The scream echoed through Sector Seven again.
Longer this time.
Closer.
The sound crawled through the underground cathedral like something alive, vibrating across the massive black pillars and suspended chambers while crimson emergency lights flickered violently overhead.
Ayan felt his entire body tense instinctively.
Because the scream didn't sound angry.
Or aggressive.
It sounded empty.
Like something incapable of emotion trying to imitate the concept of hunger itself.
The synchronized individuals throughout the cathedral moved faster now, their earlier calm precision replaced by visible urgency as projections flashed continuously across the underground walls.
Sector maps.
Collapsed corridors.
Dead defense units.
Every update showed the same thing.
The Harvester scout continued advancing.
Nothing slowed it.
The silver-black haired woman appeared beside the cocoon again.
"…Inner sector barriers failed."
Ayan's eyes narrowed sharply.
"…Already?"
The synchronized woman nodded stiffly.
"…The scout adapts faster than projected."
Primary Source remained silent briefly.
Then—
"…Begin emergency synchronization preparations."
The underground cathedral fell quiet instantly.
Several synchronized individuals visibly hesitated again.
Fear.
Not of death.
Of what came next.
Aelira's crimson eyes sharpened dangerously.
"…You are not touching him."
The cocoon pulsed steadily.
"…Without integration, resistance probability falls below acceptable levels."
Ayan clenched his jaw tightly.
Because the network had already made its decision.
It viewed him as a weapon.
A compatible anomaly capable of synchronizing at levels higher than normal humans.
The underground structure trembled violently again.
This time dust rained faintly from the ceiling far above.
The synchronized young boy looked toward one of the projections nearby.
"…It entered Sector Four."
The chamber became colder somehow.
Primary Source responded immediately.
"…Too fast."
Ayan looked sharply toward the projection.
The Harvester scout crawled through destroyed corridors impossibly quickly now, its massive body tearing directly through network barriers while black organic growths spread behind it like infection.
And everywhere the creature moved—
The network died.
Crimson structures darkened and collapsed instantly.
Synchronization chambers failed.
Power vanished.
The scout consumed everything connected to the system.
Ayan's thoughts sharpened dangerously.
"…It's targeting the network specifically."
Aelira answered quietly beside him.
"…Harvesters eliminate adaptive resistance first."
The realization settled heavily.
The network wasn't humanity's enemy to the Harvesters.
It was humanity's defense system.
Twisted.
Horrifying.
But still a defense.
The underground cathedral suddenly shook again.
Then—
The lights across half the chamber died.
Darkness swallowed entire sections of Sector Seven instantly while warning sirens intensified further.
The synchronized woman's voice became tense.
"…Sector Three collapsed."
Ayan's chest tightened.
The scout was getting closer frighteningly fast.
Primary Source's voice echoed through the chamber again.
"…Anomaly."
Ayan immediately looked toward the cocoon.
"…No."
The answer came before the request even formed.
The cocoon pulsed softly.
"…You already understand the situation."
Ayan's grip tightened around the sword painfully.
Because yes—
He did.
Normal combat wouldn't stop something like this.
Even the network feared it.
Primary Source continued calmly.
"…Emergency synchronization would grant temporary access to network combat architecture."
Ayan frowned sharply.
"…Meaning?"
The synchronized young boy answered quietly.
"…You would connect directly to Sector Seven."
"…The network would enhance your perception, reaction speed, and adaptive processing."
Ayan's expression hardened.
"…At what cost?"
Silence.
That alone answered enough.
Aelira stepped forward immediately.
"…No."
Her voice remained colder than before.
"…You know what happened last time."
The cocoon pulsed unevenly again.
Interesting.
Aelira's words genuinely affected Primary Source.
"…The previous anomaly exceeded synchronization limits voluntarily."
Aelira's eyes sharpened dangerously.
"…Because you pushed him too far."
The underground cathedral trembled violently again.
Then—
A massive crash echoed somewhere close beyond the chamber walls.
Not distant anymore.
The synchronized individuals immediately turned toward the cathedral entrance.
Several combat barriers activated across the room instantly.
Ayan's instincts screamed.
Something was near.
Very near.
The silver-black haired woman activated another projection rapidly.
This time the display lasted only a few seconds before static consumed it completely.
But that was enough.
The Harvester scout filled the entire corridor.
Closer than before.
Its dozens of glowing white eyes stared directly into the projection while black organic growths consumed the surrounding walls continuously.
Then—
The creature moved.
The projection died instantly afterward.
BOOOOOOOM.
The underground cathedral doors shook violently.
Ayan's heartbeat slowed sharply.
The scout reached the cathedral.
The synchronized individuals immediately formed defensive positions throughout the chamber while crimson barriers expanded around the cocoon at the center.
Primary Source's voice lowered slightly.
"…Final warning."
Another impact shook the doors.
CRAAAAACK.
Massive fractures spread across the metallic surface.
Aelira stepped directly in front of Ayan.
"…Do not agree to synchronization."
Her voice softened slightly afterward.
"…Please."
Ayan froze briefly.
Because she rarely pleaded.
Almost never.
The underground doors exploded inward violently before he could answer.
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
Black flesh and shattered metal erupted across the cathedral entrance as the Harvester scout tore directly through the massive reinforced doors like paper.
The synchronized individuals attacked instantly.
Crimson energy.
Adaptive weapons.
Network structures.
Everything slammed into the creature simultaneously.
And did nothing.
The Harvester scout screamed.
The sound shattered several nearby chambers instantly while synchronized individuals collapsed to their knees bleeding from ears and eyes.
Ayan's chest tightened violently.
The creature slowly entered the cathedral.
Larger than before.
Its body had already adapted again.
Black metallic armor covered parts of its flesh now while dozens of white eyes opened continuously across its surface.
And the moment it saw the cocoon—
Every eye focused directly on Primary Source.
The scout moved.
Fast enough that Ayan barely saw it.
BOOOOOOM.
Several synchronized defenders disappeared instantly beneath massive black limbs crashing through the cathedral floor.
No blood.
No bodies.
Just gone.
Aelira's crimson energy slammed directly into the creature's side next.
For the first time—
The scout stopped moving.
Its flesh tore apart slightly where her attack landed.
But then—
The wound regenerated immediately.
Faster than the corrupted creatures ever had.
The synchronized woman shouted sharply.
"…It's adapting to energy output!"
Primary Source's voice echoed through the cathedral immediately afterward.
Louder than before.
Urgent.
"…Anomaly."
The cocoon pulsed violently.
"…Synchronize now or Sector Seven falls."
The Harvester scout screamed again.
And this time—
It charged directly toward Ayan.