Civilization Graveyard, the ruins of the Ruined Tower.
The gray "Eraser" spread like stagnant water. Wherever it passed, existence was diluted into nothingness.
The dark-red Taotie had already materialized thirty thousand units away-a devouring behemoth as massive as an asteroid, its body covered in eye-like organs dripping acid.
From the third party, the radiance of order abruptly solidified.
A spindle-shaped ship woven from chains of causality squeezed out of the gap between dimensions. The lament of civilizations flowed across its hull. There was neither greed nor deathly stillness, only-
"Attachment."
"Signature database match!" Order's Dawn exclaimed in horror. "Ninety-one percent similarity to the Shadow of Paradox's escape protocol! That's a projection of its true body!"
Lin Ye's pupils narrowed slightly.
The self-proclaimed neutral observer had entered the fray in person.
"Tuner." The Shadow of Paradox's icy thought rang out. "The conflict of rules you triggered exceeded expectations. The obsession with guardianship contained in the Dreamweaver's Echo is the most perfect Contradiction Anchor in my entire history of observation."
"Here to steal it?"
"To witness how it blooms in a three-way hunt." The projection rippled faintly. "Survive, and you will qualify to become keys. Otherwise-it will nourish my essence."
Lin Ye smiled, cold as the abyss.
"While two sides fight, a third reaps the spoils."
He turned toward the Ruined Tower. Silver-white and dark-gold patterns intertwined into a symbiotic structure, and purple-gold light was taking shape at its core-a newborn flame born from the collision of two civilizations' embers.
"Fusion at eighty-seven percent!" Order's Dawn reported urgently. "Taotie will enter attack range in fifty seconds! The Eraser will cover this area in seventy seconds! The Paradox projection is already setting up an observation cage!"
Fifty seconds.
Lin Ye swept his gaze across the squad. Radiant Stilllight's armor was shattered, the core