Woosh.
The wind howled behind me as I jumped to the side — a pipe came crashing down where I'd just been standing.
Looking up, I locked eyes with the first thug.
His face twisted in surprise, but I didn't give him time to recover.
It'll turn into two-on-one if I don't end this fast.
And with these wounds… that'll be bad.
I ran toward Edward instead.
The blond's smug grin froze, confusion flashing across his face.
Before he could react, I swung the pipe.
Metal met bone with a dull thud, and his body hit the ground.
The last thing he saw was my cold eyes staring down at him.
He dropped — out cold.
But the first thug didn't hesitate.
He roared and charged, swinging his pipe like a bat.
I barely raised my arm in time — the impact rattled through my bones. Pain flared down my side, the same spot that had already been bruised.
"Gh—!" I staggered, gasping, my ribs screaming.
He swung again, wild but heavy. I ducked, the pipe grazing the top of my head. Sparks danced at the edge of my vision.
My breathing turned ragged. Every move felt slower, heavier. My body wasn't keeping up with what my mind wanted.
He grinned, sensing weakness. "Not so tough now, huh?"
"Shut up…" I hissed, forcing my body to move.
He came again, a diagonal swing. I stepped in instead of back, letting the blow glance off my shoulder — it hurt like hell — but I drove my knee into his gut.
The sound he made was somewhere between a cough and a gag.
Before he could recover, I brought the pipe around, smashing it against his side. The hit wasn't clean, but enough to drop him to one knee.
Pain surged through my ribs again. I almost dropped the weapon, but I tightened my grip and forced myself forward.
He tried to rise, snarling through his teeth, so I swung once more — this time, straight across his face.
The impact echoed through the alley.
He fell back, groaning, his weapon clattering beside him.
I stood there for a moment, chest heaving, vision swimming. My arms trembled, the pipe slick with sweat. Every muscle screamed at me to stop.
I looked down at the two of them — Edward unconscious, the thug barely moving.
"Still alive," I muttered, spitting blood to the side. "Lucky you."
The night was quiet again. Only the sound of my breathing, harsh and uneven, filled the space.
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The night air was cold — chilling, in fact.
People moved about, cars passing by, their horns slicing through the night sky.
Couples made out in the shadows.
Tired folks walked home from work, shoulders heavy with the weight of their problems.
But amidst the chaotic streets, a lone shadow emerged from an alley and merged with the crowd.
Although the figure's face was hidden beneath a black hoodie, and he tried to walk normally, anyone paying close attention would notice the slight limp in his step.
"Shit."
Max cursed under his breath, shivering as he fought to stay conscious.
The world around him blurred, drowned out by the replay of what had just happened — looping again and again in his mind.
He kept his head low, expression blank.
Questions kept surfacing.
What happened?
How am I back?
...Why am I back?
Do I have to go through all that again?
The questions came and went, unanswered.
His mind drifted back to the fight.
Did I kill those three?
No… that would be stupid.
He didn't know why or how he'd come back, but one thing he knew for certain — in two days, an event would occur that would change the very fundamentals of this world.
Memories flashed behind his eyes —
The night sky, burning red.
Screams.
Blood.
Animals — pets, strays, wild — turning into flesh-tearing monsters.
And then, that voice.
Just the thought of it sent a chill crawling down his spine.
He staggered, bumping into someone.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" a woman snapped.
Ignoring her, Max refocused on the road ahead.
"Although this world will be done for soon," he muttered, voice low, "it's not done for now.
Having the cops on my tail for murder isn't something I'd like to entertain. For now… I just need to get home."
The path back to his apartment unfolded in his mind like muscle memory, each familiar corner grounding him in this new, impossible reality.
A quiet reminder that — somehow — he was really here again.
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A Looming Threat Beyond the Stars
Far beyond the reach of any telescope, something vast and merciless drifted through the black.
A ship — if you could still call it that — the size of a small moon, cutting across the void like a blade through flesh.
From a distance, it looked frozen in place, unmoving against the sea of stars. Up close, it tore through space with unimaginable speed, its fabric bending around its mass.
Inside, a voice echoed. Cold. Commanding.
"Enter."
The door hissed open. A soldier stepped in — humanoid, almost. His armor gleamed silver under the pulsing red lights, and a sleek, furred tail flicked once behind him. He dropped to one knee.
"Your Highness."
"Report, Commander Belzebub."
Her tone could have frozen fire.
Belzebub didn't hesitate. "We've reached the edge of the Azure Supercluster. Scanners have detected several inhabited systems, but one planet stands out. Its mana is… sealed."
A low hum filled the chamber — soft, almost like a purr, threaded with danger.
"Sealed?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. It shouldn't be possible."
A pause followed — long, sharp enough to cut through the air.
"…Interesting."
The woman on the throne leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing. The atmosphere itself seemed to tense around her.
"Prepare NEXUS," she said at last, her voice calm but absolute. "We launch it the moment we reach optimal range. It must reach the planet in exactly 48 hours."
Belzebub bowed deeply. "Understood, Your Highness. I shall oversee the operation personally."
"Good."
He turned, tail flicking as the massive doors slid shut behind him.
Now alone, the woman leaned back in her throne. Her gaze drifted to the towering screen before her — a countdown timer flickering to life, its digits ticking down in cold precision.
She watched it for a moment, then closed her eyes, exhaling softly.
"Sigh… We don't have much time left."