The street was alive with whispers, shadows stretching under flickering lamplights as the fight began to unfold. Bystanders gathered cautiously, some peering from windows, others lingering at a distance, their curiosity battling their fear. A crowd had begun to form, silent witnesses to the tension crackling in the air.The mother, wild with panic, broke free from her captors, falling at Garrick's feet. Her hands clutched at his trousers, fingers trembling as she sobbed uncontrollably. The momentary pause in the chaos allowed the four kidnappers to reassess, their wary eyes darting between Garrick and their fallen van.A hooded man stepped forward, voice laced with arrogance. "Who the hell are you?" he sneered. "Do you know who you're messing with?"Garrick rolled his shoulders, his knuckles cracking as he flexed his fingers. "I'll give you one chance," he said, his voice eerily calm. "Drop the child. Run. And don't look back."One of the men, taller than the rest, stepped forward. His hood fell back, revealing a bald head covered in intricate tattoos, runes glowing faintly along his scalp. Flames erupted around his fists, casting an ominous glow on his face."You want to be a hero?" the tattooed man taunted, smirking. "Then you'll get the hero's welcome—Doitand style."And then he launched forward, a blazing fist aimed straight at Garrick's head.________________________________________"Great, I didn't want you to resist anyway" Garrick moved.Effortlessly, he sidestepped the incoming strike, the heat licking at his cheek as the flaming fist barely missed him. In one fluid motion, he twisted, his elbow driving into the man's exposed ribs with brutal force.CRACK! The rune-shield flickered violently before shattering like glass. The man barely had time to register his impending doom before Garrick's fist buried itself deep into his gut. His body lifted off the ground, crashing through the air like a ragdoll before slamming into the side of a building. The wall buckled under the impact, dust and debris raining down as the man's limp form slid to the ground, unconscious.Garrick exhaled, disappointed. "I was intending to rip right through him but I guess I didn't expect an early rank 3 out here trying to kidnap little kids."The remaining three men staggered back instinctively, realizing their situation had just gone from bad to catastrophic. With their leader being one shot, Fear flashed in their eyes."No one said anything about a Peak Rank 3 being here."Garrick cracked his neck, his gaze cold, predatory. "What happened to that hero's welcome? I was expecting a party."In the next breath, he vanished.Before the second man could react, Garrick reappeared behind him, his essence wrapping around his fingers like a sharp spear. He thrust his hand as the sharp tip tore through the man's spine, bursting out through his chest in an explosion of crimson. His body jerked violently before going limp, Garrick yanking his hand free without a second thought.The third kidnapper turned to run."Oh no, you don't."Garrick's hand snapped out, fingers gripping the man's wrist like a steel vice. He yanked him back, twisting the arm until the bone snapped through the skin with a sickening tear.The man's scream echoed down the empty street."This is the hand you put on the child, right?" Garrick's voice was ice. He tightened his grip, twisting further, his victim's cries turning to guttural, ragged wails.The last hooded man, realizing he was outmatched, grabbed the child and pulled out a rune-inscribed paper.Garrick's eyes widened. A flash bomb.The moment the paper crumbled in the man's grasp—BOOM!A blinding burst of golden light engulfed the street. The sheer force of the detonation disoriented Garrick for a split second, long enough for the final kidnapper to vanish into the night, child in tow.As the light faded, Garrick's vision returned to a scene of devastation. The other kidnappers lay unmoving, but the child was gone.His fists clenched, knuckles turning white."Fuck."Behind him, the mother's voice cut through the silence like a blade."Rose… Rose… NO!"________________________________________The mother stumbled forward, her legs giving out as she fell onto her knees.She clutched at Garrick's leg, her entire body trembling as she sobbed. "Please, sir—help me! You have to get her back! She's my only child! My only happiness in this world! I can't lose her! Not like this!"Her words struck deeper than any blade.Garrick looked down at her, his heart pounding. He had failed. He was stronger than every man here, and yet he let a child slip through his fingers.What was the point of all this strength if he couldn't even save one innocent life?His fists trembled. No. He wouldn't let this happen.Garrick bent down, lifting the woman to her feet. "I swear to you—Rose will come back to you, unharmed. I promise."Her sobs quieted, her tear-stained eyes searching his face for any sign of deception. When she found none, hope flickered back into her gaze, like a dying star reigniting.Without another word, Garrick walked to the van, yanked his spear from the wreckage, and disappeared into the night sky.________________________________________Back at the base, the doors slid open.The team turned, taken aback by Garrick's sudden return. Blood still stained his knuckles, his face twisted in barely controlled fury.Corbin was the first to break the silence. "Well, that's one way to make an entrance."But when he saw the pure rage in Garrick's eyes, his smirk faded."Get ready," Garrick ordered, voice seething. "We hit that hospital tonight."The team froze for a split second, before grins spread across their faces.Dante stretched, rolling his shoulders. "Finally."Selene's lips curled into a smirk. "I was getting sick of waiting."April nodded, fire burning in her gaze. "Let's burn them to the ground."As they moved to gear up, Corbin approached Garrick, leaning against the wall wiping the blood from his hand. "Alright, spill. What changed your mind?"Garrick exhaled, his fingers tightening around into a fist as he told Corbin everything.Corbin listened, silent. Then he nodded, eyes dark with understanding. "Looks like fate is giving us a push."At the mention of fate, Garrick stiffened.The vision of the old woman flashed in his mind. The prophecy. The abyss. The broken spear.His gaze flickered to Dante—the only one who would understand. The only one who believed in omens.But he couldn't waver now.Garrick shoved the thoughts away, his grip tightening on his weapon.If fate wanted to take him, it would have to fight for it.