Izuma stared into nothingness.
His mouth hung open slightly, a small line of drool threatening to escape the corner of his lips. His arms were resting limply on the table, body half-tilted forward as if the concept of posture had been permanently exiled from his list of priorities.
Across from him, Adia narrowed her eyes.
"...Is he good?"
She leaned in.
"Hello? Izu—I mean... uh... Crybaby?"
Still no response. His eyes were wide but unfocused. Vacant. Lost in a distant land of existential dread and philosophical tangents.
She waved a hand in front of his face.
Nothing.
Lira peeked in from the kitchen, half a cucumber in her mouth.
"Yo, is he dead or just braindead ?"
Adia frowned.
"I think he's just... buffering."
Inside Izuma's mind, however—
/Monologue Begins/
Three days...
It's only been three days since I got here.
Three days since I died.
Since I bled out in a pool of my own blood after getting ran over by a car.
Wasn't really ''ran over'' since I got flung into the air and crashed down breaking only God knows what...
And now I'm... here. Sitting at a table, listening to Rinji ruin another meal and Lira argue about whether Gabbit eggs are ethical.
The mental whiplash is insane.
I should be in shock. I should be screaming. I should be throwing up in a corner or clawing at the walls.
Instead, I'm sitting here drooling into my own sleeve.
it's awfully comforting.
Maybe I'm going insane.
No, wait.
I'm aware of the insanity.
So does that make me sane? Or just self-aware and still crazy?
Sigh.
Goddamn, my brain's doing flips. Okay. Stop. Reset.
I won't think about it. I won't.
The ability. The stabbing. The blood. The Respawn. The... time leap?
It's all too much. I need to shelve that thought. Just for now.
Focus on breathing.
Just. Breathe.
/Monologue End/
Then—
Rinji, standing by the stove, let out a satisfied hum.
He sipped from the wooden ladle, smacked his lips, then gave a proud nod to himself.
"Alright," he said.
"Lira, kitchen's yours. Don't burn the house down."
Lira whispered something unintelligible under her breath in response, probably threatening violence. Rinji ignored it.
He turned to Izuma, now finally blinking back into the world.
"Hey, Drool-boy. Let's take a Walk."
Izuma blinked.
Right. Info time.
He knew it the moment Rinji called. This wasn't about some casual stroll.
It never was.
"Yeah," Izuma replied, standing up. "Coming."
As he stepped past Adia, she grabbed a fistful of his shirt.
"If you get yourself captured by the council again, I will kill you."
The word kill hit him like a gut punch from a ghost.
For a second, he flinched.
His pupils dilated. Blood phantom-soaked his shirt again.
But he swallowed it. Played it off with a crooked smirk.
"Yeesh, remind me to never piss off the main gal."
Adia grinned, releasing him with a flick to the forehead.
Lira's voice echoed from the kitchen.
"Try not to get kidnapped this time, dumbass!"
"Heard ya' the first time"
He said, waving a lazy hand as he opened the door.
Sunlight met him.
Warm. Clean. The kind of morning where the sky hadn't quite decided on being blue or gold.
The breeze kissed his face. The scent of dew and distant bakery smoke filled his nose.
He stepped outside.
Inhale.
Exhale.
His lips twitched up, just a little.
"Damn," Rinji said, watching him from behind.
"You really like mornings that much?"
"No," Izuma said.
"It's just that the morning seemed brighter today."
They walked.
Side by side.
At first, it was quiet.
Then Izuma threw both hands behind his head and rolled his neck.
"So," He began,
"what's the deal today? You didn't pull me outta' my existential nap for a scenic jog."
Rinji didn't answer right away.
Just nodded.
Then said:
"I saw your ability."
Izuma stopped.
Cold. Still.
The street seemed to hush.
His thoughts? Screaming.
/Monologue Begin/
He saw what?
No. No no no.
He couldn't have.
He said his mind reading didn't allow him to see abilities....was he lying?
And if so...
Was it the Respawn?
Was it the time loop?
Was it, both?
Does he know? Does he understand?
Is he gonna tell someone? Turn me in? Use me?
What exactly did he see?
What if he saw everything?
/Monologue End/
Rinji kept walking a few paces. Then stopped. Turned slightly.
He sighed.
"So you can Respawn, right?"
Izuma didn't answer.
Couldn't.
His mouth felt wired shut. His mind raced. Heart thudded like a war drum.
Rinji watched him, then finally asked:
"You okay?"
Izuma managed a croak.
"What... what did you see?"
Rinji's body twitched.
He sucked in air sharply, then looked away.
His voice was strained.
"...Everything."
He clenched his fist.
"You were screaming. Gurgling. Begging. And I couldn't look away. It was like your death was... leaking."
He gagged. Visibly. But held it back.
Izuma's blood froze.
"How much?"
he asked, the words brittle.
Rinji answered quietly.
"The stabbing. All of it. Every blade. Every moment."
Izuma's breath caught. He monologued silently:
/Monologue Begin/
He saw it.
The whole damn thing.
And he acted normal? He still laughed? Joked? Stirred soup like nothing happened?
Is Rinji stronger than I thought?
Or is he just used to horror?
No... no. That look in his eye. That tremble.
He wasn't fine.
He just pretended better.
But either way I'm glad it was only that he saw...
/Monologue End/
Izuma's voice was barely audible.
Sigh
"That's it... right? Just that one?"
Fuck,I slipped up.
Rinji looked confused.
"Did you have more?"
Izuma hesitated.
Then said, "No."
Believable enough.
They resumed walking.
Izuma monologued again:
/Monologue Begin/
He saw the Respawn.
But not the leap.
So the leap... was different?
It reset time. But the Respawn didn't.
Too many questions.
Too little time.
If this were school, I'd already be analyzing the classroom.
Who's the popular kid?
Who's dangerous?
Who can I trust?
Observe first. Speak later. Play dumb if needed.
Keep the cards close.
Always.
/Monologue End/
Then Rinji spoke again.
"A–And uh..."
He stopped, then continued.
"You know... abilities can improve."
Izuma blinked.
"Improve?"
"Yeah," Rinji said.
"Mine started weak. Just birds. Now I can read people."
"How?"
"Time. Training. Trial. Pain. All that romantic crap."
Izuma nodded slowly.
/Monologue Begins/
He hesitated a bit, probably because in order for me to level up my ability...
I'd have to ....
His monologue was cut short—
Rinji added:
"Oh, and one last thing. That first time you used your ability? That was likely its max potential."
Izuma froze.
Rinji tapped his helmet thoughtfully.
"Abilities show their peak when triggered for the first time. Then they reset back to base. You probably had a faster timer or a full rewind of your body the first time."
"So I could—" Izuma stopped himself.
Rinji smirked.
"Don't worry. I'm not gonna snitch."
"Oh, uh thanks," Izuma muttered.
They walked in silence.
Only 3 steps in.
Then—
"Izuma?"
He looked up, face pale.
But inside?
His thoughts raged:
/Final Monologue Begin/
That... that wasn't my max potential.
That was normal.
Just a Respawn.
Not a leap.
If he's right...
Then that time leap was my max.
If it can improve...
Can I set the time?
Can I choose where to go?
Backwards? Forwards?
Just how....
strong can I get?