Chapter 112: The Weight Of Seventeen Lives (I)

Kai’s essence core ignited with power that made the air itself scream.

Across seventeen loops, he had accumulated knowledge, experience, and raw cultivation strength that no second-year student should possess. He had died zero times but lived subjectively for eight years, each reset adding layers to his foundation that compounded like interest in a vault.

The prismatic light emanating from his eyes intensified, casting rainbow shadows across the poisoned chamber. His borrowed sword began to vibrate as the steel was unable to properly contain the essence he was channeling through it.

Derek’s laughter died in his throat. "What... what are you?"

Kai didn’t answer. His sword came up, and six elements plus shadow essence flooded the blade simultaneously with perfect, absolute control. The weapon glowed so bright that students had to shield their eyes.

Then he moved.

Wind essence accelerated him to speeds that left the ground cracked where he’d been standing. He crossed the chamber in less than a heartbeat, his sword trailing prismatic fire that burned away the poisonous air in his wake.

Derek barely got his hands up, forming a desperate fire barrier hoping to block the attack.

Kai’s blade struck the defense and shattered it like glass, the overwhelming power differential making Derek’s A-rank techniques look like a child’s first attempts at cultivation.

The sword’s flat side crashed into Derek’s chest with enough force to send him flying backward. He hit the chamber wall hard enough to crack stone, then collapsed to his knees, gasping.

"You—" Derek coughed blood. "That’s not possible. You’re a second-year. You’re nothing!"

"I’m the person who’s going to save everyone you tried to kill." Kai’s voice was cold, emotionless. This was the voice of someone who had watched people die too many times.

He turned away from Derek and faced the poisoned air still spreading through the chamber. Students were dying—Thomas convulsing on the ground, Michael was barely breathing while the others showing symptoms.

Kai raised his sword and channeled wind essence on a scale he’d never used before. The air in the entire chamber began to move, spinning into a massive vortex centered on his blade. The poison gas was caught in the wind and pulled toward the sword’s edge.

Then Kai added fire.

The spinning air ignited, becoming a controlled tornado of flame that burned the poison to harmless ash. The vortex grew larger, consuming all the toxic gas while carefully avoiding the areas where students sheltered.

It took thirty seconds. When Kai finally released the technique, the air was clean and the poison had completely eradicated.

Students stared at him in shock. Even through their injuries and exhaustion, the question was visible on every face:

What are you?

Kai ignored them and moved to Thomas first. The scout was still convulsing with green foam coating his lips. Kai placed his hand on Thomas’s chest and channeled water and earth essence in precise patterns, it was a healing technique he had learned from one of his loops.

The essence flowed into Thomas’s body, binding the remaining poison and neutralizing it. After ten seconds, Thomas’s convulsions stopped. His breathing steadied and his eyes opened, confused but alive.

Kai moved to Michael next, then to the other poisoned students. Each one received the same treatment—precise essence manipulation that pulled them back from death’s edge.

Lin watched with wide eyes. "How do you know medical techniques? That’s not taught until fourth year advanced studies."

"I read a lot," Kai said while working on the sixth poisoned student.

It was a terrible lie. Everyone knew it was a terrible lie. But no one had the energy to call him on it.

Henrik had dragged himself upright against the wall, his face pale from blood loss but his eyes sharp. "Kai. What you’re doing right now—that level of essence control—I’ve seen master healers with less precision."

"I’m adequately trained."

"Stop using that word. We both know it’s not adequate." Henrik coughed, wincing from the pain.

Kai finished treating the last poisoned student and turned to face Henrik. "Does it matter? Everyone’s alive."

"It matters because I need to know if I can trust you. Because right now, you’re the only person here with enough power to get everyone out safely."

Across the chamber, Derek had recovered enough to stand. His expression had shifted from manic triumph to something closer to fear. He had finally seen what Kai could do. He could feel the overwhelming gap in their abilities.

And he had just realized he was trapped in a chamber with someone exponentially stronger than him.

"This isn’t over," Derek said, trying to sound confident but failing. "Those masked cultivators are still out there. More might come. And even if you’re somehow this strong, you can’t protect everyone at once."

"Watch me."

Kai raised his sword again and pointed it at Derek’s fire wall blocking the exit. He channeled water and wind essence together, creating a pressurized stream that hit the flames with enough force to punch through.

The fire wall shattered. Cool air from the connecting passage rushed in, and the exit was suddenly clear.

"Mira, Sarah, Emma—start organizing the injured students for evacuation," Kai commanded with authority that made everyone automatically obey. "Roland, if you can walk, help carry those who can’t. Seraphina, maintain rear guard position with me."

Students scrambled to follow orders. The team that had been breaking apart minutes ago suddenly had direction and purpose.

Henrik tried to stand and nearly collapsed. Kai caught him before he fell, supporting the instructor’s weight.

"You need medical attention immediately. Possible internal bleeding, definite concussion, and that arm is broken."

"I’ll survive. Go get the students out first."

"I can do both." Kai looked at Mira. "Can you create a stretcher using light essence? Something stable enough to carry Henrik?"

"I... I think so. I’ve never tried before."

"Try now."

Mira’s hands moved in uncertain patterns. Light essence condensed into a solid platform, translucent but sturdy. It took her three attempts and left her visibly drained, but she managed it.

They carefully positioned Henrik on the stretcher. Two students grabbed the edges to carry it.

"Everyone who can walk, move toward the exit now," Kai ordered. "Stay in formation. Derek, you’re at the center where I can see you."

"You can’t order me around," Derek said, but his voice lacked conviction.

"You tried to kill everyone here. You’re either coming with us under guard or I’m leaving you for whatever comes down from level three." Kai’s eyes still glowed with a prismatic light. "Choose."

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