" I'm sorry brother, I have failed you " Max said with a heavy voice as a steady stream of tears ran down his eyes.
The familiar scent of his brother's body, doubled with his calm presence and affection was too much for Max to handle against his own inner guilt as he finally broke down into tears and hugged his own brother knowing full well that this was all an illusion.
" Haha, it's fine Max, it's really just some small sums of money, it's not something to cry over about " Rudra said as he embraced Max tightly and tried to provide his brother with some much needed warmth.
For a full five minutes, Max let his emotions get the best of him as he accepted the fact that he had indeed failed his brother but at the same time, instead of blaming himself for being a horrible person he decided to confront it like a man as he looked at his brother in the eyes and said firmly " I shall not fail you again brother. In the future, I promise that come what may, I'll put this family before everything, including my own ambitions "
Rudra raised an eyebrow over this comment as he chuckled and said " You don't have to sacrifice anything Max. Until I'm here the sky won't fall. There is no need to look after the family, I'm enough to support you all.
Just be happy, that's all I want for you.
Be a painter if you want to be, or a fighter if that gives you happiness.
Heck, you can just be a good person in general and I'll be happy and proud of you.
So stop crying and man up.
The kids deserve to be taken out to the arcade today, but I'm busy with some work.
Why don't you take them out instead? "
Max felt even worse when he heard this, he wanted to say ' What if you are not around anymore? ' but could not bring himself to utter those words.
Embracing his brother once again tightly, he further emboldened his resolve to be a changed man when he went back to reality and that he would keep his family before his ambitions, just how his brother had all his life.
" Sure, I'll take them out " Max said as he wiped his tears off and waited for Rudra to leave before he changed his clothes and went down to pick up the kids.
It was weird for him to see so much fat on his body, he had incredibly weak muscles, a bad physique and weak bones.
He could not understand how he thought that with such a weak body he could still win any bar-fight he got himself into just because he had unshaking willpower.
As he went down to pick up the kids, he looked at a lively Naomi kissing his brother passionately as her face turned red from all the public display of affection when she realised that he was watching.
Usually the old Max would have turned away and let the couple have their peace, but to this Max it just felt so nostalgic and wholesome that he could not take his eyes off.
Even Though it was an illusion, it was a good memory for him.
Holding both kids with one palm each, Max walked out of the Rajput mansion on Earth within the Upside as he walked towards the entertainment district with both of them in tow.
Earth itself was a nostalgic memory, the polluted air and the precise gravity was something he cherished a lot after travelling to so many hideous planets in the universe.
His heart was in a bitter-sweet mood from what had happened earlier, as his mind was clouded with scenarios that could have been if he did not choose to live his second life in the pursuit of power, but rather just as a normal human who was content in being a government worker.
Maybe his brother would never have to have faced Thor, maybe his family life would be filled with joy and love and maybe it would have been a more fulfilling life than the bone breaking, monster slaying adventure that he was currently on.
He had never appreciated Earth before, never understood that despite being a crappy planet overall, it was ' Home ' something that could never be replaced.
Walking with the happy kids as they jumped unnecessarily from time to time and giggled made Max feel an indescribable happiness in his heart which was also the source of some guilt.
He could not understand if the life that he was currently living and the power that he was so desperately chasing really worth it in the end?
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
Just as Max was wondering all this, 3 explosions sent him spiralling backwards as he was suddenly ambushed on the streets.
He felt his ears ringing and his ribs hurting as he struggled to move around even a little.
" Jake, Amy are you alright? " Max said with a slurred speech as he desperately tried to find the kids.
Debris and fire was all around him, but for some reason no police drones were dispatched nor was his brother here by now.
Jake was hit badly by some rock and was profusely bleeding from his head while a pole had fell on Amy's leg who was crying inconsolably from her leg being broken.
" Don't worry kids, uncle Max is here " Max said with a raspy voice as he willed himself to get up as he pushed his weak body towards Amy first, trying to get to her to help lift the pole that was crushing her leg.
It was at this moment, Max saw some very familiar figures growling and closing in on him as he could absolutely not believe his eyes.
Rage, Hatred, Anger and an indescribable amount of raw emotion erupted in Max's heart when he saw those despicable bunch of werewolves.
The same bastards that had taken Jake and Amy on the last night of his first life.
" Rick! Harry! " Max spoke the names of the two werewolves in the pack whose names he remembered from the attack and were the object of a lot of his hate and rage over the years.
" Ho-ho, the weak human knows of our names " Harry the wolf, the one who had gouged out his eyes before his death said as he bared his ugly sharp teeth at Max.
" Uncle Max! " Amy shouted in distress as she was terrified of what was happening, her shrill cry waking up Jake who shuddered in fear from scanning his surroundings.
Max who saw the horrified expression on the face of the kids, felt his deepest regret being stirred as he said with an unsure sounding voice " Don't worry kids, Uncle Max will protect you "
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/// Bonus chapter for hitting the PS target, thankyou all for the support ///