To Sin Is Divine

The village was too quiet.

No crying. No bells. No fire. No death.

Just silence.

That's what worried Kael the most.

The team approached cautiously. Zayne walked beside the wagon that carried Ten, still recovering from the curse of sleeplessness. Ren scouted rooftops while Serah kept her hand on her blade at all times.

The people they passed didn't scream. Didn't hide. Didn't even make eye contact.

They knelt.

Not to the team.

But to a massive stone statue in the village square—a robed man with arms spread wide, eyes closed, and a blazing crown carved above his head.

A plaque at the base read:

"Father Elros – God Among Men"

Ren muttered, "I know the Church was crazy, but I didn't think they were doing self-made gods now."

Kael's system buzzed.

[Sin Signature Detected: Class – Pride]

"Entity: Elros – Self-proclaimed divine vessel. Sin reading: unstable."

"Caution: Subject may have rewritten local reality via belief influence."

Kael gritted his teeth. "He's not a statue. He's alive."

Inside the Chapel

They entered the cathedral slowly.

It was pure white marble—impossibly clean. Not a speck of ash, not a single crack. The windows weren't stained glass, but mirrored gold—reflecting light inward instead of letting it out.

Candles burned without wax. No smoke. No smell.

Then the voice came.

Calm. Controlled. Deadly.

"You kneel before me… standing?"

Kael raised his chin. "We kneel to no god who demands it."

From behind the altar, a man stepped into view.

He wore no armor. No crown. Just pure white robes and a gentle, loving smile.

His eyes glowed.

Not with divinity.

But with delusion.

"I am Elros," he said. "Chosen vessel. Divine light. Embodiment of sacred pride."

Serah stepped forward. "You've enslaved this entire village through worship."

He nodded. "Faith is a form of surrender. I simply perfected the transaction."

Zayne's fists clenched. "You made them less than human."

Elros spread his arms.

"No. I made them safe. No hunger. No violence. No doubt. Their sins… burned away in my light."

Kael took a breath. "What happens when someone resists?"

Elros smiled wider.

"They're purified."

[Sin Skill Activated: Glorious Reflection]

"All attacks or accusations are mirrored back upon the source. Emotional, physical, and mental."

Kael's system flared.

"Do not attack him directly," he warned. "His pride bends reality. If you claim he's wrong—he reflects that doubt into you."

Ren blinked. "You mean if I tell him he's not a god—I start doubting myself?"

"Exactly."

The Trial of Belief

The doors locked behind them.

The floor glowed with ancient runes.

"You came to challenge me," Elros said. "So now… be judged."

[Skill: The Judgment Circle – Active]

"Only those whose belief in their cause outweighs their self-doubt may move or speak freely."

Zayne gasped. His body froze mid-step.

Serah collapsed to one knee, eyes wide, as if crushed under invisible weight.

Ren took a step—and staggered. "Nope. Nope. Bad magic. Not fun."

Kael's limbs trembled.

"What if you're wrong?"

"What if the Church was right?"

"What if you're the heretic?"

He clenched his fists.

[Virtue Triggered: Patience +10]

"Thought Rebalance Engaged. Clarity Boost Applied."

He took a step.

Then another.

Elros blinked, genuinely surprised. "You believe in yourself?"

Kael's voice was steady. "I don't need to believe in me."

He looked at his team—shaking but trying to rise.

"I believe in them."

[System Update: Virtue Chain Activated]

"Leader's conviction stabilizes team morale."

"Judgment Circle weakening."

Ren straightened first. "Damn. That's what that feels like?"

Serah stood tall next. "We stand with our captain."

Zayne's healing aura flared. "And we fight for those who can't."

Ten, still wrapped in blankets, murmured from the cart.

"…Pride… must kneel."

Kael's blade lit with golden flame.

"Let me show you what humility really looks like."

The Fall of a False God

Kael charged—not with hate, but with certainty.

Elros raised a hand. "You cannot judge me. I am the light."

Kael answered with silence.

His sword swung—not to kill, but to shatter the altar.

BOOM.

The false divine circle cracked.

Villagers outside gasped as light poured upward—and broke.

Elros screamed—not in pain, but in confusion.

"But… I am holy!"

Kael pointed his blade. "You were never a god. Just a man… drunk on his own reflection."

The system flashed.

[Pride-Class Inquisitor Defeated: Elros – Mental Collapse]

"Village liberated. Influence nullified. Faith distortion corrected."

Elros fell to his knees—eyes wide, voice hoarse.

"…What… am I?"

Kael said nothing.

Some questions didn't need answers.