The silence after Echelon's fall was deafening. The Node Room still buzzed faintly with static energy, flickering lights casting dancing shadows over the scorched walls. Kael stepped forward, breathing slowly, fists still clenched.
The System flashed in his vision:
[Citadel Core Access: GRANTED]
[System Key Consumed – Decoding Internal Archives…]
A circular platform rose from the center of the chamber, humming with unseen energy. Floating above it were several shimmering data shards—like pieces of broken crystal code suspended in mid-air.
Rin stepped beside him, eyes wide with awe. "This place… it's ancient. Pre-Order tech. Possibly even pre-System."
Aria kept her eyes on the perimeter. "So what's inside?"
Kael reached toward the nearest shard.
[Warning: Data Archive - RESTRICTED]
[Authorization Override in Progress… 12%… 45%… 89%… ACCESS GRANTED]
The room darkened.
A hologram flickered to life above the shard, revealing a towering figure draped in a cloak, face obscured by shadows and lines of unreadable code. The voice that followed echoed with artificial authority—deep, distorted.
> "You are not the first to awaken the Life System. But you may be the last."
Kael frowned. "What is this?"
> "The Order was not its creator. They were merely its jailers. The Life System was forged for evolution—meant to elevate humanity… not enslave it."
Aria raised an eyebrow. "So… what happened?"
> "They feared it. Feared what people would become. So they altered its code, weaponized it, and built the Citadels to house fragments of its truth."
Rin's fingers danced over a virtual keyboard. "This means… if we find the other Citadels, we might be able to restore the original System."
> "That is your mission now—if you accept it. Restore the Life System. Unchain the world."
The hologram vanished.
Kael stared at the empty space where the figure had been, heart pounding. "All this time… we thought the System was a cage."
Aria crossed her arms. "But it was a key."
The platform below pulsed.
[Data Fragment Acquired – 1/7: Legacy Protocols]
[New Objective Added: Locate Remaining Citadel Cores]
[Unlocking New Skill Tree: Legacy Enhancements]
Kael's screen shimmered as new branches of abilities formed across his interface—abilities that were locked from every other user in the city.
Legacy Enhancements: Unrestricted Evolution Pathways
First Unlock: Adaptive Combat – Skill Upgrade Based on Battle Style
Second Unlock: Mind-Link – Temporary Tactical Sync with Allies
"Whoa," Kael whispered. "This changes everything."
"Correction," Rin smirked. "This starts everything."
Aria sheathed her blades. "So what's the plan, boss?"
Kael looked up at the map Rin projected from the shard—showing six remaining Citadels scattered across the vast urban sprawl of Granis City.
"We find them. We unlock them. And then we burn the Order's lies to the ground."
The three stood in silence for a moment—aware of the storm that was coming, but even more aware of the power they now held.
For the first time since awakening the Life System, Kael didn't feel like a pawn.
He felt like a player.
And it was time to play the game his way.