**1.** Gareth, a middle-aged monster hunter living on the edge of the night, follows the scent of a hell demon to Whitewater Town on the border of the Edergard Federation. He hunts down an evil sorcerer, who panics and summons a hell demon. After defeating him, Gareth conceals his identity and enters Whitewater Town, ready to investigate the source of the demonic scent. (This borrows a bit from Henry Cavill's *The Witcher* TV series, which also opens with Geralt killing a monster before entering a town. Warrior short dramas typically have the male lead defeat an opponent in prison, get released, and hide his identity as a janitor.) Arriving in Whitewater Town to gather information, Gareth claims to be a wandering mercenary. The local mercenaries mock him: "Old man, you don't even have a sword — you're clearly just a vagrant. Get lost! Whitewater Town is no place for you to beg." Gareth looks agitated: "What! This is Whitewater Town?" **2.** The local mercenaries keep mocking him: "The old man's scared out of his wits, hahaha!" Gareth sinks into memory — flashback. Twenty years ago: Gareth's love with Helena, the birth of his daughter Sofia, and the reason Gareth had to leave. The flashback ends. Just then, the lord — his daughter Sofia — appears, scolding the crowd and explaining to Gareth that this is the federation's border, a chaotic zone where monsters roam. (Briefly establishes the background.) She says Whitewater Town is about to face a crisis and urges Gareth to leave. Gareth frowns; she feels strangely familiar. A local mercenary rebukes him: "Lady Sofia has spoken — why aren't you gone yet?" Gareth looks at Sofia in shock: "What? Your name is Sofia! Actually, I'm your..." **3.** Sofia asks: "You're my what?" Gareth's inner monologue: I still have a mission; I can't reveal my identity. He says: "Actually, I'd like to stay and serve as your retainer." Sofia frowns, misreading Gareth as an old, frail man too afraid to leave, and keeps him on as her retainer for now. The next day, Sofia assembles a squad to clear the roads and encounters a massive beast. They can't win and flee in panic. Sofia panics: "Where's Gareth? Go save him!" Cut. The beast tears through the forest, hunting the fleeing mercenaries. Gareth strides out casually, facing the dark demon beast: "You dare bully my daughter." (Calm. Showing off.) **4.** Gareth battles the beast, defeats it with effortless ease, and leaves. Sofia arrives with the main force, sees the corpse, and is stunned. Gareth shows up late. Sofia is excited: "Gareth!" **5.** Sofia is thrilled: "Gareth, someone powerful helped us — we must find him. Whitewater Town can still be saved." Gareth is curious; inner monologue: what exactly is this crisis? Cut. North Army camp. Officer Edric spits blood: "What? The beast was killed? It died in the direction of Whitewater Town. Hmph, that woman dared to kill my pet. How am I supposed to explain this to Prince Asmond?" Edric assembles his men and sets out, menacing. **6.** His subordinate asks: "Eric already died before (the evil sorcerer killed in episode one), and now the beast has died unexpectedly too — should we report to Prince Asmond?" Edric scoffs: "Just a little Whitewater Town — there's no need at all." Cut. Inside Whitewater Town, laborers are hauling the beast's corpse. Gareth and Sofia walk and chat; Gareth is about to reveal his identity when an alarm sounds. Sofia turns to look: "Damn it." **7.** Gareth asks what's wrong. Sofia tells him to hide and find a chance to escape, then hurries off. Cut. Outside the town is a massacre: northern cavalry charges, easily cutting down the labor crew hauling the beast's corpse. Edric issues threats. On the town wall, Sofia anxiously organizes the defenses, then turns to find Gareth still here — shocked: "Why didn't you leave?" Gareth says: "I'm not leaving, because you are my daughter." (Emotional beat.) **8.** Sofia is stunned: "You're my father?" Gareth says Helena's name and some details; Sofia believes him but hesitates. Gareth says: "Let me help you." Gareth moves to act but is blocked by the mercenaries. They're displeased: "What can you do, old man who abandoned Lady Sofia? We'll protect her!" The mercenaries charge. (First round of tug-and-pull.) **9.** The local mercenaries are defeated by Edric's men; Edric taunts smugly. On the city wall, Gareth hears the taunts, annoyed, and moves to act but is stopped by Sofia. She tells Gareth to leave: "You've been gone so long — why come back? You're not welcome here." Sofia's inner monologue: It's too dangerous here, Father. Please forgive my rudeness. Sofia steps forward to confront Edric. (Second round of tug-and-pull.) **10–11.** The two sides clash. Sofia can't hold her own; Edric gloats and threatens: "As long as you submit to me, I'll..." Sofia nervously backs away, and just as she's about to fall, Gareth suddenly appears and catches her. Sofia looks up in surprise. Close-up on Gareth. Edric sneers: "An old man dares to be so arrogant? Any one of my cavalrymen could toy with you." Gareth calmly looks at Edric: "Oh, is that so?" When Gareth lifts his head, his eyes are blood-red (combat mode switched on). He takes a step forward; the camera pulls back, the ground shakes, the screen trembles violently, cracks split the earth, and the cavalrymen fall from their horses one by one. Cut. Close-up: Edric, shocked: "What?!"
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