by Wartome
Everyone lost three years. Branch lost six. When the world “woke up,” the earth was carved out by a dungeon that shouldn’t exist, memories were missing, and reality itself felt… misaligned. Most people adapted. Branch didn’t. His new power robbed him of the ability to enjoy anything. Now he lives between moments. Two seconds ahead of everything.Two seconds removed from everyone.Unable to enjoy anything, not food, not sex, not even a laugh. The only thing that still feels like anything at all? Winning. By stepping out of time into a forgotten town that no longer exists, Branch can prepare, plan, and re-arm before slipping back into the exact same instant he left. In a world of monsters, relics, and broken physics, it makes him terrifyingly effective. It also might be the reason he’s broken. Sloane doesn’t care about any of that. Her sister is dying from a disease called the Glitch, and the only man who claims to have a cure is a madman inside the dungeon. She needs power. Fast. Branch needs answers. The dungeon has everything they need. But something in there is watching.Learning.Adapting. And for the first time since everything went wrong… Branch is about to run into something he can’t see coming. What to expect: An ability: see the future, leave the moment, come back prepared Smart fights where planning matters more than raw power A protagonist who would give up his power if he could A grounded, competent female lead who pulls her weight Mystery, missing time, and something very wrong with reality Wins that feel earned, losses that hurt A slow build from survival to mastery
