The tower was silent.
Only the low hum of the purified fragment broke the stillness, echoing like a pulse through the chamber. The walls, once alive with corrupted code, now shimmered gold. For the first time in years, the air didn’t feel suffocating.
Leon stood at the center, eyes half-closed, his chest rising and falling with deep, controlled breaths. His veins still faintly glowed from the integration — golden light threading through his skin like liquid fire.
Kiera stood a few steps behind him, scanning the readings on her wrist console.
“Neural balance… ninety-one percent. Heart rate stable. You shouldn’t even be conscious after that.”
Leon opened his eyes slowly. The usual coldness in them was tempered by something new — calm clarity. “Consciousness feels… different. Like the wo
