Chapter 4: The Reckless Leap
Elvas walked toward the school the next morning, every step burdened by the relentless playback of the System's demand: Jump from a school building, five feet tall.
The phrase gnawed at him. Was he truly going to follow through? Was he insane for even entertaining the notion?
"Five feet is nothing," he muttered under his breath, his jaw tight. "Anyone could do that. But why? What is the damn purpose of this madness?"
The gray walls of the school loomed ahead, as bleak and suffocating as the judging eyes that waited inside. He entered the classroom, and instantly, the atmosphere solidified into its usual hostile thickness.
"Look, guys, it's the demon boy!" a girl called out from the back row, her voice sharp and deliberately cruel.
Laughter rippled through the students, careless and cutting.
Elvas lowered his head and walked to his seat. His pencil scratched across the paper, the sound serving as his only barrier against their sneers.
A crumpled paper ball struck his shoulder. The same girl giggled. "What's wrong, demon boy? Too busy drawing your little spells?"
He did not look up. He did not flinch. He simply wrote harder, the muscles in his jaw locked tight. This was his reality. It always had been. Why bother resisting?
And then—silence.
The classroom froze. Laughter snapped off. Voices were strangled mid-word. The air grew heavy and cold, pressing physically against his skin.
Red words bled into existence before him, glowing with chilling authority.
[System Alert: Host failed to complete Task One within the designated period. Penalty sequence initiating. One (1) New Player will be added and immediately Deleted from existence.]
Elvas's pencil clattered onto the desk. His breath hitched, his eyes wide with horror.
"What in God's name does that mean?" His voice trembled. "Who are these Players? What do you mean by 'deleted'?"
The answer slammed into his skull, mechanical and utterly unyielding.
[System Response: The Demon System cannot be halted once awakened. Task parameters must be adhered to.]
Elvas gripped the edge of his desk until his knuckles were stark white. "There must be a way out! Tell me how to shut you down!"
The words pulsed brighter, dangerously.
[System Response: There is no reversal. Complete the Task or face the immediate consequences.]
Then, as abruptly as it began, the world snapped back to normal. Laughter returned, whispers resumed, and the classroom continued its sluggish movement, as if he had not just held a silent conversation with a voice only he could hear.
His heart hammered against his ribs, but no one noticed. They never did.
…
By the lunch hour, the cafeteria roared with the noise of hundreds of students. Elvas sat alone, his untouched tray before him. His mind replayed the System's ultimatum endlessly.
Jump off a building. Five feet. Easy. Harmless. But what if it wasn't?
His eyes narrowed with resolve. The roof of the main hall wasn't very high. If the System demanded a leap, he would deliver. Anything was better than risking the deletion of some innocent, unknown soul.
He shoved his tray aside and stood up. His decision burned in his chest, a fire stronger than his lingering fear.
His steps quickened as he slipped from the cafeteria and climbed the stairs. Each footfall felt like a countdown, his pulse hammering louder with every ascent.
The rooftop access door groaned open. A cool, sharp wind immediately slapped his face. The edge of the roof was only a few steps away.
Elvas walked forward, staring down at the courtyard below. Five feet at the very maximum. Just a small drop. Yet, his stomach twisted with nervous anticipation.
"Just jump," he muttered. "That's all it wants. Just jump."
But then, he froze again.
Students were already gathered below, their heads tilted back, their fingers pointing directly at him.
"Is he actually going to jump?"
"What is the freak doing now?"
Their voices drifted up, cruel laughter mixing with mocking, impatient shouts.
Teachers appeared instantly, panic sharpening their tone. "Elvas! Get down from there right now!"
Heat rushed to his face as the crowd swelled, every single eye fixed on him. How could he possibly explain? That a voice in his mind demanded this act? That if he refused, someone might die?
"Hey, demon boy!" a voice jeered from the crowd. "Trying to off yourself? Do it!"
Elvas clenched his fists, his body trembling—not from fear of the fall, but from the unbearable weight of their relentless gazes.
"I'm not crazy," he whispered, barely audible. "I have to do this. I have no choice."
He sucked in a deep, ragged breath, closed his eyes—and stepped into the air.
The drop was quick: a blur of air, a stomach-lurching moment of freefall, then a sharp jolt of pain through his legs as his knees buckled on impact. He hissed, but he was alive.
Gasps and shocked whispers erupted around him. To them, he had just attempted suicide.
Darkness closed in—and when his eyes blinked open, he found himself lying on a stiff cot. The acrid smell of antiseptic filled the school infirmary. Students were pressed against the window, their whispers and cruel laughter seeping through the glass.
The door burst open. Mr. Varn, the head disciplinarian, stormed in, his face contorted with fury.
"What in the hell was that, Elvas?" he barked. "Jumping off buildings now? Do you comprehend the chaos you caused? You could have seriously injured yourself or someone else!"
Elvas winced, sitting up carefully. His legs throbbed deeply, but they were not broken. "I'm sorry, sir. I just... I needed space."
"Space?" Varn scoffed, his glare cutting through the room. "You call that 'space'? You are incredibly lucky you're not dead. You are on the thinnest possible ice, Das. One more stunt and your career here is finished."
With that, he stormed out, leaving only the sound of whispers leaking through the door.
Ignoring the profound ache in his legs, Elvas stood and slipped out of the infirmary, desperate to escape the eyes, the laughter, and the inevitable rumors that would spread by nightfall.
He pushed into the nearest restroom, bracing his hands against the sink, forcing his breath to slow.
And then—
The world froze again.
A cold, heavy pressure spread through the air. Time halted mid-motion. Red words burned before him.
[System Alert: Congratulations, Host. Task One Completed. Initiating Reward Sequence: Choose your reward.]
Three identical black boxes appeared, floating in the air, complex, twisting symbols writhing across their surfaces.
Elvas's throat went dry. His reflection in the cracked mirror stared back at him, wide-eyed and terrified. "This... this is real. It is actually happening."
He stepped closer, inspecting the boxes. Each pulsed faintly, waiting for his touch.
"Which one do I pick?" he whispered, his voice shaky. "What's inside these things?"
The System's voice cut through his thoughts, cold and commanding.
[System Response: Choose one (1) reward box. The content is immediately yours.]
Elvas hesitated, then extended a shaking hand toward the middle box. Its stark, jagged design seemed to call to something deep within him.
Light exploded from his choice, swallowing the other two boxes whole in a flash of blinding white.
The System's voice thundered, echoing inside his mind.
[System Alert: Ability Unlocked: 'Speed'. Congratulations on completing your first Task. Second Task uploading. Host is advised to rest.]
Elvas gripped the sink basin, his chest heaving with exertion and shock. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to the mirror.
His reflection stared back, eyes wide, with a flicker of something new burning in their dark depths—fear, yes, but also a profound, startling wonder.
He touched his own face, his voice trembling as he spoke the words aloud, realizing the terrible new reality.
"Speed… I really have power now."