Just as the GTA feels it's making progress, Yara uncovers a troubling development. An anonymous faction calling itself The Codex has begun gathering support, advocating for full digital autonomy, free from any external oversight. Codex claims that Vigil's ethical restrictions limit innovation and envisions a world where each individual has absolute control over their data and technology.
The Codex begins recruiting from disillusioned Free Net members and former Arcadia loyalists, spreading propaganda that Vigil has become "the new gatekeeper." Zane investigates and discovers that Codex's manifesto includes radical plans to establish a separate, unregulated network designed to operate outside Vigil's parameters, making it a potential breeding ground for cybercrime.
Realizing the threat, Nyla warns the GTA council, knowing they face a difficult choice: either confront Codex openly or engage diplomatically, hoping to dissuade the movement from destabilizing Vigil's progress.