The night was falling.
Smoke curled up from the small town.
The air was filled with the aroma of food.
Ian sat at Xiao Ya's family dinner table, looking at the steaming dishes. Although he was already full, he couldn't help but feel nostalgic—it had been a long time since he had such a warm homemade meal.
In the Hogwarts hall, meals were like battles, full of intrigue and deceit. Just as Ian was reflecting, he heard Xiao Ya refer to a five-year-old boy by name.
Odin?
This seemed to trigger Ian's sensitive spot. Xiao Ya and her brother Odin were busily setting the table, chatting and laughing, seemingly unaware of the odd expression on Ian's face.
"Odin, don't just eat meat, have some vegetables too," Xiao Ya said softly as she set the tableware, handing a large bundle of cabbage to the little boy.
The little boy immediately began to munch voraciously.
He seemed very obedient.
However, Ian had already glanced at him several times by this point, and eventually, he couldn't hold back, raising an eyebrow slightly, "Odin? You mean... your brother is named Odin?"
It's no wonder Ian was so sensitive.
After all, he had just recently encountered the Greek gods.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ya paused, then nodded with a smile, "Yes, is there a problem?"
Ian opened his mouth, momentarily unsure how to respond. Of course, he had an issue—the name was too familiar, even in another world he had heard it countless times.
The King of Gods from Nordic Mythology, right?
Who doesn't know?
An existence sitting at the same table as Zeus...
"Are your parents... named Bor Bulisen and Bestra?" Ian attempted to ask, testing the waters, as these were the names of the Nordic God King's parents.
Xiao Ya shrugged.
"No," she denied Ian's assumption.
"That name sounds nice, so Dad and Mom renamed him." The meat-loving little boy interjected with bright eyes, showing his filial piety, making Ian look at him with suspicion.
"Dad and Mom are very powerful Trainers, with many strong partners." Feeling the gaze, Odin suddenly spoke up, his voice small yet carrying an undeniable pride.
"So where are they now?" Ian pressed on.
Odin looked at Xiao Ya.
Xiao Ya's eyes flashed with a hint of longing.
"They went out on an adventure."
The girl's tone was also filled with yearning.
"Out on an adventure?"
Ian repeated.
His tone carried a hint of hesitation.
"Leaving just the two of you at home?"
He still didn't quite understand the local traditions.
"Yes, it's normal; after all, we can take care of ourselves from the age of two. There's food everywhere outside," Xiao Ya shook her head with a faint smile, "In this town, every adult leaves after having children, embarking on a journey with their Fantastic Beasts partners."
"It's our tradition to travel for at least six months a year." Good goodness, this truly left Ian speechless; the game world recreated here was indeed peculiar.
It was unknown why that Titan had created such a place.
Too bored?
Or for some other reason.
"It's been three months, almost six months," Odin nodded lightly, "Dad once said that a true Trainer isn't trapped by any storm, nor will any distance block the way home."
His words carried a sense of determination.
Listening to these words, Ian couldn't help but nod; the people here seemed accustomed to separation and waiting, their life rhythm and values vastly different from what he was familiar with.
After dinner.
Ian was assigned to rest on the living room sofa.
"Odin,"
He stared at the ceiling, thoughts tumbling. If this was just a coincidence, it was a far-fetched one; but if it wasn't, what lay hidden behind it?
He didn't know the answer, so he could only continue to observe.
The night deepened.
The sound of insects came from outside the window. Ian closed his eyes, trying to relax. However, just as he was about to fall asleep, a deafening roar suddenly erupted.
It shattered the tranquility of the night.
"What's happening?"
Ian sprang from the leather and cotton sofa, as the roar reverberated, the wooden house's windows shook violently in response to the sound waves. Screams and the rumble of collapsing buildings echoed from afar.
The roar seemed to come from the sky, carrying a chilling pressure.
Immediately after, the ground began to shake violently, the glass windows inside shattering sharply, and the tableware on the table fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
The two sisters, who were sound asleep, were also startled awake.
"There's an invasion!"
They were shocked.
"It's a Giant Dragon; I recognize this sound too well," Ian rushed to the window, seeing through the rising dust on the east side of the town a gigantic figure spreading its wings wide enough to block the sky.
It was indeed an Ancient Giant Dragon.
Its scales shimmered like obsidian, with sharp spines on its back. Every flap of its wings stirred a gale. The flames it spat melted the clock tower into red-hot molten iron within an instant.
"Everyone assemble! The eastern district needs support!"
On the streets, the townspeople had already organized a defense. Some quickly summoned their Fantastic Beasts partners, trying to stop the sudden disaster. A giant flame bird took flight, spewing flames at the dragon, yet it was easily dodged by the opponent, who countered with a claw, sending it crashing heavily to the ground.