Page 174 of GlitchBorn Heart

The word mercy lands like an ominous threat.

Lyra’s magic flares inside the hologram, light bleeding from her fingertips. For a heartbeat, her holo glitches, flickering between digital and solid form. I cover her hand in mine. “Taiyō...calm,” I whisper. “Not here. Please...let me handle this.”

Vikktor’s gaze drifts toward us. “Dr. Ryudon,” he says smoothly, “please join us so we can celebrate your accomplishment.”

My pulse spikes. He knows this is not my creation, not my deliverable. He’s deliberately cannibalized my work and now wants to best me in front of his crowd of elites.

My work: hijacked, reprogrammed, weaponized.

The sentinels take one synchronized step forward, the floor trembling with their weight. They raise their PulseRifles in unison, some sort of call to arms. The applause swells, overwhelming every one of my senses. Vikktor’s voice fills the ballroom. “And now, the man who made it all possible, the brilliant mind behind our future. I’d like to introduce Dr. Kael Ryudon, Chief Systems Architect—Neural and Cybernetic Integration Division.”

My stomach churns as if full of broken glass. The spotlights swing toward me, blinding light obstructing my view of the stage.

Lyra straightens beside me. I can feel her panic charge like electricity through our magic bond. “Kael, don’t go up there.”

Ash’s hand brushes my shoulder. “Bro, you don’t have to.”

But I do have to.

“Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to flight.”

—Sun Tzu—The Art of War

I would prefer to die right now.

The crowd parts as I walk forward in a trancelike state, the whispers of the audience echoing around me: architect, prodigy, genius. That’s what they call me. Not a man, not a human, just a title, a function: Vikktor’s obedient servant.

Not tonight.

I struggle to set myself free from the drowning sensation. When I step onto the stage, Vikktor greets me like a proud father, his smile perfect, contradicting any psychological warfare he’s provided the last few days. He claps me on the back, his hand heavy with ownership. A pat on the back for the good little minion.

“Everyone,” he says, “the genius behind the AI integration, the key that links human consciousness to machine excellence.”

I look at the display of sentinels standing behind us. My code, my system, my blood, sweat, and years of life poured into these monstrosities. He hacked it. The deceit is not unexpected but egregious.

Rows of executives, investors, government puppets all look up at me with glossy eyes, waiting for their favorite monster to speak.

I force a smile. “Good evening.” A room full of sycophants blinks back. I feel like a god being worshipped for their own greed. I will play god but not for them. For her.

“As you all probably know, I was raised in Kyoto, where we have a wisdom we follow about technology. Shu Ha Ri: Learn then innovate.”

I look at Lyra, hoping she can see through the veil, that she knows what I’m about to say isn’t for Vikktor or the crowd, but only for her. “It’s rooted in martial arts, meaning ‘to learn the basics, then break away from them.’ ”

“In technology, this means mastering fundamental principles before innovating.” I swallow hard. “Wisdom-based principles like ‘if it’s not right, don’t do it’ are crucial for guiding the ethical use of AI, automation, and other digital tools.”

Another round of clapping fills the ballroom. They clearly don’t hear the contempt in my tone.

“That wisdom also relies heavily on respect. Traditional principles like ‘if it’s not yours, don’t take it’ are directly applicable to data privacy and intellectual property in this digital age.” I look directly at Vikktor.

I dare his cold gray eyes to stop me. My throat tightens, and I clear it nervously. Lyra’s face flickers in my mind. “You always get what you want, Kael.”

At this moment, I want war.

“Tonight,” I begin, voice steady, “we stand on the edge of something extraordinary.”

Applause. Of course. They clap at the word extraordinary like it’s an order from Vikktor. Half of them can’t even spell it.

“We’ve spent centuries perfecting the art of destruction,” I continue. “Wars fought in the name of power, of peace, of progress. But tonight, I vow to change that. Japanese wisdom inspires functional and beautiful designs that are in harmony with their surroundings and purpose. A principle that can be applied to technology to ensure it serves humanity without being overbearing. From this day forward, I will be creating technology that incorporates this wisdom.” I look at Lyra, locking eyes with her.