Extra 3: Infinite Loop

Ever since some unknown moment, I realized that I seemed to be a special grasshopper, more intelligent than ordinary grasshoppers.

And I had not originally been a grasshopper.

I would enter a dream and dream of a string of numbers—364235638.

364235638.

A string of incomprehensible numbers. I did not know what they truly meant.

Yet this number seemed to hold extraordinary meaning for me.

I spread my wings, leaped onto a leaf, and began to chew.

For a grasshopper, danger always arrived without warning. I sprang away with the strength of my hind legs, but those large hands still caught me. They belonged to a druid with a gentle appearance.

I always felt as though I knew that druid, but just as I tried to communicate with him—

My body was torn in half by those large hands and fed separately to two injured fledglings. Excruciating pain crashed over me, and hatred for that druid rose within me...

At the moment of death, memories surged in like a tide.

I discovered that the druid had killed me hundreds of times in all sorts of ways, and every time, I died beneath his indifferent gaze.

Why! Why did I have to be killed like this every single time!

Next time, next time I would definitely escape!

I found myself in a strange space.

The space was entirely white, with only a blue screen displaying the number 003.

Countless memories surged forth again. I remembered that this number had originally been 365, and had gradually dwindled to 003.

I knew that with three times left, a different outcome would appear. Perhaps I would escape the fate of being killed.

Crushed to death beneath the old druid's foot.

Caught by the old druid and thrown into the water.

Buried in the earth by the old druid.

I had finally endured 365 deaths. I knew it should be over.

More memories emerged, and I remembered. I was not a grasshopper at all—I was the old druid who had been killing the grasshopper all along. Everything just now had been punishment.

"Medlan, I once killed you, but I have always felt that what I did was wrong. I will give you one year of punishment. As long as you accept it, I will forgive you."

So this was my punishment?

Did one death represent one day?

Had my punishment ended?

My vision gradually returned, and the things before me slowly came into focus.

Once again, I saw a blue screen. On it appeared a number that made my whole body tremble—364235637.

At that moment, everything became crystal clear.

364 days, 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 37 seconds remained.

After that...

I became a grasshopper again and arrived in a space with a blue screen. The number on the screen was 365.

I seemed to have forgotten everything, with only a string of numbers remaining in my mind—364235637.