Chapter 3: The Edge of Chaos

Eren had left the apartment before Sarah even noticed. He didn't say a word—just grabbed his hoodie and slipped out into the night. Something about the suffocating walls, the forced "family" dynamic, made him restless.

The lower district was where he belonged. The shadows welcomed him, the streets knew his name. Here, no one asked him stupid questions, no one tried to change him.

But as he wandered through the alleys, his stomach twisted with hunger. The last real meal he'd had was from Sarah, and the thought of being dependent on her made his blood boil. He refused to owe anyone anything.

That's when he saw them—his old "friends."

The Encounter

"Look who it is," a familiar, sneering voice cut through the murky alleyway.

Eren froze. Three figures stepped out of the shadows, blocking his way. The leader, a lanky teen with a buzz cut, smirked at him. Jack.

"Thought you were dead, Eren," Jack continued, his voice dripping with mockery. "Or did your new mommy save you?"

The other two boys laughed.

Eren clenched his fists. "What do you want?"

Jack circled him like a vulture. "You disappeared, man. One second you're living in the gutters with us, next second you're playing house with some chick. You too good for us now?"

Eren's jaw tightened. He hadn't chosen Sarah's place—she had dragged him there. But explaining that to Jack was pointless.

Jack's smirk widened. "We took care of you, remember? Fed you. Kept you safe. And now you think you can walk away?"

One of the boys cracked his knuckles. "Maybe we need to remind him where he belongs."

Eren took a step back, instinctively checking the alley walls. No escape.

Jack leaned in, lowering his voice. "Or maybe you could prove you're still one of us. See that vendor over there?" He gestured to a man selling food from a rusty cart a few feet away. "Go rough him up. Take what you want. Easy, right?"

Eren hesitated. His stomach twisted—not just from hunger, but from something else.

"You used to do it all the time," Jack reminded him. "Unless Mommy taught you some manners?"

The two boys laughed again.

Eren's hands trembled. He had done things like this before. Not because he wanted to, but because it was survival. But now... now things were different, weren't they?

Jack sighed. "Come on, man. Or have you really gone soft?"

Eren ground his teeth. He wasn't soft. He was still himself, right?

He stepped forward, muscles tense. The vendor was busy counting change. It would be so easy. Just like before.

Then Sarah's voice echoed in his head.

"You're stronger than you think."

Something inside him wavered.

Jack must have noticed because his smirk twisted into a sneer. "Tch. You really have changed. Pathetic."

Before Eren could react, Jack shoved him hard. He stumbled, catching himself against the grimy brick wall.

"Guess you don't belong here anymore," Jack muttered. "But that means you don't belong anywhere."

Eren's hands clenched into fists. He was trapped.

That's when Sarah's voice cut through the alley.

"Hey!"

Sarah Enters the Fray

Jack barely had time to turn before Sarah grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

Jack yelped. "What the hell—"

Sarah leaned in, her tone lazy but edged with steel. "Let me guess. You're the local tough guy? Think picking on some kid makes you special?"

Jack glared at her, but the bravado was slipping. "Who the hell are you?"

"Your worst nightmare if you don't back the hell off," Sarah said, twisting his collar tighter.

Jack's lackeys took a step back, exchanging nervous glances.

Sarah didn't even look at them. Her sharp gaze stayed locked on Jack. "Here's how this works. You leave Eren alone, or I make sure you personally regret it. Got it?"

Jack tried to keep his cool. "Tch. He ain't worth it anyway."

Sarah held him there for another second, just to make sure he knew she wasn't bluffing. Then she let go, and Jack stumbled back.

"Let's go," he snapped at his crew. They turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Sarah let out a slow breath before turning to Eren. "You okay?"

Eren stared at her, still processing everything. "Why... did you come after me?"

Sarah smirked. "You really think I'd let you run off to get your ass kicked?"

Eren looked away. "I could've handled it."

"Sure," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "You were doing great up until the part where you were about to get your ribs cracked."

Eren tensed.

Sarah sighed and softened—just a little. "Look, kid. You don't owe me anything. But if you keep running back to people like that, they're just gonna use you up and spit you out."

Eren was silent for a long time. Then, finally, he muttered, "I don't know where I belong."

Sarah crossed her arms. "Then stay with me until you figure it out."

Leon suddenly ran up, breathless. "Sarah! What's going on? I heard yelling!"

Sarah smirked. "Oh, nothing. Just babysitting two reckless idiots."

Leon pouted. "Hey, I resent that."

Eren, to his own surprise, let out a small chuckle.

Sarah clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. Let's get home before I have to fight an entire gang."

As they walked away from the alley, the System's voice buzzed in Sarah's ear.

"Eren's trajectory has slightly shifted. His darkness has weakened by 5%."

Sarah smirked. Guess we're getting somewhere after all.