"I am not good."
A voice spoke.
It was cold and definite.
No mincing of words.
No doubts.
Just utmost clarity.
Breeze whistled past.
Strands of fine red hair swayed in the direction of the wind, brushing and dancing over a handsome face.
A pair of golden eyes shone like the sun.
They burned with intent—
—With resolve.
"I am not good—"
A young man made this declaration as he looked over the scene of battle.
The environment was absolutely chaotic.
Craters were strewn across the expanse of land.
Born from powerfully destructive techniques.
Unabatable.
Dust rose in the air.
Forming mildly obscuring screens—
—With the wind carrying it wherever it deemed fit.
"—Neither will I call myself evil."
The voice spoke again.
Its coldness even more gripping this time.
"For the absence of good is not evil."
He looked at the sky for a moment.
Silence.
The silence lasted for not more than a few minutes.
But it felt like it had lingered for much longer.
He stayed his gaze at the clouds.
Then, his lips parted slightly.
"What is good?" he asked rhetorically.
"What is evil?"
"To say that you are one without the other is fallacy."
"Why do we, as creatures of our own species, seek to be seen as good? There is no reward in that.
"There is even more reward in truth... the truth to oneself. The truth of one's self."
He looked at the palms of his hand.
His eyes remained staring at their ashened surfaces.
"That is what I have sought the most, you know. The truth of myself. I have sought to know the real me. That is why I have come this far.
"I have slain so many that I have lost count. All in search of the truth. While some may brand me a demon incarnate. Others have dubbed me their saviour. I am neither—not a demon, nor am I a saviour of any.
"Now, I ask you this. What am I then? A man who has been called many names. A demon incarnate and also a saviour. Am I good or am I evil?"
The young, red-haired man breathed out.
His chest lightening with that one gesture—as if a heavy burden was taken off his chest.
Hot breath oozed from the corners of his mouth.
The steam briefly shrouded his face.
He took a step forward.
Then, another step.
…And another after that.
He looked up.
His draconic eyes stayed on its target and peered forward
"If I kill you... am I evil for killing you or am I good for saving the world.
"I believe the concept of good and evil is a product of perspective."
He raised his hands and clenched his fist in front of him.
He lifted clenched fist to the sky.
"All I seek is the truth. The one that answers all the questions that I have."
A giant circle appeared in the sky and then expanded to have metres of diameter.
"To be able to take hold of this truth, I must first surmount you because you are in my way."
The man, whom this redhead was speaking to, smirked.
"The dragonet has become a full-fledged dragon."
The redhead did not react either.
Instead, he continued with the technique he was about to use.
He raised his hand to the sky.
As if heeding his call, something started to happen up there.
A shadow flew past under the cover of the clouds.
Giant wing fluttered, releasing a gust of air and sound.
With a flap, the clouds dispersed, making way for the colossal red beast that soared in the sky.
Heeding the call of his master, the red dragon started to descend, with its maw ajar and aimed at his master's foe.
The redhead smiled as he gave his opponent a cold stare before releasing his technique.
"Ragnarok."