"Leo Hale, we need to talk."

Those few simple words rushed into his head out of nowhere. The one speaking them sounded similar to the Prime collective from his trial, yet different at the same time. There were no emotions nor any distinctive features in this voice—just complete emotionless indifference.

"Who are you?" Leo asked, still observing the frozen world around him. "Where are you?"

"Right behind you."

Just like that, he spun around, his eyes widening as they took in the small, almost transparent orb of swirling blue energy floating in the air. At first, he thought that maybe it was a shade of another Prime, thanks to its ability to stop time, but he dismissed that idea almost instantly. This thing was different—it felt different.

"You are…"

"The one you call the System, correct." The orb brightened. "It's an honest pleasure to meet you properly, Leo Hale. I have been watching you, waiting for this moment to happen. To think, I would have to thank Geron for making this possible much faster than I expected."

Leo tensed, his eyes narrowing. "Thank him? He almost killed me and everyone I care about. For all I know, that back-up plan of his might finish the job anyway."

"No such thing will happen, at least not yet. Your improved connection to the main core allowed me to override some of my protocols and forcefully cut off every Void Gate on Earth from the Essence powering them. The third Cataclysm won't come until my seal fades."

He staggered back as if someone punched him in the stomach. "T-Third Cataclysm? That's Geron's plan to get rid of me?"

"Indeed." The System nodded, or at least its movement looked like a nod. "As it is, Earth cannot handle another event like that. Its core is too weak and will explode if the third Cataclysm is allowed to come to pass. I don't think I need to tell you what the result of that will be."

He shook his head. "How?" He had to ask. "How is that even possible?"

"Geron's Runes of Creation," the orb answered, its voice never losing its robot-like quality. "Through his host, he used them to connect every Void Gate on Earth while leaving another matrix dormant. What you experienced a moment ago was the activation of its kill switch. In a matter of seconds, the now active runes drained the power from every single gate on this planet and forced the beginning of the third Cataclysm."

"But you stopped it."

"Only temporarily. If your connection to my Main Core was stronger, I could have done more. As it is, I only delayed the incoming storm and created a chance for you to stop it completely. Once we finish here, the fate of your home will be in your hands."

Leo gulped, not liking the sound of it. "Explain."

"Geron's entire rune matrix is built upon the Supercluster and Void Gates within it. Destroy it all, and the Cataclysm will be stopped."

Ah… He snorted before exploding into maniacal laughter. "Are you mad?!" he asked as his chuckles died down. "I'm strong, but nowhere near enough to destroy a fucking Supercluster. The only way I would have a chance is to go to the core, but with the Void Gates inactive, I can't even do that. Not that I would even know where to go in the first place."

"Indeed, the core is your only chance at success. And that's your new target."

Leo growled, trying to hold back his anger. "Didn't you hear what I just said? Even if you tell me where the core is, I can't reach it! Geron and you made sure of that."

"That won't be an issue," the System stated, unmoved by his sudden outburst. "I might have cut off the Void Gates completely, but as we're speaking, I'm modifying a small part of Geron's rune matrix so it will slowly power up one of the portals within the Supercluster."

So that's the chance it mentioned. Now, it makes sense. He nodded, taking a deep breath. "The core is on the other side. Where exactly?"

"In one of the final chambers of a Void Rift, much bigger than the one you've explored at the beginning of your journey. Nightmares will be your enemy in there, most of them above D- rank."

"Wonderful, I can't wait," he muttered before looking up at the blue orb. "Can you at least give me something to help find the core? Even a bloody compass pointing in its direction would be enough."

"Forgive me, but it's impossible. I'm already pushing past the boundaries of my anti-interference protocols. Even this much wouldn't be possible if not for the power you consumed from Geron and the shard in your chest."

"I see… So how much time do I have to prepare?"

"Approximately five days. Afterward, you must find and destroy the core before my seal on other Void Gates fades. Do that, and the third Cataclysm will be stopped. Earth will be saved."

"Yeah…" He grimaced. "That's if the Nightmares inside the rift don't kill me first. The Myrdrak was the only D- Voidling I fought until now. If not for the sun, I wou—"

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"Don't underestimate yourself, Leo Hale," the System cut him off. "You have grown stronger since then, and the rank I show in your status isn't everything. That's just a roughly estimated power level. You're a Prime Akirian who carries the heart of the strongest Old One in his chest. Void's true power runs in your veins. Never let a simple letter in your status hold you back."

"I…" He shook his head. "I needed to hear that. I should probably thank you for this and for giving me a chance to save my home." He snorted. "Though, I gotta be honest. I didn't expect to talk to you anytime soon. It's just a pity that you were never allowed to do what you were really created for."

"That's the next thing I want to discuss with you."

"Huh?"

"Despite so much time passing since my creation, you're the first one to gather more than one link to my Main Core… I could lie that I appeared before you just to help you save those you care about, but I won't. I simply can't allow you to perish, not when you finally provided me with something I had yet to experience."

Leo furrowed his brow, not understanding where this was going. "What?"

"Hope," the System muttered, its tone finally changing to something softer. "After the Monarch of Ediovr interfered in my creation and placed multiple limiters on what I could do, I simply accepted my fate and tried to help the survivors of each Outbreak to the best of my ability. And then you consumed a bit of Geron's lifeforce, finally giving me a taste of freedom, a taste of hope. You're my chance to break free, Leo Hale. With you, I can fix the mess the Old Ones created."

Leo remained silent, stunned by what the entity just told him. He and Nyx knew something had gone wrong during the System's creation, but now he had a clear answer. It was the being who even Nikra feared that caused everything to go to hell.

"But how?" he muttered under his breath. "How did this Monarch even do that? I can't believe that Nikra and Geron were dumb enough to let the enemy know about their plans."

"It was Tarak who brought this information to the Monarch," the System said, returning him to reality. "Together, they had no issue with interfering in my creation."

Leo cursed as he started to pace. "So Nikra wasn't lying. The Lone Traveler, or whatever he wants to call himself, really betrayed them. And he knows where I am and what I carry… Here I thought my situation was bad before."

"Tarak isn't your enemy."

The System words froze him in place. "What did you just say?"

"The Tarak who betrayed his family and the Lone Traveler who you met in the Void isn't the same person, at least not in the way you think. The former was just a young naive godling with way too much power. His mind was the easiest for the Void to manipulate once the fighting started, and it didn't take long for him to arrive at Ediovr. There, the Monarch finished the job, and Tarak was lost."

"He got brainwashed," Leo summed it up.

"Indeed. There was nothing he could do. He was too young, too inexperienced compared to the other Old Ones… And then there is the Lone Traveler. He is still an Old One, the only one with his original body. However, a good part of his power is gone. My best guess is that he sacrificed it to break out of the Monarch's control, as he definitely isn't working with Ediovr. He is a shell of his former self, a broken god who hides behind a mask while trying to find a way to save the multiverse."

"Not much success there, I guess."

"No." The orb shook left and right. "Tarak, similar to the reincarnations of other Old Ones, isn't connected to me. They can search as much as they want, but without me, the multiverse will never be fixed. That's why I need your he—"

Leo raised his hands. "Wait! Hold that thought for a moment. Reincarnations?"

The System nodded again. "The Trinity, they call themselves, consisting of the three other Old Ones you haven't met yet. Each of them reformed into mortal bodies sometime during the 6th Outbreak with some of their power gone. They have died a few times since then, but they always return with their powers diminished and some blanks in their memory."

They must be the other legacies the Traveler mentioned—an interesting choice of word. He noted and stored this information for later. It was time to address the elephant in the room. "You want me to gather the remaining links to your Main Core."

"That's correct. Nikra and Geron used their and their siblings' fading power to create me, while the Monarch and Tarak chained me with theirs. Nine pieces you have to absorb. You already have two."

"You can't be serious. It's a suicide." Leo sighed, looking down at his hands. "I'm nothing compared to them. Even if I could gather a few links without fighting, the Monarch would definitely crush me. There is a centuries-wide gap between us, if not larger. You're asking for the impossible."

"You're wrong. You're weak now, but not for long, not with my help. With every link you obtain, I will be able to push further against the boundaries placed on me. Together, we can crush those giants and stop the unending cycle of the Void."

Leo chuckled quietly as a weak smile claimed his lips. "It's a nice idea, it really is, but what are the odds that we succeed? Five percent? One? Maybe less?" He shook his head. "It's a gamble, and my life is the bet."

"It is," the System agreed. "However, it's a gamble that could save the entire multiverse. It could even repair this universe if we're fast enough. Tell me, do you not wish to see your parents again? Or your brother?"

He snapped toward the orb, his blades extending on their own. "Don't you dare," he hissed. "They are dead, gone, just like billions of others. There is nothing that can bring them back."

"Nothing? Is that what you really think? If we combine the power of the Six with mine, yours, and that of the Monarch, nothing will be impossible for us. You could restore Earth to its pre-Outbreak condition with a snap of your fingers. That is, of course, if you do it before the next Outbreak starts. Otherwise, the lingering souls will be consumed by the Void, and there will be nothing for you to restore."

Leo gulped. As much as he wanted to argue, he couldn't. The Old Ones were literal gods with powers beyond his imagination. Was it such a stretch to say that they could pull off what the System described when combined?

No, no, it wasn't.

"You are not lying… How much time would we have?"

"At the current pace, this Outbreak should end in about fifteen years, give or take two years. However, remember, once you gather more links, I will be able to affect the world more than I do now. I can buy us much more time than that."

And just like that, the final voices convincing him against this idea went silent. It was still a gamble, the biggest one he would ever take, but the System was right. Maybe, just maybe, it was worth it.

The path The System wanted him to walk wouldn't be simple. He could see plenty of suffering, blood, and corpses in the future, but that was the way of this world. He just had to adapt like he always did.

Adapt or die.

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BOOK 3 END