Morning light pierced the smoke-filled air, coating Ian's silhouette with a golden rim.
He descended slowly.
The air around him twisted as though aflame.
Faint thunder murmured, and it was as if an unseen force were clearing a path for him.
"In truth, it's just static electricity triggered by the ancient dragon's attacks. I didn't expect this ancient dragon to have lightning-type magic as well. Has it been influenced by the Pokémon-like elemental traits of this island?"
Ian landed beside the fountain in the town square. Or rather, what used to be a fountain. Now, only a melted bronze statue and a boiling pool of water remained.
The town fell into an eerie silence.
"Oh, heavens! That boy... he saved us!"
"That boy must be a Legend-tier magical creature! Only a Legend-tier being could wield such power. He defeated that wicked spirit so effortlessly!"
"I want his little stick! I mean the one in his hand!"
…
The crowd began to stir again, whispers rising and falling like waves.
A massive silver wolf, known as a Frostshade Beast, crouches low to the ground with awe shimmered in its eyes.
Nearby, a fiery fox-like creature called a Flame-Tail Vixen ceased its agitation. The flames on its tail drew in slightly as if it sensed the presence of something far beyond its comprehension.
"He... he turned an Ancient Dragon..." The village blacksmith's beard trembled like reeds in the wind. "...into fireworks? Such artistry with fire!"
The vivid description caused the silent crowd to erupt once more.
"Did you see it? That flaming raven!"
"One strike! Just one strike!"
"Is this the me I dream of being?"
…
Bud and Odin were the first to push through the crowd. The boy's eyes shone as though they contained an entire starry sky. He stared at Ian, who was slowly descending, trembling with excitement.
"I want to be a wizard, too! Please, please teach me!"
This was truly the face of a child who had found his dream.
"Only by relying on yourself can you become a wizard."
Ian touched down before the siblings. The afterglow of his magic still flickered around him. He gently ruffled Odin's hair as he spoke but his gaze drifted thoughtfully toward the distant mountains.
"As long as you have a dream, you can make it happen."
Unmistakably, Ian was feeding the boy some motivational chicken soup. The words made Odin jump excitedly on the spot.
However, Ian had no way of teaching Odin how to become a wizard.
His potion-brewing method, which can grant someone magical abilities was incomplete.
It was also tailored for people of the later wizarding world. Who knew if it would work on people here? Not to mention, Ian didn't sense any magical power within Odin.
However... if Odin was truly destined to become the All-Father, then he would surely obtain magical power eventually.
"Mm-hmm!" After hearing Ian's words, Odin was thoroughly inspired.
"You're right! I'm going to become a wizard, too. If I just eat more every day, everything will be all right! That's what I want to be... a wizard! You're amazing!" He imitated Ian's wand-waving gesture as he spoke with excitement written all over his little flushed face.
"Wizards... wizards, could it be a kind of evolution? Like humans turning into magical creatures?" Bud tilted her head in confusion, stubbornly clinging to her worldview.
"Or maybe it's the name of a Legend-tier magical creature?"
Bud clearly wasn't accepting Ian's identity as a wizard as easily as her younger brother. Her worldview hadn't updated properly, and her thinking was still bound by her original understanding of the world.
Once again, she suspected that Ian was a Legend-tier magical creature.
Ian was helpless.
"There are many people who consider wizards to be a type of magical creature. The question of whether wizards count as magical creatures has always been debated. Some scholars argue that humans are animals and that wizards, who are considered to have special bloodlines, could be considered a subset of magical creatures."
He could only borrow theories from the later wizarding world to forcefully incorporate wizards into Bud's worldview. This time, Bud actually looked thoughtful, as if she understood a little.
"Can I really become a wizard?" Odin squeezed in his question again.
"Yes," Ian nodded. "And I believe that one day, you will become someone remarkable. Perhaps even stronger than me."
Those words ignited something inside Odin. He stood up straight, raised both arms, and shouted, "I'm going to become a wizard! A real wizard! Did you all hear me?!"
The surrounding residents, who had gathered after regaining their senses, laughed warmly. Some patted his shoulder and ruffled his hair, their eyes full of gentleness and encouragement.
They didn't know what a wizard was.
But...
That didn't stop them from respecting a child's dream.
These people seemed unafraid of power; their hearts were simple and pure. One by one, they stepped forward to thank Ian and praise his strength.
An old grandmother who sold medicine squeezed to the front with her magical creature, holding a cup of shimmering, rainbow-colored liquid on a vine.
"Child! Try my special vitality potion!"
"Make way! Make way!" A chef pushed forward, wings supporting a platter of freshly roasted dragon meat. "Eat it while it's hot! It's made from a distant relative of that dragon!"
Their gratitude for Ian was genuine.
There was none of the instinctual fear one might expect when seeing a powerful being. Honestly, even Tom Riddle might have turned out good in a place filled with so much warmth.
Well... good in the Homelander sense of "good," at least.
"Thank you, child. You are our hero." The town's mayor, an elderly man well past sixty but still vigorous, walked forward with the help of a rune-carved wooden staff. He wore deep blue robes and a pendant made of dragon scales hung on his chest. His eyes carried wisdom and years of experience.
"No need to thank me," Ian replied politely.
"Young man," The mayor said, looking up at Ian with a steady voice. "We all witnessed the battle just now. You not only defeated the evil dragon, but you also saved our home."
His Sonorus-enhanced voice was filled with gratitude.
"I only did what was within my ability to do." Ian smiled faintly.
After all, he had settled down in this little town, no matter how you looked at it. When something came up that he could help with, of course he would help. The atmosphere here made him feel very comfortable.
"No." The old mayor shook his head and spoke firmly. "You are a hero... our hero who helped the entire town and defeated that powerful dragon."
He said it with such passion that the crowd erupted in instant cheers. Men, women, and children applauded and shouted his praises, expressing their heartfelt gratitude.
"Where do you come from?" The mayor suddenly asked.
He seemed extremely curious about Ian's origins. Unlike others, he didn't treat Ian like a legendary magical creature, perhaps because he understood the world better than the average person did.
How else could he have become the mayor?
"My home?" Ian fell silent for a moment. "It's in a very distant place. I'm searching for the road back."
His voice carried a hint of melancholy.
The home he spoke of was, of course, the era in which Hogwarts existed.
However...
The old mayor clearly misunderstood his words.
"I know. I already guessed." The mayor narrowed his eyes as he spoke. "Your aura is different from ours. You came from beyond the Storm, didn't you?"
He truly seemed to know things that the other townsfolk did not.
Ian was a little surprised at this.
"Beyond the Storm?" Ian raised an eyebrow. "You know about the outside world?"
This was the first time he had met someone in the town who knew that there was a world beyond the Storm.
"Of course." The old mayor smiled and nodded. "Our ancestors once walked out of the Storm and traveled the world beyond. They said it was far broader than here, but also far more dangerous."
In my ancestor's notes, it said that outside there were powerful humans like you, magical creatures, and dinosaurs roaming freely. There were even giants capable of tearing the heavens and earth apart.
It was clear that he wasn't making it up.
His ancestors had really ventured beyond the Storm. Ian wondered if this was related to the Titan rumored to be living in seclusion nearby. He had always felt that the townspeople were protected by the Titans within the Storm.
"Yes, I come from outside the Storm," Ian said thoughtfully, nodding.
"The Storm is a terrifying barrier. It shields us from the dangers outside," The mayor said with a smile. "Your arrival here is a miracle in itself."
The mayor obviously understood that the Storm might be a form of protection for them. The other townsfolk had no objections to this.
"You're right. I ended up here by accident," Ian sighed. Of course, he wasn't referring to passing through the Storm but to the power of the Bronze Door, which was far more troublesome.
As for the Storm...
In his Animagus form, it was meaningless. Ian thought of the Titan issue and was about to ask more questions when the mayor suddenly raised his staff high.
"Don't worry, child. You will find your way home. But for now..." His voice rose sharply. "We must celebrate our victory over evil once again!"
"As our hero, you deserve the best treatment!" The mayor shouted. No one disagreed. Everyone surrounded Ian and began to applaud enthusiastically.
"Celebrate?"
As the center of attention, Ian was momentarily stunned.
"When is this celebration supposed to happen?"
He couldn't fathom how, right after a disaster, people could still want to celebrate. Judging from the looks of it, the entire town wanted to celebrate the defeat of the dragon instead of mourning the victims.
Uh...
Well...
'There didn't seem to be any victims.'
Ian looked around, stunned.
"Of course the festivities must begin immediately! Otherwise, how can it be a celebration?" The mayor replied with a hearty laugh the moment Ian asked.
His logic was surprisingly hard to refute. Ian had no comeback.
"But that house is still smoking," Ian said, raising a hand toward the charred remains of a building not far away. The beams had collapsed, rubble was scattered about, and the air still carried the heavy scent of burnt wood.
"Ha!" The mayor burst out laughing again. "A house can always be rebuilt. These leftovers make perfect fuel for the bonfire. It saves us the trouble of gathering wood, doesn't it?"
Ian was speechless for a moment. The logic was strange yet made a bit of sense.
"So its settled, then!" The mayor clapped his hands. "Tonight, the entire village will join the celebration. We shall offer our hero the finest food, the richest drinks, and the warmest applause!"
Thus, surrounded by the townsfolk's overwhelming enthusiasm, Ian was pulled into this sudden, impromptu festival.
Night fell. Bonfires were lit. The entire town glowed with warm lights, and the air filled with the aroma of roasting meat mixed with fresh herbs.
A blacksmith directed a group of Steel-type magical creatures to forge decorative ornaments from the remaining ashes of the Ancient Dragon for the celebration.
Water-type spirits extinguished dangerous fires while creating fountain-like displays of dancing water. People gathered in the plaza. Children played tag in the firelight. The elderly drank and exaggerated the details of the battle, painting Ian's duel with the dragon as an epic legend.
Bud and Odin sat together, listening to the wildly embellished tales and covering their mouths to stifle their laughter. The town had regained a long-lost sense of peace as the bonfire's flames flickered at the center of the square.
They lit up tired faces that were finally at ease.
On the other side of the square, several healers were busy tending to injured residents and magical creatures. A flying beast called a Mistfeather with wounded wings was receiving a poultice treatment, and an elderly man burned on his arm by dragonfire was being smeared with a pale-green salve known as Healing Spirit Balm.
The wounds healed rapidly.
"This medicine is incredible…" Ian stared in shock. "They're just herbal potions, yet their effects rival those of advanced potions."
His admiration was genuine.
"How exactly do you make potions like this?"
He leaned closer to one of the apothecaries.
"So it's the Hero boy." The apothecary looked up, revealing a face full of wrinkles yet warm with kindness. "It's simple. Just crush a few plants, mix them with spring water, and you're done."
"As I suspected, it really is that simple?"
Ian asked, deep down struggling to accept how such simple mixtures could produce such overwhelming effects.
"Yes," The apothecary chuckled. "But the plants we grow here are different. Each one grows in soil filled with magic power. As long as the method is correct, the results won't be bad."
Ian nodded, though shock continued to build in his heart.
Their potion-making methods were simple, requiring neither spellwork nor magic wands, yet every potion displayed incredible effects. The pale-green Healing Spirit Balm regenerated flesh within minutes. The purple Morning Dew Juice revived those in a Stupefy-like state the instant it touched their tongues.
Using mere mortal herbs...
Yet they rivaled high-level potions.
"What a waste of heavenly treasures. With ingredients like these, we might actually manage to research resurrection potions, even if I brought my uncle." Ian crouched down and watched a silver-white, wolf-like creature called a Frostshadow Beast lick its newly healed paw as if the earlier battle had been nothing but a hallucination.
However...
What truly shocked Ian was something else entirely. Everyone being treated had been struck by the ancient dragon's tail, yet the humans were less injured than the magical creatures.
Ian quietly observed the wounded residents and magical creatures. He noticed a strange detail: wherever the dragon's tail struck—trees, houses, or even the ground, deep cracks were carved into it. Yet, when the same force landed on human bodies, the injuries were never severe enough to break bones or cause fatal damage.
Bodies stronger than magical creatures?
Was this not a bit too reminiscent of the game's mechanics?
Or perhaps...
Could these people truly be the ancestors of the Æsir?
(End of chapter)
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