The wind howled as Harold moved.
Not running.
Not flying.
The air itself bent around him as the five Pillars surged through his body like living currents. Sand lifted into spirals beneath his feet before exploding outward with every step.
Storm moved beside him as a streak of lightning.
The Frost host traveled across a growing path of ice that formed beneath him with every stride.
Three Sovereign hosts crossing continents.
Three pillars of the new world racing toward a predator.
Above them, the white network threads stretched across the sky like veins of light.
But now several were dim.
Two more had vanished completely.
Inside Harold's mindscape, the Devourer's ocean churned violently.
"He continues feeding."
The Monkey King twirled his staff impatiently.
"Then we stop him before he turns into something ugly."
The Sovereign Colossus rumbled deeply.
"Energy accumulation approaching unstable threshold."
Unity pulsed with concern.
"Every host he consumes weakens the distributed network."
Harold clenched his jaw.
"Then we end it before the trial collapses."
The Counter-Sovereign whispered quietly behind them.
"Caution."
Harold frowned.
"Why?"
"Predator evolution detected."
The Ruined Megacity
Three hours later, the horizon changed.
The desert faded.
Concrete skeletons rose.
Collapsed towers clawed at the sky like broken teeth.
The ruins of an old megacity stretched for miles.
And at its center—
Something massive moved.
Storm slowed mid-air.
"…That's not normal."
Harold stopped beside her.
Even the Frost host halted.
Because the Titan they had sensed earlier…
Had grown.
It towered above the broken skyscrapers now.
Nearly two hundred meters tall.
Its body constantly shifted—fire spreading across one arm, ice forming claws on the other, lightning flashing through torn wings.
And beneath it all—
Darkness.
A black core devouring everything around it.
The Devourer's ocean recoiled.
"Impossible."
The Monkey King whistled.
"Okay yeah… that's bad."
The Frost host's voice turned grim.
"He has devoured at least six hosts."
Storm clenched her fists.
"Seven."
Harold felt it too.
Seven threads gone.
Seven Titans consumed.
Seven pillars twisted into one monstrous evolution.
Then the Titan stopped moving.
Slowly…
It turned.
Because its master had sensed them.
Standing on a broken highway beneath the Titan was a single man.
Tall.
Relaxed.
Smiling.
His eyes glowed with fractured Titan energy—colors constantly shifting.
When he spoke, his voice echoed through the ruined city.
"So you're the famous one."
Harold stepped forward slowly.
"You've been killing hosts."
The man tilted his head.
"Killing?"
He laughed softly.
"I'm evolving."
Storm growled.
"You're destabilizing the entire network!"
The man shrugged.
"The network is weak."
Behind him, the massive Titan shifted like a living nightmare.
"Why share power…"
His smile widened.
"…when you can take it?"
Inside Harold's mindscape, the Monkey King slammed his staff down.
"Alright. I hate this guy."
The Devourer's ocean roared.
"Predator confirmed."
The Sovereign Colossus ignited.
"Engagement required."
Unity dimmed slightly.
"Attempt communication first."
Harold raised his voice.
"If you keep devouring hosts, the True Sovereign will end the trial."
The man chuckled.
"Good."
Storm blinked.
"…What?"
The man looked up at the sky.
"If the trial ends, only one Sovereign will remain."
His glowing eyes returned to Harold.
"Me."
Silence fell across the battlefield.
Even the wind stopped.
Then the Devourer whispered inside Harold's mind.
"He intends singular ascension."
The Monkey King cracked his knuckles.
"Well then."
Storm's lightning exploded around her.
"Let's shut him down."
The Frost host raised his hand.
Ice storms began forming instantly.
But the devouring host didn't move.
Instead…
He smiled wider.
"Finally."
Behind him—
The monstrous Titan roared.
And its body changed again.
Fire surged brighter.
Ice hardened like armor.
Lightning wings expanded.
Darkness swallowed the ground.
The Titan grew another thirty meters in seconds.
Storm stared in disbelief.
"He's still evolving?!"
The Devourer answered grimly.
"Every host he consumes accelerates adaptation."
The Monkey King muttered:
"If he eats one more Titan…"
The Sovereign Colossus finished the thought.
"He may surpass planetary limits."
Harold stepped forward.
His aura ignited fully.
Five Pillars erupted behind him.
Golden fire.
Endless ocean.
Molten earth.
Radiant unity.
And the silent balance of the Counter-Sovereign.
The devouring host's smile faded slightly.
For the first time—
He looked interested.
"So it's true."
His Titan leaned forward.
"You're the anomaly."
Harold's voice remained calm.
"And you're the mistake."
The man laughed loudly.
"Perfect."
The Titan slammed its foot down.
The entire city shook.
Lightning exploded across the sky.
The devouring host pointed directly at Harold.
"Let's see which future wins."
Inside Harold's mindscape—
The Monkey King grinned wildly.
"Finally!"
The Devourer surged like a tidal wave.
"Predator clash."
The Sovereign Colossus roared.
"Planetary engagement."
Unity pulsed brightly.
"Protect the network."
The Counter-Sovereign whispered softly.
"Balance begins."
Harold's eyes ignited with amber and white light.
The devouring Titan lunged forward.
And the battle that would decide the fate of distributed sovereignty…
Finally began.