The Divine Extermination Order had not been invoked in over 200 years.
It was reserved for beings beyond mortal understanding—gods in flesh, disasters given names. But now, the nobles of Celesthall had signed the scroll in desperation.
One name on their lips:
Shin.
They chose their best.
A man clad in radiant white armor engraved with scripture, wings of ethereal gold mana unfurled behind him. His greatsword was forged from a celestial fragment, humming with divine wrath.
Name: Seradin Vahl,
Paladin Exterminator of the 7th Light Flame.
Seradin descended upon Argent like judgment itself.
Civilians fled. Scribes and scholars watched from windows. Magic detectors failed.
And there, at the center of a quiet garden—beneath cherry blossoms and mist—
Shin sat.
A small stone table.
A cup of steaming tea in hand.
His eyes fixed calmly on the petals falling around him.
"Shin of S.I.N," Seradin declared, landing in a flash of white light. "You are hereby judged in the name of the Celestial Compact. Surrender your will—or I will break it."
Shin did not rise. Did not flinch.
He calmly set his teacup down.
"A divine exterminator," he mused. "For a man who freed children and silenced slavers."
Seradin's sword burned white-hot.
"Your actions override your intention. You are unbound. Unranked. Dangerous."
Shin simply stood, brushing off his coat.
"You mistake control for divinity. And chaos… for disobedience."
The Paladin charged.
A flash of gold.
A roar of holy flame.
Shin stepped once—and vanished.
He reappeared behind Seradin, untouched. Calm.
He lifted the teacup again. Sipped.
Seradin swung—missed.
Again—missed.
The holy blade sliced through air itself, cutting clean through reality—
But never touched Shin.
Shin's voice echoed, soft.
"Lesson one: Power without restraint is just expensive noise."
"Lesson two…"
He slid a foot and caught the flat of the greatsword with one palm—
barehanded. The energy rippled. Holy runes shattered.
"Don't chase the wind."
With one twist, he disarmed the Paladin. The sword struck the ground, buried halfway into stone.
Seradin fell to his knees.
Breathing heavily. Eyes wide. Sweat pouring.
Shin stood over him, sipping once more.
"This is mercy," Shin said softly. "The next time you raise a blade against a man you do not understand—ask yourself first: Do you understand yourself?"
Seradin looked up.
Then…
He bowed.
"I… came here to judge you."
Shin waited.
"But… I see now. You're not unholy. You're inevitable."
A pause.
"Let me join you."
— SYSTEM NOTIFICATION —
[ New Agent Request: Seradin Vahl – Paladin Exterminator ]
Rank: Divine Class (Downgrade Agreed)
Role: Holy Enforcement / Faith Disruption Counter
Requested Codename: Agent S
Gear: Reforged Celestial Greatsword "Atonelight"
Bonus Trait: Faith Aura – Increases resistance to divine control among nearby allies
Shin sipped again.
"Then earn it."
He turned and walked away, voice trailing behind him:
"Report to HQ at dawn. Lose the wings."
In the grand cathedral city of Vael Sanctum, light streamed through golden spires like divine judgment. The bells rang hourly—not to mark time, but to remind the city of who watched them.
At the highest point of the holy order stood Bishop Malgrev Vox—a man draped in robes spun with scripture, shielded by divine immunity granted by the Celesthall's ancient decree. No one dared question him.
But whispers had begun to circulate.
About the Children of the Chalice Orphanage.
About missing records. About bruises. About screams only heard beneath the hymn.
And now, standing silently on a moonlit roof across from the cathedral…
Shin and Seradin Vahl watched.
Shin, tea in hand, didn't speak immediately. The silence between them was heavy.
Finally, he broke it.
"You once swore to serve the Light."
Seradin nodded, face unreadable beneath his new mask—white steel engraved with black runes, his divine aura dimmed by his own choosing.
"I did. And I believed it."
"Then this is your test," Shin said. "That bishop is protected by divine law.
But he's been selling children to noble mages for experimental rites."
Seradin didn't react outwardly.
"I can't interfere," he said quietly. "Unless his soul is stained. Unless I see it."
Shin handed him a scroll.
It wasn't a warrant.
It was a crayon drawing.
Of a little girl.
Missing teeth. Smiling. Holding hands with a friend.
"He took her." scribbled in the corner.
"Is that proof enough?" Shin asked.
Seradin stood.
Drew his greatsword: Atonelight.
"It is now."
— MISSION BEGIN: "A Blade for the Lost" —
Objective: Infiltrate Vael Sanctum Cathedral
Identify and expose Bishop Malgrev Vox
Rescue surviving children
Avoid divine sentinel alarms
Test Agent S's conviction
Inside the cathedral, candles flickered. Statues of angels lined the walls like watching sentinels.
Seradin walked alone into the Bishop's private chamber.
Malgrev sat comfortably, sipping golden wine, surrounded by guards.
"Exterminator Vahl?" he chuckled. "I heard you joined the devil in a suit."
"You sold them."
The bishop raised a hand lazily.
"I protected them from starvation. I gave them purpose."
Seradin's hand gripped the hilt tighter.
"You gave them to torture chambers."
One guard lunged.
Flash.
Seradin didn't move—he appeared behind them.
The guard collapsed, armor shattered. The next two tried magic.
Denied. Holy light warped mid-air and turned to glass.
The bishop stood now, sneering. "You'll be excommunicated."
Seradin's blade lit the room.
"Then let me show you what a blade without a church fights for."
Down in the cellar, Shin walked silently through dim halls.
He unlocked one final door—and twenty-four children looked up at him with hollow eyes.
He kneeled.
Offered a gentle hand.
"Let's go home."
Back upstairs, Seradin stood over the bishop, who now trembled on the floor, robes torn, aura shattered.
"Kill me," he spat.
Seradin raised his blade—
Then lowered it.
"No."
He turned to Shin, who had just entered, hands still dusted with chalk from the children's drawings.
"You said this was a test."
"And?"
"I won't kill him. But I won't forgive him either."
Shin nodded.
"Good. Mercy without memory is just rot."
— SYSTEM NOTIFICATION —
[ Mission Complete: "A Blade for the Lost" ]
Agent S Loyalty: Confirmed
Title Earned: Excommunicated Guardian
Atonelight Evolved: Can now dispel divine immunity on contact
Orphans Relocated: 24 – S.I.N Sanctuary Network
As dawn broke over Vael Sanctum, the people awoke to find:
Bishop Malgrev's chambers sealed.
His crimes etched in holy fire across the chapel wall.
And a single black coin placed at the altar.
With the words:
"Children are not offerings.
This was your only warning."
— S.I.N
The quiet hum of S.I.N's Central Archive chamber resonated through obsidian walls as runes flickered in soft pulses. Shelves of sealed files and forgotten spells lined the chamber—but Shin stood alone in front of a shimmering obsidian terminal: the Personal System Interface.
Only he could access it.
He placed one gloved hand on the surface.
"Run full self-scan. Unlock latent abilities."
The interface pulsed.
— SYSTEM INTERFACE —
[ Shin Kurozaki – Founder of S.I.N ]
Rank: Null
Level: 12
Titles: The Tea Reaper, Rank Null, The Gentleman's Ghost, Shadow Sovereign
Current State: Fear OFF | Emotion Control: Active | Aura Dampening: Full
Primary Class: Reality Modifier
Sub-Class: Shadow Commander
— STATISTICS —
Strength: 16
Agility: 32
Intelligence: 28
Charisma: 30
Perception: 40
Luck: ???
Magic Affinity: Adaptive / Rewrite
Gender Signature: Undefined
Shin blinked.
That last line pulsed faintly.
"...Undefined?"
The system suddenly flashed—
"New Skill Unlocked: You have reached absolute self-awareness."
— NEW ABILITY ACQUIRED —
[ Disguise Form: Androgynous Body Shift ]
You have gained complete mastery over your outward form.
Gender, voice, posture, aura signature, and even scent may be altered at will.
Can shift between masculine, feminine, and androgynous expressions fluidly.
Time Limit: None
Cooldown: None
Passive Effect: True identity hidden unless user permits recognition.
A second update appeared below it:
— PASSIVE UNLOCKED:
[ Mirror of the Self ]
Allies and enemies who see you in your shifted form perceive you in the manner most impactful to their psyche.
Increases persuasion, infiltration, and destabilization effect during missions.
Shin tilted his head slightly.
"Interesting."
He raised his hand, and slowly, the shadow around his body rippled. His jaw softened. Shoulders narrowed. Height reduced slightly. His silver eyes remained… but in this new form, the reflection cast was unmistakably androgynous—
Elegant, striking, and completely unreadable.
His voice, now softly resonant, floated through the chamber like still water.
"Let's see what the world does… when it cannot decide what I am."
Just then, Agent Yuzu walked in carrying field reports—
She blinked. Stared.
Paused.
"C-Commander…?"
Shin turned with a polite smile.
"Yes?"
"You look… different."
He (or rather, they) stepped forward calmly.
"Perception is a weapon. And I've decided to sharpen mine."
Yuzu blushed slightly, nodded quickly, and walked out more flustered than usual.
— SYSTEM NOTIFICATION —
[ World Alignment Shift – Unknown Threat Classification ]
S.I.N Leader now recognized as "Unclassifiable Humanoid Entity"
Enemy factions will experience increased confusion and caution
Diplomacy, infiltration, and psychological tactics enhanced
The Celesthall Grand Ascension Ball was the most secure gathering in the Empire—hosted only once per decade. Nobles, guildmasters, royals, and high-ranking Vanguard officials attended in gowns woven with enchantments and suits trimmed with prestige.
No outsiders were allowed.
Which is exactly why Shin was already inside.
The chandeliers of the golden ballroom reflected across polished crystal floors. Musicians strummed elegant harmonies from atop a levitating marble stage. The nobles danced, laughed, and whispered names that could shake nations.
And near the center of it all stood a guest no one recognized.
Not on the invite list.
Not in any records.
Yet somehow—everyone noticed them.
A tall, androgynous figure in a sleek, obsidian-lined noble outfit. Short white hair. Silver eyes that shimmered like moonlit steel. Their face was serene, unreadable, and breathtakingly beautiful—neither man nor woman. Simply… perfect.
Shin.
In their new form.
They sipped from a crystal flute of enchanted wine, watching nobles posture and plot like overfed wolves in silk.
"So fragile… yet so sure of their thrones."
From the corner of the ballroom, three S-Class Vanguard Knights watched the mysterious figure like hawks.
One of them, a dark-skinned woman in midnight-blue armor, stepped forward—curious, confident.
Name: Commander Rael Vonn,
Title: "The Iron Vow,"
Status: Vanguard S-Class, Nobleborn
"I don't believe we've met," she said smoothly, offering a hand.
Shin turned slightly, their expression soft, voice calm and perfectly ambiguous.
"Then allow me to remain a mystery… for a little longer."
Rael blinked. Smiled. "And here I thought I'd met all the dangerous people in this room."
"Perhaps you have," Shin said, sipping from the glass without breaking eye contact.
Rael leaned in. "Are you a noble, mercenary… assassin, perhaps?"
Shin tilted their head.
"Does it matter who I am, if I already know what you are?"
Rael paused. She was trained to detect manipulation, misdirection—but this was something else.
All her instincts screamed: This person is more dangerous than anyone in this room.
And yet…
"You're quite beautiful," she said, voice low. "Whoever you are."
"Thank you," Shin replied, unfazed. "It's a borrowed look."
She blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Let's just say… I dress for the moment."
Across the ballroom, whispers grew.
"Who is that?"
"They weren't on the guest list."
"I heard they're the Emperor's secret heir."
"No—an envoy from the Vanguard Council. That's why no one's asking questions."
"They… don't blink like a normal person…"
Rael leaned closer again.
"Tell me one truth, then. Anything. Just for me."
Shin met her gaze. Their voice lowered.
"I am not here to kill anyone.
But I am here to end something."
Rael's smile faded just a little.
"...You're not a guest."
"No," Shin whispered. "I'm the one who decides whether your masks come off peacefully… or not."
Suddenly, Rael's comm-crystal buzzed in her ear.
"Commander—we've just confirmed breach on the west wing. A false noble ID just bypassed our seals. Trace spells are failing."
Rael looked up.
Shin was gone.
Only a half-full glass remained on the balcony rail.
And beneath it, a black coin.
— SYSTEM NOTIFICATION —
[ Operation: "Phantom Waltz" – Infiltration Successful ]
Noble Ball Intel Retrieved
Royal Black Archive Key Acquired
Vanguard S-Class Confidence Disrupted
Charisma Impact: +100 (Rael now obsessed with mystery identity)
Global Rumor Spread: "The Monarch in Black"
Passive Skill Enhanced: [Mirror of the Self – Tier II]
Later, in S.I.N HQ…
Agent F stared at the intel crystal recovered from Shin's sweep. "So… you infiltrated the highest-tier noble ball, got everything, and danced with the Vanguard elite?"
Shin nodded, calmly sipping tea.
"They were lovely company."
"...Did one of them flirt with you?"
"Several."
Yuzu looked scandalized.
Agent V whistled.
Seradin was silent.
Elira quietly turned pink and looked away.
The S.I.N HQ hummed with quiet activity. Field agents trained, intel specialists filtered whispers through shadow networks, and in the central courtyard, fresh supplies were being sorted beneath dim starlight and enchanted lanterns.
But today was different.
Because two new figures had arrived at the gates—escorted by Agent L and Agent Y—both survivors of the collapsing system Shin sought to dismantle.
And both… crucial.
1. The Blacksmith
He was massive. Muscled like a mountain. Skin dark and scarred. His left arm was an enchanted prosthetic, shaped like a gauntlet fused with a forge hammer. Smoke trailed from it when he exhaled.
Name: Garran Vulkt
Codename: Forgehound
Past Title: Royal Weaponsmith, dishonorably discharged for refusing to create "execution blades for children."
He looked Shin dead in the eye as he stepped forward.
"I don't make swords for tyrants."
"Good," Shin said calmly. "I need someone who makes weapons for people who don't want to use them."
Garran nodded. Then grinned.
"Then I'll need a bigger anvil."
Shin simply gestured to the forge chamber behind him.
A black coin glowed above the doorway. Garran entered without a word.
2. The Healer
She was quiet. Hooded. Gentle.
But her presence radiated like moonlight—comforting, but clear.
Name: Revna Mireille
Codename: Agent M
Class: Forbidden Healer / "Lightweaver"
Known For: Healing without pain, reversing enchantment damage, and surviving a church purge by reviving herself after execution.
She bowed slightly before Shin, eyes calm and sorrowful.
"I was told you don't ask where we come from."
"I ask if you want to stay," Shin replied, voice soft.
"Then yes," she said. "I want to stay.
To make sure the ones who fight… get to come back."
— SYSTEM NOTIFICATION —
[ New Agents Added to S.I.N ]
Agent G – "Forgehound"
Role: Weaponsmith / Armor Enhancer
Skill: Soul-Forging – Able to bind emotion-encoded enchantments to weapon cores
Special Feature: Field Armory Deployment
Agent M – "Lightweaver"
Role: Medical Support / Anti-Divine Damage Specialist
Skill: Heartthread – Allows healing of mental trauma and arcane backlash
Passive Effect: Nearby allies slowly regenerate stability even when unconscious
Base Upgrade: Field Recovery Bay and Mobile Forge Now Available
Later that night, Garran stood in the newly constructed underground forge, sparks flying from a fresh blade shaped with quiet fury.
Agent F admired the black alloy. "That… is beautiful."
"It's not meant to be," Garran replied. "It's meant to protect beauty."
Meanwhile, Agent M finished treating two demi-human children rescued last week, using a song-like chant that unraveled trauma like thread.
"There," she said with a soft smile. "You're safe now."
Shin stood in the doorway of the infirmary and nodded once, quietly pleased.
"We grow."