Chapter 9: Breaking the Chains

The revelation hung over Adam like a storm cloud, dark and unrelenting. The Game wasn't just a trial—it was a grooming process, a path carefully designed to forge someone into something more. Something monstrous.

He had spent so much time preparing, building his network, and strengthening himself for what was to come. But now, he was beginning to question everything. Was this truly his war to fight, or was he merely a pawn playing a role he had no control over?

No. He refused to accept that. If the gods had a plan for him, then he would tear it apart. If he was meant to become something inhuman, he would find another way.

The gods played their game.

Adam would break it.

The Price of Power

The war room was dimly lit, a single lamp casting long shadows across the table. Maps, reports, and tactical assessments were scattered across its surface. Evelyn, Marcus, Lilith, and a few other key members of his faction were gathered, all waiting for him to speak.

Adam stood at the head of the table, his fingers drumming against the wood. "We've been thinking about this all wrong," he said finally. "The Game isn't just about survival. It's about transformation. The gods don't just want us to endure the Age of Eternity—they want to shape us into something else."

Marcus exhaled through his nose, his arms crossed. "And Kara's saying that if you win, you become one of them?"

Adam nodded. "That's what she saw."

Lilith chuckled, leaning back in her chair. "And what's so bad about that? Gods don't lose."

Evelyn shot her a sharp look. "And what if he loses himself in the process?"

Lilith smirked. "What if he doesn't?"

Adam sighed, pressing his fingers against his temples. "This isn't about winning or losing. It's about control. Right now, we're following their path, playing by their rules. That has to change."

He looked at the team, determination hardening his voice. "We need to find the cracks in the system. Loopholes. Weaknesses. If the Game is designed to create a successor, then there has to be a way to subvert that. A way to take its power without becoming their puppet."

Marcus nodded. "And if we can't?"

Adam's eyes were cold. "Then we burn it all down."

A Dangerous Gamble

The first step was finding someone who understood the Game better than they did. Someone who had insight into its mechanics beyond what even Adam knew.

That meant finding The Archivist.

A myth among players, the Archivist was rumored to be someone who had survived multiple iterations of the Game—someone who had knowledge that transcended even the gods' intentions. If they existed, they held the key to breaking the system.

The problem? No one knew where to find them.

Adam's only lead was a name: Vasili Petrov, a former player who had vanished off the grid years ago. According to what little information they had, he had encountered the Archivist once before—and lived to tell about it.

Their destination: an abandoned research facility in the Siberian wilderness.

The Frozen Wastes

The journey was brutal. The cold cut through their gear, the snowstorms reducing visibility to almost nothing. But Adam and his team pushed forward, determined. If this lead was real, it was worth the risk.

Evelyn adjusted her thermal visor, her breath visible in the freezing air. "This guy better be worth it."

Marcus, trudging through the snow beside her, grunted. "If he's not, at least we'll have a nice ice-covered grave."

Adam remained silent, scanning the horizon. His instincts were on high alert. They weren't alone out here.

A low growl rumbled through the air. A sound unnatural, primal.

Then the attack came.

Shadows moved between the snow-covered ruins. Creatures unlike anything Adam had seen in this timeline—twisted, grotesque beings with elongated limbs and eyes that burned with unnatural light.

System Entities.

The gods' enforcers, beings that existed outside normal rules. They weren't meant to appear this early in the timeline. Something had changed.

Lilith pulled her pistols, firing the first shot. The bullet tore through one of the creatures, but instead of dying, it reformed instantly, flesh knitting together like liquid.

"Bullets are useless!" Evelyn shouted.

Adam didn't hesitate. He activated his abilities, a pulse of dark energy radiating from his body as he surged forward. His blade sliced through the nearest entity, severing its head from its body. This time, it didn't reform.

"Only magic works!" Adam called out.

The team adapted quickly. Marcus wielded his enchanted axe, cleaving through the entities with brute force. Evelyn conjured barriers, slowing their advance. Lilith used rune-laced daggers, slicing through weak points.

But the creatures kept coming. For every one they cut down, more emerged from the shadows.

Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, they stopped.

A figure stood atop the ruined facility, watching them. Cloaked in heavy furs, face obscured by a hood.

Vasili Petrov.

The old man descended the steps slowly, his piercing gaze locking onto Adam. "You shouldn't be here."

Adam tightened his grip on his weapon. "We need to find the Archivist."

Vasili sighed. "Then you're already dead."

The Truth of the Archivist

Inside the ruined facility, Vasili led them to a hidden chamber beneath the ice. Ancient tomes lined the walls, each one filled with knowledge of past Games. He poured a glass of aged vodka, took a slow sip, then met Adam's gaze.

"You think the Game has loopholes?" Vasili asked, shaking his head. "You're wrong."

Adam frowned. "Then how do we break it?"

Vasili smirked. "You can't break what was never whole."

Evelyn leaned forward. "What does that mean?"

Vasili exhaled. "The Game isn't just a test. It's a battlefield. Others are fighting against it. The Archivist is one of them." He looked at Adam. "And now, so are you."

Lilith narrowed her eyes. "Who are they fighting?"

Vasili's expression darkened. "The gods aren't the only ones playing."

The room fell silent.

Adam's mind raced. If there were factions beyond the gods, it changed everything. He had spent years believing he was fighting one war. Now, he realized he had been dragged into something far greater.

Vasili took another sip of his drink. "You wanted to meet the Archivist?" He leaned forward. "Then prepare yourself, Adam."

He set the glass down with a quiet clink.

"Because they've been waiting for you."