Lost In Chaos

Kaz walked toward the academy rankings, a massive digital board projected onto the wall near the training grounds. It is updated in real-time, shifting as initiates gained or lost standing. He wasn't particularly obsessed with rankings, but curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to see how things had changed.

At the top, three names stood out.

The number two spot read King of Beasts.

Kaz immediately recognized that name—Ryuma. Of course, he was up there. With his raw talent and aggressive training, it was inevitable.

But it was the number one spot that made Kaz pause.

Bound of Order.

It contrasted sharply with his own true name: Enemy of Order.

Whoever they were, it seemed like their very existence was at odds with his. Two opposites. Two forces bound to conflict. Kaz frowned as he stared at the name, feeling a strange sense of inevitability. The academy system wasn't perfect, but it had a way of foreshadowing things.

His true name's description echoed in his mind:

"You are drawn to chaos and reject order, yet order always seems to find you."

It was a cruel irony. Even without seeking it, order had a way of creeping into his life. And now, the strongest person in the academy was a walking embodiment of that very thing.

Kaz scoffed. Wouldn't be a hard fight, he told himself.

Still, something gnawed at him. Over his time at the academy, Kaz had come to a realization. It might seem like he was surrendering to chaos, letting it dictate his actions—but that wasn't the truth. This was just the natural progression of things.

He wasn't following chaos.

He was choosing to live without rules.

The strongest people in the world didn't follow rules. They might humor them, agree to them when it suited them, but in the end, they did whatever they wanted. No fate, no authority, no destiny controlling their lives.

That was the kind of existence Kaz wanted.

He turned away from the leaderboard, already feeling bored. He had bigger things to focus on.

The countdown had begun—only a week remained before he was rifted to another world.

And if he didn't get his chaos under control before then, he was going to be dead within seconds.

If his Chaos Counter hit 100 again while he was out in the field, Frenzy Mode would take over, and there was no telling what would happen. He couldn't afford to lose control—not when survival depended on his ability to think clearly.

Kaz hurried back to his room, ignoring a notification on his watch. Probably a message from Ryuma. Whatever it was, it could wait.

Locking the door behind him, he sat down and tried to focus.

There had to be a way to control it—to control him.

What if he forced his alter ego out?

Would they be able to talk?

Kaz smirked to himself. Guess there's only one way to find out.

He decided to push his Chaos Energy to 99.

If that thing—his other self—was born from Chaos Energy, then maybe bringing it to the brink would force it to manifest.

Closing his eyes, Kaz activated Eyeless Sense.

The world around him shifted into something different. He couldn't see in the traditional sense, but he could feel everything within a 30-foot radius—the faint hum of energy in the walls, the distant vibrations of footsteps in the hallway, the subtle pulsing of the Rift's influence within the academy.

Using this heightened awareness, he gathered his Chaos Energy, letting it rise.

Objects around him began to float, suspended in the air by an eerie force. They weren't glowing bright, nor were they shrouded in darkness. It was something in between—something Kaz still didn't fully understand.

The system in his mind went wild, flashing warnings as his Chaos Counter climbed higher and higher.

90… 91… 92…

Kaz gritted his teeth. The air around him felt heavier.

95… 96… 97…

His heartbeat pounded in his ears.

98… 99.

Silence.

Kaz sat there, waiting.

Then—

Laughter.

Not his own.

A carefree, almost mocking chuckle echoed in his mind. It was unsettling, not because of what it was, but because it was his voice—except filled with something foreign. Something wild.

"Whoa. You actually found a way to talk to me?"

Kaz stiffened.

It was strange hearing his own voice sound so casual, so carefree. His alter ego didn't sound like someone burdened by survival or responsibility. He sounded like someone completely unbothered.

But Kaz didn't have time to be unsettled.

"What the hell, man?" Kaz snapped. "You trying to get us killed? Fighting Axion was already risky, but Ryuma? He'll rip you to shreds!"

His alter ego only laughed again.

"Chill out, princess."

Kaz's eye twitched. Did this guy just call me princess?

"First off," his alter ego continued, "I do what I want. Second, I actually know how to use our abilities—since, you know, I was born from them. And third… you're not the boss of me, man."

Kaz clenched his fists. This arrogant—

"Well," the alter ego yawned, "if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to sleep. But don't worry, I'll be back."

Kaz's breath hitched.

"Wait—"

"Oh, and don't even think about taking off the mask I wear. Our Sanctuaries are different, remember? And those thorny fists? Those were a gift."

Kaz blinked.

"What the hell does that even mean?"

But it was too late.

The presence faded, the laughter echoing one last time before vanishing completely.

Kaz sat there, stunned.

Slowly, his Chaos Counter dropped, and the objects around him settled back into place.

His head felt like it was spinning.

What was that?

He knew his alter ego was a separate consciousness, but this confirmed it—it wasn't just some mindless beast taking over when Frenzy Mode activated. It had thoughts. It had goals.

And worst of all?

It had plans.

Kaz exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face.

Great. Now he had another problem to deal with.