The silence in the room no longer felt foreign. It had transformed into something slowly becoming acceptable, like a rhythm of breathing that was initially disturbing, yet eventually became part of one's consciousness.
Sophia stood motionless, her eyes fixed on the center that held no form, yet felt like the point where all attention was drawn.
She no longer tried to read.
She tried to understand.
"It does not react to us like a system," she said softly.
Beside her, Adrian Blackwood nodded slightly. "Because it is not a system."
Daniel was still attempting to map something out, even though he knew his efforts were almost meaningless in this place.
"I find no boundaries," he said. "No control center, no main pathways, no hierarchical structure."
Leonard Graves' voice came through the comms, quieter than usual.
"So we cannot attack, we cannot defend, and we cannot control."
Sophia nodded slightly. "Correct."
Silence fell.
But it was no longer oppressive.
