Chapter 2272: A Welcoming Feast

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Hrimvaldr noticed that Fuyu was already present, and everyone listened attentively to his words. Surprisingly, no one expressed anger toward him or harbored any intent to harm him. In fact, they appeared genuinely intrigued.

"My name is Hrimvaldr," he announced with a gentle smile, looking down at Drakda and softly patting his head.

"He has a new name?" Miranda asked, curious.

"That’s unusual," Yuki remarked.

"It makes sense," Ruby interjected. "Sangre was the name bestowed upon him by the Vampire Venerable. We never truly knew his real name."

"So he goes by Hrimvaldr now. That’s fitting," Benladann said. "Benladra, let’s greet your uncle. It seems your father succeeded in saving him after all."

"Okay!" Benladra nodded, gliding alongside her mother.

Both approached Hrimvaldr, whose surprise deepened at their warm reception.

"Hello, Uncle! Are you healed? You’ve changed so much. What happened?" Benladra inquired eagerly.

"I see you’ve regained your senses," Benladann observed warmly.

At that moment, Miranda arrived, followed by Yuki with Yudra, and Andromeda with Kate.

"Hello," Kate said. "You resemble Daddy now."

"It’s refreshing to speak with you normally," Andromeda added.

"Sorry about Drakda. He’s not troubling you, is he?" Miranda chuckled.

"Haawaaah!" Yudra exclaimed, raising her tiny pink paws.

"She says hello," Yuki translated with a gentle smile, cradling her child.

"Ah, um..." Hrimvaldr, a reserved man, felt overwhelmed by the influx of children and people greeting him. "Hello."

"Hahaha! Don’t worry, he’s still adjusting to this," Drake laughed, clapping his brother’s back. "Relax, Hrimvaldr. Everything will be fine now. Come, let’s catch up and talk more."

"But what about the war outside?" Hrimvaldr asked, concern in his voice. "The world is in peril."

"I know, but we can talk briefly as we head down, right?" Drake replied, inviting Hrimvaldr into Fuyu.

Thanks to merging with Hydra’s Death Tower, Fuyu had expanded to an immense size, capable of comfortably housing every dragon in their natural forms if they chose to remain so.

Hrimvaldr entered with Nifl at his side. She greeted her grandchildren with a warm smile, delighted as they clambered over her massive body.

Once inside Fuyu, she began moving, and Hrimvaldr was offered a banquet to celebrate his recovery and redemption.

"So much food," he marveled. "Since becoming a Vampire Dragon, everything tasted bland except for blood or raw flesh."

"That shouldn’t be an issue anymore," Nifl assured him. "Though you remain a Vampire Dragon, you’re no longer the same. You’ve fully reawakened your Ice Dragon Body and Soul, with the Vampire Dragon aspect now a secondary trait you can switch to at will."

"I see," Hrimvaldr said, both shocked and elated. "Thank you, Mother. Does this mean I can still use my previous powers to aid everyone?"

"Indeed," Nifl nodded. "Those powers were too valuable to discard and removing them entirely would have harmed you. I did what was possible."

"I deeply appreciate your efforts," Hrimvaldr replied. "This food smells incredible. I haven’t felt this hunger in thousands of years."

"Dig in, brother!" Drake urged, patting his shoulders. "Eat!"

The feast was lavish, featuring divine monster meat barbecue, noodles, fried rice, baked potatoes topped with cheese, salted and grilled fish, meatloaf, hamburgers, freshly baked bread, pizza, and more. Drake had prepared an enormous spread of dishes he and others enjoyed, tailored for his brother’s delight.

Hrimvaldr, encouraged by his brother and mother, wasted no time sampling the fare. Though dragons typically hunted and consumed prey raw, Drake, once a mortal and a Reincarnator, cherished the elaborate, flavorful dishes mortals crafted, some inspired by recipes from Earth that didn’t exist in this world.

Hrimvaldr started with the meat, savoring large cuts of barbecued divine beast flesh from creatures like the Frozen Valley Rex, Thunderstorm Roc, and Blazing Mount Lion. Each had a distinct flavor, enhanced by Drake’s array of spices, salt, and seasonings.

"Try them with these sauces, brother!" Drake suggested.

"Sauces?" Hrimvaldr asked, eyeing the diverse selection.

He sampled each sauce, astonished by flavors he’d never encountered. As others joined the feast, a warm atmosphere enveloped them, allowing Hrimvaldr to experience delicious food and familial warmth despite the dire circumstances outside.

"Drake! We’re approaching a major warzone!" Fuyu’s voice suddenly cut through the moment. "Multiple factions are clashing, and they haven’t noticed us yet."

"I see. We’re here already," Drake sighed. "I wish I’d found you sooner, brother. Things might have been different."

"No, it’s alright," Hrimvaldr reassured him. "This was more than enough."

The dragon stood, revitalized, his powers surging. As he rose, Fuyu trembled unexpectedly.

RUMBLE!

"We’re under attack! The barrier is enduring relentless assaults from armies of Specters!" Fuyu reported.

"I suppose we must act," Drake said. "Specters... Yuki, do you sense her presence? Another tear?"

"Yes, it’s nearby," Yuki confirmed. "If we secure that one, it might suffice for me to address my previous life’s body."

"That’s promising," Drake nodded. "Let’s move! If Yokai are attacking, it likely means Oda and his forces are targeting us. We’ll respond with full force. Charlotte, fire all cannons! Everyone, channel your power into the ship!"

At Drake’s command, everyone touched a surface—furniture, walls, or the floor—infusing their elemental and divine power into Fuyu’s cores. Charlotte’s Unique Skill transformed Fuyu’s structure, charging cannons that fired explosive, cannonball-shaped spheres of light, bombarding the armies of hundreds of thousands of Yokai and swiftly decimating them.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Yokai forces were repelled enough to allow the group to arrive before the barrier sustained excessive damage, though it was already etched with thousands of Cursed Runes attempting to dismantle it.

"Drake, I’ll fight alongside you!" Nifl declared.

"Absolutely not!" Drake countered. "You’re returning to the Dragon Realm, Mother."

"But why? My strength is vast. I could..." Nifl protested.

"I know you’re powerful, and your aid would be invaluable, but you’re a vital pillar of the Draconic Records, and many ice dragons depend on you," Drake explained. "This is our battle to face. If it becomes truly dire, I’ll request your help later, but for now, as long as we can manage, I won’t ask."

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