Johan had always known that people were weak. For years, he had tested their limits. First it was with children, then with families, then with entire social circles. But now, at the age of nine, he had moved beyond simple manipulation. He had broken a family. He had destroyed a man. And now, he was ready to bring down a town. Mayor Reinhardt was just another piece on Johan’s board. A powerful man. A respected man. But just a man nonetheless. And men? Men were easy to break. Especially when they were already cracking. Clara Reinhardt had been Johan’s first key to her father. She had trusted him. Listened to him. Followed him. And, unknowingly, she had played right into his hands. Johan had planted doubt in her mind, whispering truths that turned into obsessions. "Do you think your father actually cares?” “Maybe he only sees you as a reflection of himself.” “Or maybe… you don’t matter to him at all.” Those thoughts had festered, growing into something uncontrollable. Clara had rebelled. She had pulled away from her family. And her father, already burdened by his responsibilities as mayor, had begun to unravel. His perfect life was coming apart. His control was slipping.  Johan had simply watched. Because that was exactly what he had planned all along. Mayor Reinhardt had always been a man of certainty. Everything in his life had been calculated. His career, his image, his power. But now, that certainty was gone. His home had turned into a battlefield. His daughter had become a stranger. His wife had stopped speaking to him. His mind, once sharp and decisive, had grown doubtful. And that doubt? Johan had been waiting for it. Because doubt was the first step toward desperation. That desperation is when people became truly dangerous. One evening, as the town slept beneath a moonless sky, Mayor Reinhardt sat alone in his office. His hands trembled. His thoughts raced. He felt as though the world was closing in on him. And then, a knock at the door. Soft and precise. The mayor hesitated, then called out. "Come in.” The door creaked open. And there, standing in the dim light, was Johan. The mayor blinked. "What are you doing here, son?” Johan stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I was walking,” he said, his voice smooth. "I saw the light in your window.” The mayor rubbed his forehead. "I have… a lot on my mind.” Johan tilted his head. "Do you ever feel like something is wrong with this town, Mr. Reinhardt?” The mayor’s eyes snapped to him. "What do you mean?” Johan took a seat across from him, his gaze steady, unblinking. "I mean… that everything is so fragile,” he said softly. "That people like to pretend they are in control. That they tell themselves stories to keep from seeing the truth.” The mayor swallowed hard. "What truth?” Johan smiled. "That everything can fall apart,” he whispered. "At any moment.” Silence. The mayor stared at him. Johan leaned forward slightly. "The question isn’t whether things will break, Mr. Reinhardt.” “It’s whether you will let it happen… or whether you will be the one to control it.” The mayor exhaled shakily. His hands gripped the desk. The seed had been planted. And Johan knew. It was only a matter of time before it took root. The change was gradual, but unmistakable. At first, the mayor simply became paranoid. He distrusted his own staff. He questioned every report that came across his desk. He began to see enemies where there were none. And then, slowly, he started to act. His policies became erratic. He made sudden financial decisions. He began cutting budgets, raising taxes, and moving money to projects that no one understood. He dismissed longtime allies. And, all the while, fear spread through the town. Something was wrong, but no one could quite name it. They only knew that the man who had once been their leader was changing. Johan understood something that the townspeople did not. Fear was like a virus. Once it infected one person, it would spread. It started with doubt in leadership. Then it became fear of instability. Then it turned into unrest. And soon, the entire town would begin to collapse. And all of it had started with a single whisper. Shops began to close early. Citizens whispered in hushed voices. There were fights in the streets, arguments breaking out over the smallest things. The town’s economy plunged into uncertainty. Fear had taken hold. And Johan was watching it all unfold. Because this had not been an accident. This had been a test. A test to see how far his influence could reach. A test to see if he could destabilize an entire society. And now, he had his answer. One night, as his world crumbled around him, Mayor Reinhardt found himself alone. He had alienated his allies. Lost control of his home. Turned his own people against him. And there was only one person left to turn to. Johan. "Johan,” the mayor whispered, his voice shaking. "What do I do?” Johan looked up at him, his expression unreadable. And then, softly, he answered. "You already know,” he said. "You just need to do it.” The mayor’s breath hitched. Because he did know. He had always known. Johan had simply helped him see it more clearly. The only way to fix this… Was to destroy it completely.