The hero stirred, his golden hair shimmering as he opened his eyes.

He hadn’t finished his god trial; there were still divine blessings left to receive.

Yet, something had shattered his focus, yanking him from the sacred plane of the gods.

As his vision adjusted, the horrifying reality unfolded before him.

“Pope…?” he whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief.

Before him lay the lifeless body of the Pope, blood pooling beneath him.

The man who had guided him, the symbol of unwavering faith and hope, was now a cold, lifeless shell.

The hero’s heart sank, but it didn’t stay there for long.

As he raised his gaze, his sorrow turned to fury.

He saw the paladins locked in battle with grotesque, scaled monsters—lizardmen.

And at the center of it all stood Movok, towering over everyone, his greatsword still dripping with fresh blood.

The sight burned itself into the hero’s soul.

The shattered sanctity of the temple.

The bodies of his comrades.

The blood staining the sacred ground.

“How dare you defile this holy place, you monsters!” the hero roared, his voice reverberating through the chamber like a thunderclap.

A blinding golden light erupted from his body, illuminating the room and stopping the battle momentarily.

The paladins and lizardmen alike turned to him, awestruck. The air seemed to vibrate with divine power.

Golden armor materialized over his body, each piece radiating an otherworldly glow.

Intricate patterns adorned the armor, resembling the sigils of the gods who had blessed him so far.

In his hand appeared a sword, its blade forged of pure light, humming with divine energy.

The hero tightened his grip on the hilt, his anger fueling the radiant power coursing through him.

With a burst of inhuman speed, the hero charged at Movok, his sword slicing through the air like a streak of light.

Movok barely had time to raise his greatsword before the blade collided with his own, a deafening clang reverberating through the chamber.

The force of the blow sent vibrations through Movok’s arm, but the lizardman general merely smirked, his scaled muscles absorbing the shock.

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“So, the hero finally wakes,” he hissed. “Let’s see if you’re worth the trouble.”

Without hesitation, the hero launched into a relentless assault.

His movements were swift and precise, each strike of his glowing sword aimed at Movok’s vitals.

The blade burned with divine energy, leaving faint golden trails in its wake.

Movok, however, was no ordinary foe.

His greatsword met the hero’s strikes with brutal efficiency, each swing countering with raw, overwhelming power.

Sparks flew as metal clashed against divine light.

The hero’s sword darted toward Movok’s chest, a strike intended to pierce his heart.

But Movok twisted his body at the last second, the blade glancing off his thick, scaled hide.

The lizardman retaliated immediately, swinging his greatsword in a wide arc.

The hero ducked under the massive blade, the air above his head crackling from its sheer force.

He countered with an upward slash, aiming for Movok’s neck.

The strike connected.

But Movok merely chuckled.

His scales, thick and resilient, were barely scratched.

“You’ll have to do better than that, little human,” Movok sneered, swinging his greatsword with tremendous force.

But the hero sidestepped it.

Then he launched a flurry of attacks, his sword moving like a blur.

Movok met each attack with skill and raw power, his greatsword moving with surprising speed for its size.

The clamor of battle echoed across the chamber, the clash of metal against metal like a drumbeat of war.

The hero and Movok stood at the heart of it, their blades locked in a deadly dance.

Movok’s greatsword roared through the air, each swing heavier than the last, carrying the brute strength of the lizardman general.

The hero met each attack head-on, his radiant sword shining with divine energy.

Their weapons collided in a spectacular burst of sparks, illuminating the battlefield as neither yielded an inch.

“You’re persistent, I’ll give you that,” Movok sneered, his reptilian eyes narrowing.

“But you’re wasting your strength. My scales are impenetrable!”

The hero gritted his teeth, his attacks relentless, each swing faster than the last.

He moved like a blur of light, his sword raining down on Movok in a flurry of precise strikes.

Yet, Movok’s scales deflected the blows, absorbing the damage with ease.

Despite the hero's fury, Movok's taunts rang true.

Each of the hero’s attacks left him increasingly frustrated.

“Is this all the ‘chosen hero’ can do?” Movok mocked, blocking another strike with his massive sword and countering with a powerful swing.

The hero staggered back, the force of the blow sending tremors through his body.

But he didn’t falter.

He charged forward again, determination blazing in his golden eyes.

This time, the hero’s stance shifted.

His golden aura flared brighter, and his posture lowered, as if drawing energy from the very earth beneath him.

His sword began to glow more intensely, golden light radiating from it like the dawn breaking through darkness.

Movok’s grin faltered.

He sensed danger.

“You’re wasting your time!” Movok snarled, his voice tinged with unease.

He lunged forward, attempting to break the hero’s focus.

His greatsword came crashing down, aiming to end the fight with a single strike.

But he was too late.

The hero moved with blinding speed, his glowing sword cutting through the air like a comet.

With a sharp, resonating hum, the blade struck Movok’s chest, piercing his mighty scales as if they were paper.

The golden light seared through him, spreading divine energy into his body like a molten tide.

Blood erupted from Movok’s wound, the crimson liquid staining the sacred ground beneath him.

The lizardman roared in pain, his voice shaking the walls of the temple.

“No!” Movok bellowed, his body trembling as the divine energy began to weaken him.

His regenerative abilities faltered, the holy power coursing through his veins like poison.

The hero didn’t hesitate.

He twisted his blade within the wound, golden light flaring from the injury as Movok’s roar turned into a guttural scream.

Before the hero could finish him, Movok mustered his remaining strength and swung his greatsword wildly.

The hero was forced back, his feet skidding across the blood-streaked floor.

Movok clutched his chest, blood streaming from his wound, his breath labored.

The divine power was spreading rapidly, sapping his strength and leaving him vulnerable.

“You… wretched human!” Movok growled, his voice heavy with pain.

But before the hero could charge again, a lizardman soldier stepped into his path, throwing itself at him in desperation.

The hero’s glowing blade cut through the creature effortlessly, its body crumpling to the ground in an instant.

He moved to strike Movok once more, his golden eyes burning with determination.

But then, he froze.

A chill ran down his spine.

The golden glow surrounding him flickered as he sensed it—a presence unlike any he had felt before.

It was dark and oppressive, a weight that seemed to suffocate the very air around him.

“This presence…” the hero muttered, his voice barely audible over the sounds of battle.

He turned his head toward the source of the eerie aura, his gaze locking onto a single direction.

The prayer hall.

There, where the statue of Goddess Aria stood, the divine sanctity had been tainted.

The hero could feel it, a vile energy radiating from within.

“No…” he whispered, dread washing over him.

Without a second thought, he abandoned his pursuit of Movok, his heart pounding in his chest.

He charged toward the prayer hall, his golden armor shimmering as he moved with purpose.

“Please, let me not be too late,” he prayed silently, the weight of his responsibility heavier than ever.

Behind him, Movok collapsed to his knees, clutching his chest as the divine energy continued to spread through his body.

The lizardman general’s strength was fading, but his eyes burned with hatred as he watched the hero disappear into the distance.