He sat down as Infernal Demon Lucifer rose and removed her cloak.
"Now then, you must all be surprised that I am the only female present. As you can see, I am just as tall as the males from the other Clans, yet I am smaller than my Mate."
"Do not let my more petite frame fool you; it would likely be your first, last, and only mistake. My Stats are only ten points lower than my Mate's, but inherently higher than everyone else's."
"This means I could single-handedly defeat every one of them in a fight; the only one who could beat me is my Mate. Like my Mate, my horns and eyes are more aggressive-looking. I have fangs and the same sharp nails that can serve as handy surprise weapons in a pinch."
"My skin colour reflects my Clan, while my eyes, hair, nails, crystals, and Runic tattoos match my accessory colour. Like all Infernals, I enjoy a good fight, and while I may not be the best teacher, I'm happy to offer advice on any form of combat you're interested in. I, along with all Infernals in the Nursery, will gladly spar with you to help you grow and master your body as the weapon it can be, regardless of your Class or gender."
"We are the oldest in this group, at fifteen thousand two hundred eighty-eight years old," Infernal Demon Lucifer spoke bluntly before sitting down.
The Elders from the other Clans couldn't help but facepalm at the way the Infernals spoke.
"Haaa, seriously, Infernals will be the death of me," Mortal Demon Sean sighed, wiping his face. "Okay, kiddos, you've seen and heard from all of us. If you have any further questions, please ask, and we'll do our best to answer them," he said to the Children after composing himself.
The Children giggled at the antics of the Elders and Demons, causing the Elders to shake their heads with fond smiles.
One Child managed to compose themselves and asked a question, which the servant dutifully relayed to the Elders.
"Oh yes, Stats! It would be good to explain these before we continue. Everyone has heard of strength, stamina, intelligence, dexterity, agility, and so on, right? These are called Stats, and we have them, too."
"Uh, Celestial Elder Soleil, could you pull up the demo page? It would be helpful during this explanation," Mortal Elder Kyle said.
Once the demo page was displayed, he continued, "Okay, before you now is the demo page, known as your Personal Tab. This tab essentially serves as your ID, along with your basic information. It contains your name, Clan, gender, Class, cultivation level, Stats, and Skill levels. The first page shows your name, Clan, Class, gender, age, basic dimensions and Mate. The second page shows your cultivation level and Stats. The third displays your Skills and their levels of mastery."
"For now, we'll focus on the second page. As you can see, your cultivation level is displayed at the top, with your Stats listed below. Stats are divided into basic and advanced categories."
"Basic Stats include Constitution, Strength, Stamina, Agility, and Intelligence. Advanced Stats break these down further, including Health, Defence, Attack, Endurance, Dexterity, Control, Comprehension, Precision, and Energy. Each of these has multiple versions reflecting Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spirit, and Mana attributes."
"The higher these numbers, the stronger and faster you become. Infernals have a built-in advantage, as their Stats are higher from birth. Even when they Awaken into a non-combat-related Class, their Stats are always at least fifty points higher than ours."
"A word of caution for all of you: under no circumstances should any of these Stats drop below ten percent of their maximum value. Doing so will put you in a dangerous situation," Mortal Elder Kyle warned sternly.
Another Child raised their hand and spoke to the servant, who relayed the question to the Elders.
"Thank you for your patience. As agreed, we'll now explain more about Bloodlines, and briefly touch on Talents and Classes. Bloodlines are an essential aspect of everyone in the Heavenly Clans; however, Children don't always inherit the same Bloodline as their parents. The exact mechanism by which Bloodlines emerge during gestation remains unclear, but they always seem to align best with the individual Child."
"Bloodlines can vary widely, from gentle herbivores to aggressive apex predators and even mythical beings. Our Classes are constructed entirely based on the traits of these Bloodlines. Additionally, we have Classes built solely from Bloodlines of nurturing, caring, and loving animals."
"Bloodlines grant specific traits, such as ears, horns, fangs, claws, tongues, tails, wings, and even scales. They also enhance our Stats, senses, bodies, and other attributes. Some Bloodlines lean toward Healing, while others excel in Commerce."
"Each of us has what we call a Battle Form. In this form, our Bloodline traits become even more pronounced, and it's specifically designed for combat situations. However, we are capable of using some of their traits in our regular form. If I could enlist the Infernals' assistance, we could demonstrate this in detail." Immortal Elder Lucius explained.
The Infernals stood up, indicating their willingness to act as demonstrators.
"We'll begin with Infernal Elder Caine. If you would be so kind?" Immortal Elder Lucius started as Infernal Elder Caine transformed into his Battle Form.
"Now, Children, as you can see, when Infernal Elder Caine morphed into his Battle Form, several of his Bloodline traits became more pronounced, and new ones appeared. Infernal Elder Caine possesses an Infernal Bloodline. Unlike the other Bloodlines, Infernal Bloodlines are derived from creatures typically considered denizens of Hell, like vampires, werewolves, wraiths, ghosts, and other monsters."
"This specific Bloodline is that of a Spinagon. Those with this Bloodline have multiple spiked horns, large leathery wings, and tough scales. Their fangs are present on both the upper and lower jaws, and they possess an elongated, highly venomous tongue. Their hands transform into claws, and their nails extend to maximum length. Their legs have inverted knees and ankles, ending in clawed feet, and they have a long, spiny tail for balance. They also use it as a weapon," Immortal Elder Lucius finished, gesturing for Infernal Elder Caine to revert to normal.
"I'm sure Infernal Elder Caine's Battle Form was quite frightening, but as long as an Infernal is not in Rut or Estrus, nor are they a Twin Demon or Slayer, they are safe to approach and will not cause harm to you," he concluded. "We'll take a short break so you can process what you've learned, then proceed with Infernal Demon Lucifer."
One of the Children stood up, waving to be noticed. After receiving a nod from the Elders, he spoke rapidly to the servant, who relayed the message.
Infernal Demon Lucifer burst out laughing, repeatedly slapping Infernal Elder Caine on the back with glee. Caine stood frozen, slack-jawed, and suspiciously blushing.
"Well, that's a first! I have to get a picture and post it! This is the first time a Child has left an Infernal speechless and blushing at once! Who would have guessed it'd only take a newly summoned Child asking if all Infernals look this cool? We've been missing out on reactions like this!" Mortal Elder Kyle exclaimed, clicking away with his camera, looking quite smug after posting the moment. Mortal Demon Sean just shook his head and smiled at the scene.
One of the Children raised a hand, and the servant relayed the question.
"Hmm? Yes, our network is quite advanced. We have various sections: personal, Clan, Class, social, entertainment, Knowledge, trading, academic, technical, geographical, cartographical, and mission-related sections. You can find anything you need on the network, which we call Conclave.
We also use a currency called Ghul. Each person receives a monthly stipend: one hundred Ghul at birth, five hundred at Awakening, and a thousand at maturity. You can use it to purchase or barter for whatever you wish. Once registered, you receive your stipend backdated to your birth date.
Feel free to use it as you like, but keep in mind that most things are provided free of charge. In some cases, people tend to request barter instead of Ghul. Then Tian Dao judges the value of what is offered in Ghul and converts it into the amount of that which is asked for as barter payment, thereby avoiding short-changing or overpayment."
"Ghul can be used for entertainment, such as music, art, games, novels, dramas, and movies. You can also obtain Knowledge beyond what is free for your Class," Mortal Elder Kyle explained.
Another question came through the servant.
"The signal for Conclave is robust and stable, connecting us anywhere in the Universe, including the Pocket dimension and Dungeon Gates," said Immortal Elder Lucius. Noticing confusion among the Children, he continued, "Celestial Elder Soleil, could you show the basic Universe demonstration pages so I can elaborate further?"
"The terminology you use for the Universe is imprecise. I'll clarify, ordered from smallest to largest: Companian Planet (planetary satellite) which vary in size, Planet (your homeworld), Star (your sun), Star Cluster (your galaxy), Hyper Cluster (your 'Universe'), Origin (energy source Hyper Clusters orbit), Origin Field (many Hyper Clusters), Universe (the total space filled with many Origin Fields)."
"The Heavenly Clans reside in five artificially created Origin Fields at the Universe's centre. We didn't create these, but by Tian Dao, who established the Universal Laws."
"The final Origin Field is where we are now: the Central Origin Field, home to the Councils, Nursery, and central computer, Tian Dao. The other four surround it as buffers in each cardinal direction. Immortal to the east, Mortal to the west, Celestial to the north, Infernal to the south."
"Connected to the Central Origin Field is a Pocket Dimension as large as the Origin Field, housing discovered and relocated Dungeon Gates," Immortal Elder Lucius explained as Celestial Elder Soleil displayed the information onscreen.
Another Child asked a question.
"That's a good question, young one," Immortal Elder Lucius replied. "Each Star Cluster is made up of ten Planets and their Companion Planets. Each Hyper Cluster has a million Star Clusters. Each Origin Field includes a million Hyper Clusters: that's ten trillion Planets and ten trillion Companion Planets per Origin Field—twenty trillion habitable Planets for each of the Heavenly Clans. I hope that eases your space concerns regarding our Civilisation's size."
"All Origin Fields, Hyper Clusters, Origins, Star Clusters, Stars, Planets and Companion Planets that make up the rest of the Universe were created naturally. As such, they may vary in size and composition."
Another question followed.
"We have many forms of transportation, but for some reason, we all prefer old-fashioned carriages drawn by horse-like creatures capable of flight—even for interstellar travel. All Clans use the same carriage style, distinguished only by carriage colour and the type of creature pulling it. Lanterns and banners denote the Class inside: Celestial is white with gold and class-colored lanterns, drawn by ten (or sixteen if the individual has the six additional crystals) white Pegasi. Infernal is black with silver, drawn by Nightmares. Mortal is brown with diamonds, drawn by Gryphons. Immortal is teal-green with jade, drawn by LongMa, a dragon-horse hybrid," Immortal Elder Lucius explained.
A new question came from the Children.
"Quite astute! The carriages are larger inside than out. We use space-folding technology. They measure 100 by 300 feet on the outside, but on the inside, they are nearly ten acres, equipped with every comfort of home, perfect for long journeys," Immortal Demon Shen replied.
One more question was relayed.
"Our longest journey? From this Origin Field to another at the Universe's outskirts. On an urgent mission, it takes a year-round trip—locating and securing the Dungeon Gate before returning. A non-urgent mission takes five years total," answered Mortal Elder Kyle.
"None of our interstellar journeys are allowed to last for more than eight years, including the travel time. This is to avoid the issues surrounding our Estrus or Rut, pregnancy and birth. As the eggs may undergo adverse effects during such a long-distance teleportation," Immortal Elder Lucius concluded.