Scene 1 — An Apology Without Meaning
Julian finally spoke.
"Hey… please stop."
He took a breath before continuing.
"I'm really sorry. Please let me explain something."
Yein glared at him.
"You bastard! You say sorry?"
His voice trembled with anger.
"What would I gain by accepting your apology? Your sorry is meaningless! Your apology can't bring my parents back!"
Julian remained silent.
"For you, my mother and father are dead!"
"Hey, I killed your father. I know that," Julian replied. "But why are you saying I killed your mother? I remember that I didn't kill her. Are you alright?"
Yein's expression changed.
"My mother was kidnapped by robbers!"
He clenched his fists.
"Did you think those robbers would treat my mother well? If you hadn't killed my father, no robber would have dared to kidnap her!"
He pointed at Julian.
"You're a murderer!"
"Please stop…"
Julian pressed a hand against his forehead.
"My ears are burning. I know I did something wrong. Please forgive me."
He looked directly at Yein.
"I promise I'll save your mother, no matter what it takes. Please…"
"No! I don't need a criminal's help!"
Yein stepped backward.
"I don't need a man like you! Get lost!"
His voice became increasingly desperate.
"Or… please kill me."
Julian froze.
"Please. I don't want to be alive anymore."
"Yein…"
"Where are my brothers?! You killed them too, didn't you?! You killed my brothers, the people who promised to save my mother!"
Tears finally appeared in Julian's eyes.
"Please…"
His voice became weak.
"Listen to me. I didn't kill your brothers."
Scene 2 — The Mysterious Dimension
Julian lowered his head.
Why didn't those kids—the Little Robbers—tell me to save their little brother's mother?
Did they not trust me properly?
Or did they simply not want to give me too much work?
Before he could think further, Yein suddenly ran toward the exit of the tree house.
"Wait! Wait!"
But Yein was already climbing down.
The enormous tree had several stair-like structures built by the Little Robbers. Yein had climbed them countless times, so descending was easy for him.
Julian, however, had deliberately avoided using those stairs.
My hands aren't worthy of touching something so innocent, something those children built themselves.
Instead, he jumped directly from the tree.
He landed safely on the ground without injury.
"Hey! Wait!"
Julian immediately chased after him.
Oh no… It's getting late.
Night will arrive soon. It'll be dangerous for him.
Meanwhile, Yein continued running through the forest.
Suddenly—
A neon-colored dimensional opening appeared directly in front of him.
Yein stopped.
"Huh…?"
Before he could react, an invisible force pulled him into the strange opening.
"Ahhh!"
His surroundings disappeared.
Am I going to die?!
However, when Yein opened his eyes, he found himself inside a cave.
"Huhh… Where am I?"
At the same time, Julian witnessed the entire incident.
That dimension pulled Yein inside!
Without hesitation, he entered the dimensional opening.
Scene 3 — The Man Inside the Cave
Julian looked around.
Huhh… What kind of place is this?
Is this another dimension?
He examined the dimensional entrance behind him.
And why didn't it pull me inside? It only pulled Yein.
Yein entered right in front of my eyes, so why can't I see him?
Strange…
A disturbing sensation spread through his body.
I have a bad feeling about this place.
Meanwhile, Yein began shouting.
"Hey! Is anyone here?!"
Suddenly, a strange, overwhelmingly dominant voice echoed throughout the cave.
"Hey! Stop shouting!"
Yein immediately felt an unfamiliar pressure.
His ears began to burn from the intensity of the voice.
The mysterious voice spoke again.
"Huhh… Looks like I should lower my voice even further."
A brief pause followed.
"Strange. I've already lowered my voice power considerably, yet you're still experiencing discomfort."
Yein covered his ears.
"Please don't talk! My ears are burning! I might die!"
A man finally emerged from the darkness.
"Huhh…"
He looked at Yein.
"I've sealed my voice power now. I believe this should be better for you."
The man approached and used powerful healing magic.
A gentle magical light surrounded Yein.
His discomfort disappeared.
Even the old pain in his arms and legs vanished, along with the illness that had troubled him.
Yein looked at his hands in disbelief.
"Huhh… I feel good."
He moved his arms and legs.
"Even my entire body feels healthy!"
Only then did he properly examine the mysterious man.
Yein's eyes widened.
"You are… Who are you?"
He looked up at the unusually tall figure.
"You aren't human! You're too tall!"
The mysterious man calmly replied.
"Then I should change my height."
His body transformed until he stood at an ordinary human height.
The mysterious man was Armond Xaiden.
Scene 4 — The King of Sages and Mages
Julian finally located Yein.
"Hey! You! Stop running!"
But the moment he noticed the man standing beside the child, his instincts reacted.
An unfamiliar, overwhelming power surrounded the stranger.
Julian immediately stepped backward.
"Who are you?"
Armond smiled.
"As I expected. If I deactivate my traps inside this dimension, you'll eventually find him."
Julian narrowed his eyes.
"Who are you, and why did you open this dimension?"
"Calm down, man. You're asking too many questions."
Armond casually looked at him.
"Humans are impatient creatures."
He continued.
"First, tell me what you want."
An inexplicable pressure suddenly affected Julian.
Without consciously deciding to answer, he spoke.
"I want this kid named Yein."
Armond shook his head.
"But I'm not giving him to you."
He gestured toward the dimensional entrance.
"Please leave."
Julian's expression darkened.
"Who are you to tell me to leave?"
He turned toward Yein.
"Hey, kid! Come with me. This isn't a safe place!"
Armond interrupted him.
"Hey, kid. What do you think?"
He looked at Yein.
"Do you believe you'll be safe if you go with someone who killed your father?"
Yein immediately answered.
"No! I won't go with him!"
"Alright," Armond said.
"Now, please leave. You've already heard what this child wants."
Julian's expression changed.
"Huhh… I don't care about what this kid wants!"
He suddenly launched a powerful kick toward Armond.
However—
BOOOOM!
An invisible barrier protected Armond.
Julian's attack failed to leave even the slightest mark on it.
Armond glanced at him.
"It's useless, kid."
He paused.
"However, I can see that you have some talent."
His expression remained indifferent.
"But I don't want it."
Julian became furious.
"What do you think of yourself?! You believe you can defeat me?! Never!"
He pointed toward Armond.
"You'll be punished badly—"
Julian couldn't finish his sentence.
Suddenly, a tremendous dragon-shaped attack struck him.
Its speed was so extraordinary that Julian couldn't evade it.
BOOOOOOM!
Armond turned toward the enormous dragon.
"Hey, Saldres! Did I order you to attack?"
The dragon immediately lowered its head.
"Sorry, Master."
It continued respectfully.
"But I didn't want to listen to that man's disrespect toward you."
Julian's eyes widened.
Saldres…?
He remembered the name.
Saldres, the King of Time and Space.
A dragon possessing such extraordinary authority that a single Dragon Beam could erase an entire multiverse.
I can't believe it…
Someone like Saldres calls this man his master?
Scene 5 — A Warning From a Dragon
Armond looked toward Julian.
"Hey, are you alright?"
He sighed.
"Huhh… You should leave now."
His voice became slightly colder.
"Consider yourself fortunate. I don't bother killing useless humans."
Julian struggled to raise his head.
"How many times are you going to say that?"
He glared at Armond.
"Human! Human! You're also a human, aren't you? Why do you speak about humans as though they're insects?"
Armond tilted his head.
"Huhh… I think you experienced considerable pain from a single Dragon Tail attack."
Julian attempted to stand.
But his body refused to cooperate.
My bones…
I think my entire body has suffered critical damage.
He looked at his trembling hands.
I'll probably never be able to perform my assassination jobs again.
Armond casually approached him.
"Hey, don't worry."
He raised his hand.
"I'll heal you. You'll be able to continue your work."
A faint smile appeared in his voice.
"I actually feel rather sorry for you."
Powerful healing magic surrounded Julian.
Within moments, his injuries were completely restored.
But something felt different.
Huhh…?
My body…
My bones and physical structure feel considerably stronger than before!
Julian looked at Armond.
"Thank you for healing me."
He paused.
"But don't you think this could be dangerous for you?"
Armond laughed.
"Ha! You're more interesting than I imagined."
Julian suddenly attacked again.
He launched countless long-range punches toward Armond's invisible barrier.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Yet the barrier remained completely unaffected.
Julian couldn't even scratch it.
Armond watched calmly.
"It's useless."
Julian stepped backward.
"You…"
His voice became serious.
"Who exactly are you?"
Scene 6 — The Identity Behind the Power
Julian remembered that he possessed a dragon of his own.
I have a Dragon Pet too.
He immediately retreated several steps.
I'll summon my dragon. It should help me escape this dimension.
He contacted his dragon telepathically.
Hey, Dragon. I'll summon you. Help me get out of here.
But the response was immediate.
"No, Master! Please don't summon me!"
Julian froze.
What? Why?
His dragon continued urgently.
"The King of Dragons, Saldres, possesses authority far beyond mine. He can control me."
"Even if you summon me, I won't be able to do anything."
"And the man you're fighting against…"
The dragon hesitated.
"He's Armond Xaiden."
Julian's eyes widened.
Armond Xaiden?!
"The King of Sages and Mages!"
"He's capable of killing me through his voice alone. Please don't summon me!"
Julian stood motionless.
This man…
Armond Xaiden…
He's far stronger than me.
For the first time, Julian fully understood the difference between their powers.
He decided to escape the cave.
But then he remembered his promise.
Wait…
I promised the Little Robbers that I would protect their little brother.
I can't abandon Yein.
Julian turned back and attempted to approach the child.
Before he could reach him, magical tree ropes emerged and restrained him.
Armond looked at Julian.
"Huhh… Now you're going too far."
He opened another dimensional gate.
Then, with a simple movement, he sent Julian through it.
Scene 7 — The Broken Promise
Julian emerged from the dimension and returned to Earth.
He looked around in disbelief.
"No! Wait!"
But the dimensional entrance had already disappeared.
Julian lowered his head.
"Huhh…"
His hands clenched.
"How useless am I?"
He remembered Yein's desperate expression.
I couldn't even fulfill my promise.
I told those children I would protect him…
Yet I couldn't bring him back.
Meanwhile, inside the cave, Saldres approached Armond.
"Master, may I ask you something?"
Armond glanced at the dragon.
"What is it?"
Saldres lowered his head.
"Why didn't you kill that bug?"
Armond understood whom he meant.
"Are you talking about that Assassin?"
He gave a quiet sigh.
"Huhh… I didn't kill him for a reason."
Saldres remained silent.
Armond continued.
"I'll tell you another time."
He then turned his attention toward Yein.
The child stood quietly, still trying to understand what had happened.
Armond observed him for several moments.
Then he spoke.
"However…"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I've finally found a perfect person who can follow in my footsteps."
End of Chapter 6.