The explosions were so loud as the fireballs collided with the buildings and as the destruction calmed down, black smoke rose to the night sky. The people were running around in panic as not all of them were able to get out of the town.
Ginehart, who was about to go and give the hero a hand, was swept away by the people asking him for help as the fire continued to eat their house and their businesses. He looked around and above but the hero seemed to not notice the distraction that was happening because of their battle.
Gritting his teeth, he diverted his attention on the people instead and helped them towards the direction of the exit. If the hero doesn't care about the lives of the people, then he wouldn't care to help him too. He finally turned around and left together with the people who were trapped because of the fight.
"Master! This is too cruel! The people are dying and you are just going to watch it happen? How can you be so heartless!" The hysterical shouts of Astrophos were also echoing inside the space where they were watching the fight. He couldn't believe that the master would actually let this happen just because he wanted to test how capable the hero was.
"Shut up! Don't speak because no matter what you say I won't lift a finger. And heartless, yes that's true, I am heartless because I have already lost that from the beginning." The air around the space darkened because for some reason those words bear heavy weights that stopped Astrophos from speaking any further.
The chaos continued as many lost their lives but the fighting did not stop. Arcaine was drunk with the power he received and was enjoying his fight with the arrogant dragon. He kept swinging his sword that caused additional destruction aside from the ones that were caused by the dragon's fire magic.
He was laughing hysterically as he continued to dodge the fire attacks aimed at him. Then, he would retaliate with his own holy power. He even summoned his whip and used it to strike the dragon. Now that his attacks were having an effect, he was thrilled.
This went on for like eternity before the dragon suddenly stopped and only floated above while looking down at the hero. It prepared for a fiercer dragon breath that could incinerate the whole town. It imbued his purest mana into its fire and slowly gathered it inside its mouth and when Arcaine propelled himself again towards the dragon, it released that fire.
With just one dragon breath, Arcaine was engulfed with a scorching fire but this time, he was unharmed because of the holy power that was protecting him. The whole town of Alfonso has turned into ashes with only cinders to give it some glow.
The hero continued to push himself forward until it pierced the dragon's mouth. After it was pierced, the dragon raised its head and attempted to growl but it could not because it was injured. Arcaine seized the chance and also went all out to stab the dragon on its chest where its heart was located.
His holy sword was covered with intense white light that he let that light explode inside the dragon's body which also stopped its heart from beating. He pulled out his sword and watched as the dragon's body fell down and even created a deep pit below it after it hit the ground.
After seeing the dragon's dead body, Arcaine gave a low laugh until it got louder and louder as if he has turned crazy. His eyes were trained on his hands where he could still feel the power surging inside of him and the satisfaction it gave when he killed the dragon.
"Finally! I had slayed a dragon! Those jerks on the top wouldn't be able to shun me now!" He shouted as he laughed so hard. He was excited because he could now become one of the best heroes out there and no one can tell him otherwise.
This happiness was short-lived though, because the dragon's body started to slowly disintegrate. "No!" he exclaimed. He needed proof that he truly slayed a dragon so that the organization would fully believe him.
He hurriedly landed on the ground near the dead beast but as he was about to cut off a tooth, the dragon completely disappeared. He then started to curse out loud because he was not able to bring back a souvenir from the dragon he defeated.
While he was busy cursing, people started to gather around the area where the dragon fell. They stared at the disheveled hero without speaking until Arcaine finally noticed them. He frowned because he did not like the way, they were looking at him.
"What are you looking at?" he angrily asked but none of them answered him. They were just silent. He then got annoyed by this, "If you have anything to say, then just say it already!"
One man stepped forward and asked, "As a hero, how will you take responsibility for all the damages and casualties your fight has caused?"
Arcaine narrowed his eyes at the man before he spoke, "Why should I? I already defeated the dragon and now you are asking for more?" He shook his head and threw his hands in the air before he turned around but another statement made him stop.
"You were supposed to protect us! And yet so many of us died, our families, our friends and even our neighbors, but still continued to recklessly fight in this place." Another stepped forward and shouted. They were looking up to him to save and protect them and yet many of them still lost their lives.
Aracaine turned around but instead of apology nor a sincere condolence, a smirk was on his face. "It is not my fault that all of you are weak, that you can't even protect and save yourselves. It is not my job to save you all. That's a very ridiculous reason."
"But you could have led that dragon outside of the town and fought there to your heart's content since the dragon's focus was on you and not the town itself. You were only thinking of yourself and how defeating a dragon would make you even more famous, that's why you really don't care what would happen to the people you should protect." Ginehart's voice came from the back of the crowd as they parted and made way for him.
He was truly disappointed in the man and he felt that he didn't deserve the title of a hero because of his attitude, especially his arrogance.
"Hah, do you really think I would do that, it is just a waste of time and in the end I still defeated it. Isn't that what's more important? If I had not sacrificed my life to defeat that dragon, then that dragon would have killed all the people in this town." He still reasoned and yet he was the only one who believed himself.
"You are no hero." Was the only statement that Ginehart could describe this selfish man who was standing before them. "You are just a person who uses his power for his own gain. I would never acknowledge you, no matter what happens. And one more thing, all of these deaths will be on you."
Linius Ginehart, for the first time, turned his back on a person he deemed as a total disappointment and with a new view in his life. If most heroes were people with such arrogant and selfish characters then he wouldn't be polite or respectful of them.
Arcaine who heard those words was not actually fazed. He only shrugged his shoulders and also turned around. He already saved the town and yet he was still given the cold shoulder but no matter what, he still defeated a dragon and that was the most important fact to him right now.
