That silence…
The one that followed his clapping… and his laughter…
It wasn't natural.
It wasn't coincidence...
It was—
deliberate.
"…Did this bastard… prepare everything???"
Raym muttered under his breath, his eyes scanning the surroundings with rising unease.
"…Even the weather itself…???"
Araki stepped forward...
Just one step—
Yet it felt as though the entire atmosphere shifted with it.
He laughed.
Softly...
Coldly.
"…Heh."
Tilting his head slightly, his gaze locked onto Lorian:
"…It's been a long time…"
A faint smile formed.
"…the true heir."
The air froze.
Every eye turned toward Lorian.
But Araki continued, unfazed:
"…I see you've made yourself some new friends."
His tone was light—
Yet laced with poison.
"…Let's hope… you won't disappoint them as well."
The tension thickened instantly.
Lorian remained silent.
Head lowered.
Still.
A moment passed.
Then—
He lifted his head sharply...
"…No."
His voice was calm...
Cold.
"…You are the ones who betrayed our origin."
A pause...
"…And the very purpose of our existence."
Araki laughed.
Openly this time...
Mockingly.
"Hahaha…"
He raised his hand dismissively.
"…You mean that foolish ideal???"
He stepped closer...
"Reverence… respect… for beings of ultimate destruction???"
A crooked smile.
"…How naive."
His voice lowered.
But grew far more dangerous.
"Those beings…"
"…were created for destruction."
"For power."
"For dominance."
His eyes sharpened.
"…And you…"
"…were the only one clinging to a decayed belief."
Silence.
"…A belief born in an era…"
"…when those creatures were scattered… and weak."
A flicker crossed Lorian's expression.
"Everyone…"
Araki continued:
"…wanted you gone."
A pause.
"…Or worse."
He stepped even closer.
"…But…"
A slow smile crept across his face...
"…Do you know who protected you???"
Silence answered him.
"…Your father."
Shock spread.
"…The very man you turned your back on."
The weight of those words sank deep.
"…He begged… every single day…"
"…for your life."
His voice dropped further.
"…If it weren't for him…"
"…and for me…"
He looked directly at him...
"…you would be nothing but dust by now."
A suffocating silence.
"…And this… is how you repay us???"
"SHUT UP!!!"
Round stepped forward, fury blazing in his eyes...
"…You wretched bastard!!!"
"…Everything about you is greed!!!"
His voice rose...
"…You… your kind… even Lord Lorian's father!!!"
"…All you ever wanted was to control them… for power!!!"
He pointed forward sharply.
"…Do you really think you can dominate a being like that!?!"
"…It's a dragon!!!"
"…NOT a beast!!!"
Silence.
Then—
Araki burst into laughter.
"…How foolish."
"…Even the mightiest dragon…"
"…is still a living creature."
"…It has emotions."
"…And weaknesses."
"Enough..."
Lorian's voice cut through everything...
"…That's enough."
He raised his gaze.
"…It's time to end this."
Araki's expression shifted instantly.
But—
He didn't look at Lorian.
Instead…
He turned his gaze toward Raym.
A sharp.
Calculated.
Piercing look.
Raym froze.
Confusion.
Tension.
Something he couldn't grasp.
And then—
From behind Araki…
A figure stepped forward.
One step.
Then another.
A familiar face...
"…Zak."
A twisted smile formed across his lips.
His eyes gleamed with malice.
"…Oh???"
He looked directly at Raym:
"…Isn't this our bright little hero???"
He laughed mockingly...
Then mimicked his voice:
"…I want to become strong… so no one gets hurt in front of me…"
His tone dropped...
"…And yet…"
A slow, cruel smile.
"…it's always the people around you… who pay the price."
"SHUT UP!!!"
Raym exploded in rage...
He lunged forward—
But—
A firm hand stopped him...
Aldous.
"…No."
His voice was low...
But heavy with restraint.
Meanwhile—
Araki laughed again...
"…Ah, right…"
He looked at Raym:
"…You're that boy."
A wide smile spread across his face...
"…I should thank you."
"…From the bottom of my heart."
He opened his arms slightly...
"…Without you…"
"…I wouldn't be standing here today."
Something inside Raym shook violently.
Anger...
Shock...
Doubt...
He tried to move—
But couldn't...
Araki gave them one last smile...
Then—
He turned.
And walked away.
"STOP!!!"
They rushed after him...
Killing intent filled the air.
But—
That…
Was exactly what he wanted.
In an instant—
Everything changed.
The ground trembled.
The air twisted violently.
Heat—
Rose...
Rapidly.
Unbearably.
At the center of the wide arena—
A vortex formed.
Massive.
Burning.
"…No…"
Lyra whispered...
From within it—
Something emerged.
A presence…
They all knew.
Fangs.
Claws.
Eyes…
Boiling with rage.
This wasn't just a creature.
It was—
rage itself, given form.
Flames filled its maw—
To the very edge.
"…A dragon."
But this time—
It was red.
Violently.
Terrifyingly...
Red.
It landed.
The ground shook.
It roared.
A sound…
That made bones tremble.
And then—
For the first time—
It spoke.
"…Have you not given up yet???"
Its voice…
Heavy.
Ancient.
Terrifying.
"…I did everything…"
It raised its head.
"…to erase this place from existence."
"…Yet you persist."
Its eyes burned brighter...
"…You insist."
It lifted its head toward the sky—
Then—
It roared...
A roar so powerful—
It felt like reality itself might tear apart.
Flames erupted upward into the heavens.
And in that moment—
Everyone understood.
The truth.
"…Death..."