Silence filled the void.
The creature's body had already disappeared—like it was never there.
Only Karam remained.
Standing.
Breathing.
Alive.
His chest rose and fell slowly.
Every muscle in his body ached.
"...That was different."
No system assistance.
No stat boost.
No hidden skill saving him.
Just him.
Karam looked at his hands.
They were shaking slightly.
Not from fear—
But from exhaustion.
"So this is my real limit…"
The man watched him carefully.
"No," he said calmly.
Karam looked up.
"That was your starting point."
A pause.
Karam frowned slightly.
"Starting…?"
The man stepped closer.
"What you've been using until now…"
He pointed slightly.
"That wasn't your strength."
"That was the system."
Silence.
Karam's eyes darkened.
"Then I'll surpass it."
The man smirked.
"That's the idea."
Suddenly—
The space trembled.
A faint distortion spread across the void.
Karam froze.
He felt it.
Something familiar.
Something cold.
📊 [System Reconnecting…]
The blue screen flickered violently in front of his eyes.
"...It found me."
The man clicked his tongue.
"Faster than expected."
The system stabilized for a moment—
📊 [Main Character System]
Status: Re-synced
Host: Karam
Karam's expression didn't change.
"You're persistent."
The system responded instantly.
📊 [System Message]
Unauthorized Separation Detected
Penalty Applied
Karam's body froze.
Pain surged through him.
Sharp.
Violent.
"Tch—!"
He dropped to one knee.
The man watched silently.
"This is what happens when you resist it."
📊 [System]
Warning: Host deviation detected
Correction in progress
Karam's breathing became heavy.
"Correction…?"
The pain increased.
Memories flickered again.
But this time—
They weren't disappearing.
They were being overwritten.
"No…"
Karam clenched his fist.
"I won't let you."
📊 [System]
Force Adjustment Initiated
The pain peaked.
Then—
Suddenly—
It stopped.
Silence.
Karam slowly opened his eyes.
Something was different.
Very different.
📊 [New Notification]
Hidden Condition Met
"...What?"
📊 [System Override Detected]
The screen glitched.
For the first time—
The system's voice… broke.
📊 [New Skill Unlocked]
"Independent Will"
Effect:
Partial resistance to system control
Retain core memories
Reduce forced emotional suppression
Karam stood up slowly.
The pain was gone.
But something new remained.
A presence.
Inside him.
Not the system.
Something else.
"...Interesting."
The man's eyes widened slightly.
"You broke part of it…"
Karam looked at the screen.
"No."
He clenched his fist.
"I'm taking it back."
The system flickered again.
Unstable.
📊 [System Warning]
Host Anomaly Increasing
Karam smiled faintly.
Colder than ever.
"Good."
He looked forward.
"Let's see which one of us breaks first."
The void trembled again.
But this time—
Karam didn't flinch.
⚡ [End of Chapter 26 – MC vs System begins]