As everyone stood frozen in shock, some even screaming in horror, both Valerius and Raya remained completely motionless...
Valerius picked up the blood-soaked hair tie.
The moment he brought it close to smell it...
A horrifying image formed inside his mind...
A foul scent.
A scent overflowing with an insatiable desire to kill...
to corrupt...
to stain everything it touched.
Without saying a word, Valerius slowly turned around...
That dreadful expression of shock never left his face.
Step after step, he dragged himself toward his home.
Behind him, the entire city remained paralyzed with fear.
His body swayed with every step.
He slowly opened the door.
Darkness had completely swallowed the house.
Not a single trace of light remained...
Without even realizing it, he whispered,
"I'm home..."
He walked toward the place where his father usually sat...
No one was there.
He forced a faint smile...
"Heh... maybe he just stepped outside... He'll come back later..."
He continued toward his room...
That lifeless expression still covered his face.
The moment he collapsed onto his bed...
He broke.
Violent sobs burst from his chest.
Between his cries, he shouted,
"You're just a selfish idiot!"
"You left and lost Mom..."
"And now you've left me too!!!"
"You're awful..."
"You're selfish..."
"You're the worst..."
"I don't love you anymore!!!"
His voice trembled as tears continued pouring from his eyes...
"You even hid the last trace of Mom's scent from me..."
Suddenly...
Someone knocked on the door...
Without wiping away his tears—or even asking who it was—
Valerius opened it.
Standing there was Raya.
Her head was lowered...
Tears streamed endlessly down her cheeks.
Neither of them tried to hide their grief.
Without saying a single word...
Raya threw herself into his arms, crying uncontrollably.
Valerius gently held her.
"Please... don't cry."
"I'm still here..."
The two of them cried together until night had completely fallen...
Eventually, Raya returned home...
Valerius quietly closed the door behind her.
Then he faced his grief alone...
Somehow...
That endless night finally came to an end...
No one in the city had truly slept...
The following morning...
Inside Griem's palace...
The king paced back and forth anxiously, biting his own hand...
"Damn it..."
"Now everyone thinks this is my fault..."
"As if I knew what they were walking into..."
He clenched his fist...
"Have they forgotten that if a Dragon truly exists..."
"...then it's also my responsibility to eliminate it?"
"Now I'm trapped between two disasters..."
He suddenly shouted,
"Scythe!!! Get in here immediately!!!"
The captain of the guards entered with calm, unwavering steps and stopped before him...
Griem looked at him.
"Look at what's happened."
"How do we fix this???"
"How do we regain their trust???"
"They blame me for everything..."
Scythe's posture never changed.
Neither did his expression...
He answered steadily,
"Then there is only one solution, Lord Griem."
"Stand before every grieving family."
"Apologize."
"Show them that you had no knowledge of this."
"Then swear to avenge them."
He paused.
"And restore Crag..."
"...as the city that raises Dragon Slayers."
Griem stared at him in surprise.
Then immediately nodded...
Together, they began visiting every mourning household.
Eventually...
They arrived at Valerius' home.
Valerius stepped outside.
Everyone noticed how much he had changed overnight.
Whispers spread among the crowd...
"That poor child..."
"He lost everyone..."
Just as he had done with every family before, Griem offered his apology.
Before he could finish—
Valerius stepped forward.
His eyes were swollen from endless crying...
He raised his head.
"No."
Everyone froze.
His voice grew sharper.
"I want revenge."
"I'll kill that filthy Dragon myself."
Scythe smiled slightly.
"You're a brave young man."
"If I'm not mistaken..."
"You're thirteen years old, aren't you???"
Valerius silently nodded.
Scythe continued,
"We've decided to begin a new training program..."
"A brutal one..."
"One that will forge men capable of killing Dragons."
He looked directly into Valerius' eyes.
"Normally..."
"Only those older than fifteen may join."
A faint smile appeared...
"But I'll make an exception for you."
"Consider it repayment for your father's sacrifice..."
Valerius looked down at his trembling arm.
His tears blurred his vision.
Then he looked back at both Scythe and Griem.
His voice carried absolute conviction.
"I'll become the strongest person in this world..."
"...and I'll kill every Dragon that dares hurt someone."
He slowly placed his hand over his chest...
In that instant...
Raya's face appeared in his mind.
Quietly, he added,
"...and I'll never let Raya cry because she lost her mother."
Scythe nodded.
"Then come to the city square this evening."
He paused...
"But let me warn you..."
"Our training is merciless."
"You may not survive even a single day."
"You could die..."
"...and be remembered as nothing."
Yet those words only strengthened Valerius' resolve.
His eyes became even more determined...
Without hesitation, he answered,
"Let's begin."
That evening...
An enormous crowd gathered to enlist.
Dozens...
Perhaps hundreds.
Scythe stepped onto a raised platform.
He struck the ground with his spear.
The entire square fell silent.
"Listen carefully!!!"
"Our beloved city, Crag, has always been famous for producing warriors unlike any others."
"We forged men who hunted lions, bears, and tigers as though they were mere children."
"While other cities exported food..."
He raised his spear proudly.
"Crag exported warriors."
His voice echoed throughout the square.
"Today..."
"You will restore this city's true identity."
"Crag..."
"...the City of Dragon Slayers!!!"
Excited murmurs erupted throughout the crowd...
Everyone burned with enthusiasm.
Everyone...
Except one.
Valerius remained completely silent.
Simply waiting.
Watching.
When his turn arrived, one of the guards hesitated.
Scythe simply nodded.
"I know who he is."
And so...
Valerius officially joined the program.
Six days every week...
Eighteen hours of relentless training every single day.
The pain was unimaginable.
Yet every evening...
When he returned home...
Raya's smile alone eased the burden he carried...
Ten years passed.
The same training grounds.
Three men charged toward a single opponent.
Within moments...
All three were lying on the ground...
Their opponent calmly raised his fist...
"Your skills are declining."
He looked down at them.
"I'd be worried about my family..."
"...if people like you were the ones protecting them..."
At that moment, one of the guards called out from afar.
"Hey, Valerius!!!"
"You've got a visitor!"