Chapter 270 – The Ones Who Came for the Core

Chapter 270 – The Ones Who Came for the Core
The circular door continued to grind open.
Ancient Ash rings rotated slowly, releasing waves of glowing dust into the air. Each movement sounded like mountains scraping together.
Nyra felt the Core shard in her chest pulse harder with every second.
Something inside that chamber was waking up.
Something powerful.
The Sentinel stepped forward, its massive body shifting to block the door.
“Containment breach imminent,” it declared.
“Emergency protocol engaged.”
The glowing symbols across its body ignited like fire spreading through stone.
Raze exhaled slowly.
“That thing looks like it’s about to go to war.”
Nyra didn’t answer.
Because the dark corridor behind them had begun to glow.
Footsteps echoed through the hidden layer.
Slow.
Confident.
Not the heavy thunder of monsters.
The steady approach of people who knew exactly where they were going.
Lira’s voice trembled.
“They’re here.”
Three figures stepped into the dim light.
Each of them carried powerful Ash signatures that instantly filled the corridor with pressure.
Nyra felt it like a storm pushing against her senses.
These were not ordinary Ashbearers.
The first figure was a tall woman wearing long black armor threaded with bright crimson Ash lines. Her eyes glowed faintly with the same color as the Containment Unit they had destroyed earlier.
The second was a broad man with silver hair and a long Ash blade resting across his shoulder.
The third figure walked slightly behind them, hooded and silent.
Raze narrowed his eyes.
“Well,” he muttered, “they don’t look friendly.”
The woman stepped forward, her gaze locking directly onto Nyra.
“So,” she said calmly.
“The Core bearer finally found the hidden layer.”
Nyra didn’t move.
“You knew about this place.”
The woman smiled slightly.
“Of course we did.”
Her eyes flicked briefly toward the partially opening door.
“And you did exactly what we hoped you would.”
Nyra’s stomach tightened.
“You followed us.”
“Not exactly,” the woman replied.
“We guided you.”
Raze scoffed.
“Let me guess. The traps, the containment units, the broken trials…”
The woman nodded.
“All part of the process.”
Nyra stepped forward slowly.
“You manipulated the Network.”
“Yes.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Lira stared at them in disbelief.
“But the Network is supposed to be controlled by the system itself.”
The silver-haired man laughed quietly.
“It used to be.”
He lifted his Ash blade and rested it against his shoulder again.
“But systems can be… influenced.”
Nyra felt anger rising inside her.
“Why?”
The woman’s eyes shifted toward the massive door.
“Because the Architects made a mistake.”
The Sentinel’s glowing eyes flared brightly.
“Warning: Hostile intent detected.”
The woman glanced at the guardian with mild amusement.
“You’ve been guarding that prison for thousands of years.”
“Don’t you ever get tired?”
The Sentinel stepped forward.
“Leave this layer immediately.”
“Containment must remain sealed.”
The woman shook her head.
“No.”
Her crimson Ash energy ignited around her body.
“We’re here to open it.”
Raze rolled his shoulders.
“I was afraid you’d say that.”
Nyra’s Ash flared beside him.
“You don’t even know what’s inside.”
The hooded figure finally spoke for the first time.
A soft voice.
Cold.
“We know exactly what’s inside.”
The figure lifted their hood.
Nyra’s eyes widened slightly.
The person beneath it looked strangely calm, almost peaceful.
“In fact,” the hooded stranger continued, “our ancestors helped seal it.”
Nyra frowned.
“Then why release it now?”
The woman’s smile widened.
“Because the world has changed.”
She gestured toward the Network around them.
“The Architects built this prison because they feared the entity beyond that door.”
“But fear isn’t always wisdom.”
The circular gate behind the Sentinel opened another few inches.
A deep rumble echoed from within.
Lira stepped closer to Nyra.
“I don’t like this.”
Nyra didn’t either.
The Core shard inside her chest felt unstable now.
Like two opposing forces were pulling at it.
The woman raised her hand slowly.
Crimson Ash spiraled around her fingers.
“We only need one more Core signature to unlock the final seal.”
Her eyes locked on Nyra.
“And you’re going to give it to us.”
Raze raised his blade instantly.
“That’s not happening.”
The silver-haired man stepped forward.
“Then we’ll take it.”
The Sentinel moved between them.
“Hostile conflict detected.”
“Containment protocol engaged.”
The guardian’s massive fists slammed into the ground.
Ash energy exploded outward, forming a barrier across the chamber.
But the woman didn’t even flinch.
She simply smiled.
Then she snapped her fingers.
The ground beneath the Sentinel cracked.
Red Ash chains erupted from the floor, wrapping around the giant guardian’s legs and arms.
The Sentinel roared as it struggled against the restraints.
Nyra’s eyes widened.
“They’re controlling the system.”
The silver-haired man grinned.
“Not controlling.”
“Rewriting.”
The circular door behind them opened further.
A violent wave of dark Ash energy burst from the chamber beyond.
The entire hidden layer shook.
Raze looked back at the opening gate.
“Whatever’s inside there,” he muttered, “it’s definitely waking up.”
Nyra clenched her fists as power surged through her Core.
The battle lines had been drawn.
The mysterious Core bearers stepped forward.
The Sentinel fought to break free from its chains.
And behind the ancient gate…
Something enormous began to stir.