One Week Later

Kaisler woke up before dawn, the early morning air crisp against his skin as he stepped outside. His muscles no longer ached as much after his brutal routine. He had adapted. He had improved. His body, once sluggish and weak, now moved with newfound precision.

His roadwork was smoother—no longer a slow, painful slog but a high-speed sprint. What once took him seven hours, now barely took one. He barely felt the burn in his legs anymore. Instead, his movements had evolved, the strings now an extension of himself, allowing him to swing between buildings with ease, moving through the city like a shadow.

After finishing his run, he stood in the empty training hall, a massive 250kg weight hovering mid-air, suspended not by his hands, but by nearly invisible threads. They twisted and flexed, lifting the heavy object with unnatural ease. Kaisler clenched his fists, controlling the movement of the strings with his mind, whipping the weight back and forth at Mach 20, sending sharp gusts of wind through the room.

He smirked. One week, and I’m already on a different level.

Just then, Buddy strolled in, stretching his arms over his head.

Buddy (grinning): "Yo, what’s up?"

Kaisler (panting, wiping sweat off his forehead): "I’m good… just finished roadwork. Now I’m lifting with both my hands and my strings."

Buddy (raising an eyebrow): "250kg, huh? Not bad… How fast can you move it?"

Kaisler (smirking): "Mach 20."

Buddy: "And how far?"

Kaisler: "40 miles."

Buddy whistled, clearly impressed.

Buddy: "Damn. You improved that much in just a week?"

Kaisler nodded, rolling his shoulders. His body felt solid—every muscle honed, every movement sharper. He was stronger than before. But he knew it wasn’t enough.

Kaisler: "Yeah. Let’s box."

Buddy (groaning): "Nah, can’t be bothered right now."

Kaisler: "Fine. Then let’s just say I won."

Buddy: "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Buddy leaned against the wall, his expression shifting to something more serious.

Buddy: "Listen, we’ve got something important today."

Kaisler (raising an eyebrow): "What?"

Buddy: "We’re going multiverse exploring."

For a second, Kaisler just stared.

Kaisler: "Wait, what? Like… right now?"

Buddy: "Yeah. Time to see what’s out there."

Kaisler took a deep breath. His excitement was quickly followed by unease.

Kaisler: "Don’t I need some kind of… ID? Or permission? Or some crazy suit to survive?"

Buddy chuckled, shaking his head.

Buddy: "Nah. You’re with me. That’s all the clearance you need."

Something about the way Buddy said it made Kaisler pause. A flicker of something deep in his friend’s eyes. A hidden weight.

Kaisler: "…You sure about this?"

Buddy hesitated for half a second before grinning.

Buddy: “your dumbass said you wanted money didnt you. you said that you need to become a multiverse hunter right”.

Kaisler: ok ok chill bro chill

The city blurred into streaks of neon and shadow as they ran, moving at speeds that shattered physics. Kaisler’s lungs burned, his legs ached, and the sheer force of the wind threatened to throw him off balance. At Mach 11, the world was a distorted mess—lights stretching into ribbons, streets warping beneath his feet. He could barely focus on where he was going, but Buddy?

Buddy ran beside him like it was nothing. Hands in his pockets. Barely breaking a sweat.

“This is insane!” Kaisler shouted over the roaring wind, struggling to keep his footing as they leapt between rooftops. “This isn’t normal running! This is bullshit!”

Buddy smirked, effortlessly flipping over a streetlight. “Welcome to being a multiverse explorer dumbass.”

Kaisler landed hard, stumbling before catching himself. His heart hammered in his chest. This was only his first day, and he was already pushing his limits.

“You ever stop and think about all this?” Buddy asked casually, like they weren’t defying every law of nature.

Kaisler barely had the breath to respond. “What?”

“The running, the training, the fighting. You ever wonder where it all leads?”

Kaisler (grit his teeth, forcing himself to keep pace): “No. I’m just trying not to die right now.”

Buddy (laughed): “Good answer.”

For him, this was just another day. But for Kaisler? This was the start of something massive. Something terrifying.

And he had no idea where it would take him.

Buddy was at the center of the room, as always, the star of any show. His presence exuded an effortless charm, drawing attention from everyone in the room. His usual grin stretched across his face as people approached, eager to talk shop or just be around him. Kaisler, standing off to the side, rolled his eyes at Buddy’s antics.

“Dude, you’re really gonna act like you’re not loving all the attention?” Kaisler called over to him, arms crossed.

Buddy (flashed him a knowing grin, a smug look on his face as he waved off some randoms trying to get his attention): “Nah, I’m just here to do work. But, uh, if you need me to sign some autographs later, I’m down.”

Kaisler (groaned, tossing his head back in frustration): “Just get over here already. You and your goddamn ego. Some of us are actually trying to focus on the mission, not your ridiculous fan club.”

Buddy (rolled his eyes dramatically and strolled over, not in the least bit bothered by the way Kaisler was giving him shit. )“You act like it’s a bad thing. The whole damn multiverse knows who I am—deal with it.” He clapped Kaisler on the back. “Don’t worry, You’ll get your time in the spotlight. Eventually.”

Kaisler (snorted, not buying it for a second): “Yeah, when pigs fly. And when that happens, I’ll probably be dead from your dumbass ‘training’.”

Buddy (ignored the jab, grinning like he couldn’t care less): “Well, you’re still breathing, so I’m doing something right. Let’s get this show on the road, yeah?”

Kaisler gave him a flat look, but he was secretly thankful Buddy wasn’t treating him like a complete rookie. Buddy had dragged him into this mess years ago, and while he still felt out of place in the multiverse, there was a level of trust between them that could never be broken.

“Yeah, alright,” Kaisler muttered. “But you better keep up, old man.”

Buddy chuckled: “I’m 24, not 80, but whatever helps you sleep at night. We’ve got places to be, kid. The multiverse waits for no one.”

Kray and Juno stood next to Kaisler, clearly less comfortable in the chaos of Buddy’s world. They were both rugged, experienced, but not quite the type to be caught in Buddy’s light. Juno adjusted her black leather jacket with a quiet mutter, and Kray’s eyes darted around the room, his posture tense as if he were already preparing for whatever came next.

Juno (leaned toward Kaisler, her voice low): “So, uh, what’s the deal with him?” she asked, glancing over at Buddy, who was too busy flirting with some randoms to notice.

Kaisler (just shrugged, giving Buddy a side-eye): “He’s a pain in the ass. But somehow, he gets the job done.” He chuckled under his breath. “More than I can say for myself sometimes.”

Buddy (having heard the exchange despite his flirty act, turned with a smirk): “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you how to be a badass like me someday. Not like you’ve got any better options.”

Kaisler (shot him a deadpan look): “Yeah, I’d rather just do this by myself, but fine. Let’s go get our asses kicked in some new dimension.”

Buddy (grinned wider): “That’s the spirit.”

The Nexus shimmered into view, a swirling vortex of swirling colors and infinite possibilities. Kaisler’s nerves flared up again, but he suppressed them. He wasn’t a newbie anymore, not completely. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty as he took a step toward the swirling portal.

Buddy stood next to him, putting his hand on his shoulder in a rare moment of seriousness. “Don’t think too hard about it, bro. Just step through. We got this.”

Kaisler nodded, though he couldn’t hide the grimace forming on his face. “Right. Easy for you to say, Mr. ‘I run the multiverse.’”

“Whatever, stop whining. You got two seconds to walk through, or I’m leaving your ass here.”

Kaisler gave Buddy the finger but did as he was told. He stepped through the portal.

Kaisler stepped through the swirling portal, the shifting colors of the Nexus giving way to an icy, desolate landscape. He squinted as the cold hit him immediately, the air biting into his skin like needles. It was like walking into the heart of a frozen hell.

He shivered involuntarily, pulling his coat tighter around his shoulders.

Kaisler looked around, rubbing his hands together to warm them. The ground was covered in thick layers of frost, and the air felt so cold it could freeze your breath mid-sentence. Not a single living thing in sight. No animals, no vegetation, just cold, unyielding, and dead.

Juno brushed her arms, as if trying to make herself comfortable, but there was no hiding how freezing it was.

Kaisler glanced at her, his annoyance still lingering from earlier.

Kaisler: “Who are you, anyway?” He shot a sideways glance at her as they stood in the strange cold.

Juno, adjusting the straps on her jacket, turned toward him: "Oh, I’m Juno, I’m 18."

Kaisler: “Why the fuck would you join the multiverse exploration group? Sounds like a suicide mission.”

Juno’s (eyes narrowed as she stared back at him, unfazed): “Cause I need the money. What else am I supposed to do? Sit around and wait for someone to give me a handout?”

Kaisler (snorted, clearly not impressed): “So, what? You just thought you’d sign up for a death wish?”

Juno (shot him a glare): “What’s your deal, man? Just chill.”

Kaisler (raised an eyebrow): “Chill? This is a fucking death sentence, and you’re just here for the paycheck?”

Before Juno could retort, Kaisler looked at the guy standing next to her.

Kaisler: “The guy next to you—is he your friend?” He gave Kray a brief look, clearly unimpressed by the man’s stoic expression.

Krar (blinked, clearly caught off guard): “Me?” He pointed to himself, like he didn’t know what Kaisler was talking about.

Kaisler: “Yes, dumbass. Who else would I be talking about?” He stared him down with barely concealed sarcasm.

Juno’s (patience was starting to wear thin): “Why are you so rude? You don’t need to be a complete dick about everything. Can’t you just be fucking chill for once?”

Kaisler wasn’t backing down, though. “Chill? You guys shouldn’t even be out here. Kids like you shouldn’t be getting into this shit.”

(will contune to part three of the chapter)