Honestly, I was pretty reluctant to follow him at first. But for some reason, I felt like I could trust him. Even with that suspiciously cunning face… there was a strange sense of connection between us.
As I was lost in that thought, the man suddenly said, "I might look cunning, but you can trust me."
I froze.
"Wait—can you read minds?!" I yelped, completely spooked.
He made a dramatic puppy-eyed expression and replied, "I didn't actually think you'd think that about me. I was just making a joke. But I guess I really do look evil…"
I forced a smile and patted his shoulder. "No, not at all, Mr… uh, I was joking too."
Total lie. And painfully obvious.
But hey, I needed his help. I didn't have my phone, I had no idea where I was, and no one else would even look at me, let alone talk to me.
Geesh… why today of all days?
If I don't show up to that meeting, they'll just use it as another excuse to stall my promotion.
---
As I trailed behind him—trying not to shrivel under the weight of everyone's stares—we finally arrived at a massive room that looked like it came straight out of a K-drama CEO fantasy.
Sleek, minimalist, powerful.
It was underground, and yet through the glass walls, it looked like a sunny day outside.
What kind of magical ability makes that possible?
Seriously, this whole place felt like something out of a futuristic film. Maybe even better.
He gestured toward a metallic cube and said, "Take a seat."
I hesitated, but sat down—and the cube reshaped into the most comfortable chair I'd ever known.
It molded itself to fit me perfectly.
He sat across from me on a similar metal stool… which immediately transformed into a majestic throne.
Wow, I thought. Now it feels like I'm sitting in front of some kind of royalty.
As if reading my mind (again), his chair reshaped to match mine.
He smiled. "It changes shape based on the user's will. Though only for sitting furniture. You can't turn it into a weapon like Ele—"
He stopped midsentence, then shifted the conversation.
"What would you like to drink?"
"Just coffee. Simple's fine," I replied.
At that exact moment, a man in a butler's uniform appeared out of nowhere.
No sound. No entrance. Just—poof.
The man ordered, "Two traditional-style coffees, please."
Still stunned, I blurted out, "Okay, wait. How does any of this even work? The chairs, the butler, the sunlight underground—what kind of ability makes this possible?"
He smiled politely. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. I'm not allowed."
I tried asking more questions, but he kept dodging them with the same calm, irritating answer:
"I can't say."
"That's restricted."
"I'm not supposed to tell you."
Eventually, I gave up and sighed.
"Alright, then what can you tell me?"
"There are three things I'm allowed to say," he replied. "First—you have the power to travel through time. Try calling your status window. Just think about it."
Skeptical, I focused.
And just like that—it appeared.
A glowing window floated in front of me, listing my stats. Most were… underwhelming.
But one category stood out: Consciousness: ∞
And then there was the name of my ability: Kalachakra.
The Sanskrit term for The Wheel of Time.
It took me a moment to process.
Kalachakra.
Something I'd heard in stories and epics growing up. Legends that claimed time could never be controlled or destroyed—that it was the only force that remained unchanged. Eternal. Omnipresent.
Just as I stared, stunned, the butler reappeared—again without a sound—and gently placed two steaming cups of coffee before us.
"My apologies for the delay," he said. "It's considered a lost art, so we had to scan the ancient databases."
"Wait, what?! Coffee is a lost art now?" I nearly choked. "Don't tell me you guys forgot tea too!"
The man chuckled. "Coffee and tea are still around. But they're not made the way they were in your time."
He took a sip, then added, "Now, the second thing I can tell you—your 'Consciousness' stat is exclusive. At least in your time. You see, this is the year 3050. Human lifespan, even with abilities, rarely goes past 200. So technically, you no longer exist here."
My brain blanked.
"You'll be jumping through various eras," he continued. "Some of them already have versions of you. If you get harmed in one, your other self in that era may suffer the consequences. Because simple time travel creates paradoxes and instability, the system created a safety mechanism to protect your timeline integrity. While nothing external can harm you, you can affect your surroundings. That's the result of your ability—Kalachakra—and your exclusive stat: Consciousness."
I blinked. "I kind of get it… but it still sounds way too complicated."
Hearing that, he stood up and suddenly summoned a massive, deadly-looking sword.
"W-Wait! I didn't mean to offend you!" I panicked. "Don't kill me! I haven't even been in a relationship yet!"
He slashed—
—but the blade passed right through me.
Like I wasn't even there.
He laughed at my terrified expression and sat back down.
I pouted. "That's not funny, you cunning-faced maniac."
"Oops. That hurt," he said, dramatically clutching his heart. "Don't insult my face—I was just trying to demonstrate. Now, try punching me. Gently. Not the face."
I shrugged, then punched him on the shoulder.
Gently.
Okay, maybe not that gently. Revenge for the heart attack.
To my surprise, the punch landed.
His sword hadn't touched me, but I could hit him.
Suddenly, dozens of ideas started bubbling in my brain. Could I use this to level up? To bypass consequences? To—
"Focus," he interrupted. "You can experiment later. Now listen—here's the third thing you need to know."
He leaned forward, eyes sharp.
"Your powers were locked until you accumulated the 'Infinite Consciousness' stat".