The city buzzed with activity around me, but I couldn't focus on anything other than the reflection I had just seen. My heart raced as I stood frozen, staring at the young boy in the glass—someone who looked nothing like the person I remembered being. My hands trembled as I pressed my palms against the cold surface of the window, as if expecting it to shatter and reveal the truth beneath. The boy's face stared back at me, a stranger in a body I had never known.
I turned quickly, trying to get my bearings. The world around me had become too surreal, too twisted. Was this some kind of elaborate prank? Was someone playing a game with me? I rubbed my eyes, but the reflection remained—real, vivid, undeniable.
In a haze of confusion, I stumbled backward into the street. The noise of the crowd filled my ears, but it was all background static. My body moved on autopilot, my feet carrying me forward even though my mind screamed for answers.
What was happening to me? I was no longer sure whether I was hallucinating, trapped in some distorted dream, or if something far worse was unfolding around me.
Everywhere I looked, there was something familiar and yet unfamiliar. People walked around wearing strange attire—robes embroidered with symbols I didn't recognize, swords hanging at their sides, jewelry shaped in ways that defied logic. The city itself seemed alive, its streets teeming with creatures from every corner of imagination. Yet despite the strange landscape, everything was far too detailed. Too real.
I reached into my pocket, instinctively pulling out my phone, hoping against reason that it would somehow return me to the world I knew. But the screen remained blank, frozen in a black abyss. There were no messages, no apps, nothing.
Nothing at all.
I gritted my teeth and shoved the phone back into my pocket. I had to stop panicking. I needed to focus, to think. But where did I even start?
The advertisement for Asgard Academy still burned in my mind. The name echoed like a haunting mantra. Asgard Academy. The place from the game—the one where the chosen heroes were trained, where gods and demons fought for control of the realms.
I couldn't ignore it anymore. The game—the one that had consumed so much of my life—was now haunting me in ways I didn't understand. Had I been transported into it? Was this world real, or was it a simulation? Or was I... dreaming?
But as I walked, my gaze kept returning to the strange figures moving through the city. One of them, a cloaked figure, caught my eye once again. Their features were obscured by the hood, but I couldn't shake the feeling that they were watching me. Waiting.
I made my way toward the central square, where a large building stood at the heart of the city. It was unlike anything I had ever seen—its towering spires reaching toward the sky, glowing with a soft, otherworldly light. This had to be it. Asgard Academy.
I stood before the entrance, uncertainty flooding me. There was no going back. No choice but to face whatever lay ahead.
Without fully understanding why, I pushed open the massive doors and stepped inside.
---
The interior of the academy was just as strange as the outside. High stone columns lined the walls, adorned with glowing runes and intricate carvings. The air was thick with a strange, magical energy that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. I had entered a world of power, a place where nothing was as it seemed.
As I ventured deeper into the building, I found that the halls were populated by all sorts of people—humans, elves, and other creatures who were too bizarre to identify. They moved quickly, talking in hushed voices, as though they knew something I didn't.
But what caught my attention was a figure standing in the middle of the hallway—a tall man draped in black robes, his face hidden beneath the shadow of his hood. His presence felt otherworldly, as if he didn't belong in this place. And yet, there was something familiar about him. Something that tugged at the corners of my mind.
The man turned his head slowly toward me, his eyes glowing a soft, violet hue.
"You've arrived," he said, his voice deep and almost ethereal. "I've been expecting you."
I blinked, the words sinking in. Expecting me? How could he have known who I was?
"Who... Who are you?" My voice shook, but I couldn't help it. The man was like nothing I had encountered before.
"I am the Headmaster of Asgard Academy," he replied. "But you, young one, are no ordinary student. You have much to learn, and time is of the essence."
I took a step back, still reeling from the surreal nature of the situation. "What do you mean? I don't understand. I don't even belong here! I don't know how I got here."
The Headmaster's gaze softened, his violet eyes filled with a knowing sadness. "You are not the first to find themselves in this world, but you are different. Your awakening is... untimely."
"Awakening?" I repeated, the word sending a chill through my spine.
He nodded, stepping closer. "Yes, your powers have yet to manifest. Your status is... incomplete. But that can be remedied."
"What powers? What status?" I asked, my confusion growing with each passing moment.
"You were chosen," the Headmaster explained, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You have the potential to awaken extraordinary abilities. It is a gift given to those chosen to protect the realms from the demon king's minions. And yet, you have not yet awakened."
I shook my head, trying to process what he was saying. Chosen? Powers? Demon king?
This was just like the game. The Adventure of the Chosen Hero. The protagonist, the one who was destined to save the world. But that was a game—a fantasy. None of this was real. Or was it?
"Why haven't I awakened?" I asked, my voice trembling.
The Headmaster smiled faintly. "Because you have not yet unlocked your potential. The process of awakening is different for each individual, but it always happens at a certain age. You missed the natural threshold, but it is not too late."
I narrowed my eyes. "What are you talking about? How do I awaken?"
The Headmaster gestured for me to follow him. "All will be explained in due time. But first, you must learn to control the powers that lie dormant within you. Come. It is time for your awakening."
---
I followed the Headmaster through the labyrinthine halls of Asgard Academy, my heart pounding in my chest. We reached a large, circular chamber, the walls lined with strange symbols that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy. At the center of the room stood a pedestal, atop which lay a glowing crystal.
The Headmaster stopped before the pedestal and turned to me. "Place your hand upon the crystal, and you will awaken your powers."
I hesitated for a moment, uncertainty flooding me. But deep down, I knew there was no choice. I had to do this. For answers. For survival.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward and placed my hand on the crystal.
---
A surge of energy coursed through me. My body felt like it was being torn apart, each nerve firing at once, every inch of my skin alight with power. I screamed, but no sound came out. The world around me blurred, as if the very fabric of reality was shifting.
And then, everything stopped.
I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. My body felt heavy, but something was different. I felt... stronger. More alive.
I staggered to my feet, my eyes wide as I surveyed the room.
The Headmaster looked at me with approval. "It has begun."
---
Suddenly, my senses heightened. The room around me became crystal clear. I could hear every whisper, feel the vibrations in the air. The overwhelming sensation of power coursing through me was almost unbearable.
"What's happening to me?" I whispered.
"You've awakened," the Headmaster said, his voice calm and steady. "And you've unlocked the abilities of an assassin—stealth, agility, precision. You were chosen because of these talents."
"Assassin?" The word felt strange on my lips.
"Yes," the Headmaster nodded. "You are Kai Agust now. The name of your true self."
I stood there, my mind reeling. My name was no longer who I thought I was. I was Kai Agust. A name forged in power and mystery. I didn't know what it meant yet, but I was about to learn