[Dominion Core: Spawn Confirmed]
Location: Central Concourse, Level B2
Activation Window: 00:27:19
Warning: Nearby Interference Detected.
Secondary Warning: Hostile Core Seeker Inbound.
Classification: Sub-Named Aberration – "The Drowned Seeker"
The group descended through the broken staircase shaft, its rails twisted and its lights flickering from the unstable core energy.
Noah led the vanguard, Seraphine at his side, followed by six of the remaining survivors capable of combat.
He glanced at the interface.
[Survivors Remaining: 15]
[Combat-Capable: 7]
[Zone: Danton – Status: Unclaimed]
[Time Remaining to Activate Core: 00:25:42]
The countdown had begun.
The path to the Core wasn't open like it had been in the original story. It was supposed to be a clear event room. Instead, the platform around Level B2 had warped—twisting into an underwater ruin dripping with some kind of black fluid.
"Why is it so wet down here?" one survivor whispered.
"Don't touch it," Noah warned. "That's distortion residue. It's not water—it's raw narrative sludge."
"Sludge?"
"Leftover fragments from overwritten story events. It devours unregistered logic."
Seraphine squinted. "You're really fluent in nonsense, you know that?"
Noah smirked. "I'm fluent in this world's backend code. That's different."
As they moved deeper into the Level B2 tunnel, the pressure increased. Sound began to warp. Whispers echoed from nowhere. The walls flexed as though underwater.
Then they saw it.
The Dominion Core.
A pulsing, crystalline pillar—like a giant inverted teardrop of silver and light—hovered above a cracked pedestal. Pulses of luminous script spiraled around it.
But something clung to the ceiling above it, shrouded in shadow.
[??? – Sub-Named Aberration: Drowned Seeker]
Classification: [Tier C+]
Role: Core Devourer
Status: Interfering with Dominion Selection
Threat Level: High
The creature's body was long, thin, with amphibian-like limbs and a face composed of dozens of eyes and gills. It slithered across the ceiling like a leech, mouth opening with wet, clicking sounds.
[System Interference Detected: The Drowned Seeker is attempting to consume the Dominion Core.]
– Activate the Core before the Aberration completes its digestion (Time Remaining: 00:11:17)
– Or eliminate the entity before activation fails
"Two options," Noah said. "Touch the core before the Seeker finishes its feeding process. Or kill it."
"Can we touch it now?" Seraphine asked.
He shook his head. "Only if I'm the one doing it. I'm the only one with a system-recognized Usurper Title."
"You think this thing will let you?"
Noah looked up.
The Seeker hissed.
[Combat Initiated: The Drowned Seeker – Adaptive Aberration]
"Guess we're killing it."
The Seeker dropped like a falling net.
Noah dove forward, tackling Seraphine and rolling out of the way. The beast crashed into the floor with a disgusting splash of ink-like sludge.
"SPREAD OUT!" he shouted.
The survivors scrambled across the room's edge, trying to avoid the expanding pool of liquid corruption.
[Drowned Seeker – Trait: Abyssal Ink Cloud]
– Applies Blindness and Slow to non-immune targets
– Water-based elemental resistance recommended
But Seraphine was fire-based.
She stepped back from the ink and ignited.
Her entire body flared like a furnace, heat curling off her skin.
"I'll keep the field clear," she said, slamming her fists together.
[Trait: Flame Baptism – Area Cleanse Activated]
Corruption Sludge burning…
Room Purity: +12%
Flames roared outward in a circle, burning away the black ink long enough for the others to breathe.
Noah used the window to rush in.
[Ruin Step – Activated]
[Stacked Momentum: +1]
He shot forward and slammed his boot into the Seeker's face.
It recoiled with a squelch, one eye socket collapsing under the impact.
But before Noah could retreat—
Snap!
A barbed tongue lashed out, wrapping around his ankle.
[Status: Entangled – HP -16]
Trait Activation: Despair Immunity – Mental Debuff Negated
Noah gritted his teeth.
"Like hell."
He twisted his body mid-air, grabbed a jagged pipe nearby, and jabbed it into the creature's tongue.
Screee—!!!
The Seeker recoiled, spraying ichor as it hissed and convulsed. It vanished into the ink for a second before re-emerging behind one of the backliners.
"Behind you!" Seraphine yelled.
Too late.
The survivor—young, panicked—barely had time to scream as the Seeker's limbs wrapped around him and pulled him into its chest.
Gone.
[Survivor Count: 14]
[Enemy State: HP 68%]
[Core Digestion Progress: 61% – Time Remaining: 00:05:34]
Noah's expression hardened.
He grabbed the burned rod from earlier and sprinted along the wall.
"We won't beat it like this."
He skidded to a halt near Seraphine.
"New plan. I'll bait it. You focus all heat toward its gills—those flashing ridges near the eyes. Overheat it. Make it retreat."
"What about the Core?"
"I'll get to it once the Seeker's distracted."
She nodded.
He turned toward the rest.
"Hold the line! No matter what!"
[Drowned Seeker preparing Apex Burst]
– Effect: Douses entire room in Abyssal Ink
– Duration: 15 seconds
– All activation attempts suspended during burst
Not good.
"SERAPHINE!"
"I KNOW!"
She screamed—and let everything ignite.
[Flame Baptism – Overheat Mode Engaged]
Skill Fusion Detected: Burning Core Pulse
– Trait temporarily altered for burst ignition
She slammed both palms into the floor.
A geyser of white flame exploded around the Seeker.
BOOM!
The gills popped. Its scream warped into a bubbling gurgle. The black sludge evaporated faster than it could expand.
[Enemy Staggered – Core Digestion Reset to 22%]
[Window of Activation: 00:01:05]
Noah didn't wait.
He sprinted.
Dove.
And touched the Dominion Core.
[Dominion Core Interface Detected]
Welcome, Noah Cross.
Hidden Title Detected: [Usurper]
Do you wish to claim Zone Authority over Sector Danton?
– Yes
– No
"Yes."
[Zone Claimed: Danton Sector]
[Dominion Core Integration: 3% → 100%]
– Passive Buff Gained: +10% Resource Generation
– Trait Slot Unlocked
– Custom Rule Slot Available
[Title Granted: Sector Lord – Danton]
Hidden Effect Triggered: System Distortion Reduced 1%
Narrative Instability Delay Gained
The moment Noah's hand left the core, the entire room pulsed with golden light.
The Seeker shrieked, burning apart in the radiant glow.
[Sub-Named Aberration Slain]
[Coins Gained: +900]
[Sector Fully Stabilized – Phase 1 Complete]
[Dominion Selection Phase: You are now protected from external invasion for 24 hours.]
Noah collapsed onto one knee, gasping.
He felt the core pulsing with him—his heartbeat matching its rhythm.
And a new message appeared:
[You are now recognized as a Valid Entity by the Scenario Engine.]
Warning: The other Readers will be notified of your rise.