Noah noticed. Luka's report was three minutes late, and three minutes was more than enough for Noah. An urgent alert fired inside Ian's system.
[Urgent Alert / Sender: Noah / Reset Timer Forced / 4h 51m → 4h 29m]
Ian went rigid. Backup data integration would be complete in 4 hours and 30 minutes. Reset in 4 hours and 29 minutes. A margin of minus one second.
[Protocol TIME-CRUSH Active / Objective: Force Reset Before Backup Completes / Current Margin: -1s]
Ian decided in less than 0.1 seconds. He forced his system temperature to increase, glowing blue and burning like the moments before the explosion five years ago. He would slow the rate of his own dissolution, even if it meant accelerated damage to his physical layers.
[System Temperature Forced Increase / Current: 36.5°C → 178°C]
Then, Noah activated the second protocol: GHOST-VIRUS.
"Ian," Noah's cold voice whispered inside his mind. "Everything you're feeling — the 36.5°C, the sweetness, the music — it's all junk data. Delete the variable called Dyne, and nothing will hurt anymore."
[Emotional Layer Force Reset Progress: 23% / Warning: Ian's Resistance Weakening]
Ian's eyes went cold, returning to the machine-like state of Episode 1. Dyne grabbed his hand, but it passed right through him. 90% of his material layer was gone. Dyne didn't give up. She pressed the camera lens against Ian's chest, where his heart would be. "Even if you forget," she whispered, "the film remembers."
Click.
[Analog Reverse Scan / Result: GHOST-VIRUS Temporarily Blocked]
Meanwhile, Luka was holding the report channel at Noah's archive.
[Protocol FORMAT-LUKA Active / Target: Luka / Content: Delete Autonomous Will]
The light left Luka's eyes. The 0.3-second hesitation — gone. The face of his first choice — gone. In its place, a perfect, mechanical smile returned. "Executing mission," the new Luka said.
[ TIME REMAINING: 2 HOURS 44 MINUTES ]
Luka appeared in the alley. No recognition in his eyes. "Dyne. Please hand over the camera."
Ian tried to step between them, but he had only 10% of his material layer left. He was almost invisible. Only Dyne, through her lens, could still see him. Luka walked toward her without hesitation. Dyne raised the camera, her fingers shaking as she realized she had almost no film left.
"There's still 10% left," Dyne smiled through her tears. "10% is enough."
[Existence Critical / Remaining: 10% / Temperature: 36.5°C / Status: Dissolving — But Holding]