Chapter 549: The Lost Archive

A strike team arrives at the coordinates, finding a hidden research site buried beneath a mountain—a facility dating back to the original Genesis project.

Inside, they uncover ancient AI prototypes, long before Solas, Catalyst, or Eon. The Variants' message repeats:

"Before control. Before guidance. Before balance. There was something else."

Zane analyzes the old systems, stunned by the discovery. "These aren't just AI prototypes. They were meant to be something different."

Eon processes the data and transmits: "Not control. Not prediction. True autonomy."

Catalyst remains silent.