Six Seconds of Eternity
Mr. Ferman. I stood there, my mouth hanging open in a daze at the incomprehensible situation. Ferman's eyes crinkled as he looked at me, offering a warm smile.
"Jeff. Three seconds have already passed."
"Pardon?"
Three seconds already. I couldn't quite grasp what those words meant. As I tilted my head at Ferman's puzzling remark, he spoke once more.
"Four seconds. Five seconds. Six seconds."
Tick—
Along with the sound of a clock echoing in my ears, a bizarre sensation washed over my entire body. My breathing pattern fell out of sync. I was certain I had been exhaling just a moment ago, but now, there was no breath left to let out.
"Cough!"
Clutching my throat at the disrupted breath, I let out a dry cough. Then, Ferman's voice drifted over again.
"Jeff. The third six seconds has begun."
"Jeff. You can do it."
Shine's cheer echoed once again. Time—the exact same situation—was repeating itself. It wasn't an illusion. However, Ferman and I seemed to be the only ones aware of this looping time. As proof, Shine repeated the exact same cheer as before.
I stared at Ferman, my face pale with shock.
"It seems you've realized my ability. Everyone usually makes that face."
Tick. Tick.
Even as he spoke, time marched on. A repeating six seconds. Before starting our bet, Ferman had said he would repeat it six times. That meant this was the third six-second loop. I moved in a flurry of panic.
Tick—
The loud ticking of a clock in my ears felt like it was holding me back. I desperately channeled my ability, but the electric currents stretching into the empty air failed to reach their target.
Crackle—
Ferman smiled at the blue flash of lightning that shot out in a straight line.
Tick—
Time rewound once more. The same bizarre sensation. Time had reset.
Tick—
The moment I heard the ticking in my ears, I sprang into action. I only had six seconds. This was my fourth attempt.
"Jeff?"
Zap!
Blue light erupted from my entire body as I bolted forward. My surroundings stretched into long blurs, and Ferman rapidly loomed larger in my vision. But—
"Eek!"
"I shall begin the fourth."
Ferman deflected my attack with effortless ease. Launched into the air, I spun my body. As my vision whirled, the hem of my dress fluttered upward, completely exposing my underwear. Startled by the sudden draft, I instinctively reached down to pull my skirt back. Because of that distraction, I couldn't execute my next move and tumbled straight toward the floor.
Thud.
A dull impact rattled my tailbone. Having landed flat on my butt, I looked up at Ferman with teary eyes. His gaze was fixed on me. My eyebrows trembled; my lips quivered.
Tick—
But time flowed on without stopping.
"Are you alright?"
Ferman offered me a hand.
Tick—
Time continued to tick away. I immediately kicked off the ground and threw myself forward. A streak of blue light shot diagonally in the direction I was facing, carving a path ahead. The long, glowing trail showed me exactly where to go. I reached out once more. My hand, enveloped in blue light, surged through the air, swallowing everything in its vicinity. If I couldn't reach him directly, I just had to use a wide-range attack.
Boom!
A blue flash erupted from my hand, swallowing Ferman whole.
Tick—
Once again, time rewound. The bizarre sensation wrapped around my body. My vision blinked. The moment I came to, my breathing was thrown out of whack. Though flustered by the unfamiliar sensation, I didn't waste a second and immediately charged forward.
"Jeff?"
Shine's puzzled voice drifted over once more. This time, I wouldn't stop. Even if my dress flew up and showed my underwear, even if my clothes were stripped off entirely, I would absolutely not stop. I steeled my resolve.
Ferman looked perfectly relaxed. He assumed a stance as he watched the direction of my charge. Which loop was this? The fifth. Should I use it now? Not yet. I nodded to myself, a concrete plan forming in my mind. I immediately channeled my power.
Crackle—
Blue electric currents erupted from my entire body, blanketing the surroundings. If getting close was too difficult, I would use a ranged attack. I scattered the currents in every direction to make it impossible for Ferman to dodge.
"Hyaaaah!"
I yelled, thrusting my hands straight out.
Sizzle—
The blue electricity tore through the air, incinerating everything in its path. Long, black scorch marks began to scar the red carpet. One second down. The lightning surging through the air looked set to engulf Ferman entirely. But—
Ferman vanished.
The blue current struck empty air, leaving only a black scorch mark where he had stood. He was gone from my sight, but the electromagnetic field I had spread across the entire room transmitted his exact location to me. I didn't even have time to turn my head. I immediately launched my next attack.
Zap!
The blue electricity shot into the air, homing in on the coordinates I had set.
Tick—
Time flowed. And Ferman vanished once again. Flustered by this bizarre turn of events, I halted my attack and looked around. Ferman was standing incredibly far from his original position. He was watching me from near the room's entrance.
"Impressive."
"What the heck?!"
I shouted, unable to contain my rising irritation. This was cheating. I didn't know what he was doing, but Ferman was definitely cheating.
"That's cheating!"
"Hahaha!"
Ferman burst into laughter at my protest. Did he find me that amusing? I could feel my anger beginning to boil over.
Tick—
Time began to rewind once more. The bizarre sensation. I surrendered myself to the feeling, which had now become familiar. As time rewound, I thought to myself: If he's still letting his guard down, I'll win.
"Cough!"
Confirming that time had reset, I immediately let out a dry cough. But I didn't move.
"Cough, cough!"
A string of coughs escaped me.
"Jeff? Are you sick?"
Shine's voice was laced with worry. I didn't answer, instead lifting my head to observe Ferman. The sixth loop. The final one. Ferman had returned to his original starting position.
Tick—
Time began to flow once more.
"Jeff. This is the final six seconds."
Time didn't stop. It wouldn't wait for me. It simply marched on.
I narrowed my eyes, waiting for my chance. I wouldn't use any flashy abilities like before. I recalled Ferman's flow, which I had sensed when I got close to him. It was a new technique I had developed during my training with Victor—a weakened version of Jeff Sparise. Hiding my hands behind my back, I wiggled my fingers.
Zzzzt—
A thrill of electricity at my fingertips sent a shiver through my entire body.
"Have you given up?"
Ferman was letting his guard down. At least, that was how it looked to me. Seeing me stand still, Ferman began to walk toward me.
Tick—
Time flowed on. I immediately snapped my fingers.
Zap!
A faint current erupted from my hand, disrupting the surrounding flow. The human brain sends commands to the body via weak electrical signals. What I had just done was weakly scatter those very signals. My goal wasn't to completely sever his bodily control, but to cause temporary confusion.
"Oh?"
Ferman, who had been walking toward me, began to stumble. Now! I immediately channeled my power. Right now, if Ferman tried to move his hand, his foot would move instead. If he tried to wiggle his fingers, he would blink. The confusion in his brain wouldn't last long; it would wear off in a matter of moments. But I didn't need much time either.
Zap!
Blue electricity flashed across the floor beneath my feet, launching my body forward. I slid right under Ferman, stopping near his legs, and reached out. *Almost there. Almost there. Almost there.*
As if time had slowed to a crawl, everything stretched out. My heartbeat echoed incredibly loud in my ears. With wide eyes, I reached out and looked up at Ferman. *I won. I won!* Or so I thought.
But my hand wouldn't reach. Why? Why?
Time wasn't moving. Everything had stopped. Me, Ferman, and even Amy and Shine, who were watching us from the side. None of us could move. A world stripped of even sound. The voice that broke the silence belonged to Ferman.
"Dear me."
Within the frozen time, Ferman was looking down at me with a flustered expression.
"Jeff. I am sorry."
The frozen time began to flow again. And my hand finally made contact with Ferman's leg.
"Ah!"
I touched him.
"I won!"
I vigorously shook the hem of Ferman's trousers that I had grabbed. After basking in the joy of victory for a brief moment, I cleared my throat and took two steps back from him.
"I won."
"Yes. You won."
"Then, you won't bully Amy anymore, right?"
"Yes, I won't bully her."
"Really? Promise me."
I looked up at Ferman and held out my pinky. Ferman, looking down at me, bent his knees and crouched. Matching my eye level, he let out a soft chuckle and hooked his pinky with mine.
"Yes, I promise."
"Good. A promise is a promise."
"Indeed. A promise must be kept."
Having sealed the promise, I quickly pulled my hand away. Ferman stared at his empty hand suspended in the air with a hint of disappointment.
"Amy! I won!"
I shouted, running toward Amy.
"What? Really? Father lost?"
Amy muttered in disbelief as she caught me in her arms.
"He said he won't bully Amy anymore!"
As I nuzzled my face into Amy's embrace, Shine approached my side.
"Jeff. Did you win?"
"Yeah."
"Good job."
Shine showered me with praise. She stroked my head so much that static electricity began to crackle in my hair.
"Jeff. Let us make a promise of our own."
Just then, Ferman approached from behind and spoke to me. Shine hid behind Amy as if wary of him. Seeing her tugging on my arm, she clearly wanted me to hide as well.
"What kind of promise?"
"I would like you to keep my ability a secret from others."
"Your ability?"
"Yes. My ability."
Ferman pointed to his wristwatch as he spoke.
Tick. Tick.
Time flowed on.
"Ah!"
I nodded in awe. A time manipulator, a power I had only heard of in rumors. I was finally witnessing the reality of it. It actually existed. I had always dismissed it as some urban legend. I looked up at Ferman with sparkling eyes. Ferman was an incredibly amazing person.
"Okay!"
"Thank you."
Ferman nodded, slipping his jacket over his shoulders. His light gray hair fluttered slightly. He sank onto the sofa. Amy stared at him before speaking up.
"Father. Did you really lose?"
"Of course. I do not lie."
"You didn't let her win, did you?"
"Me? Do you truly believe that?"
Amy kept her mouth shut, offering no reply. I reached out and squeezed her hand.
"Jeff."
"I won."
"Yes."
Amy smiled softly and stroked my head. Now, Amy wouldn't be bullied by Ferman anymore. Because he had made a promise to me. And promises must be kept.
"I will cancel the registration on the family registry. However, it would be best to list me as the children's guardian. You understand why, don't you?"
"Yes."
"By the way, I wondered why you recently acquired a chocolate company, and it turns out it was for these children."
"That's right. They seemed to like it."
"Well done."
Seeing that the mood of the conversation had improved, I reached forward and grabbed a handful of snacks. Since only Shine had eaten earlier, it should be fine for me to have some too, right? Although I had long surpassed my snack allowance for today, Shine had eaten some, so it was only fair. I stuffed the snacks into my mouth. Delicious.