Kairos spent the rest of the night staring at the ceiling, his mind racing. The Architect of Change, the cryptic warnings—it all felt too real. He had never questioned why he was given the system, but now, he couldn't ignore it.
An anchor? A cycle?
None of it made sense. But there was no time to dwell on it now.
Morning came faster than he wanted.
A knock at his door snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Kairos, wake up! We need to get to the Ascension Arena," Selene's voice called from outside.
Kairos ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. No more distractions. If I want answers, I need to get stronger.
---
The Ascension Arena
The moment Kairos stepped into the arena, the atmosphere shifted. The air was heavy, thick with magic and anticipation. The stands were filled with students, all murmuring excitedly.
At the center stood Head Instructor Caelum. His presence alone demanded respect. His black coat swayed as he turned to face Kairos, his expression unreadable.
Kairos stepped forward, feeling every pair of eyes on him.
Caelum spoke, his voice carrying through the arena. "Kairos Valtieri, today is not a simple test of strength. This is a trial of awakening. You have shown potential, but true power is forged through struggle."
Kairos kept his gaze steady. "So, what? You're going to beat me down until I get stronger?"
A small smirk tugged at Caelum's lips. "Not quite."
He raised his hand, and the ground shifted. A deep rumble echoed through the arena as fiery cracks spread across the stone. The air shimmered with heat.
Then—
A beast emerged.
A massive, obsidian-scaled creature with molten veins running through its body. Its four crimson eyes burned with primal fury as it let out a guttural snarl.
Kairos barely had time to process before Caelum spoke again.
"You will fight the Infernal Warden. And you will not be allowed to retreat."
A wave of energy locked Kairos in place. There was no way out.
Selene's eyes widened from the stands. "That thing is way beyond normal training levels! He could die!"
Lucian folded his arms, his expression grim. "That's the point."
Kairos felt his pulse quicken. The Infernal Warden radiated an overwhelming heat, the air itself warping around it.
So this is the kind of opponent I have to face now…
The beast lunged.
Kairos barely dodged, feeling the searing heat as its claws sliced through the air. The moment his foot touched the ground, he retaliated.
Dash!
His speed tripled, and he appeared behind the beast in a blink. His fist, charged with raw energy, slammed into its back—only for pain to shoot up his arm.
The creature's hide was unbreakable.
Damn it!
The Warden twisted, its tail whipping toward him. Kairos managed to raise his arms just in time, but the sheer force sent him flying across the arena. He crashed into the stone floor, coughing.
Caelum watched silently.
Kairos pushed himself up, gritting his teeth. His regeneration kicked in, sealing the worst of his injuries. But this wasn't just about endurance—he had to win.
He took a deep breath. Think. Adapt.
Then—he felt it.
A shift inside him.
The system pulsed.
A flood of information surged through his mind—instincts, knowledge, possibilities he hadn't considered before.
His power wasn't just about using what he had.
It was about evolving.
Kairos clenched his fists as the air around him changed. A new skill had emerged—something unpredictable.
"Adaptive Resonance."
His body pulsed, his energy shifting in real time. His strength, his speed—everything began to synchronize with the Warden's own essence.
The beast lunged again.
This time, Kairos didn't dodge.
He stepped into the attack, his hands glowing with an eerie, shifting energy. The moment the Warden's claw reached him, Kairos matched its force—absorbing the impact, redirecting it.
A deafening boom erupted as the force rebounded back into the beast, sending it staggering backward.
The crowd gasped.
Selene's eyes widened. "He… countered it?"
Lucian whistled. "That's not just countering. He's adapting mid-fight."
The Warden roared in frustration and charged again, but Kairos was already moving. His strikes were sharper, more precise. Each blow chipped away at the beast's armor-like hide.
The system's voice echoed in his mind.
"Evolution Progress: 87%"
Almost there…
With a final surge, Kairos leapt into the air, his entire body glowing with unstable energy. The Infernal Warden raised its head—just in time to see Kairos descending like a comet.
BOOM!
The impact sent a shockwave across the arena. Dust and embers filled the air.
Silence.
Then, as the dust settled, the Warden's body collapsed.
Kairos stood over it, breathing heavily. His body felt different. Lighter. More refined.
Caelum finally spoke. "Interesting."
Kairos turned to him, his body still tingling with residual energy. "That enough proof for you?"
Caelum smirked. "It's a start."
Then, under his breath, he murmured, "You might actually survive what's coming."
Kairos didn't hear him.
But the Architect of Change did.
And it watched.