He gasped, a cold breath escaping his lips.
His eyes snapped open—heavy, slow, confused. The ceiling above was all too familiar, plain and worn out.
His heart pounded wildly in his chest.
This wasn't the 100th floor of the Tower.
This wasn't the battlefield stained with blood and steel.
This... was—
"My old apartment?" he breathed, sitting up slowly.
The dusty scent of faded wallpaper filled the air. The ceiling fan creaked above. A tiny crack near the window caught his eye—the same one he'd promised himself he'd fix years ago. Everything was unchanged. Everything was from ten years ago.
He looked down at his trembling hands.
In one hand, a scratched, dull pendant that still glowed faintly—his.
In the other, a small silver charm with a fading crescent moon—the pendant Alia wore.
"Alia…" His voice cracked.
Memories crashed over him like relentless waves. The Tower. The Dungeons. The wars between guilds. That painful moment when he stood over his daughter, sword raised—when he couldn't bring himself to strike. When she—
He clenched his teeth, his whole body shaking.
"I killed her," he whispered brokenly. "No… she killed me."
Tears streamed down his face, hot and bitter. His chest ached with a deep, gnawing guilt.
"I should have been there. I should never have left. If only I'd loved her more… maybe she wouldn't have become the Tower's final boss."
His eyes caught the photo frame on the shelf.
A picture of three souls, happy and whole.
Him. Meera. Alia.
Back when he was a husband. A father. A man who believed in tomorrows.
His fingers hovered over the frame, trembling.
"I'm back… I'm really back."
Suddenly, a soft ding echoed in the quiet room.
A glowing blue window shimmered in front of him, like a hologram.
[ Awakening System Initialized. ]
Class: ⚔️ Swordwielder (Past)
New Class Unlocked: ☠️ Grim Reaper
Level: Triple-X
Status: Future Powers Retained.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"So, I kept my power… even after death?"
His fists clenched tight. "That means… I can fix everything."
He stood up swiftly, wobbling for a moment but finding his balance. His breath was still shaky, but now his eyes burned with fierce determination.
He moved toward the door.
A soft hum stopped him.
It came from the kitchen.
He crept forward.
There she was—Meera.
Her hair tied back, wearing her sky-blue apron, humming an old love song they both liked. Time held still around her.
And beside her, a little girl with shining eyes, a milk mustache, and cookie crumbs—Alia.
His heart shattered and mended all at once.
Without thinking, he dropped to his knees and pulled his daughter into a tight embrace.
"Papa—?!" she gasped, surprised.
He held her tighter, tears falling freely. "I'm sorry… so sorry…"
Meera turned sharply, worry creasing her face. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?! What happened?"
He looked up into her worried eyes—the sound of her voice was the most beautiful thing he'd heard in years.
He opened his mouth.
But the words froze inside him.
How could he tell her he'd left them behind? That in the future, she would die alone; that their daughter would become the Tower's greatest enemy?
So instead, he smiled through his tears.
"I'm just… happy," he whispered. "Happy to see you both."
They stared, confused, but he didn't care.
That night, he didn't train or make plans.
He just held his daughter. Ate dinner with his wife. Watched cartoons. Laughed as Alia climbed on his back.
He was home.
But the dawn would come.
And with it… the past that once shaped their future.
Later, standing by the window, moonlight on his face, the twin pendants swinging from his fingers, he whispered:
"I'll rewrite everything."
"No matter what… I won't lose you again."
He opened his system window and picked his first mission.
[ Join Starting Guild: Crimson Wolf ]
[ Track: Dungeon Activities – Class E and D ]
[ Bonus Quest Unlocked: Fate Reversal – Protect Alia ]
He smiled.
Next stop: the guild where it all began.
But this time… he was not the same man who left.
To be continued...