A week passed, and the whispers in Mirewood began to change.
The townsfolk who had once mocked Julius now looked at him with curiosity. Two children had taken down bandits. Their tiny guild—still mocked by some—had a strange charm. Determination echoed in every nail hammered into the old guild wall.
Julius placed a new quest on the board. E-Rank this time.
"Investigate the Old Bell Tower. Strange time anomalies reported. Recommended: 2 mages."
Lyra squinted at the parchment. "This one's weird. Time anomalies?"
Julius grinned. "My specialty."
That Evening – Bell Tower Ridge
The old bell tower stood like a skeletal spine against the sky, silent and eerie. No birds chirped. The wind moved backward—literally. Leaves drifted into trees instead of falling from them.
"Time's reversed here," Julius whispered. "I can feel it."
He activated his Time Sense, a passive enhancement tied to his God Slayer Magic. Threads of time, silver and black, hovered in the air like spiderwebs.
They entered the tower cautiously. Lyra created an Ice-Make torch, which glowed with bluish light.
On the third floor, they found it—a shattered relic hovering midair. A bronze sphere, pulsing with corrupted time magic.
"Chrono Core," Julius breathed. "It's a cursed relic from the Dragon War era."
The moment he spoke, the relic reacted.
Time rippled.
The room shifted. Floors bent. A memory loop began.
They were trapped.
Time Loop – Attempt 1
Julius stepped forward. The core exploded.
Reset.
Time Loop – Attempt 2
Lyra launched an ice lance. The core reflected it.
Reset.
Time Loop – Attempt 3
"Stop attacking," Julius muttered. "We're fighting it like a monster. But this… it's a broken moment."
He sat cross-legged.
Lyra looked confused. "What are you doing?"
"Fixing it."
He reached out his hand, Time God Slayer magic swirling gently.
"Time Reclaim: Memory Bind."
The magic didn't destroy. It healed. He connected with the broken moment, felt the memory buried in the relic.
A time mage—long forgotten—had sealed part of his power in the relic to save his village. It was meant to preserve a moment of peace.
But time without movement becomes a curse.
Julius whispered: "Rest now. Your moment is remembered."
The relic dissolved.
The loop broke.
Outside, the sky returned to normal. Wind moved forward. Birds sang.
Lyra exhaled. "That… was amazing."
Julius smiled tiredly. "I told you. Time is broken. I fix it."
Twilight Zone Guild – Members: 2
Julius (E-Rank Mage, Iron Guild Master)
Lyra (E-Rank Mage, Ice-Make Magic)
F Rank Quests Completed: 25/1000E Rank Quests Completed: 1/10000
The clock was ticking.
And with every quest, Twilight Zone moved one second closer to greatness.
Next Chapter Preview: A Thief in the Rain
A shadowy boy with Lightning Magic steals Julius's enchanted watch. But instead of punishment, Julius offers him a choice—run forever, or join a guild that walks through time.
Three becomes stronger than two.