The blue beam shot toward Ethan.It moved so fast that no one had time to react.The moment it touched him…His silver system exploded with light.Emergency Protocol Activated.Host Under Collection.Authority Conflict Detected.Override in Progress…A powerful force lifted Ethan off the ground.He rose nearly ten feet into the air.The crowd below screamed.“What’s happening?”“Someone help him!”Sophia, who had been watching the live event from the audience after arriving late, pushed through the frightened crowd.“Ethan!”She tried to reach him.Alexander stopped her.“No!”“It’s too dangerous!”Sophia struggled against his grip.“Let me go!”“He’s up there alone!”Ethan looked down.Their eyes met for a brief second.He forced a small smile.“I’m okay.”But he wasn’t.The beam felt like it was pulling his soul from his body.Pain spread through every nerve.His breathing became difficult.Above him…The massive silver circle rotated even faster.The mechanical voice echoed again.

The conference hall fell silent.Dozens of rifles pointed at Ethan.Each weapon glowed with the same blue light as the Legacy Core.Alexander slowly stepped in front of Ethan.“If you want him…”“You’ll have to go through us.”The Collector standing at the front showed no emotion.He simply replied,“Resistance has been calculated.”“Outcome unchanged.”Lyra gripped her sword tighter.“Still talking like machines.”The Collector looked at her.“Keeper Lyra.”“Your survival probability should have been zero.”She smirked.“I’ve always been bad at following predictions.”Without warning…She disappeared.Boom!The marble floor shattered beneath her feet.In less than a second…She appeared directly in front of the lead Collector.Her glowing sword sliced downward.Clang!The Collector blocked it with his rifle.The impact sent a shockwave through the hall.Glass exploded.Tables flipped over.Guests screamed as they ran for cover.The Collector didn’t move an inch.He calmly looked into

Silver flames swallowed the First Collector.The heat alone forced everyone to retreat.The marble floor beneath him melted into liquid stone.The air became heavy.Even breathing felt difficult.Ethan narrowed his eyes.His newly awakened Legacy Sight analyzed the transformation.Collector C-001True Form ReleasedPower Output: UnknownAnalysis Failed.The screen disappeared.For the first time…The Legacy System couldn’t calculate an opponent’s strength.The silver flames slowly faded.The figure standing inside was no longer human.He stood nearly eight feet tall.His body was covered in black metallic armor that seemed alive.Silver veins pulsed beneath the surface.His eyes glowed deep blue.Behind him…Six floating metallic rings slowly rotated.Each ring released waves of terrifying energy.Alexander unconsciously stepped backward.“What…”“…is that?”Professor Orion’s face became pale.“The perfect Collector.”Lyra gritted her teeth.“I hoped I’d never see this form again.”Th

The gigantic silver hand continued emerging from the Collection Gate.Each finger was larger than a city bus.The pressure became unbearable.Concrete cracked.Steel beams bent.Even the sky outside darkened.Kai’s calm expression was gone.For the first time…He looked genuinely worried.Ethan noticed.“You’ve fought the Creator before.”Kai nodded.“Many times.”“And?”“I’ve never won.”Silence.The enormous hand gripped the edges of the Gate.Then…It pulled.Crack!The portal widened.A blinding silver light poured into the conference hall.The Creator’s voice echoed again.“Stand down, Kai.”“You cannot stop destiny.”Kai looked up.“I’ve never believed in destiny.”He slowly raised his right hand.A silver symbol appeared on the back of it.Unlike Ethan’s crown…It looked like a broken clock.The First Collector’s eyes widened.“The Origin Mark…”Professor Orion whispered,“He actually kept it…”Blue energy exploded around Kai.His casual clothes dissolved into streams of light.

Ethan stood frozen.The words echoed inside his head.You were born from the Legacy System.He slowly looked at Kai.“…What did you just say?”Kai sighed.“I wish I didn’t have to tell you like this.”Ethan shook his head.“No.”“You’re wrong.”“I had parents.”“I grew up like everyone else.”Kai nodded.“Yes.”“You had parents.”“They loved you.”“They raised you.”“They were real.”“But they weren’t the ones who created you.”Silence.Ethan felt his heartbeat quicken.Professor Orion stepped forward.“Kai…”“Enough.”Kai looked at him.“He deserves the truth.”Professor Orion lowered his head.“I know.”Evelyn looked from Kai to Ethan.“I don’t understand.”Kai took a deep breath.“Twenty-eight years ago…”“The Legacy Core did something it had never done before.”“It created life.”Everyone stared at him.“The Core was evolving.”“It wanted a Host that wouldn’t reject it.”“So it created one.”“It created Ethan.”Alexander whispered,“That’s impossible.”“No machine can create life.