Chapter 6

Issac sat back on the park bench, lost in thought as he watched the group of high school kids laughing by the fountain. They reminded him of a life he'd forgotten—or more accurately, a life he'd never really had a chance to live. His fingers absently tapped on the side of his phone as if he were scrolling through something, but his mind was locked in conversation with Alfred.

"You know, I completely forgot," Issac muttered under his breath, "I was accepted into college before... everything went sideways."

"Ah, yes," Alfred's voice came through with its familiar dry tone. "Before your dear father decided mutant scum don't need an education, right?"

Issac scoffed. "Yeah, that was a great moment. It's not like I actually had a chance to go. He kicked me out right after the acceptance letter came. Never even set foot on campus."

"Such a shame," Alfred continued, dripping with sarcasm. "You could've been the next great mind—studying history, chemistry, or, I don't know, how to not end up dead in a dungeon."

Issac rolled his eyes, but the pang of missed opportunity lingered. "Maybe I should've gone. Who knows? Could've had a normal life. No powers, no dungeons, just… school. I could've even made it to graduation without dying."

Alfred's response was sharp. "Well, considering how often you've managed to get yourself killed, that would've been quite the accomplishment. Maybe enrolling in college now wouldn't be such a bad idea. Might even teach you how to survive longer than a few years at a time."

Issac leaned forward, elbows on his knees, still watching the high school kids. "It's weird though. I had a full ride, you know? Didn't even need powers to get in. But then, once I awakened as an Esper, everything just... changed."

"Funny how getting the ability to control wind didn't make your life any easier," Alfred said. "And yet, here you are, back again, talking about going to college like it's a solution."

Issac chuckled dryly. "Yeah, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to actually finish something for once."

Alfred paused, as if considering. "A novel idea, considering your track record. College could offer a break from the endless dying and dungeon crawling. Plus, you've got plenty of time now, what with resetting every time you mess up."

"Yeah, plenty of time," Issac muttered. He absentmindedly ran his fingers through his hair, thinking about how different things might have been. "I wonder what would've happened if I'd just gone. Like, if I never became an Esper, just... stayed a regular guy."

"Ah, yes. A normal, everyday guy who doesn't get trapped in dungeons with murderous monsters and betrayal at every corner. What a dull existence that would've been."

Issac shook his head, biting back a grin. "You know what, Alfred? Maybe you're right. Maybe I should just go back to school. After all, you're always saying I don't make smart decisions."

Alfred's voice cut through with its usual edge of amusement. "And maybe this time, you'll manage to avoid dying before finals."

He knew the weight of his next steps. In previous lives, he had often flown under the radar as long as possible, avoiding the scrutiny of the government and the Esper Guilds. But this time, he couldn't afford to stay hidden. Registering as an Esper early on would give him a legitimate standing, allowing him to blend into the system instead of becoming a fugitive later. The last thing he needed was unnecessary attention from law enforcement before he could figure out the full scope of this life's challenges. Playing it safe by going through the proper channels first was a tactical move—it kept suspicion low and allowed him to maneuver with more freedom when the time came. Issac smirked, knowing he'd already outsmarted the system once by getting ahead of the rules. This life would be different, but only because he was making it that way.

---

Issac sat in the waiting area of the local Esper Registration Center, tapping his foot against the linoleum floor as a slight breeze flickered through the vents. The sterile environment hummed with the soft buzz of fluorescent lights, and the occasional murmur of hushed conversations drifted through the room. It had been years—well, lifetimes—since he'd last gone through this process. In his first life, it had been a mix of excitement and fear. Now, it was just another step in a long chain of events he knew all too well.

"Name?" the clerk called out.

Issac stood, sliding his ID across the counter as he approached. "Issac Stross," he said, casually brushing his hair out of his face. The clerk, a bored-looking woman with glasses perched on her nose, took it and tapped a few keys on her terminal.

"Alright, first-time registration?" she asked, glancing up at him.

"Yep," Issac replied, giving her a half-smile, though he was more focused on the memories of doing this before. He could almost predict what she'd ask next.

"Do you know what type of Esper powers you have?"

Issac paused, then shook his head. "Not exactly sure," he said, feigning ignorance. Technically, it was true—he hadn't officially been graded this time around, and playing dumb would buy him some time. He wasn't eager to announce the fact that he could manipulate wind with deadly precision, or that he might have a far more dangerous power lurking under the surface.

"Alright, well, that's what the test is for," she said, looking unimpressed. "Go ahead and step through the door on the right. You'll be assigned to one of the evaluators."

Issac nodded and headed towards the testing area, his heart surprisingly steady despite the situation. He had no idea how things would play out this time, especially with the mysterious time-reset ability lurking in the background. The process to rank Espers was usually simple—identify their core power, measure their capabilities, and assign them a grade. But things were never that simple for him.

Inside the testing room, a man in a crisp government uniform greeted him. "Step forward. We'll do a basic scan to measure your Esper energy, then you'll demonstrate your abilities in a controlled environment."

Issac stepped up to the center of the room. The device—a sleek, metallic contraption—scanned his body with a soft hum. He could feel it probing the core of his powers, the swirling wind energy that had always been second nature to him.

"Let's see where you rank," the evaluator said, his voice flat with routine. He glanced at the monitor and then paused, eyebrows furrowing. "That's... interesting."

Issac's eyes narrowed slightly. "Something wrong?"

The man stared at the screen for a second longer before looking at Issac. "Your energy output is... higher than I'd expect for someone registering for the first time."

Issac's mind raced, but his expression remained calm. "I guess I've had some pent-up energy," he said with a shrug. "What's the rank?"

The evaluator tapped a few more buttons, cross-referencing data. "Preliminary readings suggest you're at least B-Class, maybe higher." He gave Issac a suspicious glance. "But that's unusual for someone unregistered."

Issac fought the urge to grin. Alfred's voice, as usual, chimed in at just the right moment, his tone laced with amusement. "Accumulated experience from several lifetimes does that, doesn't it? But of course, you 'don't know your grade.' Very convincing, boss."

Shut up, Alfred, Issac thought, biting back a smirk.

The evaluator waved him over to a smaller room, where the practical part of the test would take place. "You'll need to demonstrate your abilities now," he instructed. "Start with something simple."

Issac nodded, raising his hand ever so slightly. He didn't need much effort to summon a gust of wind, swirling it around the room like a gentle breeze. The evaluator jotted down notes on his tablet.

"Good control," the man said. "Now something stronger."

Issac obliged, intensifying the wind into a miniature vortex that sent papers flying off the desk and rattled the equipment. He stopped before it caused any real damage, lowering his hand as if it was nothing.

The evaluator's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he composed himself. "Alright, that's enough."

He typed rapidly into the device, frowning in concentration. "This will take a little longer than usual to finalize. You'll be contacted once your grade and classification are fully processed."

Issac raised an eyebrow, but simply nodded. "Okay."

As he walked out of the room, Alfred's voice came through again. "A solid B-Class. Impressive for a first-time registration. Except, you know, not really your first time at all."

Issac chuckled under his breath, pretending to stretch as if he'd just finished a workout. "It's fine. I'll stay under the radar for now. Don't need anyone knowing about the time thing yet."

Smart for once. Maybe this college thing is working out after all, Alfred quipped.

Issac shot a playful glare toward the ground, though no one would know why. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed for the exit, trying to figure out his next move. He was in the system now—officially registered, just like he'd been in his previous life. The only difference was this time, he had more power and a hell of a lot more knowledge.

The future—or the past, depending on how you looked at it—was about to get a lot more complicated.