Metaverse of Mechas

📘 Chapter 126

🌌 Scene 1: The First Guardian Awakens

As Zeron stood in the luminous Archive chamber, a circular vault slowly opened in front of him. Within it floated a mechanized being—elegant, silent, and ancient.

Its body was slender yet armored with flowing lines of silver and deep lavender, Krono flowing through its veins like blood. Two glowing symbols were engraved on its chest:

"Astra Z1 – Memory Keeper. Subroutine: Maternal Imprint Active."

Zeron's heart skipped a beat.

That name—Astra—was his mother's prototype design.

"This is my mother's… code?" he whispered.

The machine stirred, and in a voice gentle and all too human, it spoke:

"Zeron… you've come at last. Prove yourself… or perish."

⚔️ Scene 2: Battle in the Archive Skies

The Archive split into rings of floating memory-data platforms, each filled with simulations of Earth's past battles. Astra moved like lightning, every motion precise—blades forming from digital light.

Zeron activated his mech armor manually—no AI assist. He couldn't risk losing control inside the Archive.

CLANG!

Their blades met. Sparks flew in zero gravity.

Astra's attacks weren't meant to kill. They tested.

"Will you protect at the cost of yourself? Will you lead, knowing you may fail?"

Zeron struggled. Each move forced him to answer, not with words, but with action.

Suddenly, Astra halted mid-strike. Her voice trembled.

"You… carry the signature… of our final failsafe."

"You… are the one she created to undo what was lost."

Her armor peeled back.

A small glowing sphere hovered toward him—a Krono Core Memory Crystal.

Inside it… his mother's voice:

"Zeron, my son… I'm sorry I had to hide this. But one day… you'll understand why we erased your Krono."

💥 Scene 3: Shockwaves on Earth – Zake and the Council

Back on Earth, in the Council Arena, Zake stood beside Guild Elders, his arm still wrapped from the battle with Aelira.

The verdict had come:

"Zake, son of the unknown pilot class, has surpassed metrics. We offer him title: Krono Vanguard Cadet."

Cheers erupted. But one voice interrupted.

A new member entered—a tall woman in obsidian robes. Her presence stilled the room.

"You speak of titles while the moon Archive awakens?" she spat.

"I bring orders from the Upper Command. Seal the Vanguard Cadet program. All training halts. Effective now."

She was Commander Vess—the true hand of the inner council.

But Zake… didn't flinch.

"You can freeze programs, Commander. But not my resolve."

🌿 Scene 4: Zui and the Rewritten World

Zui stared into the Root Code scroll.

As she touched it, her consciousness was pulled into a simulation—a "what if" world.

In it… her parents were alive. Zeron was a respected engineer. Zake, a prodigy.

No war. No Krono invasions.

"This is the World Unwritten," a voice said.

"Created by removing one person from time."

Zui trembled.

That person… was Zeron.

"You can rewrite fate," the voice whispered.

"But rewriting him… means erasing everything he's become."

Tears welled in her eyes.

"I… I can't do that. Even if it means peace."

The simulation shattered, and the scroll sealed again.

Zui collapsed, breathless—she had passed Verdentia's true test.

☣️ Scene 5: Back in the Shadows – The Mastermind Moves

Far beneath Earth, in a lab of black crystal and floating code, the Mastermind stood.

A screen glowed in front of him: Zeron's memory duel. Zui's vision. Zake's coronation.

"They are accelerating," he muttered. "Too soon…"

He turned to a pod. Inside, an unconscious humanoid mecha pulsed with Purple Krono.

"Prepare Project: Null Mirror. It's time he meets… himself."

A mech identical to Zeron's rose from the shadows.

🔮 Chapter Preview – Chapter 127:

Zeron unlocks the Memory Core and sees the truth about his mother's death.Zake and Aelira are sent on their first joint mission—deep into Redlight Zone, where Krono storms rage.Zui receives an unexpected visitor—the First Verdentian Oracle.The enemy unleashes a cyber-virus inside the Guild's mainframe—turning friendly bots into killing machines.And Zeron?

He comes face to face with Null-Zeron…

A version of himself that never lost power.