"So, I was thinking... if soone has to die anyway, why couldn't that person be ?"
The man said calmly, "—So, I saved it."
Amidst the deep words, the Ruin Dragon Rider, the truck once riddled with holes, suddenly fell apart. But hidden beneath its fra, a massive alloy skeleton and countless gigantic instrunts, akin to internal organs, bood together, emitting dazzling electrical sparks.
It was like a rebirth.
Alloy wings spread, and lights as bright as the sun flared from its eyes.
From the swirling dust, the once-dead Red Dragon, built from steel, once again revealed its imnse silhouette from Hell.
"Fuck you, you old bastard!" the voice that once inhabited the Shackles cried out again, speaking eloquently, "Surprised? Unexpected, wasn't it?"
The dust was scattered by the storm.
Having shed its cumberso truck shell, the reborn Steel Dragon grinned, casting a vast, sky-blotting shadow.
After combining the remains of the Red Dragon with the Abyss Stone Heart, project teams from more than six Ivory Towers dedicated four project cycles to it. Sparing no expense, they employed the most lavish thods and cutting-edge technology to finally recreate it.
Nad after the legendary chariot offered by humans to the gods of sky and thunder, the true 'Götterdämrung' is reborn here!
—Fate Chariot: chanical Deity!
Now, across the colossal chanical dragon's chest, layers of Armor unfolded, revealing imnse weapons buried deep within its shell, and the 'Essence Sun', ignited after being infused with all the Source Substance.
"Teacher, this ti, I won."
Streams of scorching light erupted.
The outco was decided... if the cannon's barrel hadn't been aid not at Averson, but at the sky above his head—at the colossal tower behind him.
In an instant, a blinding torrent of light roared out, piercing the Sky Do of the Town of Dusk from below and striking the tower right in its center. It violently tore apart the golden dream enveloping the area, crudely carving out a fatal breach. From the outside, it severed the very foundation upon which the Golden Palace stood...
This was the last straw.
Then, from within the crumbling theater, a violent silhouette arose. It unleashed destruction, delivered an ending, and revealed a profound radiance that stung the eyes.
Disaster, breaking free from its cage!
Raymond stood there, stunned.
After a long mont, he couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly. "Too late to even put out a fire... 'Utterly unreliable,' that's probably , huh?"
A shattering sound ca from Avery. The Shackles broke.
The unscathed Asura erged from the fragnts. But after exhausting all its Source Substance, the Fate Chariot fell into a Deep Sleep, unable to move. It had no strength left to fight back.
Yet the old man's face was terrifyingly ferocious, so utterly enraged.
"What are you doing, Renault?" Avery, gripping his Heavy Sword, stepped forward, demanding in fury, "Are you pitying ? Or am I now too old to be your opponent?"
"I'm just doing my job, Teacher," Raymond answered calmly. "rely fulfilling my duties. For a rcenary, that shouldn't be hard to understand, right? When necessary, one must complete the employer's mission, even at the cost of one's life. Isn't this the proud creed of the Eye of Nightmare?"
"A traitor has no right to speak of the Eye of Nightmare's creed, Renault," Averson retorted impassively. "Who could be deceived by such excuses?"
"I rely wanted to do sothing aningful," Renault raised his eyes, looking behind Averson. "Besides, with my life out of danger... who wouldn't like to earn a little extra money?"
There, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed.
From the Iron Crystal Throne, Captain Foster revealed himself. Gripping an ancient Double-Barreled Shotgun, he surveyed them from above.
"Mr. Aveson, could you please move the sword away from our driver's neck?" the grizzled old man asked. "Although I don't know how 'Raymond' has offended you, the Eye of Nightmare surely wouldn't do anything that violates an employer's orders, right?"
He heavily stressed the na 'Raymond'.
A faint killing intent emanated from the pitch-black barrels.
"Took you long enough, Captain," Raymond finally sighed in relief, complaining, "I almost died! Even if you don't care about my life, you should at least care about the loan I owe you, right?"
"I would've been here sooner, but so damned Old Turtle knocked out with a cup of tea. Nothing I could do." Foster scratched his ssy hair, a helpless look on his face, yet his eyes remained fixed on Averson.
Averson remained motionless, rely gazing at the student before him.
"You've grown weak, Raymond," he said coldly. "Entrusting your life to soone else's rescue is exceedingly unwise... You could have killed ."
"Spare , Teacher," Raymond sighed. "I haven't engaged in killing and arson for a long ti. Why force a good-for-nothing with few days left to do sothing so cruel?"
"Even if it ant I would kill you here?"
As Averson asked this, his expression was utterly calm, unconcerned that his vital points were exposed before the Captain.
"Well, then it can't be helped," Raymond laughed self-deprecatingly. "Perhaps I would have, in the past. But people grow, don't they? For soone who could die at any mont, why care where it happens?"
"Five years ago, when I was on the verge of death, I realized that my entire life had been nothing but following orders and bloodshed. So, I thought, at least before I die, I should do sothing aningful... do so... right things."
He looked up and told his teacher, "That way, there'll be no regrets when I die."
"..."
In the prolonged silence, Asura stared at his student, an indescribable disappointnt in his eyes, as if looking at a fool.
"Too foolish, and too ridiculous," he asked pityingly, "Renault, does soone like you also yearn for redemption?"
"Well, it's not *that* lodramatic," Raymond shrugged awkwardly. "But there's no rule against seeking aning in life, is there?"
In the silence, the hovering Sword Blade slowly rose.
Averson stepped back, his face still expressionless. His expression betrayed neither mockery nor disdain; he rely glanced indifferently at the student before him and finally said, "Then enjoy what's left of your foolish life, for there isn't much of it."
Thus, he bade farewell.
Averson turned and departed.
When his teacher's figure vanished from sight, Raymond finally lost the strength to support himself and collapsed backward.
A violent wave of dizziness swept over him. In his daze, he faintly saw a flash of light atop a distant tower. He couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Hang in there, big brother with the long hair... My loan repaynt depends on you!
Clutching the betting slip he'd bought with all his savings, Raymond sank into a Deep Sleep.
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