REVENGE FROM ME

The two villages had recruited twenty Earth Element users to begin construction on the new trade route. But building a road across unstable terrain was more demanding than anyone had expected. Crafting a stable, reinforced path through the wilderness wasn't just labor—it was art mixed with precision, patience, and elemental control.

Even with all twenty workers at full capacity, they could only build about two kilometers a day—if nothing went wrong.

To protect the workers, the village elders assigned five armed guards to assist Naeem in managing threats and maintaining order.

According to estimates, the entire construction would take forty days.

For Naeem, those days crawled by like slow-dragging years.

By day, he helped the Earth users dig, raise walls, level ground, and anchor the road with energy-infused stone. He observed everything, gradually learning the art of Earth power—its raw strength, its stillness, and its surprising sensitivity.

By night, he lay awake under the stars, staring at the sky, thinking of Anisha. Her laughter, her stubborn frowns, her quiet presence—all of it haunted his thoughts more than any bandit could.

The Shadow's Request

One evening, just after dusk, Ma-Ho approached Naeem with a quiet determination in his eyes.

"Master," he said, "will you teach me how to create a weapon using my Shadow energy?"

Naeem studied him for a long moment. The boy's aura had matured. His voice held a seriousness Naeem hadn't heard before.

Still, he shook his head.

"You're not ready yet, Ma-Ho," he replied. "When you become worthy—when your energy aligns with your will—I'll teach you. Not before."

Ma-Ho didn't argue. He simply nodded and walked away in silence, leaving Naeem to his fire-lit thoughts.

Unwanted Guests

The next evening, just as the sun dipped behind the hills and the workers had begun to rest, a group of strangers emerged from the treeline.

Their presence felt wrong.

Their posture was arrogant. Their weapons were visible. Their faces—smirking, twisted with amusement—spoke of trouble.

One of them stepped forward and shouted, "Oi! What the hell's going on here?"

A worker named Dan, standing nearby, whispered to Naeem, "I think they're bandits…"

Naeem raised a hand calmly. "Stay cool. I'll handle it."

He stepped forward, slow and steady, meeting the intruders with an easy gaze.

"What's going on?" he said, his tone casual. "We're just building a road here."

The man squinted at him, then laughed. "A road, huh?"

He turned back to his gang. "Boys, did you hear that? They're building a road—without asking permission from us."

The others jeered and chuckled darkly.

Naeem's expression hardened. "And who exactly are you," he said coldly, "that we need to ask permission from you?"

The air tensed.

The flames of the nearby torches flickered—not from the wind, but from the rising energy building in Naeem's core.

As the tension thickened, the workers—every one of them—stepped silently behind Naeem.

Though most of them weren't trained fighters, they had strength, numbers, and trust in their leader. If Naeem gave the word, they would fight. And if it came to that, those uninvited guests wouldn't last a second.

Naeem's eyes didn't flinch.

"This is your only warning," he said, his voice sharp as steel. "Leave now—or face the consequences."

The bandits looked at each other, muttering. They didn't like the odds. Not one bit.

The leader snarled but backed away. "This isn't over," he spat.

"I didn't say it was," Naeem replied coldly.

Reluctantly, the group turned and disappeared into the fading light.

Only then did Naeem exhale slowly. The threat was gone—for now. But his instincts told him the peace wouldn't last.

A day passed.

Far away—on the other side of the region—a storm gathered, though the sky was clear.

At the center of a clearing, a lone man stood shirtless, his body chiseled from war, his arms raised to the sky. Lightning danced and crackled around him like a living beast, drawn to him by command.

Energy surged through his veins, his eyes glowing with pure elemental force.

Then came a voice from behind.

"Lieutenant," the messenger said cautiously.

The man didn't turn. The air around him buzzed with danger.

The messenger continued, "Some people… they're building a road. In our territory."

For a moment, silence.

Then the man slowly lowered his arms, lightning still twitching across his shoulders.

His eyes narrowed.

"So they've started."