Flashback

Alex soared through the night, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, his grip firm around Elise as they cut through the city skyline.

The wind rushed past, her heart pounding in her chest. She clung to him instinctively, her breath shallow, eyes darting toward his face, wanting to see the identity of her savior.

But somehow, even at this close distance, she couldn't see his face. The shadow of his hoodie concealed him completely, as if darkness itself refused to reveal him. It only made him more mysterious.

After several more jumps, Alex finally landed on the rooftop of an apartment building. The impact was smooth, effortless. Even after they stopped moving, Elise remained frozen, dazed by everything that had just happened.

"We're here. You can let go now." His voice snapped her out of it.

"A-Ah… yes." Elise quickly released her grip, stepping back.

Alex glanced around. "Can you get home from here? I don't know where you live, so I just dropped you off here." His voice sounded distorted in her ears. But his posture, the way he spoke—she could tell he was a young man.

Elise took a moment to scan her surroundings. A few familiar landmarks caught her eye. "Yes, don't worry. My friend lives in this building." She pointed. "But… how did you know?"

Alex scratched the back of his head. "Me? Nah, I didn't. Just a coincidence." He let out a small chuckle.

Elise had so many questions. 

How could he jump that far? How could he move like that?

But she knew better than to ask. Instead, she lowered her head. "Thank you… for saving me. If it weren't for you, I—" Her voice faltered. She didn't even want to imagine the alternative.

Alex's voice was calm, almost indifferent. "Don't worry about it."

Elise hesitated, then steeled herself. "Can you at least tell me your name? Or… a way to contact you? I want to repay you."

Silence. She looked up— He was gone. Her eyes widened. Not a single sound. She hadn't even heard him leave. "…How?" she murmured in confusion, gripping her chest as her heart thumped wildly. A strange fuzzy feeling spread inside her. She didn't even know his name… but a part of her didn't want to forget him.

Then reality hit her. Her phone and wallet still in that hotel room. Her dress ripped, barely holding together. She couldn't walk around like this. She'd just attract trouble all over again. She let out a sigh of relief. "Good thing this is Elly's apartment. I just hope she's still awake."

With that, she hurried toward the stairwell, disappearing into the building.

***

Meanwhile Far away, on another rooftop, Alex grinned. Nyx, perched on his shoulder, sighed. "Master, what you're doing is far too risky. If I hadn't masked your face and voice with my Qi, everyone would already know who you are."

Alex, still buzzing with adrenaline, threw his head back and laughed. "Did you see that, Nyx?! I just beat up the young master of the Nangong family!" His smirk widened. "Damn, that was satisfying." 

"Master, did you even hear what I said?!"

Nyx's voice snapped through the night air, sharp with frustration. "You can't just use your power recklessly like that! Right now, you're a cultivator, yes—but you're still weak! You're only at the Foundation Realm! You need to break through Spirit Awakening and reach Spirit Manifestation at the very least if you want any real power to defend yourself! Life as a cultivator is dangerous, Master."

Alex exhaled, slowing to a stop atop a rooftop. The thrill from before faded. He stilled. His heartbeat slowed. His mind cleared. Just this morning, he was a normal guy. 

A guy meeting up with an old friend, asking for help. And now? 

Now, he was something else. He had power. The kind he had only ever seen in web novels, games, and movies. 

As he stared at Nyx, floating in front of him. Memories began to resurface.

***

That morning. He had been sitting on a weathered wooden bench, hands buried in the pockets of his hoodie, eyes fixed on the overgrown garden in front of him. The wind stirred the untrimmed grass, rustling through the vines that crept along the stone pathway. Then A familiar voice. "Long time no see."

Alex turned his head, blinking as Emma walked up with a grin, her hands stuffed into her jacket pockets. "Wow," she said, stopping a few feet away. "You actually look like a ghost. Have you been haunting this place the whole time?"

Alex smirked. "Maybe."

Emma rolled her eyes before sitting beside him on the bench. "I missed this place," she murmured, taking in the garden. "Been a few years, huh?"

"Yeah," Alex said, his gaze drifting back to the tangled mess of leaves and flowers.

Emma let out a slow breath. "You never responded. Not once. So why now?"

Silence.

Alex's fingers tightened in his pockets. His jaw twitched, like he was about to say something, but the words never came.

Emma sighed, tilting her head toward him. "You're not gonna answer, are you?"

"Did you know they found a new type of jellyfish that can basically live forever?" Alex said instead, shifting the conversation so smoothly it was almost impressive. "Some scientist figured out they can revert their cells back to a younger state. Like, actual biological immortality."

Emma blinked. "You're deflecting so hard right now, I think I just got whiplash."

"Maybe, but come on, it's cool, right?" Alex leaned back, watching the sky darken. "Imagine if humans could do that. Just rewind to a younger version of themselves."

Emma huffed, shaking her head. Than took a seat opposite of him. "You'd probably just rewind to avoid answering my question."

Alex smirked. "Exactly."

Emma gave him a look but let it slide. Instead, she exhaled, staring at the distant skyline. "You ever think about where we'll be in five years?"

Alex snorted, hands still deep in his hoodie pockets. "Hopefully not still broke and living off instant noodles."

Emma nudged him with her elbow. "Be serious. You're a genius with computers. You could be running your own tech empire."

"Or stuck debugging code for some soulless company," Alex muttered, kicking a stray pebble. "Honestly? No clue what I want."

Emma sighed, stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets. "You're way too hard on yourself. You just need a little push."

Alex arched a brow. "And let me guess, you're volunteering?"

Emma grinned. "Obviously. I'll shove you straight into success whether you like it or not."

Alex laughed, shaking his head. "That's a terrifying thought So how's your life?."

Emma stretched her legs out, crossing her ankles as she leaned back slightly. "It's been… interesting," she said, tilting her head as if debating how much to share. "Got a job at a marketing firm right after graduation. Nothing fancy, just a lot of staring at screens and convincing people they need things they don't actually need."

Alex smirked. "So, corporate manipulation. Nice."

"Basically," Emma said, grinning. "Pays the bills, though. And at least I'm not eating instant noodles every night."

Alex rolled his eyes. "You're really sticking to that joke, huh?"

Emma shrugged. "It's a good joke." She kicked a stray leaf off the bench, watching it flutter away. "I moved into my own place, too. Tiny, overpriced, and my upstairs neighbor seems to be running a secret fight club, but it's mine."

"That sounds about right," Alex said, stretching his arms behind his head. "City life at its finest."

Emma nodded before her expression softened a bit. "What about you? How's your mom?"

Alex's smirk faded slightly. He stared down at his hands, flexing his fingers like he was searching for the right words. "She's… alright. Same old, really. Still working too much, still worrying about everything."

Emma studied him for a second. "She ever stop asking about me?"

Alex let out a short chuckle. "Nope. Every time I visit, it's, 'Have you talked to Emma? How's she doing? You should reach out to her, Alex.'" He shook his head. "I think she likes you more than me."

Emma laughed. "She's just got good taste." Then her smile faded slightly. "She holding up okay, though? You guys were both dealing with a lot last year."

Alex exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. I mean, she doesn't talk about it much, but I know she still misses him."

Emma nodded, quiet for a moment. "And you?"

Alex glanced at her, something unreadable flickering in his expression, but instead of answering, he leaned back and looked up at the sky. "Did you know octopuses can change the color and texture of their skin in less than a second? Scientists say it's basically the closest thing to real-life invisibility."

Emma groaned. "Are you seriously pulling another nature fact to dodge the conversation?"

Alex smirked. "Maybe."

She sighed, shaking her head but smiling anyway. "You are impossible."

"Yet here you are, still talking to me." Alex laughed, glancing at his phone. In reality, it had taken all the courage he had to meet Emma here today. He had avoided her for years, but now—now he had no other choice. "Actually, Emma…" he started, his voice quieter, more uncertain than he'd like. But before he could finish, the world turned eerily silent.

The distant hum of traffic, the rustling of leaves, the faint chatter of people passing through the park—all of it vanished. No birds chirping. No wind whistling. Nothing. It was like someone had pressed mute on reality itself.

Alex's breath hitched. He lifted his gaze back to Emma, a strange weight settling in his stomach. She wasn't moving. Not blinking, not shifting, not even breathing. Just completely frozen, her hand still half-raised from where she had been gesturing a second ago. 

"Emma?" Alex's voice cracked slightly. He reached out, giving her shoulder a gentle push. No response. His heartbeat slammed against his ribs. "Emma," he said again, louder this time, gripping her arm and shaking her lightly. She didn't react. 

A cold chill crawled up his spine. Alex staggered back, his head snapping around. The entire park was frozen. A man walking his dog stood mid-step, his scarf locked in place as if caught in invisible hands. A pair of pigeons hung in the air, wings unmoving. A fallen leaf hovered an inch off the ground, defying gravity. 

It was like time had stopped for everything—everything except him. His breathing grew shallow. "What the hell…" he whispered. He took a step forward, then another, but the world remained motionless. No sound. No movement. Just an eerie, suffocating stillness. His fingers curled into fists as his pulse pounded in his ears. 

Something was very, very wrong.