The Achievement Junkie

'Then how about we all go see it?'

Jack sighed, 'I guess that works… But I still want a room for myself and so will Lunara. Raztol, would you mind?'

Shaking his head, Raztol smiled and glanced at Wingreig. 'I think it'll be fine.'

'Then I'll lead the way.' Wingreig took the lead and the group parted from the other hydra elders.

Eight Flood Dragons, one Mantis Leviathan, one Nine-headed Glacial Hydra, and two humans followed the hydra head and hydra consul as they moved toward the Glacial Palace. However, they didn't enter the building. They wrapped around to the side opposite the building's entrance until they reached a well-guarded opening in the reef itself.

With Wingreig and Raztol leading the way, the guards didn't dare say a word as they moved aside for the group to freely pass.

The entrance was large enough for three hydras to enter at once but the passage quickly opened up and allowed for everyone to travel without congestion. There were little to no twists or turns as the tunnel led them down through the core of Glacier Reef. Soon, they noticed the passage narrow and return to the size of its entrance.

'Here it is!' Wingreig proudly shouted.

The tunnel made a ninety-degree turn and allowed the group to see an opening covered in illusory energy. As everyone swam through the opening, they were in awe of what they found. To the utter shock of everyone, they found themselves in a vast opening that acted as an oasis nearly eleven thousand meters below the surface in a bubble of air.

'Jack…'

Immediately, Jinbe crashed onto the ground as he found himself unable to breathe. In response, Jack hopped off Jinbe's back and gave him a forceful shove with energy coated hands. The massive Mantis Leviathan was pushed back toward the entrance and exit, successfully getting half of his body into the water. Jinbe then backed up and kept his entire body submerged in the passageway while leaving his head poking through the illusory energy.

Everyone else was perfectly fine in the air-filled space, though they were all in awe that such an oasis existed in the world's most remote location.

Jack, now calmed down over Jinbe's breathing problem, scanned over the area to take in the spectacular scenery.

It was an enormous open area, larger than the entirety of the Glacial Palace. Wooded areas were scattered around a giant lake of crystal clear water with a sandy shore all around. There, Jack spotted the entrance that all the gods were vying to enter.

'This is Glacier Keep,' announced Raztol. 'We hydras see it as the most sacred place. Though you may question the elder's monopoly of the place, you're able to see it in such a state due to the care we provide. What do you think, Lunara? Compared to your sole visit as a youth long ago, how does is it today?'

'It's… It's greener and the water is even more clear…' sighed Lunara, at a loss for words.

Wingreig spoke up and continued where Raztol left off, 'It's through our hold of Glacier Keep that it's been able to grow so beautiful. Though we've never been able to enter that iced over door beneath the lake, the abundant mana alone is enough for us to treat this as our holy ground.'

Turning to Kylon and then to Jack, Wingreig bowed formally and begged, 'Please, bring no harm to the balanced beauty of this place. I have no capability to stop you, something I forcibly learned from Lunara, but I implore you to treat this place with sacred respect.'

'You have my word,' stated Jack. 'Kylon?'

Nodding, Kylon responded, 'Yes… We too will treat this place with care. Do you mind if we partake of the fruit here?'

'Of course, but please be courteous and only take a fair share. There's plenty to feed dozens of hydras or any creature for a few nights, but I selfishly ask that you only take what you'll eat while here and nothing more,' begged Raztol, also bowing. 'Lunara can testify of this. Any fruit picked here will spoil within hours, no matter what methods are used for preservation.'

'Really? Then, what effect does this fruit have on those that eat it?' asked Jack, asking the question on everyone's mind.

Wingreig lifted his head and sighed before answering, 'We've noticed that it aids in the purifying of one's energies. Partaking of these fruits allows us to condense and strengthen the energy we wield.'

'And that's why you're combined attack was so fearsome…' Lunara shook her head, thinking back to her duel with the hydra elders, catching Kylon off guard.

'Yes, that's why us elders have managed to become much stronger compared to other lv. 89 hydras,' stated Wingreig. 'But this effect isn't infinite. It's best to consume the fruits over a period of time in smaller doses for the greatest effect. The most streamlined schedule we've discovered to be effective is to consume fifteen fruits a day for a full month. Three-headed hydras would need to consume twenty a day for the same effect. After that, consuming any more fruit would only be for the sake of flavor and nothing more. Hence the restrictions placed on even elders, only allowing them enough fruit for purification and nothing more.'

'And this is the real reason you were against us coming to Glacier Keep?'

Nodding to Jack, Wingreig replied, 'That's correct. I understand that Glacier Keep should hold a trove of wealth and treasure beyond my comprehension. But I also understand that such treasures are deserved by those able to extract them.

'My greatest worry is what would happen to these trees… Should they be spoiled, ruined, or tarnished then I'm not sure what we elders can do to replenish them.'

'We'll care for them as they should be,' Lunara proudly stated. 'Thank you for trusting us with their care while we're here.'

'We have no other choice,' stated Wingreig, sighing and shrugging.