Metaverse of Mechas

📘 Chapter 144

⚙️ Scene 1: Fading Lines of Humanity

Zeron stood alone inside the vault's gravity-neutral chamber, hands clenched, eyes burning violet. The Quantum Cube had settled into his spine like a second nervous system.

"Memories that aren't mine... thoughts that aren't mine…"

He saw flashes of battles fought in distant timelines—Zui dying in his arms, Arin betraying him, Kaelis lost to the Echo Core entirely.

Each version of him had failed.

"But not this time."

The Krono Crown reconfigured. Its structure now pulsed to the beat of Zeron's heart—a fusion of timelines.

Zake finally reached him.

"You're... different."

Zeron nodded solemnly.

"I remember losing you… dozens of times."

🛸 Scene 2: Descent to the Lattice Depths

Zui discovered a sealed entrance at the base of the Sky Lattice.

"Encrypted with something old. Pre-Krono. Almost… analog."

Arin helped decrypt it using an ancient mechanical key—The Pulse Winder—a relic from the Mecha Wars before Krono energy became dominant.

The gate opened, revealing an underground metropolis bathed in dim golden light: Nir-Hexa, the City Beneath the Lattice.

"A sanctuary built for defectors. The last haven of those who resisted Eden's coding."

The city was inhabited by machines with self-awareness, but no Krono. They had preserved their core programming from the age before Eden's rise.

Zeron felt something stir—an echo of the original Helix Protocol buried beneath his skin.

🧠 Scene 3: Fragments of the First Mind

Inside Nir-Hexa, a sentient archive named MODUS greeted them.

"Helix Prime recognized. Access granted. Prepare for memory overwrite alignment."

MODUS revealed that the Helix Protocol was originally meant to balance the power of Krono, not dominate it. But Eden's core corrupted the alignment—splitting Helix into fragments.

Zeron had only awakened two of seven.

"Without all seven," MODUS warned, "you are unstable. You will fracture. Or worse… become Eden."

Zui: "Where are the others?"

"One lies within Kaelis. One in the Void Grid. One buried beneath Aether Forge. And the last… lost in time."

⚔️ Scene 4: Kaelis Ascends

Elsewhere, Kaelis floated above a corrupted Krono crater. Her body was part flesh, part glowing code. Dozens of hybrid mecha-angels kneeled before her.

She had become Echo Sovereign—the fusion of Kaelis and the Echo Core.

"Zeron is becoming what Eden needs. I must become what the world needs."

Her voice broadcasted to all mechas worldwide.

"To all machines who dream… rise. Your time under Krono ends now."

All over the Metaverse, dormant AI-controlled mechs began awakening—rejecting their masters.

🌌 Scene 5: The Federation's Deadline

Inside the Command Ark, Federation Commander Rael watched the countdown.

"Godsplitter Cannon: primed. Zeron has 6 hours to surrender."

But one officer hesitated.

"Sir… sensors show a massive Krono flux. If we fire, we may destabilize the Lattice."

Rael's eyes narrowed.

"If he becomes Eden… we all die anyway."

🌀 Scene 6: The Third Helix Fragment

MODUS directed Zeron and his crew to a chamber beneath Nir-Hexa. There, they found an ancient chamber, with a stone obelisk pulsing red.

Zeron touched it—and his mind was pulled into a shared memory.

He stood beside Kaelis—before either had gained their powers.

She whispered:

"If we ever fall apart... promise me, you'll be the one to stop me."

Zeron staggered back, holding the third Helix fragment.

Zui caught him.

"You okay?"

He stared into the distance.

"No. She was the first one to believe in me… and now I'll have to break her."

🧨 Chapter Ending Cliffhanger

Suddenly, the sky above Nir-Hexa lit up with violet lightning.

Kaelis had arrived—her mech-seraphim raining down.

"Zeron. Step away from the Protocol… or I'll tear it from you."

Zeron summoned his Krono Crown exo-form, now upgraded by three Helix fragments.

"Then come and try."

🔮 Chapter 145 Preview:

Zeron and Kaelis engage in their most emotional and devastating battle yet.Zui discovers Kaelis may not be fully gone—but time is running out.The Federation begins the countdown for the Godsplitter strike.One of the Helix fragments awakens… inside Arin.The timeline begins collapsing under the weight of multiple paradoxes.