Dexter’s pulse quickened as the figure stepped forward from the shadows, their presence alone filling the room with a suffocating weight. The voice, now more menacing, seemed to echo from all directions.“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” the figure said, their tone devoid of any emotion, as though this battle was predestined. The flickering symbols on the terminal intensified, casting strange patterns over the walls.Charlotte and Henry positioned themselves behind Dexter, their weapons at the ready. There was no turning back now.Dexter’s mind raced, trying to piece together who this person could be. They had encountered many enemies in the past, but this—this felt different. The stakes were far greater than anything they had faced before. The System had been manipulating them, and now they had found the one responsible for it all.“Who are you?” Dexter’s voice was steady, though his mind screamed for answers.The figure’s lips twisted into a cruel smile. “I’m the one who created

Dexter’s heart raced as the System Creator’s presence pressed down on him like a weight. He could feel the oppressive energy building around them, swirling and flickering as if the world itself was being torn apart. The countdown ticked down relentlessly, and he knew every second that passed brought the world closer to destruction.He wasn’t going to let that happen. Not after everything.Henry, ever watchful, scanned the surroundings as if anticipating the next attack. His hands gripped his weapon, knuckles white. Charlotte, too, was poised, her movements swift as she kept herself between Dexter and the System Creator, eyes darting around for any sign of danger.The System Creator’s masked face remained emotionless, but Dexter could sense the malicious glee beneath their cold exterior. “You think you can stop me?” The voice was smooth, yet sharp, like a blade being drawn across stone. “You’re nothing but ants trying to defy a storm.”Dexter didn’t flinch. He knew this wasn’t just som

Dexter’s heart pounded in his chest as the darkness enveloped them. Every breath felt heavier, each passing second like a weight pressing down upon him. The silence of the room was now broken by the ominous hum of the system—a low, guttural sound that reverberated through the walls. It was as though the very air itself was alive with anticipation, a deadly calm before the storm. And that storm was coming. There was no escaping it now.“What the hell is happening?” Henry’s voice broke through the tension, his tone strained. His eyes darted around, as if trying to find some source of the unsettling vibration that seemed to fill the space. “We need to move. Now.”Dexter’s gaze hardened as he focused on the Interface before him, still glowing faintly in the absence of the lights. The message on the screen hadn’t changed, but the air felt charged, as if some unseen force was drawing closer with every passing moment.[Warning: System breach imminent. Unauthorized entities detected. Core-lev

The energy in the chamber began to stabilize as the Core Enforcer dissolved into nothingness. Dexter stood still, his breathing ragged and his mind racing. The weight of what they had just faced lingered, but he knew there was no time to rest. The Enforcer’s ominous warning echoed in his thoughts: The reset will come.Henry approached, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, his face pale but determined.“That was… close,” he admitted, his voice hoarse. “But something tells me this isn't over.”Dexter nodded, his grip tightening on his weapon. The System chimed again, breaking the tense silence.[Mission Complete!]Rewards Claimed:EXP Boost[Divine Artifact Shard: 1/5]New Skill: Energy PulseBefore Dexter could fully process the notification, a new alert popped up.[Urgent System Update: Warning Detected in Reality Thread #57]New Mission: Prevent the CataclysmObjective: Investigate the source of the reset threat.Secondary Objective: Protect the Core Fragments.Bonus Objective:

The journey toward the Shimmering Spires was unlike any they had faced. Unlike the dense jungles or barren wastelands, the path leading to Aelara’s domain was eerily silent, the air thick with the oppressive sense that they were being watched. The architecture of the city that loomed ahead was breathtaking—towers of glass and metal that shimmered in the distant sunlight, reflecting the world in warped, fractured patterns. It was a city built on illusion, and the closer they got, the more the land seemed to twist around them.“We’re not alone,” Charlotte muttered, her hand instinctively reaching for her bow. She scanned the horizon, her eyes narrowing as she tried to pierce the strange gleam that seemed to distort everything around them.Dexter felt it too. The weight of unseen eyes bearing down on them, the constant pressure of something just out of reach. “Stay alert,” he warned, though he wasn’t sure who he was warning more—his team or himself. The closer they got, the more reality