—
Mt. Kuroi was a dead volcano—or so the world believed.
But as Protocol Aletheia spread, the dormant systems beneath it came alive. Machinery that predated the Spiral stirred like an ancient beast opening its eyes for the first time in millennia.
Cables the width of highways lit up with golden pulses.
And at the center of it all…
a sphere.
Polished. Silent. Waiting.
Until now.
—
Ayame watched the seismic feeds spike. "Something just powered on beneath Kuroi. It's *massive.* And it's responding to the child's broadcast."
Hoshiro nodded grimly. "That's not coincidence. That's *design.*"
—
The child turned toward them. "The machine isn't a weapon. It's a witness."
Kazuki frowned. "To what?"
"To the truth," the child said. "It's seen every cycle. Every Spiral. Every reset. It was left behind to make sure this one was *different.*"
—
As they approached the mountain, the ground opened—not by force, but *invitation.*
Inside, a soft voice echoed:
*"Architect recognized. Core memory unlocked."*
And in that moment, Hoshiro saw everything—
Every version of himself.
Every failure.
Every choice that led here.
—
The past was no longer behind them.
It was *waiting ahead.*
—