Chapter 42: The Heart of the Building

Although the crisis of the Void invasion was temporarily resolved, Silver Moon Apartments remained in an unstable state. Traces of battle were left in every corner of the building, and a strange energy fluctuation permeated the air.

Alex and Kai were helping Marcus organize damaged books in the Mind Library when they suddenly felt a strong vibration.

"Here it comes again," Alex frowned, "This is the third time today."

Kai nodded; his expression serious: "Silver Moon Apartments seems to be becoming increasingly unstable. We must find out why."

Just then, Leo rushed in, his face anxious: "Did you feel that? The Architect wants us to meet him immediately."

The three quickly rushed to the hall, where they found the Architect standing in front of the ancient grandfather clock, his expression grave.

"What happened?" Alex asked.

The Architect turned, a flash of worry in his eyes: "There's a problem with the core of Silver Moon Apartments. We must repair it immediately, or the entire building might collapse."

"The core?" Marcus asked, confused, "I thought Edward's energy had stabilized the entire building."

The Architect shook his head: "Edward's sacrifice indeed strengthened Silver Moon Apartments' defenses, but what truly supports the entire building is its heart - a core made of pure energy. Now, this core is constantly weakening."

"What should we do?" Kai asked, ready to face a new challenge.

The Architect walked to the clock, gently turning the hour and minute hands. With a soft click, the wall behind the clock silently slid open, revealing a hidden passage.

"Follow me," the Architect said, "It's time for you to see the true heart of Silver Moon Apartments."

They followed the Architect into the passage, finding themselves in a spiral staircase. As they descended, the surrounding temperature kept rising, and the energy fluctuations in the air grew stronger.

Finally, they arrived at a huge circular room. In the center of the room floated a giant crystal ball, containing a constantly changing energy. The energy emitted a soft glow, illuminating the entire room.

"This is the heart of Silver Moon Apartments," the Architect explained, "It connects to the entire multiverse, maintaining Silver Moon Apartments' existence."

Alex was involuntarily drawn to this beautiful sight, taking a few steps forward. Suddenly, he felt a strong resonance, as if the heart was calling to him.

"I... I can feel it," Alex said in surprise, "It's speaking..."

Kai immediately became alert: "Be careful, Alex. We don't know what the consequences of touching the core might be."

The Architect looked at Alex thoughtfully: "Interesting. It seems the core recognizes you as the new generation of guardians. It's seeking help."

"But how can we help it?" Marcus asked, "We don't even know where the problem is."

Leo carefully observed the core: "Look there," he pointed to a corner of the energy sphere, "There's a crack. The Void's power seems to have penetrated."

The Architect nodded: "Correct. We need to purify this Void energy while repairing the crack. But this process is extremely dangerous."

Alex took a deep breath, saying firmly: "I'm willing to try. The core is calling me, I feel I can do it."

Kai immediately grasped Alex's hand: "We'll do it together. Remember? We said we'd be together no matter what happens."

Alex looked gratefully at Kai, then turned to the others: "We need your help. Marcus, can you use your ability to stabilize the core's memory structure? Leo, can you control the time flow to give us more operation time?"

Marcus and Leo both nodded in agreement.

The Architect looked at these young guardians, his eyes full of pride: "Alright. I'll set up a protective barrier on the periphery. Remember, no matter what happens, don't let the Void's power completely control the core."

They each took their positions. Marcus closed his eyes, beginning to influence the core's memory structure with his ability. Leo controlled time, slowing down the time flow around the core.

Alex and Kai held hands, slowly approaching the core. When their hands touched the surface of the energy sphere, a powerful energy instantly surged into their bodies.

Alex felt as if he was in the entire multiverse. He saw countless worlds, heard voices from various dimensions. And at the center of it all was Silver Moon Apartments, connecting all realities like a lighthouse.

"Focus, Alex," Kai's voice brought him back to reality, "We must find the Void's invasion point."

They concentrated, beginning to purify the Void energy in the core. This process was extremely difficult, each bit of Void energy cleared felt like fighting against the darkness of the entire universe.

"Hold on!" the Architect shouted from the periphery, "You're almost there!"

Just then, the core suddenly shook violently. A powerful Void energy burst from the crack, trying to devour Alex and Kai.

"No!" Marcus shouted, increasing his power output.

Leo also gave his all, further slowing down the time flow.

In this critical moment, Alex suddenly remembered Edward's words: "The true power of Silver Moon Apartments comes from your unity and belief."

He looked at Kai, who was also looking at him. They understood each other's thoughts without words.

Alex and Kai simultaneously released all their power, completely merging with the core's energy. At this moment, they were no longer separate individuals, but became part of Silver Moon Apartments.

A dazzling light burst from the core, instantly dispelling all the Void energy. The crack began to heal, and the core regained its former brilliance.

When everything settled, Alex and Kai collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Marcus and Leo were also too tired to speak.

The Architect stepped forward, a satisfied smile on his face: "You did it. The core has fully recovered, and it's even stronger than before."

Alex smiled weakly: "We... we saw the entire multiverse. It was incredible."

Kai held Alex's hand: "And in that endless universe, we found each other."

Marcus looked at the core curiously: "So, this is the true source of Silver Moon Apartments' power?"

The Architect nodded: "Yes. But remember, the core's power comes from you. It's your courage, wisdom, and love that make Silver Moon Apartments so special."

Leo said thoughtfully: "I feel our connection with Silver Moon Apartments is closer than before."

"That's right," the Architect said, "From now on, you are the true masters of Silver Moon Apartments. Protect it, as it protects you."

As they left the core room, Alex felt the entire Silver Moon Apartments cheering. The runes on the walls flickered with joyful light, and the air was full of vibrant energy.

He knew this was just another beginning of their adventure. But with this powerful heart, and with these reliable companions, he believed they could face any challenge.

Because now, they were not just the guardians of Silver Moon Apartments, but a part of this magical building. And this connection would be their most powerful strength.