Chapter 2442: A New Beginning
Chapter 2442: A New Beginning
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On that day, everyone across Yggdrasil felt the world tremble. They knew their planet had teetered on the brink of destruction, caught in a battle between forces beyond mortal comprehension—all for the future of their home.
Against impossible odds, the ancient evil that had tormented their world for hundreds of thousands of years finally fell. His last desperate attempt to annihilate everything was thwarted.
Yet victory came at a heartbreaking cost.
Two Ancient Gods, Thor and Baldr, sacrificed their lives to stop their brother from unleashing further ruin.
Countless Dragons and Titans perished defending the world from Loki's rampage—heroes whose names would echo through eternity.
Root gave everything, fusing with Yggdrasil's shattered core to prevent the planet from crumbling into the cosmos.
The four primordial gods—Logi, Aegir, Jord, and Sif—merged with their mother to sustain her recovery, perhaps for thousands of years.
And one innocent soul from another world… whose fate remained shrouded in uncertainty.
Massive cracks scarred the surface, linking Helheim to the world above. Yggdrasil's rampant crystalline roots still jutted across the land like frozen lightning.
Yet with the Crimson Queen's presence finally banished, Yggdrasil escaped corruption. Her soul returned to peace.
The Mother of All Life, born from Humanity's final hope and creator of Fantasy itself, slipped into a deep, healing slumber—perhaps for millennia—before she could awaken once more.
But as dawn broke after an endless night, sunlight poured through the vast cracks connecting Helheim to the surface.
The people knew, with quiet certainty, that they were safe.
Families rejoiced. Parents held their children close. Elders smiled, grateful to have survived such cataclysm.
Historians etched these events into the annals of time. Philosophers pondered their meaning for the future.
The bonds between Yggdrasil, Zipangu, and Earth remained unbroken. In fact, Yggdrasil's weakened state drew the worlds closer, spawning new rifts through space.
A fourth world emerged—the largest and perhaps strongest. Rich in Spiritual Energy, its ruler willingly offered Divine Spiritual Energy to aid Yggdrasil's recovery and restore the world's elements.
A pair of glowing red eyes watched Yggdrasil silently from the heavens of this new realm.
Deep within Helheim, the young Dragon King slowly opened his eyes. Bright sunlight streaming through the massive cracks stung them.
"Hmm…? Huh?"
He shifted in his Dragonoid form, utterly drained.
Drake had never felt such exhaustion. Every ounce of strength was gone. He knew he would need at least a year of true rest to recover.
He had earned it. He had fought the hardest.
"Ahhh! How long was I out?!"
Drake sat up, disoriented and weary. Dozens of faces surrounded him. As he stirred, not only did people rush closer, but even the largest dragons lowered their massive heads to gaze at him.
"Oho! Finally awake, young king! Was the nap refreshing?" Jotun, mother of all Earth Dragons, boomed with laughter that echoed across the realm.
"You slept a full day, son!" Nifl, mother of all Ice Dragons and Drake's own mother, looked relieved yet concerned.
"There he is! Our king awakens!" Muspel, mother of all Fire Dragons, celebrated joyfully.
"You certainly took your time, dear grandson," Svartalf, mother of all Dark Dragons, said warmly. "Now that it's over, why not take a proper dragon nap? A few thousand years might do wonders for your recovery."
"Thousands of years? Wait… a whole day?!" Drake gasped, scrambling to his feet and looking around.
"Oh, Drake… I'm so happy you're all right!" Hel, mother of all Death Dragons, smiled through tears. She gently rubbed her massive, skull-like snout against him. "I love you, Drake… you're my hero…!"
"A-Ahh! Hel…" Drake blinked in surprise at her sudden affection, then smiled and hugged her back. "I'm glad you're safe… I was worried." He kissed her snout, making her blush.
"D-Drake… not here…" she murmured. Despite being the eldest, her inexperience in love made her act like a shy young teen.
"Huh?! What's going on here?!" Ran, mother of all Sea Dragons, swam closer, raising an eyebrow at Hel.
"Heeey, I knew something was up! Hel! You're our eldest—going after the young king?!" Jotun roared with laughter.
"Oh my! I never imagined you'd pursue my sister, son…" Nifl sounded stunned. "Well, she's a wonderful big sister. She's always cared for us so deeply."
"Wait, how did this even happen? You two barely spoke before!" Svartalf grumbled, a hint of jealousy in her voice.
"This is… well, in the Void Realm where I trained Drake for two years… things happened," Hel sighed, embarrassed. "I don't… want to go into details."
"Yeah… one thing led to another, and we just… clicked," Drake said. "We're not so different, right?"
"Yes… You understand me like no one else," Hel whispered, nuzzling him again before licking his body with her enormous blue tongue. "Fufu… that was a kiss. Did you like it?"
"It was… nice…" Drake sighed, covered in drool.
"Papaaaaa!"
Drake staggered as four children tackled him, knocking him back onto the rocky floor with a painful thud.
"Ouch! Agh! K-Kids?!"
He saw his children laughing at his misfortune—clearly the culprits.
"Daddy, you're finally awake!" Kate beamed.
"I was so worried!" Benladra said.
"They said we shouldn't move you from where you landed… so you stayed there a whole day!" Drakda huffed.
"Papaaa! Awawah…! Babah! Heheh!" Yudra giggled, noticing her father covered in drool. "Owah?"
Benladra, Kate, Drakda, and Yudra overflowed with joy at seeing him awake after spending the day in Helheim, playing among skeletons.
"I'm sorry for worrying you," Drake sighed, using Magic to clean Hel's drool before pulling all four into a tight hug. "I'm so happy it's over… and you're all safe. This is truly the best day of my life. You make me so proud. Never forget that—you're my greatest joy."
"D-Dad…" Benladra smiled shyly. "Really?"
"Of course…" Drake hugged them again. The gathered crowd and dragon mothers watched, deeply moved.
"He's such a devoted father…" Hel smiled, her affection for Drake growing even stronger.
"How are your mothers? Are they— Ah!"
Drake paused as two hands rested on his shoulders. Benladann and Miranda flanked him, Yuki placing a hand on his head.
All three wore rather… menacing smiles.
"A-Aren't you happy to see me?" Drake asked nervously, mouth twitching.
"We are! We want to hug and kiss you, but there's something we need to address first, dear," Benladann said sweetly.
"Yep. It involves that very old, very large dragon lady over there—your 'aunt' who's clearly head over heels for you," Miranda added sharply.
"How exactly did that happen, Drake?" Yuki asked. "We've known her for barely a day!"
"I'm sorry…" Drake apologized quickly. "It was in the Void Realm! We spent two years together. She trained me, and… one thing led to another. I'll explain properly later, okay? Please bear with me. I need rest… and I love all three of you. My love has never been stronger. Come here."
Drake pulled his wives into a warm embrace. Their frowns softened into smiles as they hugged him back. He kissed each deeply and passionately, melting away any lingering anger.
"I love you… and you… and you. More than you can imagine," Drake murmured. His wives sighed happily, resting against his broad, muscular chest, feeling utterly safe in his powerful arms—even in Dragonoid form, he was a mountain of strength.
"I'm so happy it's over…" Miranda whispered, tears welling in her eyes as overwhelming emotion suddenly surged through her. "Can we finally… finally just take a break? Please? Are we allowed to rest now, for fuck's sake?"
"Yes, we are," Drake said softly, pulling her close. "I'm sorry things turned out like this… I know you're pregnant and need rest more than anyone."
"It hasn't been that long since we found out…" Benladann smiled through her own tears, placing a gentle hand on her belly. "But now that it's truly over, let's take it easy from here on, all right?"
"Yeah…" Yuki sighed in relief, her voice trembling with exhaustion and joy. "Honestly, can't we go back home? And I don't mean your Divine Realm—I mean Jotunheim. The snow fields, the mountains, the ice forests… I miss them so much. I'm sure Yudra would love them too."
"Of course! That's a wonderful idea!" Drake agreed, his tired eyes lighting up. "We could settle there properly. Living inside the Divine Realm gets isolating, and I don't want to grow detached from the world. Staying on the surface will be good for all of us."
"Jotunheim! We're finally going back!" Benladann cheered, her voice bright with genuine excitement. "It'll be perfect! We could even build our own little town around Fuyu if we let her settle there. Wait—can't you merge that fragment of your Divine Realm into the world?"
"I absolutely can! Brilliant idea!" Drake laughed. "We'll find the perfect spot and do it."
"Yaaay!" Miranda, Benladann, and Yuki celebrated like excited children planning an adventure, their weary faces glowing with rare, carefree happiness.
"Wait… Andromeda! Where is she?!" Drake suddenly tensed, scanning the crowd. "Andromeda?! Hey!"
For a heart-stopping moment, dread gripped him. She had stayed behind in Yggdrasil's core… and hadn't appeared since.
"I'm here, Drake."
"Ah!"
He turned to find Andromeda materializing beside him. She stepped forward and enveloped him in a warm embrace. As a Titan, she towered over him—his face nestled perfectly between her soft, comforting breasts.
"Aahhh…"
Drake exhaled in profound relief, tension melting away as heavenly comfort surrounded him.
"Were you worried?" Andromeda asked gently, holding him tighter. "Once Yggdrasil recovered, she helped me return to your side. But I share your exhaustion, so I rested with you—only appearing spiritually by Kate's side."
"Mama can finally have her physical form back?" Kate flew over joyfully, showering her mother's face with kisses.
"Yes, my sweet girl. Come here for all the kisses I owe you~!" Andromeda giggled, peppering Kate's cheeks. "Mooch, mooch, mooch!"
"Heheh!" Kate laughed brightly, her once-expressionless face now alive with emotion. "I love you, Mama…!"
"I love you too, my precious baby," Andromeda whispered, rubbing noses with her daughter.
Drake watched them, heart swelling with quiet gratitude. He felt truly blessed to have this loving family.
"All right! Who wants barbecue?!" Drake roared, breaking the tender moment with enthusiastic energy. "Because I'm starving!"
"YEAAAH!"
His children, wives, and friends cheered loudly. Drake glanced around, counting everyone. They were all here. The dragons were absent, but Hel had mentioned they were reuniting with their own families.
He understood completely. They had vast clans of their own. He wouldn't disturb them.
A barbecue and celebration in grim Helheim—surrounded by mournful souls, skeletons, and zombies—was the last thing anyone expected.
Yet after such a cataclysmic battle, Drake simply wanted to celebrate that they were alive. Everything else could wait.
"Drake! I'm so glad you're awake. I was worried…" Ruby stepped forward, surprising him with a warm hug.
"Ah, Ruby! I'm fine," Drake reassured her, returning the embrace gently. "How about you? So much happened. You didn't push yourself too hard?"
"I definitely did! I'm exhausted," Ruby admitted with a tired smile. "I'll need a long rest… Um, so we're heading back to Jotunheim?"
"Yeah," Drake confirmed. "You're always welcome to live with us, of course."
"I-I will! Thank you for… welcoming me into your family," Ruby said softly, eyes shimmering with emotion. "You saved the world… I owe you more than I can ever repay. S-So… if you ever need me? Or my help? I'll be there… yeah."
"Hm?" Drake tilted his head, puzzled by her stuttering. "It's all right, Ruby! Relax. You're a Venerable now—you can do whatever you want. I'm not forcing you to protect or rule anything. You're free."
"Aaah… thank you," Ruby murmured, nodding with a faint, wistful smile. "For now, I was planning to… uh, handle the Vampires, but that's it! I'll be free most days… definitely weekends."
"Okay?" Drake chuckled, still confused. "Anyway, join the barbecue?"
"S-Sure! Of course…" Ruby sighed quietly, a touch of sadness in her eyes as she walked away.
Drake watched her join Rakasha and Carmilla.
…
"Ugh! I ruined it! I shouldn't have started like that! I tried hugging him, but he just sees me as a kid, doesn't he?!" Ruby screamed inwardly, covering her face.
"Well, Drake has his hands full right now. Take it easy—he needs rest too," Rakasha said. "Also, I just heard he's already infatuated some ancient dragon lady…"
"Guuuh… I have no chance! This was hopeless from the start!" Ruby wailed dramatically.
"R-Rakasha! How can you say that to her?!" Carmilla scolded.
"A-Ah, damn it! Sorry!" Rakasha apologized. "I was just being blunt as always… I'm not great with this love stuff…"
"Listen, dear—if you truly love him, don't give up so easily," Carmilla said firmly, her competitive spirit shining. "You have to fight for your man. The right moment will come. For now, I'll teach you all my seduction techniques and how to be an irresistibly charming Vampiress!"
"Really, Mom?! Thank you!" Ruby beamed, overjoyed by her mother's support—though Rakasha wasn't thrilled with Carmilla's aggressive approach to love.
…
As Drake prepared the barbecue, he suddenly remembered his niece and Jake. He scanned the crowd, then turned to Andromeda.
"Your niece is fine—she's sleeping safely in your castle within the Divine Realm," Andromeda explained. "Lucia and Chris are watching over her."
"And Jake… is his body all right?" Drake asked, concern deepening.
"Yes, but he hasn't changed… what Oberon did remains," Andromeda replied softly. "However… I believe we can help him now."
"Yeah," Drake agreed, resolve hardening. "All right, Drakda, Benladra, Kate! You're in charge of cutting the meat for the barbecue! I need to check on your aunt quickly in my Divine Realm."
"Sure, Dad! Leave it to us—it won't be hard," Benladra said confidently.
"Let me cut the meat… and maybe sneak a few bites," Drakda grinned.
"Drakda, don't—the meat is for everyone," Kate scolded gently.
Drake smiled at his children's enthusiasm. They rushed to the massive Divine Monster carcasses—gifts from the Dragon Mothers.
"All right, time to—Hm?" Drake felt a soft tug. Little Yudra floated beside him, grasping his arm.
"Papa… Buuh!"
She tilted her head, clearly not wanting him to leave alone.
"Ah, you want to come too, Yudra? Where's Mama?"
"Mama?"
Yudra glanced back. Yuki was laughing with Benladann, Miranda, and the other women, enjoying drinks and snacks before the feast.
"She's having fun. Want to join your father?"
"Papa! Papa! Pa!"
Yudra latched onto Drake's back like a fluffy little monkey. He chuckled warmly and stepped through the portal to his Divine Realm.
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