The silence following the Warden's disappearance was louder than the battle itself. Ren remained motionless, staring at the violet runes that were now slowly fading into the cold stone.
"Did you hear that, Ghemii?" Ren asked, his voice echoing in the hollow chamber.
A glitchy, silver light flickered beside him. Ghemii appeared, his expression uncharacteristically grave. He wasn't looking at the dead monsters; he was looking at the air around Ren, as if reading invisible strings.
"I didn't just hear it, Ren. I felt it," Ghemii whispered. "The laws of this world... they just suffered a 'Writing Error'. Someone—or something—just erased the Warden's existence from the source code."
Ren frowned, gripping the Obsidian Fang. "The source code?"
"The world is a draft, Ren. And we are just characters on a page," Ghemii explained, his eyes glowing with a sudden realization. "But look at your hand. That glow... that's not mana. That's Primal Ink."
As if responding to Ghemii's words, the ground beneath them began to transform. The jagged rocks smoothed out, turning into a polished, black surface that resembled a giant chessboard. In the distance, a massive, spectral quill descended from the cavern ceiling, drawing a line of pure white fire across the darkness.
"He is watching us," Ren muttered, looking up into the void where no ceiling should exist. "The one who guides your book... The Architect."
Suddenly, a massive notification appeared in the air, glowing with a neutral gold light that blinded them both:
[SYSTEM OVERWRITE INITIATED] [NEW OBJECTIVE: REACH THE TITAN CITADEL BEFORE THE WORLD IS REDRAWN] [TIME REMAINING: ???]
"We have to move," Ghemii shouted over the rising roar of a spatial storm. "The First Stroke is coming, Ren. If we aren't at the Citadel by then, we'll be erased along with the old world's mistakes!"
Ren didn't hesitate. He sheathed his blade and leapt into the swirling vortex of the spatial storm. He wasn't running from death anymore; he was running toward his Creator.
📢 Author's Note: The Plot Thickens!
Đoạn này để "chốt hạ" và kéo họ sang bộ mới:
"The Architect has spoken!
The mystery of the 'Primal Ink' and the 'Spectral Quill' is just the beginning. The world of The Chosen One is being overwritten by something far more grand.
To witness the full manifestation of the Titan Citadel and the true power of the Neutral One, jump over to the main series:
🔥 [Abyssal Monarch: The Chosen One's Descent] I am currently focusing all my 'Ink' on the new book to prepare for the massive Chapter 43: The First Stroke update. Don't get left behind in the old world—come see the new reality being born!
Special thanks to my top supporters! Every Power Stone and Donation brings us closer to a special colored illustration of the Architect's Hand!"