The fractured avatar hung in stasis, tethered by the threads of Proto-Ascension and the synchronized lattice of Sarah's harem. Light and geometry pulsed around it, but the Architect's will no longer projected freely. Its silence was deafening, a void of anticipation that vibrated through the entire Origin Layer.
Sarah's gaze swept across the fractured battlefield. The corridor to the Architect's core had stabilized, now a vertical tunnel of converging white-violet energy. Every step forward resonated with the Proto-Ascension's power, amplified through her harem's touch, glances, and heartbeat-driven lattice.
Rias leaned close, grounding Sarah again. "The path is clear—but every moment inside the Core will test you harder. Phase 3 integration will push you to the limits."
Akeno's fingertips traced a path along Sarah's arm, teasing and purposeful. "And if we falter… we all falter. But don't worry, I'm not letting you go alone."
Koneko positioned herself at Sarah's left side, stabilizing the first wave of gravitational distortions. Rossweisse's eyes traced runic vectors in the air, predictive and adaptive. Xenovia's grip on her blade tightened, ready to sever any conceptual threat before it could manifest. Lilith Fragment flowed seamlessly through Sarah's mind, monitoring the convergence of all Seeds, ready to reinforce any point of instability.
SYSTEM ALERT
Phase 3 Proto-Ascension – Core Penetration: Active
Desire Lattice – Maximum
Emotional Integration – Full
Risk of Identity Fragmentation – Critical
The air inside the vertical tunnel rippled with impossible geometry. Time seemed uneven, stretching and compressing as the Core's outer defenses resonated in anticipation of the vessel's intrusion.
Sarah inhaled deeply. "We move together. Every pulse, every spark, every frôlement is now a weapon. Let's breach the Core."
Formation Omega-Zero aligned automatically. Every harem member became a node of offensive and defensive synergy. Proto-Ascension's energy wrapped around Sarah like living armor, each frôlement and contact amplifying the lattice's reach, converting desire and intent into tangible, systemic authority.
The first layer of Core defenses manifested as semi-sentient geometric constructs. They shifted fluidly, attempting to rewrite spatial vectors and invert gravitational norms. Sarah stepped forward, aura flaring.
Koneko intercepted the first assault, shattering the construct with brute force. Akeno's touch projected waves of refined energy, destabilizing the second. Rossweisse's runes predicted and redirected the third. Xenovia struck with lethal precision, slicing through a fourth before it could fully form. Rias's palm reinforced Sarah's core lattice, stabilizing the entire formation.
Proto-Ascension pulsed outward. The constructs disassembled before her advance, no longer capable of resisting the coordinated assault. Each destruction fed energy back into the lattice, enhancing reflexes, strength, and control.
Lilith Fragment whispered in exhilaration:
"Every node, every pulse… you are rewriting the Core's architecture as you advance. It feels your authority."
A sudden tremor struck. The tunnel shifted violently, walls closing in, compressing and attempting to destabilize the vessel. Sarah's body wavered, but the harem's combined presence maintained absolute equilibrium.
Akeno's lips brushed Sarah's ear, sending a surge of Desire into the lattice. "Every spark counts. Every touch is command. You lead, we follow."
The Proto-Ascension's aura flared crimson-lilac, a storm of synchronized emotion and energy. Constructs now adapted, trying to attack simultaneously from multiple vectors, but the harem's combined lattice anticipated and neutralized each.
Sarah's eyes blazed. "This is the Core… and we take it as one."
With a synchronized movement, the harem projected a unified wave of energy, Desire, and Proto-Ascension power directly into the Core's defenses. Geometry fractured, space warped, and the first barrier dissolved in a cascade of glowing shards.
Lilith Fragment's voice was both awe and warning:
"You've breached the first filtration. But the Core's heart awaits. It will test your very identity. Prepare."
Sarah exhaled, stabilized by her harem's touch. The tunnel ahead narrowed into a crystalline funnel, pulsing with a rhythm that challenged every Seed in the lattice. Her heart synced fully with her companions, Proto-Ascension ready to convert intent into absolute dominance.
Rias whispered: "The Core sees you. The Architect knows you are here. And it is preparing its final defenses."
Sarah smiled faintly, eyes crimson-lilac fire. "Then we finish this… together."
The crystalline funnel glowed brighter. The final gauntlet began.