---
"The past wasn't ready. But then again… neither was he."
---
The sky split like paper on fire.
A silent meadow basking in moonlight turned into a warzone of color as a crackling blue vortex ripped open the air above the trees. Thunder didn't roar—but time itself screamed. And then, a pod—silver, sleek, and glowing—fell from the heavens like a comet hurled by angry gods.
It smashed into the earth with a boom so loud it startled birds from trees and knocked a cow unconscious.
About two fields away, a farmer dropped his haystack and shouted, "WITCHCRAFT!"
The pod hissed. Vents steamed. Lights blinked in rhythmic pulses.
Then, the door slowly opened with a metallic gasp, like it too couldn't believe what was happening.
Out stepped a man.
Not in armor. Not in robes. In something… else.
A black, slim suit that shimmered like liquid under moonlight. Boots with no mud. Sleeves that pulsed faintly with light. Eyes sharp with focus. Hair like he had access to the best barbers in ten kingdoms.
He looked like sin. And salvation. Wrapped in sarcasm.
Zayden Core had arrived.
> "Definitely not Kansas. Or 2149," he muttered, stretching like he'd just gotten off a long flight instead of a jump across centuries.
"Time check, M.A.I.A.?"
A soft, feminine voice replied from the small earpiece glowing at his temple.
> "Local time appears to be… 1324. No WiFi. No satellites. Civilization at 3%. Smells like manure and smoke. Welcome to the mud age."
Zayden looked around. Mud roads. Straw roofs. A scarecrow wearing a potato sack and a dead bird. Yeah. This was the past, alright.
He exhaled. Not from fear—but from a plan clicking into place.
> "Yup. Just where I need to be."
---
A Few Hours Later…
In the heart of the village of Brimvale, chaos was a daily rhythm. Chickens ran. A merchant shouted about fish that were clearly not fresh. A priest warned children not to think too much. And a goat chased a blacksmith into a pile of hay.
It was just another Wednesday.
Until the air shimmered.
Without warning, a glowing screen the size of a doorway appeared above the village square, floating like a god's window.
CORE ENTERPRISE™
CHANGING HISTORY. OPENING SOON.
The village froze.
People dropped baskets. A baby stopped crying. One man fainted and landed in his own soup.
Then came the footsteps.
Clean. Measured. Echoing like they didn't belong.
Zayden Core walked through the village gate, dragging behind him a silver cube the size of a chest. It hovered an inch off the ground, humming like a quiet storm. On its side: glowing letters that read CORE CAPSULE v2.9.
His eyes scanned the faces. Wide-eyed peasants. Suspicious guards. A man who was definitely peeing himself. He offered a lazy wave.
> "Sup, Brimvale. I brought lunch."
He tapped the capsule. It unfolded like origami. Robotic arms whirred out. A warm scent filled the air—sizzling meat, melting cheese, toasted buns.
The villagers gasped. It smelled like nothing they had ever known—like comfort and danger wrapped in bread.
A little girl, her face covered in mud, stepped forward. Zayden bent down and handed her the first item ever made by Core Enterprise in the past:
A perfect cheeseburger.
> "Careful, it's hot."
She took a bite.
She blinked.
And for a moment… everything went silent.
Then she whispered, eyes wide:
> "Are you a god?"
Zayden grinned.
> "No. Just a guy with better recipes."
---
What followed was chaos.
People rushed forward. Some begged to taste the food of the future. Others called it demon-spawn. One man tried to marry a soda machine. A priest held up a cross and shouted, "He brings fire and false meat!"
Zayden, flipping a burger midair, didn't even flinch.
> "You're welcome to try the fries too. Or you can keep chewing rocks. Your call."
He set up a glowing booth right there in the center of the market. On the front:
CORE BITES™
Feeding the Past One Miracle at a Time
Within an hour, the line stretched beyond the gates.
Some offered gold. Others offered goats. One guy traded his daughter—Zayden declined politely.
Even the guards couldn't resist. The town's captain tried a burger, then declared Zayden under "royal food protection law," which didn't exist five minutes ago.
---
That night, Zayden stood on the roof of the abandoned bakery he'd claimed as his base. M.A.I.A.'s light pulsed at his ear.
> "Market domination at 62%. Cultural disruption: active. No hostiles yet."
He watched villagers dance under torches, eating burgers and drinking fizzy orange soda like it was divine nectar.
He looked at the stars.
He wasn't just building a company. He was building an empire.
> "Let's change everything."
Far off, beyond the hills, someone in a dark castle watched from a magic mirror. Eyes narrowed. A name whispered in the wind.
"Core…"
---
📘 END OF CHAPTER 1
Next Chapter:-Chapter 2: The Burger Knight Rises