The laughter faded.
The noise, the chaos, the warmth of a long-awaited reunion began to settle, leaving only silence—and something heavy in the air. Not tension, not quite. Something unspoken. Like the calm before the story truly begins.
Kaelen's eyes narrowed as he lifted his hand.
SNAP.
A shimmer of gold and silver burst from his fingertips, forming a thin layer of energy that enveloped the room like mist. A ripple ran through space, sealing them in.
[NOISE SUPPRESSION BARRIER: ACTIVATED]
"Privacy," Kaelen said simply.
Aleron and Seraphina exchanged a glance.
No words—just understanding.
And then it happened.
The brothers exhaled… and the world shifted.
Their auras—hidden for so long—bled into the chamber like ancient titans waking from slumber. A hum filled the air. Magic coiled through the stone floor. The weight of entire realms crackled off their skin.
Valthor's mere presence made the light dim. Draegen's shadow twisted unnaturally along the walls. Kaelen's pupils flickered like stormfire. Vexen smiled… and the entire room bent slightly, as if reality questioned itself.
Seraphina stepped back.
"These… these aren't the boys I raised."
Aleron looked on, unmoving. "No. They're not."
Then came the question. Simple. Direct.
"What do you plan to do… now that you're back on Earth?"
The brothers paused.
Kaelen rubbed the back of his neck. "Live a little."
Draegen adjusted his glasses. "Quiet life. No politics."
Valthor nodded. "Protect what's ours."
Vexen raised a hand. "Tea shop. Good girls. No more saving universes."
Aleron crossed his arms, still unreadable. "Do any of you see a system floating around you?"
They all glanced at each other.
"…Nope," Kaelen said. "We never got one."
"Try this," Aleron said. "Say: OPEN STATUS."
The moment the words left their mouths—
DING!!!
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
STATUS WINDOW — FORCE ACTIVATED
ACCESS LEVEL: USER
PERMISSION GRANTED TO PRIMARY HOLDER ONLY.
WARNING: UNAUTHORIZED VIEWING IS PROHIBITED UNLESS GIVEN DIRECT PERMISSION.]
Golden-blue holograms exploded into the air around each brother—but only visible to themselves.
Even Seraphina, standing just feet away, saw nothing. They had to will it visible.
Aleron stepped forward. "DON'T EVER SHOW ANYONE YOUR STATUS. NOT UNLESS IT'S LIFE OR DEATH. NOT UNLESS YOU TRUST THEM WITH YOUR EXISTENCE."
The boys nodded, understanding the weight in his voice.
Kaelen, with a curious shrug, allowed his parents to see his.
The moment they did… Seraphina's breath caught in her throat.
[KAELEN — STATUS WINDOW]
CLASS: UNKNOWN
LEVEL: ???
TITLE: THE STORM-BREAKER
RANK: IRREGULAR
STATS:
STRENGTH: ???
AGILITY: ???
MAGIC: ???
DESTRUCTION: ???
ENDURANCE: ???
AURA: ???
SKILLS:
[CORE IMPLOSION STRIKE] — ??????????
[LIGHTNING SOUL OVERDRIVE] — ??????????
[INFINITY ROUND: COMBAT LOOP] — ??????????
[MAGIC COMPRESSION CORE] — ADVANCED
[WORLDWALKER'S WILL] — SYSTEM ERROR
STATUS:
WARNING: POWER EXCEEDS SYSTEM LIMITATIONS.
SOME SKILLS REDACTED.
LEVEL: BEYOND S-RANK.
CLASS: IRREGULAR.
Seraphina stepped back, eyes wide. "This is…"
Aleron answered for her. "An Irregular."
Then Draegen allowed his window to appear. Valthor. Vexen. All the same result:
IRREGULAR.
The same title given only to the rarest, most unpredictable, uncontrollable beings. The kind that made even gods tread lightly.
Seraphina closed her eyes.
"…That makes thirty."
The boys blinked.
"Thirty?" Kaelen echoed.
"There are only thirty Irregulars on the entire planet," she said softly, "And four of them are standing in this room."
A heavy silence.
Then Seraphina gave a long sigh and turned to Aleron. "We should keep them away from their sisters."
"Definitely," Aleron agreed instantly.
"Too much chaos if they meet."
Kaelen blinked. "Wait—what?"
"NO MY PRANKS I'VE BEEN SAVING UP!
" Vexen said"
"You'll probably meet them eventually," Seraphina muttered. "But not now."
"Your shop will be safe," Aleron added, looking at Valthor. "Pick a city. We'll make sure it's protected. Stay quiet. Don't make noise."
"And if something happens?" Draegen asked.
Seraphina's eyes glinted. "You'll know."
Aleron nodded. "We'll send letters. Every week. Just… don't bring the system crashing down."
The boys exchanged glances.
"A tea shop it is," Vexen grinned.
SIX MONTHS LATER
DING.
A delicate bell above the door chimed.
A humble wooden shop nestled at the heart of a quiet district buzzed gently with life. Steam rose from porcelain cups. Calming incense drifted through the air. Locals called it "Four Leaves."
A quiet tea shop with polite staff, peaceful energy, and—
A rumor.
A rumor that behind its counters worked four men who didn't match their humble smiles. Four men with eyes too sharp. Movements too fluid. Presence too… divine.
But none dared question it.
And every Sunday, without fail, a letter arrived.
Sealed with gold wax. Written in the same hand.
From Mother and Father.