It was just a little early curiosity.
That said, as the soldiers and mages on the ground endured the endless bombardment, the boy felt a secret delight—
Wisps of invisible, blood-colored magic power flowed into his eyes, warm and soothing like soaking in a hot spring.
*So, there really are wizards who practice Sharingan magic!*
The boy closed his eyes with quiet satisfaction.
The golden torrent lasted only a few breaths before it ceased, but to the troops and mages on the ground, those moments stretched on like a century.
This was a nightmare.
A nightmare enough to haunt them forever.
In the center of the scarlet land, the once flat and wide field was now littered with large and small fire pits, countless corpses scattered everywhere, and anguished screams echoing from all directions.
The young man's blood-red eyes narrowed as he looked at the dust-covered ground. With a casual wave of his hand, he commanded,
"Call."
A powerful gust of wind appeared from nowhere, swiftly sweeping away the dust.
Compared to the army, which had suffered heavy casualties—one in ten barely standing—the thousand mages had retreated to the rear, hoping to defend against the White Mage's attack.
Yet even those who survived carried a shadow of terror in their hearts. They fled in all directions because they understood one thing:
The White Mage was simply not something sheer manpower could resist.
*Clack!*
The soil shifted as a sturdy figure clad in armor emerged from one of the craters. His pupils suddenly contracted in disbelief as he took in the devastation.
"How… how is this possible?"
A cold voice rang out sharply, causing the armored man to look up immediately.
There, descending slowly from the sky, was the boy, his playful smile aimed directly at the general commanding the Allied Forces of the Nine Nations.
"People live bound by their own knowledge and perception—that's what they call reality. But in the end, knowledge and perception are vague things. Reality itself may just be a dream reflected in a mirror."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
The armored man's anger burst out uncontrollably in a roar, reckless despite the boy's overwhelming power.
"People live trapped by their obsessions, don't they?"
The boy's light smile never faded as he replied softly.
"Obsession?"
The armored man was taken aback. Looking into the boy's deep scarlet eyes, a bitter feeling welled up in his chest.
Yes.
If it hadn't been for the Nine Kings' greed for the secret Sharingan magic taught by the White Mage, and their insistence on capturing him, none of this would have happened.
He bitterly regretted it. The White Mage had already shared the Sharingan magic with them all, yet they still pressed on, so who else could they blame for this outcome?
Unmoved by the armored man's thoughts, the boy asked with mild curiosity,
"You're a general. Tell me—what is your purpose in practicing magic?"
He could sense the magical aura radiating from the armored man was far stronger than that of ordinary mages.
"To defend the dragons and save the people."
The armored man lowered his head, voice low.
He would never forget, as a child, watching his home in Ishgar be destroyed—dragons raging in the skies, obliterating towns with a single blow, people fleeing in panic everywhere.
"Then you're doing well now."
The boy nodded approvingly.
The Western Continent had once been desolate. Decades ago, refugees fled here to escape the giant dragons. Now, it had developed considerably—far better than Ishgar, where death and corpses were all that remained.
"What do you want to say? If you want to kill me, then do it. I won't run."
The armored man looked up defiantly.
"Killing you serves no purpose. So I won't."
Youth had its whims.
The armored man's anger flared. He rose to his feet and glared at the boy.
"Are you mocking me?"
"What do *you* think?"
The boy's gaze was steady, dark, and deep—meeting the armored man's eyes without flinching.
Time seemed to stretch.
The breeze stirred as the armored man suddenly collapsed weakly to his knees.
"Why? How can someone like you, White Mage, enjoy the vulgar pleasure of humiliating others?"
The boy looked down at the kneeling man. His dark eyes were like endless black holes—mysterious, devouring everything, even hearts.
A faint smile curled his lips.
"Hate?"
"How can I not hate?"
"Hate what?"
"Of course, I hate myself for not being strong enough! If I were as strong as you then and now\... maybe my parents..."
The armored man closed his eyes in pain, tears streaming down his face.
The boy's eyes softened slightly as he glanced toward the fleeing mages in the distance.
He spoke lightly,
"If you had power, what would you do?"
"Power?"
"Yes, power. Power enough to fulfill the most urgent desire in your heart."
The armored man was silent. His tears continued to fall as painful memories flashed like fleeting shadows.
Then, those shadows overlapped, merging into something vast and mighty—
The strongest creature in the world.
"...Slay all the dragons and save mankind."
"Ha ha ha ha…"
The boy laughed, joyful and hearty, abandoning his earlier indifference—as if his laughter could spread and infect the entire world.
The armored man, roused from despair, looked up at him in confusion.
"What's your name?"
The boy smiled faintly. A strange gleam flashed in his scarlet eyes, carrying a hypnotic aura.
This power made the armored man want to give his name—and quietly filled him with hope.
"Kaelen."
"From this day forth, your name will be Kaelen Dragneel, my Faust, the hell that will burn the dragon clan."
The armored man's expression froze in disbelief.
The boy smiled gently and stretched out his hand.
"My name is Riven Dragneel. From today on, we are companions."
"Companions?"
The armored man could hardly believe it.
"Why do you think I would follow you?"
"Do you want to slay dragons?"
The boy wasn't angry, just smiled.
"Think about it."
The armored man nodded heavily.
With that, the boy grasped the rough, strong palm of the armored man and pulled him up.
The armored man didn't move, staring blankly at the boy, as if something inside him was about to burst forth.
The boy's lips curved into a slight smile as he said slowly,
"I will teach you."
A sudden gust rose from the red earth, spreading and swirling into a tornado filled with wind and sand.
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