Chapter 2: The World Stands Still

The world was frozen. 

 It was a strange, eerie feeling—like I had slipped outside reality itself. The candle's flame stood stationary, a smudge of orange and yellow in the air. Dust particles lingered in place, little stars caught in an invisible abyss. 

 And the best part? 

 I felt nothing. No resistance. No tiredness. No strain. It was as effortless as breathing. 

 "...Alright," I mumbled, rubbing my hands together. "Let's see how broken this thing really is." 

 I took a big breath and stepped forward. A maid paused frozen mid-step, balancing a tray of tea. The liquid in the cup wasn't moving, entirely trapped in time. 

 I waved a hand in front of her face. No reaction. 

 I bent down and snapped my fingers near her ears. Nothing. 

 Then, just to be sure, I picked up a biscuit from the platter and took a mouthful. 

 "...Huh. Still tastes the same." 

 So food still worked in stopped time. Good to know. 

 Now, for the big test. 

 I groped for the candle's glow. Carefully, I prodded it with my finger. 

 Nothing. It was solid. A frozen shape of fire that seemed more like warm glass than genuine flame. 

 A grin crept onto my face. 

 Oh, this is going to be great. 

 I stepped back and focused. 

 Time, resume. 

 The world burst back into motion. 

 The maid continued strolling without realizing anything was off. The tea in the cup rippled slightly, but nothing too strange. The candle's flame flickered as if nothing had happened. 

 And I? 

 I stood there, calmly eating on my stolen biscuit, trying very hard not to giggle. 

 This was ridiculous. No cooldowns. No aftereffects. No one even noticed when I halted time. 

 It was perfect. 

 I had just been reincarnated into a perilous, war-filled planet where life was cheap and betrayal was prevalent. But I had the ultimate cheat. 

 I could accomplish anything. 

 I gazed around the room. It was spacious yet not unduly extravagant. Dark oak floors, heavy velvet curtains, and a big canopy bed. I had plainly been born into an aristocratic family, but not one of the great families. That was good—it showed I had resources, but I wasn't significant enough to be under continual inspection. 

 I strolled over to a mirror, marveling at my reflection. Dark brown hair, keen gray eyes, a face that yet had the tenderness of youth. I looked approximately six years old. 

 Right. I already knew where this was going. 

 I was Manjil Roy, third son of House Roy—a tiny noble house hardly mentioned in Starborn Ascension. 

 In the original novel, my entire existence was summed up in one line: 

 "House Roy sent their third son to the Academy that year." 

 That was it. That was my whole character. I wasn't a prominent figure. I wasn't even a named side character. I was only a footnote. 

 And yet, here I was. 

 A small extra with an unstoppable ability in a world of monsters, magic, and cosmic warfare. 

 "...Well," I mumbled. "Could've been worse." 

 I could've been resurrected as some anonymous background soldier. Or worse—one of the villains who died in the first storyline. 

 At least this way, I had time to prepare. 

 Speaking of which… 

 I needed a plan. 

 I wasn't strong—yet. I was simply a six-year-old nice kid. But with time-stop, I had an unfair advantage. I could train indefinitely, gain information, and affect events before the Academy plot even began. 

 The objective was to not attract too much notice. In Starborn Ascension, the main characters were monsters. The protagonist? A walking apocalypse in the making. The villains? Manipulative geniuses with terrible powers. If I stood out too much, I'd attract attention—and that was dangerous. 

 For now, I'd play it smart. I'd act like a "normal noble kid" while secretly growing my strength. 

 I grinned. 

 "Let's see how far I can take this."