2025-03-27 17:44:06
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 104
The Arena of No EscapeThe moment I step through the door, reality fractures.The Nexus vanishes.The cold steel, the pulsing veins of code, the overwhelming silence—it all shatters like a broken screen.Then, the world remakes itself.I find myself standing in an open field, golden sunlight streaming through tall, swaying grass. A warm breeze brushes against my skin. The air is thick with the scent of earth, of rain just before a storm. For a brief second, it feels… real.But it’s not.It never is.The breeze stops. The sun flickers, pulsing like a failing light bulb. The sky warps, color bleeding out like ink in water. The grass melts, replaced by cracked stone, jagged ruins, and the faint smell of blood in the air.And then I hear it—the crowd.A low hum at first. Then rising.I turn slowly.Rows upon rows of faceless figures stare down at me from massive, floating platforms. They don’t cheer. They don’t move. They just watch.Something inside me tightens.I know this place.The Co
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 105
The Ghost of DarrenThe moment I see his name, my breath catches in my throat.Darren Cordell – Status: Active Nexus Agent.I blink. My body goes rigid. My mind refuses to process the words.Darren can’t be here.Because Darren is dead.I force my fingers to move, swiping at the holographic interface to refresh the data, expecting the text to disappear—some kind of glitch, a system error, a ghost in the machine. But the file remains, glowing in cold blue light, each letter burning itself into my vision like an afterimage.A dull roar fills my ears, a rush of blood that drowns out the distant hum of The Nexus. My pulse slams against my ribcage, a frantic beat that matches the chaotic storm in my head.No.This has to be a trick.A fabrication. A trap.But then, my gut twists with something more dangerous than suspicion—something I don’t want to feel.Hope.Shaky hands hover over the interface. I hesitate. A war erupts in my mind, half of me screaming, Don’t do this. Walk away. It’s a l
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 106
Breaking the ChainsDarren wasn’t just taken.He was rewritten.I stare at the decrypted files, my pulse hammering against my skull. The truth is raw, jagged, a blade shoved straight through my ribs. Every line of data confirms what I refuse to believe.They didn’t kill him.They made him into one of them.The Overseers didn’t just take my best friend. They erased him, rebuilt him from the ground up, and turned him into a weapon designed to hunt people like me.My fists tighten. My nails dig into my palms. I barely feel it.“Tony.” Kane’s voice is low and cautious like she’s afraid of what I’ll do next.I exhale sharply through my nose. I already know what I’m going to do.I’m going to burn these bastards to the ground.The Core is close. I can feel it, humming beneath the surface of The Nexus like a heartbeat. It’s the brain, the power source, the place where everything—everyone—is stored. If I can get inside, if I can crack it open, maybe…Maybe I can bring Darren back.Or maybe I’l
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 107
The System’s JudgmentThe moment it happens, I feel it like a tremor in my bones.The air shifts and thickens as if the very fabric of the Nexus is tightening around me. I don’t hear them at first—I feel them. A presence that isn’t bound by a singular form. Something vast and watching, something that has always been there.Then, the voices come.A chorus of overlapping tones, speaking in perfect, unnatural synchronization.“You are the anomaly.”The words vibrate through the walls, through my skull.“You are the one who destabilizes.”My fingers twitch. The Nexus flickers like it’s hesitating like it’s waiting for my answer.“You must be purged.”I let out a slow breath and glanced over my shoulder at Darren. He’s still unsteady, still blinking as if his mind is trying to catch up to his body. I grip his arm, grounding him.Kane’s voice cuts in through my earpiece, steady despite the chaos around us. “Tony, don’t listen to them. They’re trying to break you down. Keep moving.”I don’t
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 108
Through the Gates of ControlThe System Core hums in front of me, a swirling mass of energy so intense it bends the air around it.It isn’t just data. It isn’t just code. It’s power—the beating heart of the Nexus, pulsating with raw potential.And I’m standing at its doorstep, one step away from tearing it all down.Kane’s voice crackles in my earpiece. “Tony, listen to me. They’re about to release Zero.”Zero.A name whispered in hushed, fearful tones. A weapon so dangerous that even the Overseers keep it locked away.My heartbeat pounds in my ears, but I don’t hesitate. I knew this moment would come.I tighten my grip on the disruptor—a small, unassuming device with the power to override the Core. It’s already primed, its interface flashing, waiting for my command.Beside me, Darren stands rigid, his breaths shallow. His hands clench and unclench at his sides, like he’s holding back a storm inside him. He hasn’t spoken much since we escaped the collapsing Nexus corridors. I know why
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 109
The Arrival of ZeroThe air splits apart like shattered glass, a jagged wound in reality itself.Something steps through.A figure, cloaked in flickering darkness, its presence bending the world around it. The Nexus—what’s left of it—shudders beneath its weight. The walls ripple like the entire system is trying to reject its very existence.Zero has arrived.I feel it before I even see it. A pressure in my chest, a deep wrongness that settles in my bones like an ache that won’t leave. I tighten my grip on my disruptor, but my fingers feel numb.Then I see his eyes.And everything stops.A cold realization slams into me like a freight train, knocking the breath from my lungs.Zero is Darren.Not just something wearing his face. Not just some simulation or twisted copy.It’s him.His face is blank, expressionless, his movements unnervingly precise. But I know those eyes. I know the sharp line of his jaw, the way his shoulders square when he’s about to fight. It’s Darren, and it’s not.M
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 110
The Clash of FateDarren’s eyes are empty.Not blank, not confused—just empty.Zero.Not my best friend. Not the guy who used to steal my fries when I wasn’t looking or laughed so hard he’d choke on his own soda.Not the man who once swore he had my back, no matter what.Just a weapon now.And he’s coming straight for me.A cold shiver runs down my spine as I brace myself. His movements are eerily smooth, too precise like he’s operating on a level beyond anything human. No hesitation. No wasted motion. Pure efficiency.Zero lunges. I barely sidestep in time, feeling the sheer force of his movement slice through the air beside me. The distortion ripples through the space we stand in, and the Nexus itself trembles in response. A solid wall of reality cracks open behind me, like glass fracturing under immense pressure.If he touches me—if he lands a direct hit—I won’t just die.I’ll cease to exist.I can’t fight him.But he has no hesitation about fighting me.Zero moves like a nightmare
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 111
Unlocking the PastI slam the data spike into his chest.Zero jerks, his entire body tensing like a coiled wire as the foreign code surges into his system. His head snaps back, a garbled noise escaping his throat—half human, half raw static. His glowing white eyes flicker violently, his form glitching as reality itself fights to hold him together.For a moment, I think it’s working.Then, suddenly—Zero roars.A wave of sheer force erupts from his body, slamming into me like a truck. I’m thrown back, my breath vanishing as I crash against the warped Nexus floor. Pain explodes through my ribs, and I barely manage to roll away before Zero’s next strike shatters the ground where I am lying.I scramble to my feet, my heart pounding. The data spike is in. The memories are inside him now, fighting their way to the surface. But I don’t know if it’ll be enough.His body convulses, the Nexus distorting around him as conflicting commands tear through his mind.He’s resisting.But The Overseers
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 190
The Unseen HandWe walked deeper into the broken building. The air had a low buzzing sound that made my teeth feel funny. It felt like we were getting to the center of everything. Kane’s light moved over walls with strange drawings, the same ones from the leather book. They seemed to glow a little.“This way,” Kane whispered, her voice tight. She pointed to a strong metal door behind some broken wall. It looked new in all the mess.Elias pulled at the door, and it made loud noises before opening with a bang. The room inside was round, with glowing lines on the walls. In the middle was a strange machine with metal rings and shiny parts. It made a buzzing sound, and the air around it shook a little.“What is this?” I whispered, walking closer. The drawing from the book was on the shiny part in the middle, glowing strangely. It felt alive.Kane walked around the machine slowly, looking at everything. “This has to be it. The thing that’s causing all this.”Elias reached out to
CHAPTER 189
The Fading AnchorI felt like I was falling fast. The colors around me spun and didn't make sense. Was this the floor? Or the sky upside down? A hand grabbed my arm, strong and familiar, but the face above changed. One second it was Darren, looking worried like always. The next, it was a scary person from a dream I almost forgot, with glowing eyes."Easy, Tony. Just breathe." It was Darren's voice, thank goodness. For now.I blinked, trying to see clearly. My head felt full of buzzing; each buzzed a different, mixed-up memory. Kane… where was Kane? Had she been here? Or was that just a whisper from another time?"Kane… the… the light…" I mumbled, the words feeling thick in my mouth. Light. Yes, there was a bright light, a tear in the world. And then… everything became a mess of broken pictures.Darren held my arm tighter. "Kane's not here now, Tony. It's just me. Remember? Darren."Darren. Yes, I remembered Darren. Sometimes. He was… real. Something steady in this craz
CHAPTER 188
The Tangled WebDust floated in the dim light through dirty windows. The air smelled old and a bit like metal and something sweet. Kane's light moved across the dark room, showing broken machines and glass. My stomach felt bad; this place felt very wrong."See anything, Elias?" Kane's quiet voice barely made a sound. She moved carefully, her hand near her gun. I stayed close behind, my heart beating fast. The drawing we found led us here, an old building outside the city that wasn't on any maps. That made me scared.Forgotten for a reason, I thought, looking at a table with broken bottles and strange tools – some for living things, others like machines mixed together. It was a gross mix."Tony, look here." Elias's voice was usually calm, but now it sounded worried. He was kneeling by a broken metal box. Inside were glass jars with weird things floating in liquid, with thin wires all through them. I couldn't breathe for a second. This wasn't just science; it was horrible.
CHAPTER 187
Darren's WatchThe room was dim, but I could see the tired lines on Darren’s face. He hadn’t slept much. He watched Tony all the time, trying to guess what Tony was seeing in his head. He told Tony old stories, showed him old pictures, played music they both knew – anything to help Tony remember. Sometimes, Tony’s eyes would focus, and he’d remember a joke or something fun they did. But these moments were quick, like flashes of light before a storm. Then, Tony would go back to being lost. Darren was getting more and more worried that he was losing his friend.Darren sat next to Tony, holding an old picture. It was the four of us – me, Elias, Tony, and Darren – smiling after we did something dangerous but got away with it. Tony had dirt on his face and looked happy.“Remember this, Tony?” Darren’s voice was quiet. He held the picture close to Tony’s face. “That old computer place? We thought we were going to die when the robots locked the doors. But you… you fixed that old
CHAPTER 186
The Shifting LandscapeThe air this morning felt wrong. Not just city dirt, but different. Like something familiar had changed a little. Elias smelled it too.“Did you feel that Kane?” he asked, looking around. “Something feels… heavy.”I checked my systems. The air was okay. But I knew what he meant. It felt like the world was holding its breath.We were following a clue, a small digital piece left in the Overseers’ broken computer system. It pointed to a secret lab outside the city. We knew the way. Or so I thought.The first thing that was really wrong happened after walking three blocks. A street we knew very well was just… gone. Instead, there was a tall, black wall, smooth and endless. It looked old and strange like it didn’t belong there.“What the…” Elias said, stopping. He touched the wall. “This wasn’t here yesterday, Kane. I’m sure.”My inside maps agreed. This street was important. It couldn’t just disappear. My brain couldn’t understand it. It was impossibl
CHAPTER 185
The Seed of DoubtThe quiet hum of the Overseer's secret room always bugged me. It felt cold and planned. Tonight, the air felt tight, like something was about to break. Elias, next to me, looked closely at the moving computer words.“See anything?” I whispered. The room was quiet, so my voice felt loud. I checked for hidden traps. This room was supposed to be impossible to get into. But we were inside.Elias made a noise like he was annoyed. “Lots of locks inside locks, Kane. They weren’t kidding.” He stopped, tilting his head. “Wait… something’s not right.”On the screen, one file glowed in the middle of broken computer stuff. It looked perfect. A soft light blinked inside it.When the picture on the file showed up, I held my breath. It wasn’t tech like I knew. The lines looked like they were alive. A soft light moved inside.Elias made a small sound. I looked at him. He looked worried. “Do you feel that, Kane? It feels old.”I did feel it. A little shake inside me.
CHAPTER 184
Listening to NothingTony was slipping away. Not like falling asleep, but in a broken, scary way. What was real for him was fading, like sand in a hand. The Architect's power was still there, like a poison inside him.His memories were like water, moving and mixing, past times all messed up. One minute he'd talk about a trip to a star we never went to, describing things we never saw. Then he'd ask about Joyce, a woman Kane and I never knew, his voice sad."She always loved the rain, Darren," he'd say, looking at nothing. "Said it washed away the noise.""Tony," I'd say softly, holding his hand. "There was no trip to that star. And I don't know Joyce. It's just you, me, and Kane."He'd look confused for a second. "But... the red deserts... the shiny trees..." Then he'd look away again like he was hearing something far off.He started seeing things. Faces would flash in the shadows, people I couldn't see. He'd point, handshaking. "Did you see that? By the door... the woman
CHAPTER 183
The World Playing TricksSomething felt wrong. Not just a little, but deep down. It started with small things that you could almost ignore. But that bad feeling in my neck wouldn't leave.We were walking back through a part of the Overseer place we had already checked. Kane was looking for any missed computer spots, and Elias was feeling for leftover mind energy."This room..." Kane stopped, looking confused. "I'm sure this room was empty."I looked around. It was a small, round room with dead computers. Nothing special. "Yeah, I remember. We checked for traps."But in the middle of the room now was something I had never seen. It was round, black like stone, and had a soft blue light inside. Thin, silver lines went across it and into the smooth surface."That wasn't here before," Elias said quietly. He moved slowly towards it, hand out but not touching. "I would have felt... something."Kane used her scanner. "The energy is... strange. Not Overseer stuff. Not anything I k
CHAPTER 182
Darren's PromiseThe lies were gone, like old skin peeling off. I saw the truth: they had made me a servant. This made me angry, wanting revenge.I found Tony in a broken room. He was my old friend, but now he seemed lost, not knowing what was real. I felt bad and also really loyal to him. He sat on a broken chair, smiling and talking nonsense. The bright Tony I knew was gone. He looked at me for a second, the old Tony in his eyes."Darren?" he whispered weakly. I felt a little hope."Tony, it's me," I said, my voice shaky. I knelt down.He smiled more, but his eyes didn't. "The stars are singing, Darren. Can you hear?"My heart sank. He was lost. The Overseers had messed with his mind. I felt guilty. I was so busy with my own problems, I didn't see how bad Tony was.I felt a strong loyalty to him. We were friends. I couldn't leave him like this.I took his cold hands in mine. "Tony," I said firmly. "The stars aren't singing. It's just me, Darren. I'm here."He looked
