The travel

A Life-Changing Gift

Thomas Blackwell stared at the translucent system screen hovering in front of him, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing.

A single, shimmering golden card floated before him, its elegant design pulsing with a faint glow.

> Time Travel Card (Bronze)

- Function: Allows travel back in time.

- Limitations: Can only travel 10 years into the past.

- Usage: Can be used twice.

- Duration: Each trip lasts exactly 24 hours before automatically returning to the present.

- Expiration: If not used within 24 hours, the card will disappear.

A time-travel ability.

This wasn't just lucky—this was a miracle.

For years, Thomas had lived an ordinary and frankly boring life in New York City.

Working an unremarkable job, dealing with rent payments, watching others get rich while he scraped by—he had always felt like life was rigged against people like him.

But now?

The rules had changed.

The game had changed.

"Bitcoin…"

The thought struck him like a lightning bolt.

Bitcoin had launched in 2009.

Back then, nobody cared about it. It was just some nerdy experiment—a digital currency mined by tech geeks in their spare time.

At one point, a single Bitcoin was worth less than a cent.

By 2010, Bitcoin slowly gained traction, but the price was still laughably low—mere pennies per coin.

Fast-forward to 2025?

Each Bitcoin was worth tens of thousands of dollars.

And at its peak?

Over $100,000 per Bitcoin.

People who had bought just a few hundred dollars' worth back then were now billionaires.

Thomas' breathing became ragged.

If he went back and bought hundreds of thousands of Bitcoins, he wouldn't just be rich.

He'd be one of the richest people on Earth.

The Big Question: How to Use the Card?

But before he could get too excited, a crucial problem popped into his mind.

"Wait… my money won't exist in the past. How the hell am I supposed to buy anything in 2010?"

Would he have to sell something for cash before time-traveling?

Or worse—would he have to somehow fake an identity to open a bank account?

The mere logistics of going back in time were a nightmare.

And then—

Ding!

The system's cold, mechanical voice rang out in his head:

"No need to worry, Host. Your funds will be fully accessible in the past. Identity and banking matters will also be automatically handled by the system."

Thomas' eyes widened.

"No way… It handles everything?"

This wasn't just a cheat code.

This was a guaranteed victory.

"I can't waste this."

He had 24 hours to use the card before it expired.

There was no second chance if he missed the window.

Preparing for the Jump

Rather than rush, Thomas forced himself to stay calm.

There were still things to consider before jumping back to 2010.

First—he needed to choose the exact date to travel to.

Bitcoin officially launched in October 2009, but back then, it was so obscure that barely anyone was trading it.

By mid-2010, however, Bitcoin had started appearing on forums and being sold for pocket change.

But the most important moment?

August 2010.

That was when a major protocol exploit was discovered, temporarily crashing Bitcoin's price.

At that time, Bitcoin was dirt cheap and available in large quantities.

"That's my window."

Second—he needed to mentally prepare.

This wasn't some video game.

He would have exactly 24 hours before being forcibly yanked back to the present.

He had to move fast.

He had to be efficient.

And most importantly—he had to avoid screwing up.

The Night Before:

After finalizing his plan, Thomas forced himself to relax.

Stress wouldn't help.

So, he grabbed some takeout, watched some TV, and even scrolled through his phone for a bit.

He wouldn't be able to use modern tech once he was in 2010, so he might as well enjoy it.

Then, he slept.

It was the best sleep he had in years.

---

The next evening, Thomas stood in a quiet alleyway near his apartment.

No distractions.

No noise.

Just him and the Time Travel Card.

With a deep breath, he pulled it from his system inventory.

The golden glow intensified, as if recognizing that it was about to be used.

Thomas's heart pounded.

"Use!"

Ding! Time Travel Card (Bronze) has been activated. Please select your desired time-travel date.

"August 15, 2010."

Ding! Timeline confirmed. Initiating time travel process…

A massive force suddenly gripped his entire body.

His vision darkened.

A powerful dizziness overwhelmed him.

And then—

---

August 15, 2010 – New York City

When Thomas opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the smell of the air.

It was different.

Fresher. Less polluted.

The second thing?

The buildings looked slightly newer—not aging like they were in 2025.

The street signs were the same, but some storefronts had different names.

Then, as he walked forward, he spotted something that made his heart stop.

A man passed by him, casually holding a BlackBerry phone.

A freaking BlackBerry.

No modern smartphones.

No one glued to TikTok or Instagram.

A different era entirely.

"It worked…"

His fingers clenched into fists, his pulse racing with excitement.

He had really gone back in time.

And now, the real challenge began.

---

Back in 2010, Bitcoin wasn't easy to buy.

There were no major exchanges like Coinbase.

Most trades happened through forums—people buying and selling Bitcoin directly through PayPal or cash transactions.

"I need to get online. Fast."

Without hesitation, Thomas hailed a taxi.

The driver barely even looked at him.

"Where to?"

"Take me to the nearest hotel ."

The driver shrugged.

"Sure thing, buddy."

As the taxi pulled onto the street, Thomas stared out the window.

His mind raced.

One day.

One shot.

If he pulled this off, he wouldn't just be rich—

He'd be one of the most powerful people on Earth.