Pain.
That was the first thing Franko felt.
Sharp.
Real.
Alive.
He clenched his fists slowly, his breathing steady but deep.
"I'm… alive," he muttered.
Not a guess.
A fact.
A Different World… Or the Same One
Franko stood up from the bed, his eyes scanning the room again.
Small.
Simple.
Cheap.
This wasn't the penthouse he died in.
This was…
"A past I buried," he said quietly.
His gaze landed on a mirror.
He walked toward it.
Step by step.
Then stopped.
The reflection stared back at him.
Younger.
Sharper.
Unbroken.
Franko raised his hand slowly.
The reflection followed.
"…So it's real," he said.
Not a dream.
Not an illusion.
Rebirth.
Memories Collide
Suddenly—
His head throbbed.
Memories surged.
Two timelines.
His past life.
And this one.
Everything collided.
Information poured in.
"This body…" he muttered.
It was him.
But earlier.
Before the empire.
Before the power.
Before the betrayal.
Franko's eyes darkened.
"Daniel…"
The name left his lips like poison.
The First Rule
Franko exhaled slowly.
Then smiled.
Cold.
Calculated.
"This time… no trust," he said.
No allies.
No weakness.
Only control.
Something Still Remains
Then—
He felt it.
A faint pulse.
Deep within him.
That same energy from before.
That crimson force.
"…So it came with me," he whispered.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Franko closed his eyes.
Focused.
And reached inward.
Power Awakens
A flicker.
Then—
A spark of dark red energy appeared in his palm.
Small.
Unstable.
But real.
Franko stared at it.
Then laughed softly.
"So I didn't lose everything."
The energy pulsed once…
Then vanished.
Leaving silence behind.
Understanding the Gift
Franko sat down slowly.
Thinking.
"If that power grows…"
His lips curved.
"I won't just rebuild."
His eyes sharpened.
"I'll surpass everything."
The First Move
He stood up again.
This time with purpose.
No hesitation.
No confusion.
Only direction.
Franko walked to the window.
The city stretched before him.
Smaller than what he remembered.
Weaker.
But full of opportunity.
"This is where it begins," he said.
A New Rule of Life
No kindness.
No mercy.
No second chances.
"Anyone who stands in my way…"
His voice dropped.
"…will be removed."
Still Breathing… Still Dangerous
Franko picked up his phone.
Old model.
Outdated.
He smirked.
"Everything is behind," he said.
Then his expression turned serious.
"But I'm ahead."
End of Chapter 2
Franko was reborn.
Not as a victim.
Not as a second chance hero.
But as something far more dangerous.
A man who already knew the future.
And this time…
He would control it.