When Alex opened his eyes, he couldn't believe the view in front of him. He was standing on a massive peninsula and had no idea how he got there. The structures covering the entire island looked like they were built under the rules of another world. Gravity-defying water bridges floated mid-air, and this supernatural sight was both bewildering and mesmerizing. While Alex tried to make sense of this strangeness in his mind, a voice with an Italian accent suddenly pulled him out of his trance.
"Hey! Are you awake? You must be Alex. My name is Sofia, welcome to the academy."Sofia's blue eyes were just as dazzling as everything else on the island.
"Did I drink too much…?" For a brief moment, the image of the gun he had last pointed at his own head flashed before his eyes. His heart clenched, breath quickened."Did I… die?"
"I don't think you're dead." Sofia replied with a warm smile."But I can tell you're confused, Alex. Hopefully, with my guidance, you'll find answers to some of your questions."
Alex felt a little relief at her response. But suddenly, Marco's words about the academy echoed in his mind."Wait… Is this the academy that lunatic was talking about?"
Sofia smirked, replying with a sarcastic tone:"The 'lunatic' you're talking about must definitely be the man you know as Marco. Around here, we call him 'Kai.' Here's your first lesson: never trust Kai."
Alex already knew not to trust someone who could pull red roses out of their shirt like a magician."Don't worry, I figured that out on my own."
Sofia laughed at Alex's joke."I like you. Come, follow me."
As Sofia started walking ahead, Alex listened to her while being fascinated by the strange phenomena around him. Streams of water floating in the air swirled like rainbows and branched off in different directions."I wouldn't even be surprised if I saw flying fish in this dream," he thought.
As Sofia walked toward a large communal area in the middle of the island, she started explaining:"First of all, the place you're in right now is one of the academies built completely independent from the outside world," she said, noticing Alex's curious gaze."The academies were built on special grounds—meaning no one from the outside can see them. You can think of it like an illusion."
"Wait, there's more than one academy?" Alex asked, surprised.
"Yes, there is. The overall organization is called Kaizen. Kaizen's goal is to maintain the world's balance by regulating people with abilities like ours. There are many academies and bases worldwide. The one we're currently in is called the Ascension Academy. It was founded about two hundred years ago, making it the youngest of them all. And you've already met its founder."
Alex immediately understood who she was talking about—the man with white eyes and a gaze that pierced souls."Wait, are you telling me Marco is two hundred years old?"
"He might be even older. No historian we know has his exact age on record." Sofia explained."In fact, there was even a time when he had a war with the Kaizen council itself. The rebellion he led was so impactful that it had repercussions even on Earth. After Kai won the war, a new leadership was formed. His only request from them was to establish his own academy where no one would interfere with him."
Alex found all this hard to believe. Even if he wasn't a history buff, he was fairly certain people didn't float water through the air or have ageless wars in real history."I don't really follow history, but I'm pretty sure nothing that impactful happened." he said skeptically.
Sofia sighed lightly before replying:"Reasons can shadow the truth, Alex. People mostly felt the effects during events like the great Chile earthquake and the world wars."
This all felt incredibly strange to Alex. How could Kaizen be responsible for the instability humanity had gone through?"Wait, are you saying Kaizen caused the wars?" he asked, trying to clear his mind.
"No," Sofia said, her tone turning serious."But when Kaizen went to war, the world's balance began to unravel. Disasters like those couldn't be stopped once that process began."
Alex's head was starting to fill with questions. Did Kai not think about the consequences of what he did? There was no way the man he spoke to was a good person. But another question now haunted his mind: the "Decay Process" Sofia mentioned. What did it really mean?"What exactly is the Decay Process? I thought Kaizen was created to maintain balance. If so, why is there even a decay process?" he asked curiously.
Sofia answered his question:"That's a good question. These concepts are a bit complex, but here's what you need to know: according to what we've been told, no one—not even Kaizen—can stop the decay of the planet's balance. We can only slow it down. Without Kaizen, humanity would have ended before it even began."
As Alex drowned in these complex concepts, he questioned when exactly he had grown so interested in this conversation. He was in a place too extraordinary to be real, and he didn't even know how he had arrived. Yet, he had adapted quickly. As the conversation continued, he realized they had reached the central square. From this square, located in the heart of the island, three different paths branched off toward three large zones. Each direction had distinct structures, each with its own unique theme.
Sofia continued her speech. "Getting back to the introduction, the square divides into four directions. Each direction belongs to a different faction with its own rules. I'll briefly introduce them to you."
The first direction Sofia introduced was the South. Alex was captivated as he looked at the bizarre structures in the South. Each structure had a peculiar energy of its own. The first one that caught his eye was a grand hall illuminated by the wild dance of flames within it. The flames swirled in the air as if they were alive. Right after that, he saw a field made of ice, with snowflakes gracefully floating around it. Its cold and tranquil atmosphere formed a sharp contrast to the previous building's heat. Third, he noticed a structure where water flowed from the sky and merged into a massive aquarium. This building radiated a calmness reflecting the soft yet powerful flow of water.
"The South is home to the Elementalists. As the name suggests, Elementalists are a faction that trains those who can control elements," Sofia explained. "That's why there are so many structures in different areas here." Alex now better understood why there were so many large buildings in the South. The number of zones symbolized the diversity of the elements. Sofia continued: "Thanks to them, extraordinary natural phenomena around the world are kept under control. However, some disasters still manage to make an impact, no matter how much we try to mitigate them."
"What if someone appears who can control more than one element? Where do they go?" Alex asked curiously.
Sofia answered with a serious expression: "There's a rule in talent mutations: either one or all. That is, you either control only one element, or you control them all. But a mutation that allows control over all elements is extremely rare and would make you an exceptionally gifted immortal in Kaizen. We call such individuals the 'Rare Ones.' The next faction is precisely about that." This time, Sofia turned to the East and pointed to the second group's location. In the East, there was a single eye-catching large structure. Its twisted shape resembled a hypnotic tunnel, and the swirl of colorful lights on its surface made it both dazzling and mysterious.
"This area you're seeing is home to the Rare Ones, or as they're also known, the Union of the Immortals," Sofia explained. "They don't take part in ordinary missions. In fact, they've never had much to do with people. Their powers are so immense that they spend most of their time trying to keep it in balance. For some, it takes thousands of years to graduate from the academy."
When Alex heard the word "immortal," vampires immediately came to his mind. What did immortality feel like? And Kai... Could he be a vampire? In his mind, he pictured Kai pulling a deadpan expression while pretending to be a vampire, and he couldn't help but smile. "Are you sure those Rare Ones aren't doing some kind of rituals in there?"
"Partly, yes," Sofia replied. "Some of them are genuinely strange, and very few are even remotely human. But if they don't balance their powers, it could seriously disrupt the overall balance. Usually, those who fail to find their balance during training end up on Kaizen's execution list— which means death for them."
Alex didn't know what to say. While he pondered what kind of beings these Rare Ones were, Sofia turned west and pointed out another faction. The first thing that caught the eye in the West was a smokeless blue flame forming a ring around a central structure. The structure was constantly shifting, creating shapes Alex had never seen before in his life.
"The Elites might be the most interesting class. They're also known as the Shifters. Their abilities are directly tied to their name. They're always part of various missions, but they can't just turn into anything they want. That's why vampires and other mystical creatures became the stuff of books," Sofia paused for a moment. "By the way, they have an obsession with wearing black—if I were you, I'd be cautious. We always compete with them for first place in the academy tournaments."
Alex thought he had seen extraordinary things in all three regions. If this was a dream, he would do anything not to wake up. For the first time in his life, he felt this excited. "Compete? I thought you were a teacher or a guide."
"Maybe I will be one day. But for now, just know that I'm your upperclassman," Sofia said, turning quickly to the North before Alex could ask more. Floating water channels led toward an island built above the clouds. Alex was about to stubbornly ask what class Sofia belonged to when he saw the peaceful image of mountains atop the island and decided to stay silent. The neatly aligned mountains created an exotic aura; the waters flowing from their peaks only enhanced it. The wind danced harmoniously and met the rising structures. These buildings were arranged in a style reminiscent of Chinese dojos.
"The final faction stands before you," Sofia said. "The Elites—this is where you and I will train. The Elites are made up of chosen individuals. Here, you can find Elementalists, Shifters, even Rare Ones. It's a special class formed entirely by the Head of the Academy."
Alex was still surprised to be in the same place as Sofia. He had the impression that she was experienced in this dreamlike environment; her confidence gave him a bit more courage.
"Don't I need to show my ability before being selected?" Alex asked, voicing the questions forming in his mind.
"Yes, normally. But since the Head of the Elites personally chose you, you didn't get the chance to choose," Sofia answered. "I don't know what your ability is, but it must be important. I've never seen anyone join the Elites without first training in one of the three main factions."
Alex figured from Sofia's words that the Head of the Elites was also the director of the Academy. "So who is the Head of the Elites? And why does this place feel like one of those landscapes from China?"
"Because the Head of the Elites, Kai, grew up in mountain temples called 'dojos' in China. And thanks to his ego, he had the same ones built here," Sofia replied.
Alex turned to Sofia to ask, "Where is Kai now?" But just then, a voice behind him answered the question for him.
"Hello, kids!"
Sofia's angry gaze quickly turned to Kai. This man was the very one who ran the academy. As he stood there, looking at them with a mocking smile, Sofia began to speak.
"You're late! Why am I doing the things you're supposed to do?"Alex had never thought the Italian girl would do introductions so forcefully, let alone speak this loudly.
Kai replied with a grin."I had something important to do, I told you. Come on, it's just a small favor for your teacher. No need to overreact."Kai was trying to keep the dark-colored bag in his right hand away from Sofia. Thanks to his detective instincts, Alex was sure there was a French perfume inside that bag.
Sofia's anger hadn't subsided."A favor? You threatened me," she said firmly."Don't take it personally, Alex; my anger's not directed at you."With those final words, her entire body suddenly turned into the water form he had seen earlier and merged with the flowing water currents in the air that branched out above the area. Alex watched what was happening with amazement.
Kai continued speaking while watching Sofia disappear."I think she likes you, Alex."
Still staring at the watery bridges above him, Alex responded,"Seriously? Wait, hold on! What just happened to her?"
Kai pointed at the water streams that stretched in four main directions from above the courtyard."We call that the 'Arter.' It's like the living artery of the Island. The best way to travel. It's also how we move between planets. That's exactly how you got here."
Alex, with Kai's words, remembered being at his sink back home. The only waterway that could connect to such a vast network reminded him suspiciously of the sewer.
Turning back to Kai, Alex said,"Don't tell me it's what I think it is!"
Kai shook his head in reply."A waterway flying from your house to here would attract attention. But don't worry; the Arter path is like turning your body and soul into another form. It doesn't touch anything else. Although, there are still people who find it unsettling."
Alex thought maybe that's why Kai bought the perfume. This guy really was something else.
"That's honestly disgusting," said Alex, cringing.
Kai scratched his head."Interesting that you're more disturbed by the sewers than the transformation."
"I've got a guy with the world's weirdest eyes next to me and a place straight out of a fairy tale. Do you really think I care anymore?"Alex figured it would be less stressful to just go with the flow rather than try to make sense of everything. He was either completely insane or dreaming.
"That's a good mindset. A bit of madness helps. Some were so attached to impossibilities that they took their own lives after seeing this place. But you're not one of them."Alex felt a strange relief, realizing Kai didn't know about the attempted suicide at his sink. But right after, the thought struck him that if this irresponsible man hadn't brought him here in time, he really would've died.
"Anyway, I've prepared an introduction chart for you. Take a look."Kai handed Alex a black card. On it were the factions in the academy and their symbols.
Alex had to resist the urge to laugh when he saw Kai's handwriting and drawing skills."Your handwriting is awful. And why are the Elementalists called 'Rookies'?"
Kai replied with a laugh,"Haha, those newbies haven't won a single tournament, so we tease them like that. Any other questions?"
He had plenty, but two stood out."Where's Jessy and what do you want from me?"
Kai continued as if he hadn't heard the question."Before I explain those, I need to clarify a few things first."Mysteriously, he began reading from a paper that had appeared in his hand."Naturally, it's about Kaizen. The world has come a long way to achieve its current balance. We've managed to foster cooperation among different classes thanks to the academies."
Alex interrupted; he didn't want to hear information he already learned from Sofia."Sofia already told me all this, but I still can't wrap my head around this place. Even so, I want you to show me everything, step by step."
When Kai heard that Sofia had already explained it all, he crumpled the paper and tossed it aside randomly."She did, huh? Fine. I hope you can see everything. Since the intro is over, we can head to the Dojos."
Alex was about to object when he suddenly found himself in a different form—someone was dragging him. He felt like a flowing pudding. Just as he was getting used to the strange beauty of the sensation, he suddenly returned to his original form. Slowly getting up, he looked around. It felt like a garden formed from the most beautiful flowers on the planet. He didn't know which Dojo he was in, but atop the majestic mountain stood a large temple-like structure, surrounded by many students.
The students wore gray uniforms similar to Kai's. That color seemed chosen to match the color of his hair.
When Alex stood up, he realized he was also wearing the same uniform, part of the same group. As he checked if his clothes were real or just an illusion, Sofia and a charismatic blond-haired stranger nearby caught his attention. As he waved at them, a hand materialized from water behind him and pulled him back into the Arter. Alex was once again inside it.
Sofia's angry gaze quickly turned to Kai. This man was the very one who ran the academy. As he stood there, looking at them with a mocking smile, Sofia began to speak.
"You're late! Why am I doing the things you're supposed to do?"Alex had never thought the Italian girl would do introductions so forcefully, let alone speak this loudly.
Kai replied with a grin."I had something important to do, I told you. Come on, it's just a small favor for your teacher. No need to overreact."Kai was trying to keep the dark-colored bag in his right hand away from Sofia. Thanks to his detective instincts, Alex was sure there was a French perfume inside that bag.
Sofia's anger hadn't subsided."A favor? You threatened me," she said firmly."Don't take it personally, Alex; my anger's not directed at you."With those final words, her entire body suddenly turned into the water form he had seen earlier and merged with the flowing water currents in the air that branched out above the area. Alex watched what was happening with amazement.
Kai continued speaking while watching Sofia disappear."I think she likes you, Alex."
Still staring at the watery bridges above him, Alex responded,"Seriously? Wait, hold on! What just happened to her?"
Kai pointed at the water streams that stretched in four main directions from above the courtyard."We call that the 'Arter.' It's like the living artery of the Island. The best way to travel. It's also how we move between planets. That's exactly how you got here."
Alex, with Kai's words, remembered being at his sink back home. The only waterway that could connect to such a vast network reminded him suspiciously of the sewer.
Turning back to Kai, Alex said,"Don't tell me it's what I think it is!"
Kai shook his head in reply."A waterway flying from your house to here would attract attention. But don't worry; the Arter path is like turning your body and soul into another form. It doesn't touch anything else. Although, there are still people who find it unsettling."
Alex thought maybe that's why Kai bought the perfume. This guy really was something else.
"That's honestly disgusting," said Alex, cringing.
Kai scratched his head."Interesting that you're more disturbed by the sewers than the transformation."
"I've got a guy with the world's weirdest eyes next to me and a place straight out of a fairy tale. Do you really think I care anymore?"Alex figured it would be less stressful to just go with the flow rather than try to make sense of everything. He was either completely insane or dreaming.
"That's a good mindset. A bit of madness helps. Some were so attached to impossibilities that they took their own lives after seeing this place. But you're not one of them."Alex felt a strange relief, realizing Kai didn't know about the attempted suicide at his sink. But right after, the thought struck him that if this irresponsible man hadn't brought him here in time, he really would've died.
"Anyway, I've prepared an introduction chart for you. Take a look."Kai handed Alex a black card. On it were the factions in the academy and their symbols.
Alex had to resist the urge to laugh when he saw Kai's handwriting and drawing skills."Your handwriting is awful. And why are the Elementalists called 'Rookies'?"
Kai replied with a laugh,"Haha, those newbies haven't won a single tournament, so we tease them like that. Any other questions?"
He had plenty, but two stood out."Where's Jessy and what do you want from me?"
Kai continued as if he hadn't heard the question."Before I explain those, I need to clarify a few things first."Mysteriously, he began reading from a paper that had appeared in his hand."Naturally, it's about Kaizen. The world has come a long way to achieve its current balance. We've managed to foster cooperation among different classes thanks to the academies."
Alex interrupted; he didn't want to hear information he already learned from Sofia."Sofia already told me all this, but I still can't wrap my head around this place. Even so, I want you to show me everything, step by step."
When Kai heard that Sofia had already explained it all, he crumpled the paper and tossed it aside randomly."She did, huh? Fine. I hope you can see everything. Since the intro is over, we can head to the Dojos."
Alex was about to object when he suddenly found himself in a different form—someone was dragging him. He felt like a flowing pudding. Just as he was getting used to the strange beauty of the sensation, he suddenly returned to his original form. Slowly getting up, he looked around. It felt like a garden formed from the most beautiful flowers on the planet. He didn't know which Dojo he was in, but atop the majestic mountain stood a large temple-like structure, surrounded by many students.
The students wore gray uniforms similar to Kai's. That color seemed chosen to match the color of his hair.
When Alex stood up, he realized he was also wearing the same uniform, part of the same group. As he checked if his clothes were real or just an illusion, Sofia and a charismatic blond-haired stranger nearby caught his attention. As he waved at them, a hand materialized from water behind him and pulled him back into the Arter. Alex was once again inside it.
When he opened his eyes a while later, he realized he had arrived at the finest of all the Dojos. Undoubtedly, this magnificent structure belonged to Kai. When he realized no one was around, he began to walk forward, grumbling to himself.
In the colorful garden, pink sakura petals floated in the air, giving the place an exotic atmosphere. This scene filled Alex with an involuntary sense of peace. Slowly, he arrived in front of the Dojo, adorned with diamond and gold decorations on every side.
Alex realized he was on the highest mountain of the island. When he opened the door and stepped inside, he felt as though he had entered a museum straight out of a dream. The interior was filled with many miniature works. These pieces depicted various locations and seemed to reveal their beauty more the closer one got, as if they were trying to draw the viewer in. As Alex quickly glanced at them, he thought they were all connected to cultures from different periods in history.
When he pulled himself out of his thoughts, he noticed Kai standing on the scenic terrace of the Dojo. As Kai turned to speak to him, the silence of the temple was broken.
"Welcome to my home, Alex. I hope greeting your friends felt nice to you."
"You..." Alex sat on one of the floor cushions marked with strange symbols beside Kai and began to speak. "Look, I still need some time to believe everything happening here," Alex said, his voice filled with hesitation. "But after what I've seen, are you sure I'm even worthy of entering a place like this?" He expected Kai to make one of his usual careless jokes, but instead, Kai's expression turned unusually serious, which surprised him.
"I'll be brief, Alex. The moment you were born with a dangerous ability, you were put on Kaizen's execution list. The only reason your execution never happened—and the reason I've protected you all these years—is because of Logan, Kaizen's guide, who believed you were the last hope to save this world. I once sided with Logan too, but things have changed for me. Now, the person I care about most is Jessy."
"What are you talking about? What does Jessy have to do with any of this?" Alex watched as Kai turned his eyes away from him and focused on the sunset.
"It's a complicated matter. What you need to know for now is that, because of a war I started, the end of humanity has been pushed forward. I accelerated the Decay Process. In my opinion, you are not the only salvation for this world. There is only one thing we can do: the Transformation Process." Kai fell silent for a moment, then continued.
"The event we call the Transformation Process actually means the world's apocalypse, and it has happened before; an event that once shifted leadership between species on this planet will happen again. In this way, what we call the decay process will be reset." Alex thought Kai was referring to the meteor event that led to the dinosaurs' extinction.
"As for Jessy, her perfect memory technique stems from her being someone special. This trait is the only key required for the Transformation Process to succeed. Thanks to her, Kaizen's secrets will be passed on to the next generation, and humanity will have a chance to continue once again."
Alex could no longer believe this man had good intentions. So many thoughts were swirling in his mind. Someone who once trusted him now seemed to have turned into someone who hated him.
"So you don't trust me anymore… What, you mean someone like you, a damn egotist with power, can't stop this? Then why did you go and kill the leaders?"
Kai's eyes suddenly began to shine like the moon. A white mist cloud formed around him.
"Don't speak about things you don't understand, Heir of Time!" Kai calmed himself again and looked up at the sky. "Every damn day I wondered if things would turn out differently if I just killed you..." Kai looked back at Alex and continued. "I will use my power to protect Jessy. Destruction is now inevitable. Make your choice: either agree to join the Academy, or return home. Don't worry about execution—if you go back, the end will come for you too, so I can delay your sentence."
Alex was trying to absorb everything. When had he ever thought about someone else before? A man who couldn't even help people on the street—was he supposed to be responsible for saving the world? It was all too much. Maybe Kai was right—maybe he wasn't the savior. At that moment, Alex thought of his father. If you feel joy in making someone else happy, there is still hope for humanity. Those were his father's words. Maybe he had known about all this from the start...
A thought crossed his mind: the man standing before him had watched over him since childhood. That could mean Kai knew something about his father."I don't care about anything you said," Alex said, his voice trembling but resolute. "If I'm too weak to save the world, then I don't care about humanity either. But there's one thing I want: to find out what happened to my father. Please, tell me what happened to him."
Kai focused on Alex and replied:"You know that better than I do, Alex. But you're still unaware of what you know."
"There you go, talking in riddles again," Alex complained.
"Time is a complicated concept, Alex. This conversation is only a formality; I already know what your decision will be. Do you really think the person meant to carry the planet's secrets to the next generation came to you by coincidence? Or that I found you by chance?"
As Alex listened carefully to Kai's words, he realized he had never looked at events from this perspective before. First his father, then all these things… It was impossible to make sense of it all.
"You talk like someone told you about me..." Alex felt himself getting lost in the depths of Kai's eyes, focusing on the single answer that would come from his lips.
"Yes, someone did, Alex. That person was you..."
End of Chapter Two