"About the Dragon Gods…"
"There were initially six Dragon Gods, including myself. Although humans collectively refer to us as Dragon Gods, we are actually adversaries and have rarely met each other."
Selene slowly unveiled the truth about the Dragon Gods to everyone.
"Six Dragon Gods?"
Evan was taken aback. He remembered there being five Dragon Gods. Could there actually be a sixth?
"Could you tell us more about these six Dragon Gods?"
Given the importance of the information for the century-long quest, Evan was very interested in learning more about the Dragon Gods.
"The six Dragon Gods are: myself, Selene the Moon Dragon God, Mercphobia the Water Dragon God, Aldoron the Wood Dragon God, Ignia the Fire Dragon God, Viernes the Gold Dragon God, and the deceased Earth Dragon God, Dogramag."
"We six fled from the continent of Ishgar to the northern continent of Giltena after the appearance of the invincible Black Dragon King Acnologia. We hid there for four hundred years, growing until we possessed powers comparable to the Dragon Kings. That's why humans gave us the title of Dragon Gods."
"In reality, none of us have fought Acnologia during these four hundred years. The rumor that our power surpasses Acnologia's started because of Ignia's bragging. He claimed to have surpassed his father Igneel and gained the power to defeat Acnologia. This led to the belief that each of us could rival or even surpass Acnologia."
Selene, soaking in the warm pool, explained to Evan, who was on the other side of the rock barrier.
"Ignia…"
Hearing the name again, Evan glanced at the nearby Igneel, who was using Natsu's body.
"Yes, Ignia is my son," Igneel confirmed, knowing what Evan was about to ask.
"As expected."
Evan felt a sense of clarity. He had suspected a connection between Ignia and Igneel due to their similar names and Selene's reference to the Fire Dragon God.
"Ignia is like a younger version of me—reckless and arrogant, thinking he's invincible. It's nostalgic seeing him now, but he is indeed powerful. However, unlike other dragons, I never underestimated humans. I considered both dragons and humans beneath me, making me a sort of equal opportunity disdainful being," Igneel reminisced.
"If Ignia believes he's stronger than Acnologia, why is he still in Giltena instead of hunting down Acnologia in Ishgar?"
Evan asked Igneel.
"Because he knows Acnologia is my prey. No one can take the quarry of the great Fire Dragon King. Until I settle my score with Acnologia, Ignia will hold back, even if it drives him mad. It's our dragon code," Igneel responded without hesitation.
"…"
Evan said nothing. Dragon logic differed greatly from human logic. If he were Ignia, he would team up with Igneel to take down Acnologia. But for dragons like Ignia, fighting Acnologia one-on-one was a matter of honor. Group attacks were seen as disgraceful.
At least now Evan knew that Ignia wouldn't act hastily, thanks to Igneel. Perhaps he could establish some connection with Ignia later on.
"Among the current Dragon Gods…"
"Besides Ignia, that rude and crude son of Igneel, Dogramag is also problematic. Fortunately, he was killed by the Dragon Slayer Mage Elefseria. His body now forms a massive labyrinth in Giltena. Even if he revives, he's easily defeated by the combined might of myself and this irritating woman here."
"Mercphobia is currently playing house with humans in coastal towns, seeking to abandon his dragon form and live as a human. He might even renounce his Dragon God powers, making him harmless for now."
"Aldoron, the largest of us, has been asleep for years. His massive size means his mind had to fragment to control his body. This makes him vulnerable, and easily defeated by a united effort."
"The real problems are Ignia and Viernes. Ignia's power is no joke—he's indeed surpassed his father Igneel. Viernes, the Gold Dragon God, exists in a conceptual form and is invincible to physical attacks."
"That's all I know about the other Dragon Gods. I'm sorry I can't provide more detailed information," Selene continued, explaining the strengths, weaknesses, and current activities of the Dragon Gods.
"Your knowledge of the Dragon Gods isn't as superficial as you claim, is it?"
Evan's eye twitched. It seemed Selene had long been preparing to deal with the other Dragon Gods.
"In summary, the so-called six Dragon Gods include Selene, who is on our side. So, we can remove her from the list."
"Mercphobia wants to live as a human, so he shouldn't be a threat…"
"Aldoron is asleep and doesn't pose a threat for now. Plus, Selene implied he's easily dealt with."
"Dogramag is dead, and even if he revives, he's not a significant threat with Selene and Irene around."
"Ignia, according to Igneel, will hold back as long as Igneel is alive, so we don't need to worry about him for now…"
"That leaves Viernes, who is both existent and nonexistent. Do we really need to kill something that's only partially there?"
Evan was internally venting. These Dragon Gods seemed like a collection of has-beens and non-threats.
Even without considering Ignia, who had surpassed Igneel, the other Dragon Gods didn't seem like formidable threats. Selene and Mercphobia were uninterested in conflict, Aldoron was sleeping, Dogramag was dead, and Viernes' existence was questionable.
So, the real threat remained Acnologia, who could go berserk at any moment.
"In conclusion, I think we can set aside the Dragon Gods for now. We can deal with them after resolving the Acnologia problem. Perhaps we can even lead Acnologia to Giltena to fight the Dragon Gods, and then deal with whoever survives."
Evan shared his thoughts with the others in the hot spring.
"I need a one-on-one fight with Acnologia. A single era doesn't need two Dragon Kings. Since we're in the same era, we must determine who's stronger," Igneel declared with dragon pride.
He had avoided Acnologia 400 years ago due to the lack of magic. Now, he had no reason to back down in this magic-rich era. Avoiding the fight again would mean he didn't deserve the title of Fire Dragon King.
"Don't worry, I'll arrange a fair one-on-one battle for you with Acnologia," Evan promised, planning to prepare Tenrou Island just in case. They couldn't wait for Acnologia to attack. They had to be proactive.
They could even consider ending the Acnologia threat on Tenrou Island itself.
However, Evan knew he needed to boost his strength before any confrontation. He decided to seek out the Tears of the Dragon, a source of immense magic power from the grievances of dragons slain by Acnologia. Absorbing the Tears of the Dragon would enhance his dragon power significantly, potentially bringing him closer to competing with Acnologia and the Dragon Gods.
"Looks like I'll need to visit old Thoma…" Evan pondered, soaking in the hot spring.
While Evan strategized his power boost, Selene and Irene continued their conversation.
"I can't believe there's a Dragon Slayer Mage capable of killing a Dragon God. Maybe you Dragon Gods aren't as formidable as I thought," Irene teased.
"Wait until you meet the Dragon Slayer who killed a Dragon God. Elefseria is an old, ugly man who calls himself the 'Law Dragon,' somewhat like your 'Wise Dragon,'" Selene retorted with a cold smile.
"The name Belserion is famous in human history. If he studied the history of Dragon Slayer Magic, he'd be familiar with the name. After all, I'm the progenitor of Dragon Slayer Magic. It's only natural for my name to be revered and adopted by others," Irene replied, not bothered by the connection.
"Better be careful not to end up like Dogramag, killed by my disciples. It would make me so happy I wouldn't be able to sleep," Irene added with a mocking smile.
"I need to correct you. We're not companions despite being Dragon Gods. Secondly, do you want to test me? I could kill you right now, Mother of Dragon Slayers, source of all evil," Selene threatened, her eyes flashing with malice.
"Try me, b*tch dragon!" Irene sneered, her aura intensifying.
"Hold on, Selene…"
Just as Selene and Irene were about to clash again, Evan interrupted.
"What is it, adorable little Evan?" Selene asked, glancing at Irene with a smug look, as if saying, "See? He called me first."
"Hmph…" Irene snorted disdainfully.
"With our current strength, we can't help you deal with the other Dragon Gods yet. We need more time. Give us ten years, and we'll have the power to assist you. Until then, could you allow the Edolas world to draw magic from Elentear?" Evan requested.
"Fine, I'll give you fifteen years. In these fifteen years, Edolas can draw as much magic as it needs from Elentear. After that, you must help me deal with the other Dragon Gods. If you succeed, Edolas can continue drawing magic indefinitely, and I won't interfere with your affairs," Selene agreed seriously.
"Thank you, Selene," Evan expressed his gratitude.
Meanwhile, Evan's system issued notifications.
[Mission: Help Edolas regain magic. Reward: Ten-Year Task Medal.]
[Mission: Restore Elentear's magic flow. Reward: Ten-Year Task Medal.]
[Urgent Mission: Eliminate all hostile Dragon Gods. Reward: Century Task Medal.]
Evan sighed, looking at the task board. The road ahead was long and arduous.