The storm had grown into a living thing. Crimson lightning tore across the sky, each strike shaking the ground beneath my feet. The air was thick with fury, heavy enough to choke. Kael clung to my side, his eyes wide, his breath ragged.
I could feel Wrath's presence pressing against my mind, a tide of rage threatening to drown me. It wasn't just anger—it was pure destruction, a force that wanted nothing more than to tear the world apart.
[System Notice]: Entity Awakening.
Designation: Wrath.
Status: Manifesting.
Location: Northern Wastes.
Warning: Influence spreading.
The streets erupted. Citizens screamed as crimson veins crawled across their skin, their eyes burning with madness. Angelics turned on one another, wings blazing with uncontrolled fury. Demonics clawed at the walls, shadows writhing with rage. Wrath's influence was everywhere, corrupting everything it touched.
Kael stumbled, clutching his chest. "It's inside me," he gasped. "I can feel it—anger, hate—I can't stop it."
I grabbed his arm, forcing him to meet my eyes. "You can. Wrath feeds on surrender. Fight it."
He trembled, but he nodded.
I raised my hand, Origin Power swirling. Light and shadow twisted together, forming a dome around us. The Null Domain expanded, stripping the corrupted of their borrowed strength. Angelics collapsed, their wings dimming. Demonics fell, their shadows dissolving. For a moment, silence returned.
But Wrath was not silenced.
The storm split open, and from its heart emerged a figure. Towering, armored in crimson flame, eyes burning with endless fury. Each step shook the earth, each breath scorched the air. Wrath had come.
The System screamed inside my mind.
[System Notice]: Critical Directive.
Quest: Confront Wrath.
Objective: Defeat Wrath.
Reward: Origin Advancement.
Penalty: Death.
I clenched my fists, Origin Power surging. "So it begins."
Wrath's voice was a roar, shaking the city. "Null. You dare defy the cycle. You dare defy me."
I stood tall, unyielding. "I am Orion Vale. I bow to no Sin. I bow to no Boon. I walk the Origin Path."
Wrath's laughter was thunder. "Then you will be broken."
It struck, a fist of crimson flame tearing through the air. I raised my hand, Origin Power twisting into a barrier. The impact shattered the ground, buildings crumbling, screams filling the air. Kael fell back, shielding his face.
I pushed forward, light and shadow swirling. My barrier held, but Wrath's fury was overwhelming. Each strike was stronger than the last, each roar shaking the world.
Memories surged through me—lifetimes of battles, lifetimes of deaths. I remembered facing Wrath before, consumed by its fury, torn apart by its rage. But this time was different. This time, I was free.
[System Notice]: Skill Activated.
Skill: Reincarnation Recall.
Effect: Access fragments of past combat experience.
Knowledge flooded me—techniques from lifetimes past, strategies forged in war. I moved with precision, each strike guided by memory, each defense sharpened by experience.
Wrath faltered, its eyes narrowing. "You carry the weight of lifetimes. But lifetimes mean nothing before fury."
I clenched my fists, Origin Power surging. "Then let fury meet freedom."
We clashed, light and shadow against crimson flame. The city shook, towers collapsing, streets splitting. Each strike echoed like thunder, each defense like lightning. Kael watched in awe, his voice trembling.
"You're… you're fighting a Sin."
"Yes," I said, my voice steady. "And I will win."
Wrath roared, its fury consuming the sky. But I stood unyielding, Origin Power swirling, freedom burning in my veins.
The battle had begun.