So he truly was the only one in the world who could utilize every single species-exclusive magic formula.
A complete, unmeasured anomaly in the fabric of reality.
'I guess it might be a unique reincarnator's privilege... Well, since I technically came from an entirely different world, it might be entirely possible for a foreign soul to bypass the natural restrictions of this world's biology.'
'Wait, Master Yong also came from the exact same world as I did. Does he possess a similar multi-attribute trait like mine? I guess I will just have to ask him directly the next time he visits the estate.'
Fainyx quietly focused his mana, tapping into the intricate structure of a sound-transmission spell.
He funneled his energy to use a modified voice, deliberately shifting the tone until it sounded entirely hollow, and detached, miles away from his normal speaking voice.
– Now, you need to return to your homeland immediately. I will not accompany your journey back to the sanctuary, but I will appear in this capital city if you ever desperately need to meet with me again.
' I won't meet with you again though.'
"Yes, thank you so much, Spirit King!"
Elyra cried out happily, her light green eyes shining with overwhelming gratitude as she quickly wiped away her tears.
"I will be heading out immediately! I am very, very grateful for this life-saving gift, and I will tell everyone back in the sanctuary about your glorious presence!"
She carefully gathered the remaining nine heavy red apples, placing them neatly inside a coarse canvas sack.
Once the fruit was secured, she gently tapped the gemstone of a delicate silver ring resting on her finger.
The artifact flared with a sudden, bright green light, and the entire sack of apples instantly dissolved into thin air, vanishing directly inside the spatial compression of the jewel.
'Cool... so that is a real high-grade spatial ring, huh.'
Fainyx observed the movement quietly behind his dark leather mask.
He had owned several similar inventory items back during his hardcore playthroughs of the game world on Earth, where he mostly equipped them on the protagonist Orion and his elite party members.
Those specific spatial artifacts were notoriously expensive in the game economy, usually costing a staggering five million gold coins just to purchase a storage ring that possessed the internal capacity of a standard shipping box.
Since the elf lady was officially finished hiding her precious cargo, Fainyx quietly deactivated the sound-nullifying barrier with a subtle flick of his fingers.
The muffled ambient noises of the rowdy adventurer lounge immediately flooded back over their table, but the local warriors were far too drunk on their cheap ale to notice anything unusual.
Elyra offered a final, deeply respectful bow toward his masked frame, whispering her heartfelt thanks one last time before she turned on her heel and hurried out the main entrance of the building.
'Phew... that massive problem is finally solved for now. Now, let's go shopping down the commercial district to find some proper luxury clothes in my size... I need to look decent for that ridiculous royal banquet.'
He let out a slow, heavy sigh inside his mind, sliding the heavy pouch of gold coins safely beneath his cloak before stepping out into the dark streets to find a high-end boutique.
***
'I wonder what that little kid has been up to at the mansion today...'
The legendary ancient dragon, Rutherio, was currently soaring gracefully through the highest layers of the clouds, having finally shifted his physical form back into his magnificent original body.
He was a colossal, breathtaking creature of absolute myth.
His massive, heavy scales were a pristine shade of radiant platinum gold, reflecting the distant starlight like polished armor.
Four majestic, jagged horns rose proudly above his sleek head, curving backward like a royal crown, while his gargantuan wings stretched wide across the horizon, catching the violent currents of the upper atmosphere with effortless grace.
His fierce, slitted dragon eyes burned with a brilliant, molten gold light, radiating an undeniable aura of absolute supremacy over the skies.
He flew smoothly through the sea of clouds, utilizing an advanced layer of ancient invisibility magic to ensure that absolutely no human mages or imperial knights down on the ground could spot his massive shadow moving across the sky.
He was currently traveling toward a high-level emergency council meeting.
'Gosh, those stubborn old fossils suddenly kept demanding an emergency meeting out of nowhere. Did they all finally go senile in their old age?'
As he kept grumbling internally about wanting to ditch the chore and return to his quiet reading room at the Nocte estate, he finally reached his destination.
He descended toward the ancient, hidden territory known as Aelyndrithal, the legendary hidden city of elves and dragons, situated at the very peak of the world where the sacred World Tree resided.
The mythical city was actually built entirely in the high sky, resting majestically upon a massive plateau of solid, compressed white clouds.
The architecture resembled a colossal, ancient stone castle adorned with intricate dragon symbols that constantly emitted powerful, multi-layered defensive barriers to ward off intruders.
The ancient castle walls were beautifully interwoven with massive, ancient roots, and perched directly on top of the highest spire of the floating fortress lay the crown of the World Tree itself.
The World Tree looked deceptively ordinary at a first glance, possessing thick brown branches and vibrant green leaves, but its scale was absolutely big, easily towering over Ruth's massive dragon form.
While it appeared pristine on the outside, its colossal roots extended directly below the cloud barrier, glowing with a soft, silver-white light as they tightly held up the entire floating city in the sky.
As Ruth glided down toward the grand castle courtyard, he was immediately met by another massive creature of his own kind, though its physical color palette was entirely different from his own.
The incoming dragon was roughly the same colossal size as Ruth, but its scales and horn structures were completely unique.
Its heavy scales were a terrifying shade of deep blood red at the core, fading into a blackened, scorched charcoal color right at the sharp edges.
A pair of thick, jagged horns protruded menacingly from its head, curving forward in a wicked arch rather than pointing straight back like Ruth's crown.
The red dragon possessed a long, predatory snout, and its slitted eyes glowed with the pure, malevolent red of a polished blood ruby.
The giant crimson beast let out a low rumble, a sinister smile breaking across its maw to reveal rows of razor-sharp, white teeth.
"Hoh~? To think the anti-social hermit Rutherio actually chose to step outside his dark cave after hundreds of years! Is the human world finally about to explode or something?"
"Be quiet, Ignaryss Vaelthyrion," Ruth shot back coldly, his massive golden wings flaring as he landed on the stone platform.
"How about you do the entire world a massive favor and shut your annoying mouth forever?"
"Aw~, you didn't miss me at all, your oldest friend?" Ignaryss chuckled, his massive red tail swishing against the stone.
"We fought side by side in the old wars and even rivaled each other for centuries. Why must you always treat me with such an icy shoulder~?"
"It is simply because your very existence is incredibly annoying to my peace... Tch. Seeing your ugly face suddenly made me remember that absolute punk of a human scholar back in the capital. Get lost!"
"No way! And who exactly is this human you are talking about?"
Ignaryss asked curiously, his red ruby eyes flashing as he walked alongside him.
"To think a mere mortal actually managed to annoy you just as much as I do... he must be an exceptionally special type of human, huh~?"
"Yes, he is very special. Now leave me alone."
"Nuh-uh~."
The two massive apex predators glided toward the grand entrance of the Aelyndrithal Hall, their bodies shifting and compressing under a advanced polymorph spell as they prepared to enter the council chamber.
Ruth transformed into his humanoid vessel, retaining his four proud golden horns above his brow.
Instead of his casual traveling clothes, his tall frame was now adorned in an ancient, flowing golden silk robe that flickered with faint particles of magical light whenever he moved.
"Tsk, this entire political setup is incredibly tiring. Should we just skip the talking and punch those lazy lizards in the face instead?"
"Tell me about it~" Ignaryss groaned in agreement, shifting into his own human form with dark red hair and black robes.
"They completely ruined my private vacation with my sons. My family has been waiting for a hundred years just to book a proper reservation at that famous mountain resort, and now I didn't even get to go because of this emergency summons... Oh yeah... too bad for you, Rutherio, as you don't have anyone to call a son or succesor anyway, huh?"
Every single one of the ancient dragons on the high council had successfully chosen a partner and raised a nest of hatchlings over the centuries, leaving Ruth as the only single dragon who had completely ignored the concept of romance.
Ruth, who usually flew into a massive rage whenever his companions teased him about being single, simply let out a quiet, knowing smirk this time.
Ignaryss blinked his red eyes, looking thoroughly confused by the reaction.
"Hey... why in the world are you laughing all of a sudden? That is creepy."
"Heh, unfortunately for your dense mind, I actually did manage to acquire a successor."
'Though he is technically a human child and not biologically mine. '
Ruth added silently in his thoughts with a smirk.
"...What?! How is that even possible?!"
Ignaryss gasped in absolute shock, his jaw dropping.
"There are absolutely no single dragon ladies left in this territory who would willingly look at you!"
"I technically made him my own successor since I am currently teaching him the secrets of my personal magic formulas"
Ruth explained proudly, crossing his arms as they walked down the corridor.
"Eh... so the kid is just adopted?"
"Something along those lines. I have already successfully taught him almost everything there is to know about our language, the ancient runes, and mana compression. All he needs to do now is master a high-tier polymorph spell."
"And why exactly does he need to learn an advanced draconic polymorph spell?"
'Because I fully intend to turn him into a real dragon in the future, of course'
Ruth thought with a mischievous grin.
"...That is absolutely none of your business, Ignaryss."
"Come on, I want to see your successor right now, please!"
"You cannot meet him yet. Not until he is ready to reveal his power."
"Oh, then I will get to meet him eventually! I see, then I will gladly wait for that day, heh."
As the two powerful dragons walked down the grand hallway, several high elves wearing elegant ceremonial robes and veils immediately bowed their heads deeply whenever they passed.
The gestures weren't born out of fear of their destructive power, but from a place of deep, ancient reverence the elven race was profoundly grateful to the dragon lords for guarding the World Tree alongside them for generations.
After a few minutes of steady walking, they finally arrived before a colossal set of stone double doors.
The surface was deeply etched with intricate ancient runes and a glowing blue symbol of a sacred flower.
The heavy doors suddenly swung open on their own, and the two dragons stepped inside the grand chamber, where the view was even more impressive.
They had entered the absolute center of the World Tree fortress.
The room was incredibly spacious, with a massive circular opening in the ceiling that allowed the thick, primary branches of the holy tree to stretch up toward the open sky.
Several other ancient dragons were already seated around a massive stone table.
There was a blue dragon and a green dragon present, and though they were colossal entities in their true forms, they were both slightly smaller and slimmer in build compared to Ruth's massive golden frame.
The green dragon's scales were naturally covered in a unique layer of vibrant green feathers, while the blue dragon possessed heavy scales that were deeply embedded with natural cerulean crystals.
"Rutherio, Ignaryss... please take your seats. We have been waiting for you two to arrive for a while now."
The green dragon spoke up, her massive form shifting smoothly into a beautiful, elegant lady.
She possessed long, wavy dark green hair and soft, light green eyes, offering a gentle smile as she gestured toward the vacant stone chairs.
Her garments consisted of an elegant ceremonial robe similar in design to Ruth's, but rendered in a deep forest green color.
"Let us get this boring meeting over with as quickly as possible..."
The blue dragon muttered coldly, her own form compressing into a humanoid vessel.
She wore a sharp, cerulean ceremonial robe, and her beautiful face remained completely stoic and unbothered.
She possessed straight, neck-length dark blue hair, long eyelashes, and gorgeous, deep ocean-blue eyes that radiated a dignified, royal posture as she took her seat at the table.
"Alright alright ~" Ignaryss said easily, pulling out a chair, while Ruth simply gave a silent nod, keeping his arms crossed tightly over his golden silk robe as they sat down next to each other.
While they were waiting for the high officials to officially open the documents, the green dragon turned her head, speaking in a very gentle, melodic voice to pass the time.
"It has been quite a long time since we all gathered like this, everyone. How have you all been doing lately~?" she asked with a warm smile.
"I have been doing perfectly fine, Lady Vielther," the blue dragon replied, her tone softening just a fraction.
"Though I have been incredibly busy taking care of my young hatchlings recently. They have been quite a handful to manage lately..."
"Oh, I completely understand your struggle, Lady Caryndral, hehe~!"
Vielther laughed softly, nodding her head.
"My own child is finally reaching the age of maturity now, and they keep causing a massive mess around the territory every single day, hahaha!"
The blue dragon, Caryndral Veldrein, was widely known as the absolute ruler of the northern cold deserts, living in a secluded, snowy mountain territory.
Meanwhile, the green dragon, Vielther Sylverstyn, was a migratory dragon who loved to travel across the vast continents to study nature.
'Geez, these two women are already starting to talk about their annoying children again...'
Ruth thought to himself, letting out a silent, exhausted sigh as he stared at the stone table.
While his mind was frantically trying to calculate a quick way to escape the boring parental gossip, the two dragon ladies suddenly turned their sharp gazes right toward his face.
"Now then~ Rutherio, when exactly do you plan to finally find yourself a proper mate?"
Vielther asked, leaning forward with a teasing grin.
"The council explicitly gave you dozens of beautiful options a hundred years ago, and you still haven't picked a single lady. Because of your stubbornness, all of the single female dragons in other regions have already found other partners~."
"Rutherio has completely ignored every single lady the council introduced to him over the centuries"
Caryndral added in a dry, stoic tone, observing his face.
"I am honestly starting to wonder if you possess absolutely no interest in females at all..."
"...None of those ladies were my specific type," Ruth shot back, giving the two women a sharp, golden glare.
"And besides, why in the world do you guys constantly feel the need to interfere with my private love life? I am perfectly capable of finding a partner on my own terms!"
The two dragon ladies let out a synchronized, heavy sigh at his stubborn response.
"That is exactly the problem!" Vielther sighed, placing her hands dramatically against her face as if she couldn't believe his audacity.
"You don't even give those poor ladies a single chance before you challenge them to a duel and defeat them in battle! "
" You have spent centuries trying to locate a female who is physically stronger than you, and now there are none left available! I truly wonder how you expect to produce a proper successor for your bloodline in the future..."
"...I already successfully acquired a proper successor who is currently capable of utilizing a portion of my raw power " Ruth said flatly, a smug smirk forming on his face.
"?!"
"?!"
The two women instantly froze in their seats, their eyes widening in absolute shock.
"I wonder if his claim is actually true, kukuku, though the stubborn jerk won't even reveal the kid's name or species to me."
Ignaryss laughed from the side, shaking his head.
"Heh, it is entirely true," Ruth said proudly, his golden eyes flashing.
"And not only that, but the boy already perfectly understands the complex magical concepts I have been teaching him daily."
'And he hasn't just mastered my draconic formulas, I have successfully taught him elven spirit magic and ancient magic as well, though I am definitely never going to let these gossiping fools find out about that anomaly,' Ruth thought with a hidden chuckle.
"Wha—"
But before the shocked dragon ladies could demand more details about the hidden child, the heavy stone doors at the back of the chamber swung open with a loud thud, and a massive presence entered the room.
A giant dragon stepped into the light, its heavy scales a terrifying shade of absolute pitch black, looking exactly like the dark midnight sky.
Its horns were significantly larger and more jagged than any other dragon on the council, and its slitted eyes burned with a striking, crystal-blue light.
The black beast quickly shifted its mass, transforming into a humanoid vessel. He possessed long, raven-black hair, sharp facial features, and wore a simple set of dark silk robes.
His handsome face remained completely cold and detached, and his crystal-blue eyes scanned the table with absolute authority.
'Hmm... it has been a remarkably long time since I last saw his face... Nythraxis Vorn... those crystal-blue eyes of his are actually a bit familiar. They look exactly like the eyes of that human family Fainyx belongs to.'
Ruth analyzed the dragon lord quietly as the giant took his seat at the head of the stone table.
"Let us officially begin our emergency council meeting. "
Nythraxis announced, his deep voice sounding incredibly cold and echoing through the chamber.
The ancient dragon council meeting officially began.