Was he? Gluttony's cost gnawed—identity a tangle of stolen wills, a void threatening to erase. He smirked through it, pride a blade. "I'll break the gods—then I'll forge myself anew."
A new quest pinged: "Face the Flame. Slay the Inferno Titan in the Blazing Gorge. Reward: 400 EXP, 160 Copper, Favor." He headed west—Ryn shadowing him. "Still here, Blade?" he called, flirty edge sharp.
"Bound," she replied, trust ticking to 40%. "You're… a fire I can't escape."
"Stay close," he teased. "You'll burn with me."
The Blazing Gorge roared—flames licking stone, air thick with heat. The Inferno Titan loomed—Level 26, a colossus of molten rock, fists aglow with fire. Beelzebub grinned, aura a storm. "Bow or break."
Tracker Level: 19 (EXP: 3125/2750)
Stats: Strength: 749 | Speed: 640 | Defense: 545 | Mana: 727 | Luck: 120 | Charisma: 120
Talents: Gluttony (Error) – No stat gains from leveling; absorbs all attributes, skills, bloodlines, blessings from defeated beings; duplicates enhance mastery
Powers/Skills: Horned Dash (5/10), King's Roar (10/10), Horned Frenzy (1/10), Basic Slash (10/10), Razor Rush (1/10), Shadow Cloak (2/10), Bone Ward (7/10), Necrotic Pulse (7/10), Phantom Step (8/10), Mana Surge (1/10), Arcane Breath (6/10), Storm Call (4/10), Shadow Bind (2/10), Dark Aegis (3/10), Void Grasp (2/10), Radiant Strike (1/10)
Profession: Devourer – Gluttony absorption +50%, Devourer's Mark (Aura potency x2)
Bloodlines: Human
Blessings: Minor Life (+5% HP regen, 1/10), Minor Magic (+5% Mana Regen, 1/10)
Harem: No bonds yet (Twins Lia and Mira intrigued, Priestess Elara at 10% trust, Assassin Ryn at 40% trust, Magic Priestess at 2% trust)
Recent Gains: Strength +80, Speed +70, Defense +60, Mana +100, Luck +5, Charisma +5, 1 Skill
Loot Drops: Warden's Gauntlets (+20 Defense, +5% Mana Regen), Copper x840 (total: 5970), Health Potion x1