Chapter 26: Fate

As Ryu continued to live and work in the village, he couldn't help but think about his past and the choices he had made. He had come a long way since those dark times, but he knew that there was still more he needed to do to make amends.

One day, while Ryu was out on a walk, he stumbled upon a group of bandits who were terrorizing a nearby village. Without a second thought, Ryu leaped into action, taking on the bandits with his bare hands.

The bandits were no match for Ryu's fighting skills, and soon they lay defeated at his feet. As Ryu turned to leave, he noticed a young girl, no more than ten years old, watching him with wide eyes.

Ryu approached the girl and asked her if she was okay. She nodded, but Ryu could tell that she was scared and alone. Without hesitation, he offered to take her under his wing and bring her back to the village with him.

The girl, whose name was Sakura, was hesitant at first, but Ryu's kind and gentle demeanor won her over. Over the next few weeks, Ryu took Sakura under his wing and taught her how to defend herself.

As the weeks turned into months, Ryu and Sakura developed a close bond. She became like a daughter to him, and he vowed to protect her no matter what.

But fate had other plans.

One day, while Ryu and Sakura were out on a walk, they stumbled upon a group of mercenaries. The mercenaries recognized Ryu as the infamous Merciless Fighter and attacked him and Sakura without warning.

Ryu fought back with all his might, but there were too many of them. In the chaos, Sakura was struck by a stray bullet and fell to the ground, bleeding heavily.

Ryu's heart broke as he watched the light fade from Sakura's eyes. He had failed to protect her, and he knew that this was a consequence of his past actions.

As he held Sakura's lifeless body in his arms, Ryu made a vow to never let his past catch up to him again. He would use his skills for good, no matter what the cost.

With a heavy heart, Ryu buried Sakura in the village cemetery and left the village, vowing to use his skills to make the world a better place and to honor Sakura's memory.

As he walked into the sunset, Ryu knew that his journey was far from over. He had a long way to go to make amends for his past mistakes, but he was determined to do whatever it takes to make things right.