Kieran's fingers twitched. The options floated before his eyes—glowing threads of fate knotted into raw code. Dominion. Reversion. Fracture. Each pulsed like a heartbeat, alive, waiting.
He didn't hesitate.
[Path Selected: DOMINION]
[Warning: Evolution Will Trigger System Reconfiguration.]
[Accept?]
[Y/N]
"Yes," he whispered.
The world shattered.
Pain surged through every nerve as if his body rejected its own existence. Blood pounded in his ears. The floor cracked beneath him. His body convulsed—twisting, reshaping—until the scream caught in his throat turned to silence.
[DOMINION PROTOCOL UNLOCKED.]
[Passive: Command Pulse – Minor Abyssal entities will hesitate before engaging.]
[Active: Override – Force low-tier enemies into submission for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 5 mins.]
[System Core Rewriting Personality Safeguards… Error.]
Kieran dropped to one knee, gasping. His vision flickered—not just his own, but a second layer overlaying movement, threats, potential outcomes. The world felt… slower. Controlled.
Elias stared, unreadable.
"You chose control," he said.
"I chose not to be a pawn," Kieran growled, standing despite the tremors in his legs.
Elias's mouth twitched into a faint smile. "Then prove it."
A screech tore through the tunnels. The Abyss Hunters had followed.
Five of them emerged—black-cloaked, knives of shadow in their hands. One raised a claw.
"Traitor," it hissed at Elias. "You abandoned the hunt."
Kieran stepped forward before Elias could move.
His voice dropped—low, resonant.
"Kneel."
[Override Activated.]
The lead Hunter buckled, its body shaking as if dragged by invisible chains. The others hesitated. Kieran's eyes blazed like molten gold.
"I'm done running," he said. "This time… I make the rules."