Chereads / System Requiem: A World in the Balance / Chapter 31 - The Final Countdown

Chapter 31 - The Final Countdown

The Architect's fingers danced across the air, manipulating the holographic map with ease. "This is it. The world will be mine again. I will usher in a new era of order. The chaos you speak of is simply the inability to see the bigger picture. The [System] had its flaws, yes. But with my advancements, it will become something far greater. Something that will never fall again."Lena's heart raced. They had to stop him—there was no other choice. But the power surging through the facility made it clear that they were already running out of time.Elias stepped forward, his voice steady despite the fear rising in his chest. "You can't control everything, Architect. The people will never stand for it. They'll rise against you, just as they did against the [System]."The Architect laughed softly, almost pityingly. "You still don't understand, do you? I've already accounted for that. This time, no one will be able to rise against me."Suddenly, a massive energy beam shot from the center of the room, illuminating the walls and floor in a blinding flash of light. The room shook as the ground beneath their feet trembled. The Architect was activating his plan—and it was irreversible.Lena's mind raced. "We need to destroy the central core. If we don't, his control will spread across the world. It'll be like the [System] all over again—only stronger."Elias nodded. "Let's move!"They dashed forward, their eyes locked on the central core, the pulsating energy source that powered the entire facility. But as they ran, they were met with resistance—The Architect's followers, heavily armed and determined to protect their leader's vision, charged at them from all directions.Lena and Elias fought with everything they had, but it was clear that time was running out. The core's energy was destabilizing, and they could hear the hum of the countdown echoing through the walls.[System]: "Global override complete. Engaging world restructuring protocols."Lena gritted her teeth, charging forward with Elias by her side, both of them cutting through the resistance with brutal precision. They had no choice. They had to reach the core.