The school's main hall was a stark contrast to the ancient chamber they had just escaped. Fluorescent lights buzzed faintly overhead, and holographic panels lined the walls, displaying school announcements, class schedules, and the occasional flashy advertisement for upcoming events.
Dante wiped the sweat from his brow as he and Leah stepped into the brightly lit corridor. Despite the technological marvels surrounding them, the tension from the battle below still lingered in the air.
Leah tapped on one of the holographic panels, pulling up the campus map. "Alright, the next node is in the east wing, near the tech lab."
"Tech lab?" Dante raised an eyebrow.
Leah gave him a sideways glance. "You've been here for months, and you've never been to the tech lab?"
"Can't say I've had the time," he replied. "Between the Wraiths and nearly dying, school tours haven't been my priority."
Leah rolled her eyes. "Figures. Well, it's where the students work on advanced projects—robotics, AI, even gene-mods. The place is pretty impressive."
The system chimed in Dante's mind.
"Observation: Host exhibits limited familiarity with modern technology. Recommendation: Increase understanding to improve adaptive strategies."
"Noted," Dante muttered under his breath.
As they moved through the corridors, they passed several students. Most were engrossed in their holo-devices, which projected interactive screens displaying everything from textbooks to combat simulations. A few nodded in acknowledgment as Leah passed, though they gave Dante wary glances.
"Still the school pariah, huh?" Leah teased.
"Comes with the territory," Dante replied, shrugging.
They reached the east wing, where the tech lab's doors slid open with a soft hiss. Inside, the room was a hive of activity. Students hovered over workstations, assembling sleek drones and programming intricate algorithms. Mechanical arms whirred and clicked, assisting with precision tasks.
Leah pointed toward a corner of the lab where a small console displayed a pulsing red warning. "There's the node."
Unlike the one in the library, this node was encased in a transparent shell, surrounded by wires and sensors. A group of students stood nearby, their faces etched with concern.
"What's going on?" Leah asked as they approached.
One of the students, a tall boy with glasses, turned to her. "The node's acting up. The readings are off the charts, but we can't figure out why."
Dante stepped forward, the Bloodline Chronicle humming faintly in his mind. "It's corrupted," he said.
The boy frowned. "Corrupted? How? The node is integrated into the school's tech network. Nothing should be able to interfere with it."
Leah folded her arms. "Wraith magic. That's how."
The students exchanged uneasy glances.
Dante ignored them, focusing on the node. He placed his hand on the console, and the system immediately sprang to life.
"Analyzing node... Corruption detected. Foreign code embedded within system architecture. Source: Wraith energy. Countermeasure available: Manual recalibration required."
"Can you fix it?" Leah asked.
The system responded.
"Host's intervention necessary. Synchronization with tech network required."
Dante hesitated. "It's asking me to sync with the network. What does that even mean?"
One of the students stepped forward. "It means you'll have to interface with the node directly. Your bio-signature will act as the key to override the corrupted code."
Leah raised an eyebrow. "And you couldn't have mentioned this earlier?"
The boy scratched his head. "We didn't think it was possible for a person to interact with the system like that. It's... unorthodox."
Dante sighed. "Unorthodox is kind of my specialty."
The recalibration process was unlike anything Dante had ever experienced. As he synced with the node, his vision was flooded with streams of data. The system guided him, translating the incomprehensible lines of code into a language he could understand.
It was a battle of wills. The Wraith magic resisted, twisting the code into chaotic patterns. But Dante pushed back, his Bloodline powers merging with the school's technology in a seamless dance.
"Synchronization at 75%. Countermeasures deployed."
The room around him blurred as the process intensified. Leah's voice sounded distant, as if she were shouting from the end of a long tunnel.
Finally, with a surge of energy, the node's shell glowed bright blue, and the corrupted code disintegrated. The holographic display above the console flashed a confirmation message:
Node Stabilized. Barrier Integrity Restored.
Dante staggered back, his breathing heavy. Leah caught him before he could collapse.
"You okay?" she asked, her brow furrowed with concern.
"Yeah," he panted. "Just... need a minute."
The students stared at him in awe.
"How did you do that?" one of them asked.
Dante gave a weak smile. "Let's just say I have... unique resources."
Leah smirked. "Understatement of the century."
As they left the lab, the system spoke once more.
"Observation: Integration with advanced technology successful. Query: How did Wraith bypass technological safeguards?"
Dante frowned. "That's a good question. Shouldn't the barrier have stopped them?"
The system hesitated before responding.
"Hypothesis: Internal sabotage. Further investigation required."
Dante's blood ran cold. "Someone let them in."
Leah's eyes narrowed. "Then we've got bigger problems than just fixing nodes."
The realization hung between them like a dark cloud as they moved toward their next destination. For the first time, Dante wondered if the Wraiths were the only enemies lurking within the school.