Aiden's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the glowing console. The mechanical hum resonated through the tunnel, vibrating in the cold, stale air. This wasn't supposed to be here. He had cleared this exact dungeon in the previous timeline—there had been no sign of anything like this. And yet, the System was unmistakably tied to it.
[Unknown Artifact Detected: Origin of the System.]
The words flickered ominously in his vision. The phrase "Origin of the System" sent chills down his spine. Up until now, he had thought of the System as some mysterious, possibly divine construct governing the rules of this world. But this… This was technology. Something was manipulating the System from behind the scenes, and that meant it wasn't some natural law.
Aiden hesitated, unsure whether to approach the console. His instincts screamed at him to be cautious. But curiosity—and desperation—won out. If this artifact could provide him with information about the System's true nature, he couldn't ignore it. There was more going on in this timeline than he had realized.
I need to understand what's happening. If the System can be manipulated…
He stepped closer, the light from the console casting an eerie glow across the cracked concrete walls. Strange runes and symbols scrolled across its surface, but they weren't completely unfamiliar. He had seen similar patterns within the dungeons before, though they had always been written off as just part of the game's aesthetic. Now, he realized they might have been clues—clues he had missed.
"What the hell are you?" Aiden muttered under his breath, his fingers hovering over the console.
Before he could touch the surface, the symbols shifted, changing rapidly into something more readable—text, written in the same language the System used.
[User: Aiden Hoshino]
[Accessing Hidden Protocol...]
Aiden's pulse quickened. Hidden protocol? What was this?
The screen flashed, and a new message appeared, more direct and personal than any System prompt he had ever seen.
[World-Reset Protocol Incomplete. Anomalies Detected. Adjusting Timeline…]
His heart froze. Adjusting the timeline? The System was actively manipulating the world around him. And worse—anomalies? Was this why things had changed so drastically in this new timeline? Was Mira's strange connection to the future one of these anomalies?
Suddenly, the console whirred louder, and an eerie voice—mechanical, but almost human—began speaking through the tunnel. The voice wasn't coming from the console. It felt like it was inside Aiden's mind.
"You are not supposed to be here, Aiden Hoshino."
Aiden's blood ran cold. He instinctively took a step back, his hand reaching for his dagger even though he knew it would be useless.
"Your reset was a contingency… but now, you have strayed. You are becoming unpredictable."
The voice was calm, emotionless, but it carried an unsettling authority. It wasn't part of the usual System notifications. This was something else—someone else.
"Who are you?" Aiden demanded, his voice steady despite the growing dread in his chest.
For a moment, the console was silent. Then, the scrolling text stopped, and the voice answered.
"I am the Architect of this world."
Aiden's grip tightened around his dagger. The Architect? Whoever—or whatever—this voice was, it claimed to be responsible for the creation of the System. That meant it was connected to everything. The timeline, the reset, even the Cataclysm.
"Why reset me?" Aiden asked, his voice laced with suspicion. "What are these anomalies you're talking about?"
The voice hummed again, a low, vibrating sound that made the hairs on Aiden's neck stand up.
"The timeline must unfold in a specific way. Your previous existence was a failure. The World-Reset Protocol was initiated to prevent that outcome."
Aiden's eyes narrowed. "Prevent? Or control?"
"You misunderstand, User. You are not the only one bound by the System."
Aiden's stomach dropped. He wasn't the only one? That meant there were others—people who had also been manipulated, like him. Was this the reason why Kyoshiro, his old rival, had seemed so aware of what was coming?
Before Aiden could ask another question, the voice shifted, its tone growing darker, more menacing.
"You have deviated from the path. This timeline is unstable, corrupted by unforeseen variables. You and the anomalies are causing ripples. They must be corrected."
Aiden clenched his jaw. Ripples? Anomalies? His mind raced as he pieced together the implications. The changes in the timeline—the unexpected events, Mira's visions, Kyoshiro's knowledge of the future—they weren't just random. The System had brought him back in time, but it hadn't accounted for these new variables. The reset wasn't perfect.
And now, the Architect was trying to fix it.
"If you do not comply, corrective measures will be taken."
Aiden felt his blood go cold. He knew what that meant. Corrective measures—elimination. Not just of him, but anyone who stood in the way of the System's preordained timeline.
"Mira," Aiden whispered. She was one of the anomalies.
The console's glow pulsed as if reacting to his thoughts.
"The anomaly must be neutralized. Failure to comply will result in termination of all involved parties."
"You're not touching her," Aiden growled, his eyes burning with resolve.
The voice paused, as if considering his defiance.
"You are a part of the System, Aiden Hoshino. You cannot oppose the will of the Architect."
Aiden took a step forward, glaring at the glowing screen. "Watch me."
Without another word, he slammed his fist into the console. Sparks flew as the glowing text flickered and warped, the voice sputtering as the machine struggled to maintain its connection. The sound of the Architect's voice echoed faintly, distorted, as the console shorted out.
"You cannot… resist… the system will… adjust…"
And then, silence.
Aiden stood there for a moment, panting heavily, his hand throbbing from the impact. His mind was spinning. The System wasn't just an abstract force—it had a creator, a will. And now, it was trying to correct the timeline by erasing anyone who disrupted it.
[System Alert: Connection to Higher Protocol Interrupted. Proceed with caution.]
The notification blinked in front of his eyes, confirming what he already knew. He was on his own now. The Architect wouldn't stop. It would come for him, for Mira, and anyone else who didn't follow its preordained path.
But now, Aiden had something else—information. He knew the System was flawed. The timeline wasn't fixed. And if there were anomalies like Mira, there might be others—people who could help him fight back against the Architect's control.
"I'm not playing your game anymore," Aiden muttered to the empty tunnel. He turned away from the broken console, his mind racing with new possibilities.
The deeper levels of the dungeon awaited him, but now he had more than just survival on his mind. He had a mission. He had to find the source of the anomalies, protect Mira, and figure out a way to break free from the System's control.
As Aiden descended further into the dungeon, the air grew colder, and the flickering lights from above faded completely, plunging him into darkness. Only the faint glow of his System Interface lit the way. The weight of what he had just learned pressed heavily on his shoulders, but he pushed it aside. There was still work to do.
Suddenly, the soft glow of his Interface flickered, and new text appeared on the screen.
[You are being watched.]
Aiden's blood turned to ice. He looked around, his eyes scanning the dark tunnel. He couldn't see anything, but the sensation of being observed grew stronger with every step.
Something's here.
His hand instinctively reached for the dagger at his waist, his muscles tensing. The deeper he went into this dungeon, the more he realized this was no ordinary level. Whatever was watching him, whatever was lurking in the shadows—it wasn't a normal monster.
The darkness seemed to shift, and for the briefest moment, Aiden thought he saw movement—a flicker of motion, too fast to fully register. His heart pounded, and every instinct screamed at him to turn back.
But he couldn't. He had to push forward.
[You have entered a Restricted Zone. Proceed with caution.]
The message appeared in his vision, glowing with a faint red tint. Restricted Zone? He had never heard of that before, not even in the previous timeline. Whatever this was, it was new. And dangerous.
Aiden stepped cautiously, his senses on high alert. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional sound of dripping water and his own footsteps echoing through the tunnel.
And then, out of the darkness, came a voice—soft, almost a whisper.
"You shouldn't have come here, Aiden."
Aiden froze.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Then, from the shadows, something emerged—a figure, cloaked in black, their face obscured by a hood. But Aiden could feel their gaze, sharp and intense, piercing through the darkness.
"The System will come for you. And it won't stop until you're erased."
Aiden's grip tightened on his dagger.
"Who are you?"
The figure didn't answer. Instead, they stepped closer, and Aiden could feel the weight of their presence. Whoever this was, they weren't just a random enemy. They knew things—about the System, about the Architect. And judging by the way they moved, they were dangerous.
"You're not alone in this," the figure said softly. "There are others. But if you want to survive… you'll have to make a choice."
Aiden's pulse raced. "What choice?"
The figure tilted their head, their voice a whisper in the darkness.
"Obey the Architect… or join us. And break free."
Before Aiden could respond, the figure disappeared into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared, leaving only a faint echo of their words behind.
"Break free…"
Aiden stood there, his mind spinning with questions. Who were these people? And how could they resist the Architect's control?
One thing was certain: the game had changed. And Aiden was no longer just a player.