----
The house was peaceful again.
At least, as peaceful as a house with Jiwoo, Asuka, several cats, and Kayden could possibly be.
The afternoon sunlight stretched across the living room floor, warming the wooden panels and the various sleeping spots the cats had claimed as their own.
Jiwoo sat on the floor with a cup of water beside him, watching the tabby chase a small toy mouse across the room.
Asuka sat against the couch with her book open again.
This time, Kayden had checked the title twice.
Unfortunately.
Life Is Meaningless.
He still hated that title.
Not because it was wrong.
Because Asuka seemed far too comfortable reading something like that.
Kayden sat outside near the small training area connected to the house.
And he was doing pull-ups.
As a cat.
Which was, objectively, ridiculous.
His front paws gripped the metal bar while his small body lifted and lowered with perfect control.
One.
Two.
Three.
Jiwoo stared.
Then looked away.
Then looked back.
"Mr. Kayden."
"What?"
"Are you… exercising?"
Kayden continued without looking at him.
"No."
Jiwoo blinked.
"You're doing pull-ups."
"I am maintaining my physical condition."
"That's exercise."
"It's not."
Asuka turned a page.
"By definition, it is."
Kayden immediately looked offended.
"Asuka."
"Yes?"
"Do not join this conversation."
"I am only stating a fact."
"You are enjoying this."
"Yes."
Kayden clicked his tongue.
The grey scarred cat beside Asuka opened one eye, watched him do another pull-up, then closed it again.
Even the cat seemed unimpressed.
Kayden noticed.
"You too?"
The grey cat ignored him.
Kayden's expression darkened.
"Everyone in this house has become disrespectful."
Asuka gently stroked the grey cat's head.
"It is because you are surrounded by people who are comfortable with you."
"That is not an excuse."
"It is the reason."
Kayden stopped for a moment.
Not because of the exercise.
Because of the words.
He quickly resumed.
"Anyway."
Jiwoo looked over.
"You were talking about Subin earlier."
Kayden continued his pull-ups.
"The ice girl?"
Jiwoo nodded.
"She ran away before Mr. Park arrived."
Jisuk had spent the rest of that encounter proudly explaining that he had "handled the situation," while everyone else understood that he had mostly annoyed Subin until she left.
Jiwoo still looked confused about half of what happened.
"She was really angry."
"She seemed to be always angry."
"That's not very nice."
"It's accurate."
Asuka hummed softly.
"Jisuk appears to have a history with her."
Jiwoo smiled slightly.
"They're kind of similar."
Kayden nearly slipped.
"Similar?"
Jiwoo nodded.
"They both get angry easily."
Asuka's mouth curved.
"A dangerous observation."
Kayden glanced at her.
"You agree?"
"Yes."
"Don't encourage him."
Jiwoo laughed.
Then his expression became thoughtful.
"Jisuk said Mr. Park gave Wooin special treatment."
Kayden slowed slightly.
"Did he?"
"He said Mr. Park offered to let Wooin join the Union without being evaluated."
Kayden dropped down from the bar.
He landed neatly on all four paws.
Then sat beside the railing, one paw resting on it.
"The awakened groups have a complicated system."
Jiwoo listened carefully.
"They all have different rules. Different structures. Different ways of doing things."
Kayden looked toward the sky.
"But one thing is true everywhere."
His eyes narrowed.
"The higher up you go, the more closed it becomes."
Jiwoo tilted his head.
"Closed?"
"Powerful people don't let everyone in."
Kayden looked at him.
"Information is valuable. Resources are valuable. Connections are valuable."
A pause.
"So when someone important makes an exception, it means something."
Jiwoo's expression shifted.
Understanding slowly appeared.
"Ah…"
Kayden nodded.
"That Seongha Park guy is probably pretty high up in the Union."
Jiwoo nodded.
"Because he offered Wooin a place personally?"
"Exactly."
Kayden tapped one paw against the ground.
"When someone breaks their own group's rules just to recruit someone, that's special treatment."
Jiwoo looked down.
"Do you think Wooin will join?"
Kayden shrugged.
"If he wants to."
Jiwoo looked surprised.
"You're okay with that?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You said groups can be dangerous."
"They can."
Kayden looked away.
"But a proper group can also help you."
Jiwoo listened.
"You get information. Protection. Training."
A pause.
"Being alone as an awakened one is dangerous."
Jiwoo looked thoughtful.
"Then…"
He hesitated.
"Mr. Kayden."
"What?"
"Should we join a group too?"
The moment he said it, Asuka's head lifted slightly.
Not much.
Barely noticeable.
But Kayden saw it.
He always saw more than people expected.
The expression on Asuka's face changed for a fraction of a second.
Not fear.
Not anger.
Something closer to discomfort.
Like someone had suggested putting a chain around her ankle.
Kayden understood immediately.
Of course.
Asuka Seo was not someone who wanted to belong to an organization.
She belonged to herself.
She had always been like that.
She listened.
She respected.
She cared.
But being controlled?
Being assigned?
Being told where she could and could not move?
Absolutely not.
Kayden glanced toward her.
Then his eyes moved to the book in her lap.
The second volume.
He froze.
The title.
The Meaning of Life.
Kayden stared.
Then slowly looked away.
This girl.
First Life Is Meaningless.
Now The Meaning of Life.
What kind of person wrote this series?
What kind of mental battle was happening inside those pages?
And why was Asuka enjoying it?
Troublesome.
His disciple was troublesome.
Both of them were.
Jiwoo was too kind.
Asuka was too calm.
Neither of them understood how annoying they were.
Kayden sighed and returned to the conversation.
"What do you want?"
Jiwoo blinked.
"Huh?"
"I asked what you want."
Jiwoo thought.
"I don't know."
Kayden stared.
"You don't know?"
"I mean… I'm not getting offers like Wooin did."
"That's not what I asked."
Jiwoo went quiet.
Kayden hopped onto the couch arm.
"I asked what you want."
Jiwoo looked down.
Then smiled slightly.
"Right now…"
He looked toward the cats.
"I'm not thinking about joining anything."
A pause.
"I still don't know what's what."
His expression became more serious.
"To be honest, I feel like not belonging anywhere is good too."
Kayden stared.
Then scoffed.
"Then why bother worrying?"
Jiwoo looked up.
"Do what you want."
Simple.
Direct.
Very Kayden.
Jiwoo smiled.
Then looked toward Asuka.
"What about you?"
Asuka closed her book.
"What about me?"
"Do you have any plans to join a group?"
Asuka did not hesitate.
She crossed her arms into an X.
"No."
Jiwoo blinked.
"No?"
"Nope."
"Why?"
Asuka tilted her head.
"Too troublesome."
Kayden immediately looked away.
Exactly.
Of course.
Jiwoo laughed.
"I thought you might say that."
"As expected of me?"
"Yes."
Kayden rolled his eyes.
"Of course."
Jiwoo looked back at him.
"What about you, Mr. Kayden?"
"No."
"You don't belong to a group?"
"No."
"But you said groups can be useful."
"They can."
Jiwoo tilted his head.
"Then why not?"
Kayden hopped onto the back of the couch and sat there like a person.
"I didn't need one from the start."
Jiwoo stared.
Kayden grinned.
"I'm too strong for that."
Asuka immediately snorted.
Kayden looked at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You laughed."
"No."
"You did."
"I simply found your statement interesting."
"My statement was correct."
"Or…"
Asuka rested her chin against her hand.
"You are allergic to responsibility."
Silence.
Jiwoo looked between them.
Then covered his mouth.
Kayden stared straight ahead.
He heard nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
"Asuka."
"Yes?"
"I did not hear that."
"Of course."
"I am ignoring it."
"Good."
Jiwoo smiled.
"Wow, Mr. Kayden. You're really amazing."
Kayden immediately recovered.
"Of course I am."
His confidence returned instantly.
"I shouldn't be working for a group. They should be working for me."
Jiwoo listened with complete sincerity.
"There were many groups that wanted me."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Why didn't you join?"
Kayden rested his paw beneath his chin.
"Because it's bothersome."
A pause.
"And if I belonged to a group, I couldn't fight freely."
Jiwoo's eyes widened.
"Whoa."
Kayden looked proud.
"Exactly."
Asuka watched him.
The posture.
The confidence.
The ridiculous arrogance.
The way he told stories like he was the main character of his own legend.
Her fingers touched the edge of her bandages.
For a moment—
She remembered someone else.
'Toru.'
Blue eyes. White hair. A careless smile. Someone who stood at the top and acted like the world was a stage made for him. The resemblance was uncomfortable. The arrogance. The confidence. The laughter. The overwhelming strength.
Yeah.
That tracked.
Kayden continued.
"Actually, once there was a lunatic who said he would kill me if I didn't work for him."
Jiwoo looked horrified.
"What did you do?"
Kayden answered immediately.
"I destroyed his organization."
Jiwoo froze.
Asuka's shoulders dropped slightly.
There it was.
The Kayden answer.
"No hesitation."
"Why would I hesitate?"
Jiwoo looked at him.
"You're really amazing."
Kayden smiled proudly.
"Correct."
Asuka sighed.
The future warning in her head was not even subtle anymore. She did not need her Myriad of Possibilities to tell her this. Trouble followed them. It followed Jiwoo because he was kind. It followed Kayden because he was powerful. It followed Asuka because—
Well.
Apparently existing had been enough to disrupt entire worlds once before. She had hoped this life would be different. Her first life had already been too much.
Death battles.
Curses.
The strongest.
The strongest enemy.
The weight of being born with something that changed the balance of everything around her.
She wanted peace.
A quiet life.
Books.
Cats.
Training.
Maybe annoying family moments.
Not another cycle of disasters.
Asuka looked down.
The grey scarred cat had climbed into her lap.
She gently rested a hand on its back.
At least…
She had them.
Jiwoo.
Kayden.
The cats.
Her strange little family.
Maybe the universe could send as many problems as it wanted.
It still had to get through them first.
Kayden looked at her.
"You're thinking too much again."
Asuka tilted her head.
"Am I?"
"Yes."
"Accurate."
"Stop agreeing with me."
"No."
Kayden stared.
Then clicked his tongue.
Troublesome.
Definitely troublesome.
But…
He supposed he had chosen this.
The two brats.
The cats.
The house.
The chaos.
His disciples.
His problem now.
And unfortunately…
He did not hate it.
The basement became their training ground once again.
Jiwoo stood in the middle of the room, breathing heavily.
His fists were clenched.
His hair was messy.
His shirt was slightly damp from exertion.
Kayden sat on a nearby table in cat form, tail slowly moving back and forth.
Asuka stood across from Jiwoo.
Her arms crossed.
"Again."
Jiwoo immediately nodded.
"Okay."
Kayden blinked.
Then looked at Asuka.
"You're really not going to soften it?"
"No."
Jiwoo looked between them.
"That sounds bad."
"It is honest," Asuka replied.
Kayden nodded.
"For once, I agree."
Jiwoo's expression dropped slightly.
"Mr. Kayden…"
Kayden ignored him.
"Asuka, tell him."
Asuka tilted her head.
"Tell him what?"
"The obvious."
A pause.
Asuka looked at Jiwoo.
Then said calmly.
"As much as I would like to train you to move fast enough that everything around you stops…"
Jiwoo's eyes widened slightly.
"That's possible?"
"Yes."
A brief silence.
Then—
"You're too weak."
Jiwoo's soul cracked.
Not metaphorically.
He actually looked like something inside him shattered.
"Asuka…"
"I am being honest."
Kayden nodded.
"She is."
Jiwoo placed a hand over his chest.
"That hurt more because you agreed."
"You asked for improvement."
"I did."
"Then listen."
Asuka walked closer.
"You have good basics."
Jiwoo brightened slightly.
Then she continued.
"But your energy efficiency is terrible."
The brightness disappeared.
"Ah."
Kayden snorted.
"Your control is like someone pouring an entire ocean into a cup."
Jiwoo looked down.
"I waste that much?"
"Yes."
Asuka nodded.
"You have a very strong instinct for concentrating your power."
She tapped his fist.
"You gather everything into one point."
Jiwoo looked at his hand.
"That's because if I hit hard enough…"
"You win."
Asuka finished.
Jiwoo nodded.
"That's worked before."
"Yes."
Asuka looked serious.
"That is exactly why it is dangerous."
Jiwoo listened.
"Because it worked."
A pause.
"You started believing it will always work."
The room became quiet.
Asuka continued.
"You are extremely talented. Faster than most people would be at your stage."
Jiwoo looked surprised.
"But?"
"But talent does not replace fundamentals."
She pointed toward his stance.
"You cannot always spend everything on one attack."
Kayden added from the table.
"What happens when your opponent survives?"
Jiwoo went silent.
"What happens when your attack misses?"
Another pause.
"What happens when there are multiple enemies?"
Jiwoo understood.
Slowly.
His current fighting style was simple.
Gather everything.
Move fast.
Hit once.
Win.
But against someone stronger?
Against someone who could endure?
Against someone who understood his pattern?
He had nothing after that.
Asuka nodded.
"So."
She stepped back.
"We fix your reserves."
Jiwoo blinked.
"My reserves?"
"Yes."
"Your energy amount."
Kayden flicked his tail.
"And your distribution."
Asuka nodded.
"You are using too much power at the wrong time."
She raised one finger.
"Your goal is not to become stronger by using more."
Another finger.
"It is to become stronger by wasting less."
Jiwoo's eyes sharpened.
"That makes sense."
Kayden smirked.
"Good. At least you understand quickly."
Jiwoo smiled.
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet."
Kayden jumped down.
"You're going to suffer."
Jiwoo paused.
"As expected."
Asuka nodded.
"Yes."
Jiwoo sighed.
"I knew it."
For the next hour, the training was simple.
And brutal.
Not because Kayden or Asuka were trying to hurt him.
Because they were forcing him to stop relying on instinct.
Footwork.
Breathing.
Energy circulation.
Control.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Jiwoo moved.
Stopped.
Adjusted.
Failed.
Tried again.
Kayden watched carefully.
For someone who complained constantly, he was surprisingly focused.
"Your legs."
Jiwoo immediately corrected.
"Your shoulders."
Jiwoo adjusted.
"Too much force."
Jiwoo lowered his output.
"Better."
Jiwoo smiled.
Asuka noticed.
"You like this."
Jiwoo blinked.
"Huh?"
"You enjoy improving."
Jiwoo thought about it.
Then nodded.
"I think so."
Kayden looked away.
Troublesome.
A disciple who enjoyed suffering.
A weirdly kind one.
A terrifyingly stubborn one.
Exactly the type of person who would survive.
Eventually, Asuka raised a hand.
"Enough basics."
Jiwoo looked up.
"What now?"
Asuka walked toward the equipment storage.
"Something advanced."
Kayden immediately became interested.
"Advanced?"
Asuka pulled out two reinforced punching bags.
She connected them carefully.
Jiwoo tilted his head.
"What are we doing?"
"A technique."
Kayden narrowed his eyes.
"What technique?"
Asuka looked at him.
"One I developed."
That answer was technically true.
Just not the entire truth.
She did not mention another world.
Another energy system.
Another life.
She did not mention curses.
Sorcerers.
Or the countless battles where she had learned that a single perfect moment could change everything.
Instead, she simply said:
"It is a technique based on timing."
Kayden watched carefully.
"What does it do?"
Asuka looked at the punching bags.
"It increases the effectiveness of an attack without increasing the amount of energy used."
Kayden's eyes sharpened.
Now he was interested.
"Show me."
Asuka nodded.
She stood in front of the first punching bag.
Her left hand relaxed.
No dramatic stance.
No preparation.
Just a simple punch.
Her awakened energy coated her fist.
Small.
Controlled.
Efficient.
Impact.
The punching bag moved.
The surface cracked slightly.
A deep scratch mark appeared where her fist connected.
Jiwoo stared.
"That was with that little energy?"
"Yes."
Kayden looked closer.
Then at her.
"Your control is ridiculous."
Asuka ignored the compliment.
She stepped toward the second punching bag.
"This is different."
She inhaled.
Her fist moved.
For a fraction of a second—
The world aligned.
Energy.
Body.
Space.
Timing.
Everything.
Then a strange black flash of energy erupted around her fist. The second punching bag did not swing. It broke. Completely. The chain shook. Pieces of the material cracked apart.
Jiwoo stared.
Kayden stared.
Even the cats upstairs probably felt the sudden shift.
Asuka calmly raised her hand.
Then time reversed.
The broken pieces returned.
The damage disappeared.
The punching bag was restored.
Asuka lowered her hand. "The amount of energy was almost identical."
Kayden was silent.
Then.
"What the hell was that?"
Asuka looked at him.
"Black Flash."
The name alone interested him.
"Black Flash?"
"Yes."
Jiwoo looked amazed.
"That sounds cool."
"It is difficult."
"How difficult?"
Asuka considered.
"Very."
Kayden narrowed his eyes.
"Explain."
Asuka nodded.
"When the timing between physical impact and energy application is perfectly aligned, space distorts."
She tapped the punching bag.
"The energy flashes black."
Jiwoo listened carefully.
"And the power increases?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
Asuka answered simply.
"The force becomes the original attack raised to a higher level."
Kayden stared.
"A critical strike."
Asuka nodded.
"Essentially."
Jiwoo looked excited.
"So anyone can do it?"
Asuka paused.
"Yes."
Both Jiwoo and Kayden looked surprised.
"Anyone?"
"Yes."
A pause.
"It is just extremely difficult."
Kayden crossed his paws.
"So why?"
"Because it is not just technique."
Asuka looked at her hand.
"It requires instinct."
She remembered.
Battlefields.
Blood.
Adrenaline.
Moments where thinking became too slow.
"When someone is completely connected to the fight, they can enter that state."
Jiwoo nodded.
"Like being completely focused?"
"Yes."
Kayden looked thoughtful.
"And you?"
Asuka blinked.
"What about me?"
"You make it sound easy."
A small pause.
"It was not."
Kayden looked surprised.
Asuka continued.
"I was able to use it because I had experience."
She looked away slightly.
"Close combat. Repeated battles. Understanding exactly when my attacks landed."
A pause.
"Without that, even perfect control would not be enough."
Kayden nodded slowly.
That made sense.
A technique like this was not something you simply memorized.
It was something your body learned.
Something your instincts understood.
Which made Asuka's next words even more ridiculous.
"Anyone can reach it."
Kayden stared.
"Anyone?"
"Yes."
"That's insane."
"It is difficult."
"That does not make it less insane."
Asuka tilted her head.
"But it is possible."
Jiwoo looked between the two of them.
Then looked at his own fist.
"I want to learn it."
Kayden immediately looked at him.
"You heard the difficult part, right?"
"Yes."
"And you still want to?"
Jiwoo nodded.
"It's amazing."
Kayden sighed.
Of course.
Of course this kid would hear "extremely difficult technique that requires perfect timing and instinct" and think:
That sounds fun.
Asuka looked at him.
"Do not expect to use it soon."
"I know."
"You may fail hundreds of times."
"I know."
"You may never succeed."
Jiwoo smiled.
"But I can try."
Silence.
Kayden looked away.
Damn.
That answer was annoyingly like him.
Asuka's expression softened slightly.
"Then we start with basics."
Jiwoo nodded immediately.
"Yes."
Later, after Jiwoo began practicing the timing drills, Kayden remained unusually quiet.
Not because he was bored.
Because he was thinking.
A technique like that…
If awakened ones knew about it…
If fighters learned it…
It would change everything.
A single strike.
Same energy.
Different result.
The battlefield itself would change.
And Asuka had casually shown it.
Like she was teaching someone how to tie their shoes.
Kayden looked at her.
She was correcting Jiwoo's stance.
Patiently.
Calmly.
Completely unaware of how absurd she was.
Or maybe she knew.
That was worse.
Then a thought occurred.
Kayden's eyes slowly widened.
A grin appeared.
A very bad grin.
Asuka felt it immediately.
A small chill.
She turned her head.
Kayden was staring at his paws.
With a smile.
A terrifying smile.
"Mr. Kayden."
"Yes?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Nothing."
Asuka stared.
Kayden looked away.
"I'm just considering possibilities."
"That is usually when problems happen."
"Wrong."
"Yes?"
"That is usually when fun happens."
Asuka sighed.
She already knew.
She already knew exactly what kind of nonsense was forming.
Kayden lifted one paw.
A serious expression crossed his face.
"If I can do this…"
Asuka stared.
"Mr. Kayden."
"Imagine."
"No."
"Kitty—"
"No."
"—Black Flash."
The room went silent.
Jiwoo looked confused. Asuka looked tired. Kayden looked incredibly proud of himself. Then he raised his paw again. Tiny sparks of electricity danced around it.
"Asuka."
"Yes?"
"Can cats do Black Flash?"
She stared.
Then slowly covered her face with one hand.
"Why did I teach you this?"
Kayden grinned.
"Because you recognized my potential."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
Asuka was suddenly very tired.
Of course.
Of course her teacher heard about a powerful combat technique and his first thought was:
Can I do it as a cat?
Kayden looked proud.
"It would be incredible."
Asuka turned away.
"I regret teaching you."
"You cannot regret your teacher."
"I can."
Jiwoo covered his mouth.
Trying not to laugh.
Kayden looked between them.
"I am serious."
"I know."
"You think I'm joking."
"I do not."
"Then why are you smiling?"
Asuka looked at him.
"Because it sounds exactly like something you would do."
Kayden paused.
Then nodded.
"Fair."
And despite herself—
Asuka smiled.
Because maybe her second life would not be peaceful.
Maybe trouble would keep finding them.
Maybe the universe would continue throwing impossible things in their direction.
But at least…
She had people who made even the impossible ridiculous.
And honestly?
That was not the worst thing.
----