What the...

  I- I'm not supposed to feel pain... This isn't reality. What the fuck ?! What's happening ?

  The alien figure struggled to get up. As soon as it touched something, its nerves reminded the entity that it had just been burnt... in a virtual world.

  Stay DOWN !

  And what the fuck was up with that mob ? Why couldn't its code be accessed.

  The figure tried one, two, three more times, but the same system window appeared three times instead of the expected lines of 0's and 1's.

  "What the... Are you an NPC or what ? A BETA tester ? But BETA ain't coming before... Did someone crack the game already ? Cheats maybe ?"

  The figure of foreign authority looked at the free-falling Wyvern. That thing was insane ! The dev teleported out of the way, letting the creature crash onto the ground.The impact was strong enough to create a crater in the soil, a crater the monster's head seemed to have lodged itself.

  That's what you get. Let's see.

  Freeze command ?... No. Debuff ?... No.Mind-control ?... No.

  What the fuck...AGH-

  The figure instinctively shielded its visage as chunks of dirt and rocks erupted from the fming ground. The Wyvern was out of the ground, and it was hurling boulders and whatever it could tear off the ground at the developer. Trunks, stones, soil and even unfortunate mobs who didn't get the chance to escape in time.The dev could not understand. Everything that Wyvern was throwing, he could make disappear with his vanish-aura. But why was it unaffected ? It didn't make sense...

  You pgue... I will kill you. You developer pest...You bring evil into this world. A world that does not belong to you... I will...

  Oh shut up...I've had enough. Now you're dead meat.I'll have to make a report about a bug though...

  The entity scrolled down through its long list of weapons, still trying to dodge the projectiles sent in its direction. And as the Wyvern took off, it finally selected one. Debug stick #7. An instant-kill tool in the form of a spear. One cylindrical polygon and a cone shaped one spped together during 3D modeling.That would do it. That flying lizard would get obliterated when they would collide. And if it didn't, there was always the spearhead's little secret.

  A little closer...Closer...Closer...

  Now !

  The spear streaked across the sky, getting closer and closer to the Wyvern's head. It ducked and the spear grazed its scaled neck.

  "And boom~"

  The spear's tip exploded and the shock wave sent the monster crashing in the faraway trees. The distance at which it was sent made the Wyvern appear as a tiny dot in the developer's eyes. Moreover, the creature wasn't moving anymore.

  "Alright. Let's restore the area. The team wouldn't be happy to see the terrain like this."

  After fiddling around with the ndscape's settings, the figure's attention went back to the bugged mob, who still hadn't moved an inch.

  "Let's see what was the problem." it muttered as it hovered near the crash site.

  Crimson burning blood was pooling out of the Wyvern's body. Or was it liquid fire ? Seeing how the surrounding bushes were being lit up, the second guess seemed like the correct one.

  "Broken wings, the membrane has been ripped off... some scales are bent or destroyed... Well, see where that tantrum lead you ? You're dead now. Wasn't very worth-it, right ? Now be a good lizard and let me extract your data..."

  Access has been denied by Authority. Errors found:

  - Query invalid. -Mob data not found.- Data values unreadable.

  Virtue and God-levels Credentials required to access the following data.

  Fuck you ?

  "AGAIN ?! What the fuck ?! And what's up with these credentials ?! They don't fucking exist ! Stop making up bullshit !"

  They DO exist. Imbecile.

  Uhh- ?!

  The dev didn't even register the Bck Fmes engulfing him until it was too te.The pain was unlike anything he had experienced before. It as if... as if his soul was leaving his body. He thrashed around with commands and his perms, but none of them responded. All of them were dispying the same message.

  Error.

  The otherworldly existence didn't notice the bloody, dislocated and broken jaws inching closer and closer to its glitchy head.

  CRUNCH-

  -

  "Hey, Reinhardt's dev pod isn't showing any vitals. It it some kind of bug or what ?"

  "Oh yeah, leave it be. We've had some issues of these modules randomly disconnecting for a few seconds... since the development of the first game. By the way, did they figure out what was the cause of the server melting ?"

  "Nope. And it's not our problem."

  -

  Hours ter.

  | Ramiel. I know you're angry at me. But please, try to understand my point of view. Hero candidates only appear once a Demon King rises. There cannot be any repcement. I was scared of your well-being with that girl. |

  'I know, Sky ! But that doesn't mean you should do things on your own behind my back ! That's not how trust works dammit !'

  | Wait Ramiel ! There's someone here ?! |

  -hurts. Where's the city... ? U-ugh...This... bastard... It was... dangerous. Can't... fly back. Can't turn scaleless... What the fuck was that spear... ?

  Ugh...Why didn't I take a CommuStone on my way... Urh !

  "..."

  | ... |

  Neither Sky, nor Ramiel expected to come across the sight of the terrifying Wyvern from before, with blood pouring out of her jaw, and fractured wings that tried to drag the rest of her body around the trees. in truth, her pained moans were heart-wrenching to hear and even though Ramiel knew she was supposed to be a big bad boss... he couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

  He stared at the sad scene before him.

  With a push from her arm-wings, she advanced another couple meters. With another, she lifted her body and-

  She fell. The broken bone had cracked a little bit more, unable to stand Raya's full weight. That earned a low hiss from the flying reptilian, who stopped trying to move. Instead, she began licking her wounds with her tongue and small fmes, most likely to stop the bleeding.

  | Ramiel. What will you do ? |

  '... I'll help her, I suppose. She saved our lives when we trespassed. If I can ease up her pain just a little bit... I'll need your power though... If that's fine with you.'

  | ... That is acceptable. Let's help her. |

  Ramiel decided it'd be best to put Sky in its scabbard. The st thing he wanted was to receive a fireball in the face.

  "M- Miss Wyvern !" he called out.

  Raya lifted her serpentine neck, confusion painted across her face. She looked around, with reddish fire at the ready in her throat. Then her gaze nded on the Hero Candidate, who stopped moving and lifted his hands in a sign of peace.

  ... The boy who fled after stealing the Holy Sword. Why have... you returned ? Because of guilt ? Or because you found your companion horribly insufferable ? Or did the Holy Sword advise to do it ?You too, don't be shy, Sword. You have kept silent the st time we encountered, but I sense that have awakened. You better start speaking.

  The wyvern's maw was not moving. She was most likely burning through huge amounts of mana to speak with magic.

  "I-"

  [ I'll handle it. ] Sky voiced-out. [ So you are indeed able to sense my presence, Wyvern. But who are you to be able to do so ? As far as I know, only my holder and individuals chosen by Them know of a holy weapon's true natu- !]

  Are these Fmes familiar to you ? Holy Sword ? If they are... what are they ? Answer me, Sword !

  Ramiel let out a pained moan.The dark fmes that were coming out of Raya's maw were very unpleasant memories. Memories about characters being one-tapped by AoE spsh damage, them dying to inextinguishable burn DoTs, or even sapping their mana reserves...

  Meanwhile, Sky kept silent, as if it was hypnotized, in a trance.

  [ The Bck Fire. The Fme of True Wrath. That means... You would be... The Sin of Wrath. The one who purges body and mind, at the end of Their Creation. ]

  Oh ? The Divine hasn't told you about me ? Strange. Was it to avoid any worries... Or did They deem that as unnecessary ?... In any case, what are you doing here ? I don't believe you are... welcome in these nds, after the stun that you've pulled with the heir of the empire.

  "Well... things happened, Sky believed that I would be safer here than with... Liz'a. So we came back. And now, we... want to help you ? In any way we can find. If that's okay with... you ?"

  Well... that's unexpected. the Wyvern let out, closing her eyes. I wouldn't have thought that you'd want to help me. Especially considering our first encounter was... Besides, you seem to fear me, like the boys you ditched back at the Academy.

  "Ah... That's- part of why we came back. To avoid a disaster. There are things that I need to make sure of. Like-"

  [ The heiress of the Akwa Empire is descending into madness, O Sin of Wrath. She believes that... She believes that the lover of her past-life has been killed in this world. She wants to take revenge on those who couldn't protect him. ]

  "S- Sky ! You promised me ! That's the second time you... !"

  [ Ramiel ! That's not about trust ! That's about us surviving here and now ! We cannot lie ! Not before the One tasked to purify souls ! There is no way I am letting this era's Hero Candidate, you, die ! ]

  "I- Still... why ?"

  The Sword kept silent, under the amused gaze of the Wyvern.

  All of that is truly amusing. But... while we're at it, you both should tell the full truth. I know that you are an otherworlder too.

  ???

  Oh, don't make such a face. I'm not going to kill you. For now. I have yet to listen to your heart and your soul. We wouldn't want a selfish Hero like the previous one, right ?

  "..."

  [ Ramiel. You can trust her. I believe that getting recognized by a Sin Themselves is even better than getting recognized by the Pope. ]

  Your sword is right. If I deem you worthy of your title, if your heart and mind does not bear the malice of arrogance, if you do not wish to use your powers for yourself and only yourself... you can be assured that no Sin or cult will trouble you in your quest against the Demons. But should my Fire find a bckened heart and soul...

  As soon as the Wyvern finished her sentence, Fire of bck and red encircled the unprepared Ramiel, who tried to step back but stopped as soon as he noticed the fmes were behind him too.

  [ Do not, Ramiel. Do not move. This is a trial you must undertake. ]

  The teen gulped down audibly, anxiously staring at the raging fires coming closer and closer, closing the infernal circle little by little. Then a fming wisp coiled around his legs, another coiled around his arms, and a st one started suffocating him.

  Together, the three fmes pulled Ramiel down, twisting and tightening their hold.First, they made him take a prayer stance.Second, they made him kneel on both knees.And third, the fmes dragged Ramiel down in the dirt, tightening more and more around his body.

  Raya hummed at the sight with narrowed eyes. Bck fming eyes, instead of the usual crimson pupils.

  I see... Endure, Heroic seedling. Endure...

  [ Sin of Wrath, you... Are these Fmes not hurting you ? ] Sky asked in disbelief, as Raya, despite her state, dragged herself towards the ring of fire.For each second passing by, her scales bckened. For each breath she released, fire spread on the ground. For each step she took, her broken body turned to fmes.

  May you resist my Jaws. O Hero Candidate. O Otherworlder. O... Thief.

  The fmes in the shape of Raya took off and floated high up in the sky, above Ramiel's restrained form. After the moment of silence, the fming silhouette dove to the ground, jaws gaping wide, aimed to bite and crush the terrified teen.

  Ramiel close his eyes and the Sword, tried too, despite not having any.

  The fmes fshed a thrilled grin as they fell...

  And nothing happened. The fmes scattered on the ground, to become flesh again, a few meters away. The fire that bound Ramiel disappeared and he let out a long relieved sigh, along with Sky, shakin in its scabbard. After taking to time to examine himself, he got up and reattached the holy weapon to his belt.

  A rumbling, tired ugh reached his ears and Ramiel turned around.

  Kh- Khkhkhkhkhk...

  Raya was ying on one side, her body in an even worse shape than before. The left forearm's bones were bursting from the flesh, like giant splinters and many scales had fallen off. The Wyvern was in a sorry state.

  "Sky ? Do you have enough holy aura ? To heal... her ?"

  Do not bother. Hero of Humanity. My wounds are not ones your Sword can heal. At least not for now.This whole ritual is new to me. I have... still much to learn. I have used a lot more power than I should have. My nding was rough... And I paid the price.

  Sigh... In any case, I congratute you. You have passed my Trial of Fire. Rejoice ! You are the third otherworlder that does not harbor a heart of arrogance or greed. NOw that this has been done... Come closer. There is one st thing that I have to do, to mark you.

  Ramiel approached with hesitant, shaky steps. His previous experience had been... terrifying to say the least. He stopped in front of the Wyvern's snout, close enough to feel her hot and steamy breath, but far away enough to not step into the puddles of burning blood around the scaled being. The Hero of Humanity stared, confused as Raya began munching on something, as skillfully as her jaws allowed her to. A few instants passed and she finally spit out a gem of uneven shape coated in spit and blood. It was roughly the size of a thumb, but it was heavy. And slightly warm to the touch.

  S- sorry... That was the best I could do.

  Was... was she... embarrassed ? Ramiel rose slightly an eyebrow at the strange scene unfolding before him. He bent over to take the gem and started cleaning the fluids from it, hiding his disgust.He didn't want to appear rude after all.

  "What... is that ?" he asked in wonder.

  A condensed form of my fire. It holds small traces of my Wrath. With this, anyone who follows my ideals will sense that you are someone I... have good retions with. I advise you to turn this into a pendant, or insert it in your sword's pommel. Your choice.

  [ I believe turning it into a pendant may be the best choice.. This gem would be better suited as a protective artifact. ]

  The Wyvern used her tail to scratch her head, while nodding along.

  I haven't even thought of that. Thank you, sword. There is still much that I have to learn about this world. I am only twenty after all.... Or is it eighteen ? Or seventeen ? Ugh... Who cares anyway ?

  'How many years old ?!'

  | ... I am... speechless. What the Hell ! |

  You're not having strange thoughts... Are you ?Tsk... Instead of that, could you please uhhhhh... Get to BncheVille ? And alert Kari or whoever is avaible right now ? To let them know that everything's okay-ish. And that I'll probably need help to get back to the city.

  "Ah, right. We're... on our way."

  Arrrrgh ! Can't believe he ditched me like that ! In the fucking middle of the night no less. I swear I'm going to kill him. I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll ki-...

  "Lady de Wandermer. We've reached a somewhat safe road. We'll rest for the time being until our mana has been replenished. I suggest you don't leave the secure perimeter we've set up. We must y low. While padins don't often patrol this area, wild beasts are abundant here."

  "Was it truly wise to let go of the adventurers then ? They might say something about you guys. Because, why would the Shadows of the Empire be in the nds of the Pope ?"

  Crow's ears twitched at the remark. The heiress wasn't totally wrong, her reasoning wasn't senseless. The adventurers could very well spread rumors in their circles. Rumors that would destabilize the Empire's image of peaceful giant. Not that it mattered now. The armies were mobilizing at this very moment, after all.The cat-kin looked at the young dy going back to mutter her incomprehensible junk about artifacts and growth opportunities, but she still would answer to the question.

  "Your highness. We allowed these adventurers to go on their way mainly because of two reasons. The first one is... reputation. Such an experienced party surely knows that holding one's tongue is the most beneficial way to get out of any situation. It takes only one counter-rumor to wipe out someone's reputation. The credibility of a party isn't only linked to the number of successful commissions."

  "... So it's about their own standing. I get it. The Empire would destroy the party by creating distrust."

  "Naturally. The weight of a rumor coming from a dying party is insignificant in front of the might of the Empire. Moreover, the second reason we let them go was that... we just don't care. We are going to war in a few, after all. And these people will obviously get hired as mercenaries to sabotage the padins' lines. I believe they were already contacted about this matter."

  "And what if they refuse ?" Liz'a asked sarcastically, a tone that pissed off Crow and her squad-mates.

  Nevertheless, someone answered, matching the teen's tone."We make them disappear then. Simple as that."

  "I see... Interesting." she replied, without noticing the wary gazes of the Emperor's assassins.

  -

  'Leader. Why is she asking us ? She should be perfectly aware of the Empire's... work.'

  'I don't know... she's been acting strange ever since she left that Academy.'

  'Why did she even leave though ? She was supposed to give intel from inside the country.'

  'The boss was furious about that. And it's seriously messing up our own network. We've got to lower the northern forces in deployment to make up for it.'

  'So we won't have anymore intel about the Demons' progression in the Frosty Death ?'

  'No... and that's a huge problem.'

  -

  Pope Kari was supposed to have a good day today. She was supposed to hold a sermon, visit a retirement hospice for former padins, have a meeting with Raya, and take the rest of the day to fill out some paperwork.

  She held her sermon, she visited the hospice and went to the meeting with Raya. That's where her day turned for the worst. First bad news was the discovery that at least five people in her country were of the same kind as the ones who plunged this world into the darkness of sins...Second, that one of them was this era's Hero Candidate, the one who fled after stealing a holy weapon...Third, was that Raya seemingly sensed something... or someone very sinful nearby, to the point she scorched half of the Cathedral's secret corridors.Where was she even ? Was she fine ? Did something happen ? She had stormed off quite some time ago after all... and it was almost mid-day now.

  And now, fourth... An Immotor, a member of the cult of Wrath, just managed to bypass the weakened holy barriers of the country, knocked out three of her elite padins, trespassed in her chambers to announce that... the Empire was preparing to wage war against another nation.

  Kari didn't even get to reply to the fanatic woman as she instantly exploded into ashes after the revetion. She was still trying to process the information of Gram de Wandermer mobilizing his First Army. The ten legions of fifty thousand men, war beasts, siege machines and mercenaries... An unparalleled army in this world.

  The holy woman sighed heavily, massaging her temples. Kari really didn't want to deal with it. Who was the man targeting ? The legions of Demons. Maybe the Thassa Union ? Or Elfort, under the pretense of defending the elven territory ?

  "Your Holiness !" an out-of breath magus shouted as the barged inside of the clergymen's quarters. "The Hero Candidate Ramiel has come back ! With the Holy Sword ! He is standing near the front gates of the city ! He says he has news about the Sin of Wrath's whereabouts !"

  "WHAT ?!"

  Suddenly, Pope Kari felt the need to sm her head on a wall... or the pavement, just like Raya.This was going to be a very long day...