10
281words
Only Ryan and Kyle stared at me, expressions bewildered and complex.
They couldn’t understand who I was talking to, probably thought I’d lost it.
So I looked down, scanning the construction debris.
Found a broken beer bottle.
Then pressed the jagged edge against Ryan’s throat.
I didn’t look at him, just spoke calmly to the darkening sky.
"I don’t know how many more loops I can take before I snap. Don’t know if wiping everyone’s memory each reset drains your power – that’s why their memories glitched this time."
I paused, pushing the glass fractionally deeper.
"I only know that if he dies, this world starts over."
The tip pierced skin; a bead of blood welled, tracing a green glass edge.
Ryan didn’t flinch. Didn’t resist.
He even relaxed, closed his eyes.
I continued: "So, System, let’s gamble. If I kill him the moment you reset me each time… how many loops can you sustain?"
I turned to Kyle.
"If one dead protagonist isn’t enough… I can kill him first."
Kyle froze, disbelief flashing across his face.
Then he looked up too: "Uh… no objections here?"
The night stayed quiet.
Wind whistled louder through the ruins, tangling my hair.
Just as I thought it was futile…
A long-absent, inhuman voice echoed directly in my mind—
[I saved you. Gave you hope.]
[You repay kindness with betrayal?]
The System.
It finally spoke.
I bared my teeth: "Yeah, you saved me. Gave me hope. But only because I deserved it."
[…]
A pause, as if processing illogical input.
[…What do you want?]
It conceded.
I took a deep breath.
"I want to know where Ryan’s trafficked sister is now."
