The darkness was suffocating. It wasn't the kind of darkness one felt while asleep; it was an oppressive, cold void. And in the middle of it, Sunny's mind screamed in pain.
What happened?
The last thing he remembered was the betrayal—the piercing pain of a blade thrust into his chest by the very people he trusted, the guild he worked for. He remembered everything: their plans to merge with a criminal organization, his refusal to comply, and then, the cold darkness of death.
I'm dead...
But as the blackness enveloped him, something strange happened. The darkness didn't remain. Instead, there was a bright light—a harsh light that forced him to squint. His body felt light, as if it was floating, but his mind was racing, trying to understand what was happening.
Did I...?
Suddenly, everything snapped. His body jerked as if awakened from a deep slumber. His eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he saw was the dull, chipped ceiling of his old house. It wasn't the luxurious apartment he'd come to know after years of working under the guild's thumb. No, this was the tiny room he grew up in—small, cramped, and far from the future he'd been building for himself.
He blinked a few times, confusion flooding his mind. This… This can't be real. What is going on?
The familiar smell of musty walls filled his nostrils, and for a moment, he thought he was hallucinating. He was back here. Back in his old home. He sat up quickly, his heart racing as he stared at the single window in the room, its curtains drawn to the side.
The memories hit him like a tsunami—the hardship, the loneliness, the hunger. He had lived here as an orphan, with barely enough to eat, struggling to survive in a world that seemed determined to push him to the edge.
But then, his mind began to piece things together. The guild, the game, the betrayal... His death. The darkness. And now, this. He had been killed. Both in the game... and in real life.
Wait... he thought, his eyes wide with realization. I've been reborn?
His heart pounded in his chest. If this was true—if he truly was back in time—then it meant everything he knew about the world, about the game, was still to come. He was here, back before the betrayal, back before he had lost everything. He had a second chance. But at what cost?
He pushed himself off the bed and looked around the room. The walls were bare, the only furniture a worn-out cot, a wooden desk with scattered papers, and a single bookshelf filled with books he could barely afford to read.
Sunny's hands trembled as he ran them through his hair, his mind racing. He had been given another shot at life, but what would he do with it? He had to figure out how the game worked, how the world had changed since his death, and how he could protect himself from the dangers that had cost him everything in his previous life.
He glanced at the small, cracked mirror on the wall. His reflection stared back at him—young, thin, and weak. I may have the knowledge of the future, but I'm not invincible.
But one thing was certain. The guild that had betrayed him, the people who had killed him—he wouldn't let them win again. This time, he'd be the one pulling the strings. This time, he'd build his strength, his wealth, and his influence, no matter what it took.
The road ahead would be difficult, and his enemies would be many. But for now, all he could do was take a deep breath, step forward, and begin anew .