"Shit—"
My breath hitched and scraped in my chest. Every step sent a jolt up my legs, but stopping wasn't an option. Not with those bastards still behind me.
The alley twisted ahead, slick with rain and shadows that stretched like claws under the flickering streetlights. My heartbeat drowned everything else out.
"When the hell are these idiots gonna quit?"
I risked a glance over my shoulder. Three silhouettes — big, fast, and closing in. Their footsteps slapped the wet concrete, echoing off the walls.
Not good.
I cut hard around a corner. My sneakers skidded, my hand grazing the brick for balance. My fingers brushed over loose trash and broken glass — perfect. I grabbed a handful and threw it behind me without looking. The sound of clattering bottles bought me a second. Maybe two.
"Stop right there, Max!"
"Boss, he's getting away!"
"Do I look blind to you, idiot!"
My lungs screamed. My legs felt like molten lead. Just a little further—
The world tilted.
The ground rushed up fast, and then — thud.
Pain rippled through my ribs. I tried to move, but the edges of everything blurred and folded inward.
Then nothing.
-------------------------------------------------
A Strange Awakening
Cold.
That was the first thing I felt when consciousness returned.
Cold air pressing against my skin.
Cold stone beneath my back.
The smell of rot and trash hit my nose.
What the…?
Where the hell…?
I pushed myself up, struggling to keep myself upright as I leaned against the nearest wall.
Looking around to grasp what's going on, I froze.
My hands were small. Smooth… No scars.
A chill ran through me.
Totally different from the cold of the evening
"No… this is not possible."
The last thing I remembered was…
A hollow chuckle slipped past my lips. It was quiet, almost lost in the night air.
"So, I really died, huh?"
Not that it was surprising. There was no way I could've survived that attack.
I was the weakest member in my squad. The expendable one.
I clenched my fists. The sensation of smooth skin against my palm sent a shudder through me.
But if I was dead… what on earth is going on?
Footsteps echoed from the end of the alley.
"There he is! Boss, we found him!"
I turned. Two guys stood at the alley's mouth, metal pipes glinting under the flickering streetlight. Their shadows stretched long across the wet ground.
Then came slower steps ---deliberate, confident. A blond haired figure emerged, his smug grin cutting through the dark like he owned the night
I tilted my head slightly, studying them.
"Who the hell are these guys?"
He stepped closer, smirk widening. "Looks like your luck's finally run out, huh, Maxwell Scott."
His voice pulled at a loose thread in my memory until an old picture snapped into place. My face went still.
Then, recognition sparked in my eyes.
His voice sent an eerie sense of déjà vu.
This exact situation… I've seen it before.
This alley, the people in front of me, the trash scattered on the ground. Heck, even the black cat slipping past the trash—
It was all the same.
Exactly like it was thirty years ago.
I exhaled slowly, a shaky breath escaping.
"I see…
Somehow,
I've returned to my past self."
-------------------------------------------------
The Game Has Changed
"Oi, you deaf or what?"
The blonde's voice finally cut through my thoughts, laced with the same arrogance I had long since forgotten.
I looked up again and stared at his face
Everything about this character came crawling back
Edward Hills.
One of the most loyal lapdogs of our so-called school prince.
Back then, I was a nobody — one of the losers who crushed on the school belle from a distance. That alone had been enough reason for them to make my life hell.
Enough to get my balls crushed by these bastards.
I looked at my unscarred hands and clenched them tight.
But that was the old me
Now?
I looked back up at Edward's smug face, then at the two goons flanking him.
A different emotion stirred within me.
Not anxiety.
Not fear.
But excitement.
Even though this body was far weaker than my future self, it was still mine.
And that meant—
"I can fight back."
A slow grin tugged at my lips.
-------------------------------------------------
Time to flip the script
Edward's eyes glinted with amusement, sizing me up like the loser he remembered.
I stood still, head slightly lowered, keeping my expression unreadable. Something in my stance had changed, but he didn't notice--- or care.
He took a step closer, still grinning. "Well, today, you're—"
"Just shut the fuck up, Edward." I cut in, voice flat and cold.
His words stalled. The alley falling silent except for distant car horns. His eyes narrowed
"What did you just say?"
I lifted my gaze, locking eyes with him. "You heard me, Shut the fuck up.
You're just a dog pretending to be a wolf — waiting for your master's whistle."
One of his goons twitched, ready to swing, but Edward raised a hand, stopping him. He chuckled, shaking his head as he stared at me
"I can see that you've got a death wish," he said, smiling thinly. "Fine. I'll grant it."
He moved.
A fist came hurtling toward my face. Fast.
But I was already dropping low.
The wind rushed over my head as his punch sailed past, slamming into the brick wall behind me. A sickening crack rang out.
"FUCK!" He yelped, staggering back and clutching his bloodied hand.
Before he recovered, the others rushed me. Pipes arcing through the air.
I barely had time to react
The first guy swung down hard. I twisted to the right, barely dodging, but my movements were sluggish—this body was still too weak, too slow
The second goon didn't hesitate. His pipe came from the side, a blur of rusted metal aimed straight for my ribs.
Shit—!
Pain exploded in my side as the pipe connected. A sharp, white-hot agony that knocked the air from my lungs
I staggered, coughing, the metallic taste of blood creeping into my mouth.
No time to dwell on it.
I crouched low, sweeping my hand across the ground, grabbing a fistful of dirt and debris. Then, without warning, I flung it straight into the second goon's face.
"ARGHH! My eyes!"
He reeled back, clawing at his face.
I didn't waste the opening.
Pushing through the pain, I lunged forward, driving my elbow into the back of his neck. His body went limp, crumpling to the ground.
Edward's voice cracked. "What are you idiots doing?!"
I ignored him, reaching down to snatch one of the fallen pipes from the ground.
Not as good as a great sword, but it'll do.
I spun it once, feeling its weight settle in my grip.
Then I wiped the blood from my lips, spitting to the side before turning my gaze back to Edward.
"Now that I have a weapon…, let's see how tough you really are."