104

The City of Destiny

In the bustling square of the City of Destiny, hunters and spectators had already gathered, witnessing hunters and their prey flying through the sky.

The giant wolf brought by Forseti and Hermond naturally drew much attention, but the focal point was the colossal red dragon at the center of the square.

Due to its size, the red dragon couldn't be transported by flying cats like other prey; Asgard opted to use the Rainbow Bridge for its arrival, an impressive spectacle as it appeared suddenly.

"Roar-roar-"

The red dragon, seemingly recovering, roared fiercely despite being bound tightly in chains, unable to move—a sight that garnered cheerful remarks from onlookers.

Forseti and Hermond landed and approached Hela, joining the crowd quietly waiting.

Hermond remarked, "Barring unforeseen circumstances, His Highness Hela will likely take first place in this hunting festival, with Lady Skadi settling for second."

Forseti nodded, but Hodr interjected with his hoarse voice, "I'm not so sure... After capturing the giant dragon, Lady Skadi ceased hunting, essentially forfeiting the competition. Combined with penalties for fouls, she might not secure second place."

Bart added, "That's unlikely. After all, a hunting party of over a dozen members amassed a significant amount of prey in half a month. It's hard to imagine them being outdone by freelance hunters."

Hodr fell silent.

Someone nearby chimed in, "Did you hear? Gus got banned for a thousand years from the festival. He won't be participating for a millennium."

"A thousand years, tsk tsk tsk..."

As people discussed, another robust flying cat flew into the sky.

"Meow--"

This marked the arrival of the last hunter, drawing everyone's gaze upwards.

"Isn't that Tyalfi?"

"Who's Tyalfi?"

"He's the one who spent nearly 180 years in Landvety Forest without encountering a four-horned goat."

"Oh, I remember him now!"

The final hunter to arrive was Forseti's old friend, the renowned unlucky hunter of Asgard, Tyalfi.

Meanwhile, the red dragon in the square suddenly became agitated, its chains straining with a creak: "Roar - Roar!!"

"Woo... woo..."

Simultaneously, a faint whimper echoed from the sky, originating from the flying cat carrying Tyalfi.

Seasoned hunters pieced together what was happening, murmuring in astonishment, "It's a young dragon!"

"The cry of a young dragon!"

Forseti was bewildered, watching Tyalfi disembark from the flying cat.

Tyalfi appeared disheveled and battered but couldn't hide his prideful demeanor as he basked in the sun's glow.

In his arms, he cradled a squirming young dragon, or a dragonling.

This dragonling, no larger than an ordinary goat, sported fiery red scales and occasionally spat small flames while wriggling against its mother's aggressive struggles: "Woo... ow..."

It was evident that the female dragon was the mother, highly agitated as she strained and roared.

Thankfully, Ullr intervened at this juncture, conjuring a pale blue aura that enveloped the giant dragon.

Uller, Asgard's third-in-command and the winter-hunting god, possessed rare dual abilities: omniscience and mastery over winter's frost.

Thus, not only could he survey the cosmos, but he also wielded formidable combat prowess.

Approaching Tyalfi, Forseti was astounded. "Tyalfi, did you truly encounter a young dragon?!"

"In fact, I stumbled upon a pair of young dragon siblings... The other was so powerful, I nearly got singed to a crisp. I managed to capture only this one," Tyalfi smiled, gesturing to the burns on his body.

Forseti was at a loss for words: "..."

At that moment, Hermond chuckled, "It appears my earlier speculation was correct; this female dragon indeed lost its offspring."

Forseti inquired, "What are your plans for this dragonling, Tyalfi?"

Tyalfi responded, "I plan to tame it."

Hodr interjected gravely, "You'd do well to reconsider. Few dragons have been successfully domesticated in the last ten millennia, especially dragonlings... Legend has it that Lady Brynhild attempted to tame a dragonling but failed."

A seasoned hunter added, "Taming solitary, intelligent, strong, carnivorous creatures like dragons is exceedingly difficult. Taming a giant dragon is even more challenging than taming a mortal."

But Tyalfi seemed undeterred, maintaining his smile.

On the sidelines, Skadi's hunting party wore grim expressions as they watched Tyalfi, particularly the hunters Kuer and Hrym...

"Silence," Uller commanded from the square's center.

His voice, though not loud, reached every ear, silencing the crowd.

"I am aware of all that has transpired during this hunting festival. Now, I shall announce the top three positions personally," Uller declared.

"First place, Hela."

There was no surprise regarding the first place, but murmurs resumed immediately.

"Tyalfi capturing a young dragon—this changes things..."

"It seems Lady Skadi will settle for third place."

"Had it not been for the wounds and penalties, Lady Skadi's prey count might have secured second place, but alas..."

Ullr's expression turned slightly awkward, yet he continued in a composed tone, "Second place, Tyalfi."

"Third place, Skadi."

Forseti sighed inwardly.

This outcome left Skadi and Cul crestfallen; even second place had eluded them. The historical process, including Cul's eventual usurpation by Odin, likely contributed to this disappointment.

While the honor of first place belonged rightfully to Hela, the members of the hunting party deserved recognition. After the square's ceremony, Hela summoned the hunters and distributed rewards.

Two rewards were distributed: one thousand runes per person and an Immortal Steel Dagger.

Second only to Uru in Asgard, Immortal Steel was the most potent metal. Hela's longsword was primarily forged from Immortal Steel, highlighting its value.

The Immortal Steel Dagger was both practical and engraved with Odin's name, a symbol of honor and a formidable weapon.

"Forseti's Immortal Blade, bestowed by Odin."

Such was the inscription on Forseti's dagger.

Forseti's blade always bore a faint silver glow, shrouded in mystery. The enchantment of "immortality" rendered the dagger exceptionally resilient.

Surveying the Immortal Steel Dagger in his grasp, Forseti, like his fellow hunters, felt elation.

Hela smiled warmly.

In conclusion, she said, "Thank you all. Odin and I acknowledge your valor."

"Our honor, Your Highness." The hunters bowed respectfully.

Hela nodded, then fixed her gaze on Forseti. "Forseti, please stay."

---