Another Chance

The world is built upon many mysteries— that was I, a dying 30 year old businessman on his deathbed thought.

Those so-called 'motivational speakers' always advised that hard work was the greatest ingredient for success.

It was not that I disagreed with them. In fact, I even agree with that thought. But in the end, those who are actually successful people who are the top one percent— all agreed that luck was the most important ingredient towards success.

Additionally, hard work alone was not enough. You have to know when to work smarter too.

A person who works 9-5 might have a salary that is less than a person who works a simple business. Though, their earnings would depend on their own situation.

But again, in the end, luck plays a painfully important part. A person who encountered a ridiculous amount of luck might end up becoming more successful than both of those two.

Luck is really a ridiculous concept.

As it was not something that could be observed scientifically, it became something uncontrollable.

Uncontrollable to the point where it became a type of concept that encompasses the whole universe itself. Even our world is dependent on it.

Our planet just happened to have a neighbor planet that coincidentally protects us from comets and asteroids. Wow, what an awesome luck.

This concept of luck is just so mysterious. Such power was really overwhelming and unknown.

And this overwhelming power especially affects people in an extremely high sense. People could argue that decision making was what dictates a person's fate, but I beg to differ.

A person's luck is what dictates a person's fate. Their luck dictates their starting point in life. A person who was naturally born with visually appealing physical features might have a better and smoother sail towards success.

People who are born with extremely rich parents might actually not have anything to do to succeed. After all, they could just inherit their wealth.

This went the same for people with natural talent. Yes, talent was something to cultivate in order for it to bear fruit. But those who have talents have an ability to learn, understand, and grow much faster based on their talent.

It was something ordinary people didn't possess— great luck. In this world, people didn't possess the same amount of luck. It varies extremely so.

As grandiose those who are blessed with luck may seem, luck was a double sided blade.

People who are born unlucky would find their way to success extremely hard, their starting point being the same and disadvantageous.

Poverty, organ diseases, broken family, etc.

Those are the type of people who are likely destined to fail at something. With a little bit of luck, they might have a chance at staying mediocre. Not a bad thing, but a painfully normal state.

Despite those two sides of luck— lucky and unlucky, the concept of luck was a sadistic concept.

It could just randomly decide to flip the person's fate 180° despite the amount of their luck.

That's the reason why some successful people suddenly had life threatening accidents and diseases.

Same goes for the unfortunate ones. Although they were born unlucky, in some cases, they still found their ladder way up to success.

And unfortunately, at the same time fortunately, I belong to those who are born unlucky and get their fate flipped 180°.

I was born who first hand witnessed what it was to live in poverty. I used to live in a third world country, governed by people who are corrupted.

My parents died when I was really young. I only managed to live daily by asking for some money in the streets. And by some strange luck, someone decided to take me in. Apparently, he needs someone to help him.

Honestly, this person was extremely kind to me. He taught me how to cook different dishes as his business was a small eatery. Although I was only supposed to be his helper, he insisted on me attending a public school and at least finishing high school.

That was probably the greatest luck that was graced upon me. I learned how to read, write, and do math which was essential in business.

The person was already a bit old when he took me in, so before I graduated highschool, he died of old age.

It was only later on that I would realize that he was a distant relative.

Thankfully, the school I attend was a bit lenient. When I explained my circumstances, they allowed for my attendance to not be strictly required.

Although I still have to take tests and submit school work, I can now take care of the eatery in the morning and study during night.

This continued until I graduated from college. Of course, college was different from highschool. Money was beginning to become the most important priority in my mind.

Meaning to say, I now have to spend more time in the eatery.

I applied to an online college and studied a business course in order to study during midnight after catering to the eater from morning to night.

I specifically studied a business course because I realized that those who owned the towering tall buildings that I could see were owned by 'business men'.

And so, after years of struggle and pain, I managed to own seven branches of a popular fast-food chain.

For me, even though I am sure that I was not one of the wealthiest people in that country, I was sure that I had already succeeded.

Although I wasn't lazy in improving the businesses and myself, I now sometimes indulge myself in some hobbies that I didn't get to enjoy much during my childhood.

During my free time, I spent some time reading books and watching anime. I know that I should've tried something else, but there was this charm from watching anime that I just couldn't resist.

Of course, watching and reading weren't my only hobbies. I've started traveling to other countries too. I've gone to Canada, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, etc.

That's when luck decided to flip my fate 180° again.

When I was in Hawaii, the car that I was in was hit by a truck, sending me to a near death state.

It was so sudden, I didn't even manage to take action before I was hit. The car crashed fast the moment I was hit.

The only thing I knew was that my spine bent in an unnatural way before everything went blank and I lost consciousness.

…

In a Hospital somewhere in Hawaii.

—Beep, beep, beep

I could hear something beeping, although I could only guess what it was because my sense of hearing was the only sense that was working anymore. I couldn't open my eyes nor move my hand to touch whatever it was.

I couldn't move my body at the state that I was currently in. I was already paralyzed but despite that, I could still hear and maintain consciousness clearly.

The only thing that's keeping me alive was probably the many things that were injected in my wrist.

I knew I didn't have much time to live anymore.

And as I was exactly thinking that, I suddenly felt light headed and sleepy. I found myself slowly losing consciousness.

The sound of beeping went fast. After a few seconds, I heard the sound of the door opening.

—Thud

I heard a slow tap of footsteps as someone spoke happily, "Oh~? The old man's already dying. Haha."

I then heard a flip of paper as he said," Hmm… Let's see.. You know, I dig a little bit of your information before coming here. Honestly, I'm rather impressed by your history. A classic history of rags to riches. Haha."

"Were you a grass, specifically bad grass, in your past life? You don't easily die for some reason," the person who had a rough voice said.

"What do they call it again..? Ah! bad weeds don't get picked up or something along those lines," he added.

"People like you are really annoying, you know? People who have unnecessary great tenacity in them. But I guess it's part of your personality. Well, it's alright now, you now get to rest eternally. Hahaha."

I gritted internally at the words that I heard. From those words alone, I managed to understand something.

"Your survival gave me unnecessary work, you know? Sorry not sorry but, it's kinda your fault that you're in this situation. It's your luck that gets dragged into 'that mess'."

There was a moment of silence before the person who entered said something again.

He sighed, "Why did I say those out loud, I forgot that you're already in a comatose state."

I heard footsteps getting fainter as the person spoke for the last time, "Well, I pity you. I myself didn't even expect for this to happen. Don't feel bad though, it just happened that you were unlucky. Haha!"

"See ya' in hell if there is."

As the door closed, I finally died.

—Thud

As you can see, I just became a victim of this so-called luck. I became a victim to something unseen and uncontrollable.

I died not knowing what I exactly did to deserve such a thing. This was not a drama movie after all, I've lived without taking advantage of anything. So there was no reason for someone to kill me.

Meaning, I've been hit as a bystander. In other words, he's right—it's because of my luck.

Even as a bystander, it's somewhat my fault too that I got accidentally dragged by their ploy.

I seriously cursed this luck of mine. Luck that gave me hope, only for it to get taken away.

This luck that controls my fate. The luck that set a destiny to every living person.

It was so unfair… so painfully unfair.

I was born with unfortunate luck and then became blessed later on, only for it to take a 180° turn.

If luck was a person, he must be a horrible dictator of everything.

If… if only I get to have a second chance.

A second chance in life!

I would make sure that everything would go my way, even if it has to take an underhanded way.

Even if… I have to steal someone's fate and luck itself.

…

The world is built upon mysteries— I concluded.

The end that was supposed to meet me was not present. Instead, I transmigrated into someone else.

A blue hologram was floating in front of me.

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It seemed… that something out of fantasy happened to me.