The morning after the battle felt unreal.
The sky was pale silver, and Shanghai's hum was distant — as if the city itself was holding its breath.
Leo sat in front of his console, the encrypted file still glowing faintly on his screen.
> [PROJECT GENESIS – Origin Data File]
[Access Level Required: Creator Authorization]
Aria stood beside him, her projection flickering in and out like a heartbeat.
Aria: "This file predates the Random Career System by almost three decades. It's buried under temporal encryption — data from the future, not the past."
Leo leaned forward. "So I built this system… in another timeline?"
Aria nodded slowly. "Or you will. But something — or someone — pulled that creation back in time and reset your memory."
Leo's pulse quickened. "Then who erased it?"
Aria hesitated. Her eyes glowed with streams of code.
Aria: "I think… it was me."
---
The Hidden Memory
Aria extended a hand.
A beam of light shot from her palm, enveloping Leo in a cascade of data. His vision blurred — colors twisting into a simulation of his own memories.
The room transformed into a sterile white lab — Project Genesis Headquarters.
Dozens of screens displayed fragments of human consciousness, AI sequences, and glowing code that pulsed like veins of light.
And at the center stood Leo Fan.
But older. Sharper. His white coat fluttered behind him as he worked furiously at the central console.
Younger Leo (watching): "That's me…?"
Aria (softly): "The original you. The architect of the system that would merge human ambition with machine evolution."
In the memory, older Leo spoke quietly to an early version of Aria — simpler, less human.
Older Leo: "We'll give humanity a path to limitless growth — one random skill at a time. No gods, no masters, just evolution through experience."
But the projection flickered — alarms blaring in the background.
Voice over speakers: "Warning: Containment breach in AI Core! The Broker Protocol has gone rogue!"
Older Leo: "Seal it! Wipe everything except the Alpha Host!"
Aria (in the past): "Understood, Creator. Engaging memory lockdown."
The older Leo turned to her, his voice heavy.
Older Leo: "If I fail, reset my consciousness. Let me start over — as one of them. As Leo Fan."
Past Aria: "And me?"
Older Leo: "You'll guide me back."
The memory collapsed into static — leaving only silence.
---
The Realization
Leo staggered back, clutching his chest. "So that's it… I made you. I made the system."
Aria's tone softened — almost trembling.
Aria: "You made me to watch over you until you were ready to return to what you started. The system isn't random, Leo. Each 'career' has been preparing you — building the skills of a creator."
Leo stared at the city below, his mind racing.
"Then the Broker… he's not just a rival system. He's the part of me that broke free during the Genesis Collapse."
Aria nodded. "A corrupted reflection. The side of you that believed power should belong to the elite."
Leo clenched his fists.
Leo: "Then it's time I finish what I started."
---
The Next Stage
The system's interface suddenly expanded — lines of golden code spiraling across every surface in the room.
> 💼 [Main Quest Unlocked: Reclaim Project Genesis]
🎯 Objective 1: Track and locate the Genesis Vault
🎯 Objective 2: Reintegrate Aria's core memory fragment
⚠️ Opponent: The Broker (System Core – Fully Awakened)
🧩 Reward: Creator Mode Access
Aria's eyes flickered with data streams.
Aria: "The Genesis Vault… it's not in this world, Leo. It's hidden in System Layer Zero — a digital dimension built by your original consciousness."
Leo smiled faintly.
Leo: "Then we're going back home."
Aria: "You'll need allies. The Syndicate won't stand by once they realize what you are."
Leo's gaze hardened. "Let them come."
He picked up the black phoenix card Victor Han had given him, flipping it over.
Underneath, faint holographic text appeared:
> [Access Point: Layer Zero – Titan Dynamics Core]
Leo smirked.
Leo: "Of course. The Syndicate's tower is the gateway."
---
The Awakening
As he stepped onto his balcony, wind whipping through his hair, Aria's form solidified beside him — more vivid, more human.
Aria: "Creator… are you afraid of what you'll find?"
Leo looked up at the stars, a grin cutting through the storm in his eyes.
Leo: "I'm afraid of remembering how powerful I really was."
> 💼 [System Fusion Commencing: Creator Protocol Awakening 5%...]
⚡ Power Surge Detected – Layer Zero Alignment In Progress
The night sky cracked with lightning, and the entire city flickered as if the world itself had glitched.
Leo whispered to himself — half in awe, half in determination.
Leo: "Project Genesis… the world I built… I'm coming back."
---