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Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Assault on the Root Core

Location: Ural Mountains, Root Core Facility Perimeter Time: 18:00 GMT

The sky above the Ural Mountains turned blood red as Henri's combined forces arrived. Skywatch ships hovered in formation. Wakandan stealth planes cloaked the horizon. On the ground, Shadow Team and Avengers formed strike squads.

Henri stood at the center of it all, gauntlet pulsing with golden light. Eyla checked her dual blades, and Sorin reviewed sync stability levels. Behind them, Doctor Strange opened dimensional gates for quick deployment.

> System Notice: Root Core Facility Status: Fully Active Defense Level: Absolute Lockdown

Henri tapped his comms. "All units. This is it. Begin assault."

---

Phase One: Breach the Outer Wall

The first wave was a coordinated strike. Vibranium-charged explosives set by Wakandan engineers tore through the facility's outer walls.

As the dust settled, Admin drones poured out—thousands of them, sleek silver shapes firing energy lances.

Spider-Man swung into action, webs lacing drones together. Black Panther led a unit of Dora Milaje, blades singing.

Henri activated Genesis Overdrive II, slamming into the enemy line with Eyla and Sorin flanking him.

For the first thirty minutes, it was all-out war.

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Phase Two: Penetration to Core Chamber

Once the outer defenses fell, Henri's team pushed inward.

The interior was worse. Gravity shifts. Reality warps. System disruptions.

> Warning: System Stability - 65%

Doctor Strange and Wong held magical shields, keeping the dimensions from collapsing as they moved.

In the central hall, they faced three Admin Avatars at once.

Overseer-07

Overseer-06

Overseer-05

Each one more powerful than the previous fights.

Henri's gauntlet burned hotter than ever as he fought alongside Alaric, their powers combining in sync. Tri-Link formations flashed in golden arcs.

Eyla brought down Overseer-05 with a final stealth blade strike to its core. Sorin shattered Overseer-06's mask with raw force.

Only Overseer-07 remained, but it retreated to the core chamber.

---

Phase Three: Root Core Confrontation

The final door opened with a pulse of light. Inside, the Root Core floated: a black sphere wrapped in golden Admin code, pulsing in time with the planet itself.

But standing before it was Mira.

Alive.

Her body now fully transformed. Admin Core merged. Voice echoing multiple tones.

"You're too late," Mira said. "Root Protocol is already in motion. This reality is obsolete."

Henri stepped forward, gauntlet glowing brighter than ever.

"We make our own reality."

---

Final Battle: Mira, Admin Vessel

Mira struck first, unleashing waves of Admin-code energy.

Henri countered with Genesis Overdrive III. Golden and crimson energy clashed, reality trembling.

Sorin, Eyla, and Alaric joined the assault, while Strange and Wong held the outer walls together against dimensional collapse.

> System Warning: Sync Level Maxed: Tier VII Reached

For five long minutes, the battle raged until Henri delivered the final blow—a full-force Genesis Gauntlet strike to Mira's core.

Her body shattered into light.

The Root Core flickered.

---

Ending the Protocol

As silence fell, Henri stepped up to the Root Core. His system offered two options:

1. Activate Root Protocol: Rewrite Everything.

2. Disable Root Protocol: Preserve Current Reality.

Henri looked at Eyla, Sorin, and all the allies behind him.

Without hesitation, he chose Disable.

Golden light enveloped the room.

> System Notice: Root Protocol Disabled. Reality Stabilizing.

---

Aftermath: A New Era Begins

Back at Skywatch Station three days later, Earth had stabilized.

The system world remained, but Admin control had been severed. Root Core locked and sealed.

Henri stood overlooking the planet once more.

Alaric approached. "You did it."

Henri shook his head. "We did it."

And for the first time since receiving his system, Henri felt like he wasn't just surviving.

He was truly free.

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