The air crackled with fading embers as the aftermath of the Crimson Sky Realm's collapse settled into memory. Zhen stood silently at the edge of a jagged cliff, overlooking a black sea of void. The otherworldly stars above pulsed erratically—as if confused by the presence of an intruder who had survived what should've been impossible.
Behind him, Lyria, Kai, and Xera gathered their strength. Though they had endured the last trial together, the toll it took on each of them was visible. Lyria's robes were torn and scorched; Kai's mechanical gauntlets hummed erratically, and Xera's normally gleaming silver hair was stained with blood and dust.
But Zhen… Zhen stood untouched. The system had evolved again.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE]
You have surpassed a Major World Trial:
Crimson Sky Realm Cleared.
+2,000,000 Merit Points
+1 Ascendant World Token
Flame Seed of Aeons: Acquired
Hidden Path Unlocked: "The Forgotten Nexus"
He didn't smile. Power was just a means. The real prize was always the knowledge hidden between realms. The Forgotten Nexus—a world rumored to predate the Multiverse's current structure—was his next target.
"Zhen," Lyria stepped forward, her voice unsure for once. "This next realm… it's not part of the Ranking Network. Even the system doesn't fully control it."
"I know," he replied. "That's exactly why I need to enter it."
---
The Forgotten Nexus
The portal opened with a low groan, not a brilliant burst of energy as in previous worlds, but a haunting whisper—as if the realm itself resented being remembered. Stepping through, they emerged into a city frozen in twilight, with colossal statues of forgotten gods crumbling under the weight of time.
Every surface was covered in runes—but not like those Zhen had seen before. These were tangled, knotted symbols, constantly shifting and bleeding light, as if alive.
> [SYSTEM WARNING]
External Reality Detected: Partial Interface Only.
Ranking Metrics: Inactive.
Mission Log: Severed.
Proceed at your own risk.
Zhen's eyes narrowed. "So the system's reach ends here."
Kai groaned. "Then what the hell are we doing in a place where even the gods got erased?"
"Finding answers," Zhen replied. "And maybe… rewriting the rules."
---
The Memory Vault
At the heart of the ruined city lay a tower with no entrance—only a blank wall of light. But as Zhen approached, the Flame Seed pulsed in resonance. The wall melted away, revealing a staircase descending into darkness.
At the bottom, a vast chamber stretched into infinity. Floating shards of memories—images, voices, fragments of time—danced through the air like dying fireflies.
Lyria gasped. "These… are memories of the first Rankers."
Zhen reached out, his hand brushing against a shard.
> [Fragment Accessed]
"He who controls the Source beyond the ranks… controls the fates of all Ranked beings."
"Beware the Architect. He is not dead—only waiting."
The shard shattered in his hand.
"The Architect…" Zhen whispered. He had heard that name once—long ago, in a dream buried beneath layers of system encryption. No one knew who or what it was.
But now, he had a lead.
---
Ambush in the Echoing Ruins
They emerged from the Vault only to find themselves surrounded. Figures cloaked in decaying armor, their eyes glowing with unnatural hunger, emerged from the shadows.
> [Entity Identified: Forgotten Warden – Rank: ???]
"System can't even rank them?" Kai muttered.
"No," Zhen said calmly. "They're relics of the pre-system age. They operate on different rules."
The battle erupted in silence—no clash of steel, only the ringing of will and memory. The Wardens attacked with forgotten arts: soul-threads, memory spikes, reality fractures. Kai fought with raw firepower; Lyria weaved moonlight into shields; Xera danced with blades of time.
Zhen stood still—until the moment came.
"—Break."
With a word, the Flame Seed erupted. A wave of crimson and gold scorched the ground, freezing time around the Wardens. He stepped through the stillness like a god among statues, piercing their hearts with spectral light.
As the last Warden crumbled to ash, a new voice echoed:
> "The Trial is accepted. The Nexus remembers you, Zhen."
---
System Override
The ground shifted. The sky above fractured. Something ancient had awakened.
> [SYSTEM ALERT]
Access Level Increased:
Origin Key Unlocked.
New Title Acquired:
"The Systembreaker"
Lyria stared at him. "What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything," Zhen said. "I just proved that I exist outside the system's design."
> [World Merge Sequence Initiated]
Suddenly, images of multiple worlds—worlds he had yet to visit—flickered before his eyes. One filled with floating swords. One ruled by logic and AI. One entirely underwater. The Multiverse was unraveling… or folding into something new.
And he was at the center of it.
---
Epilogue: Whisper from the Architect
That night, as the others rested, Zhen stood alone, watching the sky knit itself back together.
And then—he heard it.
A voice.
Not from the system. Not from memory. But from something older.
"Zhen. You are late. But not too late."
"I have waited across cycles… for the one who remembers the first law."
"Come find me, before the Multiverse forgets itself again."
The stars pulsed. The Architect was not just waiting. He was calling.
And Zhen… was ready to answer.