⌛ 07:03 AM – 106 Minutes Post-Integration
Ji-hoon's skull throbbed as the three clone perspectives slammed into focus:
1. Subway Tunnel (Clone #4)
The steel door marked `[SYSTEM CORE]` hummed with power.
Clone #4 pressed a palm against it—
```
[BIOMETRIC SCAN]
» Identity: LEE JI-HOON (Candidate #7)
» Access Granted
```
2. Rooftop (Clone #5)
The armored figures moved in sync, their helmets displaying:
```
[CLEANUP CREW: PURGE PROTOCOL ACTIVE]
» Target: All Sovereign Candidates
» Exception: Prime Candidate
```
3. Substation (Officer Kang)
Her pistol trembled.
Her System screen flashed just once:
```
[FINAL WARNING: TERMINATE OR BE DESIGNATED TRAITOR]
```
Ji-hoon wrenched control back—
just as the substation's last window shattered.
---
The Cleanup Crew
Prime removed his helmet, revealing Ji-hoon's face—but older, with a web of scars along his jawline. As he moved, the dim light caught faint tally marks etched into his armor's collar:
```
卌 卌 卌
```
[SCAN FAILED]
» Target: OMNI-CLONE #0 (Prime)
» Status: Deactivated (Cause: Unknown)
```
Prime tilted his head.
"You weren't supposed to wake up."
Officer Kang's gun swung between them.
---
Clone #5 leapt from the rooftop, tackling two Crew members.
"Run!" it screamed through their neural link.
Ji-hoon didn't hesitate. He grabbed Officer Kang and bolted for the subway tunnel, Prime's laughter echoing behind them.
```
[OMNI-CLONE #5 DESTROYED]
» Soul Power Recovered: +22
» Memory Fragment Lost: 「Grandmother's Birthday, Age 12」
```
The loss burned—
but the door was close now.
---
The Core
The System Core chamber was smaller than expected:
- A single chair, stained with old blood
- A floating orb pulsating with stolen skill orbs
- A terminal screen flashing:
```
[PRIME DIRECTIVE]
» Purpose: Select 1 Sovereign via elimination
» Current Candidates: 3/7 remain
» Ji-hoon's Odds: 14%
```
Officer Kang's breath hitched.
"It's a fucking game."
Ji-hoon reached for the orb—
---
Next chapter:
"Touch that, and you'll remember what you agreed to forget."
The terminal screen changed:
```
[INITIALIZE MEMORY RESTORE?]
» Cost: 1x Clone Slot
» Warning: Previous attempt resulted in self-termination
```
Officer Kang stepped back.
"Ji-hoon… your eyes are bleeding."
His remaining clones screamed in unison:
"DON'T TRUST—"
---