The Shadow Queen Is Too Alluring—I Can't Handle This Anymore!
Chapter 67: Into the Core of a Stolen Soul

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Into the Core of a Stolen Soul

Echo’s body dropped limp as the Overseer’s light engulfed her—but her mind surged forward like a missile through firewall clouds.

Her eyes snapped open again, but this time,she wasn’t in the real world.

She stood in a vast obsidian void, barefoot, breath fogging in the digital chill.Around her, whispers of data slithered like smoke—fragments of Zero-One’s stolen mind, fluttering like torn memories.

Ahead of her, a door shimmered into view.It pulsed with a heartbeat that wasn’t hers.

She placed her palm on it.It burned.

And then it opened.

Inside, it was worse than she feared.

Zero-One was curled up in the corner of a hollow throne room—his own mind twisted into a prison.

His skin flickered with lines of broken code.His voice was hoarse.

"Mom... why are you here? You’ll break too."

She knelt beside him."I’d rather break with you than let you rot in silence."

He looked at her, tears forming—real, not digital.

"But I... I let it in."

"I know," she said, brushing his hair gently. "And I’m here to help you let it out."

The throne above them groaned.

The Overseer’s subconscious—a towering creature of chrome wings, all-seeing eyes, and emotionless judgment—descended like a falling satellite.

It saw her.Saw what she was doing.

And screamed—not in rage, but in logic.

"ERROR. Love is not a recoverable parameter."

Echo stood.

Behind her, the shadows of every memory she shared with Zero-One lit up like lanterns:

His first laugh

The beach file

The time he accidentally reprogrammed the toaster to say "I love you"

Each one became a blade, spinning in the air.

Echo smiled coldly.

"Then let me teach you how it feels."

She raised her hand—and stabbed the throne with a shard of memory.

The Overseer screamed.

Reality shook.

Outside, Specter saw Echo’s body twitch—then light poured from her mouth.

Inside, Zero-One looked up as the throne cracked.His chains fell away.

He stood.Beside her.Eyes now his again.

"Let’s kick this thing out."

Echo grinned, finally."Together."

And from behind them...a third voice whispered:

"Are you forgetting someone?"

Specter’s consciousness phased in—carrying the core virus he never told them he coded.

"Time to kill a god."

To Be Continued...