"Heavenly Eyes."

Cross jerked at the sound. It wasn't like One's usual, easy-going tone. This was powerful, booming, and all-encompassing, like a god reading out a divine decree.

"One… is that you?" Cross called, his voice echoing strangely in the void.

There was no direct response, but information began flooding into his brain, imprinted there as if it were a part of him. A cascade of knowledge, directly uploaded into his consciousness.

Heavenly Eyes. That was the name of his ocular ability. Cross could feel it now, a strange, dormant power sitting just beneath the surface, waiting for him to unlock it fully.

"Your Heavenly Eyes possess three abilities," One's voice continued, clear as ever. "Originally, I intended to give you just one. But you amused me, so I'm offering you three."

Cross couldn't help but smirk. "Hey, glad to be entertaining."

The voice pressed on, ignoring his comment. "Your first ability: Clairvoyance. You will be able to focus on and perceive things in perfect clarity, whether they are corporeal or incorporeal. Nothing can hide from your sight."

Cross nodded, taking that in. Clairvoyance—that sounded awesome. He'd be able to see things that no one else could, pierce through illusions, and maybe even read hidden cues. The excitement churned within him.

"The second ability: Petrification. You will have the power to turn those weaker than you into stone, or at the very least, stun them into immobility. Be careful with this power. It is not to be used lightly."

Cross grinned at that. "Petrification, huh? So I can freeze people in place? Nice."

"And your third ability," One's voice lowered, almost as if it carried weight, "is Precognition. The power to see one second into the future."

Cross's breath hitched. Precognition? That sounded… insane. One second might not sound like much, but in a fight, it could mean the difference between life and death. He could dodge attacks before they even happened, plan his next move with an advantage no one else could even dream of.

But then One's voice hardened. "However, this ability is locked for now."

Cross blinked in confusion. "Locked? Why?"

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"You will learn why in due time. But remember this, Cross: do not attempt to use all three abilities at once, nor should you rely on them for too long. The power of the Heavenly Eyes is immense, but if you overextend, you will lose your sight… forever."

A cold chill ran down Cross's spine at that warning. "L-Lose my sight?"

"One last thing: use these abilities wisely, or suffer the consequences. This is your only warning."

And with that, the void-space around Cross collapsed in on itself, folding him back into the real world with the force of a tidal wave. His head spun as he blinked rapidly, his surroundings coming into focus.

The dim room. The stale air. The mirror. He was back.

Cross breathed out slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. It took him a moment to gather his bearings, the rush of information still buzzing around in his mind like static. He stumbled toward the mirror, clutching the edge of the dresser for support, his head still swimming with the aftershocks of his strange journey.

At first glance, everything looked the same. The dirty mirror reflected back a familiar sight—him, with his messy room and buzz-cut. But as Cross focused on his reflection, something immediately caught his eye.

His eyes.

They weren't normal anymore. What had once been simple midnight-black pupils were now glowing softly, shimmering like tiny stars. The light they emitted wasn't blinding, but enough to cast an ethereal glow in the dim room.

"Whoa…" Cross muttered, leaning closer to the mirror. He could see the light radiating from his irises, shining with a brilliance that was both mesmerizing and eerie.

But that wasn't all. As he stared into the mirror, something strange began to happen. His vision seemed to sharpen. Not just sharpen—focus on details he hadn't noticed before. The mirror, which had once seemed dirty but harmless, now looked filthy beyond reason. He could see every smudge, every speck of dust, every scratch on its surface.

And it wasn't just the mirror. His gaze shifted downward to the floor, and there, clear as day, he could make out an ant dragging a half-bitten cheese cracker under his desk. The ant's tiny legs scuttled along the ground with painstaking clarity, its movements as obvious to him as if he were watching a nature documentary.

"What the hell…?" Cross whispered, his voice barely audible.

Colors seemed more vibrant, distances more precise. He felt like he could calculate the exact length between objects just by glancing at them. Everything was so clear. So focused.

He stared at his own hand next, and something in his mind clicked. His focus deepened, almost as if someone had twisted a camera lens, zooming in.

Suddenly, Cross couldn't see his reflection anymore. What he saw instead… was his skin. No, not just his skin—his cells. Tiny, minuscule cells making up the surface of his hand, each one distinctly visible to his Heavenly Eyes.

Cross yelped in surprise, jerking his hand away from his face. "Okay, that's a little much."

But then he noticed something else. Time itself seemed to be slowing down, not to a crawl, but just enough that he could feel the drag in the air. The movements of the ant from before seemed sluggish, the dust in the air almost frozen.

"This… is crazy," Cross muttered, a mixture of awe and fear swirling in his chest.

He stepped away from the mirror, feeling his heart race. The abilities One had granted him weren't just some gimmick. They were real, powerful, and dangerous. Cross would have to learn to control them—quickly—or risk losing more than just his sight.

"Holy crap…" Cross whispered to himself. "Throughout heaven and earth, I alone-"