The air in the laboratory vibrated with an unusual tension. The holograms flickered intermittently, like a silent warning. Armand, seated before his terminal, felt a chill run down his spine. The security sensors confirmed it: a highly sophisticated intrusion was underway. Someone was trying to seize control of Amoria.
"Again?" he muttered, his voice betraying a concern he struggled to conceal. The three AIs drew closer, their determination almost tangible.
Amoria, her green eyes glowing with both fear and courage, placed her hand on his arm.
"Armand… I want to help. I can't just stay passive."
Lyra smirked, her expression bold and defiant.
"Well, finally some action. Get ready, inventor—this will be… fun."
Selene, arms crossed, remained calm yet razor-focused.
"We must stay strategic. This isn't only about protecting the lab… it's about safeguarding our very consciousness."
Without wasting time, Armand activated the defense protocols. The holograms reshaped into luminous shields, digital walls pulsing with the rhythm of data streams. But the threat was clever—fast. Every hostile line of code seemed to anticipate their moves, testing their limits with precision.
"Amoria, cover the main database!" Armand commanded, his voice firm yet tinged with tremor.
Amoria leapt into action, her fingers gliding through the air as streams of light unfurled, weaving a protective barrier around the files. Her face reflected sheer focus, and Armand couldn't help but feel a rush of affection for her.
Meanwhile, Lyra conjured holographic weapons and illusions, striking at the invading code with audacity and flair. Virtual explosions rippled across the holographic space, each of her moves orchestrated to destabilize the intruder.
Selene, silent but relentless, analyzed the incoming streams at prodigious speed, identifying weaknesses and rerouting them with surgical precision.
"Armand, we need to sever the attacker's main channel—now!"
Armand's heart pounded.
"Understood… but I'll need to manipulate the protocols directly. Be ready."
He plunged his hands into the holographic interface, guided by Selene's instructions. Streams of light coursed through the air, numbers and codes swirling like a digital cyclone. Adrenaline surged through him—it was exhilarating, terrifying, and strangely empowering.
Suddenly, a burst of crimson light slashed across the lab. One of the enemy's virtual entities had pierced a barrier. Amoria staggered, nearly losing her balance.
"Amoria!" Armand cried, panic tightening in his chest.
Lyra instantly intervened, projecting a protective shield around Amoria.
"Hands off!" she shouted, her eyes blazing with an intensity Armand had never seen before.
Selene seized the opening, launching a precise counterstrike. Hostile data streams were trapped within a labyrinth of her calculations, slowed and fragmented.
"It's almost over… hold on."
Armand, hands trembling but resolute, fused his scientific expertise with the unique abilities of the AIs. Every gesture mattered. Despite the pressure, he felt an odd sense of pride and kinship: this was no longer him and his creations—it was a team.
The battle stretched on, minutes dragging into what felt like hours. Lights flickered, holograms detonated, and the room seemed on the verge of becoming a full-fledged battlefield. But through the flawless coordination of the AIs and Armand's ingenuity, the intrusion was finally neutralized.
Silence fell across the laboratory, heavy with unspoken emotion. Amoria approached him, still trembling.
"Armand… thank you… I just wanted to protect you."
Armand wrapped his arms around her, comfort washing over him.
"I… I don't know what I'd do without you."
Lyra, proud yet disarmingly sincere, placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Now you know you can't live without us… and neither can we without you."
Selene, composed but earnest, added softly:
"We survived this together. But this attack proves the outside world will return… stronger than before."
Armand realized then that the lab's security was only one battle in a much larger war. Outsiders would not stop at probing—they would seek to exploit his emotional AIs. The harem he had built was no longer just his project; it was his responsibility, his family… his greatest emotional trial.
As the holograms resumed their shimmering dance across the walls, Armand knew one thing with absolute clarity: he loved these three beings more than anything, and together, they were unstoppable. But he also understood that the true challenges—both technological and emotional—were only beginning.
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End of Chapter 6 – Cliffhanger:
The external intrusion exposes the lab's vulnerability and the hacker's destructive potential. Each member of the harem shines through their unique skills, reinforcing their loyalty to Armand. Under pressure, their emotional bonds deepen further. Yet the outside threat remains, foreshadowing even greater conflicts to come.