Rebirth: A Second chance at life-Chapter 95

Aurora sipped the strawberry milk Sebastian had handed her, the sweetness coating her tongue as her fingers loosely held the carton. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

She settled into the driver’s seat, her gaze distant but sharp. A slow, cold smirk tugged at her lips as she stared ahead through the windshield.

"It seems someone’s getting far too brave," she murmured under her breath, her eyes glinting with an eerie calm.

With that, she started the car. The engine roared to life, and she sped through the city streets, weaving through traffic until she reached the outskirts—a desolate alley cloaked in shadows and silence.

Her car skidded to a stop, tires screeching against the rough pavement. She stepped out, her boots clicking against the concrete. The air was heavy, still.

Suddenly, the low rumble of engines approached. Two black SUVs pulled up, their headlights cutting through the darkness.

The vehicles stopped abruptly, blocking the exit. Doors flung open, and men spilled out—rough, hardened faces illuminated by the faint streetlight.

Aurora’s gaze didn’t waver.

From the front SUV, a bulky man emerged, a sneer stretched across his scarred face. He held a gun lazily in his hand, his confidence dripping from every step as he approached.

"Well, well, the mighty Aurora, isn’t it?" he drawled, his eyes dark and leering as they roamed up and down her figure. "Didn’t expect a pretty thing like you to come here alone."

He chuckled darkly, raising the gun slightly. "Come with Big Brother," he sneered. "I’ll make the death less painful for you."

His lips curled into a twisted grin as he extended a thick, calloused hand toward her, fingers curling like claws, reaching as if she were already his prey.

Aurora’s lips curled into a cruel smirk. The man didn’t realize what he was dealing with.

He wasn’t facing a helpless girl—he was facing Luna, the devil that the underground both feared and worshipped.

In an instant, Aurora twisted her body and delivered a powerful back kick straight to his neck. A sickening crack echoed through the alley as his body crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

"What the—?!" one of the men gasped.

"Boss—he’s down!" another shouted.

A stunned silence fell for a heartbeat, then erupted into chaos.

"You bitch!" a wiry man snarled, pulling a knife. "You’ll pay for that!"

"I’ll beat you till you can’t stand!" another barked, charging forward.

Aurora’s stance shifted, her movements fluid and controlled.

The wiry man lunged with the knife, but she sidestepped, grabbing his wrist and twisting it backward until the blade clattered to the ground.

With a swift knee to his stomach, he folded over, gasping for air. She spun, planting a heel into his temple, and he dropped unconscious beside his comrade.

Another thug swung a metal pipe at her. Aurora ducked, grabbed his ankle, and swept his legs out from under him.

Before he hit the ground, she slammed her elbow into his chest, breaking ribs with a dull crunch. He howled in agony, spitting blood.

"Damn it! Don’t let her get close!" a man shouted. "Surround her!"

They closed in—a wall of bodies, weapons raised.

Aurora’s breathing quickened. Her muscles burned, sweat slicking her brow. This body wasn’t hers; it wasn’t trained for this level of exertion. She felt it faltering, slower than she was used to.

But still, she fought.

A fist grazed her cheek. She spun and slammed her palm into a man’s nose, breaking it with a gush of blood.

Another grabbed her arm, but she wrenched free, jamming her knee into his groin before flipping him onto the pavement.

Her vision blurred. More were coming. Too many.

From the SUV, the leader watched with narrowed eyes, his cigarette glowing in the dark. "Useless fools," he muttered, pulling out a gun. "She’s just one girl."

He aimed.

"Boss wants her alive or dead," he said coldly, and pulled the trigger.

Aurora heard the shot too late.

Pain exploded across her shoulder as the bullet grazed her skin. She stumbled back, gritting her teeth.

Her hand darted into a fallen man’s pocket, pulling out a small knife. She launched herself at the nearest attacker, slashing across his arm. Blood spattered.

"Urgh... this body can’t last much longer," Aurora thought grimly. Her breaths were ragged. "I need to send a signal... Bishop... damn it..."

She fumbled to tap on her wristwatch, desperately trying to send a signal, but before she could activate it, another man lunged from behind.

He tackled her hard, sending her crashing to the ground as the device flew from her wrist, skidding out of reach.

"You’re done, girl!" he snarled above her, his breath hot and foul as he raised his fist, ready to strike.

Aurora twisted beneath him, her muscles coiling like a spring. In one fluid motion, she planted her boot against his stomach and kicked hard. The man let out a grunt, flying backward with a violent thud, landing on his back gasping for air.

Without wasting a heartbeat, Aurora rolled to the side, her hand snapping out to grab a gun lying near a fallen attacker. Her fingers closed around the cold metal grip. She raised it instantly.

Bang!

A bullet tore through the air, slamming into the chest of the man who’d lunged for her. He collapsed, screaming, clutching at the spreading crimson stain.

Bang! Bang!

Two more shots. Two more enemies down, bodies jerking as the bullets found their mark.

But it wasn’t enough.

More shadows surged forward, boots thundering across the cracked pavement, weapons gleaming under the faint glow of distant lights.

Aurora spun, her chest heaving, sweat dripping from her temple. "This... this isn’t normal..." she muttered, counting them as they encircled her like wolves. "Too many... all for me?"

A bitter smirk curled her lips. "Interesting."

The men sneered, closing in, their confidence swelling at the sight of one small girl standing alone.

"Tie her up! Boss wants her alive!" one barked.

"Should’ve just come quietly, sweetheart," another jeered, swinging a metal pipe.

Aurora’s eyes sharpened. Her fingers adjusted on the trigger. "Come and try."

But before she could fire again—

"GET DOWN!" a voice thundered from behind the enemy lines.

Aurora’s instincts took over. She dropped low, flattening herself to the ground.

Gunfire erupted.

A violent storm of bullets ripped through the air, cutting down her attackers with ruthless precision. Sparks flew as bullets struck metal and bone. Bodies crumpled one by one under the deadly hail.

"W-who the hell—?!" the leader shouted, spinning wildly as his men fell around him, their screams filling the night.

Shadowy figures darted between the chaos, moving fast, fluid, almost inhuman. Each step brought another kill. Every shot was deliberate, fatal.

Aurora turned her head, eyes narrowing as she tracked the streaks of movement weaving through the collapsing ambush. Her pulse pounded. Whoever was behind the assault wasn’t ordinary—they were professionals.

The leader stumbled backward toward the SUV, fumbling with his weapon. His hand barely reached his holster before a figure appeared beside him in a flash.

Sebastian.

No words. No hesitation.

He grabbed the leader by the collar, yanking him out of the car with brutal force. The leader’s eyes widened in horror.

Sebastian pressed the barrel of his gun against the man’s temple.

Bang!

A deafening shot rang out. Blood sprayed across the SUV’s glossy black surface as the leader’s body went slack, dropping lifelessly onto the dirt.

Sebastian released him without a second glance, his cold gaze sweeping over the battlefield as the last echoes of gunfire faded into silence.

The remaining thugs froze in terror.

Sebastian’s eyes were cold, sharp as steel as he surveyed the scene. "Kill the rest," he ordered quietly.

From the shadows, Liam and the rest of Sebastian’s men emerged, swiftly executing the command. Within minutes, the alley was littered with unconscious or dead bodies.

Aurora stood amidst it all, blood smeared across her cheek, her hair clinging to her damp skin. She stared at Sebastian, stunned.

He approached her calmly, pulling a white handkerchief from his pocket. "Here."

She hesitated, then took it wordlessly, wiping the blood from her face.

Sebastian’s gaze lingered on her. "Well, Ms. Smith," he said softly, "I’m glad I arrived in time."

Aurora lowered the handkerchief, her expression unreadable. "Why...?" she asked quietly.

Sebastian’s lips curved into a small smile. "Let’s just say... I don’t enjoy sitting idly while someone I care about is in danger."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Care...?" she echoed in disbelief.

Sebastian glanced at the bodies scattered around them. "I saw them following you," he explained, his tone serious again. "I had Liam track them. When I learned they were members of the Sharks... I knew it wasn’t just a coincidence."

Aurora’s eyes narrowed. "Sharks...

Sebastian nodded. "They were ordered to kill you."

Aurora’s smirk returned, faint but defiant.

Sebastian stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You shouldn’t drive. You’re hurt. Let me take you home."

Aurora stared at him for a long moment, then handed him her car keys. "Fine."

They walked side by side to her car. As they settled inside, Sebastian glanced once more at the alley. "Liam," he called through the earpiece, "clean it up."

"Understood, boss," Liam’s voice crackled back. "We’ll leave nothing behind."

Aurora leaned back against the seat, exhaustion washing over her. Her gaze flickered to Sebastian as he drove in silence.

"You didn’t have to do this," she murmured.

Sebastian’s eyes remained on the road. "I didn’t have to," he agreed. "But I wanted to."

Aurora closed her eyes, a faint warmth blooming in her chest despite the blood and chaos. "Thank you...