Oops, Wrong Girl to Bully Chapter 175

Third Person POV

The noise was unbearable.

Aria stood near the exit of Cage 13, and the crowd pressed in from all sides. People were shouting. Reaching for her. Trying to get her attention.

"That was incredible!"

"Can I get your autograph?"

"How did you learn to move like that?"

"Are you available for private matches?"

The same people who'd been laughing at her minutes ago. Calling her a joke. Saying she'd die in ten seconds.

Now they were acting like her biggest fans.

Aria's jaw tightened. She kept her expression blank. Pushed through the crowd without responding.

Someone grabbed her arm. She pulled free. Kept walking.

"Please! Just one photo!"

"I want to bet on your next fight!"

"Can you teach me that technique?"

They were like flies. Buzzing. Annoying. Following her no matter which direction she turned.

Aria stopped walking. Stood completely still.

The crowd pressed closer. Excited. Thinking she was about to say something.

She looked at them. Her green eyes were cold. Flat.

"Move."

Just one word. Quiet. But something in her tone made people step back.

The crowd parted slightly. Created a narrow path.

Aria walked through it. Didn't look at anyone.

Behind her, the whispers started again. But she didn't care.

She needed to get out of here. Away from the noise. Away from these people.

A voice called out from the side. "Angelina! Over here!"

Friedrich was standing near a doorway. Waving at her. His expression was relieved.

Aria changed direction. Walked toward him.

The crowd tried to follow. But Friedrich stepped forward. Blocked their path with his massive body.

"Private area. No spectators allowed."

"But we just want toâ€""

"I said no." Friedrich's voice was firm. Final.

He gestured for Aria to go through the doorway. She did. The door closed behind her immediately.

The noise level dropped. Not silent. But better. The concrete walls muffled the crowd sounds.

Aria was in a backstage corridor. Narrow. Dimly lit. Used by fighters to move between areas without dealing with spectators.

She kept walking. Following the corridor as it turned left. Then right.

After about fifty feet, it opened into a larger room. A fighter's rest area. Benches along the walls. A water cooler in the corner. First aid supplies on a metal table.

Marquis was sitting on one of the benches. His left arm was in a sling. His face was cleaned up but still showed bruising. A medical wrap around his ribs.

Wolfgang was standing nearby. Both turned when Aria entered.

"There she is!" Wolfgang's voice was warm. Proud. "The woman who just made history!"

Friedrich smiled. "Thirty seconds. Fastest kill in Cage 13 this year."

Aria walked to the water cooler. Filled a small paper cup. Drank it in one gulp.

Marquis stood up slowly. Wincing. "I owe you my life. If you hadn't substituted for meâ€""

"You would have died." Aria's voice was matter-of-fact. Not cruel. Just stating reality.

"Yeah." Marquis looked down at his injured arm. "I got cocky. Thought I could take him. I was wrong."

"Theodore was skilled. But he relied too much on intimidation. Once you see through that, he's predictable."

Wolfgang nodded. "We noticed that. But none of us were fast enough to exploit it."

"Speed helps." Aria refilled her cup. Drank again. "But mostly it's about reading patterns. Theodore always telegraphed his moves three seconds before executing them."

Marquis spoke up. His voice was quieter now. "Seeing you fight today reminded me of the old days. When you were Angelina. When you were unbeatable."

The room went quiet.

Aria turned to face them. "That was a different time. A different life."

"But you're still the same person," Wolfgang said. "Same skill. Same instincts."

"Maybe." Aria walked toward the door. "But I have different priorities now."

Marquis took a step forward. "Wait. Before you go. I want to say something."

Aria stopped. Didn't turn around. Just waited.

"When we first met, back when you were starting out in the underground fights, I thought you were just another desperate kid trying to survive."

He paused. Trying to find the right words.

"But then I watched you fight. Watched you win. Again and again. You were twelve years old and you fought like someone who'd lived a hundred lifetimes."

Aria's hands clenched slightly at her sides. She remembered. Those early days.

"You were the only leader I ever truly respected. The only one who earned it."

Aria turned around slowly. Looked at all three of them.

Marquis continued. "But now you're back. In a different body. A different life. And you're telling us you have different priorities."

"I do."

"What priorities?"

Aria was quiet for a moment. Then she said, "I have a family now. A father who works himself to exhaustion. A mother who deserves better. Brothers who protect me even when they shouldn't have to. Friends who trust me."

She paused. Her voice became softer. "In my previous life, I had power. Respect. Fear. But I didn't have people who cared about me as a person. Not as an Alpha. Not as a weapon. Just as me."

The three men stood there. Listening.

"So yeah. My priorities are different now. And that's okay."

Friedrich smiled slightly. "You've gotten wiser. More balanced."

"Maybe. Or maybe I just finally learned what actually matters."

Marquis walked closer. Stopped a few feet away. "Will we see you again? At the Pit?"

Aria thought about it. "Probably not. Once this military selection is over, I'm going back to my regular life. High school. Homework. Normal teenage stuff."

Wolfgang laughed. "Normal teenage stuff. That's something I never thought I'd hear you say."

"Things change."

"They do." Marquis extended his right hand. "Thank you. For saving my life. For being who you are."

Aria looked at his hand. Then shook it. Brief. Firm.

"Take care of yourself, Marquis. Work on your defensive patterns. You're leaving yourself open on the left side."

He smiled. "I will. And you take care of yourself too. Whatever life you choose to live."

Aria released his hand. Turned to Friedrich and Wolfgang.

"You two as well. Stay safe."

Friedrich gave a small nod. "We will. And if you ever need anything. Anything at all. You know where to find us."

"I do."

Aria walked to the door. Put her hand on the handle.

Then she stopped. Didn't turn around. Just said, "It was good seeing you all again."

"You too, Angelina," Marquis said quietly.

Aria opened the door. Walked through. Let it close behind her.

The corridor was empty. Quiet. She stood there for a moment. Just breathing.

Part of her felt sad. These were people from her old life. People who knew who she really was. Who understood her past.

But that life was over. She'd died. Been reborn. Got a second chance.

And this time, she was going to do things differently.

Aria started walking. Following the corridor back toward the main facility. Back toward Cage 8. Back toward the military selection.

Back toward her new life.

The staging area for Cage 8 was different from when Aria had left it.

Every single candidate was there. All of them. Standing. Waiting.

Felix was at the front. His expression was complicated. Shocked. Confused. Angry. All at once.

Maya and Jen were near the back. Both looked pale. Shaken.

Aria walked into the staging area. Every eye turned to her.

The silence was heavy. Uncomfortable.

She walked straight to Felix. Stopped in front of him.

"I missed my evaluation time. Do I forfeit?"