THE SECOND CHANCE 1

While walking home. In front of him, he noticed a girl. She walked quickly, her grip tightening on her belongings as she hurried along, a slight unease in her movements. Two men followed closely behind her. She was a short distance away,

The boy noticed them moving further ahead. They took a turn at the end of the road, the girl leading, and the two men following close behind.

When he reached the same turn, he paused. His eyes scanned the empty road ahead before shifting toward the path the girl had taken. Something stirred in him as he placed a single step toward the turn.

Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he froze mid-step. His face darkened as a fleeting memory surfaced in his mind. Without a word, he clenched his fists and beat himself lightly on the side.

He lowered his gaze to the ground, and stepped back onto the straight path ahead. Without looking back, he continued walking home, his expression as unreadable as ever.

The girl found herself cornered in a secluded area, her back against the wall as the two men closed in on her. She turned slowly to face them, her expression calm and composed, as if unbothered by their presence. There was a faint flicker of recognition in her eyes, but she concealed it well, betraying no fear or panic.

The first man stepped forward with a smirk, his tone mocking as he addressed her. "You knew we were following you all along, didn't you? You could've said something to someone. Maybe you could've escaped if you tried." He paused, narrowing his eyes. "But you didn't. I don't know why."

Before she could respond, the second man chuckled from behind him, adding in a playful tone, "That's because we don't give anyone a chance to escape. Isn't that right?" His voice carried a mocking edge, the kind that sent chills down a person's spine.

The first man took another step closer, his grin widening. Just as he moved in, the girl raised her hand in a defensive gesture.

The second man tilted his head, laughing lightly. "Look at her. She's ready for battle. See? She even wore her gloves. She knew this was coming."

The first man glanced back at him with a grin before turning his attention back to her. "Oh, so you're ready to attack me, huh?" he said, his tone carrying a mixture of mockery and challenge.

Without waiting for a response, he adjusted the glasses on his face. A single magic circle formed in the air before him, glowing faintly with energy. It was different from the earlier demonstration in the training class—this circle was singular and focused, pulsing with power.

From the center of the circle, a katana materialized, its blade shimmering with a faint ethereal glow. He reached out and grasped the weapon, pulling it from the magic circle with ease. The weapon hummed softly as he held it, his expression one of quiet confidence.

The girl remained still, her raised hand steady, her eyes locked on him.

The first man stepped closer, his katana glinting faintly in the dim light as he smirked. "So, you were prepared for this, huh? Well, guess what? I'm prepared too. You'd better surrender now and do what we say. If you cooperate, you won't get hurt, and once your parents pay up, you can walk away free."

Behind him, the second man shook his head, chuckling. "Asking for money from her parents? That's small-time thinking, bro. What did I tell you? We're supposed to kidnap her, act like the heroes who saved her, and then demand the reward. That's where the big money is."

The first man shrugged, an amused grin playing on his lips. "Ah, right, right. Okay, I'll play along. I'm coming around to your way of thinking."

The girl's expression shifted, a flicker of fear crossing her face as the first man continued moving closer, his katana now raised slightly. Sensing her growing discomfort, he taunted, "Ah, I see you're getting scared now. You're better off doing what we say."

Suddenly, the girl raised her hand again. A glowing magic circle formed in the air before her, its intricate patterns swirling softly. The first man halted briefly, his grin widening as he took in the sight. "Oh, so you're making your move now, huh? Let's see what you've got."

The second man leaned forward, squinting at the magic circle. "Wait, wait, look at that! It's a healing circle! She's a healer! She's gonna heal herself or something. Seriously?" He burst out laughing, his tone dripping with mockery.

At that moment, a second man, standing slightly further back, chimed in. His voice was sarcastic and playful. "Wow, I thought you were a brave girl. But no, you're just some scared little loser. That's pathetic!" He laughed loudly, the sound echoing in the quiet space.

The first man ignored him, stepping closer to the girl with his katana now pointed slightly forward. His voice turned colder. "So, you really think this healing trick is going to help you? It's not too late to surrender, you know."

The girl's hand began trembling slightly, and her gaze shifted downward. Slowly, she lowered her hand, and as she did, the glowing magic circle flickered and shattered, disappearing into faint sparks of light.

As the first man moved even closer, a sudden blur of motion disrupted the scene. Out of nowhere, the Hero leapt into action, crashing into the first man and knocking him to the ground. With swift precision, the Hero pinned him down, gripping him tightly so that he couldn't move.

"Run away!" the Hero shouted, his voice urgent and commanding.

The girl stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock as she took in the sudden turn of events. Her gaze locked onto the Hero, who was holding the first man firmly against the ground. She seemed unable to process what was happening, her feet refusing to move.

"Go! Go now! Escape!" the Hero yelled again, desperation ringing in his tone as he struggled to keep the first man restrained.

Finally, she broke out of her trance and turned to run. But as she tried to make her escape, the second man caught up to her. Grabbing her by the hair, he yanked her backward with brutal force, making her cry out in pain. With a cruel sneer, he swung her around and threw her toward the Hero.

She stumbled and fell, landing awkwardly on top of the Hero, who was still holding the first man down. The impact caused both of them to collapse to the ground, leaving them vulnerable.

The first man, still clutching his katana, snarled angrily. Using the handle of the weapon, he struck the Hero hard on the head. "Are you trying to play hero, huh?" he spat, his tone dripping with contempt. "You think you can take me on?"

The blow was swift and forceful, making the Hero grimace in pain as his grip weakened. Dazed and unable to hold on any longer, the Hero released the first man, who quickly scrambled to his feet.

The Hero collapsed onto the ground, his strength fading as blood trickled from where the handle had struck him. The girl, too, was left sprawled nearby, her breaths shaky and uneven.

The two men stood tall now, towering over the fallen pair. Their expressions were filled with a mix of triumph and disdain as they looked down at the Hero and the girl, who were both cornered and vulnerable.

The first man glared down at the Hero with pure rage in his eyes. "Are you thinking you're some kind of hero? A hero in one of those random stories?" he sneered. "You're not a hero. You're just a fool who jumped in, trying to help and got yourself tangled in this mess." His tone was filled with venom as he berated the Hero.

Stepping closer, the man continued, "I hate people like you-always trying to do good for others." He spat the words, and then, with a sharp motion, he swung his leg and delivered a vicious kick to the Hero's face. "You guys are always losers," he added, his voice dripping with disdain as he struck him again.

The girl, still sitting on the ground where she had fallen, watched the scene unfold. Her face was pale, and her body trembled as she managed to cry out weakly, "Don't do that! Don't do that!"

The first man turned to her, his expression darkening further. "Do you want to get beaten like this too?" he asked menacingly, stepping toward her.

But the second man intervened, shaking his head. "Don't damage her. We need her alive, remember? She's worth more that way," he said, his tone nonchalant but firm.

Ignoring the warning, the first man delivered another harsh kick to the Hero's face. The Hero winced but remained silent, enduring the pain. However, as the first man prepared to strike again, the Hero's hand shot out, gripping his leg tightly. With a sudden, forceful tug, the Hero yanked the man off his feet, causing him to crash to the ground with a loud thud.

The Hero immediately lunged forward, trying to wrest the katana from the man's grasp. A fierce struggle ensued, but before the Hero could gain the upper hand, the second man stepped in. With a cruel smirk, he delivered a powerful kick to the Hero's side, sending him hurtling backward. The impact drove the Hero into the wall, where he slumped to the ground, dazed and in pain.

The second man let out a light laugh. "He's trying way too hard," he said mockingly, looking at the Hero as though he were a mere inconvenience. Glancing down at his shoes, he added, "And now my new shoes are scuffed. Look at what you've done, man."

The first man groaned as he got to his feet, brushing himself off. "He's going too far. I've had enough of this," he muttered, his tone colder now.

The second man shrugged casually. "Then just kill him. He's nothing but evidence now," he said, as if the Hero's life was of no importance.

The first man grinned darkly. "Not a problem. I've been waiting for an excuse to do this," he replied. His grip on the katana tightened as he raised it, the blade gleaming ominously in the dim light.