The Husky quickly came over to Alex and began sniffing him, as if trying to figure out who he was. Kai patted the dog's head and responded to Alex.
"Come on, Alex, he has a name. Meet Husky, also known as the planet's good luck charm. Look how much he already likes you."
"Husky is his breed. You know that, right? And what's this about being a good luck charm?"
Kai smiled as he fed the dog some chunks of meat that had suddenly appeared in his hand.
"Let's say there's always a chance you'll accidentally travel back in time again. But the chance of going to the exact moment you want—and bringing someone with you safely—is very low. That's where Husky comes in. He makes the impossible... possible."
Husky stuck out his tongue and struck a heroic pose, as if proud of Kai's praise. Kai continued.
"Also, you'll find a device where you're going. It'll help you access the database easily."
Alex frowned and asked,"If you can do all this, why didn't you just go and get the data yourself?"
Kai shrugged and went on.
"I already know what's there and who put it there, Alex. But that's not the point. What matters is you discovering that information—and your abilities—on your own. In Kaizen, students go through millennia of training to unlock their powers. But thanks to Husky, we can help you grasp yours in a much shorter time. This will be your first test—and your first answer."
Alex noticed something different about this version of Kai compared to the one he met five years in the future. This Kai was more lively, more eager. In the future, he had given up on training Alex—he had become darker. But Alex chose to keep that detail to himself for now. He decided not to ruin the light in Kai's eyes, and quietly tucked the thought away in his mind.
"I've always hated entrance exams. So, why is Husky helping us anyway? Sofia said the Enders rarely interfere with anything on Earth."
"I saved Husky's life on this exact day, back in ancient times, in return for his help now. And now he's repaying the favor. But I should also tell yo—"
As Husky continued sniffing Alex, it was as if he suddenly recognized who he was. He leapt onto him, and in an instant, they both vanished—cutting Kai's sentence short.
"But he owes you more than that, kid. Because it was you who saved him..."