Jared leaned forward in his chair, staring at the screen, heart pounding as the system applied its Time Editing to his AMV. The message still glowed in front of him:
[Applying Video Boost... please wait.]
He took a breath, drumming his fingers on the desk. This is really happening, he thought. I'm actually doing this. The system had practically given him the blueprint for success. It was hard to believe, but at the same time, he knew it was real. He had been thrown back in time, and now he had the power to change everything.
Suddenly, the screen flickered, and a new message appeared:
[Video Boost Complete.]
[Recommended Actions for Maximum Reach Provided.]
Jared's eyes narrowed as he scanned the system's instructions. They were laid out clearly, like a cheat sheet:
---
Optimal Upload Time: 6:35 PM
Hashtags: #AMV #animeedits #foryou #fyp
Caption: "The best moments deserve the best edits."
---
He grinned. 'This thing's got it all figured out,' he thought, excitement bubbling up inside him. He glanced at the clock—it was only 4:45 PM. 'I've got time to kill before the big moment.'
Feeling restless, Jared grabbed his phone and a pair of headphones before heading out the door. He needed to clear his head after the last few minutes, which had been nothing short of mind-blowing.
One second, he was in 2024, struggling to get views on TikTok. The next, he was back in 2021 with a mysterious system offering him a second chance.
Jogging always helped him think. He wasn't much of a runner, but getting out of the house, especially after everything that had just happened, felt necessary.
The sun was still high in the sky as he jogged through the neighborhood. His footsteps found a steady rhythm, which helped calm his mind.
It was strange, being seventeen again. Living at home with his parents and his annoying little brother, Connor.
But instead of panicking, Jared felt something different. Opportunity. He wasn't going to let this slip by.
His mind buzzed with possibilities. The system had done more for him in a few minutes than the algorithm had in years.
No reason to overthink it. This was his second shot at TikTok, and he was ready to take it.
After a few laps around the block, Jared felt his energy return. By the time he looped back to the house, the sky had started to dim.
He checked his phone—6:15 PM. Perfect. He had plenty of time to set things up.
Back in his room, Jared sat down at his desk and opened his laptop. His old TikTok account was a mess, full of failed videos and near-misses. He needed a fresh start.
He clicked Create New Account, and for a moment, stared at the username field, thinking of something new. Something that would stand out.
Eclipse.
The name popped into his head like lightning. Bold. Mysterious. Memorable. Without hesitation, he typed Eclipse and hit Create.
A fresh account. A blank slate. This was it.
Jared grinned at the sight of the empty profile. His new TikTok identity was ready for action. He quickly customized the basics—profile picture, bio—and transferred the AMV from his editing software to his phone.
He checked the time—6:30 PM. Five minutes to go.
His heart picked up pace, not from nerves, but from pure excitement. This time, he knew something big was coming.
At 6:34 PM, Jared uploaded the video. He made sure everything was perfect—the caption, hashtags, the flawless sync with the beat. His finger hovered over the Post button.
6:35 PM.
He pressed Post.
Leaning back in his chair, Jared felt a rush of anticipation. He wasn't nervous, not like before. This time, he knew something was going to happen. He glanced at his phone, waiting for the next system message.
The screen flickered once more.
[Video Posted.]
[Video Boost Activated.]
A slow grin spread across Jared's face. Video boost, huh? He couldn't wait to see what that meant.
The system was doing its thing in the background, and Jared had a feeling it would work. Finally, things were moving in his favor.
His phone buzzed.
[New Follower: @NarutoFan23 has followed you.]
Jared raised an eyebrow. "Already?" He chuckled. His account was barely a few minutes old, and he'd already picked up a follower.
The system was no joke.
Before he could soak it in, his bedroom door swung open, and in walked Connor, looking suspicious.
"Dude, why are you freaking out?" Connor asked, eyeing Jared with his usual twelve-year-old attitude. "You look like you just won the lottery or something. What, did one of those edits you make that get no views finally get some attention?"
Jared rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "Seriously, Connor? You're always barging in here. Don't you have anything better to do than mess with me?"
Connor snorted. "Yeah, sure. Like watching you lose it over TikTok isn't entertaining enough." He glanced at Jared's phone. "What's so special about this one, anyway? You're not gonna start, like, dancing in the living room, right?"
Jared smirked. "Don't worry about it. Just stay out of my room."
Connor grinned mischievously. "Whatever you say, big bro."
He turned to leave but paused at the door. His hand flicked the light switch off, throwing Jared's room into darkness. "Oops!" Connor called, sprinting down the hall before Jared could say a word.
"Connor!" Jared shouted, scrambling for the lamp on his desk. "I swear, if you touch my lights again...!"
But Connor was already gone, his footsteps pounding down the stairs.
With the lights back on, Jared couldn't help but chuckle. Little brothers... Annoying, but entertaining.
His phone buzzed again, but this time Jared didn't check it. He opened the system interface and said, "Turn off notifications."
[Notifications muted. You will no longer receive TikTok updates.]
Jared smiled, slipping the phone into his pocket. I'll let the system do its thing. I don't want to spoil it. I'll check it all later when I'm ready.
For now, he was going to enjoy the anticipation of seeing just how big this could get.
---
A/N: My novel is in review right now, so it isn't getting any views. I don't know how to fix it, so I'll just wait. Hope that when it does get out of review it gets attention.