The city answered before nightfall.
Not with more enforcers.
With authority.
Alpha Phantom stood inside the warehouse office, jacket off, knuckles wrapped. The bodies had been removed quietly. Too quietly.
Nyx watched the monitors Rex had set up—street cams, police feeds, public channels.
"They've switched protocols," she said.
Alpha glanced up. "Meaning?"
"No more field suppression," Nyx replied. "They're invoking the Registry."
[System Alert: External Authority — Active]
Rex frowned. "Registry?"
Nyx turned. "Every cultivator above a certain threshold is cataloged. Power signature. Techniques. Limits."
Alpha's eyes sharpened. "And if you're not registered?"
Nyx didn't answer immediately.
She pulled up a live broadcast.
Chairman Lu appeared on screen, standing behind a polished podium. Calm. Impeccable.
"Recent incidents," Lu said, "have raised concerns regarding unregulated awakened individuals. For public safety, the Registry will be enforced."
Alpha watched in silence.
"If you submit," Nyx said quietly, "they won't kill you."
Alpha looked at her. "And if I don't?"
She met his gaze. "Then you become a variable."
[Threat Classification Updated: Rogue Cultivator]
The broadcast continued.
"Any individual refusing evaluation," Lu said, "will be restricted until compliance is achieved."
Restricted.
Alpha smiled faintly. "Nice word."
Nyx stepped closer. "You don't understand how dangerous registered cultivators are. Their techniques are optimized. Shared. Refined over decades."
Alpha leaned back in his chair. "Then they're predictable."
Nyx froze.
"That confidence," she said slowly, "gets people erased."
Alpha stood.
"Nyx," he said, calm but firm. "Why aren't you registered?"
She looked away.
"For the same reason you won't be."
Silence stretched.
Then alarms blared on the monitors.
Multiple signals converging.
Rex cursed. "They're sealing Dockside."
Alpha rolled his shoulders once.
[Decision Node: Accept Evaluation / Resist]
"I won't hide," Alpha said. "And I won't kneel."
Nyx closed her eyes briefly.
Then opened them.
"Then I'll stop pretending," she said.
The lights flickered.
The air shifted.
For the first time since Alpha met her, pressure leaked from Nyx.
Not violent.
Ancient.
Controlled.
Alpha turned sharply.
"You've been holding back," he said.
Nyx met his gaze, eyes glowing faintly silver.
"Yes."
Outside, armored vehicles took positions.
Above, drones locked on.
Inside the warehouse, two unregistered cultivators stood back-to-back.
[Ally Status Updated: FMC — Active Combat Support]
Nyx exhaled slowly.
"If the Registry comes through that door," she said, "they won't leave with just your name."
Alpha smiled.
"Good," he said. "They can take notes."
The warehouse doors began to open.