HAWTHORNE STORM AND HIS EXECUTIONER

The Weapon He Created

Rowan slowly stepped closer wearing a mocking smile.

“It’s none of your business. We’re not here to answer your useless questions.”

Hawthorne stared at him and the Esturis military in shock.

“What do you even mean? What business do you have with our enemy military? Please, I need an explanation because I’m confused. There’s no way I could have expected to see you standing with our rivals on a day like this.”

Rowan calmly folded his arms, smiling venomously.

“Well, well, well. I didn’t want to answer your question in the first place, but what’s the point of hiding it from you? You won’t be able to do anything about it anyway. In fact, you're about to lose your power without even realizing it.”

Hawthorne was still confused, but he quickly composed himself. He refused to look weak in front of the Esturis military.

His face remained cold and unshaken as he slowly asked.

“Rowan... what do you mean?”

Rowan continued circling around him with a venomous smile.

“I’m not here to exchange words with you. Let me get straight to the point because you won’t be able to do anything even if I tell you.”

He stopped directly in front of him, his face filled with hostility.

“I’m tired of living under your shadow. I’m not the only person meant to remain in second place. This is my turn to take over. I wasn’t born to live under your command—I was born to be a commander. This time, you’ll stand beneath my command and remain under my control whether you like it or not.”

Hawthorne froze in deep shock.

He pointed at him and tried to speak, but Rowan immediately cut him off.

“Don’t dare speak, or you’ll regret it right now.”

He continued pacing around him.

“Did you ever ask yourself why the ballistic missile killed your remaining armies and officers without touching you?”

He glanced at the missile debris beside them and continued.

“Because death is mercy.”

“I want you to live long enough to watch yourself crumble and suffer under my watch. I want you to feel the brutal pain.”

Hawthorne remained shocked and seemed ready to speak again, but Rowan's voice thundered out.

“Don’t test me!”

His reason for doing all this was simple.

Before the battle, the Esturis Supreme Commander had paid him a massive sum of money. Rowan accepted immediately because he hated Hawthorne and had been waiting for an opportunity to betray him and use that advantage to seize his position.

For years, he had dreamed of taking over.

He was never satisfied living under the authority of his master. Envy, greed and jealousy had slowly consumed him despite everything Hawthorne had done for him from childhood.

General Jean Morris, one of the surrendered Esturis generals, stepped forward putting on a mocking smile.

“Mr. Storm, you really thought you defeated us and forced us to surrender, not knowing what was waiting for you. We used him as a weapon against you.”

He proudly pointed at Rowan.

“I won’t tell you what awaits you until you reach Esturis and meet our Supreme Commander, Master Draxson.”

Hawthorne's thoughts drifted toward the past as memories of the little orphan Rowan resurfaced in his mind.

Yet the ongoing conversation kept dragging him back to reality.

Although deeply shocked and broken inside, he showed no weakness. Everything was hidden behind a calm smile and a pair of cold, unreadable eyes.

General Ferdinand Harrison, another surrendered Esturis general, stepped forward and spoke with a serious face.

“Enough of the talking.”

“Master Draxson must be waiting for us. I remember him saying we should move quickly and avoid wasting time. We shouldn't attract any additional Armogur military forces.”

General Jean Morris nodded.

“That’s right. We need to leave immediately. This is the border between both nations. Anything can happen at any moment. Everyone knows a brutal war took place here. Their military could already be on the move, or they may be tracking us with their detection technology.”

The two generals pointed at Hawthorne and ordered their newly deployed soldiers.

“Cuff him and drag him forward.”

The soldiers immediately responded.

“Understood, Generals!”

They stepped forward and cuffed Hawthorne.

Yet he remained calm and confident.

Rowan had expected him to be broken and weak, but instead saw the complete opposite.

The two men locked eyes.

Hawthorne almost lost his patience and wanted to fight the two high commanders and the several newly deployed soldiers, but quickly composed himself.

He doesn’t even use weapons in fighting, relying instead on his advanced combat skills and precision. His main reason for staying silent was that he wanted to be successfully taken to Master Draxson instead, to face him personally and understand his main intentions beyond the battle already won by his nation.

Rowan continued smiling mockingly as a thought crossed his mind.

“He still looks unbroken despite my betrayal. He’ll finally break when he sees the unknown punishment waiting for him.”

Hawthorne was dragged across the burning battlefield littered with debris and countless casualties from both Armogur and Esturis.

However, Esturis had suffered far heavier losses beneath the dark and cloudy evening sky.

As they walked, Rowan followed behind him and spoke mockingly.

“You’re shocked and in disbelief, yet you refuse to show it. That fake smile of yours will completely disappear when you finally meet Master Draxson.”

Hawthorne said nothing.

He remained silent and unshaken, wearing only a cold smile.

General Ferdinand Harrison suddenly shouted from behind.

“This bastard! Move faster, or I’ll personally end your life right now!”

Hawthorne remained calm.

The soldiers increased their pace as powerful evening winds swept across the battlefield, carrying thick smoke and ash high into the darkening sky.

Rowan walked proudly with both hands in his pockets, a venomous smile on his face as he watched Hawthorne being dragged forward.

Moments later, they arrived before two advanced fighter jets.

Hawthorne was taken aboard one of them alongside Rowan and several soldiers.

The two generals boarded another jet with the remaining soldiers.

Minutes later, both aircraft rose into the cloudy evening sky with engines that screamed power and authority.

Within moments, they vanished into the stormy clouds, leaving the Armogur battlefield behind.

Some time later, Hawthorne sitting between two soldiers while staring at Rowan in the front seat.

Slowly, his mind drifted back to the past.