The world around them trembled as the core shattered. The sky, once dominated by swirling clouds of energy, cleared almost immediately, revealing a blue horizon for the first time in years. The air felt different—fresher, lighter, as though the planet was slowly exhaling after holding its breath for far too long.But the silence that followed the explosion was almost deafening.Lena stood motionless, her hand still outstretched toward the now-empty space where the core had been. Her heart pounded in her chest, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away. She could feel the weight of the past few days—the battles, the choices, the loss.Beside her, Elias was equally still, his eyes scanning the area, looking for any signs of movement. His hand rested on the hilt of his weapon, ready for anything.The [System] had been destroyed. But was it truly over?For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The world around them had changed, but Lena felt a nagging uncertainty clawing at her chest. What now? Could they really rebuild?[System]: "Warning: System failure detected. Energy source extraction incomplete. Termination imminent."The cold, metallic voice filled the air, but it was weak, distant. It no longer carried the same power it once had.Lena's eyes narrowed. The [System] was failing, but it was still clinging to existence in some form. It wasn't dead yet."We have to make sure it's truly gone," Elias said, his voice steady but full of resolve. "We need to make sure we finish this."Lena nodded. "But how? We destroyed the core. That should've been it."Elias hesitated. "Maybe the destruction of the core didn't completely sever the [System]'s connection to the world. There could be residual energy, or even other cores scattered across the planet."A shiver ran down Lena's spine. "You think it's not gone for good?""I think we can't risk it. Not after everything we've been through."