"Borrowed time is still time. And sometimes, that's enough to change everything."
---
Raven didn't sleep that night.
How could he?
The system no longer buzzed in his mind the same way it used to. It didn't whisper commands or offer quests. It just… listened. Watched.
Like the six eyes above still lingered—waiting for him to blink first.
In the quiet, Ava slept peacefully in the next room.
Sol leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, alive but distant.
"You really did it," Sol said softly. "You bent the rules."
Raven didn't respond.
Sol stepped in, dragging a chair beside him.
"But you know what comes after that, don't you?"
Raven nodded slowly. "Correction."
---
The world outside hadn't resumed.
No news. No noise.
It was like the entire planet had been paused.
And yet… the sun still rose. The sky still shifted in color.
A perfect illusion of continuity.
> [Warning: Watcher 'Entropy' Observing System Recovery]
[All anomalies frozen. Timeline paused. Time resuming in local loop.]
> [Time Remaining Until Judgment: 6 Days, 23 Hours, 58 Minutes.]
---
SYSTEM SYNC REPORT – RAVEN
Authority: Law-Writer (Temporary)
Sync Rate: 100.0%
System Fusion: HephSystem + Nihilos [Merged: Irreversible]
New Function: ✦ Rewrite Reality Nodes
Limitation: ✦ Requires Emotional Anchor (Ava, Sol)
Sanction Countdown: Active
---
Raven spent most of the day walking.
He walked through the empty streets.
Past frozen cars. Silent birds. Unmoving trees.
Everyone else… was paused.
Only he, Sol, and Ava moved.
This wasn't a world anymore—it was a test chamber.
He stopped at a bakery he used to frequent. The sign still flickered OPEN.
Inside, the cashier smiled—frozen mid-laugh.
He stood in front of her and whispered, "How much of this is real?"
A window popped up.
> [Reality Node Identified: "Memory Anchor – 13 March, Year 7."]
[Options: Edit / Restore / Corrupt / Delete]
He stared at the options.
"…I can delete memories now?"
His hand trembled. He didn't press anything.
---
Back home, Ava was sketching on paper, humming softly.
She didn't remember the war. Not the pain. Not her death.
Raven didn't tell her. Couldn't.
He watched her from the doorway. She smiled at him, carefree.
"Hey! I made pancakes," she said brightly. "They're not poison this time."
He nodded. "Thanks."
Inside, his thoughts screamed.
He had brought her back. He had rewound fate.
But was it right to keep her unaware?
Was he saving her… or lying to her?
Sol leaned against the fridge, chewing lazily.
"Just one question, Raven," he said.
"…What are you planning to do with the rest of the six days?"
Raven looked at both of them.
Then, at his hands.
"…I'm going to prove this world's worth rewriting."