His new clarity of mind was a revelation. It wasn't just physical.
His intellect felt sharper and his thoughts were more organized.
The world was no longer a confusing rush of events.
It was a series of problems that could be analyzed and solved.
He now understood that his intelligence stat must have also increased significantly.
He could think with a speed and precision that was previously unattainable.
He could run from the construction lot to the back of the school in just a few minutes. It was a feat that felt almost superhuman. The city streets were a blur beneath his feet.
He stood in the vacant lot. This place was his new base of operations his new starting point. He looked around.
His new Investigation skill kicked in automatically. He saw the lot not as a place of decay but as an armory full of potential tools.
He found a pair of discarded worker's gloves. They were thick leather worn and stained but still sturdy. He pulled them on. The rough leather felt good against his skin.
He kept his face hidden just as he had in the previous loop. The cap and mask were essential parts of his new identity.
But this time he made a different choice. He left the sharpened piece of rebar where it lay.
That was a weapon for killing. His last run had taught him that killing them was not the most effective solution.
It just led to his own death and a reset. This time he needed a different outcome.
He picked up a solid one-inch thick iron rod about two feet long. It was heavy solid and brutally simple.
There was no finesse to it only brute force. This was a tool for breaking things not for ending lives. He tucked it into the waistband of his gym shorts.
He concealed it under the loose vest he wore.
Next he jogged to the lamppost near Sophia's house.
He hung the bag containing his school uniform in the same spot as before.
It was a deliberate repetition of his previous actions. A new plan had been forming in his mind on the way here. It was a smarter more efficient approach.
He had learned from his mistakes.
A frontal assault was foolish.
Deception was key. And for his new plan to work certain elements had to remain consistent.
The bag on the lamppost was a piece of misdirection.
If anyone was watching for him it might draw their attention away from the real event on the hill.
After that he went back to the construction lot.
He didn't put on the girl's clothes this time.
He stripped down to just his vest and gym shorts.
He still wore the cap and the mask. The wig was discarded. It was an unnecessary complication a potential weakness. He couldn't afford any mistakes.
He left the construction lot. With his new incredible speed he reached the hill behind the school in a remarkably short amount of time.
The journey that had taken him a long walk before was now a brief effortless sprint.
He didn't go straight to the meeting spot. That was the mistake he made last time.
He had announced his presence too early. Instead he circled the area. He moved silently through the trees. His enhanced senses allowed him to navigate the darkness with ease.
The night was his ally now not an obstacle. He found a vantage point on a higher slope. He could observe them without being seen.
He saw them hiding behind a cluster of large bushes near the path.
They were waiting for Sophia.
Even in the deep darkness his eyesight was now so sharp that he could make out their individual shapes. He could hear the low murmur of their voices their crude jokes. He counted them.
Andrew Lily and the others. All present. He watched them for a few minutes. He studied their positions their impatient fidgeting. They were arrogant and careless.
They were convinced of their own safety. They thought they were the predators here tonight. They had no idea they were the prey.
Then he decided it was time. He moved from his concealed position.
He walked directly to the spot on the path where he had confronted them before. He stood there waiting.
The iron rod was held firmly behind his back out of sight. He made his footsteps heavy and deliberate crunching on the dry leaves.
His deliberate footsteps on the dirt path alerted them. They heard someone approach. Andrew and his group emerged from the bushes.
Their phone flashlights cut through the darkness like spotlights. They expected to see Sophia nervous and alone. Instead they were met with a very different sight.
Before them stood a boy they didn't recognize.
He was dressed only in a vest and shorts.
His face was obscured by a cap and a mask.
He just stood there. A silent imposing figure in the middle of the dark path. He was perfectly still a statue carved from shadow. They were surprised confused and instantly on guard.
This was not part of their plan.
The iron rod remained hidden behind Adam's back.
Andrew trying to project an air of authority stepped forward.
He was cautious a little scared but his ego wouldn't let him show it. He was the leader.
He had to maintain control in front of his friends.
"Who are you?" he demanded. His voice tried for a tough tone but it came out slightly strained. "And how did you get here? You should leave. This is our spot."
Adam said nothing. He simply stood there.
His masked face betrayed no emotion. His eyes were fixed on Andrew.
The silence stretched. It became a weapon more effective than any threat. It made them fill the void with their own nervousness.
His silence seemed to unnerve them further. The tall boy next to Andrew the same one Adam had taken down with the hammer in the previous loop took a step forward.
He was trying to be intimidating. He was trying to back up his leader.
"Didn't you hear him?" he sneered. "Are you deaf or just stupid? Get lost before you get hurt."
The tall boy took another step. He was closing the distance between them.
He was confident in his size and strength. He balled his hands into fists. He was making a fatal mistake.
He was stepping forward to be the first.