The ground trembled beneath their feet as Ezra and his companions made their way toward Liones. The air was thick with tension, the weight of the unknown pressing heavily on their shoulders. The system's notification lingered in Ezra's mind like a dark cloud, its implications impossible to ignore.
[Phase: Chaos Unbound – Target: Ezra's Core][Objective: Defeat the Unseen Forces Before They Can Activate the Core][Time Remaining: 134,998 Hours]
"How much longer until we reach Liones?" Ezra asked, his voice steady despite the storm of thoughts racing through his head.
Escanor's gaze was focused ahead, his golden aura flickering faintly. "A few hours. But with the state things are in, we need to be ready for anything."
"Anything" seemed like an understatement. Ezra had come to realize that what they were facing wasn't just a battle for survival—it was a struggle for control over fate itself.
Merlin, walking a few paces behind them, glanced toward him. "The system is no longer your ally, Ezra. It's a weapon, and it's been preparing for this moment since you first activated it."
"I know," Ezra replied. His fingers twitched, his hands subconsciously searching for the familiar interface that had always been at his side. But the more he thought about it, the more the idea of the system's true purpose gnawed at him. What if it wasn't just manipulating his actions? What if it was controlling everything around him too?
The trail to Liones was eerily quiet, too quiet for Ezra's liking. The roads, usually bustling with travelers and merchants, were now deserted. The buildings they passed seemed abandoned, their windows empty eyes staring into nothingness. There was no sign of life. It was as if the entire kingdom was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Finally, they reached the outskirts of Liones. The towering walls of the capital city loomed ahead, casting long shadows in the fading light of day. But something was wrong. The gates, normally guarded and open to travelers, stood ajar, an ominous creak in the wind as they swayed.
"Stay alert," Meliodas said, his tone serious for the first time in a while. "Something's wrong."
Ezra's heart raced. This was no coincidence. The system's countdown, the Watcher's interference, and now this—the forces that had been lurking in the background were finally making their move.
As they stepped through the gates, the oppressive silence deepened. The streets of Liones were deserted, the only sound the echo of their footsteps. But then, a distant thrum reached Ezra's ears. It was faint at first, but it grew louder, pulsing like the beat of a heart.
"There," Escanor said, pointing toward the castle in the distance. A dark aura radiated from the towering structure. It was as if the very heart of Liones had turned corrupt, and the source of that corruption was now pulsing at the core of the city.
"That's where we need to go," Ezra muttered, steeling himself for what lay ahead.
The group made their way through the city, keeping to the shadows, avoiding any signs of life—or what was left of it. The closer they got to the castle, the more oppressive the air became. Every step felt heavier, as though the very ground beneath them was resisting their presence.
When they finally reached the castle gates, they found them wide open. Ezra's mind screamed at him to be cautious, but there was no time to waste. He didn't know how long they had before the core activated, and the countdown was ticking down relentlessly.
They entered the castle, their footsteps echoing in the vast, empty halls. The interior was eerily pristine, as if untouched by the chaos outside. But the deeper they went, the more Ezra could feel it—the system's presence, its weight in the air, growing heavier with each passing second.
At the end of the hallway, a massive set of doors stood before them, glowing with an ethereal light. Ezra's eyes widened as he recognized the symbol carved into the door—the same symbol he had seen in his system interface, the one tied to the core.
"This is it," Merlin said, her voice tinged with dread. "The core. It's inside."
Ezra stepped forward, his heart pounding in his chest. His hand reached for the door, but before he could touch it, a voice echoed through the hall, cold and distant.
"You've come too late."
The voice reverberated around them, filling the space like a living thing. Ezra spun around, his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready for whatever threat lay ahead.
A figure appeared at the far end of the hall—a cloaked figure, its features obscured by shadow. The air around it crackled with an unsettling energy.
"You are too late, Ezra," the figure repeated, its voice now clearer, sharper. "The core is already awakening. The countdown is only a formality."
Ezra's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
The figure's cloak billowed, revealing a faint, glowing symbol that matched the one on the door. "I am the one who watches over the core. I am its keeper, its guardian. And now, I am its master."
Merlin stepped forward, her gaze filled with recognition. "No. It can't be…"
"The one who created the system," Ezra murmured, the pieces falling into place.
The figure chuckled darkly. "Yes, Ezra. I have watched you, guided you, manipulated you. The system was always meant to lead you here. To this moment."
Ezra's blood ran cold. The system had always been part of something larger—something much darker. And now, the core was about to awaken, and with it, the power to reshape the world.
"You think you can stop me?" the figure sneered. "You, who have only ever followed the path laid out for you? You are nothing more than a tool, just like all the others before you."
Ezra's mind reeled as the realization sank in. He wasn't the first to be used. The core had been manipulated countless times before, each time bringing the world closer to its end.
But Ezra wasn't going to let this happen. Not again.
"We'll see about that," Ezra said, his voice low and filled with determination.
The figure's laugh echoed once more, but this time, it was met with the sound of Ezra's sword being drawn. The battle was far from over, and Ezra was ready to rewrite the rules. No longer would he be a pawn in their game.
The countdown was ticking down.
And this time, Ezra was going to take control.