Beijing, China — Silk Tower, 4:11 AM
The room was dim. Red-glow lanterns flickered against silk walls.
Lin Zhenyu stood at an ancient server vault hidden beneath her family's estate — bare feet, silk robe, and a jade blade at her hip.
"Your System wasn't made to help you," she said.
"It was made to choose you."
Damon's eyes narrowed.
System Reaction: Root Code Fragment (Seraphim-02) Successfully Integrated
– Memory file unlocked: "The Architect is not a man. It is a protocol."
– New Passive Gained: Legacy Pulse – You now receive encrypted echoes from the original system design.
Warning: Full integration could awaken dormant triggers across the globe
ARCHAIOS whispered:
"Sovereign… we're standing in a sleeping dragon's ribcage."
Back in New York — Black Tower
Nova Cross watched from Damon's rooftop.
Below, Elina gave commands to security.
The two women hadn't spoken in hours.
Until Nova did.
"I kissed him before anyone else.
I bled with him when no one knew his name."
Elina didn't turn.
"And now he's a name people bleed for."
"Step up, or step aside."
System Alert – Jealousy Threshold Rising
– Nova: Loyalty 84% | Emotional Spike Detected
– Elina: Loyalty 92% | Rivalry Curve Increasing
At the Same Time — Phantom's Port, Miami
Makazi's men made their move.
Two boats. Twenty soldiers.
Expected to meet resistance.
Instead?
They met Damon's retaliation drone fleet, live-piloted by Zeke and ARCHAIOS from 3,000 miles away.
The sky lit up.
Makazi's best lieutenant?
Gone in seven seconds.
A crate surfaced afterward — burned, marked with Damon's sigil.
System Update: Region Secured – Miami
– +$4.3M recovered inventory
– New title earned: "Coastal Reaper"
Final Scene — Black Tower, 3:00 AM
The elevator opened.
Sasha Maren stepped out.
She looked different.
Thinner. Hollow.
But in her arms?
A baby.
Wrapped in silk. Quiet. Breathing.
Zeke's voice echoed from the top floor:
"D… it's her."
Sasha looked up, voice broken.
"They told me to disappear.
But I came back because…
this one has your eyes."