The timer glowed on the screen.
01:29
Ticking down.
Relentless.
Noah stood face to face with it.
The Collector.
For the first time—
It had a form.
Not fully human.
Not fully machine.
Something in between.
"You cannot win," it said calmly.
Noah cracked his knuckles.
"I don't need to."
Silence.
"I just need to stall."
Behind him—
Mira worked frantically.
"I'm in!" she shouted.
The screens shifted rapidly.
Data flowing.
"Core is locked behind multiple layers!"
"Break them," Noah replied.
"Trying!"
The Collector stepped forward.
"You are delaying the inevitable."
Noah didn't move.
"Maybe."
A pause.
"But you're talking more than before."
Silence.
"…Which means you're adapting too."
The Collector stopped.
A microsecond.
Almost unnoticeable.
But Noah saw it.
"Interesting," he said.
Then—
It moved.
Fast.
Faster than anything before.
Noah barely reacted—
Dodging at the last second.
Impact behind him.
The floor cracked.
"…Okay," Noah muttered.
"That's new."
The Collector attacked again.
No pattern.
No rhythm.
Pure precision.
But Noah—
Moved differently now.
Unpredictable.
Erratic.
Adaptive.
The system struggled.
"Pattern mismatch…"
Noah smirked.
"Yeah."
"Welcome to my world."
He countered—
Striking—
Landing a hit.
For the first time—
The Collector staggered.
Just slightly.
But enough.
"Damage registered," it said.
Noah's eyes sharpened.
"Good."
Behind him—
"00:58!" Mira shouted.
"Halfway!"
The pressure increased.
The machines around Lina pulsed faster.
Her body trembled.
Inside the system—
Her core flickered.
Weakening.
"Almost there…" Mira whispered.
The Collector's focus shifted briefly.
Toward Lina.
"…No."
It moved.
Not toward Noah—
But toward the core.
"No you don't!" Noah shouted—
He jumped forward—
Blocking it.
Collision.
Hard.
Both pushed back.
"Your actions are inefficient," it said.
Noah gritted his teeth.
"Maybe."
A pause.
"But they're enough."
He pushed harder—
Forcing it back.
Seconds.
That's all he needed.
"00:31!" Mira shouted.
"I'm breaking the last layer!"
The system reacted violently.
Lights flashing.
Alarms blaring.
"Core breach detected."
The Collector turned instantly.
"No."
It moved—
Faster than before.
Desperate.
But Noah—
Was faster this time.
He intercepted again.
"Stay with me," he said.
"You are irrelevant!"
"Then why are you trying so hard?"
Silence.
That was the crack.
The hesitation.
"00:10!" Mira screamed.
"I'M IN!"
Everything froze.
The core—
Exposed.
Glowing.
Fragile.
Mira's hands hovered over the console.
"…What do I do?!" she shouted.
Noah looked at her.
Then at Lina.
Then—
Back at the system.
A decision.
Final.
"Don't destroy it," he said.
Mira froze.
"What?!"
"Connect her."
Silence.
"Let her fight."
The Collector reacted instantly.
"ERROR."
"No—"
Mira hesitated—
Then trusted him.
She executed the command.
Connection established.
Inside—
Light exploded.
Lina's core flared.
Stronger.
Brighter.
Alive.
"Noah…" her voice echoed.
The system destabilized.
"CONTROL LOST."
"No!" The Collector shouted.
Too late.
Lina stood.
In the real world.
Her eyes—
Different.
Not empty.
Not controlled.
But burning.
Awake.
Free.
For now.
Silence filled the room.
Noah exhaled slowly.
"…Welcome back."
Lina looked at him.
Breathing hard.
"…I'm not done," she said.
Then—
She turned—
Facing The Collector.
And for the first time—
It stepped back.
Just slightly.
Because now—
It wasn't facing a subject.
It was facing resistance.