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I crept quietly into the lecture hall, selecting a seat near the exit in the back row.

Though it was pointless to try and hide in a room full of psychics without a shield, breaking a habit cultivated over ten years wasn’t easy.

And besides…

"Richter, could you come to the center?" Master Annihilation called out, looking up at me. Her body bore intermittent, banded red markings, which, as she moved, seemed to flash between the primarily black scales, like blood agate encased in onyx. The two lines cutting across her eyes highlighted the crimson irises around her spindle-shaped pupils.

As I rose and walked down the steps, I noticed Master Sunflare, arms crossed, leaning casually against the wall, surveying the hall, and Master Field examining a circular device slightly taller than himself.

These were three of the strongest psychics in the Academy. Just their collective presence suggested the possibility of some significant, perhaps perilous event requiring precaution. When I noticed the metallic glint of a silver lance behind Master Sunflare, Master Field’s hammer, and the thin sword at Master Annihilation’s waist suddenly stood out, too.

Gripping Gray Snow’s hilt for reassurance, I wondered why I hadn’t sensed anything unusual when asked to bring my adamantine weapon to this lecture.

A quick glance confirmed that none of the other wolves, despite also possessing adamantine weapons, had brought theirs. Perhaps the Academy needed a complete adamantine weapon, or perhaps…it needed me.

I stepped gingerly into the center of the hall and bowed respectfully to each of the Masters. Master Field, seemingly occupied, didn’t respond—at least, I optimistically assumed so.

Unlike typical classes, this safety lecture used a central, recessed area of the hall. If regular courses resembled a theater setup, this one was closer to an arena.

"All Delta-level and above psychics should already have some grasp of self-defense techniques and the applications of psychic abilities in such situations from last year’s lecture," Master Annihilation addressed the crowd, nodding slightly at me as she spoke. She knew I hadn’t attended the introductory safety lectures with the other cadets, so it seemed she planned to bring me up to speed. "Some of you may have heard bits and pieces from your senior mentors about what’s to come, but trust me—no one can be fully prepared for this."

Master Field seemed to have finished his equipment check and came over with his hammer.

"Usually, I’d expect you to take your power seriously, but this isn’t the time for that. If you have any issues, don’t try to tough it out; let us know immediately." The dragon lowered his voice, casting a glance at Master Sunflare. "I still think this is too risky, but we need to confirm a few things…"

"Yes, Master." I bowed my head, replying in a deferential tone. After a year and a half, I was somewhat used to Master Field throwing me into dangerous situations without warning. His suddenly different demeanor, however, only made me more tense. Although the other two dragons seemed unaffected, the fact they’d each brought their adamantine weapons implied that the “true purpose behind training you to fight with psychic powers” was likely beyond simple self-defense.

"Whenever a psychic awakens, it establishes a link between our world and other parallel dimensions," Master Annihilation continued, and I refocused my attention on her. "This wasn’t supposed to be possible, but as always, psychic abilities seem to defy limits. This link is established between the awakening psychic and a parallel universe version of themselves—or, more precisely, one who has chosen to maintain their planetary system’s isolation and thus become a Phantom."

Though it sounded distant, everyone had heard of the forceful isolation surrounding the sol. But the truth about the Phantom was unheard of.

"The only fact we know for certain is that all Phantoms who cross into our world have chosen to keep their planetary system isolated in their universe—and succeeded." Master Annihilation gave a sidelong glance at Master Sunflare, who exhaled a clear jet of flame with an irritated snort. "Lacking more clues, the Academy avoids excessive speculation on the Phantoms’ purpose. However, the prevailing theory is that the Phantoms act not only as gatekeepers for the blockade but also seek to influence our world to keep this dimension’s sol similarly isolated." The black dragon shrugged, her scales whispering against her clothing. "But that remains pure conjecture since our worlds cannot interact directly. We have no idea if events in our world have any effect in their original universe."

"There have been recorded instances of encountering the same Phantom more than once, leading many to believe that Phantoms crossing into our world are merely projections of some concept, rather than physical entities," Master Field murmured, in a voice only we could hear, as he glanced at the equally perplexed cadets. "Though, with only two instances, it could still simply be very similar versions."

“Is it because they didn’t remember the previous encounter, so there’s no way to tell it’s the same Phantom?” The depths of quantum physics were beginning to pull me back into the nightmare realm of thought, so I didn’t intend to dig too deeply—so far, it just seemed like some warden from a distant place, cruelly choosing our own image.

"Because I smashed his skull myself," Master Field replied, exasperated, catching me off guard. "So you understand how bothersome this can be. Rationalism damm’s skeptics claim brain trauma could lead to memory issues, making it unreliable proof. As for the Existentialists…well, they’re even more tedious."

"Why did you…er, smash his skull?" I shifted uncomfortably. I should’ve focused on Master Annihilation’s words, but what Master Field said left me bewildered. "Or rather, how do you know it was a Phantom?"

"I can recognize myself, even from a parallel universe," he replied with growing impatience, as though explaining something basic to me yet again. "Though there are some instances of communicable, even non-hostile ones, they typically attack without hesitation." The tall dragon squinted at me, narrowing his emerald irises to thin slits. "Haven’t you already encountered a Phantom in the Tower of Time?"

"Yes." I scratched my ear, surprised he remembered my report to the Academy. He is my mentor, after all. "So…" Concepts began to crystallize in my mind. "That was…me?” His voice echoed in my mind, pronouncing that term. “Some…parallel version of me?”

"If you’re unsure, how could anyone else know?" Master Field blinked, crossing his arms as if to emphasize, "I can recognize myself." "Though the Tower’s situation is more complex, current evidence suggests that a Phantom links with its counterpart here, and they must appear in the same space."

Attempting to process this new insight and make sense of my past encounter, I almost missed the rest of Master Annihilation’s lecture.

"…Avoid interacting with the Phantoms as much as possible, no matter how enticing it might seem," Master Annihilation slowly paced back and forth, her gaze moving over the cadets. "I understand; it’s yourself from a parallel timeline, after all. But always remember, no matter what it says, its actions are motivated by its own interests—not yours." The dragon emphasized her point with a heavy, deliberate tone, clearly fearing someone might confuse the Phantoms with themselves. "If it had genuinely good intentions, it would refrain from interfering with us in any way, since predicting the behavior of second order chaos is fundamentally impossible. Any entity that chooses to interfere either harbors malicious intent or is downright foolish." Some people chuckled, though I didn’t catch the humor. "In any case, the simplest strategy when encountering a Phantom is to refuse any dialogue entirely, minimizing the impact of its attempts to influence you."

Why did this sound oddly familiar?

"Almost forgot," Master Field said, pulling my attention back to him. "We'll need your blood to activate the device." The dragon nodded toward the circular apparatus, showing me a blood-collection needle in his large hand.

"Oh, sure." That didn't sound suspicious at all, right?

As I internally grumbled, Master Field pricked my fingertip with the needle, then returned to the device.

"…Challenging a Phantom requires broadcasting a specific waveform signal; that's one of the things we've been instructed on," Master Annihilation explained, etching the waveform in midair with dark lines threaded with faint red streaks. "This will create a unique domain at the designated site, compelling the Phantom to respond to you directly and rendering it unable to affect other living beings, directly or indirectly. In other words, everyone but the challenger is generally safe." The dragon glanced at me, making it immediately clear what role I was about to play.

Um, shouldn't we have at least discussed this in advance?

"But be cautious, as the challenge only binds the Phantom itself. Sometimes other entities appear alongside it, the most common being squid-like minions. These minions won’t attack the challenger within the designated area, but others don’t have this protection." Annihilation gestured upward, illustrating several common minion types. "Also, if any psychic other than the challenger extends their consciousness, causing the domain boundary to touch the designated area, they'll be considered a participant, expanding the domain’s coverage." The black-scaled dragon paused, making sure everyone understood. "So, no matter what happens, absolutely, absolutely do not extend your consciousness."

The warning in her tone was unmistakable, and I noticed a few cadets shiver slightly.

"Either the challenger is defeated, or the Phantom is destroyed—both outcomes will terminate the event. Either way, the Phantom will leave our world." Master Annihilation glanced at Master Field, who nodded back, probably signaling the device was ready. "Destroying the portal that allows the Phantom into our world will forcibly end the challenge as well, but that’s usually not feasible, so don’t focus too much on it." She raised her hand, indicating the circular device. "Everyone will eventually face their own Phantom; it's a responsibility for every psychic."

One cadet, who looked like he belonged to the goat family, raised his right hand. Master Annihilation nodded, granting him permission to speak.

"What about those who aren’t skilled in combat?" He looked anxiously at some of the nearby carnivores, and a few herbivores in the group shifted uncomfortably, whispering to each other. "Or the Delta-level members?"

Though it was an unspoken truth, everyone knew that, essentially, the strength of your psychic ability determined your social standing—more or less.

"The Academy will train you until you can confront your own Phantom." Annihilation’s voice was firm, and the goat cadet looked even more dispirited. "You won’t face a Phantom stronger than your psychic level—that’s another rule, so don’t worry." The black dragon turned to me and gestured for me to proceed. "That’s why we’re having Richter go first. And if necessary, we will intervene." She nodded toward the entrance, and I noticed Master Tartarus, the black wolf with a sword at his waist, stepping into the hall. "We’re ready to begin."

Clearly, my opinion wasn’t of any importance, and since the Academy always treated cadets according to survival of the fittest, I just stretched a bit, preparing myself to take down this parallel-timeline version of myself.

Ripples surged in the air, carrying an odd sensation, like an instinctual awareness that something… different was present.

I rubbed my arms, trying to smooth down the goosebumps that had risen.

I’d thought it would resemble the archway leading to the tower, forming a mirror-like membrane in the center of the ring. But what appeared was more like a window, a hollow space revealing a view of the other side.

When he stepped out of the portal, I finally understood what people meant by "no one can truly be prepared for this." Even though I’d somewhat braced myself mentally, there was still something surreal—no, rather, extradimensional—about knowing exactly what I was facing.

It was a pure-white wolf with a casual indifference in his gait, striding lazily while examining his surroundings. His fur was tangled and split, clearly neglected for ages. The dark coat draped over his back was stained with splotches and worn to the point where the only reason it hadn’t fallen apart entirely seemed to be the dirt binding the fibers together. His once-black attire wasn’t in much better shape—at least the original color was still discernible.

The style was far too unkempt, but those clear, sky-blue eyes gave him away immediately—myself. I even noticed the faint tuft of gray at the tip of his lazily swaying tail.

"Safety lecture?" Phantom spoke, sounding somewhat bored as he glanced over at the three dragons. "Fine, I can think of a few worse."

As he turned his head, I caught a strong metallic scent of dried blood clinging to the wolf. It hit me why his clothing looked the way it did—the stains were from blood that had long since dried.

That dangerous signal set off an alarm in my mind, urging me to expand my consciousness. Following Master Annihilation’s teachings, I emitted a challenging wave.

"This is the second-year midterm, right?" Phantom sighed, casting a sideways glance at me. "It brings back memories. Everything was just so... straightforward." His gaze swept over the cadets in the stands, and he pushed aside his coat to reveal two swords strapped at his waist.

I struggled to heed Master Annihilation’s advice to ignore whatever Phantom was trying to convey, but it was tough. I decided to draw Gray Snow, hoping it might help me focus on something else.

"You’re not thinking of fighting me, are you?" Phantom turned his head again, giving me a disdainful look and scoffing. "Teacher’s pet. How boring."

Ugh... Could I really be that annoying?

I struck the starting Frost stance, hoping he would at least respond so we could get this over with quickly. I could already sense the eager curiosity radiating from the spectators—it was hard to bear the attention of those simply watching for entertainment.

"Let’s make this a bit interesting," he said, drawing one of his swords, though his posture remained lazy, far from a battle-ready stance. The sword's pommel and guard confirmed it was Gray Snow—or at least a similar version of it. Quantum physics in full effect. "Think outside the box."

He tapped the ring-like device with his sword tip, producing a loud clang that sent a wave of energy radiating through the hall.

The dragon’s roar made me turn around instinctively, only to see Master Annihilation spreading her massive wings, the six red spots on the inside of her wings forming an eye pattern that glowed with a blood-like radiance. She held her rapier's hilt, crouched as if ready to launch an attack, yet the towering dragon appeared trapped, frozen as if encased in amber.

I checked on the others. Whether in the stands or within the central area, Master Field and Sunflare were both frozen in time, unmoving. Even Master Tartarus had paused midair, his hand halfway to drawing his longsword.

The strange sight fascinated me, making me want to analyze it. But I had to stay practical. Shaking my head twice, I redirected my focus to Phantom, wary of any ill intent.

A disheveled version of myself was standing in front of Master Field, staring at the imposing dragon with a complex expression. I had no desire to guess how my relationship with Master Field went in that parallel timeline. Given Phantom’s clear lack of happiness, I hoped he’d stay focused on me instead of the others who seemed immobile.

"What did you do?" I relaxed my stance and took a few steps closer. "I thought you couldn't affect anyone but me."

Phantom’s gaze lingered on Master Field, but the best way to draw his attention was with a curious audience—he wouldn’t pass up the chance to show off if he knew someone wanted to know. I was certain he’d take the bait.

"Paying attention to the rules is important, but if it restricts you to a rigid framework, then it defeats the purpose." Phantom spoke slowly, glancing at the ring device before giving me a sly smile.

I tried to recall Master Annihilation’s explanation as my mind raced.

"You broke the device!" Understanding the situation, I couldn’t help but blurt it out.

"Strictly speaking, no. I merely activated the safety mechanism," he replied casually, waving his hand dismissively. "The 'Gate' has an emergency shutdown function to prevent the Phantoms who respond to a summons was unexpected powerful."

"With the challenge interrupted, the rule against affecting others no longer applies…" I murmured, and Phantom nodded in satisfaction. "But won’t that cause you to be expelled?"

In response, he merely maintained that enigmatic smile without explaining.

I noticed a red haze spreading in his eyes, sparking a few theories of my own.

Focusing, I tried to analyze the wormhole opening—the massive etching command glowing with a dazzling blue-white light, mimicking antimatter repulsion to maintain spatial expansion. Its power, and the logic so intricate yet elegant, almost made me stagger.

"Impressive, isn’t it?" Phantom chuckled at my reaction.

"But… why?" I blinked, trying to clear the afterimage from my vision, and made an effort to commit the sight to memory. "Why did it turn out like this?" I glanced at his tattered coat hem.

"You really should not work on that habit," he muttered, tapping his sword hilt with his fingernail, producing a crisp metallic sound. "Don’t try to communicate with Phantoms—you’ll never understand our purpose."

I was momentarily speechless, uncertain how to respond.

"But…" I tried to voice my confusion, too curious to let this opportunity slip by. "What is your purpose?" At my question, Phantom flicked one ear down. "You mentioned ‘responding to a summons’ earlier."

"I told you, don’t try to communicate with Phantoms." He gave a rueful chuckle, scratching his head. "But if you’re just curious about my purpose…" He sheathed Gray Snow and looked at the ring device, murmuring, "The cycle is complete."

Following his gaze, I looked at the series of commands surrounding the wormhole. The blue-white symbols trembled slightly, then began to dim and fade.

"What does that mean?" I couldn’t hold back the flood of questions welling up inside.

"You’ll find out." Phantom gave me an encouraging smile. "In the end, you’ll find out…"

As the command pattern faded, the wormhole began to close. Phantom himself seemed to disintegrate atom by atom, pulled into the opening. A bizarre ripple passed through the hall, bending light and time, stretching him into a long streak of color—as though only the hues of his outline remained, collapsing into a single point.

When he completely vanished, the frozen time around me resumed. Master Annihilation appeared in a flash, lunging at where Phantom had stood, though her blade struck only air. Master Tartarus, too, descended lightly into the central area.

"Did you banish him?" Master Annihilation asked, exchanging a look with Master Field that seemed to be some form of dragon communication, after which Master Field went to examine the ring device.

"No," I replied honestly. "He left on his own."

"Good thing it was just one of the odd ones—fighting him at that level would’ve been a pain." Master Annihilation sheathed her sword, casting a glare at Master Sunflare, who had been leaning against the wall the whole time. "Thanks for all your help."

The red-brown dragon just shrugged, spines bristling a bit as he moved, clearly unbothered.

"After disabling the device, did he maintain the wormhole with his own power…" Master Tartarus muttered, making several intricate command gestures as he moved over to Master Field.

"You can get back to your seat," Master Annihilation said, touching my arm. " Piqsirpoq, over here!" she called to the stands.

As my brother passed by, he lightly punched my arm, then trotted over to Master Annihilation.

I straightened my sleeve and the fur nearby, picking a seat far away from anyone else.

For the rest of the session, I tried to absorb the lecture, but the blue etching command sequence and Phantom’s parting words kept flashing through my mind.