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Well, that's a surprise. To think we were actually living on a giant floating continent all this time…
"Skyarnia…?" I asked, blinking in disbelief.
"Yes, Skyarnia. It's classified as a Divine Treasure in itself," my father explained calmly.
"This giant continent was said to have been made by the Gods when they used to live in Terrarium—before the world gave birth to the first Demon King, who waged war against the Gods and forced them to retreat into the High Heavens," my mother added, picking up from where father left off.
"Uhh…"
"It's said that the first Demon King was the strongest of them all—so strong that he could defeat Gods singlehandedly… He was ultimately slain by the first Ten Heroes, our predecessors," my father continued with a thoughtful gaze.
"His body was so massive and powerful that, upon defeat, it shattered into countless pieces that rained down on the world. Most of it gathered in the southern oceans, eventually becoming what is now known as the Demon Continent—where demons and monsters are born without end. It's also where every Demon King has emerged from since," my mother said with a grave tone.
"I-I see…"
"Skyarnia is special. It's proof that the Ancient Civilization of the Gods existed. We heroes were summoned and brought here when we were chosen by the Gods through their Divine Protections. This is where our journey began—where we officially became the Ten Heroes of our generation," father said, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
"It's a desolate Eden's Garden," mother added. "Civilizations once thrived here, but now there are no people left, aside from us. The rest is wild—powerful magical beasts, lush forests, ancient temples, lakes, rivers… It's a land frozen in time. And we chose it as our home because it's the furthest one can get from civilization."
That was… a lot to take in.
So, if I'm understanding this right… we live on a floating continent created by the Gods—Skyarnia—where heroes are gathered to begin their fight against the Demon King.
And my parents… chose to live here to avoid other people? Why would they do that?
"Why did you want to live away from civilization, Mom?" I asked curiously.
"Ah… well…" Mother scratched the back of her neck awkwardly.
"It's because people kept asking us to do everything for them," my father explained bluntly.
"Huh? Everything?" I tilted my head.
"As heroes, we're bound to help others. But it often went way beyond reason. Nobles, kings, and emperors constantly made demands. Sometimes they shamelessly asked us to wage wars for them. To fight battles they couldn't win themselves, just so they could expand their kingdoms," he said, his eyes narrowing.
"And when we refused," my mother continued, "they tried to manipulate us. Blackmail us. Threaten the people close to us. If they could, they would have locked you up in a dungeon to force us to obey."
I clenched my little fists. "That's awful… So people really are that rotten?"
"It's not everyone," father said gently, "but the powerful often are. And that's why we chose to leave it all behind. To protect you from being used as a pawn. We just want to live quietly."
"We wanted you to grow up in peace," mother added. "Far from politics, war, and ambition."
Their words hit me deep. They were doing everything they could… for me.
"Once you're old enough and strong enough, you can travel the world freely," father said, crouching down to meet my eyes. "Just remember, Leon… never let anyone control your life. You're free to become whoever you want."
"Ooh… I'll remember that."
"Of course, that's once you're older. You're still just a baby," Mom smirked.
"I can wait. Probably."
Honestly, I have amazing parents. They're strong, wise, and also very human. I really admire them.
"Now that I think about it… where does Aquarina live?" I asked, recalling our friends' departure.
"They live in a large village, but it doesn't belong to any kingdom. It's part of the Amazon Tribe, deep within the Vast Jungle of Green Adobe," mother explained.
"The Amazons are fierce warriors. They shun modern civilization and live in harmony with nature. They're joined by other wild tribes, like Beastkin," father added.
"Ooh… But Shade isn't an Amazon, right?"
"No, he's not. He came from the Fallen Kingdom of Bagakh… but that's a long story for another time," father said with a wave of his hand.
"In any case, they're a lot like us. They don't want anything to do with the larger nations. The moment those people detect our power, they try to manipulate or control us. It's exhausting," mother sighed.
From the way they talked, being a hero didn't sound easy at all.
People either worship you… or try to use you.
And it's not like my parents couldn't fight back. If they wanted, they could probably destroy any country that dared to threaten them. But they chose not to. Because they aren't tyrants or killers. They're just… tired.
Honestly? I get it.
If I were them, I'd probably go full warlord. Crack some skulls open and teach those arrogant nobles a lesson. But that's just how I was trained back then. My teacher always said: "If they try to chain you, break the chains—and the hands that hold them."
Still… I suppose my parents are teaching me a different kind of strength.
After that heavy talk, the next few days went by in a peaceful routine. I practiced walking more, and eventually, I was able to run and even hop around a bit—though I still fell down a lot.
I also kept trying to calm down the red dragon spirit sealed inside my soul. Spoiler alert: he's still mad and refuses to listen to anything.
Of course, I also kept nurturing my little tree every single day.
But then… today, something changed.
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