{The Sea God has activated a Divine Skill}
{Divine Skill Name: Puppeteer's String}
{Description: With every blessing, there is a certain curse. All who have claimed a share of the Sea God's blessing will now fall under his absolute control. His will shall dictate all physical decisions.}
As the notification flashed before Steven's eyes, he froze mid-stance—literally. Not just him, but the once-rowdy Colosseum, the roaring audience, the armed guards, and even the lofty Lords seated above all turned motionless.
Silence swallowed everything.
No cheers, nor breathing, not even a heartbeat but that of the Deity.
They stood like statues carved from stone, all caught within the suffocating grasp of the Sea Deity Ark'shaRin.
Steven's eyes shifted within their sockets—the only part of him still capable of movement. Slowly, unwillingly, his gaze settled upon Ark'shaRin.
This… this is a massive error, Steven realized grimly. And a costly one.
Ark'shaRin frowned, adjusting its bulk more comfortably upon its throne. Its thick fingers trailed lazily up its own forearm before grasping the hilt of the dagger still lodged deep within its body. With disturbing ease, it pulled the blade free.
Clang.
The dagger hit the stone floor with a sharp metallic echo that churned Steven's gut violently.
This… did not bode well.
"For so long," Ark'shaRin began, its lips curling into a grotesque smile as its claws rubbed thoughtfully along its jaw—nearly hidden beneath folds of bloated flesh—"I have waited for the moment I could finally kill you."
Steven groaned faintly, unmoved by the revelation. He had guessed as much earlier. The sudden, unprovoked hatred the Sea God had shown Rat—the way it seethed at his presence—had always felt unnatural. Now, perhaps, the reason would finally surface.
"Ever since the day I set foot into this disgusting place," Ark'shaRin boomed, saliva spraying with every venom-laced word, "your existence has haunted me! From the very first moment my eyes laid upon you!"
Its voice trembled with fury.
"A feeling like a bug crawling beneath my skin—one I cannot squash. Because somehow," it hissed, "you were blessed with the mark of another Deity. One I did not even know existed."
{Ding!}
{Ark'shaRin has shared a Revelation}
{Revelation: You cannot harm this human. His ownership does not belong to you.}
{Terms for breaking the Revelation: Only when a Vessel attacks a Deity may the Deity retaliate.}
Steven's mind raced as the truth snapped into place with brutal clarity.
Ever since Rat had first crossed paths with Ark'shaRin, this message must have appeared before the Sea Deity—a binding law declaring this human untouchable. A human it could neither harm nor control.
Because another Deity—far greater than Ark'shaRin—had already laid claim.
Steven did not know the full depth of Ark'shaRin's hatred for Rat, but knowing the nature of the Fated Colosseum, and understanding the kind of god Ark'shaRin was… he could piece together enough to form a grim picture.
"You… you're a pesky god," Steven managed to mutter through clenched teeth, "one that wants nothing but control. That's all you are."
Ark'shaRin's eyes narrowed—then its grin widened further, stretching grotesquely toward its temples.
"Oh?" it chuckled darkly. "So you can resist my Skill enough to speak. How admirable. But you are wrong."
Steven frowned deeply.
"You are a puppeteer," Steven continued bitterly, "the lowest of the low. Probably cast down by the other Deities because of how irritating you are. Then you crawled into this village, assumed ownership, and turned everyone into your little toys. Meeting someone you couldn't control must've driven you mad."
"…Wrong," Ark'shaRin snapped sharply.
Steven's expression twisted in confusion.
"While you may be right on a few points," the Sea God continued calmly, "do you know what truly makes a Deity… a Deity?"
Steven stayed silent, letting the disgust etched on his face answer instead.
Ark'shaRin leaned forward, its massive form creaking as it loomed closer. Its breath was hot and briny as it whispered,
"Followers."
"The more followers I possess, the greater my power becomes. And of all the followers gathered here today…" its voice trembled with sick excitement as it's eyes zeroed on Steven, "…you will be the final piece that soothes me, Rat."
It leaned closer still—far too close. Its bloated face stopped barely a foot away before one massive, wet palm pressed against Steven's face. The slimy hand was nearly as large as Steven's head.
Like a twisted parent fondling an infant, Ark'shaRin caressed Steven's cracked, dehydrated cheeks.
"Turning greedy idiots like these into followers is easy," Ark'shaRin murmured indulgently. "But the true joy… the true power… lies in taking the follower of another Deity…"
Its voice rose into a shrill scream.
"…AND MAKING IT MINE!"
Without warning, one obsidian finger drove straight into Steven's left eye.
Crunch.
Hot blood exploded outward as the finger tore through the socket, ripping flesh and nerve alike.
"ARRRGHHH!"
Steven shrieked, his face draining of color as agony flooded his body. His vision collapsed instantly—darkness swallowing half his world as the eye was lost.
Ark'shaRin laughed, delighted, withdrawing its blood-soaked hand. It lifted its claws to its lips and slowly licked Steven's blood away with a trembling, eager tongue.
"The taste is even different," it commented thoughtfully, almost amused.
From afar, Drake—frozen, helpless—felt his heart plunge into his stomach. Watching his comrade be mutilated while unable to move was a horror beyond words.
Think, Drake! THINK! he screamed inwardly, eyes darting wildly for any solution.
But there was none.
As long as the Sea Deity's Skill remained active, all he could do… was watch. And hope.
Ark'shaRin finished licking its claws clean and settled back into its throne. A strange sadness crossed its bloated face as it gazed down at Steven's weakening body.
"It's such a shame," it sighed almost fondly, "our two-hundred-year relationship ends here."
Its tone was thick with lustful intent.
Slowly, Ark'shaRin opened its mouth wide—revealing rows of sharp obsidian teeth, a thin writhing tongue, and a deep, endless darkness waiting within its throat, ready to swallow Steven whole—
SPLOOOOSH!
A violent wave of blood erupted into the air.
Ark'shaRin's eyes widened in disbelief as golden blood sprayed high above the Colosseum. Its massive head tilted sharply to the side, loosing balance.
The cause—
Steven.
The frail, broken young man stood trembling, a red jagged dagger clutched tightly in his hand. The blade tainted in golden blood as he had just used it to slit the Sea God's throat.
{Red Fang has been equipped}
{Bleeding Effect Initiated}