Alex stared at the glowing cube, which floated like a tiny chaotic sun, radiating pulses of erratic energy.
Objects around him shifted unpredictably—
A knight spun on a hoverboard like a figure skater.
A dinosaur skeleton flopped onto a holographic traffic light.
A 1980s boom-box danced mid-air, playing elevator jazz.
"…Yep… chaos is doing the cha-cha… and I'm invited," Alex muttered.
Alex Experiments with the Cube
Absorption Test – Alex tossed a juggling pin at the cube.
The cube absorbed its energy, then spat it out as a miniature lightning bolt that danced around the knight's helmet.
Intent Amplification Test – Alex imagined stabilizing the anomalies, and the cube expanded a protective bubble around him and the echo.
Micro-Loop Test – He threw a teacup. The cube trapped it in a tiny time-loop, spinning it endlessly mid-air.
"…Okay… chaos manipulation… level: slightly less terrifying," Alex whispered.
Comedy Escalates
The knight accidentally mounted the T-Rex skeleton like a chariot, shouting about honor.
A Victorian lady argued with a robot dog about the correct way to cross a street in 1892.
Alex's echo waved the cube like a wand, turning a pigeon into a tiny disco ball that started reflecting multiple historical fragments.
"…Yep… pigeons are disco now… totally normal," Alex muttered.
Villain's First Major Trap
From the edge of the golden crack, the villain's voice emerged:
"Curiosity is admirable, Alex… but every experiment leaves a trace. Watch carefully—the first true trap is near."
Suddenly:
A micro black hole appeared, sucking fragments of history and future into it.
It moved unpredictably, aiming straight at Alex and his echo.
Alex gulped. "…Micro black hole… yep… my kind of party… nothing suspicious… at all."
Alex's Tactical Response
He grabbed the cube and amplified his stabilizing intention, creating a protective bubble.
Redirected the black hole using a looped fragment of a Victorian carriage, bouncing it safely into the void.
The echo blinked, clearly impressed. "…Okay… that was… actually clever," it muttered.
Alex muttered: "…Clever, or lucky… same difference…"
Cliffhanger – Echo Reveals Villain's Trick
The echo smirked and whispered:
"You think this was random? The villain chose exactly which chaos to let through. Every anomaly is a test… and you're barely passing."
The villain's laughter echoed through the golden crack:
"Observe closely, Alex. Your cube mastery is only the beginning. Soon, chaos will become personal."
Alex gulped. "…Personal chaos… yep… sounds like family dinner… only temporal and explosive."
End of Chapter 21