Chapter 14: The Unseen Hand

Kairos barely slept that night.

The voice—cold, distant, yet eerily familiar—echoed in his mind. We are watching. The words carried a weight he couldn't ignore.

When morning arrived, he sat up, his body feeling unusually light. The fatigue he expected wasn't there. Instead, he felt… stronger. More aware.

And then he noticed it.

A new notification had appeared in his mind.

>[System Notice: Unknown Interference Detected]

System Adapting...

Temporary Protection Protocol Activated

Kairos frowned. Protection protocol? Against what?

Before he could think further, his door suddenly burst open.

Selene stood there, hands on her hips, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "You overslept."

Kairos blinked. "What?"

She strode in, grabbed his wrist, and yanked him up. "Hurry up. You're coming with me."

He sighed. "Can I at least get a reason?"

Selene smirked. "We're going to class, obviously."

"...That doesn't sound like something worth dragging me out of bed for."

She rolled her eyes. "It's not just any class. It's Combat Studies."

Kairos raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Selene's smirk widened. "You'll see."

---

A Battlefield Within the Academy

Kairos followed Selene through the academy grounds, heading toward an open-air arena at the heart of the school. The moment they arrived, he understood why she was so eager.

The place was massive—easily the size of a stadium, with reinforced barriers shimmering faintly around the perimeter. Students were gathered in clusters, stretching, sparring, or testing their abilities.

At the center stood an instructor, an older man with a chiseled physique and an aura that radiated discipline. His sharp, steel-colored eyes swept over the students, taking in every detail.

Selene whispered, "That's Instructor Aldric. He's a monster."

Kairos immediately understood why. The man's very presence was suffocating, as if a single move from him could end a battle before it began.

Aldric's gaze landed on Kairos.

"You're the new one."

It wasn't a question.

Kairos nodded. "Yes, sir."

Aldric studied him for a moment before turning away. "Today's lesson is simple. Strength means nothing if you can't apply it under pressure."

He gestured toward the field, where a massive automaton—a towering, humanoid machine pulsing with blue energy—emerged from the ground.

Aldric's voice carried across the arena.

"Defeat it."

A murmur rippled through the students. The automaton wasn't just for practice—it was meant to test advanced students.

Selene nudged Kairos. "I think he likes you."

Kairos sighed. "Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a long day?"

---

Trial by Fire

The automaton's eyes flared, and the battle began.

Kairos barely had time to react before it lunged forward, its massive fist crashing down where he had just been. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the arena, leaving a deep crater in the ground.

He moved on instinct, weaving around its attacks with speed that surprised even him.

This thing is fast.

The automaton twisted, its other arm sweeping toward him. Kairos ducked, rolling beneath the attack and landing on his feet. He had to figure out a way to take it down—fast.

He activated [Surge Step], his speed amplifying for a brief moment. In a blur, he dashed behind the automaton, aiming for its backplate—

But the machine anticipated it.

With inhuman precision, it whirled around and slammed a metallic knee into Kairos' stomach.

The impact sent him flying. He crashed into the arena floor, skidding to a stop.

The students gasped. Some looked shocked. Others… disappointed.

Aldric didn't react. He simply observed.

Selene frowned. "Kairos…?"

But then—

Kairos stood up.

His body burned from the hit, but something inside him shifted.

He could feel his system responding.

Something unlocked.

And then—

>New Ability Acquired: [Adaptive Reflex]

Your body now learns and reacts to high- speed combat in real- time

Kairos exhaled. His movements suddenly felt sharper, his instincts clearer.

He looked up at the automaton.

This time, when it moved, he saw everything.

---

The Turning Point

The automaton launched another attack. Kairos didn't dodge blindly—he anticipated.

With perfect timing, he sidestepped, his body moving with unnatural fluidity. He struck precisely, aiming for its joint mechanisms, forcing the automaton to stagger.

Aldric's eyes narrowed slightly.

Kairos pressed forward, each motion flowing seamlessly into the next. He wasn't just fighting—he was adapting.

And then, in a final decisive move, he leaped into the air and drove a powerful kick into the automaton's core, causing its energy to destabilize.

The machine collapsed, its circuits shorting out.

The arena fell silent.

Then—

Aldric smirked.

"Not bad."

Kairos let out a slow breath. His heart was still pounding, but a grin tugged at his lips.

That felt good.

Selene clapped him on the back. "You just became even more of a legend, you know that?"

Kairos sighed. "Great. Just what I needed."

But as the students chattered, one figure in the distance remained silent.

Evangeline Nightmoor watched from the shadows, her violet eyes unreadable.

A small, knowing smile crossed her lips.

"He's changing faster than expected."

"Perhaps the system's purpose will reveal itself sooner than we thought."