The Spiral Core pulsed around them, a living cathedral of rhythm. Patterns shimmered in the air—golden symbols drifting like sacred notes, while the ground beneath vibrated with a tempo that wasn't Tower-made.
At the center stood the Original.
A tall figure of calm, dressed not in armor but in conductor's weave, his hands folded behind his back, and a neutral expression that chilled Aris more than fury ever could.
"You are the first," the Original said, "to reach the Spiral's heart while still retaining yourselves."
He raised a single hand.
"All who came before you… were rewritten."
The Spiral reacted instantly—walls curving inward, the floor splitting apart, light twisting into distorted rhythm lines. From the Original's body radiated three echo-rings, each one a distinct tempo layer.
Kael cursed under his breath. "He's fighting in triple sync! Three rhythms at once!"
Leon smirked, drawing both blades. "Then we just have to hit harder. Together."
