Both Conrad and Tom slowly began to realize that they had to make their teacher's teachings and final lessons worth something.
So, for the next month, they trained harder than ever.
They followed the exact routine Thomas had taught them.
Running.
Fetching water.
Catching fish.
Punching trees.
Kicking boulders.
Training underwater.
And most importantly...
Practicing how to control their emotions.
This time, they used Old Tom as their happiest memory.
His memory became their shield.
Their source of defence against fear.
To practice this, they threw small boulders at each other while focusing on their happiest memories.
At first...
The rocks would knock them unconscious.
But after weeks of repeating the same training...
They stood their ground as if nothing had happened.
The bruises.
The cuts.
The redness covering their bodies.
Every scar reminded them of the promise they had made.
Their veins bulged from the endless training.
Both of them now looked like people you couldn't take lightly.
People you had to stay alert against.
Finally...
The day arrived.
The gates to the next Ware opened.
Before leaving Greenware, Conrad and Tom visited Thomas one last time.
They placed flowers on his grave.
Promised they would return one day.
And thanked him...
For changing their lives.
They also bid farewell to his grandson and wished him the very best.
With that...
Their journey continued.
They arrived at the massive gate leading into Redware.
The guards stopped them.
"Entry fee."
"Three hundred dollars per person."
Conrad and Tom looked at each other.
Luckily...
They had 800 dollars.
After paying...
The giant gates slowly opened.
The moment they stepped inside...
They couldn't believe their eyes.
A massive lake stretched across the city, acting as the main route through Redware.
They were then told that Redware was divided into four different districts.
Bulltown.
Chinatown.
Lovetown.
Bloodtown.
Only then did it click.
Everything in Redware...
Had something red associated with it.
As their boat crossed the lake toward the center of the city...
They noticed something terrifying beneath the water.
The lake...
Was red.
Nobody knew why.
Nobody even wanted to know.
Soon, they arrived at the central point of Redware.
A place known as...
Redbase.
From there, four different roads led toward the four districts.
Now...
They had to choose.
Bloodtown?
Absolutely not.
Lovetown?
They were far too broken for that.
So only two choices remained.
Bulltown...
Or Chinatown.
Conrad pulled out a coin.
"Heads for Bulltown."
"Tails for Chinatown."
Tom looked at him.
"What kind of bull doesn't have a tail?"
"And what kind of bat doesn't have a head?"
Conrad paused.
"...Fair point."
The two of them laughed.
Then they simply left it to fate.
The coin landed.
Bulltown.
Besides...
That was where Old Tom had once lived.
They wanted to see it with their own eyes.
As soon as they entered Bulltown...
Both of them froze.
It was...
Beautiful.
Far more modern than Greenware.
Tall buildings.
Wide roads.
Clean transportation.
Beautiful parks.
Everything looked peaceful.
It didn't make sense.
This...
Was supposed to be the Land of Cruelty.
But something felt...
Wrong.
The streets were almost empty.
The buses moved...
Yet barely anyone was inside.
The expensive shops existed...
Yet most of them were closed.
The schools stood silent.
Not a single student.
Automatic road cleaners continuously washed the streets while releasing a pleasant fragrance into the air.
Conrad and Tom looked at each other.
"This place feels abandoned..."
As they continued exploring...
Neither of them realized...
Someone was watching them.
From the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings...
A mysterious figure quietly took a photograph of the two boys.
Then...
With a red pen...
He crossed out both of their faces.
Meanwhile...
Completely unaware...
Conrad and Tom entered the city's largest shopping mall.
Since they barely had any money...
They jokingly looked around for ways to get free clothes while admiring how enormous the mall was.
As they wandered toward the parking area...
A sudden voice echoed through the silence.
"Get down."
"And crawl into those pipes."
"The big drainage pipes."
Both of them instantly became alert.
Something felt suspicious.
But...
The voice sounded desperate.
Trusting their instincts...
They rolled inside.
Waiting for them...
Was a skinny boy.
Around fifteen or sixteen years old.
Small...
But surprisingly handsome.
He looked directly into their eyes.
Then quietly said...
"You two..."
"...are going to be killed tonight."