“Is that possible?”

– As long as it’s time spent on activities unrelated to preparing for the Second Wave, it’s not quite a violation of the rules to secure it.

Time is time, what does it matter what this time is for and what that time is for.

“…So.”

– What I can give you is only time unrelated to climbing the tower.

To be honest, Suji didn’t understand well, but she nodded, thinking it would be good to take whatever she could get.

“Okay. Give me whatever you can.”

– Alright. Since I’m giving this to you after getting complicated approval, be grateful.

Along with the nonchalant voice, there was a momentary sensation of something sweeping over her body.

Not a tangible object or wind, but something indescribable. It felt like countless butterfly wings, or the edges of extremely thin lace, brushing from head to toe.

At the same time, the waves churning before her eyes stopped.

The branches and leaves swaying in the wind also stood still in place.

How eerie this is, those who haven’t experienced it wouldn’t know.

“…What is this?”

– Time.

“…What?”

– I’ve given you extra time that only you can use.

She sprang up from her seat. Suji, who had been staring blankly at the world that had stopped as if it had become a still life painting, turned her body around and scanned her team members.

As in movies or plays dealing with time, her teammates were frozen like other objects, as if they had entered the same picture.

Even Elaine sitting right next to her was the same.

It was as if they had become the protagonists of a painting melted into the landscape.

All of this was so astonishing, beyond surprising, that it felt like her breath was caught in her throat.

‘I can’t believe this is possible…’

But she thought that if she hastily exclaimed or expressed gratitude, it would only make the ‘Great Beings’ arrogant.

Suji struggled to steady her breath that kept becoming difficult, and spoke in the most nonchalant voice she could muster.

“I appreciate being able to stop time, but you should let my team members move too.”

– You’re asking for a lot.

“What’s the fun in resting alone? There are only four of us on the team, including me. You should at least do that much.”

– This is it. No more.

“Fine.”

Once again, she felt the strange sensation that was hard to get used to sweeping over her body.

‘Is this what it feels like when the ‘Great Beings’ intervene in reality?’

Was it because the ‘Hunter System’ had existed until now, and it seemed oddly systematic, as if it had intentions, for something that appeared so suddenly?

Suji didn’t like the intentions of the ‘Great Beings’, but somehow she could easily accept that they were in control of this entire system.

Only when she saw her team members moving naturally again in front of her did she let out a long sigh.

“I’ll let you know whenever I need rest time.”

– Good. But this time isn’t unlimited either. It will end soon, so keep that in mind.

“Got it.”

Suji answered like that and then pulled out the ring again.

As expected, the log numbers quickly rose again, but that didn’t make the time that had stopped start flowing again.

Suji stared intently at the stopped sea in front of her and then pushed her hand into the water.

The stopped water looked hard like a solid, but when she immersed her hand, it rippled softly like any other water.

Elaine suddenly looked around.

“What is this?”

Peace and Saint, sensing something was amiss, surveyed their surroundings where even all sound had stopped, then drew their weapons and approached Suji and Elaine.

Suji approached the bewildered group and explained again in more detail what she had explained to Elaine.

According to the ‘Great Beings’, they directly oversee the Hunter system and are betting with an entity called ‘The Lord’. And they have been continuously losing in the confrontation, and want to make humanity stronger through the tower.

Perhaps because it was a story of an unimaginable scale, everyone failed to focus properly on Suji’s words.

Peace tapped the seawater frozen in the shape of bursting bubbles with his fingertips, Saint made the sign of the cross and called out God’s name at the end of each of Suji’s sentences, and Elaine was busy looking around as if on guard.

“So… this situation now…”

“I asked for a vacation, and they gave me one.”

“Oh my.”

Following Peace’s dispirited exclamation, Suji responded in an equally deflated voice.

“I was half-skeptical of what the ‘Great Beings’ were saying too, but I guess it’s real. Seeing that they can do things like this.”

‘They probably thought we couldn’t rest if they just suddenly told us to.’

Suji decided to really use this ridiculous rest time provided by the ‘Great Beings’ to play.

With all the things she had ordered to rest, how could she not?

Seeing her team members standing blankly with confused faces, not knowing what to do first after putting away their weapons, Suji walked briskly into the living space.

Then she came out carrying a box full of items received from fans and dumped them in the middle of the yard.

[Love you Daphne], [We’re sorry. All we can do is say words], [Daphne, you are our star], [Don’t be sick! Sorry, love you], [Hope you’re at peace even in dreams], [Take a rest, Ms. Daphne].

Each of the various healing items – large dolls, game consoles, diamond paintings, etc. – had notes attached expressing the fans’ feelings.

“…Team leader?”

“What did you just bring out?”

“Aren’t these items given by Dryad?”

Suji nodded and hummed a tune.

Among them, she picked up things that looked good for playing at the beach.

There weren’t things like beach chairs or tents that Saint had wanted, but there was a large flamingo-shaped tube that could be inflated.

‘Maybe I’ll lie down on this for now.’

Watching this, Saint made a dumbfounded face.

“Didn’t you just say humanity was going to be annihilated? But now…”

“They said it’s playtime secured separately from tower climbing time, so what can we do? We have no choice but to play.”

“…What?”

“Even if we’re going to be annihilated, I want to rest a bit and think about it. My head is killing me after being tormented all day because of . When this stopped time ends, Aunt Yeonju will barge in talking about how some politicians gave awards, how some local government gave a commendation, how the medical check went, how the internet reactions are, how overseas is reacting to this incident. And will contact us with Priya all riled up.”

As she poured out her words, Suji realized she had quite a lot pent up about this situation.

She smiled bitterly.

“So I decided to play. Saint, don’t be like that and blow this up. I think we need to rest a bit more.”

Suji really finished pumping in just a few seconds, threw the flamingo tube onto the shallow beach, and lay down on it.

Peace inflated a giant pineapple-shaped bed tube with a bewildered face, as if wondering if this was the right time for this, and Saint completed a rainbow cloud-shaped tube in an instant with a reluctant face.

Elaine, as if not caring about such things, silently watched Suji, then cleared away the empty glasses and brought out other refreshments. Then he sat down on a tree stump near the items Suji had stuck in the beach and tended to his weapons.

Even though there was nothing left to tend to…

Suji glanced at him with one eye, then closed her eyes.

During the time she floated on the water, many thoughts flitted by.

Anyway.

It was a good thing that such an unrealistic break time had occurred.

At least she had seen a preview of humanity’s extinction, and whether she could prevent it or not, she was given time to think about what she could do.

Time was a finite resource, and Suji had lived as if chased by it.

But in this artificially created abnormal flow of time, she could really waste time blankly and focus on her thoughts.

She also had the leisure to discuss what she had seen and heard with her team members.

This kind of time was needed.

“Will you be alright?”

Elaine sat down beside her and asked as she stared at the frozen beach.

Suji nodded, rolling the around.

“I’m fine.”

“Team leader.”

“Yeah?”

“When things stop… it might just make you think more.”

That’s true too.

It could be.

As she wiggled her bare feet that had been buried in the sand, Elaine handed her a cold drink and fruits cut into bite-sized pieces in a cup.

“You don’t have to take care of me like this. I’m all grown up.”

“I know. I just did it while I was at it.”

Suji clinked her glass against the sparkling water Elaine was holding and took a few sips.

“Elaine.”

“Yes.”

“From now on, call me Daphne instead of team leader.”

She was curious whether it would feel awkward or natural to call her that.

She said it casually, being very careful with the timing so it wouldn’t seem meaningful.

“Understood, Daphne.”

The answer came back as if it was no big deal.

But just changing one insignificant form of address, it felt somehow different.