The world had stopped making sense.
Kael Veyron stood in the shattered courtyard of Aetheris Academy, sword in hand, staring at the figure that had emerged from beneath the academy.
Black armor.
A cracked white mask.
Crimson eyes.
And a smile that seemed far too familiar.
The creature above the academy remained suspended among the clouds, its enormous presence casting a shadow over the entire capital.
The Observer stood upon the distant rooftop.
And between all of them—
Kael.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then the masked figure tilted its head.
“Kael Veyron.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
It knew his name.
That wasn’t the frightening part.
The frightening part was how it said it.
As though it had known him long before tonight.
Kael raised his sword.
“Who are you?”
The figure laughed softly.
“You really don’t remember?”
Kael frowned.
“Remember what?”
The figure’s crimson eyes brightened.
“Of course.”
It slowly raised one hand.
“You wouldn’t.”
The ground beneath Kael’s feet trembled.
Pi suddenly leapt from Kael’s shoulder.
“PI!”
The little creature landed in front of him and spread its tiny wings.
Kael stared.
“Pi?”
Pi was shaking.
But it wasn’t retreating.
It was standing between Kael and the masked figure.
Protecting him.
Kael’s expression softened for a moment.
“You’re brave for something that weighs less than my sword.”
Pi glanced backward.
“Pi.”
“Yeah.”
Kael smiled faintly.
“I know.”
Then—
BOOM!
A golden blur crossed the courtyard.
Leon Ardent appeared in front of Kael.
His sword was raised.
“Stay behind me.”
Kael stared at him.
“…Seriously?”
Leon didn’t look back.
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m not sure I needed protecting.”
“Then consider it a professional courtesy.”
Kael almost laughed.
Even now, the guy was joking.
That was either courage—
Or stupidity.
Probably both.
The masked figure watched Leon.
Then it looked toward Kael.
“So this is the protagonist.”
Leon frowned.
“Protagonist?”
Kael’s eyes widened.
The masked figure knew.
It knew about the original story.
That meant—
“You know about the world.”
The figure smiled.
“I know more than you.”
Kael’s expression darkened.
“Then tell me.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re standing in the middle of my academy.”
Leon glanced sideways.
“Your academy?”
Kael paused.
“Technically, I attend here.”
“Right.”
The figure chuckled.
“You haven’t changed.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?”
The figure raised its hand.
Black energy began gathering around its palm.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Every professor in the courtyard sensed it.
“Students!”
Seraphina Vale’s voice thundered across the academy.
“Retreat!”
Kael recognized the voice.
The head examiner.
Seraphina appeared above the courtyard, surrounded by silver magical circles.
Her expression was unusually serious.
“All students, retreat to the inner barrier!”
The professors immediately obeyed.
Elena grabbed Mira.
“Come on!”
Mira hesitated.
“But Kael—”
“He’ll follow.”
Kael looked toward them.
“Go!”
Elena’s eyes met his.
For a moment, she looked like she wanted to argue.
Then she nodded.
“Don’t die.”
Kael smiled.
“That’s becoming a popular request.”
She turned and ran.
Leon remained.
Kael looked at him.
“You heard her.”
Leon shook his head.
“No.”
Kael blinked.
“What?”
Leon tightened his grip on his sword.
“I’m staying.”
Kael stared at him.
“Why?”
Leon looked toward the masked figure.
“Because if I leave, it might follow everyone else.”
Kael went silent.
The original protagonist was apparently smarter than he looked.
The masked figure laughed.
“Interesting.”
Leon pointed his sword toward it.
“Who are you?”
The figure ignored him.
Its attention remained on Kael.
“Do you know what happens when someone enters a story that wasn’t written for them?”
Kael’s eyes narrowed
“No.”
“They become an error.”
Black energy spread across the figure’s arm.
“An error the world attempts to correct.”
Kael’s system appeared.
[Warning.]
[Host’s title “The One Outside the Story” has triggered an unknown reaction.]
Kael frowned.
“What kind of reaction?”
[Unknown.]
“You’re becoming predictable.”
[The System considers that statement offensive.]
Kael almost smiled.
Then the figure disappeared.
Kael’s instincts screamed.
“Leon!”
Leon immediately turned.
The masked figure appeared behind them.
Its hand moved toward Kael.
Leon blocked.
CLANG!
A shockwave exploded outward.
Leon slid backward several meters.
Kael’s eyes widened.
“Leon!”
“I’m fine!”
Leon looked down at his sword.
A crack had appeared along the blade.
His expression became serious.
“That thing is strong.”
Kael nodded.
“I noticed.”
The figure looked at Leon.
“Interesting.”
It tilted its head.
“You weren’t supposed to meet him yet.”
Kael froze.
“Meet who?”
The figure looked directly at him.
“You.”
Silence.
Kael’s mind raced.
“No.”
The figure shook its head.
“I knew someone would.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“Someone?”
The figure didn’t answer.
Instead—
It pointed toward Pi.
Pi growled.
The masked figure laughed.
“And there it is.”
Kael immediately moved in front of Pi.
“What do you want with him?”
“Nothing.”
The figure lowered its hand.
“I want to know what it is.”
Kael’s grip tightened.
“He’s my companion.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
The figure’s voice became colder.
“What is that creature?”
Kael looked at Pi.
Pi stared back.
For once, it didn’t say anything.
Then—
The Observer spoke.
“Don’t let it touch Pi.”
Kael looked toward the rooftop.
The Observer was still there.
“You know what Pi is?”
The Observer remained silent.
“Answer me!”
The Observer finally spoke.
“I know what it isn’t.”
Kael frowned.
“What?”
“It isn’t a beast.”
Kael looked at Pi.
The tiny creature blinked innocently.
“Pi.”
Kael sighed.
“Of course.”
The masked figure suddenly raised its hand.
The sky darkened.
Kael looked upward.
The enormous creature beyond the clouds had begun descending again.
Leon stared.
“What is that?”
Kael answered honestly.
“I have no idea.”
The Observer shouted.
“That’s the problem!”
Everyone looked at it.
The Observer pointed toward the sky.
“That thing isn’t here to destroy the academy.”
Kael’s expression changed.
“Then what does it want?”
The Observer’s crimson eyes moved toward Leon.
“It wants the world.”
Silence.
Leon frowned.
“What does that mean?”
The Observer looked at Kael.
“It means the entity above you isn’t attacking.”
Kael’s eyes widened.
“Then what is it doing?”
The Observer answered.
“Looking.”
A cold chill ran down Kael’s spine.
The enormous creature’s eyes opened.
And suddenly—
Kael saw it.
Not with his eyes.
With something deeper.
A vast network of glowing threads spread throughout the world.
Every person.
Every monster.
Every city.
Every event.
Every possibility.
All connected by invisible lines.
Karma.
The creature was looking at those threads.
Studying them.
Then Kael saw something else.
One thread was different.
His.
It didn’t connect normally.
It stretched beyond the visible world.
Beyond the network.
Beyond fate itself.
Kael’s eyes widened.
“I’m…”
The Observer finished his sentence.
“Outside the system of Karma.”
Kael looked at his hands.
“How?”
The Observer shook its head.
“I don’t know.”
The masked figure laughed.
“But I do.”
Kael turned.
“Then explain.”
The figure’s smile widened.
“You weren’t reincarnated.”
Kael froze.
“What?”
“You weren’t chosen.”
The figure stepped closer.
“You weren’t summoned.”
The air became colder.
“You were inserted.”
Kael’s mind went blank.
“Inserted?”
“Someone placed you here.”
Kael’s heartbeat accelerated.
“Who?”
The figure smiled.
“That’s what you’re supposed to discover.”
Then—
The world shattered.
Not literally.
But Kael saw everything break apart for a fraction of a second.
The academy.
The capital.
The sky.
Leon.
Pi.
The Observer.
Everything became white.
Then—
Kael was standing somewhere else.
A massive black void surrounded him.
There was no ground.
No sky.
No wind.
No sound.
Only darkness.
Kael looked around.
“Where am I?”
The System appeared.
But this time—
Its window was different.
Distorted.
[Emergency Protocol.]
[Host consciousness temporarily disconnected from world environment.]
Kael frowned.
“What?”
[Do not panic.]
“I’m definitely going to panic.”
[The System recommends against it.]
Kael looked around.
“Can you get me back?”
[Attempting.]
A pause.
[Failed.]
Kael’s expression hardened.
“Great.”
Then something appeared in front of him.
A door.
Ancient.
Massive.
Black.
Three symbols were carved across its surface.
A crown.
An eye.
And a broken chain.
Kael stared.
“What is this?”
The System didn’t answer.
Instead—
Someone appeared behind him.
Kael slowly turned.
A young man stood there.
He had pale skin, dark hair, and eyes that looked almost silver.
His clothing was strange.
Not medieval.
Something closer to modern clothing.
Kael stared at him.
“You…”
The stranger smiled.
“You’re Kael, right?”
Kael raised his sword.
“Who are you?”
The stranger laughed.
“That’s funny.”
He pointed toward the door.
“I’ve been waiting for someone like you.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
The stranger’s smile disappeared.
“Because I’m tired of being alone.”
Kael didn’t lower his sword.
“You’re an irregularity.”
The stranger’s eyes widened slightly.
Then he laughed.
“So you’ve met the Observer.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“Answer me.”
“Yes.”
The stranger took a step closer.
“I’m one of them.”
Kael’s expression hardened.
“Which one?”
The stranger pointed toward himself.
“Second.”
Kael’s eyes widened.
“The second irregularity.”
The stranger nodded.
“My name is…”
Before he could finish—
The black door behind him began shaking.
BOOM.
Kael turned.
The stranger’s expression immediately changed.
“That’s not good.”
Another impact.
BOOM!
The door cracked.
Kael looked at him.
“What is behind that door?”
The stranger’s face became pale.
“You really don’t want to know.”
BOOM!
A third impact.
The door cracked further.
The stranger backed away.
“We have to leave.”
Kael stared.
“How?”
The stranger pointed toward Kael.
“You.”
“Me?”
“Your title.”
Kael looked at his system.
[Title: The One Outside the Story]
The stranger nodded.
“That title isn’t a reward.”
Kael’s expression changed.
“What is it?”
“A key.”
The door shook again.
The stranger shouted—
“Use it!”
“I don’t know how!”
“Think about leaving!”
Kael stared at the door.
Then he closed his eyes.
He imagined Aetheris.
Leon.
Elena.
Mira.
Pi.
His dorm room.
His life.
His sword.
Everything.
The title began glowing.
[The One Outside the Story]
The words shattered.
Light exploded from Kael’s body.
The stranger shielded his eyes.
“Yes!”
The black door cracked open.
Something looked through.
A single enormous eye.
Kael froze.
The eye wasn’t the same as the creature in the sky.
It was smaller.
Closer.
And somehow—
Much worse.
A whisper passed through the void.
“Found…”
Kael’s eyes widened.
“…you.”
The stranger grabbed Kael’s arm.
“NOW!”
Kael activated the title.
The void collapsed.
Kael opened his eyes.
He was back in the courtyard.
His sword was still in his hand.
Only three seconds had passed.
Leon was beside him.
“Kael!”
Kael looked around.
The academy.
The ruined courtyard.
The professors.
Pi.
Everything was back.
Except—
The masked figure was gone.
The Observer was gone.
And the entity above the academy was disappearing into the clouds.
Leon stared upward.
“What happened?”
Kael didn’t answer.
His mind was still processing what he’d seen.
The stranger.
The door.
The eye.
The words.
You’re a key.
Then his system appeared.
[Emergency Event Completed.]
Reward: 300 Karma Points
[Current Karma: 451]
Kael stared.
Then another notification appeared.
[Hidden Information Acquired.]
[Irregularity Two has been identified.]
Name: Unknown
Status: Active
Location: Outside the Worldline
Kael’s eyes widened.
“Outside the worldline…”
Another notification appeared.
[New Objective.]
Find Irregularity Two.
Reward: 500 Karma
Failure: Unknown
Kael sighed.
“Of course.”
Leon looked at him.
“Did you say something?”
Kael shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward the dark sky.
Somewhere beyond this world—
Someone was waiting.
Someone who knew why Kael had been brought here.
Someone who knew what Pi was.
Someone who knew what lay behind that door.
And perhaps—
Someone who knew why the original Kael Veyron had been destined to die.
Kael slowly sheathed his sword.
A small smile appeared on his face.
He had spent the last few days trying to escape his fate.
Now he realized something.
His fate wasn’t the real mystery.
His existence was.
Pi climbed back onto his shoulder.
“Pi.”
Kael glanced at him.
“Yeah.”
He looked toward the academy.
“Let’s find out why we’re here.”
Far above them—
Something watched.
And somewhere beyond the world—
The second irregularity smiled.
VOTE for me!