The old man heavy record in killing mages is only because they attack first and he just automatically defend himself and by defend himself i mean "nuking the fuck outta them". The old man knows he looks "too violent" to make most of the people heard him before attacking (Zagan was the first that...
There is still hope....
Remember that the magazine version of the BW ending was also a rushed disappointing shit...then the volume version turned it into the legendary "rock hard black".
So...The volume will have a longer and more satisfactory conclusion, right? RIGHT?!