💨 Part I: Escape and Silent Tension
"Retreat! Now!" Elara commanded, without waiting for a reply. Her acceptance of Kael's offer was instinctive, but her warrior professionalism wouldn't allow her to stay and fight with a permanent handicap.
Elara didn't flee like a terrified human but moved like a measured shadow. Despite the 75% speed reduction, her DEX 30 Agility allowed her to dodge the Briar Wraiths with calculated, minimal movements, using her sword not to strike but to deflect.
"Follow me, Archivist! You need to find a stable zone!" Elara shouted to Kael.
Kael ran behind her, his mind scanning the surroundings. The Buckingham Palace area was far too unstable.
"Left! There's a Stable Anchor Point!" Kael yelled, pointing to an old row of bronze statues in a park, labeled with a reassuring [SECURE AREA (Low-Level Stability)]. "Their codes haven't been fragmented yet!"
Elara didn't trust code, but she trusted the urgency in Kael's voice. She executed an incredible jump, landing gracefully beyond a broken bench. The Wraiths, locked by their aggro algorithm, could not leave the Fortress Fragment.
They found themselves in a small green park, a miracle of stability amidst the chaos. The grass was real, not pixellated.
Elara leaned against a bronze statue, which Kael instantly scanned: [Monumental Artifact: STATUE OF VICTORIA - Resistance 99]. It was solid. All the tension of the battle still flowed through her, her muscles taut beneath the armor.
"Talk," Elara commanded, pointing her sword at Kael's neck with a steady grip that proved her Strength stat was still at maximum, despite the debuff. "Explain. Who are you, and why did the world give you a power that violates its own rules?"
🤯 Part II: The Contract and the Level
Kael did not move, aware of the sword tip near his artery. "I am a debugger. The System is code. Yesterday, I was fixing a Python script. Today, I'm fixing reality. My [ARCHIVIST] Class doesn't violate the rules; it manipulates the flaws in the running code."
Kael opened his interface, showing her his abilities: [Scan Entity], [Archive Data], [Deconstruct Interface].
"See that ability? [Deconstruct Interface]. It allows me to rewrite the temporary parameters of objects and even, apparently, of classes. I'm not a fighter. I am your patch team," Kael explained, his voice now professional.
Elara lowered her sword. "Patch team. Right."
"Now, your bug," Kael continued. "You were generated by the System as a Demon Hunter (Elite), Level 15, with impressive stats. But your Hidden Tier triggered an emergency System balancing clause, the [CURSE: STATS LOCKED]. The flag for this curse is set to 'Permanent' without a planned override."
"And your override is the Archivist," Elara concluded, looking at him with cold curiosity. "And your currency is knowledge. Let's talk contract. When will I allow you to scan?"
"Every time we find a new Fragment, a stat-altering item, or encounter a boss-level monster. The knowledge I gain allows me to recharge my mental energy and understand the Laws of Balance of this world. The more I understand, the better I can fix high-level bugs, including yours."
Elara nodded. "I accept. You are my Official Archivist. But don't expect me to stop in the middle of a battle to let you run your 'system logs'."
🛡️ Part III: The Law of Combat
"Understood. Now, for my patch," Kael said, shifting the topic to the immediate action. "Your curse is locked. I can rewrite the flag from TRUE to FALSE, but I cannot do it while you are moving or fighting. We would risk a total crash of your interface. You must be completely motionless. And I must focus absolutely."
"Are you ready, then? You are still Level 1," Elara observed, crossing her arms.
Kael nodded. "I have the recharge data. I'm ready, but we must discuss your class. The Fragmentation introduced the Laws of Balance. Tell me what you know about combat. Is anything else not working, apart from the reduced damage?"
Elara accepted the question with a practical nod. She began explaining the new, brutal rules of combat:
"My attack is locked, but my defense is not. The first Law is Interface Toughness. When a monster hits you, it's not muscle that stops it, but your Digital Armor and Defense Stats. Hit points aren't flesh; they are data. When you hit zero, your core dissolves."
"And the monsters?"
"Monsters are different. They have an elemental 'core'. If you don't hit their Primary Weakness, you only inflict 25% damage. My Demon Hunter class has access to Holy elemental damage, but the bug is filtering it out. Without my full strength, I cannot overcome anyone's resistance."
Elara drew her sword. "There's the Law of the Aggro Chain. Every attack you make generates Aggro, the monster's attention. Since my hits are weak, my Aggro is low, so monsters quickly lose interest in me, seeking easier targets (like you). I must maintain their interest, but the bug won't let me."
Kael mentally noted everything, archiving every technical term as valuable data. "So, once your patch is active, your Holy attack will be unlocked, and your Aggro will skyrocket. The monsters will only attack you."
"Exactly. But if they hit me, I take real damage. You cannot afford to be in the attack range," Elara warned.
🔥 Part IV: Initial Recruitment and Destination
Kael looked at the Fragment entrance, where the Wraiths were still howling, unable to leave. "Perfect. I need to use [Deconstruct Interface] in a controlled environment. Your Bug state is our only protection right now. The moment I disable it, the world will react to your true power."
"So, where do we go? I won't be a beta tester in a quiet zone. I need high-level experience," Elara said, her Level 15 impatience returning.
"I found you near Westminster. If the System respects geography, the next logical Anchor Point is the Big Ben Fragment," Kael proposed. "That Fragment will be full of high-level code and superior monsters. It's the best place to test your power without the fear of damaging civilians or stable points."
Elara smiled. It wasn't a friendly smile, but a predator's grimace of anticipation. "Big Ben. A beacon in the chaos. I like it. Archivist, take me there. But first..."
She sat down on the cold stone, stabilizing her posture, closing her eyes, and raising her arms.
"Execute the patch. Now. Before the world finds us."