"Uwaaah?! W-What is that thing?!" Surtr panicked. "A-A water spirit?!"
"I am the Primordial Goddess of Oceans and Time!" Aegir said while crossing her arms. "And I know you're holding it! My brother's fragment! Give it back now!"
"I-I don't understand what you're talking about…" Surtr was really scared.
"Hey, calm down, or I'm throwing your ring inside my inventory space." I said.
"E-Eh? But…" Aegir complained.
"Just sit down and talk like normal people for once." I facepalmed.
"Fine… But he better give it back!" She said angrily, sitting at the side of my daughters. "Ooh, food!" And she quickly started stuffing herself with giant dragon steaks.
"Anyways, she's… Well, she's right in what she said." I sighed. "Let's explain everything now that we're here. You girls, and Jamar too, should pay attention as well."
Like that, I decided to explain everything Surtr needed to know. It took over an hour, but the food was plenty and there was even some endemic liquor, so I was able to wash the thirstiness of talking so much with it.
Surtr learned about the Orbs, their fragments, the Emperor of Flames, the Oracles that hold the Red Orb Fragments, the Venerable of Flames Inheritance, and also a bit of the dragon's family background, his mother, Muspel, hasn't explained him everything completely.
Interestingly enough, she manifested in the middle of the talk, a unique power that Surtr developed with his Unique Skills that allowed him to manifest the souls of dragons by connecting them with his Skills, his mother, Muspel, was connected with his Magic Skill.
"So you're really the Dragon King!" She laughed. "It is really nice to see you, young Drake! I've heard a bit from my other sisters about you, but I am not that active at talking with them, so I didn't knew the whole ordeal yet…"
"Not only you're trying to grow stronger by gathering different dragon bloodlines, while also trying to gather the fragments of the Orbs to stabilize our world and help Yggdrasil, but you're also constantly battling the first venerable, who is actually a crazy sociopath megalomaniac that has soul clones everywhere?!" Surtr was trying to process everything. "W-Woah, I admire you even more, sir Drake!"
"Just Drake is fine for me, boy." I laughed. "But yeah, something like that. As of now, we've beaten a lot of his clones, but there are many more spread across the world, especially in here…"
"Here?" Nadia asked. "Ugh, don't tell me it is… That evil spirit?!"
"It is, isn't it?!" Mina asked while panicking.
"Hahaha, he was quite evil, but no, it wasn't him." Benladann laughed. "However… The Flame Emperor is most likely the clone. It just fits. They always appear out of nowhere and slowly gain power until they dethrone former rulers and quickly gain control over a territory. The same happened with the Dark Shadow Sect, the Vampire Family, and the Aquarius Archipelago."
"Not only he's someone that betrayed this world in the past, but those that mythology usually call the Demon Kings, were actually summoned humans that helped Oberon's brother stop him from destroying this world as he sought True Immortality, or whatever." Miranda explained.
"You mean the Demon of Technomancy, the Demon of Summons, the Demon of Dungeons, and the Demon of Might?" Wondered Nadia. "We've also heard about them; they're mostly known as those that brought the calamities to our world… The Dungeons, the Monsters, and shook our world until it shattered and combined together into what it is now…"
"Y-You're telling me that the religion we've always known is… not true?" Mina was shocked. "T-Then why am I even a shrine maiden?! Eek! All this time I've been praying to Oberon-sama and he's super evil!"
"He somehow manipulated this world's population and convinced everyone that he was the good guy, while he brought endless destruction…" I sighed. "From what I've learned, the invasion of the Chaos Spirits could have been supported by Oberon. It is a possibility that the bastard helped them get here to begin with…"
"Shit…" Surtr swallowed saliva. "A-And you're telling me that a clone of that monster is coming here in a couple of days… Looking for this?" Surtr showed the Red Orb Fragment he held.
"Yeah." I sighed. "But calm down, I am here to help. As long as we're here. We won't let that bastard touch your people. However… to defeat his unique Flames of the End, we'll need your Flames of Origin, Surtr."
"My fire?" Surtr was taken aback.
"As of now, you're really weak." Said Miranda. "So we'll need to help you train and grow stronger… At the very least, you have to hit Rank 8 before that bastard comes. All your friends too."
"R-Rank 8?!" Surtr, Nadia, Mina, and even Jamar were shocked after hearing that.
"We're all Rank 9." Benladann said. "It shouldn't be so hard."
"E-Even the kids?!" Surtr asked.
"Yeah, even my daughters are quite mighty." I laughed. "They make papa really proud!"
"T-To think those cute girls are so strong…" Mina was surprised.
"They would sweep the floor with us!" Nadia laughed.
"Huh?" Benladra was confused. "I won't! I am fren!"
"Hahaha, they know, they were just joking around." Benladann giggled, giving her a head pat.
"The prophecy also said that you are rather important to my growth, and vice versa, Surtr." I explained. "Somehow, I don't really know how yet, we have to find a way for our powers to… converge."
"Converge?" Surtr was intrigued. "But… how could that even be possible?"
"I think your growth is deeply tied with this, and our relationship as mentor and apprentice." I said. "But let's leave that for later. Now… About the Fragment."
"Ah, sure! Please take it!" Surtr offered it right away.
"My brother's fragment!" Aegir was pleased.
"Wait." I stopped Surtr, and then closed his hands. "Keep it."
"W-What? But why? Don't you need it?" Surtr was surprised.
"You'll need it more for now." I said. "The chief gave it to you for a reason. Until we can find the other fragments, keep that one for yourself and use its powers to cultivate your Mana Core, it'll help you gain even more power."
"I-I see…" Surtr nodded. "Okay! I get it. I'll keep it safe, Lady Aegir!"
"Hmph…" Aegir pouted a bit angrily. "Fine, but you better not lose it! That's my brother you're holding!"
