Ted Jefferson.

I dialed Marline's number, puzzled by the fact that she hadn't sent the money for the pills I asked her for.

"Good evening, President. I didn't take you for someone who makes empty promises. I still haven't received the money," I got straight to the point.

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. It's just that our alchemists haven't been able to master the recipe, so all the pills have been useless," she explained, her tone as calm as ever.

"You should have informed me. Anyway, that's all. I'll talk to you later," I was about to hang up.

"Wait, my husband wants to meet you," she hurriedly added.

"Meet me? What for?" I inquired.

"He's taken a liking to the weapons you made for us. He wants to talk to you, and he's even kept the two swords to study them," she explained.

"Sure, send me the address and the time, and I'll be there," I replied.

"Alright, and sorry again about the pills. I'll make it up to you," she promised.

I hung up, my mood sour. I took a taxi home, not speaking to anyone upon my arrival. I simply went to my room, took a shower, changed into a black tracksuit, put on my mask, and grabbed my gun and two clippers before heading out.

"Let's see what this city's criminal underworld looks like."

I started running with Leaping Dragon technique, each step covering 30 meters. I ran around the city until I spotted something worth investigating. Putting on my mask, I approached...

"We only follow orders; we're not the leaders," said a skinny man.

"I know, but I can't kill innocent people for no reason. I can't bring myself to do that," replied a young man.

"You're already a member of this gang; who are you to challenge the leader's orders?" shouted the skinny man.

"Keep your voice down; are you trying to get me killed?" The young man retorted.

I swiftly jumped behind the skinny man and broke his neck.

The young man was on the verge of screaming.

"Move, and you die. Scream, and you die. Lie, and you die," I ordered with my emotionless mask and cold voice, creating a chilling image.

"W-what do you want?" he whispered.

I smiled, but my smile didn't bring him any relief.

"What's your gang's name?"

"Brotherhood."

"What's the rank of the leader?"

"Rank 3 mid."

I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I tell you not to lie?"

"No, I swear, I didn't lie."

"Tsk, why is a weak gang like yours still active?" I asked.

"All the gangs in the city answer to the Scarface gang; there's no internal conflict," he explained.

"Alright, since you answered honestly, I'll spare your life. Run away after I deal with everyone in your gang, and if I still find you, I'll send you back to them," I warned.

I began to walk away when he suddenly spoke up.

"You... you can't do that?"

I turned around with a serious face. "Are you seeking death, or are you just loyal?"

His cowardly demeanor had vanished.

I approached him. "What don't I know?"

His anger faded, replaced by fear. "If we don't join gangs, we won't survive. You have to be strong to make it."

I thought for a moment. "Why do you think I care? I mean, why do you see me as a hero? I hate gangs, and I'll destroy them, plain and simple."

"But if you kill innocents along with the gang members, you're just like them," he said.

My anger flared, and my eyes turned bloodshot. I grabbed his neck and lifted him off the ground.

"Noah, calm down," Reve's voice snapped me out of my rage.

I lowered the man, and he gasped for air.

I composed myself. "Is what he said true, Reve?"

"Well, there are many gangs that don't kill or bully people. Gangs are just groups of weak humans who come together to protect one another. There's good and bad in everything," she explained.

I fell silent for half an hour, my mind racing. I remembered my past, analyzed my past fights, and then it hit me. Those weak gang members who had witnessed their leader's death and lost the will to fight had been hunted down, and I had been the hunter.

"Uff, what's your name?" I asked.

"Ted, Ted Jefferson," the guy replied.

"Listen, Ted, you work for me from now on. Your first mission is to identify every gang member you see as a criminal," I ordered.

Ted didn't even ask about his new job or who his boss was. He immediately stood up and started walking.

"Who is that, Ted?"

"Him."

BANG.

Ted was startled by the speed of the gunshot, and the man fell.

"Him."

"Her."

BANG...

We continued until every single gang member was dead.

"Tell those you believe are innocent not to join gangs and to leave the city if life here is tough. I lived in Windhaven City, where ranks 2 and 1 live well. You don't need to join gangs," I instructed.

"Yes, boss," he replied.

"I'll find you again. Now go."

The frightened man ran off. "I need to work on shedding this cowardly persona first," I thought.

"Reve, do you think I'm weak because I hold such a grudge?" I asked.

"Not weak, but not free," she explained.

My eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"You might think you're free because you do what you want, but your mind is still imprisoned in the past. You still hate gangs because they killed your former self, you struggle to form emotional connections with women due to your past love, and you fear commitment because you've spent your whole life under responsibility and commitment," she elaborated.

As I listened, my head started to throb. "Heh, I'm pretty dense, aren't I?" I chuckled weakly.

"You're evolving. Let me offer you a piece of advice: This world isn't like Earth. The rules here are different. Have you noticed that no authorities come after you when you've killed people in front of the school? This world is a battlefield, where killing is sometimes necessary, and rules are created to govern the weak. You need to let go of your past self. You are Noah Neemr, an orphan from the Neemr family," she advised.

"Noah Neemr, an orphan from the Neemr family in the Maghrebian Empire," I repeated the phrase in my head.