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, known as the luck fairy of the planet. Look how much he already loves you."
"Husky is his breed. You know that, right? And what's this luck thing about?"
Kai smiled as he fed Husky some chunks of meat that had suddenly appeared in his hand."Let's say there's a chance you might accidentally travel back in time again. But the odds of getting to the exact moment you want, and bringing someone with you safely, are very low. That's where Husky comes in—he makes the nearly impossible, possible."
Husky stuck out his tongue and struck a heroic pose, as if proud of Kai's praise. Kai continued."Also, where you're going, you'll find a device that will help you easily access the database."
Alex frowned and asked,"If you can do all that, why didn't you get into the database yourself?"
Kai shrugged."I already know what's in there and who put it there, Alex. But that's not the point. What matters is that you discover these things and your abilities along the way. In Kaizen, students go through millennia of training to unlock their powers. But with Husky's help, we can accelerate that for you. This will be your first test—and your first answer."
Although Alex wanted to get straight to the answer, he knew this test was necessary to realize his abilities."I've always hated entrance exams. So why is Husky helping us? Sofia said the Enders hardly ever interfere in anything on Earth."
"I saved Husky's life on this very day, long before history, in return for his help now. And now he's repaying that debt. But I should 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 disappeared—cutting off Kai mid-sentence.
"But he owes you more than that, kid. Because it was you who saved him..."
When Alex pushed the dog off and sat up, he checked his watch. He realized he had arrived half an hour before the theft occurred. That meant he had succeeded."We did it, Husky! Damn, I actually traveled through time. We really did it!"
Husky stuck out his tongue, as if sharing Alex's excitement. Alex quickly scanned his surroundings."We didn't just go back in time—our location changed too. Just like Kai said," he murmured.
He was inside a high-security server room; around him were massive databases and complex devices. The heavy charge in the air made it clear this was no ordinary place.
As his eyes quickly scanned the equipment in the room, he muttered to himself,"The external security here must be top-tier. We need to move fast. But how am I going to find the way? This place is a damn maze..."
While looking around for clues, Alex spotted the small device Kai had left for accessing the database. Picking it up triggered a spark of inspiration in his mind. He began to think out loud, as if talking to Husky."I used to track killers from the clues they left behind. If Kai's right, maybe I can see the future's traces too. I don't know how... but that's why you're here, right, Husky?"
Alex crouched beside Husky, gently stroking his head, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. As his mind focused, the world around him fell into silence. After a minute or two, when he opened his eyes, faint trails began to appear on the floor—traces from the paths he was about to take.
"Bingo," he whispered. Now, he could see not just the past, but the future as well.
"It's not a perfect view, but it's good enough for us," he said confidently."Let's go, Husky."
Following the tracks, he began moving swiftly through the maze-like corridors. Though the halls all looked alike, Alex no longer had trouble finding his way. When he reached the inner section, he noticed that the security guards were patrolling in regular intervals. But something strange was happening: thanks to Husky, at every step, the guards would suddenly shift to another corridor or leave for trivial tasks. Alex passed through without a pause.
"I think we're here," said Alex, looking around. The trails had led him directly to the machine housing the database."According to the future FBI file, we'll have only five minutes once we access the database. But there's one thing I still don't get..." he thought."How did the agents get my blood?"
He took a deep breath and pushed the thought aside to focus on the task at hand. He pulled out the small device Kai had given him and placed it on the machine. As soon as it made contact, a holographic interface came to life, and the database visuals began to rapidly scroll across the screen.
Database ErrorRemaining Data Being RestoredCreator: A.B.0299 – Secrets of Kaizen
Even though the balance of Earth was under constant control, the process of decay was inevitable. Despite all efforts, once the final phase of deterioration arrived, the Kaizen administrator would initiate preparations for what was known as the Transformation Process. Everyone would complete their final tasks by the time a resource-rich meteor struck the planet. This way, the life cycle of the planet would be renewed, and existence would get another chance. The Transformation Process was vital to Kaizen. If it wasn't initiated, the planet would be doomed to eternal extinction.
However, during the current age of humanity, things did not go as planned. One member of the Council of Administrators triggered the Transformation Process protocol long before the halfway point of the decay process, throwing everything into chaos. Following this mistake, one of Kaizen's top students noticed the problem and rebelled against the administration. But the uprising only worsened the chaos and accelerated the planet's decline. This process first manifested on Earth as the World Wars.
As the decay quickened, the instability of the planet altered the course of history. The World Wars were only the beginning—signs that both humanity and the planet were being dragged toward an unknown end. Kaizen's mistake had set off a chain reaction that threatened not only Earth but the future itself. If I were to speculate on our future, the meteor is expected to strike around the year 2100. Of course, the acceleration of the decay could make things worse, so we must be prepared for anything.
0300 – The End of the World Wars
Germany's victory in the Second World War was accepted by most until the Kaizen civil war came to an end. After the rebellion, the new Kaizen administration established secret authorities across the globe to bring peace and form various alliances. After Germany's loss due to harsh weather conditions in Russia, the core rule of these secret authorities became this: Any nation with advanced technology must join the alliance and keep the Transformation Process a secret.
0301 – Dr. Andrew Brown
Data Corruption – Please Try Again (Error301–Data Deleted–Deleted by A.B.)
The hologram suddenly shut off, and Husky began barking frantically, as if trying to warn Alex that time was running out. But Alex had forgotten everything else, his eyes still locked on the screen."No, no! Not now. There was something about my father there—I have to find it!" he shouted, desperately trying to access the database again.
His fingers raced across the device, knowing time wasn't on his side. The five minutes had passed, and alarms began to blare all around him.
Alex blocked out the noise, focusing entirely on the database."Come on, damn it, give me something!" he shouted, hoping for even one more glimpse of data. But the system gave him nothing in return—only the ticking of a quickly vanishing opportunity.
Just then, a gunshot rang out, and Alex collapsed to the ground in shock. As he tried to understand what had happened, he saw Husky leap on top of him. The loyal dog had thrown himself in the way, causing the bullet to graze Alex and hit him instead. Husky lay in Alex's arms, bleeding heavily.
"Husky!" Alex cried. Hearing the dog's strained breaths filled him with a crushing helplessness."I'm not leaving you here!" he whispered with determination. Cradling Husky in his arms, he swore to do everything in his power to save him.
The gunfire drew closer, and everything was spiraling out of control. Alex held Husky tightly, trying to focus. He had no other choice—he had to time jump. His body surged with adrenaline, and only one thought remained in his mind: I have to escape. Clearing his mind, he concentrated with everything he had and tried to shift through time.
When the guards arrived at the corridor, all they found were bloodstains. There was no sign of Alex or Husky. Everything had vanished, leaving behind only a void—and a mystery no one could solve.