The golden radiance of the ancient time compass in Naya's hand gradually faded, leaving behind a subtle hum that echoed against the crystal walls of the Arkian underground headquarters. The Arkian elders gathered around the research platform remained frozen as they stared at Zulfa, while Kaelen narrowed his optical lens with a gaze fraught with both suspicion and awe.

Zulfa slowly pulled his hand back from the crystal console that had briefly resonated with his touch. He glanced back at Naya, then stepped forward to face Kaelen directly.

"You saw it yourselves," Zulfa said with a firm voice that pierced the quiet of the hall. "The magic and primordial technology didn't reject my presence. That means the blood flowing through my veins isn't a curse meant for destruction, but the key to fixing what The Foundation Council has broken."

Kaelen grunted softly, crossing his arms over his armored chest. "A single energy resonance doesn't erase the fact that your ancestor was the architect who drafted the blueprint for oppression in the past, Engineer Arditama. Why should we trust a surface human like you?"

"Because right now, whether we like it or not, we're in the same boat," Captain Danu chimed in, stepping forward to stand beside Zulfa with an erect, military posture. "If that syndicate succeeds in finishing the final phase of their plan up top, it won't just be the surface districts that perish. The cosmic pressure from that reactor will collapse this entire cavern, burying you right alongside us deep within the earth's core."

A long-bearded Arkian elder stepped forward, whispering something to Kaelen in their ancient tongue before fixing a sharp glare on Zulfa's group.

"Alliance is a word far too sacred for a human race defined by betrayal," Kaelen stated coldly, staring hard at Zulfa. "You come bearing destruction, and now you offer peace? A truly pathetic joke."

"Then don't take my word for it," Zulfa challenged without hesitation, his voice ringing calmly inside the crystal cavern. "Trust the physical evidence instead."

Kaelen furrowed his brow. "What evidence could you possibly provide, human?"

Zulfa jerked his chin toward the primary crystal console beside them—the ancient energy purification machine whose display had been buzzing unsteadily and spitting small electrical sparks ever since their arrival.

"That machine," Zulfa said, pointing at the console. "The Aether wave conversion system on your console is experiencing a short-circuit feedback loop on its third regulator valve. The mana flow is choked by organic crystal corrosion, isn't it? That's why your scientists looked so baffled trying to fix it just now."

The Arkian scientists gathered around the console exchanged stunned glances. One of them murmured softly, "How did he know the third regulator was corroded? We haven't even stripped the protective casing yet..."

"Give me ten minutes and access to your plasma soldering tools," Zulfa stated with absolute confidence, locking eyes with Kaelen. "If I can't fix this machine and stabilize its resonance, you can lock us back down in the subterranean prison cells forever. But if I succeed... you must listen to my alliance proposal."

Silence descended abruptly over the research hall. Kaelen weighed the offer in quiet contemplation. His optical gaze tracked Zulfa's every move, hunting for any sign of hesitation or deceit on the young engineer's face. Yet all he found was unyielding resolve and a razor-sharp spark of brilliance.

Kaelen finally let out a long breath, dropping his arms from his chest. "Very well, Engineer Arditama. Give him the repair kit. Let's see just how far the blood of the 'Architect' speaks."

Wasting not a single second, Zulfa strode forward to the crystal console. Naya stepped up to his right side, standing ready to hand over the plasma-soldering tools and micro-circuit cables offered by the curious-looking Arkian scientists.

"Naya, get the magnetic screwdriver and the frequency filter module ready," Zulfa instructed swiftly, his fingers dancing nimbly to unlock the primary crystal shield panel.

"Right here, Zul. Careful, the current is still live," Naya replied alertly, passing the gear over.

Before the watchful eyes of the Arkian elders, Zulfa worked with high-level precision. His movements were calm and purposeful, blending modern mechanical repair techniques with an intuitive understanding of Aether-Tech energy he had only just encountered. He cleared away the organic crystal crust choking the valve, resoldered the optical circuit connections using hot plasma, and harmonized the mana wave frequencies with the console's heartbeat.

In less than eight minutes—two minutes ahead of his promised window—Zulfa tapped the final execution button on the crystal panel.

Bzzzt—Whoosh!

The crystal console suddenly flared with a bright, perfectly stable blue luminescence. Every holographic projection screen across the main hall lit up simultaneously and crisply, free of a single speck of static interference. The harsh, grating hum of the machinery transformed into a smooth, soothing harmonic wave.

The research hall froze in total silence. The Arkian scientists broke out into spontaneous cheers of awe, while Kaelen widened his optical lens in astonishment, watching the ancient machine—broken for the past month—now operating far more flawlessly than ever before.

"Incredible..." one of the Arkian elders gasped in wonder. "He repaired the core regulator just by glancing at it."

Kaelen stepped closer to the console, then looked down at Zulfa, who was wiping a light sweat from his brow as he packed away his tools. The Arkian leader's cold exterior had shifted into a begrudged, undeniable respect.

"You proved your words, Engineer Arditama," Kaelen said with a much calmer, authoritative tone. He looked up, gazing back and forth between Zulfa and Captain Danu. "The Arkian kind accepts your alliance. We will join forces to crush The Foundation Council's reactor heart before they trigger the Total Purge catastrophe on the surface."

Naya exhaled a breath of relief, breaking into a wide smile toward Zulfa. "We did it, Zul!"

Zulfa returned Naya's smile, then shook Kaelen's hand firmly. "Thank you, Kaelen. Together, we'll stop them."

Unbeknownst to anyone inside the grand, relieved atmosphere of the research hall, behind a massive stone pillar in the corner shrouded by the crystals' dim shadows, a short-haired man clad in a human resistance uniform stood watching the entire scene play out.

It was Aris, one of Captain Danu's mercenary soldiers who had tagged along in their escape from the start.

Aris narrowed his eyes, staring hard at Zulfa and Kaelen as they sealed their secret alliance. Far from feeling glad to have secured new allies, the corner of Aris's mouth curled up into a cunning, ambitious, and deeply suspicious smirk.

A stupid alliance between humans and primordial beasts... Aris sneered inwardly. If the corporate elites up top find out about this hideout and their counter-attack plans, the payout I get will be enough to let me live in luxury in the central district for the rest of my life.

With extreme care, making not the slightest sound, Aris fumbled into his vest pocket, pulled out a small emergency satellite transmitter he had secretly smuggled along, and began tapping out the coordinates of the Arkian hideout to beam straight to the Aethel Corp military base on the surface.