What’s Next in EAST FREELAND: Kage and More

As David prepares “East Freeland: Art Story Two,” he wants to share his thoughts on Ricky, Jung, and their first rival.

“Sometimes to protect what matters, you have to step outside of the light. But then, the question becomes: How far into the dark can you go before becoming what you’re fighting against?”

In the continuation, we’ll explore a man increasingly at odds with the institution he’s sworn to protect. Those who’ve followed Ricky have come to understand his willingness to break the rules for what he perceives as the greater good. But as the Lunar New Year celebrations light up the city’s sky in “East Freeland: Art Story Two,” Ricky will cross lines that he never thought he would.

The Birth of Vengeance

Into this moral gray area enters a new player who hides behind a mask—Kage. This ruthless punisher brings a brand of justice that makes even Ricky’s warlike tactics seem tame by comparison.

Kage came to life as the perfect mix of mystery and danger. Battle-clad in things that don’t usually go together—a vintage motorcycle jacket, two silver bullet bandoliers crossed over his chest, and lots of guns—what was really fun was selecting his mask. In Japanese theater, Hannya masks depicted demons with horns, ghoul-like teeth, and even human feelings like wrath—perfect for what I wanted his enemies to discover.

But there’s something compelling about Kage’s judgment and willingness to cross lines others won’t, and as the series moves forward, his connections to certain characters will become clearer.

When Enemies Become Allies

The heart of Art Story Two lies in a radical shift in East Freeland’s power dynamics. For fifteen chapters, we’ve watched Ricky and Jung circle each other as adversaries—one representing order, the other embodying rebellion. Their shared blood has never been enough to overcome their idealistic differences.

“The most powerful alliances are often forged between those who once stood on opposite sides of the battlefield. When brothers who once fought each other must fight together, old wounds reopen even as new bonds form.”

But what happens when a threat emerges so significant that these sworn enemies must reconsider their opposition as Kage’s influence dominates East Freeland while representing something neither brother can defeat alone?

A City on the Brink

Lastly, the city remains our most complex character, overeaten with contradictions where rite and modernity collide and cultural heritage is glorified and commodified. The Lunar New Year celebration that opens “East Freeland: Art Story Two” perfectly illustrates this duality.

But the question at the heart of this saga still remains: Who truly has the right to determine East Freeland’s future?

Is it First Sergeant Kato and Unity East, with their vision of law & order? Or Jung and his 7 Streeters, who torment the city’s vulnerable communities? Maybe Ricky, whose extreme methods might be exactly what the town requires in desperate times?

---

Have you read East Freeland? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

---