The crowd was still buzzing with excitement as Kairos stepped off the battlefield. His body ached from the intense fight, but deep inside, he felt something stirring. The surge of energy from his battle with Lucian hadn't faded—it lingered, thrumming beneath his skin like a beast waiting to be unleashed.
Selene walked beside him, arms crossed. "You're stronger than I expected."
Kairos shot her a smirk. "Was there ever a doubt?"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't get cocky. You barely scratched the surface of what's out there."
Before he could respond, a voice called out. "Kairos Valtieri!"
A tall man in a formal black coat approached. His presence was commanding, and the moment he spoke, the students fell silent.
Selene tensed. "That's—"
"Head Instructor Caelum," Lucian muttered, standing beside them with a slight grimace. "The strongest instructor in the academy."
Kairos straightened as Caelum's sharp gaze locked onto him. "You've proven yourself beyond expectations today. The way you adapted mid-battle and overpowered Lucian was… remarkable."
Kairos felt a weight behind those words. He wasn't sure if this was a compliment or something else.
"I'd like to see your abilities personally." Caelum's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "You're to report to the Ascension Arena tomorrow morning."
A murmur spread through the students. The Ascension Arena? That wasn't just for duels—it was where the instructors tested potential elites.
Kairos narrowed his eyes. "You want to fight me?"
Caelum smirked. "Fight? No. I want to see what you're truly capable of."
Selene frowned. "He just had a fight, and now you're—"
Caelum turned his gaze to her, and she immediately fell silent. Even she knew better than to challenge him.
Kairos exhaled. His instincts told him that refusing wasn't an option.
"Fine." He met Caelum's gaze evenly. "I'll be there."
Caelum nodded and walked away, leaving behind a tense atmosphere.
Lucian whistled. "Damn. You really know how to attract trouble."
Kairos let out a breath. What the hell did I get myself into?
---
Later That Night – The Dormitory
Kairos lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His body had already recovered thanks to his enhanced regeneration, but his mind was restless.
The system felt… different.
Ever since the fight, something had changed.
He focused inward. The system interface emerged in his mind—not as floating numbers or status screens, but as an understanding of his growth. His body felt stronger, faster. His battle instincts had sharpened.
But something else was there—something deeper.
A whisper in the back of his mind.
A force beyond comprehension watches…
Kairos' breath hitched. It wasn't the system's voice. This felt… ancient.
A wave of dizziness hit him, and suddenly—
He was somewhere else.
---
The Vision: The Endless Sea of Stars
Kairos found himself floating in a vast void, surrounded by shimmering stars. The air was thick with an unknown energy, pressing against his very being.
Then—
A massive eye opened before him.
It was incomprehensibly large, stretching across the void, radiating power beyond anything he had ever felt.
The voice spoke.
"You are progressing faster than expected."
Kairos' body froze. His mind screamed at him to run, to fight—to do something—but he couldn't move.
"Do not fear. This is merely a fragment of my will."
The pressure lessened just enough for him to speak. "Who… what are you?"
The voice rumbled through the void.
"I am the Architect of Change. The Watcher Beyond the Veil. The one who set your path in motion."
Kairos' heart pounded. "You… gave me the system?"
"No. The system is merely a tool. A means to an end. You were chosen, not as a wielder, but as an anchor."
Kairos' eyes widened. "Anchor?"
"You will understand soon. Continue to grow. Continue to evolve. And when the time comes…"
The voice grew softer, yet more ominous.
"You will choose whether to break the cycle—or become its final piece."
The eye began to close, and the vision faded—
---
Reality: Awakening in a Cold Sweat
Kairos gasped, bolting upright in bed. His body was drenched in sweat, his pulse racing.
The system never did that before.
And that thing—the Architect of Change…
"What the hell does it want from me?"
His fists clenched. He didn't know the full truth yet. But one thing was clear—this wasn't just about gaining strength anymore.
Something far greater was at play.
And he was at the center of it.