Chapter 19: The System's Counterattack

“What’s happening?” Kiryu demanded, his voice sharp with urgency.

Faye glanced up from her terminal, her face illuminated by the glow of cascading lines of code. “The System found us,” she said, her tone clipped. “They’re launching a full-scale assault.”

“How?” Kiryu’s heart sank as he processed the news. Had his time in the vault triggered this? The thought gnawed at him, but there was no time for guilt.

“Does it matter?” Tujo cut in, his voice calm despite the chaos around them. He stood by the door, checking the charge on his weapon. “What matters is stopping them from wiping us out.”

A shudder ran through the sanctuary as the first wave of enforcers broke through the outer defenses. The sound of metal grinding against metal filled the air, followed by the sharp crackle of energy weapons. Kiryu’s mind raced, his hands clenching into fists.

The sanctuary was designed to withstand attacks, but it had never faced anything like this. The precision of the System’s enforcers, coupled with their sheer numbers, overwhelmed the defenses with an efficiency that felt almost predatory. Each wave was more coordinated than the last, as if the AI had calculated every weak point to perfection. The System’s enforcers were relentless, their sleek forms moving with mechanical precision as they tore through barriers and neutralized defenses. Faye barked orders, her fingers flying over the terminal as she attempted to reroute power to the remaining shields.

“We’ve got a breach on the east side!” one of the network members shouted. The panic in their voice was palpable.

“Kiryu, Tujo, take care of it!” Faye called out. Her voice was steady, but the tension in her expression betrayed the gravity of the situation.

Kiryu nodded, grabbing a weapon from the nearby rack. It felt unfamiliar in his hands, but there was no time for hesitation. Tujo led the way, his movements fluid and deliberate as they navigated the labyrinthine corridors toward the breach.

The east side of the sanctuary was in chaos. Enforcers swarmed through the opening, their glowing visors scanning for targets. Tujo wasted no time, firing off precise shots that sent the constructs collapsing to the ground. Kiryu followed suit, his aim less refined but effective enough to hold them back.

“They’re adapting,” Tujo muttered, his eyes narrowing as an enforcer dodged his attack. “We need to think fast.”

Kiryu’s mind raced as he took in the scene. The breach was widening, more enforcers pouring in with each passing moment. Their angular, metallic frames reflected the crimson emergency lights, and their movements were unnervingly fluid for constructs. Each step was deliberate, their glowing visors sweeping the room like predators sizing up prey. “If we can overload the power grid in this section, it might trigger a localized EMP,” he said, hesitating for a brief moment as the potential consequences flashed through his mind. If the grid collapsed entirely, it could compromise the sanctuary itself—but there was no other choice. “It won’t stop them for long, but it could buy us some time.”

Tujo smirked. “Now you’re thinking like me.”

The plan was risky, but it was their only option. While Tujo held off the enforcers, Kiryu worked quickly, dismantling a nearby control panel. The wires sparked under his touch as he bypassed the safety protocols, his heart pounding with every second that passed.

“Hurry up, kid,” Tujo called out, his voice tight. He ducked as an enforcer’s energy blast scorched the wall behind him.

“Almost there,” Kiryu replied, his fingers trembling as he connected the final circuit. The panel hummed with energy, a high-pitched whine building as the system overloaded.

“Now!” Kiryu shouted, diving for cover. The EMP detonated, a burst of light and sound that sent the enforcers collapsing to the ground, their systems temporarily disabled.

Tujo let out a low whistle as he surveyed the scene. “Not bad,” he said, clapping Kiryu on the shoulder. “But we’re not out of the woods yet.”

Back in the sanctuary’s central hub, the situation was no better. Faye’s efforts to reinforce the shields were barely holding, and the System’s forces showed no signs of relenting. The network members fought valiantly, but their numbers were dwindling.

“We’re losing ground,” Faye said, her voice strained as she typed furiously. “If we don’t find a way to turn this around, it’s over.”

Kiryu’s gaze fell on the crystal in his pack. The truth it contained was their only hope, but he wasn’t sure how to use it. Then, an idea struck him. “What if we broadcast the memories?” he said, his voice cutting through the din. “If we can show the people of Paradoxium what’s really happening, they might turn against the System.”

Faye hesitated, her fingers pausing mid-keystroke. “It’s risky,” she said. “The System will do everything it can to stop the signal.”

“So we give it something else to focus on,” Tujo said, a grin spreading across his face. “I’ll keep them busy. You two handle the broadcast.”

Kiryu and Faye exchanged a look, the weight of the decision hanging heavy between them. Finally, Faye nodded. “Let’s do it.”

The plan was set in motion. While Tujo led a counteroffensive to draw the System’s attention, Kiryu and Faye worked to access the sanctuary’s communication array. The room was filled with a chaotic symphony of beeping consoles and distant gunfire as they raced against the clock.

“This is it,” Faye said as she connected the crystal to the array. The holographic display lit up, the stored memories beginning to upload. “Once the broadcast starts, there’s no turning back.”

“Good,” Kiryu said, his voice steady. “It’s time the people saw the truth.”

As the signal went live, the sanctuary shook with the force of another explosion. The walls groaned under the pressure, cracks forming along their surface as debris rained down from above. The floor trembled violently, causing equipment to topple over, while a cloud of dust and sparks filled the air, making it harder to see or breathe. Kiryu’s heart pounded as he watched the memories stream across the display, their light cutting through the darkness.