Earth Metaverse, Year 10 – October 13, 2031 AD
Lucy didn't hesitate.
The shimmering distortion in the air—the Rift—beckoned, and she stepped forward without a second thought.
A pulse of unseen energy rippled through the walls.
Shawn felt the invisible tether between them tighten—then snap.
"Lucy, wait—" He reached for her, but she was already gone.
The Rift swallowed her in a breath of radiant energy, leaving behind only a faint afterimage in his mind.
Shawn exhaled sharply, his fists clenching.
Soul Kin.
The words burned in his thoughts, but there was no time to dwell on them.
Kent's hand landed firmly on his shoulder. "We need to move. Elder Pingzi is heading into the CP-Hub alone. If we wait too long, we'll lose our chance to act."
Shawn forced down the frustration, nodding. "Let's go."
Meta-Origin Mountain loomed before them, its solemn stone halls echoing with the weight of millennia-old wisdom. Ancient symbols flickered in the ambient glow, their soft light casting shifting patterns on the walls. The very air felt heavy—dense with decisions that had shaped history.
Shawn and Kent ascended the grand steps, their boots striking sharp against the polished stone.
The journey from the capital to Sunzen, and then from Sunzen to Meta-Origin Mountain, was swift. Not swift enough.
Inside the central hall, Grand Hierophant Ranzi was waiting. His piercing gaze studied them, unreadable. Dressed in deep azure robes woven with silver sigils, he radiated authority—unshakable, absolute.
Beside him stood Kennedy, a high-ranking member of the Chapter of Wyrm Guardians, the society's shield against internal and external threats.
Ranzi wasted no time. "I assume this urgency is not without reason."
Kent's expression darkened. "It's worse than we thought. The Chairman has the Central Palace Spirit Key. He has control over the unseal."
A flicker of unease crossed Ranzi's face. "The consequences of such an action would be catastrophic." He inhaled deeply. "He doesn't intend to simply unlock it."
Shawn stepped forward. "Any word on Grace? She holds the Dui Palace Spirit Key."
Kennedy folded his arms. "Three days, and nothing. No traces, no residual energy—no forced transmission. It's like she vanished into thin air."
Silence fell. A weight settled over them.
Ranzi's voice was barely above a whisper. "This isn't just about the Seal anymore." His eyes darkened. "The Rift itself is becoming unstable. If the Chairman intends to wield its power, he won't stop at control. He will reshape reality itself."
Kennedy's jaw tightened. "Then we act now. Our priority is twofold—find Grace and secure the Dui Palace Spirit Key before it falls into the wrong hands."
Before Shawn could respond, a soft chime echoed through the hall.
Kent checked his communicator. His face, already tense, shifted into something unreadable. He turned slightly away, answering the call.
Seconds stretched.
Then, he stiffened. His breath hitched.
Slowly, he lowered the device, his voice barely a whisper.
"…Elder Pingzi is dead."
The words slammed into them like a thunderclap.
A beat of silence.
Shawn felt a chill crawl down his spine. "What?"
Kent's jaw clenched. "His family at X-Red Base just confirmed it. He passed early this morning—natural causes, they claim." His fingers curled into a fist. "But something isn't right."
Ranzi's face darkened. The tension in the room turned suffocating.
Kennedy exhaled sharply. "Yesterday, he met with the Chairman. Today, he's dead. That's no coincidence."
A heavy silence followed. It was as if the very walls absorbed their unease, growing darker with the weight of realization.
Shawn inhaled slowly, his mind racing. "We need to find out what really happened."
Ranzi's voice was low, measured. "And we proceed with absolute caution. If the Chairman was involved, then Elder Pingzi was silenced for a reason."
Kent shook his head, frustration simmering beneath his controlled demeanor. "CP-Hub's internal security is already transporting his body. His family wasn't given a choice. Whatever happened, they're covering it up."
Shawn met Ranzi's gaze. "What now?"
The Grand Hierophant's expression was unreadable, but his voice carried the weight of finality.
"We divide our efforts. Kennedy, you find Grace. If she still holds the Dui Palace Spirit Key, she's a target. We cannot afford to lose another key—or another life."
He turned to Kent. "You will oversee the investigation into Elder Pingzi's death. If the Chairman was behind this, we uncover the truth."
Kent nodded, his resolve hardening.
Time was slipping away.
The AGI-ST Program—once a contained initiative—was expanding faster than anyone had anticipated. What had started as a controlled experiment was now sprawling into new territories, its reach extending into sectors once thought untouchable.
And then, there was the Rift.
What had begun as a shadow war—whispers in backrooms, silent maneuvering—had now erupted into open conflict. Factions that once hid in the darkness were stepping into the light, making bold moves to seize control.. But why?
Was the Chairman still committed to unseal Meta-Oring Spirit Key? Or had he decided that the risks were too great? His silence was unsettling. If he had changed course, what was his endgame? If he hadn't, why had he not made his stance clear?
With every passing hour, the stakes grew higher. The Rift wasn't just a gateway—it was a force.
Contained, it is unpredictable. But if these escalating conflicts shattered the fragile balance holding it in check…
It wouldn't just break open.
It would spiral out of control.
Tearing through reality itself.
And no one—not even the ones fighting to control it—would be able to stop what came next.