[48-Hour Cooldown on Core Fragment Observation: 27:19 Remaining…][Status: Hunted][Threat Level: Omega — Increasing]
The night was still.
Too still.
Priyanshu stood atop the half-demolished school building, watching the flickering city skyline. Far in the distance, glitching data particles floated like broken pixels over streetlights—proof that the game wasn't fading from the real world.
It was deepening.
The Larva of the Worldshaper, now perched on his shoulder, chirped softly and flared its wings. Priyanshu could feel it—a presence moving just beneath the layers of reality. A vibration in the air, like a whisper behind the code.
He blinked.
And suddenly, everything went silent.
[Alert: You have been pulled into a Silent Zone.][Voice Detected: Core Fragment – Designation: WHISPER][Type: Seductive | Reality Corruptor][Intent: Conversion]
Darkness wrapped around him like fog made from velvet. The rooftop vanished. The air grew sweet and heavy, scented with something unnatural—like roses blooming from wires.
Then came the voice.
Not loud. Not violent.
Soft. Velvet. Alluring.
"Root One... glitch of light… thief of destiny…"
It giggled.
"Do you want to see what you're missing?"
A thousand windows opened in his mind.Scenes. Futures. Alternate selves.
One where he ruled with a crown of starlight.
One where Aeris held his hand beneath a sunless sky.
One where he was killed, chained in code, and used to rewrite the universe.
He stumbled backward—but there was no ground.
Only void.
[WARNING: Mental Infiltration Detected][Defense Protocol Engaging…]
He clenched his fists.
"I don't care what you show me," he growled. "I don't follow whispers."
The voice cooed: "But I'm the only one who truly understands you."
A golden console flickered inside the darkness:
[Do you wish to merge with WHISPER?]➤ [Yes – Gain Forbidden Insight, +1 Tier Boost, Class Rewritten]➤ [No – Fragment will mark you for irreversible deletion]
He gritted his teeth, heart pounding.
And chose:
[NO]
🌌 The void cracked.
The voice screamed—not in rage, but betrayal.
"You were supposed to be the First…"
The Silent Zone shattered.
Priyanshu gasped as reality snapped back.
The rooftop. The night. The city.
But something had changed.
[Title Gained: The One Who Refused the Fragment][New Skill Unlocked: Mental Firewall (Passive)]➤ Immune to future Core Whispers➤ Detects hidden reality distortions
His eyes were glowing faintly violet now. Like data fire.
Aeris burst through the stairway door, panting. "I felt it. The air—twisted. You were gone for three seconds."
He shook his head. "No. In there… it felt like hours."
Meanwhile…
Beneath a dark cathedral on another continent, XERO stood before a monolithic mirror of code. His armor was cracked. His face—hidden behind a glitching mask.
A voice echoed from the reflection.
"You failed."
XERO knelt. "Not again."
[Do you wish to rewrite your class?][Warning: This may cause permanent corruption.]
His hands trembled. Then steadied.
"Yes."
He tapped [Confirm]📜 [Class Rewritten: FROM: Silent Executioner → TO: Root Reaper]➤ Absorbs fragments of defeated Root Users➤ Immune to stat deletion➤ Tracks Root Commands by scent➤ Gains "Reality Break" — a one-time ability to shatter any protection
Across the world, messages began appearing to every player above Level 5.
📣 [GLOBAL QUEST UNLOCKED: The Root War Begins]
Choose your side:➤ Join the Glitched One (Root Vanguard)➤ Join the Reset Order (Reaper Faction)
Quest Tier: SSSReward: Divine Class Token | Reality Access Key | System Authority Override
In the quiet aftermath, Priyanshu, Aeris, and Sanjay stood together.
Priyanshu stared at the sky, then back at the blinking console.
"It's official now," he muttered."They're declaring war."
Aeris's voice was low. "They've rewritten a player to kill you."
"And I've refused a fragment," he added. "They're scared."
The Larva hissed and curled tighter on his shoulder.
Sanjay, bruised and bandaged, smirked. "So what now? We fight the whole world?"
Priyanshu didn't blink.
"No," he said."We break it."