A blue light tore through the very fabric of reality — a veil ripped open by a fierce wind.
And what emerged from it was a figure radiating multiple auras, each flickering in rhythm with untapped but immense power. Yet beneath all that brilliance, there was a flicker of divinity — subtle, but undeniable.
Mike stepped out of his pocket dimension, standing before Mio.
She was still frozen in the same position she had been when he left earlier. To her, he'd only been gone for a second.
"U-Umm… Mikey?" she blinked, bewildered by his appearance. "Y-Your… body is… You've changed — even your eyes are different," she said, her voice quaking with confusion and awe.
Nova, did my appearance change that much? Mike asked inwardly.
⟦ Yes, Master. Due to the increase in muscle mass and bone density, your body has undergone visible changes. ⟧
Nova's voice — Mio's voice — echoed in his mind. They didn't need words anymore; thoughts were enough.
"M-Mirror."
Crack! Zoom!
Mike's feet dug into the tiled floor, leaving a crater behind as he blurred toward the bathroom mirror with incredible speed — a living testament to his increased stats.
"Oops… s-sorry!" he apologized to no one in particular, nerves seeping in as he looked up.
"Woah…"
He couldn't believe his own reflection.
He now stood six and a half feet tall — an upgrade from his former six-foot height. His shirt clung tight to his body, tearing in some places as he stripped it off.
Before him stood a form that seemed sculpted to perfection: muscles defined, his body honed and balanced, chest firm and abs carved like stone.
And yet, what caught his attention most was—
"What… why do I have different colored eyes?" he whispered, shock threading through his voice.
His once-blue eyes had changed. The left now glowed silver, while the right shimmered a golden yellow — a faint clock-like pattern spinning slowly within its iris.
⟦ Your right eye has fully awakened under the effects of your Monarch evolution, Master. The golden hue represents temporal divinity — the manifestation of your time powers. It grants you the ability known as Battle Foresight: a five-second window of predictive vision in combat. ⟧
⟦ Meanwhile, your left eye — the silver one — has evolved into the Chronicle's Eye. It allows perception beyond the visible spectrum: illusions, lies, hidden energy, and even the structure of other abilities. ⟧
Mike stared at the mirror, entranced by his reflection. "So basically, I've got one eye for time and one for truth."
⟦ Simplified, but correct. ⟧
He tilted his head, studying the mismatch. "Still… walking around with two different colored eyes will be suspicious. Nova, can you hide it?"
⟦ Processing cosmetic synchronization… Battle Foresight temporarily deactivated. ⟧
A faint hum rippled through the air. The golden-yellow eye dimmed, its hue blending seamlessly into silver until both eyes gleamed like molten mercury.
⟦ Synchronization complete. Battle Foresight will reactivate automatically in combat. All other ocular functions remain stable. ⟧
Mike grinned. "That works."
He turned on the shower. Steam billowed as water cascaded down his back, washing away the tension of the awakening. For the first time in what felt like ages, he breathed easily.
When he stepped out moments later — towel around his shoulders, droplets sliding down his frame — Mio was there, waiting.
Her gaze swept over him slowly, eyes narrowing, lips forming a faint pout. "…You changed," she muttered.
"Yeah," he said simply, running a hand through his damp hair. His voice was calm, steady — the voice of someone who'd already made up his mind. "Get ready. We're going to find Chloe."
"Chloe?" Mio's tone sharpened. Her pout deepened, a trace of jealousy slipping through. "Why her?"
He gave her a small, knowing smile. "You'll see soon enough."
Mio crossed her arms but didn't argue.
Mike pulled out his phone and dialed. The ring lasted only a second before Chloe's voice came through — sharp, teasing, unmistakably her.
"Well, well. Mike Morgan himself actually calls me? What's the occasion? Is there some kind of apocalypse or something?"
Mike chuckled. "Something like that. Where are you?"
"The park. Why?" she said, feigning nonchalance, though her voice carried a smile.
"Stay there."
The line cut.
Mike glanced at Mio. "Let's go."
Before she could respond, the air cracked — a flash of blue light, and the world blurred away.
BAM!
They appeared at the park entrance. People milled about — kids laughing, leaves rustling in the afternoon breeze.
Mio blinked, disoriented. "You could've warned me!"
Mike ignored the complaint, scanning the crowd. "Nova, enhance visual range."
At once, his pupils dilated — and the world expanded. The silver sheen in his eyes shimmered faintly as layers of vision unfolded. He could see people's energy outlines, faint sparks of potential hidden under flesh and fabric.
Then his focus locked — like a zoom lens snapping into clarity.
"There you are," he murmured.
He could see Chloe under a distant tree, scrolling through her phone, completely unaware. But then his vision flickered — the x-ray layer flared without warning.
He blinked once. His eyes widened.
"Wait, what the— oh—" He snapped his head away, face flushing. "Nova! Turn that off!"
⟦ Apologies, Master. The Chronicle's Eye is in automatic calibration mode. ⟧
Mio raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "What did you just see?"
"Nothing!" he said quickly, voice higher than normal. "Absolutely nothing."
She squinted. "Uh-huh."
Mike coughed into his hand, trying to regain composure. "Right. Found Chloe. Let's go."
He reached out, taking Mio's hand, and before she could protest—
CRACK!
Space folded in on itself.
They reappeared right in front of Chloe, startling her so badly that her phone nearly slipped from her hand.
"Mike—?!" she gasped, half furious, half startled.
He looked down at her with calm silver eyes. "Hey."
Chloe blinked, stunned. "What… happened to your eyes? They're silver now?"
"Long story," he said, brushing it off. "You'll get your answers soon enough."
Before she could retort, he grabbed her hand, his other still holding Mio's.
"Wait, what are you—"
FWOOOM!
The world twisted — light folding, gravity bending — and the three vanished in an instant.
They landed atop a crumbling skyscraper.
The world around them was no longer the same.
The sky was fractured with streaks of crimson and gray. Lightning tore through clouds of ash. Buildings crumbled in the distance like paper in fire. Oceans boiled. Continents split.
The future — the apocalypse.
Mio steadied herself, breathing slow. She'd been here before, though even now, the scale of devastation shook her.
Chloe, on the other hand, staggered back in horror. "Wh–what the hell is this?!"
Mike didn't answer. He was too focused, his eyes scanning the horizon.
A low rumble echoed — and then, the world itself seemed to inhale.
The Wave hit.
An invisible surge blasted through the landscape — energy dense enough to shatter windows and twist metal. But before it could hurl them into the void, Mike raised a hand.
"Chronokinesis — stabilize."
Time rippled. The shockwave froze midair, its force diffused around them in suspended motion.
Mio shielded her face from the backlash, glancing at him with awe. "You really have changed…"
Chloe trembled, gripping his arm. "What's happening?! Why am I here?!"
Mike's silver eyes softened. "Don't fight it, Chloe. Just… let it happen."
The Wave reached her.
Her body lifted slightly, bathed in searing light. A pulse of gold and crimson radiated from her chest as her hair fluttered violently in the energy storm.
A voice — mechanical, divine — echoed within her mind.
> [SOUL FREQUENCY RECOGNIZED: CHLOE HAWKINS.]
[CODE NAME: VERMILLION.]
[ABILITY: SOLAR FLARE.]
[ELEMENTAL CORE: LIGHT–FIRE HYBRID.]
[WAVE AWAKENING: COMPLETE.]
Chloe gasped — her pupils burning orange, her body glowing faintly as embers danced off her skin.
She turned to Mike, voice trembling. "W–What… what does this mean?"
Mike smiled faintly. "It means you're one of us now."
He looked ahead — the ruined skyline stretching endlessly before them.
His expression hardened.
"Next… is Echo and Emiko."