Walking along the familiar streets in which I had been raised towards my grandfather's apartment. 'It's been almost three years since I started training,' I thought. 'It's December 28th, and a new year is about to begin. In two months, everything will start—Tony's kidnapping will be the first, then chaos follows. Like Vision said, our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict breeds catastrophe.'
As I approached the small apartment, I saw a bright light through the windows and a figure on an old chair. 'grandpa always sits in the same spot,' I thought while looking at my grandpa.
Seconds after I knocked on the door, it opened, and I was greeted by my grandfather, who spread his arms and smiled.
"Liam, it's been a while since I've seen you," grandpa said with a smile while hugging me.
"How was training?"
"It's been good, Grandpa," I replied while sitting down and removing my coat. "I've gotten better. But... you were right. There's a lot more garbage out there than there is garbage cleaners.''
Hearing my words my grandfather nodded, looking thoughtful. "The world's tougher than any dojo, kiddo. You'll see it for yourself soon enough." We shared a quiet moment before shifting the conversation to lighter topics—family, memories of my childhood. After a while, we settled into comfortable silence, the sound of crackling fire filling the room.
The next morning, December 29th, I thought to myself,' It's time to look around.' My mind was on more than just memories and training now. 'The city's been changing,' I mused while wandering through the streets. 'Master Chen had mentioned more gang activity in Philadelphia. If it was like that in Philadelphia, I can only imagine what it would be like here in New York.'
Walking deeper into the neighborhood, I noticed a small commotion by a rundown grocery store. Two men stood near an elderly woman, their voices low but clearly threatening.
'What's going on here?' I wondered, squinting at the scene. As I got closer, I could make out the details.
"You better have that money ready by tomorrow, old lady," one of them said, showing her a knife he had on his waist. "We don't provide protection for free."
The old woman held a small purse tightly, her voice shaking. "I'm trying, I swear... Please, just a little more time—"
"We've given you enough time," the second thug cut in. "If you can't pay, you're not getting protection. And trust me, I'll make sure you need it."
My eyes narrowed, muscles tensing. 'They're extorting her—right here, in broad daylight.'
After they finished threatening her, I watched as the old lady slowly made her way back inside her shop. I kept my distance, following the two thugs down narrow alleyways and empty streets. 'I'll wait until they reach a deserted alley. Whatever happens, there will be no witnesses, no distractions.'
Finally, they reached a back alley—just what I had hoped for. Now, nothing could stop me.
"Let's split the cash," one of them said, pulling out a few crumpled bills from his jacket. He was smirking. "This old lady's gonna make us rich."
"That money's not yours," I said, stepping forward.
The thugs turned around, startled. One of them sneered, stepping forward. "Who the hell are you supposed to be, huh? A hero?"
Without a word, I struck. Before either thug could react, I had knocked the first one to the ground with a well-aimed punch to the throat. The second thug, now fumbling for a knife, lunged at me, but it was too slow. I managed to deflect the attack effortlessly, grabbing the thug's arm and kneed it which resulted in a sickening crack of bone. The man screamed in pain, collapsing to his knees as he held his broken arm.
'Not that I care of course, scum like this deserves to die.'
I swiftly finished the job, and in moments, both thugs lay dead in the alleyway. 'No mercy for those who prey on the weak. Even if they were forced to work for a gang they still made the choice to target the old, defenseless lady.' I searched their bodies trying to see if they had more stolen money with them or clues regarding gangs.
When I grabbed his arm, I found something that caught my interest—a small samurai symbol. It wasn't a proper tattoo, but it told me everything I needed to know.
I returned to the elderly woman's store, holding the money the thugs had taken from her. While entering her store her face paled, clearly worried more trouble had come her way.
But Liam only held out the money. "This is yours. They won't be bothering you again."
Her hands trembled as she took the money, relief washing over her face. "Thank you... Thank you so much," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I don't know how I can ever repay you."
"You can repay me by leaving the city," Liam said seriously. "Things are going to get worse before they get better. Find a safer place. Take this as a warning."
The woman hesitated but nodded slowly. "I'll go," she whispered. "I'll leave as soon as I can."
I gave her one last nod and left the store, disappearing into the night as I made my way to my grandfather's house.
December 31st arrived, and Liam spent the evening with his grandfather. The house was warm and comfortable, but his mind was somewhere else. As they shared a simple meal and watched the clock tick toward midnight, Liam's thoughts returned to the gang he had encountered. He hadn't forgotten the tattoo—the symbol that marked them as part of the Yakuza.
He had spent the days following the incident looking for clues, trying to trace their main hideout. It wasn't easy, but with each day, the pieces began to fall into place.
The clock struck midnight, and Liam raised a glass with his grandfather. "Happy New Year, Grandpa," he said, smiling warmly.
"Happy New Year, Liam," his grandfather replied, while raising his glass to toast the new year.
As the new year passed, Liam's search continued. He spent his mornings training in the early hours, while his afternoons and nights were devoted to gathering intel on the gang. Word of their activities spread through the streets—extortion, violence, a growing network that seemed to be spreading its influence across the city.
Liam had no doubt he would find their main base soon. And when he did, he knew exactly what he had to do.