Teaching A lesson - 2

"Maybe we should just leave him. He should've learned his lesson by now... right?" Ethan said, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

Isaac tilted his head slightly, his sharp eyes assessing Ethan's innocent logic. "I see. That's what you want..."

Isaac turned back toward Hiruken and, in a single fluid motion, grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him off the ground. Without hesitation, he jabbed Hiruken hard in the side of the face, the force knocking loose a tooth—or two—from his jaw.

"But sorry," Isaac said coldly, his voice low and steady, "I won't be able to let him off. Shits like him shouldn't be trusted to learn anything. Leave him with a warning, and they'll come back for you, stronger and angrier."

Hiruken groaned in pain, blood dripping from his mouth, yet even after such a blow, he looked at Isaac with eyes filled with pure hatred. "Y-you'll regret this, you bastard!" he spat, blood trickling from his lips. "I'm the son of Baron Vanitas! When we get back to the capital, I'll make sure your head hangs from a noose!"

Isaac's expression didn't change. Instead, his lips curled into a sly, mocking smile. "Oh, of course. No wonder. A coward's son is just like his father. Your father avoided fighting in the war alongside everyone else, and here you are, bullying a kid. Like father, like son."

Hiruken's face twitched with rage, but Isaac wasn't finished. "I'm sure Lord Ironclad would *love* to hear about this. Imagine how the Judgement Hall would react when they learn a noble's son has been bullying and physically abusing a mage for four years straight." Isaac's tone dripped with mockery as he leaned in closer. "And I wonder which Mage Tower will act first. You know how territorial they are about their own, right? Maybe the Red Dragon Tower will burn your estate to ashes for daring to assault a mage."

The confidence and pride on Hiruken's face vanished instantly, replaced by a pale, fearful expression. His bravado began to crumble.

Isaac turned to Ethan with a curious smirk. "Hey, Ethan. Which Mage Tower are you affiliated with again?"

Ethan hesitated for a moment before replying, "The Celestial Front Mage Tower."

Isaac turned back to Hiruken with a grin that could freeze blood. "Did you hear that? The Celestial Front. Surely you've heard of them, right? The strongest Mage Tower, the one whose authority no one dares to question in the kingdom. Not even his majesty, the king dares to provoke them. And you, Hiruken, have not only bullied a mage but physically assaulted one under their protection." Isaac chuckled, the sound cold and condescending. "You're practically poking a sleeping dragon."

Hiruken's prideful expression was gone now, replaced with wide eyes and a face drained of all color. He opened his mouth to respond but found no words to defend himself.

For the first time, Hiruken felt the weight of consequences pressing down on him, suffocating any remnants of his arrogance.

The threats Isaac had laid out weren't empty words; they painted a vivid, horrifying picture in his mind. He could no longer envision Isaac's head hanging from a noose in the capital as he had boasted. Instead, he saw his own body swaying lifelessly in the town square, displayed as a grim example for others who dared to provoke the Mage Towers.

"B-b-but..." He couldn't muster up words to say anything.

Isaac stepped back, letting Hiruken drop unceremoniously to the ground. "See, Ethan?" he said, turning to Ethan. "Look at how everything has changed just a moment ago he was boasting about his noble status but now he's as lifeless as a log not uttering any bullshit anymore."

Ethan nodded.

"Remember, you're a member of the Mage Tower," he said, his tone firm yet calm, his gaze locking onto Ethan's. "That title makes you practically untouchable. The authority of the Mage Tower extends over the entire kingdom. Don't let bastards like him push you around or even lay a finger on you." His voice sharpened as he emphasized the last words.

With a swift motion, he struck Hiruken's jaw, the crack of impact followed by the clatter of a tooth hitting the ground. Hiruken doubled over, clutching his face, a guttural groan escaping his lips.

*"Grrrhhh…"* Hiruken growled, his voice trembling with pain.

The older brother didn't spare him a glance, instead turning his attention back to Ethan. "Your life, Ethan, is worth ten times more than his. Hell, even more than mine." He sighed, his voice softening, yet there was a weight behind his words. "We soldiers and knights, we're trained to kill. We do it to protect, but we can't save lives—not truly. You, though… you have the power to heal. To pull people back from the jaws of death itself. So your life is worth than anyone's life who can only kill people,"

He let Hiruken drop to the ground with a thud, reduced to a pitiful, groaning heap. Placing a hand on Ethan's shoulder, he gave him a reassuring pat.

"Your worth is that can't be calculated... So, don't let these third rate bitches bully you,"

Ethan straightened his posture, his determination evident in the slight nod he gave. "Yes, Brother," he said, his voice steady.

The Issac turned, his boots crunching against the dirt as he approached the crumpled figure of Hiruken. The sight of him—bloodied and humiliated—sparked neither pity nor sympathy. Instead, a mischievous grin began to creep across his face, one that hinted at the amusement he found in the situation.

He crouched down, bringing himself to eye level with Hiruken, whose groans of pain had now turned to muffled curses. "Now then," he began, his voice dripping with mockery, "what should I do with you?"

Hiruken's eyes widened with fear as the grin on the older brother's face grew wider, more sinister.

"You made one of the worst mistakes of your life today," he continued, his tone almost playful. "But I'm feeling generous. Beating you to death would be far too easy, and honestly, it'd be a waste of time." He leaned in closer, his grin fading into a cold smirk. "Instead, I think I'll let the Mage Tower handle you. They've got… creative ways of dealing with people like you."

"Nhhhhggh Nohhhhh Plhhess"

Hiruken's groans turned into desperate pleas, but the Issac stood tall, brushing the dirt off his hands as if dismissing a minor inconvenience.

"Consider this mercy. I although I would have loved killing you right here and now," he said, turning back toward Ethan, his expression softening once more.

"Ethan, I will go and take rest. I need to recover as fast I can so I can be useful again. So, Goodnight," He said before turning and begun heading back to his camp.

But before he could walk a few steps a voice called him out, "Hey, what are you doing!"

(End of Chapter)

*****

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