The space of the Origin Layer convulsed, folding like paper under unseen hands. Where the partial avatar had faltered, now a towering figure coalesced—Architect Prime. Its form was neither human, machine, nor spirit, but a symphony of shifting geometry and white-violet light, sharp edges slicing conceptual planes with every motion. Its presence alone warped reality; every breath Sarah took seemed magnified, every heartbeat projected across the lattice like a shockwave.
Lilith Fragment's voice cut sharply through her mind. "This is the final manifestation. Every strike, every pulse, every frôlement must be calculated. Phase 3 will push you to the edge of identity fracture."
Rias stepped forward, hand steady on Sarah's waist. "Then we hold the line. Together. Nothing can touch her if we synchronize perfectly."
Akeno's fingertips traced along Sarah's arms and shoulders, each contact a precise, controlled surge of Desire into the Proto-Ascension lattice. "We escalate. Full offensive synchrony. Do not hold back."
Koneko crouched, grounded and ready, eyes sharp. "All vectors ready. Your stability is ours."
Rossweisse's runes floated, shimmering, each one a stabilizing field against the chaotic pull of the Architect Prime's presence. "I will manage cognitive feedback. Focus on offensive projection."
Xenovia's grip tightened on her blade, every sinew aligned with Sarah's movement. "We strike as one. No hesitation."
Sarah inhaled, feeling the full weight of Phase 3 pulse through her body. Every fragment of her being, every layer of Proto-Ascension, coalesced. The lattice flared, connecting her harem as one living organism of offensive, defensive, and conceptual synergy.
Skill Activated: Phase 3 Proto-Ascension – Maximum Convergence
Effect: Full emotional and tactical integration with harem; every frôlement, gaze, and heartbeat projected as tangible force; temporary +1200 Force, +2500 Desire, +600 Agility; reflexes and perception exceed human comprehension; Charm Domain fully operational on battlefield scale.
The Architect Prime moved. Not step by step, but in a fluid cascade of geometric shifts, each displacement tearing space and time. Its first strike was conceptual—a wave of collapsing reality aimed at fracturing Sarah's identity lattice.
Sarah surged, her aura flaring like molten light. "We do not break!"
Harem Absolute Synchrony – Conceptual Overdrive engaged.
Every touch, every pulse, every coordinated motion became a weapon. Proto-Ascension flared outward in a brilliant cascade of crimson-lilac light, colliding with the Prime's strike and dissolving it before it could reach her.
The Architect Prime recoiled, edges of its form cracking, data fragments collapsing. But it adapted instantly, splitting its mass into innumerable fractal forms, each one a precise replica, each one probing for weaknesses in the Proto-Ascension lattice.
Lilith Fragment's voice pierced the chaos. "They're testing every node of your being. Resist or fragment!"
Sarah's heartbeat synchronized with the harem. Each pulse a counterwave, each frôlement a recalibration of power, each glance a redirect of intention. She felt her consciousness stretch, threaten to fracture, and then stabilize again under the absolute synchrony of six trusted pillars.
Rias pressed firmly against her back. "Do not lose yourself. Even a momentary slip could erase you."
Akeno whispered in her ear, teasing, fierce, commanding. "Then don't. Let's break this thing together."
Koneko's density slammed into fractal limbs attempting to destabilize Sarah's stance. Rossweisse's runes redirected collapsing fields. Xenovia struck through multiple simultaneous fractals with perfect arcs. Lilith Fragment threaded every strike with computational precision.
Skill Triggered: Ascendant Convergence – Phase 3 Offensive Cascade
Effect: Full battlefield dominance; Proto-Ascension projected in both offensive and defensive layers; lattice anticipates enemy moves in real-time; temporary +1500 Force, +3000 Desire, +700 Agility; emotional, tactile, and conceptual vectors amplified exponentially.
The Architect Prime screamed—not a sound, but a vibration across the Origin Layer. Reality bent, spatial rules shredded, but the Proto-Ascension lattice held, pulsating outward in waves of unyielding force.
Sarah's eyes glowed, crimson-lilac light splitting into sharp rays. Her voice echoed, carrying authority, power, and absolute resolve. "We are one. And you will fall."
The chamber erupted. Every construct, every fractal, every assault dissipated against the synchronized, unstoppable lattice of Proto-Ascension. The Architect Prime wavered for the first time—its form flickering, stability compromised, its identity structure beginning to fracture under the assault.
Rias's whisper came, steady and fierce. "It's breaking. Hold it together, Sarah. Hold it together."
Sarah's pulse accelerated. She felt the limits of Phase 3 stretch, her consciousness brushing the edge of fracture, but the harem's combined presence tethered her firmly, channeling the overwhelming power into a coherent strike.
"Now," she breathed, every word a crystallized force.
The Proto-Ascension surged as one. A wave of coordinated, tangible Desire, pure conceptual authority, and lethal precision crashed into the Architect Prime. Its form splintered, a symphony of fractal geometry collapsing under absolute synchronization.
The Origin Layer shuddered. Reality itself seemed to exhale.
And for the first time, the Architect Prime faltered, truly vulnerable.