Chapter 196: Time
Denzel stared at the hand extended toward him.
For several seconds, he didn’t move.
The figure standing before him looked exactly like him.
Same face.
Same height.
Same eyes.
Yet Denzel had never seen anyone who felt less human.
There was no pressure coming from the figure.
No killing intent.
No overwhelming aura.
That was the problem.
Denzel couldn’t sense anything at all.
It was as though his instincts had simply refused to classify what was standing in front of him.
The system remained silent.
Denzel glanced at the older man.
He was still on one knee, one hand pressed against the floor.
The crack in his Crown had widened.
"You know him."
The older man slowly looked up.
His expression was grim.
"Yes."
"Who is he?"
The man hesitated.
Then he looked at the figure.
"Your first ancestor."
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
"You said I was his descendant."
"I said your bloodline came from him."
"That’s not the same thing."
"No."
The figure smiled.
"You’re learning."
Denzel looked back at him.
"So you’re the original?"
"Original what?"
"Royal Bloodline."
The figure tilted his head.
"No."
Denzel frowned.
"Then what?"
The figure lowered his hand.
"I was before the bloodline."
The answer made Denzel pause.
"Before?"
"Before there was a throne. Before there was a kingdom. Before the word ’Royal’ meant anything."
The older man suddenly spoke.
"Don’t listen to him."
The figure looked at him.
"You still dislike being reminded of your place."
The older man stood.
His damaged Crown trembled above his head.
"I know what you are."
The figure smiled.
"Then you know what happens next."
"No."
The older man’s voice hardened.
"This time is different."
The figure’s eyes moved toward Denzel.
"Yes."
Denzel’s expression changed.
"Why?"
Neither answered.
Denzel looked between them.
"Apparently everyone in this room knows the rules except me."
The figure laughed quietly.
"That hasn’t changed."
Denzel sighed.
"Wonderful."
He took one step forward.
The older man immediately raised his hand.
"Don’t."
Denzel stopped.
"Why?"
"Because you don’t understand what he’s offering."
The figure looked amused.
"I haven’t offered him anything."
"You extended your hand."
"An invitation."
"To what?"
The figure’s eyes remained on Denzel.
"Recognition."
Denzel’s expression hardened.
"Recognition of what?"
"Yourself."
Denzel almost scoffed.
"I already know who I am."
"No."
The figure’s voice became quieter.
"You know who you’ve been told you are."
That sentence struck differently.
Denzel didn’t respond.
The figure continued.
"Your grandfather was told he was a king."
His gaze shifted toward the older man.
"He believed it."
The older man’s expression tightened.
"He was wrong."
"He was incomplete."
The figure looked back at Denzel.
"And you?"
Denzel folded his arms.
"I’m still waiting for someone to tell me what I’m supposed to be."
The figure smiled.
"Good."
"Good?"
"Because if you already believed you knew, I would have killed you."
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
The older man immediately stepped forward.
"You won’t touch him."
The figure looked at him.
"You still think you can stop me?"
The Crown above the older man’s head flared.
Seven silver fragments separated.
For a moment, the entire chamber filled with silver light.
Denzel watched silently.
The older man raised his hand.
"Royal Authority."
The chamber shook.
A massive wave of silver energy surged toward the figure.
The figure didn’t move.
The attack reached him.
And stopped.
Not blocked.
Stopped.
The silver energy simply hung in the air around him.
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
The figure lifted one finger.
The entire attack disappeared.
The older man staggered.
Denzel’s expression changed.
That wasn’t strength.
It was something else.
Control.
Absolute control.
The figure looked at Denzel.
"Now you understand."
Denzel nodded slowly.
"You’re strong."
"No."
The figure shook his head.
"You’re still thinking in terms of strength."
Denzel frowned.
"Then what am I supposed to think in terms of?"
"Authority."
The word echoed through the chamber.
Denzel looked at his hands.
His Royal Authority stirred beneath his skin.
The figure noticed.
"You’ve been treating it like energy."
"Isn’t it?"
"No."
"Then what is it?"
"Permission."
Denzel’s eyes sharpened.
"Permission?"
"The right to command something."
The figure raised his hand.
The seven silver fragments behind him rotated.
"The Crown doesn’t create Royal Authority."
Denzel looked toward the damaged Crown above the older man’s head.
"It recognizes it."
The figure nodded.
"The system measures it."
Denzel’s expression became serious.
"And you?"
"I gave you the ability to use it."
Denzel’s mind went quiet.
"You?"
The figure smiled.
"Not directly."
"Then who?"
"The blood remembers."
Denzel stared at him.
That answer created more questions than it answered.
"Why did you create the system?"
The figure’s expression changed.
For the first time, the amusement disappeared.
"Because you were born too early."
Denzel frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"You were never supposed to awaken yet."
"Then why did I?"
"Because something found you."
The chamber became silent.
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
"What?"
The figure didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked at the floor.
The crack beneath them was still there.
Darkness continued moving inside it.
Denzel felt the familiar second heartbeat beneath his chest.
Boom.
His Royal Authority answered.
Boom.
The figure’s eyes sharpened.
"There."
Denzel looked down.
"What?"
"You can feel it."
Denzel didn’t deny it.
"Something is inside me."
"Yes."
"What?"
The figure stared at him.
"An inheritance."
Denzel’s expression hardened.
"That’s not an answer."
"It is the only answer you can survive right now."
Denzel gave him a flat look.
"Everyone loves that sentence."
The older man almost smiled despite himself.
The figure didn’t.
"You don’t understand."
"Then explain."
"If I tell you what is inside you, you will try to use it."
"Probably."
"And if you use it now, this world will not survive the consequences."
Denzel’s expression became serious.
"How bad?"
The figure looked toward the chamber walls.
"Do you see these pillars?"
"Yes."
"They aren’t holding this chamber together."
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
"Then what are they holding?"
The figure pointed toward the darkness beneath them.
"That."
Denzel stared at the crack.
The older man slowly shook his head.
"No."
The figure continued.
"The Crown was never created to rule humanity."
Denzel looked at him.
"It was created to keep that thing asleep."
A deep sound came from beneath the floor.
Boom.
The chamber trembled.
Denzel’s face tightened.
"Then why bring me here?"
The figure smiled.
"I didn’t."
Denzel paused.
"What?"
"I’ve been asleep."
The figure looked at the seven fragments floating behind him.
"You opened the chamber."
Denzel looked at the older man.
He looked equally disturbed.
"The system brought me here."
"No."
The figure shook his head.
"The system guided you here."
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
"What’s the difference?"
"The system has been trying to keep you away from this place for years."
Denzel’s expression changed.
"Then why did it stop?"
"Because it failed."
The words landed heavily.
Denzel remembered the final system message.
No warning.
No instruction.
Nothing.
The system hadn’t stopped because it had nothing to say.
It had stopped because it couldn’t.
The figure looked directly at him.
"It doesn’t know what to do with you anymore."
Denzel’s jaw tightened.
"So what happens now?"
The figure extended his hand again.
"Now you choose."
Denzel stared at it.
"Choose what?"
"Whether you want the system to remain your master..."
The seven fragments behind him stopped.
"...or become your tool."
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
"What happens if I refuse both?"
The figure smiled.
"Then you become your own authority."
Denzel was silent.
That answer felt different.
Not because it sounded powerful.
Because it sounded like freedom.
He glanced at the system.
Still nothing.
For the first time in years, there was no voice telling him what to do.
No warning.
No quest.
No explanation.
Just silence.
Denzel slowly raised his hand.
The older man immediately said his name.
"Denzel."
Denzel stopped.
The man looked at him.
"If you take his hand, there is no going back."
Denzel studied him.
"You know that?"
"Yes."
"What happened when you did?"
The older man’s eyes lowered.
"I became the keeper."
Denzel looked at the Crown.
"So that’s why you wear it."
"Yes."
"You weren’t chosen."
"No."
"You were trapped."
The older man didn’t answer.
Denzel understood.
He looked back at the figure.
"And what are you?"
The figure smiled.
"The one who was never trapped."
Denzel’s hand remained suspended between them.
Then something changed.
A faint notification appeared.
[System Reconnection Attempt.]
Denzel froze.
The figure’s expression changed.
[Core Functions Restoring.]
Another message appeared.
[Host Authority Conflict Detected.]
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
[External Authority: Royal Origin.]
[Internal Authority: Host.]
[Conflict Resolution Required.]
The figure looked at the notification.
"Interesting."
Denzel stared at the final line.
[Select Authority.]
Two options appeared.
[Continue under System Guidance.]
[Reject System Guidance.]
Denzel’s eyes remained on the second option.
He thought about the years he’d spent following instructions.
The missions.
The restrictions.
The warnings.
The moments when the system had saved his life.
It had never truly betrayed him.
But it had never told him everything either.
Maybe it couldn’t.
Maybe it wasn’t designed to.
Denzel slowly raised his hand.
The figure watched.
The older man remained silent.
Denzel’s finger hovered over the second option.
Then he pressed it.
[Rejecting System Guidance.]
The chamber went silent.
The system flickered.
[Warning.]
[Host is removing external behavioral restrictions.]
Denzel waited.
The message disappeared.
Then another appeared.
[Authority recognized.]
[System relationship updated.]
[System will now respond to Host command.]
Denzel stared.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he smiled faintly.
"Finally."
The figure’s expression changed.
Not surprise.
Satisfaction.
The older man looked at Denzel.
"You have no idea what you’ve just done."
Denzel turned toward him.
"Probably."
He looked back at the Royal Origin.
"But I think that’s the point."
The figure smiled.
For the first time, the seven silver fragments moved toward Denzel.
They stopped inches from his body.
Denzel felt something inside his chest answer them.
Boom.
The fragments trembled.
Boom.
A silver mark appeared on Denzel’s palm.
The system immediately displayed a final message.
[Royal Authority has recognized a new master.]
[Royal Crown Trial Initiated.]
Denzel’s eyes widened.
The figure took a step backward.
"Now."
His smile returned.
"Let’s see if you can become something greater than what I created."
The chamber began collapsing.
Denzel looked around.
"Could’ve mentioned that earlier."
The older man grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Run."
Denzel looked at him.
"Finally, an instruction I can agree with."
They turned toward the exit.
Behind them, the darkness beneath the chamber opened its eyes.
And for the first time—
Denzel felt it recognize him.