Somewhere within the quiet forest, a warm breeze rustled through the scorched trees, scattering embers from the knight's recent display of power.
Dom gulped nervously.
Despite not being the target of this man's wrath, the oppressive heat and sheer force radiating from the Knight made his body shiver.
"You? Send me to hell? I'm an S-Class. You can't beat me," Elon sneered, releasing his green aura.
Dom flinched as the overwhelming, eerie sensation washed over him as well.
"Kid," The Knight said without turning, his red aura now licking at the air around him, transforming into flames that curled protectively over his fists. "…you'd better get back. I might not be able to hold back everything."
Dom's brow furrowed in confusion, but he nodded and tried to rise.
Elon's eyes flared green. "You're not going anywhere. You're still my prey!"
With a stomp that cracked the ground, Elon thrust forward, creating a vicious whirlwind over his palm.
"Cyclone Slasher!" He shouted, releasing a massive spiral of wind that surged toward them, shredding everything in its path.
But the spell suddenly dispersed harmlessly.
Flames erupted where the Knight had been standing moments ago, leaving both him and Dom unscathed.
Elon's confidence faltered. "Impossible…" He muttered.
"You fucked up." The Knight replied, flames intensifying, hissing as moisture evaporated violently from the air. The surrounding trees combusted spontaneously, sending clouds of smoke swirling into the sky.
Dom noticed something extraordinary.
The heat was immense, yet his clothes remained unscathed. His skin tingled but did not burn; the fire wrapped around him like a protective blanket.
It's hot enough to burn everything… but to me… It's warm. Safe. Like porridge, Dom thought, marveling at the strange comfort. Even though it could destroy the forest, it doesn't touch me.
"You said your class was to intimidate me, right? Too bad." The Knight said as he advanced, fists sizzling with heat. "I'm not the one outclassed."
Meanwhile, Elon staggered back, his wind defenses faltering against the unbearable heat. He groaned as skin sizzled and hair singed. "What the hell are you?" He asked, his confidence quickly crumbling.
The Knight took a low fighting stance with his already steaming fists held up in front of him.
"Head Captain of the Royal Magic Knights' 3rd Division."
Even the wind seemed to hesitate at that name.
Dom's mouth hung open. That title belonged to one man. A name that forever marked the history books.
"Anthony Justice… The Dragon." Dom mumbled.
At first, Elon trembled in fear, but he quickly suppressed it out of retaliation.
"There's… there's… no way a Monarch would show up in a town like this," Elon shouted, a naive smile now formed on his still pale face. "You may be strong, but if you can spit a lie like that…" He raised his arm and pointed his palm at Anthony. "… you must be really stu-"
His throat instantly went dry once he realized that Anthony was nowhere in sight.
A shock wave exploded from where Anthony was just standing, instantly blowing the equally shocked Dom aside.
Elon desperately looked around, sweat beads sliding down his face as his eyes rapidly searched for the now hidden threat… until he felt a searing heat at his side and turned just as a flaming fist smashed into his cheek.
Even from where Dom was sitting, he could hear the distinct crunch from Elon's jaw before he crashed to the floor several feet away. He leaned over and groaned as blood and a few teeth spilled out of his mouth.
Elon's eyes now reddened from the pain, looked up, his mind so rattled that Anthony appeared as a blurry figure that calmly walked up to him.
He swayed as he tried to stand, his arms raised with a weak wind current swirling around them… just as another flaming punch connected with his gut, forcing more blood out of his mouth.
Elon dropped to his knees, only to immediately meet Anthony's foot, which sent him flying.
Dom watched the once-feared S-Class predator crash into a tree like a helpless ragdoll.
Elon crumbled to the ground, his body too weak to react to the flames currently burning him.
"Even after all these years," Anthony said as he casually walked up, his steps leaving burning prints in the grass. "… there are still so many scums like you. It's irritating."
Elon could only manage a pained groan as he tried to crawl away.
"Just do us all a favor…" Anthony added as he raised an arm, a small fireball hovering over his palm. "… and burn in hell with the rest of your kind."
With that, Dom watched the fireball gently hover towards the retreating Elon, like a firefly lazily moving through a garden.
But the moment it touched Elon, it expanded with unbelievable speed, resulting in an explosion that rattled the entire forest.
Dom grunted as the sudden shockwave sent him flying… but Anthony grabbed him mid-air, using his body to shield him from the destruction around them.
A couple of seconds later, as the howling winds died out and the ground settled…
Slowly, Anthony stepped back, surveying the smoldering clearing. "Yeesh… a little overkill," He muttered, scratching his black-gray hair.
Dom sank to a patch of grass below, the only piece of green left in the charred wasteland around him. The man who had just threatened his life had been reduced to ashes.
He couldn't speak, still frozen. But it wasn't just from fear. It was complete and utter awe.
Two days later…
A small funeral was held at the town's graveside for the lives lost during Elon's hunt.
Dom stood in the back, black hoodie pulled tight, jeans dusted with ash. He rubbed the bandage on his cheek as he listened to the eulogy.
Around him, townspeople mourned—Matt's mother weeping on her knees, the town chief staring blankly at the coffin, others silently grieving.
Dom's mind replayed the scene: the tension, Matt's screams, the spray of blood. His throat went dry, body trembling. A gentle hand landed on his head.
Pops' familiar, comforting smile steadied him. Dom returned a weak smile.
Across the graves, Anthony watched from a distance, his presence quiet but commanding. Dom's body trembled again, but this time, the feeling was the same as back then.
Inspiration surging alongside fear and relief.
The next morning, just outside the town gates, the town chief shook Anthony's hand and bid him farewell.
"I'm getting too old for this shit," Anthony muttered as he walked away.
"Says the man who blew up half the forest." A young, slim Knight quipped, walking up to him.
Anthony shrugged. "I said I was sorry."
The Knight rolled his white-pupil eyes, emphasizing the burn scar along his face. "We're good to go," He said, handing Anthony his formal hat as they returned to their carriage.
There, a younger red-haired escort with an impressive build and a Mohawk sat on his horse beside the carriage. He lit a cigar as they approached.
"Can you stop that?" The scarred Knight barked.
The young escort rolled his eyes and reluctantly complied, eyes flicking toward Anthony before noticing two figures jogging towards them.
As Anthony turned, his eyes widened in recognition of the small boy who stopped with his man beside him.
Pops paused, intimidated by Anthony's towering presence, but managed a grateful smile.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Dom's guardian. I never got a chance with everything going on these past days." He said, extending a hand. "Thank you for saving him, General."
Anthony nodded and shook his hand. "I'm just glad I got there in time." He glanced at Dom hiding behind Pops. "How is he?"
"His wound will leave a scar, but he's physically fine," Pops said, patting Dom's head. "Mentally… he's doing okay, considering everything. He's a tough kid. In fact…" He nudged Dom forward. "…he has something to say to you."
"Really?" Anthony knelt, bringing himself down to Dom's level. "Your name's Dominic, right? What do you want to tell me?"
Dom glanced at Pops, quietly drawing strength from his supportive gaze, then swallowed hard. "Thank you for saving me, Mr. Dragon, sir." He said timidly, finally meeting Anthony's eyes.
Anthony smiled. "You can just call me Tony. You're very welcome, Dominic."
Dom's hands then twisted the hem of his hoodie. "Um… I…"
Words bubbled up, but fear held them back. He glanced at Pops one more time for encouragement. Then, with one deep breath and a steadying nod to himself, his voice finally rang out:
"I… I'm going to surpass the Emperor and become the greatest Knight!"
A stunned silence fell over the adults, but Anthony laughed, genuine and warm. "Surpass Ethan, huh?" He replied, his eyes glowing while his lips spread into a manic grin. "The greatest Knight, huh? I'd like to see that."
The other two knights and Pops flinched as they sensed the subtle, dark aura surrounding Anthony's body.
Dom's gaze hardened, failing to notice that slight tension in the air as he spoke, "I want to be like you."
Anthony raised a brow, suppressing his mana once curiosity crossed his face. "Like me?"
Dom's hands trembled as he thought back to the encounter. "I was so scared that my body wouldn't move. I thought I was going to die just by being around that guy." He closed his eyes, trying to push away that terrible feeling.
"Dom," Pops mumbled, his gaze softening as he looked at his ward.
Dom drew a shaky breath, opened his eyes, and finally met Anthony's. "But you weren't like that," He said quietly.
Anthony frowned, puzzled.
"Even though you were, like… ten times stronger than him, your mana didn't scare me. It was like… Um…" Dom searched for the words, his gaze landing on a nearby bush. "Like your fire. Even though it was hot enough to burn everything, I didn't get burned."
Anthony stiffened, his eyes widened, impressed that this little child was able to acknowledge that little detail amidst fear and chaos.
Dom looked down at his own hands, explaining further, "It made me feel safe. Like nothing bad could ever touch me."
"You're a smart kid, Dominic," Anthony said as he stood slowly, his expression now serious. "But you need to know that power like that comes with a price."
Dom frowned, his fists clenched. "I know…" He muttered, his gaze lowered. "In the end, you're all soldiers, so I know that you're forced to… kill...sometimes. Like with that guy." He shivered once he recalled how Elon was executed, wiped off the face of the earth like nothing.
Anthony nodded, listening intently.
Dom's eyes suddenly brightened again, his gaze rose to meet Anthony's. "But even though you have the power to kill anyone with just one spell, you also use that power to help good people. I want to be like that. A fire that can protect good people but still stop the bad guys."
A brief silence fell over the clearing. Dom noticed how the adults—Pops and the other attendants—looked at him, speechless.
"Is… is that bad?" Dom asked, glancing nervously at them.
Unknown to him, the question left a profound impression. They were struck by how such a young boy could understand the weight of power, the responsibility it carried, and the choice to protect rather than destroy.
Anthony's smile softened. "You sound just like me when I joined the army." He chuckled, then turned to Pops. "You're a former soldier, right?"
Pops blinked. "How… did you know?" He asked, shocked.
Anthony's smile widened. "You walk like one,"
Pops chuckled at that minor detail.
"I may not know you, but I can tell a commanding officer when I see one." Anthony continued, his gaze drifted back to Dom. "You trained a good soldier."
Pops looked at his ward, smirking proudly. "I did, didn't I?" He muttered, his gaze almost distant and… sad.
Dom's eyes, however, lit up. "Really?" He asked, his fists trembling.
"Yeah," Anthony replied, reaching up to remove his hat. "You're already thinking like a soldier. Just keep it up, and you'll be fine."
Dom grinned excitedly, then frowned once he remembered one detail. "But I don't even have an affinity yet. How can I do it?" He muttered.
Anthony paused, his expression momentarily confused, before a spark of amusement filled his eyes. "I see. You really have no idea what you are, huh? I don't blame you. It's not something ordinary people know, after all." He chuckled, drawing confused stares from both Pops and Dom.
Then, Dom flinched as Anthony suddenly placed his hat on Dom's head. "The greatest power isn't always the flashiest. Sometimes… you just have to master what's already inside you." He said, patting Dom's head before stepping back.
"Wait… what does that mean?" Dom asked, lifting the oversized hat over his face.
Anthony laughed, stepping into the carriage. "You said you wanted to become the greatest and surpass us, right? Then, solving a little riddle like this shouldn't be too hard for a powerful mage like you." He said as he sat down while the scarred knight took the coach.
"When you figure it out, come find me and return that hat," Anthony said, his smile fixed on Dom. "That will be proof your goal is still the same… and a promise that I'll help get you there."
Tears filled Dom's eyes, and he gripped the hat tightly. The thought of one of his heroes supporting his goal made his heart skip. "I will! I promise!" He shouted, waving excitedly, the large hat briefly covered his face, smothering his goodbyes.
Anthony chuckled fondly and closed the door as the scarred knight tugged on the reins.
Some minutes later…
The horses calmly pulled the carriage further away with the red-haired escort riding just ahead.
The scarred knight frowned in thought. "Why didn't you just tell him what his power really was?" He asked, his voice low but loud enough to reach the small window behind him.
Anthony popped the cap off a bottle of alcohol and took a long swing, savoring it before answering. "Because I've always wanted to sound like a wise old man. The way Jin used to sound."
The scarred knight rolled his eyes.
"Besides," Anthony added, a sly glint in his eye, "… if his hair's already like that… he's already manifested it. He'll figure it out eventually."
The scarred Knight shook his head, his tone tinged with disbelief. "I never thought I'd see one of their kind in a place like this." He muttered.
Anthony paused, the sight of Dom's white hair bringing a smile to his face as he drank again.
"I'm guessing we shouldn't inform the Capital?" The red-haired escort said, barely able to hear their conversation from ahead.
Anthony waved dismissively. "Nah. Let him have his freedom now." He said, staring at his bottle. "When he comes to join the knights, they'll find out."
The scarred knight raised a brow. "You actually believed that boy's words?" He asked.
Anthony clicked his tongue, teasingly. "Come on, Roy." He chuckled. "Those weren't the words of a boy. They were the declaration of a warrior."
"I bet half a mil the Council finds him anyway and offs him before he gets that chance." The red-haired knight teased.
"If he doesn't wake up to reality and focus on a normal life first." The scarred knight commented.
"It's a bet." Anthony declared boldly. "I can't wait to see your faces when he shows up later."
"Whatever you say, boss." The red-haired scoffed while the scarred knight shook his head in disbelief.
Anthony's smirk widened as he let the thought linger; the sight of that young boy with white hair sparked a memory powerful enough to make his grip tighten on his bottle, the glass cracking slightly under his grasp.
"The next Emperor… Dominic," He said softly, almost to himself, before chuckling. "I'll be waiting."