Teaching A Lesson

Ethan took a deep breath, trying to summon what little courage he had left. "N-nothing, Senior," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Hiruken's eyes narrowed, his crooked face twisting into a menacing sneer. "Huh? You sure you didn't snitch about anything?" His tone was laced with suspicion, and the tension in the air was suffocating.

"Y-yes, Senior. I only tended to his wounds and left... nothing more," Ethan replied, the words tumbling over one another as fear gripped him.

Hiruken barked a laugh, a sound devoid of humor. "Lies! You lying little bitch! Tell me the truth, and I might spare you with just a beating." He gripped the wooden bat tighter, his knuckles whitening as his anger grew.

Watching the scene unfold, Isaac, standing hidden a few paces away, clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.

'Fucking bastard! Lay a finger on him, and I'll make sure you regret existing,' he thought, his jaw locking with barely restrained fury.

"I said I didn't do anything!" Ethan's voice cracked as he mustered every ounce of bravery left in his fragile frame. "Stop bullying me, you bastard! I said I didn't do anything!"

Hiruken's eyes widened at the outburst, his bloodshot gaze radiating fury. "What the fuck did you just say, you little shit?!" His voice was a roar as he raised the thick wooden bat above his head.

Ethan froze, his breath catching in his throat. *This is it,* he thought, squeezing his eyes shut and bracing himself for the inevitable pain.

Just as the bat was about to hit, a calm yet cutting voice sliced through the tension like a knife. "Oh boy... That's an inappropriate amount of force to use on a kid. Didn't they teach you basic morals in your squad?"

Before Hiruken could react, Isaac appeared between him and Ethan in a flash. The wooden bat came to a sudden halt in Isaac's bare hand.

For a moment, there was silence. Isaac stood firm, gripping the bat as if it were a mere twig. His sharp gaze bore into Hiruken, daring him to make another move.

Inwardly, Isaac smirked. 'Damn, that was some cool shit I just pulled off.'

Behind him, Ethan blinked. The expected blow never came. Slowly, he cracked his eyes open, only to see the broad back of his savior shielding him. Recognition flooded his face, and a wide smile replaced his trembling expression.

"Brother! You're here!" Ethan exclaimed, his voice trembling with relief.

Isaac glanced over his shoulder, his expression softening at the sight of Ethan's innocent grin. "Of course, I promised you didn't I?" he said, his tone warm but steady.

Hiruken snarled, trying to pull the bat free from Isaac's grip, but it was useless. Isaac held it firm, his strength unending. "I think you owe him an apology," Isaac said, his voice calm but laced with an unmistakable edge of menace.

"You injured bastard! Let go of the bat, or you'll regret it too!" Hiruken growled, veins bulging in his forearms as he struggled to wrest the wooden stick free from Isaac's iron grip. Despite his brute effort, he failed miserably, the stick firmly held in place.

Isaac glanced at Ethan over his shoulder, ignoring Hiruken's increasingly furious attempts. "Ethan, you really shouldn't go around saying things to offend people. If I wasn't here, this baldy might've beaten you half to death, don't you think?"

Ethan blinked at his brother, momentarily taken aback. "But... you are here," he said softly, as if that was all that mattered.

Behind them, Hiruken let out a furious snarl. "Hey! You fucker, listen to me!" he roared, stepping closer and throwing a punch straight at Isaac's face.

"Well... That's right too," Issac said.

Isaac didn't flinch. In one smooth motion, he dropped the bat, caught Hiruken's incoming fist mid-air, and tightened his grip. The smugness drained from Hiruken's face, replaced with confusion and pain as Isaac's palm began to crush his hand.

"You bastard! What the hell do you think you're trying to do? Who do you think I'm?" Hiruken spat, struggling against the unrelenting grip.

Isaac's sharp gaze bored into him, cold and unyielding. "What am I doing?" His voice was calm but cold. "Teaching a lesson to a third-rate swordsmam... A weakling who can only sustain his fragile ego by bullying those weaker than him." Disgust dripped from his words.

"You don't know who you're messing with, you fucker!" Hiruken groaned, sweat forming on his brow as he reached up with his free hand to throw another punch.

Before his fist could connect, Isaac moved like lightning, slamming his knee into Hiruken's gut. The impact was brutal. Hiruken's eyes bulged, and a pained grunt escaped him as the air was knocked out of his lungs.

"Still don't get it?" Isaac said, his voice low and dangerous. "I'm not some third-rate swordsman like you. I served directly under the Baron as a squad leader. I know exactly how to deal with trash like you."

Hiruken collapsed to the ground, coughing and groaning, clutching his stomach. Blood dripped from his mouth as he tried to catch his breath.

Isaac stood over him, looking down with disdain. "You should be grateful I'm holding back. It's not my problem anymore, though." He turned to Ethan, his expression softening. "So, what do you think? Should I punish him properly, or let him off with a warning?"

Ethan, who had been silently watching the scene unfold with wide eyes, hesitated for a moment. He looked at the pitiful form of Hiruken writhing on the ground, then back at Isaac, who was calm and composed as if this was just another day for him.

"..."

Ethan stood frozen, utterly speechless. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions—relief, fear, and an odd sense of empowerment he had never experienced before. For four long years, he had endured countless humiliations and punishments at the hands of Hiruken and others like him. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined a day when someone would stand up for him like this and defend him so he had no idea what to actually do in this situation.

Isaac, still towering over the groaning Hiruken, turned his gaze toward Ethan. His expression softened, the harshness melting away like snow under the sun. "It's okay, Ethan. Just say what's in your heart," he said, his voice calm and encouraging.

Ethan blinked, looking up at Issac with wide eyes. "I... I don't know, Brother." He hesitated, glancing down at Hiruken's bloodied form. The man who had terrorized him for years now seemed so small, so powerless. "Maybe we should just leave him. He should've learned his lesson by now... right?" His voice was uncertain, tinged with doubt.

(End of Chapter)

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