As always, Farbauti was standing still in the middle of the arena. As soon as I approached, he said, "This place was used to hold a berserker warrior called Eveif.
"She was a renowned warrior who was skilled with the axe as much as with her wisdom and mind. However, she killed someone whom she shouldn't have. Lord Surtr was forced to imprison her here. She was bound both by body and mind, and those bindings still hold. You must fight while obstructed by them. But rest for now."
I nodded and found a boulder to lean against. After about two hours, I was fully rested, and the aches were healed. I stood up and approached Farbauti again, "Let's begin."
He nodded. Immediately, I felt like ropes encircled every part of my body and started binding me. My mind felt the same. It was extremely hard to move or even think. I had to move, though.
"Ow Oww!" Pangu grunted and screamed, "If you want to test him, then go ahead! What do you want from me?"
"You're affected as well?" I said with gritted teeth.
"The bindings affect everyone in the arena; spirits are an exception," Farbauti explained.
"You're under them too?" I exclaimed. He wasn't even struggling.
"Yes."
Farbauti started attacking. I tried to block for most attacks, but I was barely able to move, even when activating the Quasi-Draconic form.
Not long after that, I was at my limit. Panting, I said to Pangu, "Let's do it."
"Really? I don't like it when we are fused."
"Do you have other options?"
"Too weak," Farbauti taunted.
It seemed to work because Pangu replied, "Okay, let's fuse."
The temperature dropped as my soul and Pangu's fused with each other. Snow started falling, even in the extreme heat of Skald. The snow converged into a dome around my body as it transformed me.
The snow exploded and dispersed, showing the pristine aura surrounding me. Pangu I, fused, looked at Farbauti and declared through the world, "This is us at our peak. Let's do this properly, now!"
The pressure from the transformation lessened the bindings from the arena and was pressing on Farbauti. He was certainly affected as he said, "The Pangu transformation… Truly marvelous. The others and I couldn't achieve this transformation when we had the chance…"
They? I suppose the previous owners of the shards? That aroused my interest to know that I am the only one to achieve this. But I knew that this was not the time to ask questions. It is time to fight!
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Updated on 29/3/2026