《Time Looped》 1. Welcome to Eternity ¡°Choose!¡± the girl shouted, slamming the maw of a giant wolf with a thirty-pound dumbbell. The crunch of shattered bone mixed with a yelp, as the monster pulled back. ¡°Just pick one! It doesn¡¯t matter which.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush me!¡± the boy snapped. ¡°We¡¯ve never gotten this far before. If I can figure this out, we might¡ª" ¡°There isn¡¯t time!¡± The girl made a high summersault in the air, landing on the monster¡¯s spine.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Bone shattered Fatal Wound Inflicted
The crimson glow faded from the beast¡¯s eyes as it let out its final breath. The smell of ozone filled the air. The black fur covering the monster faded away becoming transparent. ¡°It¡¯s one of these two,¡± the boy said, eyes darting between two subway columns. ¡°I¡¯m sure this time. All I have to do is¡ª" Four arrows split the air, piercing the girl¡¯s chest. There was a dull sound after which patches of blood emerged through the white blouse round the shafts that were sticking out. ¡°Ely?¡± The boy turned in her direction, but it was already too late. The strength leaving her, she collapsed on the giant monster corpse. ¡°No!¡± The boy rolled to the other side of the nearest column. He couldn¡¯t see the archer, but knew he was there, preparing for another shot. There¡¯d only be one chance to get out of this. All he had to do was make the right choice. One out of two options. There was a fifty-fifty chance to get it right. Not the best odds, but he wasn¡¯t going to get anything better. Stretching out, the boy touched the mirrored metal surface of the column. Scratches spread from his fingers causing the metal to twist. ¡°Come on, come on!¡± the boy whispered, tensely looking around. Meanwhile, the scars formed words.
Congratulations, ROGUE! You have made progress. Restarting eternity.
¡°Damn it!¡± the boy shouted. He had been so close and yet so far away. He had wasted months, severed friendships all for this one chance! Now he had to start everything from the beginning and he didn¡¯t think he had the strength for it. Another dull thump sounded. Looking down, the boy saw the tip of an arrow sticking through his chest.
Restart impossible! You have broken eternity.
¡°Shit¡­¡± the boy coughed as he collapsed on the floor. This was one outcome he hadn¡¯t imagined.
DANIEL KEEN, your slot has been vacated. Awaiting new participant¡­
* * * News of the death was all over social media. Theories ranged from stress induced heart attack to outright suicide. According to friends and family, Daniel was a kind and quiet boy who studied diligently and never got into any sort of trouble. Described as slightly introverted he tended to spend a lot of his time online, as did most children his age, playing games or looking at college options. There were no money problems or bullying, as far as they were aware, making his death utterly unexpected. Schoolmates, though, presented a very different picture. According to them, Daniel was highly aggressive, missed more classes than he attended, and never gave a damn about studying. Witnesses claimed that he¡¯d gotten into several fights, both in and out of school and on one occasion had even busted up the school¡¯s toilets. Faced with these two completely different accounts, the local authorities and the school itself had conducted a discreet investigation. The findings were never made public, but a brief announcement explained the case away as an undiagnosed medical condition. The vice-principal of Enigma Arts and Science High School, made a public address, requesting that the matter be put to rest for the sake of the family. That only caused the rumors to grow. ¡°A reminder to all students,¡± an announcement echoed through the halls and classrooms. ¡°We remind you to take care of your physical and mental health. There is no shame in seeking help. The school counselor¡¯s door is open at all times. With mid-terms approaching, we think that¡ª" What a load of crap, Will said to himself. The school didn¡¯t give a damn about the state of its students. It was all about appearance. Daniel and several others had caused problems for months and yet all the complaints had gone unheard. At least three people in Will¡¯s class had gone to the principal¡¯s office only to be warned not to spread baseless accusations. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! With lots of time till the start of class, Will went to the restroom. It was the smelliest place after the gym, but at least it was one of the places that was empty before second period. Due to the Daniel incident the school had introduced a new measure, referred to as ¡°bathroom checks,¡± in their desire to show they were taking matters seriously. In response, the children had stopped going there unless they really had to. ¡°Hello, boredom,¡± Will said staring at his own reflection in the mirror. For a place that was supposedly smashed up, the room was in perfect condition. He had no idea who had started the rumor, but it had spread so fast that it had become part of school lore. Maybe he should just smash them and get done with it? That would make things a bit more interesting. Clenching a fist, Will struck at his reflection. Inner doubt caused him to stop half an inch from the polished surface, keeping the mirror intact. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t need the hassle.¡± He lowered his hand. ¡°Next time, though.¡± He made another faux strike, pushing the limit just a bit more. The aim was to stop the moment his knuckles came into contact with the mirror. Yet, no sooner had he touched it that cracks shot out in all directions like a spiderweb. Shit! Will jumped back. ¡°This can¡¯t be real.¡± Such a weak punch shouldn¡¯t have done anything. He had literally touched the mirror¡­ and yet he was staring at the result right now. There was nothing stopping him from rushing out. With class about to start, no one was going to notice the mess before second period. What was more he didn¡¯t have any wounds on his fist. As long as he denied it, there wouldn¡¯t be anything linking him to this. The sound of crunching glass came from the mirror. Afraid it might shatter to pieces, Will placed both hands against it, in an attempt to keep it in place. The crunching grew louder. However, instead of falling off, the pieces held together. Before Will¡¯s very eyes, the cracks retreated from the edges, moving back to the original point of impact. After a few seconds, a single dot remained. What the hell? Slowly, he took his hands off the glass surface.
Welcome to eternity! We hope you enjoy your stay.
Words formed within the mirror. Will closed his eyes and opened them up again, as if hoping that he was experiencing some form of hallucination. Alas, the message was still there.
You have discovered THE ROGUE (number 4). Use additional mirrors to find out more. Good luck!
The bathroom door briskly swung open. ¡°Stone!¡± A large man in a gym uniform stood at the door. He was the stereotypical coach as well as the less stereotypical history teacher. ¡°I warned you about this!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault!¡± Will said instinctively. ¡°It was like this when I found¡ª" he stopped. The letters on the mirror had vanished. ¡°No skipping class! I¡¯ve gotten tons of complaints about you!¡± That was an outright lie. For one thing, Will hadn¡¯t been late once. All that the coach wanted to do was make sure no one was doing anything funny in the bathroom. It was one heck of a way to do a ¡°bathroom check¡± but at least it got Will¡¯s mind off the recent scene. ¡°Sorry, Coach.¡± He glanced at the sink, then the mirror once more just to make sure. ¡°I¡¯m heading to class now.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± The large man stepped to the side, letting him get into the hallway. ¡°I better not catch you hiding here again.¡± Asshole. Will put his earbuds on then went to the art classroom. Several minutes remained till start of class. Yet, most of his schoolmates were absent as was the teacher. The room stank of cleaning detergent even with all the windows open. Whatever janitorial was using it had the strength to knockout a herd of elephants. One of these days it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the floor gave in dropping everyone into the basement. Holding his breath, Will went to his desk in the back of the room. The smell was marginally better there. At least he didn¡¯t risk tearing up. Turning in the direction of the windows, Will¡¯s glance fell on Daniel¡¯s desk. Even after a week it remained unoccupied and by the looks of it uncleaned. With the amount of scribbles and drawings the whole thing was better off thrown away. The last few weeks Daniel had gotten into the habit of using it as a canvas. ¡°Think anyone will sit here?¡± Alex asked leaning over. Known as the class goofball, he never let things such as school warnings and class boundaries keep him from speaking his mind. Some said they were the reason he did so. ¡°I heard he had volunteered for some new study drug,¡± he added in a whisper. ¡°The heavy shit that lets you function with half an hour sleep per day.¡± ¡°Not all of us can be naturally annoying twenty-four seven.¡± ¡°Think about it! His fam didn¡¯t know because of the NDAs. And the cops wouldn¡¯t dare meddle to avoid a lawsuit.¡± He looked about the room then continued in a hushed voice. ¡°I bet they didn¡¯t even search his desk.¡± ¡°They did,¡± Will said unapologetically. ¡°Yeah, sure, they glanced at it. I mean really searched. If I were in his shoes, I¡¯d used some gum to stick my stash beneath the desk.¡± ¡°Yep. Absolutely.¡± Will turned up the volume of his music. He knew from experience that arguing would only encourage Alex to keep on going. The only thing he really wanted right now was for this day to be over so he could go home and do anything else. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be salty.¡± Alex kept at it. ¡°Maybe it isn¡¯t the desk, but I bet he¡¯s hidden something somewhere. He always had cash on him. Like who uses cash? It¡¯s sus as hell.¡± He had a point there. Other than Will¡¯s grandparents, Daniel was the only person who had a roll of paper money. It had seemed just weird enough to be cool, but it did pose certain questions. With less than a minute till the start of class, the rest of his classmates were pouring in. Everyone brought with them a general dislike of art as well as their personal brand of gossip. As the classroom filled up so did the level of noise. The door remained open even after the bell had sounded¡ªbeing forced in with the stench of chemicals could be considered cruel and unusual punishment. ¡°Aaart!¡± a brown-haired jock shouted as he walked in. He was followed by five others, almost as noisy. ¡°Catch you after class,¡± Alex whispered, instinctively slinking away to the front row. The normal chatter quickly subsided, replaced by the noise of the newly arrived group. They weren¡¯t particularly disliked, at least not more than the average jock. Then again, they were smart enough not to openly cross the line. ¡°What¡¯s up, Stoner?¡± The noisy one sat next to Will. ¡°Ready for some art.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Will did his best to casually ignore him, reaching for his backpack. A quick punch sent it flying through the classroom, ending up on the floor right beneath the windows. ¡°Careful, Stoner,¡± the other grinned. ¡°Better not mess up everyone else¡¯s day.¡± Will blinked. That had never happened before. It wasn¡¯t that bullying didn¡¯t exist in Enigma high, it¡¯s just that he¡¯d never been targeted so openly by someone with whom he¡¯d never had any problems in the past. The jock¡¯s name was Jace and the two had passively known each other for the last two years. Both of them were good at sports. In another life, Will might have even joined him on the football team. ¡°What¡¯s your prob?¡± Will tensed up, expecting an escalation. The other shook his head, still laughing, then went to join the rest of his group. There was a moment¡¯s silence filled with whispers. Most of the people were discussing what had happened, while simultaneously pretending not to. Is it because of the cops? Will wondered. The locker searches would explain a lot, though not why the jocks were suddenly targeting him. Remaining on guard, Will stood up, then cautiously started gathering his things from the floor. The books had remained in the backpack, thankfully, though a lot of the smaller items hadn¡¯t. His phone had also found its way beneath Daniel¡¯s desk. Picking it up with a sigh, Will then went on to gather the rest of his things, while his classmates pretended not to notice. Silently, he placed all his possessions, broken or not, into his backpack. Now all he had to do was get back to his seat before the teacher arrived and pretend that nothing had happened. Would it help, though? Looking at the jocks, they were already glaring at him, ready for round two. If it were just one of them, he could take him on, but an entire pack at once. Gritting his teeth, he took a step towards his desk, then stopped. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough!¡± he said. It had been a really shitty morning. The best thing he could do was refuse to have anything to do with it. To a degree, Will was surprised at himself. He¡¯d often thought of leaving everything behind, consequences be damned, and going home. This was the first time he¡¯d actually found the courage to do it. Before the dazzled gaze of everyone, he walked out of the corridor, slamming the door behind him. ¡°Stone!¡± the school coach yelled at him. ¡°Get back here!¡± Will didn¡¯t pay any attention, heading directly towards the main entrance. His parents wouldn¡¯t be pleased at this. He could hear the inevitable shouting even now. Still, he didn¡¯t feel they could do anything much. Besides, that was a problem for another time. With a frown, Will stepped out into the open. The moment he crossed the threshold, a message appeared in front of him, as if something had clawed out the words in reality itself.
Restarting eternity.
A blink of the eye later, Will found himself standing in front of the main entrance. The only issue was that the school had moved to be in front. ¡°Hey, Will!¡± Alex rushed up to him. ¡°Heard ¡®bout the muffins?¡± Muffins? Will stared at him. He was having a deja vus. They¡¯d had the same conversation upon arriving at school ten minutes ago. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Some boujie foreign stuff. Everyone¡¯s talking about it. Want me to get you one?¡± Will just stood there unsure how to react. If this was a prank it was a scarily good one. Pushing past Alex, he entered the hall and waited. After a few minutes an announcement sounded. ¡°A reminder to all students. We remind you to take care of your physical and mental health. There is no shame in seeking help. The school counselor¡¯s door is open at all times¡­" 2. Nurses Office Nine minutes remained until the start of class. That was nine minutes more than there were supposed to be. There could be no mistake: the old school clock showed so, a few people Will had asked said so, even his own phone displayed a time that couldn¡¯t be real. Two thoughts passed through the boy¡¯s mind. Either he was going crazy, or someone had pulled him back in time to experience the last ten minutes of his life all over again. Neither option was good, but one was worse than the other. Will rushed straight to the restroom. Planting himself at the nearest sink, he stared forward at his own reflection. The reflection stared back. ¡°Hello, boredom,¡± Will whispered. Nothing happened. ¡°Hello, boredom!¡± he said louder, then punched the face of his reflection. A loud noise of shattering glass filled the room, accompanied by pain. ¡°Hell!¡± Will bent down, holding his fist as the pain shot up his entire arm to the shoulder. ¡°Shit! Shit! Shit!¡± Shards of glass were sticking from his skin. A dull burning sensation suggested that he might have broken something. The bathroom violently swung open. ¡°Stone!¡± the coach yelled. ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± An increasingly large group of students was gathering behind him, all eager to see the spectacle. And a true spectacle it was. What was left of the leftmost section of the mirror broke off the clips connecting it to the wall, shattering into the sink. ¡°Geez, kid!¡± The large man rushed in, pulling Will away. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Are you hurt?¡± Will stared blankly in reply, his mind still trying to figure out what was going on. He had been so sure that he¡¯d gone back in time. The self-repairing mirror, the messages, ending it up ten minutes in the past, all had seemed so real. ¡°Hold your arm,¡± the coast said, carefully taking the boy into the corridor to the delight of the crowd. People were whispering, phones were recording videos, uploading them directly to dozens of places online. ¡°Don¡¯t touch the glass. You might nick an artery.¡± The advice wasn¡¯t remotely helpful. If Will wasn¡¯t going into shock, he might have made a snarky comment about it. Cold chills ran through his body. His vision became blurred, while the sounds and voices got more and more distorted. All he could feel was being taken through the corridors somewhere. ¡°Go to class!¡± the coach barked at the crowd. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to see.¡± Dozens of mobile phones disagreed. ¡°I¡¯ll warn the nurse,¡± a girl ran forward. There might have been more, but Will wasn¡¯t able to make it out. He felt unusually tired, more than a self-inflicted wound was supposed to cause. The thought of fainting crossed his mind for a second. It was quickly followed by the humiliation he would have to go through if that were the case. A rush of adrenaline shot through him like an electric jolt. Suddenly, his vision became a lot clearer. ¡°Stone? You alright there?¡± William nodded. The crushing sensation had gone, leaving only numb pain in his hand. An attempt to move his fingers quickly reminded him that he hadn¡¯t spontaneously healed. ¡°Hang on,¡± the coach said. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± By design, the nurse¡¯s office was at the furthest possible point from the first-floor restrooms. William had only been there once to get a few scrapes disinfected after a nasty fall during sports. The room was ridiculously small for a school this size, holding two beds in total, some basic first aid equipment, and a separate room for the nurse. Ironically, that was almost as large as the patient section itself. ¡°Put him on the bed,¡± the nurse said. Working in the field for eleven years, she had seen quite a lot from the silly to the serious. Having a boy dripping blood seemed to be the latter. ¡°He busted a mirror in the bathroom,¡± the coach explained, assisting William to the nearest bed. ¡°I think there¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Tell the vice principal and call his parents.¡± The woman took charge. ¡°Helen, you go to class and tell the teacher to excuse him.¡± ¡°I prefer to stay and¡ª¡± the girl began to protest. ¡°You¡¯ll only be in the way.¡± The nurse gave both of them a warning glare. ¡°I need to disinfect the wound and, for that, both of us need calm and quiet.¡± The tone in her voice made it clear she wouldn¡¯t accept any arguments. With a silent nod the girl and the coach left the nurse¡¯s office. ¡°That''s a bit better,¡± she said to Will with a smile. ¡°Now, let me see what we have here.¡± Slowly, he extended his wounded hand forward. Despite the blood and the glass fragments, most of the pain seemed to have subsided to the point he was considering moving his fingers again. ¡°Helen wasn¡¯t kidding.¡± The nurse shook her head. ¡°Stay like that. I¡¯ll get some towels so you stop dripping everywhere.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Will whispered. ¡°Smashed a mirror in the bathroom?¡± The woman went to one of the cabinets and took out a stack of paper towels. ¡°What made you do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I was angry, I guess.¡± ¡°Next time try to focus your anger on something less painful? I¡¯m not a fan of coach¡¯s methods, but in this case, maybe a few laps around school would be a better way to use up some energy?¡± Placing a few towels on the floor, the woman then put several more on Will¡¯s knees. ¡°Just relax your hand here,¡± she said. ¡°Palm down, fingers extended.¡± Will did just that. Considering everything that had happened, he was feeling remarkably calm¡­ unusually calm even. It was said that being at the nurse¡¯s office had a soothing effect. Experiencing it himself, he was starting to believe it. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡± The woman asked, as she put on a pair of plastic gloves from another cabinet. ¡°Something that¡¯s worrying you?¡± ¡°What should be worrying me?¡± ¡°You tell me.¡± She took a pair of tweezers, some cotton, and a bottle of medical alcohol. ¡°It¡¯s not every day that someone smashes a mirror for no reason. The way you did it I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t smash the wall as well.¡± The joke was hopeless, but it still put a smile on Will¡¯s face. ¡°I guess I was just having a bad morning¡­¡± ¡°Mhm. That¡¯s what the last person who did this said.¡± A jolt of interest ran through Will¡¯s mind. ¡°Someone did this before?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Carefully, the nurse grabbed hold of a piece of glass with her tweezers, then gently pulled it out. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you who, of course, but the results were even worse than what you have here now.¡± Once entirely out, the shard was dropped on the paper towel on the floor as the woman focused on the next. ¡°Did he tell you why he did it?¡± ¡°Why do you think it¡¯s a he?¡± Another piece was safely removed. ¡°Whoever it was, they only said that they¡¯d been having a bad day and that they¡¯d been seeing things.¡± ¡°Seeing things?¡± Daniel, Will thought. It had to be Daniel. The rumors about the mirrors in the toilets weren¡¯t just rumors. It had actually happened. The realization made Will feel worse. Had Daniel gone through the same? If so, he had gone from seeing things and breaking mirrors to dying in a matter of months. ¡°What things?¡± Will pressed on. ¡°They never told me. Just things. I suggested that they get counseling, but I don¡¯t think they appreciated the idea. All I could do was patch them up and hope for the best.¡± And we all know how that turned out. ¡°You think I need counseling?¡± ¡°I think that every student in class needs counseling,¡± the nurse laughed, removing yet another shard. ¡°The teachers too. But that¡¯s just my personal opinion. If something really is bothering you, I think it would do you a lot of good. You may find it hard to believe, but I was young too once, so I know that there are things you cannot share with parents or teachers. Seeking professional assistance is always a better alternative than keeping it bottled up inside.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Will mumbled. Of everything, going to the school shrink was last on his priority list. ¡°The more you delay, the worse it will get.¡± Removing the final piece, the nurse took a bit of cotton with the tweezers, then soaked it in alcohol. ¡°Almost done.¡± She slid it over one of the cuts. The stinging was harsh and sudden, almost causing Will to pull back his hand. ¡°Just a bit more.¡± The woman continued with the disinfection. ¡°Try to move your fingers a bit.¡± Bracing himself mentally, Will tried to, but quickly stopped as a strong sensation of pain went through his hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± The nurse moved back. ¡°I¡¯ll tell your parents to take you to a hospital to have your hand checked out. I doubt anything¡¯s broken, but better be on the safe side. Look here, for a moment.¡± She held a finger in front of his face, then started moving it left and right. ¡°Any trouble following it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Will replied. ¡°Do you feel any headaches or nausea?¡± ¡°Err¡­ why? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing to worry about. Just a few standard nurse questions,¡± she chuckled. ¡°You should be worried more about your hand than anything I ask.¡± ¡°Did Daniel have headaches?¡± Will couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Was that the reason he died?¡± ¡°Daniel?¡± The nurse blinked. ¡°Who¡¯s talking about Daniel?¡± ¡°The person who broke the mirror. It was Daniel, right?¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t discuss such things, especially with students.¡± ¡°Was he?¡± Will did his best not to shout. He must have gone a bit too far nonetheless for the nurse¡¯s eyebrows moved up in an expression of concern, maybe even slight fear. ¡°Sorry.¡± He quickly added. ¡°I just¡­ I just want to know. I didn¡¯t feel well when I was in the bathroom. That¡¯s why I broke the mirror.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize to me. I¡¯m just here to make sure everyone is well.¡± Composure returned to her face. ¡°The principal, though. He¡¯ll have you do a lot of explaining. Your parents as well.¡± ¡°I have been having dark thoughts,¡± Will lied. Just to make it more convincing, he looked to the side. The last time he had made such a transparent lie was back in middle school. It hadn¡¯t worked at the time. Of course, he wasn¡¯t bleeding back then. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to end up like Daniel.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll reconsider my suggestion and have a chat with the school counselor?¡± Will had no such intention whatsoever. Still, he nodded. ¡°And you¡¯re not just saying that to make me tell you?¡± the woman asked. ¡°Does it matter? You won¡¯t tell me, anyway.¡± ¡°All I can tell you is that the person isn¡¯t Daniel.¡± The nurse relented. ¡°They are alive and well, and whether or not they took my advice, are doing a lot better. So, you don¡¯t have anything to worry about there.¡± That was a relief. Will felt the weight of a mountain fall off his shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re right, though. Daniel did have some issues.¡± Will blinked. This was a turn of events he didn¡¯t expect. In today¡¯s day and age, he knew how restricted medical staff were when discussing patients. That went double for schools. For her to openly address a taboo subject with such certainty, things must have been really serious. ¡°Are you being bullied, William?¡± ¡°What?¡± Where did that come from? ¡°I¡¯m just a school nurse, so I can¡¯t do anything, but if there¡¯s something going on, I¡¯d strongly suggest that you go to the police about it. Not the principal, not the counselor, but directly the police.¡± The cogs in Will¡¯s mind started turning. Had she just suggested that Daniel had been bullied? Given how often he got into fights, it was difficult to believe. The guy could take out a group of jocks on his own. There still were videos of him fighting them in the schoolyard. Slaughtering would have been a better word. True, he had used his backpack as a weapon, but it had still been four to one, and Daniel had ended up on top. ¡°Was Daniel¡ª¡±
Restarting eternity.
¡°¡ªbeing bullied?¡± Will asked. A pair of girls gave him a nasty glare as they walked past. The nurse had vanished along with her entire office. On the positive side, so had the pain Will had been experiencing until a moment ago. Looking at his hand, he could see no blood or cuts. Holding his breath, he moved his fingers around. ¡°Hey, Will!¡± Alex rushed up to him. ¡°Heard ¡®bout the muffins?¡± Ignoring him, Will continued moving his hand, as if checking that every part of it was fully functional. ¡°What¡¯s up with your hand?¡± his friend asked. There could be no further doubts¡ªtime had gone back, not once, but twice. Just to make sure, Will took out his phone. Ten minutes remained till eight. ¡°Bro, you ok?¡± Alex sounded marginally concerned, although with him it was difficult to tell. ¡°How about some muffins?¡± ¡°Muffins?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t heard? Some boujie foreign stuff. Everyone¡¯s talking about it. Want me to get you one?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Will walked past him and entered the school. 3. The Rogue Familiar faces filled the hallway. Many of them had been filming Will a few minutes ago¡ªor were about to do so several minutes from now, depending on one¡¯s point of view. Ignoring them, the boy rushed straight to the restroom. ¡°Guess you really have to go,¡± someone shouted. Laughter followed. Idiot, Will thought. The bathroom was in perfect condition: the mirrors were whole and there weren¡¯t any traces of glass or blood on the floor. That was a relief. Or was it? Will still had no clue what was going on. The only things he knew were that he was trapped in a ten-minute time-loop and that the mirrors had everything to do with it. ¡°What did you do?¡± he asked the nearest mirror. His reflection looked back. The staring contest continued for several seconds until both boy and reflection blinked. Clearly, that wasn¡¯t the answer. Now that the adrenaline rush was wearing off, Will had regained the capacity to focus on the real issue. As the teachers in science class kept repeating, the first step always was to gather all available data. Based on what had happened so far, an unknown force kept taking him back ten minutes into the past. This had occurred twice so far, and likely in another nine minutes would happen again. The event had appeared to have been triggered by the restroom mirror, yet Will had failed to replicate the experience. Finally, there didn¡¯t seem to be any consequences to his actions. Each loop erased everything other than his memories. If that hadn¡¯t been the case, he¡¯d still have a bloody hand. Those were the facts as he knew them. Now, he had to apply some logical thinking to figure out what was going on. Think. Will paced about. The initial mirror message had suggested that there was a way to escape this. That was what ¡°hope you enjoy your stay¡± was supposed to mean¡­ unless it was written in sarcasm. The second message had been the really interesting one, though. According to it, Will had discovered something called ¡°the Rogue.¡± What was that, though? And how did it affect the time looping aspect of his life? As he paced about, Will glanced at the mirrors. Was the Rogue something he had obtained? Or maybe¡ª The door swung open. ¡°Stone! I warned you about this!¡± The coach appeared, just as he had in the previous two times. That was another part of Will¡¯s new life¡ªcondemned to suffer the constant yelling of the man. Or maybe there was more to it? The coach was the first person to have appeared after the mirror messages. Could it be¡­? Will looked at him. ¡°Hello, Rogue,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°Excuse me?¡± The large man crossed his arms. Oh shit! That wasn¡¯t a mistake Will wanted to make. He might as well have cursed the coach to his face. Now that it was done, there were two courses of action: keep with it up in the hopes that he was right, or try to bullshit his way out of the situation. ¡°Aren¡¯t people supposed to knock before entering a bathroom?¡± Will decided to go with the latter. The question gave the large man pause. He wasn¡¯t a fan of the new bathroom inspection policy, just as he wasn¡¯t pleased with a great many things. As everyone else in the school system, he did his best to follow the rules, do as management demanded, look out for the kids, and try to remain sane in the process. ¡°Why? You feeling sick?¡± The question lacked any conviction whatsoever. Score! Will thought. All he had to do now was press on. ¡°Why not check the stalls as well, coach?¡± he asked. ¡°What if someone¡¯s hiding there? Better check the girl¡¯s toilets as well just in case.¡± Frowns the size of trenches covered the man¡¯s face. He took one look at the stalls, then back at Will, then stepped back, shaking his head. Neat trick, Will thought. Now that he knew that this approach worked, he intended to use it in every loop. Of course, he strongly preferred not to have to. At least, with this he had eliminated one hypothesis. If the coach wasn¡¯t ¡°the rogue,¡± though, who was? ¡°I guess you think it¡¯s funny?¡± Will asked the nearest mirror. He checked the time. With five minutes remaining, there wasn¡¯t much he could do. Going to the sink, he splashed some water on his face. ¡°Use additional mirrors to find out more,¡± he said, repeating the end of the second message. With nothing left to lose, Will went to the right most mirror then slid his wet fingers along it. Other than a few wet lines, nothing had changed. Determined, he did the same to the next mirror. When he touched the third, the mirror reacted. A mesh of cracks appeared beneath the smooth surface, then quickly faded away, leaving the familiar message.
You have discovered THE ROGUE (number 4). Use additional mirrors to find out more. Good luck!
Will froze, too shocked even to shout ¡°yes.¡± So, it was the mirrors, after all. ¡°What¡¯s the rogue?¡± he asked. The massage faded away, providing no answer. Unwilling to accept that, Will tapped on the surface once more, yet to no avail. Apparently, once activated, a mirror stopped ¡°functioning.¡± That was only true for this particular mirror, though; three more remained. After playing a bit, Will found that more mirrors provided snippets of information, as long as he activated them in the correct order. The rightmost mirror¡ªdubbed ¡°mirror 4¡± by him¡ªwas second in the sequence, presenting Will with a definition of ¡°the Rogue.¡±
THE ROGUE (number 4) Considered one of the most versatile classes, the ROGUE focuses on stealth, nimbleness, and subterfuge. The class grants its finder with twenty-three skills throughout its full progression.
Eager to discover what those skills were, Will checked the remaining two mirrors. The answer emerged in ¡°mirror 1¡±¡ªthe same that he had smashed up in the previous loop¡ªin the form of a short list. If there were twenty-three ¡°skills¡± there had to be other ways of obtaining them, for all he could see now were three.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ROGUE¡¯s SIGHT Locate the weak spots of a device or living target.
FAST REACTION React and perform actions faster than the human eye.
QUICK JAB Perform a fast, but weak, attack with a sharp weapon.
Will kept on staring at the mirror until the messages eventually faded away. What¡¯s this geek shit? Will liked games just as much as the average person, but his genre of choice had always been first-person shooters. It didn¡¯t help that the explanations were completely nonsensical. They didn¡¯t provide any specifics, just a general guideline anyone could figure out based on the names alone. Besides, if that was true, he wouldn¡¯t have experienced the humiliation in class two loops ago. When Jace had punched his backpack across the room, Will had barely seen it. If that was the level of ¡°fast reaction¡± he was better off¡ª
Restarting eternity.
No! No! No! Had ten minutes passed so fast? Will reached in the direction of the last unactivated mirror, but all he reached was air. ¡°Cool move, weirdo,¡± a pair of girls passed by as he stood in front of the school¡¯s entrance. He had been too late. ¡°Hey, Will!¡± Alex rushed up to him. ¡°Heard ¡®bout the muffins?¡± ¡°Not again,¡± Will groaned. ¡°What? You don¡¯t like muffins, bro?¡± It wasn¡¯t about the muffins, but explaining it would take too long. Ten minutes was barely enough time to get anything done, even without a goofball asking silly questions. Rushing past his friend, Will directly went straight into the restroom. Stopping at the second mirror from the door, he held his breath and tapped it with his finger. Surely enough, a message appeared, informing him he¡¯d found the rogue. Four, one, three, the boy thought as he tapped the remaining three mirrors in order. Knowing the contents of the messages, he didn¡¯t bother reading the familiar messages, focusing on the last.
HINT Defeat opponents to increase your level.
Will¡¯s heart sank. According to the hint, not only would he have to fight against something for questionable benefits, but he¡¯d have to do so in the next nine minutes. The first thought that came to mind was to have a go at the coach who¡¯d pop up behind the door any moment now. Even putting the whole moral aspect aside, the boy wasn¡¯t convinced he could win. Athletic by nature, Will hadn¡¯t gotten into a real fight since middle school. He¡¯d had his share of shouting matches along with the occasional shove, but that was it. Too large to be picked on, too average to pick on others, he had spent most of his life in the uneventful in-between. He felt confident that he had the chops to take on someone his own size, but anything more would be pushing it. The door swung open. ¡°Stone! I warned you about¡ª¡± ¡°On my way out, coach,¡± Will decided not to tempt fate. Twisting his body, he squeezed through the gap between the man and the doorframe, making his way into the hallway. ¡°Oh, and tell someone to unclog the toilets.¡± The combination of the unusually agile motion and the blood freezing comment rendered the coach speechless. Still holding the door with one hand, he stood there, unable to utter a word or move a muscle. Any other time, Will would have stopped to admire the result of his work. Right now, he was running out of time. According to his phone, seven minutes remained till the next loop. There were a handful of people in the classroom when he entered, all of them busy opening windows. That wasn¡¯t going to help with the stench. During the first loop, the pungent smell had lasted all the way till the start of class. The smell of things was the least of Will¡¯s worries. With all the mirrors in the boy¡¯s bathroom activated, the nearest place for more information was the girl¡¯s room. ¡°Think anyone will sit there?¡± Alex leaned over him, almost making will jump out of his skin. ¡°Hey, chill, bro!¡± The goofball took a step back, hands defensively in front. ¡°It¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t hear you get here.¡± ¡°No shit!¡± ¡°Sorry, Alex. I just have a lot of things on my mind.¡± ¡°I feel you, bro.¡± Alex leaned in again. ¡°I heard Daniel had volunteered for some new study drug,¡± he added in a whisper. ¡°The heavy shit that lets you function with half an hour sleep per day.¡± If only it were so simple. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°Think about it! His fam didn¡¯t know because of the NDAs. And the cops wouldn¡¯t dare meddle to avoid a lawsuit.¡± He looked about the room, then continued in a hushed voice. ¡°I bet they didn¡¯t even search his desk.¡± ¡°You know what? You might be right.¡± Alex blinked. Having someone believe his theories was a definite first. Normally, people would either move away or get him to do so. Getting something right, for a change, severely risked ruining his reputation as a hundred percent bullshitter. ¡°I¡¯ll go check it later.¡± What Will had in mind was that he¡¯d do that during his next loop. There was too little time now, not to mention too many people. There was no firm evidence that Daniel knew anything about the time loops, but given he¡¯d been acting weird for the last few months, it was worth checking it out. At worst, Will would lose a loop. At best, he might find a clue as to what was going on. ¡°Aaart!¡± a shout filled the room. Glancing at the entrance, Will saw the group of jocks come in. Right. It¡¯s this part, he told himself. Doing his best to avoid attention, the boy put his phone in his pocket and took out his art materials from his backpack. The hope was that if there wasn¡¯t anything for Jace to punch, he wouldn¡¯t bother. All Will needed was for the jock to leave him alone for a few more minutes. After that, it wouldn¡¯t matter. ¡°What¡¯s up, Stoner?¡± Jace sat next to him. ¡°Ready for some art.¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Will replied. Without warning, the other swung at him, going directly for his face. This wasn¡¯t an innocent slap, either. Jace had clenched his fist, aiming for maximum pain. Will could see the trajectory long before it reached him. What was more, he knew all he had to do was hit the elbow of his attack to keep the strike from landing. Will¡¯s right hand darted up, hitting its target, pushing Jace¡¯s arm away from him. Wow, he thought. He¡¯d never been able to do anything of the sort before. Both the speed and precision were out of this world. Maybe the rogue class wasn¡¯t useless, after all. Keeping the momentum, he pulled back, then sent another jab straight at the side of Jace¡¯s face. Knuckles hit jaw, throwing the jock out of the seat and onto the ground. Several people jumped up, Will among them. If this would turn into a fight, he didn¡¯t want to be caught sitting down. Four jocks glared at him, eyes filled with hatred. If they had no interest before, they definitely did now. Restart, Will said to himself. Come on, loop, restart. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± a voice came from the door. The art teacher¡ªMatthew Hoch¡ªhad just entered his classroom to witness the most horrifying sight. From his point of view, there was one student unconscious on the ground, and another, a few steps away, clenching his fists. It was obvious what had happened, just as it was obvious what he, as a schoolteacher, should do about it. ¡°William Stone, come with me to the principal¡¯s office,¡± he said in a stern voice. William gave the teacher an annoyed glance, then shrugged. With a new loop about to start, it really didn¡¯t matter what he did. No one but him would remember this, which was both good and bad. Any punishment would be ignored but, at the same time, Jace would continue being a jerk. ¡°You, take him to the nurse¡¯s office,¡± the teacher told the group of jocks. ¡°Will. I¡¯m waiting.¡± All the excitement ended there. A few students snapped some photos with their phones, even if all the interesting moments were gone. Meanwhile, Will accompanied the teacher down the hallway. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this from you, Will,¡± the man said. ¡°You used to be such a good student.¡± That was a lie. Will had never been a troublemaker, but had never been particularly good at art, either. All his creations ranged from passable to outright terrible. ¡°Do you think that violence solves everything?¡± Do you want an honest answer? ¡°He attacked first,¡± Will replied. He was just coming up with a plausible lie when the school bell rang. Shit! No new loop had started. 4. The Wooden Diary The only thing worse than being taken to the principal¡¯s office was finding the vice-principal there instead. The woman had earned herself the nickname ¡°the harpy¡± a few months after arriving at Enigma High, and it wasn¡¯t because of her looks. Having the displeasure of going to see her on several occasions, Will had a pretty good idea of what to expect. An archaic metal clock ticked on the wall behind the empty desk, marking three minutes past the hour. Will could hear parts of the conversation between the vice-principal and the art teacher in the waiting room outside. Nothing good was said. On a slightly positive note, he had a good idea where the weak spots of the windows were, should he attempt to break out of the room. If the office wasn¡¯t on the second floor, he was tempted to try. The door opened, marking the end of the conversation outside. The vice-principal, a tall woman with short black hair and an ice gaze, calmly took her seat behind the desk. She couldn¡¯t be described as thin, although she was by no means large, either. The old-fashioned business suit made her appear like a mob secretary of an eighties movie. Will wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she took out a cigar from her top drawer and lit it. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be back here, Mister Stone,¡± she said in a dry voice. Out of everyone Will knew she was the only person that managed to make ¡°mister¡± sound like an insult. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d be the one fighting. Needless to say, I¡¯m very disappointed.¡± ¡°He started it,¡± Will said, with a lot less enthusiasm than a few minutes ago. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s always someone else who started it. You just ended it for the good of everyone, right?¡± Huh? Will blinked. That was a whole new level of cringe. ¡°So, what¡¯s your version?¡± She opened the drawer of her desk and took out an e-cigarette and started vaping. ¡°He tried to punch me in the face, so I defended myself.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± White smoke came out of her mouth. ¡°You defended yourself. And in defending yourself, knocked him out on the floor?¡± ¡°I was lucky.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t do any serious damage. If Mister Ekham hadn¡¯t regained consciousness, a lot more people would have gotten involved.¡± She took another puff. ¡°They still could. It all depends on what his parents decide.¡± Will remained silent. ¡°And just in case you¡¯re wondering, I¡¯ve already called your parents. Your father should be here in about an hour. I would have preferred if both your parents were here, but one must make do with what¡¯s available.¡± Great¡­ Will¡¯s relations with his parents were already tense. It wasn¡¯t that he did anything that made them mad, but he hadn¡¯t done much they had approved of, either. The few times he¡¯d wanted to discuss serious matters, they had been busy with work or the latest scandal on the news to notice. ¡°Still nothing to add?¡± the vice-principal asked. ¡°What more can I say? You¡¯ve already made up your mind, same as all the other times.¡± Speaking his mind felt so easy for some reason. ¡°I came to you and principal Barnes dozens of times and you didn¡¯t do a thing. If you had, Daniel would have been alive.¡± The woman¡¯s e-cigarette trembled. After a few seconds of silence, she put it down on her desk, still not saying a word. ¡°Five,¡± she said at last. ¡°You came to see us precisely five times. And bullying had nothing to do with what happened to Mister Keen.¡± ¡°How can you be sure?¡± ¡°Because he told me so himself.¡± It was Will¡¯s turn to feel surprised. He knew that Daniel had gone to the principal¡¯s office several times¡ªwith all the fighting he was involved, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t be. Even so, he didn¡¯t strike Will as someone who talked about his problems. ¡°What was it?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s not for me to say. Mister Keen was a very troubled young man. He used to say that he felt trapped here, as if he were in a cage he couldn¡¯t escape. Both I and the school counselor had several long conversations with his parents on the matter. They were in complete denial, refusing to believe anything we said. I can¡¯t remember how many times I suggested he go to a professional therapist. We have one of the best school counselors, but this remains a school. We don¡¯t have the resources or expertise to deal with specialized matters.¡± Felt trapped, Will thought. That was a rather prompt description of the time loops, as long as one knew how to connect the dots. ¡°Did he say anything else? Anything strange?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, he once mentioned that¡ª¡±
Restarting eternity.
¡°Huh?¡± Will blinked. So, the time loop wasn¡¯t over after all. Immediately, he checked his phone. Ten minutes remained till eight, just as all the previous times. Was it possible that the time loops were slowly deteriorating? ¡°You mind?¡± a pair of girls walked past. ¡°Weirdo,¡± one muttered to the other as they entered the school. ¡°Hey, Will!¡± Alex said. ¡°Heard¡ª¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Will interrupted. ¡°Get me a muffin.¡± He tapped his friend on the shoulder. ¡°See you in class.¡± Leaving the goofball dumbstruck, Will ran into the building. The first thing he did was go through the restroom and tap the correct mirror sequence. The next logical step was to go through the girls¡¯ bathroom and check the mirrors there. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. It won¡¯t matter, he told himself. No one will remember this at the start of the next loop. And still, he couldn¡¯t force himself to do it. The hell with it! He walked past the restroom door, heading directly for his classroom. There would be other loops to try it out. For now, there was something else he wanted to check out. The stench in the room was eye watering. It was outright scary that only a few minutes could make such a huge difference. More shockingly, Will saw that he wasn¡¯t the only one there. ¡°Will, help me open the windows,¡± a girl said. Often referred to as Miss Perfect, Helen Kracow was a straight A student and the class representative. Come to think of it, she had been the only person who had shown a bit of sympathy to Will a few loops ago. With the exception of that, he barely knew her. Wearing torn up jeans covered with stickers, one could mistake her for a delinquent. Of course, that only was until they started paying attention. It wouldn¡¯t take long for anyone to notice that the tears were too precise, her shoes and shirts always belonged to an expensive brand, and her seemingly messy brown hair was always messy in exactly the same way. ¡°Sure.¡± Will made his way to the far end of the room and opened the window there. ¡°What do they use for cleaning? Industrial solvent?¡± he cracked a joke than made him cringe inside. Ten times out of ten, Helen had politely ignored any such attempts. Surprisingly, this time she responded. ¡°They need that after a nature mort session,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Right.¡± Will laughed a bit more forcefully than was necessary. He got the joke, just didn¡¯t particularly like it. Although clever, there was a touch of high-class snobbishness to it, or at least he so thought. Two by two, all the windows were opened, allowing some access to fresh air. ¡°We need to open the door as well,¡± Will said. ¡°Better not. The draft slams the door too much. When people start arriving, they¡¯ll create the same effect.¡± And the stench will last that much longer, he thought. Leaning against the window frame, he looked at Daniel¡¯s desk. Scribbles and carvings were everywhere. It was a mystery how anyone had allowed it to get so bad. The school had a zero-tolerance policy when it came to writing on desks or walls. Many had found themselves in the principal¡¯s office for mere initials. There was no way Daniel''s desk was overlooked. The only logical explanation was that he had received permission to write on it. Casually, Will made his way to the desk. Most of the scribbles were numbers and drawings of wolves. Up close, they looked rather good. If they had been on a canvas or sheet of paper, they would have gotten an A. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Helen asked. ¡°Just looking,¡± Will replied. Words crisscrossed over each other, making it difficult to read. After a while, though, he managed to spot something of interest: ¡°in the nurse¡¯s office¡± written beneath a rather good depiction of a hand mirror with the number twelve in it. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should,¡± the girl¡¯s tone hardened. ¡°I¡¯m not hurting anyone.¡± Will didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Don¡¯t you find this stuff interesting?¡± ¡°No.¡± Large sections of gibberish covered the entire left section, along with song lyrics and random musings. Near the upper corner, Daniel had even written ¡°Alex, you¡¯re an idiot¡± in all caps. That broke the tension a bit, bringing a smile to Will¡¯s face. There are wolves in every corner, the boy read. That didn¡¯t make much sense, although it was more legible than most of the rest. With the number of wolf scribbles, one could assume that Daniel didn¡¯t like the creatures much. They were depicted as vicious and grotesque creatures, fangs bared, drool dripping from them. Unable to find anything of interest, Will crouched to look beneath the desk. There he found the motherload. WC b ¨C 4, WC g ¨C 15, N ¨C 12, 3 - SBE Beware coach! The numbers could have been anything, but not the warning. As everyone knew, and Will had experienced in all the loops, one of the coach¡¯s main responsibilities was to check the bathrooms. That, combined with WC, suggested that there was something on the bathroom mirrors. The ¡°4¡± no doubt referred to the rogue that Will had now found. The ¡°15¡± was probably another class in the girls¡¯ bathroom and definitely worth checking out next loop, despite the risks. The N presented something of a riddle. It was tempting to assume it to be the nurse¡¯s office, but that was a bit of a stretch. As for SBE, that remained a complete mystery. A list of some sort followed underneath. Will quickly recognized the three ¡°skills¡± that the rogue class had granted him. Next to each was the number one. Beneath them were nine more, clustered in groups of three. One could assume that those were the skills one obtained upon reaching the corresponding level. You¡¯ve been keeping a diary, Will thought, skimming through the notes and data left by Daniel. How had he done so, though? The loops erased everything, so they should have erased the scribbles as well. Could it be there was a way to leave information behind? As his classmates started to arrive, Will¡¯s immediate reaction was to take a snapshot of the desk for later. Then he remembered it wouldn¡¯t do him much good; there was no ¡°later¡± between loops. The only things that remained were his memories. ¡°Thinking of changing desks?¡± Alex peered from the side. ¡°Doubt anyone else would. I heard Daniel kept a stash of some new study drug beneath the desk.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing here, Alex,¡± Will grumbled. ¡°Just a few pieces of chewing gum.¡± ¡°You sure, bro? I can check¡ª¡± ¡°Absolutely nothing.¡± Will quickly moved out from beneath. It was well known that if Alex got his claws into a secret, it didn¡¯t remain secret for long. ¡°Just wolves and monsters.¡± ¡°For real?¡± The goofball seemed surprised. ¡°Pretty sus, that. Danny always had a thing for wolves, though.¡± ¡°I never knew about it.¡± ¡°Bro, you know nothing.¡± The other laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t even know who¡¯s hooked up with who.¡± And you no doubt do, Will thought. ¡°Seriously, you changing desks?¡± ¡°Why not? No one¡¯s using it. Plus, it¡¯s away from the jock section.¡± ¡°I feel you.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t, though. Bad luck. What if it¡¯s possessed by Danny¡¯s ghost?¡± ¡°Alex, you aren¡¯t superstitious.¡± Will frowned. If anything, his friend was the opposite of superstitious, explaining every UFO sighting and supernatural phenomenon by an equally absurd conspiracy theory. Everything in the world revolved round big corporations and coverups, including the new bathroom check policy. According to Alex, the policy had been in effect since the eighties¡ªin Alex¡¯s world, things always started in the eighties. Back then, it had supposedly been a lot more subtle, relying on plants ratting out their classmates. Supposedly, when the school was built, all the walls were covered with hallucinogenic chemicals to observe the effects they had on children. Due to budget cuts, the chemicals were not enough for every room, so the bathrooms remained as ¡°clean¡± areas. Thus, students were discouraged from staying there for too long so as not to taint the results of the experiment. Naturally, as with most of his theories, this had only been thought up a week ago. ¡°Just cause I¡¯m not, doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t get you, bro,¡± Alex said. ¡°And I don¡¯t want you haunting me cause I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re safe.¡± Will put his backpack next to his new desk. ¡°Aaart!¡± Jac shouted from the classroom entrance. His glance quickly fell on Will, upon which the annoying grin on his face faded away. ¡°You changing desks, Stoner?¡± ¡°Why? Thinking of joining me?¡± Will asked back. Since he had already beaten up the jock once, his confidence had shot sky high. Jace must have felt that, for he didn¡¯t even attempt a reply, continuing to his own desk along with his friends. ¡°Catch you after class,¡± Alex whispered and quickly moved away. ¡°Sure.¡± Will kept looking at the group of jocks. There was no guarantee they wouldn¡¯t try something before the teacher arrived. The situation felt remarkably similar to what Daniel had done while alive. Almost every class he¡¯d trade insults with the jocks when he wasn¡¯t outright fighting with them. There was no longer any doubt in Will¡¯s mind that¡ª
Restarting eternity.
5. Next Time, Try Sooner During the next dozen loops, Will focused on obtaining every possible piece of information from the desk. Avoiding the fight with Jace had reduced the length of his loops back to ten minutes, which didn¡¯t leave enough time for him to decipher all the scribbles and numbers in one go. He had made a few times to dash into the girl¡¯s bathroom, despite his reluctance, but each time some unexpected event had prevented him from succeeding. For starters, the annoying pair of girls from the school entrance would spend the entire time till first period chatting about themselves and some K-pop band. Will had tried to wait them out. When that hadn¡¯t worked, he¡¯d attempted to annoy them with a conversation or even create some distraction further down the hall. All the attempts ended in utter failure. The single time he had managed to find the correct combo and get them out of the way, the coach emerged ruining any chance he had of entering. It was almost as if the universe was hinting that this wasn¡¯t the way to go. Daniel¡¯s desk, in contrast, was not nearly as elusive. Even with the constant distractions in the face of Alex, Helen, and the jocks, Will had managed bit by bit to learn the basic notes by heart. Some, like the future rogue skills, proved to be informative, though not immediately useful. A few additional scribbles gave examples of rogue skills combinations that allowed access to otherwise unreachable areas of the school¡ªsuch as the roof¡ªwith minimal time and effort. That was all fine and good, but to try any of them, he needed to boost his level, and Will remained clueless how to do so. The useless hint that he¡¯d received from the restroom mirror was also there, hidden among the other scribbles of the desk. Its meaning still eluded him. He¡¯d only defeated an opponent once in all his loops, but even then, there hadn¡¯t been an indication that his rogue level had increased. ¡°Thinking of changing desks?¡± Alex asked his usual question. ¡°Doubt anyone else would. I heard Daniel kept a stash of some new study drug beneath the desk.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no stash,¡± Will grumbled. ¡°I already checked.¡± ¡°For real?¡± Alex sounded more disappointed than surprised. No doubt it would have been a lot more interesting if Will had found some mysterious ampule with a cryptic label on it. ¡°There¡¯s a bit of gum, if you want.¡± ¡°Nah, bro. I¡¯m good.¡± The goofball quickly moved back, waving his hands in disgust. ¡°I trust you. Still is sus as hell.¡± ¡°Alex, have you seen Daniel doing all this?¡± ¡°Err, sure.¡± Alex looked at the ceiling with a ponderous expression. Will himself had been trying to remember for several loops, and while he could think of several instances in which his classmate had scribbled something or other, it wasn¡¯t enough to achieve a tenth of the final result. It was almost as if the desk had been new¡ªat least as new as a school desk could be¡ªone day, and completely covered the next. ¡°I don¡¯t think he did it during class,¡± Will said. ¡°Someone would have noticed.¡± ¡°He did it after class?¡± Alex¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Lit.¡± Not the word Will would use. That created even more questions than before. ¡°Do you have a mirror with you?¡± Will asked. ¡°Sure.¡± His friend grinned, then took out a phone from his pocket. ¡°Ta-da!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a phone.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± The other couldn¡¯t understand the difference. ¡°It has two cameras¡ªfront and back. Better than a mirror!¡± ¡°Do you have a mirror mirror?¡± ¡°Nah, no way. Only old grandmas have that crap.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°There are mirrors in the toilet.¡± ¡°Apart from those.¡± ¡°In the gym?¡± The gym! Of course. Will hadn¡¯t even thought of that. Given how far away it was, reaching it in ten minutes would be difficult, but maybe not impossible. As long as he got the rogue skills before that, he could¡ª ¡°But that¡¯s locked till third period,¡± Alex added. ¡°Great¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, fam. Nurse¡¯s office? What do you need a mirror for? You hooked up?¡± he lowered his voice, glancing around in an attempt to find some clue. Nurse¡¯s office. That was somewhere Will could reach. Maybe it was worth having a go? He already knew that the woman would be there. ¡°Seriously?¡± Alex shoved him with a grin. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Miss Perfect,¡± Will replied. With a few minutes left, he might as well have some fun. ¡°Bro-o-o!¡± The goofball patted him on the shoulder. ¡°So much rizz! How?¡± ¡°You really want to know?¡± Alex eagerly nodded, as Will knew he would. Such a juicy piece of gossip couldn¡¯t be missed. Such a rumor could be spread throughout the school for days. On the other hand, it was more likely that it would only last a few seconds. Looking at his friend, Will couldn¡¯t help but smile as the reset message appeared.
Restarting eternity.
Poor guy, Will thought, heading directly for the entrance. He didn¡¯t have much time, so he had to get on with his plan as quickly as possible. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Watch it, jerk!¡± one of the pair of girls shouted, as he brushed them on his way into the hall. From there he went to the boy¡¯s bathroom¡ªas he had done a dozen times¡ªtouched the mirrors in the correct order, as he had done a dozen times, then went back out again. It could be said that Will was a terrible actor. He had managed to butcher all the school plays he¡¯d been part of to the point that teachers quickly learned not to give him even tree roles. There was no way he could fake an injury. The only option was to self-inflict a real one. As he proceeded to close the bathroom door, this time he put his left hand there and pulled it. Bam! The pain vastly exceeded his expectations, bringing tears to his eyes and more than a few words of choice to his mind. ¡°Shit! Shit! Shit!¡± Will bent over, holding his hand. When he¡¯d started, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d slammed the door so hard, and yet he felt as if someone had hit his hand with a sledgehammer. ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on?¡± the coach rushed to the scene. "Geeze, kid!¡± he rushed to the boy. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Are you hurt?¡± In his mind, Will said, ¡°I slammed the door on my fingers.¡± What came out of his mouth was a combination of unintelligible groans. A crowd gathered, eager to find out what was going on and film it live. Will had come to know all the faces, even those of people who didn¡¯t belong to his class. After so many loops, it was difficult not to start noticing particular details. ¡°Go to class!¡± The coach barked at the crowd. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to see.¡± His words had little effect. ¡°I¡¯ll warn the nurse,¡± Helen ran down the corridor. This was the second time she was fast to react. Will would have been impressed if he wasn¡¯t trembling in pain. How come he never knew he was this fragile? He¡¯d done enough sports in the past to get accustomed to wounds and pain. When he was younger, he¡¯d even broken his arm. The pain back then was nothing compared to what he was experiencing now. ¡°Stone? You alright there?¡± the coach asked. Will nodded, despite feeling like throwing up. ¡°Hang on. We¡¯re almost there.¡± The nurse¡¯s office was just as he remembered it. Suppressing the pain through his force of will, he looked about as he was dragged in, all the time searching for mirrors. ¡°Put him on the bed,¡± the nurse said. ¡°He slammed a door on his fingers,¡± the coach explained. As he did, the boy spotted the mirror. It was in the corner right above the small sink. Only a few steps separated Will from it, but in the present circumstances, it might as well have been a thousand. ¡°I think there¡¯s¡ª¡± the coach tried to say, but was quickly interrupted. ¡°Tell the vice principal and call his parents.¡± The woman took charge. ¡°Helen, you go to class and tell the teacher to excuse him.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the girl replied, and quickly left. That was new. Apparently, if the wound wasn¡¯t life threatening, she had no reason to stay behind. All the better. Now he¡¯d have a better chance of reaching the mirror before the loop was over. ¡°You better go,¡± the nurse told the man. ¡°You¡¯ll only be in the way. I need to see if there¡¯s anything broken, then bandage him up. With a silent nod, the coach left the nurse¡¯s office. ¡°That¡¯s a bit better. Now, let me see what we have here.¡± Moving his fingers remained a lot more painful than last time. It was as if a knife had cut into his fingers, making them pulse at the slightest touch. ¡°Slammed a door on them? I thought that only happened to old people,¡± she tried to lighten the mood with a joke. ¡°How exactly did you manage?¡± ¡°I wanted to close the door quickly before class,¡± Will grunted. ¡°Next time, try to focus on what you¡¯re doing, okay?¡± The woman stood up and went to one of the medical cabinets. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look serious, but best have an X-ray to be sure. I¡¯ll tell your parents about it when they get here.¡± ¡°I think I can move my fingers,¡± the boy lied. ¡°Well, don¡¯t.¡± She gave him an annoyed glance. ¡°You¡¯re lucky it wasn¡¯t worse.¡± ¡°Can I get a glass of water?¡± With a minute to eight, the only chance was to drop any subtlety and go for it. Either that, or in the next loop, he¡¯d have to go through the entire thing again. Maybe that time he wouldn¡¯t slam the door so hard, though. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling a bit dizzy¡­¡± It was always possible to invent a few other symptoms. In his mind, Will was already doing that. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t come to it. ¡°That¡¯s normal. I¡¯ll get you a soda once I¡¯m done bandaging your hand.¡± She took two rolls of tape and bandages. ¡°Can I go get it before that?¡± he stood up. ¡°Lie back down.¡± Her expression remained warm and friendly, but her tone wasn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Yes! Will thought. Placing the bandages on a nearby shelf, the nurse slowly made her way to the door. Come on! Come on! Will screamed internally. How was it that ten minutes always passed so fast? It hardly mattered what he did; as soon as he made any sort of progress, it was already time to restart everything from scratch. Next loop, he was going to wait up for the jocks in the corridor and beat up all of them. If his previous experience was anything to go by, that would give him around twenty extra minutes. Combined with the initial ten minutes, he¡¯d have half an hour to go about the school and check out all of Daniel¡¯s notes. ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡± The woman asked at the entrance. ¡°Something that¡¯s worrying you?¡± No! ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You tell me. It¡¯s not every day that someone slams a door on their hand just like that. Is anyone bullying you?¡± ¡°What? No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying that if you are in any sort of trouble you can tell me or the counselor. You may find it hard to believe, but I was young too once, so I know that there are things you cannot share with parents or teachers. Seeking professional assistance is always a better alternative than keeping it bottled up inside.¡± ¡°Can I just have some water, please?¡± The situation could have been resolved in a whole multitude of ways. Seeing how agitated he was getting; the nurse could have remained a bit longer in an attempt to calm him down and thus exhausted all the remaining time of the loop. Not knowing what went through his mind, though, she decided to quickly leave the room. As far as she was concerned, there was no doubt that Will was a victim of bullying. Her imagination pictured him as a sensitive soul putting up a front of strength. What he really needed was to be left alone so he could cry a bit in private without anyone finding out. Under such circumstances, it was normal to oblige. Finally! Will dashed towards the small mirror the moment the door closed. It was all a matter of seconds now. The fast reaction skill granted to him by the rogue let him get to the other side of the room in an instant. His right hand darted forward, grabbing the mirror.
The class has already been found by someone else. Next time, try sooner.
¡°Huh¡± Someone else was also caught in the loop?
Restarting eternity.
Once again, Will was back at the starting point. This time, he didn¡¯t rush into the building. The nurse¡¯s mirror hadn¡¯t given him what he wanted, but instead had provided him with a lot more. After seeing the message, he knew two things for certain: that there was another class hidden within the mirror, and¡ªmore importantly¡ªthat he wasn¡¯t alone. Someone else was in this mess with him. The big question was whether Will would be able to cooperate with that someone or he¡¯d be forced to compete. 6. The Other Time Looped ¡°Alex.¡± Will pulled his friend to the side before the goofball could start talking about muffins again. ¡°What do you know about Helen?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Alex blinked. Having his routine interrupted was unexpected, putting his mind in a feedback loop. It took several seconds for him to snap out of it. ¡°Helen who?¡± ¡°Kracow,¡± Will whispered. ¡°Miss Perfect?¡± Alex sounded impressed. ¡°Bro! Mad rizz! You into her?¡± ¡°What can you tell me about her?¡± ¡°Err. Well, her family¡¯s rich and Asian¡­¡± he paused. That was only partially true. Having Kracow for a family name had posed some questions on the first day of high school. From what Helen herself had explained at the time, her father had been adopted by a family of Polish immigrants who¡¯d given him the name. It was one of those interesting stories that a person remembered even years later. It was also not what Will was interested in. ¡°Other than that?¡± he asked. ¡°What do you want to know, bro? She¡¯s good in class, got money and three brothers¡­ I heard they beat up the last guy that tried to get close to her.¡± That was a rather good question. What exactly did Will want to know? Even with Alex, who was a walking Wikipedia of gossip, some clarifications were necessary. Should he start with her interests? Her family? Her friends? ¡°Who does she hang out with?¡± ¡°Some of the queen bees, some of the other class reps¡­ She¡¯s a regular at the public speaking club. She hasn¡¯t hooked up with anyone.¡± He gave Will a sly smile. ¡°Oh, she hates geek stuff, so don¡¯t bring up any manga, or games, or¡ª¡± ¡°Has she been acting weirdly lately?¡± ¡°Miss Perfect? No way, bro,¡± Alex said confidently. ¡°What you hear?¡± he added in a whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just that she always arrives first, and other stuff.¡± ¡°Yep. First to go, last to leave." The conversation quickly devolved into tangentially related trivial gossip. It seemed that Helen was one topic Alex didn¡¯t know much about. If the girl had any secrets, they were well hidden. Interestingly enough, the goofball was more than happy to spill the secrets of half a dozen people who¡¯d tried to date her and had gotten shot down. Helen didn¡¯t seem to be in any relations, or even be remotely interested in anyone. Her grades were exemplary, but she hadn¡¯t discussed any plans for college. As far as anyone could tell, she was just the name on top of the grades leaderboard. With five minutes left until the end of the loop, Will decided to wait it out. There wasn¡¯t much he could do with the remaining time. Also, he preferred to be with Helen alone when he confronted her. That was one of the good things about loops: he could do anything, no matter how crazy, and there wouldn¡¯t be consequences. People continued arriving in droves. Younger students got dropped off by parents, even if they preferred to walk the last hundred feet alone to not be the target of ridicule. Will had done the same in his last year of middle school. Of course, he was luckier than most¡ªhe had an older brother who had returned from college. Being dropped off by an older, cooler, brother wasn¡¯t a cause of shame, but a source of positive school cred. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to buy lunch,¡± a mother shouted, to the horror of her son. The unfortunate boy looked down, as if avoiding eye contact with the world could act as a protective shield. I feel you, Will thought. That one yell from the parent had broken two of the coolness rules in one go: be seen being dropped off by a parent, and flaunt your money. All that was missing was for him to go get a ¡°boujie muffin¡± that Alex was talking about for breakfast.
Restarting eternity.
Will broke out in a sprint. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry, weirdo?¡± the pair of girls shouted behind him. Corridor, mirrors, classroom, the boy said to himself. He was starting to see the difference of speed between his normal state and after finding the rogue. It was far more than double¡ªmore like quadruple, at least. And best of all, Will didn¡¯t feel tired from the sprint one bit. Helen was the only one in the room, just as he knew she would be. This was perfect. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, casually making his way to Daniel¡¯s desk. ¡°Hey,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Help me open the windows.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Will tossed his backpack on his new desk. ¡°No idea why they use industrial solvent to clean,¡± he cracked a joke. ¡°Someone has to.¡± This loop, Helen didn¡¯t seem particularly impressed. In fact, she was outright distant. Will choosing to change desks had clearly affected her in some way. ¡°What do you think happened to Danny?¡± Will asked as he opened the window at the back of the room. ¡°Alex heard that he was into some pharma drug test group.¡± ¡°Alex doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about.¡± The reaction was reserved. ¡°So, what do you think happened?¡± Choosing not to answer, the girl went to the next window and started opening it. Will did the same. They were only a few steps away from one another. In his mind, the boy considered how to continue the conversation. The fact that there was no right or wrong approach only made him more hesitant. Despite all logic, and for no reason, he wanted to nail it on his first go, as if that was going to grant him some sort of life achievement. ¡°You know,¡± he began. ¡°I saw you at the nurse¡¯s office. Everything ok?¡± ¡°Why should I go there?¡± She avoided his glance, opening the window, far slower than she was supposed to. That had to be it¡ªthe proof that Will was searching for. Miss Perfect wasn¡¯t the type of person to look away, not for someone like him. She had to know what he was hinting about. ¡°To look in the mir¡ª¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Without warning, Helen twisted around like a martial artist in a video game. The action was so fast and surprising that anyone would have received a kick in the waist. Thanks to the rogue, Will wasn¡¯t anyone. His body moved on its own, pulling back to avoid the attack. Helen¡¯s foot past swooshed less than an inch from him, landing on the window frame.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Frame shattered.
A message appeared in the air. ¡°Knight?¡± Will thought. This was the first time Will saw messages triggered by someone other than himself. The good news was that he had been right, and she was another time looped. The bad news¡ªshe had started their conversation in a very violent fashion. Not giving him a moment to catch his breath, the girl grabbed the nearest desk and threw it at him, as if it were a toy. Holy shit! Will rolled on the ground, avoiding the hit again by inches. A second desk flew towards the classroom door, blocking any means of escape. It also prevented others from coming in. Helen was either very good at strategic thinking, or she had planned this in advance¡­ just like him. ¡°You¡¯re time looped!¡± Will jumped onto Daniel¡¯s desk. ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± For three full seconds, the girl didn¡¯t respond. His hunch was correct¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t risk damaging it. ¡°Just like Daniel.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about Daniel, murderer!¡± Anger flashed through her eyes. Whatever kept her from going all out was gone. The girl grabbed several chairs and threw them at him in immediate succession. Reacting on instinct, Will evaded one while kicking the other in what he perceived to be his weak spot. The chair shattered in two, but so did the boy¡¯s leg. You gotta be kidding! A wave of pain shot up from his leg, making him puke on the spot. There was no way this was an accident¡ªWill had become a lot more fragile. Any moderate hit was able, if not to break his bones, at least cause enough pain for it to seem it had. The boy fell to the floor, knocking down the desk he had been standing on. More waves of pain based through him, partially numbed down by the first. Before he was in a state to act, Helen had made her way above him, pinning him down with the back of a chair. ¡°Why did you kill him?¡± she asked, pressing the chair into his chest with such strength that he could barely breathe. ¡°I¡­¡± Will wanted to say that he didn¡¯t, that he had no idea what she was talking about. The agony he was in prevented him from uttering anything remotely intelligible. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± Suddenly all pain subsided, as the girl pushed onto the chair, snapping Will in two.
Restarting eternity.
Will gasped for air as he stood in front of the school. Not only the pair of girls, but everyone in the area looked at him as if he¡¯d come to school naked. This was the first time a loop had been triggered by his death, and he definitely didn¡¯t like it. The crippling pain was gone, replaced by crippling mental anxiety. Was he the same person now that he¡¯d died once? Or had the loop created a clone with his memories? ¡°Hey, dude, need a doctor?¡± someone asked. Will didn¡¯t have the capacity to tell whether that was a genuine offer for help or a sarcastic comment. All he knew was that he had to get away from here. Going against the flow of the crowd, he ran out of the school gates in the first direction he could see. It didn¡¯t matter where he went as long as Helen wasn¡¯t there. Soon enough, he found himself in front of a coffee shop. Looking around twice, to make sure he was safe, Will then went inside. The place was small and mostly empty. A fragrant smell of coffee, cocoa, and sugar filled the space, giving it a homey feeling of coziness. Spotting an empty table in the car corner, Will rushed to it and sat down. His hands were still trembling. It was only now that his mind started to go past the fact that he had died, focusing on other, almost as serious, issues. Key among them was the realization that Helen was also looped. As such, she would remember what happened in previous loops, not to mention there was every chance that she would react just as aggressively each time they came across each other. The only way to avoid that was to avoid her altogether, which meant not entering the classroom. Second, Will really had to find a solution to his fragile state. That meant that activating the rogue mirror was no longer a matter of choice. The fast reflexes were the only thing that gave him a chance. Had Daniel gone through the same? Likely. Why was Helen so convinced Will had murdered him, though? ¡°Here.¡± The barista placed a mug of cocoa at the boy¡¯s table. ¡°I didn¡¯t order that,¡± the boy said, confused. ¡°Your hands did.¡± Will looked down at his hands. They were still trembling. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The barista said. Tall, skinny, with orange hair, he seemed somewhere between his late twenties to early thirties, emanating an air of chill that would make even Alex envious. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time someone has come here to hide. Also,¡± he leaned closer. ¡°Since cocoa is brewed by the jug, there¡¯s no way of keeping track of it,¡± he whispered. The absurdity of the statement made Will quickly forget his recent death experience. ¡°If you want something with it, though, you¡¯ll have to pay for it.¡± ¡°What do you have?¡± The boy looked around, actually seeing the coffee shop for the first time. Barely large enough to hold six tables in total, it gave ¡°home cooking¡± vibes. Dark wooden paneling covered the lower half of the walls, complemented by the beige wallpaper. Paintings of cakes, doughnuts, and coffee were all over the place, providing a hint of what could be found at the glass counter. On closer inspection, one would see plates of sandwiches¡ªmade with homemade bread, as was chalked down on the board behind. A large wooden board with the phrase ¡°No TV! No Wi-Fi! Just talk to each other¡± hung near the window onlooking the street. ¡°Do you have muffins?¡± Will asked, the phrase engraved into his mind after so many loops. ¡°Muffins?¡± The barista laughed. ¡°That would be the day. Ever since Spencer got those things, everyone¡¯s been asking.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Spencer?¡± ¡°The owner of the place near your school. You are from Enigma High?¡± ¡°Yeah. Well, what do you suggest?¡± ¡°Mousse.¡± The answer came without hesitation. ¡°Most of our older customers avoid it, but I¡¯m sure you can handle a bit of sweetness. Fifteen bucks, but it¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Money didn¡¯t matter. By the time it came to pay, a new loop would have started. Besides, Will was slightly curious. ¡°I¡¯ll have that.¡± ¡°Right. Be right back.¡± As the barista went to get a cup of mousse, Will took a sip of his cocoa. The taste was nice, although it could have used a bit more sugar. ¡°Who¡¯s chasing you?¡± The barista asked. ¡°If you want to share.¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± ¡°You want to know a secret?¡± The orange-haired said, looking over his shoulder. ¡°When someone says that, it never is. The reasons are always simple. It¡¯s the solutions that are often tricky, but even then, not as much as most people think.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a classmate that can beat me up anytime,¡± the boy said. As long as advice was offered, he might as well take advantage. ¡°Just like that?¡± The barista returned, placing the cup of moose on the table along with a laughably small spoon. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like the type to get easily beaten up.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the other guy.¡± Or girl, as the case was. ¡°I know this might sound cringe, but have you tried talking? I don¡¯t mean bonding and all that. Everyone has some sort of motivation. As long as you find out what it is, you could convince your classmate that beating you up won¡¯t help him fulfill it. And if that doesn¡¯t work, you can always redirect their focus on another target.¡± Will stared. ¡°Psychology graduate.¡± The other smiled. ¡°It¡¯s helped me a lot in real life.¡± Will laughed as well. Come to think of it, that wasn¡¯t a bad idea. Helen was set to kill him because she believed him to be responsible for Daniel¡¯s death. If he managed to convince her otherwise, maybe there wouldn¡¯t be any more prematurely ended loops. The boy scooped a spoonful of chocolate mousse and put it in his mouth. It really was sweet.
Restarting eternity.
7. Death and Muffins ¡°Hey, Alex!¡± Will waved the moment the goofball came into view. Up to now, he¡¯d thought that his friend appeared about ten seconds after the start of the loop. As it turned out, it was closer to half a minute. ¡°How about we get some muffins?¡± ¡°For real?¡± Alex blinked. This was supposed to be his line. ¡°You into muffins, bro?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s talking about them, so why not try?¡± There was no arguing against that logic. Nonetheless, it still didn¡¯t feel quite right. Despite what Alex claimed, muffins weren¡¯t a real trend. All those talking about them¡ªwho were far less than the goofball made people believe¡ªonly knew of them through him. Even the corner shop had barely advertised, effectively taking them as a replacement for something else. Thus, the owner was nearly astonished when not one but two students had come before class asking to buy some. ¡°What flavor would you like?¡± Spencer asked. He was a large man with a mustache that had gone out of style in the seventies. The man had been here since Will could remember. In truth, he could almost be considered part of the school. The cornershop was not only the only one on school grounds, but it actually was considered school property. Spencer had made a deal with the previous school administration to transform the small building into a place to sell snacks and drinks in exchange for part of the profit. The arrangement had worked quite well, even if every now and again weird products would make a brief appearance just to be whisked away a week later. ¡°One of each,¡± Will quickly said. ¡°For him as well.¡± ¡°Bro, I¡ª¡± Alex began. ¡°I¡¯m paying.¡± He ran his phone over the wireless register. ¡°Two bags, half a dozen each.¡± The man took a small brown paper bag and started filling it with what looked suspiciously like cupcakes. ¡°Okay, what¡¯s up, bro?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You celebrating?¡± ¡°Nah. Just decided to start living for a change.¡± The other boy narrowed his eyes. ¡°You ok?¡± he asked. Will was just about to say fine when he saw Jace and his group of jocks approach. The timing was terrible. Will hadn¡¯t gotten his rogue skills, making him as defenseless as a balloon in a pin factory. Instinctively, he tensed up. ¡°Jace, Bro!¡± Alex said with the suicidal confidence only he was capable of. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Beat it, nerds,¡± the jock replied. ¡°Three cans,¡± he told Spencer, ignoring the other two boys entirely. What the hell? Will wondered. In all the loops, they had been so hostile in class, and yet now they didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with him. Jace had every excuse to get into a fight, but instead he couldn¡¯t get the energy drink cans fast enough, disgusted to even be seen in the same place as Alex. Confused, the boy watched the jocks move away, talking about movies, cars, and movies¡ªin that order. It felt as if this was an entirely different reality altogether. ¡°Here you go.¡± Spencer handed the muffin bags with a smile. ¡°Six each. Hope you enjoy. And tell me if you¡¯d like me to order more.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Spence!¡± Alex said, right before biting into one of his muffins without bothering to remove the paper cup. ¡°What you think?¡± he asked, mouth full. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in a bit.¡± Will kept an eye on the jocks as they moved towards the front of the school. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about those guys. They¡¯re in a good mood today.¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± ¡°My nose isn¡¯t bleeding,¡± Alex laughed. ¡°You really must try these, bro. They¡¯re lit!¡± Will did. After the mousse moments ago, from his point of view, the muffins tasted outright bland. Maybe if he tried them in ten or twenty loops, but even then, there was no guarantee he¡¯d like them. ¡°Have mine,¡± he handed the bag to Alex. ¡°For real?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not my thing.¡± ¡°Thanks, bro!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Now came the information gathering part. ¡°Alex, what have you heard about Daniel?¡± ¡°Dead guy?¡± The goofball chomped another muffing. ¡°Lots of sus stuff. They said he was in some drug program testing crap that can keep you awake all day. Lots of NDAs so his parents didn¡¯t know and the cops couldn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Will had already heard this part. ¡°I mean before that. Was he into anything weird?¡± ¡°Why? What have you heard?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you.¡± ¡°Well, he had paper money. That¡¯s mega sus. Who uses paper money?¡± The boy spat out the paper that came with the muffin, and took yet another. ¡°I think he was in a gang. Like, a real one. He never did any sports, and still could beat up half the football team. That was lit, but also scary. Saw a fight in the gym once. Big oof. They all went at him and he tossed them around like¡­¡± he gesticulated, searching for the right word. ¡°What about him and Helen?¡± ¡°Danny and Miss Perfect?¡± Alex laughed. ¡°Why? What did you hear?¡± ¡°She told me they were close.¡± That was a bit of an assumption on his part, but not one without merit. Helen hadn¡¯t liked him messing with Daniel¡¯s desk even before she had learned he was looped. The only logical explanation was that they had to be an item. Depending how long the loops had been going on for, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising that they¡¯d become close without anyone else noticing. ¡°Huh?¡± Alex almost choked. ¡°No way, bro. Like for real? Nah, no way!¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Danny is sus as hell! No rizz, no social life, his grades are worse than mine!¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°Maybe chicks really dig bad boys?¡± ¡°Be serious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, bro. Danny was messed up. No way she¡¯d fall for him.¡± The comment sounded innocent enough, but Will spotted the nugget of information he had been hoping for. Hopefully, it would be wasting a loop on muffins. ¡°Messed up how?¡± ¡°You know¡­ messed up. Guy was a regular with the school shrink. For real! I saw him there several times per week.¡± ¡°You went to the counselor?¡± Will found that unexpected. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not that I need it. It¡¯s just a cool place to hang.¡± Everyone Will knew came up with excuses not to go to see the school counselor. He himself had been told so twice since the starting of the loops. At the same time, he could see why his friend would enjoy it. Asking to see the counselor was a certain way to skip any class, no questions asked. He could avoid homework, P.E., even the odd test every now and again. It wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to think that he helped himself to anything edible there as well. ¡°Danny didn¡¯t like it much. He¡¯d always come out worse than he went in.¡± ¡°Did he say what he was there for?¡± ¡°Nightmares,¡± Alex instantly replied. ¡°Told me he kept having nightmares that kept him awake. Must have been pretty bad cause he¡¯d always have them. I think it was a side effect from the meds they were pumping him with. I bet the shrink¡¯s working for big pharma.¡± The boy continued with his conspiracy theories, but Will was no longer listening. Thanks to Alex, he knew where he could find some answers. All he had to do was get them.
Restarting eternity.
Unfortunately, as it often happened in life, every solution came with its own set of problems. When Will had gone to the counselor¡¯s office after completing his usual routine, he had found the room to be locked. It had taken him two loops to find out that Mister June had been involved in a traffic accident and would be arriving late. Three more loops were spent finding creative ways to enter the room. There were two sets of spare keys: one held by the janitor, and the other at the principal¡¯s office. The janitor¡¯s set was easy to get, but located too far for Will to make it there and back before the end of the room without attracting attention. In contrast, the set in the principal¡¯s office was merely a few doors away, but not something he was looking forward to. Twice the boy had tried to break the door open in the hopes of incrementally searching the room. As flimsy as the door was, Will turned out to be flimsier, ending up at the nurse¡¯s office both times. What was worse, his condition prevented him from getting the unknown class even when Helen wasn¡¯t there with him. After ten unsuccessful loops, and one more spent in the coffee shop to collect his thoughts, and have some free mousse, the boy decided to change approaches again. Since he couldn¡¯t find any leads to what might have caused Daniel¡¯s death, he might as well try and convince Helen without any proof. It was all a matter of timing, correct approach, and very fast reactions.
Restarting eternity.
Holding his backpack like a weapon, Will quickly completed his sequence, then went to the classroom. ¡°Helen, I¡ª¡± he began upon entering just to have a desk fly into his head.
Restarting eternity.
Will¡¯s second death was virtually painless. If anything, he felt embarrassed by the whole thing. This was the shortest loop he¡¯d experienced by far. The girl hadn¡¯t even let him explain. By the looks of it, her mind was already made up. Still dazed by the experience, Will looked around. Everything was just as it had been before, from the pair of annoying girls to the parents dropping off their children. Soon enough, Alex would appear with his standard greeting. For a moment, Will considered dragging him in the whole thing. Maybe going to see Helen with other people would prevent her from charging at him for long enough for him to voice an explanation. On the other hand, it was just as efficient to use the loops to get familiar with her actions and find a counter to it. That proved to be easier said than done. Suspecting he might do something of the sort, Helen also changed tactics each time. Some loops she¡¯d throw something heavy his way¡ªalways from a different position; others she¡¯d wait for him just by the door. The few times he¡¯d managed to make an argument, the girl had completely ignored him, proceeding to crack his neck, or skull respectively. Eventually, it became clear that if Will wanted to make his case; he had to prove he had the strength or will to back it up. For that reason, at his next loop, he decided to play dirty. ¡°Stone!¡± the coach yelled as he swung the bathroom door open. ¡°I warned¡­¡± his voice trailed off seeing the boy soaking wet. ¡°What the heck happened here?¡± One of the sink faucets was broken, spraying water all over the place. ¡°It just broke off!¡± Will lied. ¡°Things don¡¯t just break!¡± He rushed in, under the common illusion that his presence would somehow make the flow of water stop. It didn¡¯t. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there! Get out of there!¡± The yells quickly attracted a small crowd, which grew even larger when Will took off his shirt. The action wasn¡¯t shocking or even mildly scandalous, but given the strict dress code, many were wondering what was going on. ¡°Someone get the janitor!¡± the coach shouted. While people were recording everything with their phones, Will kept an eye out for Helen. And surely enough, she appeared, emerging from the art classroom as if nothing had happened. ¡°Coach!¡± Will shouted. ¡°I think Helen and I should go tell the principal.¡± ¡°What do you want? A written request?¡± the coach yelled at him. ¡°Just do it.¡± This was the moment of truth for this loop. If Helen decided to play along, they would have some uninterrupted time to discuss things. That was unless she decided to go all destructor in the school hall. Don¡¯t go crazy. Will kept repeating in his mind. Don¡¯t go crazy. The two glanced at each other. Hatred still filled her eyes. There was no other emotion anywhere on her face, as if she were wearing a mask of marble. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said at last. In his mind, Will let out a sigh of relief. The two walked along the hallway to the staircase. Students everywhere stared at them¡ªmore specifically at the boy, who was still shirtless and mostly wet. ¡°You can¡¯t win against me,¡± Helen whispered. ¡°I just want to talk,¡± he quickly said. This was a once in a twenty-loop opportunity and he didn¡¯t want to waste it. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill Danny.¡± ¡°You have his class.¡± People were assigned classes? ¡°I got it in the guys¡¯ bathroom over a week after¡ª¡± ¡°Liar!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! Who¡¯d want to be trapped in this hell reliving ten minutes over and over again?¡± Helen stopped mid step. ¡°Ten minutes?¡± she asked, looking at him. ¡°You¡¯re still at ten minutes?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I got to fifteen once, but¡­ Why, what¡¯s it mean?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know, do you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to tell you. I tapped a mirror in the bathroom one day, then all this happened. I¡¯ve been trying to figure out how things work since then. The loops, the rogue, the mirrors¡­ Daniel¡­¡± Mentally, he tensed up as he said the last. This was the final test. If this didn¡¯t set her off, little else would. ¡°And you didn¡¯t kill Danny?¡± the girl asked. ¡°I barely knew him.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯ll make your loops hell. Okay?¡± This wasn¡¯t the result Will was hoping for, but he nodded nonetheless. It was something, at least. ¡°Meet me in class next loop. I¡¯ll tell you the basics.¡± 8. Time Loop Basics Arriving at the classroom, Will instinctively jumped to the side upon opening the door. Everyone in the corridor gave him a weird look before returning to their trivialities of the day. At the far end of the hallway, the coach was visible, having an argument with someone about something. Taking a deep breath, the boy walked through the doorway. Part of him expected to be greeted by a flying desk or two. Instead, he found Helen standing by the only open window, arms crossed. ¡°Close the door,¡± she said in a dry tone. When Will did, the girl grabbed a desk, then effortlessly walked to the door and lodged it against the handle. ¡°Saves time,¡± she explained. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d kill you, right?¡± ¡°You might have tried,¡± he replied, causing Helen¡¯s eyes to harrow in a frown. ¡°How long have you been looped?¡± ¡°Thirty¡ª¡± ¡°Newbie,¡± she sighed, interrupting him. Will wasn¡¯t sure whether it only felt insulting or it was meant to be. If he were in her place, he would have probably done the same, though. There was nothing worse than going through the basics with someone who had absolutely no idea about something. Will himself went through that each time one of his home devices had a software update. When that happened, his parents would always somehow manage to find the time to go and pester him to ¡°fix it.¡± Even worse, they¡¯d insist on following the process as if they had any idea what was going on. ¡°What about you?¡± he asked in an attempt to be nice. ¡°No idea. That¡¯s the first thing you stop paying attention to. I kept track to a hundred when I saw that there was no point. Nothing changes in the loops unless we make it happen.¡± Over a hundred loops, Will thought. Right now, that seemed like so much. There was a time when he thought that ten was plenty. The handle of the door moved down. Someone was trying to enter from outside, but the desk lodged into it prevented them from pulling it open. ¡°Is anyone in there?¡± someone asked. ¡°Ignore them.¡± Helen didn¡¯t bat an eye. ¡°They won¡¯t make it till the end of the standard loop.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Will nodded with a smile. The reaction was the first thing that made the girl visibly calm down. Looking at her, it was as if a layer of ice fell off her face, allowing the expression to change somewhat. ¡°Sometimes it is.¡± Her tone was less accusatory than before. ¡°How did you get trapped?¡± ¡°I decided to be cool in the bathroom,¡± he replied. ¡°Thought I¡¯d bop my reflection. When I touched the mirror, it shattered and unshattered, then formed the words ¡®Welcome to eternity¡¯.¡± He paused. ¡°Is this really eternity?¡± ¡°No one knows. Did you manage to extend your loops?¡± ¡°Once. When I knocked Jace out, I got five minutes more.¡± ¡°I remember that. Two things. As you¡¯ve guessed by the frequent visits to the nurse¡¯s office, we start off very fragile. That¡¯s tricky for combat classes, since winning fights are one of the ways to increase time.¡± ¡°Combat classes?¡± The boy tilted his head to the right. ¡°Right, I forgot you don¡¯t know that. There is a set number of mirrors containing classes. Daniel calls them¡­¡± she abruptly stopped. The faint air of joy completely evaporated as her expression frosted over once more. ¡°Daniel called them golden mirrors because the messages on them are in yellow letters. Once you touch one of them, you take the class and all its abilities.¡± The door handle moved again. Persistent knocking followed, along with raised voices. ¡°As far as we¡¯re aware, there are four golden mirrors at school. One in each first-floor bathroom, and one¡ª¡± ¡°In the nurse¡¯s office.¡± Will finished for her. ¡°I saw it written on Daniel¡¯s desk. How many classes are there? In total.¡± ¡°No one knows. Daniel was convinced that there were twenty-four, but he never told me how he got that number. He was the explorer type. It came with the class.¡± ¡°It does?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed how different you are when you¡¯re a rogue? It drives you to things that you normally wouldn¡¯t. It doesn¡¯t force you, but you feel¡­ sort of different inside.¡± That explained a few things. Will was definitely feeling more adventurous and standoffish after completing his mirror sequence. Never shy or introverted by nature, he¡¯d thought that was due to the lack of consequences. Apparently, classes provided a new outlook in addition to the abilities it granted. ¡°I¡¯m the knight,¡± Helen continued. ¡°I break and guard things.¡± I¡¯ve noticed, Will thought as he smiled. It was a quick way to extend the time of her loops, if she didn¡¯t have to worry about consequences. ¡°How did you get the knight? I tried getting to the girl¡¯s bathroom, but always failed.¡± ¡°I know. I start my loops there. Also, I¡¯m the one who tells coach on you.¡± She looked away for a moment. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°You?¡± That explained why the coach was always mad at him. Will thought that the large man normally behaved that way. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one way to extend my loop. Also¡­ I thought you had killed Daniel.¡± ¡°Just because I joined the loop?¡± ¡°No one joins the loop with someone else¡¯s class. When I saw you were the rogue, I¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The knocking on the door turned to slamming. Will could hear the unmistakable voice of the coach, along with several more adults. They were putting a lot of effort into breaking their way in. Looking at the violence with which the door shook, one would think they¡¯d break at any moment now. There wasn¡¯t an ounce of concern on Helen¡¯s face. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the back of the room.¡± She moved away from the door. ¡°It¡¯s less noisy there.¡± That much was true, although the stench of chemicals was a lot more pronounced. ¡°You¡¯re really calm about this,¡± Will said. ¡°I was a bit stressed out by the first few loops.¡± ¡°Everyone is.¡± ¡°Did any of you find out why this happened? Or why?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s what we were trying to find out. Daniel was convinced that the loop was a game we had to escape. The last few days, he kept on saying that this was all a competition. The winner ends the loop and gains a prize. As for everyone else, they either get thrown back to the start of the loop with no memories, or remain stuck here until they find their own way out. That¡¯s what we were doing the day before he died.¡± ¡°Sorry. It sounds like you two were close.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± As a boy, he wanted to console her. As a rogue he felt it wouldn¡¯t be a good move to be this direct. Slow and easy wins the race and by the sound of it they were going to spend an eternity together, anyway. There¡¯d be a lot of time to get to know each other. ¡°The only thing for certain is that we aren¡¯t the only ones.¡± Will¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°There are other looped? Who?¡± ¡°No idea. The rule is that everyone is close to the mirror that gave them their initial class. There are at least four golden mirrors at school, which means at least four people. I¡¯ve also seen a few more from a distance, but that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Maybe we can try to get them to meet us? I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°Write graffiti all over the school?¡± Helen asked. Will was thinking of putting notes on the school¡¯s bulletin board, but spray painting was another viable method. ¡°It¡¯s one of the first things we tried. It didn¡¯t work. Or rather, it worked badly.¡± Her voice acquired an icy edge. ¡°Daniel thought that if we make enough noise, it¡¯ll go viral. Sadly, he was right. A few hours after we did it, it was everywhere online. Even the mainstream media sent teams here to ask questions. That¡¯s when archer started chasing us.¡± ¡°Archer?¡± ¡°Another class. I¡¯ve only seen them from a distance. They spent a few dozen loops shooting at us with arrows, then suddenly stopped.¡± That sounded outright horrifying. Will thought he remembered something written on the desk about an archer. It was accompanied by a lot of numbers, so he didn¡¯t think much of it, focusing on more understandable messages. Thinking about it, that posed an interesting question. Actually, more than one. The way Helen talked, one got the impression that she and Daniel had stretched their loops to last days. While technically possible to achieve through fighting, it would have required them beating up the entire school. Could that have happened during one of their past loops, and if so, was he one of the victims? ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± He glanced at Daniel¡¯s desk. ¡°What¡¯s with the wolves, by the way?¡± ¡°The wolves are monsters. They attack you when you go too far. You¡¯re not ready for them yet.¡± On the outside, Will nodded. The rogue within him, though, disagreed. There was some almost primal desire to find and hunt them down. From what was written on the desk, they could be found in the corners, so that was one more thing to check after his morning sequence. The desk propped against the classroom door shook violently. A little more and it wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the crowd outside from entering. That wasn¡¯t a big deal, since there was less than a minute till the end of the loop. ¡°How do you leave messages?¡± the boy asked. ¡°You can¡¯t. That¡¯s the whole thing about time loops. Nothing but memories are left behind.¡± ¡°What about that?¡± he pointed at the desk. ¡°Daniel found a way.¡± ¡°Daniel died,¡± Helen said with the same sharpness as during the time she¡¯d killed Will. ¡°All that he did during his last loop was left behind.¡± Oh. ¡°The only way to leave something permanent behind is to die permanently.¡± Or to win and escape the loop, the boy thought. Daniel believed it, so there was every chance it was true. Either way, it would require a lot more talks and explanations. ¡°We¡¯ll find out what happened to him,¡± he said. ¡°One loop we were checking the subway¡¯s mirrors. When I started my next, he was already gone.¡± Console her, Will told himself. Despite all reservations, the moment felt too good to miss. How could it be otherwise? Helen had spent goodness knows how many loops with Daniel before he died, and no one even suspected. Anyone would need a shoulder to cry on even if for a few minutes, and right now Will was it. Just as he opened his mouth, the loop ended.
Restarting eternity.
The boy was left staring at the school entrance. There were a few moments of regret, as if he¡¯d lost a chance that might never again occur. A quick insult from the usual pair of annoying girls quickly brought his mood back to normal. With infinite loops, he had an infinite chance at pretty much anything. Everything Helen had told him was only the surface. More questions were inevitable the further he explored, and he intended to do that right now. Rushing into the building before Alex could appear, Will went through the usual mirror sequence. Back in the hall, he noticed the first big difference¡ªthe coach was nowhere to be seen. Thanks, Helen, he thought, moving onwards. The boy walked past the girl¡¯s bathroom, then continued on, passing by the classroom instead. His goal this loop was the nurse¡¯s office. Maybe it was slightly egoistical, but he wanted to see what the class there was and with Helen still in class, he was going to find out. ¡°There''s no chance they get to the regionals,¡± someone said in the corridor. ¡°Their game is shit, plus two of the guys are out sick.¡± ¡°That why coach been coming early?¡± Will inadvertently slowed his pace. This had little to do with his current goal, but any information about the coach and the football team was valuable. There had always been rumors that the school team had more than its share of problems. With three losses in a row, the standard rumors of a cursed team had been floating about. Will found them bogus, of course. The Enigma Riddles had won five games in a row before that, still putting them well ahead of most schools in the area. The problems did explain why Jace and his group were so irritable. Thinking about it, the same could be said about the coach. Making a note to listen more in some future loop, the boy continued to the nurse¡¯s office and knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± the nurse said from inside, as expected. Not wasting a moment, he did so. ¡°Yes?¡± The woman looked at Will, trying to remember who he was. With a school this size, she only remembered the regulars: jocks, people with health issues, and all that was ¡°unfortunately clumsy.¡± It was a well-known secret that referred to all the victims of bullying, despite all the school¡¯s many attempts to root it out. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling that well,¡± the boy said. The nurse gave him a doubtful smile. She had seen her share of sickness attempts and could smell bullshit from a mile away. However, even so, school regulations required that she always checked the condition of any student going to her office. ¡°Of course.¡± She stopped the music on her phone and stood up. ¡°Go in and take a seat. I¡¯ll be with you in a moment.¡± That was too perfect. Will had expected questions. Not only were they absent, but he¡¯d been given some time alone in the patient section as well. Walking in, he went straight for the mirror in the corner and tapped it.
The class has already been found by someone else. Next time, try sooner.
Huh? Will blinked This couldn¡¯t be right. It was impossible for Helen to have gone all the way here, not in such a short amount of time. ¡°And what exactly are you doing?¡± the nurse asked from behind. 9. Procrastination and Wolves There were moments in every person¡¯s life when they knew they dun goofed. In this case, Will had just come to a realization he should have had loops ago¡ªthere was no reason that adults couldn¡¯t be affected as well. The fact that the other two looped he knew were classmates had blinded him to the fact that there were other people near mirrors at this time. The nurse was a perfect example. As much as he had discounted her in the past, she was the one closest to the mirror and currently had caught him red-handed trying to steal her class. ¡°I¡¯m waiting.¡± The boy could see the nurse cross her arms in the mirror. ¡°I wanted to see if my eyes weren¡¯t red,¡± he said. Even if he were caught, there was no need to make it easy for her. The rogue within him told him to bluff to the end. ¡°Also, my heart rate¡¯s way too fast.¡± ¡°Just sit on the bed,¡± the woman said in a stern tone. Will obeyed. Had he gotten away with it? Was this just bad timing on his part? The nurse put two fingers on the side of his throat. After a few moments, the annoyance on her expression shifted to alarm. ¡°Better lie down.¡± After confirming that he had no fever. The nurse took his blood pressure. Everything seemed fine, with the exception of his heart rate. For once in his life, Will was pleased to have been startled. By all accounts, it seemed that the nurse wasn¡¯t one of them, but just a conscientious, diligent worker. As much a relief as that was, it didn¡¯t solve his greater problem. ¡°Everything seems okay,¡± the woman said after taking his blood pressure for the third time. ¡°Might have been stress or a sudden drop in blood pressure. I¡¯ll call your parents and tell them to have you checked out. Have you had breakfast this morning?¡± That was a more complicated question than most people might think. In terms of the rest of the world, Will had indeed had a full breakfast. Simultaneously, the only food he¡¯d eaten in the last eight hours, give or take, was a spoon of chocolate mousse and half a muffin. ¡°A bit,¡± he gave the neutrally correct answer. ¡°Being young is no excuse not to care about your body.¡± The nurse scolded him, then left the room for a moment. When she was back, she had a chocolate bar with her. ¡°Eat this.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Will removed the wrapper and took a bite. It was way too bitter for his taste, but it was too late refusing now. Besides, free chocolate was free chocolate. ¡°Nurse, do a lot of people come here?¡± ¡°More than they should. Why? Thinking of becoming a doctor?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that there are only two beds, so¡­¡± The nurse beamed. In her experience, it was rare for anyone to show interest in her work. In fact, it was the opposite. People hated coming here, voluntarily or not. And even when they were here, they couldn¡¯t wait to leave. ¡°Thankfully, most of the time, I deal with minor scrapes and bruises. Our very own school athletes are quite the regulars. I¡¯ve had words with coach several times, not that it matters. The man is obsessed with his regional championship as if it¡¯s the Nobel prize.¡± Knowing the man, Will could see that. When he wasn¡¯t shouting or doing bathroom checks, the coach kept going on and on about the importance of sports in life, and especially trophies. There was no denying that he achieved results. Ever since he¡¯d joined the school, the football team had earned five regional prizes, and a second place at the nationals. ¡°Did he pass by this morning?¡± The nurse stared at Will as if he¡¯d said something inappropriate. ¡°I heard that he called the football team for a practice session before class.¡± ¡°Sounds like him.¡± It wasn¡¯t a strong denial by any means, though there was no way he could confront her about it. All that was left was to finish his chocolate, then remain in bed till the start of the next loop.
Restarting eternity.
¡°How can you tell someone¡¯s one of us?¡± Will asked as he helped Helen open the windows? ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± The girl looked outside, enjoying the air. ¡°Not immediately. Daniel was sure there had to be some mirror or power for it. Yet, I was the one who found him.¡± ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Observation. If you look at the same thing long enough, you see differences. He was the only one who did different things every morning, just like you.¡± ¡°That made sense.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t work on someone who¡¯s careful, though. If I hadn¡¯t made my move, no one would have guessed. Even Daniel.¡± That was good advice. Will had no desire to go through the nurse¡¯s office just yet, but it gave him another idea. Since everyone else was no doubt a lot more experienced at this, it was better to flip the script and make them find him. From what he could guess, Daniel had been the same way. All the notes on his desk proved it. During the next few loops, Will proceeded to explore as much of the school as his loop would allow him, all the time, in search of mirrors. Starting with the low hanging fruit, he went through the boys¡¯ bathrooms on all three floors. Just because there were no class mirrors, didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t find anything useful. It quickly became clear that most of the mirrors acted as information screens displaying his class, skills, and level. Every now and again, they would write out the precise location of the mirror, including address, floor, room, and the number of the mirror itself. What Will found useful was that tapping the mirrors in a particular order provided hints for him to focus on during eternity. The first suggestion he received was to extend the length of his loops in order to find more mirrors. Although he was already aware of that, seeing the mirror message gave him a sense of achievement. However, it was the second hint that really turned things around. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
HINT Find new classes to explore in different ways.
Having played first-person shooters for years, Will immediately understood what the hint was telling him: this wasn¡¯t a cooperative game. Rather, to be more specific, it was a cooperatively competitive game. Having only a person hold a class at a time clearly drove people against one another. A person¡¯s immediate reaction was to rush through all the golden mirrors and get the classes before anyone else. And there lay the catch. With everyone in close proximity to their class mirror, it was physically challenging for anyone to get someone else¡¯s. The only feasible solution was for both parties to come to an agreement and swap classes. It was also thanks to these two hints, and all the exploring he¡¯d done in his ten-minute time limit, that Will started making sense in the numbers on the desk. They were never meant to be a code or cypher; they were a map of all the mirrors at school and the order in which they had to be activated. ¡°Did Danny ask you to swap classes?¡± Will asked, leaning against the frame of the morning window¡ªthe spot he¡¯d usually talk with Helen. With her loop being far longer, the girl preferred to do most of her exploring during recess. ¡°A few times. He hoped being a rogue would give me a sense of exploration. It was fun for a bit, but I preferred my own class.¡± Why? The boy wanted to ask. Instead, he just nodded. ¡°Any luck with the shrink?¡± he casually asked. ¡°No. He keeps his files on paper,¡± Helen grumbled. ¡°When I ask him directly, he always reverts to the standard line. All I know for certain is that the files are in his office. He let it slip once.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help with that once I get my loop longer.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to stretch it till third period. Until then, you¡¯re useless.¡± Harsh, but true. Other than basic exploration, Will¡¯s minutes weren¡¯t anything much. All the information he¡¯d received from Helen and Daniel¡¯s desk was useless if he couldn¡¯t take advantage of it. ¡°So, tell me how to do it.¡± ¡°I told you, it¡¯s different for every class. It¡¯s not just winning fights. Each person has their own way.¡± She had said that before, but never elaborated. Even after so many loops, the boy was left with the impression she didn¡¯t trust him fully. ¡°It¡¯s like a maze. If you do the ¡°right¡± things, you get to move on along the path ahead. The classes help a bit, but you''ll have to figure out your sequence if you want to reach third period.¡± It would have helped if there was an indication he¡¯d done well. Sadly, the only way to find out was to wait for the loop to finish, as he had found out after knocking out Jace. ¡°I started following Daniel¡¯s sequence.¡± Will changed the subject. ¡°The mirror map? He was obsessed with it,¡± the girl cracked a smile. ¡°He was so excited about it.¡± ¡°Looks like he wanted to map all the mirrors at school.¡± ¡°There was no point. Most of them are useless. The explanations are good the first time, but you can skip them. They waste time and don¡¯t give anything.¡± Helen looked over her shoulder. More of their classmates had started entering the room and inevitably complaining about the chemical smell, among other things. Soon Alex would join in, followed a minute later by Jace and his jocks. ¡°See you next loop,¡± Helen whispered, then went back to her desk, pretending she didn¡¯t know Will. On his part, he went back to Daniel¡¯s desk to endure the next few minutes. At least now he had something to do while waiting. ¡°Thinking of changing desks?¡± Alex asked, right on schedule. ¡°Don¡¯t think anyone else would. I heard Danny kept a stash of some secret wonder drug stuck to the desk.¡± He peered at Will¡¯s phone. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The bottom of Danny¡¯s desk,¡± Will replied. ¡°I checked.¡± ¡°Lit. What are the numbers?¡± he pointed. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to figure out. Any idea?¡± ¡°Nah. That¡¯s code breaker shit. I¡ª¡± He stopped when Will flicked to the next photo. ¡°Lol. Sixty-nine.¡± ¡°Alex¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny, bro! That¡¯s the number of rooms at school.¡± Will blinked. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°For real, bro! Can¡¯t forget that. Miles told me about it when I was helping out.¡± ¡®Helping out¡¯ was Alex¡¯s way of saying that he had been punished to do so by the vice-principal after causing a major mess up in the chemistry lab. And as for Miles, he was the school janitor. ¡°He¡¯s really lit. Knows all sorts of things about this place.¡± ¡°Sixty-nine rooms,¡± Will said. Somehow, he expected there to be a lot more. For Daniel to have scribbled the number down, he must have gone through them all. ¡°Aaart!¡± Jace arrived, interrupting their discussion. On cue, Alex excused himself and rushed to his seat. ¡°What¡¯s up, Stoner?¡± the jock asked. Will was tempted to give him the finger. That would be certain to earn him five additional minutes, but also a trip to the principal¡¯s office. If there were any mirrors there, he would have instantly gone for it. Right now, he had other plans, though. ¡°Nothing much. You?¡± The confidence with which he said it made Jace pause. No immediate insults followed, although the anger was still there, surrounding him and the rest of the jocks like a cloud. ¡°Hope you make it to the regionals,¡± Will continued. ¡°Shut up, Stoner!¡± Jace hissed. Apparently, he couldn¡¯t distinguish between an olive branch and a club in the mouth. ¡°Think that just because you¡¯ve taken Danny¡¯s desk, we¡¯re afraid of you?¡± Wow! Where did that come from? The jock made a step in Will¡¯s direction. Before he could do more, one of his friends put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re lucky, snitch. Keep that up after class and you might not be!¡± Yeah, yeah, Will thought. You say that every time.
Restarting eternity.
Faced with the option of finding the path that would extend his loop and satisfying his own curiosity, Will chose the latter. It felt a bit like procrastinating, but as every gamer knew, ¡°just one more loop never hurt anyone.¡± As a result, ten loops were spent following the steps Daniel had set out. The more mirrors the boy touched, the more he got a sense of what his predecessor must have gone through. Roaming through the school was no small feat, especially since in several cases, additional distractions were needed. The one on the first floor remained off limits. Even with the coach no longer chasing him, Helen had made it clear she¡¯d crack his skull if he tried walking in. The rest yielded one additional hint, which only told him to remember eating during loops. Normally, that would be considered good advice, but as Will had found out after his last conversation with the nurse, he didn¡¯t experience hunger, regardless of the number of loops. It had taken five more loops to go through all the mirrors within range. By all accounts, Will¡¯s fun should have ended there. Now that he had confirmed where they were and what help they provided, it was time to get back to figuring out his personal path to loop extension. Only stubbornness made him press on and go through a few more rooms, even if they weren¡¯t supposed to have mirrors in them. With one minute left, he went through the biology room. His intention was to tick it off the list and never go in there again. ¡°Do you need something?¡± the biology teacher asked. She was a harsh woman, probably older than the school itself. A stickler for rules, she was the only one that still enforced the ¡°no phone in class¡± policy. Even after several complaints from parents, she had remained firm on the issue, forcing the school to come to a compromise. Students were allowed to keep their phones, as long as they were off and out of sight during her class. Anyone caught using one would have it confiscated for the rest of the day. ¡°I thought I forgot something here yesterday, Ms. Stalter,¡± Will replied. ¡°Misplaced,¡± the woman corrected. ¡°Hopefully it teaches you to be somewhat more responsible in future. And what is this mysterious thing? A hidden cell phone, perhaps?¡± ¡°No, Ms. It¡¯s¡ª¡± Will stopped. Within the cabinets of the back of the room, hidden behind plastic models of body organs and specimens in jars of formaldehyde, a set of reflective surfaces glistened. Miniature cracks ran all over them like a spider web, only this time it didn¡¯t fade away. The mirrors exploded, propelling fragments of glass and specimen jars everywhere, as four giant silver wolves the size of desks leaped into the classroom. 10. Mirror Frenzy Screams filled the room, as two of the wolves ripped a person in the back row apart. Many more people were wounded by the flying shards. And amidst it all, everyone remained frozen, as if someone had taken out their batteries. What are you doing? Don¡¯t freeze up! Will grabbed the nearest object he could reach¡ªsomeone¡¯s backpack¡ªand threw it at the nearest wolf¡¯s head. It was an instinctive reaction that only managed to get the creature annoyed, redirecting its attention to the boy. At that precise moment, all chaos broke loose. Everyone¡¯s mind had caught up to reality, as possible as it was, sending shots of fear throughout their entire beings. A wave of panicked yells exploded as everyone scrambled to reach the exit. Knowing he would be crushed if he remained where he was, Will leaped back. Not wasting a moment, he rushed down the hallway, his mind frantically searching for anything that he could use as a weapon. Since he wasn¡¯t a knight, desks and chairs were out of the question. Backpacks were useless, as he had seen, not to mention they were only good for one hit. A massive wolf leapt out of the classroom, chasing after the boy. The increasing sound of screams suggested that the remaining three had decided to finish off matters there before they joined it. Crap! Will didn¡¯t have to look over his shoulder to know that he was being chased. The heavy breath of the beast combined with the sound of claws rattling on concrete was a pretty good indication of where it was. Doors opened with teachers poking out to find out what was going on. Seeing a massive wolf run by caused most of them to quickly shut them closed again, although there were a few insensible ones who stepped out even more to check if there were more coming behind it. The main staircase, as misfortune would have it, was over a hundred feet away. Even with the speed the rogue granted him, Will doubted he could reach it before the beast caught up. Thankfully, there were other alternatives. Spending half a dozen loops visiting rooms had given him a very good sense of what was where and, more importantly, how long it took him to reach it. With the start of class half a minute away, rushing into a classroom was going to create more harm than good. On the other hand, there was one type of room that was supposed to be completely empty¡ªone that the boy was quite familiar with. ¡°Appear in corners, my ass!¡± he hissed, leaping to the nearest bathroom door. Opening it took precious seconds, but he managed to make it inside just as the wolf leaped at him. A mass of gray zoomed by, slamming into the door and tearing it out of its hinges. So much for barricading himself. Think! Will told himself. He could feel his heart beat all the way to his throat. There was nothing he could remotely use as a weapon. The janitor hadn¡¯t even forgotten a mop or bucket behind. The boy took off his backpack and swung it into the nearest mirror. Seeing the mirror¡¯s weak spot allowed him to shatter the glass into large shards. His rogue reactions let him grab one of them before they hit the ground. Just as all the times before, the pain he got from the cut was significant. However, the level of adrenalin in his blood kept him from letting it go. He¡¯d have one go at this, so it had to count. Low growling accompanied by the skittle of claws grew closer. From the corner of his eye, Will saw the creature emerged in the hallway. Instantly it leaped forward, paws extended. Time appeared to slow down. The wolf flew through the air as if in slow motion. Will¡¯s actions seemed no faster. Spotting the only safe spot in the vicinity, he fell down, aiming to fill the gap between the wolf and the floor. His rogue¡¯s sight intuitively showed him the weak spot he should go for¡ªthe area in the wolf¡¯s abdomen, right beneath the ribcage. Using his quick jab, the boy did just that.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200% Heart pierced Fatal wound inflicted
Although lifeless, the monster kept on flying, smashing through all four sinks until it slammed into the wall. Water poured everywhere, mixing with the blood on the floor. The sound of the first school bell sounded, replacing the decreasing screams in the hallways. The noise told will two things: killing wolves increased the length of the loop; also¡ªthere were three more he had to deal with. Quickly standing up, the boy looked for any other shard he could use as a weapon. Since none were suitable, he used his backpack to shatter another mirror. Before doing so, though, he ripped off his shirt, wrapping a piece of cloth round his hand.
LEVEL UP
A message appeared in the remaining two mirrors. It wasn¡¯t in the least expected, but now that it had been given, the boy quickly tapped on the smooth surface of the mirror with his free hand. No sooner had he done so than it disappeared, replaced by three new ones.
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ROGUE¡¯s LEAP Leap at a significant distance on and off almost any surface.
THROWING ATTACK Perform ranged attacks by throwing weapons or objects.
EVASION Evade attacks before they reach you.
The explanations were just as bad as he had gotten to expect, but the skills themselves were perfect for his current situation, especially the second one. Ranged attacks were Will¡¯s forte. Pouring the contents of his backpack on the floor, he quickly gathered as many smaller mirror fragments as he could in the next few, tossing them aside. Putting on his backpack in front-carry position, he took a few smaller shards and stepped into the corridor. An eerie quiet filled the halls. The screams had subsided, replaced by a low noise of gnawing. Soon enough, a wolf emerged on the far end. Its maw and paws covered in blood, the creature let out a guttural growl, as if knowing that Will had killed a member of its pack. Feeling the pressure of its glance, Will took a step back. That proved to be a mistake. Emboldened, the wolf howled, causing a second one to emerge from the biology classroom. It had an even more menacing appearance than the first, blood covering its entire chest. ¡°It¡¯s just a loop,¡± the boy whispered to himself. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Attention all students!¡± a panicked voice sounded throughout the hall. ¡°We have been informed of a disturbance on the third floor of the east wing. Please remain in the classrooms for your safety. You are by no means in danger. This is just a precaution.¡± By no means in danger? Will thought. There were quite a few who would disagree, himself included. Slowly, both wolves moved forward, walking side by side. Their eyes remained fixed on the boy, as if measuring him out. The attacks were no longer going to be rushed at a whim. Come on. Will prepared mentally. The distance was too far for him to hit them if he threw his shards of glass. The adrenaline inside him urged him to rush at them to decrease the distance. However, he knew that would be the wrong move. No matter what his instincts told him, he had to keep calm and let the wolves come to him. Step by step, the creatures came closer. The water coming from the broken faucets had completely covered the bathroom floor and was now seeping into the corridor. About thirty feet separated the boy from the wolves. At this distance, he could probably manage two or three throws before they charged and reached him. He still didn¡¯t feel he had the strength to inflict serious damage at this range, but if he delayed much more, he¡¯d do even less. This was it. Holding his breath, Will concentrated, then sent the first shard of glass flying. The action was like a firing pistol. Both wolves leaped to the side, avoiding the glass shard, then rushed straight at him without delay. Suspecting that might happen, the boy grabbed another piece of glass from his backpack and threw it at the head of the leftmost wolf. The projectile split the air, hitting the creature¡¯s eye. Losing speed, the creature let out a yelp. The other, meanwhile, continued forward, leaping straight at Will. Several options ran through his mind. He could see the path of the trajectory. It was possible to play it safe and pull back into the bathroom. That would keep him safe for a few moments, but what about later? The better solution was to risk defeating the wolf right here and now, then deal with the wounded one. Grabbing the long shard from his backpack, Will stood his ground. The wolf opened its jaws, aiming to bite off his shoulder. Before the jaws could snap, though, the boy was no longer there. Taking advantage of the rogue¡¯s evasion ability, he leaped to the side. Avoiding both fangs and claws. A single strike followed just beneath the rib cage. The beast let out a surprised gurgling sound before hitting the ground five steps behind Will. That makes two. He turned towards the other wolf. Even wounded, the creature posed a serious threat. The previous attack had managed to injure its left eye, rendering it useless. From what Will vaguely remembered, losing an eye considerably decreased an animal¡¯s fighting abilities. Reverting back to throwing attacks, he grabbed whatever remained in his backpack, one by one, throwing them at the monster. While all of them hit, they did little to no actual damage. The wolf was careful enough not to get hit in the face again, and its fur was too thick to let the pieces of glass through. If they had been daggers or throwing knives, things might be different, but where would Will find such weapons at school? Now it was time to retreat to the bathroom. Fortunately for him, there were several large shards he could use. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the wolf following. Although determined to hunt him down, it was smart enough not to come at him leaping. The size different gave it a huge advantage. ¡°Shit!¡± Will noticed that his phone was gone. In the commotion, he must have dropped it somewhere. It would have been nice to call Helen for support right now, although she never gave him her phone number. With them being ten minutes apart because of the loops, there never had been a reason to. A loud growl sounded just outside the corridor. Holding the shard of glass with his cloth wrapped hand, the boy waited. The only thing he could hear other than his own breath and the thumping of his heard, was the sound of running water splashing to the ground. Is it waiting for me to come out? He wondered. That was the last thing anyone would do. Sooner or later, the loop would end, which would be considered a victory on his part. Yet, Will felt it would be barely half a victory at most. He had already killed two wolves and wounded another. Instinctively, he glanced at the mirrors. There were no new messages on them. It seemed that it would take more than one wolf to get him to level two. ¡°I¡¯m not going out there, so you better give up.¡± He shouted. Idiot! He thought as soon as he¡¯d done so. What did he expect to happen? That the wolf would show up and attack just to make a point? Clearly, they had come to a stalemate. Whoever made the first move would likely be the one to lose. If that¡¯s the way you want it. Will took a deep breath. It was time to try out the last of his new skills¡ªleaping. The boy counted to ten to relax his breathing and calm down a bit. Then he dashed forward. His shoes made a splashing sound as he ran through the layer of water that had become the bathroom floor. Aim for the top, he told himself, then leaped. No sooner had he crossed the threshold than the passive body of the wolf came at him. Jaws open wide, paws in the air. It covered more than the height of the doorway. Twisting in the air, Will struck in the direction of the wolf¡¯s weak spot. Sadly, the tip of the shard never reached its target.
Restarting eternity.
The boy stood motionless in front of the school building. His pulse was still elevated, but everything else was fine. Both his hands and his shirt were whole. ¡°Move it, weirdo,¡± the usual pair of girls said as they passed by. Will just stared at them as if they were talking in a foreign language. The scene with the wolves was still fresh in his mind. Looking at the calm ignorance that surrounded him, he could only envy everyone outside the loops. None of them would ever know that a whole room of people had been devoured by a pack of mirror wolves. Now he understood why there were so many drawings of wolves on Daniel¡¯s desk. ¡°Hey, Will!¡± Alex rushed up to him. ¡°Heard ¡®bout the muffins?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± the boy responded in a distant voice. ¡°Hey, you ok, bro?¡± There was no good way to answer that. ¡°Just tired¡­ Had nightmares.¡± ¡°Oof! Not good, bro! I had this weird dream once. First part was lit, but then¡­¡± he shook his head, indicating it was better not to share. At least not without a bit more pestering. ¡°What was your dream about?¡± ¡°Wolves¡­¡± 11. A Knight in Action ¡°What happened yesterday?¡± Helen asked as they were opening the windows again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see them?¡± Will asked. Given the commotion, he¡¯d think it was impossible not to. At the very least, rumors would have filled the school, the town, and the entire online space within minutes. Even if one were to consider that he had managed to kill off the last wolf as he died, the bodies and devastation they had caused would still remain. ¡°The wolves?¡± She gave him a quick glance. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m asking what you did to get them active.¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± he said. That remained the weird part. He indeed had done absolutely nothing. ¡°I just walked into Ms Stalter¡¯s classroom and it happened.¡± ¡°Wolves always appear in corners,¡± the girl shook her head. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± ¡°The room is a corner room. Mirrors there are different. Daniel thought it was deliberate, so it doesn¡¯t impede exploration.¡± The wolves are a bonus? That made some sort of sense. That way, if someone wanted to level up, they had to make the decision to go there and do so. ¡°He was wrong,¡± Helen added. ¡°Wolves can jump out from anywhere. It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡± ¡°You mean they¡¯ll start¡ª¡± ¡°Loop time. You¡¯ve got nothing to worry about. They start appearing after a few days. Did you level up?¡± Will nodded. ¡°Will you try again?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Will you fight the wolves again? You ended up quite the hero yesterday. Lots of people were talking about it. You were even on the news.¡± That felt beyond disturbing. Will¡¯s parents had often said he¡¯d be late for his own funeral, but this was taking it a bit too far. Immediately, he tried to imagine how they had found him: shirtless, wet, rags wrapped around his hands, next to several large wolf bodies. Had the last one ripped him apart? Or had he acquired the cool wounded hero look? ¡°I almost got to hear an interview with your mother, but my loop ended.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t I vanish when my loop ends?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t sci fi. We¡¯re not teleported back in time, just your conscious memory is.¡± ¡°So I just do things without having any memory of it?¡± Scary. ¡°Pretty much. Look at them.¡± Helen turned her head towards the people outside. Dozens of students were walking through the schoolyard, some more reluctantly than others. Here and there, groups had formed, chatting about some craze or another before the start of class. ¡°They have a zero second loop. No matter what happens, they¡¯ll have no memory of it, which is why they can¡¯t change a thing on their own. I¡¯ve seen people trip and fall hundreds of times and be surprised each time. It¡¯s the same with loops. For you, when a loop ends, you¡¯re back at the beginning. For me, you¡¯re still here continuing what you¡¯ve started. The only difference is that mirrors no longer work for you then.¡± This was a bit mind boggling. The boy laughed, then whistled, looking at the people outside. It sounded terrible doing the same things over and over again with no chance of ever correcting them. From their perspective, everything happened for the first time. They had no notion of the loops, which also meant that they didn¡¯t feel trapped. Maybe in the grand scheme of things that was better? ¡°Did we talk about stuff?¡± he asked. ¡°When I was outside the loop.¡± ¡°You tried to help me get Daniel¡¯s file,¡± she admitted. So that¡¯s why you haven¡¯t pushed me to increase my loop length. ¡°It never worked. Outside the loop, you¡¯re not the rogue. Quite good at making distractions, but if that was all, I could have made one on my own.¡± She paused. ¡°And it¡¯s not a matter of brute force, either. I trashed the office a few times and still couldn¡¯t find the files.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re sure they¡¯re in there?¡± ¡°They have to be. I found the folder, but not what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°He could have given them to the cops. Something like that would¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re in there. I just need to find where.¡± Students started entering the room. This time Helen didn¡¯t move away, bringing birth to whispers and subtle glances in their direction. It was a well-established fact at school that if two people stood close to each other beyond a certain period of time, they had to be in a romantic relationship. By the start of class, people would be discussing how hopeless Will had made a go at Miss Perfect to begin with. The female part of the class would secretly wonder if this wasn¡¯t the start of a good girl bad boy pairing, while the male part would hope he¡¯d get rejected quickly so they could have their go. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Helen said, still looking out of the window. ¡°Zero loops. They won¡¯t remember anything in a few minutes.¡± That suggested that this time around, she had no plan of extending her loop. ¡°Then let¡¯s make it interesting for them.¡± The boy smiled. ¡°What¡¯s your phone number?¡± Helen briskly turned around, glaring at him with anger in her eyes. ¡°If something happens, I¡¯d like to be able to call you.¡± She remained silent for a long time, trying to determine whether this really had to do with the loops or was it just a clumsy attempt at getting her phone. Ultimately, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. ¡°Hope you¡¯re good at numbers. Two, eleven, fifty-five, nineteen, sixty-six, five, four, three, ten.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± The boy took out his phone out of habit. A few moments later, he put it back down again. He had definitely walked into that one. There was no point in writing it down. Like everything else, the number would be lost at the start of the next loop. The only way to have it was to remember it. ¡°So, will you fight the wolves?¡± the girl asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± He wanted to see what would happen if he got them all. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll join in the fight?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll let you have the knight. In turn, once you get the wolves out of your system, you¡¯ll stretch your loop till fourth period. Deal?¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Quite the sensible offer. For one thing, he had already promised to do so. For another, Will was also curious what Daniel had said during his therapy sessions. Any hint as to his death could prevent the same thing from happening to either of them. ¡°How do I get the knight, though?¡± He had tried dozens of loops and nothing had worked. ¡°Aaart!¡± Jace¡¯s voice boomed from the entrance, as it did every loop. Like an early alarm, that meant that there wasn¡¯t a lot of time left till the end of the loop. ¡°Get the rogue and meet me in the corridor,¡± Helen whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of things from there.¡± A minute later, the loop ended.
Restarting eternity.
Will immediately went to the school entrance, paying specific attention not to run, pause, or bump into anyone. His efforts were rewarded, for the usual pair of girls made no comments. Once inside, he rushed into the bathroom, only tapping on the rogue mirror. If everything worked out fine, he could tap the other ones later. Not wasting time, Will went towards the girl¡¯s bathroom. There was no sign of the coach this time. Instead, Helen was there, standing impatiently in front of the door. Seeing him, she waved for the boy to hurry up. ¡°Come on,¡± she said beneath her breath as he got near. ¡°The one closest to the door.¡± She held it open, standing aside for him to pass. So easy, the boy thought. This was more than a shortcut. It outright felt like cheating. All this time he had tried whatnot to get to the mirrors without result, just to get it for two seconds flat thanks to an assist from Helen.
You have discovered THE KNIGHT (number 15). Use additional mirrors to find out more. Good luck!
Number fifteen? That meant there were at the very least fourteen other classes out there. Unable to help himself, the boy used the fast reflexes provided to him by the rogue class to tap through the other mirrors in the room. It was a good thing that he did, because all the information, including the hint, was different.
THE KNIGHT (number 15) Considered the strongest class, the KNIGHT focuses on strength, endurance, and honor. The class grants its finder with a total of nineteen skills throughout its full progression.
Only nineteen skills? That was a lot less than the rogue. Once he got to the mirror that told them what the first three were, the boy could see why.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Perform heavy attacks that can shatter stone.
SUPERIOR STRENGTH Lift, carry, and move objects far more than the average person without effort.
ENDURANCE Ignore the effects of pain, fatigue, and minor ailments.
The last completely made up for the pain and fragility that came with the loops. No wonder she was handling it so well. And that wasn¡¯t all. The moment he had gotten the class, Will felt that he had to protect the whole world if he could. The desire to explore was still there, but severely toned down. It¡¯s the polar opposite, he thought. If the rogue could be described as a sneaky, curious explorer, the knight was the motionless rock set on sheltering the rest. The class also provided a deep sense of duty. Even if he knew that it had occurred the previous, the boy felt a burning desire to defeat the wolves that had killed Ms. Stalter and her class.
HINT During eternity, all pain is significantly amplified, so be careful at all times.
That would have been good to know a few dozen loops earlier. For one thing, it would have saved a lot of suffering during the early trips to the nurse¡¯s office. Yet, what was done was done. All the information acquired, Will rushed out back into the hallway. ¡°Took your time,¡± the girl said, shoving the door closed behind him. ¡°Wanted to get an idea of the skills,¡± he replied. ¡°I told you. You guard and break stuff. Good luck.¡± She headed in the direction of the art classroom. Will checked his phone. Nine and a half minutes remained until eight. With a bit of luck, no one had arrived at Ms. Stalter¡¯s room. After several flights of stairs, and a dash along the third-floor hallway, he unfortunately found that to be half true. Indeed, no students were present. The teacher, though, was already at her desk. It would be too much to hope otherwise. The old woman hadn¡¯t been late a day in her life. As far as anyone knew, she had never been sick or gone on vacation. Her entire life was focused on teaching students in the strictest way possible. It was exactly these qualities that now put her in danger. ¡°Ms. Stalter.¡± The boy rushed into the room. ¡°The vice-principal wants to see you!¡± He knew from past loop experience that only the vice-principal was at school. That gave some credibility to his story, though not enough. ¡°Mister Stone?¡± The teacher glared at him, annoyance oozing from every pore on her face. ¡°Before entering a room, it¡¯s customary to knock.¡± ¡°The door was open.¡± Will went on the defensive. Spending years in her class had engrained the notion that no matter what happened, it was always the students that were at fault. ¡°If that happens, then you knock on the doorframe, letting the occupants of the room be aware of your presence.¡± The woman wasn¡¯t having any of that. ¡°You don¡¯t rush in here shouting.¡± Keeping his back to the display cabinets in the room, Will nodded. ¡°So, what¡¯s this big emergency that couldn¡¯t w¡ª¡± The sound of shattered glass interrupted the woman. Oh, shit! The boy thought. His hunch had been completely wrong. It didn¡¯t matter whether he was looking at the mirrors or not. His mere presence in the room was enough to get the wolves to emerge. Not looking back, he grabbed the teacher by the shoulders, then tossed her out of the room. Given that she was a rather small woman, he knew that would cause more than a bit of discomfort. Then again, it was a lot better than being devoured by wolves. ¡°Get help!¡± he yelled, then slammed the door shut. Same as before, four wolves had entered the classroom. The lack of people had made them a lot less aggressive; it also helped Will notice several details he had missed in the previous loop. For starters, while all models and jarred specimens had been thrust out of the cabinets, along with the glass doors themselves, the mirrors behind remained untouched. There wasn¡¯t a single crack or speck of dust, as if they were a portal for the beasts to leap through. All four wolves growled, their teeth bare as they remained at the back of the room. At first, the boy thought they too remembered the events of the last loop. Moments later, a more logical answer became apparent: the nearby desk he was holding onto was no longer touching the ground. It was outright scary how much strength the knight came with. Holding a desk felt no different from holding a pencil; and just like a pencil, it could be used as a weapon. Strength and speed, eh? The boy said to himself. ¡°Come at me!¡± he taunted the wolves. And surely enough, they did. 12. Wolf Pack Reward
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Bone shattered Fatal Wound Inflicted
Will cracked the wolf¡¯s ribcage, sending it flying to the ceiling. In the back of the room, ¡°Level up¡± appeared on all four mirrors. This presented an interesting Catch 22. In order to level up, he had to tap one of the mirrors. However, in order to reach them, he had to defeat the rest of the wolves. Thankfully, the knight skills made up for the lack of evasion. Clutching the desk, he looked at the remaining beasts. The fate of the first had made them more cautious. Two circled along either side of the classroom while the third remained in place, growling as it stared at him with its menacing silver eyes. The lack of space had given Will an initial advantage, but that would change if he were attacked from several sides. Aiming to prevent that, the boy hurled the desk at the leftmost wolf, then quickly grabbed another. Seeing its chance, the central wolf leaped forward. This presented something of a dilemma. Will could try to swing the desk upwards in an attempt to bash the creature, but that would leave him dangerously exposed to the final wolf. If he didn¡¯t, though, he risked getting bitten by his immediate attacker. The first desk slammed into the wall, barely nicking the wolf¡¯s leg. That wasn¡¯t the result that Will was hoping for, but there was no time to worry about it. Shielding himself from the frontal attack with the desk he held, he then rushed forward. Even with the powers of two classes, he needed to take advantage of the level up. Jaws snapped close to his face as the nearby wolf attempted a quick attack before leaping away. The creatures were cautious not to follow the fate of their killed pack mate. Thankfully, that worked to the boy¡¯s advantage. Swinging the desk in front of him he turned around, slowly retreating towards the mirrors. The growling increased as all three wolves slowly advanced in their respective directions. We¡¯ll see how tough you are once I have leap and evasion, the boy thought. Glass crunched beneath his feet as he moved back. Seeing the remnants of the display cases from the corner of his eye, Will reached out with his left hand and tapped a mirror. All messages disappeared, replaced by two words: ROGUE and KNIGHT. Not expecting this development, the boy turned his head around. It was an instinctive reaction, but one that proved enough to get one beast to leap at him. Oh, shit! The boy swung around, throwing the desk at his attacker to compensate. This time, the desk hit the wolf head on, pinning it to the wall behind. It was safe to say that another creature had been dealt with. Sadly, that left Will completely exposed to the remaining two. Rogue! He reached out to tap the word. This was the only viable option. If he messed up now, he¡¯d have to repeat the loop all over again and hope that Helen would give him the knight for a second go. Both remaining wolves leaped forward. Thankfully, Will proved to be faster. The moment his fingers touched the mirror¡¯s surface, the familiar new skills appeared. That was it¡ªthe thing he had been hoping for. Before his attackers could reach him, the boy twisted and leaped to the right. A wolf¡¯s claws passed inches from his face as the creature landed on the spot Will had been. ¡°How about that?¡± the boy shouted as he landed gracefully on another toppled desk. Jumping down, he quickly grabbed a chair and threw it at a monster. This time, the attack was extremely precise, hitting its target from the side. Metal legs pierced the wolf¡¯s rib cage, killing it on the spot. This was the difference between having a skill and not. The motion was exactly the same as before, but his mind and body instinctively knew how to get the best result, as if he had spent years developing his ability. The mirrors in the room changed again, displaying a new ¡°Level up¡± message. Apparently, it took two killed wolves to advance him further. Not that there was any point in leveling up now. With one wolf remaining, everything was in Will¡¯s favor. Well, almost everything. Already he could hear the yells of people outside the room. Ms. Stalter had gotten hysterical, screaming unintelligently, while someone else¡ªa teacher by the sound of it¡ªwas trying to calm her down by yelling louder. ¡°Just you and me now.¡± The boy grabbed another chair, then tore off the piece of metal tube that composed a pair of metal legs. There was no logical reason for him not to kill the creature from a distance, yet for some reason, he felt that wouldn¡¯t be fair. The wolf didn¡¯t appreciate the sentiment, backing off slowly amid the devastated classroom. ¡°You have to fight me.¡± Calmly, Will moved forward to follow. ¡°There¡¯s no way you can escape.¡± Technically, it was possible for the beast to leap out of the classroom. Despite it being the third floor, the distance to the ground wasn¡¯t that high to harm a creature this size. Will himself knew that he could jump down without issue¡ªprobably another bonus of the rogue¡¯s leap. Passing by the mirrors, he tapped on one with his left hand. Once the message changed, he tapped again on the rogue.
SUPERIOR BALANCE Maintain perfect balance under any circumstances.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. SUPERIOR SIGHT See well at greater distances and less light.
DUAL WIELD Use two weapons simultaneously.
The skills were interesting, though not anything that could be of immediate use. Both sides knew that the fight was a foregone conclusion. The circling continued for another ten seconds, at which point Will took the initiative, charging at the beast. The wolf snapped its jaws in a final attempt to do some harm before going down. Thanks to his rogue¡¯s evasion, the boy easily avoided the attempt, sinking the metal leg into its chest.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Fatal Wound Inflicted
A loud crack followed, after which the wolf stumbled to the ground. For several seconds, the boy stood there, breathing heavily. Now that the immediate threat was gone, normal sensations flooded in. His hands trembled uncontrollably for a few moments as bouts of panic and realization exploded in his mind like fireworks. This was the first time he had killed and lived till the end. Unlike games and movies, part of his mind rebelled against it. He knew that he had no choice. He also knew that this wasn¡¯t real death since it would be erased at the end of the loop, and still, he couldn¡¯t snap out of it. ¡°I think the noises stopped,¡± someone said outside the room, bringing Will back to reality. A new fear pumped adrenalin into his blood¡ªa fear of having to explain everything that was going on. With each killed wolf extending the length of the loop, he¡¯d be stuck giving explanations for close to an hour, if not more. The handle turned. Seeing it, Will quickly leapt to the only open window in the room, then jumped outside. The combination of rogue¡¯s leaping and knight¡¯s sturdiness let him land on the stone pavement below as if he had hopped off a bike. The few students in view were so busy rushing for the school entrance that they didn¡¯t even notice. Even if someone did, their mind would reject what it had seen. After all, everyone knew that people couldn''t jump from the third floor and continue about their day as if nothing had happened. Will''s phone suddenly rang. Not being in the mood for talking, he ignored it. It didn¡¯t take a genius to know that in a matter of minutes, the whole school would turn into a madhouse. The police would arrive, possibly the firefighters as well, followed by the news media, concerned parents, local officials, and anyone remotely curious about what was going on. Given that Ms. Stalter knew that Will was involved in the fight, this was the last place he wanted to be. The phone rang again. The boy swiped to cancel the call, then turned the power of the device off. He could do with an hour or two off the grid. In fact, he knew just the place to go until the chaos of the loop subsided. Hands in his pockets, he left the school grounds. About a minute later, he was sitting in the familiar coffee shop, enjoying a nice cup of mousse and a cup of water. ¡°Things sure have gotten lively,¡± the barista said as the sound of sirens passed by. ¡°Cops and now ambulances. Sure hope everyone¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Will muttered. He knew for a fact that they were, unlike in the last loop. ¡°Probably some lab experiment gone bad.¡± ¡°Lab experiment?¡± The barista turned around and gave him a stern look. ¡°Should I be worried having you here?¡± ¡°Hey, I can pay,¡± the boy uttered the first thing that came to mind. Thankfully, that had the desired effect. The barista turned around, focusing on the commotion again. Several police cars had arrived and diligently started blocking off some of the streets around Enigma High School. The building was cordoned off, allowing only ambulances and firetrucks inside. There didn¡¯t seem to be any smoke or fire, but one of the trucks parked in the inner yard. Rumors spread like wildfire, filling the imagination. According to some of the more outlandish ones, wolves, or large dogs, had been running down the hallways, biting anyone in sight. Soon enough, people on the street were sharing their speculations about what really happened. ¡°One more of these,¡± Will said, pointing to his empty glass of mousse. This was his third so far, along with two jugs of water, and yet the loop had no inclination to end. It was already a quarter to ten, suggesting that each dead wolf provided a twenty-minute extension at least. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anywhere to be?¡± the barista asked with a shrug. Still, he did see to the order. Money was money, after all. ¡°Like school?¡± the boy smirked. ¡°Like a friend¡¯s or parents¡¯ place? It¡¯s not healthy staying at a coffee shop on your own.¡± ¡°People do it all the time.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The barista placed the cup of mouse in front of Will, then took the empty one. ¡°And it¡¯s a terrible habit. Trust me, I studied this stuff. It might seem cool in the short run, but it¡¯s only masking the real problem. Whatever that might be.¡± The boy considered telling him. That might be good for a laugh. ¡°You remind me of another boy who used to come here alone a few times per week. Always kept to himself, barely said a word, just used to scribble in his diary all the time.¡± The man turned on the water behind the counter and started washing the empty mousse cup. ¡°He started off okay, just like you, then got worse and worse, until his father came here to drag him out.¡± Will sat there, patiently waiting for the barista to get to the point. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen him since. So, the moral of the story is: make good decisions or someone else will make them for you. By that I mean, next time, bring a friend or two.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He should have expected that. Of course, he¡¯d want to boost his business. As if Helen would agree going to a place like this. Feeling the effects of the many jugs of water he had consumed since getting here, the boy looked around. He wanted to go to the bathroom badly, but after what he¡¯d just been through, he had to make sure it wasn¡¯t a corner room. ¡°Where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± he asked. ¡°Right in the back.¡± The barista pointed. Although slightly to the side, the door was still facing the entrance. That was good enough for Will, who quickly rushed there. A smell of mint air freshener filled the space. The room was small, containing a sink with a single faucet, a large mirror, and a closed off section for the toilet itself. Will was just about to head there when a green message appeared in the mirror.
WOLF PACK REWARD (random) FAST HEALING: wounds and health conditions will heal 100 times faster.
For a moment, Will forgot about his bladder, staring at the mirror. There was a reward for killing off the entire pack. If he had paid attention before jumping out of the window, maybe he would have seen it. More importantly, why hadn¡¯t Daniel or Helen mentioned it? Getting bonus abilities for killing off wolves was a pretty big deal. Then again, maybe that was precisely why it was kept secret. You kept it from her, the boy thought. From what he could see on the desk, Daniel had meticulously marked all the rooms, as well as the individual mirrors they held and yet there was no mention of those in the biology classroom or the reward? Apparently, Helen wasn¡¯t the only one with trust issues. And, if Daniel had kept this hidden, what other secrets did he have? 13. Extending the Loop ¡°Hey, Will! Heard ¡®bout the muffins?¡± ¡°Argh,¡± the boy groaned. Muffins were the last thing on his mind right now. Eating four cups of mousse in the space of two hours was too much, even for him. After such an experience, he didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with sugar. ¡°You ok, bro?¡± the goofball asked. ¡°Bad night,¡± Will lied. ¡°Big oof.¡± ¡°See you in class.¡± He put his earbuds on and went into the building. This usual boring announcement droned on as the boy made his way to the bathroom. Surprisingly, he found Helen standing in front of the door. ¡°You didn¡¯t pick up your phone,¡± she said with a clearly annoyed expression. ¡°Huh?¡± Will looked at it. The only unanswered call for the last week was from his mother. Just to be sure, he checked his messages as well. ¡°Last loop,¡± the girl said. ¡°I called you after you jumped out of the classroom.¡± ¡°You saw that?¡± ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so stupid.¡± She opened the bathroom door. ¡°Just get your rogue,¡± she added with a sigh. Still at a lack of words, Will went inside and did just that. This time, he didn¡¯t go through the full sequence, only activating the mirror granting him the class. Before the message could fully form, the boy was back in the hallway. ¡°How do you have my number?¡± he asked, only now remembering that he had never given it to her. He had thought about offering several times, but always decided to leave it for later. ¡°I asked you a few loops ago, and you told me.¡± ¡°I did?¡± He blinked. Then it hit him. ¡°You asked me out of my loop.¡± That made sense. Helen would need a way to coordinate with him as she attempted to get Daniel¡¯s file. It was slightly disturbing knowing he had done things without having any memory of them. Even more disturbing was trying to imagine what had been going on before Will had joined eternity. How many times had the school been slaughtered by wolves? If Daniel was as curious as the girl claimed, it could have happened dozens of times, if not hundreds. ¡°Let¡¯s move out of here,¡± the girl said. People stared as the pair made their way to their classroom. It remained a novel experience and, thanks to the loops, one that they would be subjected to each time they were seen together. ¡°How do you stand the smell?¡± Will winced. With all the windows still closed, it was like burnt rubber. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± She went to the windows. ¡°Did you get it out of your system?¡± ¡°Killing wolves?¡± Will asked. ¡°I guess. Leveling up was useful, though.¡± Helen shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ll get plenty of that once your loops get longer.¡± The subtle hint was obvious, and this time Will had no excuse not to go on with it. While a few questions remained, he had explored pretty much anything he could reach within the initial ten minutes. Helen had kept her end of the bargain, and now it was his turn. As it quickly turned out, extending one¡¯s loop through non-violent means was a lot more difficult, and thrice more annoying, than one would expect. Earning another five minutes was easy. Evading Jace¡¯s punches was just as efficient as knocking him out. That was something that had taken Will five loops to figure out after he got tired of being taken to the principal¡¯s office. Taking out his drawing materials before the start of class, interestingly enough, also extended the loop by five more minutes, regardless if he was sitting at Daniel¡¯s desk or his own. From there on, the cumbersome part began. Starting to draw earned him five minutes; drawing well brought another five... Every action of a ¡°model student¡± increased the loop in five-minute increments. After a while, Will started questioning whether Helen¡¯s nickname wasn¡¯t the result of loops. It definitely gave her a huge advantage, that was for certain. ¡°Clean eraser, sharpen pencils, change perspective¡­¡± Will muttered to himself as he walked through the school hallway. He had lost count of how many loops had passed. The only thing of importance was remembering everything that gave him time, which wasn¡¯t at all easy. The only way to describe it was having to learn the solution to a maze labyrinth without writing anything down, or even seeing the labyrinth itself. There were many times when he was tempted just to start a fight with the entire football team and stop bothering with following the correct ¡°path of life¡± the loops had set for him. ¡°Hey,¡± Helen greeted him as he entered the room. ¡°Keeping it together?¡± ¡°Almost.¡± The boy placed¡ªnot tossed¡ªhis backpack on the seat of Daniel¡¯s desk. ¡°It¡¯s getting difficult keeping track.¡± He then went to help her open all the windows. ¡°It gets easier once it becomes a habit.¡± Most boring habit in existence. ¡°How long are your loops?¡± ¡°I can stretch them to a few days, but I need to remain in class most of the time.¡± Days. Will was still having trouble getting to third period. The first time he had managed, he was overjoyed, feeling eager to go searching for the Daniel file. Unfortunately, Helen had insisted that he could reach the end of fourth period before they attempted anything. That meant he had to find another half an hour. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°And Daniel got to do this for months? I see why he wrote on his desk a lot.¡± The boy paused. ¡°You think that¡¯s part of his loop path?¡± ¡°No. He wrote things down to help me. Since he was always ahead, it was a lot easier to write down everything he discovered instead of wasting time telling me about it. I¡¯d go early in the morning and read it. Was fun at first, but then he started writing things that didn¡¯t make sense.¡± Will felt a slight surge pass through him. This was the moment to tell her about the green message. Should he, though? Maybe Daniel had kept it secret for a reason. ¡°Think you¡¯ll reach fourth period this time?¡± The girl looked at him. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I found a way.¡± ¡°Okay, then next loop we¡ª¡± ¡°We can go this one,¡± he said. ¡°Are you sure? Okay.¡± The day continued as usual, with one minor difference. When Jace came to class, there was one significant change. Instead of ignoring the comments, Will directly challenged all the jocks to ¡°a talk after class.¡± This had surprised the group, along with everyone else present. Being openly called out, though, left them no other option but to accept. There¡¯s my additional half hour, Will thought, darting Helen a victorious glance. A minute later, the school bell rang, marking the official start of class. The teacher arrived and quickly took out a vase from one of the cabinets. Will had spent so long looking at the cursed object that he started drawing long before the assignment was given. The usual combination of jokes, banter, and compliments followed. The teacher complimented him on his work, then suggested that the boy consider art college after graduation. Will didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him that the vase was the only thing he could draw adequately, so he just agreed and went back to doing his loop extending activities. By the end of class, he had made three complete sketches, all in different styles. One of the sketches was given to the teacher, the other two were bent carefully, rolled up¡ªnot folded¡ªand put into his backpack. ¡°Hope you¡¯re ready, Stoner,¡± Jace whispered. ¡°Time¡¯s almost up.¡± Good, Will thought. He was getting tired of waiting. Nothing remotely aggressive happened at the end of class. Once the school bell rang, most students put away their drawing materials, then quickly left the room. Jace and the jocks were a lot slower. Keeping their eyes glued to Will, they quietly grabbed their things and walked into the corridor. The natural assumption was that they¡¯d accompany the boy to the schoolyard outside. For some reason, though, they had decided to go with the movie classics and choose the bathroom for the ¡°discussion.¡± Will was perfectly fine with that. It was a lot closer and he wouldn¡¯t have to think up excuses on the spot. ¡°Hoping coach will come save you?¡± he asked, placing his backpack in the far corner of the room. In his mind, he expected a sarcastic, yet ultimately stupid, retort. Instead, Jace swung directly at him, aiming for the face. Under normal circumstances, the hit would have made contact, possibly sending him a couple of steps back. Thanks to the rogue¡¯s abilities, Will was able to twist to the side, jabbing the jock¡¯s arm near the elbow. The ability to find weak spots and several loops of experience had taught him how to proceed. From the side, the jab looked inconsequential, even if it proved painful enough to make Jace freeze in place. Wasting no time, Will knocked him out with a hit in the jaw, then went at the nearest of his friends. Up to now, he had only had a few loops of fighting them, but events were roughly the same. Surprised by how easily their friend was taken down, all four jocks stood there motionless, their minds rebelling against reality. Before they could realize what was going on, another was on the ground, bringing the numbers to a manageable three to one. ¡°Fucker!¡± One of the boys finally snapped out of it, making a swing at Will. Alas, for him, he did so in exactly the same way Jace had. The results were equally as painful. A jab to the elbow, then a punch to the jaw, made him dizzy. A knee to the chin quickly rendered him unconscious. It had all happened so fast and effortlessly that Will almost felt guilty going this. ¡°I give!¡± One of the remaining two stepped back, both hands in front of him, shaking in don¡¯t-come-closer fashion. Ignoring him, Will twisted his body, slapping the other in the temple with his elbow. That proved enough to instantly bring him to the floor as well. ¡°I said I give!¡± The sole jock stepped further back, his back stopping at the door. From there, all he had to do was turn the handle, and he¡¯d be safe in the hallway. Sadly, he made the rookie mistake of glancing down at the handle, instead. Two quick punches followed. Twenty-five minutes, Will thought, glancing at his reflection in the mirror. Should be enough. He smiled. Adrenalin, mixed with the euphoria of winning, gave him a sense of invulnerability. If someone were to ask him to fight the entire school right now, he would have without question. Already, in the back of his mind, he was making plans on how to repeat this every loop. It was undoubtedly effective, plus it also increased loop length. No wonder that Daniel had fought so much. As the saying went, fighting was a no brainer. As the boy stood there, floor covered with unconscious jocks, his phone rang. This time, he took the call. ¡°Yes?¡± he asked, as he passed the fingers of his free hand through his hair. ¡°Did you beat them up?¡± Helen asked on the other end. ¡°Yep.¡± He smirked. ¡°No need to worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯d have preferred if you hadn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Will¡¯s good mood suddenly evaporated. ¡°They asked for it? Besides, you wanted half an hour more. Now you got it.¡± ¡°Fighting always messes things up.¡± ¡°Daniel used to do it.¡± ¡°Daniel is dead!¡± Will stood there motionless, unable to respond. ¡°He used to do it all the time in the early loops and then he stopped. Fighting loopless is never worth it, even if they give you time.¡± ¡°Do you want to go on with this or not?¡± The boy snapped. ¡°If not, just tell me and I¡¯ll go about exploring the gym or something.¡± Most likely, he was just going to spend the time eating chocolate mousse away from it all. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in front of the shrink¡¯s office at the start of third period. Don¡¯t get into any trouble until then.¡± She ended the call. ¡°Hypocrite,¡± the boy hissed and put his phone away. ¡°Nothing stopped you from killing me,¡± he glared at himself in the mirror. For someone who had the knight class, she was annoyingly judgmental. It was all about Daniel, Daniel this and Daniel that. So, what if Daniel had managed to stretch the loop for a bit longer? He wasn¡¯t here now. ¡°Damn it!¡± Will slammed his hand in the mirror. The surface cracked all over, but displayed no message. The realization that he had actually broken a mirror quickly made the boy pull back his hand. Maybe he had gone a bit far? He looked at the floor. Five people remained there in a pitiful state. All of them were breathing¡ªthat was visible beyond a doubt¡ªbut if anyone caught him right now, there would be more than a few explanations he¡¯d have to give. Quickly he turned on a sink faucet, then splashed some water on his palm print, careful not to cause the mirror to shatter. ¡°Sorry, guys,¡± he whispered.¡± Drying his hand in his trousers. ¡°No hard feelings, right?¡± Gingerly stepping over a few of them, he lifted the jock, who had fainted against the bathroom door, and moved him to the side. ¡°Right,¡± he answered his own question. ¡°See you next loop.¡± He opened the door and quickly stepped into the hallway. For the next forty minutes, he had algebra to look forward to. 14. The Eternally Empty Folder Sebastian June was perfect for the role of school counselor. One look alone portrayed strength, care, understanding, and professionalism¡­ or so Will had been told. He himself had only gone to see the man twice per year, as the principal demanded of every student. So far, the obligatory chats had been a complete waste of time. The general questions were basic and trivial, revolving in equal part around what the boy thought about his future, and issues he¡¯d felt in his past. On one occasion he¡¯d tried to go off script in an effort to make it difficult for the counselor, but Mister June had had ample experience dealing with Alex and others like him to take it in stride. Get ready. A text popped up on his phone. He¡¯s on his way. Responding with a thumbs up reaction, Will set the phone to vibrate and put it away. ¡°Good luck at the shrink,¡± a group of seniors laughed as they passed by. Will did his best not to pay attention. Normally, he would be in the small waiting room in front of the counselor¡¯s office. The issue with that was since Mister June was the only person who had the key. Until he arrived, people had no choice but to stand in the corridor, becoming the target of everyone¡¯s ridicule. Given a choice, the boy would have popped in ten minutes later, especially since Helen was adamant that the first student to see him wouldn¡¯t arrive until the start of next period. However, anyone would agree that standing there waiting gave off a sense of urgency. ¡°Err, Mister¡­?¡± the counselor asked as he approached his office. ¡°Stone,¡± Will said. ¡°William Stone.¡± ¡°William Stone.¡± The man nodded with a smile, almost suggesting that he remembered who that was. ¡°I take it you¡¯re here to see me?¡± ¡°Yes. I tried earlier this morning, but it was locked.¡± ¡°Right, right. I had some traffic trouble. Well, let me just get a quick coffee and I¡¯ll be right with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Danny¡­ we were in the same class, so¡­ I just didn¡¯t know who to talk to.¡± The counselor¡¯s expression instantly changed. The smile was still there, but the corners of the mouth turned slightly down, suggesting that he wasn¡¯t particularly happy to skip his morning¡ªor mid-morning at this point¡ªcoffee, but knew where his duty lay. ¡°We better go inside.¡± He unlocked the door. The waiting section was little more than a set of chairs in front of the office¡¯s main door. They were marginally more comfortable than those in class. Switching keys, the counselor opened the inner door and invited Will inside. ¡°And what made you come to me?¡± he asked, putting his suit jacket on the only hanger in the room. While most schools prided themselves with the elegant casual look, the vice-principal had instead insisted that certain people of Enigma High had to ¡°match their role.¡± Mister June was one of those select few. ¡°They¡¯ve been repeating it all week since Danny¡¯s death,¡± the boy replied. ¡°Right, right. Good choice. Good choice.¡± Don¡¯t look around, the boy told himself. Don¡¯t look around. Inadvertently, he did just that. Ignoring the plainness of the room, there were several large filing cabinets, most of them lockable. Above and around them were framed inspirational posters with generic quotes such as ¡°today marks the first day of the rest of your life.¡± Whoever had come up with that clearly hadn¡¯t experienced loops. ¡°You won¡¯t find them there,¡± Mister June said casually. ¡°Find what?¡± The boy tensed up. ¡°My diplomas. School management insisted I have them, but I refused. This office is for people like you, not a room I could turn into my own trophy case.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Mentally, Will let out a sigh of relief. That was a bit too close. ¡°So, what¡¯s worrying you?¡± The man held a paper notepad ready. ¡°Don¡¯t you use a tablet for that?¡± ¡°Absolutely no. This is the best way to make sure that your data remains safe.¡± ¡°What if someone steals your notes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s unlikely,¡± the man laughed. ¡°Trust me, everything you share here is safe.¡± ¡°As safe as Daniel¡¯s file? I heard that the contents of the folder are gone.¡± The accusation quickly wiped off the smile on Mister June¡¯s face. Initially, Will thought that he had caught him in a classical gotcha moment. Unfortunately, it quickly turned out not to be the case. The counselor was very touchy when it came to professional ethics and even a jokey accusation¡ªnot that this had been at all jokey¡ªwas enough to make him clam up and get the boy out of his office. Clearly, this wasn¡¯t the way.
Restarting eternity.
¡°So, what¡¯s worrying you?¡± The counselor asked. ¡°Before Danny killed himself, he told me that he felt trapped,¡± the boy tried a new approach. ¡°As if he was reliving the same day over and over again.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The man jotted something down. ¡°Were you two close?¡± ¡°No. I mean, not particularly at first.¡± Helen had texted him exactly what to say in order to get the best reaction. The key was not to get sidetracked again. ¡°I think I mentioned I felt trapped during gym one day, so we got talking.¡± ¡°Interesting. He never mentioned it before.¡± ¡°Maybe he forgot?¡± ¡°I doubt it. He had a remarkable memory.¡± Oh well, here we go again.
Restarting eternity. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
¡°I see. Were you two close?¡± ¡°Not particularly. He mentioned it once. I didn¡¯t think much of it until he killed himself.¡± ¡°Daniel didn¡¯t kill himself,¡± the counselor corrected. ¡°What happened was a tragedy, an avoidable tragedy, but it wasn¡¯t suicide.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what everyone¡¯s saying.¡± ¡°Look, Will,¡± the man put the notepad away. ¡°This is school. Rumors are part of life. Exaggeration and lies are their own currency. When I say that it was avoidable, I meant that steps could have been taken to reduce his level of stress. The fact that you¡¯ve come to see me is already a good sign.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel it is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it feels like that. You probably feel that this whole place is like a prison that refuses to let you go. If you come here thinking that every day, of course, you won¡¯t feel well. It¡¯s like punishing yourself, then wondering why things are like they are.¡± The conversation changed focus, according to plan. Now it was time for the second part. ¡°Umm, sorry, can I go to the bathroom for a bit?¡± the boy interrupted. ¡°Now?¡± the counselor arched his brows. ¡°It¡¯s stupid, but¡­ I want to be alone for a few minutes. Please.¡± The explanation was such that a five-year-old wouldn¡¯t fall for it. Yet, for someone who had gone through years of college, plus all the additional training programs, there was no way to say no. With an understanding smile, Mister June gave the boy a nod, then took his notepad again to jot his conclusions so far. In the corridor, Will quickly took out his phone and sent Helen another thumbs up icon. This was the sign. Now all she had to do was climb to the second floor on the outside of the building without being seen and see exactly where the man put the file. No sooner had he done so than the phone rang. It was Helen. Huh? ¡°What happened?¡± the boy asked in a hushed voice. In his view, she was taking way too many chances. No wonder she had failed to get the file even after so many attempts. ¡°You were right,¡± Helen said. ¡°He called the vice-principal.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s where the files are kept?¡± ¡°Maybe. I¡¯ll create a distraction. You get in the vice principal¡¯s room and find it.¡± That was the opposite of what the plan was supposed to be. Originally, he was supposed to be the distraction, and Helen had to trash up the counselor¡¯s room and get the file. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked. ¡°It has to be in one of the two places. I¡¯ll see where he puts your file and check the place. You go through the principal¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we do that next¡ª¡± a faint sound told him that the conversation was over ¡°¡ªloop.¡± Left with little choice, Will rushed along the corridor. He was almost certain that they¡¯d fail, but that didn¡¯t prevent him from giving his all. In the end, the loops were a means to gain experience in doing something. At the moment, their teamwork was highly disorganized. The plan was Helen¡¯s. He was only playing a role in it. Regardless, all that mattered was finding the file. Once they did that, they had eternity to streamline the process. As he reached the staircase, the unmistakable sound of shattering glass echoed from above. It sounded like two trucks carrying windows had crashed into one another. Sadly, Will knew that wasn¡¯t the case. The sound had been burned into his mind for as long as he could remember. Did you have to call the wolves? He ran faster. Yells and screams soon followed. Helen had indeed been true to her word. This was a distraction the whole school would react to. The principal¡¯s office was right in front of him, less than a few doors down the corridor. However, just as he neared it, the door handle turned down. Oh, crap! Will leaped forward, sliding along the corridor. The door opened, letting the vice-principal and the secretary rush out less than a split second after he had slid past. Not wanting to ruin his achievement, he quickly rolled to the side, hiding from view behind the door itself. ¡°What do you mean wolves?¡± the vice-principal yelled into her phone. ¡°How can there be wolves?¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling the police,¡± the school secretary said in a hushed voice, trying to keep up. ¡°Just go inside and close the door!¡± She glanced at the other woman beside her. ¡°Yes. Frankly, I¡¯ve no idea what you¡¯re talking about. This better not be someone¡¯s idea of a prank.¡± Quietly standing up, Will made his way to the door, then, using his reflexes, slipped inside, closing and locking the door behind him. The action was likely noticed, but at this point, it didn¡¯t matter. Fifteen minutes remained until the end of the loop. In that time, he had to find the location of their prize. The desk was the usual choice to start. As usual, it was kept locked, but in her panic, the vice-principle had left the room leaving the keys behind. Score, Will thought as he went through the drawers. The first thing he found were the vice-principal''s e-cigarettes. The woman clearly had a passion for them, for there were no less than five different ones, all filled up. Administrative documents filled the rest of the desk. The only things that stood out were a few transfer student printouts, and a half filled out expulsion form. Wow. The boy paused for a moment, reading through the form. Never knew you were about to get kicked out, Danny. Given the accusations listed, it wasn¡¯t surprising. Apart from being described as disruptive, violent, and anti-social, one of the sections filled out stated that Mister June considered him a threat to himself and others. Interesting why he hadn¡¯t mentioned that while Will was in his office. The boy¡¯s phone rang again. ¡°Hey,¡± he placed the phone between his head and shoulder as he went back to going through the last sections of the desk. ¡°Found anything?¡± ¡°The binder¡¯s empty, same as last time.¡± ¡°Well, I think my hunch was right. The harpy was about to expel Danny. There¡¯s a note of June¡¯s opinion, so she must have had the file to include it.¡± ¡°Expel? That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking at the papers right now. My guess is, if his loop had lasted a few more days, he would have been out of here.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling you what I saw.¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading to you.¡± ¡°No! The door¡ª¡± Will heard her end the call again ¡°¡ªis locked¡­¡± Why do I bother? He thought. With the desk fully rummaged, he quickly went to the cabinets containing the school files. Everything relating to a student went there, from student information to all their grades and teacher comments. With the opportunity presenting itself, Will gave into temptation and went through his own file. To his major disappointment, there was nothing particularly special there. His grades were okay and most of his teachers considered him smart but lazy. Suddenly, the windows shattered. Fearing a wolf attack, the boy jumped away, grabbing the nearest object to use as a weapon. ¡°Chill, it¡¯s me!¡± Helen said. Despite her dramatic entrance, not a single wound or scratch was visible. ¡°Found anything?¡± ¡°I was just going through our files,¡± he said, only then glancing at what he was holding. As it turned out, it was a miniature Edgar Allan Poe bust. ¡°And?¡± ¡°You dropped in.¡± Leaving the bust in its place, the boy returned to the cabinet. ¡°The expulsion papers are at the desk somewhere.¡± Helen glanced at the desk, then at the file cabinet. ¡°I¡¯ll check the desk,¡± she said. ¡°Sure.¡± He went back to searching through student files. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t anyone use computers here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Enigma High. What do you expect?¡± ¡°What¡¯s his family name?¡± ¡°Keen,¡± the girl replied. She had found the document in question and was now reading and rereading it, as if trying to convince herself it was fake. ¡°Right, Keen.¡± Will continued rummaging. Kallan, Kackeron¡­ he tossed binders one after the other. Keen. ¡°Found it!¡± he said, waving it in the air. ¡°Wow. His grades are really high.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you¡¯re in a loop.¡± The girl joined him. ¡°When you¡¯re bored in class, you just read ahead.¡± Skimming through the general data, Will soon reached a yellow divider titled ¡°Psychological ¨C Copy¡±. It wasn¡¯t what they originally had set out to find, but it had to do. Holding his breath, he turned the binder. Nothing followed. ¡°No!¡± Helen shouted in anger and annoyance. You must be kidding me! Will thought. He flipped back to the beginning of the pages, then back again, as if hoping that the information had been misplaced. ¡°What if the cops took it?¡± he asked. ¡°His mother would have known. She was convinced it was still here.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s clearly not. The only explanation is¡ª¡± he stopped. There were several thin slivers of paper in the file behind the binder. ¡°Look at this,¡± Will took them out. ¡°Someone beat us to it.¡±
Restarting eternity.
15. Two Unknowns and an Archer ¡°Hey,¡± Will said as he entered the classroom. The stench was as terrible as ever, but at this point, he barely even noticed it. What was more troubling was that both of them had been beaten, by another member of eternity, even after loops of planning and preparation. The boy had no illusions that their plan was good. Quite the opposite, it had been a bundle of chaos wrapped in cellophane. However, that wasn¡¯t the point. The goal wasn¡¯t to be elegant or efficient, just to check the last possible place the counselor kept Daniel¡¯s session notes. ¡°At least we now know,¡± the boy said, as he joined in opening the windows as he did the start of every loop. ¡°The only reason you didn¡¯t find the file till now was because they¡¯ve been snatching it.¡± In Will¡¯s mind, that probably sounded supportive. In reality, it only added insult to injury. Helen had been at this for over a hundred loops and each time she failed to find the notes, she believed there was something she missed. Instead, there had been someone working against her the entire time. ¡°Who do you think it is?¡± Will asked. That was the big question, along with the person¡¯s reluctance to get involved. ¡°Might be more than one,¡± the girl said. ¡°Daniel said there were four class mirrors at school. I know about the third one.¡± The thought caused mixed reactions to flicker through the boy¡¯s mind. When it had initially happened, he was glad that there was someone who had actually cared about him. Now, he was more than certain that she was taking advantage of the situation to get access to the nurse¡¯s mirror. To make matters worse, it was all but certain she knew he was looped by then. ¡°Think it could be the nurse?¡± he continued the train of thought. ¡°No. I tested that already.¡± Helen shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s just someone who cares.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no one from the football team. I¡¯ve been beating them up for several loops and none of them have caught on. Who else is there?¡± ¡°No one.¡± The girl went back to her seat. At this time, the rest of the class started to appear. Soon it would be pretty full as the standard flow of events took over. Will was left with a decision to make. He could either continue with his standard loop as normal, not beating up the jocks for a change, or he could have the conversation, causing the loop to restart at eight o¡¯clock. ¡°What do you mean, no one?¡± he asked, making his decision. Helen looked at him as if he had spilled food all over the floor. Minuscule frowns appeared in the corners of her eyes. Whispers had already started discussing his chances and the prospects of Miss Perfect hooking up with one of the weirdos. ¡°There¡¯s no one there,¡± the girl continued, apparently choosing to forsake her loop as well. ¡°I tried rushing, waiting, watching. For a while, I thought it was you. But when I got there, the class was already taken.¡± Will nodded. He had thought the same thing. The whispers got louder as more people came in. Even Alex, who was usually annoying, only gave Will the thumbs up sign. No doubt by the time the goofball got to his seat, he¡¯d have posted the rumor on every social platform he had access to. ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡± ¡°How¡¯s it possible for someone to take the file?¡± the girl countered. The whispers grew in scope and confusion. The fact that Helen was talking to an unlikely potential romantic interest could be understood. The conversation, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t. Speculation ran rampant, with many coming to the obvious conclusion that the two were just discussing some computer game. That made sense in every aspect: the illogical events had to be part of some game task or quest, and furthermore, that would explain why Helen would give him the time of day. ¡°What game are you talking about?¡± A nosy girl of their class joined in. ¡°Anything good?¡± The girl had been Helen¡¯s friend from middle school, and was more likely to butt in than anyone else. Will remembered her reactions in several loops, not to mention all the times before it all started. He wasn¡¯t particularly close to her. In fact, he was almost sure they¡¯d never exchanged a word. Her openly asking like that was a way to test the waters; it was also his cue to get to his desk. There were only a few minutes left till the end of the loop, and it didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d learn anything further. ¡°Brooo,¡± Alex whispered the moment his friend returned to his seat. ¡°Wild rizz! For real!¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s going on,¡± the boy said, leaning back, only then noticing that he had gone to his old desk instead of Danny¡¯s. That was weird considering he¡¯d been doing the opposite in the last several dozen loops. Still, it wasn¡¯t like it mattered. ¡°Press F to doubt.¡± The goofball grinned. ¡°Very sus denying it.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Will wasn¡¯t in the mood for arguing. ¡°Bro, that¡¯s giga! Miss Perfect has shattered egos for less.¡± The boy was just thinking of the best way to respond when Jace and the jocks entered the room in their usual way. Never had he thought that he¡¯d be thankful for them to get him out of an annoying situation. The only downside was that with him at his usual desk, they¡¯d try to make a fuss. ¡°Catch you after class.¡± Alex started to leave. Hardly had he made one step than Will put a hand on his shoulder. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid of them, you know,¡± he said loudly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Jace?¡± ¡°You want to tell me something, Stoner?¡± The other glared, blood and hatred rushing into his face, distorting it in real time. ¡°Just that it¡¯ll be a shame to mess up your chances at the game. If you want to fight, we¡¯ll fight, but coach will be angry.¡± ¡°Careful or you¡¯ll get messed up¡­¡± the jock thought for a few moments, ¡°¡­worse than a Picasso.¡± It must have taken him weeks to come up with that comparison. Will was almost impressed at the attempt at cleverness to the point he was willing to extend the loop just to have some laughs. ¡°Don¡¯t cause problems in class,¡± Helen said in a sharp tone. To everyone, it was looking as if she was talking to the jock. However, in truth, she was addressing Will. With her loop lasting longer, she didn¡¯t have to be left to deal with a crappy day because of him. The warning was acknowledged by both. In his mind, Will thought that Jace had gotten off lightly. Since there was less than a minute left in class, he might as well endure it. ¡°You¡¯re lucky, Stoner,¡± the jock said. ¡°After class.¡± ¡°I¡¯m game if you are.¡± ¡°You too, muffin boy.¡± He pointed at Alex. ¡°Be there!¡± That was an unwanted complication. Hopefully, Alex would be just as good at getting out of trouble as getting into it. Nonetheless, Will felt guilty. This had happened all because of him. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you,¡± he told his friend. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine, bro. I have rizz,¡± he put up a fake front. ¡°Catch you after class.¡± Crap. Will thought. It was such an inconsequential event, but it managed to ruin his mood. No one was particularly bothered by Alex. He was the quirky goofball that never took anything seriously, but didn¡¯t cause any trouble either. Outside of school, no one knew much about him. He rarely talked about his life and went to parties even less. Just like a mascot, the boy thought. Like a muffin mascot¡­ A sudden cold chill passed through Will as a realization struck him. There was one thing that didn¡¯t make sense. So far, he had been dealing with bigger issues to notice. ¡°You!¡± he stood up. Every morning at the start of the loop, Alex had offered Will to buy a muffin, and yet not once had he actually brought one.
Restarting eternity.
The boy briskly turned around. Everything was as it should have been. The usual pair of girls passed by making their usually snide comment. Parents brought their children to school, often honking as one normally would. Only Alex wasn¡¯t there. Will waited. Seconds passed, and still the familiar encounter never took place. ¡°Shit!¡± he turned around and rushed into the school. Ignoring everyone in the hallway, he sprinted to the bathroom and tapped the second mirror. His adrenalin spiked as he half expected to read that Alex had stolen the rogue class. Fortunately, that didn¡¯t happen. The usual message was there, granting him the abilities that he wished to have. Thank goodness. Will relaxed. That was one less issue he had to deal with. Sadly, the main issue remained. Without a moment to waste, he rushed to class. ¡°It¡¯s Alex,¡± he said, ignoring the stench altogether. ¡°He¡¯s looped.¡± ¡°Alex?¡± Helen looked at him. ¡°Every loop he was in front of school, except this time.¡± ¡°Alex?¡± she repeated, her mind still rebelling with the notion. He hadn¡¯t shown any of the signs a looped would. Not only that, but he had consistently repeated the same actions over and over again. ¡°Do you have your knight?¡± ¡°Yeah, but. Are you sure? Alex just¡­¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t where he was supposed to be at the start of the loop.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no guarantee. It could¡ª¡± A pair of arrows flew through the window, piercing Helen¡¯s shoulder. Immediately, Will rushed to her, pulling her down beneath the window. Another pair of arrows followed. Before he could even say a word, all four arrows lost color, then vanished altogether as if they had melted. ¡°Stay down!¡± the girl whispered, giving no indication she was hurt. If it wasn¡¯t for the blood, one might almost believe that the bowman had missed. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, seeing Will¡¯s expression. ¡°The knight lets me deal with pain. Worry about yourself.¡± The boy stood up slightly to try and see the person attacking them. No sooner had he done so that an arrow flew his way. Aimed at the forehead. Will¡¯s reaction was instinctive, causing him to twist back and grab the arrow mid-flight. The rogue¡¯s reflexes had saved him again. ¡°That¡¯s the archer,¡± Helen said. ¡°It was like this a few loops after he appeared.¡± ¡°He¡¯s done that before?¡± ¡°Daniel speculated that he¡¯s been looped for so long that he doesn¡¯t consider people to be people. Even looped. I was surprised he ever agreed to anything.¡± She took her phone, then slowly raised it up in front of the window. An arrow shattered it. ¡°He never misses. That¡¯s why I hoped he¡¯d never get back.¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯s Alex?¡± ¡°No. Even if he¡¯s looped, he can¡¯t be the archer. The archer killed him a few times.¡± Three more arrows entered the room, each shattering a different window. The archer was clearly demonstrating that they couldn¡¯t hide from him even if they tried. Several more arrows hit the door just beneath the handle, cutting off their only means of escape. ¡°What does he want?¡± ¡°We never found out. Daniel had a theory, but refused to tell me¡­¡± there was a pause. ¡°He must know that Daniel is dead.¡± It was difficult not to. With the news all over social media, everyone in town and beyond probably knew. Still, it did raise an interesting point. ¡°What was the deal between Danny and the archer?¡± he asked. The arrow he was holding lost substance, disappearing like all the rest. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He must have had something because the attacks stopped.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you try to find out?¡± ¡°Daniel told me not to. I still tried, but¡­ the knight is the worst match against the archer. He can take me out before I even get to see him. Trust me, I¡¯ve tried.¡± That was right. Ranged fighters probably had an advantage against melee units. However, Will was a rogue, just as Danny had been. It was already established that he had no chance in a direct fight against Helen, just as she was powerless against the archer. Could it be that rogue skills were the perfect counter to the archer? Will had the opportunity to find out. 16. Chaos Run Forty-three seconds was the standard amount of time for a real-time event to become viral. After that, it died away to potentially be rediscovered later. In this case, it didn¡¯t take nearly as long. With arrows vanishing moments after hitting their target, no one outside the room had seen anything remotely dangerous. However, what the entire schoolyard had seen was four large windows shattering for no apparent reason. Two more arrows struck the door, just where the previous ones had been. The archer was making sure not to let the pair leave the classroom, despite the shortcomings of his ammunition. Other than that, not a single arrow was wasted. The boy dashed under the leftmost window. Counting to five, he then stood up. Almost as quick, an arrow flew at him, aimed at the center of his chest. In his mind, Will caught the arrow just before it hit him. That¡¯s what they always did in movies. Thankfully, his body refused to make the attempt, twisting to the side instead. The arrow passed by less than an inch away. This was the point at which the boy caught it. Turning around, continuing the motion, he made a full rotation, ending up facing the neighboring window. On cue, three more arrows split the air. This time, though, he was prepared. Not only that, he had the means to deflect them. Using the captured arrow while it was still in solid form, Will hit each of the shafts mid-air. Just like jabbing, he thought. The arrows hit the walls and ceiling of the classroom, causing him no harm whatsoever. So far, so good. The trick now was to reach the archer and to reach him, he had to find him. Without thought or hesitation, the boy rushed forwards leaping through the shattered window and onto the school ground. Since the classroom was on the first floor, the height was no more than a few feet, but the impact still felt as if he had landed on five-inch nails. Ignore the pain! The boy leapt to the side. I got this. The leaps were nothing compared to the ones he¡¯d get upon reaching second level, but they did the job. Arrows struck the asphalt, piercing it like paper. No matter how many Will avoided, though, there were always more. The archer class was definitely overpowered. To complicate matters further, the attacker remained out of sight. He crossed the courtyard, then jumped over the brick and wire fence and kept on going. Cars honked and hit the brakes as the boy crossed the road and kept on running. Where the hell are you?! There were several buildings, but the arrows seemed to come from further away. A few apartment blocks were also visible in the distance, but surely it couldn¡¯t come from there? The distance was insane, even for a class. Another cluster of arrows followed, though this time Will wasn¡¯t the target. The front left tire of a car went out, causing its inertia to flip it in the air heading straight along the boy¡¯s path. You gotta be kidding! Why did the looped always have to go all out on the first encounter? Will plunged forward, dropping just enough to have the car fly above him. More cars collided as screams and yells filled the entire intersection. With so much chaos and arrows to boot, it was a standard reaction to head for shelter. Unfortunately, it was also wrong. The boy was halfway to the nearest building when he suddenly realized. The building he was heading towards was a bar. It also happened to be on a corner. The large pane windows of the bar shattered from the inside, revealing two monstrous heads. ¡°Wolves,¡± Will whispered. They were a lot bigger than the ones he¡¯d dealt with before. Large as cars, they paused for a moment, sniffing the air. One of them stared at the boy, letting out a low growl. The other three did no such thing, rushing up the street as fast as they could. At this precise moment, Will felt it¡ªa sense of fear he¡¯d never felt before. It wasn¡¯t so much knowing that he would lose¡ªhe¡¯d been killed by wolves before. It was a more primal fear, knowing he was facing something that he had no chance of defeating. All he wanted now was for the loop to end, and hope that the beast wouldn¡¯t follow him into the next one. The monster seemed to grin, slowly taking a step forward. It recognized the boy as looped, just as it felt the fear emanating from its prey, rendering him incapable of movement. The wolf moved closer and closer, stopping a foot away from Will. Silver eyes looked down at him with conceit, as if he wasn¡¯t worth the effort of killing. In the current circumstances, the boy would agree. He felt like a rabbit driven into a corner. There was no possibility of escape, no prospect of a fight, even the end of the loop was minutes away. All he could do was¡ª A drone slammed into the side of the wolf¡¯s head. It was one of those small entertainment drones that everyone bought for no reason in particular. Flimsy and made mostly of plastic, it was incapable of doing any real harm, especially against a beast as huge as this. Reacting on instinct, the wolf turned its head, jaws snapping to devour the drone whole before it had a chance to fall to the ground. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. That single moment presented Will with a deus ex machina situation and he took it. The petrification lost hold of him, allowing him to grab one of the glass fragments from the road. They weren¡¯t large, no longer than a pen, but they were his only chance. Realizing the change in his prey, the wolf quickly turned around, aiming to chomp the boy in half, but it was too late. Will plunged forward, thrusting the edge of the shard¡ªalong with his entire hand¡ªinto the weak spot just beneath the rib cage. The pain felt like an electric current running through his heart, but the boy held on. The growling sound lost strength, turning into a deep breathing sound. The wolf took a step back, still refusing to believe it had been killed by such a weak human. Its paw trembled, attempting to take a final step, after which it collapsed on the ground. ¡°I won,¡± Will said to himself. His hand, as bloody as his shirt, let go of the piece of glass, letting it fall to the ground. How, though? Another yelp followed by a crash quickly brought him to reality. There were still three more wolves out there, not to mention the reason he had set off running through the streets. People were fleeing the area in panic. The bar the wolves had leaped out from was completely empty at this point. Yet, the massive mirrors remained, each of them displaying the words LEVEL UP. The boy smiled. One wolf meant one level. Adrenalin took control, causing him to dash and touch the closest mirror. Next thing, he was running along the street again. Two of the wolves ahead lay lifeless, covered with more arrows than a pincushion. The third one was barely visible, continuing ahead. By the damage done to cars, road, and pavements, one could tell that the archer had done his best to get rid of it, but had come short. The number of arrows had progressively increased, suggesting that, like Helen had said, he had been playing around until now. A steady stream of arrows flew at the last beast, as if they were shot from a waterjet. They were pouring from the sixth floor of an apartment building several blocks away. So, that¡¯s where you are. Will ran to the side. Now that he knew the destination, he could easily reach it in a way that didn¡¯t leave him exposed. The sound of sirens filled the air, only to be ignored. In the chaos, two groups of people formed: those trying to get as far away from the danger area, and the small group that wanted to move in closer to get a better video. The patrol cars in the vicinity were going to have a hard time with either to bother with Will. Just to be sure, he leapt onto the roof of the nearest building. That made him a bit more exposed, but he¡¯d be able to reach the archer faster. While running, the boy checked for his phone. Thankfully, it was there. The screen was all cracked, but it was still functional. According to the time, he had two minutes to eight. Just two minutes to reach the archer? Difficult. But not impossible thanks to his level two abilities. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop even seemed fun, especially since there were no wolves or arrows to deal with.
TRAP ACTIVATED Entangled.
The tile the boy had stepped on pulled him to the ground. Unable to get rid of the build up inertia, the top part of his body continued on, only to be briskly pulled back like a piece of rubber. There was no pain, just the sensation that he was stuck. What happened? Will looked down at his feet. To his surprise, he found that there was a mirror there, one that he was certain not to have seen before. ¡°That¡¯s far enough, bro,¡± a familiar voice said. ¡°Alex?¡± Will tried to turn around, but the way he was stuck didn¡¯t let him. Still, he was able to glance at the goofball over the shoulder. ¡°Dangerous going on, bro.¡± Alex shook his head. He seemed the same as he always was¡ªcalm and carefree. Even now, Will had a hard time thinking of him as looped¡­ if it wasn¡¯t for everything that had happened in the past nine minutes. ¡°You¡¯re the archer, aren¡¯t you?¡± Will asked, grasping at straws. ¡°Fail, bro.¡± The other laughed. ¡°Archer¡¯s op. Cross that street and you¡¯ll find out.¡± ¡°I already found out.¡± ¡°Nah, he¡¯s just playing, bro. Danny made a deal¡ªno playing outside one¡¯s pen.¡± He walked up to the edge of the rooftop, still keeping five feet from Will. ¡°Cross this line and you¡¯re out of your pen.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saving me?¡± ¡°Something like that, bro.¡± If he wanted to, the goofball could kill him here and now, bringing Will¡¯s loop to an end. Why wasn¡¯t he, though? It clearly wasn¡¯t enough to have stopped him from continuing. He had to make sure that Will knew he shouldn¡¯t go on. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± he asked. ¡°You knew I was looped, and you kept on pretending you didn¡¯t know. All those times saying the same shit over and over again just to make me think that¡­¡± The boy tried to break free from the trap, but his feet weren¡¯t able to move off the mirror. ¡°Does Helen know?¡± Alex didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Did Danny know?¡± The goofball looked away. ¡°He knew. He knew that you were one. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been stealing his shrink file, because he outed you. Am I right? He said something that¡¯ll make no sense to a normie, but a looped would figure it out. Am I right?¡± ¡°Never get out of your pen, bro. You¡¯re not ready for it.¡± He turned around. ¡°Alex! Just tell me what¡ª¡±
Restarting eternity.
¡°What are you looking at, weirdo?¡± The pair of girls walked by, entering the school building. The boy blinked. All the pain had gone, but he felt that the adrenalin rush was still there. ¡°Alex?¡± he looked around. ¡°Alex!¡± ¡°Will.¡± Helen rushed out of the school building. ¡°What the heck did you do?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Wolves overrunning in the city? The national guard being called in?¡± Overrunning the city? There had only been four and three of them had been killed. ¡°What did you and the archer do exactly?¡± she whispered. ¡°We must find Alex,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s the one who kept stealing Danny¡¯s files.¡± 17. Chase for a Looping Goofball Finding someone in a ten-minute window was more difficult than one might expect. The irony was that the target of the chase was the person that people normally wanted to avoid. There was hardly anyone at school that didn¡¯t know Alex and his annoying character. He was the type of person that gave nuisances a bad name. Even bullies only picked on him as a last resort. The only reason that he was tolerated at all was because beneath the initial layer of annoyance, he was actually fun. Also, everyone enjoyed watching him pester someone else from a distance, preferably a teacher. ¡°Where the heck could he go in ten minutes?¡± Will asked. Every loop started with him rushing from somewhere about ten seconds in. Unfortunately, Will had never made it a point to see exactly where that was. The logical assumption was that it had to be from the outside. The goofball wasn¡¯t the sort of student that willingly went to school early, so unlike Helen he couldn¡¯t have been anywhere inside. That meant he had to come from the outside¡­ yet where? ¡°Stone!¡± the coach roared. ¡°Come down here right now!¡± The boy looked at the ground below. A small crowd had gathered, busy taking pictures of him to post. A few teachers had joined in, their expressions a lot more serious. Given that he was standing on the school roof, that was to be expected. If a kid had a classmate that climbed to the top of the building, that would make them cool by association, especially if they took a photo of the event; if a teacher had one of their students there, they risked serious consequences. ¡°Just admiring the view, coach.¡± Will shouted back. This was the third time he¡¯d tried to spot Alex in this fashion. And just like all the previous times, there was nothing to be seen. If one didn¡¯t know better, it was almost as if his friend had never attended school. His phone rang. The number was marked as unknown, but the boy knew who it was. At this point, he had remembered it by heart. ¡°Nothing,¡± he said upon accepting the call. ¡°Any luck on your end?¡± ¡°No,¡± Helen replied. ¡°He still got the files.¡± That wasn¡¯t good, although it confirmed that he was still somewhere in the school area. After the first loop running about school in an attempt to find Alex, Helen had come up with the idea to try and get Daniel¡¯s files. According to general logic, if the goofball was running from them, there was a chance that he could have disrupted his usual routine, rendering him unable to snatch the pieces of paper. Unfortunately, that hadn¡¯t occurred. ¡°What about the nurse¡¯s mirror?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not him.¡± The girl¡¯s annoyance could be felt all the way through the phone. ¡°It¡¯s still taken.¡± So you did check, Will said to himself triumphantly. ¡°Mister Stone,¡± the vice principal shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what made you go up there, but you won¡¯t find any answers. I can sympathize with what you¡¯re going through. It¡¯s been difficult for everyone. I¡¯m sure that a talk with the school¡¯s counselor will manage to put your fears at bay. ¡°He¡¯s not even here,¡± the boy shouted. Maybe it was a bit harsh of him to say so, but after chasing someone throughout school for twenty loops, he had no tolerance for bullshit. ¡°Doctor June is on his way. He merely had a slight traffic problem. He¡¯ll be here by the time you get down.¡± As if. Less than two minutes remained until the end of the loop. There was no chance that the vice principal would get to see him climbing down, even if he wanted to. Not that this was a reason for him to do so. Getting down meant lots of questions and, despite what the harpy had promised, punishment. At the very least, his parents would be called. Most likely they already were along with the police, the firefighters, and likely an ambulance for good measure. If Helen or Alex had extended their loops, they would get a chance to see the entire thing. The prospect seemed just as surreal as when the boy had heard it for the first time. From his perspective, each loop ended at the start of the next. For everyone else, though, it continued. Will could have all the fun and the non-looped him would pay the consequences. ¡°Hey,¡± he said into his phone. ¡°Things keep going on after the loop, right?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been through this.¡± ¡°No, I mean, for everyone else.¡± There was a long moment of silence. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Once the longest loop of everyone in eternity is over, what happens?¡± There was another pause, this time shorter. ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like Daniel. He used to say that the loops were a dot in time from where an eternity of futures began. Each loop was a different future, and those futures existed in parallel, like alternatives.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± That sounded deep. Either that or the musings of someone who was bored after spending countless loops doing the same thing. ¡°Don¡¯t go philosophical on me,¡± the girl said sharply. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it.¡± ¡°What about before the start?¡± ¡°I just told you not to¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to find Alex based on what he¡¯s been doing after the start of the loop. What if we look before?¡± This time the momentary pause suggested that the girl had grasped his idea. ¡°Even if he¡¯s got the ability to teleport, he can only get that after the loops begin and not before.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t hide what he¡¯s been doing before the start of the loop,¡± Helen said. ¡°And people will remember it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The boy smiled. ¡°We don¡¯t chase him to find out where he¡¯s been. We just ask people that are there.¡± ¡°Sounds good. Who do we start with?¡± ¡°I think I have an idea.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
Restarting eternity.
The school building was in front of him once more. The boy looked around. Inevitably, the familiar pair of girls passed by. One of them instantly noticed him looking at her and winced. ¡°What do you want, weirdo?¡± ¡°Your number?¡± He gave a confident smile. ¡°Dream on!¡± The girl laughed, looking away. Noticeably, her pace of walking slowed down a bit. Her friend tried to subtly pull her along to restore the speed, but the resistance was stronger than expected. ¡°Hey, hold up. I have a question for you.¡± Both girls looked at Will, one clearly more disapproving than the other. ¡°Did any of you see Alex today?¡± ¡°Muffin boy?¡± One of the girls arched her brows. ¡°Did he pester you for money, too?¡± Now that the topic of conversation had shifted to the school fool, their attitude instantly changed. Alex was always a good source of gossip, whether it be talking with him, or talking about him. ¡°Did he pester you?¡± Will shifted the focus onto them. ¡°You have no idea.¡± One of the girls¡ªthe one with the purple highlights¡ªrolled her eyes. ¡°Jess,¡± her friend said, on the border between a polite reminder and an annoyed hiss. ¡°We¡¯ll be late for class.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be that late!¡± Jess said, then turned back to Will. ¡°He¡¯s been begging for muffin money for weeks. Always the same story about forgetting his phone.¡± That was a clear lie. Will knew his friend had his phone with him. Why lie, though? And why the obsession with muffins? Even if he loved them before, he¡¯d quickly have gotten tired once the loops started. Right now, Will didn¡¯t even want to look at chocolate mousse. ¡°I¡¯ll get him to pay you back,¡± the boy said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. No way I¡¯d give anything to that weirdo.¡± ¡°Not with the way he steals,¡± the other joined in reluctantly. Despite her initial opposition, dumping on Alex came naturally. ¡°I saw him breaking off car mirrors.¡± She snorted. ¡°It wasn¡¯t even good cars.¡± ¡°Car mirrors?¡± Will¡¯s attitude suddenly changed. That sounded like a thing. All this time he had been focusing on the mirrors within the school, or on rare occasions on buildings. Of course, there would be thousands of mirrors traveling along the streets every day. ¡°Where¡ª?¡± The boy¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Sorry,¡± he offered a charming smile and picked up his phone. For better or worse, that gave Jess¡¯ friend the necessary initiative to pull her back to school. And to be honest, it wasn¡¯t like the girl had a crush on Will¡­ although given how readily she had engaged in a conversation, maybe there was something. ¡°He¡¯s been buying muffins every morning for the last few months,¡± Helen said from the other end of the phone. ¡°The guy calls him a regular. The football team have also seen him a few times this week.¡± ¡°How did you get there so fast?¡± ¡°I jumped out of the window,¡± Helen replied, as if it were the most common thing possible. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± The boy made his way to the school gate. There were lots of cars, but none with their side mirrors missing. Alex couldn¡¯t have gotten any of them without causing a loud fuss. In today¡¯s day and age, it was impossible to get away from anything of the sort without someone taking a picture. At the very least, the people inside would have been able to provide a description. ¡°I think I know where his starting point is,¡± he continued along the school fence. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The parking lot.¡± ¡°I checked that five loops ago.¡± ¡°The external parking lot.¡± In theory, the spot Will was thinking of didn¡¯t belong to the school. It was an open space of asphalt that shared a wall with the bricked part of the school fence. Officially, it was owned by the city and provided to the local businesses as a place where they could part their vehicles. However, after some aggressive negotiations on the school¡¯s part, the less fortunate teachers¡ªthose that weren¡¯t deemed important enough to park on the few spaces in school property¡ªhad been given parking permits as well. It would be a lot easier to snatch mirrors from there, although even that should have triggered alarms. ¡°That¡¯s a way off,¡± the girl said. ¡°Would take him over a minute to reach the entrance.¡± ¡°Not if he sprints.¡± Thinking back to the archer¡¯s loop, Alex had proven to be quite fast¡ªfaster than when Will was a rogue even. After another short while, the boy found out he was right. Of the two dozen cars parked there. Several had their side mirrors missing. To make it more sinister, it was only the reflective components that were gone. The plastic elements remained there, completely untouched. From a distance, one might even think that everything was fine. After all, what thief or vandal would take the time of carefully removing a mirror, and more importantly¡ªwhy? ¡°He¡¯s been here,¡± the boy said, standing at the corner of the lot. ¡°He¡¯s taken a lot of mirrors.¡± ¡°A lot of what?¡± ¡°Car mirrors. He snatched them.¡± ¡°Only static mirrors have an effect. The rest are useless.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you what I¡¯m seeing,¡± Will said, his glance moving from car to car. ¡°I¡¯m looking at five cars missing their mirrors. There¡¯s no way that¡ª¡± he stopped. At the far end of the lot, there was a pole. At first, it seemed like a road sign that one could find in the city. However, after looking more carefully, the boy had found that it was a mirror¡ªone of those places so people could get a glimpse of approaching cars as they went on and out of the parking lot. It was one of those city initiatives that was largely useless, however, not when it came to the looped. ¡°Will?¡± Helen asked. ¡°You there?¡± ¡°Yeah. I think I found his mirror.¡± Keeping the line open, the boy went to the pole with the mirror. The reflective surface was nothing more than a polished piece of metal¡ªthe cheapest durable solution the city could find. Yet, it still fulfilled the requirements of eternity. A greasy hand-print suggested that someone had given it a high-five at some point. There was no point in speculating who that might have been.
TRAP ACTIVATED Entangled.
Will quickly looked at his feet. Beneath him there was a mirror pane the size of a large tile. ¡°Big oof, bro,¡± Alex said right behind him. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d fall for that twice.¡± Deep inside, Will was cursing his head off. He really felt stupid for walking into that again. The last time he had the excuse of running along rooftops while dealing with the archer. This time, though, he had just stepped into it. ¡°Hey, Alex,¡± he said, trying to keep his external composure. ¡°No muffins today?¡± The goofball didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he looked at a point in the distance as if calculating something. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have left the building, bro,¡± he said. ¡°Or what? I¡¯d end up like Danny?¡± ¡°You¡¯re clueless, bro. Anyone can take you out. Rogues explore. Knights fight. You¡ª
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500%
18. The Muffin Ceasefire Will watched as his friend shattered before his very eyes. Helen had done a good job arriving at the scene in record time, though too good of a job as far as Alex was concerned. The expression of determined vengefulness on her face made the boy glad they were on the same side. Knights really do fight well, he thought. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the girl asked. Given what just had occurred one would think that a small crowd would have started to gather. At least someone should have noticed a girl leaping over a school fence and shattering a boy to fragments of glass. And yet, no one did. People continued to honk, rushing off to some place or other. A local shop worker gave the car lot a general glance, then returned to getting things ready for the day. ¡°Yeah.¡± Will tried to move off the spot he was standing. The mirror tile kept on holding him tight. As he was hesitating whether to try and smash it or not, Helen approached and did just that. On cue, he no longer felt stuck. ¡°Thanks.¡± He stepped away. ¡°You got here fast.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at gymnastics,¡± the girl said, looking at where Alex had been. By now, the glass fragments had all but evaporated as if they had never been. ¡°Seen anything like this before?¡± The girl shook her head. ¡°Are you sure it was Alex?¡± she asked. ¡°I mean, this wasn¡¯t him, but are you sure he¡¯s the one?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Will walked up to the mirror pole and tapped it with his hand.
The class has already been found by someone else. Next time, try sooner.
The familiar message appeared on it. ¡°See?¡± ¡°He must have learned some trick.¡± The boy looked at the ground again. ¡°Or more than a few tricks.¡± During his brief speech, the goofball had given Will the impression he had been at this far longer than either of them, possibly even longer than Danny. Catching him was going to be difficult, although Will had gained one huge advantage: he¡¯d found the location of the starting mirror. Still, there was something that didn¡¯t add up. ¡°Want some mousse?¡± he turned to the girl. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Chocolate mousse. I know a place.¡± Helen tilted her head, arms crossed. ¡°We¡¯ve got six minutes till the next loop. After what just happened I don''t feel like going to class. Why not use the time to chill a bit in a coffee shop?¡± The chances of such an offer being accepted were a hundred to one. If this were a date, or there was a chance that it seemed like a date, he¡¯d never be so straightforward. Since it was loop related, and there were only a few minutes left, Will wasn¡¯t going to feel particularly bad if he were shot down. On her part, Helen, would normally never accept such an invitation. Everything else aside, she liked to know where she¡¯d be going and gathered a few second-hand opinions of the place first. Going to a random coffee shop that served ¡°chocolate mousse¡± was without question not it. And yet only a minute later both of them were sitting inside, taking advantage of the place¡¯s cocoa. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re supposed to be here?¡± the barista asked with a note of suspicion. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a school day or¡ª¡± ¡°First period teacher got stuck in traffic,¡± Helen interrupted without batting an eye. ¡°We thought we¡¯d go somewhere special.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The barista nodded, as if the answer made anything clear. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll go check the inventory.¡± He gave them a sly nod, then discretely wandered off. ¡°How fast can you get to the parking lot?¡± Will asked, the moment they were let alone, doing his best to ignore what she had insinuated just then. ¡°Running, jumping out of windows¡­ ten-fifteen seconds. It¡¯s not that far if you follow a straight line.¡± She took a sip of her drink. ¡°Straightish.¡± ¡°Even after getting the knight?¡± ¡°It takes me less than a second to get the knight. I¡¯m already in the bathroom, remember? Wasn¡¯t like that when Daniel was alive. Then, it sometimes took me half a minute.¡± ¡°You never said that.¡± ¡°Well, excuse me for not discussing things relating to a dead close friend. He wasn¡¯t supposed to die, either.¡± Will had an inkling of how she felt, but even so had hoped she¡¯d share such important things. So, a looped¡¯s death caused eternity to change. It sort of sounded logical. ¡°When you became a rogue, you pulled the loop forward. At least for me. Of course, I did the same thing I did every morning.¡± ¡°Get to the mirror and get your class,¡± the boy said along with her. ¡°That means Alex will be in front of his mirror too.¡± There went the idea of catching the goofball by surprise. Still, it was possible to make things uncomfortable for him. It would take Helen fifteen seconds to get there. With a bit of running, Will could reach the spot as well from the other side. Some testing would be required to tell whether it would be faster to get his rogue class first or run directly to the mirror. Either way, it would put pressure on Alex. ¡°So, that¡¯s your big plan?¡± The girl didn¡¯t look at all impressed. ¡°Of course not,¡± the boy lied. ¡°We know where he starts. We know where he has to be to get Danny¡¯s file¡ª¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Not that it will do us any good,¡± Helen uttered beneath her breath. ¡°We know that¡­¡± the boy paused. ¡°A class has three skills, right?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. Are there any with more?¡± ¡°Not that I know of. Daniel said that all the classes were front heavy and started with three at most.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s impossible.¡± The girl narrowed her eyes. ¡°I mean Alex,¡± the boy continued. ¡°I know one of his skills is to make him faster. I saw that when I chased after the archer. I also know that he can create traps, and we saw that he can make copies of himself.¡± ¡°That makes three.¡± ¡°How come no one sees him?¡± Will leaned back triumphantly. ¡°Even if he has a mirror copy of him rushing off to get Danny¡¯s files, how does he get both copies without being seen or raising the alarm? You tried breaking into June¡¯s office. How did that go?¡± ¡°Invisibility¡­¡± the girl said. ¡°And lock picking.¡± ¡°Please. That¡¯s child¡¯s play. Anyone can pick a lock with a basic set of tools. Daniel taught me how.¡± ¡°I still doubt it, but okay. That still makes four skills, which¡ª¡± the boy raised a finger ¡°¡ªhe must have before getting to the nurse¡¯s mirror. Otherwise, she¡¯d have seen him as well.¡± He grabbed his phone from his pocket and started typing a text. ¡°Danny said that there were only four classes at the school, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, but he didn¡¯t say anything about outside. There could be more. The parking lot isn¡¯t part of the school either.¡± That was true. It was possible that he¡¯d taken a class from elsewhere. If so, that might complicate Will¡¯s plan a bit. Helen leaned closer to see what he was typing, but the angle remained uncomfortable. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m texting to Alex. If all goes well, we might not have to fight after all.¡± The message sent, he put the phone on the table. ¡°We¡¯ll still have to be ready, though. Just in case.¡± The girl took the phone. The text read: Talk after 1 period , followed by a mirror and hand emoji. ¡°Mirror and hand?¡± The girl looked at him. ¡°Or we¡¯ll break your mirror.¡± It wasn¡¯t a very realistic threat, especially considering the nature of the mirror in question. Still, it was a clear threat that they were going to make life difficult for Alex in every loop moving on. The only question was, whether he¡¯d believe them. With less than a minute left to the end of the loop, the barista returned to check if they wanted anything else. Despite his reluctance, Will ordered a chocolate mousse, telling Helen she had to try it. Before she had the chance, however¡­
Restarting eternity.
Another loop, another rush through the bathroom. Will didn¡¯t pause to wait for Alex or the daily insult coming from the pair of girls. Getting the rogue right off, he went to the art classroom. Helen was already there, as usual, opening the windows. Silently, the boy assisted, then sat at Daniel¡¯s desk. One by one, the rest of the class started to arrive. Everyone did the exact same things they had been doing for hundreds of loops. The same jokes, coughs, and nasty comments. Students went to the same places asking the same questions to receive the same answers. In his mind, Will often finished the conversations for them, seconds before they had a chance to do it. Then, something different happened. When the jocks came in, they no longer did so with their usual yell. In fact, they were rather quiet, discussing football strategies. Jace didn¡¯t even pay attention to Will, joining the rest of the group at their desks. Huh? Will thought. After experiencing the same things so many times, he almost wanted to go to them and start a fight himself. It wasn¡¯t even about extending the loop¡ªhe knew precisely what actions he had to do in order to achieve that¡ªbut rather out of a sense of tradition. As for the goofball, there was no notable difference. Ever since he had been discovered, Alex had stopped coming to class, doing his thing elsewhere. Eight o¡¯clock. The bell rang marking the start of class. The teacher, barely arrived, told the class to prepare their drawing materials¡ªas he did each loop¡ªthen went to close the nearest window. Unexpectedly, the door opened once more. Everyone turned in its direction only to see their very own goofy classmate standing there, carrying a large paper bag of something. ¡°Should I even ask?¡± The teacher sighed as his glance fell on the bag Alex was carrying. ¡°It¡¯s fire, teach!¡± The boy reached in and took out a muffin. ¡°Muffins, the progressive nature morte!¡± The entire class erupted in laughter. Even the teacher found it difficult to remain indifferent. Despite all his other faults, and Will could think of several since the recent revelation, the goofball remained highly amusing. ¡°While I¡¯m impressed you know the phrase, muffins can hardly be described as a nature morte,¡± the teacher said once calm was restored. ¡°But, they¡¯re lit. And I brought enough for everyone.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯m sure your classmates would appreciate that¡­ after class. Until then please put the bag on my desk where it won¡¯t serve as a drawing inspiration.¡± Alex shrugged, returned the muffin to the rest, folded the top of the paper bag, then placed it on the teacher¡¯s desk. A few rogue comments followed from other members of class, all attempting to match his humor and failing at it. That didn¡¯t disturb the boy in the least. In his usual swagger, he went straight to Will¡¯s old desk and sat down. ¡°Brought your muffin, bro,¡± he whispered as he took out his drawing materials from his backpack. It was subtle, but enough to let him know that the truce had been accepted. Class continued as usual. Will and Helen finished their assignments first, earning themselves a lot of praise and envy. To everyone¡¯s surprise, so did Alex. Seeing the goofball¡¯s ¡°hidden talent¡± almost made the teacher get a stroke. It was more than skill, it was mastery that required years of practice to perfect. While the rest of the class was astonished at the result, Will felt a lump in his throat. Alex was sending him a warning. Being looped for so much longer had also made him a lot more experienced. In both confrontations so far, he had proved to have the upper hand. Although, interestingly enough, not once had he attacked. He could done so have back when Will had no idea what was going on. Helen had, after all, so why hadn¡¯t Alex? The bell sounded bringing the class to an end. ¡°And remember,¡± the teacher said just as everyone started putting away their belongings. ¡°Practice makes perfect,¡± the students continued in the most unenthusiastic fashion possible. ¡°Or something of the sort,¡± the man said with a smile showing he was accustomed to disappointment. ¡°Alex, Will, I¡¯d like to have a word with you sometime this week.¡± ¡°Sure, bro!¡± The goofball grinned. ¡°Ok,¡± Will replied in a quiet tone. If this were outside the loop, he would have been thrilled. Right now, the only thing on his mind was the conversation. ¡°Great. Oh, and don¡¯t forget your¡­¡± The teacher pointed at the paper bag on his desk. ¡°Nah, keep it, teach. For next time.¡± A few bouts of laughter erupted as the people poured out into the corridor. ¡°Nice sketch,¡± Helen tore away from her friends. ¡°Must have taken you a while to get the technique right.¡± ¡°Nah, bro. I¡¯m lit.¡± He smiled. Two of Helen¡¯s friends rolled their eyes, leaving the room with a ¡°don¡¯t take long¡± glance at her. ¡°Yard?¡± Will asked in a whisper. ¡°Muffin place.¡± Alex finished packing his backpack. ¡°My treat.¡± ¡°Muffin place,¡± the girl repeated. It sounded just like something the goofball would suggest. It was also a good move. Open spaces gave him the advantage. Additionally, given that it was his home turf, there was every chance that he had set up a trap or two. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Will tossed the backpack on his shoulder. ¡°For real, bro?¡± The goofball arched his eyebrows, surprised. ¡°If it¡¯s a trap, we can still do what I said in the next loop.¡± Will paused. ¡°And all the loops after.¡± 19. Looped Trio with a Goal There were many places for a student to stay between classes. The corner shop was one of those places. With Helen being well known for her academic prowess, it was considered that the matter had to be important enough to let it slide. Given that Alex was also there, many suspected that the girl had a few choice words to say, which was about time as far as everyone was concerned. ¡°How much time you got?¡± Alex asked, munching muffins along with the paper cup holding them. ¡°End of second period,¡± Will said, stretching the truth a bit. ¡°Fourth period,¡± Helen said. ¡°Do you have to eat like that?¡± ¡°All good. Part of my loop extension,¡± the goofball replied. ¡°Is good. Don¡¯t notice it.¡± Will winced. Being forced to eat food with the wrapper to gain a few minutes didn¡¯t sound like a good deal. On the other hand, it must have worked well for his friend, given the amounts he was consuming with ease. ¡°Sorry for sending the goons at you, bro. Part of my class.¡± ¡°You sent them?¡± Will blinked. ¡°Yeah, bro.¡± Will¡¯s nostrils flared. ¡°Was my class, bro. Doing it for ages. Didn¡¯t know you¡¯d get looped.¡± That made some sense. But still. Jace¡¯s sudden behavior, the jocks¡¯ sudden bullying, had all been because of that? No wonder this morning¡¯s loop was so calm. Of course, Helen had done something similar by sicking the coach on the boy. ¡°For real, bro. Won¡¯t do it again.¡± Assuming we come to some agreement, Will thought. ¡°Why did you keep taking Daniel¡¯s notes?¡± Helen asked. ¡°Were you the reason he died?¡± ¡°Whoa there, sis.¡± Alex glared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t be bitching at me. You went with him on his last run.¡± The atmosphere tensed up. Even the corner shop seller glanced in their direction, expecting something to happen. The next half minute passed in silence. The girl kept on glaring at Alex, who, in turn, continued eating his muffins twice as slow as before. ¡°We¡¯re not here to fight,¡± Will stepped in after it became apparent that no one else would. ¡°We all know the location of our mirrors so we could make it difficult for everyone else if we wanted.¡± ¡°Wow, bro. Still a noob, but giving advice?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not wrong.¡± The girl crossed her arms. ¡°He might not be able to cause you trouble, but I could.¡± There was another tense moment, after which the goofball shrugged. ¡°Danny said you were lit.¡± Reaching in his backpack, he took two stacks of paper and offered them to Helen. It didn¡¯t take a genius to know what they were. Slowly, the girl reached out and took them. ¡°Won¡¯t find anything,¡± he said, as she started reading. ¡°Nothing you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why go through all the trouble of taking them, then?¡± Will asked the obvious question. ¡°Bro¡­ You think this stops at the school? Press F to doubt.¡± ¡°The archer.¡± ¡°The archer, the druid, the martial,¡± Alex said, crumbs falling from his mouth as he did. ¡°There¡¯s lots of them. Some I¡¯ve never seen. The ones I have are all nasty.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Alex looked at Helen. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him?¡± ¡°I told him enough.¡± The girl kept flipping through the pages. Her reading speed was impressive, to say the least. Of course, anyone observant could tell that she was skipping entire passages and only focusing on what interested her. ¡°Big ooof, bro.¡± Will had to agree. After so many loops and everything they¡¯d been through, he would have thought he had earned a bit of trust. Clearly, not. ¡°We are divided into groups, bro. Six groups with four mirrors.¡± ¡°Twenty-four participants.¡± Will nodded. ¡°Nah, bro. Twenty-four classes. If you¡¯re good, you can get all four solo.¡± ¡°Okay, up to four.¡± ¡°Each group is in a zone. In order to get out, you must do certain¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Will interrupted. ¡°The activity path.¡± ¡°Nah, bro,¡± Alex laughed. ¡°That¡¯s to extend the loop. Look. There¡¯s four things.¡± He took a muffin and tossed it to his friend. ¡°Loop.¡± He then tossed another. ¡°Level.¡± Then another. ¡°Random reward.¡± And a fourth. ¡°Tasks.¡± Will quickly looked around for a place to put the four muffins in case more were tossed his way. Thankfully, they weren¡¯t. Instead, the goofball took one of the muffins back. ¡°Do stuff to extend your loop.¡± He took a second and put it directly in his mouth. ¡°Kiww wows to wewl up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be disgusting.¡± Finished with one stack of pages, Helen put it beneath the other and kept on reading. Taking the hint, Alex swallowed his muffin before taking the next from Will. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Kill a pack and you get a reward.¡± ¡°Hold on!¡± Will pulled the last muffin away. ¡°What pack?¡± Once again Alex glance at Helen, who kept on flipping page after page ¡°No, I didn¡¯t tell him,¡± she said. After going through the second stack, much faster than the first, she arranged the pages neatly and handed them back to Alex. ¡°Green mirrors. Once you kill a pack, you get a random ability. I didn¡¯t tell you because I didn¡¯t want you to go off hunting wolves every loop.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the boy said. He wasn¡¯t pleased that she¡¯d kept that from him, but it wasn¡¯t like he had shared either. ¡°That¡¯s the rogue part, bro.¡± The goofball chomped down another muffin. ¡°You can get lit stuff. Or crap. Or both,¡± he laughed at his own joke. ¡°So, there are three types of mirrors now?¡± Will looked at each of them. ¡°Four,¡± Helen corrected, at which point Alex grabbed the last muffin from Will¡¯s hands. ¡°Daniel said there¡¯s a set of tasks at school. We don¡¯t have to complete them, but once we do, we get a prize.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say.¡± The sound of bells came from the school, marking the start of second period. Only five minutes had passed, but enough to let the group know they couldn¡¯t continue the conversation where they stood. With a wall to the outside being nearby, it was quickly decided they should take that approach. Even if someone was to see them, and believe their eyes, that would only last for one loop¡ªor close to another twenty minutes in Will¡¯s case. The goofball¡¯s initial proposal was to go to the parking lot where his mirror was. After some consideration, the other two agreed. If anything, it was better than just walking about the streets. ¡°What are the tasks?¡± Will asked. ¡°Tap a mirror at a certain place at a certain time. Similar to the hint mirrors. They only work if you tap them in the right order. We tried to find one a few hundred times. After that we gave up.¡± ¡°Same.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°Tried tapping all the hint mirrors in every order. Not that.¡± ¡°Daniel never told me about you,¡± the girl said in a warning tone. ¡°When did you join eternity?¡± ¡°Long before you, sis.¡± The goofball grinned. ¡°Danny scooped me. He knew I knew lots of stuff, so he told me about it¡­ a few dozen times. The last time I believed him,¡± he glanced at the pole mirror. ¡°Then we started exploring. When he found out about you, he told me to chill and help in the background. Like a super spy.¡± Will couldn¡¯t help but snort. Alex was a lot of things, but spy definitely wasn¡¯t it. ¡°Then you got close, so I didn¡¯t want to c¡ª¡± he stopped on time. ¡°The desk thing was my idea,¡± he added with pride. ¡°Same for June.¡± ¡°The shrink?¡± Will asked, surprised. ¡°You went there to talk.¡± ¡°For sure, bro! We could say all sorts of crap while waiting. Who¡¯d believe it? He got too much into it, though.¡± The smile was still there, but the change of voice indicated that it wasn¡¯t a fond memory. ¡°Danny felt trapped. When we failed the area task, he started going out of the zone. That¡¯s when the others noticed us.¡± Will¡¯s eyes widened. That was a twist he didn¡¯t expect. Helen had told him that the archer had started attacking them first. What if it was the other way around? For someone with experience, it would be child¡¯s play to rush up to the location of the archer and¡­ possibly kill him? That was definitely the sort of grudge that would last loops. ¡°I stopped chiming, but he got you.¡± Alex turned to Helen. ¡°Did you get anything on the last?¡± The girl shook her head. ¡°He said he had figured it out,¡± she said slowly. ¡°He was going to tell me at the start of the next loop. But it never came. At first, I thought he¡¯d broken eternity with his death. Then they started again.¡± ¡°Yeah, for real.¡± Alex sighed. ¡°Worst week of my life.¡± As the conversation continued, Will slowly pieced together what he was missing. By the sound of it, he had restarted eternity by coming into contact with the bathroom mirror. Normally, it wasn¡¯t supposed to work like that. The looped weren¡¯t supposed to die, at least not permanently. And that definitely shouldn¡¯t have broken the loops from continuing. And yet, there was no denying the facts. Alex¡¯s theory was that it had something to do with the green mirrors. The abilities they gave were always different and sometimes meta. After killing off an entire pack, one could get anything from the ability never to spill to being able to leave the starting zone without punishment. There was a chance that Daniel had gotten something that would have provided a reprieve from looping. ¡°So, what¡¯s your class?¡± Will asked. ¡°Moi?¡± Alex grinned, clearly expecting the question ever since they¡¯d gathered after class. ¡°Sneaky sneaky thief.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the thief?¡± The girl almost choked. That would explain why no one was able to capture him. ¡°Level three thief,¡± he said with pride. ¡°How¡¯d you become a level three?¡± ¡°See that?¡± he pointed at a small burger place across the street. ¡°Corner place with mirrors in the bathroom.¡± ¡°Wolves are in corners,¡± Will said, remembering the hint. ¡°Thief skill one traps.¡± He grinned. That was rather convenient, not to mention overpowered. Looking at the rest of the group, Will thought he had the worst starting skills. Both Alex and Helen had ways of dealing with wolves quickly and efficiently early on. The things he had to go through in order to ¡°kill his first pack¡± were a lot more difficult. ¡°Who¡¯s the fourth?¡± ¡°Fourth?¡± ¡°According to the desk, there were four mirrors at school.¡± ¡°The nurse¡¯s mirror.¡± Helen narrowed her eyes. ¡°Or will you pretend you don¡¯t know about that?¡± ¡°Nah, that¡¯s me, bros.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yep. Crafter. Has some good stuff. Helps me play with gadgets, but nothing lit.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Will raised his hand, in a gesture showing he wanted everyone to stop talking for a minute. ¡°There¡¯s no fourth?¡± ¡°Err, yeah, bro. Told you that.¡± ¡°Four mirrors, not four people,¡± Helen reminded, as if Will was a kindergartener. ¡°Don¡¯t you see it? What if that¡¯s the first task? If there are six teams, the first task should be a team.¡± Alex and Helen looked at each other, as if they¡¯d thought of it only now. Both felt ashamed in their own way. Alex, who had been known to play a video game or two, should have known this from his gaming experience. A lot of games started after the main party was selected, thus there was no reason for eternity to be any different. Hele, on her part, always prided herself on being organized. Even in her home, if there were four sets of plates at the dinner table, that suggested there would be four people at dinner. ¡°Danny was the one inviting people, bro,¡± the goofball quickly redirected the blame. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure that¡¯s how it works,¡± Helen said. ¡°Others have played with the knight mirror and they aren¡¯t looped.¡± ¡°As far as you know,¡± Alex said, attempting a spooky voice. ¡°It must be the same for the rest. Also, why did Daniel ask you, of all people, to touch the mirror?¡± She looked at the goofball. ¡°You two weren¡¯t particularly close. And, after a few tries, he could have gone to anyone else. Still, he kept on trying to get you.¡± ¡°So only certain people can enter eternity,¡± Will said. That explained why the nurse or the janitor hadn¡¯t. If it was first come first serve, it would have definitely been one of them. ¡°How we find who?¡± Alex asked. A good question. Sadly, Will wasn¡¯t close to having an answer. Logically, they could try to get everyone to touch it. It wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but with an eternal number of loops, it was possible. And yet, he felt that there had to be something to guide them¡ªa hidden hint, as it were. ¡°Let¡¯s just get¡ª¡± Alex began, but Will¡¯s warning glance made him quickly stop. ¡°Did Danny say anything to you two? There¡¯s still a lot on his desk I haven¡¯t been able to figure out.¡± ¡°Not his desk, bro. I wrote half the stuff there. Well, some of the stuff. He told me the songs were a joke, and I tried all the numbers.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± the girl said. ¡°That¡¯s not exactly true. There was something else he left behind, something he wanted me to have.¡± 20. The Piece and the Plan
Restarting eternity.
Getting his class, Will went straight to the art classroom. To little surprise, Helen and Alex were already there, noticeably standing on opposite sides of the room. For some reason, they didn¡¯t particularly like each other and it wasn¡¯t only because of Daniel¡¯s files. ¡°Hey,¡± Will said, tossing his backpack on the nearest desk. ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± ¡°You, bro,¡± Alex said. Unlike most times, he wasn¡¯t smiling. It was safe to say that Helen saw the hint, but chose to ignore it. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you all.¡± She made her way past Will to the door. In the silence of the room, she took a chair and popped it against the door, blocking the handle so it couldn¡¯t be opened. ¡°My first few loops were bad,¡± she continued. ¡°I thought I was in a nightmare. Each time I¡¯d do things exactly the same way, hoping that if I managed to get them perfect, all of this would end.¡± Step by step, she made her way to Daniel¡¯s old desk. ¡°After a few dozen loops, I lost it. That¡¯s when Daniel noticed I was part of eternity.¡± Taking hold of the desk, she picked it up, then turned it around as if it were a plushie toy. ¡°He put up with me for loops, explaining what he knew about the loops. The mirrors, the wolves, everything else¡­ then he gave me a gift.¡± She placed the desk on the floor, face up. Will knew every scribble on that desk by heart. He¡¯d spent loops separating notes from random scribbles, figuring out what the numbers meant, the locations, questions, and, more importantly, the answers. However, this time, there was one new element. On the bottom of the desk, in the place of the dried-up piece of chewing gum, was a small square piece of mirror. No larger than a phone screen, it was perfectly rectangular with sharp edges, as if someone had just pulled it out of something. ¡°For real?!¡± Alex almost shouted, more annoyed than surprised. ¡°That¡¯s where it was?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen that?¡± Will asked. ¡°I found it, bro! Danny said he lost it. So much about bros before¡ª¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± Will quickly interrupted. There was a long moment of silence. Both Alex and Helen looked at each other, wondering how much the other knew. The atmosphere had changed a lot since the last loop when the conversation was a lot more amicable. Finally, it was Helen who spoke. ¡°It let me know when Daniel died,¡± she said, almost in a whisper. ¡°One single message saying that the rogue role had been ¡°vacated.¡± A week later, it told me that it was filled up. That¡¯s when you joined eternity.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more meta,¡± the goofball added. ¡°Like hints, but system messages. People joining, people leaving, that sort of thing. How long did you have it?¡± he turned to the girl. ¡°I didn¡¯t have it.¡± She frowned. ¡°Daniel put it under his desk for me to take. It relaxed me.¡± ¡°Nah, no way!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the cops check that when searching for Danny¡¯s stash?¡± Will asked. ¡°Nah, bro. I made that up. I checked, though, and it was gone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been taking it from here every morning.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°I only held onto it during the non-loop week. After that, it started appearing back here again.¡± That was weird. From what Will knew, everything went back to its original place at the start of a loop, people included. If Alex had really found the mirror piece and handed it to Danny, it should have returned to the place where it originally belonged. Obviously, that hadn¡¯t happened. ¡°Alex, where did you find it?¡± he asked. ¡°Janitor¡¯s room. One in the basement. Not a pretty sight, bro. It shrunk down and fell into my hands when I tapped it.¡± There was a slight pause. ¡°Most of the loops.¡± ¡°Then how did it get here?¡± ¡°Only Danny knows, bro. He found a way to get it to loop with him¡­ then to his desk.¡± Will reached down and took it. It felt cold and smooth as any mirror would. No messages appeared, even after the boy tapped it on the surface several times. Curiously, the back of the mirror was also reflective, even if it seemed to be made of a single piece of glass with nothing in-between. ¡°There are two more things that it does.¡± The girl moved closer, looking into the mirror. ¡°Every loop precisely at noon it gives the lyrics of a song.¡± Weird, but that explained a large part of the scribbles on the desk. Daniel must have written them down in an attempt to figure out the hidden meaning. If he¡¯d had any luck, though, he hadn¡¯t shared it with anyone. ¡°Also, during the non-loop week it showed the message ¡°rogue candidate available¡± a few times. I guess that¡¯s when you went to the bathroom without tapping the mirror?¡± It sounded plausible. After so many loops, it was difficult to tell. Will tried to concentrate, but events were merging together. He did recall having problems with the coach and his annoying bathroom checks. It was quite possible that he¡¯d gone there. If so, the mirror must have registered that. ¡°If it works like the wolves, the mirror must see the reflection of the candidate,¡± Will said. ¡°Bro!¡± Alex sounded very excited, a lot more than usual. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan! I get into the nurse¡¯s office, snatch the mirror, then check everyone out. Sis will look at the piece and when¡ª¡± ¡°Idiot,¡± Helen hissed. ¡°You can¡¯t just take a mirror. This isn¡¯t YouTube.¡± ¡°I¡¯m lit.¡± ¡°Mirrors are screwed and glued to the wall.¡± The girl shifted her weight on her left leg. ¡°The only way to snatch it is to break it and if you break it, it¡¯ll no longer be able to give the class.¡± Given the tense relations between the two so far, Will expected a shouting match. To his surprise, Alex seemed to take it quite well, possibly because at that precise moment the handle on the classroom door turned. The first student of the loop was attempting to enter. Finding it impossible, they would no doubt get the attention of a teacher, or more likely, the coach. If previous loops were a reference, that would soon bring the janitor and vice-principal as well, with a minute to spare. ¡°New plan.¡± Will took the initiative. ¡°Helen keeps an eye on the piece. I get people to the nurse¡¯s office one at a time, and Alex¡­¡± he paused. ¡°You do whatever you do.¡± ¡°Sounds good, bro.¡± ¡°Could work.¡± The girl nodded. ¡°Start with the football team. They¡¯re regulars, so it would be easy to get them to believe¡ª¡± ¡°No way!¡± The thought of having to endure Jace for eternity sent shivers down the boy¡¯s spine. Despite knowing that the hostilities had been caused by Alex due to his loop extension conditions, the hatred had set in, making the jock less than desirable. ¡°If he¡¯s the candidate, it¡¯ll have to be him,¡± Helen said. ¡°We have no say in that.¡± ¡°For real, bro,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°It¡¯s not certain he¡¯s the candidate, right?¡± Will asked. ¡°I¡¯m not saying we exclude him, I¡¯m just saying we leave him till the end. That okay?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The first yells came from the corridor. The coach was already in a bad mood due to the football team''s losses, so he had no patience for anyone playing tricks. After failing to use force to open the door, he resorted to ¡°friendly warnings¡± in a very loud voice. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the vice-principal joined him. ¡°Sure, bro.¡± Alex shrugged. Helen also nodded. Great, Will thought. At least one thing was settled. Now all he had to do was wait for the end of the loop and get to work.
Restarting eternity.
The loop finally ended, replacing the classroom with the great outdoors. Will looked around. Now that he looked closely, he found that there were way more people than he hoped, and the rush hadn¡¯t started yet. In another five minutes, the entire path to the school entrance would be completely packed. The boy was not one for numbers and statistics, but based on rough estimates, there had to be at least a few hundred people in the school. Of course, that was assuming that the looped wasn¡¯t a parent, brother, or sister to someone who went to Enigma High. ¡°Move, weirdo.¡± The usual pair of girls passed by on their way to the entrance. Here we go, Will said to himself. ¡°Hey,¡± he shouted behind them. ¡°Wait up!¡± Both of the girls turned around. One appeared subtly happy to be addressed, her friend¡ªnot so much. ¡°Sorry about that.¡± The boy smiled in an attempt to use his charm. The rogue class helped a lot in that area. Unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t taken his class yet, so he had to hope that some of the confidence had rubbed off on him. ¡°Been feeling a bit dizzy.¡± The reaction of the girls was completely opposite to one another. One took a step back, not wanting to risk getting infected with whatever the boy had. The other, in contrast, took a step closer. ¡°Can you help me get to the nurse?¡± In the history of icebreakers, this was probably the worst series of lines one could make. Yet, Will''s confidence worked very much in his favor. Like his father used to constantly say when the boy was in middle school: ¡°it¡¯s not important what you say, but how you say it.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± one of the girls offered. ¡°Jess,¡± the other hissed. ¡°We¡¯ll be late for class.¡± ¡°There¡¯s enough time.¡± The girl gave her friend a warning glare. ¡°You can head there without me.¡± There was a moment of hesitation. A choice was offered. Jess¡¯ friend had the option to shut up and play along or leave. Neither was particularly appealing. ¡°Bro!¡± Alex shouted, rushing to the boy. The goofball had an instant effect. Like repellent, he caused both girls to quickly step away and continue to the school entrance. They weren¡¯t alone¡ªpractically everyone in the general vicinity made a point to circle Alex and, by association, Will, creating an bubble of ignorabilty around them. ¡°Big ooof, bro,¡± Alex reached Will before he could ask ¡°what the hell?!¡± This better be good, the boy thought. ¡°I tapped the nurse¡¯s mirror by accident.¡± ¡°What?¡± Will couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°Said it was a big oof, bro.¡± ¡°It¡­ just¡­ How do you tap a mirror by accident?¡± Not to mention that in order to reach it, he had to sneak into the nurse¡¯s office without being seen. ¡°I have a system, bro. Thief, level up, Danny file one, crafter class, Danny file two¡ª¡± ¡°Seriously, man¡­¡± ¡°Was an oof, bro. Oofs happen.¡± Shit happens, Will thought, but didn¡¯t voice it. ¡°No class, no way to find the candidate.¡± ¡°Okay, but you¡¯re explaining it to Helen.¡± Will pointed at his friend. ¡°I¡¯m staying right here.¡± ¡°Cold, bro,¡± the goofball grumbled. ¡°It was your oof, so you clean it up!¡± ¡°No worries, bro. Catch you in the next one.¡±
Restarting eternity.
¡°Help me get to the nurse?¡± Will asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Jess replied. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in class.¡± She turned to her friend. Fortunately for Will, the girl¡¯s friend had no intention of leaving them alone, so she reluctantly tagged along. Of course, she didn¡¯t even pretend to help in any way whatsoever. As they entered the school, Will was constantly on the mental lookout for Alex. Part of him dreaded the goofball rushing again all of a sudden just to let everyone know he¡¯d messed up again. Fortunately, no such thing happened. The trio successfully made their way along the corridor, if a bit slower than expected. The entire time, Will had to engage in small talk to keep the interest going. To his surprise, it turned out much easier than he expected. For one thing, he avoided all the topics Alex would use: games, conspiracies, muffins, and other weirdness. Brands and viral videos were always a safe bet, moving the conversation along. By the time they reached the nurse¡¯s office, the boy had learned a surprising number of things in the span of a few minutes. ¡°I tried getting into sci fi, but it was really boring,¡± Jess said as the discussion inevitably shifted towards Star Wars. Personally, Will had no idea why. He wasn¡¯t into the movies, mostly because his parents constantly raved about them back home. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not much into movies.¡± Will nodded. The girl reached to knock on the nurse¡¯s door, but before she could, Will reached out and opened it directly. The fewer obstacles there were for the girls to get into the room, the better. Unfortunately, the door wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°Yes?¡± The nurse seemed to appear out of nowhere, preventing them from entering. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well,¡± Will quickly said. The woman looked at him, then at the girls. ¡°All of you?¡± ¡°No, just me. They¡¯re helping me get here.¡± ¡°Must be some condition for two people to have to carry you all the way here.¡± Despite the smile, her words were soaking with sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here. The rest of you can go to class.¡± Disappointment and hesitation were visible on Jess¡¯ face. Unfortunately, it remained just that. With a nod and a quick whisper that she¡¯d check on Will during the next period, the girl left, leaving him in the capable hands of the nurse. This definitely wasn¡¯t the desired outcome.
Restarting eternity.
¡°I¡¯m feeling faint and dizzy,¡± Will told the nurse. ¡°It started just now.¡± ¡°We were there to help him,¡± Jess quickly added. ¡°He almost fainted.¡± The annoyance washed off the nurse¡¯s face, replaced by concern. ¡°Good job.¡± She moved closer, taking Will¡¯s weight off the girls. ¡°Careful now¡­¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Damn it! Will thought. Clearly, nothing was going to happen with the nurse here. That¡¯s why next loop he was going to text Alex to do something about it.
Restarting eternity.
¡°Nurse,¡± Jess said as they walked into the empty office. ¡°Nurse! Where is she?¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not the only one feeling ill?¡± Will asked. He had a vague idea what Alex was up to. Hopefully, it didn¡¯t involve him getting into serious trouble. Being a loop veteran, the goofball tended to go to extremes sometimes. ¡°Can you just take me to the bed inside?¡± the boy asked. ¡°Just till she gets back.¡± ¡°We really shouldn¡¯t be doing this,¡± Jess¡¯ friend whispered, taking any excuse to get them away from Will. Alas, for her, that had the completely opposite effect. Initially, the girl wanted to take him to the closer of the two beds, but with a bit of footwork, Will managed to be guided to the one within view of the mirror. Was that enough, though? If the wolf mirrors were taken as an example, they only needed to have a person in direct view to activate. ¡°Feeling better?¡± Jess asked. ¡°Lots.¡± Will smiled back. ¡°It¡¯s time for class, if you still want us to get there on time,¡± Jess¡¯ friend reminded with the subtlety of a tractor. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Jess sighed, then made her way to the entrance. ¡°Hope you feel better soon.¡± ¡°Thanks. Hope to catch you later.¡± Will waved. ¡°You know, you can not be a weirdo when you want to.¡± The girl smiled as she left. That all but settled it. She did seem to have a crush on him, and he didn¡¯t even know her name. Before the loops, he wouldn¡¯t have even recognized the girl in a crowd. Life sure was good at surprises. If Will hadn¡¯t joined eternity, he would have never even suspected. The sad irony was that now that he knew, there was nothing he could do about it. As long as eternity had him, he had to play by its rules. Taking his phone, he sent a thumbs up emoticon to Helen. Maybe it was silly, but a small part of him hoped that Jess would turn out to be the candidate. The rational part of his mind explained it away by pointing out that it would save him a lot of additional effort. A few moments later, the reply came: Nothing. Will just stared at the screen. It wasn¡¯t the result he hoped for by far. Also, now he had to do it all again with someone else.
Restarting eternity.
21. The Fourth Chosen Candidate Nothing¡­ always nothing. This was the thirty-seventh person Will had taken to the nurse¡¯s office, and still the texts from Helen remained the same. ¡°How did this happen?¡± the nurse asked, as she bandaged an unfortunate boy¡¯s ankle. Gone was the caring, well-planned approach Will had shown during the first few loops. As much as he hated to admit it, it was taking way too much time and effort. After a while, despite the best of inclinations, the boy had been forced to resort to Alex¡¯s assistance, and included inflicting a certain amount of pain to the potential candidates. ¡°Someone ran into him in the corridor,¡± Will explained, omitting the fact that the someone was in fact Alex. ¡°Running again,¡± the nurse sighed. ¡°I can understand rushing out of class, but this¡­¡± she shook her head. ¡°Good thing you were there.¡± Judging by the expression of pain on the patient¡¯s face, he was far from thankful. The only relief was that in a few minutes all this would have never happened, as far as he was concerned. Sadly, Will¡¯s pain would continue. At this point, he was starting to seriously consider Alex¡¯s suggestion of taking the mirror out of the nurse¡¯s office and dragging it throughout the school. ¡°Can I go?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be late for class.¡± ¡°No running,¡± the nurse said in an amused tone, probably her way of trying to lighten the mood. ¡°Sure thing.¡± Will nodded, then quickly left. The hallway was packed with people. Despite what the nurse imagined, there wouldn¡¯t be a way to stop running anytime soon. Right now, the only people who weren¡¯t running were those who were sprinting. Will looked at his phone. There was one minute till eight, which meant the loop was about to end. ¡°Was it him?¡± Alex asked, appearing a few steps away. Will¡¯s fist acted on its own, flying towards the goofball¡¯s face. Before it could reach its target, though, Alex was already standing on his other side. ¡°Stop doing that.¡± Will quickly pulled back his fist, returning to normal. ¡°I could have hit you¡± ¡°Git gud, bro,¡± the other laughed. ¡°So, was it him?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Big oof again? Who¡¯ll we be getting next time?¡± That was the big question. So far, the targets had been in order of proximity to Will. After the pair of girls, he had followed up with several more people in front of school, then continued with those in the hallway, constantly moving further in. ¡°Someone at the staircase.¡± ¡°Oh! We can get more than one. I¡¯ll go to the top and¡­¡± Will was already imagining what his friend was saying. A small accident at the top of the staircase could quickly create a chain reaction that would spread down, creating dozens of victims. Considering that Alex had no problem achieving this, both morally and physically, made him more than a bit scary. That was how the thief class fought. There were no direct attacks, no overwhelming strength, just speed, sneakiness, and betrayal. The last worried Will most of all. They had been friends for a while, long before the loops started. But was that a guarantee? For all one knew, Alex might have spent more time in eternity than out of it. The only person who could say for certain was Daniel, and he no longer had the chance.
Restarting eternity.
Back at the start of it all. The boy sighed, then looked around. ¡°What are you staring at, weirdo?¡± Jess asked as she passed by with her friend. Will suppressed the temptation to respond. Both of the times he¡¯d done so had resulted in a long talk, causing him to waste an entire loop without doing anything else. ¡°What do you think, bro?¡± Alex suddenly appeared. ¡°Yeah, no.¡± Will replied. ¡°For real, bro? One by one will take a whole¡ª¡± ¡°Ten minutes?¡± ¡°Not funny, bro.¡± The goofball¡¯s mood bittered. ¡°Too many won¡¯t fit in the room. If all of them got hurt, this won¡¯t be a matter for the nurse. The harpy will call all the hospitals, the cops will show up again¡­ Just take it calm, okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a marathon, not a sprint.¡± The other grumbled. His issue was that from his perspective, everything was a sprint. The thief¡¯s main skills were sprint and sneak. Their only role was to get in and out of places fast and unnoticed. Hundreds of loops had passed with the goofball, learning how to use them adequately, and thousands more for him to perfect them to their current level. ¡°How about three?¡± he asked. ¡°Three works,¡± Will said cautiously. It wasn''t much of a compromise, but it didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d get anything better. ¡°Just¡ª¡± Alex had already disappeared. ¡°¡­right,¡± the boy looked around, more out of curiosity whether his friend would show up again. When he didn¡¯t, Will went back to the routine. Without the coach¡¯s meddling, getting the rogue class was easy. No sooner had he done so than he heard screams down from outside the hallway. What the hell?! The boy¡¯s first thought was that Alex had somehow triggered a pack of mirror wolves. Already, several people were rushing in the direction of the staircase. The fact that no one was running in the opposite direction made it clear that wolves were not the culprit. Alex, the boy thought. Damn it! You could have waited a bit longer! This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Running as fast as his class would allow, he dashed by others in the hallway. Most of them he¡¯d already taken to the nurse¡¯s office at one time or another, although there were a few faces he didn¡¯t recognize. From next loop on he was going to have to go through the classrooms as well. ¡°Someone get the nurse!¡± another girl shouted. The goofball clearly had gone overboard. Once this loop was over, he and Will were going to have a talk regarding excessive use of skills. The way the unfortunate victim was screaming, it sounded like this was way more than a strained ankle. There was a real chance that she had broken a bone. ¡°Take your weight off it,¡± someone said among the many voices. ¡°Grab on.¡± Someone else, a boy, was groaning. Apparently, Alex had gone ahead with his promise of injuring three. If their state was as bad as Will suspected, he wouldn¡¯t be able to take them to the nurse¡¯s office alone. That was a minor setback, though. As long as he took the lead, someone else from the crowd was going to help, most likely coach too. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?!¡± the man¡¯s voice boomed on cue. There was no way for someone to expect less. Arriving at the spot, Will pushed his way through the gathered crowd. The sight wasn¡¯t pleasant, to the point that half the onlookers hadn¡¯t even reached for their phones. A girl was crying on the floor, holding her foot with both hands. A short distance away, a boy was massaging his knee. Alex had definitely pulled a number on them. There didn¡¯t seem to be a third victim, or if so, he wasn¡¯t hurt nearly as much. ¡°Clear up!¡± the coach yelled to the crowd, then went to the girl. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°She slipped down the stairs,¡± the boy managed to say in her place. ¡°I tried to catch her.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need a checkup.¡± The man bent down. ¡°I¡¯m going to lift you, okay?¡± he told the girl. ¡°Ready?¡± The girl nodded between tears. A moment later she was lifted from the ground, the pain not having diminished in the least. ¡°Someone help him,¡± Coach yelled over his shoulder. ¡°I¡ª¡± Will began. ¡°Right, coach!¡± Jace suddenly appeared at the scene. What?! Will froze. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. The jock was the last person he wanted anywhere near the mirror. As Helen had said, chances of him being the candidate were several hundred to one. However, it was precisely that one that bothered him. ¡°Stone, make a path!¡± the coach barked. ¡°Err, yes coach,¡± Will did as instructed. There was one single silver lining. He¡¯d be able to check four people on this loop. Making way for those behind him, the boy texted the number four to Helen. ¡°Texting someone, Stoner?¡± Jace asked, obviously trying to get him in trouble with the coach. ¡°Just telling someone we¡¯ll be late for class,¡± Will replied. ¡°Well¡­ do it later.¡± ¡°I can help if you¡¯re tired.¡± Please agree. Please agree. ¡°You¡¯re saying I can¡¯t do it?¡± Drat! That definitely blew up in his face. There was no way the jock would give up now, and just to make a point, he took more of the weight of the injured student. The nurse was already expecting them by the time they got to her. News, especially bad news, had a way of moving through schools at a speed faster than even Alex could sprint. She was clearly not pleased with what had gone on, though more worried about the children. That was good. The not so good part was that she only let four people in: coach, the two injured students, and Jace. Everyone else was told to get back to class. And just to be sure of it, the door to her office was closed and locked. For twenty seconds, Will remained in the hallway nearby, looking tensely at his phone. Panic and relief played ping-pong in his head as each moment passed. Not getting a text made it likely that no one had shown signs of being the candidate. At the same time, not getting the usual ¡°nothing¡± left room for doubt. Finally, he saw the dots, indicating that Helen was typing. ¡°Was it them?¡± Alex asked, appearing in his usual fashion. Will didn¡¯t even register him, focusing entirely on the small screen. U were right. The message arrived, followed by a present emoticon. What does that mean? Will typed in a question mark and sent it. We have a 4th ¡°Cool.¡± The goofball grinned. ¡°Who do you think it was?¡± ¡°I hope not coach,¡± Will muttered, the only worse option than what he was thinking. ¡°For real!¡± Alex visibly shivered. ¡°That would be a big oof. Coach hates me.¡± When the goofball said someone hated him, that was usually half false. When it came to the coach, it was the unadulterated truth and then some. The boy¡¯s complete lack of athleticism and his tendency to goof around in any circumstances had made him the natural enemy of the coach, who liked discipline and success. Things had gotten so bad that at one point the man had gone to the principal¡¯s office, requesting that Alex be excused from gym class. Sadly, for everyone, the harpy had refused, claiming that every student was owed a good education, including full access to the school¡¯s sports program. The clash had been epic, increasing in severity each time the story was told. As a result, both the coach and his nemesis had decided to ignore each other during gym, as well as most other places. ¡°What do you know about the other two?¡± ¡°Ellis is lit. One of my people.¡± Translated, that meant he was a heavy gamer. ¡°Felt bad pushing him. Great at strategies.¡± That didn¡¯t sound too reassuring, either. While Will didn¡¯t have anything against gamer geeks, he wasn¡¯t the type that went to hang with them. ¡°And the girl?¡± ¡°Just a girl.¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°Someone on the staircase.¡± So the options were Jace, the coach, a geek, and an unknown. Looking at it, the girl seemed the best option, although it might just as well be Alex¡¯s gamer friend. The only one that it didn¡¯t have to be was one of the remaining two. Whatever the case, in a couple of seconds, Will was going to find out.
Restarting eternity.
Rushing in the school, the boy tapped his skill mirror, then went to class, where the other two were already waiting. How do you keep doing that? He wondered, more annoyed than puzzled. Both Alex and Helen were standing by a desk near the door, looking at the mirror piece the girl was holding. ¡°Will.¡± She gave him a glance. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked, still fearful of who the fourth looped would turn out to be. ¡°We got a permanent reward.¡± ¡°Cool. What is it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need you, bro. We need to unlock it.¡± Blocking the door with a chair, the boy joined his friends. Both sides of the mirror piece had turned silver with the word REWARD written in black block letters in the middle. As he looked, Helen pressed against the wide surface with a finger. The icon of a knight''s helmet appeared in one corner. Alex was quick to join in, pressing the opposite corner. This time, an icon combining a bag of gold and a knife emerged. It didn¡¯t take a genius to know what was expected of Will. Finding a free space, he pressed with his index finger. A hooded face with a domino masque showed up. The three icons started flashing. As the seconds passed, the intensity of the flashes increased until, in the end, they vanished completely. It seemed that all four looped were required to open their prize. ¡°Sadge,¡± Alex sighed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing sad about it.¡± Helen put the fragment away. ¡°We find our candidate.¡± ¡°Crafter,¡± Alex corrected. ¡°¡­our crafter and get them to hold the mirror with us. Are you sure Danny didn¡¯t know about this?¡± ¡°For real, sis.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°Danny was the goat, but he didn¡¯t know everything. Sus that he didn¡¯t tell me how to link the item to myself.¡± So, maybe he knew something after all, Will thought. Leaving his backpack on the desk, he headed towards the door. ¡°You two stay here,¡± he said over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll find¡­ the crafter and come back. Then you¡¯ll explain the rest.¡± He removed the chair. Still quite new himself, he preferred they do it. As for him, it was enough to find the one person who was acting differently from before and carefully approach them. From personal experience, there would probably be a lot of confusion, possibly panic, possibly even anger. The door to the classroom swung open. ¡°Shit!¡± Will hissed. 22. Newbies Ultimatum A massive fist flew right at Will¡¯s face instead of a greeting. That wasn¡¯t good, but what was even sadder, the boy was expecting such a reaction. His rogue¡¯s reflexes helped him pull back a safe distance away, avoiding the unscrupulous punch attempt. ¡°You!¡± Jace yelled, continuing into the room. ¡°You did something, didn¡¯t you?¡± Without a doubt, Will¡¯s worst fears had materialized. Jace had joined eternity, but had also kept his grudges. Was it possible that he had remembered some of the incidents that took place in the preceding loops? Neither Alex nor Helen had mentioned such a possibility. Then again, they hadn¡¯t treated Jace as a loop candidate. Face red with rage, the jock charged forward as if to tackle Will. No sooner had he done so, than he suddenly froze as if he¡¯d stepped on flypaper. Instinctively, Jace looked down, only to see his foot on a large mirror tile. ¡°Big oof, bro,¡± Alex laughed, amused by the whole situation. ¡°You dun goofed.¡± ¡°Shut it, muffins!¡± Jace hissed. Just shut it? Will thought. How come he was being attacked and the goofball responsible for the entire mess last loop only got a ¡°shut it?¡± ¡°What did you do, Stoner?¡± the jock turned back to him. ¡°Is this getting back to me for not getting you on the team?¡± ¡°It was just a¡­ what?¡± Will blinked. That was a leap in logic if he had ever heard one. Frankly, he didn¡¯t remember ever wanting to be on the football team. It seemed too much of a bother and definitely wasn¡¯t his thing. Looking back, it made sense that he¡¯d be a good candidate: he was physically fit and strong enough to make it on the team. With a bit of luck, he could even go for the quarterback position. Was that the reason that Jace had become so distant even without Alex¡¯s provocations? ¡°Don¡¯t say you didn¡¯t! Every time I look at you, I can see you thinking of charging at me.¡± ¡°Hold on! You actually imagined me fighting you?¡± The glare the jock gave Will said it all. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Will uttered. He wasn¡¯t alone. So, it was true¡ªloop candidates did have a sort of d¨¦j¨¤ vu from old loops. Maybe the same thing could be said about Daniel? Will felt some unease around him, although he could never put his finger on it. Was he remembering things that had happened in the past? Possibly not. After all, he had only become a candidate a week ago at Daniel¡¯s death. ¡°He remembers?¡± He looked at Helen and Alex.
CRAFTER¡¯s ANALYSIS Trap identified
Before everyone¡¯s eyes Jace reached for the mirror tile and, very much to Will¡¯s astonishment, broke it up as if he were disassembling a Rubik¡¯s cube. As much as that was impressive, however, it also helped him continue with his attack. Jace¡¯s fist passed inches from Will¡¯s face. Once again it was his reactions that saved him from a painful experience. ¡°Stop!¡± Helen said, lifting up the nearest desk. Seeing her holding it above her head caused the jock to pause. He knew what he was looking at, yet his mind had trouble accepting it. Suddenly, there was a greater concern than beating up Will. ¡°Helen?¡± a shocked female voice came from the door. One of the early students had managed to find their way to the classroom and had witnessed something that wasn¡¯t possible. To make it worse, it was one of Miss Perfect¡¯s close friends. It wasn¡¯t rare for the two of them to be seen together, just as there was no explaining this away¡­ not in this loop, at least. Instantly, Alex appeared at the door, slamming it shut. ¡°I got it,¡± he said, placing a mirror piece on the door handle.
TRAP SET
The mirror expanded, growing three times in size as it covered the entire area beneath the lock. Then, moments later, it disappeared, fading out of view. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jace asked, his aggression replaced by confusion. ¡°My bad,¡± the goofball said. ¡°Forgot about that.¡± ¡°Stoner!¡± Jace snapped. ¡°What. Is. Going. On.¡± ¡°Better take a seat, man.¡± Will sighed. ¡°This might take a while.¡± The explanations were a lot faster than what Will had gone through. There were several reasons for that. For one, he didn¡¯t want to lose time. The sooner the jock figured everything out, the sooner he¡¯d stop asking questions and they could focus on their original problem: figuring out what eternity really was and, hopefully, a way to get out of it. Despite his initial confusion, Jace picked up things rather fast. It was all but established that he had some sort of memories of past loops, although they felt more like notions or distant deja vus. After the initial shock of the overall concept, he had quickly accepted the function of the mirrors and everything related to them. The revelation that Daniel had been another looped quickly boosted the boy¡¯s ego, accepting it as the only explanation that someone as ¡°puny¡± would be able to beat him up so often. Both Helen and Will remained quiet, unwilling to get into how many times Jace had been beaten up so far. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°So Danny knew it all,¡± Jace said, examining the desk. ¡°Always wondered how he got away with all the scribbling, even after I caught him doing it.¡± ¡°You caught him?¡± Helen asked. ¡°I caught you too.¡± He crossed his arms with a confident mirk. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you two would be the only ones at school after dark, right?¡± Maybe it was Will¡¯s imagination, but for a moment he almost thought he saw a faint shade of pink appear on the girl¡¯s face. ¡°My bad,¡± Alex said. ¡°Forgot that one.¡± Everyone stared at the goofball. ¡°What? I¡¯m the school lookout.¡± ¡°You mean Danny¡¯s,¡± Jace corrected. ¡°Nah, bro. The school¡¯s. Danny did his own thing most of the time. I made sure that the others didn¡¯t invade our area.¡± ¡°That didn¡¯t seem to work with the archer,¡± Will whispered. ¡°Harsh, bro. Danny messed that up by leaving our area. Most of the others stopped when they got caught in my traps.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°Well, some of them.¡± The slamming on the door increased. Helen¡¯s friend had quickly told her version of events to a few people in the school hallway, which inevitably had led to the coach making his way there to find out what was going on. In hindsight, Will felt relieved that it wasn¡¯t the coach who was the other looper. That would have required a lot more explanation, and a few dozen loops of shouting. ¡°We¡¯ve got half a minute left,¡± Helen noted. ¡°Let¡¯s get this done with before the loop ends.¡± ¡°So, the start is just ten minutes?¡± Jace asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Will nodded. ¡°By the way, how did you get here so fast? And with the crafter at that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your big question?¡± The jock looked at him, as if he dropped his phone in his school lunch. ¡°I started at the nurse¡¯s office. I mean, I stayed there. One minute I was helping coach, then I was alone, getting bandaged.¡± ¡°You started there?¡± Will blinked. ¡°Is that supposed to happen?¡± he turned to Alex. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, bro. Eternity changes a bit each time someone joins. We¡¯re still near our mirrors.¡± ¡°How come I¡¯m not?¡± It would have been a lot easier if he started in the bathroom to begin with. ¡°Bad luck, bro.¡± Alex grinned. ¡°Probably because you¡¯re a replacement,¡± Helen said. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s just luck.¡± With three of the four looped starting their loops at right next to a class mirror, it didn¡¯t sound like it. ¡°Let¡¯s just get it done.¡± The girl took out the mirror piece. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Jace asked. ¡°Answers,¡± she replied, holding one corner of it. ¡°When we found you, we received a gift. To unlock it, though, all four of us must touch the mirror.¡± Will and Alex stepped closer, holding their respective corners. Jace, however, didn¡¯t. ¡°Jace?¡± Will asked. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you need me to get this thing to work?¡± ¡°We need all of us,¡± Will corrected, even as he knew where the jock was going. That was one of the reasons why he didn¡¯t want him to end up being a looped. Ever since he¡¯d known him, Jace wasn¡¯t someone to do what he was told, especially when he could obtain a favor for it. ¡°Do it without me, then? You can¡¯t, can you?¡± ¡°Loop¡¯s ending, bro,¡± Alex said. ¡°Good. Gives you something to think about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, bro.¡±
Restarting eternity.
Will was back in front of the school, only this time he was furious¡ªfurious with Jace, furious with himself, furious at everyone else. With a grumble, he ignored Jess¡¯ usual comment and walked into the building. Without hurrying he went into the bathroom, then tapped all the mirrors in order, just for the sake of it. Messages appeared one after the other, disappearing the moment he looked away. Waiting several seconds longer, he slowly made his way to class. By the time he got there, all the windows were open. Infuriatingly, Jace was present. ¡°Hey, Stoner,¡± he said with a confident smile, suggesting that he¡¯d already had a discussion with the other two and come to an agreement. Whatever the agreement was, though, it was a safe bet to say that Will wasn¡¯t going to like it. ¡°Heard you¡¯ve been having fun so far.¡± ¡°You¡¯re looped now. Is it fun?¡± ¡°Once you get used to it. Ten minutes of the ability to do anything you want without consequences. Want to know the first thing I did today?¡± This loop, Will corrected him mentally. ¡°I told coach what a shithead I think he is,¡± the jock laughed. ¡°The man couldn¡¯t believe it. He was so shocked that he didn¡¯t even say anything as I walked away. Best thing, tomorrow he won¡¯t even remember.¡± Next loop, Will thought again. ¡°Without me, you can¡¯t finish what you started, right?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°You catch on fast.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult, idiot.¡± ¡°Will,¡± Helen said. ¡°We need his help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Jace¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I want you to do something,¡± he said. ¡°Publicly and willingly.¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t, you won¡¯t help. Nice try. If I do it, you¡¯ll just ask for something else, then again and again.¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯ll just ask for one thing. Do that and I¡¯ll join your little gang. And by join, I mean I¡¯ll help out as if it was my idea to start with.¡± An interesting offer. Will would have preferred if he had some guarantees, but if there was such a thing as a detect-lies skill, it wasn¡¯t among any of the group had so far. It was incredibly tempting to refuse the deal. At the end of the day, the group needed Will just as much as they needed Jace. There was no way he could be forced into doing anything he didn¡¯t want to do. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± the boy asked. ¡°Then we spend eternity doing nothing,¡± Jace countered, the smile vanishing from his face. ¡°Might not be so bad. I¡¯ll find a way around it. Would be nice knowing you¡¯ll never get what you wanted.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do something?¡± Helen whispered to Alex, who was leaning against a desk, eating a bag of muffins. ¡°Why?¡± he asked, mouth full. ¡°Ith fun. Want one?¡± He offered. The girl promptly declined. Meanwhile, the pissing match between Will and Jace continued. For several minutes, both of them went into arguments, aiming to prove that the other one would have a more miserable life within eternity. It didn¡¯t bother them even when their classmates started arriving. Knowing full well that no one non-looped would have any memory of this, they kept on arguing on and on until the loop was over. The same continued the next loop, and the one after that. It was almost as if the pair had found a passion for arguing, coming up with new arguments each time as if that would solve anything. In some cases, blows were exchanged, though nothing terribly destructive. Finally, on the fourth loop, Will decided to ask. ¡°What do you want so much, anyway?¡± ¡°Win a game against me,¡± Jace replied. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Football. Me versus you. You have the ball, I try to stop you. Just go past me and you win.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Will felt stupid not asking the first loop. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the catch.¡± ¡°You think I can¡¯t do it?¡± ¡°Know you can¡¯t.¡± Granted, it had been a while since Will had actively played, but that sounded way too easy. Surely there was something he wasn¡¯t telling him. ¡°We play in the yard for everyone to see,¡± the jock said. ¡°I¡¯ll get the gear.¡± ¡°Just you. You won¡¯t be getting any help?¡± ¡°Nope. Just me. Also, just you.¡± ¡°Who do you think I¡¯ll take to help me? Helen?¡± Actually, that wasn¡¯t a bad idea. Thanks to her knight class, the girl could run over Jace like a steam train. ¡°No class. By you I mean you. You win this on your own and we¡¯re good to go. You can go as many times as you want. I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Will said. He was beyond dusty, but that didn¡¯t bother him. After all, they literally had all the time in the world. There would be some pain involved, due to the effects of eternity and all, but he had started getting used to that. Besides, one didn¡¯t need the rogue class to perform the tricks he¡¯d learned. 23. Brief Eternity of Football
Restarting eternity.
The loop began with a heavy sigh. Granted, this was a break from the usual routine¡ªthe rushing to the bathroom, the casual chats with people that Will had gotten to know rather well. Instead, he turned left, walking around the building, right to the school¡¯s practice field. It wasn¡¯t a long walk, although it wasn¡¯t particularly short, either. As he approached, the coach could be seen having a heated argument¡ªor as ordinary people would call it ¡°shouting¡±¡ªwith one of the jocks. To Will¡¯s surprise, that turned out not to be Jace. I definitely don¡¯t miss this, the boy thought. It wasn¡¯t so much the shouting or the sport itself. The problem came from the boredom of it all. In the world of the school coach, there were two types of people: those who were willing to do anything it took to reach the top of professional football, and everyone else. The truth was that Will didn¡¯t fit either of the two categories. He had the physique and initially the interest to play, though he never viewed this as more than a sport, which made the coach¡ªand a lot of the jocks by proxy¡ªseethe with anger. In time, the coach had let it pass, focusing his attention on the people who had remained on the team. Apparently, Jace hadn¡¯t, or he wouldn¡¯t insist on all this. ¡°Luck, bro,¡± Alex said next to Will, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The suddenness was startling, though not to the point that Will would jump away. Being involved with loops for this long, he was starting to get used to people appearing without warning. It was just as well, since he noticed Helen was also a few steps away. ¡°You¡¯ve gathered to see me get ridiculed, haven¡¯t you?¡± he asked with a frown. ¡°N¡ª¡± the goofball began, but was quickly interrupted. ¡°Why else?¡± Helen looked at him with an amused expression. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to see something new and amusing.¡± That was what he was reduced to: a momentary source of amusement until the experience became boring again. Of course, all it took was for him to get it over with fast enough to reduce the time, and number of loops, he¡¯d humiliate himself. Jace was standing a slight distance away, leaning against the gym entrance. Being a separate building, the structure was close to all the respective training facilities: the track, the field, and the indoor basketball ring. Not having a swimming pool turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Mirrors and swimming pools would have been a terrible mix, especially considering the loose definitions eternity held. Will checked his phone. About six minutes remained until the end of the loop. As long as Jace didn¡¯t change the rules or add additional conditions, that was more than enough. ¡°Hey,¡± Will said as he approached his classmate. ¡°Hey,¡± the other said back with a pleased grin. ¡°So? Are we doing this?¡± Don¡¯t play me around, you jackass! ¡°Sure. I just don¡¯t see the ball.¡± The comment felt like thunder in a clear sky. ¡°The what?¡± ¡°Football. The thing that you¡¯re supposed to get past me with.¡± ¡°I thought you had the ball!¡± ¡°How¡¯d you guess that?¡± The jock turned his head towards the gym door. ¡°You know where they¡¯re kept. Go get one.¡± Damn you! Will rushed into the gym. His actions felt slow, compared to what he was usually used to, as if he were running through jelly. If he had the abilities of the rogue class, he would have already made his way to the storage room where the footballs were kept. Since he didn¡¯t, it took him half a minute to reach the door in question. Sadly, the bad news didn¡¯t end there. Upon trying to turn the handle, the door turned out to be locked. That was hardly surprising. Class hadn¡¯t started after all, and after multiple pranks throughout the years, combined with occasionally missing equipment, the police were to keep all gym supplies locked at all times when not used. The outer door being left open was likely an oversight on the coach¡¯s part, granting Will a slight advantage. Less than four minutes remained. The boy looked around for anything he could use to break the lock. With the loop ensuring there would be no consequences, there was no issue with him being rough in getting what he¡¯d come for. In all the movies, there would be an extinguisher, or even a firefighter ax placed conveniently close by. Come on! Will looked around. In normal circumstances, he¡¯d try to kick the door open. Since he didn¡¯t have the knight class, that would be impossible, not to mention incredibly painful. Three minutes remained until eight. The levels of panic increased for a few seconds, then abruptly vanished altogether as Will came to a simple realization: there was no need for him to succeed on his first go. Like with any other task, the loops allowed him to slowly gather information in incremental bits until he had enough to solve it. ¡°Okay.¡± The boy looked around, this time with an eye for detail. New plan, he said to himself. Figure out how to unlock the door. Get the football. Kick Jace¡¯s ass. With the small amount of time left, he did what any person would do when facing a new problem¡ªbrowse YouTube for a solution.
Restarting eternity.
Since nothing in the general area of the gym helped with opening the door, Will had to bring it with him, which he did after a few bungled loops. While getting an extinguisher from the main school building was laughably easy, carrying one through the yard all the way to the gym attracted its share of attention. All attempts to hide it failed, attempts at sneaking were laughably bad, and trying to bullshit his way out of the problem took more time than he had. Ironically, in the end, it turned out that as long as he displayed a confident but bored attitude¡ªand most importantly didn¡¯t try to hide what he was doing¡ªeveryone seemed to instantly lose interest. After all, surely there was a perfectly logical reason for someone to drag two extinguishers to the gym in a grumbly fashion. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Lit, bro!¡± Alex cheered, as an increasingly annoyed Will struggled to open the door to the gym. ¡°Halfway there!¡± Although one could argue whether ¡°halfway there¡± was a valid description, half of his time was gone. Leaving one of the extinguishers near the entrance, Will went to the storage door and slammed the handle with the other. Against expectations, he managed to bust it on his first go. With everything going on so far, he had expected to need a few more tries. Still, there was no point in looking a gift horse in the mouth. Rushing inside, he quickly grabbed the first ball from the football bin, then rushed back outside. ¡°Look at you.¡± Jace moved away from the wall with a mocking smirk. ¡°Thought I¡¯d die of boredom.¡± ¡°Shut it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you tough?¡± The jock took ten steps away, then turned around. ¡°I¡¯ll go easy on you. We don¡¯t have to play on the field. Just pass by the end of the loop and you win.¡± He took a low stance. ¡°Standard rules. I tackle you, you fail. I grab you, you fail.¡± The way he phrased it, Jace was starting to sound a lot more like coach. The words must have been drilled into his mind for years. ¡°What if I break you off?¡± Will gripped the football tightly in both hands. ¡°You win. Oh, just one thing. You have to come at me. Me versus you.¡± ¡°Boys and their egos,¡± Helen said, arms crossed a short distance away. ¡°Harsh,¡± Alex said next to her. ¡°But true.¡± Nothing indicated the start. No one said go or gave any sign. The two boys simultaneously sprang into action. In his mind, Will imagined himself leaping over the jock. He had done so several times when fighting wolves or leaping on rooftops. Unfortunately for him, while he had retained his muscle memory of performing the action itself, without the boost of the rogue class, neither his leap nor his reactions were all that impressive. A second into the air, he was met by Jace in full force. The jock charged at him, grabbing him by the waist and slamming him to the ground. The pain was intense. Will felt his body shattering to thousands of pieces, as if he himself was made out of glass¡­ or a mirror. ¡°That all you got?¡± Jace grunted, his face also twisting in pain. ¡°No wonder you quit.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t quit!¡± Will gritted his teeth. Pain was one thing, Giving Jace the satisfaction of admitting it was an entirely different matter. ¡°What about you? You look like you¡¯d faint.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Meanwhile, onlookers were starting to pay attention. A few took a few pictures with their phones, though most didn¡¯t. Even with the explosion of social media, few wanted to get on the football team¡¯s bad side. For some, it was out of fear of consequences. Others were actually hoping the team would win in the upcoming game and didn¡¯t want to add to their stress. Others still considered the whole thing an internal matter¡ªor a case of egos clashing, as Helen had put it. The presence of a football clearly showed the whole thing couldn¡¯t be serious, so there was no reason to get involved or call a teacher. The only person who was actually recording the whole thing on video was Alex. ¡°Why are you doing that?¡± Helen asked. ¡°You¡¯ll lose it in a minute.¡± ¡°It¡¯s lit,¡± the goofball replied. ¡°Might go viral.¡± Ending the recording, he quickly posted it to a few places and waited. ¡°Big oof,¡± he said with a sigh shortly after. ¡°Let me guess.¡± Helen glanced at it. ¡°Not a single view.¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Alex focused on the number of views. ¡°Would have been big.¡±
Restarting eternity.
Gripping the ball, Will tried to feign and shift direction. The attempt caught Jace slightly off guard, but not enough to keep him from grabbing Will¡¯s shirt. Ultimately, the result was the same as in the previous attempt. And again. And again. And again¡­ No matter what the boy tried, the jock seemed to be ready for it. After a few dozen loops, both had gotten the mutual condescension and pettiness out of their systems. From there on, the focus became the actual game. Will had brushed off the layers of rust accumulated throughout the years and was actually starting to think on the issue at hand, or in this case, the game. While he remained in fit enough shape, his muscles weren¡¯t used to the heavy amount of pressure. On the positive side, each loop came with instant pain relief. On the not so positive side, there was no way he¡¯d build up any muscle no matter how many loops he went through. The only way to improve physically was through wolf killing, and that wasn¡¯t an option right now. ¡°Almost there, bro!¡± Alex cheered, causing everyone in the vicinity to stare at the scene. ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that for the last five loops,¡± Helen grumbled. Based on her expression, the novelty was starting to wear off. The only reason she kept going there was because even that beat staying in a stinky classroom. ¡°Yeah?¡± The goof looked at her with a confused expression. ¡°When he gets there, I¡¯ll stop.¡± Only you can think of that, Will said to himself as he turned and twisted on his way towards Jace. This had become a tactical game. Both sides knew pretty much what they were capable of and now were only playing around with the elements to obtain victory. Nine times out of ten, Will would try to change direction at the last moment, hoping to get out of the jock¡¯s reach. So far, he had managed to do so a few times, but the follow up on the other¡¯s part had put an end to his progress. If he was competing against a non-looped, his persistence would have yielded the result, but Jace adapted to his changing tactics as appropriate. Just once, Will told himself. It didn¡¯t have to be fancy; it didn¡¯t have to be by a large margin, but just enough to pass. Droplets of sweat ran down his face as the boy leapt to the left, just avoiding the jock¡¯s reach. From there, it was tempting to continue in the same direction, but past experience had proved it to be the wrong move. Leaping back, Will rushed in the opposite direction. Jace didn¡¯t react, standing his ground. He had seen enough feigns to know Will¡¯s tactic. ¡°Nice try,¡± he said with a grin. With half a minute left in the loop, it was time for a desperate move. Even if the chances of success were unlikely, it was no worse than letting the loop reach its end. From what Will remembered from class, the average person could only pay attention to one thing at a time. With everything going on between them, it was logical to assume that Jace was focusing on Will himself. But what if that wasn¡¯t the case. Years of practice, and yelling on the coach¡¯s part, might have hard-wired him to pay attention to something else¡ªthe ball. Right now, both were one and the same, but what if they weren¡¯t? Stopping in place, Will grabbed the football with both hands and thrust it upwards. It was a weird thing to do. This was a one-to-one challenge, so there wasn¡¯t anyone to pass to. Jace was aware of that, yet even so, for a split second, he looked up to follow the path of the ball. Unexpectedly, there was nothing there to follow. ¡°Huh?¡± The jock quickly looked down, only to have the football slam into his face. Receiving injuries in football was normal. More than that, it was expected. However, even during training everyone was equipped with protective gear, not to mention their pain sensation wasn¡¯t enhanced to the current point. The pain spread throughout the jock¡¯s face to his head, then back. Before he could realize what had happened, he was on the ground and his ears were ringing. ¡°I win,¡± a voice said above him. Fighting to ignore the pain, Jace cracked an eye open. The first thing he saw was Will. The second was the sky behind him. ¡°I passed your game,¡± Will said. ¡°Are we good now?¡± There was no answer. ¡°Are we good?¡± Will repeated. ¡°Or do you want to keep on wasting time instead of figuring out this crap?¡± ¡°What the hell.¡± Jace forced a smile. ¡°You¡¯re good for something, after all.¡±
Restarting eternity.
24. You have made progress Returning to standard loop behavior, after the recent football routine, felt wrong. It was only after finding himself in the school corridor, dragging two fire extinguishers, that Will sensed something was not right. Dragging them back was no issue, same as before everyone seeing him believed it to be a planned event. Even so, it did waste him a minute. ¡°Yo, Stoner!¡± Jace yelled from the other side of the hallway. ¡°Coming or what?¡± There was no malice or anger in his words, making it mostly okay. Causing everyone else to stare at Will as if he were in trouble or about to get in it¡ªnot so much. With a frown, the boy rushed to the classroom, when he suddenly realized his second mistake of the loop¡ªhe hadn¡¯t tapped the rogue mirror. Crap! ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± he rushed out. Half a minute later, he was back again. All other three looped were leaning at a desk, looking at him with the patience of a hungry newborn. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Will stated the obvious, hoping to salvage the situation a bit. He did remember to close the door and wedge the back of a chair in the handle. At least that way they¡¯d be able to fend off the inevitable flow of classmates that would start arriving shortly. Done, the boy joined the rest of the group. The smell drilled through his nostrils, causing his eyes to water. For some reason, no one had bothered to open the windows this time. Everything considered, maybe this was a good precaution. No one said a word, waiting silently for him to finish what he was doing and join them. Once he did, Helen took out the REWARD mirror piece and placed it on the desk. ¡°On every corner,¡± she said in a tone of voice that suggested she still didn¡¯t trust any of them not to mess up. And just to be sure, she pressed the corner nearest to her with her index finger. The knight¡¯s helmet icon emerged on the reflective surface. It was soon joined by Alex¡¯s purse and dagger and Will¡¯s hooded masque. Everyone held their breaths. Only one thing remained. Concentrating, as if he were about to pass the ball in a critical game, Jace placed his thumb on the remaining corner of the mirror piece. A saw crossed with a hammer formed¡ªthe crafter¡¯s icon. Just as last time, all four icons flashed in unison, though this time, they didn¡¯t vanish, but rather merge together in the middle of the piece. An iconized version of a chest appeared, covering everything else.
Congratulations, THIEF, KNIGHT, ROGUE, CRAFTER! You have made progress! Prize earned!
The chest opened before everyone¡¯s eyes, revealing a shimmering key.
Select your Key Holder!
A new message appeared underneath. ¡°Have any of you seen anything of the sort?¡± Will asked, looking in turn at Alex and Helen. ¡°Not me,¡± the girl said. ¡°Nah, bro.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Just green mirrors.¡± ¡°Green mirrors?¡± Jace asked, still confused by the entire situation. ¡°Additional skills,¡± Will said, semi-ignoring the question. ¡°Okay¡­ So, who gets¡ª¡± ¡°Helen.¡± Will didn¡¯t let the jock finish his question. Everyone looked at him. For some reason, he felt a slight burning sensation in his ears. ¡°What? She¡¯s the knight. If something happens, she¡¯s best suited to handle it.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± The girl narrowed her eyes. ¡°Just wow.¡± Crap! That came out all wrong! It wasn¡¯t at all what Will had in mind. Too late now, though. Any attempt to clarify matters would only make him sound apologetic, which would confirm their preconceptions. ¡°Smooth, bro!¡± Alex laughed, while Jace gave him a silent pat on the shoulder, shaking his head. ¡°She¡¯s the only one immune to pain,¡± Will continued. Having reached his current degree of mess up, he might as well explain his original idea. ¡°Unless the idea is for one of us to claim the knight from here on.¡± The notion that she might lose her class quickly made Helen react differently. Her thirst thought was to vehemently oppose any such attempt. Next, she considered whether it would be such a bad idea to lend the class on a temporary basis. Nothing suggested that the key holder would be permanent, although nothing indicated they wouldn¡¯t be. ¡°Alex can evade anything,¡± the girl said after a while. ¡°You¡¯re seriously suggesting we let him have the key?¡± Will¡¯s eyes widened. Without a doubt, Helen hadn¡¯t thought her statement through. Logic that was built up for years within her reasoned that the idea was actually good. Alex had been longest within eternity, which meant he knew a lot more than the rest of them. And yet every fiber of her body rebelled at the thought that they¡¯d have to put their fate in him. ¡°We can use an app to decide,¡± the goofball said, only furthering her doubt. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Helen snapped, almost hoping someone would argue with her not to. Since no one did, she reached down and touched the key image with her finger.
You have become a KEY HOLDER. Use your new skill to unlock hidden mirrors! (1/7)
A golden message read. ¡°Did Danny mention anything about that?¡± Will whispered. Alex shook his head. Whatever secrets the previous rogue had found, this wasn¡¯t part of them. Clearly, now that the entire group had gathered, they were up against something new¡ªsomething that even a three-month-loop couldn¡¯t reveal. Reacting to the one-of-seven at the bottom of the message, Alex tapped the mirror piece. The only thing that happened was him leaving a greasy smudge on the shiny surface. ¡°Seriously?¡± Helen glared at him. Stolen story; please report. ¡°Fail,¡± he said, rubbing his fingers in his shirt to get rid of the muffin stickiness there. Sighing audibly, Helen tapped the mirror, avoiding the smudge as she did so.
Starting Tutorial Defeat all the monsters in your area. When you do so, the Boss will appear. (2/7)
Eagerly, the girl tapped again.
For each cleared room, you¡¯ll get one temporary reward. The reward is completely random and might not always help you with your task at hand. (3/7)
If any player leaves the loop before the tutorial is over, it cannot be completed and will start again during the next loop. (4/7)
¡°Slow down!¡± Jace said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to read the last one.¡± ¡°Bro, it¡¯s one sentence.¡± Alex snickered, taking a muffin out of his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s more difficult reading from the side, muffin boy.¡± The jock grumbled, reaching to give him a slap on the face. Before his fingers got anywhere near, Alex had disappeared and reappeared on the other side of the desk. Almost on cue, the handle of the school door turned. It was that time again¡ªthe moment people started gathering for class and wondering why they couldn¡¯t enter. From here on it was obvious what would follow: several minutes of shouting and attempts at forcing the door open until it was time for the loop to restart again. None of the group liked that time. It was annoying and utterly unproductive. Helen tapped the mirror piece once more.
Hint 1 The Boss mirror will only activate after the last area monster room is cleared. (5/7)
¡°Done reading?¡± she asked in a less annoyed tone that one might expect. After a few seconds, both Will and Jace nodded.
Hint 2 There are seven weapons hidden that will make fighting the boss easier. (6/7)
Waiting to get the nod from everyone else, the girl then tapped the mirror piece for the final time.
Hint 3 Only key holders can claim loot from monsters. (7/7)
The message flickered for a few moments, then knowing that it had reached the end of its usefulness, faded away, returning the mirror piece to its original state. Ten seconds passed in silence, only disturbed by the pounding on the door and coach¡¯s angry yells. From everything they had seen so far, it was obvious that eternity was a game of some sort: a series of tasks that allowed one to continue forward. The reason and the end goals remained a mystery. Daniel seemed to have mentioned a final prize and the promise of escape, although he had never shared how he had come to such conclusions. Gathering a full group and activating the mirror piece had presented something new, and still for some reason Will couldn¡¯t help but feel the unease in his stomach. ¡°You realize it, right?¡± he asked with one minute left to the end of the loop. ¡°I don¡¯t think the monsters will be as simple as the wolves.¡± ¡°Wolves?¡± Jace asked. ¡°What if the wolves are the monsters?¡± Helen asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think Danny ever killed off all of them. Right?¡± She turned to the goofball. ¡°Nah,¡± he waved his hand. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Sure, muffin boy.¡± The jock smirked. ¡°For real! After class. Big oof with people around.¡± ¡°You killed all of them?¡± The girl joined in the skepticism. ¡°Easy with traps.¡± He paused. ¡°Gave me lots of perks and levels.¡± But not enough to escape, Will thought. Maybe it would have been better if Alex had taken the key. He seemed to be more efficient at this, not to mention that he¡¯d be able to loot the creatures, be they wolves or something else. Although¡­ ¡°Alex, can you teach Helen to use traps?¡± Will leaned closer. ¡°Teach, bro?¡¯ The goofball blinked. ¡°The mirror teaches you. I can lend her the thief¡­¡± ¡°Won¡¯t work,¡± Helen said. ¡°All of us must remain in the loop to reach the boss. if I get all the classes, what will you do?¡± ¡°Support you morally from a distance?¡± Despite the seriousness of the situation, Will felt a chuckle come through. He wasn¡¯t the only one. There was a reason his friend was considered a mostly lovable goofball. When he wanted, he could alleviate any situation. Helen was right, though. Having a team of four powerful looped sounded preferable to having one overpowered person forced to protect the other three. Will still remembered what four wolves had done to a room of students, and that was without any of them being affected by the fragile nature that came with eternity. ¡°Ok, so we group up,¡± Will suggested. ¡°We get our classes and meet up here. After that we¡ª¡±
Restarting eternity.
The loop pulled time back ten minutes ago, bringing Will back to the front of the school. His muscle memory quickly drove him into the building, not even waiting to hear Jess¡¯ usual comment. ¡°A reminder to all students,¡± the announcement sounded. ¡°We remind you to take care of your physical and mental health. There is no shame in seeking help.¡± Part of him wanted to pump up the volume in the hopes that his earbuds would drown the annoying announcement he had been forced to learn by heart. Even at the start of this, he hadn¡¯t considered it remotely useful. Now, after so many loops, it had become little more than a pestering puzzling in his ears. ¡°The school counselor¡¯s door is open at all times,¡± the boy said in a mocking voice. He would have continued, if he wasn¡¯t interrupted by a heart stopping shriek coming from down the corridor. Will¡¯s immediate reaction was to brace for wolves. With Jace still being green when it came to all of this, it wasn¡¯t out of the question that he might go somewhere he wasn¡¯t supposed to¡ªa corner room with mirrors, for example. As a second shriek followed, the boy¡¯s initial fears faded, replaced by new ones. He didn¡¯t need rogue senses to tell that the creature that had let out that noise couldn¡¯t be human. It was more like a combination of nails sliding on glass and cats meowing in summer. Everyone in the hallway froze perfectly still, their minds trying to figure out what could emit such a sound. They didn¡¯t have to wait for long. The door to the girl¡¯s bathroom flew off its hinges, slamming into the opposing wall. Along with it, there was a creature that could be described as anything but human. Short and gray with a large head, hands and feet, but skinny arms and legs, the being looked more at home in someone¡¯s nightmare. The scaly helmeted head turned to the side, large black eyes focusing on the nearest person. A new scream sounded, this one very much human. The creature snarled. The crude leather armor covering its torso wrinkled as it drew a small dagger from its belt. Before it could take it out fully, another creature flew from the bathroom, slamming into it. Helen! Will thought. Instinct made him rush to help despite being without his class. There was a small whisper of logic in the back of his mind, suggesting that he went through the boy¡¯s bathroom first, but it was quickly ignored. The boy grabbed a weapon from the dazed creature, then quickly stabbed it in the side of the neck. There was no telling whether that was its weakness, but the brief gurgling sound suggested it very well might be. The second creature sensed the change, finally taking out its own weapon in full. Panic ensued. Most people in the hallway were running away from the scene as fast as possible. Some, a far lesser number, were slowly backing away, not missing the chance to record the event on their phones. It wasn¡¯t every day that one had their school attacked by goblins. If this weren¡¯t a loop, Will would have probably yelled at them to stop with that and barricade themselves in the classrooms. As things stood, in eight minutes they¡¯d be brand new, with no memory whatsoever of the incident. ¡°Stoner!¡± A backpack flew through the hallway, hitting the goblin in the back of the head. Not expecting the sudden force, the little body toppled over, slamming the creature¡¯s face into the floor. Without thinking, Will took advantage of the situation, rushing forward and burying the knife in the goblin¡¯s neck. Will took the second creature¡¯s dagger, then slid it along the floor to Jace. A moment later, he pulled out his own weapon from the unfortunate corpse and turned in the direction of the hole in the wall. ¡°Bathroom!¡± he said. No sooner had he done so that his blood froze, sending chills down his spine. ¡°Oh, crap.¡± 25. Key Holder Burden Dead goblins covered the bathroom floor. Even more were pinned lifelessly to the walls. Sadly, despite the many killed, three remained alive, standing above Helen¡¯s lifeless body. For several seconds, Will stood there, his mind unable to comprehend what his eyes were seeing. There was no way Helen could be killed. As a knight, fighting was her element. She had undoubtedly proved it by dispatching all the creatures that lay scattered about, and still they had managed to get to her. Before he could realize what was going on, Jace rushed by him into the room. One of the goblins tried to turn around, only to get a dish in the face, sending it flying straight into the bathroom window. ¡°Fuck!¡± the jock swore, gripping his hand. As much pain as his punch had caused, he felt as if he¡¯d received twice more in return. It was as if the creature he was fighting was made from stone. The remaining two goblins snarled. Finished with their initial prey, they turned their attention to Jace, swinging at him with their knives. One of the weapons struck the jock¡¯s thigh, sending him to the ground convulsing in agony. Coincidentally, it was this that snapped Will back to reality. Taking advantage of the fact that they weren¡¯t paying attention to him, he rushed in, striking the nearest creature on the back of the neck. The method had worked fine a while ago, but this time he had the misfortune of hitting the goblin at the top of the spine. Lacking strength of accuracy, the tip of the blade pierced the skin, causing some significant discomfort, but failed to do much more. With a scream, the target of the attack turned around. Eyes glared at the boy, conveying dozens of threats and curses in fractions of a second. Still gripping the knife, the boy stepped back into the hallway. Losing the element of surprise, he had a pretty good idea of how this would end. There remained a one in a hundred chance that he might evade the goblin¡¯s next attack, but even if he did, it wasn¡¯t like he could kill it off, or rush to his mirror to get the rogue class. ¡°Why did you appear here?¡± he wondered, as he continued stepping back. The goblins didn¡¯t bother answering. No longer viewing Jace as a threat, both charged at Will, snarling as they did. The front one struck, aiming for the boy¡¯s chest. The tip of the knife split the air, far too fast for Will to react, but just before it hit him, something caused the goblin to freeze in place. Did that just happen? Part of the boy¡¯s mind wondered. The rest instinctively made him swing his own knife, this time striking the side of the creature. The familiar disgusting gurgle followed. ¡°Lit hit!¡± Alex appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Huh?¡± Will looked at his friend. ¡°Where were you?¡± ¡°Usual. Get my class, level up, get the notes from Mister June and the harpy¡­¡± ¡°You what? Why the heck will you do that now?!¡± To Will¡¯s annoyance, the goofball only shrugged. ¡°Tradition, bro,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Is cool, bro. Things are cool.¡± Looking at the situation, things seemed anything but ¡°cool.¡± The school was already starting to panic. The coach and a few more teachers were visible at the far end of the hallway, rushing in order to find out what was going on. News of the goblins had probably spread all over social media at this point. It wouldn¡¯t be long before police, firefighters, and all the local media arrived to ask questions. Meanwhile, Helen was dead and Jace wished he were. ¡°Time to rush, bro,¡± Alex said. ¡°What about Jace and Helen?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see them in eight minutes.¡± Eight minutes¡­ that meant that the entire goblin encounter had taken less than two. With all the adrenaline, Will felt that hours had passed. As Will followed Alex to the exit, possibilities ran through his mind. If he had taken the rogue skill, maybe things would have been different. He¡¯d have dealt with the creatures, that was for certain, possibly fast enough to help Helen before she was killed. Jace wouldn¡¯t have had to step in and break his hand. The scene of panic, though, wouldn¡¯t have been avoided, or would it? In the background, several of the corpses had already turned transparent. In a matter of minutes, they would have vanished completely, just as the wolves did once they had been defeated. Sirens sounded as the boys left the building. Naturally, there was yet a school announcement to be made. For some reason, people had a harder time accepting that goblins were real than wolves running down the hallways. ¡°What happened?¡± Will asked as the pair rushed across the street. ¡°Were they supposed to appear like that?¡± ¡°No clue, bro. First time for me.¡± The calmness with which he said it made the statement sound disingenuous. ¡°Danny didn¡¯t say anything about them?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Alex glanced over his shoulder. ¡°He said there were more than wolves a week before he died.¡± The running turned to walking. Not long after, they were at their usual coffee shop, drinking cocoa. Several police cars had already reached the school. Even the local news channel had picked up the story, spinning all sorts of theories on what had actually happened. Not even overenthusiastic reporters dared mention the notion of disappearing goblins, so theyw ere keeping things simultaneously vague and ominous enough to increase their audience. Will checked his phone. Two minutes remained until eight. ¡°Was it a mistake making her the key holder?¡± the boy asked, stirring his drink without as much as a sip. ¡°Girl¡¯s a knight,¡± Alex replied, as if that explained it all. One had to admit that she had killed a lot more than Will, Jace, and the goofball combined. ¡°Did any of them jump out of your mirror?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± ¡°They must appear only when they see the key holder.¡± Just like wolves in corners. ¡°Why the starting mirror, though?¡± ¡°Bro, eternity is¡­¡± Alex waved his hands about as if preparing for an incantation in a children¡¯s show. ¡°¡­ eternity. No one knows. Shit happens.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Will stopped stirring his drink. The liquid continued to twirl on its own. ¡°How do you manage?¡± He looked at the goofball. ¡°Weirdness left and right and you¡¯re calm as a champ.¡± ¡°Sigma chad, bro,¡± the other laughed. ¡°Nah, you¡¯ll get there in a few thousand loops. Not much new.¡± ¡°The goblins were new,¡± ¡°Used to newness.¡± Alex laughed, then chucked down the cocoa as if it were water, making even the barista wince. ¡°Helen was new,¡± he added. ¡°You too, bro.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re all new compared to you.¡± ¡°True that!¡± The conversation was an exercise in uselessness, yet it had managed to provide enough calm for Will to start thinking about the problem at hand. Philosophical ponderings aside, they had been given a task with no obvious solution to complete. Last loop, Will was wondering how many loops it would take them to defeat the boss. Now, he wasn¡¯t even sure they could deal with the initial wave of goblins. ¡°Can I have another, bro?¡± the goofball yelled at the barista. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be at school?¡± the man asked, but took his cup and went for a refill. ¡°Nah. Big oof at school today. Won¡¯t be over till noon.¡± Everything considered that wasn¡¯t far from the truth. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if school was canceled for an entire week until enough people from enough institutions had done a thorough investigation. From their perspective, something weird had happened a week after the unusual suicide of a student. As far as the world outside the loops was concerned, there was a chance that both events were somehow connected. Speeches would be made, psychologists hired. The entire school would get sessions scheduled with Mister June to discuss what would be considered the most important topic of the day. Helen¡¯s family would go in mourning and hold a small service, then after a few weeks, things would return to normal. Suddenly, a terrifying idea crossed Will¡¯s mind. What if there was another pause in eternity? The girl had claimed that Daniel was on track to find a way out of the game, then he had died and the cycle of loops was broken until Will had taken his place. ¡°Did Danny say anything about being a key holder?¡± the boy asked, checking the time on his phone. Seventeen seconds remained till the end of the loop. ¡°Nah, bro. Told you.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yup, bro. Why?¡± ¡°What if Helen¡¯s dead?¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry, bro. Happens. I¡¯ve been dead plenty of times.¡± ¡°Dead dead!¡± Will all but shouted. ¡°We chose her to be the key holder. What if it was our task to protect the key holder while she unlocks the mirrors and finds the boss?¡± Several seconds passed with both Alex and Will looking at each other motionless, as if someone had transformed them into a pair of statues. ¡°Big oof,¡± the goofball said at last. That was something new that he hadn¡¯t seen coming. If Will¡¯s suspicion was true, that meant that everything that had occurred today would remain unchanged until another participant was found. ¡°Sorry about this, but how exactly will you be paying?¡± the barista asked, placing the full mug of coco in front of Alex. ¡°Cash, bro,¡± the boy reached into his pocket. ¡°Cash?¡± The barista gave him a suspicious look. In general, the coffee shop accepted cash, even coins. That was part of its charm. Having a school student pay with cash so readily did raise a few red flags, though. ¡°I thought all of you used phones.¡± ¡°Nah, bro. Left my wallet in my other phone.¡± Before the man could get to make a comment on the topic, the loop ended.
Restarting eternity.
Quickly, quickly! Will pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly typed in Helen¡¯s number. After the entire Danny file debacle, he had learned it by heart. This time, he wasn¡¯t going to send a text, going directly for a call. ¡°Where are you?¡± He looked around. Normally, this was the time about which Jess and her friend would pass by and greet him with a random insult. For some reason, that hadn¡¯t happened. It¡¯s a reset, he told himself. A new loop started, so it had to be a reset. That meant that Helen had to be alive and everything that happened ten minutes ago¡ªgoblins, death, and all¡ªwas nothing but a memory. And yet the girl refused to respond. Pick up! Pick up! Pick up! The call got declined. Will stared at the screen of his phone, uncertain how to react. Of all the times he¡¯d phoned Helen after joining eternity, she hadn¡¯t hung up on him once. Refusing to accept defeat, he quickly redialed and put his phone against his ear, as if that might increase his chances of success. ¡°What?¡± Helen asked in a rather annoyed tone. Thank goodness, the boy let out a mental sign of relief. She was alive, at least. ¡°Where are you?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m in the hallway, right about to¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go in!¡± he interrupted. ¡°Stay where you are and I¡¯ll be there in a sec!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± That wasn¡¯t a question he wanted to hear. Keeping his phone between his head and his shoulder, Will rushed into the school, running towards the boy¡¯s bathroom. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what happened yesterday?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course, I remember. Why do you think I¡ª¡± ¡°Running in the hallways, Stone?¡± the massive figure of the coach asked, blocking Will¡¯s bath. The boy swallowed. He definitely didn¡¯t remember this part. Normally, the coach would be gone by this time, off to have his shouting session with the football team. The fact that he wasn¡¯t meant that something had changed. Seeing Helen a short distance away, giving him an annoyed glare, phone in hand, told him that she might have been the cause. ¡°I need to go, coach!¡± The boy feigned urgency and rushed by the coach. The large man made a halfhearted attempt to stop him, but not really. As someone who had experienced similar situations, he empathized with the need to go to the toilet. Still, since his public image was on display, he diplomatically waited for Will to enter the boy¡¯s bathroom, then went on a mini tirade about how it was proper to take care of bodily functions before going to school and not relying on finding a bathroom at the last minute. No one in the hallway paid much attention, which only gave the man the excuse to turn around and continue in the direction he had originally been heading before all this. Meanwhile, Will went through the standard mirror sequence in the bathroom, tapping all of them in the known order. Messages appeared and disappeared, but he didn¡¯t even read them. Taking advantage of the rogue¡¯s reaction speed, he rushed out into the corridor again. The moment he did, the phone in his ear gave off the familiar sound indicating that the person on the other end had ended the call. ¡°Well?¡± Helen asked. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay.¡± The boy smiled, then looked at the door to the girl¡¯s bathroom. ¡°Haven¡¯t been there, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± Helen crossed her arms, still a bit suspicious. ¡°Let me borrow the knight for this loop, okay?¡± Not waiting for an answer, Will rushed in. There was no sign of the goblins, nor thankfully, anyone else. The mirrors acted as normal, reflecting everything opposite them, just like any mirror would. Taking a deep breath, the boy tapped every mirror in turn, then ran to the exit, expecting a swarm of goblins to emerge. They didn¡¯t. I was right, he thought. Suddenly, his phone pinged. U ok? The message appeared. Will was just about to answer when he had a better idea, tapping on the video call icon. To little surprise, Helen accepted. ¡°Any goblins?¡± she asked, remaining in voice only. ¡°Not for now. Go full video.¡± Helen¡¯s profile picture changed, displaying her face. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked. ¡°Hold there for a moment.¡± He pointed the screen of the phone at one of the mirrors. There was a moment of tenseness, though it was soon gone as nothing happened. Apparently, the key holder had to be in front of a mirror in person in order for the effect to be triggered. ¡°Nice try. Want me to come in?¡± ¡°No. Call the others. We¡¯re going to the coffee shop. I have an idea.¡± 26. Bottom of the Leaderboard Admitting that eternity was a game had benefits and drawbacks. Games usually had a set of strict unchangeable rules: only certain people who had joined eternity could get classes, each mirror only gave out a class once, there was no changing the key holder. That was enough to come up with a bunch of ideas or even a plan. The drawback was that the person most familiar with games in general was the most unreliable of the bunch. ¡°For real, bros,¡± the goofball said, chugging down cocoas as if they were water. ¡°I¡¯m the goat! Been playing games way before eternity.¡± That didn¡¯t sound in the least reassuring. Everyone instantly imagined the guy wasting hundreds of loops on mobile games and nothing else. For all they knew, he had done just that while working with Daniel. ¡°I got it covered,¡± Will said. ¡°I¡¯m with Stoner,¡± Jace agreed. Against most expectations, he kept a surprisingly healthy diet, which had resulted in him ordering a glass of water and an apple. ¡°His idea makes sense.¡± ¡°For real?¡± Alex slumped backwards in his seat. ¡°I can improve it, though.¡± ¡°Alex!¡± Helen hissed. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± She turned to Will. ¡°You don¡¯t get your class,¡± Will explained. ¡°The goblins won¡¯t pop out until their mirrors see you. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t. Alex does.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trusting him with the knight.¡± The girl crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯ve been the knight hundreds of times,¡± the goofball grumbled. ¡°The point¡ª¡± Will raised his tone slightly ¡°¡ªis for Alex to set up his traps in the room before you go in. Then you take your class, kill them off, and we see what we do from there.¡± There was a long moment of silence, only interrupted by the barista passing by to refill Alex¡¯s mug. As far as he was concerned, they were discussing the strategy of some mobile game. And even if he found anything suspicious, he¡¯d forget about it in about five minutes. ¡°Good plan,¡± Jace said, his words soaked with doubt. ¡°We can join in to help. A team is always stronger than a group of individuals.¡± He gave Will a glance. ¡°Until they run off.¡± ¡°The three of you in the girl¡¯s bathroom?¡± Helen asked mockingly. ¡°Won¡¯t be the first time.¡± ¡°Bro,¡± Alex laughed. ¡°That sounded so wrong. But nah. Key holder gets to keep the loop. She must do the kills. Maybe we¡¯ll get something useful.¡± Everyone nodded. ¡°The important thing is that we time and learn this,¡± Will said. ¡°It¡¯ll be our starting point from here on. Alex goes in, then out. Helen gets the knight, kills off all the goblins, then we meet up in class. And Jace learns what he needs to do to extend his loop.¡± ¡°Lame,¡± Alex said, grabbing the new cup of cocoa that arrived at his table. ¡°We¡¯ll know more when we know more.¡± Will said and took a sip of his soft drink. It tasted of sweetened strawberries¡ªdefinitely not something he¡¯d try again in any future loop. ¡°So¡­ we do this every loop?¡± Jace asked, only now realizing the situation. ¡°Seriously?¡± Helen gave him her typical glare. ¡°What do you think this is? ¡°Hey!¡± Despite being the loop newbie, the jock had no intention of taking any shit. ¡°What about shifting the classes a bit? During training, coach had us take on different roles so we got an idea how everything worked.¡± That, to everyone¡¯s surprise, was a remarkably good idea. Will even hated himself for not coming up with it first, despite thinking the exact same a hundred loops ago. With everyone knowing the pluses and minuses of their class alone, their way of thinking had become restricted. Switching up things would let everyone get a different perspective, not to mention that it would be fun. ¡°Let¡¯s get the timing on this first, okay? Then we¡¯ll try variants.¡± It sounded simple enough. With everyone else doing the same things in the same fashion, it had to be. Will pushed his drink away. There were a few more minutes until the end of the loop. Part of him considered whether to have a mousse. It had been a while since he¡¯d tasted one. Better not. There would be a chance to do so in another few dozen loops or so. ¡°Not that it¡¯s my business, but aren¡¯t you supposed to be at school?¡± the barista asked. ¡°Teacher¡¯s sick,¡± Alex said without batting an eye. ¡°Diarrhea.¡± If there was a topic that was certain to end all conversation, it was discussing diarrhea in a coffee shop. Even with no people around, the barista instinctively pulled back, out of fear that he might get affected by the word itself. ¡°Way to go, idiot,¡± Helen whispered beneath her breath. ¡°Always works.¡± The goofball smiled. ¡°Ready to go?¡± No one said another word for the next minute.
Restarting eternity.
Will looked at the entrance. As far as he was concerned, this was nothing but a standard loop. Unlike Alex and Helen, his only goal was to do the same thing he did every loop and not draw attention. And that meant he could spend a few moments to chill. ¡°Cool move, weirdo,¡± Jess and her friend passed by. ¡°Thanks,¡± the boy turned to the pair. ¡°You¡¯re cool as well.¡± Both girls reacted in a completely different fashion. Jess¡¯ friend took that as an insult and doubled her pace in an attempt to pull her friend away. Jess, in contrast, saw it as a compliment and slowed down. ¡°Never noticed you came so early,¡± he continued. ¡°Yeah, my father has to get early to work, so he drops me off half an hour before class starts. I usually go to pick up Ely before we come here.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Maybe I can meet up with you sometime as well. There¡¯s not much¡ª¡± ¡°Jess,¡± Ely hissed like a viper before an attack. ¡°We¡¯ll be late for class.¡± She grabbed hold of the girl, pulling her towards the entrance. This time, Jess followed. Despite liking the attention she¡¯d just gotten, she didn¡¯t want to appear easy to get. ¡°See you around later,¡± Will said just as the entrance door closed behind them. Usually, this was the point at which Alex appeared with his talk of muffins. The fact that no such thing occurred gave Will hope that everything was going as close to plan as possible. Waiting a few more seconds just to be sure, he entered the school building. The normal thing to do was get the rogue and go to class. In typical teenage fashion, though, Will decided to casually stroll to the girls¡¯ bathroom between the two. To little surprise, he found that Jace was already there. ¡°Hey,¡± Will said, trying to hide his disappointment. ¡°Yo.¡± The other nodded. Several seconds passed in silence as students walked by in the hallway. ¡°Heard anything?¡± Will asked, trying unsuccessfully not to stand out. ¡°Nope.¡± Jace shook his head. ¡°Think everything is alright there? I mean, there¡¯s no harm in helping.¡± Almost simultaneously, both boys looked in both directions of the corridor. There was no chance that they¡¯d enter unseen. On the bright side, neither coach nor any of the teachers were present. The worst that could happen was them being dragged to the vice-principal¡¯s office, and even then they¡¯d probably not even get to hear a full lecture before the loop ended. ¡°Think we should go?¡± Will said, knowing what the other¡¯s answer would be. ¡°You go first, then toss me a knife. I¡¯ll disarm any traps you step in.¡± Not the worst plan someone could come up with. It was ironic that, of all people, Jace had to be selected as the crafter. As far as Will knew, the most complicated device the jock had seen was a football. Taking one look around, the pair was just about to storm in when the door opened in front of them. ¡°Knew you¡¯d be here.¡± Helen passed by, not even taking the effort to glare at them. ¡°Classroom.¡± Jace and Will looked at each other. ¡°Was lit, bros!¡± Alex said, appearing out of nowhere. ¡°Sadge you weren¡¯t there.¡± A few moments passed. ¡°You know,¡± Jace said after a while. ¡°Sometimes I really hate him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Will whispered, even if the goofball wasn¡¯t in his good book at the moment, either. ¡°You get used to it. Besides, you can¡¯t hit him. I¡¯ve tried.¡± Class proceeded as usual. Or rather, semi as usual. Jace took the time to meet up with the rest of the football team, while Will and Alex helped Helen in opening the windows. The stench was still noticeable by the time the rest of the class started arriving. That annoyed Will somewhat. There was no reason they couldn¡¯t discuss what had happened in the girls¡¯ bathroom, yet Helen had been adamant that they do it during recess. Judging by Alex¡¯s unusual support, there had to be a reason for that, although it made matters just a bit more complicated. For one thing, while Will knew what he was supposed to do to reach that time, Jace remained completely new, so to speak. It was going to take him dozens of loops at least until he found his own path. Then again, it dawned on Will¡ªmaybe that was the point. Arts was long and boring. None of the loopers put any effort into their work, even if it would have earned them additional loop minutes. Whatever attempts Jace made, they had clearly failed, for by the start of class, the loop had already ended for him. Visually, nothing had changed, yet everyone else involved knew. It was as if there was an invisible barrier that divided the looped with the non-looped. Once the time had passed, the jock seemed to have lost his vibrance, becoming part of the ¡°gray¡± background. What complicated matters was that he didn¡¯t seem to realize it, at least not fully. As far as this version of him was concerned, he was the same person with the same memories, just lacking the supernatural elements. For that reason, when recess came, he joined the other three in the yard. ¡°So?¡± Will asked the question. ¡°The plan worked,¡± the girl said. ¡°Mostly.¡± ¡°For real?¡± Alex sighed. ¡°Just needs some fine tuning.¡± ¡°The goblins didn¡¯t drop anything,¡± she said. ¡°Not even knives?¡± Jace asked. ¡°Even we could get some of those last time.¡± ¡°Those disappeared once I killed them all. And it wasn¡¯t the normal fade, either. When the last creature was gone, all of them flashed away.¡± That was new, though not unexpected. ¡°Any levels?¡± ¡°The usual one. And a scoreboard.¡± ¡°Scoreboard?¡± ¡°What was your score?¡± Will asked. The lack of response quickly let him know that wasn¡¯t the right question. ¡°Not that it matters since you¡¯re the only one who¡ª¡± ¡°I was fifth,¡± she interrupted. ¡°There were four people ahead of me.¡± There was a momentary pause. ¡°The Archer was second.¡± That was something that no one expected. Only Alex seemed to be handling it better than the rest. His philosophy that anything new in a loop was a positive development seemed to do wonders for his attitude. ¡°The Summoner was first, with twice as many points as everyone else combined,¡± Helen went on. ¡°The Druid was third and the Martial Artist was fourth.¡± ¡°Any sixth?¡± Will couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°No. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Jace joined in the discussion. ¡°So you¡¯re not first yet. Big deal. You¡¯re still in the top five. That¡¯s what counts.¡± ¡°Fifth of twenty-four,¡± Will said. ¡°That¡¯s not the scary part, though. When the fight took place, only a minute had passed. That means that the four ahead of her managed to kill more goblins in that time.¡± ¡°Nah, that¡¯s not the big oof,¡± Alex corrected. ¡°What can be worse?¡± The jock ran the fingers of both hands through his hair. ¡°Team structure, bro. Five teams¡ªfive key holders. We¡¯re in the minor leagues.¡± It didn¡¯t take much to calculate that out of twenty people, their team was dead last. Of course, that left the remaining sixth team, suggesting there was still one group that hadn¡¯t started the tutorial. ¡°Welcome to the grind,¡± Alex said, taking out a muffin from his pocket. ¡°Do I want to know?¡± Jace glanced at him. ¡°The grind is the long period of doing lots for little progress,¡± Will said, who was already familiar with the term. Since they had just figured out something that Daniel hadn¡¯t, he hoped that there would be more to it, sadly it was once again back to basics. ¡°Helen will have to go through the entire school and find the other goblin rooms. Meanwhile, the rest of us would have to extend the length of our loops.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself, bro. I can go for weeks.¡± Everyone, including Helen, stared at the goofball. ¡°What? It¡¯s boring with Danny gone. You¡¯re boring too.¡± ¡°Wait. You¡¯ve spoken to us out of loop?¡± Will felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°Chill, bro! Your secrets are safe with me.¡± The goofball winked. ¡°Only sad thing is that I had to repeat every convo again and again.¡± All glances shifted to Jace. ¡°I¡¯m not going to remember any of this, am I?¡± he asked. ¡°We tried to warn you.¡± Helen shrugged. ¡°When out of loop, better do what you usually do. Less awkward that way.¡± ¡°Right. You better catch me up next loop.¡± The jock pointed at each of them in turn. ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll¡ª¡±
STAB Surprise attack. Damage increased by 1000% Fatal wound inflicted.
Alex stabbed the jock in the neck before he could finish. Jace crumbled to the ground, without even realizing that he had been killed in the loop. Instinctively, Will and Helen leaped back. ¡°What?¡± Alex asked in the most innocent way possible. ¡°He won¡¯t remember. Faster this way.¡± Of all the things that came to Will¡¯s mind, ¡°faster¡± was definitely not one of them. That posed an interesting question¡ªhad Alex done the same to him and Helen as well? If so, maybe the lovable goofball wasn¡¯t as lovable as everyone gave him credit for.
Restarting eternity.
27. The Catch Up Side Quest There was something indulgently awful in watching someone attempt to extend their loop. Will still remembered how long he had struggled with it at the time. Stretching the loop by five minutes was seen as a tremendous success. Finding a way to stretch it by ten felt as if he¡¯d won a gold medal; or at least it was so the first few times. It was inevitable that even the greatest achievement became boring after being repeated hundreds of times. Alex had taken the time to give Jace a few pointers, explaining that the actions needed were always linked to a person¡¯s personality and the class that had dragged them into eternity. In the case of the jock, that meant that finding and fixing problems were one certain way to move forward. At first, Will thought the requirement to be comical, but that was before he found out that Jace had spent years helping his father disassemble and assemble cars. Another thing the goofball claimed was that everyone had a special cheat that let them extend the loop virtually for free. In his case, that was eating muffins with the paper still on. The hint had been given to him as a reward for hunting down wolves and proved rather useful. ¡°You know what?¡± Jace asked, fixing the leg of one of the class chairs. ¡°This is a pain in the ass.¡± ¡°Could be worse.¡± Will shrugged, refusing to admit that he wasn¡¯t particularly good at it, either. ¡°At least we don¡¯t get to find goblins every loop.¡± ¡°Yeah? I could use stabbing a few goblins in the neck.¡± After he finished meddling with the leg, the jock took a step back and looked at it. The piece of furniture looked just as rickety as before. However, the past few loops had shown the effort to be enough to grant him five additional minutes. ¡°How many rooms do you think there are?¡± ¡°Five, ten¡­¡± Will speculated. ¡°What does it matter? We¡¯ll have to go through them all, eventually.¡± ¡°Ten rooms of goblins, plus the boss. Sounds like fun.¡± Helen and Alex didn¡¯t join the class till later. Since the two had started cooperating in clearing the first goblin room, they had been getting together a lot more often than usual. Both Will and Jace had joined them at different times, only to find that the pair were indeed discussing tactics. From what one could make out, the ¡°toothy¡± goblin was the greatest hindrance, often messing up the optimal sequence. Also, it seemed that he was the only one that dropped loot. The item¡ªwhich Helen had acquired twice so far¡ªwas a long dagger. Useful in combat, it was difficult to hide and extremely punishable. In one loop, it had attracted the attention of a teacher, who promptly had called the vice principal, putting an end to the loop pretty much as it started. ¡°I think we should search for the rest,¡± Jace said when all four managed to extend their loops to the first recess. ¡°We¡¯ll have to do it sooner or later.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Will nodded. ¡°Always better knowing what to expect. Unless you¡¯ve already gone through the rooms.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t work,¡± Alex said. ¡°All four must be in the loop.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± Jace said a fraction louder than needed, causing several students in the general area to look in his direction. ¡°I knew it,¡± he whispered a few seconds later. ¡°You¡¯ve been exploring the school.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exploring,¡± Helen grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s the same rooms. I¡¯ve been through it thousands of times. We told you that alrea¡ª¡± Seeing Alex shake his head, the girl stopped. ¡°Point is, you two need to boost your loops till evening.¡± ¡°What the heck?!¡± Jace almost shouted again. ¡°Exploring the school will be a lot faster if we do it when it¡¯s closed.¡± ¡°For real.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°There¡¯s just one guard. A bonk on the head and he won¡¯t hear a thing.¡± ¡°Except the bonk on the head,¡± Will added, words dripping with sarcasm. ¡°For real, bro! I tried it before. Guy sleeps so much that he won¡¯t say a thing. Trust me.¡± There were worse plans. Besides, there was something intriguing about exploring the school after dark, like in a game. With four of them together, they could go through the challenges a lot faster, plus there was one additional benefit¡ªWill would have a chance to go home. Before the loops had started, he never thought he¡¯d miss his family. While not openly hostile towards one another, they weren¡¯t on the best of terms. There was a time when he¡¯d use any chance he got to avoid them. After so many loops that he¡¯d lost count, getting to see them didn¡¯t sound like the worst idea. Will looked at his phone. Several minutes remained till the start of class, but that wasn¡¯t the reason he had taken it out. He had never phoned his parents since the start of the loop. With time passing ¡°normally¡± for them, they would probably be annoyed, worried, or both when getting his call, but chances were they would reply. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Helen asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Will lied. ¡°I was just thinking about what happens after we defeat the boss.¡± ¡°The tutorial ends?¡± Alex asked, tilting his head to the side. ¡°Yeah, but what then? The loops won¡¯t end. If they did, this wouldn¡¯t be a tutorial. Are you sure Danny didn¡¯t say anything about it?¡± ¡°Bro, Danny didn¡¯t know about the tutorial.¡± The goofball was quick to point out. ¡°He used rewards to get out there.¡± ¡°Well, the only way to know for sure is to find out,¡± Jace said. ¡°Right, Stoner?¡± No one reacted. ¡°I still say we should do some exploring during the day.¡± With the sound of the bell, the suggestion was quickly ignored. Will and Jace went back to searching for ways to extend their loops, while the other two did whatever they usually did at school. The mirror fragment didn¡¯t prove to be much help either, occasionally spitting out a line of song lyrics or other. Dozens of loops became hundreds, and then thousands. Will had gotten to know so much about Jess that one would say that they¡¯d been going out steadily for months. The only drawback was that only he and the other looped were aware of it. Meanwhile, Jace was having issues of his own. The actions needed to obtain his class and prolong his loop had kept him away from his jock friends, and the longer his loops became, the more it was visible. Although from their perspective, only a few hours had passed, having him ¡°ditch¡± them to spend time with geeks and losers clearly rubbed them the wrong way. Jace had tried to reason with them, to come up with an excuse, or even somewhat return to his normal behavior from before eternity. The issue was that despite all his efforts, he kept feeling out of place and it showed. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Seriously, dude?¡± the jock yelled in the hallway. ¡°Well, fuck you! Didn¡¯t know my team was full of little girls! Just fuck off and give me my space!¡± Leaning against the wall, Will kept on looking at his phone. The latest conversation with his parents had gone just as predictably as he had expected. The words, the intonation, even the pauses were so similar that they sounded like a very realistic recording. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you try,¡± Will said as a very annoyed Jace walked up to him. ¡°They¡¯re friends, just¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re friends who won¡¯t remember any of this.¡± So far, both of them had managed to stretch their loops till the end of school, though not more. That was one of the more annoying things. During school, the tasks were more or less obvious. After that, though, the lines seemed to blur. Will had tried a whole lot of things, but for some reason, the loop always ended precisely five minutes after the final school bell. Jace didn¡¯t seem to be faring much better. Helen had suggested that they do the same things they did before the loop. For whatever reason, that didn¡¯t seem to be working. ¡°Think you managed this time?¡± Jace asked. ¡°We¡¯ll see in four minutes.¡± Will paused for a few moments. ¡°How about we do some hunting next loop?¡± ¡°Hunting?¡± The jock didn¡¯t sound too sure. ¡°Wolf hunting?¡± It was bad enough that they had to avoid certain rooms in the course of the standard school day. Searching for trouble would cause a lot of chaos, not to mention mess up the entire loop. Still, there was a certain sense of adventure in the suggestion. ¡°Without the rest?¡± ¡°Alex does it at the start of the loop and Helen¡­¡± Will didn¡¯t finish. ¡°Or we can search for our multi extender.¡± The name was terrible, but both of them knew what the boy was talking about. ¡°I sort of know mine.¡± ¡°Sort of?¡± Jace gave him an unconvinced look. ¡°Okay, I know it, but it¡¯s not fun.¡± And will hurt you more than it¡¯ll hurt me. He added mentally. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°Fighting.¡± Will put away his phone. ¡°Remember how Danny used to fight with you guys all the time? Each time the rogue evades an attack, he gets five minutes.¡± ¡°Each time?¡± Jace thought back to all the times Daniel had gotten into fights with him. The first time had been so sudden and shocking that neither Jace nor his friends were even able to react. They were standing in the schoolyard, drinking soft drinks, when the skinny, quiet kid of their class walked straight up to them and kicked a soda can right out of the quarterback¡¯s hand. The scene seemed right out of an anime. There hadn¡¯t been any grudges between them, no particular bullying. The jocks barely spoke with the guy¡ªhe was just someone who was in their class, keeping to himself. Of course, the provocation couldn¡¯t go unpunished, not with so many others witnessing it. Maybe Jace could have laughed it off with a comment or two, but deep inside, he could tell that Danny had come for a fight. And since that was what he longed for, the football team planned to let him have it. The result was disastrous. The only thing more humiliating than a skinny kid beating up a jock was a skinny kid beating up five. And it wasn¡¯t even a proper fight. It was as if Danny was playing with them, evading their punches with a series of fast jabs. For several minutes, he kept on doing just that before finally he struck back, bringing one of the larger boys to his knees. From them on, things got progressively worse. Danny would pick fights every day, sometimes even more. The targets shifted from the jocks in his class to the entire football team, to pretty much any delinquent that would take the bait, even people outside school. Back then, Jace didn¡¯t see the logic of it all. It wasn¡¯t for money or boasting rights, Danny never made any demands whatsoever; he¡¯d just get into a fight, and when it was over, go back to class as if nothing had happened. ¡°Evasion,¡± the jock said. ¡°Yep.¡± Will nodded. ¡°Guess it makes sense,¡± he said, trying to move past his painful memories. ¡°What do you think a crafter¡¯s supposed to do?¡± ¡°Craft?¡± Will had no clue. ¡°Assemble and disassemble stuff? Didn¡¯t Alex give any hints?¡± ¡°He says he didn¡¯t use it much.¡± ¡°Might be something completely different. Eating muffins isn¡¯t related to being a thief.¡± Although, maybe it was a metaphor for something? This was probably the only time Will regretted not paying more attention in literature class. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I should eat all sorts of crap to check?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything else to do.¡± Will couldn¡¯t help but smirk.
Restarting eternity.
The fights didn¡¯t start right away. For a few dozen loops, both Will and Jace tried out the eating method. Alex had suggested they try with muffins, which didn¡¯t work. Helen, on her part, claimed that such cheap tricks were beneath her. That didn¡¯t stop the girl from verbally pointing out ¡°injustices.¡± It helped that her nature was similar to that of her initial class, granting her a huge advantage. After a while, it became clear that none of the food combinations were any good. In a way that was a relief. Will dreaded that it would turn out that his most hated food would end up being his ticket to day-long loops. Come to think of it, Danny mustn¡¯t have found a method, either. If he had, he wouldn¡¯t have spent all that time fighting. As for Jace, after seeing that gulping down food wasn¡¯t the answer, he decided to go for the next best thing. During recess, one loop, he used the excuse that he needed to go to the toilet to sneak away from the group and to a corner room with mirrors. All in all, there were four of them in the school, most of them common classrooms currently filled with people. Yet, there also was one storage room. Located in the basement, in an area that students weren¡¯t allowed to venture into, it was small, filled with old desks and other appliances that the school hadn¡¯t gotten to throwing away. A single chipped mirror hung on a wall¡ªall that was needed to let the wolves out. Making sure that no one was following, the jock snuck into the basement corridor, heading towards the room. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had faced wolves; despite the warnings he had had a go at them during one of his previous loops. The creatures ended up a lot stronger than he¡¯d expected and, despite all his attempts, ended up tearing him apart every time. This time, though, it was going to be different. Since hand to hand and chairs were practically useless, he had managed to assemble a short spear using school materials, including a knife he had borrowed from one of his jock friends and wasn¡¯t supposed to have. ¡°So, you¡¯re really going for it?¡± a voice asked behind him. Jace instantly turned around, swinging the spear forward. The only thing the weapon hit was air, though not due to lack of trying. ¡°Cool it!¡± Will said, a few steps safely away. ¡°Sheesh, could have killed me with that.¡± Sorry, Jace thought. However, that wasn¡¯t at all what he said out loud. ¡°Fuck it, what do you expect?! I thought you were someone else.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯d have killed someone else?¡± The question paused an interesting enough question, causing Jace to slowly lower his weapon. There still wasn¡¯t a word of apology, though. ¡°I knew you¡¯d go for the wolves,¡± Will continued. ¡°Surprised it took you this long.¡± ¡°And I guess you¡¯re here to stop me?¡± ¡°Heck, no.¡± Will smiled. ¡°We¡¯re not like the rest. They¡¯ve had thousands of loops to learn how this stuff works. We¡¯re catching up. If we want to get ahead, we need to use cheats, and green mirrors are cheats.¡± The jock didn¡¯t say a word. He agreed with Will¡¯s conclusion, but at the same time, had hoped that he¡¯d do this solo and gain an advantage over him. Even now it was difficult to forget the rivalry between them. Still, better that they team up for the moment. ¡°Right.¡± Jace nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± 28. A Leader is Born The wolves were four and as large as ever. The benefits of fighting in a room with one mirror was that they were forced to come out one at a time. Neither of the boys expected that, but were glad that it happened. It would have been even better if they¡¯d planned it appropriately. With a snarl, the first wolf leapt out, its jaw snapping in the direction of Will. Since neither of the boys were outright attackers, their quickly devised plan was for Will to be the bait and Jace¡ªthe surprise attack. The result was anything but what they had expected. At the sight of the massive beast, the jock hesitated. The spear in his head trembled, missing its opportunity to pierce the creature in the neck. In his defense, it was difficult to concentrate when facing a wolf the size of a bull. As the jaw snapped in the air, a bone shattering sound filled the room. ¡°What are you waiting for?!¡± Will shouted, having the difficult task of staying close enough to the wolf to be the preferred target, but not that close to get bitten. Droplets of sweat had formed on the jock¡¯s forehead. The sudden yell made him snap out of his panicked state, but it was already too late. Just as he struck with his spear, a second wolf emerged from the mirror, grabbing the shaft of the weapon in its jaws. Great, Will thought, reaching for his own weapon. Though nowhere as flashy and efficient as what his friend had prepared, it was enough to deal a lethal blow, especially since he knew the beast¡¯s weak spot. The first wolf collapsed on the floor with a gurgling sound, leaving Will to dash to the second one using his rogue reflexes. He had to be careful. One bite and the attempt would be over. The creature¡¯s jaws closed, breaking the ¡°spear¡± in two. The massive head turned in Will¡¯s direction, identifying him as the main threat. Thankfully, by now, Jace¡¯s sense of rivalry kicked in. Even if he had messed up the original plan, he had no intention of letting Will take all the kills. Pulling his half of the spear, he then quickly shoved it forward, right into the side of the wolf¡¯s throat. There was an initial amount of pressure, quickly punctured, like a straw entering a fruit juice carton. Yet, this was no carton. Two ¡°Level Up¡± messages appeared on the small mirror. This was new and rather alluring. Both boys considered what they could achieve with a quick level up before the remaining wolves leaped out. However, it was only Will who had the speed to achieve it. Dashing to the side of the mirror, he quickly tapped it twice. Instantly, the level two rogue skills appeared on the polished surface. The level three ones didn¡¯t follow. Instead, the next beast leaped out. ¡°Craaap!¡± Will managed to evade it by the skin of his teeth. Even with his new skills, this was too close. Jace didn¡¯t feel too pleased, either. Being practically weaponless, he had no chance against the monster. The only option left was to humiliate himself and shift roles with Will becoming the lure. ¡°Hey!¡± he shouted, waving half of the wooden shaft. ¡°This¡ª¡± Before he could finish, the wolf turned around, leaping at him, claws extended forward. The large jaws opened wide, ready to devour their prey, but never closed. A mass of weight hit the jock, crashing him all the way into the wall behind. By then, though, the wolf was already dead, a scalpel sticking from its chest. One left! Will said to himself. Without wasting a moment, he grabbed the front half of Jace¡¯s spear from the wolf corpses. As expected, the final beast emerged and, this time, got a knife in the lower area of the throat. There was another gurgle, after which it, too, collapsed on top of the rest. Adrenaline pumping in his veins, Will remained in place, staring at the mirror. Once again there were two messages on it. They were soon joined by a green message as well.
WOLF PACK REWARD (random) CHAT BOARD MESSAGE (1): post a message on the chat board.
Chat board message? The boy wondered. What the heck is that? Granted, this was only the second such reward Will had seen, but it sounded as useless as it was revealing. Apparently, eternity had a message board, although there was no indication of where or how it could be used. There was the option to use the reward right away and see what it did, but Will thought it would be better to keep onto it for the time when he knew exactly what it meant. ¡°Shitty wolf,¡± a groan came from the far side of the room as the jock tried to move the massive body of the wolf off him. ¡°You okay?¡± Will glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Yeah.¡± The lack of trembling on Jace¡¯s side suggested that there was nothing broken. ¡°Fucker pinned me to the wall.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± With common effort, the hulking beast was moved to the side. For two non-combat classes, the effort was considerate. The creature felt as if it weighed a ton. Once done, both boys sat on the floor to take a break and have the adrenaline run off. As they did, the surrounding bodies started disappearing. ¡°Or we could have done that,¡± Will said, breaking the silence. ¡°Yeah, right. You do it next time a furred elephant crushes you.¡± Jace then glanced at the mirror. ¡°Got anything good?¡± ¡°Chat board message,¡± Will replied. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it said. I have the right to post a message on the chat board. The chat board.¡± The jock remained speechless, unable to determine whether that the prize was worth it or they had been cheated. After several seconds of consideration, he chose to say nothing. ¡°At least we didn¡¯t restart the loop,¡± he added. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°There¡¯s that. Oh, and you have a level up waiting for you.¡± ¡°Wow. We get shared experience?¡± ¡°Maybe. Either that or every kill counts to the person who did it. The first kill is one level, so it¡¯s easy to get. After that it doubles every time.¡± ¡°Fun.¡± Even Jace could see that going past level four was going to be a pain. ¡°Did you get yours?¡± ¡°Just one. Seems I got another.¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± ¡°There¡¯s two level ups on the mirror.¡± Jace glanced at it. Surely enough, the two messages were there, as if clawed beneath the shiny surface. The bodies of the wolves turned transparent, then completely disappeared, leaving the storeroom a mess. If a teacher or the janitor would walk in now, he¡¯d send the boys to the vice-principal¡¯s office for vandalism. There was no way anyone would believe what really had transpired. The jock stood up and looked at the ground. The internal need to fix everything in sight kept getting stronger. Cursing himself, he managed to suppress it for long enough to get to the mirror. ¡°I just tap it?¡± he asked, looking at Will. ¡°Yep.¡± The other nodded.
SUPERIOR DEXTERITY Enjoy perfect hand and finger flexibility.
SHATTER POINT Locate the weak spot of a simple item or mechanical device.
REPAIR Repair a simple item or mechanical device.
Explanations covered the mirror. Glancing over them, Jace went through a rollercoaster of emotions. Hoping to get something combat oriented, he was disappointed, thrilled, then disappointed even more. It took a while for him to come to terms with what he received. Strictly speaking, none of the skills were suited for combat, although they were ideal for support. Already, Jace could see everything he could create with the pieces in the storage room. The possibilities hadn¡¯t seemed apparent moments ago, but since he leveled up his class, it seemed natural. Eager, Jace tapped the mirror again. Nothing happened. ¡°I only got one level.¡± He turned to Will. ¡°Guess it¡¯s based on kills and not shared.¡± The boy went to the mirror and tapped it. A new set of descriptions appeared, bringing his rogue to level three. Eternity seemed exceedingly generous early on. The entire group could reach level two by killing off a single wolf pack. Two more groups and they¡¯d get to level three. Only then they¡¯d have to go solo in order to reach level four. In contrast, from what Helen had said, killing off all the goblins had only let her advance a single level. Maybe it was different when it came to minions. Of course, he only had her and Alex¡¯s word for that. Seven packs, Will thought. That¡¯s how much it would take for everyone to get to the good levels. According to Daniel''s notes, the school had less. Still, that didn¡¯t guarantee it to be true. There were a lot of things missing from the desk. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jace asked. ¡°Thinking.¡± Will turned around. ¡°The wolves are for skills and leveling, but the goblins are for loot.¡± ¡°Yeah? And?¡± ¡°I need to get the others here.¡± Will took out his phone. Getting Alex and Helen to miss class was bad enough. Helen hated doing it, especially since she had already prolonged her loop till evening. As for Alex, it was like inviting a hyperactive hamster to a candy factory. The contrast between the two couldn¡¯t be greater. Disapproval was written all over the girl¡¯s face even before she said a word. ¡°Seriously?¡± she crossed her arms. ¡°Fighting wolves instead of loop building?¡± ¡°Bro!¡± Alex¡¯s eyes lit up, looking at the remains of devastation. ¡°For real? This is so lit!¡± ¡°How many wolf rooms are there?¡± Will asked, ignoring both of their reactions. ¡°Why¡¯s that important? We don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± ¡°How many?¡± This was the first time that Will interrupted anyone in such an authoritative fashion. He was slightly surprised in himself, though nowhere nearly as much as everyone else. All this time he felt like the one lagging behind¡ªless so since Jace had joined eternity. Right now, he had suddenly transformed into something that the group had lacked, possibly since Daniel¡¯s death: a leader. ¡°Six,¡± the goofball said after a few seconds of silence. ¡°Six.¡± Will repeated. That means that one person would keep their class at level three, or maybe not. The goofball gained a few levels outside of the school, so maybe that didn¡¯t count. ¡°And goblins only give one level at killing them all and possibly loot items.¡± ¡°Sus on the loot,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°Yes,¡± Helen said. ¡°Why?¡± She looked straight at Will, but this time not in accusatory fashion, but rather interested in his reasoning. ¡°The mirror piece made it look like we have one task. That¡¯s false. The wolves are here to level us up, which we¡¯ll need in order to fight the goblins and anything else that will show up. Six wolf packs, plus Alex¡¯s will get us all to level four. If the goblins also give us a level each time we clear a room, that means we can reach the higher levels, maybe even max out. Is the level based on kills?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± the girl admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve always done the killing and claimed the reward.¡± ¡°Maybe if it¡¯s a reward, anyone can claim it, like the green mirrors.¡± Will paused a moment, giving Jace a quick glance. ¡°Wolf levels are based on personal kills. I killed three just now, and Jace killed one. The mirror only lets the right person get the right level.¡± ¡°Fire.¡± The goofball gaped. ¡°Makes sense.¡± Jace nodded. ¡°They¡¯ll need us to get strong to fight the boss fucker.¡± A second wave of surprise swept through the room. ¡°What?¡± The jock stared back at everyone in turn. ¡°It¡¯s the same in football. You build up strength to face the champs, not just rush on and take them on the first day of training. We go through all the minor league stuff, then take on the big one.¡± ¡°I suppose that makes sense.¡± Helen quickly regained her usual composure. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change a thing. You need to get to evening in order to fight anything.¡± ¡°It changes a lot,¡± Will said. ¡°When we get to evening, we¡¯ll be working as a team. That means fighting, leveling, even checking every room.¡± ¡°Lit, bro! Just like an RTS!¡± Alex joined in, ruining the moment, in part. Even so, the new goal had been set, or rather, the old one had been readjusted. It was at the start of the following loop that another surprise discovery was revealed¡ªJace had found his quick loop extender and it turned out to be both obvious and unexpected. Just as Will needed to evade attacks, all that the jock needed to do was break things. A few loops were spent confirming the theory, resulting in calls to both Jace and Will¡¯s parents. The vice-principal was not pleased in the least. In her view, even the death of a fellow student a week ago was no reason for children to start fighting and breaking things. Neither of the culprits particularly cared. Gritting their teeth, they endured the end of the loop, then got ready for the final preparation. The greater part of the school day was spent in planning what to buy for their evening run. Flashlights were a must, along with anything that could be used as a weapon and, as Alex suggested, drones. Since he was the only one who had access to the crafter class before Jace, he¡¯d successfully combined it with his own, all the time making sure that the archer didn¡¯t interfere with them again. Once classes were over, and no one¡¯s loop ended, the plan was set in motion. Jace and Will phoned their parents with various excuses as to why they would be late. Alex didn¡¯t bother to, and as for Helen, she promptly was driven home, but with assurances that she¡¯d be back at the school building at seven. The remaining trio spent the time in-between going through what shops were available¡ªand not located on corners¡ªto buy any supplies they could for the ¡°school run¡± as the goofball kept referring to it. At last, they¡¯d be the ones going on a hunt. 29. School Dungeon Crawling ¡°I used to watch shows like this all the time when I was a kid,¡± Jace said as he, Will, and Alex waited for Helen to arrive. ¡°A bunch of friends would explore some haunted house. I always found it stupid that they¡¯d split up and have the monster kill them one by one.¡± The other two boys looked at him, uncertain how to react. ¡°Lots of blood and gore, and sometimes a titty shot.¡± He paused, seeing their expressions. ¡°It was my father¡¯s stash. He had one of those VCR things and a ton of cassettes. The device¡¯s been busted for years, but maybe I can fix it with my new skills now.¡± ¡°If we ever extend the loop long enough, why not?¡± Will smiled. He, too, had been thinking what he¡¯d do when he finally got back home. Nothing maybe? Spend some time with his family and appreciate it for once? At this point, he hardly remembered what his arguments with them were. He could recall that they were vitally important and that his parents were in the wrong, but any other details remained blurry. ¡°Seriously, why split up?¡± Jace kept going. ¡°If there¡¯s something so bad that you can¡¯t take it on together, you won¡¯t be able to take it on alone.¡± ¡°For real, bro?¡± Alex gave him a smug look. ¡°Two words¡ªarea effect.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The jock frowned. ¡°Simple, bro. Group of four walks down a corridor. Monster with massive fireball jumps out. Bam! Gg no re. Sadge, press x to restart loop.¡± There was a long moment of silence. Both boys got the notion of what the goofball was saying, but even Will, who was more or less used to his manner of speaking, had elements he couldn¡¯t explain. ¡°You know, in the shows I watched, the funny guy was the first to get killed,¡± Jace said after a while. ¡°Don¡¯t mess up, muffin boy.¡± A rather impressive car stopped on the street across the school. Since it was way after school hours, and past the rush hour of the day, it was sure to attract the trio¡¯s attention. The back door opened, and Helen stepped out. Her outfit was very different from the one she usually wore. Then again, because of the loop anything would have seemed different, even weird. In this case, one could easily conclude that she was going off hiking somewhere. The backpack, army shoes, and vest with dozens of pockets contrasted with her face and frame. Full of self confidence and without a worry in the world, the girl waved for the driver to go on, then crossed the road, joining the rest of the group. ¡°Hey,¡± she said. Everyone stared at her in silence. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jace was the first to speak. ¡°Couldn¡¯t find an army jacket?¡± ¡°Ha ha.¡± Helen crossed her arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be smart enough to prepare for the trip, so I took things into my own hands.¡± She glanced quickly at what they had bought. All except Alex had a backpack. Also, there was what looked like a cheap flying drone. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Exploration,¡± the jock said confidently. ¡°We get to see mirrors without them seeing us.¡± ¡°And how exactly is that going to help us?¡± ¡°Simple. We¡ª¡± Jace stopped as he realized that he had taken too much stock in what Alex had said without thinking it through. While it was true that the drone could be used to explore the building without putting them at risk, that would only be true if monsters roamed the place. As things stood, a mirror had to ¡°see¡± a person to trigger a monster release. Being able to hone in on the mirror was of little use, especially since, thanks to the loops, everyone already knew where they were. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Helen shook her head. ¡°Did you eat, at least?¡± ¡°What did you bring?¡± Will asked, steering the topic away from confrontation. A few minutes were spent checking supplies. Apart from some basic ¡°protective gear¡± in the form of rollerblade protectors, a few hammers and screwdrivers, flashlights, knives, and, of course, the drone. Helen had brought most of the food, as well as rope and a paper notebook. Naturally, she had also brought the mirror piece, which contained what could be their hint for the day: Wolves outside of the tutorial area don¡¯t grant additional bonuses. After a bit of banter, everyone divided up the gear and went towards the school building. ¡°Move aside, bro,¡± Alex said as he went up to the door and placed his hand on the keyhole.
UNLOCK TRIGGERED.
There was an audible click, after which the door opened. ¡°Nice,¡± Jace whispered. ¡°If I had that, I¡¯d never need to buy stuff again.¡± ¡°Fail,¡± the goofball said. ¡°Gets old after a while.¡± Will was the first to get inside. The hallway looked different when it was dark. Years back, there had been talk among the teacher staff that an alarm system would be placed to discourage students from breaking in after school. The reason was the yearly Halloween prank night. Every year on the first morning after the event, people would come into a series of elaborate pranks throughout the school. They were always innocent things: A skeleton with lipstick placed in a teacher¡¯s seat, flat Earth posters placed all over geography class. In one case there was a printout of a rather scandalous French painting in the arts room that had caused a greater stir than everything else combined. Unfortunately for the vice-principal and the teaching staff, the budget never was quite enough to afford the security system they so much wanted. ¡°You sure the guards won¡¯t be a problem?¡± Jace asked. ¡°Guards?¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, bro. Danny came here all the time.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Helen turned to Will. ¡°You and Alex go to get your class and kill off the first batch,¡± Will said. ¡°We¡¯ll go to the biology class ¡°Splitting up already?¡± The jock gave him a disapproving look. ¡°We¡¯ll wait for them to finish, then we go,¡± Will explained. ¡°Why do we need to go there?¡± Helen inquired. ¡°Scalpels,¡± Will explained. ¡°They¡¯re very useful when I learn how to throw things. After that, we start from the basement and go up.¡± ¡°Not the other way round?¡± ¡°If we mess up, it¡¯s better that it happens later. People will notice wolves flying out from the upper floors. Alex, you got your level?¡± ¡°Bro.¡± The goofball glared. ¡°Fine, have fun.¡± Using phones and flashlights, the group made their way to the girls¡¯ bathroom. Out of habit, Will looked about, almost expecting the coach to appear out of somewhere. Alex wasn¡¯t nearly as worried, entering the bathroom without the slightest hesitation. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°All done,¡± he said after a few moments. ¡°You go, sis.¡± Nine times out of ten, Helen would have rolled her eyes. This time, though, she retained her focus. After the many loops since Will had entered the scene, she had finally gained something she¡¯d lost since Danny¡¯s death¡ªa real purpose. The boy hadn¡¯t promised that he¡¯d find the purpose of the game, as Daniel had, or that he¡¯d solve the whole mystery. He was just following the steps that eternity presented to them, and in the short term, that was a lot better than doing nothing. In the process, there was even a chance that they discovered the reason for the former rogue¡¯s death. Both Will and Jace took out a weapon, standing in the corridor in wait. A few muffled sounds came from the bathroom, intensified by the overall silence of the hall. About ten seconds later, Helen emerged, followed by Alex. ¡°What happened?¡± Will put away his knife. ¡°Sadge,¡± the goofball replied. ¡°No loop drop.¡± ¡°I climbed up a level,¡± Helen replied. ¡°Good. Now we start hunting wolves. First time we all kill one. Then we see how it goes.¡± Avoiding any rooms with mirrors, the group made their way to the staircase, then continued to the basement. There was no sign of any guards. Alex had assured them such would be no problem, but even so, Will and Jace remained on edge. The first wolf room was the same that the two had gone to train in. Since the pattern was known, Alex was the first to go in and instantly throw a mirror piece on the floor to form a trap. On cue, the first wolf emerged.
TRAP ACTIVATED
The creature froze still as if it had stepped on fly paper. Quickly, Helen dashed up to it and punched it in the side of the head. There was a loud cracking sound. The beast¡¯s head swung to the side, dislocated from its spine. A moment later, the entire thing collapsed to the floor. ¡°Move it out of there!¡± Will shouted. ¡°Where?¡± Helen asked as she grabbed the massive body by the neck with both hands. ¡°Anywhere!¡± Lifting it up as if made of paper, the girl tossed it to the nearest room corner. In perfect synch, Alex threw another mirror piece. A second wolf emerged.
TRAP ACTIVATED
The trap mercilessly entangled it, same as before. It seemed that the wolves didn¡¯t learn from observation, at least not until they left the mirror. That was good news for Will, who instantly targeted the weak spot in the creature¡¯s throat, striking there with his knife. There was a quick death gurgle. Two Level Up messages became visible on the mirror. So far, things were working as planned. Unfortunately, there was no time for celebration. ¡°Toss it.¡± Will quickly dashed out of the room. Knowing what she was supposed to do, Helen grabbed the second dead body and threw it in the direction of the first. The corpse slammed into the wall, then fell down onto the previous one, displacing a few old chairs in the storage room. ¡°Jace, you¡¯re up,¡± Will said as Alex tossed another piece of mirror in place. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± The jock grinned.
TRAP ACTIVATED
A new wolf emerged, then quickly died as a large knife was plunged into its throat. The attack wasn¡¯t nearly as precise as Will¡¯s, nor as strong as Helen¡¯s, making Jace consider using a spiked club in future. With the skills of his class, making one wouldn¡¯t be a problem, especially since there were more than enough bats in the gym. ¡°He¡ª¡± Will began. ¡°I know.¡± Hellen dragged the creature¡¯s body away from the mirror. With two wolves occupying a section of the room, finding a place for the third one was a bit tricky. The girl picked up the wolf and was about to toss it to the relatively free part of the room when the final wolf emerged. This wasn¡¯t planned. Reacting on instinct, Will dashed in using his rogue¡¯s reflexes and pulled Jace and Helen to the side. He was just about to yell out to Alex, but the goofball had already vanished. A blur appeared next to the wolf.
STAB Surprise attack. Damage increased by 1000% Fatal wound inflicted.
STAB Surprise attack. Damage increased by 1000% Fatal wound inflicted.
Gashes appeared all over the wolf as it fell to the ground with an unnerving whimper. ¡°Got ¡®em,¡± Alex smiled. ¡°For real?¡± Will found himself whispering. This was another time he had seen the goofball being a bit scary. ¡°Okay, now we get our levels,¡± he said. One by one, everyone tapped the mirror. Each time they did, a level up disappeared. When the last one was gone, the mirror acquired a green tint. ¡°Go ahead, man,¡± Jace invited Will. ¡°Your plan, your reward. I get the next one.¡± It was an unexpected gesture. Since no one approached the mirror, Will did so.
WOLF PACK REWARD (random) DARK VISION: see in complete darkness.
¡°Dark vision,¡± he said. That was rather useful for once. ¡°Lucky bastard.¡± Jace smirked, then tapped him on the back. ¡°Do you keep that forever?¡± ¡°No,¡± Helen said. ¡°Sometimes,¡± Alex said along with her. The two looked at each other. ¡°Depends, bro. Most end with the loop, some continue on.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a way to tell?¡± ¡°Nah, bro. If you have them, you have them. You¡¯ll know in the next loop.¡± ¡°Any permanent ones you have?¡± ¡°Nah, bro. But Danny had.¡± Everyone looked at the goofball. ¡°Full freedom of movement. He told me it let him go beyond his area without penalty. Big oof, though. It¡¯s bad going out.¡± Nothing concrete was said, but Will had a feeling that such an action might have attracted other players of eternity. Such worries were for later, though. ¡°Okay, so now we go searching for goblins. Alex goes first to trap the area. Helen follows. I¡¯m support, and Jace¡­¡± he paused for a moment. What was Jace good for in the present circumstances? ¡°Jace will analyze the loot drops we get.¡± ¡°Analysis?!¡± The jock didn¡¯t sound pleased. ¡°You¡¯re the only one that can do it.¡± ¡°And we¡¯ve gotten how many drops after all this time?¡± Everyone remained silent. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me to stay in the back and do nothing?¡± ¡°Sorry, Jace. You¡¯ll still get the wolf levels, but yeah. At least until you get some better skills.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bullshit, man!¡± The jock raised his hand, ready to slam it into the wall. A moment of reflection, though, and he quickly lowered it back again. Before joining eternity, he had punched walls all the time in anger. Doing so now came with a whole new level of pain. ¡°Next loop, I get the rogue and you take the crafter!¡± ¡°Deal.¡± The boy suspected he might regret it, but it was the best way to resolve the momentary tension. Besides, who knows? Maybe they¡¯d be lucky enough to complete the tutorial. ¡°Yo, bro,¡± Alex joined in. ¡°Hints said that there are seven hidden weapons somewhere here. When we find them, we¡¯ll definitely need you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Will nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He vaguely remembered parts of what the mirror piece had shown them once all four had touched its surface together. There was what Alex had said¡ªthat there were seven hidden weapons that would help in the fight against the boss. However, there was also a mention that each cleared room would come with a reward. Helen and Alex had claimed there had been a scoreboard, but no practical reward. The question was whether they were telling the truth. 30. Tutorial Basement Of the sixty-nine rooms in the school, eleven were in the basement. According to Alex, out of them only two had mirrors: the one they had been at and the janitor¡¯s storage room. Given that they¡¯d already dealt with one room, they only had one more to worry about. Despite that, Will felt uneasy. ¡°How big is the janitor¡¯s place?¡± Helen turned to Alex. ¡°Small, sis,¡± he replied. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t fight in there, anyway.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Place is stacked up with detergent. Miles told me the school buys bulk on the cheap¡­ And he stocked up a month before the loops.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound that too bad,¡± the jock said. ¡°A month of cleaning is a fucking lot.¡± ¡°Bro.¡± The goofball looked at him. ¡°Miles stocks once per year.¡± The answer put things in perspective, making Jace instinctively move a step away from Alex. He was just in the process of making a crude remark when Will caught something from the corner of his eye. ¡°Stop!¡± he whispered. Three quarters of the group froze on the spot. The fourth¡ªJace¡ªdidn¡¯t act on time, ramming into Will like a car in an empty parking spot. ¡°What the hell?!¡± he cursed, startled by the suddenness. Will didn¡¯t react, his attention glued to a faint glint in the nearby darkness. ¡°Alex,¡± he began, ¡°you said there were two rooms with mirrors here, right?¡± ¡°Sure thing, bro,¡± the goofball said, though he too was staring in the direction Will was. The difference was that he didn¡¯t have dark vision. ¡°Then why is there one there?¡± Will pointed. Flashlights were pointed in the direction. The room was one of those full of old desks and worn-out rugs, possibly from the principal¡¯s room. The door had been left open, likely for ease of access, since there markedly wasn¡¯t anything valuable there. Undeniably, there also was a mirror placed on one of the doors. ¡°For real¡­¡± Alex managed to say. ¡°So much for relying on you for anything,¡± Jace grumbled. ¡°Seriously, bro. There was no mirror there! For real!¡± Will felt inclined to agree. He also had no memory of a mirror being there. ¡°Well, there¡¯s one there now, muffin boy! Do you think the janitor brought it from¡ª¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Helen said, putting the argument to an abrupt end. Reaching into one of her pockets, she took out the mirror fragment and started tapping it. ¡°Hidden mirrors,¡± she added after a while. ¡°It told us in the very first message. Use your skill to unlock hidden mirrors. We assumed that meant I¡¯d be able to unlock mirrors that didn¡¯t do anything special, but¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªit makes invisible mirrors appear,¡± Will eagerly finished her sentence. ¡°And since you¡¯ve never been down here before, none of us got to see the hidden mirrors.¡± Silence ensued as everyone realized the significance of this discovery. All of a sudden, the tutorial acquired an entirely different dimension. It was no longer just a matter of fighting wolves and goblins that came out from existing mirrors. They¡¯d have to search through every single room in the school to find and unlock all the hidden mirrors. ¡°That doesn¡¯t change anything,¡± Will said, glancing at the expressions on his friends¡¯ faces. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to check every room for mirrors. Alex, you¡¯re up.¡± Shaking off the surprise, the goofball tossed a mirror piece in front of the new mirror. After he did, Will and Jace vigilantly took out a few desks, creating a bit more space for Helen to enter. It was notable that for some reason the hidden mirror had yet to activate despite having direct line of sight to the girl. ¡°I¡¯ll drag it out into the corridor,¡± the girl said. ¡°In case there are more.¡± Step by step, she made her way to the mirror. Her headlight lit up the glass surface, revealing it to be completely clouded. ¡°You got it, sis!¡± Alex whispered. ¡°Just tap and run.¡± Avoiding the mirror piece on the floor, the girl did just that. The mirror¡¯s reaction, though, was completely unexpected. Before the mist could clear, a tentacle emerged from the mirror¡¯s surface, wrapping around Helen¡¯s hand. ¡°Helen!¡± Will drew a knife and threw it at the mirror. The weapon flew through, disappearing within the mist behind. A sharp tug attempted to pull the girl in as well. Struggling to maintain her balance, Helen inadvertently stepped into Alex¡¯s trap.
TRAP ACTIVATED
Fortunately, in this case, the effect proved to her benefit. Kept in place by a force greater than any monster, the girl broke free of her initial shock. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed the tentacle with her free hand, in turn, trying to pull it out. Jace ran forward. Before he could take two steps, Alex shattered a mirror fragment into the floor. Mirror copies of him appeared and rushed forward far faster than Jace could hope to achieve. Half of them leaped into the mirror frame, while the rest surrounded the mirror, stabbing the tentacle with extreme ferocity.
STAB Surprise attack. Damage increased by 1000% Wound inflicted.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. A hissing roar ensued. It was at this point that the monster¡¯s attack broke. The tentacle unwrapped from Helen¡¯s hand in an attempt to break loose. With no intention of letting it escape, the girl grabbed on with both hands, then pulled with all her strength. Like a fish caught on a hook, the monster struggled a few moments more, only to be hoisted through the room all the way to the corridor. ¡°Careful!¡± Will shouted, using his evasion skill to push his friends out of the way just as a massive snake head flew past, slamming the wall behind them. The group¡¯s combined efforts had bloodied the creature considerably. Several wounds along its body were visible, spewing purple blood. The impact against the wall had also managed to tear a few scales off the cobra-like head. Yet, even out of its element, the creature was far from defeated. With one violent twist, the creature managed to break free from Helen¡¯s hold. The large head hissed, turning towards Alex. Before the goofball could react, the mouth snapped at him, biting him in half. I knew we should have gotten the scalpels! Will took his only other knife, then performed a series of jabs into the back of the monster¡¯s head. The blade bounced off the scales, dealing no damage whatsoever. ¡°Go to hell!¡± Jace shouted, as he grabbed one of the desks from the corridor and slammed it onto the snake. The action was impressive from a visual point of view, but school desks weren¡¯t suited for such an enemy, especially when they were in such a poor condition. The legs broke straight off, barely shoving the snake forward. ¡°Stay back!¡± Will grabbed hold of Jace, using his rogue¡¯s leap to get as far away from the monster as possible. Neither of them stood a good chance against it at present. The snake hissed as the prey it had bitten into shattered, turning into fragments of glass. Glowing orange eyes moved about, searching for adequate prey. The only thing they spotted was the tip of a dagger sinking into one of them.
STAB Surprise attack. Damage increased by 1000% Wound inflicted.
¡°Oh, no, you don¡¯t!¡± Helen shouted from the room. Free of the effects of Alex¡¯s trap, she grabbed the tentacle-like tail of the snake with both hands. Using the knight¡¯s strength, she pulled it back again, waving it like a whip. Breaking through rows of neatly arranged desks, the creature slammed into the ground. That wasn¡¯t the girl¡¯s final attack, though. As she had said, the knight¡¯s role was to guard and break things. In this case, Helen intended to break the creature or, failing that, squish it like a bug. The hissing intensified. One of the creature¡¯s fangs broke off, shattered by the impact of the snake¡¯s head on the concrete floor.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Bone shattered Fatal Wound Inflicted
Helen¡¯s right fist struck the back of the monster¡¯s head. It twisted up in a bout of pain and agony, then abruptly went limp, falling back to the floor with a loud flop. The only noises that occurred in the next ten seconds were the sounds of heavy breathing. No one expected to face a challenge as they had just now. This went beyond goblins, it went beyond wolves, even the massive ones outside the school. ¡°Is everyone still alive?¡± Will asked. His right arm was killing him. Dragging Jace to safety had proven to be a lot more painful than he had imagined. ¡°I¡¯m still here,¡± Helen replied, the adrenalin within her still causing her fingers to tingle. ¡°I¡¯m okay, bros,¡± Alex replied, appearing out of thin air in the corridor. ¡°Lit fight.¡± In Will¡¯s book, this was too close for comfort. ¡°Think there¡¯s more of them?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± Helen replied. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that was the only one. The Mirror¡¯s turned green.¡± And indeed, it was. The murkiness had vanished, replaced by an almost emerald glow that covered the entire glass surface. ¡°Check the snake!¡± Alex urged. ¡°There might be loot.¡± The idea ranged with the absurd, but since Helen was a hand away from the snake¡¯s corpse. She reached out and placed her arm on the large scales of its head. The entire corpse melted away, leaving a stylish black dagger with a split blade behind. Its aesthetic wasn¡¯t for everyone, but one had to admit that the characteristics were impressive. ¡°I got a dagger,¡± Helen said, looking at the object with mixed feelings. A heavy sword or even a mace would have been preferable. This, as cool as some might think it to be, was as useful as a toothpick. ¡°For real?¡± Alex shouted as all three boys rushed from the corridor to take a look. All of them stared in amazement, witnessing the first loot item. ¡°Would have been nasty if we didn¡¯t get a reward after killing that fuck.¡± Jace nodded. ¡°Give it for a moment,¡± he reached out. ¡°It¡¯s time to see what we got.¡±
DUAL-FANG DAGGER (loot ¨C tutorial weapon) A versatile dagger with an extremely sharp edge. POISON: inflicts poison upon creating a wound ETERNAL WEAPON: remains after eternity is reset.
¡°Bro!¡± Alex said. ¡°Eternal weapon and poison? That¡¯s fire! With that we can GG all the goblins all the time.¡± ¡°You take it.¡± Helen offered it to Will. Everyone stared at her. ¡°What?¡± A faint tinge of pink covered her face, barely visible in the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s not a knight¡¯s weapon. A rogue¡¯s a lot better suited.¡± ¡°So¡¯s a thief,¡± Alex protected, though he didn¡¯t stop Will from taking it. ¡°Dibs on the next one!¡± One weapon. That was probably one of the seven that the mirror fragment had mentioned. It was tempting to say that it seemed overpowered, but then again, this was the only item they had seen so far. There was every chance that they¡¯d come across far better weapons. The archer¡¯s weapon, as Will had seen, was a lot more lethal. Could that mean that he had already completed his tutorial? Given that he was skilled back when Daniel was starting, that was a pretty safe bet. The grip was perfectly suited for Will¡¯s hand. Far more comfortable than any of the knives he¡¯d held. It almost felt like an extension of his hand. Maybe it was suited for his class, after all? The boy moved it around, making a few slashes in the air. ¡°Nice.¡± He smiled. ¡°Would have been perfect if it had something to put it in.¡± ¡°Stop complaining, you ass,¡± Jace grumbled. ¡°You can always give it to me if it¡¯s too uncomfortable for you.¡± ¡°No chance.¡± ¡°We still have one reward left,¡± Helen said. ¡°Jace, you go for it.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± The jock was surprised. ¡°I know it was a group effort and all, but you¡ª¡± ¡°Just take it! I got an additional level when I killed the goblins in the bathroom. Besides,¡± she looked at Alex. ¡°I still don¡¯t trust him entirely.¡± Waiting for a few more seconds in case the girl changed her mind, Jace then went up to the mirror and tapped it with the back of his hand.
ROOM REWARD (random) MASS LOOP INCREASE: current loops are increased by one hour.
A green message appeared. ¡°Loop increase?¡± he asked. ¡°Has anyone gotten anything of the sort before?¡± ¡°First time I¡¯ve seen it,¡± Helen admitted. ¡°Looks like there are rewards that benefit all of us.¡± ¡°For sure. They¡¯re probably tutorial rewards,¡± Alex said with absolute conviction. ¡°Our task is to slay the boss, so we get boosted rewards to help us.¡± ¡°Muffin boy, you¡¯re full of crap.¡± Jace and Alex laughed, and still Will couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease that had been plaguing him. They had almost been killed off in the second room since the start of the quest. There was no denying that all rewards so far had been substantially better than what wolves usually provided, but that only increased his fears that the boss and the remaining six weapons might turn out to be more than they could handle. 31. Sudden Restart After facing an ¡°elite¡± monster¡ªas Alex had referred to it¡ªthe janitor¡¯s storeroom posed no challenge whatsoever. Helen and the goofball resolved everything on their own without resorting to the assistance of Will¡¯s new weapon. The resulting reward boosted Helen¡¯s level by one more. Of the remaining eight rooms, nothing revealed anything significant. After searching thoroughly for two hours, the group reached a consensus to leave them for later. If the boss didn¡¯t appear after clearing the last room, they¡¯d go back and search again. ¡°I feel we¡¯re forgetting something,¡± Will said as they stood at the bottom of the staircase ¡°One hidden, one normal, and one corner.¡± The goofball raised three fingers. ¡°For eleven rooms. There¡¯s sixty-nine, so everything¡¯s lit.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­¡± the numbers made sense. Going by that, there were supposed to be five more wolf rooms, six elites, and about as many goblin mirrors. Everything was neatly structured, just as it would be in a game. And here lay Will¡¯s concerns. It was too tidy. ¡°I think we should stop here,¡± he said. ¡°We won¡¯t have enough time to search everything, and I¡¯m not sure when my loop will end. ¡°Sadge.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°How about one more floor?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a sprint.¡± Helen frowned at him. ¡°Oh, come on.¡± Alex waved about. ¡°Just one more? Don¡¯t leave me hanging.¡± ¡°Know something we don¡¯t, muffin boy?¡± Jace crossed his arms. ¡°I want to see Will try out the dagger,¡± the other said without hesitation. ¡°I just gotta know how OP it is.¡± He grinned like a child in a game shop. ¡°You¡¯ll see tomorrow,¡± Will said. ¡°For real, bro? Can¡¯t I have dessert without finishing my greens?¡± Every instinct told Will that he should just ignore him and wait for the loop to end. Yet, his goofy friend had managed to sow the seed of curiosity within him. It would be useful to see what the dagger was capable of. A few more rooms weren¡¯t going to hurt. It wasn¡¯t like they¡¯d make the loop end any slower. ¡°Fine,¡± he said with overstressed reluctance. ¡°A few more rooms. But that¡¯s it!¡± He had no intention of playing the never ending ¡°one more¡± game. The group went up the stairs to the first floor. They¡¯d already been through the bathrooms, so the logical thing was to continue onwards towards the nurse¡¯s office, checking the classrooms on the way. Weapons at the ready, Will, Jace, And Helen turned in one direction. Alex, surprisingly, went the opposite way. ¡°Wrong way, muffin boy,¡± Jace smirked. ¡°Nuh-uh, bro.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°We gotta recheck the starting rooms.¡± ¡°Are you stupid? We¡¯ve already been there!¡± ¡°Yeah, but you saw that things change when sis is around.¡± ¡°Alex¡­¡± Helen stepped in. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the point was to see the poison dagger in action?¡± She began in an overly calm fashion, as if she were a kindergarten teacher. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter which room we start with, as long as we find a mirror.¡± Just to prove her point, she went to the nearest classroom door. ¡°We might just as well start¡ª¡± she opened the door. Spikes shot out from the crack, puncturing the girl¡¯s body. There was no warning, no chance to react, just one lethal attack that ended everything.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
¡°No!¡± Will moved his hand back, ready to throw his dagger at whatever had attacked Helen. The problem was that neither it nor Helen were there anymore. In their place, the familiar school entrance loomed. More concerning, the only thing in his hand was air. ¡°Nice moves, weirdo,¡± Jess scoffed as she passed by with Ely. A few more people let out a chuckle. They couldn¡¯t imagine what had just happened and were a lot better for it. ¡°Damn it,¡± Will whispered beneath his breath. The reset had removed the adrenalin from his body, though not the memories of what had happened. Once second; that was all it had taken since the opening of the door to the monster killing Helen. There could be no doubt that it was an elite, possibly the source of the second weapon. How was it possible for it to be so strong? The knight was the strongest of the four classes. Adding to that, Helen had raised it to level four. With its skills and her loop experience, she should have been able to offer at least some resistance. And yet¡ª ¡°Will!¡± Alex came rushing to him. ¡°You okay, bro?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± There was no correct way to answer. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen people die in a loop. It wasn¡¯t even the first time a loop had been cut short. And at the same time, he felt as if he¡¯d walked headfirst into an invisible barrier. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°No idea, bro.¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°Only caught a glimpse.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°It was so fast¡­¡± ¡°For real.¡± More people gathered, glancing at Will and Alex as they passed by. In their minds, the two were discussing some new computer game or other geeky topic. One unfortunate boy almost bumped into them as he ran by, trying to increase the distance from his mother¡¯s car as quickly as possible. Sadly for him, the woman¡¯s wave from the window rendered all his efforts useless. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Will went towards the entrance. ¡°We need to talk with the rest.¡± To their surprise, Helen wasn¡¯t waiting at the entrance of the girl¡¯s bathroom. Instead, she had directly gone to the arts room to open the windows. Without a word, Will and Alex joined in to help. It was only when Jace arrived that the first words were muttered. ¡°That was vicious,¡± the jock said, rushing into the classroom. ¡°It didn¡¯t even wait for the door to open!¡± All but Helen looked at him. ¡°Next time, we¡¯ll have to¡ª¡± ¡°Close the door,¡± Helen interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t you usually do that?¡± He looked at her, puzzled. ¡°I didn¡¯t get my class,¡± she provided all the explanation that was necessary. From what it seemed, this was going to be a simple, non-eventful ten-minute loop. While Jace jammed a chair against the door, Will went to Daniel¡¯s desk. Sketches and scribbles covered the wooden surface as always, and not one of them provided any hint of what had happened. For all that the previous rogue had discovered in the past, the group had ventured into new territory. Alex was the first to join in, casually tossing a muffin into his mouth as he sat on the desk next to Will. Helen followed, turning the chair in front to face him. ¡°So, what was it?¡± Alex asked, as Jace checked his barricade of the door. ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± the girl replied. ¡°It was fast. That¡¯s all I know. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it before.¡± ¡°The room was empty, so it had to be a hidden mirror,¡± Will said. ¡°We can check it next loop during the day.¡± ¡°Yeah? But what is it?¡± The jock finally joined them. ¡°I thought only goblins were activated on sight.¡± ¡°Definitely wasn¡¯t a goblin.¡± Will looked at one of the drawings on the desk. ¡°And can¡¯t be a wolf. It must be something new.¡± He tapped on the wooden surface with his finger. ¡°We¡¯ll need to start making a map. If the second threat is this strong, it¡¯ll take us more than a few tries to complete the tutorial.¡± ¡°Fail.¡± The goofball chewed on his muffin. ¡°Doesn¡¯t work like that, bro. Not unless you get a permanent skill.¡± Will¡¯s glance slid along the desk. Daniel must have gotten lucky. There was no other way the scribbles on his desk would remain. Helen had insisted that he had jotted them down before her loop so she could catch up, but Will knew that to be a lie. The sketches had been done in layers with new bits of information being written over old. Even if one assumed that the loops didn¡¯t start at the same time, Daniel wouldn¡¯t bother arranging them in that fashion. The boy slid his fingers along the drawing of a wolf. He could feel how old that had been, scribbled with a ballpoint pen. The lyrics of a song had been added later, covering part of the wolf¡¯s tail, then a series of numbers that still meant nothing. ¡°Any new hints on the fragment?¡± He turned to Helen. ¡°Nothing useful. I checked,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Our score¡¯s better, but we¡¯re still in last place. The rest is the same old hints.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to remember it ourselves.¡± ¡°Seriously, Stoner? How hard could it be? We know this place by heart. The basement was the only place I haven¡¯t been to and we¡¯ve done that.¡± ¡°Do you remember how to get back home?¡± Will snapped. ¡°You think I¡¯m dumb?!¡± Jace shouted at him. ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± The change in tone made the jock shut up. ¡°I don¡¯t remember how many loops I¡¯ve been through. I don¡¯t remember how to get home. I don¡¯t even remember what I had for breakfast before I set off, what argument I had with my parents. I don¡¯t remember anything that happened yesterday¡ªthe real yesterday.¡± He slammed his fist on the desk. ¡°I don¡¯t even remember all my loops.¡± He looked at Alex and Helen in turn. ¡°I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t, either.¡± Judging by the silence, Will had guessed correctly. ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll remember the next ten tries, maybe the hundred next. But what if we don¡¯t complete the tutorial by then?¡± he continued. ¡°Daniel knew more about eternity than all of us and even he resorted to reminders.¡± At the mention of that, Helen¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Yes,¡± Will caught the change in her impression. ¡°I don¡¯t think he scribbled on the desk to help you catch up. Either of you. He did it so he could remember.¡± ¡°No way, bro.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°He was lit. Even I remember most of the stuff. The size of our zone, the location of the mirrors¡ª¡± ¡°All the people you¡¯ve spoken with?¡± Will interrupted. There was no answer. ¡°You try to remember. That¡¯s why you follow the same routine even when you don¡¯t have to. You¡¯re afraid you¡¯ll start forgetting the important stuff, so you do it over and over again each loop.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up with you, Stoner?¡± Jace grabbed Will by the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re the last one that should be complaining. Everything went your way! You even got a special weapon. So don¡¯t you dare have a fucking breakdown on us!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel the same!¡± Will shouted. Outside people had started slamming on the door. Attempts to open it had failed, catching the attention of the coach. It wasn¡¯t going to be long before he tried to break in using more forceful means. ¡°Oh, and that dagger you¡¯re so envious of? It never crossed the loop.¡± He showed his hands. ¡°So, no, I¡¯m not overreacting!¡± The banging on the door intensified as the coach tried to push his way in. Jace¡¯s barricade held, though. ¡°Ooof!¡± Alex hit his head. ¡°We must complete the tutorial to keep the loot,¡± he said. ¡°Just like in the games. Once we defeat the final boss, we keep everything we found.¡± Will didn¡¯t like the sound of that. It meant that they¡¯d have to face the snake once more, and that was by no means an easy win. ¡°We take out all the wolves first,¡± Jace said. ¡°That way, we level up to the max and take on the snake. Then we see.¡± ¡°Nah, bro. We take the snake early,¡± the goofball countered. ¡°It¡¯ll be a lot easier with the knife.¡± ¡°What do we need the knife for? We¡¯ve got your traps. We take them out one by one easily, then get the dagger.¡± ¡°We make a map first,¡± Will said with determination, bringing an end to the argument. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of guessing. What if there are hidden mirrors in wolf rooms? Or we face wolves and goblins together?¡± All but Helen looked away. ¡°We go through the school, a floor at a time. When we¡¯re certain we know everything about a section, we move on.¡± ¡°I agree with Will,¡± the girl voiced her support. ¡°Just this time, take adequate equipment.¡± ¡°There was nothing wrong with the equipment,¡± Jace muttered beneath his breath. ¡°So, tomorrow we do the first floor?¡± ¡°No, we start from the basement again,¡± Will said. ¡°I want to be sure that our win wasn¡¯t a fluke. And also, if we¡¯ll get the dagger again.¡± The door opened a fraction. Jace¡¯s effort had not proved enough to stop the coach. With seconds remaining in the loop, it didn¡¯t particularly matter. Soon enough, all but the group would forget everything that had happened. ¡°And we stick together,¡± Will added. ¡°Just like last loop.¡± ¡°For sure, bro!¡± Alex made a high-five sign. ¡°Worry about doing your part, Stoner.¡± Jace crossed his arms. Will looked at Helen to see how she¡¯d react. Just as her mouth opened, everything disappeared.
Restarting eternity.
32. Death Unkown ¡°Switch!¡± Will shouted as another wolf got affected by Alex¡¯s trap. Two of them had been killed so far, leaving Jace and the goofball to earn their levels. The coordination within the group still left a lot to be desired even if it had substantially improved since last time. Each time a wolf would be killed, the girl would take advantage of the strength the knight class provided her and toss it away, freeing space for the next to be ensnared by the thief¡¯s trap. The only issue was that not every person could kill their target fast enough. ¡°Die, damn it!¡± Jace kept on bashing the large wolf with his spiked club. The weapon, although visually impressive, had combined the worst elements of all weapons it wanted to copy. It lacked the strength to kill off the creature with one bash, the nails were too shallow to stab through the thick hide, and there was no slicing potential to speak of. A second wolf emerged from the mirror, pushing the first away. Instinctively, Helen slammed its front paw, breaking it on the spot. Alex quickly joined in, stabbing the wounded creature in the throat. Once that was done, they stepped to the side, leaving the jock to keep on hitting the creature for a quarter of a minute more until the wolf finally collapsed lifelessly on the floor. ¡°Fuck!¡± Jace threw the weapon in anger. ¡°Stupid crap!¡± ¡°For real, bro.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Big oof. You were better with a knife.¡± ¡°Shut it, muffin boy!¡± ¡°It¡¯s about strength.¡± Helen calmly made her way through the giant wolf corpses to where the spiked bat had ended up. ¡°You¡¯re no longer what you were. The class gives everything, and a crafter just isn¡¯t suited for this.¡± She picked the weapon up, then struck the head of a nearby corpse. A loud cracking sound proved her point. ¡°You¡¯re good at making stuff now,¡± she looked at him. The jock clenched his fists. After years of living like a jock, the role shift felt unnatural. He was used to being strong, to the point he¡¯d let his strength win him most of his arguments. With one touch of the mirror, that huge advantage he¡¯d worked on developing for years had completely disappeared. To a certain degree, Will could empathize. It had taken him a while to get used to the new state of fragility. Things that he¡¯d done without thinking now caused considerable pain. One by one, everyone tapped the mirror, boosting their level by one. Then, it was time for the reward. ¡°You take it,¡± Will told Jace as the mirror acquired the familiar green glint. ¡°It¡¯s your turn from last time.¡± ¡°With my luck, it¡¯ll probably be total shit.¡± The jock placed his left palm on the mirror.
WOLF PACK REWARD (random) LIGHTNING REFLEXES: reaction speed is five times faster.
¡°Bro!¡± Alex exclaimed, envious. ¡°That¡¯s lit!¡± ¡°Looks like it¡¯s not total crap.¡± Jace let out a smile. ¡°For once.¡± Although the reward wasn¡¯t bad, Will had hoped they¡¯d get a loop extension. In terms of exploration, that provided the best benefit. Hopefully, one of the next rewards would grant them that. ¡°Cool,¡± he said. ¡°We go for the storage next.¡± ¡°Why not the dagger?¡± Alex looked at him. ¡°Goblins boost Helen¡¯s level,¡± Will said firmly. ¡°The more levels she has, the better for any hidden mirror.¡± The explanation sounded logical, and the team went into the janitor¡¯s storage room to deal with the second threat on the floor. The fight felt surprisingly easy. At no time did the horde of goblins pouring out of the small mirror present a challenge. Between thief traps, knight powers, and the occasional thrown scalpel by Will, the creatures never stood a chance. ¡°Any loot?¡± Jace asked from the corridor. ¡°Hold on!¡± Helem shouted as she checked the goblin corpses she hadn¡¯t killed. The creatures kept their gear and weapons, but just like the wolves, those would gradually become transparent and fade away. ¡°Nothing,¡± the girl said. ¡°Maybe it only works on elites,¡± Will suggested. Statistically, they should have gotten something by now. ¡°Maybe tutorial goblins don¡¯t count.¡± ¡°Hold on. You mean the keyholder thing isn¡¯t just for the tutorial?¡± Jace asked. ¡°Or maybe that means that only Helen can use the fragment.¡± Will wondered out loud. ¡°Let¡¯s just get the dagger and move to the first floor.¡± Mentally, everyone prepared. This was going to be their first big test. Will felt slightly anxious, but also confident enough that they¡¯d do better. Two loops ago, the monsters had the element of surprise on their side. Now, everyone was prepared and used to working together. However, upon entering the room in question, the group experienced their first major surprise. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding,¡± Jace explained. The others were no different. Will himself kept staring blankly at the wall, his mind refusing to accept the obvious: the mirror wasn¡¯t there. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°It was here, right?¡± Jace asked, moving closer to the spot on the wall it had been attached to. Everything else¡ªdesks, rugs, and the occasional box of old school materials¡ªwas there exactly as they remembered it to be. Only the mirror was missing. ¡°Maybe it changes rooms,¡± Alex rushed out to search the other rooms. He was soon followed by Jace. Will, on the other hand, refused to move, as if a part of him was missing. There was no reason for him to feel this way. Two loops ago, none of them had any idea about the dagger and elite battles. True, the fragment had mentioned it, but the hints were nothing more than text in a mirror. Also, it very well might be like Alex had said¡ªthe elites could change location at random. It was inevitable that they would stumble upon it again¡­ or would they? Could it be that with their failure during the last search, they had lost one of the seven weapons, making their fight against the boss all that much more difficult? ¡°There¡¯ll be other weapons.¡± Helen went up to Will. ¡°We¡¯ll still get one of each.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Will lied. ¡°I just¡­ feel different.¡± ¡°Look, it¡¯s not easy getting used to eternity, let alone leading a band of misfits,¡± the girl continued. ¡°For someone who¡¯s barely in the triple digits, you¡¯ve done really well. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be talking to the goofball, and Jace would have remained an ordinary jock.¡± It was impossible to notice that the girl didn¡¯t compare him to Daniel. Whatever Helen¡¯s thoughts about Will were, he still couldn¡¯t compare to the first rogue. That, too, gave the boy an unpleasant feeling inside. ¡°I¡¯ll go help the others check the rooms,¡± he said abruptly. Between Alex running between rooms at a frantic speed and everyone else systematically checking rooms one by one, it took ten minutes to go through the basement once more. There was no sign of new mirrors and the old ones had gone completely inactive, refusing even to provide general hints. If the dagger-giving snake still existed, it had to be in one of the other rooms of the school. With nothing left, the group went to the classroom that had killed Helen last time. None of them had ever studied there, but they knew that some of the other grades had geography there. This time, everyone was prepared. Helen remained in the corridor while Will opened the door for Jace to look inside. As the person with the fastest reflexes at present, it was decided that the jock would take on the role of initial scout. ¡°All clear,¡± Jace said. ¡°No mirrors that I can see.¡± ¡°Very sus, bro.¡± Alex had several of his mirror copies enter. Just as the jock had said, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything out of the ordinary, as far as mirrors were concerned. The desks were empty, the board had been scrubbed, and all learning aids were carefully put away in their respective drawers and cupboards. If Will hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn¡¯t have believed anything to have happened there. ¡°Jace, turn your phone light on,¡± Will said. The jock did so. Going inside, Will then closed the door. ¡°Point the light towards the door,¡± he shouted and slowly opened it. Light spilled in, indicating all the potential places the mirror could have been. ¡°Alex¡ª¡± he began. ¡°Got you, bro,¡± the goofball¡¯s copies said, as they rushed to place mirror traps in all likely and unlikely spaces. Meanwhile, Will kept slowly opening the door. ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± Helen asked a short distance away in the corridor, waving the spiked bat aimlessly about. ¡°Just a classroom.¡± Jace turned in her direction. ¡°There¡¯s a globe if you want to smash that.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± she frowned at him. ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything better to do until that fucker shows up.¡± ¡°Almost ready,¡± several Alexes shouted from inside. ¡°Just be careful not to step into any of them.¡± Will glanced over his shoulder, then opened the door fully and stepped outside. ¡°It¡¯s all set up,¡± he said. ¡°Alex, get your clones out.¡± ¡°Why?¡± the goofball asked. ¡°They¡¯re my reflections, bro. They don¡¯t think for themselves.¡± Jace put away his phone and took a step back. Will took a scalpel, ready to throw it the moment anything appeared. The monster had been fast, so he had to be at the top of his game. Taking a deep breath, Helen slowly made her way to the opened door. Her steps echoed in the empty hallway. The tension was so thick that one could cut it with a knife. A few feet separated her from seeing what was inside the room. Raising her bat, the girl stopped. ¡°What weapon do you think it¡¯ll drop?¡± Alex whispered. ¡°Would be cool if it¡¯s something ranged.¡± ¡°Alex,¡± Helen said in a clear voice. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± She then took the final few steps.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
The message blinked in front of Will¡¯s eyes. Next, it was morning again. ¡°What the heck?¡± he looked around. There could be no doubt a new loop had begun. Unlike last time, he hadn¡¯t even seen Helen get killed. In fact, he didn¡¯t remember seeing anything at all. It was almost as if someone¡¯s standard loop had come to an end, failing the tutorial for everyone. Suddenly, Will¡¯s phone rang. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he took it out of his pocket and accepted the call. ¡°What happened?¡± Helen asked from the other end. ¡°No idea.¡± The boy moved to the side so as not to block the path to school. As usual, he also received Jess¡¯ expected comment as she and Ely passed by. ¡°You went up to the door and¡ª¡± ¡°I told you to extend your loop as much as possible!¡± the girl interrupted, not at all pleased. ¡°I did the same things I did last time. I was good for several hours more.¡± It had to be Jace, he thought. Alex was too good to make such mistakes. Still, Jace had also diligently extended his loop to the same extent. If anything, it had to be as efficient as the other loop. Even without the loop extension reward, there was no reason for anyone to slip out of eternity so soon. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t the monster?¡± he asked. ¡°Because I wouldn¡¯t remember that!¡± Helen snapped through the phone. ¡°Bro!¡± Alex came rushing in. ¡°What happened, bro?¡± Will gestured for him to stay quiet. ¡°If it¡¯s the loop¡ª¡± he began. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else it can be!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the loop,¡± Will repeated. ¡°We¡¯ll start everything an hour earlier. Also, no basement searching. We go through the two rooms, get the rewards, and move to the monster.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not rushing through the school just because you two can¡¯t extend your loops properly.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, Helen. Just calm down.¡± ¡°Chill, sis!¡± Alex shouted in Will¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there to help you with the start.¡± In response, the girl ended the call. Not the best way to react, but one had to admit that the latest failure was irritating. Failing by defeat was one thing. Failing due to lack of time felt worse than Will losing his dagger. The loop extension started immediately. Everyone focused on stretching eternity for as long as possible, while also dealing with the familiar annoyances at school. By evening, they were in front of the school entrance, ready and eager once more. Barely saying a word, they went through the basement, where they quickly cleared the two rooms. This time, it was Alex¡¯s turn to get a reward, acquiring the wall running ability. Out of fear of missing out, Helen went through all the remaining basement rooms briefly, spending a few seconds in each. Since no mirror instantly became visible, she¡ªand the rest of the group¡ªwent back to the geography classroom. Knowing what to do, they prepped it yet again and took their places. All that was left was for Helen to pass by the open door and¡ª
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
33. Inventory ¡°Ready,¡± Will said. This time all three boys remained in the room as Helen went to open the door from the corridor. Their plan was, if not to defeat the monster then to at least get a good look at it so a more appropriate plan could be established. ¡°I¡¯m outside,¡± the girl shouted. ¡°Opening now.¡± As she did, Will felt something sharp rip through his shirt and pierce his skin.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
¡°I told you the drone¡¯s lit,¡± Alex navigated the drone to the center of the room. ¡°Now, whatever happens we¡¯ll be able to¡ª¡°¡±
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
Helen slammed the door with her bat, breaking both in the process.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Object shattered.
Pieces of wood flew into the room, creating a gaping hole where the door used to be. Unlike in the past two times, the loop didn¡¯t end immediately. Instead, a cluster of spiked vines shot out, puncturing the girl faster than Will could react.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
¡°Okay, keep as far away from the door as possible,¡± Will instructed. Half a dozen of Alex¡¯s mirror copies had positioned themselves in front of the opened door, acting as shields. Holding her breath, Hellen rushed along the corridor, not even glancing in the direction of the room. Same as before, clusters of spiked vines shot out, shattering the mirror copies as they targeted the group¡¯s keyholder. Ready to react, Will leaped forward, taking Helen forward with him. Vines slammed into the wall, drilling inches into it. For a moment, it almost seemed that the group had gotten away with it. More of Alex¡¯s mirror copies charged forward in an attempt to sever the vines or otherwise harm the entity they were part of. Barely had one of them struck, when a ball of thorns pulled itself out of the geography classroom, creating a massive hole in the door¡¯s place. Spikes the size of daggers burst in all directions like shrapnel, leaving their mark on walls, floors, and ceilings. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t everything they hit.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
¡°Sorry, guys,¡± Jace said first thing in class the next morning. ¡°The fucker got me.¡± Out of habit, he slammed a nearby desk. The side effects brought on by eternity quickly reminded him that was a bad idea, bringing tears of pain to his eyes. ¡°Killed by a vine cactus,¡± Helem remarked. ¡°That¡¯s definitely new.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no indication Danny knew about it, either,¡± Will said, examining the underside of the desk. While there were a few sketches of unknown creatures, none of them resembled the thing they had faced during their previous loop. ¡°It has to be an elite.¡± ¡°Fuck that!¡± Jace said, still holding his hurt hand. ¡°If that¡¯s not the boss, we¡¯re in deep shit.¡± ¡°There has to be a trick or pattern,¡± Will said. ¡°It can¡¯t be invincible.¡± ¡°Not sure, bro,¡± Alex said, while chomping on a muffin. ¡°Might be a late-stage blocker.¡± Everyone looked at him. ¡°Maybe we have to do something before we could kill it.¡± He explained. ¡°Like get a weapon, or earn a special skill reward¡­ or clear a floor.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°Maybe the cactus is the floor boss. That¡¯s lit.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not making sense again,¡± Helen grumbled. ¡°No, sis. I got it!¡± the goofball insisted. ¡°Every floor has a mini-boss. Defeat the mini-boss and good things happen. But one can¡¯t just kill the mini-boss. We must get the right skills, just like in a roguelike. If Will still had the dagger, he¡¯d be able to kill it easy.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Will emerged from beneath the desk. ¡°For real! The dagger inflicts poison, you can throw daggers. So, all you must do is get it out in the corridor and hit it with the dagger. Well, and then hide.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much poison a single hit could do. Besides, I lost the dagger.¡± ¡°He does have a point,¡± Helen mused, causing even Alex to look at her, surprised. ¡°Whatever the reason, we¡¯re no match for it. Nothing says we must go into that room. We can continue exploring the next.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± Jace nodded. ¡°We level up in the basement, then check the other rooms. If we end up finding some other fucker, we skip that room as well.¡± Will had to agree. It made sense, just as it proved even more that they needed to find a way to make a lasting map. The following loop, the exploration continued. All the rooms on the way to the basement were checked, resulting in two more goblin discoveries. Defeating them was easy, allowing Helen to boost her knight to level three. By now, a pattern started to emerge. Since goblins never provided any loot or provided any reward other than a level up, it was decided that Helen would only level up using them. If there really were six or seven such rooms, she was guaranteed to get to level seven or eight by that alone. The rest, in turn, would divide the wolf pack bonus, which would guarantee that all would obtain level four of their respective class, with one getting level five. ¡°How much time do we have left?¡± Jace asked as they approached the nurse¡¯s office. Although he didn¡¯t mention it openly, he expressed the same fears Will and everyone else were having during the tutorial runs. The best way to describe it was as uneven. Wolves and goblins had become ridiculously weak to the point that they felt like a waste of time. The special entities, on the other hand, were so overpowered that surviving against them ranged from highly difficult to outright impossible. ¡°Several more hours, if you did everything right,¡± Helen replied, continuing forward. The new version of bat the jock had constructed for her was closer to a mace than a crude spiked monstrosity. He, too, had gotten much better at acting his class, to his internal dismay. ¡°We¡¯re missing something,¡± Will said. ¡°For real, bro,¡± Alex nodded. ¡°Fire game logic. It gets more difficult further up. Two rooms in the basement, four on floor one, eight on floor two¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not done with this floor, muffin boy,¡± Jace grumbled. ¡°Lots of rooms after the nurse¡¯s office.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Will wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°I think Will¡¯s right,¡± Helen supported him. ¡°Once we¡¯re done with this floor, we take a break. And by that, I mean a few loops to chill. We can all use the rest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± At least it wasn¡¯t exactly. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re doing much and that¡¯s precisely the point. We either kill everything like that,¡± he snapped his fingers. ¡°Or get slaughtered. The only challenge was the snake, and it doesn¡¯t even appear anymore.¡± ¡°Chill, bro.¡± Alex gave Will a pat on the shoulder. ¡°We just need to git good. It¡¯s like a puzzle, bro. We get the skills, find who to use them on, and do it. Even Danny oofed most of the time. You¡¯ll see we bust the nurse¡¯s mirror.¡± The enemies were, as expected, goblins. It was pretty much established that all class giving mirrors released goblins as enemies. The fight was fractionally more challenging due to the lack of space, but not to the point that it would matter. Thanks to her new skills and advanced weapon, Helen took care of things on her own with some support from Alex. ¡°Now you know how I feel,¡± Jace told Will as they stood in the corridor, waiting for the others to be done. ¡°I can¡¯t remember how many times I had to fire up the team when we faced off a bunch of losers in a friendly, knowing all the time that we¡¯ll be fucked at the qualifiers.¡± ¡°You still had coach and your game plan,¡± Will said. ¡°Coach sucked,¡± the jock laughed. ¡°And the plan was shit.¡± He tapped Will on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have you. You suck and your plan¡¯s shit as well.¡± Will let out a chuckle. Jace was just as crude as he remembered it. Even now he was surprised how similar the two remained in many ways. It was almost inexplicable how a rift had formed between them, then closed without a trace. Despite his thoughts a few dozen loops ago, Jace was good for the group and he had proved that several times in the short while they¡¯d been together. ¡°I can¡¯t see the point of it,¡± Will said. ¡°Don¡¯t get philosophical on me, Stoner.¡± ¡°No, I mean the point of the tutorial. In games, tutorials are so that you can learn the rules. What are we learning here?¡± He looked in the nurse¡¯s office. The fighting had finished, leaving it cluttered with so many goblin bodies that they could barely fit. The only thing that Helen and Alex could do was wait until they faded away, so that the girl could get her level up reward from the mirror. ¡°How to fight?¡± Jace suggested. ¡°The goblins are easier than the wolves. The elites are tougher than we can handle. We¡¯ve only gotten loot once, and I lost it.¡± He frowned. ¡°There¡¯s just something that¡­¡± his words trailed off as a thought came to mind. Moving away from the wall, Will went into the nurse¡¯s office. ¡°Something that what?¡± Jace asked from behind. Will ignored him. Climbing over the still solid goblin bodies, he made his way to the mirror. It didn¡¯t have the expected green glint, suggesting that Helen had taken her reward. ¡°Did you get your gift?¡± Will asked, just to be sure. ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Hints.¡± The boy tapped the mirror with his index finger.
The class has already been found by someone else. Next time, try sooner.
¡°Jace,¡± Will shouted. ¡°Get over here.¡± Affected by Will¡¯s determination, the boy made his way to the mirror. ¡°Tap it,¡± Will said. ¡°I¡¯ve already got my class.¡± ¡°Just tap it.¡± With a reluctant shrug, Jace did so. The message in the mirror changed.
INVENTORY You have no items in your inventory.
A grid of empty squares was visible beneath the message. Each of them was empty, but it told Will everything he needed to know, mainly what an idiot he¡¯d been so far. ¡°Shit!¡± he rushed off into the corridor. ¡°Stoner!¡± Jace shouted behind him. ¡°Where are you going?¡± The boy didn¡¯t even register the question. There was only one thought cycling in his mind over and over again. That was the problem with falling into a routine. After hundreds of loops, he¡¯d become so used to the first few steps that he¡¯d used the absolute minimal amount of effort to obtain his class. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time that he¡¯d tapped a mirror to get a hint. Technically, there was no need¡ªthey always remained the same, and he¡¯d yet to find any bonuses. In doing so, he¡¯d missed the greatest bonus of all. Rushing into the boy¡¯s bathroom, he tapped on the rogue mirror.
INVENTORY
The grid appeared. Unlike Jace¡¯s there was no message. Instead, one of the sixteen squares had an item in it¡ªa dagger. ¡°I knew it,¡± the boy said to himself, then tapped the dagger. Startled, Will pulled it back. His hand was in one piece without any scars, bruises, or anything else. Slowly, he reached into the square again. His hand felt as if it were in very light and dry water. As he moved it around, he got the sensation of something appearing and disappearing in the palm of his hand. When he tried to grip it, a handle formed. So, that¡¯s how it is? Still holding on to the handle, he pulled his hand out. The poison dagger was there, just as ready for combat as it had been upon first getting it. That was the definition of an eternal weapon. It went beyond the loop, eternally linked to him. It was also quite convenient, since he didn¡¯t have to worry about hiding it and also could get it along with his class. Holding the weapon in one hand, Will decided to check whether he could place something else in his inventory. Not wanting to risk his phone, he took his earbuds and tried to shove them inside. The section of the mirror instantly solidified. ¡°Stoner,¡± Jace said from the bathroom entrance. ¡°What the hell¡ª¡± he paused, seeing the dagger in the other¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh, fuck.¡± ¡°Inventory,¡± Will said with a smile. ¡°The tutorial let us have inventories. I never lost the dagger. It was just sent here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s shit. How¡¯re we supposed to figure that out?!¡± ¡°The same way the game has been telling us every day.¡± Will tapped the top of the mirror again. ¡°Use additional mirrors to find out more. The mirrors aren¡¯t just monsters and rewards¡ªthey¡¯re hints. As long as we find out the right order, we¡¯ll get the instructions we need to figure this out.¡± Will would have said something else when Helen emerged behind Jace. That made him slightly uneasy in two ways. For one thing, it still made him slightly uncomfortable seeing her or any other girl looking in the boys¡¯ bathroom. For another, he¡¯d only now realized that she¡¯d never done so since taking on the role of keyholder. ¡°Will, look out!¡± both Helen and Jace suddenly shouted. 34. Mirror Image Using the evasion ability the rogue gave him, Will leaped towards the bathroom entrance. As he did, the tip of a blade split the air, inches from where he had been. The boy felt time slow down as adrenaline filled his body. He could see himself move away just as the giant blade shattered the bathroom sink, continuing into the floor. It was enormous, longer than he was tall, made of a dark metal. As the boy¡¯s body adjusted to the adrenalin shot, time sped up again. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Jace shouted. Acting on instinct, Will threw the poison dagger at his attacker as he rolled on the floor. Before he could say a word, he was further grabbed and pulled into the corridor by Helen. It was also at that point that he managed to get a full glimpse of the attacker. Unlike every creature that eternity had thrown against them so far, this one seemed human, although it was impossible to tell for certain because of his full set of armor. A few shades shy of black, the armor was the typical European Medieval type depicted in most forms of fiction. There didn¡¯t appear to be anything special or magical about it, just a mass of solid metal holding a sword that was too large to be real. ¡°Move back!¡± Jace shouted as he closed the door shut. ¡°We must¡ª¡± The dark blade sliced through the door as if it were made of paper. Normally, it proved thick enough to stop people from getting out. There had been multiple cases of people locked inside the bathroom as a prank. Even in several loops, the group had prevented anyone from entering the arts classroom by just blocking the door with desks and chairs. Sadly, not this time.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
¡°Your turn,¡± Helen told Will as wolf corpses filled the basement room. So far, the fights had been easy. The dagger gave a huge advantage even if the creatures died before the poison could have any effect. Walking up to the mirror, the boy tapped it with his free hand.
WOLF PACK REWARD (random) MASS LOOP INCREASE: current loops are increased by one hour.
No one said a word, but it wasn¡¯t a secret that everyone saw it as a lost reward. Loop length wasn¡¯t their greatest issue. It was the elite enemies they had to face. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the basement done,¡± Jace said. ¡°Again. What now?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only three things we can do.¡± Alex said. ¡°Fight the cactus, fight the knight, or keep exploring till our next big oof.¡± ¡°I say face the knight,¡± Will suggested, taking a step back. ¡°If Helen gets that sword, we can win against the cactus.¡± He looked at Jace. ¡°I¡¯ll need your help on this.¡± ¡°I see where you¡¯re going.¡± The jock let out a confident smirk. ¡°I can find the armor¡¯s shatter point, but you¡¯ll have to make sure I survive that long.¡± Will nodded. ¡°We find it, Alex traps it, and Helen does her thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need more than a bat.¡± ¡°We grab a fire extinguisher,¡± Alex grinned. ¡°Won¡¯t be the first time.¡± ¡°Not bad, muffin boy.¡± Jace nodded. Everyone knew that pulling this off would be a game changer, just as they knew that they probably wouldn¡¯t be successful on their first try. The only sad positive was that time was on their side¡ªno matter how many times they tried, there¡¯d always be one more. Taking their time, the four went up the stairs and back to the first-floor bathrooms. ¡°Bro,¡± Alex went up to Will. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking. What if Danny had already completed the tutorial before we joined in?¡± It was a novel idea, one that definitely hadn¡¯t been considered so far. ¡°I mean, he was able to do OP stuff way before I started.¡± ¡°Not in the mood,¡± Helen said in a sharp tone. ¡°For real!¡± the goofball insisted. ¡°He knew where the class mirrors were. He got me and Helen to join. He¡ª¡± ¡°He got you to join,¡± the girl interrupted. ¡°I ended up in that mess by accident.¡± ¡°For real?¡± Alex tilted his head. ¡°Sus that he¡¯d learn about it right after you did it.¡± ¡°We see loops, Alex. Of course he¡¯d know.¡± ¡°Nah, I mean he knew right after you did it,¡± the goofball stressed on the word. ¡°I watched him. The thief is as observant as the rogue. I didn¡¯t notice till way later. Also, how was he able to leave messages?¡± That was the point that still bothered Will as well. That and the mirror fragment. The object was their instruction manual. It was unlikely that Daniel had gotten it by accident. Either he¡¯d started with it, in which case it might have given additional hints and instructions, or he did something to earn it. ¡°We think it¡¯s a hidden skill, but that¡¯s sus too,¡± Alex continued. ¡°All of us might be replacements.¡± Without warning, Helen turned around, grabbing the goofball by the throat and slamming him against the wall. Surprisingly, that version of him didn¡¯t end up being a mirror copy. ¡°Shut. Up!¡± the girl said, spitting out each word. ¡°We¡¯re trapped in eternity. The only way to leave is to die.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Da¡­ Da¡­¡± Alex struggled to say. ¡°Danny said there was.¡± That made Helen loosen the pressure slightly. ¡°He spent thousands of loops searching for it, even before you joined in¡­¡± he continued. ¡°What if someone else found it?¡± Helen didn¡¯t budge. ¡°What if the rest of his group did it and left him behind?¡± ¡°Helen,¡± Will whispered to her. ¡°Let him go. He¡¯s talking shit.¡± ¡°If I snap his neck, he might learn not to,¡± she hissed. ¡°We need all four to finish the tutorial,¡± Will insisted. ¡°If we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll never figure out what really happened to Danny.¡± The girl¡¯s mouth twisted in anger. She knew that Will was right, but still wanted to kill Alex just to make a point. ¡°You¡¯ll only restart the loop.¡± Will gently placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°The knight has your weapon. Once we get it, we can take a break.¡± Helen¡¯s grip tightened, then relaxed, dropping Alex to the ground. Without a word, she turned, continuing along the corridor, leaving the three boys behind. Jace looked at the Will and the goofball in turn, then just shook his head, before heading off as well. ¡°We need to talk, bro,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°For real. There¡¯s still a lot you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°After we get the weapon,¡± Will whispered back. He was curious about what Alex wanted to say, but also acknowledged how all of them had to get stronger. The new creatures and the memory of the archer¡¯s skills were merely a taste of what was out there. All those loops ago, the boy thought that by obtaining two classes, he could match and even defeat the invisible long-range opponent. How wrong could one get? ¡°You provoked her, didn¡¯t you?¡± the boy whispered, glancing at Jace and Helen further down the corridor. ¡°Moi, bro?¡± The goofball put both his hands on his chest, feigning ignorance. ¡°You could have said all that about Danny at the start of the next loop, or any loop so far. Instead, you did it when Helen was near.¡± The goofball¡¯s smile faded. ¡°What was that about? Were you testing her?¡± ¡°Nah, bro.¡± A new smile emerged on Alex¡¯s face, one combining mischief and confidence. ¡°I was testing you, bro. And you passed.¡± He rushed along to catch up to the other two. Testing me, Will remained still for a few seconds more. There really was a lot he didn¡¯t know. Helen stopped ten full feet from the boys¡¯ bathroom door. Jace then proceeded to dismantle the hinges, letting it fall into the corridor with a slam. ¡°What?¡± he asked, sliding it further away. ¡°We need distance. The best way to get him out is to taunt him from here.¡± ¡°Bro¡­¡± Alex almost gasped, impressed. ¡°That¡¯s lit!¡± ¡°Being on the football team isn¡¯t for idiots, muffin boy. Go get the extinguisher.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Will said. ¡°Alex, you set up the traps. And be sure to put a lot. He¡¯s strong.¡± While Alex and Jace compared notes, deciding on the best locations to place the mirror traps, Will went to get one of the larger fire extinguishers. He hadn¡¯t just offered to help, though. The large metal container gave him an excuse to talk privately with Helen. Carrying the object in his present state proved more difficult than expected. Creating an annoying screech, he dragged it as quickly as possible all the way up to the girl. ¡°Here,¡± he said. There was no reaction. ¡°You know what Alex is like,¡± he added in a hushed voice. ¡°He says the wrong things half of the time. Remember what he said during history class last¡ª¡± ¡°He did it on purpose,¡± the girl said, still clenching her right fist. The correct response was for Will to tell her that at some level she probably agreed, or she wouldn¡¯t have reacted in such a fashion. Yet, he knew well enough to see that the correct response was also the wrong response. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out,¡± he said instead. ¡°I promise you, we¡¯ll figure out what really happened.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to figure out what happened! I want to¡ª¡± the girl stopped. With one swift action, she grabbed the fire extinguisher and picked it up as if it were a toy. ¡°Let¡¯s just kill that bastard,¡± she changed the topic. ¡°All ready here,¡± Jace waved. Six identical copies of Alex emerged from the bathroom one by one. Their purpose was to act as support and assist in damage dealing. Will waited a bit to see whether Helen would say anything further. When she didn¡¯t, he went to the jock. ¡°Try to follow my lead,¡± he told him. ¡°I¡¯ll do my part, Stoner. Besides, muffin boy¡¯s traps should hold him for long enough.¡± It would have been nice if that were certain, but as eternity had shown, even the best made plans had a tendency to fall apart. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± the jock shouted. A moment later, Helen walked further into the corridor, coming into view with the bathroom¡¯s mirrors. It was then that it happened. On the floor, a fifth mirror emerged. Clear as water, it rippled, letting a black form rise up from it. Now that it wasn¡¯t attacking, the group got to get a better look at it. Without a doubt, it could be described as a full set of knight¡¯s armor. Every inch of flesh from the fingertips to the face was covered with massive black segmented armor. If a blacksmith had made it, they must have taken great pains to make sure that everything fit with absolute perfection. There were no holes, no chips or dents, not even any stains of dirt visible. The black helmet turned, looking straight at Helen, as if acknowledging her and only her. For some reason, Will got the impression that the girl did the same. It was as if she were standing across a copy of herself. Mirror image, the boy thought. Visually, the two couldn¡¯t be more different. The dark knight stood two heads taller than Helen, with a broad frame and a sword the size of a child¡¯s surfboard. She, on the other hand, was in casual camouflage clothes, a headlight, and a fire extinguisher. ¡°Jace,¡± Will urged. ¡°There¡¯s nothing there,¡± the jock said. ¡°If there¡¯s any weakness, I¡¯m not seeing it.¡± That was the last thing that anyone wanted to hear. And just to make the situation more dire, the dark knight raised his sword and slammed the floor in front of him.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Floor shattered
Tiles and concrete flew in all directions as all of Alex¡¯s well-placed traps were instantly swept away. The attack didn¡¯t end there. In the very same action, the knight charged forward, heading straight for the group. ¡°Now!¡± Will leaped to the side, taking Jace along. The jock¡¯s reaction was too slow again, making Will feel as if the other¡¯s hands were sinking deep into his shoulders like iron hooks. Four of Alex¡¯s mirror copies charged forward with drawn knives. All their attempts at stabbing him proved pointless, as the dark knight shattered them almost upon contact without even slowing down. Once again, the sword thrust forward. ¡°No!¡± Will shouted, expecting to see the restart message. Instead, there was a loud clang as Helen parried the strike with her fire extinguisher.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Floor shattered
The girl swung her weapon around, landing a hit on the dark knight¡¯s right shoulder. Metal fragments fell off from the piece of armor as it broke off, revealing solid armor underneath. ¡°Anything?¡± Will asked, gripping his poison dagger. ¡°Nothing,¡± Jace replied. ¡°Fucker¡¯s like a statue.¡± Hele took a step back, then swung around, aiming for her opponent¡¯s head.
PERFECT BLOCK Attack negated
The knight held his sword with both hands, putting a quick end to her attack. Aware of this, the girl leaped back with a summersault. ¡°Helen!¡± Will shouted. ¡°Focus on the helmet. I just need a target to poison it.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡± The girl retreated further back down the corridor. ¡°It has my skills.¡± Hands trembling, she held onto the slightly dented fire extinguisher. ¡°None of you can help.¡± 35. Permanent Skill Alex executed a series of stabs into the knight¡¯s back, only to get slammed in the face by his elbow. The boy¡¯s head was shattered instantly, turning into fragments of glass along with the rest of the body. Another mirror image slid along the floor, placing a trap fragment beneath the knight¡¯s foot just as he was taking a step forward. ¡°Got him!¡± the second Alex said before he too was smashed to fragments. For an instant, the knight faltered. The trap that had captured his foot prevented him from moving, giving Helen an opening.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Breastplate shattered
The girl slammed the fire extinguisher into the knight¡¯s chest. For most opponents, that would have brought an end to the fight. Unfortunately for her, the enemy responded by an upward swing striking the red container out of her hands. With a slight hiss, it hit the ceiling, ten feet away. ¡°Stoner, back me up.¡± On the other side of the corridor, Jace rushed forward. What the heck are you doing? Will thought and followed. As the knight struggled to break free of the trap he¡¯d stepped in, the jock grabbed hold of his back protector, yanking it off as easily as one would peel off the top of a carton of yogurt. A shirt of ring-mail was revealed. ¡°Hit here!¡± Jace yelled, pulling two segments to the side. It wasn¡¯t much space¡ªjust enough for a thin blade to squeeze through. It didn¡¯t matter, though¡ªthanks to his rogue¡¯s sight, Will could see the weak spot. A rush of adrenaline burst within him, slowing time down. Everything appeared as if moving through jelly. Grabbing the poison dagger with both hands, Will concentrated all his force on one single spot, then struck, plunging the dagger into the knight¡¯s back.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200% Wound inflicted
Just a wound after all that? Will was hoping that he¡¯d pierce the knight¡¯s heart, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers. After all, he¡¯d managed to inflict a wound. Now all that remained was to make sure that no one died before the knight could. ¡°Grab me!¡± he told the jock. The knight slammed the floor with his sword, shattering Alex¡¯s trap, but at that point, Will had already leaped away to safety, taking Jace along with him. ¡°Sis!¡± A copy of Alex ran along the corridor, tossing the spiked bat to the girl. ¡°You¡¯ll need this.¡± One glance at the knight¡¯s sword was enough to make anyone think differently. On the other hand, a flimsy weapon was better than no weapon at all. More mirror traps slid along the corridor, creating an invisible barrier between the knight and the three boys. ¡°Drag it on!¡± Will shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve poisoned him. All we need to do is¡ª¡± Before he could finish, the knight twisted around and threw his sword right at the boy¡¯s head. Within fractions of a second, several hundred loops flashed before Will¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, the threat of death seemed all too real. His evasion instinct kicked in, causing him to move just enough to avoid a fatal outcome. The sword slammed into the wall, sinking all the way to the hilt.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Helmet shattered
Helen slammed the bat into the knight¡¯s head, breaking it in the process. ¡°Bro, are you okay?¡± Alex rushed to Will, or maybe a mirror image of his. In his current state, Will¡¯s heart was beating too fast for him to make sense of things. He just stared blankly at everything going on, as if the loop had ended and he was watching a sort of reenactment of it. ¡°What¡­¡± he began. ¡°You¡¯re fine, man,¡± Jace joined in. ¡°We¡¯re safe.¡± The phrase registered, causing Will to nod. Slowly, his mind and body got in sync with reality. In a matter of seconds, he had gone from the euphoria of adrenalin success to mortal fear to a discorporate experience. Slowly, he moved the fingers of his hand just to make sure that things were real. By all accounts, it seemed to be. Thirty feet away, the knight and Helen were continuing their fight. Lacking their weapons, they had resorted to hand-to-hand. Both had the same skills, both were determined to win, but even with a poison knife in the back, the knight had an advantage. ¡°Send more copies,¡± Will said, returning to his former mental state. ¡°No way, bro. I¡¯m out of shards,¡± the goofball replied. ¡°Then get some from the bathroom.¡± Will looked at both of them. ¡°Hurry!¡± he took out every knife and scalpel he had. The knight¡¯s head was undefended now, providing him with a perfect target. The boy took a step forward then held his breath and threw a knife aimed at the knight¡¯s neck. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Far too slow, the knife missed its target by inches, flying past further down the corridor. Maintaining his concentration, Will took another knife and tried again. One after the other, a series of knives flew down the corridor. Each of them went to the exact spot he intended, yet never fast enough to hit their target. In the fight between two knights, the enemy¡¯s head¡ªand all the rest of his body¡ªwould constantly shift, making any form of prediction impossible. Just a bit closer, Will gritted his teeth. In his mind, he tried to envision how and where the dark knight would move. Despite all the speed and destructive punches destroying the floor and walls, there was a pattern. Each action was a reaction to Helen¡¯s movements. If Will could read those, he¡¯d be able to read her opponent. And after spending so many loops fighting alongside her, he had come to certain conclusions. ¡°Left, left, right,¡± the boy whispered to himself and threw his next to last knife. The weapon bounced off the ring-mail, less than two inches below the neck. It was a close miss, but still a miss. ¡°Right, right, down, left,¡± Will said again and did his final throw. This time it hit its target, striking the left side of the knight¡¯s face., just above the cheek. I did it, Will thought, almost in disbelief. The sound of shattered glass came from the bathroom, followed immediately by dozens of Alex copies that rushed into the corridor. With the knight helmetless, they, too, had a point for attack, which they immediately attempted, leaping all over him like locusts. None of the copies remained whole for more than a second, but their efforts, when combined with the poison dagger and Helen¡¯s bashes, ground down the monster bit by bit. More parts of armor would be shattered, revealing a nondescript human body. In many ways, it had the role of a mannequin¡ªa means to keep the armor up.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Fatal wound
Helen landed a punch right in the middle of the knight¡¯s chest. A loud crack followed. Her opponent remained in place, his motions abruptly stopping as if he¡¯d been paralyzed. Then, three full seconds later, he collapsed. ¡°Is it over?¡± Jace asked from the boy¡¯s bathroom. Four copies of Alex stood over the knight¡¯s corpse, knives at the ready. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Helen said. Although she didn¡¯t show it, she had sustained quite a lot of damage as well. Will could see that her actions were a lot tenser than before, also she was keeping most of her weight off her left leg. Apparently, even her endurance skill had its limits. Reaching down, she put her hand on the corpse''s shoulder. The body flickered, then quickly faded away, leaving nothing but Will¡¯s poison dagger. The girl froze. ¡°No loot?¡± she turned to Will. ¡°It¡¯s right here,¡± Jace said, standing by the sword in the wall. ¡°Knight¡¯s sword,¡± he continued. ¡°Bla, bla. It¡¯s indestructible and can cut through things.¡± Said in such fashion, it didn¡¯t sound much. Having seen it used first hand, there wasn¡¯t a soul that would fall for the jock¡¯s downplaying of its qualities. ¡°Bro!¡± Alex exclaimed. ¡°The sword in the wall! That¡¯s lit! Just like in King Arthur!¡± ¡°Idiot,¡± Helen said despite herself. ¡°That was the sword in the stone.¡± ¡°So?¡± He shrugged. ¡°This is a modern adaptation.¡± One had to admit that even after everything, the goofball had an uncanny ability to lighten the mood. No wonder no one remained mad at him for long. He was just like a pretty squirrel who constantly made a mess and yet everyone forgave him moments later. ¡°Come on,¡± the goofball urged. ¡°Do the thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ignoring you,¡± the girl said adamantly. ¡°You know that you¡¯ll need to pull it out if you want to keep it,¡± Jace said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, I can have it.¡± The suggestion was more than a threat, causing the girl to hasten her pace and grab the sword out of the wall. Seeing her hold it was almost comical. The weapon was far taller than her and so wide that with a bit of effort she could use it as a shield. Careful not to cause any further damage¡ªnot that it would matter at this point¡ªHelen waved the sword about. It suited her perfectly, appearing no heavier than a feather. The tip made several circles in the air, then a line on the floor. ¡°How does it feel?¡± Will asked. ¡°Good,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll need to adjust.¡± That was true. She didn¡¯t use weapons in most of her loops. Even when fighting wolves, she had resorted to kicks and punches until Jace had provided her with a makeshift weapon. ¡°Let¡¯s go to your mirror. I want to check something.¡± Placing the sword in her inventory was just as impressive as he imagined. Several times, the girl slid the massive sword into the rippling piece of glass, then pulled it out again. Looking at her inventory, though, there was one major difference; a key was present in one of the sixteen slots on the grid. Unlike the knight¡¯s sword, there was a chain holding it in place. Guess we know why you¡¯re the keyholder, Will thought. ¡°Put the fragment in,¡± he said. Given that it too was an eternal item, one would expect that it could be placed in her inventory. The fact that it also provided a large part of their clues and tutorial instructions made the boy think that they might obtain more info in the process. Even he didn¡¯t expect what followed. Once the two mirrors came into contact, the inventory grid vanished, instantly replaced by a blueprint of the school. Startled, Helen pulled the fragment back. The blueprint disappeared. ¡°Woah!¡± Alex said, moving in closer. ¡°Put it back again.¡± Helen did so, and the result was the same. There could be no doubt they had just discovered the map function. Several sets of fingers tapped and slid along the mirror in an attempt to control it like one would on a touch screen. It was only when Helen did so that the image reacted. ¡°Only the keyholder can control it,¡± Will said, more to himself than anyone else. ¡°Try to zoom out,¡± Holding the fragment with one hand, Helem did a pinching gesture on the mirror with the other. As expected, the plan of the school shrunk, revealing the outside of the building. Upon continuing further, the local streets came into view along with the shops and other structures, until finally a bounding circle emerged. That had to be the limits of the area. It was slightly larger than one might think, though not terribly so. ¡°Focus back on the school,¡± Alex said. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll get to see which rooms we must go through.¡± The suspicion was only partially correct. Of all the rooms, only those they had been to were displayed along with the permanent mirrors there; more specifically, those that Helen had been to. Both bathrooms were marked with the present location having the word KNIGHT written in bold, golden letters. ¡°At least we know where we¡¯ve been,¡± Jace said. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it say anything about your mirror?¡± He turned to Will. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Maybe it only works for classes the keyholder has obtained.¡± ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s for mirrors that the fragment has come into contact with,¡± Helen suggested. Everyone looked at each other. ¡°Give it here,¡± Will asked. ¡°I¡¯ll go to my mirror and check. If it works, we¡¯ll know it¡¯s the fragment and not the keeper.¡± ¡°Err¡­ we broke your mirror, bro,¡± Alex said with a guilty smile. ¡°You¡¯ll have to try next loop.¡± ¡°He can still try one of the other mirrors,¡± Helen insisted, giving him the fragment. Yet again, the map disappeared. ¡°Check all the mirrors, then come back. We¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Alex and Jace were about to argue, but one look from the girl quickly made them forget their objections. It wasn¡¯t a good idea to get on Helen before the fight against the knight. Now that she had obtained her weapon, they could expect a lot worse, at least for the next dozen loops. Check the mirrors. Will ran down the corridor to the boys¡¯ bathroom. Alex hadn¡¯t exaggerated when he¡¯d said that they¡¯d fully destroyed his mirror. There wasn¡¯t even a fragment remaining on the wall. Jace must have used his disassembly skill to take it all down, after which they had shattered it on the floor. It was remarkable how efficient the goofball had been¡ªnot a single fragment had been left. In contrast, the hidden mirror remained where it had been amid all the destruction. ¡°Check the mirrors,¡± Will whispered to himself as he quickly pressed the fragment against each of the three remaining bathroom mirrors in turn. If there was any effect, he wasn¡¯t seeing it. Hopefully, there¡¯s be some difference on the map. Since the hidden mirror was also there, the boy decided to use this opportunity to the fullest and pressed the fragment against it as well.
ROOM REWARD (random) RE-CHALLENGE (permanent): challenge an already defeated loot holder.
The mirror evaporated from the floor. 36. Rogue Beyond the Limits ¡°Stoner, what took you so long?¡± Three sets of eyes turned in Will¡¯s direction as he entered the girls¡¯ bathroom. Part of him urged sharing the discovery he¡¯d made. Getting the first permanent reward was a big deal, especially since there was a good chance it involved the use of the fragment. At the same time, he felt he couldn¡¯t. Having the ability to challenge monsters he¡¯d previously faced presented too much of an advantage, and not just for him. Everyone would be able to acquire a lot more practice, figure out all enemies; weaknesses, and potentially even obtain more items from loot drops. ¡°My bad.¡± Will tossed the fragment to Helen. ¡°Parts of the floor were gone.¡± Alex audibly snorted at the joke. That only made Will feel worse. It wasn''t even that he was able to take advantage of his new ability to obtain new items. Helen was needed to loot defeated monsters, and Jace had to be there to say exactly what they had obtained. In a few loops, he told himself. He was going to tell them in a few loops. ¡°You were right,¡± Helen said as additional explanations emerged on the school map. Glancing at it, Will could see the numbers four, five, and six. ¡°Must be the hint mirrors,¡± the girl noted. ¡°Everything else seems the same.¡± She scrolled around. ¡°Next loop, we¡¯ll have to check those out.¡± ¡°Why not now?¡± she pulled the fragment away and glanced over her shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s time.¡± Not too long ago, it was Helen that had insisted that they take a pause after the fight. What was more, she had insisted on a pause of several loops before they went on with the tutorial. Getting her class weapon had dramatically changed that. Not that Will could blame her. He knew exactly what she felt. Even now, he was considering sharing his find just for the opportunity to get a second poison dagger. In the end, everyone agreed not to waste the opportunity, especially now that they had figured out so much. The basement was the first to get remapped. In the process, two more things were discovered. Apparently, the map could be revealed in any mirror, as long as it was Helen doing the initialization. That saved the effort of having to go back to the bathroom mirrors to check on discovery updates. It was soon revealed that the basement only had two mirror rooms, one of which had a WOLF mirror. The mirror in the janitor¡¯s storage room was viewed as common and had no additional explanations associated with it. Interestingly enough, hidden mirrors, even cleared ones, weren¡¯t indicated at all. The second revelation was that the fragment had the ability to copy hints present in other mirrors. It was Jace who found that after asking Helen to go through the tutorial hints again. It was at that point that they found that a set of new hints relating to the rogue class had been added. ¡°You were right,¡± Helen admitted after marking the mirror in the nurse¡¯s office. ¡°Having a map is useful. It also shows which rooms we¡¯ve cleared.¡± ¡°Pity we can¡¯t stash our weapons in there,¡± the jock said. ¡°So, what now? We go on or we try to get another weapon.¡± ¡°Take a guess.¡± Will glanced at him. ¡°Why?¡± Jace crossed his arms. ¡°So, we got fucked last time. Big deal. You two have weapons now, and muffin boy has enough class to make an army.¡± ¡°For real, bro?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Mirror images are fragile. Will be a big oof to rely on them.¡± ¡°I can handle it.¡± Helen tapped on the massive sword she was carrying. Will remained conflicted. Eternity had clearly stated that the weapons would help them against the boss, and seeing how they changed the outcome of a fight, one couldn¡¯t disagree. There was a very good chance that the poison dagger had slowed down the knight¡¯s reactions just enough for Helen to get the upper hand. Naturally, the group¡¯s efforts were also a deciding factor. ¡°Alright,¡± the boy said after a while. ¡°It¡¯ll probably get more difficult further on. Just one thing, though. If we fail, take a rest. Deal?¡± ¡°Sure thing, bro.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°Whatever, man.¡± Jace shrugged, looking away. ¡°Helen?¡± Will turned to the girl. ¡°I won¡¯t lose.¡± The girl tightened her grip round the sword¡¯s hilt. Her answer was a bit too noncommittal for Will¡¯s liking, but at least he had an excuse to stop should it come to that. At the end of the day, all four of them were needed to engage with the tutorial. Slowly, the four made their way to the killer room. Will put their chance of succeeding roughly at one to four. While it was true that two of them had weapons now, they still hadn¡¯t figured out what methods the cactus used to kill them off so fast. All that was known from their current encounters was that the monster had thorns, darts, and vines, each of which killed at a single hit. Will looked at the door. ¡°We know that traps are useless,¡± he noted. ¡°Harsh, bro,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°It didn¡¯t have armor.¡± Helen readied her weapon. ¡°I should be able to take it with one hit.¡± ¡°Where do you strike, though?¡± Will asked. ¡°We¡¯re not sure where it attacks from. It¡¯s not on the walls, we checked last time.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t look like it was on the floor,¡± Jace added. ¡°Maybe the ceiling?¡± The idea had some merit. None of them remembered looking there. ¡°What if it¡¯s on something else?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Nothing says that hidden mirrors must be part of the room.¡± ¡°They have to be. Unattached mirrors don¡¯t count,¡± Helen reminded. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Huh-uh,¡± the goofballs hook his head. ¡°The wolf mirrors upstairs aren¡¯t attached. They¡¯re part of the furniture.¡± Technically, that was true. It was also true that they didn¡¯t exactly fall into the unattached category, either. Even worse, size wasn¡¯t a factor, either. All the monsters, without exception, were significantly larger than the mirrors they had emerged from. If taken to the extreme, it was possible that the giant thorn monster came out of a coin-sized mirror hidden in a non-obvious place. The only firm rule was that it had to reflect Helen. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Helen shoved the mirror fragment into Jace¡¯s hands, then grabbed the hilt of the massive sword with both hands. ¡°I¡¯ll break the door down. Will will move me out of danger if it attacks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a bit heavier with that sword,¡± the boy said. ¡°Big oof, bro,¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°Never call a girl fat.¡± The comment was ignored. ¡°Just one hit,¡± Helen repeated. ¡°One hit¡­¡± Will nodded. As Helen faced the door, Alex created ten of his mirror copies. Jace, in the meantime, stepped up to the door and disassembled the hinges. All that remained now was the final move. ¡°Remember what you said,¡± Will whispered as he stood behind the girl. ¡°We rest after this.¡± ¡°Only if I fail.¡± The girl took a deep breath, then charged forward.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Door shattered
The door burst into pieces as the girl kicked right in the middle. Even before her action was over, her sword had swung, doing a vertical chop. The dark blade cut through the ceiling and door frame as it went further into the room. Then, Will saw it. What the hell? he thought. How could it be possible that he hadn¡¯t noticed before? How was it possible that no one had? The mirror wasn¡¯t in the room; it was part of the room, covering the entire ceiling like a dark cloud. All it would have taken was for someone to shine a flashlight up to see the cloudy matt surface. Yet, how could they? In all their loops, mirrors were always placed on walls. It was the knight that had broken the pattern, and even that had cost them an entire loop. With a mirror so big that didn¡¯t contrast with the surface it was placed on, the cactus could emerge from anywhere and no doubt it had. A thorny vine emerged from a section of the ceiling, aimed straight at Helen¡¯s head. At this point, the girl was too far in the room for him to help her evade the attack. There was only one remaining option. ¡°Above!¡± he shouted, throwing his poison dagger at the vine. The blade bounced off the vine as if it were made of metal. Thankfully, in doing so, it managed to divert the attack from Helen. Making use of the inertia, the girl slammed her foot, making it sink into the concrete of the floor, then twisted around, spinning the blade in full force. The vine snapped like a twig on contact, falling to the floor. Unfortunately, that only caused ten more to emerge. ¡°Get out of there!¡± Will shouted, drawing one of his throwing knives. Alexes poured into the geography class. Although fast, they were too fragile to do any damage, so they just leaped in the way of the fines, creating a living shield around Helen. ¡°Go, sis,¡± one of them managed to say before being punctured by a cluster of vines a few feet away from her. Gritting her teeth, the girl swung the blade around her again¡ªcutting a few vines and shattering several more copies of the goofball in the process. The entire row of windows shattered, spilling glass outside the building. It was a safe bet that even if the monster didn¡¯t kill them; the loop was effectively over. Such an amount of attention was certain to attract police, media, and everyone else in the next half hour at most. Will felt conflicted. He could easily end the loop here and now, but at the same time, he also wanted to see what weapon the monster would drop. Plus, one more elite down meant one less obstacle for their next exploration loop. Damn it, he said to himself, then leaped into the room. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Jace shouted. ¡°Stay in the corridor!¡± Will yelled back. His eyes darted from spot to spot as he scrambled to find where his poison dagger was at. A vine shot out from the ceiling, aimed straight for his head, but was narrowly avoided. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Helen asked, as she sliced the vine that had tried to kill him. ¡°You¡¯ll end the loop!¡± There was no time to react or even be angry about it. The plan that Will had come up with was insane enough. To have a chance of going on with it, he needed his dagger. More mirror copies entered the room, creating a distraction for the cactus. Helen, too, kept on cutting vines left and right, her aggression shielding her from attacks. Come on! Come on! Come on! Will looked all over the floor. It had to be there! Suddenly, there was a faint glint in the darkness. The light from Helen¡¯s headlamp must have reflected off an object, revealing it to the boy. It seemed as fate or pure luck. Either way, it was exactly what he needed. Evading another vine, Will rolled along the floor to where the dagger lay. Now, the really absurd plan of his could take place. Snatching the weapon, he held his breath and used a rogue ability to leap into the ceiling. Someone shouted, but the words were too distorted for him to hear what they meant. For a fraction of a second, Will saw himself flying straight at him, then everything changed as the mirror rippled away before him, like a melting plastic wrapper. An eternity of fog and reflections extended as far as the eye could see, simultaneously making up everything and nothing. Like a bubble encompassing the universe, it connected everything to everything and also to itself. And within that special paradox, the true form of the giant cactus lived. Here, it was both smaller and far larger than Will remembered it from their previous encounter. Hundreds of eyes stared at him, hidden between countless rows of thorns, both hateful and afraid. Vines the size of towers emerged from the massive torso, shooting down, like dozens of others already had. Each one of them had the strength to shred the boy to threads, yet none of them could. Although surrounded by nothing, Will felt that his reactions were faster than ever before. Twisting his body with ease, he evaded the attacks, as if he were flailing in weightlessness. Moments later, he saw it¡ªthe creature¡¯s weaknesses. There were hundreds of them¡ªthe space between the thorns and the eyes scattered all over his body. ¡°Hide from this!¡± Will threw his dagger. Thousands of thorns burst out of the thorny body in response, yet they were doomed to fail. Will could tell that even those that would hit him were several fractions too slow. Still, there was no way anyone would make use of this. With his death, everyone¡¯s loop would end, even if he¡¯d restart with the knowledge that he¡¯d managed to kill it first. No one will believe me, the boy thought. At least there¡¯s next time.
ROGUE moving beyond limits.
A message covered the whole of infinity. Just as it did, Will¡¯s dagger hit its target. The massive thorn entity shook violently, then froze completely static. What was more, all the thorns that had been shot out also froze, remaining motionless in space, as if trapped between existence and non-existence.
Returning ROGUE to eternity.
37. The Sus Surrounding Danny ¡°Move it, weirdo.¡± Jess and Ely passed by as they did every loop. The usual morning cacophony of sounds and noises hit Will stronger than usual. Possibly because he¡¯d been in a bubble of total silence before, he felt like the world was drilling into his ears. Stepping aside, the boy took his earbuds and placed them in. That helped things a bit. What the hell was that? He wondered. Was it possible that he had somehow managed to escape eternity, even if only for a moment? According to Jace and Helen, Danny had kept insisting that there was a way to escape eternity. Could this be it? There were no calls or texts from the last few minutes. Whatever had happened, the others clearly didn¡¯t seem impressed. Quite likely, it had to be a common occurrence. The snake had attempted to pull Helen in during the first battle against an elite. Even Alex had sent his copies into the hidden mirror without hesitation. Come to think about Alex, Will looked around. Usually, this was the time at which the goofball would appear with a bag of muffins. Given that he had asked that they talk, one would assume that he¡¯d be here already. Will¡¯s phone pinged, indicating he¡¯d gotten a text. Chocolate moose place, bro. There could be no doubt who the sender was, although it was curious why he¡¯d decided for them to meet there. ¡°It¡¯s mousse, you goof,¡± Will whispered to himself as he sent a text to Helen and Jace, telling them he¡¯d skip school this loop. Then, before anyone could see him, the boy turned around and walked away from the school building. By the time he arrived at the caf¨¦, Alex had already covered the table with more food than anyone could manage to finish in the remaining seven minutes. Judging by the barista¡¯s expression, the man didn¡¯t seem to mind, but then again, he was so chill that he might be okay with most things. ¡°Bro,¡± Alex waved at him to sit down. ¡°Lit! Glad you came.¡± ¡°You said you wanted to talk.¡± Will looked at the food. After some hesitation he decided to go with the classics, taking one of the cups of chocolate mousse. ¡°Do I want to know?¡± he asked, taking a spoonful. ¡°It¡¯s all good, bro. I paid for it,¡± the goofball grinned. ¡°Cash.¡± ¡°I thought you said that cash was suspicious.¡± ¡°For real, bro. Isn¡¯t it?¡± The point was well made. Will would definitely think something was wrong if a random kid bought this much with cash. If he were in the barista¡¯s shoes, he¡¯d probably be phoning the police. Hopefully, they¡¯d arrive after the loop had restarted. ¡°So?¡± Will asked. ¡°You started to see it, didn¡¯t you?¡± he asked. ¡°See what?¡± ¡°The inconsistencies, bro. All the things that people know that happened, but they couldn¡¯t have. Also, all the lies that everyone keeps saying.¡± ¡°Like you hiding that you were a looper?¡± Will took another spoonful of mousse. After all the recent loops of fighting, he had to admit he found it relaxing. ¡°That¡¯s precisely the point. Everyone hides things to keep safe. You hide things, too.¡± Will didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°That¡¯s common knowledge, bro. Secrets are part of eternity. You think Jace isn¡¯t hiding stuff? The jock¡¯s been disassembling and assembling things in secret every chance he gets. That¡¯s not the point. I¡¯m not talking about the small stuff. I¡¯m talking about the big sus stuff¡ªsecrets that shouldn¡¯t be able to exist.¡± Right now, Will could think about two of those, both of which had happened in the last two minutes of the previous loop. There was the permanent skill he had obtained and also him entering the mirror world. Normally, he¡¯d say that Alex wasn¡¯t aware of either of them, but when it came to the goofball, it was difficult to tell. He definitely knew a lot more about everyone at school than was healthy, that was for sure. ¡°When you said you found Danny¡¯s scribbles sus, I knew we had to talk,¡± Alex continued. ¡°It just needed to test you.¡± ¡°You call that a test? Anyone would have reacted the same way.¡± ¡°Nah, bro. I tested Miss Perfect a while back. She failed.¡± ¡°How can she fail? She reacted just like me, only differently. She was a lot closer to Danny than anyone else.¡± ¡°Nah, bro. When I said I tested you, I didn¡¯t mean then.¡± ¡°Well, when¡ª¡± Will abruptly stopped. The smile on the other¡¯s face, instantly made it clear. ¡°Damn it, Alex.¡± Will slammed the half-eaten cup of mousse on the table. ¡°How long have you been doing that?¡± ¡°An hour longer than anyone else,¡± the other replied. It was to be expected. The goofball had an easy way of extending his loop, and possibly several more he was keeping secret. Everyone looked down on him because he acted like a clown. Helen didn¡¯t trust him, but even she was confident she could win in a direct confrontation. Will himself continued to underestimate the boy. The two of them had been friends even before the start of the loop. Maybe that was the reason he couldn¡¯t make himself be scared, but in truth, the person across the table could turn out to be a lot more threatening than any monster they had faced so far. There was a good chance that he was just as strong as the archer. ¡°Do you really think Dally had another team?¡± Will asked. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been taking June¡¯s notes. It¡¯s difficult to tell for sure.¡± Will froze. ¡°You never discussed things,¡± he said, realizing what the other was saying. ¡°You never went to the councilor to exchange notes.¡± ¡°Nah, we did that. But that¡¯s not why I keep taking the notes.¡± Reaching down, Alex picked up his school backpack, then took out a large stack of pages from inside. All of them were standard letter size, stacked up neatly in one solid block. ¡°Danny¡¯s file,¡± he said. ¡°All of it.¡± That was definitely a lot more than Will imagined it would be. In all honesty, he had seen books that big. ¡°All that?¡± ¡°Danny used most of his sessions to talk about his loops. He¡¯d say they were dreams, so it wouldn¡¯t be sus. Anyone who¡¯s been through this will easily catch it, though.¡± ¡°I expect it gets to anyone after a while.¡± ¡°For real. That¡¯s what I thought. I¡¯ve no idea how long he¡¯d been trapped in eternity before me. Was a lot. Half the things I know I got from him. There¡¯s also a lot I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you found the fragment? That¡¯s something he didn¡¯t know.¡± A large smile emerged on the goofball¡¯s face. His mouth opened to say something, when his phone rang. Both boys glanced at the screen of the device on the table. It was Helen¡ªor Miss Perfect¡ªas Alex had added her in his contacts. ¡°She¡¯ll be pissed next loop.¡± Alex sighed. ¡°Pissed at you too, bro. Being with me will seem pretty sus. Will be worth it, though.¡± He took the stack of pages, skimmed through a few, then handed a section to his friend. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Will glanced. The pages were a photocopy of handwritten notes. On the top there was a date, a set of numbers, and Daniel¡¯s full name. ¡°When I found the fragment, I gave it to Danny. But the bro described it in his sessions two months before I entered the loops.¡± Will started reading. June¡¯s handwriting was worse than any adult¡¯s had a right to be. There were entire paragraphs which only made sense thanks to a few legible words floating within the sea of scribbles. Even so, there was a section that made some sense. ¡­dreamed of a rectangular fragment that contained all answers of life. Possible metaphor? Call for escape? Insists that the fragment could reveal everything, but one must already have the knowledge to uncover the secrets. When confronted with the paradox, retreated into circular logic. Isn¡¯t the first time he¡¯s mentioned the rectangle. It appears to be present in most of the other traumatic dreams. Parents insist that there are no issues at home. Social services? No visible scars or bruises lately. Hands and fingers seem fine. As usual, refuses to take medication. An entirely new picture of Daniel emerged from the two paragraphs alone. Will was no longer looking at the person with all the answers, but someone who¡¯d gotten in too deep and was just putting up a brave front in an attempt to hide it. In the process, he also kept plenty of secrets. ¡°You think that¡¯s a mirror fragment?¡± Will looked up. ¡°That¡¯s not the only place, bro. Pretty sus, right? He had it before he could have it. And there¡¯s more. Remember when he bust up the toilets?¡± ¡°Sure. It was¡ª¡± Will paused. When had it actually happened? Everyone referred to the incident. The nurse had mentioned it, the vice principal would repeat it non-stop. It was even the talk in class. And still, he couldn¡¯t remember the exact day. ¡°I¡¯m sure it happened. The loops are messing my memories up.¡± ¡°Then ask someone who¡¯s out of eternity.¡± Alex smirked. ¡°I did. None of them can remember.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying it didn¡¯t happen?¡± ¡°Oh, it happened, same as happened last loop. I was there when it did.¡± If he were a few years younger Will could have gasped. He didn¡¯t see that coming. ¡°I used to bust mirrors all the time. A lot easier than grabbing car mirrors. Danny did it a few times for experimentation. No one was supposed to remember that.¡± ¡°Well, wasn¡¯t Danny¡¯s last loop really long? The events must have remained the same because¡ª¡± ¡°Are you sure, bro? It can¡¯t be. Even if the loops are messing with my memory, it¡¯s still pretty sus. And it¡¯s not just that. There¡¯s all these things out of place. It¡¯s like an onion of sus¡ªthe more you peel, the more there is, the more it makes you want to cry.¡± The goofball paused to take a chocolate croissant from the assortment on the table and take a bite. ¡°The fragment,¡± he began, mouth half full. ¡°The permanent ability to freely leave the area, the permanent ability to leave notes behind, the certainty there was a way to escape eternity. How¡¯d he get all that? Once he told me that I¡¯ve been in eternity longer than he had before meeting me. Then how was he so OP and me¡ªunable to figure out half the stuff?¡± There was a large suspicion that the boy knew a lot more than he was saying. Despite that, Will couldn¡¯t catch him in a lie. There were a lot of little things that didn¡¯t make sense, as he had noticed on many occasions. Up till now, he had disregarded the notion, explaining it away with his inexperience and novice status. If Alex was equally in the dark, though, there had to be a lot more to things. ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t want Helen to get hold of the notes?¡± Will asked. ¡°She wants answers, too.¡± ¡°She wants answers to different questions. Until she shares what she knows, I¡¯m not giving her what I have.¡± His expression abruptly hardened. ¡°I¡¯m trusting you with this, bro. Don¡¯t oof me.¡± So, that was the ultimatum: choose the goofball¡¯s side over the girl. On the surface, it seemed the better deal. Was it really, though? Will didn¡¯t seem to think so. To him, it was like being asked to solve a jigsaw puzzle while having to choose between two groups, each having half of the pieces. Plus, he liked Helen. ¡°Why don¡¯t you trust her? Because she was Danny¡¯s girl?¡± ¡°Nah, bro. She was perfect before she was Miss Perfect.¡± Alex gobbled up the rest of the croissant. ¡°It¡¯s what she does, bro.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Summersaults aren¡¯t part of the knight¡¯s skills,¡± the goofball said flatly. ¡°I know. I¡¯ve played enough with that class as well. Immunity to pain is nice, but I prefer the class I have.¡± Will was just about to ask the obvious question when his mind answered it for him. Helen had used the skill in the last fight. Of all the loops, that was the one time that it was guaranteed that she couldn¡¯t have gotten the skill as a green mirror reward. For her to have it, she either was insanely talented and athletic, or she¡¯d somehow acquired a permanent skill in the past. ¡°She didn¡¯t say where she got it from, did she?¡± he looked at Alex. ¡°Knew you¡¯d get it, bro. She told me she didn¡¯t have any permanent skills. Hundreds of times. That¡¯s more than sus, bro.¡± Less than a minute remained until the ten-minute loop limit. If there was a mirror within view, Will was tempted to fight off ten packs of wolves just for the chance to extend his current loop for one more hour. The goofball had dumped so much information on him and with so little time to do anything about it. ¡°So, what¡¯s your plan?¡± ¡°For now, nothing, bro. Seeing each other like this will make us sus. We keep on exploring the tutorial and when¡ª¡±
Restarting eternity.
A new loop started. Within seconds, Will¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, instinctively accepting the call. ¡°Will,¡± Helen said on the other side. ¡°We need to talk.¡± 38. Group Challenge In Will¡¯s experience, when a girl told someone they needed to talk, things were usually bad. In this case, Helen had every right to be pissed. It was a pretty safe bet that she knew who he¡¯d met and generally what they¡¯d spoken about. The worst thing about it¡ªthe boy couldn¡¯t tell her a thing. ¡°A reminder to all students,¡± an announcement echoed through the halls and classrooms. ¡°We remind you to take care of your physical and mental health. There is no shame in seeking help. The school counselor¡¯s door is open at all times.¡± The usual announcement filled the corridors, causing Will to inadvertently hum along. It was quite sad that he had become so familiar with it that his mind registered it as background noise. Rushing into the boy¡¯s toilet, he tapped on the rogue mirror twice. The first time the golden message emerged, granting him the class. The second time, the inventory grid replaced it, only this time two of the squares were filled up with items. ¡°What the heck?¡± Will whispered, looking at the object. It would have been nice if the inventory section had any descriptions. Looking at it, he could assume that the item was a weapon¡ªa spiked chain, to be exact. Yet, there was no telling what qualities it possessed. Since it had survived a loop, it had to be an eternal weapon, but without Jace¡¯s assistance everything else was left to interpretation. The boy was tempted to take it out just to have a look, but he preferred to leave it for after his talk with Helen. That way, he¡¯d have to lie less. By the time he arrived in the classroom, all the windows were open. Helen was seated at her desk, looking at the mirror fragment. ¡°Sorry,¡± Will said as he closed the door. ¡°Want me to block it?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t matter either way.¡± The girl didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°I won¡¯t be extending my loop.¡± The tone in her voice made it clear that she was really upset. ¡°Okay,¡± Will said, doing his best to appear that he didn¡¯t notice. ¡°What do we need to talk about?¡± he went up to her. ¡°I saw what happened at the end of the fight.¡± She turned, looking straight at him. The boy remained quiet. Given the lack of questions during the previous loop, he had assumed that the whole going through the mirror episode had remained unnoticed by anyone else. Apparently, he was mistaken. ¡°What did you see?¡± he asked in a hushed voice. ¡°I saw enough.¡± She replied. ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s difficult to explain. I saw eternity.¡± He sat on the edge of the desk. ¡°As if all the mirrors in the universe were connected to something, and I was in the middle.¡± Will paused for a few moments more. Should he tell her about the message he¡¯d seen? Probably not. It was too close to what had happened to Danny. Maybe after the tutorial was over, there would be a better time. Then again, with a bit of luck, maybe by then she¡¯d get to experience it herself and he wouldn¡¯t have to explain anything. ¡°The cactus was also there,¡± he added. ¡°It seemed a lot bigger and nothing like a cactus.¡± Helen¡¯s glare didn¡¯t falter. ¡°You killed it, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± Will suppressed the urge to pull away. ¡°I got a room reward,¡± she said. ¡°One free post on the forum.¡± Her focus shifted onto the mirror fragment. ¡°Whatever that is, it¡¯s not active yet. I¡¯ve been trying to use it while I was waiting and nothing. Only the hints are still there.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll get unlocked once we complete the tutorial?¡± Will tried to shift the topic. ¡°You keep doing that!¡± Helen snapped. ¡°You poke your nose everywhere, finding new questions faster than we can find answers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m searching for answers, same as everyone.¡± He tried to defend himself. ¡°No.¡± The girl looked Will in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not. That¡¯s the sad thing. You can¡¯t even see the changes you¡¯ve brought. Before you joined eternity, we weren¡¯t given a task or permanent weapons. We didn¡¯t even know that we had to form a group of four.¡± ¡°It was all just luck. Could have happened to anyone.¡± ¡°No.¡± A note of sadness crept into her voice. ¡°It could have happened only to a rogue.¡± The moment she said that, Will could hear the unspoken part that followed. She didn¡¯t want to lose him as she had lost Daniel. The former rogue, too, had been curious about the workings of the game and was adept at keeping secrets. As much as he hated to admit it, Will could see more than a few parallels with himself. Did that mean that the two of them were alike? Or did the class make the person? ¡°Might be a good idea to mark Alex¡¯s mirror as well.¡± Despite himself, he took the easy way out of the conversation. To his relief and regret, the girl let him. ¡°It¡¯s always good to have as much information as possible.¡± ¡°I already did,¡± she replied. ¡°He took me there this morning, right after helping me with the goblins. I have all four classes and six hints. I tried to get the hidden mirror as well, but the loop ended too fast.¡± Will was in the process of considering how to respond when a girl from their class came in. ¡°Hel?¡± The new arrival stared at them in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re talking to that loser?¡± ¡°We¡¯re having a discussion about Alex,¡± Helen said with absolute calm. ¡°Someone has to do something about it, so why not him since they¡¯re friends?¡± ¡°As if that guy can have friends,¡± the girl snorted before taking her seat at the neighboring desk. ¡°What did he do this time?¡± ¡°The same thing he does every time¡ªone large mess,¡± Helen concluded. ¡°You¡¯ll help deal with that, right?¡± ¡°Sure. But I think you should as well.¡± Will stood up and went to Danny¡¯s desk. The sketches and scribbles were still there, reminding him of all the secrets the previous rogue had discovered. By now, he¡¯d started remembering most of what was there, although a lot remained unresolved. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Why had Helen asked him to speak to Alex? Was that a sort of olive branch again? Will was getting tired of acting as their intermediary, but at the same time found it preferable to having to openly choose a side. He liked both of them, though in different ways. Even Jace had slowly grown on to him, both as a friend and part of the group. Bit by bit, the classroom got filled up. It was notable that both Jace and Alex were nowhere to be seen. Only with one minute left of the loop did the jock appear along with his teammates. It seemed that even he wanted to spend a loop reliving ten minutes of normality, just like before eternity had taken control of their lives. Beyond reality, Will thought as he looked at the wolves drawn on the desk. The fact that Danny hadn¡¯t drawn any goblins had been a firm indication that he knew nothing about the tutorial. At the same time, there was no indication of permanent skill rewards, either. And what was with all the lyrics? All of them were of old songs, some from before Will was even born. He, like everyone else, had spent several loops googling them, among other things, only to find out nothing. Next loop, the boy told himself. Next loop, I¡¯ll tell them everything.
Restarting eternity.
Two ten-minute loops were all it took for the group to decide to get back to exploring the tutorial. Almost at the same time, everyone sent texts to everyone else saying that they wanted to continue. Originally, Will was about to reveal all the secrets he¡¯d amassed, but as the texts poured in, he decided only to mention a few of them. To his alarm, no one else did even as much. There was the occasional comment, a few discussions on tactics, and an incidental question towards Alex and Helen about whether something had occurred in previous loops. All in all, it seemed like the first steps of reconciliation after a fight and in this case, everyone felt guilty. By the time evening came, everyone was itching to let out their frustration on wolves, goblins, and any other creatures they¡¯d come across. ¡°Here.¡± Will dropped the massive chain in the corridor. ¡°That¡¯s what I got.¡± ¡°Just that?¡± Jace sounded disappointed. Originally, he was hoping that the third weapon would be a perfect fit for him. As it turned out, it didn¡¯t suit anyone. The chain was both heavy and uncomfortable to hold. Nearly every link had spikes, almost guaranteeing that the person who wielded it would get hurt as well. ¡°Chain of binding,¡± he said, using his skill on the item. ¡°Eternal weapon, and can bind targets for a short amount of time.¡± ¡°Bind them how?¡± Will asked. ¡°That¡¯s all it says.¡± The jock glanced at him before focusing on the chain again. ¡°Maybe just wrap the target? Fuck if I know.¡± ¡°It has to be for the boss,¡± Will said. ¡°We were told that the seven weapons will help us fight him. It didn¡¯t say that the seven weapons had to be made for us.¡± ¡°Fuck that! So, you get all the fun stuff and I get nothing?¡± Jace winced. ¡°It¡¯s too early to tell,¡± Will replied in a way that suggested that probably to be the case. ¡°We definitely can¡¯t use it against wolves or goblins.¡± ¡°Nuh uh,¡± Alex protested. ¡°It¡¯s all part of a puzzle. We¡¯ll need it for the next elite.¡± Everyone rolled their eyes. ¡°For real! We used the dagger to kill the knight, then we used the sword to kill the cactus.¡± ¡°You know that none of that is true,¡± Helen looked at him. Strictly speaking, she was right. It was luck and their combined effort and ingenuity that had earned them a victory against the dark knight. The poison dagger had helped, though not more so than anything else they had done. The same held true to a greater degree for their fight against the thorn monster. While it could be argued that Helen¡¯s use of the sword had allowed them to approach the creature without instantly getting killed, that had also been achieved through a gradual accumulation of experience. Also, Will had single-handedly killed the monster thanks to his poison dagger at that. ¡°Then why did you take them when we fought the elites?¡± The goofball tilted his head. ¡°Alex, we can¡¯t carry all this,¡± Will said. ¡°Unless we know exactly how we¡¯ll use it, it¡¯s just dead weight.¡± ¡°Pretty sus, if you ask me. Then let¡¯s take it to Jace¡¯s mirror? That way, it¡¯ll be closer.¡± After another minute of pointless arguments, that¡¯s what they did. To no surprise, there were no wolves or hidden mirrors along the rest of the floor. The group managed to find a few more mirrors in the teacher¡¯s lounge, though all they offered were three hints relating to the Crafter¡¯s skills. The information wasn¡¯t particularly useful: the skill names were self-evident. Plus Jace had already used them enough to know exactly what they represented. Still, every piece of information was a plus, and Helen was certain to add this mirror to the fragment as well. Upon reaching the second floor, the group stopped. According to Alex, there were three wolf rooms on this floor. Given their current skills and weapons, that wasn¡¯t an issue. At the same time, there was no telling how many elites they¡¯d find. ¡°There have to be two,¡± the goofball insisted. ¡°If it¡¯s seven in total, it¡¯s one in the basement and two per floor.¡± ¡°And five more goblins,¡± Will muttered in thought. ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Helen turned to him. ¡°It¡¯s a guarantee that you¡¯ll be level nine by the time you reach the boss.¡± Or at least he hoped so. ¡°That means it¡¯s likely we have two or three of them on this floor.¡± ¡°Seven, eight rooms of fuckers.¡± Jace whistled. ¡°Things are getting interesting.¡± He glanced at Will and Helen. ¡°For you guys. Don¡¯t worry, I got your back.¡± He grinned. ¡°How do you want to start?¡± ¡°We start with the wolves.¡± Will turned left. ¡°Then as normal.¡± Going down the corridor brought strange memories. The first time he faced a wolf was right here in Ms. Stalter¡¯s class. It had been an outright massacre, causing the unfortunate teacher and dozens of Will¡¯s schoolmates to die along with him until he found a way to defeat the monsters. Now, there were no non-looped people around, and despite their massive size, the wolves were no longer the threat they used to be. Arriving at the end of the corridor, Jace removed the door¡¯s hinges yet again, causing it to slam to the ground. Alex followed, scattering a series of traps throughout the classroom. Catching a glimpse of the goofball, the mirrors spat out the beasts, causing them to shatter the cabinets against the wall, as they always had. Desks were tossed like toys, as the beasts rushed through the classroom, only to freeze in place. No sooner had they done so than Will and Alex sprang into action. Half a dozen thief mirror copies rushed into the classroom, stabbing two of the wolves to death. Meanwhile, Will threw a series of knives at the remaining creatures¡¯ weak spots, to even the score. In less than ten seconds, all four wolves had been reduced to lifeless corpses. Additionally, the familiar LEVEL UP message had emerged in the room mirrors. ¡°Level three,¡± Alex grinned as he tapped the mirror. ¡°Lit.¡± Once Will did the same, the set of mirrors changed appearance, acquiring the expected green glint. ¡°Who wants to get it?¡± The boy looked over his shoulder. ¡°Oof. I can¡¯t remember whose turn it was,¡± the goofball frowned. ¡°Go for it, Stoner,¡± Jace shouted from the corridor. ¡°Not like I¡¯m doing any fighting.¡± ¡°Helen should have it.¡± Will stepped away. He was still feeling guilty of the permanent reward he¡¯d gotten. ¡°She¡¯s the keyholder, so she must be best protected.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± The girl asked. ¡°You¡¯re¡ª¡± ¡°There might be more self-activating mirrors,¡± Will interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s safer this way.¡± Not waiting to be invited again, Helen walked over the wolf corpses and tapped the mirror with her free hand.
WOLF PACK REWARD (random) GROUP CHALLENGE: enter the mirror and survive nine waves. A defeated wave doesn¡¯t provide any reward, but increases the overall prize you¡¯ll earn. You can end the challenge at any time by leaving the mirror.
39. Wolf Waves ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± Jace said, rereading the reward for the third time. ¡°It¡¯s convenient,¡± Helen replied. ¡°Will enters a mirror two loops ago and now we get this?¡± ¡°Causation doesn¡¯t equal correlation,¡± Alex waved a finger. ¡°It¡¯s the other way around, muffin boy.¡± The jock shoved him with his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s one big fucking coincidence, though. What exactly did you see in there, Stoner?¡± ¡°I told you. Infinity.¡± ¡°You sure? Cause I have no idea how you fight in infinity. You can throw stuff from a distance, but what about the rest? Also, what happens when you¡¯re out of things to throw?¡± The question had crossed Will¡¯s mind. Fighting against a monster, even a huge one, was a lot easier than fighting a while back. Assuming the waves remained at four, the reward suggested that there¡¯d be thirty-six of them in total¡ªa lot more than he could handle with throwing knives. ¡°I say we do it,¡± the boy said in a firm tone. ¡°We¡¯ve no idea what it is and since no one has seen this before, there¡¯s no telling when we¡¯ll have another chance. At worst, it¡¯ll be a wasted loop.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s worse than a wasted loop?¡± Helen asked. ¡°Danny was obsessed with new challenges and we know what happened. If we go inside, are you sure we¡¯ll be able to come back out?¡± ¡°The mirror says we can. We go in, we see what it¡¯s like and if it¡¯s too much, we just go back out. I promise.¡± Helen looked at him. Deep inside, Will knew that what he¡¯d done was close to an act of betrayal, especially after their conversation in the previous loop. At the same time, he felt the urge to do this. ¡°I¡¯ll go alone if I have to,¡± he said. ¡°I just don¡¯t think this is a reward we can afford to miss.¡± ¡°For real, bro!¡± the goofball agreed, placing his arm around Will¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It¡¯ll be lit!¡± ¡°No way I¡¯m letting you fuckers get all the rewards,¡± Jace grunted and walked up to them. ¡°Sides, Helen is the only one important. If things mess up, we¡¯ll still have the key.¡± It was three to one. The three looked at the girl, waiting for her response. The wolf corpses had vanished by this point, leaving only debris and toppled desks scattered around. An invisible barrier seemed to have erected within the group, separating them on different sides of the room. The boys were willing and eager to face the challenge. Helen, despite having the greatest combat power, was reluctant to do so. ¡°I¡¯ll join,¡± the girl said reluctantly. The fashion in which she did suggested that they¡¯d owe her one. Alex created a mirror copy and had it place its hand on the mirror. The solid surface rippled, allowing it to pass through without issue. The reward message, though, remained unchanged. Will was next to enter. Taking the initiative, he gripped his poison dagger and stepped through. The plane of the mirror passed through him, similar to last time, taking him to an endless room. ¡°Hey, bro.¡± Alex¡¯s mirror copy waved. The room they were in contained nothing but a smooth, white floor and the mirror Will had come from. Looking up, there was something that resembled a cloudy sky, only there were no defined clouds, just a layer of pale whiteness from where the light came. Bending down, Will tapped the floor with the tip of his knife. ¡°Tried that,¡± the mirror copy said. ¡°It¡¯s solid.¡± A second later, Jace emerged from the mirror. Slightly confused, he looked around in an attempt to get his bearings. When he failed to do so, he focused on the people already there. ¡°This is infinity?¡± he asked. ¡°I guess.¡± Will straightened up. ¡°It¡¯s different from last time. There¡¯s a floor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one good thing.¡± What seemed to be the true Alex was next to arrive. The first thing he did was use a few fragments of glass to create several more copies. When that worked, he grabbed a handful of shards, ready to use them as traps. ¡°Lit,¡± he said. ¡°No doors, no windows, just we and the wolves.¡± That was a rather good point. Looking around, there was no means of starting the challenge. One possibility was that all four members of the group had to be present, but an indication would have been nice. Once Helen walked in, everyone had their answer. The endless floor of the space instantly turned red.
WAVE 1
Messages in large block letters hovered midair in all directions. ¡°Where are they coming from?¡± Jace asked. That, too, was left to interpretation. ¡°Opposite from the mirror!¡± Alex shouted, as he and his copies surrounded it. ¡°If it¡¯s our exit, they¡¯ll come from the other way.¡± Will concentrated on the horizon. The floor of the floor made spotting anything a bit more difficult, but still there didn¡¯t seem to be anything in the distance. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± Helen said, standing a few steps away. ¡°There,¡± she pointed into the distance. Looking closely, a cluster of dots was visible moving quickly in the direction of the group. Within seconds, the dots took on the form of black wolves. ¡°We¡¯ve never seen those before,¡± Jace said, gripping a makeshift sword. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s the colors, bro,¡± Alex said in a reassuring tone. ¡°When you mix grey and red, it looks black.¡± That was an outright lie, but everyone appreciated the thought. This wasn¡¯t the time to have second thoughts, not when the challenge hadn¡¯t even started. ¡°There seems to be just one pack of them,¡± Will said. ¡°Alex, keep watching in case there are more.¡± ¡°Sure thing, bro.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to take out a few of them, but it¡¯s all you, Hel,¡± he turned to the girl. ¡°Okay?¡± he added softly. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for ages before you joined.¡± The girl raised her massive sword with one hand. ¡°Just keep your promise this time.¡± The last felt like a punch in the gut. As the wolves got closer, everyone was able to get a better look at them. The creatures didn¡¯t appear particularly different from the common types they¡¯d faced so far. Other than their different color, they remained large as ponies with unusually large teeth. Claws hit the solid surface, letting out a series of clicks at each step¡ªlike a warning sound that got closer and closer. Will took out a knife and concentrated on the wolf leading the small pack. One of the weak spots his rogue skill told him to aim for was the eye, and that¡¯s precisely what the boy did. The knife split the air, hitting its target. The wolf let out a loud yelp as it stumbled onto the crimson floor. Inertia kept it going forward, though far too slow for it to keep up with the rest of the wolves. The remaining three beasts scattered, with one directly jumping over the dead one¡¯s corpse. Drawing another knife, Will immediately targeted it as well. The blade hit the shoulder of the creature which, while wounding it, failed to kill it. Pulse rushing, the boy threw two more knives to correct his mistake. This time, he hit the target spot on. Sadly, that still left two more wolves that had approached dangerously close. ¡°I got them.¡± Helen rushed forward. Seeing her as a threat, the two creatures moved away from one another. Timing the moment, they leaped at the girl, jaws open, claws extended. One wide slash and the blade sliced through both of them, sending them off flying to the side. The lifeless wolves kept on flying for three full seconds before they slammed onto the floor and never got up. ¡°Lit,¡± all Alexes said in unison. The color of the floor changed to green. ¡°That was easy,¡± Will said. After everything new they¡¯d faced, he imagined it to be a lot more challenging. ¡°It¡¯s just the first wave,¡± Jace said, bringing him down to earth. ¡°And you were shit. Four daggers for two wolves? Really pathetic.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see you doing anything,¡± Will reacted. ¡°Stoner, if you¡¯d joined the tea, you¡¯d know that stamina is a resource. In your case, that goes double. Nine waves.¡± He held up both hands with the thumb of his left finger held against the palm. ¡°You used four knives so far. How many more do you have? Thirty?¡± That was a good point. Will glanced at the two corpses. They weren¡¯t terribly far, but he definitely wasn¡¯t going there to retrieve his weapons, not with more monsters on the way. ¡°If you can¡¯t even get one wolf with one throw, you¡¯ll be out by wave three. Then what do we do?¡± ¡°Get out?¡± Alex asked. He also agreed with the jock¡¯s assessment, since two of his copies were dashing in the direction of the dead wolves. ¡°Get out is right.¡± Jace shook his head. ¡°I knew I should have built a crossbow.¡± ¡°Bro!¡± The goofball looked at him. ¡°I could have gotten you one if you¡¯d just said. Arrows too!¡± ¡°Bolts,¡± Helen corrected. Both Alex and Jace looked at her. ¡°Crossbows have bolts. And it doesn¡¯t matter. Anything with ammo will only work the first few times, anyway.¡± She slammed her sword onto the floor. There was a dull thump, as if she had hit rotten wood. ¡°I¡¯ll do the fighting. You guys make sure those I miss don¡¯t get me.¡±
WAVE 2
The floor turned red again. Immediately, everyone focused on the horizon. The two mirror copies hurried to get Will¡¯s knives, then ran back to the rest of the group. Barely a few seconds later, the next group of wolves became visible. ¡°Found them!¡± Jace shouted. ¡°They¡¯re¡ª¡± ¡°I see them!¡± Alex interrupted. ¡°Right in front of me.¡± There was a moment of silence. Everyone looked at each other, then at the directions Jace and Alex were pointing. ¡°Fuck,¡± the jock swore. ¡°There are two of them.¡± ¡°Wave two, two packs,¡± Will said. It made sense. Going by this logic, the final wave alone would contain thirty-six wolves. ¡°Alex, make two copies to help Helen. We¡¯ll take the other pack.¡± Two groups spontaneously formed. Helen charged at one of the packs, with two copies of Alex keeping up. Meanwhile, Will concentrated on the other one. One throw, one kill, he thought. What was more important, though, was to kill all four. There was no indication that the new batch of wolves had learned from the previous ones¡¯ mistakes. They continued running forward as a group, heading along a straight line towards Will. Holding his breath, the boy concentrated, then set the first knife flying. As expected, it hit its target, causing the pack leader to drop to the floor. Keeping his focus, Will waited for a few seconds more, then threw several knives in rapid succession. His new approach was not to take the wolves one by one, but to target them simultaneously. It was a good plan, but the lack of experience in the matter had its say. The first two knives dealt only marginal wounds to the beasts. It was only the third that was mortally hit. Keeping his calm, the boy threw two more knives. Both struck the approaching wolf, killing it on the spot as it let out a disturbing gurgling sound. The last was less than twenty feet away. Will felt the adrenaline rush through his body, causing his fingers to tremble. Gritting his teeth, he drew another knife and threw it. The weapon utterly missed, barely grazing the beast. Instinct took over, forcing the boy to leap back. His instincts of self-preservation clashed with flight winning over fight. Not this time! Will yelled on the inside, pushing against the mental block that had taken hold. His hand, although slower, moved, grabbing one more knife, which he threw at the still approaching wolf. The weapon hit, but that no longer mattered. Three of Alex¡¯s mirror copies had emerged nearby, each of them stabbing the wolf on the side. Both Will and the wolf landed on the floor simultaneously. The only difference was that only Will kept breathing. ¡°Fire, bro.¡± The goofball, or possibly a copy, patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You were lit.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Will managed to say, even if he wasn¡¯t sure he agreed. This was way too close for comfort. If he¡¯d been a little less decisive, the challenge, and the loop, would have ended here. Looking down, his hands were still shaking as his body attempted to deal with its current level of adrenaline. ¡°Was okay,¡± Jace commented in a rare case of support. ¡°You do realize it¡¯ll only get tougher from here on.¡± ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know.¡± This was the point at which an insult would usually follow. Instead, the jock just glanced at him, then back at the horizon. ¡°You haven¡¯t noticed, have you, Stoner?¡± he asked. ¡°The corpses are still there. If we survive a few more waves, you¡¯ll have to fight on top of them. Either that or you¡¯ll have no idea what¡¯s approaching.¡± 40. Key Fragment
WAVE 4 Pack size increased to 6
¡°Holy crap,¡± Jace said as he saw the new message. It was bad enough that the number of packs was increasing faster than expected, but now the wolves within each pack were growing as well. Scores of mirror copies ran about, piling up wolf corpses in a crude and very messy wall around the mirror. The only time Will had seen anything of the sort was in movies. There was no smell or blood, but the slightly soft sensation beneath his feet was enough to give his stomach troubles. ¡°That makes forty-eight,¡± Alex said. The sane decision was to give up and leave, yet through a combination of adrenaline rush, FOMO, and an unexpected sense of euphoria, none of the group even felt like leaving. In their minds, they had already invested a lot of time and effort, and it was only right that they kept going for as long as they could manage. ¡°Next time I¡¯m bringing grenades,¡± the jock said, focusing on the horizon. Three packs were clearly visible, quickly approaching like clusters of dots. ¡°Hel, feel up for it?¡± Will shouted. ¡°Worry about yourselves!¡± came the reply, as she was already charging at her next target. Watching her in action, there could be no doubt that getting the knight¡¯s sword had been the correct approach. The weapon¡¯s length, combined with her strike skills, was more than enough to dispatch an entire pack with one strike. Occasionally, a wolf or two would manage to evade her weapon, only to get stabbed by one of Alex¡¯s assisting mirror copies. Moving to the spot that would best serve his attacks, Will then glanced at Jace. The fight made it apparent how useless he currently was in battle. It was undeniable that his class came with a series of impressive skills, but only between battles. Right now, all he could do was take the role of a lookout and be ready to rush to the mirror if the group were in danger of getting overrun. ¡°Two packs are grouping together,¡± he said. ¡°Focus on them first.¡± ¡°Bro,¡± Alex sighed. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t that ever happen on sis¡¯s side?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not stupid, muffin boy,¡± the jock said. ¡°They don¡¯t want to die, just to kill us.¡± Said that way, it made sense and also served as a reminder that the enemies were getting smarter. A combined pack of twelve was headed where Will was at, which was close to the throwing knives he had. Given the scale of their fights so far, twelve was more than enough, especially since he could collect them afterwards at his leisure. One throw, one kill, he told himself while keeping the poison dagger at the ready. Once the pack got thirty feet from where he was, the boy started throwing. In less than two seconds, he had sent all his knives flying in rapid succession. All of them had hit one animal or another, although only four managed to kill a creature. Roughly half of the remaining ones were wounded to some degree. This was it¡ªthe moment the boy had been avoiding. Ever since he¡¯d ventured into the mirror, he knew that there¡¯d come a time when he¡¯d have to get back to hand-to-hand combat. Ranged attacks, although terribly overpowered¡ªas Alex would say¡ªwere nothing but a crutch. The rogue¡¯s real skills were close combat, and now he had the weapon for it. Leaping off the pile of corpses, Will dashed at the nearest wolf. His furious attack of moments ago had made them scatter, which was vastly to his benefit. The wolf let out a growl as it snapped its jaws in the boy¡¯s direction. At that precise moment, Will struck it in the throat.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200% Fatal wound inflicted
Before the wolf was able to let out its dying gargle, Will was already heading towards the next. This time, the attack struck its eye, sinking deep into the creature¡¯s skull for the kill. That was the last of the easy ones. Six wolves remained in varied conditions. All of them had moved back, keeping their distance from the boy as they moved to encircle him. ¡°Big mistake,¡± Will said, as he ran towards one of them. Sadly, this was where he, too, made an error. In attacking, the boy had revealed his side, creating a small but vital gap in his defense. Spotting it, one of the wolves instantly leaped forward. Any other time the rogue¡¯s evasion skill would have kicked in, but evading in air was a lot less efficient than doing so with both feet on the ground. Will¡¯s body twisted, avoiding the wolf¡¯s massive jaws. Unfortunately, the same couldn¡¯t be said for its paws. Three-inch nails slashed the boy¡¯s shirt. The wound wasn¡¯t serious, but enough to ruin his initial plan. In a single moment, Will had reverted from being an attacker to being the prey. Part of his mind yelled out for him to give up and allow the loop to end. They had completed three waves, after all, which meant they¡¯d receive a moderately good prize. If there was one thing that eternity allowed was a complete lack of consequences. It was natural to take advantage. Yet if he did so at every difficulty, how was he going to learn anything? ¡°Not yet!¡± the boy said to himself, striking at his attacker twice.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200% Heart pierced Fatal wound inflicted
The wolf let out a yelp as it flew over. Gritting his teeth, Will twisted again, slashing a second wolf that was trying to take advantage of his momentary lapse of judgment. Surprised, the beast managed to shield its chest with its front leg, yet in doing so, still received a wound¡ªenough to trigger the dagger¡¯s poison effects. From here on, it was a matter of seconds before the effects became apparent. Landing on the ground, Will twisted his body again, then leaped in the opposite direction he was heading. Three copies of Alex had also entered the fray, stabbing a wolf attempting to get to the mirror. In the distance, ten more were using a combination of traps and stabbing to keep another pack at bay. From the corner of his eyes, Will spotted another monster leaping over the barricade of corpses. Without hesitation, he aimed at the beast¡¯s torso and threw his poison dagger. The weapon hit its target spot on, instantly killing it. Now, no more than three remained of the original pack. ¡°Look out, bro!¡± Alex shouted as he stabbed another wolf less than ten feet away. ¡°Give me a weapon!¡± Will shouted as he landed on the floor nearby. A small knife was tossed his way. Grabbing it mid-flight, Will made use of the inertia gathered in the action to target another of the nearby wolves. The attack was hasty, hitting the neck of the beast. ¡°Another!¡± the boy shouted. The process repeated, only now the target hit a vital spot, killing the creature. Will¡¯s heart was thumping like a drum. ¡°One more!¡± Alex obeyed, tossing him yet another weapon. Snatching it, Will spun around, searching for the final enemy of the pack. Anticlimactically, the wolf stood motionless a short distance away. ¡°I thought I¡¯d keep him trapped, bro,¡± the goofball said. ¡°The next wave can¡¯t start until we kill off all the wolves of this one,¡± he added with a smile. Despite the large amounts of adrenaline, Will blinked. That was a rather smart idea. Leave it to Alex to come up with an obvious cheat. Taking a moment to catch his breath, Will looked around. As far as he could see, there were no more packs heading their way. Judging by Jace¡¯s calm demeanor, there didn¡¯t seem to be any obvious danger. ¡°Jace,¡± he shouted, just to be sure. ¡°We good?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the jock shouted back. ¡°Helen¡¯s dealing with the last ones on her side and muffin boy got the rest.¡± ¡°You got all of them?¡± He turned towards his goofy friend, impressed. ¡°Lots of mirror shards, bro.¡± Alex grinned. ¡°Not sure I¡¯ll hold on for the next wave, though.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Next wave. Right now, that seemed an eternity away. Will went to the wolf into which he¡¯d thrown his poison dagger. The creature appeared fully dead, but just in case, the boy exerted caution while retrieving his weapon. When nothing followed, he calmly stepped away. ¡°Let¡¯s finish off the trapped,¡± he told Alex. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss waves afterwards.¡± It took several minutes for them to put the remaining creatures out of their misery. It could have been done a lot faster, but the boys decided to take their time. There was no need to rush things when victory was guaranteed. Helen also appreciated the provided time to get some rest. Having killed five packs on her own, she had completely lost her breath. Of course, she didn¡¯t even entertain the idea of getting anywhere near the piles of wolf corpses the others had surrounded the mirror with. Keeping her distance, she just lay on the ground, constantly holding the hit of her sword with one hand. When only one wolf remained, and everyone made sure that the wave remained officially ongoing, the group gathered near Helen. All of Alex¡¯s copies, on the other hand, remained close to the wolf, ready to react should it somehow break loose from its mirror trap. ¡°Told you it¡¯ll be easy,¡± Will cracked a joke. Despite her attempts to the contrary, Helen cracked a smile. ¡°Want to try wave five?¡± ¡°You gotta be kidding.¡± The girl attempted to laugh despite her exhaustion. ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Jace cracked his neck. ¡°No way you take out a hundred wolves, Stoner. And even if by some miracle you do, I can¡¯t. Finish off the last fucker and let¡¯s go back.¡± Right. They were still exploring the tutorial. All this, as addictive as it was, remained nothing more than a side challenge. Completing all nine waves would have no doubt earned them a nice reward, but they were far from fit. ¡°Alright,¡± Will said reluctantly. ¡°We rest a bit more, then end it.¡± ¡°You guys owe me for this,¡± Helen said. ¡°For real, sis.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°You get first pick for the next reward.¡± ¡°Alex¡­¡± the girl sat up. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± Ten minutes passed in discussions about teamwork and strategies. Apparently, nothing brought a team together faster than several waves of wolves set on killing them. There was ample speculation on what the remaining elites would be and, more importantly, the weapons they¡¯d leave behind. Alex was convinced that it would have to be related to his class due to some long winded conspiratorial reason that no one was able to fully follow. Jace didn¡¯t say much, though he, too, doubted he¡¯d be getting anything useful during the tutorial. In his view, it was more likely that the boss reward would be in his area. Once the small talk was done and everyone was rested, the four made their way to the entrance mirror. When they did, Alex¡¯s copies killed the last trapped wolf. The floor turned green, then almost instantly red again.
WAVE 5 GREAT WOLF added to each pack.
¡°Great wolf?¡± Will asked. ¡°No,¡± Helen said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m not staying to see it.¡± And to prove her point, she entered the mirror.
CHALLENGE OVER Waves passed ¨C 4.
The moment Will blinked, he found himself back in Ms. Stalter¡¯s classroom. Everything was in the same state he remembered leaving it. The only difference was the message visible on all the mirrors.
CHALLENGE REWARD (set) WOLF KEY FRAGMENT (permanent): enter the WOLF CHALLENGE from any mirror at will. (unavailable during tutorial)
¡°Those fuckers.¡± Jace¡¯s face twisted in a cold rage. ¡°All that shit for nothing.¡± Helen and Alex didn¡¯t have anything to add, either. Will could see from their body language that they expected something better as well. The issue with the reward was that it didn¡¯t provide any clear benefits, even if it wasn¡¯t for the restriction. All in all, they had just won a very expensive ¡°try again¡± token. Just for the sake of it, Will touched out and touched the surface of the mirror. The message disappeared. ¡°Think that counts as part of the loop?¡± Jace turned to Helen. ¡°Don¡¯t know, bro.¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± the girl said in a calm voice. ¡°There¡¯s enough time, provided we stop wasting it.¡± The hint was obvious and, to be honest, Will couldn¡¯t argue against it. They had just started their search of the second floor, barely clearing one room. If Alex¡¯s speculation was correct, they had about six more to go, including two weapon rooms. ¡°Smash the mirrors,¡± he said in a firm tone. ¡°We¡¯re done here, and as we¡¯ve seen, Alex can use a lot more fragments.¡± 41. River of Thieves
WOLF PACK REWARD (random) INVENTORY BOOST: you¡¯re able to hold 32 items in your inventory
The reward message appeared on the mirror¡¯s surface. ¡°Lucky fucker,¡± Jace said with a note of envy. ¡°Good luck using it.¡± ¡°Thanks, bro.¡± Alex grinned, oblivious. This was the third and final wolf room on the floor. The goblin mirrors had also been dealt with, earning Helen an impressive number of levels. At this point, she was close to reaching the class¡¯s limit, leading to speculation as to what would happen when she did. Alex seemed convinced that if she managed to ¡°hit the max¡± and defeat the tutorial boss, she might keep the class permanently without having to activate it from a mirror. It was a nice hypothesis, but based on absolutely nothing. Will, too, had reached level four of his class, earning him the Poison Resistance, Short Blade, and Light Landing skills. Each of them was good individually, but as Jace had gleefully pointed out, not terribly useful in the current situation. ¡°That¡¯s the floor,¡± the boy said in a determined tone. ¡°Only two left.¡± No one responded. Just as Alex had predicted, the group had found two hidden mirrors during their search of the second floor. Ironically, one was in the vice-principal¡¯s office and the other in a small supply closet. None of them had activated upon seeing Helen, which was good. As a result, the children had decided to explore the rest of the second floor without incident. Now, there was another decision to make. ¡°What do you think?¡± Helen turned to him. ¡°We go up or get some more levels?¡± ¡°We take the next weapon,¡± Will replied. ¡°If Alex is right, it¡¯ll only get more difficult further up. With luck, we might get another class weapon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with Stoner.¡± The jock leaned on Will¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve given up getting anything worth fuck, but you three need all the help you can get.¡± ¡°For real.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°Another knight piece might drop. The hint said that there are seven weapons that will help us. It didn¡¯t say that there were only seven rewards.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Will had to agree. ¡°We might get something completely different. Either way, it¡¯ll still be useful, and we¡¯ll eliminate another hidden mirror.¡± He paused. ¡°Or two.¡± Even with all their current level boost, the boy wasn¡¯t sure they could manage to defeat two elite enemies back-to-back. Hopefully, he¡¯d turn out wrong. When it came to eternity, they had to face them one at a time, allowing for a rest in-between. Exhaustion and injuries didn¡¯t fade, though. ¡°We start with the storage mirror,¡± Will continued. ¡°It¡¯s better for traps and will let us move the fight into the corridor. ¡°Look at you.¡± The jock tapped him on the back. ¡°Thinking strategically. If this is over, join the team. It¡¯ll be good for you.¡± If eternity ever ended, there were a thousand things that Will wanted to do before joining the football team. The compliment was very much appreciated, though. Who knows? Maybe at some point he might try it out again, just for the fun of it. After smashing another mirror for Alex to stock up on shards, the group went to the storage room. It was one of those small and useless ones whose only purpose was to allow the janitor and local staff to get things quickly instead of walking all the way to the basement. The hidden mirror had appeared on the wall facing the door. If she wanted to, Helen could touch it, just by taking a step inside and stretching. As usual, Alex placed several mirror traps on the floor. Two of his mirror copies were ready to add more in the corridor once the girl had pulled out. ¡°Be careful,¡± Will said. ¡°It might be another snake.¡± ¡°That will be lucky,¡± she said, placing the massive sword against the corridor wall. ¡°You might get a second knife.¡± Taking a step in, Helen paused and looked over her shoulder. Only Will was visible, holding a throwing knife. Calmly, the girl took out the mirror fragment from one of her pockets and pressed it against the mirror. Nothing seemed to happen. ¡°I guess it only works once the monster is killed,¡± she said and put it away again. ¡°Here goes.¡± She tapped the mirror, then immediately leaped back into the corridor. The girl was immediately followed by a humanoid figure that leaped out at an even greater speed. Will¡¯s reflexes kicked in. His hand moved on its own, throwing a dagger right at the target. There was a loud crunching sound as the figure cracked up, shattering into hundreds of pieces. Two conflicting emotions appeared in the boy: the quick rush of instant gratification that came with victory, as well as the dread of realizing what they were actually facing. ¡°Thief!¡± he shouted, throwing several more knives into the storage room. More figures emerged. Far too fast for any details to be made out. They shattered one after the other, consistently getting closer and closer to the corridor. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Close the door!¡± Will shouted, throwing what was left of his knives. ¡°Jace, hide somewhere fast!¡± Without needing to be told twice, Alex¡¯s mirror copies slammed the door, scattering a dozen mirror traps in front of it. Helen, too, grabbed her sword from the wall, ready for a fight. ¡°What the heck, Stoner?¡± Jace asked. ¡°Just because I¡¯m not like you guys¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re facing a thief copy,¡± Will interrupted, moving further down the corridor. ¡°He won¡¯t face us directly. He¡¯ll go after the weakest target, and that¡¯s you.¡± ¡°For real, bro,¡± Alex agreed, while creating a dozen mirror copies of himself. ¡°If one dies, the loop restarts.¡± The jock clenched his fists. Humiliation was one thing he still couldn¡¯t come to grips with, even after all this time as a craftsman in eternity. ¡°Next loop, I¡¯m taking another class!¡± he shouted, as he rushed down the corridor. Four copies of Alex followed him. Will was just about to yell out some more instructions when the door flew off its hinges, slamming into the opposing wall of the corridor. Thieves poured out by the dozens. The ones in front froze in place, captured by Alex¡¯s mirror traps, only to be shattered by those coming from behind.
HORIZONTAL SLICE
Helen¡¯s sword cut the cluster of thieves like grass, filling the air with mirror fragments. Taking a step back, she swung again, only this time her weapon was stopped by a sword just as large as her own. A second Helen stepped out of the storage room, her weapon, appearance, and attire identical to the one that had existed before. The only difference was that the new girl¡¯s skin had a faint silvery tint to it. ¡°What the heck level are you, Alex?¡± Will grabbed his poison dagger. ¡°Not me, bro!¡± the goofball replied. ¡°She¡¯s the keyholder.¡± That made things substantially worse. Just through goblin rewards alone, Helen had reached level seven. If the thief they were facing was of a similar level, it meant that it could use a whole host of skills that none of them had seen so far. It was especially telling that so far, it had only resorted to one of the skills Alex used. In other words, all of the goofball¡¯s abilities could be considered too weak to bother with. Massive swords slammed against each other in an exchange of blows that resembled the battle against the dark knight on the floor below. The only silver lining was that, unlike the knight, Helen¡¯s copy was visibly weaker. Apparently, the thief was only able to mimic a fraction of her abilities. ¡°Watch out, bro!¡± Alex shouted as more standard copies rushed out from the storage room. Just as many copies of Alex descended onto them, resulting in an explosion of glass as both sets proceeded to destroy each other. ¡°There¡¯s no point,¡± Alex¡ªthe real Alex¡ªsaid. ¡°He¡¯ll just stay in there and let others do the fighting.¡± That much was obvious, but it posed two major questions. The first one was how the mirror thief was able to see. It had been notable that while Helen was fighting her double in proximity to the door, no other standard copies had emerged. It was only when the two had moved well away from the storage room that a new wave had emerged. More importantly, though, where was the enemy getting his mirror shards from? According to the skill, one needed mirror fragments to create traps and copies and there definitely weren¡¯t any in the closet room, or even the entire floor. Any mirror the group had come by had been smashed and the fragments placed in Alex¡¯s backpack. ¡°Helen,¡± Will shouted. ¡°Can you handle things here?¡± ¡°What am I doing right now?!¡± the girl shouted back, finishing a vertical slice that effectively split a portion of the floor. ¡°I¡¯ll go in the mirror where he¡¯s hiding. You deal with the corridor. Remember, you¡¯re not the target.¡± There was no need to spell it out any further. The enemy¡¯s strategy was obvious. The way the forces were matched, it didn¡¯t need to win outright, just overwhelm them for long enough to kill Jace. The solution was to take the battle to the elite. ¡°Alex, can you make me a path?¡± Will asked. Ten steps away, waves of mirror copies kept on clashing into one another. ¡°You sure, bro? Even if you make it, I won¡¯t have much for the next one.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t make it, there won¡¯t be a next one this loop!¡± ¡°Right. Got you, bro.¡± The goofball took off his backpack and poured its contents onto the floor. Hundreds of mirror fragments crashed down with the unmistakable screechy crunch that only glass could make. ¡°Here goes, bro!¡± A torrent of Alexes emerged, rushing down the corridor like a river. They were smart enough to avoid the fighting Helens, moving along the walls of the corridor to the point they were able to go for the storage room. The sound of shattering glass intensified. Seeing the shift in strength, the hidden thief tried to increase his own flow of mirror copies, but that proved futile. Slowly but steadily, the Alexes pushed in, moving the point of contact up to the hidden mirror itself. ¡°Time to go, bro,¡± one of them whispered to Will, gently tugging his hand. Taking a deep breath, Will took a step forward, letting himself go along with the flow. For a while he felt as if the river of copies was carrying him like a leaf along a stream. He didn¡¯t feel anyone pushing him, and at the same time, he appeared to move without doing so. In a matter of seconds, he was already in the storage room and on his way to the mirror itself. ¡°Just like a MOBA,¡± another Alex said. ¡°Get ready to jump,¡± a third added. Will was already ahead of them. Thanks to his rogue skills, he had already established the best moment to react and what trajectory to take. A fraction of a second later, he leaped forward, dagger forward. Alexes shattered, as Will tunneled through on his way into the mirror. Upon breaching the reflective surface, the world around him changed into an endless plane of white. In nearly all aspects it resembled the room of the wolf challenge, but instead of wolves, a single humanoid figure was standing a short distance away, causing dozens of copies of himself to constantly pour out. It was here that Will could see the features of his enemy clearly for the first time. What initially shocked him was how nondescript the person was. He looked vaguely familiar and non-specific at the same time. Even now, the boy would have difficulties describing him to anyone. If there was one word he could use, it was average: average height, average build, average skin tone¡­ Even his hair was of average length and color. The clothes were the only thing remarkable, as one might call the tires of a car remarkable. Casual and grayish black, they were what anyone would wear if they weren¡¯t fussy about their appearance: jeans-like trousers, a long-sleeved hoodie with its hood down, and a pair of black fingerless gloves. A knife belt was strapped around his waist, with over a dozen of shiny, reflective daggers. Noticing an intruder in his domain, the thief turned his head slightly, looking straight at Will. ¡°Knife,¡± the boy whispered, opening his right hand. A weapon instantly found its way there, placed by one of Alex¡¯s copies. Concentrating on his target, Will made the throw. The knife split the air, hitting the thief right in the forehead. Sadly, the moment of joy was short-lived, as the attack caused the man to shatter, transforming into mirror fragments. Another copy? Will blinked. A split second later, five of the goofball¡¯s copies nearby simultaneously broke to pieces only to have the dark thief emerge two steps away, knife in hand. 42. A Thief to Fall ¡°Careful, bro!¡± Alex emerged beside Will, blocking the thief¡¯s attack just as fast as the other had struck. The two knives let out a spark when they hit one another. Neither shattered, just as their owners remained whole. If they were simple mirror copies, they would have shattered upon contact. That was the greatest weakness of that skill: one could create a massive army, but each of its members would be more fragile than glass. Seeing that he didn¡¯t have the upper hand, the thief leaped back. He was immediately followed by all of his mirror copies, which dispersed, moving away from one another. A forest of thieves had formed, with every single one of them just as likely being the real thing. ¡°I thought you stayed behind,¡± Will said, putting his back against Alex¡¯s. ¡°The class is all about deception, bro,¡± the other said with a grin. ¡°Never trust anything you see.¡± No wonder the boy was so good at keeping secrets. Thinking about it, maybe he was too good. There was no telling how many loops he had observed Helen and Will, always doing the same actions time after time again. Will would never manage to remain so consistent. Several of the thief copies disappeared, emerging feet away. They were stopped by the goofball¡¯s copies, yet one look was enough to show they were outnumbered. ¡°What happened with your army?¡± Will asked, looking around in an attempt to determine who was their real enemy. ¡°Not infinite, bro. I stopped making them when I joined you. Had to leave a few to keep things safe in the corridor.¡± ¡°Give me a knife.¡± Alex handed a proper knife to Will, who threw it at the nearest target. The copy shattered, as everyone expected. The knife, on the other hand, fell on the floor intact. ¡°Get ready,¡± Will whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll take them on one by one.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t work, bro. Deception is just one skill.¡± ¡°If I step into a trap, you¡¯ll help me break loose.¡± ¡°Not about traps. There are things I can¡¯t save you from.¡± ¡°Then why isn¡¯t he using them on me?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t given him an opening. If he makes the first move, he¡¯ll lose. If I was a bit faster, I¡¯d have gotten him.¡± A duel of thieves¡ªthe perfect stalemate. No wonder that Alex never made the first move. To a certain degree, their opponent was the same. Will suspected that he could have emerged on his own the instant Helen had found the mirror, but he preferred to let the others act first. That way, he could wait, observe, and prepare. He¡¯d probably listen in to their conversations and quickly come to the conclusion that all he needed to do in order to win was kill Jace. Will glanced at the entrance mirror. There was no telling what was going on back there. With her current skills and experience, there was a good chance that Helen was handling things, and still there was just enough doubt to cause concern. Without warning, six copies of the thief appeared around Will. They had to be using a skill to do so, for the boy never noticed them approaching until they were there. To his relief, their other actions were considerably slower. Evading the initial wave of attacks, the boy struck two of them in the neck in rapid succession.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200%
The copies shattered in unison. Yet, when Will attempted to stab the first, he found that he no longer held the dagger.
SNATCH Damage negated. Dagger snatched from target.
Alex joined in, striking one of the remaining copies. His hand clearly made contact, yet the entity didn¡¯t shatter, leaping back completely unharmed instead. ¡°Careful, bro.¡± The goofball tossed Will his dagger. ¡°Hold tight to your things.¡± He then proceeded to attack his opponent again, this time reducing him to mirror fragments. Will didn¡¯t pause to ask the question. Grabbing the weapon midair, he followed up with several more attacks. Two more copies were shattered. The last one, however, managed to get out of reach fast enough to remain whole. ¡°What happened?¡± He glanced at Alex, at the first moment of calm. ¡°Snatching,¡± the other replied. ¡°Risky, but useful. Doesn¡¯t hurt, but you get to grab something from your target.¡± Will looked at the dagger in his hand. He hadn¡¯t felt a thing. How was it possible for them to have snatched the weapon from his hand without him even suspecting? Clearly, Alex hadn¡¯t exaggerated when he¡¯d said that the thief class had far more dangerous skills. ¡°Anything else I should know?¡± He fastened his grip round the weapon¡¯s hilt. ¡°Nah, I think that¡¯s the best he got, bro.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. That was a relief of sorts. It still didn¡¯t make things easier. From here on both sides had engaged in a cat-and-mouse game in which the one to make the first move was at a disadvantage. If Helen were here, things might be different. There was no way anyone could snatch the massive sword from her hands. ¡°Can you make your copies tell Helen to come here?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± several Alexes asked. ¡°I don¡¯t control them, bro. They''re just a fragile version of me. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re twins or anything.¡± There went one plan. If they were to win, they had to defeat the thief on their own, but how could they? This was his room¡ªhis small sliver of eternity. Here he had the advantage, allowing him to achieve a lot more than any normal loop participant. Or was that the case? Alex had mentioned that the greatest weapons in a thief¡¯s arsenal were deception and surprise. What if being in the room came at a disadvantage that was merely difficult to spot? Thinking back, the snake had attempted to pull Helen into its mirror, but that might not have been its actual goal. It was just as logical to assume that it was purely wanted to squish her and that was its best opportunity. The knight had definitely preferred to fight in the open, and the thorn monster¡ªit was hiding in the mirror realm to conceal its own weakness. ¡°Try making a copy!¡± Will turned to his friend. ¡°Bro, I¡¯m out of fragments.¡± ¡°I know, just try it.¡± ¡°How? I need fragments to¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re in a mirror!¡± Will cut him short. ¡°Just do it!¡± For a split second one of the thieves turned his head, focusing on Alex. It was as if an invisible mental confrontation was taking place. Then, seemingly at the exact same moment, all hell broke loose. Hundreds of copies streamed out of Alex, dashing in all directions like a waterfall. Hundreds of thieves also did the same, pouring out from the real opponent. Unwilling to be in the middle of this, Will leaped away, just as the two bases of entities clashed into one another. The sound of shattering glass was everywhere. A border of perpetual mirror shards emerged as copies pressed against one another, neither side able to get the advantage. If only I had taken the chain, Will thought. As things stood, spinning it around would have been the perfect weapon for this battlefield. Then suddenly it hit him. There was no reason he couldn¡¯t get it here. If this entire realm acted as a mirror¡ªany mirror¡ªit had to share the same properties of all the rest. Landing on the floor, the boy tapped on the white surface. ¡°Please work,¡± he whispered. ¡°Show me my inventory.¡± There was a momentary flash, after which the whiteness of a section of the floor subsided, creating a reflective grid. ¡°Yes!¡± Will reached down into the square that contained the chain. His hand sank in with ease. Feeling around to make sure not to wound himself on a spike, he then grabbed hold of a link and pulled the chain out. The result was utterly unexpected. Flexible as a whip, the chain emerged, ten times longer than it was before. Will could no longer feel the weight of the weapon, as if it were made of cotton. Wasting no time, he spun it around above his head. At its present length, the end of the chain slashed into the wave of mirror copies, shattering them by the dozen. ¡°Careful, bro!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°You smashed more of mine than his!¡± Will didn¡¯t respond. Another thought had just come to mind. It was rather risky, but he felt it was the right move. Besides, it was high time he started relying on his instincts and taking charge. A leader had to act like a leader, and while overconfidence wasn¡¯t always the best adviser, being timid had helped him achieve far less. Increasing the speed of his spinning, the boy aimed for the thief. There was every chance that the one creating the copies was just another fake. However, he was as good a point of reference as any. ¡°Let¡¯s see you get out of this.¡± Will released the chain. Swishing through the air, the weapon shattered everything along its path, like a giant metal serpent devouring all that stood before it. In several seconds, hundreds of thief copies were no more, as the head of the chain slammed into its target. To no surprise, that turned out to be a copy as well, leaving the chain to continue on its path of destruction. In shattering that specific copy, though, Will had also paused the enemy¡¯s ability to create copies. It only lasted a moment; a few seconds later, another copy continued the process, but those few seconds were more than enough to break the stalemate. The flow of Alex¡¯s copies surged, engulfing the thief¡¯s armies like water melting ice. For close to five seconds more, the elite opponent tried to compensate. Seeing it was hopeless, he quickly changed approach, resorting to other skills. A small circle of destruction emerged in the mass of copies, as dozens of them were killed through a method Will couldn¡¯t even determine. It was a risky move, creating a vulnerability¡ªthe single figure left in the center of destruction. There was only a split second for the boy to react before his opponent could vanish, disappearing among the copies, and Will took it. The poison dagger split the air, striking the target in the neck. This time, there was no shattering. The human form stumbled, making an attempt to turn and look at the person who had killed him.
LETHALLY POISONED
The effects of the dagger prevented that from happening. A moment later, the room disappeared. Will found himself on the floor of the storage room, with all office and storage materials scattered on the floor. ¡°Sorry, bro!¡± Alex almost shouted, quickly leaping two steps back. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡± he stopped upon seeing Will a few steps away, standing upright. Curiosity made both boys look down on the floor, which is where they saw it¡ªthe body of the thief lying lifelessly on the floor. That wasn¡¯t all; the body was wrapped in the spiked chain. ¡°Bro! That was lit!¡± Alex said. ¡°For real!¡± Everything had moved so fast that Will still couldn¡¯t believe it was over. Seeing the results, he had to acknowledge it. Just to be sure, he looked at the mirror. The green glint over it confirmed that they had indeed won. ¡°What happened?¡± Helen became visible in the corridor, her sword in the air and ready to strike. ¡°No!¡± Alex raised his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t chop! We won.¡± The girl looked at him, then turned to Will. If there was a moment for her to be tempted to accidentally swing her sword through him, this was it. The green glow of the mirror, though, changed her mind. ¡°Took you a while,¡± she said. ¡°I had already killed everything here.¡± Lowering her weapon, she moved closer. ¡°What was it like in there?¡± ¡°It was like the wolf challenge,¡± Will replied. ¡°Just with him.¡± ¡°And a hundred thousand copies,¡± Alex eagerly added. ¡°Yeah, right.¡± The girl smirked. ¡°At least you got the weapon.¡± She bent down and placed her hand on the thief¡¯s back. To little surprise, the body faded away, only leaving the knife belt behind. ¡°A belt?¡± Will asked. ¡°Fire, bro!¡± Alex said, grabbing the item. ¡°Major OP! It¡¯s a knife belt, and it has mirror blades in it? I bet each of them has a special power and if I combine them all, I get a lion sword!¡± ¡°Alex, that¡¯s¡­¡± Helen began. Seeing Will shake his head, she abruptly stopped. ¡°Jace will know what they do. Meanwhile¡ª¡± she took a step towards the mirror. ¡°Wait!¡± Will grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Not yet. Try using the fragment piece.¡± ¡°I was going to,¡± the girl said, as she glanced at his hand. ¡°Right.¡± Will pulled it off. ¡°Sorry about that.¡± When the two mirrors made contact, a message appeared on the screen.
ROOM REWARD (random) WOUND TOLERANCE: One wound you receive doesn¡¯t count.
Given that she was the keyholder, this was quite good as far as rewards went. At the same time, Will couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly disappointed. He was so certain that it had to be a permanent reward. The fact that it wasn¡¯t only meant that he had been very, very lucky. 43. Back at Moose Cafe ¡°So, you got this?¡± the jock glared at Alex. ¡°It¡¯s complete crap.¡± Everyone patiently waited for him to continue. ¡°It¡¯s a belt that comes with twelve mirror daggers,¡± Jace added. ¡°That¡¯s it. And it¡¯s eternal.¡± ¡°Fire! It restocks on knives.¡± Alex grabbed it. Jace, however, had no intention of letting go. ¡°Not even close, muffin boy.¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°They¡¯re there at the start of the loop. That¡¯s it.¡± He let go. Despite the physical difference between the two, Alex didn¡¯t seem at all surprised or affected. Feeling the belt free, he quickly put it on with one swift action, then checked the knives. Sadly, half of them were missing. ¡°Do you think that counts as a weapon?¡± Helen wondered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t count for twelve,¡± Will replied. ¡°It might be considered both, though. Mirror knives are perfect for a thief. He can make traps and copies with them.¡± ¡°Big oof there, bro,¡± Alex said, still checking out the belt. Even after tightening it as much as possible, it seemed a few sizes larger than it was supposed to be. ¡°I¡¯m out of mirror pieces. I can make six of either, plus the copies that are already here.¡± In total, that made fifteen. Out of the thousands of mirror copies, only nine had survived. There was always the possibility that the next battle could also be within the mirror, but no one wanted to rely on that too much. ¡°What¡¯s the plan now?¡± Helen turned to Will. ¡°We try our luck with the last one, or we explore the third floor?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go for the harpy,¡± the goofball quickly said, glowing with enthusiasm. ¡°Not lit to leave one off.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, muffin boy? You have OCD?¡± Jace grinned. ¡°Each of us got a thing. This one could be your turn.¡± Alex grinned. ¡°Maybe the chain was his thing.¡± Despite herself, Helen couldn¡¯t help it, making everyone except the jock stifle a laugh. That aside, there was some logic in Alex¡¯s words. So far, he, Will, and Helen had received an item. The chain was clearly meant to be for the entire party when fighting the boss. A bigger question was what could a crafter¡¯s special item be? It would be lame if it were a common weapon, like a sword or dagger. He wasn¡¯t a tank, so it couldn¡¯t be a shield. The first thought that came to Will¡¯s mind was an anvil, but he desperately hoped that not to be the case. Maybe the crafter didn¡¯t have unique tools? It was possible that he had to make use of his skills and any items he came along. Jace had already proven he could fix a whole lot of things¡ªthough he still drew a blank at complex electronic devices. ¡°Let¡¯s just get it over with,¡± he said at last. ¡°At least we¡¯ll get an idea of what we¡¯ll be facing. We might even get lucky and face a copy of Jace¡¯s class.¡± ¡°With our luck, he¡¯ll come at us with a flamethrower,¡± the jock replied. ¡°Bro! Next time make a flamethrower!¡± Alex said. ¡°It¡¯ll be fire!¡± Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Will went down the corridor in the direction of the vice principal¡¯s office. Soon, he was followed by the rest of his group. The damage they¡¯d done so far was massive. If the school had guards or even proper cameras, it would be crawling with people right now. For the first time in their life, the children were glad that it wasn¡¯t special. With the exception of Halloween, no one had shown any interest in the place. Most of the equipment was old, outdated and not worth the effort. We need to get better, Will thought. They¡¯d only faced four serious enemies so far, and still had more losses than victories. That was the main reason he wanted to face a fifth elite¡ªthat way he¡¯d know whether the group had actually improved, or all their wins had been purely based on luck. The vice-principal¡¯s room held unpleasant memories for most of the group. At some point in time everyone had passed through here, usually when they were in trouble. With the exception of Jace, loops had drastically increased the visits. Will and Helen had been there frequently in their early loops, and subsequently when they were ransacking the place in search of Daniel¡¯s school files. While Alex denied it, there was a constant rumor going around that he had been a permanent visitor. Whether that was true remained uncertain, but it was definitely believable. As for Jace, as most members of the football team, he had frequent run-ins with the woman. To no one¡¯s surprise, the hidden mirror had appeared directly beneath the clock on the wall. ¡°I really hate this clock,¡± Helen said. ¡°You kidding?¡± The jock looked at her. ¡°It was the only thing keeping me sane.¡± ¡°You too, bro?¡± Alex looked at him in surprise. ¡°I thought I was the only one.¡± A thick fog moved beneath the mirror¡¯s surface, preventing anything from reflecting through. Based on what they had experienced, it was a safe bet that the monster wouldn¡¯t be a mirror image. That meant it would be one of the creatures and, depending on its nature, the fight would either be over in a minute, or would cause the loop to restart. ¡°What¡¯s your guess?¡± the goofball asked. ¡°Think the monster will be the harpy? That would be lit.¡± Both Jace and Will choked, trying to suppress their laughter. ¡°Why would you even think that?¡± Helen glared at Alex. ¡°Well¡­ she¡¯s the harpy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m not even going to argue.¡± ¡°What do you think her skills will be like?¡± Jace joined in the speculation. ¡°Mirror detention?¡± ¡°Bro! That¡¯s so lit! Like locking all that cause trouble in mirrors for half of eternity. Maybe she¡¯s been using it all this time? Hiding in plain sight. Maybe she has the principal locked in there and that¡¯s why she gets to run the show.¡± ¡°We used to see the principal every week,¡± Will countered. ¡°Ah.¡± Alex waved a finger. ¡°But was that the principle, bro? Or just another mirror image? Maybe the harpy keeps him and creates an image out now and then to fool people.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°How do you come up with such stuff, muffin boy?¡± Jace asked, still smiling. ¡°Lots of time, bro. Conspiracies are the only interesting thing left.¡± ¡°I find them dumb.¡± Helen made her way to the mirror. ¡°Ready?¡± Taking out two of his mirror daggers, Alex placed two traps on the floor, then nodded. Will, too, had two throwing knives at the ready. Meanwhile, Jace made his way out of the room. ¡°Tell me what she looks like,¡± he said as he closed the door behind him. With everything set, Will nodded. The girl tapped the mirror and quickly leaped back. This was the moment of truth. Usually, the creature would be quick to appear, but in this case, it seemed to take its time. Seconds passed with no apparent change. It was almost as if the elite were provoking them to make the next move. ¡°Think we have to fight inside?¡± Helen asked, gripping her sword with both hands. ¡°Bros, maybe it¡¯s already here?¡± Alex whispered. In response, Will threw a knife at the foggy surface. The weapon flew in, creating a ripple on the glass. ¡°I doubt it,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s waiting for something.¡± ¡°Why would it be waiting?¡± Helen asked. ¡°It might be weak in direct confrontation. Like the thief''s copy.¡± ¡°Alex, if it was weak, it would have attacked from a distance already.¡± ¡°Maybe it has and we just can¡¯t see it?¡± ¡°Forget it!¡± The girl went up to the mirror. ¡°I got one free would, so I¡¯ll just go in and¡ª¡±
Poison effect reduced.
Will saw a message appear. His first thought was that he had caused something. Of the party, he was the only person with a poison weapon. Instinct made him look down at his hand, if only to make sure he hadn¡¯t nicked himself. Then it came to him. The dagger wasn¡¯t the only poison related skill he had. ¡°Hold your breath!¡± he shouted. ¡°The air¡¯s poisoned.¡± Barely had he finished when Alex pulled Helen back. The moment he did, a projectile of some sort emerged from the mirror, causing him to shatter to pieces. Always with the copies, Will thought. In this case, the goofball was right to do so. ¡°Get out of here!¡± Will leaped towards the mirror. Since he had poison resistance, he was at a much lesser disadvantage than anyone else in the group.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
Mentally affected by the old loop, the boy leaped forward, landing facedown on the decorative patch of grass next to the pavement. The sound of nearby laughter and insults followed. ¡°Good job, weirdo.¡± Jess glanced at him as she walked by with her friend. Will ignored her. For several seconds, he just lay there as his mind tried to catch up with the abrupt changes. Slowly standing up, so that the ridicules could end, he took out his phone. Already there were several messages on it. Jace: what happened? Alex: ? ^.^¡¯ Helen: No idea Jace: stoner, u mess up? Helen: Wasn¡¯t him Helen: I got poisoned Clearly, this was going to be a long conversation. Aside from the obvious, Will had no idea how exactly they had been killed and, by the looks of it, neither did anyone else. The mouse cafe. he typed in Jace: ? mouse Alex: he means moose Helen: Mousse. Helen: Idiots. More messages followed, but Will had already put his phone away. Standard loops were short as it was. They only had less than ten minutes to discuss matters and not a moment to waste. ¡°So, aren¡¯t you supposed to be at school?¡± the barista asked in his usual chill demeanor. ¡°Free period,¡± Helen said without blinking. ¡°I¡¯d like some cocoa, please.¡± ¡°A soda for me,¡± Jace said. ¡°I¡¯m good, bro.¡± Alex waved, munching a muffin. The barista gave the goofball a disappointed look, then went to get the others what they had ordered. Once everything was brought, and with seven minutes left to go, the real conversation began. ¡°I think it¡¯s a copy of me,¡± Will said. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything else that has poison.¡± ¡°Bro, the snake had poison. It also appeared from a clouded mirror. Maybe this one used a new set of skills?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we have seen it poison the air?¡± Helen took a sip from her cocoa. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any spray of smoke or anything.¡± ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t in the air,¡± Will suggested. ¡°The cloud could have been poisoned, so you got it by activating the mirror.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fucked.¡± Jace shook his head. ¡°I bet that¡¯s it. Better use protection when activating mirrors,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°Nah, bro. Can¡¯t be just that.¡± Alex took another muffin from his pocket and bit off half of it. ¡°My copy shattered. Poison doesn¡¯t shatter copies.¡± ¡°Poison and throwing knives,¡± Will insisted. ¡°It has to be a rogue copy. Two of you have gotten yours. It¡¯s time for mine.¡± ¡°Two copies on the same floor? I don¡¯t know, Stoner. I¡¯m with the snake idea.¡± ¡°Either way, we need to deal with the poison.¡± Will looked at Helen. ¡°The extra wound didn¡¯t do squat, so that¡¯s not the answer. The way things are, we¡¯ve only got two options.¡± Everyone leaned in. ¡°We skip the room and explore the third floor.¡± The boy paused. ¡°Or Helen takes my class.¡± Everyone froze, as if they¡¯d witnessed a car crash. ¡°Your skill, bro?¡± Alex asked. ¡°It takes four classes to complete the tutorial, but it isn¡¯t said that they have to be held by four people. I¡¯ll just extend my loop and let Helen take the knight and the rogue. At level four, she¡¯ll get poison resistance, so it should be fine.¡± ¡°Two classes¡­¡± the jock mused, considering the option. ¡°She¡¯s the keyholder. That¡¯s the only thing we can¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Two classes won¡¯t make it easier.¡± Helen joined the conversation. ¡°It¡¯s nice you offered, but¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s just for the elite,¡± Will interrupted. ¡°Once you kill him, we end the loop and continue as normal.¡± ¡°For real, bro! That¡¯s lit!¡± Alex said in a way that made Will wonder why no one had thought about the idea. The goofball, of all people, should know what it was like. After all, he had been using two classes up to the point that Jace had joined them in eternity. ¡°Just till we get the weapon?¡± Helen turned to Will. ¡°Just till then.¡± He nodded. ¡°Meanwhile, we¡¯ll be gophers,¡± Jace said, ruining the moment. ¡°Muffin boy will need lots of fragments, so we¡¯ll carry extra loads. Three backpacks ought to do the trick. If not, I¡¯m taking your class!¡± he pointed at Alex. It was a solid plan. But if there was one thing Will had come to see when dealing with eternity, it was that even a solid plan needed a few loops to kick in. By the time the barista went to the table to ask how they¡¯d be paying for everything ordered, the allocated ten minutes had come to an end.
Restarting eternity.
44. Distrust of the Past
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
¡°Know what?¡± Jace asked as he kept on fiddling around with his metal gauntlet. It had taken him five attempts to get anything remotely useful, but he was getting the hang of it fast. The last loop, the thing had fallen off his hand after a minute of him moving his fingers about. ¡°I think we should armor up. Remember how long it took for you to poison the knight?¡± Leaning against the corridor wall, Will calmly listened to the sounds of broken glass coming from further down. Unlike the previous two times, it had lasted almost half a minute, giving him hope. Yet his suspicion was that they¡¯d fail again. ¡°Maybe,¡± he said. Helen and Alex were the most experienced by far, with their own eternal weapons, and all levels and rewards from three floors. If there was a pattern, they would have spotted it by now. Therein lay the problem. In every loop so far, Helen had died in a completely different fashion. First it had been poison suspected to have been present in the mirror. The second time, she had died from a projectile, at least as far as she could tell. The third time remained unclear, but it had occurred at the moment she¡¯d attempted to enter the mirror, suggesting a trap of some sort. At no point had anyone seen the actual opponent. Even when Alex had tried to overwhelm the monster, as the thief copy had done in their last major battle, the results had been the same. The boy¡¯s train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a slam in the wall that occurred ten inches from his face. ¡°Fucking hell!¡± Jace shouted, pressing his right hand¡ªgauntlet and all¡ªagainst his stomach in a display of extreme agony. ¡°Not quite there?¡± Will barely flinched. He had started getting used to eternity, including the extreme actions of his friends. The jock continued to swear for another ten seconds, before finally reaching a point that he could tolerate the pain. Carefully, he pulled his hand out of the gauntlet, before throwing it onto the ground. ¡°At least it¡¯s in one piece.¡± ¡°Shut it!¡± Jace snapped. ¡°Eternity sucks. I¡¯d get ten times worse during training every day. Now, I feel like barfing when I stub my toe.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason for it.¡± The jock stared at him. ¡°None of our abilities match,¡± he said. ¡°I bet if you give that to Helen, it¡¯ll be a lot more useful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going through all this crap, so I don¡¯t have to give it to her.¡± Jace said in a bitter tone. ¡°Unlike you, I¡¯m not willing to be trash for the rest of my life!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, and maybe that¡¯s the point.¡± Without mercy or hesitation, the jock grabbed Will by the throat. Since he didn¡¯t have any of the rogue¡¯s abilities, there was nothing Will could do to prevent it. The pain was multiplied to the point that he felt as if his throat was being crushed. Even so, he chose not to react. ¡°None of us can change it. Ever thought that might be eternity¡¯s point?¡± He looked straight into the jock¡¯s eyes, accepting the pain that would inevitably follow. To his surprise, the other loosened his grip somewhat. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But think about it. Why must we get our class every loop? We¡¯re always close to our mirror so that no one else can take it, but until we do, there¡¯s no restriction. Before you joined, Alex used to take your class every day. Helen let me borrow the knight once, and from what she said, Danny let her borrow his.¡± ¡°Your point?¡± ¡°With all of eternity¡¯s restrictions, why are we allowed to get all the classes if we wanted to?¡± An explosion of sound came from the vice-principal¡¯s office, sounding as if a truck of crystal vases had crashed into a china shop. Waiting for another few seconds, Jace briskly let go of Will¡¯s throat. ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± he said. ¡°Eternity¡¯s a team game. Without me, the tutorial wouldn¡¯t even fucking start.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the tutorial,¡± Will admitted. ¡°I¡¯m talking about what follows.¡± He slid his fingers along his throat. The skin was still painful, as if it had been set on fire. What he couldn¡¯t add was that he thought that Daniel had been lying about a great many things. It was impossible that the previous rogue hadn¡¯t come to the same conclusions Will had. The pattern was obvious. The classes of the skills were composed in such a way as to compliment each other. If one took them all, they¡¯d be able to achieve so much more. Knight¡¯s endurance, rogue¡¯s sight and reflexes, thief¡¯s speed and traps, plus the crafter¡¯s ability to customize gear¡­ with so much power, there¡¯d be no stopping anyone. And yet, there was no indication in any of Danny¡¯s desk scribbles that he had attempted doing so. ¡°Four are needed for the tutorial,¡± Jace said in a firm tone. ¡°Why else end it if one of us dies?¡± Will remained quiet. ¡°Unless eternity ends when we complete it¡­¡± the jock added. ¡°You think that¡¯s it?¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Will admitted. ¡°But you¡¯re right. All four of us must start and all four of us must end.¡± ¡°You think that Danny completed the tutorial?¡± The speed at which Jace came to the conclusion surprised Will. He never considered the jock to be stupid, but rather more on the ¡°mentally lazy¡± side. The larger boy had put all his effort into football, intent on riding that ticket until graduation. There had never been any need to do too well in any other subject, since the coach, the teachers, and even the principal himself were willing to show leniency as long as the football team brought in results. When he wanted to, though, Jace was just as good at coming to complex conclusions at the slightest external nudge. ¡°What¡¯s the thing that happens after training?¡± Will looked at Jace. ¡°Competing against other teams.¡± ¡°Stoner, sometimes you really can be something.¡± The other tapped him on the side of the face. ¡°He didn¡¯t die before the tutorial, but after it.¡± Will nodded. ¡°Helen and Alex said that there was a one week pause from eternity. There could have been more before that.¡± ¡°That fucker.¡± Jace shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s been recruiting a new team. Muffin boy, Hel, maybe even me, for all I know.¡± ¡°And while he did, something killed him.¡± There remained elements that didn¡¯t fully fit, like how he had died, and what exactly had caused the week of normalcy. Even so, the more Will thought about it, the more he believed himself to be on the right track. ¡°Is that why you let them go ahead alone?¡± Jace looked at the door to the vice-principal¡¯s office. ¡°Don¡¯t trust them?¡± ¡°I trust them.¡± At least for what¡¯s important. ¡°I don¡¯t trust Danny.¡± Jace whistled. ¡°That¡¯s a big one. How can you catch a dead guy in a lie?¡± ¡°By looking at what he left behind.¡± The boy took a step forward. The noise of breaking glass had diminished, yet the slamming of metal on concrete continued in full force. ¡°I need you to ask for a pause next loop,¡± he whispered. ¡°Say you want to focus on gear. I¡¯ll back you up.¡± ¡°Sneaky fuck. Sure. What then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have a chat with Alex. If there¡¯s anything fishy, he¡¯ll know.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll focus on Hel and see what she knows.¡± The reaction was more than logical, but deep inside, Will felt opposed to it. For some reason, he really preferred for Jace to do his own thing in private. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, despite his inner reluctance. ¡°I should be done in a few loops, but we¡¯ll keep in touch.¡± ¡°And what if they win?¡± Will instinctively wanted to retort that there was no chance of that. However, reality proved faster, doing it for him.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
As he promised, Jace asked to take a pause from the tutorial for a few loops so he could build some protective gear for Helen. The girl, on her part, remained determined to defeat the opponent before she would allow that. Neither she nor Alex had any idea regarding the opponent¡¯s exact nature. All they were able to find out during the last loop was that the enemy was a humanoid using a series of exotic weapons¡ªchiefly poison. Will¡¯s decision to offer his class had helped a bit, but even then the poison had finally managed to take hold, killing off Helen and bringing to the restart of eternity. For the next two loops, Will and Jace were forced to play along, focusing on issues and discussing them in the entrance corridor of the school, while the other two of the group did all the fighting and killing. The jock¡¯s gauntlet continued to improve to the point that he offered it to Helen for her next fight. Since it didn¡¯t provide any solution to the problem at hand¡ªpoison¡ªthe offer was briskly rejected. Finally, five losses later, the group mutually decided it was time for a break. Jace convinced Helen that with the proper gear, she¡¯d be able to avoid getting poisoned altogether, while Will arranged for a longer meeting with Alex. ¡°We should go to the third floor, bro,¡± the goofball said, sampling chocolate fudge biscuits that he¡¯d never otherwise buy for the sole reason that each cost thirty-five ninety. ¡°A few more levels to get OP and we¡¯d go back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the level,¡± Will said. ¡°The two of you have been boosting those to the max and you still couldn¡¯t win.¡± ¡°Nah, bro. Two classes take a lot more to level than one. Three more wolf rooms and we¡¯d be done.¡± Will highly doubted it, but nodded nonetheless. ¡°Did you think about what I said about Danny?¡± Alex suddenly changed the topic. ¡°Yeah.¡± Will paused for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re right. He must have had a team. I also think that he completed the tutorial.¡± ¡°Lit.¡± The other smiled. ¡°Taking your first step beyond eternity.¡± ¡°His conflict with the archer, the ability to go beyond the school zone¡­¡± ¡°For real. He almost confirmed it with his sessions with Mister June. It wasn¡¯t even a dream this time. He just said he imagined himself leaving school and walking about the city, leaving everything behind. Well, there was more.¡± The boy bit into another biscuit. ¡°Want one? They¡¯re fire.¡± As tempting as the offer was, Will had other things in mind. ¡°Teach me how to be a thief,¡± he said, causing his friend to freeze. ¡°For real, bro?¡± he asked after several seconds. ¡°At some point, the tutorial will end. I want to be ready.¡± In truth, there was one more reason for which Will wanted to get used to the other classes. His permanent reward skill allowed him to face past elites alone. Even if he wouldn¡¯t be able to collect any additional items from them, he wanted to measure up against stronger opponents and see how much he needed to improve. ¡°Eternity isn¡¯t for going solo.¡± Alex¡¯s tone changed. ¡°Even Danny didn¡¯t try that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about going solo. It¡¯s about being ready. You¡¯ve used two classes.¡± The other¡¯s eyes narrowed. There was nothing goofy about him anymore, as if Will had ventured into a taboo topic. ¡°Have you tried it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said. For the first time since Will had known him, he could feel a note of regret. ¡°Before Helen joined in. Was just me and Danny, so I asked to try out all the classes. He let me.¡± Will waited. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked after a while. ¡°Archer. No idea how he found out. While I was checking out how the four classes gelled, he stormed the school.¡± Alex leaned back. ¡°The arrogant jerk didn¡¯t even try to be subtle. He killed out half the people at school, and most of the first responders. I felt too good about myself as well, so I tried to stop him.¡± This was an interesting detail that the boy had kept hidden. By the way he spoke, Will already knew that the story wouldn¡¯t have a happy ending, although he was curious why his friend hadn¡¯t shared it before, especially since he seemed so open about it now. ¡°He killed you,¡± Will guessed. ¡°Killed me.¡± The other let out a bitter laugh. ¡°That would have been too easy. He shot through my arms and legs, then left me there, just to let me know he could do that anytime. Then, he took Danny and went off.¡± The boy closed his eyes. ¡°Remember before when I said I made sure that the archer stopped meddling with things? I lied. He acted out once more¡ªthat time. I don¡¯t know what he did to Danny, and the guy never told me, but after that, he really stopped. Since then, he¡¯s reappeared a few more times, just as a reminder. At first it was shortly after Helen joined eternity. The second time was when you got looped.¡± ¡°And Jace? I haven¡¯t seen him¡ª¡± ¡°Whatever the tutorial is, it seems to protect us from outside meddling. But you guessed right. Once it¡¯s over, he¡¯ll probably be back. If he sees you taking on all four classes, he might be back sooner.¡± He looked at his phone. ¡°We¡¯ve faced some nasty mods since the start of the tutorial. Those elites are no joke, but they¡¯re nothing compared to him. If you stand out too much, he might target you, and it¡¯ll be on his terms. So, are you sure you want to start learning other classes, bro?¡± That wasn¡¯t a revelation Will expected. He¡¯d already seen firsthand how powerful the archer was. If, according to Alex, that was him playing around, one could only imagine what he¡¯d be like when he got serious. For some reason, that made Will all the more determined. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I want to learn how to use your class properly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Alex reached out and grabbed another luxurious biscuit from the table. ¡°You know where my mirror is. Meet me there.¡± 45. Taking the Thief Class The external parking lot seemed off from what Will remembered it to be. The cars appeared to be the same, but there was something different. After a few seconds, the boy realized what¡ªthe side mirrors were still attached. That suggested that Alex hadn¡¯t gone on his mirror hunting spree yet. However, there was no sign of the goofball anywhere. Could it be that he had made Will go there for nothing? ¡°You still sure about this, bro?¡± the familiar voice asked. ¡°Might be a bit more than you could handle.¡± ¡°Where were you?¡± Will asked. ¡°Had to do something.¡± That was more than slightly suspicious, but Alex was known to be weird, so Will let it slide. ¡°So, how do we do it?¡± he asked. ¡°You know the drill, bro.¡± Alex pointed at the mirror pole. ¡°Go at it.¡± Looking around to make sure he wasn¡¯t drawing any attention, Will walked up to the mirror pole, then jumped up and hit it with his hand.
You have discovered THE THIEF (number 3) Use additional mirrors to find out more! Good luck!
Number three? Will thought. ¡°Is there any meaning behind the numbers?¡± he asked. ¡°No idea, bro.¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°Danny thought so. Difficult to come to conclusions with just four classes.¡± ¡°What about the archer?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t get to ask him,¡± the goofball chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t got that much rizz. Danny said there were twenty-four¡ªfour at each location.¡± Six locations, potentially all in the city. Will had a pretty good idea where the archer¡¯s area was. Alex had let slip that he knew of at least one other. ¡°Where are the instruction mirrors?¡± ¡°Third floor bathrooms,¡± the other replied. ¡°Boys for the thief, girls for the crafter.¡± ¡°You knew that all along?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sus. Wasn¡¯t useful, bro. I know the skills by heart.¡± Will didn¡¯t like that one bit. ¡°What¡¯s the order?¡± ¡°Been a while, bro. One, two, three?¡± He glanced at the school building. ¡°You can always go and find out.¡± Going through school was the last thing Will wanted right now, mostly because he didn¡¯t want to bump into Jace or Helen. If he wanted to go ahead with his real plan, though, he didn¡¯t have much of a choice. Moving to the nearest car, he snapped a side mirror off. An alarm sounded, filling the air with screams. ¡°Big oof, bro.¡± Alex seemed rather amused. ¡°Can¡¯t do that before level two.¡± Passers-by in the area stared in the direction of the alarm. Some of them even caught eye of the mirror that Will was holding. Most were hesitant to get involved, but he knew that it wouldn¡¯t be long before he got into trouble. ¡°This is the part where you run, bro,¡± Alex suggested. ¡°No.¡± Will remained where he was. ¡°This way I¡¯ll learn my lesson faster.¡±
Restarting eternity.
Will tapped the mirror, then rushed to the school entrance. It was supposed to be a short run, but the speed was a lot greater than anything he imagined, causing him to bump into Jess and Ely on the way. ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Ely shouted. ¡°Sorry.¡± Will reacted. ¡°I was just¡ª¡± ¡°Get the hell away, weirdo!¡± The girl stood up to him. ¡°I¡¯m telling¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Jess interrupted her. ¡°Really.¡± ¡°No! It''s not okay. This shithead¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Jess stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡± Ely gave the boy a glare that could melt steel, then accompanied her friend into the building. For several seconds, Will just stood there, wondering what had happened. This wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d bumped into someone. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d knocked someone over, either. The fashion in which he had done so went beyond anything he was used to. ¡°Off, bro,¡± Alex said, making his way casually from the school gate. ¡°It¡¯s like that the first time.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s sprinting?¡± ¡°Nah, bro.¡± The other tapped him on the back. ¡°That¡¯s fast walking.¡± No wonder that the goofball managed to meet up with him every morning so soon after the start of the loop. Combining that with his mirror copies, it was clear how he got to claim the crafter class and get Danny¡¯s file at the same time. Funny how only someone with the class would see the world the same way. Back when Will and Helen tried to get the file, they weren¡¯t able to come up with anything. Now, after only a few minutes with the thief class, the boy viewed it as the most common thing in the world. ¡°There¡¯s still nine minutes and a half, bro,¡± Alex reminded him. ¡°Plenty of time to get to the bathrooms, if you go slowly.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The goofball was right. Will had plenty of time to go up there and read the hints and instructions. Then again, with his current abilities, there was something else he could do as well. Taking the thief class didn¡¯t just grant him Alex¡¯s set of skills, it also opened up Helen¡¯s. Before that, though, he had to learn how to get them. Students and teachers were filling up the corridors. The staircases were especially packed. As he reached them, Will got a glance of Jace. It was almost comical how the jock was avoiding people on his way. In the past, he¡¯d walk through anyone blocking his path. The pain that eternity attached to such actions had forced him into being more careful, mostly for his sake. ¡°Hold up,¡± Alex said, grabbing Will by the shoulder. No sooner had he done so, when a backpack flew through the air, landing a few feet away. ¡°It¡¯s all good, Kenny, bro!¡± the goofball shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it up to you.¡± Will looked up. There had been an altercation between students a few flights above. Interesting that he¡¯d never noticed up to now. ¡°How did you know?¡± he asked. ¡°Matter of timing, bro.¡± The other picked up the backpack. ¡°See you on the third floor.¡± Considering what Will had dealt with on a daily basis in the tutorial, the trip to the bathroom was too calm for his own good. With all the mental anxiety that came with the third floor, the boy expected for a monster to emerge at any point. The fact that it didn¡¯t happen only made him fearful that his enemy was lying somewhere in wait. Looking over his shoulder, the boy went into the boys¡¯ bathroom. Unfortunately for him, it was occupied. A couple of older boys were standing at the far end, discussing something in hushed voices. The moment they saw Will enter, both looked in his direction. ¡°Yo,¡± one of them said. ¡°Occupied.¡± Anyone knew that was code for him to get lost. Any other time, Will would have. Now, though, he calmly went up to the mirrors and started tapping on them with his hand. ¡°Hey!¡± the other boy said. ¡°You deaf?!¡± Will ignored them. As it turned out, the third mirror in the row contained the first segment of the information he needed.
THE THIEF (number 3) Weak in direct confrontations, the THIEF relies on stealth, speed, and distractions. The class grants its finder a total of twenty-four skills throughout its full progression.
¡°Hey, shithead, I¡¯m talking to you!¡± The older boy reached to grab Will. The action was slow and sloppy, allowing Will to evade it without a second thought. As he did, he tapped the fourth mirror. Three messages emerged.
SNEAK Move unnoticed by others. Ends when coming into contact with a person or item.
SPRINT Run at a vastly superior speed.
TRAP Create mirror traps from mirror fragments. The traps hold a person in place for a minute unless they break free.
The other boy joined in, attempting to punch Will in the face. The action was futile, only making him feel pity for them. Evading the punch, Will hit the boy on the side of the head. The attack, though relatively weak, was enough to mess up the other¡¯s balance, causing him to stumble on the floor. If Alex were here, he¡¯d say that this was a time for speeches if there ever was one. Will, on the other hand, went on and tapped the other mirrors. Both were hints. One of them he¡¯d seen before: a suggestion to find new classes to explore in different ways. The other was something completely new.
HINT Explore your entire area for hidden gifts.
¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± one of the older boys said, helping up his friend. ¡°You¡¯re in deep shit now,¡± the other added. ¡°I won¡¯t forget this. You¡¯re dead! Hear me?!¡± Will glanced at them, then left the bathroom. They were going to forget everything after another eight minutes. As he went out, he found Alex leaning against the corridor wall. ¡°Had fun?¡± he grinned. ¡°Idiot,¡± Will hissed. ¡°You could have told me.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that, bro? So, how was it?¡± Instead of an answer, Will took a step in the direction of the girls¡¯ bathroom. ¡°Nah, bro.¡± Alex said. ¡°Only works if you have the class. No class, no hints. Also, it¡¯s full of girls. Will be sus if you walk in.¡± In the past, Will would have agreed. There would be other times. After all, if the mirrors really were linked to the class, there was no point in walking in. The thief class, though, had something else in mind. Focusing on his skills, the boy made use of sneak, sprint, and evade to effectively vanish from his current spot and rush towards the girls¡¯ bathroom. His fast reflexes made avoiding people easy, taking him to the desired door in less than a second. With one brisk action, he opened it, ready to sneak in unannounced. The room was empty. Taking nothing for granted, Will quickly tapped on all the mirrors. To his disappointment, nothing happened. The goofball had only told half a lie, after all. A moment later, Will was back in the corridor. A long distance away, he could spot Alex waving at him. ¡°Had fun, bro?¡± the goofball shouted, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. In such a situation, Will had no choice but to calmly approach. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t seem that anyone had noticed him enter where he wasn¡¯t supposed to. ¡°Were you testing me?¡± Will whispered as he reached his friend. ¡°Teaching you, bro. The thief class is in the mind. Anyone can run and throw traps about. To be a thief, you need to think like one.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a lot you aren¡¯t telling me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re learning, bro.¡± The other tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Now that you had your fun, do we go back to our thing?¡± Based on Alex¡¯s expression, one could assume that he was referring to their research on Daniel rather than the tutorial. At the moment, Will didn¡¯t intend to do either. At least not until the loop was over. ¡°Who says I¡¯ve had my fun?¡± He disappeared again. Sprinting to the staircase, he rushed back to the first floor, then straight to the girls¡¯ bathroom. With Helen in the classroom, there was a good chance that the room would be free. Thankfully, that turned out to be the case; thankfully, because Will rushed by the coach in the corridor. Without wasting a moment, he tapped on all the mirrors. Messages emerged, as he was granted the knight class. Pausing for a moment, the boy tapped on the mirror again. The familiar grid emerged. So, it¡¯s linked to the person, not the class, he thought as he reached in and took his poison dagger. Now, there was only one thing left. Will rushed back out, heading to the staircase again. Only this time, he didn¡¯t go up, but further down into the basement. Six minutes, he thought. Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything in that amount of time. Six minutes was barely enough to check out a few short videos online, let alone anything more. For any looper, six minutes were more than half of eternity¡ªmore than enough for a specific task, as long as one was prepared for it. The first room Danny rushed into was the one in the corner. Spotting him, a wolf leaped out with a roar, only to get stabbed in the side of the throat and tossed across the room with a loud thud. There was a good chance that the sound might attract someone¡¯s attention, but the boy didn¡¯t care, dispatching the remaining three wolves in the exact same fashion. As the LEVEL UP message appeared on the mirror, the boy was presented with his first real choice. He had two levels and three classes to choose from. The first he placed on the rogue earning him the evasion. The next wasn¡¯t so clear. After everything he¡¯d done, there was a good chance that he wouldn¡¯t be allowed to try this again for at least a dozen loops, or at least until the end of the tutorial. It was one of those rare instances that he had to get it right on the first time. ¡°How about this?¡± the boy whispered as he tapped the mirror. 46. Triple Class Experience
HORIZONTAL SLICE Perform a horizontal strike of extreme strength.
PERFECT BLOCK Negate any single attack.
PIERCE Pierce through any object or armor.
The three skills of the knight¡¯s second level appeared. All of them were good, but two were especially useful for what Will planned to do. For several seconds, he remained perfectly still, listening intently. There was no indication that his fight had caused any commotion. The janitor was probably elsewhere, and with all the noise coming from the hundreds of children rushing to class, not to mention the honking of cars outside, it was understandable how a few thuds in the basement could have gone unnoticed. Will checked the time. He had a bit under five minutes left. Quickly, he made his way to where the hidden mirror had been. While everything else was there, there was no sign of the reflective piece of glass. ¡°I want to challenge the hidden mirror,¡± he said loudly. As he uttered the words, a mirror took shape. In a few ways it resembled the one that Helen had activated several loops ago, only there was one major difference: the whole thing was semi-transparent, as if the object had started appearing, but stopped halfway through. Tightening the grip round his dagger, Will waited. Five seconds passed, then ten, then fifteen. The snake remained hidden, refusing to make the first move. Will himself was reluctant to act, but with time winding down, he had no choice. Faced with being attacked or letting the loop restart on its own, he decided to take a risk. Cautiously, he stepped up to the mirror and reached out to tap onto it. His hand passed through as if it were air. If there was a point that the monster would attack, it would be now. Deciding not to give it the opportunity, Will leaped into the mirror instead. Endless white floor extended in all directions. There was no fog, no black sky, just a monumentally large snake curled up in the distance. Sensing the boy make a few steps, the snake raised its head, staring at the intruder with large crimson eyes.
VENOM SNAKE - ELITE
A large message hung over it. ¡°Guess you were right,¡± Will said, thinking of what Alex had been referring to them as. ¡°How do we fight?¡± he asked. ¡°Do I challenge you again?¡± The snake hissed, showing its large teeth. As it did, the floor turned green. Will concentrated. He only had one weapon, but he had speed in abundance on his side. Without waiting for the floor to turn red, he sprinted forward. Squirts of venom shot out of the snake¡¯s fangs, aimed at the boy¡¯s path. Taking no chances, Will avoided them, then ran harder. The rate at which he was moving made him feel as if he were a racecar driver, but even at that speed, it was going to take a while for him to get anywhere close. Turning left and right, he kept on avoiding the poison attack. It was an unusual way to fight a giant serpent, but then again, there were lots of unusual things. The distance between the two halved then halved again. And when it seemed like they were close enough for melee attacks, both reacted. The Snake was first, shooting forward like an unwound spring. Fangs covered in poison aimed at the boy, determined to pierce him through. Feeling the adrenaline rush, Will leaped as well. His mind instinctively made use of all the skills and the knowledge the classes brought him, causing him to simultaneously evade and block the fang. Steel struck bone, providing the boy with a window of opportunity to counterattack, and he took it.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Fang shattered
Will spun in the air, striking the same fang with a back kick that broke it in two, sending the tip flying off. I did it! Will thought. It was so much easier than he had expected. Spinning again, he struck the side of the snake¡¯s head, aiming between the scales with his poison dagger. The blade bounced off as if it had hit solid diamond. Huh? Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Will could see the weaknesses all over the snake¡¯s body. The hit should have gone through, but it didn¡¯t. Instead, the tail itself twisted, striking him in the chest. A dull sensation of pain passed through him as he was tossed hundreds of feet away. It felt as if a bowling ball had been dropped on his chest and stomach. It was purely thanks to the knight¡¯s endurance that the challenge hadn¡¯t ended here and now. ¡°Damn it!¡± Will hissed, maintaining self-control. This was way worse than the wolves, even without the pain. Landing on the floor, the boy quickly leaped back up and right on time to avoid the new jet of poison shot his way. Knowing that attacking head on wasn¡¯t a good idea, he sprinted to the side, making use of his sneaking to disappear. According to the description, the skill ensured that he¡¯d remain unnoticed. Deep inside, though, he knew that nothing was absolute. It was all about figuring out the situation and using the perfect skill at the perfect moment. Currently, he had fifteen skills split among three classes¡ªa perfect balance against low-powered enemies. He also had an enemy that had already been enraged by losing a fang. All his life, Will had followed a certain and stable route. His innate gifts had helped him do better than average without taking many risks. Even the ones he¡¯d done couldn¡¯t be called daring by most views. Alex had been the opposite, doing all sorts of crazy things ever since the two had known each other, long before eternity had snatched him. ¡°Welcome to eternity,¡± Will said. There was no point in hesitating anymore. Now, it was time to break loose and experiment as much as possible. Changing direction, the boy leaped towards the snake again. Yet, instead of proceeding with another knight bash, he threw his only weapon straight at the snake¡¯s left eye. A transparent eyelid slid over both crimson eyes.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Eyelid shattered
The blade went through, causing the eye to burst as it drove in. Feeling the pain of several combined skills, the monster recoiled, twisting with a loud hiss. Poison flew indiscriminately in all directions. This was the moment Will was waiting for. Rushing forward with sprinting leaps, he evaded the drops of lethal liquid, moving closer and closer to his prey. In his eyes, the movements of the snake slowed down to a crawl. Gritting his teeth, the boy leaped straight for the monster¡¯s head. His right arm slammed into the wounded eye, reaching for his weapon. Aware of the person on it, the snake twisted in its agony, all in an attempt to throw Will off, but there was no longer any point. The boy had grabbed the hilt of the weapon, then driven it even further into the creature¡¯s head. The twisting increased for a moment, then abruptly stopped. Still trembling, it dropped to the floor, where it continued to twitch for a few seconds more, before completely freezing up. Only then did Will dare to let go, pulling his arm out. Half of his body was covered with blood and eye matter. ¡°You weren¡¯t so tough,¡± he managed to say, as he almost collapsed to the floor. All the battles so far baled in comparison to what had occurred just now. The boy couldn¡¯t even tell how long the entire thing had lasted, but in his mind the fight had taken half an eternity, every moment of which he had to give his all. As much as he disliked the phrase ¡°give a hundred and ten percent¡± he had just done so, achieving way more than he believed to be capable of. A knight¡¯s strength, a rogue¡¯s reflexes, and a thief¡¯s deception. The classes seemed to be made for one another. And this was only at the initial levels. One could only imagine what would happen if all of them could be boosted past level five.
Loot unavailable during tutorial! Unique hint will be provided instead.
A large message appeared above Will.
UNIQUE HINT There can only be one leader.
¡°Huh?¡± Will blinked. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± The way the message had been presented, it sounded like a big deal, and yet it seemed so basic, as if the boy had just been scammed. ¡°The hell with you,¡± he laughed. There was no room for disappointment. The entire point of this experiment was to test out his permanent skill and the combination of classes. Both had turned out beyond successful. Once the tutorial was over, he could challenge elite monsters of the past and gain more items. He could even do so with the rest of his group. Bright light flashed, then vanished, blinding the boy for a split second. Once his eyes had adjusted, Will found himself on the floor of the basement room. There was no sign of the hidden mirror or the snake. The dull pain, on the other hand, remained. Allowing himself a few more seconds of rest, the boy checked his phone. Four minutes remained. At this point, he might as well just stay here until the end of the loop. ¡°For real, bro?¡± Alex¡¯s voice came from the entrance. ¡°You were keeping stuff from me.¡± Will¡¯s stomach tightened. This wasn¡¯t a conversation he wanted to have, not before the end of the tutorial at any event. The goofball walked into the room, arms crossed. He took one long glare at his friend, then grinned. ¡°You¡¯re learning, bro. So, what did you find out?¡± In every friendship, there were situations in which one couldn¡¯t help but laugh. After everything they¡¯d been through¡ªthe secrets they¡¯d been keeping from one another, the wall blocks thrown at them by eternity, the constant tit-for-tats, all that Alex could ask was what Will had found out. And, it was done in such a genuine fashion that even a thief¡¯s suspicion couldn¡¯t see anything wrong. ¡°I have a permanent skill,¡± Will admitted. ¡°It lets me challenge monsters we¡¯ve already defeated.¡± ¡°For real? That¡¯s lit!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get anything from them.¡± Not yet, in any event. ¡°I guess the keyholder restriction remains. ¡°Bro! Is that why you wanted to learn the thief?¡± ¡°Not only. I want to know more about the classes. A hint told me that I must experiment.¡± ¡°Fighting any elite. That¡¯s really big, bro.¡± Alex ignored the second part of what Will had said. ¡°Only after the tutorial.¡± Already he was thinking whether there was a way for him to try out all four classes. One thing was certain, though¡ªhe didn¡¯t have what it took to face the knight or the rogue. The thorn monster remained an option. Once one saw through the initial attack, it didn¡¯t seem terribly difficult. Besides, Will had killed it once before. ¡°Did you tell Helen?¡± Alex asked. Will shook his head. ¡°Better that way.¡± One could argue about that, but now definitely wasn¡¯t the time. More importantly, Will still needed to decide how to proceed from here. Nothing he had done would help against the second floor elite. ¡°Alex,¡± the boy began. ¡°If you didn¡¯t play the tutorial, what did you do early on? I know Danny explored stuff.¡± ¡°I explored as well, bro. Anything that Danny couldn¡¯t be bothered with.¡± ¡°For thousands of loops?¡± ¡°We went outside the school. At some point, we just started having fun. The mouse cafe, the shops, everything that¡¯s within our area. We¡¯d talk to random people, do crazy stuff¡­ anything to forget eternity for a bit.¡± ¡°And then you stopped.¡± The goofball¡¯s expression suddenly changed, as if someone had wiped all the joy off it. ¡°Danny stopped. He made Helen join, then started spending more time with her. And it wasn¡¯t to score, I can tell you that.¡± Hearing that made Danny feel relieved. It did sound like a rogue to use people. Although, what had his real plan for Helen been? ¡°And he never tried finding a crafter?¡± ¡°No, bro. That¡¯s why I started taking the class. Danny never said anything about it. No way of telling whether he knew or not. He used his permaskill to explore outside. At least, that¡¯s what he told Mister June.¡± That again. Maybe there was a point in looking into that. After all, there were two paths forward: completing the tutorial and following eternity¡¯s game, or following Danny¡¯s footsteps and moving out of it. ¡°In that case, we do both,¡± Will said. ¡°Say what, bro?¡± Alex tilted his head. ¡°We continue with the tutorial, but we also go through Danny¡¯s file in the meantime. Just promise me one thing. If we find anything that relates to his death, you¡¯ll let me tell Helen.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s your funeral, bro.¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°Thanks,¡± Will whispered.
Restarting eternity.
47. Only one Rogue can be Present
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Helen said as she opened the windows. ¡°We¡¯re skipping it.¡± It had been three loops since they had resumed their attempts at defeating the elite in the vice-principal¡¯s office with no success. ¡°About time,¡± Jace grumbled. ¡°I wish you had seen the face of the fucker.¡± ¡°Tried my best, bro.¡± Alex shrugged. As usual, he was the only member of the group that was actively not helping. ¡°Was closer, though.¡± That was an outright lie. While he and Helen were getting more in sync with their actions, the enemy also seemed to adapt. ¡°I think we need to do something before getting back to him,¡± Will thought. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a specific weapon?¡± ¡°A rocket launcher?¡± The goofball snorted, amused by his own joke. ¡°It¡¯s fine bro. Don¡¯t be sadge.¡± Annoyance was the last thing on Will¡¯s mind. If anything, the time spent focusing on that single enemy had helped him read through the sections of Daniel¡¯s file that Alex had smuggled through during the day. A lot of it was strange even for loopers, just as his friend had mentioned. Anyone going through the same experience could clearly see that the previous rogue was using dreams and metaphors as a means to express what was agitating him. Wolves were abundant, as were mentions of the archer, and hints of faceless companions or friends. The latter appeared to be the party Alex suspected Danny had. What made the material extremely difficult to read was that even in the notes it was jumbled. One story would start then blend into the next, as if the school counselor had messed up the pages. The issue with that was that every page was meticulously numbered with no possibility of mistake. It was almost as if someone had taken Daniel¡¯s thoughts, passed them through a blender and then poured them onto paper. ¡°We take our own classes this time,¡± he said. ¡°Just as before.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who suggested I take your class,¡± Helen said, agreeing in her typical fashion. ¡°And no, I didn¡¯t take it this loop.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Will smiled. Unfortunately for him, the girl didn¡¯t reciprocate. ¡°I¡¯ll go get it, then.¡± He said after a few more moments. ¡°Now?¡± Jace stared at him. ¡°Stoner, if you¡¯re trying to slack, you¡¯re really shit at it. You find an excuse before the work is done.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Will wasn¡¯t in the mood for arguing. Feeling annoyed for a reason he couldn¡¯t fully understand himself, he left the room, making his way to the boys¡¯ toilet. ¡°And where are you going, Stone?¡± the coach asked. ¡°Remember the bathroom policy?¡± ¡°Do I get to go here then, coach?¡± the boy snapped. Silence filled the section of the corridor. The coach had been working at schools for long enough to have seen almost anything. Having Will growl at him was among the last things he expected. To make it even more awkward, deep inside he also agreed how stupid the new school policy was. Keeping the children safe was one thing, but even he could tell that this was getting counterproductive. ¡°Go do your business,¡± he said, waving his hand in the direction of the bathroom door. ¡°And try not to make a mess.¡± Chuckles and whispers filled the corridor. They were followed by more words from the coach who had settled on a new target for his frustration. Will didn¡¯t even pause to listen, rushing into the toilet and tapping the mirror.
CLASS DUPLICATION!
A red message appeared on the mirror¡¯s surface.
Only one rogue can be present. Freezing eternity.
Will was barely able to read the new messages, before all noise stopped. The red messages vanished, leaving only a reflection behind. The only problem was that it wasn¡¯t Will¡¯s reflection. ¡°Never thought you¡¯d be the one to fill the spot,¡± the reflection said.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Seeing it, Will¡¯s body took several steps back. An irrational urge made him want to run as far away and as quickly as possible. The person he was looking at, the person whose face he had had difficulty remembering, was none other than Daniel Keen. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Daniel said. ¡°Move away and we might not get another chance at this.¡± ¡°Chance at what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too complicated to explain. All I can say is that without my help, you¡¯ll never be able to complete the tutorial. And unlike what it seems, eternity doesn¡¯t last forever.¡± Will¡¯s instinct was to close his eyes and open them again, as if that would make everything better. While it did manage to reduce the initial shock, his dead schoolmate remained staring at him from the other side of the mirror. He was wearing the same clothes Will pretty much remembered him with: the aesthetically torn jeans, the no-brand t-shirt, and also a number of sheathed blades and weapons he definitely didn¡¯t wander through school with. ¡°You¡¯re dead,¡± Will uttered the greatest clich¨¦ one could under such circumstances. ¡°True, but I can still talk to you.¡± The other smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve got you to thank for that.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Your permanent skill. Face an enemy you¡¯ve defeated before?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an enemy?¡± While it was true that Helen¡¯s conversation had made Will wish he could face Danny to measure up with him, this wasn¡¯t what he had in mind. ¡°You were a rogue¡­¡± ¡°Eternity isn¡¯t perfect. The point is, you got me here, so now we can talk.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Oh, come on. You think I haven¡¯t been watching all of you? You¡¯re stuck here. You can¡¯t complete the tutorial, which means you can¡¯t leave the school area. Hell, you can¡¯t even gather your own weapons. Sure, eternity might seem fun right now, but once all the players have gathered, it won¡¯t matter if you¡¯ve finished the tutorial or not. Then the pain will get real.¡± ¡°The players? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Want to know?¡± Danny leaned forward until his forehead pressed the other side of the mirror. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but for that you¡¯ll need to do me a few favors.¡± As far as negotiations went, Will had seen worse. However, he had no intention of being played for a fool. Using the rogue¡¯s reflexes, he leaped towards the mirror with the intent to grab Danny. The boy¡¯s hand passed through the mirror¡¯s surface without fail, but before it could grab its target, the other rogue elegantly moved his hand away, evading the attempt. Without pause, he then took one of the daggers he was equipped with and threw them straight at Will¡¯s face. Instantly, Will moved to the side, only to realize that the weapon hadn¡¯t left the confines of the mirror. ¡°See, I can¡¯t hurt you,¡± Danny explained. ¡°One-way attacks. You can hurt me, but until you come in here, I can¡¯t do a thing. At least in theory. I think we both know that you can¡¯t win a fight against me.¡± Even after one attack, Will was inclined to agree. Danny¡¯s actions were faster, more precise, not to mention he had way more weapons strapped on. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s rich. And you trust the rest? Jace is an idiot, who¡¯s been wanting to break your arm for months. Alex doesn¡¯t know if the words coming from his own mouth are lies or truth. And Helen, do you think my girlfriend has told you a tenth of what she knows?¡± There it was¡ªthe word that made Will feel as if he had ice cubes in his stomach. ¡°Or maybe you think you¡¯ll figure out something from the file Alex stole? There¡¯s nothing but crap inside¡ªone of the ways I used to vent when things got really boring. How long do you think the muffin boy has had the papers?¡± ¡°A while?¡± Will admitted. ¡°More than a while. And in all this time what has he figured out? That I knew more than I told him? That I¡¯ve been through this before? Give me a break.¡± Danny¡¯s reflection moved in and out. ¡°Look, it¡¯s not like you have a choice. Without my help you¡¯ll never clear the second floor, and without that there¡¯s no way to end the tutorial.¡± ¡°The hints said that the weapons are optional.¡± ¡°They are, but you need to clear every room of the school for the boss to appear. But hey, you don¡¯t have to believe me. Try your luck. Maybe I¡¯m lying and you¡¯ll do fine without me.¡± If Danny had the thief class, Will would have had second thoughts. Even now he wasn¡¯t convinced it wasn¡¯t one big bluff to get the boy to do something that he didn¡¯t want to. For all he knew this could be nothing more than an illusion¡ªa false image of Daniel. ¡°Prove it,¡± Will said. ¡°Prove that you¡¯re not full of crap.¡± ¡°Proof?¡± Danny¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Why not. There are two hidden mirrors on the third floor facing each other. You can take them one at a time and you¡¯ll probably win. But if you get Helen to activate them simultaneously, one of you will get a special reward. Do that and you¡¯ll see I¡¯m serious.¡± It sounded like a trap. Something about the notion of standing between two mirrors made Will¡¯s skin crawl. He kept telling himself that even in a worst-case scenario, all that would happen is that the loop would reset, but what if that wasn¡¯t the case? ¡°You still don¡¯t trust me¡­¡± the reflection sighed. ¡°I still don¡¯t know if it¡¯s really you. You died a week ago, but know everything we¡¯ve been up to.¡± ¡°You killed five hidden monsters, and you still got to fight them,¡± Daniel countered. ¡°Things are different in eternity. The only firm rule is that escape is fucking difficult.¡± You had to die to break loose, Will thought. And, apparently, even then it wasn¡¯t permanent. ¡°What¡¯s it all about?¡± he asked. ¡°Eternity? Hell if I know.¡± Daniel paced about. ¡°It¡¯s one eternal game. You get skills, tasks, enemies¡­ Oh, don¡¯t waste your coins once you start getting them. The good offers take a while to show up.¡± ¡°Explain that.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know.¡± Daniel shook his head. ¡°Just remember to come back here and challenge me once you¡¯re done. There¡¯s a lot we need to talk about.¡± Without concern, the reflection walked off, disappearing from view. For several seconds, Daniel stared at the empty mirror. Nothing was in it, not even his own reflection. Slowly, he reached forward, bringing his hand toward the smooth surface. A few inches away, he stopped. After everything, he had no intention of going through. After a few minutes though, he decided to take the opportunity that he actually was in the bathroom and relieve himself. As the stall door swung behind him, he heard the usual noise of school return once more. Quickly he opened it again to see his own reflection looking back from the mirrors. For whatever reason, eternity had been unfrozen. The inquisitive part of his mind wanted Will to challenge the former rogue again, just to confirm how the process worked. The more cautious one chose to leave that for later. Danny had always been surrounded by a ton of questions; seeing his reflection after death had brought a whole lot more, although with a promise of answers. Should Will share the find with the rest, though? The former rogue hadn¡¯t told him not to, but he hadn¡¯t encouraged him, either. ¡°Stone!¡± Coach¡¯s voice boomed from the corridor. ¡°You better not be doing anything fishy in there.¡± ¡°Idiot,¡± Will said beneath his breath as he washed his hands. Even in ten-minute loops the coach had a tendency of being annoying. Not waiting for his hands to fully dry, Will walked into the corridor. The coach gave him a questionable look, then looked into the bathroom, in search of any telltale signs of questionably legal activity. Since none were apparent, the boy was allowed a noise-free trip to his classroom. Half of the class had gathered by then, ready to spend another day of drawing. The entire loop quartet had been through this so many times that they could complete the assignment without seeing it. Sadly, they had to pretend it was new to them. Every action they took had to be carefully chosen to extend their loop as much as possible. It was only in the evening that they could break loose. 48. Daggers from the Mirror
WOLF PACK REWARD (random) AMBIDEXTROUS: use both hands as your main hand.
¡°You lucking fucker.¡± Jace shook his head. ¡°How come I get the crap and you get the useful stuff?¡± ¡°It¡¯s temporary,¡± Will said beneath his breath. The conversation with Daniel remained in his mind. Every instinct he had screamed not to trust the former rogue; the boy had lied so much that it would take an eternity just to figure out the full extent of the web of deceit he had cast. And still, he felt that it was most beneficial to go on with the request. Daniel had promised them a special reward, should they trigger the two hidden mirrors on the third floor simultaneously. If that turned out to be a lie, it would be clear that there could be no trusting him. What if he turned out right, though? ¡°You ok, bro?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Been acting very sus.¡± ¡°Just tired,¡± Will lied. ¡°After this, I might spend a few loops sleeping.¡± ¡°For real! Those are the best loops.¡± Everyone looked at Alex, who quickly toned down his enthusiasm. ¡°Or Danny told me so,¡± he added. So far, the group had cleared all three floors, only leaving three mirrors behind. One was the mirror in the vice principal¡¯s office¡ªwhich Danny claimed to have somehow locked¡ªand the remaining two were the hidden ones on the third floor. It had been Will¡¯s suggestion to leave them for later. Since they had taken the same approach before, no one suspected anything. That was supposed to give the boy enough time to come up with an explanation for activating them at once. With the last wolf room cleared, that later had arrived. Half a dozen mirror copies of Alex went on forward, just in case something happened, with the rest of the group behind. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here,¡± Jace said, stopping at the stairway. ¡°Call me when you¡¯re done.¡± He took out a set of tools and a half-gauntlet from his backpack. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, bro.¡± A new mirror copy emerged and went up to him. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you company.¡± ¡°Very funny, muffin boy,¡± the jock shouted without even looking up. Two enemies¡­ Dozens of fighting images went through Will¡¯s mind every step he made. He¡¯d proven he could take on a snake on his own. With enough levels, he might be able to take on a mirror knight as well. Could he take on both at once, though? Could any of them? ¡°Where do I put the traps, sis?¡± Alex asked. The question had merit. Of the two mirrors, one was cloudy, and the other wasn¡¯t. Going by the group¡¯s experiences so far, that meant that one was a creature and the other a class. Since they had already defeated Helen and Alex¡¯s class, the next had to be the rogue or the crafter. The rogue was by far the worst option, not to mention that Helen had raised her level even further. ¡°Trap both,¡± Will said before the girl could respond. ¡°Okay.¡± Alex tilted his head. ¡°Why, though?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take both of them at once,¡± Will said, keeping a calm fa?ade. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, they might attack each other.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Helen all but laughed. ¡°The mirrors are facing one another,¡± Will pointed out. ¡°I think they¡¯re territorial.¡± ¡°What made you think that?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Internally, the boy took a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But of all the rooms, to have two hidden mirrors be one across each other and in a way that they can reflect each other. That¡¯s not a coincidence. It has to mean something, like the classes, the hints, and everything else. And If I¡¯m wrong, we¡¯d have seen both, so we¡¯ll know which one to kill next loop.¡± What started as a random string of words managed to gain enough sense to make Helen consider it. She could see the benefits of knowing who to face, plus at her current level, she felt more than a match for most enemies, as long as they weren¡¯t like the one remaining on the second floor. ¡°For real, for real.¡± Alex butted in, as usual. ¡°Cool strategy, bro. Maybe the two mirrors will create an infinite loop. An infinity within eternity!¡± Will froze at the thought. It sounded outright terrifying. Despite that, part of him was curious about it too. Knowing what he did about Danny, there was no way the ex-rogue had casually offered anything to Will¡¯s benefit. Mirror copies scattered traps in front of each mirror. One was located in the boys¡¯ bathroom, while the other¡ªin the opposing classroom. ¡°Jace,¡± Will shouted. ¡°Can you come up here for a minute? We¡¯ll need you to¡ª¡±
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Door shattered
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Door shatteredStolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Helen swung her massive blade, reducing both doors to splinters. ¡°What?¡± she asked, while Alex and Will stared at her. ¡°It was faster.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been the knight too long,¡± Will whispered, then stood between the two mirrors. When he was young, he¡¯d often do the same in fully mirrored elevators, doing his best to look as deeply as possible within the ¡°infinity tunnel.¡± Sometimes he¡¯d even ponder how he could do it in such a way so as not to block his sight. There was no infinity tunnel this time. The foggy mirror refused to reflect anything at all, even another mirror. ¡°I¡¯ll go in with you,¡± he told the girl. ¡°When you touch it, I¡¯ll get us into the corridor. Alex, I¡¯ll need your copies to give us some time till we know what we¡¯re dealing with. After that, focus on one and we¡¯ll take on the other.¡± ¡°You got it, bro!¡± The plan wasn¡¯t the worst, but it required that Will have his back turned to the mirror upon activation. If he wasn¡¯t fast enough, this was going to end up being one quick fight. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Helen asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been out of it all loop. Really out of it.¡± ¡°Still getting used to it,¡± he lied. ¡°It''s been a while since I had my class back.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to fight both of them at once. Let¡¯s just¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Will said with surprising firmness. ¡°We do our best and see what happens. We¡¯ll never improve if we remain complacent.¡± Quietly, they walked into the room. The hidden mirror was the usual size¡ªthree-by-three feet. Common logic suggested that barely anything more than a large animal could pass through. Eternity didn¡¯t follow common rules. Anything from goblin to a thirty-foot wolf could emerge from the small glass surface. ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about him, aren¡¯t you?¡± Helen asked as the boy got into position. Will¡¯s back was almost up to the mirror as the two looked at one another. The thought made Will¡¯s blood rush to his head. It would have been even worse, if it wasn¡¯t for the girl¡¯s question. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He tried to appear calm. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way to kill him. We¡¯ll level up all the way to the top if we have to.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Internally, Will let out a sigh of relief. She was talking about the elite on the second floor. For a moment, he was terrified she might have learned about his dealings with Danny. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with him. Just as we¡¯ll deal with these.¡± Helen smiled. ¡°Ready?¡± She tightened her grip round the sword¡¯s hilt. ¡°Ready.¡± Will nodded. The girl reached out above his shoulder and tapped the mirror. Without waiting, the boy leaped forward, taking them both as far away as possible from it. Copies of Alex rushed into both rooms by the dozens, intent on blocking anything that would come out. Then it happened. The sound of glass being crushed came from both rooms almost simultaneously. Will was able to see Alex¡¯s copies burst in twos or threes as knives flew through their heads. At the same time, he could only guess what monster had appeared behind. ¡°Use all of them!¡± he shouted, as he leaped again, pulling himself and Helen down the corridor. His arms and legs hurt as if he had torn a ligament. At any other time, he¡¯d be screaming and yelling like crazy. Yet, this was the price of eternity¡ªthe barrier that one had to pass in order to survive the game. ¡°For real!¡± Alex shouted back, as he poured the contents of both backpacks he was carrying onto the floor. Two flows of mirror copies emerged, filling the school corridor like two rivers. Even such an amount proved unable to stop the elites. ¡°Careful.¡± Will let go of Helen, drawing his poison dagger. ¡°It¡¯s my copy.¡± ¡°A rogue.¡± The hatred in the girl¡¯s voice was palpable. ¡°And the other?¡± Will glanced in the direction of the classroom. The crunching got louder and louder, until a creature leaped out, shattering the mirror thieves like a gorilla blocking the water of a hose. It wasn¡¯t a gorilla, though, but a massive black wolf. ¡°I thought those didn¡¯t leave normal mirrors,¡± Will whispered. The creature was a lot larger than the ones he¡¯d fought so far. It was also a lot more calculating. Effortlessly, it had avoided the mirror traps and destroyed its waves of enemies without getting stabbed. ¡°Shit!¡± They were in a tricky situation. This was the worst combination of enemies one could think of. The wolf was fast and strong, specializing in close combat. Only Helen would be able to take him on, yet if she did, he made herself vulnerable to the dark rogue¡¯s attacks. Similarly, if the group tried to take out the rogue, they¡¯d first have to pass through the wolf, which also acted as a shield. ¡°Can you kill the wolf?¡± Will asked. ¡°Piece of cake,¡± the girl said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some time.¡± The boy rushed forward, rushing by the large black monster. The wolf spotted him in the corner of its eye, twisting its body in an attempt to shred him with its claws. The paw alone was enough to crush his ribs, so Will slid down, safely evading it. For a split second, a weak spot flashed before his eyes¡ªthe area between the pads. It was a small and otherwise useless target, but the only thing available. Holding his breath, the boy aimed, then threw the dagger. The blade hit the bottom of the paw, piercing it with its attack.
POISON RESISTED
A message became visible as Will continued to slide by. The only glimmer of hope was that it wasn¡¯t stated that the poison was outright negated. With luck, this would provide Helen with the advantage she needed to win her fight. Meanwhile, three knives hit the floor inches from where Will was. Turning his head to the side, he managed to catch a glimpse of the attacker. Similar to the other mirror images, the rogue was just another nondescript person dressed in black clothing. Interestingly enough, instead of metal or leather armor, he was wearing what appeared to be rollerblade protectors on his knees and elbows. Fingerless black gloves covered his hands for no apparent reason. Seeing Will, the rogue paused. For a moment, it almost seemed like the monster was giving him some slack; as if Danny had instructed it to lose the fight. ¡°Look out, bro!¡± Two mirror copies leaped in front of Will, catching a knife that was meant for the boy. That definitely wasn¡¯t a skill that he was familiar with so far. Will grabbed a few of his throwing knives and sent them flying at the rogue. Barely had they entered the bathroom, when they were countered and struck mid-flight by other knives coming from the elite. Damn you, Danny! He thought. It was too early for them to have such a fight. Defeating each of the elites individually was a difficult task. Facing them together made it all but impossible. Time seemed to freeze. Will could see the dark rogue reaching for another knife. There was only a small window of opportunity left for it to hit the boy before he slid by. Sadly, by the looks of it, he¡¯d easily make the attack. None of Alex¡¯s copies were close enough to shield him from another dagger, and Will couldn¡¯t rely on his evasion against such an opponent. His mind desperately tried to find a solution to the predicament he had put himself in. No matter how one looked at it, a rogue of level four couldn¡¯t compare against a seven. Maybe if Alex was there right now, the two of them might stand a chance. ¡°Fuck it!¡± Will shouted, making the one available move left. ¡°I challenge you!¡± He looked straight at the mirror behind the rogue. Time resumed. The rogue¡¯s right hand grabbed a throwing knife from his belt, aiming to throw it. Suddenly, half a dozen blades shot out from the mirror, striking the elite in the back.
POISONED
PARALYZED
BLEEDING
For a fraction of a second, Will thought he saw Danny¡¯s face smiling at him from the mirror, before more effect messages covered it up. The dark rogue shook violently, then collapsed on the bathroom floor, still gripping onto his throwing knife. Now, there was only one that remained. 49. Advanced Mirror Fragment An entire section of windows shattered on the school¡¯s fourth floor. There didn¡¯t seem to be any apparent reason. One moment everything was alright and then it wasn¡¯t. Normally, such a major event would have created a lot of commotion. Local authorities, along with the media, would have poured onto the scene. They¡¯d be soon followed by ambulances, fire trucks, and a sea of concerned parents. Since the event took place past midnight, the only people who were awake to notice didn¡¯t have the attention span to do so, focused on their games, movies, or other online activities. ¡°Careful!¡± Jace shouted from the staircase. ¡°You almost killed me!¡± Two large cuts stretched along the entire corridor¡ªa result of Helen¡¯s latest lethal attack. If the girl had that during the wolf challenge, the top prize was as good as theirs. In this case, the strike had almost proved more than the group could handle. The vast majority of Alex¡¯s mirror copies had been destroyed and Will had only managed to survive thanks to his quick reaction and evasion skills. Adding insult to injury, the black wolf had only been slightly grazed. ¡°Don¡¯t give up, sis!¡± the goofball shouted, sliding mirror traps along the floor. On cue, the girl performed a vertical slash as she pushed forward. With a growl, the wolf leaped back, just in time to evade the strike. Unfortunately for it, the creature¡¯s left rear foot stepped right on one of the traps that had been set up. ¡°Got it!¡± Alex shouted. More attacks followed. Will, though, didn¡¯t bother to remain in the corridor for the end of the fight. He had a pretty good idea what the outcome would be. As difficult an opponent as the wolf was, it was already dead. Poisoned, trapped, and wounded, it didn¡¯t have any effective way of fighting back. By his estimates, it was going to take Alex and Helen ten seconds to finish it off, which meant he had to hurry. Leaping into the bathroom, he rushed past the dark rogue¡¯s body, up to the mirror. ¡°Are you still here?¡± he whispered, keeping an eye on the corridor entrance. There was no answer. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± the boy reached for the mirror. His hand stopped at the hard surface. Either Danny or eternity itself was blocking him from entering the mirror realm. Will quickly diverted his attention to the corpse on the floor. The last thing he wanted was for Helen to find a series of knives that weren¡¯t supposed to be there. At first glance, the throwing knives looked quite standard, cheap even. It was as if someone had sliced off a shard of metal, hastily sharpened the edge, and left it at that. But handling them, Will could tell that they were expertly balanced. Danny had thrown a total of six knives, each dealing a certain affliction. Will tossed them into his backpack, then rushed back into the corridor just in time to see Helen deal the final blow. Thrusting forward, the girl pierced the monster¡¯s chest. For several seconds, it and Helen remained perfectly still, looking at each other like statues. Then, the girl pulled her sword out, causing the creature to drop to the floor with a thump. ¡°Jace,¡± she said as she went to lean against the wall. ¡°Check what we got.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get him, sis.¡± Alex sprinted down the corridor. As effortless as the final strike had appeared, the fight had sapped most of Helen¡¯s strength. Will was just about to say a word of encouragement when the mirrors on either side of him flashed green. Faster than a person could blink, they flew towards one another. Fortunately for Will, his rogue skills proved faster. The boy dropped to the floor in the nick of time, narrowly escaping being crushed. Above him, the mirrors clicked into place. Next thing Will knew, a small, hard object fell onto him. ¡°Everything okay, Will?¡± Helen asked, resting against the wall, eyes closed. ¡°Yeah,¡± he lied, gently moving to the side, so that whatever was on him could fall off. ¡°Searching for my dagger.¡± There indeed was an object nearby, but it wasn¡¯t his weapon. Instead, a small mirror fragment lay there. It looked like the cheap stuff that one would get as a cheap prize, but Will instantly knew what it really was. Grabbing it, he looked in, tapping the surface with a finger.
Congratulations, ROGUE! You have made progress. Fragment granted.
His own mirror fragment? Will itched to keep tapping it to see what information it held. Unfortunately, now was not the time. Quickly, he stashed it in his backpack, then went to Helen. ¡°What about you?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m never doing this again.¡± She opened her eyes halfway. ¡°You won¡¯t have to. We got both of them.¡± He gently placed his hand on her neck. If circumstances were different, it might have been her cheek; not after the conversation with Danny, however. It wasn¡¯t that he cared about her relationship with the former rogue. The truth was that he felt uncomfortable keeping that particular secret from her.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Way to destroy the floor,¡± Jace said as he approached, causing Will to quickly pull back. ¡°Cops are probably on their way.¡± ¡°Nuh-uh, bro,¡± Alex said behind him. ¡°Been checking online. No one has posted anything. You get demonetized for posting such stuff, so we¡¯re safe till morning.¡± ¡°How would you know, muffin boy?¡± The jock glanced at him. ¡°I tried becoming famous once. Big oof. My account got banned, I lost my mail, and some suits brought me in for questioning.¡± That sounded like something Alex would do. Will imagined he¡¯d stream live during a catastrophe if it wasn¡¯t against the terms of service. Ignoring them, Helen pushed herself up and went to the corpse of the black wolf. The creature disappeared once she placed her hand on its muzzle, leaving a pair of metal boots behind. They were knee length, composed of dozens of metal segments and padded with wolf fur on the inside. ¡°Fire,¡± Alex said, enviously looking at them. ¡°Can I get them?¡± ¡°Eternal, durable, increase traction,¡± Jace started reciting as he examined the gear. ¡°Ten percent chance to break loose from a trap.¡± He looked back at Alex. ¡°Have them. They¡¯re fucking crap.¡± ¡°One man¡¯s crap is another man¡¯s treasure,¡± the goofball said proudly, then rushed to grab the boots. Will shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s check the other one.¡± Helen didn¡¯t seem particularly amused. The rogue, as expected, dropped a set of throwing knives. They didn¡¯t come with a belt, as Alex¡¯s had, yet each had a ten percent chance to paralyze its target. In Jace¡¯s view, they too were useless, since even sticking all of them in someone didn¡¯t guarantee any results. Will, on his part, was pleased with the addition to his arsenal. More eternal weapons meant they had a better chance to defeat what was to come. As the bodies vanished, a small discussion took place on whether to check out the final floor of the building or try their luck with the second-floor elite. Alex, of all people, seemed to think that they had what it took to win against the unknown elite, while everyone else preferred to take it easy and gain as many additional skills as possible before doing so. A pseudo vote was held, even if the outcome was clear. The only thing that Will insisted on was that they rest for a bit longer before heading to the final stretch. Fifteen minutes of total calm and silence followed, during which Helen tried to take a short nap at the far end of the corridor. Unhappy with the general decision, Alex went to the bathroom in order to get more ammunition for the fights to come. As for Will, he had too much on his mind to discuss anything. From what it looked like, Danny had told the truth. They had gotten a special reward; more specifically, Will had gotten it. Was that part of the plan, though? His former classmate had omitted the part where the mirrors tried to crush him. It was possible for that to have been a coincidence. No one could determine where they¡¯d be at the end of the fight. Will might have just as well been further down the corridor, safely away from the point of impact. Even so, he would have appreciated a heads up. The boy glanced at the backpack strap on his shoulder. There were twelve special knives and a mirror fragment inside. Yet, despite all the loot, he found himself wishing that Daniel had lied. ¡°It doesn¡¯t match up,¡± Jace said, breaking the silence. ¡°What?¡± Will asked. ¡°Seven weapons. Muffin boy¡¯s belt can be a weapon or not, but there¡¯s no way the boots are.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Will was thinking the same. ¡°Although it depends on interpretation. If the boots were meant for Helen, they could well be weapons.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not. Crafter, remember?¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably weapons,¡± Will steered away from the subject. ¡°You know¡­¡± He looked at the jock. As the newest member of the group, he was the only one who didn¡¯t have any relation with Daniel. Maybe together they could come up with a plan. How could he be certain that Jace hadn¡¯t made a secret arrangement with someone else, though? Will was looking into the former rogue along with Alex. Helen kept to herself, but she and the goofball too knew things that the others didn¡¯t. There can only be one leader. The boy remembered the hint he had been given. The tutorial required that they work together. Just to start it, they had to find people for all four school classes. At the same time, there were enough hints that everyone would change after defeating the boss. ¡°I think we shouldn¡¯t fight the boss,¡± Will continued. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Yeah, right. Talking about the finals already, Stoner?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. There¡¯s one floor left. Even if we need to destroy the hidden mirror, we¡¯re one fight away. I think we should explore more.¡± ¡°Why do you think there¡¯s more?¡± ¡°Alex¡¯s mirror is outside of school.¡± The conversation died down again. After another five minutes, Will went to wake up Helen. The girl wasn¡¯t particularly appreciative, making a short but sarcastic comment on the matter. Still, she got up and grabbed her sword from the wall. Not too long after, Alex also returned, his backpacks filled with as many shattered mirrors as he managed to get from the third-floor toilet. All that remained was to move up. It didn¡¯t take long for Jace to be proven right. By this point, dealing with common wolves and goblins had become a chore rather than a challenge. With weapons and high-class levels, every single person could take them out on their own, possibly with the exception of the jock. The single hidden mirror on the floor wasn¡¯t particularly difficult, either. Will found it interesting that so far, the group hadn¡¯t faced the same elite twice. While wolves and goblins were identical, not once getting stronger, the elites were unique. Alex speculated that the tutorial was the reason for that¡ªan introduction to monster species and their drops, as he put it. Based on his theory, once the tutorial was over, they¡¯d get to explore a larger part of the city, where there¡¯d be thousands of hidden mirrors, releasing multiple elites they were familiar with, as well as others they hadn¡¯t seen. In this instance, the elite was a slow, but armored, turtle-like creature. The greatest danger was its snapping tongue that it shot at people as a projectile. Unfortunately for the creature, its first¡ªand only¡ªtarget happened to be Will, who was the worst possible match-up. Evading the surprise attack, he had then quickly used his dagger to counterattack. The elite had quickly died of poison effects as a result, before Helen could even manage to crack its shell open. ¡°Turtle shield,¡± Jace said, examining the item it had left behind. ¡°It¡¯s a shield. That¡¯s pretty much it.¡± ¡°Fire, bro! You got something for yourself.¡± Alex grinned. ¡°Shut up.¡± The jock grumbled. While useful, he was hoping to get something a bit more glamorous. Being the crafter with the shield was a terrible clich¨¦, not to mention it didn¡¯t have much of a practical value. ¡°That¡¯s the whole school,¡± Helen said as she tapped on her mirror fragment. ¡°Except for the second floor.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Alex urged. ¡°I think we should stop,¡± Will said, surprising everyone. ¡°We¡¯re tired and Alex is out of mirrors. If we face it now, we¡¯ll only lose.¡± ¡°So?¡± Helen stared at him. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll lose anything.¡± ¡°Maybe not, but¡­ I just think we should pause while we¡¯re ahead.¡± He was outvoted, of course. There was no reason he could give for them not even trying, not one he could openly share, at least. At the same time, he was also right. The fight lasted close to ten minutes with him, Alex, and Helen doing everything possible to uncover the true nature of their opponent. The result was no different than before.
Tutorial failed. Restarting eternity.
50. Mirror Grinding There were a total of four items in Will¡¯s inventory: his dagger, the spiked chain, a set of six paralyzing throwing knives¡ªall stacked in one slot¡ªand a mirror fragment. From what he had managed to establish in the previous loop, it hadn¡¯t made him a keyholder. Looking closely at it, it didn¡¯t have the same information Helen¡¯s did, either. There was no mention of the tutorial and only a partially explored map. Tapping on the other mirrors in the bathroom in order, Will pressed the fragment against their surfaces. All the hints were instantly copied within. At least that functionality was the same. It also seemed to have a number of additional options, most of which were locked with the explanation that completing the tutorial was required. Of those that were enabled, Will found what he could describe as a character section. There, he could see his name, current class, and obtained skills, including the permanent one. It was also of note that the inventory provided a slightly more detailed description of the items in his possession. Taking a deep breath, the boy put the fragment away, then stared at the rogue mirror. ¡°Danny, I challenge you,¡± he whispered.
CLASS DUPLICATION!
Only one rogue can be present. Freezing eternity.
Time froze still as the pair of red messages emerged in the mirror. Soon they were gone, replaced by Daniel. The boy looked identical to last time, all the way to the wrinkles on his clothes. ¡°You actually did it,¡± he said with a mixture of surprise and appreciation. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to keep your knives,¡± Will said. ¡°It¡¯s too early for you to be greedy. I helped, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me about the mirrors trying to kill me. I could have died.¡± ¡°You¡¯d have been fine. The fragment would still have gone to you. Probably the loot drops as well.¡± Daniel didn¡¯t appear in the least concerned. ¡°You have it. That¡¯s all that¡¯s important.¡± Arguably it was. The mirror fragment was the most powerful item eternity let someone keep by far. That made Will all the more suspicious that Daniel had let him have it. ¡°What is it exactly?¡± he asked. ¡°Starting with the questions already?¡± the other smirked. ¡°Fair enough. It¡¯s¡­¡± he paused for a moment, searching for the right words to phrase it. ¡°Think of it as a mobile phone. Contains lots of useful apps and lets you photo mirrors.¡± ¡°Photo mirrors?¡± ¡°The thing you did just now. Pro tip. It¡¯ll be a lot faster if you copy everything from Helen¡¯s fragment.¡± The explanation could have been better, though it still conveyed the necessary information. Asking how to unlock all of its functionality was the logical question, but not the most pertinent one. There was a far more important topic Will needed answers on. ¡°How did you die?¡± All the cocky amusement on Daniel¡¯s face abruptly vanished. ¡°Things happen.¡± He looked away. ¡°And it¡¯s not exactly death. I¡¯m still part of eternity.¡± Just not for the rest of the world, Will wanted to add. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on things moving forward. One more room and you get to face the tutorial boss. As long as Jace doesn¡¯t mess things up, you should be fine.¡± ¡°So much for answering questions.¡± Will shook his head. ¡°Fuck you,¡± a glint of anger emerged on the former rogue¡¯s face. ¡°You think you know how things work? You¡¯ve seen nothing.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Will clenched his fists. ¡°It takes four to start the tutorial. Either you¡¯re lying and you had a full group before, or you don¡¯t know anything about it. Which is it?¡± Mentally, Will prepared himself. Although things had been amicable so far, this remained a challenge, and he had seen the speed and precision with which Danny could throw daggers at things he didn¡¯t like. To his surprise, no such thing happened. His dead classmate looked him over from head to toe, then leaned on the right side of the mirror, as if there were an invisible wall there. ¡°You really don¡¯t get it,¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you. You¡¯re right, though.¡± He looked Will straight in the eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what happened in the tutorial until your party started. Still, I know what follows.¡± He paused. ¡°It can be skipped. I made that mistake and plunged into a world I wasn¡¯t prepared for. That¡¯s how I died.¡± Chills went down Will¡¯s spine. ¡°Helen told me you took her to the subway. What were you searching for?¡± ¡°A way out. What else? I was too lucky too soon. We¡¯d leveled up to the max, only to see it was not enough. You are making progress.¡± The boy let out a sad laugh. ¡°That¡¯s what eternity says when you reach a waypoint. But it¡¯s not a single path. I can¡¯t even remember when I joined eternity, and in all that time, I never knew you got to loot weapons.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Come on. I saw you.¡± ¡°Random rewards. You usually get a permanent every few hundred goes. The really good ones occur once in ten thousand.¡± He reached into his back pocket, revealing a throwing knife. ¡°Knives of affliction. I thought it was the most overpowered item in existence back then. Now, it¡¯s only slightly better than what you got.¡± His eyes narrowed into a frown. ¡°From the tutorial.¡± The resentment was understandable. No wonder the boy had trouble. The phrase bringing a knife to a gunfight came to mind. There was no telling whether there were actual projectile weapons, but even if that wasn¡¯t the case, a single set of knives wouldn¡¯t cut it against enemies in full gear. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this much. The only reason the four of you are alive is because you¡¯re still under eternity¡¯s protection. Soon, you won¡¯t be. If you don¡¯t want to go through an endless cycle of deaths, you need to finish the tutorial fast and gear up as quickly as possible.¡± Memories of the archer flashed through Will¡¯s mind. After everything said so far, facing such an enemy was outright suicide. The person must have already completed the tutorial, obtained his class weapons, and more. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Will asked. ¡°You¡¯ve already done it.¡± The other put the knife away. ¡°You have the fragment. Just place it onto the mirror and get me out of here.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll work?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t bring me back to life, but at least I won''t be stuck here.¡± Will didn¡¯t like the sound of that. ¡°Think of me as your own AI guide, just better. I get to move about through you and you get to use my smarts. Win win.¡± It was a universal certainty that whenever someone used the phrase ¡°win win¡±, only one of the sides got to reap the benefits. There was no telling what Danny¡¯s game actually was. The first thing that came to mind was a place swap. Will, like most boys his age, had seen enough horror movies to be familiar with the trope. Eternity had already stated that there couldn¡¯t be two rogues at once, although that posed the question: why did it still consider Daniel to be a rogue? Will distinctly remembered the first time he had made contact with the mirror. Back then, he was proclaimed to be the new rogue, and still¡­ ¡°No,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Not before we finish the tutorial.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play games with me,¡± a threatening note weaved its way into Danny¡¯s one. ¡°I won¡¯t let you clear the second floor, so¡ª¡± Will knelt down on the floor, hiding from view. It was a childish thing to do, and yet the noises of reality had returned. Counting to three, he slowly stood up. The mirror was as it should be, containing his reflection. His hunch had proven correct. Challenges followed a similar logic to wolf mirrors. The difference was that once mirror and challenger lost sight of one another, the challenge was ended. No time, the boy thought as he took out his mirror fragment. Danny was correct that the group had to gear up as quickly as possible. At the same time, there was one small detail he had overlooked: nowhere would eternity be as generous as in the tutorial. By the time he returned to class, the majority of his schoolmates were present. There was no time to talk, so he calmly took his place and went on to do the usual loop extending activities until it was time. ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± he whispered to Helen while passing by. ¡°Oooh! Strategy meeting!¡± Alex butted in. Of course, of all the people he¡¯d be the one to hear. Whether on purpose or by accident, he had ruined things. Will¡¯s intention had been to tell Helen about Daniel¡¯s reflection and determine what to do. That was no longer possible. ¡°Yeah,¡± Will added. ¡°We¡¯ll take a new approach tonight.¡± Unfortunately, Alex¡¯s overreaction had caused a whole set of other issues. Several of Helen¡¯s friends had quickly swooped by, dragging her from the undesirable elements in class. Jace also chose to stick to his team friends¡ªhe had to spend the rest of the day with them, and experience had shown the less he deviated from his usual self, the better things went. In the end, Will and Alex were left alone. ¡°Thanks.¡± Will sighed internally. ¡°Ooof, bro. Helen¡¯s got some sus friends.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not her¡­ Anyway, get some normal clothes for tonight. I¡¯ll text the others.¡± ¡°Normal clothes? What¡¯s that?¡± the goofball asked, but Will was already on his way out of the room. By evening, when the group gathered for their next school run, his intentions were more obvious. Will, along with Jace, had taken the time to pass by a sports store within their restricted area and buy four dark hoodies. ¡°For real?¡± Alex looked at the piece of clothing in disgust. ¡°This is sus as heck, bro.¡± ¡°It¡¯s less bright,¡± Will said. ¡°We just need not to attract attention.¡± ¡°With this? Bro¡­ I¡¯d arrest me just for wearing it.¡± ¡°He does have a point,¡± Helen said. ¡°Four people wearing the exact same black hoodies on school grounds after dark? All we¡¯re missing are gang symbols sprayed on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than what we had. The plan is to level up at school, then search the rest of the area before heading into the vice principal¡¯s office. We know there¡¯s at least one mirror out here. There probably are a few hidden ones as well.¡± ¡°Goblins in a parking lot is the opposite of hidden, Stoner.¡± Jace crossed his arms. ¡°If we go for muffin boy¡¯s mirror we might as well¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we start as usual. Just this time we also do the rooftop.¡± Events proceeded as they usually did. Having gone through the experience so many times, the group wiped out everything on the first two floors in ten minutes, chatting amongst themselves in the process. Will was secretly hoping to get another permanent random skill, but none appeared. By the time they reached the rooftop, the group¡ªwith the exception of Jace¡ªhad all reached the mid-level of their class, or more. It was with great enthusiasm that they came across their first flying opponent. The creature resembled a vulture with a long, sharp beak and equally scary talons. A dozen loops ago, they would have frozen in their tracks for several seconds to assess the situation. Now, Will brought down the bird with his paralytic throwing knives moments after it had appeared. Alex had assisted just as fast, throwing a mirror trap right beneath the monster before it hit the floor. That only left Helen to kill it off with one strong slice. ¡°Lit!¡± Alex grinned. ¡°Didn¡¯t even smash the roof.¡± ¡°Very funny.¡± Helen reached for her phone, then texted Jace to come up before grabbing hold of the dead bird¡¯s beak. The corpse instantly vanished, leaving a whip blade in its place. ¡°Woah! Now that¡¯s OP,¡± the goofball said. Will had to agree with him. He didn¡¯t have a clue how to use such a weapon, but already he knew that he wanted it. Realistically, he was the only one who could handle it properly. Helen had her hands full with her massive sword, and it didn¡¯t seem Alex¡¯s style at all. ¡°What crap did you get?¡± Jace asked, emerging onto the roof. ¡°Holy fuck! That¡¯s actually cool.¡± He went to the weapon and picked it up. ¡°Causes bleeding.¡± ¡°Does it extend?¡± Alex asked in hope. ¡°No. Just causes bleeding. Not enough for you, muffin boy?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good, bro. Would have been cool if it could extend and attach to things, though.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jace let out a laugh in an agreement. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll enhance it when you fuckers finally let me level up. So, who gets it?¡± Everyone looked at each other. ¡°I think I should,¡± Will said. ¡°Fast reflexes and targeting. Would be safest for me and everyone else.¡± ¡°So glad you¡¯re thinking of us,¡± Jace grumbled and tossed him the weapon. True to his word, Will reached out and grabbed the hilt in a single action so as not to get hurt. A sense of power surged through him. Holding it felt even better than the poison dagger. Apparently, it was a rogue weapon, after all. ¡°That makes nine hidden mirrors,¡± Helen said. ¡°Think there are more left?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Will looked around. From here, he could see almost the entire city. Even with everyone asleep, rivers of light crisscrossed between islands amid clusters of white and yellow dots. The cluster of skyscrapers in the city center grabbed most of the attention, like the center of a galaxy outshining the sky above. The boy redirected his attention to the schoolyard. At one point, it could have been described as adequately lit, but at some point, it had been decided by the governing body of Enigma High to reduce costs by cutting the number of working lights to nearly none. ¡°But it¡¯ll be fun to find out,¡± Will smiled. 51. The Poison Spear ¡°Shock resistant,¡± Jace said, examining the metal knee guard. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Will looked at the item. It was surprising how many hidden mirrors were scattered out in the open. So far, the group had defeated four more elites, as well as a pack of goblins at the outside parking lot. Helen¡¯s level had been bumped all the way to eight, which made all subsequent fights more difficult. At the same time, everyone agreed that to be a good thing: it meant that they¡¯d be a lot more prepared for the boss. The issue, if any, was the quality of loot items they¡¯d gotten up till now. All of them were gear and, for the most part, were largely useless. ¡°Remember when I said that the belt was crap?¡± The jock tossed Will the knee guard. ¡°I was wrong. This is fucking crap. There¡¯s not even a pair of them.¡± Unlike the weapons, no one really wanted to put on the gear. As a result, it was Will who got it all thanks to the reflexes his class provided. ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± he said after a long silence, strapping it onto his left knee. With that he had a pair of boots, a belt that reduced the sensation of pain, a single fire-resistant leather arm guard, and now a shock absorbing knee guard.¡± ¡°Bro,¡± Alex laughed. The style mismatch was such that even Helen had to join in the chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re definitely not becoming king of the prom.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s just temporary.¡± He stood up and took a few steps. The knee guard fit comfortably, not restricting his movements in the least. They had already noticed that all items adjusted size according to their owner. ¡°Want the shield?¡± the jock offered. ¡°Keep it for now.¡± With the entire school yard and surrounding areas combed, only a small number of additional buildings remained: Spencer¡¯s corner shop¡ªfrom where Alex got his daily supply of muffins¡ªand the gym. As much as the goofball would have loved to go through the shop, it was far too exposed, leaving only the other option. The plan was simple¡ªJace and Helen would remain outside, while Will and Alex went through the area to place a few traps. It was known for a fact that there were a set of mirrors in the locker rooms, with a good chance of them having wolves inside. ¡°Gear is lit,¡± the goofball said, looking at Will¡¯s arm guard. ¡°For real, bro. It¡¯s just not of a set.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to find a place to stash them. Would be oof, if you find some really cool loot but must throw away some gear to make place.¡± Alex continued dissing the management problem of eternity¡¯s inventory system. The point had a certain degree of merit, but Will¡¯s mind was elsewhere. He didn¡¯t regret turning Danny down, but he couldn¡¯t deny feeling worried about what was to come. Not the elite on the second floor¡ªit was only a matter of strategy to defeat him, even with the former rogue involved. The real problem was with what followed. Even if Danny had lied his head off, something about eternity terrified him. The question was, did it involve Danny alone or would everyone be affected? ¡°You ok, bro?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Will snapped out of it. ¡°Yeah. Was thinking about after the tutorial.¡± ¡°For real.¡± The other nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll have time to get back to Danny. Lots of paper to go through.¡± No wolves appeared in the locker rooms. That was somewhat of a relief. There was a good chance that at least one of the mirrors would spawn goblins, so Alex placed a dozen mirror taps in each. Everything else seemed pretty standard¡ªlots of sports equipment and a giant room for indoor basketball play. To be on the safe side, a few more mirror traps were placed at every doorway. With that done, the duo returned to the entrance to pick up the rest of the group. ¡°All set,¡± Will said, looking out from the door. ¡°You can come in,¡± he told Helen. ¡°Jace, you stay here. And keep away from the door.¡± ¡°Whatever, Stoner.¡± The jock grunted. Drawing his poison dagger, Will opened the door wide, letting the girl step inside. ¡°There are traps at every door,¡± Will said, leading the way. ¡°We¡¯ll start with the basketball court.¡± ¡°How many do you think there¡¯ll be?¡± ¡°Probably one.¡± At every step, Will¡¯s eyes moved about the room, looking for any instance of a mirror suddenly appearing. Alex was nowhere to be seen, of course. The goofball tended to move on his own timetable, abusing his thief skills to vanish and appear as it best suited him. ¡°Careful,¡± Will said as they approached the door to the basketball court. ¡°There¡¯s half a dozen there.¡± The floor had no indication anything had been placed there. Will knew from experience that only the person placing them retained the ability to always see them. Everyone else was a few minutes away from having their image erased from their conscient self. The court was everything that the school wasn¡¯t. Whether it was the city or individual sponsors, a lot had been poured into making sure that every student had the chance of excelling in their respective field. Football was king with a small shared field on the city outskirts, but basketball also got its share of investment. All hoops and backboards were of professional quality, replaced two years ago. Will still remembered the commotion at the time. Someone had spread the rumor that they¡¯d be adding the new transparent type, so everyone was excited for no good reason. When it turned out they weren¡¯t, the disappointment was palpable.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything,¡± Helen said a few steps from the entrance. ¡°Let¡¯s check the lockers.¡± ¡°Hel, I need to ask you something.¡± Helen looked at him with suspicion. It wasn¡¯t lost on her that he had waited for them to be alone¡ªor relatively alone, considering Alex¡ªbefore making his move. Also, he started with a warning instead of the question itself. ¡°You said Danny took you hunting in the subway. How did he do that?¡± ¡°I told you. He¡¯d gotten a permanent reward.¡± Indeed, she had told him many things, though not all of them made sense. ¡°But you didn¡¯t.¡± There it was¡ªthe trap she had walked into without even realizing. Will didn¡¯t feel particularly pleased about it. Despite what it appeared, his goal wasn¡¯t to out her, but rather mentally prepare her for the revelation that Daniel was still alive. Everything suggested it was a mistake to do so, but he felt he might not get a better opportunity. ¡°What if I have?¡± she asked, walking past him towards the center of the court. ¡°Secrets come with loops. Once you pass a thousand, things change. You can¡¯t judge me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to. I just think that he¡¯s been lying to you.¡± He continued. ¡°He¡¯s been hiding things.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± The girl snapped, briskly turning around. ¡°Of course I knew! You have secrets. Alex has secrets. Even Jace does. Do you want me to apologize?¡± ¡°No,¡± Will said in a firm tone, joining her in the penalty area of the court. ¡°I¡¯ve been helping you way before I knew what was going on. I just want to understand a few things.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± the girl snapped. ¡°That Danny was my ex? That¡¯s my business, and I¡ª¡±
HIDDEN BOSS FOUND
Purple letters shined through the basketball backboard¡ªthe one place they hadn¡¯t been able to see when they had initially entered the room. That didn¡¯t matter so much, because at this point the mirror had seen Helen, causing it to trigger. ¡°Shit!¡± Will grabbed Helen and leaped back just as three short spears shot out from the mirror. Mercilessly, they struck the floor at the exact point she had been. ¡°Alex!¡± Will shouted, grabbing a throwing knife. ¡°We need more traps!¡± A roar mixed with laughter filled the room. On the mirror stuck to the backboard, a new message emerged.
SPATRA THE POISON SPEAR (Kaleen Faction) Victory reward: ???
The mirror¡¯s surface shattered, and a massive figure leaped out. It was outright massive, making the dark knight they had faced several dozen loops ago look like a child. Nine feet tall, the creature could be described as humanoid in only the most general of ways. With arms and legs as tree trunks, the elite was dressed in a combination of leather and metal armor covering his entire upper torso. Dark brown leather trousers and knee-length boots suggested that he had spent his entire existence in the wilderness, if such a concept existed in the mirror realms. Most shocking of all, the entire skin of the enemy was paper white, making the veins in his arms even more pronounced. Purple eyes glared at Will and Helen in turn as the elite reached into the massive quiver on his back, taking hold of five more short spears. His left foot took a step back, stomping onto the floor. A loud shattering sound followed, along with the twinkle of broken mirror fragments. ¡°You¡¯re not a goblin, are you, bro?¡± Alex appeared twenty steps away. ¡°I better¡ª¡± Before he could finish, the elite threw two of the spears right in the goofball¡¯s chest. In his mind, Will expected to see the usual message marking the unsuccessful end of the tutorial. Instead, Alex shattered into fragments. ¡°I knew you¡¯d do that,¡± the goofball said as dozens of new versions of him appeared in the room. There was no telling which one of them was the real one. If Will had to guess, he¡¯d probably say that none of them were. Alex had proven he was a master of deception, especially when taking things seriously. On cue, Will leaped to the left, increasing the distance between him and Helen. If they were to fight, it would be best if they didn¡¯t make it easy for the monster. ¡°How do you want to do this?¡± Helen raised her sword, holding it confidently with one hand. ¡°He can see traps,¡± Alex said. ¡°So, that¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°But he can¡¯t see you sneak. Hide, we¡¯ll create an open¡ª¡± Three spears flew Will¡¯s way. Even with his current reflexes, his body felt sluggish when compared to the speed of his enemy. It was only thanks to his evasion that he managed to twist his body just enough to have the lethal weapons fly inches away from his waist and shoulder. Unwilling to take any further chances, he leaped back away, increasing the distance between them.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Floor shattered
Helen¡¯s blade struck the spot where Spatra stood. Unfortunately, his reaction speed had proved too great, allowing him to retreat just enough to avoid the blow. The hidden boss leaned back, as he kicked Helen straight in the stomach and with such strength that it caused her to spit out a full mouth of saliva. Gritting her teeth, the girl refused to collapse or let go of her weapon, enduring the attack that pushed her fifteen feet back. ¡°Got you, bro!¡± A new Alex appeared a step away from the enemy, instantly attempting to stab him in the side. The knife struck the boss¡¯ armor, shattering on the spot. The fate of the knife was instantly shared by the rest of the mirror copy, which crumbled on its own accord. Will held his breath and took advantage of the momentary distraction to throw three knives at the target. Two of them bounced off the man¡¯s protective gear. The third one, thankfully, struck his right biceps. Crimson red blood spilled out, made even brighter due to the skin¡¯s whiteness. Sadly, that was all. At a ten percent chance of paralysis, there was nothing to be surprised of, but Will really wished luck had smiled on him. ¡°I think you should have taken the chain, bro,¡± several Alexes said as they charged forward. Unimpressed, the boss avoided them like leaves in the wind. So great was his confidence that he didn¡¯t even bother to attack them, letting them occasionally break their blades on his armor and shatter as a result. ¡°Are you okay, Hel?¡± Will asked, throwing three more daggers. ¡°Just catching my breath,¡± she replied. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± In truth, he had just run out of special throwing knives, but he didn¡¯t want her knowing that. The only thing that mattered right now was to stay in the fight and find a weakness he could exploit before any of them got killed. 52. Hidden Boss Consequences A line of destruction sliced through the basketball court, destroying all in its path. The boss, though, blocked it with both arms. Unable to completely stop the force of the strike, he was pushed back, plowing through the floor like a tractor, and still he didn¡¯t appear to have been even remotely hurt. For the last several minutes, the trio had thrown everything they could at him, and hadn¡¯t gotten close to threatening him. All the wounds they¡¯d done¡ªand there were several of them¡ªwere insignificant, neither slowing nor weakening the man¡¯s actions. That included a vertical chop capable of destroying walls. ¡°It has to be a skill,¡± Will said as the boss lowered his arms. Both of them were already bloody from other attacks, making it unclear whether the last had caused any new wounds at all. ¡°Just one, bro?¡± one of Alex¡¯s copies asked. ¡°I stabbed him five times at least. That¡¯s more than one skill.¡± Clearly, they had reached the next skill wall. The first time Will had faced a wolf, the beasts seemed undefeatable. Similar things could be said for several of the elites. This run, thanks to careful planning, three of the group had significantly leveled up and had pretty good luck with the random skills, and still they appeared to be powerless. The hidden boss didn¡¯t seem to have an obvious pattern, discernable weaknesses, or apparent flaws. He was fast, strong, and considerably more durable than a level eight knight. The only reason he hadn¡¯t managed to bring about the loop¡¯s end was the self-preservation instincts of everyone involved. Alex was hiding among his copies, as a thief would. Helen made it a point to use her acrobatics skill to retreat following each of her attacks. As for Will, he maintained a thirty-foot distance between the monster and himself. There were only two problems with that: in the case of a stalemate, the defender always won, and despite appearances, the hidden boss was the defender. ¡°He must have regeneration,¡± Helen said, breathing heavily. ¡°There¡¯s no way anyone could lose that much blood.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way bones could withstand your knight¡¯s bash, either,¡± Will added. Seeing them talk, Spatra took advantage of the momentary pause to grab the remaining seven spears from his quiver and throw them at Helen in rapid succession. In her state, the girl was less mobile than any of her teammates, making her an easy target. Without warning, copies of Alex emerged out of thin air, shattering as the spears pieced them. It wasn¡¯t much, but each copy slowed down the projectile ever so slightly, allowing the girl to somersault into the air without getting hit. Daring to risk it, Will chose that precise moment to leap twenty feet closer to the man and threw his dagger in the hidden boss¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Bro, don¡¯t!¡± Alex shouted.
POISON IGNORED
¡°Damn!¡± Will said beneath his breath as he leapt out of reach again. The bad part was that he didn¡¯t have a weapon anymore. ¡°Poison Spear, bro,¡± all the mirror copies shouted simultaneously. ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t have spears anymore.¡± Come to think of it, he¡¯d never seen a skill relating to spear use. Either it was something extremely rare, or there had to be a spearman class among the twenty-four. The hidden boss grabbed Will¡¯s knife and pulled it out of his shoulder. For several seconds, he examined the weapon, then unceremoniously snapped it in two, breaking the blade off the hilt.
DUAL-FANG DAGGER DESTROYED
Will watched in horror as his unique weapon was rendered useless. Not once had there been any indication that something of the sort could happen. Everything so far had pointed to their weapons being permanent, at least as long as the tutorial lasted. That illusion had just now been shattered. It was just a dagger, but it made Will feel as if ice was forming in his stomach. That was the first piece of loot they¡¯d come across. It had meant something, and now it was no more. ¡°At least he doesn¡¯t have a weapon,¡± Alex said in an attempt to find the positive. ¡°Should be better for us.¡± No sooner had he said that than Spatra took out a small object from his trouser pocket. Before everyone¡¯s eyes was a mirror fragment, no different than the ones Helen and Will had obtained. Cold hatred burning in his eyes, the hidden boss tapped on its surface. ¡°Did you know they could have fragments?¡± Will asked, as he took out one of his all-purpose knives. ¡°First time, bro,¡± Alex said. ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s a boss. Stronger than the usual mobs.¡± Things didn¡¯t end there. After a few taps, the figure¡¯s hand sunk into the fragment, taking out an ornate grand spear. The thing seemed so long it could be used for pole vaulting. The tip on top was nothing less than a serrated machette splashed with purple liquid¡ªpossibly poison. Gems, along with gold and silver, covered the shaft, several of them covered in a low glow. ¡°Shit, get back!¡± Alex¡¯s copies rushed forward, creating a wall between the boss and everyone else. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Will asked. ¡°Phase two.¡± Spatra put the mirror fragment away and spun the spear around him. The action was so fast that it created several after images. If that really was an unknown class, speed had to be its main benefit. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t seem as if he had the ability to jump. They had seen that ranged throwing remained an option, as was expertise in spears. One could also assume that he had a few random skills as well.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Poison immunity and regeneration, Will thought. It also didn¡¯t look like Spatra was one bit tired, suggesting his endurance was on par with that of Helen¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m open to ideas,¡± Will said. ¡°Go for the eyes?¡± Several of the Alexes suggested. ¡°Or the head,¡± Helen added in determination. ¡° ¡°That thing is ten feet long, sis. How will you get close to strike?¡± Suddenly, an epiphany came to Will. The experience of facing the snake monster while having three different classes had allowed him to see what he otherwise would have never considered. It was more than just learning the strengths of the other classes, but how to combine them in order to achieve something far greater than the individual parts. ¡°Alex, distract him!¡± He said, leaping in Helen¡¯s direction. ¡°I have an idea.¡± Seeing that something was amiss, the hidden boss ran into action. Dozens of mirror copies were shattered in one single arc strike of the spear. Thankfully, dozens more appeared out of thin air, charging at the man. Even so, it was impossible to contain him. Both Helen and Will leaped away in opposite directions, moments before Spatra thrust his spear forward. The poisonous tip went through the many copies, reaching a distance far greater than any of them had perceived in their mind¡¯s eye. ¡°We need to get together,¡± Will shouted. ¡°Go round the other end.¡± On cue, Spatra did a one-eighty, thrusting his spear forward again. The attack wasn¡¯t remotely close, but it served as a warning. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to let us,¡± Helen said. ¡°That¡¯s because he knows what I¡¯m about to do.¡± It wasn¡¯t going to be easy to surprise him. ¡°It ain¡¯t dumb, bro,¡± Alex said. ¡°It¡¯s probably listening to anything you say. We must talk in code or Latin, or something.¡± ¡°Who knows Latin?¡± Will threw the knife he was holding, then several more. The boss deflected him with his shaft without issue. ¡°I was bored, bro,¡± the goofball said apologetically. ¡°Nothing interesting happened before you showed up.¡± Twenty mirror copies charged forward.
STAB Surprise attack. Damage increased by 1000% Wound inflicted.
Several of them managed to survive long enough to actually strike their target in an unprotected spot. Even that didn¡¯t matter, since Spatra had the annoying ability to ignore any wounds he received. That had never been the point of the attack, though. Alex was just continuing with what Will had asked him to do, and was doing it well. Now, it was just a matter of taking advantage. ¡°Hel,¡± Will shouted, attempting to circle round the boss. ¡°Just like the snake. I¡¯ll meet you halfway.¡± Suspecting something, the enemy ignored the copies¡¯ attacks and moved to remain in sync with the boy. ¡°Trust me,¡± Will added. The ornate spear split the air, aiming to strike Will in the leg. That¡¯s when the boy made his move. Twisting in place, he evaded the attack, then leapt in the direction of his attacker. On the other side, Helen did the same. As adrenaline kicked in, both floated in the air as if in slow motion. Will threw all knives he had left, then tossed his backpack. The spear thrusts continued. The poisonous tip ripped the air, passing inches from Will on several occasions. Purely thanks to his evasion skill, did he manage to twist his body just in time to evade it. On one occasion, the tip even bounced off the metal knee guard, absorbing the full force of the attack. It really was useful, Will thought as he reached the point right above Spatra. Helen was only a foot away, gripping her sword with both hands. She had no idea exactly what Will was planning, but had decided to trust him. This was the make or break moment. ¡°Aim for the head,¡± Will whispered as he took hold of her left arm, twisting his body so he got behind her. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when to let go.¡± His other hand reached out behind her. Both his arms had gotten hold of her forearms, transforming the pair into one unit. Helen could feel Will¡¯s guidance, waiting for the massive sword to rise above their heads, then swinging downwards. At precisely the right moment, Will tightened his grip. Fifteen feet above the hidden boss, the sword was let go, thrusting straight down. From this distance, there was nothing Spatra could do. His spear was held in such a position that he couldn¡¯t deflect the sword on time.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Armor shattered
Armor? Will thought, looking down. In the very last moment, the hidden boss had managed to arch backwards, letting the sword hit him in the chest. The strength of the attack remained massive, but instead of a lethal blow in the head, it had merely removed the man¡¯s protection. After all that, he had still managed to survive. ¡°Hold tight, bros!¡± A new wave of Alexes emerged, swarming the boss like an avalanche. Several of them leaped up in fast, albeit clumsy fashion. It was rather that they were jumping during a sprint than doing anything else, but even so, through mass and effort alone, managed to change the downward trajectory of Will and Helen, allowing them to land ten feet away from the enemy. At that point, Will took the initiative again, leaping further back with Helen. The strain was significant, but thanks to the belt he was wearing, the pain didn¡¯t seem so bad. ¡°Good plan,¡± the girl whispered. Will let go of her, then shook his head. No one could argue that the plan had achieved a lot, but it had failed its main goal. The boss had survived. The attack had left him armor-less and slightly disoriented, but that wouldn¡¯t last for long. ¡°Alex, fetch the sword!¡± he shouted. ¡°I¡¯m a bit low on mirrors, bro,¡± a voice replied. What used to be dozens of mirror copies had been reduced to five, each keeping their distance. It was a good chance that the real Alex was among them. ¡°Don¡¯t think I can pull it off.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Will hissed. He wasn¡¯t angry that they had failed, but that they were so close. If only they had been a second faster¡­ if only the boss hadn¡¯t moved at the last moment, this could have been the end of it. Now, they had earned second place, and in a duel, second place was the same as failing. The albino turned in their direction. Without his torso armor, he seemed even whiter, as if he were a living statue of marble. Maybe that would explain his high resistance to physical attacks. A slight smile formed on his otherwise stoic face as if saying, ¡°nice try, kids.¡± At this point, they were entirely at his mercy. None of them had any weapons or surprises left. All they could do was to prolong the inevitable until one of them fell victim to his spear, or the loop came to an end. A whooshing sound broke the silence, followed by a dull thump. The tip of a somewhat sharp bolt emerged from the boss¡¯ chest along with a burst of blood. Confusion covered everyone¡¯s faces, but Spatra¡¯s most of all. The large man looked down in utter disbelief, then back at Will before collapsing on the floor.
HIDDEN BOSS REWARD (set) MASS INVENTORY SLOT INCREASE (permanent): inventory slots increased to 48.
A message appeared on the backboard mirror in large purple letters. ¡°Fucker,¡± Jace said from the entrance, holding what looked like a miniature cross between a harpoon gun and a crossbow. ¡°Now anyone tell me I¡¯m useless,¡± he added with a smirk. 53. Escaping the Mirror ¡°That¡¯s a hidden boss?¡± Jace asked, standing over the large corpse. ¡°Nasty fucker. Cool gear, though.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve no idea.¡± Will reached into Spatra¡¯s pocket. Unfortunately, the only thing that he found there were mirror pieces. Either through luck or design, the mirror fragment had shattered during the fight. Knowing how much control eternity exerted on everything, it was likely that any items there were not meant to be taken, had a tendency to fade or break. ¡°Would have been nice,¡± Helen said from a step away. ¡°If you had one, we¡¯d be able to go faster.¡± Will said nothing. Ten minutes ago, he was ready to tell her everything about Danny and the mirror fragment he¡¯d gotten. That was before he¡¯d seen how underpowered they were. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we have,¡± she tapped the boss¡¯ corpse on the forehead. Same as with the elites, the body faded away. The ornate spear, on the other hand, remained. ¡°Finally,¡± Jace said. ¡°Something that¡¯s not shit.¡± It was an honest statement. Yet, with the adrenaline loosening its grip, Will had a few questions. ¡°How did you get that gun?¡± he asked. ¡°Everyone has a secret, Stoner,¡± the jock replied. ¡°Been working on it for a while. It¡¯s easy to make if you know what you¡¯re doing. Took me longer to find you. With all the crap in the locker rooms, I thought you¡¯d be there.¡± ¡°What crap?¡± Will asked. ¡°Why there?¡± Helen asked at the same time. Slightly confused by the merging of questions, Jace looked at each of them. His mind separated the words of each, processing what was asked. ¡°It has mirrors,¡± he told Helen. ¡°Had.¡± He turned to Will. ¡°Everything¡¯s shattered now.¡± ¡°Shattered?¡± ¡°Sorry, bro. I was running low on ammo,¡± Alex said with a sheepish grin. ¡°For real. I thought I¡¯d stock up for the harpy¡¯s office. Was going to wait for you. But then you shouted and¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Will kept on looking at Jace. There was something that made him suspect there was more to it than the jock was telling him about. Such a weapon didn¡¯t just emerge out of nowhere. He¡¯d seen Jace meddle with a gauntlet for several loops, progressing in minuscule increments. The jump he had seen was just too much. ¡°What do we have?¡± ¡°What don¡¯t we have?¡± The jock shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a unique weapon. Spatra¡¯s Poison Spear. Poison, piercing, indestructible¡­ anti-magic.¡± He looked up. ¡°That''s new. We have magic now?¡± The crude and na?ve fashion in which he asked the question wasn¡¯t able to diminish the sensation of dread that swept through all of them. No one showed it, but it was a safe bet they were thinking the same thing. Even since they had entered eternity, it was a given that everything that occurred wasn¡¯t normal. They didn¡¯t call it magic outright since it didn¡¯t match the typical image one had. There hadn¡¯t been mages casting fireballs, fire-breathing dragons, or enchanted creatures. The closest thing that came to magic were Alex¡¯s abilities, but even they had a more scientific nature in a superhero type of way. This had been the first instance in which magic had openly been mentioned, suggesting that all that had been experienced so far wasn¡¯t. ¡°Did Danny say anything about magic?¡± Will asked. A memory fragment flashed through his mind. He remembered noticing something similar while skimming the school counselor''s notes. It had been over the top, like a crazy dream, which was the only reason it had stuck to his mind. Daniel had mentioned something about going to see a person who juggled fire, but could never get burned by his own. There were a lot of ways to interpret this, most of them disturbing, but if it was a literal description of what the former rogue had seen, then it changed everything. ¡°He used the term supernatural,¡± Helen said. ¡°Nah, bro.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°But maybe it was because he was forced to say so. Think about it. Really sus that he wouldn¡¯t mention it even once out of curiosity.¡± It was impossible to be certain whether the goofball was being certain, but if this was a joke, no one was laughing. Will took a few steps away. As he did, he noticed the hilt of his dagger. The fight had caused a lot of devastation¡ªthe floor had been ripped apart, leaving massive sword trails criss-crossing through it. Among the debris were pieces of his weapon. It hadn¡¯t vanished, as the short spears had, suggesting that even in its current state, it remained eternal. ¡°Jace, can you fix things?¡± Will bent down and picked up the pieces. There were three in total: the hilt and two pieces of blade. ¡°Fuck. You got that broken?¡± The jock shook his head. ¡°Can you fix it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. Haven¡¯t reached the level of you guys.¡± ¡°Try.¡± Will extended his hand with the dagger pieces inside. ¡°Take a few loops if you have to.¡± ¡°Okay, man. Whatever you say.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s check the locker rooms,¡± Will said loudly, changing the subject. ¡°Just in case. Then¡­¡± he paused for a few moments. ¡°Then we¡¯ll go through the corner shop.¡± No hidden mirrors appeared in the locker rooms or Alex¡¯s favorite building. Naturally, he took the opportunity to grab a few snacks while they were there. Will would have joined in if he didn¡¯t feel the dull sensation of pain in his stomach.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. By all accounts, he should have been happy. The group was geared up, and they had defeated all but one elite in the school area. What was more, they had found a hidden boss that had dropped a unique weapon. Yet, the more he thought about it, Will wished they hadn¡¯t. ¡°Jace should take the spear,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s untypically nice of you, Stoner.¡± Even the jock sounded surprised. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°None of us can use it properly. Maybe you could think of some device to use it properly.¡± ¡°You okay, Stoner? Giving me loot, letting me take loops on my own. It¡¯s almost as if you¡ª¡± ¡°Bro,¡± Alex interrupted, knowing what Jace would say. ¡°We can try the harpy¡¯s office. For real. With all four of us and all this, we¡¯ll win for sure.¡± Will gave him a stern look. ¡°Really?¡± His frown deepened. ¡°I¡¯ve no dagger, we¡¯re exhausted, and you have half a dozen mirror shards at most. The spear is too long to be used in the school, so it¡¯ll be useless as well. A few more loops won¡¯t hurt us.¡± All eyes shifted towards Helen. While Will had been acknowledged as the leader of the group, she remained the keyholder, and the most powerful class. Four times out of five, she was the one doing the heavy fighting, with everyone else largely acting as support. ¡°Will¡¯s right,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s no point in trying now. We got the items, we know how to level up. It¡¯s not a bad idea to spend the next few loops resting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the plan, then,¡± Jace nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do about this and your knife.¡± Everyone stood there, waiting for something to happen. Reaching a point in which they had to wait for the loop to end on its own felt unnatural. Initially, there was a sense of anxiousness, like waiting for a bus that was arriving late. After a while, the sensation faded away, replaced by calm. The group decided to go back onto the school roof and just look at the stars, chatting about things that didn¡¯t matter. For a brief moment of time, there was no talk of skills and monsters, no delving into secrets, and, above all, no eternity. ¡°Bros, this is lit,¡± Alex said. ¡°We should do this more often.¡± ¡°Muffin boy, just give it a rest,¡± Jace laughed. ¡°The fuck will I want to go through all this again?¡± More laughter followed.
Restarting eternity.
The sound cars of honking filled the air. Children were going to school as usual. In a matter of moments, Jess and Ely would pass by, calling him a weirdo. Maybe even Alex would appear eating a muffin. Will never got a chance to find out, rushing into school as if he were running away from something. The first thing he did was enter the boys¡¯ bathroom and get his class. Then the hard part came. ¡°You¡¯re a bastard,¡± he hissed, staring at his own reflection. ¡°Danny, I challenge you.¡±
CLASS DUPLICATION!
Only one rogue can be present. Freezing eternity.
The reflection changed. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be back,¡± Daniel said. ¡°Fighting eternity isn¡¯t as easy as you thought, is it?¡± ¡°Tell me about magic.¡± ¡°Magic?¡± Surprise flickered through Daniel¡¯s face. It was subtle, but Will was able to see his eyes widen a fraction and the corners of his mouth point down. ¡°What do you want to know about that?¡± ¡°I thought you knew everything.¡± ¡°I know enough, which is a lot more than you. And magic isn¡¯t something you should mess with.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s too late for that.¡± Will moved closer to the mirror. ¡°We found an item that has magic protection. Tell me what¡¯s magic?¡± ¡°You really came upon that?¡± There was more surprise than mockery in Daniel¡¯s voice. ¡°Lucky you. But¡ª¡± he raised a finger in the air ¡°¡ªthis time you¡¯ll have to pay for it. No more freebies.¡± ¡°I can just walk out.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll never unlock the final mirror or finish the tutorial. Remember, I¡¯ve got more than knowledge to offer.¡± Will didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Why so stubborn? You don¡¯t have a choice. Sooner or later, you¡¯ll get crushed. So, you¡¯ve got a few more items. Big deal. They¡¯ll only make things more painful as they¡¯re taken from you. Get me out of here and both of us will win.¡± Last time the offer was made, Will had refused. It wasn¡¯t just about the tutorial. The last thing he wanted was a version of Danny out there. By the sound of things, the former rogue hadn¡¯t seen anything of what had happened in the gym. As far as he was concerned, Will¡¯s conversation with Helen, the hidden boss, and the unique spear had never happened. ¡°If I get you out of here, what then?¡± he asked. ¡°Nothing much. I get to be in the fragment and you get answers to all your questions. Everything I¡¯ve learned will become yours.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re lying. Once you¡¯re out, you won¡¯t tell me a thing.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll need a bit more incentive, but nothing you couldn¡¯t handle. The choice is really simple: do you want to pass the tutorial or not?¡± ¡°And let you leech on me?¡± ¡°Leech? You think you¡¯re funny, shithead? I¡¯ll be in the fragment. The only way to even talk to me is to challenge me again, which you will do. Even with the mirror unlocked, you¡¯ll have trouble down the road.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re okay with just that?¡± ¡°Will, you¡¯ve no idea what it¡¯s like to be stuck in eternity. None of the loops you play about really stick. If you get me out of here, I¡¯ll be part of the world again, even if for ten minutes per loop.¡± He cracked his fingers. ¡°We both know you¡¯ll make the deal. You wouldn¡¯t be here if it wasn¡¯t in your best interest.¡± As unpleasant as it was to admit, Danny was right. Will didn¡¯t see any way forward for the group, which was why it had come to this. Even now, he was looking for the smallest pretext to walk off and leave the former classmate stuck in the bathroom mirror. Things would be a lot simpler and, above all, there was no risk of Helen ever finding out. Sadly, this wasn¡¯t a deal he could avoid making. ¡°You¡¯ll help us pass the tutorial,¡± he said. ¡°And help out when I¡¯m in trouble.¡± ¡°Lethal trouble¡ªyes,¡± Daniel agreed. ¡°Anything else, we¡¯ll have to make further arrangements. Don¡¯t worry, though. It¡¯ll be nothing that you can¡¯t handle.¡± ¡°I bet.¡± Will took the mirror fragment and pressed it against the mirror.
Eternity restored.
A message appeared. Behind it was nothing else than the bathroom¡¯s reflection, with Will standing in front. As far as everyone¡ªeven eternity itself¡ªwas concerned, the former rogue never existed. Will pulled back the mirror fragment and looked at both sides. There was no indication on it that anything was out of the ordinary. The boy could feel it, though¡ªthe unpleasant sticky feeling as if gum had stuck to the sole of his shoe. There was no getting rid of Daniel now. His only hope was that the deal he made was worth it. 54. The Helen Beyond the Loop School proceeded the same as always. If there was one thing that eternity managed to achieve, it was to transform something utterly boring into an outright dreary experience. Will spent three classes hearing the same lessons presented the same way by the same people. Any hint of originality had vanished dozens of loops ago. Sadly, with the group agreeing to take it easy for a while, the only thing that he had to occupy his mind with was worse than the boredom. Will glanced forward at Helen. The girl had chosen to keep her loops to ten minutes for the near future. And, just to avoid temptation, she had not even taken her knight class. Initially, Will had mixed feelings about it. This would be possibly the only time his loop extended Helen¡¯s. It provided some possibilities and also freed up the knight class for use. Sadly, one additional class in itself wasn¡¯t a major benefit. Alex and Jace had taken theirs, and if Will were to fight anything more than a snake, he needed at least three classes. ¡°Stoner,¡± Jace said as they made their way to the final class of the morning. ¡°I¡¯ll need your help tonight.¡± Will kept on walking. ¡°I¡¯ll need skills to fix your dagger.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Will gave him a quick glance. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Alex to help you out. Also, get Helen¡¯s class. It¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°Hey! It¡¯s your dagger.¡± ¡°I know, man.¡± Will shook his head. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just out of it this loop. Sure, I can be there, but you¡¯ll be better off with Alex.¡± The jock gave Will a long glare, as if estimating whether to punch him or not. ¡°Whatever, man,¡± he said, walking further down the corridor. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± Not the best guarantee, but the topic was moot. Will didn¡¯t plan on fighting this turn, and possibly the next. Not unless something extraordinary happened. ¡°What¡¯s the oof, bro?¡± Alex appeared next to him. Having gotten used to the spontaneous appearing and disappearing of the thief, Will barely arched a brow. ¡°You were lit yesterday. Main character seven manga volume. For real! Taking out a hidden boss was¡­ I didn¡¯t know they existed.¡± Will somehow doubted that. ¡°Jace took him out,¡± he said. ¡°Can you join him tonight? He¡¯ll need to boost some levels before fixing my stuff.¡± ¡°For real? You not joining?¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s something else I need to do.¡± ¡°Spend some time with Miss Perfect?¡± The goofball asked with a sly smile. ¡°Won¡¯t work, bro. She won¡¯t change, just won¡¯t be able to break your neck when you fight.¡± He laughed at his own joke. At another time, Will might even have found it funny. The truth was that he didn¡¯t envy what he was about to do. Not in the least. ¡°Alex, do you have Danny¡¯s file on you?¡± ¡°Shh!¡± The goofball looked about. ¡°You want everyone to hear, bro? Yeah, I got it. Why?¡± ¡°Give it to me. I want to check something.¡± Alex¡¯s expression soured. ¡°Still messed up on magic? Forget it, bro. If we were going to see that, eternity would have told us.¡± ¡°And after the tutorial? We¡¯re a loop from completing it. What happens when we have to fight magic users?¡± ¡°If there were any, we would have learned. Archer wasn¡¯t shy about showing how OP he was.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about monsters.¡± ¡°Ah. Oh.¡± ¡°Just give me the file.¡± Will sighed. Alex looked at him as if he were an obsessed collector asking for money to buy the latest junk. For several steps, his expression froze as he made up his mind. Then he took off his backpack and shoved it into Will¡¯s hands. ¡°Tell me if you find anything. For real.¡± He wagged a finger. Then, before Will could respond in any way, he vanished in the blink of an eye. Sneaky sprinting, Will thought. It was a scary skill combination, and all linked to a single class. At least this part was over. He¡¯d have something to spend the rest of his loop on. After what was about to follow, the boy had the feeling he¡¯d need it. The final class of the day was boring as everything else. Will was tempted to give the answers before the teacher had posed the question. It would have broken the monotony a bit and maybe taken his mind off things. Ultimately, he didn¡¯t. Part of him called himself a coward, but it was something he could live with. When the class was over, he sent a text to Helen: Need 2 talk. The girl looked at her phone, then at him. One of her close friends did the same. Unlike Helen, the look on her face was anything but approving. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t matter, but in this case, she had the power to drag Helen away. ¡°You¡¯re not serious?¡± she said out loud, not considering Will worthy of a discreet whisper.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Helen said. ¡°I¡¯ll just take a minute.¡± ¡°Helen, seriously? He¡¯s just a loser.¡± ¡°So? I get to talk to losers, if I want.¡± Placing her books in her backpack, the girl went to the back of the classroom. Several of her friends remained at the door, looking intently in her direction. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ll let you go,¡± Will whispered. ¡°Do you seriously think you¡¯ll be able to get anything from me?¡± Helen whispered back, arms crossed. ¡°I¡¯ve played this game for longer than you¡¯ve had loops.¡± ¡°I know. I just wanted to borrow the fragment.¡± ¡°Good luck. Eternal items don¡¯t exist beyond eternity.¡± In truth, Will suspected that to be the case. This was only meant as a diversion and icebreaker. What he really wanted to talk to Helen about had nothing to do with her fragment. ¡°Can¡¯t we go somewhere? I don¡¯t want to discuss this in front of them.¡± ¡°Why are you wasting your time? They won¡¯t remember a thing and neither will I.¡± There was a pause, followed immediately by a chuckle. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re doing this? Wow! I thought you had a crush, but to try a confession on my non-looped self? I never thought you¡¯d¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Danny,¡± Will quickly interrupted. He¡¯d be lying if he said he hadn¡¯t given the other matter some thought. At the same time, if he were going to go through with it, it wouldn¡¯t be on a loopless copy. Helen¡¯s eyes widened. This wasn¡¯t a topic she was expecting. ¡°Give us some space.¡± She looked at her friends over her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s personal.¡± ¡°Helen, if you go out with that loser, I¡¯ll¡­¡± Everyone could tell that as much as her friends appeared to protest, their body language suggested that they were encouraging her. It was impossible to say whether this was their attempt at reverse psychology, or they wanted to see her shoot him down live. One was even stealthily holding onto a phone, keeping it at the ready. ¡°Not that personal,¡± she said. ¡°A friend¡¯s in the hospital.¡± Coming from her, the lie was instantly believed to be the truth. There was no point in making up something so ludicrous, especially if it could easily be checked. Nodding quietly, the small pack of girls slowly left the classroom. Now, finally, Will and Helen were completely alone. ¡°I saw him,¡± Will whispered on. ¡°This better not be one of Alex¡¯s jokes.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t. And he doesn¡¯t know. I saw him in a mirror a few loops ago.¡± Internally, Will swallowed. ¡°I got a permanent skill. It lets me challenge elites we¡¯ve faced before.¡± There was another pause. ¡°Somehow, it also worked on Danny.¡± If there was a moment for Helen to try and break his neck, it would be now. ¡°You¡¯re full of shit,¡± the girl clenched her fists. ¡°If this is your idea¡ª¡± ¡°I saw him, Hel,¡± he said in a more forceful manner. ¡°He was stuck in the rogue mirror and¡­ I just wanted to let you know.¡± Helen¡¯s arm flew towards Will¡¯s face. The action appeared painfully slow. Even with all the knowledge in eternity, she was no longer a looper. Her punch didn¡¯t come close, striking the spot where he had been. When she attempted to do it again, Will caught her hand. ¡°You coward!¡± she hissed. ¡°You knew what it meant, and you never told me!¡± She pulled her hand free, but no further punches followed. Will felt tempted to end eternity here and now. That would be the easy way out, though. This was a conversation he needed to be held. Through the loops, he¡¯d gotten to know Helen a lot better. If she had her class, he knew she was capable of handling almost anything. When it came to the girl herself, he wasn¡¯t sure what he knew. It didn¡¯t look like she¡¯d attempt to punch him again, although there was the sign of a tear in the corner of her eye. I really have to work on my approach, he told himself. ¡°What do you want, Will?¡± Helen asked through her anger. ¡°To see how I¡¯d react?¡± ¡°Not only.¡± Briskly, she turned around. ¡°I really can¡¯t figure you out.¡± Her voice sounded slightly different. ¡°One moment you¡¯re leading us, the next you¡¯re doing this. Do you think I¡¯ll ever forgive you if I find out?¡± Hearing her refer to her looped self was strange. ¡°I need to know about Danny.¡± It wasn¡¯t the question he really wanted to ask, although it was far more important. ¡°He knew about magic and how to block mirrors. And¡ª¡± he took out his mirror fragment ¡°¡ªhe helped me get this.¡± It took a few moments for Helen to decide to turn around, but ultimately, she did. ¡°A mirror fragment¡­¡± she whispered. The sight of it almost made her forget her anger. ¡°Where did you find it?¡± ¡°The third floor. Danny was the one who told me to challenge both elites at once. After we killed them, the mirrors snapped into this.¡± ¡°And you picked it up.¡± The boy said nothing. ¡°Did Danny know about the tutorial?¡± ¡°No. He said he¡¯d used a skill to skip it the first time.¡± ¡°Did he ask about me?¡± There was a long pause. ¡°Did he say anything?¡± ¡°He wanted me to free him from the mirror. We didn¡¯t talk about anything else,¡± Will lied. ¡°He wasn¡¯t surprised that there was magic. I know that much.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you talked about? Magic?¡± ¡°He said he¡¯d help us pass the tutorial. I want to know if I can trust him. Did you?¡± The girl had never confirmed whether she and Danny were an item, but all the signs were there. Being stuck in eternity with one other person tended to do that to relationships. That was until one found out that wasn¡¯t the case. Will remembered how the girl had reacted upon learning that Alex was also part of the loops. She was angry at the goofball, of course, but most of all, she was angry at Danny for lying to her. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. ¡°I thought I did. I¡¯m not sure anymore.¡± The implication was clear. ¡°Thanks, Hel. I¡¯m sorry that¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she said abruptly. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. It only makes things worse. And don¡¯t try to talk to me outside of loops again.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice. I didn¡¯t want Danny to learn about this.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie, but still it wasn¡¯t the entire truth, either. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. Do you know what happens to people outside loops?¡± she asked. ¡°Unlike our looped versions, this piece of eternity keeps on going. I¡¯ll remember this forever and hate you for it. You¡¯ll go back, start everything from the beginning, but for me, things will go on. I¡¯ll finish school, go to college, do all the things I¡¯ll get to do. Maybe one day I¡¯ll forget. I might even look back at this with a smile when I¡¯m old, but one thing is for certain. I¡¯ll never let you be in my life again.¡± Will had never thought about it in depth. For the most part, he had been spared the possibility of talking to his looped friends outside of a loop. Instinctively, he had been reluctant. As Alex had said, things never felt the same. Now he knew why. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that, but I had to know,¡± he said. ¡°If I get this wrong, it¡¯ll be bad in all of eternity.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you this.¡± She glanced at the door. ¡°There¡¯s no way of knowing whether you won¡¯t do this again. There¡¯s no way of telling how many times Danny had spoken to me out of loop. Maybe he was a jerk, but maybe not. Either way, he¡¯s smart. Never underestimate him.¡± The girl turned around and left the room. Will just stood there, feeling numb. He had done what he wanted, but had no idea whether he¡¯d gained anything from it. At this point, the only thing absolutely certain was that he¡¯d be skipping the rest of school for the day. 55. Combat Crafting Subject is intelligent to know that magic doesn¡¯t exist, but still chooses to use it to express serious issues. It¡¯s possible that he uses them as a layer of protection. A layer within a layer. It would be beneficial to see if a third layer develops in the future. The session¡¯s focus was on a man, possibly a figure of power or importance in his past. The person was described as ¡°immune¡± to fire. Often, he¡¯d juggle it in an attempt to impress. When I tried to focus the conversation on the person in question, Daniel changed the topic, returning to the standard dream descriptions. Will put down the page and relaxed. He had spent hours going through them, and was yet to find anything particularly useful. So far, he had come across five instances of magic descriptions. They were jumbled, like a single thought cut up into pieces. When put together, they gave the vague description of a person¡ªsomeone with control over fire and lightning, who was claimed to be invincible. Taken separately, one might think of them as random dream fragments. What Will saw was the description of another class. There was no indication where Danny had come across that class¡ªat least in the pages Will had read so far. It couldn¡¯t be at school, and with Danny¡¯s skill to skip the tutorial, it was possible to be anywhere. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be heading home?¡± the barista asked. Will looked in the direction of the street. It was already dark. The streetlights and the coffee shop''s lamps had created the illusion that it was still light. ¡°Yeah.¡± Will gathered the papers on the table. ¡°Homework?¡± The barista peered out of curiosity. ¡°Something like that.¡± He had only gotten through a fifth of the file, if that. There was a good chance that there¡¯d be more clues. It would have been a lot easier if Daniel had simply told him; although, if he had, there was a good chance that Will wouldn¡¯t believe him. ¡°You don¡¯t get many customers.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? You¡¯ve been here all day.¡± Clearly, the definition of ¡°many¡± was different for the two of them. Thinking back, Will couldn¡¯t remember a case in all his loops that there had been anyone else present. Even the passersby were rare. It made one think of how the place managed to exist. ¡°Just kidding,¡± the barista said with a wink. ¡°Some days are like this. At times, I can¡¯t fit half the people who want to enter. You should see how it gets on birthdays.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Will grabbed his backpacks. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Be safe.¡± In a manner of speaking, Will could be considered a regular of the place. The only issue was that the barista had no memory of it. With the amount of money he had spent, he was probably eligible for a VIP pass. With hours of his loop remaining, Will decided to pass through the school after all. With luck, Jace might have even fixed his dagger. If not, he might get to see some new crafter skills. The entrance door was unlocked when he got there. His classmates hadn¡¯t wasted their time getting to business. Knowing that Helen wouldn¡¯t be there felt a bit off. It also meant that there would be a lot fewer goblins. No sound of fighting could be heard in the main corridor. Will took out a flashlight and continued further again. Specks of glass near the bathrooms told him that Alex had stocked up on mirror pieces. Clearly, they had completed the first floor, which meant they must have gone further up. ¡°Bro!¡± Alex emerged out of nowhere as Will reached the staircase. ¡°You came!¡± ¡°Hi.¡± Will pointed the flashlight in the other¡¯s face. ¡°How far have you gotten?¡± ¡°Nah, they already finished, bro,¡± the Alex at the staircase replied, moving out of the light. It was scary that even now, Will had no way of determining whether he was addressing the real Alex or just a copy. ¡°There are a few of us on every floor, just in case.¡± Done already? That was unexpected. Although since they had only wolves to deal with, it must have gone fast. ¡°Where are they?¡± Will asked. ¡°Basement, bro.¡± With a nod, Will went down. Jace, Alex, and a small crowd of copies had gathered at the far end of the basement corridor. Normally, one would expect to find a crafter swinging a hammer above an anvil, or a workbench of some sort. Instead, this seemed more like a school fight. Two copies of Alex were holding wooden chair legs, six feet away from the jock, who had no weapons whatsoever. The remaining Alexes formed a circle, watching with interest. ¡°Bro!¡± One of them shouted, causing all the rest to look in Will¡¯s direction. ¡°You made it, bro!¡± A tsunami of greetings followed, making Will regret that he had gone to visit. ¡°So, you showed up, Stoner.¡± Jace crossed his arms. ¡°Had nothing better to do,¡± Will said dismissively. As he got near, he tossed Alex¡¯s backpack to someone in the crowd. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Trying out the knight?¡± Jace only smirked. ¡°You gotta see this, bro!¡± an Alex said. ¡°It¡¯s lit OP! For real!¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time that the goofball had described something as overpowered. The confidence oozing from Jace¡¯s smirk, though, suggested that it surpassed most of the skills the group had used so far. Will stopped near the ring of mirror copies and waited. On cue, the fight began.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Both copies of Alex rushed forward, making an overly dramatic and slow attempt to hit the jock on the head. At such speed, anyone could easily evade the blows even without the use of rogue skills. Jace, however, did something completely different. Neither evading nor parrying, he reached out to grab with his left hand. Simultaneously, his right hand pulled out a handful of wires and other objects, and was also moving in the same direction.
UPGRADE Chair leg has been transformed into a flail. Damage capacity x3.
Initially, there didn¡¯t seem to be any change. The mirror copies were still on the offensive, and Jace had merely managed to snatch a weapon from an enemy¡¯s hand. Taking a step back, the jock swung his weapon, shattering the head off one of his opponents. It was only at that point that Will noticed that his classmate was holding a flail instead of a chair leg. ¡°What the hell?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but mutter. Reaching into his pocket, Jace pulled out a small chain, then grabbed hold of the flail¡¯s head.
UPGRADE Flail has been transformed into a triple nunchuck. Damage capacity x1.5.
The weapon transformed again, just in time to block the chair leg of the second mirror copy. Things didn¡¯t stop there. Jace took advantage of the block to grab hold of both weapons.
UPGRADE Triple nunchuck has been transformed into a multi nunchuck. Damage capacity x1.5.
The weapon transformed again as it was whisked out of the copy¡¯s hands. One elegant swipe with it later, and Jace¡¯s second opponent had been shattered. ¡°What do you think, bro?¡± One of the Alexes near Will asked. ¡°Lit OP.¡± There was no denying it. The new ability, or combination of abilities, was a lot more impressive than anything they¡¯d seen up to this point. It was almost tempting to call it magic. The thought caused a knot to appear in Will¡¯s stomach. If crafter skills were this powerful, what could one expect from a magic user? ¡°Nice,¡± he admitted. ¡°Just nice, Stoner?¡± the other grunted. ¡°Want to have a go?¡± As fun as it was to accept, Will really didn¡¯t. Even with such a skill, Jace¡¯s actions remained slow and predictable. He needed to be a lot faster to make proper use of what he obtained. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Will shook his head. ¡°Did you get the knight?¡± ¡°Yeah. That helped with the wolves.¡± Jace tossed the multi nunchuck at Will. Looking at it one would never guess that it had been made from a pair of chair legs. By all accounts, it was the genuine article. Will waved it about a few times, testing if anything would come off. ¡°It¡¯s solid,¡± Jace said. ¡°I¡¯ve tested it.¡± ¡°Neat trick.¡± Will handed the weapon back. ¡°How does it work?¡± ¡°Combat crafting,¡± the jock replied. ¡°Fourth level skill. It allows me to use other crafter skills in combat. I can disassemble complex weapons before they hit me in most cases. Would be a bit more difficult without the knight¡¯s endurance. Simple things I can upgrade, as long as I have enough components and materials at hand. Best part is that I¡¯m not limited to a single thing.¡± Leg to flail to nunchuck. It was quite the showy performance and not only for Will¡¯s benefit. Had they known about this skill, some of the fights would have been a lot easier. It was their fault for taking things for granted. Everything they knew suggested that the crafter had to be a passive participant that supported the other three. As it turned out, he was quite menacing in combat as well, but only after a certain level. ¡°Your dagger, Stoner.¡± Jace said, ending Will¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Couldn¡¯t make anything fancy with what I had.¡± ¡°Eternal weapon,¡± an Alex said in-between eating a muffin. ¡°We need eternal materials to make an eternal upgrade. So, we just did an eternal repair.¡± ¡°Is it bad that I could understand that?¡± Jace whispered, as he glanced at the Alex in question. ¡°But yeah. Try not to break things. Repair might not work each time. When I repaired the dagger, I got a tutorial bonus.¡± Will took his dagger. It felt exactly as he remembered it, but his mind remained elsewhere. There were six wolf mirrors in the school, which meant that a person could level up four times. One level had to be reserved for the rogue so that he could throw and evade. The remaining three were just enough to reach level four with the crafter and get the skill that Jace had mentioned. It¡¯s all just pieces, Will thought. The tutorial was just a puzzle with multiple answers. With enough persistence and a bit of luck, it was possible to defeat an enemy in a way that wasn¡¯t envisioned. Yet, with the right combination of skills and items, the same fights could have been won with minimal effort. ¡°Guys,¡± he said. ¡°I need to borrow your skills next loop.¡± All eyes fell on him. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I need to try. I¡¯ll let you have the rogue the loop after that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan, Stoner?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no plan. I just want to test something. Alone.¡± ¡°Bro wants to try out four classes at once.¡± Alex came to the rescue. ¡°Sure, you can borrow mine.¡± It was a classic manipulation. He had provided a plausible explanation and then gladly offered his class without being asked. This way, if Jace were to refuse, he¡¯d look petty and unreasonable. ¡°Your class for one loop?¡± the jock asked, already considering the deal. At this point, he had already internally agreed to it, and now was just wondering if he couldn¡¯t haggle a bit for a better price. ¡°And one more when I need it.¡± ¡°You got it. Just one more thing. Keep it from Helen. I don¡¯t want her to find out yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re playing a dangerous game, Stoner. You don¡¯t keep the quarterback out of the game.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep her in the loop, just not yet. We¡¯ll need to be at our best against the boss.¡± ¡°Come on. How hard can the fucker be? The three of you killed one. With four of us, it¡¯ll be easy.¡± If only it were so easy. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Will said. ¡°According to the hints, there are seven weapons that will help us defeat the boss. It¡¯s safe to say that we¡¯ll get the last one from the vice principal¡¯s mirror.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°We only used three against the hidden boss. Also, at no point did eternity tell us we had to use any.¡± 56. Going Multiclass
Restarting eternity.
Will rushed to the thief mirror. At the end of his previous loop, he had had a long discussion with Alex regarding the limitations of the thief class. Mainly, Will was curious whether he could use mirror copies to level up faster. Sadly, the goofball claimed that to be impossible. A mirror copy was great at mimicking a person in appearance, but when it came to anything else, it was useless. Even using them in combat was a clear exploit of the skill. Individually, even sneaking copies were little to no threat at all. When turned into an army, on the other hand, things changed drastically. ¡°Where are you rushing off, weirdo?¡± Jess shouted in laughter as she watched the boy flee, as it were. ¡°Bathroom¡¯s the wrong way.¡± The joke made Will chuckle, though not for the reason the girl intended. Right now, there was a very strict sequence of events that had to be followed in the precise order.
You have discovered THE THIEF (number 3). Use additional mirrors to find out more. Good luck!
The golden message appeared in the pole mirror. From there, Will instantly used his sprinting ability to dash back into school unseen, and claim the rogue, knight, and crafter class in that specific order. Not a single person noticed him as he passed by. The coach remained in a foul mood as Will passed by him in the corridor, but this time, the cause was someone else. Even the nurse didn¡¯t notice him enter the room, tap the mirror and leave. Given how tight her office was, this was an impressive feat and further proof of how good the thief¡¯s starting skills were. With all four classes, Will rushed to the nearest open window and leaped out. The rogue¡¯s precision and knight¡¯s endurance ensured that he didn¡¯t suffer any pain or injury. Rolling along the ground, Will quickly hopped up, sprinting again to the outside parking lot where he¡¯d gotten the thief¡¯s class. Only this time, his goal was to gather as many car mirrors as possible. The crafter skill came useful in that, letting him pull off the car parts as if they were clipped on. Not a single car alarm was set off, and everything other than the mirrors themselves was quickly tossed to the ground. From that point, the boy rushed to a very specific coffee shop, where he sneaked into the bathroom, though not before tossing a few mirror traps. Being in a corner room, the mirrors reacted as they were supposed to, causing a massive wolf to appear. The beast had barely time to step out when it got stuck on the ground by a trap and swiftly killed by a strike in the neck. If anything, it was a greater problem to pull the wolf away before the next creature appeared. It was curious how Alex had managed to stash them away. Through his knight¡¯s strength and rogue¡¯s reflexes, Will managed to kill off the entire pack and keep things quiet. His friend wasn¡¯t supposed to have any of those skills but had managed, nonetheless. Will waited patiently for the wolves to fade out, looking at his phone¡¯s clock the entire time. Four minutes remained till the standard end of the loop, which meant he had to be back at school in less than one if he were to extend it. ¡°Come on,¡± he whispered, then tapped the mirror in the room twice. The first level up went to the rogue, granting him the skills to leap, throw, and evade. The next was dedicated to the crafter. By then, the wolf corpses had become semi-transparent. From what Alex had told him, no one ever went to the bathroom, so it was safe to just leave. Having only one loop to fulfill his goal, Will decided to make sure. His pulse had doubled to the point that he could hear it in his right ear.
WOLF PACK REWARD (random) WOUND TOLERANCE: One wound you receive doesn¡¯t count.
The reward was exceptionally good, but right now, Will would have preferred a one-hour extension. Gritting his teeth, he sprinted out of the coffee shop, running towards school. With three minutes left, the only thing he could do to urgently boost his loop was to get into a fight with Jace. Normally, that would attract too much attention for the loop to be efficient. Thankfully, there was a way around it.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Will took out his phone and dialed Jace¡¯s number. The jock didn¡¯t pick up on the first two rings. On the third, the much-awaited click sounded. ¡°What?¡± he asked with the grace of a rhino. ¡°Meet me in the basement!¡± Will shouted. ¡°Quickly.¡± ¡°Why? I gave you my class.¡± ¡°I need to extend my loop!¡± The end of the call suggested that Jace had picked up on the urgency of the situation. Despite their differences in the past, he had become a team player. Also, he had become just as aware as everyone else that favors among looped were precious. By the time Will got to the school basement floor, Jace was already there. ¡°You never make things easy, Stoner,¡± he said, taking off his football jacket. ¡°How long do you need it?¡± The jock¡¯s fist split the air, flying right for Will¡¯s face. As things stood, such a hit would only have resulted in the jock breaking his hand. He was fragile, not to mention that Will had just got the reward to ignore one hit. The point wasn¡¯t to fight, though. Every successful evasion increased the length of the rogue¡¯s loop, so the more that took place¡ªthe better. The minutes wound down. The two boys kept ¡°fighting¡± until they heard the school bell sound throughout the corridors. ¡°Should be enough,¡± Jace said, taking a step back. Both of them were breathing heavily. ¡°We can go again after art, to be sure.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good.¡± Will brushed the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°No prob.¡± The jock slapped him on the side of the arm. ¡°That¡¯s one more you owe me.¡± The bareness of everyday class took over. Helen had ended her loop at that point, leaving her non-loop self to continue. This time, Will didn¡¯t dare bring up the news about Daniel. He did approach her, though¡ªpartly to check how she was doing and partly to make sure she didn¡¯t remember any of the things he had said in the previous loop. To his relief, she didn¡¯t seem to. Alex was also suspiciously quiet. This was one of the few instances in which Will could be relatively certain that his friend was the actual original. More curious, though, the goofball kept on eating muffins to increase his own loop. Once school was over and most of the people had left, Will decided to spend a few hours of light in the schoolyard. He wasn¡¯t the only one, but since none of the other looped were here, he didn¡¯t mind. Reaching into his pocket, he took out the mirror fragment. ¡°I challenge you,¡± he whispered. His reflection was instantly replaced by Daniel¡¯s. ¡°Problems?¡± the former rogue asked. ¡°No,¡± Will replied without thinking. ¡°Why call me then?¡± ¡°What favor do you want?¡± ¡°Favors. Plural. And it¡¯s too early for that. You need to get out of the tutorial first.¡± ¡°So, you have completed it.¡± Will knew perfectly well that wasn¡¯t what Daniel was saying, but he decided to push him a bit to, hopefully, find out more. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯ve completed it or not, as long as you didn¡¯t start it.¡± ¡°Tell me about the wolves,¡± Will shifted topic. ¡°What exactly are they?¡± ¡°You seriously called me to ask¡ª¡± Daniel abruptly stopped. His eyes widened in surprise for a few moments, then returned to normal, a smile appearing on his face. ¡°Well done.¡± He clapped within the mirror. ¡°You¡¯re not as stupid as I thought. I¡¯m not sure what will happen. I¡¯ve only heard it being done once before.¡± ¡°From the magic user?¡± ¡°Magic user?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you described him to June. Able to juggle balls of fire, but not affected by them.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been reading my file.¡± The smile vanished, replaced by a frown. ¡°Did Alex make you?¡± ¡°He showed me your file. I found the patterns.¡± ¡°Never trust Alex about anything. Especially when he talks.¡± Daniel paused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the mage. He doesn¡¯t exist anymore. As for the wolves, they are markers. You¡¯ll see when you¡¯re out of the tutorial. Until then.¡± The former rogue gave a salute and vanished from the mirror¡¯s surface. Next thing Will knew, he was staring at his own reflection again. The conversation wasn¡¯t at all what he had imagined, but it had told him several bits of important information. For starters, while Danny had the power to disappear at will, it didn¡¯t look like he could appear unchallenged. Second, despite trying to create an impression to the opposite, he didn¡¯t know everything that was going on outside of the mirror realms. Most likely, he had been connected with the school mirrors and nothing more. With nothing left to do until dark, Will was tempted to challenge Danny again so they could continue their conversation. Giving the matter a bit more thought, he decided not to. It was telling that Daniel had glimpsed his immediate plan, even if he claimed he¡¯d never done it. On that note, maybe it was a good idea to find another wolf mirror. Killing another pack would allow him to gain one more level, which he could use to increase his knight¡¯s level, gaining the horizontal slash skill. Finding a suitable corner mirror turned out a lot more difficult than one might imagine. For starters, Will couldn¡¯t just go in there, for it would trigger a wolf¡¯s attack. And, while that wouldn¡¯t cause him any difficulties, it risked creating a commotion. Keeping close to the school, Will scouted a few potential spots. The most common places to have mirrors were bathrooms, and those were obligatory for every food joint. The trick was to find one with a low number of patrons. The first two that fit the bill ended up not having corner bathrooms. The third was a different matter entirely. Will placed a few mirror traps just outside the door, in case someone tried to enter while he was fighting. Then he sneaked in. It didn¡¯t take long for the wolves to emerge and almost instantly die. Killing them had become rather trivial, although they continued to be of the smaller variety. The ones he remembered from beyond the school area were as big as buses and a lot more vicious. The reward earned from this pack granted him night vision. That, too, was rather useful. This way, he wouldn¡¯t need to rely on flashlights or his phone for light. More importantly, it let him boost the level of his knight. Evening came and went. Now, it was time to go through the school. The fights were a lot easier there. If nothing else, he didn¡¯t have to be as sneaky and quiet as in the coffee shops. Pack by pack, the wolf mirrors were cleared, providing him relatively useful skills and two level ups which he used to get his crafter to the coveted Combat Crafting skill. With that, everything was ready. Activating the inventory of his mirror fragment, Will geared up, then took out all his weapons, including the chain. He also got his wolf key fragment. The item looked like a simple old-fashioned key made entirely of silver. It had never been specified if the fragment could be used on any mirror, so Will touched it to his mirror fragment. The only result was that his hand disappeared within it, returning the item to his inventory. When he attempted the same on a bathroom mirror, a keyhole emerged within the reflective surface. Holding his breath, Will pushed the key inside and turned it.
WOLF CHALLENGE: enter the mirror and survive nine waves. A defeated wave doesn¡¯t provide any reward, but increases the overall prize you¡¯ll earn. You can end the challenge at any time by leaving the mirror.
A green message appeared. This was it. Now, he¡¯d be able to test his skills. The entire group had managed to clear four waves last time. Soon, he¡¯d see how many he could defeat on his own. 57. Return of the Wolves
WAVE 3
Having all four classes, the first two waves had proved barely an inconvenience. Even without Helen¡¯s weapon, Will didn¡¯t have any issue slashing the creatures¡¯ throats, then sprinting away. The combination of rogue and thief skills were quite lethal when used adequately, which raised the question of why Danny hadn¡¯t tried to combine them before. After all, his former classmate claimed he had the means to skip the tutorial altogether. Adding that he had introduced Alex to eternity and the thief class, one could assume that he had all the time in existence to experiment. What had stopped him? In the distance, a new pack became barely visible within the endless room. Without wasting a moment, Will sprang in their direction. His strategy was to take the fight to each group, eliminating it one by one. Once the distance between him and the wolves decreased to fifty feet, Will resorted to his sneak ability, effectively vanishing from sight. Normally, the skill wouldn¡¯t work that way, but stealth combined with a spring in a new direction tended to do well enough. The wolves hesitated. The back leader sniffed the air, trying to determine in which direction to run. Before he could get a sense, two throwing knives struck him in the head. With a muffled whelp, the wolf stumbled onto the ground, the amassed inertia keeping it sliding forward. Dashing to the middle of the small pack, Will buried his poison dagger in the neck of the second wolf, while kicking a third.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200% Fatal wound inflicted
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Bone shattered Fatal wound Inflicted
Two more wolves joined the dead. Sensing something was wrong, the last one made an attempt to turn around, but its actions were sluggishly slow in Will¡¯s eyes, who threw three more knives at it, killing it off on the spot. Quickly, Will took out his phone and stopped the timer. Seventeen seconds had passed. Without a doubt, he was getting better at it. Also, this time, he didn¡¯t even feel tired. The knight¡¯s endurance was definitely something else. The last time he had faced this challenge, Will could barely get a breath between fights, and that was back when Helen was doing most of the killing. Taking his time, Will retrieved his throwing knives. Two of the three other packs heading his way had merged into one. The other seemed to have changed direction, possibly attempting to flank him. Will scratched his nose. It was the age-old question¡ªdeal with the greatest threat first, or eliminate the smaller pack. Given that the distance between the two seemed significant enough, he decided to tackle the weaker one. The four wolves were killed in almost identical manner to the ones before. When it came to the final group, things were going to be slightly different. Eight wolves was a bit too much for Will to take head on. The patient approach would have been to use his throwing knives to thin the pack a bit, then proceed as usual. Yet, the boy felt the urge to try something new. Sprinting to the entrance mirror, Will went to the spiked chain he¡¯d left with his backpack. Grabbing one end of the chain, he placed his dagger in contact and activated his combat crafting skill.
UPGRADE Binding chain has been transformed into a poison chain blade. Damage capacity x5. Poison x2. Binding lost.
Chain blade? Will felt as if he had won the lottery. He had initially thought that he¡¯d simply get a chain with a dagger at the end, but this was a hundred times better. Looking at the result, he almost felt like taking a picture to show to the rest of the group. The hilt of his dagger had grown slightly longer, connecting to a thick metal ribbon of black metal. Curious, Will waved the weapon to test its weight. A ripple ran down the flexible blade as if it were a whip. Obviously, weight wasn¡¯t going to be an issue. If anything, the greatest drawback was that he had to get away from the exit mirror to fully use the chain blade¡¯s capabilities. And that¡¯s what the boy did, sprinting towards the final group of wolves, his weapon dragging behind.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Once he gathered that the monsters were close enough, Will swirled his weapon in a forward arc clash.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Bone shattered Fatal wound Inflicted
The blade tore through the entire wolf pack, as if the creatures were made of cotton. It couldn¡¯t be called a cut by any stretch of the imagination, killing them purely through the knight¡¯s raw strength. Not an elegant method, but an effective one. The entire floor of the room turned green.
WAVE 4 Pack size increased to 6
Will looked at the massive message. This was where the tough part began. In the distance around him, forty-eight wolves had emerged, staring their dash towards him. In the past, three people had barely managed to kill them off. This time, it was only Will, yet there wasn¡¯t anyone to protect, which made it easier. Gripping the hilt of his chain blade, he waited. Black dots emerged on the horizon, quickly growing in size. Unlike before, their approach seemed painfully slow. The only reason Will didn¡¯t rush out towards them was because it would have made the process of individually killing off the packs longer. Funnily enough, his only thought was that he should have taken more mirror fragments. At present, he only had a few dozen in his backpack. With that few, they¡¯d only be able to cause a momentary distraction should he need it. The wolves kept on approaching closer and closer, unaware that they were rushing to their own slaughter. Even so, their ferocity filled the air, causing Will to stay anxious. All the armor, skills, and weapons he¡¯d amassed so far felt insufficient. ¡°Not yet,¡± he whispered, giving himself a bit more courage. When the first of the wolves came within fifty feet, he could wait no more, spinning the chain around him. There was nothing elegant or precise about doing so. All the boy wanted was to stop the charge, and he did. Several dozen wolves were ripped to pieces until the chain blade lost all of its inertia. Twice as many remained, the ones in front leaping straight at their target. It was at this point that Will realized the flaw in his tactic. Thankfully, he also had a way out. Using his rogue¡¯s leap, he jumped out of the carnivorous circle that surrounded him.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Bone shattered Fatal wound Inflicted
One of the threatening wolves received a kick in the ribs midair. Another two received a healthy number of throwing knives, allowing Will to escape. Landing safely on the floor, he instantly sprinted forward. The result could be called mixed¡ªhe had remained whole, yet completely without weapons. All that he had going for him was the knight¡¯s strength and the rogue¡¯s evasion against close to twenty wolves. ¡°No,¡± he whispered through gritted teeth. He hadn¡¯t come so far to lose. Mistakes were made to be corrected. These were just wolves, after all. If he couldn¡¯t win here, regardless of their numbers, what would he do beyond the tutorial? How would he defeat monsters that had magic or were as skilled as the hidden boss? What could he do against the archer and all the others like him, lurking in the greater world? Taking a sharp turn, Will ran to the entrance mirror. It was time to resort to another skill. It took the wolves a few moments to figure out what was going on, but the pack spotted its prey soon enough. It wasn¡¯t in their nature to give up or show mercy. Baring their teeth, they prepared themselves for the kill, when three different Wills scattered in different directions. There was no way to know whether the wolves realized that these were mirror copies on the floor. All they knew was that everything had to be killed, so they split up, forming three new groups. At that point, Will played another trump card. A fourth instance of him appeared at the scene of the latest slaughter point. Hastily combing through the bodies, he retrieved his chain sword, freeing it from the wolves¡¯ remains. ¡°Divide and conquer,¡± he said out loud for another dose of encouragement. Up till now, he¡¯d never thought that anything taught at school would have proved useful in such a situation. Who knew that history could come in handy? The remainder of the wave was easily dealt with. Using his mirror copies as bait, Will caught up to each of the three packs and killed them off one by one, the same as before. When the floor turned green again, he sat down to rest as much as he could. He had vastly overestimated himself when he had tried to take on four dozen wolves at once. Maybe if he had a knight sword, things would be different, but as lethal as the chain blade was, it had its limitations.
WAVE 5 GREAT WOLF added to each pack.
The floor turned red again. Won¡¯t you let me rest? Will sighed mentally as he forced himself up. This was it¡ªthe midpoint of the waves. Once he completed this, he¡¯d have gone through more waves than remained. This was the point at which they had ended the challenge last time. Bracing himself, Will and his copies looked in all directions. Moments later, he saw the usual dots emerge. They all started the same as before. After a short while, the difference quickly became obvious. While the initial dots grew into wolves, one couldn¡¯t help but notice a multitude of additional dots surrounding them. As those, too, approached, the whole situation quickly became clear. The new packs had only increased by a single wolf, yet that wolf had twice the size of an adult elephant. ¡°What weapons do you have?¡± Will asked his copies. ¡°Same as you,¡± the copy replied. ¡°We¡¯re your copies,¡± he added with a smirk. ¡°We still shatter, though.¡± There was something psychologically disturbing hearing a copy of himself talk so casually about its own demise. Still, that was some good news. It meant that all of them potentially had chain blades. These didn¡¯t, but that was because he had created them when he didn¡¯t have any weapons. ¡°Split up and distract the packs,¡± Will shouted as he rushed towards his backpack. ¡°And stay alive!¡± They¡¯re just large wolves. He kept telling himself. No doubt they were tougher, and definitely stronger, but at the end of the day, they were the same creature. It was the numerical advantage of the smaller ones that frightened him. By now, the number of packs had doubled again to sixteen. More mirror copies appeared near the exit mirror. Feeling their lack, Will told himself that he¡¯d never make fun of Alex for overstocking with mirror fragments ever again. If he could rely on a few hundred supporting entities, things would have been a lot easier. Instead, he had to claw his way through the waves with what he had. Mirror copies rushed in all directions. Once the last one had gone, and the last mirror shard had been exhausted, Will looked at the horizon. The packs remained a fair distance away, still split up into separate groups. Interestingly enough, the large wolves weren¡¯t particularly faster than the smaller ones. Either they had their speed limited, or they were choosing to remain as a unit. Regardless, they had to die, same as everyone else. ¡°What would you do?¡± Will asked, as if Danny could hear him. ¡°Rush off or stay behind till most of it is done?¡± There was no answer, but Will¡¯s gut feeling told him that Danny wasn¡¯t the type of person who¡¯d put himself at risk, especially if he didn¡¯t have to. ¡°The only way to learn is forward.¡± He tightened his grip around the chain blade¡¯s hilt and charged forward. 58. Two Permanents and a Challenge
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Skull shattered Fatal wound Inflicted
The chain sword smashed the side of the giant wolf¡¯s head, causing it to tumble to the ground. Wolf corpses covered the surrounding area, piling up in mounds. It was truly a blessing that smell didn¡¯t exist in the mirror realm. Breathing heavily, Will went to a relatively clean spot and sat on the floor. The fight was a bit more exhausting than he would have liked. Initially, he had thought that going through all nine waves would have been a breeze. In practice, he had barely completed the fifth and by the looks of it, there was no chance he¡¯d manage to deal with the next. Four of his mirror copies had been shattered in the course of the fight. That wasn¡¯t good, but even worse, all of them had used up their weapons again. Apparently, items that copies possessed were just as fragile. The chain blades had been useful to kill and injure a few dozen wolves, but there was no way to replace them. ¡°How many still alive?¡± Will asked in-between breaths. ¡°Two,¡± a mirror copy replied a short distance away. ¡°Keep them alive.¡± He could use the rest. For close to twenty minutes, he sat there, reflecting on what he had gone through. What annoyed him most was that the fight wasn¡¯t remotely difficult, just overburdening. Each individual wolf was weak, even the larger ones. Maybe they required a bit of special attention and a dozen more hits, but their actions were painfully slow. Their presence, however, prevented him from dealing with the massive horde of smaller beasts. In a way, the great wolves acted as shields, which was slightly counterintuitive. Once he was back to normal, Will went to see the surviving beasts. One of them had already died, the other lay in a pitiful state, the bones in its legs shattered. Despite it retaining its viciousness, Will felt a certain degree of pity. Given an option, he would have preferred to put it out of its misery, but eternity didn¡¯t seem to be built like that. Here, the weak had to take any advantage they could. If keeping the creature longer provided a few extra minutes, Will was going to take them. Dragging his chain sword, Will then went to a nearby giant wolf corpse. Up close, the creature seemed even larger than he initially thought. The fangs in the massive jaws were larger than daggers. Inadvertently, that gave him an idea. ¡°Break off the teeth,¡± he told the surviving copies. ¡°Without getting destroyed.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have guessed.¡± One of them gave a snarky reply, then set off to do it. At the same time, Will went up to the giant jaw and kicked a foot out. It was a lot less impressive that he imagined it; the tooth simply dropped out, flying to the ground a few steps away. The important part was that it remained in good enough shape. Will bent down and picked it up.
UPGRADE Large tooth has been transformed into bone sword. Damage capacity x3.
Now, it really became obvious what an overpowered class the crafter really was. One could only wonder what other skills would appear further on. During the first three levels, everyone viewed it as useless¡ªsomething to be protected for the good of the tutorial. At level four, everything changed. The crafter could repair weapons, upgrade them, even effectively create them instantly using only available materials. This endless room had nothing in it¡ªnothing except wolf corpses¡ªand yet that proved enough for weapons to be created. Not leaving a single jaw to waste, through multiple combinations, Will created longswords for each of his copies. Anything remaining was upgraded to large throwing knives. The thought of using the teeth of the smaller wolves passed through his mind, but that would have been too finicky. Besides, what he had done so far was disgusting enough. Half an hour later, the last surviving wolf was killed, marking the end of the wave.
WAVE 6 Pack size increased to 8
The next one began without a moment of pause. Without instructions, the mirror copies scattered in various directions. A few moments later, Will also sprinted in the direction of the first dot he saw on the horizon. The total number of monsters was over twice as many as in the previous wave, yet having armed copies made all the difference. Kept in isolation, fifteen packs were killed off without significant effort. The problems arose when enough great wolves grouped together, protecting each other from any standard attacks, while packs of smaller wolves lay in wait, eager to counterattack. When it was over, two mirror copies had been shattered, reducing the total amount to seventeen.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
WAVE 7 Great wolves per pack increased to 2
With the increased presence of tanky monsters, Will decided on a new approach. Instead of breaking up, he and his copies formed a group, sprinting to kill off packs one by one. Initially, they¡¯d use their range weapons to kill off as many of the small wolves as possible, then focus on the larger beasts. It was quickly discovered that long swords were just as effective at ranged combat as flying knives, with the added bonus that they retained the Knight¡¯s Bash bonus. With the fighting over, Will and the mirror copies retrieved their weapons and continued to the next pack, though not before he¡¯d made a few spare broad swords. The pattern repeated almost a dozen more times, before the matter of numbers became too much to overcome. Even with speed, strength, and reflexes surpassing each of the wolves, killing hundreds proved impossible. The mirror copies would employ hit-and-run tactics, peeling dozens off the massive pack, while Will used his chain blade to the utmost of his ability. Scores of wolves were torn to pieces, or turned into pincushions, and yet they kept on coming like an avalanche. Running out of weapons, the copies resorted to using their fists and legs, yet they were fighting a losing battle. As much as Will didn¡¯t want to admit it, he had reached his present limit. Even with all four classes, his current number of levels wasn¡¯t enough and nothing short of a heavy machine gun could change that. By the time the last wolf was left, all the mirror copies had been destroyed. Gritting his teeth, Will stood among the mounds of wolf corpses, looking down at the sole survivor. The creature was effectively sliced in two, yet just as violent as it had been at the start. There could be now doubt that it had lost, but in a way so had Will. In the most optimistic scenario, he¡¯d be facing over a thousand wolves next time, and would do that alone. In the back of his mind, he could almost hear Daniel tell him that it was a good attempt, but nothing else. Pausing to catch his breath, Will turned around. The exit mirror was barely visible beyond the corpses. Part of him urged him to try one more wave. If he took the time to make enough bone weapons, maybe he¡¯d have a chance to off the next wave from a distance. Even if he were facing a thousand, all he needed was to keep the packs separated. ¡°You win,¡± he said with a sigh, then struck the dying wolf with his chain blade.
WAVE 8 Great wolves per pack increased to 4
Without delay, Will rushed towards the exit. He didn¡¯t even look at the horizon to check the density of the appearing dots. Grabbing his backpack on the way, he leaped into the mirror, which instantly brought him back to the classroom.
CHALLENGE OVER Waves passed ¨C 7.
CHALLENGE REWARD (set) 1) BRONZE WOLF KEY FRAGMENT (permanent): enter the WOLF CHALLENGE from your mirror fragment. (unavailable during tutorial) 2) WOLF MIRROR EYE (permanent): wolf mirrors are marked on your mirror fragment even if unvisited.
This was the first time two rewards had simultaneously been presented. Despite that, he was far from pleased. In the future, if he managed to get all four classes again, he¡¯d have to come a lot more prepared, both in terms of skills and ammunition. Having a few hundred copies would definitely have helped, possibly won him the challenge. The chain blade felt heavy in his hands. Using the disassemble skill on it, Will quickly separated it into its main components. As fancy as the weapon was, it required the knight¡¯s strength to be useful, which he wouldn¡¯t have in the foreseeable future. Making his way to the nearest upright desk, Will sat down. He knew from experience that his body was functioning purely on adrenaline. Once the high subsided, he¡¯d feel exhausted as if he¡¯d been run over by the football team. Will relaxed, lying down on the desk, then took out his mirror fragment. He could see a multitude of green heads throughout his eternity zone. Some of them he was familiar with, others not so much. The good news was that there was a substantial amount, guaranteed that he could raise several classes nearly to their maximum. After the tutorial was over, that was definitely something worth doing. ¡°I challenge you, Danny,¡± he said, looking into the mirror. As usual, his reflection changed. ¡°Four classes?¡± Daniel smirked. ¡°Must have been difficult to pull that off.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I defeat the wolf challenge?¡± Will was too tired to beat about the bush. ¡°So, you¡¯re doing challenges now?¡± The way he said it suggested it was way too early. ¡°Finish the tutorial before you jump into the ocean.¡± ¡°Why? You told me you never completed the tutorial.¡± ¡°I gathered over fifty permanent skills before my accident,¡± Daniel all but laughed. ¡°What do you have? One and two halves? You haven¡¯t even permanently increased your wound limit. Do you think you can complete a challenge?¡± As much as Will wanted to argue, there was no denying the facts. ¡°I came close,¡± he reluctantly admitted. ¡°Seven waves.¡± ¡°Seven of nine?¡± It was impossible to tell whether Daniel was impressed or amused. ¡°It¡¯s the final one that counts. Oh, and just so you know, relying on classes is a bad idea.¡± ¡°The hints said¡ª¡± ¡°Experiment with other classes?¡± Daniel interrupted. ¡°Explore new combinations? The hints say a lot of things, half of which contradict the other half. The only things you can rely on are permanent skills and everything that¡¯s in your inventory. Everything else is random and up for grabs.¡± That felt like an utter lie. Everyone in Will¡¯s group had gladly granted him their skills when he had asked. Well, with the exception of Helen, the last few loops. She had done so before, though. ¡°Did you complete the challenge?¡± Will asked. ¡°No,¡± Daniel admitted. ¡°I was focusing on getting out of eternity.¡± He paused. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been thinking about it. It¡¯s the class that asks the questions.¡± ¡°And the other classes don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Each class comes with its nature. The knight always wants to protect, spending eternity in search of a king. The thief wants to have a fun time, taking what he likes even when he doesn¡¯t need it. The crafter wants to focus on what makes things tick, then improving it. You think those are your ideas? They belong to the class, and the longer you take it, the stronger they grow until you can¡¯t turn them off anymore.¡± Chills ran down Will¡¯s spine. The description reminded him of an organism he¡¯d been taught about in biology class: a parasite. Being concepts they couldn¡¯t exist in a body of their own, so they were slowly transforming the person using them into a living personification. ¡°Is that what happened to the previous participants?¡± Will pressed on. ¡°They turned into the mirror images we fought during the tutorial?¡± ¡°Fuck if I know? I never went through the tutorial, remember?¡± ¡°Are you turning into them?¡± It was just a guess on Will¡¯s part, but it made a lot more sense than everything else he¡¯d thought of so far. The real Daniel had died a week before the start of eternity. The person who was in the mirror fragment was nothing but an image locked in eternity. He had already shown that he could control some mirrors and challenges at the school. What if, after a certain amount of time, he transformed into a dark version of his class? That would be one explanation for him rushing Will so much. ¡°Get Helen to finish the tutorial in the next few loops,¡± Danny urged. ¡°That way, it¡¯ll be better for everyone.¡± ¡°Tell me why.¡± ¡°Only when you¡¯ve earned it.¡± Danny¡¯s reflection vanished from the fragment. 59. Daniels Request
Restarting eternity.
Another loop, another series of experienced events. By now, Will had stopped paying attention to anything going on. Everything was so familiar that it had become background music. His first instinct was to rush to the parking lot mirror pole, when he suddenly remembered¡ªAlex had only agreed to lend him the thief class for one loop. The same could be said for Jace. It¡¯s better this way, Will reluctantly told himself. He needed more experience before attempting the wolf challenge again. With luck, maybe the boss would grant them a reward that would prove useful. ¡°A reminder to all students,¡± the announcement echoed through the halls as Will made his way to the bathroom. ¡°We remind you to take care of your physical and mental health. There is no shame in seeking help. The school counselor¡¯s door is open at all times.¡± Hearing it felt particularly awkward given that he carried a version of Daniel in his pocket. If the former rogue had been true to his word, there wasn¡¯t supposed to be anything stopping them from defeating the final elite on the second floor. ¡°Bro!¡± Alex appeared a step away, just as Will acquired his class. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Anyone¡¯s immediate reaction would have been to jump away or attack the goofball. Logically, it was impossible for him to have arrived there. The door was closed and Will was fairly certain that there hadn¡¯t been anyone in the bathroom when he had arrived. ¡°Not bad,¡± he gave a vague reply. ¡°I might need to borrow your class again at some point.¡± ¡°Very sus, bro.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°You tried the wolf challenge, didn¡¯t you?¡± There was no point in denying it. For all Will knew, his friend might have been there sneaking in the school while he leveled up. In theory, lacking a class prevented it, but as Danny had said, permanent skills provided a constant bonus, and Alex had been stuck in eternity for a very long time. ¡°What wave did you reach?¡± Alex took out a muffin and bit off half of it, along with the paper. ¡°Eight.¡± ¡°For real?¡± The goofball almost choked. ¡°Lit! I ran off at five.¡± For a single class thief that was rather impressive. It also put things into perspective. ¡°How many copies did you use?¡± ¡°Bro,¡± Alex laughed. ¡°Not enough. Those great wolves are vicious.¡± Funny. From Will¡¯s perspective, they were the lesser obstacle. ¡°Once we pass the tutorial, we must get the band to try again. For real!¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± That was the last thing Will wanted. ¡°Helen might not be up to it.¡± ¡°She¡¯s already got her class, bro.¡± Alex grinned. ¡°I helped.¡± ¡°Of course you did.¡± Taking one last glance at the bathroom mirror, Will left the room. Alex didn¡¯t follow him, but by the time Will got into the classroom, he found him already there. The chemical smell seemed a lot more bearable this time, possibly because all the windows were already open. Helen was at her usual desk, reading an actual paper book. It wasn¡¯t the first time she had been seen to do so, though more often than not, she¡¯d be holding a school textbook or nothing at all. ¡°Hey.¡± Will tossed his backpack on Daniel¡¯s desk and went up to Helen. ¡°Hey,¡± she replied without looking up. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± he asked, looking closely at the book cover. ¡°Sapphire Diode?¡± It wasn¡¯t a combination he expected. ¡°Science fiction short stories.¡± The girl put the book away without further explanation. ¡°Jace told me about the crafter skill,¡± she looked at him. ¡°Did you try it out?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Will nodded. There were several more things he wished to share, but he felt that it wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°It¡¯s strong.¡± The door opened and closed as Jace entered the room, almost as if he had heard them talking about him. ¡°Hey, Stoner,¡± he immediately said. ¡°Did you try it out?¡± ¡°We were just talking about that.¡± Will took a step away from Helen¡¯s desk. ¡°It¡¯s useful with other classes. Also, it combines weapons.¡± ¡°Combines in what way?¡± ¡°I used the chain and my dagger to make a chain blade.¡± ¡°Lit,¡± Alex managed to say, impressed by the combination of words alone. ¡°But I needed the knight¡¯s skills to use it. You won¡¯t be able to fight on your own.¡± ¡°Yeah, what else is new?¡± Jace went up to him. ¡°So do we continue?¡± he asked, then looked at Helen. Will did the same. Only Alex remained by the window, as if looking outside. ¡°Do we need to finish the tutorial?¡± Helen asked. ¡°Things are fine now. Boring, but fine. The further we go, the more dangerous it becomes. I¡ª¡± she abruptly stopped. ¡°Danny pushed the limit every day until he didn¡¯t. The same might happen to us.¡± Behind his back, Will clenched his fists. ¡°It might be worse if we don¡¯t,¡± he said. ¡°We just don¡¯t know. You said there were five names on the leaderboard. That means there are five groups in the tutorial. If what Danny said about the classes is true, there¡¯s one group that hasn¡¯t started. I don¡¯t know about you, but I don¡¯t want to end up being last on the list.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. No one said it openly, but they all knew what he was implying. Usually, it was the last of the list to be cut. ¡°Alright, we continue then,¡± the girl said. ¡°This time we go in force. We get as many mirrors as we can.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll get any shit I can use to upgrade stuff,¡± Jace added. Will nodded. ¡°Also, we level up according to a plan.¡± The discussion came to an end as other classmates started arriving. Helen was joined by her clique; the jocks went back to making stupid jokes at Will¡¯s expense. Jace joined in, of course, but he was playing along. There even was a fake fight, which Will used to increase his loop length. When the teacher arrived, shortly later, the boredom of school began. On the surface, everything continued the same as always. Will, along with the other looped, played their parts in an eternity they were familiar with. And still, all of them, without exception, were thinking of things to come. There was a good chance that this might be the loop to end the tutorial. A certain amount of excitement and anxiety came with that. Would the final boss turn out to be as strong as the hidden one they¡¯d faced? What would the rewards be? And, most important of all, what would happen afterwards? There was a good chance that the end of the tutorial could remove whatever protection the group had, putting them at the archer¡¯s mercy. On the other hand, that hadn¡¯t stopped him before. The person did whatever he wished, whether there were restrictions or not. After class, a car came up to pick Helen home. The three boys were left to their own devices. It was agreed that they get as many materials as they could, and also level up in the process. Since he knew the area, Alex hung out with Jace, helping him to level up as much as possible before the school run. Will did the same, using the partial reward he¡¯d gotten from the wolf challenge. Going to several of the locations on his fragment map, Will managed to kill enough wolves to reach level five.
PARALYSIS RESISTANCE Diminish the effects of poisons on you.
BACKSTAB Perform a weak but unexpected attack with a sharp weapon.
ROGUE¡¯S SENSE Spot hidden traps and mechanisms.
The latest set of skills stared at him from the mirror¡¯s surface. Waiting patiently for the wolf corpses to fade out of existence, Will tapped the mirror again to claim his wolf pack reward. Sadly, all he received was a one-hour loop extension. Unlike the last loop, the random skills were pretty bad this time. None of them were permanent, and they all had to do with increased weight and inventory capacity. Hopefully, once the tutorial was over he could take advantage by challenging all the elites the group had faced and obtaining some loot drops. Just as Will was about to leave the basement he had snuck into, two red messages appeared on the mirror.
CLASS DUPLICATION!
Only one rogue can be present. Freezing eternity.
¡°Yo.¡± Danny¡¯s reflection appeared in the mirror. Instantly, Will reached into his pocket to check his fragment. It was there in perfect condition. Hastily, the boy went through all the sections. There didn¡¯t seem to be any changes, and yet the former rogue had managed to make an appearance unchallenged. ¡°Chill. I haven¡¯t run off,¡± he said, amused by Will¡¯s concern. ¡°Just wanted to have a chat before you deal with the boss.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t challenge you,¡± Will uttered. ¡°Challenge is your way to call me. I¡¯ve got other means to call you.¡± This wasn¡¯t something that had been mentioned before. ¡°You¡¯re going to end the tutorial, right?¡± Danny pressed on. ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡± Will tried to appear calm. ¡°Okay. After you kill the boss, I want you to press the fragment against him. Doesn¡¯t have to be anywhere specific. Just do it before Helen fades him away.¡± Several red flags popped up in Will¡¯s mind. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What are you, five?¡± Danny smirked. ¡°I¡¯m asking you. That should be enough.¡± That was the problem with their agreement. In theory, Will was free to refuse, but there was no telling what damage his former classmate would do if that were the case. It was already illustrated that he could appear in mirrors at will. Quite possibly, he had other tricks up his sleeve. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy,¡± Will said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll be facing.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll handle it. You¡¯re a rogue, after all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I get any help? Some assistance or info or something?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll lend a hand. Provided there¡¯s an intact mirror anywhere there. You¡¯ll have to snatch the weapons before anyone sees them, though.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°So, we have a deal. Remember. You must do it before Helen gets the loot.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± ¡°Oh, and make sure Alex doesn¡¯t see you.¡± This was unexpected. The goofball had the tendency of being overly nosy, but why would Danny be so concerned? ¡°Did something happen between you two?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust him. And neither should you. Consider this a freebie.¡± ¡°Very funny. How about you give me some actual¡ª¡± As Will blinked, he found that he was talking to himself. Danny¡¯s reflection was gone, as were the red messages. If it hadn¡¯t been for the entire time freeze, one might consider this whole thing a trick of the mind. Will looked at the mirror fragment. He had the option of challenging Danny to continue the conversation. Would that be of any benefit? Most likely not. A task had been given, and it was up to him to see it through or not at all. ¡°Bastard,¡± Will whispered, then left the basement. With a while left till the meeting time, he wandered aimlessly within his allocated eternity zone. According to the map in his fragment, the area was simultaneously larger and smaller than one would expect. A lot more was encompassed than the school itself, yet the moment one ventured to explore any part of the area further, he found himself on the verge of leaving it. Often the invisible barrier would go through entire buildings, splitting them in different sections. As tempting as it was to take a single step beyond to see what would happen, Will decided not to. If all went as planned, the area might be gone by the end of the loop. If not, eternity would provide instructions on what to do. The phone in Will¡¯s pocket vibrated. He¡¯d received a text of a moose head and a coffee cup followed by the question, ¡°want anything?¡± It wasn¡¯t difficult to tell who had sent it. Jace and Helen quickly replied with a firm no. After some consideration, Will sent a moose head in response. The way things were going, he wasn¡¯t going to say no to some chocolate mousse. 60. The Crafters Challenge No time was wasted during the school sweep. The group started from the basement and cleared the mirrors up to the rooftop. Everyone had boosted their levels as much as possible, with the exception of Helen, who was deliberately left to advance only through goblin rewards. Since elite monsters based their power on her level, this approach was better. Alex had even suggested keeping her at level one while everyone else focused on taking down the opponent in the vice-principal¡¯s room. The idea was quickly rejected. As the strongest solo class, the knight was needed. ¡°Ready?¡± Will asked as the four of them reached the harpy¡¯s office. In response, Jace reached into the massive backpack he carried.
UPGRADE Shield has been transformed into tower shield. Defense and durability x5.
Unable to bear the weight in his current condition, the jock let the sheet of metal fall to the floor with a slam. The sound echoed along the empty corridors of the school. Thankfully, nothing followed. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s heavier than I thought.¡± ¡°You expect me to fight with that?¡± Helen looked at the item. The only reason she didn¡¯t cross her arms was because she was holding an equally large sword. ¡°Might not be a bad idea,¡± Will said. ¡°At least when you activate it.¡± ¡°Lit!¡± Alex agreed. ¡°So, we¡¯re actually taking the run approach?¡± ¡°We need the space. He doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s not like anyone ever got in the mirror.¡± ¡°Leave it to me, bro,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯m all stocked up. Will send a hundred copies just for the fun of it.¡± That created a terrifying image in Will¡¯s mind, but he nodded nonetheless. The extra copies were going to be useful. ¡°Alright, do your thing.¡± Mirror copies came into existence. Dozens quickly became hundreds as the entire hall was full with Alex¡¯s doubles. Knowing what to expect, Jace pushed through the crowd, making his way to the staircase. He wouldn¡¯t be needed for the fight to come. Reluctantly picking up her tower shield, Helen then took a step towards the door. ¡°You could have at least disassembled it!¡± She shouted down the corridor, only to get the middle finger from the jock. Not in the least bit impressed, the girl struck the door with her weapon.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Door shattered
Only splinters remained. ¡°Hey, sis,¡± Alex protested. ¡°Careful with my copies.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t start,¡± she glared at him, then stepped in. A dozen mirror copies followed. ¡°What¡¯s her oof?¡± an Alex whispered, potentially the real one. ¡°Not sure,¡± Will replied. ¡°Maybe I should have told her that we¡¯d level up before the start.¡± ¡°Nah, bro. She knows that¡¯ll make the elites tougher.¡± The goofball¡¯s reasoning was correct, but at the same time, he knew nothing about people. Will could have easily called her and explained his plan in greater detail. He should have done so. Instead, he had chosen to keep her in the dark, cutting her off. It probably seemed that the only reason they¡¯d let her tag along was because, as the keyholder, they were forced to do so. If only you knew, Will thought. An explosion erupted from inside, throwing Will backwards. It was only through luck and quick reflexes that he managed to twist his body in such a way to avoid a serious injury. Neither the belt, nor any other piece of gear proved strong enough to negate the full force of the blast, only decreasing it enough to survive. This was the first time that he¡¯d experienced anything of the sort. Dust filled the air, hurting his eyes and making it impossible to see more than a few steps ahead. A high-pitched tone blocked any other sound, rendering part of his senses useless. ¡°Helen!¡± he shouted, unable to register even a sound of his words. Adrenaline flooded his bloodstream, numbing the bruising pain throughout his body. Drawing his knife, Will ran forward. Every Alex ten feet from the door had been shattered. The real one had to be alive, otherwise the loop would have already ended. By that logic, Helen was also supposed to have survived. ¡°Hel!¡± Will drew his dagger. Even with a large chunk of the wall missing, there was too much dust in the vice-principal¡¯s office to make anything out. Will held his breath in an attempt to hear anything other than the constant high pitched sound. Nothing.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. A mirror copy of Alex had found its way to him and was trying to explain the situation. Will just stared at it, unable to make anything out. Of all the temporary skills he had obtained, not a single one was associated with sound. Thankfully, his composure was still there. Will reached into his pocket with his free hand and took his phone out. Hel? He typed in and showed it to the mirror copy. Nodding several times, Alex followed suit, taking out his own phone. Alive. U OK? Jace? Will typed again. Stay here. More mirror copies emerged, rushing by Will as they entered the thick dust. It was at that point that Will heard his first sound. It was a dull clunk, as if a blacksmith was trying to muffle the sound of him striking an anvil. One could barely call it a sound at all, but at least it was an indication that Will¡¯s hearing was returning. An object flew out from within the room, aimed straight at Will¡¯s head. The boy instantly crouched, just in time for a sharpened metal disk to strike the wall behind him. This wasn¡¯t an accident. Someone was aiming to kill him. Barely had he come to that conclusion than he came to another¡ªit was unlikely that an enemy would attack a single time. Will dashed forward, just in time to avoid three more disks that struck the wall in the spot where he had been. Tossing his phone, the boy drew several of his flying knives, throwing them blindly in the dusty area. Just as he was about to throw the last, a wave of air slammed into the wall behind him, clearing all the dust from the remnants of the room inside. ¡°Careful, you idiot!¡± Helen shouted, gripping the tower shield with both hands. There was no sign of the sword, likely it too was thrown away by the blast. The tightness in Will¡¯s chest subsided, as he allowed himself a split second of relief. Helen appeared alright. That was all he needed to know. A second figure also became visible, standing ten feet away from her. Immediately, one could tell it was humanoid, wearing a strange combination of weapons and armor that weren¡¯t immediately recognizable. Looking at it, the first thing that came to mind was that their opponent had grabbed a makeshift steampunk suit. Leather and metal protectors covered the person from head to toe. In any other circumstance, Will would have made a joke on the topic. Not now that he had figured out what the being was. Mirror copies appeared out of nowhere, stabbing the elite from all directions. All their attacks managed was to momentarily startle him, causing him to take a few steps back. Blades shattered instantly upon contact, unable to pierce through the jury-rigged armor. ¡°Get out of there!¡± Will shouted, hoping that Helen had restored her hearing as well. ¡°He¡¯s a mirror image.¡± Either her ears were still ringing, or the girl ignored him, for she swung the tower shield, slamming it into the elite. The force was enough to bury him in a nearby wall. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the end of him. The gloves covering the man¡¯s hands peeled off as he grabbed the top of the shield, pressing him into the wall. The moment that happened, the entire chunk of metal twisted, covering his arms and torso as if it were ferro-liquid coating a magnet.
UPGRADE Tower shield has been transformed into body armor. Defense and durability x2.
¡°He¡¯s a crafter!¡± Will threw his poison dagger, aiming at the only unprotected area of the enemy¡ªhis hand.
POISONED
The blade ripped the skin, but only managed to do so much, before solid steel slid over what remained of the unprotected skin. The dark crafter clasped his hands together, a metallic sphere emerging between them.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Breastplate shattered
Helen kicked the elite in the side, then dashed out of the room. Wasting no time, Will leaped right into her, taking them both out of the crafter¡¯s direct line of sight. A second, less potent, explosion followed. Thankfully, no further harm was done. ¡°Keep running!¡± Will said through the pain. ¡°Alex, get us some time!¡± ¡°For real, bro!¡± the reply came instantly as several dozen mirror copies rushed past, heading in the opposite direction ¡°I lost my sword,¡± Helen said. ¡°He must have changed it into something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a crafter? It¡¯s tougher than the hidden boss!¡± That wasn¡¯t precisely true, but Will understood her point. One had to admit that it was funny how overpowered their own classes were when fighting against them. Then again, eternity held no secrets for mirror images. ¡°A high-level crafter, maybe.¡± The pair reached the staircase and rushed down. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Jace asked. He had just been about to lean against the railing when the first explosion had gone off. ¡°A dragon?¡± ¡°Come along!¡± Will shouted without further explanations. ¡°We need to get to the first-floor bathroom.¡± ¡°Why the fuck?¡± ¡°We need to get the chain and that¡¯s the only place I can get it from!¡± As Will¡¯s hearing improved, he could hear the sounds of shattering glass in the distance behind him. Minutes ago he had believed Alex to have gone overboard with the mirror fragments. Now, he wasn¡¯t sure they would be enough. ¡°What¡¯s your level?¡± Jace asked Helen as they were running. ¡°Seven,¡± she replied. ¡°Fuck. I knew the good stuff was later on.¡± ¡°While I get the chain, you and Helen go to the fire extinguisher,¡± Will said. ¡°The big one. I need you to make a weapon for her.¡± ¡°You lost your sword?¡± There was a moment of silence. ¡°Right, got it.¡± At the boys¡¯ bathroom, the group split up. Will rushed inside while the others continued onwards. Instantly, the boy stopped in his tracks. All the mirrors in the room were shattered in a display that made his heart tighten. ¡°Alex, you idiot,¡± Will said beneath the breath. This had never been part of the plan. If anything, Will had insisted that the class mirrors remain intact precisely because of this. He didn¡¯t expect to need the chain for the crafter, but he was definitely going to take it for their battle against the boss. Will took the mirror fragment out of his pocket. Tapping on its surface, he slid his finger several times to get to the inventory section, then reached inside. ¡°Having fun?¡± a familiar voice asked. Will could tell that it was Daniel¡¯s, even if his reflection wasn¡¯t visible. ¡°Should have warned you about that.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Will placed the fragment on the floor, then continued pulling the chain out. ¡°I thought you¡¯d see it. Four classes¡ªfour mirror images. You only killed three. What did you expect there would be?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Just wanted to wish you the best.¡± Will didn¡¯t believe that for a moment. More likely, he was here to remind him of their arrangement again. ¡°You don¡¯t need to fight him,¡± Danny continued. ¡°You poisoned him, so he¡¯ll die in ten-twenty minutes on his own. Crafters are very susceptible to effects. Then again, most of the other classes are.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s so, how did you die?¡± The abrupt silence suggested that the topic remained on the sore side. ¡°Just don¡¯t forget our deal. And don¡¯t try to be smart. I can kill you for eternity just as you reach to get your class¡ªany class.¡± The final piece of the chain emerged from the fragment. Tossing it to the side, Will then quickly put the fragment away and looked around. There was no indication that anyone was there. Gritting his teeth, then carefully grabbed a less spiked link and pulled the metal mass out of the bathroom. 61. Experimental Weapon Will wiped the sweat off his forehead. The combination of adrenalin, running, and physical weakness that came with eternity had made his face glisten like a ball of wax. Holding his breath for a few moments, he concentrated to see if he could hear any more glass crunching. That was as good as it was bad. There was a slight chance that the mirror copies had managed to delay or even defeat the dark crafter, but it was more likely they had been destroyed. That left the elite loose to attack however he wished. ¡°All set here,¡± Jace said as he and Helen ran up to Will from the other end of the hallway. Helen held a short red sword with what looked like a metal capsule attached to the blade. Looking at it for a few seconds, Will then turned to the jock. ¡°I¡¯ve been checking out stuff,¡± Jace said before the question could be asked. ¡°One good pierce and the fucker will explode.¡± The concept sounded more like coming from a movie, but Will wouldn¡¯t have minded if it were true. ¡°Give me that.¡± Jace reached for the chain. ¡°I¡¯ll change it into¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Will said firmly. ¡°It stays as it is.¡± ¡°Why the fuck?¡± ¡°Any upgrade will make it lose its ability. Helen will have it.¡± He turned to her. ¡°Can you fight with a sword and this?¡± he asked. ¡°I did well enough with a sword and a tower shield.¡± The girl reached out and took the end of the chain. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine with this.¡± ¡°Hold it.¡± Jace reached into his backpack again and took out a pair of gauntlets. They looked more like gloves than full gauntlets, but the focus on detail was impressive¡ªdefinitely a lot better than anything he¡¯d made so far. ¡°For the spikes.¡± He offered them. Helen smiled at the gesture, then put them on. Initially, they were a bit large, suited more for Jace¡¯s own hands, but thanks to his skills, a quick upgrade later, they fit perfectly. Everyone¡¯s phone suddenly vibrated. Once the trio checked, all of them had gotten the same message from Alex: X.X ¡°He¡¯s out of copies,¡± Will said. ¡°Jace, keep your distance.¡± ¡°I know the drill, Stoner.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± Will looked him straight in the eyes. ¡°We need you close. Once Helen binds him, we¡¯ll need you to disassemble his armor.¡± ¡°Right.¡± There was a hint of a smile on the jock¡¯s face. ¡°Got you.¡± Will took the lead. From what he knew, the elite had to be on the second floor. From there, the only way to reach them was the staircase. Ideally, it would have been nice if the dark crafter had hidden somewhere. That way, they could just wait him out to die before searching for the boss. Such an outcome was highly optimistic and very unlikely. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± Will went forward. ¡°Keep at least twenty feet behind. He¡¯s already used grenades twice.¡± As he walked, Will made a point to open the doors he passed by. If it came to it, the group would seek shelter in a nearby room to escape any potential blast down the corridor. Ten steps from the staircase, the fragment in Will¡¯s pocket twitched. There could have been countless reasons for that, yet his instincts reacted, making him leap backwards. Hardly had he done so when a spiked disk buried itself in the corridor¡¯s floor. It had a large spherical object attached to it. ¡°Hide!¡± Will threw a knife at the weapon as he leaped into the nearest classroom. His rogue¡¯s sight had shown him the weakness of the device, and it was a good thing it did. As the blade made contact, the disk exploded, sending metal fragments like shrapnel in all directions. The damage prevented them from achieving their full impact, but even so, everything in a ten-foot radius was covered by sharp triangular shards. A second device followed, but by then Jace and Helen had already found shelter in another room as well. ¡°Damn it!¡± Will hissed. The elite was fighting precisely as a crafter would¡ªfighting from a distance and relying entirely on the use of intricate devices. All the needed materials were already on his body in the form of gear and armor. As long as he needed to use something particular, he could just go ahead and make it. Taking his phone, Will quickly sent a text to Alex. See him? A thumbs up emoticon appeared. Where? An emoticon of a donkey and of a staircase emerged. ??? Bottom of staircase Setting aside his thoughts on Alex¡¯s manner of communicating, this was good. It meant that Will could do something about it. It wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but his opponent had provided him with ample resources as well. Taking out what throwing knives he had left, Will ventured into the corridor. The first thing he did was to throw them in the general direction of the staircase. Initially, there wasn¡¯t any sight of the dark crafter, but after a few steps, the figure of the enemy became visible. The elite had cleverly positioned himself to be out of view from anyone further down the corridor. Being the only one equipped with makeshift grenades, he didn¡¯t need to have a line of sight. Unfortunately, that also prevented him from immediately spotting Will. Grabbing a piece of triangular shrapnel from the wall, Will threw it at his target. The metal fragment wasn¡¯t the best to handle, but after enough experience throwing knives, Will had acquired a knack for it. Metal pieces bounced off the crafter¡¯s armor. It was considerably diminished from before. Entire sections seemed to be missing, likely consumed for other weapons. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t enough to leave any bare spots. The fragments bounced off, merely forcing the crafter to take a step back. Pressing on, Will continued forward, throwing more and more metal shards.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Alex emerged on the staircase, less than five feet behind the elite. With lethal swiftness, he struck, stabbing the man in the back of the neck.
STAB Surprise attack. Damage increased by 1000%
A bubble of euphoria formed in Will¡¯s mind, only to burst immediately after. Although flawless, there was no indication that the hit had inflicted a wound. The dark crafter briskly turned around, punching the goofball in the chest. Blades emerged from the metal gauntlet, sinking in the boy¡¯s chest. ¡°Alex!¡± Will rushed forward, throwing half a dozen more projectiles. The goofball shattered into glass fragments, leaving only his knife to fall to the ground. Another mirror copy? Will thought. He should have known that a thief wouldn¡¯t allow himself to be caught so easily. It was he that was under threat now. In his urge to save his friend, he had gone too close to the staircase, placing himself in danger. Running back into the corridor from this point would only make him a sitting duck, which was why he leaped forward. The armor surrounding the crafter¡¯s right arm transformed into a large bulky device with several thin slots visible. The elite aimed in the direction of the boy, sending a series of sharpened disks flying. With nothing he could use as a weapon, Will twisted his entire body midair. The disks flew past, at times mere inches away, as he twisted his body in an attempt to evade them. Thankfully, the attack was interrupted by Alex, who fell from above, slamming a chair into the crafter¡¯s head. As expected, the goofball shattered, proving it was another mirror copy. The chair, however, was very real, shoving the enemy into the corridor. ¡°Now!¡± Will shouted as he landed on the floor. It was in moments such as this that luck had the power to win or lose a fight. Standing in the middle of the corridor, the dark crafter could easily see everything in both directions. One look behind would have revealed Helen rushing out from the room she was hiding in, red sword and spiked chain in hand. Yet it so happened that all the monster¡¯s attention was focused on Will, who was rushing to the nearest door, in a desperate attempt to save himself from the disk attacks. The lack of judgment made the crafter aim forward and send another cluster of disks flying, seconds before sensing the chain wrap itself around his legs.
BOUND
A heavy slam in the head followed.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500%
The elite¡¯s armor was too well made to outright shatter, but the blow rendered him confused, nonetheless. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t win through brute force, Helen rushed up to the man and grabbed him in a bear hug. It was almost comic watching a school girl hold a full-grown adult in armor, yet classes had their benefits, rendering the man incapable of moving his arms. ¡°Jace!¡± she shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t let him touch the sword!¡± Will shouted, having just narrowly avoided the final set of disks. The warning wasn¡¯t lost on the dark crafter. Armor peeled off his hands as he attempted to grab hold of anything that would allow him to create a new weapon. ¡°Almost there!¡± Jace yelled, rushing forward in typical football fashion, as if he were aiming to break through the defense of an opposing team. ¡°Jump!¡± Helen released the dark crafter, leaping up all the way to the ceiling. The very same second, the jock grabbed hold of the elite¡¯s waist. The armor that covered him peeled off his back, transforming into a cast iron chastity belt. In doing so, the back and neck of the enemy were revealed. No one had any time to react. Helen descended, thrusting her sword between the man¡¯s shoulder blades.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Spine shattered Fatal wound inflicted
A muffled explosion followed as the modification of the sword released the gas of the former fire extinguisher, causing the entire upper torso of the elite to burst like a water balloon. Only the lower part remained, held in place by the effects of the binding chain. Then there was silence. For over ten seconds, everyone just stood there in disbelief at what they had done. Strictly speaking, this couldn¡¯t be considered the toughest opponent they had faced so far, but his combination of skills felt the most challenging. One could without a doubt conclude that each and every one of the children were their own greatest enemies. ¡°Well,¡± Jace broke the silence. ¡°At least he¡¯ll fade away, so we won¡¯t be covered in brain and guts for much longer.¡± There was another pause, after which everyone just started laughing. Never in his life had Will imagined that something so witty could come from the jock, but it just had. All the pent-up anger and fear was let out in a single bout, as it dawned on them that they had actually won. ¡°For real!¡± Alex emerged from the staircase. ¡°Good one, bro! That was lit.¡± ¡°Jace,¡± Helen began, ¡°never make any experimental weapons ever again.¡± ¡°Fuck that! Even muffin boy found it cool,¡± the jock replied, although even he had to admit that the last strike was a bit of overkill. ¡°So what do I get?¡± ¡°Your sword turned him into mush. How do you expect me to check?¡± ¡°His trousers are there. Try with those.¡± Helen looked at the trousers. They were indeed intact, but the last thing the girl wanted was to reach into them. Instead, she just grabbed the chastity belt. All remains of the dark crafter promptly disappeared, leaving a tool belt to fall to the floor on top of the spiked chain. ¡°Tools?¡± Will asked, making his way towards the rest of the group. ¡°Suits you. Though the belt was better,¡± he added with a smirk. ¡°Shut it, Stoner.¡± Jace reached down and picked up the belt. ¡°I got some crafting bonuses. I can enhance items now, whatever that means.¡± ¡°Bro!¡± Alex gasped. ¡°You mean all that till now wasn¡¯t enhanced? That¡¯s op!¡± ¡°I fucking hope so! After all this, I deserve something good!¡± He put it on. ¡°So, what now?¡± Helen looked at Will. ¡°The explosions were probably noticed outside. I give it ten minutes max before the police and everyone else shows up.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Will agreed. ¡°Do we try the boss or do we leave it for next loop?¡± ¡°We go for it now,¡± Will said adamantly. ¡°Alex, go to the gym and restock with mirrors. We¡¯ll head up to the harpy¡¯s office.¡± ¡°There¡¯s hardly anything there. Even most of the walls were blown out.¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s a mirror.¡± 62. Tutorial Boss Will turned out to be right. Little was left of the vice principal¡¯s chamber, as if a wrecking ball had passed through, destroying all but the external walls. And yet, among the devastation, placed on the only piece of standing wall, was a green glowing mirror. ¡°Who takes it?¡± Jace asked. That was a rather good question. Everyone¡¯s contributions had been vital, even more so than when fighting the hidden boss. Unlike then, only one could claim the room reward. ¡°You take it,¡± Helen told Will. ¡°Your plan, your strategy, your reward.¡± Will looked at the other two of the group. Alex, as usual, gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Sure,¡± Jace shrugged. ¡°I get the next one.¡±
ROOM REWARD (random) FUTURE BOOST: the next reward you earn will be enhanced.
¡°That¡¯s fire, bro!¡± Alex said. ¡°You get to hit it big.¡± ¡°Only if we defeat the boss,¡± Jace grumbled. Anyone could tell he was a bit envious. ¡°And if we do it this loop.¡± ¡°What if we get a mass reward?¡± The goofball wondered. ¡°Does that mean only you get it double or is it double for everyone? Technically, you got the reward as part of the group, so your group will have to get it double, too. Right?¡± It was an amusing thought, but even the mild outburst of humor wasn¡¯t enough for anyone else to crack a smile. The final fight was about to take place, and even with all their levels and gear, the group didn¡¯t feel at all ready. ¡°Alex, stock up on shards from the gym,¡± Will said. ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you here until then.¡± ¡°Right, bro,¡± the goofball rushed down the corridor. ¡°Was it a good idea?¡± Jace asked. ¡°The bangs must have attracted attention.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the thief,¡± Will replied. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. Now it¡¯s your turn to prep some gear.¡± With plenty of available material left as a result of the fight, Jace got to work. The dark crafter had already created enough metal shards Will could use for throwing knives, so the jock focused on gear. Armor was always a good idea for Helen, especially a tower shield, as everyone had just seen. An adequate sword was also a must, yet despite his insistence, the girl refused to have a second exploding blade. While good in the short run, it had been rendered useless after one strike. As a result, Jace tried to recreate her original weapon as best he could. In the meantime, Alex finally returned. If he were to be believed, he had managed to gather enough for several hundred copies. Will strongly doubted it, but hoped there would be enough for an adequate distraction. Gearing up for one final time before their boss battle, the group set off to explore the school for one final time. ¡°There¡¯s no change on the fragment,¡± Helen said, looking at her mirror piece. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be something if we¡¯ve cleared all rooms?¡± ¡°Does it look like we missed anything?¡± Will looked. The entire area of the school was lit up, indicating where they¡¯d been. All standard mirror locations were grayed out, possibly indicating that they were broken. ¡°It¡¯s probably like the hidden mirrors,¡± he said. ¡°It only gets marked the first time we find it.¡± ¡°And it gets activated the moment I come near.¡± It took close to a minute for every room to be checked out. With that done, the group went further down. Interestingly enough, no sirens were heard outside of the school. Given the commotion not too long ago, everyone expected the entire city to have gathered. Since it was for the best, the children ignored it and continued to the floor below. That took closer to two minutes; several additional rooms were present that needed additional attention. Unfortunately, none of them yielded anything, either. ¡°We should have gone up,¡± Jace grumbled. ¡°Nah, bro.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°It¡¯ll always be at the last place we look. For real.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it, muffin boy.¡± There were no new mirrors in the basement. Will¡¯s anxiety started to grow. Several times, he considered splitting off to check with Danny. Each time, he decided against it. Doing so risked the others finding out, and there was no telling what more Danny would ask for help. Nothing was found on any of the other floors, leaving only the rooftop. It was the worst place for a fight¡ªopen, with limited light, and the option to easily fall to one¡¯s death. Making their way up the stairs, everyone mentally prepared. Despite the fear of the unknown after so many attempts, all of them wanted to complete the tutorial. And just like ripping off a band aid, it was better getting over with faster. Will and Alex were the first to set foot on the roof. Helen followed several seconds later with Jace remaining on the staircase. ¡°Where is it?¡± Helen asked, as everyone looked about. ¡°It has to be here,¡± Will said. ¡°Walk about a bit.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Curiously, the girl moved to every spot on the rooftop. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time a mirror was hidden in an unusual location. Unlike before, though, no monster emerged. ¡°What¡¯s the hold up?¡± Jace emerged on the roof after a minute of waiting. ¡°It¡¯s not here,¡± Helen hissed. ¡°What the duck? Did you check behind the¡ª¡± ¡°I checked everywhere!¡± The girl snapped. ¡°Even the walls of the school. It¡¯s not here.¡± That shut up the jock. Sadly, the issue remained. Will reached for his pocket. ¡°Check your mirror shard,¡± Alex said. Will froze. The shard was supposed to be his secret. Had the goofball managed to see him use it after all? Slowly, he turned to face his friend. Alex looked back, a slight smile on his face. It didn¡¯t seem to be a mocking smile, but rather an understanding one, as if he knew exactly what was going through Will¡¯s mind. ¡°What do you expect me to see?¡± Helen asked, a number of steps behind Will. Glancing over his shoulder, Will saw the girl put down her tower shield and take out her own mirror piece. That was too close for comfort. ¡°It¡¯s the same as before,¡± Helen said, sliding her thumb over the reflective surface. ¡°No new mirrors, no rooms we haven¡¯t been to.¡± ¡°What about the gym?¡± Jace suggested. ¡°No way, bro. Can¡¯t have a boss and a hidden boss in the same spot. That won¡¯t make it a hidden boss.¡± ¡°Where the fuck is it, then?¡± Jace shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not in the school and it¡¯s not here, so¡ª¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± Will raised his hand. All conversations stopped. Everyone looked at him, expecting a revelation and right now, Will believed he¡¯d just gotten one. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± he asked. In the distance, barely audible, was the sound of sirens. There were several of them mixed together, yet the more time passed, it was clear that the sirens weren¡¯t getting closer, but rather moving further away. ¡°So?¡± Helen looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing new.¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t coming here.¡± ¡°Are you complaining?¡± ¡°The blast shook the entire school, and still no one noticed. Why?¡± This was a question to which no one had an answer. Everyone had been so worried that a crowd would gather while they were fighting an enemy that no one bothered to wonder why none had appeared. As Helen said, it wasn¡¯t something to complain about. Everyone had to be grateful, and Will was. The difference was that he had noticed what the rest apparently hadn¡¯t¡ªwhen eternity changed the rules, it was always for a reason. ¡°Jace, you carry the chain,¡± he said, heading to the staircase entrance. ¡°We won¡¯t have much room to fight. Alex, start making copies.¡± ¡°You know where it is?¡± Helen asked. ¡°I think so.¡± It was by no means a guarantee, but by any account, it had to be there. Soon enough, everyone was back in the staircase, heading down. Upon reaching the second floor, Will went into the corridor. ¡°We¡¯ve already been here,¡± Helen reminded him. ¡°It¡¯s the first place we searched.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the first place we almost searched. What was it that the hint said? That the boss will be revealed only when all the rooms are cleared.¡± ¡°And? You¡¯re saying there¡¯s a room left?¡± ¡°No. If I¡¯m right, our entire interpretation was wrong. We only needed to kill the creatures to clear a room. Getting the room reward was just a bonus, as were part of the hidden mirrors.¡± ¡°Stoner, now I¡¯m confused.¡± Jace grumbled. Carrying the chain was on the verge of his physical capabilities. ¡°Think about it. We¡¯ve faced all sorts of creatures, and only four mirror images. Our own mirror images. All we had to do to clear the school was kill off all the wolves, the goblins, and our mirror classes. The hidden boss, the other creatures, they all were only a means to get better gear.¡± The more he thought about it, the more Will was certain that he was right. It made sense, like pieces of a puzzle fitting together. There was no guarantee, of course. It was all based on guesswork and reasoning, but in his mind, the coincidences were too perfect for him to be wrong. After half a minute, the group was back at the scene of their last fight¡ªwhat remained of the vice principal¡¯s office. ¡°Bro, for real?¡± Even Alex was surprised. ¡°You gotta be kidding,¡± Helen frowned. ¡°As Alex said, it¡¯s always the last place we look.¡± ¡°But we¡¯ve been here. If there was a mirror, I would have noticed. And even if I didn¡¯t, it would have reacted. Or do you think it¡¯s of the foggy kind?¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Will drew his dagger. ¡°Either way, there¡¯s one way for the mirror not to see you and vice versa.¡± He took a step forward. ¡°All of you, stay there and get ready.¡± Extremely slowly, Will went into the center of what was left of the office. As Helen had said, there was no sign of a mirror on any visible surface. Holding his breath, Will pressed against the floor with his shoe, then dragged it backwards. A reflective surface emerged. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± Will said, afraid to move his foot further as if he were stepping on a mine. ¡°It must have appeared beneath the floor and the layer of dust.¡± ¡°Bro, that¡¯s messed up,¡± Alex said. ¡°First time I hear of mirrors appearing between things.¡± Will ignored him. ¡°When I jump back, there should be enough for Helen to trigger it. After that all bets are off.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± the girl said. ¡°On three.¡± Will prepared mentally. ¡°One.¡± Jace and a large number of Alexes retreated to the sides of the corridor. ¡°Two.¡± Helen placed the tower shield in front of her, ready for any potential impact that might accompany the appearance of the boss. ¡°Three!¡± Will leaped back. The moment he did, Helen¡¯s eyes focused on the patch of mirror.
BOSS BATTLE
A large purple message appeared. The layer of dust covering the floor, along with any debris and surviving pieces of furniture, abruptly fell down, as if pulled into an abyss. Chunks of the wall followed, pulling in more and more of the surrounding rooms with it. ¡°Get back!¡± Will shouted. He didn¡¯t need to say it twice. Everyone was already backing further away. The sight of a violently growing hole was enough to terrify even the most prepared person. The entire fa?ade of the building suddenly collapsed, setting off a series of alarms. This time, the scene was impossible to remain hidden. All the nearby buildings in the area lit up as people rushed to the windows to catch a glimpse of the disaster. As far as they were concerned, they had witnessed a building suddenly crumble due to age or flimsy construction. That was when a giant colossus made of concrete and steel emerged out of nowhere, mere feet from the half-destroyed school.
GIMESH, LORD OF GOBLINS (Virhol Faction) Victory Reward: 1 Completing Tutorial 2 ??? 3 ???
63. Staying Alive ¡°Fuck!¡± Jace said at the sight of the massive stone colossus. The creature had torn off the side of the building, exposing the floors like the layers of a cake. ¡°That¡¯s the lord of goblins?¡± No wonder that the hints had advised them to take all the hidden weapons before facing the creature. Comparing it to the mirror images or even the hidden boss was like comparing a tiger to a feral cat. It was so large that Will wasn¡¯t sure how they¡¯d actually attack it, let alone find a place to use the chain¡¯s ability. Hands the size of elephants reached down and grabbed a beeping car from the parking lot then threw it at part of the school in a display of mindless strength. Either this was an effect of the tutorial or the colossus was too self-confident to attack the group head on. Will¡¯s glance darted all over the thing in search of weak spots they could take advantage of. It was at that point that he saw it. ¡°That¡¯s not the boss,¡± he said, pointing at the monstrous head. ¡°There.¡± Everyone, even the mirror copies, looked. Seated comfortably on a small throne of stone, on the colossus¡¯ shoulder, just next to the neck, was a goblin. Unlike the masses they had fought so far, it was dressed in expensive looking clothes of various colors. All of its fingers, hands, neck and ears were adorned with gem encrusted gold and silver jewelry. There could be no doubt that was the boss they were supposed to defeat. Noticing the children look at him, the goblin flashed a toothy grin, mocking the obvious difference in strength. ¡°That nasty fucker,¡± Jace hissed. Without a moment''s thought, he put his hand into his backpack. A second later, he pulled it out again, holding a small primed dart gun, which he aimed and fired with one brisk action. The dart passed less than a foot from the goblin, disappearing into the night. Registering the attack, the goblin lord snarled. His grin turned into a grimace as he started waving his hands about, shouting. ¡°Idiot!¡± Helen looked at the jock. ¡°You made it mad.¡± ¡°As opposed to?¡± Jace created another projectile and reloaded his weapon. ¡°We can¡¯t fight the big one, so we must aim at the quarterback.¡± It was just like him to use a sports metaphor, but considering their predicament, it made sense. Using his rogue skills, Will aimed at the boss and threw all of his throwing knives in rapid succession. Unlike Jace, his aim was spot on. Sadly, before the knives could hit their target, blue and green sparks flickered in front of the creature, causing the weapons to bounce off an invisible shield, as it were. To make matters worse, the colossus raised one of its hands in front of the goblin lord, shielding him from any other ranged attacks. ¡°He must have protective gear,¡± Will said. ¡°Maybe more than one.¡± A terrifying thought passed through his mind. What if all the pieces of jewelry weren¡¯t just pieces of jewelry, but actually defensive items of some sort. Being a lord and boss monster, that made sense, which suggested that the only way to kill it was from up close. And something suggested that the colossus wouldn¡¯t make it easy for them. The sound of cars and distant sirens emerged in the distance. This time, they were definitely getting closer. ¡°Bros! We¡¯re already all over the net!¡± One of the Alexes said, looking at his phone, ¡°Fire! I can almost see myself.¡± Several of the mirror copies waved in various directions as the goofball tried to pinpoint the source of the live stream. The colossus didn¡¯t seem nearly as amused, thrusting its right hand in the direction of the group. It was a fast action, but the boy managed to leap out of the way, taking Jace¡ªpotentially the second target¡ªwith him out of harm¡¯s way. Helen also sprung into action, taking a step to the side and striking the side of the concrete hand with full strength.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Hand shattered
Three giant fingers broke off, halving the size of the hand. Attempting to finish the job, the girl struck again, but this time the colossus was able to pull what was left of its hand away. ¡°Lit!¡± several mirror copies said in unison. Will let go of Jace, then looked back at the colossus. The gears in his mind were turning, trying to find a solution. Clearly, Helen had the strength to shatter the colossus. Taking everyone¡¯s class skills into consideration, Alex would have to create the distraction. Jace was the support, providing Helen with a constant supply of weapons with which to break through the colossus¡¯s defenses, so that Will could leap close to the actual boss and kill it. Overall, it was a somewhat vague plan, but it was the best he could come up with and it had a good chance of working. If there was a way to temporarily share skills it would have been miles better, but wishful thinking alone wasn¡¯t going to bring them victory. ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea,¡± he said. ¡°Alex, distract it. Meanwhile¡ª¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The goblin lord let out a blood freezing shriek, interrupting him mid-sentence. Some might have interrupted it as an act of frustration of the damage done to its colossus, but that was far from the truth. Hundreds of green mirrors emerged throughout the entire block. Some of them floated in the air, most were attached to walls, roads, cars, and anything they could fit on. Then, goblins poured out. Hundreds appeared in a matter of seconds, all in groups of five. Dressed in clothes made of leather straps and holding crude weapons, they rushed in all directions, attacking anything and everything they had a fancy. As it happened, a city police car was the first victim. The people inside were so taken about by the impossible sight they had witnessed that they hit the brakes at the prospect of ramming into a pack of creatures. That turned out to be a costly mistake. Knowing no mercy, the goblins leaped on the car¡¯s hood, striking the windshield with large daggers and crude axes. One of the officers reached for his weapon in panic, but it was already too late. The glass barrier between attackers and attacked was already gone, allowing the creatures to stab to their content. Multiple screams from various locations followed, making it clear that there were other victims as well. ¡°That¡¯s a big oof,¡± an Alex said from the second floor of the school as everyone observed the scene in horror. ¡°This timeline is effed. On the bright side, we might end up heroes.¡± No one had the will to even react to his comment. It wasn¡¯t the first time mirror monsters had been unleashed upon the city. Will himself had seen giant wolves bring chaos and destruction, though never to such a degree. This was an outright invasion. Only the military could stop the waves of creatures. As goblins kept emerging from the newly created mirrors, the colossus moved away from the school. Its left hand lowered just enough for Will to see the sadistic smile on the goblin lord¡¯s face. The creature was enjoying this. Up until now, all mirror creatures had attacked in the vicinity of their mirror, occasionally hiding within their realm. This was different on a whole lot of levels. The boss had brought all of his minions with him, as if in an attempt to conquer this part of eternity. ¡°That fucking coward,¡± Jace said. ¡°Making us get to him. Does your plan include that, Stoner?¡± ¡°Hel,¡± Will said, ¡°check the fragment.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Just check it.¡± The girl did so. Just to be on the safe side, Will moved closer and peeked at the reflective surface.
TUTORIAL EVENT TRIGGERED Defeat the Lord of Goblins. Minions will keep appearing until you do.
By now, the colossus had moved half a block away. A small army of goblins had gathered at its feet. Unlike the vast majority of others, they weren¡¯t running around, destroying and slaughtering, but acted as the boss¡¯s personal guard. ¡°Elites,¡± Alex pointed. Even in the darkness, everyone could see the difference between a normal goblin and a creature double its size. Will was able to make out that the specimen was equipped with a broadsword, even if its armor and attire didn¡¯t look too different from those of the standard minion. Just as he was about to say something a noise was heard further down the corridor, followed by an even louder sound of shattering glass. Clearly, some of the goblins had made it to the school as well. ¡°Head to the staircase!¡± Will shouted, gripping his dagger. ¡°We need to get out.¡± Further down, the first goblin became visible. It had come from below, indicating that no mirrors had appeared within the school building itself. ¡°Keep together and smash any mirror on the way!¡± Will charged down the corridor. He was immediately followed by Helen and a dozen mirror copies of Alex. Jace remained still for a few moments, taking one final look at the Colossus. At this distance, the goblin had become all but invisible, even though everyone knew it was still there. ¡°See you soon, fucker,¡± the jock whispered, then joined the rest. The entire staircase was crawling with creatures. Despite their numbers, though, they remained just as weak as the standard tutorial monsters the group had faced so many times before. Will slashed three throats without even having to resort to his weapon¡¯s special ability, then stepped back as Helen reached him. Three mirror copies ran by, heading to the third floor. ¡°Double checking, bro,¡± one of them said as it passed by. Will nodded. It was a good idea to make sure that no mirror had appeared on the roof, although at this point, they¡¯d likely have found out. Taking advantage of the tight fighting area, Helen threw her tower shield at the flight of stairs below. The heavy chunk of metal struck a trio of goblins, crushing them on the spot. Sadly, that only slowed the flow by a fraction. ¡°Good thing we got to practice with the wolves.¡± The girl swung her sword, dispatching another four. ¡°This is easier.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not out yet.¡± Will reminded her while thinning the goblin ranks with ranged attacks. The metal shards had been rather useful. ¡°Check for loot, sis!¡± a mirror copy shouted. ¡°Will be lit if we level up by grinding.¡± The suggestion wasn¡¯t bad, but Will doubted it would be the case. Skills and rewards, without exception, had always come from mirrors. Although, there was a chance that there might be gear drops in the process. Helen must have thought the same, for she took the time to pause and touch a goblin corpse with her left hand.
3 COINS
A message emerged. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± the girl asked, as she kept on fighting. ¡°No idea, but it must be useful,¡± Will lied. Danny had already told him that coins were valuable. Going to the nearest goblin corpse, he too tapped the nearest goblin corpse. Unfortunately, nothing happened. ¡°Only you can take them. Try to get as many as you can!¡± ¡°Sure. Anything else?¡± Sarcasm filled Helen¡¯s response. ¡°Stay alive.¡± ¡°I have a stupid question,¡± Jace asked from behind. ¡°What happens if we don¡¯t kill the fucker before our loops end?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Will shouted, although he had to admit he hadn¡¯t thought of that. Time hadn¡¯t been an issue lately. Here it was a factor as well. They didn¡¯t only have to kill the goblin boss, but fight their way to him before one of their loops ended. It would have been useful if the mirror fragment had an indication of how much time remained. As things stood, they could only guess and hope they were right. ¡°Jace, see if you can use their weapons to make something,¡± Will shouted, sending another throwing knife into a goblin¡¯s head. ¡°You want me to make a grenade?¡± the jock asked. ¡°Anything useful. We have a lot to kill till we reach the boss and not much time.¡± 64. Fire in The Hole Mirrors shattered, decreasing the flow of goblins into the world. The only positive aspect of it being dark was that the mirrors were easily visible, emitting their faint green glow. The goblins themselves were an entirely different matter. While most of the streetlights remained functioning, all functioning cars on the block had been destroyed, along with everyone in them. The screams of a minute ago had subsided as people switched from openly panicking to hiding, in the hopes that would help them survive. Everyone who could, barricaded themselves wherever they could find, turning off any light so as not to draw attention. It was outright scary how a central area of the city had been transformed into a post-apocalyptic scene of movies in a mere matter of minutes. And in the middle of all this, the group of looped kept on killing off the invaders as they pushed out of the school building. ¡°Careful,¡± Will said, throwing a metal shard at another mirror nearby. ¡°There might be an elite somewhere.¡± Helen ignored him, slaying goblins by the half dozen. The creatures didn¡¯t seem to have any sense of self-preservation, charging at her, even after seeing the fate of all those gone before them. A few dozen mirror copies also tried to assist, stabbing any creature that came close. Unfortunately, crowd combat wasn¡¯t to their benefit. Every few seconds, one would be shattered, never to be replaced again. ¡°Fire in the hole!¡± Jace yelled from behind, hurling something large and metallic into the mass of minions. The sound of a dull thump was almost instantly followed by hissing and a loud bang that sent several goblins flying. The only minor issue was that it also covered the area in white foam. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Helen shouted, taking a step back. The explosion had decreased the number of monsters charging at her, but at the same time reduced her field of view. ¡°Fuck you!¡± the jock shouted back. ¡°Try making something else with fire extinguishers. Fire in the hole!¡± he shouted again. ¡°Idiot! You need fire to¡ª¡± Before she could finish, another loud bang sent foam and goblins into the air. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to get the coins, sis!¡± a mirror copy said. ¡°They must be useful. For real.¡± Helen¡¯s expression was worth a thousand words, all of them unfit for polite society. Still, despite the mess, one had to admit that the flow of monsters charging towards her had become a trickle. The makeshift grenades had done a good job of killing a vast number of enemies and scaring off twice as many. Taking advantage of the pause in attacks, Will rushed into the street, leaping over a busted-up car. From there, three mirrors were visible. Without wasting a moment, he threw three daggers in the respective directions, then leaped back. The sound of breaking glass let him know that he had hit his mark. ¡°Don¡¯t run off like that.¡± Helen pierced a goblin, then tapped its head.
2 COINS
¡°If you die, the loop ends for all of us.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He smiled. ¡°Things should get easier now.¡± On cue, mirror copies of Alex vanished into the darkness. Taking advantage of their sneak abilities, they were keeping out of sight, ready to strike an enemy at the appropriate moment. ¡°How many coins did you get?¡± he asked casually, holding two metal fragments at the ready. ¡°Stopped counting. A few hundred. Maybe a thousand.¡± A nearby Alex whistled. ¡°Lit,¡± the goofball said. ¡°You can buy a fire bike for that.¡± Both Jace and Will turned towards Alex. Even Helen had to exert a lot of self-control not to do the same. ¡°What?¡± The goofball waved his hands in front of his chest. ¡°There¡¯re some mean bikes for a thousand¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Alex,¡± Will said in a straight face. ¡°Bikes are¡ª¡± Without warning, a car split the air, hurled in the group¡¯s general direction. Seeing it miss Helen by a few feet, Will quickly focused on his safety, leaping back. The vehicle flew through Alex, shattering him to pieces, then went on, slamming into the school building. There was no explosion, yet there didn¡¯t have to be to make Will afraid. Whatever could hurl a vehicle with such ease had to be at least as strong as a knight. ¡°Everyone okay?¡± Helen asked, holding her sword with both hands, eyes fixed on the new opponent that stood three heads taller than the surroundings goblins. ¡°We¡¯ll live,¡± Jace said, looking at the car. By now, even he was able to tell that if there wasn¡¯t any loop restart, it was a safe bet that Alex was fine. ¡°Good,¡± the girl said. ¡°Because I think I found the elite you saw.¡± The creature took a few more steps forward, coming out of the sea of goblins. The creatures clearly were terrified of it because none of them dared attack. With a grunt, the monster locked eyes with Helen. Its right hand reached out into the air beside him. The sight was quickly interpreted by the goblins, three of which rushed through the many others, carrying a massive club. Unfortunately for them, their action was deemed too slow. The massive goblin grabbed the club, then swung it around, tearing the heads off two of the goblins that brought the weapon. The third remained on the spot, shivering. There was a moment in which one might almost think that it would be spared, yet that proved false. The club slammed on its head, squishing the creature like a bug.Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Need a shield?¡± Jace asked, rushing to the remains of the car. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Helen said. The shield was just going to slow her down. With or without it, it didn¡¯t seem that she would be able to effectively withstand the force of such a blow. Drawing his poison dagger, Will went up to Helen. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s just an elite.¡± His intention was to offer some confidence, but all he did was to get the goblin mad. With a roar, it ran forward. The club swung straight down, aiming to do to Helen the same as it had done to the goblin moments ago. Will¡¯s instinct was to evade, taking the girl with him. Helen, however, had already swung her weapon in an attempt to take the attack head on.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Shatter resisted
GOBLIN CRUSH Damage increased by 500% Shatter resisted
The weapons slammed into one another, creating a wave of force that pushed both participants back. The goblin, being far larger, only went back a few steps. Helen, on the other hand, was thrown into the air. Even so, she never let go of her sword, twisting in the air like an acrobat as she flew towards the school. For a split-second, Will felt like being at a crossroads. If he acted right away, he could either land a lethal attack on the goblin, or prevent Helen from slamming into the building. There wasn¡¯t a lot to go on, but he made his decision. In the end, he had faith in Helen. Thus, it was up to him to weaken the elite for her to finish off. Leaping at the goblin, Will took advantage of its arms being pushed back in the clash and struck the side of the creature¡¯s neck.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 1000%
The skin proved too thick, refusing to let the dagger penetrate beyond a few inches. It felt like trying to pierce a clump of solid rubber. Refusing to accept failure, Will grabbed the creature¡¯s large shoulder, then twisted around and kicked the hilt of the dagger with both feet, simultaneously propelling himself away.
POISONED
Got you! He thought. The boy also didn¡¯t miss throwing as many metal shards at the mass of goblins several dozen feet away. Meanwhile, Helen also made a comeback to the fight. Hitting the school wall with her feel, she had successfully used her acrobatic skill and knight¡¯s strength to spring off, sending herself flying right at the wounded elite. The massive goblin was already slightly confused and off balance by Will¡¯s attack. The ferocity it had displayed moments ago seemed to have completely disappeared, rendering it incapable of a response. Helen¡¯s sword pierced through the monster¡¯s chest, going in all the way to the hilt. The tip emerged from the back, sending out a spray of blood. A gargle came from the creature¡¯s throat as its lungs got filled with blood in a final gasp. Then, it fell backwards, slamming into the asphalt. Silence filled the air. The mass of goblins, cheering for their champion with snarls and yells, were now utterly quiet. None of them took a step forward in an attempt to charge and avenge the elite. Of course, Helen took no chances. Bending over the giant goblin¡¯s corpse, she grabbed the hilt of her sword in one hand, while tapping on the monster¡¯s bloody chest with the other.
187 COINS
Barely had the girl straightened up again, when a large metal object flew above her, landing deep within the wave of goblins. There was another bang, this time accompanied by a fiery explosion. ¡°Fire in the hole,¡± Jace yelled from behind, with an unmistakable amount of glee. ¡°What do you say now, fuckers?¡± ¡°Bro!¡± Alex appeared a step away from the jock. ¡°How?¡± he asked, as the mass of the goblins retreated. ¡°Car fuel tank,¡± Jace replied. ¡°Those things actually back a punch.¡± In the next half minute, small groups of goblins would charge once more, making futile attempts to inflict at least some amount of damage. Soon enough, they stopped altogether. This provided a much-cherished opportunity for the group, mostly Helen, to take a breath from fighting. ¡°It¡¯s all good,¡± Alex said. ¡°My copies are keeping watch. We¡¯ll know if something tries to oof us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll gather some resources,¡± Jace said, looking around. ¡°Make some more swords,¡± Will suggested. ¡°They¡¯ll be useful against the stone giant.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The jock nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get some coins,¡± Helen said. ¡°Eternity doesn¡¯t give stuff without a reason.¡± Will couldn¡¯t agree more. While his friends were doing that, he went to the middle of the street. He had spent so many loops crossing and looking at it, to the point that he barely considered it part of the background. Now, it had been rendered completely unrecognizable. In the distance, at the very edge of their loop area, the head of the colossus was visible. It was difficult to tell whether the goblin lord had lost interest in them, or preferred to claim dominance of the area, leaving anyone who had opinions on the matter to go to him. Why weren¡¯t there any choppers, though? The sky was clear, covered in stars and a waning moon. The chaos had erupted minutes ago, which was more than enough for the police reinforcements, the Air Force, or the national guard to have sent someone to assist. It was almost as if everyone beyond the area didn¡¯t care. That couldn¡¯t be the case, though. Alex had shown them a video of the colossus on his phone. What was more, the lights were out in buildings that were beyond the boundaries of the areas. Another interesting question was why had the goblins stopped pouring out of the mirrors? The only conclusion that Will could come to was that there had to be a limit to the number of goblins the mirrors produced. Either that, or there was a recharge period. If that was the case, they had to get to the boss even faster. ¡°Hel, how many do you need?¡± Jace asked. ¡°What?¡± The girl was preoccupied transforming goblin corpses into coins to pay too much attention to him. ¡°Swords. I¡¯ve got a dozen. Want more?¡± ¡°Do a few more.¡± ¡°Okay, but you¡¯ll be carrying them.¡± ¡°Bro! You can make a chain to trap them so she could drag them,¡± Alex said. ¡°For real!¡± ¡°Shut it, muffin boy! Aren¡¯t you supposed to keep an eye out for monsters or something?¡± ¡°Am, bro. Nothing¡¯s getting near without us knowing it.¡± As if to confirm the statement, a high-pitched cry killed the air coming from the direction of the goblin boss. Dozens of new mirrors appeared in the distance, bringing with them fresh reserves of goblins. The battle was far from over. 65. Red Goblins Another explosion erupted in the distance, decimating the river of goblins that streamed towards the group. Jace had changed approach, giving the devices to Helen, who could throw them much further, reducing the overall risk and discomfort for the group. Originally, the plan was to keep a few for the colossus itself, yet circumstances had forced them to act differently. ¡°That was the last one,¡± Jace said. ¡°Unless we find another car.¡± Without responding, Helen swung her sword, performing a vertical slash. Slightly behind, Will kept on targeting any mirror within sight. As the group had quickly realized, the best way to survive¡ªand win¡ªwas to charge the colossus as quickly as possible. It didn¡¯t matter how many goblins stood in their way. Any delay only gave the boss more opportunities to summon more mirrors, which would only make the situation worse. Just like with the wolves, individual strength wasn¡¯t the issue¡ªlarge amounts had a way of depleting even a high-level knight¡¯s strength, regardless of accumulated skills. A mere few hundred feet separated the four from their target. Will had attempted to target the goblin lord from this distance, but it was too far. At the very least, they¡¯d have to halve it for him to be able to have a chance. ¡°I don¡¯t see any elites,¡± he shouted. Strictly speaking, that wasn¡¯t correct. Several of them had been killed by Jace¡¯s exploding contraptions. ¡°Charge up to the giant. Alex and I will have your back.¡± ¡°Right,¡± the girl said without hesitation, then bent down and charged forward, mowing down goblins like grass. Will focused on killing off any that had splintered off, no longer sparing his sharp metal fragments. As long as they had Jace, the group would never be out of ammunition, not with all the debris and goblin weapons scattered throughout the area. Mirror copies of Alex would appear on occasion, stabbing any monster that Will had missed. Some might even say that the group had developed the perfect system, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Despite their hundreds of killed goblins, they were still no closer to killing the one that mattered¡ªthe final boss of the tutorial. Without warning, a pair of goblins fell from above, crashing to their death a few steps from Will. The boy looked up, ready to send a couple of metal shards at anyone above. Instead, he saw a mirror copy of Alex waving at him from a shattered window. ¡°Watch out for attacks from above, bro,¡± the copy said. ¡°Some of them are sneaky. For real.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Will nodded. In the excitement, he had become careless. Since he didn¡¯t know how much time remained till the end of his loop, he had recklessly pushed everyone to reach the boss as quickly as possible. While there was merit to the idea, doing so without thinking was a sure method to end the loop before the time was up. ¡°Jace,¡± he shouted over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll need more throwing knives.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your gopher, Stoner!¡± the jock yelled back. ¡°Give me a minute!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a minute!¡± Will targeted several mirrors more, smashing them out of existence. From what he could see, there were at least a dozen plainly visible near the colossus. ¡°Don¡¯t break all the mirrors,¡± a voice whispered, coming from his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll need them if I¡¯m to help.¡± Will paused. He didn¡¯t expect Danny to be able to talk to him, especially under such circumstances. What was more, the former rogue was able to see what was going on and in real time, too. While there was a certain amount of logic to Danny¡¯s words, it also begged the question why he was so determined to help. One could almost say that he was a lot more eager for them to complete the tutorial than the group itself. No doubt he had something to gain, though a more important question was how willing he was to assist. As if to help make up Will¡¯s mind, the colossus reached out and grabbed a chunk of nearby building, tossing it in the direction of Helen. ¡°Helen!¡± Will shouted, dashing her way through a series of leaps. ¡°Jump!¡± It took just over a second for the girl to realize what had been asked of her. Normally, a person¡¯s first instinct would be to face the person issuing the order, especially if it didn¡¯t make immediate sense. After all the victories Will had helped her achieve, she did so without hesitation. Gritting his teeth, Will leaped to the side of a building, then immediately in Helen¡¯s direction. Being in the air made getting her out of the way of a chunk of concrete a lot easier. Ultimately, it was only a matter of timing. ¡°Hold on!¡± He grabbed her as he flew by, pulling her and her sword away to safety, moments before half a building floor slammed on the street behind them. From this point, it was up to the girl to react and finish the maneuver, which she did in true acrobatic fashion. Spinning midair, she decreased her momentum on the wall of the opposite building, then used her strength to gently do the same to Will. With that, both pushed themselves off the wall, landing back on the ground. A dozen mirror copies appeared out of nowhere, killing off any goblins that remained in the vicinity. ¡°Thanks,¡± Helen said. ¡°No worries.¡± Will tried to smile, but felt highly uncomfortable. If Danny could see everything going on, he had seen that as well. Not to mention that if he were to speak again, there was every chance that Helen would recognize his voice. ¡°Have enough strength to finish him off?¡± ¡°You bet.¡± She looked behind in the direction of Jace. The crafter was keeping his distance, surrounded by a small contingent of Alexes. Several of them were carrying broadswords exclusively for Helen¡¯s use.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°One last push?¡± she looked back at Will. ¡°One last push.¡± He nodded, reaching into his backpack to grab a handful of metal shards. ¡°You lead, I¡¯ll support.¡± The girl smiled. It seemed like the first time she had done so at him. Then she charged forward. No longer bothering to collect coins, she made her way directly towards the colossus. Will remained close by, killing off any goblin he thought might slow her down. It seemed that swords, throwing knives, and explosive devices had successfully eliminated the mass of goblins that had filled the entire area minutes ago. As long as the boss didn¡¯t summon reinforcements again, they were nearing the final battle. ¡°Stop!¡± Danny shouted from Will¡¯s pocket. Will¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This was the last thing he wanted, and yet he also knew that Danny wouldn¡¯t dare react in such a way if there wasn¡¯t an obvious danger. Reaching out, Will placed his hand on Helen¡¯s shoulder. His action was reckless, but already forewarned by the shout, the girl stopped. No sooner had she done so, when a pair of purple glowing mirrors emerged three dozen feet in front of the colossus. Above the giant¡¯s shoulder, the goblin lord burst out in a mixture of snarls and laughter. Will¡¯s immediate reaction was to throw a series of metal shards at the newly emerged mirrors. Sadly, he was too late. Before they could hit the reflective surfaces, a pair of red goblins stepped out. The pieces of metal bounced off them, causing no obvious damage, as if the creatures¡¯ skulsl were made of iron. ¡°Elites,¡± Helen said. ¡°Good thing you noticed them.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Will didn¡¯t correct her. Danny had proved helpful, after all. Unfortunately, facing two elites at once was the last thing that anyone wanted. Up to now, the group had been extremely fortunate. While one of the strong monsters was killed through the combined efforts of Will and Helen, the majority were victim to Jace¡¯s devices. And as the jock had already complained, he was out of cars to use for materials. ¡°Throw the sword at him,¡± Will whispered. ¡°Aim for the stomach.¡± The suggestion brought in some confusion, but Helen did as he asked. Raising the sword above her head as if she were about to perform a vertical slice, she struck down and released the massive blade, sending it flying at her enemies. The weapon split the air, hitting the crude armor that covered the red goblins¡¯ body. The force was so great that the clash emitted sparks, while simultaneously sending the large creature backwards. The elite shattered both purple mirrors, then slammed into the foot of the colossus.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Armor shattered
Metal chunks crumbled as the goblin let out a roar of pain. Sadly, that was all. The creature remained very much alive, pushing himself forward, with barely a scratch on its chest and stomach. ¡°Go back!¡± Will said. ¡°Not when we¡¯re so close.¡± Helen¡¯s stubborn streak reared its head. She was about to argue more when the second red goblin charged forward. It didn¡¯t appear armed, but the massive arms suggested it didn¡¯t need to be. If its skin was really tough as iron, it had the same power as a knight¡¯s bash, possibly even more. The goblin had halved the distance when a multitude of mirror copies appeared out of nowhere. Aware they couldn¡¯t hurt the creature, they aimed to distract it, instead, leaping at its face. The plan worked. Waving his hands to swat the copies like pesky flies, the goblin veered off course. The momentum took it in the direction of a streetlight pole. A loud metallic sound followed. Yet, instead of the creature being remotely hit, it was the pole that had suffered as a result of the impact, bending as if it were a piece of wire. ¡°Come on!¡± Alex shouted as more copies of him were rushing forward in an attempt to bring Helen¡¯s swords to her. ¡°Those aren¡¯t elites! They¡¯re hidden bosses.¡± ¡°How can there be more hidden bosses?!¡± Will shouted, as he, too, ran back. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, bro! Both mirrors were purple!¡± That was an excellent point. It also seemed just like something the goblin lord would do¡ªgo hide near a spot it knew that hidden bosses were lurking. Suddenly, the outcome of the battle was a lot less certain. Will and his party didn¡¯t have two major creatures to defeat, but a total of four, each of them individually strong. It could be argued, of course, that the group was a lot weaker when they had initially faced the hidden boss, but that had been just one enemy. There was no telling what the goblins would do if they acted together. ¡°Jace! Make another grenade!¡± Will shouted. ¡°How? I told you, we¡¯re out of cars!¡± ¡°Search inside!¡± The rogue shouted. ¡°Get a stove! Just do it!¡± The first mirror copy of Alex had managed to reach Helen, holding a large sword with the hilt forward. Without thinking twice, the girl grabbed it, shattering the copy in the process, then turned around and threw it right at the red goblin.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Armor shattered
The effect was no different from before, pushing the creature several feet back. Aiming to maintain her momentum, Helen grabbed a sword from another mirror copy and threw it as well. Sword after sword split the air. Each had the power to make a hole in a concrete block. A few even did. Missing their mark, they flew on, striking a building behind, forming massive cracks in the wall. The red goblins seemed a lot less susceptible. The nearer one had already gotten used to the attacks, using its arms to fend against the swords. A hundred feet further back, the second one was snapping out of the confusion caused by Helen¡¯s initial attack. It wouldn¡¯t be long until it too joined into the fight. ¡°Aim for the legs,¡± Will said as he kept on targeting the monster¡¯s eyes. ¡°You think it¡¯s easy?¡± Helen threw yet another blade.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Wound inflicted
The wound was a sign that the goblins could be wounded. Sadly, there was little cause for celebration. Nearly all the spare swords Jace had created were gone, and Helen had no desire to waste the few that were left. Grabbing one in each hand, she focused on her enemies. If the nearest could leap as well as her or Will, it could reach them in two jumps. The one further back might need about ten seconds more, but it was going to be there as well. ¡°Any idea how to deal with these two?¡± she asked. If Will had a plan, now would be a perfect time to put it into action. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He drew his poison dagger. ¡°But there¡¯s one thing we can try.¡± 66. The Second Permanent The red goblin¡¯s fist shattered the mirror copy of Alex, striking the wall behind. Unable to withstand the shock, the bricks gave in, causing a hole to form in the building.
GOBLIN¡¯s SMASH Damage increased by 500% Wall shattered
Moments later, a street trash container hit the monster from behind, slamming it into the hole that had just been created. It was a temporary solution at best, but at least it kept the two hidden bosses separate and right now that was what counted. ¡°I can¡¯t keep this up!¡± Helen shouted. ¡°Jace, hurry up!¡± ¡°You try finding a functional stove in this shit!¡± the jock shouted back from one of the buildings. His initial reaction was to rush into the nearest fast-food joint on the street. The logic was that anything that would offer hot food would have a gas stove. Unfortunately, most of them tended to rely on electric fryers and those that didn¡¯t, were destroyed by the initial wave of goblins. Meanwhile, Will had taken on the task of distracting the second red goblin. What he¡¯d told the rest of his group was that he¡¯d lure the monster away until they could deal with the other. In truth, he was looking for a mirror. There was a bit of irony in that. Up till now, the boy had been breaking any mirror in sight to reduce the number of monsters pouring out. Now, they could well turn out to be his only hope. Of course, the trick was to also get the goblin near one. Targeting the monster¡¯s face, he threw a pair of metal shards. Both bounced off the goblin¡¯s cheek, not even leaving a nick. That was little surprise. It was the eye he was aiming at and so far; he had failed to hit it every single time. Clearly hidden bosses didn¡¯t hold the title for nothing. With a roar, the red goblin charged forward. Unimpressed by the boy leaping away, the creature struck the air. Landing on the top of a heap of car remains, Will reached into his backpack. The supply of metal shards he had been using as throwing knives had significantly diminished. It was taking him longer and longer to find one. From what he could feel, he was left with less than half a dozen remaining. ¡°Shit.¡± Will grabbed what he could, then took the mirror fragment out of his pocket with his free hand. ¡°Danny, I challenge you!¡± he said, leaping away just in time to avoid a motorbike flying his way. The red goblin was attempting to adapt to his tactics. Fortunately, its air was way off. ¡°You¡¯re still maintaining the loop,¡± the reflection of Danny laughed. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be restarted minutes ago. Only idiots charge blindly at their target without thinking.¡± ¡°Shut up and kill it,¡± Will hissed. A deep frown emerged on the ex-rogue¡¯s forehead. The smile was still there, but had lost all semblance of sincerity. Even as a reflection, Danny still hated being spoken down to. ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± he said, maintaining his fake smile. ¡°You told me you¡¯d help!¡± Will leaped back, moving away from the charging goblin. ¡°If there are mirrors nearby. You were stupid enough to shatter them all.¡± It was an empty excuse and Will knew it. If Danny wanted, he could have helped at any point so far. The fact that he hadn¡¯t could only mean that he didn¡¯t want to. ¡°You piece of shit! You could have stabbed them in the back the moment they came out of the mirrors!¡± ¡°How exactly? You can only kill these through the eyes. They don¡¯t have eyes on the back.¡± As much as Will hated to admit it, that made sense. The red goblin¡¯s skin was so hard that even Helen couldn¡¯t inflict a serious wound. Even the armor they wore was less durable, suggesting that it was either a drop item or purely decorative. ¡°If I get the fragment close to its face, can you hit the eyes?¡± Will asked. Danny nodded several times, making an intrigued expression. ¡°Not bad. It might work,¡± the reflection said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to be careful not to cover a large part of the mirror, but yeah, I can do that.¡± Finally, some good news. Will threw all remaining metal shards at the red goblin, then switched hands, grabbing the mirror fragment with his right. It would have been nice if he had the acrobatics permanent like Helen did, but his rogue skills would have to suffice. The red goblin continued its attacks, hurling anything it could find in the immediate vicinity. The approach had no chance of hitting Will, but was chaotic enough to restrict his overall movements. Even with Danny¡¯s assistance, Will was effectively equipped with a close combat weapon. Even now, he solely relied that his former classmate would have the will and skill to achieve what he claimed he could. ¡°You better not miss,¡± the boy said beneath his breath, then turned around and charged straight at the monster. The change in strategy surprised the goblin. Used to Will avoiding any and all attacks, the creature threw another motorbike a few feet to the side, possibly thinking that the boy would head in that direction. Instead, Will was provided with a free miss. Every fiber of the rogue¡¯s being screamed for him to move aside, avoiding the creature facing him. His determination drove him forward. When the distance between the two reached ten feet, the goblin struck forward, aiming to break Will¡¯s chest. The speed was such that normally, it would have succeeded. Partly thanks to his evasion skill, Will managed to swerve, twisting his body to avoid the massive red fist by inches. Then he held up the mirror fragment in front of the red goblin¡¯s face.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. A roar of pain shook the entire area as a dagger emerged from the fragment, buddying itself in the monster¡¯s eyes.
POISON RESISTED
PARALYSIS RESISTED
That was it? Will felt as if reality itself was drained out of his very being. He couldn¡¯t describe what he had expected, but it was definitely better than that. Not only hadn¡¯t the attack failed to apply any effects on the monster, it had even failed to wound it. The goblin¡¯s second fist split the air. It was pure luck that Will¡¯s body acted on its own, leaping away in the nick of time to avoid a most certainly lethal strike. ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± he shouted, landing safely fifteen feet away. There was no response. ¡°I challenge you!¡± he shouted into the mirror. Danny¡¯s reflection promptly appeared. ¡°You were supposed to kill him!¡± Will continued. Not too far away, the goblin was still roaring in agony, a hand on the left side of his face. Thick bluish liquid was visible, indicating that at least the attack had gotten the creature¡¯s eye. ¡°He¡¯s tougher than I thought,¡± Danny said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ll use something better next time.¡± ¡°Next time?! Now the fuck am I supposed to get close to him now?¡± The rage coming from the monster was palpable. If the first time it hadn¡¯t expected such an attack, its guard was up now and approaching would be all but impossible. ¡°It¡¯s your call.¡± Danny seemed rather amused. ¡°You can keep running and try to bury him in the debris or something. Or you can just leave him to wander about and go straight for the big boss.¡± On the surface, that sounded like a good idea, though in reality it was highly impractical. Fighting someone else, along with an almost indestructible goblin chasing behind, didn¡¯t sound at all feasible. And that was without worrying what actual powers the goblin lord had. There was always the possibility that he was a weakling that relied on his armies, but somehow Will doubted that to be the case. Everything that eternity threw at them was strong in one way or another. Skills and items were the means through which the gap in strength was eliminated and even reversed. ¡°You better make it next time,¡± Will grit his teeth. ¡°If I don¡¯t, at least he¡¯ll be blind.¡± Will ignored him as he considered what to do next. The direct approach was out of the question. It didn¡¯t help that the goblin kept half of his face covered. ¡°Alex,¡± Will said. ¡°I need an assist.¡± No one responded. For once, the goofball wasn¡¯t sneaking anywhere nearby. ¡°Great,¡± Will sighed. The one time he needed his friend to be shadowing him, and he wasn¡¯t there. The roars coming from the monster wound down. Now that the initial shock was gone, the red goblin glared at the human with its single eye. Its right hand clenched in a fist that slammed a nearby pole.
GOBLIN¡¯s SMASH Damage increased by 500% Streetlight shattered
The metal pole fell down, slamming into the street like a rotten tree. With a snarl, the creature then went towards Will. It wasn¡¯t running, nor making any unnecessary movements, just walking forward in a terrifying manner, tossing away anything that blocked his path. Maintaining his distance, Will leaped to the other side of the street and threw one of his special throwing knives at the monster. The knife bounced off without any effect. The red goblin kept on advancing just as before, merely changing its direction. Will considered leaping over the creature, as he had done against other elites, but felt an ache in the pit of his stomach. The goblin was faster than him up close and all it would take was for it to grab him mid flight for the loop to be over. There was no way around it. The next attack was going to determine the outcome of this fight. Either that, or Will could follow Danny¡¯s suggestion and run away. It was possible that his teammates were doing better. If they had successfully killed the other red orc, he could join up with them and deal with this one as well. Just as Will was contemplating whether to risk it all or retreat, an explosion shook the area. It seemed markedly stronger than the devices that Jace had crafted before, as if an entire truck of gas containers had gone off. Roof tiles and chunks of masonry rained on the ground, coming from the surrounding buildings. Even with Will¡¯s skills, avoiding them wouldn¡¯t be trivial if he didn¡¯t immediately seek shelter. Simultaneously with that, the red goblin lost his balance. Already with limited vision, the creature had one foot in the air when the explosion had taken place, causing him to wobble back. It was a split-second occurrence, yet it erased all doubt in Will¡¯s mind. In that single moment, he knew exactly what he had to do. Charging forward, he avoided the falling debris, heading straight for the red goblin. The loss of balance had caused the creature to extend his arms, providing a possible opening. From here on two things would happen: either Danny would hit the monster¡¯s other eye, hopefully killing it, or Will would get caught and crushed, thus ending the loop. Running slightly right, he leaped, flying two feet above the monster¡¯s head on the right side. Unable to spot him until Will was directly above, the red goblin made a clumsy attempt to grab him, but missed. ¡°Now!¡± shouted, reaching out so the mirror fragment was right above the creature¡¯s remaining eye. A dagger flew out, burying itself in the red goblin¡¯s face.
ICE BURN
Ice formed, covering most of the goblin¡¯s face. As it did, Will saw the dagger push through as if it were sliding through butter. The monster¡¯s face twisted in agony, then burst like a water balloon. It didn¡¯t end there, though. The dagger kept on going, causing more parts of the goblin¡¯s body to suffer the same fate. Unable to see more due to the inertia of his jump, Will landed on the street ten feet away. Immediately, he turned around. The only thing that remained of the hidden boss were a pair of bloody legs that fell to the ground in a circle of flesh, bone, and blood.
HIDDEN BOSS REWARD (set) GOBLIN STRENGTH (permanent): Lift, carry, and move objects more than the average person without effort.
A second permanent? Will stared at the message. It was almost identical to the knight¡¯s skill, though possibly a bit weaker. Even so, it vastly improved Will¡¯s chances of any future battles. Why had it been a permanent, though? Could it be that all bosses granted permanent skills each time? ¡°Good job,¡± Danny¡¯s voice came from the fragment. ¡°Two more to go.¡± 67. Crafters Revenge The red goblin¡¯s fist shattered the mirror copy of Alex, striking the wall behind. Unable to withstand the shock, the bricks gave in, causing a hole to form in the building.
GOBLIN¡¯s SMASH Damage increased by 500% Wall shattered
Moments later, a street trash container hit the monster from behind, slamming it into the hole that had just been created. It was a temporary solution at best, but at least it kept the two hidden bosses separate and right now, that was what counted. ¡°I can¡¯t keep this up!¡± Helen shouted. ¡°Jace, hurry up!¡± ¡°You try finding a functional stove in this shit!¡± Jace shouted back. All the fast-food joints and he couldn¡¯t find anything with gas¡­ anything that hadn¡¯t blown up already, that was. For being brainless minions, the goblins seemed to be oddly anti-tech. By the looks of the remains, the first thing they did, after killing all people they set eyes on, was to go for anything with the potential to burn or zap. Pushing the container back, the hidden boss pulled out of the wall. Glaring about in search of a target, it took a step forward when a mirror copy of Alex emerged a few feet away from the red goblin, spraying the creature in the eyes with two cans of bug spray. A growl of annoyance followed, as the monster smashed the mirror copy, then proceeded to attempt to rub his eyes. ¡°Could have worked,¡± another Alex emerged next to Helen. ¡°How many swords left?¡± ¡°Five,¡± the girl replied. ¡°For real? Big ooof.¡± The worst part of it was that after everything, no serious wounds had been dealt. The skin of the monster was as strong as solid stone, covered in industrial rubber. The few scratches that had been dealt were purely on the surface to such an extent that they didn¡¯t even let any blood. ¡°Go for the eyes, sis,¡± Alex said. Just to press on his point, a mirror copy appeared a foot away from the monster, striking right for its eyes. Before the blade could reach its target, the red goblin struck Alex in the stomach, causing him to shatter to pieces. ¡°Maybe not the eyes,¡± the goofball said, in disappointment. ¡°Told you. I might be as strong as it, but its reactions are faster.¡± Helen threw another sword at the creature. The black struck the goblin¡¯s chest dead center. For close to a second it just stood there, as if it had managed to pierce through part of the skin. Sadly, the victory didn¡¯t last long. Without even bothering to take it out, the goblin gripped the blade from two sides, then snapped it as if it were a celery stick. ¡°Jace?¡± Helen shouted again. ¡°Anything?¡± There was no reply. Since the loop hadn¡¯t ended, that was good. It suggested that there was a chance he had found what he needed and was busy crafting a grenade. Although, if that were the case, he should have finished already. From what he had shown, the crafting skill acted instantly. ¡°Where are you, Will?¡± Helen whispered beneath her breath. Splitting up was both the best and worst idea they¡¯d had. When Will had suggested it, it made sense. He was going to lure away one of the goblins, so the remaining trio could focus on defeating the other. The problem was that so far, the results were non-existent. It could be said that through their combined efforts, Helen and Alex had managed to destroy a considerable part of the area, though not the monster itself. As for Jace¡­ he had yet to provide a trump card. With a guttural growl, the goblin rushed forward. Hellen immediately leaped in the air, performing a somersault that took her on the roof of a two-story candy shop nearby. Alex, on his part, didn¡¯t bother to move, taking the charge bravely in the chin and shattering to pieces as a result. The red goblin stopped. With a heavy snort, it looked about, searching for the next target to charge at, when a spherical object fell at his feet. It didn¡¯t appear impressive or dangerous, which was why the monster didn¡¯t think twice before picking it up. A split second later there was a loud pop, as the sphere exploded, turning a large part of the creature¡¯s skin black. ¡°How¡¯d I do?¡± Jace shouted from somewhere. ¡°Ooof, bro,¡± an Alex said. ¡°Gave him half a paint job.¡± ¡°We need something much bigger!¡± Hellen shouted. ¡°Not a firecracker.¡± ¡°Fuck you!¡± the jock resorted to his usual retort. ¡°Get your ass here if you want to help that much!¡± The normal reaction was for Helen to reply with one of her sarcastic remarks. However, as she thought about it, that made a lot of sense. Two people were more likely to find something useful. Out here, all she could do was distract the goblin, and everyone knew that wasn¡¯t her strongest suit. ¡°Alex,¡± she said. ¡°Can you take care of things here?¡± ¡°For real?¡± the nearest mirror copy asked. ¡°Sure, sis. Maybe I can get you a few mins.¡± ¡°Do you have enough mirror pieces?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. All mirror copies nodded. Hopefully, that wouldn¡¯t prove to be an exaggeration. ¡°Okay. Next time, use spray paint,¡± she said. ¡°More difficult to remove.¡± With that, the girl leaped through the air, heading in the direction she had heard Jace. With all the nearby buildings suffering similar levels of destruction, it wasn¡¯t immediately obvious where the jock had gone. In her mind, Helen could still see the buildings as they had been before the goblin rampage. This wasn¡¯t the first scene of mass destruction she had witnessed. Back while Danny was the rogue, he had often taken her outside the school. Back then, their opponents had exclusively been wolves, but not the wolves that were present at school. They had been larger, faster, stronger, putting even the monsters in the wolf challenge to shame. It had been her task to protect Danny at the time, while he kept on pushing further and further in the pursuit of a way out of eternity. Meanwhile, around them, the city had burned time and time again. ¡°Jace,¡± she shouted. Several buildings had their first floors hollowed. One of them was a fast-food joint, placed, ironically, next to a relatively high-end restaurant. Even after all the loops, Helen hadn¡¯t gone there, but knew from word of mouth that the prices were absurdly expensive. ¡°Jace,¡± she shouted again. ¡°Here,¡± the jock yelled back. His voice didn¡¯t come from the restaurant or the fast-food place, but somewhere further down the street. Helen rushed in the direction. A few moments later, Jace emerged from what at one point had been a sports goods shop. ¡°Sports goods?¡± Helen looked him in the eyes. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It has camping equipment,¡± he replied without hesitation. ¡°Lots of propane tanks,¡± he rushed in, waving for her to follow. ¡°Camping tanks?¡± Helen briefly glanced over her shoulder. Dozens of Alexes kept the red goblin occupied, true to his word. Looking at the speed at which they were shattered, though, she knew they had to hurry. ¡°Is that what you used?¡± ¡°I just found them.¡± The jock continued further in. ¡°Tried one of those fancy food warmers from the restaurant. Fucker was worth shit.¡± That explained the small explosion. No wonder it hadn¡¯t done much. Sadly, using camping equipment didn¡¯t fill Helen with confidence. ¡°They¡¯re scattered about,¡± Jace went on. ¡°Grab them and put them in one place.¡± ¡°Too heavy for you?¡± ¡°Give me your class sometime and you¡¯ll see.¡± Soon, they were there. The area of the shop had a vast assortment of tents, portable beds, flasks, barbecue grills¡ªfor some reason¡ªand propane tanks. Some of them were small, barely as large as a kitchen pot, others were three times larger. Jace had already done a good job gathering the smaller ones in one spot on the floor. As for the rest, they remained in their original shelves¡­ which were mere feet apart. ¡°You couldn¡¯t drag them?¡± Helen shook her head. With minimal effort, she grabbed one tank with each hand, then placed it among the rest. Outside, the sound of shattering intensified. Clearly, Alex was using more and more mirror copies to keep the red goblin occupied. Suddenly, a roar sounded. It was just like the roar a red goblin would make, but based on the direction it wasn¡¯t their red goblin. Two things came to mind: either Will was winning or he was in trouble. Unfortunately, there was no way to find out. Helen took out her mirror fragment and tapped on it. ¡°Work faster,¡± she said, sliding her finger along the reflective surface. Nothing there indicated whether any of the red goblins had been killed. There was no mention of other team members, either. Looking at the overall map of the area revealed the presence of the boss, however. Apparently, he was considered important enough by the tutorial to be displayed. ¡°Jace.¡± She glared at him. ¡°What do you want me to do? Fuck! I can¡¯t just merge everything together¡­¡± ¡°Then try! We¡¯re out of time.¡± Doing something reckless with flammable components was too much, even for Jace. Still, given the limited options, one wasn¡¯t left with a lot to hesitate between. ¡°Fuck it!¡± Jace hugged as many of the propane burners as he could.
UPGRADE Tanks have been combined and upgraded to multi-charge. Damage capacity increased x17. Explosive capacity increased x21.
The new creation appeared far smaller than one would imagine. All in all, it had acquired the size of a medium-large thermos, similar to the ones that were displayed on the nearby shelves. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Helen reached out to take it. ¡°Careful!¡± Jace pulled back. ¡°It¡¯s delicate. Push it too much and you¡¯ll end the loop.¡± There was no way of telling how serious he was. Still, all of them were treading on unknown ground. Helen stepped back. ¡°Alright, you carry it. I¡¯ll protect you till we reach the goblin.¡± ¡°Fuck, please don¡¯t say that,¡± the jock grumbled as he stood up. ¡°It sounds so wrong.¡± ¡°Welcome to eternity,¡± the girl smiled. Outside, the distraction continued in full force. The recent roar had been completely ignored, at least on the part of the red goblin, which continued to smash mirror copies of the thief without mercy. The creature, initially dumb, had caught on to Alex¡¯s pattern of attacks, and would often destroy his copies before they even had a chance to stab. Finding himself under increasing pressure, the goofball was very much relieved when his two classmates arrived. ¡°Lit!¡± he shouted. ¡°Got the fire?¡± ¡°We have something,¡± Helen said without further explanation. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it works.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll work!¡± Jace grumbled. ¡°Unless your aim sucks. It needs to go off close to the fucker.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you make it extra powerful?¡± the girl glanced at him over her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk it. You¡¯ve seen the strength of that thing.¡± ¡°Wait, bro.¡± An Alex appeared next to Jace. ¡°You can¡¯t get close.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Twenty feet away, the red goblin struck in the air. At virtually the same moment, a mirror copy emerged only to instantly shatter into pieces. ¡°That¡¯s why,¡± another Alex said. ¡°It¡¯s gotten better.¡± A momentary pause followed. With limited time and explosives, no one wanted to risk missing their only chance. As the saying went, better to err on the side of caution than to bring the loop to an end after they¡¯d come so far. ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± Helen said. ¡°I¡¯ve still got my one wound bonus.¡± ¡°Is getting blown up a wound, though?¡± Jace asked. Helen snatched the explosive container from his hands. ¡°Time to find out.¡± She charged at the red goblin. Her knight¡¯s charge let her go directly to the monster, regardless of any obstacles in her path. It was a useful skill that ended up rarely being used, mostly thanks to the combined style of fighting the group had achieved. This time, it was all up to Helen. Seeing her approach, the red goblin planted its feet firmly on the street, ready to take on the attack head on. Soon everyone was going to get a first-hand account as to what would happen when an unstoppable force crashed into an invulnerable armor. Only this time, the unstoppable force also had a crafted grenade. A split second before Helen ran into the red goblin, she slammed the device on the ground with all her strength. The entire neighborhood shook, as a massive explosion sent everything in a twenty-foot radius flying. 68. The Goblin Lords Challenge Half a dozen mirror copies of Alex were reduced to fragments as everything large or small was thrown back by the explosion. Jace had had the foresight to rush for shelter the moment Helen had taken the device from him, so he managed to survive the blast. As for Helen, she was among the things thrown back. The force was such that for a moment she felt the weightlessness of it all, as if she were swimming in nothingness. That sensation quickly ended. Suddenly she felt herself slowing down, along with the sound of grinding glass behind her back. For several seconds the sound continued, making her feel as if she were flying through a tunnel of windows. Then, finally, she bumped into something solid. ¡°You¡¯re too reckless, sis,¡± Alex said, supporting her from behind. ¡°One wound is one wound.¡± Slowly, Helen allowed herself to be propped up. Strangely enough, her ears weren¡¯t ringing in the least. Not only that, but her eyesight hadn¡¯t suffered from the blast¡¯s brightness. ¡°That skill is broken,¡± she said, getting back to her feet. ¡°It ignores everything.¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s one wound,¡± Alex corrected. ¡°If the goblin had hit you before the blast, it would have been a big oof.¡± He didn¡¯t have to add that she¡¯d be dead as well if he and his mirror copies hadn¡¯t caught her, but it was understood. ¡°Fucking hell.¡± Jace came out of his shelter. ¡°I¡¯m never giving you a bomb again.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like there will be another¡ª¡± Helen abruptly stopped. In the distance, way beyond the crater of destruction, one of the rubble piles moved. A red hand emerged, moving away pieces of concrete. Soon, to everyone¡¯s horror, the familiar form of the red goblin emerged. It was bloody, covered in deep cuts and bruises, but very much alive and with no desire to give up. ¡°Fuck!¡± Jace looked around for a pile of metal debris. Thankfully, the blast had caused a trash container to crash nearby. Instantly, the jock rushed there and grabbed a part of the mangled metal.
UPGRADE Container has been combined and upgraded to giant multi nunchuck. Damage increased x10.
¡°Hel, come here,¡± Jace shouted. ¡°Tear this up.¡± Grasping the idea, Helen went to him and grabbed two of the nunchuck¡¯s segments. There were five in total, each the size of a heavy metal pole, and connected by a solid chain. When it came to a knight¡¯s strength, though, the chain wasn¡¯t at all solid. With a snap, the girl tore the end segment off, then proceeded to do the same to the next. As she did, Jace grabbed what was on the ground, transforming it into a broadsword. ¡°Will five be enough?¡± Alex asked, while several of his mirror copies distracted the red goblin, faking stab attacks. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡± Helen tore the final two nunchuck segments, then grabbed one of the swords and threw it at her target. Experience had largely improved her aim, helping her hit the chest of the creature.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500%
The red goblin took several steps back. The damage inflicted by the blast had weakened it significantly, though not enough to the point that the attack would kill it. Keeping faith, Helen threw a second sword. That, too, pushed the monster back several steps more. ¡°Die, you fucker,¡± Jace hissed beneath his breath.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500%
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500%
The next two hits caused the monster to fall to the ground. There was a moment of hope, but unfortunately, even that wasn¡¯t enough to deal with it. ¡°Don¡¯t let me down,¡± Helen said as she concentrated, then let the final sword fly. The weapon split the air, hitting the goblin¡¯s left shoulder.
KNIGHT¡¯s BASH Damage increased by 500% Shoulder shattered. Wound inflicted.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Any other time, that hit would have been viewed as a success. A wound and a broken shoulder provided a huge advantage, but it wasn¡¯t enough. The group was without weapons, the hidden boss was still alive, and it was only a matter of time before the true boss summoned another wave of goblins. Given everything in the past, it had been an incredible fight for all of them, but victory was unlikely this loop. With a low growl, the goblin stood up. Its eyes flared up in anger as it grabbed the nearest piece of concrete with its right hand. ¡°Go,¡± Helen said. ¡°Find more blades and call me.¡± ¡°If you die, the loop restarts for all of us,¡± Alex reminded. ¡°Don¡¯t oof us, sis.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a knight. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±
POISONED
Everyone was suddenly aware of the message above the red goblin.
POISONED
POISONED
PARALYZED
The goblin froze still, still gripping to the chunk of concrete. ¡°Everyone okay?¡± Will asked, emerging from a side street. Compared to everyone else, he appeared in perfect condition. ¡°Bro!¡± a mirror copy of Alex appeared a few steps from him. ¡°Where¡¯s the other one?¡± ¡°I was lucky.¡± Will didn¡¯t go into details. ¡°The weakness is the eyes. Just stab him there.¡± Two more mirror copies emerged, each stabbing the creature mercilessly in the indicated spots.
HIDDEN BOSS REWARD (set) MASS RED GOBLIN SKIN (permanent): One weak wound is ignored.
¡°Mass?¡± Helen asked. ¡°Must be because we all helped kill it,¡± Alex said. ¡°Lit!¡± ¡°Red goblin skin is my first combat permanent?¡± Jace shook his head. ¡°Fuck that.¡± He pinched his skin, trying to tell if it had an effect. ¡°So, hidden bosses grant permanent skills,¡± Hellen noted, giving Will a glance. For some reason she didn¡¯t ask which skill he had gotten from his kill, or even mentioned him dealing with the other goblin. ¡°There¡¯s one thing left to do.¡± She went up to the red corpse and tapped it. The body instantly disappeared, transforming into an unusually delicate sword. It was only slightly smaller than her initial knight sword, but the blade was a lot thinner and made of red metal. The hilt was also a lot more detailed. The only thing missing were a few gems for this to be a weapon only seen in games and movies. Jace whistled. ¡°That¡¯s got to be something.¡± He approached and examined it. ¡°Goblin knight sword. Slices through armor.¡± As far as impressive items went, this was even better than the poison spear. It suited the knight class to a T. ¡°Did you do this?¡± Will looked at the crater in the street. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jace grinned. ¡°All me, Stoner. So, you better not get any big ideas.¡± The jock returned the new sword to Helen. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started. Can¡¯t wait to start getting good drops. Imagine what I could do then.¡± ¡°A weapon Picasso,¡± Alex said, causing everyone to stare at him. ¡°For real? This was a lit joke.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just deal with the boss,¡± Will said, breaking the uneasy silence. The suggestion quickly made everyone look in the direction of the stone colossus. Given everything that had happened so far, one would expect the goblin lord to summon his next wave or reinforcements about now. For some reason, he hadn¡¯t. Instead, the creature remained on the stone giant¡¯s shoulder¡ªclearly visible above what was left of the preceding buildings¡ªlooking in their direction. There was no indication that it was worried or angry. ¡°What do you think?¡± Jace asked. ¡°I can make a tower shield and some more weapons, given time.¡± ¡°No,¡± Will said. ¡°We go now.¡± ¡°You sure, Stoner? There¡¯s still the giant. Plus, we don¡¯t know what the fucker could do.¡± ¡°Make things on the way, but we¡¯re heading forward.¡± It was just a hunch, but Will strongly suspected that the goblin lord¡¯s attacks had wound down for a reason. It wasn¡¯t just the goblin waves, but the colossus as well. Even now, the massive being didn¡¯t even reach to throw anything at them. It was as if the boss had finally found them worthy of challenging him directly. His initial anger after he had appeared wasn¡¯t out of fear, but pride that they had dared go at him. Possibly, he considered them no different than common goblins. After they had defeated the two hidden bosses, though, his opinion had changed; and in order to retain the favorable opinion of him, they had to go up to him directly without any detours. Gathering weapons on the way was smart, but turning around to do it was insulting. Not much material was left on the road between the group and the colossus. Jace did what he could, but it didn¡¯t amount to much¡ªa few dozen throwing knives and nothing that could resemble a shield. It seemed that stone and glass weren¡¯t materials he could use for crafting items, at least not originally. Alex, on the other hand, was using what mirror copies he had to get more mirror pieces so he could make even more mirror copies. In that they were surprisingly efficient, constantly appearing and disappearing as they passed mirror pieces to one another. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Helen asked. ¡°We take the colossus first?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like we¡¯d have a choice,¡± Will replied. ¡°Would be nice if we didn¡¯t have to.¡± He considered his options. Logically, from what they had seen so far, Helen was best prepared to take on the goblin. That strongly suggested that the creature would have some counter. So far, they hadn¡¯t seen it fight, suggesting that it was weak. If that wasn¡¯t the case, there was no telling what one could expect. One thing was for sure¡ªgetting the new permanent skills was very timely. Just like in a tutorial, Will thought. ¡°Hel,¡± he said. ¡°Once this is over, I need to talk to you about something.¡± The girl glanced at him sideways. ¡°Talk to me now,¡± she said. Will didn¡¯t. ¡°If you¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± he interrupted. ¡°And you might not like it, but it¡¯s something you need to know.¡± ¡°I hate this. It¡¯s just like Danny. Tell me you¡¯ve something important to tell me, then die before you get a chance. I would have been better not knowing at all.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die,¡± Will said. The Danny part still concerned him, though. Once the fight was over and he had paid his debt to the former rogue, Will planned to tell Helen everything: his permanent skills, his mirror fragment, and all the conversations he had been having. Then, he¡¯d come clean to the others as well. He didn¡¯t expect them to do the same, although it would have been nice if they did. Twenty feet before the colossus, the group stopped. All four of them were there, plus a dozen mirror copies of Alex. ¡°Keep your eye on the legs,¡± Will whispered to a nearby Alex. Several mirror copies nodded. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Will said loudly, looking up at the goblin lord. ¡°We¡¯ve come to challenge you.¡± A curved smile formed on the goblin¡¯s face. With the agility of a rogue, the boss leaped off the colossus¡¯ shoulder, landing ten feet away from the group. The jewelry was still on him, although some of the rings were visibly a lot duller than the rest, as if something had drained the color from them. The goblin pointed at Will. ¡°Seems he likes you,¡± Jace smirked. Uncertain whether he was called out, Will took a step forward. As he did, the smile on the goblin¡¯s face widened. ¡°Step back,¡± Will said, drawing his poison dagger. ¡°I think he just wants me.¡± ¡°Are you sure you can handle this?¡± Helen stepped in. ¡°Even with the new permanents, it might be too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve no idea.¡± Will tossed his backpack on the ground. ¡°Be ready to step in, but only when I say so.¡± ¡°Bro! That¡¯s lit.¡± All mirror copies said. ¡°You stoned, Stoner?¡± Jace didn¡¯t sound reassured. ¡°No chance you can win against that alone. Took all of us to kill off a red goblin.¡± ¡°If I allow my team to join in, he¡¯ll allow his.¡± Will focused on the goblin. ¡°Think you can handle a giant?¡± As if understanding them, the goblin laughed. One of the rings it was wearing lit up in a bright green. As it did, a circle appeared on the ground around the creature. Symbols covered the circle, along with four pictures: a dagger, a pouch, a helmet, and an anvil. They were positioned like the dial of a compass, and Will was standing right in front of the dagger. ¡°My bad,¡± he said in acknowledgement. ¡°We all face him together.¡± 69. Goblin Blood One by one, the remaining members of the group went to the allocated spots on the circle. Alex was the last one to do so, earning himself a distinctive snarl from the goblin lord. ¡°It¡¯s my class, bro,¡± the goofball shrugged. ¡°What¡¯d you expect?¡± The goblin kept on glaring at him, but there were no other reactions. For several seconds, the two sides looked at each other. In his mind, Will was going through the battle. Despite the goblin facing him, he was almost certain it would go for Jace. The jock was the weakest link when it came to direct combat. He¡¯d be a great support¡ªas long as he came into contact with any of the monster¡¯s jewelry, he¡¯d be able to transform it into a weapon; more importantly, he¡¯d effectively destroy a magic item in the enemy¡¯s possession. Then again, maybe that wasn¡¯t the point? The goblin had deliberately given them a pause just to determine whether they were worthy of fighting him in person. By that logic, he had to go with Helen or Will. Rather, Will since he had killed one hidden boss on his own and assisted in the deaths of two more. Curved, green-bladed daggers emerged in his hands. The goblin suddenly spun around in a three-sixty strike. As it did, close to a dozen mirror copies of Alex shattered, unable even to make their first strike. The fight had already begun and Alex had made the first move. ¡°Idiot!¡± Will dashed forward along with Helen. At this point, they had no chance but to go all out. Barely taking a step, Will threw two paralyzing knives at the goblin while preparing to strike with his dagger. Meanwhile, Helen plunged forward, performing a piercing attack. The goblin easily deflected the flying knives with its right foot, after which it blocked Helen¡¯s blade with both its daggers brought together in a X shape. Even so, the crimson blade slid forward, yet the goblin was fast enough to raise the daggers, causing the weapon to pierce the air above its head. That was immediately followed by a kick in Helen¡¯s stomach. Her knight¡¯s strength, combined with the latest permanent damage, protected her from any damage, though even so she was kicked a dozen feet back. More of Alex¡¯s mirror copies appeared out of nowhere, charging at the enemy. All of their attacks were deflected without issue, rendering them to piles of shattered mirror fragments.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200% Chameleon cloak pierced
Will leaped back. His single attacks had successfully hit the goblin, thanks to the multitude of mirror copies to a large extent, yet had failed to deal any actual damage. He had no idea what a chameleon cloak was, but suspected it was important enough to be pointed out by eternity. The outer layer of fabric covering the creature shimmered, then tore up, revealing a skinny¡ªalmost bony looking goblin. The clothes it wore had changed color, becoming many times more flamboyant than moments before. With the exception of the brown leather and vest, everything else was bright green, red, and blue. In less threatening circumstances, one might say that the group was facing a jester, but there was nothing funny about this monster. Snarling at the loss of its cloak, the goblin went on the attack, striking at Will with both daggers. Even with the evasion that the class provided, the boy had no choice but to leap back. Sadly, that didn¡¯t help much, as the goblin leaped after him, not for a moment slowing down his attacks. Several more mirror copies emerged nearby, attempting to distract the creature and hopefully land a hit. All of them were destroyed on the spot. ¡°Duck!¡± Helen shouted as she charged, performing a horizontal strike with her sword. The warning was too brief for Will to do anything of the sort. Thankfully, the goblin had blocked the strike once more. Its eyes glowed red as it turned in the direction of the girl, as it determined which was the greater threat. This was the perfect moment for Will to attack again. As the goblin reached out, attempting to slash Helen¡¯s arm with its dagger.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200% Wound Inflicted
POISON IGNORED
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°It¡¯s immune.¡± Will drew a paralyzing dagger and went for another jab. This time, though, the weapon was blocked and tossed out of his hand. Both Will and the goblin instinctiv5ely leaped back, increasing the distance between them. Neither was confident enough to win the hand-to-hand battle and preferred to change their approach. Will grabbed several of the throwing knives Jace had created while the goblin lord used one of his rings. As the stone on the piece of jewelry lit up, green mirrors appeared in the surrounding area. Although significantly less than the previous times, there were well over a dozen. ¡°Get the mirrors!¡± Will shouted, targeting them with his knives. Four were shattered before any creature could come out. The remaining ones were more than enough to make things difficult. Goblins poured out, attacking everything in sight. Helen stepped forward, making horizontal strike after horizontal strike. Goblins were slashed to bits by the dozens, along with a few mirrors as well. The goblin boss, however, wasn¡¯t among them. ¡°Where¡¯s Jace?¡± Will asked as he focused on destroying the mirrors. So far, only two remained, but the mass of goblins was blocking his view. ¡°Don¡¯t know! Where¡¯s the goblin lord?¡± Helen asked. It was only now that Will noticed that the boss was no longer there. It hadn¡¯t taken advantage of the chaos created by the goblins to attack, but rather to escape. Could it be that the creature wasn¡¯t as strong as it thought? Glancing up, Will caught a glimpse of the creature climbing up the colossus. Interestingly enough, its right arm was bleeding. Taking a few steps back, Will glanced in Helen¡¯s direction. The girl was mowing down goblins almost twice faster than they were coming out of the mirrors. If she kept this up it would be only a matter of seconds before she reached the mirrors and shattered them. Even so, she wasn¡¯t anywhere close to where the boss had been. Alex was another potential source of the goblin lord¡¯s wound, but for once his mirror copies weren¡¯t to be seen, and neither was Jace for that matter. The fact that the loop hadn¡¯t ended suggested that both of them were alive, though not engaged in the fight. Danny, Will thought. That had to be the answer. The former rogue had mentioned that he¡¯d help as long as there were mirrors nearby. In its last action, the lord of goblins had done just that¡ªcreated mirrors in close proximity. Danny must have taken advantage and used one of his highly advanced weapons or skills to injure the creature. By the looks of it, he could have killed it, so why hadn¡¯t he? ¡°He¡¯s going up,¡± Will shouted. ¡°Be careful. He might¡ª¡± The concrete colossus moved before he could complete his sentence. The massive fist flew down towards the spot where the fight was taking place. Without hesitation, Will let go of any weapons he was holding and leaped towards Helen. Any other time, the effort would have ended in utter failure, but his goblin strength had come into play, allowing both of them to effectively escape the area of impact. A loud thump followed. Goblins were squished, mirrors shattered as a stone fist larger than a car hit the ground. Dust rose into the air, obscuring the view. ¡°You okay?¡± Will asked as he let go of Helen. ¡°Yeah. Thanks,¡± she said, looking at him with hesitation. ¡°When did you get so strong?¡± ¡°I got a reward before we started,¡± he lied. ¡°Similar to yours.¡± Helen nodded. ¡°I guess the game has changed,¡± she said, looking at the top of the colossus. The entity had resumed its previous stance. Meanwhile, the wounded goblin had managed to crawl its way back to the giant¡¯s shoulder. Looking carefully, Will saw that the wound was a lot more serious than he originally considered. It wasn¡¯t just bleeding, but it was also rotting away the entire arm. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll keep to the previous arrangement,¡± Helen said. ¡°Seems not. We have to destroy the giant.¡± As usual, that was easier said than done. The colossus was, for all practical purposes, a reinforced building. There were no signs it had suffered any serious damage up to now. Maybe if there was a gas truck nearby, they could blow its legs off, but as things stood, they¡¯d have to use different methods. The goblin lord shouted again. This time, no new mirrors appeared. Instead, the Colossus took a step forward, causing the nearby area to tremble. ¡°Head back¡± Will told Helen. ¡°You can¡¯t take it,¡± she protested. ¡°I have a few skills that can¡ª¡± ¡°None of us can take it from below. We have to get away, then go from above.¡± In response, Helen made a backflip, landing on the roof of a one story building nearby. Then she did it again, moving onto one of the taller buildings. It was clearly meant to show off. Her approach was right, though. Will soon did something similar, using his rogue skills to leap off a wall and onto another building. From there, they were able to see the colossus much better and especially the boss that was their real target. For a moment, Will considered using the mirror fragment to kill it off. Helen¡¯s presence nearby made him change his mind. In response, the colossus slammed its left foot into a nearby building. Granted, the structure was more glass and billboards than stone, but even so, the strength was enough to split it in two. The entity then grabbed the nearest large object it could¡ªwhich was a massive neon sign, probably from the late nineties, and tossed it in the direction of Will and Helen. The flimsiness of the sign made it flip and turn to the side, crashing a rooftop away. That didn¡¯t stop it, of course, and the colossus quickly reached to grab something more appropriate. ¡°Scatter!¡± Will said, leaping in the opposite direction Helen was. ¡°We¡¯ll have to surprise it.¡± ¡°Right!¡± She followed his lead. By the time the colossus picked up a van, there was no obvious target for him to aim at. Hesitant, it looked at the goblin lord. A screech and a pointed finger made him go for Will. The van flew through the air, but by the time it hit the building, Will was no longer on it. Reaching into his pocket, the boy took out his mirror fragment. ¡°Danny, I challenge you,¡± he whispered, glancing at the screen. ¡°Trouble again?¡± the reflection asked, amused. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± ¡°The goblin?¡± Danny asked with a slight shrug. ¡°Corruption. You might get it in a few hundred loops if you¡¯re lucky. Maybe even sooner.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill it?¡± ¡°And waste the reward? That would be stupid, and you¡¯ll have to restart the loop. The goal is for you to kill it, not to have it die.¡± That sounded stupid, but logical in a tested sort of way. If this was a tutorial meant for them, they had to complete it. ¡°What about the red goblin?¡± Will leaped to another building as the colossus was looking around for additional ammunition to throw. ¡°You helped enough to get a shared reward. I don¡¯t get those.¡± Danny rolled his eyes. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve weakened it to the point that even a kindergartener could deal with it. Kill it off and do what I asked.¡± A crimson blade split the air, hitting the colossus¡¯ neck two feet from the goblin boss. Will instantly recognized Helen¡¯s blade. It was a good attempt, but not enough. The goblin felt the same, because it instinctively moved away from the weapon, not even daring to touch it. In its panic, it yelled to the colossus, causing the giant entity to release what it was holding and move both hands in front of it, shielding it from any other attacks from Helen¡¯s side. That, however, provided Will with the perfect opportunity. 70. Unique Hidden Permanent It seemed like yesterday that Will had been dragged into eternity. Back then, he was clueless about what was going on, needing several loops just to figure out that he could extend time. He was hopeless in combat, knew nothing about classes or other loopers, or even the tutorial¡¯s existence. A lot had changed since then, from permanent skills and items, to his relationships with the rest of the group and even Daniel. Most of all, his way of thinking had drastically shifted, synching with the class of the rogue. The moment the colossus moved to defend its master, Will saw an opening. In his mind, he could see where and what actions to perform to reach the giant¡¯s shoulder and then proceed with attacking the goblin lord. Without an ounce of hesitation, he dashed forward, leaping off the building he was on. Before the colossus could even react, he had gone through three rooftops, leaping his way onto a chunk of metal that stuck out from the colossus¡¯ hip. Even with the goblin lord¡¯s magic, the giant entity remained part of a building and thus had some uneven chunks that could be used as footholds. ¡°Fight me like a warrior!¡± Helen shouted in an attempt to keep the attention of both goblin and colossus on herself. Her attempt was initially successful, yet while the colossus remained focused on shielding the goblin from further flying blades, the small creature was quick to notice the approaching boy.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200%
Attack deflected
The goblin twisted, deflecting Will¡¯s jab attack with a single arm. The other had become useless to the point that it couldn¡¯t even lift it. In the past, Will might have pitied the creature, possibly even fought with one hand behind his back. Now, he was eager to win at any cost. As Jace would sometimes say, pity was a luxury for the strong¡ªsomething neither he nor the school¡¯s football team had been lately. An exchange of slash and jab attacks took place on the colossus¡¯ shoulder. The goblin boss had been significantly weakened by everything that had happened, yet was still putting up a good fight, making Will aware that he had a lot to grow before he could take on such a challenge on his own. Granted, the tutorial was made for a full team of four, but even then, the goblin was beyond their level. Maybe in another five loops or so, when everyone had figured out the creature¡¯s fighting pattern¡ªand possibly after they¡¯d obtained some more permanent skills¡ªthey might be on the level to defeat it. That¡¯s not an option, Will said to himself as he pressed on with a series of quick jabs. The strength of his new permanent was having an effect, making it more and more difficult for the goblin lord to block. Evasion became more frequent, with each side focusing on a tactical game of strikes and movement aimed at bringing the other to a disadvantage. ¡°I have you,¡± Will said, feeling the adrenaline within him mix with euphoria. The decay caused by Danny¡¯s wound continued to spread along the goblin¡¯s body, now visibly reaching his neck. At this rate, it was a matter of seconds before the boss would provide an opening that he¡¯d be unable to defend. Unfortunately, before that, the creature let out a high-pitched scream. The massive head of the colossus turned, the giant stone eyes focusing on Will. ¡°Oh, fuck,¡± Will managed to say before an enormous arm slammed onto the colossus shoulder, like someone trying to kill off a mosquito. Even with Will¡¯s fast reflexes, he managed to escape by a hair¡¯s width, leaping off the giant¡¯s shoulder before the slam occurred. The goblin didn¡¯t seem at all concerned. If anything, the giant arm seemed to bend when coming into contact with him as if it were a sponge.
COLOSSUS IGNORED
Cheater, Will thought. He never suspected that there might be a thing such as ¡°colossus immunity,¡± but there it was. ¡°Nice trick,¡± Danny said from his pocket, as Will landed on a nearby rooftop. ¡°Guess you¡¯ll have to sweat for it.¡± Will considered using his former classmate to wound the goblin¡¯s leg. That way, the creature would be a sitting duck, even if the colossus were protecting him. Sadly, doing so was more an issue of possibility than morals. In order to have Danny wound the goblin, Will would have to get almost as close enough as to strike, and there lay the problem. A satellite dish hit the colossus in the back of the head, causing it to momentarily tilt. Seeing what was going on, Helen was trying to get back into the fight, only to remain ignored. The giant¡¯s new instructions were to focus solely on Will and that¡¯s what it was doing. Its massive right hand clenched into a fist that hit the side of the building Will was on. The entire structure shook as the colossus punctured through the outer wall as if it were made of cardboard. The boy had managed to leap off right on time, but the attack didn¡¯t stop there. The colossus was just in the process of pulling out its hand to attempt a second strike, when it suddenly froze still.
BOUND
¡°What do you say now, fucker?¡± A familiar voice shouted from the street. Will glanced down, only to see that Jace and a number of mirror copies of Alex had managed to loop a chain around one of the colossus¡¯ feet. The chain was not at all as he remembered it¡ªit had no spikes, was a lot thinner, and definitely a lot longer.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What the fuck are you waiting for, Stoner?¡± the jock shouted. ¡°Finish him!¡± Jace was right. Any questions would have to wait for later. Now was the time for Will to finish what he had started. Taking a deep breath, he leaped onto the colossus arm, then rushed up towards the goblin boss. The once arrogant creature had become a total mess, now struggling against the pain that his decaying wound caused. The pain was clearly visible both in his expression and his movements; they were a lot slower, more measured and only using half of his body.
QUICK JAB Damage increased by 200%
Attack deflected
Despite its wrenched state, the goblin managed to twist its body just enough to parry the attack with its own dagger. It was a futile effort. All the creature¡¯s tricks had gone down the wayside, and now it, too, was done for. Every fiber in Will¡¯s body screamed for him to go forward for the kill. At this point, there was no way he could lose. Yet, in the back of his mind, something stopped him. One thing kept bothering him, one thing that didn¡¯t seem right. While all the lesser goblins didn¡¯t do anything but charge forward without plans, fear, or hesitation, the goblin lord had proved to be different. He had proven to be a strategist, knowing when to summon reinforcements, when to take on challenges, and¡ªabove all¡ªwhen to retreat. Right now, it almost seemed as if he were luring Will into a false sense of security. ¡°Go for it!¡± Helen shouted from a building across the street. Will, though, chose not to, taking several steps back instead. The goblin snarled, as its posture instantly changed. One of its necklaces lit up, surrounding the creature in a golden-green glow.
MINOR REJUVENATION
Within moments, the vast spread of rot was pushed back, moving off its neck and down its shoulder. Whatever item was used wasn¡¯t enough to completely cure the goblin, but made it so that it was largely back to form. ¡°Sneaky,¡± Will said. The goblin boss had no intention of giving up. Then again, neither did Will. Dagger attacks continued at full speed, just as Helen leaped through the air, landing on the colossus¡¯ other shoulder. ¡°Fire in the hole!¡± Jace yelled from below. Two sets of eyes looked down. The action lasted less than a moment. Both Helen and the goblin boss knew what usually followed such a yell coming from the crafter. Instinctively, both prepared to leap off in case the new device proved as large as the jock¡¯s last. To their surprise, no such device existed. ¡°Loser,¡± Jace smirked, looking the goblin lord right in the eyes. ¡°I lied.¡± Aware of the opening he had allowed himself to create, the boss took several quick steps back. Seizing his moment, Will aimed at the creature¡¯s head and threw his only remaining weapon. Slightly over eight feet separated the two opponents. Twisting its body, the globin moved further back and to its right. The action allowed him to evade the flying dagger by an inch. Unfortunately, in doing so, he went smack into the blade that Helen had thrown. The goblin let out a sound that sounded almost like a squeal. The bump had caused it to lose its balance. One more push and there wouldn¡¯t be any way to escape. A tentative grin appeared on the goblin¡¯s face. Turning back to Will, it began what could be assumed to be a laugh, when the boy hit it in the stomach.
Wound inflicted
Confusion twisted the goblin¡¯s face as it looked down to see Will¡¯s hand within him. ¡°Goblin strength,¡± Will said. ¡°I don¡¯t need a weapon.¡± The boss attempted to say something, but all that came out was an unintelligible gargle as the creature fell off the colossus, slamming on the street below.
Congratulations, ROGUE, KNIGHT, THIEF, CRAFTER! You have made progress!
Orange messages appeared in front of everyone.
TUTORIAL CHALLENGE REWARDS (set) 1. REWARD CHOICE (permanent): each time you earn a reward, you¡¯ll be able to choose from two options. 2. PERSONAL MIRROR FRAGMENT (permanent): obtain a personal mirror fragment with all basic functionality unlocked. 3.23672 COINS
The rewards were, without a doubt, impressive. In typical eternity fashion, they only provided the most basic information, leaving it up to the loopers to discover precisely what it meant. ¡°Fuck, yeah!¡± Jace shouted from below. ¡°Take that, fucking tutorial!¡± After all the fighting and hardship, everyone couldn¡¯t help but to shout a sigh of relief. They had deserved it, after all. No one cared what would follow. For the moment, they had done what they believed to be impossible. After so many loops, they had finally completed the tutorial that eternity had thrown at them. All except Will. In his case, the message was different.
TUTORIAL CHALLENGE REWARDS (set) 1. REWARD CHOICE (permanent): each time you earn a reward, you¡¯ll be able to choose from two options. 2. PERSONAL MIRROR FRAGMENT already present. New reward added to avoid duplication. 3. 23672 COINS 4. COPYCAT (unique hidden permanent): Obtain additional classes. Copycat classes function as normal classes, but cannot be used against the participants that are in possession of the primary classes.
If Alex were able to see this, he¡¯d have quickly changed his opinion as to what an overpowered skill was. From everything Will had seen, nothing suggested that there was a way to copy another person¡¯s class. True, it was merely a copy of the real thing: he¡¯d have to find a way to obtain the classes to use them, potentially through his mirror fragment; yet even so, the skill sounded like an outright cheat. ¡°You¡¯re really lucky, you know that?¡± Helen asked from the colossus¡¯ head. Remaining perfectly calm, Will looked up at her. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t hit its neck and those two idiots hadn¡¯t managed to use the chain to bind it, what would you have done?¡± she asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯d have figured out something,¡± he replied. ¡°It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah. It worked¡­ Just let¡¯s never go through this again, okay?¡± The boy nodded. Two things came to mind. The tutorial wasn¡¯t over yet. Helen remained the team¡¯s keyholder, and as such, only she could loot the goblin lord¡¯s body to see what items he¡¯d drop. Before that could happen, though, Will had to reach the goblin first in order to keep his promise. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we got,¡± he said, leaping off the colossus. While Jace and Alex were focusing on their personal mirror fragments, Will rushed to the street. The goblin¡¯s corpse was right there, a shadow of its glorious self. Dead, it looked no different from any other goblin, only better dressed and overcompensating with bling. Just as Helen landed a few steps away, Will bent over the body, pressing his mirror fragment against it. The tutorial boss suddenly vanished. Rather, it was more appropriate to say that it transformed, for in the place where the goblin had been, now someone else stood. ¡°Hey, Hellen,¡± Danny said with a semi smile. ¡°Nice seeing you again.¡± 71. ¡°Danny?¡± Helen was barely able to say. ¡°I thought¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t make herself finish the sentence. Seeing him was difficult, causing her body to freeze up, unable to determine how to react. ¡°You passed the tutorial.¡± He looked around. ¡°Congrats. I bet this is one loop you can¡¯t wait to end.¡± Slowly, Will put his mirror fragment back in his pocket. This wasn¡¯t what he expected would happen. In all honesty, he wasn¡¯t certain what to expect. Daniel had never been remotely truthful, even when he had helped, but having him return to life was beyond all expectations. ¡°You died¡­¡± Helen managed to say. ¡°You stopped eternity.¡± ¡°My silly Helen.¡± Danny shook his head with a smile. ¡°Eternity never stops. It just moved away for a while.¡± Opening his arms, the former rogue made his way to the girl. It was an expected reaction. Even Will didn¡¯t think he¡¯d act any different. Just as the two were about to hug, however, two daggers appeared in Daniel¡¯s hands, which he used to stab Helen on both sides of the neck.
DOUBLE JAB Damage increased by 1000% Fatal wound inflicted
Everyone could only stare as the lifeless body of the girl dropped to the ground. The attack had been so fast that she didn¡¯t even have the time to be surprised. Even stranger, no mass loop breaking occurred. ¡°Fucker.¡± Jace reached down to grab any material nearby to craft a weapon. Before he could, a series of throwing knives sunk into most of his arms and torso. Half a dozen conditions were afflicted¡ªeach of them ominous in its own right¡ªbefore the jock fell to the ground as well. A couple of knives were also thrown Will¡¯s way as well, but his rogue skills helped him evade them and leap back without taking any injuries. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve improved,¡± Danny said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t remember a thing.¡± He looked around. ¡°Been a while, Alex,¡± he said loudly. ¡°No need to hide. We¡¯re old buddies, after all. For real for real.¡± There was no response. Will frantically looked about for anything he could use as a weapon. The entire encounter, not to mention the boss battle, had completely depleted him. He wasn¡¯t only exhausted, but completely weaponless. That left only one option. A torrent of knives burst out from Danny, as if he were made of them. From a distance, one might almost think that he was holding a firehose. No normal person would be able to hold that many, let alone throw them at such speed, and yet that was precisely what he was doing. Mirror copies of the goofball appeared in the surrounding area, but they weren¡¯t the target of the attack. Rather, Danny seemed intent on throwing knives at nothing in particular until all of a sudden, all the mirror copies simultaneously shattered. ¡°Well, shit,¡± Danny said, almost in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯d thought he¡¯d do a lot better. Guess I was wrong.¡± He turned to face Will. ¡°Only one left.¡± In his mind, Will explored what he could do. With attack out of the question, fleeing was the only option. The issue with that was that he was on the edge of the area and Danny had blocked the way in. No doubt it was calculated. A rogue¡¯s greatest strength was mobility. Unfortunately, that was the same class that Danny had been. Interesting why eternity hadn¡¯t stepped in. In the past, it hadn¡¯t allowed for a class duplication. Taking the gamble, Will leaped away from the other boy. As expected, a torrent of knives flew at him. From this distance, though, evading them was easy enough. ¡°You can¡¯t run,¡± Danny shouted from behind. ¡°You¡¯re only increasing your pain.¡± ¡°Yeah, right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just restart the loop. You¡¯ll keep your rewards, your permanents, and even the coins. You¡¯ll only miss the memories of me.¡± At this point, Will couldn¡¯t trust anything that came out of Daniel¡¯s mouth. But even if what he claimed was true, it still didn¡¯t sound like a good deal. If losing his memories related to the former rogue was so benign, why hadn¡¯t he mentioned it before? This was the second time that Will had been specifically targeted. Getting the mirror fragment¡ªas beneficial as that was¡ªhad almost gotten him squished between two mirrors. Now, the ¡°favor¡± he had performed had somehow brought Danny back to life. ¡°How did you die?¡± Will asked, in an effort to gain some time. ¡°Eternity doesn¡¯t kill.¡± ¡°Not at your level,¡± the other replied, proving Will¡¯s hunch right. Being locked alone in eternity for goodness knows how long without anyone to talk to must have been more than dreadful. Now that he was back in the world, Danny was eager to chat, even if on many levels he knew that he shouldn¡¯t. ¡°You¡¯ll get there soon enough. Just give it time. It¡¯s inevitable.¡± Holding his breath, Will leaped beyond the invisible barrier that marked the end of the area. Nothing stopped him from doing so. There were no warnings, no surprise messages¡­ it was as if nothing particular had happened. Despite that, one could instantly tell the difference. All the destruction caused by the goblin hordes had been left behind. No wonder that no one had come to the assistance of the people within the area. As far as everyone else was concerned, nothing of interest had occurred. It was as if eternity had only affected a small patch of the city. Would the effects slowly spread to be noticed by others? Or would they only become aware upon entering it? Will would never find out. Sooner or later, his loop would come to an end, even without Danny¡¯s help, and then everything would restart. Two more knives darted a few feet from his left shoulder, causing Will to leap to the right. Danny hadn¡¯t given up. ¡°Only idiots go outside their area,¡± Danny shouted. ¡°You should know.¡± ¡°I see you haven¡¯t met the archer. If you had, you¡¯d be pissing your pants right now.¡± ¡°Says who?¡± Against any apparent logic, Will stopped. Suspecting something, Danny did as well. Fifty feet separated the two¡ªnot enough to fight, but enough for each to keep the other from escaping, as long as they had weapons. ¡°I¡¯ve seen what he''s capable of,¡± Will said. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m counting on it.¡± ¡°You think the archer will team up with you against me?¡± Danny laughed. ¡°And I thought you were the smart one in the group.¡± ¡°No.¡± Will smiled. ¡°I know he won¡¯t.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Out of nowhere, an arrow pierced his head.
Restarting eternity.
The calm chaos of a starting school day surrounded Will. After everything that had happened in the previous loop, he had almost forgotten what it was like to be surrounded by normalcy. The honking of cars, the screams of children ashamed to be taken to school by their parents, and even the weird looks he got from everyone felt more than welcome. ¡°Don¡¯t block the path, weirdo,¡± Jess said, as she and Ely passed by. Will gave the girl a smile, causing her to instantly look away. Part of him even wanted to strike a conversation, as if this was just another day. Before he could, he felt someone¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡°Bro!¡± Alex said, grinning like a madman. ¡°That was lit! Passing the tutorial in one go!¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Will hushed him, looking around. ¡°For real, bro?¡± The goofball narrowed his eyes. ¡°No one will care. If they do, we¡¯ll just wait till they don¡¯t.¡± The logic was sound, but still felt wrong. ¡°And those rewards¡­¡± Alex gesticulated. ¡°Lit fire!¡± Will reached into his pocket. The mirror fragment was still there. The bigger question was whether Daniel was within it. Two pinging sounds filled the air as both Will¡¯s and Alex¡¯s phones got a message. Typically, it was the goofball who reacted first. ¡°It¡¯s Hel,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s calling us to the moose place.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Will began. ¡°Never mind,¡± he gave up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Five minutes later, as everyone was rushing to school. The four loopers were sitting comfortably at what had become their gathering coffee shop. As in every loop, the barista casually asked why they weren¡¯t in class, and got the usual lie as a reply. Drinks were bought, along with a lot of overpriced pastries. Will, himself, went back to his favorite chocolate mousse. Not too long ago, he had sworn to himself that he¡¯d take a break from the stuff. The end of the tutorial had changed his mind. ¡°I was planning to do this tonight,¡± Jace said. Like everyone else, he couldn¡¯t get over the feeling of how different everything looked. To a certain degree, that only made him nervous. ¡°Proper celebration¡ªbeers and everything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡± Helen gave him an annoyed look. ¡°Beer isn¡¯t drinking. It¡¯s marking a good game, and the end of the fucking tutorial.¡± Alex gave him two thumbs up, while Helen just placed her mirror fragment on the table. Looking closely, everyone could see a single message right in the middle of it: 1/4. On a hunch, Will took out his fragment as well and placed it in front of him. Immediately, a message appeared on it, just as the one in Helen¡¯s mirror changed to 2/4. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet,¡± he said. Jace and Alex did the same. Once all the mirror fragments were on the table, the numbers disappeared, replaced by a golden message.
GROUP 5 ¨C TUTORIAL COMPLETE Overall ranking: 2nd place.
Eternity zone expanded. Chat functionality enabled.
¡°Second Place?¡± Alex asked. ¡°For real?¡± ¡°I wonder who got number one,¡± Jace said in a serious tone of voice. Eager to learn more, Will tapped on his fragment.
KEY HOLDER status removed. Everyone in the party can unlock hidden mirrors. (1/7)
Free Roaming Use your new skills to locate new challenges. (2/7)
For each challenge completed, you¡¯ll gain a boss reward, along with anything else you collect during your run. (3/7)
If you leave the loop before the challenge is over, you have to start over from the beginning. All non-permanent skills and items will be lost. (4/7)
¡°This is what¡¯s beyond the tutorial,¡± Helen said. To some degree, it seemed expected. They had defeated a boss within a small area, so now they were free to do the same in larger ones. On the positive side, it didn¡¯t look like the new ¡°challenges¡± would be forced onto them. If they wanted, they could continue with the standard school loops and not get involved. Of course, after the adrenaline rush of the boss battle, no one was willing to return to the mundane. ¡°Anyone remember what happened after we killed the boss?¡± Will asked casually. ¡°What¡¯s there to remember, Stoner?¡± Jace looked at him. ¡°I was expecting a bit¡­ more,¡± Will lied. It seemed that indeed, no one remembered Daniel. Maybe that was a good thing. Knowing that he was out there somewhere while also being dead sent shivers down his spine. ¡°For real,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°Ending was oof, like most tutorials.¡± ¡°You fuckers,¡± Jace laughed. ¡°Write a complaint to eternity.¡± ¡°Guys,¡± Helen said. ¡°Look at the hints.¡± The note of concern in her voice put an end to the banter. Quickly, everyone tapped on their mirror fragments.
Hint 1 You can exchange coins for items at merchant locations hidden throughout the eternity zone.
Hint 2 Some challenges limit the number of people that can participate.
Hint 3 Players can fight each other freely.
There it was. Nothing was capable of creating such dread as the final hint. So far, the group had experienced a lot. They had faced scores of wolves, goblins, mirror images of their own classes, not to mention an assortment of strange and strong elite monsters, and even bosses. Yet all that paled in comparison to the enemies they could expect to face from now. There was nothing stronger than a bunch of other looped people, each of which had gone through the exact same thing that Will and the others had. From this moment onwards, the loops became that much more deadly.