Chapter 4: The Leap
Elvas walked to school the next morning, every step heavy, his mind replaying the system's words like a curse.
Jump from a school building, five feet tall.
The phrase gnawed at him.
Was he really going to do it? Was he insane for even considering it?
He muttered under his breath, jaw tight. "Five feet isn't much. Anyone could do that. But why? What's the damn point?"
The gray walls of the school rose before him, as bleak and suffocating as the eyes waiting inside. He stepped into the classroom, and as always, the air thickened.
"Look, guys, it's the demon boy!" a girl from the back row called out, her voice sharp enough to cut.
Laughter rippled through the room, cruel and careless.
Elvas lowered his head and walked to his seat. His pencil scratched across paper, the sound his only shield against their sneers.
A crumpled paper smacked his shoulder. The same girl giggled. "What's wrong, demon boy? Too busy drawing your little spells?"
He didn't look up. Didn't flinch. He just wrote harder, the muscles in his jaw locked.
This was his life. Always had been. Why fight it?
And then—silence.
The classroom froze, laughter cut short, voices strangled mid-word. The air grew heavy, cold, pressing against his skin.
Red words bled into existence before him, glowing with authority.
[System Alert: Host failed to complete task within the day. A new player will be added and deleted from existence.]
Elvas's pencil clattered to the desk. His breath hitched, his eyes widening.
"What the hell does that mean?" His voice shook. "Who are these players? What do you mean deleted?"
The answer slammed into his skull, mechanical and unyielding.
[System Response: There is no stopping the Demon System once awakened. The task must be completed.]
Elvas gripped the edge of his desk until his knuckles whitened. "There's got to be a way out. Tell me how to shut you down!"
The words pulsed brighter.
[System Response: There is no way back. Complete the task or face the consequences.]
Then, like nothing had happened, the world snapped back. Laughter returned, whispers resumed, the classroom moving as if he hadn't just spoken to something only he could hear.
His heart pounded against his ribs, but no one noticed. They didn't care.
By lunchtime, the cafeteria roared with noise. Elvas sat alone, his untouched tray before him. His mind replayed the system's demand again and again.
Jump off a building. Five feet. Easy. Harmless. But what if it wasn't?
His eyes narrowed. The main hall rooftop wasn't that high. If the system wanted a leap, he'd give it one. Better than risking someone else being "deleted."
He shoved his tray aside and stood. His decision burned in his chest, stronger than the fear.
His steps quickened as he slipped from the cafeteria and climbed the stairs. Each step felt like a countdown, his pulse hammering louder with every rise.
The rooftop door groaned open. Wind slapped his face, cool and sharp. The edge was only a few steps away.
Elvas approached, staring down at the courtyard. Five feet at most. Just a small drop. His stomach twisted anyway.
"Just jump," he muttered. "That's all it wants. Just jump."
But then he froze.
Students had gathered below, their heads tilted up, fingers pointing.
"Is he gonna jump?"
"What's the freak doing now?"
Their voices floated up, cruel laughter mixing with mocking shouts.
Teachers appeared, panic sharpening their words. "Elvas! Get down right now!"
Heat flushed his face as the crowd swelled, every eye burning into him.
How could he explain? That a system in his head demanded it? That if he refused, someone might die?
"Hey, demon boy!" a voice jeered. "Trying to off yourself? Do it!"
Elvas clenched his fists. His body trembled, not from fear of the fall, but from the weight of their stares.
"I'm not crazy," he whispered, barely audible. "I have to do this. I have no choice."
He sucked in a deep breath, closed his eyes—and stepped forward.
The drop was quick. A blur of air, a lurch in his gut, then pain jolted through his legs as his knees buckled. He hissed, but he was alive.
Gasps and whispers erupted around him. To them, he had just tried to kill himself.
Darkness closed in—and when his eyes opened, he was lying on a stiff cot, the antiseptic sting of the infirmary filling his nose. Students pressed against the window, whispering and laughing.
The door burst open. Mr. Varn, the head disciplinarian, stormed in, fury painted on his face.
"What the hell was that, Elvas?" he barked. "Jumping off buildings now? Do you even realize what you've done? You could've hurt someone!"
Elvas winced, sitting up. His legs throbbed, but they weren't broken. "I'm sorry, sir. I just… needed space."
"Space?" Varn scoffed, his glare cutting into him. "You call that space? You're lucky you're not dead. You're on thin ice, Das. One more stunt and you're finished here."
With that, he stormed out, leaving only the whispers seeping through the door.
Elvas stood, ignoring the ache in his legs, and slipped from the infirmary. He moved fast, needing to escape the eyes, the laughter, the rumors that would spread by nightfall.
He pushed into the restroom, bracing his hands against the sink, forcing his breath to steady.
And then—
The world froze again.
Cold spread through the air, time halting mid-motion. Red words burned before him.
[System Alert: Congratulations, Host. Task One completed. Choose your reward.]
Three boxes appeared, floating in the air, symbols twisting across their surfaces like living things.
Elvas's throat went dry. His reflection in the cracked mirror stared back at him, wide-eyed. "This… this is real. It's actually happening."
He stepped closer, inspecting the boxes. Each pulsed faintly, waiting.
"Which one do I pick?" he whispered. His fingers hovered. "What's in these things?"
The system's voice cut through, cold and commanding.
[System Response: Choose one. The reward is yours.]
Elvas hesitated, then extended a shaking hand toward the middle box. Its jagged design seemed to call to him.
Light exploded, swallowing the other two boxes whole.
The system's voice thundered in his mind.
[System Alert: Speed ability unlocked. Congratulations on completing your first task. Second task reloading. Rest now.]
Elvas gripped the sink, his chest heaving. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to the mirror.
His reflection stared back, eyes wide, a flicker of something new burning within them—fear, yes, but also wonder.
He touched his face, his voice trembling.
"Speed… I really have a power now."