As the weight of his second chance settled in, Sunny knew one thing for sure: he wasn't going to waste it.
His fingers trembled as he reached for the old, cracked phone lying on the desk. The moment he powered it on, the screen lit up with a faint glow. He stared at the date and time displayed at the top: December 28, 2024, 6:43 a.m.
For a long moment, Sunny simply stared at the screen, his thoughts a chaotic mess. The year, the day—it all lined up. He had been sent back precisely eight years. A small smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. "A few days before the launch..." he muttered to himself.
The game. Nexus Online. The words felt almost sacred as they formed in his mind.
He quickly searched for news about the game's release. The confirmation came in seconds: The most anticipated virtual reality game, Nexus Online, will officially launch on January 1st, 2025.
Four days. That was all he had to prepare for the start of the game that would change everything—not just for him, but for the entire world.
Sunny set the phone down and leaned back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling of his tiny room. The excitement bubbling in his chest was quickly overtaken by a sense of urgency. Four days wasn't much time. He needed to act fast.
He opened his bank app to check his account balance. The numbers stared back at him: $243.17.
Sunny let out a bitter laugh. It had taken him nearly two years of part-time jobs to save that money during high school, and it wasn't even close to what he needed. He closed the app and stared at the phone, frustration gnawing at him.
The VR headset for Nexus Online cost a steep $1,000. Back in his previous life, it had been worth every penny, but now, it was a price he couldn't afford—not with his current savings.
"Think, Sunny. Think," he muttered to himself.
He considered his options. Working part-time wouldn't get him the money in time; four days wasn't nearly enough. Borrowing from a bank wasn't possible—he didn't have the credit history or collateral. The harsh truth hit him: there was only one option left.
A loan shark.
Sunny's gaze darkened as the idea took hold. It wasn't an easy decision, but it was the only realistic one. Loan sharks were dangerous, especially in a city like Mumbai. They didn't care about your circumstances, only the terms of their contracts—and those terms were brutal.
But Sunny wasn't afraid. In his past life, he'd dealt with worse. He'd been betrayed, beaten, and left for dead. Compared to that, this felt almost trivial.
The thought brought him back to the present. He glanced around the cramped room, taking in the peeling paint and the rusted fan overhead. The only food he had left was a pack of instant ramen he'd been saving for dinner. It was a harsh reminder of the reality he lived in.
"I can't live like this again," he whispered to himself. "I won't."
His resolve hardened. The risks didn't matter. He'd seen the future. He knew the power and wealth that awaited him if he played his cards right in Nexus Online. All he needed was to get into the game at launch. Everything else could come later.
Sunny grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. The sun had barely risen, casting long shadows over the narrow streets of the slums. He pulled the hood over his head and began walking, his mind replaying what he knew about the city's underbelly.
There was a man, someone he'd heard about back in his high school days. A loan shark named Ramesh, infamous for his ruthless deals. Sunny didn't know where Ramesh operated, but he knew where to start looking.
Each step Sunny took felt heavier than the last. He knew what he was walking into, and he knew the risks. If he couldn't pay the loan back, he wouldn't just lose his money. He'd lose himself—quite literally.
But he also knew this was his only chance.
The path ahead was dangerous, but it didn't matter. Sunny's eyes burned with determination. He had four days to change his future, and he wasn't about to let anything stand in his way.
As he turned a corner, the narrow alley ahead grew darker. He could hear voices in the distance, laughter mixed with sharp words. His pace quickened.
Sunny knew he was stepping into the lion's den, but he didn't hesitate. After all, the stakes were worth it.
Suddenly, a flash of memory hit him. The faces of his former guildmates flashed in his mind. Their mocking smirks were burned into his memory.
"You'll never make it without us," one had said, voice dripping with disdain. "You think you can rise above this life? You're nothing without a guild backing you."
Sunny clenched his fists, the old frustration bubbling up. Back then, he had nothing—no power, no real choice—but he had believed their words. He had trusted them, given everything to the guild, hoping that one day it would lead to something more. Instead, they left him stranded, just another pawn discarded when he was no longer useful.
But that was the past. He wasn't that person anymore.
Sunny could feel the fire in his chest. He had learned that the world didn't owe you anything. If you wanted something, you had to fight for it—and take it.
"I'll show them all," he muttered.
The old wounds still stung, but now they only fueled his resolve.