The city shook under the clash.
Arin and Seraph collided in midair, power rippling like torn dimensions. Sparks of corrupted blue and flawless white lightning clashed as if two laws of existence refused to coexist.
Seraph's blade cut through space — reality resetting wherever it passed.
Arin barely blocked — blue code bursting painfully along his arms.
Seraph's soft, emotionless voice echoed:
"You are unstable. Existence does not tolerate instability."
Arin gritted his teeth, forcing Seraph backward for a moment.
"I don't need existence's permission!"
Seraph flickered out of sight — reappearing behind Arin — his sword already descending.
Lyra screamed, "Arin! LEFT!"
He moved a split second before impact — but too slow.
White data sliced across his back — his vision blurred.
HP critical.
System unable to recalculate damage.
Body glitching.
He spiraled downward — crashing into a shattered plaza.
💥 The World's Response
NPCs, half-formed and terrified, looked to Arin like a lifeline.
"Please save us…"
"Don't let that angel erase us…"
Arin tried to stand, blood pixelating.
They believed in him.
They needed him.
Seraph descended like a divine guillotine.
"End of anomaly."
He thrust his sword downward —
Straight toward Arin's heart.
Time slowed.
Nova lunged — shifting into giant fox form — nine tails forming a barrier of shimmering glitch-fire.
Seraph's blade shattered through four tails instantly — Nova howled in agony.
Blood — real blood — hit the ground.
Arin's eyes widened in horror.
"No… Nova…"
Celeste rushed forward, encasing Nova in healing sigils.
Arin's heart cracked — the System trying to delete the only ones who stood with him.
He couldn't allow that.
He refused.
⚡ SYSTEM BREAK
Unregistered Emotion Detected: Defiance
Processing… Failed
Evolution Trigger: Error God — Phase 1
Arin's body lifted as if gravity forgot him.
His broken skin stitched into living data.
Glowing wings — made of corrupted pixels — formed behind him.
His voice resonated with both humanity and anomaly:
"I told you…"
The ground exploded beneath his power.
"I WON'T LET YOU DELETE THEM!"
Blue lightning erupted — not like energy…
But like a new law of physics writing itself.
Seraph's eyes widened — a micro-expression of shock.
"Impossible… unauthorized creation of rules."
Arin's lips curled into a vicious smile.
"Welcome to my update."
⚔ Phase Shift: Error vs Perfection
Arin accelerated forward — warping space — appearing in front of Seraph without movement.
The strike that followed…
Seraph didn't block.
He couldn't.
For the first time — his armor cracked.
Lines of code spilled out like blood.
"Violation Level: God-tier."
Seraph tried to retreat — but Arin grabbed his face and slammed him into a skyscraper.
Then another.
Then threw him miles away — tearing through the sky like a comet.
The perfect angel fell.
Arin landed gently, power fading to a soft glow.
Nova forced a weak smile.
"You looked… incredible."
Celeste breathed shakily, staring at him like he wasn't mortal anymore.
Lyra's eyes sparkled — but also trembled with fear.
"You accessed something forbidden," she whispered.
Arin knelt beside Nova, holding her.
His chest ached, guilt crushing him.
"This power… it hurts you too…"
Nova licked his hand. "We're with you. Always."
Celeste stepped close, hand touching his shoulder.
Her voice was gentle… but heavy with fear.
"Arin… with that power comes a price."
He looked at her — eyes troubled.
"What price?"
Before she could answer—
⚠ Final System Broadcast
Eradicator-02 Status: Critical
Activating Protocol: PURGE MEMORY
Target: Arin
Arin's surroundings blurred — faces flickering.
His memories began rewriting…
People disappearing from his mind…
He gasped. "No… NO!"
Lyra rushed forward — grabbing his face, eyes glowing fiercely.
"Arin! Listen to my voice! I can anchor you!"
She placed her forehead against his.
Two bugs fighting against the System rewrite.
Arin's memories snapped back — locking into place.
Lyra collapsed, exhausted — but smiling.
"You'll remember now…"
"…even if the System tries to erase who you are."
Arin looked at each of them — his people.
Nova, injured but brave.
Celeste, scared but loyal.
Lyra, mysterious but devoted.
He realized something crystal clear:
This wasn't just a game.
This wasn't just survival.
He was building a family the System couldn't delete.
And the System?
It was terrified of losing control.
Arin looked to the horizon — where Seraph had crashed.
His voice was steel:
"No more running. No more hiding.
We take the fight to them."
The air trembled —
Because for the first time…
The Error wasn't reacting.
The Error was declaring war.
✅ Chapter 9 END