Chapter 1: Echoes of a Shattered Future

The sky above had long since lost its color. Dark clouds swirled, mirroring the chaos below. Cities were reduced to rubble, a landscape of destruction that stretched endlessly. Creatures from other dimensions roamed freely, their massive, grotesque forms crushing whatever remained of human civilization. This was the future—a future that had spiraled into an endless apocalypse.

Amidst the destruction stood two figures, the last bastions of hope for humanity. Antares Dracula and Kai Knox—widely known as the Strongest Humans left alive. Their faces were hardened by the endless battles they had fought, their bodies scarred by encounters with beings no human should have ever faced.

Antares, his crimson eyes burning like embers in the ashen air, stared out at the horizon. His hands clenched into fists, but he remained calm. His black trench coat, tattered from countless skirmishes, fluttered in the wind.

Kai, standing beside him, exuded a quiet intensity. His silver hair stood in stark contrast to the dark atmosphere around them. Sparks of energy flickered around his fingertips, a reminder of the immense power he wielded. They had come so far, gained powers that made them godlike, but it wasn't enough. No matter how strong they became, the tide of destruction never stopped.

“We’ve exhausted every option,” Antares muttered, his voice low but clear. “And this world… it’s still falling apart.”

Kai nodded, his expression grim. "We've held out longer than anyone expected, but if we keep going like this, it's over. Even we can’t hold this back forever."

There was silence between them, the weight of the moment pressing down heavily. Antares looked at Kai, eyes filled with determination. “There is one last option.”

Kai met his gaze, already knowing what he meant. It was an idea they had avoided for years, because of the risk, because of the consequences—but now, there was no other way.

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“We go back,” Antares said firmly. “We send our powers to our past selves and let them train—prepare them for what's coming before it’s too late.”

Kai's jaw tightened. The thought of altering time was insane, but the stakes were too high. They had fought countless battles, seen people they cared about die, and watched their world crumble. If they didn’t act, it would all be for nothing.

“How far back?” Kai asked quietly.

“To when we were 15. Before it all started,” Antares replied. “Back when we had time. When we still had a chance to train.”

Kai glanced at Antares, then turned his gaze to the horizon. The creatures roared in the distance, their shadows looming over the broken landscape like a plague. “What happens if we fail?”

Antares smirked, his eyes flashing with a faint light. “We won’t.”

With that, they raised their hands, focusing on the immense power they had acquired. The air around them began to shift, the very fabric of time and space bending to their will. Energy crackled, swirling around them in chaotic waves as they focused on their younger selves. There would be no turning back.

**Present Day – 10 Years Ago**

Antares jolted awake in his bed, drenched in sweat. His heart was pounding as if he'd just run a marathon. He sat up, looking around his small, cluttered bedroom. Everything seemed normal—his Anime posters, his schoolbooks scattered on the floor—but something was different. Something had changed.

At the same moment, across town, Kai Knox sat up straight in bed, a strange feeling surging through him. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the sense of deja vu that had hit him like a wave. But it wasn’t deja vu. He knew something had happened. Something beyond his understanding.

And then, it happened.

**Ding.**

A sudden notification flashed in front of both of them. It wasn’t a message on their phones, or anything connected to the normal world.

[System Activation Pending]

“What the hell?” Antares muttered, staring at the screen in disbelief.

Kai blinked, his sharp eyes narrowing at the strange text hovering in front of him. "System? What system?"

Neither of them understood what had just been set in motion. For now, they were clueless about the immense powers that awaited them. But one thing was certain—this was no ordinary day. This was the first step in a journey they couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

The two strongest warriors in the future had set their plan in motion. Their past selves—unaware of the storm heading their way—were about to embark on a path that would alter the course of history.

**System Alert:** *Warning – An unknown entity is attempting to alter the System.*

Somewhere in the shadows of the future, another force stirred. A version of them, lurking in a parallel universe, had their own plans for how this story would unfold. Their intentions remained hidden, for now.

As the day moved forward, Antares and Kai went on with their lives as normal 15-year-olds, completely unaware of what was coming for them. 

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