The shadows had finally quieted. The wind carried only the faintest echo of destruction, and for a moment, I let myself breathe. Not relief—never relief—but to appreciate the stillness.
I was alone. Not a single familiar face remained. No family, no friends, no allies. Just me, Kai Chronos, master of time and absolute ruler of my own existence. And that… was perfectly fine.
[Author's Thoughts: By the way, if you're wondering why he's not crying over being alone… Kai doesn't do tears. He saves those for dramatic entrances.]
Alone meant no distractions, no attachments, no weaklings to drag me down. And that meant I could focus on the only thing that mattered: power. Always more power.
Preparing for the Academy
Yes, the academy. The so-called pinnacle of skill, knowledge, and prestige. A place where the strong trained, the cunning schemed, and the weak… well, they were fodder for the strong.
Funny enough, I had applied months ago. The paperwork was simple enough for anyone who had survived as long as I had—but also, of course, I didn't really need to apply. Connections, recommendations, and a hint of "future potential" smoothed the process. The world loves ambition. The world fears power. And I… gave both.
[Author's Thoughts: If you're keeping track, yes, he's basically saying "I'm awesome." You don't need to argue. You're reading his story now.]
I had no one to brag to about it. Not that I would have. Pride isn't a matter of audience—it's a matter of fact. And factually speaking, I belonged there.
The academy promised training, resources, and challenges beyond the reach of normal humans. Convenient, isn't it? I had broken time, bent reality, survived betrayal—and yet I craved more. Always more.
A Lonely Path
I walked the streets toward the academy gates, the early morning mist curling around my boots. I let the occasional thought drift to what could have been—a family, a normal life, people to care about. And then I laughed softly.
Normal was boring. Family was inconvenient. Attachments were weakness.
No, Kai Chronos had no family. And that was exactly how I liked it.
[Author's Thoughts: Okay, maybe I should mention—this isn't a sad story. You're not here for sappy family drama. You're here for Kai being terrifyingly competent.]
First Glimpse of the Academy
The gates appeared like monolithic titans, stone towers stretching high into the gray sky. Students streamed in, laughter and chatter spilling into the cold air. Some glanced my way. Most didn't. That would change soon enough.
"First day… and he already looks trouble," whispered a nearby student. I caught her eyes briefly, then ignored her. Observers were amusing, but irrelevant.
The headmaster's voice boomed. "All students, report to your assigned classes immediately!"
I walked forward, calm, detached. My mind wandered to the trial awaiting me. A small test. A minor exercise. I would treat it as a warm-up.
[Author's Thoughts: If you're worried he's underestimating everyone—don't be. Kai doesn't do stress. He does… inevitability.]