Reborn as the Third Prince: To Build and Conquer my way to Royalty.

The very bedrock of Alhara groaned, a low, resonant hum that vibrated through Sylus's bones, far deeper and more menacing than any Dalin growl. The colossal Mana Crystal walls of the Heart's Sanctum pulsed erratically, their light flaring, then dimming, as if struggling against an immense, unseen pressure. Sophia's chilling pronouncement echoed in his mind: "Alhara Core Consciousness (Dalins' Overmind) detected. Status: Awakening. Threat Level: Catastrophic."

"Zani! Sophia! Prepare for battle! The main force is coming!" Sylus roared, his voice cutting through the trembling air. He knew retreat was impossible. This wasn't just a threat; it was a direct challenge to his burgeoning control over Alhara, a primal response to his attempt to awaken the Bringinger's Node.

From the narrow passage they had used to enter, and from newly opened fissures in the crystalline walls, the Dalins surged. Not just dozens, but hundreds, their forms shimmering with a malevolent golden light. They moved with a terrifying, unified purpose, their individual wills subsumed by the awakening Overmind. Their silent, fluid movements created a chilling symphony of scraping talons and lashing tails, converging on the central mana sphere and, by extension, on Sylus himself.

"My lord! They're too many!" Zani cried, her Blazer flaring, sending a volley of thorned vines towards the advancing tide. Her shield, though strengthened by the Sanctum's mana, would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

"Sophia!" Sylus commanded, his mind racing, his Catalyst Star burning with desperate clarity. "Focus your despair! Not on individuals, but on the network! Disrupt their connection to the Overmind!"

Sophia's shadowy form expanded, her dark mist swirling outwards, not just into the passage, but permeating the entire chamber. It seeped into the crystalline walls, into the very Mana Crystals themselves, targeting the invisible threads that bound the Dalins to their central consciousness. A silent, soul-shattering wail of despair erupted from the Dalins, amplified by Sophia's Concept of Envy. Their unified advance faltered, their movements becoming erratic, some crashing into each other, their golden eyes flickering with confusion and agony.

This bought them precious seconds.

"Zani! Hold them at the entrance! Don't let them reach the sphere!" Sylus roared, pushing himself towards the central mana sphere, his pure Mana Crystal conduit clutched in his hand.

Zani, a true warrior, didn't hesitate. Her Blazer roared to life, the star on her brow burning with fierce resolve. She became a whirlwind of pure mana and steel, her blade a silver blur, deflecting talons, severing tails, her thorned vines erupting in explosive bursts, creating a temporary, chaotic barrier at the chokepoint. She fought with the unyielding ferocity of an ancient protector, a direct echo of her primordial self.

Sylus reached the central mana sphere. His Blessing of Information screamed warnings, urging him to retreat, but his "Assimilation" aspect, fueled by the raw data from Sophia, was already processing the Dalins' nature. They were a living network, extensions of the Overmind. To defeat them, he couldn't just destroy their bodies; he had to sever their connection, to disrupt the Overmind itself.

He pressed the pure Mana Crystal conduit against the sphere, channeling his Catalyst mana. He needed to manifest something, not a physical object, but a mana construct, a counter-program to the Dalins' network.

'Balance. Harmony. Unmaking and remaking.' The whispers of the Bringinger's Node echoed in his mind. He understood. The Overmind was a perversion of the Bringinger's original network, twisted by the Destroyer. He needed to create a Purification Pulse, a wave of primordial mana that would sever the Dalins' corrupted connection to the Overmind, forcing them back to their dormant, uncorrupted state.

He began the calibration. "Music note 1!" He poured mana into the sphere, a precise frequency, battling against the chaotic hum of the awakening Overmind. The sphere pulsed violently, resisting his command, its light flickering.

Zani cried out as a massive Dalin, its form shimmering with raw power, slammed through her defenses, sending her sprawling. It lunged towards Sylus, its golden talons extended, its featureless head tilted as if savoring the kill.

"Master!" Sophia shrieked, her shadowy form expanding, trying to envelop the charging Dalin, but her despair was being overwhelmed by the Overmind's raw power.

Sylus didn't look up. He gritted his teeth, pouring more mana, forcing the calibration. "Stars align!" He imagined the perfect cosmic dance, the harmonious flow of celestial energies, battling against the discordant roar of the Overmind. The sphere bucked, threatening to shatter, but Sylus held on, his will absolute.

The Dalin was inches away, its talons gleaming.

"Heart I can trust!" Sylus roared, not just a command, but a desperate plea, a surge of absolute, unwavering trust. He poured his connection to Zani, her fierce loyalty, her pure intent, into the sphere.

The sphere flared, its white light exploding outwards, momentarily blinding the charging Dalin. The colossal Mana Crystal walls pulsed with blinding intensity, channeling the primordial mana. Sylus felt a colossal drain, far greater than any previous manifestation, pushing him to the very brink of consciousness. He was drawing on the Bringinger's essence, risking everything.

A wave of pure, shimmering mana, infused with the Bringinger's will and Sylus's Catalyst power, erupted from the sphere. It wasn't destructive, but disruptive. It wasn't a physical force, but a cosmic frequency, a counter-program that resonated with the Dalins' core essence.

The Dalins, caught in the wave, shrieked. Not a shriek of despair, but of unmaking. Their crystalline forms flickered violently, distorting, then dissolving, not into shattered fragments, but into shimmering dust that settled gently onto the floor. Their golden eyes, once burning with malice, faded into serene, uncorrupted motes of light. They weren't dead; they were unmade, their corrupted programming reset, their connection to the Overmind severed.

The charging Dalin, frozen mid-lunge, dissolved into dust before it could reach Sylus.

The entire Sanctum fell silent. The low, menacing hum of the Overmind's awakening ceased. The Mana Crystal walls returned to their gentle, rhythmic pulse. The central mana sphere, though dimmer, glowed with a serene, steady light.

Sylus stumbled back from the sphere, collapsing to his knees, gasping for breath. The drain was immense, far more profound than he had anticipated. His body trembled, his vision swam, and for a moment, he felt utterly hollow. His Eternal Healing blessing was working furiously, but it would take time to recover from this.

Zani, battered and bruised, but miraculously unyielding, pushed herself up. She stared at the shimmering dust of the unmade Dalins, then at Sylus, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and terror. "My lord... you... you unmade them."

Sophia shimmered, her dark mist receding, her form stable once more. Her eyes, usually so analytical, were filled with a profound, almost reverent wonder. "Master... you wield the Bringinger's will. You are... a true creator. The Overmind... it is dormant once more. Severed from its extensions."

Sylus managed a weak nod, pushing himself up, leaning heavily on the central mana sphere. He had done it. He had faced the Overmind and won. Not by destruction, but by a form of cosmic purification.

[Alhara Core Consciousness (Dalins' Overmind) status: Dormant (Severed from network). Threat Level: Neutralized (Temporary).] [Dalins status: Unmade (Network connection severed). Remaining Dalins: Dormant (Unresponsive).] [Primordial Mana Drain: Catastrophic (Successful manifestation of Purification Pulse).] [Karma Points: +200 (For neutralizing a major cosmic threat and purifying corrupted beings).] [Karma Points: 388/1000.]

Sylus managed a faint, weary smile. Two hundred Karma Points. A testament to the scale of his achievement. He had not only secured Alhara but had also gained a deeper understanding of his own power, and the true nature of the cosmic war.

"The Sanctum is ours," Sylus rasped, his voice still weak. "For now, the Dalins are no longer a threat. We can... we can begin the true work."

He looked at the shimmering pile of pure Mana Crystals he had manifested earlier. These were the keys to Linye's prosperity. And now, they were truly safe.

"Zani," Sylus commanded, his voice gaining strength with every beat of his recovering Catalyst Star, "we need to establish a permanent presence here. A secure mining operation, deep within the Sanctum. We need to control the Manifestation Engine, to ensure its power serves Linye, and our ultimate mission."

Zani nodded, her eyes burning with renewed purpose. "As you command, my lord. We will make this place a fortress."

Sylus then turned to Sophia. "Sophia, your role is crucial. You are the only one who can truly perceive the nuances of the Bringinger's Node, and the lingering influence of the Destroyer. You will act as our guide, our sensor. Help me understand the 'Dormant Creation Node' fully. And help me understand the 'sacrifice' it demands."

Sophia bowed, her shadowy form rippling. "It will be my honor, Master."

He had faced the Overmind. He had purified the Dalins. He had secured the Heart of Alhara. But the true nature of the Bringinger's Node, the ultimate power of creation, and the chilling price of its awakening, still remained a mystery. And beyond Alhara, the cosmic war against the All Father, and his own destiny as the Star Killer, awaited.

The path to building his empire had just become a cosmic crusade of creation and purification. He would not just rule Linye; he would reshape worlds.