The gates of Arc Nexus Academy gleamed under the crimson-tinted sky, humming with magical pressure. Twin towers of reinforced crystal spires reached for the clouds, layered with runes designed to detect anomalies—specifically ones like him.
Kaine Virel stood just outside the entrance, casually blowing into his steaming coffee like this was any other day and he wasn't carrying a literal apocalypse in his duffel bag.
The military-grade scanner flickered wildly as he passed.
ERROR: INVALID MANA SIGNATURE DETECTED.
The guard stepped forward, spear already charged with static energy. "Halt! Identify yourself—state your rank and realm of return!"
Kaine took one more sip, let the silence stretch, then held out a sleek ID chip. "Kaine Virel. Back from Elyndria. Rank: Classified. Division Null."
The guard paled. "Division… Null doesn't exist."
"It does now." Kaine smirked. "Got a pen? You'll want to write that down."
The guard hesitated. His gaze flicked to the duffel bag at Kaine's side—long, black, and quietly humming with suppressed energy. It moved.
"…What's in the bag?"
"My clothes," Kaine replied.
The bag growled.
He moved on without waiting for clearance, humming to himself as the gate hissed open and swallowed him whole.
---
Three Hours Earlier – Earthbound Transfer Point
The storm howled outside the rift chamber as Kaine reached into the portal, his right hand wrapped in crimson runes. Beside him stood a figure who had no place on Earth, dressed in shadow and moonlight—her cloak fluttering despite the still air.
"Are you sure?" she asked, red eyes searching his face. "You realize if you bring me through, your people will—"
"Try to kill me. Yeah." Kaine looked back at her with a lopsided grin. "That's been true for a while."
She tilted her head. "And you're still smiling?"
"Because I'm insane. Or brave." He offered his hand. "Either way, Lysara… I'm not leaving without you."
For a moment, the Daughter of the Demon King said nothing.
Then she stepped forward, took his hand, and whispered, "Then let's break their world together."
---
Now – Orientation Hall, Arc Nexus Academy
Students stood in rows, polished uniforms shimmering under artificial sunlamps. Returnees from dozens of realms, each bearing powers beyond human understanding—warriors, mages, summoners, elementalists.
At the center podium, Head Instructor Silvan Rhess stood like a statue of judgment, golden eyes scanning for weakness.
"…And lastly," he declared, "our unexpected transfer—Division Null."
All heads turned as Kaine strolled in, coffee in one hand, duffel bag slung casually over his shoulder. His black uniform was unbuttoned, collar loose, sleeves rolled up. He looked more like a rogue mercenary than a student.
A few chuckled.
Then his presence hit them. A pulse of raw, forbidden energy. Ancient and wrong.
Silence.
One student stepped forward. A tall, violet-haired girl with cold eyes and a ceremonial blade at her hip. Aria Voss. Elite Class Commander. Ice incarnate.
"You," she said, voice sharp as broken glass. "I watched you fall three years ago. No one survives Elyndria's Black Gate."
"I'm full of surprises," Kaine said, flashing her a wink. "Still obsessed with rules, Aria?"
Her jaw tightened. "Still dragging monsters around like toys?"
The duffel bag twitched.
Aria reached for her sword. "That bag—"
"Relax," Kaine said. "It's house-trained."
ZIP.
The zipper slid down by itself. A pale hand emerged, followed by a cascade of silver hair. Lysara crawled halfway out, her cloak barely clinging to her curves, blinking at the sudden light.
"…Are we there yet?" she murmured, rubbing her eyes. "You said there'd be food."
Gasps echoed through the hall.
"That mana…" Aria stepped back. "She's not human."
"She's mine," Kaine said flatly. "No one touches her."
"She's unregistered!" barked one of the instructors. "You brought a non-Earth entity onto sacred ground!"
"Correction," Kaine replied, voice calm. "I brought my Pactbound."
Murmurs erupted. Even Rhess narrowed his eyes.
"A Pactbound?" he repeated. "From Elyndria?"
"She's under my soul-seal," Kaine said. "Our mana is linked. One pulse from her, and I shatter the entire arena."
A heavy pause.
"Then prove it," Rhess said. "Combat trial. Now."
---
Combat Arena – Arc Nexus Upper Deck
A floating circular ring hovered above a canyon of magical conduits. Drone cameras buzzed above, broadcasting to the academy's internal network. Every student gathered to witness the idiot who challenged Rhess on day one.
Kaine stretched his arms, still sipping coffee with his off-hand.
Across from him, Rhess drew his blade—a massive broadsword etched with sun-forged runes. Gold Sync. No mercy.
"You'll regret returning," Rhess warned.
Kaine set his coffee down.
"Been regretting things since puberty," he said. Then he vanished.
BOOM.
Rhess barely deflected the strike. Kaine reappeared at his left, fist crashing into the man's shoulder with bone-cracking force. The instructor skidded back, boots carving grooves into the floor.
"That's not Bronze Sync," someone muttered. "That's not even Silver…"
"No," Aria said quietly. "That's Black Tier."
Rhess roared, aura flaring. Light burst from his sword as he swung—
—but Kaine caught it. With two fingers.
The blade hummed violently. Then shattered.
Gasps echoed through the air. The pressure shifted. Even the instructors flinched.
Kaine stepped forward, eyes now glowing with a swirling darkness. The mark on his chest pulsed—a Void Sigil, shaped like an open eye devouring stars.
"I died once," Kaine said. "I crawled back through hell. You think your academy rules mean anything to me?"
Rhess fell to one knee.
"…Approved," said a voice from the speaker system. It was the Director.
"The trial is complete. Virel and his Pactbound will be granted full integration… under surveillance."
Kaine turned to the students. "You're welcome."
Lysara strolled into the arena, arms folded behind her back, bare feet tapping on the stone. She looked around at the shocked faces and smiled faintly.
"I thought Earth would be more intimidating," she said.
Kaine took her hand, lifting her fingers to his lips with exaggerated flair. "Give it time."
She blushed ever so slightly.
Aria watched them, heart pounding.
This wasn't a hero.
This was something far more dangerous.
And Earth had just let him in.