Chapter 16: Ultimate Sacrifice Reward

Lucian's head was spinning as he tried to grasp the reality around him. A loud ding echoed in his mind, an unfamiliar robotic voice rattling off phrases he couldn't quite comprehend.[Ding! Congratulations, host, for ULTIMATE SACRIFICE to loved one, target: Avey.]

[Reward: Time Rewind. Break of ULTIMATE CURSE LOVEWITHER. Breaking the shadow world it was upon the plot characters now.]

Lucian gasped, startled by the voice in his head. His heart raced as he blinked and looked around frantically, trying to figure out where he was. The world around him spun, and his vision blurred momentarily before snapping back into focus. He found himself standing outside a large, luxurious hotel, the kind of place where the rich and powerful mingled.

People bustled around him, dressed in designer suits, high heels clacking against the marble steps as they entered and exited the grand building.

Confusion gripped Lucian like a vice. He felt his head throbbing, as if he'd just been shaken from a deep sleep. "Where the hell am I?" he muttered under his breath, his voice cracking slightly from the disorientation. He glanced down at himself and realized he was wearing an expensive suit, one that clung to him perfectly, as if tailored for a special occasion.

His gaze fell further, and he noticed something in his hand a bouquet of flowers. Not just any flowers, but Kadupul flowers, the rarest in the world, known as the "queen of the night." Priceless and fleeting, these flowers bloomed only for a few hours before withering away. They were delicate, glowing white petals that seemed almost ethereal.

Seeing them triggered something deep within Lucian. His hands trembled as he remembered painstakingly growing these flowers for months using the God-level gardening skill he had acquired from the system. He had thought, at that time, that he could grow anything, but it had taken him six long months to nurture these flowers. In reality, it should have taken years.

Why was he holding these? His heart thudded heavily in his chest. Slowly, the memories came flooding back to him. He had grown these flowers for someone… for her. Avey.

A wave of nausea washed over him as the reality of his situation hit him. He was dead. He had died. He had given his heart to Avey, sacrificed everything for her. The last thing he remembered was the cold operating table, the blurry faces of doctors, and the sensation of his life slipping away. He had been ready to leave everything behind.

"I'm supposed to be dead," Lucian whispered hoarsely. "I gave up my heart... I should be gone."

He stumbled slightly, the weight of the bouquet nearly slipping from his hand as he leaned against the glass door of the hotel, staring at his reflection. It took a moment for him to register what he was seeing. The man in the reflection was younger much younger.

His skin was taut and smooth, his hair thicker and darker, and his eyes, although still haunted, were free of the deep lines that had carved into his face over the years.

His heart pounded as he raised his hand to his face, touching the reflection to confirm it was real. "I... I'm 18 again?"

Frantically, he dug into his pockets, pulling out an old phone. The model was outdated, something he hadn't used in years. His fingers trembled as he swiped the screen to check the date.

"F-fuck," Lucian breathed out, seeing the date flash before his eyes. It was seven, maybe eight years ago. He was back. Back in time.

Everything spun around him once more. The world felt too fast, too overwhelming. The people around him continued to bustle past, paying him no attention, but Lucian's mind was stuck in a whirlwind of disbelief. He felt like he was being dragged through a haze, struggling to grasp the reality he was suddenly thrown into.

"Hey, system!" Lucian shouted inside his mind, desperate for some explanation. "Are you still there? What the hell is happening?"

The robotic voice responded in its usual monotone. [Yes, host. As stated before, you have been rewarded for your ultimate sacrifice. You are now back in time.]

Lucian's lips trembled. "A reward?" he spat, his voice laced with bitterness. "This feels more like a curse." His mind was a jumble of anger, grief, and disbelief. "I died, system. I was tired. I gave up.

I wanted to end it all. Why the hell would you bring me back?!"

[Host, I cannot express my disappointment in you,] the system chimed in. [You now have the chance to live again. You can start over. You can leave behind all the pain and suffering. Why not take this opportunity to try something new?]

Lucian's eyes were hollow as he leaned against the door, gazing blankly at the bustling people around him. "Something new? Are you insane? I don't care anymore. I was supposed to be free, to finally stop feeling this pain. And now you want me to live through it again?!" His voice was barely above a whisper now, as if he had lost the strength to yell.

His thoughts were spiraling into darkness. What was the point? He had sacrificed everything his life, his heart yet here he was, back to where it all began. The hollow ache in his chest only grew, the suffocating weight of all those years of rejection and heartache pressing down on him.

sighh just leave it Lucian don't want to remember anything from last life now...he is tired but still he remember what happened after he died somehow

"When they say that your life flashes before your eyes when you die for whole 7 minutes... they never tell you about this part." He thought back to the surreal, blurry moments before he passed, the flashes of his happiest memories playing out like a cruel movie.

He remembered his mother, his sister, and Avey back when things were good. Back when they loved him. He remembered how his sister used to tease him, how his mother would kiss his forehead at night, and how Avey's smile had made his heart flutter, even though she had never looked at him the same way.

Lucian's vision blurred with tears. His best memories had played in those final moments. But those same memories were now tainted, clouded by the bitter reality of what came after. He had loved them, protected them, given everything for them and they had left him broken.

And then there were Jimmy and Garry. Those motherfuckers had shown up in his memories, too. They were his brothers, the only ones who had stayed by his side through everything. He remembered the moments with them the laughter, the fights, the camaraderie. They had given him the strength to keep going, even when he wanted to fall apart.

Lucian wiped his eyes, letting out a bitter laugh. "It's true what they say, huh? When you die, your happiest moments flash before your eyes. But no one tells you that once you wake up, all that happiness turns into nothing but pain."

...

okl guys here it is we are officially opening the plot

well imm kinda not impressed with this chapter dont know why...well it might be because my day was off S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

well i would like to apologise for late update...well i was very tired after collage and stuff...kinda sighhhhh well today i wrote it with very bad mood...it might had made it bad...idk tell me if it was ok

thanks for reading guys...

your support always motivate the author no matter how little it is... just your little words of thanks meant so much to me