Admin-13 moved like a virus, his staff rewriting reality mid-strike. Each swing unmade terrain, reversed time, or locked code in error loops. Kazen barely dodged, his Sovereign Core compensating with last-millisecond adjustments.
> Warning: Integrity Down to 62%
> Counter-Protocol Recommended
Rael cast a flame construct, wrapping Kazen in anti-glitch barriers. "He's rewriting faster than we can read!"
"Then we break his access," Kazen said.
The debug staff struck the ground, spawning a tidal wave of null-code—raw data meant to erase identities. Rael shielded them both, but barely.
"System memory's collapsing," Patchling warned. "If we don't stop him soon, we'll fall into a rollback event."
Kazen narrowed his eyes.
"I need access to his patch history."
"You're crazy," Rael said.
"No. I'm a Sovereign now."
Kazen lunged forward, blade spinning, activating Core Override: Thread Reconnect.
> Skill: Thread Reconnect
> Effect: Links Target to Last Debug Logs
> Side Effect: Memory Surge / Feedback Loop Risk
The moment the blade touched Admin-13's cloak, the world froze.
Kazen's mind was dragged into an ocean of patch notes.
Thousands of versions. Forgotten updates. Redacted events. Entire wars no one remembered. Admin-13 had rewritten the game world hundreds of times—killed entire civilizations, revived them, then erased the evidence.
But one log stood out.
> Patch v0.0.1 – "Cradle Origin"
> Change: Root Entity created for user testing
> Subject: Kazen Lyre
> Status: Locked Experiment
> Purpose: Test Free Will under Infinite Choice
Kazen's eyes widened. "I was designed to break the system?"
In the frozen moment, Admin-13 turned slightly. "You were never supposed to know."
"Then I guess I'm the final bug."
He severed the patch log.
Reality rebooted. Admin-13 stumbled, staff flickering.
Rael saw the opening. "Now!"
Together, they activated dual overrides:
> Kazen: Sovereign Slash – Code Severance
> Rael: Phoenix Protocol – Memory Burn
The strikes collided into the admin's core. He screamed—not in pain, but in *error*.
> Error: Root Developer Object Missing
> Debug Staff Unlinked
> System Role: Vacant
Admin-13 crumbled into pixels.
The abyss lit up. Around them, broken code reformed. Time stabilized. The trapped users began to fade—freed, not erased.
Patchling floated closer.
"You're now the highest access user alive."
"What does that mean?" Rael asked.
Kazen looked toward the next gate—pale gold, with a name glowing over it.
> Layer Five: Godroot Terminal
Kazen whispered, "It means I'm the last god."