In my previous world, my name meant nothing.
Zetsu.
A name as forgettable as the rain streaks on the window of my cheap apartment. I was 22 years old, a fresh university graduate with no connections, no savings, and—of course—no plans. In a world driven by competition, I wasn't a fighter. I wasn't even a spectator. I was just… another walking unemployment statistic.
My mother once told me, "A life without direction will be led astray."
And maybe... she was right.
That day, it rained hard. I sat at a bus stop, staring at a giant LED ad that read:"VIRTUAL WORLD: Work, Wealth, Fame! Sign Up Now!"The words glowed in striking blue against the dim city lights. But I had no VR headset, no money, and not even the will to dream.
In my hand was the latest job rejection letter. The 31st company to say: "We appreciate your interest, but…"
I lowered my head. Reality was colder than the rain.My dream had died before it could even be born.
Then… I saw it.
An email. No sender. No address. Just a subject line:
"Would You Trade Your Time for a Second Chance?"
Spam, I thought.But my body moved on its own.My fingers tapped the cracked phone screen and opened the email.
There was only one button:
[ACCEPT]
Without thinking, I touched it.
And then… everything turned black.
I woke up in a strange silence.
Not my bed.Not my apartment.And definitely not the world I knew.
Above me stretched a dark purple sky, cracked with glowing lines like a shattered clock. A ticking sound echoed in my ears—rhythmic, piercing. The ground beneath me felt like glass, but wasn't slippery. Its scent reminded me of… frozen time.
I slowly stood up, my head spinning. Around me were strangers, all looking equally confused. Some still wore office uniforms, others pajamas. Everyone was silent. Only the ticking from the sky could be heard.
Then, a mechanical voice echoed across the space.
"Welcome, Newcomers. This is Tokinomachi—the dimension where time is currency and life is contract."
A panel floated in the air, glowing softly. A blue neon hologram formed the face of a woman—cold, digital, too perfect to be real.
"The system has detected your consent to the Existential Transfer Agreement. Therefore, your remaining lifespan is now your only asset."
Suddenly, a silver bracelet appeared on my wrist, as if grown from my skin. Digital numbers blinked to life:
⏳ 55 Years 00 Months 00 Days 00 Hours 00 Minutes
I froze.
My only possession... is my life time?
"Sit down before you faint."
A voice came from beside me. I turned and saw a girl—long silvery hair, deep blue eyes, and a perfectly unreadable face.
"Your name is Zetsu, right? I'm Rei. I've welcomed hundreds like you."
"Like me?" I asked. "What is this place? A game world?"
Rei sighed. Softly, but it made me feel stupid.
"No. This is real. At least, it is for you now. You're no longer part of your previous world. You signed a contract—even if you didn't read it."
I held my breath.
"Then why am I here? I didn't die, did I?"
Rei looked at me for a long second before answering with a cold voice:
"Because you wasted your life."
Those words cut deeper than they should have. But I couldn't deny them.
She continued, "The system selects people whose lives have stagnated. People who refuse to move forward, but are too afraid to go back. People who are already dead… in existence. Tokinomachi is your second chance, Zetsu. But also… your final test."
She flicked her wrist, opening another floating panel. It listed several items:
🛠 Daily Jobs
💳 Time Bank
📜 Time Contracts
💀 Execution System – Shokutai
🕒 Chrono Status: Active
I didn't even understand what "Chrono Status" meant, but my brain was already about to explode.
"I just want to go back…"
Rei shook her head. "Not that simple. You can return… if you pay the exit fee: 120 years of lifetime."
"Impossible…" I whispered.
Rei gave a thin smile.
"Then survive. Collect time. Just don't die on the first day."
Night fell like a heavy purple fog.
I sat alone in a small sleep capsule assigned to new arrivals. It felt like lying inside a transparent coffin. Cold. Lonely. Too quiet for someone used to the hum of a broken AC.
I looked at my wrist again.
⏳ 54 Years 364 Days 23 Hours 51 Minutes
Even doing nothing costs time.
I understand now.
In this world, life is debt.
And I…I just signed the contract.