Devourer: Echoes of the unwritten

[Scene: Wastes Beyond Mid-City – Dusk]

The world past Mid-City was broken.

Crumbling highways. Sunken churches. Steel skeletons of dead civilizations.

Kaito walked through it alone. The wind whispered, and the ground was dry with old blood.

Crows circled above—then flew off suddenly, as if sensing what he carried.

[Quest Update: Locate God Fragment – "Heretic Crown"]

– Origin: Zone Black-13, Sector Null

– Danger Level: "Absolute – Mindfield Anomaly"

Warning: This area has no stable logic.

He stopped before a crumbled road sign:

"Now Entering: Saint Ravel – The Condemned City."

[Scene: Flashback – System History Feed (Glitched)]

Playing recovered data…

"Saint Ravel was once a holy capital. Site of miracles, blessings… and betrayal."

"In Year 57 A.C., a King consumed the Heretic Crown to escape death."

"He was no longer a man afterward."

"The city collapsed in one night. Survivors spoke of whispers in their dreams."

"Now… the city itself devours the mind."

[Scene: Saint Ravel – Streets of Madness]

Kaito stepped inside the city ruins.

Immediately—his vision warped.

Buildings twisted. Roads curled upward. Statues wept blood.

Laughter echoed, but there was no one there.

[Mental Stability – Dropping… 92% → 87% → 81%]

"It's trying to break me…"

He closed his eyes, breathing deep.

"Shadow Core—Stabilize."

His glyph pulsed, shadows wrapping around his head like a crown of void.

The chaos receded.

"Nice try."

[Scene: Underground Sanctuary – Vault of the Crown]

Deep beneath Saint Ravel, Kaito reached a massive stone vault.

Runes pulsed on the floor. A throne of bone stood ahead.

On it…

A helmet. Shaped like a jagged crown. Etched with blood-red eyes.

The Heretic Crown.

[God Fragment Detected: Mind-Soul Class]

– Warning: Syncing may result in memory inversion, emotional override, or god-complex.

"Figures."

He reached for it—then—

BOOOM!!

A figure crashed through the ceiling.

A masked knight, clad in black silver armor, his lance hissing with cursed lightning.

"You are not worthy."

[Scene: BATTLE – Knight of the Crown]

[Enemy Identified: "Knight of Thoughtless Mercy" – Guardian of the Crown]

Class: S++

Behavior: Hostile. Controlled by Fragment.

The knight charged, faster than sound. Kaito barely dodged.

CLASH!!

The lance grazed his side, electricity ripping through muscle.

"Ngh—!"

Kaito retaliated with a tail slash—blocked!

The knight spoke, his voice flat:

"Your thoughts scream. Your soul writhes. The Crown will destroy you."

"Then I'll destroy it first," Kaito growled.

[Scene: Kaito's Evolution Mid-Fight]

[Instinct Override: 24%]

[Devour Protocol: Recharging]

Kaito blinked into shadows, claw striking from above—missed!

The knight read him.

Too smart. Too fast.

Unless…

"Think like madness…"

Kaito let go of logic.

Suddenly—he ran backward, body twisting unnaturally.

He threw himself into the knight's stab, impaling his own shoulder.

"NOW!!"

CRUNCH!

His tail stabbed straight into the knight's helm—piercing the core.

[God Fragment Absorption: 17%… 49%…]

[HOST IS BEING OVERLOADED]

Kaito screamed as thoughts that weren't his flooded his mind.

"KILL THEM ALL. RULE THE EMPTY. WEAR THE MIND."

He roared—

"NO. I WEAR MYSELF."

[Scene: Fusion Complete – Third Fragment Synced]

The knight's body exploded into dust.

Kaito stood, smoke rising from his skin.

The Heretic Crown hovered… then settled on his head, fading into shadow glyphs.

A halo of black metal circled behind him—floating.

[STATUS – UPDATE]

Mutation 3/4 Synced: Mind-Soul Fragment – "Heretic Crown"

New Skill: Crown of Echoes (A-Rank Passive)

– Immune to psychic and illusion attacks

– Generates "ghost clones" under 20% HP

Trait Unlocked: Voice of Madness

– Can infect enemy thought patterns

– "You become their fear."

[Scene: Exit from Saint Ravel – City Burns Behind Him]

As Kaito walked back out, Saint Ravel crumbled. Fire poured from windows. Statues cracked.

His steps echoed.

No madness now.

Only silence.

[Cutaway: Hidden Council – Watching the Crown Reappear]

A room filled with monitors. One shows Kaito wearing the new Crown sigil.

A bald man leans forward.

"He has three fragments now. Blood. Fire. Mind."

A woman in gold whispers:

"If he gets the last one…"

"We won't be hunting a devourer anymore."

"We'll be hunting a god."

[Final Scene: Kaito atop a ruined tower]

Kaito looked at his system.

[Core Sync 3/4]

[Next Fragment: ??? – Sealed]

"Only one left."

He looked up at the burning clouds.

"Let's finish this."