Kaelen's eyes opened slowly, his vision was blurry and unfocused. For a moment, he couldn't remember where he was or what had happened. Then the memory crashed back—the cultivation, the agony he felt, the breakthrough. His body felt heavy, as if gravity had doubled overnight.
He tried to sit up and immediately regretted it. Every muscle protested, sending sharp complaints through his nervous system. His limbs felt like they belonged to someone else—simultaneously lighter and heavier, more responsive yet utterly exhausted.
Sunlight streamed through his window. It was morning. He'd been unconscious the entire night. He managed to push himself upright, sweat-damp sheets clinging to his skin. His throat was dry, his head was pounding with a dull ache that pulsed behind his eyes. For several minutes, he just sat there, breathing carefully, waiting for the room to stop tilting.
When he finally stood, his legs shook—but they managed to hold. He stumbled to the bathroom and caught his reflection in the mirror. He looked terrible. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, his hair was plastered to his forehead with dried sweat, and his skin had an unhealthy pallor. But beneath the exhaustion, something else caught his attention.
His eyes.
They were still crimson, but there was a faint luminescence to them now, barely visible unless you looked closely. A subtle glow that pulsed with his heartbeat.
He turned on the shower and let cold water shock him back to full awareness. The sensation was overwhelming—every droplet felt distinct against his skin, every temperature change registered with crystalline clarity. His senses had sharpened. By the time he dried off and dressed, the sluggishness had mostly faded, replaced by a strange, vibrating energy just beneath his skin. His body felt different. Not stronger in an obvious way, but more… aligned. As if every part of him was now working in perfect synchronization.
He sat on his bed and focused inward.
The difference hit him immediately.
Where before his aether had flowed through narrow channels, now it moved through wide, stable pathways. Where before he'd had to carefully manipulate energy through resistant veins, now it circulated almost effortlessly. His core—centered in his lower abdomen—pulsed with steady, dense power. This wasn't just an incremental improvement. This was fundamental change.
"Status," he whispered.
The blue interface flickered to life, and Kaelen's breath paused.
[Host Status]
[Name: Kaelen Burn]
[Class: Chrononaut]
[Race: Human]
[Title: None]
[Energy Level: Initiate Basic Control]
[Point stage: Latent Stage]
[Classification: Unique]
[Ability Grade: S-Grade]
[Base Level: 6] (1060/1300 XP)
[System Level: 4] (660/1200 XP)
[HP: 300/300]
[A.E.: 350/350]
[Stats]
[Strength: 45]
[Stamina: 40]
[Perception: 35]
[Defense: 41]
[Agility: 38]
[Vitality: 51]
[Intelligence: 55]
[Stat Points: 34]
[Abilities]
Time Authority — Tier 1 Lv. 1
Spatial Authority — Tier 1 Lv. 1
[Active Skills]
Flash Step Lv. 1 | Spatial Lock Lv. 1 | Spatial Warp Lv. 1 | Temporal Drag Lv. 1 | Temporal Lock Lv. 1 | Aether Manipulation Lv. 3 | Spatial Lance Lv. 1 | Aether Burst Lv. 1
[Passive Skills]
Chrono-Perception Lv. 1 | Spatial Awareness Lv. 1 | Analytical Scan Lv. 1 | Energy Resonance Lv. 1 | Aether Regeneration Lv. 1 | Health Regeneration Lv. 1 | Aether Harden Lv. 1
[Quest Complete: Foundation Under Pressure]
[All rewards distributed]
[Side Quest Active: Victory to the Beholder]
[Accept And Win The Duel]
Kaelen stared at the display, processing the changes.
His HP had increased from 250 to 300. His A.E. had jumped from 270 to 350. Both his Base Level and System Level had increased. But more importantly, he had two new skills.
He focused on the first notification.
[Aether Burst Lv. 1: Release a concentrated explosion of aether from any point on your body. Can be used offensively (knockback/damage) or defensively (repelling attacks).
An explosive release. Perfect for close-quarters combat or creating distance when overwhelmed.
He focused on the second.
[Aether Harden Lv. 1: Passively reinforces the body with dormant aether, increasing physical durability. Can be activated for enhanced defense.
His eyes widened. A passive defensive boost, with the option to massively increase durability when needed. This was exactly what he'll be needing —survivability.
He sighed,"The new skills and the boost in aether and vitality were not in the rewards. It came with breaking through, i assume."
He closed the interface and stood, testing his body again. The exhaustion was still there, but manageable now. He felt the passive effect of aether Harden immediately—a subtle but constant reinforcement running through his muscles and bones, like wearing invisible armor. He clenched his fist and felt power coil through his arm. Not overwhelming strength, but controlled, refined force.
He'd done it.
He'd broken through to Initiate Basic Control. And he had two days to learn how to use it before facing Jax.
...
By the time Kaelen left his dorm, the academy was fully awake. Students filled the corridors, their chatter blending with the hum of machinery and the distant clang of training equipment. He moved through the crowd with his head down, still adjusting to the heightened sensory input. Every sound was sharper, every movement more distinct.
His Spatial Awareness passively tracked people around him without conscious effort, creating a mental map of his surroundings.
It was disorienting.
A group of second-years passed, and one of them glanced at Kaelen, then did a double-take. He whispered something to his friend, and both turned to stare.
Kaelen kept walking.
More stares followed. Some curious, others calculating. A few students whispered as he passed:
"That's the first-year fighting Jax..."
"He looks different..."
"He's on his last fist obviously..."
He reached the lecture hall just as Professor Nyra was beginning her lesson. She paused mid-sentence when he entered, her feline ears twitching as her gaze locked onto him.
For a long moment, she said nothing. Then her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Mr. Burn," she said quietly. "A word after class."
He nodded and took his seat. Sera, seated several rows over, turned to look at him. Her crystalline gray eyes studied him for a moment, then widened fractionally—the most surprise he'd ever seen from her.
She mouthed two words: "You did it."
He gave a small nod.
The lecture continued, but Kaelen barely heard it. His mind was already moving ahead—to the training he needed, the techniques he had to master, and the fight that was now less than two days away.
When the class ended, students filed out quickly. Kaelen remained seated until the room emptied.
Professor Nyra approached, her expression unreadable.
"You broke through," she said. Not a question.
"Yes, Professor."
She circled him slowly, the way she had before, but this time her movements were more cautious. "Your aether pathways are… remarkably stable. More stable than they should be for someone who just completed such a rapid ascension."
"I was careful," Kaelen admitted. "And I was lucky, you could add."
Nyra's tail flicked once. "Careful or lucky. I deny the previous." She stopped in front of him, her golden eyes meeting his. "Your duel is in two days."
"I'm aware."
"You understand that reaching Initiate Basic does not guarantee victory. Jax is at Guardian Advanced—two full levels above you. He has years of combat experience." She said, her eyes scanning him for reactions.
"I understand."
"Then understand this as well." Her voice softened, just slightly. "You have impressed me, Kaelen Burn. Genuinely. But do not mistake potential for mastery. Power without control is a liability. And in two days, you will face someone who knows how to exploit liabilities."
She turned toward the door, then paused. "Rest. Train intelligently. And don't lose. "
With that, she left.
Kaelen sat alone in the empty lecture hall, her words settling over him like a weighted blanket.
"Why does she care?" He sighed, thinking to himself.
It's true he wasn't ready.
But he had two days at least.
...
Kaelen was halfway across the courtyard when Sera appeared beside him, moving silently despite the crowded pathway.
"Walk with me," she said.
He fell into step beside her. They moved toward the training wing in silence, the noise of other students fading behind them.
"You broke through to Initiate Basic Control," Sera said finally. It wasn't a question.
"Last night."
"And you nearly killed yourself doing it."
He glanced at her. "How did you—"
"Your movements. You're compensating for residual pain in your channels. Your breathing is slightly irregular. And your aether signature is still settling." She looked at him directly. "You pushed too hard."
He rubbed the back of his hair chuckling,"I had a deadline~."
"And now you have a duel in two days." Her tone was flat. "You won the bet. Congratulations. Now you get to fight someone who could break you in half while you're still adjusting to your new power."
They reached the training wing entrance. Sera stopped and turned to face him fully.
"I told you reaching Initiate Basic in a week was practically impossible." Her expression was unreadable. "But you did it. Either you're reckless, or you have resources I don't know about. Probably both." She reached into her jacket and pulled out a small case, placing it in his hands.
"The bet," she said simply.
Kaelen opened the case. Inside lay two items:
The first was a thin chain made of interwoven silver metal, each link inscribed with microscopic runes. It pulsed faintly with stored aether.
[Analytical Scan Lv. 1]
[Aether Chain - Rank E]
[Function:???]
"It's called an aether chain." Sera said, noticing he was staring at it. "It Stores a moderate amount of aether energy to use low level skills. It can be drawn instantly in combat." She studied him before continuing. "It recharges slowly over time by absorbing aether from the environment or can be manually refilled with your aether."
The second item was a small, pale-blue crystal no larger than a marble.
[F-Rank Aether Crystal]
[Contains 30 A.E. Single-use consumable.]
After he listened to her explanation and inspected the second item, he looked up at Sera. "This is—"
"What you earned," she cut him off. "The chain will give you emergency reserves if you overextend. The crystal is for dire situations only. Use it when you need it the most."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. Just don't waste them."
She turned toward the training room entrance. "Now come inside. We're not done."
...
The training room was quiet as always when they entered. Sera walked to the control panel and powered up the advanced dummy they'd used yesterday... the one programmed with Jax's patterns.
But instead of activating it, she stepped into the center of the room.
"We're not using the dummy today," she said, rolling her shoulders. "You need to fight someone who adapts. Someone unpredictable."
Kaelen realized what she meant. "You want to spar?"
"I want to see what you can actually do." Her eyes gleamed. "You've broken through. You have new skills. But can you use them under pressure? Against an opponent who will use their head and isn't merely a programmed pattern?"
She settled into a ready stance. "No holding back. Use your Chrononaut abilities. Show me what a Unique S-Grade can actually accomplish."
Kaelen hesitated, then nodded. He moved to the opposite side of the room and took his own stance.
The air between them felt charged.
"Begin," Sera said.
She moved first—a testing jab, not committed, just probing his reaction. Kaelen sidestepped, activating Chrono-Perception. The world slowed fractionally. Sera's movements became more readable, each micro-adjustment in her posture visible.
He countered with a quick strike. She deflected it easily.
They exchanged blows; fast, controlled, neither fully committing. Kaelen could feel the difference immediately. His body responded faster, his reactions sharper. The passive boost from aether Harden made impacts against his blocks less painful.
Sera increased the pressure, her strikes coming faster, more complex. Kaelen activated Flash Step, closing distance, then immediately retreated when she countered.
"You're faster," she acknowledged. "But you're still thinking like you're weaker than you are." She lunged. Kaelen raised an aether shield—but this time, with Aether Manipulation Lv. 3, the construct formed faster, denser, more stable.
Sera's strike connected with the shield and rebounded.
BAM
Her eyes widened fractionally. "Better."
They reset. This time, Kaelen went on the offensive. He feinted left, then activated Spatial Warp, distorting the space between them just enough to make his real attack come from an unexpected angle.
Sera blocked, but she had to work for it.
"Now you're learning," she said.
They continued—strike, counter, dodge, reset. Kaelen felt himself adapting, his new power level allowing him to keep pace with Sera in ways he couldn't have before.
But he hadn't used his most dangerous skill yet.
"Use everything," Sera commanded. "Stop holding back."
Kaelen took a breath. He stepped back, creating distance, and focused.
[Spatial Lance Lv. 1: Create a condensed spatial tear in the form of a lance-shaped projection. High piercing potential.
[–40 A.E]
He extended his hand. Aether gathered, condensing into a visible point of distorted space. The air around his palm warped, bending light.
Then he released it.
BOOM
The Spatial Lance shot forward—a razor-thin projectile of compressed spatial energy, nearly invisible except for the shimmer of displaced air. It was faster than he expected.
Sera's eyes widened. She tried to dodge, but the lance clipped her shoulder, tearing through her aether-reinforced school's jacket and leaving a thin cut.
Then it kept going.
The lance struck the training dummy behind her.
For a split second, nothing happened.
Then the dummy's torso imploded.
The spatial distortion tore through its reinforced frame like paper, collapsing the structure from the inside out. Metal shrieked, crystal cores shattered, and the entire upper half of the dummy disintegrated into fragments.
The lance dissipated against the far wall, leaving a faint scorch mark on the reinforced surface.
Silence filled the training room.
Kaelen stared at his hand, stunned. "I didn't mean to—"
Sera looked at the destroyed dummy, then at the cut on her shoulder, then at Kaelen.
"That," she said slowly, "is not a low tier skill."
"It is—"
"It's not." She touched the cut, her fingers coming away with a thin line of blood. "That attack had enough force to punch through Guardian-level defenses. You just destroyed a C-Rank training construct in one hit."
She looked at him with something approaching genuine concern. "Kaelen. What exactly are you?"
He didn't have an answer.
Sera exhaled. "You can't use that skill recklessly. If you miss Jax and hit a spectator—" She shook her head. "I know wining is important to you, but tell me you'll only use it if you have a clear shot. And even then, aim low. Legs, not torso."
"I promise."
She studied him for a long moment. "You might actually have a chance."
"Against Jax?"
"You might." She turned toward the exit. "Tomorrow we refine your technique. The day after…" She paused at the door giving the dummy one last silent look.
She left.
Kaelen stood alone in the training room, staring at the destroyed dummy. His hand still tingled with residual energy.
...
Kaelen returned to his dorm as evening settled over the academy. His body ached—not from injury, but from the deep, cellular fatigue of rapid cultivation and intense training.
He sat on his bed and opened his quest display one more time.
[Side Quest: Victory to the Beholder]
The entire academy would be watching.
He looked at the Aether Chain Sera had given him, now fastened around his left wrist. The metal was cool against his skin, already beginning to charge with ambient aether.
He thought about Spatial Lance—the way it had torn through the dummy without effort. The way Sera had looked at him afterward, with something between respect and wariness.
He thought about Jax—confident, experienced, two levels above him.
And he thought about the journey that had brought him here. From a Null with no future, to a Chrononaut with power he barely understood. He closed his eyes and let his aether circulate naturally, feeling the steady, controlled flow through his perfected channels.
Tomorrow, he would refine his technique.
The day after, he would fight. And win or lose, he would prove that rapid advancement wasn't luck.
It was will.
He opened his eyes, his crimson irises gleaming faintly in the dim light.
"Two days," he whispered to the empty room.