PitBabeS2, Chapter 1 pg1

    Chapter 1:

   TONY:

   The nauseating stench of blood still lingered, pooling on the expensive marble floor. Part of it belonged to the traitor, now lifeless in the arms of betrayed friends who were foolish enough to shed tears for him. The other part came from the still body of the villain, barely breathing beside a piece of art now stained with vivid red.

   The only one shedding tears for me was Kenta, a young man raised like a loyal dog. My final thought was one of pity, mockery, and dark humor—that this servile dog suddenly wanted to play hero after mindlessly following orders like a brainless creature his whole life. He betrayed me unforgivably, yet sobbed uncontrollably, calling me “Father” without shame. What a joke.

   They say in the moments before crossing into the afterlife, the clever brain processes every bit of data accumulated from birth to death, projecting it in sequence. Events flash through your awareness quickly but completely—every sensation, emotional experience, and feeling, categorized into joy, sorrow, excitement, and regret, even the memories you’d most want to forget. It’s like a Spotify Wrapped at the end of the year, but this is the summation of my entire life. Part of it, I suppose, is to make you appreciate the life you’ve lived, and part is to make you reflect and grade yourself one last time on just how miserably you’ve lived.

   For me, I think this is just a process, nothing significant, like a momentary rest, temporarily setting down the burdens on my shoulders, returning to being a useless old fool who no longer yearns for anything in this world. I’m Tony, the mistake of parents who, even now, I don’t know if that old couple feels any pride. But so what? I don’t care. All I know is that I’m prouder of myself than anyone else. From a kid with nothing to a billionaire. If this isn’t pride, then what is?

   I never knew what I was capable of until I tried dying the first time. Ah… yes, that first time is always terrifying, even at this age. But when I think back to the taste of death at fifteen, it still sends shivers down my spine. The smell of blood filled my mouth and nostrils, feeling like I was teetering between sleep and wakefulness. The simplest thing, breathing, became impossibly difficult. Even without ever dying before, I knew instantly this was death. In those few seconds, I prepared myself. Though I was scared to the point of madness, I also felt relieved that I’d no longer have to endure pain or struggle tooth and nail to survive. Beyond death, there’s only light ash, far lighter than this heavy world.

   But perhaps because I’m a sinner, my hardships didn’t end so easily. Suddenly, the rusty water I’d swallowed over and over turned sweet, no longer nauseating like before. My body, which seemed to be shutting down piece by piece, flickered back to life. The pain gradually subsided, leaving only a numb sensation. That first time, I was so scared I nearly pissed myself, but the times after? They felt miraculous. I felt reborn each time, refreshed and invigorated, as if I’d chosen a new body, as if I’d been given another chance to make things right. After facing death time and again, I realized I had something others didn’t.

   I am… the greatest.

   ...

   BABE:

   The roaring crowd at the racetrack still feels as chaotic as ever. The spectators and fans are as excited as if it’s their first time stepping into the arena. They animatedly discuss past races and place bets on the next one. Throughout this season, X-Hunter has performed as expected. Even though two years ago, a massive storm nearly tore the team apart, making everyone think it was the end for X-Hunter.

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