The Grand Plaza faded behind him as Kai wandered the outer halls of the academy. His footsteps echoed in the marble corridors, swallowed by silence. The Awakening Ceremony had ended. Everyone else was celebrating.
But not him.
> Primary Class Acquired: [Limitless One]
Status: Evolving
Title: [Heaven's Chosen – ???]
Visibility: Private
He'd read those words over and over again.
They didn't make sense.
> Why me?
Aria was the Heaven's Chosen. The world already had one.
He reached a shadowed corridor rarely used by students—a forgotten wing of the academy near the old garden gates. His fingers brushed the stone walls absentmindedly as he walked. Moss crept up the ancient bricks, and the air felt older here… heavier.
And then—
> [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION – PRIVATE PATH UNLOCKED]
You have deviated from the Known Road.
Unique Class Trait Activated.
[Limitless Perception – Passive]
Hidden structures and doors are now visible to you.
The wall before him shimmered.
A sealed archway slowly revealed itself—its shape outlined by faint blue runes that pulsed softly, like a heartbeat.
---
Kai froze.
There was no sound. No wind. But something ancient stirred beyond that wall.
The stone looked old—older than the academy itself. Carved into the arch were three words in an unknown language, but his class interpreted them instantly:
> "Only The Unbound May Enter."
He placed his hand on the stone.
It slid open.
---
The Hidden Sanctum
Dust swirled in golden rays as Kai stepped into the chamber. The space within was vast—circular, with walls etched in divine markings. Floating crystals illuminated a path of ancient steps that spiraled downward.
Statues lined the walls: forgotten heroes, faceless warriors, beings with wings and glowing weapons.
And at the center of the room, hovering above a pedestal, was a black crystal—cracked, but pulsing faintly.
> [SYSTEM UPDATE]
Secondary Class – Awakening Requirements Met
Catalyst Discovered: The Core of Remnant Infinity
> Initializing...
---
Kai's eyes widened as a rush of information flooded his mind—visions of stars collapsing, gods screaming, time unraveling.
And then—calm.
A voice echoed within him. Soft. Ageless.
> "You who bear no chains. You who walk without limits. The second path opens to you…"
> Secondary Class Unlocked:
[Aetherbound Reclaimer – ???]
A being fated to restore what the cosmos lost. Wield power from broken timelines and dead stars.
> Warning: This class cannot be revealed to others. It exceeds the world's current system. Display falsified as: [Scout – Tier 1]
> Unique Trait Gained: [Aether Veil] – Conceals all true stats, classes, and titles from others, including system inspections.
---
Kai stumbled back.
His breath came fast. His hands trembled. The air itself vibrated around him, as if reality was just barely holding together.
And yet… he felt whole. For the first time in years, he felt seen.
Not by others.
But by something older than gods.
---
Back above, at the edge of the sacred tower…
Aria knelt in silent meditation, but her eyes snapped open.
She felt it again—that strange flicker in the sky. A pull in her blood.
> "Who are you becoming, little brother…?"
---
Next: Chapter 3 – "False Faces, True Eyes"