The corridor to the Architect's true core stretched ahead like an endless spiral of fractured light and geometry. Every step Sarah took reverberated through the Origin Layer, each pulse of her Proto-Ascension resonating against the walls of conceptual energy that twisted and warped around them. The remnants of the Architect Prime's fractured form lingered behind—a warning, a testament, a map of what awaited.
Lilith Fragment hovered at Sarah's side, her spectral form flickering with analytical intensity.
"This is the pre-final corridor. It is a convergence of all defensive protocols, both systemic and conceptual. Every misstep could destabilize your Proto-Ascension."
Rias adjusted her stance, pressing firmly to Sarah's back. "Then we move as one. Every heartbeat, every micro-motion—perfect synchrony."
Akeno's fingers traced along Sarah's arm, igniting controlled pulses of Desire that sharpened perception. "I like the way it's shaping up. Nothing tests us like a real challenge."
Koneko's steady hands pressed to Sarah's sides. "Focus on balance. We hold you steady if the system tries to tear you apart."
Rossweisse's runes glimmered, forming stabilizing vectors around the group. "Gravity shifts, temporal anomalies, and conceptual distortion fields are already active. We adapt in real time."
Xenovia's sword sliced faintly through space, testing for latent traps. "We clear the way. No obstacle will catch us off guard."
The corridor shifted abruptly. Floors rotated, walls folded inward and outward, and gravity vectors twisted with each passing second. Shadows of conceptual sentinels emerged—sharp, angular, and imbued with pure system energy designed to test every vector of the Proto-Ascension.
Sarah exhaled sharply, letting the harem's contact flow through her lattice. Her eyes burned with layered crimson-lilac intensity.
"Formation Omega-Zero. Engage."
The first sentinel struck, a blur of pure logic and force. Its blades sliced the air, attempting to sever Proto-Ascension channels. Sarah's aura flared; she pivoted precisely, every step modulated by her harem's collective rhythm. Rias reinforced her spine vector, Akeno added controlled Desire pulses, Koneko absorbed kinetic surges, Rossweisse redirected conceptual energy, and Xenovia cut through the sentinel with fluid arcs of force.
The sentinel dissolved, leaving only fragments of algorithmic light.
Lilith Fragment's voice was sharp:
"They are testing your reaction to simultaneous threat vectors. Phase 4 Proto-Ascension can handle it—but do not allow overextension."
The corridor now split into multiple parallel paths, each filled with new sentinel formations, collapsing geometry, and alternating fields of gravity. Each pulse threatened to destabilize Sarah's conceptual framework.
Rossweisse's voice cut through the chaos: "We synchronize the lattices. Every interaction counts. Do not let them isolate you."
Akeno's whisper carried a playful undertone, despite the tension: "Let's show them what unity really looks like."
Koneko's grip tightened. "Stay centered. Let the system flow through us, not against us."
Sarah's Proto-Ascension flared outward, crimson-lilac energy coiling around her, connecting to each harem member. Every touch, every heartbeat amplified her offensive potential. Every glance, every synchronized motion reinforced her stability.
The next wave of sentinels emerged—faster, sharper, each one responding to Sarah's previous movements. They adapted, predicting her rhythm, trying to exploit gaps in the lattice.
"Predictive counters," Lilith Fragment noted. "They analyze desire patterns, not just physical movement. You must be unpredictable."
Sarah's lips curved slightly. "Then we'll write our own code."
She shifted, every micro-movement a weapon. Her Proto-Ascension surged in controlled waves. Each strike, each pulse of emotional resonance, dismantled sentinel formations before they could fully react. The corridor trembled under the synchronized output of six perfect vectors amplified by one unstoppable core.
Rias pressed firmly against her back. "It's working. The corridor itself is reacting to us. Our unity rewrites its system."
Akeno added, teeth flashing in a grin, "I love it when the system bends to desire."
Koneko steadied Sarah's legs against a sudden gravity shift. Rossweisse neutralized a field attempting to compress time. Xenovia cleaved through a conceptual barrier attempting to block the path.
The final sentinel of the approach phase, massive and angular, emerged. It pulsed with the essence of the Architect's true logic. This one was not just a test—it was a prelude to the core.
Sarah exhaled. Her Proto-Ascension expanded, coiling around the sentinel like liquid fire. Every heartbeat from her harem amplified the lattice, every pulse of Desire became a precise vector of destruction.
Lilith Fragment's voice was sharp, almost fierce:
"Do not hesitate. This is your pre-final calibration. One strike can destabilize the path, one failure could force Phase 3 regression."
Sarah's eyes narrowed. She surged forward. Her lattice, fully stabilized, unbound, and synchronized, struck the sentinel. The corridor itself vibrated with the force, geometry warping around the impact.
The sentinel shattered into cascading shards of pure system energy. The corridor straightened, its converging path now clear and stable.
Rias smiled, her hand still pressed to Sarah's back. "The path is open. The Architect's core is ahead."
Akeno traced her fingers along Sarah's arm. "Ready for the pre-final confrontation?"
Sarah's gaze hardened. "Always. Let's finish this… together."
The Origin Layer trembled. The path to the Architect's true core stretched infinitely ahead, lined with both danger and promise. Beyond it awaited the pre-final test of Proto-Ascension—where emotion, desire, system, and identity would be pushed to the edge before the ultimate confrontation.