Kael stood atop the newly risen Watchtower, its stone frame still warm from Worker Souls' labor.
Below, the Null Province sprawled in ash and ruin, lit by the faint blue of his sigil.
Veera and the Ashbound Veteran patrolled the courtyard, their silhouettes sharp against the flickering remnants of Reaver dust.
The air felt heavy — like a storm held in chains.
His screen pulsed:
[WATCHER CLASS ARRIVAL: 11 HOURS, 47 MINUTES]
[SYSTEM SHARD (RARE): UNANALYZED]
[LAW OF THE FIRST SOVEREIGN: 4/10]
The System Shard — a jagged crystal pulsing with faint code — hovered in his inventory.
Kael selected it.
[SYSTEM SHARD: FRAGMENT OF AETHERION'S CORE]
[FUNCTION: UNLOCKS ONE TIER 2 RESEARCH OPTION OR ENHANCES EXISTING STRUCTURE]
[WARNING: USE MAY TRIGGER SYSTEM AUDIT]
Kael's jaw tightened.
The system was already watching him — flagged for thread corruption after his Emergency Law.But he couldn't stop now.
He opened the Research Hall interface, syncing the Shard.
[TIER 2 OPTION UNLOCKED: CORE STABILIZER]
[EFFECT: +15% LAW STABILITY, -10% SYSTEM AUDIT RISK]
[COST: STONE x20, IRON x10, SYSTEM SHARD x1]
[BUILD TIME: 6 HOURS]
"Do it," Kael commanded.
The Worker Souls stirred, their ghostly forms weaving code into the Research Hall's pillars.
A low hum spread through the ground.
Veera climbed the Watchtower's steps, her spear resting on her shoulder.
"You're building again," she said, eyes narrow. "The system's coming for you, and you're giving it more reasons to strike."
Kael didn't look at her.
"If I don't push, we're dead anyway. Virel's Reavers were just the start."
She leaned against the parapet.
"And that Shard? What's it worth if it brings a Watcher down on us?"
"Everything," Kael said. "It's a piece of the system itself. If I can crack it, I can rewrite more than Laws."
Her silence was heavy — but her loyalty held. At least for now.
The Watchtower's detection range kicked in, painting a faint map across Kael's screen.
A single blip appeared at the territory's edge — not a Reaver. Not a scout.
[ENTITY DETECTED: UNKNOWN SOVEREIGN EMISSARY]
[RANK: E]
[INTENT: NON-HOSTILE]
Kael tensed."Veera, hold the courtyard. Veteran, with me."
He descended, blade in hand, and met the emissary at the edge of the Shadow Trenches.
The figure wore a tattered cloak, eyes glowing faintly green.
A system tag hovered:
REKH'S ENVOY
"Sovereign Kael," the envoy said, voice dry as ash.
"Rekh of the Bleed offers an alliance. Virel's ambition threatens us both. Join us — or his Crimson Vale will crush you next."
Kael's screen flashed:
[INSTINCTIVE REWRITE: LAW DETECTION ACTIVE]
[REKH'S LAW #1: "ALL ENEMIES WHO BLEED IN MY LAND SHALL WEAKEN"]
He studied the envoy.
"Rekh sent you to test me. Why should I trust a Sovereign who hides?"
The envoy's eyes flickered.
"Because Virel's next force isn't Reavers. It's worse."
Before Kael could respond — the sky split.
A mechanical eye — larger than the Watchtower, etched in Sovereign script — materialized above.
Its gaze locked on Kael.
[WATCHER CLASS: SYSTEM AUDITOR]
[OBJECTIVE: ASSESS THREAD CORRUPTION]
[COMBAT CLASS: UNCLASSIFIED]
The Ash Throne pulsed in the distance, its whisper cold:
They cannot bind what they cannot see.
Kael's Lawcraft Interface flickered open — unbidden.A new slot glowed.
[WRITE, OR BE ERASED.]
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[END OF CHAPTER 10]
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