To Sin Is Divine

They stood in a circle beneath the ruined dome of Velharem's last monastery.

Seven figures. Seven virtues.

The air around them shimmered, charged with ancient energy. The sky above swirled with divine pressure, as if the heavens themselves were holding their breath.

Kael looked at each of them.

Zayne — the demon healer who forgave before he hated.

Ren — the thief who gave away everything he stole.

Serah — the knight who broke her vow to serve something greater.

Ten — the assassin who had never known peace until now.

Elyan — the priest who refused the crown, choosing truth over glory.

Kael — the heretic who wouldn't burn.

And now, standing with them, light forming a halo around him, was the seventh.

[Virtue Complete: Elyan – Humility Confirmed]

[System Notification: Virtue Chain at Full Sync]

"Ascension Protocol Ready."

Elyan turned slowly to Kael. "It's time."

Kael nodded once.

"We do this together."

The Rite of Ascension

Elyan raised both hands. White light pulsed from his palms, drawing a ring of symbols on the ground—one for each Virtue.

[Patience] [Kindness] [Generosity] [Temperance] [Diligence] [Chastity] [Humility]

The runes hovered in the air, glowing gold.

Kael stepped into the center.

The others formed a circle around him.

Zayne's light flared. "This isn't just a ritual, is it?"

Elyan shook his head. "No. This is the awakening of what the Church tried to bury. A system that isn't built on dominance… but balance."

Ren gave a crooked smile. "Sounds holy and suicidal. Let's do it."

Serah placed her sword in the earth. "For the world that forgot us."

Ten whispered, "For the years I lost."

Elyan closed his eyes. "For the truth."

The runes pulsed once.

[System Alert: Initiating Final Virtue Synchronization]

[Warning: Emotional Sync Required. Barriers Will Collapse.]

Each of them felt it at once:

Memories not their own. Emotions laid bare. Secrets unlocked.

Kael saw Serah as a little girl, crying behind stained glass, begging not to take her vow.

Zayne saw Ren holding his brother's body in the rain, emptying his pockets to buy a grave.

Serah saw Ten watching the stars during one of his rare 2-second micro-sleeps, whispering names he couldn't remember anymore.

Elyan saw Kael screaming inside the Church archives, holding a charred scroll labeled "The Book of Forbidden Virtues."

Every wall between them collapsed.

And in that moment…

[Virtue Ascension Complete]

[New Skill Unlocked: Soul Chain Lv.1]

"Your lives, minds, and strength are now partially bonded. When one rises, all rise. When one falls… all feel it."

[Title Earned: The Bearers of Virtue]

Light exploded from the circle.

The winds howled.

The clouds parted.

And from the heavens above, something answered.

The Divine Response

Far above, in the High Cathedral of Sin, the glass windows shattered.

Inquisitors screamed as divine sigils cracked across the walls.

Lucien stood at the center of the throne room, watching with narrowed eyes.

"Impossible," he muttered.

"They were never meant to unify. Virtue is weakness. Virtue is chaos."

The seven seals behind him—the core powers of Sin—began to glow brighter.

Lucien's voice dropped into a growl.

"Then let virtue meet divine judgment."

He turned.

"Summon the High Inquisitors."

Back at the Ruins

The team staggered as the light faded.

Kael opened his eyes.

Everything felt… clearer.

Like for the first time, the noise of the world had quieted.

Zayne wiped his eyes. "We… shared everything, didn't we?"

Elyan nodded. "No more secrets. That's the cost of Ascension."

Ren tapped his chest. "So, if I get punched—"

"You'll all feel it," Ten said, already annoyed.

Serah smirked. "Don't die then."

Kael looked at them—no longer a ragtag band of rebels.

Now, a unit.

A force.

Something new.

[System Updated: Ascended Path Active]

New Skills Available:

Virtue Sync Pulse – Activate any party member's ability in tandem

Shared Resolve – Immunity to fear, doubt, or pride-based illusions

Light of the Seven – A fusion attack requiring all seven bearers

Kael stood tall.

"From this day forward," he said, "we don't run. We don't hide."

He looked to the smoking skyline of Velharem.

"We take it back."