What just happened?
[I am not sure…] ChatJK4 answered. And for the first time, his personal AI assistant seemed confused. He didn't know if it was because it grew to be more human with every software update or it was because of the strange metal that seemed to have embedded itself in his chest.
[I am searching for all the information written on the GodForge, but everything comes up blank. There is no precedent for this occurrence.]
Great…great…what a great birthday gift, he said sarcastically. Can you at least tell me if it's good or bad? Should I worry about the metal in my chest?
[There seems to be no adverse effect on your physical wellbeing. Your mana cores are running at perfect condition as well…]
What is it?
[I seemed to have discovered where the metal fragment is located.]
And?...
[It has merged itself with your mana cores.]
Michael closed his eyes and focused on his internal body. There, he saw the eight spheres of mana floating in an endless black space.
Everything looked normal at first, but upon closer inspection, Michael finally noticed a very thin line connecting all the mana cores to each other, creating an octagram of sorts.
There was no mistake about it. It was the piece of the GodForge, just stretched out into a hair-like strand.
As for why it had attached itself to his cores, he had absolutely no idea.
As for its effects, Michael knew nothing as well. Everything worked fine with his mana and everything flowed smoothly with his cores.
[It is recommended to gather more GodForge pieces so that the effects would be a lot more pronounced.]
Michael wasn't exactly that enthusiastic about having another metal piece shoot through his chest, but he was calm-headed enough to know that the GodForge piece was an incredible piece of relic from the past. With the power it held in its prime, Michael was sure that if it wanted to harm him, it would have done so already.
And besides, Michael already promised the Dwarven King to gather all the GodForge pieces he could find. At least now, it would be safe in his chest.
"Are you okay, boss? What happened?" Butch asked worriedly. He shuddered at the thought of the white-scaled Dragonborn finding out that Michael got hurt while he was around.
"It's fine," he answered before levitating himself back up. "Let's go home. I have some questions that I need to ask a friend."
…
…
…
Michael ascended from the shadows in the corner of a grandly decorated room, with furniture decorated with gold and red velvet.
Near the balcony was a man who watched calmly as he overlooked the skyline of Angora City.
"Stelmane," Michael called out.
The Duke turned around and was surprised to see Michael, but not too shocked to see him appear in his personal lodging. "What brings you here?"
Michael walked over to the balcony and joined the Duke for tea.
"I have a question I have to ask you. It's about Christian and the HammerStone family."
Duke Stelmane finished a sip of his tea. "What would you like to know?"
"They seemed to have given me a gift. Well, it's more like a leftover piece that they didn't bother to retrieve. It was in Christian's personal stash after all."
The Duke looked at Michael. "Is it a strange flaming piece of metal?"
Michael sat up straight. "You know it?"
Stelmane nodded. "I have heard of those, yes."
"Those?" Michael's eyebrows perked up.
"If you remember our conversation a few days ago, I told you about the conglomerates and the sub companies inherited by their heirs, right?
Well, as far as I heard, on their tenth birthday, those inheritors receive a piece of a magical metal that cannot be touched nor destroyed. This metal has no use at all and mostly serves as a decorational piece for fireplaces and tables."
Michael almost cringed as he heard that. He couldn't imagine having a powerful piece of the GodForge just laying around like a piece of furniture. Imagine the waste!
"Why do they even receive this metal?"
The Duke shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know either. But I do know that they place great importance on it, especially by those conglomerates.
They make it as a test for their inheritors. If they are able to keep their magical piece, then they are viable to become a successor. It's a weird tradition in my opinion, but those conglomerates have always been weird."
Michael looked over the skyline of Angora City as he digested what he learned.
As it turned out, the GodFoge pieces were spread apart and in possession by the heirs and successors of the conglomerates.
Christian was supposed to be an heir for the HammerStone family. But after the incident with Michael, he was stripped of all his inheritances.
"Why did Christian's father give me a piece if it's so important?"
The Duke laughed, almost chuckling as he sipped tea. "That is typical of him. It's his way of respecting what you have built in the Reborn company. Even though your company is not tied to any conglomerate, he is treating you as part of their competition.
In a way, you already are, aren't you? Since you're building your own Golden Road.
I guess all he's trying to say is that he challenges you to beat those arrogant successors to teach them a lesson."
Michael looked down at his chest, where the GodForge piece was hidden in his cores.
Those sub companies have been given a piece of the GodForge.
And they are in a competition with each other to establish their own Golden Road. Inevitably, they would have to fight against each other, with one side potentially losing everything to the other…
Including the GodForge piece.
And whoever wins the Golden Road competition would eventually gather a lot of the GodForge pieces for themselves.
I have a feeling that's on purpose, he thought to himself. There must be a reason why those conglomerates want their heirs and successors to gather the GodForge pieces.
Michael looked at the distance, further towards the Queens region where the Vanderbilt Kingdom was located.
Grandfather…you know something about the GodForge, don't you?
…
…
…
Michael returned to the Reborn headquarters and sat in his bed.
With all the mystery surrounding the GodForge pieces, Michael became a lot more determined in gathering all the pieces he could find.
He thought he would find the GodForge pieces in secret tombs or hidden underground passages. But as it turned out, he just had to continue northwards.
Those sub companies have them. Michael was sure that Flarecorp had one too since they were a direct heir of the Oscorpe conglomerate.
Michael knew what he had to do.
He had to up the pace of his Golden Road.
He got out of his bed and rushed to the Dragonborns' dormitory. There, he saw everyone together in a circle, seemingly planning and wrapping gifts together.
"Michael. You weren't supposed to be here yet," Yuna said, hiding the gift behind her back.
"Lord Michael, please close your eyes."
"Bro Mike! Look what I got you. It's a piece of tooth I got from Five!"
"Hoho…my gifts are…what are they again?"
Michael looked at everyone with a smile.
"Change of plan guys. We're going to party."