A massive explosion echoed across the battlefield...
The area was completely engulfed in dust and smoke.
Zak witnessed the scene before him, but before he could react, he was forced to defend himself against another attack from Saon...
He clicked his tongue and mocked him...
"You really know how to seize an opportunity... It's unfortunate that you're with them. You're strong... and fast..."
A twisted wave of energy suddenly appeared behind Saon, pulling toward him...
Zak escaped it and muttered to himself:
"But unfortunately... my role is over now."
Yes...
He would live long enough to witness the pinnacle he had always believed in...
But then—
A blade suddenly emerged from his chest...
A sword had pierced straight through him from behind.
Blood burst from his mouth...
His body collapsed to the ground...
His lips moved with difficulty...
"That bastard..."
Blood dripped from his mouth.
"I shouldn't have underestimated him..."
Saon calmly returned his sword to its sheath.
He cast one final glance toward Zak's blood-soaked body...
Then he turned away without hesitation and continued walking...
Moments later, he sat down to catch his breath after the exhausting battle...
The scene shifted back to Raym...
Only a few moments earlier...
Raym stood firmly before the enormous claws of the dragon...
The moment resembled a painting depicting someone's final moments.
Yet the reality was the exact opposite...
Raym stared directly into the dragon's eyes...
Without blinking...
Without looking away...
And Agnyr stared back at him...
The silence stretched on.
Until Agnyr finally spoke...
"You..."
His voice was low...
"Boy of Pure Light..."
His gaze narrowed...
"Will you remain imprisoned by your emotions forever???"
His voice grew heavier...
"These people are merely deceiving you... Your place stands far above all of this."
Those words confused everyone present.
Everyone except Raym.
"What are you talking about???" Raym replied.
His voice remained steady...
"I don't even know who you are, and yet you speak as if you've known me all my life."
He took another step forward...
"Who are you???"
Another step...
"And why did your eyes look as though you'd finally found what you were searching for???"
Daniel immediately shouted:
"Raym!!! Stay away from him! He's dangerous!!!"
For a brief moment, Raym glanced back at Daniel.
His eyes spoke louder than words...
Trust me.
Daniel let out a long sigh.
A smile appeared on his face...
"Hmph..."
He crossed his arms.
"You keep becoming more interesting with time, kid..."
Raym continued walking forward.
Question after question...
"You've been suffering..."
Another step...
"You pretend to be strong..."
Another...
With every question Raym asked...
Agnyr took a step backward...
Until Raym stood directly before him...
Then he raised his voice...
"You, Agnyr..."
His eyes locked onto him.
"You're not a bad person... are you???"
The moment those words reached him—
Agnyr collapsed...
Like a corpse dropping lifelessly to the ground...
A memory surfaced...
A familiar scene...
A blurry figure standing before him.
Asking the exact same question.
"Agnyr..."
The voice echoed...
"You're not a bad person... are you???"
Everyone stared in complete disbelief...
Raym raised his hand toward them.
"I know exactly what I'm doing..."
Agnyr slowly lifted his head from the ground...
His voice was weak...
"Bright boy..."
A faint smile appeared...
"You remind me so much of him..."
He closed his eyes briefly...
"His curiosity always drove him forward."
Then he looked at Raym.
"And I'll tell this only to you."
His voice softened...
"I'm not a bad person..."
He paused...
"I'm merely the remnants of a dragon fulfilling a promise he once made..."
His gaze drifted away.
"And unfortunately..."
"You and your companions happened to stand against that promise."
A faint smile appeared.
"But after hearing your words..."
"And seeing your actions..."
"I understand now..."
His eyes closed.
"This was all just a misunderstanding..."
Before anyone could respond—
A tremendous explosion shook the battlefield...
Agnyr immediately became tense.
A trace of shock crossed his face.
"Huh...???"
His eyes widened.
"How did he push himself that far...???"
Raym frowned.
"What do you mean???"
"There isn't enough time..."
Agnyr struggled to stand...
"He's fighting seriously now."
He looked toward the smoke...
"No time for explanations."
His voice grew urgent...
"Go."
"Calm things down."
"And try to save what's left of your companion..."
"If he's still alive."
Raym immediately rushed toward the source of the explosion...
The deeper he ran into the dust and smoke...
The worse the situation became...
Valerius remained standing with difficulty...
His broken arm trembled.
"Hm..."
He looked down at it...
"That man..."
A faint smile appeared...
"He truly chose to do it."
"Even while his hands were burning away..."
His eyes narrowed...
"What a remarkable warrior..."
Then—
Without warning—
Aldous appeared behind him...
And threw another punch.
A simple punch.
One that failed to move Valerius even a single step.
Aldous immediately dropped to one knee...
His entire body was covered in burns and wounds.
He gasped desperately for air...
Yet his eyes never left Valerius.
Not even for a second...
The hatred.
The determination.
The pain.
That look alone was enough to carve his name into Valerius' memory forever.
Valerius stared at him silently.
Then spoke.
"You are a warrior of exceptional caliber."
His voice carried genuine admiration...
"No..."
He shook his head...
"A warrior of the highest caliber."
He pointed toward Aldous.
"Had you mastered a few more techniques..."
"Or possessed a third element..."
"You might have defeated me..."
A bitter smile appeared.
"But to push me this far..."
"Using nothing but your fists???"
Valerius slowly nodded...
"Allow me to acknowledge you as an equal."
"Aldous."
Yet Aldous never responded...
His eyes remained fixed upon him.
Valerius sighed...
"Such is life."
"One man survives and tells the story of his glory..."
"The other dies..."
"And is forgotten."
His gaze softened.
"But I won't allow your name to disappear."
"I'll tell your story to the people I know—"
Suddenly—
He stopped.
His expression changed.
"...Never mind..."
His voice became cold.
"I'll end this now."
Flames erupted around his fist.
He launched a burning strike toward Aldous.
But before the blow could land—
Raym stepped between them.
Using his own body as a shield.
The fist stopped.
Only an inch from his face.
Yet Raym never blinked.
Valerius looked at him.
"Brave boy..."
His voice was calm.
"Your journey will not end here."
His eyes drifted elsewhere.
"But your companions' journeys will."
Then—
His expression suddenly shifted...
A realization struck him.
"Wait..."
His eyes widened.
"Agnyr..."
"What did you do to him???"
He immediately turned around...
Agnyr was struggling to rise from the ground...
Then—
For the first time—
His voice reached everyone present.
"VALERIUS!!!"
The battlefield froze...
Agnyr's voice echoed through the air.
"STOP!!!"
His eyes locked onto him...
"They are not our enemies!!!"