Location: Manhattan — Stark Tower, Sub-Level Zero Vault
Time: Two Days Later
The city above pulsed with lights, but far beneath Stark Tower, Henri, Eyla, and Sorin stood in silence before a glowing core chamber:
Tony Stark's Final Vault.
This wasn't on SHIELD records. Not even on the Avengers' databases. Only Henri's system recognized it.
> System Alert: Core User Memory Access Available
Host Archive: Anthony Edward Stark
Required Sync Level: Tier IV**
Sync Status: Complete.
Henri placed his hand on the terminal.
Golden light wrapped around his fingers. The vault opened.
Inside stood a single chair.
And floating above it:
A small silver cube, pulsing with blue-red energy.
Sorin stepped forward, frowning. "That's… not just a file."
Eyla whispered, "That's Stark's personal system fragment."
Henri nodded. "And it's waiting for me."
---
Tony Stark's Final Message
When Henri touched the cube, light filled the room.
A hologram appeared.
Tony Stark himself. Wearing the Mark L suit, helmet off, eyes tired but calm.
"Alright, whoever found this—congratulations. You probably hacked, stole, or system-jumped your way in. If you're looking for the Genesis Override, you already have it. But that was never the real secret."
Henri held his breath as the hologram continued.
"There was always something bigger. A third layer in the system. Beyond Admins. Beyond Users. The thing that created all of it."
> Codename: Root Protocol
Status: Hidden in Earth's Data Core
Function: Full System Reset. Not just user-level. World-level.
Tony's image leaned in slightly.
"If someone ever activates Root Protocol, reality as we know it? Gone. Rewritten. Like a new save file overwriting an old one."
Henri felt his pulse race.
---
Why Tony Hid It
"I found it by accident," Stark admitted. "Ultron brushed against it before he fell. I locked it away here. Because if the wrong person gets that command…"
The hologram shook its head.
"Anyway. If you're watching this, it means it's back in play. Which means—one final piece of advice."
Tony smiled faintly, tired but human.
"Don't try to save everything. Save who you can."
The light faded.
Henri clenched his jaw. Eyla placed a hand on his shoulder.
Sorin said nothing, just watching quietly.
---
New System Mission
> Mission Unlocked: Root Protocol Hunt
Objective: Locate Earth's Data Core. Secure or Destroy Root Protocol Key.
Risk Level: Tier V
Countdown: No Time Limit. Event-Triggered.
---
The Bigger Picture
Back on the surface, standing on Stark Tower's rooftop, Henri watched the sunrise.
Eyla asked quietly:
"Do you believe it? That something could rewrite everything?"
Henri didn't answer for a long moment.
Finally:
"I don't want to. But believing isn't the problem. Someone else already does."
Sorin joined them, his voice steady as ever.
"Then we get ready."
Henri nodded.
"Yeah. We get ready."
---
✅ End of Chapter 14