CHAPTER 19 - 19 - WORLD CHANGING (PART 2)

Chapter 19 - World Changing (Part 2)

A semi-transparent set of blue boxes materialized out of nowhere, floating silently in front of Jack's eyes. He instinctively focused on the text, reading it with a furrowed brow. When he tried to look away, his gaze landing on Lune, the box simply followed.

"Are you okay, Jack?" Lune asked. "You're—Huh?" She froze mid-sentence, eyes widening in disbelief.

From Jack's body, a thick black hue began to rise—a swirling, misty fog that clung to him like an ominous aura. It wasn't just strange. It was terrifying.

"What... What is happening?" she murmured, reaching forward and placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Don't move."

Closing her eyes, she concentrated, as if trying to sense something beneath the surface. But only a second later, her eyes snapped open in pure horror.

"There's no mistake... Your body is generating Time Essence." Her voice trembled. "You're forming a Time Core, Jack!"

"Time Core?" he echoed, blinking in confusion. "I'm seeing things pop up in front of me right now."

"What does it say?"

"It says... that time has found me, and that—"

"—Essence is seeping into your body?" Lune interrupted, breath caught in her throat.

"Yes."

A heavy silence hung between them.

Jack squinted at her, piecing the clues together. He already understood what this meant; he only needed confirmation. "Lune... does this mean I'm becoming a Chronist?"

"Yes..." she breathed.

Even as she spoke, Lune's eyes remained locked on the black mist surrounding him. It was expanding quickly, thicker by the second, slithering outward like a living creature. A coiling serpent of pure power. 'Such a strong aura... and it's only growing.'

"How do you feel, Jack? Are you sensing anything... unusual?" she asked, voice quieter now.

"Hm... Now that you mention it, yeah. I feel oddly energized. Like... like there's a current of power rushing through me out of nowhere." He flexed his fingers, turning his hands slowly in front of him. "It's like my body just got lighter all of a sudden."

The boxes continued floating near his face. The last one had three pulsing dots, as if still processing.

The black aura had now expanded across the room—and it wasn't stopping there. It moved outward, curling around the edges of the room and pushing beyond.

'This... This is just his base aura? Before even doing anything?' Lune's thoughts raced. 'Why is it still expanding?'

She had seen Time Essence countless times. The average Chronist's aura barely extended beyond their own body. A talented one might reach a few inches. A true genius could fill a room. But this?

'Even the greatest prodigies could only cover this space at most... and he's still going.'

And then there was the color—pitch black. Cold. Eerie. 'I don't think I've ever seen this hue before... it feels so wrong, so foreign.'

Despite her strength, Lune felt her lips press tightly together. She was unnerved.

"It's still processing," Jack said. "I haven't become a Chronist yet. But... why is this happening now? Didn't you say no one could become one on Earth because there's no Time Essence here?"

"That should be the case... I don't know what's going on. The Clock has done something—something unprecedented," Lune replied. "None of this makes sense."

Jack glanced at her. She looked lost. Even Lune, with all her knowledge, had no answers.

TICK

The sound rang out clearly—subtle, yet jarring.

"Whatever this is," Jack said, eyes narrowing, "it's not a coincidence. I still hear the ticks... and I think I know what they mean."

"What do they mean?" Lune asked softly.

"If I'm right... each click is a sign." He stared at her, eyes darkening. "A signal that more monsters have arrived on Earth."

Lune went quiet.

"Each click... is another problem to deal with," Jack continued. "This isn't just an anomaly. It's a global disaster. One that's going to change Earth forever."

Lune couldn't bring herself to speak.

"You want to say that..." she trailed off.

"Yes." Jack nodded solemnly. "Earth is under invasion. But the real question is—why? And why now, of all times?"

The thoughts tangled in his mind, countless questions spinning with no clear answers. 'There's too much I don't know. I need more information... this doesn't add up.' He clicked his tongue, about to look at Lune again when the boxes suddenly flickered.

[Process complete!]

[Chronist Jack Blackwood is born.]

In that instant, a violent burst of energy erupted from his body. A shockwave of raw essence exploded outward, crashing against the walls of the room.

Lune's hair flew back from the force. Her eyes widened. 'So much energy!'

Through the black mist, she could barely make out Jack's silhouette. His entire figure was cloaked in darkness—an unrecognizable shadow of who he had been just moments ago.

"Jack... You..."

And then, for the briefest instant, something flashed in her mind. A distorted image. A glimpse of Jack—but not the Jack she knew. His body was twisted, warped, chaotic... a disturbing fusion of flesh and uncontained energy.

An involuntary fear seized her heart.

"Jack!!" she yelled.

As soon as she called out his name, the wave of energy dissipated, vanishing like smoke into the air. Silence returned.

"..." Jack looked at his arms, then glanced around. "Hm. Interesting. So this is my Time Essence. It looks... peculiar. Is this a normal color?"

"There's no base color for essence," Lune replied, still in a daze. "It differs from person to person, depending on their nature and abilities."

'He even looks different now... Is it just the aura? Or something else?'

She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something in him had changed. The way he stood. The way he looked at her. Even his eyes... they weren't the same.

Suddenly, a new set of boxes appeared.

[Menu has been unlocked.]

[Name: Jack Blackwood

Age: 16

Bloodline: None

Title: None

Main Chronical: Tree of Wisdom

Lesser Chronical: None

Essence Consumed: (1/10)]

Jack raised an eyebrow. "This looks oddly like a video game menu."

"Video... game?" Lune tilted her head.

"Just a form of entertainment we have here on Earth," he replied casually. "Anyway, it shows my name, age... then there's bloodline and title? What are those?"

"Bloodlines are special abilities passed down through heritage. There are countless bloodlines in Aevum," she explained.

"And where do I get one?"

"Most bloodlines are inherited. Passed down from families, clans... or created during great historic moments. Say, for example, a man leads his army to victory in a pivotal war—his blood might undergo a change from the significance of that moment. His descendants would then inherit that power. You can also gain powers by acquiring that blood yourself."

"So... it's a legacy? Something forged through glory, passed down or transferred?"

"Exactly," Lune nodded with a smile. "You catch on quickly, my love."

"And what about titles?"

"As the name implies, they're earned through special deeds. Titles don't grant direct powers, but they can trigger unique effects."

"Such as?"

"Some titles inspire respect. Others might instill fear or hatred. It depends on the deed and how people interpret it. There are both good and bad titles."