Aaron stood still.
The words echoed in his mind.
Pandora.
—
Confusion flickered across his expression.
His thoughts scrambled—
Searching.
Reaching.
—
Then—
Something clicked.
—
Earth.
—
A memory surfaced.
Faint at first—
Then clearer.
—
There had been talk.
Hype.
Massive gaming companies coming together.
A single project.
The most advanced game ever created.
—
Aaron's eyes widened.
He remembered it now.
One of the last videos he had watched before dying.
—
A man on stage.
Excited.
Voice trembling with anticipation—
"In about a year… we will… proudly present to you—"
A pause.
"—to the gaming community…"
—
"Pandora."
—
Silence.
—
Aaron's thoughts accelerated.
Pieces fell into place—
One after another.
—
"If that's true…"
He muttered under his breath.
—
Then—
This world.
Players.
The system.
—
"…then this isn't just a world."
A slow breath.
"…it's a game."
—
No.
Not just that.
—
His eyes sharpened.
"And I'm…"
A pause.
—
"…both."
—
A strange glint passed through his gaze.
"NPC… and Player."
—
"…interesting."
—
But—
That didn't make things easier.
—
If anything—
It made everything worse.
—
Players would come.
Unpredictable.
Numerous.
Dangerous in ways this world didn't yet understand.
—
Aaron exhaled slowly.
Relief flickered—
It wasn't immediate.
—
But the countdown remained.
Close enough.
—
"300 days…"
—
Not far.
Not nearly far enough.
—
He straightened.
Focus returning.
—
His body felt different now.
Stronger.
Sharper.
Alive with power.
—
If he met Jorien now—
The outcome would be different.
—
A lot different.
—
Aaron glanced at the time.
Then moved.
Quiet.
Controlled.
—
He left the dorm discreetly.
—
And headed toward the meeting point.
—
The place the Archduchess had told him.
—
Be there.
At six.
The last rays of sunlight stretched across the horizon—
Bathing the world in a warm, fading glow.
—
Beside Aaron—
Embers flickered into existence.
They did not burn.
They simply glowed—
Soft.
Auburn.
—
Then—
They moved.
—
The embers gathered, shaping themselves—
Forming into two hands.
—
They reached for him.
Wrapped around him.
—
And in the next instant—
He vanished.
—
The embers faded.
Gone.
—
When Aaron opened his eyes again—
The world had changed.
—
She stood before him.
—
Archduchess Cassandra.
—
Auburn hair cascading down her shoulders, the tips touched with red.
Her hazel eyes—
Soft.
Hypnotic.
Lingering on him longer than necessary.
—
There was something in her gaze.
Something… unfamiliar.
—
"Well, well…"
Her voice carried a faint amusement.
"Aaron. My disciple."
A small smile curved her lips.
"You came. Wonderful."
—
Her eyes traced him again—
Subtle.
But not entirely hidden.
—
"Now…"
A slight tilt of her head.
"Take off your shirt."
A pause.
Then, lightly—
"…or you'll overheat during training."
Another pause.
Softer this time.
"Unless you'd prefer to keep it on. That's your choice."
—
But beneath her calm tone—
Something stirred.
—
Unspoken.
—
A flicker of desire she did not voice—
But did not fully conceal either.
"Uurgh… fine. Whatever, Master."
Aaron exhaled, dragging the words out as he pulled off his shirt.
—
For a brief moment—
Cassandra's breath hitched.
—
Her gaze lingered.
—
Then—
It shifted.
To his back.
—
A faint glint caught her eye.
Black.
Metallic.
—
"Aaron… turn around."
Her tone sharpened slightly.
"What is that?"
—
His eyes widened.
—
Damn.
—
"I… right."
A small pause.
"Meet Aegis."
He glanced over his shoulder.
"A sort of… symbiotic weapon."
—
Cassandra's eyes narrowed.
"Symbiotic?"
A step closer.
Slow.
Measured.
"Explain."
—
"You'll see during training."
Aaron turned fully now, forcing a calm tone.
"Alright? Can we just get to it?"
—
Suspicion flickered across her face.
—
Then—
A faint smile.
—
She stepped closer.
—
Aaron instinctively stepped back.
—
"Aaron…"
Her voice dropped slightly.
"Since when did you get so daring?"
A tilt of her head.
"Care to explain?"
—
A pause.
Then—
She straightened.
—
"Anyway."
Her tone shifted—back to control.
"This arena…"
She gestured lightly.
"As you can see—we're in my hideout."
"We'll be using it for sparring. Training."
—
Her eyes locked onto his.
—
"Come."
A small beckoning motion.
"Attack me."
A faint smile.
"And try to dodge."
—
"Alright."
Aaron cracked his knuckles.
—
Then—
He moved.
—
A burst of speed—
Closing the distance in an instant.
—
Cassandra didn't move.
—
She simply watched.
—
And when he entered her range—
—
She raised her hand.
—
Flick—
—
Her finger tapped his forehead.
—
In that instant—
Everything stopped.
—
Aaron's body froze mid-motion.
Suspended.
—
His mind lagged behind—
Trying to process—
—
Then—
Wham—
—
Her leg spun.
Clean
Fast
—
It connected with his head.
—
The impact—
Like being struck by a bull charging at full speed.
—
Aaron's body was launched.
—
Sent flying across the arena.
[Aegis — Activate]
—
Mid-flight—
A translucent barrier flared into existence around Aaron.
—
Thud—
—
He struck the wall—
But instead of breaking—
He bounced.
—
Light.
Controlled.
—
And landed on his feet.
Unharmed.
—
[Phantom's Dash]
—
He vanished.
—
A blur—
Faster than before.
Sharper.
—
He closed the distance instantly.
—
Cassandra's eyes flickered.
A hint of surprise.
—
But Aaron didn't stop.
—
[Soul Strike]
—
A green line tore through the air—
In less than a heartbeat—
Connecting.
—
Cassandra froze.
—
For a fraction of a second—
That was all he needed.
—
Aaron stepped in—
And threw a punch.
—
It landed.
—
But—
It felt…
Soft.
—
Weaker than intended.
—
His mind faltered.
—
Warmth.
—
The heat of her body—
Close.
Too close—
—
For a split second—
His focus broke.
—
And that—
Was enough.
—
Cassandra moved.
—
Her hand snapped out—
Grabbing his wrist.
—
Then—
Wham—
—
She twisted—
Driving him downward—
Trying to slam him into the ground.
—
But—
Aegis held.
—
Whom—
—
The air compressed—
Turning into a cushion.
—
Aaron rebounded.
—
Back to his feet.
—
Only to feel—
Weight.
—
On his shoulders.
—
He froze.
—
Cassandra sat there.
Casually.
As if it were nothing.
—
Her fingers lifted—
Tilting his chin upward.
—
Her eyes met his.
Close.
Too close.
—
"Aaron~"
Her voice softened.
Teasing.
—
"…focus."
A faint smile curved her lips.
—
"The fight demands it."...
...
—
"At alltimes."
—
"You're right, Master…"
A faint smirk tugged at Aaron's lips.
"…the same goes for you."
—
[Soul Strike]
—
This time—
He poured more magic into it.
—
The green line flared brighter.
Sharper.
—
At the same moment—
Aegis responded.
—
Air shifted around him—
Condensing.
—
He redirected it—
Turning the force outward.
—
Whom—
—
Cassandra was pushed back—
Just slightly.
—
Her eyes narrowed.
A flicker—
—
Pain.
—
Subtle.
But there.
—
Her aura flared.
—
"Oh?"
A small smile formed.
"Alright, Aaron…"
Her gaze sharpened.
"You've done it."
—
A step forward.
Slow.
Measured.
—
"Let's see whether that little toy of yours…"
A pause.
—
"…can defend against this."
—
Pressure climbed
—
Not all at once—
But in waves.
—
Heavy
Crushing
—
Magic gathered around her fist—
Compressing.
Muscles coiled
—
The air itself trembled.
—
Then—
Boom—
—
The ground cracked beneath her step.
—
Rings of force rippled outward—
Violent
and…
Destructively large
—
She vanished.
—
And in the next instant—
She was in front of him.
—
Her fist struck.
—
Crack—
—
Aegis shattered.
—
No resistance.
—
No struggle.
—
Just—
Gone.
—
Because this—
Was only a fraction.
—
For someone like Cassandra—
A Legend—
This was restraint.
—
If she wished—
If she truly let go—
—
A hundred thousand Aarons—
Would fall—
In less than a second.
—
Her fist continued forward—
—
And stopped.
—
A hair's breadth from his face.
—
Heat radiated from it—
Like standing before an open flame.
—
Aaron froze.
—
"That…"
Her voice was calm now.
Quiet.
—
"…is the power you could have."...…
.....
—
Then—
The recoil hit.
—
Whoom—
—
The air exploded outward from the sudden stop—
Slamming into Aaron—
Pushing him back.
—
He slid—
Feet dragging—
—
Then steadied himself.
—
Aegis faded.
—
And for the first time since the fight began—
Aaron truly understood the gap understood, the thought settling in his mind: 'We are worlds…apart