Episode 10: The Observer's Judgment

[DANGER – Unknown Entity Detected: Class Omega]

The air around Kuro Jin thickened—like reality itself was hesitating.

The armored figure stood still, silver armor gleaming unnaturally under Noveria's twin moons. Energy crackled around him—calm, but heavy. Controlled chaos.

Jin's instincts screamed louder than the system warning.

"You've accessed forbidden fragments," the Observer said. His voice was distorted—neither mechanical nor human. "You've accelerated your synchronization beyond protocol."

Jin took a step back, fists clenched.

"Is that supposed to mean I broke the rules?"

The Observer raised his blade. "There are no rules. Only balance. And now… you've tipped the scale."

[Combat Triggered – Enemy: Observer of the Threshold | Class: Omega | Level: ???]

Objective: Survive.

Without another word, the figure vanished.

Jin barely had time to blink before—

SLASH!

A shockwave tore through the forest clearing, splitting a boulder in half behind him.

He activated Shadow Cloak – Phantom Veil, narrowly avoiding a direct hit, but the aftershock still sent him tumbling through the underbrush.

[HP: -12% | Current: 39%]

"Fast…!"

He reoriented mid-air and landed on one knee, daggers drawn.

The Observer stood calmly, sword resting on his shoulder.

"You possess fragments of the First Flame. That alone marks you for deletion. But… the system chose you. That means I must test your will."

Jin's eyes sharpened.

"You want my will? You'll get it."

---

Combat Sequence Initiated

Jin surged forward, chaining Phantom Dash into a cross-slash aimed at the visor.

The Observer blocked effortlessly, countered with a spinning arc of energy—

[Skill Activated: Chrono Severance]

Time distortion applied – movement slowed 30% for 4 seconds.

Jin's vision warped.

[Status Effect: Temporal Drag – Movement/Reaction Down]

But his system responded.

[Soulbrand Resonance – PASSIVE TRIGGERED]

HP drop detected. Invincibility: 3 sec.

His body lit up in a flash of white light as the enemy's blade passed through him harmlessly.

Jin reappeared behind the Observer with a burst of flame on his dagger—Emberbrand Sigil flaring to life.

[Critical Hit – Effect: Armor Fractured]

The Observer finally staggered.

A pause.

Then a soft chuckle.

"You are different."

---

[System Alert – Battle Threshold Reached]

Observer initiating final protocol: Judgment Spear.

The sky split above them. A massive spear of crystallized code began forming mid-air—runes cycling too fast to read.

Jin's system pulsed violently.

[Auto-Defense Protocol Triggered – Divine Core Fragment Active]

Override Defense: Unlocked Memory Shield – "Arlen's Remnant"

For a brief instant, the figure of a man—cloaked in golden light—appeared behind Jin, arms spread wide.

The spear crashed down—

BOOM!!

A shockwave rippled out across the woods, flattening trees, shattering rock.

Silence.

Dust settled.

Jin coughed, still alive—barely.

The Observer stood opposite him, unmoved. His weapon retracted.

"You survived. That is enough."

He sheathed his blade.

[Combat Concluded – Result: Conditional Clearance]

The silver visor flickered, revealing a pair of glowing eyes—no malice, only quiet resolve.

"From this point forward, your path leads into conflict with the other Observers. You've stepped beyond passive synchronization. You are now… an Active Variable."

He began to fade, dissolving into particles of silver code.

"Find the Second Flame. North of Elaria, beneath the city drowned by stars."

And then—he was gone.

---

Jin collapsed to one knee, breathing hard. His entire body trembled.

[Synchronization Level: 61%]

[New System Branch Unlocked: Divine Archive – Legacy Access Granted]

You can now view partial memories of Arlen Kairos and his interactions with the Divine System's prototype phase.

He looked up at the moonlit sky, mind spinning.

"I'm not just some player in this world anymore... I'm part of its broken code."

The forest wind blew cold.

But Jin's fire burned hotter than ever.

He stood slowly.

The path forward wasn't just about survival anymore.

It was about restoring what was never finished.

And rewriting what was never supposed to exist.

[To Be Continued...]

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