Archen Huge’s strike created a shockwave that tore through the red muscle fibers of the Colonial Architect. The gravitational mass concentrated at the tip of his fist exploded, forcing the organic colony to retract its tentacles in a deafening roar of static. Although the creature wasn't completely destroyed, Archen’s attack sent a clear message to anyone watching in the Arena of Fate: the Three Pillars were not just a system rumor.Two days had passed since the incident. The electric orange sky above the inverted city was still pulsing, but the atmosphere on the ground was much calmer—at least regarding the threat of monsters. Inside a large tent constructed from the remains of cargo parachutes and steel plates, a different kind of tension was peaking. A tension that couldn't be resolved by Archen’s fists or Dylan Smith’s code.El Joe sat at the end of a long, rickety wooden table. In front of him, two leaders of major factions exchanged sharp glares. To the left

"Let go, you fool! You're going to destroy us all!"Archen's voice thundered amidst the hissing vortex of energy. The dust of battle still shrouded the air, but a new threat emerged from Captain Xylon's hand. A small black hole created in the captain's palm began to suck in the remnants of organic matter around it. The flesh architecture in the ruined city hall began to vibrate, drawn into the unstable vacuum.Xylon wasn't listening. His face was flushed, the veins in his neck bulging as he tried to contain the power of the Core. "You don't understand! With this, we don't have to fear the system anymore! We can be the rulers!""That isn't power, Xylon. It's poison," El Joe stepped forward. His hand held a fading green energy sword, but his gaze remained sharp. "Look at your hand. You are being consumed, not consuming."Xylon's armored arm began to crack. Flashes of red lightning flickered between his fingers. The soldiers of Xylon's faction stood

The flickering red lights along the metal corridor gave the impression that Genesis Station was breathing with rage. Archen Huge gripped the arms of El Joe and Dylan Smith tighter as the floor beneath their feet vibrated violently. Ahead of them, the main docking gates swung wide, revealing a sight that would make anyone’s blood run cold.They weren't just entering a building. They were stepping into the belly of a mechanical planet. The ceiling of the chamber arched so high that clouds of electric-blue data formed at its peak. Thousands of massive cables, each as thick as a skyscraper, dangled and pulsed like veins. The hum of massive machinery created a constant vibration that could be felt deep within their bone marrow."This is crazy," Archen whispered, his eyes sweeping across the seemingly endless scale of the room. "This place is larger than our entire city.""It’s not just large, Archen. This is logical architecture," Dylan replied, his hands tremb

The echoes of the Arkana Guide's voice still vibrated in El Joe's eardrums as his feet touched the concrete floor of the Earth Alliance Hall. The air here felt different from Genesis Station; heavier, smelling of dust, and thick with the scent of human anxiety. Before them, hundreds of pairs of eyes stared with a mixture of adoration and pure fear.The hall was packed. Warriors from the Xylon faction, Serena’s people, and even civilians carrying makeshift weapons gathered under flickering, dim lights. They were waiting for the one sentence that would determine if there would still be a tomorrow for them.Joe stepped forward onto the makeshift stage, his energy sword sheathed at his waist. Behind him, Archen stood tall like a mountain of stone, while Dylan was busy adjusting several crystal devices that continuously projected holographic data."Listen to me!" Joe’s voice thundered, cutting through the whispers filling the room. "We have just returned from the heart of the system. What

"Sacrifice?" Joe repeated the word with a cold tone that sliced through the hot desert air. His energy blade hissed softly, reflecting the silver light from the sky. "If you think one of us is going to die just to fulfill some obsolete prophecy, you are dead wrong, Elder."Elder Tharius shook his head slowly, the golden cracks in his ceramic skin glowing dimly. "Not a life, Protector. The sacrifice I mean is letting go of a part of your human essence to merge with the frequency of this world. Without that, your weapons will not be able to touch the Heart of the Relic.""Whatever the risk, we don't have time to debate," Dylan interrupted, his eyes staring sharply at the black tower on the horizon, which was now emitting deep purple shockwaves. "That wave is getting stronger. If this continues, Telluric Prime's atmosphere will be completely depleted within hours."Archen took a step forward, sending red dust flying beneath his heavy boots. "Joe, he's right.