The light door slowly opened under Lia's unconscious control, spilling forth not energy, but definition.
The source code of countless fundamental laws cascaded down like a waterfall. Where it fell upon the Rust Sea's nanites, the once chaotically consuming mechanical swarms began spontaneously constructing order—not the absolute order of the System, but one following an older, more tolerant underlying logic. A rust-colored wave crashing against wreckage briefly bloomed into dazzling geometric flower clusters.
"This is the 'Primordial Design'..." Li Tianming stared at the waterfall of laws. "Not a blueprint, but a framework of possibilities."
The formulae flowing in Lia's eyes gradually stilled. She reached out, catching a strand of falling source code. The light crystallized into a transparent shard at her fingertip. "I can feel it... the 'bootstrap loader' Isa left here. She hoped someone would restart this framework."
Amara's phantom nodded slightly before the light door. «Your sister saw the truth sooner than any of us. The System is merely a rogue plugin on this framework.»
Abruptly, the entire Rust Sea convulsed violently, not from external attack, but from a deeper change in the laws of reality. The geometric flower clusters withered rapidly, fractures appeared in the waterfall of laws—the System was forcibly overwriting the underlying protocols of this region.
«It's initiating the Formatting Storm,» the Lord of Oblivion's thought carried rare urgency. «This time, it will completely rewrite the Rust Sea's foundational existence.»
Li Tianming felt the Three Authorities within him issue warnings. The Authority of History showed the System invoking creator-level privileges. The Authority of Possibility projected millions of future branches, with less than ten having a survival rate exceeding 0.1%. The Authority of Oblivion sensed the collective memory of the entire Rust Sea being stripped away.
"No, not formatting," Lia suddenly spoke, her voice overlaid with Isa's calm tone. "It's a Cognitive Reboot. The System wants to revert the Rust Sea to an 'undefined state,' then reassign its meaning."
The Mathematical Heart in her chest beat faster, projecting complex topological structures into the air: "But we have a better choice."
Guided by Lia, Li Tianming channeled the Three Authorities into the Mathematical Heart. The Authority of History provided an anchor for existence, the Authority of Possibility opened pathways for variables, and the Authority of Oblivion deftly erased the monitoring codes implanted by the System.
The process was like weaving a spider's web in a storm; any mistake would cause the entire structure to collapse. The System's formatting process reached 87%. The edges of the Rust Sea began dissolving into raw data streams.
"Now!" Lia lifted the reconstituted Mathematical Heart towards the light door.
A new law flowed forth from the door—the Authority of Self-Definition. This wasn't a power to oppose the System, but an ancient authority surpassing it, allowing any existence to define itself while adhering to the basic framework.
The Rust Sea erupted.
Nanites, no longer needing external guidance, began spontaneously combining into unprecedented forms: coral cities preserving memories, crystalline forests calculating possibilities, even simulations of small universes being born and annihilated. This sea, regarded as a graveyard, was revealing its true potential as a "Creation Sandbox."
The System's formatting process halted abruptly at 96%—it could not overwrite a domain that had already obtained the Authority of Self-Definition.
«Success...» Amara's thought carried relief. «But the System will not let this go.»
Li Tianming looked out at the reborn Rust Sea, feeling the eternal connection now established between himself and these waters. His path to godhood had finally found its true direction—not conquest, not control, but becoming a catalyst for change.
"Let it come." He took Lia's hand, his other hand brushing the badge at his waist. "We have a foundation that cannot be taken from us."
A glint of Isa's unique wisdom flashed in Lia's eyes: "And we know the truth—what the System fears isn't rebellion, but diversity. It cannot tolerate forms of existence beyond its comprehension."
The light door began to close slowly, but before vanishing completely, it cast forth one final stream of information—a star chart left by Isa, marking the coordinates of other worlds that might still hold fragments of the "Primordial Design."
Li Tianming stored the star chart in his badge and turned to face the reborn Rust Sea. In the distance, nanite waves were constructing new coastlines; a city formed from memory crystals and mathematical formulae was taking shape.
"First, we consolidate here," his voice carried a rust-colored echo. "Then—"
His sister's determined whisper came from the badge: "We go to awaken the other sleeping worlds."
A rust-colored dawn broke over the reborn sea. The true journey had only just begun.
(End of Volume 2: Sea of Divine Bones)