The world had frozen. Literally.
The bully's fist, which had been charging straight for Kaelen Vance's jaw, hung in the air like a paused video. Dust motes shimmered around me, perfectly still. Even the air felt locked in place, like the entire hallway had been put on mute. And then came the light—so bright it was painful to look at, swallowing everything in front of me.
From that blinding glow, a figure began to take shape. Yui.
She stepped out of the radiance, her whole body faintly glowing, her outline rippling like heat haze. And instead of looking all mystical or divine, she had her hands on her hips, like she'd just caught me sneaking snacks before dinner.
"Honestly, Marcus," she sighed, her voice cutting through the silence with ridiculous clarity. "You get one flicker of progress, and then you immediately throw yourself into a fistfight. Do you ever stop to think? You're already giving me a headache."
I blinked, lowering my arm from my face. "Yui? You… did this? What the hell is this light? Why are you even here?"
She walked closer, and as she did, the crushing brightness behind her dimmed a little. "I came because you've reached a critical point. You've been knocked down twice, and yet instead of running this time, you actually stood your ground. Since you've finally gotten here, I have no choice but to step in and explain some things."
"Explain?" I scoffed, Kaelen's habitual arrogance lacing my tone. "You call throwing me from my life into Elias Finch, then into this walking disaster, help? You're just making me clean up other people's garbage. What's your real purpose?"
"My purpose hasn't changed," she said smoothly, a tiny smile tugging at her lips. "I'm here to observe your growth. But…" She tilted her head, her tone turning playfully mocking. "Since you're apparently determined to slam face-first into every challenge, I'll spell out some of the rules. Consider it a tutorial bonus."
Something in me clicked back into focus. My frustration settled into a cold, sharp line. "Fine. Then talk. I'll take whatever advantage you're willing to hand over."
"Now that's more like it." Yui smirked. "At least you sound like Marcus Sterling again. Better than that pathetic mess I found lying on the floor of Northwood's hallway earlier. Honestly, you looked like a discarded mop."
I groaned, half-annoyed, half-relieved at the familiar banter slipping through. "Shut up. And keep that to yourself, alright?"
"Fine, fine." She rolled her eyes like I was being dramatic. Then she snapped her fingers, and her voice sharpened. "Here's the key information: You will be reincarnated every twelve to fifteen days into the body of another classmate from this school."
The words slammed into me harder than the fist frozen inches away from my face. "Wait—every fifteen days? You mean I have to start over every time? Building up whatever life I'm thrown into from scratch?"
"Yes," she said simply. "That's the core of the trial. Each body has its strengths and weaknesses. Elias Finch had no reputation, which gave you anonymity. Kaelen Vance has strength and intimidation on his side, but he also comes with… baggage." She gestured at the frozen bully still locked in his mid-swing snarl.
Her tone shifted slightly, becoming almost instructive. "But remember this—you're in the same world every time. That means you can leave things behind for your next self. A message. A clue. A password to a hidden account. Each life you live can give the next one a head start."
I closed my eyes for a second, letting the weight of it sink in. A constant cycle of trial and error. A sprint against the clock, fifteen days at most, to leave a mark before getting ripped out again. It was exhausting just to think about. And yet… something about it stirred the competitive edge in me.
"It's not like I have a choice, is it?" I muttered.
"No," Yui said, calm as ever.
I looked back at the frozen scene around me—the fist hovering in front of my face, the bullies waiting to pounce. My jaw tightened.
"Fine," I said, straightening Kaelen's slouched posture into something sharper, prouder. "Then I'll do it. If I'm the one stuck with this game, then I'll win it. I'm Marcus Sterling."
Yui's smile widened, her glow flickering brighter. "That's the confidence I like to see. My time's up, so I'll be leaving. We'll talk again soon. Bye."
"Wait!" I snapped, taking a step forward. "What about right now? How am I supposed to deal with this—"
But before I could finish, the light flared blindingly. She vanished, and the silence shattered.
The fist was moving again.
I barely had time to react, but Yui's words rang in my head: Kaelen Vance has physical strength and a reputation that clears the halls.
I let Kaelen's body move. Instead of blocking, I leaned back hard, using his long legs to push myself out of range. The bully's punch missed my jaw by inches, whooshing through the air with wasted force.
Thrown off balance, he stumbled forward. That was my opening. I didn't think—I threw myself into it, every bit of Marcus Sterling's stubborn aggression channeled through Kaelen's stronger frame. My fist shot upward in a messy, desperate uppercut.
The sound—THWACK—was sickening and satisfying all at once. The thick-necked boy reeled backward, blood springing to his lip, his eyes wide with pure shock.
For a moment, the entire hallway was still again—this time, naturally. The two lackeys behind him froze, their confidence evaporating as they watched their leader stagger.
I straightened, breathing hard, my knuckles stinging. "Get out of my sight," I snarled, forcing Kaelen's voice to drop into something deep and dangerous.
And it worked. The boy wiped his bloody mouth, glaring, but he didn't swing again. He backed away, his two friends falling in behind him. In seconds, they were gone.
I stood alone, chest heaving, my adrenaline crashing into exhaustion. I looked down at my fist, Kaelen's knuckles raw from the impact.
Each body has its advantages.
Fine. If Kaelen Vance's advantage was raw strength and menace, then that's what I'd use.
I had twelve days. Twelve days before I was ripped out again.
The clock had already started ticking.
To Be Continued.