The Heavenly Sword Academy's outer plaza buzzed with noise.
Names were being called. Tokens distributed. Cultivation levels assessed. Talents ranked.
It was chaos wrapped in order—exactly the kind of stage where narratives were born.
Kai Draven stood near the edge of the crowd, silent.
He remembered this scene perfectly.
In the original timeline, this was where it began.
Elara would stumble.Lian would help her.Kai would intervene too late—angrily, arrogantly—earning the label of "possessive villain."
The crowd would decide the story for him.
This time—
He waited.
"Next," an academy registrar called. "Elara of the Azure Lotus Sect."
Elara stepped forward.
Graceful. Soft-spoken. Nervous in a way that invited protection.
Just as scripted.
She placed her hand on the spirit crystal.
The crystal flared bright blue.
"High-grade Water affinity," the registrar announced. "Exceptional purity."
Applause followed.
Kai saw Lian tense beside her—pride swelling in his chest despite barely knowing her.
Then it happened.
Elara swayed.
"Oh—!"
She stumbled backward.
In the original timeline, Kai had rushed forward too aggressively.
This time—
Kai didn't move.
Lian did.
He caught her instinctively, steadying her shoulders.
"Careful," Lian said, voice warm. "Are you alright?"
Elara looked up at him, eyes shimmering.
"I… I think so. Thank you, Senior Brother."
The crowd smiled.
A perfect moment.
Then Kai spoke.
"Registrar," Kai said calmly.
His voice cut cleanly through the noise.
The registrar looked up, startled. "Yes?"
"The spirit crystal overloads minor water channels," Kai continued evenly."She didn't stumble from weakness—she stumbled because her meridians reacted."
Silence rippled outward.
Elara stiffened—just barely.
Kai walked forward slowly.
"Recommend a stabilizing breath cycle," he added, turning slightly toward Elara."Or the backlash will worsen during the Martial Soul Awakening."
The registrar hesitated—then nodded.
"That… is correct."
Murmurs erupted.
Elara blinked, clearly unprepared.
"Oh—I didn't know," she said softly. "Thank you, Senior Brother Kai."
She bowed slightly.
Perfect humility.
But Kai saw it.
The delay.The recalculation.
"You're welcome," Kai replied politely.
Then he turned away.
Didn't linger.Didn't lecture.Didn't claim credit.
Lian frowned.
That wasn't how villains behaved.
***
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
[TASK PROGRESS UPDATE]
[TASK 3: BREAK THE FIRST MISUNDERSTANDING][STATUS: NARRATIVE BIAS DISRUPTED]
[REWARD GRANTED]+3,000 EXP+Skill Acquired: Narrative Disruption (Lv.1)(Effect: Reduces passive protagonist bias in observers)
***
Kai felt it settle—subtle, conceptual, dangerous.
Later, under a sky streaked with gold and cloud—
Kai walked alone toward the dormitory registration hall.
A figure intercepted him.
Lian.
"I owe you thanks," Lian said. "You noticed something I didn't."
Kai met his gaze calmly.
"You reacted quickly," Kai replied. "That's commendable."
Lian hesitated.
"You're… different from what I heard."
Kai smiled faintly.
"People usually are."
Lian watched him leave, uncertainty gnawing at his chest.
Behind them—
Elara stood in the distance.
Watching.
Her fingers clenched slowly.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
Kai Draven hadn't embarrassed himself.
Hadn't postured.
Hadn't clung to her.
And worse—
The crowd had listened to him.
That night, an announcement echoed through the academy.
"All new disciples will gather at dawn," a voice boomed."Tomorrow marks the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony."
Kai stopped walking.
His golden eyes gleamed.
Martial Soul Awakening.
The point where fate branded heroes and villains.
In the original timeline—
His soul had been mocked.
Suppressed.
Declared "unstable."
This time—
He clenched his fist as the Void Dragon blood stirred faintly.
"Let's see," he murmured,"what you call me now."