An hour passed by in the blink of an eye, Fenrich had now fully lost his connection with Eden. During the time, he'd informed Eden of all that happened so far in the early morning, as well as his plans to meet up with Ren, Chiaki and the others at their Shelter in Kanata North.
Fenrich rested his eyes while Nauja emitted a bubble of warmth, reminiscent of that of heated seats but fully controlled to hit his entire back.
"My Emperor, we have returned to my humble abode."
Fenrich's eyes opened and when he did, he felt his balls slowly crawl up joining his adam's apple in place.
Looking downwards, Fenrich realized he was above the cloud layer and he could see visible bodies of water.
"We are 27,000 kilometers in the air, from here you can see the bodies of waters in various regions, and if you look straight ahead of us, there is a tower on the Earth that pierces all the way upwards into the vast emptiness of space itself." Nauja commented as she relayed all her knowledge about how she ended up on Earth.
Nauja flew into a nearly indiscernible cave entrance that looked similar to cotton candy, and as they passed through Fenrich could hear the excited laughter of two young children.
"Mom is back, Naira!"
A green beam of light circled around Nauja and Fenrich before it pounced into the lioness' chest. Nauja folded her wings as if they were arms to wrap up the little boy into a tight hug in her embrace.
The boy looked to be no older than seven years old, he had emerald green scales, piercing purple eyes, an azure blue horn sticking out from his forehead. A mixed colour of azure blue and emerald green tail, with purple wings spread out from his back. While its body was emitting a milky coloured Flame.
"Greet your Uncle Fenrich, Shiro."
Shiro's curious head popped up and out from Naujas chest, gazing at Fenrich before shying away.
Fenrich chuckled while he stroked Naujas mane communicating with her, "Do not force your children, there will be plenty of time and opportunity in the future. No need to startle the young."
Another green beam of light shot out from the depths of the cave, this time it was a twin girl looking exactly the same as Shiro. However, she was not at all shy as she floated in front of Fenrich, looking side to side like a dog as she took in all of Fenrich's features.
Naira floated to the back of Fenrich, opening her little arms and clung onto his back holding his shoulders. A soft voice sounded out as she sniffed around Fenrich, "You smell good mister. Big hearts but they are hurting." Naira nuzzled her head into the side of Fenrich's neck.
Fenrich smiled widely as he ruffled Naira's emerald green and purple cascading hair. "It is good to understand a lot at a young age, but not at the cost of maturing and losing your carefreeness as a child, little one." Fenrich took out some caramel candies giving one to Naira and using his Mana to give the other to Shiro.
"My treasures are inside, Emperor. I will prepare the children to leave to go back to your settlement." Nauja communicated as she flew into the depths of the cave.
As they flew deeper, Fenrich noted the increase of temperature being both scalding hot and freezing cold at the same time. There were piles of games of various sizes, rarities and colours. Treasure Chests, herbs, ores, trinkets and jewelry that flooded the cave depths
"My mate is no longer on Earth, these are all from his treasure hoard that he gathered. It was a transaction for me to bear his children due to my Bloodline, Divine Body and Talent. The children have eaten all the supreme grade natural treasures, the rest is unnecessary but looks shiny and pleasing to the eyes." Nauja casually explained and downgraded gems worth tens of millions and close to one hundred million worth in Survivor Coins per gem.
Fenrich began rapidly clearing out the treasure, filling his inventory space rapidly.
[Hey partner, look directly above you and over eight meters to the polished out surface, there is something good hidden there. Also it's about time you got yourself one of these.]
A regular looking black and white backpack appeared before Fenrich on the ground.
High Grade Spatial Storage Bag [Iron Relic.]
Passive Effect 1: Contains an inner space of 25,000 inventory slots, melds with the equipper not wasting the Cape equipment slot.
[Your welcome, I now demand a strip club be built due to my generous donation for a har- ahem, good cause.]
Fenrich followed the Abyssal Symbiotes instructions, putting his hands to the smoothed surface, Fenrich felt the most minute sense of movement as the surface pushed upwards.
Using all of his strength, Fenrich created enough of a gap as he used his Mana for the briefest of moments to hold the weight up. With both of his hands under, and a Mana barrier under his feet. Fenrich got down into a position, and lifted his body up inch by inch shakily.
Naira came over as she heard the grunts and curses of effort coming from Fenrich.
"Silly uncle, let me help!" Naira called rush before appearing to his side, manhandling him out of the way and casually lifted upwards with a frown.
"Uncle is weak"
Naira muttered but still remained cheerful as she seemed to enjoy helping, or at the very least, the aspect of finding hidden things.
Fenrich looked in utter astonishment seeing a Mythical treasure chest appear before his very eyes. Its exterior was encrusted in a layer of thick gems, gold, and exquisite embroidery designs.
"Ooooh shiny!"
Naira's eyes sparkled with childlike innocence seeing the colorful rays of light, shiny gems and more.
"Let's open it!"
Before Naira could run off to open the chest, Fenrich quickly grabbed her by her wings like a kitten by the scruff of its neck.
"We must first check for traps or any danger little one." Fenrich reprimanded as he began looking for the tell tale signs of the chest lid "breathing" or for a chain that pointed towards their direction.
Seeing that nothing was amiss, Fenrich concluded it was not a Mimic and slowly approached it.
With two hands on the material jutting out from the Mythic treasure chest, Fenrich swung his arms up opening the lid, and as he did a cascade of colours burst out.
Blinking away the disorientation that caused him momentary blindness, Fenrich saw six items in the spot where the Mythic treasure chest once was
Barren High Berserker's Flame [Peak Sacred Flame]
Compatible with those with the Dao of Berserk Flame.
Naira swiped three scales quickly and efficiently as she called out cheerfully. "Mom! Dad has left us hidden presents!" Naira beamed away giggling excitedly as she called out louder and louder, not getting a response from Shiro or Nauja.
What was left was a pair of archaic looking regular gauntlets. They were rusted by both Time and blood. They gave off a sense of ancient antiquity, blood lust, killing intent and pride. Fenrich quickly scanned them, feeling his heartbeat speed up. "They can't be…."
Titan Artifact (Gauntlets) [God Equipment] [Soulbound] [Evolvable]
Attributes are adjusted to the equippers level. Maximum Growth Level: N/A
+500 Strength
+500 Endurance
+500 Vitality
+500 Agility
+200 Physique
Set Piece 1/6
Passive Effect 1: Adds a 2x multiplier to Strength, Endurance, Vitality, Agility, Physique.
Passive Effect 2: Increases the structural integrity of the equippers bone structure by 3x.
Active Skill 1: Summons the echoes of old, bringing a past wielder of the Titan Artifact - Gauntlet back at level 110 with the attribute pool of a level 300 King tier Cultivator.
Active Skill 2: Titans Enhancement - All party members and the people that your individual System Core registers as allies gain +500 to all basic attribute points.
[Achieve first Class Evolution to further increase the bonuses that the Titan Artifact can grant you.]
Epic Training Center Upgrade Certificate
Use this item within the boundary of your Smart Base to immediately upgrade your Training Center to Epic quality. All necessary materials are covered with the Upgrade Certificate. Comes with a preinstalled time dilation Array Formation at the rate of 1:24. Skill level up rates increased by 2x within the Training Center.
"Pop"
Fenrich turned around after hearing the sound of a water bubble popping behind him, there was another letter similar to the one he'd gotten from Obliviscaris in the Mini Game Dungeon. When Fenrich placed his hand out to take the letter, a light beamed out of it scanning Fenrich, turning green and all was okay.
Fenrich unfurled the letter, his expression turning grave upon reading the name that was written on it in blood. Aaron Ulbroud
Intense hatred seethed inside of Fenrich's body, Fenrich's figure vanished with him having equipped the Titan Artifact (Gauntlets) it did not take long for him to appear before Nauja.
"Uncle Fenrich! We're ready to go. Mom said you're taking us to a new home! Will there be all kinds of new food, candies and places to explore?!" Naira beamed herself tackling Fenrich head first with her head into his chest. Fenrich's seriousness dropped a tone, but Nauja could see the smoldering fury that was burning deep within his eyes.
"Yes, there will be a lot of new things for you to explore and eat. But we need to hurry before all the good stuff is eaten." Fenrich replied as he ruffled Naira's hair with a forced smile on his face.
Nauja got the hint without it being obviously stated. "Come here my children, it's time that we leave."
Nauja's voice rang within Fenrichs head, "My Emperor, can you keep the children busy? I can make the trip back in 15 minutes if I focus on just flying."
Fenrich ran his hand through Nauja's mane, "Not a problem at all, it would do me good to have a distraction right now."
They began their trip back to the Smart Base, all the while Fenrich made numerous constructs out of his Mana and even made a chess board with all the required pieces. Naira was fascinated while Shiro simply sat at the side and watched, not like his sister who had an unhealthy amount of curiosity. Unlike Naira who was naïve but understood more, Shiro knew there was something not quite right about Fenrich and his moms situation. But the Human was proving himself to at the very least not to be a bad Human like their father had warned them of before he was forced to leave them.
Naira surprised Fenrich despite his decades of experience in chess and strategy, the little girl was a complete natural and would make for a worthy tactician, but every so often he would catch her curious eyes trailing to the Firmament Defiance Greatsword that he kept on himself at all times.
"They're dangerous things to play with, you know." Fenrich said noncommittally as he used his knights to box in her queen.
"It is fascinating, father and mother fight with Mana and their bodies, but we are not like father and mother with beast forms. I want to fight with weapons." Naira said with her loli like voice
Naujas right wing came back and gave Naira a slight tap on her head, causing the little girl to over exaggerate and hold her head with both hands as she looked teary eyed towards Fenrich.
"You are too young to be thinking about fighting and killing, child. I will not let you fight until you are many years older and show clear signs of maturity." Nauja reprimanded, Fenrich could see a small hot ball of purple flames get sighed out from Naujas mouth.
"Their father was a real battle fanatic. For as good of a dad as my mate is to the young ones, he lusted for the battlefield more." Nauja explained to Fenrich.
"If your mom gives you permission, you will be able to at the very least train and learn how to wield various weapons, and I can help to teach you when I get back." Fenrich said, not crossing the line as he was not a parent, it was not his place to overextend.
Naira flashed a happy smile to Fenrich while she pulled her eyelid down and stuck her tongue out at Nauja, thinking that her mom could not see behind herself.
[Master, you're back so soon and have a new mount, congratulations!]
"Thank you, Eden. However, now is not the time for pleasantries. Gather up Lukas and the others, and uncle Bao. There's a situation that needs to be taken care of and I will need the extra pairs of hands. Uncle Bao has the permission to use items, he will be upgrading the Training Center. Also I have two human children of my Mount and the Divine Beast Qilin. Instruct uncle Bao to create the proper establishments if they need a special building or not."
[It will be done, Master.] Eden replied but Fenrich could hear the disappointment in her voice.
After another five more minutes, they arrived at the Smart Base. Lukas and the others had already started their day and were covered head to toe in zombie blood. Uncle Bao was waiting as he had a shit eating grin on his face.
"It makes an uncle proud to see his nephew coming back with children. Has six years gone by that fast already?" Uncle Bao squinted his eyes to scan Fenrich up and down as if they hadn't just reunited the other day.
Nobody said anything as they stood in line, the only one to have a reaction was Isabella who didn't dare to make eye contact with Fenrich, her face flushed red.
[Master, she has a unique Talent that allows her to retain all memories. Meaning she knows for certain about the "activities" you all had last night.]
Fenrich audibly sighed, grabbing the attention of the others and eventually Isabella as she looked him in the eyes with unspoken emotions.
"Lukas, heads up this is for you." Fenrich took out the Barren High Berserker's Flame and tossed it over with his Mana.
"Uncle Bao, use this and follow Eden's instructions if there is anything necessary to be done to support Naujas children. As for the rest of you, you're all with me. I need all the extra pairs of hands that I can get."
"Nauja, are you able to expand the size of your body to fit 11 people on your back?"
"Yes, but it will reduce my speed by about 10%."
"Alright, that's fine, Ren and Chiaki will be able to hold on long enough with the others until we figure out the full situation."
Nauja expanded her size and everybody hopped up onto her back.
"You kids be good, have fun and listen." Nauja said as Naira and Shiro hugged her before they took off. The kids shouted out for their mom to be safe and waved their hands towards Nauja as she took off into the sky.
"Follow these directions, Nauja. The faster we can get there the better it will be." Fenrich said as he communicated the direction for Nauja to get to Kanata North. Ren never specified where their Shelter was, but if his hunch was right. A massive swarm of Zombies would be the telltale sign of where they were located.