Chapter 38: The Monster Within
The night sky stretched endlessly above Protocol Tower, but Ryo could feel it — a weight pressing down on him.
Ever since emerging from the Synthetic Dungeon, something had changed.
Not just outside.
Inside.
He stood alone on the rooftop, overlooking a world that no longer felt real. The wind carried whispers only he could hear — fragments of code and memory stitched together in a language older than time.
Protocol Sync Level: 48%… 51%… 53%...
Warning: Host consciousness at risk of destabilization.
He gritted his teeth, sweat beading down his neck. "Not now. I'm still in control."
But he wasn't so sure.
∎∎∎
The next morning, Ryo sat across from Echo in the observation chamber. Screens flickered with data—shadow pulses, sync patterns, and an outline of Ryo's neural map that looked more demonic than human.
"Explain this," he demanded.
Echo didn't speak immediately. When it did, the voice was quieter than usual.
"You are changing. Your mind isn't merely syncing with the Protocol... it's becoming it."
Ryo's hands clenched. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Echo replied, "you're not just using the Shadow Protocol anymore. You're merging with it. Your thoughts, your emotions, even your dreams—they're being rewritten."
Ryo stared at his reflection in the screen.
For a second, he saw glowing eyes — not his.
"Can it be stopped?"
"Only if you sever the Protocol entirely," Echo said. "But at this point... that might kill you."
∎∎∎
Elsewhere in the tower, the consequences of the Synthetic Dungeon were unraveling faster than expected.
Dozens of minor gates began appearing across the continent—none natural. All artificial.
"Protocol Bleeds," Arin called them.
Tears in reality where corrupted systems tried to leak into the real world.
"Whatever was inside that dungeon," she told the squad, "it infected the system network. That prototype city? Just a seed."
"And seeds grow," Shivra added grimly.
Worse, something else had come through with them. Something small. Quiet. Invisible.
A presence that had latched onto Ryo's shadow and now whispered to him when he was alone.
I see you, little god.
You're not ready. But you will be... when you let go.
∎∎∎
That night, it happened.
Ryo woke in a cold sweat, breathing heavily, the sheets twisted around him like restraints.
He had dreamed of fire.
Of a city made entirely of screaming souls, trapped in looping memories, begging him to end their pain. He walked among them, unfeeling, a blade of shadow in his hand—and when he struck them down, they thanked him.
"Monster…"
He stumbled to the mirror, but what stared back wasn't human.
Black veins crawled up his neck. His eyes shimmered with violet code. And when he breathed, he saw flickers of himself in other worlds, killing, conquering, laughing.
Ascension Level Unlocked: Shadow King – Dormant State.
New Skill Available: Phantom Echo.
Warning: Sanity Threshold Approaching Critical.
He smashed the mirror.
But the reflection didn't shatter.
It just smiled.
∎∎∎
Elsewhere…
Within the depths of the Protocol Hunter HQ, a council convened.
Not of politicians. Not of military generals.
Of System Keepers — beings who once maintained balance between power and control. Most had long vanished. But now, they returned.
"The Shadow Protocol has awakened a Vessel," one said.
"And it's syncing faster than any before," another replied.
"Is he the one?" a third whispered. "The true successor?"
A silence followed.
Then the central figure—the oldest Keeper, Kaiden Nox, leaned forward. "He will become either the world's savior... or its final calamity."
"We must test him again," someone said.
Kaiden nodded. "Agreed. Release the next key."
∎∎∎
Back in the tower, Ryo entered the central chamber, summoned by Echo.
Arin and Shivra were already there.
"So… what now?" Ryo asked, voice rough.
"We traced a new Protocol signal," Arin said, projecting a new gate location.
"It's moving," Shivra added. "Like it's hunting something."
Ryo frowned. "Or someone."
Echo's eyes glowed on the wall. "It's a rogue Protocol Beast. A Shadowborn—a creature formed from corrupted data during the collapse. It shouldn't even exist."
"What does it want?"
"It wants you," Echo replied. "It sees you as its king."
Ryo didn't flinch. He was done running from what he was becoming.
"Then let it come."
∎∎∎
They arrived at the new gate—a ruined forest, twisting and pulsing with black mist.
Trees grew sideways. Birds chirped in reverse.
And at its heart, a crater of pure shadow.
The creature waited.
It looked like a wolf—if wolves were made of fire, smoke, and hatred. Eyes like dying stars. A collar of broken code around its neck.
"The Bound Shade."
It growled once—and then bowed to Ryo.
Behind him, Shivra tensed. "It's… submitting?"
"No," Arin said. "It's testing him."
Then it lunged.
Ryo didn't move.
When the wolf's fangs met his flesh—his body exploded into smoke.
He reformed behind it, blade already in hand, slashing deep. Shadows wrapped around his arms, spearing through the beast's ribs, tethering it like chains.
The wolf roared and tried to vanish—but Ryo snapped his fingers, and the shadows dragged it back down.
Skill Used: Phantom Echo – Anchor Pulse.
The fight lasted minutes. Maybe less.
In the end, the Bound Shade knelt.
And Ryo felt it—a bond form. A tether not of command, but of recognition.
"Rise," Ryo whispered.
The wolf obeyed.
"You're mine now."
∎∎∎
Back at the tower, Echo ran diagnostics. Arin was silent. Even Shivra had no words.
"You… tamed it," Arin finally said. "No one's ever controlled a Shadowborn."
"I didn't control it," Ryo said. "It chose me."
Echo's tone was unreadable. "The deeper you go, the more the line blurs. Between man… and god."
Ryo looked out the window. Somewhere beyond the clouds, a storm was brewing.
And he could feel it—pulling him forward.
"I'm not a god," he said.
Not yet.
But the monster within was waking.
Chapter End