The Chief’s Fury
626 Words
The morning sun rose over Rivermoor, but for Ethan, sleep had never come. His body still ached from the ambush, but the fire in his veins burned stronger than ever.
By the riverbank, the three broken men still lay where he had left them. At dawn, other villagers discovered them. Gasps, shouts, and whispers quickly spread like wildfire.
“Three men, beaten like dogs?”
“Who could’ve done this?”
“I heard… it was the Forsaken boy.”
The words carried disbelief, but also a trace of fear. For the first time, Ethan’s name was not spoken with contempt alone—it was spoken with caution.
Inside the chief’s hall, Kael’s face drained of color as the reports came in.
“They failed?” His voice cracked. “All of them?”
The messenger bowed low, trembling. “Yes, young master. The boy… the boy bested them.”
Kael’s hands shook, rage and humiliation boiling anew. “That’s impossible!”
The village chief sat silent for a long moment, his expression carved from stone. But when he finally spoke, his voice was a low growl.
“Ethan…” His eyes narrowed. “So the Forsaken dares to rise.”
“Father!” Kael snarled. “We cannot allow this. If people start believing in him—”
“I know.” The chief’s gaze burned cold. “If whispers spread, it will tarnish our family’s honor. This ends now. I will deal with him personally.”
Kael’s lips twisted into a cruel smile.
By the river, Ethan practiced with the branch he had wielded last night. Each swing felt sharper, faster. His body moved with precision he had never known.
[Weapon Mastery: Basic – 2%.]
[Progress: Increases with each use.]
He struck the air again and again, sweat pouring down his back. Each time, the panel ticked upward.
“Every moment… every strike makes me stronger,” he muttered, eyes burning with determination.
The system pulsed again.
[New Quest: Prove Your Strength.]
[Objective: Defeat an opponent above your level.]
[Reward: Spirit Core Fragment.]
Ethan froze. “A Spirit Core…?”
For years, he had been mocked for lacking one. But if the system truly could grant him a fragment… then perhaps he could finally step onto the same path as real cultivators.
Hope surged in his chest. For the first time, the impossible no longer felt so far away.
But peace did not last.
By midday, armored guards stormed the riverside. Their leader’s voice boomed across the bank:
“Ethan! The chief summons you. Now.”
The villagers gathered quickly, murmurs buzzing in the air. Ethan stood tall, gripping his branch like a staff. He met the guard’s gaze, unflinching.
The system’s panel flickered.
[Warning: High-level threat approaching.]
[Recommendation: Prepare for confrontation.]
Ethan’s pulse quickened, but he did not falter. The time for hiding was over.
As the guards surrounded him, he whispered under his breath, “So it begins…”
Inside the chief’s hall, Kael leaned against a pillar, a cruel smile twisting his lips. His father sat upon the chair of authority, radiating power that pressed down like a storm.
When Ethan was dragged before them, whispers filled the hall. Some sneered, some stared with wide, curious eyes.
The chief’s gaze locked on Ethan. “Forsaken,” he said, voice like thunder. “You’ve stirred enough trouble. It’s time you learned your place.”
But Ethan did not bow. He raised his head, eyes blazing.
“I am not Forsaken.” His voice rang clear, echoing through the hall. “I am Ethan—and I will rise.”
The hall fell silent.
The chief’s eyes narrowed, and Kael’s cruel laughter broke the stillness.
The storm had arrived.
End of Chapter 5
- Writer
