The Research Hall was nearly silent.
Kael stepped inside just as the final Worker Soul vanished into the walls.
Blue-glass pillars thrummed with quiet energy. Runes hovered midair, forming branching lines like veins.
A console pulsed at the center.
[RESEARCH INTERFACE ACTIVATED]
[Welcome, Sovereign Kael.]
{Current Territory Rank: D}
{Research Tiers Unlocked: Tier 1}
{Options Available}
[1] MILITARY:Ashbound Militia Upgrade – "Ashguard" Class (+10 DEF, morale aura)
[2] ECONOMIC:Resource Yield Boost – +10% passive gain from ruins
[3] SYSTEM CORE:Law Thread Scanner – Allows you to view Laws of neighboring Sovereigns (1 use/day)
Kael didn't hesitate.
He chose System Core.
[LAW THREAD SCANNER – ACTIVATED]
Target Sovereign Detected Nearby:
SOVEREIGN REKH (Rank E)
[Current Laws:]
"All enemies who bleed in my land shall weaken."
"Fear spreads faster than fire."
Kael studied the structure of Rekh's threads — the code behind the Law.
Complex, reactive, layered with old-world Aetherion syntax.
His fingers twitched.
He could almost... rewrite it.
[WARNING: LAW MANIPULATION DETECTED. SYSTEM EYES NOW OPENED.]
Kael blinked.
"What?"
~~~~~~~~~~
ELSEWHERE
Somewhere far above Aetherion's crust, in the black code between worlds, a system observer stirred.
Its name was not pronounceable.
But its purpose was clear:
MONITOR. ENFORCE. RESET.
A red line appeared in the feed:
[SOVEREIGN: KAEL DRAVEN – THREAD CORRUPTION POTENTIAL: 4% AND RISING.]
The system did not yet move.
But it marked him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BACK IN NULL PROVINCE
Veera stood atop the outer wall — still cracked, half-ruined, but held with new stone.
The Ashbound Veteran stood beside her, watching the fog roll in.
"They're late," she said.
"No," the Veteran replied, voice like gravel. "They're waiting."
Then the wind shifted.
Not forward.
Not sideways.
Up.
THE REAVERS HAVE ARRIVED
The first shape dropped from the sky like a dying star. Bone-white skin. Elongated limbs. A mask sewn into its face, Sovereign script etched across it:
"REMEMBER YOUR PLACE."
(There are mysteries in some chapters that u might find has no relation to the written chapters, but don't worry every mystery will be solved, every question shall be answered.... Cause that's what Kael will do ;) )
It hit the stone so hard the ground cracked — then stood, silent.
A second dropped.
Then a third.
Kael's system screamed:
[WARNING: REAVER-CLASS BIO-ENGINE UNITS DETECTED]
[Combat Class: Unclassified | Tier: ??]
[Behavior Pattern: Predator]
[Laws Ineffective Until Tested]
[RECOMMENDATION: FLEE]
Kael didn't move.
Instead, he clicked into the Lawcraft Interface.
Not to write.
but
To study.
"You were made to hunt Sovereigns.But I wasn't made.I was chosen.And I'm learning how to write better than whoever wrote you."
He closed the interface.
The Reavers stared, their blank faces stitched shut.
Kael said quietly, "Test the Law."
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[END OF CHAPTER 7]
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