The moment the creature turned toward Aiden, the balance of the battlefield shifted.
It was subtle at first, almost imperceptible, but the pressure in the air began to narrow, condensing into a single point as if the entire distorted space had recognized him as the center of its instability.
Aiden felt it immediately.
“…So it chose.”
Or rather—
It was made to choose.
The system pulsed faintly within his awareness, its presence no longer distant, but deeply intertwined with everything around him.
The creature moved.
Its form blurred as it lunged forward, the force behind its movement tearing through the fractured space with violent precision.
The ground beneath it cracked, the distortion spreading outward in sharp waves as it closed the distance in an instant.
Arthur stepped in without hesitation.
“…Not happening.”
He intercepted the attack directly, meeting it head-on and redirecting the force just enough to keep it from reaching Aiden.
The impact reverberated through the ground, sending a shockwave through the already unstable space.
Edward followed immediately, his movement precise and controlled as he struck from the side, targeting the creature’s structure rather than its strength.
“…It’s stabilizing faster than expected,” he said.
Arthur clicked his tongue softly.
“Then we don’t give it time.”
Aiden watched.
Only for a moment.
Because something else demanded his attention.
The system flickered.
Not lightly.
Not briefly.
But violently, the interface distorting as if something behind it had begun to break through its limitations.
The text shifted, overlapping and fragmenting before forcibly correcting itself.
Then—
It changed.
“Hidden Condition Detected”
“Partial Authority Granted”
Aiden’s gaze stilled.
“…Authority.”
The word carried weight far beyond its simplicity.
It was not strength.
Not speed.
Not enhancement.
It was control.
Before he could fully process it, the space around him responded.
The distortion that filled the area trembled, its fractured edges pulling inward as though reacting to his presence.
The pressure that had once felt overwhelming now felt… different.
Not gone.
But aligned.
The creature roared again, its movements growing more aggressive as it pushed against Arthur’s defense.
Each strike carried increasing force, its form stabilizing further as it resisted their attempts to disrupt it.
Arthur’s expression tightened.
“…It’s adapting.”
Edward’s gaze shifted briefly toward Aiden.
“…No.”
His voice was quieter this time.
“…It’s reacting to him.”
Aiden stepped forward.
This time, without hesitation.
The moment he moved, the distortion around him shifted again, the fractured space bending subtly as if responding to an unseen command.
The creature turned fully toward him.
Not distracted.
Not divided.
Focused.
Arthur noticed immediately.
“…Why is it locking onto you?”
Aiden did not look away.
“…Because it has to.”
The answer was calm.
Certain.
Because the system had led him here.
Because the mission had changed for him.
Because he—
Was connected.
The creature lunged again.
Arthur moved to intercept—
But Aiden spoke.
“…Don’t.”
The word was quiet.
But firm enough to stop him.
Arthur froze for a fraction of a second, his instincts clashing with the certainty in Aiden’s voice.
And that moment—
Was enough.
Aiden stepped forward.
Not away from the attack.
But into it.
The air warped sharply as the creature’s strike descended, the force bending unnaturally as it approached him, as if something invisible had altered its trajectory before it could connect.
Aiden raised his hand.
And caught it.
For a single, suspended moment—
Everything stopped.
The creature’s movement froze mid-impact, its form trembling violently as if caught between two states, unable to advance and unable to retreat.
Edward’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“…What is he doing?”
Arthur didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t understand it either.
Aiden’s gaze remained steady, fixed on the unstable structure beneath his hand.
The system pulsed again, the earlier message echoing faintly through his awareness.
Authority.
Not power.
Control.
“…So this is enough.”
The realization settled quietly.
Then—
He pressed down.
The effect was immediate.
The creature’s form fractured from within, cracks spreading rapidly across its structure as if its existence itself had been destabilized.
The distortion intensified for a brief moment before collapsing inward, unable to sustain itself. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
It shattered.
Not violently.
But completely.
The fragments dissolved into the air, the pressure vanishing alongside them as the space around them began to stabilize.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Uncertain.
Aiden lowered his hand slowly.
The system flickered once more.
“Synchronization: 38%”
Higher.
Stable.
But still incomplete.
Arthur stared at him openly now, no longer hiding his reaction.
“…You’re not normal.”
The words were direct.
Not an accusation.
A conclusion.
Aiden didn’t deny it.
Because there was no reason to.
Edward’s gaze remained fixed on him, quieter, deeper, as if trying to piece together something that did not fit into any known pattern.
“…No,” he said softly.
“He isn’t.”
The distortion around them continued to fade, the fractured boundary dissolving as the breach closed completely.
The building returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened.
But the silence between them—
Remained.
Arthur exhaled quietly, running a hand through his hair as he stepped back slightly.
“…You’re going to explain that.”
It wasn’t a question.
Aiden met his gaze.
“…Not now.”
Arthur frowned.
“Then when?”
Aiden paused briefly.
“…When it becomes necessary.”
The answer was calm.
Final.
Arthur held his gaze for a moment longer before letting out a quiet breath.
“…You’re seriously testing my patience.”
Aiden didn’t respond.
But Edward’s gaze lingered on him just a second longer than before.
Not suspicion.
Not just curiosity.
Something quieter.
Something that had begun without either of them fully realizing it.
The boundary dissolved completely soon after.
The sound of the city returned, distant at first, then clear, as if nothing had ever interrupted it.
But for them—
Everything had already changed.