By the time he reached the campus, Tadashi's pulse was racing. He kept glancing at the
signs around him, at the people passing by. Every little difference stood out now. The
way people spoke, the tiny details in their uniforms, the unfamiliar news headlines
flashing on digital screens.
"This… this isn't my world."
But before he could process it, two men in security uniforms stopped him at the
university entrance.
"Hey, kid. We haven't seen you before. Where's your student ID?"
Tadashi blinked. Security? There had never been guards at the school gates before.
"S-Student ID?"
He patted his pockets, searching desperately, until his fingers brushed against something
unfamiliar. A plastic card. He pulled it out and stared.
It had his face, his name, but the design was wrong. The logo was different. The ID
looked newer, almost futuristic. And the expiration date...
It was from a year that didn't exist.
One of the guards took it, squinting at it before nodding. "Looks real. Alright, you're
good. Get to class."
Tadashi took back the ID with numb fingers.
"What the hell is going on…?"
Tadashi entered the campus, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. The university,
with its sleek, modern buildings and bustling campus, could have been straight out of an
anime. The hallways were adorned with vibrant digital screens displaying class
schedules and campus news, and the students, dressed in casual yet stylish attire, moved
with the energy and enthusiasm of a thriving metropolis.
As the lesson begins, the teacher starts checking for attendance.
"Masuko, Shiori, Izumi...Ta-Tadashi? never heard that name before," the teacher starts
scanning the class.
"Looks like we have a new student in class," the teacher announces.
"Huh...a new student, I wonder who it is?" Tadashi wonders as he looks at his
surroundings.
"You there, please stand and introduce yourself!" the teacher points her finger towards
the boy expecting a response.
"What...me...?" Tadashi stands up with shock and begins to introduce himself.
"F-for those who don't know, I'm Tadashi Murata, and I'm from Tokyo, nice to meet you
all!" Tadashi sits down as the class buzzes with gossip and rumors.
"Tokyo...I've never heard of it...is it a place for the poor...ew, look at his hair...so
disgusting...I bet he's from the slumps...lol," voices at the background begin to stab
Tadashi as the rumors begin to spread.
"I thought something was off...but this is just my regular, everyday life," Tadashi starts
to conclude, feeling a sense of relief from these past events.
A few hours passed by and school comes to an end. Tadashi begins to walk home and
passes through a dark and isolated alley. A group of 5 men start approaching him.
"Hey kid, drop everything down and put your hands on your head!" a man with a black
hoddie commands.
The group starts to pull out their weapons, and all they could hear was a sigh.
"...looks like death came to pick me up," Tadashi thinks.
"Listen, I don't have anything so can you please make this fast," Tadashi replies.
"hooo, so you think you're in some kind of movie huh...c'mon guys, let's show him who's
boss!" the man in the middle suggests.
As soon as Tadashi prepares for a beating, he feels something piercing through his
chest.
"Huh...am I being stabbed" the boy thinks as he begins to fall.
"WHAT THE...I THOUGHT WE WERE SUPPOSE TO BEAT HIM, NOT KILL
HIM...CRAP WE'RE GOING TO JAIL!" the men begin to argue and panic witnessing
the boy bleeding out.
"LET'S RUN FOR IT!" the man in the middle suggests.
As Tadashi loses consciousness, he glares at the men dashing away.
"Is this really the end?" the boy thinks as he draws his last breath.
A sharp screeching noise echoed through the void. It wasn't the sound of metal or
machinery, it was something more unsettling, like nails dragged across a chalkboard.
Tadashi gasped, his eyes snapping open. But there was nothing.
Just darkness.
He tried to move, but his body felt weightless, like he was floating in an endless sea of
black. The last thing he remembered was the knife stabbing into his ribs, the agonizing
burn of his own blood seeping through his fingers.
"I died... again."
A chill ran down his spine.
Then, he heard it.
SCRATCH.
The noise came again, sharper this time. Tadashi turned toward the sound; his breath
caught in his throat. A figure stood before him.
Tall. Dressed in white. Holding a piece of chalk.
The figure dragged it across a floating chalkboard, drawing a long, single stroke.
Tadashi's stomach twisted.
"That's attempt number one," the figure mused,
"Looks like you didn't even last a day in that world, interesting" the young man chuckles
while facing the now puzzled Tadashi.
Tadashi narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look at the figure. A young man.
White clothes. A hollow halo floating above his head. Golden eyes gleaming with
amusement.
He didn't have the overwhelming presence of the voice Tadashi had heard before, but
there was something off about him. Something almost... too calm.
"Who... are you?" Tadashi asked, forcing himself to stand.
The man grinned, flipping the chalk between his fingers.
"Ah, right. We should get introductions out of the way, huh?" He placed a hand over his
chest and mockingly bowed.
"Simon Mochizuki, Third-Ranked Angel. Your personal observer for this challenge."
Tadashi blinked. "Observer?"
Simon twirled the chalk, then pointed it at the stroke on the board. "Every time you die,
you come back here, and I mark it down. That stroke? That means you've failed once
already."
Tadashi's hands curled into fists.
"So that's it? You just sit here and count how many times I die?"
Simon smirked. "Pretty much. But don't take it personally. Most contestants die a lot
more than just once. You'll get used to it."
Tadashi clenched his jaw. "So, what is this? Some kind of sick game?"
Simon shrugged. "Game, test, punishment, call it whatever you want. The rules are
simple: you get thrown into different worlds, and you have to survive for seven days. If
you make it past the seventh day, you win."
"Seven days…?" Tadashi's mind raced.
That didn't sound impossible. One week wasn't that long, right?
"And if I die?"
Simon grinned, tapping the chalkboard. "Then I add another stroke to the board and you
start over in a different world."
Tadashi swallowed. "How many attempts do I get?"
Simon's expression didn't change. "As many as it takes."
A cold chill settled in Tadashi's chest.
"So I have no choice but to keep playing this game… forever?"
Simon studied him for a moment, then sighed dramatically. "Man, you humans are so
dramatic. Think about it this way: this is a rare opportunity. You get to restart over and
over again, learning from your mistakes. Doesn't that sound amazing?"
Tadashi glared. "I just got stabbed to death. You think that's amazing?"
Simon raised his hands. "Hey, relax. You got an easy start. Some people don't even last
five minutes in their first attempt."
Tadashi's stomach twisted at the thought.
Tadashi turned back to the board. His name was written at the top, and beneath it, the
lone stroke stood as a permanent reminder of his failure.
His mind raced. If Simon was telling the truth, this challenge had no limit. If he kept
failing, he could be trapped forever, dying over and over, never escaping.
That thought terrified him.
"What happens if I give up?" he asked quietly.
Simon's golden eyes darkened.
"You can't."
Tadashi tensed.
Simon pulled the chalk from his pocket and twirled it lazily. "This is the Chalk of
Command. It's a divine artifact. Whatever I write with it becomes an unchangeable
truth."
Tadashi stiffened. "Meaning?"
Simon smirked. "Meaning if I write your name on this board and cross it out twice, you
disappear from existence. Completely. No soul, no reincarnation, nothing."
A sickening realization hit Tadashi.
"So if I fail too many times… I get erased."
Simon didn't confirm it, but the way he twirled the chalk told Tadashi everything.
Tadashi forced himself to breathe. His hands clenched at his sides.
"So my only option is to keep trying until I win."
Simon nodded. "That's the spirit."
Tadashi took a slow step forward.
"Fine. But tell me this, do the worlds change every time?"
Simon grinned. "Now you're asking the right questions."
He stepped closer, his golden eyes glinting with amusement.
"Each world is different. The dangers are different. The people are different. Some
worlds will be easy. Some will be impossible."
Tadashi swallowed hard. "And the abilities you mentioned? Do I get any?"
Simon smirked. "You'll find out soon enough."
Simon took out the chalk and drew a glowing circle in the air.
"OPEN!"
The portal expanded, shimmering with golden light.
Tadashi stepped back instinctively.
"You ready for round two?" Simon asked.
Tadashi clenched his fists. His mind flashed back to his last attempt—the feeling of the
blade piercing his ribs, the helplessness, the shame of dying instantly.
"Not this time."
He took a deep breath.
"This time… I'll make it past the first day."
With renewed determination, he stepped into the portal.
Simon watched him disappear into the void, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Let's see if you last longer than a day this time, kid."
The portal closed.
And Tadashi's second attempt began