'Besides being a pain to keep under control does this stuff have any uses?' Alex asked after getting what the admiral was saying. "For the rest of us it was what let us use elemental weapons and once it gets to our current stage it serves as a sort of armor. For you though the stuff is pretty useless since as a monster you can automatically store and use elemental energy freely and are already covered in powerful defensive scales. Frankly put all your aura is good for at the moment is bolstering someone else's and terrifying people." the large man said honestly.-
'Ok , but what was up with your aura? It was like you had trouble bringing it out while I have trouble keeping it in.' Alex said confused. The admiral rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and chuckled "I am technically not fully in the same stage as you but rather at the lowest possible point for the stage so I have trouble with manifesting my aura." he said sheepishly. Alex just gave the man a look before just shaking his head at him and walking past the new gate.-
After finding out that alex couldn't fit through the old one the crafters in the town removed it and replaced it with a much bigger one. Now Alex could walk into and out the gate with plenty of room left over. Many of the older residents of astera waved at Alex as he walked through the town that had come a long way since he first found himself in this world. The architecture had made vast improvements and there was even a huge tree near the middle of the town from the botanical researchers constantly experimenting with different fertilizers.-
Alex remembered when it was a tiny little sapling that he could pluck out with a strong gust of wind. The docks have gone from a makeshift affair to an almost modern structure capable of housing many large ships at once. The gathering hub had been turned into an actual building and the excess ship parts were reused elsewhere. There was now a whole area dedicated to housing in astera as well rather than the makeshift rooms everyone lived in. The canteen had become a massive thing and behind it sat his nest in a large man made cavern that was decorated with the hides of his prey and a water source with flowing clean fresh water.-
The only part of astera that hadn't changed much was the smithy that was a cog work metal monstrosity of a building that constantly spewed smoke and heat. Alex simply relaxed and took his time walking through the town lost in his memories. "KRAKOOOM!" This changed when a horribly loud explosion sounded out from far into the new world. Flaming stone and smoke filled the sky from that area and Alex knew immediately what happened. A volcano had erupted and not in the normal bubble up and overflow way but violently.-
'Is it an elder dragon's doing or is this just another side effect of that xeno jiiva shifting the earth with that explosion months ago?' Alex pondered with a stern expression. All of astera was also bolted into action like an ant pile that had been kicked but Alex went straight to the heart of the town with an idea. "WE need water at the ready and covers over everything for the ash! And bring in all the hunting we have out in case the monsters start rampaging!" The commander was barking out orders and everyone was listening to them as he clearly had a plan.-
Alex was spotted by the man and he speed walked with purpose over to him seriously. "I'll leave your absence behind for now but we need to know whats happening Sid. Get over to that volcano and see what you can find and if you see an elder as the cause , take them out am I understood?" the man said seriously and Alex nodded. "Good! now get going we'll hold down the fort in the meanwhile." the man said before rushing back to commanding the people in the town in preparation.
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