The chaos of last night still lingered in the bones of the academy. Whispers echoed through the halls, speculation and fear mixing in equal measure. But in one quiet dorm room, silence reigned.
Rayan lay motionless on his bed, eyes half-lidded, the taste of iron still thick on his tongue. His body trembled with fatigue—his Time Stop had saved their lives, but not without punishment. Blood had stained his lips; every heartbeat felt like it echoed through a cracked wall. The katana, resting by the wall, hummed faintly, as though it pulsed with his pain.
Drawn by something unseen, Rayan staggered to the academy's ancient library while his friends recovered. Lanterns flickered over ancient tomes, dust thick in the air. There, deep among forbidden scrolls and forgotten legends, he found the name of the blade.
The Timeless Blade.
Its first wielder was Kurogane, a warrior who had once stood at the edge of existence and cleaved through the void itself. His soul, unable to bear the weight of his power, was sealed into the blade for eternity.
"In the moment the stars fell and time shattered, Kurogane stood. One swing split space, another—time. But with each swing, his life faded, bound forever to the blade he forged from his own spirit."
Rayan could barely breathe as he read. The katana wasn't just a weapon—it was an inheritance of pain, of infinite burden.
By sunrise, chaos brewed in the dorms. Students panicked. Shouts filled the halls. Those who witnessed the battle from their windows now screamed about monsters, demons, and gods. This confusion delayed the arrival of guards—none of whom had any clue what had truly happened.
As Rayan, Yeon, Cezar, and Tonio waited, rumors surged like wildfire:
"Did you hear about the guy who stopped time?"
"Someone was flying!"
"A vampire fought a shadow at the dorm window!"
Soon enough, the summons came. No surprise.
They entered the Headmaster's Office in silence. The hallway leading to it was lined with runes and age-worn banners of forgotten wars. The heavy door opened with an arcane hiss. Inside stood Headmaster Elira Vance, wrapped in robes of storm-blue and moonlight, eyes glowing with ancient wisdom—and deep concern.
"You've caused quite a stir," she began, her voice composed but carrying thunder underneath.
Her gaze scanned them. "Time manipulation. Blood forging. Elemental manipulation… and yet… despite my sixth sense—one honed beyond generations—I didn't see your true races. Not even a flicker."
Yeon smirked. "Well, to be fair, I'm great at hiding things. Especially the part where I'm ridiculously awesome."
Rayan coughed into his hand. "Or maybe your sixth sense just took a day off."
Headmaster Vance raised an unimpressed brow.
"I want the truth," she said. "Show me. Your status. Your race. Everything."
The four hesitated.
Yeon gave a theatrical sigh. "Fine. But the Guild already knows. So does half the town. Pretty sure someone's drawing fan art of us by now."
Cezar added quietly, "They'll know sooner or later anyway."
One by one, glowing windows materialized in the air—panels of pure mana, listing name, race, attributes, and titles.
Vance's eyes widened.
"Angelic... Vampiric... Beast-Hybrid... and a Dryad... A living spirit... right in front of me..."
She staggered back, visibly shaken.
"I've lived over a century and never once sensed your presence. Spirits shouldn't exist anymore. Angels haven't walked among humans in ages. Vampires… they're myths. The world will panic."
Her hands trembled slightly as she whispered, "And I… didn't even sense you. I'm supposed to be the most attuned being in this entire continent."
Tonio bowed slightly. "It was never our intention to deceive. We just wanted to blend in."
"But now," Rayan added, his tone heavy, "it doesn't matter. The world knows."
Vance's eyes hardened. "You need to understand something. I can protect you here. Within these walls. But out there? There are forces far above me. Kingdoms. Councils. Organizations that fear what they can't control. They will come for you. Some to test you. Some to use you. Some to erase you."
Yeon raised a brow. "Sounds like we're finally popular. Should we prepare autographs?"
Vance didn't laugh.
"I'm serious. You must train harder. You must stay ahead of the ones who will come for you."
"We're not running," Rayan said. "We'll fight if we have to. We didn't ask for this. But it's ours now."
Vance stared at them a moment longer, then nodded slowly.
"You're dismissed—for now. But understand this: the wheel is turning faster than any of us expected. And none of us are ready."
Far away, across dimensions, the Ruler of the Universe reclined on a floating stone above a galaxy's edge. Stars spun below his feet as he peered through the Veil of Eternity, watching the scene unfold.
He exhaled a long, exhausted sigh.
"I gave them powers of myth," he muttered, "and what do they do? They flirt, mouth off, break dorm windows, and start fan clubs…"
He snapped his fingers, rewinding the memory. "Look at that—Yeon's making jokes mid-fight. Cezar's still unsure he's even special. Tonio's hiding power like it's tax evasion. And Rayan... almost died trying to be dramatic."
His laughter rang like thunder. "They're a mess! A beautiful, chaotic mess."
He wiped tears from his glowing eyes. "But maybe… maybe that's what this world needs. Not perfection. But them."
He grinned.
"Alright, my little disasters. Let's see how far you'll go... before I have to step in again. Or maybe… maybe you'll surprise me."
End of Chapter 9