And there I was, standing at the edge of a cliff, my armor drenched in blood.
"To think it would end like this… betrayed by the ones I loved—my own family."
"Alex, you should've seen this coming, you idiot." Those were the words my brother whispered in my ear as he pulled his blade from my stomach.
As the end approached, I cried out to my mother and father, even to my younger sister, begging for help. But when I looked at their faces… I saw it.
Their grins.
Smiles as if they'd finally swatted away some annoying fly that had been buzzing in their ears for too long.
I couldn't believe it. My own family—the people I lived with, fought beside, risked my life to protect—had stabbed me in the back.
So I asked my brother one last time:
"Why? Why would you do this to me, your older brother?"
His reply burned itself into my heart.
"Why? Because nobody wants a weak, worthless orphan like you around!" He laughed horrifically, his face inches from mine.
"Well, I guess this is it, Alex." He yanked his blade free and shoved me off the cliff. My blood spilled into the air as I plummeted toward my demise.
As my breath grew shallow, I screamed inside my mind.
"Why me?! Why do I have to die like this? Why would they kill me just because I was an orphan? If only… if only I had another chance! I swear I'd make them all pay—I'd kill them a hundred times for this! I loved them, and in return I got nothing but betrayal!"
The ground rushed closer. The only thing in my hand was the pocket watch I'd found during a quest on the 10th basement floor. It had no skills, no hidden abilities—just an old trinket I kept as a memento.
"To think I've worn this useless thing from the 10th floor all the way to the 99th…" I clenched it tightly. "At least let this much remain intact."
"I can't believe I lived such a worthless, pathetic life. God, if you're out there—" I paused, then laughed bitterly. "No… to hell with it. It's not like I'll get another chance. I might as well accept my fate."
I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact.
Beep-beep.
"…What? An alarm?"
My eyes fluttered open. For a brief moment I imagined angels and clouds welcoming me. But instead…
"What the hell? These awful posters… this disgusting stench… this is my old room!"
I dropped to my knees and prayed desperately.
"God, anything but hell!"
But then it hit me. Even hell couldn't possibly replicate the reek of my sweat-stained sheets.
I stumbled to my feet, my voice trembling.
"Wait… it can't be. Did I… did I actually get a second chance?"
I lifted my shirt. The fatal wound my brother left me was gone.
I rushed to the mirror. No scars carved by years of battle and betrayal—only the face of my younger self stared back.
"I… I look like I'm nineteen again. Back when all I cared about was games and women… Well, I guess not much has changed."
"But wait—what day is it?" I ran to the old calendar on my wall.
"December 31st, 2024…" My heart stopped.
"This is insane. I've been sent twenty years into the past. Back to the day it all began."
To be continued.