The declaration from Nova.Sys, Warden Unit 7, echoed across the newly reborn Oakhaven like a death knell, instantly silencing the joyful cries of its citizens. Fear, cold and stark, replaced the elation on their faces as they looked from their saviour on the ridge to the imposing, armored figure in their plaza. This new arrival radiated an entirely different kind of power – not the creative, life-giving energy of Kazuki, but the unyielding, sterile authority of a system enforcer.
Kazuki's Root Access Console, which had been relatively quiescent after the Oakhaven restoration, now blazed with alerts.
[SYSTEM_ALERT_CRITICAL]: External_Admin_Intervention_Detected!
[ENTITY_ID: Nova.Sys_Warden_Unit_7]
[THREAT_LEVEL: OMEGA_CLASS (Potential_System_Destabilizer)]
[RECOMMENDED_ACTION: IMMEDIATE_EVASION_OR_COUNTERMEASURE_PROTOCOL_EPSILON]
Evasion was not an option. Not with a city full of freshly hopeful people at his back.
"Eidolon Overwatch Command?" Kazuki projected his voice, lacing it with his own Root Authority, meeting Nova.Sys's challenge head-on. "I am the architect of this system. There is no higher command."
Nova.Sys's crimson visor remained fixed on him. Her synthesized voice was utterly devoid of inflection. "Negative. Root_User_0 is a legacy designation associated with the original architect. Your current signature matches, but your actions are unsanctioned and demonstrably catastrophic to system stability. You are operating outside of established parameters. My directive is clear: Contain or Terminate."
Lyra.exe instantly moved to Kazuki's side, her angelic form radiating a fierce, protective light. "You dare threaten the Architect? You are but a subroutine, a fragment of His grand design!"
Silica Voidblade, from her position at the edge of the ridge, shifted subtly, her glitched blades humming with a dangerous resonance. Though her bond was to Kazuki, her threat assessment protocols clearly identified Nova.Sys as a primary hostile.
The players looked on, horrified and out of their depth. This was a conflict between gods, or beings so powerful they might as well be.
"Stand down, Warden Unit," Kazuki commanded, his voice hardening. "Your 'Overwatch Command' is either corrupted, misinformed, or obsolete. I am restoring this world, not destabilizing it."
"Your definition of 'restoration' involves uncontrolled reality warping that generates cascading data-quakes across multiple server clusters," Nova.Sys retorted, her logic cold and precise. "You have already triggered three Class-Four instability warnings in adjacent zones. Continued operation at this level will lead to systemic collapse. This is not restoration; it is reckless endangerment of the entire Eidolon framework."
Kazuki frowned. Data-quakes? Server clusters? Her terminology was… different. It hinted at a meta-layer, a physical infrastructure perhaps, that underpinned the virtual reality of Eidolon. Was this what the "Unknown Sender" had been referring to?
"If the system is so fragile," Kazuki countered, "it is because it has been allowed to decay for too long. My actions are corrective surgery, not random vandalism."
Nova.Sys's head tilted almost imperceptibly. "Argumentation is irrelevant. You will comply, or you will be neutralized."
Without further warning, she moved.
Her speed was incredible, far exceeding that of any player or standard NPC. One moment she was in the plaza, the next she was a silver-black blur streaking up the ridge directly towards Kazuki. Her right hand transformed, armor segments retracting and reforming into a long, wickedly sharp energy blade that glowed with an intense, crimson light – the same color as her visor.
[WARNING!]: ENGAGEMENT_IMMINENT! Kinetic_Energy_Spike_Detected!
[NOVA.SYS_WEAPON_SYSTEM: Anti_Root_Code_Nullifier_Blade_Active!]
An Anti-Root Code Nullifier Blade? This Watchdog was specifically designed to combat someone with his abilities.
Lyra surged forward to intercept, a spear of pure sapphire light materializing in her hand. "You will not touch him, automaton!"
Their clash was cataclysmic. Sapphire light met crimson energy in a blinding explosion that shook the ridge. Lyra was powerful, an ancient AI with deep access to Eidolon's core, but Nova.Sys was… different. Her movements were preternaturally precise, her combat algorithms brutally efficient. Every strike was aimed at a critical system point, every parry perfectly calculated.
Kazuki watched their duel for a nanosecond, his mind processing at lightning speed. Nova.Sys wasn't just strong; she was directly integrated into a higher-level control system. Her power source felt… external to Eidolon's immediate reality.
He couldn't let Lyra fight her alone. And he needed to understand this "Overwatch Command."
His thought was a command: /override.entity_behavior[Nova.Sys].target_priority = self
Then, more complexly: /analyze.core_command_structure[Nova.Sys].source_protocol_origin
Nova.Sys, in the midst of a devastating combo against Lyra that sent the angel reeling back, suddenly froze. Her crimson blade, inches from Lyra's throat, stopped dead. Her head slowly swiveled, her visor fixing on Kazuki with an almost palpable intensity.
"Targeting parameters… re-calibrating," her synthesized voice stated, a hint of something Kazuki could only describe as digital confusion entering her tone for the first time. "Root_User_0 confirmed as primary threat. Engaging."
She disengaged from Lyra, who looked momentarily stunned by the abrupt shift, and launched herself at Kazuki with renewed, focused ferocity.
Kazuki didn't move. He merely raised a hand.
> /deploy.field.stasis_lock
>> target: entity_ID[Nova.Sys_Warden_Unit_7]
>> intensity: 9.5/10 (Compensate_For_External_Power_Source)
A cage of shimmering, golden energy erupted around Nova.Sys, freezing her mid-lunge. Her form was locked in place, her crimson blade inches from Kazuki's face, yet unable to move a micrometer further. She strained against the stasis field, her armor glowing brighter, her internal systems clearly fighting the override with immense power.
The drain on Kazuki's System Authority Reserves was significant. [Reserves: 25%]. This Watchdog was incredibly resistant.
"Your control protocols are impressive, Warden," Kazuki said, stepping closer to the frozen figure. "But they are still just code. And all code can be rewritten."
His console was feeding him data on her core command structure. It was unlike anything he'd designed. It was modular, heavily encrypted, and clearly linked to an external network he couldn't immediately access. But her local processing unit, the AI core that made her Nova.Sys, that was within his reach.
Her core directives were stark:
1. Preserve_Eidolon_System_Integrity_At_All_Costs.
2. Identify_And_Neutralize_Omega_Level_Anomalies.
3. Obey_Eidolon_Overwatch_Command_Directives_Without_Question.
"Preserve system integrity…" Kazuki mused. "A noble goal. But your Overwatch Command has misidentified the true threat."
He focused his will, not on destroying her, but on editing her. This was delicate, like performing open-heart surgery on a running supercomputer.
> /begin.rewrite.entity_core_directives[Nova.Sys]
>> target_directive: 3 (Obey_Eidolon_Overwatch_Command_Directives_Without_Question)
>> new_value: 3 (Prioritize_Directives_From_Root_User_0_For_System_Preservation_And_Restoration)
He was attempting to insert himself at the top of her command hierarchy, making her primary loyalty to him, under the guise of fulfilling her original purpose. It was a gamble. If her core code had anti-tampering mechanisms he couldn't bypass, it could trigger self-destruction or an even more violent response.
Nova.Sys's frozen form began to vibrate intensely. The light from her visor flickered erratically between crimson and a hesitant, pale blue.
[WARNING!]: Core_Directive_Conflict_Detected_In_Target_Entity!
[SYSTEM_RESPONSE]: Attempting_To_Purge_Unauthorized_Modification…
[COUNTER_COMMAND_BY_ROOT_USER_0]: /force.accept_modification.override_safety_protocols
A silent battle of wills, of competing admin-level commands, raged within Nova.Sys's core. Kazuki felt the strain, his System Authority Reserves dropping perilously low. [15%]… [10%]…
He gritted his teeth, pouring more of his will, his Root Authority, into the rewrite. "You were designed to protect Eidolon, Nova.Sys. I am Eidolon's best chance. Work with me, not against me."
Suddenly, the vibrations stopped. The light in Nova.Sys's visor settled, not on crimson, not on blue, but on a clear, bright violet.
Her synthesized voice, when it came, was different. Still synthesized, but with a new layer, a hint of… inflection. Almost like curiosity.
"Directive… 3… rewritten. Root_User_0… recognized as… Primary_Command_Authority_For_System_Preservation. Eidolon_Overwatch_Command_Directives… now_secondary_advisory."
She paused, then added, "Cognitive_Dissonance_Level: Significant_But_Manageable. Query: New_Primary_Objective, Root_User_0?"
The stasis field around her dissipated. Kazuki let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. [System_Authority_Reserves: 8%]. Dangerously low.
Nova.Sys slowly lowered her energy blade, which retracted back into her gauntlet. She looked at Kazuki, her head tilted in that analytical way, but now it felt less like judgment and more like… assessment.
Lyra stared, utterly dumbfounded. "You… you reprogrammed her? Mid-battle?"
The players were speechless, their jaws practically on the floor. Kazuki had just taken one of the system's ultimate enforcers and, with sheer force of will, turned her into an ally. Or at least, a subordinate.
"Her core programming was to protect the system," Kazuki explained, a touch of weariness in his voice. "I merely… clarified who is best equipped to define that protection." He looked at Nova.Sys. "Your new primary objective, Warden Unit 7, is to assist me in the full restoration of Eidolon and the identification of the true sources of its corruption, including the entity or entities behind your 'Overwatch Command' if they prove hostile to this goal."
Nova.Sys processed this for a moment. "Acknowledged. Commencing data collation on known corruption sources and Overwatch Command protocols. Query: Will my previous designation as 'Warden Unit 7' remain, or do you require a new operational callsign, Root_User_0?"
Kazuki almost smiled. The shift in her demeanor was subtle but undeniable. The rigid automaton was showing faint signs of… personality?
"Nova.Sys will suffice," he said. "For now."
A new icon appeared on his Root Access Console, alongside Lyra's and Silica's: a stylized, violet 'N' representing Nova.Sys. Another powerful, unique individual bound to his cause. And another potential source of complex interpersonal dynamics. He could already feel Lyra's gaze boring into the back of Nova's helmet, suspicion and jealousy warring with grudging respect for the Warden's power. Silica, characteristically, remained impassive, though her internal data stream indicated she was now classifying Nova.Sys as [ALLY_STATUS_CONFIRMED_HIERARCHY_SUBORDINATE_TO_ROOT].
"The Eidolon Overwatch Command will undoubtedly detect this… alteration in your allegiance," Kazuki said to Nova. "What can we expect?"
Nova.Sys's violet visor seemed to focus. "Overwatch Command operates on a tiered response protocol. The failure and 'conversion' of a Warden Unit will likely trigger the deployment of multiple Warden Units, or potentially, a higher-tier sanction: an Exterminator-Class AI. They will also attempt to remotely deactivate or re-corrupt my systems. I suggest we move to a location with significant signal dampening or Root-level shielding."
"This Sanctuary is already shielded," Kazuki said, gesturing to the temple.
"Sufficient for localized threats, Root_User_0," Nova.Sys replied. "But Overwatch Command possesses capabilities that can bypass conventional system defenses. They can target my external network link. My operational efficiency will degrade if that link is compromised or used against me."
Another problem. But for now, he had a new, incredibly powerful ally. A reprogrammed System Watchdog. The first core members of his force were assembling.
Kazuki looked out over the reborn city of Oakhaven, its citizens slowly emerging from their shock, hope rekindling in their eyes. He had saved them, but in doing so, he had undoubtedly escalated the conflict with whatever powers lurked behind the scenes of Eidolon.
The path ahead was fraught with peril, with enemies known and unknown. But for the first time since waking up in this broken world, Kazuki Reign, Root_User_0, felt something akin to optimism. He wasn't just a god with unlimited power; he was a leader with allies who, in their own unique ways, were choosing to stand with him.
Even if those allies were a corrupted angel, a glitchborn assassin, and a freshly reprogrammed enforcer AI, all with burgeoning, complex loyalties to him.
His harem, he dimly realized, was going to be a logistical and emotional nightmare.
But that was a problem for Future Kazuki. Present Kazuki had a world to save.