Chapter 65 — The Third Anchor

Ashen Ridge looked different from the last time Kael had entered it.

The ruined battlefield remained.

Broken weapons were still buried in the gray earth.

Ancient armor fragments lay among shattered stone.

The remains of the Ashen Warforged's territory had not recovered.

But something had changed.

The silence was gone.

Kael could feel mana moving beneath the ground.

Not natural mana.

Foreign mana.

The third anchor was active.

The Verdant Gale Warden hovered above him.

Its silver eyes scanned the ruins.

“The structure is below us.”

Kael activated Network Sense.

The entire Ashen territory appeared inside his mind.

The outer paths were damaged.

The old territory network was mostly dormant.

But beneath the ruins—

a black structure had been inserted directly into one of the deepest junctions.

Kael stared.

“There.”

The Warden descended.

“How far?”

Kael pointed downward.

“Twenty-three meters.”

The Warden frowned.

“That isn't the original junction.”

Kael looked at it.

“What do you mean?”

“They dug around it.”

Kael's expression hardened.

“They knew exactly where the original node was.”

“Yes.”

“They've been studying the Ashen territory.”

The Warden nodded.

“Which means whoever installed the first two anchors understood the original structure.”

Kael looked at the ruined remains of the Ashen Warforged.

That wasn't a coincidence.

The enemy hadn't merely chosen Ashen Ridge because it was convenient.

They had chosen it because this territory contained something important.

Kael crouched.

He touched the ground.

Metal Sense.

Nothing.

The anchor wasn't metal alone.

He switched to Network Sense.

A black pulse.

Then Darven Authority.

The structure became visible.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“There's something inside the anchor.”

The Warden looked down.

“A core?”

“No.”

Kael studied the signal.

“An identity.”

Kael didn't immediately attack the anchor.

He first mapped the surrounding network.

There were six ancient junctions.

Two had been destroyed long ago.

One had collapsed when the Ashen Warforged died.

The remaining three surrounded the hidden anchor.

Kael smiled.

“They've built a defensive formation.”

The Warden looked at him.

“Can you break it?”

“Yes.”

“Then do it.”

Kael shook his head.

“Not yet.”

The Warden tilted its head.

“Why?”

“Because breaking it from the outside will alert whoever is controlling it.”

Kael pointed toward the central ruin.

“They expect an attack.”

He looked at the network.

“So I won't give them one.”

Kael opened his Space Ring.

He removed several thin metal markers.

Not the heavy ones he used in combat.

These were smaller.

Designed for detection.

He placed them around the ruins.

One.

Two.

Three.

Then six.

He connected them with nearly invisible mana threads.

Network Sense.

The six markers lit up.

Kael watched the flow.

The enemy had built the anchor in the center.

But its power wasn't coming from the center.

It was drawing from the surrounding junctions.

Three active.

Three inactive.

Kael smiled.

“The defense isn't protecting the anchor.”

The Warden looked at him.

“Then what is it protecting?”

“The flow.”

Kael pointed toward the three active junctions.

“They're using these to hide the anchor's real function.”

“What is it?”

Kael zoomed in mentally.

He saw black energy entering the anchor.

Then being divided.

One stream entered the network.

One stream moved downward.

A third stream—

disappeared.

Kael frowned.

“That's strange.”

The Warden descended.

“What?”

“There's a fourth output.”

“Where?”

“I don't know.”

Kael increased his perception.

The signal disappeared.

Then reappeared.

Not in the network.

Not underground.

Somewhere—

outside the territory.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“The anchor is transmitting data.”

“To whom?”

“Someone beyond the network.”

The Warden became silent.

Kael smiled faintly.

“Now I know how they coordinate without staying here.”

Kael changed the markers.

Instead of tracking the anchor—

he tracked the hidden transmission.

The moment the next black pulse appeared—

Kael followed it.

The signal traveled west.

Then north.

Then—

stopped.

Kael's eyes widened.

“It ends here.”

The Warden looked around.

Nothing.

Kael activated Metal Sense.

Still nothing.

Then he used Network Sense again.

A faint signature appeared beneath one ruined building.

Kael crouched.

“There.”

He removed a section of broken stone.

Beneath it was a small metallic chamber.

Inside—

another device.

Smaller than the anchor.

A communication relay.

Kael stared.

“So the real controller doesn't need to be near the anchor.”

The Warden nodded.

“Can you disable it?”

“Yes.”

Kael reached out.

Then stopped.

“Wait.”

The relay had no foreign network connection.

That meant—

it wasn't receiving orders.

It was sending information.

Kael's expression hardened.

Someone was watching the Ashen territory in real time.

Maybe watching Kael.

He looked at the device.

“Let's send something back.”

Kael rebuilt the relay.

Not physically.

Through Metal Control.

He altered one internal component.

Just enough to make it believe the network was sending a normal report.

Then he created false information.

Administrator absent.

Eastern section unstable.

Fourth Path incomplete.

Ashen Anchor undisturbed.

He sent the message.

The relay pulsed.

Once.

Twice.

Then—

a response arrived.

Kael's expression changed.

There was no message.

Only coordinates.

Coordinates he recognized.

The mountain.

More specifically—

the deepest chamber.

Kael stared.

“The controller is there.”

The Warden looked toward the mountain.

“Darian?”

Kael shook his head.

“No.”

“How do you know?”

“Darian wouldn't need coordinates.”

Kael looked at the relay.

“This is coming from someone who isn't sure where he is.”

The Warden's expression became serious.

“So another group is involved.”

Kael nodded.

“Three.”

The relay pulsed again.

A second coordinate.

Ashen Ridge.

Kael stared.

Then—

a third.

The eastern territory.

The enemy wasn't coordinating from one location.

They were coordinating across the network.

Three operations.

Three targets.

And Kael had just interrupted one.

The ground shook.

Kael immediately turned.

A black pulse surged through the ruins.

The hidden anchor had detected the altered relay.

The three surrounding junctions activated simultaneously.

THOOM!

The entire Ashen Ridge lit up.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“We've been discovered.”

The Warden spread its wings.

“How long?”

Kael activated Network Sense.

“Twenty seconds.”

The Warden looked at him.

“Until what?”

Kael's expression hardened.

“Until the anchor enters full activation.”

The System appeared.

[Foreign Network Anchor.]

[Activation: 78%.]

[Rapid synchronization detected.]

[External Command detected.]

Kael didn't hesitate.

“I'm going underground.”

The Warden followed.

Kael tore through the stone using Metal Control.

The deeper he went—

the hotter the ground became.

Black mana filled the tunnels.

The anchor appeared.

It was enormous.

Much larger than the first two.

A thick black column surrounded a rotating core.

Three massive rings circled it.

Each ring carried different symbols.

Kael recognized them.

The first represented territory.

The second represented authority.

The third—

the seal.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“This anchor isn't just opening a pathway.”

The Warden stared.

“What is it doing?”

Kael looked at the third ring.

“It's trying to make the network believe the foreign entity belongs here.”

The Warden's expression changed.

“That would bypass the territorial rejection.”

“And give it administrator access.”

“Yes.”

Kael stepped forward.

“Then we can't destroy it.”

The Warden nodded.

“Because the backlash would damage the network.”

Kael smiled.

“Exactly.”

He removed AR-04.

The Warden looked at him.

“What are you thinking?”

“Changing its identity.”

Kael approached the anchor.

The black metal reacted immediately.

[Administrator detected.]

[Foreign structure resisting authority.]

Kael placed his palm against it.

The resistance was enormous.

His bloodline burned.

The anchor was trying to identify him as hostile.

Kael didn't force it.

He studied the structure.

Three rings.

Three functions.

The outer ring regulated territorial authority.

The middle ring handled network access.

The inner ring—

Kael's expression changed.

The inner ring was carrying a copied version of his Administrator signature.

He recognized it immediately.

His own crimson pattern.

Corrupted.

Twisted.

But unmistakably his.

“They've been using my copied authority here.”

The Warden's eyes narrowed.

“Then remove it.”

Kael shook his head.

“No.”

“What?”

Kael smiled.

“I'll replace it.”

Kael activated Darven Authority.

Crimson energy entered the outer ring.

The anchor resisted.

Kael didn't push harder.

Instead, he matched its frequency.

Then altered it.

A fraction.

The black ring flickered.

Kael continued.

[Foreign Administrator Signature detected.]

[Identity conflict.]

[Resolving.]

Kael's bloodline surged.

The copied signature began collapsing.

The anchor shook.

[Original Administrator Signature verified.]

Kael's eyes widened.

The structure was recognizing him.

Not as a component.

Not as a target.

As an administrator.

He continued.

The middle ring changed.

The foreign command pathway began closing.

The black signal weakened.

[External control: 81% → 63%.]

Kael pushed harder.

51%.

36%.

Then—

[External control rejected.]

Kael smiled.

The third ring began turning.

But something was wrong.

The seal ring wasn't disconnecting.

It was opening.

Kael froze.

“No.”

The inner ring had a separate function.

The anchor wasn't only trying to connect the foreign entity to the network.

It was using the copied authority to reach the Ancient Seal.

The Warden shouted:

“Kael!”

“I see it!”

The inner ring activated.

A black thread shot downward.

Kael grabbed it with Metal Control.

The thread resisted.

The entire chamber shook.

THOOM!

Kael's feet slid backward.

His arms trembled.

The Warden joined him.

Green energy wrapped around the black thread.

Together they held it.

The System flashed.

[Ancient Seal interference detected.]

[Seal Integrity: 78%.]

Then—

77%.

Kael gritted his teeth.

“It's already dropping!”

The Warden pushed harder.

“Sever the inner ring!”

“I can't!”

“Why?”

“Because the moment I sever it, the backlash will go directly into the seal!”

The Warden stared.

Then understood.

They needed another path.

Kael's eyes moved across the anchor.

Outer ring.

Middle ring.

Inner ring.

Then—

the three Territory Lord cores.

He had saved their remaining fragments.

Not much.

But enough.

Kael smiled.

“Of course.”

The Warden looked at him.

“What?”

“Redirect the backlash.”

Kael opened his Space Ring.

The remnants of the Blackthorn, Ironhide and Ashen cores appeared.

He placed them around the anchor.

One.

Two.

Three.

The cores reacted.

The anchor screamed.

Kael activated Metal Control.

The three cores connected to the outer ring.

Then—

the middle.

The black energy began flowing into the dead Lords' remnants.

The Ashen Core absorbed the most.

It recognized the network.

It had once been part of it.

The Ironhide Core absorbed the kinetic pressure.

The Blackthorn Core absorbed the territorial mana.

Kael's eyes widened.

“Their specializations are still inside them.”

The Warden understood.

“They can each take a different portion.”

Kael smiled.

“Exactly.”

He redirected the three energy types.

Territory.

Kinetic pressure.

Network authority.

The inner ring weakened.

The pressure against the seal decreased.

[Seal Integrity: 77%.]

Then—

78%.

Kael's eyes widened.

It was recovering.

The Warden stared.

“You reversed it.”

Kael gritted his teeth.

“Not yet.”

He pushed.

The three cores cracked.

CRACK.

The anchor shook.

CRACK.

The cores were almost destroyed.

But the inner ring finally disconnected.

The black thread vanished.

The entire chamber became silent.

Then—

[Foreign Network Anchor disabled.]

[Third Access Point: Rejected.]

Kael exhaled.

The three Territory Lord Cores shattered.

Their last traces of energy disappeared.

Kael looked at the fragments.

“They're gone.”

The Warden nodded.

“They served their purpose.”

The System appeared.

[Foreign Network synchronization: 2/3.]

[Third anchor disabled.]

[Threat to Ancient Seal reduced.]

Then—

[Fourth Path restoration condition updated.]

Kael stared.

[Required external access points: 0/3]

[Foreign pathways: Severed.]

[Section IV restoration now possible.]

Kael's eyes widened.

The enemy had accidentally given him an opening.

By disabling the third anchor—

he had removed the last barrier preventing restoration.

But another notification appeared.

[Warning.]

[Section IV remains directly connected to Ancient Sealed Entity.]

[Restoration may increase entity awareness.]

Kael looked toward the Warden.

“We're ready.”

The Warden shook its head.

“No.”

Kael frowned.

“What?”

“You are closer than ever.”

“But?”

The Warden looked toward the mountain.

“You still haven't answered the most important question.”

Kael stared.

“Which is?”

“What happens if restoring the Fourth Path gives the Administrator complete access to the Core?”

Kael went silent.

He didn't know.

And that was the problem.

He had learned to prepare before fighting monsters.

Now he had to prepare before changing an ancient system.

Kael slowly looked at the three shattered Territory Lord Cores.

Then the disabled anchor.

Then his katana.

Finally—

toward the mountain.

“I'll find out first.”

The Warden looked at him.

“How?”

Kael smiled.

“By asking someone who has already touched the Core.”

Kael looked at the communication relay.

The signal was still alive.

He picked it up.

Then activated his Administrator signature.

Crimson energy entered the device.

The relay reacted.

A connection opened.

Kael spoke.

“Darian.”

Silence.

Then—

a familiar voice answered.

“You disabled the third anchor.”

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“You were watching.”

“Of course.”

“You know what the Core does.”

A pause.

“More than you.”

Kael's expression hardened.

“Then tell me.”

Darian laughed softly.

“No.”

Kael expected that.

“What do you want?”

“You keep asking the wrong question.”

“Then give me the right one.”

Silence.

Then—

“Ask me why our father sent you here.”

Kael froze.

“Our father?”

Darian continued.

“You still believe your father merely escaped with the inheritance.”

Kael's heartbeat increased.

“What are you saying?”

The connection became unstable.

Darian's voice faded.

“Meet me at the mountain.”

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“When?”

“Before you complete the Fourth Path.”

The connection ended.

Kael stared at the relay.

The Guardian's expression became serious.

“You're going.”

Kael nodded.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Kael looked toward the mountain.

“Because Darian just gave me the first question I've been afraid to ask.”

“What question?”

Kael's grip tightened around his katana.

“Why did my father really send me here?”

Far beneath the mountain—

the Ancient Sealed Entity opened its eye.

And this time, it whispered something Kael had never heard before.

“Don't trust either brother.”

Then—

another voice answered from even deeper below.

“There are more than two.”