Ethan walked through the old streets of Norwish City.Earlier, he had looked at the old map card he carried—a faded scrap with a red circle drawn around one spot.That red mark showed where his family house once stood.He lifted his eyes from the card now… and saw that the circled place was right in front of him.The air felt colder here. The sky seemed gray.Everything was quiet… too quiet.He reached the place where his family home once stood.But instead of peace, he saw noise. Dust. Shouting.A group of men in black jackets stood outside the old Storm family house.They carried iron bars and ropes. A big machine behind them was ready to crush the house.Ethan’s eyes widened.“No…” he whispered. “This can’t be happening.”He rushed forward.⸻Inside the broken gates, chaos filled the yard.A young girl—maybe seventeen or eighteen—stood in front of the house door.Her clothes were dirty, but her eyes were bright with anger.Near her, an old man in a wheelchair shook with fear, gripp

The girl finally found her voice again. She rushed forward, gripping the torn sleeve of her jacket as she bowed deeply.“Th-thank you,” she said, her voice shaking. “Thank you so much. I thought… I thought they were really going to take me.”The old man wheeled himself closer, hands trembling as he clasped them together. “Young man,” he said hoarsely, eyes wet, “I don’t know who you are, but you saved us. You saved my granddaughter. Thank you… thank you…”Ethan turned toward them, his expression softening instantly. The fire in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something calmer, almost embarrassed.“It’s nothing,” he replied quickly. “Really. Anyone would’ve done the same.”The girl shook her head fiercely. “No, they wouldn’t have. Everyone else just watches. Everyone’s scared of them.”Ethan frowned. “I couldn’t just stand there. They were hurting people who couldn’t fight back.” He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers. “That’s… not something I can ignore.”The old man reached o

Ethan looked at them like they were nothing.“You already lost,” he said.The leader’s eyes narrowed. “Watch your mouth.”Ethan met his stare. “Watch your hands. This land doesn’t belong to cowards.”The girl whispered, “Storm land…”The old man closed his eyes, tears slipping out.The wind passed through the yard.The men from the Woods family spread out slowly.The leader spoke again, his voice low.“Last chance,” he said. “Walk away.”Ethan cracked his neck once.“No,” he replied.The silence broke.Someone stepped forward.Boots scraped against gravel as the men closed in, forming a loose circle around Ethan. Their shadows stretched long under the dim lights, overlapping, cutting off every clear path out.One of them cracked his knuckles.“Looks like the hero’s surrounded.”Another chuckled.“Still standing tall, huh? That confidence won’t last long.”The leader didn’t rush. He watched Ethan carefully, eyes sharp.“You had your moment,” he said. “Now you’re going to learn how thin

No one moved. No one breathed. The leader stood there, staring at nothing, lips parted, face ghostly pale. “Boss?” one man asked cautiously. “What… what is it?” The leader didn’t answer. “Hey,” another snapped, uneasy now. “Say something.” Ethan stood calmly, hands at his sides, eyes steady. He already knew. Finally, the leader swallowed hard. “…We,” he said hoarsely, “we’re finished. Ruined."The yard stayed frozen in silence.“…Finished?” one of the men finally said, his voice cracking. “Boss… what do you mean finished?”Another scoffed nervously, trying to laugh it off. “Yeah, don’t joke like that. Finished how?”The leader’s knees buckled slightly. He caught himself on a nearby fence post, shoulders shaking.“…It’s over,” he whispered. “All of it.”A murmur spread through the group.“Over what?”“Say it clearly!”“You’re freaking us out!”One man grabbed the leader’s arm. “Boss, pull it together. What did they say on the phone?!”The leader slowly lifted his head. His eye

Not loud. Not explosive. Contained. Every Woods man felt it at the same time. One of them took a step back without realizing it. Another followed. Boots scraped against gravel as they retreated instinctively. The leader looked up from the ground—and paled. “…No,” he whispered. Ethan took one step forward. They took two steps back. The yard felt tight. Like the air had nowhere to go. Ethan looked at the men from the Woods family. His voice was low. Simple. Clear. “You broke his legs,” he said. “So I will break yours.” For a moment, no one reacted. Then— “What?!” one man gasped. Another shook his head hard. “You’re crazy!” “You wouldn’t dare,” someone snapped. “You think you can just—” Ethan took a slow step forward. “Watch me,” he said. The men froze. Fear spread fast now. “You can’t do that!” one shouted. “We’re already finished!” Another backed away. “This is too far!” Ethan didn’t stop walking. “You didn’t think it was too far,” he said calml