Inside Leo's consciousness, he continues to hold both ends of his life and death, for if he lets go... He will die.
"Why do you continue to struggle?"
Leo turns his head to the direction of the voice. It was calm and familiar, as if he heard it before. Then, the silhouette of a dragon appeared, with the eyes that glows with the color of the crimson flames only heard in history texts.
"You... You're the dragon I met before, I'm sure it's you!"
The dragon only looked at him before asking the same question again.
"If you just let go, you will be able to rest and the hatred of that boy will cease."
Leo looked down, barely holding on.
"As if I could just let go... I will not let go until I prove to this damn world that unity is possible! So what if that young ogre's hatred exist, he has every to be angry! Being used as a slave, without letting him find his purpose and potential in life is against my code!"
The dragon scoffed at his answer and sat down as he looks at Leo's dying effort to live again.
"Unfortunately, you won't be able to live the same life you have lived until now."
The dragon shows Leo the current events happening outside of his consciousness.
"The eyes you now possess is of the same of us dragons and your body... It's as if you are the very meaning of monster itself, you somehow possess the blood of every existing species of the monster race."
Leo, bewildered to this reveal, tries to think of an answer.
"Just like I said, since you possess our blood and most importantly our eyes... Our eyes are fatal to mortals such as yourself, that is why we hid ourselves from the world, for it will cause chaos once again. The man you saw here, did not die to the strength of your hands but to the eyes you've awakened."
Leo looks at the dragon
"Then what should I do?"
The dragon, surprised by his answer, replies.
"If you truly wish to challenge the path of unity, then accept who you are and become the epitome of monsters."
Leo looks at the dragon as its body starts to waver and disappear.
"Wait, where are you going!? Stop!"
Before the dragon completely vanishes from his sight, he reached out it's arm and reconnected back Leo's life.
Leo, now conscious, looks at the remaining men with his newfound eyes. The men's bodies start to break itself apart as they wail in pain and agony before slowly falling down cold and lifeless.
Leo picked up the young ogre's and started to dig a grave with his hands before him inside and burying him completely.
Leo returned back to the academy and started to pack up his luggage but was interrupted by the opening of the door. He quickly covered his eyes with a cloth and laid down at the bed.
Suddenly, there were gentle knocks on the door.
"Leo, you still asleep?"
After hearing Lena's voice, Leo was in a state of panic of how he should explain to her his current situation. But knowing her, he opened the door without taking off the cover to his eyes.
"Leo? What's with the blindfold?"
Leo immediately pulled her inside and locked the door shut before sitting down on his bed.
"Leo, can you please explain what's happening here? Why are you covering your eyes all of a sudden?"
Leo calmed down and let the room in silence for a few seconds. Lena immediately grasped the gravity of the truth she was about to hear. Leo then broke the silence and spoke.
"Remember the dragon I used to talk about when we were kids...?"
"I do, why? Leo, what's wrong?"
Leo looks at Lena
"I'm planning on crossing the Abyssal Forest."
Lena, puzzled of what she heard, grabs Leo by the shoulders.
"Leo, you're joking right? The professor said that dragons are just myths just like the aetherians that the church worships."
"Lena, listen to me. I've made already my decision and I'm leaving the campus tonight."
Lena let's go of Leo and sat back down, knowing no words would change his mind.
"Once I've found the answer, I'll tell you everything."
Leo looks away from Lena and looks down. Lena exits his room.
"I'm sorry Lena, but I can't bring you involve you in this one..."
Lena immediately comes back holding a book on her right hand and places it on Leo's lap.
"Huh? What's this?"
Leo asks because he couldn't see with the blindfold on.
"It's an water tome, with this, it'll help you on the journey you've always dreamed of."
"Thanks"
Leo feels the tome's cover
As night covered the campus, Leo grabbed his belongings and exited the school through the window and through the same exit he used to follow after the young ogre. After successfully exiting the academy, he then rode a carriage back to his village. After the long journey, he finally reached back the Abyssal Forest. Without further delay, he walked inside not knowing the danger lying ahead. Leo took off his blindfold, the newly awakened draconic eyes allowed him to see in the dark and even perceive objects from afar. Along with his body that contains every trait of all the species within the monster race, the Abyssal Forest was the perfect place to test out his newfound power. Leo took out the Water Tome and tried a few spells.
"Water Bolt"
The water within the surrounding atmosphere, gathered by a single ball of energy and shaped it to a sphere. Leo then released it at the trees, causing small damage to the wood.
"Then, the power to unite just like I did back then with my life and death."
Leo calmed down and breathed the air as he slowly gathers mana of different attributes at his hands, the conflicting energies repelled each other but through Leo's unknown power, the energies harmonized with each other and creating a new type of energy that only he could use.