CHAPTER 17 — THE FIRST S-RANK GODSLAYER HUNT
The Rift Over Quezon & The Mother in Eternal Sleep
Dawn had barely broken over Metro Manila when the alarm sirens screamed through the Bureau.
[ EMERGENCY NOTICE — S-RANK RIFT BREACH ]
Location: Sierra Madre Ridge, Quezon Province
Threat Level: God-Touched Entities Detected
Priority: Godslayer Required
Cedric tightened the straps on his combat gear, Astral Razor sheathed on his back. Arhenos floated behind him, its glow dimmer than usual.
"You are not ready for this hunt," Arhenos said quietly.
Cedric didn't stop walking.
"I don't have a choice."
A Bureau officer jogged to them—Director Valencia, worry etched deep on her face.
"Cedric… before deployment… there's something you need to know."
She hesitated, then handed him a medical file.
He opened it—
And the world stopped.
---
AMVER FERALDO — CONDITION UPDATE
Status: Unresponsive (Deep Astral Coma)
Cause: Pre-birth Essence Transfer
Note: Patient transferred life force to fetus; resulted in permanent soul instability.
Decline Rate: Increasing
Estimated Time: Unknown
Cedric's breath hitched.
His hands trembled around the paper.
"My mother… she did this because of me?"
Valencia nodded softly.
"When you were still in her womb… your soul was too heavy. Too bright. It was tearing your body apart. So she—"
Cedric swallowed hard.
"She gave me her life."
Valencia looked down.
"She sacrificed her vitality so you could survive. And she's been in a coma ever since."
Arhenos floated closer, voice hushed.
"She is why your soul was able to hold the Godslayer Core… even as an infant. Without her, you would have been stillborn."
Cedric closed the file, eyes burning with grief and fury.
"Then I'll fix her."
Arhenos spoke carefully.
"Only the essence of a god can restore a soul broken beyond mortal repair."
Cedric stood taller.
"Then I'll take one."
---
THE QUEZON S-RANK RIFT OPENS
The Bureau helicopter sliced through the morning clouds as they neared Sierra Madre. Below them, the earth cracked open like a glowing wound—gold, violet, and black lightning spiraled upward.
Cedric stared down.
A fissure shaped like an eye pulsed on the mountainside.
Arhenos whispered,
"This is a Domain Rift. Aztarion's influence is leaking through."
Cedric felt it—
A pressure.
A hunger.
A distant voice murmuring his name.
He tightened his grip on Astral Razor.
"I'm ending this."
The chopper hovered over the entry point.
"Godslayer, you're clear to drop!" the pilot shouted.
Cedric stepped off.
He fell—
Wreathed in wind and rising heat—
Landing in a storm of dust and divine static.
The Rift opened before him like a monstrous mouth.
He entered.
---
INSIDE THE DOMAIN — THE WAILING VALLEY
The world warped.
Cedric found himself in a canyon of bones and fractured constellations. Rivers of silver light flowed through the cracks in the ground. Giant husks—remnants of dead lesser gods—lay scattered like discarded armor.
Arhenos floated beside him, frowning.
"This domain… it's feeding on despair."
Cedric's jaw tightened.
A whisper crawled along the canyon walls.
"Vessel…"
A chill ran through him.
Not fear.
Recognition.
He walked forward.
---
THE FIRST ENEMY — THE SOVEREIGN SHADE
A massive figure rose from the valley floor—a knight-shaped silhouette made of swirling black stardust, eyes glowing white-hot.
A Sovereign Shade—a god-fragment given form.
S-Rank.
Possibly higher.
It raised its hand.
Gravity shattered around Cedric.
The air bent like glass.
Cedric slid his foot back.
Golden symbols flickered behind him.
GODSLAYER FORM 1 — PARTIAL MANIFEST
His eyes glowed gold-blue.
The Shade lunged.
Cedric ducked—barely. The shockwave cratered the ground behind him.
Arhenos shouted,
"Do NOT underestimate that! It's carrying divine essence!"
Cedric charged.
The Shade brought its arm down like a guillotine—
Cedric parried with Astral Razor.
K R I N N G—!
The entire canyon trembled.
The Shade's arm cracked.
Cedric grinned despite the pain shooting down his wrist.
"I can break you."
---
THE GODSLAYER STRIKES BACK
The Shade unleashed a barrage of gravity spears—
Cedric dodged and weaved, Divine Instinct kicking in, letting his body move before his mind could decide.
Cedric gathered power.
"Astral…"
The Shade surged toward him.
Cedric thrust forward—
"SEVER!"
A blue-gold arc erupted—
It didn't slice the Shade's body.
It sliced the concept of movement, freezing the creature in mid-attack.
Cedric followed up, leaping high—
and brought Astral Razor down through its chest.
The Shade shattered like brittle glass.
Divine fragments scattered and rushed into the sword.
Cedric landed on one knee, panting.
Arhenos hovered, voice urgent.
"That was only the first guardian. The Core of this Domain is deeper. Aztarion's fragment is waiting."
Cedric rose slowly, eyes blazing with purpose.
"Good. Because I need its essence."
He rested a hand over his heart.
"For her."
And deeper into the Wailing Valley he walked—
toward the god-fragment that could save his mother's life
or kill him outright.
End of Chapter 17