Gears are turning

­I waited for the moment he released the potential energy for multiple bullets at the same time like before. The moment he did that, I activated Level 4 skill of my shadow manifestation. I wispered under my breath “Kings Shadow Toki Wo Tomare,” (Which means Kings Shadow Stop Time). I then just realised, why did I say Kings Shadow? It sounded natural and sounded right but I never heard of that before, I don’t think. Whilst thinking that, I was counting in my head for how long I can stop time.

Time then resumes after 4 seconds, durning that, I stood still and embraced myself to block all the bullets. I didn’t want the enemy to figure out my new ability. The enemy seemed surprised at how I blocked the bullets. I then stopped time once more and punched the enemy with a barrage, that is faster than light in the enemy eyes. It seemed as if he didn’t feel the pain when I stopped time. Time then resumes and he flew back and hit a tree. I was lucky that he had hidden a bullet in the tree.

I think he fainted, because when that happened the bullet in the tree he hit against released its stored energy. And then, well, he got shot. I assumed he died, just to be sure, I checked his pulse which is now gone. Not soon after, I hear a voice saying “You, the man with the mask,” I immediately ran away, thinking it was the friend of the enemy. I also ran away because I was in no condition to fight another person. I almost have my energy drained, it must have been from stopping time. I will try not to constantly stop time, it seems I can only stop time for at least 2 times maximun for now, maybe 3 if I force myself.

I used the shadow manifestation to dig a hole at least 6 feet deep and used the arms to grab leaves and hid myself underground. I hear a person ran pass by. I assumed it was that person who called out to me, so I got out of the ground and when I got out and finished burring back the hole and turned around. I see that a person.

The person was a girl, probably age 15 or 17, I asked her what are you doing out here alone? She then replied “I was calling out to you, why did you run the opposite direction?” She didn’t seem to be an enemy, but since the mayor being the leader of the gang, I couldn’t trust anyone except for Arthur.

I asked her “Why would look for me?” She replied “What? I was looking for you since you seemed as if you want to talk to me just now,” I don’t remember talking to anybody for the past hour except for the enemy earlier. I asked her for her name and she replied with “My name is Kukame, yours?” This is another border for me, I do not know my name in the first place, so how would I answer, I can’t just tell her I don’t know what is my name. I just answered with, my name is _______.

She then asked “You sure you didn’t see me earlier and wanted to talk to me?” I replied with an unsure yes. She goes back to her home. I went back to the in again and I decide to go sleep, but I couldn’t get any sleep. I was thinking why did I say “Kings Shadow” I could have said anything else, I could have just said Stop Time alone, maybe it is in my memory? But that isn’t certain, and I don’t think it is a part in my memory. I for now just try to forget that I said that, but everytime I stop time, that is what I say “Kings Shadow Toki Wo Tomare (Kings Shadow Stop Time)”.

I wake up in the morning, I had forgotten to sell the herbs and flowers since I was tired yesterday. I went to the herb specialist and maybe I woke up early, the shop wasn’t open yet. Then I realised, wait, I don’t have a pocket watch yet. I decide to go to the nearest store just to buy a pocket watch. I checked the time, it showed 10:00 a.m. I was confused since the shop normally opens at 7:00 a.m.

I was wondering maybe he forgot to open the shop lights and unlock the door? But that is too much to forget for doing that for 5 years. The door the store is unlocked, it is just the lights and everything else. The back door seemed to be open, I checked around the store first, there was nothing out of the ordinary in the store. I went in to the back door which was the staff room. Then I see the herb specialist on the ground. He seemed to have his throat cut off. He had to been assassinated by someone skilled. Can it be another magic user or just an ordinary assassin or can it be both.

I was already getting ready to fight, but nothing happened, maybe I wasn’t important. I had a shiver down my spine, surpringly, even though my temperature is already low, since I am dead after all. Suddnely I felt a thought that I was going to get attack. I jumped to my right to avoid that hit, but nothing was there, it was weird. This never happened before. This 100% has to be magic. Maybe it is a level 3 or 4 magic. It could be like the mayor as well. The room was dark after all, so he could be using shadow to hide.

I felt like there was going to be another attack. Trusting my gut, I leap towards the left to go back to my location, but once I reached there, I got hit and my left arm was injured. I can only tell it got severly injured since I can only bring out 4 shadow manifestation.