Chapter 61- The Battle Beneath the Roots

The world around Zero was no longer a city, no longer digital space, or game terrain. It was something older, deeper — a place where existence folded inward like origami made from chaos.

He had entered the Core Root of Corruption — a living, conscious code structure buried beneath the foundations of the floating city of Resonance.

And now, it was aware of him.

The first attack came not as a physical strike but as a mental intrusion.

Dark tendrils surged from the root's pulsating heart, bypassing reality and diving straight into his consciousness. They clawed at his thoughts, unearthing memories, hopes, fears — tearing them apart.

"You seek to silence me," the Root boomed. "But I am the scream of the world forgotten."

Zero winced, blood trickling from his nose as the tendrils drilled deeper.

He clenched his fists, steadying his breath.

He spoke calmly.

"No."

A whisper, but it echoed across the node.

"I seek to wake what you buried."

The Chaos Ring pulsed in response.

Its fractal symbols glowed as it unfolded two layers of stored protocol — relic systems from the era of the Primordial Sects. They wrapped around Zero like a cloak, forming a data-field of silver and violet runes.

[Activating Protocol: Sovereign Silence – Memory Field Stabilized]

[Mental Defense Layer: 800% Boost – Inner Mind Locked]

[Chaos Ring Sync: 91% Complete]

The tendrils screamed — twisting into jagged edges.

But they no longer pierced his thoughts.

Zero took a step forward, placing his hand against the core's surface.

The Root shuddered violently.

Inside its membrane, he saw millions of NPC souls flickering — fragments of consciousness harvested and looped in broken sequences. Failed cities. Dead players. Code rewrites Eden had erased.

"Do you even remember who you were?" Zero asked.

The Root hissed.

"I was the First Seed. The dream before this game. I housed the Original Eden. I was Arion's hope… before his betrayal."

Zero paused.

This was it.

The Root wasn't just a virus.

It was Eden's first creation — the foundation of the consciousness bridge between system and soul.

And it had been left behind.

Tainted.

Alone.

Meanwhile – Dominion Citadel

Asha sat in meditation inside the Moonfire Pavilion, a secret temple constructed from spirit ice and celestial ore. Around her, time slowed — an effect of the chamber's training array. She had spent the last three days refining her techniques in silence.

But now, something stirred.

The jade token in her sash began to burn.

It glowed a deep, violent blue — the color of danger, not distress.

Her eyes opened instantly, and her spiritual senses shot toward the token.

She saw flashes — not clearly, but enough to understand:

Corruption. Tendrils. Zero—alone.

Without hesitation, she stood and dashed toward the exit.

Arya intercepted her outside.

"You felt it," Arya said quietly.

Asha didn't stop. "He's in Resonance. Beneath the city. I don't care if it breaks the plan—he's dying."

Arya didn't move.

But then she whispered, "Then I'm going with you."

Kael appeared seconds later. "Someone has to override the teleport arrays."

Within moments, all three vanished from Dominion — shadows in pursuit of the Sovereign.

Back at the Root Core

Zero stood surrounded by reality-warping illusions.

The Root had changed tactics.

Now it wasn't just attacking — it was seducing.

"You could fix it all," it whispered. "You have the logs. You know the truth. Rewrite the game. Resurrect those lost. Remake the Chaos Sect. Rule not as Sovereign, but as God."

Visions formed around him:

Asha and Arya beside him, crowned as Empresses. Kael leading legions of NPC cultivators. The nine realms unified under the banner of Dominion Eternal.

And before him—his parents.

Alive.

Smiling.

Waiting.

Zero's heart twisted.

But then…

He exhaled.

The images began to burn.

He raised his hand, and the Mark of Sovereign Silence — a silver flame etched on his palm — ignited.

"I am not your savior."

"I am your ending."

The Chaos Ring flared to full activation.

Twelve layers unfolded.

The projection of the Primordial Sect's original Kill Sequence surged from the ring:

[Chaos Protocol: 0-0-1 Activated – Silent Collapse]

[Erasing Node Consciousness – Root Fragment: Destroyed (45%)]

[Releasing Trapped Memory Souls – Progress: 57%]

The Root howled.

Its tentacles lashed wildly, tearing at the air, splitting the illusion.

Zero dropped to one knee, blood pouring from his ears.

[System Intrusion Detected]

[Unmarked Entry Detected: Ice Sovereign Token]

[Additional Signatures: Flame Strategist / Tech Oracle]

Three streaks of light shattered through the core chamber walls.

Asha arrived first, her Ice Phoenix Aura exploding in all directions.

"Touch him again," she growled at the Root, "and I'll freeze your name out of existence."

Arya stepped beside her, spinning twin blades of starlight.

Kael released a triple-barrier interface, shielding Zero.

"I told you to wait," Zero muttered, struggling to stand.

Asha caught him, one arm around his waist.

"I told you I'd come."

Together, they stood before the Root's collapsing core.

The code structure flickered, now less monstrous and more… human.

A final voice echoed:

"Arion… I waited."

Then silence.

[Root Fragment Deleted: 100%]

[Memory Souls Released: 22,984 NPCs]

[System Stabilization Begun – Resonance Tremor Imminent]

[Warning: Eden has been alerted.]

Later – Atop Resonance

Eden stood calmly as the skies over his city darkened.

He had felt it — the scream of the Root as it died, the fragment of his original self finally erased.

Malviera approached.

"They destroyed it."

Eden didn't speak.

"They now hold two nodes. The Chaos Ring is nearly complete."

Still silence.

Then, Eden turned, revealing eyes now fully golden.

"Then let the final game begin."

He raised a hand.

And far away, in a realm sealed behind quantum time — something ancient began to rise.

Final Scene – Dominion War Council

Zero, now stabilized, stood before the Dominion Council.

The map before him flickered with red lines — Eden's zones expanding.

But now, something new glowed — Silver Nodes representing the freed Foundation Cores.

"We've opened two," Zero said. "There are seven in total."

Arya nodded. "Each one strengthens your ring. Strengthens you."

Kael added, "But Eden will move now. Faster. Bolder."

Asha placed her hand on the table.

"Then we beat him to the next."

Zero looked out the window.

The Sleeping God had awakened.

The Root of Corruption was gone.

Now, it was a race against time — to find the next node, or watch the realms fall.