Time stop

Six hundred thirty-six million, two hundred ten thousand, three hundred sixty-eight.

Six hundred thirty-six million, two hundred ten thousand, three hundred sixty-nine.

Six hundred thirty-six million, two hundred ten thousand, three hundred seventy.

Twenty years, three months, two weeks, seven hours, thirty-six minutes, and ten seconds have passed since I arrived here.

I regret agreeing to spar with her. The last thing I remember is her blade touching the left side of my stomach, and suddenly, I find myself here.

There's only a blank space, which could drive any normal person insane.

I don't feel any sense of hunger or fatigue.

Is this just a dream?

I don't even feel any sense of pain or the need to breathe, and when I dislocate my bone, it instantly heals.

Well, there's only one way to try to escape from this.

...

...

...

And so Mika stopped his heart from beating.

...

...

...

"Hwaah, how long have I been?" Mika sighed.

"My skin looks normal, it seems like I haven't been gone that long," Mika observed.

"Yeah, I think the bandit is trying to escape, whatever it is," Maya remarked to the vice-captain.

"Hello? Can both of you hear me?" Mika asked.

"Eh? You're already back, impressive." The vice-captain turned her gaze to Mika and replied.

"Hey ho! Welcome back, Mika!" Maya greeted cheerfully.

"How long have I been there?" Mika inquired.

"There? Oh, you mean like being frozen, just around 20 seconds or 33 heartbeats." Maya informed.

"I see. Time felt different from there, 20 years, 3 months, 2 weeks, 7 hours, 36 minutes, and 22 seconds while I was there." Mika disclosed.

"Eh? That long? I should unfreeze Airi; she must be going insane." Maya exclaimed.

Maya walked towards Airi and touched her forehead.

"Resume!" She shouted.

"Hwaah, eh? Where am I?" Airi asked.

"Welcome back, Airi! You must have been waiting for so long." Maya greeted warmly.

"Erm, I was hibernating after some time has passed, so I didn't realize it was long," Airi replied.

"What did you both see?" the Vice Captain asked.

Mika replied, "Blank, white space. I can only see parts of my body there. There's no sound, no smell, and no sensation. It's like floating in an endless void with nothing to hold onto, and no way to know which direction is up or down. It's a disorienting and unsettling experience as if all my senses have been stripped away except for sight, and even that is limited to only seeing parts of my own body."

"I see," said Maya.

"The white space itself is a stark and empty canvas, with no features or landmarks to provide any sense of location or orientation. The light is diffuse and uniform, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It's a kind of light that is neither bright nor dim, warm nor cold, but just neutral and unchanging," Mika continued.

"Erm, are you okay?" Maya asked, sensing Mika's growing unease.

"As time passes, the blank white space starts to feel more and more oppressive, as if it's pressing in on me from all sides. The lack of any stimulation, sensory or otherwise, makes me feel like I'm trapped in a void that has no beginning or end. It's a feeling of being completely cut off from the outside world, with no way to communicate or interact with anything beyond the white void," Mika explained.

"I-" Maya started to say, but she was at a loss for words.

"Overall, being in a blank white space feels like being suspended in a state of limbo, where time and space lose all meaning, and the only thing that exists is the emptiness that surrounds me. It's a disconcerting and surreal experience, one that leaves me feeling disoriented and isolated from the rest of the world," Mika concluded.

"How about you, Airi?" Mika asked.

"I was just sleeping. I have the ability to rest my body when I'm in a state of panic," Airi said.

"I see," Maya replied.

"How long has that bandit been there?" Mika asked.

"I think it's been around 5 years or so, but I forgot," Maya answered.

"If 20 seconds here is 20 years there, then 5 years there would be around 15,768 myriads," Mika explained.

"Myriad? As in ten thousand years?" Maya asked in disbelief.

"He'd rather die at that point. It's crueler than a death sentence. What did he even do?" Mika questioned.

"He used a 5-year-old child as a meat shield," Maya explained.

Mika's eyes narrowed as she spoke with icy determination, "Keep him there for eternity until an angel descends from the heavens to free him from his wretched prison of emptiness! Let him rot in that white void for countless ages, until his very soul is consumed by the endless emptiness that surrounds him! May he be trapped there until the end of time itself, with no hope of escape or redemption! Such is the punishment he deserves for his heinous crimes!"

"Mika, you're as cruel as always," Airi remarked.

"Wait, hold on," the vice-captain interjected. "Recently, his finger was moved by a mere centimeter."

Mika's expression shifted to one of surprise and disbelief. "That's... possible?"

"We still don't know the boundary of the sword's effect. She rarely used it to freeze people," the vice-captain replied.

"Hmm, maybe try to unfreeze him first?" Airi said.

"I mean it's not like he can kill us or anything," Maya said as she walked towards the bandit.

"Eh, don't look at me, you're the captain." The vice-captain said.

Maya nodded and walked touched the bandit's forehead. "Resume!" she shouted, hoping to unfreeze him from his introspective state.

The bandit looked at Maya calmly and said, "As I turn my gaze inward and reflect upon my actions and intentions, I realize the gravity of my sins and transgressions."

Airi was taken aback by the bandit's words. "Is he serious? He sounds like a philosopher or something."

Maya smiled at the bandit and continued the conversation, "Do you remember me?"

The bandit looked up and said, "I have come to understand that true repentance is not merely the act of confessing my faults to a higher power, but rather, it is the sincere desire to make amends for my actions and to actively work towards a life of virtue and righteousness."

The vice-captain shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. This guy was the one who used a child as a hostage."

Maya listened intently and replied, "I agree. Acknowledging our faults and limitations is a sign of maturity and growth."

The bandit continued, "May my reflections lead me towards a greater sense of self-awareness and a renewed commitment to living a life filled with compassion, empathy, and kindness towards all beings."

Mika whispered to Airi, "I don't know what to make of this. He seems genuine, but how do we know he won't do it again?"

Maya replied, "I believe everyone deserves a second chance. Let's hear him out."

The bandit said, "Indeed, I am grateful to the divine forces that be, for granting me this precious opportunity to reflect upon my sins and transgressions."

Airi nodded slowly. "I guess it can't hurt to give him a chance."

Maya smiled at the bandit, "May the divine forces guide you towards a path of spiritual enlightenment and fulfillment."

The bandit looked at Maya with gratitude and said, "Thank you. I hope to make amends for my actions and walk a path of righteousness."

"We should go back and discuss our plan now." The vice-captain suggested.

"Alright, let the world return to its natural state! Domain Disperse!" Maya shouted as she plunged her swords and the surroundings went back to normal.

The bandit walks away peacefully and the newly recruited members of the Zodiac Warriors join the strategy meeting.