The sound of the opening door echoed through Sector Seven like the awakening of something ancient.
Deep.
Heavy.
Mechanical.
The massive underground chamber trembled softly while crimson light intensified across the endless cables spreading through the structure. Every synchronized individual lowered their heads completely now, including the silver-black haired woman and the young boy standing ahead.
Even the whispers had stopped entirely.
Silence ruled the underground halls.
Ayan felt it immediately.
Pressure.
Not crushing.
Not violent.
But absolute.
Like the entire structure itself recognized the presence awakening deeper below.
The enormous door continued opening slowly beyond the chamber of suspended subjects, revealing only darkness behind it at first. But unlike the underground corridors above—
This darkness pulsed faintly.
Alive.
Aelira's expression hardened beside him.
"…Stay close."
Her voice was quieter than usual.
Ayan noticed immediately.
She was tense.
More tense than during any battle so far.
That alone told him enough.
The silver-black haired woman finally spoke again softly.
"…Primary Source has waited a very long time for another anomaly."
Ayan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…You people really like calling me that."
The young boy tilted his head calmly.
"…Because that is what you are."
"…An irregular existence capable of synchronization beyond projected parameters."
Ayan almost sighed.
At this point he genuinely missed ordinary monster fights.
At least monsters didn't talk like malfunctioning researchers.
The tall man stepped aside next.
"…Proceed."
The massive door behind them opened fully at last.
Ayan's breath slowed slightly.
Because the chamber beyond—
Looked nothing like he expected.
It resembled a cathedral.
An enormous underground hall stretched deep beneath the earth itself, its ceiling vanishing into darkness far above while colossal black pillars lined both sides of the chamber like the supports of some forgotten god's sanctuary.
But instead of stained glass or holy symbols—
Crimson lines covered everything.
Moving.
Pulsing.
Alive.
Thousands of cables spread throughout the massive chamber, connecting directly into the floor, walls, and pillars while faint mechanical vibrations echoed continuously beneath the silence.
And at the center—
Something enormous stood suspended above the ground.
Ayan froze.
"…What…"
The structure resembled a gigantic cocoon formed entirely from black metallic material and flowing crimson energy. Countless cables connected into its surface while faint heartbeat-like pulses spread outward through the entire chamber rhythmically.
But worse—
Shapes moved inside it.
Human-shaped.
Dozens.
Maybe hundreds.
Their silhouettes shifted faintly beneath the semi-transparent crimson surface like people trapped inside a living organism.
Ayan's stomach tightened instantly.
"…No…"
The synchronized individuals remained kneeling near the entrance.
Even Aelira's gaze darkened visibly.
Then—
The cocoon pulsed.
And a voice echoed through the chamber.
"…Welcome back, Aelira."
The sound came from everywhere simultaneously.
Not mechanical.
Not distorted.
Calm.
Almost gentle.
Ayan immediately recognized it.
The same voice from earlier.
Primary Source.
The cocoon pulsed again softly.
"…And welcome, anomaly."
Ayan forced himself to stay steady despite the pressure surrounding him.
"…You're the Primary Source."
The chamber vibrated faintly.
"…A simplified designation."
The cocoon's surface shifted slightly, revealing more faint silhouettes moving beneath the crimson membrane.
"…I am the convergence point."
Ayan's chest tightened.
Because somehow—
He could feel the network directly now.
Not distant anymore.
This thing connected to everything.
Every evolving creature.
Every synchronization subject.
Every underground structure.
The entire network flowed through the cocoon before him.
Aelira stepped slightly forward.
"…Why did you bring him here?"
The cocoon pulsed calmly.
"…Because his synchronization exceeds expectations."
Ayan's expression hardened immediately.
"…I'm not synchronizing with anything."
A faint silence followed.
Then—
"…Denial remains consistent among anomalies."
Ayan clicked his tongue slightly.
"…You really don't stop saying creepy things."
Unexpectedly—
The cocoon gave a faint sound almost resembling amusement.
"…Your psychological profile aligns closely with the previous anomaly."
The mention immediately changed the atmosphere again.
Ayan noticed Aelira's hand tighten slightly beside him.
The cocoon continued calmly.
"…Curiosity."
"…Resistance."
"…Attachment."
A faint pulse spread through the chamber.
"…He possessed all three as well."
Ayan's eyes narrowed sharply.
"…Then tell me what happened to him."
Silence followed.
Longer than before.
The synchronized individuals near the entrance remained perfectly still.
Even the mechanical vibrations throughout the chamber seemed quieter now.
Then finally—
"…He reached the Core."
Ayan waited.
The cocoon pulsed softly.
"…And rejected convergence."
A cold feeling spread slowly through Ayan's chest.
"…So you killed him."
The chamber darkened slightly.
"…No."
The answer echoed gently.
"…He destroyed himself."
Aelira immediately stepped forward.
"…That's a lie."
For the first time—
The cocoon's pulses became uneven.
Interesting.
Primary Source responded calmly.
"…Emotional interpretation continues impairing your judgment."
Aelira's crimson eyes sharpened dangerously.
"…You forced him into synchronization."
"…You broke his mind."
The chamber trembled faintly.
Not from anger.
From reaction.
Like the network itself responded to emotional instability.
Primary Source remained silent briefly.
Then—
"…He saw the truth."
Ayan's grip tightened around his sword unconsciously.
"…What truth?"
The cocoon pulsed again.
"…That humanity cannot survive what approaches."
The same answer again.
But this time—
Ayan pushed further.
"…What exactly is approaching?"
Silence.
Then slowly—
The crimson surface of the cocoon shifted.
The chamber darkened.
And suddenly—
The entire room transformed.
Ayan's vision blurred violently as massive projections spread across the underground cathedral around them.
Space.
Endless black space filled the chamber walls.
Then—
Shapes appeared.
Gigantic structures drifting through darkness beyond imagination.
Not ships.
Not creatures.
Something in between.
Enormous biomechanical masses larger than cities moved silently through space while crimson light pulsed beneath their surfaces.
Ayan's breathing stopped briefly.
Because somehow—
The moment he saw them—
Instinctive terror exploded through his body.
Not learned fear.
Biological fear.
Like humanity itself recognized these things as wrong.
The cocoon's voice echoed quietly through the chamber.
"…The Harvesters."
Every synchronized individual lowered themselves further instantly.
Reverence.
Fear.
Preparation.
Primary Source continued.
"…Worlds that fail adaptation are consumed."
The massive biomechanical entities continued drifting across the projected darkness surrounding them.
Ayan felt cold spread through his chest slowly.
Because suddenly—
The network finally made horrifying sense.
Not conquest.
Preparation.
Forced evolution.
Synchronization.
The network believed humanity needed to change in order to survive those things.
Primary Source's voice softened slightly.
"…Earth will encounter them soon."
The projection shifted.
A blue planet appeared.
Earth.
And slowly—
Far beyond it—
Something enormous moved through the darkness toward it.