The next morning came, yet the burden in Minh’s heart remained within the Chaos Realm.

  The story he had heard from Chaos the night before still weighed heavily on his thoughts.

  Even more troubling was the knowledge that one of his friends was now building up Chaos, and he had no idea who it might be.

  Throughout the school day, Minh quietly observed all his friends who had attended the birthday party and went to the same high school as him, yet he noticed no one showing strange behaviour.

  During a break, Minh invited Phúc and Linh to the canteen;

  Tài refused, as he never went there, but he accepted the bottle of orange juice Linh offered him.

  At the canteen, Minh shared a light-hearted moment with his friends, a brief joy that helped him forget his burden, at least for now.

  By the end of the school day, Minh concluded that his friends all seemed normal, none appeared to be building up Chaos in the Chaos Realm.

  Perhaps Chaos, the very being who had helped him, had been mistaken.

  Yet the thought left him unsettled, as if something still waited in the shadows.

  Tonight, he would have to confront Chaos and correct the misunderstanding.

  For now, he tried to rest in a borrowed peace, knowing it could not last.

  That evening, Minh returned home to the familiar warmth of his family.

  He joined his parents at the dinner table, listening to their small stories about work and neighbours, nodding and smiling at the right moments.

  To them, Minh seemed as ordinary as ever, a quiet son, tired from school.

  Only he knew the storm lingering in his heart.

  After the meal, he helped clear the dishes, then retreated to his room.

  The laughter of his family still echoed faintly outside, but to Minh it felt distant, as though separated by a veil of shadows.

  Alone in his room, the burden returned to Minh, pressing down until he could no longer focus on his studies.

  Going to sleep too early felt impossible, yet he hadn’t prepared for tomorrow’s lessons.

  To distract himself, he turned to drawing, his quiet hobby.

  For a while, the lines on the page allowed him to forget the weight in his heart.

  Only after that small escape could he finally study, and by then it was late into the night when Minh at last closed his eyes.

  Chaos shook his head.

  “Too slow. You must focus more to transform quickly.

  The act of transforming itself doesn’t consume much energy, but maintaining the battle form will drain you.

  This time it’s only practice, so you can hold this form.

  But when I am not here, you will be on your own.

  You must preserve your energy, transform only when the battle begins.

  In that moment, you must be as fast as I am, or your enemy will strike while you’re still changing.”

  Minh felt uneasy at Chaos’s words, but he did not oppose him.

  Instead, he asked,

  “Do I need to try again?”

  Chaos shook his head.

  “No. You will practice later. For now, look around.”

  Minh turned his gaze outward.

  The realm was clearer this time, the fog thinner than before.

  Chaos continued,

  “As a Messenger, you are able to see through the dense fog of this realm.

  Yet there are places where the fog grows too heavy, places you cannot enter.

  I will speak of that another time.”

  Chaos pointed toward the drifting emotion bubbles.

  “As a Messenger, these bubbles will not harm you.

  They will simply float away, so pay them no mind.

  They are unstable and will vanish on their own once their source has resolved its problem.

  But once a bubble evolves into Chaos, you must beware.

  A newly formed Chaos always carries a burst of negative emotion, and the energy born from that eruption is strong enough to harm you.”

  Chaos placed a hand on Minh’s shoulder, and in an instant they were transported elsewhere.

  When Minh regained his senses, he found himself surrounded by many Chaos, unlike the one standing beside him, these had no clear form.

  The Chaos at his side spoke:

  “You can never recognize a Chaos just by appearance.

  Once you enter battle, they will choose a form suited for the fight.

  Some may look strange, even laughable, but do not underestimate them.

  The form a Chaos takes is bound to its power.”

  As the Chaos closed in, its formless body twisted, shaping itself into a battle form before striking at Minh without warning.

  The blow landed, and though Minh felt no pain where it struck, a sharp ache shot through his head, leaving him momentarily stunned.

  The Chaos lunged again, but this time Minh managed to dodge.

  He countered with a thrust of his spear, only to miss, as the Chaos slipped away with ease.

  Distracted, Minh failed to dodge another blow from the shadow, and pain seared through his skull once more.

  Gritting his teeth, he followed the voice’s instruction.

  Minh stilled his thoughts, focusing inward, and suddenly, as if awakened, he sensed a technique waiting within him.

  He tried it at once.

  he cried.

  The Chaos, in the middle of its attack, suddenly pulled back, evading the strike.

  Minh’s eyes widened; the move had forced it to react.

  Encouraged, he tried another.

  His weapon swept outward, but the Chaos had already slipped beyond range, the strike cutting only empty air.

  A shout echoed again

  Minh steadied himself, watching as the Chaos rushed in to strike. At the last moment he cried

  This time, the enemy was within range. The sweeping arc of his weapon struck true, sending the Chaos reeling backward.

  In the surge of battle, Minh sensed another technique awakening in his mind

  He shouted. A sharp pain pierced his head, but his body felt suddenly lighter.

  When the Chaos attacked again, Minh slipped aside with ease, moving faster than he had ever moved before.

  Testing his discovery, he called another word:

  His spear flared with strange light as he struck.

  The blow connected, and the light leapt from the weapon into the Chaos.

  Instantly the rhythm of the fight shifted, Minh’s movements quickened while his opponent’s slowed, its motions heavy and clumsy.

  The Chaos tried to retreat, staggering back.

  Minh hesitated, willing to let it go.

  But before it could escape, the armoured chaos beside him struck it down, ending the fight in an instant.

  As the defeated Chaos vanished, the armoured figure spoke.

  He placed a heavy hand on Minh’s shoulder.

  Minh nodded and focused on the spot where he had first arrived in this realm. In the next instant, he and the armoured chaos were drawn into the pull of teleportation.

  When Minh regained his senses, exhaustion weighed heavily on him. Beside him, the armoured chaos shifted back into his normal form.

  He instructed.

  Minh focused, and his battle suit faded away, leaving him once more in his ordinary attire.

  Only after watching Minh complete the change did Chaos continue.

  The Chaos raised a hand and cast a faint light over him.

  Minh felt strength return, the exhaustion pulling back like a receding tide.

  The Chaos spoke, voice calm and steady:

  Minh clenched his teeth, remembering what he had wanted to say.

  The Chaos only answered with a quiet certainty:

  The words caught in Minh’s throat. He forced a weak smile.

  The Chaos tilted his head.

  Minh hesitated, his thoughts swirling, then finally nodded.

  The Chaos’s voice grew firm:

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  He paused, then continued:

  Then the Chaos fell silent.

  Minh watched him, and in that silence he understood, it was time for him to return to the real world.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  That morning, Minh stayed home.

  He told himself he’d study, but the books never held his eyes for long.

  His mind kept wandering back to the fog, the armoured, the Chaos’s warning.

  By afternoon, his friends came by and dragged him outside.

  They walked through the narrow streets, bought snacks, joked about teachers.

  Minh laughed when they laughed, but each sound felt a little delayed, like it came from far away.

  When the group split off in the evening, Minh lingered a moment, watching their backs fade into the crowd.

  They looked so normal, so untouched. He wanted to believe the Chaos had been wrong about them.

  Back at home, dinner passed in quiet conversation.

  Minh forced down food, smiled at his parents, but every tick of the clock pulled him closer to the night.

  And when the house grew silent, his chest tightened.

  No more distractions now, only the waiting.

  Night came, and Minh stepped into the Chaos realm again.

  Tomorrow was Sunday, no school, so he didn’t care about studying tonight.

  He just wanted to meet the Chaos, because this would be their last night.

  The Chaos was waiting for him.

  When Minh arrived and steadied himself, the Chaos spoke:

  “Now we move to the final lesson.

  Last night you learned about battle, tonight you must learn about observation.”

  “Observation is very important.

  You must determine your enemy: fight only with Chaos that match your strength or are weaker.

  Stay away from the strong. Now, let’s begin. Feel me.”

  The Chaos shifted back into his unshaped form.

  Instantly, a heavy fear wrapped around Minh.

  He could sense a force radiating from the unshaped Chaos, so strong it made him stumble a step backward.

  His chest tightened.

  Then the Chaos shifted back into his normal form, and the fear vanished at once.

  “Only when Chaos are unshaped can you feel their true power,”

  He explained.

  “Once they take form, you cannot sense it.

  Remember this: always observe the unshaped Chaos before provoking them.”

  Minh muttered,

  “Too dangerous… how can you be sure I can survive in this realm?”

  The Chaos didn’t answer his fear directly.

  Instead, he said,

  “In this world, only mind and spirit matter.

  But in your real world, you must train your strength.

  Your body’s strength will feed your spirit here.

  And you must learn to focus your mind, the sharper your focus, the stronger your mind will be in this realm.”

  Minh shouted,

  “I said I won’t enter this realm anymore!

  It’s too dangerous for a schoolboy like me.

  How do you expect me to survive here?

  I just want to be a normal student!”

  The Chaos shifted into his armoured form without warning.

  His sword came down hard, cutting into the ground beside Minh, the blade buried deep in the earth.

  Minh collapsed backward, his face drained pale.

  The Chaos’s anger burned as he withdrew the blade, this time levelling its point at Minh’s chest.

  Minh’s lips trembled, he was too afraid to speak.

  Then, slowly, the Chaos let his armoured dissolve, returning to his human form.

  The rage in his eyes faded, but in its place lingered a heavy disappointment, as if Minh had just broken something fragile between them.

  “I… I… only came this time to meet you,”

  Minh stammered.

  “You… you said… this was our last meeting.”

  The Chaos lowered his voice.

  “Fine. I won’t force you anymore.

  Live your life, if that’s what you choose.”

  His tone was quieter now, but it carried a weight, resigned, wounded, and far colder than anger.

  Minh pushed himself to his feet, ready to leave the realm.

  The Chaos called after him,

  “Wait. I said I have your parting gift.”

  Minh waved him off.

  “That’s fine. I don’t need it.”

  The Chaos shook his head.

  “This is meant for you. You need it.”

  Minh blinked in surprise.

  “What is it?”

  “The information about which of your friends is building up Chaos.”

  Minh bristled.

  “My friends are fine.

  No one’s acting like you said.”

  The Chaos asked

  “Did you meet all of them?”

  Minh hesitated.

  “No. Many of my friends aren’t in the same school.

  I called those I could, they said they were fine.”

  The chaos pressed

  “Who refused to meet you, or wouldn’t face you?”

  Minh frowned.

  “Why do you ask that?”

  The Chaos insisted

  “Just answer me,”

  Minh searched his memory, running through names and faces.

  Then, suddenly, a thought struck him and he started.

  “Him.”

  Minh asked, stunned,

  “You mean, he’s the one building up Chaos?”

  The Chaos shook his head.

  “No. I do not know who you meant.

  But I sense that some Chaos holds a grudge because of your existence.”

  Minh’s surprise showed.

  “How can you tell?”

  “You have a connection to that Chaos’s origin,”

  The Chaos replied.

  “When that Chaos grows, you feel it.

  And that Chaos shares its origin’s grudge, so when it senses you here, it becomes restless.”

  Minh dropped down on his knees, he talked to himself,

  "Why, why do you hold this grudge against me? Have I done anything wrong?"

  The Chaos replied, its voice a cold current through the air,

  "You somehow know who is building this Chaos fast. Return to your world, try to find the origin, and help that origin clear all its negative emotion."

  Minh’s voice trembled,

  "If he falls into this world… can I save him?"

  The Chaos slowly shook his head.

  "No. You are not weak, but you don’t yet have the knowledge to survive this realm. And the rules of this realm will prevent you from helping your friend… unless you continue my lesson."

  Minh stood up immediately, his fists clenched.

  "Then tell me! I am ready to learn!"

  The Chaos narrowed its eyes.

  "Do you need me to speak from the beginning of this night again? You let yourself be distracted."

  Minh shook his head, his lips dry.

  "No, I get you. I heard all, but…"He lowered his gaze, the words catching in his throat.

  "But I’m afraid… Afraid that even if I learn, I’ll still fail him. Afraid that the more I know, the more I’ll see how powerless I really am. Afraid of facing a truth I can’t fight against."

  The Chaos tilted its head, silent for a moment as though weighing the boy’s confession.

  Then it gave the faintest nod.

  "Good. Fear is not weakness unless you run from it."

  Minh swallowed, forcing himself to meet its gaze.

  The Chaos gestured with one hand, shadows curling like ink in water.

  "Then we continue."

  The Chaos said, its voice deep and unwavering,

  "We have little time, so I will jump to the lesson you need most how to save your friend. The rest, you will learn on your own."

  Minh nodded, his body tense but his eyes steady, waiting.

  The Chaos continued, its words heavy like stones sinking into water.

  "Some Chaos, like the one born from your friend, when it grows strong enough, it creates a domain. That domain is nothing less than a mirror of the origin’s negative emotions. In the Chaos Realm, countless such domains exist, each hidden beneath a heavy fog. I strongly suggest you do not enter those fog-shrouded places. Within them, the Chaos will strike at you without warning, and you will not be able to see what attacks you."

  The air around them thickened as if the warning itself summoned the memory of that suffocating mist.

  Minh tightened his fists, but his heart quivered at the thought of stepping into such blindness.

  The Chaos continued, his tone steady but carrying the weight of warning.

  "To clear that fog, you must find the origin, determine the true source of the Chaos. Only then will the fog lift, and you will be able to step inside that Chaos domain. We call such a place, once unveiled, an ."

  He paused, giving Minh a moment to catch up, to let the meaning sink deep.

  The silence pressed against Minh’s chest like a hand, reminding him how fragile his steps would be in this realm.

  Then the Chaos went on, his voice low, deliberate.

  "By the rules of the Order, navigating to an Domain becomes possible. Explored Domains exist only for the Messenger who discovers the origin of that Chaos. Thus, the Order set a law: a Messenger may be teleported directly into an Domain."

  Minh blinked, his eyes widening.

  "So… my Chaos didn’t create a domain? That’s why you had to give me the anchor, right? If my Chaos had made a domain, you could’ve just entered it and freed me, you wouldn’t have needed the anchor at all?"

  The Chaos shook his head slowly, his voice firm.

  "No. I am not the Messenger. I do not inherit the rules of Order. The laws of the Order grant that authority only to Messengers. I cannot step into your domain on my own, which is why I placed the anchor within you, to tether you here, to guide you."

  His tone deepened, heavy with meaning.

  "And let me be clear, your Chaos did create a domain. Not a small one either. It is vast… far larger than most. That is why it was dangerous to leave you adrift without the anchor."

  Minh pressed again, his voice edged with urgency.

  “Now I know the Chaos’s origin… and you claim that Chaos created a domain. So… I could teleport to it?”

  The Chaos gave a solemn nod.

  “Yes. But be careful. Within that domain, unchained Chaos, those born of the same negative energy, will gather, feeding off its power to strengthen themselves.They are drawn to it, like moths to flame.”

  His gaze darkened.

  “And remember this: if the Chaos has not yet pulled its origin fully into the domain, it will hide. Entering then is useless. A domain only collapses when the origin’s negative emotions are cleared. Until then, it remains a fortress of shadows.”

  Minh felt a cold tremor run through his body.

  The thought of stepping into a place swarming with countless Chaos, each hungering for his weakness, made his knees heavy.

  His breath shook, but he clenched his fists.

  Minh asked quietly, almost dreading the answer,

  “So… anything else?”

  The Chaos shook his head.

  “That’s enough about domains. You’ll discover the rest once you step inside one yourself. But before you leave, I’ll give you one more piece of information, something about you… and maybe your friends.”

  Minh straightened, pushing down the fatigue that clung to his body.

  He fixed his gaze on the Chaos.

  “I’m ready.”

  The Chaos’s tone grew heavier, as if weighing the truth in his words.

  “One more truth, Messenger. When you fully embrace what you are, when you fix yourself with your armoured and your chosen ability, you must strengthen it, not weaken it. That is the path of the Messenger.”

  Minh’s breath caught, and he listened, every word sinking deep.

  “For example,”The Chaos continued, lifting a finger toward Minh’s wrist,

  “You chose the wristwatch as your Messenger symbol. That choice tied you to the power of time. Your task is not to sharpen your strikes, but to master time itself. Fast and slow are useful, yes… but they are only the beginning. If you discover how to deepen that flow, you will evolve.”

  Minh’s chest tightened.

  Minh still wondered about his ability, his thoughts circling the idea of time, fast, slow, and what lay beyond.

  Before he could ask more, he noticed the Chaos’s form beginning to tremble, fragments of shadow peeling away like crumbling stone.

  The Chaos dropped to one knee, his voice low but steady.

  “My time has come. Next time you meet me, you won’t recognize me. So don’t hesitate, remember, killing Chaos means freeing them.”

  His body broke apart further, edges dissolving into the air like smoke scattering in the wind.

  He managed one last look at Minh.

  “Goodbye… my friend.”

  And then he was gone.

  Minh stood frozen in the silence of the realm.

  His chest tightened as he watched the last trace of his companion vanish.

  His eyes saddened, the weight of loss pressing heavily on him.

  For the first time, the Chaos realm felt emptier than ever.

  Minh stood frozen in the silence of the realm.

  The Chaos was gone, leaving nothing but the faint echo of his words.

  For a long moment, Minh didn’t move.

  The fog that usually shifted and whispered around him now felt still, almost respectful of the absence.

  His chest tightened, and a lump formed in his throat.

  The weight of that loss pressed on him, heavier than any battle, stronger than any fear. For a fleeting instant, he felt utterly alone in the endless expanse of the Chaos realm.

  He sank to his knees, letting his arms rest on the ground, staring at nothing and everything at once.

  Thoughts of the lessons, the battles, and the mysterious power of time swirled through his mind but beneath it all was the ache of friendship lost, a reminder that even in this strange, otherworldly place, bonds could be broken, and absence could sting sharper than any enemy’s strike.

  Minutes passed like hours, yet Minh did not rise.

  He allowed himself to linger in the grief, to honour the parting of the only companion he had truly trusted here.

  Only when his chest loosened, when the raw edge of sorrow dulled to a quiet ache, did he finally lift his head and prepare to return to the real world.

  Even as Minh mourned the loss of his companion, a thought struck him sharply: he still had other friends who might need him.

  Someone out there was holding a grudge, and he had to uncover why.

  With a deep breath, Minh stood.

  The ache in his chest did not vanish, but it sharpened his determination.

  He would return to the real world.

  Tomorrow was Sunday, and he would go to his friend’s house.

  He needed to understand what he had done wrong what had caused his friend to harbour a grudge and find a way to make things right.

  The Chaos realm faded around him, leaving only the resolve burning in Minh’s heart as he stepped back into his own world.

  Minh’s voice rang out, fierce and determined:

  “Nguy?n Phúc Tài, wait for me! I will save you!”

  domains, origins, and the deeper potential of Minh’s time ability.

  Nguy?n Phúc Tài.

  Why is his Chaos growing so quickly?

  What kind of grudge could create such a powerful domain?