Julian looked at the endless road ahead and asked,
"How long will it take for us to reach the town?"
Guptil replied calmly,
"At least two months… and at most six or seven."
Then he lowered his voice and added,
"If you want to reach the town faster, you can ride the dragons. They can fly."
Julian thought for a moment.
"That sounds like a good idea."
Guptil nodded.
"The dragons will be happy as well."
Julian walked toward the dragons and politely said,
"Mr. Dragon, may I ride on your back?"
The dragon happily replied,
"Of course, Master. It is an honor for me."
Julian climbed onto the dragon's back. But when Guptil tried to climb up as well, the dragon suddenly spoke in a cold voice.
"I serve only my master… not you."
Guptil paused.
Julian immediately stopped the dragon.
"Mr. Dragon, he is my master. Please let him ride as well."
The dragon lowered his head.
"If that is your order, then I will obey."
With that, both Julian and Guptil flew toward the town.
Because dragons could fly, the journey that would normally take months was completed in only seven hours.
When Julian arrived at the town, he observed everything carefully. The town looked peaceful, and the crime rate seemed very low.
Julian felt happy seeing such a calm place.
The next day, Guptil began training him.
He taught Julian how to control his magical aura and how to use it in battle.
Months passed.
Julian gradually mastered the control of his aura.
Seeing his progress, Guptil simply smiled.
The next day, Julian overheard several people talking in the street.
One man said,
"Did you hear? Zavinies Lark is dead."
Another man replied,
"Really? That's great news. That cruel man finally died."
A third man added,
"That assassin was a terrible person. I'm glad he's gone."
Julian suddenly walked toward them.
"Hey. Why are you speaking badly about Zavinies?"
One of the men replied calmly,
"Because he's a killer. An assassin. He kills people for money."
"He's a devil."
Julian's face darkened.
Without warning, he punched the man.
"No! That's a lie! He isn't a devil! He's a hero! He protects people!"
The man groaned in pain and shouted angrily,
"Are you crazy? Zavinies is a murderer!"
"He's a cruel bastard!"
Julian's expression became completely emotionless.
He threw another punch.
This time… the man died instantly.
The surrounding people screamed in shock.
"What are you doing, Arkwright?!"
Julian froze.
Only then did he realize what he had done.
He had killed someone.
His heart shattered.
Julian ran away in panic.
Soon after, the chairman of the town ordered the guards to capture him.
But Guptil only smiled.
That night, Guptil secretly killed several townspeople using the same punch style as Julian.
He wanted the entire town to hate Julian.
The chairman became furious and declared,
"Capture Arkwright at any cost!"
The next day, Julian appeared before the chairman.
"Arkwright!"
The chairman tried to call the guards, but Julian knocked them all unconscious. He didn't kill them.
Julian spoke calmly.
"Mr. Chairman, I have some questions. You will answer them."
Seeing Julian's terrifying aura, the chairman became afraid.
Julian asked,
"Who is Zavinies Lark?"
"And why do you hate him?"
The chairman replied,
"Zavinies was an assassin. He killed people for money."
"He killed many people in this town."
"We tried to capture him, but he killed our guards."
"He was cruel and insane."
Julian slowly lowered his head.
"So… you're also lying to me."
"Master Guptil was right."
"This world is cruel."
"And to control a cruel world… we must become cruel."
Julian clenched his fists.
"Master Guptil told me Zavinies was a good person."
"And the day he was critically injured… you were responsible."
The chairman shouted in fear,
"No! That's not true! We didn't kill him! We don't even know who did!"
But Julian's heart had already changed.
His cruelty was growing stronger.
He said quietly,
"So Zavinies was an assassin."
"Yes."
"He wasn't a hero."
"Yes."
Julian smiled bitterly.
"Then I will become an assassin too."
"I once wanted to become a hero."
"But I was wrong."
Julian's voice trembled.
"Zavinies once told me… the world is cruel, but we should still live as good people."
"But Guptil was right."
"This world is truly cruel."
Julian's eyes became cold.
"You killed Zavinies."
"And now your people insult my brother."
"So I will kill you all."
Julian killed the chairman.
That day, Julian slaughtered the entire town.
Men.
Women.
Children.
No one was spared.
The town was filled with screams and fear.
But Julian didn't hesitate.
After everything ended, Julian walked alone into the forest.
Suddenly, the dragon appeared.
"Master… what you did was wrong."
Julian replied coldly,
"Don't disturb me."
The dragon said,
"Do you want to see the truth?"
A magical screen appeared.
Julian watched in horror.
He saw that Guptil was the one who committed many murders while disguising himself as Zavinies.
Zavinies had actually been a good person who only killed criminals.
He had never harmed innocent people.
Julian also saw the truth of that day.
A mysterious woman had killed Zavinies.
Not the townspeople.
Julian fell to his knees.
"Why…?"
"Why do I always hurt the people I love…?"
"Zavinies died trying to get medicine for me… and I killed an entire town…"
The dragon explained,
"We dragons have special eyes. I connected my vision to yours and recorded the truth."
"I believe Guptil knew I would eventually show you."
Julian's eyes filled with rage.
"Where is he?"
"In the northern forest."
Julian rushed there.
Guptil was waiting.
He was smiling.
Laughing cruelly.
"What a fool you are, Julian."
"Your power grows stronger… but your brain does not."
Guptil laughed loudly.
"I'm happy. I created the perfect assassin."
"Tell me… do you still think you're a good person?"
"Even Zavinies would hate you now."
"You didn't even hesitate to kill children."
Guptil leaned closer.
"I never trained you to be a hero."
"I trained you to be an assassin."
He spread his arms.
"You came here to kill me anyway."
"So go ahead."
Julian killed him in a single strike.
Julian cried for three days.
But his emotions were already dead.
He believed he had lost his innocence forever.
"Zavinies would hate me now…"
Julian looked toward the sky.
"This world stole everything from me."
"My happiness."
"My family."
"My brother."
"The world is cruel to me."
"So I will be cruel to the world."
The dragon tried to calm him down, but Julian's murderous aura became overwhelming.
Julian said quietly,
"Don't try to stop me."
"I already know what I am."
"This world showed me no kindness… so I will no longer show kindness to the world."
"Because I'm already one."