Kaito looked around in confusion, his mind reeling. The white void stretched endlessly in every direction, but then, his eyes landed on something—or rather, someone.
A figure. A girl.
Her body was entirely white, glowing faintly in the sterile emptiness, almost ethereal.
Kaito's breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding in his chest. He took a cautious step toward her. "Who are you?"
The figure turned slowly, her face serene, but there was a sadness in her eyes. "I am Tempora, the Goddess of Time."
"The Goddess of Time?" Kaito muttered, still unsure of what to make of this. The world around him felt alien, disconnected. "What am I doing here? Why am I in this place?"
Tempora's gaze softened as she spoke, her voice calm and almost melancholy. "This is my private space. It is a place created by me."
Kaito's mind raced with questions, but one burned brighter than the rest. "Who gave me this power?"
Tempora's eyes flickered with a hint of something unreadable, but she answered, "Good question. It was Chrono who gave it to you."
"Chrono?" Kaito's voice grew more insistent. "Who is he?"
Tempora took a moment, then replied, her tone distant. "He is the God of Time."
Kaito's eyes widened. "What is the purpose of this power? What does it all mean?"
Tempora's face remained unreadable. She didn't respond.
Kaito stepped forward, frustration bubbling up inside him. "Hey, talk to me! Answer my question!"
Tempora just stood there, silent.
Kaito's anger flared, his hands clenched into fists. "I don't have time for this!" He turned away, walking in the opposite direction, ignoring her completely.
"Hey, where are you going?" Tempora's voice was soft, almost pleading.
"I'm getting out of here," Kaito muttered, his resolve hardening.
"You can't," Tempora said firmly. "Not without my permission."
Kaito paused, irritation mounting. Under his breath, he whispered, "Open system."
A screen materialized before him, glowing with a faint blue light.
[Chronocode]
Kaito stared at the system
The system responded in its usual human tone. "How can I assist you, Kaito? Is Ms. Tempora here?"
"Yeah," Kaito replied, his patience wearing thin. "How do I get out of here?"
The screen flickered, and then, the system abruptly shut down with a soft click, vanishing from view.
"System?" Kaito muttered in confusion.
Tempora sighed heavily, her voice barely audible. "You can't escape, Kaito, not without my permission."
Kaito's frustration boiled over. "Then how do I leave?"
Tempora took a step closer to him, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination. She reached out, gently touching his arm. "To leave, you must save Chrono."
Kaito blinked, stunned. "Chrono? But how? Where is he? What happened?"
Tempora's gaze dropped, her voice trembling slightly. "Chrono is trapped in a space, and I... I can't escape from here either. I don't even know where he is anymore."
Kaito's heart sank. He could feel the weight of her words, the unspoken pain behind them. Still, he steadied his breathing, pushing past the doubt creeping into his mind.
"Alright," Kaito said, his voice steady, though his thoughts were racing. "I'll save him. But... I need something in return."
Tempora looked at him with wide eyes, confused. "What do you need?"
Kaito's gaze hardened with determination. "Upgrade the Chronocode."
Tempora's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "The system made by Chrono?"
"Yes," Kaito said firmly. "The system Chrono gave me. Upgrade it."
Tempora stood there for a moment, contemplating, before finally nodding. "Alright, I will upgrade it."
The air around them shifted slightly, and Kaito felt a strange sensation, like energy flowing through him. The screen reappeared before him, and the system had changed, its interface now much more advanced.
[Chronocode – Upgrade Complete]
Kaito sighed in relief, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Thank you."
Tempora gave him a long look, her eyes filled with an emotion Kaito couldn't quite place. "You look like him," she said softly, her voice barely a whisper.
Kaito froze, confusion crossing his features. "Look like who?"
Tempora turned her gaze away, as if the words she'd said were never meant to leave her lips. "Nothing," she muttered, quickly stepping back.
Kaito, still unsure, took another glance at her, but she seemed to retreat into herself, the calm façade returning.
As Kaito processed everything, he glanced to his side and saw something else—another window, a faint reflection.
"I'm back"
When he looked down, his heart skipped a beat.
It was Aiko, looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes.
A sudden rush of emotions flooded Kaito's chest, a mixture of relief, confusion, and something else—something softer.
He patted Aiko's head gently, trying to steady his racing heart.
"What you doing here brother?" Aiko asked kaito and tilted
"Nothing just getting fresh air" and smiles
Kaito felt exhaustion settling in like a weight on his shoulders. His body, worn from the mental and emotional strain, urged him to rest. So he closed his eyes, the world around him blurring as he gave in to the overwhelming need for sleep