Rhea watched over her egg tenderly as small cracks started to form all over it.
The little one inside was struggling to get out and now it was only a matter of a few hours before it hatched completely.
For a dragon, the hatching phase was the most difficult phase of their lives, because the shell of a dragon egg was much stronger than what any tier0 level0 creature could ever hope to break.
The reason why the dragon shell was so strong was because the struggle to break the egg and be set free was extremely helpful in developing survival instincts and strength in baby dragon's, who levelled up through the effort.
However, while not likely 1 in 1000 dragon babies who did not manage to break free of their eggs, died without ever being born.
Rhea had sacrificed everything for the sake of her baby, she had given up a large chunk of her divinity and a lot of her powers to nurture the baby before it was ever born, going against the rules of the universe to smoothen out the foetus's mana veins so that it was born with the mana regeneration capacity of an immortal while being a tier 0 mortal.
At her peak, she was a terrifying tier 8 queen of the black dragon clan, however, for the sake of her husband the golden dragon king and the future of dragon kind as a whole she decided to nurture her baby to be born as a supreme existence.
The whole universe was after her baby, while nobody except her maid Nancy knew that she had nurtured the egg with divine essence, the idea of the dragon king and dragon queen coming together to have a baby was terrifying in of itself for the other clans such as red, white and yellow.
With only this information the other clans were constantly monitoring her pregnancy and making attempts at the life of her baby, however, if they ever found out about its true prowess Rhea had no doubt there would be an all-out war.
Her baby would transcend the tier8 realm and become one of the supremes in the future and with that he would unite all of dragonkind under one single monarchy.
It was for this dream that Rhea had sacrificed her powers, and it was for this very dream that she would go to any lengths to ensure that her baby lived to fulfil its full potential.
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( Meanwhile Kremeth, Max and Sebastian)
" Meet my master, Kremeth the old turtle coward " Max said as he introduced the old turtle to Sebastian.
Sebastian looked at the 6 feet tall turtle with awe as he bowed politely and said " This dwarf greets the turtle hermit "
" Hmm, good lad " Kremeth said as he patted Sebastian on the head.
" Let's go now boy, I cannot stay far away from the cave for too long, I have another one to protect " Kremeth said as he signalled Max to climb onto its back.
" I'll see you around Sebastian, I've decided to follow the turtle as my master and learn the ways of the coward with him. I-I don't think I'll be leaving this dungeon for a while even if it becomes a Battle-Zone
On your way out can you please give Asiva, Anna and my brother the message that I'm staying here?
I don't really want them to worry too much" Max said as he brought his hand out for Sebastian to shake.
Sebastian was a little shocked to hear that Max planned on staying inside the dungeon to learn with Kremeth for the next 2.5 years!
However, if there was one thing about Max that he really admired it was his judgement, and since Max had judged Kremeth to be worth staying inside this dungeon for the next 2.5 years, his instincts told him that it must be worth it.
" Can I follow your master as well? " Sebastian asked as he looked into Kremeths eyes with a hopeful expression
" I'm sorry lad, I'm not into the schooling business, I owe a debt which I need to settle, that's the only reason I'm tutoring the vampire, otherwise I'm not really interested ". Kremeth said as Sebastian decisively got down to his knees and begged for a chance.
" The greatest pride for a warrior is to nurture a stronger warrior in the next generation.
Since Ravan has chosen you as his master, I'm sure you are an extremely accomplished individual in front of whom I'm nothing but an ant.
But I beg you to give me a chance to learn from you, because I will bring honour and glory to your name.
It's the might of the student that displays the greatness of the teacher, and believe me I will do everything in my power to learn everything you have to teach me.
If you give me this chance, I'm ready to cook, clean and do all the menial tasks you need me to do, but I beg you, give me this chance ".
Kremeth smiled, he had lived a long time and had gotten many proposals by talented and powerful individuals to be their master, however, never did he have one from a hopeless race like that of a dwarf.
" You are short, your hands are built to lift hammers and not swords, your hip muscles don't have much mobility to allow you to kick upwards of 15° in battle and you have no racial abilities useful to be a warrior.
In a fair fistfight you can never beat an opponent of a superior race.
However, all your disabilities make you the perfect warrior to follow the path of the coward.
I'm intrigued by how high a dwarf can reach with my teachings, so I'll give you a chance.
But it will come at a price, as I will need you to work to the bone with housework when you are not training, disobey me and I'll kill you, don't train like I tell you to, I kill you, if you piss me off, I still kill you!
If you accept these conditions climb on my back, if you don't this is goodbye, you have 5 seconds to choose ". Kremeth said as Sebastian hurried to climb onto its back without hesitation.
He had made an instinctive decision to follow Max to learn from the turtle today, because according to him he had already hit the rock bottom in life today in his fight against Asmodeus and he never wanted to feel so powerless in his life ever again, no matter the price.
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/// A/N - It's Saturday and hence it's time for another riddle, this time around I'll give the first correct answer in the comments below a price as well.
Q) What is the numerical limit for Max casting fireball and fireblast spells through the Agni Astra in one day? ///