That evening…
Dom sat on the porch behind his small house, eyes fixed on a familiar book in his lap, frustration written across his young face.
"Hey, did that blast mess with your ears?" Pops asked as he opened the door to the porch and approached. "Dinner's ready." He stopped when he saw Dom engrossed in his research. "Still haven't figured it out?"
Dom sighed, lying back on the wooden floor, his gaze fixed on the darkening sky while Anthony's riddle replayed in his mind.
Pops sat beside him with a low groan. "Well, I think he was just bullshitting you," He said lightly.
Dom punched his arm, earning a soft chuckle from Pops.
"You'll figure it out," Pops said, reaching for the book in Dom's lap. "Don't worry."
Dom let out another sigh. "I hope so."
A quiet silence stretched between them.
The wind rustled softly through the trees, locusts chirped in the distance, and Dom's gaze drifted skyward again as Pops flipped through the pages.
Eventually, Pops closed the book and noticed the cover. "Wait… isn't this the one you keep sneaking out to read?"
"Yeah," Dom admitted.
Pops placed the book on his lap, eyes narrowing at Dom. "If you stole this, I'll knock the fuc—"
"Chill!" Dom shot up, raising his hands. "The bald guy felt bad because of what happened and gave it to me for free. I also got some other cool stuff." He pulled a strange toy from his pocket.
Pops examined it suspiciously, then looked up. "You know that bald guy has a name, right?" He said.
Dom shot him a questioning look.
Pops laughed. "Yeah. I don't know it either." He said, then accidentally pressed something on the toy. It created a strange noise, and he frowned in confusion.
"I still can't believe you're okay after everything. I'd probably shit myself if I were in your shoes," Pops said, as he tried to silence the toy.
"Ew. Gross."
Pops smiled proudly, putting down the toy to stare at Dom. "You're strong, kid. Don't ever forget that."
Dom grinned, the compliment lifting his spirits.
And then it hit him. A sudden realization.
Wordlessly, he snatched the book from Pops' lap and flipped through it with furious speed.
"You figured it out?" Pops asked, curiosity overtaking caution.
"I think so… here!" Dom stopped at a page, read something that lunged forward.
Pops grabbed the book and stared at the same page, a section dedicated to the Mage Emperor himself.
Dom dropped to his knees, his white brows drawn tight in fierce concentration while he raised his right fist. A faint blue aura spiraled around his small fist, humming with raw energy.
"What are you doing?" Pops demanded, his voice tight with alarm.
Dom's jaw tightened, teeth gritted, as he funneled every ounce of mana into his fist. The air shimmered and hissed, small sparks dancing around him. His knuckles trembled violently… then, he struck.
The concrete beneath him exploded with a deafening roar, jagged shards flying in all directions. A deep groan of stressed stone echoed as cracks radiated like lightning through the porch and toward the house, one massive fissure slicing perilously close to the outer wall.
Dust, debris, and a low rolling tremor shook Pops' feet, rattling windows across the street.
Neighbors yelped from behind curtains.
"What's happening?! An earthquake?!" One screamed.
"A bomb! We're under attack!" Another cried.
"Mummy!" A child wailed.
Pops stumbled backward, heart pounding, eyes wide at the epicenter of the chaos. "Holy… fuck," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the grinding rumble.
Dom froze for a heartbeat, chest heaving, then slowly raised his fist.
The blue aura dissipated into sparks drifting lazily to the ground. His knuckles remained flawless, unscathed, yet the crater beneath him stretched wide and deep, raw evidence of the force he had unleashed.
Shock and disbelief painted his wide blue eyes… and then a grin spread across his face, pure exhilaration mingling with the thrill of discovery.
"Physical Enhancement," Dom said, voice trembling with excitement as he turned to Pops. "That's my affinity."
Pops' eyes lit up with understanding. "You're right," He said, glancing at the discarded book. "Ethan Maximus was such a monster with so many facts that people forgot that his only power was raw, unbeatable physical strength. That's why he was the Strongest Soldier." He slapped his forehead. "Why didn't I think of it?"
Dom laughed giddily, then froze in realization. "Thank God I've never gotten that angry before. I might've actually killed someone."
"Forget kill, you might take out a whole building with that punch," Pops chuckled, sitting back, and Dom smirked at the thought. "Well… you've cleared the first step."
Dom's grin widened, but curiosity returned once he recalled the riddle. "It's like Tony already knew about my power. How?"
Pops looked at the sketch of Ethan Maximus—armor hiding all identifying features. Despite being such an idol, his real face and life remained a complete mystery.
"No idea," He admitted, recalling Antony's confident words, then smirked at Dom again. "But the man's a soldier who's seen his fair share of battles. Maybe he saw something similar from his fights."
"I guess," Dom mumbled, staring at his fist.
Pops then stared at him, brows furrowed. "… not only are you aiming to surpass the Emperor," He said, "… but you somehow got his affinity. It's like the universe is on your side."
"Really?" Dom asked as Pops approached.
"Yeah," Pops said, reaching down to ruffle his hair. "And now that I know your affinity, I can start a training routine until you're old enough for the academy."
Dom flinched, his eyes widened. "You… you'll train me?" He asked, his excitement growing.
"It'll be tricky with school resuming and the restaurant, but we'll make it work," Pops said, rubbing his chin.
"YES!" Dom cheered, fists raised, then paused with a curious glance. "I thought you didn't want me joining the army."
"Don't get me wrong," Pops commented. "If it were up to me, I'd keep you as far away from fighting as possible. I don't think that feeling will change."
Dom frowned while Pops pulled out a cigarette, lighting it silently. He took a deep breath and released a thick cloud of smoke, his eyes now darkened.
"Back when I was still a soldier… the war was over, but it wasn't peaceful." He paused, drawing in another smoke. "I became a Captain eight years after the War. The Official Peace Treaty was signed two years after that."
Dom frowned, confused. "Why did it take so long?" He asked.
Pops exhaled, his eyes rising with white curls into the sky. "Some people didn't want it to end." He said. "We'd been fighting each other for over 500 years. They couldn't accept a peace made by fear. Not after all they lost."
Dom looked down, struggling to grasp it.
"Twenty-five years," Pops continued, his voice low. "That's how long the rebels fought to break that peace."
He walked out further, stopping beside the humble vegetable garden beside his shed.
"My last mission…" He added, his gaze darkened further. "… was to stop one of those groups from attacking an East-Land diplomat." His fists clenched, body stiffening as memories surfaced--memories he tried to forget.
"We were forty-five soldiers when we deployed. I was the only one who came back."
Dom's eyes widened, his heart tightening at the raw vulnerability he'd never seen in Pops.
"Watching my men die… brothers I grew up with… it was fucking hard." He gritted his teeth, crushing his cigarette. "I left the army because I thought I could move past it. But I never did. The nightmares never left. No matter how far I ran."
He pulled the crushed stick out of his mouth and frowned at it.
"I thought I was going to die with that feeling." He muttered, his voice dangerously low.
Dom frowned, uncomfortable by this dark revelation.
Then, Pops turned to him, smiling again—sad but proud.
"And then I met you," Pops said, walking back to stand in front of him. "I never had any plan for a wife or kids. But… raising you…" He rubbed Dom's head. "… was the best decision I ever made. You were the glue that kept me together."
Dom's cheeks flushed at the heart-warming gesture, then frowned in thought. "But… I'm going away." He muttered.
Pops nodded, expression somber. "You're going to the places I tried to escape." He pulled away. "I'm sure even you get why that sucks for me."
"Yeah," Dom murmured, his mind now conflicted between his drive to follow his dream and fear of leaving Pops behind.
"But you're different," Pops said, smacking his shoulder playfully. "You've already faced a real monster, and you're still not fazed."
Dom flinched, remembering Elon. "But…" He muttered, clenching his fists with frustration. "… I couldn't do anything,"
"Of course not," Pops replied, flicking his forehead. "There was nothing you could do; you're just a kid."
As Dom rubbed his forehead with a pout, Pops grinned.
"But… even after seeing all that, you still shout that you want to fight. That's something even the bravest soldiers can't always say."
He placed a hand on Dom's head, his grin widening.
"You're strong, Dom. Stronger than a lot of people… including me."
Dom smiled childishly, his body warmed by the compliment.
"That's why," Pops continued, stepping away. "… as a coward who ran from battle, I have no right to stop you. So the least I can do is give you a better fighting chance."
"Yes!" Dom shouted, fists raised again.
"Don't get too excited," Pops warned, expression hardening. "I might be a coward, but I was a damn good commander. I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're a kid."
"Fine by me," Dom said, punching his palm with a wide grin.
"That's my boy," Pops chuckled, then turned to the house. "Now… dinner's probably cold."
Dom nodded, picking up the book just as Pops pointed toward the cracks on the wall.
"First thing tomorrow morning… You'd better fill those in. I don't want my house looking like a billion-year-old ruin."
Dom flinched, his eyes following the cracks back to the epicenter of his fist, and groaned.
With a heavy sigh, he followed Pops inside, disheartened by his new taxing chore but eager to begin his new, exciting journey.