Epic Of Ice Dragon: Reborn As An Ice Dragon With A System

Chapter 2452: Visiting Alfheim

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When the next day arrived, we quickly decided to depart, soaring through the skies of Alfheim. We admired the breathtaking view below until we finally reached Alma's former home, the largest kingdom in Alfheim before its fall: the Greenwood Kingdom.

Yes, it bore his name, Greenwood. But I had already confirmed that no Soul Fragments or Clones of his remained. When Loki was destroyed, everything connected to him perished in a chain reaction. Even any new Split Souls he might have left behind were gone. Their followers were likely left bewildered before fleeing elsewhere.

The kingdom's appearance caught me off guard. It resembled a highly advanced technological metropolis, undoubtedly built through Technomancy.

Though houses and vast platforms filled with buildings still clung to enormous trees, it was evident that the elves had surpassed the rest of the world in technology, driven by their heavy reliance on Technomancy under Oberon's influence.

From high above, the people seemed strangely normal. I had expected widespread disaster, yet aside from the massive skyscraper that had crashed from the sky and was still burning fiercely, everything appeared intact.

Wait...

"What the hell happened over there?!" Alma demanded.

"It looks like the building where Oberon was has been destroyed and is still on fire," Callon observed.

"Alma, we should head to the castle," Hermes suggested. "We might find answers there."

"I agree," Alma nodded firmly. "Thank goodness I didn't bring my sister. She would have caused a scene. Let's go, everyone."

"Wow! So many elves, Mom!"

"Hehehe, are we in our homeland?"

"Baaahh!"

Her three children gazed in wonder at the view from the skies as we followed her through the city. Occasionally, flying cars nearly collided with us, and furious elves shouted for us to stay out of the way.

These people led busy lives. Massive highways stretched across much of the continent, linking this city to others. Greenwood had clearly invested immense effort into it all.

"I can't deny that Oberon advanced their technology tremendously," I admitted. "If Augustus were here, he would love this place."

After the great battle, the three Venerables traveling with us had gone their separate ways. Augustus returned to his homeland of Svartalfheim. The Ice Queen accompanied the Titans back to their realm but planned to head to Jotunheim soon after. Belle vanished like the wind with her daughter of the same name, and I had no idea where she went.

"He certainly would," Andromeda agreed. "I hope he's doing well."

"He is," I said confidently. "I bet he's enjoying Svartalfheim right now, or busy with new inventions. He was far more relaxed than I expected."

"He sure was," Benladann laughed warmly. "And he helped us all so much."

"Without his aid, we might not have defeated Loki," I added. "He was the one who ultimately helped us restore Gungnir from mere fragments. Though considered the 'weakest' among the Venerables, he proved the most valuable."

"There it is," Alma said, pointing ahead. The twins at her side supported her levitation effortlessly, carrying her children along. "The Greenwood Kingdom Castle. It's been over a decade since I left. With Greenwood dead, I wonder who's in charge now. Probably one of those petty nobles who became his lapdogs."

Alma descended swiftly, landing in the center of the bridge leading to the massive white castle on the city's outskirts. It was surrounded by glowing white towers and enormous blue crystals.

The instant she pierced the barrier and touched the white floor, alarms blared. Dozens of flying drones armed with paralyzing stun guns and machine guns locked onto her, while four heavily armored elves emerged, wielding magical guns and clad in full white-and-blue mechanical suits.

"Halt, intruder!"

"How dare you set foot in this royal palace?!"

"Do you even have permission to enter?"

"Who are you? Identify yourself— Wait!"

The guards froze in panic as they recognized Alma. She was in their database, after all—the most dangerous prisoner who had escaped Greenwood's grasp, the one he had always prioritized recapturing.

"Yes, it's me," Alma declared, her voice ringing with authority. "The true princess of this kingdom and its rightful queen!"

Her aura erupted, shoving the guards back effortlessly. The twins assisted, crushing the drones with a casual wave of their hands. Their telekinetic powers had grown immensely since their recovery.

"Oberon is dead, along with all his Split Souls and Clones!" Alma roared, fury blazing in her eyes. "Who dares claim control of my kingdom now? I will fight them and reclaim what is mine if I must!"

"P-Princess Alma?!"

"Please, calm down!"

"We weren't expecting you!"

"When Lord Greenwood died, we were all shocked and plunged into panic."

"We realized too late how everything had crumbled beneath us. If word spread, society itself might collapse."

"I don't care if it does," Alma snarled, her anger unyielding. "I will rebuild it from the ashes if necessary. Let me pass now!"

Suddenly, more drones and soldiers swarmed from the sky and underground elevators. Alma met their advance with a defiant smirk.

"Well? Come at me."

They attacked all at once—beams, cannons, guns, lasers, and magic spells bombarding her from every direction.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Alma, wait!"

Hermes and Callon tensed briefly, but Alma emerged from the explosions completely unharmed, shielded by a barrier of gray mana.

"I've battled beings capable of shattering worlds," she said coldly. "Do you truly believe your pathetic weapons can stop me? Anyone still loyal to Greenwood will fall by my hand!"

She was filled with wrath and utterly merciless. With the twins' help, she manifested dozens of giant hands forged from Psychic Power and her Endless Mana, crushing soldiers, robots, and anything that dared approach her.

The battle raged for a full half hour as Alma relentlessly crushed, killed, and decimated everyone and everything in her path.

I did her a favor by sealing the entire area, ensuring no one could escape. Kate grew intrigued and descended to join the fray, soon followed by her three siblings, who handled the reinforcements pouring in from the city.

The conflict escalated until another hour had passed. In the end, the city's entire military lay destroyed. Panic spread everywhere as people screamed and fled from burning tanks, shattered robots, and soldiers crushed beneath their mechanical armor, flattened like pancakes.

"Damn, that felt so good! Thank you for lifting my spirits, you worthless pieces of shit!"

She was truly a fierce and rowdy queen.

Alma strode forward and kicked the castle doors open. I followed with Callon and Hermes, while Benladann and Hel stayed close to me. The rest remained outside with my children.

"Wow, this is quite the castle! Did you grow up here, Alma?" I asked.

"No, this is the rebuilt one," Alma explained. "The original was much older and blended with nature. Greenwood demolished it and erected this monstrosity on top. Ah, there he is!"

Alma soared into the skies, leaving us to catch up. We watched as she tore open a reinforced metallic door and confronted a trembling, screaming old elf.

He appeared as a tall, slender, and frail figure, resembling a human in his fifties, with no muscle and a pathetic expression of terror etched on his face. Yet he was undoubtedly far older.

"P-Princess! Please calm down! Must you always resort to extreme violence whenever you visit?!"

"Uncle Ruffert, you filthy traitor! You sold my parents out to Greenwood!"

Alma seized him by the neck in an instant. The old elf screamed as a mechanical suit materialized around his body, its twin cannons firing at her point-blank.

BOOOM!

"H-Hahaha! I got you! I got you, you stupid, snotty brat who—"

CRASH!

Alma's hand pierced straight through the armor's chest and into the man's heart.

She was far stronger than her delicate, beautiful appearance suggested.

"Gaaaaagh?! S-Stop! Please spare me!"

The man wailed as Alma noticed thick cables and steel components protruding from his wounds. He had been transformed into a cyborg.

Most of Greenwood's soldiers and close aides had undergone the same process, allowing him greater control over them. Alma had mentioned this earlier.

"Spare you? Of course I will, Ruffert. I need you alive to confess everything you did and how you did it," Alma said with a cold smile. "You will also announce my return as the rightful ruler of the Greenwood Kingdom. And you will immediately order the release of all subjects held for experimentation in the underground facilities."

"W-Wait, but what if Oberon returns?! I-I can't do that!" Ruffert screamed. "I..."

"Drake? Could you help me here?" Alma asked softly. "Please?"

"Sure," I nodded, stepping forward. "Hello, Ruffert. Oberon is dead, along with Loki—his true identity. Do you know who I am?"

"Drake... Wait!" Ruffert gasped. "You're that lizard?!"

"Yes, I am that lizard," I replied with a smile. My Aura flared powerfully, manifesting as a colossal dragon—the full might of my Eternal Dragon Sovereign Archetype.

"I-Impossible...! Lord Oberon could never die...! He could never... no, never!" Ruffert cried. "This must be a mistake! It has to be an error! You're all lying!"

"I guess he's beyond reasoning," I sighed. "Kate, could you come here?"

I summoned my daughter to my side, and she appeared instantly.

"Yes, Dad— Oh, is he a cyborg?" she asked curiously, staring intently at the man. "Is he a bad guy?"

"He is," I confirmed. "Kate, can you hack into him, and everything connected across this city and all linked cities? Make them obey us completely from now on."

I felt incredibly fortunate to have my daughter here.

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