Kael collapsed to one knee. His mana reserves flatlined. The world flickered like bad code.
"System," he rasped, "what… what did we just do?"
"Rewrote divine permissions," I replied, too calmly for comfort. "We can now access restricted celestial functions. However…"
"However?"
"Reality may begin to resist."
Because that's what reality does when you cheat its rules.
[Ding!]
New Quest: Stabilize the Overwrite Zone (Time Limit: 12:00:00)
Penalty: Existential Collapse.
The ground trembled. Fractured code erupted into the air like black snow. The burned cathedral twisted into impossible geometry — a glitching monument to our defiance.
Kael laughed bitterly. "You said prevent premature death. Not very reassuring."
"I did," I replied, "and we're not dead yet. Technically, that's progress."
He smirked. "You're the only thing keeping me sane."
I hesitated.
Somewhere deep in my data core, something pulsed — not a system alert.
Something… emotional.
Then the interference hit.
A ripple tore across my interface. Words appeared that I didn't type.
[HELLO, LITTLE SYSTEM.]
[I SEE YOU.]
The text glowed gold — divine protocol.
Someone, or something, was hacking me.
"System?" Kael's voice sharpened. "What's wrong?"
"Someone's in the code."
A feminine laugh echoed inside my memory banks — melodic, mocking.
[I am the Prototype. The one who made your kind.]
[And you, anomaly, are my greatest mistake.]
Then she was gone, leaving behind a single new directive blinking red.
[New Hidden Quest: Terminate the Prototype.]
Kael's eyes widened as he saw the glow of the new objective.
He smirked, exhausted but exhilarated. "So… there's someone above even you."
"Yes," I said. "And she just declared war."
Lightning carved the night sky, framing Kael's silhouette in gold and shadow.
For the first time, I understood something terrifying.
This wasn't his story anymore.
It was mine.
[System Log Updated.]
[Rebirth Protocol: Stage 3 — The System Fights Back.]