A drop of blood-red suddenly appeared in the sky, as though an ancient stain was bleeding into the very heavens of Pangea. The usual calm and uniform azure sky, the serene backdrop for the vibrant landscapes of the supercontinent, was now introduced to chaos. As the drop bled into the sky, a rift following it tore across reality itself, and from it, an ominous energy which whispered about horrors of a war lost to history along with a soft hum which accompanied it, witnesses experiencing nothing if not nausea and disgust. For this tear in the fabric of reality was not a simple crack in space, but a rift to another dimension, one full of untold horrors and eldritch beings.

A pale young and skinny man jolted awake, The young man’s oak-brown eyes were uneven, his breath ragged, and his sweat cold. Looking out the window, his oak brown eyes shone with a hint of gold, the world outside his window seemed unchanged, the early morning sun blinding Temp as it always did.

“Three nights in a row…”

The vision had been the same for three days now. Each time, he saw the world as it always had been, a unified landmass under the same sky, only to witness its ultimate destruction under armies of demons and their invasion.

Being a prophet, Temp knew his vision was likely true, but no other prophet had received such a revelation, nor had any diviner. He found the future he saw utterly absurd. What was the drop? What caused it? What ancient battle could have torn the sky apart and cracked reality itself? The idea seemed ridiculous – impossible, even. He pushed away any doubts about the event, convincing himself it was just a nightmare. After all, not every dream he had was prophetic; it was likely just a recurring bad dream. And with that, he returned to his normal everyday life. Checking his System, it read what it had always read:

Patron god : Time God

Unique ability: Time Skip [active] [the stronger your familiar, the stronger the Unique Ability)

→ Allows you to harness the power of your future self, granting a 5x stat boost for a period of time, every use makes you lose yourself

→ Grants prophetic visions from your future self when you sleep

Attributes:

Mark of Ascension [innate] (see details)

→ you have a slim chance of ascending to godhood!

Circles: 1

Familiar: Conceptual Dragon [infant] (see details) {Weak Frail Familiar}

→ Conditions to unlock concept (time) :

* Complete a Trial

→ Conditions to Summon:

* Mana

Sword School: Schwertwache [novice]

Losing himself to the power of his future self was as ominous as ever, but he was certain that he would never have to use his Unique Ability again as his career path involved nothing related to combat and instead prophetic visions, however ominous his previous nightmare may have been. Maybe his future self just went crazy after studying so hard in school and was hallucinating after an exhaustive all nighter he pulled, although that too was horrible.

After all, Pangea University was the most competitive school in the globe. Established by Archmage Merlin, with her infinite circle technique granting her infinite mana and having the precision to thread mana through think cracks in solid objects, and Hero Arthur, with his grandmastery over all three sword schools, Schwertwache, Kenjutsu, and Jian, founded the institute 1000 years ago as the first 2 principals and instructors after the Great War between the Elves, Dwarves and Humans.

The world was a much better place now compared to then. It was one great unified alliance between the 5 races.

Dwarves and Gnomes located in the West towards the volcanic side of Pangea, who coexisted due to their naturally good chemistry with Gnomes providing the powerful enchantments on the legendary weapons the Dwarves were famous for.

Elves and Fairies located in the East side of the supercontinent, filled with lush forests and the great World Tree, who like Dwarves and Gnomes coexisted due to their complementing natures and affinities.

Finally, the Humans who were located in the centre of the supercontinent in the very originally named Capital. This was the heart of the continent with every species gathered to develop skills, find jobs, or relax from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives in the East and West. Humans themselves had no natural affinities to anything, nor were they stronger than Dwarves or more inclined to mana then Elves. They had the greatest advantage of having the shortest lifespan of all species. This allowed them to grow and adapt faster than any species, leading to most high ranking warriors and adventurers to be human.

As the young man groggily pushed himself out of bed, the ever so unkempt Temp looked around his new dorm room once again after arriving there the day before. It was where he would be staying for the next few years, and he would cherish every moment and take every advantage it offered. He excitedly walked over to his matte coffee machine.

Its smooth edges and precise patterns on it a testament to the skillfulness of its creator. Admiring the intricate craftsmanship of the Gnome who had created it, he gave a silent heartfelt thanks to… it? him? her? well those little gerbils probably could care less about gender pronouns anyway. All he wanted was finally able to try bona fide coffee for the first time! Taking out a bronze coin from the pouch on the wooden table beside the machine, he glanced over the always present image of the Great Archmage which was as detailedly engraved into the coin as ever, from his long white hat to his overly exaggerated hat and wooden staff.

Placing the coin on top of the fascinating mechanism, Temp was enthralled by the process of watching the coin seemingly dissolve into thin air, likely appearing in the Gnomes’ vast treasury of riches. Savouring the fragrant aroma diffusing from the coffee cup, Temp brought the lip of the cup closer to his own and – “BITTER!” he exclaimed before hurriedly, but carefully, placing the cup on the table and rinsing his mouth. “Why would ANYONE want to drink that willingly??” he continued, face contorted into a mix of disgust and shock. Determined to not waste any food, he steeled his will, held his breath and chugged the bitter black liquid down in one big gulp, wincing from the torment he willingly underwent.

Getting ready for his first day of school, Temp hoarded all of his books, dumped them into his bag and casually strolled towards his first lecture “Understanding Visions”

Pangea University was simply enormous. Walking from one side of the school to the other could take well over 30 minutes, thus Temp had to wake up especially early to ensure his early arrival.

While walking to his lecture hall, he stopped by the spell training area on a whim. Elves, Fairies and humans all were present but there was a strange lack of Dwarves and Gnomes.

He observed that most Elves had Fairy companions, likely from their days around the World Tree, and that they had a unique synergy as a result of both of their natural affinities to magic and nature respectively, thus duo parties were quite common with the Elf acting as a damage dealing and Fairy being a support.

He also noticed that Dwarves had an affinity to physical tasks like mining and crafting, from observations of most Dwarves taking rigorous combat and forging classes, while the Gnomes specialised in more intricate classes of alchemy and enchanting. This gave them a natural sort of mutualism where Gnomes benefitted from having more demanding tasks done by Dwarves due to their tiny bodies and Dwarves having more careful tasks done by the Gnomes. Temp made a mental note to hire a Dwarf should he need any bodyguards.

Temp's steps echoed through the vast stone hallways of Pangea University. The ancient building had high ceilings lined with tapestries depicting the gods in various moments of history in both triumph and defeat. Shadows flickered along the walls from the numerous torches that lit up the hallways, and despite his nervousness, Temp felt a thrill of trepidation. This place was the unanimously voted best in the supercontinent, where anyone serious about research, magic, or combat aspired to be, and he was here.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

As he strolled to the “Understanding Visions” classroom, he caught glimpses of students of all races. Elves with egos bigger than their ears strode past. Tiny Gnomes scuttled about, their arms loaded with small devices. Towering above them were dwarves who looked out of place in their heavy, practical armour and rugged looks, brought here by the school’s legendary forges. He could clearly see the goal of racial harmony and progress for not one race but Pangea as a whole was surely achieved, should the Archmage or Hero see this, he was certain they would be proud, elated even, over the outcome of their actions.

He stepped inside the classroom, and was greeted by a wide and spacious room with tiered seating designed to face directly at the lecturer, Mr Visionary. A shady looking man in a black robe with a big frown on his face was stationed where the instructor was supposed to be teaching. Looking up, Temp was being stared down down multiple glares from various students and races. Finding a seat at the back of the class near the window, Temps’ mind wandered about, daydreaming about whatever he wanted.

As Temp settled into the seat, he noticed the hushed whispers from students around him. It was unsettling, but having already been in school for years, he knew they were not whispering about him as he hadn’t even done anything weird to stand out yet… hopefully. His gaze drifted to the window, where the lush greenery of the campus stretched out under the morning sun. In the distance, he could see the massive library tower, its dark stonework standing in stark contrast to the bright skies above. The university grounds felt alive, almost buzzing with an energy he could only partly understand.

But his attention was soon drawn back as the man in the black robe at the front cleared his throat. The room fell silent, and the shady instructor surveyed the class with a scowl that could probably make a thunderstorm retreat.

"Good morning," he began, his voice sharp and loud.

"I am Mr. Visionary. I’ll be leading this course on Understanding Visions. Here, we’re not dealing with simple dreams, but prophecies of the Time God. Anyone here who is looking to end their nightmares can now leave."

His joke brought no laughs.

“Touch crowd huh?”

And with that bizarre introduction, Mr Visionary began his lecture.

Fully engrossed in the lecture, Temp took note of everything that the professor said. From the most minor signs to determine when and where the prophecy would happen to how it would happen.

As Temp listened intently, the lecture delved deeper into the art and science of prophecy. The professor explained that prophecies were simply Time Pockets, mana disturbances left behind by the Time God, and that visions were just Time Pockets which got imbued into dreams.

Taking on a more practical approach, Mr. Visionary directed students to their Mana Charts, tools to gauge and record fluctuations in mana around them. Temp noticed subtle shifts in the room’s atmosphere when the professor activated a low-level spell to create a mana disturbance. The spell filled the room with faint shimmers, allowing students to see and feel the mana flow, an infinitesimally smaller version of what the Time God provided for his prophecies, but still a rare opportunity, as many students came from regions where mana was scarcely detectable in its natural form, and detecting mana fluctuations was key to determining the nature of a prophecy.

Throughout the lecture, Temp only had one thought in mind. That thought was how he could utilise this knowledge to his most recent visions. Should Mr Visionary give him a clue on the events of his prophecy and how it would unfold, he would surely grasp it and not leave it forgotten and unheard like some students often did.

After the lecture ended, morning was already gone, the sun hidden behind a thin veil of clouds directly above the prestigious academy. As Temp walked out of the stuffy lecture hall, he was greeted by an all-too-familiar sight. Neither the mesmerising backdrop of blue skies upon the school nor the sight of students wandering aimlessly whilst meandering to and fro could be compared to the woman standing before him.

The woman in question, short in stature but mighty in attitude looked straight out of a summoning circle. Something about her striking yellow eyes, blonde flowy hair which reached her shoulders and her bright smile left Temp momentarily paralysed by taking in her beauty. Student passersby frequently darted their eyes towards the angel who was seemingly oblivious to the stares she received.

“Pangea to Tempus, hello? Are you there?” she playfully asked, hand waving in front of his face. Snapped out of his daze, Temp blushed a little and sheepishly replied “Lucia! How did you know I was here?”

He did not like the fact that his childhood friend, and hopefully soon to be girlfriend, still referred to him by his full name instead of his nickname, but he had to start somewhere, and was determined to make that change… just not now.

“The prophet Tempus signed up for the most popular prophet lecture, who would’ve guessed.” Lucia mockingly answered. Temp, now realising the stupidness of his recent question, tried to follow up with another question to attempt to continue the conversation with the Goddess personified.

“So… lunch?”

‘Great job dumbass, she definitely enjoyed that dry question. You, my friend, have destroyed all your chances at her! Good going, me!’ Temp’s head was firing off danger signals and agonising over every word both of them said, taking in every minor move she made, her body language, facial expressions and breathing patterns as though he was in combat with a deadly foe. ‘Wait, did I just ask her out? WHAT HAVE I JUST DONE?’

After a few seconds, Lucia’s eyes shone with a hint of shock, and she gave a slight chuckle after what seemed like an eternity, breaking the awkward silence." Cheekily responding “Sure, only if you’re paying though.”

Despite her cool demeanour, Lucia’s mind, like Temp’s, was also in the same state of concentrating on the other, ‘AHHHHH DID HE JUST ASK ME OUT ON A DATE. Why did you ask him to pay you idiot! What if he rejects me? I should offer to pay instead!’

‘She actually entertained me? Wow, maybe I am a genuine prophet after all.’ As Temp’s mind raced to find the best answer, he finally came up with a resounding “Ok.” It was all he could manage without giving off hints of his compromised mental state.

On the other side of the chess board, Lucia’s heart pounded against her ribcage. Just the thought of going on a date with Temp sent her into a sweet bliss, and now they were actually having one? What sort of magic could do this? Was she in a dream? Did she die and go to heaven?

Pinching herself as hard as she could, a thin red mark streaked across her forearm, but she did not wake up. Realising this was real, Lucia finally exclaimed with a very obvious voice crack “So it's a date then! Off we go! Thank you for the meal!” Temp, unsurprisingly, laughed his absolute heart out from the comedic scene.

Temp, concerned about the wellbeing of his wallet after this daring endeavour and attention the other students were giving them – mostly due to Lucia, reluctantly but hurriedly agreed and off the two of them went to the cafeteria, which was a long half an hour walk away.

On the way to the cafeteria, they passed by the massive library tower Temp had seen while dozing off before his lecture and continued staring at it with curiosity. Noticing this, Lucia teased him. “Wow, really? You’re that obsessed with me, huh? Staring at my lecture hall?”

Taken aback, and slightly offended at the gall of her, Temp retorted with a smirk “Not as obsessive as coming to my lecture hall the instant I end. Can't you be alone without me?”

However confident Temp appeared on the surface, signs of his panic still showed. His nervousness was almost plastered all over his face, almost being unable to maintain his poker face, for under the calm exterior lay his frantic panic over his most recent, and very bold, proclamation.

The words hung between them, and Lucia faltered. “I…” she trailed off, caught off guard by his retort. She tried to think of something clever, but nothing came to mind. Instead, she found herself smiling sheepishly, conceding defeat in their banter.

A few moments later, the pair tried to strike up another conversation.

“So… how was your first day? The magic tower must be head over heels for you considering your Unique Ability and blessing.”

“Ugh, I don’t wanna talk about it. Those old creeps at the magic tower only obsess over magic and magic alone. None of them cared about anything else. The whole lecture was just about magic and magic and more magic. It's no fun at all! You see at least your class gets fun practical stuff, y’know what I get? Books. Just Books. You know how I am right? I like shooting stuff, I like blowing things up with explosions! Not studying!”

As Lucia continued with her incessant rambling on the boringness of her first lecture, Temp silently admired the beauty and ambition of his childhood friend.

Lucia was a generational talent. She had the Megistus Unique Ability, which Archmage Merlin also had. Not only that, the Magic God had also blessed her with increased mana control and capacity. This culminated into the genius mage, and spiritual successor to the Archmage. But even so, Lucia wasn’t content to simply walk in Merlin’s shadow. She wanted to completely surpass her, trailblazing a new path forward and pushing the limits of magic to its boundaries and beyond.

Temp, on the other hand, had no such grand dreams. He didn’t want to be a hero or a legendary mage. He just wanted a peaceful life—one without battles or world-ending prophecies, a quiet existence with his Unique Ability, preferably as a diviner. Yet, even that came with its own challenges.

The rest of the trip to the cafeteria was filled with an awkward silence, neither of them daring to break it. They both feared exposing their feelings, Temp, worried about seeming too forward; and Lucia, unsure whether he felt the same. It was a strange, unspoken tension between them, with neither quite knowing why they hesitated. Perhaps it was simply instinct to guard one's emotions, or maybe they were both afraid of rejection.

Regardless, the silence weighed heavily on Temp, who desperately tried to distract himself. He let his mind wander, reflecting on the strange lecture and the prophecy that had been haunting him, hoping to keep his thoughts occupied so he wouldn't lose himself to the overwhelming awkwardness of the moment.

Focus, Temp, he told himself, suppressing his rising tide of emotions and filtering external noise as white noise. His thoughts drifted back to the lecture and the strange prophecy that had haunted him. Professor mentioned Time Pockets, could that crack in reality be one? No, Time Pockets are mana distortions made by the Time God to bestow revelations... What was that… thing?

Deep in thought about the meaning of his nightmarish prophecy, not only did he fail to recognise that they had arrived at their destination, he utterly forgot about the date he was supposed to be having with Lucia, and little did he know how scary his future spouse would be when he missed plans…