Adam stood in the dim alleyway, his sharp gaze fixed on the small bundle in his arms. The baby had stopped crying, his tiny fingers clinging to Adam's clothes as if they were his last source of warmth. He had fallen asleep—completely trusting of the man who had just picked him up from the cold, dirty streets.
Something unfamiliar stirred in Adam's chest.
He, who had spent his entire life battling through endless war, who had crushed countless monsters and enemies under his fists, who had seen civilizations rise and fall—felt something he had not in a long, long time.
Warmth.
A feeling he couldn't quite describe.
Adam's expression remained unreadable as he stared at the sleeping child.
"I don't know who left you here," he muttered, brushing a hand gently over the baby's soft head. "Nor do I know where you come from, what your heritage is, or which family you once belonged to."
His grip tightened slightly.
"But none of that matters. The people who abandoned you are not your family anymore."
He cast one last glance at the unfamiliar city before making his decision.
He had no place in this world yet. No connections, no home, no purpose. But that didn't mean he needed to stay here. If there was one thing he had learned over his years of struggle, it was that waiting for the world to give you answers was foolish.
He had to forge his own path.
And now, he wasn't alone.
He adjusted his hold on the child and bent his knees.
Then, he jumped.
---
A Leap Into the Unknown
A shockwave burst beneath him as he soared into the sky. The city lights blurred beneath him, fading into the distance as he traveled an impossible distance in a single bound. The wind howled past his ears, but the baby remained undisturbed, nestled securely in his arms.
(So light…)
He landed effortlessly in the middle of a vast, untouched forest. Towering trees stretched endlessly in every direction, their canopies swaying gently in the cool night air. The scent of fresh earth and damp leaves filled his senses.
Silence.
Perfect.
"This will do," he muttered.
Setting the baby down carefully on a patch of soft grass, he stood up and surveyed the area.
No threats. No monsters lurking nearby. Just the quiet hum of nature.
Good.
Time to build.
---
A Home in the Wild
Adam rolled his shoulders, loosening up his muscles. Then, without hesitation, he punched the ground.
BOOM!
The earth shook. A deep crater formed instantly as cracks rippled outward, carving out the foundation for what would soon become a home.
He turned toward the surrounding trees and moved.
With the sheer force of his hands alone, he sliced through them.
CRACK!
Tree after tree collapsed, their trunks severed as if cut by the sharpest blade. With practiced efficiency, Adam stripped the bark, shaping the wood into perfectly measured planks with nothing but his bare hands.
A normal person would have taken months to complete what he did in mere minutes.
To him, this was nothing.
Within an hour, the house had begun to take shape.
Sturdy walls rose, fitted together so precisely that not a single gap remained. He carved out rooms—one for himself, one for the child. A kitchen, a proper bathroom, and a reinforced roof to protect them from the elements.
Two hours passed.
Where once there had been only untouched wilderness, now stood a fully built home.
Not a crude shelter. Not a temporary hut.
A true house.
A place to live. A place to belong.
A place to call home.
---
A Father's Promise
Adam wiped the dust from his hands and turned toward the baby, who had been quietly watching the entire time.
To his surprise, the child wasn't crying.
Instead, his small eyes were wide with excitement. His tiny hands waved eagerly, and his mouth opened as he let out a delighted sound—
"Ahhh! Wah!"
Adam raised an eyebrow.
(He's… excited?)
Most babies would have cried at the loud noises, startled by the destruction and construction happening before them. But this child had watched with fascination.
A slow smile tugged at the corner of Adam's lips.
"One day," he said, crouching down to look the baby in the eyes, "you'll be able to do this too."
The child giggled in response, kicking his little feet in excitement. His hands reached out, grasping at the air as if already trying to mimic Adam's actions.
Adam picked him up, holding him close.
For the first time in a long while, he felt something more than just survival.
This world was strange. He had no ties to it, no past here. But now, in his arms, he had a reason to stay.
A purpose.
He looked up at the night sky, the moon casting a soft glow over the forest.
"From today onward… we begin again."
And so, a new story began.
Not as a warrior.
Not as a legend.
But as a father.