The attack didn't come to the Crown Complex.
It came to its edges.
Tyler was in the operations room with Mira and Lila when the System flared red for the first time since binding the Crown Core.
[Territorial Breach Detected]Location: Riverside — Outer Block CType: Influence OverrideSignature: System User
Mira straightened. "That's new."
Lila was already pulling up feeds. "Someone just flipped a café lease. Three-year contract nullified. New owner claims emergency redevelopment rights."
Tyler frowned. "That's not legal."
"It is," Eva said calmly over speaker, her voice joining the room. "If you know where to push."
The System overlaid the city map.
A zone near the Crown Complex pulsed—dimmed, distorted.
[Foreign System Influence Detected]Effect: Loyalty DisplacementCivilian impact: Ongoing
Tyler clenched his jaw.
"She's not attacking me," he said. "She's eroding the ground under my feet."
The System answered.
[Affirmative.]Challenger Objective: Territorial UnderminingEstimated Skill Tier: A or Higher
A new name appeared.
Selene.
The Demonstration
They arrived too late to stop it.
The café was still open—but wrong.
Lights flickered unnaturally. Customers sat too still, eyes glazed, smiles fixed just a second too long. A hand-painted sign had replaced the old logo.
NEW MANAGEMENT.
Tyler felt the Crown Core react.
Not anger.
Warning.
"This isn't business," Lila whispered. "This is a statement."
Then Selene appeared.
She didn't arrive with drama.
She simply was—standing near the counter, black coat draped perfectly, dark ponytail neat, eyes like cold glass.
She looked at Tyler and smiled.
"You came faster than I expected."
The System roared.
[Direct System User Contact]Combat Mode AvailableWarning: Engagement may escalate beyond current defense parameters.
Mira moved half a step forward.
"Tyler—"
He raised a hand.
"No," he said quietly. "This is a conversation."
Selene tilted her head.
"Oh?" she asked. "You think conversations stop people like me?"
Tyler stepped closer.
"I think they define the rules before things get ugly."
Her smile widened.
"You bound a Proto-Core," she said casually. "Do you know how rare that is?"
"I know it didn't belong to you."
Selene laughed softly.
"Nothing belongs to anyone in this city. It flows. It shifts. It's taken by those who can hold it."
She gestured lazily around the café.
"This place? I didn't buy it. I redirected it. The owner woke up this morning convinced selling was his idea."
Mira's fists clenched.
"That's sick."
Selene's gaze flicked to her, curious.
"Ah. The anchor."
Then to Lila.
"The watcher."
Finally back to Tyler.
"And the keeper."
The System screamed.
[User Identified]SeleneTier: A+Specialization: Influence, Override, Soft Domination
Selene stepped closer.
"You declared territory," she said. "So I touched it."
Tyler didn't back away.
"And?"
She leaned in, voice dropping.
"And now you decide whether you defend with force… or lose quietly."
The café trembled.
Cups rattled.
The Crown Core pulsed beneath the city.
The System opened a new option.
[Defensive Response Available]Option 1: System Suppression (High Risk)Option 2: Territory Reassertion (Moderate Risk)Option 3: Strategic Withdrawal (Loss of Influence)
Tyler exhaled slowly.
This was it.
Not a fight.
A message.
He looked Selene in the eyes.
Then chose.
"Option 2."
The Crown Complex answered.
A wave of pressure rolled outward—not violent, not flashy. The lights stabilized. The glazed expressions of the civilians faded as if waking from a daydream.
Selene's smile froze—just for a moment.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Oh," she said softly. "You can push back."
The System chimed.
[Territorial Reassertion Successful]Civilian Autonomy RestoredInfluence Clash: DRAW
Selene stepped back, amused rather than angry.
"Good," she said. "I'd hate for this to be boring."
She turned to leave.
"Next time," she added over her shoulder,"I won't touch the edges."
She vanished into the street like she'd never been there.
The café returned to normal.
Tyler's knees weakened slightly—but he stayed standing.
Mira grabbed his arm. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he said quietly. "But now I understand."
Lila nodded grimly.
"She wasn't trying to win."
"She was measuring you."
The System delivered its verdict.
[First Challenger Encounter Complete]
Results:
– Territory Held– Power Gap Identified– Conflict Escalation Confirmed
Lesson:
Defense reveals limits.
Selene watched from a nearby rooftop, eyes shining.
"He chose control over domination," she murmured."Good."
She smiled.
"Let's see how long he lasts."
The city held its breath.
The game had officially begun.