The path back to the Resistance's hideout was silent.
The winds blew low through the shattered trees, and every now and then, Ronan would glance over his shoulder, half-expecting Vale to reappear from the shadows.
But he didn't.
He was gone—along with the proto-core.
The silence was broken only by the occasional crackle from Ronan's system as it pulsed with latent energy. The message still hovered in his vision:
*Pathway to Layer III detected… Estimated risk: 93%…*
He hadn't responded. Not yet. He couldn't. Not until he was certain he could survive it.
"We'll need rest," Lyra finally said as they crossed the ridge overlooking the valley. "That core nearly collapsed the entire facility. We're lucky to be alive."
Kael grunted in agreement. "Vale... That guy's something else. I don't like how much he knows. Or how calm he is around the Circle's tech."
Ronan didn't reply. His mind wasn't on Vale. It was on the word.
*Legacy.*
The Circle called them Judges.
And Vale said Ronan had to be more than a system wielder to face them. What the hell was a Legacy? Was that what the system was evolving him into?
***
By the time they reached the hideout, dusk had fallen. Seraphine was waiting with news.
"You've drawn attention," she said without preamble. "Two Circle tracking satellites were destroyed by an unknown force. We suspect it was Vale covering your escape."
Ronan nodded. "Then he helped more than we thought."
Seraphine folded her arms. "That's what worries me. I don't like debts we can't repay—or understand."
Kael leaned against the wall, tired. "We'll deal with Vale later. For now, we need a plan."
Ronan sat quietly, still deep in thought. The message hadn't gone away. If anything, it glowed brighter now.
Layer III. Whatever that meant, it was coming for him.
And so were the judges.
That night, the Resistance's base was unusually quiet. Even the younger recruits kept to themselves. Something about Ronan had shifted—people could feel it. Lyra noticed it too.
"Your aura's different," she said as she approached his bunk. "It's heavier. Almost... charged."
Ronan sat with his eyes closed, fingers clasped tightly. "The system's evolving again. Layer III. I haven't accepted it yet."
"What's stopping you?"
He opened his eyes. "Fear. I know once I go forward, I can't go back. Each layer demands more. And each time, I lose a little more of who I was."
Lyra sat beside him. "Then decide who you want to become."
He looked at her—tired, but resolved. "A Legacy. Whatever that means."
Just then, the system interface flared:
**[System Broadcast: All Circle-affiliated cores are shifting to Judge Mode.]
Warning: Legacy Candidate will be monitored. System adaptation speed will now affect survival rate.
Auto-response enabled. Pathway to Layer III initializing…**
Ronan shot up. "It activated on its own!"
A pulse surged through his chest, lifting him from the bed and slamming his back into the wall. Kael burst in with his weapon drawn.
"What the—?!"
Ronan's body was suspended mid-air, surrounded by arcs of pale blue lightning. His eyes glowed.
**[Layer III Initiated. Core Burst Threshold: +400%]
Welcome to the next phase, Ronan. Prepare to be tested.**
And just like that, everything went black.
***
When Ronan awoke, he wasn't in the bunker anymore.
He stood in a flat, mirror-like world—a simulation. Endless reflections of himself appeared and vanished like ghosts.
Then a voice boomed.
*"Legacy Candidate Ronan. Initiating Judge Protocol Interface Simulation. Your power must be forged, not granted. Show us."*
From the void, six armored figures stepped forward—transparent, yet terrifying. Their cloaks bore the Circle's mark. These were *simulated* Judges.
One charged.
Ronan moved on instinct, flaring his blast core, creating a shockwave that shattered one of the reflections—and then the duel began.
Each blow tested not just his strength but his resolve. The system whispered stats in his mind, but Ronan ignored them. This wasn't about numbers anymore.
This was about survival.
And identity.
For an hour that felt like eternity, he fought, until only he remained standing.
Then, silence.
**[Simulation Complete. Core Synchronization: 61%
Path to Legacy Status—Unlocked.
Judges will soon awaken.]**
He collapsed to his knees, breathing hard.
Then—
He opened his eyes.
Back in the Resistance base, Lyra caught him before he hit the ground.
"You were out for hours," she said.
"I saw them," Ronan whispered. "The Judges. They're real. And they're coming."
---