Silence spread across the battlefield.
Not fear.
Not shock.
Something deeper.
The entire Academy stood frozen as Harold held out one hand toward the unstable creature.
And reality itself listened.
The violent Titan energy stopped surging.
The distorted space around the creature stabilized.
Even the air—
Became still.
Storm stared blankly.
"…Okay."
A pause.
"…That definitely shouldn't be possible."
Frost didn't answer immediately.
Because he felt it too.
This wasn't control through force.
It wasn't suppression.
It was authority.
The Headmaster's expression darkened slightly.
"…He's reached that stage already."
The creature trembled violently beneath Harold's hand.
Its distorted body trying to mutate further—
But failing.
Because every unstable transformation was being forced back into balance.
Inside—
Unity burned brighter than ever before.
"Authority synchronization complete."
The Counter-Sovereign whispered,
"Global environmental influence active."
The Devourer rumbled.
"…Reality compliance confirmed."
The Monkey King whistled.
"…Alright, now we're cheating."
Harold stepped closer.
The creature's shaking slowed slightly.
Its breathing steadied.
"…Who did this to you?"
The creature twitched painfully.
Fragments of broken memories flickered through its distorted eyes.
"…They said…"
Static interrupted its voice.
"…I could evolve…"
Its body convulsed again.
Harold immediately reinforced the stabilization.
"…Who?"
The creature looked at him desperately.
"…The Council…"
Silence.
The Headmaster's eyes narrowed instantly.
Storm blinked.
"…Wait, THE Council?"
Frost's voice lowered dangerously.
"…No."
A pause.
"…Not all of them."
Harold understood immediately.
Someone inside the Sovereign Council—
Had continued experimenting.
And Kael…
Wasn't the only result.
The creature screamed again suddenly.
Its body expanded violently for half a second.
Dozens of unstable Titan limbs burst outward—
Before Harold crushed the mutation instantly with a wave of authority.
The Academy walls shook.
Students stared in terror.
The creature collapsed to its knees.
"…Hurts…"
Harold crouched slightly in front of it.
His voice calm.
"I know."
For the first time—
The creature stopped resisting completely.
Inside—
Unity pulsed softly.
"Subject responding to balance."
The Counter-Sovereign analyzed rapidly.
"…Corruption deeply rooted."
The Devourer rumbled low.
"…Removal may destroy host."
Storm looked uneasy now.
"…Can you save it?"
Harold stayed silent for a moment.
Then—
"…Maybe."
The Headmaster descended slowly nearby.
"…If you fail?"
Harold's eyes remained on the creature.
"It becomes a catastrophe."
No one spoke after that.
Because they all understood what he meant.
This thing wasn't just unstable.
It was becoming a living collapse.
If it lost control completely—
An entire region could disappear with it.
Inside—
The system aligned instantly.
Unity expanded.
"Restoration pathway available."
The Counter-Sovereign followed.
"…High risk."
The Devourer rumbled.
"…Direct integration required."
The Monkey King stopped joking entirely.
"…That sounds dangerous."
Harold already knew.
To stabilize the creature completely—
He would need to connect directly to the corruption inside it.
And if the corruption spread—
Even his system could be affected.
Frost stepped forward immediately.
"…Don't."
Storm looked surprised.
"…You think he can't handle it?"
Frost shook his head.
"…I think he can."
A pause.
"…That's the problem."
Because Harold would do it.
Even knowing the risk.
The creature looked up weakly.
"…Please…"
Silence.
Harold exhaled slowly.
Then placed his hand against its chest.
Instantly—
The world disappeared.
Darkness swallowed him whole.
Not natural darkness.
Corruption.
Twisted Titan energy surged from every direction.
Screams echoed endlessly through the void.
Fragments of broken Titans fused together unnaturally.
Dozens.
Maybe hundreds.
Failed experiments.
The Devourer reacted violently.
"…Abnormal fusion overload."
Unity strained.
"Balance severely compromised."
The Counter-Sovereign whispered urgently,
"…External contamination attempting spread."
The corruption noticed Harold.
And rushed toward him.
A tidal wave of broken Titan energy slammed forward, trying to invade his system.
Trying to consume him from within.
The Monkey King growled.
"…Oh, I REALLY hate this place."
Harold stood still.
Then—
His authority expanded.
Not explosively.
Absolutely.
The corruption stopped instantly.
Frozen.
Held in place.
Inside the darkness—
Something watched him.
Something deeper than the corruption itself.
A presence hidden beneath all the failed experiments.
And slowly—
It opened its eyes.
The Counter-Sovereign reacted immediately.
"…Unknown entity detected."
Unity dimmed sharply.
"Warning."
The Devourer rumbled low.
"…Not part of the host."
Then—
A voice echoed through the corruption.
Cold.
Ancient.
Amused.
"…So you finally came."
Harold's eyes sharpened.
Because he immediately recognized it.
Not the voice itself.
The feeling behind it.
Sovereign.