rlin watched John for a long mont, studying the young man’s expression, the quiet confidence that sat behind his eyes. The flickering glow of the lanterns in the chamber cast long, wavering shadows across the stone walls, and for the first ti in many years, rlin felt an unusual tension inside his chest—an unease that ca not from danger, but from realization.
If John knows about the masked man... then Eric must have told him. But Eric swore never to speak a word of it...
The thought rattled him, and his eyebrows furrowed into a taut line.
Finally, unable to restrain himself, rlin asked in slow, cautious tones,
"John... cómo sabes sobre aquel mago enmascarado de la antigüedad?"
John’s lips curved into a wide grin—bold, reckless, and strangely mature. He tilted his head slightly, letting out a deep chuckle.
"Hahaha... that’s a secret, Uncle rlin."
The depth in his voice startled rlin. It wasn’t childish or playful—it carried weight, seriousness, and sothing a little dangerous. rlin straightened instantly. This wasn’t the reaction of soone who heard a rumor. This was soone who knew sothing with certainty.
"Don’t play with ," rlin said, stepping closer. "How did you know anything about that incident? The ancient masked man—no one alive in this world should know that story except a handful of us."
John’s smile didn’t fade. Instead, it softened—more controlled, more grounded.
"I know because..." he paused, letting the tension stretch, "...I’ve read the history of my race. The warrior lineage. All of it."
rlyn froze.
His hands shook. His breath caught inside his chest.
"Impossible."
His voice escaped him in a whisper.
"That history stands written only within the sealed book. Only the village lords can— "
John nodded serenely.
"Yes. I found the whole book."
rlyn’s heart lurched violently.
"John... how? How did you find it? Even the elders of the council don’t know where the real copy is."
John took a slow breath, his eyes darkening with mory.
"I found the missing pages too—the ones about the masked man. And..." he looked directly into rlin’s astonished gaze, "...I know the truth about my father’s secret room."
The air in the chamber turned cold.
For a very long mont, rlin couldn’t breathe.
Then he reeled backwards, clutching the edge of the stone table.
His voice was so soft.
"John... what do you an? Tell . Tell exactly what you know. What did you see inside that room?"
John didn’t hesitate.
"A monster."
He had spoken the word low but it slashed the silence.
"A huge monster nad Gidora. With wings... and wisdom older than my father. He knows the history of our clan. He even lent his fire power to my dad once."
The lantern flas trembled from the heat of rlin’s sudden exhale.
And then—
He burst into laughter.
A loud, echoing, completely uncontrolled one.
"HAHAHAHAHA—!"
John blinked in confusion.
rlin laughed so hard that he had to hold onto his stomach.
Tears pricked the corners of his eyes.
"A MONSTER?!" he repeated between his laughter.
"You consider Gidora to be a monster, John?
John scowled.
"He looks like one."
rlyn shook his head, still laughing, wiping his eyes.
"No, no... he’s not a monster. Not at all. You sweet innocent child."
He stepped closer and placed a hand on John’s shoulder.
"Gidora is not an it. He’s a he. And he is one of the oldest warriors in existence. His na—Gidora—was once spoken with respect across entire continents."
John’s eyes widened a little.
rlyn went on, more calmly now, though a ripple of mirth still played upon his tone.
"Of course he looks terrifying. But so do all ancient beings. You’re judging him by form, not by essence."
John crossed his arms, still processing it all.
"Why was he chained then?"
rlin sighed deeply.
"That... is because even ancient warriors with good hearts lose control sotis. Their power grows faster than their sanity."
He stopped and turned to John.
"And Eric—your father—was the only one who could keep him in check."
John’s eyebrows rose with the seriousness in rlin’s tone.
"Gidora gave your father more than fire power, John. He gave him guidance. He gave him a second life after the battlefield almost took it."
John swallowed.
This part he didn’t know.
rlin smiled softly.
"So... now tell the truth. When did you sneak into that room? You know it’s forbidden."
John shrugged nonchalantly.
"When I was ten."
rlin almost fainted.
"TEN?!"
His voice cracked, echoing off the stone walls.
"You went inside at ten years old? Do you realize Gidora could have swallowed you in one breath?"
John smirked.
"He didn’t. He spoke with ."
rlin dragged both hands down his face.
"Of course he did... because you are Eric’s son. Gods help —if Eric finds out you entered that room at ten..."
He groaned again.
But in a mont that groan modulated into resignation.
rlyn’s voice had gone quiet, reflective.
"So... you know about the masked man from the ancient era because you read those pages. And you know about the monster because you saw him with your own eyes."
John nodded.
rlin collapsed into the nearest wooden chair, letting out a deep sigh.
"John... you do not understand how big a thing you have stepped into."
John tilted his head.
"Then explain it to ."
rlin regarded him for a long mont then finally spoke.
"The masked man... the one you read about... he wasn’t just a villain."
His voice dropped lower, more serious.
He was the strongest traitor in the history of our clan.
John’s face darkened.
rlin continued slowly.
"He was once a hero. A brilliant magician. But his power—rank near S—drove him into madness. He enslaved dragons, hypnotized them, used them like pets... started wars, destroyed tribes."
John said nothing, just listened.
Old, hurting mories glittered in rlin’s eyes.
"Your father and I fought him when we were only seventeen. That was the most erotic, wild, almost suicidal fight of our youth."
John smirked.
"Dad told half of it. You tell the real version now."
rlyn chuckled softly.
"Your father... brave to the point of stupidity. The masked man used a fire weapon technique—old, forbidden—and Eric got his hand shattered. Bone broken, cells burned. But he still tried to fight."
His voice ward with admiration.
"I healed him. Almost collapsed doing it. So he carried away from the battlefield, then went back again."
John’s chest swelled with pride.
rlyn’s eyes went soft.
"That kick he landed—the one using the quick flash technique—yes, that was real. Even now it is rembered in the old scrolls."
He leaned back.
"No one our age dared to face that monster magician. But your father did."
John swallowed hard.
"Then... the masked man in the book... the one I read about... is the sa one you fought?"
rlin nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
John’s eyes narrowed.
"So he wasn’t a myth." rlin shook his head. "No, he was real. More real than you want him to be." John drank it all in—the truth, the weight, the legacy. And then rlin added in a hushed manner: "And now that you know all this... your path will change, John. Because knowing a secret of this scale... ans you are no longer a child in this world. You are part of its future." This ti, John didn’t smile. Nodding only once, steady and determined. "Then I’ll go by that way." Slowly, rlin exhaled. For better or worse... The boy was ready.
Then
rlin rubbed his forehead, still unable to understand how John already knew so much. Finally, in a low, uncertain voice, he asked, "John... how did you learn about the secret room? About Gidora? About all this monster theory?"
John breathed out slowly. His eyes drifted toward the direction of the underground chamber as mories resurfaced.
"Curiosity," he said. "Since I was small, I always felt sothing strange near that room. Father never let anyone go close. Even the guards avoided that part of the house. And whenever I asked questions, he changed the topic or stayed silent."
rlin listened quietly as John continued.
"One day, I followed him. Silently. I hid my presence the sa way he taught in training. I morized the path when he went down to that room."
John’s expression tightened, but there was a sense of pride in his voice.
"After that day, I started going alone whenever I got the chance. I wanted to know the truth. I wanted to see what Father was protecting."
He inhaled.
"And when I finally made it inside... I saw Gidora. I thought he would destroy , but he didn’t. He spoke to . Told things about the past, about the wars, about Father’s injuries... and even about the masked man."
rlin’s eyes widened.
John added, "Later, Father found out I was going there. Surprisingly, he didn’t get angry. He told everything. The truth about the room. The truth about the mask. The truth about the old war."
rlin exhaled shakily. "John... then tell sothing. What did Gidora explain to you about his origin?"
John looked directly at him. "That’s what I want to know from you, Uncle. Who is he really, if not a monster?"
rlin opened his mouth to answer.
"He’s not a monster, John. Gidora is actually a dra—"
Before he could finish, Elsa’s curse seal suddenly pulsed and twisted violently, as if awakening again.
Everything stopped but
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