Temporal Dominion

Lucian could still feel the weight of Instructor Kael Verdan's words echoing in his mind.

"Report to the Combat Evaluation Hall."

The implication was clear—he had been noticed.

As the crowd dispersed, murmurs continued to spread across the academy grounds. He caught snippets of conversation as he walked past groups of students.

"Did you see how he dodged? It was unnatural!"

"No way he just awakened his ability. He must have been hiding it all along."

"Instructor Kael personally called him out. That means the higher-ups are watching him now."

Lucian kept his expression neutral, but inside, he was anything but calm.

For years, he had been ignored, treated like he didn't belong in a world of power. Now, in just a single fight, everything had changed.

But recognition came with consequences.

The moment he stepped into the academy halls, he felt it.

The eyes on him.

Some filled with curiosity. Others with resentment.

And some… with hostility.

He had disrupted the balance.

He wasn't just a nobody anymore. He was an unknown variable.

And in a world where status and strength dictated everything, an unknown was dangerous.

---

Later That Night

Lucian sat on his bed in the dormitory, staring at his hands.

He flexed his fingers, feeling the subtle pull of something beneath the surface of reality.

Chronokinesis.

His power wasn't like traditional elemental abilities. He wasn't throwing fire or manipulating the wind.

His strength lay in the flow of time itself.

The duel had awakened something deeper within him. When he fought Ethan, he had seen glimpses of the future—moments before they happened.

But that wasn't enough.

If he wanted to survive in Aurelian Academy, he needed more than just instinctual reactions.

He needed control.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.

Lucian glanced up. "Come in."

The door creaked open, revealing Elara.

Her emerald eyes studied him carefully before she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

"You really don't waste time making enemies, do you?" she said dryly.

Lucian sighed. "You heard?"

Elara arched an eyebrow. "The entire academy heard."

She leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Instructor Kael personally calling you out after a duel? That's… big. Too big."

Lucian exhaled. "I didn't ask for it."

"No," she admitted. "But that doesn't change the fact that it happened."

She hesitated. "Do you even understand what this means?"

Lucian met her gaze. "I think so."

Elara shook her head. "No. You don't."

Her voice was quieter now. "Lucian… You just stepped onto the real battlefield. The moment Kael acknowledged you, you weren't just a student anymore."

She leaned in slightly. "You became a contender."

Lucian felt the weight of her words settle over him.

This wasn't just about a duel anymore.

This was the first step into something much bigger.

And tomorrow, at the Combat Evaluation Hall—

He would find out exactly what that meant.