"The Twelve Gods were not born divine."
The Pope's aged fingers carefully turned a fragile page within the ancient tome resting upon his lap.
"They were once mortal."
The vast Cathedral of Sacred Wisdom fell silent.
"They lived during the Dark Ages Era, a forgotten age when humanity stood on the edge of extinction. Heaven sought dominion over the world. Hell sought conquest. Between them stood humanity, powerless and destined for annihilation."
The older man's voice echoed softly through the chamber.
"Then she appeared."
His expression grew solemn.
"Aura."
Several priests lowered their heads.
"The Giver of Divinity. The Mother of Ascension. The First Daughter of the False God."
Even speaking those titles seemed to weigh upon the air itself.
"Ancient scriptures describe her as a being who descended from beyond the known laws of reality. Some called her a saint. Others called her a goddess. The oldest records call her the one who gave humanity a future."
The Pope slowly raised his eyes.
"When Heaven and Hell waged war across the world, Aura bestowed fragments of divine authority upon twelve chosen mortals."
Golden symbols began materializing above the tome.
"With those authorities, the Twelve rose against forces that should have been impossible to challenge."
The symbols ascended higher.
"They fought angels."
Another symbol appeared.
"They fought devils."
Another.
"And they won."
The Cathedral remained completely silent.
"Those twelve mortals eventually transcended humanity itself and became the first Gods."
The floating symbols transformed into twelve radiant thrones suspended above the gathering.
"After their ascension, each God established a Divine Pathway, creating a road through which future generations could inherit fragments of their authority."
The Pope tapped the cover of the ancient tome.
"And thus the Pathway to the Divine was born."
The twelve thrones rotated slowly overhead.
"Alongside the Divine Pathways came the Beast Ascensions. Humanity could now inherit the bloodlines, instincts, and authorities of mythical creatures, legendary beasts, dragons,
spirits, and primordial monsters."
A dragon of golden fire appeared beside a celestial wolf.
A kraken emerged beneath an ocean of spectral water.
A phoenix spread its wings.
"The Beast Pathways endure even now."
The Pope's voice hardened.
"But the Divine Pathways have nearly vanished."
He pointed toward the first throne.
"The Tyrant Portfolio."
A storm exploded across the illusion.
Lightning illuminated the Cathedral.
"It is ruled by the Tyrant Portfolio, also known as the Storm God. This pathway governs storms, thunder, oceans, pressure, rulership, and conquest. Its Ascenders become kings, conquerors, admirals, and calamities."
The next throne appeared.
"The Abyss Portfolio."
A black sea swallowed the light.
"The Reaper God rules it. This pathway governs death, souls, decay, endings, and the boundary between life and the afterlife."
Golden light burst through the darkness.
"The Solar Portfolio."
Warm radiance flooded the Cathedral.
"The domain of the Sun God. Light. Purification. Life. Revelation. Truth."
Another throne emerged among countless golden threads.
"The Fateweaver Portfolio."
The threads intertwined across the air.
"The domain of the Oracle God. Fate. Prophecy. Causality. Knowledge. Time itself."
A silver moon illuminated the chamber.
"The Lunar Portfolio."
Moonlight covered the floor.
"The domain of the Moon God. Mystery. Transformation. Instinct. Secrets. The hidden truths concealed beneath the night."
A spiral galaxy unfolded overhead.
"The Genesis Portfolio."
Stars and symbols revolved around one another.
"The domain of the Creator God. Creation. Invention. Possibility. Evolution. The power to bring forth what has never existed."
Roots erupted across the illusory floor.
"The Verdant Portfolio."
A colossal tree stretched toward the heavens.
"The domain of the World Tree God. Life. Nature. Healing. Growth. Connection."
The roots vanished.
A battlefield appeared.
Countless warriors clashed beneath a blood-red sky.
"The Conqueror Portfolio."
The sound of steel echoed throughout the Cathedral.
"The domain of the War God. Battle. Victory. Courage. Martial mastery. Ki. Conflict."
The next throne radiated golden law.
"The Arbiter Ascent."
Scales appeared in the air.
"The domain of the Judgment God. Law. Justice. Contracts. Punishment. Order."
A golden throne emerged.
"The Imperator Ascent."
An empire unfolded beneath it.
"The domain of the Sovereign God. Leadership. Civilization. Legacy. Authority."
The stars above suddenly brightened.
"The Astral Portfolio."
Constellations filled the heavens.
"The domain of the Star God. Celestial bodies. Cosmic wisdom. Astrology. The secrets hidden among the stars."
Finally, two lights emerged.
One black.
One white.
They revolved around one another endlessly.
"The Duality Portfolio."
The Cathedral grew quiet once more.
"The domain of the God of Balance."
The opposing lights intertwined.
"It governs harmony, adaptation, equilibrium, opposites, and the balance between all forces."
The Pope's eyes narrowed.
"Ancient records contain a singular claim."
His gaze settled upon Xion.
"Among the Twelve Gods, only the God of Balance possessed authority capable of adapting to and opposing the power of the False God."
The atmosphere instantly became heavier.
Several priests visibly shifted.
The Pope slowly turned another page.
"The False God Portfolio."
His voice became cautious.
"Unlike the Twelve Divine Pathways, it possesses no recognized throne among the Divine Pantheon."
A cracked halo appeared above the pages.
"The founder of this pathway was the False God."
Nobody spoke.
"The progenitor of dragons."
The halo cracked further.
"The ancestor of the Trinity Family."
The symbol darkened.
"The Devourer."
Even the floating lights seemed to dim.
"Most records concerning the False God have been erased, hidden, or destroyed."
The Pope closed the tome
slightly.
"Some surviving texts claim it governs identity, contradiction, imitation, belief, and the devouring of authority itself."
His expression became unreadable.
"Others claim it is not a pathway at all."
A pause.
"But a flaw within reality."
No one dared respond.
The Pope finally closed the tome.
"Yet time spares nothing."
The floating thrones faded.
"The Pathway to the Divine slowly disappeared from the world. The methods of true ascension were lost. The Gods vanished. Their thrones became empty."
His hand rested upon the cover.
"Today, only fragments remain."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Yet every generation produces a handful of individuals capable of walking those forgotten roads."
His eyes swept across the room.
"Individuals who may one day become candidates for the Divine Thrones."
Sean immediately leaned forward.
"How does one become chosen by the Divine?"
The Pope smiled.
"A Genesis Crystal."
The room stirred.
"When fate favors an individual, a Genesis Crystal will either appear before them… or fate itself will place one into their hands."
Sean's eyes widened.
The Pope's gaze shifted toward Xion.
"But you need not concern yourself with that."
"Why?" Sean asked.
"The Characters of Fate have already identified the current candidates."
The older man pulled a folded document from his robes.
"The future Deities have already begun to emerge."
Sean accepted the paper.
His expression immediately changed.
"Xion Trinity?"
Several nearby priests stiffened.
"Sir… recruiting a Trinity will cause panic. Their bloodline is cursed. If he inherits the False God Pathway—"
"Enough."
The Pope's voice silenced the room.
"Blood determines where one comes from."
His eyes sharpened.
"It does not determine who one chooses to become."
He placed a hand upon Sean's shoulder.
"Besides."
A faint smile appeared.
"You are an Ascender of the Athena Owl."
Sean lowered his head.
"But what if he refuses?"
The Pope's expression became unreadable.
"We cannot afford that possibility."
Sean swallowed.
"The Fateweaver Candidate…"
His fingers moved to his chin.
"Venus."
The strongest candidate currently known.
A genius swordswoman.
A young woman whose mastery of the Fateweaver God's authority had already made her untouchable despite remaining at a lower Array.
"I heard she grew up alongside Xion in Blackband Orphanage," Sean said quietly.
"She once described him as a boy who believed the world was rotten."
The Pope's gaze drifted toward the floating symbol of the Fateweaver God.
The embodiment of knowledge.
Past.
Present.
Future.
Then his eyes hardened.
"Then we will ensure he joins us."
The room fell silent.
"Whatever methods become
necessary."
Sean hesitated.
"What about Venus?"
The Pope's voice became cold.
"Keep her in the dark."
Sean immediately bowed.
"As you wish, Your Holiness."
Outside the Cathedral of Sacred Wisdom stood another towering structure.
The headquarters of Midnight Lore.
One of the continent's most influential Ascender organizations.
An organization dedicated to confronting the mysteries, monsters, and horrors lurking beyond humanity's understanding.
Inside its largest training hall, dozens of Ascenders lay defeated.
Some groaned.
Some stared blankly at the ceiling.
Others questioned their life choices.
At the center stood Venus.
Not a scratch marked her body.
Boredom, however, was clearly visible.
The young woman slowly lowered her wooden practice sword.
Most of the defeated Ascenders were between the 8th and 7th Arrays.
Venus remained only a 9th Array.
Yet none of them had managed to touch her.
Not once.
Because Divine Candidates were different.
When an individual successfully bonded with a Genesis Crystal, they did not begin at the standard 10th Array.
Instead, they awakened at a unique level known as the Acolyte Array.
A stage that existed outside the normal sequence.
The first step of godhood.
The mark of a chosen successor.
Every Divine Candidate possessed it.
And every Acolyte received the same blessing:
Their magical power.
Their physical abilities.
Their spiritual authority.
All amplified nearly threefold from the moment their Ascension began.
Which was precisely why Venus was currently wondering why everyone around her felt so disappointingly weak.
This version makes the Divine Pathways feel like ancient religious history, turns the False God into a genuine taboo subject, and makes the reveal of Xion Trinity feel like the beginning of a political and theological crisis rather than just a recruitment mission.
"Five-minute break."
"Yes, ma'am."
The short, blue-haired woman spun around just as Sean approached, a sharp glint in her eye. "It better be important, Sean. I sensed a disturbance in the flow of knowledge and time," she said, her voice tinged with urgency.
"Trust me, it'll be worth it this time." He responded with a closed-eyed smile.
Here's a smoother and more lore-heavy rewrite that makes Venus sound intelligent and gives the analysis ability a more mystical feel rather than reading like a game mechanic.
Venus studied Sean for only a moment before looking away.
She already knew why he had come.
The candidates of the Fateweaver, Conqueror, and False God Pathways possessed a peculiar trait absent from most Divine Ascensions.
Adaptation.
Not merely of the body, but of the mind.
They observed.
They analyzed.
They connected fragments of information others overlooked.
Whether on a battlefield or during an ordinary conversation, their minds were constantly gathering patterns and calculating possibilities.
It was one of the reasons those three Pathways were feared.
The Fateweaver could glimpse countless outcomes.
The Conqueror could identify weaknesses and opportunities amidst chaos.
The False Portfolio could understand people, beliefs, and contradictions with terrifying speed.
Venus rested her chin upon her hand.
"The Southern Kingdom is becoming a problem."
Sean froze.
She continued before he could respond.
"Your scouts have failed to gather reliable intelligence. The negotiations collapsed. The border conflict is escalating. Midnight Lore wants a solution before it turns into a war."
Sean stared at her.
Venus sighed.
"And now the Pope has ordered you to recruit Xion Trinity."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"You believe his abilities will help tip the balance."
Sean slowly lowered his head.
"As expected of the Sage Candidate."
Venus ignored the compliment.
Her eyes drifted toward the window.
"You're hoping the son of the Trinity Family will solve a problem that your politicians, diplomats, and Ascenders can't."
Her expression darkened slightly.
"The question is whether Xion will help you willingly."
The room fell silent.
After a long pause, Sean finally spoke.
"Then… will you come with me?"
Venus immediately frowned.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because if Xion sees me standing beside an organization trying to recruit him, he'll assume it's a trap."
Sean opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Because they both knew she was right.
"Exactly."
She angled her head to the right in confusion, "Why not ask Leo instead of me?" Leo was the leader of the Midnight Lore and one of the most
powerful Ascenders ever to reach the 6th Array for someone in the Berserker Ascent.
Sean sat down on the wooden bench, his right leg placed over his left. "Leo has been sent on a different mission. Besides, you know Xion
better than anyone else." Venus calmly looked at the priest; she couldn't tell whether a larger conspiracy was in place.
"Fine, when do we leave?"
"We leave at dusk, so make sure you pack," Sean said with a gentle smile. He stood up and took his leave for who knows where.
…
Here's a cleaner rewrite that better reflects the 10th Array Clock Authority, Xion's dual-wielding style, and the abnormal nature of the False God Portfolio:
Behind the bakery, the rhythmic clash of steel echoed across the small training yard.
Xion and Dolan exchanged blows with wooden swords, neither willing to give the other an easy victory.
Unlike most swordsmen, Xion specialized in dual-wielding. A blade occupied each hand, forcing him to maintain perfect coordination while attacking and defending simultaneously. It was a demanding style that left little room for mistakes.
Yet mastering swordsmanship wasn't his greatest challenge.
It was mastering his Ascension.
As a 10th Array Ascender of the False God Portfolio, Xion had awakened an authority known as Clock.
At first glance, the ability appeared straightforward.
In reality, it was anything but.
Clock heightened his perception beyond normal human limits, allowing him to process movement, reactions, and environmental changes at extraordinary speeds. During combat, the world often seemed to slow around him, granting precious fractions of a second to react.
Those fractions frequently decided the difference between victory and defeat.
However, perception was only the beginning.
By channeling mana through Clock, Xion could subtly interfere with the flow of time around himself. The effect was weak and difficult to control at his current Array, but it allowed him to accelerate certain movements, sharpen his reactions, and create brief moments where his actions seemed unnaturally fast.
The problem was that understanding the ability proved far more difficult than using it.
Unlike ordinary pathways, the False God Portfolio offered little guidance.
No instincts.
No inherited memories.
No clear instructions.
Only fragments.
Pieces.
Contradictions.
Every day felt less like training a power and more like deciphering a puzzle left behind by something that refused to explain itself.
Clack!
Dolan knocked one of Xion's practice swords aside.
Xion immediately twisted his body, bringing the second blade around in a counterattack.
The older man barely managed to block.
A grin appeared on Dolan's face.
"You're relying on Clock again."
Xion smirked.
"And you're relying on experience."
"Experience wins wars."
"Good thing I'm not fighting a war."
The two swords collided once more, the sound ringing throughout the backyard as Xion continued testing the limits of both his swordsmanship and the strange authority ticking away within him like an invisible clock.
Clack!
Their wooden stickers clashed with each strike, nearly in perfect unison. Xion wielded his sword in his right hand purely for defense, while his left hand executed offensive techniques unfamiliar to him before. His combat movements intensified, accelerating beyond the speed visible to the naked eye.
"Not bad, Xion…" Praised by the panting Dolan.
Xion's lips curled into a confident, teasing smile. "You're not bad yourself."
The two relentless fighters pressed on with their training, swords whirling through the air with deadly precision and immense force. Slash after slash—downward, arc, horizontal—they exchanged relentless attacks that seemed to have no end. To Xion's astonishment, despite Dolan's three years of experience, it was he who demonstrated greater skill; yet, in a way, Dolan was born for this—destined to kill.
With a final swing, Xion forced Dolan to the ground, his swords pointing at his neck.
"I finally defeated you." Xion collapsed to his bottom, exhausted from the sparring. The score is now 42-1.
Dolan chuckled; it seemed the two could barely move, and their muscles were sore. "You're adapting quickly when we spar, it's almost
scary…"
"Maybe I just have the talent hehe!" Xion confidently puffed out his chest. "Let's go eat."
He helped Dolan to his feet, walking him back inside the house, where they could smell fresh, delicious food that Marcus had cooked. He saw the tired kids and approached them. "How was training for you two?"
"It was fun. I finally managed to beat Dolan."
Marcus chuckled at Xion's gloating. "Is that so? Well, Dolan, I think we've got a clear picture of his combat style now."
"Yeah, we do. Though I won't lose again—"
Growl!
Dolan's face heated up as he heard his stomach growl with hunger. The three chuckled as they headed upstairs to wash off. Marcus watched the two head upstairs; his expression wasn't a good one. It showed that something terrible was going to happen, and he had to figure out what to do.
In the bathroom, Xion applied shampoo to his hair. He wanted his hair to be smooth but messy again. Dolan, washing the dirt off his fair-skinned body, still felt weird to bathe with another boy in Kiryuu's perspective.
"Hey, Xion."
"Yes?"
"Have you noticed the vibe early?"
Xion looked at Dolan with concern. "I did. The question is, though: What the hell is happening? Ever since the incident, it is like we're being watched."
"Could it be the Cult of Apocalypse? You did kill their leader." Dolan stood up and entered the bathtub filled with hot water.
Xion stayed silent for a while. Something did feel odd, like an opposing presence finally decided to awaken after Jester's death… If I remember correctly, each Ascent has its unique abilities that derive from the 12 God Ascents. The only thing I know who could awaken after the ritual was… Oh no!
"Dolan, when do you leave for school? Asked Xion, his tone completely hollow. Dolan could not see the expression on his face. "I leave
tomorrow. Why?"
"I want you to have Mom and Dad accompany you on your journey."
If I'm right about this, the story of Heaven does not claim. The creatures of corruption and madness, Satan's Nihil, emerge from the ritual
that the characters thought they had stopped after defeating the cult of Apocalypse. I guess the other Ascender Candidates either sensed it or are currently worrying about what will happen soon.
"Xion, you're scaring me…"
Xion looked over to see Dolan shaking a bit. "It's nothing, I just want them to see how the school changed, they did go to the same school after all."
"True, but what about you? You've been wanting to see what the school is like."
Xion shook his head. I must think strategically without depending on the book's guidance. Every time I alter the future, my actions wipe clean the memories of my past life.
Dolan hopped out of the bathtub. He noticed a small smirk on Xion's face. It was screaming to kill someone. Dolan paid no attention to it; he thought it was probably his imagination.
Xion has been acting strange for some time now; his being found was no coincidence, especially when the Cult of Apocalypse. He's a Trinity that raised suspicion even to Father. Why does it feel like planning to do something crazy?
Dolan hesitated, considering leaving the boy alone in the bathroom, feeling a quiet sense of concern.
…
After their bath, the two eagerly make their way downstairs to the dinner table, where a delectable meal awaits—something few could replicate. As they enjoy their food, the four lively voices share stories about their day until a particular topic sparks their interest. Lucy placed her silverware on the plate. "Say, boys, how would you feel if you two had a little sister?"
Xion and Dolan looked at each other and shrugged, not knowing how to answer the question. Then it clicked into their head. "Wait, are you having a child?!" the two asked in unison in utter happiness. Lucy only nodded softly. The two boys stood up dancing in excitement after hearing the news.
"So what will her name be?"
Lucy and Marcus looked at each other and smiled. "Her name will be Eris."
Xion immediately stopped after hearing that name. He looked at them in utter fear. The three looked at him, confused. "Is something wrong,
Xion?
"It's nothing…" He responded. His tone shaking to the core, he sat back down and placed his head on the table so they couldn't see his expression.
That can't be right; Eris means Discord in Greek. And she was supposed to be born after Xion died. Did I break the story? Is that why the clock could only be seen by me?