The next morning came quietly but quicker than he expected.
Kaelen felt refreshed and didn't wake up with a knot in his chest. His body felt strangely light, almost floating, as if every breath aligned within him. Since the point breakthrough, his senses and body felt different. Even if it's miniscule, he felt it as clear as day.
He sat up slowly, the metal pendant shaped like a gear traced with patterns, swayed slowly from right to left around his neck. The dorm was silent except for the steady hum of aether currents running through the walls. Pale blue light seeped through the frost-tinted windows, painting soft lines across the beds and lockers.
He got a new skill from the system last night, but he didn't bother checking.
"Status." Kaelen called out. The blue holo-interface came to life.
[Host Status]
[Name: Kaelen Burn]
[Class: Chrononaut ]
[Race: Human]
[Title:None]
[Energy Level:
[Point Stage: Bond stage]
[Classification:
[Ability Grade:
[Base Level: 6 ] <780 / 1300 XP>
[System Level: 4] <280 / 1200 XP>
[HP: 250/250]
[A.E:270/270]
[Strength: 45]
[Stamina: 40]
[Perception: 35]
[Defense: 36]
[Agility: 38]
[Vitality: 51]
[Intelligence: 55]
[Stat point: 23]
Abilities
Time Authority — Tier 1 Lv. 1
Spatial Authority — Tier 1 Lv. 1
Active Skills
Flash Step Lv. 1 | Spatial Lock Lv. 1 | Spatial Warp Lv. 1 | Temporal Drag Lv. 1 | Temporal Lock Lv. 1 | Aether Manipulation Lv.1
Passive Skills
Chrono‑Perception Lv. 1 | Spatial Awareness Lv. 1 | Analytical Scan Lv. 1 | Aether Regeneration Lv. 1 | Health Regeneration Lv. 1 Energy Resonance Lv.1
[Daily Mission]
Objective: 10 Push‑Ups | 1 Mile Run | 10 Pull‑Ups
Reward: +30 XP (Base and System) | +1 Stat Point
Penalty for Failure: Stat Reduction (‑1 Random Stat) | System Instability +5%
[ Quest Assigned– Break through the latent level in a week]
[5 Days, 13 Hours, 4 Minutes]
Rewards: 100xp | 5 Stat Points | 1 random skill upgrade.
Penalty for failure: Base Level deduction –one | Ten random Stat Points deduction.
He noticed some changes, like the system mentioning his current point stage, which it never did before breaking through.
He studied the two new skill carefully, Aether manipulation and Energy Resonance.
[Aether Manipulation Lv.1: Host is able to conciously manipulate aether in the body and the environment. Can coat objects with energy.
[Energy Resonance Lv.1: Improves understanding and harmony with aether/energy flows, reducing skill costs by 5% and increasing A.E. regeneration by 10%. No active cost.]
"Wow," Kaelen was flustered.
"OK, let's test this." He flexed his fingers, half expecting the familiar tingling of strain or instability, but what came instead was a faint warmth… a smooth, steady rhythm.
He summoned a thread of aether.
The energy coiled around his fingertips like a ribbon of pale mist—it was thin and imperfect but obedient. When he tries guiding and reaching out to the energy previously, it would resist him with every attempt. Now it was smooth
Kaelen let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
So this is what control feels like.
He guided the thread through a small loop. It trembled, wavered slightly, then settled. Not perfect. Not even close. But worlds better than the flow he had, before getting to the Bond stage.
This wasn't a fluke after all.
After a few more attempts—some clean, some messy... he released the aether. The ribbon dissolved with a soft glint, leaving behind the faint smell of ionized air.
Kaelen breathed deeply, savoring the sense of progres, He was happy yesterday, but after today's test, he felt even more joy.
He dressed quickly and stepped outside. The Academy grounds were quiet at this hour, brushed with pre-dawn haze. Silverleaf trees swayed gently in the courtyard, their luminescent leaves reflecting the dim morning light.
He had to get his daily mission completed and test his energy further.
[Daily Quest Complete]
Reward: +30 XP (Base and System) | +1 Stat Point
He completed all quest easily. He wasn't imagining it. His steps really did feel lighter. But this was a different feeling from when he used the stats. It migth be miniscule, but the feeling was inexplicably satisfying.
"Uugh– I reek of sweat. I have to have my bath." Kaelen said, disgusted by the stink of his sweat.
...
The V-Wing's halls buzzed with quiet anticipation. Students streamed toward the lecture rooms, some arguing over theory, others practicing small sparks of aether manipulation that flickered like fireflies.
Sera fell into step beside Kaelen without a word.
"How ya doing?" She said after a moment.
"Good. What's with the accent?"
"Don't mind it. Old habits." She replied. "You didn't stay up all night after i left."
Kaelen blinked. "My sleep is a priority."
She gave him a pointed look. "Didn't seem that way with you staying up late of recent, no less when it's only the first week."
Fair enough.
...
By the time they entered Hall V-1, most seats were filled. Professor Nyra stood at the center platform, her tail flicking lazily behind her. Her golden eyes scanned the crowd with a precision that made Kaelen straighten instinctively.
As soon as he took his seat, her gaze snapped toward him.
"Burn."
Kaelen froze. "Yes, Professor?"
"Stand."
He did.
A low murmur rippled through the class.
Nyra's nostrils flared slightly, her expression sharpening. "Your resonance has shifted."
He swallowed. "I've been practicing."
"Practicing," she repeated flatly. "You were at the early latent stage a day before yesterday."
"Yes, Professor."
"And today you stand at the Bond stage."
Another wave of murmurs swept across the amphitheater.
Nyra stepped closer, her feline ears angling forward with focused intensity. "Most people take one to two months to break through the latent level. Reaching Bond alone takes two weeks at minimum." Her eyes narrowed. "And you were, by your own admission, a beginner."
"Still am," Kaelen said quietly.
Nyra studied him for a long, tense moment. Then, to the surprise of everyone... her expression softened.
"Remarkable," she said. "Either you possess an unusually adaptive resonance… or the aether itself is paying close attention to you."
He didn't know what to say.
"Keep control," she continued. "Rapid growth is a gift only if the foundation is stable. I expect discipline, Burn. Do not make me regret this potential."
"Yes, Professor."
"Sit."
He did, heart racing.
Sera leaned slightly toward him. "You made her impressed."
"You knew i got to the bond stage yesterday."
"Your point?" Sera shot him a glance.
Kaelen whispered. "You didn't inform me it was this big of a deal. At least, according to her."
"It is, but it wasn't up for discussion last night. " she said, eyes forward. "It's also general knowledge. I assumed you would know that."
Kaelen could only sigh as he looked at her.
"A big deal," he thought. "Yeah, but it was my responsibility to be informed." He sighed internally. He'd only awakened three months ago. He was literally suddenly dumped in the world of trait-borns from a null's world.
...
The lecture ended in a rush of noise. Students gathered in small clusters, discussing Nyra's demonstration on aetheric conductivity.
Kaelen headed for the exit, but Sera kept beside him.
"You aren't annoyed, are you?" She said. "
"I was." Kaelen admitted. "But it's not your fault i am not informed," he sighed. "I am sorry."
"Aww, the puppy is out. Your apology is worthless, since you didn't really offend me." She gave him a small nod.
She patted his back lightly, "But it's progress to acknowledge your responsibility."
Kaelen could only chuckle at her attitude.
"I wanted to ask, what's Aether Manipulation?" Kaelen asked as they turned around a corner.
"You only got to the bond stage last night, of the latent level at that. Yet, it seems like you want to know all." She tilted her head to the side lightly as they continued.
"Sorry, just cur—"
"Aether Manipulation, is the ability where trait-borns conciously manipulate the aether in their body or their environment." said Sera as she cut him off.
"Trait-borns. Only, trait-bor—"
"This does not fall to trait-borns alone." Sera looked straight into Kaelen's eyes giving him the chills. She continued, "It's as the name implies, Aether Manipulation. Any living being that has aether running in them would be able to manipulate it."
"Or should be able to." She corrected.
Kaelen slowed his pace to assimilate her words. "Does that mean not every one with aether can manipulate it?"
"Correction, not everyone who has awakened the aether connected to their trait does. Aether flows through everyone, it just as to awaken to be considered a trait. Some have clogged aether veins connecting the loops. Hence, their disability to manipulate aether. They can't even cast common skills aligned to their class." Sera said as she slowed her pace to match his.
"Wait, how does the loops and vein affect this?" Kaelen paused his movements.
Sera didn't wait and kept going forcing Kaelen to chase after her.
"I am really starting to wonder how you got pass the latent point." She said with a sigh.
Kaelen could only chuckle shyly.
She continued. "Do you know what aids breakthrough?"
"Understanding and resonating with energy?" Kaelen replied.
"Exactly what those patterns serve for, but you are completely clueless. Aether is far more complex, exactly why it's manipulation isn't easy."
Kaelen had a lot of unanswered questions but let them be for now.
They stepped into the main atrium, where warm sunlight spilled across the glass floor. The academy buzzed with activity—uniforms in every direction, holo-boards shifting overhead, drones zipping between towers.
Sera checked her wristband. "I'm heading to Mutation Conditioning next. Are you going back to the dorms after this?"
"No, i want to assimilate all of this information. I was thinking of exploring a bit."
"Don't stress it and try not to get lost again."
"That was once."
She gave him the faintest hint of a smirk before breaking off toward the east hall.
Kaelen watched her go, a strange warmth lingering behind her departure.
...
A sharp whistle cut across the noise.
"Burn!"
Kaelen turned instinctively.
Lira Venn approached with long, confident strides, weaving through students as if the crowd parted for her. Copper hair tied in its familiar braid, silver eyes glowing faintly with that restless resonance she never bothered concealing. Her jacket stood out against the academy uniforms; rune-patterned, unmistakably her style.
He felt himself smile. "Lira."
"You finally noticed me. Thought the academy washed your brain cells already."
"It's been busy," Kaelen said. "Classes."
She snorted. "Sure. I expected you to be the best fixer here with those hands, but the institution has better plans for you."
They fell in step toward a quieter corner of the atrium. Kaelen hadn't realized how much he missed her presence until now. Lira was grounding in a way few people could be; steady, sharp, always herself.
Lira asked, "Bond stage already?"
"You heard?"
"Kaelen, you think anything stays quiet here? Especially something like this. Half the students were talking about s student who broke through, even before third period even started."
Lira also added. "And I'm two levels above you, i can sense it. It shouldn't be hard to piece things together."
Kaelen rubbed the back of his neck. "It happened faster than I expected."
"Faster than what's healthy," she corrected.
"I know."
Lira stopped walking. Her eyes softened, losing their usual sarcastic edge. "You look happy about it. But you look scared too."
He didn't deny it.
"I don't know what it means, at one point i was struggling to breakthrough, then the next i did, and i was happy and now, i learned that it was too fast, a little too fast." Kaelen admitted. "I'm glad I'm not failing anymore, but… it feels too fast. Like I skipped something important."
"You didn't skip anything, don't let words cut you back." she said. "You adapted. Some people resonate with aether like it's a second heartbeat. You might be one of them."
"What if it's dangerous?"
"It will be," she answered honestly. "Everything powerful is. But you're not stupid. And you're not reckless. You'll learn to control it."
Her hand rested briefly on his shoulder—steadying, reassuring. "And if something feels wrong, you come to me. I will always be with you, i promised you that. If you're brave enough, reach out. You're not alone in this place."
The tension he'd been carrying loosened, just a little.
"Thanks," Kaelen said quietly.
"Good." She flicked his forehead lightly. "Now stop thinking too hard before you combust."
He laughed.
"Do you know how Aether Manipulation could help practically?" He asked.
"Hmm, its name suggests manipulation. What do you think you could do with it?"
...
They parted ways shortly after, Lira heading toward the east wing workshops, Kaelen toward the grand hall to grab something to eat before his next class.
The grand hall was a vast chamber of glass and stone, sunlight pouring through its arched ceiling. Students gathered around long tables, the smell of food drifting through the air. Above them, floating banners displayed class schedules and announcements.
Kaelen was halfway across the hall when he heard raised voices.
A small crowd had formed near the center, murmuring with that mixture of curiosity and unease that always preceded trouble. Kaelen approached cautiously.
At the heart of the circle, a scrawny boy; maybe sixteen, small even for his age... stood trembling as an older student shoved him backward. The older boy was tall, broad-shouldered, his uniform sleeves rolled up to show bands of orange energy flickering beneath his skin.
[Analytical scan Lv.1]
[Enhancer]
That was all the information he could get from that. He wanted to interfere, but with little context, it's dangerous and foolish.
"Didn't you hear me?" the bully growled. "You think you can take food from my table and walk away?"
"I didn't take anything," the boy whispered. His voice shook.
"Liar."
Kaelen was about to leave when he saw the unexpected—
[New Quest Assigned: Defend The Boy]
Rewards: +10XP | One random skill upgrade | New skill unlock
No penalties.
Kaelen wished to ignore, but the rewards where just unexpectedly great and tempting. He wasn't an experienced fighter, but this could serve as a lesson.
"Aaahh, Fuck it." Kaelen thought has he stepped forward.
"Hey," he said sharply. "Back off."
The older boy turned, eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"
"Someone telling you to leave him alone."
A murmur swept the watching students.
The Enhancer flexed his hands, kinetic energy crackling faintly along his knuckles.
"You must be either foolish or think you can handle me, which is still a foolish reason to interfere." He said.
Kaelen's pulse quickened.
"If being foolish makes me someone who won't let you beat a kid over nothing. Then yes, i am."
The punch came faster than Kaelen expected.
He dodged, barely, the kinetic force grazing his shoulder. Pain flared, sharp and immediate. The bully moved again, faster this time, the air rippling around his fist.
Kaelen pulled his arms upward guarding his chest instinctively.
The punch landed with a sickening crunch, sending Kaelen stumbling backward. A white-hot pain shot through his arm—it felt broken. His ribs burned.
The crowd gasped.
The bully grinned. "That all?"
Kaelen steadied his breath. He was in pain currently and it was almost unbearable. This was the first time he is engaging someone physically and no less an enhancer trait-born. Yeah, he has engaged people in the past but it was mostly verbal.
He had to use his head, he activated aether manipulation. Just like Lira said, manipulating it means he could do something with it and just like the system said, he could coat objects with it. He had seen city guards do something similar, even channeling it to their weapons.
[Aether Manipulation Lv.1]
[–25A.E]
He coated his arms with aether he could gather. It came, but sluggishly, refusing to sharpen. He tried to slow the moment, to tap into his Chrononaut perception… but pressure clamped around his mind, like hitting a locked door. He now understand that using abilities in fights are different than using it neutrally.
The Enhancer lunged again.
Kaelen blocked with both arms once again, his aether flaring . The impact rattled him to his core. He tried to counter, swinging low, but the older boy simply absorbed the hit and slammed him to the ground.
Kaelen gasped, his vision was blurring. The pain on the arms felt less this time, the aether absorbed impact but the slam stunned him.
Above him, the bully lifted his fist, energy pooling around it in a bright orange blaze.
"Stop," someone said.
The voice carried like a blade across glass.
Riven stood at the edge of the circle, expression unreadable. Elai hovered beside him, eyes faintly glowing with an inner light. Students backed away instinctively.
Riven's gaze settled on the older boy. "That's enough."
The Enhancer hesitated, swallowed, then lowered his fist. Even he wasn't foolish enough to ignore Riven.
Elai stepped forward, kneeling beside Kaelen. "You're hurt."
"I'm fine," Kaelen managed, though every part of him ached.
Riven studied him carefully, almost too carefully. "You intervened," he said. "Even though you knew you weren't ready to fight someone like him."
Kaelen sat up slowly. "He was hurting a kid."
"That is not an answer," Riven said.
"It's the only one I have."
Something flickered in Riven's expression; approval? Annoyance? Recognition? It was impossible to tell.
Elai helped Kaelen to his feet. "You should get healed. You're quite hurt"
"I noticed, my body heals faster thanthe average. Perks of a Chronomancer" Kaelen muttered. He was badly hurt from the few punches the enhancer threw. His endurance was rising, that was what saved him. But power without discipline is child's play.
The scrawny boy bowed shakily. "T-thank you."
Kaelen forced a smile. "Stay safe."
The crowd began to disperse. The bully retreated with a dark glare, though he didn't try anything else under Riven's watchful eyes.
Kaelen turned to thank the two older students, but they were already walking away.
He called after them. "Why did you help?"
Riven paused at the archway.
"We didn't," he said. "You helped yourself. We simply prevented the consequences from becoming irreversible."
Elai gave Kaelen a small, strange smile. "Some people grow faster when they fall."
"Ohh, you should train your resonance more. Your control improved, but your flow is unstable in combat." Riven said.
Then they vanished into the crowd.
...
Kaelen stood alone in the grand hall, bruised but upright. His body hurt, but he was happy.
He just earned something from that fight; motivation, a lesson and the quest.
He was currently staring at the blue holo-interface—
[Quest Complete: Defend The Boy]
Reward: +10XP | One random skill upgrade | New skill unlock
"I might not be there yet, but this is a start. A nice start." Kaelen said smiling to himself.