End of the betrayal

"Arrrghh.."

Stan couldn't believe what just happened to him. With multiple arrows in his body, causing injuries all over, he looked towards the people responsible for his wounds.

At the back stood Tom, Dick and Harry, who were looking back at him with expressionless faces while holding onto a small-emergency crossbow in their hands. Meanwhile, standing in front of him, Ian and Cassie were both showing twisted smiles.

Stan felt his body grow heavier with each passing second. As his blood is slowly draining from the multiple arrow wounds he sustained, Stan released a bloody cough before falling to his knees while looking down.

"haa..ugh..ha.."

Stan tried to ignore all the pain he felt as he struggled to breathe, which became stiff and uneven because of all the wounds he suffered. Meanwhile, through his unsteady breathing, a poodle of blood gradually forms beneath him as the blood slowly drips from all the injuries on his body and falls to the ground.

With gritted teeth, Stan lifts his head high because of the pain and anger he felt. Then with bloodshot eyes he looked at the individuals responsible for the miserable state he is in.

His so-called best friend along with his own wife, to make matters worse, the so-called love of his life gave this "Best Friend" of his, a deep kiss on the lips with a look of love.

Tom, Dick and Harry started laughing at the scene displayed in front of them, because Stan has only now found out that he was a cuckold for his best friend, Ian, who looked back at him with a slight smile.

"Arrrhh… IANNNN!!!" 

Looking down upon Stan like this, Ian felt excitement welling up in his heart. The whole situation made him look like a cliché villain, but that didn't matter to Ian. So long as he can live a comfortable and debt free life, he was fine with sacrificing a dozen more people like Stan.

"Oh Stan, you really are a fool now héhé. It seems that continuously drugging you with [Goblin's Strength] was really useful." With those last words, Ian turned around and walked back towards the cave entrance together with the others.

"…Why?"

His voice sounded very weak, and it was difficult to speak without coughing blood, but Stan still managed to ask while looking at Ian's back with red eyes.

Hearing Stan's question made Ian sneer a little, while he stopped for a moment to respond,

" It's quite simple Stan, Young master Chen wants you to die. His father even arranged for you to receive a [hidden quest] from the king in order to bait you. And with you no longer being useful to me alive, I decided it was time for you to die. Thank you for your 'sacrifice' Stan."

Cassie, who was still snuggling within Ian's embrace, suddenly took off a ring from her finger and threw it towards Stan while saying, "I won't be needing this anymore darling~."

With a trembling hand Stan managed to pick up ring that was thrown to the ground. He could hardly believe what he just heard. Looking at the ring in his hand brings back some memories, as it was the ring he gave to Cassie when he professed his love for her.

It was a nameless ring thought to be of high value because it could not be appraised by any means.

"Cough, Cough." Stan felt himself weakening with another bloody cough. Due to all the blood loss, he could finally think clearly for a moment.

He was dying

He was left to die by Ian, and he could only feel a deep regret.

Holding the ring tightly within his bloody hand, Stan quietly murmured his last words, "If only I could go back to the beginning…I…Would…"

Stan lost all feeling of his body, and his vision has darkened, but before he breathed out his last breath, something extraordinary happened.

[Ding!]

[The 'Ring of #####' has been activated.]

Stan slowly started to regain his conscious, as he heard a nostalgic sound.

*ewh...ewh..ewh.ewh.*

'Is this death or have I regressed?' Stan thought so while staring at a familiar ceiling with groggy eyes.

Even though the familiar sound that his alarm clock used to make started to annoy him very fast, the feeling of laying on such a nice bed made him unwilling to make any movements. Besides, he died not that long ago.

*ewh...ewh..ewh.ewh.*

'Wait, that isn't right!' The next moment Stan abruptly stood up and looked at his surroundings.

"Have. Have I really regressed back in time!?" Stan exclaimed in great shock.

*ewh...ewh..ewh.--*

he quietly turned off his alarm clock, while still feeling shocked about the current situation. Because Stan currently found himself in his old apartment. It looked exactly the same as he could remember from 5 years ago.

As Stan wasn't exactly the rich, his apartment wasn't particularly big. With only having 3 rooms in total, a shared kitchen and living room, a bedroom and a small bathroom.

Although his apartment was quite small, in today's world, it was kind of the standard apartment for students.

Thinking back, ever since he left his home, he really lived like a single dog on earth.

But Stan's eyes were currently focused on the side of the bed.

There, standing on his bedside table next to his old phone, stood a picture of his family. With trembling hands Stan picked up the picture while tears started rundown his cheeks, as old memories returned to him.

On the picture he could see himself standing beside his mother and little brother. On the day of his graduation from university, his mother, along with his little brother, were involved in a car accident and didn't survive.

Having not seen their faces in so many years, he almost forgot how they used to look like.

While drying his tears, his "old" phone received a message. Stan wanted to look at the message when he suddenly froze after picking up the phone, while his eyes slightly widened in disbelief.

He received a message from his attorney, who was asking if he would accept the deal or not.

Stan could still remember this message. It happened not long after the car accident that caused the death of his mother and little brother.

His attorney was asking if he would accept the hush-money from the second-generation rich kid that caused the car accident, or to bring the matter to court.

In his "previous" life, being overcome with grief and anger, Stan decided to turn down the half-a-million credits and take the matter to court.

Unfortunately, justice did not avail. While the accused rich second-generation kid, who didn't even come to the trial got scot-free, Stan was left with nothing but his tears and a broken heart.

While he didn't know it at the time, later he found out that the judge was paid off by the family of that rich kid, which is why he lost in court.

A sharp glint suddenly appeared in the eyes of Stan.

"Now that I have a second chance at life things will be different. Cassie, Ian, just you wait!" While saying so, Stan looked down at his phone because of a new notification.

[Experience a second world in the new game 'Sky World Online'! Now available for purchase.]