Kaito woke up groggy and vaguely aware that something warm and soft was pressed against his chest.
No, two somethings.
A slow blink brought the ceiling of their makeshift camp into view, a cracked stone stood over them, tree vines pushing through, and silent whispers coming in from the 'maybe' cursed jungle they'd crossed after escaping the Vault.
His limbs were sore, his head foggy, and his Error System now had a tone. Sarcastic too.
It was like if the terminator had a kid with an hentai girl.
[System Reboot Complete. Welcome, Architect.]
[New Mode Activated: Shared Sensory Loop. Please don't panic.]
It was sarcastic too.
"What…" he gasped, turning his head slightly.
Lyria was curled into his right side, her fingers loosely tangled in his shirt.
Seren lay on his left, face half buried in his shoulder, a leg casually draped over his own.
This could be in his top 5 mornings.
[System Note: All parties synced via emotional/physical conduit. Side effects may include confusion, arousal, and spontaneous magical flares. Proceed responsibly.]
"Oh gods," Kaito groaned. "It's talking now."
Lyria stirred, pressing against him with sleepy resistance. "Too loud. Gag that system."
She didn't look surprised. Becausehe sure as sh*t was shock.
Seren shifted but didn't move away. "Your body's still running hot. Magical resonance hasn't cooled. We need another purge cycle."
"Define purge cycle," Kaito muttered, suddenly wide awake.
[Definition: Physical intimacy used to release divine overload. Shall I play mood music?]
Lyria cracked an eye. "I will stab it."
Kaito sighed. "Take a number."
They untangled slowly, well mostly. Lyria stretched, catlike and smug. Seren dusted herself off, already pretending none of the awkward tensions had existed.
"According to your system," she said, pulling her coat back on with practiced grace, "there's a shrine not far from here. It flared during the Vault collapse. We should investigate."
Kaito rubbed his temples. "You're saying the system pinged a shrine during… the bonding?"
"Okayy..."
Lyria laughed low in her throat. "Guess your aftershocks shake more than just the bed."
[Destination Marked: Shrine of Echoes – Divine Residue Detected. All participants required for entry.]
"I'm still not getting used to that voice."
"We will check it out."
The shrine wasn't far.
Half buried in rock and dry trees, it looked more like an old ruin than anything sacred. The entrance was blocked by a massive slab of stone carved with patterns Kaito's eyes could barely focus on.
But his system could.
[Recognized: Pre God fall Engravings. Access Requires Multi Bond Conduit Touch.]
"What the hell does that mean?" he asked.
Seren was already examining the symbols. "It means all three of us need to touch it. Skin contact."
Lyria raised a brow. "That sounds suspiciously like magic girl nonsense."
"Science," Seren corrected.
"I'm still not wearing a shirt," Kaito muttered.
"Convenient," Lyria grinned.
Kaito hesitated, but the system buzzed insistently.
[Please place palms on activation glyphs. Bonded participants only. Must maintain physical contact for five seconds.]
They stepped up together. Kaito placed his hand first.
Lyria's hand landed on his bare back.
Seren reached up and pressed her fingers to his side.
The slab lit up.
A sharp hum filled the air. Something ancient stirred beneath their feet.
"Always something under the ground never something beautiful."
[Initiating Sync. Shared Sensory Loop Resuming. Do not resist.]
And then it hit them.
Sensation surged through their bodies. Not pain. Not exactly pleasure either. Just raw power, wild and spinning, woven through emotions, memories and heat. You name it.
Kaito gasped as Lyria's heartbeat slammed into his chest. Seren's focused calm tangled in his breath.
They were one pulse. One loop.
And then the door opened.
Beyond it....
The shrine interior was cold. Not from lack of sun but from power that didn't belong in the mortal realm.
And the lack of sun too. In other words it was cold as sh*t and uncomfortable.
Glass shards littered the floor, scattered in a spiral around the spiral stone floor. Carvings stretched across the ceiling, fragments of scenes that felt like both old memory and dream. In the center, the statue stood tall.
Kaito's face. Older, bolder. A crown of flame. Hands open in benediction or judgment.
Mostly in power.
Seren stepped in first, voice low. "This place is a memory anchor. It's built to reflect the Architect's form."
Kaito's god form. Maybe*
Lyria stood beside Kaito, fingers brushing his. "That statue has your jawline. And your stupid brooding forehead."
"Wasn't stupid when you wanted to sit on it."
He replied with a wink.
I think she liked that.
[Error System Sync: Confirmed. Fragment Memory Active.]
The statue's eyes lit up with pale fire.
And then the floor beneath them cracked.
A surge of divine energy launched outward. Kaito stumbled back visions slamming through him:
Golden thrones. Voices shouting. Hands raised in accusation. Blood on marble.
His own voice, screaming, "They don't understand!"
Kaito dropped to his knees.
Lyria caught him. "Talk to me. Stay with me."
Seren knelt, placing a glowing hand on his back. "He's resonating. His divine identity is bleeding through."
The system flickered then roared.
[MEMORY FRAGMENT RESTORED: The Betrayal.]
[New Passive Skill Acquired: Divine Echo – Recall locked memories upon emotional stimuli.]
Kaito looked up, gasping. "They… tried to burned me. They called me a traitor."
Seren's face was pale with curiosity.
Lyria's grip on his hand tightened. "Then we make them regret it."
She is always ready to battle anything.
In the center of the shrine, something shifted. A pedestal rose, above it a glowing relic—a key etched with runes, ancient, older than language.
[SYSTEM UPDATE: Divine Pathway Unlocked – Tower of Silence Now Accessible.]
As the relic pulsed, the shrine began to collapse. Light exploded around them.
Seren grabbed Kaito. He was still confused.
Lyria drew her blade, always ready for battle.
They ran.
Outside, they collapsed into the sunlight.
Kaito stared at his hands.
"I don't think I bonded to the system by mistake," he whispered. "I think I am the system."