I didn't hold the skill active for too long since I was basically at rock bottom at the moment, but it was more than enough for me to get back to the river.

  I dived right in, and came back out only after a few moments, and just in time to hear my dad yelling towards me.

  "Freddy crush them again!"

  Already thinking that, I activated the skill as I drew closer to the enemies before me. Water dripping off my body as I deactivated Crushing Descent and instead activated Aqua Barrage.

  12 flying balls of water combined with the offensive my dad and uncles went on because of the window Crushing Decent awarded them, it didn't take very long to clean up the people that surrounded us.

  From there we all went back over to the main area where Grandpa and Rakeon were located, only to find out that Grandpa was still conducting a massacre. His body was now covered in a lot more wounds than when I left him here, but he had maddened expression on his face as he continued to be a menace in the eyes of the enemy.

  Not wasting any time we jumped in the fray with him, everyone fighting with a zeal rooted in revenge.

  I know for a fact without Grandpa here, I would be able to do significant damage to the group, but likely would've ran out of steam long before I whittled all their numbers down to

  0.

  But with Grandpa taking so much attention and simultaneously dealing just as much, if not more damage, we were able to accomplish our goals.

  It took maybe an hour or two, but eventually we cleaned up all of Lagia. There were no more red people or lava people to be found, though I am sure they are not far, and there’s a good chance this isn’t the end of them, not for quite some time.

  Regardless, we now have some room to breathe and hopefully time to get back on our feet and plan how to move forward. In fact, right after we finished checking all over the city, instead of rushing back into the dungeon to let everybody know the city was clear, Grandpa had a meeting with us.

  “Good job, boys. We all fought well, and we won. I don’t know exactly which one of those bastards took the lives of our family members, but whoever it was, we took a piece back today.

  “It is nowhere near enough to fill the void of pain in my heart, but I’m sure there’ll be more chances to make an attempt to fill it. In the meantime, things need to change around here, as you all can see.

  “No one else left the confines of the dungeon to come and help us. Of course, they had no mandatory obligation to do so, but it was us who defended our little part of the world. It was us who fought back against the enemy, and it was us who secured this area. It was also us who have found a faction here, and that faction isn’t leaving.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  “So I want to make something clear about where I stand with our future in this city. We are not giving it up unless it’s a doomsday scenario and we have no choice. Until that time comes, we will fight for every inch of this city. And with that being said, things around here need to change. And I don’t mean a little change. I mean a character defining moment of any story you’ve ever read of mine type of change.

  “Before all this happened, we all know those idiots who were pushing the line, trying to see just what they could get away with. Trying to take control of the dungeon, both dungeons. Trying to control the shop.

  “Trying to control the size of groups in the city. Trying to control so many things. And obviously there was a lot of pushback. Most members of the city, and especially those of this family, did not agree with those practices. Initially, the whole thing was just to make sure our family was all right. If our family was good, everything was good.

  “Apparently, that’s the wrong way to go about things if the people around us, who we share a community with, aren’t good too. Probably more than I realized, and that’s my fault. I should’ve prepared better for this.

  “But that ends now. We have the only faction in this city, and with that being said, from this point forward, Lagia will be controlled by the Williams family.

  “And when I say controlled, I really do mean control. We will not be dictators, nor will we rule with an iron fist, but it will be clear who is in control of this city. And I mean extremely clear.

  “Clear as day, since I plan to have controlled access to the dungeons. Anyone will still be able to go in, but there will be a small tax. But like I said, we won’t be dictators. If we’re going to take charge of the city, then we must continue to defend it. Not just our family, but the entire city. And that includes refugees showing up from other places. Whatever the city gives us, we’ll put back into it.

  “Now, I’m sure there’ll be some pushback if we implement this plan of mine, so the initial period will be a little rough, but that’s all right. Now I want to make it clear, this is just an idea and a feeling of mine.

  “It is not written in stone in some formal fashion. I consider all of you my boys, whether you married into the family or you came from my loins, this generation or the one after it. You’re one of my boys. I respect your opinions. If you think what I’m doing is the wrong decision, speak now.”

  That was a lot. Honestly, there wasn’t any other way to put it. That was a lot. I’m not sure where I thought Grandpa was going with his speech, but to hear him say he wants to put this whole city under the control of our family, have controlled access to the dungeons, but at the same time protect it, that’s a lot.

  And what wasn’t being said is the amount of risk that comes with that.

  Even if everything went perfect, and the people of the city allowed us to be their leaders, to keep it blunt, that’s a massive risk when it comes to basic threats. Because the city will depend on us. His grandsons, his sons and sons in law, his daughters and daughters in law, granddaughters eventually.

  That’s who he’s putting at risk. And I know he thought about that. I know for a fact he weighed all of these options, and yet he still came to the solution he just told us about.

  Having the Williams family control the city, that is heavy. And I really need to consider if my shoulders are broad enough for such a burden.

  Again…even if it was that was just me to consider. If someone was causing problems in the city, not even the lava people, but humans who let the power get to their heads and wanted more than what they earned or were given.

  Would we be responsible for policing them?

  Were we going to turn one of the houses on the property into a prison capable of holding powerful people? Who the hell was going to be the ones doing all of that?

  I’m just not sure if Grandpa thought this through all the way.