"Good morning, Mom."
"Oh, good morning, Damon." Anita smiled warmly as she prepared breakfast. "How did you sleep?"
"Great. I slept like a baby." Damon stretched before looking around the room. "Is Dad home?"
"No, he left for work early this morning." She walked over and handed him a small wooden box. "But he asked me to give this to you."
Damon raised an eyebrow.
"I wonder what it is."
Carefully opening the box, his eyes immediately lit up.
"Wow... It's a dagger!"
The blade gleamed brilliantly in the morning sunlight. Though simple in appearance, it was finely crafted, with a polished steel blade and a sturdy leather-wrapped hilt.
"Really?" Anita leaned closer to admire it. "I didn't expect your father to be able to afford such a high-quality dagger."
As she looked inside the box, something caught her attention.
"There's a note."
"Huh...? You're right."
Damon unfolded the neatly folded paper and began to read.
Sorry for leaving so early, son. Something important came up, so I couldn't say goodbye. I hope this little present makes up for it. At least now, when I'm not around, you'll be able to protect yourself... and your mother.
For a moment, Damon remained silent.
Then he tightened his grip on the dagger.
His eyes shone with determination.
"Mom... I promise I'll protect you, no matter what."
Anita smiled gently and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to protect me, Damon. Your father only said that because he believes in you."
Damon shook his head.
"No, Mom. I have to protect you. I'm your son. It's my duty."
His voice was firm despite his young age.
Anita's smile slowly faded.
She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly.
"Oh, Damon... I love you so much."
"But you can't protect me."
"You're still too weak... even with that dagger."
"I'd rather you stayed here with us."
Damon hugged her back.
"I'm sorry, Mom."
"I know I'm weak."
"But I won't stay weak forever."
"I'll become stronger."
"And when that day comes..."
"I'll protect you."
Tears welled up in Anita's eyes.
"It's all my fault."
"If only you'd been born with more Spirit Energy..."
"Mom."
Damon gently held her shoulders.
"How many times have I told you not to blame yourself?"
She lowered her head.
"But I heard those street thugs bullied you again..."
Damon forced a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry."
"Now that I have this dagger, they won't bother me anymore."
"Are you sure?" she asked anxiously.
"I'm sure."
He smiled brightly.
"Now, how about breakfast? I'm starving."
Anita chuckled softly despite her worries.
"Alright. Let's eat."
Although she knew Damon was lying to comfort her, she decided not to press the issue any further.
After breakfast, Damon left the house to buy a few supplies for his mother.
As he walked through the lively streets, he began thinking to himself.
"What should I do after this?"
"Maybe I should visit Martins..."
"Or I could spend the day training with this dagger."
Lost in thought, he suddenly noticed a crowd gathering ahead.
Curious, he approached one of the villagers.
"Excuse me... What's going on?"
"A young boy is being beaten by those gang members," the woman replied nervously.
Damon pushed through the crowd.
The moment he saw the person lying on the ground...
His eyes widened.
"Martins!"
One of the ruffians laughed loudly.
"Look, Boss! He can't even stand anymore after all that big talk!"
The rest burst into laughter.
Martins spat blood onto the ground.
"Shut up... you bastards..."
"Huh?" One of the ruffians cracked his knuckles. "You've still got enough strength to talk?"
"Then I'll smash your jaw!"
He swung his fist.
SWISH!
WHACK!
Before the punch could land...
Another fist struck first.
The ruffian was sent flying several meters before crashing into the ground.
Everyone froze.
Damon stood in front of Martins, his expression cold.
"How dare you beat up my friend."
He slowly drew the dagger from its sheath.
"The next person who lays a finger on him..."
"...will lose that finger."
Martins looked up in shock.
"Damon!"
"What are you doing here?"
"Run!"
"These guys are dangerous!"
Damon didn't even glance back.
"I won't run."
"I'll protect you."
"Because you're my friend."
Martins clenched his fists.
"Damon..."
Another ruffian stepped forward angrily.
"How dare you punch one of us!"
Damon calmly pointed his dagger at them.
"I'm the one who's going to teach all of you a lesson."
The gang burst into laughter.
"Teach us a lesson?"
"Did you hear that?"
"This little brat thinks he can beat us!"
"Enough."
A deep voice silenced everyone.
The gang immediately stepped aside.
Their leader slowly walked forward.
Brock.
"So..."
"You're the kid who interrupted us."
Damon met his gaze without fear.
"And you're the one who thinks beating up innocent people makes you strong."
Brock smirked.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?"
"What do you think you're doing?"
"You beat my friend half to death."
Brock shrugged.
"He spilled his drink on me."
"My clothes got stained."
"And the idiot couldn't even afford to replace them."
Damon couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"That's it?"
"You beat someone nearly to death over something so childish?"
Brock's smile disappeared.
"Childish?"
"Do you even know how much these clothes cost?"
Damon's eyes narrowed.
"So that gives you the right to torture someone?"
Brock laughed.
"So..."
"You think I'm acting like a child?"
"I'm Brock."
"The leader of this gang."
"And what exactly are you going to do about it?"
Damon tightened his grip on the dagger.
"I'm going to stop you."
The entire gang burst into laughter.
"This trash wants to stop us!"
Brock raised his hand, silencing them.
"Fine."
"If you can land even one hit on me..."
"I'll let both you and your friend leave."
Damon frowned.
"And why should I believe you?"
"You don't have a choice."
"If you lose..."
"My boys take everything you own."
Martins immediately grabbed Damon's arm.
"Don't do it!"
"He's a C-Rank!"
"You can't beat him!"
Damon smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry."
"I promised I'd protect you."
He gently removed Martins' hand.
"I accept."
SWOOSH!
Damon charged forward.
His dagger flashed repeatedly through the air.
SLASH!
SWISH!
SLASH!
Every strike narrowly missed as Brock effortlessly dodged each attack.
Even as the crowd laughed...
Even as the gang mocked him...
Damon refused to stop.
He attacked again.
And again.
And again.
Brock effortlessly sidestepped every strike.
The dagger sliced through nothing but air.
"Is that all you've got?" Brock sneered.
Damon gritted his teeth and launched another series of attacks.
SWISH!
SLASH!
SWOOSH!
No matter how hard he tried, Brock avoided every swing with ease.
The crowd watched in silence while the gang laughed loudly.
One of the ruffians suddenly frowned.
"Wait... is it just me, or is that kid's Spirit Energy unusually weak?"
Another focused his senses before his eyes widened.
"You're right."
"It feels incredibly low."
"Don't tell me..."
"He's an E-Rank!"
For a brief moment, the entire street fell silent.
Then the gang erupted into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"An E-Rank actually challenged Boss Brock!"
"What an idiot!"
"So that's why he's this weak."
Brock's smile slowly disappeared.
"So..."
"You're only an E-Rank."
"And you still dared to challenge me?"
His expression darkened.
"I'll make you regret that."
Damon tightened his grip on the dagger.
"It doesn't matter what rank I am."
"I'll protect my friend... no matter what."
With a determined shout, he charged once more.
SWISH!
Brock disappeared from his sight.
POW!
A heavy fist slammed into Damon's stomach.
His eyes widened as the air was knocked from his lungs.
Before he could recover—
THUD!
Brock's kick smashed into the side of his face, sending him crashing to the ground.
Blood trickled down Damon's forehead.
The crowd watched helplessly.
Brock slowly walked toward him with a cruel grin.
"Look at you."
"Only two hits..."
"And you're already bleeding."
He crouched in front of Damon.
"If you beg for mercy, I might let you live."
Damon remained on one knee, struggling to catch his breath.
"Huff..."
"Huff..."
He didn't answer.
Brock's smile widened.
"Didn't hear me?"
"I said you can leave alive."
"But you'll leave behind that dagger..."
"...and everything else you own."
He leaned closer.
"And after that..."
"I'll use your own dagger to kill your family."
The gang burst into laughter.
Something inside Damon snapped.
His fingers slowly tightened around the dagger's hilt.
An overwhelming pressure suddenly spread through the area.
A crimson aura began to flow from his body, mixed with an eerie, sinister presence.
The laughter stopped instantly.
The smiles on the gang members' faces disappeared.
"W-What is that...?"
"I-Is that Spirit Energy?"
"No..."
"It feels different..."
"It feels terrifying."
Even Brock instinctively took a step backward.
As he turned to look at Damon—
BOOM!
A fist slammed into his face before he could react.
The impact sent him flying through the air and crashing into his own gang members.
Dust exploded into the air.
Silence filled the street.
Nobody could believe what they had just witnessed.
Brock slowly pushed himself to his feet, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.
His gang stared at Damon in horror.
"Who... who is this kid?"
"Didn't they say he was an E-Rank?"
"Then how did he send Boss Brock flying with one punch?"
"It's not just his Spirit Energy..."
"I can feel another power coming from him."
A ruffian's legs began to shake.
"I-I'm leaving."
"I'm not fighting that monster."
"Me too!"
One after another, the gang members turned and fled.
"Get back here!" Brock roared.
"You cowards!"
But none of them listened.
Within seconds, Brock was left standing alone.
His face twisted with rage.
"You think you can scare me?"
"I gave you a chance to run."
"Now..."
"I'll make you regret staying."
A powerful surge of Spirit Energy erupted from Brock's body.
The ground beneath his feet cracked.
With a furious shout, he charged straight at Damon.
WHOOSH!
His fist shot forward with all his strength.
Damon calmly raised one hand.
THUD!
He caught the punch with his bare palm.
Brock's eyes widened.
"What...?"
Before he could react—
SLASH!
The dagger flashed across his chest.
Blood sprayed into the air.
POW!
A second punch smashed into Brock's face, sending him crashing heavily onto the ground.
Blood poured from his nose and mouth.
The crowd stood frozen.
Even Martins could hardly believe what he had witnessed.
Damon slowly walked toward the fallen Brock.
His crimson aura continued to swirl around him.
His grip tightened around the dagger.
For a brief moment...
It looked as though he intended to kill him.
"Damon!"
Martins' desperate voice echoed through the street.
Damon suddenly froze.
The crimson aura around him flickered.
His eyes gradually regained their clarity.
He lowered the dagger.
Without another word, he turned away from Brock and walked toward Martins, believing Brock would honor his promise.