Alex: "Stop it, Rudra. It's enough. Grave is gone. Our nightmare is over. You can rest now."
Rudra: "And why do you think it's enough? Who gets to decide what's enough? I want answers, Alex. And I'm not stopping until I get them."
Alex: "But you're hurt—we can search for answers later."
Rudra: "No. I've waited long enough. It's time to act, not sit and hope. Tell me, where did the rest of the bandits go?"
Alex: "I don't know… maybe when the fight intensified here, they fled."
Rudra: "Oh, is that so?"
Without another word, Rudra leapt into the air, shattering the cave roof above with a roar of blue flames, disappearing into the light.
Alex (watching in disbelief): "What strength... I can't even call him human anymore."
He turned to his subordinate.
Alex: "Vice Commander Elden."
Elden: "Yes, sir?"
Alex: "Take Elendro and Lisa to the nearest town. Make sure they get immediate treatment."
Elden: "Yes, sir! Guards, take Elendro and follow me!"
Still worried, Alex decided to follow Rudra to ensure he didn't get himself killed. A short distance away, he found Rudra already surrounded by more than twenty bandits in a clearing.
Rudra: "I'll give you all just one chance. If any of you know about the Amber Incident… you better start talking."
Bandit #1: "And what makes you so confident, brat? You may have defeated Grave, but you're outnumbered. And in your condition, you won't last long."
Rudra (calmly): "You're mistaken, old man. Tell me—have you ever seen a lion surrounded by deer?"
Bandit: "Yes. What of it?"
Rudra: "Then you should know… it doesn't matter how many deer are present. To the lion, they're all just prey—silent, helpless, waiting to be devoured. It's the same for you. Your numbers don't change the truth—you're weak. And in the end, you'll all die in ways worse than you can imagine… in pain, agony, screaming for mercy."
Bandit #2 (uneasy): "This guy's insane... He's a psychopath! Stay back!"
But another stepped forward.
Bandit #3: "Don't let him get into your head! He's just a kid. Look at those flames—they're flickering. He can't control them. Now's our chance!"
Alex, hiding in the bushes, watched the situation unfold.
Suddenly, the bandits lunged at Rudra.
Alex (realizing): "No—I'm too late…"
The bandits landed brutal hits. Rudra's body was soon drenched in blood, as if he had bathed in a crimson storm.
Rudra (grinning): "That's the best you've got? You should have run."
Then, Rudra screamed—a primal roar not of a boy, but a beast caged too long, finally unleashed. The blue flames erupted violently.
Alex noticed something terrifying: the flames were no longer healing Rudra. They were burning him. His skin blistered under their fury.
Alex (shouting): "Rudra! Stop! These flames—they're hurting you! Control your hatred! If you continue like this, you'll die! What will I tell my brother who entrusted you to me?"
Rudra: "This is the path I chose. If it ends here, I have no regrets."
And with that, Rudra charged.
What Alex saw next chilled him to his core. Rudra tore through the bandits like they were insects. Heads rolled. One man had his eyes seared as Rudra plunged flaming fingers into his skull—his scream was that of a dying animal, raw and unanswered.
In less than two minutes, all the bandits lay dead.
Rudra stood in the center of the massacre, soaked in blood and flames.
Alex was frozen. He couldn't move a muscle. What stood before him wasn't the kind boy who once hesitated to kill—it was death incarnate.
Alex (to himself): "Is this still Rudra… or has the fire consumed him?"
He understood then—Rudra was no longer someone the world could control. No army, no chain, no code of honor could stop him now.
Alex made a decision—a painful one.
Alex (whispering): "I brought this fate upon you and this world… and now I must end it. Otherwise, I'll never forgive myself."
He gripped his sword tightly.
Alex: "I'm sorry, brother… I failed to save him. But for the sake of this world, the monster Rudra has become must be stopped. That darkness isn't our Rudra."
Alex lunged forward, attacking Rudra.
Rudra caught the blade bare-handed. The only damage Alex inflicted was breaking a bracelet from Rudra's wrist.
Rudra: "Sorry, Captain… you missed."
He punched Alex.
Alex was sent flying, crashing into a tree.
Struggling to his feet, Alex leaned on his sword. His ribs cracked, legs trembling. Even with Rudra holding back, that single punch had nearly broken him.
Suddenly, a blinding light flared from the ground.
Alex blinked.
Standing in front of him was someone impossible.
Alex (shocked): "Brother?! What… how are you here? What the hell is going on?! How many surprises am I getting today?"
Richerd (calmly): "Relax, Alex. You did great. I'll explain everything later. But first… I need to deal with Rudra."
He smirked.
Richerd (to Rudra): "Aren't you a troublesome kid…"