Miguel raised his hand, and the ring on his finger flared to life. The energy from Don Fernando hit a wall of golden light and was redirected into the ground, where it immediately began to nourish the soil.
"What?" Don Fernando stared in shock. "That's impossible—my energy is supposed to destroy, not heal!"
"Your energy is just power without purpose," Miguel said calmly. "Let me show you the difference."
He began to walk forward, and as he did, the Grand Cycle activated around him. The ground beneath his feet turned green, flowers bloomed along the path, and even the air seemed to grow cleaner.
"Look around you," Miguel said, gesturing to the fields. "Your land is dying because you take and take without giving back. The book I found says that true wealth isn't gold or power—it's a healthy cycle that sustains everyone."
One of Don Fernando's hired cultivators stepped forward. "You speak of cycles, but how do we know you're not just another monster?"
"Because we share," a voice called out. It was Mang Tomas, a farmer from a nearby village that had benefited from the water Miguel had restored. "These people saved our fields, saved our families. Don Fernando's chemicals were killing our children!"