Ruler of Time: Ayase Tenka

[SOMEWHERE IN YOKOHAMA, 10:30 PM]

Haru's POV

I barely had time to process what happened when my fingers brushed the sword's hilt.

The moment I touched it, a shockwave of sensation tore through my body. My vision exploded into nothingness—pitch black, empty, endless. It was like my consciousness was momentarily ripped from reality itself.

Then, as suddenly as it came, it was gone.

My knees wobbled, but I gritted my teeth and steadied myself.

I didn't know what the hell just happened, but something told me this sword… it was mine.

With no memory, no sense of self beyond my own name, I had nothing—but this weapon was something I could rely on.

I exhaled, shaking off the lingering dizziness. First things first—I needed to get out of here.

Even in the suffocating dark, my enhanced senses picked up details that most people wouldn't.

The faintest shift in airflow. A draft. The scent of fresh air, barely noticeable through the dust. And far above, a subtle gleam—the soft glow of moonlight.

An exit.

I tightened my grip on the sword and moved. My body was still sluggish from the cryo chamber, but I pushed forward. Step by step. Then—

BOOM!

A violent impact rocked the entire facility, shaking dust loose from the ceiling.

What the hell was that?!

I instinctively pressed myself against the nearest wall, scanning my surroundings. Above me, through a collapsed section of the roof, I saw it.

Figures. Blurs of motion. A battle.

Flashes of energy. Ice and fire colliding mid-air. The crackle of lightning. The roar of exploding debris.

Two combatants—no, more than two.

I saw a woman moving at impossible speeds, her every step warping reality itself. And three smaller figures surrounding her, launching coordinated attacks.

I had no idea who they were. But one thing was clear—they weren't normal.

Was this even Earth?

Whatever the case, I needed to move carefully. If they noticed me, I had no idea if they'd see me as an enemy.

I took a deep breath, gripping my sword tightly.

And then—

One of the fighters, a silver-haired girl, suddenly turned her gaze toward me.

And I had the sinking feeling that my presence had just made things worse.

AYASE'S POV

AYASE'S POV

The moment I left ARCA headquarters, I knew time was against me.

"Time Alter: 0.01."

The world slowed. The rush of wind became a whisper. Cars froze mid-motion. I was moving at a hundred times the speed of the world.

It took me less than a minute to reach Yokohama.

And sure enough, Yakumi was already there—with all three of her versions actively scanning the area. The brat always got ahead of herself.

I landed smoothly on the rooftop of a collapsed building. "Yakumi. I'm here now, so kindly leave."

She turned, an amused grin on her face. "Whoa, you got here fast. But no way. I was here first."

I sighed. "I don't have time for this."

Yakumi stretched lazily, like she wasn't taking me seriously. "Then make time."

Tch.

"Fine."

I raised my hand.

"Time Stop."

The world turned silent. Every molecule, every atom, frozen in place.

I moved toward Yakumi's Enhancer Version first. If I could take her out quickly, the other two wouldn't be as much of a threat. But the moment I reached for her—

"Oh, no you don't, Ayase-chan!"

My wrist was suddenly caught mid-air.

My eyes widened. How?!

The Enhancer Version smirked, her grip like iron around my arm. "Tch, you always go for me first. Don't underestimate me, 'kay?"

My instincts screamed at me to move—

"Other two, now!"

"Icicle Rush!"

The Elementalist Version flicked her wrist, and a barrage of ice spears exploded toward me.

"Tch—!"

My body reacted on instinct. I reversed time five seconds back—right before the attack fired.

The ice spears vanished. But my position was unchanged.

I pivoted, dodging just as the attack reappeared in real time, barely missing me.

Enhancer Version clicked her tongue. "Che, still a cheat code, I see."

"You're one to talk," I muttered.

The Elementalist Version grinned, adjusting her gloves. "Man, I hate fighting you, Ayase. Can't land a hit unless we do some REAL teamwork."

"Then let's do some real teamwork already," said the Applicator Version, pushing up her glasses. "I'll calculate an attack pattern. Enhancer, keep Ayase locked down. Elementalist, adjust your trajectory—she's evading too quickly."

I narrowed my eyes. So that's how they were playing it.

Yakumi's versions weren't just copies. Each one had a unique personality and specialty:

Enhancer Yakumi - Brash, direct, physical powerhouse. Smug but effective in close combat.

Elementalist Yakumi - Flashy, playful, precision-focused. Strong but loves to taunt.

Applicator Yakumi - Serious, methodical, and calculating. The true strategist.

They worked as a perfect trio.

And they were actually starting to corner me.

"Alright, Ayase, what's your next move?" Elementalist Version taunted, twirling a shard of ice between her fingers. "You can't just run forever~"

Enhancer cracked her knuckles. "Yeah, c'mon. Show us something fun."

"She's thinking," Applicator mused. "No doubt about it. She doesn't waste energy unless she's found an opening."

I clenched my fists.

Fine. They wanted to see something? I'd show them.

"Time Alter: 0.1."

I flickered out of sight.

Yakumi's Enhancer Version barely had time to react before I struck. My hand shot forward—but the moment I made contact, her muscles tensed.

"Gotcha!" She absorbed the impact and countered immediately with a devastating punch.

I dodged by a hair's breadth, but Elementalist Yakumi was already casting.

"Icicle Burst!"

Hundreds of razor-sharp shards erupted from the air around me.

I clicked my tongue. I could dodge most of them—but not all.

Then—

"An intruder!"

Yakumi's Applicator Version suddenly pointed to something below.

I followed her gaze—

And froze.

A boy. Holding a sword.

His stance was uncertain. His expression cautious. But more than anything—that weapon.

Aether Conduit. Sword Type.

That sword..

I turned my head on his direction, and my voice spoke, barely above a whisper.

"…Haru?"

Oh shit, I forgot.. I'm still under attack.

One of the Icycles slowly approaching me. Evading is impossible, since I'm in mid air.

I thought I was a goner when.. Haru, threw his sword to break the Icycle rushing.

As I landed, I quickly rushed to him, but..

Yakumi approached him first.

"Brat, why are you here? Depending on your reason, it's either you'll go to prison or we'll sentence you to death!"

"WHA- YAKUMI!"