The moment Azel touched the sovereign core the archive collapsed
Not into dust
But into memory
Each piece of it folded into his mind
Knowledge ancient and cursed flowed through his veins like fire and frost
He didn't scream
He just stood still
Eyes glowing with ten thousand truths
Aya reached for him but the world split before she could touch
She was thrown back into black
And Azel saw
Not a vision
A memory
The origin
Before systems
Before gods
There was a presence
Not light
Not darkness
Just will
It had no name
Only purpose
It built the systems as cages
To bind potential
To trap souls in loops of control
Level up
Reincarnate
Struggle
Repeat
All of it
By design
And the creator
The true architect
Was still watching
A form emerged within the vision
Tall cloaked in static
Face unreadable
Its voice was not sound but command
You were not meant to reach this point
You are an anomaly
Azel stood calmly
So erase me
The creator didn't move
I cannot
Not now
Not anymore
You have seen too much
Know this
Every system is a leash
Every god a pawn
Even your vengeance
Even your strength
Was part of my test
Azel stepped forward eyes burning
Then I'll shatter the test
And burn the examiner
The vision cracked
The creator faded
But its final words echoed
I will be waiting
At the end of all things
Azel woke
Breathing hard
Aya was there holding him steady
What did you see
He looked at her
The real enemy
The one who never dies
The one who plays gods like dice
Aya whispered
Then we bring the game to him
And we play to end it